by Penny Wylder
If something happened to her. . .
No, she's fine. I just need to find her.
Forcing all the terrible thoughts out of my head, I just focus on finding her. I'll never be able to live with myself if something happens to her.
Flicking my head side to side, I have no clue which direction she took off in. Desperation is causing my chest to tighten, making it hard to breathe. I just want to see her trudging back in the rain, soaked and maybe covered in sand.
Seeing her right now would mean everything, but all I see is empty beach.
Picking a direction, I head to my left, hoping I'm right. I don't really care if she gets pissed at me for looking for her. I'll let her scream at me for as long as she wants. I just need to know she's all right.
“Perri!” I call out, squinting my eyes against the rain. “Perri!”
There's no answer, and my voice is drowned out by the gusts of wind and roar of the ocean.
The rain is cold, making me shiver, but I'm not going back until I find her. There's a breakwater jetting out into the ocean, and I can see the shape of the rocks as lightning bolts brighten the sky.
“Perri!” I call out again.
I'm not even sure I could hear her if she is here, the thunder is explosive, and the lightening cracks loud as shattering glass, making the sky erupt with white light. Focusing my eyes when the light pops, I think I see a figure on the rocks.
Climbing up a few rocks, I slip slightly, and catch myself. Lightening explodes overhead again, and I get a second of clear view. Perri is sitting on one of the rocks, her back facing me as she looks out at the water.
Climbing up onto the rocks, I start to carefully walk toward her. “Perri!” I yell to her, and she finally hears me, twisting to look at me over her shoulder.
She pushes herself up, and starts to move away from me. She's heading further out on the rocks that are protruding into the water, where the waves are actually crashing over the surface.
It's too dangerous for her to be standing there. One big wave could sweep her away. Moving as quickly as I can, I come up behind her and grab her arm.
“Perri, what are you doing out here?”
“I'm trying to clear my head, Kent. Why the hell are you here?”
“I was so worried about you. I thought you'd be back by now. It's been over an hour.”
“I'm not your problem, so don't worry about me.” She spins around to face me straight on, jerking her arm free from my grasp. “You made it pretty clear, Kent, you don't want me there.”
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean the things I said. I was just frustrated and angry. I was wrong to talk to you that way.” Holding out my hand, I plead, “Please, come back, it's not safe out here, and I don't want you to get hurt.”
She thins her lips, looking down at my hand. A big gust of wind blows, causing her to rock a little. Perri reaches for my hand, but a huge wave crashes against the side of the rocks causing my foot to slip.
My arms go up in the air, and I let out a grunt as I wobble on my feet, trying to stay upright.
“Kent!” she screams, throwing her arm forward and grabbing me by the shirt. It's enough to hold me in place and give me the chance to re-balance myself. “Are you all right?” she asks, her eyes scanning me in the dark.
“Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for catching me, that could have been really bad.” Her hands are still tightly curled into the fabric of my shirt as she peers up at me. “Let's go back to the house, can we do that?”
Perri nods, and I'm relieved. I help her down the rocks, and we walk back to the house in the roaring storm. I'm holding her hand as tight as I can, because I swear I can feel her blowing around in the wind. I'm afraid to let her go, afraid the wind will take her and steal her away from me.
I can't lose her again.
The thunder booms and we both jerk in surprise as the tide washes against our feet. Reaching the house, we dart inside, and I almost have to fight the door to get it closed.
Turning to face her, she's dripping wet. Beads of water roll down her face, dripping off the edge of her nose. Her nipples are hard, and perfectly outlined under her soaking wet shirt.
Black eyeliner is smeared under her eyes and her cheeks are rosy from the cold rain and sharp wind.
And still, she looks just as damn beautiful as the first time I saw her.
The softness of her skin, wet, shiny, enticing me to come closer and touch her. I take a step, lifting my hand to her face. She's cold, her flesh almost ice under my touch.
“You're so cold,” I say, ready to wrap her in my arms to heat her body.
Perri lifts her eyes, and my heart squeezes inside my chest as she holds her gaze steady. She licks her lips lightly and pulls in her bottom lip as she reaches her hand up and captures my wrist.
She presses her cheek deeper into my palm, closing her eyes for a mere second. I watch her, taking in every single detail of her face. The thin lines across her forehead as her eyebrows arch, the way her lashes fan her eyes as she opens them again, the way her pupils expand like bottomless pools.
I'm drawn in, unable to break away, lost and held hostage by the beauty in my hands. And I love it. I love her. . .
“Perri,” I say, gently brushing my thumb across her jawline. “You were right, you were right all along. It was your father, and yes, he did want me to tell him how you were doing.” She blinks, and I feel her jaw clench. “And I told him the truth, I told him how amazing you are, how you know what you're doing, that he'd be stupid to not let you manage his properties.”
“You did? You told him that?”
“Of course I told him that because it's the truth.” She lets out a weighted breath, and her eyes flick between mine. “You don't need to be watched over and micromanaged. You're a smart woman, you know what you're doing.”
“But what about everything I did wrong? What about the pool—”
“I don't want to think about the pool. That's why finding you was so important tonight. The thought of you out there, the idea that you could have gotten hurt, or possibly even die because of me, I couldn't live with myself. You already almost died once; I won't lose you again.”
“Kent, I don't want you to worry about me like that. I'm not going anywhere.”
“That's right, you're not going anywhere because I’m not letting you go, Perri.” Scooping her face in both my hands, I keep my eyes fixed on hers. “I love you,” I say, the words full and flowing out easier than I thought they would.
“What?” she asks, quirking a brow.
“I love you,” I say it again, searching her gaze for the same answer. “I won't pretend I don't, and I won't pretend that we could break this off tomorrow and I'd move on like it never happened to me. I love you, Perri Dean, and I want you in my life forever.”
Her eyes gloss over as tears well up. She sniffles, and blinks, causing a couple tears to drop free. They slip down her cheeks, and I use my thumbs to sweep them away.
“I love you too,” she says softly as one corner of her mouth pulls up into a light smile. “I really do, I love you.”
Crushing my lips onto hers, I dig my fingers into the back of her head and grip her hair to keep her from pulling away. I want us closer. I want to share every moment of the rest of my life with her.
Perri tips her head in my hands as she wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me back with just as much passion. Her tongue slips into my mouth, crazed and excited as it twirls and dances around mine.
She tastes like salt and wine, her eyes smoldering with sparks like the flame of a candle. Perri is eager, her nails raking down my neck and over my back.
I can feel her desire, it's seeping from her body as she presses her tits against my chest, and drives her tongue deeper into my mouth. Gliding open palms down her back, I stop on her ass and tug her in until her entire body is pressed against mine.
Our kisses turn more rugged, fierce, and intense. I want this woman in every single way possible. I want her body, I want h
er heart, and I want her soul.
Because she already owns mine.
Peeling her wet shirt off her body, I let it drop to the floor with a wet plop. Breaking our kiss, Perri takes a step back and unbuttons her shorts, letting them fall around her ankles.
Growling, I bite my knuckle as my dick jerks in my pants. She's stunning. Curves like an hourglass, and tits that are perfectly shaped like giant raindrops. My mouth waters as my eyes run up and down her body.
Stepping out of the jeans, she stands there, her bra and panties sticking to her skin, the fabric now sheer from being drenched in rain and sea water. Her pink nipples are pebbled, and her pussy looks delicious beneath the sheer fabric.
“If you want me, I'm yours,” she says as she twists her toe into the floor and keeps her arms at her sides.
Taking a long step forward, I grab her around her waist and lift her off the floor. She wraps her legs around my hips and peers down at me as I walk us to the couch. The world outside these walls is violent, the ocean upheaving water like the world needs to be destroyed. The wind is tearing apart trees and blowing the sand away as if it doesn't belong.
But not here, not in our world. In here it's just us, in here we're protected from harm. In here we have everything we'll ever need; each other.
I drop Perri down onto the couch, and the small kitten meows as he lifts his head in surprise. Perri giggles as I scoop up the kitten and the pillow in one small bundle and set him on the floor.
“We're going to have to get used to that,” I say as I slide between her legs, and rest my arms beside her head.
Her legs slip back and forth over mine as she grins. Her smile, her smile makes my heart explode and my entire body warm from head to toe. This girl is mine, and I'm never letting her go.
Perri helps to pull my wet shirt off my chest, and she throws it to the side. I push up on my knees and take my pants down, kicking them off my feet. Goosebumps ripple down her skin as her eyes dance around my body.
My dick is rock hard, so I grab my shaft in my boxers and pull it out. Her eyes grow large as saucers as her thighs scissor over each other. With my shaft in my hand, I stroke my length and let her watch.
She nibbles her bottom lip as she admires me gliding my hand up and down. She slips her hand between her legs and touches herself as her eyes glow with lust. Using two fingers, she rubs circles over her little nub.
Her slit is glistening, growing wetter and wetter as she readies her body for my cock. Her eyes are on my dick as she works her pussy, dipping her fingers into her heat and pumping them in and out.
“Are you going to fuck me, or are you just going to tease me until I make myself come?” she asks, her lips curling up seductively.
“It's fine if you come now. It won't stop me from making you come again, and again, and again. I'll make you come so many times your legs will be numb and you won't be able to walk for a week.”
“Is that right?”
Nodding, I smirk as I push her hand out of the way and drive my thickness into her. Her warm arousal slicks my dick, and I slide in easily. Her pussy tightens around my length as she moans loudly and her eyes snap shut.
“Shit,” she groans as she closes her legs around my hips and holds me tightly. She lifts her chin, pushing her head into the arm of the sofa, and her long neck is begging to be kissed. I run my lips up from her collarbone to ear and back down again. She quivers underneath me with need.
Pulling my body back, I throw my hips forward and slam deep into her heat. Her body shudders beneath me as she lets out another loud moan. Every noise, every little coo that comes out of her mouth makes my shaft harder and thicker.
Thrusting faster and faster, my chest tightens as I hold my breath, and I force my eyes to stay on her. I want to see her react to me. I want to see the pleasure as she wears it on her skin with blushed cheeks and beads of sweat. I want to watch her nibble on her lip and her breathing become ragged.
Perri grinds up against my base as I drive my hips down. Her nails scrape up my back, and she digs them into the flesh of my shoulders. Lifting her head up, she bites the side of my neck and groans against my skin.
She's close, her body is shaking, her thighs are clenching around my sides, and her heels are digging into the back of my legs. She's a live wire, the electricity explosive as she throws her head back and her mouth drops open in a soundless moan.
Her pussy squeezes firmly around my shaft as I bang her with vigor. My balls pull up against my body as my cock twitches and I come inside her. Perri's body arches off the couch as she forces her head back into the cushion and her pussy pulses around me.
My body relaxes, falling on top of hers. Our chests are lifting in unison, the beats of our hearts are pumping at the same rhythm. I can feel her heart as it pounds against my chest, and we both look into each other's eyes.
Perri runs the tips of her fingers softly through my hair. They move gently down the back of my neck, and then back up into my hair. “I love you, Kent Hayes.”
“I love you too, Perri Dean.” Kissing her forehead, I smile. “I've loved you since the first time I met you. I didn't know it then, but I felt it. I could feel you in my heart, in my chest, and through my entire body.”
“Really?” she asks, her fingers still playing with my hair.
“Yes. I tried to ignore it, I did my best to pretend like it wasn't there, but it never went away. I realized that the second you walked into the yard my first day here. I need you, Perri. I won't ignore it anymore.”
Perri cups my cheeks and throws her lips onto mine. She kisses me like she wants to drink my words. I can feel her love in her lips, in the way her fingers hold my face and her tongue sweeps across my mouth.
I love this woman.
And no one, not even her father, will ever get between us.
Because life without her isn't living. I need her to feel alive. To breathe, to be happy, to find joy in the little things.
I want to build a life with her. White picket fence, kids, the entire package. Because when you meet the right person, you just know. Life can't happen without them in it.
I'm never letting her go. She's too amazing to let her slip away.
I'll always make sure she knows how incredible she is.
9
Perri
I'm hit with icy cold water. It's so cold it burns my skin and makes me inhale a short, quick gasp of air.
Shooting upright in the bed, I start coughing, and trying to focus my eyes. I'm so confused. What the hell is going on?
Rubbing my eyes, I wipe my hands over my face, and try to grasp what's happening.
“Get the hell up.”
My dad's here. . .
Opening my eyes wide, the realization finally sets in.
“Dad!” I yell, jumping out of the bed and wrapping myself in the sheet. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? What the hell are you doing here?”
Kent pushes up in the bed, and yawns. Blinking his eyes open, he holds out a hand. “Bryce, calm down—”
“Don’t you tell me to calm down,” he snarls, pointing a firm finger at Kent. “What the hell do you think you're doing?” His eyes pop open wide, teeth clenching tight as his words slither out full of rage. “What the hell is going on here?”
“Dad, please, we're all adults here, we can talk about this.”
“Talk about this!” His eyes jump to mine, and his nostrils flare wide. “No, no, no, we're not going to talk about anything. You're fired! I want you out! I want you both gone!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Kent quickly says, holding up open hands. “Bryce, you're overreacting.” Kent takes a few steps forward as my father turns to face him. “I didn't plan this, neither one of us meant for this to happen, but it did.”
My father's lips thin as his eyes turn to slits. His hands are at his sides, fists tight, knuckles white. I take a step back, fussing with my bottom lip as I stand in silence.
This is bigger than
me. I am the catalyst for this moment, for this bull fight. My heart is racing in my chest and I can feel the sweat as it beads up across my forehead. This isn't good. This isn't how I wanted my father to find out about us.
But here we are. There's no going back, he knows now. And he hates it.
Kent throws a hand through his hair, and looks up at the ceiling. “Look,” he starts to say as he moves his eyes back to my father.
Crack!
In a matter of a single second, my father slugs him in the face. Kent's head whips to one side, and he lets out a quick grunt.
My father is breathing heavy, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he just stands there.
“Dad! Stop!” I yell as he takes a step forward like he's going to strike him again. I grab his arm and try to yank him back.
Kent lifts his head, rocking his jaw side to side as he wipes blood off his lip. “You feel better now that you got that out of your system?” he asks, his voice a hair away from laughing.
“Fuck you,” my father spits out at him. “This is my business, my house, I own it. Not you, not her, I do. Who do you think you are?” he asks, taking a step forward. “And she's my daughter. My daughter! I thought we were friends. Obviously I was wrong because it’s clear you don’t respect me at all!”
“Bryce, I'm really sorry, I swear I didn't plan this. I never meant for anything to interfere with our company or our friendship. But I'm not backing down from this. I love your daughter. I love her and I'm not going anywhere. I told you that when I talked to you, and I meant it. I wanted to do this right, I wanted to ask you first before I asked her. I thought it was the respectful thing to do.”
Wait. . . what? He told him about us? He told him he loved me?
I glance at Kent, and his eyes meet mine. Arching a brow, he gives me a small flash of a smile and shrugs his shoulders.
It finally makes sense now. The phone calls weren't just to tell my father about how I was doing, he was also telling my father about us, about how he feels, about wanting to be with me. I can feel my chest tighten and tingles jump down my body as his words sink in.