by Emily Bowie
“What about the love that lasts the ages, that simmers along until it explodes, making every small feeling extraordinary, catching you by surprise?”
She thinks about it. “I wish I had that.” She sighs.
“I feel like I have that with you.” Her hand stops moving the rope, and I jump off, standing in front of her.
I have been in love with Haven since I was fifteen years old. Her becoming engaged woke me the hell up and I had a true gut-check about what I wanted in life. She is what I want. I guess the saying is true that you don’t know what you have until you lose it. I’m not willing to risk losing her again.
I’m laying my whole heart at her feet, making my nerves shake. I wait for her to say something, anything. I can feel myself begin to sweat, scared she’s going to stomp on my heart. This is more frightening than getting on the scariest, meanest bull around.
Her hands come up, playing with the hairs on the back of my neck, her sunflower perfume calling me to kiss her.
“Derek,” she says softly, and I can feel my feet wanting to retreat.
Why did I open my big fat mouth? Things were going great; there was no reason to rock the boat. I could have kept giving her reasons to fall in love with me too. I could’ve shown her I’m changing my life to one that she can be proud of.
“I love you too.”
My heart stills, did she just say she loves me? I hope I’m not hallucinating.
“Don’t look so shocked,” she adds, her hand resting lightly on the side of my face.
Then her words smash into my heart as I register what she just said. My hands instantly go to her hips, hoisting her petite body up, spinning us around.
Coming to a stop, her legs wrap around my waist as I kiss the hell out of her. Truth be told, no woman has ever said they love me before. Women like the idea of being with a rodeo cowboy, but I was never a permanent thought in their minds.
“Fuck, Haven, I love you. I can listen to you telling me that every day for the rest of my life.”
Twelve
Haven
I can’t believe my ears. Danger is putting it all out there for me. He’s not the mushy, romantic type, yet here he is being that person for me. I swear his little speech just healed my heart back together. How is it that we’ve spent years getting to this point? I guess the best type of love is one you need to fight for. And here Danger is, fighting for me. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life. The moment that there are no games and no hiding how we feel about each other.
His lips crush to mine, and I kiss him back as hard as he does me. When we finally come up for air his mouth moves to the shell of my ear. “I’m going to fuck you in my barn like I have wanted to since I was fifteen years old.”
His words send a tingle down my body. I should hate his dirty talk, but it only riles me up more.
“Who would have thought that the preacher’s daughter would love grinding on my cock?” His finger begins to trail down my neck from the base of my ear, down my collarbone to my sternum between my breasts. My legs stay snugly wrapped around him, and the anticipation has me eating up everything he wants to say and do to me.
“You’re going to watch as I slide into you, and then if you’re a good little church girl, I’m going to make you come so hard you’ll be screaming my name, begging me to stop.”
My panties are becoming wetter by the second. Everything he’s saying is raw and crude but oh so exciting. I haven’t seen this side of Danger, and I love it, embarrassingly so.
His handsome face comes around, looking at me. I feel flushed. One side of his lips curls upward into a crooked smirk. My nipples peak under his attention, straining for him to give me more.
His hand cups under my breast, and I watch as his eyes darken, his lids hooding as he takes in every little reaction he’s drawing out of me.
I wait for him to touch me again, but his hand stays at the bottom of my breast. I need him to keep going.
He lifts a brow, waiting for me to do something. My breath catches, my body tingles, and I’m not sure if I won’t end up screaming at him to continue. His smirk grows, liking the way I’m reacting, but keeps his challenge in place.
Instead of pulling him in for a kiss, I allow my legs to drop and take a slight step back. My hands go to rid myself of my shirt then my bra. I let one strap fall down my arm then the other before I expose myself. Both my hands cup my breasts and pinch at my nipples.
When he steps forward, I take a step back, playing with him like he was just doing to me. I’m making it all up as I go, faking my confidence. Grinning, I suck in the side of my bottom lip. My right hand slides down my stomach, heading toward the apex of my thighs. There’s a low growl from deep within his chest right before he charges, picking me up in one fluid motion. My legs wrap around his back as he crushes his lips to mine. He’s rough and demanding, dominating every part of my body. Every nerve sings under his attention, needing his touches.
We have never been like this before, all hands, teeth, and sweat. I pull at his shirt, needing to feel his skin next to mine. I fumble with it until he helps me take it from his body.
He’s pulling my hair, moving me to his every whim. My fingers run down his back before going forward and cupping his dick in my hand, running up and down, needing to feel it.
His words come out with a hiss. “Why the hell couldn’t you have worn one of your cute summer dresses?”
He drops my legs, and I start to undo my pants as he’s pulling his off. He stands to his full height with his cock bobbing up and down. Its head is all dark and purple. I can’t help but lick my lips in appreciation.
Picking me up, he lifts me to onto a small wooden ledge that isn’t even big enough to fit my whole bottom. My arms reach out on each side of me holding onto the hook on the wall to help with balance.
“Spread your legs for me, Haven.”
I can’t help but look to the door then back at him. With a smirk he walks to the barn door and makes a show of locking it.
Coming back to me he says, “Don’t make me ask twice.” His voice is gruff, and I slowly widen my legs, feeling how wet I am.
My blood pulses through me. His hands grasp my ankles, cupping around them before moving up my legs, his body wedging between my thighs at the same slow pace.
Letting go of one of the hooks, I make a move to touch myself, wanting to see his reaction.
“Don’t even think about it, Haven.” His thumb finally presses on my clit, and my head rolls back, hitting the wall.
“Look down.”
Doing as I’m told, I watch as he inserts two of his fingers into me while the pad of his thumb circles my clit. It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. My hips keep rhythm with him as he finger-fucks me.
I only look up when his body tilts to the side. Picking up his pants he grabs a condom from his pocket, putting it on top of the stall for later.
“No,” I tell him, wanting to feel him bare. “I want nothing between us.”
He nods, sinking to his knees, and I moan when I feel him lick up to my clit, his fingers still filling me but moving more urgently.
I’m about to combust, but all I can think about is… “I want to come on your dick,” I sigh out, not fighting him on it. He feels too good to make any type of serious move right now. His chuckle vibrates through my core, and I’m a goner. My one hand threads into his hair, pulling him where I need him, while my other hand is gripping the hook. I try to be gentle, but my body squirms, needing one more perfect assault on my clit. When he sucks on it, I see stars.
Only when I stop shaking in place does he stand up, the back of his hand wiping his mouth. “Now you can come on my dick too.” He’s so cocky and confident. I love it.
I watch as he lines himself up, pushing himself in. I gasp, not ready for how big he is. He stills once he’s fully inside, allowing me to acclimatize to his size. Only then does he start to push himself in and out of me. I’m mesmerized, loving how it looks. The sight o
f him turns me on further. His hands come to my hips, holding onto me, before rounding my back and cupping my ass.
Like second nature, my legs wrap tighter around him, closing the gap and making it impossible to view any more. “You want me to come in you?” he grunts out. The thought heightens everything. I’ve been on the pill since I was seventeen, but this feels forbidden.
“Yes,” I pant. He tugs my hair, moving my neck to the side, and he kisses my throat, sucking the skin into his mouth. His finger creeps dangerously close to the crack of my ass, then I feel it near my rosebud. His thrusts become harder, deeper, and faster. Just as I feel him circle my puckered rose bud, I’m screaming out his name. My eyes roll to the back of my head and my breath is stolen from me as I climax a second time. This one is hitting me hard, making my body shake. Danger is not far behind me, needing two deep thrusts and then he’s releasing his orgasm into me.
His mouth claims mine, and we can’t stop kissing each other, him never making a move to remove himself from within me.
Grabbing his hand, I place it over my pounding chest to show him what he does to me. He kisses my hand before mirroring my movement. His heart beats against my palm, and I can’t help but feel like we’re both holding each other’s heart figuratively.
Slowly, Danger lowers me to stand on the ground. I go to reach for my clothes, when Danger’s hand stops me. I look from my clothes to him to the door. “No one comes in here but me, remember?”
He gently tugs at my hand to lie with him on an old barn blanket that he spreads out in our concealed stall. I can hear the steady beat of his heart under my ear. He links our fingers as we both stare at our hands.
This feels surreal. “I want to tell our friends and family about us,” he tells me.
I’m not panicked like I would’ve thought I’d be. Instead, my heart flutters, my smile grows, and I realize Danger was meant to be mine. He is the only one who can calm me down; that’s why I went right to him when I walked in on Timothy. I have always been drawn to him. I let his opinion matter the most. It’s also why we used to fight so much. What stands out above everything else is how Danger has always been there for me.
I only now realize he’s been telling me he loves me in his own way since I was seventeen years old, starting when he first kissed me at the bonfire party. He kissed me like he couldn’t get enough. To the time we first had sex and I was the one to break it off for a chance to date someone else. It’s always been me pulling away. How have I been so blind?
“That sounds perfect. I want everyone to know Derek Danger is off the market and is all mine.”
“You’re going to make my ma and Frankie cry when we tell them.” He chuckles. His ma has the nickname Niagara Falls, because she’s always crying over happy news. I think she’s secretly wanted us to get together for a few years now.
“Let’s tell our friends at the beach party coming up. We can call it the ‘we finally started dating party.’”
Thirteen
Haven
South Carolina is at the start of a heatwave, making the beach the perfect place to tell our friends that Danger and I are official. Walking down the beach hand in hand, we see our people—Crash, Ruben, Wade, and Palmer. They have a small game of beach volleyball happening and stop as soon as they see our hands linked.
Excitement rolls through me as I watch everyone's reaction. If I wasn’t holding Danger’s hand, I would be bouncing in place I’m so happy. He gives me a small squeeze, looking down before he winks. It sends flutters straight to my stomach.
“Are my eyes playing tricks on me?” Crash comes up to the two of us. “About time you two realized you’re perfect together.” He slaps Danger on the back in congratulations.
“How long has this been happening under our noses?” my friend Palmer asks, giving me a small nudge. I was a little worried how people would react. It wasn’t that long ago that I had been engaged to someone else.
It feels so good to be telling people about us. Over the years, we’ve had our moments that I felt like we were together, but no one ever knew. Having all of our friends and family knowing about it feels freeing, and part of the weight in my chest flutters away. Looking over at Danger, I see his smile is as large as mine, solidifying in my mind that this is the perfect plan.
“You sly dog,” Ruben teases him while giving Danger a handshake. “About time you locked this one down.”
“Shots!” Wade calls out. “I have to open the tavern in a few hours.” Like the bartender he is, he pulls out a bottle. “Everyone on their back, mouth open.”
“Where’s Frankie?” I just assumed Frankie would be here. I want my best friend to celebrate with me. In the back of my mind, I begin to worry maybe she isn’t as happy about this as she said she would be.
“I asked her to do me a favor and watch Aunt Millie for me,” Crash answers as he grabs hold of Danger’s chin and shakes it a tiny bit, much like a grandmother might when she wants to get a good look at you. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to come, then Danger here would sulk and cry. I hate seeing tears on his beautiful face.”
“Fuck off.” Danger laughs.
“Everyone on their back,” Wade hollers again, this time holding up some colorful bottle.
Without hesitation, everyone does as he says, and I decide to follow suit. I’m not much of a drinker, but I can make an exception for a celebration.
Cautiously, I lie in the sand, and Wade walks down the line, pouring a sweet liquor in our mouths. I know he’s letting me off easy with the small amount he pours, and I’m thankful for that.
“Come take a swim with me.” Looking up from my towel, I see Danger. He extends his hand, and I accept, always willing to spend more time with him. Standing up, I remove my bathing suit cover. I’m wearing my regular one-piece bathing suit, but with the way he’s looking at me, I feel as naked as I did in the bikini he bought me. I’m not used to his attention like this in front of people, and I get shy for a second. The reaction is silly when we’ve had sex, but this is new.
“You going shy on me only makes my dick harder. So unless you want me telling everyone why I’m walking around with a hard-on, I suggest you stop looking at me like that.” His voice is all gruff again, and I look around to see if anyone heard him. His voice isn’t soft or whispered; it has a rough edge to it that makes it easy to carry over the ocean waves. “You’re killing me, Haven.” His knees dip for a second, and I flush under all of his flirtation. He kisses me, slipping his tongue into my mouth. I’m caught off guard by how open his affection is, but I’m not complaining. I love every second of it.
As fast as the kiss happens, he’s lifting me and running us into the water. I laugh and scream, wishing days like this never stop.
Water splashes around as his long legs run us into the deeper water, and then we’re both being submerged into the ocean. Coming up for air, I wrap my body around Danger as he walks us deeper into the water, the waves a constant ripple against our bodies.
“That should have tamed you a little.” I wiggle against his dick so he knows what I’m talking about.
“Tamed my what?” He looks innocent, but he’s going somewhere with us.
“You know what.” I laugh, pressing harder against him.
“You’re doing it again.” He nips at my neck. I wouldn’t tease him if he didn’t react like this. “Say cock. Otherwise, I’m going to take you here and now and not give a damn about how many people are watching.”
I pretend to play coy, wanting to see how far he really will go. His hands go to my back. “Just imagine how easy it would be if you wore the bikini. One flick of the wrist and you would be bare against me for me to take as I want.”
“Would your cock work in this water?” I know I have gone and done it now. He dunks us both. The warmer water this time feels refreshing on my heated skin.
Coming up for air Danger gets his response in, “Oh, I will be showing you tonight what my cock is capable of.”
Using my
feet to shoot away from him, I begin a leisurely swim back to shore. “I hope that’s a promise.”
He stays standing there with the hard-on I gave him, shaking his head at me, but his smile never wavers.
Everyone AROUND ME is having the time of their lives. This is what summer is all about. Great friends, the beach, and music. I’m taking a moment to soak everything in, hoping to memorize this day and this feeling perfectly.
My high is lost for a second as I see Timothy walking down the beach with what looks like a Baywatch girl. Her double-Ds sit high in her red one-piece that cut even higher on her hips, showcasing her perfectly round ass, and the sides open, exposing more skin. Nothing about the bathing suit is modest; it shows off every curve the girl has. It’s sexier than hell, while I’m in my modest one-piece feeling not sexy at all compared to her. For the first time in my life, I wish I had gone with the bikini Danger had gotten me. My body tingles with all the dirty ideas Danger and I could have done in the water if I had worn it.
Timothy and the girl look good together, and I can’t stop staring. I’m very happy with Danger, but I also don’t want to see my ex moving on like our breakup never affected him. As hypocritical as that sounds, it’s the truth. I have to forcefully remove my eyes, heading back to my beach towel, not wanting him to see me. I want him to be gone from the beach the next time I look up.
I sit there my fingers trailing through the sand, watching it like an hour glass, its micro sized pebbles running out of my hand. It’s only then I realize I don’t have to go through this on my own. I search Danger out, my rock, needing only a smile from him to make me feel better. Instead of finding him alone, I see the red bathing suit girl talking to him. Jealously instantly invades me. I can’t help myself; I stand, straining my eyes to get a better look at her. It takes me a few minutes before I realize it’s the same girl who showed up to Danger’s unannounced on the first night I stayed with him. My mouth drops as an unleashed protectiveness seeps through every inch of myself. I want to walk up to them, wrap my arm around him, hug him close to me, but before I get a chance to move my legs, another deep voice hits me.