Trace + Olivia Series Boxed Set (119 page)

“Maybe you should try,” I pointed to the stage.

“Um, yeah, no. If I
ever
sing, the first time will not be on a stage in front of a bunch of people,” he shook his head rapidly. “No way.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction. “Would you guys mind watching Dean while we sing?” Olivia asked, holding tightly to the toddler.

“Isn’t that why you asked me to come?” Trent retorted.

“Well, yeah,” Olivia shrugged. “We have to use you while you’re home. Dean doesn’t like to be left with anyone else, but you. Not even your mom or my mom.”

“That’s because Dean has good taste in people,” Trent joked.

Griffin appeared by our table, asking if we wanted to order anything. Trent asked for a beer, and I asked for water. This was seriously the weirdest coffee house around. I mean, how many coffee shops have menus like a restaurant, a stage, and they serve beer? I think Griffin strove for uniqueness.

“They’re calling our names. Oh God,” Olivia mumbled, looking like she might throw up.

“It’ll be fine,” Trace assured her. “
You’ll
be fine,” he reinforced, taking her face between his hands and giving her a kiss that shouldn’t be legal in public. I found myself turning away, feeling like I was witnessing something that was best kept private.

Trace stood, as did Olivia, who reluctantly handed Dean to Trent as they headed for the stage.

“Row?” Dean asked, finally spotting me. His arms reached out for me as he tried to climb out of Trent’s hold. I took the baby into my arms and he smiled goofily up at me.

I held Dean in my arms as I looked towards the stage. Trace picked up a guitar and sat down on a stool, scooting the microphone towards him. Olivia grabbed another stool and sat down. Her eyes were closed and she was taking deep breaths.

Trace said something into the microphone, no doubt charming the crowd, but I couldn’t pay attention because Dean had grabbed a strand of my hair and was currently yanking on it as he tried to shove it in his mouth.

Trent noticed and began to laugh, but he was quick to help untangle me from the tight hold. I’m pretty sure Dean ripped out a few hairs.

“That’s not nice,” Trent scolded, tapping Dean on the nose.

My heart surged with an emotion I couldn’t begin to describe. Seeing Trent with Dean… it was amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time.

Dean held his arms out for Trent and then proceeded to yank Trent’s beanie off his head.

“He’s about to hit the terrible twos,” Trent explained. “Trace and Olivia are in for it with this monster,” he tickled Dean’s stomach.

I laughed, ruffling the baby’s hair.

My ears finally seemed to register that Trace and Olivia were singing. Both of their voices were incredible, but together they sounded phenomenal. My mouth dropped open in surprise as they covered
Everything Has Changed
by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.

“Wow,” I gasped. “They’re unbelievable.”

“I know, right,” Trent grinned, wrangling a squirming Dean.

I listened closely to the song and watched their interactions, how they sang to each other and not the crowd. It was a beautiful thing to watch. I was in awe, and I wasn’t afraid to show it. When they finished and sat down across from us once more, I bit down on my tongue to keep from gushing. I didn’t want to embarrass them or myself.

Trace took Dean and deposited the squirming child in his lap. I began to laugh when I realized the father and son were wearing matching blue plaid shirts. I wondered how they’d ever found a child’s shirt to match.

“Mew Mew,” Dean protested, reaching for Trent.

“That’s Uncle Trent. Mew Mew isn’t here,” Trace told his son. “They don’t let carpet sharks run around restaurants.”

I spat out my water. Thank God none of it landed on Olivia. It just splattered on the table.

“Carpet shark?” I asked.

“That’s what he calls Bartholomew,” Trent explained. “He thinks he’s so clever.”

“I am clever,” Trace grinned, “among other things, like the most amazing kisser in the universe, and the best sex you’ll never have.”

I blushed, but the stain in my cheeks in no way compared to the one infusing Olivia’s.

“Ow,” Trace groaned, and I figured Olivia had punched him in the leg.

“We’re going to head out now,” Olivia said, standing and pulling on her camel colored leather coat. “Now that my husband has made me feel thoroughly uncomfortable, that’s the cue that it’s time to go home.”

“Shit,” Trace mumbled. “I’m in trouble.”

“Oh, yes, you are,” Olivia stared him down.

It was funny though, because despite her obvious mortification, I didn’t think she was actually really that mad at him, and more that she was putting on a show to scare him into never doing it again.

They grabbed up their stuff and disappeared into the crowd, but not before saying goodbye. I really liked those two, and they were cute together. I also felt that given time I could end up being friends with Olivia.

“Do you want to stay? Or head out?” Trent asked.

I thought for a moment. “I’m ready to leave, but I don’t want to go home yet.”

He grinned at my words, clearly pleased with them. He finished his beer and slapped some bills on the table.

“Let’s go.”

It took me a moment to get my coat buttoned and pull my mittens on. Trent grabbed my hand again and we made our way outside.

I’d grown hot in Griffin’s and the cool air felt like heaven against my heated skin.

“It’s snowing!” I exclaimed, smiling at the large snowflakes falling from the sky.

I spread my arms out wide and stuck my tongue out in the hopes of catching one.

“Rowan, what are you doing?” Trent laughed as he watched me act like a little kid.

I continued to spin around, marveling at the sound escaping me. I was giggling. I don’t know if I’d ever giggled in my entire life.

“I’m living,” I finally answered as the snow swirled around us. I had never allowed myself to let go and be so free. I was finding that I really liked it. I felt like a weight was being lifted from my shoulders as I danced down the street, the snow falling into my hair, and sticking to my clothes. The cold didn’t touch me though. I was oddly warm, Trenton’s gaze heating my body.

I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing and suddenly I started to fall right into the street, straight into oncoming traffic. Trent darted forward, wrapping a solid hand around my arm and yanking me against his chest before I could go splat. My body thudded against his with the impact and we stumbled back.

“Whoa,” he said, one hand on my waist, trying to balance us and keep us from falling. I clasped the soft fabric of his coat in my hands. I looked into his eyes and I was overcome by the one emotion I fought so hard to keep dormant—desire.

“Row—”

I didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I took what I wanted. I was tall, but Trenton was taller, so I brought myself up to my tiptoes and crashed my lips against his. My heart raced in my chest at the intensity. The hand that was at my waist came up to cup the nape of my neck, his fingers gathering my long hair in its grasp. He lightly bit my bottom lip and growled against my lips, “I can’t deny this much longer. I want your legs wrapped around my waist, and I want to bury myself deep inside you.”

I gasped at his words. Boldly, I leaned up and whispered in his ear, “Then do it.”

“Fuck,” he groaned, his fingers digging into my hip. His eyes scanned my face, searching for something. A shiver passed over his body and he closed his eyes. Opening them, he bit his lip, and it had to be the sexiest thing I had ever seen. “Are you sure?”

“Do you even need to ask?” I gasped, looking up at him as snowflakes stuck to my lashes.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he took my face between his two large hands and kissed me until I forgot about everything except him. My cheeks warmed from the heat of his hands and my lips moved against his like they had a mind of their own.

This was it.

This was our now.

I had thought maybe Trent was going to stand on the sidewalk and kiss me in the snow all day. Finally though, he’d torn his lips away and pressed his forehead against mine. His chest rose and fell with unsteady breaths. Kissing the end of my nose, he’d asked, “Come home with me?”

I hadn’t hesitated to take what I wanted and said yes.

He opened the garage door, parking outside since a sleek black motorcycle occupied the space. As soon as I was out of his car I found my back pressed up against it with his lips assaulting mine.

My legs wrapped around his waist and he gripped me just below my butt. His hips pressed against mine and my lips wrenched from his as I gasped.

He carried me into the garage, hitting a button to close the door. He fumbled for the keys to unlock the door that led into his house. I placed my hand over his to steady him.

He finally got the door open and we burst inside. He kicked the door closed with his booted foot.

My mouth never left his as he carried me up two flights of steps and into the master bedroom. All the while we were tearing each other’s coats off.

He sat down on the end of the bed with me straddling his lap. His stubbled cheeks rubbed against the palms of my hands. I kissed him deeply—with every ounce of passion that possessed my body. I had to show him with my actions how I felt, because words could never compare.

My hair was slightly damp from the snow melting in it and he brushed the strands away from my face as he rained kisses down my arched neck. I was sure, even with the only the slight pressure of his lips, he had to feel how fast my heart was beating.

He tugged my sweater off and tossed it behind me. Scooting farther back on the bed he pulled me with him.

I placed my hands flat against his chest and gave him a slight push. He toppled onto his back and I lowered over him, kissing him deeply as my hair fell forward to create a shield.

His tongue played with mine and a soft moan escaped me.

I thought I’d wanted Trent at sixteen years old, but my feelings then in no way compared to how I felt now.

His hands were all over me, just as mine were with him. Both of us were feeling, tracing, and exploring the other’s body. I didn’t feel shy or hesitant like I thought I would.

My hands skimmed his chest, pushing up the shirt he wore until he sat up to tear it off. He flipped over so he was above me and kissed over my naked stomach.

His fingers found the button of my jeans and he stopped.

He looked up at me and his blue eyes met mine. He braced himself above me, his eyes flicking to my lips and back to my eyes as his fingers lifted my chin.

“Are you sure?” He asked, his eyes closing as if the question pained him. “Are you sure you want this?” He swallowed thickly. “Say the word, and we’ll stop. But if this goes too much further… I don’t know if I’ll be able to. I need you to stop me right now if you’re not okay with this.”

“You’ve tempted me this far, why stop now?”

That was answer enough for him. His lips descended to touch mine as his fingers easily found the button of my jeans.

He pulled them down my thighs and I helped by kicking them off.

“You. Are. Beautiful,” he enunciated each word while staring at a different part of my body. My lips, my breasts, and finally the skin peeking out above the top of my panties. When he looked at me like that, I believed him, in fact I would’ve believed anything he told me in that moment. “I want to love you in so many ways,” he confessed, kissing his way down my stomach. I couldn’t control the shiver that rocked my body. “But I’m scared I’ll end up pushing you away.” His blue eyes lifted to meet mine, stealing my air, my heart, my very soul. “I can’t survive losing you,” he admitted, and I could see how much it killed him to confess those words. “You’re not the one that got away. You’re
the one
.”

It wasn’t until the words had left his lips that I understood how much I had needed to hear them. A part of me that I fought hard to silence had wondered if that’s all I was—
the one that got away
. He told me I wasn’t though. A weight was lifted off me, a weight I didn’t even realize I was carrying, and I could breathe.

He looked at me, like he was waiting for me to say something, but I didn’t know what.

I reached up and my fingers tangled into the hair at the nape of his neck. “Show me how much you love me,” I swallowed thickly, shocked that the dreaded
L
word had passed my lips. But neither of us were declaring anything—we were simply showing—and there was a difference, right?

Trent’s eyes closed and when they opened… what I saw there scared me. That kind of look… it consumes you, it changes you, it ruins you. Oh yes, I was definitely ruined.

“Kiss me,” I pleaded. A part of me hated that my voice sounded so breathless with want, but the bigger part didn’t care. I did want him, and I had nothing to be ashamed of.

He was more than happy to oblige.

He kissed me.

He touched me.

He loved me.

He didn’t have to say the words, but I knew how he felt. I could see it clearly in his eyes. Unlike most girls, I didn’t want to hear those three words—they’d only send me running again. In my opinion, there was something so much more… magical, about seeing his love, rather than hearing it. Words are lies, but actions speak the truth.