There was no need to fight the overwhelming need I had to touch her, so I took the single stride toward her and cupped her face.
“I want my first time to be with you.”
I heard her whispered voice, but I couldn’t find any words to respond. I needed to kiss her before I lost my ability to breathe. So I collided my lips with hers.
The kiss began slow and thoughtful, but as I moved my mouth over hers, devouring its softness, I probed my tongue at the seam. She gave in to the passion of our kiss freely and allowed me access to her warmth as her jaw opened. As I nibbled her bottom lip and explored the recesses of her mouth, her hands slipped under my shirt, and I felt her fingertips glide up my abdomen and to my chest.
I released the hold I had on her face and moved them to the small of her back. “Can…you…take…your…shirt…off?” she huffed out during our fervid kissing.
I broke the sucking seal of our lip-lock to answer. “I will, if you will,” I said with a jagged breath. Her swirling blue eyes held me captive as she pulled her shirt over her head. I grabbed ahold of mine, and it was on the floor as swiftly as I could manage.
She stood before me in a green, lacy bra. Green was my new favorite color. I was in mesh shorts, so when she slipped her hand into the waistband, she was able to access my growing erection quite easily. I really tried to maintain some composure, but I was out of my mind with the arousal she enveloped me in. She was the only woman I would ever want to be with again. She stirred feelings in me that I’d never experienced. I didn’t just want her. I needed her.
As she held my shaft firmly in her hand while gliding it up and down, I resumed kissing her and reached behind her to unclasp her bra. A whispered moan escaped her lips, and I thought I might expel the load that had been building for weeks now.
With our mouths still connected and her hand still in my shorts, we shuffled closer to the bed. I grazed the tip of one of her nipples with my finger, and her next moan vibrated against her throat louder than the last. The backs of her legs hit the bed, and she tumbled backward, pulling her hand out of my shorts as she fell gently onto the mattress. So I didn’t crush her, I laid next to her and closed my mouth against one of her nipples while stroking the other one with my thumb. She arched her back and wriggled against me.
Her desire was apparent, as was mine. She struggled to pull my shorts down, so I assisted by grabbing the loose elastic and yanking them off with one strong pull. My boxers left at the same time. My erection sprang forward as I began a trail of kisses from Lex’s soft, round breasts down her belly. Her skin was so warm and soft, I just wanted to taste every part of her. I swirled my tongue around her belly button, and she nimbly pulled at the snap of her shorts. After the pop of its release, I pushed her shorts down her thighs. Once the legs of her shorts reached her knees, she kicked them onto the floor. Her green panties remained in place.
I pushed my finger into the last bit of clothing covering her. She gasped, and I slipped into her slick folds. Warmth and heated wetness surrounded my single digit. When I inserted another finger inside her channel, I could tell she was finally ready. I think she felt our time was that moment also. She looped her fingers into the waistband of her underwear and pulled them off. They flew across the room like a slingshot when she released them off the bottom of her feet.
I had to remove my fingers from inside her to retrieve a condom from my wallet. Lex watched me intently as I rolled it on. I couldn’t remember ever feeling this rock hard in my life. I was incredibly engorged and had an unwavering feeling of spontaneous combustion brewing when I grabbed ahold of my erection and lined up with her entrance.
She was so incredibly tight. A whimper squeaked from her as I pushed myself deeper inside her snug passage. “Are you okay?” I asked while searching her eyes as I hovered over her.
“I’m more than okay. Show me how much you love me.” Her near panting had me more turned on than ever.
After meeting slight resistance, I finished pushing my way into the sweet haven of her tight tunnel and paused for her to adjust to me. She wrapped her arms around me firmly, holding me in place as if I’d go anywhere…ever. As I thrust in and out of her now very slick channel, she met my rhythm and arched her back toward me, urging me deeper.
I felt myself getting closer and closer to the edge when her breathing quickened, and her inner core began to pulsate around my shaft. As she dug her fingernails into my back and huskily screamed my name, she trembled beneath me, and the pressure that had been building inside me for so long was finally released in a huge, earth-shattering, havoc-wreaking wave after wave of pleasure. Explosive currents raced through me, sending my lower body into convulsions from the most intense orgasm I’d ever had while I simultaneously witnessed Lex ride out her own lust-filled ecstasy.
Once we transitioned from climax into the aftermath, I collapsed on top of her with her warm breath wheezing rapidly against my ear. “Damn, Batman,” she said, still trying to steady her breathing.
Her comment brought a smile to my face, but I didn’t move from my spot. That place where my heart was aligned with hers and our bodies were still joined was my new favorite residence. I didn’t want to ever leave.
But there was a knock on the door. “Cameron, are you in there?” The sound of my sister’s voice slammed me back to reality. “If you are, check your phone.”
I didn’t want to answer the door or check my phone. Lex began to push me off her, but still held a beaming expression and released an appreciative sigh. “Just see what she wants.”
I reluctantly pulled out of the best place I had ever been and quickly disposed of the condom. I located my shorts on the floor and dug my phone out of the deep pocket. We remained blissful without a stitch of clothing as Lex grabbed her phone from her purse, and we sat side by side on the bed, glancing at our screens.
Charlie: Where the hell did you two go?
Louis: We’re ready to leave. Where should we meet you?
The text from Louis had been sent several minutes ago. I glanced over at Lex, and she quickly glimpsed at me before directing her gaze down and hitting buttons on her phone.
Alexis: You two should go ahead and take the car. We can always take the shuttle.
“So now I know you’re in there.” I guess my sister looked at her phone. “Maybe we’ll see you later.” Footsteps retreated away from our door, and we were alone again.
Charlie: I’m happy for you both. I love you guys [heart emoji]
Cam: See you later. No need to check up on us.
Charlie: [puking emoji]
Louis: Have fun.
Alexis: We intend to.
Charlie: [girl vomiting GIF]
Desiring a much-needed shower, and given that we were both already naked, we let the hot water spray on us and indulged in some heated passion while washing each other off. We ordered room service and didn’t have clothes touch our bodies for the rest of the day.
13
Alexis
I felt like I’d been living in a dream for the last few weeks. School was back in session, so Cam didn’t have to be at work so early in the mornings now that the sunrise sports practices were over. Louis had officially been living with Charlie since right before our Labor Day weekend getaway.
Cam and I talked about moving in together also. We’d spent every night together except the nights I worked for quite a while now. I liked having my own place, but I liked being with Cam even more. I guess I finally found what I was looking for my whole life. I had friends, a family, a job I was passionate about, and a kind, gentle, caring, wonderful man who loved me and treated me well.
Charlie insisted that we’d be sisters soon by marriage. I wasn’t sure if or when we’d get married, but I already felt like I was a part of the Callahan family. Cam’s mom had me calling her MommaRita now, and Cam’s father didn’t want to be referred to as anything but Dad, so that’s how it had been at the family Sunday dinners. Dad made it known that he thought of me as one of his
own children, just like Claudette, the twins, and Louis.
Even though I came into the relationship inexperienced, I was quickly converted into a woman who couldn’t get enough of her man. Aside from the things he had taught me about love and kindness, he showed me desire and fevered passion as well. He made me feel beautiful and appreciated. Plus, he was sexy as hell. Most of the time, we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves.
Sometimes we engaged in traditional handholding. Sometimes we linked our thumbs and spread our fingers. Sometimes we gave each other a chaste kiss. And sometimes, we tried to rip each other’s clothes off as fast as humanly possible. We managed to keep our PDA to PG-rated when in the presence of others, but when we were alone, it was another story. Sometimes we needed to sneak away for some privacy so we could engage in some good old-fashioned necking. I didn’t have any idea if that was how a relationship was supposed to be, since he was my first boyfriend. If I could make one wish, it would be for Cam to be my last boyfriend, too.
He liked when I called him Batman. I guess it made him feel powerful or something. So I often used it when we are alone in the bedroom. Butterfly had become an endearing name to him, so he used it when he was trying to be sweet. His nickname for me still gave me gooseflesh. Of course, I loved when he called me Lex, especially in that deep, husky voice of his.
I hadn’t had any more nightmares, and I hadn’t had any more run-ins with my biological father, either. I also no longer carried a knife in my purse. I have heard people say you shouldn’t lose your sense of self once you’re in a relationship. I got that. I used to enjoy solitude, and I used to feel like I could take on the world without anyone standing in my way. It’s not that I didn’t feel that way anymore. I just didn’t feel like I needed to take on the world on my own anymore. I had friends I could depend on and who cared about me. I felt like I didn’t lose myself, but rather, I’d found myself. I was confident with who I was now and where I was going. I have also realized I wasn’t alone.
Previously, I thought I wanted to be alone because all of the individuals in my life were terrible, and being alone rather than with them was so much better. Now I understood I just had the wrong people in my life. I wouldn’t trade the Callahans for anything in the world. It wasn’t better to be alone. It was better to be surrounded by good friends.
As for my mom, it’d been over five and a half years, and I hadn’t heard from or seen her. I probably shouldn’t say I didn’t care, but she’d made her choice. She could’ve left with me that day all those years ago. She’d made the decision to stay with her boyfriend, rather than be with her daughter. That spoke volumes to me. Some women didn’t have the opportunity to get out of the domestic violence cycle, but I was there giving her a hand. All she had to do was to take it. I had read the statistics, and I realized that it was extremely possible that she was no longer alive at this point. I did think it was better if I was left wondering. It made me feel better to be angry at her for abandoning me than to know that she had died at the hands of a jackass.
I hadn’t lived in fear in a long time. In fact, it had been quite the opposite. I refused to be scared of anyone or anything since I ran away from home at sixteen. I hadn’t allowed myself to feel vulnerable. However, I had managed to convince myself that letting men and women into my life would make me vulnerable to being hurt and manipulated. I was happily proven wrong on that front. I was glad that I was strong enough to trust that not all people were bad. I learned to see the good in others and actually believe it. Opening myself up to friends who cared about me had shown me true love and happiness.
Epilogue
Cameron
One year later…
Lex and I waited anxiously for Charlie and Louis to arrive at their surprise engagement party. Louis had texted me that they were on their way a few moments ago.
The couple walked into the restaurant hand in hand, and they were quickly ushered to the back room, where they were greeted with a loud shouting of “Surprise!” by our closest friends and family.
Charlie genuinely looked surprised and happy. She actually glowed in the presence of all the excitement. Louis wanted a private proposal, but he also wanted to tell everyone immediately afterward. So it made sense to invite everyone out to celebrate with them.
I, of course, greeted my sister and my best friend before the other guests. “I always knew you two would end up together.” I clapped Louis on the back and gave Charlie a quick hug.
“Oh, you did not,” she quipped at me. “You only recently become a gooey romantic after you started dating Alexis.”
I shrugged and pulled Lex from the group walking close by. I smacked a loud kiss on my girlfriend’s mouth, and she giggled.
“Congratulations. We’re very happy for you,” Lex said before I pulled her away.
We watched as Travis and Claudette approached them next. They had become part of our circle of friends over this last year. They had both said that their relationship was completely platonic, but I felt like something else might be developing there. They seemed to complement each other nicely. They both gave their congratulations to Charlie and Louis and then advanced to the seafood buffet the restaurant was famous for. Maybe once Travis was ready to move on, their relationship would evolve into something more, I thought to myself, as I watched them walk away together side by side.
Lex and I walked to the hallway near the restrooms. I would be proposing before too long. I didn’t want to steal my sister’s thunder, so I would wait a respectable amount of time. Maybe a week or two…
I would also make sure it was in a private setting. I didn’t need the celebration with all my family and friends. I just needed my Butterfly. We could have our own private celebration.
We’d been living together for nearly nine months, so getting married was definitely the next step in our happily-ever-after life together. We were still young, but we were meant to be. We were Butterfly and Batman, and we would always be together.
About the Author
Greenleigh lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband and four children. Being an ER nurse for two decades and married to a firefighter, she writes stories about what she knows. Coffee and chocolate are everyday must haves in her life, but fishing and relaxing at the beach are her favorite pastimes.
After a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2019, Greenleigh began to check things off her bucket list—one of those things being “write a novel.” Today she is healthy and continues to write whenever she can, so she can get the stories in her head down on paper. She is inspired by people that chase their dreams and is a firm believer in happily ever afters, so you will find her characters and their stories mirror these ideals.
GRATITUDES
Brian: You are the love of my life. Thank you for being by my side for all of life’s ups and downs. You have always encouraged me to chase my dreams no matter how ambitious they were! You are the reason I can write about romance, because you show me every day
To my beta readers Christy and Tania: Thank you for reading the roughest of drafts and giving me honest feedback. You two are the best!
To my sister Anna: Thank you for reading this book and even managing to read the sex scenes this time around.
To Robin at Wicked by Design Covers: Thank you once again for creating a book cover that I absolutely adore!
To Eunice: Thank you for the coffee and the talk. You are amazing at what you do for women and children every day! I admire your strength, commitment, and advocacy to the vulnerable population you care for.
To Leddy: I don’t even know what to say at this point. You are my dream-maker, my friend, my mentor, my role model, my idol. I didn’t know when you showed up in my life you would make such an impact on me. My writing and I used to be trapped like a caterpillar in a cocoon, and you transformed my writing into a butterfly so I could fly. You will forever be my inspiration and my favorite author!
To my readers: Thank you for taking a chance on me. I have always believed that s
tories are written for other people to read, so I am extremely grateful to each of you that decided to read this one! I hope you enjoyed it! I really have enjoyed writing about the Callahans. I couldn’t let the twins have their stories told without writing more about their sister. So I decided Claudette needed her own story too. I hope to release her book in Fall of 2021, so keep an eye out for it!
Also by Greenleigh Adams
Love Burns
RESOURCES
Alexis was extremely fortunate to come away from the trauma of her childhood with minimal emotional scars. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there is help available. You may call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) Seven Days a week, 24 hours a day.
The trauma from childhood abuse can induce long-term manifestations of distress for victims, which ultimately affects their adult relationships.
How the Trauma of Childhood Abuse Affects Interpersonal Relationships, and How to Begin Healing highlights the long-term effects of the trauma of childhood abuse and how it affects individuals into adulthood. Blogs with survivor stories can also be reached at this site.
Adult survivors of childhood trauma: Complex trauma, complex needs provides a lot of insight on symptoms seen in survivors of childhood trauma. Some of these symptoms were emulated in Alexis’s character (nightmares, flashbacks, fragmented memories from childhood, etc.)
Websites:
https://www.thehotline.org/
https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/blog/trauma-childhood-abuse-affects-interpersonal-relationships-begin-healing/
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