by Ali Parker
Instead, he moved off my body, turning his own as he continued his trail of kisses over one knee and then the other. He gently reached for one side and began to roll me over. My brain was mush by that point, overheated with sexual desire and need.
His soft lips touched my calf and I almost exploded. It was such a gentle touch, so intimate. His mouth worked its magic over the backs of my knees, one and then the other, before trailing up the backs of my thighs. My skin felt too tight, too hot. Too everything.
“Oh god,” I breathed, my face partially in the mattress.
When his mouth moved over my ass and then hit the small of my back, it pushed me to the point of no return. My need ratcheted higher and higher, my body demanding release from the exquisite torture of his mouth. He touched me with nothing but his lips and tongue, and it was far more intense than if he had been buried deep inside me.
“Every last inch,” he whispered, kissing over my shoulder blades and then the back of my neck.
I groaned in response. My body was held in the vise of an orgasm on the verge. The climax had started long ago, and with every touch, it pushed me higher and higher, but the breaking point was just out of reach.
He rolled me to my back, my body twitching, waiting for the final touch that would take me over the edge. I looked at him through eyes glazed with lust. He knelt beside me, the tips of his fingers barely brushing over my chest and down my stomach. I opened my legs, inviting him in, needing him to touch me. One brush of those magic fingers over my clit was all I needed.
“Ready?” he whispered, clearly sensing my need.
I nodded, moaning with my eyes half-open. “Yes,” I murmured. “Please.”
His fingertips ran a circle over my navel before he climbed over me. I nudged my legs open wider, opening myself to him in every sense of the word. I was laid bare, body, heart, and soul. I was his for the taking.
“Look at me,” he ordered.
I opened eyes I didn’t realize had been closed. I stared into his light blue gaze as he rose over me. My hands slid up his forearms and over his biceps, rubbing over the skin that was hot under my touch. He was just as affected as I was.
His cock slid over my slick pussy before he carefully nudged forward, breaking through the folds and finding home. He pushed once, and our eyes locked as he joined his body with mine. I felt a tear slide down the side of my face as he pushed himself all the way inside my welcoming body.
“Oh, Damion,” I breathed his name before my eyes slid closed and my body finally gave in to the need that had been holding me in a firm grip since his kisses started.
“That’s it,” he coaxed, kissing the tip of my nose as my body arched and bucked under his. “That’s my girl. All mine. You’re mine.”
I opened my eyes and found him staring at me from just a few inches away. He lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me until I could no longer think at all. I only felt. I felt such an overwhelming amount of love for him, it scared me and comforted me at the same time.
His body began a slow rocking into mine. His heavy cock pinned me to the bed as he moved. My arms went around him, rubbing his shoulders as he kept up a slow, steady pace. There was none of the fast and furious jerking movements I had come to expect from him. He was making love to me. I could feel it in every stroke. Every purposeful thrust into my body was intentional, meant to give me pleasure while taking his own.
“God, I’ll never get enough of you,” he groaned.
My hands ran over his biceps, feeling the strength in his arms as he held himself off me. He was strong and capable and everything I needed in a man. He was gentle and loving and ferocious when it was appropriate.
“You’re the one,” I breathed, not meaning to speak the words aloud. “You’re my one.”
My words triggered a violent response in his body. He thrust hard one time before his body erupted deep inside me. He grunted, his arms locking as his head was thrown back. I could feel him deep inside me, throbbing and exploding. I loved that I had that power to do that to him.
I closed my eyes and drifted away with him. Our bodies intertwined in a blanket of sweet ecstasy and love. His body bucked and arched until he finally collapsed beside me, one arm thrown across my chest and a leg over my thighs.
My hand traced an imaginary line up and down his bicep as we laid together, catching our breath. “I love you,” I said the words that had been caught in my throat for too long.
He had told me he loved me several times and I had never been able to say it back to him. I had been too afraid. The words made me vulnerable. Once I said them, it wasn’t vulnerability I felt—it was contentment. I felt whole.
“I love you,” he repeated the words back to me.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to say it. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I knew I loved you a long time ago. I just couldn’t bring myself to tell you. It felt like I was giving you the power to destroy me. I’ve lived my life with a ten-foot wall around my heart for as long as I can remember. I was so afraid to let you in. I knew you had the power to destroy me.”
His hand reached up to my cheek, gently stroking over my face. “I would never do that. If I ever hurt you, know it isn’t intentional. I can be a bit of an idiot sometimes and maybe a little insensitive. Always remember this moment. Always remember I love you to my very core. That will never change. The fights and arguments we might have are surface bullshit. Deep down, you are my heart.”
His words were perfect. My own heart felt a little too big for my chest. “I’m not perfect. I’m probably going to freak out and try to run away at least a few more times. I’ll try not to, but it’s my go-to move.”
“I won’t let you. I won’t let you run away from me or Oliver. We have you in our snare now.”
I laughed, turning my face to his. “Yes, you do.”
“I want you to know I love you. No matter what you do, I will always love you. What I feel for you isn’t something that can be turned off after a few harsh words or even after an escape. I will be here waiting for you. I’ll do my best not to smother you, but damn if I can’t get enough of you.”
I smiled. “Good to know. So, about me working on your farm.”
“What about it?”
“I’m going to need a significant raise,” I teased. “I had no idea I was offering charity to a billionaire. I think I’d like a raise.”
He chuckled, the sound vibrating against my body. “I will give you anything you want. We should probably keep the billionaire thing to ourselves. I’m going to be broke soon. Justin has already demanded a high price for his very limited babysitting and mowing services.”
I giggled. “Two cases of beer instead of one?”
“Something like that,” he answered before holding my face with one hand and kissing me.
Happiness flooded my body, offering a sense of peace I had never experienced before. I was home. I had everything I had ever longed for.
I had a family.
Epilogue
Alex
Three months later
I carried the big bowl of homemade potato salad to the back patio and placed it on the table. Betty popped her head up from where she was curled up on her bed in the corner and out of the way. She would get her leftover treats after the dinner, even though I told Wayne he shouldn’t feed her people food. My favorite men in the world were sitting around the table, chatting and talking about the early fall. I smiled at each of them before going back into the kitchen of Wayne’s house to grab the tray of burger toppings.
We had driven down to spend the weekend with him before school started and our schedule got a lot less flexible. Damion had offered to buy plane tickets, but I couldn’t do it. I actually liked the drive. We all got to hang out and just talk. There was no escape when you were locked in a car with someone.
My life was good. Better than good. The final puzzle pieces of my life had slid into place. I felt settled. I didn’t feel the need to run. I hadn’t taken any more
jobs, much to the disappointment of a lot of people. I couldn’t bring myself to leave the farm. I liked spending my days with Damion. I liked taking Oliver to day camp and being there to pick him up. I was getting better in the kitchen but wasn’t ready to declare myself a gourmet cook just yet.
I grabbed a couple of cold bottles of beer and carried them back out to the table. “Here you go,” I said, setting one bottle in front of Wayne. “Can I get you anything else while I’m up?”
“No thank you, dear.”
“Are you sure there is nothing I can do to help?” Damion asked. “I feel like a bump on a log.”
“I’ve got it all under control,” I assured him. “Sit and relax. You’ve worked hard all week.”
“Are you feeling better?” he asked with genuine concern.
“I am. Thank you for picking up the slack.”
“Hey, we’re a team. That’s what we do.”
I smiled. “Yes, we do. I’ll be right back and then we can dig in.” I walked into the kitchen and grabbed two cans of ginger ale and the cheese. I liked taking care of my men. I felt especially domesticated. With one last glance around the kitchen, I returned to the table for my final trip. I took my seat across from Damion and next to Oliver.
“All good?” I asked, looking from Wayne to Damion.
“It all looks amazing to me,” Damion answered.
“Can we eat now?” Oliver asked.
I reached over and ruffled his hair. “Yes, we can.”
“Are you excited to start school?” Wayne asked Oliver.
Damion and I both laughed, already knowing what the answer would be. We had been hearing about it for the last two weeks. I couldn’t ever remember being so excited for school.
“Yes!” Oliver practically shouted. “I got new school clothes and a new backpack because I’m going to be a big kid now. I’m going to read big books, and because I’m in the big kid class, I’ll get to do big math.”
“Wow, you are all set. I bet you are going to be the smartest kid in the whole school.”
“Yep.” Oliver nodded.
“Way to be humble,” Damion muttered.
“He sounds like he has a lot to be proud of,” Wayne said.
“He is a very smart boy,” I said. I couldn’t help but brag a little. He wasn’t technically my son, but I thought of him like my own. Not to mention I had been spending my entire summer doing flashcards and reading story after story. I liked to think I had a little role in him growing smarter by the day.
Wayne looked at me, then Damion. “And the crops? How are they doing? Did you guys get hit by those heavy rains a few weeks ago?”
“Crops are good,” I answered. “We should be ready to harvest in the next couple of weeks. We didn’t get the rains as bad as some of the other surrounding areas.”
“That’s good news. Great news!”
“How about your wheat?” Damion asked. “It looked ready to go from what I saw on our drive in.”
Wayne grinned. “Harvest starts Monday. I’ve got a crew handling it for me. These days, it’s more of a hobby, but I can’t deny it’s a real thrill when we have a bountiful crop. I thought I could run the harvester, but I’ve decided to enjoy my retirement.”
“I agree,” I said. “With all of it. You don’t need to be on one of those machines from sunup to sundown.”
“How about the two of you?” Wayne asked. “Are you guys going to plant for next season?”
“Yes, of course,” Damion answered.
Wayne nodded, clearly pleased. “Good man. Your grandfather would be very proud.”
“Thank you. I’m keeping my promise to him and so is Alex. We’re both keeping up the farm.”
“I suppose that means you won’t be wanting this old place,” Wayne said.
“Wayne, you made a generous offer and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, but I need to stay in Montana. It’s our home.”
Damion beamed. “Yes, it is.”
“Alex lives in our big house now,” Oliver announced.
I felt my cheeks blushing. I didn’t know why I was embarrassed. He knew we were together, and we had slept in the same bed on our last visit. I thought of Wayne like a father or grandfather and didn’t want him to think I was a floozy.
“She does, does she?” Wayne said with a laugh.
“It made sense,” Damion chimed in. “She was spending most of her time there anyway and it didn’t make sense to pay rent for a house she wasn’t in.”
Wayne chuckled. “I see you inherited your grandfather’s frugal nature.”
“I sure did,” Damion agreed.
“I’m thinking I might just sell this place. There’s a nice couple looking for a farm. The woman is the daughter of an old friend. I feel confident they would do right by the place.”
“Where would you go?” I asked him.
He winked at me. “I was thinking I might get me a little place in Montana.”
I felt tears well in my eyes. I fanned my face. “Wayne, that would be amazing.”
“Yes, it would,” Damion chimed in. “We’ll have a house built for you on the farm.”
“Damion!” I blurted out.
“Oh no, I can’t ask you to do that,” Wayne said.
“You didn’t ask. I offered. We would love to have you around. We’ll need a guest house eventually anyway.”
I could see the emotion in Wayne’s eyes. “That’s a very kind offer. I’ll think on it. I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“Wayne,” I said, reaching across the table and grabbing his hand. “It would be an honor to have you around.”
He smiled. “You drive a hard bargain, missy,” he teased.
“I certainly do.”
“Montana is a great place to live,” Damion said. “I wish I would have realized it earlier. I wasted a lot of time. I don’t intend to do it again.”
“Good, because I won’t let you get away from me quite so easily.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said with a grin. “Montana is my home. It’s where I want to raise Oliver. It’s where I want to raise all my kids.”
I took a drink of my ginger ale. “That’s good to know because I agree. I want to raise our child in Montana.”
Damion smiled. “I know.”
“Our child will be here before you know it,” I replied.
He raised an eyebrow. “Our child?” he questioned.
Wayne slapped a hand on the table before bursting into laughter. He slapped Damion on the shoulder. Poor Damion still looked confused.
“Our child, which by my calculations should be here next spring, late spring.”
His eyes widened. “Holy shit,” he breathed.
“Dad!” Oliver scolded. “We’re at the table. You said no cussing at the table.”
“You’re right, I did. But wait, pregnant?”
I smiled. “Yes. Pregnant.”
He got up and came around the table. I got up to meet him. He hugged me close. “This is amazing. I’m so happy.”
“What happened?” Oliver asked.
I turned to face him, my hand flat against my belly. I looked to Damion, waiting for him to explain.
“Alex has a baby in her belly. You’re going to be a big brother soon.”
Oliver’s face lit up. “Yes! I want a brother!”
I laughed. “We’ll have to see how that works out.”
“Congratulations to the both of you,” Wayne said. “I’m happy for all three of you.”
“Well, you stole my thunder,” Damion said.
I turned to look at him. “How did I steal your thunder?”
He dropped to one knee, fishing in his pocket. “I planned to do this later, but I figure now that I’ve knocked you up, I better make an honest woman of you right away.”
I burst into laughter, putting one hand over my mouth. “So eloquent.”
“Alex, I have told you over and over how much I love you. I do love you. Oliver loves you and we’ve talked ab
out it and decided we want to keep you. We want to make it official. Will you marry me?”
The damn hormones were making me a little crazy. Tears were streaming down my face as I bobbed my head up and down. “Yes. Absolutely. I so want to marry you.”
“And now you’ll be my real mommy,” Oliver announced.
I choked on a sob. “Yes, I will be your real mommy.”
I saw tears in Damion’s eyes as he slid the ring on my finger. He got to his feet and pulled me in for a bear hug. He pulled away and made room for Oliver to give me a hug. I held his little body against mine.
“We should probably eat before the burgers get colder than they are,” Damion said.
I smiled and took my seat once again. “Well, that was a lot of excitement.”
“It sure was,” Wayne agreed. “One of the best things I’ve seen in a very long time. You two are going to be very happy together. I wish you both a long, happy marriage with lots of children.”
I winced. “Let’s not wish for too many children. I’d like to see how this one goes first.”
“I want five,” Oliver announced.
I cringed. “Again, let’s get through this one before we make any rash decisions.”
“I think we should go for a baseball team,” Damion said.
I nearly choked on the burger in my mouth. “Then I will be relying on you to carry some of those players.”
He shrugged. “I’d be willing to try.”
“Yes,” Wayne said.
“What?” I asked, wondering what I had missed.
“I would like to take you up on your offer, if it’s still an option. I would love to see your baby and watch him or her grow up.”
I smiled. “You’ll be his or her honorary grandpa.”
“You would be doing me a huge honor by allowing me to be a part of your family,” he said, his voice filled with emotion.
“Wayne, you already are a part of our family,” Oliver said as if it was the most obvious thing.