Forbidden Forever (14 page)

"It's just a bad
dream, baby. Nothing bad is going to happen to you again. I am here
to protect you always." He tries to calm me down.

He brushes my hair from
my forehead, sliding his hand down to my cheek and pulls me close to
him.

"Everyone has their
own treasure and you are mine. I wish I could take away the fear and
pain. I don't have the power to do that, but I do have the power to
make you feel loved from now until eternity," he whispers to me.

He holds me so close
that the fear flows away and I am back to feeling safe. The way this
man can make everything better with one single touch is magical. It
is time for dinner and Chance brings me a sweet tea and sets up my TV
tray table out on the balcony so I can watch the sunset. Callie and
Brooke join us as we have leftovers from the taco shop and they fill
me in on all the cute guys down by the pool. Brooke has her eye on
some boy that has surfer hair and bright blue eyes. What's the word
she used to describe him? Umm... oh yeah, bangin! I can't even
believe that came out of her mouth. I can't help but laugh
hysterically at her term for sexy. Teenagers these days are so
creative with terms. I can't get over how well Callie and Chance get
along. You would think by watching them that they have known each
other forever.

Kaleb has checked in via
text but is still catching the waves. I wish he would open up more
but I know he is a boy and they deal with things differently than
girls. It is so relaxing not having to worry about making sure
everything is perfect. Things are so much more at ease here, and this
means I might live longer from lack of stress. When Michael and I
first met, we were in high school. I had mad crazy love for him and
he loved me, too. I really thought we would be together forever.
Things were always so good until he got a new job as the head
architect for Fine Designs, Incorporated. From that moment on, he had
to have everything perfect. I was already gaining weight and no
matter how hard I tried, unless I cut back to one meal a day, the
weight just kept coming. I lived in the gym after Callie was born;
however, as soon as it came off I'd eat two meals a day and there it
was again.

Not long after we had
Kaleb, it began to be more difficult to get off the weight. As the
years passed, I had tried everything under the sun to get the weight
off. Diet pills, injections, calorie counting, starving, exercise
shakes, you name it, and I did it. Michael worked all hours and we
barely saw each other, but when we did, the comments were cruel and
hateful. I was glad when we weren't together. We got married after
Callie was born but before Kaleb was born because it seemed like the
next step in our relationship. I knew then things were different, but
a girl's dream is that she has found her prince and they run off into
the sunset together. I truly thought I had found what was good enough
for me. Michael has always been a great father but somewhere he
started lacking in the husband department. The men he worked for
didn't have trophy wives so I wasn't sure why he desperately needed
me to be one. There was a woman who worked close by him for many
years and I always felt like she was the reason I should look a
certain way. Like her: slim, tall, long blonde hair, just the right
amount of curves.

The way they were with
each other was enough to make my stomach turn. I stopped visiting him
at his office so I didn't have to endure the looks between them or
the small flirty touches. He has always denied an affair but I would
have bet money on it that there was one. His greatest loves were
Callie and Kaleb; from the moment they were born he worshipped them.
I think that he would have left me for that perfect woman if it
weren't for them. His anger got worse after she left the job for
better opportunities. I guess he blames me for not being her, so he
took it out on me everyday for the past twelve years. We might have
been married for fourteen years but we have been together since high
school, eighteen years to be exact.

Fourteen years of a life
that was wonderful in every way, except the man I shared it with.
Just goes to show you that you should always follow your gut as well
as your heart. I thought it was a hidden secret, but the ones I tried
so hard to hide it from were the ones who see it anyway. It doesn't
matter anymore about the past; all I see ahead is a future with
Chance, and that is a surreal feeling.

The phone rings and it
is the attorney Chance hired for me to handle the incident. Michael
has been released and has been home for several days. He tried
calling but I had my attorney tell him to go through him only. He has
begged to talk to me through the kids and now he is going through my
attorney. What do you say to someone who nearly killed you? The
dreams are bad enough that I'm not sure how I will react to hearing
his voice. I loved this man once and part of me will always care
about him because of our history and our children. Deep down I care,
but the top layer is nothing but hate and fear. I did not press
charges because of my children and the sadness I see when we talk
about their dad. That should be enough for now. I am not ready to
face more of the past right now. The future is where I want to stay,
in the arms of my true prince charming. I know divorce is next and
there is a whole line of paperwork and things such as custody and
whose stuff is whose. Chance went back to the office today and Callie
is off with Brooke, picking out a new outfit for her date with Blake
tonight. Kaleb is on mommy-sitting duty until their return. He has
grown so much in the last week and has stepped up to the plate as a
son and young man. He really likes staying here with Chance and I
can't believe how much they have in common. I guess living on the
beach even in a fancy condo is enough to make you feel relaxed
instead of living at home with tension as tight as a tightrope about
to pop. Kaleb and I are watching "Grown Ups" again, which
is probably our sixth time and I swear we both are still laughing.

I love having one on one
time with him, even if it is watching a movie. He has spoken to
Michael once and it didn't go over so well so I am not going to push
him to forgive his father just yet. I know in time I will probably
have to step in and help them heal their relationship since I am the
mom and I know that it is the best for my son. Some people think I am
crazy for being this way toward Michael after what he has done to me,
but I don't want to be like him in any way and if I try to keep the
kids from him, that would make me a monster. Michael was always a
great father even when he was a lousy husband. Besides, I have the
best man in my life who loves me for me and all of my pounds of
baggage. I hold a pillow over my abdomen as I laugh, even though the
pain isn't as bad anymore.

After a week of pain, I
think it is just habit to think I'm still hurt and I try to be
careful with all movements. After the movie, I go out to the balcony
and lay on the chaise lounge while Kaleb cleans up from lunch. I lay
there thinking about how lucky I am to be alive and here waiting for
such a great man to come home for work. I doze off to sleep, hoping
to dream of the future.

* * *

Six of the longest weeks
ever have passed by and my doctor appointment for the follow-up went
very well. I got the all clear, which means I can finally get the
relief I have been craving since the first day of this nightmare. It
is October and the fall beach air is at the perfect temperature for
snuggling under a blanket with my man. He walks in the door from the
gym downstairs; his skin is glistening with sweat. He sees me staring
and walks over to me.

His wicked grin sweeps
across his face and he says, "Baby, I'm going to go take a
shower before dinner. I told them we would be there around eight
o'clock."

I melt from the smile
and melt from the warmth I feel as his body is so close to mine. He
walks off to the shower and I give him just enough time to get in and
start to wash himself. I strip and place my clothes on the chair next
to the bathroom door. I sneak as quietly as possible into the
bathroom and walk over to the shower door. He sees me as I open the
door and step in with all my nakedness. I used to be so
self-conscious and cover myself up the best I could, but Chance makes
me feel beautiful. There are no more thoughts about how big my thighs
are or that my boobs sag more than they did when I was sixteen. The
only thoughts are about how amazing he makes me feel when he looks
100% at me. His eyes light up when I close the door.

"I got the all
clear from Dr. Shaw today, and I have been thinking about this moment
for six weeks," I inform him with my idea of a sexy look.

The fire in his eyes
sizzles and he puts one arm around my backside and pulls me into him.
The firm length of him is pressing against me and sends a gush of
warmth between my legs. I don't know how much foreplay I can handle
before my body caves into the pleasure, but I can't wait to find out.
The steam from the shower is fogging up the shower doors and the
smoldering heat in his touch is sending my inner sex slave to her
knees. My arm drapes across his shoulder as the other one reaches
behind his head and pulls his face toward my lips. I slowly lick his
bottom lip, pushing my tongue into his wet mouth. He grabs the back
of my head and entangles my hair in his hand as he slips his tongue
into my mouth meeting mine. My breath quickens and my heart races as
he drags his tongue from my mouth to my neck. Lightly kissing, he
moves down to my breasts. He takes in one nipple at a time, sucking
and lightly tugging with his teeth. I moan in delight as my back
arches to bring our bodies closer.

Six weeks and it feels
like the first time we are together. The sight of him in all his
glory makes me so wet, and the anticipation from the wait doesn't
help either. He lifts me up onto the small ledge where you would
normally set the soap. My ass fits just barely enough so I hold onto
the bars to keep myself from falling bare ass onto the floor. His
hand slips in between my thighs and reaches my sex, stoking back and
forth teasingly before sliding his fingers between the folds. He gets
on his knees in front of me, which puts him in perfect view of my
freshly trimmed sex. He moves forward and his tongue dips into the
folds, sending a flow of feelings up to my spine. Pushing my legs
apart as I hold on tightly to the bars, I pray I don't fall and ruin
this moment.

The water pours down his
face as he looks up at me enjoying the pleasure of his tongue and
lips on me. Holy fuck, this is insanely turning me on. He grabs a
hold of my ass and pulls me closer as he sucks on my clit and glides
his tongue up and down my sex. His tongue's movement is sending me
over the edge with every motion. He slides his tongue in and out,
adding his fingers to the mix and taking my body to new levels of
ecstasy. I can't control the release any longer and I come apart. He
lifts me off the soap bar and turns me to face the wall. My hands are
over my head and he slips his cock into my slick sex. He grabs my
breast with one hand and my hip with the other and takes me with all
of his length. Moving his hips up and down, sliding in and out, his
breath is in my hair and I can feel him shake as he reaches his
climax.

"Words can't
describe how good you feel to me," Chance whispers in my ear.

He turns me around and
sweetly kisses me. I can taste the saltiness from my sex but I don't
care because I love kissing this man. He gets the lavender scented
body wash and rubs it between his palms before massaging it down my
body. The way his hand is caressing every curve, every inch of me is
turning me to mush. My head leans back as he rinses off the sudsy
bubbles then gently kisses my neck. I giggle from the tickling
sensation from his scruff on his face. He slaps my ass and pulls me
closer and playfully rubs his scruff on my cheeks. I squirm and try
to get away but his arms are around me and deep down, I don't want
them to let me go. I'd never put up too much of a fight to get away.
This is where I want to be every second I can. As the water gets
colder we both decide it's time to get out and get ready for our
night out with our friends.

We are going to a
karaoke bar near the pier with Sierra and John. John is the nurse who
was assigned to my room at the hospital. Sierra and John hit it off
while I was healing, and swapped numbers. Sierra is really smitten
over him and has gushed about him every visit the past six weeks. It
is so cute, and in all honesty, I know exactly how she feels because
Chance definitely boils my bubbles. I put on a pair of dark washed
denim jeans and a vintage Aerosmith concert shirt. I mean I have to
dress the part; it is a karaoke bar called Mouth and we all know
Steven Tyler has a fabulous pair of lips. My hair is full of waves
and my lips are glossed with Victoria Secret sparkle flashy lip
gloss. I walk out to see Chance in his faded jeans and black AC/DC
T-shirt and his hair relaxed, just slightly hanging above his eyes.

He stares his usual
stare when I walk into the room and smiles that sensational wicked
grin, all while saying in his deep voice, "Damn, baby, you look
smokin!"

I roll my eyes and
bashfully smile. "Chance, you look pretty damn hot yourself and
I can't wait to get home to prove how hot I am." I bat my eyes
to tease him.