by Lacey Black
Finally, after saying goodbye to the bride and groom and offering another round of congratulations, we make it to the door. Reid keeps his hand firmly around mine as we step outside and walk towards the valet stand. A few sexually tense minutes later, Reid’s BMW pulls up to the sidewalk. With a firm handshake laced with tip money, Reid escorts me towards his waiting ride.
Neither of us speaks on the drive towards his house. I watch as streetlights and buildings pass. Eventually, Reid steers us towards a residential area. The houses are massive and the lawns pristine, even for living in the middle of a damn desert.
When we pull into a gated driveway, my heart rate kicks up, and considering it was beating at stroke level the entire ride, that’s saying something. Reid casually keys in his code, which grants us access to his home. And holy shit is it a home! The massive white house can only be described as an exquisite mansion.
Evidently, I must make some noise to clue Reid into my shock. “It’s just a house, sweetheart,” he says as he drives his car into the biggest garage I’ve ever seen. There are four individual bays but the cars are two deep. As I take in the amount of wheels in this room, I’m not too much of a girl to realize that the back row consists of rare, expensive cars.
“Just a house,” I repeat as Reid opens the passenger door. His garage is bigger than my entire house.
“This way,” Reid says, placing his warm hand on my lower back. I notice as we head towards the entryway that he’s carrying my overnight bag. Good thing he remembered, because my nerves are so frayed, I completely forgot about retrieving my bag.
Reid opens the door, motioning for me to enter. This is it. There’s no turning back now, not that I have ever thought about turning back.
I want this.
I’ve wanted this since I dragged myself out of that tent in the early morning light all those years ago. The morning I knew that my life would never be the same again. In that morning light, I knew. I knew Reid was different than every single boy, guy, or man I’ve ever known. He left his imprint on my life and deep in my heart, and not entirely because of the child we created together.
I lost a bit of my heart to Reid Hunter that night in the desert, and if I’m not careful, I’m going to find myself in the same situation again. Only this time, there’ll be no getting it back. There’ll be no turning around and walking away. Reid Hunter will own me completely.
The scary part is, he might already.
Chapter Eighteen – Didn’t Even Make It Past The Stairs
Reid
I’m nervous. Fucking nervous. I’m standing in the middle of my kitchen wiping my clammy hands on the outside of my gray slacks. I can only remember being this nervous one other time and that was the night Dani and I created our son.
Dani turns in a complete three-sixty taking in the expansive kitchen. The appliances shine like brand new, and that’s because they practically are. I rarely use my kitchen. Most meals are enjoyed in a restaurant with a business associate or at the apartment. I glance around the room, taking it all in as if it were the first time, seeing the room through Dani’s eyes.
“Would you like a drink?” I offer, dropping her overnight bag down on the island.
“No, thank you,” she whispers quietly. My little vixen is as nervous as I am. The thought is invigorating and intoxicating all at the same time.
Without giving either of us time to think, I walk towards her like I’m stalking my prey.
Pulling her against my body, we clash in a frenzy of needy mouths and grabby hands. I waste no time diving my fingers into her hair. Bobby pins rain on the imported tile with satisfying little pings as I dig and tug at the strands, freeing the long, lush locks of golden blond tresses. The moan she breathes into my mouth lights me up so fiercely that I’m afraid my desire for her will never be sated.
“God, you were so fucking beautiful tonight,” I tell her honestly. “Every man in that room wanted to know who you were. All eyes were on you all night, sweetheart. Everywhere I looked, those assholes were undressing you with their eyes, wanting to see what only I get to see. Only. Me.” I’m practically growling my words at this point. They sound foreign and animalistic, and I barely recognize them as my own.
Her lips are already swollen from my kisses, marked by me and only me. Those baby blues shine brightly with lust, her breath little pants of excitement. I waste no time in removing my suit coat, tossing it somewhere into the kitchen. With the extra layer gone, I pull her into my arms again, picking her up and walking towards the staircase. The entire way, I consume Dani’s mouth with my own, loving the way her mouth molds to mine.
Halfway up the stairs, I stop and set her down. A combination of her sexy as sin silver heels and the fact that she’s a step above me, we line up perfectly. Without breaking the connection of our mouths, I let my hands caress her body in a heated frenzy. The blue material of her dress sculpts perfectly to her luxurious body, hugging her curves and teasing my dick.
I need to see her body. Now.
Pulling back slightly so that I can see her eyes, I place my hands on her shoulders and slowly run them down her arms, goose bumps peppering her smooth flesh, pushing down the material of her dress as I go. As expected, Dani isn’t wearing a bra. There’s no way she was able to with the entire back of her dress missing. Her pert little nipples bud when exposed to the cool air, making my mouth water.
Dipping down, I take the first one, then the second one in my mouth. I lick, suck, and tease each one until they’re standing at full attention, begging for more. Much like myself right now in my pants. Giving the material of her dress a little push over her hips, I watch as the beautiful dress finally lies in a pool of blue at her feet.
“Fuck me,” I whisper, realizing that by her audible gasp, I actually said the words out loud.
Running my hands down the silky skin of her waist, I find my way to those black lace panties. Turning her around, I finally get my first glimpse at the back view of her gorgeous body. “That dress was the biggest cock tease all night. Every time I touched your back, I was picturing what it would look like without that dress covering your beautiful ass,” I say, rubbing my hands down her back and over the globes of her rear. “If I knew what was hiding underneath that dress, we wouldn’t have made it through the first course.”
Dani’s back is vibrating from her deep breaths, her legs slightly spread apart. The picture of her standing before me like this in her fuck-me heels is better than any photo in any of those magazines we used to jack off to in high school.
With one quick motion, I spin Dani back around and lower her onto the stairs. She deserves every bit of the two-thousand thread Egyptian cotton sheets on my California king sized bed, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to pass up this opportunity to claim her on my staircase.
With her weight back on her elbows, I spread Dani out before me like some all-you-can-eat buffet. And I’m a starving man. I run my hands up the velvety skin of her thighs, heading upward and towards the junction of her legs. I feel Dani’s eyes burn into my face as I trace the journey of my hands with my eyes.
Her panties are soaked. I can smell the intoxicating scent of her arousal. Hooking that little scrap of lace with my pointer finger, I gently move it aside and expose her core. Using a single finger, I run it from one end to the other, coating my finger in her juices. Dani’s moans fill the entryway, hell, probably the entire lower level of the house. Her entire body quivers as I gently slide first one, then a second finger inside her wet heat.
I gaze up at her, drunk off the way her heavily lidded eyes watch my fingers move in and out of her body. Her internal muscles grip my fingers, pulling me in with each thrust. I can tell she’s getting close. Her hips start to move in rhythm with my fingers, gyrating and rocking, and her breathing labored. Dani wraps her legs around my neck, the heels of her shoes biting and digging at my skin. But I couldn’t care less.
Bending forward, I swipe my tongue along her swollen nub. Dani practically shoots of
f the stairs. I lay my free arm across her stomach to ensure that she can’t get away from me. Keeping my fingers pumping deep inside her, I lick and suck at her clit, not letting up on either assault.
“Let go,” I demand. And before too long, Dani goes crashing over the edge of the cliff. Her wetness coats my face, my lips, and my hand as she rides the waves of her orgasm. The entire time, I watch the euphoric effects of her release wash over her face, transforming her from stunning to the most spectacular creature I’ve ever seen. Watching her come is the most fucking gorgeous thing I’ve ever witnessed.
I don’t even give Dani time to catch her breath. My need for her is too great. I make quick work at removing my tie, button-up shirt, and dress pants. My dick is throbbing in my pants, especially after witnessing the stunning display of her eruption just a few moments ago. Grabbing my wallet, I pull a condom from within and make quick work at sheathing my erection.
Dani bends forward and makes a move at eliminating her shoes. “Leave them on,” I tell her as I help her stand. Her legs are shaky so I hold her hips steady the entire time.
Sitting down on the stairs, I guide her towards my lap. With one quick pull, that little scrap of material she calls panties is ripped from her body. Dani’s long legs straddle my waist as she positions herself above me. Taking my dick in my hand, I rub it through her wetness, coating the protection in her dampness. “I have craved you for over eight years, Dani. Craved to feel your body ride mine like it did that night. Show me,” I say without taking my eyes off hers.
Slowly, I feel her tightness envelop me. She’s just as tight as I remember, maybe even more so now. Hissing a deep breath, I grab onto her hips while she places her palms on my chest to give herself leverage. When I’m buried balls deep, I feel her slowly start to slide up, taking every bit of my sanity as she goes. She feels so familiar, so right, that it’s a struggle to breathe.
When she’s relaxed enough to move a little more freely, she starts to pick up the pace. She crashed back down on my cock, hard, grinding and moving against the place we are joined. I’ve never felt something so incredible in my entire life. If I weren’t focused on watching the ecstasy on her face, my eyes would have rolled up into the back of my head.
I can tell that she’s starting to get winded, her pace starting to slow, so I take over. Gripping her hips, I push her body up and then slam it back down on my length. The pace is fast, bruising, but neither of us care. We both race full steam ahead towards a mutual release of epic proportions. I watch, hypnotized, as Dani reaches up and starts to rub her tits. “Fuck,” I hiss, driving myself up and into her sweetness like a man possessed.
I know the instant her release takes hold. Her entire insides grip my dick and won’t let go. Her screams fill the entire house, my name the only one on her lips. It’s enough to push me flying over the edge with both feet. My balls tighten painfully as my release rips from my body, spilling everything I have into the confines of the protection. I continue to pump into her until there is nothing left but heavy breathing and rapidly beating hearts.
“Jesus,” I mumble against the damp skin of her neck. Dani makes some sort of nonsensical statement before wrapping her arms tighter around me, her chest firmly against mine.
We stay like that for several minutes. I rub the damp skin of her back with my hand while placing soft, tender kisses on her shoulder. Neither of us speak. It should scare me how content I suddenly feel to have my arms firmly wrapped around a woman. But Dani has never been any woman. She’s my woman. The woman.
And that’s another thought that should scare the fuck out of me.
But it doesn’t.
Both are things I don’t even care to get into right now. Right now, all I want to do is get this woman up to my bed so I can ravish her body all over again.
“Hold on, sweetheart,” I tell her as I slowly start to stand. I feel like a sailor getting his sea legs for the first time. They’re wobbly and foreign to my body.
I finish walking up the stairs, leaving our clothes for later. Hell, where we’re going, clothing isn’t allowed. I throw back the bedding and slowly deposit Dani onto the soft sheets before making my way to the in-suite bathroom to dispose of the condom. After quickly cleaning myself up, I head back inside the bedroom with a warm washcloth. Dani’s so far out of it that she doesn’t even stir as I clean her beautiful pussy. With a quick toss of the cloth towards the closet, I slip into my bed.
Dani moves towards me without even opening her eyes. Her body seeks mine out in sleep, much like my arms are doing as they pull her in tight. With a leg thrown over the top of mine, she sighs deeply against my chest. Her breath tickles me, as the enormity of this situation sets in.
I’ve never–NEVER–had a woman in this room. I’ve never wanted to, but the thought of Dani not being here almost turns my damn stomach. The thought of her not warming my bed, snuggling against my body, and gasping my name in pleasure is unthinkable. In just a few short weeks, she’s wormed her way right back into that empty place in my chest where my heart should be.
Oh it’s there, beating wildly with excitement and fear. A lot of fear. Never has a woman imbedded herself in my life and my soul the way Dani has. I’m unable to stop it. Hell, I don’t want to stop it. Dani is right where she belongs, wrapped against my body.
In my arms.
And in my heart.
I only wish I was capable of giving it away.
Because when push comes to shove, I’m going to be the asshole who breaks her heart when I walk away.
* * *
“Can we get olives on our pizza, Dad?” Ryan asks from his position next to me in the red booth.
“Sure can,” I tell my son, offering Dani a wink from across the table.
Following Carly and Blake’s wedding, Dani and I spent the entire weekend in my bed, only slipping out long enough to fuel our exhausted bodies. I’m insatiable when it comes to her. I crave her morning, noon, and night, and have stopped at nothing to get her.
I’ve spent every night at her place since then. For one entire week, I’ve done nothing but put everything that used to be important to me aside and focus my attention on her and Ryan. We’ve swam, cooked meals together, and smiled together more than I thought was possible. It’s still terrifying, but each day gets easier and easier. I don’t want to run anywhere, unless I’m running towards her. And our son. I’ll never get enough of his laughter.
Tonight is the first night Ryan is staying at my place. I’m damn excited to have him there, and even more ecstatic that I convinced Dani to come too. She’s put up quite a fight in the past few days, insisting on staying in one of the spare bedrooms, but I’m not having it. The only place I want her is in my bed.
I won’t bend on that one, and I always get my way.
“Get whatever you want on it, Ry. I’ll eat anything,” I tell my son as I ruffle his brown hair.
“Cool. What are we going to do when we get to your house tonight, Dad? Can we watch a movie? Play video games? Swim?”
“It’ll be getting close to your bedtime, but we can see what kind of trouble we can get into tonight with your mom beforehand,” I reply. Dani just sits there, watching us interact, with that gorgeous little smile on her face. She looks peaceful, relaxed. It’s a natural look; one that suits her.
After Dani orders a large pizza, salad, and breadsticks, I watch Ryan as he draws a picture on the back of the paper placemat. “So what are you going to do this summer?” I ask.
“As soon as school lets out, I’ll get to sleep in and swim every day!” Ryan exclaims.
“Sounds like a great summer.”
“Yeah, it’ll be fun. Until Mom makes me go to the library and read,” he says, his displeasure at the prospect of reading during his summer break clearly evident.
“You don’t like to read?” I ask, dipping my breadstick in nacho cheese sauce.
“No way. I want to play basketball. I get to do basketball camp with Mr. Phillips this year. It’s only
for eight and older, so I couldn’t do it last year,” Ryan says, looking up with twinkling gray eyes.
“You like basketball?” I ask, resulting in a quick head nod from my son. “I played in high school, and a little in college. Not anything too big, but I enjoyed the sport. We’ll have to play sometime soon,” I tell him. My statement earns an excited cheer from his seat next to me.
“But, here’s the thing, Ry, you have to keep practicing your reading. It’s very important later in life, even if you don’t really want to do it. Did you know I read daily at work?” Ryan shakes his head, wide-eyed as if absorbing every ounce of attention I can give him. “Yep, I read lots and lots of papers every day. Reading is extremely important in the business world. So, while basketball is important and fun, you have to work hard on your school work, too.”
I look over at Dani when I realize that her fork has stopped mid-air. She’s staring at me with a look of awe on her face, and I’ll be damn if it doesn’t make me want to puff out my fucking chest. This whole parenting this is new to me, but when she smiles at me, I know I did something right, and it feels damn good.
I can’t contain the smile I give back to her. “Okay, Dad. I’ll go do my reading at the library this summer. Maybe you can come with me sometime,” he adds with a hopeful look.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I reply. “The key is to find books that interest you. They have books on basketball and other sports. Find some of those, and you’ll be all set.”
“Thanks, Dad!” Ryan exclaims. I’ll never get tired of hearing that word. For as scary as I always thought it would be to hear, it’s nothing compared to the feeling I get deep in my chest when Ryan says it to me. I’m in awe over this kid, and I can’t believe how good it feels knowing that he’s mine.
We spend the rest of the dinner talking about Ryan’s summer plans and anything else a little boy can think of. The topic of his birthday comes up often, and I’m genuinely excited to know that I’ll be there for this one. My heart picks up a little faster beat when I think about all of the ones I’ve missed. Too damn many, that’s for sure. Well, not again.