by Jenika Snow
His dick was long and thick, and when he pulled almost all the way out, I saw the glossiness of my arousal coating the length. He shifted a little more, grabbed my hips, and pulled me down, using my body to thrust in deep.
I gasped and he moaned.
“That’s it.” He glanced up at me and held my gaze with his. “That’s so fucking it, baby.”
He ran his thumbs along my pussy lips, gently, softly, pulling my lips apart while he pushed in and then pulled out. Over and over. Slow and steady.
I couldn’t breathe, let alone think of what was happening. I’d dreamed about this moment for so long, that actually being here, experiencing it, made me feel like I was living another life.
“Kace, please. I’m going to come.” He moved his hands to my hips, dug his fingertips into my flesh. “Take me,” I all but cried, needing everything he could give me.
And then as if his control finally snapped, he started pushing in and pulling out of me faster, harder. “You’re mine. Every fucking part of you, Shiloh. Isn’t that right?”
I nodded, not able to find my voice as I reached out to hold on to him as he fucked me, made love to me passionately, brutally.
“Kace,” I cried out as pleasure consumed me.
The sound of his cock moving in and out of me filled my ears. It was an auditory orgasm.
I watched in this daze as he leaned back, placed his thumb on my clit, and rubbed that bud back and forth. I was so wet his actions were seamless, fluid. The juicy sounds of him touching me, fucking me, had me on the precipice of exploding.
And the whole time he had his focus trained right on my face, watching my expression. I knew he wanted to see me come.
“Let go for me, Shiloh.”
His words had me falling over the edge. I came for him.
“God, you’re gorgeous when you get off,” he grunted. “Fuck, I’m going to come.”
“Don’t stop.” God, I hoped he didn’t stop. Not now. Not ever.
“I’ll never stop, Shiloh. Never.” He thrust in deep. “You’re mine.” Kace leaned back and looked at where we were connected. “So. Fucking. Perfect.”
God. I was going to come again from his words alone.
“Kace. Oh. God. I’m coming again.”
I felt my inner muscles clamp down around him, heard his grunt, knew it was because his pleasure was increasing. We both moaned, the heat in the room increasing, our skin sticky and sweaty. He started fucking me faster. Harder.
Kace consumed me.
“God, yes.” He thrust into me harder. “How much more do you want?” He panted those words out, the air sawing in and out of his parted mouth.
“I want it all.” My orgasm slammed into me so I couldn’t breathe.
And then he tensed and I knew he was getting off right along with me.
“Fuck,” he gritted out.
He filled me up, and I swore I felt him get thicker inside of me. His hips kept slamming against mine, and sensation after sensation filled me.
It was long seconds before his body finally relaxed.
“Can we just stay like this?” I whispered, my eyes closed and contentment filling me.
“That sounds like perfection to me.” But he rolled off me, the sense of loss consuming me right away.
But he didn’t allow that loss to last. He pulled me in close, our sweaty bodies pressed together.
He wrapped his arm around my waist, keeping me close. I felt his cum start to slip from my body, the warmth reminding me of what we’d just done. I’d lost my virginity to Kace, and he’d given me his. Everything had come full circle, and it had gone exactly how I’d always envisioned it.
I shifted on the bed slightly, turning so I could look at him. He had this aroused glint in his eyes, this knowledge that I knew he was fully aware of what was slipping from my body.
And then he moved his hand between my legs and teased my sensitive opening, and pushed a finger inside at the same time he leaned in and kissed me. “I will always belong right here.”
Maybe we should have been more careful, used protection, or at the very least had him pull out. But this was Kace. I trusted him with my life, and knew that if I did get pregnant, he’d be with me every step of the way.
“This will always be mine, Shiloh. You will always be mine.”
A shiver worked its way through me. “Yes,” I murmured.
He smoothed his fingers through my folds, teased my clit, but then pulled his hand from between my thighs before I knew what was happening.
I braced my elbow on the bed, rising up and placing my mouth on his.
I’d never get enough.
He pulled me back against him and I let myself sink against the hardness of his body. We lay there in silence, the feeling that everything was finally the way it was supposed to be making me feel content, safe, and happy.
“What’s your truth?” I asked.
“My truth?” He sounded confused at first.
I nodded, not speaking, not even sure what I was asking.
He was silent for long seconds, and the sound of his even, calm breathing could have lulled me to sleep.
“My truth is you, Shiloh.” He held me tighter. “My truth is, I didn’t even know what love was until you came into my life, until I realized we were meant to be together.”
I closed my eyes and smiled.
“My truth is, without you I’m nothing, no one, because it’s always been you for me.”
“Kace.” I whispered his name.
“That’s my truth,” he whispered in return. “And it’ll always be that. I won’t let you go, Shiloh.”
“Good. I don’t ever want you to.”
Kace was so strong, so powerful. He could snap me in half with no more than a flick of his wrist. But with me he showed a gentler side. He made me feel like I was the only woman for him, that there was no world without me in it.
“I love you,” he whispered against my hair and I closed my eyes and settled further against his big, hard body.
“I love you, too. Did you really mean what you said about going with me to NYC?” I felt him move slightly and tipped my head back to look in his face. He stared at me, this groggy expression on his face because of what we’d just done.
For long moments he didn’t speak, but then he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. “I meant every word. Wherever you go, I’ll follow. My family will understand, and if they don’t, well, it’s not their life. I have to think about my life, and when it comes to you, Shiloh, I’m a selfish bastard.” I felt his smile against my mouth. “I want you all to myself.” He cupped the back of my head and brought it to his chest. “Let me hold you like this.” His voice was low, deep, but there was that gentleness I’d come to expect from him … but only for me.
My life had gone from zero to sixty so fast I was surprised I didn’t have whiplash. But then again, when it came to life wasn’t that how it worked?
“I hope you’re sure about this, about us,” he said in a sleep-filled tone.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
He made this gruff sound of pleasure. “Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter Nine
Kace
My heart was pounding a mile a minute as I thought about what I’d be doing in just a few moments. I sat in my truck, staring at my parents’ house, knowing that I had to go in there and be honest with my father, tell him that I wasn’t staying, that I wasn’t going to run the family business, at least not for a while.
I was going with Shiloh. There was no question about that. Her leaving without me was too painful, and the very thought of not being near her, where I could make sure she was safe, make sure no bastard could mess with her, had every possessive instinct in me rising.
I exhaled slowly and turned off the engine, climbed out of the vehicle, and headed inside. As soon as I stepped through the front door, the smell of pasta filled the air. My mother was making her homemade spaghetti sa
uce, a family recipe that had been passed down from her great grandmother, a tradition every Sunday night.
Maybe I should’ve picked a different time to do this, not when we were all together as a family and it was our traditional get-together dinner. But I didn’t want to wait. I knew that would only make shit worse, harder.
I tossed my keys into the little silver bowl on the foyer table, headed into the kitchen, and saw my mom standing by the stove. The red gingham apron she wore was old, probably as old as I was, and something she wore every Sunday when she cooked the family meal.
And every time I saw her wearing it, I knew I was home.
The sound of her humming had me smirking.
She looked over her shoulder at me. “Hey, sweetheart,” she said and faced me, wiping her hands on her apron.
I stepped into the kitchen and walked up to her, looking down at the pot of homemade spaghetti sauce. Scents of garlic, tomato and basil, and all the good memories that came with it, slammed into me.
I really didn’t want them to be upset, didn’t want them to be disappointed in me. I wasn’t going away forever, just long enough for Shiloh to get her degree. But then again, if she didn’t get a job back home, I’d follow her wherever, no matter what.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, and that motherly concern dropped from her voice and covered her face.
I didn’t want to prolong this. And then, as if he knew this was the right time to talk about it, my father stepped into the kitchen.
“Damn, Maggie. Smells incredible in here.” He walked up to the pan and picked up the ladle, scooping out some of the sauce and blowing on it before tasting it. He hummed in pleasure and looked over at my mom, smiling. And then he leaned in and kissed her. “Perfection as usual.”
“Thanks, honey.”
But my mother had her focus on me, the look of concern still on her face. It wasn’t like I was trying to hide how nervous I was.
My father looked at me then, his brows furrowed, the lines on his forehead becoming more prominent. His short dark hair was speckled with white, giving him a salt-and-pepper look. And although in his face you could tell he was an older man, his body showed he worked hard for a living, doing manual labor. He was strong and muscular, and the dedication in him was evident.
“What’s going on, Kace?”
Now I had both of my parents staring at me. I guess waiting until after we ate wasn’t an option.
Exhaling roughly and lifting my hand to rub the back of my neck, I thought about how best to say this. But in the end just coming out with it was probably the right way.
“It’s about me and Shiloh,” I said and felt the shift in the air.
“What do you mean Shiloh and you?” My father was the one to speak and then my mother smiled.
“Honey, you know what that means. Kace has himself a little girlfriend.”
I could’ve groaned at my mother’s words. “Little girlfriend” was definitely not what Shiloh was to me.
She was everything. My soulmate, the love of my life, the end of everything. Without her I was nothing. But I didn’t tell my parents all of that. They wouldn’t understand, would probably say I was too young to know what I wanted in life, to know that what I had with Shiloh was real.
My father didn’t say anything at first, but he kept his focus on me, his stare intent. “No, Maggie. This is something much more, isn’t it?”
I nodded slowly as I stared at him.
“You love her.” He didn’t phrase it like a question.
“I do.”
“But honey, you’re so young. Both of you are,” my mother said, but it wasn’t as if she were coddling me, treating me like a child. I could hear the concern in her voice.
I gave her a smile, one that I hoped told her this was the real deal for me. “Mom, I have loved Shiloh for longer than I can even remember and she loves me. I won’t let that go. I can’t.” I took a deep breath and looked between my mom and dad. “I’m going with her when she heads off to school. I have to do this.” The silence in the room was deafening, and I expected my parents to try and talk me out of it, to tell me how foolish I was, how stupid and young I was.
But they were silent, just watching me, maybe processing everything I said.
“I care about the family business. I want to be part of it. But I love Shiloh. She’s my life, Dad, Mom. I have to go and be with her. This was my decision, not hers. And I hope I didn’t just disappoint you.”
My mother gave me a sad smile and embraced me immediately. “Sweetheart, you can never disappoint me. I understand. I want you to follow your heart and be happy.” She pulled back and cupped my cheek, smoothing her thumb along my skin. She moved back and looked at my father. He still had yet to say anything.
Although my dad wasn’t an angry man, didn’t lash out, didn’t get upset easily, I was worried about his disappointment, that he’d be sad I wasn’t going to be around for the next four years to help with the business.
“I’m sorry.” I wanted to say more, but I didn’t know how to phrase it, didn’t know how to make things better. He lifted his hand and placed it on my shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze.
“You love her, and I understand that.” He looked at my mother then and smiled. “When I first met your mom and fell in love with her, there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do. If she moved across the world, I would’ve followed her, no questions asked, no hesitation. Hell, I would still do that in a heartbeat.” He looked at me and gave my shoulder another squeeze. “I’d never be disappointed in you for following your heart. I know you’ll be back. This company was built for you, for the legacy of our family. You do what you have to do, and know that when you’re back home with Shiloh, I’ll be right here waiting for you. The business will be ready for you to take over.”
He pulled me in for a hug and I closed my eyes, feeling relief. I’d thought about a million different scenarios on how this might go. But I never imagined they’d be so accepting instantly. I should’ve known better.
He slapped me on the back lovingly and pulled back. “Now let’s get something to eat.” He grinned and I looked at my mom.
I saw how they stared at each other, the love in their eyes tangible. It was clear they were still head over heels for each other, and I knew that’s how Shiloh and I would be.
Because a love like that only came once in a lifetime. And that’s what Shiloh was to me ... my once in a lifetime.
Epilogue
Kace
I stood and held up my glass, looking at the long table filled with our friends and family. I had never really made a toast before, but it was Shiloh and my engagement party, and for her I’d do anything, even embarrass the hell out of myself.
“I want to thank everyone for coming and joining us today. It means a lot to us that we have people like you in our lives, friends and family, loved ones, that we can share this time with.” I’d never been much of a sappy-ass guy, but being with the woman I loved and our wedding coming up, I wanted to be one of those men they wrote about in romance books. I wanted to be one of those guys where it was obvious he was so in love with his woman that he would move heaven and earth just to see her smile.
And as I looked at Shiloh and saw her smile, the world stopped spinning, everyone disappeared, and the only thing that I cared about, that I was focused on, was her.
My Shiloh.
She was my everything, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit I was selfish when it came to her. A selfish bastard because I wanted to spend time with her, wanted all of her affection. I wanted it all for myself and would do anything to make that a reality.
So I’d asked her to marry me as soon as we left for college, as soon as we’d been settled in that one bedroom apartment that wasn’t good enough for her, but was all we could afford. And it was during that time, while she studied, while I worked my ass off, that my one goal was to be good enough for her.
She deserved a castle because she was my queen.
And even though sh
e’d made me the happiest fucking guy by saying yes when I’d asked her, we decided to wait, to save. Four years later and she had graduated, had a job lined up, our wedding planned, and we had moved.
For four years I’d worked to the bone, sweated blood to save and give her the home she deserved and a wedding fit for royalty.
“When I first saw Shiloh, I was nothing but this little kid who didn’t know what caring about someone wholly meant. But one look at her and I knew that she was my world, that one day I’d make her mine and would marry her.” My throat felt tight, emotions rising up. I didn’t want to look like some pussy up here, crying and spouting off lyrics of love. But then again, I also didn’t give a fuck. If I broke down in front of everyone because of how I felt for my girl, then so fucking be it.
I held my hand out to her and she slipped her much smaller palm against mine. I pulled her to my side and wrapped my arm around her waist.
“So, thank you. Thank you for sticking by us, thank you for believing in us, and thank you for knowing that you’re mine.”
Shiloh
I took a sip from my water glass and listened to November talk about business management, something that was strangely interesting to me despite the fact I hadn’t majored in that during school. But in this moment, all I could focus on was this euphoric feeling that filled me.
I looked across the room, our friends and family scattered around as snacks and glasses of champagne were handed out. Kace stood on the other side of the room, my father and his on either side of him, both of them talking and intermittently laughing. But Kace wasn’t paying attention to them. Instead, he was staring right at me, his focus trained on me with this very possessive look on his face.
I felt a chill race up my spine, feeling like we were the only people in the room, as if this invisible tether was between us and it slowly pulled us closer together.