The Love Series Complete Box Set (64 page)

“I think he sounds pretty amazing and I wish I could have known him.” She learns forward and presses her soft, lips to my cheek; I can’t help but lean into the feel of them. “Me too, baby. You guys would have gotten along so well.” Again, as if my some kind of instinctual magnetism, I am drawn to her. My hand moves from her arm, up into her long, wavy hair. Pulling her close to me, I slide my other arm underneath her warm body and press my lips against hers for a sweet kiss.

Pulling back from me, she looks up into my eyes and smiles brightly. God, I love her. Everything about her, about us, feels so surreal and unlikely. I’ll never be able to understand how two people—once so broken and guarded, have been able to find the love and compassion that they never thought they deserved.

“I love you, Maddy. God, I love you so much, sometimes . . . sometimes, I just don’t know what to do with it. I know I wouldn’t have made it through today, hell, any day for that matter, if it weren’t for you.” Cupping her cheek in my hand once more, I kiss her—not so innocently this time. Her body melts against mine and she hooks her leg over my hip, pulling me closer to her.

Breaking the passionate kiss, her eyes are now glazed with lust and love. “I love you too, Reid. So much that it scares me.” Her hand starts roaming over the ridges and muscles of my back absentmindedly. “I’ve lost you before because I was being foolish. All this stuff with your mom . . . I’m . . . I’m just so sorry that I pushed you away . . . that I hurt you . . . that I caused us so much pain.” She looks to the ceiling to try and avoid meeting my eyes, but I won’t have that now. There’s no need for us not to be honest with one another. Forcing her to look at me again, I grip her chin in between my forefinger and thumb. As I gently sweep the pad of my thumb over her lower lip, she kisses it tenderly and meets my eyes once more. “I was so afraid that you were going to leave me because of the baby. All that stuff about you needing to make peace with your mom was just a cover for my own issues. I’m so sorry that I did that to you, to us. I love you more than anything, and I can’t believe that I’m lucky enough to have you back.” On her last words, she squeezes me with all of the strength she can muster.

I kiss the top of her head and murmur against her hair, “I love you too, sweet Maddy. I was foolish too. Who the hell walks out on the woman they love, anyway?” We lock eyes again, and now it’s my turn to wipe the slate clean. “I was scared too—of the baby, of what would happen to your life, of what would happen to mine. I can’t say that I was your biggest fan when you kept bringing up my past.” My lips quirk into a small smile and my words carry a sarcastic, playful undertone. I’m relieved to see that she can feel the light-heartedness as well. “But, well, despite all of the heartache it caused, I just . . . well, I’m just glad it all worked out for us. And now, that I have you,” I wrap my arms around her, and crush her supple body against mine, “I’m never going to let you go.”

Her lips press against my neck and I feel her tongue lick and nip at the sensitive skin at my collar bone. Rolling my neck to the side, to give her more access, a groan escapes my lips. My fingers grasp at the soft flesh of her waist and she rolls her hips into mine. She kisses and licks a sensual path across my neck and down towards my chest. Pulling back just the slightest, she reaches her hand down into the elastic waistband of my boxers and wraps her delicate yet sure fingers around my hardening erection. Being next to her, feeling her lips on my body is like a drug—I can’t ever get enough.

Rubbing, touching and caressing my growing arousal, stokes the flames of the fire burning in my veins. I need her, and based on how she’s touching me, I can tell she needs me too. I hook my fingers into her shorts and panties and pull them down over her hips and toss them to the floor. She does the same to me, and then slowly, almost teasingly, I pull her T-shirt up over her head and gaze down at her soft, full breasts. With only the soft glow of the moon, her skin is perfectly illuminated. She’s beautiful.

When I reach out to cup and knead at her tender breasts, she grabs my cock harder and begins stroking with an intensity that I won’t be able to endure for very long. Pushing up into her tight grasp, my words are a garbled mixture of pleasure and torture. “Ahhh . . . Maddy, baby, I love you.”

Lips pressed against my chest, she whispers, “I love you too. Make love to me, please. I need you to love me tonight.” Innocently, she peeks up at me through her long lashes, and my heart swells with pure love for the beauty beside me.

My lips crash into hers with wild passion. Our tongues lap and lick furiously at one another. Lips are bitten and tugged almost to the point of being painful, but never quite crossing the line. She protests mildly when I pull my mouth away from hers, but her whines are subdued when she feels me continue my assault down her neck, stopping only to nibble and lick at the upper curve of her breast. Toying with her nipple in between my finger and thumb forces her hips to jolt forward. “Oh God, Reid. Do that again, please?” Her begging makes my cock swell with even more need than I am already feeling.

“This?” I taunt playfully as I pinch her nipples once more. There’s no response this time. Her head just lolls back and her hips thrust forward.

Unable to go another second without being inside of her, I hike her leg further up my hip and nudge my cock against her waiting entrance. In one swift thrust, I am buried deep inside of her. I can feel her pulsing and fluttering all around me as she adjusts to the feel of being filled by me.

Still entwined with one another, lying on our sides, I begin moving—a slow and sensual pace. I want to feel every slick and wet ridge of her tightness squeezing and encircling me.

Needing to see her as I love her, I command, “Look at me, Maddy.” My voice is gruff and laced with pure desire. Gazing into her eyes as we move together is beyond intimate. It becomes impossible to know where she ends and where I begin. Holding her close, moving inside of her, staring into her beautiful green eyes, I know there will never be anyone else for me. There will always only be Maddy.

On each deep, hard push into her core, I angle my hips forward so that I can hit that spot that makes her go crazy. I feel her body go limp and loose around me as pleasure washes over her. Reaching between us, I run the tip of my finger along the outer edge of her soaking wet lips. When I get to the hardened nub of her clit, I rub circles around it. “Ahhh . . . Reid . . . I’m so close.” Her words are whispered, but the enormity of her feelings is screaming out at me loud and clear.

A perfectly timed thrust and one last teasing touch to her clit has her falling apart at the seams. Watching her come and feeling her orgasm ripple through her body, throws me over the edge and I spill every last ounce of my love deep into her.

While our bodies are still joined as one, I tip her chin up and kiss her with all of the love that I feel. Still breathing heavily, with my body still vibrating with pleasure, I look deep into her eyes to say, “I fucking love you.”

She chuckles and buries her face in my neck. Nuzzling close to my sweat streaked skin, she whispers, “And I fucking love you too.”

Falling asleep in my arms, still naked and entwined with my love, her back softly pressed up against my front, I feel like a new chapter of my life is on the horizon. The possibilities are endless. For once, I don’t feel chained to my past. I feel freed by my future.

Chapter 19

Sunday December 30, 2012

Since Katie and Maddy are planning on having a ‘girlie’ afternoon—nail polishing and hair styling—Dylan and I decide to go out for lunch. He was hesitant at first, not wanting to go out into public. I guess fear isn’t a feeling that fades quickly. I can’t imagine what it’s like to not want to go back to your own hometown because you’re afraid for your life. It will never make sense to me.

When we were on the phone, I asked him if anyone else knew about his and Shane’s relationship. He told me about how my father threatened him after Shane died, saying that he would kill him if he ever told anyone about Shane. My father essentially scared Dylan out of his own home town. So, I know that being back here is a huge thing for Dylan.

Pulling into the Chili’s parking lot, I understand immediately why he chose a chain restaurant instead of the diner like I suggested. There are plenty of people here. No one will even notice him. We can just blend into the background.

I kill the engine and walk into the restaurant. Dylan is sitting at the bar. That was another stipulation of our lunch—no booths or tables. “Guys getting together to watch the game sit at the bar,” he told me when we made the plans yesterday. So here we are—two guys sitting together, watching some college football game, having a few beers, remembering a common loss.

The bartender slides me a coaster as I take my seat next to Dylan. “What can I get you?”

I eye Dylan’s mostly empty mug, and answer, “Two of whatever that was.”

As the bartender turns to get us our drinks, I notice that Dylan’s leg is bouncing wildly under his stool. He’s tapping his fingers on the bar-top like he’s just had ten cups of coffee. “You okay, man? You’re shaking like a fiend.” He doesn’t respond to my question immediately. Instead, he scans the rest of the bar area like there’s a sniper waiting for him in the corner.

Dylan still hasn’t made eye contact with me. Returning his eyes to the television in front of us, he says, “Yeah, I’m okay. I just don’t like being here, that’s all.” I know that by “here” he means Denning. I hate being here too. He pitches his voice low so that no one can hear him. There are a few people seated around the bar and the tables are all full, but the only one who can really hear us is the bartender who just placed our beers in front of us.

We’ll just have to talk about Shane later. Right now, it’s just going to be about two old friends catching up. The football Gods must have heard my thoughts because at that exact moment, the bar erupts into loud cheers and whistles.

“Holy shit! Did you just see that? A ninety-eight yard return!” I’m usually more of a baseball fan, but anyone watching the game would have to admit to the awesomeness of that play.

Dylan turns in his seat to face me and takes a large gulp of his beer. “I read a scouting report the other day that the quarterback is probably going to go in the first round of the draft this year.” And just like that, the conversation flows naturally. Stats and scores, playoff games and the upcoming Superbowl—it’s almost as if we haven’t missed out on the last five years.

The next hour or so passes quickly. We eat, drink and chat about football and old times. When the conversation drifts to my plans for after graduation, the atmosphere shifts and Dylan takes a sudden interest in my words.

“Wait you mean you are going into counseling?” His tone is shocked, but at the same time, I notice a bit of pride coloring his words as well.

Finishing the last sip of my beer, I wipe my mouth. “Yeah, I actually have this great internship back in Ithaca. I’ll be in a few schools working with the kids and other counselors. Aside from being apart from Maddy, I’m really excited about it.”

“So you two are serious then, huh?” Dylan’s eyebrow arches playfully and he elbows me in the side.

My chest swells with pride and love as I say, “She’s having my baby, so yeah, I’d say we’re serious.” Everyone who is important to us already knows about the baby. Somehow, telling Dylan feels natural—almost like I’m telling Shane.

He claps his hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently. “Seriously? That’s great, Reid. I’m thrilled for you guys.” Suddenly afraid of his gesture of friendship, small though it may be, he straightens in his seat and gets lost in thought for a few moments.

Realization creeps across his face. “But wait you just said you were going back to Ithaca. Is she going with you?” He begins picking at the napkin which was under his drink. Apparently relationship talk makes him nervous.

I huff at the reality that our time is running out. In just a few days, my time with Maddy will be relegated to night time phone calls and weekend sleep overs. “Well, she just got a job back in Elmira—that’s where she lives. And the baby’s doctor is there. We just got an apartment together too, but it looks like I won’t be living there with her until the spring.”

He swipes his hand across his face. “Wow, that’s blows. I mean you guys having to spend that much time apart.” Dylan’s eyes convey the sadness that he feels for Maddy and I having to be apart. I wish more than anything that we didn’t have to be, that Dylan’s words didn’t have to be true, but they are. In fact, in just one week, Maddy and I will spend more of our time apart than together. I hate it.

“Yeah, it does. I’ve tried to move my internship, but there just aren’t any openings in schools in Elmira and I haven’t been able to find anything else. I love Maddy and I want to move into the apartment with her, but I can’t just up and leave this position.” Dylan sighs and leans forward, folding his arms in front of him on the bar. Blankly staring at the football game on the television, he looks lost in thought.