Stay With Me (22 page)

I run my fingers along the stubble and I think I really like it.  “You should shave less. It makes you even sexier than usual.”  His lips meet mine again, and I feel his breathing becoming faster.  All of a sudden, he grabs my ass, lifts me up as he stands, then turns around.  He then gently and quietly places me on the bed.  I’m on my back, facing him as he’s on his knees in front of me.  

“We should lose these, even they look amazing on you.”  He places his thumbs in the elastic on the sides of my panties.  He slowly, painfully, slips them down my legs.  As he removes them, he follows his hands with those hot kisses that almost burn my skin.  It’s impossible not to squirm underneath him.  He kisses me from the sides of my hips down to the tips of my toes, each kiss making me hotter for him.  Then, just as slowly, he works his way back up until he reaches the heat that is radiating from me.  He spreads my legs just a smidge wider, then lowers himself down on the bed with his knees on the floor.  My hands grip the sheets as I brace for the onslaught of pleasure he’s about to give me.

He doesn’t make me wait long.  His lips make small, feather like kisses all around, causing my back to arch off the bed.  He hits that spot that makes me want to jump off the bed.  I didn’t realize that I was so sensitive; guess it
has
been a long time.  Donovan starts to run his tongue lightly over my clit, which is aching for him to make me cum.  At this rate, it’s not going to take me long.

I throw my hands into his hair, which in turn, causes him to plunge his tongue into me and I have to bite my lip in order not to scream out his name.  His hands squeeze my thighs against the side of his face.  

“Baby, it’s been so long.  I’ve missed you so much.”  

Deja vu.

“I’ve missed you, too.  I love you.” I said it before I realized the words had slipped out.  I cover my mouth like I just said a cuss word in front of my mom.  Just like in my dream, his lips leave me and I’m empty inside.  

No, please don’t leave!  Come back!

But he didn’t leave.  He stood up,then lowered his body on top of mine, and his blue eyes stare into mine.

“Say it again.”  His gaze is intense and it’s like I’m in a trance.  “Please, say it again.”

“I...love you,” I whisper.  

“I’ve been waiting to hear those words from you, Allie.  My only regrets are that I didn’t tell you sooner, and I told you when you weren’t really talking to me.  I wanted it to be special.” He brushes his lips against mine.  “I pictured something a bit more romantic than that.  But, you telling me, just now, couldn’t have been more perfect.”

I break out into a smile and I bring his lips back to mine.  The kiss is filled with passion, love, and confidence. Confidence that we will work through anything and everything.  There is no doubt in my mind this is the man I’m supposed to be with.  I won’t let Claire or Donna, or anyone else for that matter, break us apart.  We will hold on to what we have and never lose sight of the love we feel.

Our bodies mold together as he slowly pushes himself into me, filling me to the brim and I gasp.  My nails dig into his back and I bury my mouth into his neck.  He gingerly pulls back out, then repeats the process.  I wrap my legs around his waist, pleading with him to go deeper.  I hear him chuckle, just as he pushes in a little harder this time.  

I throw my head back and my eyes roll back, relishing the feel of him.  With each thrust, he goes harder and faster, bringing me closer to my breaking point.  He rests his forehead against mine, intently staring at me.  “Let me hear you say it again.”

I know just what he means.  “I love you.  Always.”

He growls and pushes into me again and that’s when I lose it.  My body convulses and shudders from the orgasm my body hasn’t experienced in a week.  My pelvis bucks up to meet the last thrust, and as I do, he moans and let’s go himself.

We both collapse, absolutely spent and at peace.  He rolls over and takes me with him, so that I’m laying right on top of him.  He looks up at me and softly cups my face.  “I won’t ever tire of hearing you say that.”

“Same here, babe.  I didn’t think those three words would have such an impact on me, but they did.”   I kiss him gently.  “They really did.”

Chapter 31

Donovan

Looking at Allie, I can’t believe it took me almost twenty-nine years to find her.  I can’t get over how incredibly perfect she is for me.  I brush her brown hair back behind her ear, then stroke her face.  She leans into my touch, pressing her cheek against the palm of my hand.  We’ve had lovey-dovey moments before, but nothing like this.  This is different on a whole other level.  I guess it’s because we both know now how we feel about each other.

I see her glance over to her dresser and I follow her eyes to a small brown package.  She turns her head back to me with a worried expression.  I gently scoot her off of me and stand to see what the hell Donna did to her.

I pull the tiny hourglass out and inspect it all over.  It’s not one I’ve seen before, but that doesn’t mean anything.  “Donna collects this stupid crap from all over the place.  She has an entire room, full of shit just like this.  She would stop in every tourist shop and spend at least a hundred every time.  So annoying.” I shake my head.  I decide to put an end to this right now.

I pull out my phone from the pocket in my shorts and swipe the screen.

“What are you doing?” Allie’s voice is panicked, and just an octave higher than normal.  Her bright green eyes are wide open.  I sit on the bed next to her and drape my arm over her. “Look, don’t worry about it.  I’ll take care of it.”  I stand and put my shorts back on.  “I’ll take this outside.  It could get loud and I don’t want to disturb your mom.”  I open the door and silently close the door behind me.  I tiptoe back down the hallway, careful not to make any noise.  

When I get outside, I hit send.  I’m so laying this bitch out.  It takes two rings before I hear her voice saying hello.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Donna?  I know it was you,” I whisper into the phone, my voice somewhere between rage and hurt.  “Why?  That’s what I want to know is why?”

“What on Earth are you talking about, Donovan?” She tries to portray innocence, and it makes me want to come through that phone and strangle her.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about.  Don’t lie to me.  Why did you send that hourglass to Allie?  What the hell does ‘your time is almost up’ supposed to mean?”

She lets out a heavy sigh.  “I’ve told you before.  That girl is no good for you; Claire is.  She put you through medical school when your father wouldn’t.  She made you the person you are today and you seem to forget that.  She will be out of jail soon enough and she wants you back.  You have an obligation to her.” Her tone is low and condescending.  “You need to leave that girl and focus on Claire.”

“What the hell is your connection with her anyways?  Why do you care if we are together or not?” I look down at my fists and my knuckles are white from gripping them closed so tight.

She’s silent and doesn’t respond to my question.  I repeat it for her.  “What is your connection, Donna?  You weren’t that interested in my love life when I was dating her before, so why now?”

Again, silence and I think for a minute she’s hung up until I hear her breathe.  “I’m just looking out for you and you have the nerve to speak to me this way?  What would your father think about that?” She is trying to hide the trembling in her voice; it doesn’t work.

“You’re lying.  You stupid bitch.  Stay out of our lives.  If you so much as try to contact Allie, there will be hell to pay.  Do you understand me?”

“No, you need to understand me, you sorry son of a bitch.  Claire wants you back, and that’s the way it is.  I’m pretty sure she gets what she wants, whether you want it or not.  She’s not used to be told no, so I would keep that in mind.  Oh, and by the way, when I said her time is almost up?  It’s not a death threat, if that’s what you think.  It just means that Claire won’t let you two stay together.”  With that, she hangs up in my face.  

What the hell was that about?  I run both my hands through my hair, trying to understand why Donna wants me with Claire so bad.  My mind tries to think if I ever saw them interact, and there isn’t one single time.  All this Claire crap started coming around when I brought Allie back to Savannah.  Never once did she mention her before, other than when Claire gave me all that money.  

“How generous of her to give you all that money!” Donna tried to hug me, but I backed away from her.  She’s used to that by now.  “What are you going to spend it on, Donovan?  She’s already bought the house for you.”

“Yeah, I’m aware of that.  I didn’t want it, but she insisted.  When I still told her no, she found my bank account information and deposited the money.  When I tried to withdraw it and give it back, she wouldn’t take it.”

“Well, five million dollars is nothing to sniff at.  You should be grateful for it.  But I can understand your uneasiness, being that was from Frank Dubois’ life insurance.”

My stomach flipped and twisted into knots.  “That’s why I’m going to donate it.”

“Oh, please.  You can’t be serious, Donovan.  That’s a lot of money to just ‘give away’.  At least spend some of it.”  She waved me off, signaling to me that she was done talking to me.  “I doubt you will do that anyways.  You’ve gotten used to living a life of luxury.  It’s hard to let that money go.”
 

I turned away from her, disgusted by her selfishness.  I didn’t want that damn money.  I had that awful feeling that she did something terrible to Frank to get that money.  My life had become something that I never imagined.  I was dating a reality star, whose husband died and left her millions of dollars.  She thrusted me into a life of fame and fortune, but even though I hated to admit it to anyone, I kind of liked the attention.  Since my dad is frigging loaded, the money was nothing special.  But being on the front pages, hand in hand with a hot, older celebrity, is pretty hard not to like.  Even still, I went down to the bank that afternoon and got a check certified for five million dollars.  Then I drove to the children’s hospital, walked into the CEO’s office and placed that check on his desk.  I never forgot the look on his face when he saw all the zeros.  I swear he wanted to kiss me, but thank goodness he didn’t.  Awkward.

“Are you okay?” I jump at the sound of Allie’s voice, which brings me right back to the here and now.

“Honestly, not really.  But I will be, as soon as you get over here.”  She smiles and walks to me.  She wraps her arms around my waist and places her head on my chest.  I envelope her with my arms, holding her closely, but it still doesn’t seem close enough.  “Donna did it, but she was pretty vague with her answer.  She just said that I had obligations to Claire and I needed to fulfill them."

“Was that what she was talking about in your room that night?”

Shit.

“Yes, that’s what she was talking about.  I know I lied to you about it, but you know why.”  I feel her nod her head as a response.  “I told you she was a nasty person.  But she’s much worse now, which I didn’t even think was possible.  She doesn’t want us together, but I don’t care what she wants.  I love you more than you know, and I refuse to let her, or anyone else for that matter, come in between us.”

She squeezes me tighter, like she never wants to let go, and I’m good with that.  I never want her to let her go either.  

“I can’t believe that I’m able to love someone so much, it actually hurts.  Thank you for giving me another chance.”  I kiss the top of her forehead, which fits perfectly right under my chin.  I laugh.  “You know something?  You make a great headrest.”

“Watch it, baby.  I’m a force to be reckoned with when you tease me like that.” She pinches my side and we both laugh.  It feels so good to do that again, especially with Allie.

“I haven’t done that in awhile,” she says as she tries to hide a yawn.

“What’s that?”  I realize just how tired I am, because she just made me yawn, too.

“Felt like things are right with the world.  It’s been awhile, and I don’t want it to go away.  I’ve got you back in my life, I’ve spent so much time with Jackson, and my family and friends love me.  Maybe I just didn’t see it before, but now that I know you love me, everything just feels right, like it should be.”

I tilt her chin up, so I can look into those evergreen eyes of hers.  “In our world, everything
is
right.”  I kiss the corners of her mouth, and she grins.

“Come on, babe.  Let’s go take a nap.”  She laces her fingers with mine and pulls me back to the house.  

“You have the best ideas.  That makes you the smart one in the relationship,” I say, trying to hold my eyes open, but since I haven’t slept well for the last week, it’s pretty much an impossibility.   

“And don’t you forget it, either.”

“Oh, I won’t, baby.  Besides, you wouldn’t let me forget.”  I grin as I swat her on the ass.  She yelps and the sound makes me laugh.  She slaps me back, and everything seems to be back to normal.  Maybe now, we can both fall asleep.

Chapter 32

Allie