A Real Man: Limited Edition

by Jenika Snow

  Over and over he surged into me and retreated. I felt the world coming apart, caving in, shattering all around me until nothing else mattered. He plunged into me once more and stilled, burying his length in my body, getting off hard, like I was in that moment.

  “Fuck. Yeah.” His hands on me would surely leave bruises, but I welcomed those marks.

  His big body was so tense, his pleasure seeming to go on and on, never-ending, just like mine. I swore I could feel his seed filling me up, slipping from me and soaking the sheets in our passion.

  The pleasure went on for hours, days, hell, maybe even my entire life. It all meshed together, making me feel as though I were above it all, looking down, experiencing a plethora of things.

  My breath caught, his body resting on mine, and I knew this feeling would forever be ingrained in my mind, in my very existence. This was what complete felt like. Even though I knew he’d come, could feel it in the way his body had responded, tensed, his cock was still so hard in me. After long seconds the breath leaving me at his weight, Deacon pulled out of me and rolled to his side. We both made soft sounds, but before I could even shift on the bed, Deacon was pulling me close to him, his huge form like a living blanket, keeping me warm, making me feel protected.

  “Christ, Maddie.”

  We both breathed harshly, our chests rising and falling, our bodies covered in that delicious sweat. I moved my fingers down his arm, over his hand, and felt the callouses, saw the stains from his hard work, from the manual labor he did every day.

  “You’re mine. Irrevocably.”

  I shifted so I could look at his face.

  “I’m not letting you go, Maddie. From the moment I saw you, from the moment I knew what I was feeling for you wouldn’t be pushed back, I knew that you’d be mine.” He pulled me impossibly closer. “I knew that there was no one else, nothing else, that would make me happier than having you by my side.”

  Maybe to some it would sound strange, fast, insta-crazy to the nth degree. And maybe he did. Maybe it was. But the truth was I didn’t care. This felt incredible, Deacon felt amazing, and I wasn’t going to question it.

  I knew, without a doubt, that there was nowhere else, no one else I wanted to be with.

  10

  Deacon

  I could feel Maddie watching me, and it turned me on knowing she saw what I did for a living, that she might even be aroused because of it. Being a blacksmith was an age-old trade, one I was damn good at, one I busted my ass making perfect. I’d created this business—my business—from the ground up, and used my sweat and blood to make sure it was successful. It had been the only important thing in my life.

  Until Maddie became mine.

  Now she was the priority, my top concern. And this was the job I’d have: to make sure Maddie was well taken care of and always provided for.

  I’ll make sure she is always mine.

  I hammered out the metal, smoothing it, making it flat, workable. I grabbed it with the tongs once more, put it in the fire, and watched as the metal heated, glowing. I brought it back out and went to work on it with my hammer again, the bang, bang, bang filling my head. I made sure Maddie stayed a safe distance away but felt pride that she watched, that when I glanced at her, she seemed transfixed.

  I don’t know how long I worked, my mind focused on getting this piece right, but once I was done, I took the shaped metal and dipped it in the bucket of water. Steam rose up, a white cloud of completion. I set it aside, put my tools down, and glanced at Maddie. The men who worked for me were off in another part of the building. The bay doors were closed, we were alone, and all I wanted was her. Maybe she saw the way I watched her, or felt the same intense arousal as I did, because she hopped down from the bench she sat on and walked over to me. She’d been a good twenty feet away. Although I would have preferred her to be outside while I worked, safe from anything and everything in the garage, I couldn’t deny it turned me on having her here.

  She glanced around, presumably to see if we were alone. I wanted to tell her we were, that even if there were some of my guys lingering too close, I would have told them to fuck off while I took her right over a workbench.

  Neither of us said anything, but we didn’t need to. The knowledge of what we both wanted was bouncing between us. I was sweaty, dirty from working all morning, and she was clean, so fucking pristine.

  “Fuck me, Deacon. Right here, right now.”

  Hearing her be bold, all but demanding what she wanted, had my cock so fucking hard. The length pressed against the zipper of my pants, needing out, needing to be buried in her tight, wet body.

  I didn’t waste any time. I was by her in the next second and backing her up so we were behind one of the machines I worked with. I unzipped my pants, helped her out of hers, and pulled her panties aside. I didn’t even bother taking the fuckers off. Once I had her lifted and in my arms, I aligned my dick with her pussy entrance, stared into her eyes, and thrust in deeply. I groaned, she gasped. I wouldn’t last, not with how tight and wet she was.

  Over and over I thrust into her, my balls drawing up tightly, her cries of completion filling my head in a matter of seconds. That was all it took for me to come. I pumped three times into her before stilling and getting off, filling her with my seed, making her take it all.

  When I was spent and I felt Maddie’s pussy contracting and relaxing around my cock, signaling she’d climaxed, only then did I pull out and set her down. I held her for long seconds, listening to her breathing return to normal, knowing this woman was my everything. I didn’t have to be with her for years to know this, to accept it.

  I knew it in my heart.

  “Can I pick you up later today?” Truth was, if she let me, I’d pick her up and drop her off every single day. I wanted to be near her, to make sure she was safe, to make sure she had everything she needed. Maybe to some the way I wanted to keep her close was too possessive, maybe not even “manly,” but fuck all that. When I was with Maddie, I felt like a real man. I felt like I had purpose, and making her happy was at the top of that list.

  She pulled back, smiled at me, and my heart jumped in my chest. “I’d like that.”

  I pulled her in close again, tangled my hand in her hair, and kissed her until she was breathless. Damn, I was so fucking addicted to this woman, and no way in hell was I going to give her up.

  Maddie

  I sat on the stone step and waited for Deacon to pick me up. I’d gotten out of class about twenty minutes early, but instead of calling him, knowing he’d drop whatever he was doing and come to get me, I enjoyed the weather. Students walked by me, some ecstatic about test scores, others bitching about their workload. I glanced down at my bag, feeling all kinds of giddy and stupid, knowing there wasn’t anything that could make me smile the way Deacon did.

  I heard his SUV approaching, lifted my head, and saw the dark vehicle pulling up to the curb. I stood, but before I could make it to him, Deacon was out and striding toward me. God, he looked so good, so big and strong. He made the college guys I went to school with seem so…inferior. I smiled, about to tell him how good he looked, or maybe tell him how much I missed him, but before I could say anything, he had me in his arms.

  He pulled me in close, and I felt his hand slide down to my ass. I couldn’t help but grin at him. I also didn’t stop him, didn’t care who saw, who watched the man I had fallen for stake his claim. And that’s what he was doing. He was making it known I was his, and I was more than happy with that. I tipped my head back and smiled.

  “What has you grinning?” he said in that gruff, masculine voice of his.

  “You being all territorial of me. It’s cute.”

  He gave my ass a swat, and I rose on my toes, really liking the sting his actions caused.

  “I have to be. There are all these young assholes eyeing you. I want them to know you’re mine.”

  I rose on my toes and kissed him. His arms tightened on me, and I grinned against his lips. “You’re mine just as
much as I’m yours.”

  He gave my ass one more swat. “And that’s the damn truth, baby.” He pulled away, and we headed toward the passenger side. But before he opened the door, he leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “When we get back to your place, I’m going to bend you over the kitchen table and fuck you until you know you’re mine.”

  I sure as hell wasn’t about to deny that, but instead of submitting—even if I wanted to—I grinned and rose on my toes. “I already know I’m yours, just like you know you’re mine.” The growl he made had tingles racing up my spine.

  “Watch it, baby, or I’ll drag you across the seat and fuck you right here, only the tinted windows hiding what we are doing.”

  Damn, this man had a way with words. I kissed him then, wanting to get back to my house faster than I ever had before.

  Epilogue

  Maddie

  Two years later

  My hands were shaking, my heart was thundering, and all I could think about where the what-ifs, the fact that this might not be the best for Deacon.

  I’d finished my schooling, was even interning in my profession. This little bomb was certainly a surprise, and whether it was a good one or bad one for Deacon would be revealed very soon. When I couldn’t sit on the couch any longer, I stood and started pacing. I stared at the things Deacon and I had collected for our home over the last two years, the things I’d brought from my home, the things he’d already had here. We complemented each other, fit perfectly together, yet I was still worried.

  I stared down at my engagement ring. He’d asked me for my hand in marriage a year ago, but we both decided waiting until I was done with school was the best option. But now here I was, carrying our unborn baby, the positive pregnancy stick staring at me from the coffee table.

  When I looked at the clock, the time seemed to stand still. I made my way into the kitchen, staring out the window above the sink, and saw a flash of something in the distance. Deacon’s SUV came down the road, pulled into our driveway, and for long seconds I felt myself frozen. I knew he loved me, so much that he told me it hurt his chest. That always had this tingling taking root in my entire body, told me I was the luckiest girl in the world.

  I watched as he climbed out of his vehicle, his big body appearing dirty in the best of ways, looking like he worked hard for a living, did manly things. When I heard the front door open, I closed my eyes and breathed out. He called for me, but I was almost in a trance in that moment. And when several long minutes passed, I snapped my eyes open. He would be looking for me in the living room, and I’d left the pregnancy test on the coffee table.

  I made my way out of the kitchen and into the living room and stopped, not able to move, not able to breathe. Deacon had his back to me, standing in front of the coffee table, and from the position he was in I could see the pregnancy stick in his hand. My throat tightened, my mouth went dry, and panic settled in. This certainly wasn’t how I’d wanted him to find out.

  “Hey.” I was trying to be calm, trying not to seem like I was freaking out, but the truth was I was so over being tense that I wouldn’t be surprised if everything in me snapped. He turned around slowly, his expression neutral, as it always seemed to be. He still held the test, maybe waiting for me to say something, but the truth was I didn’t know what to say in that moment. “I didn’t want you to see the test on the table and find out that way,” I finally managed to say.

  Making my way into the room again, I stared at him, trying to judge what he was thinking or feeling. “I know we’ve been together for two years, and I’m done with school, but we’ve never actually spoken about a family. This is probably scaring the shit out of you.” It is me.

  “You’re pregnant,” he said, no expression covering his face. Was he in shock? It would seem appropriate, but I hated not knowing what he was feeling.

  All I could do was nod, even though he hadn’t phrased it like a question. For long seconds we didn’t speak, didn’t even move. The air was thick, I felt tense, and sweat beaded the valley between my breasts. What would he say? How would he feel about all of this?

  And then he grinned down at me, his straight white teeth flashing, his pleasure and happiness clear. I felt the tension leave me and knew that things would be okay with just that one look. Before I knew what was happening, he had the pregnancy test back on the table and had me in his arms seconds later.

  He held me for a long time, but that was okay, because being in Deacon’s arms always felt like being home.

  “You’re okay with this?” I finally asked, knowing that although he seemed happy, I needed him to say the words. He pulled back, not saying anything, and instead kissed me. The kiss was gentle, loving. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead on mine, both of us breathing the same air, feeling the same things.

  “I’m more than okay with this. I’m fucking ecstatic.” He pulled back then. “I should probably start getting used to watching my mouth.” He grinned, and my heart melted.

  I cupped his cheeks, smiling in return. “I kind of like you swearing. It turns me on.”

  He chuckled and kissed me again. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding on to him, letting him carry my weight, give me love in the gruff way he always did. He set me down after a long moment, my lips pleasantly sore and wet from his. Before I could react or even have time to see what he was doing, Deacon was on his haunches in front of me. He pushed up my shirt, placed a kiss on my belly, and started murmuring soft things. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but the pitch of his voice told me they were sweet.

  “All I want is for you to be happy,” he said and looked up at me. “All I want is for you to always be in my life.”

  I reached down and smoothed my hands over his short, dark hair. “With you I am happy. With you I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

  He stood and pulled me into an embrace. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes, knowing everything would be okay.

  “There’s nothing in this world that could ever make me happy except you and the little person you’re growing.” He pulled away and kissed me. “And I’ll prove to you, show you what a good husband and father I can be.”

  All I could do was smile. I was choked up with emotion, feeling foolish for even thinking Deacon would be upset over this. I was angry with myself that I let my panic outweigh the good he made me feel.

  “You think we can do this?” He had his hand in my hair, stroking the strands, making me feel like I was the only person in this world that he saw.

  Because I am. He shows me that each and every day.

  “I think we’ll be the best parents.” I looked up at him. “You and I can do anything, and this little piece of both of us growing in me is proof that the world can be beautiful, that we are beautiful together.” My words were sappy as hell, but I wasn’t the gruff one. And Deacon might be manly in all ways, but for only me he showed his softer side. “I love you.”

  The smile he gave me had my heart skipping a beat. “It’s only you for me, baby. Only you.”

  And I knew that as much as I knew the sun would rise each and every day.

  Deacon

  Three years later

  “You’re daddy’s girl, aren’t you?” I kissed Abigail on the forehead, the scent of her sweet and innocent. She’d already fallen asleep, her little toddler body curled against me, the fact that she was safe, that she’d always be that way, filling me with joy.

  “You already have her wrapped around your finger,” Maddie said from the kitchen, the smile in her voice evident. I heard her coming into the living room and turned to see her smile wide, the love in her eyes making me feel pretty fucking incredible.

  She sat on the couch beside me, staring at Abigail in my arms. “She looks good there,” she whispered. I looked down at my hands, still stained and calloused from blacksmithing, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Providing for my girls was the best feeling in the world.

  I saw Maddie shift, and heard this slight
sound come from her right before she placed her hand on her rounded belly. “You good, baby?” Worry slammed into me. She turned and faced me, nodding.

  “Yeah. This little boy is just doing somersaults today.” She chuckled softly, and I relaxed. I was careful of not waking Abigail as I moved my hand out from under her and placed it on Maddie’s belly. My wife had already given me one beautiful, strong daughter, and in a few short months she’d give me a son.

  “I love you,” I said, not able to stop myself. I told her each and every day what she meant to me, and would continue doing that until the day I died. I pulled her in close, loving that she rested her head on my shoulder.

  “I love you, too,” she said and reached out to smooth her fingers through Abigail’s dark hair.

  This was my life, and would be until the day I died. And what an incredible fucking life it was.

  The End

  Blacksmith Bonus Scene

  Deacon

  I slammed my hammer down on the anvil, sparks flying everywhere, sweat covering my body, sliding down my temple, cheeks, the flavor of salt covering my lips, my tongue. It was so late as it was, and although I could leave anytime, seeing as I owned the shop, I had so much work to do that checking out before it was done would just set me behind.

  I wanted to go home to Maddie though, wanted to hold her, kiss her, love up on her. I knew the children would already be in bed, but tomorrow I had off and I planned on spending every waking moment with them. I wanted time with my family, wanted to show them, tell them that I loved them.

  Bringing my hammer down on the piece of metal over and over again, I focused on the task at hand, knowing the sooner I got this shit done the sooner I could be with the people who meant the most to me.

  My life was never perfect, but having Maddie in it, having her as my wife, the mother of my beautiful children, made what I did possess perfection. And if anyone ever tried to take that away form me, tried to deny me what was mine, I’d be sure to have them wishing they’d never crossed my path.