Love Renewed (Entwined Hearts #3)

by Maria Macdonald

  “That little bitch…damn right…I may have had to visit you at your job just so I could shove a pencil up that pointy nose,” Soph snaps out and I laugh.

  “She hasn’t got a pointy nose,” I say through my laughter.

  “Well, she would do after I’d finished with her!”

  “There’s also Davy the dick, he would need a knee in the balls at least,” Pea adds and I stop laughing.

  “Shit!” I sit up, my back going straight. “I’d forgotten about him.”

  “Oh sorry, I mean, I thought you were over him?” Pea questions staring at me.

  “Yes, I am. It’s just that…between the first time Dane and I were together and this time…I’ve forgotten the middle, I forgot it existed. Wow. He makes all the crap years just disappear…just like that.” I feel my eyes glistening as I bask in the feelings of release and happiness he gives me.

  I look back to Pea and her expression has changed to smiling, it matches Soph’s and they look at each other then say in unison, “Group hug.” Before jumping on me. I’m squashed and loved by my girls, my sisters. My family.

  The next night sees us sitting in the little karaoke bar that the guys seem to know well, by what Dane’s already told me I know they used to come here a lot. Since Eleanor came along, it’s not been such a frequent night out, but they still love to come. Well, I wouldn’t say Dane loves to come here. He comes because his family loves it. Even Con and Saul get into it. We found out when we met at Saul & Soph’s earlier this evening that the girls and guys were having some kind of sing off. That didn’t sound good and when Dane groaned, “Oh God,” behind me…and not in the nice way, I realised I was right.

  Now we’re at the bar. Dane has taken a lot of convincing to go up on stage with the guys. Mainly it was me offering sexual favours for him to go up there. I wanted to see his fun side. I know he has it, I see it all the time, but he hides it from the others and it’s a shame. He should be free to be himself with his family. Now the guys are heading up to sing and Soph, Pea and me are waiting with baited breath. The three of them make their way onto the stage and the music starts. Con and Saul grab mics as Omi Cheerleader starts, they sing along to the words. This isn’t an instrumental version, they are singing along with Omi to the radio version. They make me laugh as they dance. Dane stands to one side. He reaches his hands above his head and grabs onto one of the low ceiling beams. His arms are flexed and I want to take a picture so I can start an ‘arm porn’ section in a photo album. I look back to his eyes and they’re on me. His lips tip up and a smirk forms, he saw me salivating. While Con and Saul jump around like crazy men, Dane looks like the sexy, brooding band member who doesn’t do much but is every girl’s wet dream. His eyes are fixated on me. By the end of the song I’m aching for his touch and I groan closing my eyes.

  “Eww, I don’t need to hear that shit,” Soph tells me laughing and I feel my cheeks flush. I watch as the guys make their way back to us and every woman in the room and some men stop and watch Dane. He prowls through the crowd like he owns it, and when he reaches me, Dane grabs my arms and pulls me into his solid body, taking my lips. His kiss sears me and I feel the bulge in his jeans as he grinds it into me. Pulling away he whispers into my ear, “I have a big fucking issue, sitting down is going to be a problem. You were looking at me like you wanted to eat me.”

  “I do want to eat you,” I whisper back and he licks the edge of my ear, then replies, “I know, you licked your lips enough times.”

  “I did?” I say surprised, I hadn’t even realised.

  “Oh yeah.” He bites my earlobe before releasing me and pulling me to sit on his lap.

  “Shit,” I say when I realise everyone is watching us. Then I feel Dane’s laugh rumble up his chest and into my back. I smile. Fuck it. I love him and it wasn’t like we were just doing R rated stuff. I wink at Soph and she smirks back at me.

  “Our turn soon,” she yells across the table and I just nod and smile. We practiced ours yesterday. Soph made us. I didn’t realise it would be for a battle with the boys, now I’m glad we did rehearse. I shake my head, she takes this competition thing seriously. But I’m not complaining, we’re going to make the guys suffer, in the best way.

  “Did you speak to Eric?” I ask Soph leaning over to her.

  She nods back. “Yeah, everything is absolutely fine. I shouldn’t have worried. He said I should be doing the honeymoon thing with Saul still and not fussing so much. Anyway, he’s coming to ours for dinner tomorrow too. So it will be all of us,” she tells me and I’m confused.

  “All of us?” I ask.

  “Yeah…didn’t Dane mention it? Damn him. We’re having you all over for food tomorrow afternoon. It’s a kind of housewarming without the party. It’s just family.” She smiles at me and I smile back. Family. That word has warmth attached to it. We both turn back to the couple singing as Dane leans into my ear.

  “Oh yeah. We’re going to Saul’s tomorrow.” I look at him and raise an eyebrow, he just laughs making me wobble in his lap.

  Twenty minutes later the three of us approach the stage. Pea takes her place in the middle of us and all I can think is I’m glad the stage has heaters above them as it’s November and it’s cold. Soph and I look at each other as we take our top layers off. I have a big oversized jumper which hangs down over my black leather trousers. Underneath, though, the trousers sit on my hips and the black top stops just under my breasts, showing enough skin but not too much. The black heels which I have on just accentuate the outfit and my hair hangs down my back. Looking over at Soph, I watch her remove her long coat. Saul is going to get a surprise when she turns around. She has black high heels with long opaque stockings or socks, I’m not sure what they are, except they run up her long legs stopping a little above the knee. Further up she has a skin-tight pair of Daisy Duke jean shorts with a short, thin jumper that hangs off one shoulder. Her hair is up in a ponytail and the smirk she gives me, says that Saul has no idea what she was hiding under her coat. Pea didn’t want to dress up, still feeling self-conscious and we didn’t want her to feel awkward. Soph roped me into this, it’s a good job I don’t have two left feet and am quick at picking up moves. I was able to learn the basic dance in an hour. Then again most of the movement is a kind of a grinding sexy show rather than any technical dance. Beyoncé’s Naughty Girl starts and Pea sings the first few words.

  Soph and I turn and I catch Dane’s eyes immediately. They widen and his mouth drops open slightly as we start moving, dancing the same moves as the women in the video. It’s sultry and sexy and telling. I know I’m showing Dane that I’m sexy and all his. He smiles, while his eyes move from wide to hooded and I know what he wants, I know that look. Running my hands down my body I crouch and wind my body back up. He bites his lip with a smirk and shakes his head. Putting my finger in my mouth I suck it and let it glide out slowly while swinging my hips one way then the other. Most of the song is similarly danced. A lot of slow sultry movement. I see Dane stand up and bend over talking to the guys. They don’t look at him. They too are completely focused on their women. But they nod and wave him off. The song starts winding down, but before it’s finished, he reaches the stage and grabs my arm. I smile down at him as he drags me off. People shout and jeer. They probably think he’s a jealous boyfriend. They couldn’t be further from the truth, and as I’m dragged off I look over at Soph and her head is thrown back with laughter.

  “Dane,” I pant as he drags me into the cold air. But he doesn’t say anything, just continues pulling me along until we reach the fancy hotel on the corner. There he stops, opens the door and tugs me inside and straight to the reception desk. The receptionist appraises him and smiles seductively.

  “Can I help you sir?” she asks her eyes flicking over to me but dismissing me almost instantly.

  “A room, please. A suite would be better.” His answer is clipped.

  “Of course. Just for tonight?” she asks with a grin. I expect she thinks he’s just picked me
up and I’m a one night stand. To be fair, that’s what I would think if I were her. I mean I don’t even have a coat and my jumper is now, hopefully with Soph or Pea.

  “Just tonight,” Dane replies.

  “Okay, I have a junior suite available but its four hundred and fifty-nine pounds, sir. You could have a standard room for two hundred,” she tells him and her eyes glance over to me then back to Dane. Charming.

  Dane looks between the woman and me, then back to me smirking. He turns his head to her and says, “No that’s fine. I’d prefer a suite, more room for what I have in mind. Plus, there’s more options for diversity.” The woman blushes and I smile wrapping my hand up his arm and curling it around like a snake. Dane pays and the woman says nothing else, just occasionally glaring at me as I try really hard to stifle my giggles. When it’s all done, he passes me the key.

  “Hold this baby,” he drawls and the woman’s eyes narrow. Suddenly he sweeps me up into his arms and strides toward the elevators and I look over his shoulder and wave to her and she crosses her arms over her chest. When we get into the elevator, I dissolve into a fit of giggles but Dane says nothing.

  “Dane.”

  “Quiet. You teased me and told me you wanted to eat me. Now I’m going to have what you offered. I smile knowing that I’ll get exactly what every woman dreams of when they cast eyes on this man.

  Everything.

  “I still can’t believe we’re having a fucking barbecue in the winter. Shit.” I follow my complaint with a swig from the beer bottle, which Saul just slid to me from his side of the kitchen worktop to mine.

  “Stop bitching. For a tough guy you’re such a pussy,” he tells me smirking.

  “Fuck you. It’s two degrees outside. You may like your dick to look like a walnut, but I sure as fuck like mine the way it is and so does Nova,” I grumble back. I’m not good with cold. I never have been. I don’t explain it’s because some of the foster homes I lived in as a kid didn’t have heating, or that one particular family would punish me when I was naughty by making me stand outside in nothing but pants. Even in winter. I was only six. I lived with them for a year. Even with Kurtis and Shelly and the beatings it was still a better place to live than the other hole.

  “You okay, bro?” Saul asks nudging my arm. Worry lines appear around his eyes so I smile and say, yeah, just the cold is making my brain freeze. Damn fucking barbecues in winter.” I chuckle and pass off my momentary lapse. Saul lets it go and we walk back outside into the hyperthermia inducing weather. I move straight over to Nova and wrap my arms around her from behind. Tucking her into my side, I pull my coat open and wrap the side of it around her.

  “T-thank Y-you,” she stutters, a big smile across her face.

  “Are you okay? We can go inside, fuck what they say,” I tell her pointing to the others. All except Pea, who’s in the warm with Eleanor.

  “N-no, I’m h-happy here. P-promise.” She shivers and I kiss her forehead but grind my teeth. This was a stupid idea and I will not be happy if Nova gets a fucking cold because of this shit.

  “Grubs up,” Con calls and we’re finally allowed to huddle closer to the barbecue. He told us before to get away from it as he needed room to cook. Burn more like.

  “Next time you want to do this shit and it’s not summer let me know and I’ll buy everyone their own fucking outdoor heater,” I growl at Saul.

  “God, I’ve never known you to whine and swear this much. But yeah, in that case, let’s have another one next week.” He winks at me and I groan.

  “Y-you asked f-f-for that,” Nova says grinning. I shrug off my coat and wrap it around her. “N-no, you’ll f-freeze,” she mumbles.

  “You’re trembling. Not happening, Nova. Keep the fucking coat on,” I insist.

  She sighs and burrows back into me.

  As everyone starts grabbing food, the music which was low in the background gets louder, and I notice Eric sauntering back from the iPod just as Rich groans. I also catch him rolling his eyes. “Fuck me,” he says shaking his head. “Not again.” I look at Rich intrigued.

  “What?” I ask him, as Eric swings his hips walking until he’s in the centre of our group.

  “Watch me,” Eric says and Rich groans again.

  “Seriously, what Rich?” Tink says.

  “You know that Nae Nae song?” he asks Soph and she nods, then her eyes widen in recognition. I have no idea what song it is or what the fuck they’re talking about, but then suddenly Eric starts dancing—kind of—to the music. It seems to just be a ‘tell all’ of dance moves.

  “I’m fucked if I know what’s going on,” Saul says standing next to me.

  “I can’t not look…shit,” Con says joining us. We all just stand transfixed until the song ends and the spell is lifted.

  “Yeah. I put up with that twenty-four fucking seven,” Rich says his arms solid across his chest and all at once Saul, Con and me burst into laughter.

  “Fuck that shit was funny,” Saul says and Eric flips his non-existent hair and struts over to Soph. Nova wiggles out of my hold and joins them. They giggle and I can see the genuine happiness in Nova’s face. That, right there, is what I strive for. To make her happy.

  “Aren’t you cold?” Saul asks looking at my coatless chest. I cock my eyebrow at him but say nothing. “Right yeah, stupid question.” He snorts his laughter and turns to everyone. “Now the food’s cooked it’s probably a good idea to go inside.”

  Everyone shuffles in and we sit in the back room talking, eating and drinking. Everyone is so relaxed. We love each other and so everything is easy.

  “Eric, Rich, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I was wondering about the surrogacy thing? You mentioned it earlier this evening but didn’t elaborate. If you don’t want to talk about it with me I totally understand,” Nova says from beside me. I hear the hesitancy in her voice and it concerns me. I don’t want her to feel guarded.

  Relief fills me when her body relaxes as Eric replies, “Don’t be silly, precious. Family can always ask.” I’m glad he confirms that with her. She already knows where she stands with everyone else. Now the last puzzle piece is in place. Hopefully, she understands how this family works. It’s all for one and one for all. Like the fucking musketeers.

  My thoughts are broken as I listen to Eric explain their plan. “So we’ve only just started looking into it, but there are like professional services that will help us with finding a surrogate, and then we can meet and chat and see if we gel. We don’t know much. There’s a lot of stuff we have yet to find out. We have a meeting booked for a month’s time. Just to get the basic knowledge and we’re going to start researching online. We haven’t even decided if we actually want to do it. We just thought it’s something we should look into. We love baby Ellie, but honestly, if she hadn’t have come along, I’m not sure whether we would have even thought about it. So we’re taking it slow. One day at a time, sugar cheeks.”

  Nova giggles at his term and I look down at her lean over and whisper in her ear, “You’ve been giggling a lot tonight baby. Are you a little tipsy?”

  She stares up at me and a dirty look passes over her face making me chuckle.

  “Right, I need to use the little girl’s room,” Eric announces and walks off.

  “Where’s Pea gone?” Nova asks Con.

  “She’s trying to settle Ellie upstairs. Actually I better go check she’s okay. If she doesn’t settle we usually take it in turns, but because I’ve been cooking—”

  “Burning,” I cut him off with a grin.

  “Fucker. Cooking,” he states again with a smirk. “She’s had Eleanor all night. I’ll be back,” he tells both Nova and I and walks off.

  “Libby, could you help me bring the cakes and plates from the kitchen, please?” Soph asks and Nova nods.

  “Of course.” She detangles herself from me and follows Soph.

  “So, a baby?” Saul asks Rich.

  “Yeah. That’s what he says. I’m good either way. Whatever
makes him happy. I wanted kids, but you know—being gay—I hate to sound clichéd, but more often than not kids don’t even factor. You lot are surprised if you find a woman who doesn’t want kids. Gay men are surprised when they find a man who does want kids. I hate to say it, but it’s true. I’m not going to push him. We’ll take it slow and see where it goes. As long as I have him. As fucking crazy as he is. I swear sometimes I think it would have been easier being straight,” he tells us pulling his hand down his face.

  “Nope.”

  “Wishful thinking,” Saul and me both comment at the same time and the three of us laugh.

  “Erm, guys.” Eric is standing in the doorway, his voice is filled with concern and that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

  “What is it?” Saul questions. I stand up, bracing, knowing something isn’t right. Saul and Rich copy me.

  “Saul, Dane.” The figure appears from behind Eric.

  “Looks like the Wicked Witch of the West found us,” Saul barks crossing his arms.

  “Saul. That’s no way to speak to your mother,” she snaps.

  I hear Saul growl and so I step in. “What do you want.” My voice is devoid of warmth. It’s the dark side of me that she encounters and her eyes widen. Having not spoken to me for sixteen years, I surprise her.

  “Dane…I…I want to get to know you. I want Saul in my life again,” she replies. Her voice is stilted and I narrow my eyes at her.

  “You want to get to know me. What a joke. You dismissed me when you had the chance to know me. That kid needed you. I don’t.”

  “But…Saul?” She turns to him.

  “What? Did you think that barging into my home, when I haven’t answered any of your letters, was going to help solve whatever situation you’ve created in your head?” he snaps at her. “How the fuck did you find my house anyway?”