Forgiven (Touched Series #2) (8 page)

“I can’t help it. Everyone else is getting their lovin’ and huggin’ in. I was feeling left out. I’m sad now since I’m leaving tomorrow but will be back in a couple of days and…. I’m going to be spending the night with you lovebirds. We’ll have a slumber party!” She says excitingly. I hear Bo laugh and can’t contain my laughter either. I just love her.

“Sounds like a plan!” Bo pulls me away from her arms and leads me to his room but instead of starting to pack, he grabs me, his mouth crashes against mine as he holds the back of my head, his other hand flat on my lower back. What begins as a slow kiss begins to heat up quickly. “Mmm, Bo,” I mouth against his luscious lips but he begins kissing me in earnest once again. Finally needing to take some air, I pull back and smile. “Well, that was…. That was amazing but don’t you think we need to get you packed up? We might be able to….”

“I’m just excited about moving in with you and how everything went. I feel like we’re getting a second chance, a fresh start and I, for one, can’t wait.” He grins, his eyes lighting up showing a sparkle in their blueness.

“Well, if you’re so excited to move in, it would help if we pack. It’s not like you need furniture since both spare rooms are completely outfitted.” He laughs along with me. “I think we might be able to pack up everything tonight, if you’re game.” His eyebrows rise, his head turning to survey his room and then he turns back to me.

“You’re right. We could. Let’s do this!” he yells. I can’t help but laugh with his enthusiasm. He walks over, grabs a couple of empty boxes that he must have brought here and hands one to me. “You can start on my dresser.”

It took us about two hours to get everything packed and then Bo and Knox carried them all to his Jeep. By the time we are done, dinner is sitting on the dining room table and I’m starving! When I sit down I notice filled wine glasses at our settings along with a vase full of assorted fresh flowers as a centerpiece. “This is lovely, Jade.” She looks at me, smiles and picks up her glass, raising it in the air then looks around at everyone who follow suit.

“Just wanted to make a nice dinner for you two as a little bit of a celebration on a new start for you together. May your lives be filled with happiness, love and joy.” Everyone yells their cheers but I swear I heard her whisper, “And no babies until they are married.” Tilting my head while taking a sip of my wine, I look at her, my brow raised and she smiles sweetly at me then shrugs. Yep, I heard her correctly. I just wonder if anyone else did. When I take a glance over at Bo, he winks at me then goes back to talking to Knox. Maybe I was the only one who heard her.

It’s late by the time we get over to our apartment. Thank goodness there’s a side gate into the alley from the parking lot and then the side entrance stairs, with another locked door that leads straight into the hallway to the offices and apartment making a quicker and easier access to haul all the boxes there. Of course I’m limited on what I can help carry with my cast. Once we’ve taken several trips and have gotten the boxes into the apartment, I’m not only sweaty, and dirty but also exhausted. I sit down on the couch, lean my head back and close my eyes. “I need a bath but I’m too tired,” I whine. I feel the couch dip next to me and Bo’s hand brushing my hair that had come out of my ponytail, away from my face.

“Come, Peaches. I’ll draw you a bath. You can soak, then wash and then I’ll tuck you in bed.” I feel the couch move again and then gasp when I’m lifted into his arms, opening my eyes and watch as he flips out the lights as he carries me upstairs. Once in my room, he walks us straight into my bathroom, sets me on the counter and walks over to the tub, turning on the faucets.

“Don’t you ever get tired? I don’t think I can even move anymore,” I ask as I watch him test the water with his hand. He turns his head and smiles.

“I’m actually pretty tired but I need to take care of my girl first.” He goes back to checking on the water, then pours in my peach scented salts, and I sigh. Why in the hell did I wait so long to be with him? Because I was stupid and rebelling and an idiot. Once he’s satisfied with the water he stands and walks to me, pushing my tired legs apart and moves as close to me as he can. “Need help getting undressed,” he says waggling his eyebrows.

“I’d smack you but I’m too tired to lift my hand,” I laugh.

His hands tug on the hem of my shirt, starting to lift it, his eyes watching me as I raise my arms a little and he continues, pulling it over my head. “You know I’ve seen you naked before, Stormy. It’s not like you don’t have anything I’ve not seen before. I have a Mom and a sister.” Another laugh escapes me but stops when he reaches around and unclasps my bra, then moves the straps off my shoulders with his fingers, delicately. I let it fall and see his eyes are aimed right at my breasts. My arms start to cross over me, trying to cover up when his hands stop them. “Don’t.” He moves his eyes to mine and I can see them glazed over with lust or love or maybe it’s desire. “You’re so beautiful, Stormy. Don’t worry. Taking it slow, right?” I swallow hard and nod slightly. His hands move to the waistband of my shorts and starts tugging them down when one of his arms grabs me around my waist, lifting me high enough while his hand pulls them along with my panties down enough and he sets me back down. He finishes removing them from my legs and tosses them in the hamper along with my shirt and bra from the counter. I squeal when he lifts me and then walks the two steps to the tub, he proceeds to lower me in the warm water with care.

“Oh! This feels heavenly!” I sigh, leaning my head back against the back of the tub.

“I’m going to go take a shower then I’ll be back to check on you. Don’t want you falling asleep and drowning on our first night as roomies.” I smile and watch as he walks from the room, his muscles moving in all the right ways as well as his fine ass and then close my eyes.

Chapter Eight

Damn, it felt good to take a hot shower. My body is more tired and already starting to get a little stiff from moving then I let on. I don’t want Stormy to think I’m not manly and can’t take the heat of a little work. When I saw how exhausted she was, I had to help her so she could go to bed and be comfortable. I’ve seen her body before, but it’s been years. It sure is gorgeous. Her breasts looked firm and more than enough for my large hands. Her nipples peaked, and my cock hardened immediately. When I lowered her pants, I found her bare as a baby and almost came in my pants from the vision, her unblemished skin looking delectable. I lick my lips now from just envisioning it again. After drying off, I walk into my new bedroom and wonder how much I’ll actually use this room as I’m sure I’ll be in her room every night, but at least it’s somewhere to keep all my things. After walking around boxes, opening a few and then tripping over one, I finally found a clean pair of boxers and my sleep pants. I stop cold when it dawns on me that I haven’t heard any sounds coming from her room, so I quickly walk across the hall and look around, her bed is still made and nothing has been disturbed. My heart beats rapidly as I head into her bathroom and when I look down at the tub I find her sound asleep, her casted arm hanging over the side and I hear the faint little snore escape her slightly parted lips. She’s too cute.

I figure I’d better quit standing there gawking at her so I grab a towel, lay it on the rug and then pick up her sleeping body, placing her on the towel and then bend down on one knee, drying her as best as I can. I get up and jog into her bedroom, grab a pair of clean panties from her drawer, her sleep pants and sleep tank top from another drawer and then jog back to her. You would never know just how hard it is to dress someone who is dead weight until you do it. Finally, I carry her to bed, pulling down the covers as I set her on the bed and then lie her down, covering her back up and notice she hasn’t stirred, not even one time. Damn, she must really be worn out. I want to climb in beside her so badly but I decide I’d better go make sure the alarm is set to the outside door and the apartment door. I reluctantly head downstairs. The doors and alarms are secure, so I head back upstairs and when I walk into the bedroom, I stop. She’s kicked off the covers, and her top has ridden up showing the smooth skin of her flat stomach, and she’s laying on her side. She has her arms wrapped around my pillow and her long dark hair is fanned out over hers. She’s beautiful. I creep to the bed, get under the covers and carefully untangle her from my pillow, pulling her into me. Her body is soft, warm and smells of peaches. I close my eyes, breathing in the aroma that is my Stormy and even though my body is exhausted and my limbs sore, I can’t go to sleep. So, I dream of us, being together always, our wedding day and then children running around our house. In my dream we are so happy.

“Mmmm.” Her warm lips are on my abs, move to my chest and then over my heart with soft kisses. I open one eye and see her leaning over me but she doesn’t notice, she just keeps on peppering kisses over my body. I can’t take it anymore and grab her upper arms, lifting her up and on top of me and the weight of her cast doesn’t faze me. I press my mouth against hers and she struggles a bit but relaxes in my arms quickly. She moves back and lays her head on my chest.

“Bad breath,” she whispers.

I chuckle knowing what she means. “Are you saying I have bad breath? I brushed my teeth last night before I came to bed.” My eyebrow raises, and my smile turns in a cocky grin. She peeks up at me and tries to slide off my body, but I hold her firm. “Nope, you’re not going anywhere, Peaches. This is our first morning as roomies and I want cuddling.” Her face plants into my chest and she sighs.

“I need to brush my teeth,” she says, her voice muffled.

Grabbing her arms again I hoist her up and off the bed, making sure she’s standing steady and smile. “Ok, off you go but you come back as soon as you’re done and resume your position.” She smiles, nods and scurries off to the bathroom. She’s so fucking cute even with her long hair all a tangled mess but her sleepy face is beautiful. It doesn’t take her long but I did notice she brushed her hair too, silly girl. She hesitantly begins to climb back onto the bed and I grab her arms again, placing her exactly where she was before, the warmth of her body overtaking me along with her smell. Even without any expensive things her skin always smells of peaches. I look down at her and right to her eyes that are glistening at me. “Better?” She smiles, showing her white teeth, and nods. “Good. Now where were we?” She giggles into my neck, her breath tickling my skin and I take a deep breath, closing my eyes, taking in her delicious aroma.

“I have a ton I want to get done today while the workers are here. The offices need to be finished, the computers programmed and I need to buy a few more supplies.” I look down at her as she’s talking into my neck, her fingers rubbing designs on my chest.

“Breakfast first then I start on the computers while you get what you need and help you with the office things. Since I’m going to be taking one of them, you need to tell me which one so I can set it up.” She nods and her soft hair moves across my arm. “Okay. Up you go. I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll be ready to cook.”

Her head raises and she looks at me with her eyes softening. “You spoil me. Here I’m the cook but yet you keep cooking for me. I might just get used to that.” I give her a wink and then lift her off the bed, get up and walk towards my room.

“Don’t get too use to it! I love your cooking!” I yell over my shoulder. I can still hear her sweet giggles as I enter my room.

The breakfast was great, the company was even better. I can’t believe we’re here together, at last. Everything I’ve ever dreamed of is coming true. I have Stormy, we’re going to work together at the restaurant and I graduate in less than three months. Life is good.

“So, which one do you like better? The blue or the red?” Stormy walks into my office and I look up from the computer. She’s holding up cloth napkins. “I’m kind of partial to the blue but the red speaks ritzy.”

“Hmmm. I like the blue too.” She smiles and relaxes.

“I’m going to go get the few supplies I need. Do you need anything?” She walks over and sits in a chair that’s in front of my desk.

“Just you. Hurry back to me.” Her face keeps her smile but her eyes soften. A knock sounds from the outer door causing her to jump. “Stay put. I’ll see who it is,” I tell her as I stand and walk out of the office, her body turning to watch me. I walk to the door and look through the peephole and roll my eyes, while unlocking and opening the door. “What are you doing here? I thought you left this morning.”

“I leave in a couple of hours, jerk! Where’s my girl?” Pearl asks as she pushes by me. Stormy steps into my office doorway just in time to be bowled over by my sister, the force of Pearl’s hug knocking Stormy back a little. I cross my arms over my chest and watch as Pearl takes Stormy’s hand and begins leading her down the hall to our apartment, the look on Stormy’s face is priceless as she shrugs her shoulders. I guess I’ll just go continue to work in my office.

♥    ♥    ♥    ♥

“Give me a quick tour and then let’s settle somewhere and talk. I’ve missed you,” Pearl rattles on as we walk into my apartment. It seems that she conducts her own tour as she pulls me into each room, remarking on every item and then upstairs, doing the same. “Oh! I love the pictures on the walls in the hallway. You should really get some made of you and Bo together. You remember how Mom and Dad did that? So, what are you all doing with the third spare bedroom?” Good question.

“Uh. I haven’t thought about it yet,” I stammer.

“Well, it’s not like you don’t have time. I’m so happy for you both. You know I love you like a sister,” she continues as she loops her arm through mine and walks me down the stairs and leads me to the couch.

We sit down and I turn to her, the look on her face tells me she’s about to explode. “What’s up, sis? You have the ‘I’m dying to tell you something before I burst’ look on your face.” She lets out a deep breath and smiles.

“I’m in love,” she blurts.

Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting. “Wow, really? Who, what does he look like, how long, do your parents know?”

She turns to me now, grasping my hands and her entire face lights up and my eyes widen. “He has short black hair, blue eyes, and a killer body. No, my parents don’t know and….” She scrunches her face like she’s thinking hard. “I haven’t really met him. Yet.”
What?

Now my face is scrunched up. “Let me get this straight. You’re in love with him but you haven’t met him. Did I get that right?”

She nods. “Every time I work out at the gym, he’s there. I don’t know a lot about him other than what I’ve overheard and all the women swarming him when he’s there. He owns the new bar down the street from here that’ll be opening in few days. That’s all I’ve learned so far. Oh, except he’s so dreamy.” She sighs.

“Okay, so you all have a gym at home but you belong to one. This is sounding like what your mom and dad did when they met,” I giggle. Her face turns sad so I shuffle quickly. “I’m sorry. So you see him when you work out and how did you fall in love with him?”

She looks down, removes her hands from mine and fidgets with them. “Okay, maybe ‘love’ is a strong term.” She looks back up at me and her face is all lit up. “Stormy, there’s just something about him. I just…. I can’t explain. But you should see him, hear him speak and when he works out…. Well, his body. Ugh! Okay, I think you get the picture.”

My hand covers my mouth with my laugh but I quickly control myself and put my arm around her shoulder, scooting closer. “I think that’s great! A bar owner, huh? I’m thinking you and I should break in the new bar when it opens. Maybe because my restaurant and the bar are like neighbors I can get us a good table there for the opening night. Good thing I turned twenty one earlier this year, I’d be pissed if I couldn’t come.” She squeals in deafening proportions and my ears are left ringing.

“What in the hell? I thought the alarm was going off in here,” Bo yells as he runs in, the front door slamming against the wall. My eyes go wide. My hand covers my mouth as I watch him lower his hands to his knees as he pants. He looks up at me and then Pearl and stands up straight, rolling his shoulders one at a time while giving us a smirk. “Oh. It’s just you. Do you mind keeping your squeals down a notch or a million? Thanks!” He turns, grabs the side of the door and as he leaves his head turns, his eyes gleaming at mine, and he winks.

“Well, he’s always been a little overprotective. Definitely gets that from Dad,” Pearl says matter of fact and I can’t contain it anymore and break out in laughter.

After an hour and a half long visit, she finally leaves, hurrying to catch her flight that she may miss due to her lack of watching the clock. But we had such a great time. I finally feel like my life is turning around. After everything I’ve been through, all the horrible things I’ve lived through, that I will have a life I’ve longed for and dreamed of for so long.

I love this little shop that’s about two blocks over from us that carries almost everything you need in office supplies. The owner is friendly and knows about the restaurant so he gives me a nice discount. It’s a beautiful early evening, the sun is already beginning to set and there’s a little cool breeze blowing my hair back as I walk to my car in the parking lot. I try to shift my two bags into my casted hand so I can open the car door when I’m pushed against it roughly, the bags dropping to the ground. The side of my head slams hard against the car and I yelp when my bad arm is brought up behind my back, the stench of Ricco’s breath on the side of my face alerting me who the perpetrator is.

“Dammit, Ricco! Let me the fuck go, now!” I shout. His sick laughter penetrates my ear. “You’re drunk and I’m in no mood for your threats so back off!” I try to move, to push back but his weight is against me and he’s too strong.

“Ah. I see you’re all moved in and still you never call, you never write. Now, is that any way to treat your best man here? Hmmm?” He pulls up on my arm, the pain hitting it and my shoulder and I groan. “I told ya you’re never leaving me. I’ve got so much shit on you girly, you’d better do what I want.”

My eyes close as I try to get past the pain and then open them when the anger and fear intermingle. “I told you before, I’m not working for you anymore and I’m going straight. You can’t hold anything over me anymore, prick. My mom’s dead. So go crawl back into your hole and leave me the fuck alone.” When his hand strikes my face, I scream out when pain hits me hard. My head smacks hard against the car and tears form fast in my eyes. I feel nauseous when I hear his laughter.

“Girly, that’s what I’ve always loved about you. You’ve got guts.” He leans in closer, and I wince when he pulls my arm up higher. “But hear this. Your nice new life and restaurant won’t be so great when I leak everything out about your past.” My heart beats fast, and my chest rises and falls smashed up against the car with his words.

“Stormy? Is that you?” I open my eyes and see Emerson in the distance. Ricco’s head turns quickly towards his voice. He releases me suddenly, my body drops to the ground hard, and I hear running footsteps moving away and moving closer simultaneously. A hand grabs my upper arm, and I startle until I’m pulled into a sitting position, leaned against my car, and look up to see Emerson’s concerned face staring at me. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see him. “Stormy. Who was that and what did he want? Did he hurt you?” My eyes blink slowly and I look around then back at him. “You do not need to be afraid of me. Where do you hurt, girl?” His voice lowers as his eyes soften a little.

“I…. I’m ok,” I choke out but feel shaken up.

“Can you stand? Do you need medical aid?” he asks. I look at him and still see the concern in his eyes. He’s always been so gruff, so grumpy sounding but now, he’s so sweet and worried. Maybe I’ve been afraid of him for no reason.

When I tried to stand my legs seem to want to buckle. He grasps my upper arms, helping me until I’m finally standing and leaning against the car. I’m not there for long as he let’s go of one of my arms and leads me around to the passenger side, opening the door. “Get in. I’ll drive you home,” he says roughly. I don’t argue or put up a fuss as I know I couldn’t drive right now if I wanted to, but I must be strong or at least try to appear to be. Nodding slightly, I get in and buckle my seatbelt as I watch him walk back around, pick up my bags and get in the driver’s seat, putting the bags in the back seat. I pull out the keys from my purse and hand them to him. He takes them and starts the car, the entire time he’s pulling out of the lot he keeps his eyes out the front window.

“You’re always so straight faced, so rough sounding but I don’t think you are, underneath that exterior. I think you have a soft spot in that tough heart of yours, don’t you?” I speak out but keep my eyes firmly in place to the front.

My ears hear a slight chuckle and my eyes shift to him to find a small smile on the corners of his mouth but he doesn’t look over at me. “I care about those in my life worth caring about and I take my job seriously.” His eyes move to mine but only for a beat then back to the front. “You’ve always been part of their family and it’s my job to protect all of them.” He hesitates for a moment and then continues. “I know we’ve never met officially but I’ve watched you grow from a stubborn little girl into a stubborn and strong willed adult. I have to admit you’ve not made the best decisions in your young life but I admire you trying to correct those bad choices now. I’ll help you with what I can.” I cringe at parts of his words but then relax at others. “Mr. Dunway wants me to be around you more to help sort out the difficulties you face currently. I’ve looked into Mr. Ricco, and I put that nicely, and I have to tell you…. You sure know how to pick ‘em.” My eyes widen, and my heart beats a little faster. “He’s bad news, Stormy,” he says slowly, looking into my eyes. “His rep precedes him and he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. I’d like to suggest you stay home for a while, get your restaurant ready to open and leave any outings, with the exception of visiting the Dunways as they have added security, to myself. I won’t do any shopping of anything having to do with ‘female items’ but I can get any other type of supplies needed and I’m sure Bo will agree.” I would have thought his last words were funny if the situation wasn’t so grave. I swallow hard as the reality of the situation becomes more real. I feel like I’ve been living in my own bubble, my own dreams, as if things weren’t bad and my life could finally be happy again. What a fool I’ve been.