Now and Forever Still (2 page)

“He loves you, Cam. He loves you very much. You guys act like newlyweds, and you’ve been together for years. That’s rare, you know. Even Sawyer and I have our moments, but the love I see in Colby’s eyes. It’s the same way Soy looks at me, and if you're anything like me, that has to make you feel pretty special.”

My eyes threatened tears and I sniffled. I puffed out a watery laugh. “Why are you always right?” I asked.

She shrugged and squeezed my hand. “I’ve been right since the day you stole my marker.”

“It was my turn to use it,” I objected with a grin.

“It’s time to let it go.” Her smile held more than humor; it held a wisdom, a knowledge I was still yet to learn.

I nodded.

She was right. It was time to let go. The past was gone, and everything I wanted was just a room away.

“SO, THAT’S HOW THE
Dixon boys do it. Glad I never went there.” Cammie’s laugh was sexy as hell.

Her pert tits pushed against the fabric of her thin sweater, and I grinned.

“Uh? You want some of this, Cammie?”

I released Elizabeth from my hold. We’d been playing like we had as kids, but as I stood and rolled my shoulders, Cammie’s pouty lips spread into a flirty smile. So when she bit the corner of her bottom lip, I took that shit as an invitation. The sleeves of my white, long-sleeved Weber State Football shirt pushed easily up my arms as I trapped Cammie in my gaze. My brother, Todd, rattled off something stupid and headed upstairs. He’d been a moody asshole lately. But, as I darted toward her, and she shrieked, my adrenaline spiked, and I could give two shits about Todd or his disapproval. She let me chase her around the couch a few times, and I let her think she had the advantage. Lizzie’s giggles faded as I finally wrapped my hands around Cammie’s small waist and easily brought her to the ground.

She was out of breath as I pinned her arms above her head and straddled her body. Her blue eyes darkened and her laughter died down as our breathing deepened into more than just the chase. My dick sprang to life as I watched her lips part. She smelled like fucking peaches, and I was dying to kiss her. I’d known this chick all my life. She was untouchable. One of Todd’s best friends. She was the girl every guy wanted, but for some reason she gave herself to all the fuckups. As my fingers tightened around the soft skin of her wrist and her eyes filled with need, I realized now was my chance.

“This is how a real Dixon man does it.” My voice was confident as I lowered my lips to hers.

Her mouth was warm and wet as the flavor of vanilla mixed with the peach scent of her skin, and I fucking melted into her. Her breath was fast and hot against my mouth as I released the hold on her wrists. My hands framed her face, and her arms wound around my neck as our kiss intensified. My hips rocked against her unconsciously — my body seeking hers— and a deep growl rumbled in my chest.

“What the hell?” Todd’s angered tone was like a bucket of cold water.

I pulled away quickly and looked into her eyes. Those eyes had turned me into an animal, and a sly and knowing smile broke across her face.

“Now that’s a kiss.” She rested her fingertips on her lips and she giggled. It was the sweetest damn giggle I’d ever heard.

“You may kiss the—”

The officiator didn’t have to tell me; I was already there. It was like day one; her sweet taste, it was melting me all over again. It did every time. Every. Damn. Time. She raked her hands through my hair and, as she deepened the kiss, my hands gripped her lace-covered waist. She was fucking gorgeous in her dress. Leave it to Cammie to pick the sexiest damn dress in the shop. When she walked down that aisle, it was like watching my own personal super model. I was lucky, more than lucky — I was blessed. A light moan escaped her as she pressed against me.

Sawyer cleared his throat, and I heard Todd chuckle. Fuck them; I was kissing my wife, and if they didn’t like it, well…

“Bro, your parents are front and center. Didn’t know you were into that.” Seth’s smartass remark made me smile.

“You ready, Sweets?” My lips brushed against hers.

“Yes.” She laced her fingers with mine as we turned to face everyone.

It was just my parents and our friends. As per usual, Cammie’s parents were no shows in her life, but she’d never reveal how much it bothered her, at least not to the others.

Sawyer’s large hand cupped my shoulder with a forceful grip. “Congrats, brother.” His smile was ear to ear.

Todd was my blood brother, but, after he’d moved, Sawyer and I got real close. He’d taken me in, given me an awesome job, and made me his partner in Willow Wood Interiors. Soy was just as much my brother as Todd.

“Thanks, man.” The joy I felt was evident in my own smile.

There were hugs and tears, mostly from the girls, and maybe a few fell from my own eyes when I saw the pride in my mother’s stature as she hugged my wife. But the congratulations were short lived. Todd and his girlfriend Lily had brought my niece and nephew to Vegas with them, and I could tell Lily was eager to get them fed and in bed. Soy and Liz had plans to catch a show down the strip, and Seth and Tiff were going to babysit Sailor so they could have a date night.

“Congrats, son.” My dad pulled me into a hug. “I’m glad you finally trusted yourself to make her an honest woman.”

“Thanks.” My voice was strained as I spoke around my emotion.

He nodded as he pulled away. His brown eyes were soft as he grinned. “Get the heck out of here, son. Go be with your wife.”

Todd’s eyes met mine from just across the room and he cleared his throat. “Can I have everyone’s attention?”

The voices in the room quieted down, and my niece, Molly, jumped down from one of the chairs and ran over to her father.

“Hey, baby, come over here for a sec.” Todd’s voice wavered as he called to Lily.

Lily furrowed her brow as she moved toward her husband. “You can do this. We practiced it in the room a million times,” she whispered, but I overheard it. Leave it to my big brother to be nervous about his best man speech.

“First I want to say, good job, little brother, you finally caught her.” Todd smiled and the room murmured with laughter. “I had this whole speech prepared. I was going to tell you how proud I am. How much of a man you’ve become, and how because of Cammie, your life will be better than you could ever imagine.”

Cammie wrapped her arm around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder.

“But, in all of that, I left out one thing.” He stepped away from Lily and took her hand, dropping his eyes from me only to bring them in direct alignment with hers. “I envy him. I want what they have. I want you.”

Lily’s lips separated with a gasp as he dropped to his knee. Molly whispered in his ear, and he chuckled before he spoke. “Go ahead, Mol.”

“Will…” Molly’s little voice trembled. Todd whispered in her ear, and my father chuckled as she continued. “You…” She giggled, and Todd prompted her again quietly so only she could hear. “M-marry my daddy?”

Todd’s smile was the fucking biggest I’d ever seen it. “Marry me, baby?”

Lily’s cat-colored eyes glittered as tears fell down her cheeks, and she nodded, unable to speak.

Todd stood and brought his hands to her either side of her face. “Yeah?”

She nodded again and smiled. “Yeah.”

I gave my brother a private smile just before my mother nearly tackled poor Lily. I was happy for him; he was the one who always believed in the notion of a happily ever after. He was a romantic at heart, and shit, if he didn’t deserve some sort of fairytale ending.

“Do you think we can sneak out of here undetected?” Cammie’s breath on my skin whispered suggestive thoughts into my brain.

“Hell yes, let’s go.”

It wasn’t hard to slip away, and the elevator ride up to the tenth floor was long as hell. Once we made it to our room, we were all hands, hot breath, and wet lips as we stumbled to the bed.

Cammie giggled.

“What?” I shrugged out of my tux jacket and hung it over the back of one of the chairs and started to work on my tie as I met her playful stare.

“You seem like you’re in a hurry.”

I pulled my tie off and let it fall to the floor as I took a step toward her. She backed up a step and gave me a small sideways smile. “You’ve been teasing me all night with this short as sin wedding dress,” I growled. “Was that your plan?” I closed the space between us, fitting my left hand on her waist as my right cradled her at the nape and my thumb dusted along her cheek.

“Yes.” She shivered and let her head fall back into my hold as her eyes fluttered shut.

My lips tasted a trail along her jaw to her neck, and her quiet sigh let me know I had her where I wanted her.

When I pulled away her face was flushed. “Cammie.” I lifted my hand from her waist, reached around her and gently pulled down the zipper of her dress. “You make me fucking crazy.” I trailed my thumb down her bare back as the dress fell to the floor. I stepped away from her so I could admire her perfect body. She stood in just heels and nude lace panties. My dick strained against my zipper as I stalled. My words were failing me as she stepped out from the fabric pooled around her feet. She started to unbutton my shirt, but I stilled her hands with mine. Her brows narrowed. “Cammie, every time I’m with you it’s something new, and I love that. I love that you never cease to surprise me.”

She brought my hands to her breasts and smiled as she leaned in to whisper in my ear, “It will always be that way with us.”

“Why?” The one word begged for her touch and begged for her to relieve the pressure building in each beat of my pulse. I fisted one of my hands in her hair as she nipped at the sensitive flesh just below my ear.

“Because ever since that first kiss, Colby, we’ve been playing our little game of tag.” She met my gaze and pulled her bottom lip through her teeth as I increased my grip on her satin strawberry strands. “Sometimes I win, and sometimes you do, but today… I won, and I know… each time you lose, you find a new play, and I can’t wait to see what you’ve chosen for tonight.”

Her eyes were hooded as I moved in slowly, and the closer I got, the heavier she would breathe. Waiting… for what was to come. Now she was the one begging. Begging for me to just fucking take her – it was how I became the champion of our cat and mouse game.

I’d let her believe she’d always had the advantage — just like the night of our first kiss. But in the end, it was me that had the prize… because I had
her
. After everything, she was mine, now and forever still.

Tea Time Pink and Fairy Dusted Screwed

Seth and Tiffany

“You have bewitched me body and soul.”

Jane Austen

IT WASN’T ME; THE
fucking melody was off.

“Sam, did you drink last night? I don’t have time for this shit. You’re flat. Do it again.” I released the intercom button with my finger and nodded at Sam through the glass.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. These young kids had no clue how to make an album. They wanted everything to be over produced and had no respect for their own natural ability. They wanted to be in and out. Everything had gotten too fast, or maybe I was just getting old. My daughter Annie was turning nine this year, Liv would be five, and I was pushing forty. My harsh exhale did little to ease my building tension. Time was getting away from me — from us.

My eyes lowered to the tattoo on my left finger.
I am hers
. Those three words were all it ever took to calm me. My lips broke into a smile as I pulled my phone from my pocket and swiped the lock screen. The picture I’d taken over at Todd’s the other day was now my home screen. Tiffany’s long dark hair matched our daughters' as they sat on swings in his backyard. The almost black and shiny strands fell over their shoulders in exactly the same way. Their alabaster skin was a deep contrast to Tiff’s ink covered surfaces.
My life — my girls
. They looked just like Tiff, but had my pale blue eyes. We were in trouble.

The universe had a funny way of paying you back for all the wrongs you’d committed in a lifetime. My penance… I had all girls. Tiff and I had only planned on two kids, and when they both ended up being girls, she was thrilled. I, on the other hand, was horrified. Being the kind of guy that I used to be, knowing what was out there… this was someone’s idea of a sick joke, but I wasn’t laughing. If anything, Liv and Annie would never leave the fucking house as far as I was concerned.

The beep of the intercom broke me from my thoughts. I pressed the button with one hand and set my phone on the desk.

“What?” I asked. The irritation in my voice couldn’t be helped; I wanted to head home already.

“Was that better?” Sam pulled nervously at his stupid ass man-bun. He had this whole hipster shit thing going on. He shoved his glasses with his finger and placed his acoustic guitar into its stand.

“It’s fine for now. I’ll listen tonight, see what I think. You better bring it next week. I know what you’re capable of, and it’s fucking genius.” I wasn’t lying; he was talented.

His smile widened. “Go home to your family. I’ll work over the chorus this weekend.”

“Sounds like a good idea. You know the way out.” I gave him a nod and released the intercom.

I switched off the equipment and grabbed my phone. I swiped at the screen and pressed Tiff’s number. It rang three times before I was gifted with her soft, sexy voice.

“Hey. You headed home, Mr. Montgomery?”

I chuckled. “Soon. How are you feeling?”

I grabbed my keys from my desk and shut the studio lights off behind me.

“Tired. I’ve been having contractions.” She sounded out of breath, and my pulse skipped.

“You okay?” I moved quickly through the hall and out the back door. The frigid temperature shocked me, and I had to take a deep breath. “Shit.”