“Hey stranger. Have you been waiting long?” she asks, tapping on my shoulder.
I turn, take her by the waist, feel the blood rush through my veins to pump my heart faster as I hold her close to me. “You’re worth any wait, my dear. Shall we?”
Letting go with one hand, I loosen my hold for a moment to open the door for her. I don’t tear completely away. After tonight, if the answer is the right one, I’ll never let her go. Until her answer is made, I’m keeping my hand securely on her body.
“We have a reservation for two under the name Banuellos,” I say to the hostess. Adelaide snuggles under my arm, shaking off a chill from the air conditioned building. I caress her side, sliding up and down the linen yellow dress she’s chosen for the evening. A perfect color. The same she wore the first day we kissed. I imagined after our lips locked for the first time that this day would come. The day I’d propose to my love.
At the table, I can’t force myself to sit across from her. I can’t pretend I’m not planning anything. I seat myself adjacent to her, my hand caressing her thigh. She holds my heart and I fear losing it.
She’s unaware that her dad’s sitting with his back to us at a nearby table or that the staff knows my intentions. I’m supposed to wait until after our order is taken to give the signal, but I can’t hold out. I nod and champagne is brought to the table instead of water glasses.
“Sebastian?” Her mouth gapes open and she covers it with her hand. Her cheeks flush red, she’s a surprised, radiant beauty.
“Adelaide.” I slip off the chair and lower down on one knee. I take her hand in mine. Lock eye contact with my love. Four little words ready to fall off my tongue and yet I’m speechless. Taken aback by her beauty. In that moment, I’m overpowered to speak. I wobble in place, looking up at her. Courage returns and I compose myself.
“Will you marry me?”
Seconds pass with an excruciating wait between them. Her eyes light up brighter than the sun and moon and stars together. She grins with delight and I mirror her joy. “Yes. A thousand times yes.”
We both jump to our feet. I take her in my arms, squeeze her tight, and plunge a devouring kiss on her lips. “You made me the happiest man on earth, Adelaide Cantrell,” I say, pulling back to just hold her hands in mine. “I promise to make you the happiest wife in the universe.”
“Damn, fine job,” her dad says from behind us. With the help of a waiter, he stands. “Jumped the gun a bit, friend. Glad you did.”
“Daddy.” She leaves my side to hug him. He’s the only man worthy of sharing this moment with. “Did you know he was planning this?”
“He asked for my blessing.” Phil turns Adelaide back to me. He offers and places her hand in mine. A symbolic gesture. One he’s waited to give. Glad he’s giving it to me. “There’s no other man I’d rather walk you down the aisle to be with.”
“Thank you,” I shake his hand, holding his elbow to steady him. “I intend to make your daughter one happy woman for the rest of her life, like you did her mother, Diann.”
Congratulations are passed around the room. Love is in the air. The crowd only wants to stare and watch true love play out. I only want to take my lover home and ravish her body. Make her physically, mentally, sexually mine all night long. Then spoil her and shower her with my love all through until morning. I never want this high of living life with Addie to go away.
Adelaide possesses my being. I’ve given it to her to have and to hold from this day forward. As long as we both shall live. And I plan on living a long time to cherish every day sleeping next to and waking up with Mrs. Adelaide Banuellos, my wife.
Epilogue
Adelaide
Memories wash over me. The room is quiet, somber, yet my head spins with thoughts I can’t control. They play one after the other as mourners stream in to pay their last respects to my father, Phil Cantrell.
“He lived a good life,” a partner of his says.
“He’ll be missed by all,” another says.
Most of his colleagues refrain from glancing at me directly. Scared I’ll break. Instead they nod to Sebastian who supports me, standing at my side. Always nearby. In life and in death daddy needn’t worry. His favorite is guarding his little girl.
From the corner of the grief filled room, I sit, perched on a plush, oversized chair. Not to distance myself from my father’s mourners, but I sit off to the side because of my condition. Family members, mostly females step over to offer a bit of joy and congratulate me on the upcoming birth of our son. Sebastian and mine. He’ll be named Phillip after his grandfather.
“He loved you so,” my aunt says, rubbing my extended belly, full of the life. “Your grandpa loves you,” she says, her lips and gaze lowered. “Thank you, for joining our family, Sebastian.”
“I had to.” Sebastian pulls me to him and I lean my head on him. “She stole my heart. Tried to take it away once, but I dared to ask for a second chance, and won her undying love.”
He leans down for a kiss. I look up in to the eyes of my lover, my guardian, my best friend, my eternal partner. Our lips touch for a moment. A peck is all I need for comfort on this day of reflection.
A lull in the stream of friends paying respects to dad offers me time to think back to the day he gave me away. Walking down the aisle, hugging daddy’s arm tight, seeing Sebastian standing at the end, holding his breath to receive me as his own. In that moment, I felt an exhale of relief from my father. He knew then and knew when he died that I was in the arms of the man who would love his darling daughter forever.
Sebastian may have stolen his first kiss from me. But I freely gave the rest of my love to him.
The day wears on. I’m tired and we retreat. to the house, my dad’s house, for solace. It’s the place where I played as a child, grew into my innocence, became a woman with Sebastian, and where I said goodbye to my father. It’s the only place I wish to be today.
“Let me help.” Sebastian undresses me from my constricting black dress. He slips a soft cotton t-shirt over my head. “You lay down. I’ll keep everyone quiet.” He caresses and kisses my belly bump. “Let your mother rest, little one.”
“Stay with me.” I grasp his hand, begging to keep him close. “My aunt will handle any visitors. I need you nearby.”
We crawl into bed. I pull him to press up behind me. His chest beats against my back. I regulate my breathing to match his and soon it’s as if we are breathing as one.
He nuzzles my neck like he did the first night I gave myself to him. I didn’t think it was possible, but I know I love him more today then I did that night.
I doze off, only to wake a few hours later. Sebastian has gone, but I hear his comforting voice out in the living room. I fall in and out of sleep, restless. Nervous. Anticipating the inevitable.
A pain twitches in my uterus. Instinct tells me it’s a contraction. The first of many more to come. Phillip, our baby is not sitting still. He stirs. He’s ready to meet his father. “Sebastian. It’s time.”
“Are you sure?”
I laid the first man I loved to rest.
The second, rushes to my side, comforting my pain.
To bring the third into this world who I’ll meet tomorrow.
The circle of life continues on.
THE END
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But not before you read a bonus chapter of the next novella in this new series all about virgins and domineering daddy figures.
A Dominant Protector Romance
by
Candice Nolan
His sin, desiring her to be eternally his.
Pastor Ryan is a worldly man of the cloth.
He came from the street. Sin controlled him.
Amazing Grace.
Not the song, but his barely legal next door neighbor. At nineteen, this little brat reminds him of the tempting sins he's left behind. He shouldn’t be lusting after her tight virgin body. He’s a protector of her innocence. A confidant for her sins.
A hypocrite.
He preaches self-restraint from the pulpit, but Grace arouses him when they’re alone. Her tantalizing flirting drives him wild with carnal fantasies.
Grace is no angel. A strict upbringing has bred curiosity in her. She too pleasures herself, alone, in her bed. The faithful man next door tempts her to sin. She’s eager to experience life, dares to face temptations, and pulsing for Pastor Ryan to stretch her virgin soul.
Wicked desires tempts the faithful in this stand alone romance novella. No cheating. No cliffhangers. Plenty of insta-lust, steamy sex, and a guaranteed happily ever after. This daddy figure love affair with an age gap between lovers proves true love is worth taking a risk.
Chapter One
Grace
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.
Every syllable of the old fashioned hymn vibrates over my shoulder. I tingle with excitement because I know who’s singing. It’s Ryan Nichols the new youth pastor at our church. He sings the song at me every time we pass in the hallway. And I melt. Every time.
He’s no one like I’ve ever known. His dark eyes bore into my soul and his cleft chin has my thighs quivering to sin. He is the end all to all my fantasies. He dominates my thoughts, but sadly I’m not alone. Our teen church group numbers in the hundreds. Half are single, barely legal, lovestruck girls praying to catch his attention. He’s in his late forties, we’re not even half his age, so we should all know better.
But a girl can hope.
And pray.
“Do you want to go first?” I ask. The hot, single pastor is singing over my shoulder in line at the coffee shop in our church. Cathedral of Hope is not a conventional church.
There’s three main buildings to the school like campus. The classrooms wing, the main sanctuary, and a smaller chapel for weddings and funerals.
The progressive campus is massive with two playgrounds, a gift shop, coffee shop, prayer room, and an indoor game center for the youth. They make every effort to keep christians of all ages happy and coming back to pay their tithes at church every week.
Then there’s the barn. It’s out back, near the field. The structure, spray painted with religious graffiti is where the teens of the congregation hang out. We have a stage, bleachers, a ping pong table, and the best thing about being a teen, Pastor Ryan.
“You go ahead, Grace.” He smiles and continues to hum Amazing Grace. When he gets to the end of a stanza, he winks in my direction.
“Eep,” I suck in a squeal and do an about face so he doesn’t see me flush red. He nudges my shoulder. “I peek around to him. “Yes, Pastor Ryan?”
“Do you—?” He’s starts then is interrupted by a passing couple.
“Pastor,” they nod.
“Mr and Mrs Cotton,” He nods back.
Do I what? Have a crush on you. Dream about you every night. Think you’re perfect. Love that sexy cleft in your chin. Like bananas. What?
“Grace.” He snaps me out of my thoughts.
“What?”
“The line.” He points ahead. Two people have been served and I missed it. Only one person separates me from ordering and Pastor Ryan has me so turned in knots I can’t even remember what I want to drink.
“Hi, Pastor Ryan,” the girl behind the counter talks past me to him. “I know the scripture for today. In case you want to call on me during service.”
“That’s awesome.”
I’m right up against the counter. It’s my turn now. He grips my shoulders and gently squeezes. “How about you take Grace’s order first?”
Feeling his strong hands hold me has rendered me speechless. Every word in the English language has flown right out of my brain. “I—I.”
My blood pressure is rising. I’m getting hot all over. His breath, warm on my neck isn’t helping. The girl behind the counter, staring at me isn’t either. I feel like I’m going to explode. “I’ll have steamed milk. With vanilla.”
“Can we even make that?” she scoffs.
“Of course you can,” Pastor Ryan encourages.
I’m caught in the middle, bouncing back and forth, looking at him, then her, as he explains how to heat the milk up. The explanation has gone on too long. I plead quietly for it to stop and for this morning to all go away.
“Just order something else.”
“That’s okay,” I sigh, shrugging. “I wasn’t thirsty.”
“Grace. Try chai tea. Make us two.” He holds up two fingers and the girl gets busy making the order.
I’ve never even heard of chai tea. But I know I’ll drink every drop, because he’s ordered it for me.
“Really. You don’t have to,” I argue while he pulls me off to the side, without paying. We wait and my heart races at top speed.
The coffee shop is small and I’m practically standing in his embrace. He leans into me with his elbow on the counter behind us. Even though he’s busy waving and greeting parishioners, his body is turned toward mine. I pretend to watch the crowd, but secretly I’m watching his muscled chest rise and fall.
What I wouldn’t give to see him up close and shirtless. I’ve seen him from a distance without his shirt, but it was through a window and blurry. I imagine my hand reaching out and stroking across his abs. How hard are they?
“Here,” is called out behind us. Pastor Ryan turns fast. Before I know it, he’s turned my direction, smashing my hand between me and him.
Oh, yes. I’m—touching—him. I’m paralyzed, unable to move.
“Here you go, Grace.” He hands me my drink and winks. “See you after church.”
He makes his way out of the coffee shop. I stay, my feet glued to the spot where I touched him. That is until the girl behind the counter notices my inability to move. She gives me a look that says “dream on” and I hustle out.
On the way to the main sanctuary, which I fully plan on going into, I see Naomi and Lydia. They’re cousins, but act like twin sisters because they look so much alike. I hate them. I know that’s a strong emotion, but I have good reasons to not like them.
They’re both a year younger and have always beat me at everything. I failed at making the cheerleading squad, they became co-captains. I took up photography to be on the yearbook staff my senior year. They became the senior editors this past year. They win every bible bowl competition, can quote any bible verse, volunteer more places, bake more cookies for the homeless, run more marathons for charity, and even sing as a duet in christian music videos.
So yes, I have reason to avoid them.
Just so that I don’t have to pass them, I shy away from the main sanctuary and stroll down the back hallway of the church. Along the way, I pass Dwayne. He’s the greeter at the back door and he hugs all the young women a little too close.
“Amazing, Grace,” he says, opening his arms for a hug.
“Hi, Dwayne.” I’ve never been creeped out by him. Other girls in my circle avoid him like the plague, but he’s always felt harmless to me.
“You’re heading the wrong way,” he says, commenting that I’m going out the door toward the barn and not in toward the sanctuary.
“I left something in my car.” I lie. It’s a little white lie, but I’m paying for it by allowing Dwayne to rub on my back. Now I’ve hugged him too long. I pull away and say, “Don’t tell my dad.”
My parents are super strict, especially my dad. Church comes first. If he found out I’m ditching the sermon, he’ll sit me on a pew in his line of sight, so he can watch over me.
“Your secret’s safe with me,” Dwayne puts a finger to his lips, locks them, then pretends to put something in his shirt pocket.
‘Thanks, you’re the best.” He makes a move for another hug, but I quickly leave out the door, before he can capture me for it.
Even though I’ve been out of the high school program for a year, I can’t keep away from Pastor Ryan. I’m compelled to sneak a peek at him. I head for the barn. And just in case Dwayne is watching, I turn down into the parking lot to cover my tracks. It’s the long way around, but I need it to gather my courage.
Almost there, with the building in sight, I lean on a light pole in the parking lot. With my bible cradled to my chest, I stare off into the distance and think. The doors to the barn are standing wide open. I can’t see the stage from my position, but I can hear his voice.
He’s singing.
He’s so passionate when he sings. I can hear the emotion he belts out with every note. Pastor Ryan is a reformed man. He was brought into Cathedral of Hope through the street ministry. When he was saved, he asked Christ to forgive him of many, many sins. Pastor Danny mentored him close. Took him under his wing. He saw what I see in him. A man of God, strong, willing to turn his life around. And a man of God needs a woman of God by his side. I know I could be the one he’s looking for. I’m closer to him than any of the other girls. He speaks to me.
I close my eyes, listening to his voice, imagining I have him alone, with his full attention. He only has eyes for me and I confess.
Ryan. I love you. No. I’m attracted to you. No. Do you know how sexy you are? No. I can’t gather my thoughts very well. His touch earlier still has me trembling. I don’t expect you’d feel the same way about me. But I thought you would want to know. In case you do.
“I’m hopeless. A fool,” I sigh. “Why would a man so perfect want a oddball girl like me? I’m just a kid. I haven’t lived through what he has. I’ve never even had a real boyfriend. No man ever destroyed property over me.”
Daddy's Favorite: A Dominant Protector Romance Page 6