Five
CARTER
I roll over to pull Emersyn against me, only to find the bed empty as I slide my hand against the cold sheet.
I sigh, knowing she’s already gone. I pull her pillow against my face and inhale the sweet berry scent, feeling a pang of sadness that she didn’t at least say goodbye.
Get your shit together, Carter. It was a one-night stand.
She wasn’t destined to be the mother of your children, the love of your life. She only wanted to make you forget.
I groan as I sit up, the threat of a headache from lack of sleep pounding behind my eyes.
I scrub my hand over my face then check my phone for the time.
There are still a few hours before Liam and Layla’s ceremony, so I don’t have to be in any rush just yet.
I climb out of bed and stretch, my body sore from making love to Emersyn all night.
She was completely insatiable, begging for my touch, my kiss, my cock.
I gave her everything she asked for, taking as much as I gave.
Which is probably why I’m surprised that I woke up to an empty bed, but there’s no point in dwelling on it.
I’ll stow her memory away in a safe place in my mind, so I can replay it anytime I want.
Fuck, my cock is going to be raw masturbating to her memory.
I’m actually disappointed that I have to take a shower; the thought of washing her scent away causes a flutter of pain in my chest unlike one I’ve ever experienced before.
I dress in khaki shorts and a t-shirt, then quickly straighten up the suite.
I grab my clothes from the floor and put them in the laundry bag in my suitcase.
As I pull the zipper, it gets stuck on a thin string of baby blue lace.
I pull the thin scrap of fabric out of the zipper and clutch the lace in my fist, bringing it to my face to inhale her scent.
I shouldn’t miss someone I just met last night. I’m fucking crazy.
Emersyn came along just at the right time to make me forget all the heartache Laney has put me through. I guess I didn’t realize that connection would be short-lived. Maybe I’m being greedy, but one night with her wasn’t enough. I need more. Want more.
I grab my phone from the nightstand and shoot out a group text to Rhys, Liam, and the fellas.
Me: You fuckers awake?
As I make my way around the bed, something on the nightstand on the other side catches my attention. I sit on the bed and pick up the slip of paper.
Carter,
It’s okay to forget.
- E
I lay back on the bed, needing a moment to catch my breath.
I feel like I’ve been sucker punched. I read between the lines of her message—it’s okay to forget Laney, but I need to forget about Emersyn too.
She’s granting me permission to do so, even though it’s the last thing I want to do.
Emersyn apparently doesn’t know her worth.
She’s completely unforgettable. I know that sounds insane, but she took me by storm.
She made me feel...
Anger, bitterness, sadness, bliss.
She made me feel everything all at once.
And then I let it all go for her.
She made me forget.
And it was completely unexpected.
My phone pings with an incoming notification, and I sigh, then sit up to read the text.
Liam: Drinks by the pool in ten?
I groan and scrub my hand over my face.
Me: Do you intend to stand while you say your vows? No drinks before the ceremony, asshole. Meet in the lobby—ten minutes.
I make an internal note to never agree to be anyone’s best man again, then head out of the suite and down the hall to the elevator.
And that’s a bad idea, as memories of Emersyn swallowing my cock rush to the forefront of my mind.
No matter where I turn in this fuckin’ place, I can’t escape her memory.
I take the stairs down to the lobby, and I’m out of breath before I reach the first floor. I’m not out of shape by any means, but I definitely don’t have much energy after last night. Hopefully after eating brunch I’ll feel better.
I see Rhys first, making his way through the short buffet line.
I make my way toward him and grab a plate, piling it high with pancakes and sausage.
Rhys is already seated at a large table near the back of the dining area by the time I’m finished plating my food, so I join him.
I groan as I sit down, and he tries to hide his chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” I deadpan.
“Long night?”
“Don’t start your shit.” I stuff a forkful of pancake in my mouth and nearly choke when he continues to try to get a rise out of me.
“The hot bartender wasn’t interested after all?”
I pin him with a withering look then down a gulp of orange juice.
“Let’s just say I hope there aren’t cameras in the elevator.”
Rhys shoots me a shit-eatin’ grin and says, “You’re welcome.”
“What the hell are you grinning at, ass-face?” Liam asks as he flops down in the chair across from me. Ah, hell. Layla is going to be so pissed. He looks like literal dog shit. Maybe worse.
“Did you not sleep at all last night?” I ask him. “Layla is going to have your ass; you know that, right?”
He reaches across the table and takes my orange juice and downs it. “Nah.” He waves me off before helping himself to one of my pancakes as well.
“You really think I’m your babysitter, don’t you?” I chide, shaking my head.
Since this dick has helped himself to my brunch, I get up and get a cup of coffee and a bowl of strawberries before returning to the table. Just another way to torture myself with the memory of a woman I’ll never see again.
It isn’t long before all the groomsmen have made their way to our table, and every one of them are eating a shit-ton of carbs in hopes of absorbing the copious amounts of whiskey they consumed last night. Too bad carbs can’t help my Emersyn hangover.
The groom is starting to look a lot better–thank you water, coffee, and carbohydrates.
“How’s your head?” Rhys asks him.
“I’m fine.” He smiles as he boasts, “Fellas, I’m getting fuckin’ married today.”
“Yes you are, you lucky bastard.”
Liam’s face-splitting grin quickly dissolves as his eyes zone in on something over my shoulder. His face morphs from happiness to hatred in two seconds flat.
“Ah hell,” Rhys mutters to my left.
“My fucking headache is back,” Liam groans.
And just as I’m about to ask what happened, confusion written all over my face, I smell her before I see her, the scent of her perfume immediately turning my stomach sour and causing me to lose my appetite.
Her red fingernails grip my shoulder, and I can’t hide the change in my mood as I look up and meet her gaze.
“Fuck… What are you doing here, Laney?”