by Colbie Kay
“Yes, you can. Relax,” I tell her and begin running my tongue through her glistening slit over and over, front to back. I make slow swirls around her hard, sensitive nub, causing her to jump.
In no time at all, her body starts shaking uncontrollably, and she’s coming against my tongue. Fucking. Beautiful. Her nails dig into my back, and her hips buck wildly as this release lasts longer and is much more intense.
Removing my clothes, I climb up her body and line up my cock to her entrance. I drive into her repeatedly, biting my own lip to keep from groaning too loudly. She feels so fucking good.
“You’re trying to kill me!” Cayden exclaims quietly, chastising me, but moans when the next stroke hits her g-spot.
Chuckling, I respond, “I think I’m already fucking dead because this is heaven.” My body rocks against hers perfectly in sync, and she begins matching me pound for pound.
Our bodies dance to a rhythm perfect for us and beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. It’s more. It’s beyond just sex, just fun, just fucking. I’m giving her every part of my body and soul. Cayden’s it for me, and there is no turning back. I knew I loved her before, but this goes deeper than that. She’s embedded into every fiber of my being, into my very soul.
“Zac, I’m going to come again,” She softly cries.
My spine tingles as my own release moves through my body. I feel Cayden’s walls clenching around me. “Come with me.”
Our lips press together, covering our sounds of euphoria. Pulling back, I gaze down at Cayden. So beautiful. So stunning. And it hits me deep within my chest how much I’ve truly fallen. “How did I get so lucky?”
She grins up at me. “Because I’m no quitter, Zac Benson.”
“Thank fuck for that.” I chuckle and slide out to lie next to her.
Her head swivels in my direction. “I think I’m the lucky one though.”
“You just like the way I fuck,” I smirk.
Laughing, she nods. “I do like it, but I’m serious. You’re a great guy, Zac. I never wanted to be with anyone the way I want you. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. If you hadn’t come along, I don’t think I’d have ever found what my sisters have.”
I run my fingers through her hair. “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life that we found each other, and I’m so fucking happy that it was me who made you fall. I’ll always be here to catch you, Cayden. I love you.”
Tears pool in her gorgeous hazel eyes. “I love you too.” Her lips find mine. We don’t stop kissing until I’m pushing inside of her once more; we make love and don’t hold back from the emotions racing through us.
The closer we got to Maddie's parents’ house, the more my nerves took hold. Now I'm standing on their porch with trembling hands, unsure if I should be here or not. My heart is in my stomach as I try to find the courage to knock on the door. I’m walking into this blindly and have no idea what to expect or what the outcome will be. I can only hope for the best at this point.
"You got this," Cayden encourages me while standing beside me with one of her hands on my back.
I nod but don't reply because I can't. The lump in my throat is constricting my airway. I try to take several deep breaths–it doesn't help.
"Knock," She instructs, and somehow, my fist lifts from my side, and I tap it against the wood.
It opens. "Zac!" Maddie's mom gasps, covering her mouth, much like my own mom's response upon seeing me.
"Hi, Mrs. Price. I know this is a surprise, but could I talk to you?"
She nods quickly. "Yes. Yes, please come in."
We enter the house I’d been in so many times in the past, and it's exactly how I remember. Dark wooden floors and gray walls with white crown molding. Pictures of Maddie from a baby until graduation hang on the walls: in her cheerleading uniforms, at cheer competitions, us at prom. So many memories.
Mrs. Price shuts the door behind us and leads us into the living room. Before sitting on the couch, I introduce Cayden.
"Tom will be upset he missed you. He's away on business until next week."
"He'll be upset?" I question, my brows drawing down tightly in bewilderment. Maddie’s dad was always like a second father to me, but I’m half-shocked, half-surprised to hear that–not to mention the fact she let me into the house without batting an eye. My nerves begin to settle slightly.
She gives me a small yet genuine smile. "Yes, there were so many times we wanted to apologize for how we treated you at the hospital, Zac. You were always like the son we never had. It was wrong of us, but Maddie was our only baby, and we were hurting.” Her head drops and she shakes it briefly before her sorrowful gaze meets mine. “We shouldn’t have taken it out on you, blamed you. We’ve been waiting for you to return so we could ask you for your forgiveness. We never expected you to disappear the way you did."
I blink multiple times to try and keep the threatening tears at bay. "You have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one that’s sorry, Mrs. Price. I wish I would’ve stopped her that night.” I release a deep breath of air. “I've never forgotten about her and have always felt guilty for what happened."
Her lips tip up a bit more. "Maddie was always so strong-willed and stubborn. You couldn't have stopped her, Zac." She gets up from the couch. "Follow me."
Cayden and I follow Maddie's mom down the hall, getting closer and closer to Maddie's old bedroom.
Mrs. Price opens the door, and my heart slams into my chest. "Maddie," I whisper. She’s sitting in a wheelchair facing the window.
"She likes to sit in here and listen to music." The stereo is playing a country song. Maddie always did love music.
My tear-filled eyes meet Mrs. Price's. "She survived the crash?" I state in shock, my throat tight.
Mrs. Price nods. "She did, but she’s quadriplegic. Why don't you go in and spend some time with her?" Her hand takes hold of mine, squeezing it in a comforting gesture before releasing me. “Maddie, you have company,” Mrs. Price’s voice rises over the music, then she walks away. Maddie turns her head, and I come face to face with my past, the girl I once loved, who I’d thought died. I feel the color draining from my own face. Maddie’s eyes drift to Cayden.
"I'm going to join Mrs. Price and give you two some time alone," Cayden tells me before she strolls away as well.
Hesitantly, I step into the very room I spent so much time in as a teenager. It still has those yellow walls she’d insisted on having because yellow was her favorite color. Pictures are scattered all over her walls, and I notice that most of them are of us. "Hey, Mads," I whisper, my eyes burning with unshed tears that are threatening to spill, and I drop to my knees in front of her. Maddie’s hair is the same chestnut brown, her eyes are still the whiskey color I used to want to drown in, but she no longer has the toned body she got from cheerleading and her once active life. She’s thin, almost frail. "I'm so sorry." Tears fall down my cheeks, and I welcome them.
I begin to sing our song. I get to the chorus. Maddie begins to sing with me quietly.
Let's hold hands on the porch swing, under the moon.
While the wind through the willows plays us a tune.
We can lie on a blanket, out back in the yard
And wish for our future on a faraway star.
You'll feel the passion as time after time
I press your sweet lips to mine.
Then we'll dance to the radio, right up 'til dawn.
'Til you drift off to dream in my arms.
A tear trickles down Maddie's cheek. “Zac.”
“Maddie,” I repeat her name as sobs racks my body.
“Shh. Don’t cry,” Her own voice trembles.
I lift my head from her lap to lock eyes with her. “I thought you were dead. I never forgot about you, Maddie.”
“I know. Mom and dad told me what they did. I was mad.” She grins. “You’re hair.”
I laugh lightly and wipe the tears off my cheeks. “It’s long.
You know I never cut it during baseball season, but this time I just kept letting it grow.
“Can I touch it?”
I lay my head back in her lap and lift one of her hands and run it down my hair. “I never stopped loving you, Maddie.”
“I love you too, Zac. I see your pain, but it’s time to let go. Your hair looks soft.” Maddie giggles. God, I missed that sound.
"I met a girl,” I blurt.
“Was that her at my door?” I put her hand back on the armrest and gaze into her eyes once again.
“Yes.” I nod. “Her name is Cayden. She's crazy, Maddie, but you would like her." I laugh. "I didn't want to fall for her, but I did. I've felt so guilty for that night. I thought you died. Fuck, I'm so sorry! If I would’ve known, I would’ve been here with you every day. I would’ve taken care of you."
“Zac, stop.”
I frown. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m happy for you. I’m glad you moved on, and I wouldn’t want you here with me. This is no life to live. I can’t even take care of myself, Zac. My mom bathes me, changes me, feeds me. I love you too much to want this for you,” she declares insistently. After a moment, she asks, “Can I meet her?”
“Yeah, I’ll go get her.” I stand up and walk back into the living room. “Cayden, she’d like to meet you.”
Mrs. Price nods with a bright smile. “Go on.”
Cayden excuses herself and then follows me back into Maddie’s room.
Maddie’s face lights up. “Hi, Cayden. It’s nice to meet you.”
Cayden returns her grin. “It’s nice to meet you too, Maddie.”
“You’re pretty. I see why Zac loves you.” Cayden’s wide eyes meet mine, and I shrug sheepishly. Maddie laughs. “You love him too, and that’s okay. I told Zac that I’m happy for him. I just wanted to meet the girl who helped him move on from me. Take care of him, Cayden. He’s a great catch, and if he loves you, then you have the greatest gift a person can receive.”
“Thank you, Maddie,” Cayden says. “Can we come back to see you?”
Maddie beams. “I’d like that.”
Cayden steps closer and takes Maddie’s hand in hers. “I can see why he loves you too.”
A tear runs down Maddie’s cheek. “Can you tell my mom I’m ready to lay down?”
“Sure.” Cayden nods.
When she leaves the room, Maddie’s tear-filled eyes lock onto mine. “Take care of yourself, Zac.”
Stepping closer, I put my arms around her shoulders. “You too. I’m glad I finally came home.” Another hole fills inside of me. I kiss the top of her head. “I’ll always love you, Mads.”
“I’ll always love you too, Zac.”
I join Mrs. Price and Cayden back in the living room. "Zac," Mrs. Price acknowledges me. "I hope that this will give you some peace. I'm really glad you came by, and I hope all of us can rest easier now."
"Thank you, Mrs. Price. I think we can, and I'll come back to visit. It means a lot to me that I got to see her." It was the closure I needed to fully move on with Cayden. I just wish I would’ve come home sooner, but I think I had to have Cayden’s strength to help me, and I’m grateful she has been by my side throughout this ordeal.
Maddie’s mom nods. "She has her good days and bad, but we take it one day at a time. Our Maddie is still here, and she's as beautiful as she always was."
"Yes, she is," I agree. My attention drifts to Cayden. "You ready?"
"If you are." She beams.
"Yeah, we have a long drive ahead of us. Thanks again, Mrs. Price."
Pulling both Cayden and me into a hug, she mumbles, “I better go lay her down now. Have a safe trip home.” With that, she walks down the hall, leaving us to show ourselves out.
I start up Dex's truck as Cayden says, "I heard you singing to her. That song, your reaction…it all makes sense now."
"Yeah, why did you sing it to Raine?" My gaze lands on hers for a moment before I begin backing out of the driveway to head toward the highway.
Our fingers lace together. "Because Momma used to sing it to us when we were little. As we got older, she would tell us that when we find a boy to love, we should make sure we can hold his hand on a porch swing, lay in the backyard to wish on stars, and to feel safe enough to fall asleep in his arms. She said that's true love. Even though she kept telling us that, the three of us never wanted any part of love. We saw what Momma went through, but I guess you, Dex, and Mav are the exceptions to the rule."
I laugh. "I'm fuckin' glad for that! Your momma sure is a smart woman. With everything she’s been through, at least she’s finally found her true love in Professor Bryant."
"Yeah. I'm happy for her, and if anyone deserves it, Momma does."
"We all do, Cayden. We all deserve to find true love. I was fucking lucky enough to find it twice. But I only have one future, and that's with you."
"I'm glad we came."
I squeeze her hand a little tighter. "Me too, but I'm ready to get home." And that's the truth. This road trip has been a hurricane of emotions. I’m happy I faced my past, however, I'm ready to start this new beginning with Cayden.
We’ve been home from Colorado for a week, and things have settled down a little bit. During the trip, Zac was able to start the healing process, and he is still working on it. It might take some time, but he’ll get there.
I know seeing Maddie overwhelmed Zac. How could it not? I mean, hell, seeing her hit me like a Mack truck, not to mention the emotions of knowing the girl Zac once loved was still alive. The articles and emails…we thought she’d died.
Finding her sitting in the room, had stunned me, and I left Zac and Maddie alone to give them some time and space. I don’t know what was said, but whatever it was, relaxed him. I could see it when he appeared in the living room, informing me that Maddie wanted to meet me. I was nervous but happy at the same time, knowing she’d like to meet me. Looking into Maddie’s eyes, I found her love for Zac reflected there…and I could also see that she had already let him go. Her words about his love being the greatest gift were true, and I couldn’t agree more. My heart swelled with happiness for Zac and Maddie.
We’ll definitely be visiting again. My most memorable moment of the trip was hearing Zac sing to Maddie. And now, I can understand why he reacted the way he did when I sang to Raine.
The trip had been tiring, and I was ecstatic when we finally got home. Unfortunately, today, I’m lying in bed with a headache, completely exhausted and hurting. It’s like I have the summer flu–if there’s even such a thing.
We have a few more weeks before we have to leave to go back to the condo and get ready for the next school year. We will be finishing up with the house, making sure everything is stored away and locked up before we leave.
Sighing, I know that I need to open my computer to check my syllabuses and calendar. I can’t put it off any longer because I have to figure out what supplies I’ll need to buy when my sisters and I go shopping today.
Ugh! Time to get moving. Tossing the covers off of me, I get up and go to the bathroom to take a shower. The water feels so good on my body. I let the hot water beat my muscles and run over my head as I try to rid myself of this headache.
Eventually, I turn the shower off and open the curtain to reach for my towels. I wrap one around my hair, and the other I use to dry off. Afterward, I take my time with the lotion to really rub it in so that it–hopefully–helps with my headache and fatigue. I still have to deal with my hair though, and I’m seriously thinking of cutting it all off at this point. For now, though, I blow dry it.
Exiting the bathroom, I find Cydney sitting on my bed. “Jeez, Cayd. You almost ready?” She asks.
“Yes, just let me get my clothes on, and I’ll be ready to go.” I step over to my dresser and pull out a matching set of panties and bra. I dress in my ripped shorts and a tank, slide on my flip-flops, and I’m done. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“‘Bout time. Let’s go find Callie,” Cydney states, and we hea
d out of the bedroom door.
We stroll down to Callie’s room. Before we can knock though, the door flies open.
“You ready to roll?” Cydney and I question at the same time.
“Yeah, let’s go.” Callie grabs her purse, and we head downstairs to leave.
When we arrive at the store, we make a beeline for the school supplies, needing to restock our stuff for the next semester. I’m looking at the notebooks. “Hey, how many notebooks should we get?”
“We’re all taking full loads, so we’ll need at least six a piece,” Cydney says.
I reach out and grab eighteen notebooks.
Callie turns to me, practically bouncing with excitement. “Oh my God! Are these not the brightest markers you’ve seen?” She loves her markers–well, school supplies in general.
I laugh. “Yeah, they’re right up your alley.”
Callie tosses four packs of the bright markers into the cart as Cydney walks over and drops in three reams of paper.
“Damn, Cydney, how much paper do you think we’re gonna need?” I ask.
Cydney shrugs her shoulders. “Well, you know we write papers all the time, plus notes, homework, etcetera. Might as well be prepared.” We continue down the aisle, our cart becoming half-full of supplies with each step we take.
“I think we have all we need, and then some,” I state, peering at the cart. As we leave that aisle and turn down the next, I glance over and see the feminine products, which does the job of reminding me that I need to get some tampons. “Hold up, sisters. I have to pick up some stuff.” Standing there, checking out all of my options, it hits me that I’m not sure when my last period came. I pull out my phone to check my calendar.
I’m late.
Putting my phone away, I glance up at the shelves again and find the pregnancy tests next to the tampons. All I can think is that I may need one of those if my period doesn’t come soon.
“Hey, you good?” Callie asks from beside me.
“Yeah. Just had a hard time finding the tampons I use. That’s all,” I reply.