I ask for another after I finished the one and then a hand snakes around my chest from behind. An old familiar smell hits my senses: single life and doing whatever the fuck I want.
I turn to face the woman I used to fuck from time to time.
“Good to see you, Bryce,” she says.
I nod and throw my drink back.
“What happened? Why did you sell Red? Was all that stuff true on the news?”
“Now you know you can’t believe everything you see on TV,” I say.
She smiles, her lips fire red like the dress she’s wearing. Or should I say it’s wearing her. Damn, has anyone looked hotter in a red dress?
Yes, my girl.
I stand up, so she has to step back, but she only steps closer. I clear my throat as she brings her face close to my ear. “Wanna get out of here, like old times?” she asks, running her finger down the front of my shirt.
I feel her lips press against my neck and I move away just as someone says my name.
I turn to see Danny standing with a woman by his side. She’s got an all-black dress on, matching him.
He looks from me to the slut putting her fucking lips on me. His brow lifts.
She goes to grab my hand, but I stop her. “I’m not that guy. You know I have a woman.”
“So why are you here alone then?” she asks. My heart crosses his arms, asking the same thing.
“Needed a drink. But I don’t need you.”
“Your loss,” she huffs, stomping away in heels that are too high.
“What brings you here?” Danny asks. I look from him to the girl. “Wanted to see how the old place was doing.”
He looks around. “Seems to be on the same page as when you owned it.”
“Yes, it does,” I agree. “You in town for a little while?”
He shrugs. “Not sure yet. I wanted to show her around. This is Bexley.”
I reach out my hand. “Good to meet you,” I say, wondering what the story is between them.
“Same,” she replies. They don’t stand too close. They don’t hold hands. They don’t even show emotion toward one another. It’s odd, but there’s something there. I see it regardless of how hard they try to hide it. I see it because I have it.
“Can I get you a drink?” Danny asks.
“Nah. I’ve had enough. I need to get home.”
He smiles. “Good. Call me if you need me.”
I pat his arm and head out. I want to hold my girl and let her know how much I love her and reassure her that being my wife is a good thing for both of us. I need her more than I’ve ever needed anything. Tonight made me see how lucky I am.
I don’t have to have meaningless sex. I don’t have to be uneasy around the woman I clearly love like Danny is. Bexley is the woman he was talking about in jail. When I asked if he had a woman and he said no, he wasn’t lying, but the truth of that was she had him and I could tell right then I was right.
____________
I walk into the quiet apartment, remembering how Kat said she hated it. She’s never told me that before, but as I look around, I can see what she means. I never decorated this place myself. It came this way, fully furnished, and I didn’t care to change it. I was at the club and the loft more, so the apartment didn’t matter to me.
I lean back against the door and cross my arms. My eyes roam over the cream-colored couches that are comfortable, but like K said, you’re scared to mess them up. The big dining room table on the left side of the room with more seats than needed. The kitchen, which would be great for someone who cooks, but neither of us does, and Lou isn’t here much anymore.
The only thing I really like is the floor-to-ceiling window and the TV, which I did buy. This place could be in a home and garden magazine, but it fits neither of our personalities. I’m rustic and like darker furniture. K is colorful and likes bohemian style just like Mugs & Books.
I bring my tongue to the roof of my mouth.
I’m going to sell this place and find us a home.
It’s time.
I push off the door and head upstairs. The bedside light puts off a warm glow in the room and K faces the bathroom. I walk in quietly, not wanting to wake her, but as soon as I sit down to remove my shoes, she sits up.
Her hair falls around her face and chest. She wears my T-shirt, which I love. I wonder if she did it to be close to me, or if she is still angry because I fucked up?
“Hey,” she says.
“Hey,” I reply.
She tosses the comforter off. “I’m so sorry.” She walks toward me. I reach my arms out.
“I’m sorry,” I say as she sits and straddles my lap. My face goes to her hair, and I inhale everything that is K. “I messed up today. I know that.”
“I didn’t mean the things I said,” she cries into my neck.
“Baby,” I say, grabbing her head and moving her away so I can see her face. “Don’t cry.”
“I said I didn’t like you and that you only sold Red to get out of prison. That’s not true and I know better. I know you gave it up to have a life with me. I know that you were scared to fall in love with me and I know that asking me to marry you wasn’t easy. I was just being mean.”
I shake my head at this beautiful woman. “You’re crazy, girl.”
“I know.” Her shoulders shudder.
“And I’m fucking crazy for you.”
She smiles, regardless of her tears, and I kiss her because how can I not? She’s the best thing that ever came my way. Her lips taste like salt. Her fingers move my hat off my head and scrape down between the strands of my hair as she grips.
I reach down and pull her shirt up and over her head, breaking our kiss so I can remove it. Her breasts sit firmly, begging to be touched. I grip one of them and suck the other. She grinds her hips against my hard cock. I lick and suck before switching over to the other one, not wanting to play favorites.
She reaches down and undoes my belt and button before carefully pulling my zipper down. My cock springs free from my briefs and she fists it, making me groan.
“I need to feel you,” she whispers.
I reach down and move her panties to the side, sliding a finger over her opening and making sure she’s ready.
“Damn,” I moan. “Come on.”
She sits up, holding on to my shoulders, and then she slides down on top of me as I hold on to my dick. My head falls back at how amazing she feels; she rides me until she comes, and I follow with teeth-biting and nail-scratching pleasure.
We breath heavy and kiss like we haven’t seen one another in weeks.
“I love you,” she says.
“I love you more.”
“Not possible.”
I smile as I feel over her hand and touch her ring. She put it back on.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” she asks.
Oh shit. Do I tell her where I was? Do I mention the girl? I didn’t even look at my neck to see if I had her lipstick on me.
I shrug. “I was mad.”
We lie here for a moment until she stirs and goes to the bathroom to clean up. She walks out with a washcloth.
I chuckle. “Thanks,” I say, reaching for it. I wipe off before standing up and tossing the wash rag into the clothes hamper. I remove my jeans and go to the dresser to grab some basketball shorts. K puts my shirt back on.
“Where did you go?” she asks.
Fuck.
“I went for a drive. Then I went to that rooftop near SkyView.”
“Really? How long has it been since you’ve been there?”
“Since the last time me and you went.”
“Oh,” she says as she walks over and turns the lamp off.
I’m glad she didn’t push any more questions. I’m not lying to her if she doesn’t ask, and I didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes in a relationship, if it’s not a big deal and you know it’ll start an argument, it’s best not to mention it.
Hell, I’m still new-ish at this thing. I went to
see how Red was doing. How was I supposed to know an old fuck would see me, and Danny would be there, whom Kat asked me to stay away from? It just worked out that way.
But you knew there was a chance.
I ignore that.
The man lives in New Jersey. The chances of him being there were slim.
“Did you mean it when you said you hated it here?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
She looks over at me. “It’s a beautiful apartment. I’ve thought that from the moment I woke up on your couch,” she says. “But is it us? No.”
I nod, removing my shirt and tossing it on the floor.
“Really?” she says, walking over and picking it up.
“What?” I say.
“The clothes hamper is right here.”
I roll my eyes and walk to the bathroom to brush my teeth, looking at my neck, grateful there’s no lipstick from that whore. I wash it off anyway, thinking about what K said. She seems to want what I do even though she isn’t saying it, and knowing her she never will. I’ve got to go house shopping.
I spit and rinse my mouth out before hitting the light and exiting the bathroom just as Kat is rubbing lotion on her hands and feet.
“So, you still wanna marry me then, right?” I ask.
She smiles, looking sheepish. “If you’ll have me. I was pretty mean earlier.”
“I deserved it. I shouldn’t have said anything to Claire and Austin. That was for you to do.”
She falls back in the bed and pulls the covers back for me. “Aw, you are growing up.”
I give her a look, which makes her giggle. I grin because fuck I can’t help it.
“Yes, I want you. Always and forever,” I say, pulling her to me. I kiss her again before she flips on her side and snuggles into me.
This is love.
This is what it’s all about.
Lying together in bed, holding each other and talking about life and the future.
“Good,” she says. “I’m glad that’s settled.”
“You have no idea how glad I am.”
We sit up late, talking into the night about what we want for our future and the next steps we need to take to get there.
I want to travel, and she always wants Mugs & Books, but says she’ll let Claire and Becca run it until we can get back home. She wants to start a pod cast and write a blog about our travels, and I can’t fucking wait to marry her and have babies so they can see how awesome she is.
We fall asleep when the sun comes up, and we stay in bed until late afternoon when we decide to move our snuggle-fest downstairs on the couch that we both declare not to care about messing up anymore. We order in and watch action movies, and my life has never been more meaningful.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bryce
(A little over a month later)
I step out of the truck, reaching in the back for the pumpkins K bought at the farmers’ market. “Set those outside in front of the door,” she says to me as she carries an armload through the open French doors. I shake my head. “So many damn pumpkins.”
She turns back and gives me a look. “You knew my obsession before you asked me to marry you.”
I smirk. “Yeah, I guess I did.” Claire stands with an apron on that has black cats all over it. Rubber bats hang down from the ceiling and purple and orange lights are strung around. It’s the month we’re getting married, and it’s close to my girl’s favorite holiday.
I place the pumpkins down and grab a crate full of small ones before walking into the shop. Becca’s doing a display of new Halloween coffee mugs, and I see they got in some new magnets for the book lovers.
“Grab that small ladder and put some on top of the bookshelves,” K says to me.
“Sure thing,” I reply, unenthused with the Fall/Halloween decorating. Becca laughs and Claire smirks. She tolerates me for Kat, but I can tell she’s still not one hundred percent on board, which is her problem.
A few college kids sit in the chairs that have fall-colored throw blankets and pillows that say Boo. I do as I’m told, and once I’m done, I walk around the counter and fix myself a cup of coffee.
“I’ve got to go get my dress,” K says to Claire. “Are y’all good here?”
“You know we are. I’ll see you in the morning.”
K exhales. “Okay.” She smiles and the two share a look I don’t get.
“Let’s go then,” she says to me like I’m the reason we haven’t left yet.
“See you tomorrow, Kat,” Becca says.
“Yep,” K replies with a wink. I grab her hand as we exit and step out onto the sidewalk. I open the truck door and K climbs in before sliding over to her side. “Sit beside me,” I say. She smirks and scoots back over.
I start the old Chevy, and we head to the bridal shop. We drive with the windows cracked and the radio on, both of us in our own little worlds. I think about tomorrow and how I’ve never been more ready. K and I only grow closer as time passes. We’ve come so far since spilt coffee and a late-night breakfast.
I love this woman with everything I have. Love doesn’t come quickly for some. It’s a slow simmer, an uphill ride. She caught my attention the first moment I laid eyes on her, but I was so stuck in my ways, I would have never sought her out.
Fate had to step in and my brother who had to have coffee before we took off to Grant Ranch. The universe knew what it was doing. No two people were meant for each other more than she and I. We fight, we make up, we laugh, and sometimes we can just be.
Love is sitting quietly beside your partner, not having to fill the silence because you’re completely at peace as long as the other one is near.
Love is holding hands for the simple fact of it.
It’s late nights and lazy afternoons ordering takeout and watching movies. Busy days when you hardly have time to see each other, but you make time because your day seems off if you don’t.
It’s reaching over in the night and touching them just because. Love is going through life together and realizing the other isn’t perfect by society’s standards, but they’re what perfect means to you.
I grab K’s hand and hold tight, because this is the last day we’ll be a couple about to get married.
Tomorrow she will promise me forever.
And I will do the same.
_____________
Kathrine
As I ride in the bouncy Chevy truck beside Bryce, I think about the time we’ve spent together. The fights, the struggles of accepting we wanted each other. My mom and Saw’s death, burning that house down with Mills there. All the huge moments in my life, Bryce has been beside me.
Except for the time I got up the courage and left the town I came from. I had to do that on my own. But I soon found family in Lucy, Claire, and Austin. I never for a moment thought somewhere along the way I would meet a man named Bryce Grant. He had secrets and a past like mine, but not exactly the same. My family only grew when he got up the courage to admit how he felt about me.
He pulls up to the curb and we climb out. He downs the rest of his coffee and tosses it into the trash out on the street before we walk into the dress shop.
“I’ll be back,” I tell him. He nods, looking slightly uncomfortable. I smile and head to the back to grab my dress, which has been fitted to me perfectly. It’s strapless with a flowy bottom and a long train. An assortment of pearls compliment my waist and it comes with a long veil.
I’ll have fall flowers, and Grant Ranch has already been decorated with pumpkins and hay bales.
I’m nervous. I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I said I had my shit together. This is huge and life-changing, and no matter how much you tell yourself you’re ready, it’s just scary. I will no longer be Kathrine Harrison. I’ll be Kathrine Grant.
“Yes, I need to pick my wedding dress up.”
The young woman with blonde hair smiles at me. “Sure, can I just see your driver’s license?”
“Yeah,” I say, pulling my license from
my wallet. I hand it to her, and she looks before handing it back.
“Thank you. Would you like to see it before we place it into the dress bag?”
“Yeah,” I say. I look back at Bryce who’s looking out the window. He’s obviously bored and ready to go, so he won’t miss me. I follow her back and instantly recognize my dress hanging on the wall when I walk into the room. It’s gorgeous to say the least. The thought of Bryce seeing me in it as I walk toward him… it has chills running down my spine, and the thought of him slipping it off later that night, has butterflies soaring in my stomach and a blush spread across my cheeks.
“It’s perfect,” I say quietly.
“We’re glad you’re pleased,” an older woman says with cherry red hair, a measuring tape around her neck and a pencil behind her ear.
“I am,” I say.
She looks me over for a moment. “First marriage, I take it?”
I kinda laugh. “First and only, I hope.”
She gives me a kind smile. “Yes. Most do, but sometimes life doesn’t give us what we want.”
“That’s true.”
She bites her bottom lip. “Can I give you a little pre-wedding advice?”
“Now, Annie, this woman doesn’t need your daily wedding advice.”
I look from Annie to her.
“Does she do this often?” I ask.
The younger girl rolls her eyes. “Every time.”
Annie swats her hand, waving her off. “I give good advice and I happen to know it works. I’ve been married for twenty-seven years.”
“That’s impressive. Tell me your advice.”
She gives Blondie a sideways glance before focusing in on me. “When you get angry at each other—and you will—remember this moment right here. You’re happy. You’re about to marry the man of your dreams and everything is in place. Life is going to get hectic at times, but as long as you focus on the moments that matter, the life-changing ones, you’ll be okay. Forgive each other, because no one is perfect. Don’t forget about how much you love each other today.”
Give Me Forever Love (Give Me Series Book 3) Page 14
