“I’m needed back outside.” He scurries off like a naughty boy.
Shaking my head, I turn to the sink and start running the hot water into it. There aren’t many dishes to wash as I had the foresight to purchase plastic dishes and utensils, which can just be tossed in the trash.
The children are having so much fun outside that it fills my heart with pleasure. They’re all good kids and today will probably stay with them for a while.
Smiling, I glance outside and see Jace surrounded by the children as he carries a florescent pink package with Disney Princesses toward the small table of gifts. I have no doubt that Tammy will be in her element with whatever is inside, although she loves wrapping paper and had insisted that she open mine carefully so she could keep the paper as well.
“Looks like you’re having a party?”
I jump out of my skin and whip around to face the room when I hear Richard’s voice behind me. He certainly isn’t someone I expected to see today, although I did know he’d show up at some point, just not here.
He’s holding a large bunch of flowers, which he places on the countertop. Then I stiffen as he shocks the hell out of me by pulling me into his arms for a hug.
The last time I saw him, he’d left me so upset and in pain that I could barely breathe. I don’t know how he can expect my forgiveness.
When his hands loosen, I move out of his reach, and ask, “What are you doing here?” I glance out of the window, hoping Jace is on his way over.
He sighs and runs a hand over his face. “When I went by your place and you weren’t there, I figured I might find you here. Savannah…I…I’ve sworn to uphold the law, and to protect citizens…but I didn’t do that with you. I feel so ashamed that I hurt you. Please, Savannah, believe me when I tell you that I’m sorry for putting my hands on you in anger.”
I glance outside again, but Jace is still surrounded by the children.
Richard follows my gaze. “I asked Jace to give me ten minutes to apologize to you, and he made me promise that I wouldn’t lay a hand on you again… Which I won’t.”
Staying silent, I nod and watch him struggle to find more words because, although I’m surprised with what he’s just said, I need more than an apology to even come close to forgiving him for what he did. It could have been a lot worse, but I still need more.
“I’ve never felt threatened by you before, not like that day. Why?” I wrap my arms around my waist in self-protection.
“I’d been expecting you to break the engagement for months, and I’d kept waiting, and waiting. When you didn’t say anything, I thought we were good. Your words came as a shock, but they didn’t warrant the reaction that you got, especially as I’d been trying to work out a way to break it off myself.”
My mouth hangs open and my arms tighten. I’m completely floored by his words. I shouldn’t be as I’d felt for months that he wasn’t really invested in our relationship.
Richard sags into a chair at the kitchen table and puts his head in his hands. “I was being selfish,” he mumbles, and then lifting his head, he meets my shocked gaze before continuing, “I wanted to keep you…and Erin.”
Erin?
“God, I’m a bastard, and I don’t blame you if you want to thump me or something worse…I’ve left you speechless. I’m not surprised.”
“I don’t understand.” I join him at the table before my legs give way and I end up in a heap on the kitchen floor.
“Erin and I have been on again and off again more times than I can count. When I met you at your father’s funeral, you looked so lost and in need of someone to help you. I wanted to be that person for you. But it wasn’t a selfless act, I needed to be needed right then because of things that were happening in my life. I introduced myself to you and the rest, well, you know. I did, and still do have feelings for you, and I’m trying not to act possessive with you, but it’s difficult.”
He sighs and stares into my eyes. “This is going to sound horrible, but I don’t love you.”
Despite knowing this on some level, I can’t help but flinch…it still stings knowing that my ex-fiancé hadn’t loved me. Seeing the confused hurt on my face, Richard quickly adds, “I do care about you but not the way you should be loved, which is why I’m here offering you an apology and explaining myself. I’ve never done that before, but I owe you so deeply for the physical hurt that I caused when you broke things off with me. It was out of line, regardless of how jealous I was, knowing that you’d finally worked up the courage to end things because of your growing feelings for Jace. Will you forgive me, Savannah?”
I try and wrap my mind around his words and the emotions raging through me. I should say something, but all I can think about is that he had someone else while he was pretending that he wanted to marry me. I know I shouldn’t talk, considering I’ve spent time with Jace before breaking the engagement, but still…
“I think I’m numb,” I finally say in an effort to relieve his worry. “I didn’t expect to hear about another woman, and to be honest, I never expected an apology or anything… Can I ask you, were you with her while we were sleeping together?”
He looks sheepish and won’t meet my gaze.
I have my answer, and a hard lump fills my stomach, making me feel like I’m going to throw up.
“How… I mean, did you want us both?” My mind whirls through our relationship and I find myself trying to remember when we stopped having sex. “You weren’t even having sex with me, at least since we’d been engaged.”
He offers me a wry smile. “After things got serious again with Erin, I couldn’t have sex with you. It wasn’t fair to either of you…but I couldn’t let you go either. You’re so beautiful and your life is so clean. I needed that.”
Now he isn’t making any sense. “What—”
“That doesn’t matter,” Richard brushes me off.
“Are you okay?” Our heads turn at the sound of Jace’s voice.
I find that I’m unable to hide the relief that his presence makes me feel.
Holding my hand out, he moves closer, and takes it into his large one. “Will you stay?”
“Always.”
Jace sits down beside me and we both turn back to Richard, who now gets to his feet. His hands are twitching beside him, which is a clear sign that he has agitated. It’s a habit that he does when he’s worked up.
“All that matters to me now is having your forgiveness. Regardless of what has happened between us, your friendship means a lot to me.”
I’m still not sure what’s going on, but I tell him what he obviously needs to hear, “I forgive you.”
“Thank you…I’m sorry…I’ll leave you to your party.”
Watching Richard leave, I find myself trying to take everything in that he’s told me and it’s giving me a headache…what did he mean clean?
“Savannah?”
“I’m fine, Jace. Just surprised, I guess.” I turn to look at Jace. “Did you hear any of that?”
“Maybe more than I should…I’m sorry, but I was worried about you being alone with him.” Jace kisses me on the forehead.
“No, I’m glad you heard. Saves me repeating it.”
I offer him a wry smile.
“Honey, are you all right?” my uncle asks, suddenly appearing.
“What? Oh, sorry.” I quickly shake myself out of the shock of what Richard has just admitted. “Yes, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine, and didn’t I just see Richard?”
“Um, yeah.”
Uncle Ned sits down next to me, and takes my hands into his. “You’re cold. Savannah, you have me worried. What did Richard say to you?” He glances between Jace and me.
After a few minutes, I feel as though I can put my engagement to Richard out of my mind. Well, as best as I can. I have a feeling it’s going to take a bit to get used to the idea that he was two-timing me, or her.
I meet my uncle’s gaze. “Richard apologized, which really surprised me as much as wha
t he said. But you know what,” I smile with meaning, “I feel good.”
Pulling my hand free, I pat my uncle’s hand. Getting to my feet, I pull Jace with me. “You go and get everyone around the table, and Jace will light the candles on the cake, and then help me to bring it outside.”
“Cake? I’m on it.”
We laugh as my uncle dashes out of the door.
Chapter Fifteen
Jace
I can’t ever remember attending a child’s birthday party as an adult, but they’re damn exhausting. Even now that we’re back at Savannah’s house, I can still hear their shouts of excitement in my head and my ears are still ringing.
But looking around Savannah’s backyard, imagining kids of our own playing outside someday causes a lump in my chest. I want this with Savannah; to be here at the end of the day waiting for her to finish whatever she’s doing inside so that we can cuddle and make-out like teenagers on the sun lounger I’m currently lying on.
Just thinking about her has my blood rushing south in a gentle caress of pleasure. If I close my eyes, I can still see her sitting astride me in the back of my truck, her large breasts, firm with hard tips, fitting perfectly in my hands...even now, I can feel her fingers walking along my rapidly swelling erection through my cargo shorts…but wait…
My eyes snap open, and Savannah chuckles when she sees my shocked expression.
“I couldn’t decide whether or not you knew it was me.”
I admit, “I was remembering the night in my truck, and I got lost in the pleasure those thoughts arose in me.”
“Hmm, well I think,” she stands to her full height, and removes her dress over her head, “that we need to create a new memory.”
My mouth hangs open at the erotic display in front of me. Her legs are slightly parted and I find it damn difficult to move my eyes further up her body from her pussy where I can see her clit peeping out, begging for my tongue. The curve of her hips, her quivering stomach, her breasts and, most of all, her beautiful face are all begging for my touch.
Swallowing, I still feel parched and can’t get my words out, so instead, I talk with action and pat the space to my side. I want her beside me so I can sample her delicious curves and hopefully take my time—something that didn’t happen our first time together.
“You have too many clothes on.” Savannah straddles my thighs and starts to unfasten my cargo shorts—very, very slowly.
By the time she has them unfastened, my dick is hard as fuck and eager to go. I’m not sure how wise it was to remove the barrier between us when I want to touch her so badly. It’s too late now, though.
Backing off my thighs, she takes my cargos and briefs, letting them fall to the floor before she crawls up the lounger beside me. I don’t even want to know why she has a double lounger, but I’ve never been so glad.
Her naked curves press against my side…and I lose all sense of control. Yanking my shirt over my head, I let it fall to my side before I roll onto Savannah, pushing her back into the lounger. My balls nestle between her spread thighs, and I sink deeper against her wet pussy as her silken legs wrap around my waist.
There’s no way I’m going to be able to go as slow as I want, but I’m sure as hell going to try.
Resting on my elbows at either side of her, I cup her head in my hands and, holding her still, dip down for a drink of her lips. The minute our mouths fuse together, I slide my tongue between Savannah’s plump lips and fuse with hers in a dance as old as time.
Her hands caress the plains of my back until she reaches my ass, where she digs her nails into the flesh. A growl rips from my mouth as a bolt of pleasure courses through me straight to my dick—lengthening and hardening my already swollen cock.
“I’m not going to last,” I whisper into her neck, while trying to control the urge to enter and pound into her until we’re both too exhausted to move.
She bites my earlobe. “Fuck me, Jace.”
Fuck!
Her dirty mouth is so out of character that it fucking turns me on. But I need and want to put my mouth to her first.
“I will.” I caress her lips with mine before placing feather-like kisses along her neck. I move lower with each kiss…her collarbone…the arousing slopes of her breasts. “Release your legs.”
She groans but lets them drop to the lounger.
Kneeling, I cup her breasts in my hands and sigh in pleasure when they overflow. I keep my eyes on Savannah and dip my head to swirl my tongue around each hard bud, which swell to their fullest under my tongue.
“Mmm,” she arches up, her head thrown back and her arms reaching above her, “you’re good at that. I feel like I could come from you doing that alone.” She squirms under me, until I use my weight to keep her still.
Grinning, I rub my stomach against her wet pussy and move further down, licking my way along to her naval before dipping inside with my tongue. Moving on, I caress each hipbone before I finally arrive at my original destination. But first, I need to do some rearranging because I’m about to fall off the damn lounger.
“One minute.” Jumping up with less finesse than I would have liked, I grab a cushion from one of the patio chairs beside us and drop it to the floor at the foot of the lounger. “Ready.”
Kneeling on the cushion, I lean over the lounger and rest my upper body between the sexiest pair of legs I’ve ever had the privilege of lying between.
Grabbing Savannah by her delicate ankles, I slide her towards my waiting mouth, exploring her thighs as I move closer and closer to where I want to be, and where she needs me to be. Placing her legs over my shoulders, I turn my head and kiss the top of each thigh in turn.
Savannah’s torso quivers under my heavy-lidded gaze and as I use my hands to caress and arouse her further, I dip my tongue into the core of my woman… My dick surges with arousal, trapped between my body and the lounger.
Savannah
Feeling Jace’s wet tongue against me causes delightful sensations to rush through my body, and his tormented groan is a heady invitation. My eyes close in pleasure as my back arches. Throwing my head back, I squirm under his sinful mouth.
Panting and twisting under him, I open my eyes and meet his hot gaze…and then he sucks on my clit and the long, slow moan that releases from between my lips has Jace cursing and raring up to cover my body with his.
Cocooned against him, my breasts tingle as they brush his hair-roughened chest and my hips move on their own, searching to join to him in the most basic of ways.
The intensity on his face as he looks down at me, tells me everything I need to know without words. I’m guessing he’s finding it difficult to voice.
He closes his eyes and drops his head into the curve of my neck, saying, “Condom, in my wallet,” while rocking his hips against my wet core.
Not wanting him to move, I admit, “I’m safe, Jace.”
He groans against my ear. “I am as well,” he hisses, and I believe him. “You sure bareback is okay?” his voice breaks.
“Yes… God, yes.”
He reaches between our bodies and guides his hugely swollen cock to where I want him the most, and when I finally welcome him into my body, his hardness electrifies me with the throbbing of sensation it creates.
“I’m afraid to move,” Jace confesses as he gently teases a nipple with the palm of his hand, causing my vaginal walls to quiver with desire.
Jace groans, and slowly starts to move, his restraint shown with the tightness of his face with each downward thrust of his hips.
Waves of ecstasy start to throb through me, and I hold onto his neck for support—to stay grounded. Nothing works as Jace keeps up the slow, steady pace. My fingers start to caress the strong tendons in the back of his neck as he breathes deeply…all the while his gaze stays unwavering on my face.
Love—for this amazing man above me—flows through me like warm honey. I have a feeling that we’re both being drawn to a height of passion that we’ve never known before…and then it happ
ens…I shatter into a million stars as my climax rolls through me in gentle ripples that last longer than anything I’ve ever known before.
Jace grips my hips and, holding me against him, his cock swells and starts to jerk inside me while the tendons in his neck pop with the force of his orgasm.
“Fuck, Savannah.” He slows the rocking of his hips, but doesn’t let up. “I can’t stop coming,” he growls.
I feel like I’m on the top of the moon with his words and so tired from his lovemaking.
The level of feeling that was shared between us tonight was unbelievable and something that I’ll always remember, regardless of how many times we continue to make love. Whether that’s for another week or the rest of our lives, I won’t forget tonight.
Snuggling against Jace now that he’s withdrawn and pulled me against his chest, I intertwine my legs with his and sigh with contentment.
Jace picks up a lock of my curly hair, and rubs it between his thumb and fingers before sliding his hand through my hair to massage my scalp.
“I’ve never,” he starts, and pauses to kiss my forehead, “felt anything like that before.”
“Me either,” I whisper against his chest, feeling myself drifting off to sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Jace
For the first time ever, I’m uncomfortable at Ned’s house. I nearly didn’t come after leaving Savannah curled up in her bed the other night. She’d looked so beautiful that all I wanted to do was crawl in with her, especially after being so close to her when we’d made love, and I don’t just mean the physical connection. I’d still left though, because I want and need to work through my own things. But I spent the next evening with her after inviting her to Kix to watch Deception during a rare performance.
The evening had gone well, and we’d danced and laughed with my family and Ryder’s friends. It had been a good evening all-around until I dropped her off at home. Again, I didn’t stay and the look on Savannah’s face made it clear that she expected me to. I hadn’t made a big deal out of it, but it had still hurt seeing the disappointment before she’d disappeared inside. Today, I’m not sure whether or not she’ll be happy to see me. Because yeah, I sensed that she was angry as well as upset.
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