We stay like this for seconds, or could even be minutes, hell I don’t know. All I know is that I feel sexy and wanted in his arms, and I never want this feeling to end. This is the most intimate form anyone has seen us in, and I notice Harley watching us with wide eyes, making it hard for her to concentrate on dancing with Ace, who has now slipped his way between her and some other guy.
“I love the way your body moves, babe.” Turning me around in his arms, he wraps both his hands into the back of my hair and grinds his hips against me to the slow rhythm of the music. He slowly runs his tongue over his lips, before pulling the bottom one into his mouth and biting it. “Yeah, baby. Keep moving like that. Fuck me . . .”
His words heat me, causing my hands to find his chest and slowly explore as he practically makes love to me on the dance floor with everyone watching. “Alex.” I moan. “You’re hard.”
Grabbing my hand, he rubs it down his chest and abs, stopping on his rock hard dick. He growls when I grab it. “It is . . .” he admits. “That’s what being this close to you does to me.”
He leans in and presses his forehead to mine, swiping his tongue out and across my lips. Just as I think he’s about to kiss me, Harley screeches next to me, making us both pull apart and flinch.
“Holy shit! You did it. You two did it and you didn’t tell me.” Grabbing my arm, she pulls me away from Alex. “Sorry, dude . . . but I’ve got details to get out of this one. Go dance with Ace or something.”
“Fuck . . .” Alex runs his hand down his face and walks through the crowd, making his way over to the drinks.
I hate seeing him walk away. I wasn’t ready for the moment to end. I almost feel like reaching over and ripping Harley’s left nipple ring out, but I’m a little bit classier than that. “Seriously?”
“What?” She pulls me over to a quiet area and smiles so big that I think her face is about to split open. “You worked the damn bar with me all day and you couldn’t even tell me. What kind of a friend are you? I’ll answer that for you. A sucky one. Alex is all over you now.”
“Harley . . . come on. Not right now. I’ll tell you later tonight or tomorrow. I’m trying to enjoy the party.”
“It was big, wasn’t it? I know it was. I saw that hard-on before he walked away. His pants could hardly contain it.” Harley stops to smile and wave to Olivia from across the room. “Did he give it to you hard? Did he last all night? He did . . . I just know Alex would. What about Lucas?”
“Harley!” I scream in frustration. She stops and looks at me with wide eyes. “I promise you I will tell you more later. Can we just dance and have fun? I don’t want to think about it right now. Please.”
She gives me a soft look and huffs. “Alright . . . I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was a touchy subject. Is everything alright?”
“It’s fine.” I smile, but it quickly fades, becoming replaced with a rush of jealousy when I look across the room and see Alex talking to a beautiful girl with the longest, blackest hair I’ve ever seen. I don’t know her, but from the way she’s trying to rub all over his chest, it’s clear to see that she’s one of his many flings. I swear my heart breaks on the spot.
I get ready to turn away, but Alex looks over and our eyes lock. Without another word to the girl, he starts heading my direction, leaving her there with her hands on her hips in anger.
He stops once he gets right in front of me and leans in close to my ear. “Let’s get out of here. There’s somewhere I think we should go tonight.”
I barely get a chance to answer before Alex places his arm around my waist and guides me through the crowd of people, not bothering to say goodbye to our friends.
“Where are we going?” I ask as soon as we get outside.
He smirks and opens the door to his truck, placing his hand on my ass to give me a boost inside. “Monty’s.”
I smile to myself as he shuts the door and walks around the truck. It’s been a long time since we’ve been to Monty’s at night, and I couldn’t be happier that he wants to take me there.
Being there is really going to make me fall farther than I already have . . .
Six 1/2 years ago . . .
IT HURTS . . . IT HURTS SO damn bad seeing Alex this way. The pain that he must be feeling has me fighting for breath and trying not to get sick. The last few weeks haven’t been easy for him, and there’s nothing more I’d wish for him than to be able to take away all of his agony.
How can someone be so strong after losing his mother to cancer, his brother to prison, and well his father . . . at his brother’s hands? I hate this so much.
By the time I get to the top of Monty’s roof Alex is already laying there, looking up at the night sky. His face is still bruised and swollen from that night a few weeks ago, and it only makes me believe more that Memphis did what he had to do. Alex could’ve died that night, and truthfully I don’t think I could live without him.
Without a word, I rush over to where Alex is laying, position my body next to his, and look up at the same night sky that Alex has probably been staring at for hours. I would’ve been here sooner, but I had to wait for my aunt Tara to fall asleep. I hate that he’s been here alone . . .
“Alex,” I whisper. “I’m so . . .” I choke on my sobs as they begin to take over. “I’m sorry. Oh my God. I wanted to be strong for you, but I can’t.”
Rolling over at the same time, now facing each other, Alex wraps his arms around my head and pulls me as close to him as possible. “Shhh . . . I know, Tripp.” He kisses the top of my head, and then his body starts shaking in my arms. “I’m lucky to have you. Thanks for being here.”
I pull my face out of his neck to look up at him. Instinctively, I reach out and wipe his wet face off with the sleeves of my sweater. “I’ll always be here for you, Alex.” I cry even harder as he tries to hide his face from me. “You’re my best friend, always and forever. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could keep me from being here for you.”
He smiles through his tears and reaches out to wipe under my left eye. “I know, Firecracker, and you better fucking believe that I’ll always be here for you too. I mean that. Okay?”
I nod my head before burying my face back into his neck and crying. I cry for him . . . for me, and for his brother that can’t be here for him when he needs him the most. The only person he has now for family is Jack. I know that Jack will check on him as often as he can, but that just doesn’t seem to be good enough for me. I want more for him. I want to be more for him.
“What are you going to do, Alex?” I ask against his neck that is now wet with both of our tears. “Are you going to live there alone? You can come stay with us. Tara won’t mind. I know it.”
Gripping me tighter, he pulls me into his chest and kisses my head a few times. “I’ll figure it out. You don’t need to worry about me, babe.”
“I can’t help it,” I admit. I love you.
I want to say those words, but don’t. Instead I just lay in silence, listening to the sound of him breathing until he finally falls asleep beside me. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the first time he’s slept in weeks. God, that hurts me so much.
I promise to never leave Alex alone. I can’t . . .