FOREVER SERIES: COMPLETE BOX SET

by Lynn, Sandi

  * * *

  I was in the bathroom shaving while Ellery was still in the shower, and I could smell the lilac scented body wash that she was using. It was the same scent that I’d smelled since I first met her. She stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around her wet body, and walked up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and laying her head on my back. I stopped shaving and looked at her through the mirror. She had a smile on her face. I turned around so her head was on my chest as I wrapped my arms around her.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Nothing’s wrong. Can’t a woman hug the man she loves without there being something wrong?” she asked.

  “Of course she can,” I said as I kissed the top of her head.

  She took her hands, placed them on my chest, and gave me a kiss.

  “I love you, Connor Black.”

  “I love you too, Ellery Lane.” I grinned and kissed her nose. “Now, let me get back to shaving.”

  Her bathroom was small, and there was really only room at the sink for one person. Ellery decided she was going to be funny and push me out of the way so she could brush her teeth. She reached over to the medicine cabinet and opened it as I was in the middle of shaving. I could see the smirk on her face as she grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. She reached over me and ran her toothbrush under the running water.

  “Would you like me to move out of your way?” I asked.

  She looked at me as she put her toothbrush in her mouth. “No, you’re fine,” she mumbled.

  I took the can of shaving cream and put some on my hands. I started to bring my hands up to my face when she bumped into me so she could spit in the sink. I lightly pushed her back, and she missed the sink and spat on my leg. She looked up at me and tried to hold back the laughter that was dying to come out. I looked at her, then at my leg.

  “Oh please! We share spit all the time.” She laughed.

  I was going to play this one cool and get her back.

  “It’s ok, Ellery. It was an accident,” I said as I opened my hand with the shaving cream on it and planted it firmly on her cheek. Her jaw dropped as she looked in the mirror. She looked at me with that look she gets when she’s going to take revenge. She grabbed the tube of toothpaste and squirted it at my chest.

  “Here’s a little toothpaste to go with that shaving cream,” she said.

  I took my finger and tried to wipe the toothpaste off as she stood there, smiling, our eyes never leaving one another. I grabbed the can of shaving cream and squirted her legs and chest with it. She jumped back and screamed.

  “Need a shave darling?” I asked.

  “How dare you!” she exclaimed.

  I laughed as I pointed the shaving cream at her, and she ran out of the bathroom, holding her towel so it didn’t fall off. I chased after her and tackled her to the ground. I rolled her over, pinned her arms above her head and stared at her, mesmerized by her beauty. I took my hand and gently wiped away the shaving cream from her face while my other hand had her wrists locked tight. She didn’t struggle. I could tell by the way she stared into my eyes that she didn’t want me to stop. I was hard and wanting her again.

  “I want to feel you inside me,” she whispered.

  I wanted to make sure she was ready because I didn’t want to hurt her. I reached down with my free hand and felt how wet she was, so I pushed myself inside her. She tilted her head back and lightly moaned as her hands ran through my hair. I moved in and out of her slowly before I began to grind my hips and move circles inside her. The feeling was amazing, and hearing the sounds she made from pleasuring her was heightening my arousal. I hovered over her, pushing in and out with shallow thrusts as she moaned and became breathless. She started to come, and I followed shortly after, releasing myself inside her. I looked at her as her eyes locked on mine, taking in the pleasure and the beauty of what just happened.

  “I think we need to hit the shower again.” I smiled as I was covered in shaving cream and toothpaste.

  “At this rate, we’ll never get on that plane back to New York.” She laughed.

  I climbed off her and helped her up. I wrapped my arms around her from behind as we walked into the bathroom and took a shower for the second time that morning.

  Chapter 21

  We finally arrived back in New York, and Denny was waiting for us at the airport. I grabbed our bags as Ellery ran to Denny and gave him a hug. It made me really happy to see the two of them get along so well. I told Ellery that I had arranged for Peyton to come over around seven o’clock under false pretenses. I didn’t tell Peyton that Ellery was coming back with me. I wanted her to be surprised. I took our bags up to my room while Ellery went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. As I set our bags on the floor, I heard Ellery gasp as she stood in the doorway. I had forgotten that she’d only been in my bedroom once, and that was when she brought my drunken ass home from the club. At first, I couldn’t figure out why she stood there with a shocked look on her face, but then I saw her look around the room at the paintings that hung on my wall.

  “You were the one who bought my paintings?” she asked.

  “Please tell me that you aren’t mad,” I said as I held my hands up.

  “I’m not mad. I just want to know why.”

  “Look at them, Elle. They’re beautiful. It was my way of being close to you when you weren’t around.”

  I was afraid she was going to be angry with me, but she wasn’t. She walked over to me and hugged me tight, thanking me and telling me how much it meant to her. Walking over to my bed, she giggled.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked.

  “I was just remembering the night you were passed out on this bed, and I was straddled over you, taking off your clothes.”

  I smiled as I laid myself on the bed and spread out.

  “What are you doing?” She laughed.

  “I don’t remember you doing that, and I want to, so I thought you could reenact it for me.”

  Ellery bit her bottom lip as she pulled her shirt over her head and threw it on the floor.

  “Um, I don’t think you did that.” I smiled.

  “No, I didn’t, but I’m going to make it a little more interesting this time.”

  I watched her as she unbuttoned her pants and took them off, throwing them on top of her shirt. She straddled me and slowly started unbuttoning my shirt. This was definitely not the way she helped me that night because I would have remembered it.

  “Fuck it. I need you now,” I spoke as I rolled her off me and quickly got on top.

  * * *

  Later that night, Ellery was snuggled against me with her arm around my waist. She must have had a late night with Peyton because I didn’t hear her come to bed. I reached over and lightly kissed her on the head before carefully sliding out of bed. I had an early meeting to attend in order to finalize the acquisition of the Chicago building. After I showered and got dressed, I emerged from the bathroom and saw Ellery laying there, staring at me. I smiled as I walked over to her.

  “You need to go back to sleep, my love. It’s way too early for you to be up,” I said as I stroked her hair.

  “I rolled over, and your side of the bed was empty. I didn’t like it,” she pouted.

  “I’m sorry, baby, but I have a meeting first thing this morning.”

  “I know, and I’ll miss you while you’re gone. I hate being apart from you.”

  “Let’s meet for lunch and do some shopping. I’ll have Denny pick you up around noon,” I said as I brushed my lips against hers.

  “That sounds good. I can’t wait,” she said as a smile splayed across her face.

  I couldn’t resist her smile, and I hated leaving her. I looked at the clock, and I had fifteen minutes before I had to leave. I unbuttoned my pants and took them off.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Getting ready to have sex with you. But I only have about fifteen minutes, so we have to be quick,” I said as I took off my shirt.

/>   “Hurry up and get that fine ass of yours in here.” She patted my side of the bed. Needless to say, I was late for my meeting.

  * * *

  The purchase of the Chicago building was finalized, and I was a happy man. Everything in my life at the moment was perfect. I missed Ellery, so I decided to have Denny pick me up before her. He pulled up to the building, and Ellery was waiting outside. She looked amazing standing there in black leggings, a long black sweater, and black high boots. She was perfection, and she was mine. Denny got out and opened the door for her. She slid in the seat and smiled when she saw me. I reached over and kissed her on the lips.

  “Hey, baby, you look gorgeous.” I smiled.

  “I thought we were meeting at your office.”

  “I missed you, and I couldn’t wait.”

  She wrapped her arms around my neck as she kissed me.

  “I’m happy you’re here now because I couldn’t last another minute without you.”

  As we were on our way to lunch, my phone rang. I pulled it out from my pocket, and it was Ashlyn. I ignored the call and put my phone back in my pocket. Why the hell is she calling me?

  “Aren’t you going to answer that?” Ellery asked.

  “No, it’s just Paul. We’re almost at the restaurant, so I’ll call him later.”

  We had a great lunch and enjoyed some shopping afterwards. I bought Ellery some new clothes, and being the stubborn woman that she was, she tried to put up a fight when I paid for them, but I won that battle. We left the store and headed down the crowded street to a nearby Starbucks. We were walking hand in hand when I ran into Sarah.

  “Hello, Connor. How are you?” she asked as she cocked her head.

  “Sarah, I’m good. How have you been?” I nervously asked.

  She eyed Ellery up and down, and her eyes instantly looked at our interlaced fingers. Sarah extended her hand to Ellery.

  “Hi, I’m Sarah, a family friend of Connor’s.” She smiled.

  “Hello, I’m Ellery, Connor’s girlfriend.”

  Sarah looked at me for a moment and then again at Ellery. “Well it was nice seeing you again, Connor, and it was wonderful to meet you, Ellery,” she said. Sarah leaned into me and whispered in my ear, “She’s perfect for you.” She kissed me on the cheek, winked, and walked away. I let out a sigh of relief and squeezed Ellery’s hand. We started to walk, but Ellery abruptly stopped behind me. I turned around and looked at her.

  “I don’t ever want to know what you did with her or who she was to you,” she said.

  “Ellery, she’s…” I started to say.

  “Connor, she’s a family friend.” She smiled as she led me through the doors of Starbucks.

  * * *

  Thanksgiving had arrived, and we spent the day with my family. It was good to bring Ellery to the home I grew up in, and to meet my family. My mom and dad took to her immediately, as did my sister. I didn’t know how to bring up Ellery’s illness. I was going to wait until after Thanksgiving when it was just my mom, dad, and Cassidy, but I didn’t have to wait thanks to Aunt Sadie. My mom always said that Aunt Sadie was born with a gift. I never believed it, and I just chalked it up to her being crazy. I walked in the entrance of the kitchen, and I overheard Aunt Sadie grilling Ellery about her cancer. Ellery was trying to explain to them about her first time when she was sixteen. She was very nervous. I felt bad for her, and it was my fault. If I would have told my family about it in the first place, Ellery wouldn’t be in this position.

  I cleared my throat and walked over to Ellery. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her on the head.

  “Her cancer came back recently, but she’s in a clinical trial in California, so everything is good at the moment. She’s doing fine, and she’s going to be fine, so there’s nothing more to discuss,” I spoke in an authoritative tone. Ellery pulled me out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

  “How could you not tell me about your Aunt Sadie?” she asked furiously as she hit me in the chest.

  “Ouch, Elle, that hurt.”

  “That’s not the only thing that’s going to hurt, Connor Black.”

  “Promise, baby?” I smirked.

  “Ugh, you make me so mad!” she whispered as she turned the opposite way.

  I wrapped my arms around her and whispered, “I’m sorry. I never took much stock in what Aunt Sadie had to say. I always thought she was kind of crazy.”

  “Your family must think I’m a walking disaster of a human being, and they are probably wondering what the hell you’re doing with me.”

  I squeezed her tight. “They love you. I can tell, and it doesn’t matter what they think about our relationship. I love you for all that you are, nothing less, and for the record, I think you’re a beautiful disaster.”

  She laid her head back on my chest and looked up as I leaned down to kiss her. She bit my lip.

  “That’s for the ‘beautiful disaster’ remark,” she said.

  “Ouch, you really need to save this shit for the bedroom, Ellery. You have no idea how much you’re turning me on with all your hitting and biting.”

  She laughed, turned around, and licked my lip to soothe the sting.

  Dinner was exceptional, and our family conversation was good. Ellery spent a great deal of time talking to my mother and Cassidy. Camden came up to me, took my hand, and led me to the floor to build blocks with him. All of a sudden, I heard my mom ask Ellery how we met. Panic washed over me as I feared Ellery would tell her about getting me home that night. I looked at her, and she gave me a smile that assured me that she wouldn’t tell. She told my mom that we met at a club. Ellery sat down on the floor next to me and Camden, and asked if she could help stack the blocks. Camden picked one up and handed it to her. Watching her interact with him told me she would make a wonderful mother. How and when was I going to tell her that I couldn’t have kids?

  When it was time to leave, we said our goodbyes to my family and started on the road back home.

  “I love your family,” Ellery said as she grabbed my hand.

  “They loved you too.” I smiled as I brought her hand to my lips.

  “Do you really think so?”

  “Baby, I don’t think. I know.”

  She smiled as she laid her head on my shoulder.

  * * *

  Ellery was in the bathroom washing her face as I was getting undressed.

  “I loved watching you with Camden today. It was so special and sweet.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s a pretty special kid.” I smiled.

  “Watching you with him made me think of some things,” she said as she walked out of the bathroom and opened the dresser drawer for a nightshirt.

  “What things?”

  “I don’t know. Just how good you are with him and…”

  I knew this was going to happen, and I tried to prepare myself ahead of time. I guessed this was the time to tell her. I instantly cut her off.

  “I can’t have children, Elle. I took care of that many years ago.”

  Her back was turned to me as she opened the drawer. The minute I spoke those words, she stopped what she was doing, and I saw her take a deep breath.

  “Aren’t you going to respond to that?” I asked.

  “Okay. Why didn’t you tell me that before?” she asked as she turned around and looked at me.

  “I don’t know, Elle. It just didn’t seem to ever be appropriate.”

  “Was it because you thought I was going to die, and it didn’t matter if I never knew?” she spoke with pain in her voice.

  I instantly felt sick at her words. “How could you say that?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, and anyway, I don’t want kids. With my fucked up family genes the kid wouldn’t stand a chance,” she said as she turned and faced the window.

  I closed my eyes for a moment when she said that. It broke my heart for her to think that way. I walked over and put my arms around her, pulling her into me.

  “Don’t say things like
that.”

  “It’s the truth. My mother died of cancer, my father was an alcoholic, and now me having cancer for the second time; think about it, Connor, the child would be doomed from the minute it was conceived.”

  “You’re wrong, and I don’t want you talking like that ever again,” I said with anger.

  She loosened herself from my grip. “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway because neither of us wants kids, so end of discussion.” I watched her as she walked over to the dresser across the room and grabbed the bottle of lotion.

  “Does it bother you that I can’t have children?” I asked.

  “No, and like I said, it’s for the best anyway, but I would like to know why you did it, Connor.”

  I took in a sharp breath. “Do you really want to hear the answer to that, Elle?”

  “Yes, I do, since we’re being honest and not keeping secrets.”

  I swallowed hard because I was about to relive what I had already told her back in Michigan. Then all of a sudden, before I could get the words out of my mouth, Ellery spoke.

  “Since you can’t say anything, let me say it for you. You were never going to fall in love, and that meant never having kids. So why torture yourself with only experiencing half the pleasure every time you fucked a woman when you could experience the whole natural pleasure and not have a worry in the world, except being ignorant about STD’s.”

  My face fell, and anger grew inside of me. “I’m not even going to respond to something as fucked up as that!” I yelled. “You’re pissed that I can’t have kids? Aren’t you the one who said she doesn’t believe in happily ever after and fairytale romances?!” I yelled at her across the room. She walked over to where her pants were and started to put them on.