Take a Bow (The Perfect Plans Series Book 2) (40 page)

“I love you, Aby. I love you so damn much,” he releases on a groan, his thrusts quickening. His plunges are imperious in their ownership, harder and deeper until we’re gasping for air. Leaning forward, his perfect lips devour my neck, his succulent kisses setting me ablaze as he reiterates his devotion over and over again, “I love you…I love you…”

“Oh god! I love you!” I scream, careening towards a completion I know will be the biggest, most earth shattering orgasm of my life.

“Come for me, sweetheart. Let me feel you,” he whispers, recapturing my gaze, cradling my head in his hands.

I plummet, falling into a heavenly abyss as he watches, bound tightly in the love and serenity of knowing that he’s mine. That he’ll always be mine. Forever.

“That’s it, baby,” he murmurs against my lips as I gasp his name, my orgasm rushing through me, my body tensing, riding the wave of pleasure.

His thrusts quicken further, driving deeper and harder as I convulse around him, my pussy hugging his cock, holding it tight in its pulsing grip. Groaning into my neck, he stills, shuddering above me, filling me with his cum; our sweat slickened bodies cradling each other firmly, basking in the glow of our coming together again.

“ANY IDEA WHERE Thomas is whisking you off to yet?” I question Stacey, spreading a dollop of clotted cream over my scone.

“I have plenty of ideas,” she mutters over the rim of her coffee cup. “He’s been dropping hints like flies, but they’re about as subtle as a crafty wench. Which pretty much narrows our destination down to…anywhere. Hence,
lots
of ideas.”

“Well, wherever he’s taking you, I’m sure it will be dreamy. He’s quite the hopeless romantic, isn’t he?”

“If by hopeless, you mean incredibly fucking sexy as shit with rose petals and Barry White. Oh. Yes. He’s the God damn pussy whisperer on cupid crack,” she bites her lip, eying him across the dining room chatting with Alex.

“He looks good on you,” I smile at her loving, captured gaze of him.

“You have
no
idea,” she shakes her head, seemingly snapping herself back from some exotic fantasy. “I have many a video that screams,
hell yes
, he does. And I look even better on
him
,” she winks.

“Ugh, gross, Stace. TMI. Can you be serious for one minute,
ever
?” I roll my eyes when she shrugs. “I’m really happy for you. You’re glowing.”

“I should be, he lit me up like a bonfire last…”

“Stop,” I raise my hand in protest. “You don’t need to hide behind your humor all the time, you know. You’re perfect on your own accord, and I love you Mrs. Stevenson-Fines.”

Her proud smile is a delight to witness. She truly is happy. We all are. I look towards Alex, feeling my own renewed glow. Last night was incredible. Unbelievable. A brand new beginning for everyone.

“It’s too bad you ducked out before catching my bouquet, bitch. You had that in the bag - I was totally gonna throw it your way.”

“I know, I’m sorry we didn’t let you know before we left, it was just…”

“Clitty Clitty Bang Bang time with his magical dick?”

“Ummm, I hate you.”

“You just said you loved me, whore,” she shoves me playfully, looking suddenly serious. “I’m happy for you too, Abs,” she pauses. “But if you fuck this up one more time, either of you, I will kick your perfect bubble-asses.”

“That’s a warning I’ll take with heed,” our gazes dart to Alex, having returned to the table.

“You better,” Stacey smirks at him in playful warning. “You’re here to take her away now, aren’t you?” she adds, taking in his warm affirmative smile before pulling me into a tight hug. “Thank you for everything, baby doll. I have the bestest bestie in the world.”

“Are you kidding me,” I squeeze her back. “I’m the lucky one. Thank you for having brunch with us,” I add, pulling back to look at her.

“I had to,” she quips. “For all I know, I’ll be eating with the animals, dressed in safari yellow this time tomorrow.”

“Quite the Curious George, isn’t she,” Thomas chimes in, sitting down beside her.

“I look horrible in yellow,” she pouts at him. “Just tell me…
please
…” her dramatic plea is laughable.

“You could wear anything, my beautiful queen,” he leans in to kiss her, avoiding her desperation to bid farewell to Alex and I. “So good to see you, mate. Let’s not leave it too long before getting together again.”

“Absolutely,” Alex smiles, bending to kiss Stacey’s cheek before holding out his hand to me.

Taking it, I stand and give quick kisses of goodbye as he leads me to his side. “Have a wonderful honeymoon,” I beam, before turning to walk away with Alex, looking back to add, “I’ll talk to you soon,” with a blown kiss.

Stacey’s warm smile pulls my own, and I exit with a belly full of both delicious breakfast and loving confidence that everything is as it should be. Everyone is happy.

Actually, I’m more than happy. I’m elated. And by the time Alex assists me into the passenger seat of his Aston Martin, my blissful smile is starting to hurt my cheeks. “What’s the plan,” I turn my ridiculous grin towards him as he sits down beside me.

“Well, I was thinking we could hit my place first, pack up, and then head to yours?”

“Sounds great,” my widely curled lips are beginning to feel clownish, and I turn away, pursing them inwards.

“Were you dipping into Mimosas on the side during brunch?” he questions, chuckling.

“Why? Are you hoping to steal my panties and hide them in your pocket all day?” I flirt shamelessly.

“That sounds incredibly inviting,” he reaches to pull my lip from its bite. “However, I was merely commenting on your state of mind,” he winks.

“I’m just insanely happy.”

“Any particular reason for your elation?” his knowing muse makes my smiling lips tingle in delight of memories. He said that very thing so long ago. In the beginning. And the way I feel now, feels just as it did then.

I can’t help but close my eyes, leaning my head back into the headrest at the fluttering of my heart, lost to the beautiful idea that with Alex, it may always be this way. The way it’s supposed to me. “You’re my
more
,” I reply on a whisper, enveloped in the perfection of his love.

He takes my hand in his, whisking it to his lips for a kiss, before holding it in place in his lap. “That was quite the tall bill you had, Miss Ryan,” he shoots me a glance of his sinful smile. “I’m honored to have finally filled it. Making you happy is the most important thing to me,” his tone is suddenly somber, sending a nervous twinge down my spine.

Turning to gauge his expression, I find him glancing back at me thoughtfully, before retuning his gaze to the road. “You’re worried about something, what is it?”

“I’m not worried, as much as I am cautiously concerned,” his tone echoes the sentiment.

“Semantics, Tate. Spill it.”

He takes a deep breath through his nose, his jaw clenching a little before he finally speaks. “How do you feel about seeing Ben?”

“What?” my eyes bug a little, and I shift in my seat to angle a better vantage of him. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I don’t believe I’ve had the chance to tell you,” he glances towards me quickly before looking back to the road. “Ben has been released from the rehabilitation facility.”

“Yes,” I reply taking a breath, “…I know.”

“You do?” he glances my way again, his sexy brow arched.

Yeah, I walked in on him and your ex-playmate, but you don’t know that yet…
“Has he been staying at your flat?” I ask, my stomach sinking as his brow shifts higher.

He doesn’t answer right away, and I have to wonder what he’s thinking.

“He
has
been staying with me, since I returned. We’ve been doing a lot of talking,” his eyes remain on the road. “He is still there now,” he turns to take in my reaction, though I’m more concerned with his. Wary caution colors his blue eyes, his thumb brushing along my held hand. “How did you know he was released?” he asks between glances to the road, his tone more than curious. He wants answers to a question I stupidly put on the table.

“Well, we haven’t talked about why I was ignoring your calls and messages the other night,” I look down at my lap, fiddling with my scarf. I feel every glimpse he steals as he concentrates on the road ahead. They’re frequent, and I don’t need to see them to sense their urge for my continuance. “I stopped by your place the night before the wedding. To talk to you…It was my turn to apologize,” I pause, meeting his quick glance, his eyes filled with remorse of his own.

“Baby…”

“I’m sorry, Alex,” I interrupt him, needing him to hear the words, to hear their truth. “Everything that happened with Julia…with Andrew. I was wrong…”

“We both were,” he lifts my hand to his lips once more, flashing me his loving gaze. “New beginnings,” his sweet smile melts me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t home when you stopped by. Did you see Ben?” his quick look of compunction breaks my heart, “Is that why you were so upset?”

“Well, not exactly,” I purse my lips. “When no one answered the door, I let myself in,” I nip at the corner of my mouth. “I heard someone upstairs…a woman’s giggles coming from the washroom.”

His gaze darts towards me, before shaking his head, looking back to the road, “Ben had company…Well, that would certainly make me head back out the door,” he huffs a laugh.

“It didn’t,” I pause awkwardly, his eyes returning to mine, his stare so long I wonder if we should pull over, “…I assumed it was you.”

“
That’s
why you were upset?” he throws me an exasperated grimace. “You thought I was there…with someone else, Aby?”

“Not just someone,” I blurt, a little defensively. “
She
came out. Helena came out. Naked.”

“
Helena
?” her name spits off his tongue, the car suddenly swerving, shrieking to a halt.

Braced in my seat, I realize we’ve reached his flat. Thank God for perfect timing.
Or not
, I look towards the front door, remembering Ben just beyond it.

“Ben is sleeping with
Helena
?” it’s more of a bewildered statement than a question.

I’m not sure if I’m relieved, or not, that his shock has temporarily washed away my assumption that it was him in the bathroom with Helena. I’m going to go with relieved. I certainly understand his baffled reaction to the awkward situation…Alex, his ex-phone-for-sex friend, and his best friend - former druggie slash girlfriend-hitter-on’er gone straight. It’s messed up shit.

Staring at his hands on the wheel, he blows out a mouthful of air before looking towards me, “How do you feel about seeing him? I’m only asking because he wants to apologize. But, sweetheart, if you don’t want to hear it, you don’t have to. I can go in and make sure he stays out of our way.”

I’m not sure what to say. Do I want to see Ben? I’m still lost in what just happened. Where’s the gap in his reaction? Where’s the frustration that I doubted him? “Alex, I…” my mouth clamps shut, lost for words.

“I get it,” he angles in the seat to face me. “If I saw Liam, or Andrew,” pausing slightly, his jaw clenches, “…in the same circumstance, I would have thought the worst as well. I think anyone would have, under the circumstances,” he shrugs.

“I’m still sorry. I doubted you, Alex. Even though my heart was fighting it, questioning it, I let myself think…” I trail off.
Who am I kidding?
I doubted
myself
for twelve years. Do I really expect to be cured over night? “In the end, I just knew you would never…”

“I know, baby,” he cups my cheek, brushing his thumb lovingly along my jaw.

“I told you, I’m a work in progress,” I attempt a half-hearted laugh, though it misses the mark.

“
We’re
a work in progress remember?” his perfect smile washes everything away once more.

No more looking back. We’re starting over.

“You know what? I think I should hear what Ben has to say,” I cover Alex’s hand at my cheek, leaning in to his caress. Who am I to pass judgment on mistakes, when we’re moving past our own?

Flashing me an approving grin, he leans in for a chaste kiss, before getting out to open my door.

The sight of both Ben and Helena when we enter throws me a little off kilter. It’s more than awkward. Standing in the foyer, they look towards us with equal surprise. Yup. Awkward.

“I was just leaving,” Helena smiles.

“Don’t leave on our account,” the look Alex gives her is a mixture of intrigue and discomfort. It must feel strange for him with this odd grouping.

“I’m not,” she smiles warmly. “I do have to run,” she explains, stepping on her tiptoes to give Alex her trademark kiss to both cheeks. “I’m sure you and Ben have some talking to do,” her smile is aimed at both Alex and I, though there’s a little unease when she looks into my eyes.

“Hey, buddy,” Ben smiles at Alex, as Helena passes us to reach for the door.

He and Alex motion towards the sitting room, when I feel the pull to talk to Helena. It doesn’t feel right to let her leave, not after I left things up in the air at the reception. I have a few things I need to say. “Ummm…I’ll be right back,” I smile as Alex turns, his brow arched slightly as I move to follow Helena outside. “Helena, wait,” I call after her, closing the door behind me.