Choosing Us: The Pierced Hearts Duet: Book One Read online

  “Fuck that. Like I would ever make you mine in this fucking shithole.”

  “You’re the only guy I’ve ever met that can say something so romantic with the words fucking shithole in the sentence.”

  “I live to please you.”

  “That you do, Aiden Pierce.”

  “Now go get dressed for me, Bailey Button. Not to be confused with belly button,” I teased.

  “Ugh … how many times are you going to say that lame joke?”

  “After today, who knows.”

  Her eyes dilated and she bit her bottom lip. “Aiden, what are yo—”

  “You’re wasting time.”

  She grumbled, “Can I just have a hint?” Her hips rocked into my cock.

  “Beauty, you’re dry fuckin’ the shit out of your hint right now.”

  “Oh, I see.” She peered down at my tan vest, straightening up my gold tie. “We’re playing dress up I take it? Does that mean I’m Beauty?”

  “You already are.”

  She giggled, immediately reaching for the bag next to me. “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  Little did she know, this would be the last time she ever stepped foot into this sorry excuse for a house.

  I sat there alone on the swing, swaying back and forth. Closing my eyes, letting my mind wander. Reflecting on how we got this far with all the obstacles we faced together and apart.

  Every tear.

  Every heartache.

  Every disappointment and accomplishment.

  That brought us together in the end.

  Bailey was the best thing that ever happened to me. All that mattered was to make her happy, she was my sole purpose in this world. My gift sent down from my mother.

  “You’ll find someone who will always be there for you.”

  “I will?”

  “Yes, I swear it.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because, Aiden. I’ll personally send her your way. I promise.”

  The sound of the door hinge tore me back to the present. I wasn’t nervous, hadn’t been up until this point. The second I saw Bailey emerge from the entryway moments later, wearing Belle’s gold princess gown, I nearly lost my shit.

  She was stunning.

  A goddess.

  A vision that took my goddamn breath away.

  Her long silky gloves went up past her elbows. Her brown hair was pinned up in curls on top of her head with the rest cascading down her back. The costume jewelry that hung from her neck and wrists reflected off the sun setting over the trees. Rendering me fucking speechless.

  She was the spitting image of a Disney Princess. No longer the spunky little girl with pigtails, offering me the only food she had left all those years ago.

  “This is too much, Aiden. Even for you.”

  I twirled my finger, silently ordering her to parade around for me.

  She blushed, hiding back a huge smile as she picked up the sides of her dress to sway her thin waist right to left. Spinning in a circle, letting the gown follow her every move effortlessly.

  “Goddamn, Bailey … the things you do to me.”

  She bit her bottom lip, “Ditto. So where are we going, Beast?”

  I stood up, adjusting my cock in my slacks.

  “Aiden!”

  I was over to her in three strides, whispering in her ear, “I will never be able to watch Beauty and The Beast again without getting fuckin’ hard for you.”

  She took my arm, trying to hide her bright red face in the crevice of my shoulder.

  I laughed and kissed the top of her head, leading her down the stairs to my car. After helping her get in, I took one last look at her before shutting the door. Rounding the front of the car, never taking my eyes off her. I jumped into the driver’s seat, grabbed ahold of her hand, and slowly removed her left silk glove to place small kisses up her arm. Ending my wake right below her ear where I sucked her lobe between my teeth.

  Groaning, “You ready, Belle?”

  She looked at me with nothing but lust and love in her eyes, simply nodding her response.

  When I turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life, I baited, “Feeling wet, baby?”

  Swiftly, she turned her shy expression toward the window, triggering me to scoff out a chuckle.

  Shaking my head, I drove away from our past, cruising toward our future. This surprise took months of planning to pull off the perfect eighteenth birthday. I held her hand the entire drive, anticipating her reaction like a kid on Christmas. Wanting to make this a day she’d never forget.

  Once we arrived at our first destination, I helped her out of the car, interlocking our arms once again. It didn’t take her long to realize where we were, the woods we shared our first kiss in.

  “I can’t believe you brought me back here. How am I going to walk through the fallen trees and bushes, wearing this dress?”

  “Easy”—I leaned forward and threw her over my shoulder—“I’m carrying you.”

  Huffing and wheezing, she looked over her shoulder. “This is not how princesses get swept off their feet, Aiden.”

  I smacked her ass. “No shit, this is how men do it.”

  “You’re such a guy!”

  She had no idea what I had planned. This wasn’t the end, this was only the beginning of our day ahead.

  As soon as we reached the same spot we shared our first kiss, I softly set her down. Grabbing onto her arms until she found her footing in the heels she was wearing.

  “Oh, Aiden…” she muttered in pure amazement, looking at all the white string lights I hung in preparation for the day.

  Twinkling.

  Shining.

  Sparkling.

  There wasn’t a tree or branch in sight that wasn’t layered in white lights. Making it look like our very own little fairytale at dusk. They were everywhere and all around. It was quite a spectacle now that it was almost dark out.

  I had more money than I did over four years ago, the first time I did this for her. I spent a small fortune on these costumes alone from a locally owned costume shop, not to mention what I still had in store for her.

  She slowly took a look around in awe of her surprise.

  In amazement of me.

  In wonder of us.

  The second she turned back to face me, her eyes hit the ground where I was already down on one knee.

  “Aiden…”

  “I’m just keeping another promise to you, Beauty.”

  She instantly broke into tears, remembering the first time we met.

  “I like the way Bailey Pierce sounds. What do you think?”

  “I like the way Bailey Pierce sounds too, but aren’t we too young to get married?”

  “No silly! I meant when we’re older.”

  “Oh.” I thought about it for a second. “Like how much older?”

  Now it was her turn to think about it for a second. “Like when we’re eighteen. That’s old enough.”

  “Okay.”

  “Aiden...” She giggled, twirling her hair in a big knot around her finger. “You have to ask me first.”

  “Oh, I do?” I scratched my head. “When?”

  “When we’re eighteen.”

  “Okay.” I nodded, meaning it. “I’ll ask you when we’re eighteen.”

  “Okay.” She nodded back. “I’ll try to act surprised too. Ask me in a good way, alright? So I cry.”

  She was confusing, but in the best way possible. I’d say anything she wanted just to keep her by my side, so I’d always feel this way.

  Safe.

  I knew right then and there my momma had something to do with this. I didn’t know how, but she kept her promise to me. This had to be the girl, I felt it in my bones.

  “Why would I want to make you cry?”

  “Because they’re happy tears and crying with happy tears is like super romantic.”

  “Oh… Okay then. I’ll ask you in a way that will make you cry happy tear
s.”

  “Okay good, but don’t make me cry in any other way than happy tears. Ever. You promise?”

  “I promise.”

  “Those are happy tears, right?”

  She fervently nodded and even with makeup running down the sides of her face, she was still the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on.

  “They say everything is about timing, Bay, and I’ve waited years for this day.”

  Chapter 22

  <>Aiden<>

  Then: Eighteen-years-old

  __________

  Her mouth trembled as she licked her lips, captivated with every word I was expressing. Pouring my heart out to her.

  “I can’t tell you how many times just thinking about this moment got me through my darkest hours, Bailey. Seeing your face, your smile, your goddamn beauty. You’re the light in my life. The love in it as well. You’re the reason I’m still breathing, I’m hopeless for you now.”

  She smiled through her tears, flowing freely down to the ground in between us.

  “Wherever you are is home to me. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes,” she sniffled, blinking away another tear.

  “I can’t live without you. You’re my heart, Bay. You’ll always be my heart,” I stated, clearing my throat, getting caught up in this moment.

  “I know. You’re mine too, Aiden. Life has been hard for us, but I wouldn’t change it for anything because it’s what led me to you.”

  Her words couldn’t have been closer to the truth.

  “I just want to give you everything you ever wanted, including my last name.”

  She laughed, wiping away more tears.

  “You’re the beat in my heart, the blood running through my veins… I can’t promise you that tomorrow will be easy, or that there aren’t rough roads ahead, but I can promise you that I will forever be there with you, standing beside you, holding your hand, loving you with everything that I am. I thank God every day for the gift that is you.”

  I grabbed her left hand with one hand and with the other I pulled out the ring box in my suit jacket.

  “I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night. I want to start the life we’ve been dreaming of since we first laid eyes on each other. I want you, Bailey, that’s all I want, you’re all I ever wanted… Will you do me the honor of being mine forever? Will you marry me, Beauty?”

  She nodded, sucking in air. “Of course, yes, yes, yes a million times over!”

  Her eyes never wavered from mine as I slipped the ring on her finger.

  “I know it’s not the biggest diamond, Bay, but I promise I’ll get you—”

  She threw her arms around my neck. “It’s perfect.”

  I didn’t hesitate to hold her against me, claiming her lips. We stayed just like that for I don’t know how long. Lost in one another’s embrace. Thinking about the once in a lifetime love we shared.

  “This is the best birthday ever.”

  “It’s not over yet.”

  “What do you me—”

  I nodded to the orchestra who were walking up, softly playing Canon de Pachelbel, and she burst into tears again.

  The ordained minister and the videographer I hired, who’d been recording all this time quickly appeared behind them. There was no way I wasn’t recording this moment in time for us to look back on, and our children to watch some day.

  “Lovely to finally meet you, Bailey,” the minister greeted, taking ahold of her hand. “Are you ready to get married, birthday girl?”

  She nodded, unable to form the words to say exactly what we both were experiencing.

  “Alright, then let’s get started.”

  She was hyperventilating at this point, and it was the most adorable thing I’d ever seen. I grabbed her hands, bringing them up to my heart.

  “Dearly beloved,” he declared. “We are here to join this man and this woman into holy matrimony. Do you, Aiden, take Bailey to be your wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?”

  Looking deep into her eyes, I stated, “I do.”

  “Now you, Bailey… do you take Aiden to be your husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do you part?”

  “I do,” she murmured with fresh tears falling from her eyes.

  “Then with the power vested in me by the State of North Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  Before he could say you may kiss the bride, I couldn’t restrain myself any longer. I gripped onto the sides of her face and tugged her over to me, kissing her as my wife for the very first time in the eleven years we’d known each other.

  Growling, I kissed her more aggressively than before. Our lips crashed together in a rhythmic movement as she returned the push and pull of my mouth. Needing me just as badly as I needed her. She melted in my arms, surrendering to me. Knowing how much I loved it.

  “You’re mine now.”

  “I’ve always been yours,” she replied, kissing me one last time. Blushing when she realized we still had company watching us, but I didn’t give a fuck.

  They were lucky I didn’t take her right then and there on the forest ground with the way I wanted her, now that she was officially my wife.

  I was going to claim every last inch of her, from her heart to her pussy, it was game on now. But for her, I tried to play nice with them, though, there was only so much I could take.

  I shook the minister’s hand and tipped the orchestra, excusing us pretty quickly after their congratulations. Rushing out of there by throwing Bailey over my shoulder again to carry her back out to my car.

  She laughed uncontrollably, waving goodbye and saying thank you for the beautiful ceremony. Apologizing for our quick departure after we exchanged our “I do’s”. I tried not to speed the entire drive to my last surprise, however that was easier said than done.

  The little minx taunted, “Why are you in such a hurry, Mr. Pierce?” in my ear.

  “I’ve waited what has felt like a lifetime to live out my fantasy. What brought on my wet dreams almost every goddamn night since I laid eyes on you. To spread you wide open and slowly fuck that sweet pussy that’s been dry humping the shit out of me all these years.”

  “I really need to stop blushing when you say dirty things like this.”

  “No.” I kissed her, keeping my eyes on the road. “Please, don’t.”

  She smiled against my lips. “Where are we going, Mr. Pierce?”

  “Home, Mrs. Pierce.”

  “What do you—”

  Cutting off her question, I pulled into a private driveway just off the main road. At first glance she saw the white picket fence, red door, and sunflowers growing all along the property immediately aware of what I was up to.

  “No…” She shook her head, shifting her eyes to me. “You couldn’t have.”

  “Oh, but I did.”

  We were in an older neighborhood, but it was safe, and we were together which was all that mattered. The one-story ranch was simple, modest, and all I could afford at eighteen years old. With the help of Eva and Mario, we renovated a few things on the inside.

  “What? How? Oh my God!” She beamed, flinging the car door open. Running up the gravel walkway. I followed, catching her by the waist as she slipped on her heels, scooping her up in my arms before she fell.

  This time, I carried her over the threshold of our new home the way a husband was supposed to. Stepping foot into the house I bought solely for her.

  For us.

  “As much as I would love to see your face while you look around our new place, I’d rather watch you come from my cock inside your sweet fuckin’ pussy way more. The tour will have to wait till after, and by that, I mean sometime next week, baby. Cuz I’m not leaving your body till I am
damn ready to.”

  She smirked, batting her lashes.

  Once we reached the master bedroom, I set her down. Not paying any mind to our surroundings like she was.

  There was a queen-size mattress in the middle of the floor with clean sheets and pillows on it. A small side table with a single lamp, and Eva’s mother’s old wooden rocking chair that had intricate designs carved into the back was placed in the corner. She insisted I take it, saying it would bring us luck for when we had children of our own. She even draped my old worn out Ninja Turtle blanket across it.

  Our small Key Lime pie wedding cake was placed on a tray in the center of the bed. Bailey’s favorite flavor besides me of course.

  While she was lost in our future, I was focusing on the present. I walked over to the small radio on the floor and pressed play, and the soft tune of “Tale As Old As Time” strummed off the speakers in the room.

  Bailey’s eyes lit up like Christmas, turning to face me. “Aiden… Oh my God…” was all she could manage to say.

  I placed one hand on the small of her back, pulling her petite frame in closer. Her hand found mine, intertwining and I rested them on my chest near my calm heartbeat.

  Our feet started moving to the music, swaying us both along the old wood floor. We danced around our bedroom for our first dance as husband and wife, slowly gravitating all around the space.

  “I love you, Aiden. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday, proposal, wedding, home… Oh my, how do you do it? How do you always outdo yourself?”

  I twirled her around, drawing her back to me. “You make it easy, Bailey.”

  “I’m not going to lie, I’m a little nervous about what happens next.”

  “You mean about me making love to you?”

  “Yeah … I mean, what if I’m awful? What if I’m not what you expected, what if—”

  I kissed her, soft and gentle, seeking out her tongue before backing away to spin her again. I spun her a few more times, engraining the memory of her in that gown in my mind.

  Wearing it for only me.

  On the last twirl, I stopped when her back was to my front, and slowly slipped the zipper down on her dress. Admiring her beauty, her silky skin, the way my lips glided along the side of her neck. She leaned into my chest, beckoning me to keep going.