by K. L. Kreig
“Yeah. About fucking time you told her,” he chastises on a loud breath.
“Imagine my surprise when she already knew.”
“Knew what?” he feigns.
“You’re so full of shit, Ash.”
“This is not news, brother,” he drawls. Asher is shameless, as always.
I chuckle, unable to help it. I love him unconditionally anyway, even if he does butt his nose into my business when it’s not welcome. I think back to when I practically forced him to call his ex, Natalie, so he could break free of her invisible hold. He needed to in order to give Alyse all of him. Hmmm. Two peas in a pod, I guess.
“So, did she help provide some clarity?”
“Doesn’t she always?”
“Yes, asshole. That’s why I’ve been telling you to talk to her.”
A noise from the hallway draws my attention.
“Jesus,” I breathe lightly. Nora’s standing in the opening of the kitchen wearing the royal-blue button-down I had on last night. There’s a single button holding the two halves together. The one that’s straining just below her voluptuous breasts. I’m quite sure I’ve not seen a sexier sight than a scantily clad Nora in my shirt. No woman has ever worn my clothing. I would barely let a female in my place, let alone in my attire. On the spot, I decide I want to see Nora in it every day.
“What?” I ask Ash when I realize he’s still talking.
“I said what are you going to do?”
“What am I going to do?” I repeat Ash’s question slowly while holding my woman’s burning gaze. I answer, speaking to my brother, yet every word is meant only for her. “I’m going to reunite my family. I’m going to be the father Hazel needs. I’m going to be the man Nora deserves. I’m going to marry her and have loads of babies.”
With every word I speak, her eyes grow wider. Her mouth falls open a little farther, and my grin gets cockier.
“You can have the land,” I add before he has a chance. He won, fair and square and I could give a flying fuck. Everything I need is standing right in front of me. Well, except for my daughter.
“Nah. I don’t want it.”
“What?” I respond in surprise. “You’ve been giving me shit about that for months. Now you say you don’t want it?”
Nora glides toward me, her gate sure and elegant. She looks to be floating an inch above the floor. Her face has turned from that of surprise to pure hunger and my cock goes rock hard in one point three seconds. I need to get Ash off the damn phone. Right. Fucking. Now.
“All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, Conn. It sounds like you are.”
I stifle a groan when Nora’s lips skate across my neck to my shoulder. I fist her hair when her teeth find my flat nipple and clamp down. I have to remember to breathe when she grabs my stiffness through loose fabric.
“Besides I don’t want to pay the taxes on a land worth over a mil,” he chuckles darkly.
What? Is he still talking?
“I gotta go.” I throw my phone on the counter, hoping I’ve disconnected. “Nora, baby, what are you doing?” I rasp when she drops to her knees. Nails scrape my flank on her downward descent before my shorts pool around my ankles. The sting is sweet. Addicting.
My head falls against the cupboard when her breath trickles hot across my straining dick, washing me in scorching desire.
“Fuuuuck,” I hiss. Every muscle in my body tenses when her tongue teasingly circles my throbbing tip. Rounding me several times first, she groans when she finally takes me shallowly inside her warm mouth before repeating the entire provocative process again. Gripping the base of my cock, she squeezes hard at the same time she gently fondles my balls. I jerk, almost losing it.
Christ Almighty. I’ve had plenty of women do this for me over the course of the last few years, but nothing has felt like this. Nora’s mouth is pure, unadulterated perfection. It’s as if she knows exactly what I like and how I like it, but this is the very first time I’ve had the intoxicating pleasure of her mouth on me.
I try holding back.
I want to let her take the lead.
I want to let her set the pace.
I want to fuck her mouth slowly, drawing out my pleasure. Feel every euphoric tingle as it crawls up my spine.
But my wants mutate into frantic need the second she drags my rigid length all the way to the back of her throat and moans. Her hum is a mind eraser. All my good intentions were just destroyed with her swallow.
“Nora, shit.”
Fingers twine, caught in her fiery strands. My hips pump with sure strokes, and I have just one goal in mind. The flawless suction of Nora’s mouth pushes me to the edge hard and swift. Embarrassingly fast. I’m a coiled solid mass of nothing but sensation.
“So fucking good,” I rumble in exquisite desperation as she expertly works me into an absolute frenzy.
I need to slow down, savor this, but it’s far too late. My orgasm is already barreling down on me with a violence I can’t stop. I want to come down her throat, watch her take every drop of me, but the urge to mark Nora’s naked flesh with my seed is crude and primitive, a necessity I can’t resist. I pull out of her heat, rip my shirt she’s wearing open, and fist my cock as I finish myself off all over her gorgeous, heaving tits with a throaty rumble.
“That was hot,” she murmurs a little shyly, her face flushing even more. My hand is still wrapped tightly around her long hair, tipping her head up so her eyes never leave mine. I grudgingly unwind the tangled fingers as I relax the others still squeezing the life out of my dick.
“That was unexpected,” I say with a smirk, dropping my gaze to the strings of milky white now decorating her puckered nipples. I reach down to swirl the cooling sticky substance around her nub with my index finger. She shivers. When my eyes sweep back up, I add, “And undeniably hot.”
I grab a paper towel, reluctantly handing it to her as I help her to her feet. She has to yank it from my hand, laughing. “Want me to rub it in and skip a shower?” she teases.
“Would you?” I reply. Seriously.
Her happiness radiates off my walls, the melodic notes squeezing my heart. I watch in disappointment as the evidence of my virility is wiped away with a few flicks of her wrist. My frown makes her eyes light up with delight.
“No, but I would let you do it again,” she saucily breathes against my mouth before wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me slowly. My dick stirs again.
“I will take you up on that, princess.”
“Who were you talking to?” she asks tentatively, watching me closely.
I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her into my already stiffening cock. She trembles a tad and I grin. God, I will never get enough of her. I feel like a horny eighteen-year-old again. “Ash.”
“Did you mean it? What you said?”
Looking deeply into her eyes, I confess simply, “Every word, Nora.”
“I feel like I need to pinch myself,” she whispers, water filling her eyes.
“I am sure I can help you out with that.” There are plenty of places on her I’d like to pinch before soothing the bite. I swoop down, taking her mouth in a scorching kiss and am getting ready to throw her down on my kitchen table so I can eat my kind of breakfast when I hear her stomach grumble.
“I need to feed you,” I groan, leaning my forehead against hers. We both work to catch our breaths, which had taken off in anticipation of yet another sweaty workout.
“I can wait.” But her belly disagrees. Loudly.
With a quick kiss, I unwind her from me and tug the two parts of hanging fabric together so her magnificent body does not tempt me. “Go shower while I make breakfast for us, princess.”
She hesitates.
“What is it?” I ask, feeling her worry.
“I…” When she looks away for a moment, I already know this conversation is going places I’m not going to like. “I just think we should take things slow. With Hazel, I mean. If for some reason this doesn’t work out b
etween us, it would crush her.”
Oh hell no. Fuck. No.
“No.”
“Connelly,” she starts to protest.
“Stop.” She does only because I don’t give her a choice with my fingers now clamping her lips closed. “Let’s talk about this after we’ve eaten, okay?” Little does she know there will be no discussion. Period. By the end of this week, I will be living with her and Hazel in her rental until we can figure out where we’ll move permanently. I love my condo and will hate to be away from my brothers, but the heart of the city is not the best place to raise a ten-year-old. I may not know a lot about kids yet, but I do know that.
“Okay,” she acquiesces. She sees my resolve, but I know she’s steeling herself for a fight to protect our daughter. I commend her for that, though it also stings she thinks I would do that to her. To them. Deep down, I hope she knows I would never hurt them.
Placing a kiss on her temple, I swat her on the ass so hard she squeals. “Off to the shower with you now so I can cook. You’re a distraction.”
“I love you, babe,” she purrs in my ear. I feel a sting on my lobe. Before I can react she’s run halfway across the kitchen.
“Nora,” I growl, “you’re gonna pay for that, princess.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” she throws insolently over her shoulder, sashaying down the hall and out of my sight.
It’s official.
Both of my girls have me wrapped completely and thoroughly around them.
I’m whipped.
And I’m decidedly okay with that.
Chapter 34
Nora
I take my time under the hot spray, reliving every single second of the past twelve hours, still not able to believe I haven’t fallen into some alternate universe where all of your dreams turn into reality. Any minute I expect to see tiny fairies with tiny magical wands flying around by their tiny wings. I feel like if I blink a second too long or take too deep of a breath this will all just disappear and I’ll be waking up alone in my bed once again.
Connelly wants me.
He forgives me.
He wants to be a family.
He wants to marry me.
Marry. Me.
I saw the hurt in his eyes when I told him I wanted to go slow. I used Hazel as an excuse, but I think I’m protecting myself just as much. I would break completely if this didn’t work and I didn’t lie that Hazel would be crushed. She’s already hinted several times about us all living happily ever after. The crazy girl has even picked out names for her fantasy siblings. I’ve tried to gently redirect her without crushing her burgeoning hope, but she refuses to listen. She’s adamant about a future with Connelly. She’s been surprisingly more mature about this entire thing than either her father or me.
I guess my young-in-age but mature-at-heart daughter had foresight I couldn’t even imagine.
Last night, I felt the weight of every burden I’ve carried alone for so long being lifted one by the one with each word I spoke. I felt like I could take a deep, cleansing breath for the first time in years. I got everything off my chest that I’d always wanted to say. I unloaded every sin, every worry, every mistake. I vomited it all.
Except one.
That one I hope he never discovers. That’s the one I fear would crush him the most. That may even be the most unforgivable sin of all.
Chapter 35
Conn
I heard the water turn off just minutes ago. I’ve stood here over the heat of the stove for the last fifteen minutes fantasizing about Nora’s naked body in my glass shower stall, hot water sluicing down her curves, greedily hugging the perfect lines of her body. I envisioned her cupping her pussy and kneading her full breasts as she washed the final remnants of my scent away.
The caveman in me takes over at that thought. I need to mark her again. I inanely wonder if my brothers all feel like this about their women. I make a mental note to discreetly ask them next time we’re together.
As I impatiently wait for Nora to return so I can feed her and fuck her, in that order, the doorbell rings. I quickly assess what I’m wearing—green and white baggy gym shorts and nothing else—and decide it will be fine. It’s probably Ash anyway.
I fling open the door expecting my brother’s face to be staring back at me but have to drop my surprised gaze on my little girl standing there instead.
“Hazel? What are you doing here?” I glance down the hallway to see Ella’s nowhere to be found. I’m suddenly angry. “Where’s your aunt?”
Hazel ignores my outburst and breezes through the entryway.
“Are you just wandering the halls by yourself?” I demand as I follow her to the kitchen.
“Daddy, I’m ten years old. Actually, I’m closer to eleven now than ten. I’m not a baby. You know I can babysit actual babies when I’m eleven?” I’m a bit taken aback at the chastising grumble that comes from her little mouth. She’s a miniature version of her mother.
“Of course you’re not. I didn’t mean to imply you were a baby. I just…does Ella, I mean Mira, know where you are?”
A little eye roll accompanies her answer. “Yes.”
“And she let you come here by yourself?”
“You mean, did she let me walk down the hallway by myself?”
I feel like a fish gasping for air, my mouth opens and closes so many times while no words come out. This is a side of my daughter I’ve yet to see. Then she gives me a little smile, which is more like a smirk, and I’m hooked once again. “Okay, point taken.”
Hazel lazily hops up on a chair at the island. Her eyes pop at the feast I’ve laid out for Nora and me. Fresh fruit, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and sliced bananas accompany homemade crepes and hand-whipped cream. I’d honestly planned to eat most of my meal off of Nora, but I guess that will have to wait.
Suddenly I understand the perils having children has on your sex life. That just makes me all the more resolved to be creative because Hazel’s mother and I are just getting started with all of the wicked sins I will be lavishing on her. If that means breakfast in our bedroom at two in the morning, then so be it. I don’t need much sleep anyway.
“Hungry, Ladybird?” I ask with a grin.
“Famished!” she replies excitedly as she balances on her knees in her seat. She told me last week she loves it when I use her nickname, so I’ve tried to use it as often as possible.
I fill a plate with two of the French pancakes and start to pile some fruit on when I realize I don’t know what she likes. “Anything I shouldn’t add?”
Her little nose wrinkles up. “No raspberries. I don’t like the seeds.”
“Neither do I.” I wink, drawing a giggle from her. “You probably don’t like whipped cream, either, right?” The withering look I get makes my heart melt. “I’ll take that as a yes, then.”
Setting the meal in front of her, I add, “Sorry I don’t have any nuts. I’m allergic.” Sometimes I forget about all the things people eat nuts on, crepes being one of them.
Her gaze snaps to mine. “You are?”
“Yep,” I nod, grabbing my own plate to fill. “Have been since I was a baby.”
“Me too,” she whispers in awe. Our eyes lock and I feel something unnamed pass between us. I think maybe it’s unconditional love.
“We have a lot in common, yeah?”
She just bobs her head and silence envelopes us.
“I knew when we moved here that something good was going to happen to us.”
“You did? Why?” I take a seat next to her, giving her my full attention.
“Do you believe in signs?”
I dip my head in agreement, thinking about all the signs that have been right in front of me, which I’ve ignored.
“Me too. I saw my good luck sign the night we moved here.”
“What’s your good luck sign, Hazel?” I think I know what she’ll say. She’s wearing it around her wrist even now, but I’m shocked at her explanation.
/>
“A dragonfly.”
“I thought it was a ladybug?”
“Ladybugs are good luck too, but…”
“But what?” I prod at her hesitation. I reach for her small hand, taking it in mine. “You can tell me anything, Hazel.”
“But so are dragonflies. And Mommy told me once that dragonflies are creatures of water, just like my daddy.”
I frown, not understanding what either she, or Nora, would have meant by that, but my brilliant girl clears it up for me quickly. Apparently she’s inherited a love of all things philosophical like her mother.
“The sign, Cancer, is a water element. So I just knew when I saw a dragonfly stuck in my window on the first night we moved in that you were here.” She looks at me briefly before continuing. “And Mommy once told me that my daddy was a water sign like me. Pisces. And that’s why I was born so early, so I could be like him.”
My breath stops. My eyes actually tear.
A sniffle from the corner of the room draws my attention away from Hazel. When my gaze clashes with Nora’s, I fly into action without even thinking. Next thing I know her face is between my fingers, her lips meshed with mine. I kiss her and kiss her and kiss her until I remember our girl is nearby, watching. I’m not sure what the protocol is for showing affection in front of your child, but if it’s anything other than acceptable, I’m changing the damn rules.
“There is no you, Nora. There is no me. There’s just us. Do you understand? Just us.”
“Yes.”
I am demanding and she is sweetly compliant. It makes me so fucking hard when she surrenders to me like this. Remembering our daughter is looking on, I will my dick to at least a semihard state, grateful for my loose shorts, and chance a glance at Hazel. She is beaming from ear to ear. I expected disgust or maybe even apathy, but pure joy radiates from her like sunlight on a brand new day.