The Beats in Rift (20 page)

“Have you fucked him?”

Her gasp makes me regret the non-filter from my brain to my mouth but I can’t help it. I need to know how fast she can go from my bed to someone else’s. “How dare you ask me that? We’ve had a few dates and a few kisses, not that it’s any of your business. You had some slut bursting in on me spewing all kinds of crap about you! I’m the one who was single. You can screw who you like but I have to be a nun Rift, seriously? ”

I grab her hand as she attempts to leave the table. “I’m sorry, Beats. You’re right, I shouldn’t have asked. It just makes me crazy that I had you then you were gone again and I couldn’t find out where you lived. I was going crazy, and you were going on dates with fucking Drake.”

“If you’re trying to imply that I didn’t care, Rift, you’re wrong, I felt it too when I saw you in that bar. I thought finally fate would let us be together again but then you left me in the middle of the night, only for me to wake up in a strange place with some blonde screaming at me and jerks you call brothers leering at me. I felt abandoned and cheap, something I never want to feel again. That woman made out like she was your girlfriend and I was hurt. I’ve only ever been with you and Justin.”

My chest tightens. I see the years of hurt in her eyes. Fate has been a cruel bastard to us. But I’m here and she’s here and I’ll never let it pull us apart again.

“I don’t even remember being with Justin in that way.” She lets out a dark laugh. “How messed up is that? I never wanted anyone like I wanted you. I loved Justin, but it was never the same way I loved you. Everything fell apart again after that week of my Mom’s wedding, but when I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wouldn’t ever be alone again. Those girls became my priority. I needed to finish school, get a job and make a home for them. Dating was never something I wanted to do. That night at the bar was my first night out in forever and I’d planned to have some fun. Crystal’s brother has a crush on me so I thought I’d make out with someone that wasn’t you or Justin for the first time in my life, and of all the places in the world, you were there. I thought it was destiny until the morning after. So yes, when Drake asked me to date him I thought it would be good for me. He’s always been good to me, Rift. He knew about the pregnancy and has been in my life since, but he never pressured me for more than friendship. I did some writing for him, and my song went to number one. He was so happy he offered me more writing work and asked me for more than friendship. He wanted to date me and that felt good. Things
are
good, but no matter how good he is, he isn’t you.”

My whole body buzzes with need for her. “You’ve never been with anyone else?” I ask, already knowing the answer from her rant. She doesn’t remember even being with Justin, so technically she has only ever been with me.

She laughs. “That’s what you took from all of that?”

I stand up and pull her towards me, grasping her hips. “I love you and have only ever loved you. Whether those girls are mine or not, I want us to be a family. I’ll love them like they’re mine because no matter what, they’re yours.”

Her eyes mist over and I can’t bear to see her cry again so I cup her cheek and crush my lips down on hers, tasting her lips, listening to the music of her moans. I lift her skirt up to her hip, guiding my finger over her thighs. She shivers and I love the effect I have on her. I grab her ass, lift her onto the table and slot myself between her thighs, kissing her deeper. She pulls away, breathless. “I love you. Don’t leave me again, I can’t take it,” she pants.

I squeeze her hip with one hand and tilt her head back with the other. “I promise, we’re together, Beats. No more running. I love you.”

I take her lips again and shift her hips so they’re flush with mine. I grind forward so she can feel my hard cock against her heat.

She groans, tilting her hips for more friction. “I want you but Crystal might come down,” she pants against my lips.

I smile devilishly at her and bring my hand between her legs. I slide her panties aside and feel her wet pussy waiting for me. She leans her mouth against my chest to muffle her moans as I grasp her panties and with a quick tug, they rip and come away in my hand. I bring them to my nose to inhale her unique sent before discarding them and whispering against her ear, “I’ll be quick.”

Shock is written on her features as she looks up at me. I unbutton my jeans and pull out my cock. Before she can object, I guide myself between her folds and thrust forward. She gasps and I feel her nails digging into to my shoulders. “Fuck, Rift.”

“That’s what I plan to do, baby.”

I chuckle as I pull back and thrust forward, taking her breath. I lift her ass and pull her into each thrust, our mouths swallowing our moans. I feel her contract against me and I thrust harder, making the table rock and screech across the floor. Her perfect tits press into my chest, nipples hard, making my mouth water to suck them. I reach up and tear her blouse open, dragging down the cups of her bra and devouring the tight pink buds. Her pussy squeezes hard, releasing her orgasm. I plow forward, filling her with everything I have, straining to stop myself from coming. Her feet dig into my ass cheeks as her body moulds around mine.

“Oh God, Rift!”

She reaches the peak of her climax, draining mine from me. I nip her neck, chin and ear as I flood her pussy with my seed.

We’re both panting, sweat clinging to our skin, her cheeks a beautiful rose color just like her nipples. “You’re so beautiful, Beats.”

She smiles up at me then slaps me to move me away. I tuck myself away as she shimmies from the table, smoothing her skirt down and closing her blouse then searching the floor for the buttons that pinged off when I tore it open.

“I need to go take a shower and kiss the girls goodnight. Grab another beer if you want.” She grins and hurries past me.

I watch her leave with a smile plastered on my face. She’s mine, always has been and always will be. Justin and Drake can bring it on. No one is getting my girl again.

I’M SITTING ON her couch watching an old episode of
American Chopper
when I hear a ringing coming from the handbag Beats left on the door. I slip her phone out and see Drake flashing as the caller ID. I swipe my finger across the screen and bring it to my ear. “Hey, beautiful,” he says, and I grimace.

“She’s taking a shower, Drake. I got her a little messy.”

“You son of a bitch. You’re lying. We’re dating; she wouldn’t jump straight in the sack with you.”

I chuckle darkly down the phone. “You’re right she wouldn’t. It was the dining table.”

I listen to him shout out cusses then I hang up the phone feeling pleased with myself.

I LET THE warm water beat down against my face. As much as I know we have tons to discuss, I can’t shake the warm glow I feel all over my body. I love Rift and we’re finally going to be together.

I turn the shower off and step into a towel, wrapping myself in a cocoon of cotton. I brush my hair and tip toe across the landing to my room. Crystal is sitting on my bed, waiting for me with a raised eyebrow. “He is so much hotter when he’s not blurry,” she says as I pull out some PJs.

“Blurry?”

She smiles. “Yeah, when I saw him I was wrecked.”

I laugh, remembering her nursing a hangover the next day. “He told me he loves me and wants to make a go of things.”

Her mouth drops open. “What about the blonde? And Drake?”

I sigh and plant my ass next to her on the bed. “The blonde was a misunderstanding. And Drake’s not Rift.”

She rubs my back and stands. “Well, you know I’ll support you, and I do think you’re soul mates, even if Drake’s a rock star.”

She saunters from the room with a dreamy sigh. I dress and tiptoe to the girls’ room. They are both asleep in their cot beds. I stroke them both gently on the head and leave their room to pull out the spare duvet and pillows from the closet on the landing.

As I hit the bottom stair, I hear Rift talking on the phone, telling someone he won’t be back for a few days. My heart rate increases and butterflies take flight in my stomach again. I go into the living room and see him leaning back against the couch, one arm resting along the back, one foot resting on his knee. He looks
so
good. His hair is messy from me running my fingers through it. His faded loose jeans sit on his hips and his black t-shirt hugs his perfect body. When his golden eyes find mine love flows from them. His lips twitch up into a smile. “Hey, baby, you smell sweet.”

I sniff my hair and shrug. “It’s strawberry conditioner.”

He holds a hand out to me. I drop the spare blanket and pillows on the end of the couch and take his hand. He pulls me into his lap and nuzzles his lips against my neck, making me shiver. “So, we have lots to talk about,” I mutter.

“Mmm, like what?” he asks, still nuzzling.

“Like where you live, and the distance it is from where I live.”

“That won’t matter.”

I pull away from him so I can look at him while we talk. “Why won’t it matter?”

“Because I’m going to buy us a house.”

“I have a house.”

He sighs. “A house where I live, baby. I can’t be too far from the club.”

My stomach knots. “I can’t move, Rift. I have a mortgage and a job here.”

“You won’t need the mortgage or the job. I’m going to take care of you all.”

I shift to gain a little space between us. “I want to work. I can’t just drop everything and take off.”

He is insane if he thinks that after he has been here less than a day, I’ll pack up and move across the country.

“I want you with me, baby. We’ve wasted too many years apart.”

I know he’s right. We have wasted too much time apart, but this is too much, too soon. “We need to think. Let’s take it one day at a time for now. Let’s get the paternity test done first.”

His face drops worry creasing his brow. “I told you, the result won’t change me wanting to be with you and the girls.”

I kiss him then pull away. “I know, but let’s just get this out of the way before anything else.”

He stares at me for a few seconds then turns his gaze to the blanket and pillows. “What’s with the bedding?”

I’m glad for the change in conversation. “It’s for you to make a bed up here.”

His eyebrow cocks. “I will be in your bed with you.”

“I sometimes have to put the girls in with me at night. I don’t want to confuse them by having you in my bed.”

I brace myself for him to get mad but he smiles, bringing his lips to mine and kissing me gently. “That’s fair enough. For now, anyway.”

We get snuggled up and watch a few episodes of
American Chopper
then I slip up to my room before his tongue and roaming hands convince me to stay.

I wake as the sun creeps through my window. Climbing from the bed I tiptoe on to the landing to find Rift standing in the doorway of the girls’ room. I sneak up behind him and rub my arm over his shoulder. “Hey,” I whisper.

He’s leaning on the doorframe, arms folded over his chest. “Hey. I just wanted to watch them sleep. I needed to make sure they weren’t a dream.”

I lay gentle kisses on his back and wrap my arms around his waist, content for the first time in years.