Already Gone Page 14

  “I’m okay with it if you are.”

  Scarlett nods, and Chloe high-fives her friend. “Thanks, Dad. See you tomorrow, Scarlett.”

  We all wave goodbye, even Alexis, who doesn’t seem as stiff as she was earlier when we came back with the food.

  A band starts playing an old rock song, and Rick stands up. He taps Lucy on the shoulder. “I love this song. Let’s go dance.”

  “Okay,” Lucy giggles, getting up and taking her grandpa’s hand.

  “What about me?” Declan frowns.

  “You can come, too.”

  Rick and the kids boogie their way onto the dance floor, and a second later, Jason excuses himself to talk to someone he knows.

  Scarlett claps and smiles as she laughs at her dad. I notice Lexi watching her sister and, eventually, she slides down the bench and puts herself across from Scarlett.

  “Hey.”

  Scarlett pulls her eyes from the dance floor and looks at Lexi. I hate that her smile falters. “Hey.”

  “So, Dad is really doing better?”

  “Yeah. The physical therapist said that he’s regained ninety percent of his strength and full use of his hand. Occupational therapy only has two more visits, and then they’re done.”

  “I guess he won’t be needing you anymore.”

  Oh, shit.

  Scarlett’s face hardens. “I guess not.”

  Alexis looks taken aback by the harsh tone of Scarlett’s voice. “I—I didn’t mean that in a bad way. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I meant it very literally.”

  Scarlett doesn’t look convinced, and after a long, awkward pause, Lexi clears her throat. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat.”

  “I don’t mean about what I just said,” Lexi clarifies. “I mean for the way I’ve treated you since you arrived.”

  I clear my throat, and Lexi rolls her eyes.

  “And also for the way I treated you before…over the last several years.”

  “I forgive you.”

  “Just like that? I’ve been a complete bitch. I’m probably still going to be unbearable at times.”

  Scarlett laughs, then reaches across the table and rests a hand on Lexi’s. “We’re sisters. Of course, I forgive you. I still think we need to have a serious talk about our issues with each other, but this is a good start.”

  Lexi takes a deep breath and blows it out. She looks as though the weight of the world has been lifted from her shoulders. “What now?”

  “Now, I need to get Dad home before he breaks a hip on the dance floor.”

  “I meant in your life.”

  Scarlett reaches for my hand under the table. She’s as surprised at Lexi’s change in behavior as I am, but I know by the gentle squeeze she gives me that she’s happy. And if my girl is content, then so am I.

  “Well, I’ll be here until Dad gets officially released”—she looks up, her eyes finding mine—“and then…I don’t know what. I guess that’s something I need to figure out.”

  “As much as I love seeing my girls smiling at each other, I’m ready to go home.” Rick is panting and out of breath from his spin around the dance floor as he approaches the table. “This body can’t move like it used to.”

  “Do you need me to go to the car and grab your walker?” I ask, standing up.

  “Nah, I’m good. Just a little winded.”

  Scarlett stands up. We all say our goodbyes and make our way to the car. It’s dark by the time we get back to Rick’s house. He retreats to his room with a murmured “goodnight.”

  “Do you mind if I take a quick shower?” Scarlett asks. “I’d ask you to join me, but that’s probably not very appropriate with my dad down the hall.”

  “You’re killing me.” I groan and pull her into my arms. I kiss her hard, showing her with my lips just how badly I want to be in the shower with her. When we break apart, I slap her ass. “Go, while I still have the strength to step away.”

  “I’ll be quick.”

  With Chloe at a friend’s house, there’s no rush for me to leave, so I kick my shoes off by the door and sit on the couch. Rather than turn on the TV because I don’t want it to be too loud for Rick if he’s trying to go to sleep, I lean my head back and close my eyes.

  I must doze off because I wake up sometime later with a warm woman in my lap, kissing her way up the side of my neck. She nibbles my ear, and my cock stirs to life.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead,” she breathes.

  I blink my eyelids open. Scarlett is indeed sitting on my lap. She’s wearing nothing but a towel and a smile. I slide my hands up her thigh and under the terrycloth. I’m met with soft, warm flesh, and her lips part when I drag a finger down her core.

  “Baby, we can’t do this here.” My body disobeys my words when my hand slides to the small of her back and pulls her to me. Scarlett answers by grinding her bare pussy against my jeans. I’m hard as a rock and ready to pound into her, but this isn’t exactly the place for that to happen.

  “Daddy is asleep. I checked on him.”

  “You’re a minx.”

  “I’m horny, and I want you inside of me.” Scarlett releases her towel. It falls, exposing her breasts. Her nipples are puckered tight, begging for my mouth, and who am I not to give them what they want?

  I lean forward and capture a tight bud in my mouth. I suck and lick and bite until Scarlett’s writhing against me. With my hands on her waist, I guide her over my rigid cock, which is pushing uncomfortably against the seam and zipper of my jeans. Her body draws tight, her breaths coming in short little pants, and then I slip two fingers inside of her. Three strokes and she’s falling apart in my arms. Her pussy spasms against my fingers, sucking them deep.

  Her soft body collapses against mine, and when she catches her breath, she sits up. Her eyes are glazed over, her bottom lip plump from her biting on it. Without a word, she reaches for my jeans. I watch her pop the button, lower the zipper, and ease me out of my boxers.

  Scarlett lifts onto her knees, positions my cock at her entrance, and slowly lowers herself on top of me.

  What we’re doing is damn risky with Rick asleep in the other room, but right now, I can’t bring myself to care.

  I start to move my hips, but Scarlett shakes her head and stills me with a hand to my chest. “It’s my turn. Let me make you feel good.”

  I lean back against the couch. “You always make me feel good,” I say, my hands roaming every inch of her delicious, naked body.

  My beautiful girl moves on top of me, rotating her hips, lifting herself up and then dropping back down. Her hands are everywhere. I feel her start to tighten around me. She’s close and, fuck, so am I.

  There’s nothing I want more than for us to fall over the edge together.

  “Look at me,” I command gently.

  Scarlett blinks her eyes open. They bob heavily, but she manages to keep her eyes on mine.

  “I love you.” I push my hands into her hair, pull her down for an achingly sweet kiss, and breathe her in. “I love you so much.”

  Tears build in her soulful brown eyes. “I love you, too.”

  Four words are all it takes, and I’m spiraling out of control. My body stiffens beneath hers, and a zap of electricity works its way up my spine before scattering down my arms and legs. My balls tighten, and when I feel a moan working its way up my throat, I seal my lips to hers in an attempt to keep us both quiet.

  Scarlett falls with me. Our bodies spasm and jerk against each other as we float down from our high. There aren’t words for what just happened. It was love at its finest; two bodies coming together in the purest form. And when Scarlett tilts her head to the side and smiles at me, I know without a doubt that she’s it.

  This girl is my forever.

  16

  ~Scarlett~

  “I’m so impressed with your progress,” Gretchen says to Dad just a few days later after a particularly grueling physical therapy session. “In my pro
fessional opinion, my work here is done.”

  “Really?” I ask, my voice full of hope and excitement.

  “Really.” Gretchen smiles at Dad and then gives him a big hug. “You’ve done a great job with your exercises, and frankly, you’ve recovered incredibly well. Keep up the good work. And if you ever have questions or concerns, I’m only a phone call away. As soon as I get back to the office, I’ll let your doctor know that I’m releasing you.”

  “Thank you,” Dad says, patting Gretchen’s back. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “Oh, I know,” Gretchen says with a sassy wink. “I’d better get going. Be sure to follow up with your doctor, and let me know if you need anything.”

  She waves before walking out of the house, and I wrap my arms around Dad’s middle, holding on tightly, so relieved that he’s going to be okay.

  “I’m so proud of you,” I say against his chest. He smells the same as he has since I was a little girl, of Old Spice. “You knocked it out of the park.”

  “Being an overachiever runs in the family,” he says with a laugh. “It feels good to be pretty much back to normal. I’ll keep a cane nearby for when I’m tired, but I’m feeling fantastic. In fact, you don’t need to babysit me all the time anymore. I got rid of those damn rugs in the kitchen, and you heard Gretchen. I’m fine.”

  I frown and follow him into the kitchen where we each grab a bottle of water out of the fridge and then walk outside. Summer is quickly approaching, along with long, hot days. But today is pleasant with a cool breeze.

  “You know I worry about you.”

  “And I appreciate it, honey. But maybe it’s time for you to start thinking about going back to your normal routine.”

  I take a sip of water, thinking it over. I miss the music and my friends in Nashville. My routine.

  But if I go back to what I know in Tennessee, I won’t have Tucker.

  And that just seems out of the question.

  “You went and fell in love with him, didn’t you?” Dad asks with a satisfied smile on his lips.

  “I did,” I admit softly, looking across the yards to Tucker’s house. He should be getting home from work anytime. Chloe went to Jenny’s house again. It seems the two girls have become inseparable. “And I’m stupid.”

  “I didn’t raise a stupid girl.”

  I sigh and shift my gaze to my father. Lexi looks just like him, with her brown hair and blue eyes. I get my darker features from our mother. I wonder if looking at me for all these years has been bittersweet for my dad.

  “A relationship with Tucker seems impossible,” I say. “He’s here, and my career takes me everywhere.”

  “You’ll work it out,” Dad says with confidence, and before I can ask him how he thinks that’s possible, Tucker pulls up to his house. “Go see him.”

  “But you’re—”

  “Cleared to go back to normal activity,” he reminds me with a proud grin. “Go see your guy. I’ll get dinner started. We’re having pork chops. Tell Tucker to join us.”

  And with that, Dad walks into the house.

  I watch as Tucker steps out of his car and glances over at Dad’s place. When he sees me sitting on the back porch, his face breaks out into a wide grin.

  God, I’m going to miss seeing him every day.

  I offer him a small wave, then walk across the grass to him, the same way I did when we were kids. Tucker sweeps me up in a hello kiss that would rival any chick flick out there.

  “Hello there,” I say when we come up for air.

  “How was your day?”

  “Pretty great. How was yours?”

  “It’s looking a lot better now.” He laces his fingers with mine and leads me into his house. “Is Lexi with your dad?”

  “No, Dad’s by himself.” Tucker turns and raises a brow. “He was just given the okay to go back to normal from Gretchen.”

  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”

  “Me, too.” Tucker sits on the couch with a sigh, and I climb into his lap, lay my head on his chest, and soak him in. “Was work bad?”

  “We had an accident,” he says and buries his lips in my hair. “Two little ones didn’t make it.”

  “I’m sorry.” I kiss his chest. “I guess I forget about this side of your job. I always think about speeding tickets and drug cartels.”

  He chuckles and gives me a squeeze. “It’s usually somewhere in the middle of those two.”

  “When was the last time you took a vacation?” I ask.

  “A couple years ago,” he replies. “Why?”

  “Well, if you can swing it, I’d like to go to Nashville for the weekend. I haven’t been home in months, and I’d like to check on my house and stuff. Honestly, I’d like to show you and Chloe what I’ve been up to all these years.”

  “When would you like to leave?”

  “Friday morning.”

  “That’s two days away.”

  “I know.” I’m not looking at him. Honestly, I’m nervous that he’ll turn me down. “But Chloe’s last day of school is tomorrow, and you usually have weekends off.”

  “I’ll make it work,” he says, and my head whips up in surprise.

  “Really?”

  “Sure. Getting out of town for a few days will be fun. Chloe might kill me if I say no.”

  “We wouldn’t want that.” I kiss his cheek. “I’ll make sure Lexi can look in on Dad. I know he’s been given the all-clear, but looking in on him won’t hurt.”

  “I guess I’d better make a couple of calls,” Tucker says with a smile. “Seems my lady wants to take a trip.”

  “Seems she does,” I confirm. “So, I’ll go and let you get things straightened out. Oh, and Dad said to tell you we’re having pork chops for dinner.”

  “I’ll be over in a few.”

  I lean in and kiss his lips softly before I pull away and saunter toward the door, more excited than I expected for the upcoming weekend away.

  “See you soon.”

  “This is my bedroom?” Chloe asks, looking around the guest suite on the second floor of my home in Nashville. We just arrived at the house, and I’m pleased to see that my staff aired out all the rooms, changed the linens, and stocked the kitchen for us.

  “Don’t you like it?” I also look around the space, taking in the big, four-poster bed and the white linens. “You have your own bathroom in here, and a balcony in case you want to get some fresh air.”

  “Oh my gosh, it’s awesome,” she says, her voice shrill. “It’s a princess’s room. I could have twenty people over for a sleepover.”

  “Oh, good. You scared me.” I kiss her head and look over to Tucker, who’s leaning against the doorframe, his hands in his jeans’ pockets, watching us. “You can unpack your things if you like and get comfortable. Your dad and I will be downstairs.”

  “Okay. Dad, can I have my phone so I can FaceTime Jenny and show her this room? She won’t believe it.”

  “Sure,” Tucker says, passing her the iPhone.

  “Thanks,” Chloe says. “And thanks for this cool room, Scarlett.”

  “My pleasure.” I pat her shoulder, and then Tucker and I walk down the hall to the other side of the house where the master bedroom is. “Should you also stay in a guest room? Of course, I want you with me, but Chloe’s so young, and I don’t want to assume—”

  “Chloe and I talked about this,” he says, surprising me. I walk into my bedroom, and Tucker joins me. The staff has already brought up our luggage. “She’s cool with me staying in here with you as long as I don’t tell her about the kissing.”

  I feel my lips twitch into a grin. “Well, I think we can manage that.”

  “Your home is beautiful.” His voice is soft, but I feel him holding back.

  “But?”

  “But it’s a little intimidating. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a house this big.”

  I nod thoughtfully. “I get it. It’s a big house. But there’s also a recording studio yo
u haven’t seen, along with a gym and a pool.”

  “Well, Chloe will love that.”

  “Do you love it?”

  He walks to the double doors that open out to the balcony that overlooks the pool and gardens. We step out and lean on the cement railing.

  “It’s fun,” he says at last. “Different.”

  “It’s not as intimidating as you think,” I assure him. “The staff doesn’t stay all the time. They meet me here after I’ve been gone for a long time to help me get settled. But then they’re gone. Trust me, I don’t keep a butler and a maid every day.”

  “I didn’t say anything about that.”

  “I saw your wheels turning.” I take his hand in mine because the distance is killing me. “The maid comes once a week. I also have a gardener and a pool boy.”

  “Of course, you do.”

  “I mean, I have a pool,” I remind him. “Hence, the pool boy.”

  He laughs and reaches up to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. “It’s great, Scar. You’ve done really well for yourself. Thanks for having us.”

  “Let’s take the weekend to relax,” I suggest. “We can go into the city if you want to do the tourist thing. We can swim, or veg, or whatever. No agenda.”

  “Sounds good.” He leans down to kiss me, but we suddenly hear gagging noises behind us.

  “Seriously,” Chloe says. “Ew. There is a child present.”

  “You weren’t present four seconds ago,” Tucker says, ruffling her hair and earning a scowl. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking? Did your father raise you in a barn?”

  “The door was open,” Chloe reminds him and rolls her eyes. “And my father is the one born in a barn.”

  I love watching them banter. They’re funny, comfortable with each other, and you can see the love between them.

  Tucker is an excellent dad.

  It’s just another reason for me to love him more than anything in the world.

  “Is that a pool?” Chloe asks with excitement, leaning over the railing. “Oh my gosh, we gotta swim! I brought my suit, just in case. I think I read in People magazine a few years ago that you had a pool. Dad, we need a pool! I’m gonna go change. Last one in’s a rotten egg.”