Expect Me (Rivers Edge Book 3) (14 page)

Nate bends down and kisses Josselyn on the cheek which earns him a growl from me. He must hear me because he stands up with that cocky, asshole smile and throws his arm around Josselyn’s shoulder. He looks all cozy, and I honestly have the urge to punch my brother square in his smug, pretty-boy face.

“Something wrong, Travis?” he asks with another cocky grin.

“Yeah, you putting your male-whore hands on my girl,” I tell him with a glare.

Josselyn seems genuinely surprised by my hostility towards him. Or maybe it’s the fact that I acknowledged her as my girl. Hell, that’s what she is. Mine. My girl. My baby.

My hand balls into a tight fist, and I realize he is about one second away from receiving a black eye courtesy of his little brother. We continue to stare at each other as if daring the other to say something else. Nate must sense my seriousness and eventually removes his arm from Josselyn’s shoulder, again, with the same cocky smile.

He steps forward and leans forward towards my ear so that no one else can hear me. “Settle down, little brother. I was just fucking with you,” Nate whispers and clinks his beer bottle against my mug as he turns and walks away.

I try to calm myself down and turn my attention back to my other family members who aren’t being giant douche bags. Avery and Maddox are playing Erin and Jake in a game of pool while Josselyn and Matty take a seat at the big, round table. I slide in next to Josselyn and lay my arm down on the back of her chair. My fingers itch to touch the smooth skin along the edge of her dress. My dick nods its approval at the thought.

Matty grabs the folder in the middle of the table. “Ohh! Karaoke! Joss, you have to sing something. Please, please, pretty please!” Matty exclaims with excitement filled eyes.

“I don’t think so, Matty,” Josselyn mumbles and drops her chin down to her chest.

“I’m not taking no for an answer, Josselyn Jane McCray. I haven’t heard you sing in months since you moved here. You have the most amazing voice I’ve ever heard. You are singing tonight, and I’m picking your song,” he says as he grabs the little slips of paper in the center of the table.

“Matty, seriously. I don’t feel like singing tonight,” Josselyn counters.

“You sing?” I ask feeling a little sad that I don’t know this about Josselyn already.

“Matty is making a bigger deal out of this. I’ve sung before but I’m not as good as he’s making me sound. Really,” Josselyn replies but is yet to make eye contact.

I reach forward and grab a hold of her chin and gently lift her head until her eyes are firmly locked on mine. “I want to hear you sing,” I tell her and mean every bit of that.

“You do?” she asks with a look of longing in her eyes. The crowd around us seems to fade away. It’s like we’re the only two people in the pub. I don’t hear the talking or the pool balls slapping together or the beer bottles being dropped into the trash.

“Absolutely. I want to know every little detail about you, Josselyn,” I say as I stare deeply into her eyes. Before my very eyes, I watch the color change from a hazel green color to a deeper brown color. I know that color. It means she’s getting excited. Turned on. “I’m hoping that between us, we’ll have at least one talent to pass along to our kid,” I add to lighten up the conversation a little so that I don’t embarrass myself with the wood I’m sporting under the table.

After a couple of drunk girls sing “Love Shack” by the B-52’s and a guy mumbles through his rendition of Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long”, the guy behind the booth calls Josselyn’s name up to the microphone.

Josselyn gives Matty the stink eye as she slowly stands and walks to the front.

“What is she singing?” I ask Josselyn’s best friend.

“One she hasn’t sung publicly before. It’s her absolute favorite song, and she’s always refused to sing it in public.”

“Why?” I ask as I watch her take her place behind the microphone.

“Because of what the song represents. True, everlasting love. She always said she’d sing it when she found the right person to sing it for,” he says with a pointed look. “I’m waiting to see if she changes my selection or not,” he adds as we both wait. Will she change the song selection?

Josselyn looks at the monitor and then instantly to Matty. I watch him smile an encouraging, knowing smile back at her as she turns her attention to me. I realize I’m waiting with baited breath, excitement and nervousness coursing through my body.

The opening melody starts up and I instantly know the song. Every male who’s ever felt the need for speed knows this song. Everyone I know wanted to be a fighter pilot because of this movie, and everyone wanted the hot girl because of this song.  Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” fills the pub and all eyes are on the stage.

Josselyn takes the microphone in her hand and slowly starts. 

“Watching every motion in my foolish lover’s game, On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame”

My eyes are glued to her. I’m riveted in my seat, taking in this beautiful woman who sings like an angel. Her voice is light and passionate like she’s making love to the microphone.

“Turning and returning to some secret place inside, watching in slow motion as you turn around and say, Take my breath away”

I feel the chair next to me being pulled out but I don’t turn, I can’t turn away from Josselyn singing. She’s staring straight at me as she belts out each line of the song without looking at the words on the screen.

“Through the hourglass I saw you, in time you slipped away. When the mirror crashed I called you, and turned to hear you say, if only for today, I am unafraid”

“Did you know she could sing like that?” Avery asks from the seat next to me.

I want to answer her, really I do, but I can’t speak. I can’t form words or thoughts as she sings her favorite song.

“Turning and returning to some secret place inside, watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say, take my breath away, my love, take my breath away”

The building could be invaded by naked cowgirls at this moment and I wouldn’t know. At this precise moment, I only know one thing. Josselyn singing is the best thing I’ve ever heard. She sings with such grace and passion, but more importantly, I feel like she was singing that song to me. Our eyes remained locked the entire song as if no one else in the world existed.

I watch as she replaces the microphone in the stand and steps down from the stage. Josselyn is walking towards me, patrons all complement her on her singing voice as she walks past, but her eyes remain focused on me. When she gets to our table, I stand up and, without thinking for a second, grab the sides of her face and devour her mouth with a searing, sultry kiss. It’s the kind of kiss that should not be done in public. There are a lot of tongues and a lot of lust in this kiss.

I’m vaguely aware of the catcalls and the comments around us as I try to convey my feelings and desires for Josselyn through the kiss. A firm slap on my shoulder pulls me out of the lustful moment. I pull back and stare straight at Josselyn’s bright pink, swollen lips, ready to dive back into another kiss.

“They’re about to turn the hose on you, little brother. Better take this somewhere more private,” Nate says in my ear with a firm squeeze of his hand on my shoulder.

I should be embarrassed that I just about took Josselyn in the middle of the packed pub, but I’m not. Not even a little. I reach down and take her hand firmly in mine and give her a gentle tug towards the front door.

“Wait. What about Matty?” she asks as the reality of where we’re going starts to set in.

“Don’t worry about me,” he says from the table behind Josselyn. “I’ll find a ride back to my car.”

“We’ll get him back to the apartment,” Avery adds with a knowing smile.

I pull Josselyn towards the door and holler at Avery over my shoulder. “Thanks, Ave!” I’m out the door and heading towards my truck without so much as a second thought or a glance back.

“Travis, slow down. I can’t keep up with you like I used to,” Josselyn says from behind me as I drag her along the sidewalk.

I instantly stop and turn around. I pull our linked hand up to my mouth and place gentle, soft kisses along her soft knuckles, taking a few deep, calming breaths. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you.”

“It’s okay,” she replies as she stares at our linked fingers.

“Come on,” I tell her and walk her towards my truck at a more appropriate pace.

Once she’s securely inside the cab of my pick-up, I walk around to the driver’s side, giving myself a little pep talk as I go. I need to slow down. It’s been months since we’ve been together, and I know that if I don’t slow down right now, I’ll either hurt her or embarrass myself. Either isn’t an option right now.

We’re both silent on the ride to the apartment. Once we’re alone in the elevator, I grab Josselyn by the hip and bring her body flush against mine. Her stomach is protruding into my stomach, but it’s not uncomfortable. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s sexy as hell.

When the elevator ding signals our arrival on the fourth floor, I reluctantly pull away from her body and walk towards my apartment. Once inside, I don’t even turn on the lights. I’m very familiar with navigating the apartment in the dark of night or early morning hours, so I just take Josselyn’s hand inside mine and lead her towards the bedroom.

When we cross the threshold of the room, she pulls her hand out of mine. “I need a minute in the bathroom,” she says.

“Okay,” I reply as I walk over and flip on the small light on the nightstand. Josselyn walks over to the closet and grabs a small bag on the floor by some of her stuff, gives me a sheepish smile, and then heads to the hallway to the bathroom.

While she’s inside, I take a moment try to calm my racing heart. It’s beating with the speed of a race horse right now with the knowledge that I’m about to have Josselyn again. I’ve dreamed of this moment for months. Five very long, agonizingly brutal months.

I kick off my shoes and toss them in the closet. I’m removing my t-shirt as I hear the bathroom door open. I’ve got my shirt up and am just pulling it over my head when I see Josselyn walk in the room. My heart stops. Literally. My vision practically blurs and all I can hear is the blood rushing in my own ears as I stare at the sight of Josselyn wearing the most incredible blue nightgown.

Josselyn steps into the room like she owns it; her eyes glued to mine. That’s one of the things that drew me to her all those months ago. She’s confident, passionate, and it is unbelievably sexy.

She walks up to me and runs her palms up my stomach to my chest. She runs her fingers through my chest hair and then stops when her palms cover my nipples. She moves her hands and leans forward, tracing the tip of her tongue over each one. My breathing is labored, my pecs jump at the touch, and my pants become insanely tight.

I take her hands in mine and pull them behind her back, restraining her against me and gingerly pushing her baby bump into my abdomen. “Did you buy this for me?”

“Yes,” she whispers.

“You’re fucking sexy as sin, Josselyn. I can’t wait to explore your entire body lurking underneath,” I tell her as I lead her back to the bed. Once she’s splayed out before me on the sheets, I kneel on the bed next to her. I start by running my pointer finger up her right leg, starting at the ankle and going all the way up to the junction of her thighs. I can feel the heat coming from her body and smell her arousal. Before my twitchy fingers can dive for the promise land, I run my other hand up the other leg, mimicking the gentle caresses of my other hand. I hear her gasps and the hitches in her breath and it’s like throwing gasoline on an already blazing fire.

I look up at Josselyn as she lies on the pillow, brown hair wild around her head; her eyes are watching my face intently. I move to kneeling between her knees and gently push the satiny material of the negligee up, exposing her stomach. What once was flat is now round and full with our baby. The image she makes sends my heart crashing into my chest. I lean forward and place open mouthed, sensual kisses on the bump.

Eventually, I continue to push the material up to the firm mounds of her breasts. They are covered in blue lace and my mouth is watering for a little taste. Using my elbows, I brace myself above her as I lower my mouth to her lace covered nipples. Josselyn gasps and comes up off the bed at the slightest touch.

“Sensitive?” I mumble against her.

“God, yes,” she replies breathlessly.

I run my tongue between her breasts and eventually make my way back to the centers of each. I feast on each one with my mouth, my hands.

“Travis. Please,” she moans. “I need you. Now.”

“I’m right here, baby. I’m not going anywhere. Ever. I promise,” I tell her. And it’s just that. It’s a promise. I’m ready to commit everything I have and everything I am to this woman; the most beautiful woman in the world. My woman.

It doesn’t take me long to remove what little clothes she’s wearing.  Once she’s completely naked, I finally stand up and shuck my shorts and boxer briefs in one quick swoop.  I’m back on the bed, bracing myself above her, moments later.  I reach for the bedside table to dig for a condom from the drawer, but Josselyn grabs my arm.

“I don’t want to use that. Obviously, I can’t get pregnant further, and I’m clean. I haven’t been with anyone since you,” she whispers, the words washing over me like spring rain.