by C. A. Harms
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. I knew I needed to be careful with my next words. Not many people knew that part of my life. I took a deep breath and the tears fell as I continued.
“Eventually I ran into some not so great guys who had me questioning love and happiness. I took everything that I felt when I was twelve and tucked it away. It was you, Kole, who found the old Lexi and pulled her back to the present. I know we struggled and sometimes it was hard. But you never gave up on me. You stood by me every day through everything. You kept me above water. You took all the fairy tale endings I once believed in and made them real. Here we are today, confessing our love for one another in front our family and friends and I couldn’t be happier. You’re my knight, my hero…the stubborn guy who wouldn’t let me fall. I love you so much, Kole, and every day I thank God that you found me. Without you, this world would be such a dark place.”
I felt him squeeze my hands in his, but I couldn’t see through my unshed tears.
When the rings were exchanged and the priest spoke his final words, Kole stepped into me. He placed his hands on each side of my face and looked into my eyes. He lowered his lips to mine, but just before kissing me he whispered, “I’m gonna love you forever, Lexi.”
I smiled against his lips as they possessed mine.
The reception was amazing. I danced with my brothers and the fact that just a few months ago I didn’t even know they existed seemed almost impossible. It felt like they had always been within my heart.
The emotional dance with my father had me once again a hormonal mess. Pregnancy and weddings were a bad mix. I excused myself so I could go to the bathroom to get ahold of myself and make sure my make-up wasn’t running down my face.
I found Megan hiding in the bathroom crying on Natalie’s shoulder. I brushed her hair aside and she looked up at me. “I’m sorry; I held it together through the ceremony, but when we got here I couldn’t face him.”
“Hey, don’t apologize. Do you remember how many times it was me who needed a friend to lean on? You’ve always been there for me. No matter what plans you had to cancel or how much sleep you had to lose. Now it’s my turn to be here for you. I don’t care if it’s in the middle of my wedding. You need me. I will always be here for you…always.”
I walked her over to the bench against the wall and Natalie and I took a seat on either side of her. She cried and shuddered for the next ten minutes before she began to slowly calm down.
“I don’t think he cheated on me.” I sat in silence. I really didn’t know what to say so instead I let her continue. “I’m so angry with him because he went back there after dropping off Kole. Kole was the reason he said he went there in the first place. He should’ve just picked up the guys and left.
“He went back to Mason’s house and passed out. That stripper drove his Jeep and they went and did god knows what. He never should’ve gotten that drunk to begin with.”
She wiped her tears away quickly. “I just don’t know if I can talk to him right now. Your wedding isn’t the place for us to worry about our problems.
I took her face into my hands and looked directly at her. “You better listen to me right now. Your problems will always be my problems too. If you want to talk to him and yell at him, then do it. If you’re unhappy, Meg, I’m not whole. I need your happiness in my life too. It might be selfish of me, but I want everything right in my world.” I winked at her and she smiled.
“Well, who am I to deny Lexi of her happiness?” She smiled and I kissed her cheek.
“That’s right. Do as I say. You know better than to argue with a pregnant lady by now, don’t you?”
I got a giggle out of her and that was a great start.
Once I returned from the bathroom Kole found me and insisted I dance with him. When Kole led me to the dance floor I instantly became calm. I molded myself against his chest. This man melted my insides every time he smiled.
“Hi, wife.” Kole kissed me softly.
I smiled up at him. “Hello, husband.”
There it was, his accomplished smile. That smile he carried whenever he beat me at anything. “What are you smiling about?”
He chuckled. “I won. You wanted to wait. I won…again.”
I shook my head. “Yeah, well, I have to let you win every once in a while. I get bored winning all the time. You’re so easy, there’s no challenge.”
He tickled my sides. “Stop!”
I squirmed and he pulled me tightly against him, wrapping his arms around me securely. I looked up at him and he lowered his lips to mine. His tongue traced my lower lip and I smiled when I felt the familiar metal. I let my tongue meet his gently. I felt like crawling up his body right now and wrapping my legs around him. I could barely control the need I had for him at that moment.
“Is it time for us to sneak off yet? I wanna be alone with you.”
He kissed me once more, sucking at the tip of my tongue and lightly biting my lip.
“Soon…very soon,” he whispered.
Kole brushed his thumb across my lower lip. “Have I told you yet how beautiful you look?” I nodded as he lowered his lips to mine once again and we were lost in each other. Slowly dancing to the sound of “I Knew I Loved You” by Savage Garden, he held me close and everyone else seemed to fade away. My safety and security was just being in his arms, knowing that I consumed his heart just as he did mine.
Just before we left the reception, I caught sight of Megan and Radley right outside of the sliding doors facing out toward the beach. Radley was down on his knees and he was holding Megan’s hand in his. My heart raced as I watched him reach into his pocket and pull out a box. I pulled on Kole’s hand as we stepped quietly outside the door to witness the moment. We stood in the shadows and listened as Radley confessed his love to Megan.
“Megan, I love you so much. I know sometimes I’m an ass. I know I take for granted what we have and forget how special things are with us but you mean the world to me. I can promise you that no matter what, I’ll always take care of you and I’ll never stop loving you. When I look forward to my future, you’re all I see. I want to love you and protect you forever.”
Megan stood before him with her hand over her mouth sobbing as quietly as she could manage. You could see the light reflect off of Radley’s glistening eyes.
“I bought this ring for you six months ago. I was going to propose to you on our anniversary in two weeks, but Meg, I can’t wait. I can’t wait because this is something I should have done a year ago. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you almost instantly. You challenge me and make me so angry at times, but god damn, Meg, I love you so deeply sometimes I feel like I can’t breathe without you.”
Radley stood and took Megan’s face into his hands. “Baby, I’m sorry for any hurt I have ever caused you, but I can promise that from the moment I met you, it has only ever been you. You’re more than enough woman for me.”
She giggled between tears and he laughed. “Marry me, Megan. Let’s share our life together. Let’s make babies and grow old together. Give me the one thing I need the most and that’s to call you my wife.”
I stood under the shadows of the porch as tears ran heavy down my cheeks. “I had no idea he had it in him,” I whispered to Kole and he pulled me in tighter to his chest.
“I did, because that guy loves Megan as much I love you. When you love someone as deeply as we love our girls, nothing means more to you than their happiness.”
He kissed my neck from behind. “Let’s give them a few minutes alone.”
We stuck around a little while because I wanted Megan to share her news. When they emerged from the beach hand in hand my tears threatened to fall once more. Megan illuminated happiness and love. Radley kissed her softly in the doorway and I melted. At that moment their love for each other was obvious and it filled the room.
She walked towards me, her eyes still red and puffy from crying both sad and happy tears. Radley hadn’t once released her hand.
She looked at both Kole and I; before she could say it Radley caved. “I proposed to Meg.”
Megan slapped his shoulder and I laughed.
Kole put his arm around my neck and shook Radley’s hand. “It’s about time. Hell, you bought Megan’s ring before I even had Lexi’s.”
I looked up at him and glared. “You knew this whole time and you didn’t tell me?”
“Hell no. If I would’ve told you, Megan would have known five minutes later.”
I looked at Megan and she laughed. “I guess they know us too well, huh?”
I took her in my arms and hugged her tight. I whispered into her ear, “I heard the proposal from the back door and it was beautiful. He loves you more than anything. Don’t question it, okay? Just live it.”
She nodded her head against mine. “I will. I promise.”
Chapter 41
Kole
It’d been a month since Lexi and I were married, the best month of my life. For once we had no drama. No crazy ex’s or guys trying to take what’s mine. We just had us and our happiness.
I sat on the couch watching her at the table. She had her messy hair piled on top of her head in a bun, little strands escaping and falling around her face in every direction.
I watched her as she sat wearing her glasses and biting the end of her pen. She was wearing one of my T-shirts. I had to admit to myself that when she wore my shirts it made me feel like the caveman she always said I am.
She was mine, all mine.
I let my eyes trail down further. Seeing her bare thigh from the side made me instantly hard. The shirt rode up on the side just enough that I could see the side of her boy shorts, or whatever it was she called them. I just knew that the lace around her thigh was calling to me. I knew I should let her study, but I could no longer fight the need to touch her. I stood from the couch and walked toward her. She must have heard me coming because she looked up just as I knelt down in front of her.
“No games, Kole. Seriously, I have to study if I’m gonna pass this class.” She held up her hand as if that was gonna stop me.
I laughed and slid my hands up her outer thighs. “I think you need to take a break.” I leaned forward and kissed her lips sucking lightly on her lower one. I ran my tongue down her neck as she arched her chin upward. A little moan fell from her parted lips. “I think we should spend some time having crazy monkey sex.” I suggestively shifted my eyebrows up and down.
Lexi laughed and rolled her eyes. “What in the hell is ‘crazy monkey sex’?”
I picked her up in one quick swoop as she giggled and held onto my neck. Once we were in the bedroom I lowered her to the bed, crawling up her body until I was hovering above her. I braced myself with my arms looking down into her eyes. “It’s better if I show you.”
Slowly I lowered myself down until my body completely covered hers and our lips were inches apart.
I watched her eyes fill with need. She licked her lower lip. “Show me, huh?”
I nodded. “Yes, I’m gonna show you over and over. You’ll be begging me for more.” I lowered my lips to hers flipping my piercing against her tongue.
I groaned against her mouth and she wrapped her arms around my neck pulling me closer. She always made me feel mindless and driven with need. I pushed my hardness against her and her hips rose up to accept it.
The things she could do to me were insane. I felt lustfully crazy whenever she was near.
I lowered myself gradually down her body, taking in every sexy ass inch of her. I kneaded her breasts in my hands, flipping her nipples with my tongue. Pinching lightly, I rolled them between my fingers. She threw her head back.
I couldn’t hold back the grin that spread across my face. A horny Lexi was one of the hottest things I had ever seen. Knowing that it was me her body reacted to threw me into caveman mode once again. The urge to stand up and beat on my chest roaring ran through my mind.
I paused over her stomach and placed a sweet kiss just below her belly button. “Plug your ears, little one, daddy’s about to make mommy scream my name.”
Lexi giggled and I smiled up at her before I continued lower. I slid her underwear down her legs and took my place between her thighs. I watched her bite her lip while I slowly ran my tongue over her wetness. I never took my eyes from hers; sucking lightly, I watched her eyes flutter shut. Pleasing Lexi was such a fucking turn-on.
I ran my tongue over her once more. “Does it feel good, Lex?”
She nodded, moaning “Yes.”
Without opening her eyes, she gripped my hair and pulled. For the next five minutes, I did nothing but please her until she screamed out, “Oh my god, Kole…yes!”
Chapter 42
Lexi
My mind was racing after the explosive orgasm that had ripped through me. When I looked up to see Kole removing his shorts I smiled. That’s right, he better get naked. I felt bestial and crazy hungry for him.
“What’s wrong?”
Did he really need to ask? He knew exactly what I wanted; he just felt the need to tease.
“Don’t tease me. Get your ass over here and claim what’s yours. Don’t make me wait or you’ll be the one begging.” I held his gaze without smiling.
It took a matter of three seconds for him to crawl onto the bed, hover over me and sink into me slowly. He began moving within me and I couldn’t muffle the deep moan that ran through me. Looking down between us, seeing his muscles tense with every thrust was so erotic. His hips slowly rotated as he sunk into me over and over again slowly.
“I thought you wanted crazy monkey sex?” I bit my lip taking in the slow tease of his hardness.
He buried his head into my neck.
“Slow, baby, I need slow. Let me make love to you. Feels fucking amazing and I need it to be slow.” He whispered into my ear.
I felt myself building once again. Okay, yeah, slow could be good…real good. I tightened my legs around his waist and rose up to meet his rotating hips. “I’m so close.”
His eyes met mine as he watched me. I looked at him deeply and the orgasm that had been teetering on the edge finally fell…hard.
“Kole, yes.” I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and took it all in.
His movements picked up slightly and his breathing became heavy.
“Fuck, Lexi damn. So fucking good.”
He tensed and drove into me once more before emptying himself as he shook with pleasure.
We fell asleep wrapped together…naked.
***
When I woke up it was beginning to get dark out. Panic set in at the thought of my exam tomorrow morning. I hadn’t finished studying because of Kole and his caveman tendencies. I smiled at the thought of it and felt the need for him begin to pool once again deep in my stomach. Before I could cave, I crawled from bed and threw Kole’s T-shirt back on. After spending far too long looking around on the floor for my panties I gave up and grabbed a new pair from the drawer.
I grabbed the phone and ordered pizza for dinner. I had already lost study time, even though it was worth every second. I just knew that I had no spare time to make dinner. The fact that I was a horrible cook and Kole knew that made it easier to use take-out as a fallback.
Kole finally got out of bed about the time the delivery guy rang the doorbell. He stood in the entry way to the kitchen in just a pair of boxers. I giggled as he looked at the door puzzled and ran his hand through his bedhead.
“You may wanna put some pants on before you pay for the pizza.”
He grinned and disappeared down the hall only to reappear with a pair of basketball shorts and a T-shirt.
After he paid the guy and shut the door he carried the pizza to the counter. “You want milk, baby?” I nodded my head and continued to hover over my books.
Kole had made our plates and sat down across from me in silence. I knew he felt bad for distracting me earlier, so he was doing his best to not interrupt me now.
I smiled and placed my hand onto my stomach
as I felt our daughter move around inside me. We found out last week that we were having a girl.
“She moving?” I looked up at his hopeful grin and nodded. He reached out his hand and I placed in onto my stomach with mine over it. He appeared to be concentrating hard and I fought against the laughter. All at once she moved and his face lifted up and our eyes met.
“I still can’t get over it, a girl. What kind of things can I do with a girl? I don’t wanna play Barbies.” He looked serious.
“Kole, girls can play sports too. Girls can be interested in other things beside dolls and glitter. She’s gonna love her daddy as much as I do. Believe me, once she’s here and gets old enough, you’ll play Barbies.” I laughed at his facial expression.
Once it sank in, though, he grinned. “Yeah, I know I will.”
He rose up, kissing me softly before taking his plate to the couch to flip on the TV. He allowed me to continue studying in silence. I could still feel his eyes watching me from across the room and I knew if I acknowledged him I’d find myself once again unable to study.
Chapter 43
Kole
We spent Thanksgiving with my parents and planned to spend Christmas with Lexi’s dad. It was only a couple of days away and I could see the excitement of seeing her dad all over her beautiful face.
She’d been overwhelmed with finals and I knew she was a little stressed. Working overtime to get her classes completed was starting to take a toll on her. She took some online courses toward her degree and planned to do just online classes next semester. She pushed forward and planned to graduate with a mental health degree this year.
Lexi wanted to go forward working at the community center. I knew the pregnancy would slow her down a little, but she’d get there. She’d be doing what she loved. She was amazing with the troubled kids at the center, and Gail loved the days she volunteered.