Page 91 of Unloaded
Well since she’s already going to have to touch things up, I lower my lips to hers and devour her, taking everything she has to offer and more. A throaty moan rumbles between us, and I’m not sure if it was her, me, or both of us.
I pour all my love for her into the kiss. Rachel’s arms circle my neck as I wrap mine around her waist, pulling her as close to me as physically possible. It never fails to astound me how much I want her, how much I need her. She’s everything I ever wanted and everything I never knew I needed. I’ll be forever grateful she walked into Jay’s that night.
I end the kiss much sooner than I want, but we can’t be late. Rachel would be upset, and I never want her to be sad, upset, or worried. Especially not today. It’s going to be difficult enough for her without me making it worse.
“I’ll let you fix your makeup, angel,” I murmur against her lips before pulling back to smile down at her. “Personally, I think you look gorgeous with your lips red and swollen from my kisses, though I know you won’t agree.”
“You’re right,” Rachel laughs as she drops her arms, “I don’t agree, and as much as I’d love to get lost in you, we need to head down. I promise to make it up to you tonight.”
A seductive smile graces her face. One that I’m sure matches my own. With a final brush of my lips on hers, I leave the bathroom and then our bedroom so she can get dressed in peace.
Needing to distance myself from her, in an effort to calm my raging hard-on and get focused on what we’re supposed to be doing today—celebrating the boys becoming men before they leave for boot camp in the morning—I head downstairs to where many of my family members are already gathered in the kitchen.
“There you are!” Uncle Branch announces the moment I step into the room. Scanning the space quickly, I notice none of the other women are down here yet, either. My tense shoulders relax, thankful that Rachel isn’t the only one. “You want coffee?”
Uncle Branch pours me a large cup when I nod, and I blow softly on the hot dark brew before taking my first sip of the bitter liquid. It warms my insides as I take it in. The caffeine hits my system, giving me increased alertness within minutes.
“How’s Rachel?” Uncle Branch asks, keeping his concerned voice low. “I know today is bittersweet for her.” I give him a half-smile.
“She’s okay, but you’re right. Today is bittersweet for her,” I answer. “She’s trying hard to keep the boys from knowing how hard this is for her.”
Uncle Branch huffs out a laugh. “I can believe that, but I’d never tell her she isn’t very successful. We can all see how much she doesn’t want them to join up. I understand it, but those boys are ready.
“They’ll be fine. I won’t be a bit surprised to see them become more successful than any of you or even your father—” Uncle Branch cuts himself off suddenly, looking uncomfortable.
“What do you mean by that?” I ask, watching him closely for any clues that will tell me what he meant. My skin is tingling with awareness. He didn’t intend to tell me that. The feeling that my life is about to change drastically consumes me. Mom was right. Uncle Branch knows more than he’s shared.
“It’s not my story to tell,” Uncle Branch whispers. His eyes dart toward my brothers who are occupied with my nephewsbefore meeting mine. “I made a promise. One that I refuse to break, even when I think I should and that its past time you boys know the truth about everything.”
“I’ll ask again what do you mean?” Uncle Branch looks sad, defeated when he shakes his head. “Please, tell me what you know. Do you know what happened to our dad? Is he dead?”
“I shouldn’t say anything, Rosco,” Uncle Branch begins. “My brother…he made choices that…”
My breath stills in my chest as I realize he’s going to tell me something. Something incredibly important that none of us knows, but Marley enters the kitchen creating a stir.
“There’s mommy’s baby,” Marley coos, taking Markus from Luke. Markus’s sweet giggles draw everyone’s attention as Marley lifts him high into the air. His face is lit with delight.
I turn back to ask Uncle Branch to continue, but he’s gone. I catch a glimpse of his back slipping out the garage door. I shake my head, wondering what he could’ve been about to say. Now I may never know.
Hours later, the party is beginning to wind down. The women have out done themselves with all the delicious food. I’m going to have to increase the length and number of my workouts for the next three months to make up for all the food I’ve consumed today. It was more than worth it.
The twins are sitting with Rachel looking through old photo albums that Nicolai brought with him this trip. They are of Rachel’s father growing up and of her parents when they began dating. He’d brought another one of Rachel from a baby until she was around five years old.
He’d also gotten items Rachel had wanted that had belonged to her mother. There is a set of China Rachel explains had been passed down through five generations. Several of the pieces have chips and cracks, but Rachel gazes at the set as if it were made of gold and diamonds. He’d brought her mother’s jewelry box thatcontains a hidden drawer in the bottom. She’d concealed her wedding set from her marriage to Rachel’s father inside.
Rachel is both grateful and saddened from the memories, knowing her father had been taken from her much too soon. Yet she might not have her brothers if things hadn’t happened like they had. We might not have found one another, which is a sobering thought.
As if she can read my mind, Rachel looks up from between Nick and Rick as they now insist on being called, to give me one of her dazzling smiles. My heart swells with more love than I’ve ever known I could feel. I love my brothers, my mother, and even my close friends, but what Rachel and I have is so much more. She is my heart. My soul. She’s my everything.
“Think it’s about time we call it a night,” Rachel says to the boys who more than noticed Rachel and I staring at one another. “You have an early flight.”
“We know, Rach,” Nick agrees, “but we’re going to help with the cleanup. You and Rosco should definitely head on up though.”
“Yes, please” Rick chimes in. “And finish whatever it is you plan on doing before we get upstairs. Our room is right next to yours. We don’t need that on our minds tomorrow.”
40
RACHEL
