218 First Hugs

by E. L. Todd

  “I’m not going to redo everything,” Cypress said. “But I’m going to propose again. And we’re going to have another wedding.”

  “Aww…that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” Amelia fanned away the tears in her eyes. “Cypress, she would love that.”

  “That’s awesome, man,” Ace said. “But October is a month away. Are you going to propose to her now and then have the wedding next year?”

  “Actually, I called the Perry House and told them what happened. They asked the couple that currently has Halloween booked if they’d be willing to give it up for me, and they said yes. They wanted to get married in Hawaii anyway. So it’s all mine.” He smiled, the kind of grin that reached every feature of his face.

  “Seriously?” I asked. “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “We’re gonna put together a wedding in a month,” Amelia said. “We can help you, Cypress.”

  “Thank you,” Cypress said. “Now that we live together, I can’t hide all this from her. I need you guys to help me out.”

  “Totally,” Ace said. “We’re there.”

  “Yeah, I’m in,” I said. “Whatever I can do to help.”

  “When are you going to propose, then?” Amelia asked.

  “I was thinking the night before,” Cypress said. “We would go down to the beach and have a picnic. I’d ask her to marry me, and she would say yes. We’d have a great night with sex and booze, and the next morning I would tell her we’re getting married.”

  “And only give her that day to prepare?” I asked incredulously.

  “She already has her dress,” Amelia said. “I remember what all of her flowers looked like and her jewelry. I still have my bridesmaid dress. I can put it all together for her. I can invite everyone on the guest list too. We could totally pull this off.”

  “I think this is the best idea you’ve ever had,” Ace said. “Bree won’t have to miss anything. We can recreate those memories for her so she can have them forever.”

  “It’s perfect,” Amelia said. “You’re so sweet, Cypress.”

  Cypress shrugged. “I promised to make her happy every single day for the rest of my life. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

  I looked at Cypress in a new way, and I knew everyone else did too. He’d never given up on Bree, even when the doctors said her condition would never improve. He’d been faithful to her when most men wouldn’t have. But this was the biggest gesture of all, repeating everything he’d experienced just so she could have it too.

  * * *

  Celeste sat across from me at the table with her cone held in her fingers. She opened her mouth and dragged her tongue across the cold cream, licking it up before she pulled her tongue back into her mouth.

  I couldn’t eat my ice cream because I was so distracted.

  Jesus.

  She licked the sides before she took a smile bite from the top of the ice cream. She ate much slower than I did, so her ice cream melted and dripped down the sides of the sugar cone. No matter how quickly she ate, she couldn’t keep up.

  I didn’t care about my ice cream anymore. I was more interested in watching her.

  “What?” she asked when she noticed my stare.

  “Nothing.”

  Her eyes narrowed in an angry way, but since she wasn’t actually angry, it was cute. “Liar.”

  “I’ve never seen a woman look so sexy eating ice cream.”

  “Remind you of anything…?” She dragged her tongue from the base to the top, taking it slow.

  Now my ice cream had started to melt because I stopped eating it. All I could think about were those fantastic blow jobs she gave me. She worked her tongue like a pro, and she swallowed my come like she was starving.

  I had a boner right in the middle of the ice cream parlor.

  I started eating my ice cream again, knowing it would melt everywhere if I didn’t swallow it down.

  She finished hers, her eyes locked on mine. When she got to the cone, she bit off entire pieces and swallowed them down.

  Thank god she was almost finished. I took her to ice cream because I wanted to have a nice date, dinner, and dessert. All we seemed to do was get busy, and I wanted to show her we could have more than just good sex. We could have a great conversation too…even though she just proved me wrong. Everything led back to sex. “My mom called me the other day.”

  “She did?” She finally finished her cone and set the waxed paper on the table. “Oh no…how did that go?”

  “It was awkward. Not gonna sugarcoat it.”

  She cringed. “Yikes…”

  “I told her we didn’t know it was her on the other line. We thought it was Ace.”

  “I doubt that made a difference.”

  “Not really. But she asked if she might see you around, and I said yes. She immediately perked up then.”

  Celeste couldn’t wipe the surprised expression off her face. “What? Why would that make her happy? She must think I’m a slut.”

  “I’ve never brought a woman around before. If I bring someone, she knows they’re special. And she also knows that could mean marriage and kids…so she isn’t going to care about your first interaction.”

  She wore a doubtful expression. “She’s not gonna care that I told her you were getting laid before I hung up on her?”

  “No. Not if you’re important to me.”

  Celeste’s expression softened slightly. “That’s actually pretty sweet. She just wants you to be happy.”

  “Yeah. My mom is pretty great. A little clingy sometimes, but great. I think she wouldn’t be so concerned about me if I were married. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but I think she feels better knowing I have a partner in life. She won’t always be around, and she wants to know I’ll be okay when she’s gone.”

  “Aww…that’s what parents do.”

  That opened up the way to my next question. “They’re having a BBQ tomorrow. Would you like to come?”

  “Me?” she asked incredulously.

  “Yes.” I moved my hand across the table and rested my hand on hers. “You.”

  “With your parents?”

  “And my brother.”

  “Sounds pretty intimate.”

  I rubbed my thumb over his hand, fearing she would she say no. It was a soon to meet my family, especially if we couldn’t work things out. I’d always thought if I introduced a woman to my parents, she would be the one. If Celeste went back to Henry, then I would be putting myself out there for no reason. When I brought my future wife to meet my parents later, she would know she wasn’t the first one I wanted to be with.

  I was taking a risk.

  Celeste looked me in the eye with an unsteady gaze. It wasn’t clear what she was thinking, but she didn’t look confident like she usually did. “Do you think that’s a good idea…?”

  I had no clue. “I want you to meet my family. I want you to know that if you decide to stay here, not only are you adopting my friends as your own, but my family as well. You belong somewhere.”

  She turned her hand over and felt my hand with her fingertips. Her skin was smoother than mine, always smelling like rose petals. “Okay. I think that could be fun.”

  I smiled, but I also felt a jolt in my chest. I’d never been so excited and scared at the same time. The end of the summer was approaching, and if she got on that plane and left me, I wouldn’t recover. I would be torn into a million pieces, facing my first heartbreak. “Great.”

  * * *

  “Wow. She’s meeting your parents?” Ace asked.

  “Yeah.” I sat in the bar with Ace and Cypress, the girls both working at Olives for the evening. Every once in a while, we had to work the late shifts. Employees needed time off from time to time. I drank my cold beer right out of the bottle. “My mom is having a BBQ, so I thought I would go for it.”

  “You don’t think that will be awkward?” Ace asked.

  “Like, superawkward?” Cypress asked.
>
  “As soon as I told my mom that she might stick around, she was happy. She wants me to get married so bad I don’t think she cares about that phone call.” My mom used to ask me about my love life in my early twenties. She hinted at grandchildren and other things all the time. But now she didn’t ask anymore because I was almost thirty. Her greatest fear was me spending the rest of my life alone, so ignoring an inappropriate phone call was nothing in comparison to accepting that fate.

  “Celeste agreed?” Cypress asked.

  “She was hesitant at first,” I said. “But she got on board pretty quickly. I’m thinking if I integrate her with my life, she might be more likely to choose me. She’s leaving a lot behind by staying here, so I need to give her a community to stick around for.”

  “You want us to hang out with her?” Ace asked.

  I didn’t want either of them alone with my woman. “Absolutely not.”

  “What?” Cypress asked. “I’m married, and Ace is…unavailable.”

  “You guys are hot,” I said. “I don’t want her alone with you so she can stare at your muscles all day.”

  Cypress grinned so hard his face looked different. “We’re hot, huh?”

  Ace flexed both of his arms. “She wants to stare at our muscles all day?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah,” Cypress said. “You think we’re hot. It’s pretty clear.”

  “I’m totally straight,” I said. “There’s not a doubt in my mind when I’m with Celeste. I never get tired of her. I just don’t want her to spend too much time with you and wish I were buff.”

  “You aren’t buff, but you’re ripped,” Ace said. “Chicks dig that.”

  Cypress placed his hand against his chest. “I know my wife does.”

  “When is the BBQ?” Ace asked.

  “Tomorrow. I know my brother is gonna flirt with her, so I’m gonna have to kick his ass.” My brother and I weren’t close, but we got along well. He would tease me when he realized there was a serious woman in the picture. That was just how he was. “When does The Bachelor start?” I asked Ace.

  “Tomorrow,” Ace answered. “We’re meeting over there to flip a coin.”

  “Flip a coin for what?” Cypress asked.

  “Who gets to go last.” Ace drank his beer and watched the TV in the corner. “There’s no rules for the date, so…whoever goes last has the advantage. He’ll be the last one she thinks about. You know what I mean?”

  “So, it’s okay for each of you to sleep with her?” I asked incredulously.

  “Yep,” Ace answered.

  “You’re okay with that?” Cypress asked.

  Ace shrugged. “I guess it’s kinda weird, but she was sleeping with him for the past month anyway.”

  “She was sleeping with him?” Cypress asked incredulously. “And you at the same time?”

  “No,” Ace corrected. “We had our fling. I left her. And then she hooked up with him. There wasn’t any overlap.”

  “But still,” Cypress said. “I hate that guy…wish she’d never slept with him.”

  “It’s my fault,” Ace said. “If I hadn’t left, none of this would have happened.”

  I didn’t say anything to try to make him feel better because there was nothing to say. Ace was right. He should have spoken up. “So, ta the end of the two dates, she’s going to make her decision?”

  Ace nodded. “Yep. The whole thing was my idea, actually.”

  “You suggested that?” Cypress asked.

  “I just want it to be over,” Ace said. “I gave her a timeline, and we each get a full night to persuade her. It’ll be over in a few days, and then we can move on.”

  “She’d better pick you,” Cypress said.

  “Yeah,” I said in agreement. “She would be an idiot to go back to him.”

  Ace only shrugged, too nice to say anything else. “How’s the wife, Cypress?”

  “Good,” Cypress said. “It’s just like it was before. She takes up most of the bathroom with her makeup and hair stuff, and she rolls my socks in this strange way before she shoves them in my drawer. We switch off making dinner. It’s really nice. I finally feel like I’m home. Dino is really happy too. He’s always loved Bree more than me.”

  I liked knowing my friend was happy. Cypress had been through a lot, more than most of us. He finally had what he wanted after waiting so long. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough. “I’m glad you guys are working it out. She’ll be so happy with the wedding.”

  “Yeah, I know she’s been looking for her ring,” Cypress said. “When we moved stuff out of the house, she went through the jewelry box and looked in my nightstands. She asked about it once before, but I never gave her an answer.”

  “At least she wants to wear it again,” Ace said. “Better than her wanting a new one or something.”

  “I just hope she doesn’t ask me about it again,” Cypress said. “I wear my ring all the time, so she probably wants to wear hers. If she can be patient a little longer, it’ll make my life easier. I don’t want to just hand it to her, you know? Like it’s not a big deal and move on. I want it to be special.”

  “I never knew you were such a romantic until Bree lost her memory,” Ace said. “You’re the most romantic dude on the planet.”

  Cypress eyed his beer. “What can I say? I guess I kinda like my wife.” He grinned.

  “Kinda like her?” I teased. “I think you really like her, if you ask me.”

  “Nah,” Ace said. “He just thinks she’s alright.” He chuckled and drank his beer.

  “What about you?” Cypress asked me. “Do you really like Celeste? Think she’s just alright?”

  I knew the truth a while ago, but I was too uncomfortable to admit it out loud—even to myself. The only reason why I would be going through a charade like this was if this woman really meant something to me. I’d been with lots of beautiful and daring women, but none of them ever captured my attention.

  Not like Celeste.

  “I think it’s obvious,” I finally answered.

  “We’re a bit dense,” Ace said. “So you should just tell us.”

  I looked away, unable to meet their gazes. I’d never said the words out loud before, especially not to my friends. “I’m in love with her.”

  * * *

  Celeste arrived at my door with a glass dish in her hands. “I wasn’t sure if I should bring something, so I made some muffins.”

  “Awesome.” I took it from her hands and set it on the table by the door. “My family will get a kick out of that.” My arms slid around her body, and I kissed her in the doorway, my hand moving into her hair and my mouth caressing hers. Her soft mouth nibbled my bottom lip gently in the sexiest embrace.

  Whenever I kissed her, I didn’t care about doing anything else. My brain shut off, and all I felt was a carnal instinct to make love to this woman with my mouth, to worship her body with my hands and make her feel more beautiful than she ever felt in her life. I got off on pleasing her, something that I never really experienced before. I had fantasies with other women, kinky stuff that turned me on. But making Celeste come was my ultimate fantasy now.

  When things heated up and I started to lift up her dress, someone knocked on the door.

  I growled against her mouth.

  She sucked on my bottom lip before she pulled away. “We’re gonna be late anyway…”

  “You think I give a damn about being late?” I pulled away from her and opened the door, not caring about whoever the hell it was on the other side.

  “Yo.” Cypress held up a six-pack of beer. “Can we crash the BBQ?”

  “We’ve got hamburgers and buns in the car,” Ace said. “And lots of chips.”

  “I made potato salad,” Amelia said.

  I stared at all my friends, surprised they were standing there. “Uh…sure. I didn’t realize you were interested in coming.”

  “Of course, man.” Cypress clapped me on the shoulder. “We
wouldn’t miss it.” He turned to Celeste and gave her a bear hug. “Hey, you. You look nice.”

  “Thanks.” She hugged him back, caught off guard by his affection.

  Ace high-fived her next before he hugged her. “Did you make any muffins today?”

  “Actually, I did,” Celeste said.

  “Awesome,” Ace said. “My day just got better.”

  Bree and Amelia hugged her next, greeting her like they’d been friends for years.

  There was something suspicious about the whole thing. “So, what’s all of this about?”

  “Nothing,” Cypress said. “We just thought it might be kinda awkward after that phone call with your mom, so we thought being there could help break the ice a bit.”

  Still sounded fishy to me. “Well, we should get going. You wanna meet us there?”

  “Let’s do it,” Ace said as he walked out the door. “We’ll see you there.”

  I followed them outside with Celeste.

  “I didn’t know they were coming.”

  I locked the door behind me and took her hand. “That makes two of us.”

  * * *

  We pulled up to the house and walked through the side gate to the backyard. Celeste didn’t seem nervous, even though any other woman would be. The first words she’d said to my mom weren’t exactly classy. But she held her head high, her shoulders back, and she wore a brilliant smile.

  My mom hopped up from the kitchen table the second she saw us. “My son.” She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me like she hadn’t seen me in years.

  “Hey, Mom.” I hugged her back, letting her squeeze me like a child.

  She pulled away and turned to Celeste next. “Oh my god…” She looked into her eyes like she saw something. Then her hands moved over her chest. “You’re beautiful.” She hugged her just the way she hugged me, squeezing her like a daughter.

  Wow. This went over a lot smoother than I expected.

  Celeste flinched before she could find something to say in response. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Thomas.”

  “Call me Denise.” Mom pulled away and gave her a genuine smile. “We’re so happy to have you here.”