Loyal Heir

by Michelle Heard

  I begin to move, but she reminds me again, “No moving.”

  She presses a kiss to my nipple before tugging it between her teeth. I begin to harden, my eyes glued to her as she moves down to my abs. “You’re so hot,” she groans, and taking hold of my sweatpants, she pulls them down my legs.

  When she crawls back up, she begins to press kisses dangerously close to my cock. Her fingers wrap around the base of me, and she begins to pump me.

  “It’s going to be impossible for me to keep still,” I warn her.

  Aria grins up at me, and then she sucks my cock into the wet heat of her mouth.

  “Fuck,” I hiss, and my hips push up against her.

  She keeps stroking the bottom half as her tongue swirls around my cock, driving me wild.

  “God, Aria,” I whisper. Not caring about keeping still any longer, I reach a hand down to her, and I grab a fistful of her hair. “Fuck. Harder.”

  Aria sucks me deep into her mouth, and then she increases the pressure.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I’m not going to last long.

  My hips begin to move, and I can’t stop myself from thrusting into her mouth. “Fuck, I’m going to come.”

  Aria sucks harder and squeezes her fingers around the base of me, and then her hand drops to my balls, and she begins to massage them.

  The breath is ripped from my lungs as my orgasm shoots through me, and the fact that I’m coming in her mouth makes it a million times hotter.

  My body goes lax, and I suck in air as I try to regain control over my body. “Fuck, I’m sorry I pulled your hair,” I begin to apologize.

  “It was kinky,” Aria murmurs as she crawls up my body.

  I wrap my arms around her and pull her down on top of me, then she says, “I didn’t think it would taste salty.”

  My eyes snap to hers. “That was your first blow job?”

  She nods. “Yeah, was it okay?”

  I let out a chuckle. “Babe, you didn’t just blow my cock but my mind as well.”

  She snuggles against my chest and murmurs, “Tonight was fun.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not over yet.”

  She glances up at me. “Aren’t we going to sleep?”

  I shake my head. “What about you?”

  “What about me?” she begins to frown but then understanding dawns on her face. “Ooooh.” She snuggles back into me. “I’m good. I just wanted to give you a blowjob. I’m actually tired from all the drinking and laughing.”

  “You don’t want me to make you come?” I ask, feeling a little worried.

  Aria lifts her head and presses a kiss to my jaw. “We can keep my orgasm for tomorrow when I’m actually awake enough to enjoy it.”

  I let out a chuckle and hug her tightly to me. “Okay.”

  Aria wraps an arm around my chest, and I hear her exhale a deep breath.

  “Night, babe,” I whisper as I turn my body into hers.

  “Night, baby,” she mumbles, already half asleep.

  I press a kiss to her hair and rest my cheek on the top of her head.

  ARIA

  The weekend was crazy. Between helping Fallon and Kao move into their new home and Forest and I spending the rest of our time in bed, I need a week to recover.

  I stretch out, and a grin spreads over my face as Forest’s hand settles over my breast.

  “Morning,” I murmur, turning to curl up against him.

  “Did you sleep okay?” he grumbles, still half asleep.

  “Like the dead.” Lifting my head, I press a kiss to the scruff on his jaw, then get up. “I’ll go make us coffee.”

  “Thanks, babe.” He snuggles back into the pillow while I get dressed.

  I brush my teeth and hair before I walk to the kitchen. As I’m taking two cups from the cupboard, Jade comes in, wearing workout clothes. I check the time and gasp, “It’s only six am, and you’ve already been to the gym?”

  “Yeah, it’s hard getting used to not sleeping next to your brother,” she replies as she sits down at the table.

  I hold a cup up. “Can I make you some coffee?”

  “No thanks, I’m good with my water.”

  While I prepare the coffee, I ask, “Is Hunter still looking for a place?”

  “Yeah,” she lets out a sigh. “I think Hunter and Jase are looking for a house they can get together.”

  While I wait for the coffee pot to fill, I go sit by Jade. “Tell me if it’s none of my business, but why don’t you and Hunter get a place?”

  Jade’s eyes snap to mine. “I’m not going to tell him that. The last thing I want is to come across as a clingy girlfriend.”

  I reach for her hand and give it a squeeze. “Do you want my opinion?”

  Jade nods, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.

  “I know my brother, and he loves you. Tell him you’d like to live with him. I promise you he’ll be happy to hear that.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Definitely. Hunter probably hasn’t mentioned it because he thinks you want to stay here with Mila.”

  Jade leans over to me and gives me a hug. “You’re going to be the best sister-in-law.”

  When she lets me go, I get up to pour the coffee. Just then, Carla comes into the kitchen, and I quickly grab another cup. When the beverages are ready, I hand Carla a cup.

  I pick up the other two coffees, then Carla says, “Guess who I ran into last night?”

  I shake my head and take a sip to get my caffeine fix.

  “Kennedy Quinn.” Carla’s eyes lock on mine. “She’s back and enrolled at Trinity.”

  “Are you serious?” I gasp, shock vibrating through my body.

  No. No. No. No. No.

  “Yeah. I thought I’d give you a heads up.”

  “Thanks,” I murmur, and I turn to walk down the hallway. Entering Forest’s room, the bed is empty, and the bathroom door is shut. I set his coffee down on the bedside table then go to my own room.

  Once I close the door behind me, I stare at the floor.

  Oh, my God.

  Kennedy Quinn is back.

  The shock rocks me to my core, and I struggle to think straight for a moment. Worry claws up my spine, and my hands begin to tremble. I quickly set the cup down on my dresser, and sinking down on the stool, I lift my hands and cover my face.

  This can’t be happening. Not now.

  Kennedy was Forest’s first love. God, she took his virginity. They were madly in love.

  Fear settles hard in my stomach, and I know her returning to the states means nothing good for my budding romance with Forest.

  Shit, what if Forest goes back to her?

  My heart begins to thunder in my chest, and a lump swells in my throat. I close my eyes against the devastating feelings sweeping through me.

  We’ve only been dating for five days. That’s nothing compared to the two years Forest and Kennedy were together.

  Do I even stand a chance against her? Kennedy is blonde, gorgeous, outgoing, and… ugh, I’m nothing compared to her. I’m her complete opposite.

  My breathing speeds up as the realization that I can lose Forest sinks in like a ten-ton brick, and it brings back memories of Eli and me…

  “Look at her tits. You should get yourself a rack like that,” Eli sneers where he’s lying naked next to Taytum, his ex-girlfriend.

  I’m still trying to process the shock of finding them together in bed.

  Eli cups Taytum’s breast and begins to squeeze it hard, drawing a porn star worthy cry from her. “Yeah, baby, I love it rough.”

  Eli grins at me. “That’s how you please a man. No one likes a broken little girl who can’t even come.”

  I suck in a strangled breath, panic making my world spin out of control. The memories always take me back to that horrible episode when I caught Eli cheating on me with his ex. It takes me a while to calm down again.

  Breathe in.

  Come on, Aria. You have no idea what will happen.

  Breathe out.

/>   Calm down.

  Breathe in.

  Forest won’t cheat on you.

  When I’ve finally regained control over my emotions, I force myself to get up and begin with my morning routine.

  While I’m swiping on some lipgloss, my eyes focus on my reflection. My mind won’t stop racing. I’m filled with memories of Forest and Kennedy making out, of them in love, and it’s torture.

  I get dressed in a pair of black pants and my favorite blue shirt that matches my eyes, and I try to take a moment to ground myself.

  My body is tense, and my stomach is nothing but a ball of anxiety. I take a couple of deep breaths, trying to keep from freaking out.

  Everything will be fine. It just has to be.

  There’s a knock on my door then Forest comes in. His eyes sweep over me, and a smile forms around his mouth.

  My gaze drifts over him, and I try to find my best friend, but all I see is the man I’ve fallen in love with.

  “I love that shirt,” he says as he walks toward me. He must see something on my face because a frown forms on his brow, and lifting a hand to my cheek, he asks, “What’s wrong?”

  I shake my head. “Nothing.”

  “Sure?” His eyes lock on mine.

  “Yeah.”

  He stares at me for a moment longer, and not knowing if this will be my last chance, I push up on my tip-toes and crush my mouth to his. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him with everything I feel. All my doubts, my insecurities, my hopes… my love.

  Forest is the one to break the kiss, and breathless, he asks, “What was that for?”

  I tighten my hold around his neck and hug him as hard as I can, and then I whisper, “You’re my world, Forest.”

  He rubs a hand up and down the length of my back. “I can feel something’s wrong. Just tell me.”

  I shake my head again, not ready to tell him about what Eli did to me. “PMS. You know how emotional I get.”

  He pulls back and lifts an eyebrow at me. “Then I need to get chocolate in you.”

  I let out a chuckle, relieved he fell for the lie. “Now, you’re talking.”

  Aunt Flo isn’t due for another two days, but I’ll gladly throw her under the bus, so I don’t have to tell Forest that Kennedy is back, and I’m scared to death he’ll go back to her.

  Chapter 12

  FOREST

  Sitting at lunch, my eyes are locked on Aria. I know what she’s like during PMS, and this is not it. Something is bothering her, and I’m determined to find out what it is.

  She shoves the half-eaten cake away, and when she catches me staring, an overly bright smile forms around her lips.

  Carla plops down in a chair next to Aria, and sounding like Scar from the Lion King, she mutters, “I’m surrounded by idiots.”

  Aria lets out a chuckle. “What happened?”

  Carla rolls her eyes, then mutters, “Noah.” Her gaze settles on someone behind me and thinking it’s Noah, I glance over my shoulder.

  Holy. Fucking. Shit.

  I rise to my feet as the shock of Kennedy standing right here ripples through me.

  “Hi, Forest,” she says, a warm smile on her face. I take in that she’s gotten taller, and her blonde hair is longer.

  “Hey… hi,” I reply, still shocked out of my mind. I move forward, and we hug. “Damn, this is a surprise.”

  As I begin to pull back, she presses a kiss to my cheek, then she says, “It’s good to see you. It’s been too long.”

  “Yeah, It’s been a little over a year.” I gesture to the table. “Sit with us.”

  Kennedy moves closer to Aria and leans down to hug her. “Gosh, you’re still so pretty. How have you been?”

  I can see Aria’s just as shocked as me, but she smiles at Kennedy. “I’m good. When did you get back?”

  Kennedy sits down next to Aria, and I don’t want to stand around like an idiot, so I take the next available chair next to Kennedy.

  My gaze goes to Kennedy, and I have to admit it’s good to see her again.

  “On Friday. I’m still a bit jet lagged.” Kennedy glances at Carla. “I actually moved into the dorm last night and ran into Carla, but now I have time to catch up.” She places her hand on Aria’s arm. “Tell me everything I’ve missed out on.”

  Carla lets out a chuckle, and leaning into Aria, so she’s closer to the girls, she lowers her voice as she says, “Prepare yourself for this. Forest and Aria are in a fake relationship.”

  Fuck. We never told Carla we’re trying for real.

  Kennedy lets out a burst of laughter. “Yeah? Why?”

  Aria leans back in her chair, where she’s stuck between Carla and Kennedy.

  “Forest didn’t date after you left, and rumors started going around that there’s something wrong with him,” Carla fills Kennedy in.

  Kennedy’s eyes widen, and she turns her head to me. “Oh, my gosh! Really?”

  I nod, letting out an awkward chuckle.

  I need to talk to Aria so we can come clean to our friends and family about us.

  “Oh, that sucks…” She turns her attention back to Aria. “And you being the best friend, had to step in and save his butt, right?”

  “Something like that,” Aria murmurs, her smile wavering. She pushes her chair back and rises to her feet. “I have to get to class. We should catch up later.”

  Kennedy shoots up and gives Aria another hug. “Yeah, that would be great. It’s so good to see you again.”

  When Aria leaves without looking at me, I get up, and without excusing myself, I go after her.

  I manage to grab hold of her arm outside the restaurant, and when she turns to me, I say, “You knew she was back. That’s why you’ve been weird today.”

  Aria pulls her arm free from my hold. “Carla mentioned it this morning.” She shrugs, and when our eyes meet, I see the detached look she inherited from Uncle Mason. “It’s no big deal, right? I’ll see you after class.”

  When she walks away from me, worry begins to grip my heart.

  Aria’s going to try to pull away from me. I can see it all over her face.

  Fuck. Why the hell did Kennedy have to come back now?

  Lifting an arm, I push my fingers through my hair.

  This is bad, and I have no idea how to fix it.

  I glance at the restaurant, then back to where Aria is walking away from me. If she didn’t have a lecture right now, I’d drag her to the suite to talk.

  Letting out a frustrated sigh, I head back into the restaurant.

  Kennedy and Carla are laughing about something when I sit down again.

  Kennedy places a hand on my arm as she tries to catch her breath. “Carla just told me about the fear pong you all played on Friday night. I wish I could’ve been there.”

  “Yeah.” A smile tugs at my lips. “It was fun.”

  Kennedy leans back in the chair and tilts her head as her eyes drift over me. “You’ve changed.”

  I frown at her. “How so?”

  “You’re no longer the teenage boy I remember,” she admits.

  “I would hope not.” I let out a chuckle.

  “You look good, Forest,” she whispers, and the moment feels too intimate.

  I reach for my phone and tap it on the table. “I need to get going.” I rise to my feet, and not wanting to be rude, I say, “You should have dinner with us tonight.”

  “That would be great.”

  Kennedy gets up and leans into me, giving me another hug. I only touch her shoulder, not feeling comfortable at all.

  When she pulls back, I smile. “Catch you later.” I walk away from her, the smile instantly dropping from my face.

  “Fuck!” I hiss as I walk out the doors.

  ARIA

  Glancing over my shoulder, I see Forest head back into the restaurant. I stop walking and having a clear view of the inside because of the huge bay windows, I watch as he sits down next to Kennedy.

  When she places her hand on his arm, another crack
splinters through my heart, and tears begin to fill my eyes. I try to blink them away.

  Seeing them hug was one hell of a blow that shook my entire world. Having Kennedy sit between us… I can’t even explain how that felt.

  I watch as Kennedy and Forest smile at each other. They look… like a couple. Happy… as if they never separated at all.

  My chin begins to tremble, and not able to watch anymore, I turn and run toward the art building. A tear slips over my cheek, and I quickly brush it away with the back of my hand.

  It feels like someone ripped the ground from beneath me.

  Because that’s what Forest is to me – the foundation my entire life is built on.

  Walking into the classroom, I go stand by my easel in the back.

  I close my eyes and take deep breaths of air, trying to push the hurt down so I can focus on the lesson.

  Breathe in…

  Just shut down.

  Breathe out…

  No emotion equals no pain.

  Breathe in…

  It was only for five days. Forget it ever happened.

  Breathe out…

  You can go back to being friends.

  Breathe in…

  Nothing. You feel nothing.

  Professor Neel clears his throat, and I open my eyes, still trying to breathe through the pain.

  God, this is killing me. I can barely focus on anything but the intense pain of seeing Forest and Kennedy together again.

  Professor Neel glances around the class. “Seven days,” he begins, and I do my best to pay attention. “That’s how long you have to create a masterpiece. The GMA in San Francisco is hosting a competition. For those of you who don’t know, it’s the Gallery of Modern Art. It’s mandatory every single one of you enter. It will give you the opportunity to get a feel for the world beyond these doors.”

  This is just what I need to keep my mind busy, or I’ll go insane.

  Professor Neel’s eyes flit around the room. “The winner will be announced at a cocktail event next Saturday. Trinity Academy and I have gone to great lengths to make this event happen. Do not disappoint me.”

  A guy up front asks, “What do we have to paint?”

  Professor Neel gives him a scathing look. “If I have to answer that question, it means you’re in the wrong class.”