Whatever It Takes

by Elizabeth Perry

  “Always so persistent,” I mutter, even though?

  His words honestly make me weak.

  “Only for you, baby. Always only for you.”

  “You’re impossible,” I mutter, clinging to the only protection that I have from him.

  My sharp tongue.

  “Impossibly in love with you. You, and only you Avery. Always and forever. It’s always going to be you because you’ve always been the only woman that I ever wanted.”

  “Except for that one time, right?” I roll my eyes before breaking forcing myself to break our eye contact.

  He doesn’t respond, but out of the corner of my eye, I see him shaking his head.

  “Always going back to that, aren’t we.”

  “Yep.” I sip on my coffee, before leaning back against the pillow.

  “I’ll show you.” He mutters, before standing and heading into the bathroom. “Just you watch.”

  I’M NOT GOING TO LIE, a part of me is grateful for Eric’s attention because I actually do feel pretty awful today.

  After I leisurely finished my coffee, Jackson came up to the room for a bit and snuggled me, but not before asking a million questions about all of my cuts and bruises.

  He wasn’t the usual rough and tumble boy that I’m used to, and instead, he let Eric coach him with how gentle to be with Mommy.

  He quickly grew bored of me and trotted along after the babysitter happily, while Eric made sure to run me a steaming hot bath.

  In a split second, I’m lifted out of the bed and carried into the bathroom.

  “You know that I can walk, right?” I tell him futilely, as he rolls his eyes and reaches for my t-shirt.

  “I don’t really give a fuck.” He mutters as he begins to pull.

  I let out a squeak before flying backward.

  “What are you doing? I can undress myself.”

  “Really? Now you want to be shy? Baby...I’ve seen it all already. Just let me help you.”

  “Absolutely not.” I jerk my shirt down before pointing to the door. “Out, Eric. I can do this part on my own.”

  “I’m not leaving. But I’ll turn around while you undress.”

  “Oh, my freaking goodness. You have got to be kidding me.” I growl, before reaching down and pulling at my top.

  Pain shoots through me as I try to pull, and in a split second, his hands are back on me.

  “Eric.” I cry, as he tugs the shirt over my head. “Please stop.”

  “My eyes are closed.” He murmurs, before sinking to his knees and tugging down my shorts.

  “I promise baby. Completely closed.”

  And they must be. They have to be.

  Because otherwise?

  He totally just touched me...

  “Oh my god.” My breath catches in my throat, as his eyes snap open.

  “I’m sorry...I couldn’t see what I was doing.”

  I don’t know what does me in more...the feeling of his hands on me, or that damned look in his eyes.

  The one that tells me he really isn’t all that sorry, the one that is full of want and need.

  Fuck.

  I tighten up my body, trying like hell to fight the emotions that have suddenly exploded inside of me from the feeling of his hands brushing across me skin, right there.

  But I can’t.

  A small moan escapes me, and after that?

  It’s a wrap.

  His arms are wrapped around me, as his lips crash down onto mine. I’m lifted into his arms and carried back into bedroom before I even realize what’s going on.

  My body aches, but it’s no longer from the accident. It’s from the feeling of having his skin on mine.

  Somehow, he’s managed to get everything except his boxer briefs off before laying me back onto the sheets and draping my body with his own.

  His lips move all of me, licking and sucking, before trailing kisses back to my mouth.

  “I fucking love you, Avery.” He mutters into my mouth before reaching down with one hand between my legs.

  “Love you so fucking much.”

  He spreads me wide, causing me to cry out from all of the sensations going on. One finger trails my sex as his mouth moves lower, licking and sucking towards my breast.

  And the second he hits that spot?

  Well, actually, two spots at the same time?

  I cry out before gripping him tightly, causing a wicked grin to fill his face.

  “That’s right, baby. That’s right.”

  My entire body explodes, seriously, just that fast.

  I mean, we’ve been going at it for what? Like thirty seconds?

  This is ridiculous...

  But I’m too far gone to care at this point.

  Before I even realize what I’m doing, my hips are thrusting towards him and my mouth?

  Is begging him to do even more.

  My legs are quickly spread apart, and as his tongue continues to trail down my body? Well, I’m a completely different person.

  The Avery that one hour ago was so hell-bent on not falling for Eric is long gone...and in her place, is a greedy woman who wants his mouth right damn there...

  “Eric...Please.” I beg, as his nose trails a soft line on my inner thigh. “Please, don’t tease me.”

  “I’d never tease.” He growls, before spreading me wide with his hand. I whimper again, thrusting myself towards his face, making him chuckle which only increases my need.

  “Always so greedy.” He murmurs, before pressing a kiss right above where I so desperately need him. “I love that about you.”

  “Just...please,” I beg again, as he growls before I feel his tongue lick my entire length.

  My fists grip into the sheets as my hips buck against him. He licks me again, slow and long, before I feel his mouth clamp down around me, and then?

  I’m completely lost somewhere outside of my body.

  I can hear myself moaning his name and can see my poor bruised body thrusting shamelessly against him.

  I see his rock-hard erection damn near busting through the seam of his underwear, before he reaches down with one hand and jerks it out, giving it one long slow stroke.

  And then, I feel the fireworks, the absolute most fantastic sensation in the world, when he brings me to a climax, and then, I feel him enter my body.

  “Open your eyes, baby.” He growls as he stills all movement.

  His voice brings me back, and I groan.

  “No, please.”

  “Open your fucking eyes, Avery.” He demands, before sighing and pulling himself completely out of me.

  I whimper from the lost contact before my eyes snap open.

  “What are you doing? God, Eric, Please!”

  “Keep your eyes open.” He growls, before grabbing himself and sliding back inside of me slowly.

  “I want to watch you lose yourself.”

  “I...Oh.” I moan, as my eyes close again and he pulls out.

  “What in the hell is this? Some kind of game? Please!”

  “Keep them open or I stop.” He growls again, before this time, slamming himself back inside of me, causing my body to damn near explode from the sensation.

  “Tell me you love me, Avery.” He demands as he picks up the pace. I grip his back, screaming out his name and holding onto him for dear life.

  “Eric...” My mind isn’t even thinking clearly right now. All that I’m thinking about is the way that he makes my body feel.

  “Tell me you fucking love me! Tell me, baby! Say the god damn words.” He groans, as he grips my hips and really begins to move.

  “I love you.” I cry out. “I love you, Eric. So fucking much.”

  “I love you too, baby.” His eyes are hard on mine, and I fight to keep them open. “I love you so damn much. Tell me that you’re gonna give me another chance. Tell me that you love me enough to try again.”

  Like I said, my brain?

  Complete and total mush right now. It’s just as sex-crazed as the rest of
my body, and of course, he says this at the exact same time that I’m about to freaking detonate.

  “Yes.” I hear myself shouting. “Yes, I will give you another chance.”

  His wicked grin is enough to tell me, that no way am I getting out of it this time.

  And that was all she wrote.

  Chapter 21

  Eric

  “How about here?” I trace the sponge against Avery’s shoulder, as her head falls back against my chest.

  “Mmm. I don’t think so.”

  She leans back against me, her back to my front, before turning her face towards me and pressing her lips to my neck.

  “I’m actually feeling so much better.” She murmurs against my skin.

  “And it’s all because of you.”

  “Obviously.” I joke, before taking the sponge and lazily trailing it across her front. I pay extra attention to her breasts, loving the way her skin flushes from the contact, before lathering it up again and getting her in my other most favorite spot.

  Her hand squeezes my thigh, and she moans, again.

  “Fuck,” I mutter, before pulling back.

  “Baby. As much as I would love to have round number four with you right now? Sitters gotta leave soon, and I promised Jacks a pizza and movie night in bed.”

  “Mmm.” She murmurs again, squeezing hard on my thigh. “Bummer.”

  “You know what?” I groan, pulling her onto me. “We have time.”

  “Are you sure?” She whimpers as my lips latch onto her neck at the same time that my hands stroke her breasts.

  “Fuck yes. I will always have time to please you. You are my first priority. Always.”

  MY HEART IS PRETTY damn full right now.

  As is my bed, and I wouldn’t have it any other damn way.

  Jackson is fast asleep on my chest as the movie that we were just watching finally finishes. He’s been out for at least a half hour at this point, but I just didn’t have the heart to move him.

  Plus? I hate to admit it, but I was kinda into his movie and needed to see the ending too.

  “That was a great movie.” I glance over to Avery, who is propped up against several pillows.

  She bursts out laughing before her hand flies to her mouth to stifle the sound.

  “Really? You know that was a children’s movie, right?”

  “Yep. Still was good. I’m just glad that the little koala found his way home. I probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep tonight if he hadn’t.”

  “Oh, my. You’re too much.” She giggles again, before looking up at me with those gorgeous green eyes of hers that always make me go weak.

  “But you love me anyway.”

  She blinks, and her mouth opens, before finally, she smiles slightly and nods her head.

  “Yeah. I do.”

  And with that, friends?

  My heart about bursts.

  “God, I love hearing you say that,” I mutter, before leaning over and smacking a kiss to her lips. “Pretty much my all-time favorite thing, in the history of ever.”

  Jackson stirs, before rubbing his sleepy little eyes and sitting up slightly. He wobbles, causing me to reach out to grab him.

  “I’m sleepy, daddy.” He falls back into my chest, before tucking his little head under my armpit.

  “That’s a close second,” I whisper to Avery, whose eyes are wide as she glances between the two of us.

  “Eric, I...”

  “No.” I reach out, pressing my finger to her lips. “It’s fine. I love you, Avery. And I love Jackson too. I’m in this for the long haul this time baby. If he wants to call me that, then I am honored.”

  “But Eric...”

  “No buts. Remember what you said?”

  Her eyes tilt upward as I’m sure she tries to recall, so I help her out.

  “You promised that you were in this with me. You promised that you were going to give me another chance.”

  “You asked me that at a very inopportune time.” Her mouth flattens, and I can’t help but smirk.

  “So what? You still agreed.”

  “I was under the influence!”

  “The influence of my...” I smirk even wider as her eyes trail down, causing her to reach up and playfully smack my arm.

  “Yes! And that was not fair.”

  “All’s fair in love and war baby. And you should already know. I’m gonna do whatever I have to in order to win you back. If I have to intoxicate you with my love? So be it.”

  “You’re such a pig.” She grumbles, before leaning over to grab Jackson. “I better get the two of us to bed.”

  “Oh no, you don’t.” I pull him closer to me, before lifting him into my arms and scooting us out of bed. “I’ll go put him in his bed. This is now your bed. This is where you sleep.”

  “No, my room...”

  “Is in here. With me. Jackson sleeps down the hall.”

  “Oh my god. You are so bossy. I seriously hate that about you.”

  “That’s cool. But if you try to leave this bed? Just know that I will come and pick your ass right back up and carry you in here. So, in order to save us both the hassle? Keep your sweet ass right there. I’ll be right back.”

  I lean Jacksons head towards Avery so that she can kiss him goodnight, before carrying him down to his bedroom and tucking him in.

  Avery doesn’t try to move. In fact, by the time I make it back to the room, she’s already curled up on her side, in the perfect position for me to slip in beside her and wrap her uptight.

  Tomorrow will start a new day for us.

  An entire day of nothing but us moving forward.

  I’ve already gotten her to agree to it.

  The rest should be easy, right?

  Chapter 22

  Avery

  I can’t help but to be totally in awe of Eric, as the crowd around me roars for him. The fans in the stadium are going nuts, and, right now?

  It’s all for him.

  I watch him down there, standing up at the plate, ready to bat, and my heart feels like it could explode.

  He’s mine.

  Well, not officially of course, because no way would I let him actually put a name to us yet, but that man standing up at the plate, in all of his ridiculous hotness?

  That man loves me.

  And as he turns up towards the stands, and presses a kiss to his lips before pointing up at me?

  I feel a little bit like a lovesick schoolgirl.

  “One of these days,” Laci says to me, gently nudging my shoulder. “I want to hear all about how you two met. Maybe after your man is done batting.” She winks, before turning her attention to the game.

  I watch him swing, nailing the ball, getting a double.

  “He’s not really my man,” I tell her, before glancing down to Jackson who is jumping up and down and cheering Eric’s name in front of me, wearing a tiny little jersey with the name Wayne on the back right over the number 9.

  “No? Huh. I swear he told me that you guys were together.”

  “It’s a really long story.” I shake my head. “Like really long.”

  “How long exactly? Because I pretty much have nothing planned for the next month.” She winks at me before rubbing her hand across her large stomach. “Jake is pretty protective right now, so, I don’t get out much.”

  “It’s kind of sweet how doting he is on you,” I tell her with a smile, even though if I’m being fully honest? I’m sure that Eric would be the same way if I was...I shake my head, forcing the thought out of my mind.

  Way to get ahead of yourself, Avery.

  “It is, but it gets old fast. He means well...he’s just kind of an alpha. I guess they all are.” She shrugs before motioning towards our dugout. “Kinda goes with the job description I guess. Jake pretty much decides what he wants, and then steamrolls me until I go along with it.”

  “Sounds familiar.” I sigh, before turning my attention to Eric, who is making a pretty hefty lead for himself on second base. />
  “Shit, Eric. Too far.” I mutter, leaning forward in my seat. “He always does that. Always has.” I sigh, my heart racing as I watch the game unfold.

  Luckily, Emilio, the center fielder comes up to bat next, and hits a hefty triple, sending Eric in to score.

  “Always? So, you’ve been following his career?” She raises an eyebrow at me, and I shake my head.

  “No, at least, not in recent years. As to not bore you with the details...”

  “Please do. Please. My life is pretty dull right now, so what’s boring to you will probably be incredibly exciting to me.”

  I laugh softly, falling a little more in love with Laci. How could you not? The woman literally exudes sweetness.

  I’m glad that out of everything here, at least I have made a really good friend.

  I glance down to make sure that Jacks isn’t paying me any attention before starting.

  “I’m not sure how much of Eric’s history you’re aware of.” I start, and she just shakes her head.

  “Ok. So, none of it. I’m not going to share his past, it’s not my place. But, essentially, he came to live with my family and I when I was a junior and he was a senior in high school.”

  “Ooo. Ok. So... you guys have history.” She winks, making me giggle.

  “We have a whole damn encyclopedia of history. Several versions, actually.” I lick my lips before shaking my head.

  “He moved in with my family. My dad is the head baseball coach back home, and Eric needed a little direction in order to get himself in the position for a scholarship. So, my dad took him in.”

  I pause as the crowd cheers again, even though I completely miss what happened. I glance down to see Emilio trucking it home and wait for the fans to die down slightly before continuing.

  “We tiptoed around our attraction to each other for a long time. Finally, we gave in and began being together. At first, we just tried hooking up to get rid of all of the tension.”

  She bursts out laughing. “I see that worked.”

  “Right.” I smile. “It totally backfired. Suddenly, we were a couple, dodging my dad so that he wouldn’t find out, spending every waking moment that we could...together.”