I shook my head and cleared my throat. Talking about Dad made the seriousness of this begin to sink in. “No. The last few months, he was in a nursing home. He couldn’t walk, talk, or even eat. It progresses slowly, but you can’t underestimate how hard those final few years will be, Wrenn. If I have this…you will watch me slowly slip away. I’ll need help with everything, from eating to bathing…” My voice trailed off as I struggled to contain my emotions. This was as honest as I’d ever been with myself about the disease, and the thought of her seeing me like that…
Fuck, I’d kill myself before putting her through that.
I don’t want to think about this right now. I need her. If she can’t be with me, then I’ll deal with that, but right now I need her.
“Can we forget about this, Wrenn? Just for tonight? I want one night with you where I don’t have to worry about hurting you. I know that’s a lot to ask, but if I have to let you go, I really need this.”
She nodded and squeezed my hand. “Can you take me home tomorrow? I’ll tell Kass she can go.”
I nodded and leaned over to kiss her, my mouth brushing past her soft lips. I pulled away and stared at her, wanting to memorize every little detail of her face. She brought her hand up to my neck and pulled me to her, our lips connecting again, this time in a slow, intense kiss that took my breath away.
“Will you sleep with me?” she asked, her voice anxious. “I just want your arms holding me. I’ve never felt as safe as I do when I’m in your embrace.”
I nodded and let her lead me upstairs.
We entered a bedroom. A mirror hung on the wall, and a small chest of drawers stood in the corner. We walked over to the large bed under the window. Curving my arms under her thighs and around her back, I lifted her onto the bed, pulling the covers over her. Then I climbed in, wrapping her in my arms. I stroked her arm tenderly. This disease…it had the ability to rob me of the simplest indulgences, like holding the woman I loved close to me. I stroked her arm until she fell asleep, then listened to the sound of her chest rising and falling.
I’d avoided falling in love for this very reason. This fucked up disease had ruined my family. How could I drag someone I loved into that world? At least the test would give me closure. I’d know. One way or the other, I would know for sure, and Wrenn would have all the facts. She deserved to know everything, because this would affect her whole life. Even having kids was an issue…but at least there were tests nowadays and ways to eradicate the disease being passed on. My head rested against hers. I closed my eyes, listening to her breathe.
If these are my final few moments with her, then I want to remember them forever.
***
Rolling over, I wrapped my arm around Wrenn’s waist. Only she wasn’t there. I sat up in shock, the stark morning sunshine almost blinding me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket.
It was after eleven. How had I slept so late? And where was Wrenn?
I climbed out of bed, adjusting my jeans. Walking out into the hall, I glanced each way, looking for a sign of Wrenn. Making my way down to the kitchen, I called out her name. No answer.
Why the fuck did this place look so familiar? I was sure I’d been here before. I walked outside and down the steps into the backyard. A cobblestone path led through the manicured lawn, around the back of a large garage.
“Wrenn?” I called out.
I heard her voice faintly in the distance. Walking towards it, what looked like a cubby house came into view from behind a cluster of bushes. I breathed in the salty air, something you can only experience near the ocean. I loved it out here.
“Where are you?” I called out.
“In here.” Her muffled voice was coming from inside the cubby house. I leaned down and stepped through the doorway. My breath caught in my throat as memories began flooding back.
Wrenn and I.
We had met before. This hideous pink cubby house, that’s why this place felt so familiar. Eleven years ago, in this very place, she had made me realize that I needed to live my life. All these years later, we had found our way back to each other.
“What is it?” she asked, alarmed.
I shook my head, not sure what to say, or how to say it. “I’ve been here before, Wrenn. We’ve met before. That first day in school I knew you. You were so familiar to me, but I just couldn’t place you. I assumed it was just from class, but it wasn’t. You remember telling me that my mom probably knew your mom? Well, they did! We met at a party. You would’ve been about seven, and I was twelve.”
She shook her head, looking at me like I was crazy, and laughed. Yes, I sounded insane, and that was okay because this was fucking unbelievable. What were the odds? I mean, considering our connection with Layna, it wasn’t that farfetched, but for this woman I was in love with to be the same girl who’d changed my outlook all those years ago…I was stunned.
“You don’t remember me at all, do you?” I chuckled.
“No, sorry. You obviously left a lasting impression on me,” she joked.
I walked over to her and took her hand, kneeling down in front of her. She parted her legs, allowing me between them. I hugged her body, my lips nuzzling the nape of her neck.
“You did exactly that with me,” I said softly. “Not in a creepy way. You just spelled it out to me, so innocently, that I was wasting my life waiting to get sick.”
Wrenn looked puzzled. “How did I know you were going to get sick?”
“We came out here to get away from our parents. They were talking about me, and Dad’s illness. You looked up at me and said, ‘So what? We’re all going to get sick.’” I smiled, squeezing her hand. “You said something nobody had ever bothered to say. You made me realize that just because I might get sick one day, it didn’t make me special. Or different.”
“Wow,” she mumbled, furrowing her brows together. “That’s pretty incredible, huh?”
“No,” I replied, kissing her lips. “You’re pretty incredible.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Dalton
I collapsed into bed late Sunday night, too tired to bother showering, or even undressing. I was exhausted.
I’d barely gotten any sleep the night before. I’d spent most of it lying in bed with Wrenn curled up in my arms, watching her sleep. I loved the way her lip twitched, and how every few minutes she’d sigh. It was like I couldn’t let myself fall asleep because I wanted to remember every second with her.
Now we were back on campus, back to reality. It was ironic that being back in the real world meant going back to pretending to be I was something I wasn’t. We only had to get through one more week, and then things would be easier. I still didn’t know how we were going to break the news to Layna—or even if there was any news to break. Wrenn had a lot of thinking to do, and I didn’t want to assume she would decide to be with me just because of last night.
***
The following afternoon, I was sitting in the teacher’s lounge when Layna came in. “Dalton, can I see you for a moment. In my office?”
I nodded, eyeing her expression. She wouldn’t meet my eyes.
God, she knows. Fuck.
I followed her into her office, all the classic signs of a panic attack beginning to manifest inside me: the shaking hands, the rapid heartbeat, and the pit in my stomach. I took a seat at her desk, trying to hide my shaking hands by positioning them under my thighs.
What was my best move here? Wait for the accusations to begin, or get everything on the table now, first?
“Dalton, there’s no easy way to say this . . . ” She sighed as she sat down, her hands clenched together on her desk. “There has been an accusation made against you.”
“An accusation?” I repeated, shocked. My mind wandered to Wrenn. There was no way in hell . . . would she? I mean, she was confused about us right now, but she would never do that.
“A student has made a claim against you . . . ” She stopped and took a breath. “Gosh, I don’t even know how to phrase this. H
ave you had any inappropriate dealings with Paige Warner?”
“Paige?” I almost shouted. Part of me felt relief. The rest of me wondered what the fuck Paige had told her. “Never. I’ve never even been alone with her, other than a minute or two before or after class. What is she saying I did?”
“Ms. Warner is saying that you asked her to your room last night. She claims that you forced yourself on her.”
“She told you that I raped her?” I said, incredulous.
What the fuck? Last night I had been with Wrenn, fifty miles from this place. I’d worked myself up so much expecting this to be about Wrenn that my body was in panic mode. It was Paige’s word against mine, and the only way to clear my name would be to admit my relationship with Wrenn.
Fuck. Once these things got out, it didn’t matter if I was innocent or not, my career would be in the shitter.
“She said that you intimidated her into having sex with you. She is not saying you raped her, but she is saying she felt she couldn’t say no, given your position.”
“And that’s not rape?” I asked sarcastically. “What happens now?”
“I need to notify the school board and let them know. Then I will have to inform the police.”
Holy shit.
This was crazy. I had no idea what the fuck was going through that girl’s head. Why the hell would she make up such lies? Was this all because I shot down her advances?
“Dalton, if this isn’t true, we will get to the bottom of it.” Layna looked at me sympathetically.
“Right, because an indecent assault investigation will have no influence on my future employment prospects at all,” I growled. I felt bad for snapping at Layna. She was just doing her job. “I’m sorry. I understand that you’re in a difficult position.”
She smiled at me and nodded. “We will sort this out, Dalton. Try not to worry. In the meantime, I’m going to have to suspend you. It might be an idea for you to stay off campus for a few days while the police complete their investigation.”
I nodded curtly, and stood up. “If that’s all, I will go and collect some of my things.”
***
“She what?” Wrenn squeaked. Her reaction was the same as mine: horrified and angry. “What the . . . I mean, you were with me . . . oh, that bitch.”
“What?” I said, balancing the phone on my shoulder as I packed my bag.
“That little slut! I know exactly what her game is, Dalton. She doesn’t want to rat on us, so the next best thing is to make us expose ourselves.”
Holy shit, Wrenn was right.
Paige knew the only way for me to truly clear my name was to admit my affair with Wrenn. She knew I was with Wrenn the night before. How, I don’t know, but it all made sense: she was so threatened by Wrenn that she would do anything to destroy her—and me, it seemed.
“I can’t believe it,” I muttered.
“So what now? You just leave?”
“I can’t just leave, I’m under police investigation. The school is putting me up in a hotel for a few nights,” I replied glumly.
“Which hotel?” she asked.
“Wrenn, that is such a bad idea . . . ”
“I know. But not seeing you will be torture,” she muttered.
“Does that mean you forgive me?” I asked, holding my breath.
“I forgive you. I mean, I understand why you didn’t tell me, and it doesn’t change how I feel about you…” her voice trailed off.
“But?” I prodded gently.
“I need to think. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you. Even though we can’t, anyway.”
“We can see each other, just not there. Maybe speak to Kass and see if she has any ideas on where we could meet?”
“Good idea. I’ll talk to her today,” Wrenn replied. “I better go. Layna just got home. Text me later?”
“Okay. Bye.” I hung up, still reeling over what had happened. Though I knew I’d done nothing wrong where Paige was concerned, I couldn’t see this ending well.
***
The motel on the edge of town was dark and seedy, and apparently all the school thought I was worth. The stained sheets made the bed look uninviting, and the scratching sound of cockroaches digging around on the floor made my stomach turn. I texted Wrenn to let her know I was okay. There was no point letting her know how bad this place was; I was already worried she was going to come clean to Layna. I didn’t need to give her more reason to.
I couldn’t stay there. Grabbing my bag, I exited the motel room, slamming the door shut behind me. I’d rather sleep in my car than in that shithole. I threw my bag in the back and slid into the drivers seat. I searched on my phone for a hotel in Hollisbrook. I’d stay one night there and then go to Mom’s. If the police wanted to speak to me, they could do so there.
After booking a room and going inside, I threw my bag down on the floor and collapsed onto the bed. How the hell did things get this fucked up? I dreaded what the police were going to ask me. Had I been inappropriate with a student at the school? Well technically, yes, but it’s not what you think! Yeah right, that was going to go down well.
***
What the hell was that?
It was pitch black. It took me a moment to remember where I was and why I was there. I fumbled blindly for a bedside lamp. My fingers grasped the cord. Light filled the room.
Bang, bang, bang.
I jumped up and headed for the door. Wrenn stood there, frowning at me. She ducked inside and shut the door.
“You look like shit,” she observed.
“Thanks.” I rubbed my aching head. “How did you know I was here?” I croaked.
She gave me a strange look. “You messaged me.” She leaned over, and for a second I thought she was going to kiss me. “Have you been drinking?”
Had I? I glanced over at the minibar, and the several empty bottles that lay scattered over the counter. Well, that explained a few things.
She walked over to them and disposed of the empty bottles in the garbage. Next, she took the coffee pot and half-filled it with water, then coffee, before plugging it in. In the back of my mind stuck the words ‘memory loss.’ Like every other time any possible symptom surfaced, the question raced through my mind: was this the beginning? Did I have it?
Even a few weeks ago, the phone slipping out of my grasp at Wrenn’s. I’d gotten out of there so fast after that.
“I’m going to tell Layna everything,” Wrenn announced.
“Wrenn, don’t—”
“Do you have a better idea?” she asked, spinning around, her eyebrows raised.
I shut my mouth. No, I didn’t. I sank onto the bed and sighed. Wrenn sat next to me and reached for my hand. She was so warm. How did she do that?
“Look, she’ll be angry, but whatever she does it has to be better than the alternative, right? As soon as the police start questioning you, our secret is going to come out.” The coffee maker boiled. She stood up and filled two cups with coffee and cream.
“Thanks,” I muttered, taking the coffee from her outstretched hand. “I’m going to stay at Mom’s for a few days. I can’t stay here, staring at there walls. It’s driving me crazy.
“So I won’t see you?”
“I’ll give it a few days and see where this goes. Hopefully I’ll be back before you even start missing me,” I said. I set the coffee down and reached for her hand, pulling her onto my lap.
She sat, straddling me, my arms around her waist. Even a few days away from her was too long, but I couldn’t stay where I was.
“I already miss you,” she mumbled, frowning.
I kissed the tip of her nose and rested my forehead against hers.
“I can barely get through a few hours without you, Dalton.” Her voice cracked as she closed her eyes, refusing to look at me.
Gently I lifted her chin, my lips pressing against hers. As we kissed, arousal began to build inside me. I slipped my hand under her sweater, running my fingers along the curve of her spine. She
sighed as my lips found her neck.
Her fingers closing around the hem of her sweater, she lifted it over her head. God, she was so fucking sexy. I kissed hers breasts around the cup of her lacy black bra, pulling it down to expose her soft skin. My mouth fondled her nipple until it sat erect.
“I want you so fucking bad, Wrenn.”
She kissed me and then stood up, wiggling out of her jeans. Pushing me back on the bed, she reached for my belt, unbuckling both it and my pants. I lifted my hips, letting her pull them down, along with my boxers, until they pooled in a pile on the floor. My cock ached for her as she kneeled down. Taking the tip in her mouth, she began to suck.
Oh lord. Fuck yes. Her tongue ran along the length of me as her soft lips worked my cock. My hands found her head, my fingers raking through her long, silky hair. There was something incredibly erotic about watching her as she sucked, her eyes firmly on me, like she knew the power she had over me.
“Come here,” I panted, reaching for my wallet. I pulled out a condom and rolled it over my erection. Taking her hand, I helped her onto the bed, lowering her onto my length. She groaned as I slid inside her, grinding against me as I rocked her back and forth.
My fingers roamed up her bare waist, running over her breasts, squeezing them in my hands, then back down, clutching onto her hips, thrusting myself deeper inside of her.
“Oh God, yes,” she gasped. She bent over me, her breasts spilling in my face as she rode my length. I curled my tongue around her nipple and sucked hard, making her scream out. “I’m going to come. Oh God, yes!” she cried as I rocked her faster.
Oh God, what this woman did to me.
I gasped as I released, her nails digging into the skin on my chest, the pain nonexistent in the midst of the orgasm I was experiencing. She drove me crazy and pressed every single button, sending everything about me into overdrive.
She collapsed beside me on the bed, panting heavily. I rolled over and spooned her, exhausted and content. I knew she couldn’t stay, but even a few minutes with her in my arms was worth everything.
Always You Page 14
