“True.” Giving him a light swat on his uninjured side of his chest, we both chuckle. “I may have had all the girls chasing me, but there’s only one girl I like chasing in return,” he declares with a wag of his eyebrows. The words make my heart swell.
“I am worth chasing,” I say in return, playfully going along. He throws his head back to laugh. When his eyes meet mine, he mocks, “Who’s the cocky one now, Ms. Supermodel?” This time I’m fully laughing with him at the thought.
With a contented sigh, he’s managed to push all my sadness to the back of my mind. I lay my head on his shoulder while we happily hold each other. The entire time I’m debating whether I should tell Matt right now, but I’m not given the chance when he says, “Want to go grab a bite to eat?”
“Sure. But I get to pick this time,” I demand, knowing if I were to let him pick we’d end up at the Brewhouse because some game was on.
“Fine, but it better have good dessert.” His eyes roam my body, making my stomach flop from the hunger in his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. My dessert is right here,” he states, pinching me between my legs and making me yelp.
“Matthew Garcia, you’re intolerable,” I lecture, pulling away and leaving him to follow me.
“So does that mean I’m going to get lucky tonight?”
Ignoring him, we reach the living room and Matt is already asking Julio and Trey if they want to join us for dinner. Taking up the offer, I pray they keep their promise because deep down inside, I’m not ready to break both our hearts when I share the news with him.
I’M STARING DOWN at the contract I’ve signed, reading it for what seems like the hundredth time. No matter how many times I’ve read it, the words never change. It’s only been a couple of days since Trey informed me of Paris, and with every day that passes, it becomes harder to find the courage to tell Matt.
“You’re going to go nuts if you keep reading that thing,” Trey’s voice startles me from my thoughts. Giving up for the moment, my body slumps back into the recliner I’m sitting in, my lips letting out an exasperated sigh. Oddly enough, when I’m frustrated I find myself curling up into this stupid thing, and lately I’ve practically lived in it while Matt is at school. It’s the only time I’m allowed to wallow in the misery of my situation.
A couple of times he’s caught me staring off into space as I keep thinking of ways to tell him, but when he asks me what’s bothering me, I find myself fabricating an excuse to distract him. Lately he thinks it’s the pressure I’m feeling from the race I’ve committed myself to running. Which, ironically, even the training runs for it haven’t managed to take my stress away for more than an hour or so.
“Did you contact them?” I ask Trey, thinking back to yesterday when I’d asked him to contact them to see if there was any way out of it.
My mind is easily lost as it returns to the first day this all started. He’d immediately called them that night and informed them of my dilemma, believing they’d be sympathetic of my situation and release me from my obligation, but it was a failed attempt. They’d only laughed at him from the other end of the phone.
He’d tried again, practically begging on my behalf, asking them to move the date to the following week, even a couple of days later, but they’d disagreed. Trey had bravely flat-out told them I wasn’t doing the show then, and they’d come back with a legal order from their lawyer stating I was obligated to do the show or else they would sue me. The blood had completely left my body the moment I was served with the paperwork and I’d read the order. I’d asked Trey if we should hire a lawyer to fight it, but he’d sympathetically replied, “We can try, but as they pointed out, your signature is on this contract saying you’d do the show. It can turn nasty with the media and I don’t know if you want that to happen.”
The last thing I need is for the media to get ahold of this story and blow it out of proportion, as they did with Bill’s death. Trey was still currently trying to clean up that mess, even with my statement. Poor guy was learning the ropes of being a manager quick. Fortunately, he never complained to my face, but some days I saw the frustration in his eyes as he stormed around the house yelling into his phone with my new publicist. He’d managed to find someone who was just starting out and at first I was skeptical, but he assured me the guy was good and everyone has to start somewhere. I told him if my ass got publicly screwed over, I’d degrade his income back down to two percent, where he’d started.
I only had two days left until I was scheduled to leave and the only thing keeping my sanity together was helping Matt plan his graduation. I was also planning a small party at our house for everyone and their families who were flying in. I’d originally suggested the Brewhouse, but Matt insisted we have it at our place so everyone could relax. I couldn’t complain. The guys all volunteered to barbeque and the parents had said they’d take care of the sides. It just sucked I wouldn’t be here to celebrate with everyone. But planning the party was the least I can do before I left. It would leave Matt something from me.
“Yeah, I just got off the phone with them to tell them you’re ready to go, even though we both know that isn’t true.” Trey’s voice breaks me from my thoughts once more. “You can’t keep it from Matt much longer. It’s bad enough he’s going to be pissed that you kept it from him for this long,” he declares and there is no arguing the simple fact.
As if knowing we’re speaking about him, Matt walks through the door with a jubilant smile spread across his face. “I’m officially a college graduate!” he shouts with his hands held high into the air.
“Whoopty. Fucking. Doo! So am I!” Trey’s comment makes me laugh knowing that he’s worked just as hard as Matt to earn the right to say it.
“What the fuck is up with you?” Matt bitterly bites back to him.
Trey’s lips turn down into a frown as he looks over to me. “Good luck,” he proclaims before walking away. Pausing when he reaches Matt, he claps him on the shoulder. “We’ll go celebrate tonight, if you’re still up for it,” he says to him as his eyes briefly look over to me.
Matt seems confused as he looks back and forth between Trey and myself, but he shakes it off and is now looking back at me. I’m already standing up to greet him with a hug and kiss. “Congratulations,” I whisper into his ear. Engulfing me in his arms to hug me tightly, I’m trying my best to hold back the tears building inside of me. This conversation is not going to be easy, but it’s finally time I stop hiding.
Kissing me below my ear as he does when he hugs me, the shiver and tingles emerge throughout my body, helping to push some of my dread aside.
“Can we have sex to celebrate?” Matt eagerly asks into my ear.
Jokingly, I reply, “Alright,” not thinking he’d instantly scoop me up after the words came out. “Matt, put me down! You’re not supposed to be overdoing yourself!” I shout as he rushes to our bedroom. My voice echoes in the hallway as he ignores my protesting along the way and soon we’re in our room with the door being slammed behind us. The entire time Matt has managed to keep me laughing with his excitement of thinking I’m really going to go against his doctor’s orders.
My body is soon descending onto our bed with Matt just as quickly following above me, doing his best to strip me of my clothes. His eagerness is hilarious, keeping me laughing the entire time I playfully fight his hands to stop.
“I love it when you laugh,” he says, already digging his fingers into my side to keep me giggling and squirming. I attempt to buck his body off me to stop his torturous tickle attacks, but it’s impossible with my body being locked under his. Instead, I do the next best thing I know to stop him. I kiss him. The moment I slide my tongue into his mouth and the warmth of our mouths mix together, he completely stops, telling me I’ve won.
The ceiling above me disappears when he turns me to straddle his waist, our mouths still tightly fused together. Remembering what my intentions were just moments ago, I pull my mouth from his, panting as I look down into his eyes. The lingering
smile that was once on my lips evaporates as I think of the words needed to begin.
“Matt, I won’t be here for your graduation,” I blurt out, watching his smile quickly disappear.
“What do you mean you won’t be here?”
Holding onto the newfound courage, I repeat, “I’m not going to be here for you graduation. I have to go to Paris.”
He’s staring up at me with a perplexed expression. “You leave the day of the graduation?”
“I leave the day before your graduation,” I clarify.
His eyes are searching the room as if thinking of an alternative. “Well, good thing I have my passport up to date.” Just as I’d predicated, he’s already thinking of coming with me, which is why I’ve already prepared my reply.
“You can’t come with me,” I inform him.
His brows furrow. “Why the hell not?” he practically shouts back.
“You have to stay here and graduate, that’s why.”
His body has completely gone tense underneath mine. “Being with you is more important than me graduating.”
Now he’s just pissing me off. “How can you think not graduating is more important than being at a runway show? You have worked too damn hard for you to not walk that graduation line. And if you think for one second it’s not important, think of how your sister would feel if she heard what you were saying right now,” I throw at him, knowing the question will make him rethink his decision.
Dumbfounded, his head snaps back as he angrily narrows his eyes at me. I’d expected him to argue my statement, but his silence is puzzling as he lies beneath me.
“I promise I tried to get out of it, Matt. I truly did, but they’ve involved their lawyers and there’s nothing I can do at this point,” I somberly state, hoping he’ll say something. I’ll take anything at this point.
Closing his eyes as he lets out a sigh, he throws his arm over his face. “Why can’t anything in our relationship be easy?” he asks. Understanding his meaning, I sigh with him. When it comes to our relationship, we’ve had to face one obstacle or another to hold onto our love. When will it ever be easy?
“Remember when you asked me if our love was worth fighting for?” I ask, remembering that day very well. It wasn’t one of our happiest days, but it was the day Matt reminded me of how much we do love each other. “I think it is.”
Taking his arm from his face, he looks up at me. “Yes, it is,” he agrees. “But it still doesn’t change the fact that I’d rather go with you.”
“You’re going to walk that graduation line for me, your sister, and every darn person who has ever been there to encourage you to graduate, mister,” I order, gently pushing my finger into his chest. Matt is now chuckling at my words, making me feel a little better. “Promise me,” I add, hoping this will keep him from changing his mind.
He’s silent for a moment—too long for my liking—but eventually his chest rises and falls before he mumbles, “Alright, but I’m only doing this for you,” making my lips go up into a triumphant smile.
Sitting up, our faces are mere inches apart. “It’s not going to be the same without you, beautiful,” he admits.
“I know, but you have to remember that the people you love don’t have to be physically at your side for you to know their heart is with you,” I state, rubbing my palm against his tattoo. He looks down at the same spot my eyes are currently focused on and we both sit in silence for the next minute before he pulls us to lie back down on the bed. My cheek rests above his chest as I listen to his heartbeat thump into my ear, thinking of how close I came to almost losing him. With every day that passes, I cherish every moment I can with Matt, because I can’t imagine a day without him.
MY EYES FOLLOW Abigail as she slowly moves around the room, checking and double checking her surroundings as if frightened she’ll forget something. A silence has taken over the room since this morning when we’d awoken. Her answers have been short and to the point, occasionally a tinge of bitterness was added to her responses. She’d profusely apologized for her attitude, but I’d brushed it off knowing it was the resentfulness she was carrying that was speaking.
These past few days have been both bitter and sweet. Abigail had wanted to make sure she was completely involved with every detail of the preparations for my graduation tomorrow, and I’d willingly allowed her to have full control of it all; anything to keep a smile between us.
She pauses to take another turn around the room for the fourth time since I’ve started counting, her left hand tightly clasped around the bracelet on her right wrist. The sight tugs at my lips, a smile forms knowing how much she loves that thing. She rarely takes it off except for when she runs or is ordered by her job to do so.
She’s still fiddling with her bracelet when I command, “Come here,” beckoning her with my fingers. She lets out a sigh before she starts walking over to me. Reaching out for her wrist, I tug her down on top of me and as she always knows to do, straddles my waist.
This time, though, I pull her into my arms so she’s flush against my chest. “I’m going to miss you,” I say into her hair, my nose inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. The arms wrapped around my waist tighten as she says, “I’m going to miss you, too.” Her somber words full of sadness.
My hand is already gliding up and down her back in a desperate need to comfort her, but in reality I feel the need to touch her to comfort myself.
“I really wish I didn’t have to go,” she rasps out. By the sound of her voice, I know she’s holding back tears.
“It’s fine. It’s only a graduation where I’ll be sitting around for four hours trying not to fall asleep.”
She pinches my side, making me wince. “It is a big deal."
“Says who?” I tease. She groans into my chest knowing she can’t answer. “If you want, we can FaceTime the entire time I’m sitting there,” I suggest.
Her silence worries me, but I’m given an answer as to why she’s quiet when I hear a slight sniffle come from her. Pulling her chin up to look at me, I see her tear stricken eyes blinking. “Don’t cry, beautiful,” I plead, but my request only makes it worse as she lets out a whimper with her next breath.
Wanting to stop her crying, I kiss her. My sole purpose is to kiss her as if it’s the last time I will see her so the memory will stay with her until she comes back. Rolling her body so she’s now under me, I grab her thigh to wrap her leg around me, thrusting my body between her legs. My tongue slowly dances against her own, exploring every inch of her mouth. The barrier of clothing between us is frustrating and I want nothing more than to tear her clothes off, but Abigail is already beating me to the task as she starts tugging my shirt up and over my head. Her warm hands rub against my ribcage, sending a spark of shivers through my body. My hands have already found their way into her shirt and are kneading her breasts, while Abigail’s hands are unbuttoning my pants and reaching inside to wrap her hand around me. I let out a groan into her mouth, praying she’s not going to make me stop this time.
“Please, Matt. I need you,” she pleads, pulling me tighter into her body with her leg. She already has my pants halfway down my ass when I realize she is still fully dressed. There is definitely something wrong with this situation. Breaking our kiss as I yank my body back, I tug her to sit up, my hands pulling her shirt up and off. She helps me with her bra and next I’m impatiently tugging down her pants. She’s about to reach for my own pants when I stop her to take a moment to stare down at her in front of me. Her body is nothing but perfection as it lays naked and ready for me.
Craving the taste of her skin, I lower my head and start kissing at her collarbone, slowly working my way down between the valley of her breasts. I can smell the faint floral scented lotion she applies after showering; the scent is pure torture to my senses as I run my nose close to her skin. Slowly, my tongue glides and tastes every inch on its way down her body as I leave a trail of kisses behind. Her little mews of pleasure are encouragement enough to keep tantalizing th
e both of us.
My rock hard dick is demanding I strip myself of my remaining clothes, but my desire to please Abigail first always overtakes my own needs. Abigail suppresses a giggle when I reach her stomach and swirl my tongue around her belly button. Her hands are attempting to shove me away to keep from tickling her, but the action pushes me further down her body to the spot my mouth has been searching for.
Using my hands to fully spread her legs open, I take one quick peek up her body and her lust filled eyes are staring back at mine. Making sure my eyes are locked onto hers, I lick the center of her heat and I’m rewarded as I watch her throw her head back to moan.
My cock jumps from the sound and taste, but it’s not enough. I want more. Clamping my lips down on her clit, my tongue swirls between the center of her folds. I can feel her nails digging into my hair, gripping and pulling, as if she fears I’ll move. Her body is wiggling under my mouth, causing me to reach under her and take her ass into my hands to keep her still. I can’t resist squeezing her ass as I bite down on her clit. She lets out a yelp and tries to pull away, but I keep her firmly locked in place as I suck the spot to relieve some of the ache. I know she’s nearly ready to come from the sounds she’s making and the way she keeps pushing herself harder into my mouth. Already knowing her body well and what it takes to make her reach her peak, I have her screaming within seconds as she starts coming into my mouth. I nearly come myself when I hear her pleasured screams. Her body is now lightly twitching as I lap up the remaining juices left between her legs, making sure I take in as much of her taste as I can.
When I sit up to look at her again, her body is limp and her chest is rapidly rising and falling, but her eyes are still closed as she takes in her breaths. Stepping off the bed, I push down my pants and boxer briefs to shuck them aside before I slowly climb back over her. She welcomes me into her open arms while her legs tug me forward. My cock is resting against her center where my mouth was just moments ago, and her heat is torture as my cock lies in its warmth.
Unspoken Endings Page 22