by Snow Novels
The sound of the shower turning on surprised me. Setting my tea and book down, I got out of bed, slowly creeping out into the hall. He was awake, and the justification of not going out into the living room to talk to him because he was sleeping no longer applied.
Nervous, I go back in and get my tea before returning to the hall, walking out into the living room and taking a seat on the couch to wait for him. Ten minutes later he came out, toweling his wet hair. He stopped in his tracks, surprise written all over his face when he saw me.
He flushed. “Sorry, showering always helps me sober up; I didn’t mean to cross a line.”
"No, it's fine," I waved off, "it's a shower, as long as you didn't use up my entire bottle of new shampoo there's not a problem."
He smiles, walking over to the couch and taking a seat next to me.
“You okay?” he asks me, genuine concern written all over his face.
I don’t answer for a long time, biting my lip as I mull over what to say. “I haven’t been fair to you, or completely honest,” I say after a moment.
His eyebrows furrow, a small dip appearing between his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I broke off contact with you after high school and have kind of been like the ice queen toward you and it isn’t fair. It’s just . . .” I trail off, taking a deep breath before I continue. “I care for you, a lot, I have since high school and still do, but, you were moving on to bigger and better things; I thought keeping in touch would only hold you back.”
His eyes soften and he reaches over to take my hand in his. “You don’t know how amazing it is to hear that,” he murmurs. “All this time I thought I was pining after someone that only considered me an afterthought, a past mistake. To hear you say that . . . there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought about you. There’s no way you would ever hold me back. If anything, you inspire me to be my best.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” I say, feeling self-conscious but also more comfortable than I’ve felt in so long.
“Fuck,” Chris says, shaking his head, “I really want to kiss you right now.”
I grin. “Then do it.”
His lips on mine were like a spark of electricity jolting throughout my body. His mouth was rough but strong, moving against mine softly as he gently coaxed my lips apart. I melted against him, my hand coming up to wind in his hair as his strong hands planted themselves on my hips, pulling me into him.
His body is hot and familiar against mine as I move to straddle his lap, his hands sliding down to rest carefully, but also intently, on my thighs, moving back and forth as they creep closer to my crotch with each upward motion.
Our tongues dance together as he pulls me flush against him, my breasts tight against his strong chest as one of his hands creeps around my back to slip under my shirt. I smile against his lips as I feel an insistent erection pressing into me.
“Bedroom?” I whisper.
“Fuck yes,” he growls, my legs wrapping around him as he picks me up and carries me determinedly to the bedroom.
Chapter 10
Her body felt so good against mine. Her hair pillowed out beneath her on the bed like a halo as she looked at me, a small smile on her lips as her hands ran down my chest.
“Take off your shirt,” she said, voice breathy as her eyes locked on mine. I hurried to oblige, feeling like it was my first time all over again with how nervous I felt despite how many people I’d been with.
Her lips were like fire, moving against mine in a familiar rhythm before trailing down my neck, leaving a streak of flames in their wake.
I helped her out of her pajama shorts and tank top and realized I had never been so aroused in my life. She undid my belt and button of my jeans with deft hands as I gently bit at her neck, her groans of pleasure like music to my ears.
I hear her rummage in the bedside table beside her and the next thing I feel is the cool plastic package of a condom in my hand. Fuck, this was really happening.
I made quick work of my pants and boxers and my heart rate sped up by about ten times as she slowly, painstakingly put the condom on me, giving a teasing little twist of her hand in the process.
She was liquid heat around me, and I had to fight to keep it together. Her arms wrapped around me, her nails lightly digging into my back as she moved against me, arching into me with every thrust.
She buried her face in my shoulder, shaking as we moved together, her muffled moans vibrating against my skin. My lips found her as I slowly thrust in, feeling the telltale warmth in the pit of my stomach.
Her lips ghosted against the crest of my ear, gently biting on the lobe as she whispered, “Cum for me.”
And just like that, I did. I had never felt like I did right then, clenching my eyes as I shivered with the force of it, my vision going white for a moment. I collapsed on the bed next to her, my trembling arms no longer able to hold me up as the rest of my body suddenly felt liquefied.
She pressed a gentle kiss to my chest, lying on top of me as she cuddled against my side.
“That was—”
“Wow,” she said, finishing my thoughts.
I grinned, feeling giddy. “Yeah, that was wow.”
It had never happened before, but in a matter of minutes, I was out like a light, drifting into waves of pleasant dreams with the gentle breathing of her own sleep lulling me into unconsciousness.
Chapter 11
I wake up to the smell of bacon and eggs, groggily sitting up as I blink and look around the bedroom. The space next to me on the bed is empty, and I have a brief moment of panic before I hear a deep laugh coming from the living room.
Getting up, I put on the pajamas that had been discarded the night before and wrapped my night coat around me loosely before heading out into the living room.
The sight that met my eyes took my breath away. There, sitting in the living room were Chris and Lucy, playing with her set of princess dolls. The look on Chris’ face was amused while Lucy looked absolutely thrilled.
“Mommy!” Lucy said as she ran to greet me, wrapping her little arms around my legs in a hug.
"Hey sweet girl," I say, picking her up and balancing her on my hip. "What are you two up to?"
“Chris helped me make breakfast for you! We made you bacon and eggs and toast for you. Oh, and orange juice!” she said excitedly.
“For me?” I laugh, walking into the kitchen as Chris follows us.
He scratches the back of his head bashfully, a habit he always had when he was nervous. “I would have made something fancier, but I’m not really a pro in the kitchen.”
“No, it’s wonderful,” I say, taking it all in. To be honest, no one had done something so sweet for me in a long time. “Thank you.”
He grins, looking extremely proud of himself in a way that I find adorable.
“Well, I better get going, I have to go pick up my tux with Randy, but I’ll pick you up for the rehearsal dinner later tonight around seven?”
“Sounds good,” I smiled, letting Lucy down to hug him before he left.
The smile didn’t leave my face for the rest of the morning.
Chapter 12
Picking up and trying on the tuxedos with Randy was a painstaking process. He was just as much of a pretentiously conscious dresser as I had initially expected him to be. Every other word out of his mouth was judgmental of the size and fit of the tux and honestly, after the first five minutes, I had begun tuning him out.
Ignoring Randy allowed my thoughts to drift, and they couldn’t help drifting to Anna’s daughter Lucy. The little girl was amusing, I’d give her that. She had been so excited when I agreed to play princess with her after she had timidly asked me, and had been almost equally excited to do something nice for her mom, saying that Anna worked too hard.
But there was another thought related to Lucy that I just couldn’t shake. Anna and I had slept together her senior year of high school and it had been amazing. I had never felt so connected to another person b
efore. That had been approximately nine months prior to just how old Lucy was currently. And she looked like a combination of Anna and me. She had my hair and Anna’s eyes.
Had Lucy been the reason that Anna had given up music? And why had she never told anyone about her? But, more importantly, if Lucy was my daughter, why had she never told me? The more I thought about it, and the more the possibilities came to me and the heavier the gravity of the situation weighed on me, the angrier I felt.
The anger grew into fury that I had to swallow down, trying to keep myself in check. But that was hard, particularly with Randy. The more he talked, the more he grated on my nerves. I couldn't stand to listen to him. Each word, question, and complaint that came out of his mouth made me want to punch him. No matter what he did or said, it rubbed me the wrong way.
The end of the fitting session couldn't come soon enough, and the two-hour appointment had felt more like two years. Finally, I could leave. Stalking out of the building, I headed straight toward my car with a clipped parting word to Randy. My mood was foul and there didn't seem to be much of a chance of changing it. If Lucy was mine, why hadn't I been told? I couldn't imagine any justification that Anna could have, but whatever it was, I didn't think I wanted to hear it.
Angry, and with a newfound chip on my shoulder, I drove back home to get some rest before the big rehearsal that night.
Chapter 13
Something felt off. Chris came to pick me up, at seven sharp, dressed to the nines in a well-tailored suit that made him look like more of a model than he did every day. He had smiled and high-fived Lucy when she had run up to say hi and had said that he couldn't play princess tonight good-naturedly, but as soon as the door shut behind us the smile disappeared and he looked stoic as ever. Back rigid, tension rolling off of him in waves, we walked in silence toward his car where he politely, but impersonally, held the door open for me before walking around the car and getting behind the wheel.
“How’d the tux fitting go?” I asked, trying to break some of the tension.
“Fine,” he said, a muscle twitching in his jaw as he focused on the road.
The rest of the ride is surrounded in an uncomfortable silence, Chris looking straight ahead on the street while I look out the window, mulling everything over. An acute sense of guilt hits me, making me shift in my chair uncomfortably while I glance over at him every few minutes.
I couldn’t help thinking that he knew. I had felt guilty enough the night before about lying to him about Lucy, but now I felt as though he had figured it out, and found me out as a liar. It wouldn’t be that hard to believe. Chris was a smart guy, and Lucy looked so much like him; I’d seen that every day as she grew up.
We arrived at the rehearsal dinner ten minutes later, Chris parking the car and opening the door for me once again, ignoring my quiet ‘thank you’.
We walked in together, smiling as soon as we stepped over the door’s threshold and plastering on the fake cheer to greet people, fielding the questions and greetings with ease, never straying too far from one another but not talking with each other either.
The night was uncomfortable, to say the least. I hardly saw Charlotte with how busy and enveloped in the crowds she was. I spotted Chris out of the corner of my eye. I was getting a bit concerned. I was on my second glass of champagne, but I’d lost track of the glasses of scotch Chris had downed like water.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” Chris said, swaying on his feet imperceptibly after the dinner finished and everyone milled around to talk before leaving.
I flush, staring around to make sure no one had overheard. Apparently the alcohol had put him in a better mood than earlier.
“Chris . . .”
"You're honestly the hottest woman here," he says, speaking directly into my ear, making me shiver.
“Chris, we’re in public.”
“Then let’s go somewhere private,” he murmured, slipping his strong hand into mine as he began to subtly lead me out of the room, smiling and nodding at people in way of goodbye as we left.
I had always thought the movies were exaggerating when they would show couples having car sex with the windows fogged up. But, as my hand left a streak down the misty window, I was suddenly convinced.
Chris was so passionate, gripping onto me tightly as I straddled him, peppering kisses along my throat and jaw as his hands touched me everywhere.
I was taking my dress off before I was even conscious of what I was doing, throwing it somewhere on the front seat and he began to leave a trail of kisses along my chest.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Chris says, breathing heavily as he stops my hands from where they had been working to unbutton his shirt.
“What, what’s wrong?” I ask breathlessly, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
“I . . .” he begins, not sure where to start. “I don’t know where to begin or what to say I just. . . I missed you so much, but I know that you aren’t telling me the truth, and I just need you to level with me.”
“Level with you?”
“Don’t do that, please,” Chris said, gently moving me off his lap to sit facing him on the seat beside him.
Suddenly feeling self-conscious, I reach back and get my dress, tugging it back on.
“Chris—”
“Just tell me the truth. Is Lucy mine?”
I freeze, feeling like a deer caught in headlights, my throat closing up as I struggle for words.
“Yes, she’s your daughter.”
He’s quiet for a long moment, his eyes closing as he thinks.
“Why?” he asked simply.
I bite my lip, feeling like the ground iss opening up under me. "You had a football scholarship and had scouts all over you. All you ever talked about was getting out of this place. When I found out that I was pregnant, I knew if I told you we would only hold you back. I couldn't do that to you."
“It wasn’t your decision to make, not alone. She’s my daughter, I should have at least been told,” he said, looking at me like I’d punched him in the gut.
He sighed heavily, shaking his head. “Come on, I’ll take you home,” he murmured, opening the door and walking around to the front seat.
Feeling as though I was going to cry, I followed suit and climbed into the passenger seat, unable to meet his gaze.
As we drove through the night in silence, much like the trip earlier, my mind swam with anxiety. When we pulled up to my building, he wouldn’t even look at me.
Muttering a quiet ‘goodnight’, I watched him drive off, wondering if I would ever see him again.
Chapter 14
I knock on the door, filled with nervousness as I wait. It had been a long two days, my thoughts running around and around in my head as I mulled over everything.
After what felt like a lifetime, Anna opens the door, face equally apprehensive as she looks at me.
“Can I come in?” I ask, hoping for the life of me that she’ll say yes.
She hesitates for a long moment before nodding in agreement. “Sure, come in, the babysitter’s not here yet anyway.”
“Lucy, go to your room,” Anna says, as I follow in behind her.
“Wait, no, please. She should be here for this too.”
“Chris—”
“Just trust me for a sec, okay?”
She looks doubtful, but, after a quick glance at our daughter, she nods. “Alright, you can stay Lucy, but be good.”
Lucy nods excitedly, clamoring up onto the couch where her mom and I sit and climbing into Anna’s lap.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately," I begin, feeling more nervous than I've ever felt in my life. She nods, cautious. "And I've realized that you've always been the one. There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought of you. I know that I love you, and you're the one for me. You mean everything to me. Both of you," I say, looking directly at Lucy. "And I won't let you go again. If you'll have me, if both of you will have me, I'd like to be together, to be a family."
; Anna’s eyes are wide, and she looks at me almost uncomprehendingly.
“Please say something,” I say nervously.
“Say something mommy,” Lucy urges, looking up at her.
I see tears in the corners of her eyes and start to freak out before she leans in and kisses me. So fast that I’m honestly shocked.
She grins, leaning back in to give me a second kiss that I’m more prepared for, ignoring Lucy’s squeal of ‘cooties!’
“Yes, that’s what I’ve always wanted, but are you sure?”
“I’ve never been surer of something in my life. Now, Lucy,” I say, turning to my daughter, “go put on your best princess outfit because we’ve got a wedding to go to, and we’re going as a family.”
As Lucy runs off excitedly to her room to change, and as Anna gets on the phone with the babysitter, her hand tightly in mine, I realize that I’ve never felt so good in my life. That things had never felt so right. And, looking at the love of my life and my daughter as we prepared to leave, I knew right then, that this is what I had been waiting for. And I’d be dammed if I would ever let it go.
THE END
MAIN STORY 2
BUCKED IN LOVE: BREAKING THE WILD BILLIONAIRE COWBOY
Chapter 1
Jaclynn Mathers watched the cowboy get thrown from the bull and cringed. She couldn't imagine what it was like to have every bone in your body broken and didn't want to. The cowboy stood up, brushed himself off, and waved at the crowd. He must have muscles of steel, she thought, watching him walk off as if nothing had happened.
She looked around the rodeo, searching the crowd for Tom. He'd already been pretty buzzed when he'd left her, and she hoped he wasn't sitting up there somewhere pouring drink after drink down his throat. He'd been gone for almost a half hour now.
Jaclynn watched as a new cowboy walked towards the bull to try his luck. She didn't know what was stupider, the men who insisted on risking their lives for no reason except vanity, or the people who paid to watch them do it. She didn't count herself amongst the latter—it was Tom who had paid for this questionable entertainment, not her. And now he was missing the whole thing.