by Ford, Mia
“I’ll clean this shit up later. Is that cool?” I asked as they nodded. Despite having slept so much, I still felt off and needed my own bed that was full of Aubrey’s body and scent. I opened the bedroom door and looked into the large room to see a soft, amber light beside the bed. She was curled up underneath the blankets and I closed the door, stripping off my clothes before I took a shower. I hated the scent of airplanes on me when I was off a flight and took a quick shower before drying off.
It was my shower, full of my things and Aubrey’s things. It was my home and I threw the faded purple towel over the shower before I brushed my teeth and went back into the bedroom. It was still quiet apart from her soft, even breaths and I joined Aubrey in bed and I examined the light beside her. It was a large chunky thing and I frowned as I reached out to touch it. It felt like one of the crystals that she was beginning to collect, and I smiled as I dropped to my pillow. I pulled her close, wanting to let her sleep but unable to control my need for her. “David?” Aubrey asked groggily as I kissed her neck. “You’re home.”
“Finally. I missed you so damn much.” I whispered before kissing her jaw. I breathed her in and memorized the feel of her warm skin under my hands, claiming her mouth with mine as she turned to face me. It was hard and clumsy, and I slid my hand down her body, gripping her ass to pull her closer. I couldn’t get enough of her taste and I rolled her to her back, sliding in between her legs as she pulled me closer. I was hard as fuck and I rubbed along her slick folds as she writhed under me. “You’re so fucking sexy. Your curves and your taste are everything I need in life.”
We started making love like that. I jerked inside of her slowly to hold off the orgasm I desperately needed and kissed every inch of her skin I could touch. I told her how much I loved her before I rolled to my back and let her finish on top of me. I filled her pussy with my come and stilled as I felt her coming hard around me. We both let out a ragged breath and she crumpled over me as she breathed in deeply. “Fuck, I missed this.” I whispered as she ran her hands down my side. I was glad to be home for the next few months working on another album and we kissed slowly for a long time. I made love to her again before we passed out and again in the morning before coffee.
We decided to invite Brent and Cammie over for a BBQ on the back deck that evening after checking with Jacob and Vanessa on the plans. They were down and friendly with the couple, so I made the plans and went shopping with Aubrey glued to my side as we cruised the aisles. I hadn’t stopped touching her since I was home and we only parted to get food for later and put it in the cart. I tried to go incognito with a hat, so we could get in and out easily and it seemed to work if I kept my head down. I just wasn’t in the mood for fans today. I added a lot of beer and wine to the cart in addition to meat and fresh vegetables and we went to check out, with Aubrey handling most of the transaction.
We took it home and she prepped the veggies, marinating them in a bag for later as she sipped a glass of wine. I chatted with Jacob and gave them their gifts as we caught up, pulling Aubrey close when she joined us. I wasn’t going to start working on writing and recording the album for a week, so we could all get some time at home. I was going to tie Aubrey to the bed, so she would stay with me for that time, something she laughed at when I suggested it.
I was three beers in when Brent showed up with a happy Cammie in tow. They walked in and she hugged me tightly before greeting her sister warmly, moving to my brother and Vanessa. Brent and I bumped fists and he hugged Aubrey. He liked her a lot and I think they were the closest two in the band. He bumped fists with Jacob and shook Vanessa’s hand before the guys helped me carry the platter of meat to the grill out back. The girls stayed in drinking wine and chatting and I glanced around as the meat cooked with a slow smile. I didn’t think I’d ever want this kind of settled life but here I was with friends and family and content as hell. Aubrey brought out the veggies and I kissed her softly as she set the plate beside me, moaning into my mouth. “Get a fucking room,” Brent grumbled beside me as I pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.
“Like you didn’t maul my sister last night,” Aubrey teased him as she pulled away and went in to finish the food prepping. Brent cursed again and I smirked at him, knowing that his night was likely a lot like mine. Cammie was glowing, and he had a relaxed ease about him that I only noticed after he started seeing her. I’d never tell Brent this, but I expected them to be engaged within a few months. Looking at Jacob, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was engaged soon as well.
We carried in the food, leaving the sliding glass door open while we got our plates ready. We sat at the newer, bigger oak table and sipped drinks while we ate and laughed. Jacob told us about their upcoming trip to Switzerland since he and Vanessa started a partnership and worked together most of the time. Brent and I shared stories about the funnier moments of the tour even though I gave Aubrey several looks that told her how much I missed her. I showed then pictures we took along the way that fans weren’t privy to, making Cammie and Aubrey gasp several times. They both swore that they would quit the catering gig and write remotely to be able to go with us. Brent and I grinned as we agreed and told them we would hold them to it. I knew how much Cammie loved it, particularly since she was in a managerial position now. I never saw her leaving but hoped I could talk Aubrey into it as I gazed at her beside me.
She served the chocolate cake she’d baked for tonight, smiling as everyone took a bite. I could tell how proud she was of her work and had to admit that the cake was delicious. When we were done, Cammie and Vanessa washed the dishes while I dragged Aubrey to the couch. I pulled her on my lap and held her there as Brent shook his head at me, sipping his beer.
The others joined us, and we ended up playing a board game until Brent and Cammie left around midnight. I knew how much Brent was thrown off from the jet lag and wanted to get some sleep myself. Once the door was locked, I told Jacob and Vanessa good night and pulled Aubrey to our room as she giggled. I needed to be inside of her again before she fell asleep in my arms. She kissed me as hard I did when I met her mouth and we fell to the bed together. We stripped each other and tossed the clothes to the floor before she pushed me back and took me into her mouth. I gripped her hair and moaned as her hot mouth gripped me, moving slowly up and down as I closed my eyes. No woman had ever felt like she did, and I allowed her to keep going until I was too close to come. I told her to get on her knees and gripped her hips before I took her with one rough thrust.
Aubrey cried out as she backed into me, taking me even deeper. I praised her as I fucked her, murmuring words of love and reverence as she came apart before me. She rolled to one side and I fell beside her as we breathed deeply. “Nobody feels like home the way you do, Aubrey. Nobody has ever felt as good as you.” I stroked her damp hair back as she smiled and whispered how much she loved me.
Chapter Eighteen
Aubrey
I woke up with the sun shining through our big window and looked at the beautiful man beside me. I’d been home with him since he arrived back home and tried to push away the work that was waiting for me when I left my little cloud of love. Cammie told me about a job for a tour coming up over the weekend and I had some deadlines to meet as well. I saw how well David was sleeping and slipped out of bed before pulling on one of his t-shirts and a robe to make some coffee.
The living room was empty as I prepared the pot, walking to the window to look outside at the overcast sky. It was a perfect day to stay in and write and I pulled my laptop from the shelf, warming it up on the table. I poured coffee and grabbed a slice of cake before I took a seat and opened a document. I read through it quickly and started adding to it, finding a rhythm as I smiled.
In a perfect world, we’d have a lot more time together, but I knew who David was when I started seeing him. I knew when we moved in together and accepted his proposal and that was just how our lives were going to be for now. I did want to be in a place where I could travel with him, but it sounded crazy
. Long nights and late mornings along with traveling from venue to venue. I could write during that time, but I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the process. It just sounded so crazy and to be honest, it seemed like time for the boys to be together. I knew there were families that traveled on their own bus and made it work but I needed time to consider that. This was still somewhat fresh to me and I wanted to focus on the wedding before anything else. I had a lot of planning to do with Cammie and I was still working with her for a bit longer. We had to use extra time for the planning and we were both missing Mom during the process. I wanted nothing more than for her to be here with us, watching us fall in love and plan our lives.
I was lost in my thoughts when arms slipped around my shoulders. I jumped, and David asked if I was okay as I laughed. “Yes, just thinking.” I replied as he kissed my cheek.
“I see you’re back to work,” he observed as he walked over to pour some coffee.
“Trying to. I have a few deadlines to meet,” I replied as I noticed the scowl on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“I came home thinking that you would want to see me as much as I did you.” He sounded disappointed and I raised a brow at him.
“Baby, I am, and I do. I just have to work like you do that’s all.” I couldn’t understand where he was coming from. David poured some coffee and stared out of the window for a moment. “Where is your head right now?”
“I thought about you so much when I was gone. I worried about you, missed you, loved you more than anything in the world…missed you. I’ve never felt this way before.” He turned to look at me and I felt tears in my eyes. He’d said everything that I was feeling but hid.
“I haven’t either,” I assured him, standing up to walk over towards him. “I felt all of that, but I imagined the confident man that I met that was out there taking over the world.” I watched as he set the cup down before wrapping my arms around his waist. “I love you, David.” Kyle hadn’t been like this, though I wouldn’t use the word needy. He always put off that air like he had everything under control, which I now understood. He had a double life as well as me and handled both until he couldn’t. He still wasn’t handling that well now, over a year later.
“I’m sorry. This can be overwhelming at times for me.” He said softly before pulling me against him. “I just want to be inside of you every minute of the day, Aubrey. I feel like that will make all of this go away.”
“I am here for you. I just need my life and my work. I feel like I’m building up something here and I love writing. I am just helping Cammie out right now with the catering though I do love the baking.” I pulled back to smile at him and stood on my toes to give him a soft kiss. “We’re all adjusting here, David.” I kissed him again and he gripped my hips as he deepened the kiss. He lifted me and carried me to our bedroom where he worshiped me all over again, making me moan his name as I came around him. David wasn’t the only one that was obsessed with the way we felt together, and I clung to him tightly as he drove inside of me.
I told him that I was going to cook breakfast and dressed again, pulling my hair into a messy bun. I smiled as I left the room, using the bathroom before washing my hands and looking into the fridge for what I could cook. I pulled out eggs and sausage, glancing towards my computer as my other passion called my name. David came back out with jeans pulled on and heated up his coffee as I smiled down at the pan I was heating up.
Jacob joined us, asking what I was cooking in his easy way as I laughed. He sat in one of the chairs at the bar and I got him a cup of coffee before stirring the eggs. “Where’s Vanessa?”
“Sleeping. She’s been working her ass off planning a trip for us. She deserves it.” He sipped the coffee and smiled as I nodded.
“It’s great that you work together like that.” I observed as I added the sausage that I’d browned earlier.
“It made sense. We did the same thing and loved our work. We’ll work apart at times but mostly together, seeing the world.” He shrugged and glanced at David.
“Too bad you can’t use her with the band, D. She’d be good to have around all of the time.” Jacob said as I looked at David.
“We’ll see.” I finished breakfast and I took my plate to my computer, so I could finish working. I took a long sip of coffee and finished the project as the guys talked about the day and plans for later. I knew that David was throwing himself into work in a couple of days and this little bubble would burst for both of us. Jacob asked if I wanted to go out for dinner as a foursome and relax a bit since it was obvious that I’d be working all day. I chuckled and agreed before editing the document to submit it. I started another one, pulling up research as David watched me across the room. He knew how passionate I was about writing and admired that about me even though he was blinded by distance right now.
I showered later and dressed for dinner, pulling out a plum colored dress after I’d added some curling solution to my hair. I had learned to love the wildness of the curls and gave into them, knowing they’d get messed up if I didn’t. I added some dark liner to my eyes and a matching lip stain before using my good mascara. David walked into the room and glanced at me as I slipped into my dress in the bathroom, his eyes dark on me. “You look beautiful.” He stepped forward and took my left hand in his, pulling it up to his mouth for a soft kiss. “I love you.”
We left for the restaurant and I giggled when it was the one in the space needle. I was slightly afraid of heights and turned into David’s body as the elevator moved up, hugging him tightly. When we left, he laughed and pulled me by the hand into the lobby of the building as Jacob walked to the hostess to give her his name. I followed them to the table, glancing around automatically as David reached back for my hand. I met Kyle’s eyes and they were cold as they moved down to where my hand was joined with David’s. I looked across his table, seeing a redhead this time as I assumed that he was still a man whore. I turned my eyes ahead and watched as David pulled out a chair for me, taking it with a gracious smile. He ordered a bottle of wine as I picked up the menu, feeling the eyes from across the room. David hadn’t seen Kyle up close, so he wouldn’t recognize him, and I banked on things staying that way.
Dinner progressed, and we laughed through the meal, making me forget about my past across the room.
When we left, I glanced over to see that Kyle’s table was empty. I hoped that he’d give up. His face reminded me of his betrayal and the insecurities that I pushed aside with David. We went down the elevator the same way we came up and walked out to our car.
David took me for a walk as Vanessa convinced Jacob to take her to a shop and we agreed to meet in a little while. I took David’s hand and we walked along the water and smiled out at the lights reflecting in the water. “This was nice. Thank you.”
He squeezed my hand and remained quiet. “I’ll be working a lot with the guys soon. I wanted tonight with the people I love most in the world. I feel like a fucking hypocrite telling you not to work as much when I’m jumping right back in. I guess a part of me wants the kind of life that is just about you and me.”
“We met each other knowing what our lives were about and we’ve worked it all out. Pretty well, I think.” I said as he paused and pulled me against him.
“We are.” He agreed before kissing me. We continued walking and I stared over the city and the water, knowing that I loved this place. I also liked the idea of seeing the Eiffel Tower with David and eating at a little place in Italy. I imagined making love in every country out there and eventually taking our child with us. I knew I didn’t have to work, but I also wanted to prove myself. Mom worked hard for Cammie and I and I wanted to do the same in my own life. I did that with Kyle and I would do the same with David.
It would be easy to let David take care of me and mold myself into his life. I knew that deep down he didn’t want a puppet for a wife. He loved me, and he would do anything for me, but I was an independent woman. We made our way back to the car and found Jacob and Vanessa wait
ing for us, wrapped in each other’s arms. I was sliding into the car when my phone chimed, and I smiled, knowing it was Cammie. We kept in touch all of the time and I hadn’t spoken to her today. I slipped the phone out of my small purse and looked at the screen.
“She wants me to call her,” I murmured as I frowned. “Is there something going on?”
“Find out.” David suggested as I dialed her number. She answered it and told me I had to get my ass to her place immediately. I asked Jacob if he could drop me off, shrugging at David. It might be eleven o clock, but Cammie didn’t have a clock when she was in a crisis. I tapped on the door to the spacious ranch house and waited as footsteps crossed the hardwood floor. The door opened, and I saw my sister staring out at me with red eyes as I pulled her into my arms.
“What did he do? I’ll kill him.” I promised her as I kicked the door closed.
“He didn’t do anything. Well, he did but it isn’t what you think.” She took a deep breath and I frowned.
“Where is he?” I asked as she let out a shaky breath.
“He’s probably at a bar drinking himself into oblivion.” I looked into her beautiful face. “I’m pregnant, Aubrey. I did everything right and I’m still fucking pregnant. I was sick for a minute a while back and took antibiotics and he came into town for one night. It must have happened then, I don’t know. I just know that I have a souvenir now.” I let my mouth drop open and fell to the couch a few feet away. I always thought I’d be the one having a baby with David first.
“Pregnant.” I repeated before shaking my head. “What did he say?”
“He was in shock. He told me that he needed a minute and left. We just moved in together, Aubrey. He didn’t ask for all of this.” She ran her hands through her hair and joined me, curling her arms around her knees. “I’m not Mom. I don’t have this figured out. I might end up just like her if he decides to run.”
