Because I Love You

by Amy Brent

  “I think it will be even better. But I’m not telling. You’ll have to wait and see.” I kept him on the phone until I walked out and opened the car door.

  He hung up his phone and smiled as I got in the car. “So, about this surprise.”

  “No, no. You’re not going to sweet talk me into telling you what it is. You’ll see soon enough.” He took off down the drive, and I hurried to buckle myself in. Then he headed out onto the main highway and in a few minutes, I realized he was headed out to his beach house.

  But instead of heading to his house, he pulled up at mine. The sold sign was sitting atop the realtor sign, and I realized by the little crown logo, that his family must have been the one’s to sell my old home.

  “What are we doing here?” I didn’t want to see the place. It brought too many memories that were painful knowing it now belonged to someone else.

  “It’s your home, Ella.” He shrugged like it was no big deal and I tilted my head to search his expression for any sign of his sanity. But the slow, sweet smile that spread his lips, lighting up his entire face, sent my mind to reeling.

  “What do you mean, Aiden?” My heart pounded in my chest, and I knew that I was either about to get the best news of my life or the biggest letdown.

  “I bought it for you. It’s yours.” I barely registered the feel of his hand on mine, and then I squeezed it, holding onto him for something, anything to keep my down to earth, to keep me from floating away and soaring to the heavens. But then it hit me much differently that I’d even imagined.

  “Wait, what?” I couldn’t let him give me a house. As much as I knew he cared about me, it was just too much. “Aiden, I can’t accept this.” My eyes pooled with tears but he leaned across the distance and pulled me into his arms.

  “I want to do it, Ella. There’s no undoing this, it’s done. I won’t take no for an answer.” He got out of the car and walked around and opened my door. Then he led me into the garage, the workshop my mother had designed, and it was exactly the same except it had been cleared out. I leaned against the counter and tried to catch my breath. I was light-headed and couldn’t believe I was standing in my house again. That it was my house again. I couldn’t accept it.

  “But it’s so much.” It was much too extravagant of a gift, especially when I didn’t even have a ring on my finger or a promise of forever. I’d always expected when a man bought me a home it would mean I was his wife.

  “Nothing is too much for you. When I heard that Nola was selling—

  “You mean the bank?” Nola? Did he say, Nola?

  “Wait, you really did think the bank took it?” I’d told him all about how the bank had come to collect.

  “Yes, Aiden. The bank took it. But you just said that Nola was selling it? How is that possible?”

  “Right. Ella, I don’t know what’s going on, but I think you need to talk to Scott and Nola.”

  I fell against him and closed my eyes. I was so sick of the lies and secrets. I didn’t understand what had happened with the house and how Nola could have had ownership. Perhaps my father had too. “Aiden, I—

  “Sh. Let it go for a moment. Just breathe, Ella.” I put my arm around him and pulled him to my lips, kissing him nice and deep, slow and languid. I felt like it was all too much to handle and if I could escape, my opportunity was right in front of me.

  “Make it all go away, Aiden.” I didn’t have to ask twice.

  He stood against me, his body pressing against me, pinning me against the counter as we kissed. His mouth trailed down my body, kissing my breasts, his hands working my shirt up to take it off.

  I quickly stripped off his pants, tugging the front until the row of his button-fly jeans popped open, and then I reached in and rubbed his hard length which was growing harder by the second. I slipped my hand into his pants to feel his bare flesh, and then he stepped back. We each finished undressing to hurry the process.

  As soon as I was naked, he lifted me up and placed my ass on the counter, then he centered his cock and plunged into my depths in one long stroke. I cried out and ground against him. He worked his hips, pumping into me until I was panting and calling his name, begging him to take me harder.

  He pulled away, and I slid off the counter and turned around to face it, tilting my ass upward as an offering. He gripped both cheeks and spread them, leaning over and licking my tender slit, and letting his tongue slide across my tight little star, which he pressed hard against with this thumb. I cried out, wondering if he wanted to take it, but then he centered his cock at my slit and pushed himself in, returning to my depths, his hard shaft working my g spot with each thrust.

  Soon he had found a steady pace, and he reached around to stroke my tender bud with one hand as he worked one of my nipples with the other.

  He worked me steady until my release was on the horizon and then his finger found my tight little star and pressed against it again. He slipped his other hand into my mouth and offered me his finger which I took into my mouth, sucking the salty digit until it was nice and soft. Then he pulled it free and reached down to stroke it against my ass, and then as his cock was buried to my depths, he slipped it into me, fingering my ass. I gripped it and his cock too as my release exploded from me, rippling across me like a tidal wave. I cried out his name loudly, “Aiden.”

  “That’s right, Ella. Come for me.” I waited for him to ask me where I wanted it, expecting him to pull free and spill his hot come all over my lower back. I could imagine it dripping down my ass or pooling hot on my back, but instead, he worked me through another release.

  I was having a hard time standing by the time he slowed his pace and turned me around to face me. “I want to look in your eyes when I come.” I thought maybe, in this position, with me leaning back across the table but not enough to take my feet completely off the floor, that he’d shoot it all over my chest, and my pussy tingled thinking about it.

  But he never asked like those other times. Instead, he worked himself up to a frenzy, pumping in me so hard I thought I’d collapse, that if he pulled out or pulled away, I’d drop to the floor in a puddle. And that’s when I felt his cock grow fatter in my channel, stiffening even more before bursting his hot streams of come into my channel, soaking me to my depths.

  And he didn’t stop, he continued to pound it in deep, his seed mixing with my own nectar from my previous releases and with each thrust it ran down my thighs.

  Then he stopped moving, and held himself inside me, his forehead resting against mine. “I’ve wanted to do that so bad since we first fucked. I wanted to claim you and mark you. Tell me you’re going to keep the house, Ella.”

  “I’m going to keep the house.” The words spilled from my lips, and at that moment, he could have made me say anything. I was completely his.

  Chapter 26

  Aiden

  After I had her in her house, I offered to take her down the road to mine for a shower. It was the least I could do after getting her messy, but it was so worth it. I’d never wanted to bury myself so deep inside anyone before, but I had the compulsion to do it. I had absolutely no regrets.

  As we got out of the car, I smiled as she walked a little weak-kneed inside. I walked around and took her arm, giving her a little support, and my chest swelled with pride knowing I had that effect on her.

  “I’ll get the water ready. You get undressed.” I’d only just helped her gather her clothes and put them on minutes before, and I was going to have the pleasure of watching her strip them off once again.

  She did the task nice and slow, meeting my eyes as she licked her lips and then, as she stepped into the shower, I took her clothes to give them a wash and then I met her under the spray, and found her leaning against the shower wall for support.

  “Don’t tell me you’re that tired. I’m only getting started. Round two is going to be even more strenuous.” I glided my hand across her hips.

  “Mm. I might just lay there and let you do all the work,” she said steppin
g into my arms and falling against me under the spray. I rubbed her back and kissed her shoulder.

  “How about you rest up now instead. Let me bathe you.” I took the fresh scent soap and lathered my hands, then I rubbed them all over her shoulders, working my way down to her breasts, and down across her tummy. Then I slipped my arm around her and washed her lower back, across her round bottom.

  As I stepped forward, closing my mouth down on hers, I let my hand slide between her legs. She gave a lazy little moan and ground against my hand. “Mhm. You’re ready for more, aren’t you?” I brushed my lips against her ear and then down to her shoulder. She let her head fall back, and she rubbed against my hand, humping and grinding her bare mound.

  “Yes. It feels so good.”

  “You want to come for me again, Ella?” I let the words slip out on a breath directly in her ear. She got chills across her arms and down her back to her ass.

  “Yes.” She moaned, and after a moment of her grinding, I slipped my fingers into her slick channel and thought about how I’d soaked her down.

  My cock was ready for her again, so I turned her around and gripped her little ass with my hands and spread her cheeks apart, sliding my cock in and out between them, bending my knees to reach her.

  She held on tight and lifted a leg allowing me better access, and I aimed my cock lower centering it right at her opening. She pushed herself against me. “Greedy girl. I love it when you take action. Makes my balls ache. I want to fuck you so good, Ella.” I thrust into her and pumped my hips, working my long shaft in and out.

  “It’s so tender,” she moaned. I’d worked her over pretty good, and I’d noticed that she preferred to ease onto my cock each time. But now that I was in I was going to give her a good hard fucking, I grabbed her hips and turned her around so fast she let out a little yelp, and then I slid my hands down her arms, taking her and placing them flat against the shower wall as I picked up my pace. She tilted her ass upward and leaned her cheek against the tile.

  “Please. Please, Aiden.”

  “Please what, Angel?” I snaked an arm around her as her knees buckled and held her in place, then I lifted her up, against me, planting her upper body against the wall, face first, her hands her only saving grace. She braced them, and her pussy tighten around me, milking me as she came hard.

  “I’m coming! Don’t stop.” I kept up my pace until she collapsed against the wall panting.

  I let out a little chuckle and placed her down on her wobbly legs, and she turned and fell against me. She kissed my lips and then she dropped to her knees, taking my cock in her hands as she did.

  She gave me a nice pump and then worked my head with her thumb before taking me between her lips. She licked the shaft nice and slow and then slapped her face with it as she glanced up at me. “I’m going to make you come inside of me again.” She closed her mouth around me and then pushed her head forward until my balls rested against her chin. Her spasms told me she was about to gag, but she pushed even farther, taking me into the depths of her throat.

  Her eyes were watery when she pulled away, and her hand slipped down to rub her pussy, she sucked and rubbed herself until she came and it triggered something in me to respond in kind.

  I pulled my cock back so that my head rested against her tongue and she opened wide as I shot my load coating her tongue. She closed her mouth on my head and swallowed with a gulp as another spurt hit her tongue.

  I pulled her to her feet and kissed her mouth, turned on by the taste of me on her lips. Then I stepped out and grabbed my robe to wrap her in. I let her rest against the counter as I wrapped a towel around my waist. Then I scooped her up and took her to my bed. It didn’t take long before we were both fast asleep.

  When morning came, I found myself alone. I was about to panic as I searched the house, coming up empty, and that’s when I noticed the patio door open downstairs. Ella was standing out by the water. Her arms wrapped tight around her as she stood there dressed in a pair of my shorts and my t-shirt that was way too big on her.

  I walked out and joined her after finding a pair of shorts, and she turned, glancing over her shoulder when she saw me coming.

  “I came out here to think.”

  “I knew reality would come crashing back.”

  “You said Nola had my house. Meaning it was in her name? Or my father’s?” She kept her eyes on the ocean’s waves, and I imagined they were like her emotions, crashing down on her all at once.

  “Yeah, I had my mother look into things before I bought the house and Nola had a clear deed. My mother said she’d traced it back to the bank and then the owner before that.”

  “That’s impossible. My mother owned our house. She was buying it from the bank. I saw the papers I signed when they took it.”

  “You signed something? Are you sure it was something to do with the house?”

  “Yes, for my mother. Nola said it would be okay since mom was out of it. That since I had power of attorney over her, I could take care of things. I was so scared. I let Nola handle everything. She really stepped up to help me. Or, as least I think she did. Aiden, I’m not so sure what I signed.”

  I pulled her to me. “I’m not either, but it’s possible my mother overlooked something. I’ll double-check. In the meantime, I want you out of that house.”

  “I can’t just leave, Aiden. I have to work.”

  “No, you don’t. I’ll help you.”

  “No, I have to take care of myself. Which reminds me. That house—

  “You already accepted the house, and you’ll accept my help as well. I’m not so sure you’re safe there.”

  Her eyes widened and then as quick as they had, they narrowed. “Why do you say that?”

  “I’m not sure. I only know I don’t trust any of them. That’s why I bought the house, and that’s why I want you to leave. There’s something going on. Are you sure that your mother and Nola were friends? Even in the end?”

  “I can’t see Nola being so cruel to try and take advantage of my mother while she was dying. She was her best friend.”

  “She was the best friend of a woman who was leaving a considerable fortune.” I hated having to point these things out, but I knew I had to be totally honest with her and with what I believed.

  “Aiden, I’m scared.” She shook her head. “It’s all so mixed up. I’ve never been on my own before.” I’d always had Nola.

  “Don’t be scared. I’ve got you. You can trust me. I’ll go with you, and we’ll get your things.” Come the end of the day, I’d get to the bottom of whatever Nola had done if anything. I hoped that Ella had been mistaken for her sake, but I had to give her the benefit of the doubt. Even my mother made mistakes, and it was possible she had this time.

  “Just promise me one thing, Aiden?” She gave me that pleading look that made me want to kiss her until it was all better.

  “They can never know. I don’t want to do anything to hurt Millie. Her secret is safe with me. It’s enough for me just to know. I don’t need everyone else to.”

  “I promise.” I didn’t agree with it, but if I could get her away from that house, I was okay with granting her that one wish.

  Chapter 27

  Ella

  I was shocked when he’d told me that Nola had the house in her name and I wondered what other things I’d been entitled to that had somehow slipped over into Nola’s control while I grieved for my mother. Had she taken advantage of me or had she simply bought the house from the bank? Maybe she was too embarrassed to tell me or thought it would make things awkward. It was too much to think that Nola had somehow cheated me and I brushed away the thought knowing it didn’t matter and it didn’t seem possible.

  As Aiden drove me home, it didn’t matter. Nothing did. The intimacy of the night before, his claiming me in such an official way, solidified his commitment to me in a way I never dreamed. It was all I wanted. What was done was done. No amount of money would bring my mother back to me. There was no sense in dredg
ing it all up now.

  I showed up at the Blue family mansion and found everyone in the dining room having breakfast, all gathered around the table like any other morning, except for Millie who wasn’t there. I knew some mornings she went out for coffee at the cemetery, and I could only assume that’s where she was.

  “Where have you been?” snapped Sadie, giving me and Aiden an evil glare. “We needed you this morning. If you’re going to be out all night, it would be nice for a little head’s up.” I felt each word crawl up my spine and assault me, but no more. I didn’t have to hear it. I owed them nothing.

  I ignored her and decided to address Nola instead. “I’m handing in my resignation effective immediately.” Aiden took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “And I’ll be moving out, of course.”