Forever Together (Forever Love #2) (18 page)

He leans in, taking my lips in a kiss that almost makes me combust. My entire body’s on my fire, my hearts close to giving out and my head is filled with fog. I don’t even have a clue how to do anything. I probably resemble some kind of fish, but I know for sure that this is the best moment of my life, nothing will ever beat this and no kiss will ever come close to this one.

After he pulls away, he looks deeply into my eyes.

"You're the most beautiful girl in the world Cindy Martin. One day I’m gonna make you my wife. I've waited too long, watched you for too long not to tell you exactly how I feel."

At the time, I was completely high from the life altering kiss to pay any attention but hell
,
if I didn’t wonder what he meant for months afterwards. I never built up the courage to ask him and as time went by, I guess it just slipped my mind.

Brady reminding me of this moment right now though brings all those feeling of new and fresh love roaring back. The feeling of everything being absolutely perfect. The feeling that life couldn’t get any better. How did I lose that? How did I lose the way he made me feel?

"Wow." I croak out, my emotions catching up with me.

"Cinders?" His concerned voice has me blinking away the tears building up in my eyes.

"I-I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s up with me." I almost sob out.

"Shit maybe I shouldn’t have-"

"NO!" I yell, not willing to let him finish that sentence. "No, this is... this is perfect, just perfect. I’m sorry, just ignore me, I’m being a baby."

"Hey." His hands cup my cheeks. "Don’t worry about it, ok? You wanna cry, you cry. You wanna start going fucking mental and smashing stuff up, you do that too. I'll give you whatever you need Cinders. You gotta understand though, I’m not willing to mess this up. I'm not willing to let you go. I know you need time and fuck it'll kill me but I'll try and give it to you. I need you to know how fucking much I've missed you though. I need you to know what you mean to me because hell
,
if I didn’t fuck it up last time."

"I know, you’ve said Brady."

"No that was me being an asshole and thinking of myself. The way you’ve been today, all smiling and shit, looking carefree. That’s my Cinders. I'm sorry if I took her away."

I don’t say anything, opting to stay silent. If I speak I’ll cry and I spent way too long on my eyeliner to mess it up. Instead, I stare at his lips for impossibly long. They’re thick and pouty, the perfect shade of pink. The perfect shape for kissing. I look from those lips into his deep brown eyes which are getting darker and darker as his pupils dilate.

The same thing that overtook me when we went mudding, the feeling that if I don’t get as close to Brady as possible he might disappear, overtakes me. I clutch onto his button up shirt, the crispness of the material rough against my fingers. The hard torso underneath sends my hormones into complete overdrive. Maybe it’s love, maybe it’s always been love between us or maybe it’s lust overtaking all of my senses and drowning me in a pool of desire. All I know is that if I don’t have Brady’s lips on mine soon, I may die. However dramatic that sounds, that’s just the way it is.

Forget burying my head in the sand, forget brushing crap under the carpet, forget my mixed up feelings. This is what I need, this is what'll keep me standing upright. Brady holding me, Brady loving me.

I stand up on my tiptoes, still staring into his eyes, my breathing coming faster. I can feel his heart beat under the finger tips twisted in his shirt. The muscle covering the organ can’t hide it. It’s probably in beat with my own, both of them making their own song that only each other knows.

I press my lips lightly against his, my eyes drifting closed at the feeling. Neither of us open our mouths. There’s no tongue action, no teeth clattering, no moaning and groaning. But hell, if this isn’t the second best kiss of my life.

Before I can even think to pull away, if only to try and get myself together, a rumbling sound vibrates through Brady’s chest coming from his throat. The growl sends my temperature rising and before I know it, his lips are pressing harder against mine. His tongue is begging for entrance. I give it to him, my own tongue tangling with his, battling for supremacy.

I let go of his shirt and my hands drift to his head and grip onto the ends of his dark blond hair.

I don’t know what’s come over me. I don’t know if it’s the champagne or just the intoxicating feelings that always seem to overtake whenever he’s near. I finally feel like I've come home though. I finally feel like I’m back where I belong.

I’m lifted from the ground and my legs automatically wrap around his waist. My body jolts as Brady walks with me in his arms. The sound of metal against metal doesn’t even come close to distracting me from the kiss to end all kisses. I let out a whimper when I slip slightly down Brady’s body, my lips separating from his. Intense coldness seeps through my dress and I slowly open my eyes to find myself sitting on the edge of the bed of Brady’s truck, his tall, strong, impossibly perfect body standing in between my open thighs.

"I want you so fucking bad." He growls and all I can think of is the heat coming from his body, particularly his trousers.

"Take me then." I say in a breathless whisper.

He throws himself at me, his hands roaming my body as my hands run over his. I feel every bulging muscle in his arms, every tensing ab on his stomach. I feel my dress being roughly pushed up my thighs, laying me bare.

I don’t know what comes over me but before I can stop myself, my fingers are fumbling with the belt buckle on his slacks, struggling to unclasp it. Our lips don’t part, not even for a second as I feel my underwear being yanked to the side. A gentle breeze in just the right place and I let out a little shiver.

"I’ve missed you." Brady growls against my mouth.

Finally pulling the belt apart, I drag the zipper down, the sound not even overtaking our moans and whimpers.

Slipping my hand down his pants, past his boxers, I feel the silky smooth skin of his arousal.

"We need a condom." I gasp out as Brady's lips and tongue explore my neck.

"You came off the pill?"

"No." 

"Then we don’t fucking need one." His breath rolls over my cheeks, my neck, leaving tingles in its wake. "You said you hadn’t been with no one else, Cinders. Did you lie?"

"N-no, there was nobody else."

"Well, good because I know full fucking well there’s been nobody for me. I can’t wait to feel you wrapped around me without shit in between."

I nod my head jerkily, too caught up in the moment to care about anything. Instead of doing what responsible Cindy would do and putting a stop to this, I yank his pants down so they’re mid-thigh, taking his boxers with them. I can feel Brady’s hands travel to my ass, his fingers digging into my flesh as he groans.

I’m pulled forward, my legs wide open for him. I put my lips to his ear, running them over his lobe with a feather touch. My hand snakes between us and grabs onto his hardness. I line up so he is right at my entrance, completely ready.

He plunges in, taking my breath away.

"Oh God." I groan, my eyes almost rolling into the back of my head as my whole body grips onto him.

"I can’t believe I went six months without this." Brady grinds out, retreating from me before pushing himself back in. "You feel so fucking good."

I don’t answer. I can’t answer. I can only whimper, my hands holding onto his shoulders and fingers digging into the hard muscle. I don’t know how I went without this for six months either. I definitely don’t know how I forgot how good it was, how good he could make it.

We rock together, me clinging to Brady for dear life as if the moment I let go, I'll drift away. His pace becomes faster and faster. His thrusts become more forceful as he takes us to the edge. We're in this together, always together.

Just as I think it couldn’t feel any better, we both fall over the edge simultaneously, both groaning out our release and clinging to each other.

I fall back, Brady leaning over me as we fight to get our breathing back to normal. I can feel the sweat coating my forehead, droplets running down my temple.

"Wow." I breathe. "That was-"

"Fucking incredible." Brady smirks, looking up at me.

"Yeah it was." 

"I hope you know what this means Cinders." His hands thread through my hair, pulling my face towards his. Our lips are so close I can feel his warm breath against mine. "I’m never fucking let you go, ever."

I go to open my mouth, so used to avoiding this, so used to disagreeing. Nothing comes out though. The only reply I give is a nod of my head as the fireworks shoot up into the sky like multicolored ribbons behind him.

Even as the self-doubts begin to worm their way in and the fear returns. I hope he doesn’t let me go.

Chapter 13

Brady

I got a hundred celebratory songs chiming in my head right now. The world’s all colorful and shit and I’m pretty sure if this was a cartoon, I'd have hearts floating around my head.

It’s official, fourth of July is now my favorite holiday. I’m gonna celebrate every year the fact that not only is it the day the Declaration of Independence got printed off or some shit, but as the day I got my Cinders back. Yep I won her back and victory never tasted so damn sweet.

"Seriously dude, you having that look on your face is making me mighty uncomfortable, especially when two minutes ago you had a guy with his hand about two inches from your junk." Tucker's lame ass voice brings me back to the here and now. Seriously, can’t a guy daydream about the love of his life in peace? Next time I walk in his house and accidently cock block him, I won’t feel so bad.

"Fuck you man." I scowl at the shit eating grin on his face.

It’s bad enough I was kidnapped from my own fucking bed at the ass crack of dawn to come do this measuring shit for Noah’s wedding. It’s not even me getting hitched and it’s a pain in my ass.

"Leave him alone Tuck. He can’t defend himself since Cindy’s got his balls." Noah chimes.

"Oh, you wanna join in too Travers? I seem to remember a picture a certain blondie sent me last Halloween." I raise an eyebrow and the color drains from his face. Take that fucker!

"Wait, what pictures?" Tucker asks.

I mouth to him that I'll send it to him later while the old dude that smells like Dr Pepper runs the measuring tape up his inside leg.

Noah shuts his mouth - thank fuck. I’m pretty sure it’s because he doesn’t want me bringing up him dressed as Peter fucking Pan. Yeah, that’s right, seems Noah here's got a thing for tights. Fucking pussy. And he thinks Cindy’s got my balls? I'd do a lot of things for my dark haired beauty but it'll be a cold day in hell before she gets me wearing tights.

"So, Tuck." I slap ole' Tuck on the back. "You pick any chicks up from that shitfest they called a barbecue?"

I know full well he didn’t.
H
h
e’s been pouting like a damn woman the last few days because of it. Seems the cougars of Franklin ain’t digging Tucker. Who’d have thought it?

"I got more chance of picking some pussy up at the old folk’s home." Man, that’s an image I don’t need in my head. "You'd think a bunch of gold-diggers would be wanting a decent lay but nope. I swear I haven’t been that disappointed since finding out who A is."

"Fucking hell Tucker, when did you turn into a woman?" Noah says, his face covered in disgust. I’m not sure if it’s at the old folk’s home comment or the tv show.

"What? It’s a damn good show. You wouldn’t believe who it was thou-"

"Spoilers!" I yell. "I haven’t got that fucking far yet so keep that shit to yourself."

"You too?" Noah sneers.

"Hell yeah." Tucker high fives me.

Damn straight I watch Pretty Little Liars. Those girls are badasses. Plus, one of them looks kinda like Cinders so it was good for me when we were apart. I don’t tell these guys that shit though. I've already got Agent Fucktard over there spouting shit about stalking.

I wait for the other two to finish having themselves felt up. Why we can’t just do what regular people do and wear the same old shit that’s in our closet I'll never know. Mrs. P's in charge of this shindig though so what she says goes. I never would have thought that such a t
i
u
ny ass woman could be so damn bossy. Forget bridezilla, she’s a momzilla.

Hey, if Deena or my Mom decide to go all crazy for mine and Cindy’s wedding, I think I'll be grabbing my woman and heading to Vegas. We could be married by the King himself.

Just thinking of me and my Cinders getting married has got me smiling like a lovesick fool. She'd look sexy as fuck in a wedding dress. She could have one of those thingymajigs on her thigh too, the lacy ribbon shit I peel off with my mouth. Damn, I better get my thoughts under control. I don’t need the guys seeing big Brady downstairs, that would be all kinds of awkward.

Just thinking of Cindy has me wanting to see her though. It’s been a couple of days since I saw her. After we christened the bed of my truck, we watched the fireworks, wrapped in a blanket I kept tucked away. Having her in my arms again was fucking heaven. I couldn’t even focus on the lights covering the sky. All I could think about was how much I loved her. I didn’t tell her that shit though because let’s face it, last time I mentioned that it didn’t exactly go well. So I kept my feelings to myself and took everything in from the way her hair smells like strawberry’s to the way her breath hitched every time the sky lit up.

Of course after we were done, I peeled her out of that tight as sin dress and got me some more lovin'. This time it wasn’t so much a race to finish and I could take my time with her. I could savor her. Like I said before victory never tasted so sweet, and neither did Cindy.

I whip my phone outta my pocket and scroll through my messages. We've been texting but with Mrs. P and Liv riding her ass about the wedding and shit and my best man duties, we haven’t had the time to see each other. I can’t exactly go climbing through her bedroom window anymore, not with that scary as fuck kid sleeping on the bunk above her.

That’s another thing I gotta sort out. I’m in a big ass King size bed alone and she’s sharing with her little sister. I gotta straighten that shit out. Cinders should be with me.

Not finding any new texts, I pull her name up and start tapping out a message. No way can I go another day without seeing her. I don’t care what shit she says. I’m seeing her tonight. The one eyed snake has already been awoken; he needs some attention!

Pik u up at 6 x

That should do it. I know by now there’s no point asking with Cinders. She'll just try and get her tight little ass out of it. A pussywhipped guy once said that sometimes you just gotta steamroll them. That pussywhipped guy is about to get married so I figure I'll listen to his advice just this once as long as he doesn’t find out about it. I don’t need to be listening to his old ass in fifty years reminding me about the single time he was right about something.

My phone vibrates in my hand with an incoming message. Even though I just text her, the sight of her name filling up the screen causes my stomach to go fucking crazy. I wonder if that'll ever stop because at this rate, I'll end up some kinda ulcer or some shit.

Wot for? xx

I guarantee she’s probably running
a
round that house like a fucking headless chicken right now. I shoot her a reply.

Taking you out ;) x

I stare at the phone in my hands for a few minutes willing for there to be another buzz. A shit eating grin spreads across my face when it does and I see what it says.

Ok xx

Damn, looks like my Cinders is finally learning that I ain’t taking no for an answer. About time too.

"Oh shit man, he’s got that look again." I see Noah nudge Tucker. They’re like damn women I tell ya.

"You'd think considering I say what happens at your bachelor party, you'd be nicer to me." I lean closer, ready to put the kibosh to this bullshit. "You can either have that pansy party you wanted with no strippers or any of the good shit or you can get tied to the freaking lamppost on main street with your ass hanging out."

"It’s gonna be your bachelor party one day too you know." He narrows his eyes.

"Dude, It’s not a bachelor party with no strippers so can we please stop calling it that." Tucker throws his hands up in the air, still sore over the no stripper rule Liv and Noah agreed on.

If I’m honest, I couldn’t give two fucks if Noah has some half naked bimbo gyrating all over him. Hell, I’d prefer if I didn’t have to see that shit. I don’t need to be having nightmares.

"Fuck off Tuck! I got respect for my woman."

"I got respect for women too. I got respect for all women. Skinny women, curvy women, blonde women, redheaded women, I got respect for them all. I wouldn’t turn down a damn stripper for one though. I mean, have you seen some of the getups they got? I watched a video of a stripper that was dressed up like that chick out of Avatar. It was on a whole other level."

"One day you're gonna find the one man, and I cannot fucking wait because the amount of sh-"

"Ladies, ladies." I decide to take on the role as peacemaker and calm this situation we got going on down. "As much as this debate is fascinating, you think we can walk and talk because this ain’t how I expected to spend my Tuesday."

"Because you’re so busy." Noah says, rolling his eyes. Jackass can be as sarcastic as he likes, it just means I won’t be so guilty sticking his pansy ass Peter Pan pictures all over town.

"Actually, I am. Got your bachelor party to plan for. I sure hope you got your injections and shit. Oh, and make sure you bring your passport." I quip, feeling a vibration in my pocket.

Ignoring Noah’s ugly ass face, I pull my phone out only to have it plucked outta my hands.

"Hey, what the fuck man!"

"Say you’re not gonna fuck me over." Noah holds the phone above his head. The lanky ass is taller than me. I’d need a fucking chair to get it.

"No can do fucker." I grind out. "I’m gonna tie your naked ass to a pole and stick an All's Welcome sign on it."

"No phone for you then, dick." Another buzz sounds out and the dickhead has the nerve to look up into the screen. "Looks like you won’t get back to Cindy."

"Name your terms motherfucker." I say through gritted teeth. Shoulda known he'd pull the Cindy card.             

"No strippers, no pranks, no tying my naked ass to a pole, no putting me on a plane to fucking nowhere and no deserting me."  

"Hey, wait there." Tucker butts in. "No pranks? No strippers? What is this, a tea party?"

"Brady? Deal or no deal?"

              I stare between him and Tucker. One pair of eyes pleading, the other knowing they've won.

"Deal." I sigh.

"Swear on your left ballsack." Fuck! Looks like there’s no getting outta this.

"I swear on my left ballsack."

"Well, here you go then." The bastard passes my phone back to me, a smirk on his face. What an asshole! "By the way, whose Bobby Bitchface?"

I look down at the screen to see the name I've set for Bob flashing. Two texts and a missed call. Great.

"You fucking shitstain, you knew Cindy hadn’t text!" I’m gonna kick his ass. Fuck being Horiche’s bitch, I'll take it.

"Ain’t that a damn shame. So who is it?"

"Bob."

I look down at the message and frown. What the hell?

Meet me at the home office. One hour. Don’t be late.

***

"YOU CAN’T FUCKING FIRE ME, I QUIT!" I scream like a damn woman. My voice is all high and shit and I’m about five seconds from smashing Bob's wrinkled old face into the glass desk.

"Now Brady, calm down."

"You take that shit back." I hiss out, my teeth grinding together. "You make sure it’s on fucking record that I quit."

"Please sit down and we can discuss this like adults. You acting li
k
e a five-year-old isn’t helping the situation." Bob folds his hands on the desk.

"The situation is that you're firing me when I quit." I lean over and point in his face. "Fuck you, Bob. Fuck you if you think you're firing me. I was gonna quit. I was gonna fucking quit goddamnit."  I wasn’t gonna quit, the money is easy and the work is even easier, but I'd rather chew my own leg off than admit that.

I slam my hand on the desk. Holy shit that fucking hurt. It hurts so fucking much I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself screaming out. That would so not be a good look right now when I’m trying to make a dramatic exit. I look down at the table to see the glass splintered. It’s a spider’s web of cracks, probably like the bones in my damn hand.

I shoulda known this meeting wouldn’t be good when I saw my Mom in the kitchen. That woman hasn’t stepped foot in any kitchen since at least 2002. Her shoes were clicking on the floor as she walked around like she didn’t know what the fuck was going on. She probably didn’t know what the difference was between the toaster and the coffee machine.

Of course I ignored all the weird ass signs pointing to the fact that the world was basically going to shit. I mean if my Mom in a kitchen isn’t a sign of the impending apocalypse, I don’t know what is. I walked right on into Bob's office, I was in a good mood too. I even kept the snarky comment about the chandelier to myself. Who the fuck has a chandelier in an office anyway? Right above the desk too like he’s the president or some shit.

I sat down nicely on the leather armchair, plastered a fake ass smile across my face. I even refrained from calling him by one is many nicknames, you know, douchebag, bastard, dickhead, asshole, jackass. Yeah, I kept that shit to myself. If that ain’t self-control I don’t know what is.

Then that motherfucking douchebag asshole laid it on me. He was fucking firing me. Apparently I
’m
was
“lazy, immature and taking advantage of the opportunity he gave me”. What fucking opportunity? I copy spreadsheets and shit when I can be bothered and get paid a couple hundred bucks a week for the effort which is rarely even that.
H
h
e’s hardly Trump, this ain’t the fucking Apprentice!