43. River
Chapter Forty-Three
RIVER
I found myself really getting into the swing of things as the night wore on.
We were packed in Alley’s cute little living room like a bunch of sardines, even when missing a few of the ladies. I’d known London wasn’t coming after just having the baby, but I was sad to hear about Patience. She probably could have used the laugh and fun these ladies dished out in spades.
Everyone was getting settled so we could pick out a movie to watch, and I was standing behind the couch when my phone alerted me to an incoming text. I’d kept it in the pocket of my pajamas in case Lennon or Bre called.
Not wanting the kids at home after what happened to me, they had agreed to go to Braxton and Jurnee’s place, along with Stormi. Bre loved helping with the kids and there was a group of them there, along with her brother who was in protective mode as always. Having them there gives me peace of mind to relax and enjoy the night.
I pulled my phone out and noticed it wasn’t the kids at all. It was a text from Huntley telling me he hoped I was having a good time and that he missed me. He’d also said he couldn’t wait to kiss me come morning, and I couldn't control the tingle that raced through me. I typed out a text back just as Gemma came up next to me.
“That man of yours flirting with you?”
I noticed the room had gone quiet after she asked the question. Looking around, all eyes were on me.
“It’s okay,” Summer piped up. “We all love when our guys flirt.”
I hadn’t gotten to answer Gemma’s question before another was thrown my direction, this time from Jurnee.
“So, when's the wedding?”
My heart started racing. Wasn’t that the million-dollar question and exactly what I’d been thinking about when we arrived earlier? I scanned the group and my gaze landed on Lake. She hadn’t brought it up again but now she was watching me with a twinkle in her eye.
“Go on, honey, tell them what you told me in the car,” she coaxed. “These are your friends and they’d all love to help you.”
Everyone nodded.
Shit, I was in the hot seat again.
Huntley’s mom had been coming over frequently the last few weeks after the attack and mothering me. It felt damn good. But I froze up when she asked me the same question, wanting to know when I was going to marry her son and become her daughter officially.
When she said she already thought of me that way, I teared up. There was a connection the two of us had—I felt it to my bones—that nobody could ever take away. However, I couldn’t find it in myself to talk to her about the sex issue, even if I believed she’d understand.
All the ladies were still staring at me.
Lake gave me an encouraging smile and I found myself blurting out my problem just as I had in the car. At least it was the ladies and not Bronson this time who were listening.
“I told Huntley we couldn’t set a date until I could have sex with him.”
For a moment, I was met with silence, and then Jurnee, the sweetheart she was, softly asked a very important question.
“Do you want to make love with him?”
God, I adored her for putting it that way.
With Huntley, that’s exactly what it would be the first time I gave myself to him.
I bit my lip. Some of the ladies knew a bit about my past, the rest, I felt had some sort of clue just by my comments or behavior since I’d met them. But I had never been so honest with so many people in my life as I was in the next second.
“Yes, I do.” My eyes cast down toward the floor for a second and I took a deep breath before I brought my gaze back up to the ladies. “I’ve just never let a man touch me since that choice was taken from me at seventeen by my foster parent.”
It was clear by the look in their eyes they all knew what I meant without saying more. But I didn't want to go back to the past or dwell on it, that wasn’t what I needed right then.
Lake was trying to push herself up from the couch, no doubt to comfort me, just as Capri moved to my side.
“Sit,” I told her. “I’m okay.”
Crazy as it sounded, even after the attack at my work and my blast back into the house it brought forth, I wasn’t doing too shabby. I was, in fact, just wishing I could get past my insecurities and make love to my guy.
“I don’t want to think about that or ruin the party.”
“Aww, honey, you’re not ruining anything,” Ruby said from one of the chairs. “Outside when we got here, was that what was going on when Lake said you needed help with something?”
Once again, I looked at my sister and gave her a mock glare, but the ding bat just smiled at me and nodded her encouragement again.
Fine, I could do this.
“I don't know anything about making Huntley happy in bed!” I practically screeched as I threw my hands up.
The room erupted. All the ladies began talking at once, trying to give advice, and my sister—the little shit—sat there, hand on her protruding belly, laughing.
I tried listening intently as they all got into the conversation with gusto. Hearing them talk about how sexy it was to watch a man pull his T-shirt off one handed as he revealed his abs had me giggling. I didn’t get how the way he removed it would make any difference, but they insisted it was something of wonder to watch.
All of a sudden, I heard someone snap their fingers. Turning toward the sound, I saw that Alley had a huge smile on her face. “I’ve got just the thing,” she said before she ran out of the room.
“Where the hell is she going?” Gemma asked.
Within seconds, feet were pounding back toward us and Alley appeared with a book in each hand, the covers facing toward us.
“Ta-Da!”
Laughter rang out, and once again, I was confused.
I cocked my head. “Books?”
“Not books,” Alley answered. “Manuals.”
That caused the ladies to really lose it.
There was a hot fireman on the front of one of the books I noticed as Alley moved closer to me. Hot fireman, Huntley, yeah that I understood. But how was the book a manual that was truly going to help me ?
“How will these help?”
Alley slapped one book in my hand and I realized it was one of her own. I’d been meaning to try and read one to see what her work was like. I wasn’t much of a reader, having never believed in romance, but this was my friend.
As I held her book, she flipped open the one with the sexy fireman on the cover. The title said, Every Moment with You , by J.E. Parker.
“God, I love that book,” Brinley boasted as Alley shifted through the pages.
I watched as the woman slowed, stopping on a section.
“Just wait for it,” Teal said. “You’ll understand in just a second.”
And then Alley cleared her throat and began to read.
“With an arrogant smile crossing his gorgeous face, he yanked my thighs open. ‘Like shoving my cock so deep inside of you that you remember exactly who the fuck you belong to.’
Oh.
My.
God.
Jumping off the bed, he ripped his sweatpants down in one smooth movement. His big cock bobbed in the air, and I lost the ability to breathe. Friggin’ Christ, I’d forgotten how big it was. Taking the throbbing length in his hand, he stroked himself.
My mouth fell open.
‘You ready for me, Maddie?’ Unable to speak, I nodded once. ‘Then get over here and show my cock how much you missed it.’
Pushing up onto my hands and knees, I moved.”
She stopped and looked up at everyone. “Shall I continue?”
The ladies all hooted and hollered. You would have thought the room was full of a bunch of damn men, but it was hilarious. I even joined in. Alley flipped some pages to go to another part and began again .
“ Gathering all the courage that I could muster, I smiled at him. ‘I’m not asking you to do anything.’ I paused. ‘I’m telling you to taste me, Hendrix.’ I couldn’t believe the filthy words that rolled off my tongue. I should’ve been mortified, but I was too needy to pay any attention to anything other than my desire for the man crouched between my legs.
Hendrix licked his lips. ‘Ask and you shall receive, pretty girl.’
He didn’t even give me a chance to brace for the first touch of his tongue against my sensitive flesh.”
Alley stopped and looked up at everyone. “Who knows what the first lesson is about?”
I almost choked on the sip of water I just took.
Hands shot up like we were a bunch of first graders, eager to show what they knew. My hand stayed firmly at my side.
“Give and you shall receive!” Summer yelled.
“Ask for what you want and don’t take no for an answer,” Gemma shouted.
Alley nodded in approval. “My work here is done,” she said before turning her gaze to me and pinning me with a stare.
Damn, it was hot in the house. I pulled the front of my shirt away from my body to try and fan myself. I needed a bucket full of cold water.
“Okay, maybe it’s worth reading,” I admitted.
“You think?” Alley said, waggling her brows.
Then she slapped the book into my other hand.
“Read up, lady.” She gave me a wicked smile. “We can’t wait to hear all the details and how you put them to good use.”
I sputtered. “W-What?”
Alley just winked. “I have more where those came from.” Then she walked off.
And to think the night wasn’t even over yet.