by Mia Ford
“Relax, shit stain,” I said, wanting to punch my brother again. “I don’t want the job. You are more than welcome to have it.”
“Welcome,” he scoffed. “I earned it.”
“Yes, you earned it with your bad investments, drinking, and disrespect for women like throwing Ronni on the floor,” I responded, watching my father’s eyebrows raise, but then seeing the care slip back away as soon as it came.
“Well, if you would keep your women in line,” he said.
“Nick,” my father said impatiently. “Get out of my office.”
“Yes, Father,” he said, looking like a scolded puppy scurrying out of the room.
“As for you,” I said, not giving my father one moment to talk. “Go ahead and take me out of the will. Your money is of no interest to me. What I want is a family, love, and most importantly, Ronni. I don’t need people in my life who don’t appreciate me, even if it is the remnants of a dysfunctional family.”
I stood there for a moment, tired of talking and ready to get away from the whole situation. I opened the office door and pushed Nick out of the way, knocking him into the picture on the wall. I walked straight out of the house, not wanting my mother’s memory to draw me back in. I didn’t need a house or a family to remember the kind of woman she was. That was already inside of me. And in fact, I had chosen a woman that exemplified the qualities my mother looked for in a person. The qualities she tried so hard to instill in me and my brother. It seemed only one of her children actually took that to heart, and it wasn’t any of the ones related to her by blood or marriage. I nodded at the servants as I jogged down the steps and jumped into my car, pulling quickly down the drive and out onto the streets. As I watched the gates slowly close behind me, I couldn’t help but accept the feeling of closure, knowing I probably wouldn’t ever drive back through them again.
As I drove through the city, my thoughts rested on Ronni and how worried she probably was, waiting for me in her little beach house on the edge of the city. She was more than supportive. She wanted what was best for me, no matter what cost it had on her. She would have broken our relationship up if she thought that it would be a better choice for me, but I wasn’t going to let that happen. Like it or not, I was madly in love with the woman, and I couldn’t go another day trying to deny it. I had now centered my entire world around her, and the feeling outweighed any sadness I felt for leaving my family behind.
I wanted people in my life that loved me, supported me, and understood the sacrifices that I went through to make their lives better. My family never did that, but Ronni did. She was even thankful when I would make her breakfast, or take her somewhere nice. She was thankful when I held her hand or kissed her face. It was her turn in life to follow her dreams, and she deserved to do it without care or worry of the outside world. I was a man of means, but what I never realized was all those sacrifices, investments, and lonely nights were not there to make my family richer or bring fame to myself and our name. It was all leading up to a life with Ronni.
As I turned onto Ronni’s street, I smiled, feeling more comfortable here than I ever had anywhere else in my life, including my childhood home. I had found exactly where I needed to be, and I was not going to do anything to put that in jeopardy. If it meant I went out with Ronni and formed a new life, then so be it. And in all reality, that seemed like a more perfect plan than any other I had ever come up with.
Chapter Eighteen
Ronni
I was more than nervous, standing in the house pacing the floor, knowing exactly where Nathan had gone. I didn’t know what decision he was going to make, but I had to trust that he would make the right one, no matter what the outcome was. Our relationship had flown in out of nowhere and taken me completely by surprise, which started as a really good thing, but had spiraled out of control for a while. In the end, I couldn’t imagine my life without Nathan in it, and sitting here, not knowing what was going on was driving me absolutely insane. I continued pacing, going over every possible scenario in my head and driving myself crazy as usual. When I saw his car driving toward the house, I didn’t wait. I threw open the door and ran down the walk, greeting him at the sidewalk.
From his expression, I could tell whatever conversation he just had, it was a hard one. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, doing the only thing I knew to do, comfort him. Though I could tell he had just been through something extremely stressful, he didn’t seem to be all that upset. What did that mean? Had he gotten his job back? Had he made up with his family, and if so, where does that leave us? I had so many questions, but I didn’t want to overload him as soon as he got back.
“I left the company and the family,” he said expressionlessly. “I have put so much time and effort into them and their business that I never stopped to think about the years I was missing out on life. I had watched my mother pass away, your parents pass away, yet I still didn’t understand that there was more to life than just work. That is, until you came into my life. You showed me what it meant to live. You showed me that there was so much more out there that I was absolutely blind to. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, even before I realized you were doing it.”
“Don’t forget,” I said, laughing as he hugged me. “I’m a workaholic, too. Though I’m thinking it might be a good policy to have since we are now both unemployed.”
Nathan laughed for the first time since we were on the beach, and his comfort made me feel safe and secure. I knew I didn’t have to worry about anything with him by my side, whether he worked at the company or not. I loved the fact that his father’s money had no effect on him, and that he saw that there was more to living than waiting to die. Nick wasn’t so lucky to understand that, and I didn’t know if he ever would. As for now, it seemed it was just the two of us, and we had to start thinking about our future.
“You aren’t seeing the bigger picture,” Nathan said, calming his laugh. “We are both free to pursue our passions without rules and regulations. Without family and bosses looming over our heads. We can do whatever we want, and we can do it together.”
I liked the sound of that. I liked the idea of facing this uncertain and wavering world with Nathan by my side. I had done it alone for so long that the release of loneliness and worry was almost more than I could bear. I reached up and kissed his lips, tears burning at my eyes. I was excited for the future, even if I didn’t know what it would bring.
“To start, I want to invest heavily in Maria’s bikini line,” he said, surprising me. “She does amazing work. With her creating and you managing, there is no way this company could fail. The only thing I ask is for a seat on the board.”
“Really?” I was more than ecstatic to have someone like Nathan on our team. “I mean, I have to ask Maria how she feels about it, but that is so amazing.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” He laughed as he watched me turn and run down the walk to the house. I burst through the door calling out Maria’s name. She stuck her head out of her bedroom door, looking around for a fire or emergency of some sort.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said, laughing. “Come out here. I want to talk to you about something.”
We sat down in the living room as Maria entered cautiously, smiling nervously at the looks on our faces. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat down next to me on the couch. She took in a deep breath, readying herself for anything and clapped her hands together.
“Okay, kids, what’s this all about?”
“Nathan quit his job,” I said. smiling.
“Okay,” she said, looking over at him. “And this is a good thing?”
“Yes,” I said excitedly. “He has his sights set on something better.”
“I’ll bite,” she said, setting her water down on the coffee table.
“He wants to heavily invest in our company in exchange for a seat on the board,” I blurted out.
“Wow,” she said, her eyes getting big. “I mean, really? Y
ou are so fantastic with money. Yes, I mean. I would love to have you on our team. I’m assuming Ronni’s down with it.”
“Of course,” I laughed.
“Well, shit,” she said with a huge smile. “Let’s do this!”
“We’ll start talking strategy tomorrow,” Nathan said, standing, stretching, and then walking over toward me. “For now, though, I am going to need Ronni to model some of these suits.”
I laughed as he reached down and scooped me up out of the chair, cradling me in his arms. Maria giggled, shaking her head as he walked through the house and into my bedroom. He sat me down on the floor and pushed his hands through my hair, holding my face and looking down in my eyes. My stomach did flip flops as I waited for him to speak.
“I love you Veronica ‘Ronni’ Sanchez,” he cooed. “I loved you before I even knew you, and I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”
“I love you too, Nathan,” I said, tearing up and pressing my lips against his. I could feel my emotions bursting from my chest as our mouths touched together, and we walked backward, falling into the bed.
Slowly, he pulled my tank top over my head and kissed my shoulder as he reached behind my back and unclasped my bra. He pulled the lace bra from my body and threw it to the side, cupping my breast in his hand and taking my nipple into his mouth. He sucked, nibbled, and licked at my tit as his other hand unbuttoned my shorts. I leaned my head back as he moved up, kissing my neck and caressing my body with his hands. He reached down and pulled my shorts off, running his fingertips through the wetness seeping through my panties.
I gasped as he massaged my juicy mound, keeping his eyes on me and his lips on my skin. He hooked his fingers in the sides of my panties and slowly pulled them off, tossing them on the floor. I watched as he sat up on his knees, pulling his shirt over his head and stretching his neck. His pecks moved up and down with his motions, and his now-tanned skin glimmered in the light of the setting sun out the window. He pulled his shorts off, and I could see his throbbing cock bulging in his black boxer briefs.
I reached up and ran my hand over his erection, pulling down on his underwear and watching as his cock bounced out. He grabbed onto his shaft and laid down next to me, running his hand down my body and between my legs. He was in no hurry and I shut my eyes, wanting to feel every second of his warm caress. I let my legs fall to the sides as he pushed apart my folds and rubbed his finger down through my wetness. I moaned as his warm skin rubbed over my nub and back down where he slipped slowly inside of me.
I could feel his breath against my neck as he slowly pleasured my pussy. He nibbled at my ear, and I turned my head, passionately pushing my mouth to his. His tongue enticed my lips to open up, and our tongue intertwined in a lustful and emotional response. As our kissing began to become more heated, so did the motions between my legs. He cupped his hand and rubbed hard against my pussy, causing me to moan into his mouth. With every sound, his touch became quicker and heavier, and I knew he was pushing me toward orgasm.
I lifted my hips slightly from the bed and moved them in a wave against his hand. He reached in and slid two fingers back inside of me, pushing them in and out as his palm slapped against my clit. I gyrated my body in motion with his fingers, feeling the heat of orgasm rising in my stomach. Our lips stayed firmly together, and I screamed loudly into his mouth.
He lifted his body to a sitting position and grabbed onto my breast as I reached back and hooked my fingers into the headboard. He watched my body writhe and twist underneath him as he used his hands to make me come. His eyes darkened, and he licked his lips as my moans picked up speed, building and building to the climax my body was searching for. He pushed his fingers deep inside of me while rubbing my clit with his fingers. As my body moved faster and his hand met my speed, I arched my back and moaned out in ecstasy.
Pleasure exploded from between my legs, traveling upward and through my entire body. I felt him pull his fingers down and push his face between my legs, heightening the effect and prolonging my orgasm. His tongue lapped my juices as they rolled out of me, my hips shaking at every stroke. My nub was hard and sensitive, and as he flicked his tongue against it, I shuddered and laughed, grabbing his head and sinking back down in the bed.
He continued to move his tongue over my pussy, tasting me, caressing me, and bringing a calmness to my shuddering body. His hands slid up my stomach and grasped my breasts as he licked one last time before moving upward toward my face. I reached up and grabbed his cheeks, pulling his mouth into mine and tasting a mixture of orgasm and lust. He laid there, kissing me passionately as he stroked his long, hard shaft. My body ached to feel him inside of me. I reached down and grabbed his cock, pulling it toward me as he rolled over on top of me and spread my legs with his. I lifted my hips toward him and gasped as he slowly slid inside of me, his eyes penetrating my soul.
He slid his hands up my arms and pushed them over my head, intertwining his fingers into mine as he moved slowly in and out of my body. I could feel his bulging cock fill me up, and I leaned my head back as he ran his tongue down to my collar. He put his hand next to my head and lifted his body up, thrusting softly into my hips. He leaned his head down and passionately roamed my mouth with his tongue, giving me every part of himself. I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling as our bodies collided, feeling the passion of love mixing together as we twisted and turned to the light of the setting sun.
Chapter Nineteen
Nathan
Everything about this woman was amazing, from the way she walked to the way she smiled up at me while we were in bed. I could feel my cock pushing deep inside of her as we made love in her bed beneath the setting sun. Her moans made me never want to stop, and our entwined bodies were both erotic and emotional. I had never met a woman that could bring this side of me out, but as my mouth caressed hers, I felt as if I couldn’t get close enough to her.
My feet pushed against the soft fabrics of the bed as I thrust forward, groaning against her mouth. Her mound was sopping wet, and it was taking everything in my power to not explode all over her. She grasped onto my right hand tightly as my left arm held me up. I slid my body up hers, feeling her tits rubbing against my chest, and I pushed as deep as I could, holding myself there for a moment before sliding back out and moving to my side. I reached out and grabbed her hips, turning her away from me. I lifted her leg high in the air as she pushed her ass back toward me and opened up. I slid my cock back through her juices and leaned against her back, growling at how good it felt. I reached up and held her leg, pushing faster and faster inside of her. She turned her head toward me, and I reached mine forward to meet her lips as my shaft slid in and out of her pussy. Her hand slid down between her legs, and she rubbed her clit with three fingers, pushing her hips back in rhythm with my thrusts.
Feeling my orgasm simmering inside, I pulled her leg over my shoulder and moved back over the top of her, keeping my motion going. She grabbed her ankle and pulled it toward her head as I reached down and grabbed her waist. Her curves fit perfectly in my hands as I pulled and pushed her back and forth on my cock. I could see her fingers clamp down on her leg as she arched her back and opened her mouth to scream out as she came. I lowered my head and pressed my mouth against hers, feeling the vibrations of her pleasure flow down my throat. The rush of juices and the tightening and clamping of her pussy pushed me over the edge. I growled as I thrust deep inside of her and held it, pushing my hips forward as much as I could. An explosion of pleasure rocked my world, and I closed my eyes, letting it filter through my body.
This woman had blown my mind on every account, and as I sat there breathing heavy, relaxing my muscles and looking down at her, I realized that was the best sex I had ever had in my entire life. I didn’t know if it was the sex itself, her amazing body, the fact that I was in love with her, or a combination of all those things, but I knew right then I couldn’t ever walk away from this woman.
I lowered her leg back down to the side and rolled over next to
her, instantly grabbing her body and pulling her in close. She sighed as she curled up in the bed, her hair streaming all around her, still smelling like lavender. Her skin was smooth and radiant, and I truly felt like I was holding on to the most beautiful woman in the world.
As she drifted off to sleep, I turned over on my back and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about how far everything had come over the last few weeks. Several weeks ago, when I received the picture of Nick and Ronni in our kitchen, I was livid, but I wasn’t capable of admitting to myself exactly why I was feeling that way. I pushed the idea of Ronni and me away, allowing the words of my mother to haunt me. I had this impression that my mother would have hated this or been disappointed in us, but in the end, she loved us so much, I was sure that she would have been more than ecstatic that two people like Ronni and I found each other in a sea of noise.
She would have kissed us both and embraced the fact that if our relationship continued as it was going, one day, Ronni would have been actually considered her daughter, something my mother always wanted. I let my family blind me because it was all I ever knew. My mother used to tell me to lighten up and have some fun, but I never listened to her. I was determined to be successful, finding my brother’s lack of ability a burden on my shoulders when it should have been a burden on my father, not me.
Now, lying here next to this woman, having said goodbye to the toxic people and toxic situations in my life, I never felt more peaceful or free. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and know that if I really wanted to, I never had to put on another suit again. When I was in the thick of it, really going full steam ahead, day in and day out, I didn’t realize that there were any other options out there. I thought that the life I led was the only way to live, and making any kind of drastic change is terrifying and impossible. Then, when I finally let myself go free and made the jump, I asked myself why I hadn’t done it before. It was almost comical how easy it was to make the changes that I wanted for my life. All it really took was getting over the fear that dragged me down. Once that was accomplished, I realized how free I really was in this life.