Her Touch, page 16
“Calm down. Come sit next to me.” I pat the cushion on the couch, but she gives me a stare and shakes her head.
She’s right. If she gets close to me right now, I won’t be able to stop from bending her over the couch and lifting that dress up. I’d be ten inches deep when our company arrived, and we both know that’s a bad idea.
“They’re here!” she shouts, as if I didn’t hear the door shut outside.
I called Maggie and Eli this morning and asked them to come over. I wanted to discuss a few things with them, and I wanted all of us to talk face to face.
When Maggie comes through the door, she goes straight for Alice. It warms my heart to see the love the two of them share, and I’m so happy that Alice has Maggie as a friend. Eli walks over, and we half hug, half beat each other on the back. Once Maggie has peeled herself from Alice, she gives me a hug, too. We all say hello, and then Maggie and Eli take a seat on the couch.
I reach out, taking Alice’s hand and pulling her down on the sofa next to me, wrapping my arm around her waist. Maggie looks at us for a second and then looks at Eli with a question in her eyes.
“Yeah, I’ve known, sunshine,” he says, without having to be asked anything. “I could see a man gone crazy for a woman because I’d looked in the mirror a time or two.”
“I’m so sorry—” Alice starts, but I cut her off.
“Alice and I are together, and she told me that you know about the baby,” I say to Maggie.
“Oh my Jesus! It’s yours!” Maggie shouts, and bounces in her seat. “I’m going to be an aunt!”
“A baby?” Eli says, with pure happiness in his voice. He sounds almost as excited as I did. “This is awesome news. Congratulations, guys.”
I squeeze Alice to me and kiss the top of her head. “See? Nothing to worry about.”
“I just didn’t want you to think I betrayed your friendship, Maggie. I love your dad. I have from the second we met. You’ve always been so kind to me, and I didn’t want you to think I was using you.”
“Oh God, Alice. Never. You’re like a sister to me.” She tilts her head to the side and thinks. “I guess now you’re more like a stepmom to me!” Maggie laughs and jumps up, wrapping Alice in a hug.
“So, just a few more things are in order,” I say, clearing my throat.
Maggie moves back to sit with Eli, but she’s clearly about to burst with excitement.
“Alice and I are going to be staying here. Maggie and Eli, you’re both welcome to live here if you want, but I know Eli has a house now.”
“We’ll be staying there, sir,” Eli says, putting a possessive hand on Maggie’s leg.
She’ll always be my little girl, but I’m happy that she’s chosen a good man to take care of her. I couldn’t have chosen anyone better for her.
“All right, then I guess the big decision is for Alice now,” I say, looking over at her.
She’s looks at me and then at Maggie and Eli with a confused look on her face. “What do you mean, Major?”
I slip off the couch, pull the small box out of my pocket, and kneel in front of her. I open the box and hold it out so she can see it while I take her hand.
“I know I keep saying you don’t have a choice in marrying me, but I want to give you the chance to choose me. I won’t give up until you say yes, and I’ll never stop trying to make you happy. But I want you to know that I choose you, and I’ll never, ever leave you. Because I love you, and I can’t live without you. I want you to choose that, too.” Alice puts her hands over her mouth, and I see tears slip free.
“Shhh. Don’t cry, sweet girl,” I say, wiping them away. “Marry me, Alice. Make me the happiest man in the world, and make our family grow.”
“You better say yes,” Maggie says from behind me, and we all laugh. She’s bouncing in her seat, and Eli is practically holding her in a death grip to keep her still.
Alice nods, and I hear a teary “yes” before she throws herself into my arms. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close as she cries happy tears. I glance over and see Maggie crying now, but Eli is holding her and smiling at us.
We may be a makeshift family, but we’re family all the same. We’ve got it where it counts the most—in our hearts.
When Alice pulls back, I slip the ring on her finger, and she looks down at it. I bought it right after we met, knowing that one day I’d get it on her, one way or another. It’s a single carat solitaire on a gold band. It’s simple but beautiful, just like my sweet girl is. Once it’s on, she looks up at me, and suddenly her mouth is on mine.
The kiss nearly knocks me over backwards, but I hold her close and kiss her back until she’s finished. When we break apart, her cheeks are fiery red, as if just remembering that we aren’t alone. I give her a quick kiss and pull her to me as I stand up and look at Maggie and Eli.
“Who’s hungry?” I ask, and everyone jumps up.
“As long as Eli isn’t cooking, I’m down to eat,” Maggie says, and elbows him.
We make our way to the kitchen and start pulling stuff out of the fridge to eat. Alice leans into me and looks around at the scene.
“Is it real, all of this? It feels like a dream.”
“It’s a dream come true,” I answer, kissing the top of her head and holding her close.
I keep her by my side, where she’ll stay for the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
Alice
Six years later…
“Good afternoon, Miss Drummond.”
“Hey, Seth.” I wave over to our new neighbors’ son. They moved in a week ago, and I’m pretty sure I remember him saying he goes to the local college. I can’t exactly recall. When I’d met them the twins were running circles around my feet and I could only catch half of what they were saying.
He gives me a giant smile and starts to walk over toward me, but stops and the smile drops from his face. I don’t even have to turn around to know why. I know without a doubt my husband is standing behind me. I just don’t know why I don’t hear our louder-than-life little boys with him. Between the twins who just turned two and our five-year-old son, we are never a quiet bunch when we’re all together.
“That’s Mrs. Drummond,” Thomas barks.
I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling. I can’t even be mad. I love that he’s a beast and crazy jealous and possessive. Once we came out as a couple, he wanted everyone to know. I was surprised he didn’t hire someone to write it in the sky. Even after all these years, he’s still that way. No matter where we are or what we are doing, he’s always got a hand or his eyes on me. No one can miss that I belong to him.
“Sir,” Seth says in way of greeting. I know Thomas is intimidating. He’s big, and he still carries the aura from having been in the military. People always instinctively call him ‘sir’ if they don’t know him. “I’ve really got to get to my homework.”
“Then you should go,” Thomas snaps in a hard tone. The order is clear. This time I do roll my eyes. Seth stands there for a moment as if he doesn’t know what to do. “Now!” Thomas barks, and I know it’s one of those ingrained commands that he’ll never shake.
Seth half jumps and half runs for his house, and I shake my head.
“Come do your husbandly duties,” I tell him, popping open the trunk to my SUV. I loaded it full of groceries after I left my little shop today.
Living with three boys, I feel like I go to the grocery store every other day. I can’t imagine what it will be like when they’re teenagers. At least they all love to cook. I just have to bring the food home. They do the rest.
I only spend half days at my shop now since I have a staff of three people. Thomas stays home and does consulting jobs outside the military. I love my store when I have the time, but I love being at home with all my boys even more. Though I don’t think I can call Thomas a boy. Still, there’s just something comforting and sweet about saying ‘my boys.’ Thomas doesn’t seem to care.
“Yes, ma’am,” he says striding over toward me, but he doesn’t go for the groceries. He picks me up, throws me over his shoulder, and shuts the trunk. I laugh as he easily strides toward the house.
“Where are my little ones?” I ask.
“Gone for the night. I get you all to myself.” He carries me inside and throws me on the bed. “I figured Maggie could use the experience.”
I shake my head, knowing that’s a lie. She keeps the boys all the time. She loves her little brothers. She’s over here all the time stealing them away. They have a blast out at her and Eli’s cabin.
“She told you.” I smile up at him. “Grandpa,” I add, unable to hide my snicker at that.
“Hey now. You’re my wife. That makes you grandma.”
“So it seems.” I run my hands up his body, pulling his shirt from him.
“Their little girl is going to have her hands full with all these boys running around,” he says with a smile. He seems to like the idea of his new granddaughter having three little bodyguards.
“She’ll be okay.” I wrap my arms around his neck, and he leans down to kiss me. Slow and deep. Savoring me.
“Clothes off,” he growls as he rips at mine. I lie there and let him, watching him prepare to make love to me. I drop my head back as his mouth roams my body, thinking life can’t get any better. Before I met Thomas, I didn’t know that this kind of sweetness was out there for me to have. He moves down my body, and my legs fall open for him.
“Kids aren’t home, and I’m debating if I should make you scream so loud the little shit next door knows to keep the fuck away. Or if I should put a gag in your mouth because no one else should get to hear what’s mine.”
I squirm beneath him. “You wouldn’t,” I say breathlessly.
“You like that idea? Me gagging you? Maybe tying you to the bed so you can’t go outside?” I bite my lip, thinking how hot that sounds. He jumps from the bed and goes to the dresser.
“You know what today is?” I shake my head as I watch him pull a few ties out from the dresser. He comes toward me, going for my legs first.
“Today is the anniversary of the first time I ever saw you.” He binds me to the bed rail and then kisses my ankle. He moves to my other leg.
“Grab the headboard.” I reach up, grabbing it instantly. My quick response makes him smile. He does the same to my other ankle, tying it to our bed rail, then kissing my ankle. My breathing picks up.
“I think it’s fitting, really,” he continues. “This is what I wanted to do to you that day when Maggie brought you over. I didn’t want you to leave. I wanted to grab you and pull you into me. Keep you here and never let go. That night I lay in this bed thinking about that. That I should have tied you to my bed. Never let you out of it.”
I moan at his dirty words as he finishes tying my hands so I’m fully bound to the bed. He brings another tie to my mouth, ready to gag me.
“I didn’t get to that day, but today and for the rest of the weekend, I think I’m going to see what that would have been like, to have you bound to my bed.”
I’m so turned on all I can do is moan his name. If he touches me even a little, I know I’ll cum right now.
“Tell me you love me.”
“I love you,” I moan, right before the gag goes over my mouth.
“Love you, too, sweet girl. Remember that when you’re begging me to stop making you cum.”
Like he’d ever let me forget how much he loves me.
Epilogue
Thomas
Another 4 years later…
I lean back in my chair, looking out at my girls. Maggie and Alice are setting up a tea party with my oldest granddaughter. My boys are all playing catch next to them.
“God, I’m happy you talked Alice into moving out here,” Eli says, sitting down next to me with his eighteen-month-old little girl in his arms. She’s fast asleep. She tried to keep up with the boys playing catch, but she finally gave up and passed out on him a little while ago. Unlike her older sister, who stood on the side and cheered them on like they were really playing a game. Now she’s setting up a victory tea party that everyone must attend.
I reach over and take her from Eli’s arms. He reluctantly lets her go as I slide my granddaughter to me. I smile down at her. She looks just like Maggie did when she was her age. But her older sister has darker hair and seems to favor me a little more.
“It didn’t take much,” I admit. When I first went to Alice about moving, she’d said no. Too many memories to leave behind in the house we’d been in. She was right, there were a lot of them—from our first moments together to our first moments with our boys. “But we know what my sweet girl loves most. Family. When I said we’d be within walking distance of each other, that was that.”
Eli nods, smiling. The whole thing had been Bug’s idea to begin with. I loved the idea of Alice getting to build a house the way she wanted it, like she dreamed. She had, and it was perfect. But I would have been happy anywhere as long as all of us were together.
“Sir.” I look over at Eli. “Thank you,” he says, and I can hear the emotion in his voice. Eli grew up with no family. I had one, but they weren’t much of anything. They gave me Maggie, though, so I’m thankful for them in some ways.
“Thank you,” I tell him, looking out into the yard at our family, a family he had just as much of a hand in making as I did.
We’re all different pieces that come together and make a beautiful puzzle. I never would have thought we’d all fit together the way we do, but does anybody ever truly know what direction their lives will take them? I can say one thing for sure after all my years on this earth: This is as close to perfect as anyone could ever dream of.
THE END!
Shielding Lily
by Alexa Riley
It’s Lily Parker’s first day at a new high school. She’s a senior finishing her last semester, and all she wants to do is graduate and get out of town. Her home life is a secret hell, and she’s trying to find a way out. But everything changes when Ren says hello and sees right through to her truth.
Ren Hendrick’s succeed’s at everything he touches, including football. But he’s never been passionate about anything. He’s quiet and keeps to himself, which pisses people off. But he can’t find the desire to care. He’s lived a life without color, until Lily walks in and lights up his world.
Their story is one of sweet young love and finding your forever before you can even dream of what that is. It’s one of protecting what belongs to you and having the courage to follow your heart, no matter your age.
Warning: Call your dentist and schedule an appointment, because you’re going to get nothing but cavities from this sugary book. Ren and Lily start off so innocent, but by the time it’s over, you’re gonna need to hose yourself off. We’re talking two virgins who turn into maniacs. You’re welcome!
Copyright © 2016 by Author Alexa Riley LLC. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to riley_alexa@aol.com
http://alexariley.com/
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Edited by Aquila Editing
Cover Photo by Sara Eirew
Cover Designer: Perfect Pear Creative Covers
This book is for those that found love when everyone thought they were too young to know what it was.
We should all be lucky enough to find our forever so soon.
Chapter 1
Lily
The sounds of banging cabinets startle me awake before my alarm can go off. Rolling over to my side, I see I still have thirty minutes before I need to get up. I’d set my alarm a little earlier than I should have because I’m nervous about my first day. I’m going to a new school and have no idea what this one is going to be like. You never know what you’re going to get. Most of the time I can blend in and let myself get lost in the crowd of other students. No one notices me for the most part, but it doesn’t always work.
I should be used to changing schools by now. I think this is the fourth time I’ve moved in the past two years. The schools are starting to run together, but I hope this is the last. Only months separate me from graduation, and only days from my eighteenth birthday. I’ll be able to make my own choices then.
A sound of something shattering in the kitchen followed by a string of curses causes me to hold my breath. I can only hope he doesn’t call out my name. Monday mornings are the worst. Dad’s always coming off a weekend bender, because alcohol seems to be my father’s reason for living. It wasn’t always like this, but it is now.
Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I slowly sit up and listen for his movements. Things have been getting unstable lately, and it’s only getting worse. Dad used to be able to drown his sorrows in the bottom of a bottle and pretend I didn’t exist. But recently his anger has been rising and flying my way. I’m constantly walking around on eggshells, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the look in his eyes, but I can see it. I can feel it deep inside me, like he’s waiting for me to do something wrong so he can strike out.
