After Always (Always Series Book 5)

by Lindsay Becs

  As the night goes on, the drinks are poured more and more freely. Jesse hooked the kids all up in Tilly’s house to play video games and watch movies in sleeping bags as the rest of us keep celebrating with too much booze.

  “Let’s play Truth or Dare!” Bex shouts as we all settle into chairs around the fire out back.

  “Sweetness, he’s forty, not a thirteen-year-old little girl,” Ollie tells her, patting her on the head. She brushes his hand away and flips him off.

  “Don’t be an ass, Ollie. We can still have fun playing it. I remember a certain dare you—” Tatum starts but is cut off by Ollie.

  “We pinky swore we wouldn’t talk about that ever again,” he says, standing and pointing at her, making her smirk. “Fine. But I swear, Tate, if you even think about a repeat, I will tell Benton about what happened at your graduation party.”

  Her eyes go wide. “You wouldn’t!”

  “Wait. You didn’t have a graduation party,” I say, confused, and the panic on her face tells me all I need to know. Big brother had to bail her out of something. Interesting…

  I clap my hands to cut them off before they keep going. “Let’s do it! Tilly!” I spin to her, and her eyes widen this time. “Truth or dare?”

  She shifts uncomfortably in her chair before answering. “Truth.”

  “Bor-ring!” Ollie teases, and I flip him off for her.

  “Truth, huh?” I ask, and she nods with a smile playing on the corner of her lips. “Do you ever bake naked?”

  “Travis!” she yells, and even in the dark, I can tell she’s blushing.

  “So, that’s a yes,” I say, taking another sip of my drink to smother my laugh and shift to adjust my hardening dick, picturing her in her kitchen naked, bending over to check the oven.

  Her hands are covering her face as everyone laughs. Finally, she sits up and smooths her embarrassed face. “Penny, truth or dare?” Penny answers truth too, making Ollie groan about how lame the game is.

  “How many nights a week do you sleep at Jesse’s?” Tilly asks Penny, and my head snaps to Penny, waiting for her answer. I thought those days ended when Jesse moved.

  Penny looks from me to Jesse and back before she answers. “Three or four. Sometimes more. Ollie! Truth or dare?” she says all in a rush, trying to skip over the fact that she’s sneaking out most nights.

  “Dare! Fucking finally!” Ollie says standing, ready for whatever his baby sister is going to throw at him.

  “First, you owe a dollar,” she tells him, and he plops a ready bill in her palm as she goes on. “I dare you to lick Bear’s butthole.”

  Everyone breaks out in different forms of gross, sick, disgusting, followed by Ollie’s no way.

  LP shrugs her shoulder. “Who’s lame now?” she taunts him.

  He keeps his eyes on her as he walks to where Bear is sleeping between her chair and Jesse’s. “I will get you back for this, Pen.” She smiles and shrugs again. Ollie kneels behind an unsuspecting Bear and holds his tail up shaking his head.

  Tatum looks like she’s going to barf. Benton is trying not to wake the dog, covering his mouth to hold in his laugh. Tilly is surprisingly on the edge of her seat, waiting. And Bex looks bored as she sips her drink, watching her husband, not at all surprised.

  “I’m sorry, buddy,” Ollie says before bending down.

  “Oh, he tipped it!” Jesse yells with a laugh as Bear stands and walks away, not knowing what just happened.

  Ollie gulps down the rest of his drink, squeezing his eyes closed. “Bex, kiss me so I don’t remember the feel of a dog’s asshole,” he begs, walking toward her.

  “You aren’t kissing these lips anytime soon, nasty,” she tells him. “Now, my other lips—” she pauses and smiles at him— “you can kiss later.”

  “Atta girl!” Benton yells to her raising his cup and getting a smack from Tatum while the rest of us calm our laughter.

  “OK, game time is over,” I announce.

  “No way! I didn’t just do that to have it end so soon!” Ollie screeches.

  I can’t stay serious too long before I start to laugh again, earning me the middle finger I expected from Ollie.

  “So, that’s how it is, Dad?” Ollie asks. “Travis, truth or dare?”

  “Dare, motherfucker!” I yell, standing to accept whatever crazy thing he’s going to throw at me. I hear Penny behind me, yelling at me for cursing so badly, but I don’t care right now. The alcohol is running through me too much.

  “I dare you to give Tilly a lap dance. And it has to include some stripping, enough to scare Penny for life,” he adds, tilting his cup to her like it mattered.

  “Oh, yeah, because I’m not already scarred enough after you molested my dog,” she deadpans.

  “You did that!” Ollie yells at her.

  While they go back and forth, I turn to Tilly next to me. “You ready for a show, Cookie?” I whisper. Biting her lip, she nods.

  Bex gets too excited about this and turns on some music for me while Tatum and Penny hug each other to cover their faces, but I see them peeking.

  Slowly I peel my shirt off and toss it at Ollie, turning my head to face Tilly with my finger in my mouth, giving her my best doe-eyed innocent look. I shake my ass in front of her and then turn, putting a foot on the arm of her chair and thrusting my cock at her as I look in her eyes and wink. She covers her red face with her hands when I turn back around and do my best twerk.

  Not able to keep from embarrassing her more, I face her again. I pop the button of my jeans and tease my zipper up and down a few times and then let my shorts drop to my ankles, earning me a catcall from Bex and Ollie. I grab Tilly’s hand from her face and slide it to my ass, making her grab on while I grip my semi-hard dick in my other hand and thrust my hips in her face a few more times before I stop, kissing her cheek and pulling my pants back up, taking my seat again.

  Everyone claps, well, except for Penny who’s still covering her eyes, and yells in approval of my show, and I salute them in thanks.

  We play until almost three in the morning before everyone slowly shuffles inside one house or the other to sleep for the rest of the night.

  I grab Tilly’s hand and pull her around the side of the house before she can get to her back door though. I kiss her, stifling her scream of surprise, and she immediately relaxes into me, tasting like fruit from the sangria the girls have been drinking all night.

  “I needed another birthday kiss from you,” I tell her.

  “Thanks for my show. I’ll be waiting for a repeat another time when I can act the way I wanted to and stuff your ass with ones.” I laugh into her hair that smells like fire, pulling her into a hug. “Happy birthday, Travis.” She kisses my cheek and walks to her house.

  I turn the corner to head inside to bed and see Ollie smiling big at me, and I know we were just caught.

  “Shut up,” I say, walking past him and his huge-ass grin as he pats my back.

  “Happy birthday, indeed, my man. Happy birthday, indeed.”

  “Thanks,” I mumble, trying to contain my smile, walking inside.

  I hit my bed and pull out my phone to text Tilly.

  Me: Ollie saw us making out like teenagers in the shadows.

  Cookie: You started that!

  Me: Damn straight.

  Me: Wish I could have finished it too.

  Cookie: Get some sleep, big guy.

  Me: I know you like my big dick, Cookie. But what about me? It’s my birthday too.

  Cookie:

  Cookie: Sleep well, Travis.

  Me: Sweet dreams

  Cookie: I’ll be dreaming about my dance. Felt like MY birthday for a minute.

  Me: I knew you liked it.

  Cookie: I wasn’t kidding about tucking money in your ass next time.

  Me: Next time I’ll be the one receiving the dance and stuffing something other than money inside you.

  Cookie: Aaaaaand you’re drunk.

  Me: Yep!

&
nbsp; Me: Doesn’t mean I’m not hard thinking about you like that

  Cookie: GOODNIGHT, TRAVIS!!

  Laughing, I turn off my phone and curl into my pillow to sleep, hoping my last birthday wish comes true and I have a dirty dream about Tilly.

  TILLY

  Minutes After Texting Travis

  He’s hard thinking about me?! That doesn’t help the ocean between my legs.

  Travis and I have fooled around on and off for the past almost two years, but something always keeps us from going all in. That first night that we crossed the line into this new territory was the furthest we’ve ever gone. We kiss as much as we can, we touch and feel each other, but it’s always with our clothes still on. Mostly.

  A few times, we’ve both been topless.

  And a month ago, he finger-fucked me in the kitchen of Sugar Stacked.

  But that’s really it!

  We keep flirting around what we both know is inevitable. I think it’s because we both know that once we cross that line, not only is there no going back, but we won’t be able to stop.

  More than wanting to be physically close and intimate with Travis, I love spending time with him. We talk about pretty much everything. With the exception of Josie.

  Today was the most he’s ever talked about her with me. I don’t push. I know he’ll talk to me about her when he’s ready and wants to. I’d never push him when it comes to her.

  I can feel us getting closer. I know without a doubt that I’m falling for him so hard.

  I’m falling in love with Travis in the purest of ways.

  And I know he’s already holding my heart in his hands.

  Chapter 16

  Travis

  Fifteen Years After Josie

  I’m sitting in my office at Pretty Girl when Jesse knocks on the door, looking more serious than I’ve ever seen him.

  “Can I talk to you a minute?” he asks, fidgeting at the door. Part of me is wondering if this is it. If this is the moment he tells me he loves Penny and wants to marry her, have her move in after graduation.

  Swallowing down my unease, I motion for him to come inside. He walks in and closes the door behind him, looking at his feet the whole time. His nerves are making me nervous. This isn’t the Jesse I know.

  “Spit it out, Jess. You’re making me think the worst right now,” I tell him as I lean back in my chair and run my hands through my hair.

  “I talked to a recruiter yesterday,” he starts, and it has me leaning forward. “I’m thinking about… I want to,” he blows out a puff of air and finally looks up at me. “I’m going to enlist. I’m taking the test tomorrow. As long as everything goes alright, I’m enlisting in the US Air Force and I’ll be gone right after Penny graduates.”

  “Fuck,” is the only thing I can manage to think or say for a second and I know it’s not what he needs from me, but fuck.

  “I don’t want Penny to know yet,” he adds.

  “Jesse…”

  “No, I know she’ll need to know soon enough, but not yet. I need to be sure first. I need to tell her when the time is right. I just… Not yet. Please, don’t say anything.”

  “You got a lot of nerve kid, asking me to not tell her something like this.”

  He nods solemnly but looks like there isn’t going to be any swaying his mind. Which, given what he’s doing, I suppose is a good thing.

  “Fine. But you will tell her in person before you leave. No sneaking off and leaving me to deal with the aftermath of hurricane Jesse. Got it?”

  He smiles a little at that. “Yeah. I want to tell her myself. I just don’t think she’s going to understand my reasons.”

  “Help her understand then.”

  He nods again before thanking me for agreeing and leaves making my head swirl with questions and thoughts.

  “Jesse!” I yell after him after he walks out of the room. He pops his head back in, and I ask the biggest question I have. “Tilly know?”

  “Yeah, she knows.”

  This time I’m the one left nodding.

  My baby girl is graduating today. She’s eighteen and leaving soon to work, traveling with her sister and Benton at Royal King Motorcycles to do what she loves most in the world—play with engines. She has become the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, besides her mom, of course.

  As much as it will pain me to see her go, it makes me so happy to watch her chase her dreams. She is so full of life and happiness. She’s been my sunshine through every cloudy day since her momma passed, and now it’s her time to brighten up the world for others too.

  Today was the day I finally gave her her box of letters to keep for herself. Until now, I’ve kept hers next to mine and given her letters when the occasion called for it, but now was the time to put them in her hands and let her do with them what she wants and read them when she needs to.

  I’m going to miss seeing her face light up whenever I give her one though. Nothing was better than watching the look on her face when she’d see one in my hand for her.

  “Penny’s Graduation”

  Hey, Daddy, how you doing today?

  Our baby girl is graduating, and I can’t even fathom that right now. Looking over at her tiny frame as she helps you change the oil in your truck, she’s barely tall enough to reach the door handle. Travis, the way she looks up at you though… I wish I could capture that look and keep it forever.

  I already know that you’ve had a hand in her becoming an incredible woman. I have no doubts you’ve done a great job. I also know that you are probably having a hard time with the fact that she’s grown and will probably move on soon to live her life.

  Don’t question her. Let her fly. Let her soar. I know that she is grounded and will always know where home is. Watch her do amazing things and know that you had a hand in that. Be proud not only of her, but of yourself.

  Now, don’t get soft on me, Gellar. Wipe the tears and go watch our baby walk that stage. Give her an extra hug for me today.

  Always,

  Josie

  I finish my letter and damn if I don’t have tears in my eyes. “Fucking A, Josie,” I mumble, making my way to Penny’s room to let her know it’s time to go. I stop in my tracks when I hear her talking.

  “Oh, and Jesse and I kissed. It was one heck of a kiss too, Momma. He was my first kiss…” I take a breath and step back, not wanting to eavesdrop in on her time with her momma.

  I clutch at my chest where it feels like my heart is constricting. I’m going to miss my LP when she leaves. I already do miss her momma. My girls are my whole world. What am I going to do with both of them gone?

  I close my eyes and take another breath before yelling for Penny to go. One look at her joy-filled, beautiful face, and I know Josie was right. I need to let her soar, no matter how much I want to hold her and keep her close.

  I watch her walk across that stage with a bright smile and grit my teeth to keep at bay the tears threatening to form and fall. Damn, this is hard. Ollie must notice because he bumps my shoulder with his, and I see tears swimming in his eyes too. We both laugh as we wipe at our eyes like two girls. At least I’m not the only one.

  The past months have been a whirlwind with Penny and Jesse both leaving in different directions. It’s been strange not having them around. The house is quiet, Pretty Girl is quiet, Tilly is quiet.

  I’m at my breaking point and can’t take it any longer. What in the hell is holding us back now? Our kids are gone, we are the only houses around for almost a mile, and we both want this. Yet neither of us have made a move. Hell, we’ve barely interacted since they left.

  I just finished in the shower after a day of work. Dressing in jeans and throwing a shirt over my head, I don’t care about the cold that’s creeping in when I stalk to Tilly’s door with a purpose. I don’t even bother knocking. I slide the back door open and am greeted by Bear first.

  “Bear, what are you…” Tilly trails off when she sees me in her kitchen. She’s in a pair of pajama pants and a tan
k top. My eyes travel to her chest as her breathing increases. I can see her nipples through the thin fabric, and it makes my cock jump.

  “Hey,” I say, licking my lips, my eyes finding hers but not missing the pink on her cheeks.

  “Hey,” she replies as she tucks a curl behind her ear, but it falls back against her cheek.

  Stepping toward her, I reach up and pull the band from her hair, letting her curls fall around her gorgeous face and those big brown eyes I want to melt in. My fingers go into her hair as my other hand goes to her hip, pulling her into me. I lean in just a whisper away from our lips touching, my eyes still locked on hers. “Hey.” I smile before kissing her.

  I groan the second my tongue touches hers. I kiss her with purpose, with feeling, with abandon for what feels like the first time. Sucking on her full bottom lip, I hear her moan as her hands go under my shirt, and goosebumps erupt on my skin from her touch.

  I step back and stare at her, questioning her. Is this what you want? Are you ready? Are we ready?

  She gives me a shy, mischievous smile as she nods and steps closer into me. Her hands return to underneath my shirt, feeling up my stomach to my chest. “Off,” she says, and I gladly oblige, pulling my shirt over my head. It’s not the first time that Tilly has seen me without a shirt, but each time she looks at me like it is. I love the way her eyes feel on me, burning across my skin as they make a path to where my cock is hard, straining in my jeans.

  I reach down to adjust myself as her eyes prowl over me, and she whimpers. Me? I’m watching her nipples peak and her eyes darken, and it’s making me harder by the second.