Come What May (Forever and Always #9)

by E. L. Todd

  I cringed. “Disgusting…”

  She laughed again. Then she eyed my applications. “What’s going on?”

  “I need to hire employees.”

  “Wow. Business is really booming.”

  “Yep.”

  “You should hire a bunch of people and just retire. Just do the banking.”

  “Nah. I like inking. I would like to do it at least part-time.”

  “That’s weird.”

  “You’re a billionaire and you still have your editing company,” I countered.

  “Damn…”

  “And I’m not a billionaire.”

  “Yet.”

  I laughed. “I’ll never be, but I’m perfectly happy with my income. But I’ll be able to pay Sean back in no time.”

  “You don’t need to pay him back at all.”

  I glared at her. “We aren’t having this argument again.”

  “Fine.”

  I looked at her stomach again. “How’s the monster doing?”

  “Monster?” she asked incredulously.

  “If he’s anything like you, he’ll be a damn demon.”

  “Hey! That’s my baby you’re talking about.”

  I laughed. “I’m just getting you prepared.”

  “You better be nice to your niece or nephew.”

  “It’s going to be a boy,” I said.

  “Why do you think that?”

  “I’m just psychic like that.”

  “Sean thinks it’s a girl.”

  “Well, he’s dumb.”

  “That’s my husband you’re talking about.” She stared me down.

  “You’re dumb too. Now do you feel better?”

  She rolled her eyes then shook her head.

  I put the papers aside and finished my sandwich before Scarlet could scarf it down.

  Her happy demeanor disappeared. “What are we going to do about Cortland?”

  That was a sad topic for everyone. “I don’t know.”

  “Monnique has been gone for three weeks. She hasn’t called him once.”

  “I feel bad for the guy.”

  She shook her head. “I’m trying to stay neutral, but I don’t think Monnique is being fair. Cortland didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t think it’s enough reason to break his heart like that.”

  “What would you do if you were in the same situation?”

  “Is that a serious question?” she asked sarcastically. “Sean put me through hell and I still took him back. Every time. And what he did was much worse than what Cortland did. In fact, Cortland didn’t do anything. Can she honestly tell me she’s never been with someone she couldn’t have? Does that mean he can never move on and honestly love someone else?”

  “So he told you the truth?”

  She nodded.

  “Are you okay with that?”

  “Sean said he doesn’t have a problem with it and neither do I. Cortland is still my best friend. Nothing will change that.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear that.”

  “But I can’t stand to see Cortland like his. Every time he cries, I cry.

  “Yeah.”

  She drummed her fingers on the counter. “I’m thinking about going to Seattle and talking to Monnique.”

  My eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

  “I have to do something. Cortland refuses to call her. He says they’re over.”

  “And what do you think you can accomplish?”

  “I don’t know…convince her that he loves her more than he ever loved me, which is completely true. “

  I shook my head. “I don’t know, Scar. You might just piss her off.”

  “We’re still friends, for my part. She’ll listen to me.”

  “You think you have more influence than you really do.”

  The frustration exploded inside her. “I can’t stand by and do nothing! Cortland was so happy with her. I just want him to have what he wants. If he cheated on her or did something bad, I would let her go. But he didn’t. Cortland has been an outstanding boyfriend from the beginning. And if she’s too damn stupid to realize that, I’ll smack her in the head until she realizes it.”

  “It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind.”

  “I have. Cortland is my best friend. And I’ll do anything for him.”

  12

  Sean

  “Are you crazy?” Scarlet and I were alone in bed. Cortland retired to his bedroom hours ago, wanting to be alone. When I finally got some privacy with my wife, she dropped this bomb on me. “You’re going to play cupid?”

  “Sean, I have to do something.”

  I sighed in frustration. “I can’t just take time off work right now.”

  “You don’t have to come with me.”

  “Scar, you’re pregnant. You shouldn’t be flying.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m five weeks along. I’m barely pregnant!”

  “I still don’t want you traveling by yourself. Can Ryan go?”

  “He’s swamped with the shop.”

  ‘Take Cortland,” I said.

  “He can’t know. If Monnique still says no…it’ll kill him.”

  I ran my fingers through my hair, fighting the frustration.

  “Sean, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I can manage.”

  “Absolutely not. I’ll have Mike cover me.”

  “That’s unnecessary—”

  “Drop it,” I said. “When are we leaving?”

  I shrugged. “Tomorrow.”

  “What do we tell Cortland?”

  “We’re taking a business trip.”

  “Okay.”

  Scarlet snuggled into me and rubbed my chest. “Thank you.”

  “She hasn’t called in three weeks,” I said quietly. “I’m pretty sure it’s over.”

  “I have to go. Cortland deserves to be happy.”

  “Not everyone is as forgiving as you.”

  She kissed the skin over my heart. “Well, they should be.”

  “You owe me big.”

  She sat up and rubbed my chest. “I do.” She had a playful look in her eye. “What would my dear husband like as a thank you?”

  My cock sprang to life at her words.

  She glanced down and smiled. “Or should I ask him?”

  “I’d like to tit fuck you.”

  “Your wish is my command.” She grabbed my cock by the base then shoved me to the back of her throat. As soon as I was in her warm mouth, my head rolled back and I released a loud moan. Scarlet gave the best head. She always made me crumble. I was damn lucky my wife was so fucking hot and slutty.

  After she soaked me with her saliva, she leaned over my hips and held herself up by her arms. I slipped my cock between her big gorgeous tits then squeezed them together with my hands. The cleavage was tight around my dick. I moved her up and down on my cock while I lay back, feeling the urge to come as soon as we began.

  I loved her breasts. I couldn’t say it enough. She was a C cup but had a small waist. I wasn’t sure where she inherited these beautiful tits, and I couldn’t believe they were real, but I fucking loved them. Sexually, they were my favorite feature. I loved touching them, staring at them every chance I got.

  She moved with me as I increased my pace. When Scarlet did nasty things to me, I could never last long. I tried to draw it out but I couldn’t. I felt the explosion deep in my balls as I released. I came onto her breasts, squirting my hot stickiness. Watching me come on her breasts was a turn on in itself. I bit my lip and moaned as I finished.

  My head fell back as I caught my breath. She always gave me the best orgasms ever. When I looked at Scarlet, she was wiping the come away with her fingers then licking it off.

  “Fuck, baby.”

  She smiled then wiped the rest with a tissue. “I like the way you taste.”

  She always knew the right thing to say.

  After she cleaned up, she snuggled beside me. “Did I show my appreciation?”

  �
��You could show it a few more times…”

  She giggled. “Okay. I will.”

  I moved on top of her then pressed my face between her legs.

  “Sean, I showed my appreciation. You don’t need to do that.”

  I ignored her and licked her center.

  “Oooh…”

  That shut her up. I kissed and sucked the tender area until Scarlet arched her back with a loud moan. She gripped my hair when she was coming, whispering my name over and over. I liked eating her pussy. I was normally disgusted by it with other girls, but I loved hers.

  When she was done, she was winded.

  I lay beside her then pulled her into me. We both didn’t speak as we held each other. I never thought I would be happy sleeping with the same woman over and over, but I was ecstatic. I never wanted another woman my entire life. And I knew that would never change.

  We lied to Cortland and said I was taking Scarlet on a business trip so I could fuck her at night. He didn’t question it. I told him he could take the Ferrari to work. The poor guy needed something to cheer him up.

  Scarlet and I took the plane to Seattle and arrived before evening came. The time change threw us off slightly. We headed to the hotel after we got the rental car.

  “So, what’s the plan?” I asked.

  “I think she’ll probably be at her dad’s place. I doubt she got an apartment that quickly.”

  “Do you know where he lives?”

  “We went once for a barbeque. I think I remember where it is.”

  “Could you just call her?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “I doubt she’ll answer.”

  “You’re dropping a huge bomb on her.”

  “I know…”

  I guided her to the bed and gave her a back massage. I knew she was stressed. She took all the responsibility onto herself. If she couldn’t convince Monnique to come back, then it would really be over. And that was a failure she couldn’t contemplate.

  The next morning, we drove to the house near the coast. It was quiet and quaint. It seemed like a place where Monnique would grow up. Scarlet took a deep breath before she got out of the car and headed to the door. I insisted on going because I wasn’t sure how Monnique would react to Scarlet’s presence. Ryan punched me in the nose when he found out I slept with Janice. The last thing I needed was for Monnique to hit my pregnant wife. Scarlet insisted she go alone, but I couldn’t risk it, not when my baby’s safety was on the line.

  Scarlet knocked on the door and took a deep breath. A minute later, a dark skinned man answered it. He was too young to be her father, so we assumed it was her brother.

  “Can I help you?” he asked.

  “Is Monnique here?” Scarlet asked with a strong voice.

  “Yeah. I’ll get her.” He shut the door in our faces and retreated in the house.

  Monnique appeared a moment later. When she saw us, her eyes flashed in recognition. She didn’t speak because she was so shocked to see us standing on our doorstep. Scarlet gave her a moment to recover from the surprise and speak first.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Monnique finally said.

  I suspected she would be hostile.

  “I just want to talk,” Scarlet said gently. “Can we come in?”

  “No.” Monnique stepped out and slammed the door behind her.

  I immediately came next to Scarlet, practically crowding her.

  Monnique glared at me. “You think I’m going to hit a pregnant woman? I have more class than that.”

  That calmed me slightly but didn’t completely diminish my anxiety.

  Scarlet held her ground. “I’m so sorry to bother you but—”

  “No, you aren’t. You’re always sticking your nose in other people’s business.”

  Scarlet was starting to get red in the face. “Look. Cortland and I slept together. It didn’t mean anything and we moved on. I had no idea he had feelings for me, but that was because he knew it was pointless to express them. He and I never would have worked. I’m meant to be with Sean, and Cortland’s meant to be with you. Monnique, he’s so in love with you. He’s never treated me the way he’s treated you. There’s absolutely no comparison. Please go back to him.”

  “I’m done with him. You wasted your time coming here.”

  “How can you be so cold?” Scarlet raised her voice. “You claim you love him but you turned your back so easily. He didn’t even do anything wrong. He was the one who came clean to you in the beginning. He could have hid it from you if he really wanted to. And he could have downplayed his feelings for me. But he didn’t. Because Cortland is the greatest guy in the world. You’re making a mistake, Monnique.

  “Can you honestly tell me there’s never been someone in your life you wanted but couldn’t have?” Monnique crossed her arms over her chest. “When you moved onto someone else, did you constantly wish it was the one who got away? No. You seemed to think the relationship between Cortland and I lasted a long time. I can promise you it’s a tiny sliver in comparison to the time we’ve spent as friends.”

  Monnique looked at the ground and tapped her shoe.

  Scarlet was losing her patience. “Pull your head out of your ass, Monnique. Do you have any idea how much a catch Cortland is? He’s handsome, smart, down-to-earth, a perfect gentleman, sensitive, generous, and honest. You aren’t going to find someone better than him. If anything, you’re a hypocrite, because the next guy in your life is going to be a rebound. And when you’re with him, you’ll wish he were Cortland. You’re making the biggest mistake of your life. If I knew you could let him go this easily, I wouldn’t have bothered coming all the way here to help him out.” Scarlet caught her breath before she spoke again. “He’s absolutely miserable without you. He’s selling the house because he can’t stand to walk inside. He doesn’t sleep, he doesn’t eat. He’s practically dead. I’ve never seen him so heartbroken in my life. I don’t understand how you could possibly doubt how much you mean to him.” Scarlet shook her head. “Have a good life. Hopefully, Cortland hasn’t moved on by the time you figure out what you lost.” Scarlet grabbed my arm and pulled me off the doorstep. Monnique didn’t speak. She watched us get into the car before she walked back inside the house.

  When we drove around the block, Scarlet burst into tears.

  I grabbed her hand. “Baby, it’s okay.”

  “It’s like we were never friends. Didn’t I mean something to her?”

  “Of course you did,” I said gently. “She’s just not handling this in a good way.”

  “And Cortland…I let him down.”

  “No, you didn’t. You gave it your best shot and did everything you could. Don’t blame yourself.”

  She squeezed my hand and continued to cry.

  Watching my wife cry was the worst agony. I hated seeing it and hearing it. It didn’t matter who caused it. It was always unbearable. I pulled over and pulled her to my chest. She sobbed, saying incoherent things.

  13

  Mike

  The days went by so slow. I couldn’t wait until my date with Cassandra on Friday night. She was such a beautiful and down-to-earth girl. I wanted to get to know her more, get below the surface. And for the first time, I didn’t want to sleep with her.

  I tried to find excuses to go into the accounting department but couldn’t think of anything. Every time I was in the hallway, I hoped I’d run into her and catch a glimpse. I wondered what she was wearing. The teal color looked good on her. And she had the longest legs. Everything about her was perfect. She was elegant, like a woman from the fifties. How could her ex-husband cheat on her? Was he crazy?

  Sean didn’t know I went behind his back and asked her out anyway. And I didn’t give a shit what he thought. This girl was a million bucks and I wasn’t going to pass that up. We didn’t even work on the same floor so our relationship shouldn’t be an issue.

  When Friday night arrived, I couldn’t figure out what to wear. Should I wear a suit? Should I dress casual?
Should I bring her something? God, why was I freaking out? I was always so calm. But I’ve never had a second date before. I really wanted a third one.

  I called Scarlet because I needed the advice.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey,” she said.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Sean and I are watching TV and eating Ben and Jerry’s out of the carton.”

  “Wow. Living it up,” I said sarcastically.

  “Shut up. We’re tired. And Cortland is hanging out with us.”

  That poor bastard. “You guys are an old married couple.”

  “Is that supposed to be an insult?”

  No. I wished I were an old married couple with someone. “I need some advice.”

  “About what?”

  “I got a date tonight.”

  “Ooh,” she said excitedly. “Nervous?”

  “Well, technically it’s my second date.”

  Scarlet paused. “So you really like this girl?”

  “She’s pretty damn cool.”

  “Oh my god! I’m so happy for you!” She started to shriek over the phone.

  I held the speaker from my ear. “You’re going to break my eardrum!”

  “Sorry.” She started laughing. “Tell me the details.”

  “I don’t have time. I’ll tell you later. But what should I wear? A suit?”

  “No,” she said immediately. “Dress casual. You don’t need to prove how much money you have. You want her to like you for you.”

  “Good point. Should I bring anything? Flowers?”

  “Flowers are cliché. What does she like?”

  “Umm…she ordered a Long Island Iced Tea when we went out.”

  “No…anything else?”

  “She works out.”

  “That doesn’t help. Get her something personal but not expensive. You don’t want to make her uncomfortable with an elaborate gift.”

  “Damn, this is hard.”

  “Get her a Snickers bar.”

  “What? Are you serious?”

  “If she’s cool, she’ll think it’s funny.”

  “Not all girls are cool like you,” I argued.

  “Well, you know her better than I do. Do something else then.”

  I thought for a moment. “Nah. I’ll do that. I have one laying around anyway.”