Just an Illusion - EP

by D. Kelly

  “Do you know how fucking hot that would be for them to look up and see us fucking? For them to see your eyes roll back into your head as I thrust into your body? See that guy down there in the blue shirt by the D.J. stage? He’s looking up this way.” Sawyer moves a hand down to my clit and circles it while he pinches my nipple. “Do you think he can see us? He’d be so fucking jealous that I’m balls deep inside my Princess.”

  “Fuck, Sawyer!” My orgasm comes without warning. My pussy clenches around his cock as he slams into me harder and harder.

  “That’s it, Princess, ride my cock like you fucking own it because you do.” His teeth come down on my shoulder and he bites me again and again. The pain is exquisite. I know I’m going to bruise, but the thought of him marking my skin excites me.

  “Make me yours, Sawyer, please!” My walls convulse around him again as he slams into me one final time.

  “You’re so fucking amazing, Mel,” he says huskily into my neck after screaming his release. As my heartbeat comes back down to normal levels, I relish the feeling of his body clinging to mine. I know this is only the second time we’ve done this, but I love how he likes to hang on to me after sex.

  “You’re sure they can’t see anything, right? Because that guy is still looking up this way.” He laughs against my bare skin and turns me in his arms.

  “As much as I’d love for the world to know you’re mine, I’d never let anyone watch the way you fall apart under my touch. That is for my eyes only.”

  Sawyer hands me some napkins to wipe off with while he disposes of the condom. Then he picks up my dress and helps me back into it. He even adjusts my boobs to make sure they’re situated right. That is such a man thing to do and it makes me laugh.

  “What? You need to make sure the girls are looking good. I’m just helping you out.”

  “Thanks, I’d hate to walk out of here lopsided.”

  “Well, your freshly-fucked hair is a dead giveaway to what was going on in here.” His devious smile is met with one of my own.

  “Yours isn’t much better than mine.”

  “I’m sure it’s not, but men can use the just-fucked look as a style. Women, on the other hand, don’t typically opt for that look. It’s okay, though, I’m happy to give you that freshly-fucked look anytime.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  Laughing, he pulls me into a hug and I melt into him. I still don’t know what it is about Sawyer but he just makes me feel so damn safe.

  “Do you want to stay and do some more drinking and dancing?” he asks as he releases me.

  “No, I want to go home and wrap these heels around your head instead.”

  He pulls my hand to his cock, which is already hard again, and groans. “This is what you do to me. Let’s get home.”

  The two of us walk hand and hand back to the elevator and out to the main desk. Dawn is standing watch and looks like she ate something sour when she sees the two of us appear. She quickly schools her features and flashes a fake smile at us. Yeah, bitch, who gets the last laugh now?

  “I hope you enjoyed your evening, Mr. Weston. We look forward to seeing you again.” I’m pretty sure I can taste her bitterness on my tongue.

  “Thanks, we had a blast,” he replies without even looking her way. This is a much different man than the one who talked to her when we first arrived.

  After helping me into the car, he turns to me. “There’s a time to be pleasant and a time to show people you know what assholes they really are. Don’t ever doubt my ability to be faithful to you when I’m being nice to someone to get something I want.” His eyes lock on mine; they’re radiating with such sincerity it leaves me breathless. “I’m in this for the long haul, Mel. Whatever it takes to end up in the house by the creek with you.”

  When he lowers his mouth to mine, I lose myself in his kiss. I don’t think about Noah, or how messed up people are going to be over this situation. All I think about is Sawyer and how he’s brought me back to life.

  Amelia – Present Day

  Anna and Rory are both finishing up the second part of the story while Karen is already done with the first part of the third and anxiously awaiting more. She’s in the kitchen making cookies since she knows the guys are on their way back now.

  The doorbell rings and I call out, “I’ll get it.” I need to get up and stretch anyway. When I open the door, Cadence barrels into my arms.

  “Auntie Mel!” she cries out, and I hug her close. Veronica looks down at me with all-knowing eyes as I stand up with Belle’s mini-me wrapped in my arms.

  “Mmhm, I heard you’ve been writing and you didn’t fill me in.”

  “Hey, Mama,” I say, putting an arm around her. “It wasn’t intentional, I just had to meet this ultimatum head-on. Before I knew it, I’d somehow thrown myself under the bus and let people read it.”

  “You already know your heart, baby girl. And you know my thoughts on all this BS. Tell anyone who doesn’t like your choice to suck it up or get out. Life is too short and too precious to worry about other people’s feelings at the expense of your happiness. I don’t need to read your story to know you love him and would lay down your life for him. I got you, baby girl, even if the others don’t.”

  Reason one billion and ten why I love this woman. “Thank you. So how was your weekend?”

  “We had a blast, didn’t we, Mel?” Veronica calls Cadence Mel. Short for her middle name, Melody. She didn’t like the fact Belle named her something that couldn’t be shortened into something she deemed cute.

  “I had fun with Grandma and we ate chocolate chip pancakes!” she says with a smile—Belle’s smile—and every time I see it, I feel like Belle is with me.

  “Daddy!” Cadence screams, and I see Darren walking up the drive. They’re back. I release Cadence and she runs like a bat out of hell into Darren’s arms. She is the light of his life and vice versa.

  Veronica places a kiss on my cheek and squeezes me tight. “Think about what I said. I’m going to go talk to Darren for a few minutes before my husband starts thinking he’s off the hook making dinner because I’m catching up over here.”

  “I will, Mama. Drive safe.” She and Marcus got married a few weeks ago and they’re enjoying their newlywed bliss. Belle would have been incredibly happy for her.

  Wyatt comes inside with a sleeping Jake and kisses me on the cheek. “I hear you’ve been working hard. I’m proud of you, and Noah would be, too, Mel.”

  “Thanks, Wyatt,” I whisper.

  Eli, J, and Sawyer are standing at the edge of the lawn. Sawyer has Nate in his arms but when Nate locks eyes on me, he points frantically and Sawyer releases him. He runs excitedly to the door and throws himself into my arms. “Mommy! I caughted a fish!”

  “You did? That’s so cool!” I kiss the top of his head and inhale him deeply. He’s been gone for three days and I missed him like crazy.

  “Daddy Sawyer did, too,” he says with a bright smile. Noah’s smile. Noah’s eyes. Noah’s floppy brown hair, and Noah’s love for everything. He’s even got Noah’s stubbornness. Uncle Sawyer never stuck. He still calls Noah “Daddy” when he sees him in pictures. And whenever we talk about Noah we call him “Daddy” because I will never take that away from him. But from the time he could say the words, Sawyer has been Daddy Sawyer.

  Rory is still pissed about that, too, but everyone else is used to it. As much as Noah loved Nate, biology doesn’t completely make a parent. Sawyer’s love, time, and dedication make him just as much a father to Nate as Noah is. I think it was hardest for Sawyer to accept, but Nate is a stubborn two-year-old and there’s not much to do except go with what he wants in this case.

  “Are you and Daddy Sawyer stinky like the fishes?” I ask while tickling him.

  “No,” he replies through a mouthful of giggles. “Mommy, Cady!” he yells, pointing to Cadence. It was hard to decide to keep them apart this weekend, but they wanted to make a real go of the guys weekend
again and it seems like this time it worked out better. Unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out for Rob to go. Diane is pregnant, with a girl again, and due any day.

  “Go ahead, get Cadence, I know you probably missed her more than me.” As I release him from my arms, I hear his voice.

  “It’s okay, Princess, I missed you enough for both of us.” As I rise, my eyes meet his and they’re filled with nothing but love. He pulls me into his arms and clutches me tight. “I’m so fucking sorry, Mel. I should have never done that to you.”

  Through tear-filled eyes, I look up at him. “It’s okay. In a way, I’m glad you did. You’re right, Sawyer. You’ve all been right. I’m not living, not the way I should be. I’m still not done, but I’m going to finish and I’m going to give you an answer. One you deserve, I hope.”

  He lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me eagerly. It’s been a long three days without him, but the clearing of a throat nips our welcome kiss in the bud.

  “Eh-hem.”

  “Back off, Watts, she’s mine now.”

  “You wound me, Weston, now get the fuck out of my way and let me greet my best friend properly. I haven’t seen her in months.”

  Sawyer releases me and Eli scoops me into his arms. “Hey, baby girl, I’ve missed you.”

  “I missed you, too, Eli.” My muffled words vibrate against his shirt and he laughs.

  “Sorry, I just needed to squeeze you. I hear you’ve been doing some novel-worthy writing this weekend.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yup, your future husband, baby daddy, partner for life, or whatever the fuck you guys are going for told me it’s some damn good reading. Then he also said I couldn’t read it because it was for his eyes only.”

  I roll my eyes at them. “The two of you are ridiculous sometimes. You can read it whenever you want, Eli. You already know all my drama. You should go say hi to Rory, she’s reading it now.”

  “Yeah, maybe I’ll just go home and catch up with her another time. Give me a call when you make your decision, baby girl. Your heart will never lead you wrong.” Eli kisses me on the cheek and ducks out the door in a flash.

  Sawyer chuckles. “Well, on the plus side, you know he’s got our back.”

  “Rory asked earlier why no one ever told her you and I kissed first. I think she’s struggling reading this just as much as I struggled to write it.”

  He releases a sigh and hugs me again. “I’ll deal with her later, but you’re my main concern right now. Want to go in the bedroom with me and write while I catch up on what you’ve written?”

  “That would be really nice.”

  “I missed you, Mel, and I can’t apologize enough for what I put you through.”

  His heartfelt words wrap around me tighter than his hug.

  “I missed you, too.”

  Thanksgiving Trouble

  After our night at the club, Sawyer and I fell into an easy relationship. We let our friends in on our secret but kept the family out of it. At times, it was hard because they’re over often and aside from Rory, Owen, and Karen, pretty much everyone else knows. With as pissed off as Rob was, I couldn’t imagine letting the rest of them find out our shameful secret, so we spent months walking a precarious line between friendship and love in their presence.

  The Disney World trip came and went, but we didn’t go. Only Diane and Rob, Rory, Karen and Owen and the girls went. For the rest of us, it was still too close to the good memories we shared in Florida with Noah. Especially for Sawyer and Mac.

  I’m still wearing Noah’s rings around my neck so they’re close to my heart. I’ll never forget Karen’s reaction when she noticed.

  “You took off your rings,” she said with tear-filled eyes.

  “Yeah, but I can’t take them off for good. I need them close to my heart for now,” I answered, clutching them between my fingers.

  “It’s a step, and with each one you take you’ll start to move through the darkness and into the light.”

  “Are you angry with me?” I asked, fearing she’d be disappointed.

  “Amelia, why would you think that? You’re beautiful and you’re young. I loved Noah dearly, but I don’t want you to pine away for him forever. I want you to be loved, to give love again.” I pulled her into a hug and we cried together.

  I feel like that was a missed opportunity. Right then I should have sat her down and told her about me and Sawyer. Oh well, we’ll come clean when the time is right.

  Today is my birthday, and Sawyer says we’re celebrating hitting the other side of thirty in style. I’m not sure what that means but there was no arguing with him. I’m trying to figure out what to wear when he knocks and then opens my door.

  “I could have been naked.”

  “Then it would have been like it was my birthday. I can walk out if you want to strip, or better yet, I can stand right here and watch.” He licks his lips as if already imagining it.

  “Perve.”

  “Damn straight, but only when it comes to you.”

  “Good, now what should I wear?”

  His heated gaze has me flustered and he pulls my body to his and bites down on my neck. “Nothing.”

  “Sawyer—”

  His mouth crushes against mine and our tongues meet eagerly, stealing my breath and my sanity. When he pulls away, he rests his head against mine.

  “Wear whatever you’d like, we’re going to the house by the creek. I’ve got a surprise for you. If I asked you for a favor, would you do it for me? No questions?”

  Giving Sawyer a no-questions-asked favor could get me into a lot of trouble but it could also be a lot of fun. “Sure.”

  “Bring your dad’s present and card with you.”

  My heart races in my chest; I want to take back my answer. He sees the fear in my eyes and tilts my chin up. “Princess, I promise we won’t do anything you don’t want to. Just bring them, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Two hours later, we’re sitting in his gazebo as the crickets and frogs chirp and croak the night away. Sawyer has some blues playing subtly in the background and we’re eating dinner under twinkly lights.

  “Are you okay?

  “Yeah, why?” he replies with a furrowed brow.

  “You seem nervous.”

  “I’ve never done this before, maybe I am.”

  “Done what?” I ask.

  “You know … the whole romance thing.”

  “This is beautiful, Sawyer, and it means more to me than you know. Thank you.”

  A sigh of relief escapes him and he smiles brightly. “You’re welcome.”

  After we finish our lasagna, we take our wine and sit on the couch. My dad’s present sits between us like a ticking bomb. Sawyer turns to me and nervously clears his throat.

  “There were a lot of things I wanted to give you for your birthday. The more I thought about it, the more I realized they’re just things and you can buy your own things. Then, I realized maybe there is something I can give you that’s better than something bought.” He picks up the card and the gift. “The last thing I want is for you to cry on your birthday, but I think in this case tears would come regardless. You are the best person I know, Amelia Weston, but you have a hard time letting go of the past and moving forward.”

  “Sawyer…” I’m choked up and don’t even know what to say, but when he flashes me his nervous smile again I know saying anything is useless. He’s out of his comfort zone, too.

  “My gift to you, if you’ll let me give it to you, is freedom from your past. I’ll be here to hold your hand, wipe away your tears, and be your shoulder to cry on. This present is fifteen years past due, and I want to be able to help you eradicate at least one demon lingering in your closet. This is the one.”

  My eyes fill with tears and my heart feels like it’s going to burst in a million pieces. This is the sweetest, scariest, most romantic thing. And for Sawyer to open his heart like this says mo
re than I could ever convey.

  With trembling hands, I take the card first and open it. I barely skim the words and dive right into the handwritten message inside.

  My Mellie Sunshine,

  Happy Birthday. You’re almost all grown up now and soon you’ll be leaving me to live a life of your own. I know the past couple of years have been rough and I’m not the dad you deserve. Losing your Mom wrecked me, but my vow to you this year is to get my shit together and be the man you deserve to guide you. Come Monday morning I’m going off to rehab, and when I get out we’ll start a brand-new adventure, just the two of us. You are my world, Amelia, and I love you endlessly.

  Dad

  Tears are streaming down my cheeks as Sawyer is doing his best to wipe them away. Setting the card down, I clutch his shirt and sob into his chest as he rubs my back and whispers comforting words into my ears. This hurts a lot, but my heart feels like a burden has been lifted from it.

  When I’m all cried out, I look up at him and he wipes away the remainder of my tears. “For so long I wondered if it was really a suicide or an accidental overdose. I’m still not sure, but based on this I can believe he wanted help and I know he loved me.” I kiss him briefly while he hugs me tight. “Thank you, Sawyer, for always knowing what I need before I can admit it to myself.”

  “You’re welcome, Princess, but we’ve still got one more to go. Are you up for it? Or do we need to save it until next year?”

  His words make me smile; he’s just as persistent as Belle used to be but in his own way. I reach for the present and pull off the old, frayed ribbon and then the paper. Inside the box is a photo of my parents when they were young and in love. I’ve never seen it before and it leaves me speechless.

  “You’re the perfect combination of them. You have his hair color and your mom’s eyes. His smile and her nose. I don’t know how I didn’t see it when we first met you.”

  “You weren’t looking for it.”

  “True. There’s something else in the box, Mel.”