by Tia Siren
“No. I need to feel you bare,” he told me, and I widened my eyes. “Just tonight at least, Brea. It’s been so long.”
I knew the risks, but he kept kissing me, sucking at my skin like a dying man. I didn’t care. He kissed back up to my throat before shifting to my entrance. I gasped. He slid inside and I bit my lip as he filled my tight core with his hard thrusts, whispering my name as he slid a hand into my hair.
He stilled for a moment, looking into my eyes before he moved back.
“Take me, Ryan,” I urged him, and he moved hard, taking me with deep thrusts. I started to rock with him, knowing we were both close already.
“You feel so good, Brea.” He kept moving as I pressed into him, finding a rhythm after weeks apart. I breathed him in, clawing his back as I wrapped my legs around him. We came together, and a tear slid down my cheek as he exploded into my warmth. “Baby, this is everything to me.”
We moved apart, resting against the pillows as he stroked my skin gently. “I feel alive again but still really tired. Does that make sense?” I asked. He laughed and nodded.
We spent a few minutes recovering, but I still wanted him before I passed out. I moved down his body to take him into my mouth as I had a few times since having Elle. He allowed it for a few minutes this time before I moved over him and lined his cock up with my pussy. Ryan reached for my breasts, stroking my nipples as I impaled myself on him, tossing back my long hair and moaning his name. He was so fucking perfect for me, and I cried out softly as I kept rocking over him. I pressed against his hard chest as he continued to touch me. I felt connected to him in every way as I moved, trying different ways before we both started to move together.
I felt myself breaking again as I came, dropping over him one more time before he started fucking me hard and fast. He drove himself inside me and came after me. I toppled over him, feeling the heat between our bodies. I had been worried that it was gone, but tonight proved that we still had it. I relaxed my body over his as we rested together, naked and raw.
I fell asleep easier than I had in weeks. I had Ryan and my baby with me and that was all I needed. I pressed against him and memorized the way he felt, so lost in sleep that I didn’t know what the crying was in the room. I was having a great dream.
Ryan pulled me to him for a kiss as I tried to go back to sleep.
“The baby,” he whispered. I tried to remember if he knew that she drank from a bottle now. My body was even more tired tonight from making love to him, and I started to cry as he looked down at me. “Get some sleep, baby. I’ll give her a bottle.”
I touched him and murmured something, wanting to continue my dream. I drifted right back to sleep and was vaguely aware of Ryan taking Elle out of the room and coming back in a little while later. At some point, I moved beside him to wrap a leg over him as I reached down to hold his cock in my hand.
He turned me to my back and made sweet love to me as I held on tight. This was what I wanted, and I murmured for him to be home at night with us more often as he took me slowly. There was something different about him as he tucked me against him to go back to sleep, and I couldn’t make sense of it.
In the morning, I woke up to Elle and picked her up to take her out of the room. Ryan had been great for taking care of her last night, and I walked downstairs with her to nurse in my favorite chair. I loosened my robe and latched her on as I played back last night.
I was so in love with Ryan. I probably had been for longer than I thought, and I smiled as I thought about our conversation outside. We both wanted this, all of this. We wanted the house, the baby, and the family. I looked down at Elle as I stroked her hair and smiled, watching as the sky brightened outside.
I was living my dream and I had the man now. I knew that from last night, even though we hadn’t said the words yet. We would, in time.
“I love you, too.” Ryan’s voice behind me made me jump, and I slowly turned to look back at him.
“What?” I asked with a frown.
“You told me that you loved me when I let you sleep last night. I didn’t think you’d remember, but they were the best words I have ever heard.” He kept walking, and I blushed as he kissed my head. “I love you, too. I love our daughter, and it was great to have that time with her. Now I am going to make you breakfast before we take a walk on the beach…as a family.”
Had I said that? I’d certainly been thinking it for a long time, but in my tired state, I just might have let it slip out. I was relieved it was out now. Elle finished eating and pulled back to look up at me. She was so pretty, and I laughed as I brought her to my shoulder to burp her.
Ryan made bacon and eggs for us, pouring coffee and orange juice as I helped set the table. Elle enjoyed her swing as we sat down to eat, looking at each other as I blushed again.
“I loved last night,” I said, and he grinned wickedly.
“It was nice to catch up, wasn’t it?” he mused as I sipped my coffee. I drank very little of it, but a sip here and there was necessary as a new mother. “I know it won’t be easy with life and a baby, but we need to do that more often.”
“We do,” I agreed as I picked up a piece of bacon. I took a bite and smiled as I looked at his perfect form beside me. We ate slowly and chatted about the center and what would happen once it was built.
“What do you want to do?” Ryan asked as I chewed my eggs.
“For now, I want to raise Elle. I want to see every step I’m supposed to and then I’ll decide. Maybe I’ll consider making films. Who knows? I think I’m pretty happy being a girlfriend and a mother.”
“That’s the first time you’ve ever considered yourself my girlfriend, isn’t it?” he asked, and I shrugged.
“Out loud,” I admitted, and he chuckled. We finished breakfast and cleaned up together, washing dishes and drying them before I looked over at Elle. “Didn’t we get something that carries her on my chest or something?”
“Yes. Lucy put it in the closet in the nursery. I’ll run up and get it.” Ryan jogged up the stairs and I picked up Elle as she stretched and yawned.
“Want to go for a walk? I have this nifty little carrier that I get to put you in for your first trip to the beach.” I watched as she moved in my arms and saw Ryan coming down the stairs.
“It’s a wrap. Let’s get this over your shoulder and I’ll secure her inside.” Ryan pulled it out of the box, and we laughed as he figured out what to do. Once it was around my body, he put Elle inside it and we checked to make sure she wasn’t going to fall out. Ryan grabbed a bottle of water and we left through the back door. I had only been down here once by myself, but I was so excited to be down here with the two of them.
We walked down the steps and onto the sand as I wrapped my hands over Elle and she gurgled in front of me. As we headed down to the water, Ryan supported me with a hand on my lower back, and I smiled. The wind blew my hair around, and I laughed as I looked around the nearly empty beach.
We walked for a couple hours, stopping once so I could feed Elle as I sat on a rock. It was easy enough to just unbutton my shirt and latch her on as Ryan wrapped his arms around us. I knew everything was different between us now, and it felt great. I knew he was still going to be busy working, but we’d deal with that. Maybe I’d ask him to cut his hours back if it got to be too much. I loved him and Ryan loved me, and we’d work through this.
We made our way back to the house and put Elle down for her nap before we went in to take our own. “They always say to sleep when the baby sleeps, you know,” Ryan told me as we snuggled together, naked and sweaty.
“They do,” I agreed as I moved forward to kiss his chest. “I love you.” I liked saying it and seeing his face. He smiled so big and his eyes twinkled as he looked at me.
“I love you. Since we’ve said this to each other, do we still have to go through with this double date?” Ryan asked me with a frown.
“Probably. We need to see Lucy, and it’s a package deal for now,” I told him. He nodded slowly
. “Let’s get through it and see what happens.”
CHAPTER 25
Ryan
I looked at my dad sitting with Elle on our couch as I went over the instructions. I was worried about leaving her alone with him, or anybody for that matter. She was only a couple months old and so tiny. What if something happened?
“There’s plenty of milk in the fridge for her. She should eat in about an hour and a half, and right now she is eating about two ounces at a time. Warm it with some hot water from the sink. Just run the bottle under it so it’s not too cold for her tummy. Beyond that, she sleeps a lot and makes really cute faces.”
“We’re only going to dinner, Ryan. If anything happens, we will be in town and can come right back. It isn’t a big deal,” Brea said from beside me as I looked down at Elle. “Come on. We’re meeting them.”
“She is going to be fine,” Dad assured me, and I sighed. “I’m just going to sit here and talk to her about life and what we have to look forward to. When she sleeps, I’ll keep her close to me. I will keep her safe.”
“We know. Just text or call if you need anything at all.” Now I heard the worry in Brea’s voice, and I looked at her. We walked out of the house and into the garage, and I helped her into the car.
“You look pretty,” I told her as we pulled out. Brea had chosen a light green sundress that hung down above her knees and had straps that brushed over her shoulders. She had paired it with some heeled sandals. She looked great after having the baby, and I eyed her large breasts as I stopped at the end of the driveway.
“Thanks. I’m surprised it fits,” Brea admitted, and I chuckled. “I guess the walks on the beach and the nursing are doing the trick.”
“You’re young and you were healthy during the pregnancy. You are now, but no matter what, you’ll always be beautiful to me,” I said. She shook her head.
“You know just what to say,” Brea said, and I smiled at her. We headed to a seafood restaurant, and I parked as I looked around for Lewis’s flashy red sports car.
“Great. He’s here,” I muttered. Brea looked at me with concern.
“Come on,” she said as she slipped out of the seat and waited for me. I joined her and took her hand as we walked to the building. Lucy was standing up and waving to us. Brea pulled me forward and gave her friend a hug. Lucy hugged me afterward, thanking me for coming before she pulled away and sat beside Lewis. I took my seat and nodded at him as Lucy asked about Elle and they started talking.
The girls were great together, but Lewis and I struggled with what to say. It was small talk, and several times throughout the process of ordering, I watched him look at Brea with a hunger in his eyes that was pissing me off.
“She looks good for just having a baby. Really good,” Lewis told me softly, and I glared at him.
Lucy turned her head sharply, catching the glint in his eyes. “You are a fucking pig. I knew you weren’t the boyfriend type, but Jesus. You’re ogling my best friend, who just had a baby with your best friend. I’m glad I finally see the light bulb that everyone else has.” Lucy pushed back from the table and turned to leave, a full plate and a drink still in front of her.
Brea stared at him before she stood up and crossed her arms over her chest. She turned to follow Lucy, and I glared at Lewis as he shrugged. “Women.”
“You can’t talk about my girlfriend that way. You can’t talk about the mother of my child like that. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I stared at my former best friend, seeing him for who he really was. “I was your closest friend and you look at Brea like that. You treat my cousin like shit.”
“What happened to bros before hoes?” Lewis asked. I shook my head in disgust. “You’re going to kick my ass over a girl? That’s what this sounds like.”
I stood and looked at the table covered with plates and drinks for a moment. “I have to get out there and be with the people who actually belong in my life. I trust you’ll handle the bill. You have plenty of money.” I left and walked outside, chuckling when I saw that Lucy was already talking to a brunet guy and laughing at something he said while Brea sat on a bench, looking at her phone.
I glanced at my cousin and walked over to Bree before sitting down and taking her hand. “I’m sorry about that. He shouldn’t be allowed to talk to you that way, and he’ll never do it again.”
“It’s not your fault he’s an asshole,” Brea told me as she looked up. “Where is he?”
“I left him inside with the bill. How about we go grab some food elsewhere and then go back to the house?” I asked, and she smiled at me. “Do you think Lucy will want to go? How did she meet a guy running away from her date like that?”
“They bumped into each other and she’s Lucy. I think he’s an artist too or something,” Brea looked over at them. “Lucy?”
My cousin glanced over and brought the guy along with her. “Guys, this is Preston. Preston, this is my cousin Ryan and my best friend, Brea.”
Preston smiled politely at both of us as he shook our hands. He was more into Lucy than he was either of us, and I liked him better than Lewis already. “Great to meet you.”
“So, since we abandoned our dinners in there, I was thinking we could go get some food. There’s a great diner on the corner,” I suggested. Lucy laughed, and Preston shot her a curious look.
“I trust the bill is being handled?” Lucy asked, and I smirked and nodded. “Let’s go.” She glanced at Preston and asked if he wanted to join us, and he nodded with an easy grin. I could see that he was smitten with her already.
We got into my car and I drove to the diner, where we got a booth and all ordered shakes and waters. We got to know Preston, who was an artist and owned a small gallery. I thought it was a match made in heaven. We ordered burgers and fries and laughed as we all got to know each other. He laughed when he found out that Lucy’s best friend and cousin were together with a baby, and he said the right things about Elle.
We finished, and I looked at Brea with a smile. She had been texting my dad throughout the night to check on our daughter. “How’s Elle?”
She blushed and smiled. “She’s great. They’re having a good time together.”
“Shall we do something else then?” I asked. She looked at Lucy.
“Do you have beer?” Lucy asked. I nodded and she looked at Brea. “I think we should go to your house and drink on your balcony. There are stars out tonight and the breeze is nice.”
“Are you okay with that?” I asked Brea, and she smiled widely.
“I am.”
We drove back to the house and walked in as Dad looked up from the television. “You’re back.”
“Yeah. Things got weird and we just had dinner and came home. Dad, this is Preston.” I gestured toward the guy who was currently looking around the house. He greeted Dad politely. “We’re going to sit on the balcony and chat a little. Do you want to take one of the rooms upstairs for the night?”
“That would be great, Son. The house feels a little lonely without your mom there,” he admitted sadly.
“Want to have a beer on the balcony with us, Mike?” Lucy asked, and he grinned.
Brea laughed as she picked up Elle from the bouncer. She asked Dad when she ate last, and, like clockwork, Elle started to cry.
“I’m going to grab a blanket and feed her outside if you don’t mind,” Brea said. Everyone shook their heads, and she picked up a blanket from the couch to walk outside first. I smiled at her and went to get the drinks with Preston. I glanced at him once we were in the kitchen.
“Be good to her,” I told him. “I know this is new and all, but the last guy she dated was an ass. I don’t want that for Lucy again.”
“Is that what happened at the restaurant?” he asked. I nodded. “She looked pretty upset when she bumped into me. She got over it though. She’s a sweet girl. I’ve seen her work around town, and she’s talented as well.” He held out a hand and took two of the beers as he glanced at the water curiously.
“B
rea and I don’t drink at all,” I said, and he smiled at me.
“That’s cool. I don’t drink heavily myself.”
We were chatting as we walked outside and joined everyone else. I sat next to Brea and glanced over at her as she stroked Elle through the blanket. “How’s she doing?”
“Hungry,” she told me. I leaned in and kissed her.
“You guys make a cute couple,” Lucy observed as she grinned at us. Dad looked confused, and I shot her a look with a smile.
“Thanks. I’ve always thought that,” I replied as she covered her mouth with her hand. We went on to discuss the town and what it had to offer as well as the center. Dad wanted to hear every detail about it and added his own thoughts after seeing Mom go through a few rehabs. I appreciated his opinion, and we talked softly as the others filled the air with laughter. It was a perfect night, and I looked around the deck as something crossed my mind.
Brea took the blanket from Elle’s head, and I looked over at her for a long moment. She stroked Elle’s back and I glanced at the house. “I’ll be right back.” I stood and walked inside the house and jogged up the stairs. There was one more thing I’d done when Brea had been going into labor. Everything had been so busy since that I hadn’t pursued it. Now was the time. I looked down into the drawer for a moment before walking downstairs empty handed.
I dropped beside Brea’s chair. “Will you marry me?”
“What? Are you serious?” Brea asked, and I smiled.
“I love you and Elle. I want forever with you,” I assured her. She looked around at everyone and then back down at me.
“Ryan…I don’t…oh my God.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she wiped them with one hand. “Yes. I want to marry you.”
I stood up and leaned down to cover her mouth with mine as Lucy screamed in delight. Everyone started talking, but I only felt Brea’s lips against mine until Elle started to fuss. I pulled away and sat down to help her calm the baby before looking around at everybody.
We talked about the wedding until Dad told us he was going to go to bed. He offered to take us all out to dinner to celebrate next week once he could share the news with Mom. We agreed. There was a lot to celebrate.