The instant we made eye contact, I couldn’t stop the emotional overload. I broke away from Brett and forced my way to my old friend. I hadn’t seen her since the night before I’d left her without a roommate or an explanation. Once I reached her, I threw my arms around her neck. “Oh, Scarlett,” I wailed.
She shooed my apology away before it was out of my mouth. “We’ll talk later. I’m so glad I could be here tonight. You deserve him.” There was no animosity in her tone, no bitterness. She gave me a genuine smile, and I couldn’t have asked for more—she was a much better friend than I had proven to be to her.
I had no idea who had worked this magic—we hadn’t talked in over two years—but when I found out, I would kiss that person.
The night was perfect and surreal, passing too quickly. There weren’t words to express my contentment, but Brett knew. From across the room, I caught him staring in my direction. I grinned when he winked at me and excused himself from Dan and Topher. The moment I was within his reach, he snaked an arm around my waist, twirled me around, and dipped me before pulling me back up. Brimming with gales of laughter, I allowed him to ply me with his love and playfulness.
“You, Annie, are absolutely stunning.” Kiss. “I can’t wait to make you my wife.” Kiss.
After dinner and several glasses of wine, we said long goodbyes to our guests. I had no idea how he’d pulled off a surprise of that magnitude or gotten my friends in on it, but everything about it had been dreamlike. Once we were in the car and driving home, I turned on the dome light to study the ring with no one else watching. I hadn’t wanted to be gauche with all those people around, but now that it was just the two of us, I had to look. Brett kept laughing at me even after I gave him the stink eye, which he promptly waved away with a kiss on my cheek.
“Do you like it?”
“Brett, it’s beyond perfect. I wouldn’t have picked anything different if I had chosen it myself. When did you have time to do all of this?”
“Don’t get mad…” Crap, that statement’s never good. “My meeting in Atlanta was over on Wednesday afternoon. I stayed and spent Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, picking out the ring, getting in touch with our friends, renting the space, setting the menu for dinner, and then waiting for the ring to be sized. By the way, the customer service at Tiffany’s is phenomenal, if you ever need to buy any jewelry.” He winked at me.
I shook my head. “How could I be mad at you?”
“I don’t know. I thought you were going to rip my head off when I told you I wasn’t coming back tonight. I knew I’d never be able to pull off lying to you on the phone; the only way was through text so you couldn’t hear my voice. I was in Greenville when I sent you the messages—actually at Lynn’s house. I was convinced you would be a pain in my ass and refuse to go out with her.”
“I should’ve asked her how you were taking care of our night on the town, but it didn’t dawn on me. All I knew was I needed a distraction. Five days without you was too long, and I missed you. It pissed me off you weren’t coming home. Hey, how did you get Scarlett to come?”
There was a long pause before he reluctantly answered, “I didn’t. Gray did.”
“What?” If I had been drinking anything at that moment, I would have launched it on whatever was in front of me. I hadn’t talked to Gray since he called me from the church the day he got married.
“Gray found out from Topher that I planned to propose. Gray called me to confirm, and then threatened me about treating you right, which I found rather ironic. Topher told him what I was doing tonight; he indicated you would want Scarlett there. How did I not know he destroyed your friendship with her or that you moved out on her with no notice?”
He didn’t give me the chance to respond before he continued.
“Anyway, he went to Scarlett’s to talk to her. I don’t know what all he told her, but she still hates him and showed up tonight.” He took a breath before he said, “I couldn’t invite him. I hope you understand.” Brett looked at me, fearful I was upset. “I know he loves you, but I couldn’t have him there. This was the best I could allow him to do. I told him if he could get Scarlett to come, I would tell you it was his gift to you.”
“Oh, Brett, I wouldn’t have wanted him there to share this. I love that he got through to Scarlett, and I hope someday he and I can mend that fence, but my time with Gray has passed. That ship sailed that night at Wild Wings. Maybe over time, Gray and I can find a way to be friends, but I don’t want him.” When I stopped talking, I noticed we were sitting in my driveway.
I admired the place I now called home. Things had been so drab after Gray, I needed a change of scenery and bought myself a house as a graduation present. It was meant to be a fresh start, and thus far had served its purpose. I smiled thinking about the first time Brett had ever dropped me off at this door. I was thankful no other man had ever stood there with me. As we had said goodbye around midnight, he had told me he’d had a wonderful time and had squeezed my hand as he kissed my temple. Frozen by the moment, I had watched him walk to his car, and thought about how different that date had been compared to any I’d ever experienced with Will or Gray. That evening had been fantastic, he’d treated me like a lady, and somehow it was the first adult date I’d ever been on. It was only a glimpse at the way he would end up adoring me for the year and half that led to now.
Brett was a step behind me as I started up the walkway. He stopped me on the stoop, and I turned to face him. I was almost at eye level with him on the ground and me on the porch. He said nothing but just looked in my eyes and gave me a heartfelt smile that spoke volumes. My hand ruffled his hair before sliding down the back of his head to his neck where my fingers dug in so I could capture his mouth with my own. The passion burned through me like fire—it was erotic and intense. With his hands clutching my ass, he pressed me firmly against his hard body. As he lifted my weight, my legs wrapped around his waist clinging to him. He growled into my ear before jogging the last few steps to the door and fumbling with the lock.
The house was still dark when he set me down on a cold, wooden stair. I could hear the sound of his belt being unbuckled and his zipper sliding down. As his pants fell making a whooshing noise, my anticipation rose. His hands were on me, skimming my thighs, then under my dress. He gripped the lace at my hips, yanked it down, and granted himself VIP access. With the material gone, he pulled me to the edge of the stair and parted my legs like Moses parted the Red Sea. I could feel my heartbeat, heard it in my head with each second that passed, and he made me wait—taunting me, teasing me, tracing my sex with his shaft and circling my clit. The cadence in my head and in my heart got louder the longer he held out. He was right there, poised at my wet entrance, and I was ready for him.
When he finally took me, uniting us in the most intimate of acts, there was complete silence, as if the world stood still. My mind went blank. All I could feel was the friction between us and how utterly in love I was with this man. He drew my legs up onto his shoulders and provided mind-blowing penetration that sent me over the edge. His body stiffened, and I knew he was close. As his movements slowed, he leaned down, allowing my calves to slip from his shoulders to his forearms. Our foreheads touched, and he continued the methodical movement.
“Annie, I love that you’re mine.” Then he met me on the other side of ecstasy.
I woke in my bed with my fiancé the next morning. The sun came through the curtains and warmed my entire body in a happy way. I turned to find Brett smiling into my shoulder just before he kissed it gently.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” he said sleepily before getting up to go to the bathroom.
“No, don’t get up; come back to bed,” I protested.
After the toilet had flushed, he returned with a smirk on his face and jumped onto the mattress, making me bounce. I giggled when his arms circled my body.
“You didn’t think you were getting away that easy, did you?” He snuggled against my neck and took advantage of our naked
situation, making love to me. It was slow and intoxicating. Morning sex never had that hurried vibe, the anxious, thrusting drive. It was more of a classical love song than the rock-and-roll of any other time of day.
Lying next to each other in a sex-induced haze, I probed him about the wedding. I figured I would have a fight on my hands to keep the affair to a minimum. Brett had a ton of friends and family and lots of business associates. I assumed the bone of contention would be the size of the guest list and wanted to prepare myself for what I’d face. Rolling toward him, I laid my head on my bent elbow and asked, “Have you thought at all about the wedding?”
Visible joy spread across his face. “Regarding details, no, but I’ve imagined seeing you walk down the aisle to meet me hundreds of times.” He moved a piece of hair that had fallen on my face as he spoke; the gesture was endearing and tender.
“Any thoughts on the guest list?” I wanted to avoid having to admit I didn’t want a big wedding, but this was my one sticking point. Then once I got passed Brett, I’d have my father to deal with. I’d never understood why men thought they had to invite every business colleague they’d ever encountered to their daughter’s wedding as if they wanted to attend anyhow. It was a dick-measuring contest. In my dad’s circle, it would be about whose daughter had thrown the most extravagant party and how long people talked about it afterward. It wasn’t about me, only about how he appeared publicly.
“Sweetheart, you can invite everyone in the free world if you want to. The only people I care about being there are you, me, and the pastor.”
“What if I don’t want to invite anyone else?” There was definite hesitation in my question.
“Are you saying you want to elope?”
“I was saying I want a small, intimate wedding, but that was before you brought up eloping.” It was a fantastic idea, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it myself.
“Well, which are you leaning toward? Small wedding or eloping?” He asked with a wicked grin on his face, but I couldn’t determine what he was up to.
“I can pick?” I was skeptical; there had to be a catch.
“Annie, I would slay dragons for you. Do you really think I care about the logistics of a wedding? All I want is to be yours and you, mine. I want you to share my last name and someday make a house full of babies. But in terms of a wedding, no, I don’t care. We can go to the Justice of the Peace on Monday. If you want a small wedding, great. If you want to elope, I say let’s look at destinations.”
“Serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
Squealing, I bounced up onto my knees and climbed over his body to straddle his waist. When I leaned down to kiss his succulent lips, my hair fell all around him, and he laughed at my exuberance. “I want to elope. Like, as soon as possible. I don’t want to wait.” The words rushed out as I showered his face with my kisses between declarations.
He was laughing, seriously laughing at me. He pushed my hair aside and cupped my cheeks in his hands. “That would make me the happiest man in the world.” He shifted my naked body from his and then hopped up to grab his laptop. He got back in bed, leaned against the headboard with the blankets in tow, and finally tucked me in beside him so I could see the screen. “So, what are you thinking? Flashy like Vegas? Cold in the mountains? A sunny tropical island? The world is your oyster. Name your poison, and we will make it happen.”
“Wow, I don’t know…definitely not the mountains, and you know I’m not a flashy girl, so that eliminates Vegas. Sounds like we’re left with a tropical island.”
“I’m down with spending days in the sun with you in a bikini. Do you want to stay in the states or go international?”
“Geez, Brett, I don’t know. This is so spontaneous, which you know is not my MO. I need some help here.”
“Okay, how about a Sandals resort? They do the all-inclusive thing and have multiple locations, Jamaica, Antigua….” He trailed off when he realized I wasn’t looking at the screen, but rather him, his eyes. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Confusion swept across his face as he set the computer aside.
“I never thought I would feel like this. That someone would love me more than he loved himself, who made my happiness more important than his own, and was utterly devoted to me. The only other men I have ever dated were takers, but you’re a giver. You accepted my flaws, healed my wounds, and gave me time to learn to fly. You taught me what healthy love looks like and more importantly that I deserved it. I can’t tell you how much I love you. The words just don’t say enough.”
He laughed a good-hearted laugh and wiped the tears from my cheeks as he talked. “Annie, sweetheart, that’s what love should be, always self-sacrificing. You’re the same way. You always have my best interest at heart. If my goal is always your happiness, and yours is always mine, we serve each other in the most selfless ways. I have no idea why any man ever let you get away, but his loss was my gain. You’re never leaving my side.” He smiled, pecked me on the forehead, then continued, “Now, how about Sandals?”
I nodded my agreement and squeezed his hand, which was resting on my hip. Twenty minutes later, we had booked an amazing ten-day trip, with a beach wedding included, to Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
I squeaked like a little girl. “We’re getting married in seven days! Are we going to tell anyone before we go?” The whole idea was such a foreign concept—I didn’t do spur of the moment, Brett didn’t either—we just weren’t spontaneous people, but he was just as enthusiastic.
“I don’t want to. You know if we do, someone will get their feelings hurt they aren’t being invited or try to talk us out of doing it. This is our decision; I don’t want anyone to give us grief about it.” He rolled me on top of him and draped his arms across my back to surround my waist.
“You’re right. Do you think you’ll have a hard time getting off work? Crap, we didn’t even think about that. I mean, I know Jack won’t care as long as I’m caught up before we go, and I don’t have anything major going on before we get back anyhow.”
“I’m good. I make my own schedules. I’ll just have to get Dan and Gray to cover for me.” He winced just slightly at the mention of Gray’s name.
I didn’t want to say anything, but I couldn’t allow him to live in fear that every time Gray’s name came up, it would send me into a tailspin. If I were still hung up on Gray, I wouldn’t be marrying Brett. “Brett, it’s okay. You don’t have to worry that the mention of his name will have me headed for a downward spiral. You work with him. We all have mutual friends. It will happen. He’s married. In a week, we’ll be married. We’re all adults. He made his choices, and I’ve made mine. Just let me love you without him in the background,” I begged and pinched his sides to make him jump, knowing he couldn’t move with me on top of him. “You’re still my knight in shining armor, even if you had to save me from myself on a dank dance floor in a wing joint.”
Suddenly, we were eye to eye when he sat up. I chuckled at the proximity of his face to my own and nuzzled my nose against his in a butterfly kiss.
“So, do you want to go shopping today?” he asked with me still perched in his lap.
“What are we shopping for?” I’m just not that girl, so it doesn’t dawn on me what all we need to buy.
“Well, for starters, a wedding dress. Then wedding rings would be good, and definitely swimsuits.”
“I hate shopping, but that sounds fabulous. This is like a Christmas no one else knows about. Oh my God, I’m giddy.”
Six Months Prior
It had been several hours since Brett left for the wedding. Gray’s wife…fiancée…whatever she was now, had sent out invitations; she’d invited everyone at the distribution center. Brett felt obligated to go since he and Gray had worked together in management for years. He thought it was the right thing to do, and not showing up would send a negative impression to the rest of the staff. I didn’t disagree, but I had wanted to go with him. But after talking to my counselor, I couldn’t come up wit
h a single productive reason for my presence. And in the end, it had been the right decision. Had I been in the church when he called, had he been able to physically reach me, things might have gone differently than they had. I didn’t want to be with Gray, but I wasn’t dumb enough to believe he didn’t still have some weird power over me—just like I wasn’t sure I could ever be near drugs again. Both were addictions, and both wreaked havoc on my life for far too many years.
I replayed the phone conversation with Gray over and over in my mind. It didn’t matter how bad he was for me. I cared about him, always would, and I never wanted to hurt him. I knew he was in a bad way, but it wasn’t my problem to solve. I hadn’t had the courage to turn my phone back on after hanging up on him and refused to do so until Brett walked through my door. I didn’t want to deal with the repercussions of whatever Gray’s choice had been, and I sure as hell didn’t want to be implicated. I’d tried to honor Brett in my refusal to give Gray what he wanted, but it terrified me Brett wouldn’t see it that way. My feet wore paths in the hardwood floors of the living room waiting for my boyfriend to walk through the door.
By the time he finally entered, he appeared weary and didn’t notice the anxiety that had to be visible on my face. I tried to ask him about the ceremony, but he had little to say other than, “It was nice.”
Men.
I wanted details—loads of them—everything from her dress to Gray telling her publicly he didn’t love her and couldn’t marry her, but Brett didn’t give me any of that. All I knew was my boyfriend watched my ex marry the Slut Muffin, and then he’d been overly affectionate to me all evening. The realization hit—he might believe today’s events had hurt me—hence the lack of information and the additional attention. There was a part of me that was sad but not because Gray married another woman—it saddened me he married another woman he knew he didn’t love. That alone made my heart break for him—he’d repeated the same mistake he had with Abby to please someone else.
Freed (Bound Duet Book 2) Page 2
