Always Us (Always and Forever 2)

“Like hell I can’t. She never talks to you and then when she finally fucking does, she makes everything about her. She should be happy for you but instead she’s making you feel like shit.” He turns and walks to the fridge to grab a beer, giving me the telltale sign that he doesn’t care to talk about this. I know Trey’s right, she needs to not make this about her, but he needs to respect her, too.

“I understand that, but she’s my mom. I don’t need her hating you more and trying to give us even more crap.” Leaning against the counter opposite me, he crosses his legs at the ankles, looking unaffected and smug. God, he looks so hot when he’s cocky.

Stay focused, Shayla.

“I don’t give a fuck what she tries. My little woman needs me to defend her so that’s what I’m doing. So deal with it.”

“Deal with it!” He’s being an asshole right now and no amount of his attractiveness can cover that up. Sassy Shayla is out and ready to dominate.

“Yeah, you heard me, now finish cooking me food so we can get this dinner over with and you can take your anger out on me in bed.” He winks and takes a quick sip of his beer.

“You can’t smooth this over with sex, Trey!” I’m seeing red, is he serious right now? Has he learned nothing? “I’m respecting you and trying to be okay with your mother, you need to do the same and let me handle mine.” I cross my arms and exhale an exasperated breath. I’m frustrated that he felt he needed to do that. I could have calmed her down eventually and now she’s more mad than she was before.

“I’m not trying to fix it with sex. Yes, I love when you are mad and fuck the anger out of your system.” He winks again, making my palms twitch. “But I will respect your mother when she respects you. You’re not her doormat.” He walks up to me with slow purpose, and I anxiously await his touch. My skin is hot, my mind angry, but I still crave his touch.

“I’ll let you handle her when she can talk to you like a human being. I will not, however, let her take your happiness and crush it. Got it?” His hands wrap around my neck and connect on the nape, his thumbs running up and down the column of my throat. His opinion showing me he really is the alpha who’s just protecting me. I take a few calming breaths, breathing in serenity and releasing red-hot anger.

“Okay, agreed. Just try and be more gentle next time. She’s a pill; don’t add to it. And if you ever tell me to cook you food then fuck you like I’m some fifties housewife again, I will slap you, Trey.”

“Fine, but you know you like it when I get all hot-headed and fucking horny,” he teases and I roll my eyes, untangling myself from his hold on my neck and turning toward the stove.

“I do, but not when it sounds demeaning…”

“Bullshit!” he hollers, slapping my ass. I turn the o

ven down a notch and stir the veggies, looking at him over my shoulder, stunned. No idea why he called bullshit.

“What?” I ask, lifting my brows. Watching him until my body fully turns to face him. Eyeing my body up and down, he bites his lip and my core tightens. With a deep rumble, his voice lowers and he speaks slowly.

“Remember in California, when I was fucking you in the hot tub?” The image comes rolling in like hot lava and I nod, biting my lip.

“Mhmm, so?” I play dumb, while hiding my arousal; I know where he’s going with this.

“Well…” Grabbing my hips he digs his fingers in, the pressure spiking my arousal. “Remember you asked me to pull your hair?” I nod, recalling that clearly.

“What about this…do you remember begging me to call you my dirty slut, like the bad girl you are?” I gulp and blush, heat breaking out over my body and warming me from the inside out. Holy shit, I can’t believe he’s bringing it up. I was super turned on that night, a hankering desire to be ravished. I never thought that kind of talk would turn me on, but it so freaking does when it’s coming from Trey.

“Trey…” I blush, gripping the fabric of his shirt in my hands, looking down between us.

“You blushing?” He gently places his hands under my chin, lifting it back to him. Knowing damn well I’m blushing, he smirks when he confirms his inquisition.

“I don’t know what came over me that night, honestly, I prayed you’d forget. I know it was weird.” He scoffs, his eyes glazing over, heat penetrating me with his look.

“Don’t ever try and forget the shit we do together, who we are and what we desire in the bedroom is beautiful—sexy—fucking amazing. Never be ashamed,” he assures, bending until his face is inches from mine. Trey bands his arm around my waist while his other hand reaches around to get a grip full of my butt, pulling me up on my tiptoes and flush against his hard frame. I stumble a little, planting my palms flat against his chest to balance myself. I feel so small in his arms, so womanly next to my tall, encompassing lover. His words roll around in my brain, through my veins, like the blood pumping through them.

“Does it turn you on when I talk like that?” I ask, batting my lashes, looking up at him nervously while waiting for his answer. What if he doesn’t like it as much as I did and he’s only tolerating it to satisfy me?

“I don’t like to demean you, but I like to please you and if that’s what you like, then I’ll do whatever you want me to.”

I smile up at the perfect man towering over me, how can he be all the things I love and everything I should hate, but don’t?

“You’re something else…” I trail off, shaking my head.

“I’m your something else.”

“Always.” We share a few gentle, whispered kisses, then I turn back to the stove, finishing up dinner, swimming in the beauty of the words we just shared.

“Knock, knock. Anyone home?” Nails on a chalkboard sounds more appealing than the sound of Gwen’s voice filling my apartment, pulling me from my dream state and straight into a nightmare. Irritated to say the least that she just walked in and didn’t wait for us to answer. She walked in like Queen Elizabeth on holiday.