“Can it wait?” I pouted, taking his length into my hands and caressing it. He growled and pulled away.
“It can’t, baby. It’ll only take a minute,” he said, hopping out of bed and answering the phone as he walked out of the bedroom.
I flopped back onto the pillows with a sigh, mentally cursing Rocky. The throbbing between my legs was intense and begging to be relieved. He was too far away from the bedroom to know what they were talking about, but I prayed he didn’t have to leave so soon. Rolling over, I grabbed his pillow and hugged it to my chest. His cologne permeated my senses as I buried my face into it and inhaled deeply. I could get use to this. I liked the idea of him being here permanently. I’d finally found someone who made me feel as complete as Steve did, but treated me so much better.
O’Shea appeared in the doorway, his cock still erect. I bit my lip and patted the empty space beside me.
“Are you coming back to bed, lover boy?” I purred. He sighed and shook his head.
“They need me to come in for a few hours, babe. I’m sorry,” he frowned. I sat up and pulled the sheets over my bare chest.
“Oh…it’s fine. I understand,” I said, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. Now I’m going to have to finish myself off in the shower.
As if reading my mind, he smirked at me. “Want to join me in the shower?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. I bounced out of bed and moved over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Does this mean you’ll finish what you started?” I asked with a grin.
“Mm…need me to cure that aching throb that only my cock can fix?” he murmured, licking his lips.
“Yes,” I whispered, biting my lip. He picked me up before I could even react. I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me to the bathroom. His kiss was carnal and full of hunger as his tongue explored my mouth. The tip of his cock pressed against me, teasing me relentlessly.
He growled as I ground against him, anxious to feel him inside me. Stepping into the shower, he placed me on my feet and turned on the water. We both shrieked as the ice cold water sprayed us.
“Shit, that’s freezing,” he exclaimed. His eyes darkened when he noticed my hardened nipples, completely forgetting about the cold water. He wasted no time taking it into his mouth, swirling his tongue around one while rolling the other between his thumb and forefinger.
“I need you inside me, baby,” I moaned, stroking his cock with my hand. He lifted me against the shower wall and slipped his tongue into my mouth as he plunged into me, muffling the loud groan that left my lips. I held onto him tightly as he pummeled into me, slowly satiating the throb deep within me.
“You feel so good, sex kitten,” he growled as his grip on my ass tightened. The water pelted down on us, the steam no match for the fiery passion flowing between our bodies.
“Please, harder,” I begged, tightening my legs around him as I felt myself moving closer to my well-needed release. He pumped harder and faster, his strokes becoming rough and animal-like. My screams echoed off the shower tile, the tingling sensation spreading like wildfire through my body.
“Fuck, baby, I’m almost there,” he breathed, burying his face in the crook of my neck. My legs locked around him as I bit into his shoulder to muffle the scream that erupted through me as I hit my peak. O’Shea groaned and pulled out of me in an instant, releasing his seed on the shower floor.
I kissed along his jawline until he was empty. “Man,” he panted, resting his forehead against mine.
“That good?” I purred between kisses. He cupped my chin in his hand and placed a firm kiss on my lips.
“Sex is always amazing with you,” he winked, setting me back on my feet. Feeling weak at the knees, I grabbed the railing to steady myself. He looked at me with an amused grin. “You okay to stand on your own?”
I waved him off and giggled. “I’m perfectly fine,” I countered. We bathed in silence for a few minutes, switching sides to rinse our bodies. The sight of soapsuds rolling down his muscles was enough to get me going again. When I reached for him, he caught my hand.
“As much as I want to go for a second round and ravish you, I have to get to work,” he said, pecking me on the lips and stepping out the shower.
He waited for me with a towel while his was wrapped around his waist. I took it with a small grin and wrapped myself in it, following him into the bedroom.
“What are you doing today?” he asked, patting himself dry. I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what my mom said at dinner that night,” I started.
“What do you mean?”
“About becoming an interior designer.” His eyes widened in surprise as a smile crept across his face.
“Babe, that’ll be great for you.”
“I’m a bit nervous though. I mean of course I know how to decorate my own stuff, but what if my taste isn’t what everyone else likes?”
He pulled on a pair of boxers and came to sit on the side of the bed, pulling me onto his lap. “Then you can study different styles and things.”
“But starting a business can be expensive.”
He nodded. “But we’ll figure it out.”
“I also still have to pay Steve.”
“I know. We’ll figure it out.”
“And the bills—”
He pressed his lips to mine and caressed my cheek. “I know all of that. We’ll figure it all out. If it’s something you truly want to do, I’ll support you. I’m sure your parents will support you as well.”
I smiled. “New beginnings, huh?”
He kissed my forehead. “That and more.”
His phone chirped with a text message alert. He leaned back and grabbed his phone from the head of the bed, reading over the message. “My mom and sisters wanted to know if you'd like to join them for breakfast,” he mentioned. At the sight of my hesitation, he gave me a light squeeze around my waist. “My mom reassured me that Kayla went back to Virginia late last night. It’ll just be the four of you today.”
I nodded and kissed him. “Sounds good. I guess I better get dressed then,” I said and got off his lap. He pulled on the jeans he had on last night.
“I have to go down to my truck and get my suitcase. Be back in a sec,” he said and moved toward the door, pausing when he reached the doorway. He turned back and looked at me. “And Ash?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you. Everything is going to work out,” he murmured with a soft smile. My cheeks warmed at his words as I returned his smile.
“I know. I love you, too,” I replied. He disappeared from the room and an excited squeal slipped when I'd heard him exit the apartment. I used to think my world had ended when Steve and I broke up months ago. He’d made me believe I was damaged goods, not capable or worthy of finding anyone who treated me right. I didn't know what the future held for me or my budding relationship with O’Shea, but I was prepared for the ride.
Everything would be just fine.
Epilogue
O’Shea
One year later
“Baby, come look at this,” Ashton called from the couch. I grabbed my sandwich from the counter and made my way into the living room, flopping down next to her and looking at the computer screen.
“What’s up? What are we looking at?” I asked, taking a bite from my sandwich.
“What do you think of this mock-up design?” she asked, showing me a 3-D model of a living room she’d designed.
“It looks nice. Going for a contemporary look?”
“You can tell?” she asked, her eyes lighting up. I chuckled.
“You’ve been talking design stuff for months now. It’s hard not to know this stuff,” I said. She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well, yeah. I’m going for contemporary. I have light grey wallpaper and artwork in white frames to really make it pop against the color. Then here you have the dark grey sectional with white throw pillows, a dark stained wooden coff
ee table and end tables. Then the table lamps with white shades and a neutral colored rug here.”
I nodded. “It’s nice, baby. I like the little accents you put on the coffee table.”
“Yeah? I thought it looked a little too bare, so I kept it simple by just putting a tray on there and putting a small potted flower, candle, and a little vase with potpourri.”
“Have you showed it to your client yet?”
“Not yet. Kind of nervous.”
I kissed her forehead. “It looks good, babe. Besides, it’s just a mock. If they don’t like it, it’ll be easier to make changes to the design instead of after you’ve already changed the room in their house,” I said.
“You’re right. I’ll send it.”
“Good. Then you need to get dressed. We’re supposed to be going to your parents’ for dinner, remember?”
“Oh shit. I forgot about that,” she said, putting her computer on the coffee table and jumping off the couch. “I’m going to take a shower really quick. I won’t be long,” she said and rushed down the hall.
I pulled out my phone and saw a text message from Ashton’s dad.
Phil: Hey O! Just picked your mom and sisters up from the airport. Plane came a little late. Everything else is ready. See you soon, bud!
My heart quickened in my chest. As I thought of the events over the past year, it was hard to believe how far we’d come. She was just the woman that I’d stumbled upon at work, not even knowing I’d been talking to her on a phone sex line. We’d gone from enemies—at least on her end, to friends, to lovers, and now I was going to ask for her hand in marriage tonight.
Surprisingly I wasn’t nervous. I felt confident in my decision and confident that Ashton was my soul mate. She’d told me every single night how much she loved me ever since the night we finally told each other. I didn’t doubt that she’d say yes, but it didn’t stop memories of my last rejection to rise to the surface.
I took a deep breath and blinked the thoughts away. Ashton was so different from Kayla. The simplest things made her smile, she wasn’t high maintenance, and she appreciated the fact that I worked hard, despite my job title. A smile settled on my lips. Yeah, I was making the right decision.
Pulling the ring box from my pocket, I opened it and marveled at the rose and white gold diamond halo ring. Micro diamonds encircled the band, the large diamond glittering under the light.
“Okay, I’m ready,” Ashton said as she came down the hall. I snapped the box closed and quickly stuffed it back in my pocket as she entered the living room, fiddling with the clasp of a bracelet. She wore a flowing, thin pink dress that stopped above her knees and white sandals, her hair hanging in natural waves. Her makeup was light, but her dark, matte red lipstick was bold.
“That was fast,” I said, standing and moving over to meet her, kissing her gently. Her strawberry and creme body wash clouded my head as I held her close to me, nuzzling her neck.
“I told you I wouldn’t be long,” she murmured, hugging me. “Ready to go?”
“I don’t know. You look so beautiful I’d rather just take you back to the bedroom for a little while. Besides, I wonder how that dark lipstick will look on my cock later on tonight,” I said with a wicked smile.
She laughed and swatted me away. “Oh shut up. As nice as that sounds, my dad said he was grilling steaks tonight and I don’t want to miss that,” she said.
I nodded and ushered her toward the door. “I definitely agree with that. Let’s go then.”
∞∞∞
My heart raced in my chest as we got closer and closer to her parents’ house. It seemed like yesterday when she brought me to her parents’ house for the first time. It was also the day she completely opened up to me in the loft. It was then that she gave me the courage to not close myself off from love. I glanced over at her. The summer air whipped through her hair, the setting sun glowing off her beautiful face. She looked over at me and smiled when I took her hand in mine.
I brought her hand to my lips and placed a gentle kiss on it. “I love you,” I said.
“I love you too, babe,” she murmured.
When we arrived to her parents’ house, Ashton groaned at all the cars in the yard.
“So much for having all the steaks to myself,” she joked as she got out of the truck. I walked around the truck and put an arm around her waist.
“I’m sure there will be plenty of steaks,” I said. We followed the music into the backyard, which bustled with many people.
“I thought this was just a regular dinner. I didn’t know it was a cookout,” Ashton whispered to me.
“Eh, I can dig it,” I said as Phillip approached us.
“Well, if it isn’t my man and my beautiful daughter!” he bellowed as he pulled us into a hug. “I already set two steaks aside for you, honey. And I even got a secret one stashed away if you brought your appetite.”
Ashton laughed. “Thanks, Dad. I definitely did.”
“Good, good. You’re mom’s in the kitchen. You should go say hi while I talk to O’Shea here.”
Ashton shook her head. “Haven’t even been here for five minutes and you’re already riled up to start your car talk,” she teased. She kissed me and let go of my hand, making her way into the house.
“I know this is probably earlier than you’d want to do this, but the sun is setting a little quicker than I’d anticipated. If you want the effect you mentioned with the sunset, we may want to go ahead and do it,” he murmured, keeping his voice low.
“Is everyone here? Her friends?”
“Everyone’s accounted for. Your family’s over there,” he said, pointing to a picnic table that my sisters, mom, and a couple of Ashton’s family members sat.
I nodded, blowing out a shaky breath. My heart raced in my chest. It was now or never.
“Let’s do it,” I finally said.
Phillip clapped me on the shoulder, a small smile on his face. “You’re a good man, O’Shea. I wouldn’t want anyone else for my daughter.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He nodded. “Well, I’m going to gather Savannah and her friends to get the horses.”
“Sounds good. I’m going to go speak to my family really fast,” I said. He gave me a thumbs up and walked away. I strolled across the yard and sat down next to my mother.
“Shea! I didn’t know you were here!” she exclaimed, hugging me.
“Just got here. Hopefully the flight wasn’t too bad.”
She waved me off. “Boy, it was literally a forty-minute flight. We really could’ve drove.”
“All that matters is that you’re here,” I said.
“Are you nervous?” Olivia asked.
I shrugged. “Kind of.”
“Well, don’t be. Ashton’s a good girl and I know she’ll say yes. You two are crazy about each other.”
“I know, but…insecurities, you know?”
Olivia nodded. “Yeah, I get it.”
Paris smiled. “So when are you popping the question?”
“We’re—”
“O’Shea! Good to go!” Phillip damn near shouted across the pool. I gave him a thumbs up.
“I guess I’m doing it now. Come on.”
Janice stood on a chair with a megaphone. “Hello, everyone! I need everyone to go line up at the fence for a little presentation with the horses!”
Ashton put down a tray of meatballs, looking around in confusion. “What’s going on?” she asked when she approached me. I locked my fingers with hers and shrugged.
“I don’t know. Something about the horses,” I said, trying to keep the nerves out of my voice.
We followed everyone across the grass. Everyone spread out along the fence, allowing Ashton and I the center spot. The beautiful colors of the sunset provided a perfect background for the romantic occasion. I looked over to Phillip and nodded.
“We’re ready for you, Savannah,” he said into a walkie talkie. I put my arm around Ashton’s waist, kissing her cheek gentl
y. Everyone watched as Savannah and four of her friends came riding onto the field on horses, each of them holding a flagpole. They ran around the field a couple of times before lining the horses up side by side. I reached into my pocket, taking the ring box into my hand. The girls released their flags and rode closer to us, holding the flags up to wave in the wind.
Ashton squinted, reading the words out loud as the girls passed. “Ashton….will….you….marry…m—AH!” she screamed and looked me as I got down on one knee in front of her. “O’Shea! Oh my God!”
I took her hand into mine as I smiled at her. “Last year you brought me here for the first time. It was in the barn loft that I knew for a fact that I was in love with you and knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. This has been the best year of my entire life and having you as my partner in life would make me the happiest man in the world. Thank you for trusting me with your love and your heart. I’ve never been so grateful to find the perfect piece for my life puzzle, so…” I opened the ring box. “Will you complete my puzzle by becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”
Her body shook with sobs, unable to speak. She nodded and smiled through her tears.
“Yes,” she finally managed to get out. I kissed the back of her hand and slid the ring on her finger. She hugged me tight as everyone around us clapped for us. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, baby.”
Everyone came over to congratulate us. Janice hugged me tight, tears streaming down her face.
“Oh, I’m just so happy!” she exclaimed, hugging me again before turning to Ashton. “And that ring is gorgeous!”
Alex and Ava came over and jumped on me, damn near knocking me on the ground. “Now you’re officially stuck with us!” Alex exclaimed as she hugged me. I chuckled.
“I kind of figured that when Ashton and I started dating,” I teased.
“Let’s see that ring, girl,” Ava said, bouncing up and down. They marveled over the ring, giggling and gushing amongst themselves. Phillip came over and put an arm around my shoulders.
“Welcome to the family, son,” he said.
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