by Ali Parker
Leila
His sweet kiss sparked a hot fire within. He loved me. I had probably repeated the phrase in my head a hundred times since he said it. He loved me. A sexy, beautiful, kind man loved me. I didn’t think it was possible. I was convinced I wasn’t worthy for so long. I never imagined I could ever experience true love with a man that checked all the boxes.
“Maybe we should go upstairs?” I whispered against his lips.
“I think that sounds like a very good idea. Go ahead and go up while I lock up down here.”
I headed upstairs, running my hand along the banister and imagined us going up to bed together every night. We hadn’t talked about any of that, but I realized in that moment, I was ready for the real deal. I went into his room, turned on the fireplace and shut off the lights. I stripped out of the clothes I wore for our night out and crawled onto the bed naked as the day I was born. I did my best to pose in a seductive fashion, waiting for him to come in.
I heard his footsteps on the stairs and felt that familiar molten feeling low in my belly. When he came into the room, he stopped in the doorway. His eyes slowly moved over me. I could practically feel his touch. A shiver of desire raced down my spine causing me to physically shudder.
“I feel a little overdressed,” he rasped.
“I think you are very overdressed.”
He closed the bedroom door and began to undress. I couldn’t pull my eyes away. I watched as his naked body emerged from under the clothes. He was a fine male specimen and I was so lucky to have him. He walked naked towards the bed, his eyes holding mine.
“On your back,” he whispered.
I did as he asked. He got on the bed beside me, stretching out his long body, his head propped up on his elbow. One finger trailed over my lips before running down my throat and between my breasts. The touch was feather-light. His fingertip circled my navel before sliding between my legs. He stopped just short of rubbing over my intimate core.
I was breathing hard; the simple touch had been erotic and hotter than the frenzied touches we normally shared. He slowly lowered his mouth to mine, kissing me in a heated, passionate way that stoked the flames he had already started low in my belly. My hand reached up to touch his arm, squeezing the bicep before slowly moving to his back.
His hand had moved to my breast, gently squeezing and tugging. It was a slow roll of ecstasy as the hand slid between my legs again. My legs naturally fell open, giving him unfettered access to my pussy. His palm cupped over the heated apex between my legs. He didn’t move it. He held me in the most intimate way.
The touch ignited a series of electric shocks that had me arching my back, pushing myself hard against his palm. He didn’t move the hand. I couldn’t explain the feeling rolling through my body as he held me at my very core. His mouth closed over mine in a sweet kiss that wrapped me up completely in his love. With zero penetration, my body erupted into flames.
“That’s my girl,” he whispered as I moaned and whimpered my way through the orgasm.
“Wow,” I breathed.
“I want to make love to you,” he said, his fingers trailing over my belly once again.
I could feel tears burning in my eyes and couldn’t explain them. I felt so much for him in that moment. It was like an overflow of emotion and the only release was through tears. His mouth lowered to my breasts. He kissed and lapped at the nipples, covering every inch of skin with wet kisses.
“So good,” I groaned, my body still spasming from the first orgasm.
His hand moved between my legs once again. His long finger slid over my folds, exposing my very core. He played with my clit, teasing and tweaking until I was writhing under him once again. He refused to slide the finger inside me.
“Your skin is on fire,” he whispered as his tongue flicked over my earlobe.
“I’m so hot,” I whimpered. “Please. I need to feel you inside me.”
“In time, baby, in time. I want to love your body. I want to make you feel good.”
“I feel so good,” I whimpered.
His fingers began to rub over my clit, the sensations so powerful they almost hurt. I struggled to get away while trying to get closer at the same time. My hand went to his back, tugging at him, trying to make him ride me. I felt crazed with need.
“That’s it,” he encouraged. “Feel it. Feel every sensation.”
“I do, I do, baby, please, I need you inside me.”
“Shh, relax, and let yourself go.”
His fingertips rubbed faster, applying more pressure to the most sensitive part of my body. I screamed, my back bowing as I gripped his biceps, struggling to hold it together. I felt like my body was shattering into a million pieces. I moved away from the fingers that were torturing me with pleasure.
When he rolled on top of me, supporting his weight on his elbows, it was exactly the grounding I needed. He made me feel safe and cherished. He stared into my eyes, warmth reflecting in his.
“You’re going to kill me if you keep doing that,” I told him with a shaky voice.
“I love watching you come apart in my arms,” he said before angling his hips and pushing the head of his cock into my opening.
I closed my eyes. Two orgasms and no penetration had left me slick and swollen. He pushed, gently probing my opening with his cock. “You’re tight and swollen,” he breathed out the words on a painful breath.
“I’m ready,” I told him, looking directly into his eyes.
He pushed himself a little deeper inside. Both of us sucked in a breath as powerful sensations rocked through our bodies. He held himself up on shaking arms before sliding inside a little bit at a time. I couldn’t breathe. I felt like our souls were joining. I could feel his essence merging with mine. We stared into each other’s eyes, the joining nearly complete.
The last inch of his thick cock filled me. My eyes dropped closed, wanting to lock in all the sensations I was feeling right then. I felt a tear slide down my face. The pad of his thumb was right there to wipe it away.
He began to move, taking us on a slow journey to heaven. I rubbed my hands up and down his back, encouraging him to keep going. He dropped his mouth to mine, kissing me slowly and leisurely, matching the pace of his lovemaking.
“You feel so good, so right, inside me,” I said, looking up to find his eyes on me.
He nodded. “I want to be inside you all the time. I love the way your body squeezes me tight. It’s like getting the best hug in the world.”
The intensity of his lovemaking picked up. I could see the frantic strain on his face and see it in the way his jaw clenched. I lifted my hips to match his thrusts. His eyes opened wide before squeezing tightly closed. We rocked against each other, panting and gasping for air as we raced towards another orgasm.
“Harder,” I demanded.
He grunted, slamming his pelvis against mine, his dick buried deep inside me. “More?”
“More. I want all of it. I want all of you.”
He moved again, the hard thrust shaking the bed. “Better?” he growled.
“More!”
I wanted him to let go. I could feel him holding back. I wanted every last bit of his soul. I didn’t want a fraction of it. I wanted it all. I needed him stripped bare and willing to give me all of him, like I had given him.
“Goddammit,” he roared, his face twisted in what looked like pain, but I knew it was ecstasy.
“That’s it, let go. Let go. Give it all to me.”
He pumped his body into mine. The bed was rocking in time with his thrusts. I arched up to meet every thrust, my hands on his hips, pulling him against me. He was still holding back. I dug my nails into the flesh of his perfectly hard, round butt.
“Fuck,” he groaned. “Oh shit.”
“Yes,” I cried out, feeling the man’s release building. His cock grew inside me, his body stiffening as he climbed higher and higher.
He roared louder than any lion I had ever heard on TV. He roared and shouted, his body expl
oding deep inside me. The release was like an internal shockwave. It triggered my own violent release. He collapsed on me. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him so tight I didn’t think either one of us could breathe.
I’d gotten what I was after. I had felt him let go. He released all his pain and suffering and I had gladly swallowed it up. I would share it with him. I would carry some of the load. He rolled off me, going to his side and facing me. I could see the emotion on his face. I reached up and touched his cheek, offering him a smile.
“You okay?” I breathed.
He nodded. “Better than I’ve been in a long time.”
I smiled, happy I had been there to help him over the last hurdle on his way back to life. “I love you.”
His eyes grew shiny with his own unshed tears. “I love you.”
He wrapped his arm around me, tugging himself impossibly closer to me. We held each other close, absorbing the scent of one another. I felt like I was truly carrying his essence within me. He was a part of me, just like my heart was a part of my body.
“We should probably get under the blankets before we freeze,” I murmured.
“I’ll be your blanket.”
I softly laughed. “You’re a very warm blanket and the best kind, but just in case Olin comes home I should probably be covered.”
That seemed to get through. “You’re right.”
We scrambled off the bed, pulling the covers back and climbing between the sheets. I rested my head on his bare chest, absorbing the heat of him as I mulled over how my life had changed since he’d walked through the door of my classroom.
“I’m so glad we met,” I murmured against his chest. “My life was missing something big. I didn’t even know I was missing it until I met you.”
“I believe it was fate that brought me to you,” he said. “Everything happens for a reason. I went through hell, having no idea you would be waiting on the other side.”
“I’ll always be waiting on the other side. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there.”
“Same. You can always count on me. Whatever bullshit life wants to throw our way, we’ll handle it together. I will always be in your corner.”
I smiled, my eyes drooping closed after the long day. Being with him was total contentment. I needed for nothing when I had him in my arms.
Epilogue
Leila
One year later
I reviewed the admissions essay for another potential student. I loved reading the essays—most of the time. Some were absolute garbage, but the majority warmed my heart. I loved reading about the struggles and triumphs of the young people who wanted to attend our school for their educational needs. I always felt like we were the ones being interviewed.
Students had thousands of options and when they applied to our school, I felt like we should be proud they had chosen us from the thousands. It had been a long year and the university was still recovering from the scandal that the dean’s extortion had brought on. I felt like we were making headway. It was being talked about less and less and I was hoping by this time next year, it would be a distant memory.
My position as associate dean was implemented as a prevention method. Dean Johnson had been allowed to run unchecked, which made him feel invincible. Now, our new dean had me. It was a system of checks and balances and I thought it was working out very well.
I picked up another admissions application from the stack and froze. I smelled him before I saw him. My body had a sixth sense when it came to Christopher. When he pushed open the door, I was already smiling.
“Hi there,” I greeted.
“Hi yourself,” he said walking in and presenting me with a single rose.
“You are too sweet.”
“I know,” he said with a laugh. “What are you still doing working?”
I looked at the time. “I still have time. I want to get through as many of these applications as I can.”
“You look hot sitting behind that desk.”
I laughed. “You say that every time you come in here.”
“And every single time I am being completely honest.”
“Well, thank you. I wouldn’t be sitting at this desk if it wasn’t for you,” I told him.
He held up his hand, slowly shaking his head. “I had nothing to do with this big promotion. This was all you. You were qualified for the job, and that’s why they gave it to you.”
“I appreciate you saying that.”
“Do you miss teaching?” he asked.
I groaned. “I do. I get the one class, but the dean keeps dumping more responsibilities onto me. I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to keep up with it all.”
“You could always give up the associate dean position and go back to being a full-time professor,” he offered.
My eyes went big. “No way! Do you know how rare it is for a woman my age to get a job like this?”
He chuckled. “I do. I just wanted to remind you of that.”
I smiled. “Thank you. I figure I can still study Greek mythology, but I will leave the teaching to someone else.”
“Seriously, we’re going to be late,” he said, shifting the conversation back to his reason for stopping by.
I sighed. “Fine, fine.” I stacked the files neatly on the desk and got to my feet. “It’s my party, they can’t possibly start without me, can they?”
He shrugged. “It’s a party celebrating you and your big promotion, but trust me, they can and will start without you.”
“We’ll be fashionably late.”
I felt him cringe. I loved to tease him now and again. He hated the term. He found nothing fashionable about tardiness. I didn’t either, but it was fun to goad him.
“Get your sweet ass in gear before I give you a very good reason for being late to your own party,” he growled, pulling me close to him. His hands were on my ass, holding me against his body.
“We cannot have sex in here,” I warned him. “We are not going to set off another scandal.”
He chuckled. “But we’re together now and I’m not a student. You’re not technically a professor. Are there really rules against a little quickie in the office?”
“Probably not, but I don’t want to be the reason they have to make new rules.”
He laughed. “Fine, but I will be revisiting this topic again in the future.”
I pinched his ass. “I’m counting on it.”
“Keep it up, woman, I will not hesitate to push you up against that wall and bury myself deep inside you.”
His words sent heat coursing through my body. He had a way of making me hot and horny without even touching me. I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. “Will Alan be making it to the party?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. They were still in Miami last I talked to him.”
I pouted. “That’s too bad. This party should really be about him too. It’s his word that helped me get the job.”
“He knows you appreciate what he did. His name and influence mean a lot around here. It’s nice to have friends in high places.”
I laughed. “No kidding. I never would have guessed he was who he was when he walked into class that day. He’s a very humble guy.”
“Yes, he is, and I’m proud to call him my friend,” he said.
I climbed into the truck while Christopher got in the driver’s seat. “Should we go home and change first?” I asked, looking down at the simple black skirt suit I was wearing. “I could put on something a little more party style.”
“You’re fine,” he assured me.
“How did Olin do on that test?” I asked as he drove us towards home. Our home. I loved living with him and creating a life with him and Olin. I finally had a family—kind of. It wasn’t official, but I thought of the two of them like they were my family.
“He aced it, thanks to your tutoring,” he said with a laugh. “I knew there was a reason I liked you. We have our own personal tutor in the house.”
I laughed, knowing
he was kidding. When he took a right instead of going to the restaurant where the party was being held, I looked at him with confusion. “Where are you going?”
He looked at me and smiled but didn’t answer me. He parked the truck in the empty parking lot of the bar not far from the house. It was the same bar we had met up at on New Year’s Eve. Since moving in, we had become regulars at the bar, getting to know the staff very well.
“Come on,” he said jumping out of the truck.
“I don’t understand,” I said climbing out. “Isn’t everyone going to be waiting for us? You were the one who said we were going to be late. I don’t think we have time for a drink.”
“Will you just come on,” he said. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door. I noticed all the lights were off.
“Christopher, they’re closed.”
He pushed open the unlocked door, which seemed very odd to me. We walked into the bar. There was a flash of lights and a cacophony of surprises echoing around me. I clapped my free hand over my mouth, taking in the huge banner that said congratulations, and the hundreds of twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling.
“Oh my God,” I gasped.
“Surprise,” Christopher said before kissing me.
I slapped his shoulder. “Is it really a surprise party when I knew there was a party?” I said with a laugh.
He grinned. “But you didn’t know it was here.”
“I love you, but damn, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”
He gave me another kiss. “Go say hi and I’ll get you a cosmo.”
“Thank you.”
I made my way around the room, greeting Alan and his wife along with Kami and her mother. I felt honored to have so many people there to support me on my new adventure. Olin and his girlfriend were there as well, both of them wearing neon pink bracelets on their wrists. “What’s that about?” I asked Olin.
He groaned. “My dad wanted to make sure we didn’t accidentally get served alcohol. He insisted we wear the stupid things.”
I had to laugh. “He’s only looking out for you.”