by Lila Rose
“Another, Addy?” Grace asked.
My head was already a little fuzzy. “Please.” I grinned. She smiled back. Even her cheeks were a little flushed; actually, all the women were a little pink. We were sitting around the dining table since we’d just consumed some dips, cheeses, and cookies.
“Molly, are you going to wear your hair up or down?” Lori asked.
“Hmm. Not sure. Kenz, how’d you wear yours?”
“Down.” Her cheeks heated even more. “Grayson loves it down.”
“Ooooh, look at that smile. I always thought Grayson a stunning young man,” Melanie said.
“So did I,” Grace agreed. “So glad he’s finally settled down, and soon, my boy will be too.” Grace’s arm landed on my shoulders to hug me close. “I adore you, Addy. You’re so sweet and the way you talk about my son, I can see you’re totally taken by him. It’s… well… I just can’t put it into words how happy it makes me. In fact, I should call him and tell him.” She grabbed for her phone off the table. Thankfully, Melanie was quicker and stole it.
“No calling Vice when drinking,” Melanie stated.
“But—”
“No.”
The kitchen door swung open and in strolled Clint, who paused with his hand on the door. It was funny how wide his eyes were. Mine grew too.
“Close the books, close the books!” I yelled, and all ladies went into panic mode while Clint stepped further in with a smirk on his face.
Lori practically lay over the table grabbing the magazines, while Grace was busy giggling. Kenzie knocked over her glass—thankfully it was empty—and Molly teetered on her chair since she liked to swing on the back legs all the time. Melanie grabbed her daughter’s knee and pushed her chair back to all four legs.
“What are you doing here?” I accused.
Clint rolled his eyes. “I do live here.”
“Yes, but this is ladies’ day,” Melanie said.
“He could make a cute lady.” Grace smiled.
Everyone fell quiet as we looked at Clint. I wasn’t sure what the others were thinking, but I found myself dressing Clint in a skirt to show off his nice calves, a tank to show off his arms, and some makeup. His hair was long enough I could probably get it up in a pigtail.
“Whatever it is you’re all thinking, stop now.” He glared. “I’ll just grab a beer and head to our room.”
Lori stayed on the table, and the magazines I had, I quickly placed under my butt as Clint made his way around the table to the fridge. He took a beer out, shut the door, and turned back to us smiling. He opened his beer, took a sip and then laughed. “Okay, I’ll get out of here.” He didn’t leave right away though. He tugged Molly’s head back by her hair and kissed her soundly.
Once he was out of the room, I sighed. “That kiss was smoking. Kind of makes me wish Vice was here.”
All eyes came to me.
Grace giggled, so did Kenzie and then Lori as she moved off the table. Molly and Melanie only smiled.
“I said that aloud, didn’t I?”
“I can call him,” Grace offered.
“No!” I cried. The state I was in I’d probably jump him in front of everyone. I already couldn’t keep him off my mind. Grabbing the magazines back out, I placed them on the table. “Right, we have the dress, the lingerie, the flowers, and the venue. Which by the way I think is a brilliant idea.” I smiled to Grace; it’d been her idea. “Vice’s backyard will be amazing. All we need now is to organize the bachelorette night.”
Two glasses of champagne later, we had the night planned. I was in charge of the strippers and had already booked a function room for it. Only while I was on the phone a sudden urge to pee came over me, so once I hung up, I made a run for the bathroom.
Opening the door, I dashed in and slammed it closed.
“Hey.”
My pulse kicked up as I spun around and found Clint in the bath… naked.
“Holy ship,” I yelled. “You’re naked.”
“It happens when one takes a bath.”
No wonder Molly was very happy with the man. He was nearly as big as Vice. I was happy for my friend.
“Addy?”
“Hmm?”
“Can you quit staring at me?”
There was a knock at the door.
“Hide it then. It’s just hanging out floating for everyone to see.”
The door opened and in the doorway stood a very pissed off Vice. He came in, covered my eyes and clipped, “What the fuck, Clinton?”
“She came in here while I was in the bath,” Clint exclaimed.
“Cover your shit up.” Vice snarled, and then I felt myself being dragged backward. I stumbled a few times, and if it wasn’t for Vice’s arm around my waist, I would have fallen to the floor.
“Vice, I have to pee,” I admitted quietly.
“You’ll not pee in front of him. You only ever do it in front of me,” he ordered. Then he must have realized what he said when Clint burst out laughing. “Ah, not that… forget it,” he barked.
A door slammed. Vice removed his hand, then took mine with it and led me down the hall to Molly’s bedroom and into their en suite, which didn’t hold a bath in.
“Pee,” he demanded with a gentle shove to my back toward the toilet.
Glancing behind me, I asked, “Are you going to leave?”
“Right.” He nodded, turned, and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Smiling, I did my business, washed my hands and dried them. I then stared at myself in the mirror. There was a glow to my cheeks, and a hint of red in my eyes; it all indicated I was indeed intoxicated. Then I remembered who was waiting for me outside the door, and a thrill ran through my body. Making my way out, I found Vice standing with his arms crossed, facing the door. He glowered down at me.
“I didn’t know he was in there,” I blurted.
He ran a hand over his face. “Didn’t mean you should stay in there and eye his junk.”
“I know. It’s a habit of mine. I see men in bathrooms, and my evil eyes tend to look right there. I can’t help myself.”
“Stop being cute when I’m pissed.”
“Why are you pissed?”
“My woman’s seen another man’s dick.”
I shrugged. “And he’s nowhere near as good as yours.”
His lips twitched. “Really?”
“Yes.” I nodded and made my way over to him, stopping to lay my hands on his chest. “In fact, there’s only one penis I dream of.”
He snorted. “Is that so?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Fuck, Addy. How do you turn it around for me to want to fuck you instead of being annoyed?”
“I don’t know, but I’m glad you do,” I said against his lips. His hands came down on my butt, so he could tug me into him and slam his lips against mine. Breaking away, I asked, “Do you think it would be strange if we dry humped on Molly’s bed?”
Chuckling, he nodded. “Yes, just a bit.”
“Darn. What are you doing here anyway?”
“I’ve come to get Clinton. We’re heading to the bar to meet Grayson and Dylan to watch the game and have a drink.”
“Sounds like… a bore. Bedroom action would be better…. Um, fun?”
He grinned. “You do realize you said that aloud?” He kissed my nose. “I look forward to some bedroom action, just not in my sister’s room.”
“Never in your sister’s room,” Molly yelled from somewhere. “It’s okay. She’s making out with Vice in my bedroom, just better not be on my bed.”
Groaning, I planted my forehead on his chest. When I lifted my gaze, my heart pounded. Vice was there, right in front of me. “Glad I got to see you today.” Then again, if I had my way, I’d see him every day.
“So am I, baby.”
Something thumped against the door. Then we heard “Are they making me a grandchild?” Grace’s drunken whisper wasn’t quiet.
“No, they’re just talking,” Molly replied.
“Oh, poop.”
“We can hear you,” Vice called.
There was another thump, then giggling.
“What’s going on?” Melanie asked behind the closed door.
“They’re talking,” Grace answered on a sigh. It surprised me she actually thought we would be doing it in Molly’s bedroom. Her disappointment was funny, yet disturbing at the same time.
“Maybe if you two left them alone, there would be some action happening,” Melanie suggested.
Molly whined, “Not in my room.”
Vice groaned, pressing his forehead against mine. Quietly, he said, “There’s still time for you to run from a relationship. Those women are crazy.”
I snorted. “You’ve met my mother.”
He grinned. “This is true. Also, there isn’t a chance I’d let you go.”
My pulse raced as his words caressed my mind. He didn’t know what they meant to me, and just as I was about to voice it, the door came open and three women stumbled in.
“Back away from my bed,” Molly warned.
Vice turned, rolled his eyes at the women in his family and before he left, he leaned in to kiss me soundly, right in front of the three of them. Of course, I heard a content sigh from Melanie and Grace, while Molly gagged. He pulled back, wished me luck, and exited. I stood there staring after him and wished I had the time to tell him how his words made me feel. Then again, from the way things we’re going, I knew we’d have a lot of time to share what I felt.
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Tears welled in my eyes as I waved once again to my son while Mom, with her hand in his, led him down the airbridge to the plane. Time seemed to have gotten away from me; it was already school holidays and Drew was leaving to go spend a week with John in Hawaii. I was going to miss him.
It was as if I’d blinked and the months had zoomed by. Although, I had been run off my feet with orders, and right up to the due date for deliveries to be sent out, I still hadn’t been sure if I’d make it. If it hadn’t been for Drew’s understanding of how busy his mom was, or for my mom, who handed over her whole house for when my help arrived en masse, I would never have hit the deadline. Molly, Clint, Kenzie, Lori, and even Evelyn supported me, and as well as Kenzie friends from her work Dara, Angelia, Darby and Abby. Plus Vice, Grayson, Dylan, and Trent, of course, were willing workers. If it was not for all of them, I would have gone stir crazy, no doubt curling over in fear with the deadline looming.
My friends and family pulled through for me in big ways. After we’d organized a schedule for when they could help, we’d all put our heads down and bums up to make it work, and in the end, I got it all done. In fact, Darby, who was so very good using all the tools to make the delicate pieces, enjoyed it so much, I’d had no hesitation offering her a job just before everyone had left for the night.
Vice stumbled forward, Grayson coughed and then choked, and Kenzie cried, “Oh, yay. That would be so amazing. What do you think, Darby?”
“She already has a job,” Grayson clipped.
I gulped and heard Vice chuckling. “Now she’s not only my pain in the ass, but yours.”
Rolling my eyes, I snapped, “I’m not a pain in your ass, Vice.”
“Uh-huh,” he murmured, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and kissing my temple. “Which is why you fight me at every turn.”
“I don’t fight you. I merely state my opinion, which you sometimes don’t agree with.”
“That’s right, baby. And no matter how much cute you show me, I’ll not allow you to buy me dinner when we go out ever. Or pay for the movie. Or the fucking carwash so we can—” My hand landed over his mouth.
“So you can what?” Drew asked. When no one said anything, Drew rolled his eyes and said to Grayson, “They do this all the time. Argue, and then BAM, next they’re kissing. I’m never getting a girlfriend. I think I’ll have a headache all the time.”
It was later that night, after Darby agreed to come work with me once her contract was up soon for Grayson, I asked Drew as I tucked him in, “Honey, is mine and Vice’s arguing upsetting you in any way?”
“No, why?”
“I was just worried, is all.”
“Mom, it’s okay. I know it’s different when you and Vice do it than when you and Dad used to do it. Vice gets this look on his face that tells me he likes arguing with you and then when you’re kissing, that tells me you aren’t too much annoyed with him for it.”
Smiling, I nodded. My boy was so dang smart. “That’s right. It’s more playful when Vice and I bicker.”
“I know. He’s cool for you, Mom.”
“Thank you, honey. However, no matter what, I need you to know if anything bothers you, you can come to me and tell me. Anything at all. We’re a team.”
He holds out his fist, and I bump it with my own. “Our team is awesome. We have a big one now.”
“How?”
“Well, it’s not just me, you, Nana, Molly, and Clint anymore. We have Noah, I suppose Makala too, but she dribbles a lot. And Mr. Grayson, Ms. Kenzie, and all their family.” He searched my face. “Why are you crying, Mom?”
I laughed. “Because I’m happy you’re happy.”
“’Kay. Can Vice come in and read with me again tonight?”
“I’m sure he’d love to.” With a kiss, I walked out, taking the darn cat with me again, and went to find my man. He saw me enter the living room and was standing in seconds.
“Reading?”
“Yeah.” I sighed contently. “He wants you to do it again.” His own soft smile could melt hearts and make women swoon. As he walked past me, I got a quick lip touch, and once he was gone, I turned to Mom.
“You won the lottery in that one,” she said.
“I honestly did.”
Vice’s days, as always, were busy, but his evenings and nights had become mine and Drew’s. Even if he was tired, he’d come to Mom’s to either help me or spend time with Drew. Actually, Drew and Vice always seemed to be hanging out with each other while I was neck deep in bling. It was beautiful to witness the two guys in my life sharing their time and watching them care and love for one another grow. They shared words, looks, and even hugs. If Vice wasn’t helping Drew with homework, he was taking him to the skatepark to teach him to scoot.
Vice Salvatore was something special.
“Baby,” he whispered into my temple before kissing me there. “He’ll be back in a week.” Vice stood next to me, his arm tightly around my shoulders, while I cried over my boy leaving.
“I know.” I sniffed. “I-it’s just hard to see. I’ve never been apart from him. Oh, God. How am I going to handle his first school camp?” Turning into him, once Drew and Mom were out of sight, I gripped his tee and rambled, “Maybe I could go with him or at least follow and book into the same place they’ll be staying.”
“Adalyn, he’ll be fine.”
“But the teachers might not know what to do,” I whispered, my tone frantic.
He tried to keep his smirk at bay, but he failed, and I glared up at him. As I was ready to bite his head off, he leaned down and touched his mouth to mine. What started out as a touch of lips, soon changed when I slid my arms around his waist and held on tight. Vice took the kiss to the next level, and when I had Vice’s mouth on mine, everything else around me and in my mind disappeared. It was just Vice and me.
So when we broke apart to gain oxygen, I realized we were still standing in the airport kissing like we were teens.
Vice chuckled, ran the backs of his fingers over my cheek. “There it is.” I knew what he was talking about, my blush. “Want to know one good thing about Drew going and having you caught up with your orders, for now?”
He was right, the orders were constant, but I’d caught up with most of them. “What?”
“Means you’re staying at my place, and fucking finally, I’ll get the chance to be inside you.”
My clit spasmed along with my walls. Due to everything
going on, Vice and I hadn’t really had a private moment… until then.
Biting my bottom lip, Vice smirked, and I asked, “Can we go back to your place now?”
His eyes darkened. “Yeah, baby.”
The drive gave my nerves time to appear. The walk up to Vice’s front door gave me time to second guess my skills in the bedroom, and the front door being pushed wide from Vice gave me time to ask myself if it would look bad if I made a run for it. What happened if I couldn’t please Vice in some way? Heck, I hated the smell of semen, and I hadn’t even told the man of my dreams yet.
Once I stepped in, I faced Vice. He came in studying me and shut the door behind himself with a flick of his wrist, not even looking at it. “You okay?” he asked.
“I hate semen.”
His approach stopped, his body locked, and he muttered, “Sorry?”
Throwing up my arms, I paced in front of him and admitted, “Ever since I was young, well not too young, but when I became sexually active, I discovered the smell and taste of semen makes me gag and feel nauseous.” Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair and added, “I’m sorry, I should have told you right from the start. Then again, no man would want to hear his partner could vomit from his scent or taste. God, I’ve led you on, and now we’re finally at this stage, I wanted things to be perfect because you’re perfect, and I was really looking forward to getting horizontal with you in so many ways. I swear just the sight of your naked body I could climax over it, but now I’ve ruined it. I should go.” I started to walk around him when my waist was seized in a strong grip.
With his front pressed against my back, his mouth touched my ear. “Been waiting a bloody long time to have you in my house alone. You’re not leaving, baby. You’re scared. I get it. Don’t care about your dislikes, Adalyn. Well, I do, but we’ll do it in a way you’ll never have to care about it.”
“O-okay.”
“Good,” he clipped roughly and then sucked my lobe into his mouth. I gasped and shifted my head to the side, while he licked and sucked on the outer shell of my ear.
Never thought I would be an ear woman, yet there I was getting drenched from it.
Vice took one hand from my waist and slid it around to my breast. He gripped. My head fell back and hit his shoulder.
