She scoffs. “I can’t believe this.” She shakes her head. “Tony and I are just friends. We talk, that’s it. I haven’t gone out with him — we haven’t even kissed. We’re friends.”
“Be home by midnight,” Lennox says from behind me.
Em squeals and runs for the door before I can stop her. I’m left looking after her. I turn toward Lennox to see her loading the dishwasher. “What was that? No more questions? Just take her word for it?”
She turns around with a smile. “She’s eighteen, Mason. She doesn’t need our permission anymore, and she’s always been a smart girl. I think she knows what not to do.” She closes the door and pushes the button, starting the dishwasher. “Ready to head up to bed?” She flips off the light and walks up the stairs. Again, I’m left frozen in confusion.
Chapter Five
Emma
I drive into town and stop to pick up Jax because he’s fun to hang out with. He’s crazy and funny, and I know he won’t ever have any kind of feelings for me because we’re cousins, unlike Levi. Jax is safe. He protects me and tells me the bitter truth when I need it. He’s a little younger than me, but we’re in the same class and will be going off to college together, even though we’re not going to the same college. These last few years, we’ve gotten close — he’s like another brother to me.
He jumps into the passenger side of my Jeep. “About time one of us got some wheels.”
“Your parents aren’t going to buy you a car before you leave for college?”
He scoffs. “No way. You know my dad. He wants me to work and buy it myself.”
I quickly look over at him. “You’ve been working at the grill for a few years now. Don’t you have enough saved up yet?”
He laughs. “No way. Not for what I want anyway.”
I don’t even bother to ask. I’m sure it’s something completely stupid like an expensive sports car.
I drive us over to the arcade, and we get out and walk inside. It looks like everyone that was at my party left and came directly here. We’re not even halfway into the building before Macy stops us. “Party out on the beach. Let’s go!”
“Hell yeah,” Jax says, grabbing me by the arm and turning me around. We’re back in my Jeep and following the line of cars to the party.
“I hope my dad doesn’t catch me here,” I say as I park the Jeep and get out.
“Don’t worry about it,” Jax says with a laugh.
“Is that your answer to everything?” I turn to glare at him.
“Look who it is, the guest of honor,” Tony says the moment he sees me.
I point at my chest. “I’m the guest of honor?”
He nods with a big smile in place. “I figured this would be a lot better than that G-rated party your parents threw you.”
I look around the beach to see a big bonfire going with everyone crowding around it. “You did all this for me?”
Jax bumps me with his elbow. “You okay by yourself?”
I nod but don’t take my eyes off Tony.
We’ve been friends for a few weeks now. But here lately, it feels like something’s changing between us, and it scares me. I’ve never been in a relationship before. And now, I’ll be leaving for college soon. It really isn’t the best time to start something up.
On the other hand, he is sweet and gorgeous. His blond hair is cut short and is always neatly styled. His eyes are a deep auburn color, and when I look into them, I get lost in the chocolate and caramel swirls. He’s tall and lean but has defined biceps and a rock-hard six-pack. What could a little summer fling hurt?
“This is great. Thank you.” My face starts to heat up.
“You’re welcome.” He smiles back, shyly. “Want a beer?” He motions toward a cooler setting on the sand near the bonfire.
I shake my head. “Na, I’d rather not have my new Jeep taken away.”
He nods like he understands. “How about we go for a walk then?”
My eyes meet his, and my heartrate picks up. “Okay,” I say with a nod and a smile that won’t leave my face.
We start walking down the beach and out of nowhere, he reaches out and takes my hand in his. I look at our clasped hands, and a giggle slips out.
He turns to study me. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”
I laugh again. “No, not at all. It just seems weird, you know?”
“What’s weird?”
I turn and look over my shoulder. We’ve walked far enough down the beach now that I can only hear slight whispers from the group. “That all of a sudden, you’re throwing me a party and holding my hand. We’ve been friends for weeks, and you never seemed interested before.”
He lets go of my hand and sits on the sand. I follow suit.
“I’ve been interested, Em. I just didn’t know what your story was. I thought you were seeing Levi, and I didn’t want to start trouble.”
“Levi? You thought I was seeing Levi?” My smile widens. “What made you think that?”
“He did, actually.”
Anger washes over me. “Are you telling me that Levi told you we were together?”
He nods. “Yeah. It was about a month ago. I’d been watching you for a while and had finally worked up enough courage to ask you out. I was talking to Jax about it. Suddenly, Jax gets this huge smile on his face, and I turn to see Levi standing behind me. He told me not to even think about it, that you and him were together. You guys hung out a lot, so I just thought it was true.” He shrugs.
I brush my dark hair away from my face as annoyance washes over me. “I can’t believe this. I wonder how many people he’s told that to.”
“It’s not true? You were never dating?”
Quickly, I turn to look at him. “No, never. We’ve been friends since he was born. I knew he had a thing for me, but I shot him down today, actually.”
“So, I wouldn’t get my ass beat by anyone if I kissed you right now?”
Everything freezes. He wants to kiss me? I want that kiss. I’ve only been kissed a few times in my life, and I didn’t want any of those as badly as I want this kiss.
“Can I kiss you, Em?”
I nod my head as goosebumps prickle my skin. My heart, which was pounding out of anger and annoyance, is now racing with excitement. My stomach suddenly seems to be tied in knots as I watch him wet his perfect lips.
Ever so slowly, he begins leaning in. I don’t move. I can’t. I’m too nervous and excited. I’m afraid I’ll mess this up somehow.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity of waiting, his lips press to mine. They’re soft and teasing, but firm against my own. The kiss starts slow, but then his hand cups my cheek, and his tongue urges my lips apart.
I willingly open for him — reveling in his taste, his scent, and the way he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. My stomach muscles tighten with something foreign as a tingle low in my belly makes itself known. I’ve never felt this before — this tingle or urge to take things further.
His other hand tangles into my hair, pulling me closer as he devours my mouth. My hands fly up and latch around his neck. I want to keep him against me forever.
Slowly, but way before I’m ready, he breaks the kiss and leans back, but keeps his hands on me. “That was amazing.”
A small laugh slips out as I nod. “Yeah. That was… something.” I take a deep, shuttering breath.
“I want to do it again,” he says, completely serious.
“I do too,” I whisper.
He closes the distance between us once again.
It’s going on 10:30 P.M., and I know it’s about time to go. But the thing is, I don’t want to. I don’t want this night to end.
Tony and I stay together on the sand most of the night. We hold hands, talk, and kiss. I feel like I’m digging a hole I won’t ever be able to escape from. I’ve always had a small crush on Tony, ever since we met a few months ago. But knowing he’s been feeling the same way only intensifies my feelings for him.
Jax wal
ks over. “You about ready?” He slides his hands into his pockets and tosses his dark hair out of his eyes with a hair flip.
I turn and look over my shoulder at him. “Yeah.” I look back at Tony. “I need to go before I’m late.”
We both stand, look at one another, and then at Jax.
“Yeah, yeah. I get it,” Jax mumbles as he turns and walks away.
“Thank you for the party,” I say, feeling my heart begin to race again.
“You’re welcome,” he whispers as he leans in, pressing a kiss to my lips.
His hand cups my cheek as he pulls away. “See you tomorrow?”
I smile and nod. “See you tomorrow.” His hand drops from my face as I turn away.
My smile doesn’t leave my face as I walk across the sand and back to my Jeep where I find Jax sitting on the front bumper.
“So, you and Tony, huh?”
I smack his shoulder. “You let him believe I was with Levi?”
He laughs. “Hey, I’m sorry, but Levi is my friend. I had to have his back.”
I climb into the driver’s seat. “And what about my back?”
He takes his place beside me. “I don’t think it’s your back you’re worried about — more like what’s in his pants.” He lets out a loud laugh which earns him another smack.
I drop Jax off, and I’m home just before midnight. As I walk up to the house, I turn my phone off silent, something my Dad insisted I do to keep myself from looking at it while driving. Immediately, I notice a text message from a number I don’t have saved in my phone.
I open the message. It reads: Hope you don’t mind, but I got your number from Macy. I really enjoyed hanging with you tonight.
A smile forms on its own. I reply with: Me too. Thanks again for the party. I had a blast.
My heart flutters with excitement just thinking about his words. I can’t wipe the stupid grin off my face as I go inside and lock the door behind me. I turn to head up to my room but stop when I hear my name. I turn toward the kitchen and find my mom sitting at the island with a cup of tea.
“Come talk with me.” She waves me over.
“I’m not in trouble, right? I’m home before curfew,” I say, going over and sitting down.
She shakes her head. “No, you’re not in trouble. I just wanted to chat.”
My brows pull together. “Chat? At midnight?”
She shrugs one shoulder, causing her dark curls to bounce with the motion. “I wanted to have a few minutes alone with you to talk about Tony.”
“Oh, God, Mom. Is this the sex talk?” Heat fills my cheeks while I look anywhere and everywhere but at her.
“No! It’s not the sex talk.” Her face scrunches up. “Well… not exactly, anyway.”
My shoulders slump. “I know how it works, Mom. I’m eighteen,” I remind her.
She nods. “I know how old you are, and that’s why we need to talk about this.” She takes a sip as if it calms her nerves. “I guess we probably should’ve done it years ago, but you didn’t really seem interested in dating then, so I put it off.”
“Mom, seriously.”
“Seriously, Em.” She turns to face me directly. “Look, I know you know how everything works physically. But you don’t know what to expect emotionally. It’s a big step for a young girl. I know, I was your age once.”
“Was Dad your first?” I don’t know why, but it spills out before I can stop it.
“He was.”
“Is he the only guy you’ve been with?”
“You know your dad and I broke up for a few years when I left to start singing,” she replies.
“So that’s a no?” I question.
“There was another person,” she finally admits. “I didn’t love him, and it never should’ve happened. Why are we talking about me?” She pushes her hair behind her ears. “I don’t know how long you’ve known this guy, and I don’t know if you’re thinking about having sex with him, but there are a few things I think you should know before making that decision.”
Oh, my God. This is the last thing I want to talk about with my mom, but maybe if I just let her say what she needs to say, this whole awkward moment can be over. I nod her on.
“I’m not going to tell you to wait for marriage because I know at eighteen, marriage is the last thing on your mind. But, before you decide to give this guy a piece of yourself, you need to make sure that you love him, and he loves you. You only get one first time, Em. And trust me, you don’t want to look back on it and regret it. You’ll want it to be special — perfect.”
I look at my hands that are clasped together and resting on the island in front of me. “What was your first time like?”
She takes a deep breath. “It was… perfect. Your dad was so afraid that he’d hurt me. He was romantic and slow. He put me ahead of himself. And that’s exactly what you’re going to want. You’re not going to want a guy who’s a complete jerk and just takes from you. You want him to put you first — think about you and how you feel.”
“How long were you and Dad together before you, you know.”
“A few months,” she answers. “But that’s not important, Em. I just want to make sure you’re ready before you take the next step. I mean, having sex is opening yourself up to someone else in every possible way.”
“I know, Mom. And I promise, I will think about it. But right now, I’m not planning on having sex. It’s way too soon for that.”
She lets out a relieved breath. “Good.”
A laugh escapes me. “Are we done?”
“That depends. Are you still taking your birth control?” Her eyes are wide with fear.
I nod. “Yes, Mom.” I’ve been on them since I was fourteen to regulate my periods. I’ve never missed one.
“Just because you’re on birth control doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant or catch diseases, Em.”
“I know, Mom. Goodnight.” I stand and walk away, pausing at the foot of the stairs. “I love you.”
She smiles. “I love you, too.”
Chapter Six
Lennox
I feel a little better after talking with Em. I’m glad she’s not thinking about having sex with this guy yet, but I know it’s only a matter of time — if not with him, with someone else. It’s bound to happen eventually. I guess a small piece of me isn’t quite ready to admit that my little girl is growing up.
I place my cup in the sink and turn off the light above the sink before heading up to bed. When I walk into the room, it’s pitch black. Mason’s soft breathing is the only sound as I take my place beside him. His back is to me while he sleeps facing the window. I scoot up against him and wrap my arm around his chest. His hand latches onto mine, and he squeezes it softly.
“Everything okay?” he whispers in the darkness.
“Everything’s fine. Go back to sleep.” I close my eyes and breathe him in deeply. His scent has always soothed the negative feelings away.
I jump awake from having that feeling of someone watching me.
“Shhh, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Mason whispers before he presses a kiss to my shoulder.
I let out a long breath and fall back against the bed, rolling on my side to look at him.
“Were you having a bad dream?”
I shake my head no, even though I was. I know it’s stupid, but even after all these years, I still have nightmares about Chris coming back into my life. It’s impossible. He’s dead. But he still haunts my dreams.
“You just caught me off guard.” I close the distance and give him a kiss, hoping to distract him.
I know it works when he rolls us over, covering my body with his. His strong hand lands on my outer thigh, slowly working its way up under my large t-shirt. My legs part so he can settle between them, and he presses his hard erection against me. Even after all this time, it still feels like the first time.
With his lips on mine, he works my shirt up over my breasts, grabbing a handful. He breaks the kiss and looks deeply into my eye
s. “I love you so much,” slips from his lips before they lower to cover my nipple.
I let out a gasp, and I feel his cock twitch against me. Feeling what I do to him, I can’t stop my hands from reaching beneath the blankets to push his boxers away.
“Are you in a hurry, baby?” he asks, releasing my nipple to look into my eyes.
I bite my bottom lip and nod while my face flushes. “I need you just as much as I always have.”
When those words leave my lips, something inside of him snaps. He gets up on his knees and quickly pulls my panties down my legs. The second there’s nothing between us, he slides deeply inside. His hands hold firm at my hips as he pulls me into his thrusts, filling me entirely.
I can’t do anything but hold on and enjoy the pleasure he’s bringing my body. Right now, in this moment, it’s just us. I’m not thinking about my doctor’s appointment or the fact that my children are growing older and preparing to leave. I don’t think about our past or the nightmares that still haunt me. It’s only us — me and the man I’ve always belonged to.
Once we manage to pull away from one another, we both step into the shower.
“I was thinking about taking Preston down to the shop sometime. I think it’s about time he starts working,” Mason says from behind me.
I turn around to face him. “I think that’s a good idea. It’s getting time for us to start thinking about what we’re going to do with the rest of our lives… you know, since the kids will be out soon.” A sadness settles over me, but I mentally remind myself that this is a whole new chapter for us. A chapter we haven’t gotten to experience yet.
“What do you want to do?”
I shrug. “I always wanted to travel around the country in an RV.” I smile.
He laughs. “Really? I thought you wanted to go back to touring.”
I shake my head. “I’ve already lived that part of my life. I just want you.” I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer for a kiss.
One More Chance at Forever (The Chance Series Book 5) Page 4