Falling In Read online

  “Ha. That she is. You have no idea. This woman can bring any man to his knees with just a fucking look. Trust me, I know from experience.” He grunts as I elbow him in is impeccably hard stomach. He turns and heads toward the refrigerator to grab what I assume are beers.

  “I can believe it,” Jake whispers to himself. I’m not sure I was meant to hear it, but alas, I did. He glances back at me once more before heading over to Cole to grab a beer. They both go outside to the grill to talk man-talk, I suppose, whilst I have a ginormous gulp of my wine and then take a deep breath. In through the nose. Out the mouth.

  After we finish dinner, we decide to put a movie on for the kids so we can talk without having to scream over all of the ruckus that a seven and two six-year olds can create. All three of us sit at the turquoise picnic bench I scored from a garage sale and refurbished three years ago. Each of us is facing one another, making a triangle of sorts. Alcohol is passing quite freely between us. The guys are on their fourth and fifth beers, me on my second glass of my oh-so-yummy sangria. We decide on playing a friendly game of twenty questions. It’s the easiest way to get to know someone quickly.

  “How long have you two been together?” Jakes asks while taking a long pull of his beer and looking between the two of us.

  I decide to answer this one. “In a way, we’ve been together since the first day of first grade. He’s always been my best friend.” I look over at Cole and smile up at him with nostalgia, gratitude, and a twinge of sadness, my eyes expressing my unconditional love for him. He smiles back knowingly and winks. “But we technically didn’t get together until seventh grade—”

  “That’s when she got boobs!” Cole interrupts. I punch him in his ogre-sized arm.

  “Shut it and let me finish our great love story! So, it was the beginning of seventh grade and well, Cole was right, I did get boobs over the summer, albeit a bit small, l but I was still looking mighty fine.” Cole looks at Jake pointedly and nods up and down like a moron. Men. “I was at my locker with my boobs and the rest of my banging body when David Lee—super hottie, by the way—asked me to go to the fall dance. I, of course, said yes. I wasn’t stupid—I did have eyes. Plus, no one had ever asked me out before. Well, news travels fast, and it got to Cole around third period gym class. The ogre that is now my man attacked poor David Lee, giving him a black eye and split lip. I was mortified. Cole was suspended for a week.

  “After school, I hiked the five miles to his house, climbed the tree by his window, and snuck into his room. Something I had done a million times before. I demanded he tell me why he would do such a thing to poor David Lee. Cole looked at me like I was an idiot, and then said the sexiest and most amazing words I have ever heard: ‘Because I won’t let anyone touch what’s mine!’ That’s when I tackled him to the ground and kissed him like my life depended on it. I’ll let you in on a little secret, one that even Cole doesn’t know.”

  I glance at Cole, who is staring at me with intrigue and confusion. I smirk. “See, Jakey boy, what my Cole here doesn’t know is that I have loved him since the second day of first grade. When he noticed I didn’t have any lunch, he gave me his.” I smile to myself, remembering how even at six years old, I knew this boy was special. “But it wasn’t until that exact moment when David Lee asked me to the dance when I concocted my little plan. You see, I didn’t really like David Lee. Yes, he was eye candy, but he was kind of a douche and a bit stupid. But I knew that if Cole found out I was going to the dance with him, he would be furious and hopefully be forced to finally reveal his feelings for me. And of course being the brilliant woman that I am, I was right!” I smile triumphantly at Jake, then my beloved.

  “You scheming little minx!” Cole gasps and pretends to be appalled, and we all burst out laughing. As the laughing subsides, we continue the game.

  “So, you said you attacked Cole and kissed him senseless. Was that your first kiss?” Jake looks at me with an emotion I can’t quite place.

  “Cole was my first everything. And for the most part, my only.” Cole and I look at each other for a brief moment, understanding the mixed bag of emotions of that statement.

  Somehow sensing my dark thoughts, Jake gives me a reprieve and turns the tables onto Cole, letting me take a deep breath to push back those memories, shove them into that box deep down into my soul, lock it up and toss the key. In through the nose. Out the mouth.

  “So Cole, you coach baseball, does that mean you used to play?” Well, shit.

  I turn to Cole to gage his mood. He looks okay. Feeling my eyes on him, he looks at me and nods with a small smile. I nod back. Our silent way of asking each other if we’re okay. We are.

  “I played baseball since as far back as I can remember. Besides Evie, baseball was my life, my air. I breathed it. It came natural to me. I was the best damn pitcher in the state, had a curveball no one could touch, and a full ride to OSU.” I watch Cole take a long deep breath of his own. In through the nose. Out the mouth. “But for years, I’d been silently struggling with pain in my shoulder. I would power through it. Ice it. Heat it. I even did physical therapy during the off-season my last year of high school. It seemed to work, so I went on as if nothing was ever wrong. Went through the whole season with minor pain, but I was used to that by then. But throughout our state championship game, my shoulder was throbbing. I knew something wasn’t right, but my stubborn ass wouldn’t—couldn’t—say anything. Then during the sixth inning, bases loaded and game tied, I threw that curveball and my arm screamed in agony. I knew I was done. I was over. I had a posterior labral tear. Apparently it’s pretty uncommon. Surgery wasn’t an option. I took it as a sign. Baseball just wasn’t meant to be. So after graduation, I picked myself up, took my girl, and moved here. I had already been accepted to PSU, one of my backup schools. And then halfway through college, Evie got pregnant with the twins. ” Looking down at me, he says with so much conviction it’s gutting, “I never once have regretted that decision.”

  At an attempt to lighten the mood, I tease back with a wink, “You honestly dodged a bullet there anyway, babe. Who wants to be an effing Beaver, anyway?”

  Jake chokes on his beer after he regains composure, eyes wide as he sputters out, “Oh shit, you guys are Duck fans, aren’t you?”

  We look at him like he’s grown a second head. Of course we’re mother effing Duck fans. We’re from Eugene, for eff’s sake. Then it comes to me.

  “Jake, where are you from?”

  He cringes and replies so quietly, I just barely hear him. But I do. “Seattle.”

  I gasp, lean over the table, and with a narrow of my eyes in his direction and a point of my finger, I accuse him of treason. “You’re a damn Huskie, aren’t you?”

  Cole huffs and puffs, then lets out an, “Oh, fuck!”

  Jake casts his head down and nods with shame. I shake my head with disgust. “We should kick your ass out of here. I can’t believe you! I thought we had a good thing going, but now I am just at a loss for words, Jake. So disappointed in you. I can’t even look at you!” I scold while trying to suppress the giggle that is threatening to bubble up.

  Jake lifts his hands in the air in defeat. “Yes, okay, I went to U-dub. I’m a goddamned Huskie. But I concede, all right? You win. I’m man enough to admit the Ducks are better and a hell of a lot more entertaining than the dawgs.”

  Damn straight they are.

  After that, the questions become a little less heavy and geared towards our neighbor. Are you single? Yes. Why? My baggage is too hard to carry. Hmm. Remember that for a later conversation I will in fact pester him about. How does it feel to become a parent? Humbling. Aw, shucks. What do you do? A chef, but taking some time until Ben is ready. And until he is ready. Favorite food? Chocolate-chocolate chip cake with buttercream frosting. I look down and blush at that. After a few more mundane questions from Cole, we finish our drinks and head back inside to find all of the kids passed out on couch. Jake picks up Ben and heads toward the door, thanking us for a great n
ight and making plans to do it again soon. With a tilt of the head, he leaves our now silent house.

  Cole and I each pick up a twin and head upstairs, putting them in their respective rooms. I kiss Cady’s sweet little head and tuck her in tightly before leaving the room at the exact time Cole leaves Dylan’s. Closing the door behind me, we both exhale with smiles. Exhaustion and elation from a good night settles in. Then I face Cole, walking toward him. I reach my right hand out, touching his chest, moving it up and down. I look into his eyes and all exhaustion is gone, replaced with want and need. I feel a clench in my lower belly. I lick my lips and bite down, knowing how much he can’t resist the action. And he doesn’t.

  In two seconds flat, he picks me up with a growl and storms to our bedroom, like a man on a mission. Mmmm, and that mission is my body. Lucky me. He closes our door and locks it. Then tosses me on the bed like a sack of potatoes. I love it. While staring down at me he slowly unbuttons his shirt, revealing his mouth-watering chest and six pack abs. I want to lick him. So I do. I climb off the bed and saunter over to him. I stand in front of my beautiful man, feeling his deliciously hard erection poking my stomach and kneel down, swiping my tongue on that sexy V above his pelvis, licking little by little up to his belly button then gradually rising towards his right nipple. I suck hard and when I hear a moan I move to the other, repeat, then make my way to his neck and that spot behind his ear that I know drives him wild. He grabs me by the hands, pulling me off his body, and crashes his hot mouth to mine. He penetrates with his tongue, my own meeting his in a torturous wrestling match. Hands grope each other’s bodies, and I detach my mouth from his long enough to unbutton and pull down his jeans and black boxer briefs. Then my mouth is back on his. Never leaving my lips, he slips the spaghetti straps off my shoulders and my favorite navy-striped maxi dress puddles to the floor, revealing my half naked body. Yeah, no bra, just barely-there panties. His sharp intake of breath lets me know he appreciates the sight. He pulls away and his eyes, full of fire, roam my entire body

  “Shit, baby. I swear you get hotter every fucking day. I don’t know where to begin. I wanna kiss every inch of you, starting with that beautiful, wet pussy of yours. Then, after you come, screaming my name, I’m gonna fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk tomorrow!”

  Hot damn. I am dripping wet and so unbelievably ready for him. “Why don’t you stop talking and do it already!”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice!” He pushes me back down onto the bed, practically rips my panties off and parts my legs with his strong hands, sticking his head in between them. He lays soft kisses against my aching sex, not yet going where I need him to go, teasing me to no end.

  “Cole, please.” I beg, needing him now more than ever.

  “Please, what? What do you need, Evie?”

  “Lick me, Cole! Fuck me with your tongue.”

  “Fuck, Evie!” he growls. Then he buries his face in my pussy. His tongue is moving up and down. In and out. Sucking and swirling on my clit. Over and over until I’m bucking my hips against his face, my hands gripping the comforter. I scream out his name as my orgasm rips through my convulsing body. Cole continues lapping up my juices until his skilled tongue trails up my body. Licking every curve until he finds my mouth and claims it.

  I can feel his hard cock near my entrance, ready to be invited inside. Wrapping my legs around him, heels digging into his toned ass, I push him inside with a collective gasp. Cole starts pumping, hard and fast. Fucking me and filling me up with his length. He grabs both my wrists, pinning them above my head and starts working on my sensitive breasts. Sucking and biting on each nipple. “Jesus, Evie. I. Love. Fucking. You.” He grunts with every thrust. Then he releases my hands, dips his fingers between us, and circles around my clit. Fuck, I’m so close.

  “Fuck, baby, I’m gonna come. Come with me, Evie. Come for me!” he barks out, pounding into me a few more times before my stomach clenches and my pussy tightens around his cock. He comes a second after, shuddering on top of me, whispering my name in my ear. We lay there, him still inside me and on top of me for a few minutes. Relishing our shared bliss, we’re riding the high until it subsides. We whisper sweet “I love yous” to each other. Tender kisses are exchanged. Then he pulls out and heads to the bathroom to clean up. I lay in bed, watching him as his come pools out of me. He comes back with a warm washcloth and wipes me clean, as he always does. Always taking care of me. After he discards the dirty cloth, he climbs back into bed, wrapping me into his arms and pulling the blanket over us as we drift off together.

  Always together.

  Chapter Three

  Evangeline

  With the sun peeking through the curtains, I wake up the same way I do every morning during the school week: alone, and at six o’clock. Cole, the sadist that he is, gets up at four-thirty every day before work to run his excruciating eight miles. I can hear him in the shower now, and although I would love to climb in with him and do many naughty things, we both just don’t have the time. So I begrudgingly get out of bed, pull on some leggings, a sports bra, and a simple tank, then tiptoe downstairs, not ready to wake the kids yet. Mama needs some quiet time to recoup, even if it’s just five or ten minutes. If you have kids, you know what I’m talking about.

  I set my teakettle on the stove and wait impatiently for my vanilla chai tea. I gave up coffee while I was pregnant with the twins. Haven’t had any since. Talk about sadism. As my kettle screams at me, I hear light pitter-patters coming down the stairs, followed by heavier footfalls. Sounds like my loves are awake and ready to start their day.

  After I get mumblings from the twins of what I am assuming is “Good morning,” and a kiss on the forehead from Cole, my quiet moment turns into a hectic race to get everyone out the door on time. Between sips of lukewarm tea, I pack lunches, make toast with peanut butter and Nutella for everyone but myself, grab the clothes they picked out for themselves, and then toss them to Cady and Dyl. Cole is just finishing up tying those sexy-ass boots, while I am about to put a side braid in Cady’s hair. He walks over, giving us all kisses and wishing us a good day before he grabs his lunch, travel mug full of coffee, and heads to work. I finish with Cady’s hair and do absolutely nothing with Dyl’s—the kid has that perfect shaggy-skater hairstyle going on. He’s going to be trouble, I know it. They both are.

  Cady with her long, curly golden brown hair and matching eyes has got some serious style, like her mama. White polka-dot tutu skirt, red leggings, black Beatles tee, and black Chuck’s. Seriously. That’s my girl. Dyl is a bit more understated, although today he is sporting some golden yellow skinny jeans. He’s pairing those with a black Duck sweatshirt, a white tee peeking out the bottom, and Batman printed Vans. We’re strictly a Vans, Converse or Tom’s kind of family. That’s just how we roll.

  After making sure the kids are presentable, I quickly stuff their lunches and books into their backpacks, hand them over, slip on my red striped Tom’s, and then usher the kids out the door as I follow behind towards the bus stop.

  We’ve got a few minutes to spare, so I kiss the kids before they join their friends. As I’m watching them interact, a door to my left slams shut. I turn toward the noise and see a much frazzled-looking Jake jogging behind Ben, who is cool as a cucumber. But even in his exhausted state, Jake still looks mighty fine. Hair all mussed like he just rolled out of bed, a wrinkled Beastie Boys tee on, with gym shorts and flip flops. He notices me looking at him, most likely catching me ogling him. Again he smirks and tilts his head up, like all guys do as a way of greeting hello. Damn, I really need to stop checking this guy out.

  In the corner of my eye, I watch him hug Ben tightly and send him off on his merry way. Cady and Dyl call him over, giving him high fives when he arrives and introducing him to their friends. I turn back to Jake and he’s watching the proverbial welcome wagon with a huge smile on his face. His shoulders sag in relief, the worry gone from those beautiful mint green eyes. I smile to myself. Goddess I love my kid
s.

  “Good morning!” I call over to him

  “Good morning, Evangeline.” He strolls over to me. Once he’s near, he turns to me with that perfect smile still plastered on his face. “Your kids are amazing. I’ve been freaking out about the move. I just wanted a new start for him, but I was worried that changing schools might be too much. But Jesus, look at him!” He turns back to the kids, as do I. Ben is laughing at some story Dyl is telling with his arms animatedly flailing about. Have I mentioned how awesome my kids are?

  Jake turns back to me with a look of wonder as he stares into my eyes. He shakes his head once, like he’s trying to rid the thought that just popped into his mind.

  Hmm. Wonder what he was thinking?

  “Evangeline?” he asks, like it wasn’t the first time. Shit. I must’ve missed something.

  “Hmm? I’m sorry. I think I need more tea!” I laugh lightly.

  “I asked if you had breakfast already. I haven’t had any yet. And I figured I would return the favor from the dinner last night, and I guess as a sort of thank for being so damn welcoming.” He looks hopeful but wary, like he thinks I will say no. No chance in hell. Yes, I might be playing with fire. But a friendly breakfast can’t hurt. Right?

  As the bus arrives gathering up all of the kids, I turn to Jake with a sly smile. “I would be crazy to turn down an offer of breakfast from a top chef. I’m tired of cereal, anyway!”

  He smiles brightly, nods once, then heads toward his house. I follow closely behind. As we enter his house, he apologizes for the mess. I wave it off, knowing good and well the disaster that is moving. We walk through towers of opened and unopened boxes and head straight to the kitchen, where I spot a pair of barstools at the little breakfast nook. I sit down and watch Jake pull out random ingredients from the fridge.