by Imani King
“Yes.”
Dylan leaped up and took me in his arms, then enveloped me in a deep, Earth-shattering kiss. In the background, I heard a few of the preschoolers squeal “Ewww, gross!” But I didn’t care. I was in the arms of the man I loved, and my students would just have to watch their teacher smooch her fiancé for at least a moment or two.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dylan
Maya said yes. Fuck, she said yes. I didn’t know what I was going to do if she’d said no, but she didn’t. She said yes. I’d never been so happy in my entire life.
That morning had been so hectic. After Tracy told me what Maya had found on the internet, I had to go into damage control mode, fast. I didn’t even know that damn photographer had taken a picture of me that night. I was so intent on getting Elena Reid to do that painting for Maya that I guess I didn’t even notice. And then I saw Mona, which was the first time I’d seen her since we parted ways. We had an awkward conversation for about two minutes, and I guess that was when Jimmy snapped the picture.
So once I realized what was going on, I knew I had to set things straight as soon as possible. I called the photographer, Jimmy, immediately, and gave him hell. I told him that if he ever wanted to work in this town again, he’d come with me to a preschool in Brooklyn and explain what a colossal error he’d made. He was immediately terrified and agreed to everything, but Mona was harder to convince. We hadn’t left things on the best of terms, and telling her that I needed her help to win a woman’s heart didn’t exactly make her want to help. I ended up agreeing to donate 100,000 dollars to her mother’s nonprofit just to get her to help me. But it was a small price to pay, for Maya.
I still didn’t know if it was going to work, though. Even if I explained things, explained that it was all a big misunderstanding, I was afraid Maya still wouldn’t care. But I had to try. So I brought the whole crew down to her preschool holiday party – Jimmy, Mona, Tracy, Elena Reid – and I made my case. In front of a room full of toddlers, I told Maya that I loved her. And I asked her to marry me.
And she said yes. Fuck, she said yes. I couldn’t get my arms around her fast enough. I drew her into a deep kiss, and for the first time that day I felt my body relax. She was mine. She was going to be mine, for the rest of my life.
I slid my lips away from hers, ignoring the giggling from the kids at the back of the room, and looked Maya deep in the eyes. “So you’re mine?” I asked her.
“I’m yours,” she said.
“Then let’s get out of here. We need to be alone, now.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Maya
My co-teacher agreed to handle the party, and Dylan and I hightailed it out of there as fast as we could. I jumped in the passenger seat of his Ferrari, which was double-parked in front of the school, and he sped off toward his penthouse in Manhattan. We didn’t even talk about where we were going or why: we didn’t need to. We both knew exactly what needed to happen. We needed to get someplace private and take each other’s clothes off as soon as possible.
Dylan reached over and squeezed my hand as he sped along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. It was all I could do to not pounce on him right then, while we were traveling at top speed down the freeway. Every so often he’d bring my hand up to his lips and kiss the back of my hand, hard, and a couple of times he nibbled on the paper-thin skin on my wrists. My entire body felt flushed and tingly, and it felt like it was taking twice as long as it should to get back to his place.
Finally, Dylan skidded to a stop in front of his building and jumped out of the car. He came around and opened the passenger door for me, then threw the keys at the doorman who was stationed out front. “You know what to do, John,” he yelled at the doorman over his shoulder. “Put it in the garage.” I reached in the backseat and pulled out the painting of me and Dylan, then I took Dylan’s hand and ran with him toward the elevator.
We were already kissing before the elevator doors had fully closed. We rode up to his penthouse, then he took me by the hand and led me out onto the rooftop terrace. The heat lamps were blazing, and the sun was beginning to set in the west, casting a diffused golden glow over the city below.
“Maya, I’m so sorry,” Dylan said, wrapping his arms around me. “I didn’t know about what happened with your ex. And I had no idea that my little lie would cause you so much pain.”
“It’s ok,” I told him. “That’s the past. You’re my future, Dylan.”
“You’re my everything, Maya.” He traced his finger over my lips, then pulled me into a deep kiss.
After the madness of the preceding few hours – the confusion, the heartbreak – being in Dylan’s arms felt like I was being healed. And I could feel the relief in his body, too, as the tension he held inside himself slowly changed into rapturous passion. It felt essential to lose ourselves in each other.
I pushed my body against his and felt a rush run through me. “I want you, Dylan. I want all of you.”
Dylan nodded and brushed his lips against mine. “I want you too, Maya. But I don’t want to rush you. If you still need time...”
“No,” I said. I squeezed his arms and pulled him closer to me. “I don’t need time. I just need you.”
Dylan looked deep into my eyes. “If we do this, it changes everything, Maya. It means you’re mine. Only mine.”
“I already told you, I’m yours, Dylan.” I put his hand on top of mine so he could feel the engagement ring on my finger. “I couldn’t stop this if I wanted to, and I don’t want to. This thing between us, it’s...”
“It’s magic,” Dylan whispered, then he put his mouth on mine and kissed me once again.
I fell into his kiss, losing myself in the sensation. And just like always it was a monumental, Earth-shattering kiss that lit up my entire body, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. My body felt like it was humming and singing, like it was made to touch this beautiful, amazing man. I don’t know how long we kissed – time got fuzzy in Dylan’s arms. Then we both began panting and grasping at each other, desperate for more. When Dylan pulled his mouth away from mine finally, I opened my eyes and saw that the sun had fully set. He looked at me hungrily, the cool glow of the moon shining against his skin.
“I need to get your clothes off,” he growled. Then in one swift easy motion, he picked me up in his arms and carried me over to the plush couch next to the heat lamp. We both lunged at each other, our bodies propelled forward, our mouths desperate to touch again.
We ripped off each other’s clothes in a frenzied rush, twisting and contorting our bodies to shrug off our clothes, then quickly bringing our mouths back together to kiss yet again. Then finally we were both naked, panting, consumed with urgency. His terrace was so high above the other buildings that no one could possibly see us, but in that moment, I truly didn’t care if anyone saw. I looked at Dylan, his naked body bathed in beautiful blue moonlight, and his electric green eyes pulled me to him like a beacon.
“I love you, Maya,” he said, then pulled my body against him.
“I love you,” I whispered back.
It felt decadent to be naked like this, in the moonlight, declaring our love to each other. His skin slid against mine, and his manhood pushed between my legs, desperate to make its presence known. I reached down and took it in my hand, and Dylan gasped. His eyes widened, and he pushed me back on the couch, then brought his body down on top of me.
My need for him was urgent and overpowering, but Dylan wasn’t ready to make love to me just yet. He wanted to draw it out, to prolong the pleasure. As I stared up at the moon hanging high in the sky, I felt Dylan move over my body, kissing, licking, and nibbling my nipples before moving lower and lower: over my belly, down the tops of my thighs, and all the way to my feet. Then, slowly, agonizingly, he kissed up my leg to my thigh. My sex felt hot from within, and I arched my back and pushed against him, hungry for more.
Then his mouth was on me, his tongue pushing hard against my sex. He moaned and sighe
d as he pressed his face between my legs, then he drove a finger deep inside me. I gasped and cried out as I felt the blooming ache of an orgasm starting to overtake my body. And then I came, hard and urgently, as Dylan bore down on me with his mouth. But even after the orgasm had finished rippling through me, I only wanted more. Much more. His mouth hadn’t even begun to dull the fire that I felt. I needed all of him, and he needed me too. He lifted his face from between my legs and slid up my body. I was panting, overcome with desire, and in Dylan’s eyes I could see a carnal energy that felt as hot as the sun.
“I want you,” he growled, reaching down and pushing my thighs apart with his hands.
“Take me,” I moaned, pushing myself against him.
And as Dylan pushed himself inside of me, we looked deep into each other’s eyes. A look of surprise spread over his face as he entered me, followed by a look of relief, of hunger, of urgent wanting. Dylan gasped as he pushed himself deeper, and I cried out and dug my fingernails into the strong muscles in his back. He felt enormous inside of me, filling me up, but I only wanted more. I pulled against his body and drove him deeper. He buried himself in me to the hilt, and a long, low groan rose up out of his throat.
“I don’t know how gentle I can be,” he panted. “This is too good.”
“I don’t want you to be gentle,” I moaned. “Fuck me hard, Dylan. I need it.”
“Good,” he growled. He gripped my thigh and pushed against me. “I need it too.”
Then he thrust into me forcefully, and a buzzing wave of electricity spread through my body. I felt as hot as the sun, and as I looked at Dylan’s face above me, I felt my need for him like a punch. I wanted this man – this gorgeous, sweet, irresistible man. I wanted him hard. I wanted him forever. And finally, I had him, his cock deep inside me, rocketing into me over and over again. With every forceful thrust I felt my body light up like a torch, burning brighter and brighter as Dylan’s body pressed against mine.
“You’re mine, Maya,” he growled as he pounded into me over and over again, our skin slapping together. “All mine. Only mine.”
“Yes,” I gasped, “yours. I’m yours.”
Every muscle in my body felt alive and vibrating underneath him. Our lust felt animalistic and unrestrained, and I heard myself making guttural noises as he drove into me, taking me higher and higher, bringing me to the point of no return. I felt consumed by him, pinned underneath his strong body, blissfully lost in his intense green eyes.
Sweat streamed down our naked bodies. Our hearts beat fast, our muscles clenched, and our mouths hung open, panting with furious pleasure. I felt a heavy storm building inside of me and pushed back hard against Dylan’s cock, desperate for the storm to hit. He squeezed my thighs and bucked his hips against me, and I could tell by the intensity in his eyes and the force of his thrusts that he was close. I was close, too – so close I could taste it.
“Are you going to come?” I panted, looking up at him.
Dylan nodded, his eyes more alive than I’d ever seen them. “Kiss me, Maya,” he gasped.
I pulled his face to me and kissed him, our tongues hungrily finding each other. And then I felt a heavy wave start to roll through me, like an intense thunderstorm about to break inside my body. The pleasure grew stronger and stronger as we kissed, until finally I felt an explosion hit me that was bigger and brighter than anything I’d ever felt before. I moaned into Dylan’s mouth as the orgasm pounded through me, my wails of pleasure echoing against the walls of the terrace. As the climax broke around me, I felt Dylan tense, his body shaking against mine, as he found his release. We locked eyes and moaned into each other’s mouths as we came, completely overwhelmed, lost in ecstasy together.
We pushed against each other for a long time, feeling the last little waves of pleasure shoot through our bodies. We were drenched in sweat, and our bodies felt fuzzy and shaky. Finally, Dylan let out a long, contented sigh, and his body stilled above mine.
“So what next?” I whispered, searching his green eyes.
“We do this for the rest of our lives,” Dylan said, then he leaned down and kissed me softly on the mouth.
Epilogue: Six Years Later
Maya
I sat on the cabin’s front porch with a steaming cup of coffee in my hands and looked out over the snow-covered hills in the distance. Then I heard the pitter patter of little feet behind me. I swung my head around. “Elena Corbett, where are your mittens?” I exclaimed.
“I couldn’t find them, Mommy,” she whined.
I motioned for her to come closer, then I took her tiny hands in mine. “If you want to go sledding with Daddy, you have to wear your mittens, sweetie. Otherwise, you’ll catch a cold. And we’ve got a big week ahead of us – we’re going to see Mimi and Grandad Hamilton in Atlanta, then we’re going to Texas to see Ma and Pop Corbett. You don’t want to get sick before all that fun, do you?” Elena shook her head no. “Then go get your mittens, love. They’re in the hall closet, where they always are.”
“Ok, Mommy,” she said, her green eyes twinkling.
I kissed Elena on top of her sweet little head. “Where’s your brother, by the way?”
“He’s with Daddy. They went into the woods to get a Christmas tree.”
Right at that moment, I saw Dylan trudging through the snow, dragging a large pine tree behind him. Dylan Jr. scampered ahead, calling out to me.
“Mommy, Mommy! Look at the big tree Daddy cut down!” he shouted.
“I can see it, sweetie. It’s a real nice one.”
“So can we go sledding now, Mommy? Please?” Elena pleaded.
“I don’t know if there’s time, honey. Aunt Tracy and Uncle Austin should be getting here soon for supper.”
“Aunt Tracy’s always late,” Dylan Jr. said. “We’ve got plenty of time!”
“Well, that is true. Aunt Tracy has never showed up anywhere on time in her life. Ok, so maybe there’s time for a couple of quick trips down the hill. But first, come here.” I wrapped Elena and Dylan Jr. up in a huge bear hug and planted a kiss on both of their cheeks. “I love you kids to the moon and back. You know, that, right?”
“Hey, what about me?” Dylan said, walking up the front porch steps. He gave me one of his killer smiles, and my heart surged. Even after six years together as husband and wife, that smile still destroyed me every time I saw it.
“Get over here, Mister,’ I told him. I pulled on the collar of his coat to bring his lips to mine, and I momentarily lost myself to his kiss. Then I heard giggling behind me.
“Mommy and Daddy are always kissing,” Dylan Jr. said to his sister, scrunching up his nose.
“That’s because we love each other,” Dylan said.
“Well, you still don’t have to kiss all the time.” Dylan Jr. put his hands on his hips and stuck out his tongue. Then his twin sister Elena offered her own bit of commentary: “Kissing’s yucky.”
Those two... they were a handful for sure, but I couldn’t have loved them any more than I did. I sent them both inside to find Elena’s mittens, and as soon as we were alone on the porch, Dylan leaned down and kissed my neck. “Going sledding with us?” he asked, running his lips over the delicate skin behind my ear. The man just couldn’t help but be sexy, even when he was talking about sledding.
“I better not.” I raised my eyebrows at him and smiled. “Sledding might not be good for the baby.”
“Yeah, ok, I – wait, what?” Dylan picked me up and swung me around. “Did you say baby?”
I’d wanted to wait and tell him on Christmas Day, as a surprise gift, but I was horrible at keeping secrets. Still, I realized that today was a special occasion anyway: It was the anniversary of the day that Dylan proposed. The day he stormed into the preschool and declared his love for me in front of a room full of toddlers. It was also the day I got pregnant with Dylan Jr. and Elena. I remembered the day we went for the first sonogram. Dylan had a fraternal twin brother, so he wasn’t surprised in the slightest when the technician
said there were two heartbeats. But holy moly, I was surprised enough for the both of us. Nine months later I gave birth to two beautiful children, both with my dark hair and their Daddy’s pretty green eyes. And now a new Corbett was on the way: another brother or sister for the terrible twosome of Elena and little DJ, as we sometimes called Dylan Jr.
Dylan put his hand on my stomach and smiled. And as I looked into his green eyes, so full of happiness, it felt like life couldn’t get any better. Sure, we’d had our up’s and down’s, our arguments, our struggles. But there was no one else I wanted to experience those up’s and down’s with than Dylan Corbett. We were from different worlds – very different worlds – but because of the strength of our love, we made it work. We made our own world, our own life together. And in that moment, our world felt pretty damn wondrous.