by K. C. Crowne
I moaned in ecstasy as he continued fucking me, never stopping or slowing down. His breathing was heavy, and each thrust brought a hungry growl from deep within his chest.
When my orgasm subsided, he pulled out of me. I tried to hold onto him, not wanting out lovemaking to end just yet, but Cyrus had other plans.
He grabbed me, pulling me from the couch. He sat down and I fell into his lap, our bodies smashing into each other once again. With one hand, I guided him into my opening, lowering myself until he was nestled inside my pussy again.
Cyrus gripped my hips tightly, moving me up and down on top of him. His mouth found my nipples, and he sucked on them as I bounced on his cock. His tongue rolled over my sensitive, pink peaks, bringing a gasp from my lips and sent shivers down my body. My clit rubbed against his pelvis as I ground against him, his cock touching every part of me.
He lifted his head and stared into my eyes. I cupped his face in my tiny hands. His beard tickled my skin, but I wanted to stare into those eyes while I rode him. I wanted him to see exactly what he did to me, how he made me feel. And I wanted to watch the pleasure in his eyes as I moved up and down on top of him.
His fingers dug into my hips, then moved around to my ass. He gave it a nice squeeze, helping me move on top of him. We found a rhythm that worked for us, and we were in our own little world.
Cyrus leaned forward and kissed me, his tongue darting in and out of my mouth. His beard tickled my face now, and my hands moved around to the back of his head, pulling him closer.
He pulled away from the kiss and groaned, “Slow down or I’m going to—”
But it was too late, and truthfully, I wanted him to cum. I tightened my muscles and rode him harder and faster than before. The familiar heat burning inside told me I was close too.
“Cum inside me, Cyrus,” I whimpered. “Please.”
“I want you to—”
“I will. I’ll cum with you. I’m so close.”
Cyrus stopped fighting it, and once again, I was staring deep into his eyes as I rode him, milking his cock for all he had, clenching and spasming around him. He groaned loudly, pulling me down hard on top of him just as my pussy exploded in spasms. I felt him throbbing inside me, pumping me full of his seed, and it only made my own orgasm stronger.
We came together, our bodies rocking and writhing. Our mouths attached to drown out the sounds of our moans.
And when the pleasure died, I pulled away from the kiss and stared into his gorgeous eyes, our foreheads pressed together. I realized there was more to this, to us, than random hookups. I felt something inside, deep in my heart. Maybe it was the beginnings of love, maybe not, but it sure as hell felt like it to me.
I wasn’t about to ruin the moment and say something like that, just in case he didn’t feel the same way. It felt too soon, yet, it also felt like we’d known each other our entire lives. Cyrus knew a side of me that very few people got to see, and I felt like I’d seen parts of him he tried to keep hidden too.
There was an intimacy there that hadn’t been before; that I’d never felt with another man.
It gave me hope that maybe it could work out after all.
Chapter 16
Cyrus
I stared into my refrigerator with a baby on my hip, at a loss as to what to feed Milo. I’d never had a baby in my care before and had no clue what they could eat and when. I was sure he was beyond nursing and into solid foods. He ate with us at Josie’s. But beyond that, I wasn’t sure what he could and couldn’t have.
Josie was still asleep, and I wanted her to stay that way. She needed the rest. Milo had woken me up, and I thought, “Hey, I’ll feed the little guy some breakfast!” But of course, I had no idea what I was doing.
I was dumbfounded, and Milo was stared at me like he wasn’t sure if I should be holding him or not. He was probably right to have those concerns. I’d never held a baby before.
With my free hand, I pulled out my phone and did a quick search - What to feed a ten-month-old. I was relieved when I saw common foods on the list - foods I had in the house. I grabbed a carton of eggs from the fridge, thinking I’d make some scrambled eggs with cheese. Then it occurred to me: I only had one free hand as long as I was holding him. I thought about putting him down on the floor but looked at my floor and wondered when I mopped last. It wasn’t filthy, but it wasn’t spotless either.
I had a conundrum on my hands. We hadn’t brought over the highchair yet. I didn’t think he could sit in a chair and wait for breakfast yet. He could fall over. If I put him down, what if he got into something when my back was turned? What if he found something on the floor? Hell, what if I lost him?
I considered myself relatively calm under pressure, but in that moment, I was a nervous wreck. How did Josie do this? How did any parent do it, especially a single parent?
I stood there, staring down at the eggs on the counter with a baby on my hip, contemplating life and what it would mean for me from now on when I heard footsteps in the hallway. I turned around to find Josie standing in the doorway, her blonde hair in a messy bun with tendrils falling around her face. She looked half asleep still, but when she saw me with Milo, her face spread into a big old grin.
“There’s my guys,” she said, making a beeline for us.
Milo wiggled in my arms, giggling and reaching for his mother. I had to admit, it was one of the sweetest things I’d ever seen. Josie came over to us and took Milo from me, kissing the baby’s face all over as he continued laughing happily. The two of them looked to be in their own little world.
Her arrival also freed me up to begin making breakfast. I turned back around to the eggs and the stove and began cooking.
“How long have you two been up?” she asked me.
“Not long. We just woke up, and I was trying to figure out how to cook breakfast and hold him at the same time.”
“Ah yes, it’s a talent many people take for granted until they have kids. Why didn’t you just wake me?”
“I thought you could use the sleep.”
“You’re probably right there.” She walked over and leaned into me, kissing me on the cheek. “Anything I can help with?”
“Nah, you take care of Milo. I’ll take care of breakfast.”
“That’s what I call a team effort,” she laughed.
She headed over to the table and sat down with Milo in her lap. I went to the fridge and grabbed some bacon as the two of them played a little game where Josie counted on her fingers and Milo kept grabbing at them. They seemed to be having fun, even if I had no freaking idea what they were doing.
Josie’s phone rang. I continued cooking as she answered the call, assuming it was her mother or work related, considering how early in the morning it was.
“Hello?” Her voice cracked. Something wasn’t right.
I glanced back, and she was as white as a ghost. Her hand was shaking as she held the phone to her ear. I forgot all about the bacon on the stove and rushed to her side. She handed me Milo and stood up.
“Who is it?” I asked.
“Wade,” she mouthed.
That one word filled me with dread, and seeing Josie’s eyes fill with tears pushed me over the edge. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed the phone out of her hand.
He was still talking. His voice was eerily calm. “And when I get out, I’m coming after my son. You can guarantee it, Josie. You’d be better off just getting back with me and we could be a family again.”
“Hey, asshole,” I said, cutting him off. “Listen here. You don’t know me, but you’ll know me real well if you don’t leave Josie and my son alone.”
“Your son? How laughable.”
“Yeah, my son. And she’s going to be my wife soon. We’re going to be a family, so if you know what’s good for you, you’ll lose this number.”
I hung up before he could say another word. Josie stared at me with large eyes. She reached for Milo, taking him from me without saying a word.
“Don’
t listen to a word that asshole says. He’s just trying to scare you.”
“Well, it worked,” she said softly. She took a seat at the table, but there was no game or giggling or anything. She just held Milo close to her, silence filling the room.
“I’m not going to let him get to you or Milo, Josie. I promise you that.”
She nodded but didn’t look entirely convinced. I knew I had to prove to her that I could do this, that I could protect the two of them.
“That’s it. I’m calling the courthouse today. We’ll get in as soon as possible.”
“The courthouse?”
“Yeah, to get married. Maybe they’ll get us in today.”
“Wait, today?” she squeaked.
“If we can. I’ve already checked. There’s no waiting period after getting a marriage license. We get that, and we can get married as soon as we want.”
“I— uhh, are you sure you want to do that? I mean, so soon?”
My blood was boiling, and I hated seeing Josie cry. I cared about her, and there was no way I’d let her even think of going back to that bastard. He didn’t deserve her, and she didn’t deserve the shit he put her through.
I was going to put a stop to it.
“Yes, I’m sure.” The smell of something burning caught my attention, and I turned back to the stove, cursing to myself as I realized the bacon was ruined. “Oh, and you’re not going anywhere alone for a while. Just in case he sends someone else after you.”
“But I need to go to work, Cyrus.”
“No, you don’t. Not for a while at least.”
“Cyrus, I need money.”
I threw the bacon out. “I’ll be right back.”
I walked down the hallway into my office where I had a safe. I turned the knob, unlocking it and pulling out a wad of cash - my father’s money. I’d not touched it since I’d been given it. Most of it was in the bank, but some of it was at my home for an emergency.
I walked back down the hallway and dropped the pile of cash on the table.
“What’s this?” Josie asked, astonished as she stared at the money.
“It’s money to keep you afloat while we figure things out. If you need more, ask. There’s plenty more where that came from.”
“I’m not taking your money,” she scoffed, pushing the wad of cash away from her like it was dirty. “And I’m not going to just stop working. It’s my livelihood, Cyrus.”
“I’m not asking you to completely stop working. Just take some time off. A vacation of sorts, until we figure it all out.”
She stared at the cash on the table and shook her head. “What about my clients? What about my business? It’ll crumble if I take time off.”
“What if Wade sends someone else, but this time they do more than take your picture, huh? You said the guy was in prison for kidnapping,” I reminded her harshly. “You think he’s above kidnapping you too?”
She didn’t say anything. She knew I was right.
“I’m going to stay with you. You’re not going anywhere alone from now on.”
“But what if this continues forever, Cyrus? You can’t be my personal bodyguard for the rest of my life.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, I don’t want you going to work or anywhere alone. Maybe we can work something out later this week, but for now, you need to think of your safety.”
She hesitated, then sighed. “Fine. But I’m not taking your money.”
“That money isn’t mine, Josie. It’s my dad’s, and the faster I’m rid of it, the better, if you ask me. So take it. Besides, you need to buy yourself a wedding dress and whatever else brides needs these days.”
She was quiet for a moment, watching me with flitting emotions. “We’re really doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Getting married.”
“Of course we are. As soon as the courthouse is open, we’re going down there to get our license and we’re going to get married as soon as they can squeeze us in, so you better call the girls and get things arranged. We need to make this look as real as possible.”
Josie stood up from the table, and I wasn’t sure what she was doing until she walked over to me and stood on her tiptoes to kiss me. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome.”
She nodded. “But I’m only taking a few days off work, then we’ll have to figure something else out.”
I knew how much her business meant to her, and I couldn’t blame her. But my focus was on keeping her and Milo safe. Nothing else mattered to me. But I also knew I had to let her have some freedom to live her life. I wouldn’t control her like Wade had. We’d figure something out.
We’d have to if we wanted to make it work. After all, marriage required compromise. I wasn’t very good at compromising.
Chapter 17
Josie
I stared at the marriage license with our signatures on it. It was really happening. Cyrus had also set a date for the wedding. While they couldn't get us in that day, we were scheduled to be married later that week. Only a few days to plan everything. I figured we’d just go in wearing normal clothes and that would be that, but Cyrus said we should make it look as real as possible and talked me into getting a dress and booking a reception hall for our family and friends.
It was going to be a real wedding.
I called all my friends, and we went to the bridal boutique in town. It was a small store, with very few options of dresses on the rack. Cyrus waited outside, not wanting to intrude on girl time, but not leaving me completely alone either. He volunteered to watch Milo for me, and the two of them were going to hang out at a small park across the street from the shop. He could keep his eyes on the shop from there, and I wasn’t too far in case Milo needed me.
I stepped out of the dressing room in the first gown the sales assistant, Claudia, had given to me.
“Oh my God, Josie,” Leah gushed. “You look like an angel.”
“I love the sequins at top,” Felicity remarked. “And the way it flows out at the bottom.”
Piper smiled and said, “It’s beautiful.”
Elle remained quiet, giving the dress a once over. Being the fashionista she was, I knew she’d have an opinion. She shook her head. “It’s beautiful, but it doesn’t fit right. I don’t know if you’d have time to get it tailored before the wedding.”
She was right, of course. I noticed it too, but at the same time, I knew my options were limited. Buying a dress off the rack meant not being too picky.
I looked in the mirror. Elle stepped behind me, pulling at the material at top that gaped away from my chest. “It’s a bit too big for you, I’m afraid. Though if we could get it tailored in time, it would look stunning on you.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “I’m not sure I’m going to find the perfect gown, Elle. I might have to deal with something not fitting right.”
“Claudia has pulled several dresses,” she soothed. “This is only the first. Don’t give up just yet.”
I nodded, wiping away the tears.
Claudia helped me back into the dressing room, and together, we carefully removed the dress. She looked through the rest of the options.
“Here, try this one. It’s a size smaller, and I think it would look beautiful on your figure.”
She helped me into the gown, which was form fitting, and I feared it might be a bit too tight. When I glanced in the mirror in the dressing room, I thought maybe it would work. It was a little plain, but it fit - hugging my body in all the right places. It was a little sexier than I imagined for my wedding day, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
The dress was a luminous white and satin with a sweetheart neckline that showed off my cleavage. Cyrus will probably love it, I thought to myself with a grin.
“You’re smiling! That’s a good sign. Want to show your friends?”
I nodded, and we stepped out of the dressing room. I found it very hard to walk in the dress because it hugged my bo
dy so tightly. I had to take small, almost dainty steps, and I couldn’t take in any deep breaths.
Of course my friends all loved it. I had a feeling they’d love anything I stepped out in, mainly because they wanted me to be happy. Elle, of course, was the one person I could trust to be brutally honest. I looked to her first thing.
“First question I have for you,” she said, lifting a finger. “Can you breathe?”
“Barely,” I confessed.
“Yeah, we can’t have you suffocating on your wedding day, no matter how beautiful you might look while doing so,” she said, waving her hand. “The first dress wouldn’t suffocate you, at least, and we could probably work with the gaping if we had to, even if I’d have to do it myself. Might not be perfect, but at least you could breathe.”
Ultimately, she was right. This wasn’t my dress. Panic set in. I didn’t want a dress that would be merely okay. But we only had so many options.
Claudia looked through the dresses she’d pulled with a frown. There was a knock on the dressing room door, and Elle’s voice called out, “Can I come in?” Elle slipped into the dressing room with a dress in hand. She handed it to Claudia. “This is her size, and I think she’s going to love it.”
Claudia looked over the dress. “It’s a ballgown, and she said she didn’t want a fluffy dress.”
“Trust me, I think she’ll change her mind once she puts it on.”
Elle winked at me and slipped out of the dressing room. I had my doubts. I didn’t want to look like a fluffy, fairytale princess. That just wasn’t me. I was a rather simple girl with simple tastes. But what did I have to lose by trying it on?
Claudia helped me into the gown, which had a corset-style top. She laced me up as I looked at myself in the mirror. The dress wasn’t as fluffy as some of the ballgowns I’d seen, but there was some puffiness to it. The bottom was fairly simple, no dramatic designs that drew the eye there. The designs were all on top. It was strapless and had delicate crystals around the top of the dress, outlining my neckline. It showed just a hint of cleavage, but not too much. The corset top also made it easy to adjust the fit, so there was no gaping and I could still breathe. Better yet, it highlighted my curves perfectly.