Infinite Ties (All That Remains #3) (26 page)

“Sweetheart, are you sure?” I whisper.

“Yes, now,” she replies, reaching back to
grab my ass, and Airen snorts.

Fuck, she’s so hot and tight. Her little
gasp when I rotate my hips nearly sends me over the edge. She grasps at me,
almost frantic, trying to get me to take her harder, faster. “Easy, my girl.
I’ll get you there. Let me love you.”

She turns her head for a soft kiss and our
eyes meet. “You’re beautiful. My eyes have been starved for you. The last weeks
have been a nightmare. All I could see was the dark. You’re my sunlight, baby.
Without you, I can’t…I just wither.”

“I love you…missed you,” she gasps,
grinding slowly along with me.

“Don’t you dare come before I’m buried in
you,” Airen growls, slipping behind me. Lubed fingers work their way inside me,
teasing my gland, making me curse.

“Language,” Airen tuts. “Honestly,
darlin’, are you sure you want to marry such a foul mouth?”

“Oh fuck, yes,” Abby moans.

I feel him prodding at my entrance, his
hot breath in my ear. “Ready, Joey?”

“Yes!” We both groan as he slowly slips
in, pausing for me to adjust to the burn. Oh fuck, him filling me, the heat of
Abby around my cock, it’s indescribable. When he slides out and thrusts
forward, bouncing me farther into her, we both groan.

“Oh, this is good. Like I’m fucking both of
you,” he breathes, repeating the move.

“Again!” Abby demands. We find our rhythm,
Airen plunging into me again and again while I give her everything I can. She
gasps when I glide two fingers between her legs. She’s so swollen.

“Come for me, sweetheart.” That sexy
little whimper when she clenches around me does me in. Airen groans, spilling
hot inside me, and I burst in our girl. Oh, I could do this forever. The
thought beats in my head as my brain clears. I could do this forever.

Airen leaves us alone in bed and heads to
the shower. Abby’s soft little body is cuddled against me. I can’t describe the
relief I feel, but I worry I’ve changed things between us. How can she trust me
now?

As if she’s read my mind, she asks in a
soft voice, “Am I still your only girl?” Her finger traces a pattern on my
stomach while she waits for my reply.

“Always, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I wish I
could find a way to make it up to you.”

“I could always sleep with Nic. Of course,
then we’d have to let Airen cheat and it’d just turn into a vicious cycle.” I
can hear the smile in her voice, and she giggles when I roll on top of her. Her
eyes are a pale caramel color in the early morning light, and I can’t resist
leaving small kisses across her face. “I need you to stay away from her, Joseph,”
she cautions, cupping my jaw.

“I can’t stand her. I don’t want to be
anywhere near her.” Her muscles relax when I nuzzle her neck. “Do you think
you’ll ever trust me again?”

“I do trust you. I just know how she’s
going to act now that she thinks she won. I don’t want to feel like the stupid,
jilted girlfriend in front of everyone.”

Shit. She told me how pathetic she felt
for staying with Jon when he cheated. Of course she’d feel that way now.
“Listen to me, Abigail.” Her gaze burns into me as I hold her face in both
hands. “Nobody sees it that way. I’m the stupid one for cheating, and she’s
pathetic for fucking me. Everyone has made it very clear how badly I fucked up.
You’re an incredibly compassionate woman who has a big enough heart to forgive
me. That’s what everyone sees. That’s who you are.”

“I’m not innocent in this. I made you feel
like it was one sided, like I didn’t love you like I do Airen or like you do
me. I’ve never known anyone like you, so sweet, forgiving, and selfless. You
changed everything, changed me, and I took you for granted. I want to be as
good as you, to deserve you. I want to see the good in the world and in people
like you do. You make me see beauty where before I had kept my eyes down,
plodding along. I love you more than you can ever understand.”

I can barely utter her name past the lump
in my throat, and she holds me close, tucking my head beneath her chin. “No
more apologies. Let’s just put this behind us,” she pleads. “We have a wedding
to plan.”

Nodding, I manage to pull myself together.
“Jayla already has a notebook full of plans,” I warn her. “I only want to ask
one thing. Will you wear the yellow dress you wore when you married Airen?”

“Okay,” she replies, stretching the word
into a question.

“You were so beautiful that day with the
sun in your hair, the colored leaves falling around you. I read the words that
bound you to him, but God, how I wanted it to be me.”

She hugs me hard. “The yellow dress is
perfect.”

* * * *

My fear that things would be different
between us after my disastrous drunken night turns out to be groundless. Airen,
Abby and I fall back into our routine as if we’ve never been apart, and Emma
apparently has enough self preservation to avoid us.

The next two months are busy, yet
peaceful. We work on remodeling nearby houses and tilling our fields for this
year’s garden. Everyone works together as we plant a larger variety of fruits
and vegetables. Eric and Lexi are attempting to grow grapes while Julie and
Jayla plant peanuts alongside their usual beans and peas.

We’re all excited about Troy and Nic’s
visit, and of course, our wedding. I realize it won’t change anything, but just
to know they really want me with them forever is more than enough. The sound of
a car horn blaring brings us all to the front yard as Nic and Troy arrive,
bringing Sammy along with them. Their visit isn’t totally for pleasure. Getting
their solar power running is top of their priority list.

Sammy bunks with Carson, and Nic and Troy
take the spare bedroom. They seem very happy together, and though Troy forgave
me long ago, seeing them together let’s me finally forgive myself. I’ve always
tried to be a good, honest person, but at one point in our evening, I realize
I’m sitting in a room with two people I cheated on. That isn’t the man I want
to be.

Finally, the day comes I’ve been dreaming
of since I woke with that silver ring back on my finger. The day I take the
name Holder, and become joined forever with the other pieces of my heart.

We’re having the ceremony beneath our
willow tree. We set up tables and chairs in the yard for a small reception, and
Nic volunteers to officiate. The day of our wedding dawns bright and sunny. A
warm breeze plays havoc with the tablecloths and placemats, making everyone
laugh while they scramble to weigh them down.

My heart stops when Abby and Airen step
into the yard. Abby’s wearing the yellow dress, a wide smile on her face as she
sees me staring at her. The breeze blows her shoulder length hair around her
face, and Airen tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, his eyes shining with the
love he feels for her.

His suit is as dark as his hair and it
hugs his hard body. It’s unfair for anyone to look that damn good in a suit.
They both take one of my hands when they approach, and I’m overwhelmed by how
much I feel for them. Abby and Airen. My sun and moon.

“Freaking out yet?” Airen asks with a
smirk.

“Nope, you aren’t getting out of this,” I
reply.

His breath is warm on my ear as he leans
to whisper, “You’re mine. No escape now.”

“Who are we waiting on?” Abby asks.

“Julie. Here she comes now.” Just ahead of
Julie is Emma, practically running toward us. I swear if she starts shit today,
I’ll put her in the deepest well I can find. As they approach, my chest
tightens, the look on Julie’s face telling me something is very wrong.

Nic glances around and smiles. “That’s
everybody. Let’s head to the willow and get these three hitched before the wind
steals everything.”

“Wait!” Emma’s voice echoes through the
trees, and Abby’s hand tightens on mine. “Joseph, you can’t…”

“Enough!” Airen snaps, interrupting. “Shut
your mouth and get out of here, you crazy bitch.”

“Airen,” Julie warns, shaking her head,
her eyes sympathetic.

“You can’t marry her. I’m having your
baby, not her!” Emma screams at me, bringing everything to a halt.

For a few seconds, the buzzing in my ears
obscures everything. The murmurs and shock of the others. Abby’s hand in mine.
Fuck. Abby. I’ve hurt her again. She’ll never forgive me for this.

“You’re a lying bitch!” Airen shouts.

“Ask Julie,” Emma replies quietly.

Abby looks at Julie, shaking her head,
pleading for it to be a lie. Her face falls as Julie gazes at her with sympathy
and says, “I’m sorry. I saw the test. She’s pregnant.”

A long silence settles over the group. No
one knows what to say. Until Walker pipes up. “Are we going to the willow?”

Troy steps in and hustles the kids back
indoors. I watch as Lexi stops Abby from going after Emma. “You can’t, Ab. I
want to pound her into dust too, but she’s carrying a baby.”

“Her face isn’t pregnant,” Abby spits.

Airen grabs her and motions for me to
follow them. I was so close. I had it all, another few minutes and they
would’ve been mine. He leads us to the backyard.

“I’m so sorry. I never even considered.
Fuck. Abby, baby, I’m sorry…”

Soft hands cup my face and I look into her
compassionate brown eyes. “Stop. Joseph, calm down. This doesn’t change
anything.” Airen nods as she glances at him to see if he feels the same. “We
know you didn’t want this.”

“No. I can’t have a kid with her. I hate
her.”

Airen faces me. “We’ll deal with it
together, Joey. If this is still what you want. Do you still want us?”

“More than anything.”

“Then we have a wedding to get to.
Everything else can wait.”

“This isn’t how I wanted to remember this
day,” I whisper. It was supposed to be the day my dream came true, not the
beginning of a new nightmare.

Abby’s arms slide around my waist. “You’ll
remember this as the day you were joined with us, and found out you’ll be a
father again. No matter the circumstances, you’re going to have a child and
that’s a wonderful thing. We can’t have enough of you in the world.”

I close my eyes, absorbing her sweet
words. “I’m having a baby,” I say aloud, the reality setting in.

“You are,” Airen agrees.

“I have to raise it, be the father, even
if it’s Emma’s. It isn’t fair to either of you.”

Airen plants a soft kiss on my lips.
“We’ll love your child like it’s ours. It’s part of you. How could we not?”
When I think it’s impossible to love these two people more, they blindside me.

“Okay, let’s do this,” Abby says with a
smile.

Arms linked, we return to the front lawn
where an uncomfortable group of people are gathered. “Mom, are you okay?” Jayla
asks.

“I’m getting married, honey. I’m
fantastic. Will you get the kids?” She squeals and hugs Abby before heading
indoors.

Emma’s face turns red as her hopes of
ruining my wedding die. “I’m pregnant,” she repeats, as if we may have missed
the news.

She steps back when I stalk toward her,
pointing a finger an inch from her face. “I’ll deal with you later. Today, I’m
marrying my girl and my man, and if you open your fucking mouth again you’ll
spend the next hour tied to a chair. You aren’t ruining our day.”

“So, you’d leave me alone with a baby?”

Before I can answer, Abby steps forward, a
wicked smile on her face. “Joseph will raise his baby. Your child will be lucky
to have him, but let’s get something clear. The child will have him. His time,
his kindness, his love. His baby will have him, not you.

It seems you need it spelled out for you,
and now, here in front of our friends and family is as good a time as any. So
listen close. He’s not yours. In a few minutes, he’ll be my husband and Airen’s,
and nothing you do or say will change that. You can’t have him. Not his
friendship, not his time, and definitely not his love. We have his heart.”

The kids barge out the front door, Walker
in the lead. “Are you getting married now, Daddy?”

“Sure am. Ready to make Uncle Airen into
Daddy Airen?” Walker beams, nodding. “Then let’s go.”

I slide my arm around Abby’s shoulder while
Airen takes my hand. A warm safe feeling sweeps through me as we make our way
to the willow. The ceremony is short and sweet. After we’re pronounced, I kiss
Airen senseless, then grab Abby’s sweet lips with mine. I forget everyone is
watching as she takes my mouth with unrestrained passion. I’m returned to
reality when Airen grabs me by the hair and pulls me away to kiss him again,
making everyone laugh.

“Airen Holder, you have to share,” I
tease.

“Joseph Holder, you’re mine now and I can
take your mouth whenever the hell I want.” He drops his voice so only I can
hear and bites my earlobe. “And however I want.”

“Are you really gonna sleep outside
tonight?” Walker asks, riding piggy back on Airen while Lane sits on my
shoulders as we walk home to celebrate.