She frowns at me. “You know if I drink, it’s only wine. Why the hell did we drink Jack?” She rubs her head.
I laugh. “That was our thing. You know, old times sake.”
She shakes her head as she steps in front of me, under the flow of water. “Never again,” she mumbles.
“Just take it easy today. You’ll be okay. I’ll bring something home for dinner after work.”
She spins around to face me. “I want hot wings.”
I let out a deep chuckle. “Okay, anything else?”
“Bourbon chicken and shrimp with mashed potatoes, not roasted potatoes.” She wraps her arms around my stomach and rests her head on my chest.
“So, you want Applebee’s?”
She nods without lifting her head.
I push her wet hair back and press a kiss to the top of her head. “I’ll bring it home. Text me what the kids want later, and I’ll pick it up.”
“Thank you,” she mumbles.
“I need to get dressed for work.”
She releases me. “I think I’m going back to bed. I’m getting too old for this shit.”
I step from the shower and wrap myself in a towel before wrapping her up in one as well. We walk into the bedroom together, and she walks straight to bed, collapsing and curling into a ball.
Moving into the closet, I pull on some clothes. When I come out, she’s dead asleep. I go over to the bed, pull the blankets up around her and give her a soft kiss on the head before leaving for the day.
Chapter Seventeen
Emma
Two Months Later…
My lips are covered by his. His hands pull me closer as they wrap around my waist, carrying me to the bedroom. Somehow, his fingers magically unclasp my bra while he moves us toward the bed. Before we fall onto the soft surface, I pull it from my arms, letting it fall into the floor. My breathing is already erratic, my heart is racing, and every tiny hair is standing on end.
Tony and I have been together all summer, and while we’ve done plenty of experimenting together, we still haven’t crossed that line.
We’re about to though.
Our hands hurriedly explore one another’s bodies, pushing and pulling clothes away on their journey. Our lips never part. So far, this isn’t really any different than any other time we’ve gotten close without finishing the race. But I think we both know how it’s going to end this time. Each and every time, we’ve taken things a step further than before. We’re running out of steps. There are a few things left to try, but I’m ready for the big thing. I’m ready to give myself to him. I want to.
We only have a few days left together. Come Monday, I’ll be leaving for college, and he’ll be here. If there’s one thing I want to do before I leave, it’s this. I don’t want to stop for a second.
We’re both completely bare now, and he begins to slow his movements. He breaks the kiss, even though I’m encouraging him to continue. I don’t want him changing his mind.
“Are you sure, blue eyes?”
“I’ve been sure,” I say, trying to pull him back to me.
But he doesn’t allow it. Instead, he looks deeply into my eyes. “I love you, Em.”
My heart was pounding, but now it all but stops with his words. “I love you, too.”
He quickly smiles from hearing my words then brings his lips back to mine. His hand travels down my side, over my hip, and between my legs where my arousal is pooling between them. His finger slides between my folds and dips inside slowly.
“You want this?” he asks, getting up on his knees and reaching into the bedside table.
“You know I do.”
He looks down on me as he tears open the foil package with his teeth. My stomach muscles tighten with anticipation. Slowly, he slides the condom over his length and closes the space between us. His lips find mine as he positions himself at my entrance. Without warning, he pushes into me. I’m filled with a blinding pain that feels like I’m being ripped in two. A burning sensation fills me, and I cry out.
He pauses. “Are you okay?”
I breathe deeply and nod. “Just go slow.”
He cradles my face, as he kisses me softly while waiting for me to adjust to this foreign feeling. When I give him the okay, he begins moving again but this time softer and slower.
As he moves, the pain subsides until there’s nothing left but pleasure. His breathing picks up, and he begins moving more quickly. One hand drops between us, and he rubs my sensitive nub, adding to my pleasure until I feel myself climbing. Finally, my release rises and breaks, washing over me with powerful waves of passion. I completely lose myself to the crippling force.
He shutters his own release with a soft moan. His body goes still on top of me, his chest heaving. When our breathing has calmed, his eyes lock on mine. “I love you, Em.”
He doesn’t give me time to reply before his lips are smashed against mine in a lip-crushing kiss.
We’re lying in bed, still completely naked and holding onto one another like the world will rip us apart if we let go.
“I think it’s finally time to decide,” he says, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.
“Decide what?” I know what he means, but I want to keep ignoring it. It’s not something I want to face, especially now.
“What we’re going to do. Are we breaking up or trying this long-distance thing?”
I turn in his arms and place my hand on his cheek. “I don’t want to break up.”
“Then it’s settled. Long distance it is.” He gives me a soft kiss and between that and the decision that’s just been made, I feel sadness.
He pulls away and looks me over. “What’s wrong?”
I shrug one shoulder. “I’m just not ready for this to be over. It feels like it just started.”
He pulls me closer to him, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I have an idea.”
“What?” I ask, looking up at him.
“Go away with me.” His eyes brighten with the idea.
I laugh. “Go away with you? I can’t go anywhere. I’m leaving for college on Monday.”
He shakes his head. “Let’s go away for the weekend. We’ll leave right now and be back on Sunday.”
I think it over. It would be great to get away. I’d love to spend our last weekend together all alone, just the two of us. “My parents will never allow it.”
He places his hand under my chin and tilts my head back. “You’re eighteen, Em. They can’t stop us from going anywhere we want to go.”
I bite my bottom lip, unsure. “The second I tell them I’m leaving, they’ll be all over me.”
“Then don’t tell them. Leave them a note. They won’t know until we’re gone.”
I sit up, pulling the sheet around my body. “I don’t know, Tony.”
A cocky smile tips his lips, and his dark eyes shine brightly, even in the darkness that engulfs us. “Come on. What can it hurt? We’ll be back on Sunday. Don’t you want to spend our last weekend together? Just you and me, not having to deal with this town, parents, or friends. Just us.”
I smile at his infectious excitement. “Okay. Let’s go.”
He quickly tackles me. I fall back against the bed with his lips moving strongly with mine.
Tony waits outside for me while I gather up a few clothes and leave my note. I toss enough things into my bag to last me the weekend and sit at my desk to write the letter.
Mom and Dad,
Please don’t be mad, but Tony is taking me on a weekend trip. It’s our last weekend together, and we wanted to do something special. I’ll be home Sunday. Please understand.
Love,
Emma
I place the note on my bed and leave the light on so they’re sure to see it when they come to find me. Within seconds, I run out the front door and hop into Tony’s car.
“Ready, blue eyes?”
I smile as my heart pounds with excitement. I’ve never done anything like this before. “I’m ready.”
He
shifts the car into drive and hits the gas.
We get on the interstate and go straight to the city. At the first hotel we find, we stop. We aren’t far from home, but distance isn’t the point. The point is to get away, just the two of us.
He gets our room key and carries our bags up to our room with me following behind him. The second we’re locked away in our room, he drops our bags and pins me to the door while his hands roam my body and his lips tease mine.
He pushes away the straps on my pink summer dress, and the whole thing falls down my body, leaving me in just my bra and panties. I pull his shirt over his head and toss it to the side just as he picks me up and carries me through the room with his lips on mine.
“How about a shower?”
I nod my head with a wide smile. I’d love the chance to check out his whole body, not to mention, I’m a little sore from earlier. I hope the hot water eases away some of the stiffness I’m feeling.
He places me on my feet in the bathroom and turns on the water. While it warms, he begins removing my bra and panties while littering my skin with soft kisses. When I’m completely bare, I face him to see he’s already lost the rest of his clothing. I see nothing but toned muscles and dark eyes.
He pulls my body against his, picking me up and carrying me to the shower where I’m pressed against the wall once again.
When I break the kiss, he looks into my eyes, and his lips part. “What is it, blue eyes?”
I bite my bottom lip, scared of what I’m about to say. “I want to touch you.”
His lips start to turn up with my request, but he stops the grin from forming as he places me on my feet again.
I look down at his erection and slowly wrap my hand around him. As I begin moving my hand up and down his length, his breathing picks up.
“Like this?” I ask weakly.
His eyes close as he leans back against the wall. “Just like that,” he whispers.
My stomach tightens, and passion burns inside of me, just from seeing the reaction I’m causing in him.
With his eyes closed, I drop down to my knees and place his tip in my mouth. The second I do, he lets out a loud moan.
“Em, you don’t have to do that,” he says, breathless.
I pull away. “I want to.” Then I pick back up with what I was doing. Each stroke takes him further and further into my mouth, and his breathing gets heavier while his whimpers get louder.
Inside, I’m smiling. I’ve never done this before, but based on the way he’s reacting, I’m doing a good job.
“Stop,” he says, pulling away from me.
I look up at him. “What’s wrong? Am I doing it wrong?”
He pulls me up and shuts off the water. “Not at all. You’re doing it exactly right. But now, it’s my turn.” He picks me up again and carries me back to the bed, dropping me on the soft surface and crawling up my body.
“I want to taste you this time, blue eyes.” He kisses my inner thigh.
My heart leaps into my throat. I’m afraid. I know I’ve already given myself to him, but this is too close for comfort. My mind starts filling with insecurities, but the second his tongue runs between my folds all thoughts stop. I can’t think of anything expect how amazing it feels. Every one of my muscles is twitching, causing my legs to shake on either side of his head. My hands are fisting in the sheets, trying to hold myself down, because I feel as if I’m floating. And my whole body feels like it’s on fire.
The moment he slides his finger inside of me, my whole body tingles with pleasure. Release crashes down on me so hard, I forget to breathe. I can’t do anything but live in this moment with him.
Chapter Eighteen
Lennox
Mason is busy with the new building going up. He’s been spending most of his free time overseeing the construction. And I have a day trip to take with Alissa regarding our cosmetics’ line. We’re meeting with the owner of a very high-end shop in the city to sell them our product. Usually, there aren’t many hoops to jump through when it comes to getting our product in a store, however, this store owner is very picky about the products the store carries. Everything in this shop is all natural and cruelty free. Since that was our top priority when creating this brand, we think having our items in this particular store will make for a good partnership.
We drive to the city and walk into the shop. It looks no different from any other shop. It has racks of clothing, shoes, and handbags. But the one thing it’s missing is cosmetics. I have a feeling this meeting is going to go very well.
We walk up to the counter and let the cashier know that we’re here for our meeting, and she rushes off to the back.
“This place is adorable,” Alissa says. “I’m going to have to come back here and shop.” She walks around and picks up a tan tote bag. “Look how cute this is.”
I join her over at the purse rack and look over the bag. The inside lining is a light baby blue with little white puppies printed on the inside. “It is cute, but is it to carry around a dog?” I ask, confused.
“It’s for whatever you need it for,” someone says behind me.
I turn to see the owner of the shop. I hold out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Lawler.”
“Please, call me Misty.”
“I’m Lennox Reynolds, and this is my partner, Alissa Reynolds.” I motion toward Alissa who now has the bag on her shoulder, looking into the mirror. At the mention of her name, she rushes up to my side.
“It’s nice to meet you. I absolutely love the items in this store.”
Misty smiles. “Thank you. I’m very picky about the items we carry, as I’m sure you’ve figured out due to this meeting.”
Alissa hands the bag over to the cashier. “Can you hold this for me? I’d like to purchase it on my way out.”
I laugh. “Alissa has a bit of a shopping addiction.”
“Well, that’s just the kind of people we want in here. Please, follow me back to my office.”
She leads us back. Alissa and I take a seat across from her desk.
“Would you like anything to drink?”
“I’m fine, thank you.” I pull a folder out of my bag. “Here’s a detailed list of all of our cosmetics and their ingredients. I assure you, everything we create is all natural and cruelty free.”
She takes the file and opens it, looking over the papers inside. “Very well. I’ll have to do some digging on some of these ingredients — you know, make sure that there are no animal bi-products hidden away in there.”
“Absolutely, take your time. But Misty, I noticed that you have everything here in your shop but cosmetics. Can I ask why?”
She places the folder on her desk and looks at me directly. “To be honest, I haven’t found a brand that carries everything I’m looking for. I’m very picky when it comes to what enters through these doors and what I sell to my customers. I want something that’s good for the environment and my customers.”
I nod. “I completely understand. When Alissa and I were designing this brand, we took those exact thoughts into consideration. And because of that, all the containers we use are reusable. Our lipstick containers, our eye shadow pallets, pressed powers—they’re all made so you only have to buy once. When said item runs out, all you have to do is buy the refill, thus eliminating excess plastic and a lot of waste. Our foundation bottles are all made of glass, completely recyclable, and the pumps you can keep to put on the new replacement.”
She seems impressed, so I keep going. “In fact, here recently, we’ve started a whole starter pack. It comes with everything you need to get started with our line: foundation with pump, pressed powder, blush, eye shadow pallet, and lipstick. So, you won’t have to buy anything but the refills when you run out. But the best part is, it’s a mix-and-match deal.”
“I know I don’t always buy the same shade of foundation due to the time of year it is. In the summer, my skin darkens, so I buy a darker shade,” Alissa says. “We thought it was important to not put a basic l
abel on everyone and every skin tone. Just because I have pale skin doesn’t mean that I always want to wear a pale, pink eyeshadow. Everything in our line is completely customized to your specific needs.”
Misty sits back. “I’m very impressed. But the most important question is: what is your goal here?”
Alissa and I look at one another. “I think my goal here is to prove how great this line is — and not only for us, the people that make and sell it — but for the people who purchase it, the safety of animals, and the environment.”
Alissa takes out the sample kit we prepared and places it on Misty’s desk in front of her. “We know you’re going to love us once you give our products a try, so we wanted to bring you a sample. After you check out the ingredients, try out our products. If you don’t love them, we won’t bother you again.”
Misty smiles and stands, holding out her hand. “It looks like I’ll be in touch with you ladies soon.”
We both stand and shake her hand. “Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you.”
With a deep, relaxing breath, we walk out, filled with excitement.
“How’d the meeting go?” Mason asks, as he walks into the house.
“It went really well. We left her with a list of ingredients and a sample pack to try out.”
He grabs a beer from the fridge and walks over to me, pressing a kiss to my lips. “That’s great. Let’s go celebrate.”
“There’s not really anything to celebrate. She hasn’t made her decision yet.”
“But she will, and I know she’s going to love you. Let’s grab some dinner.”
We end up driving back into the city to have dinner at some fancy French restaurant. It’s unusual for us to go anywhere other than the grill to eat, so I can’t help but to smile.
Over dinner, Mason tells me about how the new building is coming along, and I talk more about the meeting I had today. We eat expensive food and between the two of us, polish off a bottle of wine. I’m on cloud nine as we drive home. I’ve had a great day and a wonderful night. I can’t wait to get home to show Mason how much I enjoyed our time alone together.
One More Chance at Forever (The Chance Series Book 5) Page 12