by Randa Lynn
I can hear Lenni’s sudden inhale of a breath as she lightly shudders in my arms. I lean down and whisper in her ear. “That’s right. My girl.” A soft moan, barely loud enough for me to hear, escapes her lips.
Jesus Christ.
Cam throws his head back laughing. “Small ass world. Two hot bitches that are best friends and we both got one.”
My jaw tenses and eyes narrow in on Cameron. “Don’t ever call a woman a bitch again.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “Fuck, man. I was complimenting. But I got you. Calm your shit show.” He throws a beer at me. “Drink and loosen up. You’re as tight as a virgin’s pussy right now.”
“You nasty fucker,” I laugh.
I grab Lenni’s hand and we go take a seat at the back of the party barge. She scoots in closer to me and I kiss her on the top of her head. “I’m glad you came today.”
“Me too,” she whispers.
Cam gets the barge out to the middle of the lake and anchors it away. We talk and bullshit a little bit with each other, and Lenni’s demeanor eases up a lot. She’s smiling and laughing talking to Amber and the girls. Seeing her smile puts a cheesy ass grin on my face that I can’t wipe off. Man, she’s beautiful.
Dee walks up to me. “You are hard up for the girl, dude.”
“Man, I just met her,” I laugh, knowing that I’m diverting.
He replies, “So you don’t mind me getting her number and tappin’ that?”
Excuse me? I sure as fuck do.
“Man, what the fuck?”
He starts laughing. “That’s what I thought.”
Shit, am I that easy to read? I haven’t stopped thinking about Lenni Blackmon since the day at the lake. I still can’t stop thinking about her and she’s seven feet away.
I turn my gaze to Lenni as she’s chatting away—her sunglasses are perched on her nose, loose hair waving in the breeze, hands on her hip talking animatedly. I shake my head, and look back at Dee. “Do you blame me?”
He slaps me on the shoulder as he walks towards Damien and Cam. “Naw, man. Sure as hell don’t.”
Everyone starts jumping in the water, leaving Lenni and me alone on deck. She strips off her cover up and, holy shit, at what’s underneath that. She should always wear a bikini in my presence. Always. It’s just a regular teal and black bikini, but mother of God, she looks incredible. When she bends over to place her cover up on the bench I get a seamless view of her perfectly round ass. Calm down, Wes. My cock is so hard right now I could break glass with one little slap.
Holy God almighty, Lenni.
There are other girls out here with bikinis on, but none of them compare to her. None.
“You were looking at my ass again, weren’t you?” she questions.
I situate myself in my swim trunks. “Woman, I told you to wear a muumuu around me. I can’t take it. My mind kind of goes a little off track.”
She bites that bottom lip between those perfect teeth of hers and I just want to bend her over right here and take her.
I blurt out the first logical response I can muster. “Wanna go swimming?”
Lenni looks absolutely disgusted that I asked her that question. “No way in hell.”
“What? Why?”
She looks to the water then back to me and deadpans, “I’m sure it’s cold. Plus, I can’t see my feet in that dirty water.”
Well, I can remedy that situation. “Oh, you can’t?” I waggle my eyebrows.
Her eyes go wide. “Wes, don’t you think about—ah, no!” I scoop her up in my arms and we both barrel into the lake. I hold onto her tight, knowing damn good and well when we come up she’s going to give me shit for this. I don’t care. I needed a diversion before I pounded into her in front of God and everybody.
When we finally come up she’s squealing her cute little girly squeal. Beating on my chest she screams, “I told you I couldn’t see my feet! Ugh. This is so nasty.”
“You can’t?” I ask, holding her feet out of water. “Looks like you can see them just fine to me. Because I can.” I squeeze her tight little butt with the hand that’s underneath her, treading water to keep us both afloat.
“Ouch, that hurts.” She slaps my chest playfully. “You are a smartass,” she laughs. “But a cute one, so I’ll let it slide.”
“Get a room you two,” Amber yelps, splashing water our way.
“Oh, you’re one to talk. You and Cameron are nearly fucking in the water.” I splash water back as Lenni clings to me tighter.
Dee chimes in, “All of y’all get a room. You can even team up if you want.”
Cam whoops and hollers. “I’m not opposed to that.”
“Yeah, well I am.”
●●●●●
We spent the next few hours on the water, listening to music, drinking, and swimming out in the middle of the lake. Lenni got out not long after I threw her in, preferring tanning over swimming. Cameron and Amber spent most of their time essentially having sex in front of everyone—on the party barge, in the water—they didn’t discriminate on places to maul each other.
Lenni and I got some time to talk and get to know each other better. We talked about our lives, our dreams and aspirations, favorite childhood memories, and the small details. It was incredible as hell getting to know the small things about her. Because, in the grand scheme of things, it’s the small things that mean the most.
The more we talked, the more I felt myself falling under her spell.
I’m not ready for the evening to end. Knowing she leaves tomorrow to go back to Atlanta is killing me. She’s my drug, and I haven’t gotten my fix.
“Hey, I’ve got an idea.” I turn and give her a wink. She looks good riding shotgun. “Do you trust me?”
With a timid nod, she answers, “I haven’t had a reason not to, yet.”
I grab her hand and squeeze it a little. “I’ll never give you a reason.”
I gun my F-150 left and head to the outskirts of Fredricks where Elli and I live.
I drive through downtown Fredricks, which consists of the General Store and the small community bank that’s set directly across the road from one another. Deena’s is directly beside the General Store. The high school, post office, and a church are the only other things that make up ‘downtown’ Fredricks. The pine trees blur in my peripheral vision as I drive down the road, dodging pot-holes that have yet to be filled by the state workers.
I get more nervous with each passing second. What is she going to think of my small house? It’s a far cry from where she’s from. Dammit, this was a bad idea. I’m not sure I’m ready for rejection or for her nose to be turned up at what I have, or do not have.
“So, my house is small. Not fancy like you’re used to. So take it easy on me…” I say, leaving it an open ended statement. We creep down the bumpy driveway, coming to a stop under the carport of my small, brick house.
“What’s so bad about it? I love it.” The honesty in her voice shocks me.
I shouldn’t be worried about what she thinks of my house. I busted my ass off to be able to afford it, and even though I bought it for Vanessa, it’s still mine and Elli’s home. I don’t plan on ever moving. It’s a normal sized place that most people would love to call home. But Lenni comes from more privileged stock, and that intimidates me a little bit.
I shake my nerves off, not letting the insecurities of what I have, or better yet, do not have, get to me.
“I’ll be right back. Hang tight.” I give her quick peck on her cheek before I run inside.
Hopping back into the truck, she watches me curiously. “Are we planning on taking a nap?” she questions.
I give her a sly smile. “You’ll see.” It’s all the answer I give her while I shove the blankets and pillows into the backseat.
We pull down into a secluded road. I can see the curiosity registering across her face as we make our way down the abandoned road. Her eyes become wide with fear as we come to a stop.
“Wes, where
the hell are we?”
“It’s my dad’s land. Don’t worry, no ghosts or goblins. Just you and me.”
She looks at me through hungry eyes and grabs her bottom lip between her teeth. A move that has driven me fucking mad since the first time she did it. “Lenni,” I warn. Her eyes shoot up to meet mine. “That, right there,” I point to her mouth, gently touching her lips, “when you bite your bottom lip like that, it drives me insane. You’ve got no idea.”
Instantly, she releases her lip from her teeth’s grip and nervously rubs her hands over her mouth. She’s so fucking cute.
I grab the blankets and pillows and we hop out of my truck. We make our way from the edge of the clearing to the beach area, stepping over fallen tree limbs and stray trash from my party years, in the process. When we get to the water’s edge I spread out the blankets and place the pillows down.
I motion to the blanket. “Let’s lay down.”
We lie there in a comfortable silence for a while. She remains unmoving, staring at the stars. I’m too preoccupied with staring at her to notice anything else.
I watch as her eyes gaze up at the night sky. The way her lips part slightly when she’s relaxed, showing her slightly off-kilter front tooth. I notice the lone freckle that sits right on her temple, and the scar right above her eyebrow. All these things she sees as imperfections, but they are perfect to me. They make up who she is, and whoever Lenni Blackmon is, I want to know.
She turns her head slightly towards me. “Do you ever wonder what it would be like if your life was completely different than it is?”
Contemplating Lenni’s question, I realize one thing—I wouldn’t want to change a thing about what’s happened in my life. It’s not always been easy, and at times it fucking sucked, but it lead me to where I am now. I haven’t always thought that way, but that’s what’s nice about life. In life we live, we learn, and we grow. We can either wallow or rise up from the ashes the trials leave behind. I’ve spent my time wallowing, but not anymore. Not here. Not now. Not ever again. “I have thought about it before. If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have named off a handful of things I’d want to change. But right here and now, I wouldn’t want anything to be different. I’ve been through some tough shit, but I have my daughter. I couldn’t ask for more than that. Ya know?” She turns to look at me with a glisten in her eyes.
“What happened? I mean, why did Elli’s Mom leave?”
I inhale a deep breath. This time I actually want to tell her. I feel comfortable telling her this part of my story. “When Elli was almost a year old she decided she didn’t want to have a family anymore. She said she needed to find herself or some shit like that. She left and never gave Elli another glance. A few months after she left, she signed over all rights to Elli if I would just give her the furniture. Your own kid for furniture? Who does that? Of course I gave it to her without a second thought.” I pause, letting the residual anger that’s lingered disappear, before I continue. “I’ll be honest. I was broken for the longest time after she left, but now I’m thankful. Yeah, I’m still a little angry, but who wouldn’t be? She’s the one who lost out, though. Not me or Elli.” I place a strand of hair behind her ear before lightly brushing the back of my hand over her jawbone. “And right now, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
The sounds of nature cut through the silence. We just stare at each other for a few moments, neither one of us moving. I lean in a place a light kiss on her lips. “What about you, beautiful? Would you change anything?”
She takes a deep breath, seemingly nervous. “I wish I could say I wouldn’t change a thing, but I’d be lying…” I grab her hand in mine and bring it up to my lips and lightly pepper kisses along every knuckle. “I was engaged once.”
Okay. I can handle that. I was married, after all. But honestly, she was engaged? Who would ever let her go? How could anyone let perfection slip through their fingers? I wouldn’t. No. Fucking. Way. “Why in the hell would somebody let you go?”
A sigh escapes her lips as tears prickle her eyes. “He didn’t let me go. I let him go,” she admits, shaking her head. “I really don’t like talking about it. The wound…it’s still fresh.” She turns her head to hide the tears that have spilled down the side of her face.
Gently clutching her chin with my hand, I bring her beautiful face back to where I can see it. The full moon’s light casts a glow across her face, making her beautiful hazel eyes shine. The same eyes that should never shed a tear from sadness, eyes that should never endure hurt. “Tell me about it,” I whisper, kissing a tear away.
She takes a deep breath and after a long pause, she finally speaks. “My ex, Ryan, we were together for four years… He was really controlling.” She acts like she wants to say more, but doesn’t elaborate. I feel my jaw tensing with anger, eyes flaming with fury. This mother fucker is going to be mine if I ever come across him. I knew someone had hurt her. Fucking knew it.
I kiss her to help take away the tension she has building up. “What else, Len?”
“He, he was verbally abusive and sometimes it would turn physical.” She wipes the tears that continue to fall. “He’d say really demeaning things. When you live with it for four years, you start to believe it. It ingrains itself into the core of your being. I’m just trying to move past it, but the memories of his words still cut deep.” She looks at me through tear soaked eyes, “That’s the funny thing about words. Once said, you can apologize, but they’ve already been projected into someone’s world, and there’s no gravity to weigh down the weightless.”
The pain that falls from her words cut me to the core. This woman, this beautiful woman…fuck I can’t even think straight. I. Will. Kill. Him.
“I’ve thought for so long that I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t worthy of anyone wanting me.” Her voice breaks; she glares off, watching the moon shine across the surface of the lake. She whispers shakily, “I still don’t think I’m worthy.” And it absolutely crushes me.
“Fuck him. Fuck him for being a royally stupid dick. Ya know, I wanted to know everything, but I don’t need to. You’ve told me enough. He’ll get payback one day. That,” I rub her cheek with the back of my hand, “is a promise. Wes Taylor doesn’t break promises.”
She sniffles in her hands. “I’m sorry I’m such an emotional mess. Seems like I do this every time we’re around each other.”
I gently remove her hands from her face and lift her head up. “Don’t be sorry. Tears are the realest emotion from a person. Never be sorry for being real with me, Lenni.” She lets out a small, humorless laugh. “Lenni, you are good enough. More than good enough. Don’t you ever think otherwise.” She turns to look at me. I bring my head down to meet hers, softly kissing her lips. I glide my hand behind her neck, lacing my fingers through her hair. I part her mouth with my tongue and a moan escapes her lips. That sound, her coconut smell, and just touching her has got my cock throbbing, pressing against her. I won’t be able to stop myself if this continues anymore.
Those glowing hazel eyes bore straight into my soul. “Lenni,” I warn her, “I won’t be able to—“
She cuts me off before I can say anything else. “I want this, Wes. I want you. Please.” Her lips brush against mine. “No one has ever made me feel the way you do.”
Fuck. She’s killing me. She’s got no idea how beautiful she is, inside or out, but dammit if I don’t want to show her. “And I’ve never felt this strongly about anybody so fast.”
A stray tear falls from her eyes. “Show me, Wes.”
Those words are my undoing. Our mouths collide together, I move my hand to the small of her back, pulling her into me. She lets out a small giggle, and fuck, it turns me on even more than I already am. Rolling onto my back, I straddle her over my hips, my erection pressing into the thin fabric of her bathing suit bottoms.
She’s looking down at me, her brown hair falling on each side of her face. Her thick, heart shaped lips are parted, begging for me to have a taste. G
ripping the bottom of her cover-up, I pull it off over her head. The electricity in the air is intense, full of primal need. Lenni leads the kiss. I want to see what she’s made of. See just how much she wants this, wants me. I’d slam into her right this second if I knew for a fact she wouldn’t shy away from this.
She shocks me when she reaches behind her and unsnaps her bathing suit top. She wraps her right arm across her chest, hiding her tits from me as she flicks the bathing suit off from over her head and tosses it to the side.
Her eyes are begging for more. I challenge her with my stare. She drops her arm, leaving her perfect, round chest on display, causing my already hard dick to burn, pleading to release. I sit up, leaving her in my lap. I take my hands and grope each of her perfect breasts. I release my hold and pull a nipple into my mouth, licking and sucking while I massage the other with my hand. She throws her head back, moaning my name in pure ecstasy. It’s the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard.
“Lenni. I gotta have you now. I can’t wait anymore.”
Without saying a word, she moves from my lap and stands directly in front of me. She hooks her thumbs into each side of her bottoms. Her eyes never leave mine as she slowly glides them down her perfect legs, steps out of them, and tosses them with her top.
Sweet baby Jesus.
Standing before me is the most beautiful woman in the world. How the hell she crossed my path, I will never know. She’s flawless. She’s an hourglass of mind blowing perfection, and I can’t wait to explore every inch of her body.
I lay back, lifting my hips up and pull my swim trunks off, throwing them to the side. I crook my finger and motion for her to come to me. A half smile whispers across her face, all the while biting that bottom lip. She’s teasing the shit out of me, and fuck if it’s not the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
I bring her down onto the blanket. She spreads her legs and I slowly climb on top of her. I bring my lips down, almost meeting hers, and whisper against her lips, “Lenni Blackmon, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” I kiss her lips softly before slowly trailing kisses down her neck, along her collar bone and across her chest. I look up and our eyes meet, the moonlight reflecting in her eyes. Her eyes are heavy with need, causing me to lose nearly every ounce of control I have.