by Missy Jane
“My father left us when I was five and died a couple of years later. My mom died when I was eighteen. I was an only child and neither of my parents ever spoke of family. My mom wasn’t a very good person, so I think her parents disowned her or something. I’ve never looked for them.”
She’s been all alone.
Sol didn’t know what to say as he pulled into his parking space. He got out of the car and opened Darina’s door for her, still trying to think of how to take away the pain in her eyes.
“Do you want to find out if you have family?” he finally asked.
She frowned and he gently turned her toward his door. It was times like this he was grateful for his first-floor apartment, with his door only a few steps from the parking lot. He quickly ushered her inside and locked the door, letting out a relieved breath to finally have her back home.
“I don’t know,” she answered quietly. “I mean…I would like to know if I still have family, but what if they… What if they don’t want to know me?”
He walked over to where she’d hopped onto a barstool, part of his bachelor décor. He placed a hand on the counter behind her, pinning her in place as he gazed into her eyes. He hoped she’d be able to hear his sincerity as he spoke from his heart.
“Any one of them would be damn lucky to know you. You are an intelligent, funny, warm, caring and sexy woman. I can’t think of anyone I can even compare you to because you’d blow them all away.”
She blushed at his praise and looked down at her lap.
“I think your opinion is a bit biased,” she muttered with a little laugh.
He gently gripped her chin in his fingers and tilted her head back up.
“No, it’s not. Even before I ever saw you naked, I felt this way. I feel like the luckiest man on earth because you want to spend time with me.” She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Sol wanted to growl in frustration. “I was going to make it a surprise, but I guess I may as well tell you where we’re headed tomorrow.”
She bit her lip, but didn’t say anything about the change of subject.
“I was wondering, when I heard you mention it to your mother.”
She tried to give him a stern look of reprimand, but he diminished it with a quick kiss on her nose.
“I’ve made reservations for us at a bed and breakfast up in the hill country. You and I are going to take a Texas road trip for a few days and forget about everyone else.”
“Oh, Sol.” He barely caught her as she unexpectedly jumped off the stool and into his arms. He hugged her tight. “You’ve already given me more than you can imagine. I never thought I’d be happy again after Marc, but you keep proving me wrong.”
She leaned back and looked up into his face, the love in her eyes shocking him to his core. He thought maybe he was projecting and only seeing what he was so desperate for, but then she grasped his face in both hands and kissed him.
“Darina, sweetheart—”
“Sol, I know you only wanted this to be temporary and I can respect that. I mean, it’s been fun and we barely know each other, but I feel so much for you already. I just want you to know I really care about you.”
He laughed out loud and hugged her tighter, lifting her off her feet and swinging her in a circle. She gasped as he set her back on her feet, but he refused to let her go.
“You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that. I never really wanted temporary. I just didn’t want to scare you away.”
“R-really?”
The look she gave him said so much, he couldn’t help the words slipping out of his mouth. “I love you, Darina Tanner. I’ve loved you for months.”
He couldn’t believe he’d said it, and from the look on her face, he guessed she couldn’t either. For a split second, he considered taking it back and telling her he was just kidding.
God, I hope I didn’t just fuck this up.
He didn’t expect her to believe it, but his breaking heart told him he needed some form of self-preservation quick. He slowly released her and opened his mouth to apologize when she burst into tears and threw her arms around him.
“Sol, I-I love you too.”
She knew she was making a fool of herself but couldn’t seem to stop. The relief filling her from his declaration sank into her bones, making her giddy and emotional. She clung to him with all her strength, as the tension in his shoulders eased at her words. She’d hurt him by hesitating and felt terrible about it, but she was so afraid. Sol was nothing like Marc. She knew that intellectually. Now she just had to convince her heart.
“Kitten, don’t cry. Please, please don’t cry.”
She sniffled a bit and tried to compose herself, keeping her face averted from his probing gaze.
“I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting you to say that. I’d hoped of course, but I hadn’t really expected it.”
“I was afraid it was too soon.”
She looked up into his worried expression and smiled.
“It probably is, but we have all the time in the world to work on it.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, we do.”
“When I get back from vacation I’m turning in my resignation. No one will even be able to complain about us working together in any capacity.”
“The only one who might do that is Marc, and I think he has enough of his own problems right now.”
She let out a short laugh.
“Yeah, he definitely does. I just want to make a clean break, Sol.”
“Hmm, probably a good idea.”
He rubbed her back gently and she sighed in contentment.
“I guess there won’t be any more office sex then,” she said with a giggle.
“Once we no longer work together? Absolutely not.”
She laughed louder at his stern declaration. She was so happy she was practically glowing.
“And to think I was so sure my vacation would be terrible this year.”
He squeezed her tighter. “Not if I can help it. You deserve the very best of everything, and I’m going to spend all of my free time giving it to you.”
“I think I like the sound of that.”
“Me too,” he replied, before kissing her senseless.
They came up for air and the hunger in Sol’s eyes sent a shiver up her spine. She bit her lip but he dived in and took over, sucking her bottom lip between his teeth. The gentle tugging shot lust through her body and she whimpered in surrender. He took that as his cue to pull off her clothes and within moments, she stood naked before his heated gaze.
“So fucking perfect.”
Gasping for breath, Darina’s heartbeat raced as Sol slowly removed his clothes. His sinuous grace enhanced his movements, while Darina tried to see every detail. He stepped in, crowding her against the counter as she slid back onto the barstool. Without a word, he dropped to his knees, and Darina flashed back to their first moments together.
“Sol,” she whispered.
He licked a burning line of ecstasy up her thigh. Her breath caught and she gripped the stool until her knuckles turned white.
“I’ll never grow tired of your taste, your scent, the sounds you make. Everything you do makes me burn.”
She opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a moan as he swiped his tongue slowly through her curls. He found her clit easily, hard and throbbing in readiness for a long-overdue orgasm. Sol wasted no time taking her to the edge of climax as he pushed his tongue into her. Darina called out his name, barely coherent through her whimpering mewls. Unable to help herself, she moved her hips forward, pushing into his mouth.
“Mmmm.”
The vibration of his voice against her skin started a tidal wave as she peaked. Darina screamed and he gripped her thighs tightly to keep them open while he suckled her clit.
“Oh stop! It’s too much. Too much, Sol.”
With a growl, he reached up and gripped her hips, pulling her off the stool and into his lap. Darina barely registered the movement before he impaled
her on his stiffened cock, gliding between her sleek walls without hesitation.
“I love you, Darina.”
She grabbed his shoulders as he used his grip on her hips to move her up and down. It didn’t take long for her to join the effort and use her legs to thrust against him.
“Love…you…too.”
His skin gliding against hers, his moans in her ears, the scent and taste of his skin in her mouth elevated Darina to a place she’d never expected to find. She came a second time, hard and fast, taking Sol over the edge with her. His seed filled her as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, gripping the nape of her neck in one large hand. The kiss ended, and he leaned his forehead against hers as they both tried to catch their breath.
“I forgot—”
“Sol, we didn’t—”
They both stopped to let the other finish, wearing identical looks of caution.
“A condom. I know better than to be so out of control. I didn’t stop for a condom.”
Darina smiled and smoothed away his wrinkled frown with shaky fingers.
“Don’t worry. I know I’m protected and clean.”
He let out a relieved breath.
“I swear this is the only time I’ve done that. Only with you.”
She kissed his nose and ran her fingers through his hair.
“I wasn’t worried.”
“No?”
“No. I trust you, Sol, with my body and my heart.”
He kissed her hard before rising to his feet with her still in his arms. Darina wrapped her legs around his waist and held on as he slowly walked to his bedroom.
“You’ll never have to worry about either, kitten. I plan to take care of both for a very long time.”
Waves of contentment washed through her at the promise in his eyes, and she hugged him tightly, never wanting to let go.
What a perfect start to my vacation.
About the Author
Ms. Missy Jane is the alter ego of a married mother of four who was born and raised in Texas. A few years ago, she finished reading a book by Mercedes Lackey and thought, “Now, what if…” and a monster was created. Missy now spends most of her time lost in worlds of her own making, alternately loving and hating such creatures as vampires, shape-shifters and gargoyles (to name a few).
When not writing, Missy spends her time reading, taking photos of her beautiful daughters and training her husband to believe she’s always right. She lives near Houston and doesn’t understand why everyone hasn’t moved to the South.
Excerpts from Missy’s paranormal and erotic tales can be found on her website, and at http://msmissyjane.blogspot.com/.
Missy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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