Twice Loved

by Mari Brown

  “We’re goin’ to get in so much trouble.”

  Tate laughs as he says “I sure hope so.”

  Tate pulls off on an exit heading straight into the French Quarter. He makes a couple of quick turns as we exit the interstate and it’s only a few minutes before he’s pulling up in front of a home. We are in a residential section of the quarter. I don’t understand why we are stopped here until an older man walks out on the porch. There is no doubt in my mind this man is Tate’s father.

  “You brought me to your dad’s?”

  “Yes Princess. I wanted you to meet some of my family.”

  Suddenly gymnasts start doing somersaults in my belly. I wasn’t prepared for a meet the dad and step mom weekend. “Who all will I meet?”

  “My dad, my step mom, and my youngest brother.”

  “OH!” My hand slides around the back of my neck. I begin massaging it gently. I’m a little tense now. I hadn’t thought about this being a meet the family trip. I knew his family lived in the area but a little warning would have been nice.

  “Princess you okay over there?”

  “I’m just a little surprised.”

  Tate reaches for my hand and his thumb gently rubs circles around the top of it. “It’s going to be great. They are going to love you. Probably ask you what you’re doing with a fuck up like me.”

  “You’re not a fuck up.”

  He eyes roll as if to say “really”

  “Well not a complete fuck up anyway. You’ve been great to me the last month.”

  Tate leans over and kisses me. It’s a quick but effective little kiss. It puts my mind at ease and I relax.

  Tate gets out and as he does his father calls out something to him. Tate grins big as he walks around to my side of the car opening the door for me.

  “Dad I’d like you to meet my girlfriend Lori.”

  The man standing in front of me is still very handsome. I wonder if this is what Tate will look like in the future. If so woman will still line up for him. I’ll never be rid of potential competition.

  “Hi Lori it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Oh good lord that man has a deep southern drawl that makes me want to swoon.

  “It’s nice to meet you too Mr. Jameson.”

  “Call me Ed.” His hand grips mine, shaking it firmly.

  “Okay Ed.”

  That is how Tate introduces me to his family. By surprising me. No preparation. I want to be mad at him but I can’t be its sweet at the same time. I love that he wants me to meet his family. That we no longer have to be a dirty secret from each other’s families or friends. There were only a select few who ever knew we were more than friends while Steve was still alive.

  Tate is grabbing our bags out of the back seat of my car. He turns around with a huge grin on his face. He’s happy, and that is enough to make me happy. There is no way I will do or say anything that can take away his joy. It’s so rare that Tate ever talked about his family and when he did it wasn’t always happy memories. If being here was what he wanted then it’s what I would support. That is my job as a girlfriend to be supportive.

  “So son how did you end up with a classy woman like Lori?”

  “Luck... fate... Right time right place…”

  Laughter comes from the older man as we all walk up the front steps of the old French style home.

  “Our best friends are dating.” I give a simple answer. There is no need to go into the long fucked up history that is Tate and I. This is our new beginning.

  Tate turns to me his eyes hold a knowing look. But I can see he’s also thankful I answered. Even though Tate had no issue being with me behind closed doors, he doesn’t like to admit it publicly. He never wanted anyone to think badly of me or him. He was worried about appearances that way. It doesn’t matter that Steve gave his permission the majority of society does not understand Polyamorous relationships. Hell I lived a poly lifestyle for almost a year and still couldn’t tell you how it worked. It was a process. It was each of us choosing the lifestyle every day. It was each of us deciding to not let jealousy and other things that were normal in a monogamous, one on one relationship be a problem. It was never easy but nothing worth having in life ever is.

  “So you met through mutual friends?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Better than the last girlfriend that he met online.”

  I snicker. I know he is referring to LuAnn then. “I had the displeasure of meeting her a few times.”

  I am glad Ed is walking ahead of me and doesn’t see me rolling my eyes or the snarl that has taken up residence on my face. LuAnn was one woman I could do without talking about. She was a pain in the ass the whole year she and I were dating Tate at the same time. Of course it probably didn’t help that she wasn’t down with the whole open relationship thing. She was just one of the many people we hid from until it just became impossible to hide from her any longer.

  “That was one nasty bitch son, like this one better already.”

  I don’t make any sound but his dad’s reaction makes me want to laugh and take offense at the same time. I see where Tate gets his forthright manner from though. He looks and acts like his dad and I would be wise not to tell him that. I know he loves his dad but I know there are some mixed feelings as well. It goes back to the mysterious childhood Tate still has not told me about. I’m not sure I’ll ever hear about it.

  “Thanks dad.” Tate’s bland response to his dad is all I need to hear to know he is fighting saying something he will regret.

  I step closer to Tate and place a hand on his forearm. He glances at my hand then to my face. He gives me a tight smile. Tension lines are around his eyes and mouth. I smile at him and pat his arm. I want him to know that it’s okay. That we will get through this together. I’m here for him. Whatever he needs.

  Stepping into the foyer of the home. I am taken back by the elegant beauty of it all. Tate’s dad has spent some time and money restoring this place. It was not exactly as it was back in the early 1800s but it’s pretty damn close. I admire the marble stairs leading up to the second floor. Amazed how beautiful they are and the ornate chandelier that hangs over them. The crown molding has been restored to its former glory and little cherubs adorn the ceiling and other places on the walls.

  “Follow me we have you in the downstairs suite.” Ed speaks as he motions for us to stay with him.

  We walk through a formal living room. I imagine it was once the room guest would be seen in when they would come calling. My mind gets carried back to what it must have been like to live back then. From that room we walk through a double doorway that is a dining room. Then through to a kitchen. This kitchen is not the original kitchen it’s far too modern and back then a kitchen would have been outside away from the main house to keep the heat away.

  As we walk through a door to a back courtyard. I see what use to be the old kitchen and servants quarters attached to one side. Tate’s father leads us to a door and hands Tate a key.

  “This key gets you in and out of your room and will also open the gate if y’all want to go in and out without coming through the main house.”

  Tate takes the key from his father. “Thanks Dad.”

  “We’ll be serving dinner at six until then I’ll leave y’all to settle in.”

  Tate turns the key in the lock popping the door open. He pushes it in with his foot and waits for me to pass by him. I step into the room. The interior walls are old brick, easily the original brick kitchen. The old oven has been converted into a small fireplace a sofa is placed in front of it. The old store room as been converted into a private bathroom. There is a gorgeous queen sleigh bed in the back center of the room. Despite the room filled with modern furnishings I’m transported to the days of old. I immediately love it.

  “Tate this is perfect!”

  “You like huh?” he asks as he sets our bags down on a bench at the foot of the bed.

  “Yes!” smile warmly at him.

  “I’m glad.” he steps
toward me his hands grab mine before he pulls me toward him. He leans down to me and I meet him halfway. Our lips connect. Love and contentment is in this kiss. I feel it deep in my soul. I made the right decision trying again with Tate. The kiss deepens. Soon we are locked in a passionate embrace.

  Pulling away breathless and heart racing my eyes are hooded from the lust coursing through my body. I am so alive when I’m with Tate he makes my body respond in ways I never dreamed possible. I don’t want these feelings to ever end. I was trusting they never would. We were like oil and water and shouldn’t mix but it worked for us.

  “Tate… What time is it?”

  He fumbles around and pulls his cell phone out. “It’s four.”

  “Oh good.” then I step close to him. Pressing my lips to his again. This time I am the aggressive one. My hands slide under his shirt running over his smooth muscles.

  “Princess…”

  “Yessss?”

  “What are you doing?” He asks even though his lips go to my neck. His hands gliding down my arms.

  “I’m seducing you! Is it working?”

  “Oh yea…”

  He kisses me again our lips locking in a sensual dance. His hands grab the hem of the top I’m wearing. He roughly pulls it off of me. My breathing increases. His hands grab the bottom of his own shirt pulling it over his head tossing it on the floor with mine. Our shirts tangle together, much like I want us to do. He grabs me roughly. Not that I’m complaining if anything I’m growing wetter.

  His left hand caresses my stomach on its way up to my breast. His fingers go under my bra clamping onto my nipple and squeezing gentle at first. Then he begins pinching then a little harder. I hiss as I suck in my breath. The pain is shooting through my nipple. Again not a bad pain. In fact it’s actually bordering nirvana for me. I stand there frozen. I know better than to jerk away from him. The few times I have mistakenly blocked him are seared in my memory. A smile crosses his lips.

  “That’s what I was going for.”

  I stare at him blankly dazed and confused. What the hell is he talking about?

  “Huh?”

  “Yes Princess… ecstasy crossing your face.”

  “Oh…”

  I don’t understand what he means but I can’t see my face like he can. He obviously sees something I don’t. His hands continue working magic on my body. It’s not long before I am standing in front of him completely naked. Yet he is still in his jeans. I move to unbutton them and he steps back.

  “Not yet… this is about you right now.”

  Me? Since when? He’s never cared about pleasing just me. It’s always been about him or mutual never just about me. Not that I complained… much.

  “Get on the bed Princess, lay flat on your back.”

  I obey him. I know nothing else when it comes to Tate and the bedroom. As much as I have wanted to say or do things differently with him when it came time I couldn’t.

  “That’s a good girl.” I stare at him. I’m nervous yet excited all at once. Is that even possible?

  “What…”

  “Shhh just lay there and enjoy.”

  That’s the last words he speaks before his face buries itself in my pussy. I feel his lips press against my outer folds. Gently his mouth opens over me. He gives a small open mouth kiss. The tip of his tongue is next. Flicking expertly against my clit. I think I have died and gone to heaven at this point. Tate’s one downfall in sex is that he not has giving as I’d like. However, when he does give he is the absolute best at it.

  An eternity later we are lying in the bed naked. Wrapped in each other’s arms. Legs tangled together. Our sweat slickened bodies are pressed together.

  “That was fanfuckingtastic!”

  Tate laughs at my outburst. “It was huh?”

  His smile makes me smile. His eyes sparkle.

  “As much as I want to stay with you like this forever… your dad said dinner was at six it has to be close.”

  A glance at his cell phone tells us we have twenty minutes to clean up and get into the main house.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Dinner with Tate’s dad and step mom is lively. Conversation between Ed and Tate flows free. The two men are clearly happy to see one another despite any past differences they have had in life. I talk with Tate’s step mom, Kim. Kim is friendly and laid back. It’s not until she starts questioning me about Tate and I that I become uncomfortable with the conversation but only a little. She is curious about how we met, how he treats me. All normal things it’s just Tate and I by far have not had a normal relationship until recently. Can you even consider us normal now?

  I wonder what his family would think to know that Tate’s handprint was on my ass again. I’m pretty sure that if a forensic team needed Tate’s fingerprints they would be able to pull them off my ass cheek. Our little early evening session was fabulous. I loved when Tate and I bonded as one in that way.

  “So what do you do for a living?” Kim asks her black straight shoulder length hair is flipped behind her head as she speaks.

  “I teach first grade.”

  “How fun and exciting.”

  I smile at her. “It can be and this year I have a special girl in my class.”

  “Really, why is she special?”

  “Her name is Brandy.”

  Kim sits forward and her chair excitement on her face. “Our Brandy is in your class?”

  “Yes she is. I’m really glad her mother didn’t pull her from my room even when she found out I was dating Tate.”

  Kim is looking at me thoughtfully. It’s like she is reading me. Searching for something.

  “You know for you and Tate to have only been dating a month you sure are comfortable with one another.” She places her fork down leaning back in her chair. “Y’all have more history than you’re voicing.”

  Wow. Seriously. How does this woman a stranger to me, pick up on that over simple dinner conversation? I try to keep myself from shifting in my seat too much. Under the table my fingers tap a nervous rhythm on top of my leg.

  “Really what makes you think that?” I ask innocently.

  “You have an intimacy that comes from time spent together.”

  I sit up a little straighter in my chair. My fingers keep tapping where she can’t see them. “We’ve known each other almost two years.”

  She leans closer to me. Her eyes light up with excitement. “Yes and….”

  I sigh. “We had a yearlong relationship, split up for about six months and now we’re back together.”

  Kim is all smiles now. Her eyes glowing. “So how long have you really been in love with my step son?”

  “Over a year now." I slump back in my chair. I can’t believe I just told his step mom this. She doesn’t seem to be judging instead she seems fascinated and excited by it.

  “I knew it. There was just something about the way y’all were with each other.” She picks up her wine glass bringing it to her lips. “I’ve never seen Tate the way he is with you with anyone not even Rachel and in the beginning they were good together.”

  I’m confused by her words a little. I’m sure it’s evident on my face as well. I pick up my own wine glass taking a gulp. I need some fortification if this conversation is going to continue.

  “Don’t look at me like that. It’s true Tate seems completely smitten with you. A naked woman could march through right now and he might glance at her but his focus would come right back to you.”

  “I don’t know about all that.” I chuckle as I speak. I can’t imagine not noticing and staring at a naked woman in the room. Hell I probably would too and I’m not even into woman.

  As we finish up the meal I help Kim take dirty dishes into the kitchen. She tries to refuse my help but I won’t let her. I don’t mind helping out at all. Plus it gives Tate and Ed a little more time together alone.

  “So what do y’all have planned while you’re here?”

  Kim is scrubbing plates as I stand nearby watching.


  “Honestly I don’t know. I didn’t know about the trip until last night or where we were going until we were already in the car.”

  “Tate planned this trip all on his own?” she asks,

  “Um yea.” I don’t understand why she sounds so surprised.

  “He’s got it bad for you. Is it possible you’re the one?”

  I don’t know about being the one whatever that is but Tate and I have something special. I’m not sure if I could define it if I was asked. He makes me feel alive, but it’s more than that. We connected as friends as well as lovers. We had a level of trust with each other when it came to our sexual kinks. And we were working at building that same trust on a more intimate level.

  “Kim I’m not sure how to answer that. I don’t think I can. Tate is the only one who knows what he feels or thinks. When I met him he colored my world suddenly it wasn’t just blues or purples it was azure and eggplant.”

  She’s rinsing dishes and turns to put a stack of plates in the dishwasher but pauses to face me.

  “Wow that was poetic. You’re so in love with him.”

  I wouldn’t deny it. This was different from the love I had with Steve but it was just as all-consuming and life changing. Different is good.

  “I am.” I speak softly. I’m not even sure she heard me at first but the way her eyes have softened and a small smile plays on her lips is all the proof I need she heard me.

  “Tate did good finding you. He’s a lucky son of a bitch and he better remember that and not fuck it up.”

  Yea his family knows him well. They were just as aware of his horrible history with woman probably even more than I was.

  “Thanks… I think.”

  “Oh it’s a compliment to you and I believe you’re the best thing to ever happen to that boy.” Kim has finished up the dishes and wipes her hand on the dishtowel before throwing it over the stove handle. “Let’s go join our men.”

  I follow her outside where father and son are laughing and smoking together. I don’t care if Tate and I do nothing but sit here tonight. My heart warms seeing him so free and happy. He may claim he does just fine without his family but it’s obvious being here that he’s happy.