Everybody's After Love (16 page)

I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Every Sunday after fishing, Bentley, Bri, Paulie, and I have dinner with her and Mr. Ladner. She’s is always very welcoming and Bentley doesn’t hide us in front of her. Maybe it’s because I’m not covered in mud and in old clothes that I feel so out of place beside her. She sweeps her arm in front of her and looks around the room.

“All the family is excited to see Bentley’s new girlfriend. You have big shoes to fill,” she comments and I narrow my eyebrows in question. Mrs. Ladner squeezes my shoulders. “I’m sure Bentley will tell you about his past in due time. The family adored her and everyone was shocked when they broke up. But don’t worry dear, I’m sure they’ll all get to know and love you, too. You make my Bentley happy and that’s what’s most important.”

I’m pretty sure that was the biggest backhanded compliment I’ve ever heard. Fighting the eye roll coming on, I flash my pearly whites and bat my eyes in a mocking manner. Bri marches across the room and grabs my hand.

“Mother, it’s time to open gifts,” Bri says and turns to me. “Jules, as the maid-of-honor, you’ll sit with me to help.”

I start to object but she lurches us forward quickly, mumbling an apology about leaving me alone with her mother. We wait for the crowd to find their seats and I turn to Bri.

“Is there something I should know about Bentley’s ex?” I ask. I haven’t had time to fully process all of Mrs. Ladner’s statement but I can’t sit in front of all these women who are scrutinizing me without being clued at least a little bit.

Bri hesitates ever so briefly then shrugs her shoulders. “You have nothing to worry about, Jules. Bentley’s ex fell in love with someone she met on Facebook. She broke his heart but you’re healing it.”

My heart flutters and I feel bad for my reaction. I don’t ever want Bentley’s heart to break. I don’t ever want him to hurt, but when Bri says I’m healing it and I have nothing to worry about, I can’t help but be more than a little excited. Now that I know the ex has moved on, it’s my mission to make his heart whole again.

We take our seats at the head table. Everyone turns their attention to Bri who fawns over every present she opens and exclaims how much she appreciates it. Then she tells them exactly what she plans to do with it. “Oh these towels? I love them, thank you so much! I’ll definitely be putting these in the guest bathroom.”

I’ve held in so many eye rolls that I have a headache. The list of gifts include everything from crystal vases to silver candlesticks and Egyptian cotton bedsheets. She even received a skimpy red lace nightie from Aunt Clea which I think embarrassed Mrs. Ladner more than Bri. Having stared at her registry for hours, trying to find something within my budget, I know everything she’s received today has cost at least a hundred bucks or more. I’m too busy tallying up the estimated price of the items received to notice that she’s pulled my gift out from where I hid it under the table.

“This one is from my future sister-in-law,” Bri reads the tag out loud.

Oh no!
My gift is below the price range, I can’t let her open it in front of everyone. I make a swipe at the brown wrapping paper that I decorated with hearts made from a Sharpie and some ribbon I tied in a bow.

“Don’t open that, Bri. It’s really nothing,” I say softly, trying not to make a scene but it’s too late.

Bri carefully slides the bow off the box as to not break it and have multiple children as the old tradition proclaims will happen. The brown paper and ribbon fall to the floor and my gift sits in her lap. Unlike the other presents, she doesn’t say a word. Her hand goes to her mouth and tears fill her eyes. She sits like this for a few seconds before someone asks what it is. Bri’s hand reaches out and takes mine.

She holds up the mosaic mirror that Bentley and I crafted together. In each corner is a picture of the happy couple that I’ve taken over the last few months when they weren’t looking. The shots include a stolen kiss on the edge of lake, holding hands at the dinner table, a forehead kiss to say goodbye, and an embrace as the sun sets behind them. The entire piece is twenty by twenty-four inches and the tiles I used were less than an inch each. After five hours on the project, I was fairly certain that I was going to become the new Hunchback of Notre Dame. That’s when Bentley came to the rescue and we finished the project in half the time, ending in matching hunchbacks for a day or so after we completed.

“Did you make this?” she asks.

I nod and mutter, “Bentley helped me.”

The tears fall down her cheeks and she leans forward giving me an inescapable hug. I move my arms around her and squeeze her back. Softly, she whispers, “Jules, we’re going to be sister-in-laws in more than one way.”

For the second time during this shower, my heart flutters at her words.
Bentley, mine forever?
Yes please!

***

Standing at the edge of the lake, I cast my pole into the water. The radio in my truck plays softly and a song that Jules likes comes over the speakers. I start to call out for her but remember she’s at the bridal shower. This is the first time I’ve been fishing alone in almost two months, only a few minutes in I’m already missing my partner.

I felt awful leaving her. It’s my job to protect her now, not just from tattooed ex-boyfriends, but from my nosy aunts and cousins as well. Bri and I talked last night at the concert and I feel confident that she won’t let Jules be fed to the wild banshees that the female Ladners can be when given fresh meat. I can picture Jules giving Aunt Clea a piece of her mind and I start laughing. While I feel like I need to watch out for her, Jules is an independent woman which is a turn on, but at the same time, it worries me. I’m scared that at any given moment, Jules will realize she can do so much better. I know she’ll be able to survive without me, but I’m not sure I can survive without her.

CHAPTER 18

The familiar sounds of SportsCenter drift into my bedroom. The da-da-da reminds me of my high school days when Paulie and I lived in the tiniest two bedroom apartment. He’d fall asleep and wake up with the show, a habit that I’ve carried on and can’t fall asleep without unless a certain Bentley Ladner is holding me in his arms. I make one more swipe of my lipstick then flip off the bathroom light and head to the ESPN headquarters in my house.

Sitting in my brown recliner that was originally bought for Paulie, Bentley has his leg hanging over one side and his arms folded behind his head. When I walk into the room, he turns his attention away from the sports highlights and lets out a wolf whistle. I giggle in embarrassment and Bentley holds his hands out for me as he sits up. When I’m within reach, he takes my hand and twirls his finger, indicating for me to spin around. My turn complete, I stand between his legs and his hands roam up the back of my thighs.

“Mmm, baby, you look amazing,” he says and kisses my bare stomach that is exposed by the off the shoulder “Bride’s Wing Woman” crop top. His hands graze the bottom of the Daisy Duke jean shorts I’m wearing and my body is electrified at his touch.

I pull his head up to look at me and raise an eyebrow. Over the clothes heavy petting is as far as we’ve gone, but from the way our last few make-out sessions ended, I know it’s not long until we take that next step. His hands move from my legs and his fingers skim the sides of my ribcage, venturing dangerously close to my breasts which are more than ready to feel his rough hands. He slides his hands up and down slowly for a moment then he takes me by surprise when he pulls me onto his lap.

My curled lockets of hair fall around both our faces and his beard rubs against my freshly made-up cheek. Messing up my make-up is the last thing on my mind though. As my legs straddle him, I feel his erection fighting to get out of his cargo shorts. I moan into his mouth, our tongues rolling fast and furious against each other’s, and I press my hips harder against him. My hands slide down his neck to his chest and I fist his shirt, pulling him deeper into our kiss. His hands roam up and down my stomach, occasionally over my bra to squeeze my breasts but they never linger. My body is going crazy and in my mind, I’m urging him to push the fabric away.

Breaking the kiss, Bentley leans his head back against the brown chair. Both of our chests heaving as we try to catch our breath, his hands still wander over my torso, turning me on even more with each simple touch. I slowly unclench my fists on his shirt, trying to calm my hormones knowing it’s pointless being this close in proximity to this fine man.

“Jules…”

I bite my lip, worried about what’s about to come out of his mouth. His tone is slow and uncertain, not the normal confident, reassuring voice he usually speaks in. There must be a reason we haven’t gone the next step. This is it, my perfect Bentley world is about to crash all around me. For the first time, I’m scared in Bentley’s presence and start to stand up to put distance between us, but he holds me in place, slightly thrusting against me to let me know just how excited he is. He leans up and kisses me softly.

“We have to be at J.P and Bri’s in about twenty minutes,” he advises and I quickly look away to avoid his eyes. Not missing a beat, he takes my chin in his thumb and forefinger turning my face back to look at him. “Julianna, I’m going to spend a lot longer than twenty minutes when I finally get to pleasure you.”

His dimpled grin reaches his eyes and the effect he was already having on me increases tenfold. I lean forward and let my lips suck on his neck lightly for a few seconds then I move my mouth to his ear and whisper, “What’s been stopping you?” I nip his earlobe and my heart races in anticipation of his answer.

His grip tightens on the back of my short shorts and he looks me in the eyes when he explains. “Because I have this feeling that after I have you once, I’ll never be able to get enough of you. I don’t take this kind of thing lightly, Julianna. Once we go there, there’s no turning back.”

My pulse triples in speed and I feel myself trying to keep from hyperventilating. I’m already lightheaded from my physical reaction to him which makes it even harder to grasp his words. Bentley’s hands move away from my back pockets and he takes my hands, his thumbs roll circles in my palms. He’s trying to calm me, just one more reason why I love him.
Whoa-love him?
I need to slow down but it’s not my fault, he’s the one making me think this way when he makes those kinds of comments.

His low chuckle draws me out of my thoughts. When I look at him, I realize I must have been scrunching up my face as I let it relax. His finger runs down my cheek and he smiles. “You’re cute when you’re deep in thought. Now, let’s go before you’re late and my sister turns into bridezilla,” he says and pats my backside to get me moving.

On the drive to our siblings’ house, Florida Georgia Line fills the unfamiliar silence between us. Bentley’s hand rests on my thigh, his thumb gently stroking my leg in an appeasing manner. I stare out the window and catch him stealing glances my way but I refuse to look at him. I don’t even know why I’m freaking out but it seems like the right thing to do. Bentley takes sex seriously, something I’ve never done. To me, sex was never about emotions. I always kept it casual, no real commitment to ensure there was no way I’d get hurt.

I glance over at Bentley who is focused on the road. Now that he’s laid it out there, I share the same fear he has. Our emotional connection is so intense that I’m afraid once we do become intimate, I won’t want anyone else. This is about to get real and I’m not sure I’m ready for it. I avert my eyes back out the window before he catches me staring.

A block from my brother’s house, the truck slows and Bentley puts it in park as he pulls up to the sidewalk. I knit my eyebrows and shake my head confused as I look at him for an explanation. He turns to face me and takes both his hands in mine.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he says softly, his fingers moving slow against my hand.

I swallow hard, too afraid to speak.

“Julianna, I want more than anything to connect even deeper than we already do, but I already want more of you every time we’re together. When you’re not around, I crave you, I
need
you. Your smile, your laugh, the way you crinkle your eyes when you’re nervous.” He smiles and nods as I’m doing the crinkle right now. “I want that every day. When you’re ready for me to be your lover, I’ll be waiting, but I just want you to understand what that means.”

I screech around the lump in my throat and ask, “What does it mean?”

Bentley’s fingers push a stray hair behind my ear as he leans in close to me, my heart ready to beat out of my chest. “It means I’m not going anywhere,” he says softly and his hand slides to the nape of my neck. “Don’t let this scare you, Julianna. I’ll wait as long as you need me to.”

Looking into his eyes, I know he would. He’d wait an eternity for me if I asked him to. Part of that freaks me out, while the other part of me wants to tell him I’m ready, right here, right now. I look into his dark, chocolate eyes and a smile twitches at my lips. Bentley’s face lights up and he grins before he leans over and kisses me.