Until Series: Box set (61 page)

“Yesss.” I arched my back as he starts pounding even harder. My toes no longer touching the floor. He bites into my neck, pulling out almost all the way, then slamming so hard into me that the washer bangs into the wall, before his strokes slow and he groans into my neck and pulls me slightly away from the washer. We are both covered in sweat and breathing heavily. I lay my forehead against the washer, enjoying the coolness on my overheated skin.

“I needed that,” he says against my neck, making me laugh.

“Don’t even act like you didn’t get some last night.”

“That was last night.”

“You’re crazy,” I tell him, looking over my shoulder.

“Love you, baby.” My heart melts. I can’t believe that my happiness only increases over time. I am truly blessed in the relationship that we have.

“Love you more,” I whisper, leaning my head back against him.

“Impossible.”

First, I want to thank God.

Second, I need to thank my fans. You are all amazing! I couldn’t ask for any better; I love you all. Your messages, comments, and love of the Mayson boys has been mind-blowing! Thank you so much.

Next, I need to thank my husband for being my biggest fan and supporter. Your love and encouragement means the world to me, and without you, I would not have followed my heart and started writing.

To my Cookie, thank you for not allowing me to get a fat head. To Sean my brother from another mother thank you for letting me use your apple to write Trevor would not be out without you.

To my mom, you said I had something and to go with it. Love you.

To Mommy and Daddy, thanks for telling me that I can do anything that I put my mind to. I love you both.

I need to give a special thanks to all my family, adoptive and real; your support means so much. I also need to thank Hot Tree Editing. You have been amazing to work with.

A GIANT, over-the-top, crazy-huge Thank You to Kayla Robichaux also known as the amazing Kayla the Bibliophile. You are crazy-awesome, and I am so glad that your side of the brain we share is so smart. I appreciate all your hard work and time that you spent on Until Trevor. Thank you. (And may no one EVER unlock our Snap Chats!)

To each and every blog, reader, and reviewer this wouldn’t be anything without you. Thank you for taking a chance on an unknown author. I wish I could name all of you but this would go on forever just know that I love you guys.

To Love Between the Sheets, especially Jennifer, you’re awesome! You have no idea how much I have come to count on your advice. Thank you. Last, but not least, to my Beta Readers Jessica, Carrie, Marta, Laura, Jenny, Rochelle and Midian. I love you ladies. I know I have the best betas in the world. Thank you, girls, for telling me what I need to hear, not what I want to. And thank YOU for loving the men who live in my head as much as I do.

XOXOXOXOXO,

Aurora Rose Reynolds

Aurora Rose Reynolds

Edited by Hot Tree edits

Formatted by BB eBooks

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons or living or dead, events or locals are entirely coincidental.

The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/ Use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.

All rights reserved.

I love you

TJ

Too bad you can’t outrun destiny

Lilly

About four years earlier

T
he first time
I met Cash, I was in my sophomore year of college, attending Alabama State University. I was pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Development. I had pulled an all-nighter, trying to prepare for an exam. I looked at the clock and realized it was after ten in the morning, and I still had a few things to go over. I was in major need of coffee if I was going to be able to process any more information. I was still in pajamas, my newly-dyed bright red hair in a crazy mess, so I took off my nightclothes and dragged a dress over my head. I grabbed my dad’s old sweater off my desk chair, pulled it on, and shoved ten dollars, my key, and my phone into my pocket.

The weather was warm, so the streets were busy with college kids and young families who lived in the area out enjoying the beautiful day. When I arrived at the small café, there was a woman with a stroller trying to maneuver through the door. I jogged up to the door, pulling it open and letting her enter before me. Suddenly, I felt a chill slide down my spine. That’s when I heard the loud rumble.

I looked over my shoulder as a large black truck was pulling into a parking spot in front of the shop. I watched as two men jumped down from the truck; the driver was good looking, but it was the passenger who gave me pause. He was tall, and his skin was golden brown, as if he spent hours in the sun. I could make out the definition of the muscles of his torso under his tight white t-shirt. His hair was dark brown and sticking out along the edge of his red baseball cap. When I realized I had been staring, and that he was watching me, I felt my cheeks get red, so I turned quickly and walked into the coffee shop without even holding the door for them. The coolness of the air conditioning and the smell of coffee helped to ease some of the tension that had coiled around me from seeing the guy. I wasn’t someone who was used to those feelings. Lust was something my friends talked about, but I had never experienced it firsthand until that moment.

“What can I get you?” the pretty blonde behind the counter asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked at the menu board behind her. I didn’t even know why I bothered; I never changed my drink.

“Can I get a large iced coffee, dark, skim milk, with three Splenda?” I gave her my order, watching her eyes get large. I felt heat hit my side. I didn’t have to turn my head to know who was standing next to me; I could tell by the look on the girl’s face that it was the guy from outside.

“I would like a large iced coffee, black,” he interjected. The girl’s eyes glazed over at the sound of his voice. I turned my head to look at him, wondering how pompous someone could be. “Here, sugar, we’re together, so just take hers out of that as well.” He slid a twenty across the counter towards the girl, who hadn’t taken her eyes off of him.

“We are
not
together.” I clenched my fist; who the hell did this guy think he was?

“We are; I’m paying.”

I was so flustered by this guy that I could feel my always-calm temper start to slip. I didn’t know if it was the lack of sleep or what, but when the coffee girl handed us our drinks, I turned on the guy. “Here,” I said, shoving the ten in my hand into his chest, making him stumble back into the person behind him. The lid on his coffee popped off when he squeezed it in his hand, making it go down the front of his shirt. “Crap, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.” Just my luck that something like that would happen. I felt so bad that I turned around, grabbed a few napkins from the dispenser behind me, and began patting his chest down, trying to sop up the coffee. It had made his T-shirt tighter, the wetness showing off his ab-muscles. I could feel my face growing redder by the second. “Why couldn’t you just let me pay for my own coffee?” I asked. He started to laugh, making my head come up to hit his chin so hard that I heard his teeth crack together. My eyes watered in pain. “This is so humiliating,” I whispered, feeling the tears as they began to fill my eyes. My hand went to the top of my head, where a large bump was forming.

“Let me see your head, babe,” Mr. Hot Guy said quietly, pulling me towards him. He took my coffee out of my hand, and handed it to the guy I had pushed him into. He held my wrist, pulling me over to the side. “You know, now I need your name and number for insurance purposes, right?” It took a second for me to realize what he said, and once I got it, I started to laugh.

“I hope that’s not a pick-up line.” Looking around, I noticed a lot of people were watching us.

“Do you live around here?” He pulled my chin in his direction, forcing my eyes back to him.

“Yeah, I go to school here.” He nodded, biting his lip.

“What’s your name?”

“Um…Lilly. Yours?”

“You look like a Lilly.”

“Do I?”

“Yeah.” He chuckled, taking a piece of my hair and tucking it behind my ear. “I’m Cash.”

My eyebrows drew together. “Is that a nickname?”

“Nah, Ma named me Cash, after Johnny Cash.” His hand came up again, this time to run along my jaw. I thought it was odd that he kept touching me, but I couldn’t find it in myself to tell him to stop. “So, I’m going to need your number.”

“For what?”

“Well, I need to call you to make sure that you haven’t got a concussion.”

“I think I’m okay.” I laughed, looking over at the guy he came in with. He was looking down at his phone, smiling.

“Here, come meet my brother.” He didn’t give me a chance to say no; he grabbed my hand, dragging me with him to where his brother was standing.

“What’s that smile for?” Cash asked his brother, who finally looked up from his phone. I had no idea what these guys’ parents looked like, but good Lord, they were seriously hot.

“Nothing, Liz messaged me.”

“This is Lilly. Lilly, this is one of my brothers, Trevor.”

“Nice to meet you,” his brother said with a slight smile, but I couldn’t think of anything except the way Cash’s hand felt against my lower back.

“Hi,” I took a breath, trying to get a grip. “Um, I need to go. It was nice meeting you both. Again, I’m really sorry about the coffee and the head-butt.” They both laughed at the same time.

Cash’s fingers grabbed onto the back of my sweater, holding me in place. “It’s fine. I’ll walk you out.” Trevor handed me back my coffee. I gave him a small nod, leaving the shop with Cash. Once we were outside, he let go of my sweater, grabbing my hand. I didn’t know how to react to this kind of attention. It felt like a hive-full of honeybees had taken flight inside my stomach.

“Do you have a phone?” he asked, his body so close I could smell the light scent of his cologne. He smelled like the outdoors and sunshine, the warmth of his body absorbing into mine. I felt inside my sweater pocket, pulling out my phone. I couldn’t find my words because he was standing so close. His fingers slid my phone from my hand, his touch tingling through my system like a hot-wired fence. He started dialing a few numbers before his phone started ringing from his pocket. “Now I can make sure you ain’t got a concussion.” He smiled, showing off two dimples. I couldn’t help but smile back.

Shaking my head, I cleared my throat. “It was nice meeting you, Cash.” I took a step back, seeing his brother stepping out of the coffee shop and holding two coffees.

“Talk to you soon.” He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he stopped himself. I turned and walked back to my apartment. A few seconds later, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Unknown:
Let me know that you got home, okay? Don’t want to worry about you having a concussion.

I looked over my shoulder, smiling and shaking my head before I turned around, heading to my apartment. After saving his number with his name, I messaged him back.

Me:
Don’t worry. I’m hard-headed.

When I got home, I tossed my sweater onto the back of the couch, plopped down, and leaned my head back. I thought about the last thirty minutes until my phone beeped again. My pulse sped up when I saw the name.

Cash:
Are you home?

I looked around my small apartment before replying:
Yeah, just got in.

Cash:
Call you tonight when I get home.

Me:
Where do you call home?

Cash:
A small town in Tennessee, a little over two hours away from you.

My stomach dropped. That was really far, way too far to have any kind of relationship. Not that that’s what he wanted, or even what
I
wanted for that matter. I didn’t even own a car. I was in college on a full scholarship; I couldn’t even afford to eat anything that wasn’t microwavable.

Cash:
Well, talk soon.

I looked at the phone in my hand for a second before replying:
Sure, talk to you then.

I turned my phone on silent; I needed to get back to studying. The last thing I needed was to spend my day daydreaming about a blue-eyed, brown-haired guy with dimples.