The Mile High Madness

by Anders, Annabelle

  “We’ll make this work,” he promises against my mouth.

  “Yes,” I whisper back. “It doesn’t matter where we go. As long as we’re together we’ll always be home.

  Colt releases my lips, his gaze loving me with all the power of the sun. “Then let me show you the world.”

  EPILOGUE

  Colt

  (6 months later)

  I toss the mic to our sound guy and run off the stage. Midway through the tour, I feel better than ever. A stagehand hands me a bottle of water and a white hand towel, and I head down the long hallway for the secured exit. Max rounds a corner and catches me.

  The changes I’ve made have been hard on him, but I think he’s finally getting used to them. In his casual suit and tie, he drops one arm around my shoulder. “Great, man. Incredible. I don’t know how you do it, but you’ve never been better.”

  He had to cancel six shows for me when Tildy came into the world. Charlie and I named her Matilda Renee Forrester. That’s right. Forrester.

  Webber wasn’t interested in having any rights once he discovered they’d cost him monthly child support. After a private wedding ceremony, I signed the final adoption papers. Charlie and I have a daughter.

  I’m a dad.

  “My girls waiting for me?” I ask Max. There are only two girls I’m interested in seeing when the lights go down.

  “The two blonds on the bus?” Max won’t admit it but he’s somewhat smitten with them too. At first Charlie got on his nerves. Max didn’t like that I’d missed those concerts for her. He resisted again that she supported me as I set up boundaries.

  No more parties in my dressing room.

  No drugs backstage. Period.

  I’d given autographs and met with a few VIP fans before going on. Now, I’m ready to go home.

  I’d never thought life could be this good. This sweet.

  “Wanted to let you know. I added the missed cities to the end of the tour. People are eating this marriage stuff up. They love that Colt Forrester is a daddy now.”

  I grimace. I really don’t give a shit about that side of the business, but I suppose it doesn’t hurt. When this tour is over, I’m gonna focus on what really matters.

  I’m gonna focus on Charlie and Tildy. They’re my life now. I can’t wait. Charlie has a way of giving everything meaning. She’s helped me find my way again. I’m excited about writing music again. Anxious to record the new stuff.

  I wave Max off and exit the building.

  With only six months left on the tour, Charlie and I plan to move into a home near my mom’s when it concludes.

  For now, the bus is home.

  I step on and am met with soft lighting and the aroma of something that smells delicious. Charlie steps out of the back bedroom and touches her fingers to her lips. She’s wearing a long T-shirt and… nothing else. “She just fell asleep. How’d it go?”

  She wraps her hands around my neck, pressing her body against me. “Good. Better now.” I bury my face in her neck. Clean, warm, woman. I can’t wait to make love to her tonight. Slow, I think. My hand clutches her sweet ass, and she grinds against me. No panties.

  I love coming home.

  “Hungry? I ordered Thai.” Nimble fingers work to unfasten my belt.

  I growl into her mouth. I love this woman. I love everything about this woman.

  Maybe it wouldn’t be so slow tonight. She tugs at my jeans.

  Nope. Definitely not slow.

  I lift her against the wall and slide into warm, wet, silky heaven. “Fuck.” With me holding her thighs, we move together, knowing exactly what the other needs.

  Her muscles contract around me, and I know she’s already coming. “Colt, so good. So good.” Her whispers feather across my skin. And then she’s clutching me, shuddering. I capture her cries with my mouth and increase my own pace.

  We’ve done this before. We don’t want to wake Tildy.

  Shaking and satisfied, I collapse us onto the couch.

  We hold one another and we catch our breath.

  And then Charlie whispers in my ear. “Welcome home.”

  —The End—

  MY FOREVER SUGAR

  ISABELLA

  I believe in love at first sight.

  Because it happened to me!

  We met. He proposed. I said yes.

  But now it’s time to move away from everything I know. Am I strong enough to make this work? And even more importantly, can our love endure it all?

  TUCKER

  I’ve discovered my soul mate and I damn well knew it the moment we met.

  That was the easy part.

  I’ve invited her into my life and that’s where the trouble starts. Throw a city girl into the mountains, add my family and three muddy ranch dogs, and the true test begins.

  But I refuse to fail. I’ll do anything to pass. Anything to keep from losing…

  …My Forever Sugar.

  MY FOREVER SUGAR

  By Annabelle Anders

  PROLOGUE

  Isabella

  A Remote Beach on St. Thomas Island

  “Marry me, Isabella.” There isn’t a more romantic location in the world for a girl to hear these words. Gentle waves lap at the pristine sand as the sun casts its golden glow on the world. A gentle breeze lifts the hem of my dress, swirling it around my legs.

  Hot breath warms the sensitive skin behind my ear.

  “I don’t want this to end,” his thick voice whispers, though I hear the deep ache within.

  Because of me!

  This man. He does things to me I never could have imagined. Heart things. Feelings things. My hands explore the chorded muscles beneath the fabric of Tucker’s shirt. Earlier that morning I trailed my lips along the same line, sans shirt, of course.

  He pulls away and emerald green eyes stare beyond my gaze – right into my soul. “I love you, Isabella. I didn’t come here planning to find this – to find you. And I know it seems crazy. I don’t want to try the long-distance thing. I’m not willing to take a chance on losing you. I love everything about you. I love the way you smile when I talk about my kids. I love the way you look out for everyone else. I love the way your eyes darken when I’m inside you. I need to breathe the same air you breathe. I don’t want to live the rest of my life without you. Make me happy again Isabella. Marry me?”

  I met Tucker seven days ago.

  Seven.

  Days.

  He lives on a ranch in Colorado. I live in California. I’ve never met his children, or his family. I know very little about his work, where he lives, or how he spends his days in normal life. We’ve spent all of one week together on this luxurious beachfront property, drinking mimosas, playing in the water, taking moonlight strolls at midnight.

  But sometimes.

  You just know.

  He’s the one. Since meeting him I finally started living. I’ve found the other half of myself. It’s crazy. I know it’s crazy, but I love him so much! I’m not willing to take a chance on losing him either.

  “Yes,” I answer and grin. “I love you Tucker! Yes. Yes. Yes!” He lowers his head and melts me with his mouth. And then I’m being swung around in circles. Strong arms lock around my waist, Tucker’s spinning us on the sand. The light of the sun fades from gold to a crimson rose.

  Paradise.

  I’ve found the man of my dreams in paradise.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Isabella

  “I refuse to search for a new roommate until after the ceremony.” Ashlee, my best friend has yet to come on board with the life changing decision I made while on vacation last month. Leaning against the door frame she watches me with her steady gray gaze. This wasn’t the way things were supposed to happen. I’m the careful one. She’s the red-headed crazy temperamental one, the girl who takes chances and fears nothing. I appreciate her worry but am getting a little irritated with her pessimistic comments. She approves of the three-carat rock Tucker gave me but is less enthusiastic about my dec
ision to move a thousand miles away and marry him. “Just remember your room will be vacant for another month. For when you come to your senses,” she adds with a sidelong glance.

  I remove the contents from my last drawer and stuff them into the second of my two oversized Louis Vuitton suitcases. My heart lurches. I hate that she’s planted a tiny seed of doubt inside me.

  Not that I have reservations about Tucker. Or the love I feel for him. Since we parted at the airport on St. Thomas Island twenty-seven days ago, we’ve had one long ongoing text conversation. And we talk on the phone nearly every night.

  He asks about my writing, the progress of my current book, what I did that day, if Ashlee has let up. Yes, he knows all about her cynical outlook for us. And, the thing is, he’s been totally cool. In fact, he says he’s glad I have a friend who cares so much about me.

  The doubts creep in when I think of everything else. All the unknowns. Will his kids like me? What if I hate living on a ranch, hours away from a real city? And what about the rest of his family? He has, like, a zillion brothers and one sister. I’m sort of terrified for them to meet me.

  And then there are all the animals! Cows. Horses. Bears?

  Mountain roads.

  I wish Ashlee could come to Colorado with me now. She’s coming, but not until two days before the wedding.

  Tucker and I don’t want to wait. We want to be together. We need to be together. I need to touch him. I need to hear his laugh, watch the little wrinkles by the edge of his eyes when he smiles. I need to reassure myself that everything between us is real.

  So, this is it. I’m going to be with my man. My heart shoots little fireworks through me at such a thought: Tucker is my man.

  I zip closed the suitcase and then glance around my bedroom. The emptiness makes everything all too real. I’ve boxed up everything I couldn’t fly with, and Ashlee’s promised to ship everything else after the wedding.

  Not before. She says she doesn’t want to waste my money by having to ship it all back again when the wedding falls through.

  My best friend.

  She’s worse than my mom.

  Who was shocked, yes. Appalled, even. But my mom knows me. She knows Tucker must be special for me to go to these lengths.

  Marriage isn’t something the Langley women jumped into easily. If at all. My mom never did anyway. Even after she found herself three months pregnant at the onset of her career.

  My phone buzzes with info on my flight’s status. Despite thunderstorms in the Denver area, my plane is scheduled to leave on time. Normally I’d just ride B.A.R.T. to the airport but my suitcases are loaded up and oversized.

  My gaze drifts around the rooms I’ve called home for the past three and a half years. It doesn’t seem that long but so much has happened since Ashlee and I leased the tiny apartment a few blocks up from Pier Thirty-nine. I signed with my agent, sold my first book. Began a successful career in young adult romance.

  In this living room, we’d grieved crappy dates, recovered from hangovers, and watched Sex in the City so many times we could recite most of the lines by heart. Leaving my best friend was far and away the worst part about getting married. That and leaving San Francisco.

  Glancing out the window, a small black sedan pulls up. I assume it’s the ride I called for a few minutes ago.

  My Uber. I seriously doubt I’ll have access to Uber drivers in the back of beyond.

  Ashlee notices it too. “You stupid lovesick fool.” Brushing some strands of hair away from my face, Ashlee tries to laugh. She’ll understand some day.

  I meet her eyes. “I love him, Ash.” I hug her impulsively. “You’re gonna love him too.”

  She shakes her head. “I’m good, thanks.” We just stare at one another for a moment, almost a standoff. And then on a sigh, she pulls away and grabs one of my giant suitcases. I trail behind her down the stairs and out to the curb.

  I’ll miss these crazy steep hills. And the sound of trolley cars two streets over.

  Ignoring the distant blue of the ocean, the colorful buildings up and down the street, and everything that’s become so familiar, Ashlee and I share one last tearful hug before I climb into the car. “This isn’t goodbye forever.” I laugh through a sob. “I’ll see you in three weeks.”

  She nods. “If not sooner.”

  I wave one hand. “Enough already!” Tears threaten again.

  “We’re sorry for the delay, folks. We’re still waiting for permission to land. Bit of bad weather in the Denver area today. Shouldn’t be much longer.” The captain’s speech is emphasized by a flash of lightning.

  I wish I could text Tucker. I hate the idea of him waiting for me at the airport. Already I’m over two hours late. Foggy clouds enshrine the plane. Peering out the windows, I’m gripped by more than a little fear.

  “Weather in Colorado is finicky this way,” the gray-haired woman in the seat next to me pipes up. “I remember a few years when we got snow in June.” This woman shows no sign of concern whatsoever as she casually flips through her Good Housekeeping magazine.

  “So not a big deal for April?” I ask her. I’m not much of a snow person. Sure, California boasts mountains as well as beaches, but I prefer to dwell on the sunny side of the Sunshine State. “I didn’t think it snowed this late.” The Colorado learning curve might be a little steep for me.

  Just then the plane shakes and it seems as though it drops a few thousand feet. My stomach lurches to the top of my ribcage, and surprised gasps echo throughout the cabin.

  “Landing in this airport can be a little dicey.” A little? My seatmate remains unfazed by the violent turbulence. “Something to do with how the wind hits the mountains.”

  I’ve done my fair share of flying but never experienced anything like this. In that moment, the plane gives a good impression of driving over giant potholes, sending my heart into overdrive. I just want this flight to be over. I close my eyes and focus on the fact that I get to see Tucker as soon as we land. Feel his arms around me…

  “Flight attendants, take your seats.” The lights lower as the uniformed staff rushes about the cabin before settling in.

  Serious bouncing now.

  Forcing my eyes open, I clutch my armrest when the plane bursts through the haze of white outside. Out of nowhere, the ground rises up to meet us. The plane touches down, sways from the left, to the right, left again, and then finally stops zigzagging. The runway is shiny and wet. But we’re on the ground. Thank God.

  Denver.

  With a ping, the lights flicker back on and although the fasten seat belt light remains illuminated, clicking sounds echo throughout the cabin as passengers release the metal clasps and begin gathering their belongings.

  I dig into my carry-on, searching for my phone.

  Tucker still hasn’t responded to the text I’d sent earlier informing him the flight was delayed. Impatience gnaws at me to get off this damn plane. He’s supposed to meet me at baggage claim. The thought of seeing him again makes me almost giddy – despite the horrid flight – despite Ashlee’s gloomy predictions. It’s been too long since I felt his lips on mine. Since I’d gazed into his gorgeous, emerald colored eyes.

  Too long since we’d done wicked, wonderful things that when recalled, have me clenching my thighs together.

  So much waiting.

  I desperately want the reassurance I’ll feel when I look into his eyes.

  Twenty-seven days.

  Finally, the door is opened. Before I unbuckle my belt, the aisle has filled up with passengers even more impatient than me. I don’t even care anymore. I’m moments away from seeing Tucker again. I thank the pilot and flight attendant at the door and step across a small gap onto the long metal walkway.

  Freezing air blows right through my flimsy clothing the instant I’m off the plane.

  I didn’t think to bring a coat. Why would I bring a coat? It had been eighty degrees in San Francisco that morning. And it’s April!

  I’d had other, more imp
ortant things to think about. Like making one of the craziest decisions of my life. Like moving a thousand miles away from my best friend in the world.

  Like seeing my soulmate again!

  I follow the herd of passengers down the endless terminal, feeling more excited with each step.

  Excited and anxious.

  Would he feel the same about me?

  Would I feel the same about him?

  We’d fallen in love, and I trust my emotions. I trust the decision I made nearly a month ago. Being apart hasn’t been easy, though.

  As I arrive at Baggage Claim area “B” I’m more anxious than ever. So many people!

  So many people and yet no Tucker.

  If he’s here, I know I wouldn’t miss him. He looms about six feet four, oozes strength and energy, and has the silkiest dark brown hair. It’s the color of coffee. Even if he wasn’t so tall, I’d feel his presence. My awareness of him is so keen that I’d feel him watching me.

  I glance at my phone again. Nothing. Where are you Tucker?

  Maybe he gave up and went back to his car? My flight is over two hours late, after all.

  Just as I’m about to hit the button to call him, somebody taps me on the shoulder. “You Isabella Langley?”

  I turn around to find a woman, a few inches shorter than me. One look at her face though, and I have a feeling that anything she lacks in height, she more than makes up for in attitude. And she looks vaguely familiar.

  “I am. Are you here with Tucker?” Same green eyes. She must be his little sister… what is her name? Jamie? Josie?

  “I’m Jessamine.” She doesn’t return my smile. “Tucker couldn’t make it.” Her gaze flicks to the carry-on I’ve been dragging along, and she shrugs. “Good to see you already have your luggage. We’ve a long drive ahead, and I’d like to make it home before dark.”