Breathless (Meadowlarks)

by Ashley Christine

“Okay, so. What you're telling me is that Dane is some crazy rich stalker, who ravaged you in the back of his limo. Stole your panties, dropped you off at your parents looking like shit, and then just stalked you again the mall?”

  I laughed. “Don't forget he just so happens to own the building my dad's doctor is in, and he sent his Italian P.A. to intimidate me in the elevator.”

  “How much of this does Alex know?”

  “Everything except the last part, and what just happened in Victoria's Secret.”

  She sighed loudly. “Oh, shit, Riley. I don't know what to tell you. I feel like you guys need to come home now though.”

  “I know, we're going to leave tonight.”

  “The kids will go crazy, they really miss you.”

  “I miss them too. Hey, my mom's here now. I'll call you later this afternoon, okay?”

  “Kay, tell your mom I say hello,” Addison said before she hung up.

  “I will, bye Addy.”

  “Bye.”

  “Well, what did you get at the store, Riley?” Mom asked, smirking as she approached me.

  “Nothing, I didn't like anything they had there.”

  “That's surprising, you used to come out with bags from that place.”

  “I’m ready to go if you are. Did you get everything you wanted?”

  She held up three more bags. “I did!”

  “Addison said hello. The kids miss me, so I think we should go home tonight.”

  “Awe, I wish I could have spoken to her,” she said, frowning. “I’m sure they do. Well, we're so happy you came to see us, your dad really needed this. Even though he'll never admit it.”

  I texted Alex. We're done shopping. How's golf?

  Alex: U found your phone?

  Shit, how am I going to explain this one?

  Me: Dane had his assistant bring it to me.

  Alex: How did he know where you were?

  Me: I don't know. Anyway, at least I have it back. Want to come pick us up now?

  Alex: Be there in a bit, your dad is getting tired.

  Me: I love you.

  Alex: Love u.

  My mom drove us back to Bangor, my dad slept off and on during the drive. Alex sat with me in the back of the car, holding my hand and gazing out the window, watching Maine fly by.

  “You haven’t visited your parents since we got here, do you want to see if they would like to have dinner with us before we leave?”

  Alex squeezed my hand. “Yeah, I want to see them.”

  We met Alex's parents for dinner at one of their favourite restaurants. I ordered salmon and even though I hadn’t eaten since our early lunch today, I simply pushed around the fish on my plate. My appetite was scarce and I wasn’t in the mood to even talk. I was thankful for that because Alex's parents were chatting him up so much, I really don't need to communicate at all.

  “Riley, do you think Addison is ready to go back to work in a few weeks?” Lillian asked from across the table.

  Damn.

  “Yeah, I think so. I’m pretty sure she's been chomping at the bit for a while now. Scarlett will love having Seth around,” I said.

  “It's so sweet of you to watch him for her when she goes back to work,” Lillian smiled at me. “Do you think you'll want to get back into real estate? What's the market like in Wyoming?”

  I shrugged. “I'm not sure, I haven't really looked yet. I'd love to do it again, but I’m not sure if Sheridan is a place for agents to thrive.”

  “Well, maybe you two will just have to have a few more babies then!”

  I sputtered in my sparkling water and looked across the table at Alex, he turned to his mother and grinned.

  Richard, who was sitting beside me, leaned over and said quietly, “Don't listen to her, Lil would have twenty grandchildren if she had a choice.”

  “I guess we’ll have to go home and start practising,” Alex said, chuckling slyly to himself.

  “Alexander Richard Cole!” Lillian gaped at her son, astonished at his forwardness. “And here I thought you've turned into a gentlemen thanks to Riley and that nice town in Wyoming.”

  Oh, Lillian, if you only knew how un-gentleman-like your son could be. I blushed as Alex reached across the table to rub my knuckles with his thumb. He excused himself to use the bathroom, and left me at the table with his parents after making such a lewd comment. I'll have to remember to take my frustration out on him later...

  My phone vibrated in the pocket of my dress pants.

  Alex: I want to crawl under that table and taste you. Fuck dessert. I want you.

  I tried not to let my face give away my instantly turned-on state just as Alex sent me another torturous text: One more night in Bangor. My house. My pool.

  I didn’t reply, I couldn’t. My hands were shaky and I was sitting right next to Alex's father, for crying out loud.

  On the drive back to Richard and Lillian's house, my phone vibrated again and I answered the call.

  “Mom! I'm back! I had the best time, I can't wait to show you all the pictures I took. There were geysers and springs, and man! Mom it was awesome!” Isaac gushed into the phone.

  “Wow, baby! That's awesome. I am so glad you had fun.”

  “Yep, now Addison and Blaine are taking us to dinner at Lake's. When are you coming home?”

  “Tomorrow morning Isaac. Early. I promise I'll be there by the time you wake up for school.”

  “Okay, good. Can I talk to Alex?”

  I smiled and handed the phone to Alex, he put it up to his ear. “Hey, buddy! How's it going? How was Jellystone?”

  I laughed, and turned to lean my head against the back of the seat, watching Alex talk to my son on the phone.

  “Oh, yeah. My bad, Yellowstone. Did you see Yogi?”

  Isaac must have said something funny to him because Alex roared and Lillian turned in her seat to see why he was laughing.

  “Isaac went to Yellowstone for a class trip,” I said quietly to Lillian.

  She smiled and nodded.

  “Are you being helpful with Scarlett? I bet Addy loves having you around, eh?” Alex tapped his mother on her shoulder. “Ask Addy if she wants to talk to her mom, I’m in the car with her.”

  Addison got on the line and Alex handed the phone to Lillian. She sighed when she heard her daughters’ voice, and she asked Alex how she can switch the phone onto the speaker setting so Richard could talk to her at the same time.

  I sat back in my seat and took everything in. My parents, Alex's parents, my children, Addison and even Blaine. What would I do without these people in my life? I cannot believe how stupid I was with Dane.

  Lillian and Richard bid us goodnight after we all indulged in a nightcap—a shot of brandy each. Probably not the greatest idea since I was ready to jump their son. When they had gone upstairs, Alex and I gave it about ten minutes before we both scrambled through the kitchen and out the double doors leading to their pool.

  Oh, the memories I have of this place.

  Alex turned off all of the outside lights and stripped out of his clothes. He jumped into the water, sending cool little drop shooting all over me. I giggled and took off my clothes, keeping my bra and panties on just in case his parents weren’t sleeping yet.

  “Off, missy. All of it,” Alex growled from the pool, and clipped the water with his hand, splashing me.

  I shook my head and pointed up at the house.

  “So?” he grinned.

  “So, nothing. Not yet.” I sat on the edge of the pool and let my legs adjust to the cool temperature of the water.

  “If you don't get in the pool right now, you can't have any of this.” Alex motioned to himself with his hand.

  I smirked. “Don't make promises you can't keep.”

  Alex swam over to me and grabbed my hands. He pulled me into the pool and I squealed loudly. I held my breath before I slipped under the water, and when I got back up I took a long and deep breath of air.

  It was so dark that I couldn’t see
where Alex was, but I felt the water move behind me and then his hands on my shoulders. His mouth bit my neck and licked under my ear as his fingers unclasped my bra.

  “Remember the first time we kissed in this pool, baby?” he breathed.

  “Yes,” I answered, almost in a whisper.

  “Even with everyone around us, I wanted to rip off your bathing suit and take you right here.”

  “I wanted you too, badly.”

  “I wish you would have said something then, instead you made me wait four more years until I could taste you again.”

  I turned and kissed him deeply, my tongue delving hard into his mouth, and the stubble on face scratched against my smooth skin.

  “Patience is a virtue,” I breathed between kisses. “Now, stop talking and make love to me.”

  ***

  The month of May flew by. My mom called almost daily to update me on my dad's condition; his cancer hadn’t spread and so far he was reacting as expected to the radiation treatment. He has lost his hair, and when she sent a picture of him to my cellphone I had to cover my mouth to keep my cries from waking up a sleeping Scarlett.

  Oh, daddy.

  I sobbed, and prayed with all my might that this was all worth it.

  Scarlett's second birthday is May 31, only three days away, and I haven't had a second to plan anything. Well, I guess I have had the time, I have just been procrastinating like usual. My parents are unable to come as my dad's not up for the flight and my mom doesn't want to leave his side—obviously I understand and as sad as I am that they will miss this, I know their reasons.

  Richard and Lillian had flown in a day early and stayed with us, since we had more than enough room. Lillian bent with outstretched arms as Scarlett walked over to her.

  “Oh, my little girl is all grown up!” Richard kissed Scarlett's cheek when Lillian stood next to him with her in her arms. “Riley, what have you been feeding her? She's so tall!”

  “She'll be tall just like her beautiful mama.” Lillian smiled and kissed Scarlett's forehead. “Won't she?”

  The entire family showed up for Scarlett's birthday. For some crazy reason I let Maria and Kelsey, Blaine's sister's-in-law, party-plan. The house looked like a princess’s dream. Pinks and gold’s all over the place. Balloons wrapped around each post on the porch and they had even rented a big inflatable castle.

  “You guys really need to start your own business, this is just insane!” I gushed as Maria hugged me.

  “A perfect princess party for the perfect princess!” Kelsey beamed. “Where are Blaine and Addison?”

  “Oh, they're on the way. Addy just texted me,” I told them.

  A few minutes later Addison's car pulled into the driveway and parked behind the Dodge. Addison climbed out of the driver's seat and smiled widely when she saw me. “Hey, Ry!”

  “Hey, you!” I called over to her and picked up Scarlett, placing her on my hip.

  Addison took Seth out of his car seat and carried him over to meet me. We kissed each other on the cheek and swapped babies. Seth smiled at me and grabbed onto my necklace, twisting the gold in his fingers. Scarlett kissed Addison's cheek and then instantly wanted to be put down.

  “Well, happy birthday, beautiful!”

  “Where daddy?” Scarlett asked, holding her hands up.

  “Daddy is over there, baby.” I pointed over to the lawn where everyone was standing and talking to Alex.

  Nick and Owen were there too, with all their children. They've decided it was best not to have Bennett here today, since he has gone even more downhill in the last month.

  “Are you going to get out of the car?” Addison called over toward her Ford, and crossed her arms.

  “Is Blaine still in there?” I asked, shielding the afternoon sun from my eyes.

  “Yeah, he's having a Jeremiah Moment.” She frowned. “I hate calling it that, it sounds so insensitive. But, I don't know what to do.”

  Blaine eventually got out of the car and walked over to us. Even with all the sun he got from working outside, his face was pale. I'm sure from his emotional...whatever it was he was going through right now.

  “You okay, Blaine?” I asked.

  “I'm good. Where's the birthday girl?” He put on a smile, his pearly whites shining. And I’m sure he is forcing it, big time. Blaine kissed Addison and walked over to his family.

  Blaine hadn’t really been back here since Jeremiah died, only a handful of times, and he has only gone in the house twice since that day. To find something for Jeremiah to be buried in, and when a pipe burst in the bathroom and Alex didn't know how to fix it.

  “Should we move? I don't want this to happen every time someone has a birthday here.” I frowned and shrugged.

  Addison looked over to Blaine and furrowed her eyebrows. “No, of course not. He's okay, really. He just handles things differently than we do.”

  “Okay, I just feel so awful.”

  Addison took my hand. “Don't. Now, let's go celebrate Scar's birthday.”

  Chapter Eight

  As tradition, a large fire roared as the night slowly came to an end. Scarlett passed out hours ago, snuggled in Lillian's arms, and Seth was sleeping, bundled warmly in Richard's.

  Gotta love grandparents.

  Blaine and Alex drove into town to pick up a few cases of beer, now that the little ones were asleep so adults could enjoy themselves. Isaac and Nick and Owen's kids bounced around in the castle, giggling and I was almost tempted to join them.

  “How's Blaine been lately, Addy?” Richard asked, keeping his voice low so not to wake the sleeping baby in his arms.

  “Well…” Addison sighed. “He has his days. He gets quiet and distant, but I give him space. Something like this takes a long time to heal, ya know?”

  “Of course.” Richard frowned. “Jeremiah was one of the good ones.”

  “He was the best,” Addison said, half-smiling, half-frowning.

  Richard and Lillian retired to bed. Owen and Kelsey took their children home. And Blaine and Alex returned from town with beer.

  When Addison and I got back out to the fire from putting the kids to bed, we sat and Blaine passed us each a beer. “Time to play catch up,” he said.

  “Catch up?” Addison raised an eyebrow.

  “This is our third.” Alex grins and tipped his bottle to me, then lifted it to his soft lips.

  “I don't know how you guys can drink like that. I haven't been able to do that in years,” Nick said.

  “Yeah, well, that's what happens when you get old.” Blaine sneered at his brother and chugged back his bottle of beer, nearly emptying it. “Right?”

  “Don't be an ass, Blaine,” Nick bite out.

  “No one is being an ass, Nicky, relax.”

  Addison and I looked at one another, then to Maria who just shrugged, and then over to Blaine. He lifted his shirt and wiped off his mouth, revealing his abdomen and chest.

  Whoa, Addy. You go, girl!

  “Oh, put that away, Blaine.” Maria pretended to cover her eyes. “You'll make your brother jealous.”

  “Oh, please,” Nick scoffed. “I looked like that at his age too, then I got married and had kids.”

  Maria gaped at her husband and shook her head.

  Blaine and Alex laughed.

  After another hour, Nick and Maria took their kids home and Addison looks like she is ready to fall asleep in her chair. Blaine and Alex have finished off almost an entire case of beer, minus the two that Addison and I had between us.

  Blaine asked Addison to drive her car closer to where we were sitting so we could listen to the music from her stereo, and soon enough country twang was thumping from the speakers.

  Blaine started singing along, word for word and he actually sounded pretty good. Then Alex chimed in and I had to bite my lip to hold back my laughter.

  Through my pocket I felt my cellphone vibrate. I was almost afraid to pull it out and look at it. When I did, I saw a message from exactly the person I expecte
d to.

  It's been a long time since I have thought about Dane, I haven't spoken to him since the day be broke into the fitting room at Victoria's Secret and gave me back my phone, but kept my panties.

  Dane: How was the birthday party?

  Me: How did you know?

  Dane: I know everything.

  Me: Creepy.

  Dane: You could say that. Others would call it interested.

  Me: Not many others.

  Dane: How's that sweet body of yours, missing my tongue yet?

  I squirmed in my chair, quickly looking up to see if anyone notices me. Nope, I’m in the clear. For now...

  Me: Stop, Dane. I can't do this. How many times do I have to say it?

  Dane: I can't get you out of my head. I have my favourite panties between my fingers right now.

  Me: Dane!

  Dane: Yes, baby. That's right, that's what I want to hear. Call me.

  Me: I am not calling you. Goodbye.

  “Baby, dance with me!” Alex called from across the fire as he hot up to stand but fell back in the chair and laughed. “Scratch that. Come here!”

  I rolled my eyes at him, but got up. “Yes, my love?”

  “Sit,” he commanded, pointing to his lap.

  “Why, yes sir, right away!” I sneered at him, but sat down.

  His arms snaked around my body as he pulled me into a kiss.

  ***

  “I just can't believe it!” Addison said, exasperated. “I thought he was done with this.”

  She held a piece of paper in her hand, but it wasn’t just any piece of paper. It was a registration confirmation for a bull riding event in a rodeo that was taking place this weekend.

  “He hasn't said anything at all?”

  “No,” she said.

  To my knowledge, Blaine hadn't ridden a bull since his accident three years ago. Then he sold off his prized animal and made a promise to Addison to never do it again. I blew the steam from my cup of coffee and took a tiny sip, waiting for Addison to say something else.

  A beat later I spoke up. “Well, what are you going to say to him?”

  “I don't know, I'm just disappointed.” She shrugged. “He has got more to lose now, it's not just the two of us anymore.”