BETWEEN NOW AND FOREVER: FOREVER TRILOGY BOOK 1 Page 8

  I hardly believe it myself.

  “It’s rude to tell a joke and then keep the punchline to yourself,” she says and I decide she’s right.

  “Okay. But don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I point a finger at her.

  “Oh my God, you must be the worst at telling stories. You’re totally dragging this out.”

  “Elisabeth is my favorite name in the whole world.”

  She barks out a disbelieving laugh, but her eyes twinkle with delight.

  “Oh, come on. You can do better than that.” She shakes her head.

  “I knew you’d laugh,” I say with mock affront.

  She gives a small roll of her eyes, but then smiles gamely.

  “Okay, I’ll bite. Who’s your favorite Elisabeth of all time?” she asks in challenge.

  “Easy. Queen Elizabeth the First.” I grin.

  “Right. She’s probably the only Elisabeth you can think of.” She raises her eyebrows and her lips pucker into a disbelieving smirk.

  “Elisabeth Taylor, Elisabeth Shue, Elizabeth Dole, Elizabeth Hurley, Elizabeth Smart, Elizabeth Gilles, Elizabeth Hamilton—another fine woman by the way—Elizabeth—"

  “Okay, okay, I believe you,” she shouts in exasperation, but her grin tells the truth – it’s wide and giddy and really fucking perfect.

  “Yeah, I read her biography in fifth grade and fell in love.” I shrug, even though as I say it, I realize I’ve never told anyone that.

  She cocks her head and gives me an indulgent smile. “What about her got you so hot and bothered? She was hardly known for her beauty.”

  “She was something much more attractive to me than merely beautiful.” The reverence in my voice isn’t feigned.

  “What’s more attractive to men than beauty?” There’s levity in her voice, but there’s also a thread of anticipation, like my answer is important to her.

  I drop my glib demeanor and answer honestly.

  “She decided to be more than what she was born to be.”

  “Uh--she was the daughter of a king. Queen is exactly what she was born to be.”

  “But it’s not all she was. She had a conniving, blindly ambitious mother. Her father was a ruthless, psychotic glutton. She should have been a feckless, reckless and easily persuaded ruler. Instead, she learned the lessons her parents failed to. And she went on to become one of the greatest leaders in world history. I mean, I don’t even know what she really looked like, but all that is pretty fucking hot,” I finish.

  “Wow… so is this like a secret or something?”

  “Hell no. When I was in high school, my friends had boners for Beyonce and Giselle Bündchen. Beth was my girl. I had a poster of her above my bed. Well, Cate Blanchette as her.”

  “Beth?” she asks softly.

  “Yeah, that’s what the men who loved her called her.”

  “I like that…” Her smile changes, and it’s clear to me that she’s smiling to herself. But, I want to know what she’s thinking.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  She looks surprised, but then smiles and taps her chin ponderously.

  “I was thinking that this ice pack is melting and I don’t want to drip on your mother’s floor.”

  A bark of laughter escapes me.

  “That’s what you were thinking?” I ask skeptically.

  She lifts one delicate shoulder in a devil may care gesture that’s rougish and sexy without meaning to be. I need to find out how old she is.

  “You get what you pay for. You only offered a penny, so you got one I could afford to throw away.” She smirks and I grin.

  “Touché’,” I concede. “What if I upped that to ten dollars?”

  “Whoa…that’s a big jump,” she says as if she’s scandalized, but the gleam in her eyes says she’s enjoying this exchange as much as I am.

  “Well…what does it get me?”

  Her expression clears, and even though her lips are still curved up in a smile, her eyes are solemn.

  “I was thinking that I like that you’re so unapologetic about being different. And that I wish I was as comfortable in my skin as you are.”

  It’s so simple, but the most genuine compliment I think I’ve ever received.

  “Wow, talk about bang for your buck,” I say with a flippancy I don’t feel.

  She laughs and just like everything else about her, it’s clear and beautiful and distinct.

  “I like your laugh,” I tell her.

  She stops laughing abruptly. She eyes me with the same suspicion I saw in her expression by the lake. “My dad says I sound like a horse when I laugh.”

  Your dad is clearly an ass, I think.

  “I think you sound happy,” I say.

  She drops her hand to reveal a heart-stopping smile.

  “Will you dance with me?” I ask.

  “There’s no music, Carter.”

  “There’s always music; you just have to listen.”

  I put my hand out to her and she slips hers into it.

  As soon as our palms connect, I start to dread the moment that I have to let her go.

  “I brought you some of my clothes. My daughter’s even taller than me; you’d swim in her things.”

  My mother walks back in with an ice pack and stack of clothes. We jump away from each other. I deliberately avoid her gaze as I move to the door.

  “We will wait downstairs,” my mother says sternly, her eyes on me and full of disapproval.

  “Thank you,” Liz says. “And I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

  “Call me Penn. And you’re welcome. Is there anyone you need to call and let know you’re here?”

  Her eyes widen and she slaps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God, yes, please. I need to call my brother. He’ll be worried. My phone is dead. Is there one I can use?”

  “Of course, you can use the landline. The storm knocked our cell service out, anyway.” The warm smile she bestows on Elisabeth disappears when she turns to look at me.

  “Come on, Carter, let’s go.” Her tone tells me she’s not fucking around with me, and that if I don’t come right now, she’ll make me.

  I flash an unrepentant smile as I hook my arm through hers and let her pull me out of the door.

  “See you in a few minutes,” she calls after us.

  When I look over my shoulder and find her watching me too, I know I’ll be back to finish what we started.

  “See you downstairs, Beth.” I say and see her jaw drop right before I turn around and walk out.

  The timing is terrible. But like my father always tells me, nothing is a coincidence. And a night like this, with a woman like her, may be just the thing I need to feel like myself again. I curse the bad luck that’s taking me back to New York in a week, and in the same breath give thanks for it.

  5

  FAMILY AFFAIR

  ELISABETH

  “Hey James, it’s me. I’m sorry I missed you. I hope you’re sleeping through this storm. It’s raining pretty hard and flooding already. I’m staying with some friends until it dies down. My phone is dead, but I’m fine. I’ll call you when I’m headed home. Love you. Bye.”

  I put the phone back on the receiver and tiptoe down the stairs, testing for creaks in the floorboard before I let my full weight rest on it. My ankle is barely sore thanks to the ice and the fact that Carter picked me up as soon as I fell.

  I don’t know why I left with him. I should have gone to find Duke. Not that I thought he was looking for me, but somehow staying with Carter felt like the safest option in that moment. And as soon as he picked me up, I stopped thinking about the choice I’d made and just enjoyed it.

  Never in a million years would I have imagined a moment like that.

  I savored the feeling of his warm, hard chest as he held me like I was precious. When he put me down, even though it was at my request, I felt the absence of his body’s heat keenly. And by the time his mother interrupted us, the attraction between us was so heady that it made m
e breathless with longing.

  A month ago, I would have said just having a handsome man hit on me would have been enough. But now, that I’ve had a taste of what’s to come, and felt the strong, mutual attraction between us, I have a feeling nothing will feel like enough.

  It’s not just that he’s hot and in to me.

  It’s that he’s not from around here, has no clue who I am and is treating me like I’m normal.

  I’m being myself, I look like myself and he’s still into me.

  “He hasn’t seen all of you, Liz” The devil on my shoulder taunts.

  “He’s seen all of you that matters. That birthmark doesn’t change who you are.” The angel on my other shoulder counters.

  I checked that the rain hadn’t washed away what was supposed to be waterproof makeup. I said a quick prayer of gratitude when I found it still in place. I don’t know what he’d think if he saw it, but for tonight, at least, I don’t have to worry about that.

  I washed the mud off my toes and legs and threw on the leggings and T-shirt his mother brought. The heady smell of rain and smoke that clung to him is now all over me, too.

  I wonder how long I can go without showering. I sigh like a school girl with her first crush.

  When I reach the bottom landing, I turn right and head toward the sound of voices coming from the back of the house.

  It’s cozy, well-lit, and cool.

  As I get closer, I can make out three distinct male voices and two women. They’re having a boisterous conversation, laughing and talking over each other so that it’s hard to follow the conversation. At least for me.

  I’m holding my breath as I watch, afraid that if they know I’m there, the scene in front of me would come to a stop.

  And that would be a shame.

  Because, this is a family.

  A real one that does this sort of thing regularly and enjoys every second of it.

  Carter throws his head back and laughs at something his sister, the same woman who ran past me at the lake, is showing him on her phone. I wish I could capture him just like this.

  I couldn’t believe it when I opened my eyes to see him standing in front of me. I’d been alone all day, and my whole “me time” enthusiasm was fizzling fast. I was surrounded by people who were talking, laughing, kissing, hugging.

  When the sun started to set, I pulled out my notebook to start sketching only to find that I’d lost my pencils.

  The tears I’d been holding back all day finally broke free. I sat there and cried and didn’t bother to hide my face while I did because I knew that no one would notice anyway.

  When I was done, I felt surprisingly okay. Sure, it sucked that Duke had turned out to be such a piece of crap. But I was out. I didn’t know when, if ever, I’d have the chance to do something like this again.

  So, I got up and decided to dance with myself. And like some sort of divine reward for my decision, Carter Bosh walked up and flipped my entire world upside down.

  It might sound extreme to some ears.

  But for a girl who’s first time had been a pity fuck from a guy who didn’t want anyone to know he’d been with her, it was like a revelation. I wish I’d met him three weeks ago because I can tell he would have made it just the way I’d hoped. Sure, he’s a little brooding, and guarded. But he’s also chivalrous and charming. And when he touches me…my skin tingles – long after his hand has moved on. And for this girl who’s never even been kissed, it feels earth shattering in the best possible way.

  Still sight unseen, I allow myself a languid perusal of his face. As I do, I’m imagining I’m drawing him. His face is a study in symmetry. He’s got a pair of unfathomably deep green eyes that are set wide and fringed by thick, dark lashes. His dark brows are strong and slashing – and when he’s not smiling, he looks like he’s thinking about kicking someone’s ass.

  His lips are wide and full with a sensual bow in the center of the top one. His clean-shaven jaw is strong and is bisected by a small cleft.

  He’s handsome all the time. But outrageously so when he smiles and the perfect, nearly austere symmetry of his face is disrupted by the lopsided lift of his lips.

  I look around the table. At the head of it is an older man who must be his father. His blond hair is cut short, with a deep part and is completely free of the gray that the age on his face says should be there.

  He’s dressed like Hugh Hefner, a cravat in the chest pocket of his dark red silk robe and all. He gazes adoringly at his family as they talk. He and Penn are holding hands and his thumb is sweeping back and forth over her palm, in the absently intimate way that I imagine comes with a lot of time and plenty of luck.

  Penn is a beautiful woman.

  If Carter hadn’t called her mom, I would never have guessed it. Not just because she’s so fair – she’s even blonder than her husband – where he’s so dark.

  She looks too young to be his mother, much less the mother of his brother and sister who both look older than him. She’s either got great genes, a great plastic surgeon, or she started really young.

  They’re a very attractive family. They’re all tall and gorgeous and stylish even as they sit around their kitchen table. Carter, though, stands out because in that sea of blonds, he’s the only one with dark hair. His sister and brother look just like their dad – from their golden hair to their large brown eyes. I wonder briefly if they’re twins.

  His sister notices me first.

  “Oh, hey,” she calls up to me and nudges Carter. But everyone turns to look at me.

  His eyes come to me and light up. He smiles, but his gaze is as probing and hot as it was upstairs before his mother interrupted and separated us.

  My nipples pebble and the space between my thighs pulses at the memory of it and at the promise in his gaze when he’d looked over his shoulder at me.

  I don’t look away from him though, even when his smile widens like he knows exactly what his look is doing to me.

  “Hi, I’m sorry to interrupt,” I step into the room, feeling awkward that I’ve been caught lurking and sure that everyone can see my body’s reaction to Carter’s nakedly lustful looks.

  “You’re not interrupting anything, come join us.” Carter points at the empty chair between him and his father.

  “Thank you,” I sneeze into my elbow right as I sit down. His father stands up, and I start to assure him that I’m not sick.

  Before I can say a word, he’s back and placing a steaming mug of something that smells spicy and sweet in front of me.

  “It’s chai tea; Penn mixes it herself,” he says and pats me on the shoulder.

  “Wow, that’s nice,” I cup the mug and savor the heat in my palms and take a huge whiff of the aroma wafting from it.

  “It’s a cure all, kind of like Robitussin – but it tastes better,” Penn says.

  “I’ve never had this before; it smells really good.” I take a sip of the drink. It’s delicious - sweet, fragrant and soothing.

  “Thank you,” I say as I savor the warmth that spreads through me and then take another sip.

  His sister leans across the table, grinning with an eager look on her pretty face. I feel a pang of jealousy at the flawless bare skin she’s flaunting. I wonder if she can tell I’ve got a layer of spackle on my face.

  “So, I’m Nadia.” She points at the man next to her, “That’s our big brother, Jack, and of course, you know Carter who has terrible manners and didn’t introduce us—ow!” She winces when Carter flicks her cheek with his finger.

  His father reaches out to take my hand.

  “I’m Lorin Bosh, head of this motley crew of misfits. Welcome to our home.”

  “Hi—”

  “How old are you?” The question bursts out of Nadia like she couldn’t hold it in one more second.

  “Excuse me?” I say, confused not just by the question, but by the chorus of groans from the rest of the family.

  Nadia casts an annoyed glance at them. “What? We’ve been arguing
about it. Mom and I think you’re jailbait. Of course, the guys say there’s no way.”

  “Nadia, that is rude,” her mother says sharply and then casts an apologetic smile my way. “I’m sorry, we weren’t talking about you.”

  “We were, though,” Nadia interjects and looks at her family like she can’t believe them.

  “Shut up, Nadia,” her mother says, reaching over to smack her hand lightly.

  “Ouch. Why? You’re not offended, are you?” Nadia rubs her hand as if it’s really hurt and I can’t help but smile at the domestic tableau they present.

  “I’m not offended at all. I’m twenty. Almost twenty-one." I don’t add that my birthday is tomorrow, because I don’t want the obligatory wishes. “My haircut just makes me look really young,” I say and run a self-conscious hand over it.

  “You owe me ten dollars, loser,” Jack says to Nadia, and everyone laughs. I join them, surprised by how relaxed I am.

  They’re strangers and I’m completely at their mercy. But if growing up in my family has done anything positive for me, it’s taught me to recognize dysfunction when I see it.

  There’s none here.

  Just real kinship. The kind that you choose. It’s a family dynamic I’ve always longed for and I want to know more.

  “So… Carter says you’re just visiting from New York? What brought you to this neck of the woods.”

  Nadia laughs and then tries to hide it by coughing.

  “What’d I say?” I ask, bewildered when I see the rest of them shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

  “Nothing. Ignore her. We’re from New York City, and yes, we’re just visiting. We’re leaving in a little less than week,” Carter responds, but it’s clear there’s something he’s not saying. But that’s not why my heart sinks.

  It’s that even though I’ve been telling myself that tonight would be it, I realize that I’ve already decided that it’s not enough.

  “Wow, well then, I’m glad I met you tonight,” I say brightly.

  “So…do you, like, live under a rock or what?” Nadia asks, her bewildered expression turning to annoyance as she glares at her mother.

  “Why are you kicking me?“ she demands.