Forever & A Day

by Donalyn Maurer

  “Darlin’, I’m so pleased for you. I know you two are going to be happy. Love you both,” he shares with a smile, while his blue eyes stare right into mine as he cups my face.

  “Love you too,” I whisper up at him, and then he pulls me into a hug. Finally, I turn to Dad.

  “Baby girl, I am so happy for you,” he says and smiles, but his voice is unsteady.

  “Dad, tonight was all because of you and Max’s parents. It was perfect, just perfect. Thank you,” I praise, my voice unsteady as well. “I love you so much, Dad.”

  “Love you too.”

  I release him and stand back, then turn to see my sister, aunts, grandma and Violet standing there. I say goodbye to them as well, and tears fall. But they’re happy tears. Max and I switch sides, and I go down and say goodbye to Max’s family. Ana holds me close and whispers in my ear, “I love you, daughter.”

  “Love you too,” I reply, then pull her into another hug. “Thank you for everything you did. It couldn’t have been any more perfect.”

  “I agree,” she says, and wipes her eyes while smiling.

  “A man worries about his kids. He worries about their health and happiness, and whether or not they’ll survive the curves life throws at him. I know without a doubt, whatever this world tries to toss your way, the two of you together will easily overcome. But remember, if you ever need anything, we’re here,” Acer shares.

  “Thank you, so much. I love you all so much,” I promise.

  “Same.” He gives me a one arm hug.

  I continue to say goodbye to the rest of his family, then head back to Max who’s waiting by the passenger door. I walk over and hop in, then watch Max walk around and hop into his side. We roll down the windows, and are overcome with everyone’s hollers of well-wishes and goodbyes, but in all the cheers I clearly hear my grandpa’s voice, Love you, Jaycee, as a sweet scent makes a brief appearance. Max and I, both, give a final wave and then we’re off.

  45

  The car is quiet, as Max takes my hand and rests it on his thick muscular thigh. When we hit the highway, I turn in my seat and stare at my husband for a long moment before speaking. The only sound I hear is the clinking of the cans, and that makes me smile, almost giggle.

  “You’re mine,” I finally proclaim.

  “Love, never been a day I haven’t been.” He glances over at me with a smile, before giving his attention back to the road. “Don’t know how long those cans are going to last. Glad there’s no cars on the road in case one flies off,” he says, glancing in the review mirror with a grin.

  I nod and smile in agreement, before turning back in my seat while never letting go of his hand. As I watch the night fly by, I realize it’s still going to be an hour before we get home, so I lean down and turn on the radio for a distraction, but it’s pointless. My body is strung so tight in its need for Max, that I feel like I might combust. I need to be in Max’s arms. I don’t think I breathe, until I see our town’s speed limit sign come into view.

  “Almost home,” Max says, and my body comes alive.

  When Max turns down our driveway and stops, he turns and says softly, “Come on,” and we’re both out. We meet in front of the car, and walk hand and hand up the up the steps. Max swings open the screen door and unlocks the front door. The alarm warning tone beeps, but Max doesn’t go in to disarm it. Instead, he sweeps me up in his arms, causing me to let out a surprised yelp, and he chuckles. He carries me over the threshold, kicks the front door closed, and strolls over to the alarm panel. He leans forward, so I can push in our code, but I don’t stop there. I arm it back up, then Max turns towards the front door. I lock it as well, then we are heading for the stairs.

  Once in our bedroom, Max slowly releases me, and my body slides down his while he keeps his arms around me. I stare up into my husband’s eyes, and my breathing becomes labored as I wait for him to make a move. With my body wrapped in his warmth, I melt into him. I can feel his heart pounding, and the rise and fall of his chest.

  “Max,” I breathe.

  “Just give me a minute,” he says softly, his voice cracking.

  “Okay,” I whisper, and run my hands up his chest in comfort, as his body shudders and his breathing becomes ragged.

  “Jaycee, I love you.”

  Before I can respond, his lips take mine with a vengeance. I slide my hands up his shoulder, then neck, and run them through his hair and hold on.

  When Max’s hands go to my hips and tug me impossibly closer, I can feel his need for me. I mewl into his mouth, and lower my hands to his body. I quickly unbutton his vest and then with blind accuracy, yank his shirt from his trousers and attack those buttons. When I get them all undone, I slide them from his shoulders, then arms, while leaning forward to run my lips and tongue along his hard, warm chest. I lean down, unbutton his pants and lower his zipper, as his lips and hands travel across my cheek, neck and shoulders. His big hands unzip my dress, then lower to the hem and lift it up my body. I raise my hands, as he pulls it free from me and tosses it behind us on the chaise. I lean down and pull off my boots, while he kicks off his shoes, and then our lips are back on one other. Max walks us to our bed, and only then does he break our kiss to lay me down.

  “Beautiful,” he moans. “I love that you wore your hair down, Jayc. The veil, the flower–they were perfect.” He runs his hands across my bare shoulders, then across the swell of my breasts, and my body reacts in need and arches into his touch.

  “Thank you,” I breathe out, as his touch continues down across the center of my breasts and belly. When the reaches my lace top thigh highs, he moans like he’s in pain. He pulls the gusset of my panties aside and teases me. “Max, if you don’t take me now, I think I may die.”

  “Love, this is beautiful, but I want to feel your skin against mine,” he tells me, and leans down to unfasten the garter hooks from one of my legs, before gently sliding the silk stocking from my leg. He kisses my thigh, and then my calf, then brings my foot up to his warm mouth and kisses the arch. When he takes my other leg in his big warm hands, he also leans forward and kisses the area above the garter.

  “Fucking sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” his hungry voice says, and he slides the garter from my leg and places it on his night stand. He then slides that stocking from my leg all the way, leaving a path of kisses as he goes.

  “As beautiful as this is, what’s underneath is even more beautiful, and I need to see it and feel it,” Max says and helps me up, then turns me around and unhooks the tiny clasps of the corset. He gently pulls it from me, then turns me back around. His eyes go to the flower in my hair, and he leans in and removes it with such gentle care, I barely feel it. “Want my hands in your hair,” he mutters.

  Once he’s divested me of everything, he throws back the bed sheets and lays me back on the pillows. I watch as he removes his pants, and I follow his moves as he lies down next to me. I turn on my side and slide my arm around his waist, as he turns to me. He runs his hand down my leg then hitches it over his hip, then slides it around my waist. He doesn’t stop though. It glides down my hip, around and down across my bottom, and between my legs. I groan at his touch and drop my head forward on his chest. While he teases and touches me, driving me crazy, I run my tongue and lips along his throat. When it slides a finger inside of me, I cry out his name. It’s then he pushes me to my back and looks deep into my eyes.

  “I’ve had more finesse, Jaycee. I want to give you slow, and long and tender, but I don’t know if I can. I need to be in you. I need to take my wife. I don’t know how gentle I can be,” he admits, while gazing down at me.

  “I love slow, long and tender, but what I would really like is for my husband to be inside me. Like, right now,” I demand, while grinning up at him.

  “I aim to please, wife,” he says with humor, before bringing his lips to mine.

  He kisses me softly, as his body comes over mine. I open my legs and he brings his hard, warm body down on top of mine. I slide my legs up his
sides, and run my fingers through his hair as he positions himself at my entrance. As his hips move to fill me so fully, I break from his kiss to moan. We stay like that, moving and touching, for only a little while, because Max has other ideas.

  He abruptly pulls free from me, turns, and sits up, and I gasp from surprise. Before I can complain, Max pulls me to straddle him as he leans back against our headboard. He grasps my hip with one hand, while positioning himself at my entrance with his other. He removes his hand and slides it to my other hip, then lifts his hips and moves to fill me again. My head falls back, and I moan from our intense, deep connection. I begin to move my hips back and forth, taking him even deeper. While I ride him, his hands that are gripping my hips tightly, guiding my movements, begin to wander. One hand lifts my breast to his mouth, where he begins to torture my nipple. He takes turns going from one to the other, while I hold on to his shoulders and take him widely.

  “Max,” I cry in warning, when I feel it building.

  “Jayc, you need to come because I’m right there. Can’t hold back,” he warns me right back.

  He reaches one of his hands between us, and his thumb begins to work me. Just his touch sends me over the edge, screaming his name, until I collapse against him in a pile of mush. My body is floating on soft clouds and tingling, when Max flips us and I’m on back. His movements become frantic, before he stills and groans my name through his release. We lay there catching our breath, but then I’m hit with overwhelming emotion and I begin to cry.

  God, please don’t let this be a dream, are my thoughts, as I wrap Max up in my arms and legs. Max’s embrace tightens to the point I almost can’t breathe. Through my tears, I feel Max’s body tremble, and I attempt to gather myself while holding him tight. I whisper his name a few times, coaxing him to look at me. When he finally does, more tears fall, because my husband is crying too.

  “Sugar bear,” I say in hopes to get a smile, but he only stares deeper into my eyes before he leans down and kisses me hard. When he breaks our kiss, his mouth goes to my ear. “Lost you once. Almost, lost you twice. Never going to lose you again,” he asserts to me, or maybe himself.

  “No, Max, you will never lose me again,” I vow. “I’m forever yours.”

  And like every other night before, but unlike any other night before, Max and I fall asleep wrapped up in each other. And when the sun makes its way into the God’s sky tomorrow, that day will be like all others, but unlike any other, because I am finally who I was always meant to be, Mrs. Maxwell “Blue” Bradshaw.

  And they lived happily ever after.

  The End

  Max

  I look around the empty hotel room and sit down on the edge of the bed. Jaycee just left to head up to Grandma Lila’s room to get ready. In just a few hours, she’ll finally be my wife.

  I remember trying to let go of any dream I had of her and I together, when Jake laid it out for me over a decade ago in our high school locker room. He was out of school, but I guess he came to pick up Jesse that day. He walked in just in time to hear me ask Jesse if I could call Jaycee. He was not happy when he found out I had feelings for her. Not happy? I laugh to myself. He was fucking pissed. So was Jesse, but by some miracle, he remained calm while Jake reamed me for being a selfish asshole. They both gave me more reasons than I wanted to hear, to leave Jaycee alone and, in the end, I reluctantly agreed to back off. It fucking sucked that they were right about it all.

  Jaycee was four years younger than me. I was graduating at the end of the year, but had already signed up to join the Air Force and would be leaving. I choose my career, med tech, in hopes to stay in the area, seeing two major military hospitals were right here in San Antonio. But that might not happen, and it wasn’t fair to ask or expect her to wait for me. I wasn’t even sure if she liked me the way I liked her. Even then, I was ready to say fuck Jake and Jesse. Fuck them all.

  How I felt when I saw her, did something to me. Part of me just didn’t care whether or not I would steal her remaining years of high school, or that she was young. Every time I saw her, I caught her looking at me when she didn’t think I saw her. When I did catch her and smile, she would smile back, but quickly turn her head away while blushing. Her smiling at me was a punch in the gut, and still is. I could go to the prom with her, if I wasn’t away on assignment or in training. Maybe people would think I was a creeper, but still didn’t give a fuck. I’d do it. I’d make sure she would have the best of everything. I remember agreeing to back off after Jake and Jesse laid it out, but later that day I realized I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t do it. Next time I saw Jaycee, I was going to tell her how I felt. Only if she pushed me away, would I back off. In hindsight, I really wish I would have done that, even though I know we’re here now.

  I stand from the bed and check out the view from our window. We’re high enough in the resort, that I can see most of the bay. I take a deep breath and allow my mind to drift back to that fucked up day.

  I walk inside my bedroom after getting home from football practice, happy with my selfish ass, and the decision to blow Jake and Jesse off. I decided I’m going to ask Jaycee out next time I see her, and take the beating I know they’ll give me for going against them. I can’t keep the huge smile on my face, so I sigh and lie back on my bed, lock my hands behind my head, and plan. Tomorrow after school we have football practice, and I know she’ll be there. She’s always there. I’ll talk to her then. I glance around my room, and my eyes land on my football letter jacket that’s hung on a hook next to the door. I hop off the bed, walk over to it and pull it down. I’ll give this to her to wear, so every douche bag at that school will know she’s mine, even when I’m not there. My smile falls, when I envision her sitting alone and sad while I’m gone. “Fuck.” I toss my jacket beside me on the bed, and cover my face with my hands as my stomach turns, making me feel sick. What am I doing? What kind of pressure am I about to lay on her? She’s only fourteen years old and I’m eighteen. My mind drifts back to myself at fourteen. Fuck! I sit up and let my head fall forward. She’s just a kid and has an entire life to lead before she even thinks about settling down. As much as want her falling for me, I can’t. Not yet. I’ll let her go, even though I know she’s the one. I grab my guitar and mindlessly fumble with the chords.

  There’s loud knock on the door, and when I answer it there stands Jesse, Nash, Jake, Chase, Bradley, Stone, Duke and Brock. Stone is front and center, and fear runs through me wondering if Jaycee is okay.

  “Jaycee?” I ask right away, looking between all of them.

  “She’s fine, son,” Duke responds calmly, and it’s then I notice he’s already in his suit. “Can we come in? This won’t take long,” he grumbles. I step back and watch them all file in.

  “You’re sure she’s fine?” I repeat, concerned. Stone smirks, but it’s a satisfied smirk. I close the door, then walk over and stand in front of them and wait.

  “She’s fine. Upstairs getting ready. We’re here, because we all have a few things we’d like to say,” his voice thick and low.

  “Gonna keep this simple and quick,” Brock states. “My niece loves you, and it’s clear you love her. I’m happy for y’all.”

  “Yup, wishing you a life full of love and happiness,” Duke offers.

  “You’re a good man, Blue. Not at all the asshole I called you.” Nash laughs, and so do I, but then his face becomes serious. “I’m glad you stood up to me. I’m glad you stood up for her. Says a lot about the man you are. I know you two will be happy, because you won’t allow anything else but that for her. I’ve seen it. Thank you for giving that to my sister.” I watch him swallow down a lump in his throat, then take step back as Chase steps forward.

  “I like you, man. Always have. Ditto, what all of them have said. I only hope Victoria and I will have what you have,” he says.

  “I’ve seen you two together. Pretty sure you already do,” I reply, and he nods, then Jesse steps up.

  “Back in high school, saw the way you
looked at her and the way she looked at you. Bro, it was like a cartoon where hearts flash in their eyes,” Jesse jokes, but then becomes serious as well. “I know I told you to back down. Still think it was the right call,” he says, and my jaw ticks in anger, even though I know he’s right. “Allie and I, we talk a lot about fate. Seems you two were fated to be together, even back then. It’s how it should be. I’m happy for you,” he tells me. then steps back, and Bradley steps forward.

  “Blue, my cousin is a rare bird. Her heart and her dreams, are so pure and sweet. Killed me for the longest time, that she had to find out there was evil in this world and lost her spark of innocence. I wish she could have gone her entire life, having nothing but the pure and sweet. I can’t take back what happened to her, but I would if I could. But thanks to you, that spark is back now. Thank you. I wish you nothing but the best.”

  “Son, you have been a blessing to our family, but most important a blessing for my daughter. I wasn’t sure she’d ever be happy after…” he trails off. “But you, you swallowed down your anger and pain, and focused on hers. You have done more for her, than any of her doctors or us. The love you have for her, and have been carrying on these years, it’s what saved her. Thank you for bringing my baby girl back to us. As long as I have a breath in me, I’ll be forever grateful.” He stares me straight in the eye, and extends his hand. I take it and he grips it tightly, then pulls me forward into a brief hug that I return. He steps back, and Jake steps forward.

  His head is down, and he has his hands tucked into his front pockets. He takes a deep breath and pulls his hands from his pocket, before looking at me.

  “Don’t like to bring it up, but I want you to know this, so I am. I always liked you. Considered you a great friend, even though you were closer with Jesse, so that’s saying something. When we all graduated and left for the military, I went on just living life. No, not living.” He shakes his head, no. “Today, the days with Kore, that’s living. Back then I was going through the motions, probably just like you.” I know exactly what he means. Until Jaycee, I thought I was living, but I wasn’t. “I missed everyone back home so much, that I made myself try not to think about them. Lucky for me though, the military kept me busy and my mind occupied the majority of the time. After Grandpa died though, being the eldest, I kept my eye on my brothers and sisters. Felt it was my job, and what Grandpa would want.” Duke places his hand on Jake’s shoulder and squeezes, giving him a shake before releasing him.