Not Alone Read online

  Next thing I knew, I was woken up by the phone going off on my coffee table. I reached over to grab it and saw Grady Calling flash on the screen. “Hello,” I answered, then took a second to clear the sleep out of my throat.

  “Sweetheart, were you asleep?”

  “Yeah, I crashed while watching a movie.”

  “You still want me to come over?”

  “Yes!” I replied a little too enthusiastically. The seed had been planted in my brain and by golly we were going to carry it out.

  “Ok, well I’ll be there in just a few minutes.”

  We disconnected and I rushed around getting a drink, then to try and make some semblance of order out of my hair. Stopping for a minute to think about what bra and panties I had on, I had to go as far as to look down my shirt to make sure they were acceptable.

  He should be here any minute and my nerves were killing me. I was in need of a pep talk, so I called Tessa to boost my spirits. I found her number in my phone, pressed send, and waited for her to answer.

  “Hey chica!”

  “Hey, I don’t have much time, but I’m in need of a pep talk. Grady is on his way over and I think, oh, I don’t know what I think. I really want to have sex with him,” I rambled.

  “Em, don’t freak out, if it happens it happens. You are absolutely beautiful, and he totally digs you. He left the bar in an amazing mood and was totally excited to come see you. Just breathe, girlie. And I want details tomorrow!!!! Now, I gotta go, Mac’s giving me the stink eye because I’m on the phone. Bye girl!” and she hung up.

  “Ok just breathe, Emmalynne, you can do this. Tess says it’s like riding a bike. She also says YOLO, whatever the hell that means. What if he doesn’t like the way I look without my clothes on? Hell, with my flabby tummy and jacked up leg, who would? I’ll suggest we keep the lights off, that’s it!” I was rambling to myself out loud and I almost didn’t hear the knock at the front door.

  Opening the door, Grady had his arm stretched out on the door frame. It took little effort for him to look sexy, me on the other hand, I could try and wind up looking like a freaking clown.

  “Come in babe,” I said, knowing that he liked it when I called him that.

  His eyes got heated. I was right.

  He came in and immediately took off his boots and left them by the door. “I don’t want to wake Tucker up with my boots clomping throughout the house,” he said quietly.

  “Oh, uh well, Tucker isn’t here tonight. He’s at a friend’s house.”

  “That so?”

  “Yeah,” I said while walking towards the kitchen. “Would you like a plate?”

  “No,” he muttered as he walked towards me then let out a yell. “Son of a Bitch! What the fuck was that?”

  He was hopping on one foot and I couldn’t help but find it hysterical. He hobbled over to the couch to sit down, and I realized what it was he stepped on.

  “It was one of Tuck’s Lego’s. Payback is a bitch, huh?”

  “What are you talking about? Damn, those fuckers hurt.”

  “The other night when I stepped on one you totally wanted to laugh. You thought I was a big sissy, freaking out by stepping on a Lego. Don’t you try to deny it, I saw it in your eyes.” I walked over to him, put my hand on my hip and pointed my finger in his face.

  “Ok, you’re right, you win,” he said as he grabbed me and pulled me on top of him on the couch.

  “Grady!” I squealed.

  He put his face in the crook of my neck and started alternating between kissing and nuzzling, while he cupped my ass. He stopped abruptly and stood, taking me with him.

  “Bedroom?” he barked out.

  “The door across from Tucker’s.” He knew where Tucker’s room was so this was the easiest explanation. I couldn’t actually believe this was actually happening!

  He opened the door to my room and flipped on the light, all while carrying my hefty behind. He made it seem so effortless, I guess because he had to keep in great shape being on the Special Forces team.

  He tossed me on the bed and reached behind his head to pull off his shirt.

  I was stunned stupid by the sight that was before me. He may have been gorgeous with his clothes on, but with his shirt off, he made me swallow my tongue. I couldn’t ever recall seeing a more beautiful man. I scanned his svelte torso, taking in the curves of his abs and the deep V of his hips. Taking a second to lick my lips, I thought to myself that he was absolutely delectable. I kept on tracing his chest with my eyes until my gaze settled upon the scars on his shoulder. Even they didn’t detract away from his beauty. Then I continued my descent to his lone tattoo, at least that I’d seen so far. It sat right below his scars, on his upper arm, and was an intricate design of praying hands adorning several sets of dog tags.

  I froze and realized… oh god, Grady was here to have sex with me.

  He leaned forward to try and start removing my shirt, but I stopped him and blurted out, “Can’t we turn the lights out?”

  “Emmalynne I want to see you, all of you.”

  “But my leg, my scars, my fat….” He put his finger to my mouth to shush me. “Baby, I’ve told you already, I love your curves. You have a small waist and full, succulent hips, and an ass I want to sink my teeth into. Did my scars on my shoulder turn you off?”

  “No, of course not, but…”

  “No buts, Emmalynne. Those scars on your leg mean something. It means you’re alive, you should embrace that, not be ashamed or embarrassed of it.”

  Well, when he put it that way. I was too choked up to say anything so I just nodded my assent.

  I lifted up off of my back so he could easily discard my shirt. He then bent forward to release the clasps on my bra, and in a flash, it was gone as well. He caressed my skin, from my neck down to the top of my pants, over my breasts, and making my nipples pebble beneath his fingertips.

  I tried to cover myself with my hands, on instinct. “Don’t,” he said as he proceeded to pull my Capri pants down my legs. I closed my eyes tightly and held my breath because he would now see the extent of the scars on my leg for the first time. I felt him gently trail his fingertips over my scarred leg and the briefest of kisses on my knee. Slowly opening my eyes, I expected to see disgust in his eyes, but I was mistaken. What’s reflected in his eyes wasn’t pity, or aversion, but rather warmth and affection.

  His hand moved forward from my hip and his fingers traced the waistband of my panties, before he hooked his fingers in the waistband and then, they too, were gone.

  He just stood back and stared at me. I squirmed, feeling embarrassed under his scrutiny, but I also felt a delicious, steady throb transpire between my legs.

  I had never considered myself a sexual person, but one look, let alone one touch, from Grady made me want to tear the rest of his clothing to shreds.

  “God, Em,” he groaned, barely in control, his voice ragged. “You’re fucking perfect.” After his admission, I almost said to hell with his control.

  “Grady, I need you,” I said breathlessly. Normally, I would be embarrassed, but I was way past that. I was needy. “I want you.”

  He quickly shed his pants and boxer briefs and I got the first full look of all that was Grady. And I did mean ALL. I swear my eyes were going to bulge out of my head. There was definitely no way that piece of anatomy was going to fit.

  Chuckling, he must have sensed my unease. “Don’t worry sweetheart, it’ll fit.” He then parted my legs, and settled himself, hovering over my body, carrying most of his weight on his forearms, which were resting by my head. And only then did he finally give me his mouth. The kiss turned rather heated and our hands were roaming, caressing and exploring each-other’s bodies.

  His hands trailed down my body until his fingers were plunging into my heat. I arched my back, as I felt one finger, then two probing inside me. He hastily removed his fingers, and before I could cry for the loss, he replaced his fingers with his mouth.

  “Oh my god!” I rejoiced p
retty loudly. It felt utterly divine. Bryce was never into giving oral sex, so I basically always went without. But Grady, god, he was feasting and savoring like it was his last meal. I grabbed a hold of what I could of his short cropped hair and rode it out.

  I was poised on the threshold of tremendous orgasm when Grady pulled away and quickly plunged himself up to the hilt in my core.

  “God, Em, don’t move,” he said roughly through clenched teeth. “You are so fucking tight. Let me get used to you for a minute, or else this will all be over very quickly.”

  “Hurry,” I whimpered.

  I had never felt so gloriously full. I was holding on by a teeny tiny thread. I had never achieved an orgasm just by penetration alone but, with Grady it almost happened with just one thrust.

  I lightly started to scratch my nails down his back, all the way down to his full ass. I bucked up my hips to try and get him to start moving. Promptly he took my mouth in another searing kiss and at last he began to thrust. Pulling out and then propelling himself right back in, repeatedly.

  “I’m almost there,” I cried out.

  “Come for me baby,” he whispered in my ear. “I’m right there with you.”

  And with just a few more thrusts we had both reached our ultimate goal. Simultaneously, “Grady” spilled from my lips while, “Emmalynne,” came off of his.

  I felt my arms tightening around him. Never in my life had I felt more at peace, or more cherished than I did in that moment.

  I felt his warm breath panting as he leaned closer to me, resting his forehead against my mouth.

  “That was…wow,” he said.

  “I completely agree,” I returned.

  That one little word summed it all up. WOW.

  He got up and went into my master bath to clean up, and when he came out he was carrying a washcloth and had a look of dread on his face.

  “Sweetheart, we forgot a condom, are you on the pill?”

  “Yeah, I have to be to, uh…” biting my lower lip, “regulate my cycles.” I could see the tension ease out of him as he turned back the covers and lay down beside me. I was so deliciously spent that I was almost asleep when he reached out to pull me towards him, resting his arm around my hips, his leg hiked up over mine.

  A smile was plastered to my face as I thought about one thing before I finally drifted off.

  Grady Finnegan liked to cuddle.

  ---~~~---

  Sometime during the middle of the night, I heard my phone ring from the living room. Shifting my weight, I felt Grady’s warm heat against my back. I tried to pull myself out from under him without waking him, but failed.

  “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” he asked, lifting his head from the pillow.

  “My phone’s ringing. I’m just going to find my glasses and go get it, go back to sleep.”

  He drew the covers down around his waist as he watched me leave the room. I was not used to sleeping in the nude, let alone walking around my house, so I pulled my t-shirt over my head before moving towards the living room.

  Grasping my phone from off of the coffee table, I noted that it was Rose who had called. I glanced at my antique cat clock and noted that it was ten till four in the morning. Why on earth would she be calling this early?

  Pressing redial, I placed my phone to my ear.

  “Emmalynne?!” she screamed so loud I actually had to move my phone away from my ear.

  “Yeah, Rose what’s wrong?”

  “Someone broke into Turn the Page, it’s been vandalized,” she continued, shrieking.

  “What?!?” I screamed in sheer horror. I placed my hand on my forehead, not believing what she was telling me. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  I rushed back into my bedroom and saw that Grady was already up, pulling on his jeans and buttoning them. “Someone broke into my store. Rose said it was vandalized. Who would do such a thing?!”

  “Get dressed babe, I’ll drive you over there. We will see what’s going on,” Grady said as he put on his shirt and moved towards the living room to retrieve his boots.

  I quickly put on my bra and panties and searched my closet for a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

  ---~~~---

  Approaching the bookstore, I saw several sheriff cruisers with their flashing lights and police tape blocked off the front of the store. As Grady and I quickly exited his truck, he grabbed my hand before moving towards the deputy blocking the entrance.

  “What’s going on?” I asked. “This is my store.”

  Taking in the disturbing scene before me, I let out a horrified gasp. I felt Grady squeeze the hand he was holding, letting me know that he was here for me, so I lightly squeezed his hand back.

  The deputy lifted up the tape to let us pass through. Broken glass was everywhere. It looked like whoever did this hadn’t even tried to go in through the front door. That made too much sense, I thought sarcastically. My display window was nonexistent, my pumpkins smashed, and my cute little scarecrow in tatters. All of Toby’s hard work was for nothing.

  Walking in through the actual front entrance to my store, I quickly took notice of Rose and Miles. They must have been able to get here before me. Letting go of Grady’s hand, I ran straight into the arms of Rose.

  “Shh darling,” she said while rubbing a hand over my hair while her other arm was curled tightly around me. “These are just things, and they can be replaced. I’m just glad no one was here at the time or injured.”

  Sniffling because steady tears were running down my face, I took the first full look at the inside of my store. Releasing myself from Rose’s embrace, I wandered about. Shelves were knocked over and hundreds of books strewn around. The numerous couches and chairs were all knocked on their sides. None of the furniture or books looked to be actually damaged, so that was a small relief. This wasn’t a robbery gone wrong, since nothing looked to be missing. Whoever did this was trying to make a statement.

  “Uh, Em, there is something else you should see,” Miles said as he stepped away from my bakery case.

  Instantly my hands flew to my mouth, and I heard Grady release a growl from beside me, as I read the word Whore, written in bright red paint across my fabulous bakery case, which was now smashed in.

  It all hit me at once, Corbin called me that when he was assaulting me on Friday night. “That rat bastard,” I screamed as I removed my hands from my face.

  Now clenching my hands into fists by my sides, I continued my rant. “Why the fuck is he doing this to me? I’m a nice person, I never do anything wrong! I turned the asshole down gently, and this is what I get? I’m not a whore!” I was fuming!

  “Ma’am,” the deputy said in a gentle tone.

  “Ethan, it’s Emmalynne, we rode bikes together around town when we were younger. It was this side of thirteen years ago you had your fucking tongue down my throat for crying out loud!” I snapped at him, directing all my pent up anger towards him.

  “Okay, Emmalynne,” he walked towards me, his hands up in a surrendering manner. “We need to take your statement pertaining to who you think could have done this, then we’ll give you the report so you can contact your insurance company later today.”

  “I don’t think. I know it was Corbin Montgomery. But fine,” I said. letting out an exasperated sigh.

  Grady approached me and, turned over a chair. “Have a seat sweetheart. I’m going to go call Uncle Mac and have him come board up your front window.” He bent down to kiss me on top of my head, and leaned in to whisper into my ear, “We’ll discuss good ol’ Ethan here sticking his tongue down your throat later.” Then he walked away pulling out his phone.

  Oh god, me and my big mouth! But in my defense, I was only fifteen and it was seven minutes in heaven.

  I couldn’t even call my dad, the one person I would go rushing to first, to tell him what had happened because I had given him that ultimatum. I was sure this would all be headline news in just a few short hours. Nothing happened around here without everyone knowing.
After Tucker broke his arm, I fielded phone calls from concerned people for two days.

  Grady finally returned from calling his Uncle Mac and led me out of the store to take me home.

  I focused on looking out the window during the drive home, passing by the color changing trees, the illuminating sunrise between them, trying not to think of everything that had happened. I had always led a drama free life, except for the last few years of Bryce’s. But here lately, every single aspect had been overflowing with it. I was ready to just shut down my brain for a while and forget. Forget about my father being a drunk and not being there for me at a time when I needed him most. Forget that Corbin was a flipping psycho trying to ruin my life just because he had some sort of twisted obsession with me.

  Turning to Grady, I unbuckled my seat belt so I could slide across his bench seat. I laid my head on his shoulder and said, “Can you please make me forget, at least for tonight?”

  And that’s exactly what he did. He took me home, took to me to bed, and made me forget.

  Twice.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Emmalynne

  Waking up next to Grady was an amazing feeling. Getting my glasses from the side table, I gazed down at his sleeping form. He looked so peaceful and serene as his lashes fanned across his cheeks. Even though he snored, I decided I’d still keep him. That was an ongoing argument between the two of us. He didn’t believe me when I said he snored. He’d relent one of these days, even if I had to record him in the act.

  It had been a month since we first made love and he had slept in my bed every night since.

  I remembered back to that very next day, after we had finally had sex. Toby was at the store with me, trying to make some guise of order to the chaos.

  Even after having the store broken into and somewhat destroyed, I still couldn’t bring myself to be in a completely shitty mood. I mean I had sex with Grady Finnegan, and apparently it was written all over my face.