I shut my eyes and bit down on my lip as Gage kept up with the quick pace.

“Fuck you. I can’t help the sounds that come outta my mouth when I have your dick sliding in and outta me. I have no control on what you do to me.”

Gage licked his lips and drug his teeth across his bottom lip. “I love what I do to you. Getting you all worked up and seeing that look on your face. That look is for me, no one else. I don’t share, Annie. You got that?”

I nodded and reached between us, my fingertips grazing the top if his dick. “I don’t share either. This. Is. Mine.” I brought my hand back to rest on Gage’s shoulder. As he picked up the pace, our breathing became choppy and labored. “Oh, God. You feel so good.” I gritted out between breaths.

I could feel the intense burning building in my lower stomach. I felt a thin sheen of sweat covering my body as Gage pushed into me and ground his hips. Dragging my nails down his back, Gage growled, “Fuck, Annie.”

Hearing my name fall from his mouth was my undoing. Clinging to Gage I cried out. I wasn’t even sure what I said but I’m sure it wasn’t even in English.

Gage pulled out before slowly sliding back in. “Annie, this thing between us…I don’t want to fuckin’ lose it. I know I’m a selfish prick of an asshole who doesn’t deserve you. Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, but I can’t fuckin’ leave this, leave us. I want more than this. I want more than sex with you. I want you.”

Your Call by Secondhand Serenade came through the speakers. I would never forget this song. When words fail, music speaks. So true.

Gage lowered his forehead to mine and softly kissed me, slowly intensifying the kiss. Slipping my tongue into his mouth I explored, tasting him. He grabbed the back of my head and kissed me with passion, with desire.

I felt his dick stiffen before his whole body went rigid. He moaned into my mouth as he emptied himself inside of me, jerking involuntarily.

Releasing my mouth Gage rested his forehead on the wall next to my head and slowly slid out of me. Lowering my legs down his body until I was standing, I placed my hands on either side of his face. I pulled his head to me so he was looking me in the eyes. I said, “The things you make me feel, make me think are scary. I want to be happy and I want you. But, we both have a lot of trust issues. It’s not just us we are talking about. We have kids we have to consider. I don’t want Gabe getting attached to you then shit with us falling apart. Gabe and Londyn need stability.”

Gage started to talk and I held my hand up, lightly covering his mouth.

“That being said, I can see a future with you. As long as you understand this is me and you, no one else. I want to be with you. I want to be yours.”

Gage crushed his mouth to mine. “Annie, I want so bad to tell you how I feel but I want it to be perfect. You deserve perfect.”

“With you, I have perfect. I am willing to wait. I will always wait for you. I am crazy about you.”

You know that moment? That moment when everything is perfect. Too perfect. Where life is bliss and you’re just waiting for everything to come crashing down. You just know when it happens it’s going to be like an EF-5 tornado crashing through your life. You try to prepare yourself, but nothing can prepare you for life. Then…it happens. It makes that tornado you thought it would be look like a windy day. It’s worse. So much worse. You want to curl up in a ball and forget the world. Too afraid to brave the storm.

That’s what I’m doing. Preparing. My life is bliss. Lay under the clouds and count the stars bliss. Too perfect. And, I know its coming. My life isn’t this good, this easy. Now I wait and pray that the tornado sirens go off before the storm hits.

But, they never go off in time, do they?

Gage

“You sure you want to do this?” Trent looked up from the floor where he was playing with Londyn.

“Yes. I can’t change much about her past, but I can help fix the wounds. That night in the hotel when she told me about her mom and sister…she sounded so hurt.”

Trent rolled onto his back and Londyn climbed onto his stomach. Holding her middle he lifted her up and into the air. “I don’t know man. What if she doesn’t want this? Maybe she doesn’t want to know her mom or the life her sister got and she was denied. I just think you should talk to her first before jumping into something so personal.”

“I think I’m in love with her.”

Trent nearly dropped my daughter. Recovering, Trent put Londyn on the floor. “It’s almost Christmas. Why don’t you wait until after the holidays? Then you two can talk about this.”

“I want to invite them over for Christmas. Everyone is coming to my house and I wanted her real family to be there. She deserves to have a family.”

“I don’t know man. I still think I would talk to her first. At least mention it before shit blows up in your face.”

“Thanks for the support, bro. Keep an eye on Londyn. I have a call to make.”

Trent grunted as I got up and made my way down the hall to my office. Sitting at my desk I picked up the business card. Mr. Aaron Halt, Private Investigator.

Dialing his number I waited for an answer. “Hello, this is Aaron Halt.”

“Hi. My name is Gage Tucker. I was calling to hopefully get some help from you.” I was fidgeting with my watch. My nerves getting the best of me. Maybe Trent was right.

“What is it that I can help you with, Mr. Tucker?”

“My girlfriend. Well, really it’s her family. My girlfriend was in and out of foster care. Her sister was adopted when they were little. I wanted to try and find her mom and sister in time for the holidays. Surprise my girlfriend.”

“Of course. That is something I can definitely help with. I just need a little more information. What is your girlfriend’s name?”

“Annie Nicole Holland.”

“Her date of birth?”

“July twenty first, nineteen ninety.”

“Was she born in Alabama?”

“That I know of, yes.”

“What is her mother’s name?”

“Vicky. I’m assuming her last name is Holland as well.”

“OK. And her sisters name?”

“Heather. I know she is two years younger than Annie. She was adopted around the time she was six. Other than that, I don’t know anything else.”

“This is a good starting point, Mr. Tucker. I will start my research and keep in touch as things progress. Hopefully I can have them reunited in time for the holidays.”

“Thank you, Mr. Halt.”

We hung up and I let out a deep breath. That was easier than I thought. Now all I had to do was wait.

Two weeks passed before Mr. Halt called me back.

“Mr. Tucker, Mr. Halt here. I have some good news. I found your girlfriends mom and sister. They actually have been in contact with each other the past few years. Heather lives about an hour outside of Fairhope and Vicky lives in Pensacola. I have a number for both woman if you would like.”

Scrambling around to find a pen and paper I jotted down the numbers he rattled off. “Thank you so much, Mr. Halt. I will have your check in the mail tomorrow morning.”

“It was my pleasure, Mr. Tucker. Good luck.”

I hung up my phone and sat it on my desk. The numbers on the paper were staring at me. Taunting me. Leaning back in my office chair I rubbed my palms over my eyes. Should I do this? Fuck it. I came this far. No going back now.

“Hello?” A quiet female voice answered.

Clearing my throat, I said, “Um. Hi. I was looking for Heather.”

“This is her. Who’s calling?”

“My name is Gage Tucker. My girlfriend is your sister, Annie.”

“My…my sister? I haven’t seen her since I was six. How did you find me?”

“I had a little help. I was wondering if you would maybe want to meet.” My voice full of hope.

“Um. Yeah. I think so.” She sounded unsure.