The It's Kind Of Personal (Complete 6 Book Series)ies

by Anna Brooks

  “Oh, God. Travis, please.” My tongue finds purchase on her neck, and I lick and suck at the sensitive skin, rocking my throbbing dick against her perky ass.

  I insert two fingers in her pussy and fuck her with them, wishing it was my cock buried in this tightness. She moves her hips along with my thrusts and sweat forms on my brow when I begin to slam them in even harder and faster. Her walls clench around me, nails dig into my forearm, and her cum coats my hand. I let her ride it out until she flops her head down and catches her breath.

  “Thank you.” She grabs my arm and pulls it around her waist, making me stay. And I oblige, holding her close, where she belongs.

  Charlotte

  My head slams into the door, and this time, Travis isn’t on the other side. Todd drags my limp body to the couch and tears my thong off. The thong I imagined Travis pulling down my legs with his teeth. I’m barely able to form a word, let alone a sentence, but ‘stop’ and ‘no’ roll off my lips. He grips my knees and holds them open. I writhe and thrash, but my efforts are void. Stinging radiates through my scalp as he fists my hair and turns my head.

  “Sweetheart, wake up, it’s okay.” Vibrations from Travis’ throat pull me from my nightmare. “You’re safe now.”

  Safe. He makes me feel safe, but I’ve been horrible, pushing him away these past couple of weeks. I needed to close down. Regroup.

  Last night was an epiphany for me. I heard him talking to his mom and felt nauseated when he blamed himself. Todd is the only one at fault. He’s the monster. That revelation allows me to remove the guilt and stop chastising myself. I will not allow Todd to hold me back. I’m with a man who makes me happy. For now, at least. I don't know how many more issues of mine he’ll want to deal with until he leaves me.

  Warm hands brush hair off my face. I turn to him and run my hands along the coarse hairs adorning his handsome face. “I love you,” I tell him.

  Relief flashes in his eyes. “Love you too, sweetheart.”

  “I don't ever want you to sleep on the couch again.”

  His laughter shoots straight to my heart. “Me, either.” He kisses my forehead, and we stay in bed for a while longer, fingers roaming, souls melding.

  Insistent tapping ruins our moment and Travis kisses my lips before rolling out of bed. I’m pulling my shirt over my head when Meara walks in and hesitates before speaking.

  “It’s okay. I’m good now,” I tell her.

  “Thank God, because I was about to stage an intervention.” She sits next to me then stands. “Yeah, I don’t think I want to sit there.”

  “Haha,” I laugh, and it feels great to do it again. “What’s up?”

  “I was just checking on you. You sure you’re okay?”

  Considering her question thoroughly, I answer, “Yes. I’m fine. Right now, anyway.”

  “Good, because I need you to work for me later this week. I know, I know, I’m a selfish bitch, but I’m planning a surprise trip to see Liam, and if you can’t do it, then I’ll have to hire someone else.”

  “No, it’s fine. I don’t have anything else to do, and truthfully, the distraction would be good. I’m so sorry I’ve flaked out on you the past couple weeks.”

  “Woman, you were attacked. Don’t think twice about it.” She waves off my apology. “Get your ass up. Travis is making breakfast, and you and I have a date at the salon. He’s got errands to run, so you’re stuck with me for the day.”

  “What?” Great. I’m being babysat.

  “Come on, it’ll be fun. You need to get out.”

  * * *

  Meara and I are sitting in at a cafe, nails freshly painted, hair trimmed and highlighted, eating a late lunch.

  “So what’s with the impromptu road trip?” I ask dipping my fry in ketchup.

  “It’s been almost six months now, Char. Six. This is the longest Liam and I have been apart, and I can’t fucking take it anymore. I’ll become a roadie if I have to.” She jokes, but there’s a serious undertone in her voice.

  “Why haven’t they been home in so long?”

  “Not enough time. They do a show, and then have to go to another state for another show the next day. He’s working so hard and hardly has the time to even talk to me on the phone.” She flags the waiter, and we get refills of our spiked lemonades.

  She holds up a soggy breadstick. “Plus, I’m so horny this breadstick could get me off right now.”

  I laugh and choke on my drink. “Ew. I don’t want to hear that.”

  “It’s true.” She shrugs. “So …?”

  “So what?”

  “So, Travis?” She waggles her eyebrows and sips her straw seductively.

  “Travis is amazing. Perfect. Everything I ever hoped. And I can’t believe he’s put up with all my shit.” Swallowing the last of my burger, I continue, “I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, ya know? Like he’s going to wake up one day and realize he’s with a crazy person.”

  “Okay, that’s it. Check, please!” she yells across the restaurant causing every head to turn in our direction.

  “Meara, what are you doing? Stop it,” I whisper, slouching down in my chair.

  “Just wait.”

  The waiter comes and Meara pays the bill, refusing any money from me, and we get in her car.

  “Where—”

  She holds up her hand. “Nope, just wait.” Tension fills the car, and I nervously bounce my leg. When we pull up to her parents’ house, she leaves the car running and tells me to follow her. “We won’t be long. Besides, this is only the first stop.”

  Confused, I get out and follow her to the backyard. She walks over to the tree house and points at it.

  “What’s that?” she asks.

  “Umm, a treehouse?”

  “No, Char, what is that?” she emphasizes.

  “Oh, our castle?”

  “Yeah. Our castle. And what did we dream about in our castle? You, me, and Caroline. What did we lie there and make up stories about?”

  “Our prince,” I sigh.

  “Our prince. Remember? They would save us, right?”

  “Yes.” I swallow back the tears threatening. We practically lived in that treehouse. We each had a notebook with pictures and stories. Mine was so lame. I wanted to be carried off into the sunset, and we’d run away and live happily ever after. “But life isn’t a fairy tale. Shit happens. Bad guys come and ruin the ending. They take the princess and strip her down, layer by layer, until there’s nothing left.”

  “Whatever. Come on.”

  “What?” I follow her back to the car and cross my arms. This is stupid. I don’t know what the hell she’s doing, besides pissing me off.

  At the beach, she pulls me behind her in the cold sand to my favorite place. “What’s this?” She points to the large flat rock, surrounded by grass.

  “Meara, what the hell are you doing?”

  “What is this?” she asks again, frustrated.

  “It’s my spot!” I yell.

  “And whose spot was it before you?”

  “My parents,” I cry. The tears roll out, and I let them fall.

  “Why? Why was this their spot?”

  “It’s where they met.”

  “Right. It’s also where my parents met. And Grandma and Grandpa.”

  “I know. Alright.” I turn, but she grabs my arm and pulls me back.

  “Who else?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie.

  “Yes, you do. You don’t want to admit it.” She smiles and angles her head at the water. “I didn’t meet Liam here, but it’s where I go when I want to feel close to him. We’ve laughed, cried, made love, and fought here. It’s a special place for all of us. I’ve caught Pierce here, too. It means something, Char, and you know it.” Her brown eyes look back at me. “Now, tell me, who else?”

  “Travis,” I whisper. “I met Travis here.”

  “Right. Now come on, two more stops.”

  Rolling my eyes, I follow h
er. The ride is silent again, but I think about what she said. That spot is special — not only to me, but my family. The first time I saw Travis, I knew he was it for me.

  She stops in front of my building, and I feel sick.

  “No,” I protest. I haven’t been back here since that night.

  “Yes.” She rounds the car and opens my door. “You’ve gotta do it eventually, Char. Why hold it off?” I don’t move, and she squats down. Her voice softens. “If you really don’t want to, I won’t make you. I kind of need this for my dramatic finish, though, so it’ll piss me off if you ruin it.”

  Her lips are tilted up, and I nod. “Fine.”

  We stand in front of my boarded off door.

  “What happened?” she asks.

  “He came here.”

  “Who?”

  “Todd.” Venom spills out of my mouth at his name. “He came here and attacked me. Blamed me. Hurt me.” Chills run up my spine, remembering his words and his hands grabbing my body. Those same hands at one time, made me feel not alone.

  “Did he rape you?”

  Closing my eyes, I shake my head. I run the scenario through my head. I have nightmares about it. Would he have stopped after that? Would he have killed me?

  “Why not? He wanted to. That was why he came here, right?” Her condescending tone has its effect.

  “Because Travis saved me,” I snap.

  “How did he save you, Char? What did he do?”

  “He broke down the fucking door, okay! He barged in and beat the shit out of Todd. He fucking saved me!” Spit flies out of my mouth, and I pound on the wood, releasing some pent-up anger. “Todd would have killed me, but Travis saved me.”

  “That’s right. Travis saved your life. Not because he had to, but because he loves you, Charlotte. Don’t you see that? He. Loves. You.”

  “For how long, Meara? How many more breakdowns and episodes is he going to put up with? I’m not normal, and after what I’ve been through, I never will be again!” My head rests on the makeshift door as I try to get my thoughts together. “I love him. More than I thought was ever possible, and I’m so afraid of losing him again.”

  She puts her hands on my shoulders and turns me so I’m looking at her. Her eyes are glossy and a single tear leaks down her cheek. “One more stop.”

  Through the tears, we walk with our arms linked and heads resting together down stairs to her car.

  The last stop turns out to be Travis’ building.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “You will.”

  Inside his place, I turn the lights on and hold my arms out. It feels so empty without him here. “Well?”

  “Where are we?”

  Dropping my hands, I rest them on my hips. “Meara, really?”

  “Where are we?”

  “Travis’ apartment.”

  “Right. Where is he right now?”

  “I don’t know. He said running errands.”

  “Yeah. Errands. But not the kinds of errands you think.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He had to go take care of paperwork at work, because he took some kind of extended absence the past two weeks. He’s going to pay for a new door for your place. He’s also going to the police station to give another statement and continue to try to get them off your ass.” She ticks off each answer with her fingers.

  “What are you talking about? The police haven’t been bugging me. I haven’t heard one thing from them after my initial statement.”

  “Because of Travis.” She runs a hand through her short hair. “Don’t you see, Char? Don’t you get it? He does all of these thing for you, without even telling you. He takes care of you. He’s your fucking prince, Charlotte.”

  “But I’m not a princess! He’ll realize that eventually and want to stop taking care of me. The hero act will get old!” I scream at her. “What’s the point of this, Meara? To make me feel like shit even more for ruining his life?”

  “Ugh! I want to slap you so bad right now! He. Loves. Your stupid ass, Charlotte. He’s not going anywhere.” Her head falls, and she continues to shake it. “You’re so lucky. I’m jealous of you, your man here, with you every fucking day. And maybe you’re right. Maybe this was a bad idea, but I can’t stand to see you like this anymore. Open your eyes, babe. This is your happily ever after.”

  Chapter 22

  Charlotte

  MEARA’S RIGHT. SHE’S ABSOLUTELY right. I jump when the door slams and numbly sit on the couch.

  He loves me. He’s proven over and over again that he’s here. For me. From the beginning. The night with Johnny. Holding me so the crickets didn’t get me. Finding me at the motel. He saved me from Todd. Not only does he still want to be with me, but he brought me to his place and takes care of me. Calming me when I have a nightmare, cleaning my wounds, and making sure I eat. He loves me.

  Absolution settles in my bones, and I rush to the bedroom, whipping clothes out of the drawers until I find what I’m looking for. Luckily, most of my closet has been moved to Travis’ in the past couple months, so the dress I’m now wearing was easy to find. I quickly braid my hair, apply a little makeup, and slide my feet into my favorite pair of cowboy boots.

  I check myself in the mirror one more time and am shocked at the clarity shining through my eyes. Embarrassed I’m smiling at myself, I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear and nervously pace around the living room.

  I’m on my millionth lap when the lock clicks. I turn and freeze. Travis steps in and sets a couple bags on the floor, yet to notice me. Hands on the kitchen counter, he closes his eyes for a moment. I’m sure taking care of me has been exhausting. And I haven’t exactly been welcoming. When he sees me, I wring my hands and lick my lips. Words die on my tongue, but what I want to say swirls through my brain.

  “Hey, sweetheart.” He cautiously takes a step closer. “You okay?”

  “You love me.”

  “Yeah, I do.” No hesitation, no question. How did I miss this? Doubting him, not trusting him to stay.

  “And you haven’t left me. You’ve stayed.” It’s me who steps closer this time.

  The blue depths of his eyes become lighter, softer, and his dimple appears. “You’re right.”

  “No, you’re right. You’re so perfectly right for me I didn’t want to believe it.” Closing the distance, my hands rest on his chest, and our eyes stay connected. “I’ve been so afraid you would be disgusted by me that I didn’t even give you the opportunity to show me. I was closed off, embarrassed, and so freaking horrified that I’d lose you—” I cut off his attempt at a rebuttal with a finger to his lips. He kisses it and intertwines our hands, nodding for me to continue.

  “I have loved you for so long. I remember the moment you owned my heart.”

  He squints his eyebrows in question, and I smile as the memory plays in my mind.

  “When we were sitting on that hill, overlooking the lake. I was overwhelmed with my feelings for you. Up until that point, it was a crush, a fantasy almost. You wiped the tear off my cheek and kissed me. You ruined me.”

  “Me, too. Looking into your eyes that day was like seeing my future, my life, reflecting back at me.”

  I wrap my arms around his neck and press my lips to his. “There are so many things I want to say to you. I can’t thank you enough for staying.”

  “You don’t need to thank me. I take care of the people I love. It’s ingrained in me to be a protector, and I happen to love you very much, so my services are all yours.” He smiles again. “Everything I have is yours, my heart, my home. I know I’m not a millionaire or anything, but I promise you, absolutely nobody will ever love you as much as I do. There is no object, no monetary amount, that signifies my love for you. There are no limits on the hell I’d walk through to make sure you were happy.”

  “Stop talking.” I swat at his shoulder and wipe my eyes. “I didn’t want to cry again. I never used to cry.” Chuckling under my breath, I continue, “You saved
me. Not only from Todd, but also from myself. I can’t promise I won’t have any more episodes or that sometimes memories won’t get the best of me.”

  Making sure he sees me, I pull his head down a little so we’re face to face. “But I can promise that I love you. And I’ll never doubt how you feel ever again. Oh, and I’ll be honest with you… always.”

  “That’s all I ask.”

  In one fluid motion, he lifts me, and my legs wrap around his waist. Walking me backward, he presses me against the wall.

  Urgency on top of everything else has me ripping his shirt off and pressing kisses down his neck. His groin pins me while his hands pull down the straps of my sundress.

  “I like this dress,” he says between open mouth kisses on my shoulder. “I really like the boots, too. You were wearing this same outfit the first time I got you off.”

  “Yeah,” I pant. “I thought it would be nostalgic if I wore it when we finally made love again.”

  He pauses and sucks in a breath. “Sweetheart, we don’t have to. If you’re not ready, I don't want to push you.” The sincerity in his voice solidifies my decision.

  “I want to. I want this, you. I’ve waited forever. I’m ready.”

  “Are you sure?” His eyes pierce into mine.

  “Yes.”

  Grabbing my face in his hands, he slams his mouth to mine. This kiss is raw. It’s passionate, and it’s frantic. We bite, lick, and suck until I feel like I’m going to combust. He grinds into my core, and my legs are shaking from squeezing him so tight.

  “Travis, please.” I pull away long enough to beg, then grab at the back of his head to put his mouth where it belongs.

  Without words, he walks us to his bedroom and gently lays me down on the bed. One leg at a time, he kisses inside my knees, and pulls my boots off. I admire the hard muscles in his shoulders and chest. So strong, so damn sexy.

  I take matters into my own hands and hop off the bed and drop onto my knees in front of him. But he reaches under my arms and throws me back on the bed. “Nope. It’s all you.” He crawls on the bed and runs his fingers from my ankles to the inside of my thighs. When they reach the hem of my dress, he pulls it over my head. While I’m sitting up, I remove my bra and lie back down.