by Parker, Ali
“You said five minutes,” he answered.
I laughed, slapping my hand against his butt. “Now is not the time for teasing.”
“Now is the perfect time for teasing. I plan on teasing you all day and night.”
I shuddered against him, knowing he would do exactly that. I stepped away from him and took his hand, leading him toward my bedroom. “Afternoon delight,” I said the words aloud, but more to myself.
He chuckled behind me. I closed the door behind us. Part of me was still worried my mom would stop by for one reason or another. I didn’t want any interruptions. He was looking around my room. The bed was unmade and the clothes I’d worn home were still on the floor. I cringed, a little embarrassed to have him in my messy bedroom.
“Ignore the mess. I only got out of bed an hour ago.”
He turned to look at me, a silly grin on his face. “I like it. It’s very you. I like getting to see the other side of Cadence. The real side.”
“This is me,” I said.
“Now, I want to see you. All of you.”
His hands reached for my sweatshirt, tugging it up and over my head. I was a little embarrassed I wasn’t wearing something sexy and flirty. My hoodie was dropped to the floor. He bent down, closing his mouth over my nipple through the white lace bra I had on. The heat from his mouth was exquisite. It was like having warmth breathed into my veins. My blood heated as it pumped through my body, sending shivers down my spine and gooseflesh covering my body.
He stood to his full height and shrugged off his jacket before stripping off the T-shirt he was wearing. I stepped close to him and returned the favor. My mouth closed over one flat nipple, my palm covering the other as I suckled his chest. I moved my mouth up to his shoulder and across his throat. I wanted to lick every inch of him. His hard chest was the best aphrodisiac. I would never grow tired of touching and kissing his solid strength, a testament to the hardworking man he was.
I groaned, heat pooling between my legs as I devoured his chest. He was so strong and soft and a beautiful soul. His looks were nice, but it was the man under the hard physique that made my blood race.
“I need you naked,” I breathed. My hands flicked open the button of the cargo pants he always wore. I slid down the zipper and slid my hand under his briefs, wrapping my fingers around the hard shaft waiting for me.
He jerked as I tugged on him, stroking him and imagining the same hard steel inside my body. My mouth closed over his chest as I pressed my body against him, absorbing the heat from his skin. His hands pushed down my sweats, taking the panties with them. I kicked them off while he unfastened my bra and pulled it off me.
“Much better,” he breathed.
“You,” I gasped as his hand moved between my legs.
“Me?” he teased, his fingers sliding over my folds, slick with desire.
I couldn’t think straight when he touched me like that. “You. Naked.”
“Shh,” he whispered before his tongue pushed inside my mouth at the same time his finger slid past my folds and deep inside me.
I groaned, pressing my breasts against his naked chest. My sensitive nipples raked over him, the hairs on his chest spiky and rough. It felt so good. I rubbed harder against him, encouraging him to move his finger deeper inside me. His arm wrapped around my waist, holding me tightly against him as his mouth devoured my own.
The first tingles of the orgasm started in my toes before beginning a slow spiral up through my legs, my muscles contracting as my body stiffened against him. He held me up with his arm around me while my body broke apart in his capable arms.
“Now you have to be naked,” I said, stepping away from him.
He kicked off his shoes and stripped off his pants and underwear before standing before me. I stared at his naked body. He was all man. I could see a little scar on his thigh and another on his side. He was rugged and strong and mine.
“Naked,” he breathed.
“Mine,” I answered.
He slowly nodded. “Yours. All of me. I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me.”
I was suddenly ravenous for him. I sprang at him, my body slamming against his. He met me with open arms, wrapping his arms around me and holding me as our mouths melded together. We were so close, nothing could get between us. It was a visual of how I wanted to be with him. I always wanted to be that close to him in a spiritual sense.
I walked him backward and ordered him to lie on the bed. He did as I asked, resting his head on my pillows as he looked up at me. My eyes roamed over his naked body, resting on the cock jutting up, glistening with need.
“I love you,” I said the words that came to mind as I took him in. He was naked in the bright light of the day and looking at me with adoration and desire. I knew it deep in my soul. I loved him. I loved all of him.
“I love you,” he repeated the words.
I climbed onto the bed, straddling him before bending down to kiss his hard chest again. I was addicted to his body. I couldn’t keep my mouth off him. I kissed my way up to his mouth, taking him and infusing all the love I felt for him in the kiss.
His hands dropped to my hips, guiding my body over his until his shaft was at my opening. I adjusted my hips and slowly pushed down onto his body. My eyes were open as I stared into his. His hazel eyes were filled with such love and tenderness. In that moment as our bodies joined together, I could feel the weaving of our souls.
I seated myself fully on him, pressing off his chest and sitting up. My eyes held his while his hands rested on my thighs. I rubbed my hands over his chest, gently kneading and groping him. I rocked, slow and gentle, with our eyes locked together. He gave me total control, allowing me to set the pace as his hand slowly moved up and down my thighs before sliding up my ribcage.
I dropped my head back, closing my eyes and just letting myself feel all the sensations. Sex with a man I loved, truly loved, was so much more than fucking. I could feel the love he had for me in every one of his touches. I could feel the strength and energy of him deep inside me. I moved faster, the need to reach our peak together overpowering my desire to take it slow.
One of his hands reached up and squeezed my breast, and the pad of his thumb rubbed over my pebbled nipple. I gasped, feeling the first jolt of pleasure whip through my body, starting between my legs. His cock jerked inside me, telling me his own orgasm was close.
I dropped my head forward, looking at him once again. He was watching me with an intensity that nearly sent me over the edge. “God, you’re so beautiful. And mine. I could watch you make love to me all day.”
I offered him a small smile. “You don’t look too bad from my view either.”
His lazy smile warmed my heart. I reached forward, running my hand through his hair before cupping his face. I dropped my mouth to his, wanting to be fully connected to the man as my body reached a climax I knew was going to rock my world. The shift of him inside me touched new nerves and excited me even more than I already was.
The familiar wave of heat and the tingling of every nerve ending cascaded through my body in a slow wave. I gasped, my body completely gripped in the teeth of the orgasm that was all-consuming. It held me in a state of suspended ecstasy that made it next to impossible to breathe. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tight against him as his hips jerked up. His body exploded inside mine.
“I love you,” he grunted as his body jerked and rocked beneath me.
“I love you.”
When the wave of pure bliss finally released me, I collapsed against him, resting my head on his chest. His arms held me close. I had never felt so safe and loved in all my life. He gave me so much more than his body. He gave me new life.
“Damn, woman, you are going to kill me one of these days. My heart can’t take you.”
I snickered against his chest, not wanting to move off him. “You’ll die a very happy man.”
“This is true. I don’t think there is a better way to go than buried deep inside your heat.”
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My body reacted to his words, a little spasm rocking through me, clamping down on his dick inside me, still semi-erect. “Where do we go from here?” I asked, afraid of the answer.
We knew we loved each other, but there was so much that we needed to work through. I couldn’t bear to think of being away from him, but each of us had responsibilities.
“I want to be with you,” he said. “That’s what I know for sure. We’ll figure the rest out.”
“Are you sure you want to get into all this?” I asked him. “Taking on a family when you’ve been single all your life isn’t going to be easy. I can’t do this half-ass. I can’t kind of be in a relationship and kind of have you in the girls’ lives.”
“Good, because I’m all in.”
“When will we see each other?” I asked, worried the time away from each other could be detrimental to our relationship.
He let out a long breath. “Cadence, I’m going to be with you. I’ll sell the retreat if that’s what it takes. Nothing in this world is more important to me than you. And your kids.”
“You can’t sell it!” I gasped, going up on an elbow to look him in the eye.
“I know it isn’t ideal, but we can see each other on weekends. I’ve got that money coming, which will allow me to hire some staff. I’ll talk with Leo. I’ll pay him more to take on more responsibility. This is real. This is what I want.”
I smiled, dropping a light kiss on his lips. “I’m up for a promotion at work. I don’t think I can give up my job.”
“Don’t give up anything. I will make this work.”
I dropped my head back onto his chest. “I know you will. You’re a good man, Gabriel. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I’m sorry I didn’t give you the benefit of the doubt. I’ll get better.”
“You take it as slow as you need to. I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this for as long as you will have me. When you’re feeling unsure about something, talk to me. I can be a bit of a dolt and not see what’s right in front of me. I’ll be looking to you to keep me in line.”
I softly laughed against his chest. “You’re going to do just fine, Mr. Cole.”
Chapter 39
Gabriel
I carried the tray with five cups of steaming hot chocolate to the fireplace in the new lodge that had been built on the property. The massive stone fireplace was still my favorite part of the place. It was perfect for gathering small and large groups of people. Hazel followed behind me, carrying a plate of freshly baked cookies.
“Who’s ready for some cookies?” I called.
Autumn jumped up from the sofa where she had been listening to a story read to her by Laura. “Me, me, me!”
“How did I know that?”
I handed out the cups of chocolate before taking my seat next to Cadence on the couch.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile.
“You’re welcome,” I said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
She sighed. “I love it here. I’m glad you closed it down for the week.”
“Benefits of being the owner. I get to reserve it for the most special people on earth.”
“Us?” Autumn asked.
I grinned. “Yes, you. What do you guys think of the new cabin?”
Hazel smiled. “I like it. I like my room the best.”
I chuckled. “It’s not even finished yet.”
“But I know it’s going to be the best.”
“Is the contractor coming back after the new year?” Laura asked.
I nodded. “Yes. He’s going to finish up the wiring on the new cabins and then help me with ours.”
Cadence turned her face toward mine. “I can’t believe you’re building a house.”
I laughed. “I’m not doing it alone. I have a lot of help.”
“Still, it’s a huge undertaking. I can’t wait to go furniture shopping. I did go by a couple of stores to get a general idea.”
“You are in charge of that department. I’ll build, you decorate.”
The new house was going in the back of the property, away from the rental cabins. I wanted privacy for the family. We were harvesting a lot of the building materials from the property, helping with the cost of the new place. I had worked with an architect to design the perfect family home.
“I think it will be ready to move into by the time the girls are out of school for the summer,” I told her.
I had bought the property next to mine and had been working hard the last year expanding the bird refuge and having a barn built that would be used to help orphaned fawns. With the expansion of the new cabins and the increased revenue, I was not only able to hire some staff, but with the retreat making more, I was making more.
“Do we get to live here soon?” Autumn asked.
“Soon,” Cadence answered. “Gabriel needs to finish the new house and you guys need to finish the year at school.”
“And then we start our new school?” Hazel asked.
I looked at Cadence, letting her answer.
“Yes,” she announced.
The girls would be attending a school that specialized in rural students. They would only be going to actual school three days a week. The other two days they would be doing online school. Cadence had brought it to my attention, and after a lot of discussion between us and Laura, it was agreed we would try it for a year.
Both girls clapped their hands.
“Thank you!” Autumn said.
Laura had moved to a chair close to the fireplace. “I think it’s going to be very good for them. They’ll get plenty of outdoor playtime here and will get to learn a lot. I’m thrilled that it gives me a good excuse to live here part time as well. I’ve got some big plans for that cabin.”
I laughed. “That cabin needs big plans,” I joked. “You tell me what you need, and I will do what I can to customize it for you.”
“I will let you know.”
Hazel slid off the couch and went to go play with the dollhouse that had been moved into the lodge. The dining hall was just that—a dining hall. We’d expanded the kitchen and served three meals a day, thanks to the cooking staff I had been able to hire. It was still a small operation and Leo and I did a lot of the work. I didn’t mind. I liked being hands-on. The old cabins were still a hot commodity, with many guests specifically requesting the modest cabins. The newer cabins were habitable but constantly being upgraded.
“You managed to outdo yourself with your decorations,” Laura said after we had sat in comfortable silence for a while.
I smiled. “I had to up my game. We had a group in here last week. They wanted the Winter Wonderland we had pictured in the brochure. Leo got a great deal on decorations from a company that was going out of business. He wants to make it even bigger next year.”
“I think once it gets out that this place is here, you’re not going to be able to close it down for the week next year. Your place is the best kept secret now, but soon, your reservations are going to be booked for a year.”
“Thank you,” I said with a smile. “That’s the goal. Once we’re finished with the existing cabins, that will be it. I don’t want it to be too big. That will defeat the purpose of being small and intimate.”
She nodded in agreement. “It’s perfect the way it is.”
“Joe is okay with me working from home a few days a week,” Cadence said with a smile. “It is nice being at the top of the food chain. I’m not sure he would be quite so willing to let me come and go as I please if I was still at the bottom.”
“Because you’re good at what you do,” I told her. “You’re good at everything.”
She chuckled. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
Autumn had joined Hazel in the corner. Their quiet chatter filled the room. I loved the sound of them getting along. I spent a lot of my time at her house in Portland, but the demands of my business kept me away too much. I was looking forward to having us all in one place. I missed them like crazy when I was gone. I hated leaving
them, but the girls and Cadence understood why.
“I think my hot cocoa could use a little something extra,” Laura said. “What about you two?”
I raised my hand. “Absolutely.”
She got up and went into the small kitchen area that was mostly alcohol and snacks. Cadence leaned against me. “You make me so happy.”
“You make me happy,” I whispered. “I never knew I could be this happy. Every day I wake up and I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s all real.”
“It’s real.”
Laura came back, topping our hot chocolates off with a little whiskey.
“Mom, can we open one gift?” Hazel asked.
“Guys, we talked about this,” she started. “That was the tradition in Gabriel’s family.”
“But Gabriel is our family now,” Hazel argued.
“I don’t know.”
“I think we should,” I said, hating to go against Cadence’s wishes.
“Yes!” Autumn exclaimed. “Just one small gift.”
Cadence sighed. “Fine. One. You get one. You can’t ask me to open another if it isn’t what you thought it would be. Got it?”
Both girls nodded before rushing to the massive tree set up in front of the windows. This year, the girls had helped me decorate. We’d spent a weekend making ornaments to put on the tree in early December. It had been a lot of fun. Messy, but fun.
They carried their chosen gifts to the floor in front of the fireplace. We watched them open their gifts, both of them thrilled with the toys. Autumn looked at me, silently asking me for permission. I nodded.
She jumped up, Hazel following her as they raced back to the tree.
“Girls, I said one!” Cadence scolded.
“This one is for you,” Autumn said, handing Cadence the small box.
“For me?” she asked with confusion. “When did that get under there?”
Hazel giggled. “It was a secret.”
“Is this from you?” Cadence asked.
“You have to open it to find out,” Autumn told her.
Laura was looking on, a huge smile on her face. I had a feeling the girls had told her our secret. Cadence looked at me. “Did you have anything to do with this?”