“I have a great group of kids this year,” Connor said. He launched into a rant about how they had made some last-minute changes in the curriculum for the year that made things more difficult for him and listed a bunch of historical terms that didn’t sound even remotely familiar to me. Connor was brilliant, and his students were lucky to have him as a teacher. He was one of those people who genuinely cared about the topic he taught—and who actually liked going to museums. Connor could spend hours talking about any war, or historical figure, or time period in history like it was no big deal.
Casey cleared her throat to speak. “One of my co-workers told me about a new Revolutionary War exhibit that opened over in St. Petersburg,” she said. “She visited while she was on vacation. Have you had a chance to check it out yet?”
If only Casey knew how many brownie points that question just earned her with Connor. He loved finding new people to talk about history with—or, rather, people who were willing to listen to him talk about history. “Opening day,” Connor beamed. “It was incredible. So many cool artifacts and unique perspectives. They even had an entire exhibit dedicated to Revolutionary War-era artwork.”
“That sounds awesome,” Casey said. If she didn’t mean it, she was doing a good job of faking it. “I don’t suppose I can get your brother to stop with me on the way back to Atlanta.”
She said it in a joking manner, and it was a good thing, because my entire family responded in the form of laughter. History was not my forte, nor were museums. Once we had finally moved on from the Revolutionary War exhibit, I anxiously awaited Patrick’s updates. I couldn’t remember the last time he’d held the same job between two of my visits, and I was curious to see if the trend continued.
“I have a new job,” Patrick said. I wasn’t surprised in the least. However, I was surprised to learn that he had landed a stable office job and had been there for nearly four months. “I love it. I mostly do data entry stuff, but I feel like I’m really doing something meaningful, more than selling shoes or scooping ice cream.”
I had to admit that I was relieved. As the eldest brother, I felt a sense of responsibility for my siblings. I wanted them all to succeed. I had offered Patrick a job at my company more than once, but he didn’t want to move up to Atlanta. It was good to hear that he was doing well, and even better that he had gotten his act together in time for Casey to think my family was normal.
“Casey, what do you do for a living?” Mom asked.
“I work as an administrative assistant at a medical office,” Casey said with a smile. I had to commend her on her word choice. “Basically, I spend my days scheduling appointments, greeting patients, filing, that sort of thing.”
“Well I think that sounds lovely,” Dad said, chiming in for the first time in a while. “Is that what you went to school for? Business of some kind?”
Uh oh. I knew that my family was bound to say something off-limits, but I hadn’t given them proper warning. Telling them about Casey’s upbringing would have been just as bad, if not worse, than Casey telling them herself. I didn’t want to upset anyone, and I prayed that my dad’s question didn’t upset Casey.
“Kind of,” Casey started. “I went to school for business with a focus in marketing, but, unfortunately, I never graduated.” She said it in a way that sounded more like a story she was happy to tell, rather than an answer she dreaded giving.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Dad said.
Before I could change the topic, Patrick blurted, “Why not?”. He wasn’t so keen on reading people. Everyone looked at Patrick as though he was a two-year-old who’d just revealed a secret.
“Darling, you don’t have to share with us,” Mom said, trying to brush over the topic.
Casey shook her head. “No, it’s alright,” she said. “I didn’t have the money to pay for my last year of tuition, so I decided to take the year off to save up money.” My parents nodded with understanding. “I found my job I have now, and I enjoy it, so I just never went back.”
“Your parents must be proud of you for working so hard,” Dad said. Dear lord. Could this conversation have taken any worse of a turn? They were hitting all the topics I hoped so desperately they would avoid. Up until that point, I was thankful that no one had asked too much about her family. They’d stuck to basics, like whether she had any siblings. I knew Casey didn’t need to be reminded of her broken family life, but here my family was, bringing it up.
“Let’s change the topic,” I nudged. I knew I was being less-than-subtle, but I still thought it would be better than making Casey take a trip down memory lane. Instead, Casey surprised me by opening up to my family. She told them about her mother’s death, and how she’d spent her teenage years in foster care, and that she had been on her own since she was 18. She didn’t go into too much detail, but she gave enough to satisfy everyone’s curiosity without feeling like she was baring her soul to them.
My dad’s response to her story caught everyone by surprise, possibly more so than Casey’s detailing of her history. “Well, then, I was right,” he said. “Your mom must be proud of you for working so hard.”
Casey mouthed a “thank you” to him as we subtly changed the topic to something less intense. My mom launched into a story about one of her book club meetings, but I didn’t particularly care to listen. Something in the mood of the room had changed. It was like we were a family, instead of a family plus a new girlfriend. I could tell from the look in Casey’s eyes that she was glad to have been honest with them. Likewise, I could tell from the satisfied looks on my siblings’ faces that they admired Casey’s honesty and all that she had overcome.
I finally looked at my watch as a hint to my mother that we were ready to head out. Thankfully, she picked up on my signal.
“It’s been a pleasure chatting with you, Casey,” Dad said as we got up from the table. “You’re quite impressive, young lady.”
Casey blushed. “Thank you so much for having me.”
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Mom said, filling our hands with Ziploc bags full of desserts we were far too full to eat. “5:30 sharp. Don’t be late.”
Before I could answer, I heard Casey’s cheerful voice next to me. “We won’t! Promise!”
Chapter 21
Casey
As the Heart song came to a close, I found myself wanting to reveal another facet of myself to Alexander. “I have to confess something,” I said as Alexander hit 80 miles per hour on the highway.
“You hated my family,” Alexander said, half-asking. “I’m so sorry, Case. I had no clue they were going to ask about your family.”
I shook my head. “That’s not it!” I had surprised myself with how comfortable I was with Alexander’s family. I’d never opened up that quickly to a group of people before, but I somehow felt safe with them. I had no regrets telling them about my past. “They were sweet!”
“Then it’s my mom. Damn. I knew she came on too strong,” Alexander said.
I giggled. “Not that! It’s more of a…umm…sexual confession.”
Alexander’s face lit up. “In that case, I’m all ears.”
“I’ve always fantasized about, you know, having sex in a… seedy motel,” I said. I wasn’t sure why I was sharing this information with Alexander, especially on the way to our fancy hotel, but I felt that my secret was safe with him.
Alexander jokingly scratched his head, as if he was deep in thought. “Hmm.” Without giving me a chance to say anything else, Alexander pressed a few buttons on his cell phone, and the ringing came over the speakers of the car.
“Alexander…what?”
A scratchy voice came through the other end of the call. “Tampa Sheraton, this is Michael, how may I assist you?”
“Hi, Michael,” Alexander said. “My name is Alexander Preston, and I have a suite booked at your hotel tonight. I just wanted to let you know we’re going to be a few hours late.”
“Not a problem, Mr. Preston. We’ll see you then,” the man sai
d.
The laughter I had been holding back erupted as I asked Alexander why he’d done that. His answer came in the form of a sharp turn off the highway into a parking lot. The sign told me we were at the Rowdy Motor Inn. Its twinkling lights were half-broken, and the entire building was in need of a serious paint job. “What is this?”
“One seedy motel, at your service,” Alexander said.
“You must be joking,” I said.
Alexander grinned. “Your wish is my command.”
I followed Alexander up to the reception window, which was covered in cracked glass and fingerprint smudges. He requested a room for the night and, as I’d gathered, they had plenty of vacancies. The nondescript man behind the counter took Alexander’s $40 in cash and handed him a key to room 101.
“Are we really doing this?” I asked as I skipped down the sidewalk. Instead of responding, Alexander slipped off his jacket and quickened his pace.
The motel room was everything I’d imagined. It had decades-old wallpaper with ugly-looking floral patterns, and the rugs looked as if they hadn’t been shampooed or replaced in at least a dozen years. The single king was the main focus of the room. With an unattractive pattern, it was the epitome of every seedy motel I’d fantasized about. I didn’t know where the fantasy had stemmed from, but I suppose that’s what made it so interesting.
I removed my scarf from around my neck as I drew in a deep breath. I was still a bit full from the extensive dessert spread Alexander’s mother had put out, and I hoped that any indigestion would hold off until after my little rendezvous with my sexy man.
Alexander danced closer to me and pulled my sweater over my shoulders. I looked down at my unclothed bump and hoped it wouldn’t be too much of a hindrance. Hormones made no sense, I decided. They got me all revved up, but they put this giant belly in my way. Lucky for me, Alexander didn’t seem to mind. In one swift motion, he removed his shirt and flexed. He then leaned me over the bed, my stomach facing down, and gave me a nice, firm spank.
“Ooh, daddy. I’ve been naughty,” I cooed.
I felt Alexander’s cold hands make their way down my back and pull down my leggings and thong.
His hand landed on my ass a second time, sending a mix of pleasure and pain through me.
“You’ve been such a naughty little slut,” he teased, and his firm hand came back down again, even harder.
“Show me how naughty I’ve been, daddy.”
Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack.
My butt was pink and burning and I wriggled it at him sassily.
He pressed himself against me, squeezing my thick buttocks and kissing my neck. Alexander’s swollen flesh was warm against mine as he pulled down his pants and boxers to let it break free. Hot and bothered, I turned to face him and gripped his cock in one hand. With the other hand, I felt up his spectacular muscles. He let out a satisfied moan that only made me want to squeeze harder and kiss deeper.
I ran my hands up and down his creamy skin as I clawed with desperation. Beads of sweat from his body soaked mine. He found his way on top of me and alternated between kissing my neck and caressing my perky tits with his tongue. I felt my nipples grow tight, and my mouth fought to find his. His perfect, juicy tongue danced with mine as I searched for an outlet for my passion.
Alexander stood up, bringing me with him. Our bodies were one. I felt his strong hands grip my ass as we landed on the floor in a tangle. We didn’t miss a beat. I got on top of him, and, though he had a brief look of confusion, he let me take the lead. Before having our bodies collide once again, I moved downward and took his raging erection deep into my mouth. I felt up his rock-hard abdomen as I caressed his growing shaft with my tongue.
I continued toying with his cock, running my tongue around the head in circles, until I felt it throb in pre-orgasmic pleasure.
It was time.
I adjusted my body on top of him to let him fill me completely. He slid inside me so perfectly it made me cry out in pure joy.
His hardness felt like pure bliss as I rocked back and forth. I went fast and let him absorb me. He was big in every way possible. I breathed in slow, desperate rhythms as Alexander teased my breasts. With each careful move, I felt him deeper, stronger inside of me. I could feel my soft flesh becoming drenched in excitement, and I rode him until shots of pleasure began to surge through my body. I felt his warm, wet orgasm inside of me as I screamed out in pleasure.
As my orgasms washed over me, he poured spurts of cum powerfully into the very core of my body. The sensation was mind-bending. I cried out with each surge of his semen, the orgasms refusing to give way.
Eventually, my body was too exhausted for any more pleasure and the orgasms subsided.
I was numb. My inner thighs were stiff as I shuddered in completion. The explosion of release filled me, and I couldn’t move for several moments. I had never felt such intense release. “Wow,” was all Alexander could muster, much like how I’d been the first time we had made love. He’d said what I was thinking. This had, by far, exceeded every wild fantasy of mine.
We laid in a clumsy pile on the floor as we let our fingers intertwine. “I love you,” I said.
“I love you, too,” Alexander said. The desire in the air was palpable, and we laid in blissful silence for several minutes, basking in our passion. Without so much as another word, we dove in for another round of lovemaking.
Our hands felt every part of one another as we let our lips do most of the work this time. Alexander’s kiss was intoxicating. Our tongues slipped between each other’s lips as we made our way back onto the bed. I decided to let Alexander take the lead this time. As our lips remained magnetized to one another, his delicate but firm fingers made their way inside of me. I moaned as he slowly made his way further. His moves with his fingers were just as deliberate and sexy as his moves with his cock. He made his way toward my most sensitive spot as I cried out with pleasure as another shower of orgasms washed over me.
If I had to rate our motel room on a scale of one to ten, as compared to the room we received upon our arrival at the Sheraton, it would have been a negative five. Though the Rowdy Motor Inn was the site of deep pleasure, it was the epitome of seedy motels. The Sheraton was gorgeous from the moment we stepped inside. I felt like we were on a luxurious vacation, instead of simply on a trip to see Alexander’s family. From the lobby, the outdoor pool, an oasis complete with lounge chairs and a hot tub, was visible, and I also learned from Alexander that there was an indoor pool.
The hotel room was the biggest of any I’d ever stayed in. Of course, this wasn’t saying much, as most of my getaways had been with college friends on a tight budget. Suites had never even been on my radar. Nonetheless, having a living area and a bedroom in the same hotel room was something completely new to me.
“Wow,” I whispered as I put my bags down.
“You like?” Alexander half-said, half-asked. I nodded. “Only the best for my beautiful girlfriend.”
Feeling the baby kick in my stomach, the word “girlfriend” sent me taking the smallest step backward, but only because it felt like such a measly word in relation to our situation. I suppose it sounded better than “baby mama”, so I shrugged it off. I wouldn’t let my oversensitivity ruin our stay. Alexander leaned in for a kiss, and I obliged. “Everything has been incredible, babe,” I said.
Alexander smiled. “I’m glad.” He changed into workout clothes and headed off to tone his already-perfect muscles at the fitness center. I stayed back in the comfort of the fluffy hotel bed and basked in the magnificence of this trip.
Chapter 22
Alexander
Christmas Eve day in the Preston family was no big deal, but Christmas Eve was even more exciting than Christmas day. For as long as I could remember, we’d have Christmas Eve dinner at six o’clock—always with my mother’s famous cooking—and hang the Christmas ornaments, open presents, and head to a light show at a nearby field.
It was something we’d all looked for
ward to since Connor and Patrick were old enough to walk and talk. I was excited, albeit a bit nervous, to have Casey with us to participate in the festivities this year. I’d watched enough awful TV movies to know that Christmas was a horrible time of year for those who came from broken—or nonexistent— families, so I just hoped that Casey would be alright with the big hoopla we put on every year.
Casey woke up with bad morning sickness, so our morning was spent lounging around the hotel room and watching Law & Order reruns in between her trips to the bathroom. I wished desperately that I could help her feel better, but that was one thing beyond my control. When she was finally feeling better, we decided to head down to the indoor pool on the fourth floor so I could swim laps and Casey could relax.
“I look ridiculous in my bathing suit,” Casey said, looking in the full-length mirror as she tugged the suit over her bump.
I pulled up my swim trunks and turned to face her. How could she think that? She was stunning, even with a frown on her face. The sunlight from the window was hitting her at just the right angle, and her skin was glowing as if she were an angel. “Don’t be silly, babe,” I said. “You look gorgeous.” I walked over and planted two kisses, one on her lips, and one on the bit of skin that was showing in her two-piece.
An hour at the pool turned into an hour showering and getting ready. Finally, it was time for the Preston family Christmas festivities to begin. “You don’t have to participate in anything you’re not comfortable with,” I said to Casey on the car ride over. “I know some of our traditions are ridiculous. If you don’t want to go to the light show or hang ornaments, we can always—”
“Don’t be silly,” Casey laughed. “I’ve been looking forward to this ever since you told me about it.” Her smile reassured me that Christmas Eve was going to be fine.
I shrugged. “You’ve been warned.”
Connor greeted us at the door and led us into the living room, where Christmas ornaments were dispersed across the floor. The aroma of lasagna wafted through the air and made me hope this year’s ornament shuffle would go faster than last year’s. “Time to decorate the tree!” Mom chirped.
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