FOREVER SERIES: COMPLETE BOX SET

by Lynn, Sandi

  “You need to take these first.”

  She rolled her eyes at me. “I know.” She sighed as she took them with her orange juice.

  I picked up the fork and fed her some eggs. I couldn’t help but stare into her beautiful eyes, because when I did, I saw my entire future in them. She took the fork out of my hand and fed me.

  “It’s time to open your presents.” I smiled as I reached under the bed and pulled out three boxes.

  Her grin widened. “I love presents!” she squealed.

  I removed the tray from her lap and set it on the floor. I was grinning from ear to ear as I handed her the first box that contained her new iPhone. She gracefully opened it, and I watched as her mouth dropped in shock.

  “Your phone number is the same as your old phone; you know the one you threw away?” I smirked. “Who just throws away their phone?” I shook my head.

  “I’m crazy, remember?”

  “Yes, you are crazy, but you’re my crazy, and don’t ever forget that,” I said as I kissed her on the tip of her nose. I handed her the next box that contained the bracelet. She gasped when she opened the box and, covered her mouth with her hand.

  “Connor, I…I love it! This is the most beautiful gift that anyone has ever given me.”

  I took the box from her hand and took out the bracelet. I unclasped it and put it on her delicate wrist.

  “I love you, Ellery, not only for whom you are, but for the person I’ve become because of you. This is my forever to you.”

  It wasn’t too long before tears started to fall down her face.

  “Oh no, you don’t! There will be no tears on your birthday, whether they’re good tears or not. I forbid it. Do you understand, Miss Lane?”

  She wrapped her arms around me as tight as she could and met her mouth with mine. I responded, but quickly broke the kiss. I was excited for her to open the last present.

  “You still have one more present to open,” I said as I handed her the last box.

  “You spoil me.” She grinned.

  I took her hand, brought it up to my lips, and softly kissed it.

  “You deserve to be spoiled.”

  She opened the box and looked at the tickets. She didn’t say a word; she only looked at me with tears in her eyes.

  “Don’t do it. No tears,” I commanded. But it was too late. They had already started to fall. I took my thumb and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. “I know your dream is to go to Paris. I saw it on the list that you hid in your desk, and as soon as the doctor says that it’s okay to go, we’ll be on the first flight there for however long you want to stay.”

  She climbed on my lap and straddled me as she cupped my face in her hands and stared into my eyes.

  “Thank you for all that you’ve done for me. You’ve made me the happiest person in the world, and I’m never letting you go.”

  I smiled as I ran my finger along her face. I took her wrist and brought it up to my lips as I softly kissed the infinity symbol on her bracelet. “It will always be forever you,” I whispered. She leaned in and brushed her lips against mine. We stayed in bed until the afternoon, and Ellery showed me how grateful she was.

  * * *

  Later that night, I arranged for a limo to pick us up and drive us to the swank bar that Mason and Landon had planned for Ellery’s birthday. It was an eventful night of talking, laughing, and drinking. Our waitress was trying to flirt with me and didn’t care that Ellery was right there next to me. When we were about to leave, Ellery excused herself and went to the restroom. While she was gone, the redheaded waitress came over and whispered in my ear. “I would love to have your cock in my mouth.” She winked.

  I looked over her shoulder and saw Ellery walking towards her. The angered look on her face told me she’d had enough of this girl. She walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. I started to get nervous because I knew Ellery, and she doesn’t put up with any shit.

  “Excuse me, lady, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

  “Listen, bitch, if you’re doing all three of them, then there’s no harm in letting me have a taste of this juicy one.” She smiled at me.

  My look turned to panic as I saw rage in Ellery’s eyes. I needed to stop this, or she could end up in jail.

  “Who are you calling a bitch?!” Ellery yelled.

  I stepped out of the booth as Mason and Landon sat there with smiles on their faces, and I grabbed Ellery’s arm.

  “Come on let’s go,” I said as I quickly escorted her out of the bar with Mason and Landon following behind us, laughing. I kissed her on the side of her head. “I can’t take you anywhere.” She turned and gave me a stern look.

  “It’s not me. It’s you and these damn women you attract.”

  I laughed as I picked her up and carried her to the car.

  We arrived back at Ellery’s apartment. Celebrating her birthday with her was the best day of my life, except for the day I found her standing in my kitchen. I walked into the room with a 12 inch round cake, beautifully lit up with 24 burning candles. I set it in front of her and watched her smile as she closed her eyes, made a wish, and blew them out. Her sweetness and innocence swept me off my feet and left me with a feeling that I never knew I was capable of. Her smile, her laughter, and the way she played with her hair when she was nervous were some of the things I loved most about her.

  I handed her the knife to cut the first piece of cake, and she took it from my hand with her delicate fingers. I stood there and stared at her as she cut each piece with finesse. She looked at me with her blue eye; eyes that were mesmerizing and full of life.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

  A smile fell upon my face. “I was just thinking about how much I love you.”

  The words I was never able to say before, now flowed freely from my lips as easy as loving her did. She leaned over, put a dab of icing on the tip of my nose, and laughed. She wiped it off and held her finger to my mouth as I took it inside and licked it slowly. I saw the fire in her eyes like I did every time she looked at me.

  I couldn’t extinguish the fear that resided in my heart with her illness. I didn’t want to believe that she wouldn’t get better, but there was a tiny part of me that was scared shitless that she wouldn’t. I put on a brave front for her because she needed me. She needs me to be her rock, and I wouldn’t let her down. Mason and Landon left, and we walked to the bedroom.

  I laid there in bed, checking my emails while waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. She opened the door and walked into the bedroom while brushing her teeth, frantically looking for something.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” I asked.

  She mumbled something. I couldn’t understand her between the toothbrush and the foam. She held up her free hand against her ear.

  “Are you looking for your phone?” I asked her.

  She nodded her head.

  I pulled it from between the sheets and she smiled at me and gave me thumbs up as she went back into the bathroom and spat in the sink.

  “Thanks, baby!” she shouted.

  She walked towards the bed and looked at her phone, checking her messages before she pulled back the covers and climbed in. She snuggled into my chest as I put my arm around her. This was right, too right.

  Chapter 20

  The next morning, I woke up and looked over to find Ellery staring at me. I could sense something was bothering her. She kissed my cheek and laid her head on my chest.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked as I held her.

  “I’m scared to go today,” she whispered.

  I kissed the top of her head.

  “Don’t be scared. I’m here with you, and I told you that I will protect you. You have nothing to fear when you’re with me. I promise you that, my love.”

  She looked up at me and smiled. “I think we have time for a long shower before heading over to the hospital.”

  “You must have read my mind, Miss Lane, because I was just
thinking the same thing,” I smiled back.

  We ate breakfast and headed out the door. I walked over to the Porsche as Ellery turned the opposite way.

  “Hey, where are you going?” I asked.

  “I’m walking,” she replied.

  “No, you’re not! Get in the car, Ellery. I’m driving you there.”

  I sighed as she kept walking down the street. Running up behind her, I picked her up.

  “Connor, come on. Please?” She laughed.

  “Sorry, babe, but it’s better to drive there because we don’t know how you’ll feel afterwards. You may not be able to walk home.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry,” she said as she kissed me on the cheek.

  We arrived at the hospital, and I could tell Ellery was nervous as she was biting her bottom lip. We sat in the waiting room of Dr. Murphy’s office until a leggy blonde receptionist called Ellery’s name and led us to a room. I put my arm around Ellery as we walked down the hall, letting her know she was safe. The blonde kept eyeing me up and down and Ellery noticed it. I was getting nervous because of what happened last night, and Ellery wouldn’t hold back. She gave Ellery a cloth gown to change into and quickly left the room. I took the gown from her hands and helped her into it.

  Dr. Murphy walked in with a silver tray and three large needles. She explained to Ellery what each injection was going to feel like. She looked at me and told me that Ellery was going to need me to hold her hand. Just hearing Dr. Murphy explain to Ellery what her body is going to feel like had scared the shit out of me. I looked at her face, and she was as pale as a ghost. She was frightened, and it was my job to protect her. I turned on the bed so I was facing her, and I grabbed her hands.

  “Just look at me, baby, and focus on nothing but me, okay?” I said.

  She nodded her head as Dr. Murphy inserted the first needle. She squeezed my hands hard as she shrieked. When the second needle was injected, her shriek turned into a cry as she let go of my hands, clutched my shirt with her fists and screamed into my chest. My heart was breaking for her. I held her in my arms as the third needed pierced her skin, and she continued to scream.

  “Please, Dr. Murphy, isn’t there anything we can do for her?” I pleaded.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Black. We have to let it run its course, but it’s only temporary. I’ll be back in an hour to see how she’s doing. If you need anything, or she’s having a reaction, you are to push this button immediately,” she said as she walked out of the room.

  “It’s okay, baby. Just hold onto me,” I whispered to her as she laid there and shook in my arms. My eyes started to swell with tears. I had to hold them back. I need to be strong for her, but seeing her like this and having to go through this pain was horrifying. I just kept telling her I loved her over and over.

  * * *

  A couple of days had passed, and we mostly stayed in bed, watched movies, and cooked together. Cooking with Ellery was fun because neither one of us were very good at it. When I sat at the table, doing work and holding meetings, Ellery would sit at her easel and paint. When she wasn’t looking, I would stare at her and watch how flawlessly she moved her brush on the canvas. This was how I pictured the rest of my life with her and our future.

  The next morning, I was up early for a brief phone meeting with Paul regarding the Chicago acquisition. Just as I hung up with him, my mom called. She wanted to make sure I was coming for Thanksgiving. I told her that I had met someone very special and that I would be bringing her to Thanksgiving to meet the family. I could tell she was excited by the way she screamed, “Connor’s bringing someone home for Thanksgiving!” I guess she had the right to be excited since I’d never brought anyone home for her to meet before. I hung up the phone, walked to the bedroom, and stared at my sleeping beauty. She opened her eyes and smiled at me. I smiled back as I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked as my finger ran down her jaw line.

  “I’m feeling okay. I heard you on the phone.”

  “I was talking to my mother. I’m taking you home for Thanksgiving.”

  “Did you tell your mom about me?” she asked.

  “Of course I did, and she’s looking forward to meeting you. She’s going to love you.”

  “I meant, did you tell her that I have cancer?”

  I sat there and looked at her because I didn’t tell my mom about Ellery’s cancer. I shook my head.

  “Why didn’t you tell her, Connor?”

  My eyes traveled to the window. “I haven’t had the chance, and it’s not something I want to do over the phone, Elle. I think that needs to be done in person.”

  “So, what you’re saying is that you want me to spring it on her on Thanksgiving? Hi Black family! I’m Ellery Lane, your son’s girlfriend who has cancer for the second time in her twenty-four years of life and is nothing but a walking cancer disaster.”

  I got up from the bed. I couldn’t believe she’d just said that.

  “Wow, Elle, you really know how to ruin a moment. I’ll tell her before Thanksgiving. End of discussion,” I said in an authoritative tone.

  “No, Connor, it’s not the end of the discussion, and don’t you dare take that tone with me!”

  I turned away from the window and looked at her. “Are you looking to start an argument?”

  “All you have to do is tell me why you didn’t tell her yet,” she pleaded.

  I didn’t know why I didn’t mention it. I’ve been so busy with trying to take care of Ellery and conducting business at the same time. I didn’t think about telling my mom about her cancer because I just wanted to forget about it.

  I looked at her as anger took over me.

  “You want to know why?! I haven’t been able to do anything because I’m stuck here taking care of you!”

  Shit. That came out wrong, but it was too late because I could see the rage in her eyes. I turned towards the window and ran my hand through my hair.

  “Stuck? You’re not stuck here, Connor. I didn’t fucking ask you to come here, and I sure as hell didn’t ask you to take care of me.”

  She was so hurt by what I’d said, but I didn’t mean it. I turned and looked into her sad blue eyes. “Baby, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Get out of here!” she screamed as she picked up a glass that was sitting on the night stand and threw it at me. I ducked and shook my head.

  “Fine. If that’s what you want!” I yelled as I stormed out of her apartment.

  I took a walk to the beach. I needed to let her cool off before I went back and apologized. She was right. I should’ve told my mom about her having cancer. Ellery had every right to be pissed as hell at me. I was gone about an hour, and on my way back to her apartment, I stopped at the store to buy her a bag of chocolate.

  I walked into the apartment and into the bedroom where I saw Ellery bent down, picking up the pieces of broken glass. I knelt down beside her and lightly took her hand.

  “Stop. You’re going to cut yourself,” I whispered as I removed the pieces of glass from her hand.

  She took in a deep breath and started to say she was sorry. She didn’t need to apologize. She had every right to act the way she did. I took her face in my hands.

  “I know, baby, and it’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not, Connor. I know this is hard for you, and I’m so sorry.”

  She was begging for forgiveness, but she didn’t need to. I brought my lips to hers.

  “It’s okay, baby. I didn’t mean what I said. It came out wrong.”

  “I know you didn’t, and I overreacted.”

  I kissed her again and held her tight.

  “Where did you go?” she asked.

  I got up from the floor and told her to go sit on the bed. I walked over to the dresser, grabbed the brown bag, and handed it to her.

  “I figured this would make you feel better,” I spoke with caution.

  She opened up the bag, and her eyes widened as she looked insid
e and dumped the chocolate on the bed.

  “You are amazing and absolutely perfect! I love you,” she said as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me on top of her. “I know something else that will make me feel better.” She grinned as I hovered over her.

  “Are you sure you’re up for it?” I asked. She lifted her head and kissed me passionately. That was the only sign I needed.

  The next morning I got out of bed and made a pot of coffee. Ellery was still asleep, and I had some business I needed to take care of. I sat on the couch with my phone and opened an email from Phil, stating that there was one more meeting scheduled to finalize the deal for the Chicago Company. He said the meeting was first thing tomorrow morning and that I really need to be there. I got to thinking it would be great to bring Ellery back to New York, so we could spend more time together, and she’d be able to see Peyton.

  She stumbled out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes and yawning as she headed towards the coffee pot.

  “Hey, babe, I hope I didn’t wake you,” I smiled.

  She poured some coffee and sat down next to me. I leaned over and ran my finger over her lips before kissing them good morning. I told her how I needed to fly back to New York today for the meeting tomorrow morning, and that I wanted her to come home with me. She was unsure if she could because of her treatment. I explained to her that it didn’t matter, and that we’d be back here for her second treatment next month. She threw her arms around me in excitement, especially when I told her that she would be living with me at the penthouse. I laughed when she pouted and asked me if she had to stay in the guest room. I took the coffee cup from her hands and set it down on the table. I grabbed her and pulled her onto my lap as I lifted up her nightshirt, threw it on the floor, and made love to her.