The Beginning of Us (11 page)

He picked me up, his hands under my ass and walked backwards to my bed. He unhooked his hands and stood me up. For precious moments we stood there, silent except for our labored breathing.

“I love you, Teegan Marie.” His finger looped around a lock of my hair.

“I love you too, Jaxon.” Both hands came to the front of my blouse, stopping at the first button.

“Can I?” he asked in a whisper, his eyes never looking away from mine. I nodded and he started unbuttoning. Every time his finger grazed my skin underneath the flames of desire erupted in my center.

I wanted him. I needed him now. More than I ever had in our history.

Those blue eyes of his were intense as he finished the last button and pushed my shirt back from my shoulders. It fell silently to the ground

“You're so beautiful,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. I bit my bottom lip as I went ahead and unbuttoned his shorts and pulled them down. His manhood strained against his boxer briefs and I trailed my hand up against it as I reached the hem of his shirt.

He sucked in his breath sharply. “Teegan,” he warned. I put a finger to his lips and kissed the corner of his mouth.

We finished undressing each other, unhurried. It was a slow dance, filled with anticipation. We had seen each other naked before, had had sex during prom night and other times, but undressing each other so carefully, so tenderly, was completely uncharted territory for us both.

Seconds turned into minutess as we stood there naked facing each other. His eyes roamed my body up and down.

“I want you forever, Jax.”

“You've had me since the beginning, Teeg.” Tears glistened from those magical eyes of his.

We embraced and both of our bodies gyrated against the other, needing the connection, wanting the other so desperately.

The next hour Jax explored and appeased every single part of me. I held onto his sweat-slicked back and watched as every single one of his muscles flexed taut.

He turned the tempo around and started going slow, and I reached around to grab his ass to keep him in longer; he felt so amazing.

He leaned down and kissed me, “Baby you're gonna make me finish doing that.”

“Just stay there, please.” I implored.

“No,” he growled and turned us over so he was face up. “Now I will baby.”

My body felt like it was on fire as I rode him, his hands traced over the valleys and peaks of my torso. He made me feel so beautiful.

“Please don’t stop,” I begged. “I'm almost there” I slowed down and rolled my hips slowly over and over until the pressure was at its peak.

“Dammit, Teeg. Dammit!” Jax cried out. He gripped my hips and raised off the bed slightly. The intensity of us finishing together felt euphoric. The waves of my orgasm continued to crash over and over.

Finally, I collapsed beside him, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath.

“Wow,” we both said at the same time. We looked at each other and laughed.

“Told you it was going to be sweet, passionate, crazy lovemaking.” He turned on his side and faced me, smiling ear to ear.

“It was amazing baby.” I whispered.

“You're amazing.” he replied.

“You're gonna lose your man card with all that mushy stuff,” I teased, my face flushing hot.

“I don’t give a damn. If making you blush and seeing that smile makes me lose my man card, then so be it.”

Chapter Fourteen

Jax – June 2014

“Jax, we've been married for nine years.”
When those words left Teegan's mouth, everything stood still for an instant. At first, my initial response was disbelief. Not that I thought Teegan was a liar; she couldn't lie with a straight face, I knew that for a fact. I had gotten to know her so freaking well over the last couple months it was scary.

It was more because of my dreams. They were still coming, not every night, but steady throughout the weeks. They came in chronological order; Teegan and I were a little bit older than the previous one. Most of them involved us having sex, but there were some that were important moments, like us getting married and the last one; the one that had me stumbling around for the next few days, where we had a daughter. Named Josie.

That dream had been really emotional, seeing Teegan in pain, hearing the baby cry. I held the baby and she was so tiny, I was mesmerized.

So when Teegan confessed her situation, what had been going on with her, I was taken aback. I knew it was true. Everything she said was completely truthful and it scared the living shit out of me. What in the hell was going on?

I knew, from my limited time on this Earth, that some things didn't follow any kind of exact science. There was a phenomenon that happened that nobody could justify and was only given credit to God. Remembering Sunday school from my youth, I knew there were tons of stories of unexplainable happenings. And even in present time, things happened all the time that nobody had explanation for.

We were living in a modern day miracle.

The relationship that Teegan and I had changed overnight after her confession. I felt older with her, and it sucked in a way because I felt like I was losing my teenage years in a snap. I couldn’t blame Teegan though, it wasn't her fault we were living in this crazy situation.

The dreams I had weren't as happy as before, they involved a lot of fighting. Teegan and I sleeping in separate beds, fighting in front of our daughter. I would wake up angry as hell at how bad our situation was becoming in my dreams.

School let out without much fanfare. We were officially seniors, but my focus was on other things. Still, I went out with my graduating football buddies for a party one night and let loose. Teegan had declined to come, wanting to hang out with Raegan instead and do more research.

The research pissed me off. It was becoming an obsession and I was sick of it.

I picked Luke up and we headed to the beach, where the senior football guys had built a bonfire. It was the one night of the year where the Seabrook Police Department would look the other day. Our town worshipped football and they treated their players like kings, especially the senior ones.

There were a few skanky girls that I stayed away from, but it was mostly guys. I ended up drinking too much and collapsed in a beach chair, in a daze.

Luke came up next to me. “Hey dude, Raegan just texted me, she said Teegan's been trying to get hold of you.”

“Oh shit,” I slurred. I got out my phone and looked at the screen. I had two missed calls and five messages blinking at me.

I dialed Teegan's number and listened as the ringing seemed to go on forever. I wondered if she was asleep, I had no idea what time it was.

“Hello?” Teegan's greeting was clipped.

“Hey baby.” I said, trying to sound sober. My head was spinning, actually the whole world was, and for a moment I thought I was gonna hurl.

“Are you drunk?” she asked quietly.

“Um, yup. Tad bit. Told you I was gonna have fun tonight. Don't worry though, I ain't cheatin’ on you baby.” I burped, and cringed for doing so on the phone. Luke, who I forgot was standing next to me, laughed.

“Jax, I know that. The only reason I called and text was just to tell you I missed you and that Raegan and I may have found something.”

“Mm that's great baby, I miss you too.”

“Alright, well I'll let you go.”

“You sure you don't wanna come down here and get nasty at the beach?”

Teegan sighed, “Nope. Sure don't. Talk to you later Jax.”

The fact that she was trying to get off the phone made me mad. Everything I had been through, she should be cool with the fact that I needed a break. A chance to unwind and be carefree and get sloppy drunk.

“Whatever then Teeg. You sound mad. Just remember, we're not married yet darlin',” I sneered into the phone, the anger turning white hot throughout my body.

As soon as the words came out, I knew I messed up.

“What did you just say?” Teegan demanded.

“Nothing, just forget it baby. I'm just pissed off.” However angry I was didn't mean I wanted Teegan to dump my ass. She had become a part of me. I glanced up at Luke who had wandered a few feet away and I dropped my voice down to a whisper, “I've just been having these dreams Teegan. Of us fighting. They're makin’ me so mad.”

She took a deep breath and her voice softened. “I’m sorry Jax. You still don't have the right to say shit like that to me. If I'm making you so angry, then we can just split up.”

Oh hell. Screw this. “What-ever-er Teegan. Don't gotta be such a bitch.” I hung up my phone and tossed it angrily on the ground.

I stood up and found another beer, determined to drink myself into oblivion.

***

Teegan

The whole night I couldn't sleep. I had no idea what was to happen next. Raegan tried her best to comfort me as I threw my phone across the room, sobbing.

“I'm gonna lose him again, Raegan. I really am. I shouldn't have told him,” I cried.

“No, no, girl. You did exactly the right thing. He's just drunk right now. And that's okay. We're all teenagers still. Just give him a couple days and make him miss you. He'll come crawlin’ back like a little lost puppy,” she said, handing me tissues and smoothing my hair.

Even though my tears had dried, I lay awake, sharing Raegan's bed. Her back was turned toward me, her snores coming steady and soft.

The part about his dreams made me sad. After I confessed everything, he had told me about the ones that he kept having. They were different every time. But they were from our future life together. Things I had lived through with him. And now he was at the part where we had started unravelling. And it broke my heart.

***

Jax

I woke up, my back stiff and my head pounding. I was in the back of my pick up, no blanket, no pallet, just lying on the bare bed.

My conversation with Teegan played back and terror filled my chest. I screwed up everything. I called her a bitch, which I had never done. In the last few months, we hadn't had any major fights.

I had a lot of making up to do. And Teegan made me work for it. She wouldn't answer my calls or texts for two days. I sent flowers, and cards and pretty much anything else I thought she would like.

I wasn't about to lose her like my future-self did.

Finally, the Tuesday after the party she finally opened the door. She looked beautiful, more beautiful than usual. She wore a pink sundress, her blonde hair in a usual braid. I wanted to draw her close to me, kiss every inch of her awesome body.

“Hey,” I said instead, nervousness coursing through me.

“Hi,” she muttered. Her gaze was sad, her brown eyes a little darker than normal.

We stood there for a few moments and then I confessed, “I've missed you Teegan.” My heart hurt by the realization of how much I meant those words. Her chest heaved hard and she hurried into my arms. My lips were over hers in seconds, and her tongue shoved into my mouth. I put my arms around her hips and lifted her up.

Her hands held my face, her fingertips in my hair. It felt so good to hold her in my arms once more.

“Inside,” she demanded breathlessly and I obeyed.

“I'm so sorry baby. I really am. Please don't leave me ‘cause I'm such a freaking idiot.” I pleaded. I had no qualms about groveling at her feet; she was my everything.

“You're a freaking jerk, and a shit head, and an asshole,” she said, her kisses trailing down my neck.

“I know, I know.”

“And I love you, so very much," she concluded. I squeezed her closer, her chest so close to mine that I could hear her heart thudding against her skin.

“I love you too, baby.”

She leaned back, her brown eyes full of need, “Then you need to show me.”

“With pleasure.” I smirked and then headed off to her room, to show her how sorry I really was. And how thankful that she was still mine.

Chapter Fifteen

Teegan

After we showered together, we made our way to my dad's study. Our make-up sex had been sweet and slow. Jax had apologized over and over and finally I told him to stop, because I forgave him days ago. I had missed him and it was nice to see just how much he had missed me.

“You wanna go to the beach? We haven't been there together yet.” Jax said, sitting on my bean bag while I sat in a chair above him.

“Yeah, it is pretty outside. But I'm not gonna get 'nasty' with you there, just FYI,” I teased. Jax groaned and laughed.

“I'm pretty stupid when I'm drunk. Horny too. I really missed you that night.”

I put my finger over his lips, “I was teasing. I don't want to bring it up. Come on and help me pick out a swimsuit and we can go.”

Ten minutes later, after having Jax 'help' me change into a red striped tankini, we loaded into his truck. The beach was about 20 minutes away, and I snuggled up to Jax while he took off.

I had dozed off, my head on Jax's shoulder, the radio playing softly while he had the windows down. It was such a gorgeous day.

“Oh shit. Shit!” Jax's voice was laced with fear. I sat up, confused and looked up at him. His face had lost all color.

“Teegan! Put your seatbelt-” he yelled at me but was cut off, as the truck made impact with something else. We tumbled over and over, I felt my head crack as I flew into the windshield.

And then, darkness.

***

Teegan

Intense pain radiated throughout my entire body. The smell of burnt tires and gasoline filled my nose and made me gag.

"Teegan, Teegan! Thank God! You're alive. Baby, are you okay?" Jax's face loomed in front of me, but his voice seemed so far away. I felt my head being lifted and I turned and saw his blue swim shorts. Jax's body was cradled over me, supporting me. He was sobbing, his tears falling onto my face, cooling my skin where they made contact.

"Jax? What happened?"

"Baby, we were in a car accident. Teeg, I love you. I'm so sorry. I never saw that car."

I swallowed the huge lump that had formed in my throat. I was dizzy and felt something else as well. A feeling like I was holding on for dear life, but the pull to leave was too strong. I wasn't going to make it.