Ripple Effect (Effect 1)

My legs were already moving hers apart as I tossed the blanket aside. I positioned myself and barely pushed in.

“Oh, I remember, and it’s a promise I plan to keep. I’ll be fucking you later for that stunt of yours.”

My words had her biting her lower lip. “Good.”

I sank into her, and her body responded.

I would never tire of this feeling, being inside Ainsley.

I lay boneless next to the fire with Adam nestled up to my back as we watched the flames dance around the new log that Adam had put on. The crackling sound was calming. The cabin smelled of cedar, which added to the overall ambience. Adam’s finger was tracing the curvature of my body. I had lost count of how many times we had been together this afternoon. It was as if we were wild animals, craving each other. I had missed having this part of our relationship since my mom’s break down.

With my father in jail for the next fifty years, my mom was free and could now live her life. She was much better, but the road had been hard.

As I’d dropped her off at the airport, she’d told me, Ainsley, the journey of our life makes us who we are. There are sour spots, sweet spots, and scary spots. Regardless of what spot you’re on, take it, embrace it, and live it. It’s only through our emotions that we truly know we are alive.

Her words were true and wise. My mom and I were going to be okay.

Adam kissed my shoulder. “Is my girl finally feeling satiated?”

I looked up at him. “I don’t know if I could ever have enough of you.”

He kissed me again. “We’re going to need to eat. There are supposed to be some premade meals in the fridge. I’ll go start one.”

“Okay, sounds good. Hurry back.”

He got up, and I heard his feet pad into the kitchen.

My eyes went back to the flames as I watched them lick the wood and sway with the air. My mind went through the perfect memories of the day and settled on what had been underneath the bandage of his heart. His tattoo was perfect, and the significance of where he had placed it was not lost on me. I was his heart, his forever.

Without Adam’s body heat, I pulled up the blanket.

A cold nose nudged my shoulder.

“Hey, girl.”

I turned over to face Lindy, and she was wearing a big red bow with an envelope, like she had at the motel. A smile from the memory involuntarily spread across my face. I sat up and tucked the blanket underneath my arms as I grabbed the envelope with my name on it.

I took out the note, my heart racing with excitement.

I wrapped the sheet around my body as I began looking for him. At the beginning of the hallway, rose petals made a trail to one of the bedrooms. It was the door that had been locked earlier when I did my quick scope of the place before getting naked on the fur rug. I had assumed it was where the owners kept their personal belongings.

My feet were traveling faster on the wooden floor. The door was barely cracked open. I pushed it farther open and peered inside. My breath was sucked out of me at the sight. Fresh petals covered the surface, and candles flickered all around the room. In the back was a big bed with a white bedspread.

Adam was dressed on bended knee and holding out a ring box. Soft music played in the background. This was a dream come true with the man I loved more than life itself.

“Ainsley, you’re my other half. We’re connected in a way I never knew was possible. You’re it for me, Ainsley. Will you marry me and be my forever?”

I was on my knees in front of him as joy pumped through my body, and my eyes moistened with happiness. “Yes! You’re my forever too.”

He hugged me to him and then gave me a deep kiss until he pulled back. All my dreams were coming true. “I want to put your ring on you and see what it looks like. I’m publicly claiming you with a symbol of eternity. I want the entire world to know you’re mine.”

My hand was shaking slightly as he slipped the ring onto my finger. It was a princess cut solitaire on a platinum band. I kissed him, and he stood with me, leaving the sheet on the floor, as he brought me over to the bed. He laid me down.

“Adam, you brought me to life. You’re my happily ever after. You love me like I never knew I deserved. With you, I feel complete, and I feel loved. I know you’re my forever.”

He looked at me like I was the air he needed to breathe. “You’re my beginning and my ending, Ainsley.”

“You’re my happily ever after, Adam.”

Thinking back on everything that happened in our lives, I knew that… Every event in our life causes a ripple effect that we never truly understand until the waters calm and everything reveals itself. In that moment, we truly see.

New Year’s Eve

Adam and I were the only ones at the club.

We always closed on New Year’s Eve so we could go out and have some fun. We lost a shit-ton of money, but our employees appreciated it.

Since I’d lost Nikola, I hated being closed. It meant that I would have to find something to fill the time. For the fifth time, I made sure all the cameras were working before I headed to Adam’s office. I rarely used my office. It reminded me too much of the girl I had lost because of my stupidity. Instead, I had taken over the security office. I peered in through the open door. Adam was focused on his computer.

I knocked. “Hey, man, you need anything?”

Adam hit a few more buttons and then closed his laptop. “Nah, I got it done. I’m about to leave. You still going with Trigger tonight?”

Adam and Ainsley had invited me to come hang out with them, but hell, that would be like putting salt in the wounds seeing them in love. I wanted what Adam had. With Nikola, we’d had the same kind of happiness. However, I’d flushed it down the pisser. New Year’s was not the time to be around the newly engaged couple. They would be in a complete shagfest tonight.

I cracked my neck to the side. “Yeah, he’s convinced we’ll get more ass by teaming up together. I figured I’d go along and see if anything catches my fancy. Who knows?”

My best friend from childhood gave me that look, and I headed it off before he could bring up the one person I wanted but couldn’t have.

“I know you think I should reach out to Nikola, but after the hell I put her through with my addiction, she deserves to be happy.”

Adam stood. “I know. I’m not going to say anything about it. You know what I think, but you are your own man. It’s your life. I think you need to take your own advice that you gave to me about Ainsley. That’s all.”

Adam knew I wasn’t going to respond to that statement. We had been friends for too damn long.

Leaving Adam’s office we went to the bar area and turned off all the lights.

Adam asked, “Where are you going tonight with Trigger? Is it that girl bar he likes to go to when there isn’t something he wants to tap here?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, Coyote Ugly. He says it’s the best place to get a piece. You still taking Ainsley into the city tonight?”

We started walking out of the club. I rechecked everything and locked up. It was cold, and our breaths made puffs of smoke in the night air.

“Yeah, with all the family time over Christmas, I wanted us to have some uninterrupted time. She’s baking right now with my mom, Jessica, Selena, and her mom.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Was Ainsley okay with that?”

Selena had been living with Adam’s parents up until a few weeks ago when she st

arted flirting with Jake’s best friend. Jake had taken her back. It was a fucked up loveless arrangement. I felt bad for the kid.

“Yeah, she asked my mom to invite her. She didn’t want anyone left out. Ainsley sent a text earlier that said this was the best Christmas she could remember with her mom.”

Ainsley was sweet and forgiving, just what Adam needed. Christine had come back for Christmas, and she was leaving tomorrow to go back to Arizona to be with her aunt for a little while longer. It had been nothing but a celebration as Adam and Ainsley had announced their engagement to everyone. I was happy for them—I really was—but it hurt, knowing I wanted that, too.

We walked a few steps as Adam added, “I think we’ve decided to get married this summer after she’s done with school and before she starts working.”

The moment he’d told me of the engagement, Adam had asked me to be his best man, and of course, I had agreed. I was honored.

“Sounds good. I’m happy for you, man. You deserve it.” I veered off to my SUV. “Have fun. Happy New Year. Are you guys still coming over tomorrow for the traditional collards and black-eyed peas at my mum’s?”

“Of course we are. Ainsley talked to your mom, and she is bringing some sort of dessert that she’s baking right now. Happy New Year to you, too, Brandt. See ya tomorrow.”

Before I closed the door, I said, “See ya.”

I put the key in the car and cranked it, cursing myself for not using my automatic car starter. I hated the cold, but I hated wearing a coat worse.

Trigger texted me.

Trigger: You ready? I’ll meet you there. I’m about two minutes away. My buddy texted me, and there’s going to be pussy a plenty.

Me: I’m on my way.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I tried to tell myself that I was going to fuck someone senseless tonight. Maybe that would get the restless feeling out of my system. I made a note to call and talk to my sponsor this week. He always helped me to keep it real, and he understood me in a way that no one else but another recovering addict did.