Alex and I had been caught in a last-minute meeting, leaving us the last two to board the yacht before the thing set sail with more guests than I’d imagined Jake would have invited. These were Ash’s friends and beloved clients, though. My sister-in-law was as passionate about her clients as Jake was with his heart patients, so I shouldn’t have been surprised by the turnout, but I was stunned when I finally spotted Avery.
As I stood in conversation with Jake, Ash, Collin, and Alex, my eyes drifted over to Avery—the most beautiful woman on the entire boat. She stood out in her blue, strapless, and form-fitting dress, and I could only imagine how her blue eyes sparkled under the light where she stood, talking to Clay and Joe. I could see how much happier she seemed all the way from here. She glowed radiantly, and I had to resist the urge to run over to her and scoop her into my arms. I wanted to wait for the perfect time before I approached her, and then, like a gift from heaven, she went to the bar—alone. It was a do or die moment for me.
I knew Avery was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, but how did she feel about me after our last conversation? I had so many questions, and as soon as I spoke to her, it was like we’d never skipped a beat. I didn’t know if I would ever be lucky enough to hear her tell me she loved me again, and when she did, she answered my prayers.
I stole her away to a more private area of Jake’s yacht, and we sat away from the noise. Jake and Ash smiled and nodded in approval when I looked to them to make sure they wouldn’t bust my ass for leaving and taking Ash’s friend with me as the night rolled on.
“So, that’s what I’ve been up to since you last saw me and how I’ve dealt with all of those crippling issues,” she said.
I was so entranced by the way her blue eyes twinkled as she told me her story, her beautiful smile and her scratchy voice were so sexy they had me silenced throughout most of our conversation.
“You look so much happier,” I said, then I smiled and brought her hand to my lips from across the small table. “I can’t even think.” I laughed.
“You look happier too.” She used her free hand to trace her fingers across my forehead, “Your usual frown line is gone.” She chuckled.
“Believe it or not, I had my own shit to work out. Leave it to my brother and Collin to tell me I needed counseling.”
“No, really?” She pulled back and crossed her arms, staring at me with her adorable questioning look. “Working too much? Yeah, probably trying to break you up with that damn phone you dumped me for, I’m sure.” She laughed, and all I could do was smile and look at her like some fucking idiot.
“Actually, that’s partially true.” I smirked. “I’d reignited the old flame of being married to my work after we split up.” I sighed and looked deeply into her eyes. “It turns out that I brought a lot of hatred into my life and kept it there due to my mom’s addictions. Letting that all go—plus no longer hiding in work, and feeling like I had to fix anything and everything—it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It definitely took some time in therapy to get me to forgive that woman.”
“Holy shit,” she said. “I would have never imagined.”
“You and me both. However, it was why I was such an unapproachable dick to you when I found out about the background check. I’m so sorry for the way I handled all of that.”
“Don’t be.” She smiled. “It’s all in the past. I let it go a long time ago.”
“I can tell,” I pinched my lips together, “because I truly don’t deserve this second chance with you.”
“Yes, you do. We both deserve what we want most in life. I say that assuming I am what you want most in life,” she said playfully.
“You have no idea how accurate those words are.” I stood. “Would—Do you…” I stopped talking and ran my hands through my hair. “Fuck, I can’t think straight.”
She rose and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Jim, it’s still me. Stop being so damn nervous.”
“What do you think about a change of scenery? I have a room to myself,” I said, holding her. “Perhaps you’d like to join me in the spa on the balcony in my suite?”
“There’s a fucking spa on your balcony?” she asked with wide eyes. “I would have to see this to believe it.” She stood up on her toes, and her lips met my chin, sending an electric charge through me.
“Not kidding. Jake went all out on this goddamn boat,” I said.
I texted Jake, letting him know that Avery and I were going to call it a night, and I had a request sent to the galley to deliver food to my quarters—it was still my Avery, right? She was probably starving.
“All the food you could possibly want will be delivered shortly,” I said, looking back at her, trailing me down the spiral staircase. “Better than flowers, right?”
“Damn right,” she said with a laugh.
When we got into my room, Avery and I laughed when we spotted her duffle on my bed.
“Jake thinks of it all, doesn’t he?” I said.
“I would’ve never guessed, but I am also willing to bet that after all these months, Ash and Jake have had some good pillow talk about us. They probably knew this was inevitable,” she said. “I’ve missed you.” She was so sincere that it stopped my thought process—again.
“Let’s make the most of this three-day boating experience, shall we?” I said. “Through those doors, you can change into your swimsuit, and meet me out in the spa.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, then took her bag back in the large bathroom area.
Once we were out in the spa that overlooked the bay, Avery sat in front of me, leaning her head against my chest and rubbing her hands along my legs.
“This is the most beautiful scene, sitting in a Jacuzzi on a massive yacht, gazing at the lights on the shoreline. Fuck, this is the most amazing experience of my life.”
“And here I thought taking you to a castle was,” I teased, finally loosening the fuck up. I’d been acting as though it was the first time we’d ever met.
“Well.” She turned her face up to bring her lips to where I could kiss them. “We didn’t have the buffet there like we have here.”
I ran my hand over her belly. “I never believed I’d hold you again. I fantasized more than once about finding you and bringing you back into my life.”
“We’re meeting again at the perfect time, I think,” she said.
Then she was the one who fulfilled my aching need to touch her again. Her hand came over mine, guiding it down into her bikini. “Are you sure you want—”
“I want what I’ve been fantasizing about since losing you,” she said, her voice low as she slipped off her bikini bottoms. “That night you first made me come. Remember it?” she asked while her head rested further under my neck. “You think you can match that?”
“I can do much more than match that, gorgeous,” I said, taking the strings of her top, untying them, and kissing the back of her neck and over her shoulders. Damn, her moans—I fucking missed her moans more than I knew. “You’re mine, Avery.”
“Prove it,” she said while I covered her hardened nipple with my hand and used my other to gently massage her clit.
I loved every part of this, Avery’s ass pushing against my hard cock while I dipped my fingers into the warm pussy I longed to bury myself inside of again.
“Fuck, Jim, right there,” she said. Avery loved it slow when I massaged this area, putting pressure at a certain point. I knew that once I brought my thumb into play and ran it in circles over her clit, I would have the woman coming in my hand. That was the only thing I wanted.
“Oh, sweet Jesus,” she groaned, her fingers digging into my legs like they did the first time we’d done this. “God, it’s been too long.”
“I need to see your eyes, gorgeous. I need to see you come.” She turned her head, and those glossy blue eyes were mine again. “Fuck, yes,” I said, caught up in this with her. “Let it go, Av.” My voice was low and breathless as I watched her ride out the orgasm. She dug her nails into my legs, and her lips reached to mine, our tongues and mouths fighting aggressively for the reunion they longed for.
After Avery came slowly down, my fingers slipped out of her, and I held her, tasting her delicious kiss. I was in pain for her—for more.
“I need all of you.” I pulled away, and Avery turned her body to face mine. “Now,” I said, her lips and teeth running along my neck and chest.
We were out of the spa, and I was laying Avery on my bed. We were both wet, but I didn’t care. I had a feeling this night was going to roll on until morning.
Her legs parted for me while I stared at her beautiful pussy. “Fuck me, Jim,” she said. “Deep.”
I was out of my shorts before she could say another word. “I can’t promise I’ll be gentle,” I warned.
“I don’t want you to be,” she said as I lined my cock up to her slick sex and began thrusting myself hard and deep into her. My elbows were firmly planted on each side of her head, and her hands covered my ass while I felt her warm, tight, and clenching pussy, pulling and accepting me with every thrust I used to bury myself deep into her.
“Oh, my God.” Avery dug her fingers into my lower back. Fuck, I loved to feel her do this. “Like that, Jim. Right there.” Her breath caught when my tip ran deep into her, “I love you,” she called out, and I held myself still, knowing her sounds and her tightening around my cock meant my girl was coming.
I had this obsession of seeing her expressions when she climaxed, her face tightening, and then her biting her bottom lip while I felt her pulsating sex in a spasm around my cock.
That was all it took, and then I came so fucking hard. Every last sensation of losing her, needing her, wanting this, and never believing I would have it again was all leaving me while I filled her with my cum.
“You’re mine,” she said, running her hands up my back while I rested my forehead against hers and grinned. “Next time, I’m riding you.”
Imagining that, watching her full breasts, bouncing for my viewing pleasure, made me wish I could instantly recover. I thrust myself into her. “I look forward to your magical ways of getting my dick back in the game, then,” I said, then kissed her lips. “I fucking love you with all my heart, gorgeous. How about we do this all night?”
“Why not three days? They won’t miss us, will they?”
I slid myself out of her and brought her naked body to lie on mine. “Part of me believes this whole birthday party was more of a ruse to get us out to sea together for three days.” I laughed and swept her hair out of her face. “If you’re up for three days of this, you know I’m not arguing. We’ve got a lot of time to make up for.”
Avery and I did exactly that, made up for not seeing each other in far too long. One thing was certain: I had my girl back now, that’s all that mattered.
After the yacht docked in port, we followed Jake and Ash to their beach house to pick up Addy from Mark and Carmen, and I was positively the happiest man alive, knowing I had Avery back and I was about to reunite with the sweetest baby girl on the planet.
“Promise me you won’t be as nervous with Addy as you were with me?” Avery teased as we flew up the clear freeway, following my speed-demon brother.
“I’m finally getting both of my girls back. You can’t imagine how happy I am.” I kissed her hand. “So she thinks that you both just moved away from me?”
“Yes,” Avery said. “She just turned four, so you’ll hear all about that too. That and I’m sure your little Susie stories will have to come back too.”
“It’s Sally, and don’t forget about the rascals,” I corrected her with a smile. “What if—I mean, if Addy does as well seeing me again as you imagine, do you think we’re moving it too fast if I moved you both in this week? I’m ready, Avery. I want you both forever, and I mean that.”
“We’re finally ready,” she said. “I think between the sex, food, and our private therapeutic sessions on the yacht, I know I’m never letting you out of my life or sight again.”
“Same here,” I said, feeling more confident about this decision I’d wanted to act on for too long, even when we weren’t ready. It might’ve seemed absurd to the outside world, but this was my woman, and I would be a fool if I let her go again, even if it was only to a different house. “We’ve been apart long enough.”
When we got to the beach house, my nephew and Addy were playing in the gated room. I must have looked like a rude asshole to Carm and Mark, but I wanted to see Addy and John more than anything. Jake scooped up my nephew after the little guy gave me a kiss, and then Addy’s eyes met mine, and her smile could’ve lit up a baseball stadium. God, I missed this little girl. That smile was the prelude to her hugging me tighter than ever before, and I picked her up and held her in my arms.
“I thought I’d never see you again, Jim,” she said. “Mom sold my car, too.”
I smiled. Her info-dump was as adorable as she was. “We’ll have to go find another one, won’t we?” I said, Addy looking at her mom with the sass I missed so much.
“Yes! And a new house. Mom and I sleep in the same bed, but I don’t like it when I can’t stretch out good. She always says I steal the covers, but I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Can’t stretch out good means she can’t lay like a starfish,” Avery said with a laugh.
“What if I told you I never wanted to lose you or your mom again?” I looked at Avery, and she nodded. “What if I told you I want you to live in my house in a new room?”
“A new room? Like the one I picked the decorations for before we moved away?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“Exactly like that,” I said. “Just the way you wanted it.”
She choked my neck and squealed with excitement. “I love it!”
“And more Sally stories too?” I probably sounded like a damn fool, but I missed this little girl as much as I’d missed her mother.
“And those darn little rascals,” she said with a crinkled-up nose.
“Yes.” I laughed. “I think we’re all set, then. You’re moving to your new house, and we’ll never have to miss each other again.” She pulled back and nodded. “Deal?”
“You got it, mister.”
That’s when I knew life would change forever. All I knew is that Avery, Addy, and I needed each other. They were my family. I had my life now—and it was finally complete. This was my final step in living the life I’d promised myself I would have after letting that demon of my past rule it for far too long. Those demons were gone, and they were replaced with my two beautiful souls of saving grace.
