Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
JESSICA
I can’t believe I’m engaged to Caleb and Noah. How is this even my life right now? I can’t stop looking at my engagement ring. The black onyx diamond rose—it’s stunning.
My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and dinner was perfection. I feel as though I’m literally on cloud nine as we make our way home.
A shiver runs through me at the thought of the celebrations we’re about to have. It’s easy to try and ignore the reality of the situation surrounding Noah’s cancer diagnosis, but for a little while, I want to pretend he is healthy and happy. Well, I know he’s happy right here, in this moment.
I can’t wait to tell the girls about our engagement.
I already know I want Lily and Avery to be my bridesmaids.
I never thought I’d have friendships like this, my ride or dies.
Mason might be another story. Even though he’s accepted that I’m happily in love with his best friends, he’s still, first and foremost, my big brother.
I see it sometimes in how he looks at me, the guilt he carries over what happened.
But that’s not on him, and ultimately, it led me to Caleb and Noah.
I wouldn’t change that pain, because without it, I never would’ve found them.
I used to dream about fairytales, about finding the love of my life. But that all came crashing down when I saw who Curtis really was and what people are capable of.
I still struggle to this day, and therapy will always be a part of my routine. Though my sessions have reduced considerably, it works for me. It helps me feel more in control, and I need that.
There are moments I get caught up in flashbacks of my past, but I always come out the other side.
Caleb and Noah are always there to pull me from the darkness and into the light.
They’re my beacons, my hope and strength.
That’s why I have to believe that Noah will come out of the other side.
The alternative is not worth thinking about.
I lost faith in love when I arrived on their doorstep, battered and bruised, but watching how Noah and Caleb loved one another gave me hope. And then they opened their hearts to me and shared that love with me, too.
Something I never would have envisioned was finding my soulmates. They always were my destiny.
We’re all quiet as we pull up to the house.
Noah, ever the gentleman, opens my door for me and pulls me into his arms as he kisses me with no care that we’re out in public, and if I’m being honest, I don’t either.
A throat clearing has Noah releasing me.
I glance over my shoulder and find Caleb staring at us over the roof of the car with a smirk on his face as he raises an eyebrow.
“What, can you blame me?” Noah asks as he grabs my hand and walks around to where Caleb awaits us.
“Nope.” Caleb reaches for my other hand, and we walk up the steps to the house together.
My lower stomach pulses with excitement, goosebumps erupting over my skin.
Caleb opens the door, but before I can step inside, he has me in his arms bridal style, all the air rushing out of my lungs.
“What are you doing?” I ask breathlessly, unable to hold back my giggle.
“Practicing,” he replies with a wink, carrying me over the threshold.
Noah closes the door behind us. I can hear him sorting out the alarm and locking up as Caleb carries me upstairs. The smile on his face is mesmerising. This man is handsome at any given time but seeing him this happy is my absolute undoing.
“I love you,” I say, reaching up to cup his face, my ring sparkling under the light. I can’t wait to show it off to the girls. It’s just swoon-worthy.
“Not as much as I love you,” he replies.
Of course, I could argue with him and Noah when they say things like that, but I wouldn’t win because the truth is they couldn’t love me any more if they tried.
They prove that love to me daily. Of course, we have our ups and downs, and we have been known to disagree, but when all is said and done, I wouldn’t change a single thing about our life together.
He lowers me to my feet, and I grab hold of his shoulders to steady myself. These men have the power to make me weak at the knees. His smirk says he knows it, too. I roll my eyes, and he just chuckles in response.
“Thirsty?” he asks as he licks his lips. His gaze roams over the length of my body before returning to my face.
I shake my head. “No, I’m fine, thank you,” I reply, watching as he loosens his tie, the move sexy as hell when he pulls it off and then tugs it between his hands, a mischievous look on his face.
“That’s good because I’m parched. Turn around and face the wall,” he says, twirling a finger in the air.
I do as he requests.
“Put your hands behind your back.”
God, I love it when he takes that tone with me. It’s a promise of the wicked things he will do to me.
He ties my wrists together with his tie and then spins me back to face him, and then hedrops to his knees, his intention clear.
Starting at my ankles, his callouspalmsslide up my calvesuntil he reachesthe hem of my dress. The material whispers over my skin as he pushes the material up my thighs until he bunches it around my waist.
His eyes flicker to mine, those dark lashes lower as he leans in and nips at my inner thigh, followed by his tongue until he’s licked a path to the apex of my thighs.
He inhales deeply. “Fucking love the way you smell, little temptress.”
I desperately want to reach out and run my hands through his hair, pulling him to where I’m desperate to feel his mouth, but he remains steadfast, not quite touching my mound, his hot breath a tease to my senses.
“You’re soaked already, aren’t you? I don’t even need to touch you. I can see how wet your underwear is.”
He pulls at the elastic of my thong before letting it snap back into place, a sudden sting left in its wake. But his mouth over my centre immediately chases away the pain.
“Fuck. You started without me,” Noah says from the doorway, causing my eyes to move to his.
Caleb hums but continues to torture me over the lace material of my thong. I currently hate that I’m not bare to him, even though the fabric of the lace adds another sensation as he sucks on my clit.
His hands move to the back of my thighs and pull me into him. I can’t even steady myself as my hands are tied, but I need not worry. I know he would never let me fall.
“Do it, Caleb, lick our girl’s pussy. Fuck her with your tongue.”
I groan, my eyes fluttering closed. I love it when they tell each other what to do with my body.