by Whitley Cox
Those mighty and masculine hands were on me again as he massaged life and circulation back into my wrists and thighs. I moaned from his touch and let my body go completely lax on the bed.
“You’re such a good little playmate, Harper,” he said softly, his hands continuing with their divine worship. “I’m hard as a rock back here.”
Every muscle screamed exhaustion at me, but my libido was a rebel. Always had been, my daughter was proof of that. And the need for more, for just one more taste of Sam was galvanized by his hand slipping from my thigh up between my legs to where I was warm and oh so wet.
I found myself on my back and staring up at his gorgeousness in the blink of an eye, his lopsided smile sweetly impish as he hovered above me and slowly let his lips brush across mine. Now that I could finally touch him again, powerful muscles filled my palms as I grazed my hands over the wide span of his chest. His tongue plundered my mouth. In and out, mimicking the savage thrusts of his body just minutes ago. I opened my mouth wide to accommodate him and let my tongue swirl around his, loving the taste of my release on his lips, mixed with the last hints of whatever spirit he’d tossed back just before I arrived.
Lowering his body down to mine, I felt his erection press the juncture of my thighs. I spread my legs wide for him, encouraging him to settle.
He pulled his mouth away for a second, leaned over and grabbed a condom from the strip sitting on the bed. In seconds he was covered and back on top of me.
“Can’t be too careful,” he muttered, his lips resting against mine.
I chuckled. “No, we can’t. Apparently we’re both quite fertile.”
Levering himself back up over me, he looked down into my eyes, and at that moment I knew. Sam was it. The man stole the air from my lungs and made my heart swell. He was the one I was meant to be with.
Forever.
Always.
I’d loved him from afar for much too long, and now that we finally had a chance to be together, I would try my damnedest to make it work. Even if that meant putting up with that atrocious ex of his, if she somehow managed to get visitation again. I’d go to the ends of the earth for Sam. I wanted to share a life with him and his children, blend our families and make it one. I wanted it all.
“I love you, Harper,” he said softly, bending down to kiss the tip of my nose.
Love and other mushy emotions filled my throat until I all could do was nod and squeak out a “me too,” before tears flooded my eyes and eventually breached the brim, slipping down my cheeks.
Shifting to his elbows, he used his thumbs to wipe my cheeks. “That’s a good thing, you know? Me loving you. Isn’t it?”
I nodded again, this time even more emphatically than before. “So good.”
“This here. Now. This is us. The playing is fun, and I’m so glad you’re willing, but this here and now is the real us. As we are, this is what I want. Forever. Can you do forever?”
Fuck, more tears. Hiccupping, I nodded as he slowly, sweetly, gently slid inside me. We began to move together until we became one. He kissed away my tears, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life.
I broke again with a sharp cry and bowed my back, arching up into him as he thrust with lazy and languid sweeps, coaxing out the orgasm. My nails raked down his back, and my toes curled. I bit his lip. He growled low and feral as he pulled away, his teeth grazing my shoulder. He stiffened above me and let out a muffled grunt before his climax claimed him and he pulsed against my walls. One more orgasm, tiny but no less fierce, ripped through me, and I shut my eyes and sighed, allowing the sensations to take over. All I wanted to do was feel. Feel Sam, feel our love. Feel the moment.
When he finally lifted his head, he looked just as exhausted as I felt. We both started to laugh. Deep belly laughs rocked us both until he slipped out and rolled to the side. My whole body shook with fatigue, satiation and fulfillment.
“You never answered my question,” he said through chuckles.
“Hmm?” I hummed, closing my eyes, letting my body find its equilibrium again.
“Can you do forever?”
I rolled over and propped myself up on my elbow. “I can do forever and ever.”
Chapter 20
Sam
It was only ten-thirty by the time Harper left, but after the day and night I’d had, I was exhausted. And yet after I checked on the kids for the umpteenth time, showered, and finally fell into bed, I was anything but tired. At least my brain wasn’t. My body was crying for rest, but my brain was still running at full speed. My dad had texted me to say he’d spoken with his lawyer, and although Meegan didn’t have a leg to stand on with regard to custody or parental rights, she could make things ugly in other ways, and it might be best to try to reach some kind of visitation agreement. I didn’t want the toxic woman anywhere near my children; she’d just call them names and fuck with their heads.
No.
I had to fight her every step of the way. She wasn’t good for the kids and didn’t deserve to be a part of their lives. It didn’t matter that I’d just seen Harper, just fucked her until we were both comatose, I wanted more of her. I grabbed my phone off my nightstand and unplugged it. I needed to text her first to see if she was awake.
S: You up?
She texted back almost immediately.
H: Is this a booty call?
S: Do I need to booty call you?
H: No, sir.
I pulled back the covers and stared at my cock. “Don’t get any ideas, you prick. Just because she called us sir doesn’t mean you need to get all excited about it.”
S: You were incredible tonight.
H: So were you.
S: Can I call you?
H: Call me what?
Oh, she was a funny one. She’d pay for that little bit of sass. I hit “call.”
“Miss me already?” Her voice was a sweet and melodic hum.
“Yes.”
“Good. Me too.”
“What’s up?”
“What do you do during the week Tuesday through Friday?” I asked. Yes, Meegan was my problem and a big one, but I didn’t want to talk about her. I wanted to talk to Harper and learn more about her. I’d tackle the Meegan issue in the morning.
“You called me to hear about my weekly schedule?”
“Well, I’m assuming I’m not going to be able to talk to you tomorrow at playgroup, but I’m wondering if there is somewhere else we can meet up midweek with the kids. Like a park or kindergym or something.”
“Oh!” her voice squeaked. “That’s a great idea. Tuesdays and Thursdays I have to pick my niece and nephew up from preschool and school, so Carly and I usually just run errands or hit up a park or something. She loves going to Morgan’s Grocery and pushing around the kid-size shopping carts. She’d be happy doing that for hours. Though we don’t buy much, because Morgan’s ain’t cheap.”
“No, they’re not. But their fresh sandwich counter is pretty good.”
“That’s true. On Wednesdays I try to take her to the pool for parent and tot swim, and Fridays we either do the aquarium, Science World, Kidopolis, or the library. We mix it up, as she gets bored easily.”
“Want to meet at the pool on Wednesday, then?” Wednesday worked well for us, too. I had both kids, and we usually went swimming or to another drop-in play center somewhere else in the city. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Gem was in preschool all day, so it was just me and Landon, and I tried to get some work done both around the house and in my office while he napped.
She made a feline purr, and my cock twitched again. “You shirtless, wet and playing with kids? I might spontaneously orgasm, just be forewarned.”
I barked out a loud laugh just as my bedroom door was pushed open and a sleepy-eyed little redhead with rosy cheeks and a confused look on her face came into view. She was clutching a stuffy, I think Randy the Rabbit, and appeared to be on the verge of tears.
“Shit,” I muttered. “Gem’s up. I gotta go.”
/> “ ’Kay. Night.” And like a fellow parent who totally understood life with toddlers, she was gone.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and went to her. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
Two perfect little droplets sprung from her eyes and slipped down each cheek. “Bad dream.”
I pulled her into me and picked her up, walking us over to my bed. She sat on my lap and buried her face in my neck.
“Want to talk about it?”
“I thought Mummy was coming to take me away.”
Fuck!
I rubbed her back. “She’s not going to take you away.”
“Landy?”
“She’s not going to take Landy away, either.”
Her little arms wrapped fiercely around my neck, and her sobs ebbed to more of a gentle sniffle. “I don’t like her. I like Carly’s mummy.”
My heart ached. “Me too, sweetie. Me too.”
It was Monday morning, and we were back in the playgroup parking lot. Gemma was still in her car seat as I helped Landon. I’d learned from past experience to get her out last, otherwise she impatiently hung like a monkey on the back pockets of my jeans as I lifted her brother out. I was just hauling Landon out of his seat when Gemma’s door opened.
“Hi guys, mind if I join you?” Meegan went to work unbuckling Gemma’s car seat straps. Gemma just stared at me in mounting confusion, her little lip trembling.
“Yes, we do,” I snapped, hoisting Landon up and out and into the front carrier I wore around my waist. I secured him on my chest, slammed the door and stalked around to the other side of the car, where Meegan and Gemma were engaged in a mother-daughter battle royal. In the time it took me to make my way to Gemma’s door, she had already kicked Meegan twice and pulled her hair, screaming at her mother to let her go and “don’t touch my car seat!”
“What the fuck is wrong with her?” Meegan asked with an exasperated huff, leaving Gemma in her seat and rounding on me.
“You.”
She rolled her dark gray eyes and held out her hands. “Oh, whatever, she always was a problem child. Give me Landon. Come here, baby, come see mama.”
Landon’s blue eyes went wide with fear, and the sucking on his soother increased in speed.
“She was never a problem child. Gemma is an incredible person.” Fury burned along my skin as my entire body seethed. God, she was fucking toxic.
“Whatever. Give me Landon.” She crinkled her fingers as if to say, “gimme gimme.”
I jerked away from her. “No. We’re going inside. Stay the hell away from us. I told you yesterday, you want to see the kids, get your lawyers on it.” I quickly unbuckled Gemma and plopped her boots on the ground. Locking the car door with my fob, I reached for Gemma’s hand, motioning for us to go, hoisting the diaper bag over my shoulder. Meegan lunged out and snatched Gemma’s other hand.
“You want Mummy to come to playgroup with you, right, Gemma?” She crouched down next to Gemma and wouldn’t let go of her hand as hard as Gem tried to pull away.
“Nnnno!” Gemma screamed, snatching her hand out of Meegan’s grasp and then kicking her mother in the shin. Despite the circumstances, my heart swelled with pride. I’d taught her that. Besides her grandparents and me, if anyone ever tried to take her hand and lead her away, if she didn’t want to go with them she was to scream as loud as she could and kick them wherever she could.
Meegan’s eyes were wild and her mouth set in a terrible scowl. She reared back on her heels. “Why you … ”
It happened before I could stop it. Meegan brought her hand up, and the back of it swept down hard across Gemma’s cheek. The smack sounded like a gong in a quiet church.
“What the fuck?” I bellowed, getting down to Gem’s level and scooping her into my arms as she cried. I stood, juggling her to the side, as I was still wearing Landon.
“You need to discipline them better.” Meegan’s face was nearly as red as her lips. “She shouldn’t be kicking people.”
“You just fucking smacked her!”
All I could see was red. The need to defend my child and take down her attacker consumed me. And yet I couldn’t. I couldn’t hit a woman. I couldn’t hit the mother of my children, despite the fact that she’d just hit my child. Concrete filled my feet, and I just stood there, blinded by rage, twitching but unable to move. I didn’t even see Harper walk up behind Meegan until she tapped the woman on the shoulder. Meegan spun around with a snotty “What?” and Harper gripped Meegan’s face by the cheeks with her thumb and fingers and squeezed—hard. “Don’t you ever fucking touch her again. Just because Sam can’t smack the living shit out of you doesn’t mean I can’t.” She brought her voice just a touch above a whisper. Steam was practically coming out of her ears. “I suggest you go. Now. Before the children witness too much.”
Meegan seemed to have regained a semblance of sanity, and her eyes shifted down to Carly. She pivoted back around to look at Gemma and Landon. Gemma was huddled into me still, sniffling.
Meegan extended her hand with a slight tremor and stroked Gemma’s back. Gemma flinched, and I took a step away. Ire filled Meegan’s eyes. “I’m sorry, sweetie,” she cooed. Though her tone was anything but genuine. She looked up at me. “I just want to be a part of their life.”
“You’re going about it the wrong way,” I said bluntly, bouncing and readjusting Gemma on my hip with a grunt. “Go through the lawyers.” I looked over Meegan’s head at Harper, who seemed closer to snapping than I was. I gave Harper a nod, and the two of us took off toward the front doors of the rec center. We fell in line with each other.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, turning her head to face me.
But I couldn’t look at her. If I looked at her, I’d drop my kids and jump her bones right there in the parking lot. I kept my eyes focused on the doors. “Don’t apologize for being the most badass woman I’ve ever met,” I said softly. “Just know, last night, Saturday, they were nothing compared to what I want to do to you right now. How I want to pleasure you. You are the fiercest mama bear I’ve ever met. Protecting cubs that aren’t even yours. I … ” I trailed off for a moment before bringing my voice down even lower. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more turned on in my life.”
I still wasn’t looking at her, but her reflection in the glass doors of the rec center said enough, along with the heavy bob of her throat as she swallowed.
I opened the door and waited for her and Carly to go first. Finally, our gazes locked. She looked a tad nervous, which only turned me on more. “Got that?” I asked.
She nodded, her mesmerizing brown eyes wide and full of awe. “Uh, yup.”
I followed her into the rec center, making sure to let her go ahead of me, which not only made it appear to those already inside that we hadn’t arrived together, but it also gave me a chance to check out her ass. She was rocking the black skinny jeans and black boots today.
Before entering the gym, I pulled over near the water fountain and set Gem down on her feet. “You okay?”
Her cheek was still red with a barely discernible, hand print that set my blood to boiling hot. She sniffled a couple of times and blinked those bright green eyes up at me. “I don’t like her,” she said, her little lip wobbling again with the threat of more tears. “I don’t want her to come.” Tears glassed her eyes, and droplets tumbled over and down her cheeks. “Please, Daddy.” She lunged back into my arms, and more racking sobs filled my ear as she wept with abandon against my shoulder.
I didn’t know what to do. Well, that wasn’t true. When I got home, I was going to call my lawyer, followed by the police, and look into a restraining order. The woman just wasn’t getting the hint, and now she’d gone off and hit Gemma. If it was the last thing I did, she wasn’t going to get near the children again, ever. I was rubbing Gemma’s back and muttering things like, “It’s okay,” and “I know, sweetheart,” when Harper appeared around the corner. She had ditched her red jacket, and Carly was no longer hanging off her arm.
“Mind if I try?” she asked, bending down, so she was on the same level as Gemma and I.
I shrugged, making a face of defeat. I was all my daughter had now, and I’d failed her. I’d failed to protect her. Failed to protect her from her own mother. Gently pushing Gemma out of my arms, I turned her to face Harper.
Harper’s eyes softened as she held out her hands. Gemma took them. “You’re sad.”
Gemma nodded.
“But I bet you’re also really mad.”
Gemma nodded even harder.
“What would you like right now?”
Gemma’s slender shoulders lifted high and then dropped with a big sigh. “I don’t know.”
“Would you like another hug?”
Gem’s head bobbed, and she took a step forward into Harper’s arms. Harper enveloped her, and the two had a moment. She kept her eyes cast down at the floor, so I couldn’t even tell what she was thinking. A moment or two later, they pulled apart.
“Feel better?” Harper asked, tucking a strand of strawberry hair behind Gem’s ear.
Gem nodded.
“But you’re still pretty mad, eh?”
Gem nodded again.
“Well, I just heard the lady in the office say she needed to go and feed a bunch of paper into the shredder. I bet if we ran and caught her, we could shred that paper for her with our fingers. Get all our angries out by ripping up some paper. What do you think?”