We have plans to spend the day shopping, a visit to Sway, and dinner with the gang at Heavy’s. Axel has some business he needs to take care of in the office and will be gone most of the day anyway. This is the perfect day to spend with Dee.

I had just finished getting dressed when I hear the doorbell echo though the house. I finish zipping my favorite brown leather boots up over my skinny jeans and with one last check in the mirror I run down the hall, stairs and through the foyer.

Throwing open the door with a large smile I have just enough time to brace myself before Dee is throwing herself in my arms.

“Girlfriend, I have missed you!” She sings in my ear.

“You just saw me the other day, stupid.” I laugh and pull away, straightening my cream blouse back into place before looking up into her twinkling brown eyes.

My friend is happy as always but now that I am happy, it is almost like she will burst at any second. Her happiness has hit nuclear levels.

“You’re glowing, Dee. I swear to God one of these days all that joy you keep inside you is going to come pouring out. Like some deranged leprechaun.” She laughs before following me through the foyer and around the hallway into the kitchen.

“Let me grab my purse and we can get going. What time are our appointments with Sway?” I ask while searching through all the junk on the counter for my phone. I know I threw it down here last night when Axel and I had gotten home from dinner. He had practically attacked me when we walked in the door.

“Noon. He said we needed to, and I quote, get our fine little skinny white asses over there with a quickness so Sway can get all the good gossip about our new man candy.” Her impersonation of Sway is disturbing.

“Okay, okay. Well, Ax is going to be in the office all day. He got a call from Mad early this morning and took off quick. Did Beck say anything about it?” I look over at her face, losing its smile slightly before quickly hiding the slip. “What was that, Dee? Are you and Beck having issues?” She has been ‘dating’ Beck for a few months now. From what I can tell, that just meant they were having regular sex because they never went out alone.

“Ahhh…” She looks down at her phone trying to avoid my questioning eyes. “We decided to cool it for a while.”

“Okay.” I respond. I can tell she doesn’t want to talk about it and knowing Dee, if she doesn’t want to talk about something, she won’t. “Are you okay with that?”

“Sure I am.” Her face takes on a fake smile. “It was my idea, okay? He wanted more and I am not ready for that. It’s fine, really. You ready.”

Okay. Guess that means topic closed.

We head out and climb into Dee’s Lexus before heading out to do some much needed Christmas shopping.

I somehow manage to cool her shopping high down today and it is an almost pleasant experience. I pick up some clothes for Axel and a kick ass black leather jacket that I decide he has to have, plus a few sexy pieces from Victoria’s Secret for myself. I run into the local jeweler and pick up the piece I had commissioned out for his Christmas present.

I can’t wait to give it to him. I had the jeweler custom make a dog tag necklace for him. I used the tiny diamond from my old promise ring he had given me the day he left for boot camp and engraved a message for him underneath it. You could hardly see the tiny diamond until the engraver placed some marks around the spot, highlighting it perfectly. It was hard for me to part with that ring. It held so many memories and promises. Knowing that Axel would open his gift and know what that diamond meant was the only reason I was able to do it. I had spent hours searching for the right words to engrave on his dog tag. It had finally hit me one day and the words just popped into my head.

When you are with me I am free.

My strength. My heart. My everything.

Our love now continues forever.

Amor Vincit Omnia

‘Love Conquers All’, it is perfect. And it is us.

Axel has been secretive about what he has planned. He has gone off shopping a few times but never came home with anything. Something told me to expect a proposal and even though it freaked me out slightly that it is too soon, I know I will never be able to tell him no.

He is my dreams.

He is my future.

It is almost time for our appointment with Sway and I am both looking forward to and dreading the appointment. I just know that when Sway figures out who Axel is there will be a big flamboyant display.

“What’s with the big goofy grin?” Dee asks, interrupting my thoughts.

“I didn’t even realize I was smiling. I was just thinking about how Sway will react when he realizes the giant hunk of sex in the building next to his salon is Axel.”

“Oh my God! I had completely forgotten about that! Girl, this is going to be hilarious!”

“You are not kidding. I was hoping that he wouldn’t find out but when I told Axel the story, he thought it was too funny to pass up. Apparently the boys are coming over to say hello while we are there.”

She looks over at me in shock before continuing the drive to the salon. I expect humor but she looks almost panicked.

“Are you okay, Dee? I know we don’t get as much time to talk as we used to but you seemed fine the other night.”

A slight frown crosses her face before she quickly clears her expression. “I’m fine. Just busy at work.”

Liar. I make a mental note to ask Axel if Beck has said anything lately.

“Alright, but you know if you need to talk, I’m here. I’m always here for you, Dee.” Ever since I moved out, things felt strange with Dee. I know she is happy for me and I know she loves Axel but there is something going on. “I love you, Dee. I hate knowing something is bothering you and you don’t want to talk.”

“It’s nothing.” She sighs. “Just have some stuff on my mind but I need to work it out on my own. Promise.” She gives me one of her trademark smiles and it reassures me enough to drop it. For now.

We pull up at the salon fifteen minutes before our appointments. Sitting in front, looking at the rows of businesses in the small strip, I can’t help but smile when my eyes hit the simple, bold words, Corps Security. The windows are blacked out so we can’t see inside but I know he’s there. My man is close, as if my heart knows, it starts picking up speed.

We get out of the car and start toward the building. Dee looks beautiful in fitted jeans, a long sleeved sweater and of course, her pencil thin heels. She attempted to get me to shed my old clothes but I stuck with what was familiar. I will never have her classy style but I was finally holding my own.

I can see Sway inside waving at us, like a crazy person, through the floor to ceiling windows that line the salon. He is dressed similar to Dee, with skin tight skinny jeans and a long pink sweater. But his sweater flared at the waist and elbows. He looks like a giant cotton candy ball. His boots are up to his knees but unlike my flat soles, his were sporting five inch heels. He has his long blonde wig pulled up into a sleek ponytail. Jesus, if I didn’t love him, I would laugh.

“He looks wound up today.” Dee laughs.

Right when my feet hit the landing in front of Sway’s salon, the door to Corps opens wide and Axel is standing in front of me. Arms crossed over his wide chest and a smirk firmly in place. I am frozen with my hand outstretched to open the door and Dee bumps into me from behind.

“Oh wow.” I hear her mumble behind me. Oh wow is right. His dark denim jeans are molded to his powerful thighs and his long-sleeved green Henley is stretched tight. His thick black hair has the same look that it did this morning when I had just gotten done running my hands through it and holding him tightly to my pussy. Those green eyes, I love so much, shine bright.

My panties are instantly wet.

“Get over here and give your man some love.” He rumbles out causing another surge of wetness to hit my panties.

I throw my purse into Dee’s arms and run over the short distance to Axel. Jumping up slightly, he catches me under my ass and hauls my body up his own. I can feel every hard inch rubbing against my front. I let out a soft moan before sealing my lips to his and diving into one of the best kisses ever.

He gives my ass a squeeze before releasing my lips and smiling down at me. “Hey Princess.”

“Hey baby.”

And that’s when the shrieking began.

“Oh my honey Jesus. You did NOT tell Sway that you knew this fine mountain of a man, no you did NOT. Holy goodness Lord above, I need a cold shower after that girlfriend. You get your pretty little self into my chair and you tell Sway all about it. Every single delectable thing about it, if you know what I mean. Sweet heavens, I need a drink.”

I turn my head from my perch in Axel’s arms and laugh down at Sway. He is standing in the doorway of the salon fanning his face.

“What is that?” Axel says softly into my ear so only I hear him.

Turning around with a bright smile I say, “That is Sway.”

“I don’t know if I should laugh or run.” He laughs.

“I would run, you big beautiful hunk.” Sway yells over my laughter. “Oh my lawd, I would run. In fact, take that shirt off when you do…sweet lord, yes!”

I laugh harder and almost fall out of his arms. When I finally control myself, I look up into his smiling face. His smile is so wide and his eyes are full of love. “Love hearing you laugh, Princess. Most beautiful sound in the world.”

He drops me softly down onto my feet and holds his hand out to Sway. “Holt Reid, nice to meet you.”

“Oh honey, the pleasure is all mine…all mine. Sway’s the name but you can call me whatever you want.” He places his hand delicately in Axel’s big paw and bows. This time, Dee joins me and we laugh at Sway’s antics. Looking at the two of them together is one of the funniest things I have seen in a while. Axel is six foot six of pure, raw masculinity and Sway with all his short round fatness stuffed in tight women’s clothing, looks ridiculous next to him.

“Yo, Reid…we going to finish this shit up or do you plan on being here all fucking day.” I hear the deep baritone of Greg call from inside the open door behind Axel.

“Oh sweet Lord in heaven…there are more?” Sway asks looking over his shoulder at me, his long ponytail slapping against Axel’s chest. I can’t answer because the look of horror on Axel’s face has me in fits again.

“Come on Sway, let’s get you and giggles a lot inside.” Dee says with a soft chuckle. She pushes me and I stumble sideways before composing myself. “If you don’t help me get him out of here before the rest of them file out, we might be here a while. He’s panting, Iz.”

“Alright, Sway. Dream about my man later. Love you, baby.” I call over my shoulder as we usher Sway back into his salon.

“Oh Izzy, girl how do you let him get dressed. A shame, oh it is a shame to let that man ever put clothes on.”

The rest of our trip turns out much the same. Sway doesn’t shut up for a second and really loses it when he sees Greg and Maddox walk by the front windows. They both wave in greeting to Dee and me. Sway starts his jumping up and down and goes on and on for the rest of my appointment about what an injustice it is that not one of those ‘hunk pieces of sex with legs’ are gay.