by E. L. Todd
“How were they?”
“Angels, like always. We got a snack then they got to work. Pretty uneventful. So, did you talk to Bree?”
“Yeah. I did the best I could. She said she would talk to Cypress. I hope things will blow over.”
“That makes two of us.” He twisted off the cap and took a drink. “They’re probably talking right now.”
“Yeah, probably.”
Ace leaned against the counter and looked into the living room, watching the kids in front of the TV. “You want me to pick up some dinner?”
Did he want to stay and hang out? Because I would love that. “Sure. Or I could cook something.”
“You know I never turn down a home-cooked meal. What are you thinking?”
“I was gonna make some pork chops, potatoes, and asparagus.”
“That sounds awesome. I’ll definitely stick around for that.”
I hid my smile as much as I could, not wanting him to know how much his compliments meant to me. “Wanna help?”
“Of course. What can I do?”
“I’ll take care of the meat if you handle the potatoes.”
“Sure thing.” Like we were at work, he took care of his zone, and I took care of mine. My girls stayed in the living room, talking to each other as they worked on their math homework in front of the TV.
For a moment, it reminded me of the way it felt when Evan was still around. But I realized it was never like this. Evan never wanted to help me make dinner; he only did it when I asked. After working all day, he just wanted to sit on the couch and stare at the screen, fading away like I didn’t exist.
Before I could let the thought get me down, I thought about the happy moment I was in. I had a great friend who showed me the kind of love I needed at the time. And that was all I needed.
After dinner was finished, I had the girls wash up then go to bed. They were always asleep by eight thirty, which was way earlier than I ever went to sleep. I returned to the kitchen to see Ace cleaning everything up.
“You don’t have to do that, Ace.” I took over at the sink and rinsed all the dishes before I let them sit at the bottom.
“I don’t mind.”
“The dishes can be done tomorrow.” I wrapped up the leftovers and put them in the fridge.
“Dinner was great. Thanks for including me.”
“Well, thanks for looking after my kids.”
“You don’t need to thank me for that. They’re great.” He smiled as he leaned against the counter, looking handsome as hell like always.
I hated Lady even more now. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” I walked to the entryway then opened the front door. “I suspect we’ll find out what happened with Bree and Cypress then.”
“Or maybe they both won’t show up, and we’ll know everything went to shit.” He stood beside me in the entryway but didn’t walk outside. His eyes were on me, his expression unreadable.
A prickle began at the top of my spine and slowly trickled down. I could feel my muscles tense and coil, imagining how his fingers felt when they dug into my skin. When I rode him, he gripped me with the ferocity with which every man should grab his woman. It was dangerous when we were alone together. We needed witnesses at all times so my mind wouldn’t run into the gutter.
I wish we had witnesses now.
Ace continued to stand there, his hands in his pockets.
I didn’t know what he was waiting for, but I hoped he was thinking the exact same thing I was thinking. If we had another slipup, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. I certainly didn’t have the strength to say no when my entire body was saying yes.
Ace’s expression darkened further. “I want to make love to you again.”
I could feel my pulse throbbing in my neck. My heart worked harder to carry the adrenaline to the rest of my body. My knees felt weak, and my palms felt sweaty.
“I know I should leave…but I don’t want to.”
Now all logic slipped from my mind. I knew this was just a booty call that meant nothing to him, but I loved the way he made me feel when we were together. I pressed my palm against the wood and shut the door before I moved into his chest. “Then don’t.” My arms snaked around his neck, and I pressed my mouth to his, feeling the scorching sensation I only experienced when we were in the same room together.
His arms locked around me just the way I liked, and he kissed me back with the same passion. We stood in the entryway in the darkness, kissing and touching each other with no intention of stopping. The dishes sat in the sink, and the TV was still on in the living room.
Neither one of us cared.
Ace backed me up against the door and kissed me harder, his hands groping every inch of my body. He touched me everywhere, making sure there wasn’t a single place that wasn’t worshiped by him.
I wanted our clothes to be gone. I wanted it just to be us and our naked bodies against my sheets. We could fuck against the door and I would enjoy it, but I wanted more. Now that we’d screwed enough times, I was perfectly comfortable giving and taking what I wanted. “Bedroom.” I ended the kiss and grabbed his hand before I pulled him toward the bedroom. Luckily, my room was on the opposite side of the house from the girls. A quiet creak or a gentle moan wouldn’t reach their innocent ears.
We got into my bedroom and yanked our clothes off as fast as we could. We didn’t even undress each other, focusing on getting naked as quickly as possible. Once the clothes were gone, he picked me up and held me against his chest. His big hands gripped my ass and thighs, and with strength that was so masculine, he lifted me onto his length and sheathed himself in my pussy.
“Ace…” My arms hooked around his shoulders, and I kissed him as he lifted me up and down, using his powerful arms to move me without any hint of exhaustion. His strength was undeniable, and he made me feel lighter than a feather.
He gave me his tongue as he moved me up again, successfully doing two things at once. I’d never fucked like this before, and I really liked it. I liked the way my tits shook every time he bounced me up and down. His body developed a coating with sweat, and I could feel the moisture under my fingertips. I wanted to cry out in pleasure, feeling so full every time he lowered me onto his length, but I always silenced my voice because we weren’t alone.
I wondered what kind of sex we could have if we were.
Ace stopped kissing me and watched my expression as he lifted me up and down. He had the looks of an old-fashioned movie star, so hard and masculine, that he made every other man I met look soft. He cared about my pleasure as much as his own, and that’s what made him even sexier.
I knew I was about to come. I was just seconds away, and his massive cock was pushing me closer to the edge. I gripped him tighter, sliced his wet skin with my fingertips, and released a suppressed moan that was volcanic in nature.
He sealed his mouth over mine and silenced my orgasm with his lips, sucking my moans into his throat.
Thank god he was there. Otherwise, I would have woken up both of my kids with my recklessness.
Ace slowed down, moving me up and down and at a gentler pace. His cock thickened inside me, and he released a restrained moan as he filled me, depositing his seed deep inside my pussy.
I loved that feeling, of being full with his length and his come.
Ace carried me to the bed and laid me down on the mattress, his cock still inside me. He sank into the bed with his weight and positioned himself on top of me.
I wasn’t sure if he was preparing to leave, but I didn’t want him to go. I wanted a passionate night without any sleep. I wanted to feel alive and desirable. I wanted to be exactly the way he saw me, as a beautiful woman he wanted to make love to. “I don’t want you to go…” I ran my hands up his chest and locked my ankles together around his back.
He kissed the corner of my mouth before he dug his hand into my hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”
5
Blade
My interaction with the woman from th
e coffee shop lasted two minutes at most, but I hadn’t stopped thinking about her—even days later. I wanted to know if she was from France. And if so, what part? I wanted to know how long she planned on sticking around. I wanted to know if she had a boyfriend.
God, I hoped not.
I walked to the coffee shop in the courtyard and got in line behind the five people already standing there. People chitchatted at the tables, and birds sang from their places along the wall and flowers.
I looked behind the counter discreetly, hoping to see the French babe I hadn’t stopped thinking about.
The person working the register was some dude.
Dammit.
I looked at everyone else behind the counter, but I didn’t see the pretty brunette who didn’t have a name. Maybe she wasn’t working today. I would come by every day to check, but that would be way too creepy. Besides, I wasn’t that kind of guy. I’d chase a woman for a little while, but I wouldn’t overdo it. No woman was worth that much effort. If she liked me, great. If she didn’t, whatever.
I moved farther up in the line, and there was still no sight of her.
Damn.
When I finally got to the register, she came out from the back with a tray of slab pie. She walked to the deli window and carefully set every piece on display.
I bet she was as sweet as that pie.
“Hello?” The guy at the register spoke to me in an annoyed tone.
My eyes moved to his. “Huh?”
“Are you gonna order something?”
Why did I always have to look like an idiot when I was standing there. “A black coffee and I’ll take one of those pies.”
“Got it.” He rang me up and took my money.
She noticed that I was standing there, and her eyes landed on me with a slight reaction of familiarity. Her smile widened, showing those perfectly white teeth. Today, she wore skintight denim jeans that rose to her belly button and a short top that showed half an inch of her skin. A loose blouse was on top along with that same gold necklace I saw her wear last time. One side of her hair was pinned back, showing her cheek and slender neck.
She looked even more beautiful than she did the other day.
“Blueberry or apple?”
This time, I was going to say something. I wasn’t gonna let my mouth hang open like a dumb moron. “Blueberry, please.”
She placed it in a recyclable container and handed it over. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” I grazed one of her fingers when I took the container, feeling the jolt of attraction I was already experiencing.
“You’re welcome.” She turned her gaze down and focused on what she was doing.
I turned around and walked away, holding my coffee and my pie. Before I walked down the stone walkway, I stopped. I could keep coming back here, doing this flirtatious dance, or I could just ask her out and be done with it. I didn’t want to beat around the bush for another week. She probably had a boyfriend anyway, so I may as well get my answer now so I could stop thinking about her.
I set my things on an empty table then walked back to the counter, doing my best to appear confident. I walked right up to her, looked her in the eye, and then spoke. “My name is Blade. I was wondering if—”
“Yes.”
I lost my footing, not expecting a reaction before I even finished my sentence. “Yes, what?”
“Yes, I’ll go out with you. At least…I hope that’s what you were asking.” A subtle tinge of pink entered her cheeks. “If not, then I’m gonna feel like the biggest dork on the planet, and we should pretend it never happened.”
Hearing her call herself a dork suddenly made me like her more. She was gorgeous, but she obviously didn’t think that. That French accent made her sound even cuter than she had the first time. “That’s definitely what I was asking. Thanks for making it so easy.”
That pink color was still in her cheeks, and it was growing steadily, blossoming into red.
“What are you doing tonight?”
“I get off work at five,” she said. “After that, my evening is free.”
“Can I take you to dinner?”
“Absolutely. How about Little Napoli?”
I liked a woman who took action instead of making me decide everything. “I’ll meet you there at seven.” I wouldn’t offer to pick her up on the first date. Nowadays, women were so terrified of being stalked or harmed that it was a sign of creepiness if I made the offer. It might make it seem like I was trying to figure out where she lived. If she wanted me to know that information, she would tell me. I would never ask.
“Great. See you then.”
“I didn’t catch your name.”
“Celeste.”
Definitely French. “I’ll see you tonight.”
6
Bree
Cypress’s words sank into me like a butcher knife. His ferocity and his rage struck a chord, and I felt terrible for hurting someone who obviously loved me. I hated him for what he did to me, but I hated myself more for hurting him.
He made me rethink everything.
Maybe I was wrong.
After I spoke with Amelia, I headed back to the diner where I hoped he still was. The diner hadn’t closed just yet, but he may have already taken off. I suspected he wouldn’t go back to the house since I was right next door. Even with the shades closed, we were still too close together.
I opened the door to Amelia’s Place and walked inside. Cypress was still there, stacking the chairs onto the tables. Maria was putting away clean dishes in the kitchen, so he wasn’t alone. I walked inside and stood by the door, unsure what to do next.
Cypress turned around when he heard the door shut. He stiffened when he looked at me, and then he continued working like I didn’t exist. His jaw was noticeably tense, and he was just as angry as he had been when he’d screamed at me last night.
“Maria, you can take off,” I said. “I’ll handle that.”
She must have picked up on the tension because she stopped what she was doing and grabbed her purse before she walked out. When she turned the corner and disappeared, we were finally alone together.
Cypress kept working, ignoring me.
“Can we talk?” The sky was overcast, so it wasn’t bright in the restaurant. The lights were already turned off in preparation for closing. I placed my hands in my pockets, feeling my heart thump hard against my chest.
He finished the last table, flipping the chairs over and stacking them on top. “There’s nothing to talk about.” Even though he spoke quietly, his rage was implied in his tone. “We’ll get divorced and be business partners. Maybe one day we can friends—but let’s not push it.” He finished the last chair then crossed his arms over his chest, staying on the far side of the room.
Maybe Amelia was right. I probably was too late. “I thought about everything you said and…you’re right. You’re right about everything. I’ve never really given this a chance. I’m still upset about what you did, but I did marry you. So…I should honor that.”
He continued to look angry.
“And you’ve more than proved yourself to me. You’ve done so much for me and my family.”
Still nothing.
“I want to start over, Cypress. I want to work through this together.”
“I’ve been trying to do that for two months,” he snapped.
“I know…I know I was difficult.”
“Difficult doesn’t even begin to describe it.”
“I have my insecurities and I will still have them, but I want to make this work. I want to try. Please give me another chance, Cypress.”
He dropped his gaze and wouldn’t look at me.
“I know you love me…”
He raised his gaze again and looked me in the eye. His anger dimmed, but only slightly.
“Amelia tells me how great we are together. She tells me all the incredible things you’ve done for me. I just…I didn’t appreciate it. I didn’t value it. But I do now. If you’re the gr
eatest thing that ever happened to me, I don’t want to lose you. I can’t promise we’ll go back to what we were quickly or I’ll trust you right away—”
“I never asked for that, Bree. I’ve always been patient. You can take all the time you need. All I wanted was your commitment.”
“Okay…I’ll give it to you now.”
He sighed under his breath.
Now I really thought he would say no. I’d pushed him too far, and now he was gone. “Cypress, come on…”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “You’ve hurt me a lot, you know. I’m not a pussy, but sleeping with my wife and then watching her leave me doesn’t feel good. Wanting to sleep over and being rejected makes me feel like shit. Putting my heart on the line every day and getting it smashed feels pretty terrible.”
“I know…I know that now.”
He walked to the window and looked outside, turning his back to me.
I didn’t know what else to say. He would either give me another chance, or he wouldn’t. I suspected this was the end for us.
He turned back around. “You said you want to give this a real try. How do you intend to do that?”
Did that mean he was giving me another chance? “I don’t know. I don’t have anything specific in mind. But maybe we can try marriage counseling, have a date night, do sleepovers…stuff like that.”
He still looked angry. “I want you to tell me we’re going to make this marriage work. There is no possibility of us walking away from each other. I want that off the table for good. This is how it’s going to be. No second-guessing. No uncertainty. I can accept things not being perfect and times when you need your space, but I need that. I need us to be husband and wife now.”
He was asking for a lot, but he was entitled. He still had been there for me when I completely lost my memory. He could have left me, and no one would have judged him for it. He believed in us when everyone told him there was no hope. “I can do that…if you give me enough time to start trusting you again.”
He finally lowered his arms to his sides, the hatred gone from his face. “You have a deal.”