218 First Hugs

by E. L. Todd

  She returned to her silence.

  “There’s nothing he can offer you that I can’t. But there’s one thing I can offer that he can’t. And you know exactly what that is.”

  * * *

  I went to her house because I had to get involved. I was already involved the second I laid eyes on her. By coming to the house where he was about to show up, I knew I was interfering when I shouldn’t.

  But I couldn’t let him win.

  This was the biggest battle I would ever fight, and I had to be victorious.

  I had to keep her.

  I knocked on the door, and she opened it with pure shock on her face. “Blade—”

  “Is he on his way?”

  “Uh…yeah. He’s in a cab…what are you doing here?”

  “You know what I’m doing here.” I felt the anger rise up my throat every time I looked at her. I was pissed at her when I didn’t have any right to be. I was just furious I wasn’t getting my way. “He needs to know that you’re mine.”

  “Blade, you need to go. I need to talk to him alone.”

  “No.” I welcomed myself inside, the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

  “Blade, this isn’t a good idea. He’s gonna be angry.”

  “Like I care.”

  She kept her hand on the door as she stood there. “You’re being unreasonable right now.”

  “Tell me that you’re gonna pick me, and I’ll go.” I walked up to her and looked into her stunning face, at those beautiful lips that kissed me and told me they loved me. “Then I’ll give you all the privacy you need.”

  She held my expression without blinking.

  When I didn’t hear those words, I was disappointed. I stepped back. “Then, I’m staying.”

  A cab pulled up to the front of the house, and a muscular man got out of the back seat. Under his sport coat, I could tell he was fit and trim. He had a slender figure similar to mine, full of cut muscles underneath. His short hair was cut close to the scalp, and he had brown eyes. His skin was tanned like he was outside more often than inside.

  I didn’t like him.

  I didn’t like that he was tall, handsome, and reeked of wealth.

  Fucker.

  He grabbed his bag from the trunk then walked to the front of the house.

  I walked outside and met him first, not scared to go toe-to-toe with this guy.

  He stopped when he spotted me, his eyes narrowing in immediate hostility. He knew exactly who I was. He didn’t need to ask for a name. He walked forward again, taking the steps and setting his bag on the stone pathway. He met my look, not blinking the entire time.

  I wanted to murder him. I’d never known jealousy like this. I wished he were less attractive, shorter, and less threatening.

  Now I had doubts.

  Celeste came between us, placing her body in the middle without touching either one of us. “Henry, I told Blade you were coming, and he came over to… He just wants to be here.”

  He looked down at her and said something quick in French.

  She responded in the same tongue.

  I knew he spoke English because she just addressed him in that language, so he should have no problem understanding what I had to say. “You made the mistake of being with other women. You made the mistake of letting her be with other men. You can glare at me all you want, but she’s mine now. If that was something you were ever concerned about, you should have done a better job holding on to her.”

  Henry moved forward like he was going to take a swing.

  Celeste pushed him back. “No. There will be no hitting. Only words.”

  I wished he would take a swing. I would love the opportunity to kick his ass. “I love her.” There was no shame or embarrassment in my words. “I love her and I want her. I don’t want to share her with anyone else, and I want to take care of her. I want to be the boyfriend that you weren’t. I want to be there every single day and be exactly what she deserves. If you think I’m gonna let her go easily, you’re wrong. And she loves me too. I see it every time she looks at me. I see it every time I make love to her.”

  The vein in his temple was about to explode. He shifted forward like he was going to push Celeste out of the way to get to me.

  “If you’re a real man, you’ll let her go. You don’t get to come after her when she finds someone better.” I pointed my finger at his chest. “You’re the one who fucked up. You’re the one who made the mistake. Do the right thing and bow out.”

  Until that point, he hadn’t said a single word. He just stared me down like he despised me. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he clenched his hands until the veins on his knuckles popped. “You screw my woman for a few months, and you think she belongs to you?”

  “She obviously doesn’t belong to you if she’s sleeping with me.”

  This time, he really did lunge at me, pushing Celeste to the side.

  Instead of punching him before he could get to me, I dodged sideways and grabbed Celeste before she toppled over and fell into the bushes. I kept a tight grip on her wrist but pivoted my body toward Henry in preparation for his oncoming blow.

  He threw the punch, but I caught it with my bare hand. I twisted his arm down and pushed him back. I wasn’t much of a fighter, but growing up with one annoying-ass brother taught me a few things.

  “Stop.” Celeste righted herself and came between us again. “I mean it. Both of you.”

  Henry finally backed off.

  Celeste sighed in frustration at our pissing contest. “Enough. If anyone makes another move, that’s it.”

  “He pushed you then punched me,” I snapped. “In case you forgot what happened ten seconds ago.”

  She ignored me because she was trying to be neutral, but that neutrality wouldn’t last for long. She couldn’t be Sweden forever. “Blade, I understand why you’re here, and I’m not upset with you for it. But you need to let Henry and me talk.”

  I gave her a look that said over my dead body.

  “Henry and I have been together for a very long time. More than being in a relationship—”

  “That was not a relationship.”

  She ignored me and continued on. “And we have a strong friendship and great respect for one another. We need to talk, and it’s unreasonable for you to expect me not to.” She grew inches in height even though her features didn’t change. “You should go, Blade. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “And he’s staying with you?” As in, sleeping there?

  “Yes,” she said again. “He just flew twelve hours.”

  “Oh…how sweet.”

  Celeste disregarded my sarcasm, but her eyes narrowed in irritation. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  Just the other night, we were dancing in my backyard, and she told me she loved me. We made love for three days straight. I was inside of her more than outside of her. Now that beautiful relationship had come burning down because this dickhead showed up. But there was nothing I could do. I knew she had to speak to Henry in private. It was unrealistic for her to dump him right there on the spot and just say goodbye. Amelia had been divorced for a year, and she still couldn’t do that to Evan.

  I had to walk away—as much as it killed me. “Then I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Celeste visibly relaxed when the conversation came to a halt.

  I stared at her, waiting for her to kiss me goodbye. I wasn’t leaving until she did it.

  She knew exactly what I was thinking. A guilty look came over her face before she walked toward me and kissed me on the cheek.

  Like the asshole that I was, I turned my face and kissed her right on the mouth.

  She kissed me back.

  I didn’t drag it out, because that was a low blow. I stepped back and walked away, doing my best not to look at her or Henry. I didn’t want to think about what they would do in that house tonight while I was home alone. I didn’t want to think about him kissing her, fucking her.

  But I knew it would happen.

&
nbsp; * * *

  I couldn’t sleep last night.

  I tossed and turned until three in the morning before I finally gave up and went downstairs to eat a bowl of cereal and watch TV. I played a few video games, trying to distract myself as much as possible.

  Hopefully, Celeste was asleep.

  Hopefully, she was sleeping alone.

  When the sun came up the next morning, I went to work at the office. Everyone was there, in good moods because the sun had come out. The only person who seemed hollow was Amelia, still upset about ending her marriage for good.

  I slumped into my chair and stared out the window.

  “Hey.” Ace rested his feet on the desk and looked at me. “I got online today and saw you were on your PS4 all night. I thought those days were over now that Celeste is around.”

  “Well…looks like those days might be back.” I rubbed my temple, my eyes exhausted.

  “What does that mean?” Cypress asked.

  I sighed before I told them the story.

  Bree’s jaw hit the floor. “No…you can’t be serious.”

  “He slept over?” Amelia asked.

  “He’s with her right now?” Cypress asked.

  I nodded, answering all of their questions simultaneously. “She said she would call me today. It’s all I can think about.”

  “Well, she’s gotta end the relationship in person anyway,” Cypress said. “So you can’t hold that against her. He is her boyfriend.”

  “You didn’t see this guy… He’s a good-looking dude. I’m not sure she’s gonna pick me.” She told me she still loved him. Said it right to my face. It still hurt even though I knew about it beforehand.

  “She’s gonna pick you,” Bree said.

  “Yeah,” Amelia said. “She’d be stupid not to.”

  “I don’t know…” I dragged my hands down my face. “She told me she loved me…I love her. What does she have to think about?”

  “It’s more complicated than that,” Amelia said. “He deserves an explanation from her. He deserves to know exactly why things are ending. I think they’ll talk it out, and then he’ll leave.”

  If that were the case, I’d be the happiest man on the planet. “Fuck, I hope so.”

  “It’ll be alright, man,” Cypress said. “The agony is almost over.”

  “Yeah,” Ace said. “You guys were gonna have to confront this in a few weeks anyway. At least you’re getting your answer now.”

  That was only good if it was the answer I wanted to hear.

  * * *

  It wasn’t until seven in the evening when she called.

  I’d been waiting all day, constantly looking at my phone to make sure I didn’t miss a text message.

  It took me a moment to answer, dreading the call as much as I’d been looking forward to it. I answered with silence, unable to speak because there were so many emotions bottled inside me.

  She knew I was there. “Blade, it’s me…”

  The sound of her voice made my chest relax. I loved the sweetness of her tone. I loved it when she said my name when we made love. I loved the way she kissed me with trembling lips. I loved this woman, had loved her since I met her. “Baby.”

  “I’m standing outside your door right now. I wanted to talk to you…”

  That didn’t sound good. I hung up the phone without saying goodbye and opened the front door.

  She was in a loose gray sweater and dark jeans. A red scarf was around her neck, matching the fall season that was quickly approaching. Her hair was straight today because she didn’t seem to care about styling it.

  She still looked breathtaking, like always.

  I stared at her, my body blocking the doorway. “I hope you’re here to tell me one thing. If you aren’t, then don’t say anything at all.”

  Her lips didn’t move, and she held her hands together at her waist. Her eyes carried heartbreak, and her cheeks were paler than usual. Her response was a long stretch of silence.

  The most painful silence I had ever listened to.

  She’d picked him.

  I stepped back from the doorway because I didn’t have enough air. Everything had been stripped from me. My muscled legs no longer felt strong, and my heart felt like it was experiencing its last beats.

  I felt like I’d been stabbed in both lungs.

  “You said you loved me.”

  “And I do…”

  “But you love him more?” I asked incredulously. “The man who fucks other women when you aren’t around?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “He says he wants to be monogamous now…have me move back to France tomorrow permanently and sell the business.”

  This guy got to treat her like shit for years, and he still got to keep her? By caving and doing what he should have done from the beginning, he got to have this woman? “And that’s enough for you, when I’ve been willing to give you that from the beginning?”

  Her eyes welled up with tears.

  “He doesn’t love you, Celeste. Not like I do.”

  “I’ve been with him for years…”

  “What does that matter? I’ve loved you more in three months than he’s loved you in three years.”

  She blinked quickly, trying to dispel her tears. “I’m sorry…”

  “You’re sorry?” I stepped toward her, feeling the rage kick in. “Don’t feel sorry for anything. You’re the one I feel sorry for.” I grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at me. “You know why I fell in love with you?”

  She held her breath.

  “I saw a fearless woman who wasn’t afraid of anything. Independent, smart, and beautiful, you could take over the world if you wanted to. But you know what I see now?”

  She finally took a breath, the tears starting to fall.

  “You’re afraid. You’re afraid to take a risk on something different. You’re afraid to leave something that’s comfortable for something new.” I dropped my hand, having her full attention. “You’re afraid to leave the guarantee of mediocre love for something strong, passionate, and unpredictable. That’s not the woman I know…that’s not the woman I loved.” I stepped back and grabbed the door, prepared to shut it. “Goodbye, Celeste. I hope you find happiness with him—I really do.”

  19

  Amelia

  I knocked on the door and held the casserole dish in my arm. It was baked chicken with rice and broccoli, a home-cooked meal the girls loved. It was still warm against my skin so it probably wouldn’t need to be heated up.

  Ace opened the door in just his sweatpants. He was shirtless, his tanned skin beautiful and protruding with muscles. He looked at me, his eyes dark and intense—just the way I liked.

  I tried not to stare at his powerful chest, wanting to see him for more reasons than just sex. “Are you busy right now?”

  “No.”

  “Can I come in?”

  He opened the door and motioned for me to come inside.

  I walked in and set the dish on the counter. “I’m sorry I’ve been absent for so—”

  “Don’t apologize to me.” He pressed his chest against my back, pinning me against the counter. His hands moved either side of me, and he pressed his lips next to my ear. “You know I would have waited a lot longer for you.” He brushed his lips against the shell of my ear then released a quiet sigh.

  This was what I chose, this powerful connection that vibrated with intensity. I loved the way he made me feel exposed but safe at the same time. I loved the way he acted like a predator and treated me like prey.

  His arm circled my waist, and he slowly turned me around until we were face-to-face.

  “I made you dinner…”

  “I saw that.” He eyed my mouth.

  “I haven’t been a great girlfriend lately…”

  “You’re my girlfriend. You don’t need to worry about being great.”

  My girlfriend. I loved hearing that. “Bree and Cypress are watching the girls tonight. I thought we could have dinner and…spe
nd time alone time together.”

  “That sounds nice.”

  “To make up for this past week…”

  He grabbed my chin and adjusted my face so I was looking right at him. “I understand, Amelia. I’m glad you took your time. Your absence didn’t make your loyalty to me any less strong. You picked me.” He cupped my face and leaned into me before he brushed his full lips against mine. “I understand that.”

  Ace was so sweet to me, undeniably patient. I wasn’t sure what I’d done to deserve him. I wasn’t sure what I’d done to deserve the beautiful love of a beautiful man. “In that case…you want me to warm this up and make you dinner?”

  “No.” His eyes burned into mine. “You don’t need to take care of me, Amelia. I’m a grown-ass man who’s gonna take care of you. Let’s skip the dinner and go straight to dessert.” He lifted me onto the counter and pulled his boxers and sweatpants down, revealing the enormous cock that had rocked my world more times than I could count.

  I stared at it, licking my lips automatically.

  “You know how many times I’ve jerked off to you in this house?”

  How many?

  He heard my unspoken question. “A lot.” He picked me up off the counter and carried me to the couch in the living room. “This is where I sit with my bottle of lotion and a box of tissues.” He laid me down and yanked off my jeans.

  The idea of him touching himself and thinking of me made my entire body contract with desire. “Yeah?”

  His eyes were connected to mine. “Yeah.” He lifted up my shirt and yanked it over my head before he unclasped my bra with a single hand. He worked fluidly, his experience with all the women before me turning him into a pro.

  But now I got to enjoy him.

  He separated my thighs with his narrow hips and placed his heavy body on top of mine. It was like lying underneath a mountain. His muscles shifted against my skin every time he made a slight move. His face was pressed to mine, and he got a hold of my hair like a master held on to his sub. He adjusted my head until my neck was exposed, and he placed a soft kiss right against my pulse.

  I closed my eyes and explored his back with my hands, feeling the tight muscles and the strong tendons that connected everything together. His back was an inverted triangle of muscle, just unbridled power.