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He's Gone
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Let Me In Making Plans
Xander“Hey,” I said, smiling as I took a bite of bacon. “What are you doing?”“At this moment, I am going to a coffee shop.”“Do you have a packed schedule today?”“Nope. I only have a few things. Why?”“Want to play hooky?”She softly giggled. “What do you have in mind?”“I took the day off to hang out with Kade, but he ditched me. I was thinking me and you could do something. I think I’m due for a new lesson in having fun.”“I’m in. Let me go into the office and check on a couple things. Then I can be free, say by ten?”“Awesome.”“What did you have in mind?” she asked. “Theme park? Beach?”“How about the zoo?” I blurted out, surprising even myself.“The zoo?” she questioned, sounding surprised.“Yeah, why not? I don’t think I’ve been there in forever.”“I’m excited. That sounds like a great way to spend the day. I’ll need to go home and change. Do you want me to meet you at your place?”“I can pick you up,” I offered.“I’ll text you my address.”“See you soon.”I ended the call an
Let Me In Bringing It All Up Again
EvieHe held my hand as we made our way from one animal exhibit to the next. He was saying all the right things and smiling and was acting perfectly normal. That was what bugged me.He was too normal. He wasn’t being his usual self. I could feel him trying too hard to be the normal guy. Xander was naturally reserved, but just then, he was being very—for lack of a better word—normal.“Something to drink?” he asked with a friendly smile. That was when I knew something was definitely not okay.“Yes, please.”I stood to the side while he got in line to get the sodas. I spotted a small table in the shade and took it over. When he turned to look for me, I waved my hand to get his attention. He carried the drinks and sat down. Again, I could see there was something on his mind.“Hot?” he asked.“It’s not too bad. What about you?”“Fine.”I sipped on the soda before I decided the best way to find out what was on his mind was to ask him directly. “How are you? Like really, how are you?”He fro
Let Me In Rub Me the Right Way
EvieI wrinkled my nose. “He’s a nice guy and easy on the eyes, but perfect? That’s a stretch.”“Okay, if you keep telling me how good looking my brother is, I’m going to feed you to the lions.”My smile erupted over my face. I liked his little jealous side. I liked that he wanted me all to himself. “Speaking of, let’s go. They should be getting fed about now.”We got up, both of us carrying our sodas in one hand while we held hands. “You really are worthy,” I told him.“My dad doesn’t see it that way. Him and your dad would get along very well.”That stung. “I’m sorry.”“Don’t be. I rub people the wrong way.”“You rub me in all the right ways,” I said.“Be careful,” he warned. “I am still thinking about taking you back into the penguin palace. There were plenty of dark corners.”“I’m thinking that could be a little cold. The chill might cause some performance issues.”He slowly shook his head as his eyes raked over my body. “I could never have any issues when it comes to you. I don’t
Let Me In Testing the Waters
XanderI parked my car in the massive parking lot reserved for the hundreds of dock workers. I checked my watch, wincing when I confirmed my suspicions. I was late.For the life of me, getting to where I was supposed to be on time seemed like an impossible feat. I tried and I tried but something always happened.I made my way down to the right dock and immediately spotted Charlie. He had his hands on his hips and was staring out at the massive cargo ship in the harbor. By his stance, I could see he wasn’t happy.He had called and asked me to come down and give him some ideas. Apparently, there was a ship coming in for repairs. Charlie was stumped and needed some fresh eyes on how to take care of the issue.It was my thing. The ship wasn’t one of mine, but I didn’t mind offering some advice to a friend. It wasn’t like I needed the money, so I never charged him a consultation fee. There were a few companies that I did charge because the owners or CEOs were dicks. Probably not the most p
Let Me In Selfless
Xander“Just checking. You are an odd duck. I never know what gets you off and what pisses you off.”“I’m not that odd. She said I’m selfless because although I didn’t go into the Marines and go kill bad guys, I am changing the world in my own little way.”“Dude, I’ve been telling you that for years,” he said with disgust.I shrugged. “I guess I wasn’t listening. You aren’t as pretty as she is. When she said it, it meant something.”“It meant something when I said it,” he protested.“You sound like a jealous lover,” I warned him.“You are changing the world. If you can figure out this rudder problem, you will not only change the world but change my life. I’ll have weekends off. I’ll get to work a normal eight-hour day. I might even get to take a real vacation.”“I don’t want to put you out of work,” I teased.He laughed, shaking his head and pointing toward the harbor. “There are a lot of old ships out there. I’ve got enough work to last me three lifetimes.”“This is true.”“It really
Let Me In Falling for Him
EvieIt was just after five when I pulled into the shopping center. I had tried to get off work earlier, but with the day off on Monday, I was swamped. I couldn’t neglect my friends. At least, that was what Nelle had said when she demanded I take part in some retail therapy. I called her to find out where she was.I walked into the clothing store she was at and quickly spotted her. “I like it,” I said as I walked up to where she was holding up a pretty blouse.“Who are you?” she asked without looking at me. “You sound a lot like my friend Evie, but I think she fell off the face of the earth.”“Ha ha. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”“Not too busy for your man,” she said.“Actually, I saw him Monday and that’s it. Well and Sunday, but that doesn’t count.”“You are forgiven, with one stipulation,” she said.I groaned. “What would that be?”“Have dinner with me,” she answered.I burst into laughter. “Yes. I’m free for the rest of the night.”“Good. Now, I need a skirt to go with this.”I bega
Let Me In Deep Cuts
Evie“What are you going to do about your dad? You can’t let him get in the way of your happiness.”I slowly shook my head. “I have no idea. I tried to talk to him. He isn’t budging.”“Maybe try to explain to him Xander is important to you. He should understand love. He loved your mother.”The memory of his grief still tugged at my heart. “Yes, he did.”“What if that’s why he is so against you getting together with Xander?”“What? That makes no sense.”“He loved and lost, and it cut him deep. There could be a chance he doesn’t want you to experience that same kind of pain.”“Plausible, but not likely.”“Fine, then back to the original question. What are you going to do?”“I don’t know. He won’t talk to me. I’ve been calling him all week, and once again, he’s dodging my calls. He’s being very childish about all of this. It’s really pissing me off.”“He’s probably been busy writing his speech,” she said nonchalantly.“Speech? For me? I don’t need another speech from him. I’m good. He sa
Let Me In Giving Her a Ride
XanderCharlie thought I was crazy. I probably was. He told me to come up with a way to save his ships’ rudders and I had.Well, I hoped. Maybe I did. I wasn’t sure. I was still working out the details. Right now, it was all an image in my head. I wasn’t sure how or if it was even possible to make it work out in real life.Then again, the ship designs were once nothing more than pipe dreams. I’d made that a reality. I was sure there was a way to make the rudders stronger and more effective.Charlie didn’t say it, but I knew what he was thinking. He was thinking what Marsh had thought. What my dad thought. I was crazy.He thought I was getting ahead of myself. People had been building ships for hundreds of years, and here I was, young and dumb, thinking I could change what had always been done.I got in the car, checked the time, and figured I would see if Evie was free. I doubted it, given it was a Friday night, but I was going to try anyway. There was an elderly woman selling pretty
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Let Me In Epilogue Part 2
XanderLaughter floated out of the ballroom behind us. I was glad everyone was having a good time. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work over the year. Every person in there deserved to celebrate their success, including Charlie’s crew.“What kind of business?” she asked. “Are you guys cooking up another scheme to make ships even faster?”“No. I think I’m good for a while now. I have more important matters to focus on.”She touched my cheek. “I better be one of those matters.”“You are. You absolutely are.”“My dad is pretty excited to be a part of all of this,” she commented.“He should be. He made it possible, which is why I gave him a check for his cut of the profits.”Her mouth fell open. “You did what?”I shrugged. “Without him, I never would have gotten those first few ships to try out the new hardware. He offered suggestions that made it work even better. He deserved—no, he earned—that money.”“Wow. Did he accept it?”I laughed and nodded. “Oh yeah, he did. His name is a
Let Me In Epilogue Part 1
XanderOne year laterPride. That was what I felt in that moment. My ships were heading out to sea. Everyone else was already making their way back away from the dock. I couldn’t leave just yet. I watched the ships navigate out to sea one at a time. I didn’t have children, but I imagined what I was feeling was similar to what a proud papa would feel.I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Charlie next to me.“This is a big day,” he said.“It is. You pulled it off.”“You pulled it off.”“What do you think?” I asked him. “Is it going to work? Do you foresee them falling apart halfway around the world?”He shook his head. “My guys did excellent work. That shit is solid.”“Good. Those test ships seem to be holding up.”“Of course, they will. My team is the best. Your idea wasn’t half-bad either.”“Thanks,” I said, watching as one of the ships cleared the harbor.“You know, you could have made a lot more money with that plan,” he lectured.“I could have but I already have a lot of
Let Me In Shaking Things Up
Evie“I’m going to make love to you all night,” he promised. “This is just the beginning. This is to tide me over until we get home. I want you in my bed. I want me inside you.”“Yes,” I gasped, my head dropping to my chest as he slid in and out of me. Every stroke touched new places. Every stroke sent my body into a wild tailspin of desire and need. “Please. Please. Don’t stop.”He didn’t speed up his pace. He kept moving in that slow steady rhythm, sliding in, grinding his hips, and then gliding out and leaving just the tip inside me. The spasms rocking through me made it difficult for me to remain standing. I wanted to crumble in a heap at his feet with him still inside me.“This is just the first,” he said, his voice strained. “I can’t hold back. Your body is milking me. You are too tight. Too hot. Too fucking wet.”“Don’t hold back,” I told him. I needed his release. I could feel mine hovering just out of reach as if my body refused to give in until it had his complete surrender.
Let Me In Making Love in the Park
EvieI was being terribly irresponsible. I was not the girl who got naked in the park and had sex. Unfortunately, when I was with Xander, all bets were off.And he loved me. The words echoed through my mind over and over. He loved me. I would follow him into the fires of hell knowing he loved me. I didn’t realize just how badly I needed to hear those words from him.He loved me. I loved him. I didn’t know what that meant for the two of us, but damn if I was going to pass up the chance to find out. The way he was kissing me was different. Maybe it was mind over matter, but I could practically taste the love on his tongue. It was in the way he touched me. The gentleness of his hand on my cheek, holding me steady while his tongue plundered inside my mouth.“Over here,” he said as he broke his mouth away from mine.I felt a little dazed. His kiss made me feel drunk on lust. Again, I was ready to follow him anywhere if it meant I got more kisses like that. He took my hand and led me away f
Let Me In I Love You
Xander“Xander, I want to believe you, but I’m hesitant.”“I know. I expect that. It isn’t just the memories of Kade that brought me back. You. Memories of being with you. Thinking about this place and our time together. Those are all really good memories. I want more memories like that.”“You are saying all the right things,” she said with a smile. “You know I can’t resist you.”“I’m counting on it.”“I’m glad you are back,” she said.“Me too. Does this mean you will entertain the idea of having a relationship with me?”“I could be convinced,” she said.“I am going to work very hard to convince you,” I vowed.She sipped her wine. “How are you doing? Like really doing?”“I’m doing a lot better thanks to you.”“Thanks to me?”“You are a sneaky little lady,” I told her.She raised her eyebrows. “Me? Sneaky?”“I got a call yesterday.”“Congratulations.”“Oh, you’re cheeky too.” I laughed. I opened the picnic basket and pulled out the small cheese tray and peeled back the plastic. “You ho
Let Me In Forgive Me
XanderI was so close to losing her. I sensed it in her voice. I wasn’t expecting her to jump at the chance to see me, but I wasn’t expecting such resistance either.The sense of urgency I felt was making me anxious. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. It had taken me way too long to realize how I felt about her. Anytime I thought about my life in a month or a year or in ten years, she was there. I wasn’t sure how it happened, but I knew she was a person I wanted in my life. It wasn’t even a want. It was a need. I needed the woman like I needed air.I was prepared to chase her down if I had to. I would do whatever it took to make her hear me out. I knew there was still a chance she would kick me to the curb. I wouldn’t blame her if she did. I had fucked up. A lot. I would spend the next year trying to convince her to give me a chance. I couldn’t explain when things clicked but they had.It was like the light went on. I hated that I was so ignorant for so damn long. I hated to thin
Let Me In Our Spot
Evie“I don’t know,” I answered. “I didn’t take the call. I was in a meeting. And it wasn’t the kind of meeting that allowed me to answer my phone.”“Did he leave a voicemail?”“Nope.”“I hate that,” she groaned.“Me too. If it was important, he could leave a message. The guy has fallen off the face of the earth again. He hasn’t called or texted and now he blows up my phone? I’m not interested.”“Liar,” she shot back.“Okay, I am interested but I don’t want to make it too easy.”“You know you’re never going to be able to think of anything else if you don’t call him back and find out what he wants.”“Won’t that make me sound like I’m desperate for his attention?” I asked.“No. The man called you. Calling him back is just polite.”Truly, I was looking for her approval. She had given it to me and now I was anxious to call him and find out. “I’m going to do it.”“Let me know,” she said and hung up.I held the phone in my hand, tapping it against my forehead. I needed to mentally brace mys
Let Me In What Does He Want?
EvieI pulled up the images from a sweet-sixteen party I had planned about six months ago before I turned my laptop for the new client to see.“Oh wow, that is stunning!” the mother exclaimed.“I don’t want pink,” the spoiled princess pouted.I smiled, remaining calm. “You don’t have to have pink. You can choose any color you want.”“No,” the mother quickly interjected. “We are not having black.”The girl scowled. “I wasn’t going to say black.”I kept my smile in place. The affluent family had reached out to me last week. Initially, I didn’t want to do it. I was in no mood to deal with a spoiled teenager.“What colors were you thinking about?” I asked.“Purple,” she answered. “I want several shades of purple.”“Oh, that’s very regal,” her mother said with a relieved smile. “I like it.”“I was at a party you planned for my friend like a year ago,” the young girl said. “She said you were really good. My party has to be better than her party.”Ah, teenage envy. “We will do our best.”“We
Let Me In Go Fix It
Xander“No, I don’t suppose it was. You did it for yourself. You made something of yourself. I’ve kept my head in the sand, trying to ignore what you’ve been doing. I did a little research. You have changed the world, just like you said you were going to. You really did something remarkable. Your mother used to show me newspaper clippings with your name. I know I didn’t say it, but I’m proud of you. I’ve always been proud of you.”I put the bottle of beer down. I could not continue to drink it if he was going to send me into coughing fits every time he dropped one of his little bombshells. “You are?”“I am. I should have told you before. You are my son. I’ve said some pretty shitty things. I don’t know how to make them go away but I was hoping we could try and start over.”I felt like I was being pranked. Maybe I was dreaming. In thirty-two years, my father had never believed I was worthy of his last name. “You want to start over? I’m sorry, Dad. This is all coming out of left field.
