Just Breathe Series (Trilogy Box Set)

by Martha Sweeney

  Once we’re ready to go home, Jared, Nathan and Pop-Pop leave in one car, Maggie and Henry in another and Joe and myself in the last one. Once on the road, Joe takes my hand as we head back to Pasadena. I lay my head back on the seat and close my eyes to rest for a few minutes, tired from the long day.

  I wake to Joe’s warm hand stroking my face.

  “Emma,” he whispers.

  “Hmmm?” I reply before opening my eyes.

  “We’re back,” he informs me.

  My eyes open and I don’t recognize where we are for a minute. “Where are we?”

  “The parking lot in my building.”

  “Why?”

  “No one is here. Just you and me,” he reveals.

  “I need to get home to Sadie,” I admonish.

  A noise comes from the back seat and I feel and hear a dog sniffing my left ear.

  “I picked her up. You were out cold,” he chuckles.

  We both scratch Sadie’s head.

  “How did you get into my place,” I ask eyeing him.

  With a sex tingling smile, Joe explains, “I used your key.” He gestures to my purse.

  At a loss for words, I just nod my understanding.

  Joe is a perfect gentleman. He helps Sadie and me out of the car and he doesn’t touch me other than to place his hand on the small of my back as we ride up the elevator to his door. As soon as his front door is closed, Joe’s demeanor changes. Taking his time, like he’s plotting every next step, he holds me against his body as he places his keys, money clip and loose change in the large bowl that sits on the table by the door. He switches hands on my back, not letting go, before checking the pockets on his other side. Instead of waiting for him to finish, I rush, grabbing the back of Joe’s head and plant my lips onto his. Joe doesn’t move anything except his lips. His manhood twitches, but other than those two organs, Joe is motionless until I gradually pull my mouth away.

  “Mmmmmm,” he groans in protest. “God, I’ve missed the taste of you.”

  I don’t return the sentiment, not that I don’t feel the same. It’s just that I’ve never said anything like that to any guy before, and I’m not about to start. It’s too foreign and I don’t want to give him the impression that I want a relationship.

  “You’ve got very bad timing,” I whine after he pushes my body against the wall and squeezes my ass.

  “What do you mean?” he questions, not wanting to let go of my mouth.

  I pull away and offer a look. A please don’t make me say it out loud look.

  “You’re kidding me?” he replies, catching the hint. “It hasn’t been that long . . . has it?”

  “Unfortunately . . . yes,” I regrettably confirm.

  He kisses me again before saying, “I don’t care if you don’t.”

  “I do,” I profess, stopping a kiss.

  We don’t say anything for a minute as we hold each other.

  “I could help . . . .”

  “No! Out of the question,” he protests before I finish.

  His response is definitely not what I was expecting. My brows furrowing at him and are my only best reply.

  I’ve never offered or thought about helping a man get off before, especially since every man I’ve been with has left me high and dry, having to finish the job myself. There were one or two guys I hooked up with in the beginning where I did, but then I would be left unsatisfied. I’m not sure why I’m offering now, but I do feel a little bad.

  “What?” he asks seeing my express.

  “Nothing . . . I’ve just never had or heard of a guy refuse to at least get his own needs taken care of . . .” I explain.

  “I’m not getting any until you are, which will be at the same time,” he sternly declares.

  I wince and he notices.

  “What?”

  “Does masturbation count?” I shyly question.

  “No,” he chuckles. “I’d have some serious cases of blue balls if I wasn’t.”

  I sigh with relief and giggle at him for actually saying blue balls.

  “We’re on the same page about that, beautiful. Don’t you worry,” he sweetly comments.

  “I guess you should just take me home then,” I mention.

  “Why? Do you want to go home?” he says full of concern.

  “No . . . I . . . um,” I giggle nervously, not sure what to say.

  “I want you to stay regardless,” he states, sealing his words with a steamy kiss.

  “No one is here?” I check.

  “Just you, me and Sadie,” he confirms.

  “Not even Anna?”

  “Not even Anna.”

  “Good,” I exhale returning my lips to his.

  Joe offers me a tee shirt to sleep in and he and I snuggle into his bed with Sadie while we watch a movie. Joe ends up falling asleep before the movie is finished. I can’t sleep since it’s still early for me, so I get up to snoop around a little. Sadie stays with Joe, too tired to get up and join me.

  “What are you looking for?” Joe says, startling me as I slip a book back into its spot on the bookcase in his office.

  I find him leaning in the doorway. “Nothing? What are you doing awake?” I inquire, turning and propping my ass on the shallow edge of the bookcase.

  Joe takes a few steps closer. “You weren’t there to keep me warm, so I woke up.” Joe catches a piece of his shirt I’m wearing and tugs at it for me to move closer.

  “I’m not there with you any nights,” I rebut, sliding my hands onto his shoulders.

  “Exactly . . . so I notice when you get up,” he informs before seeking a kiss. “How long have you been out here?”

  “Probably . . . ten . . . fifteen . . . minutes,” I suggest in-between slow, erotic kisses.

  “Mmmm . . . too long then,” he moans, scooping me up.

  “I need a book,” I profess just as he turns to leave the office.

  “You sure I can’t distract you with something else?”

  “Yes,” I whine, not liking my own answer.

  He gently lowers me to the ground and I hop over to find a book.

  “I might be able to find one faster if you help me,” I tease.

  “As tempting as that is, I’m enjoying the view from here,” he says with his sexy voice.

  I bite my lip when I turn on my tip-toes to look at him.

  “Keep that up and it will be my activity of choice as your only option,” he devilishly threatens.

  I deliberately reach a little higher to the top shelf for a book to cause Joe’s shirt to slide up higher and just barely expose the bottom of my ass cheeks. I can hear Joe growl his disapproval of my actions.

  “Found one,” I announce, slowly turning towards him. As I approach him, I deliberately brush my hand across his stomach.

  “You’re asking for it,” Joe announces as he scoops me into his arms.

  Back in his room, Joe settles us into his bed. Between Sadie and Joe’s hot body, it doesn’t take more than ten pages for my eyes to droop. At some point, I feel a shift in the bed and wake just enough to feel Joe sliding the book from my hands and covering me with the blanket.

  “Emma?”

  “Hmmm.”

  “Goodnight, beautiful.” I feel his lips on my temple.

  I can’t help but smile at his comment. “Goodnight, Joe,” I breathe out.

  Forty One

  Three days after the bridal shower and the interesting night with Joe, I’ve been intensely focused on work when I’m not helping Maggie with wedding matters. My excitement about seeing Joe tonight, since all we’ve been able to do is talk and text, is quickly squashed before noon. I just found out that he is going back to New York for business and his date of return is unknown.

  I’m starting to wonder if my decision to sleep with him is a good idea. I want him. There’s no doubt about that. However, at every turn, the chance of me allowing myself to give in, break a rule, there seems to be either a warning sign or an obstacle hindering it from occurring.
Maybe I’m not supposed to sleep with him. Maybe I need to hold fast to my rules and do my best to satisfy my itch some other way. I’m so confused and don’t know what to do.

  The Fourth of July is just two days away and the days seem to be moving extremely slow, even with the mountain of work for business and the wedding. My attention is easily pulled away from work by my sexual need and I find myself masturbating at least three times a day. I feel like I have A.D.D.. Last night when I was with Maggie and Henry, I was seriously contemplating the idea of just having a three-way with them. Okay, I’d most likely would have just fucked Maggie and let Henry watch. It scares me that I would even consider the option because I’m so horny and can’t seem to be satisfied by B.O.B.. B.O.B. always satisfies me, even if there is the assistance of Master P.

  Yesterday, I went with Maggie and the rest of the bridal party for our second to last fitting for the dresses. We all look gorgeous! I think I’m actually starting to get excited about all of this.

  Today, Jared, Pop-Pop and I are preparing food for the Fourth of July picnic tomorrow. Since Amy and Eric got their new home a few years ago, they’ve allowed Jared and I to host our traditional Fourth of July picnic at their house. There’s more room and a lot less people than the park where we used to have it and you can’t have a picnic inside an apartment. Since our second Independence Day together, Jared and I have deemed this our holiday with our own traditions. We celebrate more than the birth of America. We celebrate the rebirth of our new found life together after our hardships.

  With Pop-Pop as an extra set of hands, Jared and I put him on non-cooking prep duty. Ultimately, Pop-Pop is in charge of making sure all of the coolers and bags are washed and prepped, grilling utensils are cleaned and accounted for and all games and sports related objects are organized and packed. Knowing that Pop-Pop is wicked on a grill, Jared and I ask if he’d honor us as being head chef. Pop-Pop beams with delight and enthusiastically accepts.

  “How do you buy all this food without a car sweetie?” Pop-Pop investigates.

  “She has it delivered,” Jared answers for me since my mouth is full of food.

  “Wow! Really?”

  “I belong to two different farming co-ops that have about twenty different organic and biodynamic farms who sell directly to the public. I order weekly, bi-weekly or monthly and they deliver what I request,” I explain.

  “Even the meats?”

  “Most of them. There are several different businesses I buy from online for most of my needs. For smaller sizes of fresh meats for Sadie, I sometimes walk down to the Whole Foods.”

  “How far is that?”

  “Just down the block.”

  “We need to get some more quinoa, so we’ll walk down later so you can see how close it is,” Jared instructs.

  “Okay!” replies Pop-Pop. “Ohh, Emma. You should see the dress Nathan is creating for you.”

  “Pop-Pop!” Jared yells with shock. “She’s not supposed to know anything.”

  “I know that. I just wanted to get her excited about it,” Pop-Pop confirms his intentions.

  “What am I not supposed to know?”

  “Anything about the dress. Nathan wants it to be a secret until the night of the premier,” Jared answers.

  “Great . . .” I announce sarcastically.

  “I know you aren’t excited about going with Chris, but if you knew what the dress looked like, you’d feel different,” Pop-Pop sweetly states.

  “Come on, Kitten, think about the amount of money that will be pouring in from your investment,” Jared coaxes.

  “I could work with that,” I comment.

  “That’s the spirit!” Pop-Pop cheers.

  By late morning on the Fourth of July, Nathan, Jared and Pop-Pop pick Sadie and me up, along with all of the food we’ve got prepared, and head down to Amy’s house in Arcadia. Just after twelve, Pop-Pop has the grill to full temperature and is starting to cook the burgers and chicken. Our usual group has grown a little this year with many of the Wú family members. The kids and Sadie are playing in the pool most of the day and by the time the sun starts to set, Jared and I get the sparklers out for the kids. Amy’s and Eric’s house is not far from the park where the community fireworks are set off, which works perfectly for us. No need to drive and find parking. Just before it’s fireworks time, we turn off all of the lights inside the house and in the backyard. Jade joins Jared and me on a blanket that we are laying on. Not long after all of the kids have fallen asleep, I head home with the same group that brought me down for the barbecue.

  The two-week countdown to the wedding has begun and Maggie is outwardly excited and nervous beyond her usual habit from the years I’ve known her. She’s starting to sweat over all of the little details. Amelia and I are both having to continually remind Maggie to breathe and relax. Good thing this weekend is the joint bachelor-bachelorette party weekend. With what Joe and I have planned, Maggie and Henry should be ready for the big day.

  Joe arrived back in California early this morning. I have mixed emotions, but the predominant feeling is elation and relief. Four days and counting until we whisk our friends away for, well what I hope is, an enjoyable weekend before their wedding. No one other than Joe and I know where we are headed.

  After some really busy and hectic days, I eagerly greet my friends as we board Joe’s private jet, or at least I think it’s Joe’s, to embark on the bachelor-bachelorette party weekend. The plane is much bigger than the last one we used for Hawaii. I guess when you’re making billions and most likely trillions, having two planes is kind of like having two or three cars. Jimmy, Allen, Jared, Nathan, Henry, Maggie, Amy, Eric, Kim, Peter, Joe, Sadie and myself along with Henry’s other two groomsmen, Lee and Richard climb aboard the massive plane.

  Maggie squeals with excitement when we land in Sedona, Arizona. She, Jared and I took a road trip here a few years back and I know she’s been dying to visit again. Joe and I knew that Henry and Maggie would need some time to relax and decompress before the wedding, so we figured Sedona was the best place to go. Two limos are waiting at the airport for our arrival and we all pile in to head to our accommodations.

  Joe and I booked L’Auberge de Sedona for the extended weekend. We have an early check-in for today, Friday and we don’t check out until Monday morning. Maggie and Henry, Amy and Eric, and Kim and Peter are booked in the Spa Suite Cottages as the rest of us are rooming in our own Garden Cottages.

  After we all check in, we’re picked up for the first of two scheduled group adventures. Joe and I booked a private Grand Canyon tour that will show us Oak Creek Canyon, Ponderosa Pine Forest, lush meadows and then on to the awe inspiring Grand Canyon before we head to the El Tovar Lodge along the South Rim of the Canyon for lunch.

  Once our bellies are full, we head back to L’Auberge for individual journeys to begin. Maggie and Henry opt to have some of the spa packages in their room that Joe and I purchased in advanced for them. I call the lobby to make sure some champagne and strawberries are delivered as well. Kim and Peter and Amy and Eric elect to do the same thing. I decide to go for a hike, wanting to get Sadie outdoors since she was cooped up a little between the plane and then while we were gone for a few hours on the tour. Jared, Nathan, Jimmy, Allen, Joe, Lee and Richard all tag along.

  The seven of us plus Sadie, load into two of the three Teslas Joe and I rented and head over to The Hike House for our first stop. We schedule a two-hour hike, grab some extra gear and food and drive over to Red Rock. Red Rock is one of my favorite places since the last time I was here with Maggie and Jared. There’s an energy vortex there that is peaceful and relaxing and I plan on putting in some good intentions for the wedding to go smoothly.

  Joe busts on Jimmy and Allen a few times when they whine about our pace or complain about being tired and needing a break. Lee and Richard resume their blatant hitting on me from this morning. There’s no way Jared can save me since they know that he’s with Nathan, so I figured, why not have a little fun any
way and flirt back.

  “Looks like you’ve got two new admirers,” Jared teases as I gulp some water.

  “I’m not minding the attention,” I admit.

  “Obviously,” Nathan jabs.

  Shrugging my shoulders, I retort, “What? Like a girl can’t have a little fun flirting back?”

  “Not at all,” Jared assures.

  “I think Joe’s feeling a little left out, though,” Nathan says, loud enough for Joe to overhear.

  “Left out about what?” Joe searches.

  “The flirting Emma’s doing with Lee and Richard, but not with you,” Nathan states, deliberately seeking to get a response from both of us.

  Lee and Richard seem pleased. Joe just chuckles and shakes his head.

  Wanting to play a little, I goad him. “Aww, Joe . . . are you feeling left out?” I slowly take a few steps towards him before I lunge to spar with him on the path.

  “Knock it off you two,” scolds Nathan.

  “You encouraged it,” Jared comments.

  “They can go for as long as they like,” Jimmy adds. “I don’t mind the extended break.”

  “I’ve never seen a man be able to keep up with you like that, Emma,” remarks Jared.

  “I’m just toying with him,” I reply with a wicked grin before I move in with another move landing me on Joe’s back.

  “Or is he toying with you?” Nathan questions.

  “A little of both,” Joe baits.

  After a few minutes, Nathan announces, “Okay. Okay. Break it up you two.”

  “Like I said, you started it, babe,” Jared enforces.

  “And, now I’m regretting it,” Nathan states. “Damn straight people and their weird ways of flirting.”

  Releasing Joe, I swerve and set my target on Nathan.

  “Ahhhh,” Nathan yells, ducking behind Jared.

  Jared steps to the side, but Nathan quickly follows him to block me.

  “Now you know to keep you big mouth shut,” Jared roasts.

  “What a great boyfriend you are,” Nathan complains as I get a hold of him and Jared does nothing to stop me.

  “Don’t start something you can’t finish, especially when it comes to sparing with Emma,” Jared mocks as I take Nathan to the ground.