Authors: Cat Mason
Sliding his finger beneath my chin, Henry tips my face up. My eyes flutter open, meeting his gorgeous green orbs. His eyes are soft and warm, more inviting than I have ever seen them. Big Man is
relaxed
. I start to smile, but it’s stopped the second he bends and presses his lips to mine.
With everyone standing there, Henry moves his mouth over mine. One hand slides up and brushes my hair over my shoulder before cupping my face, tilting my head the way he wants it. His lips are soft, making me moan softly.
I can tell the second everyone sees us. The conversations going on around us stop all at once. “Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” Hunter asks, making me jump.
Henry’s lips leave mine, and I blink my eyes frantically to focus as I stare around the room to exactly what I figured. Everyone is staring at us.
“Problem, Hunter?” Henry asks, tucking me into his side.
I don’t know what to do or how to act. Everyone is watching the scene play out, but no one says a word. My eyes roam the room for what feels like an eternity before stopping on a smiling Hunter. I expected the atmosphere in the room to become tense and awkward, but it doesn’t.
“Nope,” Hunter chuckles. “I think this is pretty fuckin’ perfect.” Walking over, he smacks a gaping mouthed Mack in the back of the head as he comes our way. “I say this could be the perfect wedding present. Not only have we all been waiting on you to relax and have a life, but you’ve successfully cockblocked Mack! He thought for sure Rae was warmin’ up to him after she danced with him at the lagoon the other night.”
My eyes shoot to Hunter, then to Mack before I look back at Henry. Hunter laughs again. “Wait, what?” I ask.
“All the good moves too,” Mack whines, stealing a cookie off Jazzie’s plate. “Even the Timberlake shit. I told you guys he corrupted the nanny.” Shrugging, Mack just shakes his head. “She must prefer old dudes.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, Mack,” Henry says, leading me over to the bar where Cam, Aiden, Luke, Ki, and Grayson stand watching in amusement.
“Florida is the retirement capital of the world, I mean you can always hit the mainland before we fly home, Silver Shagger,” Aiden chuckles. Leaning over, he grins at me. “Our Big Mack over there prefers the over fifty crowd anyway.”
Mack’s face turns beet red before flipping all of us off. Turning to Jazzie, he grabs her hand. “Come on, short stuff, let’s show them how do rock a dance floor. At least I know you love me.”
“Longneck,” Henry says, looking down at me in question. When I shake my head, he nods and takes his beer from the woman behind the bar. Putting the bottle to his lips, he swallows, my eyes locking on his throat as it works. His arm slips lower around my hips, pulling me in front of him as he leans back into the bar. Cam’s brow arches, eyeing the both of us before her look fades into a smile.
“We’ve gotta get set up,” Aiden says, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “If Hunter doesn’t do his song soon, I have a feeling it won’t happen at all.”
Standing at the bar, we watch as they guys set up their equipment. Aiden sits on a stool behind a tall drum and picks up these little sticks that don’t look anything like drum sticks I’ve seen before. Grayson steps up and slips on his acoustic guitar, stepping behind one of the microphones. Hunter kisses Chase’s lips with a loud smack before leaping onto the stool sitting behind the other mic. “I’ve been told I’m not the best with words, if I’m not singin’ them,” Hunter says into the mic. “So after hearing this song, I’ve been workin’ with the guys on a little surprise for my girls that pretty much says it all for me, in case there was ever any doubt.” Pulling the mic in, he smiles at Jazzie, who runs up and stands beside Chase. Pressing his hand to his chest, his eyes lock on Chase. “Tiger Lily, you walked into my life and showed me all that I was missing. Even when I expected you to haul ass and run like hell, you stayed. Through all the shit, you’re my constant. There’s no one I’d rather share my life with. You make every struggle worth it, and every ounce of success means that much more because I have you by my side. You are the reason my heart beats.”
The music starts to play and Hunter comes in smooth, but with a raspy tone to his voice as he sings “My Heart” by Paramore
.
Sitting Jazz down on her feet, Chase covers her mouth with her hand as the little diva dances around her. Chase ingests every word, tears falling down her face. They don’t break eye contact as he sings to her. It’s a moment frozen in time. Only for them.
I can feel my own heart racing, chills running over my skin as I feel every ounce of love he has for her. The guy’s version of the song is nowhere near as hard as the version on the radio I’ve heard, but it’s so much more powerful. Every note he hits speaking volumes of how he feels. The lyrics he chooses to sing, instead of say, because he wants her to feel them as more than just words. Instead, we are all experiencing their love in a way that will go on forever.
Every time they hear the song, it will be a reminder of this day and all the love they share.
A tear slips down my face, followed by another and another. By the time Hunter sings the last note and the guys stop playing, all the girls are crying and Mack is sniffling a bit. Chase doesn’t waste a second. She dives into Hunter’s arms, slamming her mouth to his. Hunter teeters backwards before falling backwards onto the ground, laughing through the kisses. Sitting up, he grabs her face and kisses her back.
Henry’s body vibrates against mine as he chuckles. “I’m going to check on the kids,” I say, running my hand along his, still wrapped around my middle.
Once he releases me, I walk over and sit down at the table beside Brannon who is trying his best to get his hands on the last cookie on Jazzie’s plate. Since Daisy is busy talking to Audrey, I push the plate just out of his reach, making him sigh. Crossing his chubby arms over his little suit covered chest, he grumbles, clearly not happy with being caught in the act.
“What was that?” I ask him.
“Please,” he asks, meeting my eyes. “Please, cookie.”
Gasping, I do a double take. My eyes fly up to Daisy, noticing that she’s turned around and is watching him, her jaw slack and her eyes welling up with tears. Taking the cookie from the plate, I break off a piece and look to Daisy, waiting to make sure we are on the same page on this. When she nods, I hold out the piece to Brannon. “Is this what you want, handsome?”
“Please?” he asks again, holding out his hand. Handing him the cookie, I watch as it disappears into his mouth instantly. “Mmmm,” he says holding out his hand for another piece.
“Is that good, baby?” Daisy asks, taking the cookie from my hand. “Do you want mommy to give you another bite?”
Bran nods, turning his focus to Daisy. He holds out his hand, furrowing his brow when she doesn’t hand it to him. “You have to tell us, big boy,” I coach him, hoping he will say it again. Sticking his tongue out, he curls it over his top lip, lost in deep concentration. The wheels in his head are turning, making me anxious to see what he is putting together.
“Cookie!” he shouts, making Daisy and I giggle.
Daisy hands him the rest of the cookie, too excited to break off a piece. Brannon’s eyes light up as he stares at the cookie, then he shoves it into his mouth. His cheeks puff out as he chews and swallows. Looking up at us, he smiles proudly, chocolate covering his chin and mouth.
Grayson walks up and ruffles the baby’s hair before taking Daisy’s hand and pulling her to her feet. “I want to dance with my wife,” he says, pressing his lips to hers. Daisy looks down at Brannon, then to me, indecision swamping her face.
“Go,” I say, shooing them off. “I’ve got him.”
Daisy nods, allowing Gray to lead her out to where everyone is paired off, dancing to the music. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he dips Daisy until her blonde hair sweeps the ground before planting a kiss on her lips.
Making myself and Brannon each a plate, I sit and eat with him while everyone dances and laughs. I giggle at Luke as he tells Kionna, Audrey, and me about the first time he met Jasmine. “It took three days to get all that glitter off me,” he says shaking his head. Scrubbing a hand over his blonde goatee, he chuckles, his eyes going to where Hunter twirls Jazzie on the dance floor. “Gotta love that kid though, she won’t have it any other way.”
“Yeah,” I say, smiling when Hunter lifts her off the ground and spins her making her squeal. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Walking over to the mic, Henry holds up his beer and clears his throat. Standing there a moment, he waits until the music stops. Chase walks up to Hunter and he wraps an arm around her. “I was told that I needed to give a toast or some shit, so here goes. Hunter, the best advice I can give you is to treat her like you do your Fender. Hold her tight, because she’s of great value and, now, a part of you. Show her off, because she is a thing of beauty. Never neglect her, because that will only cause the strings that hold your world together to break.” Taking a long pull from his beer, he tips it at Hunter. “We’ve been through a lot together, man, and I couldn’t be more proud to stand here today, toasting you on the day you become complete.”
The entire tent erupts into applause. Hunter releases the girls and walks over to Henry, clapping him on the back. They walk back to the bar, where the bartender gives them all shots. Bumping fists, the guys all take a shot together, slamming their glasses down on the bar in unison.
After the music starts back up, the guys all pair off. Daisy and Grayson, Aiden and Cam, Chase and Hunter, Luke and Kionna, even Mack grabs Jazzie again and has her shaking her stuff. Walking over to me, Henry sits a glass of water down beside me on the table before taking the now empty seat between Audrey and myself. “So the kid speaks, huh?” he asks, taking a swig of his beer. Reaching over, he holds out his hand, “High five, my man.”
Brannon slaps Henry’s hand, then laughs and does it again. “Luckily, Daisy was right there with me on giving him that cookie,” I say, knowing that they don’t give him sweets. “There was no way I could say no when he actually asked for it.”
“I say he earned it then.” Henry wraps an arm around the back of my chair. “I’ll be doing a check of the island.” His eyes scan the tent, silently taking count of everyone. “With people coming and going like they have, I need to be sure no one was followed. The only photos we want of tonight will be the ones we’ve had taken.”
I couldn’t agree more. The ceremony was so private and touching that it didn’t need to be shared with the media. It was a touching moment between Hunter, Chase, and Jasmine. One that I was very proud to have been able to attend.
“I’m going to take Jazz and Bran inside soon.” Looking at my watch, I see it’s nearly time for them to start winding down before bed anyway.
“Actually,” Audrey says, turning towards us. “I’d really like to do that. I haven’t gotten much time with the kids and I head home with Luke and Kionna tomorrow. Do you mind if I take the kids for the night?”
Looking at Henry, I shrug before meeting Audrey’s eyes again. “If Chase, Hunter, Daisy, and Gray don’t mind, then who am I to say anything?”
“Great!” Leaping from her seat, she heads toward the dance floor.
“Sounds like you’re free for the rest of the night,” Henry says, arching a brow at me suggestively.
Crossing one leg over the over, I shrug. “That depends on who’s askin’.”
He nods, scratching his jaw thoughtfully. I almost giggle at how playful he is tonight. It makes me want to ask what the hell has changed, but I don’t. No way do I want to mess up his good mood. The arm wrapped around my chair slips down to wrap around me and pull me closer. Leaning down, he nips at my earlobe before running his tongue along the shell of my ear. “Who says that I’m askin’, baby?”
O
nce Audrey took
the kids to the house to get them ready for bed, I couldn’t wait to get Rae alone. We danced a little more and had a few drinks with the group, but the first chance I could, I told Mack he was in charge and that I was gonna do a walk then probably crash.
“Yeah,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Sure you are, you lucky bastard.”
Walking up the beach, I take Rae’s hand. We walk in comfortable silence, neither of us saying a word while I take in the surroundings of the island. I’m not surprised that nothing seems out of place to me, not like it really has the entire time we’ve been here.
Stopping at the end of the trail, we come out at the deserted lagoon. Everything from the other night is gone now except the furniture and the lanterns lighting up the empty space.
Rae kicks out of her shoes, stepping out into the water until it covers her ankles. “So we’re all alone out here, right?”
“Mhm,” I reply, stepping towards her. “Why?”
“Hmm.” Reaching down, she grabs the hem of her purple dress, tugging it over her head before tossing it to a nearby lounger leaving her naked before me. Turning to face me, Rae steps back into the water, not stopping until it comes up just below her breasts. “What was it you had planned once you got me all alone, Bear?” she asks taunting me.
“Are you skinny dipping?” I ask, staring at her.
“Mhm,” splashing water towards the shore, she giggles. “How about I teach the old dog a few new tricks?”
“Maybe I should remind you how well the old ones work,” I reply. “You good with me fuckin’ you without a car cover?” I ask, knowing that I should have asked that before we had sex in the bathroom without a condom the other day, but I wasn’t thinking straight.
“Yes,” she replies, watching me as I move closer to the water.
Kicking out of my shoes, I toss my shirt on top of her dress. “Are you ready for me to fuck you, Rae?” I ask, shoving my shorts down my legs before stepping out of them. Pushing through the water, I reach for her and pull her chest into mine. Leaning down, I brush my lips along her ear. “I’ve been dying to bury myself in that tight pussy ever since I saw you in that dress tonight. I couldn’t think of anything during the ceremony other than ripping it off you with my teeth, because I knew there was nothing beneath it.”
Tipping her chin up, I capture Rae’s lips, urging her legs around me. I want to feel every inch of her body against mine. I want to feel nothing but us. My hands slide down her body, feeling every inch of her smooth skin. Slipping my hand beneath her ass, I slip a finger inside her pussy. “Fuck, baby, you’re already soaked for me.”
Her body rocks into mine, her hips grinding down as I fuck her with my finger. She moans, brushing her lips over my shoulder, the vibrations shooting straight to my cock. With every rock of her hips, my dick slides along the crack of her ass and I groan at the thought of fucking her there. “I’ll have you here too,” I growl in her ear, thrusting my hips. “That sexy ass will be filled full of my cock, baby, and you’ll love it.”
“Fuck yes,” she moans, her nipples scraping my chest as she moves.
Turning us in the water, I spot the hammock hanging between two trees, dangling just above the water. “Here’s an old trick for you,” I say heading across the lagoon.
“Where are we going?” she asks, nipping her way along my shoulder before sucking in a patch of skin on my neck.
Reaching out with one hand, I grip the rope hammock and lie her back onto it. Grabbing her hands, I lift them above her head. “Hold on, this is gonna be rough.” Her fingers wrap around the rope immediately, her eyes fixed on mine. “Under no circumstances do you let go until I tell you.”
Without letting go of the rope, she leans into my ear. “Do. Your. Worst,” she purrs, making my cock ready to weep with fucking joy.
I grip her thighs and spread them wide, my eyes roaming down her body. Hungrily, I take her in, my fingers sliding higher. Her eyes close and she moans, arching her hips, desperate for more. “No,” I scold her. “You’ll wait until I give it to you, Rae.”
I need the release just as badly as she does, but I want to drag it out. Fisting my cock in my hand, I grab her hips and run the tip along her pussy, flicking it over her clit. “Mmmm” she moans loudly, arching her back.
Grinning wickedly down at her, I flick the head against her clit again, loving the fucking look in her eyes as I do. “Scream, baby. Nobody’s gonna hear you but me.” Rolling my hips into her, I brush my lips over her nipple before meeting her eyes again.
Sliding into her, just an inch, I curse under my breath. She feels so fucking good. Giving her a minute to adjust to me, I grab the bottom of the hammock with both hands before yanking on the ropes and slamming into her.
“Ah, fuck!” she screams, clinging tighter to the rope with her fingers.
“That’s the plan,” I grunt, rolling my hips. “Now, tell me how bad you want it.”
“Fuck!” she cries. “Fuck me!”
The hammock swings with the momentum of our bodies, the water splashing beneath us as I yank her back onto my cock over and over. Every pull of the rope has her slamming into me harder and harder each time. Rae moans and screams, rolling her hips into each thrust. I watch her eyes as I drive into her like a machine. I can’t get enough.
Her body trembles and the muscles in my shoulders ache from battling the push and pull, but I can’t stop. She’s fucking beautiful writhing on the braided rope as I pound into her. “Yes! Henry, fuck yes!” she cries, her eyes exploding as her pussy clamps down on my dick. “Harder!”
“Let go of the ropes and hold on to me, baby.”
The minute the words leave my mouth, she grips my shoulders and slams her mouth to mine as her orgasm rips through her. My tongue glides along hers slow and methodical while my dick is on a mission to fuck her so hard she can’t walk right tomorrow.
One of Rae’s hands slides down to my ass, her nails dig into my flesh, sending me over the edge. Falling into her, I hurry to try and brace myself up on my arms as I come with a loud roar. Our wet bodies continue to slide against each other as I roll to my back and pull her up my body. The minute my cock slips from her, she whimpers a little, curling into my side.
I lie there listening to her breathing normalize, running my fingers through her damp hair. Rae’s fingers run along my chest, before moving to trace one of my tattoos. “Hey, Bear?” she asks, after a minute.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I don’t think you need any new tricks,” she sighs, making me chuckle. “Nothin’ wrong with the old ones.”
“
Y
ou want
to talk about back there on the beach?” I ask, knowing that something was up with her, and it was more than just typical wedding tears. I saw pain in her eyes. Loss. “You looked a million miles away.”
After walking back from the lagoon, we showered together, exploring each other’s bodies. It also ended in me taking her from behind with her body pressed into the tile. After that we worked our way into her bed where I gave her slow and easy, before I did something I never thought I’d do. Cuddle. Now, I lie here with her curled into me, asking questions I have no right to ask after refusing to answer any. All because the protector in me is wanting to dig into her dark places.
I almost think she’s asleep or ignoring me, until she sighs. “Only if I get to ask you one question when I’m done,” Rae breathes, leaning up on my chest to meet my eyes. “And you have to answer it before you decide you want to walk away from me and never look back.”
“Okay, one question.” I nod in agreement. “Now, let’s have it.”
“His name was Joshua. He was my high school sweetheart and I murdered him.” The dim glow of the lamp does nothing to hide the tears in her eyes.
“Say that again?” I ask, having to have heard her wrong. There’s no way someone as sweet as Rae is capable of something like that.
Sitting up, she distances herself from me. Pulling the sheet up over her body, she wipes at a tear as it slides down her face. “I killed my husband.”
“Baby,” I say, softly reaching out to her, not wanting to break the connection between us. Yanking the sheet away, I sit up against the headboard and pull her to me. Lifting her legs, I adjust her so that she is sitting partially in my lap, that way I can still see her eyes while I hold onto her. “You’re going to tell me every word when you’re ready, and you’re going to do it with me touching you. That’s mandatory.”
I wipe away a tear from her cheek and she chokes on a sob. My heart could damn near break in two watching her try to hold it together. “I was irresponsible with my diabetes. I was immature and didn’t take it seriously,” she says, sniffling. “Josh always told me to keep my shit in check, because it was playing Russian roulette with my life. He got called to come handle me a lot, because of how I get when my levels drop.”
Joshua. The name from the card. I start putting things together in my head as she tells me about how they met in school while working on a science project and how he completely swept her off her feet. She goes on to tell me about how they married on Oahu, right there on the beach with complete strangers for witnesses.
“His mother!” she laughs through her tears. “You should have seen her face. She could have killed us both when she saw the rings on our fingers.” Her face goes emotionless. “That’s nothing compared to how she feels about me now.”
“Baby,” I whisper into her hair, brushing it over her shoulder.
“It was our first wedding anniversary and he was flying home from a business trip. I had rushed all day to have everything perfect. I even got out of work early by skipping lunch so that I could pick up his gift and take it home before I picked him up from the airport. Turns out, I may have missed a meal, but I did manage to take my shot. I bottomed out dangerously low and could’ve died.” A shudder runs through her body, making me pull her closer into my chest. “The last thing I remember, I was driving us up the interstate listening to him talk about his trip, the next, I was waking up in a hospital bed a widow and a murderer. Joshua never made it out of the car alive and it was all my fault.”
“Rae, you’re not a murderer. It was a horrible accident, yes, but no one would ever believe you’d do that on purpose.”
“Tell that to Joshua’s mother,” she snorts. “Vivica Dillard had the funeral before I was even released from the hospital and even convinced a judge take my license and have my name changed back to Sloan because it caused her too much pain. Thanks to Vivica, our friends turned on me and a lot of family as well. All I have now is my grandmother, Iva.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I argue, turning Rae so that she straddles my thighs. Cupping her face with both hands, I brush her tears away with my thumbs. “You have all of us. Once you’re in with Shaft, you’re family, babe.”
“I used to beg and plead to be able to take his place. I didn’t understand why it had to be him, and not me. Why I made it out,” she continues. “It took a lot to get me here, but most importantly I had to get right with myself. I can’t change it, but I can make damn sure no one else ever has to pay for my mistakes.”
Lots of my questions are answered. Why she doesn’t drive… her obsession with being independent… It’s all becoming clear. It doesn’t do what she expects though. Instead of pushing me away, the revelation that she is not perfect, that she fights with darkness too, draws me closer. It makes me think that I could tell her things, someday, and that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t run from the monster that I hide from everyone else.
“I’m glad you told me,” I say, pulling her into my chest and rolling us so that we’re lying on our sides, face-to-face. “Now.” I swallow hard, knowing that she after telling me about her pain, she is about to ask me a question of her own. “What’s your question?”
“Will you tell me about Katheryn,” Rae asks, running her fingers over the stubble on my jaw. “I saw the pictures on her webpage… Are you… were you… a thing?”
Blowing out a breath, I nod. I don’t like talking about Katheryn, but this is a subject I feel I can handle. “She was a mistake. I didn’t know it then, but she had another agenda. It exposed the group, private shit, and that blame is on me.”
“She used you,” Rae says, and I nod. “Were you in love with her?” she asks, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
I shrug. “Thought I felt somethin’ for her, but the truth is, it was all feelings for someone who never really existed. Everything I thought I loved about her was just smoke and mirrors. She never saw anything in me, but a meal ticket. Hurt like a bitch when the truth came to roost and slapped me in the fuckin’ face, but once I found out, I ended it. Now, she’s just using what she has to try and get ahead.”
Rolling away, I grab my cell phone when it vibrates on the table. Thumbing the screen, I flip through my notifications and see only one. A text from Mack.
Hunter and Chase went to bed. Party is winding down. I’ll do the night round since you’re probably too busy getting pussy. Hate you, fucker.
Setting it back on the table, I curl around Rae and press a kiss to her forehead.
“Thank you,” I whisper into her hair.
“For what?”
“For trustin’ me with your truth, for listenin’ to me about mine and not pushin’ for more than what I’m ready to give you.”
“When you’re ready, I’ll be here to listen to all that too.”
“Let’s get some sleep.”
Rae nods and wiggles around until I wrap my arms around her and pull her tightly against me. We’ve tossed out a lot of heavy shit while lying in bed. Although, I gotta admit, the smoke around us has begun to clear some and the damage doesn’t look all that bad.