by Anthology
“What was your plan then if you thought we could never touch each other?”
“Believe me, babe, I’ve had more than enough practice jerking off thinking about you.”
“Aw, that’s so flattering.”
Parker claims my lips once more, this time only briefly.
“It is a relief that I actually get to have you though,” he admits. “Now that you’ve mauled me are you ready for our date?”
“Yes. But, if you consider that a mauling you’re going to be mighty surprised by what I do to you when we get home tonight.”
“Looking forward to it,” Parker says, throwing in a wink for good measure.
He takes my hand and leads me outside.
“I was thinking we’d take my bike, but it’s not ideal with you in a dress so let’s take my truck instead.”
“I could go change if you really want to take your Ducati.”
“Don’t you dare.” He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me against his side. “I’d rather have the view of your amazing legs all night than ride my bike.”
He helps me up into his truck, coping a feel of my ass in the process. When I shoot him a mock glare he feigns innocence.
“So where are you taking me?”
“Laser tag then dinner.”
“Oh my god I haven’t played laser tag since college. Can’t say it’s going to be easy in a dress, but I’m still totally going to kick your ass.”
“You think so, huh? How about a wager then?”
“Loser buys dinner?” I suggest.
Parker looks over at me, his eyes alight.
“You’re probably the coolest woman I’ve ever met. Just wanted to put that out there. Most women would’ve pitched a fit about the idea of laser tag in a dress. Let alone making a bet about who pays for dinner.”
“Aw, don’t get all sappy on me, Parker. Unless, of course, you’re working your way up to pledging your undying love to me.”
“Oh, we’re definitely getting there,” he assures me with a playful smirk.
“I’ll be looking forward to that.”
AMIE WASN’T KIDDING about kicking my ass at laser tag. She didn’t let her dress slow her down for one second as she darts through the dark arena, climbing over things, and shooting that laser gun like a champ. If I wasn’t already head over heels, I would be now.
“Guess you owe me dinner,” she says with a smirk as we remove our sweaty laser tag vests and give them back to the employee.
“Guess so. There’s a vegan restaurant nearby. From what I can tell a vegan or vegetarian diet is essentially the same as a kidney diet, so anything on the menu should be good. You know, low protein, low sodium…” I trail off as I catch the surprised look on Amie’s face. “Am I overstepping here? I know you probably would rather not think about this stuff on a date, but your health is my top priority. I may not be able to heal your body like I wish I could, but I can make sure you live a long, full life.”
She steps close and presses her lips to mine, cutting off my rambling.
“You have healed me, Parker. You’ve made me see that I can live again. You’ve shown me that I can make the most of the time I have without being in denial or chasing death down at lightning speed.”
“Good because I have big plans for the next twenty to thirty years of our lives together.”
Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. She swallows thickly and locks her gaze on mine.
“I’m game for it if you are.”
I pull her in once more for a slow, deep kiss. I pour everything I have into it, desperate to show her that no matter how difficult things might get for us, I’m not walking away.
“Let’s go eat so we can get home and get to the good part.” She pulls back just far enough from my lips to make her suggestion and I groan in agreement, thinking about what it will be like to finally have her naked beneath me.
Lacing our fingers together we make our way to the restaurant only a few doors down from the laser tag arena.
Our conversation over dinner is effortless as always. I’ve never dated a woman who I considered to be a best friend before, and I can say without hesitation that it’s a world apart from dating a woman you’ve just met.
We’re laughing and sneaking bites off each other’s plates. Amie’s eyes land on someone behind me and she goes still. I twist to see what she’s looking at and find Nate making his way towards our table with a look of determination in his face.
“Amie, you look incredible. I never expected to see you here,” he says when he reaches us. He glances briefly at me and frowns before returning his gaze to Amie. “Can we talk... in private?”
My fists clench with the urge to knock this asshole’s teeth out. He thinks he can ditch Amie when she’s laying terrified in the hospital and then pick her back up as soon as she’s looking healthy again? Fuck that and fuck him.
“Not a very classy move crashing our date, man.” I force a lightness into my voice, but I’m certain my irritation is shining clearly in my eyes.
Nate frowns and looks between Amie and I several times.
“I fucking knew it,” he mutters to himself. “Were you fucking him when we were together?”
Amie gasps at the accusation and I jump quickly to my feet, my chair scraping loudly against the floor, drawing the attention of the surrounding patrons.
“Parker,” Amie’s hand lands on my arm, keeping me from flying off the handle. “Why don’t I go talk to Nate outside for a second and I’ll be right back?”
I scowl. I don’t like that idea at all, but I’m not about to tell Amie what to do.
“Be careful,” I give her a heated kiss. I know it’s childish to want to mark my territory but it’s not my fault, it’s the testosterone.
“I’ll be right back,” she assures me.
AS SOON AS I’m outside with Nate I pin him with a stern glare.
“First off, Nate, I don’t owe you any goddamn explanation after the way you left me. I’m only going to say this once and then I don’t ever want to see your selfish ass again. Parker and I were never anything other than friends until very recently. You abandoned me in my darkest hour and Parker stepped up to the plate. He was there for me when I was breaking down, even though he didn’t understand why. And he was there for me once he found out how difficult things are going to be for us with my health. Now get the fuck out of my face. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Nate’s mouth is hanging open in surprise as I spin and stomp back into the restaurant.
Parker stands when I reach the table and pulls my chair out for me again. My heart melts a little. Who says chivalry is dead?
“Everything all right?” he asks as he sits back down.
“Yup. I just made sure Nate knew exactly how I felt about him cutting and running when I was at my lowest point, and how you have been and will continue to be there for me.”
Just like that we forget about Nate and fall back into our comfortable dinner conversation and easy teasing.
“DO YOU WANT to come in?” I know that’s a cliché thing to ask, but hell it gets the point across. The point being that I’m not above having sex with Parker on our first date. It’s not like we just met. We’ve been doing our best to ignore the sexual tension between us for three long years. There’s no reason to wait another night. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all of this, it’s that life’s too damn short.
Parker hesitates, a war clearly going on behind his eyes.
“Are you sure? There’s no need to rush anything.”
“Parker, please fuck me already.”
His eyes burn with lust and his tongue darts out to wet his lips. Finally, he nods in agreement, his breath coming out with ragged control as he waits for me to unlock my door.
As soon as the door is shut behind us Parker’s arms are around my waist and his lips and tongue begin devouring mine. His hands find their way to my ass and he gives it a firm squeeze with both hands.
“God, I
love your ass.”
I smile against his lips as he walks me backward toward my bedroom. I’ve never felt so desirable than I do in this moment with his hands roaming eagerly over my body and his heart pounding against my chest. With Nate, even in the beginning, there was no heat. When we’d have sex we’d both take off our clothes and climb into bed. It was kind of awkward now that I think about it. Nothing like Parker’s calloused hands slowly sliding my dress up over my hips.
I unbutton his shirt while he rids me of my dress, and I nearly melt into a puddle of desire as my hands learn the planes of his chiseled chest. I give a gentle tug on his chest hair and he lets out a deep growl.
“You have no idea how badly I want you. I don’t want to be too rough though,” Parker says as his mouth blazes a trail from my neck, over my clavicle, and then into my cleavage. His tongue laps at my skin like I’m his favorite dessert.
“Rough is okay,” I assure him. My desire for him drips down my leg.
“Amie,” Parker murmurs my name reverently as he slides my panties down my legs and unfastens my bra. I return the favor by divesting him of his pants and boxer briefs.
“Oh damn, I forgot condoms.”
“I’m okay with not using any...I mean, if that’s okay with you,” I bite my lip, hoping I’m not coming off as too presumptuous.
“Definitely not going to argue with that.”
Parker’s thick arms wrap around me as he scoops me up and then tosses me onto my bed. A giggle escapes me as the bed bounces under me for several seconds. All laughter stops however when I see his eyes darken with lust, his body taut and ready to pounce.
Before I can take my next breath he’s surrounding me, filling me, claiming every inch of me.
“Oh God!” I cry out as I’m stretched around his considerable width.
Parker’s eyes roll back in his head as he slowly eases inside of me for the first time. He stills and breathes deeply into the crook of my neck.
“Sorry, you’ll have to give me a second. I’ve wanted you for so damn long I’m about to embarrass myself,” he admits in a strained tone.
“I don’t care, Parker. You can have me as many times as you want,” I assure him, desperate to feel him move. I want him pounding me into the mattress making me come just as quickly as he’s going to.
Encouraged by my words he pulls out and slams back into me forcefully. He repeats the powerful motion until I’m shaking and clawing at his back.
“I’m so close, Parker. Don’t stop.”
His fingers dig into my hips hard enough to bruise and that only pushes me higher, closer to bliss.
The feeling of him thickening inside of me, his own thrusts becoming erratic and desperate finally sends me over the edge, screaming his name.
By the time we both come down from the cosmic high we’re both panting and sweaty. Parker brushes a sweet kiss against my lips before collapsing beside me and pulling me in for a cuddle.
I lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat as it starts to slow.
“I think this is the part where I pledge my undying love to you.”
“You don’t have to do that just because we had sex, Parker. Shockingly I’m not a virgin and I know that sex and love are not the same thing,” I assure him in a teasing tone.
He rolls me off his chest and then hovers over me, his face inches from mine so I can’t look anywhere except into his eyes, burning with intensity.
“Babe, I’ve been pathetically in love with you for a long time. Don’t you dare think it has anything to do with all the oxytocin flooding my brain from the incredible sex we just shared. Understand?”
I nod and brush some of his sweaty, disheveled hair out of his face.
“I love you too, Parker. I want you to know that whether I have twenty more years to live or only two weeks I don’t want to spend that time with anyone but you.”
“It’ll be twenty years, babe, definitely twenty years.”
Amie
I WAKE UP in Paris, unable to believe that this is my life. Six months ago I was ready to give up on my health and my life. I was in denial, but what I was really doing was rolling over and accepting that my life was over. Without Parker by my side I don’t know if I would’ve been able to learn to embrace my life in the way I have. He healed me. Not my body, obviously. But he picked me up when I was giving up. He showed me that just because we don’t know what the future holds doesn’t mean you stop fighting. He helped me see that even if my body is broken, my spirit will always be whole.
Since coming home from the hospital Parker and I have become inseparable. When his lease came up for renewal two weeks ago we agreed that he should move his things into my apartment. And now here we are on our first vacation, in France, as a couple. He surprised me with the tickets last week for my birthday.
I glance over at the rumpled sheets on his side of the bed and stretch. Noticing Parker’s notebook lying open on the night stand by his side of the bed I reach for it. It looks like he’s been adding items to our list.
15. Visit Paris
16. Marry Amie
17. Adopt a baby?... Maybe just a dog?
I gasp at the two newest items. My head snaps up at the sound of the balcony door opening.
“There’s an incredible view out here, Amie. Get out here so we can discuss that list.” Parker’s voice holds a mixture of playfulness and anxiety. Does he really think I could say ‘no’ to him? Silly man.
I pull on my silky pink robe and make my way out to meet him. As soon as I step outside I’m struck speechless. He was right about the view. The Eiffel Tower is in the distance, and Parker is lounging shirtless on the balcony with a full breakfast laid out for us. Next to my plate sits a beautiful solitaire engagement ring.
“You know I’m not great with words so forgive me for not having a big romantic speech for you.”
I wipe a tear from my cheek and give him a reassuring smile.
“Ask me,” I whisper, grabbing the ring and sliding onto his lap. I place it in his palm and wait. He swallows a few times and licks his lips before finally meeting my eyes.
“Marry me?” His voice is raw with emotion.
“Yes. So much, yes.” I hold my hand out so he can slide the ring onto my finger.
Once the ring is in place he crushes me to his chest, his lips brushing against the exposed skin on my neck.
“Hope you’re ready for ‘til death do us part, cause I’m never letting your cute ass get away,” Parker threatens, playfully nipping my earlobe.
“Never been more ready for the rest of my life. Thanks to you.”
The End
About the authors in this anthology
Tricia Copeland
Tricia Copeland grew up in Georgia and now lives in Colorado with her family. Her books include the clean new adult Being Me series, Is This Me?, If I Could Fly, Thinking You Know Me, and the final installment, Being Me, as well as a young adult novellas, Drops of Sunshine, the Lovelock series, Lovelock Ones:Native One(Dec. 8, 2016), and novel, Kingdom of Embers (Feb. 7, 2017). If she’s not out running, you can find Tricia at www.triciacopeland.com or on your favorite social media.
Rebecca M. Gibson
Rebecca M. Gibson is a British writer currently waist deep in a Creative Writing MA at Plymouth University. On her days off you can find her walking through the Cornish scenery or dreaming up her next novel.
https://rebeccamgibson.com
Eleanor Lloyd-Jones
Raised in a little village in North Wales, a fierce love of books and reading was instilled in her by her parents from a very early age, and she has vivid memories of reading secretly under the blankets with a torch for hours after lights out, often getting caught! She was blown away by The Borribles Trilogy - Michael De Larrabeiti at nine years old, and it was then that Eleanor Lloyd-Jones fell head over heels with the idea of imaginary worlds.
facebook.com/eleanorlloydj/
Brooke May
Born and raised in Northern
Wyoming. Brooke spent a great deal of her childhood and even well into her adulthood in her imagination and creating different stories.
A busy mother of two growing boys and a wife, she spends a great deal of time outdoors and in her beloved BigHorn Mountains. She usually has a notebook and a sketch pad close by her side at all times never knowing when inspiration will hit, as well as her camera.
She published her first book February of last year titled My Cowboy and the second book, Faith in My Cowboy, followed in September, and the last My Cowboy book, Loved by My Cowboy, came out this last May. Her newest book comes out December 13th of this year.
facebook.com/authorbrookemay
Riann C. Miller
Riann C. Miller lives in southeast Kansas and writes steamy contemporary romance stories. When she’s not reading or writing, she spends time with her friends and family or you might catch her watching a baseball game with a beer in her hand.
Riann who pronounces her name (Ry-an) also preoccupies a lot of her time on social media connecting with readers.
amazon.com/author/rianncmiller
Kate Vine
I’m a mother, a wife and a friend. I’m a chauffeur, a cook, and everything else that my kids ask me to be by day, but I put my magic hat on at night and become what I cherish the most-a writer.
I’m a hopeless romantic that still believes in a fairy tales, even though not everybody gets them.
I’m an owner of dirty mouth that often gets me in trouble.
I think boundaries are there to be broken, and I definitely broke more than one and I plan on breaking them as I go forward. YOU should try it sometimes, it’s fun!
I’ve been avid reader since I can remember and always had stories in my head, till I decided to put them on paper and share them with you, so you can take a glimpse inside my head and join my ride !"
facebook.com/Author-Kate-Vine-1570433456528288
