Autumn and Summer (32 page)
Authors: Danielle Allen
”That sound…” he groaned, putting his forehead against mine.
He kissed me on the tip of my nose. “I love it.”
Jordan’s kiss
had caused my breathing to become irregular. The spark-causing, butterfly-inducing, heart pounding feeling rendered me unable to speak.
This is it
,
I thought, staring into those piercing green eyes. Overwhelmed by the feelings he brought out of me, I was unable to speak.
“You’re s
haking,” he pointed out softly, searching my eyes.
Finding my voice, I whispered
, “Did you feel that?”
Jordan answered,
“I’ve felt it since the day I met you.”
**********
Two Weeks Later
He must be in a meeting,
I thought tossing my cell phone in the passenger seat and accelerating my car. The knot in my stomach twisted a little and I sighed.
I miss him.
Xavier was in Boston taking care of StratFord business. Although he had only been gone for two days, I experienced the most intense feelings of withdrawal since he left town.
I miss spending time with him. I miss his touch. I miss his smell. I miss his smile. I miss the way his skin feels. I miss watching him…both with and without clothes on
, I thought with another sigh. Shaking it off, I turned up the volume of the radio. I caught a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror.
What am I doing? I am Summer Skye Wilson and I don’t do sappy.
In an attempt to block out missing Xavier, I let my mind drift to the contents of the manila envelope that sat beside me.
It is literally killing me not to open
it,
I thought as I navigated through traffic. Rolling to a stop, I gave a sidelong glance to the package securely tucked in the front pocket of my camera bag. When John Orlando came into my office to bring me the coveted June issue of Style Magazine, I called Autumn immediately. Deciding that we were going to look at it together, I put the envelope in my camera bag and tried not to think about it. As people walked by my office congratulating me on my first magazine spread, I still held out on flipping through it. Instead, I busied myself by talking to Xavier.
Now he’s unavailable to talk and the package is calling my name!
After the longest ten minutes of my life, I pulled up at home.
Quickly grabbing my stuff out of the passenger side seat, I ran to the house and burst through the front door.
“I’m home and I have it!” I
squealed. Gently dropping my camera bag on the table, I inhaled deeply.
Jordan must be here
too,
I thought, letting the smell of garlic bread and Italian herbs and spices fill my senses.
I love it when Jordan cooks dinner.
“Hey! We’re in here,” Autumn called from the kitchen.
With the envelope tucked under my chin, I used both of my hands to pull my hair into a quick ponytail as I made my way into the kitchen.
“Hey, so—”
My next word halted on my lips and my legs stopped me in my tracks. The manila envelope slipped from under my chin and smacked the tile. Butterflies spread throughout my entire body.
“Xavier,” I breathed, my sight focusing on the sexiest man I’
d ever seen in my entire life.
Wearing dark denim jeans and a crisp white t-shirt, I noticed the way the material clung to his muscles. His eyes lit up as he gave me
his trademark smirk. “Miss me?”
B
arely having enough time to push off of the wall, Xavier caught me as I leaped into his arms. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I buried my face into his neck. His skin felt warm against mine and I savored him—his arms, his scent, his warmth.
“I missed you too,” he whispered in my ear.
He left a trail of feathery kisses down the length of my exposed neck to the middle of my shoulder.
“Is
it me or is this awkward?” Jordan asked, reminding me that I wasn’t alone with Xavier.
Laughing, I
planted a chaste kiss on Xavier’s lips before wiggling out of his arms. “Hi, Auty! Hi, Jordan!” I greeted them before looking back up at Xavier. When our eyes met, I felt a pull deep in my belly and I knew right then I was going to be late to work in the morning.
Immediately after dinner, I’m going to have to give him a proper hello,
I thought as I slowly licked my lips. He gave me a knowing smile that completely dampened my panties.
Yeah, we may have to rush through dinner.
Clearing my throat
, I attempted to steer my thoughts in another way. I tore my eyes away from Xavier to find Autumn and Jordan staring at us blankly with their eyebrows raised. They could only keep their expression for a second before they started laughing.
Walking to the spot where I dropped the envelope, I
picked it up and lifted it high in the air. “Do you know what I have in my hands?”
“I do!
I do!” Autumn said, washing her hands and making her way to the table. “And I’m oddly excited about this.”
Jordan was right on her heels. “What is it?” he asked, pulling out Autumn’s chair and kissing her on the top of her head before taking a seat beside her. I smiled at them
.
I don’t think I had ever seen her as happy as Jordan made her.
Xavier took the seat on the other s
ide of me. Pulling my ponytail out, he ran his fingers through my hair. “Why do you two know what’s going on and we don’t?” Turning his head to look at Jordan, Xavier furrowed his eyebrows and continued, “This sounds suspicious.”
“
It does,” Jordan nodded before casting his gaze upon Autumn. “But I trust her.”
Autumn’s entire face lit up as she
looked lovingly at Jordan. Leaning over, she kissed him sweetly.
I rolled my eyes
good naturedly at their cuteness and looked at Xavier. He shook his head.
“I think they’re trying
to get us back from earlier,” Xavier commented. “But we weren’t that bad, were we?”
“Hell no! I basically came in and said ‘what’s up’ and then we hugged it out,” I said
in mock seriousness.
“Yeah, okay,”
Autumn laughed, removing herself from the Jordan bubble she was in. “If you are in denial about how cutesy you and your boyfriend are, that’s fine.
”
Tapping the envelope, she continued, “Because I think it’s time for this.”
Boyfriend
,
I thought with a start. I glanced at Xavier quickly to see if he noticed.
We’d never put a label on what we’re doing. We’re… I don’t know. Why did Autumn have to say that word? Now my heart is racing. Maybe if I just continue on like it was never said, no one will be the wiser. Or maybe he just didn’t hear it.
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and he was laughing at something Jordan said. Feeling a little more at ease, I smiled.
Slowly opening up the envelope, I took my time pulling out the June issue of Style Magazine. “I give you…Style Magazine’s Most Eligible Bachelors!”
Autumn and I catcalled
while Xavier and Jordan attempted to look only mildly interested.
I started to open the first page and then Autumn put her hand over mind, closing the magazine. “This is your first magazine spread. And these two handsome men are featured. This is
a celebration. We need drinks,” Autumn announced, getting up to walk to the liquor cabinet.
“I’ll get the glasses for you
, babe,” Jordan said, making his way to the other side of the kitchen to get tumblers.
This is a celebration,
I thought with a smile.
I have an entire spread in a magazine! One month ago, I was in a dead end position under Josh Jones…literally and figuratively. And now, I’m sitting here with photo credit throughout Style Magazine, living with my best friend who has found her perfect match, and enjoying the company of the only man to ever make me feel anything.
With his fingers still buried in my hair
, Xavier started lightly scratching my scalp. I turned my head to face him, smiling languidly.
Gripping my head gently
, he pulled me closer. I could feel his breath on the shell of my ear. “I can’t keep my hands off of you,” he whispered.
“I know and I like it,” I
whispered back, kissing his cheek.
“You know what I like?” Xavier mov
ed my head so that we were face-to-face, our noses touching. I looked into his beautiful eyes until I started to feel lost in them.
“What’s that?”
“Being called your boyfriend,” he answered, his lips just barely grazing mine. “I enjoy anything that lets people know that you’re mine.”
The butterflies ran rampant in my chest cavity as I struggled to find anything remotely intelligent to say in response.
My smile could not be contained.
Could this night get any better?
I wondered as Autumn and Jordan sat down four tumblers of whiskey.
Holding up her glass, Aut
umn said, “Here’s to everything happening for a reason.”
I held up my glass and looked around the table. “Here’s to the fairytale.”
**********
Autumn & Summer Playlist
“Back to Black”
Amy Winehouse
“Light Years Away”
Mozella
“Ready For Love”
India.Aire
“We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow”
Soko
“Everything Has Changed”
Taylor Swift
“Can’t Be Love”
Laura Izibor
“Hometown Glory”
Adele
“The Worst”
Jhene Aiko
“Turning Tables”
Adele
“Sweet Thing”
Mary J. Blige
“Take Away”
Missy Elliott
“Sunday Afternoon”
Rachael Yamagata
“My Heart Still Beats For You”
Anna Ternheim
“The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)”
Joss Stone
“Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)”
Alicia Keys
“I Shall Believe”
Sheryl Crow
“The Words”
Christina Perri
“I Will Be There”
Odessa
“For Real”
Amel Larrieux
My family and friends mean the world to me. Without their love and support, I would not have taken the time to nourish my desire to write. I love you all so much!
Love Notes:
To my husband: My husband is the inspiration for all of the men in A&S.
True love exists. Happily-ever-afters exist. I love you.
To my grandparents: My grandparents are and will always be that guiding light that empowers me to do any and everything I’ve ever wanted to do. Grandma, thank you for reading my work even though you called it smut!
To my mothers (my mom and my mother in law): My two moms are probably two of my biggest fans and I am so appreciative of that. Moms, no matter how awkward it is for you to read the sex scenes that I write, thank you for loving my work and being so supportive of me.
To my brother
, Andy: Although my brother took nine months to read my first novel, Back to Life, I don’t think I could’ve been more excited for anyone to finish. Andy, thanks for spreading the word about my novels and simultaneously reminding Grandma that I write smut (even when it is NOT smut!). And also, thanks for not writing the unauthorized version of Back to Life like you constantly threatened to do.
To Ashley, Noelle, Christina, and Dashauna: Some people are skeptical about the idea of life long best friends… you four prove that it’s not only possible, but it’s an extraordinary blessing. We have what Autumn and Summer have, what Sahara and Emily have, what Oprah and Gayle have.
Friendship like ours inspires traveling pants and sex talks in the city and for that, I thank you.
To Lorenzo, Joe, and Stoney: Some of my best friends happen to be some of the best men in the world.
Thank you for your love and support…it means the world to me. Also, thank you for buying my novels…even if you never finished them!
To my author friends: I love the Indie Author Community. I love AS101. I love the wealth of knowledge and support and love that you’
ve shown me. Some of my author friends have turned into really good friends who I love and cherish and can’t get enough of. Thank you for everything. I don’t think you know or fully understand how much I appreciate you.
To my blogger friends: There are way too many of you to name, but I am so blessed to have met each and every one of you. Thank you for your love and support. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to spread the word about any of my work. All of you have played such a large part in
my turning a passion into a career. Thank you.
To my readers: Wow…thank you! It is a humbling feeling to have people from all over the
world read my work and connect with my characters. I am so thankful that each and every one of you took a chance with me. There are so many books out and I am honored that you selected mine. I hope you know that without you, there would be no way I could turn my passion into a career. For those of you who write reviews and send messages and spread the word about me and my novels, there is a special place in my heart for you. Thank you so much.
**********
For more information about Danielle Allen, please visit
Check out the Back to Life Series
Back to Life (Back to Life #1)
Back to Reality (Back to Life #2)
