Giving You Forever (15 page)

– NOLAN –

“I’ll be in touch.” I quickly slam the door shut behind my last applicant and pull my blackberry from my pocket. It’s time I call a meeting between Mike, Steve, and I to set up a plan of action for the next couple of weeks and what’s to come after we open.

Having no contact with Alexa for the last twenty-four hours confirmed my plans; she comes first, and everything else comes after. Even though that’s how it’s always been, I need to implement it clearer–manage my time a little wiser. The gym is just a dream. Alexa is my life. She’s the reason to my being, the air to my lungs, the soul to my existence. I don’t want to spend another day of my life not waking up to her wrapped in my arms. It can’t happen and it won’t.

– ALEXA –

Pulling into Simple Elegance’s parking lot, my stomach twists and turns even more, making me feel like I’m going to be sick. I wish Nolan would just call, or text, and relieve some of the ache inside. Let me know that everything is okay and that this has just been a blip in our relationship, nothing more. I contemplate removing the bandaid, calling him myself, but he left first; he needed time away. He said he’d call me later and he didn’t. He’ll call when he is ready.

I hope.

Taking a deep breath and pulling my skirt down as I step outside my car, I tell myself that I just have to play pretend for a little while. Act like everything is just fine. That the wedding is still on, and that I’m anxiously looking forward to it.

“Hi, Alexa!” Meg immediately greets me as I walk inside the door. Just like before, she’s standing behind the front desk, professionally dressed in a black linen suit.

“Hi, Meg,” I politely respond, wearing the most convincing smile that I can manage to wear.

She comes out from behind the desk, meeting me in front of it.

“We have three different appointments set up. Do you want to drive together, or just follow me?”

Knowing that it’s going to take an immense amount effort on my part to stay positive while searching wedding venues, I answer that it’d probably be best to drive separate as I have plans immediately after. Not that I do, per se, but I’m hoping to with Nolan.

“Sounds good,” she smiles before starting for the exit with me following close behind.

We start with a restaurant in Skaneateles with a beautiful view of the lake, but we both agree it’ll probably be just a bit too small for a guest list of a hundred. Then we continue onto a country club just outside of the city. It’s nice, but the layout isn’t appealing. The main room is shaped like an “L” and where the head table would be placed, we wouldn’t be able to see all of our guests. Last stop is at The Sheraton on the SU Hill. Being a Syracuse University student, I’ve driven by it plenty of times. It’s beautiful and has had some really important events held there. Never did I imagine that we’d be able to have our reception here on such short notice. From what I hear, they’re booked for weddings years in advance.

Taking the parking spot right next to Meg’s sleek Audi, I meet her in back.

“Wow, this place is even more gorgeous up close,” I tell her as we start walking towards the entrance.

“Wait until you see the main ballroom–it’s stunning!” she beams excitedly.

As soon as we walk in, we’re greeted by a very clean cut, slightly feminine, man. He and Meg share a friendly hug before she introduces him as David, the manager of hotel events for the Sheraton.

“Very nice to meet you,” I smile, shaking his hand.

“The pleasure is all mine,” he answers with a smile that reaches both ears.

He reminds me a lot of Jamie, just more dapper. I’m not sure David would ever be caught wearing skinny jeans or a faux-hawk like Jamie.

“And lucky for you, we just had a cancellation for July when Meg called,” he winks, holding out his elbow for me to link my arm with his, showing me the way to the ballroom. Just as I’m about to ask about a waiting list, he continues, “I’m always willing to help my dear friend Meg out with a favor.”

Boy, did I hit the jackpot with her!

Coming up to a large set of white French doors, David gently drops my arm before slipping his key in to unlock it. After pushing both doors open like they do in the movies, he steps to the side, displaying the breathtaking room in front of me.

With my mouth hanging open, a rush of butterflies flood my chest, taking in all the beauty the ballroom has to offer. An exquisite chandelier centers the room, endless rows of round white tables and chairs, ceilings so high that I’m not even going to try guessing the height, and windows lining the wall that have to be at least fifteen to twenty feet tall. Immediately, I start visualizing the weddings I saw on the Simple Elegance website decorated in here…for
our
wedding. It’s nothing short of a fairy tale dream.

“Do you love it?” Meg asks, coming up beside me.

“Yes. Yes, it’s amazing!” I answer, still mesmerized by its beauty. But with its beauty comes a price tag that I fear will be out of our budget. “Are you sure we can afford this?” I ask, afraid to hear the answer. Showing me this room and not being able to afford it is like putting cheese in front of a mouse and expecting him not to eat it.

“We’ll make it work,” she says with an adoring smile.

And that’s when I realized that Meg is worth
every
penny we’re paying her.

Chapter Fourteen

– NOLAN –

My stomach twists and my grip tightens around the steering wheel when I see an empty driveway when I get home. She’s been done with school for hours and is still not home.

Fuck!

Hitting my head against the wheel, I shout a slur of profanities, pissed that I fucked this up, the only thing that has ever mattered in my life. Placing my car in park, and giving the steering wheel a break, I grab my briefcase, open the door, and sulk into the house. I don’t make it past the kitchen. Placing both hands on the countertop with my weight pushing forward, I focus on Alexa’s note, playing the situation over and over in my head and trying to find a solution, wondering if I should just forget about her space and call her instead. That’s when I hear the garage door open and my beautiful angel step inside the door. I don’t give her a chance to speak, pulling her into my chest, and holding her as close as humanly possible to my body.

My hand softens down her hair as I repeatedly kiss her head. I missed everything about her–her hair, her scent, the way her body fits flush to mine…everything. I missed everything that makes her, her.

“Never leave me. Please never leave me again,” I whisper frantically into her hair.

As Alexa’s body softens in my arms, she slips her hands around my waist, locking them behind me. She weakly nods her head, agreeing to my plea as a sniffle escapes her nose, breaking my heart again. Needing to dry her tears, I move my hands to her cheeks, bringing her eyes up to mine. She looks pitiful, yet beautiful, exhausted, yet refreshed, and I curse myself that I did this to her. I made my love ache by my wrong doings, by not putting her visibly on a pedestal like she should be. My baby deserves the world and will get nothing less.

Caressing my thumbs against her face, I rattle off every thought consuming my brain, “I love you so fucking much, please never leave again. I’m so sorry, doll…”

The tears that are steadily streaming down her face cut me off, and my lips need to touch her. I pull her in, indulging in the comfort of our love. Alexa holds no resistance, moving her lips with mine, caressing our tongues effortlessly with each other. Her hands slide up my back, gripping it with her sweet little fingers. A shot of heat furies throughout my body, making my cock harden on demand.

Pulling her face in closer to mine, I deepen the kiss as our mouths move in sync, transferring mounds of passion and undying love. A hot, sweet moan escapes her mouth, sending every last ounce of desire surging my body. Quickly relocating my hands to her ass, I pick her up, allowing her silky smooth legs to wrap naturally around my waist. I carry her down the hall and up the stairs, keeping my mouth on hers, never allowing even an inch to come between them.

Gently resting her down on our bed, our lips detach, allowing mine to explore the perfection of her body. Starting at her neck, I graze the inside fold, sliding my tongue from the nape up to the back of her ear. Her breathing gradually grows heavier as her hips begin to rock up against my impossibly hard cock.

“Oh, sweet angel,” I whisper into her ear before circling the perimeter of it with my tongue.

A low hot moan escapes her sweet lips, fueling my urge to continue down and all over her body, marking my territory, and claiming what’s mine. Reaching for the hem of her shirt, I pull it up and off, placing my mouth back on her skin as soon as it’s off. Holding her hands above her head, I move my lips down the curvature of her neck, over the center of her chest before nipping at her sweet little nipples pushing through her sexy as fuck black bra. Her back arches with pleasures and cries out for more. Slowly and seductively sliding my hands down her smooth arms, I unclasp the front of her bra with my teeth. Never have I done this before, but it works effortlessly, falling freely to the side, exposing her sweet, beautiful tits for my tasting.

Caressing one peak with my thumb and teasing the other with my tongue, my free hand travels sensually down her body and up the front of her skirt. Her panties are dripping wet with pleasure, making me crave her sweet taste, fantasizing about my tongue deep inside her pussy. Following the same trail my hand just traveled, I stop at the hem of her skirt, pulling it down and off her body, along with her matching black thong.

Alexa’s sweet delicate fingers tangle in my hair the minute my tongue grazes her clit.

“Oh, babe…yes,” she yells out in ecstasy, rocking her hips fiercely against my tongue.

A deep moan rattles my core, loving the way I drive my love crazy, practically riding my tongue with her pussy, enjoying the sensation of my movements.

Fuck, yeah, it’s hot.

Pushing my two fingers hard inside her opening, I suck her nub forcefully inside my mouth, sucking it like a nipple. Alexa’s body bucks out of control, yelling and breathing heavily out my name.

Resting back on my heels, I reach for the bottom of my shirt, pulling it off before quickly standing to step out of my pants and boxers. Alexa moves up to her elbows and then to a sitting position. I know what she has on her mind, and as much as I’d love her mouth all over my cock, all I want to do is make sweet love to her; fill her with every ounce of my soul, show her exactly how much I’ve missed her and that I need her endlessly in my life.

Crawling back over her legs, my mouth catches hers as I gently lay her back down. Her arms wrap loosely around my neck as her legs fall freely to the side, granting my cock access to the warmth of its home. My arms lay comfortably on each side of her face as my tongue wraps passionately with hers. With a slow sensual rhythm, my cock slides in and out of her opening, savoring each rush of pleasure her warm pussy provides.