“I’m not. I was just wondering how long I had to wait before I could tell you that I love you too?”
He stopped in the middle of slipping off her shirt at her words. “Is there a specified amount of time that I’ve never heard about?” he asked, confused.
“I don’t know. I’ve never had anyone tell me they love me before, and I’ve never told anyone else, so I don’t know how it’s done,” she admitted.
He finished removing her clothes, then quickly shed his own before climbing in beside her saying, “I’m in the same boat. I’ve never told anyone else that I love them, so I don’t know if there are rules, but I am a natural rule breaker so I say we have no rules. We can tell each other whatever we want whenever we want.”
Lucy seemed to think it over. “That sounds good to me. I think we have a deal.”
Ace moved a hand to rest on her stomach, and gently brushed his fingers over it.
Lucy fell silent again, and Ace got lost in his thoughts. He’d known about this baby for less than an hour and already he loved it and would do anything for it. He bent down, placing small kisses on her belly and then put his ear there listening for any sounds. Lucy ran her hands through his hair, then down his back. It was a perfect moment; one that he hoped would be common in their lives together.
After a while, Lucy said, “Ace.”
“Hmm,” he said, without opening his eyes.
“I love you,” she told him, no longer able to say anything else.
“I love you too, baby,” he said, smiling. His eyes were open now and he could see the chill bumps that had formed on her skin. He moved back up the bed until he could wrap her into his embrace. Lucy buried her face in his neck and began licking small circles on his skin, then sucked lightly on the spot she‘d been licking. He leaned his head back to give her better access, which she took full advantage of by climbing up his body, wrapping herself around him. She drove him crazy, teasing him with her naked body. He had been hard for her so long, he was going insane. He stood with her still holding onto him, and turned where she would be lying underneath him. He moved downwards, pulling her leg over his shoulders as he went. He closed his eyes as he tasted perfection. She made a sound that made his heart soar and his lust skyrocket. When she began gripping the sheets and screaming his name, he kissed his way back up her body, entering her slowly. He kissed her breast while saying, “I love you,” he kissed her neck while saying, “I love you.” When he came to her lips, he whispered against her skin, “I will always love you,” before stealing her breath away one more time.
Holding her in his arms was heaven for him, but she was too quiet tonight and he wanted to hear the sound of her voice. “What brought you here, of all places?”
Lucy’s smile was tinged with a hint of sadness when she answered, “Back when I was competing, I met this elderly lady, named Corissa, at one of my pageants. She was there sponsoring one of her granddaughters. She was the most amazing woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She was always quick with a kind word and she had this wonderful Southern accent. She was the exact opposite of everyone else I knew. We became fast friends despite our age difference, and we kept in touch through phone calls and letters. She lived here in Tennessee and she told the funniest stories about the people who live here. One day, about six months after she passed away, I was watering Mike’s plants with glass cleaner, and I had an epiphany. Why not move here? I had some savings built, so here I am.”
“You were watering his plants with glass cleaner?” he asked, smothering a laugh.
“Yeah, well, he had this crazy obsession with his plants, which in turn, made me hate them.” She shrugged lightly. “I did everything I could to kill those plants, but they just wouldn’t die.” Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Which I never could understand, because I couldn’t keep a plant alive otherwise.”
He couldn’t help but to smile. This was the kind of thing that made him fall in love with her.
“My next match is in two days. Do you think we could get married before then?” he asked hopefully. “I promise I’ll give you a huge wedding later on, but I’d really like to have you there as my wife.”
She rolled over, looking him in the eye. Seeing that he was serious, she answered, “I’m ready to go now.”
He smacked her playfully on the butt. “Then get some clothes on. We’re going.”
Lucy laughed aloud at his enthusiasm. “Where is this fight?”
“Portland.”
“Oregon?” she asked. At his nod, she groaned. “There is no way that we’re going that close to Washington without having to go see my mom.”
He smiled wickedly. “Yep. I’m thinking it’s about time my new mother-in-law was exposed to another side of life."
Lucy had been watching the guys train for so long that she knew enough about the rules to follow along without getting too lost. Ace had won three rounds and he had the fight in the bag. It was obvious by the set of his opponent's shoulders that he knew it too. Nothing short of a knock out was bringing Ace down, and this guy didn’t have what it would take to pull that off. Lucy was still desperately hoping it would end soon in case the guy got in a lucky shot. That was why she had her nails dug into Sparky’s arm. To give her father-in-law credit, he hadn’t uttered a single word of complaint. He seemed to be just as absorbed in the action as she was. Her mother, on the other hand, was holding court like a queen now that she realized her son-in-law was somewhat of a celebrity. Caroline wasn’t as forgiving of Sparky. There wasn’t enough stardom in the world that could overcome the torture he had put her through after her "incident," as she was now calling it.
When her husband was finally declared the winner, Lucy tried jumping up and down, but Sparky forced her to be still for fear of her baby. Ace made his way over to her, kissing her soundly before introducing her to the crowd as his wife. Several people tried shoving microphones under her nose, hoping to catch a word. Uncomfortable with this new role, she was grateful when Sparky took over telling them all about how proud he was of his son, and how much he loved his daughter-in-law. She knew Ace feared living in father’s shadow, but she knew the truth. One brightly lit shining star couldn’t live in the shadow of another. They could only shine brighter together, and she was happy basking in the glow. While Sparky was doing what he did best, Ace grabbed Lucy’s hand and dragged her away. She went, not caring where they ended up, so long as she was with him.
EPILOGUE
Ace had forgiven Parker for the bruised jaw, and she and Bryant had become closer to them than any friend either one of them had ever had before. The Friday nights that had at one time been dedicated to poker were now more of a couples dinner. Lucy had been looking forward to this Friday night in particular all day. Her excitement grew at the thought of sharing her news with their friends, but she’d promised Ace she’d wait to see if they could figure it out on their own. She was about to burst while watching them.
Bryant and Parker sat with their heads together as they looked at Lucy’s sonogram.
Bryant broke into a huge smile once Parker pointed out the finer points of what he looking at. “Two boys?” he asked Ace.
“Yep,” Ace answered proudly. “Both healthy and growing.”
“Wow!” Parker exclaimed. “I’m tired with just one. I can’t imagine having two.”
“You have to see the baby shower invitations my mother had made today,” Lucy said as she slid the paper over to Parker. “She e-mailed me a copy of it after I called her with the sonogram results.”
Parker looked over the invitation, gushing, “Oh look at the little baby booties!” Clearing her throat she read aloud, “You are cordially invited to a baby shower to welcome babies Bob and Weave Sparks.”
Bryant snorted, but Parker asked, “What kind of name is 'Weave'?”
Lucy and Ace looked at her with identical blank stares before answering in unison, “A good American one.”
BOOK 3: Walt
CHAPTER ONE
&n
bsp; There was blood, so much blood that it pooled in his eyes and mouth, until he was unable to wipe it away. The only thing he could see was the flash of Parker’s hair as it fell against him in a rhythmic motion with each tug of his body across the ground. His ears were ringing so loudly that it drowned out all sound. The smell of burned flesh and congealing blood assailed his senses, causing him to recoil, but the searing pain finally woke him and left him gasping for air. The dream was always the same, and there was a moment when he first woke that he experienced a blissful ignorance. It was only a moment, but it was long enough to force him to, once again, face the reality that it wasn’t a dream at all, but a memory.
Walt rolled to his side, staring at the empty expanse of his king-sized bed as he tried to still the rapid beating of his heart. His relationship with Mookie had ended six months earlier when he realized that his thoughts of marriage kept ending at that, just thoughts.
He didn’t think the problem was her, but he didn’t think the problem was him either, precisely. It was them. They had fun together, but never more than that. That had been enough until he began looking at things more closely. It was then that he had realized they’d never had a serious moment and his idea of marriage to her had been a ridiculous one. He knew the reason why. Being with Mookie was a betrayal that made a mockery of his love for Alyssa, even after all these years.
Her blonde hair fanned out in waves across her pillow. Walt watched the candlelight flicker across it as he twirled a lock through his fingers. “Will you wait?” he asked, unable to meet her eyes.
Alyssa cupped his jaw forcing his gaze to hers. “Do you even need to ask? I thought by agreeing to marry you, that was implied.”
He searched his mind for the right words to explain how he was feeling. “I think I should. You deserve another chance to say 'no.'” She scoffed and he rushed to add, “I want you here when I come home, but I’m selfish.”
Alyssa’s green eyes flashed with humor. “You’ve never been selfish a day in your life.” She rested her hand against his cheek, brushing her thumb across his bottom lip. Her voice softened. “You expect things from this relationship, and so do I. You expect me to be here when you get home. I expect you to come home to me safe and sound.”
Drawing an X across his chest, he said, “I promise.”
He’d broken that promise along with almost every other promise he’d made to her. She had deserved so much more than she had gotten from him. That’s the reason his bed was empty now, and he’d decided it would stay that way from now on.
Traffic on I-24 had stopped moving due to a four car pileup, leaving drivers frustrated. The heat caused a shimmering haze to rise from the pavement, making everything look distorted in the distance. Unfortunately, the air in Alyssa’s car had quit working the previous summer and getting it fixed had been put on the back burner during the frigid winter months. She never thought she’d regret that decision as much as she did now. With the windows rolled down, she twisted her hair into a messy knot at her neck as she cursed her own stupidity. Leaning her head out the window, she craned her neck, trying to see past the hundreds of cars lined up in front of her. With no end in sight, she stuck one arm out the window in an attempt to catch a breeze while resting her chin on her arm. The heat lulled her into a funk and her mind began to wander.
There was fine sheen of sweat on his skin and the candlelight danced across it, making him glitter like diamonds. Her eyes stayed glued to his chest as he drew an X across it. She tried desperately to burn the sight into her memory. An eighteen month deployment, lord, it sounded like an eternity to her. Walt had always been the type of man who could not stand by and watch as others went off to fight. It was one of the things that she loved the most about him. His face hovered above her and she couldn’t resist tracing its lines with her fingertips. His face was hard, chiseled out to make perfection. His skin was a light brown but it seemed even darker against her pale skin. He tilted his head to kiss her wrist before lowering his mouth to hers. “I love you,” he said so softly that she felt his words more than she heard them. His kiss scorched her soul and tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Her chest felt heavy with the weight of her love for him.
Pulling back slightly, she swore, “I will never stop loving you.”
Alyssa jumped at the sound of a horn blaring behind her, and then she blinked in surprise at the sight of smoke billowing out from underneath her hood. Glancing down, she saw her car was running hot. With a muttered curse, she maneuvered to the shoulder of the road.
“What now?” she groaned. She had no cell phone, not because she didn’t own one, but because she had run off that morning, leaving it behind. Fate never missed an opportunity to kick her while she was down. She caught the flash of blinker in her mirror and she looked up to see a Dodge Ram pulling in behind her. She tried to think of what she should do in a situation like this. Should she lock her doors? Roll up her windows? It was too damn hot. She almost preferred to be kidnapped and murdered over being locked up in this hot car for one minute. As she looked on, his six foot six form spilled from the truck. The sun glistened off his light brown skin, and her only thought was, What were the odds?
Walt watched as the older model Honda limped to the side of the road. He pulled in behind it, hoping to lend a hand since he wasn’t going anywhere anyways. As he approached the window, he noticed the woman behind the wheel had her head resting against the steering wheel. He started to ask her if she needed any help when she turned to face him fully, and the words died in his throat. Her hair was a shade darker than it had been, and a pair of overlarge sunglasses covered her eyes, but he’d know her anywhere.
“Alyssa,” he choked out past his dry throat.
“Walt,” she answered, revealing not a hint of surprise. She reached over, grabbing a messenger-type bag from the floorboard, then threw the door open with such force, he had to take a step back to keep from being hit. Closing it behind her, she began walking away as if he weren’t there. Perplexed, he yelled at her retreating back, “Do you need a lift?”
“No thank you,” she answered without stopping or turning.
“The next exit isn’t for six miles,” he informed her.
Freezing in her tracks, she looked up as if seeking guidance. Turning on her heel, she strolled past him in the other direction. Without a word, she opened the passenger side door of his truck and climbed in. Once he was back behind the wheel, he asked, “Where are we heading?”
Sitting stiff as a board and staring straight ahead, she answered, “Rosie’s café on Lakewood.” He worked his way back into traffic and began inching forward along with everyone else on the road. Her silence was tangible and no more than he deserved.
“Alyssa is here to see you,” his dad said brightly, not realizing how the words caused Walt’s chest to burn.
“Send her away,” he said, causing his dad’s face to fall.
“I think you should reconsider, son.”
Walt turned his head to meet his father’s gaze. “I don’t want her here,” he said with more force.
His mom leaned forward in her chair. “Please, Walt,” she pleaded. “She’s been going crazy out there, waiting.”
He hardened his voice. “I don’t need her pity. Believe me, it’s better this way.”
“Better for who?” his father asked.
“Better for everyone!” he yelled, showing his temper, and causing one of his monitors to begin beeping.
“Okay,” his father soothed, eyeing the machine. “It’s okay. I’ll go talk to her.” The tightness in Walt's chest eased slightly as he watched his dad leaving the room. He was doing the right thing. Alyssa couldn’t possibly want an invalid dragging her down.
She didn’t ask him how he’d been, or what he’d been doing since she’d last seen him. Instead, she watched him from the corner of her eye while staring resolutely ahead. He looked good, healthy. She caught herself before sighing out loud. Who was she kidding? He still made her stomach clench and her
knees go all weak. She had to blink back tears. The loss of him still felt like a gaping wound to her chest even after all this time.
The smell of anti-septic and sickness lingered in the air, choking the breath from her lungs as she paced the room. Only two visitors were allowed in his room at a time, and family was a first priority. Every minute that passed felt like an eternity as she waited. Only a few doors separated her from Walt and she wanted to tear them down to get to him. The sound of the door opening brought her head around and she almost cried out in relief when she saw his father coming her way. Rushing to his side, she asked, “Can I go back now?”
“He’s refusing visitors,” he answered, his face taut.
“Does he know I’m here?” she asked in confusion.
“You should go home, and get some rest,” he answered, avoiding her question.
“Go home. Get some rest,” she repeated numbly. “How am I supposed to rest?” she asked, her voice sounding desperate to her own ears.
Gentling his voice, he said, “He doesn’t want to see you.” Cameron squeezed her shoulders lightly as if that could soften the blow. Reaching blindly behind her, she felt for a chair. Finding one, she fell back into it, staring towards the window. He didn’t want to see her. How could the sun shine so brightly while her heart was shattering?
“Are we getting something to eat?” Walt asked as he pulled into the first open parking place he found in front of Rosie’s.
Alyssa pulled off her sunglasses, tucking them into her bag. “This is where I work, and I’m already running late.” Jumping from the truck, she added, “Thanks for the ride.”
Undefeated (Undefeated Series Books 1-4) Page 10