Knight: The Wordsmiths Book One

by Harlan, Christopher

  “This is what’s best.” I take my phone and type up a little something and hold the phone so that Everleigh can see the screen. I have the Wordsmith Facebook page open and she can see that I’ve made a post with the pic I just took of us. I let my thumb hover over the “POST” button until I see her reaction.

  “Do it,” she says, smiling for the first time when it comes to this topic. I’m glad we’re on the same page, finally.

  “Posted. But I won’t be waiting to see any likes or comments.”

  “Oh yeah,” she says seductively, giving me that same look that first drew me to her at the bar. “And why’s that?”

  “I have more important things to do.”

  “Well, then, do them already.”

  I don’t need to be asked twice. I stand up and scoop Everleigh into my arms. She’s light as a feather as I carry her upstairs to the bedroom. She’s holding on tightly around my neck. At the end of the stairs is my bedroom—the location that became a horror show for me not too long ago. Tonight? Tonight it’s the place where my life begins anew.

  <><><>

  Love. I haven’t said that word to any woman in. . .well, forever. It flowed off my lips, and it was like being freed to say it to her. I lay her down on the bed and we start to kiss. I pull back for a second—just the briefest of moments—I want to just look at her. I want to take her in. I want to remember every second of this encounter. She doesn’t even wait for me this time. She takes off her clothes and I do the same. I’m standing and she gets to her knees on the bed and pulls me down for a passionate kiss. As our tongues smash together I run my fingers through her hair. My cock is hard, and she reaches down and grips it tightly. I can feel it pulsating in her warm hand as she strokes it. She pulls her mouth away from mine and leans down to suck me off. My pulsating head slides into her mouth, and the suction she creates has my whole body tingling. I push my hips forward as she cups my balls with her hand. I love the feeling of my cock in her willing mouth. She looks up at me, making intense eye contact as she lets me slide further down her throat.

  After a minute she stops and I pull her up again and whisper in her ear, for the second time tonight, “I love you.” She latches onto me and pulls me down on top of her. I slide my cock in her easily and start to slowly fuck her, driving as deep inside of her as I can go with each thrust forward. I stay there, my hips pressed intensely against her pelvis and I feel her pussy clamp down and squeeze me. I pull back and repeat the whole thing, again and again, going in as deep as I can each time. It’s a different kind of sex. I want to go slow. I want her to go slow. I want to savor every inch of her body as she lets me fuck her.

  The feeling of her wet pussy clamping down on me is making it impossible to hold off for much longer. I know that with a few more thrusts it’s going to be over. I slam my cock into her with all the force I can muster, and she takes every inch of me willingly, moaning my name as she does. “I don’t think I can hold off any longer,” I tell her.

  “Why would you? I want you to fill me up with your hot cum. Right now.”

  I explode inside her! I can feel the intensity of my orgasm as I shoot deep into her, and I feel the incredible release when I’m done. I have no energy left, and I collapse on the bed. She rolls over and puts her head on my chest as I pant my way back to normal. What happens next is something I don’t anticipate, and it’s not what it sounds like. I feel myself starting to fall asleep, only it’s not in the typical, male I-just-had-sex way. It’s the type of feeling that happens when you’re truly content and truly happy. Normally I’d fight to stay awake, but I’m going to be just a little bit selfish. I close my eyes, the happiest man I’ve been in ages, and I fall contently asleep next to the woman I love.

  36

  Everleigh

  I wake up groggy and a little hung over. I’m not just hung over from all the drinks during and after dinner, either. I’m hung over from the entire night. That was some of the best sex I’ve ever had. Michael was a beast—passionate, powerful, and it all came on the heels of each of us saying that we love each other for the first time. I can barely walk, but in the best possible way.

  Michael wakes up at the same time as I do.

  “Good morning,” he says.

  “Morning. I have to go into work. I’ve been leaving everything up to my employees and pastry chef team too much over the past few weeks. But I have an idea I wanted to run by you before I go.”

  “What’s that? I’m in already, but tell me.”

  “I’m closing the place a little early today. I’m sending everyone home at 5. Why don’t you come by and you can. . .show me some of your skills.”

  “Is that a challenge I hear? Did you just lay the smack down?”

  “Ummm, I think I might have done exactly that, yes. I wanna see what you’ve got.”

  “Oh, it’s on now. You don’t know what you just got yourself into. I’ll be there at 5:30.”

  “It’s a date.”

  I walk out into the cool morning air with a whole different perspective. I feel all sorts of things that would’ve been unthinkable just a few months ago before I met Michael. I feel happy. I felt content. I feel in love with the best man I’ve ever met. And on top of all of that I feel excited about what the future is going to bring for us.

  As I get into my car I remember that he posted right before the night took us away. I grab my phone and open Facebook to see. My notifications are blowing up! I find the post he tagged me in and I can’t believe my eyes. There are over 500 likes and over 200 comments on our picture. I’m so amazed that I start to scroll a little. Every comment is positive and supportive—amazing, you 2 look great together, gorgeous pic, congrats, I love this. This makes me so happy because I was still genuinely afraid that this would hurt Michael’s image. If anything it seems to be helping. I text him before I leave in case he hasn’t looked yet.

  Me: Might want to check your Facebook page.

  I can’t wait to see him later.

  37

  Knight

  Two Weeks Later

  Have you ever had a moment in your life that you didn’t believe was real while it was happening? I had one of mine this morning.

  Here’s how it happened.

  I woke up for release day, pretty confident that my sales would be abysmal as shit, as they’ve been in the past, at least by my standards. I’d done all the behind the scenes legwork—I’d assembled my ‘pimps’, which is the book world term for the people who help you share your posts and get the word out, sometimes also called a ‘street team.’ I also contacted bloggers, did some minor paid advertisements, sent out a newsletter, and generally did everything I could to spread the word. I’d done all of those things before to mixed results, so when I logged on two days ago and saw the following just under my book’s description, I literally didn’t believe my eyes:

  #1 Bestseller in Kindle ebooks—> Romance—> General

  #1 Bestseller in Kindle ebooks—> Biographies & Memoirs

  Those little tags were everything that I’ve ever wanted to see. It’s the first step to the next big step. The beginning of the kind of success I’ve always dreamed of, validation of. . .well, of everything. I let myself have the realization: my book is a number one bestseller, and now I’m a number one bestselling author. It seems like a dream but I know it’s real. I know it’s real because it came from Everleigh, and my feelings towards her are the most real I’ve ever experienced in my life. She brought me back from the depths of some darkness, and now I’m doing better than I ever have.

  That was a few hours ago, and now I find myself sitting in the reading section of a bookstore by me, sipping coffee and feeling my heart race with excitement. I don’t think Everleigh has seen yet or she would have texted me for sure. So that means it’s time to text her. She needs to know about this ASAP.

  Me: You working hard?

  Everleigh: Hardly working. How’s the book doing? Haven’t had time to look.

  I send her the link to t
he amazon page and just wait. I know it’ll only take a few seconds for her to. . .

  Everleigh: OH MY GOD! Michael! Holy Shit! You’re a bestseller!

  Me: Not me. We. We did it.

  Everleigh: I didn’t do anything. This is all you.

  Me: Why do you think people connected to this book so much? They knew it was about you. About us.

  Everleigh: Where are you?

  Me: Local bookstore. The same one who agreed to carry Into Your Eyes last time gave me some shelf space for a few copies of ForEver. When I tell him it’s a bestseller he might give me even more space.

  Everleigh: I can’t text how happy I am. I want to show you. Meet me later for dinner?

  Me: Do you even need to ask? I’m there. When are you out?

  Everleigh: I’m closing at 6 today, but I can probably get out a little sooner. I’m doing a happy dance right here in the bakery. People are looking at me like I’m nuts.

  Me: Tell them your boyfriend just hit it big. They’ll understand.

  Everleigh: I love you Michael.

  Me: Not as much as I love you. I’ll see you later.

  I take a sip of my coffee as I wait for the owner to meet me. I have to tell him about all this, but I already have some books sitting out. I stand by the counter sipping coffee and day dreaming about the future—about the next book that I already have ideas for, about my future with Everleigh, and about the Wordsmiths. Of all of those things it’s the last that I’m worried about. Not because I don’t believe in us, but because of Colton’s behavior. Everleigh’s made me realize that I have to ignore the haters and the assholes of this world and just do me. I think Colton hasn’t internalized that yet. Nonetheless, I’m excited about publishing our Anthology soon, and about the RAAC signing shortly.

  The future is bright right now. I just hope it stays that way.

  I hear some women next to me talking loudly by the display of books in the middle of the room. I pretend not to be eavesdropping, but I’m really listening to them talk books. I used to do this kind of thing before I ever published. It sounds creepy but I’d go hang out in bookstores and listen to people talk about the displays—covers they liked, books that caught their attention. It gave me a good idea of how to market some of my own work. Today I didn’t come here to do that, but I listen while I pass the time.

  “Look at this one,” the short woman says to her friend. “Michael Knight. I love these kind of books, have you ever read one?” I look over and see her friend nod in affirmation, but not want to acknowledge her verbally. “Well I just read the back of this one and I’m grabbing it. Sounds sweet and sexy at the same time. I think I’ll like this author.”

  I smile, and internally I’m doing the same happy dance that Ev was doing on the floor of her bakery. For the first time in a long time I’m truly happy.

  Bestselling author. Great Writer. My favorite.

  Yeah, I could definitely get used to all this.

  I have one more stop before going home. . .

  38

  Knight

  I didn’t get to visit Ev at work the other day like I wanted to, so I decide to surprise her now. With the traffic moving the way it is I should get to the bakery just before closing. That’s the plan. I don’t want anyone around. After leaving the bookstore I made one more stop before heading over here, and I don’t want anyone to see what I’m bringing inside.

  I pull up just as the last customer is leaving, a white package of goodies in their hand to take home for dessert. I’m sure whatever they have in that box is delicious, but I have pure magic in my little white box. I peek inside the window to make sure that really was the last customer, and the place looks empty. I get out, nervous as can be, and head inside.

  Everleigh’s there counting the register, and as I walk through the door she greets me. “Hey!” she says. “This is a nice surprise. Hold that door.”

  “Okay.” I keep the door open behind me as she comes over to flip the sign from “OPEN” to “CLOSED.”

  “Sometimes that’s the best feeling in the world,” she says. “When you know your day is done and all you have to do is clean up.”

  “I haven’t had that feeling in a long time,” I say.

  “Writer problems,” she jokes. “Some of us with real jobs still have normal hours, you know.”

  “I remember. How was your day?”

  “Good,” she answers. “We basically sold out of everything. We get busy this time of year.”

  “That’s great.” I can hear the nerves in my voice, and I’m holding this package behind my back like a creep. I can tell she caught on because she stops looking me in the eye and starts looking towards my back.

  “What’cha got there?”

  “Did your staff leave already?”

  “Yeah. I let them get home to their families a little early. I can handle the last few customers and closing the place up.”

  “Aren’t you the best boss in the world?”

  “And aren’t you good at avoiding a question. What’s behind your back there, Houdini?”

  Little does she know that I wasn’t avoiding her question at all, I was just buying time and gathering info. I don’t want anyone around for this, and my heart is racing a mile a minute. “Sorry, you mean this?” I pull my hands out from around my back and she just stares at what I’m holding.

  “Are you kidding? You brought pastries from another place?”

  “I’m sorry, but it’s my favorite bakery in the world. Ever since I was a kid.” That part is true. The bakery I got the cupcake from has been there since I was little. My dad used to bring home all sorts of desserts from there when we were kids. It’s still a special place for me, which is why I asked the owner to make a very special cupcake for me about a week ago. It’s what I have with me right now.

  “It’s still a little weird, isn’t it? Bringing a pastry from one bakery to another. We have cupcakes here you know. Good ones, too.”

  “I know. I just love these. Ever since I was little. My dad brought them home from time to time. Share one with me. I have a lot to celebrate.”

  “Alright.” She says, grabbing two plates from behind the counter. We sit down at one of the little tables in the front. There isn’t much room, but there isn’t meant to be. It has an intimate feel to be here alone right now, and that’s exactly what I want. I open the box to a single, oversized cupcake. Everleigh puts two plates and a large knife on the table in front of me. “You wanna do the honors?”

  “You bet. But first. . .”

  “Yes?”

  “First I want to tell you something.”

  “Okay. What is it? You’re freaking me out a little bit.”

  “That’s the last thing I want to do.” I take her hand in mine across the table. “It’s Nothing bad. I was just thinking, while I was standing around the bookstore, thinking about this journey that I’m on. I was thinking about how much I love you. About how improbable meeting you was. And about how lucky I am to have you in my life.”

  “Aww, Michael. I feel the same way. I love you too. What brought all of this on?”

  “Thoughts,” I tell her. “Thoughts of yesterday. Thoughts of today. And, more than that, thoughts of tomorrow. Which is what I really wanted to say.”

  “What’s that?” she asks.

  I let go of her hand and grab the knife. Opening the box I slice the oversized cupcake straight down the middle. “Which half do you want?” I ask.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Take the larger one. I think it’s the one on the left. You can pull it apart.”

  She does what I ask her, having no idea the surprise that’s waiting inside. I look down as she pulls the two halves apart. I hear the sound of it hitting the table underneath, and when I do I look back up at her to see her recognition. It takes a few seconds of disbelief, but once she realizes what she’s looking at I see the glow in her eyes as she looks across at me.

  “Michael. . .”

  I pull out my
chair, taking the icing covered ring in hand, and drop to a single knee. “Everleigh, will you be my wife? I can’t imagine the rest of my life without you.”

  She contemplates only for a second, a tear forming in her eyes. She’s never looked more beautiful than she does right now. “Yes, Michael. Of course I’ll marry you!”

  I stand up after putting the ring on her finger, and we kiss the best kiss we’ve ever had. It’s a moment that I never want to forget for the rest of my days.

  “So, wait, I just realized something,” she says.

  “What’s that?”

  “Now I don’t get to go to RAAC as your girlfriend.”

  “No,” I say, finishing her thought. “You get to go as my fiancé. As the future Mrs. Knight.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  “Me too.”

  We kiss again, alone in our little place. I can’t wait to tell everyone tomorrow. I can’t wait for all of our tomorrows.

  Epilogue

  Colton

  I don’t know why I called her and not Mike or Gray, but that’s what I did.

  It’s weird, I barely know her, but Mike was right, even though I wasn’t about to admit it. I was into her the other night, and I’m into her now. What Mike and Gray don’t know is that we talked for a long time the other night—really talked. She’s an amazing woman, and she really seemed to get me. Maybe that’s why I called her to help me, or maybe I’m just too embarrassed to call Mike or Gray just yet. It’s his release day. I hope he’s killing it. I hope he’s doing better than I am right now.

  I always wondered what a jail cell would look like.

  You watch those shows like Lockup and you think you know what it would feel like to sit in a holding cell, but it’s way worse than it seems on TV. Some of the people in here are just scary, and half of them smell like total shit.