The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4)

by Kristen Proby

  “I’m right here.”

  I let one finger slip down into her wet folds and watch as she tosses her head back, her eyes close, and she moans long and loud.

  “This, Riley? Right here? This is mine, sweetheart.”

  “Oh yeah,” she groans, and tilts her pelvis up for more. I circle her clit with my fingertip, then dive back down into her, spreading her delicious wetness all around.

  “I can’t get enough of your body.” I lick her now, from anus to clit and she fists her hands in the covers at her hips. “I can’t fucking get enough of making you laugh.”

  I reach up and tweak one nipple and she yelps.

  “I never get tired of talking with you, hearing your thoughts on everything and anything.”

  I suck on her clit, sending her into the stratosphere, and I’m so fucking hard, my cock is pulsing against the fly of my jeans.

  “I want you, Riley. I never stop wanting you. That’s just it.”

  I free my cock and slip inside her, making us both moan in relief and pent-up lust.

  “This is the most satisfying and addictive thing I’ve ever known. You.”

  My hips are moving fast, pumping in and out of her. I’m full of frustration and lust. I need her to see. To understand.

  “This is us, Riley, you and me, and no one else. No one else exists for me. Do you understand that?”

  “I do now,” she says breathlessly, and grips onto my hair, wrapping her legs around my waist. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

  “Just don’t do it again,” I reply, and reach down to grab her ass, tilting her up so I can sink farther into her, grinding against her, and making us both see stars. The orgasm moves fast down my spine and through me, and the next thing I know, we’re tangled up together in my bed, trying to catch our breath.

  Finally, she shifts next to me and cups my cheek in her hand.

  “This wasn’t how I expected us to spend the day, but you’ll get no complaints from me.”

  “Good.” I smile and tuck her against me, kissing the crown of her head. “I need you to promise me something.”

  “Okay.”

  “If you have questions, ask me. I’ll never lie to you, Riley. We can’t have any doubts between us, especially if we’re going to make a go of this after I go back to L.A.”

  “You’re right,” she says as she traces patterns through the hair on my chest. “I promise to talk to you before I jump to conclusions.”

  “Thank you.”

  “What are you going to do about Angie?”

  “I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “There’s a whole group of guys who play with me, and know her as well as I do, but I’ll talk with them. I don’t want to kick her out of the group without giving them a heads-up.”

  She nods. “I don’t like feeling jealous. It’s new to me.”

  “You’re not normally a jealous woman?”

  “Not at all,” she says. “That’s something that used to bother some of the guys I dated. They’d try to play games with me, thinking I’d get jealous and go running back to them, but that doesn’t work on me. I guess I never cared enough about any of them to feel threatened or jealous.”

  “Why is it different now?”

  “It just is.” She’s quiet as she gathers her thoughts. “I’ll never be a crazy jealous person.”

  “Good, because that’s a lot of drama.”

  “Exactly. I don’t do well with drama. I don’t need or want it in my life. My mom was always a dramatic person, and it drove me nuts.”

  “Are you not close to her?”

  “Not really. I mean, it’s not like we don’t speak or anything, but we also don’t have Sunday dinners together. I see her a few times a year.”

  I nod, loving that I continue to learn more and more about her.

  I’ve fallen in love with her.

  “You were mad,” she says, and smiles up at me. “That was interesting.”

  “Not at you,” I reply. “I was frustrated and pissed at Angie. I don’t know what her deal is, but she’s about to be very disappointed.”

  Riley sighs and nuzzles my chin with her nose. “I’m hungry.”

  “Me too. What do you want me to feed you?”

  “What do you have?”

  I take a quick mental inventory of the kitchen and wince. “Nothing that I could whip together into something edible.”

  She nods thoughtfully. “We could order in.”

  “Given our current state of undress, and that I don’t plan to let you get dressed again, that’s our only option.”

  “Should we order pizza again and I can shock the shit out of the delivery kid?”

  I narrow my eyes and growl. “No. No, we shouldn’t.”

  “Possessive much?”

  “Did you completely miss the last hour?” I ask, and bite her shoulder. “Perhaps I should go over it again.”

  She laughs and then moans when I suck her nipple into my mouth.

  “Oh yeah, I need a refresher course.”

  “I thought you were hungry?”

  “We’ll eat later.”

  Chapter Eleven

  ~Riley~

  “So, the film crew gets Veterans Day off?” Cami asks a few days later. We’re in the office, looking at our schedule for the next week.

  “Yep,” I reply with a shrug.

  “Are they all veterans?” Addie asks.

  “No, but the network will have to pay them double time because of their union if they work today, so they said no work today.”

  “Wow, it’s a good thing our people don’t have a union,” Cami says. “We pay them well as it is.”

  “It gives Mia a break in the kitchen,” I reply, and scan my planner. “She’s been filming every day, and then working through the evenings.”

  “She’s exhausted,” Addie says, shaking her head. “We’re going to have to have another intervention with her.”

  “The last one didn’t work,” I reply, feeling just as frustrated with Mia, and the crazy amount of hours she puts in. “Seduction is her life.”

  “Yes, it is,” Mia says as she walks through the door. “Stop talking about me. I’m fine. I’m not exhausted or burned out.”

  “Yet,” Cami says. “You need a break.”

  “Tell it to Riley.” Mia points at me and rolls her eyes. “She’s the one who has her boyfriend barking orders at me and making me whip up extra food for cameras all day. The rest of you just had to do interviews. I have to cook for them.”

  “I guess I didn’t consider that you’d have so much extra filming time,” I concede with a wince. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “It’s fine. They’ll be gone in a week, and I can have my normal life back.”

  Everyone’s quiet now, staring at me, and I look behind me as if there’s someone else standing there. “Why are you all staring at me?”

  “Because they’ll be gone in a week,” Cami says gently. “And that means Trevor will be gone too.”

  “I’m not thinking about it,” I reply. “Let’s look at the schedule for next week.”

  “Let’s talk about Trevor leaving,” Mia says instead. “Honestly, honey, are you okay?”

  No, I’m not fucking okay.

  But rather than fall apart in a tantrum, I smile and nod.

  “I’m going to be just fine. We’re not breaking up. Besides, we still have a week, so let’s not dwell on it yet. You can wipe my tears next week.”

  “Shit,” Mia says with a scowl. “There are going to be tears. I’m not particularly good with tears.”

  “And yet you’re so good at consoling us through them,” Addie says with a smile.

  We spend the next twenty minutes talking about the schedule with the filming crew next week, and then I walk out of the office, headed toward the bar so I can check in with Kat.

  “There you are!”

  “Nana?” I spin around, shocked to see my nana sitting at a nearby table with Trevor. She’s wearing her pearls, which I know
she only does when she’s on a fancy date.

  I hurry over and kiss Nana on the cheek and sit in the empty seat next to her, across from Trevor, who’s holding my gaze with happy green eyes.

  “What are you two up to?”

  “Well, this handsome gentleman caller asked me to join him for lunch. You know I couldn’t pass up that offer.”

  “Absolutely not,” I agree with a smile, and Trevor winks at me.

  “I haven’t been in here since you expanded,” Nana says as she takes it all in. “It’s truly beautiful, Riley.”

  “Thank you. Cami worked with a designer, so I can’t take any of the credit, but we are very proud of it.”

  “Honey,” Nana says as she covers my hand with hers, “I hope it doesn’t bother you that I made a move on your man. I promise, it’s strictly platonic.”

  I want to bust out laughing, and I can see that her eyes are full of humor as well, but I manage to keep a straight face, and shift my head side to side as if I’m giving it thought.

  “I guess that lunch isn’t a big deal.”

  “Exactly, dear, it’s only lunch. And I’m double his age.”

  “Age is a state of mind,” Trevor murmurs, still watching me through his sexier-than-hell glasses. “And you’re a joy to be with, Miss Dolores. I’m happy that you could join me on my day off.”

  I don’t even know what to say. He’s voluntarily hanging out with my nana on his day off.

  I mean, who does that?

  “I’ll let you get back to your date,” I say as I pat Nana’s hand. “I have a full day today.”

  “Okay, dear.”

  And just like that, I’ve been dismissed. My nana is hilarious. Trevor leans in to talk to her, listening intently as she tells him an animated story.

  I walk into the bar and look back, as if I still don’t quite believe what I just saw.

  “That’s pretty sweet,” Kat says as she joins me and wraps her arm around my shoulders. “Did you ask him to take her out today?”

  “No.” I shake my head, not able to look away as Trevor laughs at something Nana says, and then starts to relay his own funny anecdote. “I had no idea he was going to bring her here, or hang out with her at all, actually.”

  “Wow,” Kat says with a sigh. “It’s amazing how this guy is making an effort to connect with the person who means the most to you in the whole world.”

  When she says it like that, it brings tears to my eyes.

  “I’m falling in love with him,” I whisper, and brush a tear off my cheek. “Is that what you want me to say?”

  “Not to me,” she says, and kisses my cheek. “But I think you should say something to him sooner or later.”

  “Sooner or later,” I agree. “Come on, we have work to do.”

  “I had another bartender quit, so we need to talk about placing another damn ad,” she says as I take a seat at the bar. “Why can’t I keep people? You guys don’t have problems with staff in the restaurant.”

  “Maybe it’s harder with bartenders?” I ask. “Not to mention, there is a lot of information to remember here, with your extensive wine list. So not just anyone will do.”

  “I know. Let’s rework the wording of the ad, and I’ll put some feelers out for a sommelier that might need a job as well.”

  “That fancy word sounds like they’ll be expensive. Cami won’t be happy with that.”

  “Well, I’m not happy about hiring people who don’t have any experience and they quit in less than a month. That’s a waste of money.”

  “I agree. I’ve added it to my list.”

  I scribble more notes in my planner. I can’t help but wonder how things are going with Trevor and Nana, but I resolve to let them be, and concentrate on work. It’s good that the camera crew isn’t here today; it gives us all a chance to catch up and regroup.

  There will be time for Trevor later.

  It’s been one hell of a day.

  I feel like today was for me what that crappy Monday was for Trevor last week. The weekly-special ad in the newspaper was wrong, one of our waitstaff quit, and a customer threw up all over their table.

  Why would someone go out to eat when they know they have the flu? I mean, anniversary or not, that’s just common sense.

  So, rolling into the house at roughly eight in the evening isn’t a surprise at all. I called Trevor on the way home, and told him that I’d just go to bed tonight. I need some quiet, and although I love being with him, I also need to start getting used to not being with him.

  As I was reminded earlier today, he leaves next week.

  And that just makes me sad.

  My little house is dark and silent as I walk inside and hang my coat up along with my handbag and toss my keys in the bowl.

  My stomach growls.

  “Fucking hell, I’m hungry.” I sigh and rub my forehead. I forgot to eat before I left. But I was just ready to get out of there. I love our business fiercely, but today was one of those days when I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

  I hope I still have some ice cream in the freezer. That’ll have to be good enough for dinner. I know I don’t have anything to cook, even if I had the energy for it, which I don’t.

  I’m kind of pathetic.

  I hurry back to the bedroom and change my clothes, feeling better in some loose yoga pants, no bra, and an old T-shirt. I throw my hair up in a high ponytail and wander out to the kitchen to go through the small pile of mail on the countertop.

  Bill.

  Credit-card offer.

  Nordstorm flyer.

  And that’s about it.

  Well, that chore is done.

  I lean back on the counter and look around. Is it always this quiet here? Am I cold? Maybe a little. I should turn up the heat.

  I should eat something.

  Why am I so . . . lost?

  I’m pulling on my bottom lip, trying to decide what in the hell to do now, when my doorbell rings.

  And there on the other side of the door is Trevor, holding food boxes and a bouquet of flowers.

  “Hi,” he says with a smile. “I know you want a quiet night in, and I’m down for that too. I just didn’t want to be without you tonight. We have a limited number of nights left.”

  “Don’t remind me,” I reply, and step back to let him in.

  “Are you mad that I came when you told me not to?”

  I shake my head. “No. This is much better.”

  He sets everything on the kitchen counter and I immediately walk into his arms, hugging him tightly. His big hands brush up and down my back, making me want to purr.

  “Are you okay?”

  I bite my lip, not wanting to cry and not entirely sure why I feel the urge to cry.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Bad day?”

  “Shittiest day in a long time.” I sigh and kiss his chest, right over his heart, then press my ear there and listen to it thump and close my eyes when his arms tighten around me.

  “Have you eaten?”

  “No.”

  “Good. I brought Italian food.”

  “Carbs.” I grin and hug him even tighter. I love carbs.

  “I even brought tiramisu.”

  “You’re the best ever.”

  He chuckles and kisses the crown of my head.

  “And no Italian meal is complete without flowers.”

  “You’re very nice to me.” I tip my head back and look up into his green eyes. “And it’s appreciated.”

  “I know.” He kisses me lightly, then pulls away so he can start unloading the food that smells better than anything I’ve ever smelled.

  Don’t tell Mia.

  “Dessert in the fridge,” he murmurs, then pulls down plates and dishes us up.

  “Wait, it’s Wednesday night.”

  “It is,” he agrees.

  “Tonight is game night.”

  “Not tonight.” He shrugs and licks his thumb, and just like that, my mind immediately goes to sexy time. “I
told the guys I had plans, which I do, and I still need to decide how I’m going to handle the Angie situation. In the meantime, I’m going to spend as much time as I can with you.”

  “I like that plan.”

  I lead him to my couch and we both dig into our food. My chicken Parmesan is amazing.

  “Thanks for the food. I was starving.”

  “Why didn’t you eat at work?”

  “Today just sucked and I wanted to get out of there. And, I forgot.” I take another bite and sigh in happiness. “So good.”

  “So, what are we watching tonight? Vampires?”

  I smile and wrinkle my nose. “You don’t want to watch vampires.”

  “I don’t mind.” He shrugs one shoulder. “I’ll watch whatever you’re in the mood for. I’m surprised you didn’t go to Cami’s to watch your shows.”

  “We both had long days,” I reply, and take a bite of still-warm bread. “We had some work to catch up on since we had a break from filming.”

  “I’m sorry that this has added more work for you,” he says. “I didn’t want that.”

  “I know. It’s not forever, and we got a lot accomplished today.”

  “Well, you name it and we will watch it, m’lady.”

  “Okay, let’s watch some vampires.” I grin and turn on the television, then snuggle up next to him, still eating my food. “Before I forget, how’s Nana? I was pretty surprised to see you together.”

  “I like her,” he says. “She’s an interesting person, and I had a free day, so I thought we would both enjoy a day out.”

  “She loved it,” I reply. “She texted me and sent me a selfie.”

  “She had me help her put that selfie on her Facebook.”

  “Or, as she calls it, the Facebook.”

  “Yes.” He laughs and finishes his pasta, setting his plate aside. “She’s a hoot, and I’m glad you have her.”

  “Me too. Thank you.” I set my plate aside with his and curl into him while we watch television. It’s the perfect quiet evening.

  It’s amazing because we don’t really have to do anything and I feel so much better when he’s here than when he’s not. As soon as his arms fold around me, he calms me.

  I’ve never felt anything like it in my life.