One Final Breath

by LK Collins

  “I don’t know what to say,” she tells me.

  “You don’t need to say anything. But I do think we need to talk to the boys about us.”

  “Can we swim?” they yell at us at the same time, and we respond together, “Yes!”

  I lift my shirt over my head, knowing I have to follow the boys outside. She stares at my abs, and what I really can’t wait for is to see her in her swimming suit.

  “One, two, three,” the boys chant and jump into the pool at the same time, making a huge splash. I dive in after them, the warm water feels so good, and the second they see me, they scream and try to swim away from me, but I lift Jack up and toss him as Braxley climbs onto my back, and I pretend to drown.

  “Did you just drown me on purpose?” I ask Braxley when I come back up for air. He nods his head, giving me an evil little smirk. “Oh, I’m gonna get you.”

  He screams, and I swim across the pool, letting the boys get away as they swim past me with all of their strength. They keep looking back laughing, and then all of my attention is pulled towards the back door as Faye walks out wearing a simple white one piece.

  It hugs her body perfectly, pushing her tits up and…don’t look at her pussy, don’t look at her pussy, don’t look at her pussy. But fuck, I can’t help it.

  Lord help me, this woman will surely be the death of me. She tosses the boys in some dive sticks and then sits on the edge. I swim up to her, stopping right between her legs. “Are you trying to kill me?” I whisper.

  “Maybe.”

  “Well…it’s working,” I tell her and pretend to have a heart attack, falling backward and sinking to the bottom.

  When I come up for air I’m bombarded by the boys, they attack me, and I yell for Faye’s help as they push me under. “Please!” I holler again, spitting water out of my mouth, but she doesn’t budge. With Braxley and Jack climbing all over me, I stop and tell them in a quiet tone, “What do you guys say we try and get Faye into the pool?”

  They nod, and Faye asks us, gently kicking her feet back and forth in the water, “What are you guys plotting?”

  “You stay out of this, woman!” I tease her and then devise a plan to get her into the pool.

  “Ready?” I ask them, and Braxley goes into acting mode. Climbing up the stairs of the pool as he says, “Mommy, I scraped my knee, and it hurts so bad.” She becomes worried, zoning in on it and he smiles at me. Jack and I slowly swim to her. Then like a pair of sneaky sharks, we grab her legs as Braxley pushes her from behind and she screams, falling in.

  Once she surfaces, she’s pissed, and I tell Braxley, “Jump to me. I’ll save you.” He jumps over his mom’s head and with both the boys clinging to me, we prepare for a showdown.

  Chapter 26

  Faye

  “You know I haven’t swum in that pool in over a year,” I tell Thane as we share a tub of ice cream on my couch.

  “No? Why not?”

  “I couldn’t bring myself to without Ben.”

  “Oh geez, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

  “It’s okay. I’m glad I did it.”

  “So you’re okay with it?”

  “Yeah, it was easier than I thought it would be. You guys made it fun. I honestly didn’t think about Ben once.”

  “I’m proud of you, Faye.”

  “Thanks,” I tell him and nuzzle close to his chest. He holds me tightly, the way I’ve grown to love and to be dependent upon.

  “How do you think the boys took things?” he asks me, and his question takes me back to our talk in the pool earlier today.

  “I think they are okay with it. What do you think?”

  “They seemed happy.”

  “Yeah, they do, but I still can’t believe Jack asked if we could all live together.”

  “I know, babe, their little minds sometimes run away with things,” he tells me.

  My heart warms hearing “babe” roll off his lips, and I have to agree. They took the news well. We told them that we liked each other, and Thane kept it very simple by plainly stating I’m his girlfriend. Both Jack and Braxley are smart as hell, so they know what that means.

  “Hey, I’ve been thinking, what would you think if we all take a trip together or something?” Thane asks me.

  “That would be fun.”

  “Where do you think we should go?”

  “Where do you take six-year-old little boys?”

  “Disneyland, that’s where you fuckin’ take them!” Thane exclaims excitedly, almost startling me, and I know Braxley would love to go. Especially because it was on Ben’s bucket list. We’d talked about it with him. But seeing as he spiraled downward so quickly…we never made the trip. However, I can’t let that hold me back now. Ben would be pissed if I did. So I tell Thane, “Disneyland would be great.”

  “Yeah?” he asks, and I nod excitedly. “When should we go?” his eyes are dancing in the dim light.

  “Whenever.”

  “Can I fly us?” he asks, and the thought of having to fly makes my stomach churn. I’ve always been used to driving for vacations, but knowing what Thane does for a living, there is no way he’d do that. “I can probably use one of my clients’ planes. You could even sit up front with me, babe.”

  “Whoa! Now let’s slow down. I typically don’t fly.”

  “I know, you’ve told me. But I want to get you over that fear.”

  “I think I need to sleep on that,” I tell him as my fear of flying consumes me. It terrifies me.

  “I bet you do,” he says and gets up, locking the basement door. Then he slowly pushes me backward, his body covering mine, making me forget about everything except for him in this moment. He takes the ice cream and sets it down. My hands hold him close to me and like he usually does, he lathers my body with kisses. Each one sends a jolt of excitement running through my veins.

  The boys are long asleep, it’s past midnight, and Thane just keeps moving farther and farther down my body, his lips now resting right above my sex and as he shimmies my pants down, I grip his hair stopping him, knowing his mouth will make me come, and I want to savor my time with him. He looks up at me with the biggest eyes and takes both of my hands, holding them together in between one of his large hands. “Don’t stop me,” he growls and rubs my pussy with two of his fingers.

  He keeps rubbing back and forth over my clit, making me forget about everything. “Yes, that’s it,” he tells me, and I close my eyes moaning a little bit.

  Just when I start to feel my body climax, he slides down my pants and stares at my sex. He grumbles something inaudible and then spreads my pussy open, sinking two fingers inside me.

  I toss my head back and let him do whatever he wants to me. Every push and pull has my body floating on a cloud of bliss. My pussy is so wet, and then he stops.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask as he drops his pants.

  “Nothing, I just need inside you.”

  With one foot on the floor and my other resting on the back of the couch, I’m spread open wide, watching his hard shaft, so big as he gently rubs it on my pussy. Then he pushes it down and sinks inside me.

  “Jesus,” I pant, watching our bodies move together.

  He rubs my clit with his thumb and fucks me. Fire burns inside me, spreading from my pussy, throughout my entire body. I can no longer watch him moving. Leaning back on the arm of the couch, I get lost in a tailspin of ecstasy.

  He fucks me so perfectly, and as my body spirals, his eyes encourage me on. I thrash, bucking beneath him, but his movements don’t falter. He pulls my orgasm from me, and I moan, relishing in the ecstasy—in my release—in Thane.

  Chapter 27

  Thane

  “Thank you so much, Mr. Deveraux,” I tell my client and then hang up the phone with him. Mr. Deveraux owns a handbag company and is currently in China looking for a new factory to work with. He won’t be back for a week, so he agreed to let me borrow his jet to take Faye and the boys to Disneyland this weekend.

  Dialing Faye,
she answers after a couple rings. Her voice is like music to my ears. “What are you up to?” she asks me as I’m sitting in Denver waiting for our next flight.

  “Not much, just in the Mile High City. Guess who I just got off the phone with?”

  “Uhh, I have no clue,” she says, and I realize it was kinda dumb of me to ask her in the first place.

  “The guy who owns the plane I wanted to borrow to go to Disneyland.”

  “Oh really? What did he say?”

  “That we can use it this weekend.”

  “This weekend as in tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, isn’t that great?”

  “Uh, isn’t Char supposed to have Jack this weekend?”

  “What’s that matter? Macy’s is probably having a sale, so she won’t care.”

  “Really? You’d do that to her?”

  “Babe, she’d do the same thing to me. Hell, she did. Our entire marriage all she did was lie about everything. She never wanted me home to be with her, it was so I could watch Jack, and she could shop.”

  “So what are you gonna tell her then?”

  “Nothing, I have primary custody.”

  “Thane!” she scolds me and Elliott gives me a crooked glance.

  “Fine, I’ll talk to her about it.”

  “Good.” I’m not sure what it matters to Faye anyway. But I always want to make sure she’s happy. “Are we still on for dinner?” she asks me.

  “Of course. I can’t wait. We should be taking off here in about thirty minutes.”

  “Okay, well, fly safe. I’m gonna go get the boys.”

  “Tell Jack I miss him.”

  “I will. Bye, Thane.”

  “Goodbye, beautiful.”

  “Holy shit!” Elliot exclaims, “You’re pussy whipped.”

  “Fuck off, man.”

  He’s leaning back in his seat just staring at me. “I would’ve never thought it would happen to you, of all people.”

  “You know what your problem is, man?” He tips his head to me, waiting for my response. “You focus too much on other people.”

  “What else do I have to do?”

  “Try to find someone who makes you as happy as Faye makes me.”

  “Nah, not with work.”

  “Captain?” Sasha, one of the stewardesses, says, as she pops her head into the flight cabin. “Are we clear to board the plane?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” She smiles at Elliot, keeping her eyes on him for far too long. Then walks away from us. “Like Sasha,” I tell Elliot. “She’s into you. Why don’t you try and actually date someone for once?”

  “Because I’ve already fucked her on a trip last month and I don’t have time to date, fool?”

  “But you do have time to find someone different to hook up with every night of the week?”

  “How the hell did this get turned back on me? You’re the one who’s pussy whipped!”

  So what if I am. Is that such a bad thing? Isn’t that what happens to all guys eventually?

  ***

  Leaving the airport after one hell of a bumpy flight from Denver to Seattle, I can’t wait to see Faye, to touch her sexy ass. The thought alone has my cock swelling and then that all stops as I get a text from Char. Do you think Jack could stay from Friday through Sunday?

  Hearing from her reminds me of what I have to do. So I pick up my phone and call her.

  “Hello?” she answers.

  “Hey, I just got your text. Why do you need him all weekend?”

  “I was gonna take him to that new water park that opened up, and the weather looks really good, so we might go a few times.”

  “Can you do it next weekend?”

  “No, I can’t.”

  “Why not?” I ask her, aggravated that she can’t switch her plans when I always let her have him whenever she asks. Probably more so than I should.

  “Because I’m looking forward to this and being with him helps a lot with my addiction and keeping away from shopping.”

  “So what you really mean is you’re about to break, and you want him to keep you busy all weekend?”

  “No, Thane, that’s not it at all. I just thought he’d like to go, and it’s cheaper if I buy a weekend pass.”

  “Well, you’re spending my money, so don’t act like you’re pinching pennies or doing me any favors.” The goddamn alimony still pisses me off and the credit cards I’m paying for, that she wracked up shopping when we were married. It doesn’t make sense to me why it all falls on my shoulders.

  “You’re such an asshole; you know that?”

  “I know, you’ve told me plenty of times, and in order to keep up my reputation I’m gonna have to cancel your weekend with Jack all together.”

  “Why?!” she screams and as much as I want to rub into her face how good things are going for me, I won’t.

  “He just got invited to a sleepover birthday party, and he’s really looking forward to it.”

  “I can take him to it.”

  “No, you can’t.”

  “Oh…now I get it, it’s for that little boy he was talking to on the radio. The son of the tramp you’re screwing.”

  “Fuck you, Charlene!”

  “Fuck you, Thane!”

  I hang up, aggravated at her. She knows exactly how to push my buttons, better than anyone. But, with the weekend ahead of us, I’m not about to let anything or anyone bring me down.

  Chapter 28

  Faye

  “Come on, boys!” Thane hollers to Jack and Braxley who are eating like two snails at the breakfast bar. My stomach is tight, full of butterflies knowing today we not only fly to California but will cross something off Ben’s bucket list.

  “Why are you rushing us, it’s not even light out?” Braxley says, and I chuckle a little, loving how strong of a little man he’s turning into.

  “Because today is gonna be amazing!” Thane is looking at his iPad as he sips his coffee and I glance at the screen.

  “What is that?”

  “Our flight plan,” he whispers since the boys don’t know we are going yet.

  I swallow away the anxiety, regretting even asking and he asks me, “Are you really that nervous?”

  I nod my head, and he pulls me into a tight hug. “Oh gross,” the boys complain. That’s their new thing lately. Girls are gross—they have cooties.

  “Go brush your teeth, you little dirtballs,” Thane tells them in a teasing manner.

  They laugh at him, but both walk down the hallway. Thane cups my face, staring into my eyes. The closeness and his touch feel so good.

  “You know I won’t let anything happen to us, right?” I nod, my hands resting against his chest and my heart pounding hard. “Then is something else bothering you?”

  “No, I don’t know. I mean, it’s hard to imagine going without Ben…but I know the boys are gonna love the vacation, and I’m excited for us all to be together away from life here.”

  “They are gonna love it, babe. And Ben will be right there with us, too.”

  He kisses the top of my hair, and I lay my head against his chest. The feeling of contentment I get when I’m in his arms is unreal. I never thought after I lost Ben that I’d get a second chance at happiness, but with Thane, that is exactly what he brings me every day.

  “Are you really gonna take us to school this early?” Jack asks us from the bathroom.

  “Absolutely!” Thane yells.

  And I hate to lie to them, but I also know the surprise will all be worth it. Thane asks me, “Do you have everything packed?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good, now from this moment on, you will let go of all your worries and stress.”

  “Does it have to be both?” I tease him, and he squeezes both my ass cheeks. This vacation is just what I need. What we all need. “I’m going to do my best to stay in the moment and not let anything stress me.”

  “Good,” he says and kisses me.

  After getting the boys dressed, the car loaded, and finally
out of the house; we’re on our way. The sun is just starting to rise, and I know Thane wanted to take off during the sunrise, but…with two kids, being on time is almost always unlikely.

  “Why are you taking the long way to school?” Jack asks.

  “Why do you ask so many questions?” Thane responds to him, and I hear him and Braxley chuckle. Thane has his hand on my thigh, and I hold on to it.

  “You good?” He asks me as he pulls into the parking lot for our local post office.

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. I’ve gotta run in here and check my mail, but I’ll be right back out.”

  He goes inside, and I turn to the boys, both are playing on their iPads, not paying attention to me.

  It’s not but a minute later, and Thane walks out, carrying a single box. He puts it into the back of his SUV, and as he gets inside, I ask him, “What is that?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  The word “surprise” perks the boys’ ears right up. “Ooh, is it candy?”

  “No way!”

  “Can you give us a hint?”

  “I could, but…I’d rather not.”

  The boys and I keep trying to guess what’s in the box for the rest of the drive. Then as we pull up to airport, my mind switches from the bag—to flying.

  “Why are we here?” Jack asks.

  Thane puts the car in park, and we all unload from it. Standing in the parking lot, he points across it to a sleek white jet and says to them, “See that plane?”

  They nod excitedly, “What would you say if I offered to fly us all to Disneyland for the weekend?”

  Their eyes get wide, and both jump up and down enthusiastically, screeching like maniacs.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Cross my heart!” Thane tells them, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Braxley happier than he is in this moment.

  Thane and I unload the car and the boys race across the lot to the plane. “Can we go inside?” Jack hollers to us.

  “Sure can.” They disappear, and Thane asks me, “Are you ready?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  We enter the plane, and the boys are running around thrilled as they explore the plane. Thane follows behind me and locks the door, causing my adrenaline to spike that much more, now being locked in here. Then he loads our bags into the overhead bins, and I focus on staying calm.