Her Kinsman-Redeemer

by Darlene Tallman

  Leaning back, he removed his T-shirt before he carefully took hers off. Clad in a lacy bra and her capris, he couldn’t remember ever seeing anything so beautiful. His fingers traced wherever his eyes looked and he was pleased to see her nipples pebbling beneath the fabric. Carefully, he reached behind her and unclasped her bra before he drew the straps down her arm and tossed it over his shoulder. “Beautiful, Cherub. Fucking beautiful,” he told her, seeing the rapid rise and fall of her chest as the pulse in her throat jumped. He lightly stroked across her nipple before leaning down and capturing it in his mouth.

  Oh my God she thought as his action caused a flood of need to soak her panties. Why on earth had she been worried again? He continued to suckle her breast while his other hand stroked the one he wasn’t sucking on, before he switched his attention to the other nipple, paying it the same attention he had the first. She couldn’t figure out what to do with her hands, they wanted to clasp his head to her breasts because the feelings were so overwhelming, but they also wanted to touch him. The need to touch him won and he soon felt her small hands moving across his shoulders, running through his hair, stroking down his arms. He gently bit her nipple before soothing it with his lips and tongue, pleased to hear the moans coming from her.

  Moving his hand downward while he continued to kiss and lick and nibble her collarbone, her breasts, her jaw, he squeezed her hip and then stroked along her back before cupping her ass. “Zeke,” she moaned as she moved restlessly against the pillow.

  “Shhh, Cherub,” he whispered as he raised up and took her mouth again, kissing her with an almost desperate passion. As he sat back and looked at the picture she made with her hair all over the pillow and her lips and nipples a bright rosy red, he reached down and began to remove her capris, grateful that they had no buttons or zippers to get through because he wasn’t sure his hands would cooperate. He saw the flush start across her chest and move into her cheeks when she realized she was laying there exposed to his gaze and he reached out and almost reverently, he touched her face. Rolling away long enough to remove his lounge pants, he rolled back over and took her into his arms so they were on their sides facing one another.

  “Ah Cherub, you’re stunning. I pray you’re ready for me because I don’t know how much longer I can wait,” he told her, even as one hand ran down to her hip to dip inward to stroke between her thighs. She was ready, more than ready if the truth were told. She moaned as his fingers found their way between her legs and began to stroke her with teasing brushes against her clit. Bringing his fingers to his lips, he watched her as he stuck them in his mouth and sucked them clean. “Delicious, Cherub, and I intend to explore that fact later, yeah?” he told her as he rolled her onto her back and spread her legs. Carefully, because he knew it had been a while for her, he entered her a little at a time, watching her as she adjusted to him. Finally seated balls deep, he rested his forearms along the side of her head and leaned down to take her mouth in a searing kiss. As he began to move, he watched her and was secretly thrilled when she wrapped her legs around his waist even as she pulled his head down and began kissing him with an almost desperate need.

  Soft moans and mewls let him know she was close and he reached between them, finding her clit and gently rubbing it in a circular motion as his thrusts grew stronger. “Zeke,” she moaned. “I…I’m…”

  “Let go, my sweet Cherub, I want to feel you milking me as you come,” he told her before he buried his head in the crook of her neck and sucked. As she shattered beneath him, calling out his name, he tried to hold on but feeling how tight she was and how she was gripping him in her warm, slick heat, had him coming a few short strokes later. Just before his strength left him, he rolled them so she was laying on top of him, still connected with the aftershocks of her orgasm coursing through her body.

  Gentle kisses across her face and jaw, nose and forehead. She finally came back to her senses and saw him watching her closely. “You okay, Cherub?” he asked her, hands lovingly stroking her body.

  The smile that lit up her face had him drawing in another sharp breath. She was almost luminous in the afterglow of their lovemaking and the man inside of him felt a smugness that he knew wasn’t right, but he couldn’t make himself give a shit. “Never better, Zeke. I…I…well, hell. I had no idea it could be that good. I mean, I don’t want to bring ghosts in here with us, y’know? But it wasn’t always good for me, so I was kind of nervous about us. You and me.”

  Finally. She had finally let go enough to let him see what her fear was. “Kind of guessed, Cherub, and no I don’t want ghosts here either so we’ll talk more later when we’re up and dressed, yeah? But I want you to know it’s never been this good for me. Ever.”

  Her Cheshire cat grin had him smiling back at her. Smacking her lightly on the ass, he said, “What say we get cleaned up and nap for a bit now, yeah?”

  ***

  She woke up from their nap with a smile on her lips. He had been true to his word and they had cleaned up, but not before he taught her the joys of shower sex. As she wiggled back, she felt his arm tighten around her waist before his voice, raspy from sleep, whispered, “Cherub? We have to get up, yeah? You keep moving like that and we won’t be getting up for a bit.”

  Glancing over her shoulder at him, she grinned and then wiggled out from underneath his arm and said, “Thinking everyone knows why we’ve been holed up since we got here, Zeke.”

  “Probably, but your old man needs food sustenance for later, yeah?”

  With a mock sigh, she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before she got up and started hunting the clothes he had tossed willy-nilly hours ago. Now dressed, she went into the bathroom and found a hair tie so she could get her hair pulled up. Finished, she came back out into the bedroom and saw he had already headed toward the kitchen.

  ***

  “Mmmhmm, girl, how was your nap?” Eva asked, a smile in her voice.

  “Uh, it was good.”

  “Just good?” Marta asked, having come in from the outside freezer with stuff to make for dinner.

  Now blushing, she looked at her two friends and said, “Much, much better than good. Didn’t know it could be like that, to be honest.”

  Eva gave her a quick hug as she headed toward the stove to stir the potatoes and pasta they would be putting together for salads. “Beyond happy for you, Angel. He’s a great guy.”

  She smiled. Yeah, he was a great guy. Looking out the window, she started laughing. While the women in this house were working on side dishes to go with what the men were grilling, the men had the kids outside and were trying to organize a game of some sort. She noticed Cailyn standing off to the side, not participating, just watching. Melora on the other hand? Fully involved.

  “So other than potato and pasta salad, what are we having?” she asked Eva.

  “The other old ladies are making baked beans and roasted corn. I think we’re supposed to put together a cucumber and onion and tomato salad as well.”

  She grabbed the items needed for that and set to work. As the three women bustled around the kitchen making tea and lemonade, they kept up a running conversation. Sometimes it veered off tangent, but she didn’t care. Once they got the salads put together and in the fridge, they headed outside with drinks for the kids, both big and small, and sat down to watch the antics.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Thad?”

  “Yeah, Dad?”

  “Got a minute?”

  Thad looked over at his dad before nodding. They separated from the group and found some shade where they both sat against the tree. “What’s up, Dad?”

  “I’ve got a few things I wanted to talk to you about, yeah?”

  “Okay. Am I in trouble or something?”

  “Nope. Not yet, anyhow. Okay, first, I know you and Amelia are seeing one another. Make sure you are always respecting her, Son. Don’t push for things that neither of you are ready to handle. I remember how it was at your age when hormones rule, but
she’s a good girl and deserves to be cherished, y’hear me?”

  Thad nodded. His dad didn’t know it, but he had watched how he treated others, especially women, over the years and while his body wanted Amelia, he wouldn’t let it get past the point of no return. He didn’t say anything, but he knew she was the one, even at his age, and he was going to show her the respect she deserved. “Dad, been watching all my life how you treat others, and how Preacher treats his old lady and all the other Brothers too. Not gonna disrespect Amelia.”

  Zeke smiled inside, glad that lifelong lessons were showing fruit. He nodded, not saying any more, then said, “Now, about Angelina.”

  Brought back to the conversation at hand by what his dad said, he looked at him and said, “What about her?”

  “Planning to ask her to marry me, but only if you’re okay with it,” his dad finally said.

  Thad thought about the woman who had come into his life through his dad. She was warm, loving, generous, and kind, and while she offered advice like a mother would, she hadn’t done what a lot of his friends had said happened to them; she didn’t go overboard in her attempts to make him like her. He liked how his dad had changed since she came into his life, too. He had always been a good dad, but now? He seemed even more in tune with the things going on around him. Finally, he looked at his dad and said, “Dad, I’m good with it, yeah? She’s good for you, for us, and I think she’s an answer to prayers that have been said for years. I know you love her in a way you probably never loved my mom and that’s okay, too.”

  Zeke breathed a sigh of relief. “You know there will be an adjustment once we move in together. I’ve got land and plan to build a house big enough for all of us, and while I don’t know if we’ll have any more kids, we’ll probably be heavily involved in the foster-adopt program we’re working on with the orphanage.”

  “I’m okay with it and will do whatever it takes, Dad. I love those little girls and if you two have more kids, that will be fine too. More to watch over and protect.”

  “Then it’s settled. We’re grilling out in a few hours but I’m taking her up to the waterfall shortly to ask her.”

  Thad smiled. This was turning into the best vacation ever!

  ***

  “Got a minute, Cherub?”

  “For you? Always,” she said, smiling at the man who had come up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.

  “Want to take you for a ride and show you something.”

  “Okay. Are we going now?”

  “Yeah, kids are sorted and we’ll be back before we start grilling.”

  “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s ride.”

  He smiled as he led her to his bike. Checking to be sure her helmet was on, he started the bike and they headed out. He loved the way she fit against him and was glad he had never had another woman on his bike.

  ***

  “Beautiful. Absolutely stunning,” she said, looking at the quiet cove with an expression of wonder.

  “The water’s warm, Cherub, you want to go in?” he asked her as he stripped down.

  “Here? Now?”

  “Yeah, it’s on our land so it’s private, Cherub. No one except the wildlife and I will see your gorgeous body.”

  She blushed because he obviously was blind where she was concerned. She had a typical hourglass shape-big breasts, tiny waist, and hips with thicker thighs than she wanted. Seeing him standing there, naked and aroused, had her stripping off her clothes and walking toward him. Reaching up, she pulled him down for a kiss and moaned when his hands began roaming along her back. “C’mon Cherub,” he said, grabbing her hand and leading her into the small pool of water.

  As they played and frolicked around the waterfall, she saw another side of him. Now that she was his old lady, it was almost as if another layer had been added to their relationship. He was even more openly affectionate and finally, after playing in the water, he took her behind the waterfall, where there was a ledge. Propping her up on the ledge, he took her hand and looking at her, said, “Cherub, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you beyond measure and know that God brought you and I together in a way that couldn’t have come from man. Will you marry me? I know you wear my cut, but I want it all with you- the wedding, the rings, the piece of paper that binds us together until death do we part.”

  She looked at him with tear-filled eyes and softly said, “Yes. Yes, I will marry you and become your wife. I love you to the bottom of my soul. You make me happier than I’ve ever been and I look forward to growing old by your side.”

  He leaned in to kiss her, slipping a ring on her finger that she didn’t even know he had. Looking at it, she was stunned to see it had been crafted in such a way that it looked like an infinity circle all the way around, a never-ending love, and he had put all of the kids’ birthstones around the diamond that sat in the middle, along with theirs. As the kiss grew more fevered, she leaned into him and wrapped her legs around his waist, putting his hard cock at just the right level. Looking at him, she raised her eyebrows and smirked, saying, “Never knew I would want to make love under a waterfall, handsome, but here we are and we’re both ready to go, yeah?”

  Looking at her, he nodded as he thrust into her in one smooth move, causing her to moan. “Ah, Cherub, you feel like home,” he told her as he set a fast pace. “I don’t think this will ever get old, yeah?”

  “Less talking, more moving,” she said, moaning at the feelings coursing through her body. Reaching down, she palmed one of her breasts and played with the nipple, which had him leaning in and taking the other one in his mouth. Talking ceased other than the moans coming from them both. The angle was perfect, hitting a place she didn’t realize was there, and as she climbed higher, she clung to him.

  Reaching down, he found her clit and as he kissed her, his tongue mimicking what he was doing with his cock, she felt herself shatter around him. “Zeke!” she cried out even as she held on tighter. One thrust. Two thrusts. Three thrusts and he was coming as well, calling out her name.

  They cleaned up in the pool behind the waterfall and played some more in the water, teasing each other in a way that she knew there would be more later that night. Finally climbing out, he went to his bike and grabbed a towel, drying her off then himself so they could get dressed. Reaching for her hand, he led her back to his bike and they repeated their earlier process before he started the bike and they headed back to the cabin.

  ***

  Arriving back at the cabin, Zeke saw that his Brothers had just started the grills, so he had timed it right all the way around. As he helped Angelina off his bike, her ring glinted in the sunlight and he smiled. “Like my ring on your finger, Cherub. Can’t wait to add the wedding band to it.”

  Smiling up at him, she stroked her thumb along his cheek as she reached up for a kiss. “Guess we should figure that one out, huh?”

  “Yeah. We can talk later. Right now, I have to get on the grill.”

  “Going to go check on the girls and spend some time with them,” she said as they crossed into the backyard. He headed toward the deck where several grills were heating and she went down to where the kids were playing. Once again, Cailyn was kind of off to the side observing more than playing and she made a mental note to see about getting her checked because something wasn’t right.

  “Hey girl, did you enjoy your ride?” Eva asked as she came up on the group of old ladies.

  “I did, yeah,” she said, smiling.

  Catching the glint of the ring on her finger, Eva jumped up hollering as she made a mad dash over to her friend. “Oh my gosh! He asked you and you obviously said yes!”

  “He did and I did, yes ma’am.”

  Eva cast a knowing look at her and without words, recognized the look of a woman who had been well-sated. “Mmhmm, looks like you celebrated too,” Eva said, teasingly.

  Angelina just gave her a smirk and then started giggling as she nodded. “Maybe so.”

  �
��Maybe so my hind end,” Eva said, careful of the language since a few of the younger kids had started picking up words inappropriate for their age. “So, have you talked about dates or anything?”

  Angelina rolled her eyes-for heaven’s sake, they had just gotten engaged! “No, we’re probably going to talk later. Hey, have you noticed anything about Cailyn? I’m kind of concerned because whenever we’re around everyone, she kind of hangs back and doesn’t participate. She’s always been quieter than Mellie, but it’s gotten worse.”

  Marta spoke up, saying, “She’s like that at daycare as well. If there are only a few kids, she’s in the thick of things, but when all of them are there, she tends to stay off to the side and just observe, almost as if it’s too much or something.”

  Sighing, Angelina looked at her friends and said, “Guess I’m going to have to get her checked just to ease my mind.”

  “You know we’ll be praying, girl, and anything you need, we’ll be there to help,” Eva said, coming alongside to give her a hug. “Now, let me see that ring!”

  Within minutes, all the old ladies were gathered around as they discussed weddings and showers and everything bridal. Having never been married before, Angelina had no clue what she wanted or didn’t want, but figured she and Zeke could work out the details. They chattered as they watched the kids play until Zeke hollered for them to come up and eat.

  The blessing said, she got busy fixing the plates for the girls and once they were squared away, she was surprised to find that Zeke had made her plate. “Thanks handsome,” she said, bending down to kiss him.

  “Mmm, Cherub, kind of like that kind of appreciation,” he told her.

  She leaned close to his ear and said, “There’s more of a different kind for you later.”

  ***

  Dinner done, the mess all cleaned up, they sat around talking. Before long, Zeke got up and went inside and came out with a stack of envelopes. Standing up, he looked at his Brothers seated around and said, “Y’all know that we had a problem with our accountant and monies were embezzled. What you may not know is how much was taken or that Angelina has the qualifications to do a forensics search on computers and not only did she trace how much was taken, she also found it. The checks in these envelopes represent what was stolen from you, Brothers. Hopefully, they’ll help you live your lives the way you want to.” He waited for the cheers and hollers to die down as the Brothers took their envelopes before he said, “Cherub? Can you come up here?”