by J. Lea
“Everly, you’re having a bad dream. Wake up!” I stroke her cheek, and after a while, her eyes snap open. Worry wrinkles her beautiful face. She’s confused, her eyes darting around, trying to figure out where she is. “You were having a nightmare. It’s okay. I’m here.”
She scoops closer then, clinging to me with all her might. “Everything’s okay, you’re okay,” she keeps repeating.
It doesn’t escape me that this situation is very similar to the one at Ava’s birthday party. She looks haunted, like when she saw the flames on the birthday cake. Now she’s dreaming about fire. This can’t be a coincidence. Something must have happened to her, something she doesn’t want to share yet. I’m desperate to ask her about it, it’s on the tip of my tongue, but she looks so frail and so scared, I don’t want to cause any more drama. We have all the time in the world.
After a while, she falls back asleep, still pressed into me, like she doesn’t want to let me go.
Sunlight is peeking through the half-shut blinds. I turn over, reaching for Everly but her side of the bed is empty. Checking the time, it’s a little past six a.m. Still quite early. Where could she be? I’m guessing she’s in the kitchen, making breakfast. I force myself to get up, as I’m already late for my morning run. Nothing is more refreshing and exhilarating than a morning run to stretch my muscles, breathe fresh air, and get my blood pumping.
As I return back home, Everly is sitting in the kitchen, talking to Dolores.
“Morning! Are there any leftovers? I’m starving.” I walk over to Everly, pressing a hand at the small of her back, kissing her cheek. I notice a ghost of a smile behind Dolores’s cup of coffee she’s holding. Everly blushes instantly, her eyes on Dolores like she was afraid Dolores is going to fire her.
“The counter.” Dolores gestures to a huge pile of pancakes. “We were just talking about you.”
“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow. “Hopefully something good.”
“You’ll never know.” Everly cheekily winks at me.
“That’s the game you’re playing? Fine by me. I have my methods, I’ll find out soon enough, don’t you worry.” I start tickling her, making her move in laughter.
Dolores observes us as she sips her coffee, the corners of her mouth quirked up. “I like seeing you two happy.”
“We are, aren’t we?” I exchange a glance with Everly. She nods. “She finally took pity on me,” I joke. “We haven’t talked to Ava about us yet.” Leaning against the counter, I thread Everly’s fingers with mine and pull her to me, so her ass is to my front.
“I don’t doubt she’s going to be over the moon about the news. She needs a mother figure in her life.”
Everly suddenly straightens, her face paling. We haven’t discussed the next stages of our fairly new relationship yet. Is she freaking out about the possibility of becoming a mother figure? We need to talk about it as soon as possible. Ava and I are a package deal, she knows that. Pushing my thoughts aside, I ask. “How’s Carlos doing?”
“Grumpy.” Dolores places the coffee cup back onto the table. “He’s driving me nuts. He got it in his head that it would be a great idea if he repainted the bedroom another color, saying he’s sick and tired at staring at the boring white walls every day. Like I have time or energy for that.” She shakes her head.
“I can paint it, but not until next week.” This week will be very busy in Mi Vida.
“Don’t encourage Carlos. There’s nothing wrong with the bedroom as it is. He’s just bored out of his mind.” She places her empty cup into the dishwasher. “Well, kids, I better go, I need to buy some groceries. You two need anything?”
“I can go,” I offer. “Why don’t you use this time to relax a little? Take a nap, or watch television.” With all the responsibilities she juggles daily, her free time is practically non-existent.
“Always so attentive, Connor,” she says, her voice thick with emotion. “But it’s okay. I could use a walk.”
“If you insist. But don’t buy too many things. If you do, call me to pick you up so you won’t have to carry the heavy bags all the way home by yourself.”
“I’ll be okay. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” we call at her retreating back.
“Where did you disappear to this morning? I thought you were going to stay with me.” I turn Every, so I can look into her pretty face.
“I was afraid Ava might come barging in. I didn’t want her to see us together in bed, so I left.” She runs her hand through my hair soothingly.
“Since you mentioned Ava … Why did you freeze when Dolores said Ava needed a mother figure? I know we haven’t talked about it yet, but I thought … I don’t know what I thought.” I sigh. “Probably that we don’t have to even talk about it because you’ve known from day one that Ava means the world to me, and that we’re a two-for-one deal.”
“Did I really freeze? It wasn’t intentional,” she says. “Maybe Dolores just caught me off guard, that’s all.”
“But would you be willing to play that role if things between us work out?” I should’ve asked her that on our first date.
“If you and Ava wanted that, yes. Of course. Someday. We’ve only been officially together for one day. At this moment, first and foremost, I want to be Ava’s friend, even though I love her so much already.”
“I can accept this. But I want to tell Ava about us as soon as possible. I don’t want her to be confused, especially now that she’s seen us kissing. I want us to be relaxed in front of her, and I hate hiding things from her. She’s a big girl, she can handle it. Besides, there’s some kissing in those cartoons she’s watching, princes and princesses kiss in the fairytales I read to her. I want her to get used to you and me being a couple. I want to hold hands with you, to be able to kiss you in front of her, and I don’t want her to be uncomfortable.”
“Of course, I don’t want that either. You can tell her anytime,” she agrees.
“You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She rolls her eyes at me. “Did she ever see you kiss before, or see a woman have a sleepover?” she asks timidly, biting into her lower lip.
I run my hand down the length of her back. “No. I didn’t even think of bringing anyone around Ava before. You’re the first one after Anabel.” If I had needs, I took care of them elsewhere. Ava needs a warm and safe home, full of love and affection, and not some place with a revolving door of women she’d see once and never again. That would only confuse her.
“I guess I must be special then,” she says in a playful tone, her face beaming.
“I guess you are,” I reply. And she definitely is.
In the next few days, Everly and I have managed to get even closer. She spent every night in my bed, except for the weekend she visited Amber. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know every little crevice and curve of her body. Well, we still haven’t done the deed itself, but we’ve been practicing with everything in between. I want her, I can’t lie about that. I dream about burying myself deep inside her, then slowly and thoroughly show her everything she’d been missing. But I’m going to wait until the time is right. Our relationship is getting stronger each day. Being with her feels right. I love the smell of her skin, the taste of her lips, the feel of her mouth on mine, I love hearing her sexual moans when she comes. But her eyes are what I’m most crazy about, the windows to her soul that tell me everything she’s feeling even if she’s not saying a word.
Ava accepted the news about us dating like probably any five-year-old would. She asked if that meant we’re going to kiss all the time, and then she hugged us and continued playing with her dolls.
I ’m standing on the balcony lost in thoughts, staring into the distance. I’m starting to get used to nights spent with Connor. Falling asleep wrapped in his arms is one of the most soothing things in the world. But apparently not soothing enough to chase away my nightmares. They are still there, cruel as ever. Connor appears behind my back, wrapping his strong arms around my shoulders,
startling me a little.
“Sorry, I thought you heard me.” With his chest pressed against my back, he buries his head in the crook of my neck. His mouth moves a path along my neck to my ear.
“Hey, you,” I say as I turn around looking into his handsome face. “No, I didn’t hear you.” I smile. Despite my melancholy mood, I’m glad he’s here with me.
Cupping my ass, he lifts me off the floor and pulls me in a deep, passionate kiss, carrying me inside the room.
“How was lunch?” I ask in between kisses. He had a business lunch with some of his suppliers.
“Boring, as always. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.”
He puts me down so I can sit on my bed while he shrugs off his suit jacket and sits next to me.
“I can’t believe you have to wear a suit in this heat. Just looking at it makes me hot.”
“Oh, I can assure you, you’re hot as fuck.”
“Oh, really?” I challenge and bite my lips seductively while pushing my spaghetti strap down my shoulder. Doing the same on the other side.
“Hell, yeah,” his eyes darken with pleasure. “I wouldn’t mind you waiting for me like this every day when I come home from work.”
“I bet.” I laugh. I climb over him and straddle his hips. His hands sneaks down my waist, under the bunched-up fabric of my dress, as he moves seductively over my thigh, leaving goose bumps in its trail. His fingers hover dangerously close to the front of my thong, teasing and stroking my sensitive skin.
“Where are Ava and Dolores?” I saw them earlier when they were leaving the house.
“They went to the zoo.”
“So we’re alone?” Pressing my hips into him, feeling his arousal under me, I roll my hips, eliciting a groan out of him.
“Yes, not counting Carlos,” he breathes.
Slowly, I reach for the hem of my dress, pull it over my head and toss it to the floor. Connor’s eyes burn with desire as he’s taking in the sight before him. There’s nothing but a dark-green lacy bra and matching thong on me. The set was an impulse buy a few weeks ago when I wanted to feel sexy, and beautiful underwear was the best choice.
“God, Everly, every day you look more beautiful. I don’t know how that’s even possible.” His right palm slides between my breasts, his eyes glazed over with desire and arousal. Painfully slowly, he reaches behind my back, unclasping my bra. His gaze is locked on mine as the bra joins my dress on the floor. Crushing me against him, he presses his mouth to mine in a hard, burning kiss that leaves me breathless. His mouth then moves a path along my chin, down my neck, biting and sucking.
“It feels so good,” I moan, closing my eyes.
“No, you feel good.”
As I arch my back, his mouth lands on my right nipple, stroking, licking, sucking, biting it.
Needing to feel his skin against mine, I reach for his shirt, desperate to undo his buttons. Those damn buttons are not helping me at all, slipping from my fingers, making Connor chuckle.
“Don’t laugh, help!” My voice is almost desperate.
“So impatient.” He shakes his head with a smug grin on his face. Leaning backwards a little, he starts opening his buttons, but doing it painfully slowly just to tease me. I’ve seen him shirtless countless times, but I never get tired of looking at his impressive chest covered in dark ink and his lean, hard muscles. The tattoos grew on me. I can’t imagine him without them. That ink is a piece of art, created with care and love, making him perfect. And I feel like a canvas, under the weight of his studying fingers, right before a painter starts filling it with colors. Every light movement his fingers are making, is like a gentle brushstroke. And every kiss of his is like the paint giving canvas a life.
“God, Connor, I want you so bad.” I arch into his touch. His lips reach my neck, and he alternates between kissing and gently biting the sensitive skin there, causing me to wriggle in his lap, flushed and breathless.
Connor rolls me over to my back, pushing himself up on his knees.
“You sure you want this?”
“Positive.”
His fingers reach for his belt, unbuckling it, pushing his slacks down slowly. It’s like he’s got all the time in the world. Every move of his is slow, too slow. God, he’s driving me crazy. Impatiently, I finish the job for him, making him chuckle.
“I could do that myself, you know.”
“It didn’t look that way.”
“FYI, I’ve waited for this forever. Trust me when I say I’m gonna take my time licking you, biting you, sucking you, enjoying you, making you lose your mind until you’re begging me for mercy.”
I groan, throwing my arms over my eyes in desperation. “You’re mean,” I point out.
Another chuckle escapes him. “Just relax and enjoy.” He bites the thong at my hips and pulls it down as I lift my ass to help him.
Connor does exactly what he promised – he teases every inch of my skin with lips, explores every curve and crevice with his tongue, and caresses my body with his fingers. I’m so aroused I’m shaking with need. Excruciatingly slowly, his lips trail kisses from my toe to the knees, up my thigh to apex of my thighs. His mouth hovers over the most sensitive part of my body.
“Oh, God,” I moan with expectation. I’ve never been so horny in my life.
“I know, baby.” Finally, he removes his boxer briefs, and my hands shoots out, fingers wrapping around his hard cock, sliding my hand up and down.
“Faster,” he hisses. I can already feel the sticky pre-cum on my fingers.
A devilish grin spreads my mouth. “I’m gonna take my time licking you, biting you, sucking you, enjoying you, making you lose your mind, until you’re begging me for mercy.” I throw his own words back in his face.
“Dream on,” he says, hovering above me. “Do you have any condoms?”
I shake my head no because I haven’t had sex in years. I didn’t expect Connor would charm his way into my heart. The more I’m getting to know him, the more I like him.
“Fuck,” he curses. “I think I have some in my room. Stay here, I’ll go get them.”
“I’m on the pill, and I’m clean.” I grab his elbow to stop him.
“I trust you. But are you sure? I’m clean, too. I was tested a year ago, and haven’t had sex since then.”
“I am.” Smiling up at him, he returns my smile, his eyes soft. As he settles between my legs, I wrap my legs around his waist, waiting for him to slide inside. And when he does it’s pure heaven. I almost forgot what it feels like. First his thrusts are slow, gentle, but it soon turns into wild, hungry sex. He bites my neck, pulls my hair and it couldn’t be better. My hands grip onto him as our bodies move together, drowning our moans with hungry kisses.
“You feel amazing.”
“More,” I pant.
I’m writhing underneath him, digging my nails hard into his back, making him groan. Soon after, I feel a building pressure in my navel which travels downward, leading into toe-curling orgasm. Waves of pleasure take over my body and my brain. After that, it doesn’t take long for Connor to follow my lead. He collapses on top of me, tired. His frantic heartbeat is in unison with mine.
“That was incredible.”
“We were incredible,” he emphasizes, before he rolls off and lies beside me.
“Daddy?” someone calls. “Daddy, where are you?” A door slams shut. My eyes fly open, nudging Connor, who’s sleeping soundly beside me.
“Shit, Connor. Wake up. They’re home.” I can’t believe we fell asleep.
“What?” Connor moves, barely opening his eyelids.
“We need to dress. Dolores and Ava are home.”
“Really?” That wakes him up in a second. “Fuck.”
Frantically, we jump out of bed, searching the floor for our clothes, hearing Ava’s voice getting closer and closer. I pull on my thong and put on my bra, but I can’t seem to clasp it.
“Ugh.”
“Want me to help?”
“Oh
, to hell with it,” and I push it under the bed. As quickly as I can, I turn my dress to the right side and pull it over my head. Connor doesn’t bother with his shirt, he just lays it over my bed.
Ava knows about our relationship, but we certainly don’t want her to find us naked. She knows we’re sleeping in the same bed, though. One morning before I had the chance to go back to my room, she sleepily wandered into Connor’s room, asking if she can climb in. We looked at each other, then drew back the covers, as she got into bed, settling between us. It didn’t take her long to fall asleep, Connor either. But me? I stayed awake, watching their serene faces with a sad smile on my face, thinking of the days with Bradley and Faith. We all slept in the same bed every now and then, Faith turning and tossing restlessly in her sleep, kicking us with her tiny feet in the process. We barely had any room left to sleep. But it was worth it because she usually woke me up with those sloppy kisses I now miss.
“Evi, have you seen—” Ava barges in my bedroom. “Oh, Daddy, you’re here. I was looking everywhere for you.”
“Hi, sweetie. How was the zoo?” Connor smiles from the bed, his arm around me casually.
“I got to feed a monkey.” She jumps on the bed excitedly. “Can you believe it? Grandma took tons of pictures. And we saw a sea lion show.”
“That’s nice.”
She looks my way. “Why is your hair so messy?”
Connor and I share a look, our eyes wide. “We were exercising,” Connor explains. Heat rises on my cheeks at his explanation that’s actually not far from the truth. We did in fact exercise in a way. “Everly showed me some yoga positions.”
“Oh.” Ava nods and turn to me. “Can you show me, too?”
“Yes, but not now,” Connor quickly jumps in, changing the subject. “Dinner first. What do you want to eat?”
“Mac and cheese.”
“Mac and cheese it is. Go wash up.”
Ava slides off the bed and saunters out the room. We both let out relieved sighs.
“That was interesting,” I stage-whisper.
“For you,” Connor gives me a single blue rose a week later. It’s beautiful. I immediately lift it to my nose to smell it. “I passed a flower shop, and saw this one. It reminded me of your eyes, I just had to buy it.”