The Enlightened (Entitled Book 2)

by Cassandra Robbins

  “Reed?” Tess inserts her nails in my hand.

  “Ow,” I look at her.

  “I asked you twice where we’re going since you are going in the opposite direction of our favorite Mexican restaurant.”

  The twins start giggling again.

  “Pipe down back there.” I look at them in the rearview mirror, and as soon as they see me looking at them, they laugh harder.

  Tess turns around to look at them. She starts to smile. “What is so funny?” She looks at me.

  “Who knows. So I thought we would make one quick stop and then lunch.” I reach for her long, smooth leg and flash her my dimples.

  Her eyes narrow and she glances back at the twins who start laughing harder.

  “Okay, I’ll look at the beautiful day. Look at the ocean, guys, and the seagull on the fence.” She points, distracting them enough so they can at least calm down. I’m positive that they are going to ruin the surprise, but whatever—I’m rolling with it. I pull into our new entrance and key in the code, trying my best not to let Tess see that it needs my thumbprint also. The gate buzzes and glides open. I nervously rub my hands on my jeans as I slowly pull up the slight hill to our very own paradise.

  “Wow.” She’s opened her window. The slight ocean breeze kisses her face and I’m so god damn in love with her I almost ruin my own surprise.

  “This is pretty magnificent.” Her eyes scan the manicured green yard with tons of blooming jasmine and large terracotta pots overflowing with azaleas. She turns to the twins.

  “Okay, Daddy’s going to run and take care of some business and we are going to wait in the car.” She smiles at me. “Hurry, I’m hungry.”

  “You know what, it will be faster if you guys all come in with me. This place is amazing. I’ll give you a quick tour.”

  She looks at me and stares, her blue eyes sparkling.

  “Come on.” I don’t wait but hop out and open the door for the twins who have both unhooked themselves from their car seats. They jump down and start running, which instantly gets Tess out.

  “Guys, wait for us.” They both turn and gun it straight for us.

  I grab her hand, give the twins a quick wink, and open the front door. The large French doors that lead to the outside and the ocean are open, the waves crashing close enough to hear. She glances around as she glides in. The twins walk with her, their smiles completely obvious, but Tess seems to be in awe of the house rather than our children.

  “Wow, this is some place. What business partner owns this?” she says over her shoulder. Walking out into the sunny backyard, she twirls and looks over at me. Our eyes lock and I know that this is the time. I kneel down to Luke and Lilly.

  “Okay, I’m going to do this. I need you guys to stay close and when I signal, Luke you bring me—”

  “I know, Daddy.” He rolls his eyes.

  “Lilly, be ready with the roses.”

  She jumps up and down. “Yeah.”

  “Wish me luck,” I whisper. As I walk toward Tess her tan back straightens slightly; it’s on full display since her dress has a huge dip in the back. Not able to help myself, I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her stomach. She leans her head back on my chest.

  “This view is what it’s all about. Look at the ocean, so peaceful.”

  “You’re beautiful.” My voice caresses her ear. It’s now or never and if I don’t hurry up, my kids will. I grab her by the hips and turn her. Her stunning face looks happy and her eyes widen as I kneel in front of her.

  “Oh God…” Her hand goes to her throat and she looks over at our children.

  “Tess.” I take her hand. “I know that you have been hurt and disappointed by me. I also know that eighteen years ago today, I laid eyes on the most beautiful girl in the whole world. I was eight and my heart told me that this was the one. Call it destiny or sheer luck at finding your soul mate, but you looked at me and I knew.”

  Her eyes are already spilling with tears. I glance at my kids. Luke is throwing the ring box in the air. And Lilly’s big eyes are watching everything we do.

  “I wanted to do this four years ago, and I have regretted it every day since. We don’t need to pretend like we didn’t hurt each other.”

  She lets out a deep breath.

  “Tess Rose Gallagher, love of my life, mother of my children, will you do me the great honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?” I say the last part loud and I hear Lilly whisper at Luke. He walks toward us, his little hands carrying a faded red velvet ring box.

  “Reed… I.” She looks around, realization dawning on her.

  “Be mine, Kitten. You always have been.” I take her hand and place it on my tattoo over my heart. “Say yes.” My heart is beating fast enough to make me thankful I’m in good shape.

  Luke stands beside me. I take the box from him. His tiny face lights up with a grin.

  I look up at her and slowly open the case. “Jesus, Reed, it’s exquisite.” She’s getting flushed and she has not said yes yet, and my stomach churns. I know she loves me, but maybe she can’t ever forgive me. Maybe my speech wasn’t enough. “Tess, if—”

  “Yes, nothing in this world could make me happier.”

  I stand up and jerk her to me. “You mean it?” Our lips touch.

  “Of course I mean it. I love you. We may not be perfect, but no one is.”

  I remove the diamond ring that belonged to my great-great-great-grandmother, Alexandrea Saddington, and slip it onto her slender finger.

  She holds her hand out to admire it. “It’s almost too beautiful to wear.”

  “But you can. This ring is over five carats. It was handmade by the jeweler to the queen. Seeing as my great-great-great-grandfather was a marquis, it was engraved with their initials. I’ve added ours.

  “Here, Mommy.” Lilly hands Tess the dozen red roses wrapped in sapphire-colored velvet.

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” She takes the roses, her eyelashes still spiky with wet tears.

  “I take it this is our new home?”

  And I have to taste her honeyed lips even if it’s only for a second. I claim her mouth as I always have, only this time she finally has my ring.

  “Yes, I hope you like it.”

  She doesn’t break our connection. “It’s beyond amazing and completely unnecessary.”

  “I disagree. We have two guest houses. Brance will have his own house considering he seems to never be leaving.” I grin.

  “You’re so smart.” Her raspy voice goes straight to my dick.

  “Do you want a tour or should we get some food?”

  “I think food then maybe a tour tomorrow after we drop the twins at preschool.”

  I can’t help but smile as my brain conjures up exactly where I want to fuck her first. “Hmm, I like that. Food it is. Kids, let’s go eat.”

  TESS

  Present day – twenty-six years old

  Los Angeles, CA

  The crowd roars and I look around for Reed. He’s standing two feet behind me near the concession stand, watching me while he’s on his stupid phone.

  Guns and Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” is starting to play. Axl Rose’s scream is a sure signal that the Los Angeles Kings are getting ready to come out. Damn it, this is my favorite part.

  The Staples Center is packed full of rabid die-hard Kings fans. I feel like I’m the only one who’s not in a Kings jersey. I had one on with some cute jeans, but Reed made me change into a dress. Sometimes it’s easier to pick your battles.

  “Can I get you anything else?” The woman smiles at me as she sets down a beer and a bottle of water along with some absolutely disgusting delicious nachos. Reed, of course, has a private suite, so I could have waited to be served. But he had to take this phone call. And I’m craving nachos. So I decided to get some before we close ourselves off from everyone else. I pay and thank her. Reaching for the nachos and water, I debate how best to situate everything so as not to be wearing beer on my outfit.

 
“More Mexican food, Kitten?” Reed’s voice sends a shiver of excitement down my spine.

  “Here, let me.” He gives me an eye roll as he looks at my water and reaches for his beer. The poor girl who served me seems to be spellbound by my fiancé. I roll my eyes back at him.

  “You know I’m on a kick.”

  “A three-month kick,” he groans. I greedily hold my nachos away from him.

  He eyes me and glances down at them. “Eat them up, babe. Trust me, they’re all yours.” His lips twitch.

  I nibble on a chip as he punches in our code and holds the door open for me.

  “Thanks.” I wink at him, and he swats my butt as I enter.

  “You’re very welcome.”

  “Hey.” I swirl on him then back away as I tease him with one of my tortilla chips loaded with dripping cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream. A big blob of sour cream falls to the floor.

  “Shoot.” I stuff the chip in my mouth. Setting my nachos on the L-shaped bar, I grab some white cloth napkins. As I kneel and clean up the sour cream, I can’t help but admire Reed’s defined legs. Even in jeans, his incredible body is easy to see. I toss the napkin and crawl over to where he’s standing with his arms crossed and his dimples on display. “You’re going to miss your favorite part. All the lasers and the guys getting introduced.”

  I glance over at the window. He’s right. My light show is on. White spotlights scan the arena as the crowd starts to feed on one another’s energy and the green and blue lasers zap across the black ice. The music takes over and the crowd goes wild as the lasers and spotlights move to the pulsing beat. I turn back to him, his swollen bulge right in front of me. I could reach out and stroke it if I was brave. But someone could see, so I start to get up.

  “Scaredy cat.” He snorts and his hands twist in my thick hair.

  “Hardly. I just…” I look around the suite. It’s only us but with at least nine TVs on the wall, it’s as though we’re sitting next to everyone. In a flash and a scream from Axl, the white lights come on and the announcer says, “Yourrrr Los Angeles Kings!” The horn blows and the fans go crazy as the Kings take the ice. And Reed has his hands in my hair, inching me closer to his pretty obvious erection. I blink and because I love his dick, I reach up and massage it through his jeans.

  “Take it out.” It’s a command.

  I almost pull back. Even in a suite, someone could maybe see. Also, I hate him bossing me. Unfortunately, my body hasn’t received that memo and I’m instantly wet at the tone of his voice. I bite my lip. No one can see, right? I reach up and unbutton his jeans. The strobe light effect takes over the suite and I unzip him fast. I take a quick breath and make a rash decision and pull his jeans down. In the last nine months that we have been back together, I have yet to see Reed wear underwear. I know he has some—they’re nicely folded in his drawer.

  His thick, happy cock jerks as my lips reach over and I gently suck his tip. My tongue swirls around the vein at the bottom and his hands clench my hair tightly, his breathing harsh even with all the noise. I open wide and take him in so far he hits the back of my throat and I gag and pull back glaring at him.

  He looks down at me, a small, evil grin on his lips. “That was not me. You’re the one going straight for deep throating.”

  I ignore him as I gently start again. At first, I concentrate on his slit and tip. Mostly because it doesn’t make me gag and hurt my jaw. But I’m greedy, so I bob up and down on him. He doesn’t close his eyes—only watches as I try my hardest to get half of him into my mouth.

  “Fuck,” he breathes out. “I’m not coming in your mouth.” His hands reach under my arms, causing me to pop off him. He pulls me up and our mouths fuse together. My hands scan his hard-muscled chest and I can’t help but groan.

  “I’m going to fuck you, Tess.”

  “Yes,” I moan into his lips as he walks us backward. It’s not until I feel the cool glass do I realize that he’s serious.

  “Wait.” I look around. It’s dark and the Kings are playing, so hypothetically speaking, everyone should be watching hockey.

  He turns me, and my hands hold me steady on the glass. Reed is behind me. Now I know why he insisted I wear a dress tonight even going so far as to suggest which one.

  “You think anyone is going to watch me fuck you? Watch you come all over my cock?” His hands slide up each side of my legs as his mouth attacks my neck.

  “I… We can’t do this. Reed,” I whimper as he kicks my legs apart and his hands make their way inside me.

  “You’re so god damn wet. This turns you on, doesn’t it baby? Look out there. Watch them and think at any moment, they could turn and see me making you come.”

  His one hand is rubbing small circles with two of his fingers on my clit; the other is finger fucking me deep, rubbing my G-spot. I lean my forehead against the cold glass, thankful for the chill because I’m on fire, a volcano ready to blow. And then I do. I come as Reed whispers in my ear what a naughty girl I am. I barely have time to catch my breath, which is frosting the glass. He pulls my hips back, tugs my skirt up over my ass, and enters me with one deep thrust.

  “Christ,” he groans.

  His body is still as I take a little more of him. Until he is so deep I can feel his tight, hard balls on my ass as he fucks me. My hands slide down the glass and I can’t help but groan. My already sensitive clit is throbbing. My eyes are wild as I watch the crowd, horrified, yet with every thrust and stroke of Reed’s cock, I don’t seem to care. In fact, what would I do if someone looked up and saw us?

  “Oh my God,” I groan at the mere thought.

  Reed reaches around and starts rubbing my clit. “Yeah, Kitten… that’s it, baby. Look out there and find someone watching you, and then come.” His dirty voice and hard cock send me into a heart-skipping orgasm.

  “Jesus… that’s it. Squeeze my cock.” His fingers grip my hips harder and my hands are bouncing on the glass.

  “Fuck, I’m going to—” He grunts as he comes deep inside me, his body jerking. We both collapse against the glass and that’s when the horn goes off. The house lights go on as everyone gets to their feet to dance at the Kings scoring the first goal. Reed gently pulls out. Then he straightens my dress and gives me a second to steady myself on my feet.

  “Holy God, that was incredible.” I lean in to kiss him as he tucks himself back into his jeans. “That was move-the-earth sex.”

  He laughs and pulls me close and kisses me. We are sticky, smell like each other, and I had sex in the middle of a pro hockey game. I should be horrified. Instead I happily sink into the couch and reach for my cold nachos.

  “I’ll get you some fresh. You want a drink, my love?”

  “No, thanks. My doctor said it’s bad for me to drink when I’m pregnant so…” I cross my legs feeling my underwear—it’s a wet mess.

  Reed’s back is to me as he pours himself a drink. He stiffens. Turning, he kneels beside me still holding the bottle of gin.

  “What did you say?” His turquoise eyes caress my face, breasts, then drop to my stomach. He sets the bottle down and lays his hand on me.

  “I’m two months pregnant.” I look down at him. His dark curls are all I can see. “Reed?”

  He raises his face. Tears swim in his beautiful eyes. “Really? And you’re happy?”

  I wince at that comment because I’m thrilled. I stopped taking the pill months ago. Every month I got my period, I knew more and more I was not only ready but was disappointed when it didn’t happen.

  I cup his face. “I kept thinking I would start because I wasn’t sick like I was with the twins. After I counted the days it had been since my last period, I thought maybe.”

  “That and you won’t stop eating Mexican food.” He grins.

  “Well, I was doing that before. Anyway, I made an appointment and the doctor’s office called this morning.”

  “So you want it?”

  I lean into him. “I want this baby more than you can imagine.” I tr
ace his full lips with my finger.

  “Although, I’m not the best pregnant person.”

  He cocks his head. “I’m going to be with you every step. This baby is everything.” His eyes almost glow with excitement.

  “Marry me tomorrow? We can fly to Vegas and you will finally be mine!”

  I stand up and get some ice for my water. “I’m already yours.” I pour myself some water, take his hand, and pull him to the leather couch.

  “Reed…” I take a deep breath and look into his beautiful eyes—they are so hopeful, so happy, I almost forget what I’m saying. “I love you. I always have. We both have done things that are so…” I wave my hand trying to find the word.

  “Abhorrent?” he says.

  “Yes.” I nod. “I’d say that’s a nice way to describe our behavior. We’re human. We made mistakes, but we have grown. When I was in the hospital on bed rest, I had nothing but time to hate and blame you. And to be honest, it worked. I was able to hurt you through Luke and Lilly.”

  “Kitten, this doesn’t matter—”

  I put my finger against his lips. “It does. The man you are now is so much more attractive and appealing than the man you were before.” I take a breath because that came out fast.

  “If we hadn’t been the people we were in the past and done what we did, we never would have gotten to where we are now. This very minute. And I really like us.” I scoot closer, my mouth almost touching his full lips. I take a breath of his air and say, “In fact, I like you better every day. So if that continues until we’re old, think how much I’ll like you then.” I laugh.

  He doesn’t reply, only kisses me and I feel his love with every cell in my body.

  “You are my one true passion. Whether I’ve hated you or loved you.” And it’s true he’s always been inside my head and heart.

  “I don’t understand. I love you… marry me. I used to think you deserved a better man. But fuck that, you deserve me. No one will ever love or accept you like I do.” His lips caress my eyes as they tear up. “I know you, and I need all your shit that you hate about yourself.” He pulls back so I can look at him. “I mean it—all your OCD and your neurotic tendencies are some of the things that always drew me to you. Because it takes a strong person to fight that battle and come out even stronger.” I’m crying and laughing and the arena is screaming and the horn just went off again. “All I need is to wake up and have you and my children next to me. All our money could vanish tomorrow, but as long as we have our Luke, Lilly, and this little guy”—he places his hand on my stomach—“we have everything.” He smiles and there it is: my smile, the one that lights up his whole face and makes me fall in love with him all over again.