His tongue owned mine, claiming what I teased. He stretched my hands above my head, holding them in place against the cool glass. With a swift move, he looped the tie around my wrists, circling again and again until it was tight, though far from painful. Desire hit every sweet spot within me.
I writhed, pressing my breasts against his chest, begging for friction. “Touch me, Stone.”
“Oh Ave, I’m going to touch you. I’m going to fuck you until you scream my name, baby.” He pressed his finger over my lips. “Now be a good girl and be quiet.”
He left me long enough to lock the door. Reaching beside the bed, he pressed a button. “May I help you, Stone?” Clare answered over the intercom.
“Ms. Anderson and I will be down in bit. No interruptions, please,” he ordered, eyes feasting on my bound body willfully waiting for him to take me. His gaze shifted down to where the hem of my dress had slid around my hips as he made his way back to where I struggled to be still.
I started dragging my hands from the wall when he shook his head. “Tsk, tsk. You’re not very good at listening.”
Stone whirled me around so I faced the beautiful twinkling lights over the city of Houston. He raised my dress over my head, finding my black lacy thong. He then took a step back, and I felt his eyes burning into my skin.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.”
“And I’m all yours. Take me, Stone.”
He playfully slapped my ass. “I hope you don’t need these.”
I heard the lacy thong rip before falling to the floor. Already soaked, I spread my legs wider, waiting for him to give me what I needed. He circled his arm around me, cupping my mound and dipping his finger inside.
“Oh, God.” I breathed out. “Yes, Stone, yes.”
He worshiped my slit, sliding in and out, bringing me to the highest mountain before stopping. I breathed hard, leaving fog on the window, squirming as he worked his fingers for my pleasure.
“Tell me what you want,” he whispered into my ear, tongue flicking against my lobe.
“You know what I need. I want you inside me. Please, Stone. Now.” He rubbed his crown against my opening. “This what you want, baby?”
“Yes!” I panted.
He plunged inside me, all the way, stretching me in the most glorious way and eliciting a satisfied whimper from my lips. His hands found my hips and held them tight before he began thrusting into me. I loved the way my wicked man pounded into me.
A sea of bliss became turbulent as I cried out his name. “I’m about to let go…I’m going to come.”
He bit into my neck and plunged hard, burying himself to the hilt. “Come, Avery. Come on me.”
I began convulsing and screaming. “Stone…oh my God, Stone…”
He pumped one last time before emptying his release, and we trembled, shuddered, and struggled to catch our breath. Pressing his lips against my shoulder, he gently bit on my skin before slowly pulling out of me. He slid off the condom I hadn’t even known he’d put on and walked into the bathroom to toss it in the trash.
When he came back, I’d wriggled off the makeshift restraint and handed him his tie. “Makes me want to save it as a keepsake.”
He laughed, pulling me into his arms and claiming my mouth. He devoured me lovingly, and I never wanted the kiss to end.
“Every time you see it around my neck, think about me fucking you against the window. Let your mind go wild thinking about what I’m going to do to you with this tie while you’re wearing nothing but those shoes.”
He rendered me speechless, and I recognized the dark glow in his eyes. One word, and we wouldn’t be going to dinner. He’d take me again and again, in every possible way, in every place imaginable in this room. He’d already told me the night meant something special to him, so I had to do the honorable thing and keep my seductive comment to myself.
He pulled my dress down and I was thankful for the spandex in the material that made it lay like it just came off the hanger. It didn’t take long for me to touch up my makeup and hair, and then Stone grasped my hand, twirling me under his arm.
There was a limousine waiting for the three of us, and Savannah’s eyes were wide as she sat across from us in her booster seat amidst all the lights, in the middle of luxury. I sat next to Stone, his arm draped around my shoulders, lovingly and possessively holding me.
It didn’t take us long to arrive at the entrance of the Brooklynn Hotel in the center of downtown. We walked in with Savannah in the middle, her hands in each of ours.
Walking inside the reserved room, I expected to be introduced to his employees and acquaintances. Instead, my father’s laughter bellowed in the air. I followed the sound, finding him slapping Garrett on the back. Dovie, Mrs. Mitchell, and my mother perched around a table, seemingly caught up in an entertaining conversation.
I stopped dead in my tracks as Savannah pulled free from our clutches. She ran to the table, crawling up in Dovie’s lap.
“What…is this?”
“Finally! What took you two so long?” Lindsey asked, coming out of nowhere.
“Linds!”
“Nice party. I think you’re starting to grow on me a little bit, Stoney.” She’d heard Dovie call him by his nickname during the time she spent in West Tempie and had taken to using it.
I laughed, still in awe of having a formal Mitchell-Anderson dinner. Kaylee joined Savannah, and they were both the dolls of the table. Stone placed his hand at the small of my back and led me to the head of the long table decorated in poinsettias and Christmas pine. Tall white candles flickered in between each flower arrangement, filling the table with beauty.
A hostess began filling a glass at each place setting with water, and another served a nice dinner salad with a balsamic dressing. Stone pulled a chair out for me as I met my mom’s smiling face.
“This is very lovely,” she said as she admired the centerpieces, as if she was thanking me, as if I’d planned this dinner myself.
Soft music and conversations filled the air. Garrett sat at the end with a woman I hadn’t met, and Chad’s name card assigned him to a seat by Lindsey. I noticed him pulling out her chair.
Oh, the manners of the Mitchell boys.
Instead of Stone sitting at the head of the table, he remained standing. “I’d like to thank you all for coming. Tonight is a special night to me, and it’s one I wanted to share with each one of you.” He cast his gaze on me. “It’s no secret that Avery has been my girl since we were kids. We’ve been through hell and back, but nothing stops true love, and there’s nothing that can ever stand in the way of two people who are destined to be together. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, I’d like to ask for your blessing for me to ask your daughter to marry me.”
They both nodded as tears glistened in their eyes.
Stone dropped to his knee and opened a red ring box, presenting a huge emerald-cut diamond solitaire set on a wide white gold band. “I love you, Avery, more than you’ll ever know. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy, giving you anything that makes you happy. We can live anywhere you want to live, visit anywhere you want to visit. I give you all of me. Marry me, Avery. Be my wife, my forever friend, my lover. Make our circle of three complete.”
My heart fluttered with runaway palpitations. I rose from my chair, taking his hand and drawing him to his feet. I cupped the sides of his face.
“I love you, Stone. It’s always been you.”
“Say yes.” His brilliant blue eyes were filled with happiness. “Make me the happiest man in the world.”
“Yes.”
He circled his arms around me, holding me against him, twirling me around in circles. His mouth nibbled at mine, silky and easy. The thought of him doing anything soft and light almost made me laugh—less than an hour before, he’d taken me in the most wicked, delicious way.
Pulling back, his eyes mesmerized me. I almost crossed the space separating our mouths, but gained my composure and stood at his side while all the family me
mbers surrounded us for hugs and handshakes.
Chad clasped Stone’s shoulder. “Brother, that was deep and cheesy. Never would I have believed all that shit if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”
Stone threw his head back and laughed. “My man, it’ll happen to you too, and when it does, I’m going to be first in line saying I told you so.”
Chapter 38
Six more months later
Packing to move was for the birds. Lindsey and Kaylee had helped sort and organize until almost midnight the day before, and leaving them was the single hardest thing about relocating to Dovie’s Sandcastle. Stone had sold his luxurious penthouse, the one I wouldn’t miss…except for the wall of windows in the master bedroom.
The wicker hatbox on the top shelf of my closet was the last item to be removed. I gently placed it on the bed, tracing the rim of the lid. It had been so long since I’d peeked inside, but I felt drawn to dig into the memories stored underneath the lid. Lifting the top, I saw the picture of Stone and I kissing lying on top of the letters, cards, diaries, and a host of other snapshots and newspaper clippings.
With everything else ready for the movers, I had nothing but time, and reading the cards and messages made me happy. I held up an old dried corsage from senior prom, and vivid memories of my wrist filled with pink roses, pearls, and baby’s breath flashed through my mind.
“Is that what I think it is?” Stone sat down beside me.
“Yep.” I brought the faded buds to my lips. “I remember the night you gave this to me.”
We sat together on the floor, reading through some of the most treasured sentiments from our past. Thirty minutes later, he leaned against the footboard and I lay stretched between his thighs with my head resting against his chest.
When he reached for the purple diary, I almost asked him to put it back. Any of the other three would have been okay, but not so much that one. He must have felt the tension across my spine because he leaned down, asking, “Is this one off limits?”
I took in a deep breath then released it with a long slow exhale. “Not really, I just don’t know if you should read it.”
“I can handle it.”
You think you can.
I nodded.
March 13th
I can’t face anyone. I can’t go into town. Dovie motioned for me to come see her but I pretended I didn’t see her. I want to stop crying. How could my mother could do this? I want to know how Stone could do this. I need to go back to school, back to my friends, and pretend I never knew him. I hate him.
March 29th
My dad insisted I come home for the weekend. How can I tell him no? He needs me as much as I need him. Mother begged me to have dinner with them at the table, like a normal family. We are never going to be normal. She screwed my boyfriend. I see my daddy. I see his pain. Stone hasn’t called. I don’t think I want him to. No, I do. I want him to call. I want to tell him I hate him.
March 30th
Daddy cried today. He stood on the pulpit of Second Baptist Church where he baptized me and said goodbye. They are selling the only home I’ve ever known. He said it was best for the community. Most everyone has seen the pictures, and if they haven’t, they heard. I hate the whispers—do they really think I don’t see them? I hate the looks of pity. I hate the way they look at Daddy and the way they look at me. Some look at my mom as if they would rather drink poison than say hello. Sometimes I feel the same way. Stone is gone. He will always be gone. He is gone. I hate him.
April 1st
I wish all of this was an April Fools’ joke, but it isn’t. I said goodbye to Dovie. I tried not to cry. I’m so tired of crying. She tried to talk to me about Stone. That didn’t go well. I cannot ever talk about him again. Stone doesn’t exist. If he didn’t do it, he would have called. He would have denied it to my face. Instead he’s a coward. He ran. He’s a chicken-shit bastard coward. I hate him.
April 4th
Tonight, I went to a pole-dancing class. Lindsey said I would lose myself in the music and the moves, and I actually did. My mom calls every day. She cries and swears she doesn’t remember anything. I want to believe her. I want to forgive her. I see Stone in everything. Pink roses are all along the wall of the dorm. In my history class, a picture of a huge live oak tree hangs on the wall, just like the one we called ours in Cotton Wilson’s pasture. Today, a guy asked for my number. His name was Chad. I can’t even… I want to hate Stone. I want to hate him. Please let me learn how to let him go.
April 10th
I am stupid. I read all the cards he gave me. I read all the letters I kept. I am stupid.
April 12th
Dance class was good. I learned to suspend upside down. I still don’t know the names of the moves. Zena said I could be a diva in the club, said men would throw themselves at me and it’s a whole lot of money. I laughed tonight. I think it was the first time I’ve laughed since it happened. I miss his voice. I miss his smell. I don’t want to. I want to hate him, but I don’t. I can’t tell a soul. I still love him and I hate myself for it.
April 15th
I’m a few days late. It must be stress. I’ve never been late before. Please God, let it be stress.
April 20th
Two lines. It’s for sure. I’m pregnant. I didn’t go to school today. I can’t go home. How can I ever tell my parents? I’m pregnant by the guy who slept with Mama. This will kill my dad. This may kill me. Adoption. I need to think about reality. What do I do? How can I face this alone?
April 25th
I’m completely alone. I spoke with Planned Parenthood. I’ve researched adoption and abortion. I can’t do either. It’s too early, but I swear I felt something fluttering inside. I need to make an appointment with a doctor. Stone, you would have been a great father. I hate that you’ll never get to know this baby. I must think about what’s best for him or her. I can’t let it ever find out what you did. I wish I had never known.
May 3rd
I finally told Lindsey. I stopped dance. I may be dropping out of school. Stone is living his dream. He’s in Austin, playing ball, and I’m just a forgotten memory. I talk to my belly like it can hear me. I promise to be a good mother. I promise to keep my baby safe and protected from everything harmful. It makes me sad to keep the truth from all the Mitchells. Especially Stone. Especially Dovie. My heart hurts tonight thinking about the injustice of it, but I have to do this. I’m going to have to tell my parents soon. I can’t stop crying. Is it hormones? I don’t know. I want to hate him. I don’t want to think about him. I don’t want to miss him. But I do.
May 20th
My belly feels different. I need to go to the doctor for prenatal care. I need Stone. I need him to tell me this is all a bad dream. That he’s here. That he’ll be here forever. I need Stone to hold me. I need to wake up from the bad dream. How could you have slept with my mom?
June 11th
I don’t write as often. I don’t do anything often. I didn’t take summer classes. My belly has a tiny bump. I’m going home tomorrow. They have to be told. I don’t know how to look them in the eyes. I don’t think I can ever look them in the eyes. Damn you, Stone. Damn you to hell. It’s not fair that I’m doing this alone. Why didn’t you call? Why didn’t you at least try to deny it? I want to hate him. I hate that I miss him.
June 25th
It was bad. My mother went to her room for hours. My dad walked outside. Neither spoke to me for the rest of the day. I went to my room alone. I cried alone. I cried for everything. What could have been. What will never be. I cried for the decision I’ve made. I cried for a baby I already love…but I feel like I’m cheating it out of having a dad. But, how can I?
July 29th
I had an ultrasound today. It’s a girl! I picked up the phone to call Stone. I even let it go through, but pressed end before it connected. I want to see you Stone. I want you to know. If you had only cared enough to call…to at least have regrets. At least apologize. You gave up on us. I though
t I could forget you. I keep telling everyone how much I hate you, but I don’t, and my dad knows I don’t. He said I had to tell you Stone. But I can’t. I won’t ever be able to tell you. I can’t have her know the truth. What you did. What my mother did.
Aug 1st
I miss you Stone. I miss the way you loved me. I miss the way you held me. I miss the way you made me feel perfect in every way. I miss the way you kissed me. I miss hearing your voice. I miss the video calls. I miss that stupid lake. I miss that stupid tree. I miss lying on that stupid blanket. And I hate that I miss you. I hate that I love you.
Aug 15th
This is my last journal entry. Life goes on. Life without you. Life without true love. Life without shame. Life without getting what I can’t have. Ever. You’re gone. You’re never coming back. Now I have a sweet baby girl to love. Savannah Faith. I get to love you through her. I’ll have you…through her.
Stone wiped his face. I didn’t look, but I heard the tears in his voice.
“I love you, Avery. With everything that I am, I’m so sorry. I left you all alone while I wallowed in self-pity. Instead of coming for you, I gave up. I never thought you would forgive me. I’ll spend every day making it up to you. I’m the luckiest man in the world to have a second chance.”
I rolled over, snuggling in his arms. “This, this is all yesterday. We’re today and tomorrow.”
We lay on the floor, tangled in each other’s arms, until a knock sounded on the front door.
“The movers,” we both said in unison.
“Come on, Mr. Mitchell. I’m ready for my new life with you. The wedding is next weekend and I have a lot to do.”
He cocked his eyebrow up. “The wedding is on the beach at our house, and with the help of the planner, everything is taken care of. You told me your dress doesn’t need altering. What else is on the to-do list?”
“A contractor is meeting me this afternoon to show me how to set up the pole. It’s one I can move around, even outside. I have to show him where to make the installations.”
Chasing Wicked (The Mitchell Brothers - Wicked Series Book 1) Page 26
