Always Have, Always Will, page 14
Once we’re face-to-face, I ask, “Are you…?” I can’t even get the words out. It’s not possible both of us… is it?
“Yes,” she whispers, as if there’s something wrong with her. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
“Why?”
“It didn’t feel right because it wasn’t you.”
Suddenly the look in her eyes changes. It’s as if she realizes it’s possible I’m a virgin too. “Are you?”
I nod.
“Why?”
“It was never you.”
“And now?” Caroline murmurs.
“I’m ready for it to be you for the rest of my life.”
“Me too.”
I turn onto my side. Tearing open the packet, I roll it on and move back over her. She widens her legs to accommodate me. As I settle in, the tip of my shaft grazes her heated center. Her eyes snap closed, and she exhales sharply. One of her hands is at my neck while the other is over my heart. Inch by inch, I push forward slowly, watching her carefully. When I’m fully seated, I pause and she blows out a harsh breath. The tightness of her walls wrapped around my hard length is indescribable. Now I know, waiting for Caroline was the right choice.
“Are you okay? Any pain?”
“Yes, minimal pain.”
I withdraw slowly and push back into her. This time is easier, and I can feel her inner walls spasming around me. I increase the speed of my movements and feel myself lengthen and get even harder. I didn’t know it was possible. Caroline wraps her legs around me, drawing me even deeper.
“Holy hell!” I’m not going to last very much longer.
Her fingernails mark my back as her muscles tighten around me even more. I don’t have a lot of information to go on, but her facial expression and the half-moon indentations in my skin indicate she may be close too. Caroline pulses around me as I explode. Finding the appropriate words to explain… that was fast, intense, and perfect.
I withdraw slowly, lower on top of her before turning us onto our sides. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, I watch Caroline replay the last minutes over in her head. Her mouth pursed, then turning up into a cute smile. I drop a kiss on her forehead and move to dispose of the condom. Noting a tinge of red, I bring a warm washcloth back with me.
“Thank you.” She accepts the cloth and cleans up a bit before curling into my embrace.
I don’t know how long we hold one another, but our unspoken words pass between us as if we said them aloud. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making Caroline happy. First, we’re going to hold Billie up at her father’s funeral tomorrow. Then we’ll decide on the perfect location to build our future.
Near one, I wake alone in my bed. I pad downstairs and find Caroline drinking a cup of tea, wearing my Dave Matthews T-shirt.
“The shirt looks so much sexier on you than it does on me.”
Her mouth curls up into a small smile. “I think we both feel the same way. This shirt accentuates your chest well.”
“Couldn’t sleep?” I surround her from behind with my arms and kiss her neck.
She shakes her head. “Worried about tomorrow. The more I think about it, the better getting away from here with you sounds.”
“Can’t say I’m against having you as my kept woman.”
“And you know how I feel about my career.”
“I do, and I know it isn’t what you want. I support your career. You know that too.”
She nods.
“But maybe only for this summer you can take this summer completely off.”
“Maybe. My concern is most schools have already completed their fall hiring. I truly don’t want to take an entire year off.”
“I understand. Can we put this discussion off until say the weekend after we go see the Connecticut and the Rhode Island properties?”
“Yes. Let’s get some sleep. We need to leave by nine.” She washes her cup and sets it to dry.
I link my fingers with hers and lead her upstairs. “How long will you need to finish packing tomorrow afternoon?”
“Maybe an hour. I need to pack the items I use daily, like my laptop, charger, phone charger, and e-reader.”
“No problem. What are we going to do about your car?”
“Can I leave it at Cash’s? We don’t need two cars while we’re at Ocean Cliff, do we?”
“No, it’s a good idea.”
I slide into bed behind Caroline, drawing her in as tightly as possible. I may not know how my career dreams will pan out, but I know with certainty Caroline will be beside me while I figure it out.
Chapter Twenty Eight
August
The next morning we scurry around to get ready for the funeral. As soon as I finish putting on my cufflinks, the doorbell sounds. I hurry downstairs to answer the door. “Good morning, Maia.”
“Mr. Morgan.”
“Would you like some coffee?”
Maia is one of the Blackthorne Security team who is assisting us with today’s event. “Thank you. I would appreciate it.” She follows me into the kitchen.
“Miss Waterman, good morning.”
I glance over, and Caroline is wearing my bathrobe. It’s way too big for her.
“Hi, Maia. Please call me Caroline.”
She nods and accepts the coffee from me. “We need to leave in the next twenty minutes to arrive on time,” Maia informs Caroline.
“No problem. Auggie, could you come back upstairs for a moment?”
“Please excuse us.”
Maia nods and takes a sip of her coffee.
“Everything okay, beautiful?”
“Yes, except the zipper won’t budge.” She sets my robe on the bed and turns. The zipper is stuck a quarter of the way up.
I set my mouth to her back, causing her to shiver. Rising, I draw the zipper up, after kissing a path up to her neck.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Do you need anything else?”
“Nothing you can give me right now.” She winks.
“We could try to make time.” I’m sure my devilish grin will be hard to resist.
“Notwithstanding your sexy grin, we can wait until tonight.”
“I completely understand what the fuss was about.”
“Me too. However, I think it matters it was us and not other people.”
“I agree, but I still don’t want to wait too long.”
“Sorry, not enough time now.”
I pout, and my woman simply laughs while spraying her perfume and stepping into her tall heels. Five minutes later, Maia whisks us off to the church.
Not only is Blackthorne Security present, but there’s an increased NYPD presence due to the anticipated crowds. Unlike yesterday, this service is by invitation only. Even so, there will be paparazzi and news outlets covering the funeral. We’re escorted inside and join my siblings and their better halves, Della, Brant, and Magnus near the rear of the church. Right before the service is set to start, a commotion occurs outside the church.
I peer outside and see Margaux arguing with an NYPD officer about access to the church. I tap Sam, my father, and Peter on the shoulder as well as everyone from Blackthorne and head outside. Brant, Magnus, and Della join us as well. One by one, we stand beside each other shoulder to shoulder. Caroline, Savannah, and even Eloise stand behind us. We assemble at the top of the wide granite stairs protecting the entrance to the church.
Margaux continues her shouting. “You can’t stop me from entering the church. It’s a public building.” Whoever the young officer is, he’s holding his own.
“Ma’am, this event is invitation only, and you were not afforded an invitation. You need to leave the premises.”
“No, I need to get in there. My daughter needs support.”
I feel a faint tap on my shoulder.
“Let me through,” Billie mumbles.
Peter tightens the space between him and me. “No, let them handle this.”
“Peter, I love you with my whole heart, but I need to handle her on my own.”
He nods tightly, and we allow Billie through. She stands beside the young officer and speaks directly to our mother. We can’t hear what she says to Margaux, but whatever it was did the trick. Margaux retreats down the stairs in her designer shoes, perfectly tailored suit, and luxury clutch.
When she reaches the top of the steps, she whispers something to Jacob.
“What did you say to her?” I inquire. I’m blown away she left without a bigger fight.
“I told her I would have Officer Torres arrest her if she didn’t leave immediately. I suggested two arrests in one week wouldn’t be a good look aside from the photo the photogs likely already took. The last part did the trick.”
“Nice, I’m proud of you, sweetheart,” Peter says and kisses her.
“Thank you. Oh, and I suggested Jacob send someone to Cash’s before the reception just in case she decides to attempt to gain access there as well.”
After a solidifying breath, Billie steps between us again and we file into the church for Giovanni’s service. The remainder of the day passes without incident. The reception was nice and included a video chat with Cash and Noelle. Even my father was able to see the twins. He assured Cash, he and Eloise would make a trip to meet his newest granddaughters as soon as possible.
After checking my townhouse again, I drive to Caroline’s and she collects everything she needs for our time at Ocean Cliff. At eight in the evening, we finish hauling her things into our temporary accommodations.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Caroline
The drive to Rhode Island is smooth. We brought my clothing and other personal items inside. Now it’s time for me to wrap my head around the fact I’m currently unemployed and don’t have a teaching position for the fall. I resolve to ignore my employment status for at least the next few days.
“What’s on your mind, sweetheart?” He surrounds me with his strong arms and holds me tight. Auggie’s hugs have always been comforting. Now having taken our friendship up to much higher levels, it’s miles better.
He has always been able to tell I’m worried about something even when we were younger. One instance I recall was when I was struggling with algebra and the midterm was closing in fast. Aside from our regular studying, Auggie created cards with formulas and found examples to help me learn the parts I was finding difficult. I may not have aced the exam, but I absolutely scored much higher with his assistance.
“So many things. However, I’m not worrying about my job right now. I plan not to think about it until next week at the earliest. Let’s do something else.”
“What might you have in mind?” The twinkle in his eye tells me he’s at least partially on the same page as I am.
“I propose we solidify what we think we know about each other.”
“How might we do that?”
“We are going to trade questions, but the twist is you’re going to answer with what you think my answer is rather than me telling you. For example, my favorite color is?”
“Lavender,” Auggie’s reply confident.
“If I were to answer the same question, it’s hunter green.”
“What happens if we’re wrong?”
“That’s the fun part. Each wrong answer means we lose an article of clothing.”
A devilish grin forms on his gorgeous face. “I could get behind that.”
“Why am I not surprised? First, what time do you need to leave for the restaurant tomorrow?”
“Eleven at the latest, why?”
“Just wondering. Why don’t you go first?” Nice, he doesn’t need much sleep, unlike me.
“What is my favorite food?” he asks.
Auggie is a chef, so you would think the answer would be something outlandish. I tap my index finger on my lip as if I don’t know this one hands down.
“I stumped you already?”
“Not even close. Salma’s French silk pie with her signature mint hot chocolate.” Salma is the Morgans’ cook. She and her husband, Henry, were still working for the Morgans up until the divorce. Now, I’m not sure.
Auggie nods. “Spot-on.”
I wink. “What is my favorite food you prepare?”
“You should give me a difficult one, gorgeous. Macaroni and cheese with three different cheeses and a crumbly breadcrumb top.”
“Correct. I’ll try harder. You need to lose some of those clothes.”
“Where would I vacation if money and time were no object?”
The scenario isn’t hard to imagine. Auggie is a billionaire, even though he doesn’t act like it. At least money is no object for him. Time away from the restaurant is though. “You aren’t a beach type of guy, at least not for an extended period of time. You would eat your way through Italy and France while learning new cooking techniques along the way.”
“Impressive, you’re partially correct, so do you still lose some clothes?”
Shaking my head, I shrug my suit jacket off. “What is the complete answer?”
“You missed one country.”
I knew it too! “Switzerland.”
Auggie nods. “You can’t put the jacket back on though.” He smirks.
“Fair enough. What is my favorite classic book of all time?” I don’t know if this one is difficult. I know we’ve talked about it.
“Are you trying to get me naked first?”
“Maybe. Would that be so awful? Quit stalling.”
“Hell no. I would rather skip these questions and carry you to the bedroom, but it’s fun too. I can narrow it down to two. I’m going to go with The Great Gatsby.”
“Nope. Lose some clothes.” I giggle.
Auggie starts to unbutton his shirt ever so slowly. He’s taking an awfully long time. I step closer and start at the bottom, meeting him in the middle of the column.
“What was the other book?” I wonder if he narrowed it down correctly.
“A Tale of Two Cities. It was that one, huh?”
“Yup. Still not letting you put your shirt back on. Give me another one.”
Auggie drops his lips to my forehead, takes my hand, and leads me to the sitting area near the French doors. We settle into one of the large chairs. “What is my favorite band of all time?”
“You aren’t making this difficult, Auggie. If you want me to lose more clothes, you’re going to have to try much harder. Dave Matthews Band.”
“Maybe we know each other extremely well. Try to stump me.”
“What singer’s concert was I unable to secure tickets to?” This one might be hard. I don’t recall sharing with him.
“I know you went to see One Direction and Demi Lovato, but I have no idea of one you didn’t get to see. I’ll guess Pink.”
“Wrong, strip.”
Auggie lifts his T-shirt over his head. Sweet mercy! Since I have seen him shirtless and can look whenever I want, I’m attempting to prevent myself from drooling. Every square inch of his chest and abs are cut and sculpted. It’s interesting because I know he doesn’t really workout except for running.
“Stop staring at me like you want to devour me.”
“Can’t help it.” I slide my hands around his neck and kiss his lips lightly.
“What’s the answer?”
“Huh? Oh, Taylor Swift. Go ahead, try to stump me.”
Auggie presses his lips to mine before asking, “Who is my favorite French chef?”
“You’re failing miserably at getting me naked, Auggie. Paul Bocuse.”
“Damn, Caro. I thought the question was hard. Give me another one, gorgeous.”
“Name two things on my bucket list.” I’m making this as difficult as I can. I’m nearing the point of forgoing this whole plan and stripping the rest of his clothes off.
“To travel to Fiji and to make sure Cooper is happy,” he replies confidently.
“Those aren’t bad, but both wrong. Close for one, but still wrong. I want to go to the Maldives. Nothing on my bucket list is about Cooper though. Lose the pants, Mr. Morgan.”
“It’s sexy as hell when you demand things, cuore mio.” Auggie lifts me off his lap and sets me on the floor. Rising from the chair, he unbuckles his suit pants and steps out of them. The heat of him this close to me clad only in his boxer briefs pushes me over the edge.
“Can we finish this game another time?” My voice comes out raspy and strained.
“I thought you would never ask.” Auggie turns me away from him and grasps the zipper of my dress, drawing it down. Somehow it never gets stuck for him. His lips caress the exposed skin of my neck and upper back as he pushes the fabric over my hips to pool on the floor. The tingles left from his hands on my skin sends warmth through me.
Soon the rest of my clothes end up on the floor even though I’ve clearly won our little game. Once he rids me of the bra and panties, I turn in his arms and push his boxer briefs to the floor. Still the sight of him naked stuns me. I knew in the abstract he’s good looking, better than most men, but to know he’s mine and his body is off-the-charts insane too is crazy to me.
Auggie removes the back pillow from the chair. As he lowers to sitting, his mouth follows his hands down my body, his tongue pausing at the apex of my thighs. Bracketing my hips, Auggie draws me closer, lifting my left leg onto the arm of the chair. The thought of his tongue on my core makes me wetter.
He draws his fingers from my clit to my bottom and back again, separating my folds. Stopping my head from falling backward is impossible.
“Tell me, Caro.”
“It’s a completely different experience when it isn’t me pleasuring myself.”
He raises an eyebrow.
“Do you seriously believe I never masturbated?”
He plunges three fingers deep into my center. “Never really thought about it in depth. In fact, I avoided thinking about you and your sex life purposefully.”
“That feels—”
Auggie cuts off my words when he nips my swollen nub. Very quickly my belly tightens and the beginnings of my orgasm increase. His fingers and his mouth send spikes of need through my entire body. I set my hands on his shoulders and brace myself as decadent sensations rush over me. As much as I try to pull away, Auggie holds me even tighter. I climb into his lap as the sensation slows, straddling him. The tip of his shaft grazes my heated center. The tease is almost enough to make me come again.
