by Xavier Neal
“She wasn’t an ex-girlfriend. She was an ex-” The lift of her eyebrows prevents me from finishing what I was playfully going to retort. “No. It’s not.”
There’s a small lull before Brie questions, “Just to clarify…everything with you and Felicity is completely over? She’s…gone?”
“Unless she tries to take me to court, which if that’s the case then, she will be momentarily in our lives for a tad bit longer.”
“Just a tad?”
“I meant what I said to her, Love. My father may have become retouched with his friendlier, more enjoyable self, but do not ever mistake kindness for weakness, especially not with this family. And there are two very distinct things we will always break ourselves over to protect. What drives us and who loves us. Felicity made the mistake of messing with both and if she continues to, she will see a side of me she never imagined existed.”
To my surprise, her bottom lip slips between her teeth.
A cocky grin crawls onto mine. “Does that turn you on?”
She gives me a playful shrug. “Maybe…”
She can’t even let me have that one?
We exchange a small chortle seconds before the video chat link tries to connect.
I give the button a click revealing the face of my new partner. Politely, I greet, “Good morning.”
He offers me a smile. “It’s not quite morning on this side of the world yet, Kellan. But thank you.”
“Weston Wilcox, I would like to introduce you to my trusted business associate and wife, Brie Kenningston. Brie, this is Weston Wilcox, our new backer.”
She gives him a big, beautiful smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Thankfully, she doesn’t stare or seem put off by what I know from speaking to him he has come to dread about being introduced to new people.
I completely understand why. Sometimes people can judge you harshly simply by what they see and not who you are…
“It’s an honor to meet you,” he replies. “You’ll have to excuse the attire. It’s the middle of the night here and I was informed this was going to be brief.”
“And it is. I just want to formally introduce the both of you since my wife is an imperative part of Hannah’s Hope. I also wanted you to be aware, Wes, that the property paperwork will be in by next week and the court ruled we may resume digging on that site location in fourteen days, though I would like to take an additional two weeks, to reorganize.”
“Work schedules. Shipping schedules. Employees.”
“Yes and that time will also allow me to fulfill the other portion of our agreement.”
Brie swiftly chimes in, “Other portion?”
Wes decides to answer. “On agreement to backing the orphanage, completely, still leaving it of course within Kellan’s control, he had to agree to expand MINOH by three shelters here in the states. I’m requiring one to be near me to allow myself to check on it, but the others are up for discussion. I am also paying for the additions to be made and maintained, but am expecting their growth and development to closely resemble the one in Fayeweather, which has helped hundreds of homeless children. While I was fortunate enough to be older and left with assistance when my parents died, I know others are not as well off. Others need help. And like the ocean my wife is committed to protecting, I have found a similar passion to help those who are not always in a position to protect themselves.” He offers us a small smile. “Considering the fact I know absolutely nothing about running life outside of a specific expertise of alcohol, mergers and social selling, it seemed fitting to allow a professional to handle the situation. I want to invest in the future of tomorrow, which starts with the youth of today. Kellan’s program and his orphanage I believe will set an example. I hope to one day invest in an orphanage similar to Hannah’s Hope here in the states, but as every wise business man knows before you can even crawl, you must watch and learn from those who know the steps better than you.”
He’s a brilliant man, then again I don’t think he would’ve risen on the list of billionaires if he weren’t.
“Wes….” A voice calls from somewhere off screen.
“If we’re finished here, I should go. My wife doesn’t particularly love when I work in the middle of the night. Which reminds me, in the future, meetings when possible should be had after 8 a.m. my time.”
I nod my understanding. “Absolutely. Neither of our wives should have to suffer from our decision to work together.”
“Exactly.”
“You’ve got thirty seconds, and I start without you….”
The sexual implication causes Brie and I to stifle our chuckles, though Wes seems less than apologetic. “You’re married. You know what she’s implying. I do hope you understand why this meeting is over now.”
“Enjoy your night,” I declare swiftly. “We shall chat together tomorrow at a better time.”
He gives us both a curt nod and the screen returns once more to our wedding photo.
Immediately she states, “I like him.”
“Because he’s not Felicity?”
“Definitely a huge part of it, but I like him because he seems like this isn’t a game to him to win, but an actual difference he cares about making. Like you.”
I rise to my feet at the same time I say, “I completely agree. I believe this partnership will be a much better fit. We signed the official papers yesterday. It’s actually what I was doing when you texted.”
She watches me cross over to her in silence. When I drop down on the seat beside her she nervously asks, “Why was digging stopped?”
“Unusual human remains were found on site. And according to the laws in this country, it had to be stopped until status was declared. The judge ruled we can start again because of their age, but I decided it was be best to give us additional time to reprioritize and delegate the progression. As much as I want Hannah’s Hope up and running by the new year, I refuse to have it cost me my marriage. There are changes to be made and discussed. Potentially new employees to be hired to help. And before you ask, no I do not have to go to the states to help the new branches of MINOH launch. Ethan will be in charge of those, and he is very excited. We will need you to design a small handbook for art integration for all branches, if you’re willing. It is not only something that has made MINOH stand out, but has made an impact on the children. We want that to spread.”
The shock on her face floods my system with relief and excitement simultaneously. “I….I don’t know what to say.”
“You say yes and then you climb into my lap, so I can make you say yes to something else.”
My playful remark receives an elbow to the side. “I’m serious, Kellan.”
So am I…
“You want me to design a program for all the programs?”
“Something like what you’ve already done, but just on a slightly larger scale with a slightly larger budget. Wes has a feeling there will be other investors for MINOH behind him.”
“This is incredible!”
“What’s incredible, Love, is that you didn’t walk away from me when you should’ve.” She lets her face fall to the side at the same time she scoots closer. I gently help guide her into my lap like I wanted. “We will spend the next few weeks coming up with something that works for both of our careers as well as our marriage. No more divide and conquer. No more split decisions…” Our mouths gravitate towards one another and slightly brush. “Everything we do…we do together, Love.”
The declaration pushes her to join our lips. There’s a mutual exchanged moan followed swiftly by her arms winding around my neck. Nothing about our kiss is gentle. Our tongues brutally battle for the right to control the situation. With every twirl and tangle, determination to reaffirm to one another our undying love intensifies. My hands boorishly roam her body, groping, squeezing, and marking the territory I almost lost because of my reckless decisions. Each moan she graciously feeds me only makes me greedier for more. The need to replace the memories of my many mistakes with the pledge of a
better tomorrow pumps throughout me so profusely it’s astonishing I make it as long as I do before I’m thrusting inside Brie’s pussy. She doesn’t resist. Doesn’t command to slow down. Doesn’t beg to cherish the moment. She lets herself succumb to the satisfaction. When her lips fumble free from mine, they stay parted to whisper salacious praises of pleasure. In a frenzied blitz of bites and sucks along her neck, I ruthlessly pump into her, rewriting our future. Her pussy grips harshly as if unsure whether or not to welcome the relentless action or banish it. Without warning, Brie rearranges herself to plant her heels firmly on the leather couch and begins brutishly bouncing on my cock. The change in depth and pace causes my nuts to clench in anticipation to come. My hands swiftly cup her ass to assist in the beautiful reclaiming of my passion as hers to deliver when she pleases. Seeing her so brazen, so assertive, has my dick swelling to the point of pain. She lets her head fall backwards and releases a deep lustful sigh my cock can’t handle.
My eyebrows pinch together while my body battles to restrain itself. “Fuck, Love. I’m gonna come…”
Her heaving chest bumps against mine and she whimpers, “Me too.”
Suddenly, her pussy submits first, milking my dick with such ferocity, my vision blurs and my head hits the back of the couch. My arms instantly wrap around her to keep her from her moving. From leaving. From ever even considering it. As we come down from our high together in a round of groans and sated sighs, I hold her tighter than I ever have before.
This is the true beginning of the next portion of our story together. The start we both want. That we were both expecting. That we both deserve…
Brie
“Go left! Go left!” I shout to Cliff just as Kellan fakes moving to the opposite direction.
With a look of determination, he swiftly moves that direction and tags Kellan with a bright red hand print.
The buzzer dings and Wendy shouts, “Red team wins!”
I toss my hands in the air triumphantly, “Yes!!!!”
My husband groans as he approaches me. “This is getting bloody ridiculous…”
“Your losing streak?”
He sneers at my mocking.
“It really is. I thought you were the athletic one?”
Slightly panting, he questions, “Is that really what you want to teach them? To be an arrogant winner?”
“Said the sore loser.”
So shoot me. I love beating him at art games. I may have the athletic drive of a panda bear most of the time, but throw in a little bit of paint to the activity and I’m willing to try so much harder.
“You know what?” Kellan says in a suspicious tone. “Perhaps it’s time I prove to you, I really am better at sports than you?”
My head tilts at him sarcastically. “You’ve just been going easy on me all this time?”
“Yes.”
“Liar.”
In one swift move, Kellan’s got me around the waist, locked in place against him. All of a sudden he shouts, “Kids!!! Come get her!”
A wave of paint covered youth come sprinting my direction. Various hands, big and small, tag my legs and the lower half of my t-shirt covered body. They laugh, run away to dip their hands in more paint, and return to repeat the process. My head falls backwards against Kellan in uncontrollable laughter as he encourages a mass execution of paint prints.
In between commanding for them to continue, his lips bump against my ear and he says, “I love you.”
My laugh fades just enough to repeat it, “I love you.”
Finally, Wendy speaks up, “Alright! Alright! Time for showers and dinner!”
They groan their disappointment at the game ending.
“You’re having pizza,” she informs receiving a mass uproar of cheers. “But outside as you wait for your turn to shower…”
The children wave at us goodbye while being led towards Saul who is standing by the doorway to help.
“We have to get home and shower too for dinner, Mrs. Kenningston.”
The sexual promise in his voice almost distracts from the pressure of our pending meal.
It’s taken three weeks for the results of my teaching certificate to come in. While passing the time has been more than enjoyable with redecorating Felicity’s office to become my own, visiting the children’s hospital with Guy who Kellan actually apologized to, and an upswing of genuine courting from my husband that has included, but hasn’t been limited to, romantic gestures like having an array of art supplies unexpectedly delivered to our place of business, the lingering fear I failed had steadily been on my mind. Despite everyone’s vote of confidence, I couldn’t help but believe my personal problems prevented me from passing. That I had too lost the ability to balance devoting time to my passion and my personal life. When the results came in two days ago, I almost didn’t open them. Actually…it took heavy persuading along with a bit of pampering in the form of ice cream to get me to bite the bullet. It turns out not only did I pass, but it was almost a perfect score. I cried. Yeah. I know... I think it might’ve been worse than the little I did when I graduated college.
His arms cradle me closer, and I angle my head to pout. “Do we have to?”
“Yes.” He lightly laughs. “Me and my father both want to celebrate this moment of your excellence. Our entire family is waiting to celebrate with you, Love.”
Not entire. My parents and sister won’t be there. No one was able to get away from work last minute…Have I mentioned my hatred for living so far away from them yet?
“But we already celebrated,” I sheepishly argue.
“Burgers and a pint followed by you for dessert barely qualify as celebrating.”
“That negative tone better have been about the food and not about shagging me nonstop for two hours.”
Kellan’s face contorts between arousal and humor. “God, I love it when you use the right terminology….” He turns me around in his arms. “And you know there’s no way in bloody hell would I ever complain about making love to you. Not even if I had to take six pills and risk cardiac arrest just to try.”
The odd choice of phrasing has me laughing as I shake my head.
“Now, stop dragging your arse and let’s get home to shower off. I may have arranged for dinner to compensate for an orgasm or three, but not if you keep up this pouting and chit chat.”
His playful demeanor makes me smile wide.
This is the man I missed. This is the one I’d lost. And ever since he thought I was going to walk away without looking back, he’s returned to the man I fell for. Don’t get me wrong. Things aren’t perfect, but they never have been nor am I ever expecting them to be. We’re different. We clash. We bump heads. We’re stubborn, him more than me of course. We still struggle for balance daily, but now it’s not about time for one another or attention. We don’t fight about who isn’t receiving the support they need. We’re back to arguing over whose turn it is to grab coffee or do the dishes, both of which are on him.
After a quick drive home and a long, hot, two people, multiple orgasm, shower, the two of us are strolling towards the restaurant’s opening with our security details sandwiching us.
I negotiated Kage’s salary back up to where it belongs. Kenneth didn’t just do as I requested however. It took a long, somewhat heated argument before he caved. Kage was angry with me when I mentioned what I did, but I think part of him was proud too. He cares about me and the truth is, after all the time we’ve spent together, I care about him too. Our security details really are extended family.
On the other side of the threshold, I glance over my shoulder, “Make sure you stop watching the exits long enough to eat something, Kage.”
He gives me a stern expression. “I will never stop watching the exits, Mrs. Brie.”
“It’s his job,” Kellan reminds me in a mocking voice. “Duh.”
With a sharp nudge of my husband away from me, I snip, “Fine. I will make sure I have food delivered to you and Vincent.”
“Appreciate
it, Mrs. Brie.”
Vincent holds the door open for us and adds, “As do I.”
“You make me look like such an inconsiderate, asshole,” Kellan playfully gripes, winding his arm around my waist.
“Eh. You do that all on your own.”
“Ouch, Mrs. Kenningston. Above the belt, please.”
“That’s not what you were begging for an hour ago…”
He growls deliciously and brushes his lips against my ear. “And it’s not what you’ll be begging for in a couple hours either…”
“Could you stop trying to seduce her, already? She bloody married you,” Kristopher teases from where he’s waiting at the bar.