by Imani King
His smile deepened. “I know you are. I appreciate it.” He leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine. “Somehow, I got lucky enough to have a second chance with you.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m the lucky one.” I placed my hand on top of his, letting our fingers lock together. “I think I’m developing deeper feelings for you,” I whispered, my words sounding stiff and insincere. I cleared my throat, trying anew. “What I mean is, I think I might be falling for you. This isn’t just a friends with benefits situation anymore.”
“It never was, Adele.” Braden took my head in his hands and pulled me closer, our lips practically touching. “You always meant so much more than that to me. I dreamed of exactly this for all the years we were apart.”
“Then, let’s define our relationship. I don’t want to keep leaving it up in the air.”
He chuckled. “Alright. Let’s do that.”
“So…”
“So?” He smirked. “Are you just waiting for me to tell you that you’re officially my girlfriend or do I have to post it on Facebook?” he teased, a bright smile flashing across his face as soon as he said it. “I mean, we’ve only been living together for the past three weeks.”
I laughed. “I guess you’re right. I just wanted to make sure.”
He reconfirmed by closing the distance between us and kissing me hard, leaving me breathless.
I knew, in that moment, that our feelings were real. This wasn’t just a teenage crush anymore. This was love.
Chapter 13
Braden
That night, we headed to the ranch, walking hand in hand under the starlight. “You know, sometimes it feels like I’m dreaming.”
“Why do you say that?” Adele turned to look at me. We were standing next to a pile of hay bales so I lifted her by the hips, sitting her down on the closest one. As soon as I stepped forward, she locked her legs around me, pulling me close. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of my shirt, her eyes shimmering with passion.
I leaned down, kissing her neck ever so gently before nibbling on her earlobe. “Because this all seems so perfect. Living with you has been amazing. I’ve never been happier. A part of me feels like I’m going to wake up at any moment and all of this will be gone.”
She chuckled, letting our lips collide. The kiss was fiery, full of unspoken emotions. When she pulled away, I just stared at her.
“Did that feel like a dream?”
“No, it didn’t. It’s real, moment by moment. But it feels like it could vanish in an instant,” she said.
“You have nothing to worry about. I’m not going anywhere.”
I smiled. “Good, because I can’t imagine raising a child without you by my side.” My hands fell to her belly, wondering if any of our wild attempts had succeeded. The other day, I thought about bringing home a pregnancy test, but I had chickened out at the last moment. I didn’t want to make things weird.
“You won’t have to.”
“Good. Because I want this baby. I want this ranch. I want you. I want all of it.” I found myself getting breathless like there was a sense of urgency for me to get everything out in the open. “I want to provide for you and the baby, giving both of you the lives you deserve. I’ll support you through vet school and I’ll make sure the baby is taken care of.”
She looked at me for a moment before smiling. “I know you will. You’ll be a great father. I just know it.” She kissed me once more, her legs tightening around me.
“Adele… What do you think about marriage?”
She pulled back a bit.
Fuck. I had ruined everything. The blood in my veins turned ice-cold, thinking I was about to scare her away.
To my surprise, however, she continued to smile. “Marriage can be a wonderful thing,” she said. She paused, as if thinking. “I’ve seen so many marriages fail. I don’t want us to be that way — I don’t think I’m ready for marriage just yet.”
I nodded. “That’s fine. I was just wondering if it was something you’d want to do in the future because I’d love to be able to call you my wife.” I took her hands in mine, pulling them to my chest. “But if you aren’t ready, I’ll wait.”
“Thank you.”
“Will you at least move in permanently?”
She chuckled. “I guess it’s about time I did that, huh? No point paying rent in two places.” She nodded. “But you have to help me move over the rest of my stuff.”
“Deal.”
“In the meantime, why don’t you move in between my legs?” she whispered, her lips parted ever so gently. She tilted her head back, taunting me with her slender neck.
“Oh, yeah?” I returned, my hands on her hips. “I wonder what I should move in first…” I pressed myself against her, letting her feel the girth of my cock against her thigh.
“I think I rather put on my cowgirl hat and take you for a spin.” She twirled one of my curls around her finger. Her eyes shimmered like a pair of jewels.
“When did you become so presumptuous?”
“Why, do you not like it?” she asked, feigning a pout as she hoisted herself up, bringing her bosom right to my face. “Do you want me to be Sally Sweet and act like an innocent little church girl? Maybe you’d like that.” Her hands slipped under the fabric of my shirt, her nails leaving behind trails of red.
Unable to control myself any longer, I pushed her down onto a hay bale. A second later, I had my fingers locked around her wrists. Our eyes locked as a smirk flashed across my face. “You should be careful what you wish for…” My voice was a growl before I leaned down. My lips hovered over her quivering chest, but I didn’t kiss her—not yet.
Instead, I continued to grind my cock against her thigh, knowing it would drive her crazy. “How badly do you want it?” I whispered into her ear, nibbling on her lobe.
A soft mewl escaped her lips as her back arched. I could tell by her body language alone, that she yearned for me. She had the libido of a nymph and I loved that about her.
“Braden—”
“Hmm?” I hummed, my lips trailing along the side of her neck. “Tell me what you want, baby girl.”
“I want you.”
“Oh, come on now, you’re going to have to give me more than that. Tell me exactly what you want.” I released my grip on her wrists so I could carefully unbutton her shirt, taking my time. Once her belly was exposed, I decorated it with kisses, waiting for her answer. I could keep this little game up all night long.
She took a shuddering breath, her cheeks turning crimson.
I grinned to myself and ventured further down her body, unbuttoning her pants. As soon as I did, her scent greeted me. I could tell she was aroused. Lustful. It was written all over her.
“Go on, tell me,” I encouraged, tugging her jeans down over her wide hips. In the moonlight, her legs seemed to glow. I could tell she had shaved that morning. They looked so silky and smooth. With her jeans crumpled up on the ground, I started a trail of kisses along her thighs, leading right up to her pussy.
She wore a bright red thong.
It made me feel like a bull about to charge.
“Braden.” My name escaped her lips in a rush. I glanced up at her, cocking my head to the side.
She took her chance.
Suddenly, her hands firmly clutched my shoulders, using them as supports to jump down from the hay bale. The abruptness of her weight on my body caused me to lose my balance. Together, we fell to the ground.
I took the brunt of the fall. While I tried to refill my lungs with air, Adele was already tearing at my clothes, letting them fly any which way.
“I want you. I need you,” she whispered through her shallow breaths, her fingers shaking with the excitement of the moment.
I could almost smell the lust rolling off her. How had I been so lucky to score a girl like her?
“What are you going to do up there?” I asked her, resting my hands on her hips, letting her take control.
“I’m going to
show you exactly what I’m going to do. Words are useless, actions are everything.” She leaned down and kissed me. Her lips lingered there for a moment before she pulled away, a mischievous little grin on her face. “And tonight, you’re mine.”
I shuddered at her sudden switch to dominance. Usually, I had the reigns, bending her over tables, slamming her into walls and making her scream my name. Tonight, however, things were different.
“Now, just sit back and enjoy the ride.” Without hesitation, she grabbed my cock in her hand and lined it up with her wet, eager entrance.
I groaned, feeling how impossibly tight she was. “Fuck!”
“Do you like that?” she asked, her voice innocent even though she was anything but.
Ever so slowly, she started to ride me, gyrating her hips in a steady rhythm meant to drive me insane. To make matters worse, her breasts were bouncing right in front of me. I was about to reach out and touch them when she slapped my hands away.
“You can look, but you can’t touch. We play by my rules tonight.”
Chapter 14
Adele
A newfound excitement coursed through my veins as I noticed Braden submit to me. I smirked, pinning his wrists above his head like he had done to me so many times before.
With my hips still moving at an agonizingly slow pace, I leaned forward, allowing my breasts to fall into his face. “Suck,” I commanded, feeling like a queen who could rule the world with her words alone.
He was quick to obey. His mouth latched onto my nipple, eagerly sucking on it. I moaned softly, especially when his tongue started to flick across my little nub, causing it to harden with excitement.
Fueled by this pleasure, I picked up the pace, letting the friction between our legs grow until it felt like there was an inferno burning between us. I moaned even louder, feeling his cock penetrating my every inch, forcing me to expand around him, even though I was supposed to be the one in control.
I let go of his wrists, moving my hands to his chest for support. In this position, I started to bounce on his member, taking in his entire length. His balls slapped into me, but that only added to the experience.
We were both breathing hard at this point, our hips gyrating together in perfect sync. My heart hammered harder and harder, threatening to explode, but I still quickened my pace.
I was riding him for everything I was worth. A thin layer of sweat formed on my body as I felt my thighs tighten with the oncoming orgasm. I bit my lip, holding back the tidal wave.
Reaching behind me, I grabbed hold of his balls, rolling them between my fingers as I slowed down, nearly halting altogether.
Braden groaned in exasperation. “Adele.” He looked like he was about to beg me for release. “Why did you—”
I silenced him with a kiss. My lips were hungry for his, dominating the moment with red-hot passion. My tongue slithered into his mouth, tangling with his. They did their erotic dance for a moment before I pulled away, leaving him wanting more.
“You’re so cruel,” he complained.
“Oh? Am I? Is this not what you do to me all the time? Teasing and taunting me, winding me up like a little toy until I’m ready to burst. I’m just making you want me.”
“I already want you. More than you could ever imagine.” Braden thrust his hips upwards, once again impaling me with his thick girth.
I gasped, surprised by the suddenness of it, but I quickly regained my composure. My eyes darkened as I pushed back down. “You say you want me, but I don’t know if you can handle me.” I flashed him a quick smirk before I started to ride him in earnest, going faster and harder than I had before.
His cock twitched inside of me. This just turned me on even more.
I had turned into a mad woman, giving him every ounce of my lust. My juices flowed down his cock like a river. The sound of them sloshing around with our movements practically echoed through the air.
Already, I could feel my pleasure building up, like water behind a dam. It was already threatening to overflow, to explode with a destructive force. Still, I yearned for it more than anything else. This man turned me on, bringing me to new heights. I was flying high because of him and I intended to keep it that way.
“Fuck!” Braden cried out. The swear was muffled by his low, drawn-out groan. His body tensed. His toes curled. Suddenly, he exploded inside of me, filling me up with his hot, sticky seed.
I smiled, knowing that this could potentially be the moment when we conceived our child—or any of the other times we made love under the moonlight. Maybe I was already carrying a baby inside of me. The thought filled me with such a warmth that before I knew what was happening, I started to shake with pleasure.
My orgasm was intense, leaving me breathless. I collapsed on top of Braden, laying my head on his chest. In that moment, I knew we were beyond the point of just fucking, we were actively making love. I smiled at the thought and closed my eyes.
In the morning, I awoke to find myself in bed. I couldn’t remember ever walking back to the ranch. If I had to guess, Braden had carried me after our wild night together. I smiled to myself, replaying the scene in my head. What had gotten into me? Usually, I was so submissive, but taking control was a definite power trip. I would have to do it more often.
“What are you smiling about over there?” Braden’s honey-laced voice sounded in my ear.
“Mmm, have you been watching me sleep?” I asked, rolling over and propping myself on my elbow.
“Don’t tell me you find that weird.”
“I mean, if it was anyone else, it would be. But with you, it’s different.”
“Why’s that?” he asked as he wrapped his arm around my torso and pulled me closer, our bodies naturally fitting together.
“Oh, because you know, I like you.” I giggled, tapping him on the nose. A part of me wanted to say the other L word, but at the same time, I feared doing so would ruin everything. I was afraid that if I did, the magic would somehow fade.
“Is that so?” he chuckled, already covering my face with kisses.
“Mhm.” Playfully, I rolled away from him and looked up at the ceiling, my hands folded over my chest.
He was quick to pounce on me. I almost expected us to have some morning fun, but instead, he was very gentle, planting kisses down my body as if cherishing every inch. Once he reached my stomach, he looked up at me, our eyes locking.
“Do you think there’s a baby in here yet?” he whispered, his words laced with hopeful excitement.
“I’m not sure, but I think we have one hell of a chance.” I ran my fingers through his hair and smiled. “We can’t say we haven’t tried.”
“Have you... you know…? Checked?” He lingered on that final word, searching my face.
I shook my head. “Not yet. I’m waiting.”
“For?”
“Well, do you really want me to go into all the gory details? I think it’ll ruin the mood.”
Braden took my hands in his. “I don’t care. I want to be with you every step of the way. I don’t care if something is gross. Please, don’t feel embarrassed. Tell me.”
I smiled. “Do you really mean that?”
“Of course.”
My smile deepened before I kissed his nose. “I’m waiting on my cycle. It’s supposed to come this week. If it doesn’t… then I’ll go pick up a pregnancy test.”
He nodded, looking like he was deep in thought. “Well, I hope it doesn’t.”
“I hope so too.”
“Anyway, I’m going to get started on breakfast. Come down in a bit, okay?” He kissed my forehead before finally rolling out of bed.
I pulled up the sheets, covering my body as he tossed on some sweatpants. God, he looked so good with no shirt on. He winked at me when he caught me staring, a proud look on his face. Eventually, he turned, giving me a nice view of his butt. He even bent down, picking something off the ground. I couldn’t see what it was, but I had a feeling he was taunting me. I had half a mind to spring out of
that bed and chase him all the way to the kitchen, but I didn’t. I wanted a few minutes to myself to think things over.
The stairs creaked with his descent. I waited. Next came the sound of the fridge being opened. I imagined him cracking open some eggs into a bowl and whisking them with a skilled hand. Braden truly did know how to make a world-class omelet.
I sighed, feeling content. I never imagined life would turn out like this, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. My hands dropped to my stomach, picturing the future to come.
First came the bright-red home trimmed in white. All the windows were framed with shutters and window boxes, blossoming with colorful flowers. There would be a small garden in the front, decorated with rosebushes and gnomes. The lawn would be verdant and well kept.
The backyard would be twice as big. Tucked in the corner we could build a playground, complete with slide and swings. I imagined a little boy swinging his legs back and forth, laughing with glee as Braden pushed him. My two handsome boys.
Everything would be perfect.
The little boy would see me, jump off the swing, and greet me with a hug and kiss. Braden would follow suit. We would be a happy little family.
The thought filled my mind. I wanted it. I needed it. One way or another, I had to find a way to turn my fantasy into a reality.
Still, there was hesitation. Technically, Braden had already proposed. If I wanted to, I could tell him ‘yes’ and start our family right now, but at the same time, there was still so much I didn’t know. What had Braden done during our hiatus? What was his life like when he was married? Did he still have feelings for his wife? How would she feel if she found out about our arrangement? The questions swarmed around my head, demanding to be answered.
Knowing I would only drive myself insane if I kept thinking about it, I rolled out of bed, put on one of Braden’s shirts, and headed downstairs. The smell of fresh bacon filled my nostrils. I was practically drooling by the time I crossed into the kitchen.