by Cole, Aja
I turn around, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Really? Me?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it being anyone else. You’re my twinkle.”
I lean my forehead against hers, too emotional to do anything but whisper.
“And you’re my star, Nova.”
A throat clears off to the side, and I think both of us remember that we’re not alone. Asher is blinking hard at the ceiling, and Elias seems to have something caught in his chest.
“Bring it in, you two. This is the perfect opportunity for a group hug.” Nova holds out an arm, and surprisingly, the guys don’t protest.
“It feels like there’s a lot of love in this room.” My mom is standing in the doorway of the kitchen with Cami on her hip and my dad behind her.
I look at all of them, and I’m filled to the brim with hope and a new kind of purpose.
“More than I ever realized was possible.” I nod. “Thank you, Ma. Dad. You did what you thought was right at the time. A lot has happened, but I can honestly say that it’s all in the past now. I don’t want to spend another day living there.”
“From this day forward—we’ll forget that I tried to marry my daughter off to the crazed son of a mob family.” My mom laughs a little, because it does sound pretty outlandish.
“I’ll forget that Elias definitely hit on my fiancée,” Asher speaks up, and everyone’s heads swivels to Elias, including mine.
He goes so red in the face that I immediately start laughing.
“We’ll absolve everything.” I pat his cheek fondly. “Fresh start all around.”
Cami has been silently watching us talk with great fascination, and she breaks that silence with three words.
“Smells bad, Mommy.”
I sniff the air and realize that I left the chicken in the oven too long. Rushing to take it out, I set the too crisp container of chicken on the stovetop and look back at my amused family.
“Well, we know I won’t be doing the breakfast part of bed-and-breakfast.”
“Who’s getting a bed-and-breakfast?” my dad questions.
“We’ll tell you all about it over dinner, since uh, chicken’s out.” Elias grabs his keys off the hook by the back door, and everyone gets to talking about where we should eat.
Twenty minutes later, and we still haven’t reached a decision.
Listening to Asher and Elias go back and forth about Indian or Thai, I cuddle Cami in my lap and can’t do anything but grin.
This is my new normal, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Epilogue
6 Months Later
Elias
“If I see another wedding dress, I’m going to gouge my eyes out. Cami’s staying with the grands tonight.”
I’m brushing my teeth when Naja comes into our bedroom, and I pop my head out of the bathroom to see her kicking her shoes off and shimmying out of the jeans she’s wearing.
I rinse my mouth and tighten the towel on my hips. “Aren’t you glad we eloped?”
“Sooo glad,” she moans, stripping off her top too. She leaves a trail of garments behind her on the way to the bathroom and presses a small kiss to my lips as we pass each other. She goes to shower, and I pick up her clothing breadcrumbs and toss them in the laundry.
It’s a regular routine by now, and it doesn’t even bother me as much as it used to…for the most part.
This is because we came up with a wonderful compromise, if you can call it that. She’s had a long day of maid of honor duties, so she’s probably forgotten, but I’m looking forward to refreshing her memory.
When she comes back into the room patting her skin with her towel, I’m prepared. Seeing what’s on the bed, she stops short, luscious lower lip pulling between her teeth.
“Elias…”
“Mrs. Samir.”
A small shiver runs through her, and I stand, moving to brush the back of my hand over her soft skin. Over her cheek, down the delicious column of her neck and the dip of her shoulder.
“Still sounds so new.”
“And just right.” I unknot her towel and let it drop to the floor, my eyes going straight to their targets. I back up towards the bed with my hands framing her waist until I’m sitting eye level with her gorgeous brown nipples.
“You’re a sadist,” she accuses, even as I watch her squeeze her thighs together. “This is cruel when I simply forgot about being neat since today was really busy and I just wanted to grab a shower.”
“Mhm,” I acknowledge. “You know the rules. You’re messy, I get to work in some positive reinforcement.” I roll her right nipple between my fingers, pulling and feeling it harden. That’s when I lave it with my tongue and take it between my teeth.
“I think we have different meanings of positive,” she gasps, and I move to her other breast, giving it the same treatment.
“This isn’t positive?” I nuzzle the underside of her breasts with my lips and tongue, teasing over her skin, knowing she likes the rasp of my stubble on her sensitive nipples. She trembles under my touch and it gives me an incredible high, even more so knowing that she’s my wife now, that she has my name. I let my breathe wash over her nipples but I don’t suck them, and I know she’s about to give in because my girl is damn strong against everything but my teasing her.
“Please,” she moans, squirming. “I’m ready now.”
“Hmm, you sure? Any more excuses you want to try?” I suck on her skin hard enough to leave a mark, and I watch it form, stroking my hands over her bare ass. I slide a finger down her ass so I can feel her slit from behind. She widens her legs.
“Not a one. Clamp me, husband. I’m ready.” Her eyes sparkle with humor even with her clit swollen and her body hot. I pick up the nipple clamps from the bed and open them.
“You know what to do,” I direct, pulling her a little closer. She plumps her breasts in her own hands, circling her nipples with her thumbs and offering them to me. I place the first clamp on and tighten it in small increments, watching her face.
“Yellow,” she breathes, letting me know it’s getting near as tight as she can take. I tighten it just a little bit more and leave it to do the other one. When both are secure, I sit back and admire the glistening crystals against her damp skin, and the chain that connects them.
“Think you can handle a little something else?” She shudders as I rub her clit between my fingers, using her wetness.
“Depends, will it get me closer to you fucking me?”
“This mouth of yours is dirty.” I kiss her deeply, dipping my tongue between her sweet lips, tugging the chain between her breasts and enjoying the way she gasps against me every damn time. Without breaking away, I pick up the other clamp from beside me and hook it onto the middle of the chain I’m holding. I push her back and drop to my knees, zeroing in on the sweet spot between her legs immediately with my mouth.
“Elias,” She pushes her fingers into my hair as I pull back, making sure she’s not too exposed. Settling the clamps on either side of her clit, I tighten them until she sucks in a hard breath.
“Okay?” I press a kiss to her bare hip.
“A little weird, but okay,” she rasps, smoothing my hair back and dropping to her knees in front of me. She slides her hands over my shoulders and squeezes my biceps. “Mmm, I have a fetish for your muscles.”
“Yeah?” I laugh, yanking her even closer to me and making her laugh when I nuzzle my face in her neck. “I’m pretty fond of yours too, even if I wish I wasn’t sporting a shiner right now.”
Naja frames my face in her hands, and gently kisses around the black eye she gave me when we were sparring the other day.
“You’re still sexy.”
“You know what would be even sexier?”
“What, Sir?” She scrapes her nails over my nipples and I groan. Sometimes she slips Sir in, and it’s even more arousing because she doesn’t say it all the time. We never finished our agreement about her submission, but we didn’t really need to. After
everything went down and we had some real peace, it just became natural. She lets me take the lead, and sometimes, I give it over to her.
But tonight is mine.
“Bed or floor?”
Instead of answering, she shuffles back on her knees and turns around, lowering her chest closer to the floor and presenting me with her gorgeous bottom.
Floor it is.
* * *
Naja
There is nothing like Elias’s touch. It only gets better every time, and I turn into a puddle of goo whenever he turns those bedroom eyes of his my way.
I am completely and hopelessly in love with this man, and it feels more pure and fulfilling than I ever thought it could.
There was a lightbulb moment when I realized that anything less than everything I had would be a disservice to him.
So, I give it all.
I shudder when I feel his large hands caressing my skin. I gasp when I feel the heat of his body on mine, and I flush with pleasure when I feel his lips floating teasingly up my spine. His body covers mine, and with the carpet underneath me, it already feels…raw. Primal. I arch my back immediately when his lips fall to my ear, unable to help myself.
“I love touching your skin,” He takes my earlobe between his teeth and runs a hand over my side before moving to my sensitive nipples. “I love the way you respond to me, I love feeling how hot you get.” His low whisper has got to be the most arousing thing on the planet, and every word that drops from his mouth sends lightning bolts straight through me.
He tugs on the chain between my clamps and I mewl. It’s a breathless feeling, like all the energy in your body is centered at the points where the clamps are…and I know it’s going to be explosive when they come off.
I can’t wait.
I turn my head and find Elias’s lips, our kisses perfect and needy. Feeling his hard cock nestled at my back is heady, it’s tantalizing and no matter how much I press into him or try to position myself so I can finally feel him inside me—he continues to tease me and let me know that he’ll fuck me when he’s good and ready.
It’s the small power plays that ratchet my desire up even higher.
His hands own my body, playing with my breasts and my pussy before he finally settles one at my neck and one parts my wet lips. He pulls me up to my knees at the same time as he starts to press his cock into my center, and I can only moan, feeling his thickness slide through my swollen walls.
His low growl of need almost makes me come on the spot, and the way he slowly but firmly fucks me, like he has all the time in the world but he just can’t quite help himself…god.
“Ride me,” he rasps, and we maneuver quickly, clumsily so that he’s lying on his back. I lower myself on his throbbing erection, and stars burst behind my eyes at being so full of him, touched so deeply by him. He uses his new position to play more with my clamped nipples and clit, the sharp, thudding sensations competing with the heady satisfaction of having him inside me.
I’ll never get tired of looking at him. Even in the hazy world of pleasure that I’m in, I’m anchored by his whiskey dark eyes.
They never leave me.
I slide my hand to his cheek, careful of his bruising, but helpless to the pull. I lean closer, settling my lips softly against his, breathing in everything that he is and everything that he gives me.
Sometimes I feel almost overwhelmed by how much I feel for him.
While I’m lost in his taste, he deftly frees me from the clamps and prickly heat rushes to my nipples, the ache always more intense than I remember. I clutch at his shoulders, helpless and caught in the throes of a storm. He gives and takes, holding me tight to him and whispering his love for me in my ears.
When neither of us have energy left to move and we’re lying in the floor, a cool, sweaty tangle of arms and legs, I press my forehead to his.
“Let’s have a baby.”
He stills before pulling back a little so he can see my face in the dim light.
“Now?”
I gnaw on my lip out of habit, thinking a little more realistically.
“Well, maybe not right now. I guess things will be pretty hectic with the building happening, and getting things finalized for the ranch. But let’s plan for when things are settled more?” It’s a question because I’m actually not sure if Elias wants more children. He’s wonderful with Cami, and even though he treats her like his own, I want to share the whole experience with him.
“I think that would be perfect,” he says solemnly, eyes shining. “Camille will make a great big sister.”
“And you’ll be even more of a wonderful daddy.” I kiss his jaw, sitting up. “Our parents are going to throw a party when it happens.”
“Like five parties,” he scoffs, standing and pulling me up with him. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he smiles against my neck. “I’m looking forward to the next chapter with you, Mrs. Samir.”
“So am I, husband.” I start to walk backwards towards the bathroom, full of excitement at the possibilities. “So am I.”
* * *
End
Keep reading for a small excerpt from Hold Me Longer, Roan’s story…
Excerpt
Michelle
I’m so tired I can barely see straight, but this is too important to sleep. I’ve waited too long for this moment to let it slip away now all because my body won’t fucking cooperate.
You can sleep when you’re dead, Mini-Me.
That’s what my father always said on those mornings when he would wake me up before the sun to go out on his boat and watch it rise, or when I got older and we’d start an early hike to watch it over the mountains.
My dad had a thing for sunrises. He said there was a time when he didn’t know if he would ever see one again, and when I was born, he vowed to never miss another if he could help it.
I go out of my way to avoid them now.
I walk through the corridors, not needing help to find my destination because I’ve been in similar areas many times before. I’m pointed towards the specific room I need, and when there’s only glass between us instead of thousands of miles, I let the bitterness seep into me.
Even when he’s hooked up to a ventilator with wires and IVs, Roan Johannes is still the most terrifying person in the world to me. What else can someone be who took everything you had to give before turning around and using it against you? Against everything you loved?
I slip into his room and stand silently by his bedside, listening to the rhythmic beeping of the machines as I’m thrown back into my own memories.
Things have come full circle.
I didn’t ask for the life that I lead now. It is one borne of necessity, because of the man lying in front of me.
Forgiveness is not a word that remains in my vocabulary.
I dispose of my gloves in a trash can and make my way to the waiting room, opening a magazine and feigning interest in the glossy pages.
Code Blue, I.C.U, Room five.
The automated voice announces its alarm and I watch responders race to their destination. After a few seconds, I slip out through the exit and finally feel a freedom to breathe that I haven’t felt in years.
Roan Johannes took what mattered most from me, and tonight…he’ll pay with his life.
* * *
Hold Me Longer — Coming Fall 2018
Also by Aja Cole
Finding Her Center: Hockey Romance
One Last Play: Sports Romance
Love At First Down: Football Romance
Professor Sexy: Hockey Romance
The Banks Sisters Series
1. Ache For Me: Hockey Romance
2. Yearn For Me: Hockey Romance
3. Burn For Me: MFM Sports Romance
The Unbreakable Series
1. Love Me Deeper
2. Kiss Me Harder
3. Hold Me Longer
Stay Connected!
Don’t hesitate to contact Aja, she loves talking to readers! If you enj
oyed Nova & Ash’s Story - Join Aja Cole’s Steam Room on Facebook for first notice of ARC opportunities and new releases.
About the Author
In addition to the people in her life that indulge her - Aja Cole loves men that smell phenomenal, food that tastes amazing, and something that college makes it hard to do called sleep.
Get in touch!
[email protected]