Forgotten Truth (The Forgotten Series Book 1) (14 page)

“A thought crossed my mind.”

“Go on.” She’s playful.

“I thought I would come by tonight.”

“Like a slumber party?”

More like fucking your brains out, but I’ll keep that to myself.

“Seriously?” She makes me laugh.

“Hey, don’t knock it till you try it.”

“I suppose that’ll work.” I sigh.

“Don’t panic. I won’t be braiding your hair.”

“Okay then. See you tonight.” I hang up, wearing a grin ear to ear.

I’m not complaining. This is what I want. I know it now.

***

“COME IN,”
Bryer says.

“You don’t have to tell me twice. I missed you.”

“Missed me? Which part?” She smiles as her eyes twinkle.

“I have a list.”

With my hands full, I lean in to kiss her.

“Smells good.”

“You have no idea,” I say. “It’s from my favorite Italian place.”

“Is that right? You went all out, did you?”

She’s wearing black Nike workout pants that stop at her knees and a white tank with no bra. A breath catches in my throat.

Well hell. Change of plans.

“Can dinner wait?” My breathing grows faster and my cock hardens.

“Sure.”

“Come.” Taking her hand, I lead her into the bedroom. I stand her against the bed and she waits for my next move.

In one quick sweep, I take off my black t-shirt and throw it on a chair. “Now you.”

She doesn’t move.

“You’re distracting.” She reaches for her white tank and slowly takes it off.

Jesus.

“You don’t know what you do to me,” I say. “Who knew I could get to this place?” Staring at the vision in front of me, I watch her shimmy out of her black pants. In only her lace panties, she’s so beautiful I’m afraid she isn’t real.

For fuck’s sake.

My eyes focus on her full breasts and her hardened nipples. Her smile is gone, replaced with hooded eyes that appear to be filled with lust.

While my gaze never leaves her body, I fumble with my jeans, which are soon thrown on top of my shirt. I’m left standing in my black Calvin’s, my arousal obvious.

“I want to touch you, taste your tattoo, run my tongue over it,” she says with lust in her voice.

“Don’t let me stop you, baby. My body is all yours.” I want her to do exactly that.

She presses her body against mine and runs her tongue over my tattoo while rubbing her hands over my chest. Anxious for each touch, I become a full-blown inferno.

“Get on the bed,” I order as I slide my Calvin’s down to the floor.

She climbs on.

“You’re so tempting, woman.” To the point of madness. “Look at me and slide those off.” I pant as I watch her expose herself to me. “Fuck. You are my sex fantasy.”

“Do you want me to talk dirty to you?” she teases.

“Will you?”

She giggles. “I can play with myself.”

“Actually I was thinking about riding you hard, sassy.” I’ve never played like this with anyone in bed. What a turn on.

I reach for a condom that is sitting on her nightstand. All my emotions strike at once. I start to stroke myself before I put it on. “I could come all over you right now, choices, choices.”

“I love this part of you,” she whispers.

As if those words were gasoline on fire, I drive myself into her in one swift motion, taking her breath away.

“Oh God!” she gasps out. “Don’t stop. Harder.”

I slam into her again with such force I have to reach up and put my hand on the headboard for leverage.

“Sex machine.”

Part of me is amused, but a huge part of my ego has just been stroked. “As you can surely see.”

This only ignites us both when she realizes I’m serious.

My eyes meet hers. “Come with me, baby,” I tell her as I continue to hammer into her. I’m so close now it wouldn’t take much to throw me over the edge. “Hold on, baby.” I rise up on my knees, raising her hips so that I’m feeling her in all the right places.

“Oh, Nathan! God it’s too good. I’m going to come,” she screams, and with that we explode together for what feels like forever.

I finally slow down and hold her while I support my weight. Kissing her neck, I say, “I can’t believe I get to touch you.”

“Nathan, I’m yours.”

I kiss her tenderly, knowing that this was yet another step into unknown territory.

“I’m starving, woman.”

“I’ll feed you now that I’ve had my way with you. You grab the pizza, I’ll get the drinks. Meet me on the couch.”

“Bossy little thing, aren’t you?”

“Nah, you know you want it.”

“Damn, woman, now I’m easy?” She knows I am.

We spend the next two hours on the couch talking and eating. I don’t want to leave her. She has a piece of me now. She calms me like no one ever has. So I stay the night and hold her in my arms.

I’M AWAKENED BY
the smell of coffee, my phone chiming, and a few aches from last night. Remembering makes me smile. After grabbing my robe from the back of the door, I follow the scent.

I find a half-full pot of coffee and a note. Coffee first. After adding cream and sugar, I take a sip then pick up the note.

Bryer,

Good morning. I didn’t want to wake you, but I made coffee before I left. Did you know you drool when you sleep?

What? I do not… I’m catapulted back to the middle of the night. I barely woke, but I heard Nathan cry out in pain--the gut wrenching kind of agony where you know this is earth shattering. Then he drifted back to sleep when he rolled over, and I wrapped my arms around him. I shudder at the thought of how long this has this been going on, yet he doesn’t remember a thing.

I continue reading.

But that didn’t stop me from watching you. My imagination went wild. Looking forward to seeing you very soon. You’re mine.

Then watch out, baby!

~N

xxx

On the way to the gym, I call Gen.

“Hello.” She sounds groggy.

“Gen, it’s eleven. Are you still sleeping? How late did you stay out?”

“Late.” Her voice sounds muffled. She must have her face buried in the pillow.

“Was there a male involved?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear about this one. Is he a keeper or catch and release?”

“Keeper.” she mutters.

“Really? A keeper? Well pick a day next week to meet me for a drink. I want to hear all about it.” I’m happy for her.

“K.” She yawns.

“I’ll let you go. I’m heading to workout. Love you, girl. Bye.” I hang up, sparing her the effort it would take to say bye.

As soon as I walk through the door, I scan the gym for Nathan, or at least Clayton, but no one is out by the desk or in plain view. So I head for the lockers and fill up my water bottle on the way. But I’m distracted by a familiar voice. His voice, and I smile.

“You have to understand what it was.” Nathan’s voice drifts from down the hall, becoming clearer.

I freeze. The door is cracked open enough for me to see Nathan leaning back on his desk with Camilla standing between his legs.

Her arms rest on his biceps, and Nathan allows this. I stand in shock, needing to see this play out.

“I never thought of it that way, Camilla. I’d never tell you it meant nothing, but it didn’t mean what you wanted it to mean,” he speaks sincerely but doesn’t see me.

“I know it’s only been a couple of weeks” she says. “There’s no man who could fake those emotions or the way you took me with such passion. The way you fucked me anytime, any place, even here on this desk.” She wraps her arms around his neck and he hugs her back, and that’s when our eye’s meet.

Instantly he makes distance between them. “Bryer.”

I don’t even realize I’m walking away until he runs after me and grabs my arm, forcing me to face him.

“Don’t!” I yell and attempt to jerk out of his hold, but he doesn’t allow it.

“We were saying our goodbyes.” He’s panicking, and his death grip on my arm never ceases. His fingers dig into me.

“
Our
goodbyes? That’s rich! It didn’t look or sound that way to me, Nathan. You’re hurting me. Let. Me. Go.”

He looks down and slowly releases my arm. “Please don’t go, Bryer. Let me explain.”

I walk out the door in shock, needing time to think this through. Should I let him explain, or trust what I saw? When I turn back, Camilla is leaning on the wall outside his office with the biggest smirk on her face. I know she’s a manipulative bitch, but Nathan’s a fool to jeopardize us over her. I don’t want to deal with this right now, so I do what I do best: I run.

***

MY PHONE IS
blowing up, so I turn it off.

I head back home and change into my fleece comfy kitty PJ’s. They’re a gift from Gen. She calls them my happy jams, but I don’t feel very happy at the moment.

This feels like a cold blade to the heart and way too close to when Cash betrayed me, triggering all the pain back from when he cheated. All the memories flood my mind. He swore to me nothing was going on between him and his co-worker, but the facts were there, and once trust has been destroyed, what’s left? Nothing.

I can’t keep the tears from flowing. My life was just turned upside down. Now I question how both of these relationships could become so similar. Are all men like this? Unable to commit to one woman? Why the fuck isn’t one woman enough? I wanted to believe Nathan was different. I wanted to trust him. I wanted it all, but he couldn’t give me all. The pain is very real.

I won’t put myself in a situation where I’ll end up heartbroken again. Fuck, I’m already there. I spend the night under the covers reading my favorite romance novel, pretending this is how it could be. His arms around her, their lips touch, it all reminds me of him.

Waking with the book underneath me, I find the covers are a total wreck. I feel like I’m sitting in a pile of rubble from the explosion of my heart. I must have tossed and turned all night.

The clock reads nine-thirty in the morning when I roll over. My phone has been off since yesterday. I know I have to face it. Gen could have called too. Sunday. No wonder it’s not my favorite day of the week.

I make breakfast and go back and forth about when I should turn my phone on. A part of me already misses him and wants to hear his voice, but then the betrayal hits like a freight train. I won’t believe him, and I don’t want to hear his lies.

I move my scrambled eggs around on my plate, knowing there’s no way I can eat them. I feel sick. So I throw them away and head for my phone.

After climbing back into bed, I feel more protected. As soon as I turn my phone on, my notifications go off like crazy. I have four voicemails and five texts. My heart is beating violently in my chest. I decide to start with voicemails. Three are from Nathan and one is from Gen.

V/M Nathan: Bryer, please call me. I understand why you would be upset, but just let me explain.

Delete.

V/M Nathan: Baby, you have me worried. Please talk to me. I know we can get through this. I swear it’s not what it looked like. Just call me, please. I need you.

Delete.

V/M Nathan: Bryer, I’m desperate. The thought of losing you is breaking me. Please, baby, you’re scaring me. Just give me a chance. You know me. You know how I feel about you, don’t you? Let me say the words. I’ll sleep with my phone. Just call me.

Delete.

V/M Tumbleina: Bryer, what the hell is going on? Nathan just called me. He sounded horrible. What happened? He wanted to know if you were here, when I said no, he asked if I heard from you, and no again! Girlfriend, what happened? And how did he get my cell number? You better call me soon. I’m worried about you. Love you! Call me, damnit!

Delete.

Nathan: Bryer, did you listen to any of the voicemails I sent? If not, please do.

Delete.

Nathan: I know you’re upset and confused, but please can we meet and talk this through?

Delete.

Nathan: It’s three am, and all I can do is stare at my phone, willing it to ring. I’m falling apart.

Delete.

Tumbleina: WTH? Call me, text me.

Nathan: I didn’t sleep at all last night. All I can think about is you. Please let me come over today?

I quickly reply to Nathan: No. Don’t. I need time.

I call Gen and fill her in on what happened. “Is he worth it to hear him out? I know you haven’t felt like this about anyone, since, well, you know, Cash.” I know she’s trying to comfort me.

“I don’t know. I need some time to think.”

“I know what you went through in the past, but Nathan isn’t Cash.”

“I need a couple of days to figure it out. The last thing I thought I would do is give him up. You don’t realize how important someone is until they’re gone, but I have to protect myself.” I’m trying hard not to cry again. “I’ll call you later.”

“Bye,” she says.

But only minutes pass before she calls back.

“Gen?”

“He called me again, after you told him you needed time. I told him to give it to you, because he was going to come over to your place and knock down your door.”

“That’s the last thing I need right now. Thank you for knowing me so well. I love you for that.”

“I’ve got your back, hun. You’re my best friend. This is painful. Just relax today and call him when you’re ready.”

“I will. I feel a nap coming on. Bye, Tumbleina.” I try to inject some light heartedness into this conversation.

She laughs. “Oh God, I’ll never live that one down. Bye, best friend.”

***

MONDAY CAME TOO
quick. I’m going to smile like nothing is wrong. I’ll act like life is completely perfect, even though it’s all a lie.

At work, I find Jake in his office with a gigantic bag of small plastic balls.