The Wandering Caravan (Forever and Always #8)

by E. L. Todd

  “You really think we want to go house shopping after a six hour flight?”

  Scarlet’s cheeks reddened in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry…”

  I looked over her shoulder and stared at them. “Let it go. She said she loves the house.”

  “I do,” she said to me.

  “Then let’s go inside.”

  “You have the keys?” she asked incredulously.

  “I own it, don’t I?” I grabbed the keys out of my pocket then unlocked the front door. We carried the bags inside and stepped in the foyer.

  “Why are you bringing your things?” Scarlet asked her brother.

  “We’re staying with you until we get our apartment,” Ryan said. “If that’s okay with you, Miss Ungrateful.”

  She hit his arm. “Stop teasing me—at least about this.”

  I heard the sincerity in her voice and so did Ryan. He backed off. I took them on the tour of the house. The living room was as large as the apartment Scarlet and I used to share. It already had furniture. I bought it from the previous owners. I assumed Scarlet wouldn’t want to decorate. She was never interested in that.

  The kitchen was full of granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The backyard was already decorated with patio furniture. And all the bedrooms were huge. The gang picked their rooms and carried their luggage inside.

  Scarlet’s eyes were as big as her head. I knew she was overwhelmed with the size of the house. She would get used to it in time.

  I showed her to our bedroom. It was the biggest one in the house. It had a walk-in closet, a bathroom with two sinks, a spacious area with a king size bed and cherry wood furniture. She appraised everything with a keen eye.

  “Is this okay?” I asked.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. “You’ll get used to it.”

  “How am I ever going to clean it?”

  I kissed her forehead. “I’ll help you.”

  “We aren’t hiring a maid.”

  “That’s fine,” I said quickly. “We can do it together.” I knew Scarlet would change her mind eventually, but for the moment, I wouldn’t push her.

  We didn’t have any food in the house, so we ordered pizza and played board games. Having her family in the house made the move-in much easier. If they weren’t here, Scarlet would have been dwarfed in the massive house. It was the real reason I invited them to stay with us until they got settled. The first memories we had in our house would be with them. And that’s what Scarlet needed.

  After a few glasses of wine and eating a pizza all by herself, Scarlet had loosened up. She laughed at her brother while he sucked at the board game we were playing. Ryan was bit of a sore loser and didn’t take the torments very well, but that made Scarlet laugh harder.

  I pulled her into my lap and watched the glow on her face. I was relieved I successfully made her happy. I didn’t want to settle into an apartment or a small house. Scarlet deserved more than she thought she did. The house was extremely expensive but she didn’t need to know that. I would take care of her for the rest of my life, and I intended to keep my promise.

  When the wine and pizza were depleted, everyone was tired. We didn’t even pack up the board games because no one was in the mood. Abandoning the pizza boxes and empty glasses on the floor, everyone retired to bed. Scarlet was a little drunk, but I loved drunk Scarlet.

  I immediately wanted to take advantage of her, but I held back because of the pain I caused her. I wanted to make love to her on the first night in our new house, but I was too scared of hurting her. She had plenty of time to heal, and she made it clear she wanted me inside her, but I still couldn’t do it.

  Scarlet stumbled to the bed but I caught her before she fell. Laughing loudly, she crawled to the bed and tried to take off her clothes. She was like a helpless child, and it made me laugh.

  I pulled her clothes off then got her into bed. I made sure she was naked so I could feel her body next to mine, skin to skin. It would have to suffice.

  But Scarlet wasn’t in the mood to sleep. She moved on top of me and kissed my chest and neck. I knew she wanted me when she did that. My chest was her favorite feature.

  “Make me come,” she blurted. “You haven’t done it in so long.”

  Those words awoke the beast in me, but I held it back. “Go to sleep, baby.”

  “No.” She kissed my stomach then my neck. “I’m not broken. Come on. Fuck me, Sean.”

  “Whoa…let’s keep this PG. We have family in the house.”

  “You think I care? What do you think they are doing?”

  She had a point. “They are sleeping, like you should be right now.”

  “Come on. You have a beautiful cock. Why don’t you use it?”

  I tried not to laugh. Drunk Scarlet was hilarious. I pulled her down to the bed and snuggled beside her.

  “I hate you.”

  “I hate you too, baby.”

  She growled at me. Actually growled.

  I knew she wouldn’t stop until she got her way. I knew my wife pretty well. I rolled on top of her then held my weight over her.

  “Yes!” she yelled.

  “Shh,” I hissed at her.

  “I always get my way with you.”

  “Congratulations. I’m your husband. That’s how it should be.”

  “Stop talking and start fucking.”

  She had a dirty mouth tonight. “You’re such a lady.”

  “No, I’m not. I eat hotdogs off the ground. I’m gross.”

  “I was being sarcastic.”

  “Huh?”

  Wow. She was really drunk. I sealed my mouth over hers and gave her sweet, purposeful kisses. That shut her up quick. Her hands started to move across my body, feeling every muscle and inch of skin. When her breathing picked up, I knew she was desperate for me.

  “Sean, I’m so glad I married you,” she breathed into my mouth. “I love you.”

  Even when she was drunk, she was still in love with me. That was good news. “I love you too.” I trailed my kisses down her stomach to the apex of her thighs. I didn’t feel comfortable having sex with her just yet, but I wanted to give her the pleasure she demanded.

  I pressed my tongue against her then moved up in one slow motion. Her fingers dug into my hair and she moaned loudly. I hoped no one else could hear us but it wouldn’t matter. I couldn’t shut her up.

  I circled my tongue around her clitoris, making her legs shake.

  “Sean…”

  I slipped my tongue inside her the rubbed her clitoris with my fingers. Her breathing increased and so did the sound of my name. She was easy to get off when she was drunk, easier than normal.

  She arched her back and whimpered when the orgasm rocked through her. I kept using my tongue to give her as much pleasure as possible. When she released a deep breath, I knew she was gone and satisfied. Mission accomplished.

  I hated eating pussy in my youth, and I only did it if the girl reciprocated with a blowjob, but I loved going down on Scarlet. She had a unique taste I loved. And knowing how good it felt for her always fueled me forward. I liked being the best she ever had. And I wanted it to stay that way.

  I moved next to her then pulled her into my arms. She sat up then moved on top of me. I knew what she was going to do so I pulled her back “It’s time for bed.”

  “I want you to feel good too,” she said with slurred words.

  “You always make me feel good.” I kissed her gently then guided her back to bed. I knew she was tired, judging by her drooping eyes and deep breathing. She let me pull her back to bed and in my arms. Immediately, she fell asleep.

  I watched her for a long time before I took a picture of her with my phone. I wanted to remember this night forever, the first night in our new home. Scarlet and I would raise our kids here. I’d make love to her every night. She and I would grow old together. And I would get everything I ever wanted.

  Scarlet was so hung over
the next morning, she couldn’t even get out of bed. When I asked her to open her eyes, all she did was squint. I tried not to laugh because I knew she was in pain, but it was funny.

  I got her Aspirin and a few glasses of water. I helped her sit up and down the pills. She immediately touched her head and sighed.

  “Bad headache, baby?” I whispered.

  “Yes.” Her voice came out barely audible.

  I lay her back down and tucked the covers around her. “I would love to stay with you but I have to take care of our guests.”

  “I know. It’s okay.”

  I put her cell phone in her hand. “Text me if you need anything. But I’ll come in and check on you all the time anyway.”

  “I’m starving…”

  “I’ll make you something and bring it up.”

  “Thank you.”

  I kissed her forehead. “No problem. I’ll be back.”

  She released a deep sigh then didn’t move.

  I watched her for a moment before I left the bedroom and closed the door gently behind me.

  Everyone was downstairs already. Grocery bags were on the counter and the dirty pans were in the sink. I eyed Ryan suspiciously. “What did you cook?”

  “Cortland and I went to the store this morning.”

  “How did you get there?”

  Ryan nodded at the keys on the counter. “The Ferrari.”

  I shook my head. “You’re lucky you’re my brother-in-law.”

  “Just brother,” Ryan said. “And I know.”

  “That baby drives smooth,” Cortland said. “Better than my car.”

  “Well, an infinity isn’t that nice,” Monnique said.

  She never undermined him in our presence. Ryan and I both felt awkward. There was clearly trouble in paradise. I cleared my throat and ignored the comment. “There better not be any scratches.”

  “I just hit a herd of cows on the way.” Ryan sipped his coffee then sat down at the table.

  “The breaks are super sensitive,” Janice said.

  “You drove it too?” I asked incredulously.

  “Everyone drove it, man,” Ryan said with a laugh.

  “You guys are assholes,” I said.

  “Does Scarlet know about your toy?” Cortland asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “No. Not yet.”

  “Can I be there when you tell her?” Cortland asked.

  “She doesn’t care what I spend my money on,” I said.

  “Clearly,” Ryan said sarcastically. “Judging her reaction to the house.”

  “Scarlet isn’t used to getting nice things—that’s all.” I felt the need to defend my wife.

  “Where is that brat anyway?” Ryan asked.

  “She has a hangover.”

  Cortland laughed. “I bet she does. She was so wasted last night.”

  “At least we don’t have to see her today,” Ryan said with a smile. “The day just got better.”

  Ryan picked on his sister a lot even though he loved her more than anything. His way of expressing it was odd sometimes.

  I piled pancakes, toast, and bacon onto the plate then carried it upstairs. Scarlet was deep in sleep when I walked inside. I left the plate on the nightstand with a glass of juice. The smell of the food would probably wake her up eventually. After I gave her another kiss on the forehead, I went back downstairs.

  Cortland was looking up apartments on his laptop while Monnique sat beside him. He scrolled through and asked which ones she liked. Janice sat on Ryan’s lap while he read the morning paper. I felt left out without Scarlet sitting beside me. I sat down and ate my breakfast.

  “You like this one, babe?” Cortland asked.

  “Sure.” Monnique didn’t even look at him.

  Ryan and I exchanged a look. We knew a silent fight was taking place between Cortland and Monnique.

  Cortland kept his cool and didn’t react to her hostility. “I’ll take the Ferrari into the city and take a look.”

  “My car isn’t a rental,” I snapped.

  “Then I’m taking it afterward. Janice and I are going to have sex in the backseat,” Ryan said.

  I glared at him. “The only girl getting fucked back there is my wife.”

  “Eww.” Ryan shook his head vigorously. “Bad mental image…”

  Cortland laughed. “You walked right into that one.”

  “Damn, I did,” Ryan said. He covered his eyes and kept trying to rid the disturbing picture.

  I finished my pancakes then pushed my plate aside. My phone rang in my pocket. I assumed Scarlet needed me so I grabbed it as quickly as possible. When I saw my mom’s name, I sighed in disappointment.

  “Hey,” I said.

  “Hey, baby. You home?”

  “We just got home last night.”

  “Well, thanks for letting us know.” She said it with a laugh but I could tell she was upset I didn’t check in with her. I was a grown man and I didn’t to check in with anyone. She was never like this when I was single or with Penelope. For some reason, my marriage to Scarlet made her more attached.

  “So, what’s up?”

  “We want to hear about the trip, obviously.”

  “Oh. We’ll get together next week.” Everyone fell silent while I talked on the phone. Cortland glanced at Monnique and saw the anger on her face. Janice was gripping Ryan’s thigh like she wanted to get back into the bedroom.

  “Next week?” she shrieked. “No. Your father and I want to see you today. We haven’t even seen the house yet.”

  Since Scarlet was hung over, I knew that was a bad idea. I decided to compromise. “Tomorrow works better for us.”

  “Your father is taking me to the zoo. You know how much I love those penguins. Today works out perfectly.”

  I loved my home but sometimes I hated her guts. She always got her way and it irritated me. “We have friends over so now isn’t a good time.” I knew how angry Scarlet would be if I caved.

  “Ryan, Cortland, Janice, and Monnique?” she asked. “We’d love to see them.”

  Would she ever quit? “Mom, no. We’ll get together sometime this week.”

  “Excuse me? Who signed off on the loan to get you that house?”

  Seriously? She was going to throw this in my face? “You, and I’m very grateful you did. But today isn’t a good time.”

  “But I want to see you and Scarlet. And I want to see the house. We’ve only seen the outside of it.”

  It took all my strength not to yell at her. “Can I talk to Dad?”

  “No,” she snapped. “You’re talking to me. And we’ll be there in an hour.” She hung up.

  I sighed and placed the phone on the table.

  Ryan tried not to laugh. “Your mom is a peach.”

  “Scar is gonna kill me.”

  “Good way to start a marriage,” Cortland said with a laugh.

  I stared at the phone and contemplated calling her back and trying to convince her not to come, but I knew that was pointless.

  Scarlet came down the stairs a moment later, her hair messy and all over the place. She wore one of my t-shirts and my sweatpants. She may look like a lazy bum to everyone else, but she looked hot to me. Anytime she wore my clothes, she looked sexy.

  She moaned then curled up in my lap, her eyes closed. “Come to bed.”

  “We have guests, baby. I can’t.”

  “They don’t care,” she mumbled.

  “Yeah,” Ryan said as he picked up the keys to the Ferrari. “We’ll find something to do.”

  I glared at him then rubbed Scarlet’s back. “Still not feeling well?”

  “I know I’m going to hurl. I just don’t know when.”

  I felt bad for her. I hated it when she was in any kind of pain. “I’m sorry, baby. But you’ll feel better tomorrow.”

  “Hopefully your in-laws don’t notice,” Cortland said.

  Damn it, Cortland!

  “My in-laws?” Scarlet asked.

  I glared at Cortland.


  “What?” he said. “They are going to be here in an hour and you just weren’t going to tell her?”

  “Hey,” I snapped. “I’m married to her and you aren’t. Back off.”

  Scarlet stared at me, her eyes wide. “Is he telling the truth?”

  Ashamed, I looked away and nodded.

  “Is this a sick joke?”

  “You made out with Janice last night,” Ryan said.

  She covered her face, horrified. “Oh my god. I did?”

  “No,” Ryan said with a laugh. “But that was a sick joke.”

  She rolled her eyes then looked back at me. “Sean, can they come over another time? I’m just not in the mood to entertain your mother. She’s going to expect me to be the perfect housewife with pearls and heels.”

  “I tried, Scarlet…she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “Why do they have to come over today?” she asked incredulously. “Any other day would be better.”

  “I don’t know,” I said with a sigh. “She’s very stubborn.”

  “Sean, call her back and tell her they are welcome to come over later this week. Not today. I can’t let her see me hung over like this.”

  “Who cares?” I said. “I don’t care what she thinks. I married you, didn’t I?”

  “So, you’re saying you married me against her consent?” she asked with a hurt voice.

  “No,” I said immediately. “I just don’t care what she thinks of you. What anyone thinks of you, okay? Just be honest. My dad will think it’s funny.”

  “I love your dad,” Ryan said. “That guy is the man.”

  “Not now, Ryan,” Scarlet said. “Sean, call them back. I don’t have the patience for this.”

  I felt her angry stare on my face. I felt cornered. I wanted to please my wife, and that’s what I vowed to do. I just wish my mom wasn’t so fucking annoying. I picked up the phone and called her back.

  “Mom.”

  “Hello, dear. We’re picking up some wine on the way. Red or white?”

  “I don’t care,” I said quickly. “Something came up and we won’t we able to entertain you today.”

  “Oh, Sean. We’re just down the street.”

  Scarlet continued to stare me down, not letting me back down.

  “Mom, I mean it. We aren’t in the mood today. You can come over any other day but today. That’s final.”