by Riley, Alexa
I stare at him in surprise. He only smiles bigger at me before hopping out of the truck. What can I possibly say to that? I was thinking about how I don’t want him to be away from me, and he just keeps throwing down all these commitments.
I watch as he walks around and opens my door then helps me down. My body slides down his and I wish I could blurt out for him to take me to the courthouse because I want to lock this guy down.
“I guess no one would hear us out here.” I bite my lip and feel my cheeks flush.
“No, they wouldn't.”
I laugh when he throws me over his shoulder and stomps into the little house. In seconds he drops me onto a small bed and settles himself on top of me, his arms bearing his weight.
“How do you sleep on this tiny thing?”
“It’s only me. I don’t need a lot of room,” he says as he starts to pull my clothes from my body.
I try and make a joke, but all thoughts of teasing leave when he yanks off my shorts and panties and his mouth dives between my legs.
“She’s still tender, but I’ll kiss her better.” He takes a long lick and I moan his name. His hands dig into my thighs as he spreads them farther apart.
I try and fight the orgasm, not wanting to cum already, but it’s no use. I’m too primed and needy. Pleasure that’s been building since I woke up spikes, and I cry out as the climax hits me. Warmth spreads through my body, but Barrett doesn’t stop.
I’m too sensitive, but he keeps going, pushing me into another orgasm almost as fast as the last. My body isn’t my own anymore as he keeps at it, making one orgasm run into the next. I lose count while I lie on his bed, only able to take what he gives.
When I don’t think my body can handle any more, I reach for him and let him know I want him inside me.
“Lady, you’re going to have to wait.” He stands, and I want to argue that I need more, but he’s left me boneless. He leans down and kisses me. “Don’t move,” he says against my lips before leaving the bedroom and then returning moments later with a few books in his hand.
“I have some ideas,” he says, lying down next to me and flipping through the books. He shows me pictures of things I could do to the house, telling me things he knows I already told him I wanted. He really did listen to every word I said when I showed him the house the first time.
“You’re going to live there with me, aren't you?” I raise my head from his chest to look up at him. I fight back the happy tears trying to escape my eyes. All those horrible dates I had were just killing time until I could find him. I’m so glad I waited, because now Barrett and I can share so many firsts together.
“If you think I’ll spend another night of my life without you next to me, you didn't understand what I was saying last night.”
“I understood,” I admit. “It was all just too good to be true, and I wanted to make sure it wasn’t in the heat of the moment. I swear you just came out of nowhere. The truth is, my sister said she tried to set us up but you shot her down. We’re twins, so it was kind of a hit to my ego.”
Barrett rolls on top of me and pins me to the bed. “You and your sister look nothing alike.”
I laugh. “Yes, we do. We’re identical.”
“I promise you don’t. I was never attracted to your sister, but the second I saw you I was all in. Don’t you get it? I see you. And I knew from that first second you were mine.”
I lean up, brushing my mouth against his, and he deepens the kiss, pouring everything into it. But all too soon he’s standing up and grabbing my hands to help me up from the bed.
“Come on, or we’ll never leave.”
I reluctantly get dressed, knowing we have a bunch of crap we need to get done today. Also, we have our double date tonight, and I’ll have the chance to fill my sister in on a whole lot of stuff.
Mainly that she should start trying to have a baby.
Chapter 17
Barrett
I never thought a trip to the hardware store could be so much fun. But seeing Genevieve’s eyes light up and being able to get her exactly what she wants warms me up inside. We went up and down the aisles talking about projects and ideas she has for the future. Our future. I wasn’t joking when I said I was going to take her by the courthouse, but I have a feeling my own sisters would skin me alive if they couldn’t be there, too.
I paid for everything, even though she tried to offer to share some of the costs. I shook my head and she finally let me without too much of an incident. We had what we ordered scheduled to deliver to the house and before long it was all going to come together. I was going to give her the house of her dreams because it was going to be my dream, too. Being with her and making a family in our home is what I’ve been waiting on.
Time always flies by when we’re together, so before I knew it, the sun was setting and we were on the way to the fair.
“My sister texted me. She’s by the front entrance waiting on us,” Genevieve says as we park the truck and I get out to help her down.
“You ready to eat some fried foods and see the county’s biggest pig?” I ask, taking her hand in mine as we walk towards the gates.
“God, I love fair food. Everything is so bad for you.” There’s a dreamy sigh in her voice.
“Just get those arms ready to hold some stuffed animals. I plan on winning you all of them.”
“Don’t tease me,” she says, laughing with excitement. “I want at least a dozen.”
“Your wish is my command.”
We meet Gabi and Neal at the front and then go in together. I put down a stack of cash and get a pile of tickets in return. I plan on my lady having the most fun ever tonight and getting to do whatever she wants.
She bounces on her toes as I take her hand and we head for the funnel cakes.
“Step right up!” a man shouts after we’ve gotten our fried dough, and Genevieve points with a powder-covered finger.
“Oh, I want that one!” There’s a gigantic fluffy unicorn hanging beside the game, and I nod.
“I’m on it, lady.”
We walk over, and the guy explains how it works. You take an oversized hammer and slam it down on a lever. If you hit it with enough force and ring the bell, you win the prize.
“Easy enough,” I say, and the guy nods in agreement.
“A big man like you? No problem,” he says and hands me a hammer.
It’s not heavy at all, but Genevieve, Gabi, and Neal back up as I get into position.
I wink at Genevieve before I heft the hammer up over my head and bring it down hard on the lever. To my surprise, the thing hardly moves. I look back to the group, who look just as puzzled as I do.
“What the…?”
“You’ve got two more chances, young man,” the carnival attendant says. “Put your back into it. It’s not that hard.”
This time I grip the hammer harder and bring it over my head, using all my might to bring it straight down.
“What the hell?” I say in shock as once again the weight moves only about a foot off the ground, displaying the word wimpy across the top.
By this time a few more people start to gather around and are watching me.
“You got it, baby!” Genevieve shouts around a mouthful of funnel cake.
I look at Neal and Gabi, who are fighting a smile. Neal shrugs at me, like he has no clue.
“Last try, last try!” the carnival worker calls out, and I begin to eye him suspiciously. This game can’t be fair.
I take a breath before I grip the hammer and bring it up and down one more time, this one as hard as I possibly can. The bottom nearly splits in two, but still the weight hardly moves.
“This is rigged,” I say, holding out the hammer as the carnival worker comes over. “This can’t be right.”
“Sorry, sir. Perhaps you’d like your lady to win you a prize?” He takes the hammer from me and holds it out to Genevieve.
“If I can’t do it, how is she supposed to?” As the words come out of my mouth, G
enevieve races over and shoves her funnel cake into my hands and takes the hammer.
“I’ve always wanted to do this one.”
She grips it tight, and I barely have time to get out of the way before she swings the hammer up and slams it back down. This time when the hammer connects, the puck shoots all the way up to the top, the bell rings, and a siren goes off shouting, “winner!”
“Holy shit, Ginny, you did it!” Gabi shouts as Genevieve jumps up and down and the guy comes over to give her the unicorn.
“Oh my god, I never win anything!” she yells happily as she jumps in my arms. “This is the best ever. I want to do another one!”
And that’s the way most of the night goes for us. We get some fried food, and I try to win her a stuffed animal, but she ends up swooping in and being the one to do it. After a couple of hours, my arms are full of stuff she’s won, but the smile on her face could light up the whole city. I have to go out and put them all in my truck because they were getting too heavy to carry.
Gabi and Neal have to leave early after they go on a ride and Gabi throws up everywhere. I tried to warn her about eating three cheesecakes on a stick in a row, but nobody wanted to listen to reason.
“Are you having fun?” I ask as we walk through the petting zoo and she looks at the fluffy chicks.
“So much fun. Are you disappointed that I won all the prizes?” She doesn’t even have the decency to look contrite. She’s grinning like a villain. I shake my head.
“No, my masculinity took a bit of a hit, but seeing you light up every time you won was worth it.”
“Don’t worry,” she whispers, coming in close. “I’ll still let you be on top.”
“You little tease,” I growl, and she giggles, just as someone says my name.
“Barrett?”
I turn around to see my sisters Steph and Lynn walking towards us.
“Hey!” I say, wrapping an arm around Genevieve and pulling her with me. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We tried to call you, it went to voicemail. I told Steph I thought that was your monster truck in the parking lot.”
I lean down and hug each of them before I turn to introduce them. “I’m glad you guys are here. This is my Genevieve. Lady, these are my sisters, Lynn and Steph.” They all say hello and then I turn to Steph.
“What are you doing in town without even telling me? Where’s the rest of your family?” I ask, looking behind her.
“I had to come back for some personal stuff,” she says, looking at me then looking away quickly. “The kids are at home with John. I’m just here for one more night and Lynn thought we should come to the fair and have some fried stuff.”
“Oh god, try the fried Snickers—they’re like heaven in your mouth,” Genevieve offers, and she and Steph begin to talk about all the fair food they love.
“Personal stuff?” I ask Lynn as Steph and Genevieve go to the stand near us to get some food.
Lynn sighs and shakes her head. “The restraining order she had on Mark expired,” she says, looking around and then back to me. “She said she got a letter in the mail last week that shook her up and she had a feeling it might be him.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” I ask through gritted teeth. The hair on the back of my neck stands up and I clench my fists.
“Do you see the way you’re reacting right now?” Lynn says, and it does nothing to make me feel better. “I think she just wanted to have this done and out of the way. She said it would be a quick trip to the judge’s office and that’s it. She’s planning to leave tomorrow.”
“Did she tell John her real reason for coming here?” I know the answer before I even ask. Lynn shakes her head and I roll my eyes. Of course she didn’t.
“Listen, I’ve told her she needs to talk to him about it. At least so that he knows what’s going on. But I think she just wants to put it in her past.”
“Too bad it won’t stay there,” I say as Steph and Genevieve come walking towards us.
“Just don’t say anything to her,” Lynn warns, giving me that mothering stare of hers.
“I love her,” Steph whispers as she walks over beside me and nods to Genevieve.
“Me too,” I whisper back, and she looks at me with a mixture of shock and excitement.
Genevieve spends the rest of the night bragging about all the work I’ve done on her house while taking Steph to all the best food stands. Hearing her pride in my work makes my chest swell, and I can hear the love in her voice.
We’re both falling hard and fast, but I’m not about to stop it. It feels right, and time doesn’t mean anything when it comes to love. Life is short and I’m going to spend it doing what makes me happy. And that has everything to do with the beauty in my arms.
“You guys should just come see the place,” Genevieve says, and my sisters beam.
“You mean now? Tonight?” Lynn asks excitedly.
“Whatever the lady wants,” I say, nodding to Genevieve.
“Yes, please!” Steph says, and Genevieve practically drags us from the fair.
I walk my sisters to their car and see they parked beside us. I help load Genevieve in the truck and make sure my sisters are following me.
“I really like them,” she says as she glances behind us. “Gabi will love them, too. I hate she got sick; she could have come over and hung out.”
“I tried to warn her,” I say, and she laughs.
“You can’t tell her anything.”
“What are we going to do with all these?” I ask, pointing to the pile of stuffed animals between us.
“I’ll take them to work. They’re doing a toy drive, and I don’t need them,” she says picking up the unicorn. “Well, maybe we can save one.”
She laughs as I roll my eyes and drive us home.
Chapter 18
Genevieve
“So, tell me everything about you and Barrett now that he’s not in here,” Steph says as we look outside to where Lynn and Barrett are talking.
Barrett took Lynn outside to show her the plans for the garden. It’s nighttime, but the porch lights are on, and apparently Lynn really loves to garden.
“It’s all happening fast, but it feels like it’s been happening forever. You know?”
“I totally get it. It was that way for John and me. I ran away to college the second I could, and he was like a brick wall that came out of nowhere. From the moment we met it was fast and we were inseparable after that.”
She stares out at her siblings, watching them.
“They used to have their own garden together when they were little,” Steph says.
“Really?” I love hearing details about Barrett as a child. I want to know it all.
“The two of them have always been close.” There’s more in her voice, but I can’t tell what it is. “They’re out there talking about me.”
“How can you tell?” I ask, following her eyes.
“Because I can see the tension in Lynn’s eyebrows and Barrett keeps clenching his fists.
“Can I be honest with you?” I say, wanting to have everything out in the open.
“It would be refreshing,” she says as she turns to me and smiles.
“Barrett told me about Mark,” I admit, and I see the surprise in her eyes. “He told me because he saw me go on a date with him, and he intervened before anything could happen.”
“Shit,” she whispers and turns away from the door and walks back into the kitchen. “I should have known he wouldn’t stop.”
“You don’t have to tell me about that night. But if Barrett hadn’t been there to warm me and to step in, I don’t know what might have happened. Maybe nothing, but after I turned him down I could see a side of him I didn’t see before.”
“I didn’t tell Barrett that night everything that happened because I knew he’d kill him. He had his whole life ahead of him and I didn’t want him to go to jail because of my stupidity.”
“You weren’t stupid,” I say, sitting down b
eside her and putting her hand in mine. “You were young, and Mark is a predator. One that hasn’t stopped over time.”
“We had dated a few times, but one night he got aggressive. I told him no, but he didn’t stop. I just closed my eyes and let it happen because I knew if I fought it would be worse.”
A single tear rolls down her cheek and she wipes it away. My heart aches for her and for the innocence she lost. I think about my first time with Barrett and how special and beautiful it was. How much I wanted it to happen and how willing I was to give myself to him because I trusted him. She had that choice taken away, and no one should ever be in that position.
“You didn’t tell the police?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“I got a restraining order, but it expired. That’s why I’m home now. I got a creepy letter in the mail and I know it was from him. All it said was, Time’s up and I’ll never forget,” she says, straightening up. “I’ve been through a lot of therapy and I know what happened wasn’t my fault.”
“You’re totally right,” I say, squeezing her hand and offering support.
“Back when it happened, my dad knew a judge and he got a restraining order without any evidence or charges. I couldn’t get the same one now because of the statute of limitations and the previous judge has retired.” She clears her throat and looks over at me. “There’s nothing I can do about it now.” She glances back to where Lynn and Barrett are. “I haven’t told them yet. Lynn thinks it’s all taken care of, and I can’t tell Barrett. He’ll flip his lid.”
“Tell me about it,” I say, and we laugh a little together.
“I’ve never seen him so happy,” she says softly. “I’m not normally this upset, but being back home with my siblings makes me ache for them. I hate that I had to move so far away. I loved growing up here, and my kids are missing out on their aunt and uncle. Well, soon to be more than one aunt I’m sure.”
