“I’m so in love with you,” James whispered.
Hope started, her eyes flew open and she looked up at him, but his eyes were still closed…his face inexplicably calm after a revelation that rocked her to the core.
“I love you too,” Hope whispered and marveled at how easily those words slipped out even though they’d weighed on her like a ton of bricks for years.
“Ah, thank God,” said James, finally opening his eyes, “I thought for sure I’d scare you off that time.” He pulled her even closer and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
Hope gazed up at him and smiled. “I already told you that I’m not scared.”
“Music to my ears, sweetheart,” James whispered slipping his hands from her hips and pressing her against the tile wall.
Hope yelped at the cold against her heated, wet skin.
James grinned as her nipples stood at attention and wasted no time warming them with his mouth. Hope was back to panting when his fingers entered her pussy, searching for that spot that made her gush.
Two fingers drummed inside her and Hope began to whimper. She clasped both hands over her mouth but that didn’t stop the high-pitched sounds that escaped her throat. James brought his mouth back to hers to help her mute those traitorous noises.
Hope couldn’t feel the wall anymore, she could only feel his fingers inside her walls curling against her G-spot and making her see stars. She slid her arms around his shoulders as James pressed the wall of his chest against hers. He slipped the hand that wasn’t playing her body like a piano concerto around her waist and lifted her. Hope wrapped her legs around his waist.
A few more strokes and she screamed her release. There was no way to mute her wails and before she was anywhere close to done with her second orgasm, James gripped her hips and slid her down, onto his waiting erection.
“Oh, God. Oh James,” Hope repeated, her cries echoed around their tiny booth.
James growled her name and claimed her mouth again. His back curved into her as his fingers dug into her shoulders, pulling her down with increasing force each stroke.
Hope fell apart with the next orgasm, she clung to James and her body quaked in his hands. There was nothing between them anymore. He was inside her. She could feel every wonderful inch. Hope opened her eyes and saw his face, stern with restraint, his top teeth sunk into his bottom lip.
“I’m on the pill,” she moaned. “You can cum inside me.”
“Fuck,” James swore and did just as she said.
Hope moaned as she felt his cock expand and coat her womb over and over. James slid them both down the shower wall until he was seated and she was on his lap.
“You just keep getting better,” he whispered, kissing her; gently this time.
Hope grinned. “You really are a fast learner, aren’t you?”
“I do love to matriculate,” said James between kisses.
“Well, I’m all for education, but now that we’ve woken up the rest of the house and half the forest; do you think we could actually take a shower…or do I have to kick you out?”
“I’ll behave, just let me stay.”
Hope giggled. “I’ll let you stay even if you don’t behave.”
“That’s a great fucking deal, sweetheart.”
Chapter Ten
Val flipped on the percolator. She’d planned a seven day vacation, and she’d had a whopping two days to enjoy it.
Maybe Hope was right; she should have refused to fill in for Heather and taken her entire vacation. Most people wouldn’t have sacrificed so much—after all—Val was serious about her vacations. They were her reward for surviving the grind of working forty-five or sixty hours a week.
Taking on her coworker’s clients had been logical enough. If those clients liked anything about Val more than their regular masseuse—technique, conversation, ambiance—they just might become her regular clients.
Besides, she thought thinking of the pure joy that had been all over Hope’s face the night before, look what good came out of working.
The intense aroma of freshly brewed coffee made her smile. There was something so comforting about that smell.
“Morning, mi corazon,” P.J. whispered slipping his arms around her waist.
Val leaned back and closed her eyes. “Buenos dias.”
“Now that we’re finally here,” he said kissing her shoulder, “I have a surprise for you.”
Val turned around and grinned. “What? What is it?”
“How do you ask?”
Val hopped from foot-to-foot. “Por favor…can I have it please?” She was just shy of jumping up and down. P.J. always gave her the best gifts. The man knew how to buy jewelry like nobody’s business.
“Omigod,” Val whispered when he dropped the robin egg blue box in her hand. “Is this what I think?”
“Open it and see.”
“I told you she’d say yes,” James said later that evening. The four of them were lounging in the living room after dinner. P.J. and Val were snuggled together on the loveseat and James and Hope shared the couch.
“You knew about this?” Val asked waving her left hand which was now sporting a large, pear-shaped diamond. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
James glowered at her. “I’m sure you’ve never kept a secret from me.”
Hope giggled; then coughed in an attempt to cover it.
Val glared at her brother, but kept quiet.
“I asked him for your hand,” P.J. explained, “I only met your father the once…I felt it more appropriate to ask James.”
Val frowned. “You asked for my hand? How archaic is that?”
“I think it’s sweet,” Hope assured P.J. with a smile.
“Really?” sighed Val. “You think it’s sweet for two men to barter your marital status behind your back? Is there something romantic about being traded like silk for tobacco?”
“Come off it,” James grumbled.
Hope rolled her eyes. “There is something very romantic about a person wanting you enough to make sure there are no obstacles that could disrupt your happily ever after.”
Val’s expression softened. “I never thought of it that way.” She turned to P.J. and kissed him gently.
“How do you do that?” James whispered, pulling Hope closer to him on the couch.
She tucked into his chest, enjoying his warmth and the weight of his arm around her. “If I told you that, I’d have to kill you. If there are more than two people on the planet capable of handling Val it might implode.”
“You’re probably right,” James said into her hair. “Wait a minute, are you going to figure out how to work me the way you work her?”
Hope swallowed a laugh. “Of course not.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” he chuckled, “you’re a terrible liar.”
Hope tilted Val’s hand and watched the three carat stone catch the light and throw rainbows. They were in the kitchen on Friday morning. Breakfast was over, the dishes were done, and the vacation was officially over.
“Whoa,” she muttered.
“I know, huh?” Val’s grin was infectious.
Hope dropped Val’s hand and threw her arms around her.
“Are you okay?” Val asked as they embraced.
“Yeah,” said Hope, “I’m good. I’m great. I’m beyond happy for you.”
Val’s smile slipped. “P.J. wants me to live with him during the engagement…kind of a dry run. You know, to see if we can live with each other.”
Hope laughed…then she couldn’t stop…in fact she had to turn away from Val’s confused look just to keep herself from collapsing in hysterics. Finally she drew a few gasping breaths and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“What the hell is so damn funny?” snapped Val.
“Oh, Valerie, you know I love you like chocolate cheesecake, but if you and P.J. can’t live with each other—there is no one else on the Earth who can live with either one of you.”
Val blinked at that—then giggled. “Damn
Hope, you’re so right. I guess if the two of us make it down the aisle alive, I should probably keep him.”
“Yeah,” Hope whispered, “He’s definitely a keeper.”
Val’s eyebrows came together and her forehead wrinkled with concern. “I don’t want to leave you alone,” whispered Val.
Hope grinned. “I don’t mind it so much anymore.”
Val did not look placated.
“Seriously,” Hope continued. “I’m actually looking forward to some time to myself. I think it’ll do me some good.”
“What about the rent and the bills?”
Hope pretended to think a moment. “Well, I’ll cancel the satellite package you had to have so you wouldn’t miss a Cowboys game. When you’re not around to take those two hour long showers the water bill will drop substantially. I’ll cut off the lights when I leave a room, start shopping and cooking for one…”
“Don’t talk like that!” wailed Val. “I forgot about your cooking! You’re just going to come with me and live in my closet.”
“Is it a walk-in?” Hope teased.
“Well—no—but…”
“No way then.”
Val looked down at the rock on her left hand. “I’m going to miss you—miss us.”
“We’ll still be us. Nothing will change…except you’ll be married and I’ll be having sex on a regular basis.”
“Aren’t those the first two signs of the Apocalypse?” Val mused.
Hope chuckled. “I don’t remember being mentioned by name in the book of Revelation.”
They both looked up as James walked into the kitchen. “Everything is packed. Why don’t we all check our rooms one last time, just to make sure we’re not leaving anything behind.”
“I think we’re all leaving something behind,” Val said heading for the stairs, “but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
“Not at all,” James agreed.
Val stopped her ascent and turned back to them. “By the way; you two owe me big, you know that right?”
“I knew it,” James said throwing his hands into the air and turning to walk back into the living room.
Hope’s eyes went perfectly round as she watched Val grin like the Cheshire Cat. “You did set us up!”
Val shrugged. “Maybe a little bit.”
Epilogue
Three Months Later…
James pulled off his black suit jacket and put it across the back of his brown leather couch. The house smelled amazing. A sense of relief washed over him as he headed for the source of his sudden comfort. He hadn’t seen Hope in almost a week. She had been busy working at the hospital, volunteering at the South Side Youth Center, and helping Val plan a wedding that was sure to cost a small fortune.
Hope looked up from turning the spoon in the potato, rice, and sausage soup and smiled.
“How was it?”
James sighed. “Rough, really rough.”
Hope covered the pot and walked to him. She went up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “I’m glad it’s over.”
He pulled her closer and buried his nose in her hair, gulping the smell of her hair with greedy breaths. If they went very long without seeing each other, the scent of her shampoo was one of the first things he missed.
A shrill beep started and he sighed. He’d have to let her go now.
“Will you get the bread out of the oven while I serve up the soup?” Hope asked wiggling out of his grip.
“Of course, sweetheart.”
Hope spooned the soup into two large bowls. “So, now that it’s over…can you tell me about the trial?”
James pulled the bread knife from the block and set it beside the cooling loaf. “There’s not much to tell, really. I testified about finding the spiral fractures and the discussion Mr. Rogoff and I had over the phone. The jury was out for three hours and they came back with a guilty verdict. Now, one of the toughest weeks of my life is over.”
Hope nodded. “How long did Mrs. Rogoff get?”
“I have no idea…sentencing is tomorrow and I’m not going. I’d be happy to never see a courtroom again.”
Hope put their bowls in front of the barstools at the counter and went to his side. “I’m just thankful the baby is recovering.”
“Me too. I visited the hospital before I went to the courthouse this afternoon. The swelling is gone now and her vision tests are promising, but no one can predict what difficulties she’ll face in the future.”
Hope nodded, she slipped her hand into his and squeezed. Looking down at her, he knew she understood. She spent her work days educating new parents in an effort to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome. He doubted anyone else in his life could have understood the stress and pain that came along with such a tragedy.
Hope sliced two pieces of bread and took them to the counter.
“I spoke with Val a few minutes ago,” said Hope hopping up onto her the barstool. “She said she tried to call you all afternoon and got no answer. I told her you were in court.”
James groaned. “Did she tell you why she was calling?”
“Yup…she wanted to price resorts with you.” Hope stirred her soup in slow deliberate circles.
He dropped his head in his palm and groaned again, longer and louder this time. “Which island did she pick?”
“Turks and Caicos….and before you start ranting about the cost of the wedding, let me remind you that you offered to split the bill with P.J. and Val.”
“Why didn’t you talk me out of it?” He slid onto his barstool and glowered down at the soup.
Hope swallowed her first bite. “Hey,” she shrugged, “you told me that you love her so much you want to make sure she had everything she ever wanted in a wedding. I’m not going to mess that up for her. She is my best friend after all.”
“What am I, chopped liver?”
“No,” Hope cooed. “You are going broke.”
“Very funny,” he retorted.
Hope leaned into James and nudged him with her elbow. “I’m just kidding. You know I love you, broke or not.”
“I’m most certainly not broke but helping Val with her wedding is going to put a damper on my plan to keep you around by insisting you use me for my money. How am I going to get you down the aisle now?” He trained his eyes on hers to make sure she got his point. They’d only been together four months, but it was already clear to him that Hope was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
Hope’s whiskey brown eyes went round and then she smiled. “Well, then…I guess you should consider yourself lucky that I’m a Justice of the Peace kind of girl…not a destination wedding girl.”
“If that’s the case, I most certainly am lucky to have you,” he said leaning in for a long, slow kiss.
“Oh, James,” Hope said when they finally came up for air, “I can’t remember a time when you didn’t have me…whether you knew it or not.”
The End
http://destinywallace.literalseduction.com/
Author Bio:
Destiny Wallace grew up in North Carolina. She’s been writing stories since the first grade. After graduating high school, she spent four years in the military. She currently resides in Florida with her husband and children.
Red Rose Publishing
Alone At Last
Snow For Christmas
Two of a Kind
Party Girl, Inc.
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