In the Mix (35 page)

Lick.

Lick. Suck. Lick.

Groan.

Lick. Kiss. Lick.

“Kyle!” she yells.

“Okay, okay!” I travel up her body—
licking.
Finally, my eyes meet hers and it just washes over me.

“Don’t say it,” she whispers looking straight back. How did she know? How did she know it was on the tip of my tongue? I close my eyes.

I love you.

“Okay.” I say instead. I lean down and collect her lips. She brings her legs up higher, encircling my waist.

“Please,” she begs against my lips. Just a little shift and I thrust into her. Her body arches like it always does. I take her slow and deep, showing her how much I love her instead of telling her. Every time she opens her mouth to oppose my pace, I shut it with mine. Finally . . . she gives in and regulates her hips to my pace.

After several minutes, CiCi starts clenching down on me. I groan in appreciation. “Oh God . . . Oh, Kyle!” she moans sinking her nails into my back. Her legs, shaking, around my waist. I let go, pounding into her harder—finding my release. I should mention that she was egging me on, telling me how good her pussy will feel, loaded with my come. I know, right? How could I hold it any longer? I collapse on her chest and we lay her like this for several minutes. It’s soothing—listening to her breathe, feeling her in my arms—I’m in heaven.

I look up at her. She greets me with a warm smile. “I love you.” There—I said it.

“I’m so in love with you,” she admits with shaky breath. I reach up and palm her face before I caress her lips. Somehow, when I kiss her this time—so different. Good different. Forever different. I reach under and engulf her in my arms, nestling my head on her chest . . .

Mom’s been in the hospital a few days now and they’ve finally moved her into a regular room. CiCi, Lindsay, and I are on our way up to visit her. “I hope her roommate isn’t a douchebag,” CiCi says.

“I’m sure you’ll find reason to believe she is.” I tease her. She laughs then elbows me. I have to say—I’m the happiest I can ever remember being. CiCi and I have been
amazing.
In and out of the bedroom, of course. “Best behavior, please,” I beg as we enter the room.

“Yeah . . . sure.” She laughs.

“Hey, Mom!” I greet her, overzealously paired with a huge grin as we walk in.

“Oh, Kyle, knock it off! I’m fine!” Her hands push away nonsense at us.

“How do you like your new room?” CiCi asks.

“Love it,” Mom says cheerfully. She then mouths “Pain in the ass” and points to the person on the other side of the curtain. I’ll tell you right now; this person must be bad if my mother is saying something like this. It’s either that or surgery has changed her. In all fairness, we can hear her whimpering and complaining.

“What’s going on over here?” CiCi walks over and asks.

“Ceese!” I say in a hushed whisper.

“I’m sorry, Miss, my mother is having a hard time adapting.” The gentleman says.

“What’s wrong, ma’am?”

“Ceese!” I try again. All she does is draw back the curtain.

“How can I live?” The woman cries.

“What happened?” CiCi inquires.

“They want me to be all sunshine and flowers when this is my life now!” The woman screams.

“What’s up, buttercup?” CiCi continues. Christ, I wish she would just come back over here.

“Look at this!” she yells and pulls back her covers. I look because how the fuck can I not? And I see that she has had her foot amputated. “They want me to carry on like life is so wonderful! They are all avoiding what has happened to me, as if I’m supposed to forget! Look!” she yells. “What do you see, miss?” She points at her missing foot.

“It looks to me like you have one foot in the grave,” CiCi says without any hesitation. I want to fucking die right now. I’m just not sure if it will be from embarrassment or laughter. The woman just stares at her for a while and then, she breaks out in such a hearty laugh it seems to scare her family. “You know, I know a great nail tech. I’m sure she will give you half off. I mean, you are giving her half the work, right?” CiCi offers. The woman is rolling.

“Thank you, miss.” The woman is practically in tears—serious ones this time. “Thank you for stating the obvious. These bozos are acting as if nothing happened, like I would forget if they did so.” She reaches to hug CiCi. I laugh to myself, knowing inner CiCi is cringing right now. But my girl does it; she goes in for the hug. I’m a proud man, right now.

She makes her way back over to us. “I love you,” I say in awe. She blows me a kiss and gives me a wink.

“Backatcha, handsome!” I love how open she’s been about her feelings. I’m just as scared, though.

“This makes my heart so happy; seeing you two.” Mom smiles at both of us.

“I don’t think you’re alone there, Mom.” I grab her hand and kiss the back of it.

“I knew from the moment I met you, CiCi.” Mom reaches out her hand to her. CiCi gives her a shy smile and pushes her hair behind her ear.
There’s something so sweet and innocent about her when she gets embarrassed like this.
“You’re really made from special stuff.”

“Thanks, I’ll tell my dad you said so,” she replies.
And . . . there it goes, as quickly as it came.
Mom smacks the back of her hand, teasingly. “So when are we busting you out of this joint?”

“Well, if I’m a good girl, they said maybe tomorrow.”

“You better behave yourself then!”

Mom just lies there, staring at us. She grabs my hand with her free one and brings it together with Ceese’s. We both sit on the bed, on either side of her, holding hands on her lap. “I can’t tell you how heart happy I am, right now.” She tears up.

“Oh no, we’re not doing any tears, lady. We purposely came in at this hour because it’s the no crying hour.” CiCi shakes her head.

“I love you,” Mom says through her free running tears, completely ignoring CiCi’s comment.

“I love you, too, Winnie Cooper. I have a question, though.”

“What’s that, dear?”

“You say you love me but . . . what would you do if I sang out of tune?”

“I’d sing back up . . . just as badly.” She laughs.

“I wish I met you last year.”

“Why?” Mom laughs apprehensively. We’ve all gotten used to CiCi’s quips. You never really know what is going to come out of her mouth.

“Because, I would’ve totally thrown you a twenty-fifth anniversary party! I mean twenty-five years of having a name that is the pun of many a cheesy joke—that’s epic!” She whips her hand out to emphasize.

“Well, we’ll do it for the thirtieth!” Mom suggests. CiCi gets quiet. I have a feeling I know why. Mom just implied that CiCi will still be here with me in four years, without question. I can’t imagine anyone else in her shoes. The question is—does she? She fought her feelings for me for so long that it’s hard for me to squash these insecurities that rise.

“You promise me that you will do everything in your power to make sure you’re here for it and I promise you that people will talk about that party for
years.
” CiCi’s voice shakes. My heart just did a flip in my chest. Her hesitation had nothing to do with her being unsure about us and everything to do with worry over my mother’s health.

“No expense spared,” I add before planting a kiss on Ceese’s shoulder.

“Why is everybody crying?” Linz asks once she sees us.

“Where did you go?” I ask her as I wipe my unshed tears away.

“With Daddy to the gift shop. I bought Mickey this stuffed animal last time and he already tore it into shreds. He cried for it today but I had thrown it away.” She waves the puppy at us. “Why are you all crying? Is everything ok, Mom?” She furrows her brow.

“Everything is fine, Linz,” I answer for our mother. “We’re all just really happy to be together and to be family.” As I say this, I squeeze Ceese’s hand so she knows I’m including her in on this statement. She squeezes back and kisses my cheek.

“Speaking of family, Kyle and I want to have everyone over for dinner when you’re feeling better. I want you to meet my parents. You’ve already met my sister. Also, she’ll be the one cooking—you two can bark recipes out at each other like it’s a competition.” She reaches for Mom’s pillow. “Sit up,” she commands. Mom sits up and CiCi fixes the sheet on it and flips it before returning it behind my mother. “There.” She holds it until mom rests back.

“I’d love that! I’ve heard wonderful things about your parents.” Mom beams.

“They are awesome. I’m really lucky. I can see you all hitting it off.”

Just then, my phone rings. I look down and see that it’s the P.I. in Washington; the one I hired to find Drew. My search results didn’t get me much further than the state he was living in. Not sure why, I’ve never come across that problem before. Don’t ask me what I plan on doing with all of this information because I really don’t know. Whatever it is, it can’t be something that will fuck up my relationship with her. I won’t lose her over this piece of shit. Yes, I know I should wait for her to be ready to tell me what happened—I will. I just need to know where this son of a bitch is for when she does. “I gotta take this, beautiful.” I give her a quick kiss before letting go of her hand and heading out of the room.

“Cooper,” I state when I answer. No, I don’t normally answer my phone like this; but being in P.I. mode, I feel it’s fitting. Simmons begins to fill me in on his findings. I listen while quietly asking the nurse for a pen and paper. I see why it was hard to dig up much info on him; Simmons believes his job with military defense gave him top clearance. He’s not even sure of his exact title. He was able to uncover that Drew is married with two daughters. The last piece of information he gives floors me. “Okay, thanks, Simmons, I’ll send the rest of your payment now.” And with that, I hang up.

“Hey, sweetie,” CiCi calls out to me.
Sweetie?—that’s nice.
“Your mom wants to take a nap, are you done with your call?” She walks over to me. “Hey, what’s wrong? You don’t have to fly somewhere, do you?” I can hear the panic in her voice at that possibility.

“No. Sorry. I just got news that I wasn’t expecting on a lead. It’s ok, though, nothing to worry about.” I open my arms to her, wrapping them around once she walks into my space. I stand here and hold her for a few minutes. I always wanted to feel this way about someone, I just wasn’t sure it was ever going to happen. It’s amazing; the best feeling in the world.

“C’mon, let’s say goodbye to your mom so she can get some sleep.” She looks up at me.

“Sure thing.” I kiss her.

I love mornings . . . you know why?

Lick.

Lick. Kiss. Lick.

Bite.

Groan and repeat.

“Jesus, Kyle—
Jesus!
” she screams out. Mmm . . . she’s awake—it’s on now! My arms slide underneath her thighs and wrap around. I pull back on her hood and have at her. And by that, I mean aggressive tongue fucking—just the way she likes it. I chuckle lightly as she goes all Linda Blair, thrashing on her end of things. And now . . . the back massage. Ahh . . . What’s that, you ask? Mmm . . . CiCi always rests her feet on my back when I do this. And, for some reason, when she gets close, she starts rubbing them up and down my back like she’s actually climbing a rope. It not only cues me that she’s close, but it also gives me an awesome massage. Of course, she denies that she does this. I don’t argue with her because I’m not really interested in her
not
doing it.

She whimpers.

You have no idea the power her whimpers hold over me. It takes everything in me not to come on the spot. This morning, I’m pulling out the big guns to prevent the inevitable—I picture the real life cat lady. You know the one I’m talking about; she had all of those surgeries to look like a cat. She creeps me out.

Whimper. Cry. Begging whimper.

I tear myself away from her and off the bed. I pace and take deep breaths with my hands on top of my head. I bring my attention back to her when I hear her moan. Her hand is in between her legs, rubbing ferociously as her pelvis rises like she’s fucking the air. Good God, she’s beautiful. I rush over to her and pull her hand away as soon as I climb on the bed, kneeling before her. I wrap her legs around my waist and slam into her. She gasps as if someone is cutting off her air supply. Like a fucking teenage boy, getting a piece of ass for the first time, I unload inside of her in the matter of a few fast pumps. It’s all good, though; she was already there, and I just sealed the deal, hitting her in the right spot. I collapse on top of her. “What you fucking do to me, CiCi—what you fucking do,” I pant.