by Scott, J. S.
“Fuck! I love you, too, sweetheart,” he said in a desperate tone.
His words rushed through my body like adrenaline, but there was also a gentle peace that was right there beside the excitement.
I rinsed the soap from his hard shaft before I took him into my mouth.
I started off lazily, my mouth and tongue savoring him before I finally started to apply some suction.
His body jerked as my movements got rougher and rougher, my hands grasping his tight ass to move at a steady pace.
A feral sound left his mouth as he tangled his hand in my hair and guided me. “Touch yourself, Lia. I’m not going to last long, and I want you with me.”
I looked up and caught the carnal expression on his face. It spoke of lust, longing, and so much crazy love that my core spasmed violently.
His eyes were pleading, so I took a hand from his tight butt cheek, and slid it boldly between my thighs.
There was no hesitance from me. I wasn’t shy about giving us both what we wanted.
My fingers slid through my wet heat, and I shuddered as I rubbed over my clit.
I was primed and ready, my body as tight as a bow as I found a rhythm that felt good, and stayed with it while I continued to swallow Zeke’s cock.
I felt his hand tighten in my hair, and when I looked up again, he was watching me, his gorgeous blue eyes molten and burning with an incendiary heat that consumed me.
We connected without words, and Zeke didn’t take his eyes away until his head fell back and an animalistic growl was wrenched from his mouth.
The sexy sound sent shockwaves through my body, and I sped up my fingers, stroking myself harder as I felt my impending climax.
I moaned around Zeke’s cock, and the vibrations set him off.
“I’m done for, Lia,” he groaned. “Move back.”
Was he crazy? I worked too hard to coax him to orgasm. I wasn’t going to give up the chance to taste it.
I swallowed hungrily as Zeke exploded, reveling in his essence as it flowed powerfully down my throat before I finally let go and found my own release.
“Zeke,” I said with a moan as pleasure flooded my body and my soul.
I relished the hot water flowing over my body as I panted on the tile, one hand gently stroking Zeke’s cock and the other still between my thighs.
He pulled me to my feet and wrapped his powerful arms around me as he said huskily, “Do you know how damn crazy you make me feel?”
“As crazy as you make me?” I asked, still breathless.
I still hadn’t completely recovered, so I laid my head on his shoulder.
“Crazier,” he rumbled as his hands stroked over my soaked body, as though he was afraid I’d suddenly disappear. “Let’s get out of here.”
I didn’t protest as he turned off the water and we stepped out. He toweled us both off before we collapsed together on the bed.
He pulled the covers up, and I cuddled up to his side when he wrapped his arms around me.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Never been better,” he teased. “Sleep, Lia. I’m not going anywhere.”
I let out a sigh of contentment as my eyes drifted closed.
I slept a very long, dreamless sleep that left me feeling normal again by morning.
Zeke
The next morning, I sat in my home office, feeling pretty much normal. Maybe I still didn’t have the stamina I usually had—which isn’t an easy thing for a guy to admit—but I knew I’d get it back after a day or two out of bed.
I’d been awake since dawn, and I’d finally left Lia fast asleep in our bed, hoping the dark circles under her eyes and the anxious look on her face would both disappear.
Shit! I really hated the fact that she was so damn afraid of losing somebody she loved, but then, I couldn’t blame her, either. Pretty much every important person in her life was gone, and I’d probably be just as terrified as she was if all of my family was suddenly dead before I’d turned thirty.
The phone rang, and I snagged it from the charger.
“Conner,” I said, assuming it was somebody from work.
“I’d like to speak to Lia Conner please,” the male voice asked in a businesslike tone.
“This is her husband. She’s not available.” Okay, I was just a little bit edgy over the fact that any male was calling for my wife.
“Marvin Becker from Becker and Associates. I’m calling regarding Esther Harper’s estate.”
I relaxed. It was the estate attorney. “Zeke Conner. How can I help you? I guess you could say Lia is represented by my firm.” Yeah, that was a total fabrication since I’d never be counsel for my own wife, but I really wanted to know why he was calling.
I heard a bark of laughter coming through the phone. “I know you by reputation, Mr. Conner,” the gentleman said with humor in his tone. “But I’m pretty sure your wife doesn’t need a defense attorney. My business is pretty benign. Can you just let her know that the estate is settled, and that I’m sending a check by courier? A package should arrive shortly with the monies owed, and I think she needs to read the codicil and a personal letter that I was instructed to give her after everything was finalized.”
“Esther left a codicil?” I balked a little at the thought. “Why wasn’t it given to Lia along with the will?”
“It’s all in the package,” he answered evasively. “The codicil wasn’t effective until Ms. Conner’s twenty-eighth birthday, and Esther requested that the codicil and the personal letter not be produced until that event happened. My job is to honor every request possible of a dying client. I knew Esther for years, so I also considered her a friend.”
“Is this going to upset my wife?” I said with a protective growl. “Because the last thing she needs is more emotional turmoil. She’s been through a lot in the last two years.”
“I don’t think it will,” he said hesitantly. “In fact, it might help with clarity. That’s about all I can say.”
While I appreciated attorney-client privileged information, it still irritated the hell out of me that he wouldn’t say anything more.
I hung up, and tried to figure out exactly what Esther had changed that would necessitate a codicil. Maybe Lia didn’t give a shit about the money, but she’d loved Esther like a parent, and I knew that her grandmother making anything about their relationship “conditional” had hurt her. It wasn’t about the funds or the things in the estate. It was the final conclusion by her grandmother that Lia wasn’t okay exactly the way she was at the time of Esther’s death.
“Good morning.”
I looked toward the sleepy, female voice, grinning as I saw her smiling from the entrance to the office.
I was grateful that she looked much better and more rested than she had yesterday.
I stood up. “Coffee? I already made some.”
She nodded and retreated toward the kitchen.
Because I was hopeless to do anything else, I followed her.
Unfortunately, she was no longer nude, and had pulled on a pair of pajamas very similar to the ones she’d worn in Playa—a pair of stretchy shorts and a tank top.
Hell, maybe that nighttime attire was made to be comfortable rather than sexy, but when Lia was wearing them, my cock didn’t see anything other than the hottest lingerie in production.
“Sit,” she demanded, pointing at the barstool at the kitchen counter. “I can get my own coffee.”
I grinned, but I sat down. Hell, I was the last one who wanted to add to her worries, but I couldn’t deny that her concern about my health was completely adorable.
She’d regained her previously feisty attitude, and having it all centered on concern for me wasn’t exactly making me unhappy. I wasn’t averse to letting her boss me around a little because I knew it was coming from a place of love.
H
owever, I also wouldn’t mind getting back to those looks from her that made me feel like she couldn’t wait to get me naked. I looked forward to that.
“I’m feeling good, Lia. I’m going back to work on Monday.” It was Friday, so that gave me a few more days to work from home and make sure that I was no longer going to infect anybody else at the firm.
She nodded. “I’m going back to the shop on Monday, too. But I plan on making sure you take it easy over the weekend.”
I was hoping that meant both of us staying in bed naked, and trying to fulfill each other’s sexual fantasies. I couldn’t imagine a better way to get my stamina back.
I grinned as I watched her stand on her toes to grab a mug that I could have easily reached, and then fill it with coffee.
I knew her routine by heart, and I no longer cringed when she added a bunch of creamer to her coffee, and several spoonfuls of raw sugar.
“Do you want some Jelly Bellies with that,” I joked after she’d added even more sugar than usual to her coffee.
She appeared to contemplate the possibility before she answered, “Maybe later.”
She moved to the counter, her face so close to mine that I had a hard time not grabbing the back of her head and kissing her senseless as she said, “Do you know how incredibly sweet it is that you make sure you’re always stocked up on my favorite candy?”
“That’s not exactly a big deal,” I answered. Hell, it was a lot more work for Lia to keep feeding me so damn well every single night.
“It’s a big deal to me,” she argued. “Sometimes the little things go unnoticed, but I want you to know that I do appreciate them.”
“Like you staying home from your store to take care of me?” I questioned.
She’d arranged for her manager to cover for her without a second thought about upending her entire routine for me.
“You’d do it for me in a heartbeat,” she pointed out.
Yeah, of course I would, but that wasn’t the point.
I was saved from answering by the sound of the buzzer from the lobby.
It was the courier, and I told the receptionist to let them come up.
After signing for the delivery, I took the package into the kitchen.
“Who was it?” Lia asked curiously from a chair at the table. She was finishing her coffee, the mug nearly empty already.
I sat across from her. “Courier. It’s from the estate attorney.”
“Go ahead and open it,” she requested. “You know more about all that legal mumbo jumbo than I do.”
I pulled out the paperwork, handed her the check, and started to scan the documents as I told her, “Apparently, Esther left a codicil to the will. This is for you. It’s personal.” I gave her the sealed envelope that I already knew contained a personal letter from Esther.
I quickly read the simple codicil. Since it was only a few lines, it didn’t take long. “Holy shit,” I cursed.
“What?” Lia said anxiously. “Is something wrong?”
“No. Lia, she was always going to give you everything she had. She added this codicil that states as much. For some reason, she didn’t want you to know until you had passed your twenty-eighth birthday.”
She frowned. “Why? Why would she do that?”
I nodded toward the envelope. “Read the letter. It will probably explain.”
I was tense as she opened the missive and pulled out a single sheet of paper. I watched her face as she read it aloud.
My Dearest Lia,
Please don’t hate this old woman for wanting to see you happy after I’m gone. There was never any question that I wanted you to have everything I owned after I left this world. You’ve given me nothing but joy over the years, and you’ve been like the adoring daughter I never had. Even now, I can’t imagine anyone giving me more comfort as I’m nearing the end of my life.
I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become, and all that you’ve accomplished, so I only have one concern.
It’s become rather obvious to me that you and Zeke Conner belong together, but I’m afraid that will never happen. Neither one of you seems to want to rock the boat on your friendship. I’m hoping that if I give you a little push after I’m gone, you might start thinking about a more serious relationship with Zeke. If, by the time you read this letter, that relationship hasn’t bloomed, I still hope you think about it in the near future.
I had my soul mate in your grandfather for many years, and I just don’t want you to pass up your chance to spend your life with yours. Zeke is that man for you, Lia, and you’re that woman for him. The two of you just need to stop being so stubborn and recognize each other.
Whatever you decide, just be happy, my sweet Lia. That’s all this old woman ever wanted for you.
With All My Love Forever,
Grandma Esther
The kitchen was silent as Lia’s voice suddenly stopped. A giant tear plopped on top of the letter she was holding. And then another.
Finally, she dropped the letter and looked at me. “How did she know?” she whispered tearfully. “I never said a word. God, even I didn’t know until recently.”
I moved to lift her up, and then sat back down with Lia’s warmth cradled on my lap as I answered gently, “I’m afraid I was probably a little more obvious. Maybe you never noticed the way I looked at you, but Esther obviously did. And she knew your heart, Lia. She knew you weren’t going to marry anyone unless you loved that person, money or no money, so I think she was just trying to push you closer to me.”
Lia shook her head like she was still in a daze. “She never wanted to change me. She didn’t think I wasn’t good enough without a man. All she was trying to do was push me toward my heart’s desire when I didn’t see it for myself. She thought we were soul mates, Zeke. Yeah, maybe that’s a little old-fashioned and over the top, but—”
“It’s not, Lia,” I interrupted. “I think she was absolutely right. I know I was too damn sick to do a very good job of explaining my feelings. I don’t think the whole ‘crazy in love with you’ explanation was enough, so let me try it again.”
My head was clear, and it was way past time that Lia understood that I wasn’t just crazy about her, and I didn’t just want her body.
I wanted it all.
Lia
I didn’t say a word as Zeke stood, carried me back to the bedroom, and then settled himself on the bed with my body sprawled half on top of him, and half beside him. It was a close, intimate position we slept in a lot, and I sighed as I laid my head on his still-bare chest.
It was obvious that he wasn’t after some kind of immediate sexual gratification. Zeke had something on his mind, so I simply waited for him to talk, glad we were past situations like that last day of our honeymoon. I’d known he’d wanted to say something that day, but had still been guarded.
He took a deep breath. “I told you that I was looking for you when I found you in the hallway of the church on your wedding day. That I was determined to talk you out of marrying Stuart. But I never explained exactly what happened to me in that church that day, Lia.”
“Tell me,” I encouraged, wanting to know anything Zeke cared to share.
“I’m not sure I totally understand it myself, but it was like everything about the two of us suddenly became crystal clear to me. The way we met, our friendship, all the things we’d been through together, and all of my feelings about you. Yeah, I’d desperately wanted to take our friendship to another level for years, but I suddenly realized that there was a reason why the two of us met in the first place, and that I’d blown every single opportunity I’d had to put us together the way we were supposed to be. I’m not big on the theory of fate or destiny. I think we can decide our own fate, but there are just some things in this life that can’t be explained, and while I was sitting in that church that day, I realized you were one of those unexplainabl
e occurrences. I knew we’d been meant to meet. I knew you weren’t supposed to marry Stuart. I knew if I didn’t stop that marriage, you wouldn’t be happy, and I was positive that I’d never love a woman like I loved you for the rest of my goddamn life. And yeah, as crazy as it may seem, I believe we are soul mates, Lia. It was you, or it was nobody. I have to wonder if it was my dad or Esther trying to knock some sense into my head that day, before it was too damn late. Maybe that sounds a little nuts, too, but no stranger than having a major epiphany for no reason only minutes before you were due to walk down the aisle.”
My heart tripped. “So you weren’t joking when you said you would have bodily hauled me out of the church?”
He shook his head. “Hell, no. The sense of impending doom I felt that day wasn’t going to stop until I knew you were out of danger. I couldn’t let that ceremony happen, even if you hated me later for whatever I had to do. Call it intuition, call it whatever you want, but it was real, Lia. You said Stuart never hurt you, but my gut instinct was telling me that he was a threat to your safety as well as your happiness.”
“I think he may have been both,” I confessed. “He came by the shop to pick up his ring and his mother’s dress. We had a brief confrontation, and I slapped him. I was so angry that I couldn’t stop myself. I think the only thing that kept him from punching me in the face was the fact that I did stand up for myself. Had I stayed in that relationship as powerless as I had been, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say he would have eventually become physically abusive.”
“Christ, Lia! Were you two alone? Why didn’t you wait until I could be there with you?” Zeke rasped.
“Until that day, I don’t think I truly admitted to myself that he was capable of physically hurting me. By the time he left, I’d vented my anger, and all I could think about was how damn lucky I was that I hadn’t married him.” I hesitated before I added, “I think I had the same epiphany you had at that church. The same sense of impending doom. Maybe we even had the same realization at about the same time that I just couldn’t marry Stuart. Maybe I was feeling your panic, or you were feeling mine, even if we weren’t physically together.” Zeke and I were connected sometimes in ways I couldn’t totally explain.