by L. P. Dover
James and I laughed. “Leave me the brownies, and the pecan pie is all yours.”
Lucas winked. “Deal.”
“I hate to cut this short,” James announced, “but I’m going to let you two have some fun on the town.” He hugged Lucas and patted him on the back. “I’ve got everything scheduled up for January. Enjoy the rest of your year off, and make sure to come visit me.” He looked at me. “Both of you.”
Even though I’d only just met him, I hugged him. “We will. I like it here.”
“Good,” he whispered low. “Take care of my son.”
“I will.”
He said his goodbyes and walked away; well, he tried to walk away, but got stopped every few steps by people who wanted to talk to him. Lucas took my hand and we continued our walk through downtown. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you ahead of time. He really wanted to meet you.”
“It’s okay,” I said in all honesty. “You two look exactly alike. I really like him.”
“He must like you too, because when you weren’t looking, he nodded his approval.”
I smacked his arm. “What would you have done if he didn’t like me?”
He squeezed my hand. “I wouldn’t care. You’re mine, no matter what.” Brows furrowed, he met my gaze. “What if yours didn’t like me?”
“Who says they do?” I countered. His mouth gaped, and I laughed. “Honestly, if they didn’t like you, I would’ve had some concerns. They’re a good judge of character. But I don’t have to worry about that, because they love you as much as I do.”
Pulling me into his arms, he closed his lips over mine. “I love you too.”
“What should we do now?” I asked, glancing around at all the booths.
He nodded toward the festival rides, one being the Ferris wheel. “I think we should add another first to our list.”
“Have you never been on one?”
“Oh, I have, when I was a kid.” Leaning closer, he lowered his voice. “I thought it’d be fun to make out on one.”
The thought excited me. “You are so bad.” I looked over at the Ferris wheel and gave in. “Fine, let’s go. You only live once, right?”
He chuckled. “Exactly.”
“I can’t believe you beat me. I always win the water squirt game.”
“Not this time.” I laughed, setting the giant stuffed poop emoji on his couch. “I grew up in Myrtle Beach, remember? There are always games and carnivals, especially in the summer.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get my practice in, then bring out the big guns next time.”
Grinning wide, I picked up the poop and hugged it. “Oh, stop being jealous. I won you something. And look, it matches your couch.”
Curling his lip, he shook his head. “Gee, thanks. You had a choice between a giant SpongeBob and a stuffed pile of shit. I think you just wanted to embarrass me by making me carry it.”
He was absolutely right. I burst out laughing and pulled out my phone. “Want to see the pics I’m going to put on all my social media? You look cute carrying shit. Now that’s hard to pull off!”
“You better not.” He circled around the couch, his eyes focused on my phone.
I stepped around his coffee table, still holding the emoji. I couldn’t let him get my phone. “How are you going to stop me?” I teased, sliding my phone into my back pocket.
An evil glint sparkled in his eyes. “I’ll chase you down and delete them.”
Heart racing, I knew I had to run at some point, but I loved the anticipation of the chase. I knew exactly where I was going to run. Once I made it behind the couch, the hallway was to my back. “I’d like to see you try,” I shouted, throwing the poop emoji at him. It gave me the split second I needed to get a running start.
He burst out laughing and took off behind me. I didn’t dare look back, but his steps were closing in. “You started it now, sunshine.”
His bedroom was the last door on the left, so I rushed inside and he tackled me onto the bed. He held my arms behind my back and grabbed my phone.
“Don’t you dare delete them! They’re cute.”
Still keeping me hostage, he chuckled in my ear and set my phone on his bedside table. “I don’t care about the pictures. I just wanted to chase you. Now I got you where I want you.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t run outside.”
He pushed his body into my backside. “True, because I would’ve ripped your clothes off and made love to you out there.” His weight lifted and he flipped me around.
“Tempting, but I’d much rather be in here.”
He tickled my stomach. “I’m assuming you liked the Ferris wheel foreplay?”
I bit my lip. “Very much; especially at the top.” It was the most scandalous thing I’d ever done in public. While we waited at the top for the people in the other carts to get on and off, he’d slipped a hand down my jeans. Needless to say, it was exhilaratingly sexy. I’d never had an orgasm on a carnival ride before.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, sunshine.” Taking my face in his hands, he pushed his tongue between my lips.
I opened to him, knees spread wide. “Thanks for bringing me here, Lucas. There’s a whole other side to you I never thought you had.”
He brushed a thumb over my lips. “You showed me the real you, so I thought it was time you got to see the way I live.” Sliding off me, he helped me up and lifted my arms. “We need to get you out of these clothes.” He took off my sweatshirt and T-shirt, leaving my pink bra behind. While I unbuttoned my jeans, he took off his shirt. By the time I discarded my pants on the floor, he lifted me in his arms.
Laying me back on the bed, he covered me with his body. I still had on my strapless pink bra and pink thong, but Lucas’ gaze was focused solely on mine as he kissed me . . . claimed me. He rocked his body against mine, lifting my left leg around his waist so he could press his cock harder between my legs.
The momentum built to the point I couldn’t contain silence any more. “Lucas,” I gasped, my chest rising and falling rapidly.
Digging my nails into his arm, he knew I was about to come. Quickly, he slid his hand down my thigh to the inside of it, and finally over my thong, rubbing my clit with his thumb. My body tightened and I screamed out in pleasure, grasping onto his arms and squeezing until the tingling subsided.
Lifting his fingers to his lips, Lucas put them in his mouth and closed his eyes, moaning as he tasted me on them. When he opened his eyes and gazed down at me, my breath hitched in my throat. They were raw, primal . . . heated. There was no restraint, no holding back; he wanted me and there was nothing I could do to stop him.
Ripping off my underwear, he threw it across the room, before lifting me up in his arms so he could unlatch my bra. He kissed me roughly, and I couldn’t help but moan when he threw my bra to the side and pinched my nipples. Biting my lip, he sucked it hard, pulling a strangled cry from my lips as he massaged and squeezed my breasts.
I was in heaven.
I had never felt this level of intensity with anyone. This was completely foreign to me, but I embraced it. There was no way I was letting it go, even if being with Lucas scared me.
I couldn’t wait any longer to have him inside of me, so I grasped the button on his jeans, forcefully pulling the fly open. Chuckling, Lucas slid off the bed and lowered his jeans and boxers to the floor.
“Is this what you wanted?” he asked, stroking himself. “I love a woman who takes what she wants.”
“Yes,” I moaned breathlessly. “You’ve teased me way too much tonight. If you make me wait any longer, I’ll go insane.”
As soon as I got a good look at his hard-toned body, I trembled, which earned a chuckle.
He leaned down, towering over me on the bed. “Well then, I guess I can’t make you wait.” Smirking, he lowered his lips to my breasts and flicked one of my nipples with his tongue. I gasped and arched my back, waiting for him to do it again. This time, when he closed his lips over me, he bit and sucked hard, massaging m
e with his strong hands.
Groaning, he opened my legs wider and pushed his cock in just an inch; it was enough to get me panting. More, I wanted to scream.
As if he heard my silent plea, he rocked his hips and slid in further and further, until he was fully seated inside of me, splitting me wide. It hurt, but it was a pleasurable pain. Slowly, Lucas moved along to a silent rhythm and held me tight, alternating those lips of his to each one of my breasts, suckling and nipping them with his teeth.
“You feel and taste so fucking good,” he growled, moving his lips to my neck. Holding my face in his hands, he brought his mouth to mine and thrust his tongue inside, claiming me in every way he possibly could.
He picked up his pace, lifting my legs and wrapping them around his waist; I gasped when I felt him go deeper. Instead of pulling out and pushing back in with long strokes, he stayed deep, rocking his hips hard, keeping a continual rhythm against my clit.
“Oh my God,” I cried, my stomach muscles convulsing. “Please keep doing that.”
His low growl vibrated in my ear, and I could feel him getting harder inside of me. He was close . . . so was I. Squeezing him with my legs, I held on tight and bit his lip this time.
My orgasm sent me over the edge, and I cried out when Lucas dug his fingers in my back as he released inside me. Slick with sweat, his muscles tensed and flexed beneath my hands as I held onto him.
Gently, he pulled out and rolled over to his side, collecting me in his arms. “I love you so fucking much it hurts.”
“Same here,” I admitted truthfully. “It’s intense and scary, but yet fun and exciting.”
He smiled, but then it disappeared. “I keep waiting for something bad to happen. And it makes me scared because I don’t want to lose you.”
I looked over at him and sighed. “Sometimes it all feels too good to be true. I read it all the time about people getting divorced or cheating on their partners.”
Brushing the hair off my face, he held onto my chin and kissed my lips. “That’s not going to happen to us. I promise. I don’t ever make promises I can’t keep.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
He kissed me again. “Stay here and I’ll be right back. I know what you need.”
Sliding off the bed, he strolled into the bathroom and shut the door. I could hear the water being turned on, and him moving around. A few minutes later, the door opened. I’d expected the light to blind me, but there was only a soft glow.
I started to get up, but Lucas stopped me, choosing to pick me up instead. “I got you, sunshine,” he murmured.
“I can walk, you know,” I teased as he carried me into the bathroom.
The room was lit with candlelight, and the bathtub—big enough to fit ten people—was surrounded by dozens of them.
He climbed up the stairs to the tub and gently set me down, before sitting next to me. I immediately relaxed when he put his arms around me. Laying my head against his chest, I breathed him in, trembling when he ran his warm hands over my heated skin. There was nothing sexual about the way he caressed my arms and my back, but my insides clenched.
I wanted him again.
The bathtub was filled almost to the brim with water, so I carefully turned to face him, straddling his lap.
Furrowing his brows, he gazed down at my lips, and then back up to my eyes. “Are you okay? Do you want to get out?”
I shook my head and reached down, wrapping my hand around his cock. Immediately, it jumped and began to get hard. Lucas groaned and leaned his head back against the tub.
“Who’s the insatiable one tonight? I thought I was bad.”
“Can’t help it.” I leaned down and bit his ear. “I want you again.” The harder his cock got, the harder I massaged him. “Just sit back and let me do the work this time.” He threw me a lazy smile and pushed his hips up into my hand.
I knew one thing; I didn’t want this night to end.
Chapter Thirty
Lucas
Meeting Ashley’s parents at the wedding was one thing, but eating dinner with them at their house was completely different. It was important to me that they approved of our relationship. If I had a daughter, I wouldn’t want her anywhere near a guy like me.
Ashley placed a hand over mine. “Nervous?” We were almost to her parents’ house and I’d decided to drive, hoping it’d help calm me.
“A little,” I confessed.
She squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.” She pointed down the road. “You’ll take a left on that street. The code is 1415.” Her parents lived in a gated community, but the houses weren’t over the top. I respected that they didn’t flaunt their money. There had been times when I did, but I no longer craved the attention. In fact, now that I had Ashley, I’d give anything to have my privacy back.
We pulled into their driveway, and her father was outside trimming the bushes. Ashley looked at him like he was crazy. She got out of the car and laughed. “Dad, what are you doing? It’s your birthday. You should be taking it easy and enjoying life.” She kissed his cheek and he laughed.
“I know, but these things were driving me crazy. I couldn’t stand looking at them anymore.” He turned to me and held out his hand. “It’s good to see you again, Lucas. Thanks for celebrating with us.”
“The pleasure’s all mine, sir. Thank you for inviting me.” I shook his hand and Ashley latched onto my arm.
“Does Mom need any help inside?” she asked.
“Probably. Do you mind going in there? Lucas can stay out here and keep me company.”
She smiled nervously and let me go. “Okay. Don’t be too hard on him, Dad.” She mouthed the words I’m sorry to me before disappearing inside the house.
Palms sweaty, my heart raced. He continued to trim the bushes while I stood behind him. “Thank you for organizing the fund in memory of my mother. I look forward to helping with the tournament. My father’s already spread the word.”
“I know,” he said, smiling at me over his shoulder. “We have a ton of people registered. You have a lot of people who support you.”
“I’d like to help with supplying the prizes for the winners, if you don’t mind.”
He set his trimmers down and faced me. “You don’t have to do that. The winners will receive a nice chunk of change. We’ve raised a ton of money for the cause.”
“And I appreciate that more than you’ll ever know, but I really do want to help.”
A genuine smile lit up his face. “That would be wonderful. Are you and your father going to enter?”
I wanted to, but I had a better idea. “Actually, I was thinking of providing my services to one of the golfers, maybe an amateur who needs guidance. My father will do the same.”
His eyes widened. “That’s perfect. It’s a great incentive for people to sign up. I’ll spread the word. Maybe your father could come down early. I’d love to meet him.”
“He’d like that. And he already got to meet Ashley last night, when we flew up to Charlotte for the evening. I have no doubt he’d do anything for her.”
He patted my shoulder. “Perfect.”
About that time, a van slowly pulled down the street and flashes went off as it passed the house. “You’ve got to be shitting me.” Of all the places for the paparazzi to stalk me at, it had to be Ashley’s parents’ house.
William looked over and sighed. “Is it always like this?”
I shrugged. “Sometimes. With Ashley in the picture, it’s sparked an interest in the media.”
He turned his back on the van and faced me. “Yeah, I read the article about my daughter. Not happy about it, but I know she’s old enough to make her own decisions.”
“I never wanted that to happen to her.”
“I know,” he said, patting my shoulder again. “If she’s happy, that’s all that matters. Now, what do you say we go in and get something to eat? Ashley’s mother makes the best meatloaf, and I ask for it every year for my birthday.”
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“Sounds good to me.” He led the way, and I followed him, but not before flipping the people off in the van. “How about we call the police on those fuckers? This is a private community and they’re trespassing.”
Chuckling, he glanced over at the van, grinning evilly. “That’s not a bad idea. Don’t mind if I do.”
Ashley laughed as we pulled out of the gate. “I can’t believe my dad called the police.”
I scoffed. “I can. Those fucktards were trespassing.” We started on our way back to her house. Unfortunately, I had a feeling the media would to retaliate for what we did.
“Did the cops really take their cameras?” she asked.
I looked around to see if the blue van was anywhere in sight. “Yep. But they’ll get them back once all the pictures are erased.”
“You know, it only served to piss them off. Have they been known to get revenge?”
With a heavy sigh, I nodded. “They’ll come back at us in some way. I just don’t know when or how. Probably some fucked up story on how I’m cheating on you with your mother, or some shit like that.”
She stared at me in disgust. “What the hell. Why do people feel the need to do that?”
“Money. Greed. I don’t know. Pictures sell for a hell of a lot of money. The tabloids do too. People eat that shit up.”
Groaning, she searched around the road. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s following us. Hopefully, nobody knows where I live. I don’t live in a gated community.”
“No, but you have a long ass driveway, surrounded by land that is private. We’ll be able to see them coming. If anyone does trespass, I won’t have any trouble kicking their asses off the property.” Her brows furrowed, and I could tell she was worried. Taking her hand, I squeezed it gently. “It’ll be okay. We’re prepared, right?”
She nodded quickly. “I hope so.”
It didn’t take long to get to her house, and luckily, there were no signs of the blue van. We both breathed a sigh of relief once we were inside her house.