Saved (Tempted #2) (7 page)

I found myself sitting on in between Ethan and West on the couch watching The Hangover. It was Ethan’s pick.

“I say we watch Fifty Shades of Grey next,” Emma said from her spot beside Roman.

Everyone turned to look at the innocent preacher’s daughter.

“Pregnancy hormones,” Roman said, kissing her temple.

“Has it made her hornier?” West asked, smiling from ear to ear.

“Oh, yeah,” Roman said before Emma hit his shoulder.

“Idiots,” I mumbled.

Hearing a knock on the door, I jumped up and ran over to it. I needed to move from that couch. Seeing Grace standing on the other side, I let out a sigh of relief. She would want to sit by Ethan and I could snag the chair far away from West.

“Hey, please sit by Ethan,” I told her without explaining myself.

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” she said, slipping her coat off.

Watching her walk inside the living room, I let my eyes follow her to the spot between Ethan and West.

“Hey, guys. I’m going to frost the cupcakes. I’ll be back in a few,” I told them before making my way to the kitchen.

Grabbing the cooled cupcakes from the fridge, I sat them on the counter. I began frosting the cupcakes one by one.

My mind drifted to West. But honestly that’s all I ever thought about. It was like he had checked into my thoughts and he was never checking out.

Hearing the door open, I pretended like I didn’t. I knew who it was without even asking. I could feel him.

Feeling two hands grip my hips, I dropped the pastry bag.

“I’ve tried to keep my hands off of you but I can’t,” West growled in my ear, “I know I screwed up but I’m desperate for you.”

I let out a small whimper as he grinded onto my ass. Pushing me up against the counter, the grinding got stronger.

I had no strength when it came to him. He was my weakness.

“You want me. Don’t you, Angel?”

I did but could I tell him that? Maybe we could have sex without the emotion. Was I capable of that?

I couldn’t think about that, my mind wanted me to. But my body wasn’t going to let that happen and let’s not even get into what my heart was feeling.

Throwing caution to the wind, I starting grinding back.

“Lock the door,” I whispered, digging my nails into his hands.

He kissed the back of my neck and walked over to the door. Turning the lock, he bolted back to me.

Stripping me bare, he slid me onto the kitchen counter. Spreading my legs open, he picked up the pastry bag and squirted frosting from my knee to my inner thighs. Next he placed the frosting on up my stomach and all over my breast.

“I’d take this over a cupcake any day,” he said, sitting the frosting filled bag on the counter, “Sophia should put you on the menu.”

I would have laughed but I was too consumed with the feeling of wanting his tongue on me.

Lifting one of my legs over his shoulder, he started licking and sucking on my legs. The wetness of tongue on my skin had nothing on the wetness between my legs. His mouth landed on my clit and he went to work.

Moaning, I grabbed his hair and gave it a small tug. Rolling my hips in this face, I felt his tongue dart in and out of me.

“Damn, you’re good at that,” I said, continuing to rock into his face.

Feeling utter pleasure roll through my body, I knew I had finished. West raised his head up and looked at me. Licking his lips, he broke out in a smile.

“You taste better than the frosting,” he said, brushing my hair from my eyes.

Looking down, I saw frosting still covering my breast.

“Are you not going to pay attention to my breasts? They need cleaning off,” I asked, shaking my chest at him.

He never answered me, he just lowered his head and started sucking my nipples. He moved his tongue until there wasn’t one drop of frosting in sight.

“What are you guys doing in there?” Ethan said, pounding on the locked door.

“Quit knocking! We will be out in a minute,” West yelled back, wiping me off and helping me get dressed.

I grabbed the cleaning supplies and wiped the counter off. I couldn’t believe that had just happened on Roman and Emma’s kitchen counter.

Before walking over to open the door he placed a sweet kiss on my lips. Pulling the door open, he let Ethan in.

“Were you guys having sex on the counter?”

“What? No!” I shouted, tossing out the pastry bag and filling up a new one.

“You were doing something. West I’ll help her and you go in the living room. I’ll never get my cupcakes if I let you stay with her,” Ethan said, shooing West out of the kitchen.

Watching him walk out, I saw Ethan staring at me.

“What is it?” I asked, seeing the disapproving look on his face.

His stare made me nervous, so my hand immediately flew to my necklace.

“You guys are exhausting. One minute you’re frigid and the next you’re steaming. It’s not healthy or normal for that matter,” he said, poorly frosting the bare cupcakes.

“I know. But I can’t stay away from him, Ethan. I’m trying my hardest to resist him. He won’t let me.’

That was half true. He wouldn’t let me let go. But in all honesty I didn’t want to let go. He was the best part of my day for so long.

“Listen, I want you to be epically happy and I know you want that with West. But in order for that to happen you have to accept his flaws. Sure, he’s an idiot and says all the wrong things at all the wrong times but he’s crazy over you. He’s gonna screw up a lot. But so will you. And I know he pushes you away and then pulls you back in but he wants to try for you. He wants to be with you, Maddie,” Ethan said, walking over and rubbing my shoulder.

To throw a love story like ours away would have been tragic. I knew that. But having my heart stepped on for the third time would hurt like hell. I didn’t know what to do.

I wanted to wake up to his face every morning. And I wanted him to take me to bed every night. I wanted it all with him. But the thing I didn’t want was the one feeling I had about him that I hated.

It was the feeling that one morning I would wake up and he wouldn’t be there. And that he wouldn’t be there to take me to bed every night. But worst of all was the thought of wanting it all with him and if he left I would have nothing.

I loved him too deeply. He was the air I breathed and as great as that feeling was when we were together. It made me that much more lonely when we weren’t.

“Are you ready to take these out? Emma was like a second from eating the table when I came in here. I didn’t know pregnancy turned you into a zombie,” Ethan asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yeah. But can I ask you one question?”

“Anything.”

“Do you think he loves me?”

“There’s not a doubt in my mind. And Maddie?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s the real kind of love. The kind people would die for. The kind people search their whole lives for. Ya’ll found that young. You’re never supposed to let that go,” He said, lifting the plate from the counter, “Can I ask you a question?”

“Anything,” I said, mimicking him.

“Do you love him?”

“I love him more than anything in the entire world.”

“Let’s go join them. And don’t tell anyone about this heart to heart. West and Roman just quit calling me Oprah. Tell them I helped you lift something heavy,” he said, walking out of the kitchen.

Laughing, I followed him into the living room. Sitting the cupcakes on the table, I saw West reach for one.

He ran his finger through the frosting and licked it.

“This frosting is really good, Angel. But is this a different batch than the one I tasted in the kitchen?” he asked, licking his lips.

“Yeah, I ran out of that one,” I told him, turning away from him.

We watched what must have been a million movies with everyone laughing and joking. I tried my hardest to focus on the movies and my friends, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. And I couldn’t get the kitchen out of my mind.

Feeling my phone buzz, I checked it and saw a text message.

West- Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard.

Feeling the heat rush to my cheeks, I quickly put my phone away hoping no one seen me looking at it like a love-struck girl.

A girl who may have just had sticky oral sex on her pregnant best friend’s kitchen counter with her hot tatted up and pierced ex.

Yep. That happened.

Looking up, I saw them all staring at me.

Damn.

“Did someone just send you a nude?” Grace asked, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

I didn’t answer, I just smiled.

“Oh snap, they did. Didn’t they? Who was it? Was it Luca? Is he cut? Is it big?” she asked, going into full on gossip grace mode.

Roman and Ethan laughed so hard I thought they were going to pass out.

“She wouldn’t know if Luca is big, Gracie. She’s never seen him naked,” West said through gritted teeth.

“Oh, get over yourself. She probably has,” Emma said, rubbing her belly.

“I haven’t seen Luca naked and it wasn’t a nude. Why is everyone so interested in me?”

“Because everyone is always interested in the most beautiful girl in the room,” West said, staring into my soul.

My mind went blank. He could be so sweet when he wanted to be but he could also be toxic.

Very toxic.

“Screw you, West. I’m the most beautiful girl in the room. Tell him, Roman,” Emma said, letting her violent hormones take over.

“Emma Everly is the most beautiful girl in the world and I’m the luckiest man ever,” Roman said, before placing a cute little kiss on her nose.

“I’m so the beautiful girl in this room. I can’t help it,” Grace said, flicking West off.

“I’m with Grace on that one,” Ethan said, trying to score brownie points with Grace.

“Yeah, you would say that since you’re trying to get in her pants,” Emma said, pointing at him.

Grace’s face turned every shade of red.

“That’s a lie, Grace. Pregnancy really made you sweeter. Didn’t it?” Ethan asked, looking beyond embarrassed.

“Bite me,” Emma said, before turning her head away from him.

Roman and West had to stifle their laughs.

“I take it back. Maddie’s not the most beautiful girl in the room,” West announced and I felt my heart drop.

A feeling I was getting used to these days.

“Thank you for finally coming to your senses. It’s me right?” Emma asked, eating her fifth cupcake.

“No, it’s clearly me,” Grace said, reapplying her lipstick.

That girl and her lipstick.

“Either one of you can have that title. We’ll throw you a pageant and let you battle it out. Maddie is the most beautiful girl in the world,” West said, not taking his eyes off of me.

“That’s it. Get out, West. I’m the queen of this castle, so if I say I’m prettier than Maddie that’s just the way it is, okay? I mean do you know how hard is was to have a best friend that is so perfect. It’s really hard and now I’m going to cry because I’ll never be as pretty as Maddie. I’m going to my room,” Emma said, walking toward the stairs.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry!” West yelled up the stairs.

“I hope you feel real good about yourself!” she yelled back.

I loved that group of people. But I wished I could have invested more time into joking around with my friends that night instead of trying to get my head and my heart to agree on West.

My head was telling me stay away but my heart was telling me go all in.

And as for my body. Well, it was saying jump on him and ride him like Scott Eastwood rode that bull on The Longest Ride.

I ended what should have been a fun night feeling confused.

I didn’t know what to do. I had a lot to think about. But first I had to get the dirty thoughts I was having about him out of my head. All they would do was cloud my judgment.

And get me all hot and bothered.

I was screwed.

Sitting on a bench in the middle of the mall, I watched Emma, Grace, and our moms talking about something. I wasn’t really sure what they were talking about. But I did catch something about someone coming back to town.

Why did they keep looking at me like that? Couldn’t a girl be depressed in peace? Was that too much to ask?

I wasn’t really interest. All I wanted to talk about was West, I wanted someone to tell me what to do. And I wanted a replay of that night.

It had been days since I had seen him. Or even heard from him for that matter.

That was why I shouldn’t have gave in to him again. Because it seemed like as soon as he got what he wanted and whispered sweet nothings in my ear, he was out the door. I couldn’t keep up with his mood swings.

He had them like he was on his period.

I should have felt like what happened at Emma’s was a mistake but for some unknown reason I didn’t.

“Earth to Maddie. Hello?” Emma said, munching on a cookie.

“What? I’m sorry, I got lost in my thoughts.”

That was an understatement.

“How do you feel about that?” My mom asked, rubbing my hand.

“About what?”             

“West’s parents got back last night,” Emma answered, checking her phone.

I needed to be with him. His parents were the reason he couldn’t open up to me. He blamed them and so did I.

Studying her face, I saw her emotion change from sad to concerned.

Something was wrong.

“Emma, what is it?”

“Roman just texted me. West didn’t show up for work and his grandparents haven’t seen him.”

His parents coming back must have set him off. Pulling out my phone, I dialed his number.

No answer.

I called again.

I got his voicemail again.

The calls kept going directly to his voicemail, so that meant his battery was dead.

Jumping to my feet, I started to walk toward the exit of the mall. No one tried to stop me but I guess they knew they couldn’t.

Rushing to my jeep, I opened the door and climbed in. The engine purred to life and I drove to West’s house.

His grandmother had to know where he was. He would have never scared her like that. When I found him I was going to do two things. First, I was going to scream at him for doing this to everybody and then I was going to throw myself in his arms.

Stopping in front of his house, I opened the door and ran to up the steps of the porch. Pushing the door open, I saw Marion and Frank sitting on the couch.

“Maddie, have you heard from him? Is he with you?” Marion asked with a shaky voice.

“No, he’s not. I tried to call him but his battery is dead. I wanted to see if he was here or if you had heard from him,” I told her, kneeling on the ground beside the couch.

“Think, Maddie. If anyone knows where he is it’s you,” Frank said, rubbing his head.

They didn’t need to go through that. He was their entire world.

“Who are you?” I heard a woman ask from behind me.

“Lilly, this is Maddie,” Frank said, looking back and forth between us, “Maddie, this is Lilly. West’s mom.”

They had the same eyes. That’s the only resemblance I noticed.

“Why would she know where my son is?” she asked, snidely.

“Because she saved him,” Frank said, smiling at me.

That wasn’t true. Was it?

“Well, then do you know where he is?” she asked, looking me up and down.

“I have a few ideas,” I told her, raising to my feet.

I didn’t wait for her to reply. Running out of the back door, I made my way to the storm shelter.

“West!” I yelled, walking inside.

He wasn’t in there.

There was one other place that he would be. Running to my jeep, I jumped inside. Driving down the road, I headed straight for my parent’s house.

My dad was gone to a business dinner and my mom was with the girls. No one was home to let him in but he knew the key was under the floor mat.

Pulling up in my driveway, I got out and ran to my door. It was cracked it open. Rushing inside, I made my way up the stairs.

“West!” I yelled, pushing my bedroom door open.

I saw him lying on my bed.

“I hope you don’t mind that I’m here, Angel,” he said, giving me a half smile.

“Not at all. I’m glad you’re here. Scoot over,” I told him, lying down beside him.

He started running his fingers through my hair.

“I’m sorry for breaking into your parents’ house but you’re my safe place. My battery died and I didn’t know where you were. So, I came here. I wanted to feel close to you,” he said, looking at me.

That made my heart smile. I loved the little moments when he let me in.

“How are you holding up?”

“Not good. They have a son, Maddie. A twelve year old son and they got clean for him. They completely changed their lives. Why couldn’t they do that for me?”

I wished I knew what to tell him. I wanted nothing more than to take away the hurt.

“They didn’t deserve someone as amazing as you, babe.”

He needed me and I was going to be there for him. Why should I fight what I feel for him?

“They didn’t love me. They didn’t love their own kid. It sucks not being loved,” he said, closing his eyes.

He wasn’t unloved. I loved him more than anything. And so did all of our friends. His grandparents were crazy over him.

It was impossible not to love West and it made me dislike his parents for making him believe he wasn’t loveable.

“I love you, West. Always have. Why won’t you let me prove that to you? Prove to you that your worthy of love. They shouldn’t be allowed to have this kind power over you,” I told him, rubbing my nose against his.

“Why?”

“Are you kidding? You’re the love of my life, West. How could I not love you?”

I laid there looking at his face. I didn’t expect to hear those three words back, I knew better. But watching his eyes light up, I had a feeling I had really broke through his walls. He kept opening his mouth to speak but he couldn’t get the words out he was trying to say.

“I love you, Angel,” he said, barely above a whisper.

He said it so lightly that I wasn’t sure if I heard him right.

“Did you say what I think you said?”

“I love you,” he said louder this time.

He said it. He actually said it. The boy of my dreams. The man that I wanted more than anything just told me he loved me. After years of wanting to hear it from his lips and waiting patiently he finally said it.

And it was as glorious as I had hoped it would be.

“Say it again,” I told him, smiling.

I was literally smiling so huge my cheeks were starting to burn.

“Do you want me to pull a Tom Cruise?” he asked, jumping up on the bed.

“That is something I have to see!”

Hoping from the bed to the chair in the corner of my room, he started yelling.

“I love Maddie Thomas! I love this woman! Oprah, I love her!” he yelled, throwing his fist in the air.

Throwing my head back laughing, I felt him hovering over me.

“Are you mine again?” he asked, kissing my nose.

“I always have been.”

He leaned down and kissed me with passion like I had never felt.

It’s strange how some of the worst moments turn out to the best.

You have to go through the rain to get to the sunshine.

And right now the sun was beaming.

But there was another raincloud looming.