*“Sure you don’t want me to go in there with you?” Doug asked, as he pulled up to the rehab center.
Her father had dropped her mother off two weeks before. Dad was worried about how her treatment was progressing, but said she wanted to talk to Chloe. Daniel warned her that Mom wouldn’t change her opinions, and not to let it get to her.
Chloe shook her head. “Need to do this on my own.”
He leaned over to give her a kiss. Then he caressed her face. “I’ll be here when you’re done. Take as long as you need.”
“Thank you for doing this.”
“Anything for you.”
She took a fortifying breath and walked to the building. It took every ounce of will she possessed to climb the stairs and walk inside. It was finally time make a stand for herself against the woman who’d sent her running too many times over the years.
The receptionist buzzed her through, and she was greeted by an attendant who took her to the gardens where her mother sat, staring at the flowers.
“Good afternoon, Mother.”
Her mom looked over and scowled. “You’re the reason I’m stuck here,” she spat.
Chloe’s eyes narrowed and she sat across from the woman she never truly understood. Even when she’d been loving and caring, she was pushing her down a path Chloe didn’t want to follow. Daniel was the first to break free from her guidance. Then Chloe. And somewhere along the way, Danielle fell out of her mother’s good graces.
Tired of feeling small, and insignificant, she decided to lay it out. “No, abusing alcohol is what got you here. Not me. I haven’t done anything to you.”
“You’ve ruined your chance at being happy, of having power, of making a difference.” Her mother’s jaw clenched, her face turning red as she shook her head in disgust. “You’ll never amount to anything. Just like your brother.”
“You’re wrong.”
“I’m right.”
“On what planet?” Chloe snapped back. “You don’t think helping kids is noble? You don’t think I’m going to make them healthier? Why is it that me being a doctor means so little to you?”
“You’ll waste away, constantly running, constantly busy, just like my father.”
Chloe shook her head. Grampa Carter had been a doctor and yes, he’d worked a lot of hours until his retirement. That didn’t make sense though. “Dad works constantly. He never stops going. He’s always campaigning. He’s not even here half the time because he’s in the Senate. So how is being a doctor worse than that? Especially when my specialty isn’t one that will keep me running at all hours of the day and night?”
“You’ll put your career before your family.”
“Isn’t that what Dad’s done? He was a lawyer, then politics, now a senator. He’s so focused on what he’s doing he hardly realized seven years had passed without seeing me. Before we were all at the hospital visiting Daniel, I hadn’t spoken with him in four years.”
“Your brother,” she seethed. “You two want to ruin us.”
Her chest ached. “You know, I had hoped it was alcohol that made you bitter. I’m beginning to think you just want us as miserable as you are. I’m happy. So is Daniel. Danielle, too. You’re pissed off because we’re doing what we want, and you aren’t. I feel sorry for you.”
Chloe stood, and started to walk away.
“Maybe you’re right. But, Chloe, your happiness will evaporate. Your boyfriend is a musician. He’ll fall into alcohol, maybe drugs, then start sleeping around. You’ll never make him happy with your career. You’ll both be miserable.”
“You need more than rehab to fix whatever is wrong with you. Good luck.”
She hurried out of the building, found Doug leaning against his car, and rushed to him. He pushed away and closed the distance to catch her. “Oh, baby, what’s wrong. What did she say?”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s all bullshit.”
“Chloe, don’t do that. What did she say? Let me tell you why she’s wrong.”
She looked into his eyes. “I know she’s wrong, but if you insist.” She rolled her eyes. “You’ll start drinking, then drugs, then cheating. I’ll be too busy with my job to keep you happy. Like her path would have made me any less busy.”
“It’s not like you’re working crazy hours. I don’t drink. Drugs are the last thing on my mind. There are no other women, and never will be. You’re it for me.”
“There were others between the last time and now.”
He nodded. “No one important. I’m sure you’ve been with more than Pierce.”
“Not often, and certainly not worth remembering. That goes for Pierce, too.”
He sneered. “He’s lucky I was busy with my guitar that night at the event. I saw the way he was looking at you. My fists were itching to slam into his face a few times.”
Her eyes widened. “You never said anything.”
“Why should I have? I wasn’t mad at you. It wasn’t even that he was looking at you. My objection was how he was looking at you. Like you were a possession, a favorite toy or something. But you know what?”
“What?”
“He doesn’t have you. I do. No one else but me. So let him stare, and drool all he wants.”
“Good, because I like listening to you play.”
He grinned, an air of mischief in his eyes. “I’ll play for you anytime.”
*
Doug drove them down to Palisade for lunch with Tom, Daniel, and Danielle. He gave Chloe a smile, teasing slightly, “Do I get to go in with you?”
“Definitely. Before, I needed to see what Mom would do, and how I would react on my own.”
He nodded, though he wasn’t sure he understood. Honestly, during her visit with Mom, a trace of fear she might backtrack did worry him. She’d squashed that the second she was back in his arms.
They climbed out and he handed the keys to the valet. When he stepped onto the curb, Chloe wrapped her arms around him, tiptoeing up to lay a kiss on his lips. Then her tongue delved in, caressing his.
Groaning, he pushed her back. “Lunch first, then I’ll take you home to make love to you.”
She grinned. “I’ll hold you to that.” Threading her fingers through his, she pulled him to the door.
Selfishly, he wanted to take her back home now, but he followed, and dutifully pulled her chair out. Her eyes met his before Doug took his own seat.
She leaned over to whisper against his ear. “Thank you. For everything. How’d I get so lucky?”
He shrugged, a crooked grin appearing. “Never could resist you. Now you’re stuck with me.”
Daniel gave Chloe a sympathetic look. “How was she?”
“You were right.”
Doug heard the sadness in her words. He took her hand, wishing he could do something more.
Her father shook his head. “I’m sorry, princess. She’s not responding well to the treatment. I’m not sure what to do.”
“What do you want to do?”
He shrugged. “Don’t know. Things have really changed, and I didn’t even realize how much until we were all at the hospital. I’m not sure how to fix what’s broken.”
“We’re here for you.” Daniel grabbed their dad’s hand. “No matter what you decide.”
“We are,” Chloe answered.
“Anything you need, call us. I’ll even make it a point to check on you.” Danielle smiled.
“Thank you.” He looked to Chloe. “Maybe we should get together for weekly meal. All of us.”
“Definitely. We can rotate where,” Chloe added.
“We can figure those details out later. Let’s talk about happier things for now.”
*
Doug pulled Chloe with him as he backed up and dropped into the chair. She straddled his lap, pressing her chest against his, as she took his mouth in a kiss.
Gripping the hem of her dress, she pulled it over her head. Doug’s hands wrapped around her waist and caressed up her sides. Through her bra, his mouth heated her nipple, lipping the sensitive tip until it puckered proud enough to be seen through the lace cup.
“Doug,” she moaned. “Too many clothes. Need more.”
He stood, setting her on her feet. He stripped his shirt off while she opened his pants, and shoved them down with his boxers. She licked her lips as her eyes slowly trailed up to his warm eyes. “Gorgeous.”
“That’s you.” He kicked his clothes away as his fingers threaded into her hair.
“Sit.” She didn’t wait before she shoved him into the chair.
He laughed. “Yes, ma’am. Any other orders?”
She took her place on his lap. “Are you clean?”
He nodded, a funny look on his face. “There haven’t been many women, and I’ve always used protection.”
“I’m covered, and clean. Skip the condom. For good.”
He grinned, his fingers sliding under her lacy panties. “Hope you won’t miss these.” Without waiting for an answer, he tore them from her while she popped the front clasp of her bra and let it fall to the floor.
“Better,” she murmured, sliding over him. He filled her up. She’d never get enough of the sensations found only when his body was against hers, his hands caressing, his cock filling her, and his mouth meshed with hers.
She nipped his lip as she rode. “Love you. Need you. Always, Doug.”
“You have me, and I’m not letting you go.”
Chloe took the pace hard, making love to him. The one man who filled her full of love was finally hers. Pleasure built at the speed of lightning.
She came, he followed. Pulling her close, he wound his arms around her. “You make everything better,” Chloe whispered against his ear.
He stood up with her in his arms, and took her back to the bed, where he held her within the safe circle of his grasp. “And you, give me new purpose,” Doug told her. “I’m glad you came back to me.”
“Me too. I was finally ready to embrace the rhythm.”
His brow arched, a light sparkling in his eyes. “Which is?”
She tapped her fingers over his chest with his heartbeat. “Our summer rhythm.”
The End