I am well informed about Susan Wagner. But I’m not letting her know about that right now. She is just letting me in, starting to let her walls down and trust me. No way am I messing with that right now.
“So, anyway. She’s been causing some drama. Calling, sending letters, and coming around. She’s harmless but annoying, and it scares Cohen. That is what I’ve been dealing with since Sunday. Trying to keep my mom calm and Cohen clueless.”
“You think she will be trouble?” I question.
“No. I mean, yes for now, but I think she just misses her son, or I should say the idea of her son. She doesn’t want Cohen; she just doesn’t want us to have him.”
“Seems reasonable baby, but I don’t like you dealing with that alone.”
“I’m not alone,” she says with small smile tips up her lips.
“No, Beauty . . . you definitely are not.”
We have been sitting here for a while just silently taking each other in when her voice breaks the stillness. “Tell me about Grace.”
“Trying to change the subject?” I laugh but I really am just happy she wants to know more about me.
“I just want to know you, all of you, even that beast you only seem to throw around toward me.” She smiles and leans her head on my shoulder.
“Grace was amazing. We were best friends and each other’s shadow our whole lives. She didn’t take it well when I enlisted but she knew it was what I wanted. Our dad was a career Marine and I knew before I could walk that that’s what I would do. He was the bravest man we knew until we lost him. She knew what it meant to carry on his memory. We talked as often as we could but that still wasn’t enough. I met her boyfriend once when I was home on leave and didn’t like the bastard. Told her, but she was in love so there wasn’t anything I could say. That was the only time we disagreed about anything. She married him shortly after I left. Twenty years old and ready to follow him around the world if he asked.” I take a deep breath and think back to her beautiful smile and her violet eyes. “You would have loved her. She was a lot like Dee, always happy. You know how I got the call. Needless to say, I didn’t take that shit well. I went off the deep end. The second I could get out, I left the Marines and the only dream I’ve ever had behind and disappeared. Axel and the boys, hell my own mother, no one knew where I was for almost two years. Met a guy on the road who helped me sort my shit, came back home, and started my own company. The rest, as they say, is history.”
“It gets better? Losing the other part of you?” She asks. I know what she means. Grace was the other part of my soul and I’m guessing her sister was hers.
“Yeah baby, it gets better. Never easy, but it gets better.”
“That’s good. I don’t want to hurt anymore,” she whispers.
“With me around, I’ll do my best to make sure you never do.” She pulls her head off my shoulder, shifts lightly, and brings her hands up to cup my face before dropping her forehead against mine.
“You’re a good man, Greg Cage. You give me some time, and I might just fall in love with you.”
“That’s the plan, Beauty.” I whisper and take her lips, delivering the message that I hope shows her how much I want to be worthy that love.
CHAPTER 18
Greg
When I pull Melissa off the couch and lead her upstairs to my room, I know this will be more than just burning up the sheets. This is about communicating without words what needs to be shown and not said, giving her what she needs from me, and making sure she feels ‘it.’ I’m no blushing virgin but even I am feeling the pressure to make sure this is something for the record books.
When we reach my bedroom, I pull her close and drop my lips to hers. Simple and slow, I make love to her mouth.
This is a slow mating. We stand there with our arms wrapped around each other and just savor. Neither of us is in a hurry, but both of us are in need. Slowly we take turns peeling the clothes from each other’s bodies, and when we are both naked, we just stand there taking each other in. Her skin is flawless, glowing with a natural tan. Her tits make my mouth water and my dick jump. Those legs, my balls tighten just taking in her long legs. I knew the backside is just as good as the front; she is pure perfection and beauty.
“You going to keep devouring me with your eyes, baby?” There it is again, and this time she is wide awake.
Baby.
Reaching out and hooking her around the waist earns me a breathy sigh and I smile down at her before returning my lips to hers. Still taking my time, I enjoy the slow kiss full of desire.