Always Have, Always Will, page 15
“Are you sure it will work this way?” I whisper.
“Only one way to find out, but first are you still on the pill?”
“No, I have an IUD now. Why?”
“We don’t have any condoms here.”
“Isn’t that one of the reasons we went to your townhouse?”
“Yes, but I didn’t grab them. I was more worried about getting out of the city. We can wait.”
“No, we can’t.” I set my hands on his chest, lift my hips, align us, and push downward, taking him as deeply as I can.
“So much for waiting.” He pushes out a slow, deep breath.
“Do you really mean that even a little?” I know he was being respectful.
“No. You feel so much better, and it was pretty spectacular yesterday.”
“Yes, it was, but this is better. It’s a totally different experience without a barrier between us.” I lift up and plunge down again. With the fingers from one hand marking my hips, his other hand draws my breast to his mouth. I brace myself, threading my fingers into his hair and the other on the back of the chair. As I move downward, he thrusts up. My inner walls tighten around his hard shaft. I’m not sure if I missed it yesterday or I was focused on other things, but I can feel him pulsing inside me.
I didn’t think it was possible for him to get harder and lengthen buried inside me. I’m extremely glad I was wrong. My mounting release is teasing me again. I move faster, and he meets me each time. With two deliberate strokes downward, the swirling sensation before my release spirals through me while Auggie shudders beneath me. His elbows bend at my waist with his hands on my shoulders from behind tightening the nonexistent space between us.
I lean forward, setting my head on his shoulder, my wet lips against the crook of his neck. His hands glide down my shoulders and curl around my rib cage, decreasing the space between us even more.
“Will this keep getting better?” I murmur against his skin.
“It’s pretty fantastic as is. I don’t think I could handle better.”
I lift my head and kiss him long and slow. Even now after sharing ourselves completely with one another, again, I could kiss Auggie indefinitely. His kisses make me melt into a mushy pile of goo. It’s enthralling and scary at the same time.
“Let’s go clean up and get some sleep,” Auggie suggests.
“I agree to the shower. Sleep may have to wait a bit longer.” I draw his lower lip between my teeth and bite down slightly.
A low growl echoes around me.
“You like that?”
“Hell yes. We never talked about specifics. Do we need to?”
“I don’t need a list, Auggie, do you?” I mean, if we’re both each other’s first, does anything else matter? I don’t need confirmation Becca Easton was the first person to… Nope, can even admit it to myself. I definitely don’t want a list.
“No, only asking. I will admit, I like learning things about our preferences together.”
“Me too.” I kiss him again and slide backward. I gather our clothes while he puts the chair back together.
Judy deserves some serious credit for booking Auggie’s accommodations. This bathroom looks like it should be an after picture in a home improvement magazine. There’s a huge walk-in shower with multiple wall jets and dual showerheads. The towel racks and the floor are heated. It’s luxurious. The view of the beach is pretty amazing too even in twilight.
While I retrieve my shampoo and other items, Auggie starts the water and steps into the shower. I enter the bathroom and stop near the threshold. Water sluices down his body while he stands under the showerhead. I follow a few with my eyes over the ridges and planes of his body. So hot!
“Are you going to stare or join me?” Auggie’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
“Uh-huh.” I set my robe on the counter and pull open the glass door.
Auggie grabs me and yanks me inside. The bottles drop to the floor as he closes the door with his foot. The scalding water down my back feels almost as good as my skin against his from chest to knees.
“Not fast enough?” I giggle.
“Nope.” He turns, standing beneath one of the large showerheads so both of us are being pelted with hot water.
Once my hair is wet, I pick up my toiletries and attempt to wash my hair.
“Let me.”
No one has ever washed my hair for me except at the salon. He reaches his palm out, and I add the shampoo. As if he’s a professional, Auggie starts at the top of my hair and infuses the shampoo in circles from the roots to the tips. The massage on my scalp feels amazing too. Once he finishes rinsing it out, he takes the bath sponge and draws it over every inch of my body.
Resisting the urge to stop him is difficult. All I want to do is drop to my knees and take him in my mouth. However, the sensations of him pampering me is a tad stronger right now. No one has ever wanted to take care of me before. Auggie has been taking care of me for a very long time. Now, the type of care is different.
I feel desired, cherished, and, most importantly, loved. He’s the only man who has ever made me feel all three. It’s why I needed to walk away after the wedding. I was a fool to think I could get over him. Thankfully, we came to our senses.
“Where is your mind, beautiful?” Auggie stands before me with the conditioner bottle in his hands.
“Here, right here.” I set my hand over this heart and kiss him. “I love you, Auggie, always have.”
“I love you, always will. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it so much sooner.”
“Even though I pushed you away, I understood, at least in my head. My heart was a different story.”
“Loving you is easier when I’m not ignoring all the signs which show me you love me too.” He sets the conditioner down and kisses me until we’re both panting for breath.
We finish our shower and fall into bed until morning.
Chapter Thirty
August
Waking with Caroline snuggled against me in this small bed is more than I imagined it would be. Despite her lush curves pressed against me, I slip out of bed and prepare breakfast. Unfortunately, I have to go to work. I’m not a fan of her being alone all day. It’s one of the main reasons I wanted to wait to pursue her. However, I realize now this part would be the same. She would be alone during business hours even when the restaurant is mine. I should share my concerns with her.
As I plate banana bread French toast and crisp bacon, she enters the kitchen. I’ve seen Caroline first thing in the morning a handful of times at this point. Her long, silky hair is piled haphazardly atop her head, her thin sweatshirt hanging off her shoulder, and cute shorts which barely cover her. It’s my favorite version of Caroline. I’m not suggesting she isn’t the same person. She looks the most content waking with me. I can’t blame her; I am too.
“Morning.” She kisses me and turns to finish our coffees.
“Morning.”
We eat our breakfast in silence.
“What are your plans for today?” I look at her over the rim of my coffee cup.
“Haven’t really made any plans. I’ll probably sit at the beach for a bit and read. Maybe I’ll walk through the shops down the street. Why?”
“Just wondering.”
“Try again, Auggie.” She covers my hand with hers.
“It’s fine. This is all in my head. Part of the issue with me choosing you and my dream is not wanting you to be alone all day or all night. Right now, it’s both. It’s exactly what will happen today and going forward. Recently, I realized it doesn’t matter if I work somewhere or I own it, the schedule would be the same.”
“I already knew your schedule, Auggie. It has been the same since you graduated. It is always going to be us working different shifts.”
I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Those three letters definitive and to the point. Her response unwavering. “Go, I’ll clean this up. You shouldn’t be late.”
I rise from my chair, kiss her, and hurry to the bedroom. When I finish dressing, she’s gazing at the shore with a fresh cup of coffee in her hand.
“I’ll be home after service or when Collette kicks me out of her kitchen.”
She laughs. “Have a good day.”
I kiss her and hurry out the door. When I reach Ocean Cliff, I count the number of cars in the lot. It appears everyone showed up today who should be here. I exhale in relief. Perhaps I can pull this off, or at least Collette is making progress.
“Morning, Chef,” I call out, entering the kitchen.
“Morning, Chef.”
“Can you stop in the office when you have a few moments, Collette?”
“Sure, Auggie.”
I drop into the office chair and review the inbox. There’s an email from Gordon asking for an update. I’ll respond after I speak with Collette. While I wait, I peruse the vendor orders, and everything appears correct.
“Hey, Auggie. How are you?” Collette appears at the office door.
“I’m well. My sister, Billie, is holding up better than I thought. How did it go here? I have to admit, leaving was easier knowing you were here.”
“Thanks. I like it. The staff is coming around. As of now, only Stephen isn’t making progress toward what I need from him. He shows up late, can’t follow simple instructions, and refuses to take constructive criticism for what it is.”
“You can replace whoever you need to.”
“I’m going to give him a few more days. Does Gordon have any plans for the menu here?”
“Not that I’m aware of. What do you want to change? I can certainly bring your suggestion to him.”
Her face lights up. “I have a few items I would like to add to the menu.”
“You were simply a chef before with no input at your last position, yes?”
She nods. “Look, if it’s a big deal, Auggie, don’t bother him.”
“It’s not a big deal at all. I’m surprised you lasted so long in Los Angeles if your previous position was awful.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. I should get back if there’s nothing else.”
“No, I’m set. Let me know if you want to post an ad to replace Stephen.”
“Will do.” Collette leaves and starts lunch.
I pull up Gordon’s email and send a reply, listing the progress so far and the changes implemented by Collette. I also inquire about her making changes to the menu. Now we wait for his response. Before returning to the kitchen, I confirm my appointments this weekend with my realtors.
The rest of lunch and most of dinner service pass by quickly. Near eight, Collette kicks me out of the kitchen. I hurry along the shore to the rental. When I reach the foot of the stairs, I’m greeted with a wide smile from my gorgeous girlfriend. She’s sitting on the couch with her e-reader in her hand and a blanket over her legs.
“Hi. How was your day?”
“Not too bad. Yours?”
I climb the steps and sit across from her on the edge of the firepit. “It was decent.” I recap the day’s events for her from Collette’s progress, Gordon’s email, and confirmations for this weekend.
“Do you want to elaborate now?”
“How do you always know?” she murmurs.
“I’ve known you more than half of my life. You were never good at hiding things from me.”
“True, very true. I’ll be right in, and we can talk about it.”
I nod, kiss her forehead, and step inside. I strip out of my work clothes as I walk to the bedroom. When I return to the living room, Caro has resettled onto the couch.
“Who called?”
Chapter Thirty One
Caroline
My first day unemployed and summering with Auggie started great. I took a long walk along the shore before a scalding shower. Then I meandered through the quaint shops a few blocks north of Auggie’s rental. There’s even a Christmas shop open year-round. The window shopping helped me deal with the fact I should have been at school today.
Now I get to the part where my day went awry.
“Caroline, who called?” Auggie’s question alerts me to his presence in the room.
“My mother.”
“Lovely. What did Phyllis have to say?”
I exhale sharply. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“Lay it on me, and we’ll figure it out together.” Auggie opens his arms to me, and I curl into him.
“Unlike Margaux, she doesn’t know where I am. She indicated she visited my house, but I wasn’t home. Then she called. I didn’t tell her where we are, only I’m not in the city.”
“Okay. That wouldn’t upset you.”
“No, she demanded I return home by Monday and apologize to Mrs. Weatherly, Mrs. Tilton, Aunt Abi, and even Margaux.”
“My mother assaulted you. You aren’t going to apologize to her. If anything, she owes you one.”
“Easy, Auggie. I can feel your heart racing. I love how fiercely protect me, but I’m fine. I despise your mother even more than I did before, but I’m fine.”
“Do you want to apologize to any of them?”
“No. Hell no! I want you, not Magnus. He’s a great guy and all, but not for me. I can’t believe our mothers planned to marry us off without our consent. It’s so archaic. I mean, Margaux, sure. My mother, I never would have thought she would do this to me. I guess my parents’ marriage isn’t any different from yours.”
“I’m confident I know the answer, but I’m going to ask anyway. What kind of marriage do you want?”
“I want a deep connection of both friendship and love like Nana and Papa. I want to have a stable home with a few kids, number to be determined. I want a partnership like theirs with you.” I lift my gaze to his. Auggie met Papa right before he died. Nana’s stories about their love are sweeping and romantic.
He lowers his lips to mine and kisses me to confirm he agrees with everything I shared. “What’s your plan?”
“Still working on it. I’m sure Mrs. Weatherly and Mrs. Tilton were working at the behest of your mother. Aunt Abi did what she had to as my boss. Honestly, I’m not angry with her anymore. I wasn’t disrespectful when she let me go.”
Auggie’s phone rings in the kitchen. He moves there and answers the call.
“Hi, Blaine. I’m going to put you on speaker. My girlfriend, Caroline, is here.”
“Good evening. I apologize for calling so late. However, I learned some key information. I have been able to obtain a copy of your parents’ divorce settlement. Margaux is the one threatening Gordon.”
“Excuse me?”
“Apparently, Gordon’s lease is held by, Greenleaf, Inc., one of the holding companies your father had a majority stake in. Margaux got it in the divorce settlement.”
“Lovely. Anything else?”
“Margaux is still having someone follow you and Miss Waterman. She knows where you are now. Also, her attorney is trying to get the assault charges thrown out.”
My anger increases the more Blaine shares. Why is she hell-bent on controlling Auggie’s life? I shouldn’t be surprised. She has done it to her other children in some way. I suppose I was hoping Auggie would be left alone considering his siblings have cut her off.
“There’s one more thing. Margaux is working her contacts to block any deal you may have for your own restaurant.”
I’m seething. Auggie’s fists are clenched so tight, his knuckles are turning white. I reach out and slowly open his hands.
“Thank you, Blaine. I appreciate the information. If you can send me what you’ve gathered, we’ll review it. Also, do you have any suggestions how to slow the flow of information to Margaux?”
“First, I suggest you both get new phones and email addresses. Once you do, I’ll monitor them for breaches. Then, I suggest you share details with Jacob at Blackthorne Security. You probably don’t need personal security yet, but he should be aware.”
“I will.” Auggie ends the call and draws me fully into his arms. All too soon, he partially releases me and calls Jacob to share Blaine’s information and concerns. When he ends the call, he storms into the kitchen.
Within minutes the island is covered with ingredients. For lack of a better term, he’s rage baking.
“What can I do to help?” I know he’ll simply set something in front of me and I’ll prepare it. He sets a chunk of dark chocolate and a grater in front of me. I grate the chocolate while he busies himself at the stove. Silently we work. If I’ve learned anything as his best friend, it’s he needs time to process and plan. Talking isn’t going to be productive right now.
The last time I recall him rage baking is when he learned Lyla was pregnant with Cooper before I had been told. Margaux overheard the rumor and shared it with Auggie. I’m sure her motives weren’t altruistic even then. I didn’t realize it then, but he was trying to figure out ways to soften the blow and deal with his resurfacing anger at Margaux for cheating as well. He whips the ingredients into a mousse and sets it to chill. Then he leads me back outside, turning on the firepit.
We curl up on the couch and listen to the waves crash on the nearby shore.
“I’m ready to listen when you’re ready to talk.”
“I know.”
We cuddle in silence until the mousse finishes chilling. If I recall correctly, it’s been at least an hour. It isn’t until he finishes his ramekin he utters anything more.
“Should I cancel the appointments this weekend?”
“No, absolutely not. Then she wins. Is that want you want?”
“I don’t know!” He pushes to his feet and starts pacing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…. This isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”
“How is this your fault?” I whisper.
“I thought I was in the clear. I truly hoped she would heed my father, the divorce, and being cut off completely by my siblings. She has missed two weddings and the birth of three granddaughters she will likely never meet. Instead she’s gone off the deep end.”
