Texting Box Set: The Complete Series

by Teagan Hunter

  The next fifty years with Shep? While it sounds exhausting, it’s not entirely unappealing.

  Almost makes it hard to believe we were sworn enemies just a few weeks ago.

  Now I’m sitting next to him in a dark theater contemplating a real-life future with him.

  Fate is weird.

  “First of all,” I start once I swallow, “that’s what she said. Second, that…uh, that doesn’t sound half bad. I mean, I don’t know about fifty. That’s going to make me super old and I’d rather not have wrinkles, but I wouldn’t complain about spending some time with you.”

  “So you love me—noted.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You didn’t have to. You implied it.”

  “How?”

  “Shh!” He holds his finger up to his mouth. “The movie is starting.”

  “We’re the only people in here!”

  “No you’re not!” someone yells from the other side of the theater.

  We’re seated in the very back row, tucked away in a dark corner. This guy must be in the same spot on the other side because when I peek around the projection box, I don’t see him.

  “Oh, and one other thing: no one eats chips during a movie! It’s loud and obnoxious. Just eat those chicken nuggets I can smell from here and skip the chips.”

  “I-I… Okay.”

  “Shh! The movie is starting!” the stranger says impatiently.

  Shep shakes with laughter next to me and I toss a glare his way.

  “What?” he whispers. “I told you to skip the chips.”

  “Shut up, you ass!”

  The movie begins playing, but I can’t focus on the screen. All that’s running through my mind is Shep and a possible future.

  I want to be with him. If I’m being damn honest with myself, I’ve always wanted to be with him, even when I hated him…except when I think about Shep, commitment doesn’t come to mind. The heartache from before does.

  Is he that same guy he was then? Has he actually changed? I’ve watched him over the years, a different girl on his arm every day. He never settled down, never tried. He can say he was waiting for me all he wants, but that doesn’t make it true.

  “Stop thinking so loud or we’re going to get yelled at again,” he says in my ear.

  “I’m not thinking.”

  “Yes, you are. You’re worried I don’t mean what I said.”

  “How’d you know?”

  “Because I know you, Den. I’ve always known you, better than anyone else in the whole fucking world.”

  He pushes up the armrest between us then takes the purse and food and shoves them into the empty seat next to him.

  He hauls me onto his lap and suddenly I’m straddling him.

  “What are you doing?” I whisper.

  “This movie sucks.”

  “It’s just the previews.”

  “I’ve heard it sucks.”

  The bright screen illuminates the glow in his eyes, and I know just what he’s after—me.

  “Shepard Clark, are you trying to get me to make out with you in a movie theater?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I was hoping we’d be alone, but this is close enough.”

  Then he’s kissing me. And I’m letting him.

  Spreading my legs farther apart, I sink down onto him more, wrapping my arms around his neck and tangling my fingers in his hair. It’s soft, messy as always.

  He drags his fingers down my back and his touch feels like the sun itself brushing against me. His hands dip into the waistband of my jeans and I suddenly wish I had worn something else—something with easier access.

  He voices my thought against my lips. “Why couldn’t you have worn a skirt?”

  He trails his mouth from my mine, down my chin and over my neck, sucking at that same place below my ear. I’ve had a permanent hickey since he discovered it and I’m not complaining.

  I can feel his cock straining against his jeans under me and I grind down on him, swirling my hips, causing him to gasp.

  “You witch.”

  “Watch it,” I mutter. “I’m on top—I’m the one in control here.”

  He chuckles lowly. “It’s so cute you think that.”

  Without warning he pops the button on my jeans, and I realize I didn’t even notice his hands were anywhere close to my center.

  With deft movements, he slides one into the waistband of my undies, and I have to catch the gasp that tries to leave my lips when his fingers brush against my swollen clit.

  “Shh,” he rumbles. “Keep quiet.”

  He works me over, rubbing tight circles until I’m about to combust then pushing two fingers inside me.

  Shep swallows my gasps and moves his tongue against mine as he thrusts his fingers in and out of me. The orgasm hits me out of nowhere and I ride his fingers until every last shiver runs through me.

  My heart rate works to even out as I sag against him, feeling satiated and exhausted and so fucking high all at once.

  He pulls his fingers from my center and I relish the emptiness. When he brushes against my clit once more, I bite my lip to keep from making a sound.

  I watch with rapt attention as he draws his hand up to his mouth and sucks both fingers inside.

  Oh holy fuck…

  He pops them free and winks. “Guess you were right about me having you for dinner after all.”

  I can’t help the stuttered gasp that squeaks out.

  “Are you two fucking?”

  The moment is broken at the interruption.

  “No!” Shep hollers back, lips twitching. “This trailer is just really intense!”

  “It’s for a kids’ movie, but whatever,” the stranger says.

  We burst into laughter, not caring how loud we’re being.

  “Shh!” he says again.

  We laugh harder.

  I rest my head against his chest. “I want this to last forever.”

  I don’t know why I say it, but I do know I mean it.

  “I think I’d like that.”

  “This scares me, Shep.”

  “Me too.”

  “I can’t help but keep thinking—”

  “What if?”

  I nod. “Yes.”

  “There are a lot of what-ifs in life. Being chickenshit isn’t a reason to walk away from something,” he says softly, repeating my words from our heated conversation in the truck. “I’m done being scared, Denny. I promise.”

  “Your version of a promise scares me too.”

  He doesn’t say anything, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

  30

  Shepard

  “Bro, will you please quit pacing? You’re starting to make me nervous.”

  “You should be nervous. You’re getting married tomorrow.”

  “Nah, man.” AJ smiles, shaking his head. “All I can think is finally. I still can’t believe I let you talk me out of doing this in high school. Do you know how many years of being husband and wife we’d have under our belt already?”

  “You thanked me back then. You can’t take that back.”

  “You’re right—waiting totally made us stronger.”

  “Like you and Allie ever needed to be stronger.”

  “I’m sorry…was that a compliment on my love life?”

  I shoot him a look. “Shut it.”

  He laughs. “Uh huh. We both know you’re a closet romantic.”

  “I am not.”

  “Tell that to Denver. You buy her flowers with special meanings and hand-deliver them to her at work.”

  “Once! I did that once!” I argue.

  “Once is enough.” He winks. “Seriously, sit the fuck down. You’re freaking me out.”

  I’ve been pacing my kitchen and scrubbing the counters that are already way too fucking clean for nearly two hours now.

  That’s what I do when I’m nervous: pace and clean. My teammates are constantly poking fun when I’m pacing the dugout and sweeping the floors. The a
nnouncers eat that shit up, but they’d never know what a sign of stress it really is.

  “What’s rolling around in that big head of yours?”

  I toss the rag onto the counter and force myself to take a step back. Folding my arms across my chest, I exhale a steadying breath.

  “Come on, man. Talk to me.”

  “What if she hates me after she finds out about…”

  “You being the biggest fucking tool on the planet and screwing over your brother’s gal?”

  I wince. “Yeah, that.”

  AJ’s been pushing me to tell Denny about Delia from the start. I told him I would before the wedding.

  But the wedding’s tomorrow and I haven’t said a fucking peep about it. I can’t bring myself to. Things are going well—like ridiculously so—for us and I don’t want anything to screw that up, especially not some stupid mistake I made almost two years ago.

  I know I need to tell her, though. It would be wrong not to, and I know I’m making such a big deal out of it because of how Denny is going to react to the news—badly.

  “You gotta do it, man. Just rip the band-aid off before she finds out from someone who isn’t you.”

  “Why do I have to tell her at all?”

  He narrows his eyes at me. “You know why—because you were way in the fucking wrong and she needs to know the kind of person she’s letting into her life.”

  “But I’m not that person anymore.”

  “I know you’re not, I do, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t do it. That doesn’t mean it never happened just because you’re not who you were back then. Sorry, bro, but this is like if you had an arrest record for assault and didn’t tell her about it.” He snaps his fingers together. “Oh, wait, you do have one.”

  I’m quick to correct him. “Not true—he didn’t press charges.”

  “You’re right, just a destruction of property charge and a suspension from the MLB.” He rolls his eyes. “My bad.”

  “But the difference is she already knows all that and she’s still into me.”

  He pushes himself off the couch and joins me in the kitchen. He rests his hands on the counter across from me, staring at me with hard eyes.

  “What?” I grind out.

  “You want this time to be different, yeah? You want things to not get all muddled and fucked up like they did last time? Want to build a future with her?”

  “More than anything.”

  No hesitation.

  That’s exactly what I want.

  “You want to be worthy of her?”

  “Yes.”

  He points at me. “Then you have to tell her.”

  “Why can’t I just sweep it under the rug and never speak of it ever again?”

  “Because that, my friend, is the pussy way out, and you aren’t a pussy.”

  “You sure? How much pussy does one have to eat to become one?”

  AJ pinches the bridge of his nose. “Dammit, Clark. You’re exhausting.”

  “Weird—your mom said the same thing last night.”

  “Shep…” he warns.

  I hold my hand up. “Fine, fine. I’ll tell her, but if she dumps my ass, this is on you.”

  He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “No, this is on you—entirely. Remember that.”

  It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but I know he’s right.

  Fuck him for being right.

  I have to tell her. Tomorrow. Before the wedding.

  AJ pushes away from the counter and retreats into the living room, throwing himself back down on my sofa that cost way too much money and clicking play on the movie he was watching.

  “Now beer me! Let’s get fucking drunk. I’m getting hitched tomorrow!”

  “No, Shep, we cannot skip our best friends’ wedding.”

  “You sure about that? They won’t even know we’re missing.”

  “You’re right, they won’t miss the best man and maid of honor at all.” She rolls her eyes. “We’re not skipping.”

  “But…you look so hot.”

  She bites her lower lip, raking her eyes over me like the only thing she wants to do is see me in this tuxedo. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.”

  Another slow perusal.

  Her eyes catch the smirk lining my lips and she shakes herself out of her sexual stupor.

  “Dammit, Shep! You almost had me.”

  I reach for her, pulling her close and bringing my lips to my favorite spot below her ear. “I could still have you…”

  She sighs, sinking into me. “Maybe just a quick—no!” She pushes herself back, swatting away my attempts to bring her back into my arms. “Stop being so sexy!”

  “I can’t. It’s a curse.”

  “Shep!”

  “Denny!”

  She laughs and shakes her head at me. “Come on, we need to get out there. The ceremony is starting soon.”

  “I’m telling you, they could totally do this without us. There are only like fifty people here. They’ve got it under control.”

  “You’re just horny.”

  “Yes. Next question.”

  “I didn’t ask a question.”

  I slap my palm against my forehead. “Duh. Sorry. Tits on the brain.”

  She picks up the bottom of her dress and pushes past me, dodging my hands as she walks by.

  “Move it, Clark. Now.”

  I sigh. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

  “Maybe we can sneak off during the reception—after we greet all the guests,” she adds when she sees me perk up. “You still need to meet Monty, and I am dying to meet your Titanic parents.”

  My gut grows heavy, that swirl of nerves from last night coming back full force.

  I tried every way I could think of to bring it up casually this morning on the truck ride over to the venue, but I couldn’t do it. Nothing was sounding right.

  Hey, Den, turns out you were right all these years—I’m a fucking tool.

  Or…

  Yo, Den, so a few years ago I sent a naked picture of my brother’s girlfriend to a few friends on the baseball team.

  Nothing was fitting for the moment. So, I kept my mouth shut.

  Now that we’re about to walk out there and face everyone, I have the distinct feeling that maybe blurting it all out would have been better.

  Please don’t let this be the end…

  “The end?” Denny says.

  I snap my gaze her way, realizing I said that out loud.

  She smiles at me and it’s one of those genuine expressions, the ones where everything is going just perfect in your life and nothing can touch you.

  “It’s not the end. It’s just beginning.” She extends her hand my way. “Come on, Cap.”

  31

  Denver

  Shep’s been acting weird all week leading up to the wedding. It’s not been overly obvious, which I think is more concerning.

  He keeps staring at me like he’s never going to see me again.

  He’s doing it right now from across the room, watching me as he sips on his whiskey. I bet he’s thrilled to finally have something other than the putrid champagne they serve at all the galas.

  “He’s staring over here really hard. It looks…” Allie gulps loudly. “Sexual.”

  “That’s because he’s hoping we can sneak off into a closet somewhere. I kind of promised him we would.”

  “You are not having sex at my wedding!”

  I smirk at my best friend. “We’ll see.”

  She shakes her head, smiling. “You incorrigible little hussy.”

  “Oh, please. Don’t act like you and AJ won’t be sneaking off later too. Just think of this as research—we’ll scope out the best place and report back. You’re welcome.”

  “There’s a room down the hall, kind of small, but you can totally make it work,” Delia chimes in, coming to stand next to me.

  “Already?” I raise a brow at her.

  “What? Have you seen Zach? That nerd pushes all my
buttons.” She laughs and waves to her boyfriend, who’s across the room and definitely looks like he was just having sex.

  “This is why we’re friends,” I tell her. “Allie, this is Delia. She’s dating Shep’s brother, Zach Hastings.”

  I’ve been wanting to say hi to Zach and Delia all night and finally meet Shep’s parents, but every time I approach the subject or try to drag him over that way, he distracts me with kisses or cake.

  I can’t resist either.

  Allie’s eyes widen. “Two things, and I’m addressing these in order of importance. One”—she turns to Delia—“you snagged a hottie. He reminds me of a grown-up Harry Potter.”

  “He kind of does, huh?” Delia agrees. “Congrats on your wedding. The ceremony was beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” Allie blushes. “It was a long time coming.”

  “What was two?” I ask.

  “Oh!” She whirls on me. “You! You just called him Shep. You’re totally in love.”

  “Zach’s hotness was more important than you accusing me of being in love with Shep?”

  “I’m sorry, but have you seen him? Not to be a creeper, Delia, but damn.”

  Delia laughs and shrugs. “What can I say? I got the best wrong number ever.”

  “And you,” Allie says to me, “can hush. There was no ‘accusing’ going on. I know it’s true—you’re full-blown in love with him. It’s like high school all over again.”

  “High school? But you and Monty didn’t move out here until college.” Delia’s looking at me, brows creased and confusion covering her face.

  “Oh, you didn’t know? Those two met in high school and fell in love when they lived over two thousand miles apart.”

  “You’re shitting me.”

  “Nope,” Allie continues. “Shep used to pretend to date this other chick all throughout high school, but he and Denny were busy swooning over one another. I followed AJ out here for college and she claims she followed me, but I know she came for Shep. Then that prick dumped her the moment she got into town. God, I’m still so pissed at him for that,” she adds.

  “Huh. This is all very…enlightening. What happened?”

  “He dumped her.”

  “We were never dating,” I interject.

  Allie rolls her eyes. “You were practically dating.”