Shadows: A Love Ever After Series

by Amber Lacie

  It doesn't take long to get to my parent’s. I wait as Theron comes around to open my door for me. I step out of the car and I can hear seagulls. It brings me hope for spring. My parents can't stand the birds and the mess they make, but it comes with living so close to Lake Michigan.

  My dad and Robert are unloading the last of my boxes into the garage. Theron walks over to give them a hand and I head inside the house.

  "I smell cookies." My stomach growls. How is this even possible after we just ate?

  "They are still warm, if you want one." Standing in the kitchen holding a large bowl, my mom licks icing off a spoon. It looks delicious so I grab a spoon and join her.

  "Mom, this is so good."

  "Thanks, sweetie. Did you check in with your dad and Robert?"

  "No, Theron went to see if he could help them though."

  "I wasn't aware he was coming."

  I look at my mom, not knowing what to say. She probably thinks I'm staying here with them. I don't know where I'm staying. Theron said we had to finish our conversation, but I was being a brat at lunch, so nothing was said.

  Dipping my spoon back in the frosting, I take another lick. It would be rude for me to talk with my mouth full. I hear the front door open and follow my mom into the living room. My dad and Robert are talking Theron's ear off. My dad spots me and pats the cushion next to him on the couch.

  "Evelyn, you didn’t tell me Theron likes baseball."

  "Oh, he's a Cubs fan so I knew you would approve." Leaning over, I give my dad a kiss on his cheek.

  "Theron, could I borrow you for a second. There are some boxes I need help with in my room."

  "Sure, babe, whatever you need." Following me into my bedroom, he sits on the bed as I close the door.

  "I don't actually need help." I walk over to Theron and stand between his legs. He slides his hands up the sides of my legs and rests them on my hips.

  "I figured as much. What are we doing in here, babe?" He looks up at me, the atmosphere changing as soon as I gaze into his gorgeous eyes. I need to touch him. Holding his face in my hands, I softly kiss his lips. His lips part and I sweep my tongue into his mouth. He tastes like heaven. Moving my hands to his shoulders, I push him back onto the bed. He wraps his hands in my hair, gently pulling. I moan into his mouth. Pulling back from our kiss, I maneuver myself so I'm straddling his hips. His hands reach up to grasp my waist as I circle my hips, grinding into him. I can feel his erection through his jeans. Circling my hips again, I make sure the friction hits my clit as I push down harder on him.

  "Babe…shit. We need to stop. I don't want to disrespect your parents like this."

  "I can't. I need to touch you." Bending down I kiss his lips, working my way over his jaw and up to his ear. I whisper, "I need to feel you." I gently give him a light nip, pulling his lobe between my teeth and he tries to stifle a moan. "I need you."

  "Not like this, beautiful. Let me take care of you." I sit up and he rolls me onto my back. He rolls my sweater up stopping just above my breasts. Pulling the cups down of my black satin bra, he trusses my breasts up into the air. He tugs on one of my nipples as he rolls it between his thumb and forefinger. A sharp hiss leaves my lips. He leans down and sucks my hard peak into his mouth as his fingers start their assault on my other breast. Releasing my nipple from his mouth with a pop, he moves onto the other one. One hand finds it way behind my head grasping the base of my neck, the other slides down my stomach. He undoes my button and pulls the zipper of my jeans down. Slipping his fingers into my panties, he spreads my lips, and I feel his fingers glide over my clit.

  "So, wet." Sitting up, he pulls his hands away from me. I whimper at the loss of touch. "Shh, Eve. I'll make this better for you, but you must be quiet. Can you do that?"

  "Yes." My voice is breathy and my pulse is racing.

  Standing over me, he pulls my shoes off. Grabbing the sides of my jeans he slides them off my body. He looks over me and steps back. I watch him walk to the door and lock it. "No visitors." He’s chewing his bottom lip as he approaches me. I want to be his lip. I squirm under his gaze. "Quiet, babe." I nod my head.

  Bending down, he grasps the front of my panties between his teeth. His fingers hook into the sides, sliding them down my body. I gasp as I feel his hands run up my legs. He kisses the inside of my thigh and I let out a soft whimper.

  He smacks one of my breasts. "Quiet." It stings for just a second, before it’s replaced with immense pleasure. He slides one finger into me. "God, babe, you’re dripping. Do you like that?" He smacks my other breast and again I feel a sting followed by pure pleasure. I bite my lip, trying not to make a sound. "Answer me."

  "Yes. Please, just touch me."

  Raising his eyebrows, he grins at me. "Yes, beautiful." His fingers spread me open and his tongue finds my clit. Sucking it into his mouth, he circles it with his tongue. My back arches and my hands grip his hair, pulling him down into me. Flattening his tongue, he licks me up my center to my hard nub. He slides two fingers into me and bites down on my clit before flicking it with his tongue. My body jerks from the sensation.

  Thrusting his fingers in and out of my pussy, he curls them up to hit my wall. I curl my toes and my body stiffens. I'm so close. Spreading my lips open with one hand, he slams into me with his other one. I lift my hips and push back into him. I need him deeper, harder. He raises his hand and smacks my clit. Pleasure seers through my body. My hands are fisting the sheets. I grab a pillow to bury my face in. I bite it to keep myself from screaming out in pleasure.

  "Let go, Eve. I want to feel you come." His fingers are raking against my wall and I let go. Warmth spreads up my body from my toes, my walls clench around Theron's fingers. Pulling them out, he laps at my juices. My body comes undone and he enjoys every last drop of it. My legs are shaking as he kisses the inside of my thighs.

  "Oh. My. God." I'm out of breath. I need a minute to regroup my body parts back into normal working order. Theron taps my foot and I look up at him.

  "There's my beautiful girl. We need to get you dressed." He slides my panties up my legs and I lift my hips as he pulls them up to my waist. He does the same with my pants. Once he's satisfied with dressing my lower half, he fixes my bra and pulls down my sweater. "There, now you look as though you're just taking a nap."

  "Hmmm." I close my eyes and I feel the bed dip as Theron lies down beside me.

  "Did I break you, babe?"

  "Hmmm."

  Laughing, he pulls me into his body. "I must have. You've lost the ability to speak."

  I'm lying curled up on my side with his arms wrapped tightly around me. I’m cocooned by him. I feel so incredibly safe with him.

  "We could do this every day. I like having you at my place. Move in with me." He kisses the back of my head.

  My heart is pounding in my chest. I want to say yes, but I'm so scared. We barely know each other. "I just…is it too soon?" I'm chewing on the inside of my cheek.

  Scooting back, he turns me to face him, taking my face in his hands. "I want you to be the last thing I see before I close my eyes at night, and the first thing I see when I open them in the morning. I want to feel your breath on my face when you sleep. I want to breathe you in. I want to feel your heart beat against my palms when I wrap my arms around you. I want to know you're real, and to know you’re mine. I'm keeping you. I will always protect you and cherish you. Please move in with me, beautiful." He's asking me to move in, but it almost sounds like a marriage proposal. If I've learned anything over the past few days, it's that there are no guarantees in life. People can come and go so easily.

  "Okay." I give him a soft smile. Running his fingers through my hair, he pulls me in for a kiss. There's a knock on the door and we both jump up. Theron is laughing and starts putting boxes on my bed. I try to comb my hair out with my fingers and straighten my clothes. I'm sure I don't look like I've been moving boxes. I unlock the door and pull it open.

  "Are you finding everything okay, sweet pea?" My d
ad stands in the doorway and gives Theron a sharp look. He's not stupid, no one locks a door to move boxes around.

  "Yes. I'm just going through some boxes to grab some clothes for the next week or so." I don't finish my thought. I'm not sure my dad will appreciate my decision. I lived with Matt and Kayla for years, but we were all just friends.

  "Are you not staying then? Not even for a little while? Have you thought this through?" My dad crosses his arms and steps into the room. He's trying to make himself appear bigger than he is, but instead he just looks like an overgrown teddy bear.

  "Yes, Dad. I've thought this through. I'm sorry. I'm going to stay at Theron's for a bit." I'm packing a duffel bag with clothes and I don't make eye contact with him. I don't want to see his disappointment.

  "Theron, could you please see if Linda needs any help in the kitchen? Robert is out there, but he's not very good at helping his mom. He tends to just frustrate her." My dad doesn't look at Theron when he speaks to him. His eyes never leave me. I can feel him staring at me from across the room. Theron nods his head and kisses me on my forehead before he leaves the room.

  "Dad, just tell me what you want to say." Zipping my bag shut, I turn to look at him.

  "Isn't this quick? You barely know him. Do you know his family? Can you trust him?" My dad cares immensely for me, and I love him for it.

  "I can breathe with him around me, dad. I don't feel like I'm suffocating with him near me.” Wringing my hands together, I look up into my dad's eyes. “He's my fireworks."

  "Oh…I hope you know what you are doing, Evelyn. This is a big step in any relationship, but especially a new one. You know, your mom tried to tell me this was happening. I didn't believe her. I swore up and down this morning, it was going to be just you coming to the house today. If he so much as makes you cry one tear, you let me know. Okay?"

  "I'll let you know, Dad. I promise." Grabbing my bag, I sling it over my shoulder. I'm sure Theron could use some rescuing by now. I walk into the kitchen and my dad takes my bag from me.

  "I'll just put this in his car then." My dad nods to Theron.

  "Babe, can you unlock Badass for me?" Theron stares at me like I've lost my mind.

  "Unlock, what?"

  "Badass." I shrug my shoulders. The name seemed to fit to me.

  "Did you name my car?"

  "Yep." I have a huge grin on my face. Theron laughs and shakes his head at me. He hits the button on his keys and my dad walks out to put my bag in the car.

  My mom walks up to me and squeezes me tightly in her arms. "I told him you wouldn't be staying. He wouldn’t listen to me. Enjoy yourself, Eve. Relax and have fun." Kissing my cheeks, she smiles over my shoulder at Theron.

  I look at Robert, but he doesn't say a word. He's leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. I think he's the only one who isn't okay with this.

  "Bye, Robert." I give him a wave and Theron holds my hand as we walk out of the house and down the driveway. As I slide into the passenger seat, I notice Robert standing on the porch.

  "I love you, butthead. Call me if you need me." He gives me a slight wave and walks back into the house. I knew he wouldn't be able to let me leave without saying goodbye.

  The drive home is short and quiet. Simply Three is playing through the speakers in the car. I need to download their album. They are stunning.

  As we pull up in front of the guesthouse, I notice a black BMW in the driveway. Theron parks the car and nervously looks around.

  "Fuck. Not today." He runs his hands through his hair, and my favorite lock of hair falls back on his forehead.

  "What's the matter, babe?" Looking over at him, I grab his hand. I can tell he's bothered, but I'm not sure by whom or what.

  "My dad's here. I'm sorry, Eve. The probability of this being a pleasant experience is very slim." He steps out of the car, and walks around to open my door for me. I take Theron's hand and I see a man in a black suit standing in the doorway of his Gram's house. Taking a deep breath, I try to calm myself. I'm so nervous. Theron's hands are sweaty and it's not very reassuring.

  Theron is pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. I'm not sure what to say or do. I've already unpacked my bag, adding the clothes to the dresser and closet I'm using in the spare room. Whenever someone is upset, my mom makes them food. I'm not sure if it will help, but it's worth a shot.

  "Babe, are you okay? I could make you something to eat, maybe a drink?" I watch as he continues pacing. "Theron? Babe?" I touch his arm softly and he stops. He pulls me into him and buries his head in my neck.

  "You smell so good, beautiful." Curling his arms around me, he picks me up off the floor. I tightly wrap my legs around him as we walk to the couch. He sits down and I straddle his lap.

  "You okay?" I chew the inside of my cheek. I'm incredibly worried about him and I have no clue how to help him.

  "No, to be honest, I'm not okay. I hate him, Eve. He blames me for everything that's gone wrong in his life." He lets out a deep sigh as he closes his eyes.

  "Babe…how can he blame you?"

  "My mom always gave me her undying attention. I remember they would fight about me. He wanted to send me away to school, but she wouldn't have it. I adored her. She was so beautiful. Her voice was sweet like honey, and her skin was soft and warm. She knew how to fix everything for me. I got teased a lot when I was younger. She wouldn't stand for it. She pushed me to stand up for myself. I felt like I could conquer the world."

  Staring off into the distance he winds his fingers through the ends of my hair. "She started getting sick when I was around eleven or so. She was diagnosed with cancer almost a year later. She fought long and hard, but passed away the summer I turned fourteen. He blamed me for her death. Towards the end, she favored me; she didn't want him around anymore. He was always angry and yelling about things. She would try to calm him down, but it would never work. She quit speaking to him and would only ask for me. I held her hand the night she passed. I was completely heartbroken and left all alone." Sighing, he hangs his head. I tilt his head up with my fingers so I can see his gorgeous sad eyes.

  "Theron, I'm so sorry. Was your Gram not there? Where were your friends?"

  "Gram tried her best for me. She saw what my dad had become. She protected me to the best of her ability." I lean in and kiss his forehead. Tears sting my eyes. My heart hurts so badly for him. I can't imagine having to go through something so awful on my own.

  "And your friends?"

  "I didn't have any. I had one friend a long time ago. I didn’t keep them long. I used to sneak out of my bedroom window at Gram's house during the summer to see them. It was the first time in my life someone accepted me for who I was, besides my mom. My dad quickly put a stop to it though."

  I'm speechless. How can someone cast their child away after such a loss? How can a parent put such heavy blame on a child? Moving in so quickly makes so much sense now. He never could keep anything, so what he does have, he keeps close. I sit quietly in his lap for a little while longer. I lay my head on his shoulder and he holds me tightly to him.

  His phone rings in his pocket and he looks up at me. I try my best to muster a brave smile for him. Shifting me off him, he walks away as he answers his phone.

  He's in the kitchen leaning against the island staring straight at me. He doesn't say much to the other person on the phone. After sighing a lot, he finally ends the phone call with a rather harsh, "Fine!"

  He stares at me, completely silent for a few minutes. I open my mouth to ask who it was, but he starts to speak at the same time. "How do you feel about making an appearance over at my Grams? My dad would like to speak with me. I can't imagine this going well. You can stay here if you’d like. My Gram won't allow him in here." He's chewing on his bottom lip. I can tell he's either nervous or scared, maybe both.

  "I'll go," I say softly. I walk to him and he reaches for my hands holding them both in between his.

  "I'm sorry for anything he says or does ahead of time. H
is opinion of things are not mine. Okay?"

  "No problem." Standing on my toes, I brush a soft kiss against his lips.

  His arm is around my waist holding me close to his side as we walk in the front double-door of his Gram's house. The grandeur of his Gram's house is unreal. Everything is so elegant and perfectly placed.

  The front doors open into a beautiful foyer with dark, hardwood floors. A grand staircase curves along the side of the wall, leading to an open balcony at the top. The railing is beautifully carved, along with the trim in the room.

  There is a small, circular, marble table in the center of the foyer with beautiful floral centerpiece. To our left is a hallway with floor to ceiling windows. There is a large entrance to another room on our right.

  Theron takes my hand and guides me through it. We take a small step down and I am now standing in a grand dining room. We walk past the elegant table and chairs towards the back of the room where it opens into a very large kitchen and family room. Modern and classic elegance are perfectly matched throughout the house. Isa and Theron's dad are sitting at a small breakfast nook surrounded by more windows.

  "Eve, it's so lovely to see you again. How are things?" His Gram is wearing a beautiful summer dress with a cream sweater around her shoulders. Her hair is pinned up into a bun with a few strands loose around her face. She always looks so beautiful. She walks over to me and softly kisses my cheeks.

  Returning her kisses, I give her a soft smile. "I'm doing well, thank you for asking, Isa."

  "Right. Well, now that we got all this formal crap out of the way, why don't you and I take a walk to the library? I will leave the arrogant jerk to speak with his son." Once again, my mouth hangs open. She has such a way with words.

  "Mother, that was uncalled for." Theron's dad stands and straightens his suit. He glances at me with a look of disgust before turning to Theron. "We have things to discuss, and I have more important issues to deal with, so if we can get started."