Forbidden First Times: A Contemporary Romance Collection

by Sofia T Summers

  Was I ready to do that?

  Would I ever be?

  “I know. It’s just hard letting go, I suppose.”

  Chris smiled and glanced back at the seashell with the two screaming kids.

  When the ride came to a stop and the two kids spilled out, they came running towards us.

  “That was so awesome!” Amelia cheered.

  “Can we go on another one?” Hunter asked.

  I felt Chris’s hand on the small of my back, and without even looking at him, I knew exactly what the expression on his face looked like.

  “Sure, baby.”

  “I’m starving,” Hunter muttered as he took my hand.

  “Do you like pizza, buddy?” Chris asked him.

  “I love pizza!” Hunter exclaimed.

  “Then let’s go get some pizza in that tummy of yours,” Chris said, holding out his hands at Hunter.

  In one swift motion, he scooped him up off the ground and placed Hunter on his shoulders. Hunter’s eyes shone in the evening light and I smiled at him. I glanced down at my hand as Amelia took my hand in hers, and together the four of us walked to a local pizza place.

  I had to admit that it felt as though we were a family, and even though it had been what I had dreamed of for so long, it felt terrifying to me. I only wanted the best for Hunter, and looking at the way Chris was with Hunter, warmed my heart to a point that I couldn’t deny it even if I tried. Chris was so good with Hunter, and he treated him as though he was his son. Sure, I was afraid of Hunter getting too close to Chris, and Amelia, too fast, but I was reminded of Chris’s words earlier. He would never let anything happen to Hunter or me, and he would never hurt us.

  Not again.

  I frowned at myself for even thinking that and shrugged it off. I didn’t want to think about what Chris had done to me in the past. We had talked it over after all, and we had put it behind us. It didn’t matter anymore what we had done, all that mattered was the road ahead of us.

  We were seated in a family booth and we ordered our drinks. Before I even realized what was happening, Hunter, Amelia, and Chris were animatedly arguing about what the best pizza topping was.

  “Obviously, it’s pepperoni,” Chris said.

  “Ew, no,” Hunter cringed.

  “Gross, Daddy,” Amelia gasped.

  “So what is it then?” I asked, after a long argument.

  “Mozzarella,” the two kids finally exclaimed.

  I glanced at Chris with a smile, and as he looked at me, I recognized the expression on his face and the softness in his eyes. Something inside me shifted, and I realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

  By the end of dinner, Hunter and Amelia grew quieter, and by the time we walked back to the hotel, they practically fell asleep on their feet.

  Chris opened the door of our hotel room, and I stepped inside, carrying Hunter in my arms and holding onto Amelia’s hand.

  “Come on. Let’s get you both into bed,” Chris whispered and picked Amelia up in his arms.

  We placed the two kids in their beds, and within minutes, they were fast asleep. It didn’t matter that they didn’t bathe, as they would have probably fallen asleep in the bathtub.

  I leaned in and kissed Hunter on the cheek, and did the same with Amelia. I stood from the edge of the bed and walked to the door. Chris also kissed both kids good-night, and I heard him say, “I love you,” softly to them both.

  He approached me at the door, and I smiled at him.

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” I whispered.

  Chris took me by the hand, closed the kids’ door, and led me back to our bedroom quietly. We went inside and Chris closed the door.

  “What a day,” he sighed.

  “It was a great day,” I whispered.

  Chris nodded slowly and said, “It was.”

  I cocked my head and watched as he slowly approached me, and my heart pounded in my chest. Once again, he had that look in his eyes from earlier, and I licked my lips. The emotions built up inside me as he took my hands and leaned in close to me.

  “I loved spending time with you and Hunter today,” he whispered in a low tone to me, our lips inches apart, “but now I think it’s time we spent a little time together.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more,” I whispered in return.

  I leaned in and kissed his lips, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

  The touch of his fingers against my back sent shivers up my spine and instantly ignited the fire inside me. His hands moved down to my waist as I pressed myself tightly against him. His fingers found their way under my shirt, and I gasped against his lips. It was so hard for me to resist Chris’s touch, even after all these years, and I would succumb to him within an instant.

  Maybe that was my downfall, but at this moment I didn’t care. His fingers slowly and tenderly stroked my skin, letting all resistance crumble down around me. I wanted him with all my heart, and I desperately hoped that he wanted me too.

  His lips broke free from mine and started to kiss my neck, as his hands still explored the skin under my shirt. They eventually found my ass and grabbed them with just the right amount of pressure and force. My back arched as he lightly sucked on my neck, and I closed my eyes, feeling dizzy.

  I took a few steps back, slowly, and as I felt the edge of the bed against the back of my knees, I lifted my shirt over my head and threw it to the floor. I did the same with Chris’s shirt, and the desire was evident on his handsome face. The moonlight accentuated his features in the most alluring and sensual way, and I fell in love with him all over again. There was also something else lingering just beneath the surface of his gaze and I wasn’t sure. It was a look I had never seen before, but I loved the way he looked at me at that moment.

  We continued to slowly undress each other, exploring one another once again, as if it was the first time. Chris’s touch still remained tender and sensual, and it was nice to see that he could also be this way.

  Our naked bodies moved together in perfect harmony, our limbs entangled under the soft sheets of the bed. The moon shone in through the window, bathing us in silver light, making it seem even more surreal. I had not thought that I could ever feel this way about a person, especially not someone who broke my heart the way Chris did.

  But then again, I never thought that Chris would be the one who would take all those broken shards in me and put me back together again.

  19

  Chris

  Saturday

  The heat and comfort of Hollie’s body beside me was the first thing I felt before I even opened my eyes the next morning. She was snuggled up beside me, her breathing softly tickling my throat, her hands resting on my chest. I slowly opened my eyes and a smile immediately formed on my lips. Last night had been spectacular, to say the least, and hearing her say those words to me was why I was in such a good mood right now. I was on top of the world, and nothing could bring me down. I wrapped my arm around her, my hand resting on her ass, and she snuggled closer to me.

  A beam of sunlight fell onto her face and she groaned softly.

  “Good morning, beautiful,” I whispered and kissed her lips.

  “Please don’t tell me it’s time to wake up,” she whispered.

  “You don’t have to, but I was thinking we could start the day on a high note,” I answered suggestively.

  Her eyes opened slowly, and she cocked her head at me. “What do you mean?” she asked.

  I grinned slyly and lifted the sheet, showing off my very manly erection pressing against my boxers.

  She giggled and glanced back at me. “That sounds like a good idea. How do you suggest we go about it?”

  “I was thinking,” I murmured and brushed a lock of light brown hair off her face, “maybe a nice hot shower.”

  “That sounds great,” she whispered and kissed me.

  Suddenly the door burst open and two highly enthusiastic and energetic kids came barging into the room.

>   “Mommy!”

  “Daddy! Get up! Get up!”

  “We’re up, we’re up,” Hollie chuckled.

  “In more ways than one,” I muttered.

  Hollie let out a throaty laugh and nudged me playfully in the ribs.

  “Are you two okay?” Hunter asked and narrowed his eyes.

  “Yeah,” both Chris and I said at the same time.

  “Is there something we need to talk about?” Amelia asked.

  “The only thing I want to ask is are you ready for the waterpark,” I announced and jumped out of the bed.

  Luckily, when the kids burst into the room, they placed a damper on the sexual energy between me and Hollie, so my erection was now non-existent. Or at least calmed down.

  For now.

  We scurried around, getting dressed and ready to go. We made our way to the waterpark, with a tote bag with sunscreen, caps, and drinks, and towels wrapped around our necks, looking like a group of tourists. We found a nice spot under a cluster of umbrellas and Hollie coated everyone – myself included – in sunscreen. The weather was perfect, with not a cloud in the sky, so we picked the right day.

  I followed the two overzealous kids, who ran into the water, leaving Hollie at the seating area.

  “I’ll be right there,” I heard her say to me.

  I glanced over my shoulder, and I was struck down by a wave of awe that hit me. I watched as Hollie slid her shorts down, revealing her bikini bottoms. My eyebrows lifted slightly as she took off her shirt, and my lips parted. Her bikini fit her more than perfectly, hugging her curves in all the right places. Her breasts were pushed together ever so slightly, and her skin glowed in the morning sun. She loosened her hair, and it felt as though my world spun in slow motion.

  Hollie’s gaze suddenly found mine and I pursed my lips and lowered my gaze. She slowly approached me, her hips swaying gently from side to side and cocked her head as she reached me.

  “Wow,” I gaped.

  “Oh, this old thing?” she said modestly.

  “You look better than I thought you would,” I said to her with a wink.

  “You should stop underestimating yourself like that,” she reciprocated the gesture. “Now quit gawking like a creep and let’s get wet.”

  “Not the kind of wet I was hoping for,” I muttered again.

  “Stop pouting,” she said teasingly, “or I’m not going to let you peel this off me later.”

  “Let’s get wet!” I cheered and held up my arms.

  The kids cheered behind me, thankfully not hearing our conversation. They were already soaked from head to toe, which was crazy, as they were in the water for like a second.

  For some strange reason, or maybe not so strange, Amelia immediately gravitated towards Hollie, and Hunter was by my side the entire time. Hollie and Amelia went on the waterslides, and Amelia loved every second of it. Hunter and I went down the giant waterslides as well, and he clung to me as if his life depended on it. His laughter was infectious as we played in the water, and the kids were having the time of their lives.

  I kept sneaking glances at Hollie, the way her wet bikini clung to her body, and luckily, I could just drop down into the water when things got a little intense inside my body.

  At one stage, Hollie went down the waterslide with both kids, and I waded in the shallow water, waiting for them to come down. They sped down the waterslide and splashed into the pool with giggles and cheers.

  “Again! Again!” Amelia and Hunter cheered, and I motioned to Hollie to take them up again.

  “Excuse me,” I heard beside me and I glanced over my shoulder.

  A middle-aged woman and her husband stood beside me and the woman said to me, “You have a beautiful family. Your kids are gorgeous.”

  “Thank you,” I said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

  “You’re a lucky man to have such a beautiful family.”

  “I am. Thank you.”

  “Have a nice day,” the couple smiled at me and went on their way.

  I sunk into the water again and a smile formed on my lips. They were right about a few things. I was lucky to have them in my life, and the kids were beautiful, as well as Hollie. The fact that we weren’t officially a family didn’t even matter. In my heart, Hollie had always been the only one for me.

  I watched them go down the slide again, landing in the pool with a large splash. They laughed happily and it made me happy to see that they were all getting along so well, like a real family. That was what I wanted all along.

  Hollie was great with Amelia and didn’t treat her differently because she wasn't her daughter.

  The four of us were just a natural fit, and it made my heart so, so happy. I could honestly see myself spending the rest of my life with Hollie and Hunter, and the only regret I had in my life was that I wasted eight years. Sure, I knew that things happened for a reason, but I was truly grateful that our paths crossed once again.

  Hollie glanced at me from across the pool and her eyes sparkled – I could see them sparkling even from where I was sitting.

  “Daddy!” Amelia called out to me, whirling me back to the present moment, and ran to me through the shallow water.

  She jumped onto my lap, splashing water into my face and giggled.

  “Are you having fun, Mellie?” I asked.

  “Yes, Daddy. So much fun,” Amelia cheered happily and hugged me.

  “I love you, so much,” I told her, kissing her forehead.

  “Love you too, Daddy.”

  A big splash right next to me sent water spraying in all directions and Amelia and I laughed.

  “I got you!” Hunter called out with a laugh.

  “Yes, you did.”

  “Can we get ice cream?” Hunter asked as he also made himself comfortable on my lap.

  I glanced up at saw Hollie approach us, and I smiled at her. “How does ice cream sound?”

  “Yeah, feed the little tornadoes sugar,” Hollie chuckled.

  “But we want ice cream!” the kids chanted.

  I shrugged at her with a playful grin and cocked my head.

  “Am I the only adult here?” she sighed when I pouted, followed by two more pouts from the kids.

  “Fine,” she surrendered as she threw her hands up.

  Hollie let out a soft chuckle as she nudged me in the ribs. We had decided to take the train that rode around the theme park back to the hotel, and even though the kids had insisted that they weren’t tired, they were now passed out cold. Amelia had her head rested on Hunter’s shoulder and his head rested against her, and I had to admit, they looked truly adorable.

  “They’re a bunch of wimps,” I whispered, and Hollie giggled against my shoulder.

  “A bunch of cute wimps.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  “I think we should talk to them tomorrow morning, or maybe in the car on the way home. That way we wouldn’t have to look directly at them.”

  “Who's the wimp now?” I chuckled and she rested her head on my shoulder. “But you’re right. We need to talk to them, just explain the situation to them.”

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  The rest of the ride we spent in silence, but comfortable silence, and once the train stopped in front of the hotel, each of us grabbed a kid, and headed to our room.

  Once the kids were tucked into bed, Hollie and I took a quick shower and settled down on the couch under a soft blanket.

  Her head was on my chest and she asked, “Chris?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You said that we’d tell the kids about the situation with us,” she said.

  “Yeah,” I answered simply.

  “What exactly is the situation?”

  I pursed my lips for a second and drew in a deep breath. “I guess we’re just taking it day by day, enjoying each other’s company, seeing where it goes.”

  She raised her head and stared at me with a confused look. “What the hell are you talking about?”

/>   I chuckled and she pressed her hand against my mouth, muffling the sound of my laughter. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away, still chuckling.

  “You’re a moron,” she muttered.

  “I was just kidding,” I said apologetically.

  “Now is not the right time to joke with me about this,” she scoffed and sat upright.

  “Why, what’s going on?”

  “I saw you today with Hunter and Amelia, and it just made me think of what an amazing father you are, and can be to Hunter, even though he’s not even yours. This whole trip was just perfect,” she said as she spoke slowly.

  “But?”

  “There’s this part of me that is still so…”

  “Scared? Overwhelmed?” I attempted to finish her sentence for her.

  She pursed her lips and nodded. She drew in a deep breath and continued, “Is that wrong of me? I mean, I told you some of my feelings last night, but you didn’t say anything in return to me. Not that I expect you to say it now, because that would only be to please me and I don’t want that.”

  “You don’t want me to please you?”

  She paused for a moment and it made me smile slyly. “That’s not what I said. I just want to know where I stand with you and where this is going, like for real.”

  I took her hand and gazed into her eyes. “There is no other woman I would want to have beside me than you. You’re the missing piece of my life I had always wished I had.”

  Her eyes softened and her lips parted slightly.

  “And I’m not just saying this to please you, or anything, but because I mean it,” I said and squeezed her hand. “Hollie?”

  “Yes?”

  “Will you be my girlfriend? Again?” I asked, and cringed at the last word.

  A smile slowly formed on her lips and she nodded. “I have waited eight stupid years to hear you say that.”

  She leaned in and kissed me. Her mouth was sweet against mine and as her lips parted, her tongue gently stroked against mine. She shifted herself onto my lap, her legs on either side of me.

  Our kisses intensified and the heat was turned up a notch, or two. Her hips moved slightly, creating friction against my groin and I groaned against her lips.