by Reese Ryan
“Can I get you anything? Wine, soda, water—”
“You.” Lita allowed the robe to fall from her shoulders and drift to the ground. She sashayed over to him in her four-inch stiletto heels and glided her hands up his bare chest, flicking her thumb over his erect nipple. “Just…you.”
This time, her whisper had been intentional, and it seemed to have the desired effect. Trey slipped his hands around her waist and captured her mouth in a heated, intense kiss that made her feel hot all over. Her face and chest flushed with heat. The space between her thighs grew warm and wet, her sex pulsing with all of the pent up desire she had for this incredibly sexy man who made her feel things she hadn’t ever felt before.
He palmed her bottom, his fingertips brushing the bare skin of her cheeks, exposed by her pretty, but uncomfortable G-string.
“Oh, it’s like that, huh, babe?” Trey’s lips brushed her ear as he whispered in it and his beard scraped against her skin. He gave her bare bottom a gentle slap, and the sensation went straight to her already pulsing, needy sex.
He trailed hot kisses down her neck and over her shoulder. His fingers dug into the flesh exposed by her flimsy panties. Then he clutched the hem of the silky nightgown and slowly raised it over her head, exposing her bare breasts and the hardened nubs begging for his mouth and tongue.
Lita gasped when Trey lifted her and her sexy, fur heels fell to the floor. He carried her the few feet to his bed. He lay beside her, his warm mouth covering one of the painfully hardened peaks. He started with slow, gentle licks that progressed to greedy sucks that made her sex pulse and weep. When he glided his large hand over her belly and cupped the damp space between her thighs, she trembled.
“You are so beautiful, Lita,” Trey whispered, kissing his way down her body.
When he shoved aside the soaking-wet scrap of fabric and swiped a finger through her wetness, she couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped her mouth. But when he used all of the fingers of one hand to rub slow, deliberate circles over her engorged flesh, she shuddered and moaned. Her breathing became shallow, and her heels dug into the mattress as the circles became tighter and faster. More deliberate.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Just relax, you’re almost there.” His voice, deep and sensual, vibrated her skin. “I’m here for you. Just tell me what you need.”
She was forty-five years old and she couldn’t remember a single man ever asking that question before. Now wasn’t the time to be shy about asking for exactly what she wanted.
“Pinch my nipples. Hard. And kiss me here.” Lita tapped her slick, sensitive clit with one finger. She quivered in response to her own touch.
“That was fucking hot,” he murmured. “I’m definitely gonna want to see more of that.” A devilish grin lit his dark eyes, hooded with desire. “In fact, how about if you pinch your nipples. Hard. While I kiss you here.” He tapped his larger, heavier finger on the sensitive bundle of nerves and the sensation rippled up her spine. She let out a soft moan.
Lita studied his eyes, his request spinning in her brain. She wasn’t turned off by it. But she’d never touched herself while with a partner. She’d wanted to—so many times. Because she knew what her body needed; how to pleasure herself. But she’d always been afraid that her partner would find it insulting or perhaps intimidating. That they might worry that she didn’t really need them at all.
As she stared in Trey’s eyes, she knew that wasn’t true of him. He was a confident, giving, generous man. He wanted to bring her pleasure. Had asked what she needed because he wanted to give it to her.
Lita let her eyes drift closed as she palmed her breasts, gently at first. Then she squeezed the tight, beaded tips. Hard. The way she’d discovered that she liked it. The sensation went straight to her sex. Intensified his touch there. It felt…incredible.
“Now, open your eyes, baby,” he demanded. “I wanna watch you fall apart, Lita. And I need you to see me do it. Can you do that, sweetheart?”
Lita nodded, her eyes opening slowly. She met his sensual gaze. His eyes locked with hers as he kissed her there and his hand continued to circle her slick skin. The combination of sensations took her higher until she was teetering on the edge. Her head felt light and her legs were quaking. She was getting closer. When he sucked on the swollen nub, her eyes widened. Pleasure rocketed up her spine and she was overcome with an orgasm more intense than anything she’d ever experienced.
She screamed Trey’s name, her heart racing and her muscles tensing. Lita buried her fingers in his short hair and rode the wave of pleasure until she felt completely spent.
Trey kissed her hipbone and stared up at her with a sexy smile that only made her want him more. “Good?” he asked.
“Good?” She scoffed, her chest still heaving. “Trey, that felt incredible.”
“Watching you come apart like that.” He bit his lower lip and gave her the most wickedly delicious stare. “That was incredible, babe. And I promise you, it’s just the beginning.”
Trey climbed off the bed and stripped out of his pajama pants—the only item of clothing he was wearing. He’d yanked open the drawer beside his bed and sheathed himself in an instant. Then he climbed beneath the covers and kissed her neck and shoulder, his beard grazing her skin. He stripped off her underwear and tossed it onto the floor.
“You’re not gonna be needing those again tonight.” He grinned.
Lita couldn’t help smiling. “I like the sound of that.”
Trey lay over Lita, his weight primarily on his forearms and a light sheen of sweat above his brow. He dropped kisses on her shoulder and on her cheek before capturing her mouth in a kiss again.
God, this woman was beautiful and sensual and everything he imagined she’d be. From the moment he’d laid eyes on her, he’d know this woman had been special. It was like he’d been drawn to her. Lita Woods was a gift from the gods. A goddess of his very own.
Lita cupped his cheek, a puzzled look on her face. “What is it, babe?”
“I was thinking about the first time I saw you in that bar.” He traced her cheekbone with his thumb. “I knew then that there was something about you I simply couldn’t resist. I wasn’t sure what it was or how deep it ran. But it felt like I had to make a choice, right then and there.” He dropped another kiss on her soft, full lips.
“And what were your choices?” Lita dragged her thumb over his lower lip, then followed it with a kiss.
“Honestly?” There was a mischievous glint in his dark eyes.
She covered her face. “Okay, now, I really need to know.”
Trey’s chest felt tight, like his heart had expanded too big for the space behind his ribcage. “I could tell you were the kind of woman I could fall in love with. So my choices were to either run like hell,” he said, and she laughed, “or strap on my scuba gear and prepare to go deep.”
“Well…” She stroked his beard, her eyes glistening as she studied his face. Her expression was open and sincere. “You didn’t run, so I guess that means we’re going for a deep dive.”
“Baby, I already have,” he whispered, his lips crashing against hers as he kissed her hard and deep. Until his pulse raced and his heart hammered inside his chest. Until he’d grown painfully hard, desperate to be inside her. And it seemed she was impatient too.
Lita slid her hand between them and grasped his hardened length. She glided her fist up and down his heated flesh, and he shuddered with need.
He grabbed the base, tugging himself free of her hand and pressing the head of his dick against her entrance. She was so wet for him, which made him even harder. Trey pushed inside her, taking his time. Allowing her body to adjust to his width. Lita gripped his shoulders, her legs falling open wider to make room for him as he inched inside her. Enjoying every single moment and the little shocks of pleasure it sent up his spine. Finally, it felt like he hit bottom, and Lita’s pretty brown eyes went wide.
That’s it, baby. Right. Fucking. There.
He m
oved his hips as he hovered above her. Pulling back until only the tip remained inside her slick heat, then glided fully inside her again. Trey varied the movement of his hips as he slowly sped up the pace. Every time their sweat slick skin met, he grazed the needy bundle of nerves, likely still sensitive from his earlier teasing of it.
They moved together, their chests heaving, both of them moaning with pleasure. He was at the edge, barely able to hold on.
“Now, baby,” he murmured, his heart thudding and his pulse racing. “Show me how you touch yourself when you think of me.”
She stared at him, frozen for a moment. Hesitancy in her eyes.
“Please, babe.”
Lita stared at her trembling hand for a moment, then closed her eyes as she slipped it between them. Her head lolled back on the pillow and her mouth fell open the moment she touched her clit.
“That’s it, sweetheart.” Trey swallowed hard too as an intense wave of pleasure made its way down his spine, the sensation building. He hoped like hell he could last until she was there again. “Show me what you like.”
Lita’s movements had been tentative at first. But now her hand moved quicker and more intensely against his skin as he moved inside her. Suddenly, her hand stopped and she gripped his sides. Her mouth opened wide and her body trembled. She came hard, her inner walls spasmed and she arched her back. She dug her manicured nails into his skin as she called his name. The intense sensation pulled him over the edge with a few more thrusts of his hips.
He cursed and moaned, her name on his lips. And in his head, he said the thing he wasn’t quite ready to say aloud.
He was in love with Lita. He’d fallen for her, hard and deep, her pull on him as strong as gravity’s pull on the earth. And as far as it was up to him, he would never let her go.
Trey wanted her in his bed and in his life every single day for the rest of their lives. Because his life was so much better with her in it.
Chapter 14
Two Months Later
* * *
Lita watched as Tameeka and Jamil had their first official dance as husband and wife. It had been sweet and comical watching them trying to navigate her growing baby bump.
Trey had pulled some strings and called in a favor from a client and golf buddy—local hotelier Liam Westbrook, whose family owned the Pleasure Cove Resort. They’d managed to book an outdoor, sunset wedding ceremony followed by a small reception beneath the stars.
The weather had turned out perfect, and the end-of-summer ceremony was simple but beautiful. Meeka looked gorgeous in a boho, ivory lace, off-shoulder, fitted wedding gown with a simple mermaid silhouette. Her daughter had chosen a wedding gown that highlighted her six-and-a-half-month pregnant baby bump rather than trying to camouflage it. And she’d made the right choice. Meeka was simply stunning.
Her daughter’s skin glowed and she couldn’t ever remember seeing her happier than she was right now. Meeka’s faux locs were twisted in a lovely updo and topped by a flower crown that matched her blush bouquet and the bridesmaids’ dresses. They’d kept the wedding party small with three bridesmaids and groomsmen, including each of their siblings.
Dale had walked their daughter down the aisle, and though his girlfriend Alayna had been throwing shady looks her way all night, Lita honestly couldn’t care less. Because, like Meeka, Lita was also the happiest she’d ever been. Spending the past few months in Pleasure Cove with Trey, Jamil, and Meeka had been pure bliss.
She was supposed to be returning to Charlotte now that it was the end of summer, but Trey had suggested she stay through the birth of their grandchild at the very least. And he made a point of using every available opportunity to tell her that he loved having her there and she could stay as long as she wanted.
Lita blew a kiss to her friends—Nicole, Jillaine, and Mercedes—who were sipping champagne at their table. All three women had worked miracles to help her pull off this lovely ceremony and reception with just two months of planning. They all waved and blew kisses back.
Mercedes yelled, “We love you, girl!”
Lita pressed a hand to her chest, her heart expanding. “Love y’all, too!”
The members of the Living My Best Life Club were staying in the pool house for the wedding weekend since Jamil and Meeka had moved into their own adorable cottage—one of Trey’s rental properties.
Lita had been helping her daughter decorate the space as they prepared for the arrival of their baby, due on Christmas Eve. Meeka had enrolled for fall classes online, making it her final semester before the birth of their daughter. Then she would take off the next year or two while Jamil focused on completing his undergrad degree. So far, he’d been able to keep up with his online studies while he worked at his Uncle Ford’s garage.
“Hey, sweetheart. How is the mother of the bride doing?” Trey slipped behind her and dropped a delicate kiss on her neck. “I can tell you that you look stunning.”
“Thanks, babe.” She couldn’t help feeling a bit giggly every time he kissed her neck. She turned around and straightened his tie. “I’m doing well, and I’m happy for the kids, I really am.”
Lita realized Meeka and Jamil would have a challenging few years ahead. But they were good, sensible adults who were determined to make it on their own. And they were so in love with each other and the baby girl that they were expecting. Lita honestly couldn’t help cheering them on. But no matter what happened, she and Trey would be there for them.
“You look pretty handsome yourself, father of the groom.” She smoothed down the lapel of his tuxedo.
“Thanks. I…uh…there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” Trey loosened his tie, as if he was short of oxygen, and he look flustered. Lita had never seen him so out of sorts.
“What’s the matter, babe? Are your parents okay?” She glanced in the direction of his aged parents who’d driven up from Florida with his sister for the wedding.
“My parents are fine,” he said. “That’s not what I wanted to—”
“Mom! Your granddaughter is sitting directly on my bladder. I need to go to the bathroom. Can you help me with this dress?” Meeka waddled over in her swollen, bare feet; her shoes long abandoned. “Now. Please?”
Her daughter was fidgeting like she had when she was a little girl and had waited too long to find a bathroom.
“Of course, sweetheart.” Lita followed her daughter and called over her shoulder to Trey, “I’ll be back in a sec, then I’m all yours, I promise.”
She hurried off to help her daughter. Once that emergency was handled, she tried to make her way back to Trey but got caught up in one conversation after another with friends, family, and the catering staff. When she got back to the spot where she’d last seen Trey, he wasn’t there.
Lita scanned the guests, looking for him and hoping everything was all right. Trey was pretty laid back, so it worried her that he’d seemed so stressed on such a happy night.
“Lita, could I talk to you for a sec?”
Dale. A knot formed in Lita’s stomach and her shoulders stiffened. She released a quiet sigh, then turned to face him. He was standing in the shadows, calling her in a loud whisper. That meant he didn’t want his little girlfriend to see him talking to her.
“Yes, Dale. What is it?” She folded her arms, already over his tired games.
He gestured for her to come closer. Her first thought was to tell him to take a long walk off a short pier, but it was their daughter’s wedding, and she wanted this day to be perfect. So instead, she sucked in a deep breath and walked over to where he stood.
“Walk with me?”
“Dale, unless this is really important—”
“It is,” he assured her quickly. “Please. I just need five minutes.”
“Five minutes.” She huffed. They walked a few yards away from where Meeka and Jamil’s reception was being held before she stopped abruptly and turned to him. “Now, what is so—”
“Lita, I need to apologize.”
&n
bsp; “For what?”
“For being a selfish, self-absorbed, crappy husband.” Dale shoved his hands into the pockets of his tuxedo pants. He looked like he’d been called to the principal’s office.
“Thanks?” It was the polite response to the apology she’d wanted so desperately since well before their marriage ended. But now that he’d uttered the words, they just felt hollow. She didn’t even doubt that he meant them. At this point in her life, she realized that she just didn’t care anymore. “I appreciate that, Dale. But it isn’t necessary.”
“Yes, Lita, it is.” He stepped closer and held her hand. “I never understood what I put you through until now. Being in a relationship with someone like that…it’s miserable. Absolute torture.” He ran a hand over his head. “I know I was restless and demanding. I thought I needed…that I wanted something else. Something I thought I’d get from someone younger and more exciting.”
This apology was taking a nosedive fast. She jerked her hand back.
“I accept your apology, Dale. Okay? So you can go back to your little—”
“That’s just it. It’s over between me and Alayna, at least it is for me. She keeps insisting we can fix this, but we can’t. Because I don’t want to be with her anymore, Lita. What I want is…you. What we had. Our family. We’re about to have our first grandchild, and it’s made me realize that it’s you I’ve always loved. It’s you I want to grow old with. To dote on our grandbabies with.”
She backed away from him. “Dale, are you drunk?”
“A little, maybe. But that’s not why I’m saying this…well, it is. But not because I don’t mean it. Because seeing you—the beautiful, intelligent, sweet, incredible mother of my children—made me realize that I needed to tell you what I’m feeling. What I’ve been wanting to say for so long,” he stammered, his voice filled with emotion. “You, Lita, were the love of my life. And I didn’t realize what a lucky bastard I was until now. So what I’m asking is for you to give me another chance to prove that I deserve you.”