Craving Dragonflies

by Terri E. Laine

  I bent down and gave him a hug. “Me too, squirt.”

  “Mason.” The call came from Lenora, Kelly’s girl or Lenny, his nickname for her. “Come get a snack.”

  He squeezed me tighter before letting go.

  “Mason, go on now,” Kelley said.

  He’d taken on fatherhood like a seasoned professional.

  I scrubbed a hand over my godson’s head, and he waved to the rest.

  Kelley pointed at me. “If I didn’t know for sure you were in New York when Lenny got pregnant, I’d think you were his father.”

  Everyone laughed. Mason and I had bonded.

  “I guess I should go pack this in the car. Lenny’s got us on a schedule,” Kelley said.

  “I should head out too. We have a long drive,” Chance added.

  “Do you need help packing?” I asked.

  Chance was moving out of his dad’s small ramshackle house into a bigger one closer to Oklahoma City where he’d been drafted to play with their new expansion NFL team.

  “Not much to move,” he said. “But we have to register Ian at his new school in a few days.”

  Chance had taken on his little brother when their mother had deserted him too. He wasn’t much older than Mason.

  We all nodded. Then it was bro hugs all around.

  “Don’t cry on me, bro,” Kelley teased Chance.

  Truth was, I felt the sting in my eyes. Chance wasn’t the only one of us emotional. I remembered when I gave him the necklace to give to Brie. He’d cried and that was between us. He tried to pay me back from the bonus he’d earned signing his NFL contract. I’d declined.

  Chance pointed at all of us in turn. “Don’t be fucking strangers. You guys are my only family.”

  “Mine too,” I agreed.

  Kelley nodded.

  “The best of my family,” Sawyer said.

  “Let’s make a pact to see each other at least once a year. Like this day next year,” Chance suggested.

  We all bumped fists in agreement. It would be a surreal adjustment not seeing them every day.

  Kelley picked up his box and slung an arm around Chance after he got his as they headed downstairs.

  “I’m really going to miss this place,” Sawyer said.

  “At least it’s going to be put to good use.”

  Sawyer had talked his dad into not selling. August, Bea, and Cooper were moving in to start their next semester. Somehow, August had stood firm about attending school here in the fall.

  “And Finn,” I said.

  Sawyer nodded. “Who the fuck knew?”

  I had. Finn had the full use of an arm and was working on the other. The experimental stem cell treatment was working.

  “A professor, that little fuck.”

  His brother was smarter than all of us combined and had graduated with a degree before we had. He’d applied and gotten a position here at Layton he would start later this year.

  “And you’ll be in Tennessee,” I joked.

  He and Shelly were going to law school there.

  “Ain’t that some shit. My brother moves back, and I’ll be halfway across the country.”

  “I’m sure Shelly will keep you busy.”

  My lips twitched as I tried not to laugh.

  “Very fucking funny.” Then he turned serious. “I’m going to miss you, brother.”

  We hugged like only brothers would.

  “I’m going to miss you too,” I said, fighting hard not to shed any tears.

  He clapped my back. “You could always come to Tennessee. You can write anywhere, and there has to be plenty of strange bugs Willow can study there.”

  His offer was tempting, but we’d made plans. I shook my head as we parted.

  “Africa,” he said somberly.

  “And South America.”

  “When do you come back?”

  I shrugged. “Who knows.”

  “My boy is all grown up.”

  He slung an arm around me, only to dig his knuckles in the top of my head. I pushed him off, laughing. Things had almost gotten back to normal.

  “She’s good for you,” he said.

  “I love her.”

  I knew that for sure. There had been chances for me to peruse other people before her. She’d been the one who pulled me in without question of other motivations. She’d taught me what love was. I would always love Sawyer. He was my brother. But I wanted her to be my forever.

  “So wife her and have little babies and shit.”

  Some of my smile faded. “Marry, yes. I see that one day. But babies.” I shook my head. “I’m no one’s father.”

  Sawyer’s brow lifted. “Whatever the fuck, man. Mason likes you more than us.”

  “Mason’s different.”

  He shook his head. “I thought that therapist was helping. If anything, you have the best shot of being a future father of the year. You just have to do the opposite of what your mother did.”

  Now that I was in charge of my life, I’d sought out a private psychologist and had found someone I was comfortable with. I didn’t want nightmares ruling my life and scaring the shit out of Willow. Things had gotten better, but I was far from cured.

  “I’ll leave that award to you guys,” I said.

  Things got silent again. We’d said everything that could be said.

  “What do you think about your dad going public?”

  My father had held a press conference and claimed me as his son. I didn’t think it was the best idea. Mother would see it as an opportunity to profit from the revelation. But he’d done it anyway.

  I shrugged.

  “And the crown?”

  Sawyer hadn’t asked about the pin on my lapel I’d worn at graduation. I assumed it was because membership into the Vanderbilt Club wasn’t discussed. Then again, he hadn’t worn one.

  “It wasn’t a choice,” I admitted.

  I hadn’t known that the initiation wasn’t them choosing to accept us like you do into a fraternity, but rather by making it through all the steps, I’d accepted to join. I still wasn’t sure why they wanted me.

  “You didn’t?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “I have my reasons. But something tells me, they aren’t going to give up.”

  Their tactics were uncompromising. “Good luck with that,” I said.

  I still hadn’t told anyone about that night they’d stolen me from my bed. I glanced around, wondering if we were under surveillance.

  “You need any help?”

  I shook my head. “There’s only a few left.”

  He nodded. “Don’t be a fucking stranger.”

  Though he’d used the same words as Chance, there was a different meaning. “And none of that once a year bullshit. I expect to see your ass on my birthday and every damn holiday and if I just fucking need my brother.”

  He wrapped an arm around my neck and bumped his forehead against mine. There was a bond I thought had been broken, but I was wrong. We were family and families fight, but there was no getting rid of them.

  “You’re my best friend. My fucking brother. And this isn’t goodbye,” he said.

  I clung to him for a second longer, grateful for him. Without him, I would have never survived this life. I pulled back and knuckled moisture from the corner of my eye.

  “You can never get rid of me,” I said.

  He nodded and got his box. He said nothing more as he departed, staying true to his no goodbye rule.

  I left my box and walked into my room one last time.

  Sawyer was right. Even though my four years in school hadn’t been perfect, I would miss this place.

  I stared out the windows, watching my friends finish packing cars. No, not my friends, my family, the people in the world I knew I could count on.

  A soft hand rested on my shoulder.

  I turned around and found my girl. Her hand slid up my shirt, revealing the tattoo I’d gotten. Her fingers traced over the words I’d inked onto my chest. Each line held its
significance to my life.

  All that glitters is not gold.

  Hell is empty and all the devils are here.

  It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

  Love is blind and all I can see is Willow.

  I took her wrist and kissed the sensitive skin there. Then I drew her close, sweeping her off her feet for a second and kissing her soundly. Though words came easier than they had before, I thought that last line said it all.

  “What was that for?” she asked a little breathlessly.

  “I’m craving dragonflies.”

  Dominating and possessing that tight little body of hers was the first thing on my mind when I saw her there. I thought about what Sawyer said about wife-ing her and put that on my list of things to do.

  Her smile brightened my world as her brow arched. “Are you now?”

  I nodded, glancing at the bed, sheets long gone, but I didn’t care.

  She took my hand, and I thought she’d lead me that way.

  “I guess this is a good time to tell you.”

  I waited because her grin faded around the edges. I held my breath, waiting for bad news when her smile no longer reached her eyes.

  “We’re pregnant.”

  I didn’t need to be punched to be knocked out. I opened my mouth but closed it. I was still learning how to be in a relationship.

  “It wasn’t planned,” she threw out, sensing my shock.

  “This is your decision too,” she added.

  I thought about it and how rough my life had been. But there had been good in the bad—Sawyer, Willow, just to name a few. I wasn’t conceived out of love and hadn’t thought myself capable of it outside of my best friend.

  But here I was surrounded by family. I wouldn’t be alone.

  “We’re having a baby,” I said slowly. She nodded. “What about South America, your fellowship, and Africa?”

  “I’ve had my shots, and people get pregnant there too. I’ll be fine. It’s not like we’re going right away. I’m going to see Celeste before we go.”

  Her stepsister had a lot going on. It looked like her father was going to cut a deal with the government to stay out of jail. I wasn’t sure I wanted Willow to go to California. The guy, Taylor, Celeste was with wasn’t exactly a model citizen. But it wasn’t my place to tell Willow what to do.

  “Don’t tell Sawyer. Shelly got him a Safari trip to Kenya. We’re invited along,” she added.

  I blinked, so much information, I circled back to the most important.

  “We’re having a baby,” I repeated.

  The smile that had once been bloomed on her gorgeous face grew there again. “Yes, we are.”

  “Then we have to tell everyone.”

  I felt like a male dragonfly, clasping her hand solidly in mine, feeling overly protective. I would make sure she was safe and that our child was safe too.

  We went downstairs where we found Kelley, Lenora, Brie, Shelly, and Sawyer standing near the door. Ian and Mason were running around Isabella who was waddling toward Kelley on her little feet.

  “Guys,” I said, gaining their attention.

  Everyone turned.

  “We’re having a baby.”

  We were surrounded by our friends, congratulations, and well-wishes.

  I hadn’t known love like this before, and she had shown me how possible it was.

  I kissed my girl in the midst of it all and whispered into her ear, “You’re not off the hook. I’m still craving dragonflies.”

  Thank You

  I’d like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to read my novel. Above all, I hope you loved it. If you did, I would love it if you could spare just a few more minutes to leave a review on your favorite e-tailer. If you do, could you be so kind and not leave any spoilers about the story? Thanks so much!

  WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT

  August, Finley, Shepard & Cooper

  SONGS FOR CRICKET

  is Finley and Shepard’s story

  coming February 2019 (see bonus for preview)

  * * *

  Find out more about

  Kelley & Lenora in Chasing Butterflies

  Chance & Brie in Catching Fireflies

  Sawyer & Shelly in Changing Hearts

  www.terrielaine.com

  for buy links.

  Preview of Songs for Cricket

  copyright 2018 by Terri E. Laine

  1 – Finley

  * * *

  For as long as I can remember, it’s always been August, Cooper, Shepard and me. So it was fitting that we all ended up at the same university in the same sleepy town.

  Being the only girl in the group, I was always jockeying for position. Thus it was fitting when August took off for the front door of our new home. He had to be the first person inside to pick his choice of rooms in the massive townhouse that would be ours for the next four years.

  Built leaner, I took off after him and quickly reached the door first only to realize I hadn’t taken my key out. I was roughly shoved aside by the asshat because though I was a girl, I was rarely treated like one.

  “I’ve got this,” August announced with a grin, using his extended key to unlock the door.

  I turned around to see Cooper hanging back as usual. He rarely fought, usually letting August and I have at it.

  But it was Shepard whom my eyes landed on. He stood at next to Cooper looking amused. All the boys were considered hot if you trusted the female population at our former high school. However, only one of them I didn’t shared DNA with.

  Shepard Connelly, aka August’s best friend, had grown taller and broader over this summer. Gorgeous was just one of the words to describe the dark-haired boy that had starred in many of a fantasy of mine. As if predestined, my focus drifted down to his lips just above his chiseled jawline. Just as that mouth of his sprouted a wicked grin, I caught myself and lifted my gaze away to find his dusty golden eyes trained on me.

  When his smile twisted into a smirk, I spun around to hide the growing flames in my cheeks. I did it just as August pushed the door open and made a mad dash for the stairs on the right.

  Cool air blew out of the house colliding with the Oklahoma heat in the height of summer. But it was the inferno in Shep’s gaze that caused me to burn with a need that had to be tamed. I took a step inside and shivered from the change in temperature. I came up short when I spotted a guy in the wheelchair just to the side of the massive kitchen island about ten feet in front of me.

  Cooper and Shepard followed behind me. I felt Shep’s warmth at my back like a caress over my skin. He hadn’t touched me, but his presence was as familiar as my dreams of him. Finally he closed the gap between us and wrapped a possissive arm around me, drawing my back to his chest like I’d seen him do to his girlfriends over the years at our old school.

  “Hi,” I said, to the wheelchair bound boy who shared a similar name with me. “I’m Finley.”

  On instinct, moved in for a hug and then stopped myself remembering that not everyone welcomed touch. A lesson I’d learned the hard way with my older brother, Ash. I switched to reaching out a hand realizing too late in this situation it was another faux pas. But I’d already committed to the action.

  When he slowly lifted a hand to me, I stopped dead not sure who was more surprised. It turned out to be me, because he turned his greeting into a polite wave.

  “I’m Finn,” he said with a disarming dimpled smile.

  My feet came unglued and I moved to him and shook his hand. The strength in his grip surprised me. Not because of his disability, but he’d been paralyzed from the neck down at the tender age of five due to a car accident. They hadn’t been sure he’d walk again. And there he was waving at us.

  It shouldn’t have been surprising. His parents had more money than god and had sent him to England to undergo experimental stem-cell treatment to help heal his spinal cord injury. Apparently, it was working. Fifteen years later he was back in the states not as a st
udent, but a professor. Years of studying had earned him a degree while we were still in high school.

  “The rooms are there,” he pointed. “Have your pick. I think Sawyer left sticky notes on the door.”

  Sawyer was his older brother. He and his friends had graduated last year. In a chance meeting with a brother we hadn’t know and negotiations with our parents, we were the next occupants of the town house.

  Finn was part of the deal. He would be like our resident advisor and the main reason our parents had agreed to this arrangement instead of us staying in the dorms.

  “You should go pick a room,” Finn said, grinning ear to ear.

  “Thanks,” I said and went for the stairs.

  Shep and Coop stayed behind and introduced themselves.

  I wasn’t surprised to find all the doors at the top open. August clearly had given them all a once over. He was walking out of the one on the left when Shepard walked up and snagged the room on the right.

  “Mine,” Shep said.

  August’s eyes flashed. “Fine. I’ll take Sawyer’s room.”

  Shep turned and plucked the sticky note from door. “Kelley,” Shep declared.

  Cooper walked up, ignoring all of us and walked directly to the back room on the right. He didn’t glance at the note there, just closed the door behind him.

  We all looked at each other and busted out laughing. It was unlikely we’d see Cooper again until August could coax him out.

  “How do we know you didn’t switch these notes around?” I asked my brother.

  The corners of his mouth lifted as did his shoulders. “You don’t.”

  “Whatever.” I’d concede this win to him.

  What did it matter what room I had? I’d argued in favor of the townhouse until Dad agreed. Then I’d argued for some independence, which I’d lost. When I added that I had no friends going to Layton with me, Mom had argued in my favor for one year in the dorms. We’d lost because of the extra money he’d have to pay for it.

  “That leaves you,” Shep bent his head forward indicating the door.