Book Boyfriends Cafe Summer Lovin' Anthology 2015

by Melinda Curtis

  He was questioning whether or not she was ready. She knew she was, had hoped he would sense that in her touch, in her kiss, but Aaron was a gentleman. A good guy. He wasn’t going to presume anything. “Aaron, I want you. You,” she emphasized as her hands continued to caress the ever-warming skin of his back. “I want to make love with you, Aaron.”

  Her hands were back up to his neck, pulling him to her lips. It was her tongue that was searching and hungry now. She didn’t want to talk, just wanted to feel him, this man who had busted down her walls and somehow gotten into her heart. She wanted to feel every part of him.

  Aaron pulled her close to him again, this time caressing the bare skin that hid beneath the large t-shirt. She took that as an invitation and moved her hands back down to the waist of his sweat pants, her fingers weaving around them and pushing them down his hips. He broke their kiss and quickly pulled the shirt over her head.

  It was almost dark outside. The fire provided the only light inside the house. Aaron stepped back to gaze at her body. She watched the shadow of the flames dance across his naked body as he stepped out of the sweatpants. He never took his eyes off her and as she stood there fully exposed, she’d never felt more confident, especially when that sexy smile played across his face.

  Her eyes traveled the length of his naked body, and she couldn’t stop her own smile from stretching across her lips. When their eyes locked, she closed the distance between them with just a few soft steps. Her hands rested on his arms as her body pressed into his. “Make love to me, Aaron,” she said, her voice soft, yet resolute.

  Aaron pulled her into him, guiding her down to the soft blankets tossed across the large bean bag chair.

  He kneeled between her welcoming thighs, caressing his hands across her body.

  “You’re so beautiful.”

  Hannah loved it when he said that. She wanted to touch his body, but he was just out of reach, so she moved her feet along his legs and up his thighs, trying to pull him to her. Aaron resisted. As her eyes moved up his body and locked with his again, he smiled.

  “Where’s Tabitha tonight?” he asked.

  “Spending the night with my parents.”

  “Then we don’t need to hurry,” he said as he lowered his mouth to hers, passion sparking in their kiss.

  No, there was no need to hurry. Except for the need to have him inside her.

  His body rested to the side of hers, leaving Hannah half exposed and open for his hand to explore every inch of her skin. His lips explored too, moving from her mouth to her neck. She tilted her head back, welcoming the warm press of his lips and tongue. Her breath caught as his thumb brushed across her hard nipple. Her body continued to awaken and respond to his touch. She loved the feel of his hands on her skin as he touched her in all the right places.

  Just as she was about to wish his mouth to the soft swell of her breast, it was there. The lower part of her body was just as happy with his fingers playing along the inside of her thigh. Aaron caressed the crease where her thigh ended and the sensual skin of her sex started. His fingers found their way inside her. An uncontrollable mewl escaped on a gasp as he touched her, her hips rising, begging for more.

  She was on the verge of an orgasm. A couple weeks ago she would have gone with it, but this wasn’t just about the pleasure of his touch. She wanted all of him, wanted him to be a part of her when her body came apart.

  “Aaron, I need you inside of me.” She pushed has hand away, moving to take him in her hand.

  Thank God he didn’t resist as she guided him to her. Hannah held her breath as their bodies came together and she began to tingle from the inside. His gasp made her smile. She loved the sound and the fact he was unraveling as much as she was. She clutched his back, pulling him further into her and he responded by pulling her lips into his.

  He continued to kiss her as their bodies moved slowly in a perfect rhythm. He slowly withdrew, almost, but not quite all the way and teased the head of his arousal just inside her with short, slow pulses. It felt so good, but as the orgasm begin to unleash, Hannah longed to have all of him deep inside her. Just as she was about to raise her hips to force him all the way in, his next slow push did just that. His name escaped on her breath, every muscle in her body contracting as the pleasure of his touch shattered through her whole body. He tried to pull back again, but she gripped him tightly, keeping his body right where she wanted it.

  Hannah couldn’t remember experiencing anything so intense. Was he that good or had it just been that long? It was a fleeting thought. She didn’t much care, just wanted to enjoy it, enjoy him. Aaron, she said in her head, a smile crossing her lips. She opened her eyes to find him smiling. “More,” she gasped as her body relaxed under him. “Please don’t stop, Aaron. I want more of you.”

  He didn’t say anything but answered by bringing that sexy smile of his back to her lips in a kiss that was demanding and sensual. He continued the slow pushes and short pulses until she was reeling from another intense orgasm. As she recovered and smiled at him again, he poised his body above hers and his gentle pushes became harder thrusts.

  Everything Aaron did had her body screaming for more. Now, as he perched himself above her, Hannah could see every inch of his strong body. As she watched him thrust in and out of her, another climax surged to life. Hardly able to believe how her body reacted to him, Hannah hoped he was finding just as much pleasure.

  As his thrusts became more urgent and his breath heavier, she arched her hips to meet his, cupping her hands across his firm ass, pulling him into her.

  Hannah called out his name again and the sensation of the orgasm intensified when she realized he was coming, too. He continued to thrust as wave after wave of pleasure rolled out of his body and into hers. Once he caught his breath, he slowed his movement and gently rested his body on hers, capturing her in a sated kiss.

  He smiled as he brushed a stray hair from her face. “Was that ok?” he asked.

  “Do you really need to ask?” she laughed as she lifted her hips to him and flexed the muscles of her sex around him.

  He groaned through a smile. She realized when his eyes practically rolled to the back of his head that he wasn’t able to form words when she flexed around him like that. She played a few more times, then stopped so he could recover.

  “My ego just needs a little verbal affirmation,” he said when he was able to speak again.

  She was happy to stroke his ego, especially after the pleasure he’d just dealt her. “That was amazing.”

  “You’re amazing,” he said. “And beautiful.” His fingers traveled along the side of her face and down her neck, before reaching up to cup her face. “You’re so beautiful, Hannah.”

  As her cheeks lit up, he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. He caressed her blushing cheeks as he pulled away and smiled. Now it was her turn to get the verbal affirmation.

  “Was it ok for you?”

  His eyes sparked. “You were totally worth the wait.”

  He rolled away and pulled her body close to his, those brown eyes holding her gaze as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Their legs seemed to get all knotted up together on top of the plush blanket. It felt so good to be lying with him like this. As Hannah’s fingers skated across his skin, she realized they were both glistening from sweat. She was burning up, but it wasn’t from the heat of the fire.

  “Do you want to stay here for a while or rinse off in the shower before I ravage your body all over again?” he asked.

  Oh, she liked the sound that. She wanted him to ravage her body again. And again. A shower sounded terrific. “Are we going to get any sleep tonight?” she asked across a sexy smile as her fingers stroked his glistening skin. She hoped the answer was no.

  “Not if you keep touching me like that.”

  “Good. Then let’s get in the shower.”

  ~*~

  It was just after three in the morning when Aaron lay awake, holding Hannah close to him. He was
in love with her. He had to tell her, needed her to know how special their night had been. He suspected she was awake as well. Her breathing was normal, not the long, deep breaths he remembered when he spent the night with her a couple weeks ago.

  “Hannah.” He spoke softly, his breath skating across her ear. If she was asleep, he didn’t want to wake her. If she was awake, he didn’t want to startle her.

  “Hmm,” she responded, nuzzling her body into his.

  “Are you awake?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  Her head rested on his chest. He hated to move her, but he needed to look into her eyes. As he reached to turn on the lamp, she shifted and turned her body to him. She looked at him with that hungry smile and his whole body sprang to life. They had spent hours exploring each other’s bodies, but that smile told him she wanted more. In a fleeting thought he considered giving her what she was obviously hoping for, putting his hands on her body, his mouth on her skin. He wanted that, too. Wanted to feel the crush of her breasts against his chest, her fingers digging into the muscles in his back.

  What he had to say was more important right now.

  Aaron stroked her cheek and lightly kissed the smile that curved even more. “Hannah,” he said again, mustering his courage. “I love you.”

  His heart stopped beating as the smile disappeared. This wasn’t the reaction he had hoped for, but it was the one he expected. Aaron just hoped he hadn’t scared her off.

  “Aaron,” she said across a somber tone.

  He didn’t let her finish, pressing his finger across her lips. “Hannah, I’m not expecting you to say it back. I told you because I need you to know how I feel. I need you to know what tonight meant to me. I just need you to know that I love you.”

  “Aaron,” she said again, her voice soft. He brushed the tears from her cheeks, hating that he had caused the tears, but he just couldn’t not tell her any longer.

  “I never planned to fall in love again, after Steven. Losing him was, well, there just aren’t any words to describe the loss I felt. The loss I still feel.” She looked away, dropping her head to watch her fiddling fingers. “And the fact is, I still love him.”

  Aaron followed her eyes and realized she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring. He’d never seen her finger bare and wondered if she’d taken it off sometime during the night or if it had been off when he picked her up.

  She rubbed her thumb along the soft white indentation that marked the ring’s home. She always did this when she was nervous, but usually the ring was there, clanking quietly against the diamond engagement ring that kept it company. Aaron reached down and held her hand. When she stopped rubbing the finger, he caressed the empty space.

  “I’m not asking you to stop loving him. And I’m not trying to replace him.” His thumb lingered a little longer before he lifted her chin so her eyes met his. This must be hard for her, so he offered a loving smile and told her what he hoped was true. “I just think there’s room in your heart to love me, too.”

  She planted a soft kiss on his lips, not saying anything when she turned and nestled back against his naked body. All Aaron could do was wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly.

  “Are you alright?” he asked, kissing her cheek and settling in behind her.

  “I just need you to hold me.”

  That he could do.

  Chapter 16

  Hannah was lost in her dream world. Rain hammered down outside, the sound soothing. She could feel the warm press of skin against her body. Aaron, she thought, the corners of her mouth lifting.

  In the dream, Hannah opened her eyes and found herself lying on a bed of cool moss near a small stream. The glide of water traveling over the falls was the sound she heard, not rain after all. She had been to this place before, remembered talking to Steven, then kissing him, but when she opened her eyes, it had been Aaron.

  Now she knew the man who held her close. She remembered the heat of his touch, the passion they shared. She also remembered his words. “I love you,” he had said. Hannah smiled at the memory before a shadow caught her attention.

  Pulling herself away from the warm, secure touch of the man lying next to her, she walked toward the shadow. Leaves rustled ahead, through the trees. Hannah followed a steep, winding path. The path seemed to go on forever, winding around a mountain, leading her higher and higher, until at last she reached the top. A man stood near the edge, taking in the extraordinary view. His back was to her, but Hannah knew who it was, knew she had followed Steven.

  She stood next to him. Normally, she would have touched him, but she had just climbed out of a passionate hold with another man. She felt like she had betrayed her husband, the love of her life. She looked at the empty spot on her finger, desperately trying not to regret leaving her wedding ring at home.

  “You need to let me go, Hannah,” Steven said, standing still as a statue, still taking in the view.

  “I can’t,” she said. “I love you.”

  “But you love him, too. He’s there with you. I’m not. You need to let me go.”

  “It’s not that easy.”

  “I haven’t been fair to you. I haven’t allowed you to let me go, but I am now. I’m leaving. I won’t come back. I’m letting you go. There’s room in your heart to love him. I want you to let yourself love him.”

  Steven’s voice faded as he started to walk away, on air. The vision of his body faded as he moved further and further away. When he was gone, the mountain view dissolved and Hannah was back at the waterfall, standing next to the mossy bed where Aaron lay. His eyes were open and he was smiling. “I know there’s room in your heart to love me, too.”

  Hannah’s eyes opened slowly. She didn’t startle awake from the dream, it was just a slow awakening to the realization of the day. Back to reality. She was facing Aaron, whose eyes were locked on hers.

  “How long have you been watching me?” she asked.

  “For a while. You were dreaming. I hope it was a good dream.”

  Hannah didn’t know how to reply. Was it a good dream? She wasn’t sure. Did she want to let herself love Aaron? She wasn’t sure she had a choice. Could she let Steven go?

  “It’s still raining,” she said, her attention drawn to the sound of the rain outside. “I guess we can’t go anywhere.” She kissed him while moving her body on top of him.

  “Don’t you want breakfast?” he asked playfully.

  “Mmm, you are breakfast.”

  When they finished making love, Aaron got up to make food. “The second drawer has t-shirts,” he said as he walked toward the door wearing loose fitting sweat pants and nothing else. The pants sat low on his waist and she couldn’t help but stare at the stark angles of his muscles. “Grab any one you like.”

  “My clothes are probably dry,” she said.

  “Yeah, but I like the way you like in my shirt, and that’ll be less I have to take off you after we eat.”

  His sexy smile offered a promise of more of what he’d already done. If it wasn’t for the growl growing from her belly, she’d tell him food was overrated and they should just get back to it now.

  “You sound hungry,” he said. “I’ll get breakfast started.”

  Straightening up the linens on the king size bed, she ran her hands across the gray and black bedspread, remembering all the ways Aaron had touched her after it had been pushed to the floor. She loved that the bed was so big, knew they had covered every inch of it. It was funny, for all the sleep they didn’t get, Hannah still felt incredibly rested. And relaxed. A dozen or so orgasms would do that to a girl, though.

  Aaron’s bedroom stretched the full width of his house. The bed sat at one end with small bedside tables on either side. She went over to where the bureau occupied a small space between an overstuffed antique chair and a large bookshelf packed full of books, magazines, and photo albums. Hannah wanted to look at his pictures, but not without an invitation. If the rain kept pouring down, she’d ask him to share his memories. After
they made love again, of course.

  She opened the top drawer and grabbed the first t-shirt her fingers skittered across. As she took it out, she spotted a purple t-shirt peeking out from underneath. Aubergine Garden was the first thought that came to mind.

  Curious to see what was on the front of the shirt, Hannah pulled it out from under the others. If it was a Harley Davidson shirt, she might just steal it. Since purple was Tab’s favorite color, her daughter would love to see Hannah in a purple Harley shirt.

  Hannah’s breath caught when she read Relay For Life on the front of the shirt. Strange. Why would Aaron have a purple Relay For Life shirt?

  A wave of horror struck her in the chest first and quickly traveled to her stomach. She reached back in the drawer and pushed the other shirts aside, spotting a handful of other purple ones. She pulled each of them out, inspecting them. All were Relay For Life survivor t-shirts, each representing a different Relay year.

  Aaron has cancer. That was the only explanation for the t-shirts. Oh my God. He has cancer and didn’t tell her. He’d been lying to her all this time. No, no, no. There had to be some mistake.

  The room was spinning around her. Maybe she was the one spinning. She was still dreaming, caught in a nightmare. That was what was going on. Hannah went to the window and opened the curtains. Aaron’s motorcycle stood in front of the cabin. No moss. No mountain. No Steven wandering around. She turned back to the purple t-shirts strewn about the bed, touching the lettering on each one, first in disbelief, then in anger.

  This was exactly what she didn’t want.

  Hannah stormed out of Aaron’s bedroom and into the bathroom where her clothes still sat in the dryer. She pulled them on quickly, her head still spinning with thoughts of cancer and death and heartache. She had to get out of there. Aaron had cancer. Just like Steven. She wasn’t about to relive that nightmare. Once dressed, she rushed to where her boots sat by the door in the living room.