Nightclub Surprise

by Michelle Love

  Lopsided, I knew.

  I also knew it was early to be throwing around the L-word, but I’d pushed those feelings deep inside myself for so many years already. It was hard saying goodbye to August all those years ago, having to let go of the incredible spark between us, no matter how important I knew his leaving to be. But seeing him again and us spending time together had only made me realize that I’d been holding onto those feelings for seven long years—it was no wonder they came blooming to the surface so quickly.

  I chalked my ease with expressing my love to August up to the fact that I’d been telling my son that I loved him at least once a day since the day he was born. Being honest about my feelings helped me accept the fact that August just wasn’t ready yet.

  He might not have been ready to tell me that he loved me, but he sure as hell was ready to see me again. So ready, in fact, that he’d devised a plan. He’d decided he would show up at my apartment for dinner and talk to Calum directly about why he’d had the attack.

  When a knock came to the door, I casually asked Calum to see who was there. “’Kay, Momma.” I watched him look out the window beside the door as I stirred the pot of beef stew I’d prepared for dinner.

  When he turned around, heading out of the living room at top speed, the slam of his bedroom door punctuating the moment, I knew he wasn’t about to listen to a word August had to say.

  So, I opened the door for August, a frown on my face. “He saw you and took off. He’s in his bedroom.”

  Arms came around my body, pulling me close. Our bodies were flush against the other, and heat filled mine. “I’ll fix this. Just watch.” His lips touched mine. “I’ve missed seeing you, baby.”

  I couldn’t even respond as his mouth took mine in a hungry kiss. His hands went to my ass, picking me up. Knowing Calum wouldn’t be coming out of his room without assistance any time soon, I wrapped my legs around August. I kissed him back, wishing like hell we could just drop to the floor right there and make love, which we’d yet to do since our reunion.

  But August had another agenda in coming here, so he let me down and smacked my ass, sending me back to the kitchen. “I’ve got bigger fish to fry right now, Momma. I’ll get back to you soon, don’t worry. But first, I want to hear you say those words to my face.”

  A blush heated my cheeks as I smiled shyly. “August!”

  One finger traced my lips as he gazed at me. “Please. For courage, if nothing else.”

  Though almost inaudible, the words came out, “I love you, August Harlow.”

  A slow smile spread across his handsome face. “Oh, yeah. That’s what I thought would happen when you said those words to my face.” Suddenly I was pulled back into his strong arms, his mouth on mine again. The bulge in his pants pressed against my core, and he didn’t have to say a word—I knew what my words had done to him. When our mouths parted, he whispered in my ear, “I love you too, Tawny Matthews.”

  “August?” I asked, surprised. “You don’t have to…”

  His mouth came back to mine, making me shut up as he kissed me in a way he hadn’t before.

  He loved me, and he’d finally told me so!

  When he ended the kiss, he nuzzled his nose to mine. “It felt good telling you that, baby. Better than having you tell me those three little words that have such an effect on me.”

  “They have a pretty amazing effect on me as well,” I admitted.

  With a groan, he let me go. “Okay, off to fix things.”

  He headed down the short hallway and stood just outside the closed door my son had slammed. “Hi, Calum. It’s me, August. I know I scared you the other day, but I wanted to tell you a little story about why I zone out sometimes and end up screaming like that.”

  Listening to him try to make peace with my son, I went on cooking dinner and wondering how Calum would take August’s little story. All the while, I wondered how August would clean it up, so he didn’t scare Calum any further.

  August went on, “You see, I was in the war.” He paused for a moment, giving Calum time to try to understand what he meant. “You remember that game we played in the arcade, the one where we were soldiers, and we had to shoot all the bad guys? Well, I did that in real life. When you do that in real life, it can make you have bad dreams, even while you’re awake. That’s what happened that day in the car.” He stopped again for a few seconds, likely knowing that this next part would be the hardest to tell. “You probably heard me say the name John the other day in the car. John was a very good friend of mine, and something bad happened to him by accident, and I was there for the whole thing. Sometimes my brain plays tricks on me—like a very bad and mean prank—and the memory of what happened to John comes back to me, even though I know it’s not real. It’s like I have a nightmare even though I’m awake, and sometimes I scream until someone helps me and tells me it’s not real—like your momma did that day in the car. You probably have bad dreams, too, sometimes, right? Mine don’t happen very often, but I know they can be scary. I’m sorry I scared you that day, Calum, and I hope we can be friends again like we were before that happened.”

  The squeak of the door opening had me looking around the corner.

  Calum had come out, and August got down on his knees, so he was closer to my little boy’s height. “So, you were a soldier, like on TV?”

  “I was,” August answered him. “And it’s a lot scarier than it is on TV, too.”

  Calum nodded. “I bet it is.” He blinked a few times. “And your friend John, the one who had something bad happen to him? Did he die?”

  August nodded, his expression solemn. “Yes, he did, and I was there when that happened. It was very sad, and it’s made me see things that aren’t there. I know it sounds crazy.”

  Calum nodded in agreement. “Yeah. It is crazy. But one time, I saw a monkey in a tree at Granny’s. It was a real monkey, but no one believed me.”

  “How’d that make you feel, Calum?” August asked him as he ran his hand through Calum’s dark hair. Hair that matched his perfectly.

  “Crazy and mad,” he said with a huff as he threw his hands in the air. “Why would I make that up?”

  August shook his head. “I don’t see why you’d do a thing like that.”

  “I wouldn’t. I ain’t no liar!” Calum huffed again.

  August nodded in agreement. “I bet you’re not.”

  Then Calum looked at August, and he reached out to put his hand on his cheek. “I bet it made you sad when you saw that happen to your friend.”

  “Sadder than I’ve ever been. I’m trying like crazy to stop these nightmares, because I don’t want you to be scared of me. Your momma is trying to help me, too, so I’d like to stick around if that’s okay with you, Calum. I like your momma a lot, and I like you, too.” August placed his hand on my son’s shoulder. “So, what do you say, Calum? Can I hang around with you guys? I’d sure appreciate it if you’d let me.”

  “Momma did help you. And I think she likes you, too” Calum said, then took two steps forward, wrapping his arms around August’s neck. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I was afraid of you. You can hang around with us.”

  August got up, carrying Calum as he did. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me, Calum. You sure do have a big heart.”

  They walked over to me, catching me wiping tears away from that scene, which had touched my heart in a way I couldn’t describe. “So, I see you two have worked things out then.” A sniffle would’ve confirmed to them that I’d been crying a little, if they hadn’t noticed already.

  “Yep,” Calum said. “We’re friends again.”

  Friends. No, they were more than just friends. But when would the time be right to tell them that?

  Chapter Thirteen

  August

  Although Calum had seen fit to forgive me for the episode he’d witnessed, I wasn’t ready to forgive myself. I’d been warned by my sister and my therapist, but I’d still made the unfortunate decision to ignore their sag
e advice. It didn’t sit well with me that I’d scared the poor kid.

  Although a part of me, the rational part, told me to leave Tawny and her son alone and be on my merry way, my selfish side simply wouldn’t allow me to do that. No, that side of me wanted Tawny—and Calum—in my life more than it had ever wanted anything.

  So, after eating the delicious beef stew she’d made, I told her what I wanted after we’d retreated to the living room while Calum filled the dishwasher with our dirty dishes. Slipping one arm around her as we sat on the sofa, I whispered, “So, what are the chances of you letting me sleep over?”

  Her pretty green eyes went wide as she shook her head. “No way, August. You know I’d love that, but this place is tiny, and Calum’s a light sleeper.”

  My cock wasn’t going to give up so easily. “Okay, then how about we figure out a way to get him out of the house for a little while?”

  Her expression turned from stern to intrigued. “Like how?”

  I only had one go-to for that answer, so I took my cell out of my pocket to call my sister. The sound of a group of people all talking over each other hit my ears immediately as Leila answered my call, “August, what’s up?”

  “I was wondering what you were doing this evening,” I said as I played with a strand of Tawny’s red hair.

  “Actually, Jacob wants to go see some new cartoon movie tonight. He and I are about to head out now. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, I’m at Tawny’s and…”

  She stopped me. “I see. Yeah, I know what you want now. I can take Calum with us if he wants to go.”

  “I’ll ask him.” With a kiss to Tawny’s cheek, I got up to go ask Calum if he’d like to watch a cartoon movie with his Aunt Leila and Jacob.

  “Yes, sir!” he shrieked then slammed the dishwasher shut before making a beeline for his bedroom.

  “He’s in,” I told my sister. “When can we expect you?”

  “About a half hour. At least, that’s what Tawny said it took for your driver to bring them over that one time. Text me her address.”

  And with that, I’d managed to get Tawny all alone for at least a couple hours. Sure, I’d rather have an entire night, but I’d take anything I could get.

  Going back to the sofa, I sat down next to her, running one fingertip over her shoulder. She bit her lower lip. “Maybe I should jump in the shower and do myself up a bit. I’ve been dreaming about this, and I’d like to look my best.”

  “Whatever you want. I’ll be right here.” Before she could get up, I left a kiss on her lips that told her what she was in for.

  She left the room with a flushed face that made my cock thump in my jeans. Things were turning around for us, I could feel it in the air. It felt heavy and light at the same time. Heavy with what was to come, and light with happiness.

  By the time Leila arrived, Calum was chomping at the bit to get going and ran out the door as soon as she knocked. Slowing only to give her a brief hug and thank her for taking him, Calum was quickly on his way.

  Leila leveled her eyes on me as she stood at the door. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, little brother.”

  “Never,” I said with a laugh then closed the door, locking it before I turned to head toward Tawny’s bedroom.

  Tawny was still in the bathroom, so I stripped down, wanting to surprise her in her bed. My cock was ready for her already, but I’d be taking my time with her tonight.

  “August?” she called out from the hallway.

  “In here,” I called back to her.

  I’d turned off the overhead light and turned on a small lamp beside the bed.

  “I thought you said you’d wait in the—” she paused, mouth agape as she saw me in her bed, sitting up with my head resting on the pillows.

  I patted the empty side of the bed as she stood in the doorway, giving her an eager grin.

  Tawny had a towel wrapped around her, her damp hair hanging in loose waves around her shoulders. She clamped her mouth shut, taking in my bare chest and arms. “Oh, you’re naked, huh?”

  Tossing the blanket back, I let her see just how naked I was. “Drop the towel, baby.”

  She took a deep breath then let the white towel fall to the floor. One of her feet flew back, kicking the door closed before she came to me.

  Each step she took made her large breasts jiggle. My cock pulsed, and my mouth watered, wanting to taste every bit of her juicy body.

  She sat on the edge of the bed, her breath already coming in quick gasps. It reminded me of our one night together, and I laughed as I grabbed her, pulling her on top of me.

  She straddled my stomach as I played with her tits, first with my hands then with my mouth. Her hands fisted in my hair as she made quiet moans. The last moan was filled with words that did something to me I’d never experienced while in bed, “I love you, August Harlow.”

  My cock couldn’t wait any longer. I threw all my plans for a slow seduction out of my mind, and with one swift movement I had her on her back, my body hovering over hers as she spread her legs for me. “I love you, Tawny Matthews. Are you ready for me?”

  With a nod, she confessed, “I’m soaked for you.”

  “Good, because I’m about to slam this cock into that wet pussy and fuck you the way I’ve been dreaming about for far too long now.” And with that, I slammed into her tight pussy.

  She let out a scream as my cock stretched her, as her body worked to fit me, “August!” Her nails curled into my shoulders, making them burn.

  A groan escaped me—she was unbelievably tight. “Oh, baby!”

  Moving in and out of her, I felt every part of her again. Her soft skin rubbed against my chest with each thrust, her hips jutted up, hitting my stomach as she arched her back—everything was sensation, every move she made took me back to seven years ago.

  But now she was mine for real, not just the girl I’d found sitting outside at midnight, looking at the same moon I was.

  Auburn hair fanned out over the white pillowcase, green eyes looked up at me and pink lips trembled, and I had to take them with my own. Passion made the kiss hard and demanding, and our tongues moved in circles as I made her mine once more.

  The sound of her moans mixed with my harsh breathing, and our flesh slapped together over and over in a rhythm that took us to our first climax of the night—and it took us at the same time, just as it had seven years ago.

  I’d never had an orgasm at the same time with any other woman. What Tawny and I shared was special, and I knew that without any doubt.

  Resting my body on top of hers, but being careful not to put my full weight on her, I panted until I regained my breath. When I looked down at her glowing face, with her eyes closed, lips parted, still panting a bit, I knew without a doubt that this was what love felt like.

  It took root inside my heart. Pure love, a love I’d never felt before. I’d do anything for this woman. She felt like a part of me I’d always been missing.

  Her eyes opened, and she caught my face between her hands. “My God, August.” One tear rolled down her cheek.

  Kissing it away, I echoed, “My God.”

  Words were hard to come by to explain how I felt. And it seemed to be the same for Tawny, too. I hadn’t always been the best with words anyway, but I sure could show her what she meant to me.

  Rolling onto my back, I kept her close, not allowing our bodies to separate for even a moment. She lay on top of me, and then I gently pushed her to sit up. Those big boobs called to my hands and I played with them again.

  One eyebrow cocked as she asked in a husky voice, “You do like the tits, don’t you, August?”

  “Nope, I love ’em.” I sat up, taking one into my mouth and licking the nipple as I rolled it between my lips. Her moans had my cock growing stiff again, and soon she was riding my cock to another simultaneous orgasm.

  I didn’t want to let her out of that bed. Like, not ever. Keeping her in bed with me would’ve been a dream come true, and that thought had me rem
embering the way I’d felt that first night. It had seemed like I couldn’t get enough of her back then, and that feeling was still there.

  Cupping the back of her head, I kissed her softly. “Leaving you after all we’d done was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. And now that I’ve got you, I don’t think I can ever leave you again.”

  She giggled as she pushed her hands through my hair. “I hope you don’t leave me again. I never told you this, but I cried every night for a month after you left. And my prayers for your safe return never stopped. I suppose they were answered, huh?”

  Her kiss-swollen lower lip begged me to take it between my teeth. I bit it gently, tugging it as I said, “Thank you for praying for this.”

  And then I felt my cock pulsing back to life again, and she did, too, moaning as she started to move again. “Yes, babe. Take me again, you insatiable man.”

  With her, I was insatiable—only with her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tawny

  August seemed content with the way things had to be. He came over during the day while Calum was at school, and we’d make love the whole time, stopping only to eat and drink a bit to replenish our strength. He’d stay for dinner and would leave when the time came to put Calum to bed. That went on for a week.

  But then one day, that wasn’t enough for August. Sweeping into my little apartment moments after I’d gotten back from dropping Calum off at school, I found a serious expression clouding his handsome face. “Tawny, this isn’t working for me.”

  Wrapping my arms around him, kissing his sweet lips, I felt the tension leave his body as he and I melded into each other. Once everything felt settled, our mouths parted. “Now, what’s not working for you?”

  He took my hands in his, pulling them up and kissing each knuckle as he eyed me carefully. “Not having you in my bed at night.”

  “But you have me all day long,” I reminded him.

  “Yes, but I won’t always have this. You’ll start work, and then we won’t get to do this anymore.” His lips pressed against my palm, making my insides turn into melted butter.