When Two Becomes One Read online

  “I hope so too,” she said. “Otherwise, I’ll never have any grandchildren.”

  I gave her a weak smile. For the first year after our divorce I was in a lot of pain. Getting my tubes tied was an impulse decision. I never wanted to have kids with a man who I couldn’t trust. And I didn’t think I could trust any man ever again.

  “I’ll take a few days to calm down then try to talk to him again,” she said with a sigh. “I just hope I don’t give him a black eye.”

  Actually, I wouldn’t mind if she did. That slap looked painful but some lingering affliction wouldn’t be the worst thing. But I think hearing his mother say how disappointed she was was punishment enough.

  ***

  I walked inside Conrad’s apartment and smelled something good in the kitchen. “It’s me.” I just walked in because the door was unlocked.

  Conrad came out of the kitchen wearing a t-shirt and running shorts. “I thought I heard an angel’s voice.” His arms immediately wrapped around me and he gave me a gentle kiss on the lips.

  My entire body felt warm. Anytime I was close to him, my heart palpitated and wouldn’t slow. My fingers felt numb because touching him electrified me. Even his scent made me spiral. “Then there must be someone else in the apartment because I certainly don’t sound like an angel.”

  “I beg to differ.” He rubbed his nose against mine while he looked down at me. “So, are you hungry?”

  “Depends. What did you make?”

  “Grilled chicken, rice, and veggies.”

  “Sounds healthy.”

  He shrugged. “I can’t eat out every day.” He guided me to the table then he put the plates in front of us and we began to eat. He ate a few bites of his food while he watched me. Then he spoke. “What did you do today?”

  Conrad didn’t like me spending time with Jared. He made it clear he hated that guy. But I didn’t want to lie to him. “I saw Jared and his mom.”

  He flinched slightly. The movement was so quick and small I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been looking for it. “You sure spend a lot of time with them…” Irritation was heavy in his voice.

  “She asked me to come over. I didn’t know why until I got there.”

  “Please don’t tell me she was playing cupid.” He continued to eat, but it was less frequent and he took smaller bites.

  “No. Jared asked her to call me.”

  His jaw clenched. “Baby, I could slam his face into a slab of bricks. Just say the word and it’s done.”

  “No, it’s okay.”

  “Are you sure?” he pressed. He was looking for any excuse.

  I ignored his question. “Jared wanted me there so I could watch him tell his mom the truth—about all the cheating and lying he did during our marriage.”

  Conrad stared at me with dark eyes. “And why did he do that?”

  I shrugged. “I think to prove that he’s really sorry for what he’s done.”

  “And her reaction?”

  “She was pretty pissed off.”

  “Well, I’d be too,” he said. “If I pulled that, my dad would beat the shit out of me.”

  I believed that. Conrad’s dad was definitely a straight shooter.

  “It sounds like a shitty attempt to get you back.”

  “Well, it didn’t work. I told him not to bother but he did it anyway. At least his mom will stop pestering me about Jared.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “Some good came out of this bullshit.” Conrad hardly ever got angry, but he was particularly livid about this subject.

  I finished my food and let my plate sit there.

  Conrad did the same, resting his elbows on the table. He stared into his living room and remained quiet.

  “What’s on your mind?” I asked quietly.

  He slowly turned his head back to me. “You aren’t going to go back to him, right?”

  It was an interesting question to ask. “No. Why?”

  “Because he’s busting his ass to get your attention. I just hope he doesn’t succeed.”

  I stared at my plate for a moment before I looked at him again. “I think Jared truly is sorry for what he did. He wants to rectify what happened but he can’t think of a way. So he’s pulling threads. But that doesn’t change what happened between us. That trust is broken. I will never trust him or anyone else for as long as I live.” My voice grew shaky at the end.

  Conrad watched me with attentive eyes. “No one?”

  My lips remained pressed together.

  “Because I would never hurt you, Lexie. You already know that.”

  This conversation was making me uncomfortable, perhaps because I knew he was right. Conrad had become my closest friend. I told him everything and I spent all my time with him. I lived for the moment when we were together. Our passionate evenings together were no longer carnal sessions of fucking. They were slow and gentle, spanning time indefinitely. The relationship was different in every way imaginable. And that scared the shit out of me.

  “I don’t hurt the people I care about,” Conrad continued. “And I certainly would never hurt you.”

  I stared at him and held my silence. Words left me in that moment and I didn’t know what to say. I feared my worst nightmare had become a reality. At some point in time, Conrad had cracked me open and revealed the parts of me I wanted to remain hidden. He put me on display, making me vulnerable and accessible. He delved into the secrets of my life and penetrated my world. Now he was a part of that world too and I couldn’t get him out. He was there, constantly present and undeniable. He’d climbed over my walls and approached my last line of defense. I had no way of protecting myself and now I was purely at his mercy. I didn’t know how this happened or what went wrong. But it happened nonetheless.

  Chapter Three

  Cayson

  I kept a close eye on Slade for the next few days. He was clearly in love with Trinity and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But Slade was notorious for doing stupid things when the pressure became too much.

  I came to his apartment and watched the painful goodbye with Trinity.

  “How about I stay here until the night before the wedding?” He stood in front of her with his hands in his pockets, clearly doing his best not to snatch her and never let go.

  “No,” she said quietly. “It’s just going to get harder. It’s only for a few days. Then you’ll never have to leave again.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck while he stared at the bag at his feet. “I get why we shouldn’t have sex but now I can’t see you either?” Depression was in his voice. It was clear he hated this arrangement.

  “It’s only for a few days,” she repeated. “And it’ll be worth it in the end.”

  He sighed. “If I’d known marrying you would separate us like this I never would have proposed.”

  Trinity knew he was kidding. She formed a soft smile. “I know. But we’ll never be apart for the rest of our lives. And our wedding night and honeymoon will be special.”

  “It was going to be special regardless,” he said seriously.

  She stared at him, clearly at a loss for an argument. “You’ll have fun spending time with Cayson. It’ll be like old times.”

  “What are you talking about?” he asked. “It’ll be torture. You think he doesn’t want to be with his woman?”

  I definitely wanted to be with my woman.

  “They’re going to have a happily ever after soon too.” She came close to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she pressed her forehead to his. Pain was prevalent in their stature and frame. I could see it etched onto their faces. Watching them was almost too intimate. “It’s just for a little while.”

  “But it’ll feel like an eternity,” Slade whispered.

  “We’ll make it through.” She gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

  Slade returned the embrace but he hugged her fiercely like he refused to let go. He took a deep breath like the action was agonizing.

  Trinity wa
s the first one to pull away. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Slade sighed and growled at the same time. “Yeah…” He grabbed his bag off the floor. “Call me if you need me.”

  “I will.” She walked him to the door.

  I crossed the threshold then put my hands in my pockets.

  Slade gave her a final look, and it was marked with pain and longing.

  She gave him the same expression in return.

  “I love you.” His hand moved into her hair near her ear.

  “I love you too,” she whispered.

  He kissed her forehead before he stepped away.

  Trinity watched him go and didn’t say goodbye.

  Slade turned his back on her and walked away. The tension in his shoulders and back told me it took all his strength to keep going.

  Trinity turned to me. “Keep him busy.”

  “I will.”

  She sighed then walked back into the apartment and shut the door.

  I caught up to Slade and walked beside him. “It’ll be alright.”

  “No, it won’t,” he said darkly as we descended the stairs and reached the sidewalk outside the building. “How would you feel if you were in this situation?”

  Terrible. “It’s only for a few days.”

  “If I didn’t love her so much I would tell her to go fuck herself. This is stupid.” His lips were tight in a scowl.

  “I think it’s a good thing.”

  Slade gave me a threatening look.

  “The next time you sleep with Trinity she’ll be your wife. And it’ll feel special.”

  “It still would have felt special. That’s what she doesn’t understand.”

  This argument was going nowhere. “This is the situation you’re in and we’ll make the best of it.”

  “Then I better be drunk most of the time.”

  “I can arrange that.”

  ***

  Slade took the couch while I had the bed.

  I couldn’t sleep because I was used to sleeping with Skye. I hadn’t permanently moved in with her yet and I still had my old apartment. But I was never there. As soon as we walked inside, the place had a stale smell to it.

  My body was irritated it wasn’t getting what it wanted. Every night before bed, Skye and I made love. We fell asleep immediately afterwards. I knew that was why I struggled to keep my eyes closed. My body didn’t know it was bedtime.

  There was a quiet knock on my door.

  “What?” I called.

  Slade cracked the door. “I’m going to say something but you can’t repeat it to another soul.”

  I sat up. “Okay…”

  He shifted his weight like he was uncomfortable. Then he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve been sleeping with Trinity for years. And now that she’s not around…it’s hard for me to sleep.”

  Where was he going with this?

  “So…how about I sleep with you?” He cringed like he knew how his question sounded. “Because it kind of feels like I’m sleeping beside Trinity.”

  “Some people already think we’re gay together. Let’s not push it.”

  He rolled his eyes. I could see it even in the dark. “We don’t have to tell anybody. You’re the best man. You’re supposed to do shit like this.”

  “Sleep with you?” I asked incredulously.

  “Just wait on me and crap. Dude, you won’t even know I’m there. I’m not going to cuddle with you or anything.”

  “Better not.”

  “And you probably can’t sleep either.”

  I couldn’t, albeit for different reasons.

  “You’ve slept with me before.”

  “When we were six.”

  “That’s it. I’m getting in.” He moved into the bed and lay on the other side.

  I didn’t fight it and lay down. “Just sick to your side.”

  “Same to you, man.”

  We lay in the dark for a while but I struggled to fall asleep. Even though I was tired my body wouldn’t respond. Slade didn’t move for a long time, and then I heard the steady sound of his breathing the moment he fell asleep.

  I stared at the ceiling while I wondered what Skye was doing. She was probably in bed, wearing my t-shirt with just a brightly colored thong underneath. She probably didn’t wear a bra since she hated wearing them. Just thinking about her got me hard, and then it became nearly impossible to fall asleep.

  I eyed Slade and he seemed to be out for the night. I slowly left the bed without making a sound then left my apartment. I was certain I didn’t wake up Slade because he would have chased after me and wondered where I was going in the middle of the night.

  I walked a few blocks until I reached Skye’s building. I let myself in with the keycard then took the elevator to her penthouse on the top floor. She’d given me a key a long time ago so I just let myself in.

  All the lights were off and the city lights glowed through the window. I headed down the hall to her bedroom and saw the open door. When I peeked inside I saw her lying in bed, the sheets bunched around her. She appeared to be asleep, and for a moment I didn’t want to wake her up.

  Then I quickly changed my mind.

  I stripped my clothes off then pulled back the covers. I moved on top of her then kissed her neck and ran my hand up her thigh.

  Skye’s eyes fluttered open, and it took several seconds before she understood what was going on. She looked into my face then released a relaxed sigh. But she didn’t ask why I was there or what I wanted. Automatically, she pulled her thong off then positioned herself under me.

  I pulled her shirt off because I wanted to stare at her chest, the feature I was most obsessed about. I knew I behaved like a pervert when it came to her body but I didn’t care. I’d proved I loved her for more than just her looks and perfect body.

  My cock found her entrance and I slipped inside with no resistance. It felt so good to move inside her, to feel her slickness and warmth. I’d been inside her a million times but it always felt better every time.

  Her hands gripped my hips and gently tugged me into her. Her tits shook every time I thrust into her, and I loved to watch them jiggle. Her nipples had hardened into points, and I leaned down and sucked each one. One of the reasons I knew Skye was the one was because of my immense sexual attraction to her. The sex with her was better than any other experience I ever had, whether it was with a different woman or my hand.

  Skye massaged her breasts the way I liked, and her engagement ring sparkled even though there was hardly any light. I loved the way it flashed in different colors of the rainbow. And knowing she was mine, now and forever was such a turn on.

  I felt the distant throb in my groin and knew I wanted to explode already. I struggled every time I made love to Skye. She turned me on so much that it was difficult not to give in to the all-consuming pleasure. With other girls, I didn’t struggle as much. But with her, it was a constant hindrance. I forced myself to focus on her.

  When she tightened around me and she released audible pants, I knew I hit her in the right spot. Her nails dug into me and she held on, and she pulled me into her harder, like she wanted more.

  I pressed my forehead to hers and watched her crumble. “I love you, Skye.”

  She released another moan. “I love you too.”

  Her final words set me off and I released inside her, filling her like I always did. Feeling our bare skin touch was immensely satisfying. I liked knowing nothing separated us, and she allowed me to release inside her, truly claiming her as mine now and forever.

  When I finished, the heat and pleasure left my body. Soon I was satisfied and I finally felt sleepy.

  Skye looked like she was about to fall asleep too. She closed her eyes then pulled the pillow closer to her.

  I watched her for a moment, unable to believe she was truly mine. Then I kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” she said with a sigh.

  “Good night.”

  “Night…”
<
br />   I dressed myself then left her apartment. It was not to stick around and cuddle with her. I slept with her every night and I’d grown accustomed to it. I headed back to the apartment I would be getting rid of soon, and when I entered the bedroom Slade was in the exact same position as before. He hadn’t noticed I left. I got back into the bed beside him, and as soon as my head hit the pillow I fell asleep.

  ***

  The wedding was just a few days away and I was worried Slade would start to freak out. While I knew he wanted to be with Trinity, I also knew he freaked out over little things. He’d been a bachelor his whole life until Trinity came along. I’m sure the commitment would scare him eventually.

  Slade ate his fries in the booth across from me.

  “How was work?” I tried not to bring up Trinity.

  He shrugged. “It was fine.”

  “Running a shop on your own must be stressful.”

  “Not really,” he said. “It’s just like working for my dad. And when I need something I just call him. He’s only a few blocks away so he comes by and checks on me.”

  “Has the store been making good profits?”

  “Yeah, it has. But it’ll take me a long time to pay back my dad for all the money he invested.”

  “That’s normal for a brand new business.”

  “It still sucks.” He took a drink of his soda.

  “So…how’d you sleep last night?”

  “Good,” he said. “I guess you feel like Trinity.”

  “Uh, thanks.” I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not. “The wedding is only a few days away…”

  “Yeah,” he said. “I wish it would just get here already.”

  That was a good sign. Perhaps my fear was unnecessary. “I’m glad you aren’t freaking out about it.”

  “Why would I freak out?” he asked. “I asked her to marry me. Remember?”

  “It’s still a big step.”

  “Not really,” he said. “Trinity and I are already married anyway. This is just a way of making it official.”

  I guess I was worried over nothing. I didn’t need to watch over him all the time and make sure he wasn’t a flight risk. He was clearly fine.