by Tiana Cole
She looked so small and vulnerable at this moment. What he wanted more than anything was to be the person there to protect her. He wasn’t going to allow anyone to hurt her again.
He leaned in and kissed her. He didn’t want to take things too fast, so this kiss was gentle. He wrapped his arms around her and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him in. Richard knew that his resolve not to go too far was gone the moment Chloe opened her mouth. His tongue darted into her mouth and she moaned. After another moan, she started to move back, pulling him along with her until they were lying down on the couch. His hands ran over her softly as they shifted positions on the couch.
Once they were both horizontal, things heated up pretty quickly. Richard forgot all about his thoughts about taking things slowly as Chloe wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. He broke the kiss in order to nibble on her ear and leave a trail of kisses down to her neck. She tilted her head back to allow him better access.
He moved from her throat down to the top of her blouse, which only revealed the top of her breasts. His hands came up and started to unbutton her shirt so that he could touch them. Chloe ran her fingers crazily through his hair. When her shirt was completely unbuttoned, he threw it aside and was welcomed by her breasts, which were barely covered by a sleek pink bra.
He looked into her eyes and waited for her permission to go further. He panted and she bit her bottom lip.
“Just tell me when to stop,” he whispered, as he lightly ran his finger over her collarbone causing Chloe to smirk. She wanted him- and badly. She arched her back so he could slip his hands behind her back to unclip her bra. He slipped it out of her arms and dropped his jaw. Her chest was perfectly proportioned and dropped softly out of their confinement.
His hands instantly went to cup each breast and rubbing his thumb against her nipples, they instantly hardened into peaks. He watched as her dark skin developed tiny goose bumps against his light hands.
When his mouth enveloped her right nipple, she lifted her hips to rub against him. This time, she got him to moan. She removed her hands from his hair and grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head in one swift movement. Once their skin was touching, he made his way back to her mouth, where he crushed his lips against hers, roughly taking in all that he wanted.
Chloe could feel his erection rubbing against her as his kisses deepened. She wanted nothing more than to feel that erection inside her, instead of just teasing her exterior. She moved her hand down and rubbed it against the bulge in his pants. He pushed against her hand and moved his mouth back down to her breasts. Once he reached the point where he had her breathing nice and fast, he moved down her stomach until he reached the top of her pants. He ran his tongue along the waistband.
His hands made quick work of getting her pants undone. He pulled them down enough that he could just see the top of her panties and the area which he so desperately wanted to reach into. He moved down until his knees were on the floor and he was kneeling between her legs, and then he grabbed the top of her pants and started to pull them off her hips. Chloe lifted her bottom so he could get them down easier.
Once the pants were off and thrown over his head, he took a moment to look at the beautiful being lying in front of him. He wanted nothing more than to savor this moment, but he also wanted to completely devour her. Her curves were works of art: arching and twisting perfectly on her sides.
His hands made the first move to reach her womanly area. He rubbed her until she started to cry out. Once his fingers made an entrance, her whole body started to shiver with pleasure.
“Please,” she begged, as her body arched, hoping for more of a release. She closed her eyes and enjoyed every moment.
Richard couldn’t control himself any longer. He stood up and got rid of his clothes in the blink of an eye. Chloe continued to lie there, taking in the magnificent naked body that was standing in front of her. She had always wondered what was underneath his clothes and she wasn’t disappointed with what she saw. His body was lean, yet muscular. His shoulders were broad and his pelvis was shaped like a V. She licked her lips as she stared at the shaft between his legs.
He found his way back between Chloe and positioned himself to finally enter her. He gave her one final kiss and before he could make a move to enter, she pushed herself up in order to get him where she wanted him. They both gave a moan of pleasure upon his slow entrance.
Chloe couldn’t believe that she was having sex with her boss. She had promised herself that once she arrived in this town, she wasn’t going to get involved with anyone, and here she was, five weeks later, obviously involved in a serious way with him.
Her mind quickly forgot that train of thought as Richard hit a spot in her that she’d never experienced before. She gave out another moan and could feel herself reaching her climax quickly. Everything except for the feeling of Richard increasing his pace and continuing to hit that g-spot, over and over, left her head. She threw her hands around his neck and as she rose higher and higher, she opened her eyes to look at Richard.
When their eyes met, he knew that this woman had enveloped every aspect of his life. He wanted nothing more than to do this, and everything else, with her for the rest of his life. As she started to tighten around him, he felt his own release build to the brink and fall over.
He passionately kissed her and awaited their climax. Chloe shrieked into his mouth and he groaned as this only made him release quicker. He broke the kiss and threw his head back letting out loud manly grunts, and he pumped a few more times as they savored the moment and came down from their rush.
As they lay there, exhausted in each other's arms, neither of them were thinking about anything other than each other. Although neither one of them was ready to admit it to the other, they both discovered that they had fallen in love in such a short time.
Chapter 7
Chloe needed two more things from her grocery list before she could head home and start supper. This would be the one month anniversary of the first time they had been together and the official start of their relationship. A slight blush came to her cheeks as she thought about that first night, and how after they had finished on the couch, they had headed into the bedroom, and then even into the bathroom until they both were so worn out that they could barely move. She had discovered that not only was Richard a caring man to his patients: he was also a very caring and generous lover in the bedroom.
After she grabbed the frozen steaks and the salad dressing, she made her way to the front of the store. The lines were longer than she had hoped for, but her thoughts were about Richard, so she didn’t mind. Time would surely fly by.
As if he knew she was thinking of him, her phone went off with the special ringtone she'd assigned to Richard. She checked the message, only to discover a kissing face emoticon on her screen. She sent a quick reply and turned toward the front of the store.
“Hello, Chloe.”
She turned around and was greeted by Mrs. Fletcher, the woman who lived across the street from her. The previous week, she had come into the office for a check-up and had introduced herself when she ran into Chloe. Then a few days later, she had brought a chocolate cake over for Chloe and Richard when they had arrived home after work. She was very kind in a way only old-fashioned, small town people could be.
“I have to say that it was so great seeing you with Richard the other day. I can say I haven't seen him this happy in a very long time,” Mrs. Fletcher shared. Chloe's face lit up.
“Thank you. How long have you been his patient?”
“Since he took over, but I’ve known him since he was a little boy. I use to play bridge with his mother.”
Chloe couldn’t help but still be in awe at how everyone seemed to know everyone else in this town. And not just by name, but actually know them. Most people had grown up in this town, so the amount of knowledge they had about each other was amazing to her. It was like one giant family.
“Anyway
, I wanted to let you know that you guys are all anyone can talk about. We’re all just so happy that you’ve found each other. People were even starting to question whether he was… you know… more into other guys.” Mrs. Fletcher shook her head dismissing the thought as soon as she said it. Chloe chuckled politely, but was at a loss for words.
Chloe didn’t know what to say. She knew how the people in town liked to gossip, but to think they were actually questioning whether he was gay? She gave another little chuckle this time to herself, knowing that he definitely wasn’t gay.
Mrs. Fletcher moved away after Chloe thanked her again for the cake, leaving Chloe wondering about the future of her relationship. She had been in love with Richard even before they'd made love that day, but she'd never told him. And he hadn’t told her how he felt.
Her mind continued along this train of thought for the rest of the time she was at the store, and then later, on the way home. She'd just pulled into her driveway when Richard’s car pulled up behind her. He hurried over and grabbed the bag from her hands. He helped her carry the others into the house and placed them onto the counter. He was such a gentleman.
“What did you get?” he asked excitedly like a kid.
“Steak. And I figured some potatoes would be good. Plus, I am going to toss up a salad.”
“Sounds delicious. Do you want me to throw the steaks on the grill?” he asked, searching for the bag with the frozen steaks in it.
“Yes, please.” Chloe turned toward the fridge to pull out the items she needed for the salad when Richard’s hands clamped onto her shoulders and spun her around. Once she was facing him, his lips collided with hers.
“I’ve missed you.” he whispered onto the tips of her lips.
Chloe turned back to the refrigerator. “It’s only been a few hours. You’re so needy,” she joked.
Richard started to season the steak. “That is what happens when you fall in love with someone. You miss them when you are apart.”
Chloe dropped the lettuce and tomato, which were in her hands. She turned in the spot she was in and looked at Richard. He had also turned and she was able to see the shock on his face.
He hadn’t meant to tell her that he loved her or at least not in that way. It had just slipped out, and the reaction that she had on her face made him wonder if he’d just pushed the limit. Since the night she'd revealed what her ex had done, Richard had known he was in love with her. All of her strength and forgiveness was a gift he knew didn’t come in every woman. She had been through hell and back, but she was still open to love. But he also knew that he needed to give her time. That was when he made the promise to himself not to tell her how he felt until she told him. And he just blew that.
“Did you just…” Chloe took a step towards him, her mouth hanging open.
“I did, but… I don’t want you to think…”
Richard couldn’t finish his sentence. He had to figure out what he was thinking. It wouldn’t have made sense to tell her he didn’t really mean it because without a doubt, he did. Chloe practically jumped into his arms and kissed him. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her body pressed up against his. When their lips parted, she took a step back.
“I love you too,” she blurted out. It felt right and comfortable. Those precious words were leaving her lips as she stared into this man’s blue eyes, and it was all very powerful and real.
Chloe turned and gathered the items which she had dropped on the floor. She placed the items onto the counter beside where he was finishing up with the steaks.
“You know that once I start the grill, it will take a while for it to be heated up. Probably a few minutes,” he told her as he placed the final spices on the steak.
Chloe could feel her pulse quicken with his words. “Wonder what we could possibly do during that time?”
Richard headed out onto the patio and Chloe headed into the bedroom. They had a silent understanding and it took no more than a few minutes until Richard entered the bedroom. He had just finished getting the grill started and making sure it would stay lit. Immediately, a very naked Chloe greeted him. Richard smirked as he browsed at her tantalizing curves.
He quickly stripped off his button-down shirt and jeans. He was naked within seconds.
Chloe plopped backwards onto the bed and allowed space for Richard between her legs. Richard lay on top of her, pressing their chests tightly together as they kissed passionately. Chloe closed her eyes and ran her fingers through his hair. Richard thrust his fingers into Chloe, causing her to break the kiss with a satisfied moan. By the time the grill had heated up nicely, they were lying in bed, completely satisfied.
“I love you,” Richard said freely, as he leaned forward and kissed Chloe.
“I love you too…. And I’m starving.”
Richard gave a little laugh and hopped up and out of bed. After pulling just his jeans on, he left Chloe alone in the bedroom so he could get the steaks and potatoes started. Chloe settled into the bed for a moment. He loved her. She couldn’t believe it. Was it possible that for once in her life, she had found the one man who truly loved her? She sure hoped so, since she had given her complete heart to him. In such a short time she had found the one she loved, and he seemed to have the same feelings for her. She let him in and allowed him to experience the pain she’d been holding in her heart for so long. She’d been hurt before, but if Richard ever did anything to her, she’d never be able to make it out alive.
Chapter 8
Chloe looked around at all the people who were scattered around the park in the middle of town. This would never have happened in the big city. Everyone was gathered on this Saturday for the annual BBQ. Grills were cooking meat and children were playing. ‘It almost felt like one big family, which it was in a way,’ Chloe thought, as she caught sight of Richard heading in her direction with a big red cooler.
“The BBQ contest will be starting in about fifteen minutes.” He placed the cooler down on the picnic table. “It’s great you got a table.”
“I didn’t have much choice. Julia practically tackled me as I was looking for a spot. She insisted that we sit here with her and Stephen.”
“A table is definitely better than having to balance your plate on your lap if you are on a blanket,” Richard said, sounding like he was speaking from experience. Chloe nodded, making a mental note of that comment for next year.
Richard looked so relaxed today. Everything about him had seemed to change since they'd met two months ago. She could still remember watching him get out of his car on that first morning and being completely in awe. She would have never imagined that she would fall in love with him and he would fall in love with her, especially as fast as they did.
“What are you thinking about?” He pulled her back towards him and nuzzled into her neck. His floppy blonde hair was being gently tossed by the wind and Chloe smiled at his precious face.
“About the day we met,” she said softly.
“The best day of my life.”
Chloe was about to agree when a Frisbee came flying straight at her head. Out of instinct she ducked, but could feel the wind as it went by, quickly followed by the sound of pain, which came from Richard’s mouth.
She swirled around to find Richard holding his nose, with blood gushing through his fingers and down his face. The cherry red blood ran vividly onto his hands mimicking his veins.
“Sorry,” a teenager apologized as he came running up towards the couple. He picked up the Frisbee, which had landed in front of Richard’s feet, before asking, “Do you need me to call the ambulance?”
“No. Just a bloody nose,” Richard assured the teenage boy.
Chloe pulled a towel out of her bag and handed it to Richard. He placed it under his nose and pinched the bridge in order to stop the blood.
“Really, mister? I think the town doctor is around here somewhere. I’ll get him to look at this for you.”
“He is. It’s me, and I’m fine.” He pulled the towel awa
y from his face and then looked at the teenager. “See, the bleeding already stopped.”
The teenager apologized again, while Richard worked on getting himself cleaned up. By the time he got the bleeding to stop completely and then found a new shirt to put on, the teenager and his friends had him agreeing to join them for a game. Chloe sat down on the grass and watched as he ran around the grass with the teenagers, as if he was one, showing them different ways to make the Frisbee fly better and more on target.
“He’s always had a way with teenagers, even when he was one.” Chloe looked up to find Julia standing beside her where she stood. She had a hand covering her forehead to block the blazing sun. “He will be a great father someday, even when the child reaches the terrible teen years.”
Chloe turned her attention back to Richard. Children? She hadn’t thought about having children in a while. The whole time she had been with David, the thought of children was off the table. He had been completely upfront about that at least. He didn’t want children, and Chloe believed she could live with that proposal. To be honest, she wasn’t someone who felt that strong maternal instinct and purpose.
But now, would she want to have children with Richard? A pang went through her body. Yes. She did want children if they were with Richard. A smile crept onto her face.
“What are you smiling at?”
“Nothing.” Chloe definitely couldn’t tell Julia what she was thinking about, or Richard would know within a few moments. Julia certainly wasn’t the type of person to keep her mouth shut. Hell, when Chloe and Richard became an official couple, it only took one mention of it to Julia before half the town knew. If Chloe would even say the word 'child' to Julia, she would have her pregnant and about ready to give birth before she even blinked.