by Ali Parker
He pressed his nose and lips against my lower stomach and breathed in deeply as he reached up to brush his fingers by my nipples.
I cupped his head and bent over, kissing him as he glanced up. He grumbled something low in his chest as I moved to my knees. I paused and he stood up, smiling.
“I’m so glad you understand me without me having to say a word.” He gripped my hand tightly and walked into the bathroom.
I laughed softly and followed him, feeling a sense of ease and anticipation for the night to come.
He held back the shower curtain and let his eyes drag across me. “I don’t know if I have a condom with me in the apartment, but let’s enjoy each other, and I’ll grab one before we go to bed.”
“Sounds good.” I got in and moved into the warm spray of water, wetting my front as he moved up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.
I moaned and let my head fall back against his strong chest.
“So beautiful, Layla. All mine, right?” He pressed his teeth into the side of my neck softly and I groaned again for him.
“All yours.” I slid my hands up the front of the shower and let my head drop, lifting my ass and arching my back. The water danced down my spine and sprayed the front of him while I closed my eyes and relaxed for the first time in a long time. My mom and dad were okay, and Jayce was mine. Aubrey was moving on to a life she wanted more than anything and I had five more months of college before the real world opened its arms to me.
The man behind me wanted me to have his children and to wake up next to him every morning. It was almost too much.
“How did I get so lucky?” he whispered roughly, obviously feeling the same emotions that I was.
I rolled my hips as he gripped them and pressed into me. We could be careful and I wanted to feel his skin against mine. Just once. My legs shook from the pleasure of being taken slow and hard by him. There wasn’t a place his hands didn’t touch as he kneaded my breasts and massaged my back as we made love.
A few minutes into our lovemaking, he groaned loudly and pulled out, taking a step back as he panted loudly. “Shit. That’s too intense.”
“Mmmhmm. I like it.” I turned and moved toward him, pulling him down into a long kiss as I wrapped my fingers around his swollen flesh and brought him over the edge. Having him pant and groan against my lips was delicious. Heady. Powerful.
“I like you.” He pulled out of my grasp and sank down to his knees, turning me and pressing my back against the cold shower wall before pulling one of my legs over his thick shoulders. He glanced up at me as I started to pant. “My turn.”
I moaned and sank my fingers into his hair as he leaned forward and took control of my pleasure, drowning me in lust and working my vocal cords as promised.
Chapter 23
Jayce
I lay in the bed beside her the next morning and watched her sleep. Something told me it was going to be a regular occurrence in my life, which was perfect. It offered me serenity like nothing else had before.
Reaching over, I brushed my fingers down the side of her face and licked my lips. I could still taste her from the night before, and fuck if I didn’t want more. So much more of her.
A smile lifted my lips as she mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. Aubrey and I had been trying to tell her since we were kids that she talked in her sleep, but she refused to believe it. Now that I had the spot in the bed next to her, I was going to do what my sister never would. I was going to record her talking the next time she got after it.
When we were kids, she’d be preaching or teaching school or something insanely serious. A chuckle bubbled up inside my chest as I thought back on all the times I’d stood outside of Aubrey’s door and listened to Layla dreaming about instructing someone or something. She was precious, priceless, everything I wanted in my life.
“And now I have you.” I moved closer, greedy for her touch.
“Mmm, morning, baby,” she mumbled and rolled over, giving me her back.
I pulled her toward me and tucked myself against her warm skin. “Morning, beautiful. You want me to make some breakfast before we head over to your mom’s?”
“What time is it?” She reached back and ran her nails over my outer thigh, causing my cock to jump. The chuckle that left her had me rolling my eyes. The woman loved the power she had over me. Too bad I had no intention of denying her an ounce of it.
“Eleven.” I ran my nose up the back of her neck and kissed the back of her shoulder a few times. “You smell good.”
“I smell like our sex.” She pulled away from me and sat up.
“Exactly. I love it.” I tugged the covers from her, wanting to see her breasts before she got up to get dressed.
“It’s cold.” She pulled at the comforter on the bed, blocking my view.
“Come back over here and let me snuggle you.” I reached for her, tugging at her arm.
“Snuggling isn’t all you have in mind. I can tell.” She glanced over and smiled as my cock jumped, causing the covers to twitch.
“He likes you. What can I say?” I slipped my hands under my head and smiled as she whipped around, dropping the covers and leaving her top half on full display.
“Likes me? That’s it?”
“Loves you. Adores you. Worships you.” I reached out and gripped her arm tightly, pulling her toward me. “Come here and I’ll show you.”
“You’re so bad. Here I thought you were a good boy all these years.” She pulled the covers off of me and climbed onto my lap.
I folded the pillow under my head and smiled up at her. “I’m glad to know my tricks worked. Go easy on me.”
“I don’t do easy.” She pressed her fingers against my chest and arched her back as I thrust up and groaned loudly. Pleasure shot across my stomach and raced up my chest, leaving me overwhelmed already.
It took every bit of oomph I had to get my response out as she started to work me. “You don’t do easy, but you do slow?”
“You’re goading me, Jayce Moore.” She bent over, running her nipples down my chest as she continued to make love to me.
“Please tell me it’s working.” I gripped her hips and caressed the top curve of her ass as it bounced against my fingers. It wasn’t going to take much and I was going to lose myself inside of her. “Lay. Seriously. Fuck.”
“I thought you wanted easy.” She licked the side of my neck and laughed as I gripped her tightly and rolled us over.
I pinned her to the bed and licked my lips as her eyes grew wide. “My turn to play the game.”
“Hard please?” She arched her back as my eyes rolled back in my head.
I didn’t stand a chance against her. It was the only competition in my life I was good losing—every time.
“Come in.” Layla’s mom pulled the door open to their small house.
I had only been there a handful of times over the years, and it was mostly to just pick the girls up or drop them off.
“Hey, Mom.” Layla hugged her mom and moved into the house as I followed.
“Mrs. Roberts, good to see you.” I pulled her into a quick hug, glad to see that she was up and moving and looked almost normal. The scene was vastly different from the last time I’d been at their house.
“Your father is out back on the porch. He’s having some trouble this morning.” Mrs. Roberts let out a long sigh and wiped her hands on a dish towel she was holding.
I breathed in deeply and smiled. “Is that meatloaf?”
“Yeah.” She gave me a shy smile as Layla walked toward the kitchen. “You like meatloaf? I thought about asking Layla to make sure you were good with it before I baked it, but I totally forgot to ask.”
“Um, who doesn’t like meatloaf?” I chuckled and followed her into the kitchen.
“No one in my family.” She walked toward the stove as I paused by the table, unsure of where I was expected to be.
I moved back a little to glance out the window to the backyard. Layla was squatting in fr
ont of her father, who was hunched over in a chair with a blanket around his shoulders. My heart ached to watch them. My father hadn’t served in the military or seen some of the things Mr. Roberts had. All the anger and disgust I felt the last time I was in the house was gone. Pity and concern took its place.
Would Layla stick by my side if things were to somehow get crazy between us? Would she help me work through my shit? My anxiety?
The memory of her sitting on my lap in the Jeep brushed across my mind, leaving me without a doubt that she would. She was my soul mate. The one I was supposed to spend my life with. I was just damn lucky to have realized it before it was too late.
“Jayce.”
I glanced up to see Mrs. Roberts standing beside me.
“Yes, ma’am?” I smiled and slipped my hands into my pockets.
“I’m really sorry about the other day.” She glanced toward the floor and I noticed how thin she was for the first time. She wasn’t that thin when we were kids. Not to the point of looking malnourished.
I reached out without hesitation and squeezed her shoulder softly. “It’s all right. Everyone has things they have to go through. I’m sorry I hit your husband. It was just my first reaction.”
“And a good one.” She glanced up with tears in her eyes. “He’s so embarrassed.”
“I can try talking with him, but I really don’t know what I would say.” I released her and glanced back toward the window. Layla had him in a tight hug and his shoulders were shaking as if he were crying.
“Maybe you don’t need to say anything. Maybe just throwing the ball around the yard would be good for him?” She wiped at her eyes and turned her back to me. “I’m going to make mashed potatoes. That sound good?”
“Sounds delicious.” I pulled my keys from my pocket. “Let me go grab the ball and gloves and see if he’s up for a round of catch.”
“Thank you,” she called after me.
I kept waiting for the awkward feeling that I didn’t belong to rise up in my stomach, or the notion that this was uncomfortable and not my problem, but it didn’t. Layla would be my wife before too long. I had no doubt about that. Her problems were my problems. Her family was my family.
My heart constricted in my chest as I jogged down the stairs and walked to the Jeep. I needed her to know that I was completely with her. That whatever we had coming at us, good or bad, I was going to fight beside her to make sure we would always be together.
I grabbed the ball and gloves and jogged around the other side of the house, slowing as I reached the patio. Mr. Roberts sat by himself on the porch, his eyes swollen, his face pale and expressionless.
“Hey, Coach.” I jogged up the stairs and smiled at him. He hadn’t coached a team in ten years, but I remembered him coaching Layla’s tee-ball team, her machine-pitch, and then her junior-league teams. When no other parent would step up, he did. My own dad, who was an outstanding father, never made time to coach one of my teams. There was something to be said about the kind of man Paul Roberts was. Maybe he’d just forgotten.
“Jayce.” He stood up and extended his hand. “Man, I’m so glad you were here the other night.”
I grabbed his hand and hugged him tightly, trying not to notice the way his breath caught as if he were going to lose his shit in front of me. I’d deal with it if he did, but I knew he didn’t want to. No man did.
“Me too. I hated to put the heat on you.” I moved back and tapped my bicep playfully.
He snorted. “Thank you. I’m so sorry you had to see me like that. It’s been a long fucking year.”
“I bet. Layla says you’re getting some help though, which is awesome.” I extended a glove to him. “Come on. Let’s see if you still got it, old man.”
“Old man?” He snorted and shook his head. “You’re goading me.”
“Duh. I goad everyone.” I walked down the stairs, reveling in how natural it felt to be with Layla’s family. “Layla tell you I finally asked her out?”
He laughed, the sound of it brightening the day. “No, but it’s about damn time. You’re the only boy I’ve ever known to be at every event my little girl had. I figured you’d ask her to marry you one day. If someone got to her before you, I was just going to tell the bastard no. She’s been spoken for for a long time, right?”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, she has. I love her with all of my heart.”
“I’d warn you not to hurt her or hit her ever, but I know you too well to drag out that speech.” He lifted his arms and chucked the ball at me.
I caught it and smiled. “What can we do to help you and Mrs. Roberts?”
“Nothing, but thank you for asking.” He shrugged and lifted his glove. “Layla says your sister is marrying Lucas White. He’s the hockey hero guy, right?”
“Yes, sir. He’s my best friend.” I tossed him the ball and took a few steps back. “You should look into coaching again. You used to love it, right? Just because Layla is grown up doesn’t mean you can’t coach other teams.”
“I thought you had to be a parent of one of the players.” He caught the ball and tossed it back to me.
“I don’t think so. I’ll check into it for you.” I jumped to catch his next ball and glanced to my right to see Layla watching us from the window. The look on her face was enough to keep me playing catch with her dad until the sun went down if she wanted me to.
It meant the world to her, and she meant the world to me.
Chapter 24
Layla
“Dinner was great, Mom.” I pulled my mom into a tight hug as we stood at the door.
“Good to see you again, Mr. Roberts.” Jayce extended his hand toward my dad, who pulled him into a hug too.
“You too, son. Let me know what you find out about the Boys & Girls Club thing.” My father moved over to me, hugging me tightly and kissing the top of my head. “And keep my baby safe.”
“Always.” Jayce took my hand as I moved back.
We turned and walked down the stairs slowly. I had so many things to say to him, but there would be tears with every one of them and now wasn’t the time. Aubrey had texted both of us in a pure panic while we were eating. The tuxes were ordered in the wrong color, and it was easier to change the color of the dresses instead.
We were supposed to grab my dress and shoes and meet her at the mall by three. Our afternoon of lying around the apartment together was gone, but we’d have one soon.
“Thanks for coming with me.” I got in the Jeep and glanced over at Jayce. “It did my dad a lot of good to see you.”
“Yeah, I had a good time. I love your folks.” He started the Jeep and pulled out of the driveway. “I really need to study for a Chemistry exam coming up next week. Damn my sister and her wedding.”
I chuckled. “I’ll help you cram until you take the test. Sound good?”
He glanced over at me. “Sounds great. Can you sit on my lap while we study?”
“Naked?” I offered up.
“Um, yes. I wasn’t going to take it that far, but naked works really well.” He adjusted himself and reached over to take my hand in his. “Not to change the subject, but we really need to go see my parents now that we’re together. I told them already, but they acted like it was about damn time.”
I laughed. “I know the feeling. We’ve been skating around each other for twenty years, Jayce.”
“I realize that. You’re just stubborn. I tried to get your attention a million times over the last twenty years.” He wagged his eyebrows, causing my smile to lift higher.
“Liar. Tell me one time.” I tugged at my seatbelt as he drove us back toward the apartment.
“Easy. Remember our senior year when your asshole boyfriend, Scotty Wanes, decided at the last minute that he didn’t want to go to prom with you?”
I shook my head. “That was horrible. How was that you hitting on me? If it wasn’t for you taking me, I’d have sat at home like a freaking loser.”
“I paid his ass to dump you.�
�� He smiled, proud of himself.
“What?!” I swatted at him. “I liked that guy. He had nice teeth.”
“He looked like a horse.” He laughed and grabbed my hand again. “Did we have fun that night?”
I huffed and slumped into my seat. “Yes. It was one of the best nights of my life. You paying my boyfriend off to dump me isn’t a way to get my attention. I had no idea you did it. I would have killed you if I had.”
“I know. So I kept it to myself and spun the most beautiful girl in the room around all night.” He squeezed my hand tightly and smirked. “It worked, didn’t it?”
I rolled my eyes. He was impossible. It didn’t work in the way he wanted it to. It didn’t alert me to the fact that he was in love with me. I just figured Aubrey forced him into it because he didn’t have a date for prom.
“What else did you do to ruin my love life when I was younger?” I narrowed my eyes as he pulled up to the apartment.
“You remember last night when I made you come three times?” His cheeks colored pink, even though he was trying to be sexy. “Let’s just focus on that moment, okay? The past is in the past.”
“Jayce Moore!” I got out of the Jeep and jogged after him as he got out and bounded up the stairs.
“Remember that I love you?” He laughed and got into the apartment before I did. He was lucky we were late for meeting his sister or I would have held him down and taken his confession through his laughter and tears.
The poor boy was ticklish everywhere, and I was just enough of a bitch to use it to my advantage any time I needed to.
“Wait, you told her?” Aubrey smirked and glanced over at Jayce as we walked down the mall.
“Wait a minute. You knew?” I turned to face my best friend. “Were you guys in cahoots with each other our whole lives? Unbelievable. You’re my best friend!”