Currents: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by A. C. Wilds

  “One second!” I do a quick mirror check and look through the peephole. Then I throw the door open.

  “You’re up. Good,” Royce says before pushing past me and marching into suite. His hair is messed up as if he’s been pulling on it, his shirt untucked and pants wrinkled. What is going on?

  “Why are you here and not doing groom things?” I ask, rubbing my eyes.

  “I’m getting married today.” His hands are on his hips and his blond mustache looks like it has something in it.

  “Yes, I am aware. It’s why we’re all in Bordentown.”

  He begins to pace near the window. “I’m marrying Cassy today.”

  Okay, now he’s mumbling like a psycho. “Royce, sit down. I’ll order up some coffee. Have you eaten?”

  “What? Yeah, no. That’s great.” He throws his body down on the couch like a five-year-old in the midst of a tantrum.

  I pick up the phone, place the order, then sit on him. He groans and pushes me off. Laughing, I perch on the edge of the armchair.

  “Tell me what’s wrong. You’re acting like a crazy person.”

  “I don’t know if I can do it. There are so many people here. What if I say the wrong thing? What if the flowers are the wrong color?” His voice is muffled by the pillow, so I have to strain to hear him.

  When I smack him on the back of the head, he turns and glares at me.

  “You’re actually freaking out about flowers? Royce, you loving Cassy is all that matters. There is nothing else to worry about.”

  “Yes, there is! What if this is a mistake? We don’t even live together. She could have like this really bad habit I don’t know about. What if she leaves hair in the shower?”

  He looks so helpless and ridiculous at the same time. “What’s the real reason you’re freaking out? Because you know all of this isn’t the reason.”

  Tears form in his eyes and his lip wobbles. My brother, stoic like my mother, is crying in front of me.

  “Shit, Royce. What’s the matter?”

  He wipes his nose on the back of his hand, his blue eyes looking right through me. “What if she dies like Tilly?”

  Of all the things my brother could have said, I never thought it would be this. My insides crumble, and I begin to cry with him. I move so quick that we end up in a tangle on the couch.

  I hold him tight. We’ve never spoken about Tilly before. Royce chose to act like my mother, so I didn’t think he needed me. I’ve been such a spoiled twit.

  “Royce, you can’t think like that. She’s not going to die like Tilly. She’s healthy. And you guys are in love. You owe it to yourself to live the life you built together. Don’t let fear of the future trap you into doing something rash. Cassy is a wonder. She’s going to make a loving wife and give me awesome little nieces.”

  His grip tightens, and the sobs begin to quiet. “I’ve been such a shitty brother. I didn’t reach out to you when I saw how much you were hurting. It was more comfortable to walk away. I’m sorry.”

  I wipe the tears from his face as he lifts his head. “We weren’t taught how to love, Royce. Tilly was the baby. The magical child that came along and made us a family. She was everything for all of us, and when she left, we didn’t know how to be without her.”

  “She was so fucking amazing. That last Christmas where she made us do all the traditional things. I feel like that was the last time I was truly happy. When I felt joy.”

  “Me too. It was a gift. She was our gift. And now Cassy gets to become family, too. We can make our own traditions now. We have to leave this pain in the past. Coming here was good for me, as much as I didn’t want to.”

  “You mean almost dying?”

  I slap him on the shoulder and rest my head on the back of the couch. “I’m going to stop partying. I think I want to go back to med school.”

  “You’re going to be an awesome doctor.” He beams at me.

  “Surgeon. I’m going to be a fucking amazing surgeon.”

  “Fuck yes!”

  “YOU’RE HERE! There’s your robe. Sit down in the makeup chair and let’s get this party started!” Cassy’s outlook on marrying Royce today is different.

  Her excitement rubs off on me as I hang my dress on the rack. Stepping into the bathroom, I change out of my clothes and put on the satin robe with my name on the left breast. It hits just at the knees. It’s the same color as the dress I’ll be wearing today.

  “Morning, everyone!” I say, taking my seat in front of a very sexy man. His sweater covers thick arms and flat abs, and his jeans hug him in all the right places. His forearms are covered in tattoos. He doesn’t look like your typical hairdresser.

  “I’m Brett. Talk to me about your hair and makeup.” He grins at me, and if I wasn’t in love with Carson, I’d slip him my number. What girl wouldn’t want a boyfriend who could do a blowout?

  Wait, did I say the “L” word?

  He takes out my ponytail, distracting me from my thoughts as he fluffs out my hair and runs a brush through it. I love when people play with my hair. It makes me feel so relaxed.

  “I think half up, half down. I’d like to go heavy on the makeup. A smokey eye? What do you think?” I ask.

  “The dress is plum, so I think we can do a braided side design, and then for makeup a brown smokey instead of black. This way it’s not so harsh. We’ll do a lash and a purple lip. Your skin tone is perfect for that color.”

  “Excellent,” I say, grabbing the mimosa Desi hands me.

  “How you doing, love?” She’s unsure of how to talk to me, and I don’t blame her. The last time she saw me I was drunk and yelling at my mother.

  “Excited. Royce came by this morning and got me hyped. It’s a beautiful day to get married. The weather is gorgeous.”

  “Was he nervous?” Cassy asks, chuckling to herself. “Last night, he looked like he was going to puke when we said goodnight.”

  “He was nervous, but we ate breakfast and talked. It was the first time we’ve been alone since Tilly died.”

  Instantly, my cheeks flame with embarrassment. The words slipped from me. Talking about my sister so much has kept her in my mind, but for once I don’t feel sad.

  “I’m sorry for your loss. We had no idea,” Desi says as she slides into her heels. She’s ready to put on her dress. Her makeup highlights her beautiful eyes, and her hairstyle makes her look like a goddess. I can’t help to be a little jealous.

  My phone dings, and I look down at the message. It’s from Ashton.

  A: What are you wearing?

  Me: Seriously?

  A: I’m always serious about naked women.

  Me: You’re horrible. And I’m wearing a robe. It has my name on it.

  A: I’m sure Carson is going to love taking it off you later.

  Me: Wait! What do you mean?

  A: He’s your date. You’re welcome.

  Me: Ashton! We talked about this. I can’t see him anymore.

  A: Suck it up, darling. You guys are worth a shot. ;)

  Did he just give me the wink emoji? I’m going to throttle him.

  I reply with an angry face emoji.

  A: You’re welcome.

  I throw my phone on the counter in front of me. Stupid meddling surfer boy and his stupid plans. Though, a part of me feels butterflies in my stomach. I’m going to see Carson again. One more time before this is all over. One more chance to kiss him.

  “Everything okay?” Emerson asks, absently running her hands through Gwen’s hair. Her daughter leans against her. It’s such a beautiful display of love. I want that one day.

  “Yes, just that my date plans have changed. I was bringing Ashton, but he had to cancel. I was okay with going stag, but now it appears I’m bringing someone else.”

  “Who?” Cassy perks up.

  “Carson. The lifeguard who saved me. We have . . . something. It can’t work, though, I’m not ready for something heavy.”

  “You sound like someone I know.” Desi smirks, her gaze go
ing to Emerson. “It’s a special thing to be with someone. Especially after being single for so long. Put yourself out there.”

  “I hate to agree with Desi, but she’s right. If I hadn’t taken a chance with Grant, we wouldn’t be living this life. I pushed him away for a long time before I came to my senses.”

  “I’m not in a good place right now. I have a lot of healing to do.”

  I’m not fooling anyone, including myself. I could have both, but my fear of hurting Carson or losing him makes me sick to my stomach. It’s better this way.

  “Enough with the heavy,” Cassy says, saving me. “I’m getting married!”

  Holding up her glass, we cheer to her new beginning. Royce is lucky to have her. And so am I.

  CARSON

  This isn’t my first time at a wedding, yet I’m more nervous than I’ve ever been. My tux feels too tight around my arms, my shoes too shiny, my watch too heavy. I haven’t been Carson Stagg in a long time.

  This isn’t who I am anymore, yet here I am, waiting for a woman who is slowly becoming my everything. It’s been a week, plus one night of passion, and I’m hooked.

  “Carson?” a voice calls out behind me. Turning around, I see an intimidating guy striding over. He looks like a cop.

  “Yeah,” I say, holding out my hand.

  “Grant. I’m Emerson’s husband. She’s Cassy’s friend.” He takes my hand, his grip a little rougher than I expected.

  “Cassy asked me to come find you since you don’t know anyone here. The ceremony is supposed to start in a few minutes. Let’s go have a seat in our section.”

  He leads me past guests until we reach a row of white chairs. I pick up the program from the chair with no intention of reading it.

  “How do you know Bliss?” he asks, clearly appraising me. I wonder if he’s close to Bliss. If he is, he could know who I am. I have to play it safe and not try to give him too much.

  “We met through a mutual friend. Ashton. He’s my roommate.”

  “The guy she took to the rehearsal dinner? The surfer?”

  I laugh, because surfer describes Ashton perfectly. “Yeah, he’s Bliss’s friend. They met when she got here.”

  “Oh, so you’ve only known her for a week?”

  “Um . . . yeah. Why do I feel like I’m being interrogated?” I add a bad boy smile on the end. I won’t let this guy intimidate me.

  “Sorry about that. I’m a cop. It’s not in me to shut it off. I’m also overprotective at times. My wife’s friends fall under my protection.”

  “You have nothing to worry from me. Bliss is something special.”

  I don’t owe this guy an explanation, but the thought of someone taking advantage of Bliss makes my insides burn.

  Music starts up from the quartet in the corner of the outdoor patio. Flowers surround everything, and the gazebo is decorated with small lights. It’s dusk, and the backdrop of the setting sun makes it look like something out of a storybook.

  The wedding procession begins, and we all swivel in our seats to watch the couples walk down the aisle. Three couples walk down before I see her. My breath catches in my throat, and I make a strangled noise before I realize it’s loud enough for people to hear.

  She’s stunning. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. It’s taking all of me to stay seated and not go to her. The urge to wrap her in my arms and take her somewhere private is overwhelming.

  “You’ve got it bad,” Grant whispers.

  I can’t answer him. It’s like I’m being sucked into a vortex. Bliss’s plum dress hugs every curve on her body. The strapless neckline gives me flashbacks of what she looked like under me.

  I shift in my chair, resisting the urge to adjust myself. My blood pulses loudly in my ears. I don’t know how I’m going to make it through the ceremony.

  She’s almost by me. Steps away from where I’m seated. Our eyes lock, and, for a moment, time stops. She hesitates when she sees me, the guy she’s arm-and-arm with giving her a face. I should punch him in the throat for even looking at her.

  “Nice suit,” she mouths before smiling and taking her place in front of the altar.

  The wedding march begins, and Cassy steps through the doors. Gasps and sounds of encouragement sound around the patio, but I don’t care. I only have eyes for the petite woman standing in front of me.

  The ceremony lasts a grueling thirty minutes, and after the last girl leaves the long aisle, I get up, not caring who I bump into as I go in search of Bliss. I need to be next to her. Feel her with me.

  She’s standing next to some people in the corner. Her posture is turned in and her bouquet has been discarded on the table next to her. A woman is talking to her, hands in the air and lips pursed.

  “Hey,” I say, interrupting whatever was being said.

  Her eyes light up as she takes me in. I would give anything to see her that happy every day.

  “Who are you?” the woman asks in a curt tone. I don’t take my eyes off Bliss. The woman begins to tap her foot and Bliss sighs in exasperation.

  “This is Carson, Mother. Carson, this is my mother, Margaret Meyer.”

  I suppress a wince. Should have realized. I need to get out of here and fast. Breaking my gaze from Bliss, I put my hand out to shake Margaret’s. The scowl is still on her face until she looks down and notices my watch. I quickly pull away, but it’s too late. She’s already seen it.

  Shit!

  “Carson, such a pleasure to meet you. How do you know Bliss?” Her voice is devious. She sounds like my mother.

  Please don’t recognize me.

  “We met through a mutual friend.”

  “And what brings you to Bordentown? Vacation?”

  “No, I live here.”

  An instant look of disgust crosses her face, and I’m relieved I won’t be the focus of her attention any longer.

  Bliss grabs two glasses of champagne from the nearest waiter and pushes one into my hand. I take a sip, trying to find a way out of this conversation.

  “Bliss! Carson! Come take a picture,” Grant yells from across the room. He’s holding a little girl’s hand. She’s adorable in her little white dress and flower crown.

  “Sorry, Mother. We’ll be right back.” Bliss grabs her flowers and leads me over. A sigh of relief escapes me as we make our way over to the rest of the bridal party.

  “Thank you,” I say to Grant.

  He pats me on the back and turns to his wife.

  “Want to take a walk?” I ask, leading Bliss into the adjacent room.

  She gives me a coy smile, but follows.

  As soon as the door is closed, I press her up against the wall and slam my lips down on hers. The scent of her travels all the way down to my cock. We devour each other. My tongue flicks out to caress the seam of her lips, begging for entrance. She parts her lips and I slip in, my tongue gliding against hers.

  She moans into my mouth and wraps her hands around my neck, pulling me closer. I drop my hands to her waist, grinding into her. The fabric between us becomes increasingly annoying.

  Breaking the kiss, she says, “We can’t do this here. It’s my brother’s wedding.”

  I lean my forehead against hers and blow out a strained breath.

  “You’re right.” I lean down and pick up the discarded bouquet from the floor, handing it to her. “But when this is over, you’re mine.”

  She twists her hand in mine and disappears into the crowd toward the reception area. This is going to be the worst five hours of my life.

  It’s around midnight by the time we reach her room. The night was special. We danced, we drank and ate. If I wasn’t a guy, I’d be calling it a fairytale.

  “Why isn’t this keycard opening the door?” I ask, trying for the third time.

  “Because you have it upside down.” She giggles as she takes it from me. The second the door clicks open, I pull her into the room.

  She kisses me as soon as the door shuts, and all rational thought vanishes. I was going to
talk to her about something, but right now I can’t remember what.

  “Take your suit off. I want to taste you again,” she breathes out.

  Desire rushes through me, and I immediately respond. My suit jacket lands on the back of the couch. As I loosen my bowtie, she unzips her dress, letting it pool at her feet, revealing only a strapless black lace bra and matching thong.

  My mouth waters. I take a step toward her, but she takes a step back, shaking her head. I begin to unbutton my shirt. My fingers aren’t fast enough.

  “Take down your hair. I want to run my fingers through it while I fuck you.”

  Her eyes widen with lust for a moment, but she does what I say and removes the pins, letting her hair tumble down her back.

  We stand before each other in only our underwear, and the anticipation of touching her becomes too great. In two strides, I’m on her, lips exploring her throat, hands wrapping around her small waist.

  She grabs my hair and holds my head back for a moment as she looks into my eyes. “I wish this could last forever,” she whispers before kissing me with everything I’ve always wanted.

  It’s ravishing and sad at the same time. There’s a nagging feeling at the back of my brain, but I can only concentrate on Bliss’s hands as they roam my body, reaching for the hem of my boxers.

  “It’s going to be fast and hard. The second time, I’ll take it slow, but after five hours of staring at you in that dress, I need to be buried inside of you.”

  “Yes, sir.” She takes off to the bedroom, and I let out a growl as I follow her. I liked hearing that a little too much.

  She crawls on the bed, exposing her ass to me, the fabric of her thong barely hiding her delicate flesh. I run my hands up her thighs before she can lie down settling on her hips and dragging her back to me.

  I slowly take off her panties, kissing her hot flesh as they fall to her knees. She moans when I bite her ass and gives it a little slap at the same time. I’m wild with need.

  “I’m going to fuck you now.”

  I get on the bed and spring my aching cock from my briefs. My hand goes right to her core, and I slowly stroke up. A moan bursts from her, and she leans back into me.