The One I Love

by Mia Ford

  After the games, we took a hay ride and Dex sat close to me, looking me in the face from time to time with those big blue eyes of his. If it weren’t for the gate across the back of the trailer, I probably would have melted right off into the field. Seth clung to me tightly as we went over bumps, keeping one hand firmly on Dex’s knee. It was like he felt okay because he knew Dex was right there. When the hay ride was over, Dex picked Seth up off the trailer and put him up on his shoulders, walking through the crowd and pointing out all the different animals in the petting zoo. Seth didn’t seem to be too fond of the goats and chickens so he stayed plastered on Dex’s shoulders, pointing out every animal from a far and repeating everything Dex said. Finally, after the smelly petting zoo, we took a break and I sat down at the picnic tables, sipping hot cider while my mom took Seth to get cleaned up.

  Dex sat across the table from me, blowing warm air into his hands and drinking the coffee he got in place of cider. His face was covered with excitement and I couldn’t help but feel close to him at that moment. He seemed to be having a good time with me and my family, which was very strange and completely unexpected. He turned toward me and reached out, tapping me gently on the nose.

  “You look like Rudolph.” He teased. I smiled at him, my gaze locked on his.

  “It’s a cold day,” I replied. “I fully expect to see snow by Thanksgiving this year. But, this cider should warm me right up.”

  “I could think of several ways to warm you up,” he said slyly. “None of which would be appropriate for the Upstate Pumpkin Path and Farm.”

  I wanted to ignore his comment but with the cool air and fall foliage, I couldn’t help but be swept up in the romance of it all. I leaned forward slightly as he moved in as well, letting his warm lips touch mine. It wasn’t long and passionate, or seductive and lustful, it was a kiss that meant more than that. As our lips parted, we stared into each other’s eyes, frozen in the moment. Suddenly I felt a child run straight into me and it broke the spell we were under. Seth climbed up into the seat and pulled his hot chocolate toward him, licking his lips. My mom laughed and sat next to Dex, taking a cider and smiling. The only thing left to do after that was pick out a pumpkin and then head back to the city.

  The sight of Dex carrying four huge pumpkins across the dusty parking lot with a four-year-old on his trail was hilarious. I never thought I would witness Dex doing something so normal. By the look on his face, I didn’t think he ever thought he would be doing something so normal either. When the driver saw his struggle, he rushed forward to take two of the pumpkins from him and pop the trunk. They loaded the trunk with the pumpkins and the bag full of crafts Dex bought at the gift shop while mom and I loaded Seth into his car seat. Before I could sit down next to Seth, my mother squeezed in, raising her eyebrows at me and looking down at the seat next to Dex. My cheeks blushed and I plopped down, smiling at the handsome man next to me.

  It did not take long for both my mother and Seth to pass out. After such an exciting day, they were both exhausted. I laughed quietly at how tired Dex made them by taking them to the pumpkin patch. We didn’t get to do things like that very often. Dex smiled down at me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. There was no resisting him at that point and I did what I knew I shouldn’t, I rested my head on Dex’s shoulder and gave into the fantasy that this could all be real. I knew things would be different tomorrow and I also knew that not having Dex like this all the time would break my heart, but I couldn’t help myself. Right now, it was just too perfect. We rode along the highway, close to each other, looking at the scenery as it flew by.

  To say I was disappointed when the country turned to city would have been an understatement. I knew that my daydream of a normal life with Seth’s father by my side was about to end. When we pulled up in front of the apartment, I woke my mom up and told her to go on inside and that I would get Seth. I unbuckled his car seat but before I could pull him out, Dex was carrying him, passed out on his shoulder, up the stairs to the apartment. I smiled, knowing this moment was one I would remember forever, even if it was all just a dream. I grabbed the bags from the trunk, leaving the pumpkins for the driver to get, and climbed quickly up the stairs. I showed Dex to Seth’s room and we carefully laid him down and covered him up. I kissed him on the forehead before tiptoeing out of his room.

  My mom was in the kitchen cooking a snack while Dex and I stood in the living room, gathering our thoughts after such a long day. I looked up at Dex as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. He squeezed me tight, pulled back, and kissed my lips softly. He smiled softly.

  “Will you come back and stay with me tonight?”

  I nodded and grabbed my jacket, checking that it was okay with my mom, which of course it was. Dex opened the front door for me and I practically floated down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk. I was living in a dream. We climbed into the limo and turned on the heat as I snuggled in close to Dex. As soon as our eyes met, our lips followed and I found myself caught up in a steamy embrace in the back of his limo. He grabbed my face, pressing his mouth hard against mine. His hands moved down my shoulders and to my waist, pulling me roughly to him. I leaned into him, knowing this was exactly what I needed to make the day even more perfect. As we drove through the city toward his penthouse, the glow of the city lights flashed across our faces through the tinted limousine windows. I opened my mouth wide for him and moaned softly as his tongue flicked across mine. I could feel a heat in my stomach stronger than any I’d felt before.

  When we pulled up to the complex, Dex took my hand and walked me inside, spending no time dallying. In the elevator, we immediately reconnected, this time with more passion. My hands ran over his body and up his chest as we kissed. He slid his hands down over my breasts, down my stomach, and grasped my wet mound. Even through the jeans and layers, he could tell that I was more aroused than I had ever been before. When the doors to the elevator opened to his penthouse, I took no time looking around, but instead began to undress him, walking backward as he led me toward his bedroom.

  In the dark, I pulled his shirt from his shoulders and kissed down his neck, feeling his erection through his pants as it pressed against me. My hands trailed down to his belt and I struggled to get it free. He smiled and reached down, trying to help. I backed up and pulled my sweater over my head and tossed it to the side. I slipped my pants and panties off and climbed up onto the bed. He was so busy getting his shoes and socks off that he hadn’t even noticed I was now lying in his bed, waiting for him to take me. He tossed his shoe on the floor and met my body with his eyes. I slowly parted my legs and watched as he licked his sumptuous lips. I could feel my wetness dripping down my pussy and all I wanted was to feel him deep inside of me, to hold me close while he thrust slowly and gently.

  Dex bit his bottom lip and crawled up the bed toward me, his cock hard and erect. As he put his hands on either side of my waist, I thought he would continue upward but instead, he looked up at me with darkened blue eyes and lowered his face to my pussy. The feeling of his mouth on my skin aroused me instantly and I moaned as he pushed his tongue outward and licked the juices from my pussy lips. Immediately, my hips began to grind as he rubbed my clit with his fingers and licked feverishly at the rest of me. I reached my hand down and placed it gently on the top of his head.

  “Make love to me,” I whispered. “All night.”

  Chapter 11: Dex

  She tasted amazing and I couldn’t get enough of her. The sound of her voice enticing me to enter her was too much to ignore and tonight was not about games. I licked her wet pussy one last time before sliding up to her face and pressing my lips against hers. Without batting an eye, I dipped my hips low and pushed deep inside of her, wanting to feel every part of her for just a moment. I groaned loudly as her juices enveloped my cock before I reached over to the bedside table and pulled a condom from the top drawer. As much as I wanted her, I had to be careful. I pulled the condom out as fast as I could and slid it over my dick. I le
aned back down and sensually kissed her neck as she spread her legs wide and welcomed me back inside her.

  Slowly, I writhed on top of her, pushing in deep and slowly making my way back out. Our lips stayed locked together and I grabbed her hand in mine as I thrust deep and hard. She moaned loudly and arched her back, feeling the girth of my cock inside of her. As she released her muscles and fell back down, we rolled over the bed and she straddled me, immediately grinding her hips against me. I ran my hand up her chest as she flipped her hips, gasping as my fingers ran across her clit. She leaned back, her tits bouncing with her hips, and grasped my thighs, pulling her body up and down my long shaft. I could see the heat building in her as her muscles tensed. She pulled forward and put her hands on my chest. She began to grind hard and fast, her moans getting louder and louder with each moment.

  “Yes, baby, come for me,” I whispered, watching her bite her bottom lip. She pushed down harder.

  I grabbed her hips and moved them fast while she reached up to grab her tits, flinging her head back and screaming loudly. I could feel her body constricting and her pussy pulsating around my erection. The juices were warm and wet as they flowed over my cock and pooled at the base of my shaft. Before she was completely done, I flipped her over on her back and pounded her hard, feeling her get wetter and wetter. We were breathing hard and fast as our bodies tumbled back and forth across the sheets, our emotions spilling out through our touch. She reached up and pulled my face toward hers, kissing me deep and long as I moved in and out of her. As she moaned softly into my mouth, I could feel the heat of the orgasm rising higher. I wasn’t ready to be done but by that point, I didn’t have a choice.

  I grabbed onto both of her hands and thrust hard and deep, holding it in and pressing my mouth against hers as I erupted in orgasm. The waves of passion pushed through my body and I groaned loudly. My hips twitched forward slightly as I released the last of my seed and collapsed into Casey’s arms. I slid my dick out of her and moved down, laying my head on her chest while I tried to catch my breath. I could feel her hands rubbing my back gently as I laid there, listening to the sound of her heart beat inside her chest.

  As our bodies relaxed, I wrapped my arms around Casey and pulled her close. We drifted to sleep still intertwined around each other’s body. I could feel her heavy breathing and I felt as if everything was just as it should be. Even when we shifted or moved in the bed, we ended up close, like we were drawn to each other. As the sun peaked over the buildings and shone through the bedroom window, I yawned, rubbing my hand down Casey’s back, glad she hadn’t run away like before. She turned over and smiled up at me, closing her eyes as I kissed her soft lips. We pulled ourselves from the bed, knowing we needed to get Casey home since Seth would be waking up soon, if he hadn’t already.

  We pulled our clothes on in blissful silence, straightening our hair and trying to look somewhat presentable. I called down for a car and we took our time walking out to the street. We climbed inside, sitting close to one another. I watched Casey as the morning light blanketed her in a glow and her eyes sparkled. The weather outside was cold but the feeling between us was warm and familiar. I watched as the shop owners hung different seasonal decorations in their store windows and people walked along bundled in warm jackets and knit gloves. Instantly, I could feel that happy feeling I felt when I was a child during the holidays, something I truly had missed. When we arrived at her house, Casey invited me up for coffee and I gladly accepted, not ready to part ways with yet. For some reason, I just couldn’t seem to pull myself away from her.

  We walked hand in hand to the door, up the stairs, and into the apartment. The smell of coffee and bacon filled my nose and I could hear Seth talking to his grandmother in the kitchen. We rounded the corner and were greeted by sweet hellos from both Andrea and Seth. Andrea was flipping bacon on the stove and Seth was sitting at the table drawing.

  “Hi Dex,” he said, still looking down at his picture. Casey winked at me as she pulled coffee mugs from the cupboard and started preparing our coffee.

  “Hey, buddy,” I said, ruffling his brown hair with my hands. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Yeah,” he said without thought.

  “Whatcha drawing?” I looked over his shoulder and moved to the side, sitting down next to him.

  “Buildings,” he replied. “This one was from when we went to the pumpkin patch. It’s the farmhouse.”

  “I can see that,” I said. “When I was little, I used to draw buildings too.”

  “You did?” His eyes got big like he had never met another artist in his life.

  “Yep,” I said. “My mom would take me all over the city and let me draw while she ran errands.”

  “My mom won’t let me be alone in the city like that.” He scoffed.

  “Well, you are only four and your mom loves you more than the world,” I said, laughing. “Maybe when you’re older.”

  Casey brought my cup of coffee over and set it on the table in front of me. I smiled as she patted me on the head and leaned down to kiss my cheek. This felt so perfect that it was terrifying. I sat back in the chair and drank some of my hot brew, staring down at the paper as Seth scribbled and scratched. I could hear Andrea and Casey talking but I zoned out, thinking about when I was Seth’s age. I used to sit at my kitchen table doing the same exact thing. I had a weird way of holding the pencils since my fingers were fat when I was a kid. I looked down at Seth and watched as he pushed his thumb between his middle and ring finger while he held the crayon, exactly as I did. I shook my head with a frown. Surely, it was just a strange coincidence.

  As I took another drink of my coffee, I thought about the amount of time I was away versus how old Seth was. I shook my head again, feeling silly for even thinking about it. It couldn’t be, could it? I watched as Seth studied his picture hard, looking for any imperfections, scrubbing out one side and fixing the other. I stared at him for several moments, trying to find any kind of connection between us. I must have looked absolutely nuts just staring at the kid. I looked over at Casey who was watching me with a strange look on her face. Suddenly, it hit me like a ton of bricks. This kid could actually be mine. But why would she hide it from me? No, I had to be wrong, I had to be making this up in my head.

  Immediately, panic rushed through my chest and I set my coffee down, standing up quickly and accidentally knocking over the chair in the process. Everyone looked over at me in confusion and Casey took a step forward, panic on her face. I picked up the chair and laughed nervously. I looked around at Casey’s mom and then back down at the handsome little boy sitting in front of me. I didn’t want to freak anyone out so I took a deep breath and cleared my throat.

  “So, I just realized I have a big project tomorrow that I am in no way prepared for,” I said, knowing it was a terrible lie. “Thank you so much for the coffee.”

  I handed Casey the cup and moved quickly through the kitchen and out to the door. I put my coat and gloves on and looked up as Casey stood stunned and confused in the hallway. I flashed her a fake smile and grabbed the doorknob, pulling hard until I realized it was still locked. Casey walked over and unlocked it, pulling it open and staring at me. I looked at her for a moment, wanting to say something, anything, but I couldn’t. I walked out of the door and down the steps, bursting out into the cold morning air. I closed the door behind me and took in a deep breath, not sure where to go from there. I looked down at my driver who was holding the door open, so I pulled my coat closed and jumped in the car.

  A thousand thoughts flew through my mind on the drive home. Seth was four years old, I had slept with Casey five years ago, meaning there was a very good chance that Seth could be mine. I shook my head and chuckled darkly. Casey would have told me if I had a child floating around out there somewhere. If not Casey, surely my sister Natalie would have let me know immediately. Part of me wanted to call Natalie but I knew she was still on her honeymoon and I didn’t want to ruin that with drama, especially if I just overthinking
things. The drawings had to be a coincidence, lots of kids like buildings and drawing.

  When we pulled up in front of my complex, I got out and went straight upstairs, tossed my coat on the rack, and grabbed a beer from the fridge. I was definitely more than a little spooked at the thought of Seth being my child. I wasn’t ready to be a father, even if it meant raising an amazing little boy with such a wonderful woman like Casey. I had a huge career and a lot of responsibilities and I purposely didn’t settle down because I needed my space and my time to take care of those things. As I sat in the living room, sipping my beer and staring out at the city, I could feel myself distancing from Casey and the whole situation.

  I set the bottle down on the coffee table and walked into my bedroom, pulling out several suits and my suitcase. Without thinking, as if I was being controlled like a robot, I unpacked my dresser and repacked my bags. This was all too much for me and I pushed it deep down, determined to clear my mind. I got too caught up in everything with Casey and that needed to stop right now. It was time. It didn’t matter that I still had time left before my next trip. It didn’t matter that I’d grown to truly care for Casey and Seth. Nothing mattered more than my desire to bolt. I had to get out of town as fast as possible.

  Chapter 12: Casey