Always Series Box Set

by Becs, Lindsay

  “Fair enough. Then, when can I marry you?”

  I gasp at his words, my eyes go big, searching his for teasing, but he’s looking at me with nothing but truth and love. “When I beat this cancer’s ass.”

  A smile spreads across his handsome face. “I’m going to marry the shit out of you, Josie Duncan.”

  * * *

  The rest of the weekend was an emotional rollercoaster.

  Travis and I told Tatum that we’re dating, which she took surprisingly well. I think she was a little grossed out, but then again so was Ollie. Between the two of them, we answered every question we could that they asked. By the end of Sunday, I think we had shown them, more than told them, how much we cared and loved each other. And I think they even believed us a little.

  Although I’d love nothing more than to have Travis move in with Tatum and me, and make up for lost time, I know we need to still go cautiously. Not just with Tate, but with us, too. I know I’m in for the long haul, but it’s still a lot to ask of Travis. Not only seeing and taking care of me being sick, but also taking care of a twelve-year-old girl that isn’t his sister or blood. But I fully believe we’ll get there when the time is right.

  As for cancer talk, that sucked. But I didn’t expect it to be any different. I answered everyone’s many, many questions the best I could now that the initial shock had worn off. I showed them all the literature my doctor had given me and even told them about the various support groups that were available, should they seek that out as well.

  As much of a shocker as it was for Ollie to see me and Travis together, I think it was a blessing, too. I think it put Ollie at ease knowing I wasn’t alone to care for myself and Tatum when he couldn’t be around to help.

  When Ollie left to head back to Northwestern, I made Travis leave, too. He wasn’t happy about it, but I knew that I needed to set boundaries now, or he’d be moved in by Tuesday. I told him we needed to still go about our days like normal as much as we could until we just couldn’t anymore. Then, we could make changes as we needed to. But for now, I was feeling alright, scared, but alright.

  When Wednesday rolled around, I was shocked when it was 9:30 and Travis showed up at my office to take me to my appointment. He walked in like he owned the place and kissed me in front of everyone, shocking me along with them. “No more secrets,” he had whispered in my ear as we left for the doctor’s office.

  I got an earful later from my partner and friend, Candace, for holding out on her. She’s a little horndog and wanted all the details about Travis and me. Which, I obliged, of course. I have nothing to hide now.

  Although I agreed to not keep Travis a secret, I did tell him that I wanted to wait to tell my co-works about my cancer. He understood, and I loved him more for it.

  At the doctor’s office, Dr. Swartz didn’t mince words with Travis and me. It was hard to hear, but I was thankful for her honesty. Travis held my hand the whole time, through my tears, through my questions, through it all and never let go.

  She was so patient, repeating things for Travis’s benefit as well as mine, even though I had heard most of it before. By the time we left, we knew exactly what to expect in the weeks and months to come.

  I was starting chemotherapy in two weeks. Each cycle of chemo would last two weeks. I’d get two days of treatment, then rest and repeat. After three months of chemo (six cycles), I’d be getting a mastectomy. Hopefully, by then, the chemo will have shrunk the tumor some, giving the surgeon easier access. During surgery, they’d take my left breast and do an Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (ALND) to check surrounding tissues for spreading. After surgery, I’d continue chemo for another month (two cycles) before then moving into external beam radiation. Radiation would be five days a week for six weeks. Once that was done, I’d get a reprieve for a couple weeks before starting hormone therapy. And hopefully be on my way back to health and living my life. It was going to be a long, hard road, but I knew I could do it with Travis by my side.

  Dr. Swartz asked if I wanted to have any future children because infertility can come into play with all of this. I didn’t know what to say, but Travis answered for me, saying he just wanted me healthy. I about melted. It was something we hadn’t talked about yet, but I was thankful for his answer. Thankful for him.

  I asked him if he was ready to run yet when we walked to his truck. He answered by pushing me up against the passenger door and kissing me. He took my breath away. I’d missed him so much, and he was reminding me of all the reasons why.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Travis

  “Come on, kid, let an old man live through you. Tell me which honey has that smile back on your face.” Roger has been pestering me since I walked back into the garage on Monday with a new spring in my step as he put it.

  To say the last week has been a whirlwind would be putting it lightly. I got my girl back, came clean to my best friend about it, and found out that she’s got cancer. It still feels like a stab to the heart every time I think or say that word. Cancer. Cancer can kiss my ass. I’m not going to let it take away the love of my life, but it does make me pissed about the two years we wasted apart.

  Going to the doctor with Josie on Wednesday, it was hard to hear the scary truth, but there was nowhere else I wanted to be than there with her, holding her hand. I walked away before, but I’m not doing that again, and I’m sure as shit not going to let her push me away, either. She needs me, and I need her. No doubt about it.

  She is the reason I breathe. She always has been. Even when we were apart, I never wanted anyone else. I didn’t date. I didn’t go out. I was damn pissed off most the time because I knew I couldn’t have what I really wanted. But now that I have her back, nothing and no one is going to take her from me.

  “I just don’t want to give you a heart attack, old man,” I say to Roger from my workbench where I’m cleaning a carburetor.

  “Must be juicy if you’re worried about my health.”

  “Her name is Josie.” Just saying her name has a smile on my face I can’t help.

  “Josie. Do I know a Josie? Only Josie I know of around here is Josie Duncan.” I turn my head a little to look at him from under my brow, raising it to answer that’s the one. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

  “I shit you not.”

  “Does she know you love her?”

  “Of course, she knows,” I snort and shake my head.

  “Just making sure you aren’t stalking her or anything.”

  “I’ve known her since I was a kid.”

  “My point exactly. You aren’t trying to take her for her money or something, are you? Because she’s good people and been through enough garbage with that ass she was married to for too long.”

  “She’s my whole world. We tried before for a little bit, but it didn’t last long. She was scared and not ready for what people would think and say. But things have changed. We’re both ready now.”

  “Well, not going to lie, I was not expecting her to be the one responsible for your sudden mood change, but I’m happy for you, kid.”

  “Thanks, Rog.”

  It’s Friday and Tatum’s night to stay with her dad. I finished at the garage early and decided to surprise Josie. I called her co-worker, Candace, to make sure she didn’t have any showings this afternoon before I came to her office. Walking in, I get looks and whispers before reaching her door. I knock and wait in case she’s on the phone or with someone.

  “Come in,” she says from the other side, prompting me to open the door.

  “Surprise!”

  “What are you doing here?” she asks with a smile stretching across her face.

  “Missed my girl and wanted to take you out tonight. Can you leave early?” I ask, hoping the answer is yes.

  “I think so, let me make sure though,” she says, walking to me and giving me a quick kiss before walking out to talk to Candace.

  The door is open, and I can hear the two of them talking. I’m trying not to eavesdrop, but
when I hear my name, I can’t help but perk up and listen.

  “Trav wants to take me out. Do you mind if I leave early?”

  “Girl, if I had a sexy twenty-something-year-old servicing my garden, I’d never show up to work at all.” I cover my mouth to muffle my laugh at Candace’s candor.

  “You have no idea,” Josie responds as the two of them laugh, making me feel like I should beat my chest or something. Josie and I haven’t really done anything more than kiss in the past week, but I won’t frown upon her talking me up.

  “Please give me details, and I mean all the details, down to every vein, and I’ll see you Monday.” Candace is a dirty girl…

  “I’m not telling you that! He’s mine! Get your own sexy boy to play with,” Josie sasses back, surprising me. She never talks like this or even really jokes like this, at least that I knew. I’m diggin’ the kinky talk from my girl.

  “Fine, I’ll see you Monday,” Candace huffs before they both laugh again. “But seriously, if you ever get tired of him, I’ll gladly give you a break.”

  “Not a chance, sweet cheeks.”

  I try to act cool and collected when Josie walks back into her office. She grabs her bags and turns off the lights. When she turns to lock her door, I notice Candace watching us, so I take a chance that I won’t get slapped, and squeeze Josie’s ass as I wink behind me in her pervy friend’s direction. Josie yelps but just grabs my hand and pulls me out of her office and to the parking lot.

  When we reach my truck, my blood is pumping a mile a minute and I’m already hard. I push Josie back against the side, bringing my mouth to hers. I kiss her soft and long. “What was that for?” she asks breathlessly when we pull apart.

  “I told you, I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.”

  “Do you want to drive back separately and drop off your car or leave it here and I can bring you by later for it?”

  “I want to change before we go anywhere if that’s alright. Let’s drive to the house first.”

  I bend and kiss her once more. “OK. I’ll follow you, pretty girl.”

  Once back at the house, I follow her inside, plopping down on her bed.

  “Huh?” I ask because I didn’t hear a word she just said from inside her closet. The thought of her nearly naked is making me rock hard again. I grip and adjust myself at the same moment she peeks her head around the door, watching as her eyes follow my movements.

  “I asked where we were going, but do you want to stay in tonight?” she questions, her cheeks turning pink.

  “I need to ask you a question, Josie.”

  I see her brows furrow in confusion. “What is it?”

  “Are we going to have sex, Joes? I know I said it was up to you when you were ready, and I still mean it, but fucking hell, woman. You can’t stand there, naked for all I know, and ask me to stay in and not want to have sex. So, if you just want to cuddle, then we sure as shit are going out.” I didn’t notice until the end of my rant that she was laughing. “Are you laughing at me?”

  “You’re so freaking cute, Travis.”

  “Come here,” I say, sitting up. “Come on. Stop being shy and let me see you.”

  She slowly walks over to me, looking down. I pull her to stand between my legs, my hands on her hips. Josie settles there in a matching black lacy underwear set, blushing cheeks, beautiful smile, gorgeous and perfect. My eyes rake over her, slowly, taking in every inch of her body. I’ve never gotten to fully see and appreciate all of her like this.

  “You are so beautiful.”

  “You’re just saying that so I’ll choose the sex option tonight, aren’t you,” she says with a smirk.

  “Well…” She pushes my shoulder back. “I’m kidding!” I laugh. “We’ll go as fast or slow as you’re ready for. You tell me when.”

  “OK.”

  “OK…?”

  “OK. I’m ready.”

  “Is this just so that you can tell Candace about every vein your sexy boy has?” I tease.

  “Ohmygosh! You heard that?” she laughs, covering her embarrassed face. I match her laugh and pull her hands away from her face.

  “I did. But I have to say, I didn’t mind how you said I was yours.”

  “Well, I don’t like to share, you know.”

  “Neither do I,” I say tucking her hair behind her shoulder. “You are beautiful, Josie.”

  “I bet you say that to all the girls,” she teases, but I’m done teasing. For now.

  “What other girls? There’s only you.”

  I stand, and we meet each other as we both lean in for a kiss. It starts soft and slow but quickly turns hot and needy. My hands run down her curves and over her round ass at the same time she’s pulling up my shirt, her hands feeling my abs. I reach down and pull my shirt over my head, breaking our kiss for only a quick second. Her warm hands go back to my skin, and it feels amazing to have her touch on me again.

  She begins to crawl down my body, and it takes a minute to realize what she’s about to do. “Josie, baby, you don’t have to do that.”

  “I know, but it seems only fair since you’ve already sent me into euphoria several times in the past and I’ve never reciprocated.”

  “Hey, stop a second. Look at me.” Her big eyes meet mine, her face just above the waistband of my jeans, with the tip of my dick right there, begging to be had. I’m hard as stone and no doubt want a release, but I’m not about rushing her, and I certainly don’t want her to regret it or feel weird about anything, either. I want to do things right. “I’m not going to lie; I can’t wait to have your fucking perfect lips wrapped around my cock, but I will wait. You don’t have to do this right now. You said before you wanted to go slow, and I meant it when I said we’d go as slow as you want.”

  “Do you always talk so dirty? Because it’s a fucking turn on.” That’s her response. I try to be a gentleman and that’s her fucking response.

  I close my eyes and take a breath before I meet her lust-filled eyes again, looking up at me from her knees. “You are killing me, Joes.”

  “I just want to make you feel good like you’ve done for me. I want more. Fuck, I need more, Travis. Please?” Fucking hell. Now she’s begging me. Wanting to suck me off.

  “Josie, I only have so much restraint, and you are crushing all of it right now.”

  She doesn’t respond and doesn’t wait for me to say anything more before she pops the button and pulls down the zipper of my jeans. Her hands slide down my sides, over my hips, and into my jeans, pushing them down. My dick is hard as fuck, standing up straight and exposed in front of her.

  I’m actually feeling a little shy at the moment as she’s kneeled there, staring at my junk with wide eyes. “Are… are you alright? Like I said, you don’t have to do this, Joes.”

  “Shut up. Shut the fuck up.”

  “O… OK. But why are you looking at my dick like that? Is it OK?” Now I’m nervous there’s something wrong with my body. No, not just my body, but my cock specifically.

  Her eyes meet mine again. “There is nothing wrong with you. You are magnificent, you know that?” I chuckle now, relieved that I’m not deformed. But mid-laugh, she licks her lips, leans in and puts her hot mouth around me. And it’s no longer funny.

  Fuck, her mouth and tongue feel amazing. She takes me all the way in her mouth. All. The. Way. Not to sound like a douche, but I’m a big guy. In the past, no girl has ever been able to take me that far. It feels incredible. I can’t even describe the feeling of going not just to the back of her throat but into it. Holy. Fuck. It’s almost too much. She does this a few times, and I’m afraid I’m going to blow right now.

  Then she pulls me all the way out and runs the tip of her tongue through the slit on the head, licking the precum that’s there. Her hand wraps around the base of me and start pumping while sucking just the head into her mouth. I instinctively wrap my hands in her hair and push her down farther. She obliges with a moan around my cock that almost has me blowing
already. Fuck, she’s good at this. I’ve had my share of head before, but nothing even close to this.

  She’s pumping and sucking and then she cups my balls, and I’m done. I know I’m not lasting much longer, but the immense pleasure from this is so amazing. I feel my balls tighten and a streak of lightning start in my toes. I tap her head to let her know I’m about to blow, but she keeps at it like she’s starving for me.

  And I come in her mouth. Long and hard. Not what I really wanted to do and feel kind of bad about doing, but fuck, was that amazing.

  She pulls off and my dick pops from her swollen lips. She looks flushed and sexy as fuck as I watch her throat bob and she swallows again and again.

  “You’re fucking amazing,” I say as I pull her face into mine. I don’t even care that she just had a mouthful of my come. I kiss her hard, biting her lip and sucking it into my mouth. “I hope you know I love you. And not just for the best blowie, either.” She laughs and buries her head in my chest. I can tell she’s embarrassed, but I have no idea why.

  I pull her into me and fall back onto her bed, kicking my jeans off as I go, because they seem rather pointless at the moment. “Can I look at you?”

  Biting her lip, she nods as I sit back on my haunches on the bed. Reaching behind her, she unclasps her bra and lets it fall. “So fucking perfect.” Not able to wait another second, I’m on top of her, sucking her nipple into my mouth while my hand grabs her other breast and rolls her nipple between my thumb and forefinger. I switch, wanting to give equal attention to each one, ending with a pinch that gets me a moan. I cup both in my hands, still rolling her nipples as I kiss between her breasts, and make my way down to her stomach, her body writhing under me.

  When I get to her belly button, I pull my hands down to her hips and pull off her black, lacy bikinis. Her scent engulfs me, making my mouth water as I look at her pussy, swollen and ready. “Spread for me, pretty girl. I want to see you. All of you.” She listens, surprisingly, bringing her knees up and opens for me. I inhale deeply as I look at her glistening center, waiting to be touched.