“Sorry to interrupt your romantic interlude, but when you missed the baby appointment today, I checked your datebook to find you had a reservation here.” The blonde sneered.
“Jesus Christ, Rachel.” Kyle ran a shaky hand through his hair.
“Georgia, I assume?” She nodded at me, contempt clear in her eyes.
“This isn’t what you think.” Kyle dropped his hand from my back and looked between us. I wasn't sure which one of us he was talking to.
“Baby?” I arched an eyebrow at Kyle.
“I'm Rachel.” The blonde stepped up to me and thrust a hand in my face. “His fiancée.” She wiggled a rock in my face. “And mother of his child.” She rubbed the small bump at her stomach.
“Baby, Kyle? Really? You’ve got a baby on the way?” I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t think to say anything else. “And what was all that in there?” A grin split out across my face. His eyes narrowed at my reaction.
“Georgia, what I said, I meant.”
“Oh, I’m sure you did. As sincere as ever, huh, Kyle? I came today to give you a chance to be civil. I hated that we ended so disastrously, but this Kyle, this is so wrong. I'm done trying to patch up any bad blood between us.” I glared before glancing back at Rachel. “I’m sorry you’re in the position you're in with him. I don’t know you, but I know you deserve better. No girl deserves to be lied to. I just hope he’s a better father than a fiancé,” I spat before turning on my heel and heading back to the entrance of the restaurant to hail a taxi.
“What the fuck, Kyle?” I heard Kyle’s baby momma shriek.
“Ow,” Kyle groaned. She must have smacked him, and, without a doubt, he deserved it, that and much more. I laughed when I heard him trying to defend himself. This night had turned out much more entertaining than I’d originally thought it would be.
21
It was mid-afternoon when I left the restaurant. After getting my car and things from the hotel room, I checked out and hit the expressway, pushing the speed limit to get back to the beach and Tristan. He wasn't expecting me until tomorrow, but I couldn't stand the thought of spending another night in DC, hundreds of miles away from him and his comforting arms. I stopped for a triple shot latte for brain fuel and thought about calling him to let him know I'd be home early, but frowned when I found the battery on my phone had died. I tossed it on the seat beside me and continued to drive, music turned up, my foot edging the pedal a little more with every mile I passed, anxious to get home to my beautiful and supportive boyfriend. I wanted to be nowhere else except wrapped up in his strong arms. I wanted to peel my clothes off and lie against his chest, have him stroke my hair and wrap myself around his lean body and listen to his heartbeat as we fell asleep in our own little world.
I pulled onto our road after eight. It was normally a six-hour trip, but I’d made it in four and a half. I pulled into the twisting driveway and arched an eyebrow at the navy blue SUV parked next to Tristan's Jeep. I hadn’t seen it before, maybe it was a neighbor, although I couldn’t imagine who. I stepped out of the car, the waves crashing a little louder than usual, and saw Charlie trot around the side of the house. I bent and gave him a scratch behind the ear; he was as happy as ever to see me and get some attention.
“Hey, boy, is he outside with you?” Charlie gave his tail a wag and followed me as I made my way around the side of the house. I inhaled a deep breath of the uncharacteristically warm ocean air. I couldn't be happier to be back. The only thing that could make me happier would be Tristan’s arms wrapped around me, soothing away the stress of this awful day.
I stepped around the corner and found Tristan facing away from me, leaning against the railing of the deck, a pair of long, bronzed, decidedly feminine arms wrapped around his neck. Bile jumped into my throat and my heart felt like it would thud straight out of my chest. He knew I was coming home tonight, so why was he here with someone else? Did he want me to find out? Did he want to get caught cheating?
Shock cemented me to my spot, my eyes staring, wide as saucers, as I watched the scene in front of me. The waves roared while my heart echoed erratically in my ears. I couldn’t hear, I couldn’t focus; all I could see was that nightmare playing out before me. The man I loved, in the embrace of another woman.
I thought I would faint.
I’d put everything I had into him. My trust, love, honesty, we’d started out so recklessly, our hearts on the line all last summer. I’d held out hope that we were in a better place, a place where we wouldn’t do that to each other. Not after all we'd been through. But I should have known better. He’d been a whore, and he’d paraded his whores around me knowing he was hurting me, and here he was doing it again.
“Come on, I’ve missed you,” I heard the beautiful blonde in his arms pout as she trailed a hand down to grab his ass and rub her body against his seductively. His hand lifted slowly and landed on her arm.
My stomach twisted painfully. So this was what it felt like to be cheated on. This was what it felt like when the one you loved was unfaithful, the evidence right here in my face. It was gut wrenching. The world felt like it was slipping away. My vision tunneled to their two bodies pressed together.
Charlie wagged his tail at my leg, unaware that my world was falling apart in the sand at my feet.
“You need to leave. I’m not telling you again; it’s time for you go, Briana. I don’t know how you found me out here, because I know I sure as shit didn’t tell you where I was, but don’t come back. Delete my number from your phone while you’re at it,” I heard Tristan growl. Confusion twisted my face before I watched him unlink her hands from around his neck and push her body away from him. Anger registered on her face as she glanced over his shoulder, a sneer registering when her eyes locked on mine.
“Her again? You're with her?”
Tristan’s head whipped around and fear crossed his features. Our eyes met and the only sound that echoed around us was the waves hitting the shore. I pressed my lips together nervously. I wanted desperately to tear my eyes away from his, but I couldn't. I was pulled to him.
“Get the fuck out,” he said, without tearing his eyes from mine. She smirked and stepped off the steps, brushing against my shoulder roughly as she walked past. “Georgia,” he breathed as he hustled down the steps and then froze inches away from my body, looking as if he wanted to touch me, but wasn’t sure how his touch would be received.
“That wasn’t what it looked like. Christ, I know it looked fucking terrible.” He ran a nervous hand through his hair. “But I swear to you—”
“I know.” I heaved a sigh and stepped into him.
He froze, arms at his sides. “Really?” he finally asked.
“Yeah.” I breathed him in before wrapping my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair and nuzzling into the skin at his shoulder.
“God.” The air released from his lungs in a whoosh before he wrapped his arms around me, holding me so tightly to his body it was like he wanted to meld us together. Like he wanted nothing between us, to make sure I was real, still standing here after what I’d just witnessed.
“I heard what you told her.”
“I’m sorry.” He threaded his fingers in my hair and held me tighter to him.
“Don’t be. Although I hate that she knows where we live. And that she had her hands all over my man.” I grinned and tugged at his hair playfully.
“Possessive, huh?” His beautiful smirk lit his lips.
“Very.” I leaned up on tiptoes and kissed it off his lips.
“Tell me about your day.” Tristan dusted his long fingers around the bare skin of my back. I was draped across his naked chest, my head resting over his heart, sucking in his fresh ocean scent mixed with the scent of our lovemaking. We lay with only a thin sheet covering our lower halves as we enjoyed the post-sex glow.
“It was awful. I’m glad it’s over and I’m glad I’m home with you.” I kissed his dark nipple and felt a shiver run across his body.
&nbs
p; “Mmm, I’m glad you're home too.” His voice was rough and sexy and had desire shooting tingles across my body.
“You miss me?”
“Just your sexy ass. I could do without the nagging.” He smacked my bottom so hard it left a sting.
“What?” I squealed and pushed off of him, rubbing my ass. “I don’t nag.” I shot him a glare to see his sensual lips curved up in a mischievous smile.
“I know; I’m just kidding. I missed you. And this ass.” He stroked his palm over my bottom softly.
“Good.” I kissed his full lips before leaning back down on his chest.
“I’m glad you did it alone, baby. I get it now.”
“Mmm, I wasn’t alone,” I whispered as a sleepy haze infiltrated my brain.
“What do you mean? Who was with you?” he murmured in my hair.
“I’ll tell you in the morning. Too tired.” I yawned and tucked into his neck, falling asleep to his delicate fingers running figure eights around my back.
22
“Hey, babe?” I stepped up behind her as she made coffee, her first morning home.
“Yeah?” she turned and planted a kiss on my lips. “Good morning.”
“I guess so.” I slid my palms up under her shirt and pulled her hips to mine. “Very good morning.” I caught her lips in a kiss and thrust my tongue in her mouth, devouring her first thing. Best morning ritual ever. I skimmed my hand up her narrow waist and palmed her tits in my hands, pinching her nipples just to hear her squeal.
“That hurts,” she squeaked, but her lips landed back on mine again.
“I thought you liked it when I was rough?” I murmured between kisses.
“Mmm, I do . . .” she moaned and arched into me. I slid one hand down inside her little sleep shorts, the ones that drove me insane because she looked so hot in them. I ran my fingers down the crack of her ass and pressed her to me, sliding my fingers through her wet folds from behind. “Jesus,” she moaned as I swirled a fingertip around her swollen flesh.
“Fuck. Wet first thing in the morning? I think you were made for me.” I thrust a finger inside her and pumped as she arched and moaned into my mouth.
“Tristan, oh God,” she panted before I felt her tight walls quiver and clench around my fingers. An orgasm shot through her body and sent waves of pleasure coursing from head to toe. Her head fell onto my shoulder and her legs went limp. She rested against me, her breaths coming out heavy and erratic.
“God, how can you just do that first thing?” she murmured sleepily.
“I’ve got great inspiration.” I kissed along the flesh of her neck, goose bumps pebbling in my wake. It felt good that her body was so attuned to mine. I had the same effect on her she had on me.
“You make me feel . . . you know just how to . . . God, you own my body,” she finally completed her thought.
I chuckled and sucked her earlobe into my mouth. “Don’t forget it, baby.”
“So, what were you going to ask me?” She plopped down in a deck chair a few minutes later, a steaming cup of coffee in her hands.
“Before I made you come so hard you nearly fell at my feet?” I shot her that smile reserved only for her.
“Yeah, that.” She rolled her eyes.
“You said you weren’t alone yesterday. Did Silas come up after all?”
“Oh, no.” She took a sip of her coffee as if she were avoiding answering me. “Kyle was there.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, my jaw working back and forth as I tried to process the information. She hadn't let me go with her, and her ex-fucking-boyfriend had shown up? “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t mean to not tell you; I was just so tired, and after what I came home to . . .” she said, referring to finding Briana plastered all over my body on the back porch. Georgia ran a nervous fingertip around the lip of her cup. I gritted my teeth together. I was trying to think this through, trying to contain the anger, trying not to jump to conclusions and lash out.
It wasn’t working.
“That’s fucking bullshit, Georgia.”
“What?” She whipped her head to me in confusion.
“You wouldn’t let me go with you, and I wanted to, begged you to let me go, and then he goes with you anyway? What else happened? What else aren’t you telling me? And don’t use last night as an excuse because you knew nothing happened with Briana and me. You were there when I pushed her away.” I knew I was losing it, letting my temper take over, but I couldn’t help it. It ripped me up inside that Kyle, the douchebag who had cheated on her for years, had been there for her and I hadn’t. Maybe I should have insisted on going anyway, regardless of what she had thought. Lesson fucking learned.
“What are you talking about? Don’t be like that. I’m not not telling you anything. I didn’t get a chance.” Her features pressed into a hard line and I knew she was pissed. This day was only going downhill and I should have known after the fantastic orgasm I'd given her this morning that it was the only way to go.
“It’s pretty fucking suspicious you won’t let me go, but then he shows up to save the day, just like he’s always done. When he wasn’t fucking around on you, that is.”
Her mouth dropped open in a perfect O and I knew I’d gone too far. Anger and pain flashed across her beautiful, sad eyes before she jumped out of the chair and bee-lined for the house. I followed her in, hot on her heels, begging her to stop and hear me out, before she stomped into our room and slammed the door full force in my face. Another inch and she would have smashed my nose.
She was pissed.
But still so fucking hot with all that rage boiling up inside of her. What the fuck was wrong with me—Georgia mad gave me a hard-on?
I ran a hand through my hair and heaved a sigh.
“Look, Georgia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. I shouldn’t have said it. I’m an asshole.”
“Fuck, yeah, you are,” I heard her growl on the other side of the door. It sounded like she was standing right there. A fist clenched around my heart at the pain in her voice.
“I’m sorry. Will you open the door and talk to me?” I whispered, my palm splayed across the wood of the door.
“No,” she yelled.
“Please?”
“No. Go away.” I heard the lock click into place.
“Fuck, come on, Georgia, I’m trying. Just give me a chance,” I said softly. She didn’t answer, so I took it as an invitation to continue. “I just . . . flipped when you said his name. I knew he would try to get you back. I’m kicking myself for not going. I should have been there for you, no matter what you said. Christ, I could've sat in the car if you'd wanted me to, but I would have been there. It killed me to let you go alone. And then he shows up . . .” I trailed off, my thoughts a confused blur in my head.
I heard the latch unlock and the door creaked open. Her beautiful brown eyes stared back at me, wet and swirling with emotion.
“Christ, don’t cry. I never want to make you cry, Georgia.” I barged through the small crack she’d left me and wrapped her in my arms. Sobs overtook her body and we sank to the floor, her legs wrapped around my waist, my hands locked around her back. Her body trembled in my arms.
“It was so hard, being there. Confronting it, then I ran into his family in the hallway. I felt so bad for them. They were me. They were as innocent as I was, as my parents were. They were victims too. Then I felt terrible for begging the parole board not to let him out, because I was taking him away from his family, another family ruined. My family had already been taken away from me. It seemed wrong to make another one suffer.”
“No, Georgia, no, no. He did that. He chose that; that’s not on you,” I murmured as I stroked the thick mane of hair that fell down her back.
“I know he chose it, but it’s been fifteen years; maybe he served his time,” she whimpered.
“Well, that’s up to them, baby. They’ll know what to do. You did what you felt was right in here.” I pointed at her heart. “Now it
’s up to them to do what’s right up here.” I pointed at my head. “It’s over. Whatever happens, it’s over for you.”
She nodded and hiccupped softly.
“I'm sorry I didn’t tell you sooner about Kyle. He took me out to eat, he tried to get me back, but then we ran into his baby mama slash fiancée. I took a taxi back to my car and all I could think about was getting back to you.” She said all of this in a rush between hiccups.
“Christ.” My brain swirled with the new information. That fucking douchebag had a fiancée and a baby on the way and he was trying to get my girl back?
“It’s okay. I know you didn’t get a chance to tell me last night. I shouldn’t have reacted how I did. My brain just went haywire when you said he was with you. But I know nothing happened. Not that I trust him a fucking inch, but I trust you.” I wrapped my hands around her neck and caressed the smooth curve of her jaw line. “And, just for the record, he’s a douche for moving on so quickly. I could never, if we didn’t work—” I couldn’t finish that thought. “It would destroy me. That’s all. I’m sorry you invested so many years being with him, and then he could just do that . . .” I trailed off.
“It doesn’t even matter. I just feel bad for her. And terrible for their baby. Kyle used to be a good guy. I just hope he can be a good father. Every baby deserves a good dad.” Sadness washed over her face and I sensed something more she wasn’t telling me.
“Are you sad he’s starting a family without you?” The question fucking hurt, and I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer, but I had to ask.
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s not that, just mourning the loss of what I thought my life would be. Do you know what I mean?”
“I guess.” I didn’t, because I'd never had a plan for my life, never cared to have one until she breezed into it and swept the air straight out of my lungs.
“I’m not mourning the loss of him or my relationship with him. It’s just the plan I had for my life is different now. It’s so much better; I’m so much better.” She grabbed my face between her palms and stroked my cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. “But it’s still an adjustment. I feel a little off kilter, you know?” She continued to soothe me with the soft timbre of her voice, her soothing touch on my skin.
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