I watch in silence as he unsnaps his pants and pushes them, along with his boxers, down over his narrow hips and muscular thighs. Toeing off his shoes and socks, he stands before me—beautifully naked and very ready for action. I cross my legs and reach to pull my shoe off. His voice cuts through the room. “Leave them on.”
Sliding the sexy red pump back in place, Reid stares at me, penetratingly, almost like a wild beast.
“Roll over.” His roughened command takes me by surprise and causes a surge of wetness. I comply, of course, even though my pulse is racing. The mattress dips as he kneels in between my legs, nudging them wider. His finger trails down the length of my spine, stopping only when it meets the edge of the fabric that stops just beneath the dimples of my lower back. Flipping the short skirt up over my ass, he bunches the fabric around my waist.
Rough palms scorch the sensitized skin of my inner thighs as he pushes me up onto my knees. Hot lips kiss each cheek before playful teeth gently sink into my flesh.
Banding one arm around my hips, he plays with my pussy, flicks at my clit from behind. I feel his cock pressing into the softness of my ass. “Please, baby, I need you,” I call out desperately
All the control and dominance he had vanishes when he hears my needy words. Lacing his fingers together with mine, he stretches our arms above my head. His hard chest presses into my back, the light dusting of hair tickling my hot skin.
He rolls us so that we’re both on our sides, my back to his front. Holding my knee in the crook of his elbow, he angles his hips forward and sinks into me from behind. With his other hand wrapped around my chest, he teases my nipples with his strong fingers. When his hand moves around my neck, seductively holding me in place, my pussy flutters out of pure ecstasy.
“Maddy...oh God,” he grumbles into my neck. “I can feel you…God, I can feel you clamp down on me. Come, baby.” As if he doesn’t trust me to obey his command, he removes his hand from my neck and trails it down in between my legs.
A few brushes against my clit and I fall, coming wildly. My hips thrust without any rhythm whatsoever. Fire spreads through my belly as Reid pulls me hard against his chest.
“Fuck, Maddy. I can’t hold off any longer.”
With a few more erratic thrusts, Reid growls out as his orgasm pours into me.
He sweeps my hair to the side and kisses my neck. Resting my cheek against his bent arm, I nuzzle into him inhaling his purely masculine scent.
After a few long moments, our breathing calms. I kick my shoes off, and even though I’m completely incapable of moving, I sit up so I can get rid of what little clothing I have on. Reid tosses me one of his T-shirts and gathers my black satin and lace garments from the floor.
“These are definitely going to have to make another appearance, real soon,” he smirks as he tosses them into the laundry basket.
When we’re curled around one another in bed, a sense of calm peacefulness fills the room. Our son is sleeping quietly in the next room and we just had wild, crazy, monkey sex without waking him up. I guess we’re getting good at this parenting stuff, after all.
I laugh out loud at that thought.
“What’s so funny over there?” Reid pops a kiss to the top of my head and squeezes my shoulder.
“I was just thinking how crazy insane it is that we just did that and didn’t wake him up.”
“Shh. Don’t jinx it.” We share a laugh and I begin tracing random patterns in his chest hair, following the inky, black lines of his tatted pecs.
“Can I ask you something?”
He looks down at me wary of my randomness. “Of course, sweets. Anything.”
“Do you ever think of having another one, a baby, I mean.”
His hand stills on my shoulder and I feel him hold his breath, his chest tense under my hand.
“Relax, Reid. I didn’t mean today or tomorrow. I just meant sometime in the future.”
His hand resumes tickling my skin as he presses his lips to my forehead. “You’re not popping one out tomorrow, right?” he jokes, but I hear the seriousness there. I shake my head and he chuckles. “Well, in that case, yes.” I poke him in the ribs at his sarcastic tone.
Cupping my jaw and staring intently into my eyes, he brushes his lips against mine. “Yes, Maddy. I want to have more babies with you. I want to have a big family. I want us to be the family that neither of us ever had.”
My heart swells for my man and his sweetness. “You mean you don’t think it’s crazy we’re both barely in our twenties and we’re talking about having another baby?”
A dopey smile lifts at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, sure it’s crazy. I can’t imagine that things will get less crazy, but I know way down to my bones, that there is no one I’d rather go crazy with.”
“You’re amazing, you know that?” I smile up at him, his deep blue eyes alight with humor.
“Yep, I sure am. But it’s only because I have you.”
“Now, you’re just laying it on thick, Connely.” I poke him in the ribs again.
“Is it working?” he quips.
Even though the room is dark, I roll my eyes and say nothing.
“I thought so.” I feel his smile against my temple as he presses his lips there one more time.
“I feel like a dork.” I look at Melanie who is sitting behind me on my bed. Adjusting my graduation cap and tassel one last time, I zipper up my gown and hold my arms out to the side.
“Yep, you look like one too. A dork with a diploma though.” Mel’s freckled face splits with a proud smile.
“It’s only junior college. Not a big deal.” Shrugging, I sit next to her and slide my feet into black, strappy sandals.
“It is so a big deal. Besides, trying telling Mom that. She’s practically rolled out the red carpet for you.” Mel reaches into her bag next to her on the bed. “Here. I got you a little something.”
“Melanie, you didn’t have to.” She shoots me the best friend slash shut your mouth look and I tear into the paper.
“Oh, Mel. It’s gorgeous.” I trace my fingers over the silver letters that spell out “sisters” across the cover of an absolutely stunning scrapbook. “Did you make this?”
“Yes, I did. I wanted you to have something special today.” She squeezes me tightly and scoots right next to me so we can look through the pictures together.
I’m rendered speechless at her thoughtfulness. Carefully selecting pictures of both of us, from when we were babies all the through just last weekend at a backyard barbeque, she has created a timeline of both of our lives. We’ll never be sisters by blood, but looking through this album—seeing the two of us all dressed up for prom, goofing off at sleepovers, and dancing at my wedding—we’ll never be anything but sisters by choice.
We both swipe at the tears of happiness flowing down our cheeks. “Come on. We better get going. Everyone is out there waiting for us.” We share in one last sisterly embrace before walking out to the living room where Momma, Evan, Bryan, Braden and Reid are waiting for us. Katie and Joe even made the trip out to celebrate.
A chorus of cheers and claps great me. Braden races up to me, calling out “Mommy! Mommy!”
“Hey sweet boy!” I lift him up to my hip and Reid stands next to me. Making eye contact with everyone else, I smile and fight back a few tears. “Thank you for being here guys. I don’t know what to say.”
“There’s nothing to say. We’re here because we love you and we’re extremely proud of you.” Momma hugs me and hands me a tissue. Evan stands beside us, smiling proudly. “We both are, Maddy. A college degree is a huge accomplishment. Lucy and I are very proud of everything you’ve done.”
It’s silly really, but hearing Evan say those things, feeling Momma’s arms wrapping around my shoulders, makes me feel like I’ve been given back the parents I lost so long ago.
Scanning the room, I realize that one very important person is missing. “Hey, where’s Dylan? I thought he was meeting us here?”
“He was supposed to, but Lizzy showed up at the center today with a letter from Cane.” Reid’s words silence the room.
“What?” I gasp. “When? Why didn’t you tell me? What happened? Is everything okay?” My questions come out rapid-fire style, frantic and obviously concerned.
“Yes, everything is fine.” Good, he decided to answer the most important question first. He sees my shoulders slump and rubs my back to ease the tension. Even though he’s been in relative safety living with his aunt and uncle, we’ve all been concerned that he’s really okay.
“So then what happened?” Bryan chimes in. Having always taken an interest in Reid’s work with bullied kids, he was really affected by Cane and Lizzy’s situation. When Cane ran away and no one heard from him in that first week, Bryan actually helped out down at The Bridge stuffing envelopes and making calls.
“Well, it was a good update actually. He sent Lizzy his graduation picture. Dylan said Cane looks healthy, really happy too.” A collective sigh of relief fills the room. “He’s adjusted pretty well there, apparently. Lizzy just needed someone to talk to, so he said he would meet us there later.”
“That’s really great news, Reid.” Bryan claps him on the shoulder.
“Yeah, I know we were all expecting the worst. Hopefully, it continues to work out for him. He’s too young to be afraid to live his life.” Reid takes Braden from my arms and kisses him sweetly. “Dylan and Lizzy have been meeting a lot over the last few months, so he wanted to be there to support her today. He said she was really upset, missing him and all.” Reid shrugs like what he and Dylan do on a regular basis with these kids is not that big of a deal. But it is. I try to convince him that what they do is nothing short of amazing, but I know there’s a part of him that still won’t give himself the credit he deserves.
Joe sees it too. I notice him smiling through Reid’s update on Lizzy and Cane. “Good job, son.” Not afraid to show his emotions, Joe hugs Reid with the fatherly pride that he’s deserved all his life.
Katie takes Braden from Reid and whispers something in his ear before turning to the rest of us. “I’m going to go put this little guy in the car. We better hit the road if we want to get to the college on time.” She taps the face of her watch and everyone else falls in line.
I grab my bag as Reid grabs his keys from the dish on our entryway table. “What did Katie just say to you?” I ask, straightening my cap one last time.
He gulps before smiling, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “She said that Mom would be proud of me.”
“Oh, baby. You know she would be. So would Shane.” Standing next to him, we gaze at the framed faces of those we have loved and lost. I wrap my arm around his waist as he kisses my hair.
Cars honk out in front of the apartment, our cue to get our butts in gear, but I call him back into the living room as his hand hovers above the doorknob.
“Reid. Wait. I have something for you today.” Nervousness makes my voice tremble.
“For me? But you’re the one graduating.” He grins goofily as he tucks his sunglasses into the slightly opened collar of his dress shirt.
I hand him his present, a small rectangular box, like one in which you would put a piece of jewelry.
After ripping open the paper, he cracks open the box and stares at me, dumbfounded. “Re-gifting already?” He arches an eyebrow as he pulls the necklace that he gave me on our first Christmas together out of the box.
“Not really. Look closer.” I take the necklace out of his hands and repeat the words he said to me once before.
“This one is for you,” I say as I hold the charm with “R” engraved on it. “And this one is for me. This next one is for Braden,” I let the fourth charm slip out of my palm where it was concealed. “And this one—” His lips stop my words.
Smiling against my lips, he wraps his arms around my waist and spins me in the air. “Really?” His voice is shaking with emotion.
“Yes, really,” I smile lamely, hopeful that he’s not upset.
“But we only…”
“I know. We only just decided, but I guess we’re just that lucky.” We’ve talked about it in the last month or so and decided that despite the challenges it might pose to our careers and my schooling, it was more important to give Braden a sibling close to him in age.
“Damn straight we’re lucky!” He kisses me again and I can tell he’s anything but upset.
“Maybe it’ll be a girl.” I’m not-so-secretly hoping for that to be true, but when I see genuine fear dance across Reid’s beautiful face, I have to laugh at him.
More honks interrupt our little bubble. “Okay, so that’s a ‘maybe’ on the whole girl thing,” I joke playfully poking him in the side.
“I’d be the luckiest man on Earth to have a daughter. Hell, I’m already the luckiest man alive to share my life with you.” Lacing our fingers together, he brings our joined hands up to his lips and kisses my knuckles.
“I’m pretty damn lucky too, babe.” We share one last hug before deciding to hold off on telling everyone else for now.
Today, we’ll celebrate one chapter of our lives coming to a close, and tonight, well, I guess tonight ,we’ll celebrate another chapter of our lives beginning.
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Turn the page for 7 bonus scenes from Let Love In and Let Love Stay
Alternate POV from Let Love In
“Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.”
I heft the one-hundred-and-seventy-five-pound weight above my head for one last bench press. My chest burns and I’m going to be fucking sore tomorrow, but I don’t mind the after effects. Jake, my spotter and gym buddy, helps me place the bar in its holder and I slide from under it and off the bench.
“Thanks, man,” I say to him as I wipe the sweat from my face with a small towel. “I think I’m done for the night.” My words are winded from the exertion.
“Yeah, I’m good too.” Jake rubs his biceps, which have to be sore after two hours of arm and upper body workouts.
As we clean up our workout area and head over to the locker room, Jake asks, “So what are your plans tonight? Got anything going on?” He swipes his towel over his short-cropped brown hair.
Twisting the dial on the combination lock on my locker, I say, “There’s a party at the house, again. So I’ll probably find something to do.” I think the smirk on my face conveys exactly what I mean.
“And by something you mean someone, right?” Jake laughs and punches me in the arm.
Jake and I have been friends since freshman year and we go to the gym pretty regularly. He usually makes an appearance at my parties and he also finds something, and yes by that, I mean someone, to occupy his time, but his most recent hook-up turned into a pretty steady thing.
“Oh, cut the shit. You were all about the newest someone until Jocelyn came along. Now you’re all wifed-up. So if anything, I should be giving you shit!” I push him knocking him slightly off balance and he almost falls off the bench that runs between the two rows of lockers.
Recovering his balance and pulling his hoodie out from his locker, he turns to me. “Whatever, man. At least I know I’ll be gett
ing some tonight and I don’t have to waste my energy playing some chick just so I can get laid!” he scoffs as he slides his gym bag over his shoulder.
I get the last of my things out of my locker and pull my bag across my chest. Jake’s words echo in my thoughts. I’ll never admit it to him aloud, but he’s partially right. Three years of playing the game—being all douchey and aloof, being in permanent “I don’t care” mode—is exhausting. I’m still shocked that so many girls are attracted to it.
Can someone say Daddy issues?
As Jake and I walk across the quad to the parking lot, he continues his ribbing. “Seriously, dude. You can fuck around with me all you want about being with Jocelyn, but at least I know who I’m waking up with.”
I roll my eyes and slap him on his back. “That is where you’re wrong, my friend. I know exactly who I’ll be waking up with.” He eyes me suspiciously like I’ve just confessed a huge secret. “Chill the fuck out. I just meant that I’ll be waking up alone. You know I never let the ‘One Nighters’ stay over.” How could he forget my number one rule!
He shakes his head in disgust. “Whatever. Maybe I’ll catch you later.”
“Sure thing.” We do the whole fist-bump-and-slap-on-the-back dude handshake thing and he stalks off to his car.
Never in a million years did I ever envision Jake being the one to give me relationship advice, or whatever the hell that just was. Jake was an even bigger player than me in his prime. Then Jocelyn came into his life and it was like a complete turnaround. In all of my disillusioned wisdom, the only reason I can muster up is that she must be fucking amazing in bed.
As I approach my car, I see someone leaning up against it. It’s Jessa. Thoughts of Jake and his pussy-whipped mentality vanish immediately. The only thing I can think of in this moment is Jessa bent over the side of my bed as I drill into her from behind. That’s how we spent last weekend, anyway.
Let Love Shine (The Love Series) Page 8
