Drew + Fable Forever: A One Week Girlfriend Novella (6 page)

BOOK: Drew + Fable Forever: A One Week Girlfriend Novella
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“Well yeah, remember the spot where we kissed?” His eyes are warm as they search my face, filled with so much love I feel my heart swell.

“Yes,” I whisper achingly. “Of course I remember.”

“I want to go back there.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his index finger lingering on my skin. “I want to kiss you again in that little alley and remember how wet we were from the rain. How nervous I was. I was scared you might reject me.”

I’d felt the same way. We’d dealt with much of the same feelings and fears and hadn’t even known it.

“I want to take you to that store where you got the dress that just about killed me and buy you whatever you want,” he continues, his fingers drifting across my jaw. My eyes flutter closed
as memories rush back at me. “I want to sit outside the dressing room and have you come out to show me every single thing you’re trying on.”

That he remembers all the little details sends a thrill of pleasure spiraling to the very depths of my soul.

“And then I want to wander off for a bit and let you do whatever you want, secretly hoping that you’ll send me a text that says ‘marshmallow.’ Though if you don’t, that’s okay, because I’ll send you one instead.” He offers up a crooked smile and the sight of it cracks my heart wide open, overflowing with so much pure love for him I want to cry. “Because we made a deal. Whenever we see or hear that word, the other comes running. I’ll always be the one to rescue you, Fable. You never have to worry about that.”

“Drew.” My voice cracks and then I’m in his arms, my face pressed to his neck, his lips on my cheek. He’s whispering words of love and devotion but I don’t really hear them. I can only feel. His soft hair tickling my cheek, his hands smoothing up and down my back, his warmth radiating into me. He’s solid and real, the sound of his heart beating steady and strong against my ear, and I slowly pull away from him. “When can we leave?”

He starts to laugh, the sound rich and full of honest humor. “We can’t leave yet. We’ve only been here maybe an hour.”

“Isn’t that enough time?” I ask hopefully.

“Fable, we’re staying here. We can’t just bail on our party and go upstairs.” His laughter dies, his expression gone serious. “Everyone will know what we’re doing.”

“What? Having sex? Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?” I stare at him wide-eyed and he slowly shakes his head. “We’re newlyweds, Drew. We’re still on our honeymoon.”

“No, we’re not.” He glances around, making sure no one is standing close to us, I’m sure. Heaven forbid anyone hear us talk about sex. “Come on, Fable.”

“Ha, you’re so cute.” I hook my arm through his and snuggle close, breathing deep his warm, spicy scent. “Saying all sorts of romantic words to me, filling my head with sweet memories, and then you go all shy on me. Afraid you might offend your dad?”

“We’re surrounded by people. They’re all here for us,” he murmurs, his lips barely moving. How does he do that? It’s a pretty slick trick.

“They’re not here for us; they’re here for your dad.” I wave a hand, dismissing his words. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“What about Owen?”

“He’s sitting at that table with your dad’s new girlfriend.” Her name is Tami and she’s sweet as can be. Nothing like that other woman, who shall not be named. “She’s making sure he’s well fed.” Tami is rather motherly toward him, and not in a creepy way, either. I think there’s something about Owen that screams
lost little orphan boy with a shitty mother
or something. He seems to bring that out in every woman he meets.

“I thought you wanted cake?” He’s searching for every excuse to stay out here and it’s the cutest thing ever.

“Hey.” I grab hold of him by one of the belt loops on his trousers, pulling him into me so close our hips almost collide. “Let’s sneak inside for a quickie and then we can come back out, and hopefully the cake will be ready by then.”

“Don’t you think they’ll want us to cut it?”

I roll my eyes. I know I’m pushing and probably making him uncomfortable since we’re on his dad’s turf, but I don’t really care. I like pushing him, just as much as he likes pushing me. Sometimes we need that extra push even when we don’t realize it. “We aren’t going for all that traditional-type reception stuff, are we? I didn’t wear a baby-blue garter under my dress, you know.”

His brows lift, his mouth quirked in a crooked smile. Now
that
remark caught his interest. What a surprise. “What
do
you have on under that dress?”

My skin warms at his blatant perusal, the way his eyes seem to touch upon me as they rake over my body. I can feel him, as if he just physically touched me. A shiver shakes through me and I tighten my finger around his belt loop, tugging him so close our hips do collide this time. “Maybe you should come inside with me so you can find out?”

That’s all it takes. He follows behind, crowding me, his hand at my lower back, fingers trailing down over my backside, getting lost in the folds of my skirt. The dress is all white lace, sleeveless and short, with a flared skirt that hits just above the knee and a wide swath of black satin ribbon as a belt tight around my waist. It’s pretty and feminine, and I can’t wait for Drew to take it off and discover I have no panties on beneath it.

Absolutely can’t. Wait.

Later that night, long after Drew went to sleep, I find myself tossing and turning beside him, too restless with the memories running through my brain. I finally crawl out of bed, grab my phone, and head out onto the tiny balcony that is adjacent to the guest room we’re staying in. Despite my restless brain, my limbs are loose and warm, my body well used by my husband. After the quickie in the bathroom, we’d come back outside to find the cake being served and I ate the biggest piece I could find.

It tasted delicious, the secret smiles Drew and I shared as we were surrounded by dozens of strangers making my head light and my heart sing.

After the party, we officially went to bed, where my husband made love to me for hours.

Now I huddle outside, the cool, gentle sea breeze sending my hair everywhere and making me shiver since I’m only wearing a thin nightgown. I look at my phone and find a text message from Drew. I have no idea when he could have sent this to me. I thought I’d been with him the entire evening. But a sweet poem was delivered to me one line at a time:

My beautiful wife, I will

Always love you

Respect you. You’re …

Sweet and sexy

Hot and tempting

My love for you is

All consuming

Lucky me to have found

Love

Only

With you

The tears fall silently, one after another, sliding down my cheeks, dripping from my jaw to land on the ground. But these aren’t tears of sadness, they’re happy. I’ve come full circle. I remember the last time he left me a letter like this, when I didn’t see the hidden message at first. When I’d been so overcome with desolation and loneliness. That letter had given me hope and though he’d let me down at first, he’d eventually come back into my life the way he was meant
to.

Now, we belong to each other. And though he’s busy and consumed with his new career, nervous over it, starting a new life with me, and fully reconciling with his father, he still takes the time to write me a sweet little poem that lets me know exactly how he feels.

He’s still in need of the occasional rescue. And I’m the only one who can really save him.

Chapter Five
Fable

“You miss him.”

I shrug, ignoring Owen’s statement. He certainly didn’t word it as a question, because he knows the truth. He knows how I feel.

“Yeah, I do, but it’s okay.” I smile brightly and reach over, tousling Owen’s hair. It’s getting darker as he gets older and there’s golden stubble lining his jaw, which blows my mind every time I see it. He looks one-third boy, two-thirds man, and I both love to see him grow older and despise that he’s not a little boy anymore.

Little boys aren’t as big of a problem. Not that Owen is a troublemaker … not really. Well, okay, he is a little bit. He’s definitely a challenge. Does well at school when he applies himself, which he doesn’t do enough, and that drives me crazy.

He works hard at his part-time job, and he loves playing football just like Drew. But he gets into trouble more often than he should. He’s been caught smoking weed a few times, and I’ve found baggies of the stuff in his jeans when I do his laundry. He was nearly thrown off the football team for his smoking. He’s snuck out of the house so he could go to a party or whatever with his friends. He has too many girlfriends, girls I’m afraid he uses and then discards, and that hurts me. I want him to respect women, but he and his best friend, Wade, both have a shitty attitude when it comes to dating and relationships. And while I like Wade, more often than not they’re looking for trouble together.

But my brother idolizes my husband, which is great. Drew is a positive role model for Owen, and Owen’s the younger brother Drew never had and probably needed. They’re a good support system for each other. I know Owen not so secretly wants to be just like Drew when he’s older.

If you’d told Drew this a few years ago, he would have laughed. Uncontrollably. Why would anyone want to be like him?

He still has no idea just how influential he can be.

“We still on for this weekend, then?” At his question, I meet Owen’s gaze and see he’s grinning from ear to ear. “My friends are so fucking jealous I’m going.”

I send him a stern look. “Language, Owen.” His cursing hasn’t stopped. If anything, I think it’s gotten worse. I’ve tried to control myself. In fact, I’m rather proud of how much I refrain from cursing. I’m trying to be a grownup.

But it’s hard. Really hard, especially when things piss me off or upset me. Like right now, missing my husband so bad my chest aches. I’d love to throw out a few “fucks” and “shits” and gripe like crazy. I could go to Jen. I should give her a call. She’s my best support system, behind Drew and Owen.

“Give me a break, whatever.” He rolls his eyes, still laughing, and I reach out and slap his arm, making him yelp. “What the hell was that for?”

“For being a jerk.” I lean back against the couch, staring sullenly at the TV. I’m watching
Sports Center
on ESPN, hoping for a glimpse of Drew, a mention, a quick report. They might say something negative, though, since his team lost their game last Sunday and they were expected to win. Speculation is their new quarterback isn’t doing as well as they’d hoped.

Doubters. Bastards, every one of them.

“Are you grumpy because they’re bagging on Drew?” At the hard look I send him Owen waves a hand at me, slumping deeper into the soft leather couch Drew and I picked out when we first moved into the house. Our place is brand new and huge, part of an upscale subdivision on the outskirts of the town I grew up in, an area where I’d never imagined living.

I don’t answer him. Instead I decide to change the channel because I’m just torturing myself, watching this. “Yes, of course we’re still on. Drew got us three tickets, so if you want to bring Wade, you can invite him.” That boy might drive me crazy, but he’s Owen’s closest friend and I adore Wade.

The grin that breaks out on Owen’s face is infectious and I can’t help but smile in return. “You mean it? That would be fucking awesome.”

“Owen, please.” I should yell at him but I don’t bother. What’s the point? He’s happy. I don’t need to ruin the moment. “I definitely mean it. Go call him. And let me know if I need to talk to his mom. We won’t come home until late, so it’s going to be a long day. I don’t want her to worry.”

“She won’t worry. She’d rather know we’re with you than out running around on our
own.” The sheepish look that crosses Owen’s face tells me he has secrets, which doesn’t surprise me. What teenage boy doesn’t? But still. I know half the time he’s out with his friends he’s up to no good.

Back in my day, I used to be up to no good, too. Drinking and smoking cigarettes, one after another, getting drunk, my mind hazy. Flirting with boys, eventually doing things with them that earned me a terrible reputation. I’m lucky I graduated high school. Mom sure as hell didn’t push me and I didn’t have an older sibling keeping track of me at all times. Talk about going wild.

I was the epitome of wild. And Drew was the epitome of good—with the exception of his deep, dark secret. A few years have passed and I still get an icy shiver down my spine when I think of her. God, I hate that bitch. I hate what she did to Drew.

Thank goodness he found me.

My cell chimes and I grab it, checking my messages. It’s from Drew and I smile.

What are you doing? Giving Owen a hard time?

My smile grows as I respond.

How did you know?

Because he texted me and said so.

I shoot Owen a glare, and he laughs as he gets up from the couch and saunters toward the kitchen. Cocky little brat.

I told him he could bring Wade with us to the game. He’s excited and cursing and I gave him grief over it. What else is new?

BOOK: Drew + Fable Forever: A One Week Girlfriend Novella
6.05Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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