Restoring Us

by Fabiola Francisco

  I pick up speed, and she doesn’t hesitate to keep up with me, our sweaty bodies seeking an intimacy we’ve only known with each other. Our erratic breathing and her moans have become the background noise to our bodies moving together, our souls connecting beyond the physical connection we’re making.

  With each thrust, her walls clench tighter around my cock. Thrusting harder and faster, hearing her yell out my name and ask for more, I aim to hit that perfect spot that drives her wild. Her body begins to tremble at the same time I feel my balls tightening and my muscles contracting. She yells out in ecstasy, my orgasm rising from my spine down to the base of my cock before exploding around me, coming into the depths of her.

  I still inside her, unmoving, except for my lips kissing her gently, as our breathing comes down from the exhilarating ride we’ve just experienced. After some time, I ease out of her and lie down, holding her to my body.

  “Thank you.” I break the silence of the room that was previously filled with our moans and incomprehensible words.

  “For what? Having sex with you?” She laughs, amused.

  “No. Well, yeah, that was great, but for marrying me. For choosing to spend the rest of your life with me.” She inches her lips to mine and brushes a loving kiss on them. I close my eyes and smile. I may be a fucking whipped pussy, but if that means I can spend the rest of my life with her, I don’t care.

  “I love you. Even when I hated you, I still loved you. Fighting it was a losing battle.” She cradles my face in her slender hands. “I want nothing more than to spend my infinity with you.”

  “Good because you’re stuck with me.”

  She rolls her eyes playfully. “We should probably tell our families soon. Someone must have spread the word already about your plan.”

  “Nope. I didn’t tell anyone, so no gossip about us for a little while.”

  “Not even your mom?” She looks at me in surprise.

  “Not even Dan. Let’s wait until we get back to tell them. We’ll go out to dinner, or I’ll have my mom plan dinner for us. Just our parents and Aiden.”

  “Okay.” She smiles nervously. I know she’s unsure of what people’s reaction will be, but I don’t give a shit. We’re getting married, and no one needs to interfere with spiteful words. I know our parents will be happy, but someone somewhere will criticize our decision. That’s not our problem to worry about.

  I fall asleep to Ava’s light breathing. We spent an unknown amount of time talking about our sightseeing trip tomorrow and possible wedding plans until her eyes finally closed, mumbling something drowsily.

  Chapter 30

  Ava

  Ethan wanted to rent a car to see the small towns outside of Paris, but I insisted on taking the train and enjoying the scenery as it sped by between mountains and valleys. We spent the last two days in the secluded beauty of the French countryside, returning to our hotel late last night.

  After visiting two towns, we stayed in a beautiful chateau, a French castle turned into a hotel, where history, beauty, and passion enveloped the town. I instantly fell in love, a feeling of home sweeping me away into a life hundreds of years ago. I put my camera to good use, taking photos of the surrounding space and documenting this trip and all it represents.

  We’re sitting in the VIP lounge at the airport waiting for our plane to board. The setting sun is coming in from the big windows on the far end of the wall and we’re enjoying a glass of champagne—a toast to the future and our new beginning.

  Last night, Ethan asked me to move in with him, and I didn’t hesitate to say yes. After spending this week together, I was already struggling with the thought of each of us going to our separate homes, my bed empty without his arms wrapped tightly around me as I sleep. The idea of one of us always sleeping over the other’s apartment, going back and forth, and not making a permanent move was just ludicrous seeing we’re already engaged, and quite frankly, I want that man all to myself each night. We’re making the move this weekend after we have dinner with our parents tomorrow night.

  I’m excited to share our news with everyone. Some people may think it’s soon, but we’ve known each other our entire lives. We dated before and have been in love for years. Everyone who knows us would agree there is no one else for us but each other. There’s no doubt in my mind about our engagement.

  Katie is picking us up at the airport, so I guess she’ll be the first to learn the news. I’m not taking off my ring to keep it a secret. I made that clear to Ethan when he jokingly suggested it. This ring is mine, and I plan to wear it forever. Katie will just have to keep her mouth quiet until we announce the news tomorrow night.

  “Maybe we can start moving some of your stuff over tomorrow during the day before dinner. I’m sure the jetlag will have us up early, and we can start packing. I’ll stay over your apartment tonight.”

  “That sounds good. Everything is set for dinner. My mom told me she spoke to Sophie and planned it all out. Do you think they suspect something?”

  “Knowing those two, they’re probably trying to solve the mystery as we speak.” I giggle knowingly. That’s exactly what they’re doing.

  We hear our flight being called over the loud speaker to begin boarding first class. We make our way out of the lounge and into the line, ready to head back home, but melancholy about leaving Paris behind.

  ∞

  “You’re fucking engaged! Get out!” Katie slaps my shoulder in disbelief. “You didn’t tell me you were planning this!” She looks at Ethan accusingly. “I can’t believe I missed my best friend getting engaged.” She lets out a deep breath, walking to the driver’s side of her car. It didn’t take her long to notice the ring on my finger. Just like a barracuda, she is attracted to shiny things, and this ring is shiny.

  “No one knew, Katie. Don’t get offended.” Ethan calmly takes a seat in the back seat of the car, giving me time with my best friend up front.

  “Whatever.” She drives out of the airport, heading towards our apartment. I am beyond exhausted, the time change hitting me hard, and I just want to go to sleep. Ethan wants to pack in the morning, but if I can help it, I’m sleeping in.

  “You can’t tell anyone. We’re telling our parents tomorrow night at dinner. Promise you’ll keep your mouth shut. Not even Dan knows.” Ethan warns her to keep our secret.

  “Mums the word.” She imitates a zipping motion over her lips and throws an imaginary key out the window.

  It’s late by the time we get home. The flight felt eternal, and the two-hour layover in Atlanta felt like ten. I just want to shower and go to sleep. Katie has been babbling on about bridal showers, bachelorette parties, dress shopping, and a whole lot of other stuff I’ve ignored throughout the entire car ride. Does she not realize I’m jet lagged and moody when I don’t sleep?

  I sleepily go to grab my bags from the trunk, but Ethan shoos me away, instructing me to take a shower while he takes everything inside. Grateful, I head into my apartment and go straight to the shower. It’s been a week since I’ve been home, but this space feels almost foreign. In the short time I’ve moved back in here so much has happened.

  Lying in bed after my shower, I tangle my legs with Ethan’s and nestle my face in the crook of his neck, my fingers softly tracing his tattoo—my new favorite pastime. His protective arms hold me, and I’m lost in my dreams.

  ∞

  “Ava…Ava…Wake up.” Why the hell am I being rocked? “Baby, wake up.”

  “Hmm…” I toss to the other side and resume my blissful sleep.

  “Are you awake?” Ethan’s voice enters my ear. Why is he waking me up?!

  “No,” I hiss.

  His guttural laugh fills my room, and I turn in his arms. Still not fully recuperated from our trip, I begrudgingly blink my eyes open slowly. He’s smiling down at me. “It’s about time you wake up.”

  “I would’ve kept sleeping if you would’ve kept quiet.”

  “We need to pack your stuff.” He excitedly bounces his body
on the bed.

  How is he so awake? “What time is it?” Disorientation surrounds me as I notice my room isn’t completely lit by the spring sun.

  “It’s 5:30.”

  “Are you kidding me? Ethan Owens, we have all day to pack before dinner. You seriously just woke me up at 5:30 to begin packing?” I exhale, exasperated.

  “Yes. It’s the jetlag. Technically it is 11:30 for us. Come on!” He stands up from bed wearing nothing but his boxer briefs, and I’m lost in him. That fine piece of ass, as Katie would say, is going to be my husband. Noticing my blatant stare, he winks, and says, “If you pack, I’ll reward you.”

  I roll my eyes and laugh, but I try to mask the shiver that runs down my body. “I doubt we’ll be able to move everything today. I have a lot of stuff.”

  “I know. We have all weekend, but I want to get started. I’ve been trying to get you to move in with me since we were 20. It’s about damn time we finally get the chance to live out our story—faults and all.”

  I suddenly realize how important this is to him. We aren’t rewriting our story. This is our chance to continue it, healing the pieces that broke us, but taking them with us as part of our journey, together and separately. This is us—coming together like two wandering souls, who had lost their way, finally connecting again into infinity. A reunion beyond the physical world, a connection only he and I can partially comprehend, but fully feel deep within.

  “I don’t have any boxes, but we can start organizing what I have. Fortunately, I got rid of what I didn’t use anymore when I moved back in here. I can’t believe I’m going to leave already.”

  He moves to my side of the bed, and sits on the edge, my body propped up. “I know. You need to tell Katie.” He sweetly kisses me.

  “I need to tell her? No, you’re going to be there when I do. I’m not going to do that one alone. She’s so excited we’re finally living together again that I’m going to need support, or she may convince me to stay with her puppy dog stare.”

  “Do you need convincing from me? Because I can sure offer a few things she can’t.” Seduction laces his words, and his spell pulls me in. He kisses me, his tongue forcing my lips apart, just a quick reminder in case I changed my mind, which I wouldn’t.

  “Oh, I know you can. I do want to move in with you, but I don’t think Katie realizes I’m moving out this weekend. Actually, you should go out and buy her favorite breakfast so we can ease into it. Since you have all this energy and all.”

  “It’s five in the morning, Ava. Where the hell am I going to buy breakfast at this time?”

  “I don’t know, but then I could keep sleeping.”

  “You’re crazy. We’ll organize your stuff, then go buy breakfast and boxes before she wakes up.” His excitement is endearing, and I groggily oblige.

  After emptying out most of my closet and folding my clothes, we decide to go pick up breakfast. I’m hungry and Katie will be up soon. Heading out to Miss Annie’s for her famous banana nut muffins, we return with scrumptious treats and coffee.

  “Where the hell did you guys go?” Katie saunters out of her room in her pajamas.

  “We went to get breakfast. Your favorite, Miss Annie’s banana nut muffins and coffee.”

  “So early in the morning?”

  “Well, Ethan apparently can’t sleep in. Woke my ass up at 5:30 in the morning.” I stare him down.

  “What? I’m jetlagged and excited.” He puts his hands up in defense and makes his way to the kitchen.

  Looking at Katie nervously, I lead her to the kitchen and prompt her to sit. “Katie, I need to tell you something.”

  “What?” She looks between Ethan and I wearily.

  “I’m moving in with Ethan. This weekend.” I hold my breath waiting for the disappointment to come from her.

  “Really? That’s awesome!” She hugs me tightly. “I’m going to miss you like crazy, but I’m so happy for you. It’s about time you find your happiness, Ava.” She releases her hold on me and looks at Ethan.

  “You better take care of her, or I will—”

  “I know, I know. You’ll sneak into my apartment in the middle of the night and cut off my balls or something.”

  “Damn straight I will.” She laughs and grabs a muffin. “So you’re going to move out already?” Her saddened eyes meet mine.

  “Yes. We want to take advantage of the weekend. Work is going to get a bit hectic between transitioning over to the new exhibit and preparing everything I agreed upon in Paris.”

  “That makes sense. You’ll still come visit right?”

  “Yes. Whenever you want. You can come over, too. We can have girls’ night and all!”

  “Well, you all let me know when that happens, and I’ll go out with Dan that night.” Ethan looks happy at how this is all working out.

  We eat breakfast together before Ethan and I begin packing what we organized this morning. Katie seems okay with all of this, and I’m grateful it is all working out smoothly. The final test will be tonight when we tell our families that we’re engaged. Like for real engaged, we need to plan a wedding engaged.

  I’ve taken a good chunk of my things over to Ethan’s already. He’s been a sergeant, not stopping until we’ve packed most of my stuff. Putting whatever fit into my car, we drove over to his apartment and dropped off the boxes. We’ll have the rest of the weekend to unpack, Ethan has told me over and over again.

  By 4:00 PM I’m exhausted. Ethan can be a slave driver when he’s on a mission to accomplish a task—a persistent fighter. That’s why he’s accomplished so much in his life. I take a shower and lie down for a bit before tonight’s dinner. If he tries to disrupt my sleeping, I will hurt him.

  “Mind if I join you?” His voice alerts me that he’s near, and my heart reacts to it, speeding up its beating.

  “I’m going to sleep.”

  “I know. I’m tired. I just want to lie down next to you for a little while. Tonight is going to be interesting as is.”

  “Mmhm.” I curl into him and close my eyes, enjoying this time we have before the frenzy that will follow tonight.

  I wake startled to an alarm sounding somewhere in my room, the dim lighting making me unaware of where the alarm is coming from, but accomplishing its purpose of waking me. Ethan is lying beside me, soundly asleep. First thing is find that damn alarm and turn it off. Ethan probably set it so we wouldn’t oversleep. Look who won’t wake up now. So much for waking up at 5:30 AM.

  I get up from bed, letting him sleep a little bit longer, and begin getting ready for tonight. I’ve left some clothes here, along with my makeup and a few other necessities. I style my hair and carefully apply my makeup, keeping a neutral complexion. Once I’m done, I try to wake Ethan up.

  “Baby, wake up,” I whisper into his ear, my black, long sleeved lace dress hugging my body as I lean forward on the bed. He opens his beautiful green eyes, his dimpled smile stretching across his face.

  “I can really get used to this.” His arms wrap around my waist and his lips take mine in, tasting me.

  “Well, right now you need to get up and ready for dinner. Get used to kissing me later. I’ll be more than happy to practice with you.” I stand up, fixing my dress, and make my way into my closet to find a pair of shoes.

  “We have the rest of our lives to perfect it.” Ethan walks into my bathroom to take a shower.

  After slipping on a pair of black strappy Jimmy Choo heels, I walk out into the living room and wait for Ethan. Katie is reading a magazine, lounging on the couch.

  “You look hot!” She whistles as I walk by her and take a seat on the chair.

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m happy for you, Ava. I really am. I’ve told you time and again that you deserve to be happy, and it’s about time you found your happiness. I was so worried you’d be holding yourself back, rethinking the past. Ethan loves you. He really does. You both deserve to live your lives together. Neither of you would find someone better.”

  “T
hank you, Katie. I love you. I’m sad to move out. I have to live with a boy now, and it’s not Aiden.”

  “You’ll be fine. Just make him do the dishes.” Katie smiles. “I will miss you, though. We just got to the fun part, but I can’t wait to plan your wedding!”

  “Are you ready?” A gorgeous Ethan walks into the living room wearing grey slacks and a light blue button down shirt, tucked in, perfectly showcasing his muscles and body underneath. “This boy is ready to tell our families we’re getting married.” He winks knowingly and shows off his dimples.

  “Yes.” I stand and hug Katie.

  “Good luck,” Katie says, amused. I’m sure she can imagine how this dinner is going to go.

  We arrive at Sophie and John’s house after my parents. Opening the car door for me, Ethan extends his hand to help me out of his car. I take a stabling breath before making our way to the door. At the same time, Aiden is making his way out of the car.

  “Hey guys, how was Paris? Did you accomplish everything you needed for work, Ava?”

  “Hi, Aiden.” I try to keep my ring from him to not ruin the surprise. “Yes! I met a lot of people and learned so much about this career. You know I love Paris, too, so it was a bonus to spend that time in one of my favorite cities.” I smile at my brother and hug him.

  “Good! Now what the hell is going on? We aren’t at dinner at the Owens’ on a Friday night for no reason. Spill it.” He speaks to me only, Ethan a shadow in the conversation.

  “We wanted to get together with everyone.”

  “Bullshit.” He calls it as it is.

  I sigh heavily. “Okay, Aiden, don’t make a big deal out of it, but we’re engaged!” I show him my ring excitedly but nervously. He’s my biggest critic, and the one opinion I care most about.

  “I fucking knew something was up. Are you sure about him?” Aiden’s eyes pierce into mine, his thumb pointing at Ethan.

  “Yes, I am.”