by Penelope Sky
Bones pulled his head back so he could look at me, his palm cupping my cheek. His thumb brushed away the tears that streamed down my cheeks. He’d only showed his emotion twice in our relationship, both times was when he almost lost me. That emotion wasn’t there now, but I knew that didn’t mean he wasn’t happy. He kissed a new tear that just fell from my eye. He gathered it on his lips before he moved to my other cheek and kissed me again.
“I wish I would stop crying…I can’t help it.”
“You know I like it when you cry,” he whispered so only I could hear. He finally kissed me on the mouth, giving me a PG kiss that was appropriate for the rest of the family to witness. “You’re mine…for the rest of your life.”
“Even if you gave me a choice, I would still want to be yours for the rest of my life.”
He finally gave a slight smile. “A man doesn’t give his woman a choice. He loves her without permission. He protects her without her watching. And he remains faithful to her when she’s not looking. You’re my prisoner…but I’m glad you’re a willing prisoner.”
Twenty-Five
Carter
I woke up Sunday morning with Mia beside me, buck naked and beautiful. I was on my back with her pressed into my side, his leg hooked between my knees. Her arm was draped around my torso.
She was all over me.
Luca fell asleep early last night on the couch, so Mia tucked him into bed before she joined me in my bedroom upstairs.
And I’d made love to her all night long.
My eyes had barely been open for a few seconds before there was a knock on the door. “Mom?” Luca’s gentle voice came through the door on the other side of the room. “Mom?”
I sighed and pulled Mia tighter against me, not wanting to give her up so soon. It wasn’t even eight in the morning, and Luca was wide awake.
Luca knocked again. “Mom?”
Mia finally woke up, no longer able to ignore the sound of her son’s voice. “I’ll be there in a second, baby.”
Luca’s footsteps finally trailed away as he ran down the hallway.
She sat up in bed and ran her fingers through her messy hair.
“Does that mean we’re busted?” My hand reluctantly let her go, my fingers aching for her the second she was gone from my embrace.
“He’s pretty smart for an eight-year-old. I think he already knew.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No.” She stood up and pulled her clothes on from the floor. “He’ll have to get used to it. He likes you, so I’m sure it’s fine.”
“Has he ever met any of the other men you’ve…” I couldn’t finish the sentence because I got jealous just thinking about the other men she’d been with. I’d slept with more women than I could count so it was hypocritical of me to care, but I couldn’t help it. Now that she was mine, I didn’t want to think about anyone else who had been before me.
“No. Luca has never seen the other men I dated. I always kept them separate.”
“So I’m the only man he’s ever seen you with?”
She leaned over the bed and kissed me before she headed to the door. “Yes…egomaniac.”
I smacked her ass before she got too far away. “I like that.”
“I’m going to get breakfast started. You want the usual?”
“Sure.”
She smiled before she walked out.
I lay in bed a little longer, knowing she would want to have Luca brush his teeth and get dressed before he went downstairs to the kitchen. Now that Mia and I were more open about our relationship, it didn’t make sense to keep them on the second floor. If something bad ever happened, I would be too far away to do anything. Perhaps I should move Luca’s bedroom across the hall from mine that way they could both be close by.
I got dressed and headed downstairs. Before I descended the final floor, I could smell the coffee and bacon. I headed into the kitchen and saw Luca sitting on one of the barstools at the kitchen island with a coloring book in front of him. He was coloring in a large T-Rex.
“Hey, little man.” I rubbed his head gently as I looked down at his drawing. “Pretty cool.”
“Thanks, Carter.” He handed me a crayon. “You wanna try?”
“Maybe after breakfast.” I moved around the kitchen island and came to Mia’s side as she stood at the stove. She was whipping up French toast, eggs, and bacon. “Something smells good.”
“Are you talking about the food or me?” She flipped the bread in the pan.
I grinned. “Both.”
She scooped the food onto a plate and then placed it in front of Luca. “Eat up. All of it. You didn’t eat your dinner last night.”
Luca must have been hungry because he didn’t make a complaint.
She came back to me and poured me a cup of coffee. “Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”
“Alright.” Instead of walking into the dining room, I remained beside her and sipped my coffee.
“You’re just going to stand there?” she asked, amused.
“Yep.” I kept drinking my coffee. “It’s my kitchen. I can do whatever I want.”
“I can’t argue with that… thought maybe you could read the paper or something.”
“That sounds boring. I’d rather watch you work in my kitchen.” I glanced at Luca on the other side of the kitchen, where he was focused on his coloring book.
“So…did your family think it was strange that you brought me along last night?”
“Did they act like it was strange?”
“No…but maybe they said something to you.”
“Not at all. They love you. Luca too.”
She smiled as she stirred the eggs. “They’re all so nice. I just want them to like me. I mean, I already knew they liked me before, but it’s different now that we’re…together.”
“Why would that make any difference?”
“Well…I’m sure no parent wants their child to end up with an abused woman who already has an eight-year-old son.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe normal people in normal places, but the Barsettis aren’t normal. We don’t judge people because of things like that. My father and uncle taught me not to judge a woman by what she’s been through. They taught me a real man will erase a woman’s past. He’ll make her forget every bad thing that happened to her because he makes her feel so loved. So, no, my family doesn’t care, sweetheart.”
She paused what she was doing, those words obviously meaning something to her. When she kept moving and placed the slices of French toast on the plate, she spoke again. “So, did you tell them that we’re getting married?”
“No. I’m glad I didn’t since Vanessa and Griffin got engaged. That would have been the worst time.”
“You’re right, it would have been.”
“I’ll tell them soon. Give it a few days.”
She dished the rest of the food onto the plate before she handed it to me. “Sounds good. I wonder how they’ll react.”
“I’m sure they’ll be happy.”
“Really?”
“They seemed happy to see us together last night.” I didn’t tell her that my parents knew I had serious feelings for her. It seemed easier to keep it this way, to keep it lighthearted without any expectations.
“That’s different…”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. They like you a lot, Mia. And they like the way I am with you.”
A few days later, I stopped by the winery at lunchtime.
My father was talking with my uncle in the tasting room, my aunt Pearl standing with them.
“It doesn’t seem like you guys are working much.” I saw them gathered around the table with a few empty bottles of wine. It seemed like they were drinking more than actually getting things done.
My father turned around and grinned, knowing I was making a joke. “And what are you doing here? Doesn’t seem like you’re working either.”
I gave my father a hug and did the same with my aunt and uncle. “I never got the cha
nce to tell you congratulations the other night.” My aunt and uncle must be thrilled about Vanessa’s engagement.
“Thanks,” Aunt Pearl said with a smile. “Our daughter is very happy, and that makes us happy.”
“Griffin is a strong guy,” Crow said. “He’ll do a good job taking care of her.”
“No doubt,” I said. “Where’s Griffin now?”
“He’s doing work at the other winery,” Father explained. “I don’t think he’d be too happy to know how much we’re slacking off.”
“He’s a great worker, so we have more time to do nothing,” Crow added with a laugh. “He’s been a great addition to the team.”
“So, is there something you needed, son?” my father asked. “It’s unlike you just to show up here.”
“I wanted to talk to you about something,” I said. “In private.”
“Alright.” Father walked away with me and headed toward the gravel pathway in front of the cars. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah, everything is great,” I said quickly. “It’s good news, not bad news.”
“I’m all ears.” He stopped and crossed his arms over his chest.
I felt strange saying the words before I even spoke. I slid my hands into the pockets of my jeans before I braced myself for the impact. “Mia and I…we’ve decided to get married.”
His expression was blank for five seconds before his skepticism kicked in. “What?”
“We’re getting married.” I did my best not to smile, but it was difficult to fight the happiness exploding from my chest. “We were talking last week, and she kinda asked if that’s something I would want to do. She said she needs someone to protect her and Luca, and in return, she would make me a home and raise any kids I want to have…” As I said the words out loud, I knew how they must have sounded to my father. It didn’t make any sense from an outside point of view.
He continued to give me the same look. “So, you’re getting married because it’s convenient?”
“I guess you could put it that way,” I said with a shrug.
My father wasn’t the least bit happy. He rubbed the back of his neck, sighed in disappointment, and then gave me a bitter look. “You’re a nearly thirty-year-old man who knows what he’s doing. You started your own company the second you were out of the house because you’re so damn smart. So I don’t understand why you’re being so stupid right now.”
“You think marrying Mia is stupid?” I asked, surprised by his frankness.
“No. But I think the two of you are stupid.”
I raised an eyebrow, unsure what that meant. “What?”
“Why can’t you just tell each other that you love each other? Why do you have to make some bullshit excuse and say it’s for convenience? It doesn’t make any sense to me. If you want to get married, fine. But at least be honest about why.” He smacked me upside the head, something he hadn’t done since I was young. “Where’s that brilliant brain of yours?”
“Look, it’s not that straightforward. I know how I feel about her…but I don’t think she feels the same way.” I’d never admitted that truth to myself or out loud. It was the first time I’d ever truly acknowledged my feelings.
“You’re kidding, right?” He cocked his head to the side, looking furious. “She just asked you to marry her?”
“She didn’t propose to me. She kinda just talked about it.”
“Whatever. You think she would do that just for a place to live? You already said she could stay there and be your maid. There’s something more here. I’m ashamed you’re too afraid to actually admit it.”
“I’m not afraid,” I said defensively.
“Then you need to clear the air with her. Be honest. Tell her you love her and listen to her say it back. Then move forward. Because what you’re doing is some pathetic form of what it should really be. I don’t understand why both of you would be acting this way.”
“What makes you so certain she feels the same way? Wouldn’t she just tell me?”
“Think about it, Carter. She’s a victim of rape and abuse. Maybe she thinks you would never love her that way, so she doesn’t want to say anything and risk losing you. What if she did tell you she loved you, and you didn’t say it back? Wouldn’t you kick her out?”
Assuming I didn’t love her, those feelings would create an awkward situation.
“It’s too risky for her. So she did this instead because she has something to offer you.”
“But if you know how I feel about her, why doesn’t she?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes we only see what we want to see. Now, go home and talk to her about this. When you approach your mother about this, that is the story you’re going to tell her. That you two love each other and want to be together. Don’t tell her the idiotic story you just told me. That’s not gonna make your mother happy or proud.”
“Alright…I’ll talk to Mia.”
He clapped my shoulder. “Be straight with her. The Barsettis aren’t afraid to tell people how they feel. Make me proud.”
Summer was almost over, so Luca was enjoying the pool as much as he could. He’d finally become proficient at swimming, but Mia always sat at the edge of the pool and kept a close eye on him.
I walked outside in my swim trunks, noting the way Mia looked at my bare chest when I emerged from the house. My towel was over my shoulder, so I tossed it over the back of the chair before I approached Mia.
“You’re gonna swim, Carter?” Luca asked as he kicked toward our side of the pool.
“Yep.” I moved to the spot beside Mia. “Wanted to enjoy the last of summer while I can.”
“Cool! Watch this!” Luca turned around and swam by himself to the opposite end of the pool.
I already knew he could that since I taught him everything he knew, but I still clapped when he gripped the opposite edge. “Great job, little man.”
Mia was in her black bikini beside me, her long hair pulled into a bun and shades sitting on her nose. It was the first time I’d seen her wear a piece that didn’t cover the scars on her back. She didn’t seem to care anymore.
Which was good.
I’m sure Luca would express his curiosity about the scars eventually, but she would come up with a reasonable explanation.
Those marks used to turn me on because I fantasized about hurting her. But now, it was difficult for me to acknowledge them, when the sight of them caused me so much pain. She deserved a better fate than what she’d had to experience. No one should ever have to suffer through that.
“Everything alright?” Mia’s light voice entered my ear as she stared at her son.
“Yeah. Why?”
“You just got really quiet all of a sudden.”
I liked being honest with her. The transparency was refreshing. “Your scars.”
“They bother you?” she whispered.
“No. Just make me sad.”
She turned her face toward me, but her eyes were impossible to see through her dark shades. “I thought you liked them?”
I shrugged. “I guess my tastes have changed.” Our vanilla lifestyle seemed to be enough for me now. We made love quietly so Luca wouldn’t overhear us. There were no whips or chains, and there weren’t even screams. But that didn’t make me feel like I was missing something. It was the most satisfied I’d ever felt.
Luca had a few pool toys on the opposite side, water guns and inflatable tubes. He grabbed one of the guns and clung to the floatable raft as he drifted around and squirted the ants that crawled up the side of the concrete.
“How’s he liking school?” I asked, watching him concentrate on the insects.
“He really loves it,” she said with a sigh. “He’s already made friends, and he likes his teachers. Says he loves it here far more than the orphanage. I haven’t asked him too many questions about that because I don’t want to know the details.” She didn’t care about her own suffering over the past three years, just what her son had to go through without her.
> Her selflessness made me adore her even more. “It doesn’t matter where he was before. He’s in a good place now. He’s happy.”
“Yes…very true.” She kept watching Luca, a slight smile on her lips.
And I kept watching her.
Luca fell asleep on the couch downstairs, his toys spread out across the rug in front of the fireplace. Mia scooped him up into her arms and then carried him up the stairs to put him to bed.
“You want me to do that?” Luca was a skinny boy, but she had a long walk ahead of her.
“No. I love doing this.” With his head pressed against her shoulder and one of his arms hanging by his side, she carried him to the bottom of the staircase.
“Can I expect you in my bedroom?” I asked, hoping she would put Luca to bed easily then sneak off to be with me.
“Yes.” She turned to look at me before she moved onto the first step. “You can always expect that, Carter.” She ascended the stairs and moved to the second floor.
When she was gone, I retreated to my bedroom, pleased to have the alone time I’d been craving all day. I left my boxers on the floor and got into bed, knowing I wouldn’t need them for what was about to happen next.
Fifteen minutes later, Mia entered the bedroom. She approached the bedside and slipped out of her jeans and t-shirt before she crawled into bed. Instead of moving to the spot beside me, she straddled my hips and positioned herself on top of me.
My hands went to her hips, and I moaned as I felt her point my head at her entrance. She slowly lowered herself with her tits in my face, and I pulled on her hips to make her move a little faster down my length. When she had all of me deep inside her, I squeezed her ass cheeks. Talk about perfect pussy.
Her quiet breaths filled my bedroom and got louder as she moved up and down. She pressed her hands against my chest for balance as she shifted back and forth, riding me a little harder with every thrust.
My feet dug into the mattress as I pushed myself up and deeper inside her, feeling her slickness grow as we continued to move together. My thumbs dug into her hips, and I watched her tits shake right in my face, the scene so erotic I could barely keep my bullet in the barrel. I sat up on one of my elbows and kissed those sexy nipples as she continued to fuck me, to smear that cream up and down my base.