“You are home,” the words came out of his mouth completely of their own volition. He meant them but he hadn’t meant to say them.
“What?” she asked, her eyes widening in shock.
“Move in with me.” It wasn’t a question. He knew it should be but…it wasn’t.
“Wait a minute.” She sat up, running her fingers through her hair, causing her breasts to bounce at the movement.
He knew he really needed to be following along in this conversation - it was kind of an important one, after all - but with her perfect mounds sitting in front of him, it was hard. Literally.
“What are you saying?” she asked, seeking clarification of his out-of-the-blue statement.
He knew she deserved an explanation and he wanted to give her one. He just didn’t know how to say it.
Taking a deep breath he just started talking, “I’m not ever going to be the guy with the wife, the kids, the picket fence. I know that’s what you deserve. I wish I could be that for you. But I can’t.”
She nodded silently and he continued.
“This past week has been the first time in my adult life that I have ever felt like I had a home. That was because of you. You are my home Amber.”
He saw tears brimming in her eyes.
“Move in with me,” he repeated.
She just stared at him and he really wished she would do the thing she always did when there was any kind of a long pause. His heart was beating like a jackhammer. After several minutes he prompted, “Amber.”
“Sorry,” she let out a strangled laugh as she shook her head slightly, “I think I might be in shock. Did you really just ask me to move in with you?”
“Yes.”
She sat, seeming to mull over his proposition.
“One question,” she said holding up her finger, “I thought I heard you say something right before they wheeled me out of the garage. Did you say what I think you said?”
“Yes.”
She narrowed her eyes tilting her head, “How do you know what I think you said?”
“I heard you ask before the door shut.” Her naked chest was rising and falling rapidly and, as much as he knew this was probably one of the most critical conversations of his life, he was still having a difficult time focusing.
“So,” she lifted her eyebrows in an expectant stare, “what did you say?”
Oh, right. Damn, who knew arousal killed brain function?
He felt a smile tug at his lips as he calmly said, “I love you.”
A huge smile spread across her face as she laid back down beside him. She lightly pressed her trembling lips to his as she said, “I love you too. And, yes, I will move in with you.”
He let out a breath he hadn’t even known he had been holding as his hands reached up and cupped her face. He softly pressed his mouth to hers as he rolled her onto her back, easing his body up over her. Her legs opened and she wrapped them around his back, cushioning him in her feminine heat.
Her lips parted and he moved his tongue inside her mouth. His tongue stroked across hers in slow, languorous sweeps. What started out as gentle and tempered soon turned hot and passion-fueled.
With effort, he dragged himself back from the cliff edge of desire that he was about to plunge over. She needed rest. Not this. He forced himself to push away from her.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she looked up at him with need shimmering in her eyes. “Where are you going?”
“You need to rest,” he said forcibly.
“No, I don’t,” she shook her head feebly.
He lifted a hand that was bracing him above her and brushed a fallen hair off her forehead as he said, “Yes you do.”
She stared up at him blankly and he rolled onto his back. Just as he was going to pull her into his arms she sat up and swung her leg over his hip, straddling him. Her moist center pressed against his throbbing length.
“Tonight,” she said as she rocked her hips into him, “you are not in charge.”
Loving the feel of her weight on his body and needing to touch her, his hands reached out to grip her hips and she swatted them away playfully, “Hands to yourself.”
He smiled at her take-charge attitude. He liked it. A lot.
Again, she rocked her hips, this time running her fingers through her hair, causing it to fall behind her back. Seth’s mouth watered at the sight of her full breasts on display in front of him. Amber’s eyes closed as she moved her hips, running her sex up and down his shaft. With each pass, her arousal coated him until his entire member was slick with her desire.
He needed to touch her. He reached up and barely made contact with her luscious breasts before her eyes opened and she firmly grabbed his wrists, a wicked smile playing across her mouth as she placed them at his sides, “I said hands to yourself."
Even playfully, it was difficult for Seth to give up control. But looking into Amber’s eyes, lit up with arousal at the thought of being in control of their lovemaking, he knew there was no way he would take that away from her.
He smiled as he lifted his hands and laced them behind his head casually.
Her eyes darkened with lust as she stilled, saying, “You are really sexy.”
“So are you.”
She smiled knowingly at his statement before raising up on her knees and positioning the head of his penis at her opening. His erection jumped as she pressed her dewy flesh over the tip. A guttural moan ripped from his chest as a surge of pleasure shot through him. He flexed his hands behind head, trying to maintain control.
Amber’s lips parted with a small gasp as she lowered herself onto him. He slid, inch by inch, into her hot, moist sheath. She sat still for a moment, eyes closed, as he felt himself grow larger inside of her and her inner walls pulsed tightly around him.
Slowly, he felt her hips begin to roll, and the movement caused his body to be strung even tighter. She opened her eyes and leaned forward, resting her hands on his chest as she moved her hips back and forth, rocking against him seductively.
He saw a flush rising up her neck as she began moving up and down, sliding his rod in and out of her body. He looked down to see the place where they were intimately joined, and the sight of his length glistening with her juices as it glided in and out of her body was its own brand of sensual torment. He wanted so badly to touch her. To guide her hips.
It was a vicious cycle - the harder he had to fight himself to keep from taking back control from her, the more aroused he became, which made him want to touch her and control their movements even more.
As her speed picked up, he felt tremors coursing through his body as pleasure coiled in his groin. She looked down at him as her thighs began to quiver. Seth remained still aside from the small movement of his hips as they met hers.
His eyes never left hers as he watched Amber bring herself to climax riding on top of him. Her nails dug into his chest as her breathing became more and more ragged. Her lips parted as her entire body shook with her release. It was the most erotic thing he had ever seen.
She collapsed on top of him and the sweet smell of her hair filled his nostrils as her breasts pressed against his chest. His steel hard length throbbed inside of her as he felt the last spasms of her inner walls contracting around him. When her breathing slowed, he quickly flipped her onto her back, never breaking their intimate contact.
Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him with renewed lust.
He felt the corner of his mouth turn up as he said in a gravelly tone, “My turn.”
Her eyes widened and he grabbed both of her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head. He dipped his head and pulled her taut nipple between his lips, lightly nipping the beaded bud with his teeth before slowly gliding his tongue across it. After giving one breast his laser-focused attention, he moved to the other.
He moved back and forth until she was squirming beneath him. With each pass of his tongue, he felt her chest rising faster as her breathing became more and more shallow
. With the hand that held her wrists, he rubbed his thumb across the soft skin beneath her palm and felt her pulse beating rapidly.
He was still buried deep inside of her tight warmth, his length throbbing heavily. Need rocketed through him, but he held his pelvis perfectly still, savoring the feeling of being wrapped in her snug feminine core. Every time her hips bucked against him he would use his free hand to grip her hip, holding her tightly in place.
“Seth,” she cried.
He lifted his head, looking at her as he rubbed the rough hairs of his five o’clock shadow slowly across her highly sensitized, wet, pebble-hard nipples.
“Please,” she whimpered as her hips once again bucked against him.
Hearing the desperation in her voice, he moved up her body, framing her beautiful face with both of his arms. His heart pounded as the stared down into her intoxicatingly beautiful eyes.
He released her wrists from his hold and threaded his fingers through hers as he began slowly pulling out then pushing back inside of her moist heat. With each stroke he increased both the speed and pressure.
Amber tightened her fingers around his hand as her body started shaking beneath him. Her soft, needy sounds turned to loud whimpers of pleasure, crying out his name as she went up and over the edge.
He felt his body quickly building to release. Leaning down he covered her mouth with his in a passionate kiss as explosions of ecstasy filled his entire body.
As the lasts pulses of sensual gratification twitched through him, he rested his forehead against hers.
“I love you,” his managed to say, his voice strained.
Her eyes shined as she whispered back, “I love you so much.”
Seth moved beside her and pulled her into his arms. She snuggled her rear up against him as a small sigh of satisfaction fell from her lips. As he drifted off into a peaceful sleep with Amber safe and happy in his arms, he felt…complete.
Chapter Twenty-seven
“Honestly Jamie, I am fine. Do not give it another thought,” Amber assured her friend as she helped her into her wedding dress.
As Amber buttoned the tiny buttons in the back of Jamie’s white lace trumpet gown, Jamie shook her head, “I just can’t believe that you were held, with a knife to your neck, just last night and you’re here,” she looked over her shoulder, “and you look amazing. You are a rock star.”
Amber just smiled as she finished buttoning the last of the buttons. She knew it might be odd, but the incident in the garage didn’t feel like it had happened last night. It felt like it was in the distant past.
“Can I ask you one thing?” Jamie whispered conspiratorially.
Amber looked around the room. It was just her and Jamie in the small bridal suite.
“Why are you whispering?” Amber asked.
“Oh,” Jamie laughed, “I don’t’ know. I guess I usually don’t ask people personal questions. I was just wondering if you and Seth are, you know...together.”
“That’s not really that personal, Jam,” Amber loved her friends. They were all such amazing women with funny quirks.
“Well, it’s none of my business,” Jamie said by way of explanation.
“Yes,” Amber answered happily, “we are together. Officially.”
Jamie clapped her hands excitedly, “Oh, I knew it! You guys belong together.”
The door flung open and Katie and Sophie came in with worried looks on their faces.
“What’s wrong?” Amber and Jamie asked in unison.
“Well, I don’t really know how to say this,” Katie said as she glanced back at Sophie nervously.
“Um, well…” Sophie began.
“Is it Joey?” Amber could hear the fear in Jamie’s voice.
“No.” Katie and Sophie shook their heads.
“Is it Alex?” Jamie asked her voice a little shaky.
“No.” Katie and Sophie replied.
Jamie put out her hands. “Then what?”
“Well, I don’t want this to put a damper on the occasion but…” Katie began.
“Just tell me,” Jamie’s voice held a little panic in it.
The door flew open again. Katie’s Aunt Wendy who was also the wedding coordinator, came in, speaking into her headset. “Stand down for now.”
“What’s going on?” Jamie asked the room in general.
“The back two rows of the church are filled with girls crying their eyes out,” Aunt Wendy said bluntly. Katie and Sophie nodded their heads with knowing looks on their faces.
“What?” Amber and Jamie looked at each other seeing if the other might understand what Wendy was talking about.
“Did someone die?” Jamie asked.
“Well, I think they kind of look it that way. You see they were all friends of Alex,” Wendy said tactfully.
“Ooooh,” Jamie and Amber both said, coming up to speed.
Alex had been pretty popular with the ladies and had maintained many “friends with benefits” relationships at once. Amber had always thought it was crazy that girls would put up with it, but, hey...she had to give Alex props on the fact that he never lied to girls or led them on.
He just had game.
“Oh, those poor girls,” Jamie said, bringing her hand to her mouth as she shook her head slowly back and forth.
“Poor girls, my ass!” Sophie exclaimed. “Those hoochies need to go.”
“No. I don’t want to kick anyone out,” Jamie said, “as long as they’re not being disruptive I don’t mind if they stay. Maybe it will give them closure.”
“I realize you said that genuinely,” Katie smiled at Jamie, “but coming out of someone else’s mouth that, well…it wouldn’t have sounded so genuine.”
Wendy put her hand up to her ear. “Inform the girls they can stay but if I hear one peep out of them they’re out of here.”
Katie turned to her aunt, “I have to know. Who are you talking to at the other end of that thing?”
All the girls immediately turned to look at Wendy. Amber certainly was curious.
Wendy winked. “I have people.”
The girls laughed as the door opened again and Chelle walked in, wiping her dress and looking a little frazzled. She apologized as she lifted her head, “I am so sorry I’m late. Mya just wouldn’t quit eating and then she threw up and then…” Chelle stopped mid-sentence. She stopped moving, stopped talking. She stood perfectly still, eyes frozen on Jamie.
“What?” Jamie asked looking down at her dress and touching her hair.
“You look so beautiful! You are like the perfect combination of Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood,” Chelle said sincerely.
The room erupted, everyone agreeing that this was exactly what Jamie looked like.
Wendy’s watch beeped. “Okay girls. It’s go time.”
They all lined up in order and walked to the large wooden double doors that led to the sanctuary. Amber felt butterflies in her stomach. She had been in quite a few weddings. Recently, in fact. But she had never been nervous. Now she realized that the reason for that had been the fact that Seth had never been standing at the end of the aisle.
Jamie’s Aunt Hazel came around the corner holding Joey’s hand and Amber almost lost it. She couldn't believe how cute Joey looked in his tiny little tux! She already felt herself getting choked up, and the ceremony hadn't even started yet!
Jamie knelt down beside him and tugged on his tie. “You ready to do this, little man?”
Joey put his fist in the air as he smiled from ear to ear, “Yes!”
Then, as he took his mom’s hand, he pulled on it and she bent down once again.
“You look as beautiful as a princess,” Joey whispered to his mom.
Oh, yeah. Amber was gonna cry like a baby today.
Amber saw tears filling Jamie’s eyes as she sniffed and said, “Thanks, little man. You look as handsome - ”
“As a ninja?” Joey interrupted excitedly.
“Yes,” Jamie laughed, “as handsome as a ninja.”
As the girls made their way down the aisle, Amber took a deep breath. When Wendy touched her arm, indicating it was her turn to go, Amber looked up and the world stopped.
Seth Sloan in a tux was lethal.
--- ~ ---
Seth stood beside his brother Alex as he watched his sisters-in-law, each in turn, make their way down the aisle. They all wore the dresses that he had watched Amber working on for the past week. God, she was so talented! The more he learned about her, the more he loved.
Seth was well aware that he had had what most would have considered an unhealthy obsession with “the girl in DC” for the last eight years. Honestly, if someone would have told him it was possible to feel more connected, to share deeper passion with anyone - even that same girl - than what he felt the night he met Amber...well, he would have said they were full of shit.
But it was possible, and he did. The past week with Amber being in his home had been the best week of his life. It wasn’t about the sex, although that was insanely hot, it was just about her.
He loved knowing that when she woke up in the morning she mumbled; she didn’t really start talking until after she had her coffee. He loved that he now knew all of the songs she hummed while she sewed. He loved that he could tell what kind of a mood she was in by how long she took in the shower and that she always sighed when she was done eating.
He loved her.
After watching Chelle as she walked down and took her place beside Katie, Seth looked back down the aisle just in time to see Amber take her place in the doorway. Seth froze. His world stopped spinning. She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Amber slowly made her way down the aisle and a small smile played on her lips. A vision flashed in his mind of her in a white dress, walking down the aisle towards him, where he would wait for her at the altar. It was only a second, but it was clear as day. He would have thought that such a vision would have made him feel panicked, or at least a little scared, but in fact the opposite happened. He wanted to see it again. He tried unsuccessfully to will the image back so he could memorize every detail.
My Everything - Seth & Amber Page 24