Forever

“You won’t. Just keep your eyes on the road.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to watch the peep show in the backseat.”

“Peep show?” Alyssa said, joining us again.

“Someone really needs to stop interrupting conversations,” Jaymeson grumbled then stomped to the car and got in the front seat.

“Hey.” I tugged Alyssa’s hand. “Can we talk?”

“Right now?”

“On the way to the airport.” I opened the car door for her. “Jaymeson has ear plugs in.”

“Is that even safe?”

“It’s not super dark yet.” I shrugged. “We should be fine. Besides it’s not as if you and I can’t hear, I just…” I swallowed back the dryness in my throat. “It’s important that we talk about something.”

“Fine.” She gave me a weak smile and got into the car.

Wow, that was a great start.

Chapter Nineteen

Demetri

I waited until we were on the highway and then grabbed Alyssa’s hand. It seemed like we’d lived a thousand lifetimes together. I mean, how many shitty things had we dealt with together over the last year? I wanted to marry her. I really did. I wanted to be with her forever. I think part of me was still scared of commitment, not that I actually wanted to say that to the girl I loved.

Anyone — and I do mean anyone — in my position would be feeling the same thing. After all, I went from drug-addicted, suicidal maniac to sober, group-counseling marriage material — all within the course of a year. It was fast, and I knew that. In the long run I didn’t want to be the type of guy who jumped into marriage just because I loved someone — not when I wasn’t sure I was actually able to offer all of myself without hesitation.

Because marriage didn’t just affect me, it affected her and I’d be damned if I put her through heartache she didn’t deserve.

“Lyss,” I began, my voice cracking.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “I just, I know you want to talk Demetri, and I know we need to discuss things. I’m just not in the mood to fight, you know? Not after seeing such a beautiful ceremony. Not after experiencing what we did last night. Can we just… not talk?”

“I think that’s the first time a girl’s ever asked to make out with me…” I joked.

Alyssa rolled her eyes but I could see a small smile forming on her lips, she pressed them together and looked out the window.

“Trying to hide your amusement?” I grasped her chin and tilted her face towards mine.

“Ass.” She sighed, lips trembling.

“Come on, you love this ass.”

Full-on laughter escaped her lips. “Ugh, I hate how easy it is to forget when I’m hurt or angry or upset with you.”

“I don’t ever want you to feel like you can’t talk to me, Lyss, but honestly? I’m glad you don’t stay upset for long. I’m not sure my heart could take it. You’re my entire world; therefore, all my focus is always going to be on making you happy, and trying to distract you from moments when I’m a complete jack ass.”

She sighed heavily. I waited for her to say something; instead she kissed me lightly across the mouth. “Kiss me, Demetri Daniels. Make me forget I’m upset with you.”

“My pleasure,” I whispered against her pink lips.

Chapter Twenty

Nat

Naked.

I was naked.

And I was already pregnant.

So I should have been totally fine with the fact that Alec specifically asked for me to wear nothing. He even gave me a time limit. Five minutes and he was coming back into the hotel room.

The man was insane! He’d helped me out of my dress then turned when it fell from my body. He’d said something about ’do overs’, which to be honest, I wasn’t really sure I was comfortable with. As far as I was concerned, I didn’t want a ’do over’, I just wanted him.

A knock sounded at the door.

I took a few deep breaths and answered, “Come in.”

The door opened and closed so fast I jumped in my chair.

“Perfect,” Alec’s dark voice radiated throughout the room causing me to tremble in my chair. He took a few steps toward me and then stopped.

I watched as his eyes drank me in — all of me.

Uncomfortable, I started to shift in my chair.

“Don’t.” His voice was hoarse; he tugged his shirt from his pants and began slowly unbuttoning. With each button my breathing picked up until finally he threw his shirt onto the ground.

And my husband was a god. Guys shouldn’t be so good-looking; they shouldn’t have such ripped abs that they looked airbrushed. His blue eyes darkened as my chest rose and fell with effort to remember to breathe.

“Look at me,” he coaxed.

“I am.”

“Watch.”

I licked my lips as he unbuckled his belt and then dropped his pants to the ground leaving nothing but his briefs and muscle… if he got bored with singing he could always support us by being an underwear model. I gripped the chair as he walked toward me.

I expected a kiss.

Instead he traced the curve of my face with his fingers and grabbed my hand. “I said a ’do over’… what I meant was…” He closed his eyes, his jaw flexed. “I wish I would have waited until tonight to see you like this for the first time. Regrets suck, you know that? But in the end, I can’t bring myself to regret being with you, to regret giving myself to you, or to even regret that we got pregnant.” His eyes opened. “Look at me, Nat.”