His smile could make the sun envious. He touches my cheek and whispers, “I could never leave you behind. You’ve become the best part of my day, so I choose you. Forever.”
. . . Going to him, my arms slip around his middle, his around my waist, and we kiss. Who cares that we’re in the middle of campus or have hundreds of eyes watching our every move? Not us.
My hands slide down his arms. The dips and rises of hard, structured muscle beneath my palms feel wonderful. He’s put on the weight he lost and bulked up even more since he’s been back.
I’ve kept my eyes on him, watching him take out his anger, his pain, his past on the weights in the gym, punching that bag as if it’s someone in particular. It’s a healthy addiction, so I’m not one to complain, especially since I benefit. Holding his hands, I bite my lip, thinking about last night and how I rocked on top of him until we both came, bodies slick with sweat. Sex with my husband is undeniably incredible. Every time.
The heavy heat igniting deep in my body never seems satisfied these days, not since our honeymoon. As much as I tease him about his designer T-shirts, I’m grateful for the good things money can buy—not people or an end to a means, but time together. Ten blissful days alone on an island in the middle of the Caribbean with this man will never be enough. He wanted to buy it. I told him no. Now I don’t know why.
There’s too much money to spend in five lifetimes. Maybe I just need to learn to enjoy it, turn the negative associated with it into a positive by generously donating. We’re considering charities that help get addicts off the street, find homes for the homeless, or offer scholarships for college students in Chad’s name. Shelly wants to run it, and I agree she’d be a great candidate to lead that foundation.
Alexander asks, “What are you thinking about?”
“Our honeymoon and our future.”
The lines around his eyes soften, and he kisses my temple. “I miss the solitude with you on the island.”
“I miss watching you walk out of the ocean—bright smile, wet hair, the sunshine reflecting off your tanned body.”
“That’s quite the visual, Mrs. Kingwood.”
“You always did give good . . . visual.”
He chuckles, and leans down just enough to be eye level with me. “I learned from the best. I can’t wait to see that naked ass of yours later.”
Toying with the bottom of his shirt, the hem twists between my fingers as I hold him close. “One day my ass will droop,” I start, my eyes going wide, “or double. What then?”
“I’ll love you like I do now, if not more. More of you to love, right?” He laughs and I punch him playfully in the stomach. It’s like hitting a brick wall. I’m shaking my hand when he brings it to his lips and kisses it. “Are you kissing my booboo?”
“Yes, I’ll make you feel so much better . . . later.” He takes a step back and adjusts my backpack straps on my shoulders. “Going my way?”
“Unfortunately not. I’m going in there.”
His sky-blue eyes follow the direction in which I nod. They’re clearer these days, the darkness centered in the middle of pools of light. I’ve never seen that carefree side Cruise once spoke about, the side that existed before his mother’s death. But I like seeing Alexander smile more, and I’ll take that on a day-to-day basis. “I’ll see you at home tonight.”
“See you there.” We walk away, not wanting to say the words we’ve said too much in our time together. But I glance back, unable to leave him and not say anything. Standing where I left him, a small smile plays on his lips as he watches me. In moments like these, the raw pain of what happened to us grips me. How our lives would be so empty without each other. My eyes fill with tears, and I return to his open arms. Tucked safely against him, I don’t have to say anything at all, both of us already know.
I’m alive.
He’s alive.
Our fairy tale continues, but now we are no longer pawns in the game. We reign over it.
He’s my king.
I’m his queen.
And that’s enough. For now.
As his hand runs the distance from my neck to my lower back, luring goosebumps in his wake, he whispers, “Magic.”
Magic indeed.
The End.
Check out the surprise on the next page:
If you loved The Kingwood Duet and would like to get to know the mysterious Jason, stay tuned. His book is coming late September 2017. Add to your Goodreads here: CLICK HERE
A little sneak peek into his story:
Looking at her on that front porch now, she’s still so damn beautiful. I see that same look in her eyes that I remember from back then. It’s the one that brought me to my knees the first time I ever laid eyes on her.
I scrub my hands through my soaked hair and question everything I’m about to do.
When I see her smile and she sends me a small wave, I do it, damning the consequences of our past, and stupidly thinking, maybe we can pick up where we were. Or just have a cup of coffee and catch up. I’m good at lying to myself like that.
Or maybe like the first go round, there’s nowhere for us to go except down.
I swing my leg off the bike and cut the engine to the black Harley to find out. I shove my hands into the pockets of my wet leather jacket and start walking across that lawn I’ve walked a million times. This time, hoping for a different outcome.
I take hold of the railing that wobbles and is covered in chipped paint, prop one foot up on the bottom step, and stare right at her.
Three years was a long damn time not see the beauty that stands before me. I sigh, not sure about anything right now, so I just say, “Hi.”
Her shoulders drop, the tension falling away as if she’s been waiting for this day, and it’s finally come. “What took you so long?”
Add to your Goodreads here: CLICK HERE
*
In the meantime, have you met Johnny Outlaw? *purrs* If you haven’t, I’d love for you to meet my New York Times bestselling and very sexy rock star. Turn the page to read the Prologue and Chapter One or click here to download your copy now: CLICK HERE
Part I
The Resistance - Prologue
Johnny Outlaw
I’m a fucking fool.
I’m not even sure how I got into this mess, but I know I need to get myself out of it. I look down at the hand on my thigh inching up higher and my stomach rolls. Squeezing out from between the tight confines of the third row in this van, a girl on each side wanting a piece of me, I fall over the seat into the cargo area and move away from their astonished stares. They’re speaking German and I don’t know what the fuck they’re saying, but I’ve been in this type of situation enough to know how it will end, if I let it.
Everything has changed… or sometime around my last birthday I changed.
I didn’t invite these chicks. Dex did. He’ll fuck’em all before the night’s through and the bad part is, they’ll let him. Thinking they’re special, that they’ll be the one to tame him. They’ll let him do what he wants just to be close to him.