by Brenda Ford
“I need to call Oliver,” she gushes. “I need to call all your brothers actually. They all need to get here. Even Alex is home from touring at the moment, isn’t he? You need them all.”
“I don’t think they will all fit in this room!” I call out after Rosie, but it’s too late. She’s leaving the room.
“You can’t stop her now,” Amelia laughs. “You know what she’s like. Out of control.”
I roll my eyes and laugh. “Talk about out of control… once all the Smith’s get here, it will be a nightmare.”
She slips her fingers into mine and holds my hand for a moment, looking into my eyes. “You know they are going to ask about us, don’t you? They will insist on knowing what’s going on.”
“You know them too well!” I joke. “Of course they will. What are we going to tell them?”
She pauses thoughtfully, rubbing her lips with her fingers. “I would like to tell them that we’re together.”
“You would?” I light up like a freaking Christmas tree. “I would love that as well.”
She tilts her head down, kissing me softly. At first on the cheek and then on the lips. A tingling sensation races through my face, dulling any pain that I have there. I reach out and graze my fingers over her face, gasping for air as I fall even deeper into love. This moment is wonderful, and the only calm we will have before my damn brothers turn up and transform this place into chaos. I want to enjoy the peace before it explodes.
“So, me and you, huh?” I murmur against her mouth. “Together at last.”
“Who would have thought that Lux would be the trigger of this.”
One minute he tore us apart, now he’s bringing us back together. I just hope now that he vanishes into thin air and we don’t ever have to deal with him again.
“I am going to kill him,” Angelo growls as he hears the whole story of me and Lux. “I wanted to kill him before, but this time I’m going to do it. No one is going to hurt my little brother. To just attack you like that in the middle of the road as well, all drunk and idiotic, when you aren’t even fighting back. And then to make that phone call pretending that you’re dead… he’s just messed up. He needs taking down a peg or two.”
“Hey, Angelo.” Alex grabs on to his twin’s arm. “There isn’t enough space in here for you to pace. Can you just calm down for a moment? We’re all angry about this but you can’t go crazy like that. It won’t help anything. He’s in jail anyway at the moment so there isn’t any point in getting all wild.”
“Yeah, plus remember why we are here!” Brad jumps in. “Nelson needs us to focus on the right now.”
Oliver cocks an eyebrow at me which makes me laugh. He doesn’t know what to say in all this madness and neither do I. To be honest, when the rest of them get going we can never really get a word in edgeways. It’s always been the same way. Me, because I’m the youngest, him because he’s the quietest.
“You lot need to shut up.” Wesley rolls his eyes. “We have been over protective of Nelson his whole life. We have tried to control him, tried to help him, tried to make sure that he takes the right direction in life. The fact that he keeps coming back to Amelia, even though he’s grown makes it destiny by this point.”
“I agree,” Rosie shocks me by piping up. “Look how happy they make each other. We might not have been happy about it before, or at least I wasn’t because I thought that Mom was going through a mid-life crisis and Nelson was taking advantage of that, but now I can see that it’s real.”
I don’t know if we wanted their blessing, we didn’t really ask for it, but I have to admit that it’s nice to have it. It makes me feel so much better about me and her. With the support from these wonderful people, we can get through anything that will come our way. Not that I’m picturing more drama in our future. Fingers crossed anyway. I’m guessing that we have been through enough in our time by now.
“Thank you.” I suddenly realize that Amelia is crying from her voice. “That means so much.”
“And we’re all going to help you fight Dad as well,” Rosie continues. “He is going to get locked up for this.”
I look at everyone I love in this room, smiling at them all in turn, knowing that everything is going to get so much better from here. With the love and support of our families, me and Amelia really will get our happy ever after at last.
Chapter 38 - Amelia
“Are you okay?” I ask as I try to help Nelson through the front door. Not that he really needs my help. He might be all beaten and still look bruised, but he’s doing just fine. “Can I do anything?”
“You playing a nurse is really sexy,” he laughs. “But I’m good. I’m honestly really great.”
“You do look okay, I’m just worried that you’re more injured than you’re making out. I know what you’re like.” I rub his arm and smile, before closing the door behind us. “I’m glad that you’re here though.”
I was insistent at the hospital that he come back here to my place. I want him here. I’m actually hoping this might be the start of him moving in to be honest. Much as I like the house to myself, I would rather him be here with me. I like the noise of him being around. He lights up my home in a very special way.
“You want to see how injured I am?” he laughs. Why don’t you come here?”
He grabs the spaghetti straps of my dress and pulls me towards him. I fall against him willingly. He rests his forehead against mine, his eyes dancing and darting with lust, showing me what he’s going to do to me. I shiver as his hands drift down to my butt, slowly hitching my skirt up around my waist.
“Ooh.” I wrap my arms around him excitedly, but I try not to lose my self-control in the process. “Are you sure you’re ready for that? I wouldn’t want to hurt your aching body.”
“Urgh, are you joking.” He rolls his eyes. “I have been wanting to get my hands on you for ages. I spent all that time lying in that damn hospital bed wishing I could just hold you already.”
I don’t have the chance to argue anymore, because he drags my panties to one side, and he wastes no time plunging his fingers into me. He massages my and thumbs my soaking wet clit, causing my head to toss backwards in glee. I lean backwards, falling against the wall behind me, giving him leverage to push his fingers deeper in me. Ecstasy grips me instantly, shooting further up through my system. I swear he’s managing to touch more parts of me, spots and erogenous zones that haven’t ever been explored before, even by him.
“Fucking hell, Nelson, you really are too much. You always have been.”
“Remember in your office?” he whispers seductively in my ear. “At the high school?” I groan and nod, unable to find words. “Remember all the times I crept into your house? Through the tree?” I moan even louder. “And in the kitchen, not that long ago? Do you remember how incredible that was?”
Before I can reply, he drops to his knees and he peels my panties off. Inch by inch the material slides down, revealing more of me to him. Once I’m fully exposed for him, I press my foot up against the wall and part my thighs further for him. My fingers try to grip against the wall, but it’s all smooth. There is nothing to grab.
“I need to taste you again,” he moans. “I have been dreaming about tasting you for as long as I can remember.”
He isn’t gentle and soft when his mouth connects with me. He moves hard as fast, his tongue devouring me wildly. Since I have nothing to grab on to, I reach forwards and take his hair, gliding it between my fingers as he sends me to heaven with his mouth. I can’t contain the pleasure coming for me. It’s like a tornado, screaming through me, sending me into a strong cloud of bliss. I can’t stand it, it’s too much for me. I know I’m going to lose myself. The pressure builds, it’s swells and grows inside of me, until I tip over the edge.
I scream Nelson’s name over and over again as I come all over his tongue. He wanted a taste of me and he’s definitely getting that. It feels like the pleasure won’t stop rolling through me, and Nelson doesn’t want it to. He
’s a mad man, wanting to make me explode. And as I erupt, I can feel him loving it as much as I do.
“Oh fuck.” He drags himself up my body and kisses me hard. The taste of me on him is somehow incredibly sexy. It makes my heart racing even faster than it already was. It causes the need to grow. I might have just been through a blissful orgasm, but I’m greedy and I want more of him. So much more.
My hand slips down his body, feeling his thick, muscular chest, and eventually his trousers. It’s hard for me to pull the zipper apart when I’m trembling so much, but I just about manage it. Soon, his thick, throbbing cock is between my fingers and his hardness turns me on even more.
“Oh, Nelson.” I arch my back off the wall as I stroke him. “I want you so bad it hurts.”
With a little bit of space between us now, I slide downwards and hit the floor with my knees, ready to give him some of the pleasure that he’s just given me. I’m trapped between him and the wall and it’s the best place in the world to be. His cock teases my lips, begging for entrance, needing me badly.
I open my mouth and he slips inside, driving in until he hits the back of my throat. I moan with bliss as Nelson pulls back and takes control of his movements, basically fucking my mouth. I slide my hands up his legs and eventually cup his balls in my hands, stroking them to make the sensations even more intense than before.
“Fucking hell, Amelia,” he moans. “You have no idea how fucking good that feels.”
Soon, he can’t seem to take it anymore and he drags me to my feet. Before I can get even a word out, he crashes his mouth to mine while he sheaths himself and teases my entrance with his cock. I roll my hips, thrilled to the bone, needing him inside. I am too needy for him to tease me now; I just want him already.
“Fuck me,” I beg. “Please, Nelson. Don’t leave me waiting any longer.”
Thankfully he doesn’t wait any longer and he thrusts hard into me, stripping the air from my lungs. Every time he slams into me, my ass hits the wall, sending my head twisting and twirling. I’m seeing stars already, tumbling in to bliss. My veins fizz, my chest explodes, he’s pushing me ever closer to the knife edge of desire, and I’m more than happy to fall once more. I cling to Nelson as he buries deeper and deeper, slamming against me, causing my body to scream out with intense pleasure.
“Oh God, Nelson.” My head falls backwards, my eyes slide closed, I can’t contain myself any longer. “Oh my God, I love you. I love you so much. I always have done, and I always will.” I can’t stop telling him. It’s started rolling off my tongue over and over, like a prayer, and it makes me feel amazing to say. It’s utterly freeing and I adore it. “I love you so much, Nelson. Oh God, you have no idea how much I love you.”
The waves of pleasure rocket through me, I sink into pleasure. It vibrates through me hard and fast and makes me shudder against him. As always, Nelson is my rock. He holds me and doesn’t let me fall. I lean against him, holding on to him as the pleasure zip zaps to an end, and then kiss him to swallow up his screams at the bliss takes him as well. This is the first time we have had sex while being accepted as a couple by everyone we love, while I can be safe in the knowledge that Lux isn’t around to ruin things for us. That makes it more intense and exciting.
“I love you too,” he says the moment he calms down enough to speak. “I really do.”
“I know you do. You wouldn’t have fought so hard for us otherwise. Literally.”
We hold one another for a few moments just basking in this peace. It’s been a long time since we had this. Well, I don’t think we have ever had this. Even the day at the shore was filled with uncertainty.
“We need to go on another trip,” I say happily. “When you’re much better, of course.”
He scoffs, basically suggesting that he feels okay now. He probably does, but I will make him wait. At least for a little bit until he’s completely healed. I don’t want any sign of that asshole Lux when we go somewhere else. I want it to be just me and him, enjoying ourselves like we did before. The shore is our place, it’s where we are happiest, I don’t want anything getting in the way and wrecking that. Once the bruises are gone, then we will continue on with our life in the best way possible. Me and him, no one else in the way.
“To the beach? Or somewhere further? Because I’m up for a trip anytime, anywhere. I work for myself; don’t you know? So, I don’t have an asshole boss to work around. One of the benefits of my college education.”
I toss my head back and laugh. There are so many jokes there, but I’m more excited about thinking about the trip than anything else. I don’t have time for teasing. “That’s true, and my boss is nice as well, so we can go any time. I’m definitely up for heading to the shore again. But we can go further afield again. You have a lot of experience in that area. You went everywhere, didn’t you? While working on your college course.”
“I do, I do. There are a lot of places in Europe I have been that you’ll love. So much history and culture I would absolutely love to show you. Oh, and the beaches. Wow, the beaches…”
Nelson takes my hand and walks me up the stairs towards the bedroom, the place where I am happiest because it’s where this all began. It’s where me and Nelson first found our love. Now, we have the whole future ahead of us and I can’t wait to explore it all. A future where we will see the world together, where we will have adventures and excitement. I’m happy that he’s willing to sacrifice certain things that we can’t do for all the things we can.
We climb into bed together while Nelson tells me all about the world and where he thinks I will love. I listen intently, enraptured by him. People might assume that because I’m the older woman I will be the only one doing all the teaching, but that’s not the case. Nelson has a lot to show me as well.
“I love you,” I lean against him, snuggling in to him in bed, knowing that this is the first day of the rest of my life with this man. For real this time around. “I can’t wait to see what our future holds.”
“Me neither. God, I can’t wait for all of it. Finally, I’m getting everything that I want.”
I laugh and lean into him, my heart singing with happiness. This is everything that I want as well. I can’t believe that I am finally the woman who gets a happy ever after, a knight in shining armor, a prince charming. Not the prince charming that I thought I would have gotten, but that’s okay. Life can be surprising in the best of ways. I’m over the moon with how it’s gone.
Chapter 39 - Nelson
Six Months Later…
“Even the air is different in Paris,” Amelia gasps as she twirls around in the middle of the Champs Élysées, acting as care free as she did on the shore once upon a time. “This is the best birthday gift ever.”
I have been making an effort to take Amelia away somewhere new every time we get a chance. It isn’t always easy, my business is really kicking off and my first novel is almost in place as well, but I always do what I can to make time for her. The last thing I ever want to do is make Amelia feel like I’m taking her for granted. I appreciate every single second that I’m with her. I never forget how horrible it is to be without her.
But luckily, I will never be without her again. Since we have proven we can survive through anything, I have no doubt in the world that we are the real deal, destined to last forever more. Everyone else can now see that too. Even Wesley and Rosie who were the most uncertain in the beginning.
“It’s great, isn’t it?” I beam happily. “And I’m looking forward to going up the Eifel Tower later.”
“Oh, me too. It’s going to be incredible, isn’t it? I can’t believe I haven’t ever been here before.”
“You said that in Italy as well as we traveled down the canals in a gondola in Venice.”
“I know!” she chuckles. “There are so many places I can’t believe I haven’t been before. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t ever get anywhere. I appreciate this so much.” She leans up and kisses my cheek. “I love you.”
I dig
my hand into my pocket as I kiss her back, checking that the box is still there. Yep, I can feel it. I can roll it between my fingers and really consider what’s inside there. Something that terrifies me and thrills me in equal measures. It takes my breath away. I can’t wait to pull it out, but not yet.
“I love you too,” I murmur back. “And I’m so happy that we’re here together in the City of Love.”
We continue walking together, arm in arm, down the street and I inhale the unique Parisian air. I don’t know if it is different really because the air is always easier to breathe in when I’m with Amelia. She just makes the world a better place. At least for me. Especially when we don’t have any drama to deal with. Now that Lux is in jail with no sign of getting out any time soon, I don’t think anyone else is bothered enough about our love to care. We have been left alone to just be together and that is exactly how I like it.
Soon, we will take this wonderful love another step further, and I absolutely can’t wait. Another Mrs. Smith to add to our ever growing family. And this one will belong to me…
“I feel like I’m on top of the world.” Amelia leans her head against my shoulder, practically purring. “And it was definitely a good idea of yours to come up here at night. The lights are amazing.”
I want to enjoy the view as well, but the nerves are too busy kicking in. I’m practically shaking with anxiety as I think about what is to come. Any minute now, I need to gather up every bit of courage that I have and drop to one knee, to ask the question at last. I absolutely can’t wait… yet I haven’t got to it yet because I’m afraid. I don’t think I’m necessarily scared that she’s going to turn me down, even if her experience with marriage isn’t exactly the best, it’s more that I’m freaked out that I might mess it up.
“Are you cold?” Amelia turns to look at me. “You’re shivering like crazy.”