“Your girlfriend is pregnant with your child. You being here is unfair to me, her, and your unborn baby. Please go.”
“Stace—”
“Bye, Randy.” She shut the door in his face.
Ren blew out a sharp breath. For a few seconds, he thought Randy’s plea might break through to her and get him some alone time. Stacey was a compassionate soul and Randy had looked pathetic enough to garner some sympathy, even from Ren.
“Are you okay?” She grabbed his hand, which was red. His first two knuckles were already swollen. He winced when she pressed her thumb into the tender area above his knuckles.
“I’m fine.” He grasped her hand.
“Do you want some ice?”
“No.” He pulled her closer. With his unaffected hand, he tilted her head so he could look at her, make sure she wasn’t angry with him. “I’m sorry I lost my cool.”
“Don’t apologize.” She smiled. Her eyes twinkled with delight. “I know this sounds completely horrible because you just decked my ex-husband and I’m not a fan of violence, I swear, but I’ve never been more turned on than when you’re defending my honor.”
All the angst that had built inside of him released in a breath. She wasn’t pissed at him. More than that, she found his superhero side attractive. He’d keep that in mind. She pushed up on her toes and kissed his lips.
“When’d you get this bathing suit?” He snapped one of the straps wrapped around her ribcage. She gasped.
“You like it?” She broke his hold and stepped back, spinning in place, then showing off her round ass with a wiggle. Her hips swayed back and forth, hypnotizing him. He rumbled, his chest vibrating with the sound. She moved with a grace and sexiness that had his knees wobbling and a possessiveness flow through him. She was his.
“Like it? Are you trying to kill me?”
“I’d never try to kill you. I love you.” Her lips curled into a devilish grin, and the air evaporated from the room. Hearing her say those three words still surprised him, made it hard for him to breathe like he still couldn’t believe his good fortune.
She danced around, taunting and bringing him out of his air-deprived state. He’d been standing on a cliff of arousal the last couple of weeks. Two months was the longest he’d gone without sex. Though he enjoyed their abstaining, he craved her. The taste of her, the feel of her. He was near his breaking point, tired of using his hand to release the arousal she induced.
“I don’t like it.” He stepped into her space, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her against him. Leaning forward, he grazed her neck with his teeth. “I fucking love it.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her lips against his with a smack.
“Good.” She pushed back and walked out of the foyer. He trailed like a puppy dog following its master holding a treat. She traveled through the kitchen and into the family room. Sauntering through the open sliding doors to the pool area, she cast a “come and get me” look over her shoulder.
Something snapped in him, like a rubber band stretched just a hair too far, or a balloon pumped too full of helium. He shredded his shirt and flip-flops, leaving them on the floor before he rushed outside. He expected to see her standing on the other side of the pool egging him on, urging him to come get her. He would capture her, he always did. But she wasn’t where he thought she’d be.
Wound tighter than a jack-in-the-box, his muscles tensed with anticipation. Where did she go so quickly? He glanced around. That sly fox.
Something moved behind him, but before he could react, she pressed her hands into his shoulder blades and shoved him into the pool. He gasped. The chilly water didn’t surprise him as much as her boldness and playfulness.
Things had been quite serious between them when he initiated his pursuit of her. But over the last few weeks, they’d fallen into a more comfortable state, made obvious by her frisky nature. He loved it. This was what a relationship was about, making good times to assist in getting through the bad.
As he surfaced, she giggled. He loved the sound of her happiness. He’d let her do whatever she wanted, would give her whatever she asked for if he could hear her laugh all day, every day.
She stood several feet back from the pool’s edge with her hands on her hips. Her wide smile showed all her white teeth. He couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face or the laughter that bubbled.
“That’s gonna cost you.”
He swam to the pool’s edge keeping his eyes on her. She stepped back and inched to the right, moving toward the gate. He’d let her think she had a chance to escape. He enjoyed their cat and mouse game.
Placing his hands on the edge, he pushed out of the pool with ease. Water sluiced down his body in rivulets, and he shook his head, splashing her. She squealed and ran from the patio and into the grass toward the gate. Running after her, the grass prickled his bare feet as he wrapped her up in his arms within seconds. She may be a runner, but his long strides caught her easily.
“You’re cold,” she shrieked, laughing hysterically.
“Am I now?” He pulled her closer and rubbed his wet chest against her back.
“What’re you going to do?” Her blues eyes stretched with curiosity and excitement as she glanced at him over her shoulder.
“This.” He picked her up off the ground, her legs kicking and swinging. In a few steps, he jumped with her in his arms off the pool’s edge. She screamed before they crashed into the water together. He released her under water so she could swim. Hilarity belted out of her as they broke the water’s surface, her hair slicked back, eyes dancing with joy.
He tugged her to him. “God, I love you.”
He backed her against the pool’s edge and smashed his lips against hers in a lush kiss. She melted against him. Nothing meant more to him than the trust she displayed, especially after everything Randy had put her through.
She glided her hands up his slick torso, over his neck until she sank her fingers into his wet hair, pulling him into her. The kiss wasn’t gentle or endearing. It was a kiss between two people who had the need to become one.
“Make love with me, Ren. Please.” She wrapped her legs around his waist, rubbing her core against his raging hard on. He dropped his head back, breaking their connection and trying to catch his breath. Time. They’d waited long enough. He needed her. Otherwise, he might not survive the day.
“I’m not going to say no to you.” He huffed. “I can’t.” He leaned forward and trailed kisses down the side of her slick neck.
“Thank God.” She circled her hips against him. He bit into the flesh of her neck, nuzzling her there. She yelped.
“Let’s get inside.” He pulled her away from the pool wall, but she shook her head.
“Right here. I want you right here.”
“I don’t have a condom.” His breath pumped out of him in harsh bursts. He didn’t want to lose the moment going into her bedroom to grab a condom out of her nightstand drawer.
“I want you without one.” She clung to his shoulders and hoisted up. She lashed his bottom lip with her tongue, then bit him. He growled and slammed her back against the pool wall again.
He’d never had sex without a condom. His buddies told him how amazing it could be without protection, but he never wanted to run the risk of pregnancy or disease. He’d been saving himself in that way for the woman he fell in love with and here she was, offering herself to him. His heart squeezed with emotion.
He untied the halter part of her bikini top, letting the minuscule cloth fall forward and revealing her gorgeously pert breasts. Dusty pink nipples pebbled, begging for attention as cold water dripped from him on to her. He pulled one into his mouth, lashing with his tongue and sucking until her begging became incomprehensible. Then he gave the other breast the same treatment.
She writhed against him, her warm core creating too much friction against his erection. If he didn’t get inside her soon, he’d explode in his swimming trunks. Releasing her nipple
, he untied his trunks, freeing his cock. He slid a finger between her legs, pushing her bottoms to the side and slipping a finger into her heat.
“Fuck.” She tensed, and her pussy clamped down on him.
“Are you sure about this?” His words came out in a hiss. “I need to know now.”
“Yes.”
That was all he needed to hear. He wasn’t concerned with anything else. Stacey would never put herself in a position she didn’t want to be in. And he was sure he wanted this. Never been surer of anything in his life.
They’d waited. Two months without sex. They’d taken things slow after barreling full-speed. He’d wanted to be sure she understood his intent. They’d never been only about sex. He’d proven his point. But the time had come.
He slid her bikini bottoms to the side, lined his cock up with her opening, and slammed home. They groaned simultaneously. Stacey arched her back, her eyes hooded, and her mouth parted. He knew he wore the same face of ecstasy. Every nerve inside came alive like a bolt of electricity zinged through him. He felt everything. Every touch. Every breath. Every droplet of water. Every inch of her wrapped around him. Warmth washed over him, making his vision fuzzy and his head woozy. The most beautiful experience of his life.
“Oh. My. God.” He punched out the words with his breath. He couldn’t even begin to describe the sensation of being so deep inside her, the feel of her skin against him, the way they felt joined like one. Nothing between them. Incredible. They’d just taken sex to an entirely new level for him. He’d struggle to go back to condoms with her after this.
“It’s so good.” Stacey moaned. She rocked her hips forward.
“You feel like heaven.” He thrust into her, pulled out, and thrust back in again. Their bodies moved in unison, each seeking to give pleasure. He kissed her everywhere, her forehead, nose, lips, neck, breasts. He needed to be in contact with her in as many ways as possible.
“I’m going to come.” She fluttered her eyes open. “Make me come.”
He gripped her hip with one hand, holding her in place as he fucked her with all he had. The pool water sloshed and splashed around them. He slid his other hand between her breasts and down her abdomen, making his way to the little bundle of nerves that would take her over the edge.
“Come all over me, baby.” He flicked his thumb over her clit and she exploded, belting out his name. Her core clenched around his cock, drawing him deeper into her. “Fuck.”
He stood on the precipice of the most amazing orgasm of his life. Her tightness coaxed him over the edge. The thought of emptying his seed inside her, staking his claim over this woman who owned every part of him, edged him off the cliff, and he burst.
Light flashed behind his eyes like fireworks. He lost control of his hips as they ground into her at a rapid pace, rubbing out every last ounce of pleasure. Once every tremor shook free of their bodies, he wrapped her in his arms and held her tight, her head resting on his shoulder and her arms strewn around his neck. He lowered into the water, rinsing the sweat from their skin. He could hold her like this forever. Nothing had ever felt so comfortable and content.
After several minutes of heavy breathing and heartbeats returning to normal, Stacey leaned back and stared at him. Her eyes brimmed with emotion.
“What?”
“I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel this way. I felt empty and lonely for so long. You breathed life back into me. You’ve given me back my confidence. Made me feel whole.” She caressed his jaw. “I love you. So. Much.”
No one would ever call him emotional. He rarely cried, though Stacey had brought him to tears before. This time was different. The tears welling in his eyes weren’t from fear of losing her. No. These were from an overwhelming amount of happiness.
“You have no idea what hearing those words means to me.” He dipped his head and kissed her gently on the lips. A tear escaped down his cheek.
“Don’t cry, Ren.” She swiped his tear away with her thumb.
“I can’t help it, baby. I’m so in love with you. I’ve never had these feelings before and I’m overflowing with them right now.” He kissed her again and again until they were both giggling. “But don’t tell anyone you’re my soft spot.”
“It’s just between you and I.” She winked and kissed him again. “Now that sex is back on the table, maybe you can spend the night tonight?”
“Now that sex is back on the table, you might have a difficult time getting me to leave—ever.”
“I’m not opposed to that in our near future.” She wrapped herself around him and kissed him long and hard.
Neither was he.
THE END.
Acknowledgments
Let Me Love You was a long time coming. A story that won the Pages From the Heart Writing contest in 2015—it sat on my desk while other projects were pressing with deadlines and life threw curve balls to prevent me from completing it. But Ren and Stacey’s story flitted in my mind often. I decided to dedicate 2017 to completing their story, but initially it was a struggle. Then at the end of July, I attended the RWA national conference in Orlando, Florida and inspiration zapped me being surrounded by so many talented authors and soon-to-be authors. I set out to have this story completed by year-end. And here it is. But it would never have been completed without the assistance of so many.
First and foremost, to my husband, who through all my frustrations with lack of writing time and life’s little bumps in the road, never stopped encouraging me to get back to it. Forcing me to find time in our hectic parenting lives to take the moments I needed. Love you.
To my three children, who have had to sacrifice some hours so that this story could be completed, thank you. Nothing is better than listening to your excitement when you tell your friends or their parents that your mom writes books for adults that you aren’t allowed to read. ☺
To my most trusted beta reader and one of my bestest friends, Natalie, who is always eager for my next installment. Thank you for the encouragement and the enthusiasm with Ren and Stacey’s story. I gained confidence just from your pleas for the next chapter.
To my editor and friend, Deserie. When I thought I would have this book completed in the early part of the year and that didn’t come to fruition, you kept at me. You encouraged me to keep going—that I was overdue for a story to be published. You’ve beaten me down in edits, red-lining the heck out of my manuscripts and forcing me to see things that even after one hundred read-throughs I’d missed. Plus, you’ve forced me to admit to my em-dash addiction. Thank you for your persistence and guidance.
To my assistant, Kim @ Caffeinated Services—where would I be without you? You’ve kept my name visible. You’ve provided me with marketing ideas, helped me set up a newsletter, restructure things on my website and work hard to brand me and my books. I so appreciate all your hard and dedication. This book is being published now in great part to your constant encouragement. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
To the HEA Critters—oh sisters, what we can do as a team. Thank you for reading my chapters and offering up some of the best suggestions and advice to this story. Let Me Love You strengthened exponentially after your eyes were on it. Thank you.
To the RWA chapter From the Heart, thank you for taking me into your warm embrace and welcoming me to the group this year. Meeting some of the members at the RWA conference was a highlight and the start of many budding friendships.
To the readers—THANK YOU. I know there are many books to choose from. Thank you for choosing mine. ☺
JESSICA JAYNE is a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in English. What college major could possibly be better than one that requires you to read novels and write about them! She also graduated from law school and passed her bar exam on the first try. Now she is thrilled to be able to share all the stories floating around in her head!
Jessica loves to travel and travel often! She’s a huge spor
ts fan, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes! She’s a wine-making (and wine-tasting) aficionado. In fact, all of her travels incorporate some wine-tasting at a winery. She loves all music. And nothing is better than sunset at the beach!
In the journey of life, she also married a wonderful man and had three beautiful (and sometimes crazy) children. Life is always an adventure.
Find Jessica at www.jessicajayneauthor.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaJayne
Twitter: @JessicaJayne13
Instagram: @thespicybutterfly
Book + Main: JessicaJayne13
Also by Jessica Jayne
More Than Friends
The Misbehaved
Legal Desire
Girl Code: An Anthology
Alpha’s Claim Anthology—Panther Ridge
The Taking Advantage Series
Board Stiff
Board Approved
Board Indiscretion
Let Me Love You Page 15