Chapter 12
EVERLEE - SEXHAUSTED
The scent of my vanilla-lavender shampoo lingers in the steam-filled bathroom when I step out of the shower.
Padding across the floor, I wipe my hand across the fogged mirror and meet my reflection.
My cheeks are flushed and my pulse is still too high for a simple shower to blame.
I wrap the towel around my hair, squeezing out as much of the excess water before I head to my bedroom.
It’s been several hours and my legs still feel like jelly, and unfortunately, my entire family noticed when I wobbled into the house like a newborn deer.
My mother just assumed I’d gone on a longer than average run around the lake which I went with, because telling her I just spent hours getting railed by four delicious man gods covered in tats who gave me seven glorious orgasms probably wouldn’t have gone over well.
I collapse on my bed the first chance I get and have to force myself to roll over when I hear my phone ding.
Lizzy: Hey! Call me!
I sigh and video call her, knowing if I don’t, she’ll blow up my phone or worse, send Beckett to check on me.
No, thank you.
“Hey Queen!” she chirps, way too perky when my face pops up.
“Hey boo,” I mumble. “Why didn’t you just call me?”
“What’s wrong with you?” She pauses, then her eyes grow wide as she looks at me through the screen, her head swiveling like it’s examining a piece of art. “You were with them? Oooh girl, you’re sexhausted!”
“Sexhausted?”
Her brow furrows and her lips twist like I’d asked a stupid question. “It’s where you’re exhausted from having too much sex.”
“Of course it is. Where do you come up with these terms?”
She throws her head back, laughing. “How did you get time with them? You didn’t tell your parents, did you? Beckett?”
“No! No. No. No. Could you imagine?”
“They’re open minded.”
“They’re getting there. First a gay son and then a poly daughter.” I laugh.
“Nothing wrong with either.”
“One hundred percent agree. But…” I roll over onto my stomach and prop the phone against the headboard because my arm is getting too tired and shaky to hold it. “We’ll see where this goes first.”
She shrugs. “I was just calling to check in on how your day was going.”
“It was good. We went to that party, and then I went on a walk and realized they’re renting the house a few down from my parents.”
“What are the odds?” She beams.
I shake my head.
“Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
“I’m seeing this through. I can’t leave them again.
When I left, it felt like a piece of me was missing.
When I saw Callum at the club, it was like everything clicked…
and then Jax… and then with them here. In some ways, it’s like a day hasn’t gone by without seeing them, but in other ways, it does.
While I hated leaving them, it showed me…
and perhaps even us, what we don’t want to live without. It showed us what we’re fighting for.”
“You should write a song,” she says, wiping an invisible tear from her eye.
“Shut up.”
“I know what you mean, though. Not exactly… but I get it.”
“How’s Tony?”
“He’s fantastic!”
“You had your dinner tonight at Bo’s, right?”
“We did.”
“How was the food, and why am I having to pull answers out of you?”
She’s beaming and slowly raises her hand onto the screen to show a beautiful teardrop engagement ring on it.
“What?! Wow! Congrats!” They’ve only been dating for what? Not even six months, but I guess you know when you know.
“It’s so beautiful!” she squeals, holding her hand to her chest.
“I’m so happy for you! Tell me all the details! Did you have any idea?”
“No idea. You know, I thought he was going to do it on Valentine’s Day, so I didn’t even think about Easter.
Emmett apparently hooked us up, though. He got us a private table in the kitchen so we could see everything being made, and just before our dessert came out, Tony stands up, walks over and gets down on one knee.
I squealed so loud the manager ran over, thinking something was wrong. ”
I laugh.
“It was amazing.”
“So, when’s your date?”
She laughs. “We just got engaged!”
I stare at her in disbelief, knowing that’s not an excuse she can use.
“Fine. I have several in mind that I want to run by him. I have to figure out if we want a winter wedding or a summer wedding.” She quickly adds, “Next summer, of course.”
“Of course.” I smile, half-believing her.
“When do you get back?”
“We have Easter events all day tomorrow. My flight is at like nine in the evening, I think.”
“What time are the boy’s flights?”
“I don’t know.”
“Let me know if you need me to pick you up from the airport.”
“Thanks, boo.”
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to go get sexhausted from riding that dicky dick. I had to tell you first, of course. Chicks before dicks and what not.”
I’m still laughing when I plug my phone into the charger. Before I make it back to bed, my phone dings again.
I walk back over to look at it, thinking it’s Lizzy, but see Callum’s name pop up.
Callum: The boys and I wanted to wish you good night.
Everlee: Good night. Tell Emmett thanks for what he did for Lizzy tonight.
Bubbles appear, then disappear.
I sigh, waiting, and then a moment later I’m getting another video chat.
A smile is already plastered on my face when I answer the call. All four guys are standing there looking hot as fuck. I want so badly to be in the middle of them right now, with their arms wrapped around me, not houses apart.
“Hey queen,” Emmett says.
My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
Emmett leans forward. “So? What happened?”
“Tony proposed to Lizzy. She said the table you set up for them in the kitchen was absolutely amazing and she was really appreciative.”
“I had an idea when Tony called for the reservation. He was very particular and had that nervous quiver in his voice.”
“How excited is she?” Knox asks.
“Probably unbearable,” Jax drones, like he’s already exhausted by the idea.
“Over the moon. But this is something she’s always wanted from the time we were young.” I ignore the weary smiles on Jax's and Callum’s faces as they study me, trying to get my feelings on this. “I’m thrilled for her. She’s trying to figure out if she wants a winter or a next summer wedding.”
“Well, if Bo’s can help in any way,” Emmett plugs.
I laugh. “I’m sure she’d love to use Bo’s for something or everything. Engagement party, rehearsal dinner, reception… maybe all the above.” A yawn escapes, catching me off guard. “You boys wore me out.”
“You asked for it,” Jax says, that wicked, sexy smirk giving nothing close to an apology.
I narrow my eyes at him, then remember to ask, “Oh. Are you all flying back tomorrow?”
“We are.”
“What time is your flight?”
“Whenever we want.”
“Because you have your own plane?” I tease, through laughter, then stop when they don’t correct me. “No, the fuck you don’t.”
“It’s not ours, per se. But a buddy let us borrow it.” Jax smiles.
“Want a ride back?” Emmett asks.
“On your private jet? No thanks. I have to keep it classy back in coach, specifically one row in front of the bathrooms.”
“Sounds delightful.” Knox smiles.
“Yes. I would love a ride back! Just need to figure out how to coordinate with my family. My flight leaves at nine, but I think we’ll be done in the early afternoon.
It was either two or nine, so…” I yawn again.
“I need to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a big day, and I need to get prepared for all the activities.”
“Activities?” they ask, intrigued.
“Competitive Easter egg hunting. We hide eggs for the kids in the morning… and then we split up into teams after lunch for the adults.”
“Competitive Easter egg hunting?”
“It can get pretty intense. One year we had to have Beckett’s firehouse get someone out of a tree. They climbed up to hide an egg, but got too scared to climb back down. And then tomorrow will also be canoe races, egg run, egg toss, and some others.”
Jax rubs his arms, causing the muscles to flex. My teeth scrape over my bottom lip as I drink him up. Drink them all up.
“Sounds like we need to get some rest, boys,” Knox says, clapping. “Tomorrow’s going to be a big day.”
“You don’t need to come. Beckett and I hold the record for the longest egg toss, and I don’t need you all ruining it.” I laugh.
“Oh, we’re definitely coming.” Jax winks, causing a heat to race through me.
“See you tomorrow, Trouble.”
“Sweet dreams,” Knox offers.