Chapter 3

 

“Babe, we’re here,” Bryce says softly in my ear. I open my heavy eyes slowly and see we are in the parking lot of his apartment complex.

“Sorry, I fell asleep.”

“Don’t be. Nate and I listened to sports radio.”

“That’s probably what put me to sleep.” I scowl. “Well, that and the half-dozen shots I got this morning.”

“Let’s get you to the couch. You can go back to sleep.” He unclips my seatbelt and lifts me.

“I can walk,” I try to argue but then rest my head on his shoulder, inhaling his scent.

“Are you sniffing me?”

“Sort of. I love the way you smell. Spicy, woodsy, citrusy…all you. I’ve loved this cologne since you were in high school.”

He stops and turns his head toward me. The look on his face is unreadable until his eyes grow soft. “It’s exactly the same with you. The perfume you wear is permanently etched into my brain. Every single time a woman is in the vicinity with that same scent, I automatically look for you.”

My heart swells, and I touch my lips to his. He holds me tighter as his tongue slips into my mouth. At the taste of him, my heart rate speeds up. I clutch his shoulders and twist my legs around his waist. It doesn’t occur to me that we’re still outside in the parking lot as I devour his mouth. Our tongues swirl together while the familiar burning builds in the pit of my stomach. We stay this way until a car drives by honking. Bryce breaks away, nipping my lower lip gently.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Nate grumbles behind us.

“Sorry,” I squeak, completely unapologetic.

He rolls his eyes and passes us to grab the bags from the truck. I jump down and help unload.

Once we get inside, a sense of sadness washes over me. These next few days will be the last we spend in this apartment. There are a lot of fond memories that whirl through my mind. Bryce and I may not have spoken for a long time, but before I cut him out of my life, Quinn and I loved visiting the guys when we were seniors in high school.

Even with the Holli fiasco, the week I spent here on Spring Break was one of the best weeks ever. It was the first time, as a true couple, Bryce and I had a week together. I fight back the tears that threaten. Both men watch me carefully, reading the sadness in my face. Neither says anything as they wait for it to pass.

The apartment is not the only thing that has made me feel this way. Since the night we celebrated my trip to Rio, I’ve been blindsided with emotions regarding the upcoming changes in our lives.

In twelve days, I’ll be saying goodbye for six weeks. Bryce and Nate leave for Rhode Island shortly after. We’ll know more about methods of communication once they get there. But both have already prepared me that we won’t be having hours of Facetime like we did before.

OCS expectations are insanely high, and the training is intense. Bryce has promised to try everything in his power for us to talk daily, but we both know it won’t happen, especially when I land in South America.

So I glance around the room, committing it to memory, and plaster on a fake smile. “We’re getting the U-Haul on Saturday, right?” I ask Nate.

“Yeah, a few guys will be here to help load it up. We should be on the road back to Nashville by two or three.”

“Why don’t y’all start on your rooms, and I’ll do the kitchen?”

“Fine by me.” Nate grabs a few boxes from the corner and disappears down the hall.

“I’ll help you. My room can wait.” Bryce follows me to the kitchen with our own boxes.

“I’ll start with the cabinets. You clean out the fridge.”

He agrees and grabs the trashcan, while I get the dishes down and start wrapping. We’re silent for a few minutes, but I feel the heat of his stare.

“I know you’re looking at me.”

“I’m not trying to hide that.”

“Why are you looking at me?”

“Because you’re breathtaking. My eyes won’t come unglued.”

Tears blur my vision with his sweet words. My heart physically hurts knowing we’re about to be apart for so long.

He sees them and comes straight to me, pulling me into his embrace. “Don’t cry, baby.”

“It’s all becoming so real. When we walked into the apartment today, I felt it immediately.”

“I know. It was written all over your face.”

“It’s silly. It’s only an apartment, and we have time before we leave. Why the hell am I so emotional?”

“Maybe it is only an apartment, but remember the weekend you and Quinn came to visit and we took you to a UT football game?”

“Yes.”

“Remember that stupid marathon you girls watched on Sunday?”

“Pretty Little Liars is hardly stupid.”

He raises an eyebrow and cups my chin gently. “It was and is fucking ridiculous. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. Every once in a while, I’ll run across that program and watch it, thinking of you. God, I loved you then but was too scared to admit the feelings. At the time, it was more of a she’s such an incredible and beautiful girl. But now, I recognize the signs. All weekend, my heart would race when you walked into a room. My palms grew sweaty, thinking about reaching out to grab your hand. My mouth would salivate each time you licked your lips. I had it bad but was too dumb to recognize it.

“So, yeah, it’s only an apartment, but it holds memories.”

I suck in a shaky breath and stare into his deep blue eyes. They hold me captive with their own emotions swirling. I thought it impossible to love him any deeper, but he proves me wrong with statements like that.

“We’ll get our own apartment, baby. In a few years, when you graduate and we know where I’m stationed, we’ll get a place and build new memories.”

“I know we will. I’m being immature and ridiculous.”

“No, you’re being you. And I love you.”

“Bryce, I’m going to warn you now. I’m going to be a mess, an absolute mess when I leave.”

“Me too, babe,” he tells me and sweeps my hair to the side, laying his face against my neck. “I need to be focused, but you’ll be on my mind constantly.”

I try to hold back but fail. I cry openly, latching on to his shoulders. It’s a worthless effort to talk because sobs wrack my body. I’ve been holding in so much emotion that I can’t stop.

I’m happy but sad.

I’m proud but scared.

I’m nervous but excited.

All these thoughts run through my mind as I hold him tight. The only thing to bring me out of his arms is the sound of my brother coughing softly. I step back and turn to him, pulling him close.

“Dev, what the fuck?”

“I promise, after tonight, no more tears until I leave. But do you know how much I love you?” I say into his shoulder, and he holds me tighter.

“Yeah, I think so.” His own emotions clog his throat.

I allow his hold to calm me and then step back, swiping my eyes and grabbing a napkin to wipe my face. “No more. I’m fine.” I square my shoulders. “Let’s finish this kitchen and then order an early dinner. I think it may even be time to crack open a beer.”

Bryce takes no time in handing Nate and me a beer and opening one for himself. He moves me next to him and kisses my temple.

“For the rest of our lives,” is all he says, and I smile widely.

I know the minute Nate leaves for the night because Bryce barges into the bathroom, strips without a word, and joins me in the shower. He smiles seductively as his eyes rake up and down my soapy body. I turn into the spray to rinse off, yelping when he tugs me into him. The second his fingers touch my hardened nipples, I throw my head back into the crook of his neck. He nibbles on my earlobe as I snake my hand between us and run my thumb lightly over the head of his hardened cock. Bryce growls lowly and moves one hand lower until his finger slides easily into me.

I practically purr when he glides another inside me and slides them in and out. My hand wraps all the way around him, earning a rough hiss.

“Come for me, babe. You’re so fucking wet. My dick is begging to be inside you, but I need you to come first.”

His fingers increase their pace, and my release builds. My body is on fire with the warmth of his embrace and the heat from the shower spray. He squeezes my entire breast, eliciting a moan.

“Fuck it. I can’t wait.” Bryce stops, rips his hands away, and spins me toward him. He bends and lifts me so that my legs wrap around his waist easily. Once he has me backed into the tile wall, he lowers me onto him, his hard cock gliding into my slickness slowly. His eyes burn with desire, and I’m trapped. This is another moment I’m committing to memory, the desire and hunger lingering in the air between us.

My nails skim up the back of his neck as I crush my mouth to his. The kiss is hard and deep, and he swivels his hips several times before rapidly driving into me. I tighten my core muscles, trying to not only push him closer to the edge but also hold myself back. If I let go, I’ll explode, but I want him with me. He pulls away from the kiss and lays his forehead against mine, breathing heavy.

“Baby, let go.”

“Not without you.”

“Devon, I’m right there. You’re so fucking tight, so wet.”

There’s nothing I can do to stop the pressure building. My breathing shallows, and Bryce grins slyly. He rotates his hips once and moves himself against the sensitive skin of my clit.

“Bryce!” I scream as the orgasm hits me with monstrous force, threatening to split me open. Spots cloud my vision as he pumps into me twice more before yelling through his own release. I try my best to focus, but when his hands squeeze my ass, I come again from the sensations alone.

His body stills against mine, and we both pant loudly, holding on to one another.

“I’m pretty sure it was a good thing I hadn’t ever felt your body around mine when I made my life plan.” His voice is raspy.

“Why do you say that?”

“If I’d have known how fucking terrific you feel and the things you do to me when I signed up for the Navy, I may have rethought my decision. Now, being away from this for any amount of time is its own form of torture.”

I giggle and kiss his collarbone casually. He moves us easily out of the spray and turns off the water. Stepping out of the shower, he grabs a towel and rubs it up and down my back. I take the towel from him and try my best to dry his own back, staying wrapped around him.

When he lays me on his bed, I let go and shuffle under the sheets. He crawls next to me and tugs my hair out of the bun. His skin is still warm and damp as I curl into him.

“Wake me up in an hour, so we can do that again.” I yawn and feel his chest vibrate under my cheek.

“Those vaccinations really did a number on you, huh?”

“Yes, paired with the fact that I had an emotional afternoon and then incredible sex.”

“Sleep, baby.” His fingers rub lightly up and down my arm.

“Seriously, wake me up in an hour.”

He chuckles softly and links our hands together, draping them across his chest. “I love you, sweet girl.”

That’s the last thing I hear until the pounding on the front door startles us both awake. Bryce starts cussing and slides from under me, switching on the bedside lamp.

“Sorry, but I need to find something to put on,” he rumbles.

“What time is it?”

“Actually, it’s a little after eight.”

“We slept almost nine hours?”

“Seems so, and we’re going to sleep a few more after I take care of whoever’s at the door.”

The pounding starts up again as he pulls on a pair of athletic shorts.

“Who the hell visits this early?”

“No idea, but I’ll be back.” He kisses my forehead and walks out, leaving the door cracked.

I lean back into his pillow, but my eyes pop open when he yells, “What the hell?”

I scramble to his bathroom to get the pajamas I left on the counter last night. Once I have them on and my hair is in a ponytail, I rush toward the living room.

Nate is in his doorway, and he puts one finger to his lips. I join him and strain to hear what’s happening.

“This is going to be really good,” Nate whispers.

“Who’s here?”

Before he can answer, Holli’s annoying voice fills the other room.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?”

“Fuck no. Now, I’ll ask you again. What the hell are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t let you leave without talking to you.”

“About what?”

“Please let me in,” she tries again.

“What don’t you understand about fuck no? I thought it was made perfectly clear when I saw you at the bar last month that you fucking needed to get over whatever bullshit you had in your head about us. You ambushed my girlfriend at MY apartment pool, while she was alone, to spout your delusional shit about us.”

Bryce’s angry vibes fill the whole apartment. I try to go to him, but Nate grips my wrist.

“Let him do this, Dev. It’s a long time coming. He’s been angry since she pulled her stunt with you years ago. He needs to get it out. You know he won’t hurt her, but he’s finally going to leave no room for misinterpretation.”

I nod and then inch forward to peek around the corner. It’s obvious she put some work into her visit. She’s dressed to the nines, and her three-inch wedge sandals showcase her long, slender legs. Her hair is straightened, hanging long, and her face is completely made up.

No one looks that good this early in the morning unless they have an agenda.

“Holli, for Christ’s sake, what the fuck are you doing banging on my door this early?”

“I saw Nate out last night and over heard him say y’all were moving and heading to Rhode Island. I couldn’t let you leave without clearing the air between us. We were in love once. We were going to have a baby. Can we start over? Maybe I can visit wherever you’re stationed after OCS?”

I whip my head to see Nate’s eyes grow wide and then a smile break out across his face. “Just wait,” he mouths.

I turn back to watch as Bryce crosses his arms across his naked chest and looks at the ceiling, blowing out a loud breath. His eyes slice to the side, and he gives me a small chin jerk in acknowledgement. She remains oblivious to my presence.

“Holli, I’m pretty sure you saw the ring on Devon’s hand at my graduation and know I proposed. If you didn’t, let me go ahead and officially announce, I’m engaged.”

She shakes her head back and forth in disbelief. “I saw it but couldn’t believe you’d ever link yourself to a girl. That’s what she is, Bryce—a girl. Isn’t she still in her teens? There’s no way she can give you what you need. How did this even happen?”

A growl escapes his throat, and when he speaks, the tone of his voice makes the hair on my arms stand. “Let me get this straight. You hear I’m back in town to pack up and move, and you get a wild hair. Then you fancy yourself up, bang on my door at eight in the morning, and haul my ass out of bed—with my fiancée—so you can ‘clear the air’ ?”

Her eyes widen and do a quick scan of the room at the mention of me. She opens her mouth, but Bryce cuts her off.

“I’m going to answer your questions, and then I’m closing this door. Thought I made that clear before, but I was too nice. No more nice.

“I’ve been in love with Devon Harris since the day I laid eyes on her. She’s the most beautiful thing in my world, probably always has been. You call her a girl, and that’s fine because she’s my girl. But she’s also all woman, and I am lucky to be linked to her. If there’s anything I need, it will come from her because she’s my everything.”

He takes another deep breath, and her lips start to quiver.

“As for how this happened? She graciously gave me another chance after I begged. The stunt you pulled the night of her high school graduation will always be imbedded in her brain, no matter how many times I try to erase it. Making her think you were my fiancée was low. You knew our relationship wasn’t serious. I never loved you.” His voice grows soft with kindness, but he continues to speak.

“That may seem cruel, but you know it’s true. You manipulated me with threats and then heartache. If fate was different and we’d had a child, I’d be the best damn dad ever, but I’d be doing it with her by my side. I thought I wasn’t good enough for her after you got pregnant, but she still consumed my mind.”

A tear falls down her cheek, and she puts her hand to her mouth. After all this time and the endless conversations Bryce had with her, she finally realizes he was never hers. His kindness after the miscarriage gave her a hope she’s been clinging to. Even with me in the picture, she thought she had a chance to win him back.

“Looks like you may understand now. The only reason I’m standing here at all is because I’m waiting to hear that you want to apologize to Devon for your classless behavior the last time you saw her.”

Tears flow freely down her face, and a small piece of me feels sympathy. Then she straightens her shoulders, and anger flashes across her face. “Is that what she told you? She is a liar—”

“Holli, stop. At this point, you’re embarrassing yourself. I’ll be out of this city in a few days, and I can only hope our paths don’t cross again. But if they do, don’t fuck with us, or you’ll regret it.”

He steps back, shuts the door, and turns to the room. I run to him, jumping into his arms.

“If that girl doesn’t get the hint after that, she needs help,” I say softly.

He grunts into my neck.

“With that being said, I think my fiancé needs to know how much of a turn on that was.”

Bryce leans back and gives me a smug smirk. Both of us turn our heads when Nate grumbles. He’s changed into shorts and has his running shoes on.

“I’m going for a run. Be back in an hour.” He emphasizes the hour and walks out the door.

I giggle, and Bryce kisses me quickly. “You have an hour, babe. I’m all yours.”

“You bet you are.”