Love in the Mix

by Lucy Darling

  “Noah!” Sean barks so loudly I even jump. Noah pushes past me. I catch the look on Noah’s face. He looks as mad as Sean sounds.

  “Amber.” Noah hisses the woman's name. Her gaze comes to me.

  “I’m only doing my job.” She smirks.

  “I fired you. You don’t have a fu-” Noah stops himself, changing his tone, trying to remain professional. “You’re trespassing, along with a few other things. I will call the police and I will press charges.”

  “Get her the fuck out of my office,” Sean bellows again. I can see his face now. Well, I can see his head is down looking at the ground, his hand on his forehead shading his eyes. I stand there, not sure what to do.

  “Put your fucking clothes on!” My eyes snap back to Noah, who I can tell wants to grab Amber by the arm and pull her out of the office. She glares at me as she slips her dress over her head. “Charges, sir?” Finally Sean looks up. His eyes lock with mine.

  “I didn't do anything!” Amber shrieks. Noah starts listing off things she has done. One including taking money from a customer for sex.

  “Do you want me to press charges?” Sean asks me.

  “I don’t know.” Why is he asking me? I just want to smack her. Maybe pull her hair a little. I’ve never been a violent person but now I can see how these things happen.

  “It would end up in the tabloids, cupcake. As the woman I’m going to marry, everything that happens to or around me will involve you. So, yes, it is up to you.”

  I look back to the woman, whose face has turned all white. “No, she’s only been really hurting herself. She’s not worth the trouble.”

  Sean nods. “If I were you I’d get out of my club before I beg my woman to change her mind.”

  “Beg.” Amber gasps under her breath.

  “I will make sure you don’t work anywhere near us ever again.”

  “I don’t need this.” Amber stands a little straighter. I think she knows she’s lost. I actually feel kind of bad for her. If everything Noah says is true, I think she should get some help, but I don’t think she will, judging from the look on her face. She stomps out of the office. Noah follows after her.

  Sean raises from his chair, coming straight for me. I back up a step. The look on his face is intense. I don’t know if he’s still angry or it’s something else. I’m not scared of him. If anything, I’m turned on. He stops.

  “You about to run from me, cupcake?” He cocks his head to the side.

  “No.” I shake my head. The man just said I was going to be his wife. I’m not going anywhere. Ever. The only place I’ll be running to is the altar.

  21

  Sean

  She runs toward me, jumping into my arms. I catch her easily. She does, however, knock the air right out of my lungs with her words.

  “I love you, too,” she tells me before she’s kissing me. I dig my fingers into her ass, carrying her over to one of the chairs in my office and sitting her down.

  “Cupcake.” I hold her tighter to me. I thought this was going to be a fucking mess. I could tell the minute Amber walked into my office. The look on her face showed that she was up to something. I had no idea Noah had already fired her. I told her to leave my office. That I was busy.

  I’d glanced back to my computer to dismiss her but I should have known better. A second later she was pulling her dress up. I immediately dropped my head. The only thing I saw was red from the rage I’d felt at her disrespect.

  Anger filled me at the predicament that not only she put me in but I’d put myself in. I should have nipped this in the ass a long time ago. It’s the first time I’ve felt scared in my life. I didn’t feel it when I was starting my business or at any other point in my life. But in that brief few seconds, the thought of losing Alyssa overwhelmed me. I’d just gotten my hands on her and the thought of my stupidity ripping that away from me had me filled with an anger I didn’t even know resided in me.

  “You’re supposed to say it back.” She smiles down at me, her hair falling all around us, having come loose at some point.

  “Never doubt that I love you, Alyssa.” I had no doubt they’d be the last words from my mouth if the world ever took me from her. I grip her tighter for a moment. I’ll never let that happen. I release my hold a little, not wanting to hurt her delicate skin. Her smile is so big it lights up her whole face.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” I trail off, not wanting to even say her name.

  “Do we need to?” She shrugs like it’s not a big deal.

  “Are you sure? I never want you to think-” This time it’s her that cuts me off, shaking her head and sending those gold locks of hers flying.

  “I was wrong.” Her hands run up my chest. That was not what I thought she was going to say. “I judged you. It was wrong of me. I should have never questioned you or let things get in my head. You never gave me a reason to doubt you.”

  Fucking hell. This woman is going to be the death of me. The sweetest of its kind but still the death of me.

  “I was letting things from my past cloud my judgment. I really am sorry.”

  My hands on her hips tighten. Someone hurt her. “Who hurt you?” The words come out strangled. I know I was the first to have her body. It doesn’t mean I was the first to have her heart. I equal parts want to kill any man that hurt her in the past but am also jealous as fuck that someone had gotten that close to her.

  “He didn’t hurt me.” She sighs. “He taught me a lesson. To stay away from certain type of men.”

  “You didn’t love him?” Fuck. I should not have asked but the words are already out there.

  “No, we dated a little. I think it was partly my fault, too. I think dating is hard for me to understand. The thought of dating multiple people at once doesn’t appeal to me. I’m just not built that way. I saw you with all those women and thought you dated that way, too.”

  “I was not with those women,” I growl.

  “I know. I know,” she rushes to say. “I just wanted to tell you why I reacted the way I did. I’m-“

  I cut her off. “Do not say sorry again, cupcake. I’ll never be mad at you for trying to protect yourself. It’s what I plan to do.” I kiss her. Protecting her and never letting anything hurt her is all I care about. No wonder my brother was so barbaric when it came to his wife’s security.

  “I really do love you.” She smiles. Her eyes are filled with tears.

  “I love you, too, but those better be happy tears.”

  She nods her head. “You said I was your fiancée.”

  “I did.” I shrug.

  “I don’t recall you asking me.” She lifts her hand. “I have no ring.” She wiggles her fingers. I hate the sight of her bare finger.

  “You want a ring on your finger, cupcake?” I tease her. She wiggles in my lap.

  “One day,” she answers. Her words put me on edge. Was she only teasing? Did she not want to get married? “My parents.” Ahh. Now I’m getting the reason for hesitation. She wants their blessing. She’s been teasing me about meeting her mom. I know she played it off as a joke but I could tell her family accepting me means a lot to her. From what she told me, they are a close bunch.

  “Yes, your parents.” I reach into my pocket, pulling out a box. Alyssa’s eyes grow big. She shakes her head no.

  “Sean.” Her eyes fill with tears. “You can’t ask me. Not yet.”

  I open the box. She gasps. Her hands fly over her face. I pull her into me, holding her close.

  “Don’t cry. You’re breaking my heart,” I whisper into her ear.

  “How did you get my grandma’s ring?” She lets out a small hiccup into my neck.

  “I went to your mom and dad and talked to them.” She pulls back to look at me. “I told them I wanted to marry you. It took some coercing, but they gave me their blessing. Then your mom gave me this.” I hold up the box again.

  “It was my grandma’s.”

  “I know.” Her mom had told me all about the ring. What it
meant to their family and how it was to be passed on to Alyssa. One day to one of her children.

  She holds her hand out as I slide the ring onto her finger. “When did you talk to them?”

  “The day after the wedding shower. While you were at work.” She stares at the ring on her finger.

  “No one in my family has ever been divorced. It’s not because of vows either. Everyone has always been so in love. You should have seen my grandparents. My parents can’t keep their hands off one another.” She smiles so big I never want that look to leave her face.

  “I saw your parents.” They are in love. Her father couldn't keep his eyes off her mother. I thought it was going to sound crazy to them why I was there. That they’d think I was out of my mind for what I’d come to ask them without them even knowing me. But my fears were put to rest when they said it was how it worked in their family. They said it was tradition. That they know immediately when they meet their soulmates. I’m sure it helped that her mom already started doing all kinds of digging on me. I told her I’d tell her anything she wanted to know. I was an open book to them.

  “Right.” She kisses the ring before turning her head and kissing me. I dig my hands into her hair, deepening the kiss. She shifts in my lap. This little whimper comes from her mouth, letting me know what she needs.

  “Stop! Don’t go up there!” I pull back, lifting Alyssa from my lap and setting her back down to stand in front of her. I can hear multiple pairs of footsteps bounding up the stairs. Noah is yelling after someone. Fucking hell. What now? Two women burst into my office.

  “Mom?” Alyssa pops up from behind me.

  “I tried to stop them,” Noah sighs, looking from me to Alyssa and back to the two ladies.

  “We’re quick.” The one I’m guessing is Neily’s mom, Bree, winks at Noah. She and Neily look a lot alike.

  “Did you ask?” Lydia asks excitedly.

  “I see the ring!” Bree shouts.

  “She said yes!” Lydia high-fives Bree. “We get to plan a wedding. Finally!”

  “I’m twenty-two. You guys act like I’m an old maid,” Alyssa mumbles. I pull her close to me, kissing the top of her head and fighting a laugh. What I had planned will have to wait. For now at least. I know I’ll have a lifetime of making love to my cupcake.

  “It won’t stop here. They’ll want grandbabies next. I don’t know what you’re smiling about.” Alyssa looks up at me. I only smile bigger.

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Alyssa shakes her head at me but she’s smiling. “You have to at least pretend to be on my side.”

  “I’m always on your side.” I lean down, brushing my mouth against hers. “But let's be honest. You’re probably already pregnant,” I say before I kiss her, making Bree and Lydia only scream again with excitement.

  “One down.” I watch Lydia high-five Bree.

  “One to go,” Bree says back. They both nod their heads in agreement. There’s a twinkle in both of their eyes. Which means they’re up to something.

  Epilogue

  Alyssa

  A little later

  “We should do this later,” Sean says as he nips at my neck. I let my head fall to the side so he can have all the room that he needs. He takes advantage of it, his hand slipping up my dress as he nips and sucks at my neck. I’m never getting out of the back of this car. My eyes fall closed. How can I be horny again? We had sex before we left the house. This is my own fault. I shouldn't have let him ride with me to the bridal store. I know that he can’t keep his hands off me.

  “We can’t.” I let out a moan, making no move to stop him. “The date has been set. I need a dress,” I remind him. Not to mention the fact that we keep going at it like rabbits. At the rate we’re going, I’m going to wind up pregnant, if I’m not already. Then I won't need to look for a dress because I won’t be fitting into one. “You have to go back to the house.” My fingers dig into his shirt. My eyes flick to the front of the giant SUV, making me realize that the driver is gone. I hadn’t even seen him step out of the vehicle.

  “You planned this.” My fingers find one of the buttons of his shirt.

  “I might have told the driver to fuck off.”

  I shake with laughter against him. “You better not have.”

  “Smith gets it. He loves his wife, too.”

  My heart flutters every time he says the L word. He says it so much I should be used to it by now, but it gets me every time. Sean’s fingers reach inside my panties. I spread my thighs, my clit already throbbing for his touch.

  “Still no period.” He growls against my ear as he pulls my panties to the side. His fingers easily slip inside of me. His cum is still there from when he’d taken me in the closet earlier as I was trying to get dressed. “All I need to do is keep filling you up like this and there’s not going to be one.” I clench around his fingers.

  Why is it so hot when he talks about us having a baby? I don’t know what it is but I’m already about to come. His thumb presses against my clit hard, circling it and sending me over the edge to orgasm. I cry out his name. He kisses me to muffle the sound. His thumb keeps moving, pulling the rest of the orgasm out of me until I’m wiggling to get away from him, the sensation becoming too much.

  “I want another,” he demands. When he has me like this I’ll do just about anything. I nod my head yes before going for the buckle of his pants. I conveniently forget that we’re in a vehicle outside of a bridal store. It’s what happens when Sean touches me. Nothing exists but him and the pleasure he’s guaranteed to give me. I jump when a loud bang hits the window.

  “Quit going at it in there. I’m hungry. I can’t take you two anywhere,” Neily shouts. Sean rights my dress, his hand coming out from under it. Neily pulls on the door handle but the door doesn't open. “Smith, unlock it.”

  “Sorry, ma’am,” I hear him tell her. I open the door quickly before she tries to wrestle him for the keys or something. I wouldn’t put it past her since she seems to be on this kickboxing kick lately. She even tried to get me to join a gym like a crazy person. Sean said I didn’t need to work out. That he could provide that service for me. Neily had fake-vomited at that joke.

  “Come on, you guys. I’ve been with the two moms for over thirty minutes. If you love me at all, Alyssa, you’ll rescue me.” I roll my eyes because she can’t see me. She’s so dramatic. She just wants them off her case for once.

  “I’m coming.” I step from the car. Sean grabs me by the wrist, pulling me back. I turn around as he gets out of the car, my body meeting his.

  “You will be coming again.” He kisses me. I can taste myself on his lips. He must have licked his fingers.

  “Do me a solid and keep that one from coming inside.” We both turn to see her pointing at Tomas. “Why don’t you take him for a beer or something? Do man things.”

  “Man things?” Sean asks her.

  “I don’t know.” Neily thinks about it for a second. “Wait. Don’t do man things. All you think about is sex.” She turns again, pointing at Tomas. “No man things.” He takes a step toward her looking as impatient as ever. “No.” She snips like he’s a child doing something bad. I fight a laugh because he does stop. He’s four times the size of her but he listens to her.

  “Pixie. Get your ass in the store. If anyone needs to worry about what anyone is doing it’s me worrying about you.”

  “Whatever.” She pushes her glasses up her nose. I can tell she’s fighting a smile and trying to play it cool. “Can we order a pizza or something?” she says as she wanders towards the door of the bridal store.

  “Take him with you. Go check on the house.” I point my thumb at Tomas.

  “He’s not going anywhere.”

  I look over at him. He’s on the phone, I think ordering pizza.

  “Tell him I think the lot next to ours is for sale.” I am pretty sure I remember it being empty.

  “Is it?” Sean asks. We found a beautiful home near Amelia and Ethan. There were just so
me changes we wanted to have made. It was nice to be close to family. It would be nicer if Neily was next door. It’s been the only downside to falling in love. I was used to my best friend being close. We still have the shop together. We’ll always have that but I missed her being right there. It’s how it’s always been.

  “I don’t care if it’s available or not. I’ll make sure it is, cupcake.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “Now go get a dress. We’re getting married next week.” He squeezes my ass, spinning me to head into the shop.

  Once inside, I quickly turn to watch Sean through the window. The same way I used to from inside Love Bites. For so many months I fantasized about him loving me one day. But in a million years I would have never imagined that it would be my reality. That he would be my everything. What started as a bit of an obsession on my part had turned into my life's happiness.

  Epilogue

  Epilogue - Sean

  Years later

  I lie up against the headboard watching my wife through the open bathroom door as she puts lotion on. It’s the same nightly routine I’ve watched a thousand times. It’s one that will never get old. She tilts her head back, letting her hair fall off her shoulder as she brushes it out. I adjust my cock that's already hard and waiting for her. I’ve already made my nightly pass of the house making sure everything was locked down and as it should be.

  We’re the only ones here. After a giant family dinner, everyone cleared out. My cupcake thinks the house is too quiet now. I think she’s wrong. I’m going to enjoy the few years I’ll have her all to myself. I think grandchildren are coming faster than she knows.

  “Doesn't that get old?” She turns from the bathroom mirror, flipping off the light before heading my way. Her silk robe slips off her shoulder. Another perk to no kids at home. My wife sleeps naked. I can always get her naked with a few touches but when the kids aren’t home she lies down without a speck of clothing on.