Page 55 of Buddy System

“Well, I know we thought we should wait a while, but I haven’t had a period since I went to Hopkinsville, and when that finally dawned on me, I made an appointment with an OB/GYN. She confirmed the pregnancy and immediately removed my IUD a few days ago. I just wanted the trial to be over before I told you two because there was so much stress around here. I guess the length of time I’d had my IUD sort of slipped my mind. So…you’re both happy?”

“Thrilled!” I tell her.

“Ecstatic!” Levi crows. “So that day you were supposedly working over at Juni’s bakery, you were really seeing the doctor?”

“Yes,” she says in a small voice. “I didn’t want to tell anyone ahead of time in case it wasn’t true.”

“Thoughtful. I love it. And I love you,” he says and gives her such a passionate kiss, I’m ready to explode just watching them.

I take the book from Brooke’s hands and set it aside. The time for puppies and babies can wait. We have what feels like all the time in the world. For now, we need to concentrate on one another. With murmured declarations of love, we all fall against each other. There is so much glorious naked flesh to enjoy. Brooke and Levi maneuver me into the middle, and I find myself balls-deep in Brooke with Levi deep inside me. They shower me with kisses, only letting up to kiss each other deeply. I’m caressed and pummeled, soft and hard, slow and fast. Brooke squeezes the daylights out of me while Levi grinds against my sensitive prostate, and I know I won’t be able to hold on long. There is too much love, too much emotion and relief surrounding us, and I’m going to detonate with it.

Levi, however, beats me to the punch and shouts, “I’m coming!” and groans out how much he loves us, filling me with hot cum.

I am right behind, bellowing my release to the heavens. I swear I pour a quart of hot jizz into Brooke’s body, laughing and hollering, “This is the best day of my life!”

Brooke still hasn’t come yet, so I pull out and position her in the bed, zeroing in on her clit with my mouth. Levi jams two fingers into her and pumps her pussy while I grind my mouth over her and then suck on her clit like a vacuum. She literally screams.I guess we did it right, I think smugly to myself and just about die when Levi pulls his cum-coated fingers out of her and licks them clean.

“You both taste delicious together,” he claims with a wink. Then he tells us, “I have one more gift, but you’ll have to wait. I can’t give it to you yet, but soon, I promise.”

“What more can there be?” Brooke asks breathlessly.

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

After cleaning up, we all fall asleep wrapped around one another. I truly have never known such contentment.

Chapter

Forty

Levi

I’ve takenmy guitar out to the creek several times in the past few days so I can sing and play by myself. The acoustics aren’t great, but it’s nice and private. Brooke and Sky have been too busy to notice, and that’s just fine with me. Brooke has been engrossed in catching up on a new project for her job that she let slide a little during the trial, and Skyler is wrapped up in putting finishing touches on his paintings.

He finally had a discussion with Jack and agreed he’s ready to do a one-man show at Imagine. I’m so proud of Sky. The painting he did of me is going to be used for the publicity for the event—even though he stressed to Jack that it wasn’t for sale like all of the other paintings. Jack was so moved by it he didn’t care. He said he would display it in the gallery for everyone to enjoy, but it will have a red “sold” dot by the title.

Tonight, we’re all heading over to The Hive, and for once, I’m not too proud to say I’m a little nervous. All of our friends and Skyler’s parents will be there because Brooke bugged everyoneuntil they promised to show up. She even told Deputy Blake to bring a date, and he gave her the stink eye.

“I’ll be there if I can, but I’m not dating anyone,” he grumbled at her.

“That needs to change, you old curmudgeon!” she said as she poked him gently in the chest. You should have seen his face. I don’t think he’s used to women like my…our…Brooke. Right after that, she called Juni, and the two of them decided to put their heads together and find that man a woman. I’m staying out of that project—as far away as I can get.

After a light dinner, we head over to the bar. Brooke proudly declares she is our designated driver for the next several months and plans to drink nada coladas because “Fruit is good for you!” We both kiss her. I swear she’s already starting to glow.

The Hive fills up to bursting, and I’m delighted to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. The first set goes extremely well as we play some covers of popular songs interspersed with originals. Our drummer Banger is also a songwriter, and he’s not only awesome, he’s terribly popular with the ladies—especially when he rips off his shirt mid-set when he gets too hot. He always flings it out into the crowd, causing a minor ruckus each time. The crowd loves our originals, so we’re on fire tonight.

Before we end the set, however, the other guys leave the dais, and I stay there by myself. I move a stool front and center, and I’m spotlighted on an otherwise darkened stage—just me, the mic, and my guitar.

“Thanks, everyone, for coming out tonight. I have a special new song I want to sing for you that the guys in the band haven’t even heard yet.” I pause as I smile and shrug a little bit. “I didn’t want to bug ’em with it.” There is some polite laughter around the room. I’m sure people are starting to think I might be a little nuts. “Seriously, this is a very personal song. It’s about the past year of my life and how I almost didn’t make it this far. But I did,and I’m here because of the love of two very special people. I call this song ‘My Water and Air,’ and it’s my way of saying thank you.” I quickly doublecheck the tuning of my guitar and then open with a riff.

I take a deep breath and start to sing…

You call me your hero.

I don’t know—maybe it’s so.

There was never a doubt.

I would not last without

---