Falling Together (All That Remains #2)

by S. M. Shade

  “Gary is staying at Julie’s tonight. He feels terrible for bringing them here. He said he never imagined Joseph wouldn’t want to see them. He didn’t know their story.”

  “It’s not his fault.”

  “I told him that. I also told him about our relationship.”

  “How did he react?”

  Airen laughs. “He called me a crazy white boy. He’s fine with it. I also made sure everyone knows not to tell Joseph’s parents until he’s ready for them to know. They think you and Joseph are a couple.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” Joseph interrupts, his voice flat. “I appreciate what you’re willing to do, but it won’t matter. They couldn’t accept me before. They’ll never accept this.”

  Airen props himself on one arm, and gazes at him. “I just want you to have the opportunity to reconnect with them before they find out.”

  “I know, but you can’t pretend Abby isn’t your wife. It’s not right.”

  “It’ll just be for a day or two, until you get an opportunity to talk to them.” Airen turns to me. “What do you think?”

  “As long as you remember you aren’t single.” I grin, squeezing his thigh.

  “The kids will give it away. Lane obviously belongs to you and Airen.”

  “If they figure it out, then we’ll tell them.” Airen shrugs.

  “It’s up to you. We’ll do whatever you want, Joseph,” I assure him.

  He nods, rubbing two fingers across his lips like he always does when he’s nervous. “I’ll talk to them tomorrow.” By his tone, you’d think he’s been sentenced to the electric chair.

  Airen hops over us and settles in on his other side. “Decide in the morning.” He kisses him softly on the lips, and we cuddle him between us as if our bodies can protect him from the pain and confusion the next few days are sure to bring.

  When Gary arrives after breakfast, Joseph asks him to invite his parents for dinner. Everyone but Joseph and I will be at Lexi’s house, including Walker. “There’s no reason to subject him to their narrow world view,” he grumbles, growing more and more agitated as dinner time approaches.

  “Sit,” I order, pulling him down beside me on the love seat. “Talk to me, Joseph. It isn’t like you to bottle things up, that’s Airen’s department…and mine,” I admit.

  He sighs and shakes his head. “I was past all of this. It took years of therapy and…I’m afraid to face it again. I don’t want to understand. I don’t want to forgive and hope they’ve changed. I just want to rewind to yesterday afternoon and pretend I never saw them. Airen doesn’t understand.” His fingers pinch the bridge of his nose, eyes closing for a moment before looking up at me and asking, “But you do, don’t you? What if your mom showed up at the door?”

  “I’d hate it. I don’t know what I’d do. I do understand how you feel…a little anyway. My mom was abusive from the beginning and never claimed to love me. I know you were hurt far worse because they were loving parents before you came out, weren’t they?” It’s always worse to have something and then lose it than never have it at all.

  He nods. “I thought so, but…to do what they did to me, throw me away like a piece of trash. I don’t think they ever loved me.” He pulls me closer, and I climb into his lap, straddle his legs, and press my body against his chest, trying to get as close to him as possible. He returns my fierce embrace.

  “I’m sorry, baby. If you want me to send them away, I will.”

  “Fuck, Abby, I don’t know what I want. I don’t know what to do.”

  “I can’t tell you what to do. That has to be your decision.” I sit back and gaze into his troubled eyes. “I want to tell you two things, but I don’t want you to imagine for one second that I’m trying to justify their behavior, or take their side in any way.”

  A sad smile accompanies his reply. “I know better than that.”

  “When things went to hell, you’re the person they wanted. You don’t spend two years searching for someone that isn’t important to you. I think they love you in their own way, if not the way you need, and definitely not the way you deserve.”

  Chest hitching, he swallows hard. “And the second thing?”

  “If they hurt you again, you aren’t alone. You aren’t a terrified kid tossed into the foster care system. You’re surrounded by people who love you unconditionally, who will turn on them like rabid dogs to protect you. You’re strong, confident, and proud of who you are…and so incredibly brave. This time you know the fault lies with them so they can’t get into your head and make you doubt yourself. If you want to hear them out, you can handle whatever they have to say, and you’ll have me and Airen to love you through it.”

  Wrapped in my embrace, the words mumbled against my neck are barely intelligible, but they tug at my heart all the same. “Don’t leave me alone with them.”

  Joseph, always my level headed rock, my comfort, needs me to protect him, to guard his heart from those who never should have broken it in the first place. He’s right. I can relate. I understand the fear of letting down your guard, of caring, just to have it thrown back in your face when they turn on you again. “Not for a second,” I swear, weaving my fingers through his hair.

  “Okay.” He takes a deep breath. “Let’s do it.”

  Climbing off his lap, I tug him to his feet. “You know, I sort of wish my mom could show up at the door. So I could see her face when she realizes she was wrong. So she could see I have the love of two amazing, beautiful men.”

  A soft kiss lands on my forehead. “Her loss, ladybug.”

  * * * *

  When we hear a knock at the door, Joseph takes a deep breath and steadies himself, dragging his fingers through his hair in a very Airen-ish gesture. He takes a seat on the couch before jumping quickly to his feet again, a ball of nervous energy.

  “Relax, everything will be okay,” I whisper, giving his hand a quick squeeze.

  “Thank you for inviting us,” his mother chirps, handing me a bottle of wine.

  “You’re welcome, Mrs. Strecker, please come in and make yourselves comfortable. Dinner’s nearly ready.”

  “Call me Connie.” She smiles, and tiny wrinkles appear around her mouth and eyes.

  “Joe.” His father nods curtly, introducing himself.

  “Nice to meet you,” I murmur as I size up the man Joseph was named after. He has the same piercing green eyes and lean build, but that’s where the similarities end. While Joseph’s face expresses his warmth and kindness, Joe’s is cold and rigid when he flashes a forced smile in my direction, moving stiffly to sit on the edge of the sofa.

  “Can I get you both a drink? We have tea and lemonade, or I can open the wine.”

  “Tea would be lovely,” Connie replies, and Joe nods his agreement.

  “Let me get it, sweetheart,” Joseph volunteers, dropping a quick kiss on my lips before escaping to the kitchen.

  Connie beams from ear to ear. “How long have you been together?” she asks when Joseph returns with a pitcher of tea and four glasses of ice.

  “We met almost a year after the plague. I found him unconscious in the yard with an infected cut that caused him to run a very high fever and become dehydrated.”

  “Abby saved my life,” Joseph interjects, catching my eye and smiling softly, “and probably my son’s as well.”

  “So the boy’s yours?” Joe asks.

  “Yes, his name is Walker. He’ll be eight years old in May.”

  “And his mother?”

  “Abby’s his mother now. She’s a mother to all the kids here, and a wonderful one.” His arm slides around my waist.

  “He’s a beautiful child. He looks so much like you. I’m so happy for you, sugar.” Connie smiles.

  The oven timer buzzes. “Shall we move to the dining room?” I suggest. Joseph relaxes a little at dinner and even manages to laugh when his mother fills me in on some of his childhood antics.

  “He kept the poor cat hidden in his room for weeks! I’d let it out
to run during the day while he was in school, but I didn’t let on I knew what he was up to. I wanted to see how long he’d keep the charade going.”

  “How did he find out?” I ask with a giggle.

  “He never suspected, although I was the one cleaning the litter box and feeding the poor thing.”

  I laugh and poke Joseph. “Did you think the cat poop just disappeared?”

  “I was seven.” He grins.

  “That isn’t the best part of the story,” Connie says.

  Joe cracks a grin for the first time all evening when Joseph groans and covers his face with his hands, knowing what’s coming. “I mentioned at lunch that my allergies were acting up and how strange that was since I’m only allergic to cat hair. I thought maybe he’d confess. Oh, I never should have said it!” She laughs, a hand over mouth.

  “What did he do?”

  “He sneaked his father’s clippers and shaved the poor thing!”

  “You didn’t.” I shove Joseph’s arm playfully. “You shaved a cat?”

  “You can imagine my face when I let the ugly little thing out the next morning. It looked like a pink rat. It took months for the fur to grow back.”

  We all laugh and I lean to kiss Joseph on the cheek. “That’s priceless.”

  “Thank you, mom,” Joseph remarks good naturedly.

  “Oh relax, sugar. It’s not like I told her about the time you ended up with salmonella poisoning from trying to bulk up by drinking raw eggs.”

  “Oh God.” My side hurts from laughing. “If you tell me you did it because you watched Rocky, I’m going to lose it.”

  His head jerks up and he stares at me in amazement. “How did you know that?” The room fills with laughter at his stunned face.

  “In his defense, he was as skinny as a rail.” Connie says with a grin.

  I can’t believe how well the evening has played out. Joseph is actually enjoying himself, and we’ve managed to avoid the sensitive issues for now. He leans to whisper in my ear. “If you speak a word of this to Airen…”

  “But he’ll love the antics of little Joseph,” I tease. I’m going to have such fun with this.

  Leaning forward on his elbows, he regards his mother. “We were thinking of taking a pontoon boat out on the lake tomorrow. Would you like to come along? You could get to know everyone.” Watching him reach out, and give them a chance has my chest tight with anticipation. If they refuse, I’ll throw them in the lake myself.

  “That sounds wonderful,” Connie replies, and Joe nods his agreement. Christ, does the man ever talk? “Will you bring Walker?” she asks tentatively.

  “Of course, but be warned, he’ll talk your ear off.”

  “Can’t imagine where he got that from.” She smiles at Joseph fondly. He hugs her and shakes his father’s hand before they leave with the promise to meet us after breakfast.

  Joseph fills Airen in on the dinner and the plans for the following day while I finish preparing for bed.

  Airen hugs him. “I’m glad it went so well.”

  “Yeah, well, they were watching their good little heterosexual and his girlfriend. It’s easy to be happy when you think you’ve gotten your way. It won’t last.”

  “Maybe not, but give it a chance.”

  “Do you mind if we don’t alternate nights for a few days?” he asks, crawling into bed beside Airen. This has been so hard on him, and he needs us both with him now.

  “Whatever you need, Joey.” Airen kisses him, and Joseph slides his hand between his legs, eliciting a low growl.

  “Hmm, whatever?”

  “You better get your ass over here, darlin’,” Airen warns. “We’re going to start without you.” Like hell. We’re all naked and sweaty when Airen grabs Joseph’s hand and rubs it between my legs. “Doesn’t she feel good?” he purrs.

  “Always.” He catches my earlobe between those amazing lips.

  “You’re so smooth, darlin’, but I think you missed a spot,” Airen says, his hand joining Joseph’s. I’m torn between giggling at what I know Airen is doing, and moaning at the sensation of their fingers stroking me. “Next time let Joseph help. He’s good at shaving pussies.”

  Airen smirks, a gleam in his eye, and I laugh at Joseph’s groaned response. “Abby, you couldn’t resist, could you?”

  “Sorry.” I giggle, bringing my lips to his.

  “You’re going to be. Tattletales are the last to come.” Pouncing on me, they torture me with pleasure for what seems like hours, bringing me right to the edge of ecstasy, before backing off just to work me up again. After threatening and cursing and finally pleading for relief, Airen finally has mercy, and sends me into a bone rattling, brain numbing orgasm with one hard lick of his tongue.

  Oh, my boys.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Abby

  “No way, woman. Wear a different one,” Airen growls.

  Standing in front of the floor length mirror in our bedroom, I turn slowly, admiring my red bikini. “I want to get some sun. I wore this last year and you didn’t care.” And it still looks damn good if I do say so myself. I’m a few pounds lighter, and the thin stretch marks on my hips aren’t nearly as noticeable as I’d feared. Digging through my dresser, he tosses me a black one piece I wore when I was pregnant. “You have to be kidding me, Airen. Would you like me to wear a robe over it as well?”

  “Fine then.” He frowns. “This one.” A cute yellow two piece with a halter top and boyshort bottoms printed with sunflowers lands on my shoulder. “You love sunflowers.” I’m assaulted by that charming smile that’s so hard to resist, but I manage, turning my back and pulling my hair into a ponytail.

  “Since when do you care what I wear?”

  “Since I’m not going, and I don’t want Eric and Gary ogling your half naked body.”

  “Don’t be a Neanderthal. You can’t tell me what to wear.” If he’d asked me to change, I’d have done it, but after his “no way, woman” comment, he’s lucky my ass is too big to wear a thong. I start to pull my shorts on over my bikini bottoms, but the room tips suddenly when I’m thrown over his shoulder and then tossed on the bed, his weight pinning me down as he straddles my hips.

  “Airen! You’re being completely unreasonable!” Grinning while I twist and struggle beneath him, he tugs off the bottoms he suddenly finds so offensive and unties my top, tossing them across the room. His lips take mine in an aggressive kiss that really makes it difficult to argue with him.

  He latches onto my nipple and makes me moan with a long hard draw. “These are mine,” he declares, mirroring his action on my other breast. He sits up quickly and pulls me across his lap. He’s dressed, and I’m completely bare, my ass hiked over his knee.

  “Airen! No!” I struggle, and he spanks me hard, once on the lower curve of each cheek. “Ow!” My hand flies back to protect my behind, my face burning. I’m terrified Joseph will walk in while Airen caresses and kneads my backside.

  “Does that sting, darlin’?” he taunts. His low seductive voice lights a fire in the pit of my belly, and I stop fighting him. I seem to have lost my ability to speak. What was I mad about again? His hand falls again with a loud crack. “Answer me, Abigail.”

  “Yes!”

  Hot breath fills my ear with his whisper, “You know you like it.” Oh God. My body couldn’t get hotter if I were dipped in lava. “If you let anyone else get even a peek of this beautiful ass, I’ll spank it until it’s glowing as red as your cheeks.” He runs his palm down the side of my face, his voice strained and rough and so fucking sexy. “Understand?”

  “You wouldn’t. Not in front of Joseph,” I gasp. We have kept these little spankings between us, and I don’t want Joseph to know about it.

  One more swat stings my ass before I’m pinned on my back again. “Test me darlin’, see what happens.” His fingers slide under the silky material, and my yellow bottoms are pulled up my legs to the top of my thighs. “Now, be a good girl and I’ll reward you tonight.” He dips his dark head a
nd runs his tongue between my legs, licking a hot wet path right up my center that makes me jump and groan. With an arrogant grin, he tugs the bottoms up over my hips and into place. Bastard. He knows he’s got me now.

  “You’re such an asshole.” I turn my head away when he leans to kiss me, and his smoldering eyes glint with amusement. Soft lips graze my neck, settling over the sensitive spot that drives me crazy. My resistance melts, I’m putty in his hands, and this time when he brings his mouth to mine I seize his lips, feeling his self satisfied smile. The bedroom door opens with a squeak.

  “Damn, I can’t leave the room for ten minutes.” Joseph laughs. “What did I miss?”

  “Just reminding our girl who’s in charge.”

  Airen pulls me to my feet and smiles at Joseph while he ties the bow on my halter top. He tugs my body back until my back is flush with his chest, and lowers his lips to my ear, his hot breath making me shiver. “Don’t pout. Tonight I’m going to eat you until you scream.”

  Joseph grins at Airen when I groan at his words. “Come on, Ladybug. Everyone’s waiting for us.” I quickly throw on my clothes over my suit, glaring at Airen but fighting the urge to smile. “I love your swimsuit,” Joseph remarks on our way out the door, and Airen’s carefree laugh chases me through the house.

  “I still think Airen should have come with us,” Joseph declares as we make our way through the woods to Julie’s house to meet the others.

  “He’s afraid one of you will slip up and do something that reveals your relationship.”

  “I think I can keep my hands off him for one day. This is the last day we’re going to lie like this.”

  I nod. “I’ve got your back whenever you’re ready to tell them, and so does Airen, but he doesn’t trust himself not to lose his temper if they say something hateful to you. That’s why he volunteered to stay home with Lane.”

  “He said that?”

  “Yes.”

  Joseph sighs and takes my hand. “I couldn’t do any of this without you, my girl.”