HARDER

by Olivia Hawthorne

  “When’s the wedding?” Addy asked me after I’d given her the grand tour of the new house.

  “He still hasn’t asked me,” I said. “I mean, not formally. I know we will at some point but it’s not official yet.”

  “Why don’t you ask him?”

  “I’m old fashioned, I feel like that’s something he needs to do.”

  “I think Gary might pop the question soon,” she said shyly with a big grin.

  “Oh my god, that’s awesome,” I exclaimed. “What makes you think that?”

  “Just a few hints here and there,” she replied and sipped her lemonade. We were sitting on the wide stone patio off the back of the house. Addy’s kids were with Lucy at the stable where our groom was giving them all turns on Lucy’s new pony. Yes, he was white and yes, he was called Mister Feathers.

  “Like what?” I prodded. Gary seemed so back and forth with Addy at times, I really hoped he was about to commit to her. Addy was a wonderful woman and deserved to find love.

  “I don’t know, I found him looking at my rings the other day and he asked me if I would prefer to get married in the winter or summer,” she said. “I can’t explain it, it’s just a feeling I have.”

  “Interesting. I wonder if Caleb is planning anything,” I pondered. He wasn’t around today, he had to head to town to sign some papers for the family business. Ever since he’d taken over from his father, he’d been much busier managing investments and employees. I still didn’t know exactly what Harder Industries actually did. I guess it didn’t matter as long as Caleb was happy and he got paid for it.

  “I’ll bet he is,” Addy said and smiled secretly.

  “Do you know something?” I gasped. “You have to tell me if he’s planning a surprise, I hate surprises!”

  “Even if I did know anything, which I don’t, I would never tell you,” Addy laughed. “And you don’t hate surprises, you hate bad surprises which are totally different.”

  “True,” I replied and narrowed my eyes. “Come on, you have to tell me if you know something.”

  “I know nothing,” she grinned and sipped her lemonade. I decided that she wasn’t going to tell me even if Caleb had confided in her. I would just have to wait and see what happened.

  It would drive me crazy but whatever Caleb had up his sleeve would be amazing. I had to trust him, and I did. My heart gave me no other choice.

  We walked down to watch the kids ride Lucy’s pony and ended up making lunch for the kids later on.

  I loved days like that, they were perfect. I loved being surrounded by friends and family and bright sunshiny days.

  Caleb came home after Addy had left. Lucy heard the front door and raced towards it to tell Caleb all about her time with her friends and Mister Feathers. He held out his arms and she jumped into them, hugging him close and babbling away about her awesome day.

  I smiled at them with love in my heart. Lucy had never been that open with Rolland, it made me proud to see the two of them together.

  “Mommy, can I have some ice cream before dinner?” Lucy asked as Caleb carried her towards me.

  “You know that’s not how it works around here, missy,” I laughed.

  “Caleb? Please?” she pleaded.

  “You know your mom is the big boss,” he told her with a stern look. “You have to eat healthy before you eat dessert, you know the rule.”

  “Fine,” Lucy sighed dramatically. She jumped down and was off in a dash to her room to play dress up before dinner like she did every night.

  “So I’m the big boss, am I?” I asked when we were alone. “I can’t wait to take advantage of that tonight.”

  “Oh, I said around here,” he told me and grabbed my hand. He pulled me into his arms, kissed my neck and squeezed my ass. “I didn’t mean in the bedroom.”

  “I see how it is,” I said looking up at him from under my thick lashes, “I get to be boss lady out here but in there I’m still your little sex servant?”

  “Isn’t that how it’s meant to be?” he growled and nipped at my neck. “Don’t you love it when I order you to strip naked and get on my cock?”

  A shiver of excitement shot through me and I smiled seductively. “Of course,” I whispered. “You know I love it.”

  “Later, my love,” he said in my ear. “Later and you’re mine. Your cunt, your body, your mouth…all of it is mine.”

  “Always,” I exhaled and felt weak in the knees at his words. He had that effect on me; with just a single phrase he could turn my body to liquid desire.

  Somehow we made it through dinner and Lucy’s homework, surviving on glances here and small touches there.

  We read Lucy a story and tucked her into bed. I sat next to her until she fell asleep in her frilly pink bedroom that was above and beyond anything she’d ever dreamed of. And it was finally somewhere she could be proud to bring her friends to.

  It wasn’t that I thought money solved everything, but it didn’t hurt. And it was nice that Lucy was finally no longer the poor kid with the single mom. I no longer felt like I was failing her somehow.

  As soon as I knew she was deep asleep I practically fist pumped and snuck out down the hall to the master bedroom.

  Caleb was more than ready for me. He had lit some candles and was waiting naked in the middle of the room, the golden light making him seem more like a god than a mere mortal.

  He was my god, the god of my heart.

  His massive cock thrust up and he reached for me the moment I stood before him.

  “I thought that was going to take forever,” he rasped and covered my mouth with his. Our tongues danced against each other and I moaned softly, sinking into the sensations of his body against mine.

  “Take these off,” he said as he pulled away. He tugged at my shirt and I stepped back and slowly stripped my clothes off. I stood in front of him in my matching bra and panties and did a little sexy dance.

  “You mean all of it?” I smiled with a wink.

  “All of it,” he growled and hooked my panties with his thumb and tore them from my body. “Don’t taunt me, Brooke, I need your cunt.”

  “I’m not taunting, I’m teasing,” I laughed and stepped back, my bra still on. “There’s a big difference.”

  “Not to me there’s not,” he said and stepped forward. He hooked his finger under my bra strap and yanked it off my shoulder. He reached behind me, undid the clasp and jerked it off my body, leaving me breathless and so bloody turned on I couldn’t think of a clever response.

  I sunk slowly to my knees and looked up at him. I opened my mouth and gripped the shaft of his dick and pumped it as I sucked the head.

  He grabbed my head and exhaled slowly. “Fuck, Brooke, I’ve been thinking about you all day. I hate being away from you. I wanted to sink myself inside you from the moment I left this morning.”

  I moaned and vibrated my mouth against him, he sped up a little and fucked my face as I felt my core turn to liquid fire and melt deep inside.

  He pulled out of me and reached down to pick me up, I laughed and said, “What are you doing?”

  “You,” he replied and walked to the bed. He set me down and climbed overtop of me. “I’m going to fuck you, and then we can taste each other. But for now I need to shoot my load inside your cunt, Brooke, or I’m going to lose my god damned mind.”

  “We can’t have that,” I said, pleased with the ferocity of his need. “Fuck me, Caleb. Fill me up and wear me out.”

  He didn’t reply, he just made a guttural growl in the back of his throat, dropped down between my thighs and thrust himself inside of me.

  I cried out and arched my back. He hooked his hand underneath me and drew me up, close to him.

  He flipped over and ended up sitting on the bed, holding me tight against him, his cock buried deep inside.

  “I love you,” he rasped and thrust up inside of me.

  “I love you too,” I groaned and wrapped my arms around his neck.

  He fucked me hard and
fast, thrusting up and holding my hips so I didn’t bounce right off his cock from the force of his passion.

  Our bodies fit so perfectly together there was no doubt in my mind that we were made for each other. Our hearts beat in time, our hips clashed together and our arms and hands traveled all around each other’s bodies, raising the passion higher and higher.

  “Oh god, I want to come,” I groaned and my head lolled back on my neck, my hair hung down and brushed his knees.

  “Come for me, Brooke. Come on my dick, squeeze it, milk me dry with your beautiful pussy,” he said in a low, thick voice.

  “I am,” I exhaled, “I’m coming, Caleb. Just for you, only for you…”

  And I did, I came so hard I felt like my orgasm was ripping me apart and stitching me back together. It was so intense that the electric energy roaring through my body escaped from my mouth, my voice cried out and I said his name like it was a way to keep me from flying away.

  “Caleb,” I groaned and writhed on his lap. I felt his cock jump and twitch inside and he thrust one last time.

  “I’m going to fill you up,” he said in my ear, “I’m going to put a baby in you, Brooke. I’m going to get you pregnant.”

  “I want your baby,” I said as tears sprung to my eyes. “I want to have a child with you.”

  “I love you,” he grunted and went completely still but his cock jumped so hard inside me I could feel it pounding against the wall of my pussy.

  “I love you too,” I rasped and exhaled as I fell against his chest, feeling so completely connected with him that I could barely figure out where the two of us divided. We felt like one organism, two parts of the same whole.

  I felt Caleb slip out of me and he stood, still holding me in his arms.

  He turned around and laid me gently on the bed, he dropped between my legs and began to kiss and lick me all the way up my legs. His tongue and lips traveled the curved path of my thigh and his mouth found my swollen, slick pussy.

  He pierced it and lapped at my clit, fingered me and brought me to yet another insane orgasm as the candles flickered and my heart filled with even more love for him, if that was humanly possible.

  We came together and from each other’s hands again and again that night, and we fell in love even deeper.

  Chapter 30

  “Oh god, it’s too early,” I told Caleb the next morning. It was too early, it was a Sunday and we normally slept in but he’d gotten a text.

  “It’s good news,” he said, looking at his phone and rolling back into bed with me.

  “What is it?” I asked, barely opening my eyes to look at him.

  “It’s Rolland. He’s agreed to our terms.”

  My lids flipped open and I gasped. “What did you just say?”

  “Rolland is going to give up his rights and let me adopt Lucy.”

  “You’re going to be her Daddy?” I exhaled and felt tears again. There were so many tears these days, but always tears of joy, unlike my tears of anguish I had before.

  “Looks like it,” he said with a grin. “We’re going to be a family.”

  “I can’t wait to tell her,” I said and sat up. “We need to wait until all the papers are signed though, right?”

  “We really should,” he said quietly. “I don’t want anything to go wrong and have her disappointed.

  “Good plan,” I said. “Once it goes through it will be the most amazing surprise.”

  I stretched out and rolled into his arms. “I’ll surprise both of you with pancakes this morning,” he said and nuzzled my neck.

  “Sounds good to me,” I chirped and rolled away back under the covers. “Let me know when they’re ready.”

  He smacked my ass on the way out of bed and I giggled like a crazy woman. I was so madly in love with him it was almost ridiculous.

  True to his word, he made pancakes and brought some in bed for me. I ate them and read my kindle and enjoyed the luxury of doing nothing on a Sunday. Caleb took Lucy to the stable to spend some time with Mister Feathers and I indulged like I never had before.

  My mom called to update me on Dad’s latest round of treatments. Caleb had paid for him to travel to some exclusive cancer hospital in New York and the medicine they were giving him seemed to be helping somewhat. He was still terminal, but it would extend his life a few years and let him live pain-free.

  I was so happy to have a little more time with him.

  My brother was apparently adjusting to his job as Caleb’s company pilot. Caleb’s executives had to fly a lot around the country and they maintained a couple of private jets for just that purpose. David was settling in splendidly and I felt thrilled to be able to help out my little brother.

  I did get out of bed eventually and was fully ready to go by Lucy’s soccer game.

  It felt nice to breeze in on Caleb’s arm with our usual picnic basket of treats and beers for our friends.

  Lucy’s game was amazing, she scored a couple goals and they won by a landslide. They were on fire this season.

  At the end of the game I stood up to leave and Addy grabbed my wrist to pull me down.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, looking at her in puzzlement.

  “Just watch,” she said with a huge grin. Her excitement was palpable.

  “What?” I asked again and looked for Caleb. He was gone.

  It felt like the whole crowd knew what was going on and I was the only one in the dark.

  Suddenly I heard music coming from behind me. It was Taylor Swift, my secret love. I blushed bright red and turned on my seat, searching for the source of the music.

  Caleb came strutting out with a portable stereo on his shoulder, dancing to her music with a silly grin on his face.

  “Hey, this is crazy…” he sang and stood at the edge of the soccer field and looked up at me.

  The soccer coach took the stereo from him and the entire team fanned out around him.

  I stood up and gasped, felt those familiar tears spring to my eyes and watched them perform an elaborate dance number with Caleb leading them the entire time.

  At the end of the song all the parents clapped like crazy and Addy nudged me. “Go down to him,” she said.

  I walked as if in slow motion, as if in a movie. All eyes were on me and I made my way down slowly, carefully with tears in my eyes and my heart throbbing with love for him.

  He dropped down to one knee and flipped open a little velvet box.

  The girls on the soccer team yelled out, “Will you marry him?” in unison.

  Lucy ran to the front and jumped up and down squealing, “Say yes! Say yes!”

  “Well?” he asked me with sincerity and passion painted on his gorgeous face.

  “God, yes!” I said and he sprung up, took me in his arms and swung me in a bear hug.

  “Thank god,” he said, “I thought you were going to say no in front of all these people.”

  “I could never say no to you,” I laughed.

  He set me down and pulled the ring out of the box. My heart was pounding so hard at that point I thought I was going to faint. He slipped it onto my ring finger and Addy yelled, “Let us see it!”

  I held my hand up and showed it off, a massive diamond on a platinum band. It looked more expensive than a small house back in my hometown.

  “It’s so beautiful,” I said, staring at it.

  “Caleb is going to be my step dad,” Lucy said and grabbed my other hand. “I can’t wait. Can I wear a pretty dress? Can I be your flower girl?”

  “Whatever you want,” Caleb said, lifting her up. We walked off the soccer field through the congratulations from all the other parents. Just like any other normal family, mom and dad and daughter.

  It was truly amazing.

  * * *

  I went to Virginia’s to meet Caleb for lunch and maybe show off my ring just a little bit. She was duly impressed and the girl I’d trained for my spot, Maria, gushed over it so much I felt almost embarrassed. I wasn’t used to having such nice
things.

  Caleb strolled in a little before one and we put in our orders. We ate our meal and I appreciated the fact that I was now a customer and no longer an employee.

  Virginia came and sat with us for a little bit.

  “I knew you had eyes for her from that first day,” she chuckled at Caleb.

  “I did not,” he protested.

  “You did, your eyes just about fell out of your damned head,” she told him.

  I laughed and watched him squirm. “Fine, I was attracted early on. She’s a good looking woman, what man wouldn’t stare at her?”

  I loved seeing him in the hot seat and had a hard time remembering him as that grumpy jerk with the chip on his shoulder from all those months ago.

  “It’s good to see something finally working out for you,” she said and clapped him on the shoulder. “You deserve it, you’re a good man.”

  “Thanks, Virgie,” he said and watched her walk away. “She’s right you know.”

  “About what?”

  “I wanted you from the first moment I saw you. I’d heard that you were working here, that’s why I came in.”

  “You’re kidding! You were so rude to me with your bellowing to Virgie and all that.”

  “Once I saw you again I found I couldn’t look you in the eye,” he laughed and grabbed my hand. “I’m glad I found you drunk and vulnerable though, that made up for that awkward time.”

  He kissed my hand and I had to agree. All we had now made up for anything in the past.

  We were leaving when Ray pulled up in a cherry red Ford truck.

  “Hey missy,” he said and jumped out. “Where have you run off to?”

  I leaned up against his truck and held up my finger. “Why I reckon I’ve run off with Prince Charming,” I laughed.

  He and Caleb shot the breeze for a moment or two and I picked at a dent in Ray’s truck.

  It was flaking red paint and dark blue was showing through underneath in a couple spots.

  Something triggered a memory in my head and I stood back, looked the truck up and down and said, “Ray, how long have you had this truck?”

  “I don’t know, maybe a little over a year,” he said and pushed his baseball cap up his forehead.