American Honey

by Heidi McLaughlin

  ***

  “You okay with all of this?” I ask against his back, wrapping my arms around him from behind as he unbuttons his shirt.

  His hands cover mine as he turns me around in the circle of his arms. Pressing his lips against the top of my head, he holds me for a minute before speaking. “Yeah, I am.” Instead of being leery and unsure, his words are hopeful and happy.

  “It’ll be good for her to get away for a while.” I pull back from him and scan his face, trying to gauge his reaction. When his brow crinkles, I can see there is some kind of lingering concern. “What is it, Owen?”

  He pulls me over to my bed. “Mom’s house is over an hour away. I’ve been spending so much time here that I forget what a pain in the ass it is to commute, especially when I need to be out in the fields with Peter at five in the morning.” He huffs a breath of frustration; a sense of his obligation hangs in the air. He turns to face me, pulls my hands into his on his lap, and takes another deep breath. “And then there’s you,” his soft words tumble from a lopsided and genuine smile.

  I don’t remember exactly when it started, but we stay at my place a lot – at least five nights a week. In fact, I don’t think Owen has been to his mom’s house in the last week. At first, it was that we were both working long hours with the construction and fall harvest, but those excuses quickly went out the window when we both had trouble falling asleep without being in the same bed. The idea of changing the routine to which we’ve both become so accustomed must be weighing on him.

  “I don’t want to change what we’ve got going here. Things have been…” he pauses, searching for the right word.

  I supply it for him without a second though. “Perfect. It’s been perfect and we’ll continue to make it that way,” I assure him with a gentle squeeze of the hands and kiss to the cheek.

  “Since I inherited the vineyard, my life has been crazy. I’ve learned things about myself and what I want out of my future that I never even thought possible. And then there’s you.” He leans forward and places a soft, sweet kiss to my smiling lips. “Loving you is the best part of everything that’s happened.” His confession is laced with needless concern, because all I can focus on is the fact that he said love.

  “Love?” My question is meant to be airy and light, but it’s anything but.

  Cupping my jaw, he pulls me close for another kiss. Speaking against my lips, he says, “Yes. Love.” Pulling away once more, his eyes lock on mine. “I love you, Elle, so much. And now that I have you, I don’t want to be away from you.”

  Speech totally eludes me. Opening and closing my mouth a few times, I can’t put to words the feelings blooming in my heart.

  Sweeping his thumb over the bow of my upper lip, his smile widens. “I love when you get so flustered you can’t speak. I love how caring and honest you are. I love how passionate you are about everything you do. I love how you’ve never once given up on me, on your dreams, on our future.”

  Well, if he thinks that little speech is going to cure me of my inability to speak, he is certainly mistaken. All I’m capable of is sealing my lips over his in a searing kiss. My fingers dive into his hair as my tongue twists against his. We fall back on the bed, a breathless heap of tangled legs.

  Feverishly, I strip him of his unbuttoned shirt. As I run my fingers over his chest, his eyes widen, his cock hardens beneath me. Straddling his hips, I gaze into his ocean blue eyes. Finally finding my voice, my feelings dangle on the tip of my tongue. “I love you, too. All those things you said about loving me, those are the same reasons I love you more than I ever thought I would love someone.”

  With quickness I don’t see coming, he wraps his arms around me, pulling me underneath him. Our remaining clothes fall to the floor and his lips travel over my heated skin. His thumbs strum over the tightened points of my nipples before he pinches them gently. My hips push up against his, the heat of his movements settling between my thighs. “Owen…” His name falls from my lips in a soft, breathless plea.

  Watching him travel down my body, his tongue twisting down the center of my stomach, dipping into my belly button, makes desire pool, hot and heavy. His strong hands spread my legs wide; his mouth hovers over my sex, breathing hot breaths against my skin. With one last, loving glance up at me, his tongue sweeps over my heated flesh. “Oh, God…” my voice is strained. Pleasure and need mix together, pushing me close to the edge of my control in mere seconds. When he slides two fingers into me, crooking them forward as his tongue works relentlessly over my clit, an orgasm so earth shattering, I never thought it would have existed, crashes into me, washes over me, and leaves me wrung out, but begging for more.

  Having abandoned condoms months ago, Owen wastes no time sliding up my body and into me. “Oh, God, Elle…you always feel so fucking good.” Slipping his arms under my shoulders, he holds me close to him. With my orgasm still on his lips, he kisses me with all of the love he’s just professed.

  My nails trail along his back before sinking into his tight ass, pulling him even closer to me. With absolutely no space between us, we move together effortlessly, passionately. Rocking back and forth, Owen pushes me close to the edge of another orgasm.

  “Come with me, Elle. Now.”

  Burying my face in his shoulder, I let the waves of pleasure pulse through me once more. Reveling in the feel of him shuddering above me, I stare into his eyes. With a loving touch, I sweep his hair out of his eyes. “I love you.”

  His lips pull into a beautiful smile as he looks down at me. After popping a reverent kiss to my forehead, he whispers, “I love you, too.”

  Epilogue

  Owen

  Eight Months Later

  Lightly gripping a more than crazed Elle by the shoulders, I stop her in her tracks. “Calm down, sweetheart. Everything is going to be perfect.” The frenzied look in her eyes lets me know she’s anything but calm. It’s our first wedding at the newly finished reception hall and even though we’ve worked out every possible detail, Elle hasn’t been able to breathe all morning.

  “But the flowers are late, and the bride will be here in…” she pauses, looking down at her watch. “Oh, God, like five minutes. She’ll be here in five minutes!” The panic rises again and I have to admit, she looks absolutely adorable when she freaks out.

  “Shh…” I pull her to my side and walk us over to the rustic bench sitting in the entryway of the atrium. Kneeling before her, I hand her a flute of champagne from the table at our side. “These are for the guests,” she scoffs, but she still takes the glass. After tossing it back in a single gulp, she takes a deep breath.

  “Better?” I ask with an arched eyebrow. She shrugs, but I catch a hint of a smile pulling at her lips. “Elle, this wedding is going to kick ass. You’ve done amazing things and the place is gorgeous. Sit back, relax and enjoy the day. We have everything in place for the day to run as smoothly as possible.”

  Just as she wordlessly, but nervously nods her agreement, a sleek white limo pulls in front of the building. “Let’s do this.” There’s a resolve to her words as she laces her fingers with mine. Smoothing out her skirt, she greets the glowing bride with nothing but cheerful confidence.

  Watching her throughout the day only makes me fall in love with her more and more. When Mom first moved to Florida, Elle took the adjustment in stride. We split our time between her apartment and the house for a while. When the commute became too much and Mom decided she was most definitely not moving back, I sold the house. It was difficult to say goodbye to the home I’d grown up in, but it was also a relief in a way. In no time at all, Elle’s apartment became our apartment and it’s been smooth sailing ever since.

  Enjoying our first event at the vineyard has been a dream come true. The guests have complimented us on the wine and food countless times. Watching the happy couple take pictures in the vines I’ve come to love is the perfect way to close the day.

  “You’ve outdone yourself, Elle. Today was beautiful.” I hand her a glass of m
erlot as the last of the crew clears the main ballroom.

  “You think they had fun?” she asks around the lip of her glass.

  I laugh. “Of course they did. They had a blast. You gave them the wedding of their dreams.” Pulling her feet up to my lap, I rub away the soreness. Her eyes close as her head rolls back. Sensual groans fall out of her mouth as my fingers work their magic.

  “Think we can pull it off again next weekend?” Her light chuckle is meant to deflect her worries, but I can still hear them there.

  “Elle,” her eyes meet mine at my serious tone. “We can do this, weekend after weekend after weekend.” Gently, I place her feet back on the floor. She turns to put her glass on the table to her side and when she twists back to me, she’s shocked to see me kneeling on the floor in front of her.

  “What are you doing?” she gasps as I reach into my pocket.

  “There’s no one in my life I can ever imagine doing this with.” I sweep my free hand to the side, across the room that’s being cleaned up. “We’ve built a business together, constructed an estate where people will vow to spend the rest of their lives together. Now,” I pull out the small, blue velvet box that’s been burning a hole in my pocket since early this morning, “it would make me the happiest man on the planet if you’d say yes and be my wife. I want to build a life together with you, if you’ll have me?”

  Tears glisten in her eyes as her hand covers her mouth. A silent nod accompanies a single tear streaking down her cheek. She pulls me into her arms, saying over and over again, “Yes, yes, yes.”

  Holding her hand out in front of her, she gazes at the ring gracing her finger. “It’s beautiful, Owen, absolutely beautiful.”

  Sweeping her hair to the side, I whisper into her ear, “Not nearly as beautiful as you.”

  Under the stars blanketing the sky above our vineyard, we hold each other tightly, thanking the heavens above for tangling our lives together.

  The End

  HJ Bellus

  Chapter 1

  Graduation

  Today’s the day, the biggest day of my life, high school graduation. It’s just hours away. I can’t wait to walk across that stage into my adulthood. First, I have to make it through my Valedictorian speech without puking or crapping in my pretty, little panties. Rhett promised me he would keep me focused from the audience.

  Rhett is the love of my life. I’m only eighteen, but I know that Rhett’s my forever. I’m leaving my childhood and hometown behind to be with him while he chases his dreams. We’re making a road trip across the country because he earned a full ride scholarship to play football at Boise State. He was just named the top high school quarterback in the nation, and he’s all mine.

  My momma has been shedding tears since the day I told her I would be leaving the day after graduation. Her tears of pain have had no effect on my decision. I love my momma and my dad, but Rhett is my everything.

  We were the homecoming king and queen every year of high school, even our freshmen year. Yes, we will be the power couple that will walk the red carpet one day at the ESPYs. He took my virginity in the back of his truck and slipped a promise ring on my finger the very next day. I gave my first blowjob to him in the same truck. We’ve been inseparable all through high school. He’s the sugar to my tea and everything in between.

  I look around my very bare room, as I put the finishing touches on my hair. The walls were once filled with boy band posters, prom pictures and Rhett. My canopy bed and pink comforter have all vanished leaving just the bare framework of my bed. You couldn’t even tell that a spoiled, little girl grew up in this room. I packed it all up and stuffed my cherished memories into Rhett’s truck yesterday.

  My mother’s sobs are now echoing from her room. She is so overreacting to me leaving with Rhett. She wanted me to stay in Tennessee and go to her Alma Mater, the University of Tennessee. Momma and Dad met at Tennessee and bled white and orange. My older sister, Tommie, and I were basically born in orange Tennessee onesies and sang the fight song from the age of two. My parents are season ticket holders and Daddy would drag his little girls to every game dressed in school colors. I basically had a permanent-temporary orange T pasted to my cheek growing up.

  Tommie, crushed my parents’ dreams when she went off to school in Texas and has since become a veterinarian. My dad was proud, but momma was so damn stubborn and had way too much flamboyant pride to admit her approval. She wanted her girls to stay in her home state of Tennessee, marry a country club boy and be the perfect little housewives. You could call her old fashion and vain to a point. My momma is beautiful and always dresses to supreme perfection. Tommie was more than Momma could handle. She was a tomboy who loved dirt, animals and grease. She is Daddy’s daughter.

  On the other hand, I’m my momma’s daughter. I’ve always been her little pageant queen, making her proud with my perfectly fit body, tan skin and always flawless hair. Yes, I have her genes and talent to make it look damn good. I know that I’m beautiful. My parents have always made sure that I have the best of everything. Only name brands for me. Momma has dressed and groomed me with her love for the last eighteen years. It’s now my time and not even my momma is going to stop me from leaving with Rhett.

  Momma’s really going to throw a hissy fit when I inform her that Rhett is picking me up for graduation. I’m hoping for a quickie in the truck on the way to the high school auditorium. I need something to calm my nerves before my Valedictorian speech. I have a little black dress on under my scarlet red gown and killer Louis Vuitton red high heels Momma bought. I bought an extra sexy, lacy thong and bra to wear under my dress. It’s going to be Rhett’s present later. We made plans to visit the lake one last time after graduation. Only about four hours until I’m under Rhett at the lake one last time before we flee into our future together.

  Waltzing downstairs, I take in the sight and smell of my home for one of the last times. Daddy’s sitting in his suit at the table reading a sports magazine. I’ll miss the sight of him at that table. He’s always there when you need him no matter the time, always willing to fork over his credit card without question when I want a new pair of high heels or a designer pair of jeans. He knew momma wanted me to be dressed the best. The man truly loves his girls with his whole heart and bank account.

  “Hey, Daddy!” I say, as I hug him.

  “Look at my baby girl.”

  “Rhett’s almost here. He’s giving me a ride to the high school.”

  “Tess,” he says in a warning voice. I know what’s coming next. Lecture! “Your momma isn’t going to be happy about that. You need to let her have this time with you. I know you don’t understand.”

  “Daddy, I’m going with Rhett. End of story.”

  “I know you want your own life right now, but baby girl you’re going to miss this one day believe it or not.”

  “Tell Momma I will ride to Rhett’s graduation party with you guys afterwards. Meet you guys at the school rock for pictures. Love you, Daddy.” I yell as I run out the door.

  The thundering rumble of Rhett’s badass truck pulls up outside and is parked on the corner right next to the light pole. Same place, same truck, same man, but always new butterflies floating around in me. Even after four years of hearing the sound of his truck roaring into my neighborhood, I still get thrilling tingles shooting down my spine. Instantly racing outside, forgetting all about my mommas feelings, I let the door and my boobies bounce to give my man a little show. With my cap and gown in a garment bag thrown over my shoulder, I let Rhett take in all of my size D cup tits. They were his favorite. Which was another one of my daddy’s gifts that my momma insisted on. She wanted my breasts to fit the rest of my very curvy body.

  ***

  I did it! The perfect speech of my life…check. Prettiest girl at graduation…check. Hottest pair of red high heels…check. Rhett definitely helped by calming my nerves before the ceremony. We had found our favorite old dirt road and took care of business.

  I’m pisse
d because I promised my daddy I would ride with them to Rhett’s party. I want to be in the middle of Rhett’s truck straddling his gearshift, holding his hand and teasing his inner thigh. We finished up all the pictures with my parents and friends in front of the school rock. In one picture, we had Tommie on FaceTime and proudly showed her face to the photographer on the iPad as she snapped the family shot. Most families just use their digital camera. Not my momma. My momma hired a professional photographer to take pictures. It’s all okay because I really wanted to show off my red high heels to the world tonight.

  I begrudgingly climb into the back of Momma’s black Escalade. I’m trying very hard not to act like a spoiled brat. They have had me the last eighteen years and need to let me go. Be nice just be nice and remember they love you Tess is the mantra that I keep replaying in my mind.

  My daddy starts talking about all the sports scholarships that were awarded to the very talented athletes. He definitely helps tone down my bitter mood with his endless rambling. I should be happy and thankful, but it is so hard when your heart belongs to one person.

  A warm memory envelopes my senses and takes me back to the days of my childhood. Growing up, I was always tucked between my momma and daddy on road trips. Tommie and I couldn’t handle sitting by each other for more than five minutes without blood being drawn. I was always bestowed the privilege of being nestled between my parents in the front seat. Definitely the brat of the family. Daddy always had his salty sunflower seeds stashed under the radio, and Momma would sing to me while she braided and unbraided my hair. I loved sneaking into those salty seeds. The prick of the salt would leave tiny little sores in my mouth.

  The memory silently guides my body to climb up in the front seat right between my momma and daddy. I flip up the console and get buckled. My sneaky fingers find Daddy’s salty seeds and my other hand grasps onto my momma’s. They continued to argue about whom actually received the scholarships while I just savored the tang of the salt. My daddy was right, I am going to miss them.