by Mia Ford
“She’s like a daughter to me and you’re right. She has been though I don’t know the details.” He glanced up as Noel walked back into the room with the bottles, looking curiously at me as she smiled.
“Here you go. Dinner will be ready in a jiffy.” She looked at her dad. “Don’t be too hard on him, Dad.”
Keith chuckled as she walked back into the kitchen and shook her head. “That one drives me crazy,” he said affectionately with a smile. “She brought Molly home for holidays a few times and it was obvious how close they were. When she mentioned bringing her home with her to open the cafe, we agreed immediately. There was just something about Molly that made me want to protect her.” I’d never tell him that I knew the details, nor how bad I wanted her. We were both men and I suspected that he understood that.
Marta called us to the table and I sat down beside Molly with Noel across from us and her parents on either side. Keith had already started to ask me about the military and I told him some stories of places I’d been and some of the action that I’d seen. He seemed to enjoy them and I understood that once I heard that he was the owner of a construction company. He’d lived here his entire life so the idea of travel and different surroundings must be exciting, even though I knew that he was happy here. The way he looked at his wife told me that as well as the gentle smiles that he gave Noel and Molly.
For the first time in my life, I felt a craving for that security in my life and I stared at Molly. She smiled at me as she took a bite of potato and blushed as I reached for the bottle of beer. I got to know the family, liking their kindness and the way they fit so well into this town. I went with Keith to watch the game while they cleaned up, full and happy as I settled on the couch. The girls were laughing in the kitchen over the sound of running water and I looked around. “How long have you been married?” I asked him as he smiled.
“Thirty years. I met her when I was just out of college and she was starting, so we got married when she was done.” I guessed him to be around fifty-two or so, though they were both healthy like I was. “We moved here and then Noel was here and everything seemed perfect. I started the business with Marta’s help and she started doing the bookkeeping for some locals. We’re not rich but I don’t think you have to be to be fulfilled.”
I made a great salary and prior to this, I was thinking only of saving money. I wanted to buy a nice house and live life to the fullest but when I looked around this room, I knew what he meant. “Yeah,” I murmured thoughtfully as I took a drink of the beer. I was nursing it since I assumed I’d be leaving with Molly at some point and wanted to be safe.
“Have you ever been married?” Keith asked me as I shook my head.
“I’ve always moved a lot and never wanted to bring someone into that life. It was chaotic at times and I lived for that. Now that I’m here, I might settle some and think about retiring.” I shrugged and glanced at the score, fondly remembering a few games that I’d attended over the years.
“You’re going to stay here?” Marta asked from the end of the room and I glanced her way with a smile.
“Perhaps. It’s time I start thinking about where I am going to live permanently.” I told her as she moved to sit beside Keith, taking his hand.
“It’s a little slow here but so peaceful. I never could imagine living in a big city.” Keith smiled at her and I looked up to see Molly walking into the living room, staring at me.
“Would you like to see a movie tonight?” I asked her as she nodded with a smile.
“I have apple pie for dessert, so feel free to come in and have some when you get back.” Marta said as I chuckled.
“She always makes too much food,” Keith confirmed, smiling dryly as she pretended to hit his arm with her free hand. I stood and helped Molly into her gray cardigan sweater, saying thank you and goodbye before we walked to my car.
“They’re a great family,” I told Molly as she smiled and nodded.
“They’ve never made me feel unwelcome here. It’s like a second mom and dad for me.” Molly watched me as I opened the door. “Did he give you the Spanish Inquisition?”
“No, but he is protective of you,” I replied before closing the door and walking around to my side. I got in and started the engine before giving her a long look. “I respect that, Molly.
“It drives Noel crazy. I think that she dates some guys just to get under his skin. I’ve not dated since they met me so this is a first for him.” She laughed as I pulled down the long driveway and to the main road. “Thanks for staying. I was horrified when Marta suggested it but I had a great time. You’re fun to watch.”
“How so?” I asked curiously as she smiled.
“You’re so confident and you got along easily with them. I guess that’s because you’re older perhaps, but I never met a guy like that before.” She leaned back into her seat. “There’s also something about you that scares me; thrills me. Maybe something dark. I’m not sure.”
She had no idea. I headed to the theater that we’d seen one another at that night a few weeks ago and she stared at the offerings for a moment. “What sounds good?” I asked her, stroking her back as she moved closer to me.
“Will you protect me from the monsters if we see the scary one?” Molly asked softly as she turned to look at me, her eyes heavy with desire. I leaned in to kiss her softly, loving her heat.
“Yes, I will always protect you.” I murmured as I brushed my lips against hers again. I led her forward and bought the tickets for the show, walking inside to order popcorn and a drink to share. That was a must at the movies, and I knew that she felt the same from seeing her before. I walked into the small theater and asked her where she’d like to sit as she shrugged. I grinned as I took her to the back corner and placed the drink between us as she settled in.
I glanced forward to see Olivia walking in with a guy that looked a little younger than her, making me wonder if it was a student. If so, she moved quickly. She glanced my way and frowned as our eyes met and then looked away, moving to the front of the theater. I reached out for Molly’s hand and held it as she reached for some popcorn with her free hand. I wondered if Olivia saw me with Molly, hoping that she did. I wanted her to see the kind of woman that appealed to me.
The room darkened and we settled in for the previews, my arm securely around her. She moved closer to me with the featured horror movies that they pushed on the crowd and I kissed her hair gently. The film we came to see was more of a creepy kind of scary than it was gory and Molly was practically in my lap by the end. She buried her face in my neck as she groaned and shook her head, making me want to groan back for completely different reasons.
Her lips brushed against my skin and I froze, feeling my body heat up in response. She kissed my neck and up to my jaw as I slid my hand into her loose hair, holding her close to me. “Will you come over?” I asked her as her lips moved up, closer to my mouth.
“I was hoping that you’d ask,” she murmured before kissing me softly. I wanted to push her back against the seat and kiss my way down her body, but when the lights came back on I was all too aware of where we were. She seemed to want to keep going, but I pulled away and took a breath. “Mmmm,” Molly moaned, leaning forward again as I gripped her hair again.
“Let’s take this elsewhere,” I suggested as our eyes locked in the light. I saw that she wanted more and reminded myself that I needed to stop when she asked me to. I didn’t want to and was rarely asked to, but this was important. I stood slowly and took her hand, leading her out of the building and out onto the street as she looked around. Her face was flushed and eyes heavy, making me stare at her.
“Major Johnson,” came a familiar voice as I glanced up to see Olivia. She was looking at Molly with an inquiring gaze as I smiled weakly.
“Good evening,” I greeted her, seeing that she was alone. “Did you enjoy the movie?”
“It was scary, wasn’t it?” She asked as I laughed and Molly squeezed my hand tightly. “I’m Olivia. I work w
ith Major Johnson.” She extended her hand boldly and I sensed Molly cowering for a moment.
“I’m Molly,” she said simply as she shook Olivia’s hand. The women were so different but Molly was the one that I wanted to be with and I looked at Olivia to see disdain pass through her eyes.
“We’re going to head back to town. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said as I pulled Molly to my car across the street in the parking lot. I could feel Olivia watching us but I kept going until my keys were in the door.
“You work with her?” Molly asked softly as I looked at her. She looked so insecure and I left the key in the door to pull her gently against me.
“She’s an instructor at the base. I am overseeing the classes,” I explained as I moved closer to her.
“She wants you, doesn’t she?” Molly asked as I let out a slow breath.
“It doesn’t matter. I want you…I want to be with you,” I assured her as I stared into her eyes, moving in slowly for a kiss. She melted against me, returning it as I got caught up in Molly’s mouth all over again.
Chapter 13: Molly
I thought that I could stand there forever with him in that small parking lot. Every time he kissed me, my knees turned into jello. Lance didn’t even come close to this and I berated myself for getting involved with him at all.
I felt Robert push me against the car as his tongue slipped inside of my mouth eagerly, claiming me as his. What would it feel like to lay bare before him, feeling his tongue on my body? I shivered as I pulled him closer, tilting my head to deepen the kiss. We made out for a while before he pulled away, breathing raggedly. “Let’s get to the house,” he suggested as I nodded and pressed against him. “You make me crazy, Molly.”
“I feel the same way,” I admitted as I held onto him for a moment. I finally pulled away and he secured me in the car before going to his side. I thought about what he did to me for a moment, focusing on the way my stomach knotted up. I thought about the way my nipples were aching and how damp my thighs were. I knew that I wanted to sleep with Robert but I feared the attraction for a fleeting second. What if it was a mistake to take things that far?
I looked over as he got into the car and started the engine. "You look beautiful with kiss swollen lips, Molly.” I blushed. Robert pulled out onto the street and headed back to Mountain Home as I watched him drive. The way he held the steering wheel was sexy as sin, so confidently. He had no doubt about the safety of this trip; of me. He probably had little doubt about anything at all. He glanced at me and smiled for a second before looking at the curvy road ahead. “What are you thinking about?”
“I like watching you drive,” I told him as he frowned. “It’s so controlling and hot. Are you controlling, Robert?” Something told me that he was but I wasn’t scared.
“Not in a bad way, Molly. I do like to have the control in a situation though. I think it comes from the military,” he admitted as I turned to face him a bit. “How about you?”
“I don’t think I even know. I haven’t been offered it before and when I tried, it led to an argument.” I shuddered as I thought back to Lance, whom I now knew was faking his confidence.
“By him?” He asked coldly as I looked at him and nodded. “He scared you, didn’t he?”
“A little bit, yes.” I replied, reaching for his hand for comfort. “I didn’t want to be near anybody again until I met you.”
“I’ll never scare you. I’ll never intimidate you, or force you. We’ll never argue because you don’t want something.” He lifted my hand to kiss it gently as he kept driving. “I won’t lie, though. I do want you.”
“I know. I want you too, but…”
“No rush. We’ll take this slow.” Robert turned down the road to get to his house, pulling into the garage and turning off the engine. He took a deep breath and looked over at me, closing the garage as I leaned into him. His lips were warm, soft and full. I opened my mouth for him, craving his tongue against mine as he tugged me against him. We moaned together as the kiss grew heated and the interior of the car grew thick with desire.
Robert ended it, getting out and opening my door to kiss him again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back as he turned me towards the door and started to walk slowly into the house.
We kissed in between steps, clinging to one another. He opened the door and lifted me by my hips, making me wrap my legs around him. He was hard and thick against me and I buried my face into his neck as I sighed heavily. Robert pressed me down on the couch, pushing between my legs as he claimed my lips in a brutal kiss. I knew that he liked control but it excited me, not scared me.
I arched my back against him, wanting him to press in the right spot. He moved against me and I moaned as he brushed the bundle of nerves between my legs. “I can feel your heat,” Robert whispered before he kissed down my neck, then back up to my jaw like I’d done earlier. His hands moved up my sides, stroking just under my breasts as he drew my skin between his teeth gently. It was torture and bliss all at once as I dropped my head back, closing my eyes tightly. He slipped his hand up to cup me gently, making me want to jump out of my skin. My bra was thin lace and I felt the heat of him against me as he squeezed before kissing me again. “Robert,” I moaned against his lips as he kissed me again. He stroked me with his thumb, feeling my nipple through the material as I heard him growl softly.
“Can I take this off?” He asked as he tugged gently on my shirt. I nodded and he pulled back to unbutton it slowly, staring at me the entire time. He spread the material apart and looked at the pale pink lace of my bra, sheer enough to see my straining nipples in the light from the lamp. “You’re so beautiful.” Robert looked at me before leaning down to take one nipple into his mouth, through the lace as I slipped my hands into his short hair.
The pressure between my legs was stronger now as I closed my eyes and gasped. His leg was there now, supporting his body above me but his muscular thigh pressed into me as his lips sucked harder. “Robert,” I cried out as I realized that he was going to make me come like this. “Oh, God.”
His hand unclasped the bra from the front before he released me, kissing between my breast as he breathed hotly on me. “Are you close, Molly?” Robert asked as I sensed that he was teasing me. His hands stroked over my nipples just enough to keep my arousal strong as I bit my hip.
“Yes. Please.” I watched as he moved up to take my nipple back into his mouth, gently this time. It was so sexy to watch and I moved my body against his leg as he looked at me. He moved slowly; sensually. I knew that the need to release was still there, but I was mesmerized by what he was doing to me, feeling the need to stare.
It went on what seemed like forever, with Robert bringing me so close and then slowing down. I was practically weeping with need before he pressed his thigh firmly into me and sucked softly before dragging his teeth over my skin. I came apart fast, crying out his name as I clutched at any part of his body that I could. Robert slipped his hand between my legs and pressed against my clit, keeping the waves coming as I panted. “I have never seen anything so beautiful before,” he murmured as he moved up my body to kiss my lips.
Robert rested against me as I recovered, kissing me softly on my lips and neck. “You barely touched me. How did I…how did you?” I dropped back and closed my eyes as he pressed his lips to my skin again.
“You are sensitive. You can come just from my mouth on you,” he explained as I felt his hand stroking my breast. “All you need is my mouth, tongue or teeth and a little pressure, Molly.”
“Were you making it stop?” I asked breathlessly as he chuckled.
“I told you that I liked control. By doing that to you, it made your orgasm twice as hard.”
Was that how it worked? Jesus.
Robert eased onto his back on the wide couch and settled me against him. “What do you like?” I asked him as I propped my head on my hand to stare at him.
“I like it a little rough, Molly. I like it to be careless and messy some
times more than I like it slow, but with you I think I’ll like it any way I can have it. We can build up to everything else.”
I thought about the fact that I’d come and Robert hadn’t. I was well-versed in doing things other than actual sex and I moved to the left, leaving his cock free. He jumped as I stroked him over his clothes, staring at me. “I want you to come, too.”
His eyes darkened as I stroked a few times before grasping him through the pants. “Fuck, Molly. Feels so good.” He closed his eyes and dropped his head back as I kept moving my hand, testing his reactions. Robert was expressive with his face and once I got an idea, I gripped him tightly and stroked up and down. I moved my hand and slid it down his pants, finding him bare under the material as he cursed. Robert was so thick and hard and I squeezed as I moved my hand over him. It wasn’t long before he was rocking into my hand, jerking with moans and grunts before he came into my hand and his pants. Warmth spilled over me as I watched him jerk under me before taking a breath. “Damn it. You’re so good at that.” Robert pulled me closer to him for a moment as he breathed in. “I’ll get something to wash you off.”
He went to the bathroom and came back with a washcloth. When he took the hand that I’d used on him, I was surprised that it was warm and damp. He cleaned me gently and tossed the cloth to the floor before sinking to the couch again. I noted that he’d changed into some jeans and moved over his lap as we kissed hungrily.
He held me in his arms, kissing me until we were both drunk on the feeling. He looked across the room and kissed me one more time. “It’s midnight, Molly. Should we get you home?”
“No, I like it here,” I protested as he chuckled.
“Bring work clothes next time. I’ll take you to the cafe myself.” I gasped and looked at him as he grinned.