Love Hard (Anything But Mine Book 2)

by Barbara Justice

  “I thought you’d walk away from me. That maybe you would think I was too broken, and wasn’t worth fixing.” She shrugged out of Sky’s arms, and sat on an ancient blue and green chintz covered sofa.

  “No, baby. Never. You couldn’t get rid of me that easily,” he said, as sat down next to her. He leaned in, placed his hands on either side of her head, and brushed his lips against hers. “I need you to understand that I’m not going anywhere. The moment I first saw you, it was lust at first sight. I’d never seen anyone so exotic, so beautiful before. You literally took my breath away. But then, once we started talking that night, I knew that I liked you. I mean, I really liked you. You listened, you cared. You ‘got’ me, and you wanted to help me. You treated me like a regular person, and not a celebrity. I knew I had to see you again, and get to know you better. And all the time you took care of me after the accident, little by little, I was falling in love with you. I just didn’t realize it until last weekend in Vegas, when I was worried that I was going to lose you. I was too afraid to tell you then. But no matter what happens, Meg, I love you, and I will always love you.”

  Meg exhaled and snuggled against Sky’s chest. “I love you too.” She ran her hands over his chest, then down to the waistband of his jeans. She slipped her fingers underneath the denim fabric and shifted her body so that she was facing him while straddling his thighs.

  “Meg, baby, what are you doing? I thought you would just want to talk tonight.”

  She reached for the bulge in his crotch. “Mmm…making love is like communicating without talking.”

  “Yes, it is.” His voice cracked as she massaged his erection. “Jesus, that feels good,” he said, as his heart began to race. “If you keep that up, I’m gonna have to cart you off to the bedroom.”

  “Ooh…is that a threat or a promise?”

  “Both, baby.”

  “Good.” Meg stood and beckoned Sky to follow her.

  He followed her into the bedroom, and watched her strip down to her underwear, before he peeled his own clothes away. “You’re so beautiful,” he said, as he closed the gap between them. “Beautiful inside and out,” he said as he took her by the hand and led her towards the bed.

  Meg pulled back the covers and lay down. “It’s just a full-size bed, so it’s going to be a little tight.”

  “Do you really think I’m gonna complain about having to sleep so close to your gorgeous body?” He climbed onto the bed and took her into his arms. “Besides, it’s actually bigger than our bunk on the bus.”

  “True.”

  “Was this your childhood bedroom?”

  “No, my room was down the hall. It only has a twin bed, so I usually stay in here since my dad moved back to his house.”

  “Wait…hang on a second.” Sky backed away so he could look her in the eyes. “This is your father’s bed? Isn’t this a little weird for you?”

  “Having a guy in my dad’s bed? I actually never thought about it.”

  He chuckled. “So, you’re a little bit of a naughty girl…”

  Her lips unconsciously formed a pout. “Naughty? I thought I was nice…”

  “Oh, baby, you are nice,” he said, his voice husky with desire. “Very nice, but doing it in your father’s bed…that’s downright naughty. And in bed, I’ll choose naughty over nice every time.”

  “You know, you’re incorrigible.”

  “And you love it.”

  “You’re right.” She chuckled and kissed his bare chest. “I do.”

  They became quiet as they lay next to each other with their limbs intertwined. The only sounds in the room came from their breathing.

  Sky broke the silence, and asked, “Are you sure this is what you want tonight?”

  “Yes. I need you tonight.” She clung to him, and ran her fingers through his hair. “I’ve never spent my birthday night with a man before.”

  “Didn’t your doctor fiancé come with you in the past?”

  She shook her head. “No, never. We were together for over a year before he even realized that he didn’t know my birthday. When I finally told him that I didn’t celebrate it, and why I didn’t celebrate it, he just shrugged his shoulders and accepted it.”

  “He never followed you, never insisted that you not go through this alone?”

  Meg closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “No.”

  “What an asshole. From now on, you will never be alone on your birthday. I’ll travel here with you, and sit all day at the cemetery with you, if you want me to.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  They continued to hold each other, sharing kisses and caresses. “I could spend the entire night like this,” Sky whispered as he nibbled on her earlobe. “I love being close to you.”

  “Me too.”

  He caught a glimpse of the clock on the nightstand, and bolted upright. “I almost forgot something,” he said as he jumped out of the bed.

  “What’s wrong? Where are you going?”

  “Be right back,” he called out from the living room. He returned a moment later, with a small box in his hand. “We only have a little while left of your birthday, and I want to give you your gift.”

  “But, Sky…”

  He gazed into her eyes. “Meg, I know you don’t want to celebrate your birthday, but I do. You gave me back my life the night we met. You’re my guardian angel.” He handed her the small box. “Open it.”

  She sighed. “Okay,” she said, as she opened the box with trembling hands. She gasped when she saw the heart-shaped gold pendant. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  Sky ran his fingers over the gold heart. “Two angel wings come together to form a heart.”

  Meg looked more closely at the necklace. “Ooh, I didn’t notice that at first. I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

  He pulled her close, and kissed her on top of her head. “Like I said, you’re my guardian angel, so I thought it would be the perfect gift for you.”

  “Thank you again.” She placed the box on the nearby nightstand. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, baby.” He eased her backwards, until her head was resting on a pillow. As his lips brushed against hers, he asked, “Are you still up to…”

  She looked into his eyes. “Yes.”

  “Good.” He reached around her back and unclasped her bra. “I can never get enough of you,” he said, as he flicked his tongue over her nipples until they were pebble-hard.

  Meg gasped with pleasure at Sky’s touch. Her back arched as he peeled off her panties. “I can never get enough of you, either.”

  As he wriggled out of his underpants, he let out a low moan when Meg’s fingers encircled his manhood and began to massage him. “Jesus, Meg, we’ve gotta slow down. I feel like I’m about to explode.”

  She reluctantly let go of him. “Well, we wouldn’t want that.”

  “No, we wouldn’t. I need to be inside you, but let’s take our time.” His lips covered hers in soft kisses that grew more intense as his tongue began to explore her mouth.

  A low moan escaped Meg’s lips as Sky nibbled his way down her neck to her breasts. She savored the alternating sensations of his soft lips and scratchy five o’clock shadow as his mouth nudged her legs further apart when he reached her most private place.

  He knew he had reached her sweet spot when she began to writhe with pleasure. As his tongue lapped at her entrance, her body began to convulse, and he urged her on. “Let it go, baby. Come for me.”

  “Oh my God, Sky,” she called out as the spasms overtook her. As she struggled to regain her senses, she felt him climb on top of her. His hard manhood poked against her inner thigh, and she savored the pressure of his body on top of hers.

  His lips met hers in an urgent kiss. “Meg, baby…,” his voice trailed off as he rocked his pelvis against hers. “I’ve got to ask you something. It’s important.”

  Alarm bells went off in her head, and her heart began to beat wildly. She tried to keep
her voice at a normal register. “What is it?”

  “Are you on the pill? Or something?”

  “Yes, I’m on the pill. Why?”

  “Because, after today, I don’t want anything to come between us ever again.” He rubbed his erection against her inner thigh, and continued, “Not even a condom. You know I’m clean from the test results in the hospital. I’m assuming you’re clean too.”

  She could barely breathe as she nodded her head. “I had myself tested after Craig broke up with me, when I learned he had cheated on me. There’s been no one since then, other than you.”

  “I’ve never had sex without a condom.” Sky searched her eyes. “It will be my first time fully feeling a woman, and I want it to be with you. Are you okay with that?”

  She gazed into his eyes as she nodded her head. “Yes,” she said, as she pulled him in for a deep kiss. “I want you to feel all of me.” She shifted her body, and wrapped her legs around his waist.

  Sky rocked his pelvis, positioning his manhood at her slick opening. He teased her sweet spot with the tip of his erection, before taking a deep breath and entering her one inch at a time.

  Meg kept her eyes focused on his face, watching as a flood of emotions overtook him. When he filled her, his eyes opened, and she was surprised when she noticed his tears. “Sky?”

  “I’ve never felt anything like this.” He rocked his hips, taking his time with every thrust. “It’s incredible.” He alternated his strokes with kisses. “You’re incredible.”

  “So are you.” She was breathless as she clung to him, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his torso as his pace quickened. She knew he was close to finishing when he began to pound into her with a fierce abandon.

  “I’m so close, baby. I’m gonna…oh my God.” His body stiffened and jerked as he emptied himself inside her.

  As his body erupted in pleasure, Meg dug her fingernails into his back and urged him on. She clenched her inner muscles so she could milk every drop of Sky’s seed. She ran her fingers through his hair, and kissed the side of his neck. “Did you like it?”

  His voice was deep with emotion. “Love is more like it. I never felt anything like that. The whole experience blew my mind. Now I know what it really means to make love.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Meg was momentarily disoriented when she woke the following morning in Sky’s arms. So, that wasn’t a dream. He really followed me here. She felt him stir and pull her tightly against his chest. And he loves me. Sky Johnson loves me.

  She managed to wriggle out of his arms without waking him. She slipped into a short, silky chemise and grabbed her cell phone before heading into the small kitchen. “Thank God for the timer on the coffee pot,” she said aloud as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

  She sat down at the table, checked her phone, and found multiple text messages on her screen. “Wow. Dad, Jen, Aunt Grace, Gina, Susan…”

  “Good morning, beautiful. Everything okay?” Sky stood before her in only his boxer briefs. His hair was disheveled and he had a small growth of stubble on his face.

  Meg drew a sharp breath, as she drank in the sight of him. What a hunk. How did I get so lucky? “Yeah, just lots of texts came in overnight.”

  He poured a cup of coffee and joined her at the table. “So…what’s the plan for today?”

  She looked up from her phone. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. My father said he wanted to spend some time getting to know you. There’s a family dinner tonight. And Jen planned a girls’ spa day at her house, but I can cancel it.”

  “What does the spa day involve?”

  Her eyes lit up. “Jen converted part of her house out here into a private spa. She’s bringing in masseuses, nail technicians for mani-pedis, and her hairstylist, Kenny, is going to blow our hair dry.”

  “Well, that sounds like the type of day you need right now. It’s been a rough week for you. And I don’t want you to cancel on your cousin, either.”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. In the last seven days I’ve been shot at by one of your crazed fans, found out she was pregnant and might be carrying your child, learned I was getting evicted, had to deal with my birthday, and then you followed me here and discovered my secret. “Yeah, I was sort of looking forward to it. My Aunt Grace is coming, and my cousin Gina even took the day off from work, which she never does. But what will you do? I don’t want to abandon you for the day.”

  “Well, your dad said he wanted to get to know me better, right? Why don’t I spend the day with him?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. I want to get to know him too.”

  Meg grinned. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll drop you off at my dad’s place on my way to Jen’s.” She stood to pour them more coffee. “Do you want something to eat?”

  Sky ran his hand up her thigh, and discovered she was naked under the short chemise. He cupped her buttocks and gave them a squeeze. “Can we have dessert first?”

  Her pulse quickened. “Dessert at breakfast?”

  “Dessert anytime we’re together.” His fingers found their way between her legs. “You’re dripping already,” he said, as he withdrew his hand and licked his fingertips. “I’ve got a real sweet tooth for you at the moment.”

  Her knees grew weak, and the familiar butterflies fluttered in her stomach as Sky stood and pulled her towards the bedroom. As they tumbled onto the bed together, the antique wooden frame of the bed creaked. Startled, they froze in place before bursting out in laughter.

  “We don’t want to break the bed,” he said.

  “Yeah, I don’t know how I’d explain that to my family,” she said with a chuckle, as she rolled over on top of him. “I have an idea, though.” She kneeled over him and peeled off his underpants before removing her chemise.

  “You have no idea what you do to me.” His voice was strained, and deep with gravel. He reached up and tried to ease her onto her back, but she stopped him.

  “Let me be on top this time.” She began to stroke his already-hard manhood.

  “But, baby…you know I like to be in control.”

  “Yeah, caveman, I’ve noticed that.” She straddled his torso, before lowering herself on top of him.

  His eyes grew wide as she took him deep within her. “Meg, baby…”

  “Shh…” She tossed her long hair over her shoulders, exposing her breasts. “Just lay back and enjoy the show.”

  He moaned as she rocked her hips. “Damn, Meg, you feel so good.”

  Her gyrations picked up speed. “So do you, Sky,” she said with a gasp.

  “I can tell you’re close,” he said, as he reached for her breasts. He took a nipple in each hand, and twisted them between his fingers.

  Electricity shot through her body and straight to her pleasure center. She arched her back and called out his name as she lost control of her body, drowning in pleasure as her orgasm came in waves.

  Sky flexed his pelvis so as not to lose the connection between them. “Oh my God, Meg,” he called out. “I’m…argh,” he grunted as he exploded inside her. He pulled her in for a kiss. “Oh my God, Meg. You’re incredible, baby.”

  Later that morning, Meg stared at the plastic bag resting on the passenger seat of her rental car between Sky’s legs. “What’s in the bag?”

  “Ice.”

  “Why do you have a bag of ice with you?”

  He turned and gave her a sly smile. “Because I have a perpetual hard-on whenever I’m around you, and I can’t walk into your father’s house that way. I thought the ice would help.”

  Meg burst into laughter. “You’re too much.” She leaned in to kiss him.

  “Don’t start, baby, ‘cause if you do, even the ice won’t help. I’ll have to drag you back into the house, and then you’ll never get to your cousin’s for spa day.”

  “You’re incorrigible,” she said with a chuckle.

  “And you love it.”

  “Yes, I do.” Meg sta
rted the car, put it in gear, and steered it down the driveway. “That’s the main farmhouse, where my aunt and uncle live,” she said, pointing. “Behind the house is the barn, and a pool.” Just before the gate, she pointed towards a pasture. “Those are some of their horses.”

  “Do you ride?”

  “I did when I was younger. I haven’t ridden in a long time.”

  “Neither have I, but I used to love it. We should go riding together sometime.”

  “I’d like that.” She smiled as she navigated the winding roadway, braking as she caught up with a slow-moving tractor ahead of her. “We’re almost there,” she said. “Are you nervous?”

  “About spending time with your dad? Yeah, just a little. It’s important to me that I make a good impression on him, and that he likes me.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “Aww…that’s so sweet. I’m sure he’ll like you.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Sky said, looking out the car window. “Fathers are protective of their daughters. He might not like the idea of his little girl getting mixed up with a guy like me.”

  “What are you talking about?” Meg pulled the car into her father’s driveway and put it in park.

  He continued staring out the passenger side window, unable to look at her. “The whole Mallory thing. You were in harm’s way because of me, and it’s also possible that I might have a child on the way with her. I’ve screwed up my life, and yours, in so many ways.”

  She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Sky, turn around and look at me. Please.” She waited until he turned towards her to resume speaking. “I love you. You love me. That’s what counts.”

  “His opinion counts, too.”

  “And I bet his opinion of you is pretty high already. You’re the only guy who ever followed me here on my birthday. No one has ever cared that much about me.” She rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s going to be fine.”

  “I hope so.” He leaned over to kiss her goodbye. “Call or text me when you’re on your way to pick me up.”

  Meg watched as Sky made his way to the front door of the house, and waited until her father opened the door before waving and putting the car in reverse.