Lessons of the Past (26 page)

Courtney and Caroline walked away and her friend didn’t waste any time. “You’re going back to this fucker? What the hell, Alex?”

“I’m just having lunch with him and his daughter. Chill, Lane.” My brows shot up and my jaw tightened at her reply. Just having lunch? She noticed my face and sighed. “Okay, fine. Yes, Javier and I are working things out.”

“He fucking cheated on you and dumped you! Do I need to remind you how I found you after he left you?”

“No!” she shouted at him as my heart broke into smithereens. I hated how much I had hurt Alexandria.

“Look,” I said, “I know I hurt her. And I’ll always regret it, but I love her and she still loves me. We are working our shit out, but really, our relationship is none of your fucking business.”

“The hell it isn’t. I had to pick her up off the floor and force her to fucking eat—”

“That’s enough, Lane!” Alexandria shouted. “You are making a scene. I know you hate him. I have too—”

“He cheated on you!”

“I didn’t.”

He just stared at me and crossed his arms. I had no idea what to say to this guy, but I also didn’t really care to explain myself. Alexandria was the only person I needed to explain myself to.

“Fine,” he said. “You know where to find me when he breaks your heart again.” Then, he walked away.

We sat there for a moment as Alexandria rubbed her temples. I prayed she wouldn’t listen to him. Finally, she looked at me, and said, “I’m going to get Caroline and take her to get some earrings.”

“Alex—”

“We’re fine, Javier. I promise. He didn’t say anything new.” She stood, kissed my cheek, then strode toward the bookstore.

After a minute, I got up and went to a random store to clear my head. I felt sick knowing exactly how much I had hurt the woman I love.

I felt someone standing beside me and turned to see it was Alexandria’s friend, Lane. “Yes?” I asked. I wasn’t backing down, but he definitely needed to.

His arms were crossed as he said, “I get that you think it’s none of my damn business, but Alex has been my best friend for over ten years. I’ll back down for now, but if you hurt her in
any
way, I’ll kill you.”

“I understand you care about her and love her, but I’m
in
love with her. I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure she knows that, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Good.”

(6 months later)

The last six months with Javier and Caroline had been a complete dream. I won’t lie and say we hadn’t had bad times, but for the most part, it was great. Caroline and I had become exceptionally close, but she also respected me.

Javier and I still had our moments when we would fight over stupid things and I’d let my inner bitch loose, but we loved each other more than anything. Lane and Courtney still didn’t care for Javier, but they could at least manage to be in the same room as him for a couple hours. I couldn’t really ask for more and just hoped, with time, they would come around and see how much he loves me.

Rebecca and Javier were just like brother and sister, and, surprisingly enough, my parents really liked him. I had worried about the age difference and the fact that he had a child posing a problem, but it hadn’t. Then again, they had no idea about our past.

I had also become really great friends with Javier’s sister and was very grateful to her for leading Javier back to me. I’d always be in her debt.

“Just tell me where the fuck we’re going!” I shouted, blindfolded in the passenger seat.

Javier chuckled. “Not a chance. You’ll just have to wait and see.”

He had picked me up late in the evening after his parents picked up Caroline. She was going to spend the weekend with them and have some time with Mandy as well.

“Just a little bit longer. Quit being such a baby.”

“I’ll show you baby,” I huffed. “That is, if I ever get this fuckin’ blindfold off.”

“Five minutes.” A few minutes later, I felt the vehicle come to a stop. “I’ll come help you out.”

My door popped open and Javier put his arm around me to help me out. His cologne invaded my senses, and I could feel arousal shoot through me. “You smell good.”

He chuckled. “Thank you. You don’t smell so bad yourself.”

We began walking and I held onto his arm so I wouldn’t trip. I wasn’t scared, but my heart was pounding out of my chest with nerves. In the far distance, I thought I could hear waves over my heartbeat, and I inhaled. I could definitely smell the salty air. I smiled knowing we were close to the water.

“Careful,” he said as I stepped onto the uneven sand. “I promise we are almost there.”

We walked another thirty feet and he came to a stop. He let go of me and I shivered at the loss of his touch. Even after six months, his touch still sent my body into overdrive.

“You can take the blindfold off now,” Javier said.

I complied and lifted it over my eyes. I blinked, letting my eyes adjust, and was met with the night sky. I glanced down and my heart stopped.

Tiny tea light candles were spread artfully around the beach and Javier was in front of me on bended knee. Tears pricked my eyes as I looked into his. “Javier…”

“Alexandria. It was on this beach I fell in love with that incredible ass of yours and found the courage to talk to you outside the classroom. In this place where we both came for peace, I definitely found mine. It wasn’t the sound of the waves, or the sand, or even the run. It was you. You are my happy place. Where I go when the tough times hit. My solace.

“I lost you once and I never want to experience that again. I promise to love you with all my heart for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?” He pulled out a princess cut platinum ring and held it in his hand.

I stared at his hopeful eyes as tears poured down my cheeks, and nodded my head. “Yes,” I choked. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

After sliding the ring onto my finger, he kissed it and rose from the sand. “Thank God. I wasn’t taking no for an answer.”

I laughed. “How could you ever think I’d say no? You, Javier Rodriguez, are the love of my life. My home and my heart.”

“You’re mine, too.”

I stared at my finger. “Now my hands are even. I won’t be weighted down on the right side,” I said, referring to my amethyst ring on my other hand.

“I fucking love you so much,” he said, then pulled me into a hard, crushing kiss.

“Wait,” I said. “I have something to tell you.”

Javier

(12 Months later)

Today was the day I would be marrying the love of my life. And what would count as my only marriage—to me, at least.

On this day a year ago, I had asked her to be my wife, and so much had changed since then. All for the better.

Crying from behind me had me turning around. “Hey, little man. Daddy’s here.” I picked my son, Hunter, up out of his playpen located in my hotel room. I held him close and he snuggled into my neck. Hunter was five months old and perfect. He looked just like Alexandria, only he had my eyes. And even with that being said, he resembled Caroline in many ways.

My life was fucking perfect.

In two hours, I’d be a married man and I’d have the perfect family. The perfect wife, perfect daughter, and perfect son. Too bad they were all stuck with me.

“You ready to go see your mama? I bet she’ll look just like an angel.” He cooed and snuggled in closer. I walked over to the bed, grabbed the garment bag that held my suit and his diaper bag, then left the room.

I was almost positive I must have fucking floated downstairs to the “Groom’s Room” located on the bottom floor of the hotel overlooking the beach. Alexandria said she wanted to get married on the beach since that was where we had first spoken to each other and gotten engaged. It wasn’t that beach, but it would still be perfect.

“Hey,” Lane said, walking into the room. Over the last six months, we had become friends, mainly due to Hunter’s birth, but he could also see how much I love Alexandria. It was nice, mainly because we spent a lot of time together since he and his wife Courtney were Alexandria’s best friends.

“She looks gorgeous, doesn’t she?”

“Of course she does.” He sat down on the couch. “She loved whatever was in the box you had me give her. She almost started crying but caught herself. Something about not wanting to ruin her makeup.”

“Good.” I smiled. I had given her a letter expressing exactly how I felt about her. Bared my fucking guts like a damn pussy, but I didn’t care. She needed to know how I felt. She had to know I would never hurt her again.

I may have also included a jar of Nutella for our wedding night.

***

An hour and a half later, I was standing on the beach as I flicked my eyes between my son, who was in my mother’s arms, and the aisle between the white chairs. I had already watched Caroline walk down the aisle, a huge grin on her face. She loved Alexandria and couldn’t wait for us to be officially married. She had even reached the age where she could choose whether she went to Amy’s house on the weekends, which she rarely did. She loved belonging to a real family, and that had been my dream for her all along.

A few minutes later, my mouth became dry and my eyes began to water as I watched the vision in front of me. Alexandria was walking down the aisle, a silk white dress clinging to her curves, a bouquet of tropical flowers in her hand, and her beautiful hair pulled back in a messy bun. She looked like a fucking walking fantasy. My dick twitched.
Get it together. Tonight. Tonight I can fuck her senseless.

And she was mine.

She stepped in front of me and her dad gave her away. I took her in from head to toe one more time before I leaned in, and whispered, “You look gorgeous. And fucking sexy.” I lowered my voice further. “I’m hard just looking at you.”

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “Thank you.”

We opted for traditional wedding vows, and a few minutes later, the pastor announced, “You may kiss the bride.”

My heart was pounding out of my chest, and I pulled her in close. “I can’t wait to use that jar of Nutella on you tonight, Mrs. Rodriguez.” And then, I kissed her, giving her a small preview of our life together.

The End

First, I want to say thank you to the readers that took a chance on this unknown author. I’ve written several novels in other genres, but erotica romance was new to me. Thank you!

My very supportive husband. I can’t say thank you enough for everything you have done to let me live out my dream. You rock my socks!

And I have to say thank you to my wonderful boys. Thank you for letting me lock myself away and write. And thanks for living in a dirty house without complaints.

Erin Spencer, Katelyn Cantrell, and Raj Billa, thank you so much for reading that very messy first draft. Your advice and encouragement means so much to me.

Also, a huge thank you to the best editor ever. Monica Black, you are amazing!

And a huge thank you to Southern Belle Book Blog and all the blogs that posted and shared Lessons of the Past! Thank you!

Chloe Maxx was born and raised in rural Oklahoma. She now resides in a small town not far from where she grew up with her husband and two boys. She loves being outdoors, the salty smell of the ocean, relaxing ocean waves, caffeine, and reading any book that has a little romance.

Lessons of the Past is Chloe’s debut erotic romance.

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