Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan
"Damn." I groan, vocalizing my frustration at being kept from the part of him that I want.
"Willow Elizabeth! Did you just say a wordy-dirty?!" Eddie gasps loudly through the line.
"She did, I heard her," Kirby's voice chimes in, and I frown at the phone.
"Three-way, baby," Kane whispers loudly, his chest moving before the he lets out a low chuckle.
"I knew that," I defend, lifting my head and looking over to roll my eyes at him, which only making his laughter grow.
"Oh, that's a hot sound. Did you just wake up, Mr. Masters?" Eddie asks wistfully.
"Don't perv on Willow's man, Edward. That's just wrong."
"No, it isn't. You heard it. That sounded like a sex voice. Say something. Come on."
Kane bursts out a loud bark of hilarity, and I narrow my eyes at the phone.
"Shut up, Edward," Kirby orders.
"You never let me have any fun," he whines.
Clearing my throat, I wade in before they start going back and forth. When those two get going, there's no telling how long it will last. They're worse than siblings are.
"Is there a point to this chat or did you two just call so that Eddie could flirt with my boyfriend?"
"She said boyfriend, Kirby. Did you hear that?"
I roll my eyes, again, at Eddie.
"I did! Isn't it adorable?"
"Hey! Come on!" I growl some sort of annoyed noise deep in my throat, the chest that I'm lying on quivering again. "You are all hilarious. Very hilarious. Let's all poke fun at Willow this morning."
"Oh, come on, Wills. We're just happy for you, that's all."
"Happy and flirting with Kane?" I snap back at Eddie.
"Well, you open those pretty little eyes and look at him. You would do the same."
He's right.
"Is there a reason you two are calling me nonstop?"
"Yeah, Wills," Kirby responds, the lightness in her voice gone.
I lift up and look at Kane in question, but he just shrugs. "And are you going to tell me what that might be?"
Eddie clears his throat. Kirby lets out a deep sigh.
"Well?" I continue.
"We saw the news this morning. You can't miss it, honey. Every entertainment station is either playing some sort of highlight reel or using those little black tickers on the bottom of the screen to spread the word. You two are the top story on three morning shows and that doesn't even count the Google alerts I have on Kane that have been going insane since late last night."
I let that sink in before I respond to Eddie. "You have Google alerts set to Kane?"
"Uh, duh."
"Right. Okay. That's not creepy or anything."
"We're getting off track," Kirby complains. "Kane, I know you're there and listening and even though you're my boss, I'm about to step all over that line of professionalism here."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," he calmly answers.
"I know," she smugly says. "Let me just cut to the chase. While I commend you for that big spectacle you made last night--or early this morning, whatever--I'm a little concerned about Willow, and I wanted, no, we wanted, to make sure she's okay."
I settle back down, letting the tension out of my body. "I'm perfect," I tell them, meaning every word.
"Wills, honey, there are some pretty intense things being said."
"Being?" I request.
"Willow," Kane exhales in warning.
Leaning back up, again, I look him in the eye. "I'm okay," I mouth. He doesn't look happy, but nods and holds himself tense.
"Well, Wills," Eddie starts, clearly unsure if he should repeat the rumors.
"Shit. Okay," Kirby interrupts. "They're saying that even though Kane confirmed he is very much in a relationship with his new lady friend, there is already trouble in paradise because of the strain this affair has had on you two in the wake of his cheating being the reason he split with Mia. It's not pretty, Wills, and I hate to ask you this, but are they true?"
I should be mad she's asking. She has spent time with Kane, with the two of us together, and with each of us separately. She shouldn't be so easily fooled.
"Kirby," I warn.
"I know, I know! I'm sorry. But, Willow, there are some really nasty things being said. I just have to know that you're okay. Kane, I'm sorry again, but it has to be said. They're saying that an insider has confirmed Mia's baby is his! I'm just worried about you."
Kane's whole body is rigid. I know he hates this, but I also know he's still a little anxious about what will happen now that his worries are coming true.
"We love you, Willow," Eddie says through the line. "I just want you to be happy. I know this is a lot to take, and we're both worried. Is ... is the baby his?"
I sigh. Not because I'm upset they're invading our privacy, but because I know they're only worried about me because they love me. They've seen me at my worst, and if anyone would know how bad I would have reacted in the past, it would be them.
Lifting completely from Kane's side, I move my leg over his hip and straddle his waist. I let the silence linger, ignoring the worried mumbling of my two best friends and focus on the man who holds my heart.
I rest the phone on his chest, my hands roaming over the corded muscles in his pecs before I move over his tense shoulders and lean forward, curling my fingers around his neck. Holding my weight off my hands and centering my body. My hips rock involuntarily against his. Some of the sharpness in his features fades when my warm center slides over his erection.
I keep my expression open so that he can see, with no doubt, that this isn't upsetting to me. I knew what was happening and he needs to see I meant every word. It doesn't matter what they say, we know the truth, and that is all that I need. He is all I need.
"Willow!" Eddie snaps, my silence too long for him.
"I love you both," I start, keeping my eyes on Kane. "I love that you're worried about me, and I know that you both have the best intentions. You've seen what it's done in the past when I was the center of others' judgments, but I need you two to also respect me when I tell you that this is none of your business. I'm not that person anymore. I know you're only acting out of concern, but trust me when I tell you that it isn't needed. I'm happy. So happy. It doesn't matter what's being said because the only person's happiness that is more important than mine is Kane's."
The tension drains from his face, and his hard expression makes way for a look of pure love and pride.
"Willow, the baby," Eddie cries in exasperation.
"Is none of your business," I interject. "The only thing that you need to know is that Kane and I are perfect. I need you to respect the fact that I will not now, or ever, talk about anything else in our relationship. You guys and your friendship means the world to me ..." My eyes roam Kane's face as I continue to talk. The reverence that is now mixing with his love is filling me with my own sense of pride. "I can tell you, both of you, that there is no doubt in my mind that Kane came to me freely, entered our relationship freely, and his love comes with no conditions. The rest of the rumors, I'm sorry, will never be anyone's business but our own."
They both sigh. I can hear weeping, and I know by the girlish cries that it isn't Kirby.
"I feel like the world is at my fingertips, and I have a contentment in my soul that has never been there before. You don't need to worry about whatever is being said because I'm happy. We're happy. And nothing or anyone will change that."
"Oh, God." Eddie weeps, and I smile when his sobs grow distant while he gets himself together.
"Okay." Kirby breathes. "Okay."
"Okay," I echo.
"A contentment in your soul?" she whispers.
"Freedom from my darkest days," I confirm, and this time it isn't Eddie muffling his emotions; Kirby's soft hiccup-like sob now joins him.
"If you two don't mind," Kane strongly calls in the phone. "I'm going to hang up now and wake my girl up properly now."
He goes to grab the phone off his ch
"Eddie, check your schedule and let us know when you can come out to California. Kirby, I'll see you Friday."
I don't give them a chance to respond before disconnecting the call with a jab of my finger. They got what they needed, and right now, I'm about to get what I need.
I don't move after ending the call. The phone sits on his rapidly moving chest as I hold myself over his body and look deep into his eyes. The deep blue storm brewing deep within them.
There are no words spoken, and none needed.
Gliding my hands over the hardness of his chest and abdomen, I let my nails rake over the hard ridges of his abs, teasing the deep V right above where my body settled on his. He jerks his hips, pulls in deep gasps of air, and lets me worship his body.
I move my hands up, and on the way, I grab the phone and toss it over the side of the bed. The clatter of the wood floors the only other sound mingling with our rough breathing.
When my hips rock against him, only then do his hands fly to my body. He holds me against him as I continue to give him my love. I can feel his erection harden even further and moan when my movements have the sharp bursts of ecstasy shooting from my center and firing throughout my whole body.
My head falls back as my movements pick up speed. Not fast, but a harder rock; still gentle but just what I need to continue to feel the pleasure spiking.
When my neck rolls and I bring my eyes back to his, I gasp at the greedy rapture in which he is watching my move.
His hooded eyes lock to where our bodies are creating the most delicious friction before slowly moving up my torso and stopping on my breasts. His mouth opens, hanging there, as a rumble sounds deep in his throat. I can feel my breasts moving, swinging softly with each roll of my hips and quivering with each gasp I pull sharply into my lungs. I look down to see what is causing such a fierce reaction from him.
His fingers are curled into my hips, my soft skin giving to the pressure and his thumbs making deep impressions against my flesh. The sight of all my suppleness doesn't shame me. Not while he's looking at me with such voracity. The parts of me I had once hated have now become my favorite features because I know with just baring myself to him that he craves me fiercely.
He doesn't hold back how much he loves my body. I glance back at him and watch his face as I bring my hands up and cup my heavy, sensitive breasts. Pinching my nipples between my fingers, squeezing the skin and letting out a shameless cry. And because I'm watching him, I'm instantly rewarded.
His eyes drink my actions in, the deepness in his harsh breathing reverberating through the room, as the color in his skin heats. His nostrils flare, and I know he might not be able to hold back much longer.
I look down my body, past my hands still torturing him with my fondling and to where the tip of his hard erection peeks out with each backward rock of my hips. The flesh red, swollen, and angry looking. Wet with my own desire as well as what I'm sure is a good mix of his.
Seeing our bodies, connected without being completely fused, makes my whole body tremble with need.
I drop my hands and lift my hips, his erection instantly springing free. The hardness hits my entrance. The jolt is so strong from the contact that it's almost as if his body is begging me to drop and impale myself on him.
I look away from the sight between my legs and up to his face. The strain in his neck prominent and it looks like every vein in his body is visible as he is filled with the same overwhelming need that I am.
"Nothing between us," I demand, and the harshness of his breathing picks up even more. We already talked about it, and since I'm covered, there is no need to continue allowing anything else from feeling each other completely.
"Never." His gravelly voice moans low and deep in his throat in agreement.
My hips lift, just a little more, and as his fingers dig into mine with a pleasure-filled pain, I slam my body down on his length and that moan turns into dual groans of pure euphoria.
Our eyes never leave each other. I ride his body free of fear of what I might look like because the love blazing from his gaze leaves no uncertainty that I'm the most beautiful woman in the world to him.
My movements falter when he hits a spot so deep inside of me that I can hear my wetness with each slam of my hips. The pleasure is so intense I can no longer move on my own accord. Seeing my struggle, he knifes from his back and the next thing I know, my back is hitting the end of the bed and his hands are curling around my neck, holding my face still as he looks deep into me.
Searching as his hips power between my legs. Our cries bleeding together as we share the air between our lips.
No words are needed. Not when you can feel the love we have for one another with so much influence that it's almost tangible. There isn't anything between us at this moment. Our bodies move as one, our hearts beating in sync, and our souls finally coming home.
When the pleasure becomes too much, my mouth opens and I shatter. My whole body tightening, firing, and bursting in an explosion so bright that the heat only drives me higher and higher until I'm no longer sure I'm even breathing.
His own groans mix with my hoarse cries, and with one last powerful thrust, I feel the warmth of his climax spilling inside me.
It's at this moment, right here, as we pant in the rawness of our lovemaking, that I know nothing will ever be able to take this from us. What we have is a once in a lifetime love that can never be broken. The world outside our happiness will never penetrate what we have built. There is no force strong enough out there that could ever sever what we share.
I feel supremacy in that knowledge. A solidification in what I have become. Everything I had gone through has brought me to this moment in his arms. Every spiral I fell and pain I endured made me worthy of not only my own love, but his as well.
I know that our world will be full of imperfection, but I've found my little slice of flawless love and happiness here in Kane's arms. His love makes every second yet to come of our perfectly imperfect life something I know will never get old.
Our connection will never fade.
The magnificence that we both see in each other will only intensify the beauty we see in ourselves.
He was right when he said that it took two imperfect souls to form perfection together.
And with a deep sigh, I look up into his sapphire eyes and tell him, "I love you, Kane Masters."
"And I love you, Willow Tate." His contentment-filled smile is the last thing I see before he turns our bodies, wraps me tight in his arms, and I feel his words on my lips before he slants his head and takes my mouth in a deep, perfect kiss.
TO SAY THE LAST YEAR and a half had been drama free would be like saying an ice cube took down the Titanic. It wasn't easy. Sometimes, it was unbelievably hard. But even on the darkest of those days, it was still the unbelievably beautiful. The serenity, even through the rumor mill wringers, couldn't be beat.
The decision to keep the father of Mia's son a secret from the world didn't come without its struggles. Christian and Becca had been devastated. But even though it broke their hearts to know what their eldest son had done, they were over the moon with their first grandchild on the way. I think it helped to soften the blow ... and, honestly, it made the following months worth it.
Kyle spiraled.
No, he didn't just spiral, he hit rock bottom and decided to pick up a shovel and find a way to dig his own grave.
Literally.
Six months after Mia told me about the baby, and two months after Milo Robert Post was born, Kyle decided to get behind the wheel after drinking himself stupid for hours. He lost control of his vehicle on a lonely stretch of coastal twist and turns just two miles from Kane's home.
At the time of Kyle's death, his brothers hadn't spoken to him once since they paid him a visit to let him know that Mia and the baby were none of his concern. Kole shocked us all when he threatened Kyle to ensure his silence. When Kane told me that Kole had said he wou
I asked Kole what he would have done or said. Kole just gave me a lopsided smile and shrugged. But later, Kane told me what Kole was planning if it came to where he had to go public.
Kole had never made it a secret that he would never marry or have children. He enjoyed his life and knew that it would be hard to find a woman who could put up with everything that came with his celebrity status. Not to mention, bringing a child into his world would be dangerous since he currently had one crazy stalker. So he just didn't want it and had always made it known. But, if it came to it, he was prepared to not only claim Milo, but he would fabricate a story so insanely graphic and juicy about his love triangle with his own brother, it would be like a Lifetime movie being played out for the world to see. He was right. The story of Kyle, the brother who was notorious for avoiding the press, cheating on his wife and fathering a love child would never have held a candle to Kole's rendition.
It was a risk, but just like the day we decided to keep the identity of Milo's father a secret, we knew the only thing that mattered was making sure he lived as normal of a life as possible and that it began with as little of a scandal as possible.
For months after Kane's and my relationship went public, it seemed like we were in the news daily. Pictures surfaced of us on dates, on the set of Impenetrable, even some creepy stalker-type pictures from someone who had followed us when we took a little vacation to the mountains. It was insane. But it was actually exhilarating.
When it became clear that not only was Kane very much in love, but that we also both had a great friendship with Mia, they abandoned their attempts at painting our relationship as some sordid triangle. It didn't come overnight, but it happened, and for the last two months, we've had nothing but support for our relationship.
Of course, the biggest reason for that was probably because of me.