by Fawn Holman
I lift my hips, taking it all. My fingers dig into his strong shoulders as another long, loud moan pours out of me.
My walls spasm around Aiden’s thick hardness filling me. I feel like I tremble forever, swept under by the hardest, sweetest come I’ve ever had in my life.
“Nat...” Aiden gasps.
He grunts and shudders as he finishes too. He continues to shudder as his pulsing flesh floods me with his warm issue.
He groans when the last of his shudders fade. A thrill races through me at the very real possibility that Aiden got me pregnant.
I’ve never even thought that far ahead, but now that it’s possible, I absolutely love the idea of having Aiden’s baby.
Aiden slumps off of me but holds me close. He kisses my shoulder, his hand sweeping down my arm then over my stomach. Maybe he’s thinking about the implications of what we just did too.
“Maeve is going to kill me,” I say, once my breathing is under control.
Aiden chuckles. “She’s probably still waiting downstairs.”
“Do you think she heard us?”
“She definitely heard you.” He smirks. “I’m pretty sure the neighbours heard you too.”
I blush and cover my face. “Oh my god.”
He laughs and I glare at him through the gaps in my fingers. He shifts onto his side and pulls me close, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead and my nose. I feel so content in this moment although a tiny worry niggles at me.
“You’re not going to avoid me after this, right?” I ask softly.
“Never. I’m sorry I did in the first place, Natalie.” He voice is low, his stare meaningful. “I’m not an idiot anymore. There’s no confusion who you are to me.”
“Who am I to you?”
He presses another light kiss against my lips as he caresses my face. His smile and the look of adoration on his face makes my heart beat faster.
“You’re mine.”
Epilogue
Aiden
Two years later
Upstairs, the closet door thuds shut as Natalie gets ready for our date tonight.
We should have left twenty minutes ago if we wanted to make it on time for our reservation. However, ten minutes ago, Natalie just got out of the shower.
I sit patiently in the couch. By now I’ve come to realize that waiting for Natalie is always worth it. Besides, the nerves tightening my gut is glad for the delay.
When Natalie’s heels come tapping down the stairs, I rise from my seat and leave the living room to meet her in the foyer.
She’s breathtaking in a pair of tight, faded jeans and a long-sleeved beige top with a deep neckline. Her red lipstick makes me want to kiss her until it’s smeared over her plump lips.
“Baby, why do you always do this to me?” I groan, pulling her into my arms.
“What do I do to you?” she asks with a giggle, her grey eyes sparkling under the light in the foyer.
“Dress like this when we’re supposed to go out.” I slide my hands lower and cup her perfect ass as I press my face to her neck. I inhale deeply and her scent makes me harden. Fuck. She always smells amazing. Her natural scent is mixed with her buttery body lotion and fruity shampoo. “This is why we never make it out the door.”
She coils her arms around my neck, pressing her softness against me. I raise my head and kiss her as she yelps against my lips not to ruin her lipstick.
Too bad. I kiss her hard, walking her backward until I have her pinned against the wall leading up to the staircase. She shivers against me and moans into my mouth. That sweet sound drives me crazy with need to be inside her.
I’m ready to lift her and carry her to our couch when I remember tonight is a special night I want us to publicly celebrate. We can have our own private celebration afterwards.
I break our kiss and Natalie looks up at me in question.
“Why’d you stop?”
“So you can reapply your lipstick.”
“You’re just going to ruin it again.”
“I’ll behave.” I grin. “I promise.”
She releases me and takes out a packet of tissues. Together, we wipe away the smeared evidence of our kiss. While Natalie reapplies her lipstick in the mirror by the door, I reach into my pockets to make sure everything is where it should be.
Except, everything isn’t where it should be.
“Wait for me in the car,” I tell her, handing her the keys. “I’ll be right back.”
I turn and head back to the living room. It’s not in, on, around or under the couch, nor on any of the side tables. Back in the foyer, Natalie has the front door open about to leave.
“Everything OK?” she asks, her features concerned.
“Yeah. I… uhh… forgot something.” I flash a smile at her. “I’ll be there in a sec.”
My footsteps clobber up the stairs to our bedroom. First, I root around in my bedside table but come up empty. Then I search Nat’s and it’s not there either.
Mild panic sets in when I don’t find it on our dresser, in my sock drawer, in the bathroom cabinets, or even the laundry bin. It’s not in any of the pockets of my clothes or my uniforms either.
Well, fuck. I plant my hands on my hips, my chest heaving in irritation. This is not good. Where the hell could it be? Where was I when I last saw it?
I close my eyes and mentally retrace my steps. Earlier today, I was holding it in my hand. I remember looking at it and feeling both terrified and excited at what it meant.
Am I ready? I’d asked myself.
Absolutely, was the answer.
But is she?
And that question had felt like a punch to the gut. Made the anxiety stronger. I’ve loved and wanted Natalie for so long. What if I ruined a good thing I already had by wanting more?
Downstairs, the door opens and closes, and Natalie’s footsteps ascend the stairs. Her approach sets me in motion. I pace the room, trying to remember where it could possibly—
I was sitting on the bed when I last had it! Relieved, I moved to the bed. It’s not on the sheets so I drop to my knees and look under the bed. I feel around in the dark until my fingers close around the unmistakable shape.
“Aiden? What’s going on?”
I scramble out from under the bed and jerk up onto my knees. Natalie stands right in front of me. Her gaze immediately drops to the small velvet-covered black box in my hand and her eyes widen.
I sigh and shake my head. “Nat, this is not how it was supposed to—”
“Yes.”
I gape at her. “What?”
“Yes.” She steps closer. “I’ll marry you.”
My heart pounds in my chest, my brain losing the ability to properly process words.
“I… I didn’t ask the question.”
“Then ask it.”
“OK.” I lick my lips and open the box. I hold it aloft, the light above us gleaming off the white gold and diamond. “Natalie, will you marry me?”
“No.”
“What?” I gawk at her. “But you said—”
She laughs and drops to her knees before me. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she cranes her head up to kiss me deeply. Then she pulls away and gives me a sweet, adoring smile as she places her hand on my chest.
“Yes, Aiden,” she says softly. “I’ll marry you.”
After I slide the ring onto her finger, I coil my arms around her and kiss her with all the love and joy I feel in my heart.
For a few years, Natalie was just my girlfriend’s sister. Then after Vanessa and I ended it, she was my ex’s sister. The line was very clear when her identity was tied to Vanessa. I knew not to cross it.
Then Natalie became my friend. She accepted me for who I was, she cared about me, we liked a lot of the same things, she laughed at my stupid jokes, and she made me laugh too.
But that’s where the line got blurry. Eventually, she wasn’t just a friend anymore. She became this gorgeous woman who made my heart race when she smiled at me. A woman I was
willing to fight to the death to protect. The only woman I wanted.
And now she’s mine.
Mine to have.
Mine to hold.
My reward.
* * *
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Fawn Holman
I love reading and writing steamy books about forbidden love. My heroes are sweet and sexy, my heroines are silly and sassy, and my stories are written to make you smile and tingle. :)
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