by Alicia Rae
My muscles contracted around him, and I was already feeling my next orgasm building. He quickened his pace, pounding in and out of me, and I matched his rhythm. Then, his hands held my waist as he shifted his angle until he hit impossibly deep inside me. I heard a primal growl rip through him right before my world fell away into the background, and I came so intensely that I could barely breathe. He followed me over the edge, and we tipped over the peak together.
I lowered my head into the crook of his neck, and I inhaled the smell of him. His hands ran up and down my back with a soothing, graceful motion. We stayed like this, locked in our embrace, until our heartbeats were even and steady.
He repositioned himself and rested his forehead against mine. “Can you stand yet?”
“My legs might wobble a bit, but I think I can manage it,” I teased lightly.
Damon backed away and disposed of the condom. I rose to my feet as he reached for a towel on a nearby rack. He draped it around me and swooped me into his arms.
“I was teasing!” I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck. I tipped my head to the right and asked, “What about my shower?”
“We can take one later,” he replied, striding toward the bedrooms. “First, I need to finish devouring every inch of you.”
“Oh…then hurry,” I said in delight.
~Damon~
I opened my eyes to see Gail sound asleep on her pillow, lying next to me, with her arm resting on my chest. I smiled over at her, daydreaming of what an amazing woman she was and how perfect these past few days with her had been. It gave me hope that she would let me in.
Last night though, her boss, Greg, had called and asked her if she would be okay with taking today off. Gail hadn’t known I was paying attention, and I’d watched as her face furrowed in disappointment and filled with nervousness for a brief moment. In a sincere and compassionate voice, she’d told him she understood and not to worry about her.
I was quickly learning that Gail was an unbelievably kindhearted and caring woman, always putting other people’s needs in front of her own. While it was admirable, I could not help but wonder who took care of her when she needed it.
That was about to change because I wanted to be that person for her. I had no explanation for the peculiar urge inside me, but every waking minute I spent with her intensified it, and I was smart enough not to fight against myself.
After I drank in my full of the sleeping beauty next to me, I slowly slipped her hand off of me, careful not to wake her, and I tiptoed out of my room as quietly as two hundred and fifteen pounds of muscle could move. I walked into the kitchen, contemplating how I could brighten her day. I’d already gotten the okay from Jason to take today off, so now, I needed to figure out what on earth to do in hopes of making it special for Gail.
Above the fridge, there was a big brown picnic basket. I grinned as a plan came together in my mind. I grabbed the basket and set it on the counter.
Shit.
Now, I needed fancy food, which was not my forte. I reached for the loaf of bread on the top of the microwave and took out the ingredients for peanut butter and jelly since we were out of ham. I got to work, making two sandwiches as neatly as possible. Then, I slipped each one into a Ziploc bag and set them on the counter.
Once I searched through the kitchen to find plastic cups, paper plates, and utensils, I dropped each one of the items into the bottom of the basket before adding apples, strawberries, chopped cantaloupe, a bottle of champagne, and of course—my favorite—chocolate. I arranged them so that they would not squish each other. I glanced down into the basket, hoping I had everything for today. Then, I went into Gail’s room, so I would not disturb her in mine, and I snatched a throw blanket off her bed. I placed all the items on the kitchen table and went back to wake her.
I slowly climbed onto my bed, lying on my stomach with my elbows out in front of me, and gazed down at her. She was out cold on her back.
“Time to wake up, sleeping beauty,” I murmured gently, brushing a tendril of hair off her forehead.
She opened her stunning brown eyes and stared up at me as a soft smile spread across her face. I longed to kiss her, but if I did that, we would never make it out of this bed.
“Morning,” she said.
“Good morning,” I responded, caressing the smooth skin of her cheek. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Really?” She wrapped her arms around me to bring me closer as her eyes filled with excitement. “What kind of surprise?”
“I can’t tell you.” I shook my head. “I have to show you.”
“Are you keeping secrets from me?” she teased, poking me in the chest with her tiny finger.
“A surprise is hardly a secret.” I caved and kissed her just once. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go. The day is wasting away.”
“All right. Give me ten minutes, and we’ll be out the door.” She gave me a kiss of her own before jumping out of my bed.
I chuckled under my breath as I realized I had yet to dress myself. I threw on a pair of jeans and a black tee. I grabbed my truck keys and wallet off my dresser before slipping them into my pockets.
I strolled over to the door as Gail skidded to a stop, and she let out a deep breath. She had already changed into sexy cutoffs and a light tank top that accentuated her breasts. She beamed my way, showing off her breathtaking smile.
God…she’s beautiful.
“I’m ready!” she exclaimed.
Unable to resist her, I closed the distance between us and kissed her. Her delicate lips parted, letting me in to stroke my tongue over hers.
“Mmm…” she breathed after I reluctantly let her go. “What was that for?”
“Because I can, and I wanted to.” I grinned devilishly at her, and then I made my mind focus back on the task at hand. “Come on.”
She followed me into the kitchen and gasped when she saw the basket. She spun around to face me and asked, “A picnic?”
“Yes,” I answered with a hint of coyness.
I silently regarded her as many emotions flitted across her face. A hint of moisture filled her eyes, but she blinked rapidly while keeping her eyes on me.
“Thank you,” she spoke softly. “No matter what you have planned, thank you for thinking of me today.”
Her reaction seemed as though no one had ever taken such measures to romance her as a woman should be, and it pissed me off to think she had been treated with less than she deserved. A primal response inside me wanted to hunt down the last fucker she’d dated and beat his ass.
I returned my attention to her. “You’re welcome.”
She glanced between the basket and me with speculation. “Wait, when did you do all of this?”
“This morning while you were sleeping.”
Her expression lifted. “Wow,” she said, stunned. “You must have been really quiet. Normally, I wake up because you stomp around like an ox.”
“I do not,” I lied playfully before tugging her out the door.
Gail gasped from the passenger side of my truck as we passed a horse ranch, thinking we were going there. Her eyes stayed locked on the place as we continued to drive by.
“Do you like horses?” I asked.
“I love them, but I’ve never ridden one before.” She let out a dreamy sigh. “It’s at the top of my bucket list though.”
“What else is on that bucket list of yours?” I asked curiously, keeping my eyes on the road.
“Oh, the usual, I guess.” She shifted in her seat. “Horseback riding, bungee jumping, sky diving, parasailing, visiting an island and swimming with dolphins or maybe sharks.”
I gave her a sideways glance. “Quite the daredevil, aren’t you?”
“Nope.” She laughed. “That’s why it’s a bucket list. Most people don’t end up doing everything on their lists. They just dream about it. Have you ever been on a horse before?”
“No, I like to ride predictable things with wheels.” I grinned.
“You
do realize they actually train the horses, right?” she asked jokingly.
I nodded. “I do, but I’d rather be in complete control. Engines don’t have a mind of their own—unlike a horse who might see a hawk and run off scared with me on its back.”
I quickly glanced at her to see her face lighting up with amusement.
“So, you’ll get on a dirt bike or a four-wheeler, knowing you could fall and break a bone, but you won’t ride a tame horse along a trail with a beautiful sunset?”
“Exactly,” I scoffed.
Gail snickered in her seat as we pulled up under a bridge. I parked the truck and stepped out to grab our stuff from the backseat. Gail exited her side of the vehicle.
Together, we walked hand in hand to the edge of the water until we found a flat spot. I laid out the blanket, sat down with my legs out in front of me, and gestured for Gail to sit in between my legs. After she took a seat, I pulled her close, so I could feel her warm body against me.
The sun was beating through the clouds, and the slight wind created ripples in the lake. I could hear the faint sound of the breeze shifting the branches of the trees. With no one around us, the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.
“How did you find this place?” Gail asked, snuggling into me.
“I had some free time on my first trip to Lake Tahoe when Jason and I came to look at the office and visit Lily,” I explained, staring out at the blue water that went out farther than I could see. “I took the back roads and just cruised with no destination in mind, and this is where I ended up.”
“I can see why you wanted to come back,” Gail responded, gazing around in awe.
“Yeah, there was just something about this place,” I answered, peering down at her. “What about you? Where do you go in your free time?”
“I’ve never really had extra time until recently. But when I do, I usually visit my family, Abbey, or Audrey.”
“Who’s Audrey?” I inquired.
“A dear childhood friend of mine. She’s supposed to be coming home soon. You’ll really like her. Everyone does,” she said with affection in her voice.
“I can’t wait to meet her then,” I said, lifting my hands to rub each of her arms.
My stomach rumbled, making Gail laugh.
“Time to eat?” she questioned.
“It appears that way.” I chortled.
Gail and I both sat up, slightly facing each other. I reached into the basket and pulled out all the food, dividing it between the two of us. She opened her sandwich and peeked between the slices of bread.
“Peanut butter and jelly?” she asked in a sweet tone that I felt all the way in my chest. She looked up at me, her eyes glowing, as she took a small bite.
“Yeah,” I admitted sheepishly as I poured us each a glass of champagne. “That’s about as far as my gourmet skills go.”
“It’s delicious and perfect,” she said after swallowing. “I used to live on these as a kid.”
“Me, too.” I chuckled, digging right into my sandwich. “And I need all the protein I can get to keep up with Jason at work.”
Gail peered at me over her food. “So, how are things going with work?”
“I really enjoy it, even the labor.” I grinned. “But next week, I start designing my first building for the company. It’s a new local middle school.”
“Wow.” She took a sip of her drink. “That’s amazing. It must be very rewarding to be a part of such an important process.”
“It is.” I nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve done a few in the past, but they were smaller in size, so it’s really neat to be a part of this one.”
“What other schools have you done?” Gail asked, sounding intrigued.
It made me feel good to see her interested in my job.
“I did a tech college in Chicago, a small elementary school in Denver, and an autism academy here in Lake Tahoe.”
Gail gasped as her eyes bulged over her glass. “You worked on E2 Excellence in Education?”
“Yeah,” I acknowledged as we finished up eating. “You know the place?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed. “Caroline was just accepted there! It’s supposed to be a wonderful program.”
“I only helped design the building, but I heard the program has some of the best trained teachers in the field,” I responded honestly while pondering.
“I’m so happy for her,” Gail crooned.
I deliberated over what Abbey had said to me that day back at the office about Gail helping her family and struggling financially. I guessed that if she was assisting her sister’s schooling at all, E2 Excellence in Education was very expensive. It was a top-of-the-line school but costly. Gail’s endearing generosity for her family made my admiration and respect of her increase to all new heights. It took a certain kind of person to be so giving and to put someone else’s needs in front of her own.
I pushed all the food aside and gently laid her down on the blanket while climbing on top of her. My eyes roamed as my hands traveled over the contours of her beautiful face.
I shook my head in awe of her. “You’re amazing,” I breathed. “You know that, don’t you?”
Her expression sobered as she ran her hands up and down my sides. Her touch ignited my skin.
“So are you,” was all she got out before I spent the next few hours kissing and holding her.
All the while, I silently thanked Abbey for bringing Gail into my life.
~Gail~
“Don’t forget to read The Princess and the Frog to her before bed. It’s her favorite story,” Abbey said, putting the book into Pearl’s bag for our sleepover.
“Read The Princess and the Frog.” I made a mental note. “Got it,” I said.
“And please make sure she takes a bath at least thirty minutes before bedtime, so her hair can dry,” Abbey continued thoughtfully.
“Thirty minutes. Okay, so seven thirty,” I rambled to myself, adding it to my checklist.
“Oh! And make sure she has a night-light on. She’s scared of the dark.”
I stifled a laugh and could not resist the urge to tease Abbey. “Are you sure you don’t want to write an actual list for me, Mother Hen?”
Abbey rolled her eyes at me. “You’ll understand how difficult it is to spend one night away from your child when you have one someday,” she chided good-naturedly.
“Whoa,” I exhaled, putting my hands in front of me. “Let’s just practice having sleepovers for the time being.”
Abbey laughed. “Speaking of sleepovers…” She speculatively stared at me. “How is the living arrangement with Damon going?”
“Good,” I replied, being evasive since Jason and Pearl were in the living room.
“Is that a good or a good?” she probed while making goofy animations with her face.
“Um…definitely the latter of the two.” I grinned, blushing.
“Ah,” Abbey purred enthusiastically. “I expect an update on that very soon.” She winked.
“Let me know when you can carve some free time into that crazy schedule of yours, and we’ll have a lunch date,” I said.
Abbey zipped up Pearl’s sleepover bag and handed it to me. “It’s a date.”
She headed for the door, and I followed.
“But first, I have a date with my fiancé.”
Jason walked up to Abbey and me, holding Pearl over his shoulder. Her sweet laughter filled the room.
“I’m missing a person who’s about yay high.” He pointed to his lower chest. “She loves princesses, and her favorite color is pink. Can you help me find her? I think I might have lost her.”
“Hmm…” Abbey and I murmured in unison. We looked around and then at each other.
“Mommy!” Pearl squealed, her hands flaring at Jason’s sides as she hung upside down.
“No, I don’t see anyone,” I said.
Abbey gasped at Jason. “You lost our daughter?”
“On accident!” Jason chuckled.
“I’m right here
, Daddy!” Pearl snickered.
“Where?” Jason replied, spinning around with her. He rotated again, lifted one hand, and started tickling her. “Oh, wait! Never mind, I found her!”
“Stop! Stop!” Pearl cried, laughing uncontrollably.
Jason set Pearl down on her feet, and she gazed up at him with love in her eyes.
“I’m gonna miss you, Daddy.”
“Me, too, Princess,” he replied, hugging her.
Abbey walked over to them. “I hope you have lots of fun with Gail,” she said, embracing Pearl before giving her a kiss. “Love you, Princess.”
“Love you, too,” Pearl said to Abbey before turning to beam up at me.
“Ready?” I asked, smiling.
“Oh yeah!” Pearl bounced on the balls of her feet. She grabbed her overnight bag from Abbey and ambled to the door.
I waved good-bye to the two lovebirds before heading out after Pearl.
After taking Pearl out for pizza, we arrived at my apartment. We still had some time before Damon would come home from his business meeting with Kyle, so Pearl and I popped in a Disney soundtrack and started making a fort in the living room. We draped and secured blankets over the love seat, and Pearl said we would be sleeping in the fort tonight. I even lucked out and found a flashlight and a night-light in my closet, so Pearl wouldn’t be scared in the dark.
After her bath, we each slipped into a cozy pair of pajamas. Returning to the front of the couch, we snuggled into the array of blankets, and I started to read her a bedtime story. Pearl intently listened to each page, and she even recited a few pages by heart. By the time we finished, Damon walked into the apartment, carrying a stack of folders in one hand and a bag in his other.
“Hey, Uncle Damon!” Pearl exclaimed with excitement, running to him.
Damon set down his items and caught her, hugging her tightly. “Hey, Princess,” he said, drawing back. “Are you having fun on your sleepover?”
“Yep!” She beamed up at her uncle.
I watched the two of them, observing how great he was with her. The endearment made my heart swell.