Sidelined

by Marquita Valentine

  “Pretty sure I’m getting lucky, too.”

  There’s no reason to reply to her joke. She’s trying to keep this casual, but I’m playing for keeps.

  “Take off your clothes and get on the bed.” I stand and pull my shirt over my head while she does what I say. “You’re damn good at listening when you want to be, huh?”

  She smiles shyly. “I want you.”

  There’s the Layton I know. “Lay back and spread your legs for me, sweetheart.”

  My thumbs hook into the waistband of my dress pants and underwear, pushing them down and off simultaneously. I try to be smooth about it, but when I glance up at the bed, Layton’s propped up on her elbows, a siren smile on her face as she watches me. Her legs are spread so wide that I can see her pretty pink pussy is wet.

  “Is this...” She pauses, as if a little unsure about herself, then tips up her determined little chin. “Is this how you want me?”

  “Holy fuck, yes.” I throw myself on the bed, diving down between her thighs and parting her pussy lips.

  She whimpers, her hips bucking as her hands curl into the bed cover. “Aiden.”

  “Right here, LT.” I take a long, slow lick, my eyes closing with the pleasure of eating her out. She tastes like heaven. She’s slippery as hell, and I’ve gone to Nirvana.

  Taking my time to get her worked up even more, I tease her clit, kissing around the sweet bundle of nerves until she shoves her fingers into my hair and tugs hard.

  I laugh, enjoying the pain she brings me. “Something you want, sweetheart?”

  “I want to come.”

  I blow a warm stream of air at the dark curls on her mound. “Is that so?”

  “With you inside of me.”

  I crawl up her body, caressing her skin along the way. When my fingers find her sweet spot, I slide one in and cover her mouth with mine.

  With slow, deliberate movements, I finger-fuck her until her entire body flushes pink. She grabs at my dick, her hands closing around it and pumping hard.

  I let my head fall into the crook of her neck.

  When I can’t take it anymore, I push her hand away and take my finger out.

  She juts out her bottom lip. “I was so close.”

  “Me, too. Now turn over and put your ass in the air.”

  Layton eyes widen. “Um... I haven’t...” Her cheeks become as red as my Renegades jersey. “I’m still a virgin there.”

  For a second or two, all my brain processes is I’m still a virgin, then my heart starts to beat again. “Oh, no, sweetheart. I’m too amped up, and you haven’t had enough foreplay. Besides, that’s something to save for my birthday.” I wink.

  She laughs, her tits bouncing and the worry in her eyes fading away. “Good thing you already had your birthday for the year.”

  “Good thing,” I agree, and kiss her again. I have the entire night to map her body, and the last thing I want to do is make her nervous or think about anything but us.

  It doesn’t take very long for us to get back where we were.

  Her hands on my cock.

  My finger in her pussy.

  I add another, and press my thumb against her clit.

  She moans loudly, like what I’m doing to her is the best fucking thing that’s ever happened. Her inner muscles clench around me, rippling, and she starts to move her hips like she’s fucking my fingers and not the other way around.

  “I’m going to come,” she pants.

  Dipping my head, I take one of her nipples in my mouth and suck hard. She screams, her thighs coming together and almost preventing me from moving, but I elbow one open and let her ride out her orgasm.

  Her eyes flutter closed, and that’s my cue. I reach over her and yank open the top drawer of my nightstand, pulling out a condom.

  Ripping it open with my teeth, I use my free hand to roll it down my dick. It’s dripping with pre-come. I squeeze the head and groan.

  “I want to feel you in me now.” Layton grabs my neck and pulls me to her, fastening her mouth to mine.

  “You always were demanding.”

  She smiles. “You always made me say what I think.”

  I reposition us, straining above her because while my shoulder’s hurting, my full weight on her would not only crush her, but would ruin the moment.

  “Watch me own you, sweetheart.” Slowly, I push the broad head of my cock inside of her. I don’t stop, not even to accommodate her when she winces, but a second later, she’s kissing me again.

  After what seems like an eternity, I bottom out, my balls against her ass. It’s the most perfect fucking feeling in the world. I don’t want to move, but something primal takes over. Something that makes me withdraw and thrust, over and over, while Layton writhes under me.

  She’s biting my ear, telling me how good this is, how she wants to do it again when we’re done.

  “As many times as you want, LT.” I go down on my elbows, so I can pay special attention to her breasts. I lick the tops, then suck on each one to mark them. “Mine.”

  “Yours,” she agrees.

  I can’t hold my orgasm back any longer. My arm shoots out to slam my hand against the wall above the headboard, and I work my cock into her like a madman.

  I need this.

  I need her.

  Always and forever.

  Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back and I come so hard that I growl.

  Layton bursts into tears. I almost lose my shit, thinking I hurt her, but then she smiles. “You know me, I cry even when I’m happy.”

  “Did I make you happy?” I ask, leaning down to kiss away her tears.

  “The happiest.”

  Chapter 21

  Layton

  GROGGILY, I REACH FOR my phone and hit Aiden’s back instead. Then I remember I’m in his bed, and we made love last night.

  A lot.

  Him on top.

  Me on top.

  In the shower.

  On the counter.

  Experimentally, I widen my thighs. They protest. Twinges of pain—the good kind—hit from other places as well.

  I need a shower. Fresh clothes and Bojangles’ for breakfast. While I don’t have a hangover, my emotions are growling feed me into my ear.

  And I’ve never been one to ignore my emotional eating needs, as evidenced by the extra ten pounds I’d put on in the last six weeks, due to my lack of exercise beyond pulling the sheets over my head and later, getting dressed in the morning.

  If I don’t get totally back into the habit of working out with Paige again, I won’t fit into my favorite outfits and will end up eating even more to make myself feel better. It’s a vicious cycle that I have to break every so often.

  Judging by the way Aiden attacked me last night, I’d say he didn’t care about the extra pounds. I didn’t either until I got naked and had to bring up every bit of confidence I used to possess.

  He did seem to like the confidence... and even when I was being not so confident when I mistakenly assumed he wanted other kinds of action.

  How embarrassing.

  Except it wasn’t, because Aiden was anything but pissed off or pouty about it. He didn’t try to make me feel guilty. He made me laugh.

  While I don’t want to compare him to Joe and didn’t at all last night, I can’t help it this morning.

  I put one foot out, testing the temperature of the room.

  “Not too bad.” I internally pump myself up for a naked run to the bathroom. “You can do this. You survived the eighth-of-an-inch ice storm of 2014.”

  Aiden murmurs something, and nuzzles the back of my neck. I settle down and wait for him to stop moving so I can make my escape.

  By the grace of God, he rolls over. I hop out of bed, gathering my clothes along the way like a kid looking for eggs during an Easter egg hunt. All I lack is the basket.

  And my best Easter dress.

  In five minutes flat, because I am the sister of two brothers, who not only liked to hog the bathroom, but also
poured cold water on me while I showered, I’m out of there.

  I cast a look in Aiden’s direction. His large, powerful form is under the covers, sleeping peacefully.

  Wistfully, I take a half-step toward him, then stop myself. “Leave now.”

  As I secure an Uber and make my way to the back door, I tell myself that I’m not really sneaking out. I’m simply taking the time to think things over.

  To not be clingy.

  I rub the diamond clasp of my necklace, hoping it will bring me good luck as I wait for my ride. To my surprise, Aiden’s house is spotless. He must have had cleaners come right after his party.

  My stomach growls and I freeze, then look around to make sure no one heard it. When the coast stays clear, I tiptoe my way through the kitchen.

  “Morning, sunshine,” his momma says right before she bites into a donut. “Going somewhere?”

  Her gentlemen friend raises his mug.

  Startled, I drop my purse. “Hey y’all... I didn’t know anyone else was here. In the kitchen. Drinking coffee and eating this early.” I wrinkle my nose at the box of Dunkin Donuts. “Y’all do know the Krispy Kreme is five minutes closer? Just right down the road. You have pass by it first.”

  Aiden’s momma smiles. “Layton, I’d like for you to meet Father Sheehan. He was Aiden’s middle school and high school football coach. If it weren’t for him, no telling where my baby boy would be right now.”

  Sweet baby Jesus in the manger, his preacher... is here? I’m so going to hell. “Oh, my goodness, this is so unexpected. I mean, it’s such a pleasure, sir.” My mother always said putting on high cotton could get a girl out of anything. “I bet you’re as proud as a pig in slop.”

  They give me triple blank looks.

  “It’s a good thing.” I point to the door. “I was just leaving. My hair is such a mess.”

  His mother’s brows rise, and my face flames so hot that I start blabbering to them.

  “I’m married so... you know... nothing sinful went on anywhere.” I make a spinning motion with my finger. “At all.”

  Strong arms wrap around me. “Morning, sweetheart.” Aiden kisses the side of my neck, proving me not only a sinner, but also a Liar McLiarpants.

  “Morning,” I say weakly. “Your son is the best host.”

  Father Sheehan cocks his brow at me.

  I laugh awkwardly, my face heating a thousand degrees more. “Sex is God’s creation and everything He made is good?”

  “In marriage, with one’s husband or wife, it’s very good,” he agrees.

  “LT, you did not tell Father Sheehan you were married.” Aiden spins me around, gets one look at my guilty face, and exhales. “Fuck me sideways. Ya did.”

  Unable to take anymore of this, I duck away from him in a move I learned from my brothers. “I’m so sorry, y’all. I’m not at my best in the morning.” I grab the purse I dropped. “I’m going to skedaddle my way out of here. So nice to meet you all. Congrats, Aiden, on your win. Father Sheehan.” I curtsy to him because it seems like the right thing to do, and run from the kitchen like my tail is on fire.

  “That’s the funniest fucking thing I’ve seen all year.”

  “Not now, Ma.”

  “You going to let her leave like that?” Father Sheehan asks.

  I don’t wait around to hear his answer. I just shut the door behind me, because I’m pretty sure at any moment, lightning is going to strike me dead for carrying on with a man who is not my husband.

  I really have to think things through better before I speak or act.

  Pulling out my phone, I check the status of my Uber. It updates, but goes from two minutes out to five.

  “Dang it.” I stomp my feet to keep warm. “Stupid technology.”

  “You wouldn’t have to rely on it, if you’d bothered to ask me to drive you home.” Aiden comes to stand beside me.

  I glance at him, then do a double take. There’s a hickey on his collarbone.

  My eyes widen.

  His mother and preacher saw that, too.

  “Oh no,” I groan and start to feel faint. I can only imagine if my preacher saw me like this. “It’s getting hot out here. Are you hot?”

  “Jesus, LT. You’re pale as a ghost.” He grabs my arm and takes me back inside, but thankfully, he doesn’t take me to the kitchen. Instead, we end up in a living room that I’ve never seen before.

  “No one will bother us here,” he says, sitting me down. “Put your head between your legs. I’ll be right back.”

  I do as he says.

  He sits me up again, handing me a glass of coke. “Drink this. It’ll help.”

  “You don’t have any tea?”

  He gives me an are-you-kidding look.

  “Never hurts to ask.” I gulp down half before he speaks again.

  “Mind telling me what that was all about?”

  “I’m going get struck by lightning and go to hell for not only fornicating with you, but also for lying to a preacher and your momma and her gentleman friend about it.”

  Aiden laughs. He laughs so hard that I consider tossing my drink at him.

  “That’s what got you so pasty white? Shit. I thought I’d banged you so hard last night that something came lose.”

  “Oh my God.” I take another sip and make a face. “What kind of coke is this?”

  Aiden places his hand on my knee. “That’s what you think I’m really like, isn’t it?”

  “I told you I don’t care about that.” I lean back in the chair and close my eyes, letting my purse fall to the floor. “I’m more concerned about eternal damnation.”

  “Is this some kind of Baptist thing?” he asks.

  “No, it’s a ‘I’m still technically married and carried on with a man who is not my husband, and told your preacher as much’ thing.” I drink down the rest of the coke and hiccup.

  “Number one, you’re separated. That means you can date. Two, he’s a priest, not a preacher.”

  “Whatever, he can still talk to God about lightning strikes.” I giggle as warmth flows over and through me. “And is he going to make me tell my parents because I don’t know if I can handle that? They think we’re all virgins, even my brothers.”

  “Yeah, I’m going to have to take your drink away.”

  I make a pffft sound. “It’s sust joda.”

  He shakes his head. “No, it’s not. I added some of the father’s private whiskey stash. It’s powerful stuff.”

  I hold it away from him. “It’s my precious.”

  “You’re fucking adorable, LT.”

  I grin. “You think so?””

  He brushes my hair back from my face. “Yeah.”

  “I think you’re so hot, and last night was amazing. I had so many orgasms.”

  “Thanks for verifying that.” His mouth twitches. “I also think you’re being too hard on yourself, and you should have considered talking me to before you ran out of here.”

  “I will next time.”

  His brows lift. “Oh?”

  “I mean I won’t run out of here.” My eyes grow heavy. “I like being with you.”

  “I like being with you, too. Stop worrying about your past so much. It can’t hurt you now.”

  “I don’t want to make the same mistake again,” I confess. “I don’t want to fall in love until I’m sure that it’s true.”

  “And won’t change its mind,” he offers, his touch so tender.

  I nod. “Is that okay?”

  “I can wait.”

  Confused, I let him take my drink away. “Wait for what?”

  He smiles. “You’ll see.”

  Chapter 22

  Aiden

  “AW, SHE LOOKS LIKE a porcelain doll sleeping there, with her pearl necklace,” Ma half whispers. “You gonna keep her?”

  I shrug. “I’m thinking about it.”

  “Don’t think too hard or she might stay married.” Ma gives me a meaningful look. “We need to talk.”

  I rearra
nge Layton so she’s laying down in the enormous chair that I like to sit in to play Madden Football, then cover her up with one of the blankets the decorator draped over every fucking piece of furniture in the place. Never knew how handy they were until now.

  “Where do you want to talk?”

  “In my office.”

  I follow her to the kitchen, sitting down to let her fuss over me and make breakfast, until she’s ready to get down to business.

  She orders Dom and Father Sheehan to the theater room, and they meekly obey. I grin. Even as much as I respect Father Sheehan, nothing gives me more pleasure than a man of the cloth fearing my mother.

  “How serious is this?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She grabs a cigarette and holds it in her mouth without lighting it. I gave up smoking years ago, so she doesn’t smoke in my house or any of my vehicles.

  “Is she pregnant?” Her brows lift. “Is that why you’re being so concerned about her?”

  “Fuck no.” I shake my head. “I’ve always been smart about that shit.”

  “Good. I’m worried, though. She’s married, but sleeping over here and losing her shit, very politely I might add, when Father said something to her.” She points in Layton’s general direction. “That’s not a woman who casually sleeps around. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” she adds. “To each their own, I say.”

  “If you’ll give me five seconds, I’ll explain everything.” I nudge the chair out from under the table with my foot and she sits, taking the cigarette out and holding it between her fingers. I give it one last, long look before eating my final bite of scrambled eggs.

  “Go on.”

  “Her husband left her on their honeymoon, for the wedding planner. Some chick named Tiffany.”

  My ma nods. “Sounds like a real winner, that one.”

  “Layton or the wedding planner?” There’s no way my ma would take the wedding planner’s side in this, but...

  “Tiffany. Ooh la-la. She sounds like some tart your father would have dated.”

  I grin. “Layton would probably agree with you, but she’d add ‘bless your heart’ at the end.”

  “Why would she do that?”