Face-Off at the Altar

by Toni Aleo

  She giggled as he smiled, sheathing himself before he crawled back on top of her. He settled between her legs, his cock lying against her pulsating center. “Actually, I was trying to figure out how you were going to fit inside me. You are one big man, Markus Reeves.”

  “Biggest you’ll ever have too,” he said with a wink, and she scoffed.

  “Cocky much?”

  “Always,” he said, kissing her nose and then her lips. “This is going to be quick, and I’m apologizing now.”

  She couldn’t stop her giggle. “We have all night.”

  “Exactly,” he said as he went up on his knees, pressing hers back before he positioned his tip at her entrance. When he pushed in, she cried out a bit. It was a tight fit, but he slowly inched in until she looked as if she was in pain. “Whoa, you okay?”

  She nodded tightly. “It hurts.”

  “Okay, it’s tight, stop clenching,” he laughed and she smiled.

  “Sorry!” she laughed, and his heart melted. She was so pretty, so innocent.

  Wait.

  Too innocent.

  Her face was red, her eyes were wide, and her heart was jackhammering in her chest. As she gazed up at him, her face full of nerves, she said, “I think I’m good. Am I relaxed?”

  “Wait.”

  “Huh?” she asked, and it all dawned on him. How had he not realized? Did he need her that bad? But then, she came at him all sexy and seductive! How was he supposed to know?

  Holding her gaze, and even though he was pretty sure of her answer, he asked, “Are you still a virgin?”

  Mekena’s heart stopped.

  She thought he knew. Hadn’t she told him? Why would she tell him that? Crap, was that bad? Should she have told him? Her cheeks darkened as she bit her lip. “I think I was until like four seconds ago… But do you have to move? Am I not until after you move in and out?”

  “Mekena!” he cried, his cock throbbing inside of her. Holy crap, it hurt, but it also felt good, which was really weird. She just wanted him to move. To do something. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Laughing nervously, she gave him a look. “What did you want me to say? ‘Hey, I want you, you big stud. And by the way, I’m a virgin.’? No! I just went with my gut.”

  His face twisted in dismay. “But this isn’t how your first time should be.”

  “What? It’s fine! Can you move? It’s kinda tight in there,” she asked tentatively, and he gawked at her.

  “I would have lit candles, serenaded you, or something,” he said, and she could tell he was really bothered by the fact that he hadn’t known.

  Reaching up, she cupped his face, bringing him down to where their lips almost touched. “This is perfect. I promise.”

  “How are you still a virgin, Mekena? I mean, you came at me pretty hot. Different from when we were together before.”

  She grinned. “I’ve started reading romance novels.”

  Laughing, his face broke into a grin. “Are you sure you want me to move? If I do, your cherry will be popped. I’m only half in.”

  Her eyes widened. Half in! Crap. Her heart kick-started even faster as she nodded. “I want you to. I really do, Markus.” Gazing into his eyes, she knew the truth. “I’ve always wanted it to be with you.”

  Swallowing hard, he bit into his lip. God, he was so beautiful. Sweat gathered around his hairline, and his eyes were dark and dilated just for her. His body, it was a masterpiece made by God. His muscles were so thick, so defined, and she felt safe in his arms. She loved his shoulders the most, though, how big and sturdy they were. But then her eyes dropped to his sinful mouth and thick lips, and everything else couldn’t compare. He could blow her world to smithereens with those lips. His heart was pounding against hers, and both of them were breathing erratically as he looked down into her eyes, gazing at her with such love and admiration in them.

  “You ruined me, Mekena. For everyone else. I swear it,” he whispered, and her heart flew.

  “Kiss me,” she whispered back, and he grinned as his mouth dropped to hers.

  “Gladly.” Then he was kissing her as he gradually started to fill her even more. It was tight and it hurt, causing her eyes to squeeze shut. She wanted to tell him to stop, but he was being so gentle, going so slow when she could tell he wanted to ram into her. He was shaking, his hands dug into the sheet beside her head, and his eyes were wild along with his breath, but he went painfully slowly, drawing out each thrust before pulling back out.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I am,” she answered, holding on to his shoulders. “It’s a bit uncomfortable.”

  “I’m sorry, do you want me to stop?”

  “No, I figure it’ll get better.”

  His eyes widened as he nodded. “I sure as hell hope so!”

  Laughing, he leaned his head against hers as he thrust into her and then back out, his hand taking her by the back of the leg, lifting her a bit off the bed.

  “Oh, that feels a lot better,” she gasped out and he smiled.

  “Yeah?” he asked, thrusting into her, his fingers digging into her leg.

  “Yes, yes,” she muttered, arching her back as he moved in and out of her, his rhythm picking up along with his grunts. Holding on to his arms, she cried out as her orgasm took her once more, sending her into the clouds as Markus stilled, his body going taut as his cock throbbed hard inside of her. Closing her eyes, she sucked in a much-needed breath, letting it out harshly as he fell to the side of her, wrapping her up in his arms, pulling her on top of him. He kissed her hairline and then her cheek, and her eyes stayed closed as her body tingled with the love he had just shown her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, and she nodded, cuddling into him.

  “I’m great.”

  His hands squeezed her ass, and she smiled against his jaw, kissing him before cuddling deeper.

  “You wore me out, holding off like that.”

  “Well, if it makes you feel better, I don’t think I can walk.”

  “It does,” he answered and she giggled. He was such a nerd. “But considering this was your first time, I’m pretty sure you need to clean up.”

  She didn’t understand at first, but then she realized what he was talking about. Sliding to the side of him, she looked down to find what he had expected. “Well, that’s gross.”

  “Eh, it’s part of it.”

  “Taken a lot of girl’s virginities?” she teased, and he scoffed.

  “No way, I just know from the horror stories of friends.”

  “Well, now you have one of your own,” she joked, trying to scoot away with some dignity, but he stopped her.

  Bringing her down to him, he kissed her nose. “This is no horror story, Mekena Preston. This is a fairy tale.”

  Her lips quirked as she kissed him quickly. “Corny ass.”

  “You love it,” he said as she got up and grabbed her underwear.

  She nodded. “I do.” Looking around the room, she felt awkward for a moment and then grossed out because she’d bled all over him too. “I’m gonna go back to my room to clean up. Okay?”

  He smiled. “Okay, unless you want to join me in the shower.”

  While that sounded amazing, she needed to gather herself. “Would it offend you if I wanted just a moment?”

  Still grinning, he shook his head. He looked delectable, all laid out, so big and so tall on the bed, his body covered in a sheen of sweat. “It would if you went without giving me another kiss and then promising to come back.”

  Her face broke into a huge grin as she leaned on the bed, meeting her lips to his, and his fingers threaded into her hair. She went to pull back, since she felt messy and her OCD was kicking in, but he stopped her. “You’ll come back?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And I don’t have to move to the hotel?”

  She grinned. “No.”

  “And you did this because you wanted to, right? Not because you felt sorry for me?”

  Her brow furrowed. “W
hat in the world? I wanted this, you big dweeb.”

  He grinned. “Okay, and we’re gonna talk this out? Try to make it work?”

  She gave him a look. “Should I just accept I’m not taking a shower and sit down to talk to you?”

  He looked away shyly. “I’m worried you’re gonna shower and run.”

  “I’ll be back,” she promised. “Give me like twenty minutes.”

  He nodded. “Okay, sorry for being the needy, insecure guy on you.”

  She shrugged, kissing him once more. “It’s okay, ’cause I’m needy and insecure sometimes, and it’s nice when someone reminds you that you don’t need to be.”

  “Well, you don’t have to be, you sexy minx.”

  She laughed hard, pulling back and getting off the bed. “Yeah, okay. Go shower.”

  She made it to the door before he stopped her. “Mekena, really.”

  Looking back at him, she smiled. “What?”

  “You really don’t ever need to be any of that. You’re beautiful, sexy, and rock my world.”

  Her cheeks went red-hot as she looked down at the ground, biting her lip. “I’ll be back.”

  “Okay,” he said as she turned and left the room. But once she was out of his room, she ran across the house, almost tripping over Mr. Right to get to her room. He was hungry and crying for food, but call her a bad cat mom, she had to get to her room. Pausing, she remembered her phone was on the table. As she went to grab it, Mr. Right came at her again, this time tripping her, and she went flying into the floor with a loud thud.

  Great.

  Glaring at her cat, she yelled, “Damn it, Mr. Right!”

  Meeeeeeeooooowww!

  “Shh!” she complained, getting up slowly since she was pretty sure she broke a boob with that fall. She limped back to her room, shutting the door as she dialed Avery’s number.

  “Hello?”

  “I slept with him.”

  “Huh? Who?”

  “Markus! Crazy!”

  “What!” Avery yelled, and Mekena heard Jace in the background.

  “Babe, what’s wrong?” he asked, and Mekena froze.

  “Don’t tell him!”

  “I’m not,” she yelled back, and then she heard a door close. “No way! I thought y’all were gonna talk.”

  “We did. And then I took my dress off.”

  “You what?”

  “I know!” she cried, covering her face as it burned. “I don’t know what got into me. I just wanted him and I’ve always wanted him and it just happened because I kinda put it all out there.”

  “Mekena Preston, I’m flabbergasted!”

  “I am too!” she said, letting her head fall back as she sat on the toilet. “It just felt right. I mean, we talked, he apologized for not trying to fix it, and then I apologized for just running. Then he held my hand and I said I wanted to hug him, and I think I said kiss me…? I don’t know. And he did and I took my dress off, and he was like ‘You’re sure?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah.’ Then we started making out and he carried me to the bedroom and we did it. And he realized I was still a virgin, and he was so sweet, Avery, like so damn sweet. And Jesus, he is hung and it hurt, but then it was perfect even though I bled everywhere. And he turned into this adorable little needy guy asking if I’d come back after I shower, and I ran out of there after promising I would and tripped over the fucking cat, and now I’m sitting here rambling to you that it happened. Oh my God, I had sex.”

  “Whoa.”

  “I know. I had sex.”

  “See, if this wasn’t so serious, I would sing, ‘and it felt so good.’” And then Avery did go ahead and sing the popular SNL skit that featured Justin Timberlake. “Sorry, I had to. I mean, it was the perfect opening. But, oh my God! I can’t believe this.”

  “I can’t either,” she gushed, covering her mouth. “I did it.”

  “You did.”

  “And it was perfect, except for the blood thing. That’s disgusting.”

  “Eh, it happens. You wouldn’t believe how much I bled. It was gross.”

  “Ew, stop talking about it.”

  “You brought it up!”

  “I know, but still,” Mekena cried, shaking her head. She really needed to get in the shower, but something was holding her back. She covered her face as she leaned on her knee. “Did I do the right thing?”

  Avery didn’t answer right away. But then she asked, “The right thing?”

  “I mean, am I moving too fast?”

  “Does it feel like you are?”

  “No, it feels right.”

  “Then you’re good, bestie. You do you.”

  “I know, but like, crap, Avery, I love him, and I didn’t want to wait anymore.”

  “Well, you didn’t. You did it.”

  “But we are both in different stages of our lives. Both trying to find our way.”

  “Well, this is true, but maybe you guys can do that together?”

  “What if he doesn’t want to?”

  “I think that’s something you two need to figure out.”

  Swallowing hard, Mekena leaned back, holding her breasts in her hands as she looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes started to fill with tears as she exhaled slowly. “I’m scared, Avery. Like really scared.”

  Avery laughed softly. “I mean, in the end, if it doesn’t work out, are you glad you did it with him?”

  “Yes,” she said automatically. “I don’t want it with anyone else.”

  “Then you’re good.”

  “But why am I so scared?”

  “Because that’s love, Kennie. It’s a whirlwind and you have had so much happen already, so it’s bound to be a little scary.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” Mekena agreed as she exhaled before inhaling even deeper. “But something tells me I’m going to love that guy for the rest of my life.”

  “Yeah, I think so too.”

  “Am I insane?”

  Avery laughed once more. “Aren’t we all? I mean, come on, we’re all young and in love. All we can do is pray to God it works in our favor and we continue to be happy.”

  “He makes me happy. I’m just scared of the future. He says he’s going to therapy. What if he gets in there and realizes he hates me?”

  “Mekena, come on, that won’t happen.”

  “Avery! My sister tried to rape him,” she said, and the tears started to fall.

  “Yes, but you didn’t, and he has always cared for you. I think you doubt what could be really good. Just go with it.”

  “I can’t deal with another heartbreak.”

  “Then don’t. Make it work.”

  Wiping her face, Mekena smiled. “He said we can go to therapy together.”

  Avery’s voice softened. “See, he’s thinking ahead, and that’s such a Markus thing to say. You know that Ashlyn pooped on him and Dawson puked and he didn’t even care, he went with it.”

  “Aw, he’s so sweet.”

  “Yeah, that’s why I’m so glad y’all found out the truth because it was really bothering me thinking he had done that.”

  Mekena’s eyes flooded as she nodded, hating how she had believed what she’d seen, that she believed Skylar when none of it was true. “Me too.”

  “And I think that therapy is a good idea. You probably need it.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed, wiping another tear away. “Sorry for calling so late.”

  “I would have been mad if you hadn’t.”

  Smiling, Mekena sat up. “So I’m not crazy?”

  “Well, duh, you’re crazy—but not for sleeping with the guy you have loved pretty much your whole adult life.”

  Nodding, Mekena stood up. “I love you, Avery.”

  “Aw, I love you too, you non-virgin you!”

  Laughing, Mekena rolled her eyes. “Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Setting her phone down, she wiped her face as she looked up to see her naked body staring back at her in the mirror. There were red spots where Markus’s mouth and
hands had been. Her breasts seemed perkier, her belly flatter, and her eyes so wide and bright, but that wasn’t what had her breathless. No, it was the fact that she looked and felt like a woman.

  A beautiful woman.

  All because of Markus Reeves.

  When Mekena came out of the bedroom, she found Markus leaned up against the counter, wearing only a pair of shorts. A pair of shorts that hung so low on his hips, that in all reality, it should be a crime. A damn crime against poor innocent girls who were unable to handle such beauty. Girls like Mekena. But shit, she wasn’t innocent anymore, not that it mattered when this Adonis of a man stood before her. He was downright sinful, she swore. His body, Lord, she could stare at it and talk about it for hours. His abs and other muscles were so defined, cut in so perfectly they should be featured in a magazine. Since she had just seen all of him and more, she was surprised she was still so speechless, but she was. Big-time. A little smile covered her lips as he looked up, a grin pulling at his own lips.

  “Hey,” he said almost shyly, and her heart went wild.

  “Hey,” she whispered as she looked down, noticing that Mr. Right was on the floor, eating. “You fed him?”

  He nodded, and once again, her heart went insane. He cared for her cat. “He attacked me, basically knocked me to the ground, and I figured by his wailing that he wanted food.”

  She snorted. “He attacked me too. I hit the ground.”

  Markus then held his elbow up, a little cut on the bend, and she laughed. “He isn’t very nice.”

  Coming to him, she cupped his elbow, compassion in her eyes as she held his gaze. “He is a different animal when he is hungry. I’m sorry.”

  “We have that in common,” he said with a grin as he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her forehead. When his lips pressed against her forehead, her eyes fell shut as he whispered, “Are you okay?”

  She nodded against him. “Sore.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry?”

  She giggled softly. “I think that’s part of it.”

  “It is. But I don’t want to cause you any pain. Ever.” She knew that each word came from his soul. She felt the emotion rattling her as she held him, her nose pressed into his chin. She felt so safe. So whole in his arms, and she didn’t understand how she had gone so long without him. She knew why, obviously. But how she was in one piece would almost be a mystery. Was she really in one piece? She left a part of herself with him when she ran, and standing there in the dark kitchen, in his arms, she felt like she had that part back.