Falling Together (All That Remains #2) (27 page)

“You’re
going to be. Tattletales are the last to come.” Pouncing on me, they torture me
with pleasure for what seems like hours, bringing me right to the edge of
ecstasy, before backing off just to work me up again. After threatening and
cursing and finally pleading for relief, Airen finally has mercy, and sends me
into a bone rattling, brain numbing orgasm with one hard lick of his tongue.

Oh,
my boys.

Abby

“No
way, woman. Wear a different one,” Airen growls.

Standing
in front of the floor length mirror in our bedroom, I turn slowly, admiring my
red bikini. “I want to get some sun. I wore this last year and you didn’t
care.” And it still looks damn good if I do say so myself. I’m a few pounds
lighter, and the thin stretch marks on my hips aren’t nearly as noticeable as
I’d feared. Digging through my dresser, he tosses me a black one piece I wore
when I was pregnant. “You have to be kidding me, Airen. Would you like me to
wear a robe over it as well?”

“Fine
then.” He frowns. “This one.” A cute yellow two piece with a halter top and
boyshort bottoms printed with sunflowers lands on my shoulder. “You love
sunflowers.” I’m assaulted by that charming smile that’s so hard to resist, but
I manage, turning my back and pulling my hair into a ponytail.

“Since
when do you care what I wear?”

“Since
I’m not going, and I don’t want Eric and Gary ogling your half naked body.”

“Don’t
be a Neanderthal. You can’t tell me what to wear.” If he’d asked me to change,
I’d have done it, but after his “no way, woman” comment, he’s lucky my ass is
too big to wear a thong. I start to pull my shorts on over my bikini bottoms,
but the room tips suddenly when I’m thrown over his shoulder and then tossed on
the bed, his weight pinning me down as he straddles my hips.

“Airen!
You’re being completely unreasonable!” Grinning while I twist and struggle
beneath him, he tugs off the bottoms he suddenly finds so offensive and unties
my top, tossing them across the room. His lips take mine in an aggressive kiss
that really makes it difficult to argue with him.

He
latches onto my nipple and makes me moan with a long hard draw. “These are
mine,” he declares, mirroring his action on my other breast. He sits up quickly
and pulls me across his lap. He’s dressed, and I’m completely bare, my ass
hiked over his knee.

“Airen!
No!” I struggle, and he spanks me hard, once on the lower curve of each cheek.
“Ow!” My hand flies back to protect my behind, my face burning. I’m terrified
Joseph will walk in while Airen caresses and kneads my backside.

“Does
that sting, darlin’?” he taunts. His low seductive voice lights a fire in the
pit of my belly, and I stop fighting him. I seem to have lost my ability to
speak. What was I mad about again? His hand falls again with a loud crack.
“Answer me, Abigail.”

“Yes!”

Hot
breath fills my ear with his whisper, “You know you like it.” Oh God. My body
couldn’t get hotter if I were dipped in lava. “If you let anyone else get even
a peek of this beautiful ass, I’ll spank it until it’s glowing as red as your
cheeks.” He runs his palm down the side of my face, his voice strained and
rough and so fucking sexy. “Understand?”

“You
wouldn’t. Not in front of Joseph,” I gasp. We have kept these little spankings
between us, and I don’t want Joseph to know about it.

One
more swat stings my ass before I’m pinned on my back again. “Test me darlin’,
see what happens.” His fingers slide under the silky material, and my yellow
bottoms are pulled up my legs to the top of my thighs. “Now, be a good girl and
I’ll reward you tonight.” He dips his dark head and runs his tongue between my
legs, licking a hot wet path right up my center that makes me jump and groan. With
an arrogant grin, he tugs the bottoms up over my hips and into place. Bastard.
He knows he’s got me now.

“You’re
such an asshole.” I turn my head away when he leans to kiss me, and his
smoldering eyes glint with amusement. Soft lips graze my neck, settling over the
sensitive spot that drives me crazy. My resistance melts, I’m putty in his
hands, and this time when he brings his mouth to mine I seize his lips, feeling
his self satisfied smile. The bedroom door opens with a squeak.

“Damn,
I can’t leave the room for ten minutes.” Joseph laughs. “What did I miss?”

“Just
reminding our girl who’s in charge.”

Airen
pulls me to my feet and smiles at Joseph while he ties the bow on my halter top.
He tugs my body back until my back is flush with his chest, and lowers his lips
to my ear, his hot breath making me shiver. “Don’t pout. Tonight I’m going to
eat you until you scream.”

Joseph
grins at Airen when I groan at his words. “Come on, Ladybug. Everyone’s waiting
for us.” I quickly throw on my clothes over my suit, glaring at Airen but
fighting the urge to smile. “I love your swimsuit,” Joseph remarks on our way
out the door, and Airen’s carefree laugh chases me through the house.

“I
still think Airen should have come with us,” Joseph declares as we make our way
through the woods to Julie’s house to meet the others.

“He’s
afraid one of you will slip up and do something that reveals your
relationship.”

“I
think I can keep my hands off him for one day. This is the last day we’re going
to lie like this.”

I
nod. “I’ve got your back whenever you’re ready to tell them, and so does Airen,
but he doesn’t trust himself not to lose his temper if they say something
hateful to you. That’s why he volunteered to stay home with Lane.”

“He
said that?”

“Yes.”

Joseph
sighs and takes my hand. “I couldn’t do any of this without you, my girl.”

“You’ll
never have to.”

Everyone
is gathered in Julie’s living room, beach bags and coolers in tow. The tropical
smell of sunscreen wafts through the air. I adore the scent; it should be
available as a perfume.

Joseph’s
voice is thick with emotion when he introduces Walker to his grandparents.
Joseph had a long talk with him before putting him to bed the night before. I
think he’s worried Walker will become attached. He has never had grandparents.

“You’re
as handsome as your daddy,” Connie declares, hugging him.

“I
know.” He grins.

“Nice
to meet you, son.” Joe lays his hand on Walker’s shoulder.

A
sunny smile blooms on Walker’s face. “You too. Do you know how to dive? Dad’s
gonna teach me today. Last time I kicked myself in the back of the head.”

Joe
actually laughs. “You can do it. I’ll show you a little trick. I taught your
daddy how to dive and swim. Are you a good swimmer?”

“Yep,
I learned when I was three.”

“He’s
a fish,” Joseph agrees with a proud smile.

“Will
we all fit on this boat?” Connie asks. It’s a fair question. Even without Airen
and Lane, there are twelve of us.

“It’s
a large two level pontoon boat. It even has a slide.” Joseph smiles when Walker
jumps up and down with excitement.

“Let’s
go!” He tugs on Joseph’s hand.

We
couldn’t have picked a better day to be on the lake. It’s over eighty degrees
and there isn’t a cloud to be found. A cool breeze lightly caresses my back
while the sun beats down, browning my skin. It feels amazing. I could lie here
all day. Lexi and Emma are stretched out beside me soaking in the rays, and
Connie is reclining under the beach umbrella with a drink in her hand. It’s
been an enjoyable afternoon of girl talk and sunbathing.

Joseph
climbs the ladder to the top level and pops his head through the opening.
“Everybody decent?”

“Of
course,” Lexi scoffs. Eric follows Joseph onto the platform and sits beside
Lexi as Joseph kneels beside me with a bottle of sunscreen.

“Let
me lotion your back.” Before I can protest, his hands are full of the sweet
smelling lotion.

“No
thanks, I’m trying to get some sun.”

“You’ve
had enough, sweetheart. You’re getting red.” He spreads the lotion across my
shoulders and down my back, continuing down my thighs and calves before
slapping me lightly on the ass. “Turn over.”

“I
can do my front.”

“Yeah,
but you won’t, you sun junky.” With a sweet smile on his face, he coats me in
lotion, effectively defeating my tanning pursuits for the next few hours.

“Honestly,”
I grumble. “Sometimes you’re worse than A…a mother.” Holy shit, I nearly said
Airen.

“Just
taking care of my girl,” he says, nuzzling my sweaty neck.

Lexi
shakes her head in amusement. “Sickening aren’t they?” she remarks to Connie.

“It’s
lovely to see Joseph so happy with a pretty girl,” she says with a smile. The
underlying significance of that statement is clear, and no one seems to know
how to respond.

Lexi
breaks the sudden silence. “Eric, are you gonna swim with me?”

“I
can’t swim.”

“You
have a life vest,” she points out, exasperated, and Eric nods, resigned.

“You
coming, Ab?” Lexi asks.

“No
way. The water is freezing. You’re crazy.”

“Yes,
she is,” Joseph chirps.

“No,
it’s too cold, and I’m comfortable. Besides, your mom is a bottomless well of
adorable childhood stories,” I tease.

Joseph
bounds to his feet and scoops me up, cradling me against his chest. His skin is
smooth and hot from the sun, and I can’t resist taking a whiff of his sweaty
male scent.

“Put
me down.” I giggle.

“Excuse
us, ladies.” He nods to his mom, Lexi, and Emma, who all smile at us, before
starting to the top of the slide.

“No!”
I try my best to slip from his grip when I realize where he’s headed. Despite
my greasy skin, he holds tight.

“Oh
yes.” Plopping me on his lap, he sits at the top of the slide, biceps flexing
as he wraps his arms around me quickly before I can escape. A short drop later
I’m immersed in the bone chilling water, his hands gripping my hips while we
swim to the surface. I gasp and smack his chest when we emerge to the sound of
hoots and laughter.

“You
asshole! I’m going to freeze to death.” He pulls my shivering body against his
and plants a hot kiss on my neck before whispering in my ear.

“That’s
for telling Airen about Pookums.” As soon as the name leaves his mouth he
curses and dunks his head underwater. My hands dive into his hair to pull him
back up.

“Pookums?
Oh my god. You named your cat Pookums? That’s adorable!” I laugh.

Cold
water sloshes between us, splashing my cheek when I’m pulled against his chest.
“Don’t you dare…”

I
put my finger over his lips with a grin. “It’s our little secret.” I wrap my
legs around his waist, pulling us just below the surface, and mold my mouth to
his. The sensation of his hot tongue exploring my mouth while cold water presses
around us is incredibly sensual. Darkness and silence add an air of seclusion
and isolation, like we’re the only people in the world, and it feels deeply
intimate. We surface when our lungs begin to scream for oxygen.

“Wow,”
I murmur, my head still floating among the stars.

“I
love you, ladybug. Let’s get you warm.”

Joseph
joins Walker and Joe who are fishing off the rear of the boat, and I climb back
up to the platform to lie in the sun in an attempt to urge the blood to return
to my limbs. Everyone else is on the lower deck when Connie sits beside me and
smiles.

“He’s
so happy with you, Abby. Head over heels. You’re the best thing that could have
happened to him.”

“You
have that backwards. I wouldn’t know what to do without him.”

She
squeezes my hand. “I’m so glad he has someone who loves him.”

“He’s
very easy to love.”

“He
always was a very sweet boy. My husband doesn’t know this, but I hired a
private investigator to find him a few years before the plague. I couldn’t take
another day of not knowing whether he was okay.”

I
have to bite my lip to prevent from asking her what she expected to happen when
she tossed a child out into the world alone. “So, you know about Tim?”

She
nods. “And the other twin.”

“It’s
heartbreaking.”

“But
look how things worked out for him. He turned away from that godless lifestyle
and he’s so happy.”

Fuck.
Did she just imply the deaths of his son and husband were a blessing? “Joseph
was devastated by the loss of the only family he had.”

“He
has you now,” she replies, ignoring the underlying meaning of my comment.

“Yes,
he does.”

“Does
it bother you? Knowing what he’s done? Who he was before?” I have to end this
conversation before I end up shoving this judgmental bitch into the lake. I’ve
seen Joseph’s face the past two days and I know under the bluster and warnings,
he has a small bit of hope that they have changed. He was right to be afraid
they’d hurt him all over again.

“I
love Joseph just the way he is. I wouldn’t change any part of him. If I could
go back and restore his family to him, undo all the pain he’s suffered, I
wouldn’t even hesitate. Please, excuse me, I need a drink.” I can’t listen to
her talk about him like this.

When
I descend the ladder, everyone is in the water except for Joseph, Joe, and
Walker, who are fishing from the rear deck. I smile at them, but Joseph sees
right through it. With a concerned look, he sets his fishing pole down, and follows
me.