Finding Infinity (6 page)

She smiles, a smile that finally reaches her eyes. “Thank you. We’re going to make this work,” she confirms. Those are the sweetest damn words ever spoken.

Chapter Three

Charlie

There’s something big happening for CharCol this weekend, folks! Here’s what we know. Aiden Montogomery, Colin’s long time best friend, attorney, and agent, and Rachael Early, chief of staff for presidential hopeful Langford Jones, were seen boarding a plane at LAX en route to Dallas. On the same plane, was Clay South, former quarterback and friend of the couples. Sources are also reporting that super-agent Mark Lars boarded a plane at LaGuardia, also destined for Dallas. Could this be their wedding weekend? We’ve heard that the super exclusive Highland Park restaurant Violets has been closed for the evening. Stay tuned. We’ll have all the latest CharCol wedding deets here.

Things have gotten better, and most importantly I’ve gotten better. It’s been three weeks since I had my breakdown, as I’ve come to call it. Colin’s done what he said he’d do. Doctor Benson flies to Dallas once a week to meet with me individually, and then Colin and I participate in couple’s therapy. As we both already know, just loving each other is not enough. We’re dealing with circumstances that are beyond our control.

We’re learning to communicate better. I love that Colin’s willing to rearrange his very busy schedule to make it to every appointment. I know how fortunate I am that he’s so committed to us, and I remember to tell him often.

Colin loves helping players and want-to-be players that need a hand up, not a handout, so he bought a house outside the gilded cage for players to live in. He let Brad furnish it, which made his day. There are so many athletes that just need that one break. They’re living hand-to-mouth, so if Colin can give them a roof over their heads, then they can focus on getting into tip-top shape. This was a great compromise. Jenny keeps the refrigerator stocked for them, Colin pays the bills, and no one is drinking my milk in the mornings.

Colin’s also found office space for CharCol Inc. I absolutely despise the title, but I love that he named his corporation after us. It’s very tongue in cheek. Jenny should start working from there next week. It’s got a conference room, a big office for Colin, an office for Aiden to work in when he’s in town, a nice space for Jenny, and a kitchenette. Most importantly, it has enough wall space for all of Colin’s memorabilia and
chachkies
. His bobblehead figurines, special edition Coke cans and jerseys will finally have a home that is not on the floor of our house. It also has a huge storage closet. Instead of four boxes of footballs in the foyer, they can go to his new office. Just knowing that there’s an end in sight has made me feel better.

We went through the approved security list together, and crossed off a ton of names. I can’t quite figure out what the point of having a guard stand is if everyone is welcome. I was very happy to see that Jenna had already been removed from the approved list.

I also sat down with Alice, and redefined her job description. She’s no longer in charge of my laundry, and she’s only been asked to clean our bedroom and bathroom once a week. I know that it’s petty. I know that I’m the luckiest girl in the world for having the opportunity to employ full-time help. But, and there’s always a but, I’ve got to have boundaries. This has given me the sense of grounding and personal space that I was missing.

Colin is back on his kick for me to set a wedding date. I really don’t want to focus on that until my partnership with my dad has been resolved, and I’m working again. Baby steps…one day at a time…

I’ve done well with my runs. Because I’ve felt so bad about punishing poor Miguel and Carter, I’ve been running the lab rat loop inside the gilded cage. Not my ideal run, but I can live with it, because I get to wake up every morning next to Colin McKinney.

“Charrrrlieee,” he whines from the other room. “I woke up alone, and you know how much I hate doing that.”

“Just a minute. I’m gross from my run.” I call. “Let me rinse off, and I’ll come keep you company.” I slip out of my sweat-drenched clothes.

As soon as the lukewarm shower water blasts me, I yelp. Even though I ran early in the morning, it’s hot already for Dallas in May.

May eleventh to be precise. Today’s my thirtieth birthday. The big three zero. I spent my run contemplating what thirty means to me, and here’s what I’ve come up with. Thirty is going to be an awesome decade. No more medical school. That was my twenties. No more pondering where I fit in this world. I know. I’m a surgeon who likes to drink wine, dance with cute boys—or, one particular boy— listen to music, read interesting books, and travel. The cherry on top is that I’m Colin McKinney’s fiancée, and I will hopefully one day be the mother of his children.

I smile as I run the washcloth over my stomach. I imagine it swollen one day, with his baby. I haven’t gotten off the pill or anything like that, but once our life is more settled, I’m ready to be a mom. I haven’t given Colin a clue because he’ll annoy me even more about that than he already does about setting a date for our wedding.

I turn off the shower and towel dry. When I walk into our bedroom, Colin has a cup of coffee waiting for me on my bedside table, and a muffin with one birthday candle sticking out of it.

“Happy birthday to you…happy birthday to you…” he sings to me, sounding like he does this for a living. “Happy birthday to the woman who’ll not marry me, happy birthday to you.”

“I assume you think that you’re funny?” I ask, as I drop my towel and reveal my birthday suit.

“Oh beautiful girl, I know I’m funny. In fact, I’m the funniest motherfucker around.” He smirks. I love playful Colin. It’s moments like this that I wish I could bottle him, so when there are bad times I can open the bottle and have this feeling again.

“Who says that you’re the funniest guy around?” I give him a questioning look, placing my hands on my hips.

Colin stops for a second, looking up at the ceiling, and pondering the question. “Well, I guess I do.”

“Good enough for me,” I say, as I launch myself on top of him.

He lets me explore his mouth with my tongue for only a few minutes before he rolls me onto my back. “No way birthday girl. I get to spend all day taking care of you.”

If I smile any larger, my face might crack. My last birthday was spent with Brad and my sisters at a gay country and western bar off Montrose in Houston. Lying underneath Colin is a way better birthday celebration.

“Mrs. Colin McKinney,” he says as he plants sweet, soft kisses on the inside of my thigh. “Caroline McKinney,” he utters. He finds my favorite spot behind my knee. Each one of my toes is sweetly sucked into his full, maroon lips as he whispers my other names. “Charlie McKinney…Doctor Caroline McKinney…Caroline Jane McKinney.”

Colin’s driving me mad. He loves his new game. Frankly, I love his new game, but I guess it’s really not new anymore. He’s been playing it for a couple of months. I gasp as he sucks the pad of my big toe between his teeth and gently nibbles.

He flashes me his half smile. “You like that, baby?”

I reach down and grab his dark blonde waves, and give them a gentle tug. “You’re driving me crazy. Come see me,” I say in a breathless whisper. I give his waves another tug hoping that he gets my point. I’m ready to make love to this man. Not be teased any longer.

He reaches up and slips one finger inside of me, which makes me arch my back with pleasure. “I am driving you crazy,” he confirms with a smirk as he removes his finger, giving it a naughty suck, and goes back to focusing on my toes.

I’m caught between a rock—being Colin’s fantastic body—and a hard place—well, that would be his massive erection that he’s been teasing me with. Dear God, I can’t take much more of this pleasurable torture. I’m in sensory overload.

I wiggle my toes away from his mouth and bring my knees up to my chest. He flashes me a confused look, and crawls back up our large bed. “Bad girl, Doctor Collins,” he admonishes. “Now we’re going to have to start all over. Does my birthday girl need spankings?” He raises one eyebrow, giving me that knowing smile.

He reaches down and gently, ever so softly, begins kissing my lips again. I’m way too worked up for this sort of nonsense. I don’t want sweet kisses. I want his erection inside of me, filling me up, and making me scream. I need him.

I reach down in between my legs and find his penis. I grab it, and begin to pump it, up and down. I’m trying to communicate that this is the intensity that I want, not the sweet foreplay any longer.

Colin reaches down and stops my hand. “Not yet, baby.”

That’s it. I’m officially frustrated. “It’s my birthday,” I complain. “What do I have to do to get you to make love to me?” It comes out as a breathy whine. I hate the way I sound. It’s pitiful, with a side helping of desperation. Only he can make me so pathetic.

Colin has worked his way back down to mere centimeters from my center. Just when I think he’s going to give me what I crave so badly—the mind-blowing orgasm that he’s teased me with. He whispers, “You can set a date.”

“Fine. How about right now?” I say, as I buck my hips toward his mouth. “Colin, will you marry me? Do you promise to give me mind-blowing orgasms whenever I want them? Do you promise to make me watch all the terrible movies that I missed because I was studying? Do you promise to make me coffee every morning?”

He nips the inside of my thigh. “I do, my beautiful girl.” He flashes me the half smile that I love. He’s clearly amused with our wedding.

“See, now we’re married. Come inside of me,” I moan.

“You haven’t said your vows yet,” he reprimands, as he moves away from where I want him to be and starts kissing my stomach. He’s got that glint in his gorgeous green eyes, clearly telling me that this might be his new favorite game. “Charlie, will you marry me? Do you promise to be the mother of my children?” he says, while he kisses just above my pubic bone. “Do you promise to call me on my shit?” Colin plants very chaste kisses around my mouth—much too platonic for my taste. “Do you promise to come to all my football games and wear my jersey?”

I push him off me, and give him a huge grin. “Nope. That’s a deal breaker. I’ll come to all of your games, but I will not be the fangirl. I will not wear your jersey. That wasn’t even cute in high school.”

He sits back on his heels, and gives me a very amused look. “What if I say that that’s a deal breaker? No jersey? No wedding.”

I raise one eyebrow as I stare at his huge, beautiful penis. “Do you really want to play that card, McKinney? I’d be perfectly content with living in sin the rest of our lives.”

That was not the answer that Colin was hoping for. Being the smart one that he is, he quickly renegotiates. “Fine, when I win the Super Bowl, then you have to wear my jersey.”

“I need more convincing.” I cross my arms giving him a hard stare.

He pounces on me tickling me until I scream. “I agree. I agree,” I say, through laughing squeals. “I do. Colin, quit tickling me.”

He enters me with a thrust that takes my breath away. Playtime is clearly over. I feel all of him inside me—stretching me deliciously. This is a great birthday morning. When I catch my breath again, I say, “I now pronounce us husband and wife. Colin McKinney, you may kiss your bride.”

His eyes light up with delight, and he captures my lips. We fall into a slow, gentle, lazy rhythm. We’re lost in each other. It’s a sweet dance, an exchange of passion, romance, and lust. My heart aches with love for this amazing man.

He builds me up slowly to the precipice of an intense orgasm, and then gently catches me while I fall. Colin then follows me into his own bliss.

When, I’ve recovered my sanity, I mumble, “Best birthday ever.”

* * * *

Colin has been planning my surprise party for a couple of weeks. I found out about it when Brad insisted that we go shopping for a fabulous thirtieth birthday dress. Considering I’d told Colin that I wanted to hang out at the house for my birthday, I knew something was up.

Then, because I hate surprises—and, frankly, I’ve had enough surprises in the last three months to last me a lifetime—I snooped through Colin’s phone while he was in the shower. Not my finest moment, but at least I’ll look great when I fake surprise tonight.

Rachael and Aiden are due at our house any moment. Colin’s taken the day off to hang out with us. However, I can’t wait to get my best friend alone for a little while and get the scoop. Her and Aiden are both playing coy with me. That will not stand.

“Babe, do I need to send Jenny to the store for anything?” Colin asks, as he brushes a kiss on my neck when he’s walked into the kitchen.

I look up and him with a goofy grin on my face. “I don’t think so. I’m fixing a fruit salad for us to snack on by the pool, and thought we could maybe grill some chicken for lunch.”

“Sounds good. Remember we’ve got dinner plans tonight.”

“Haven’t forgotten.” I smile inwardly. I’m actually a little excited about my birthday party.

“So I was thinking about birthday presents for you,” Colin says as he scoots his behind on the counter next to where I’m chopping fruit. It takes everything that I have to not push his unsanitary ass off the granite. I breathe deep and attempt to ignore the totally grossed out feeling in my stomach. “What do you think about a new car?”

“I have a car. A perfectly good one. Why do I need a car?” I reply, as I drag the blade of my knife through a strawberry with more force than necessary.

“I was just thinking that maybe you needed something larger. Like, something that has a backseat,” Colin says as he picks up some of the already chopped pineapple and pops a piece in his mouth. He’s using his “Aw, shucks, no big deal” voice, but I know that my car is an issue for him—one that he’s just going to have to get over. He hates that it’s red, small, cute, compact, and low to the ground. If I left it up to Colin, he’d have me driving a grey Sherman tank.

“Not in the mood, McKinney. Table the car talk.” I swat his hand as he tries to steal another piece of pineapple. “If you eat it all now, then there will be nothing left for Aiden and Rachael.”