Closing Time

by E. L. Todd

  I grinned. “She is a brat, set on ruining my life.”

  “But you love her no matter what.”

  “Unfortunately,” I said with a growl.

  “But now you love me no matter what.”

  “That’s always been the case, baby. You’re my family, my everything, and I will spend my life taking care of you and being devoted to you.”

  She sighed happily. “How did I win the jackpot? You’re hot, sweet, and a hard ass all at the same time. And my god, you’re good in bed.”

  My cheeks tinted at her blunt honesty.

  “Wow, is my husband showing some humility?”

  “No…”

  “I think so.” She rested her lips over mine, just hovering, and then she pulled away. “I can’t wait for you to rock my world tonight.”

  My cheeks tinted again. “Right to the point, huh?”

  “You knew what kind of girl I was when you asked me to marry you.”

  “That I did.”

  After she and I shared a few more dances, everyone joined us on the floor, pairing up with their partners.

  “Can I have this dance?” Scarlet said, her heels now off.

  “Nope.” Janice pulled me away. “He’s mine now.”

  Scarlet laughed. “I guess I had to let him go sometime.”

  “But you can dance with me.” Sean swooped in and dipped her carefully.

  Scarlet giggled while her head pointed to the ground. “You always want to dance with me.”

  “I do.” He pulled her back up and danced with her, trying to be gentle with her showing stomach. “Now let Ryan be with his wife.”

  “Fine,” Scarlet said. “But you need to stop hogging me.”

  “Never,” Sean said.

  I ignored them and kept my attention on Janice. “Thanks for putting my sister in her place.”

  She smiled. “She knows I’m kidding. I’ll always have to share you with her but I’m okay with that.”

  “You are?” I asked in surprise.

  “Yes. Because without Scarlet, there is no Ryan.”

  “That may have been true before, but that’s not the case anymore. Without you, there is no me. You’re the number one woman in my life. My mind and body are yours alone.”

  “I never thought I’d see the day.”

  “Well, you were wrong.”

  “Ambush!” Mike shouted.

  Huh?

  Mike cut in and took Janice away from me, dancing with her across the floor. “Sucker!”

  “Did you just steal my wife?” I asked.

  “Yep.” Mike spun her around then held her close.

  “Asshole,” I mumbled.

  The rest of the guys followed them, ready for their turn.

  “Back off,” I said.

  “Nope,” Flynn said. “We all get a turn with the bride. Go find someone else to dance with.”

  Sean was in line to dance with Janice so Scarlet stood next to me. I looked at her enormous stomach then had no interest in dancing with her. She looked like humpty-dumpty.

  I turned to Cassandra, who was laughing while she watched Mike steal my wife away. “Let’s dance.”

  “Why won’t you dance with me?” Scarlet asked, her hands on her hips.

  “Moo,” was all I said.

  Scarlet rolled her eyes then took a seat.

  Cassandra smiled while she danced with me. “You look so handsome, Ryan.”

  “Why, thank you.” I winked at her. “But you and I would just never work, darling.”

  She laughed. “Darn.”

  I danced with her close to Mike, hoping I could tick him off for dancing with his wife.

  Mike didn’t even look at us. He was having too grand of a time with Janice, sweeping her across the floor and laughing with her the entire why. I glared at both of them.

  “Who needs them?” Cassandra said.

  “Yeah, they are losers anyway,” I said.

  The hours went by while we got crazy on the dance floor. But I was irritated the guys hogged my wife the entire time. I was about to act like a caveman and drag Janice back by the hair, but I stopped myself from getting too crazy.

  Eventually, I walked away to get a glass of water. I didn’t realize I was sweating until I stopped moving for a second. The table was covered with gifts and unopened cards. We’d have to open them after our honeymoon. We probably didn’t need anything anyway. We didn’t register but people bought us stuff anyway. I guess we can’t complain.

  Janice finally left the guys on the floor and snatched my water away. She downed it then smiled. “Refreshing.”

  “You little thief.”

  “I am a thief—I stole your heart.”

  “That you did.” I hooked my arm around her waist then yanked her to my chest. “You aren’t getting away this time.”

  “You weren’t getting jealous, were you?” she asked playfully.

  “Anytime someone even looks at you, I’m jealous.”

  “Good to know.”

  We had a great time tonight, and it was definitely a memory that experience and time couldn’t erase. My wife ended up being the greatest person I ever knew, and she made me happier than I could ever really understand. My life took an unexpected turn when she sauntered through my doorway, making my heart catch in my throat. In that moment, everything changed. I changed.

  “What are you thinking about?” she whispered.

  “What I always think about.”

  “Slapping my ass while you take me from behind?”

  I smirked. “Actually, I wasn’t thinking about that.”

  “That’s a first.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “So, what were you thinking about?” she pressed.

  I thought that answer was pretty obvious. “How happy you’ve made me.”

  She smiled. “You make me happy too.”

  “Don’t ever leave me.”

  “I married you, Ryan. I’m stuck with you.”

  “Good.”

  She played with my tie then pulled my lips to hers. “So…you want to get out of here?”

  My eyes burned in longing. “You don’t want to stay?”

  She looked over her shoulder, where Flynn was breakdancing on the floor while everyone else clapped and cheered for him. “No. I’m sick of these who-ha’s. Let’s hit the road.”

  I didn’t need to be told twice.

  We said our goodbyes to everyone, and the gang followed us out to the limo. Cans of beans were tied to the back, making us look like country folk.

  “Really?” I asked.

  “I thought it would be cute,” Scarlet said.

  I rolled my eyes. “Of course it was your idea.”

  She took the insult in stride then hugged me. “I’m so happy for you.”

  My heart throbbed warmly. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll see you when I get back. Make sure Skye stays in there as long as possible.”

  “I’ll try.” She pulled away and looked at me fondly. “You’ll always be my hero even if you’re someone else’s hero now.”

  My eyes softened. “I can be both even though I’m not worthy of either.”

  She grabbed my face and kissed my cheek. “Have a great honeymoon. We promise we won’t call.”

  “You better,” I said with a laugh.

  “I didn’t make any such promise,” Flynn said. “I might hit you up.”

  “Just run the shop,” I said. “You should be able to do that.”

  Flynn shrugged. “We’ll see how it goes…”

  Everyone came to me and hugged me and Janice. Even though I saw these guys all the time, I was sad to leave them. I actually wanted to take them along. That’s how fond I was of each and every one of them. “Thanks for everything, guys.”

  “We got your back until the end of time,” Sean said. “Now go have fun.”

  Janice pressed her breasts into my chest. “Yes. Let’s.”

  “Man, how do you keep her satisfied?” Mike asked.


  “I don’t,” I said honestly. “She recharges quicker than the Energizer bunny.”

  Janice opened the door then pulled me inside. “I won’t deny that. When you have a sexy bad boy for a husband with a heart of gold, it’s hard to keep your legs closed.”

  Cortland cringed. “Too much info.”

  She yanked me inside. “Come on. I want you inside me now.”

  My eyes widened then I turned to the gang, the door still open. “I got to go.”

  “We understand,” Mike said with a laugh.

  I shut the door and the darkness from the tinted windows crept inside the back of the car. The visor between us and the driver was rolled up and we were completely alone.

  Then the limo took off, heading to the road and the airport. I was taking my wife to the Caribbean, and I packed her a thong swimsuit because she had such a nice ass. It wasn’t exactly romantic but Janice knew what to expect from me.

  She grabbed my tie then loosened it. The desire in her eyes told me exactly what she wanted to do. I’d seen that look hundreds of times.

  “Baby, let’s wait until we are at the hotel. I want to make love to you the right way.”

  “The right way?” she asked, straddling my hips. “There’s no such thing as the right way.”

  “Well, there’s the romantic way. And this certainly isn’t it.”

  She unbuttoned my fly and pulled down the zipper. “I don’t want romantic. I want us.”

  We did have an unorthodox relationship. Whenever we were pissed at each other, sex was used as a manipulative weapon. But we had a strong devotion to each other, based on love and trust. She would never lie to me and I would never lie to her. “You want to have sex for the first time as husband and wife in a limo?”

  “I just want you inside me. Where and when doesn’t matter.” She unbuttoned my shirt and revealed my chest. Her hands moved up and down, feeling the grooves of my abs. “Now shut up and give me your best stuff.”

  How could I possibly resist her? I lifted up her dress then pulled down her underwear. I didn’t want to remove her gown or her heels. I liked seeing her wear it, knowing she was my bride.

  My cock rubbed against her clitoris while she grinded me on the backseat. My legs were wide apart, ready to push against the floor to buck inside her. She leaned forward and kissed me, her hand moving behind her to gently massage my balls. I moaned into her mouth because she knew exactly what I liked.

  I couldn’t believe how amazing she was in bed.

  My spine shivered and I panted for her, wanting to feel her intimately. She continued to kiss me, her lips leaving third degree burns everywhere. My mouth was on fire and I couldn’t breathe. I loved her so much. It wasn’t just because she was beautiful and it wasn’t just because she was my best friend. It was because she completed me so well. This relationship only would have worked with her, no one else.

  She inserted my tip at her entrance then moved down, stretching her wet pussy with the width and length of my shaft. She was warm and smooth, making me moan deep in my throat. Once our bodies were combined as close as possible, I grinded my hips against her before I gripped her waist and moved her up and down. She rose and fell from her position on her knees, and with our mouths locked, we made love like animals in the backseat of the limo. We had a long drive to the airport so I tried to make it last as long as possible.

  Janice grabbed my hand then moved it under her dress, right over the firm skin of her ass. Then she pulled it back and slapped herself with it. “Don’t forget to spank me, Ryan.”

  My lips become immobile and my eyes were wide. “Are you always a dirty girl?”

  “No. Just for you.”

  Was I really having the best sex of my life in the back of a limo on my wedding night? That would only happen with Janice, the love of my life. I rubbed the warm skin of her cheek before I smacked her again. She moaned and rode me harder, her arms hooked around my waist.

  Feeling our bodies connected in this way was the perfect way to bring our lives together. I felt her in this exact position hundreds of times. Hell, we had so much sex we’d probably done it a thousand times. But this moment was different and unique to all the others. Because, for the first time, our souls were wrapping around one another, forming an unbreakable bond that could never be shattered. Where she ended, I began. We were so tangled up in one another you couldn’t tell the difference. Because we were one.

  Finally, I wasn’t alone. I had a woman who loved me with her whole heart, who would die for me, and would be there every morning and every night for as long as I lived. I was part of a set, a matching piece that only worked with its counterpart. By myself, I was weak, but with her, I was strong. Together, we fit. And together, we would always fit.

  20

  Scarlet

  Sean spent the whole weekend cleaning our house. Chairs were laid out everywhere, tables still had tablecloths, and the silverware and plates needed to be returned. Everyone else helped since Sean was just a single person, and he wouldn’t let me do a damn thing.

  By Sunday evening, our house was back to the way it used to be. Sean had to rearrange the furniture in the living room, sweating and contracting his muscles, but I didn’t mind because he took off his shirt. It was a nice picture. And I ended up distracting him a few times, doing it on the couch that was in the hallway of our enormous house. But it was worth it.

  As the week went by, Ryan never called, not that I expected him to. He was having a great time on his honeymoon, starting the life he deserved. My brother was the greatest guy I knew besides my husband, and he’d suffered more than anyone should. It gave me joy knowing he had someone who loved him unconditionally, who would always stand by his side no matter how tough things got, and she would put up with all his bullshit since I couldn’t always handle it.

  But, I admit, I was a little sad. I couldn’t explain why. Perhaps it was because my hormones were all over the place. Skye would be here any day, but something was weighing on my heart.

  Sean, the man who could read me easier than I wished, caught the feeling. “Baby, what’s on your mind?”

  We were sitting on the couch watching the Yankee game. “Oh, nothing.” I dug my hand into the popcorn on his lap and ate a few bites.

  He wasn’t buying it. “Out with it.”

  “It’s nothing,” I said firmly, unable to look him in the eye.

  “Don’t insult me by lying to me. You’re horrible at it anyway.”

  “I don’t want to say…”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s selfish.”

  “It’s impossible for you to be selfish.”

  “Not really,” I said firmly. I was selfish with Sean all the time. He waited on me hand and foot and I let him because I was tired. That was pretty selfish.

  He rested his hand on my thigh, which was barely visible over the roundness of my enormous stomach. “Tell me. I’ll keep your secret.”

  “You always keep my secrets. Hey, did you pick up the dry cleaning?”

  Sean gave me a firm look. “Stop stalling.”

  I groaned. “I guess…I guess I’m a little sad that Ryan doesn’t need me anymore.” God, I was a selfish person. I couldn’t believe I actually said that out loud. I was happy for him. I really was. But, it hurt knowing he and I would never be the same again.

  He grabbed my hand and caressed the knuckles. “Ryan thought the same thing when you and I got married.”

  “I guess…”

  “And nothing changed. You guys will always be a really odd and unusual pair. You’ll still tell each other everything and be there for each other. Obviously, things will be a little different, but for the most part, everything will be the same.”

  “You really think so?” I asked hopefully.

  “Baby, I know so.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “And that isn’t selfish. Your brother is the first protection you’ve ever had. It’s natural not to want to get it up. And just because I’m the first person
in your life, and now our daughter, and Janice is the first person in Ryan’s life, doesn’t mean you mean any less to him.”

  Sean made me feel better. I guess I was just overreacting. “Thanks for talking me off the ledge.”

  “Sure.” He looked at me fondly.

  “I guess my hormones are making me a little more emotional than usual.”

  “I’ve noticed.” He smirked. “Not that I mind. It’s played well in my favor for the past month.”

  He was referring to my abrupt horniness. “It’s the hormones.”

  “Whatever. I like it when you’re a slut.”

  “A slut is someone who sleeps around. By definition, I only sleep with you, my husband, making me not a slut.”

  “That’s debatable.”

  I hit him playfully in the arm. “I’m a very classy lady.”

  “Who eats hotdogs, fries, and burgers off the ground.”

  I rolled my eyes. Sean would never let me move on from that. “What’s the big deal? There are germs everywhere so what does it matter?”

  “Yes, there are germs everywhere, but the sidewalk of Manhattan has to be dirtier than a port-a-potty.”

  I shrugged. “At least my immune system is awesome.”

  “It must be ironclad.”

  “And I’ll pass that along to Skye.”

  “But keep your poor manners to yourself.”

  I laughed. “She’ll be eating stuff off the floor until she’s four.”

  “I don’t think so,” he said immediately. “My little girl isn’t going to be a dirty slut like you.”

  My eyes widened in offense. “Excuse me?”

  “Took it too far, didn’t I?” He smirked.

  “Just a little…”

  He grabbed my face and kissed me. “My apologies, baby.”

  When he kissed me and looked at me so fondly, it was hard to stay angry. “I forgive you.”

  “You always do.” He rested with me on the couch while we finished watching the game. I ate the entire bowl of popcorn because I an insatiable pig. But since I was so fat already, what was the point in trying to be better about it? Sean never said a word about my weight, and he still made love to me like nothing had changed. Actually, he was more aggressive and affectionate than he used to be. I wasn’t sure why my pregnant stomach was arousing.