Over the Hedge: Part 2- The Finale (Lucky in Love) Read online

  “I think that’s a great idea. You were willing to move for me?” I rubbed my fingers up and down his.

  “I’d do anything to make sure that you stay happy, sweetheart.” His voice was low and purposeful.

  “Give me your phone.” I stretched out my hands and took it from him. I walked to the other side of the bed and placed it on the speaker dock. The sultry sounds of Tank’s voice floated in the air as the song he downloaded played. I set it to repeat, wanting this to be our background music all night. Making my way back to Sean, I started taking off my clothes. It didn’t take much effort since I only had on two pieces, my tank and shorts.

  “Now, I don’t know who taught you that little trick, Dr. Colcord, but it worked,” I said standing illustriously naked in front of him.

  “I know not what you speak of.” Sean quirked his eyebrows at my statement.

  “You found us a song.” I smiled at his innocent expression.

  Running my hands underneath his shirt, I caressed the deep contours of his well-defined torso. Sean followed my lead and lifted his arms in the air as I removed his shirt. With two fingers hooked into his waistband, I slid his boxers and sweatpants down his legs. My new position brought me face to face with his majestic length bobbing up and down. I made a mental note to take some time to lick the veins on his shaft as well as the ones on his forearms. He was already dripping at the tip. I wasted no time as I licked the pearly droplet from the head of his thick cock. I stood back up as Sean stepped out of his pants. His muscular arms wrapped around my waist like iron bands as I circled his neck. Sean stepped further into the room and walked us backwards until my knees hit the bed.

  “I always thought “Drop it Low” was our song.” Sean joked as he eased on top of me, blanketing my body with his solid frame.

  “That’s our backup song. This one will be our main song.”

  His hand smoothed the tiny hairs around my face as he looked at me in that special way like only he could.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful.” He breathed out in reverence.

  In an effort not to cry, I hugged Sean close to my body. His weight pressing me into the mattress was something I would never tire of. Things could never be too perfect, I thought as Sean tangled his fingers with mine. Our lovemaking was slow and deliberate. The steady ebb and flow of our movements spoke volumes. Every kiss promised a lifetime of everlasting love. Every whimper and soft moan left whispered phrases of commitment and dedication. By the time fiery hot tears cascaded down my temple, my lover had branded his mark on my soul over and over again.

  We were perfect—together.

  CHAPTER 18

  LASHAWNDA

  I sat back from my desk at work, arms stretched high above my head, and a beaming smile spread across my glistening, gloss-covered lips.

  Living with Sean was turning out to be a wonderful experience; much better than I ever could have predicted. We took a little over a month to find the perfect place. After two weeks of hunting on our own, we contacted a realtor. Three weeks later, we were signing a mortgage on a beautiful three-bedroom bungalow located between my parent’s home and Sean’s old townhouse where his mother now lived.

  The house boasted all the upgraded amenities that one would see on HGTV but still had that rustic charm. It was contemporary living mixed with an old school flare—just what we were looking for. I squealed with glee when I saw the garden tub and a kitchen designed for a chef. The kitchen at my condo was nice, but this one was breathtaking.

  During the tour I thought of all the wonderful memories Sean and I would create together in that kitchen. There was a large island and breakfast nook for small intimate meals. That along with a formal dining room made the place perfect for dinner parties and family get-togethers. Sean was most excited about the fenced-in backyard. He planned on buying a grill so we could have friends and family over for cookouts. One of the pluses of living in Florida is the ability to grill outside all year long. As long as it wasn’t raining the temperature outside was perfect.

  Sean also mentioned getting a dog. But the way Fat Bastard was giving him that slow, menacing stare, he reconsidered. I refused to have that cat rule our house, but sometimes it was better to choose peace over any headaches.

  Never thought I’d be buying a house with a man before he put a ring on my finger. But I learned to stop following ‘the rules’ and focus on living by my own standards with the man I loved.

  Mrs. Colcord moved into Sean’s townhouse the week after he moved out. Jackson, Ian, Brent, and Sean drove to Palm Beach and packed up her entire condo in one day. It was a sight to behold. Four handsome, well built, young muscled bodies glistening from sweat in the Florida sun. The older women in her complex chose every possible reason in the book to come over. Some of them hadn’t spoken to, or seen, Mrs. Colcord since she first moved in six years ago. But, on that day, they found an excuse to come and wish her good luck on her move. Mrs. Colcord knew their intentions weren’t genuine. Their only purpose was to come ogle her boy and his friends.

  The worst was when her neighbor, who was notorious for cheating on her elderly husband, had the nerve to bring over lunch for the boys, as if Sandra hadn’t cooked for them. Everyone knew she hadn’t stepped a foot in a kitchen unless it was to order her in-house chef to make her a drink. But that didn’t stop her from parading her store-bought goodies into Sandra Colcord’s semi-empty home. Sean was used to the woman’s attempts to grope him during a hug, but the other guys were caught off guard. She especially took a liking to Jackson.

  Mrs. Colcord made it a point to let every woman who’d been trying to fix Sean up with their daughters know I was his girlfriend, and he was off the market. Sandra Colcord stood above the rest with her sassy charm. She knew how to balance what my mother referred to as, ‘nice-nasty’. The woman could cut anyone down to size with a disarming smile and her southern charisma.

  Now, it was weeks later, and everyone was settled into their new homes.

  Life was good, I thought as my smile grew even wider. It was midday at the office, and I was finishing up the last of my finance reports for the month.

  “I hope he knows how lucky he is,” said a familiar voice.

  I swiveled around in my chair to find Brad Ealey, one of the grant managers, standing at the entrance to my cubicle. It had been a few weeks since I’d seen him in the office. Brad was someone I had enjoyed working with since I started on H&G. I had the biggest crush on him in the beginning. All of that seemed like a lifetime ago when I think about how far Sean and I have come.

  “Hey you,” I answered cheerfully. “What makes you think this is because of a man?” I asked pointing at my smile.

  “Because a man can always tell,” Brad replied with a knowing smirk. He pulled out a chair and sat down at the small, round table. “Besides, everyone in the office knows about you and Dr. Colcord. I hear you two moved in together.”

  I scooted my chair from under my desk to face the table. Placing my hands-on top of the table, I twirled the leaves of my spider plant—a gift courtesy of Dr. Barnes’s wife.

  “Really? Where in the world did you hear that?” I asked, already aware that it came from one of our chatty coworkers.

  “I was in the admin office a few weeks ago when Dr. Colcord came in to submit his reimbursement forms. Mallory was asking him how the hunt for a new place was going and he told her you all found a place and would move the following week,” Brad explained. His light brown eyes looked around my cubicle area as he spoke.

  “Oh, well, I guess you can blame this on a man,” I said pointing to my smile.

  I still hated being a part of the office gossip mill. But it was bothering me less as my relationship with Sean progressed. If I wasn’t so in love and happy, they wouldn’t have anything to talk about. I let out a sigh, resigning myself to just accept that gossiping was part of the culture of working at H&G. Heck, even I was guilty of falling victim to it a time or two.

  “You guys are moving awfull
y fast, aren’t you?” Brad asked leaning close. His clipped tone caught me off guard.

  “Really? You think eight months is too soon?” I leaned back in my chair looking at Brad’s facial expression as he spoke. I found it strange that he thought he had a right to speak on my relationship. We were cool work friends. I’d even gone out with him and a few other coworkers a time or two. But Brad and I were never that close for this level of scrutiny.

  “I’m just saying. It takes time to get to know someone.” Brad shrugged his shoulders.

  “You don’t think living together would help a couple get to know each other better?” I asked, trying to hide the sarcasm in my tone.

  It wasn’t too long ago my thoughts would have aligned with Brad’s. But as I’ve recently learned, the only way to experience love is on your timeline. I was over trying to follow anyone’s rules but my own.

  “Well, you must be doing something right. Dr. Colcord comes to work looking thrilled every day.” Brad’s voice was less caustic than it was a few seconds before.

  “Don’t get me wrong; I think it’s a perfect way to get to know someone better,” he quickly added. “I’m happy for you. So, tell me what’s new since I hardly get to see you anymore,” he asked, changing the subject.

  We sat and chatted for a few minutes. During the conversation, he made it clear he wasn’t trying to poach another man’s girl. He was just concerned about me as one friend to another.

  “So, how are the plans for your dad’s birthday celebration coming along?” Brad asked.

  “Great! Everything is all set except for the music. My parent’s love music from the fifties and sixties. I’m trying to get a good band that’s versatile enough to cover songs from that era but can also do some new stuff too,” I answered.

  “Oh, well, you are in luck. I think I know a decent band that would fit perfectly.”

  My eyes widened with excitement. “Are you for real? I mean seriously? I’ve been having a tough time finding someone. You don’t understand how happy you would make me right now.”

  “Well, I’ll do you one better. I think I’ll be able to convince the lead singer to do the party free of charge.” Brad smiled at my excited expression.

  I gasped loudly, letting out an animated squeal, before quickly covering my mouth. I had to remind myself I was in an office setting and needed to keep it down.

  “Oh, my goodness! That would be too good to be true. But, even if he doesn’t want to do it for free, I would still like to hire them, if they are good,” I offered. It had been months of going back and forth with different DJs and bands and I had yet to find someone that I liked. Brad had just given me my first glimmer of hope that my search would finally come to an end.

  “Trust me, you would love these guys,” Brad said with confidence. He looked down at his watch and shook his head. Standing, he smoothed out the crease in his pants. “Well, I’ve got to run. I have a meeting to prep for early in the morning. Gotta take some packets down to the printing office to get copied before they close in the next hour.”

  I stood up as well. “Hey, don’t be such a stranger. I feel like I never get to see you anymore.”

  “I won’t,” Brad promised, the dimple in his cheek more pronounced as he smiled. He placed a hand on his chest. “I guess I’ll have to get used to the fact you’re off the market now.”

  The comment took me off guard. It was unexpected, especially coming from Brad. Was he insinuating he was jealous of my relationship with Sean? I quickly brushed off the presumption. Brad had never shown me an ounce of interest.

  “I’ll hold you to that,” I replied, completely avoiding the second part of his statement. I reached over and gave Brad a brief hug. Although it felt slightly awkward, I was grateful he filled the last puzzle piece I needed to make my father’s party a success.

  “Oh, the band is playing at Francisco’s downtown on Saturday night. If you got some free time come and check them out. I can send you the address when I get back to my office,” Brad said as he pulled away. Our bodies were separated, but he still had his hand on my upper arm.

  “No need…my best friend loves that place; I know exactly where it is.”

  The sound of a throat clearing from the entrance of my cubicle grabbed our attention. It was Sean, and by the irritated scowl on his face, he wasn’t happy. Brad was the first to pull away. The warm invitation in his eyes quickly faded.

  “Well, it was great talking to you.”

  “You too. I’ll see you Saturday.”

  “Opening act goes on at nine. The band should be onstage a little after ten.” Brad turned and raised his chin, acknowledging Sean, before strolling off. “Dr. Colcord.”

  Sean nodded in return, chest puffed out, green eyes sharp on Brad’s face. His large frame didn’t move an inch to let Brad pass through the cubicle opening.

  I looked around and saw no one was near. Easing up on my heel clad feet, I placed a quick kiss on Sean’s lips.

  “Hey, babe. What brings you on this side of the world?” I inquired. It wasn’t uncommon for him to stop by, but I knew he had a busy schedule with back-to-back meetings, so I wasn’t expecting to see him until we were heading home together.

  “Nothing, just needed to stretch my legs, and I wanted to find out when you’re planning on leaving today,” he answered.

  “Oh, really?” I asked knowingly. The rapid rise and fall of his chest made me think otherwise. There was no hiding that he ran up those stairs to come to my desk.

  “So, what’s up with Saturday night?” Sean asked, taking a seat in the chair that Brad had just vacated. I noticed how he didn’t answer my question. I was glad to see him, so I didn’t press the issue.

  “Great news…Brad just informed me he has a band that might play at Daddy’s birthday party.”

  “Brad, huh?” He glowered, a deep crease forming in his forehead. “What’s the name of this band?”

  “Not sure. But they are playing at Francisco’s on Saturday. We should go and check them out.” I sat back in my chair with one leg tucked underneath me.

  “Weren’t we planning a little something this weekend with everyone coming into town?” Sean said.

  “Yes, but that is early in the day. We can still do the cookout on Saturday and then go out on the town later.”

  “Okay. As long as everyone else is down for it.”

  “Thank you, Father,” I replied sarcastically.

  It was still new getting used to this side of Sean’s personality. Our honeymoon phase ended when we moved in together. There were no more pretenses between us. We talked constantly about being open and honest with each other. It was one thing telling your significant other you hated when they left toothpaste on the bathroom mirror. But things got awkward when you had to tell them not to question your every decision. It was also important we recognized when something was coming from a place of love.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” His green eyes narrowed at me.

  “I don’t know. It feels like I had to ask my Daddy permission to go out.”

  Sean leaned forward and pulled my rolling chair toward him.

  “I thought you liked calling me Daddy,” he joked.

  “Oh, I do.” I offered a little smile at his flirtation. Just last night I was calling him daddy. I crossed my arms over my chest and raised a neatly arched brow at him. “But I never knew you could be this possessive.”

  “I’m an only child…I don’t know any better,” he answered.

  “I guess you’ll have to learn to share.”

  Sean smirked that condescending smile that said, ‘it would be a cold day in hell before he shared anything’.

  “Really, Sean?”

  “I can guarantee that will never happen.”

  “Please don’t tell me we are going to be one of those couples.” I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair. “You and I have the same set of close friends. Thank goodness they all seem to get along. But there will be times when we will do thing
s separately. I hope you don’t plan on trying to keep me under lock and key.”

  “Me, Sean; you, Lashawnda. You mine…me no share.” Sean smiled using a gruff caveman voice. Throwing in some grunts for added effect.

  “Silly man.” I couldn’t help but smile. I leaned forward until my mouth was close to his ear. “You know I like it when you go all Neanderthal like that.”

  “You know that empty room in my office is always available,” Sean whispered back.

  “You know we promised no more kinky office sex because we could get caught.” I reminded him.

  “You know I don’t give a shit about getting caught. My first priority is to please you,” he retorted, voice dripping with promise and provocation of multiple orgasms. My body warmed all over and the heat settled between my thighs. Memories of all the ways we’d christened our new home flood my brain. It should be a shame what Sean could do with his tongue and fingers.

  “You know you always do that.” I impulsively bit my bottom lip as Sean’s hand lightly grazed my pointed nipple.

  Just that quick I was aroused. It never took much for him to take me there. The sound of my desk phone ringing broke the haze of arousal between us. We were playing with fire acting this way at work and we both knew it. Getting caught kissing when we first met was one thing, but we were doing way too much right now.

  “Excuse me.” I lightly cleared my throat and walked over to my desk. Just because I couldn’t get that thick muscle of his nestled firmly inside of me didn’t mean I couldn’t tease Sean just a little. With my left hand flat on the desk, I bent slightly and picked up the handset with my right. Making my arch more prominent so that Sean got a perfect view of my backside from his position.

  “This is Lashawnda…yes…okay. Do you want to meet right now? Okay, not a problem. I’ll call his assistant to set something up. Yes. I’ll let him know as well. Okay, see you shortly.” I hung up the phone and turned back towards Sean.

  “What’s wrong?” Sean asked after reading the confusion written across my face.