Fighting Our Forever (Panthera Security Series Book 3)

by Elisa Leigh

  “I can’t wait anymore, Paul. I’m ready for forever, and I’m impatient enough to want it to start right now. I’m done moving slow. I know we pushed her tonight, and I was happy she admitted to the attraction, but it’s not enough for me.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know. I want her. I don’t want to do this dance and pony show, dating for however long is acceptable until we get to move this to the next level. We know her, even if we haven’t been with her since we met. She’s been it for me since that day in the hospital. I don’t want to pretend that we’re just getting started. We’ve been started for months now.”

  “You know she doesn’t see it that way. She’s skittish. We took our time because she needed it.”

  “You’re right. But taking this slow is going to be torture. I want her in our house, in our bed every night. I’m ready to hire the movers and kidnap her if that’s what needs to happen.”

  “Slow down. We have time, we don’t have to rush this. Why the sudden need to get her here? Callie isn’t going anywhere.”

  “Forget it. I need some sleep. I’ll feel better about all of this when I can wake up and go see her.” He gets out of the truck before I can question him more.

  Chapter Six

  Callie

  My alarm blares relentlessly. Bleary eyed I reach my hand out searching for my phone. I find it, turn my alarm off and fall back into bed, about to go back to sleepy land. A few seconds before slumber takes me I realize why my alarm went off. Work. I’m supposed to be getting ready for work. God damnit!

  I sit up in bed, and I know today is going to suck donkey balls. Big ones. I haven’t gone to work on a couple hours of sleep since I was in college. I can do this I tell myself, knowing it’s a pile of horse shit and my fifth graders are going to have a lot of independent work today.

  I take twice as long in the shower, hoping the extra minutes will wake me up. Truth be told, no amount of time in the shower is going to wake me up enough to function properly in society. I don’t give a shit on most days but catch me when I’ve had less than my required nine hours, and I’m a cranky asshole.

  When I finally pull myself out of the shower, I thank God today is Friday and pull on the only clean pair of jeans I own and my school t-shirt. I’m rocking that school spirit like a boss bitch. Grabbing my phone, I head to the kitchen to get my coffee on. Low and behold, I haven’t been to the grocery store, aaaand I’m out of k-cups. I look at the time on my stove and know I need to leave in less than five minutes or I’m going to be stuck in morning traffic and will be late to school.

  I never arrive at school early and always walk in with seconds to spare most days. With that in mind, I decide that making a full pot of coffee is going to take way too long, and I really don’t need Mrs. Martin’s judgey eyes making me feel guilty this morning.

  I’ve been here five minutes, and I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the day. I’m contemplating drinking the crap coffee in the teacher’s lounge when the distinct smell of coffee permeates the air. I peak an eye open and see a large white cup sitting in front of my face. Interested, I open both eyes and see Ryan standing in front of my desk looking down at me.

  “Eep.”

  I close my eyes tight, not ready to deal with everything they threw at me last night. If I keep my eyes closed long enough will he go away? I open them, and the coffee is there, but Ryan isn’t. Hmmm, I guess it worked.

  I sit up and stretch my arms to the side, hitting a warm body. Startled I push back and end up falling out of my seat, landing awkwardly on the ground. “Come on,” I whine to myself.

  “Let’s go, Angel,” Ryan says, and reaches down, clasping my hands and hauling me to my feet.

  “Thank you,” I say to him, staring at the ground, not able to look at his pretty brown eyes.

  With two fingers he lifts my chin, so I’m looking at him in the eyes. Then he pushes the hair that had fallen into my face behind my ear. “That’s better. Now, what did you say?”

  I stubbornly meet his gaze knowing he damn well heard me the first time. He might be pretty, but he enjoys pissing me off. “I said thank you.”

  He laughs. I can’t stop myself from hitting him in the chest. “Stop laughing at me, Ryan.” This only makes him laugh harder. “I. Said. Stop. Laughing!” I shout, punctuating every word with a hit to his very firm chest.

  His hand covers mine after my last hit. “Easy there killer. You’re just too adorable when your pissed. I couldn’t help it.”

  I’m almost too caught up with the feel of him under my touch. I stare out our hands absorbing the gentle way he’s holding me to him and watch how his thumb is caressing my fingers. My brain stops, and I can’t think of anything intelligent to say. I’ve never let any man touch me, save for last night with Paul and Ryan. I’m still new to this, hence my idiot routine.

  Reluctantly I drop my hand from his chest trying to gain my composure. If I’m not touching him, I’ll be able to breathe, and my brain will start to function again, right? I step back and look around us, anywhere but at him and stubbled chin and dark yankable hair.

  I make a grab for the coffee I’m betting he brought for me. “Tell me this is mine,” I beg.

  “It could be.” He smirks at me, pulling the cup away, and quirks his eyebrow, goading me.

  “If?” I ask wearily.

  “If you’ll agree to a date with Paul and me. Tonight. We want to spend some time with you.”

  I scowl at him. The bastard grins at me, he’s got me right where he wants me. Ryan’s smile should be illegal. No one should have such a soul damning smile. I need this coffee to get my day started, and there’s no way the sludge from the lounge is going to cut it. Just as I’m about to agree the bell rings and he starts to back away, my coffee in hand.

  “Hi, Mr. Donavan.” My students Brittany and Ryland coo staring dreamily at him.

  I roll my eyes. Those girls have no idea what a man like Ryan could do to their fragile hearts. When they grow up, they’ll see it, but for now, they get all googly eyed over the hot teacher.

  “What’s it going to be Ms. Reid?” He asks from the doorway.

  “Fine.” I huff and walk toward him, getting closer to my energy elixir.

  When he hands me the coffee, he leans down and whispers in my ear. “I’ll text you the details, Angel. Paul and I have been waiting months for you to give us just a little bit of your attention. Don’t make us waste the night tracking you down.”

  With that, he walks away, and I stare, watching his firm ass in his jeans walk down the hall. I’m snapped out of my stupor when I hear two pre-teens giggle behind me.

  Oh, dear god, what did I agree to?

  Chapter Seven

  Ryan

  I know I shouldn’t have done that to her, but I couldn’t help myself. If my sweet Callie wasn't such a stubborn ass, I wouldn’t have had to. She knows there’s something between the three of us, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why she’s fighting us so hard. I’m not letting her push us away for another seven months.

  Walking down the hall to my classroom, my cell buzzes in my pocket. Pulling it out I smile down at the text I just received.

  Paul: Have you seen her?

  Ryan: Oh, have I seen her.

  When I don’t add anything else, he replies with a gif of Stanley, from The Office, rolling his eyes. I don’t know what it is about that damn show, but we started watching it a couple weeks ago, and we can’t stop. Whenever we have free time, that’s what’s on.

  Ryan: We’ve got a date with her tonight. I told her we’d text her the details.

  Paul: Fuck yes! What are we doing? We can take her to Gio Carlo’s for dinner.

  I shake my head knowing how wrong he is. Gio Carlo’s is the nicest restaurant in this small town. I know he wants to show her how good we can treat her, how we’ll cherish her forever, but I know Callie, and that’s not the way to do it.

  Ryan: You’re going to
have to trust me on this one. Callie will hate it. We’re going to Mountain Adventures.

  Paul: Putt-Putt?

  Ryan: You got it. Make sure you’re home by four forty-five, I want to pick our woman up by five-thirty.

  Paul: Ok. See you at home.

  As I’m opening the door to my classroom, the bell rings, and I’m relieved to find none of my students have snuck in before the bell like they tend to do. Instead of texting her the details, I decide to get a little more creative. While my students are coming in and unpacking, doing their morning routine, I quickly order some flowers online.

  We’ll see you at 5:30 Beautiful!

  XOXO Ryan and Paul

  ∞∞∞

  We’re about to get out of the truck to get our woman when she walks out of her cottage and quickly locks the door. Damn, she looks good in dark blue jeans and a white fitted t-shirt. I know she’s not trying to look good, but she looks fantastic in whatever she’s got on.

  “What the hell is she doing?” Paul asks in frustration and then gets out of the truck.

  I shrug, half the things this woman does are foreign to me. Following behind Paul, we meet her in the middle, and she stops, staring at the ground.

  “Why didn’t you wait for us to come and get you?” He demands.

  She sighs and looks up at Paul, the fight within her almost tears me apart. “Why waste your energy getting out and coming to my door. It’s fine Paul. I can just as easily lock up and hop in the truck.”

  I take her hand and hold it between my much bigger ones. “You wait, because that is what a man is supposed to do for their woman. We are here to protect you, Callie, to make sure you’re safe.”

  Jutting out her chin and placing her hands on her full hips, she frowns at us. “I don’t need you to keep my safe Ryan. My dad is a cop remember? He taught me how to protect myself. Plus, now that the psycho is gone, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  “You shouldn’t have to protect yourself. That is our job now.” Paul says pushing her auburn hair out of her face.

  “It’s really not.” Callie huffs stepping out of Paul's touch. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glares at us.

  “Whatever you say, Precious. How about we go have some fun instead of arguing over forgone conclusions?”

  “The only reason you two are here right now is because I needed coffee this morning and I refuse to drink lounge swill. This will be our first and only date. After tonight, that’s it!” Then she pushes past us and stomps toward my truck, purposefully getting into the back seat and slamming the door.

  Paul looks at me. “What the fuck does coffee have to do with anything?”

  “Like she said. She needed coffee this morning, and I just so happened to have the good stuff from Sal’s.”

  Paul claps me on the shoulder. “You’re a smart guy Ryan Donovan.” Then he walks off, following our woman.

  By the time we make it to Mountain Adventures, Paul has asked her half a dozen questions, all of which she’s given one-word answers to. Walking to the first hole, I see the first hint of excitement in her face since she held little Winnie this morning.

  “Ladies first,” I say standing behind her with Paul.

  She drops her sky-blue ball and gets in the stance to hit the golf ball.

  “You know if you stand with your legs shoulder width apart and you hold your hands-”

  Paul stops talking mid-sentence as we watch Callie hit her ball and make a hole in one.

  She turns and gives us the biggest shit eating grin I’ve ever seen. “You were saying?”

  “Well hot damn! Was that beginner’s luck or are you a pro?”

  “I guess you’ll just have to find out. Losers buy the winner a burger at Sal’s.”

  “I like the double mushroom swiss burger with jalapenos,” I tell her getting into position to nicely kick her ass.

  “That’s nice. Too bad the losers get nothing.” She says right when I swing. She’s trying to fuck up my swing, but I’ve got more control than that. We watch as my ball bounces around the green, landing a few feet from the hole.

  “Can you hit better than this one?” Callie laughs. Her throaty laugh that is the opposite of a school girl giggle is the biggest turn on. I love how open and honest she is even in her actions. She doesn’t try being something she isn’t. She’s a woman and isn’t trying to be anything but.

  Chapter Eight

  Paul

  Callie really tried her best to win, and she would have too if she and Ryan weren’t so busy throwing insults at each other to notice I was winning.

  “Okay, Paul, who won?” Ryan smirks, staring down at Callie like he’s expecting it to be him.

  She waits, arms crossed, smiling right back at him. “There’s no way it could be you. You’ll be buying me a burger in about…” She looks down at her watchless wrist, “Oh I don’t know, twenty minutes.”

  Facing off they look at me and wait for me to announce the winner. “You both lost.”

  “What?!?” They shout. I laugh and pass Ryan the paper I kept score on, but before he can grab it, Callie snatches it and stares down at the paper.

  “I don’t believe it. I always win. This is my game!” She screeches.

  “I know a way to make it up to you. Want to go to Sal’s so we can throw fries at the winner?” Ryan suggests, holding out his arm for her to take.

  She looks up at him and smiles. Handing me back the score sheet she loops her arm through his, and they walk to the truck. When he opens the door to the front seat, she looks at him and then me. Her wheels are turning, she’s thinking this through. She takes Ryan’s hand and lets him help her up into the truck where she scoots to the middle, so I can sit beside her.

  When I get in, I see she hasn’t buckled up yet, so I grab the seat belt and fasten her in.

  “Thank you, Paul.”

  “You’re more than welcome Precious.”

  She settles in next to me, and I’m happy she’s finally feeling comfortable around us. I knew this was going to be hard, but it doesn’t make the constant rebuffs any easier.

  Once we’re on the road, driving to Sal’s, she starts the conversation which surprises me. “So what does the winner want?”

  “I’m getting my usual, the Cowboy Burger.”

  “Oh, I’ve been thinking about trying that one. It looks so good.”

  “You can try a bite of mine if you want.”

  “I just might take you up on that offer.” She says smiling.

  When we get there, she takes my hand and lets me help her out of the truck. She doesn’t even mind when I put my arm around her and pull her close. I’m so used to her ignoring us that the simplest reactions out of her are endearing.

  The hostess, a girl in her teens, looks at us for a second before asking “Will there be four of you?”

  Callie stiffens in my arms. When she starts to pull away, I pull her in closer. Uh uh, I just got her in my arms, she’s not getting away that fast.

  “Only three,” I tell the hostess. She shrugs it off and grabs menus, leading us to a booth.

  Callie sits down, and I sit beside her with Ryan across from us.

  “Your waiter is Tim. He’ll be with you shortly.” She says before turning and walking away.

  We all sit in silence for a couple minutes until I can’t take the awkward silence any longer. “What’s wrong? Is it what she said?” I ask, needing her to go back to the carefree girl she was when we walked into Sal’s. The one who was letting us in, one bad joke at a time.

  Callie squirms in her seats staring down at the napkin she has slowly ripped to shreds. When she looks up, it’s as if I can feel the waves of sadness seeping out of her. I already know what she’s going to say before she says it. “This was fun you guys, but we’re fooling ourselves thinking we could have what Olivia, Logan, and Garret do.”

  “Callie we won’t ever have what they have.”

  When she goes still beside me, I glare at my best friend. He’s alread
y fucking this up, and it’s our first date. I try and think of a way out of this conversation to salvage what I can of the night.

  “I mean I love the guy and everything, but I have no interest in what he’s got going on down there.”

  When she laughs I exhale a breath, one I didn’t realize I was holding.

  “This is new for all of us Calliope, it’s going to be different. It sure as hell isn’t going to be perfect. You agreed there was something between us and that you’d stop fighting us, but you haven’t. You keep pushing us away. How will we ever know if this will work if you don’t at least give it a try?”

  Tim arrives now notepad in hand. “How’s it going tonight? I’m Tim, and I’ll be serving you. What can I get you to drink?”

  We all look at each other, and I know what needs to be done, good thing Ryan does too.

  “We’ve decided to get our food to go. We need three double cheeseburgers, lettuce, tomato, pickles on the side.” Ryan tells Tim.

  “Okay man, we can do that. You want fries with those burgers?”

  Ryan looks at Callie, and she thinks for a second. “Onion rings?” She says, smiling.

  “Two fries and an onion ring. We’ll also have three cokes.”

  “You got it. I’ll put that in, and the order should be out in the next fifteen minutes.” He says closing his notepad and walking away.

  “Why did you do that?” Callie asks when Tim walks away.

  “While I would have had a blast throwing fries at this asshole for winning at Putt Putt. I’d rather hang out with you when you’re not feeling so out of place.”

  I admit, it stings a little that she feels uncomfortable with others thinking we’re together. I can understand her hesitation. Luckily it only takes about twenty minutes for us to get our food and get into the truck. We decide to go back to her place to eat since it’s closer to town.