Princess dropped down on the floor and placed her head on her paw while she closed her eyes. Poor thing was scared for her life.
Turning back to Aaron, I fought like hell not to bust out laughing. I couldn’t decide what was funnier. The shocked expression on the PetSmart employee’s face or the fact Aaron kept referring to the doggy diapers as tampons.
“Ah . . . oh no, no they don’t make things like . . . um . . . like that . . . um . . .”
Oh, this is priceless. Shit! I should be recording this!
Pulling out my phone, I quickly swiped up and began recording.
“Yes. Yes, they do. They have to. The vet told me to come here and get them. I need her to not bleed in my truck or anywhere in my house, so if you’ll just point me to where the tampons are . . . I’ll get out of your hair.”
Pointing my phone down to Princess, I made sure to zoom in on the diaper she was wearing before turning the camera back onto Aaron.
The employee looked at me with pleading eyes, but I offered no help as I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.
“Ah . . . sir . . . tampons are for . . . well . . . ladies, um you know during that time.”
Aaron was growing impatient as he pointed over to Princess. The young girl looked at Princess, who was now fast asleep on the floor. “I know. I know. You see my dog is during that time. So I need the tampon things to keep her from bleeding everywhere. She got blood in my truck. In. My. Truck.”
“Sir, do you mean doggie pants? Some people call them doggie pads?”
Aaron pulled his head back and turned to me. Looking surprised to see me recording him, he asked, “What are you doing?”
Shrugging, I said, “Recording this for Ryn and Tristan.”
Aaron rolled his eyes as he asked, “What are tampons?”
Smiling, I kept recording as I said, “I think you’re thinking of pads, Aaron. Tampons you . . . um . . . insert inside.”
Aaron’s face fell as he whispered, “Oh hell.”
DROPPING DOWN ON THE SOFA, I let out a tired moan. Princess was resting in her little makeshift bed I made so she didn’t have to jump or move too much. This was stressful. If I can hardly handle a dog being spayed, what am I going to do when Sierra and I have kids and one falls from a tree and breaks their arm?
Em walked out of the kitchen and handed me a beer as she sat down next to me and pulled her legs up to her chest. “So—”
Taking a drink of the beer, I raised an eyebrow and looked at Em. “So . . . what?”
“Have y’all set a date yet?”
Smiling, I nodded my head as Em began jumping around like a child. “Oh my gosh! Aaron why haven’t y’all said anything?”
Shrugging my shoulders, I gave her a wink. “We just picked a date yesterday. Sierra had to make sure she could take off in the fall with the new job, but we decided what we wanted to do for the wedding, and the honeymoon.” Wiggling my eyebrows, Em made a gagging sound as she stuck her finger down her throat.
“I didn’t need that visual, thank you very much.”
Shrugging, I said, “That’s what brothers are for, baby sister. Hey, I’m going to need you to house sit and watch Princess for me.”
Em beamed as she smiled. “Sure! Can I have a party?”
Giving her a warning look, I held up my finger and said, “One party with no more than eight people. No sex, no drugs, and no alcohol.”
Lifting her hands to her chest she crossed her arms and pouted. “Well damn, Aaron. Why have a party then?”
“Ha ha,” I said as I tossed a pillow at her. “Anyway, three weeks from today. I’ll be gone for two weeks.”
Em took a drink of her beer and set it on the coffee table. “Okay. Where are you going?”
Smiling, I said, “Spain.”
“Spain! Wow. What for?”
“My wedding, and honeymoon.”
Em looked at me as her eyes grew bigger in her head. Slowly shaking her head, she asked, “Wedding?”
Nodding my head, I stood up and headed into the kitchen. “Yep. And honeymoon, don’t forget I said honeymoon.”
Scrambling to her feet, Em chased after me. “Aaron! Y’all are getting married in Spain? In three weeks? Wait . . . is it just the two of you . . . alone?”
Opening up the pantry door, I searched for something salty to eat. Finding a bag of Lays potato chips, I smiled and grabbed them.
Em reached for my arm and pulled me around to look at her. “You’re eloping? What about Mom and Dad? What about me? You’re robbing us of this moment. How could you?”
Laughing, I placed my hands on Em’s shoulders. “Settle down, tiger. We’re going to have a ceremony here too, before we leave. Just family and friends at Mom and Dad’s place.”
Em’s eyes lit up. “Really? How in the world did y’all plan this so quickly?”
Shrugging my shoulders I said, “I don’t know. We both wanted something small and intimate. Sierra has wanted to go to Spain, so she had all the information already for where to go and stay. It kind of just fell together, especially having told mom. She took off with the plans.”
Emily eyes filled with tears as I smiled. “Sierra wanted to ask you herself to be in the wedding, so act surprised when she talks to you about it.”
Em did a little scream and threw herself into my arms. “Oh, Aaron! I can’t believe you’re getting married.”
Closing my eyes, I held her tight. “Me either, Em. Me either.”
Carrying the last box out of Sierra’s house, I put it in the back of my truck. Wiping the sweat from my brow, a woman about my age approached me with a smile. “Hello there. Moving in?”
Letting out a chuckle, I said, “No, I’m moving my fiancée out.”
The stunned expression on her face caused me to smile bigger. “Sierra is getting married? Didn’t she just get divorced?”
Glaring at her, the woman’s smile faded as she rocked back and forth nervously on her heels. “Well, not that it’s any of my business.”
Smiling, I nodded my head and said, “No, it really isn’t.”
Giving me a dirty look, she cleared her throat. “I was coming over to invite Sierra over for our daughter’s one-year birthday party. She was the labor and delivery nurse when I had Angie.”
“Really?” I asked as I glanced back toward the house, wondering where in the hell Sierra was. She had been right behind me with a box. When I saw the curtain move, I knew what she was doing.
That little brat was hiding!
“Yes. Ever since we found out Sierra lived a few doors down from us, we’ve invited her to all of Angie’s parties.”
Jerking my head back, I gave her a dazed look. “All of Angie’s parties? Isn’t she just turning one?”
Laughing and hitting me playfully on the chest, to which I took a step away from her, she said, “She is just one, but we’ve had parties for each month, silly.”
“Each month?” I asked as I glanced back at the window and saw Sierra looking out with a smile on her face.
“Sure, one-month birthday, two-month birthday, three-month birthday, four—”
Holding up my hands, I smiled politely. “I get it. You don’t have to count them all out for me.”
Lifting her hand, she handed me the invite. “You’re more than welcome to come with Sierra. It would mean a whole lot to us to have Sierra there. Let her know for me, okay? I’ve got to run.”
Taking a few steps back, the woman lifted her hand and waved as she eye fucked the hell out of me. Licking her lips, she turned and walked away. I was pretty sure I heard her moan as she turned away from me.
Shaking my head, I headed back into the house only to find Sierra in a laughing fit. “Haha. Don’t think I didn’t notice you left me high and dry out there. I feel like I need to take a shower with the way she was eye fucking me.”
Throwing her head back and laughing, Sierra wrapped her arms around her waist and motioned with her hand for me to stop talking. “Can’t. Breathe.”
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“That’s not cool. You’re going to be my wife in a couple days and you’re laughing at me.”
Sierra took a deep breath in and calmed herself down. “I’m sorry. It’s just when I came walking out and saw her making a beeline toward you, I turned and hightailed it back into the house. That family is nuts! Do you know how many birthday parties I’ve been to?”
“I’d say at least eleven,” I said with a chuckle.
Shaking her head, Sierra picked a box up and said, “Ugh. As much as I’m going to miss this house, I’ll be so glad to be away from them. At least once a week she would bring me over—”
I opened the front door for Sierra to walk through when she let out a scream. “Hey, Sierra!” The neighbor I had just been talking to was standing outside the door.
“Holy hell, you scared the piss out of me!” Sierra yelled out.
The woman smiled and said, “I’ll never get used to the bad words that come out of your mouth, Sierra. I forgot to tell your boyfriend . . .”
I could practically see the steam coming from Sierra’s ears.
“Fiancé,” Sierra said under her breath.
The woman stuttered on her words for a brief moment before talking again, “Right well, I forgot to mention it’s a costume party. Everyone is dressing up like a character from Winnie the Pooh.”
“No way,” I whispered.
“Sierra, you would make a wonderful Eeyore!”
Letting out a laugh, I pointed to Sierra as she turned and glared at me before looking back at her neighbor.
“Joyce, I’m so sorry but we won’t be able to make it.”
Joyce. Yep that name suites her. “Oh no! Oh no!” Glancing over to me, Joyce ran her tongue along her top lip. “What about you, will you be able to make it?”
Sierra dropped the box she was holding . . . right on Joyce’s foot. Joyce began hopping and jumping up and down as Sierra apologized over and over. Guiding the woman down the stairs, Sierra practically walked her back home. Running back toward me, Sierra turned and called out. “Don’t forget to put ice on that!”
Setting the box into the back of my truck, I hid my laughter until Sierra stopped right in front of me. “You’re evil.”
Lifting her eyebrow, Sierra said, “She came on to my man. I don’t think so, bitch.”
Pulling her into my arms, I kissed her on the lips passionately. Wrapping her arms around me, Sierra moaned into my mouth. “Two days and you’re going to be mine.”
Smiling against my lips, Sierra spoke. “Are we moving too fast, Aaron?”
“Hell no.” Pulling back, I looked into Sierra’s eyes. “Sierra, if you want to wait, I’ll wait as long as it takes. As long as I get to wake up every morning with you in my arms. That’s all I care about.”
Slamming her lips back to mine, Sierra grabbed a handful of hair and gave it a hard tug. “I have to clean up the house since we’re closing on it the day before the wedding. I figured I’d just do it today. Kacey is coming over at four to pick up my bedroom set. After that, I plan on being naked in bed with you all night long.”
Placing my hand on the side of her face, I brushed my thumb along her porcelain skin. “I like that plan.”
Kissing her again, I forced myself to let her go. “I’ll take this stuff back to my place. Don’t forget we have to meet my parents for dinner tonight. Mom wants to finish up last-minute stuff for the wedding.”
My heart slammed against my chest any time I thought about marrying Sierra this Saturday. Excitement and nerves both mixed together.
“Oh, that’s right. Okay, well I can hold off on getting naked until after dinner I guess.”
Slapping Sierra on her ass, I said, “Call me when you’re on your way.”
Walking over to the door with me, Sierra shut it and smiled. “Okay. We should be finished up by five if not sooner.”
A strange feeling washed over me as I glanced down the street and then back at Sierra’s house. “Do you want me to stay with you and help you clean?”
Shaking her head, Sierra grinned sweetly. “No. I’ve got this, baby. It doesn’t need much cleaning. I’ll probably be bored waiting on Kacey.”
Giving her a smile and a wink, I said, “Sounds good, baby. Call me if you change your mine. See ya soon. I love you.”
Blowing me a kiss, Sierra said, “I love you too.”
Backing out of Sierra’s driveway, I headed down the street. As I looked in the rearview mirror I couldn’t help but smile as she stood there and watched me drive off.
Just a couple more days and she would be Mrs. Aaron Walker.
WALKING INTO THE KITCHEN, I pulled a bottled water out of the refrigerator and took a drink. I’d spent most of the afternoon cleaning. The only thing left in the house was my bedroom set Kacey was coming to pick up with her husband. Heading back into my bedroom, I began taking the drawers out of the dressers. Glancing at the clock I saw it was three. Kacey would be here in an hour. I wonder if she could come sooner? Sitting on the bed, I sent Kacey a text message.
Me: Hey. If y’all want to come over early feel free. I’ve got everything out of the house.
Kacey: Our truck won’t start. Running to get a new battery and then we will head that way.
The front door alarm beeped saying it had opened. Jumping up, I glanced over to the alarm box. Shit. I swore I set the alarm.
I began walking out of my room when I called out, “Aaron?” Walking into the kitchen, I set my cell phone down on the counter and made my way into the living room. Letting out a scream, I came to a stop as I came face to face with Robert standing in the middle of my living room. He smiled an evil smile as he tilted his head and looked at me.
“I’m home, baby.”
Swallowing hard, I tried to stay calm as I turned and headed to my bedroom. “Robert, you need to get the hell out of my house now, or I’m calling the cops!”
Glancing over my shoulder, he just stood there smiling. The moment I stepped into my bedroom, I shut the door and locked it. Running over to the alarm box, I hit the silent panic button.
Turning around, I stared at my bedroom door. “Sierra, tell me what I hear is not true. You’re getting married so soon after our divorce? You fucking slut! You belong to me, don’t you know that, Sierra.”
Covering my mouth with my hands, I closed my eyes tightly. My cell phone began to ring, causing me to snap my eyes open. Fuck! I left it in the kitchen. It had to be the alarm company.
“Is that your lawyer calling, Sierra? How long were you fucking him? The whole time? Maybe before he took your case for his daddy. Is that why Mr. Walker’s son took your case, Sierra? Because you were fucking him, you damn whore!”
Jumping when Robert yelled out, I fought to contain my sobs. Shaking my head, I dropped my arms to my side and took in a deep breath. No. I will not let him do this to me again.
The doorknob to the bedroom began to wiggle. “You locked me out, baby? That hurts, Sierra. That really hurts. Open this damn door or I’ll kick it in.”
Quickly running to the closet, I looked at the small safe I had sitting there. For some reason I decided to keep it and walk out of the house with it last. Dropping to the floor, I started spinning the combination.
Robert began banging on the door. “Open the fucking door, you bitch!”
My hands were shaking so bad, I kept messing up the combination. One more number to go.
The door to the bedroom busted open as I screamed. The next thing I knew, Robert had grabbed a hold of my ponytail and pulled me backwards and dragged me out of the closet.
“Robert! Stop this! Please stop, this is not you!”
Reaching down, he picked me up and grabbed a hold of my arms as he began to shake me. “This isn’t me. You drove me to this, Sierra! Do you know that? I only fucked those other women because I wanted it rough. I like to fuck in the ass, Sierra and I would never do that to you. You were my perfect angel. So beautiful and untouched.”
Tears began to slide down my face
as I looked into the eyes of a man I once loved. “Why are you doing this? You didn’t want me, Robert! You just said so.”
Dropping his hands from my arms, Robert took a few steps back as he looked at me with a look of horror on his face. “W-what?”
Swallowing hard, I fought to keep my tears from falling. My heart felt like it was going to pound right out of my chest as I struggled to get air into my lungs. “What do you mean I didn’t want you?”
Taking a step away from him, I said, “You cheated multiple times on me, Robert. You don’t go looking for something somewhere else. That’s something you don’t do to someone you love and want. You don’t treat them like a piece of trash.”
Pulling his head back he repeated my words. “Treat them like a piece of trash? Is that what I did to you, Sierra? Treat you like trash? I gave you a nice home, took you on trips. I adored you.”
His words cut through my heart like a knife. “You adored me?” Letting out a laugh, I shook my head. “You didn’t fucking adore me! You fucked my best friend in that nice home I helped pay for, you dickhead!”
Robert balled his fists together and took a few steps toward me. “Why do you have to make me angry, Sierra? Do you know how many times I had to stop myself from getting rough with you during sex? I wanted to fuck you so hard you’d feel me for hours after I dumped my load into you. I couldn’t do that to perfection though, so I had to go looking for them. They had to be blonde like you. Blue eyes were a must so that when I was fucking them, I could pretend I was with you.”
Looking away, I felt sick to my stomach with the way he was talking to me. “Look at me, Sierra! I don’t want to hurt you. I love you. I wanted you, Sierra. They were all just fillers.”
Backing up, I bumped into the bed and had to stop. “Robert, you don’t love me.”
Closing his eyes, he yelled out, “I love you! Fucking don’t tell me how I feel.” Quickly walking up to me, Robert grabbed my face with his hands and looked down at my lips.
Air. I can’t get in any air.
My whole body shook in fear as he squeezed my face. “You’re. Hurting. Me,” I whispered.