Off the Record (Off #3)(63)

I’m sunk deep inside of Ever. The blood is pounding in my ears. It’s racing through my veins and demanding my body to pick up the pace. Her nails, which are currently sunk into my ass, demand the same thing. But I want to take it slow. This is the first time we’ve had any privacy for a week and I want to savor my girl.

My dad, Nix and Emily have just left. They were visiting from New York for the start of my hockey season with the Coyotes. We had a great time and everyone went to our opening game last night. After, we all came back and sat on the patio, sharing memories and creating new ones.

And the new memories were quite good indeed.

I knew what was coming, as did my dad and Ever. Everyone was in on it except for Emily.

The look on her face when Nix got up from his chair and dropped to his knees in front of Em was priceless. I still remember how she nervously pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, then she looked at Ever in a near state of panic. But then Nix reached his hand up and lightly gripped her chin. He turned her face so she was looking down at him.

“Emily...I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. I even thought of crazy and over the top ways to let everyone know how much I wanted you to be with me forever. But honestly...I couldn’t think of any better way than to do it in front of my family. Because I want to honor you in front of them. It’s because of you that I am whole again. And it’s because of you that my brother and my dad have the real me back. So I wanted them here with me when I asked you to be my wife.”

Nix turned to my dad who stood up and reached in his pants pocket. He pulled out the jeweler’s box that he had been diligently guarding all day and handed it over. Nix opened it up and pulled out the ring. Grabbing Emily’s hand, he slid it over her finger, and even sitting across the table I could see the diamond glistening in the moonlight.

“Emily...you know what you need to say to make my life complete. Will you be my wife, and the mother of our children? Will you grow old with me and share all of life’s joys with me?”

Emily never really responded with a “yes”. She just threw herself into Nix’s arms, knocking him completely backward so they were lying on the patio, her lips locked to his.

I glanced over at Ever and lovely tears of joy were puddled in her eyes. It’s weird to say, but I love seeing my girl cry. It represents my butterfly shedding her chrysalis.

When Emily finally pulled back from Nix, the look on his face nearly had tears forming in my eyes, which wasn’t very manly at all. But to be able to see Nix...a man that had once been so hardened and remote I feared he would never know true happiness, have a look of such serenity about him...well, it filled me with the greatest hope for what was to come with me and Ever.

Later that night, my dad approached me. He was clearly riding high on the emotion of gaining a new daughter. He told me that I shouldn’t wait too long to put a ring on Ever’s finger because he wanted lots of grandbabies and we couldn’t expect Nix and Emily to do all of the heavy hitting. I was like, Geez dad, we’ve only been together a few months. Slow down.

But part of me was secretly thrilled he saw the potential for us to make it that far.

And while I loved having my family here, and missed them like crazy the minute they left, I’m glad to be alone with Ever again.

As soon as they walked out the door, I turned around and leaned against it. Giving my most seductive look to Ever, I told her, “You have thirty seconds to take your clothes off and get into bed, or I’ll do it for you.”

I actually saw a tremor ripple through her body at my words and her eyes darkened. After she gave a swipe of her lip with that devil of a tongue, she turned away from me and peeled her shirt over her head. She never looked back at me as she walked into our bedroom.

Our bedroom.

The thought still almost brings me to my knees. Since that day two months ago when she sat on my couch, begging me to love her, I’ve done nothing but whisper words of thanks every day that she is back in my life. We haven’t been separated since. I even flew back to New York with her to help her pack her things, and we rented a truck and drove across the country together.

Ever has been looking for a job but has had no luck so far. But that’s okay, it’s not like we’re in the poorhouse. I’ve encouraged her to take her time and get a job that she will love.

I carry the article she wrote about me in my wallet. It’s the one from the actual newspaper, and it’s getting a little worn around the edges. I pull it out frequently to read her words. I don’t like her saying terrible things about herself, like she is selfish and weak. I tend to skip those lines. Sometimes, I will just skim the article, my eyes inadvertently going to one of my favorite parts.

He is the one for me.

How do I know?

Because he made me cry.

And while I hate that I made Ever cry, I’m so very thankful that she has the ability to love me. If it took a few dropped tears, then it was worth it.

I followed Ever into the bedroom. When I got there, she had already discarded the remainder of her clothes. She walked to me and helped me undress. Even the slightest graze of her fingers on my skin caused my nerves to fire and my blood to race.

And then we just kissed. I could kiss Ever for hours at a time. Our bodies were pressed into each other, my dick throbbing with the need to be inside of her. Our hands roamed, finding those places that were wet with need or hardened by desire.