by Amy Brent
Tears formed in my eyes before my lips lunged for his. Wesley’s arms cloaked my back, pulled me deep into him before his hand reached down for the covers. My body was shivering with excitement at the prospect that he wanted the same. He wanted me at his side, just like I wanted him.
I felt the covers descend over my body, wrapping the two of us together just as the kiss stopped. My eyes fluttered shut, my ability to keep them open any longer coming to an end. For the first time in my life, I felt safe. Secure. I knew I’d wake up to the beautiful sun streaming through the windows, and I knew Wesley would be there in my arms.
I knew I wouldn’t wake up alone, and in the end, that was all I’d ever wanted.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Wesley
It didn’t take long for me to realize I hadn’t seen much of Olivia. Between her working during the days and me working during the evenings, it didn’t give us much time to cross paths. Mornings when my arms were empty left me feeling downtrodden and disappointed, and I couldn’t help feeling as if I was missing out on something.
Olivia and I had gotten into a nice rhythm, but I wanted more. I got to sink myself into her every chance I got, but it still wasn’t enough. Our sexual escapades in various places continued with us almost getting caught on the beach, but the moment we stumbled into the house, I pressed her bare back to the glass and fucked her until she cried out for mercy. Every date we went on ended with her mouth around my cock in a bathroom, but my favorite escapade was the night we spent on the roof of her condo with my head between her legs as she moaned out toward the stars.
But still, those empty mornings without her by my side made my heart ache.
So, I’d asked her to move in. A couple of weeks after things settled with Destiny, I popped the question. I took her out for lunch after devouring her for breakfast, and I asked her if she wanted to move in with me. At first, she was hesitant. Olivia was within walking distance of her office, but with a little convincing and a few whispered promises in her ear, she was moving her stuff in that night.
But now, six months later, even though I woke up with her in her arms, I still felt like it wasn’t enough.
I wracked my brain for weeks. I slid my cock into her every time I could, I asked Chad for advice whenever I was at work, and I spent every waking hour I had around her. On my days off, I visited her at work. I’d play with her pussy between clients and press her against her office desk while her infamous software was running, but as the mornings passed, I felt that same, empty feeling settle in the pit of my stomach.
Until I passed by a jewelry store.
The front of the store was advertising all the specials they had going on for the holidays. Winter had settled in the Malibu area, and the tourists had all gone home. There was a cool, crisp bite in the air that had scared us off the beach. Gone were the nights where we made love in the sand, and in its place were other risky outlets for our debauched pleasures.
But as I stood at the window, looking at the beautiful display of rings, I realized what I was missing.
I walked into the store and began to browse. Diamonds and stones of all colors, shapes, and sizes jumped out at me. Bands with different designs and stones with different settings twinkled in my eyes. Even with me loving all the sex we had, even with the sex being as risky and rewarding as it was, there was still something I wanted even more.
Olivia’s presence in my life, her permanence.
My heart hammered as I shooed all the store clerks away. I didn’t need their help with the latest fashions or designs. I didn’t need their advice on colors or engravings to go inside the band. I didn’t even need their help in figuring out whether this was something I wanted to do.
I knew the moment I came across the store that this was what was missing. I knew the moment I laid eyes on those rings that I wanted to get one for Olivia.
I knew the moment my eyes landed on that one ring that I would ask her to marry me.
The band itself was gold. It sparkled, just like the fading tan of her sun-kissed skin. The yellow diamond twinkled like the sparkle in her eye, but it was the chocolate diamonds that peppered down both sides of the band that caught my eye. It reminded me of the thick, luscious tendrils my hair fisted every single night. It reminded me of the dark passion that burned behind her eyes. It reminded me of the dark place I had once been in until she came traipsing back into my life.
Until she came traipsing into that cabana.
I had no idea what her ring size was, but I didn’t care. I knew I could get it resized if it was too big or too small, so I went with the size that was one tick higher than I thought her size would be. I watched the jeweler put the ring in the velvet box, but I waved the bag away, opting to stick the ring in my pocket. I knew exactly how I was going to propose to my Olivia.
And I was going to do it tonight.
I purchased the ring and thanked the man for it before I rushed home to get ready. Olivia was going to be off work in two hours, and I wanted to make sure this was special. I hopped in the shower and washed myself down, grooming my hair before I dried off. For once, the sex wasn’t going to be the punctuation of my evening. For once, I wasn’t drooling over tasting the luscious silken fluids in between Olivia’s legs.
Now, the only thing I could envision was one word dripping from her lips.
I pulled a nice pair of slacks up my legs before I pulled on an undershirt. I draped a linen shirt over it, the sheer fabric brushing against my skin. Then, I set off for my car. I was going to pick Olivia up straight from work, no questions asked. I didn’t want to give her a second to step into our home and get tired. I didn’t want to risk her taking a nap halfway through her getting ready.
I wanted to ask her while she still had the energy of the day coursing through her system.
When I saw Olivia walk out of her building, I honked. Her eyes lit up at the surprise, and she ran across the road. As she approached the car, I rolled the window down. She thrust her lips upon mine, her fingers running through my hair, but as she pulled back, I could see the questions rolling behind her eyes.
“Get in,” I said. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“Where are we going?” she asked. “I thought we weren’t celebrating our six-month anniversary until this weekend.”
“Just sit back and relax.”
I settled my hand onto her leg, but anxious energy jiggled her leg and gave her nervousness away. I tried to massage her muscles, getting her beautiful body to relax in the car, but she was too excited to calm down. I smiled, feeling her body wiggle underneath my fingertips, and I thought about playing with her pussy. I thought about what her body would be like, spread open for my own viewing pleasure while I was speeding us down the highway. That was one thing we had yet to do together, but I swallowed hard to try and rid my mind of the lustful images.
There was something more important I wanted to do tonight.
By the time we got to the place on the coast I wanted to be, the sun was already setting below the trees. The stars began to twinkle and dance above our heads, and Olivia was nodding off. I pulled the car to a stop as Olivia’s head shot up, and before she could say anything, I was out the door and trotting around over to her side.
“Come with me,” I said as I offered my hand.
I dragged her onto the beach where the waves lapped up on the shore. The ocean barreled out its cold symphony, washing over us a cool breeze you could only feel on the water. Olivia wrapped her hands around her chest and shivered with the coolness of the night, but she wasn’t shivering for long before her body locked up in shock.
I pulled out the ring box and dipped to one knee. Immediately, Olivia’s jaw swung toward the ground.
“Olivia Hart, the first time I laid eyes on you was when I was fifteen years old. I was a horny high school boy who thought I could do you a favor by getting into your pants, but in the process, you taught me a valuable lesson. You taught me I was capable of lo
ving someone, even though I hadn’t felt loved. You showed me I had the ability to care for someone when I didn’t feel cared for. You exposed to me the raw truth I’d been hiding from, all my life up until that point. You exposed the fact that it was all right to be vulnerable, as long as it was with the right people.”
Olivia’s hands slowly encased her mouth, and tears brewed behind her eyes. I had to swallow hard, choking back tears of my own, before I could continue with the speech I’d prepped in my head on the drive over.
“And then, you barreled into that tent,” I said. “You came in there with your beautiful eyes and your naked smile, and in an instant, every single thing I thought I’d let go came crashing back down around me. You sucked me in, mind, body, and soul, and from that first night we were together, I knew I wouldn’t be able to kick you. In high school, you were a habit. A habit I had to get rid of. But now? You’re my life support. My breath. The thing that keeps me waking up in the morning. You’re the physical token of why I strive to be better every single day, and I can’t spend another second of my life thinking you might not be in it. I was empty. Hurt. Gasping for air until I met you. Until I re-met you. Olivia Hart, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, so I never have to choke on the stale air of my own destruction ever again?”
I watched as tears flowed down Olivia’s cheeks. I knelt there in the cold sand, waiting for her to say something. My eyes pleaded with her while her watery gaze continued to leak tears over her skin, and then, her head moved in the direction I wanted it to move.
Followed by the one word I wanted so desperately to hear.
“Yes,” she said, nodding.
“You will?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Yes. I will marry you, Wesley Fox.”
I sprung up from my knee and wrapped my arms around her. I picked her up and swung her around in the sand, feeling her tears of joy trickle onto my skin. Setting her down, I took her trembling hand and eased the ring onto her finger.
When I realized it fit perfectly, I smiled broadly before her free hand raised up to cup my cheek.
“Wesley Fox, you were the first boy I ever loved. There was no one else in this world I was with who ever measured up. Every person, I left behind. I left because there was something about them that didn’t reflect something from you. Whether it was something they didn’t have or whether they had a bit too much, somehow it always linked back to you. Every decision I made with friends, boyfriends, and family were all made with you in mind. And I didn’t realize it until I saw you in that cabana. Until I felt your skin against mine in that shack. Until I felt your emotions collide with mine the first time we made love on that beach. I will marry you, Wesley Fox, but know this. There is nothing in this world that could ever rip me from you again. Not even yourself.”
My eyes lined with tears, and my arms slipped around her waist. I pulled her body close, feeling her tremble against me as my lips slowly lowered to hers. She ran her hands through my hair, feeling confident and sure of my love, and I could finally feel safe and secure in the arms of a woman who truly loved me. In her arms.
***The End***
Turn the page for an exclusive unpublished short story ‘Christmas with Boss Brothers.’
Christmas with Boss Brothers
Chapter One
Monsters, giant cats and vampires spin around me as I rush from table to table during the last hour of my day shift at Kennedy’s, the newest and therefore busiest restaurant in an already fast paced city.
I bump into an evil fairy and groan. I’ve already had to wipe fake blood off of my white apron before it stained, and still I look like I had an accident with a kitchen knife.
“Don’t bother.” Charlie, bartender and my favorite coworker, says as I reach for a napkin on the bar counter. “It’s Halloween, a bit of fake blood isn’t going to hurt.”
“A bit of fake blood is going to stain.” I argue and thank him as he dips the end of a napkin in a glass of water. “And you know David would take a new apron out of my paycheck. Cheap ass.” I mutter and finish wiping it off. Charlie fixes his long dark ponytail and shakes his head.
I continue my rounds like a robot, laughing politely when appropriate and focusing only on my assigned tables. It’s one of those lucky nights where my shift ends before any of my tables are finished eating, and I’ll be able to pass them over to my best friend and least favorite coworker Camila when she clocks in.
“Remy, no costume?” Scott Picton, my regular, comments when I get him and his friends their beer. “You could throw those curves in anything and make some extra money on the side.” Scott runs a hand across his much too small chin and raises an eyebrow.
“You’re disgusting.” I look him in the eye and gesture at the table full of guys in tattered clothing and cheap makeup. “And zombies are overrated, sweetie.”
They take their turn ordering, throwing a few casual remarks about Scott’s disastrous flirting.
“Number eight, no mustard.” Scott says and asks me what I’m doing after my shift.
“Nothing with you.” I respond sweetly. His friends make a commotion as I take their menus.
“One of those days I’ll get that sweet caramel skin in my bed sheets.” Scott says.
“Bet it tastes like burnt sugar, huh?” Another one of the guys makes a grab for my hips and I sway from his touch. I saunter back to put their order in.
“Don’t know how you do it.” Charlie says as he gets a platter ready of cocktails and shots. “Every day these assholes eat you up with their eyes. Even after watching you reject all of them they just keep coming back for more.”
“College ain’t going to pay for itself, Charlie.” I take the platter on one hand and deliver it to my next table full of even more drunk guys competing for my attention. Half the time their eyes are concentrated on my breasts and the deep cleavage my tight satin shirt reveals, and the rest of the time I catch them fixated on my behind as I walk away.
A year and two months ago, when I first changed into my uniform for the first time, I had been conscious of it being too tight and constricting these bigger curves, not too mention taming my corkscrew curls that I’ve wasted thousands of dollars of product learning how to manage. Amazingly, throwing my hair into a bun on the top of my head and wearing tight clothes got me not only unwanted attention, but some very wanted cash tips.
The last hour of my shift flies by and I introduce my tables to Camila. They’re notably disappointed when her tiny frame and thick spanish accent offers to refill their drinks, but as the clock on the wall behind the bar chimes in a new hour I only care about the tip she’ll end up splitting with me.
My apron comes off and I grab my purse, waving goodbye and leaving before someone inevitably calls my name. Camila had asked about my Halloween plans and why I’m in such a hurry to leave and as Scott made a fuss about his burger I managed to slip away unnoticed. I couldn’t tell her I had plans, she would call me out on that lie in an instant, but I didn’t feel like telling her the truth. Tonight is the first night I’ve had off in a month, and I have a hot date waiting for me in my tiny studio apartment. Boxed wine, pajamas, and the newest release of my favorite romance novelist.
I walk up the busy road that Kennedy’s is on, ignoring cat calls and avoiding running into groups of costumed characters migrating to their next party. I’m across the street from the subway station when my phone rings.
I consider waiting until I’m home to even look at it, but my dad has been overseas for business for a while and I haven’t talked to him in over a week. I step into a quieter alleyway and unlock my phone, groaning when my boss’s name flickers across the screen.
“David.” I answer. “If Scott complained about Camila tell him I have a life and can’t be there to please him twenty four seven.”
“What? No, Remy, Scott just left. I need you to come back for a double though.” There’s shouting in the background and David yells at the kitchen to be quiet.<
br />
“A double? I just worked an 8 to 7, some people might consider that a double.” I argue.
“I just got off the phone with one of the Kennedy’s. They’re in town for the next few weeks scoping out a new building. You’re the best front of house we got, I need you here until close today while I clean the office.”
The light to cross the street turns green, and I shuffle on my feet and envision myself lounging on the couch in pajamas with the boxed wine at my feet. But then the bills on the nearby dining table come into focus and I remember how much tuition for the semester I still owe and turn back down the street towards Kennedy’s.
“Pay and a half?” I ask.
“Pay and a half.” David confirms.
We hang up and I drag myself back to work, cursing these spoiled ass rich owners and praying we never cross paths.
Chapter Two
Camila warned me the entitled drunks are feeling even more bold tonight behind masks, but I didn’t believe her until dealing with it myself. She keeps my tables as I’m the evening’s Host, but I help out where I can in between greeting customers. They’re loud and obnoxious as they whistle for my attention and ask how naughty I’ve been lately, but I brush their remarks off with ease.
