Let Freedom Ring

by Weston Parker

  A flash of something like vulnerability darkened her eyes, triggering a protective instinct deep within me.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes, it’s just… been a long time. I’m not sure I’m going to be or look like what you’re used to.”

  “Bullshit.” I took a long stride forward until our chests were touching, then brought my hands up to her cheeks. “You’re fucking gorgeous. I wanted you the second I walked into that party. If you—”

  I didn’t get to finish my sentence. As I was talking, a smile spread on Sofia’s lips. She looped her arms together behind my neck and murmured, “I believe you. Shut up and kiss me.”

  The door wasn’t even closed yet, but who the fuck cared? I wasn’t sure who moved first, but the next thing I knew, my lips crashed into hers, and everything else faded to black.

  Chapter 8

  Sofia

  Lincoln kissed exactly the way I’d hoped he would. His lips were soft but insistent. One of his hands settled on my hip while the other was on my jaw, his grip firm and dry.

  He towered over me, but not so much that my neck felt like it would break off from the angle. It was more like I fit in perfectly beneath his chin.

  Our bodies fit and molded together in a delicious way that sent tingles exploding over my skin, making all the little hairs on me rise. My arms wound around his neck, holding him to me.

  I mashed my chest against his, lowering my hands to run them along the corded muscles in his back. They rippled beneath my fingers, flexing as he controlled our fervent kisses.

  My hands moved even lower. They trailed across the dips and planes of his abdomen until I hit the rough waistband of his jeans. I skimmed my fingers under the elastic of his underwear, back and forth, and he moaned into my mouth.

  When I reached the metal stud of his button, he caught my wrist and lifted his head, his eyes half-lidded and dark with lust. “Bed?”

  “Yes,” I whispered against his lips.

  His mouth curved into the sexiest smirk, and he started walking me backward. My knees hit the mattress, and I sat down on it. Lincoln reached up to his neck, bunched up a handful of the material of his shirt, and pulled it over his head.

  Only the bedside light was on in the room, but it gave more than enough light for me to see that what I had suspected had been correct. Lincoln was built like he’d been sculpted for sex by Aphrodite herself.

  His shoulders and chest were broad and smooth, except for a smattering of light brown hair on his chest. Perfectly formed blocks of muscle ran down his abdomen to the indentation between his hips. Right below his belly button was a thin happy trail of hair that disappeared into his pants.

  I reached for his button again, but he shook his head at me. “Those are staying on for now.”

  “Why?” I almost pouted. Surely, it was cruel to keep the rest of Aphrodite’s gift to me hidden.

  Lincoln caught my chin in his fingers, those captivating eyes boring into mine as the red in them seemed to swirl in the warm light. “Don’t look at me like that. I promise they’ll come off when the time is right. I just need them on for now.”

  “Why?” I repeated, a definite hint of pleading in my tone now. I wasn’t proud of it, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t accurate.

  He lowered his head to brush his lips against mine, kissing a line up my jaw to my ear. His voice was rough and husky when he spoke from a spot just below my earlobe.

  “Because believe it or not, you’re not the only one it’s been a while for. I’ve been… away. All my cock wants to do right now is to fuck you hard and fast, but the rest of me wants too many other things. The jeans have to stay on.”

  A shiver ran down my spine at his words. That they sounded true made my insides clench with anticipation. I knew what he meant when he said he’d been away. Which meant I would be the first person he’d be with since getting back. I was about to be treated to being the recipient of every dirty thought and fantasy he’d had during who knew how many long, lonely nights.

  I definitely didn’t have a problem with that. Even if it meant having to wait to get him naked.

  Sliding down my body, Lincoln knelt between my legs but kept his eyes on mine. He undid the short zipper at the back of my shoes, then removed each one slowly while planting kisses on my calves.

  When the shoes were discarded, he stood up again. Wordlessly holding out one of his hands, he beckoned for me to take it.

  His long fingers closed around mine, and he pulled me up again but not for long. It took him less than ten seconds to lift my dress over my head, unhook my bra, and get back down on his knees. My panties were his next victim, and it was only after gently nudging each of my ankles so I would step out of them that he allowed himself to look away from my eyes.

  The sound of a sharp breath being sucked in was followed by a wicked groan as his eyes roamed every inch of my naked body. It was impossible to feel self-conscious when he was looking at me the way he was, so I let the fleeting thought of it go.

  “You might want to sit down for this,” he eventually bit out. Before I could ask why, his hands caressed up and down my legs, up to my thighs and then down to my knees. On each upstroke, he got closer to my pussy, and I didn’t need to ask why anymore.

  I just planted my bare butt on his bed and hoped the surge of self-confidence I’d gotten from the way he’d looked at me would stick. He was literally face to face with my lady bits. There was no way I would enjoy what he was doing if I let myself overthink that fun little fact.

  Then his thumbs brushed against me and I wondered if I’d ever be able to think again, never mind overthink.

  Warm fluid gathered between my legs. My inner muscles clenched, and my pelvis rolled. I tried to bite my lip to keep from moaning, but it didn’t work.

  It had to be very obvious what kind of effect he had on me, yet he didn’t give me the smirk I’d expected or make any comment. Instead, he cursed under his breath and rested his head on my knee as he brushed the pads of his thumbs over my labia.

  Stroking gently before he pressed them into me, he glanced up as he spread me open. The cool air on my warm center made me ache with need.

  “I’ve thought about it, and I’m siding with your cock on this one. I need you. Hard and fast.” My breathing was labored and my voice came out hoarse.

  “I’m right here if you need me.” He looked into my eyes while he spoke but then leaned down and kissed my stomach. Again, I had a brief flash of discomfort about my body.

  The tummy he was kissing wasn’t taut or flat by any means. But he didn’t seem to mind, so I decided not to either.

  He drew circles around my belly button with his tongue before moving further south. As his lips and tongue tasted my skin, his thumbs played at my seam.

  When his mouth reached my mound, his fingers entered and caressed me. Then his tongue started to flick over my clit and I lost it.

  It had been too long since I’d been touched like this, and it had never felt this good. Lincoln matched the rhythm of his fingers to that of his tongue, and it was too much for me.

  The pleasure center in my brain took over. Electrical pulses started in my clit and exploded in my core. “Lincoln!”

  My body hovered right on edge. Every muscle was tight with need until he sank his tongue into me. White feverish heat spread through me. I grabbed the back of his head and held him to me when his fingers curled deep inside. The soft touch of his tongue combined with the magic being performed by his fingers wreaked havoc on my body.

  Lincoln played me like I was an instrument he’d been practicing his entire life. He sucked my clit between his teeth and sank two fingers into me. I arched into him, my pelvis and thighs trembling as I rocked along with his movement.

  It couldn’t have been more than a minute later that my entire body tensed and light exploded behind my eyelids. My head and neck arched, and heat cascaded over my body. My orgasm crashed into me, making me scream his name as I rode out the blissful waves.
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  There was a rip of foil, and when I opened my eyes, Lincoln had finally gotten rid of his pants and was hovering over me, looking happy with himself but needy as hell. “Get what you needed from me?”

  “Not even close,” I said breathlessly before grabbing his face to pull him down for a kiss. Wrapping my legs around his ass, I guided his hips down until the broad head of his cock was resting against my entrance.

  I had a feeling I would regret not making time to look at him properly, but in that moment, it just felt like there were better things to be doing. From the feel of him against my skin, I already knew he was no slouch in the size department.

  Giving him an encouraging squeeze with my calves, I lifted my hips when I felt him starting to push into me. He released a long, low groan and trembled just slightly against me.

  “You okay?” I whispered between kisses.

  Lincoln smiled against my lips, those damned dimples of his popping out, but another tremble passed through him. “Fuck yes. I’m just… really close.”

  His voice was raspy with need. He hadn’t even tried to disguise it, and that, along with his plainly stated words, made my stomach clench once again. My clit pulsed and throbbed even though it should’ve still been recovering from what had been a truly explosive, spectacular orgasm.

  I urged him forward again, capturing his lips in a searing kiss as he finally took the hint and sank into me. When he hit home, he lifted his head away from mine with a tight jaw and his heart slamming into my chest.

  He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. Both of us needed a minute. He filled and stretched me to the point that it was almost painful, but I knew I’d adjust soon and then his massive cock would do things to me I’d never felt.

  When our eyes met, he rocked into me and quickly found a perfect rhythm. His pelvis hit my clit while his dick stroked every sensitive spot inside me.

  We were both breathing heavily, hanging onto each other as we alternated between kissing and looking into the other’s eyes. Our bodies moved together like we were doing a synchronized swimming routine we knew by heart.

  “Fuck, Sofia,” he rasped out, growling against the shell of my ear. “I can feel you getting so close. Let go for me, babe. I need you to let go because I can’t hold back much longer.”

  Pleasure pooled in my belly. I was the one doing this to this god of a man. It was a pretty damn powerful feeling. “Come for me, Linc. I’m right there with you.”

  “Sofia,” he moaned.

  I bucked my hips up, ramming him into me with each thrust. The words he moaned became incomprehensible as he started moving faster, slamming his mouth onto mine when his muscles quivered.

  I felt him twitch deep inside me, and it set me off like a damn firework on the Fourth of July. Pleasure splintered my mind into a place where thoughts didn’t exist, flinging the splinters across the four corners of the globe before they flew right into the galaxy beyond.

  Reduced to teeth clashing, tongues warring, and limbs squeezing and shaking, it took us a long time before either of us moved. When we did, it was only Lincoln rolling off me to take care of the condom.

  He spread out beside me, then gathered me up in his arms and deposited me on his broad chest. We lay there without a word for a long time, but my eyelids grew heavy, and I knew I’d be in trouble if I didn’t get ready to leave soon.

  “I should go,” I whispered against his smooth skin. My fingers stroked over the smattering of hair on his chest, then trailed lower to the happiest of trails.

  His answering groan rumbled under my ear. “You should stay, but if you keep doing that, I can’t promise you’ll get much sleep.”

  I peeked up at him, getting lost for a moment in the strong lines of his shadowed profile. “You better be sure about me staying. If I don’t get up soon, I will fall asleep on you.”

  “I’m sure.” He yawned and let his head roll to the side to rest against the top of mine. “Hey, Sofia?”

  “Yeah?” My voice was already thickening as sleep threatened to drag me under.

  “Why were you at the retirement party?” he asked quietly.

  “Oh. Right. I was joking when I said I crash them. Charles is my father. I was obligated to attend.”

  Lincoln stilled beneath me. I swore he even stopped breathing. Frowning as I drew an elbow in below me and popped my head up, I brought my hand to the side of his neck. “Don’t worry about it. I won’t say anything to him.”

  “Sure. Yeah.” His grip on me tightened once more and his chest rose on a deep breath. “Let’s get some sleep.”

  He reached out to flip the switch of his bedside lamp while I burrowed into his side. For such a muscly person, he made for a really comfy pillow.

  The light blinked out and, with it, my consciousness. It had been a long day and a longer week. I fell asleep on his chest, my last thought of how it was possible that he still smelled so good after everything we’d just done.

  Chapter 9

  Lincoln

  Charles’ fucking daughter. Although, no, the fucking in that thought was in the wrong place. Me fucking Charles’ daughter.

  It was like the universe was playing a sick trick on me. Not that it had put me off.

  After that first taste of her, there honestly wasn’t much that would have put me off her. Even once she’d told me who she was, I’d still gone ahead and fucked her two more times.

  Once in the middle of the night when we’d both woken up around the same time, and again in the shower just thirty minutes ago. One night with her had me counting my blessings and questioning my sanity all at the same time.

  I fucked Charles’ daughter. Three times. A hat trick of getting off with the daughter of the man who would ruin my career in a heartbeat. And that was before I’d gone and done this.

  I’d also finished off the jug of margaritas with her somewhere in the middle of the night, buck-ass naked, and ordered her room service for breakfast. It had been arguably the best one-night stand of my life, but I probably shouldn’t go there again.

  Which sucked.

  I really, really wanted to go there again. Especially as her fingers trailed absently up and down the length of my thigh as I drove her home. Well, not home. I was dropping her off down the block from the house—at her request.

  What was worse was that the sun had gone and done its thing. The curtains in my room had been drawn this morning, extending the night for just a couple hours longer.

  Now, my body was at war with my mind. I couldn’t formulate a word to say to her, even though we’d talked for hours when we’d had our naked margarita fest.

  “I know it’s awkward,” she said suddenly, piercing the deafening silence that had fallen between us after we’d left the hotel room.

  My gaze found hers in the rearview mirror. “What’s awkward?”

  She rolled those pretty eyes, her slightly swollen lips pulling into a smile as she gestured between us. “This. Me being the daughter of one of your commanding officers.”

  “It’s not—” I cut myself off. “Okay. Yeah, it’s awkward as fuck.”

  Her fingers wrapped around the top of my thigh. “It doesn’t have to be. I don’t know if this will make it easier for you, but I know he’s not well liked among you guys. I understand it. You also have my word that I won’t say anything to him.”

  “Thanks,” I said because I still couldn’t think of much else.

  Sofia’s hazel eyes, which really should have been a giveaway about who she was, rolled again. “Look, I don’t want you to feel weird about this. I’m in town for the summer. If you want to hang out, give me a call.”

  “That’s not a good idea.” I brought my hand down on hers and wound our fingers together. “I don’t want this to sound like an excuse because it’s not. But considering who your father is, we should probably stay away from each other.”

  A quiet sigh came out of her, but she nodded. “If that’s what you think is best, I can live with it. Just know that your se
cret is safe with me. I’ll leave you my number just in case you change your mind.”

  There was a pen and a hotel matchbox Eden had left in the center console. Sofia snatched both up, scrawling her name and number on it as I slowed the truck.

  I knew where Charles lived, though I never thought I’d be using his address as a place to drop off someone I’d hooked up with. There was a small park about a block away from their house, and she’d asked me to drop her there.

  I parked but didn’t turn off the engine. Shifting in my seat to face her, I presented my hand for the matchbox.

  Sofia placed it right in the center of my palm, but her gaze was on mine. “I promise you have nothing to worry about. My dad won’t ever know about this.”

  Sunlight streaming in behind her caused a golden halo around her head. Her eyes were soft and understanding, but her jaw was set with determination. Despite the daintiness of her features, she really was a fierce woman.

  The words fierce, intelligent, beautiful, sexy, and Charles’ daughter should never have been strung together in one sentence in my mind, but now I was fucked. If he ever found out? Shit, I didn’t even want to think about it.

  On the other hand, he was out to get me anyway. I doubted he would, but that didn’t stop him from trying. If I was on my way out one way or the other, why not go out in a blaze of glory? Well, glorious sex. Not necessarily glory.

  “Let me think about it, okay? I’ll call you.” It sounded like a line, but it really wasn’t one.

  Sofia must have seen that because she nodded firmly once before her expression dissolved into one of mischief. “I’ll be seeing you around then, Linc. Keep my spot in your bed warm for me.”

  She gave me an elaborate, saucy wink, chuckling as she climbed out of the truck. Her hand shot up in a wave as she started down the sidewalk, but she never looked back. She walked with the confidence and poise of a much taller, much more cocky woman, but then she hopped over the low fence into the park like a teenage boy might have, and all I could do was laugh.