The Brightness Duet: Complete Series Boxset

by Bri Stone

  She looks down at her lap. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to know how I was feeling, because I didn’t want you to worry about me.”

  “I was worried about you anyway. After not hearing from you for so long.”

  She nods. “Yeah, I know that now. I wanted to pretend like I was fine, but I didn’t really know how. And I was busy. But it only kept me from thinking about you too much.”

  “I understand, and I wish you knew you could have been honest with me. What made you finally answer me though?”

  “I don’t know. Well,” her eyes flicker to mine but go back to avoiding my gaze. God, if I was there I would just grasp the softness of her face and force her to look at me and find the truth in her.

  “It was like years ago when the fear of losing you was more than the safety of being alone. I know I can’t lose you, Thom. And I don’t want to. I know I can get through this, being away from you.”

  “Yeah, we can.” I smile softly, and it draws her to look at me. The tension in her shoulders visibly relaxes.

  “I love you. I’m so sorry.”

  I smile and nod. “I love you too baby.” I touch the screen and the noise she makes is just as adorable as it is saddening.

  “Uhm...tell me more about your days.” She straightens up and smiles. “I want to know everything.”

  Chapter Two: Thom

  Another seven days of training goes by. Some really consider it a job, and for all intents and purposes, it is. But it’s mostly training and being in constant competition with the people who are also our only friends.

  It really comes to when solo surgeries are up for grabs. I have already gotten cozy with Harrison, but when the chance to do an appendectomy solo came along, I had to fight for it. I got it, but because everyone knows I’m ‘related’ to Stan Edwards they assumed it was a hand out. Whatever.

  I do the surgery and keep my head down.

  When Friday night comes along, Staci doesn’t hesitate to invite me out with the others. The only difference is I say yes. Last week was the longest I had spoken with Perrie at length, but we had been texting throughout the day most days. I hadn’t had any real worries with Perrie, and I knew she was just trying to get through things her own way.

  “How is Perrie?” Staci is a ball of energy.

  I keep a small distance between us as we walk the two blocks to the pub.

  “Good. She’s doing well in her program.” I add, remembering the last time we spoke, where she told me she had done a solo autopsy. Well, mostly supervised. She is doing well and is more forthcoming with me.

  “Oh. That’s nice. Is she coming to visit? Or do you visit her?”

  We round the corner and I see the bar lights. Maci is behind us with Brock and David. The three of them have become like best friends over the months. Steve always heads home right after work, to get back to his wife and kid. Apparently, his daughter is teething now.

  “Uh, we haven’t worked all that out yet.” I laugh nervously. Mostly because we actually had never talked about it.

  The thought would come to mind, but I would decide not to say anything. I sometimes think it would put pressure on her, so I keep quiet. But mostly because I can barely manage to visit her, because how could I leave again? I often think how much I really want to be a surgeon; what if I took up research instead? Or taught?

  The answer to that lies with my mother six feet underground.

  I POP BACK MY SECOND scotch, neat, and think that will be it for the night. Kicking back with the lot of us, I get to know more about them.

  “No seriously,” Brock burps his third Yaeger, “I’m staring down the dean with my pants off and the entire frat behind me, daring her to shut us down.”

  “What did she do?” Maci giggles over her mojito.

  Brock downs the fourth Yaeger, “She fucking shut us down.”

  We all laugh. I couldn’t remember the last time I had laughed. Since I left San Francisco with Perrie, it was hard to even smile. Perrie is alive and well but just being apart from her was enough to rid me of emotions I didn’t need to get through the day.

  “Dude, how the hell did you even graduate?” David drawls. They’re both ten minutes to wasted.

  “Look, my parents practically own the school. Not proud of it, but it’s the truth. I stayed on the straight and narrow the rest of the way.”

  “Oh, in that case congratulations.” Maci is laced with sarcasm.

  “Come on Mace, you love that story!” Brock shouts and slobbers her with a kiss that leaves us all confused, but they seem to have their arrangement down, so we leave it alone.

  “You play pool?” Staci stands. She’s the designated sober one of the group, because she has barely finished her sparkling white wine.

  “A little.”

  She leads me over to the line of pool tables. Three are occupied while two stand clear. The place is dimly lit, so I barely see the others when they join us. The lot of us are all in sweats and jeans, unseeingly surgeons in training. No one would know we spent the day in the ER flooded by the aftermath of a building fire, and it’s weird to think that scrubs are all that separate us from other people.

  Over two games of pool I learn that David was engaged a week before the program started, but they split. Brock is exactly as he comes off; fun loving and not tied down to anyone, ever. Maci is a sweet girl with a tough streak and never talks about her undergrad or med school. I’m not sure what that means yet. We called a truce for all intents, so we wouldn’t take anything personally when it came time to fight over cardio surgeries. Staci is nice as far as I can tell, and has her sights set on neurology. She’s all small town with an accent to match.

  “So, Thom, you’re just catching all our stuff and not throwing anything back?” Maci calls me out.

  I laugh and take my shot and then it’s Brock’s turn. “Not much to tell.” I shrug.

  They all erupt in ‘come ons’ and as David gets me a dressed Dos Equis, I briefly question how much I’m drinking.

  “Seriously. I’m as boring as it gets.” Hands up in defense, I laugh and let them have a go at me.

  Finally, I nod and take my shot. As I chalk up the end of my stick I give them a gist, “never knew my dad, and my mom died of lung cancer five years ago. All I have is my super rich, philanthropist uncle, and my girlfriend Perrier.”

  David laughs, “so all you got out of this was Stan Edwards? I’d say that’s pretty good.” Trust him to make the mood light again, not that it got very dark. But for reference, Stan is to anyone in the medical community like...the Avery’s were in Grey’s Anatomy.

  He took his medical degree and built an entirely new empire within the profession. I’m proud to call him my uncle, but I would rather people not know if they didn’t need to.

  Brock claps my shoulder, “Your girlfriend...she hot?”

  I’m not even mad that Brock asked that question.

  Chapter Three: Thom

  My two drinks max turned into five, maybe six. Whatever is going on in my head needs to be drowned out, so I am. I miss Perrier more than I could have imagined.

  Staci was kind enough to get me home, and I am draped over her shoulders as she tugs me along the street.

  “You don’t usually drink.” She concludes.

  I nod and trudge along. I am not drunk enough that I can’t walk, but the buildings don’t pass by at a normal speed.

  “This way?” She asks when I tug her to the left.

  We get to my building and she walks me all the way up to my door.

  It becomes one of those moments where everything comes fast and long all at the same time. Staci has her arms tight around my waist and I clutch her shoulder like a life line, and we are in front of my door, but it doesn’t look the same way it always does.

  It seems so bright I wonder if it’s daytime. Suddenly I have the strength to stand on my own and I feel a deeper inhale of breath, one I haven’t felt in months.

  “Perrie, baby. Hi.” I see her, b
ut not as clear as I would like.

  Those long, wavy honey locks are up in a bun, her eyes are tired but still beautiful and her face soft and even. Her jeans are tight, and she has on an old UCSF shirt that takes me back in time. But she isn’t smiling, and as her eyes flick from me to Staci, I know what I need to say but it doesn’t come fast enough.

  “You’re Perrie? Oh, my goodness, he talked about you all night! I’m Staci. One of the other interns.” She moves to shake her hand and it’s awkward when I try to wobble towards Perrie.

  “Yeah. Hi.”

  “Since you’re here, I’ll just go. He didn’t drink that much though.” Staci giggles and takes her leave. “See you Monday, Thom.”

  I clear my throat and look at Perrie. I touch her shoulder to make sure she is here and that I haven’t passed out or something. My girl is here. I smile so wide it hurts and the gnawing in my chest is...is gone.

  “Sparks,” I breathe as I pull her close. So fucking close.

  Her body molds to mine, just like before. Her waist is fuller in my hands and her hair still smells the same; fresh lilac and peachy. She holds me so tight too, like she could never let me go and I do the same.

  “You’re here.” My voice is muffled in her ear.

  Perrie slightly pulls back, “yeah. I’ll explain inside.”

  After she fishes my key from my pocket we head inside. She has a small duffel bag and nothing else, but I can’t bear to ask how long she is staying.

  The new place is smaller than the other one. The foyer is just a narrow hall, the kitchen is on the other side, and it opens right to the living room with my leather couch and entertainment system. My bedroom lies behind the far door.

  “Sit. I’ll get you some water.” She instructs.

  I lay on the couch with my feet still on the ground and toss my forearm over my head. It’s swimming, but I think it has less to do with the drinks and more to do with Perrie showing up. What really gets me is the shock doesn’t last long, it feels like nothing has gone on in three months and that we haven’t been apart. Maybe I’m passed out by the pool table, and this is just an awesome dream.

  She only shuffles around for a bit before finding the cabinet with my glasses. Then she is kneeling next to me on the couch, combing my hair back as I drink down the glass. She gets me another one and then returns.

  “What are you doing here?” I smile and stroke her cheek. Naturally, she leans into my touch and nearly purrs.

  Her hand covers mine and pulls my palm to her lips. “I had to see you. I had some extra time and a good deal on tickets,” she half laughs, “so I came. Are you...you don’t want to see me?” Her eyes search mine in a way that tells me she isn’t afraid of a negative answer, but I chalk it up to just having had too much to drink.

  “Of course, I do. I’m just surprised. If I knew you were coming, I wouldn’t have gone out drinking with the other interns.” I chuckle once. “Now I have whiskey dick.”

  “You look like you had fun.” She giggles.

  I swallow once and feel her hip against me. “Yeah, but...I’d rather have fun with you. I’m tired though, and slightly drunk.”

  She laughs, “yeah. You are. We can have a shower and then go to sleep. I want to wash the flight off me.” She stands and pulls me with her.

  “Okay.” I say, even though I’d rather just take her to bed. For the sake of not embarrassing myself, I opt against it.

  My bathroom is quaint, and my shower head has a Bluetooth speaker. Once we strip and get under, she starts playing some Florence, it’s her favorite band. We wash down, hands reacquainting themselves with our bodies; and then I revel in getting to hold her against me for a while. The steam clears my senses but doesn’t block how obvious it is that something is wrong with her. That she came for a reason.

  “I’ve gone up two sizes.” She squirms, and I hadn’t realized I was kneading the new flesh of her waist.

  There is still too much alcohol in my system apparently, as my cock lays only semi hard against her naval.

  “So?” I smirk.

  She pulls back and water cascades down her face. “You are so beautiful. I missed you.” I seal her lips in a kiss.

  Everything but us freezes and I move against her with the fury of all the time we have spent apart. But she still feels the same, tastes the same. I revel in the softness of her lips but also their familiarity. It is like they belong on mine when I suckle the skin and nip her flesh as I tilt my head. And the way her hands roam over my body is not hesitant at all. Her need for me seeps through everything, flooding with mine. I only break our kiss for air, and nip at her chin and neck until we go back to our tight embrace.

  When true exhaustion hits us, we get out and I stuff her in my bed as we are. Happy to feel her against me.

  I HAVE NO SENSE OF time but that doesn’t matter much. Realizing Perrie really is next to me, and that I haven’t been dreaming, brings a smile to my face and moves all my blood down to one particular place.

  Her body is draped over mine, every part of her is exposed and I find it hard to even move her, because she looks so peaceful. I notice she has cut her hair a little shorter, but not much. I want nothing more than to stroke her hair and stay with her, but my bladder is screaming, and I need to stop my head ache from getting worse.

  Once I take care of that I brush my teeth and head to the kitchen. I’m lucky not to have a real hangover. Everyone from last night texted me individually to check on me, and I realize I’ve made friends here. I thought it would be unbearable, coming here, but with them, it isn’t too bad. Plus, the rigorous residency program.

  In the middle of making eggs, Perrie comes padding into the kitchen.

  “You look the same.” She grazes over my bare back and comes to my side. She kisses my bicep and rests her head against me.

  “Was I supposed to change?” I chuckle.

  Turning to her, I trap her between me and the counter. “No, but you could have at least gained some weight like I did.” She rolls her eyes.

  I scoff, “I have a fast metabolism. And you didn’t gain weight, baby, you look the same.”

  She cocks her brow and purses her lips. “I’ve gone up two sizes.”

  I step back and grin. “Can’t tell. Not with all those clothes on.” Granted she is only wearing my shirt, but I want it off.

  She gets the message and strips the shirt off.

  Chapter Four: Thom

  I follow the curve of her calves up to the slopes of her thighs, the creamy skin as soft and as sinuous as before. I’m reacquainting myself with her body again, because it has been so long. We agreed we wouldn’t send any racy pics because we didn’t want to mess up our careers at any point, and we only skyped once.

  I almost forgot how perfect she is.

  Her sex is already glistening between her small, thin patch of golden hair and I follow upwards to her puckered nipples and flushed cheeks. Perrie’s eyes have darkened with every rise of her breath.

  “You’re staring.” She says in the same tone from years ago. The one she gets when she’s desperate for me.

  I nod, “you’re nice to look at.” I beckon her closer to me.

  There is no hesitation when her lips collide with mine. Her taste is sweet and just as addictive as before, if not more. As her lips turn in and she deepens the kiss—she wastes no time getting me out of my sweats. In a quick stumble, I step out of them and carry her over to the couch. She straddles me, her tongue flicking over my lips and her hips grinding over mine. Because I need to breathe, I break away and nibble on her chin, and the sweet spot below her ear.

  “I missed you so much, Stud. So, so much.” She breathes. The want in her voice is heavy, as she sounds heady and wanting for me.

  I inhale her scent, where her true smell lies beneath her ear and towards her hair line. The soft fragrance of sweet peach and berries, the timeless body splash she’s worn since the first day I met her. It comes flooding back to me and leads right to my cock hardening betwe
en us.

  “I missed you too, Sparks.” I breathe her in and suck the skin over her collar bone, tasting her and hearing her mewl.

  I keep going as she twists her fingers in my hair, that I’ve grown out in the past few months. I hold her by her waist and kiss her over the swells of her breasts. My thumbs pad over her nipples until they are tight, hardened buds and I suckle her left nipple, while my thumb circles the other. Her moans under her breath grow, and I start to feel her clit throb with her heart beat.

  Perrie moves one hand and grips the tip of my cock, lapping up the moisture that has dripped and uses it to stroke me entirely. I feel the desire in my spine, traveling down my groin and virtually paralyzing me. The way she squeezes me is maddening.

  As I move to her other nipple with my tongue, I trail down her body until I reach her clit, feeling it throb under my two fingers. I slip them between her slick folds and feel her tremble, smell her arousal. I move my fingers away and she practically groans.

  “Need to taste you.” I pretty much growl as I turn her over and prop her on the arm of the couch. Her knees immediately bend, and I grip the upper slopes of her thighs, kissing down the side of her left leg, then the other.

  “Thom...” her sigh is low and sweet.

  I kiss across her hip bone, that no longer shows through her skin but I feel under my lips. I inhale the scent of her hair and she juts her hips towards me. Because I can’t take it anymore, I lick her from her opening to the hard nub of her clit and take all of her in my mouth, sucking her like a fucking life line. She erupts with pleasure, and it only takes a few more licks, more lapping, slight sucking; to get her to come.

  I taste all of her and leave no drop untouched before I find her lips again. Swollen from before, our lips move over each other, coaxing apart until out tongues start to dance together. I hold her hips tight and she shifts down so my cock is right against her.

  She lets her hands fall over my back, tracing the muscles. Perrie turns her head and deepens the kiss, sucking on my bottom lip until I groan.