by Kendall Ryan
***
“Just tell me where we’re going,” Mia says, bouncing in her seat.
I glance over at her briefly, before returning my eyes to road. “Patience, little one.” I pat the top of her head.
I’d pulled my Jeep out of the garage tonight—a vehicle I hadn’t driven in months. The top is down and the salty ocean air is blowing through Mia’s chestnut hair as we cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway. She’s dressed in cutoff jean shorts, sandals and a peach-colored T-shirt. She looks cute and at least ten years younger than her thirty years. I have a ball-cap pulled over my eyes and am similarly dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. It feels damn nice to be out of the suit and tie I wear every day.
“Almost there,” I say, as I slow and pull off into a parking area. Mia’s eyes light up as she realizes where we’re going. “Have you been to the Santa Monica Pier before?” I ask.
“No,” she says, her eyes growing wide as she takes in the view.
“Come on, you’re going to love it.”
We exit the car, and I take her hand, guiding her toward the sights and sounds that await. The giddy stride to her step and the smile that’s yet to fade tells me that this date is much more her type of fun.
As we walk along the beach, the pier looms in the distance, and her eyes are drawn to the huge Ferris wheel at the end of the pier that overlooks the blue water below. I’d seen an old photograph of the ride cut from a magazine and glued onto a page in her scrapbook.
“Are we going up there?” she points to the top.
“If you like,” I say, my tone neutral. I can’t have her knowing how stupidly excited this gets me. “But first, I thought we’d have a picnic dinner on the beach.” I motion to the backpack slung over my arm.
“It’s perfect, Coll.” She lifts up on her toes and plants a kiss on my cheek.
We find a quiet spot, away from the tourists and visitors. From the backpack, I pull out a blanket and bottle of wine. Mia sinks down and digs through the bag, pulling out the rest of the items while I open the wine—she finds two plastic cups, a package of crackers, a block of cheese, fresh berries, sliced lunchmeat and cookies.
“This is amazing. You’re the world’s best boyfriend.” As soon as she’s said it, she slaps a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Is that what I am to you?”
She nods, slowly. “I—I think so.”
“Good. You’re all I want.” I lean in close and kiss her lips. She tastes like wine and strawberries. It’s an intoxicating combination, and I want to feast on her—forget this spread we have laid out before us.
I feel her hand pat my cheek and she pulls away after several minutes. “We better behave.” Her eyes stray to a small family with young children who are down the beach a little ways.
“Fine,” I grumble.
She laughs at me and pops another berry into her mouth.
“Do you like this date better than going to a designer opening?” I ask.
She removes her sandals and digs her toes into the warm sand and shoots me a daring look. “What do you think?”
I smile. “I’ll admit, I want to wow you. I guess I may have been over thinking things.”
“You’ve gotta stop thinking with your head so much.” Placing her palm over my heart, she leans close. “Everything you need to know is right in here.” She pats my chest gently.
“I’m starting to get that,” I say. Listening to my heart is making more and more sense.
After we finish our meal and the bottle of wine, we head to the pier, feeling happy and slightly tipsy. The flashing lights and cheerful sounds of the carnival games draw us in.
We watch a group of kids play a dancing game for several minutes before Mia announces that she wants me to win her a giant stuffed animal. Rising to the challenge, I strut over to the strong man challenge, pay the operator the five bucks and pick up the heavy mallet. Tossing a flirty grin over my shoulder at Mia, I raise the mallet overhead and slam it down against the target. The game erupts into a fit of lights and sounds, sirens whistle and bells ding. I pull Mia into my arms as the operator hands me my ticket for the prize I’ve won. “Let’s go get you that stuffed animal.”
“My hero.” She takes my hand and pulls me to the counter where we discover that my big win was not enough to get her the giant teddy bear she wants. The clerk hands her a miniature pig and we both burst into laughter.
“The size is a little disappointing,” she says, turning the tiny stuffed animal over in her hand.
“There’s a phrase I’ve never heard before.” I smirk.
Realization dawns on her and she swats my shoulder. “You’re awfully cocky.”
I shrug and fix a smile on my mouth. “It’s not cocky if it’s true.”
“Come on, naughty boy, you promised me a ride on that.” She points straight up to where the Ferris wheel rises overhead.
“Yes, ma’am. Come on.” I lace my fingers in hers and tug her toward the ride.
Seated together in the bucket seat, Mia squeals and tucks herself in against my body as we begin to rise. Once we’re at the top, the ride stops, and we enjoy the spectacular view of the sun sinking into the ocean. The moment is perfect and it feels like time has stopped. I love how Mia can turn every day into an adventure and how she’s totally down with eating sugary fair foods and cheered on the little ones playing that dancing game. She makes me happy. Her outlook on life is simple and straightforward. She’s not at all pretentious or phony. I love how warm and sweet she is.
The light breeze lifts strands of Mia’s hair, and as it floats around her face, I place one hand against her neck and guide her mouth to mine. We kiss deeply, our tongues moving together, as a thousand emotions erupt inside of me. One thing becomes abundantly clear: I’m in love with Mia. Maybe I have been all along, but my head is just now figuring out what my heart has always known. My pulse pounds in my ears as the depth of this moment rushes over me. Mia lets out a small moan of pleasure, and I force myself to break the kiss.
“Gremlin…” I growl.
She opens her eyes, lazily, and blinks at me.
“It’s time to get home.”
She can hear the desire in my rough voice, and she nods twice.
When the ride comes to a stop, I help her off, and we hurry back to the Jeep. I need her like I’ve never needed anyone.
***
Mia pushes her hands into my hair and leans up on her toes to kiss me. Taking firm hold of her wrists, I remove them from my hair and bind them behind her back, which makes her breasts jut out. “Undress and wait for me on the bed,” I growl.
She whimpers, but as soon as I release her, she does as I’ve instructed, removing her clothing piece by piece while I watch. We are each learning each other’s sexual tastes and fantasies. She likes it when I take charge. I make her wait, turning and heading into the closet where I pull off my T-shirt and toss it into a basket. When I emerge with my shorts unbuttoned, and riding low on my hips, Mia’s eyes grow wide. She’s lying on her side in the center of the bed, waiting for me, just as I knew she would be.
“Beautiful,” I whisper, laying down behind her and running my fingertip along her spine. When I reach the top of her ass, she shudders and pulls in a breath. “Shh,” I admonish. “I’m in charge, remember?”
She squirms on the bed, ready for more contact, but I won’t give it to her, not yet anyway.
“Tell me what you want,” I whisper, placing my lips at the base of her neck.
“You,” she breathes.
“You have to do better than that.”
“This,” she says, pushing her ass back to grind against my erect cock.
The lush curve of her soft ass pressing against me feels incredible. I’d be content to just lay here and let her work herself against me, but I know we’re both craving more. I lift her top leg and place it over mine, opening her to my liking.
“Are you wet for me already?” I ask.
We’d made out heavi
ly in the Jeep—with her grinding in my lap—before we drove home. Putting her in her own seat and buckling her up was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I wanted to take her hard and fast, not giving a single fuck that we were in a parking lot for an amusement park. Luckily, common sense won out.
Mia moans and reaches between us to stroke me, touching the head of my cock to her opening so I can feel just how ready she is for me. The hot, pleasurable sensation cuts through me like a knife.
Goddamn.
I growl out a curse as she uses her own moisture to rub me from base to tip.
Planting a damp sucking kiss at the base of her neck, I press my hips forward, stimulating her clit with the head of my dick. “Are you ready for me?”
“Please,” she cries.
Easing myself in behind her, I give her everything she’s asked for.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Mia
I can hardly believe three whole months have passed since I surprised Collins by showing up on his doorstep with almost everything I owned. It’s even harder to believe how things have turned out since then.
Collins and I share the master bedroom. We have for a few months. It still feels a bit odd to have so much space just for a room to sleep in, but when I pointed this out to Collins, he got a smug grin on his face and grumbled that he planned on doing a whole lot more than just sleeping with me in this room. He’d definitely delivered on that promise.
Saturdays Collins and I usually spend the day together, however, today he has some loose ends he has to tie up at work, so we won’t be meeting up until later.
I lay in bed, still in a lazy Saturday morning haze, when Collins emerges from the bathroom, clean-shaven, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. He sits down next to me on the bed and leans over, brushing a stray hair back from my face.
“I can get up and eat breakfast with you,” I say and start to sit up, but he pushes me back.
“Don’t. Stay in bed. I’m running late anyways. I’ll eat on the way. Sorry I have to go in,” he says, kissing me gently on the lips.
“It’s okay,” I smile, hoping to wash his worry away. “You’ve been working hard on this business deal, and I know it means a lot to you. Besides, we still have tonight.”
“Mia, you’re too good for me.”
I shake my head. “Just good enough.”
That gets a smile from him.
“I’ll see you later.” He steals one more kiss before rushing out the door.
As I watch Collins go, it hits me how lucky I am to have him. Despite being close to him my whole childhood, our relationship now is on an entirely different level. We connect better emotionally and physically than I ever dreamed. I love him deeply, and though we haven’t flat out spoken those words yet, I know we both feel it. I feel it when he holds me close and whispers promises to take care of me. He feels it when he’s in the mood to discuss his mother, and I listen patiently and hold his hand. We are there for each other in all the ways that matter.
I hug his pillow to my chest, and breathe in his musky scent that still lingers. He is my rock, my savior, and at times, my comic relief. He’s always seen something in me that no one else has. Starting the first day we met. Me, in last year’s pants that were two inches too short and a second-hand T-shirt. But Collins didn’t see any of that. He saw the girl beneath. My mother said I had a heart of gold, and while my father always warned that it doesn’t get you very far in life, Collins saw inside me and he loved all of me, which made me feel whole. I could just be me and not worry that all my classmates had designer clothes, and yet my family scraped by to make ends meet. It never occurred to me that I might not measure up, because to him, I always have.
I stretch one more time and pull myself out of bed. I’ve got to get ready too. Kylie asked me to go with her and Sophie to get mani-pedis. Although Sophie’s pregnancy has been going fine for the most part, apparently her emotions have been a little out of control. Mostly to the effect of her bursting into tears every so often. She swears she’s fine, and it’s just the hormones, but Kylie thought it would be nice for the three of us to go out and have a girls’ day at the salon. Just to lighten up her mood.
Collins has been trying to get me to pamper myself for months now, offering to buy me a spa day. He went on about how I went through some rough times with losing my job. But I’m not comfortable having him spend all that money on me, even if he can afford it.
After showering I head to my enormous new closet. The first time Collins showed it to me I couldn’t believe it. There’s a chandelier! The thing is larger than my old bedroom was in Connecticut, and entirely too big for the small suitcase worth of clothing I brought here.
Even after I received my settlement money from my last job and bought some new clothes for my job at the law firm, I still only use a small set of drawers in one corner, and a small section for hanging my dresses.
I pull on a tank top and some cutoffs, slip into my flip-flops, grab my keys and purse and head out to meet the girls.
When I arrive at the salon, they are already there.
“Here she is,” Sophie says, her voice is high and excited, and she smiles big. I’ve only been in LA a few months, but I love how close I’ve become with Sophie and Kylie already.
I give them both hugs in greeting, and the spa staff set us up in three neighboring pedicure chairs. I try to get Sophie to sit in the middle seat, but she wants to sit near the window, so I end up between the two.
I sink my feet into the hot water, and sigh. It’s been a while since I’ve done something so decadent. I’m used to worrying about rent, or the next student-loan payment. I still have student-loans, but with the salary at my new job, the fact that I no longer pay rent, and the settlement money which I’m mostly saving, I finally have room to breathe financially.
“This is the best,” Sophie says as she sinks back into her chair.
“How’s the little one treating you?” I ask eagerly, motioning to her stomach. She isn’t showing yet, but there is a glow about her that hints at her pregnancy. I can’t help but get excited for her. Just talking about it brings an energized grin to my face.
“Oh just fine,” she rolls her eyes as if it’s no big deal. “I feel almost guilty because I haven’t had morning sickness or anything.”
“I bet you can’t wait to meet him or her,” I say.
“I am super excited,” she says. A small tear wells in her eyes. A reminder that her hormones are acting up. “Maybe one day, you and Collins can have a baby too. And if you have one soon, they could play together.” She sniffles, and another tear drifts down her cheek, but then she laughs at herself, making Kylie and I laugh with her.
Yet I realize how envious I am of her. I can’t help but wonder and hope that one day Collins and I will have a family of our own. The idea of it is enough to give me a rush of joy. I know Collins would be a great father. My heart warms at the image of him chasing around our little son or daughter, resurrecting the tickle monster just for them.
Of course we still haven’t talked about our future, I don’t want to rush him. For now I’m happy just being with him. And I know he’s happy too.
My phone chirps and I check it to find a message from Collins.
I miss you, Gremlin.
I smile and show the message to Sophie and Kylie.
“Awe,” Kylie says.
“He can’t send you messages like that,” Sophie says. “Or I’ll spend the whole dang day happy crying.”
“Sorry,” I say. I text him back.
Miss you, too.
Can’t wait to see you.
Get back to work. The sooner you finish, the sooner we can...
Kylie leans forward in her chair. “Pace wants us to have one soon too. When I met him, I never would have thought he would be a kids guy, but he’s so damn good with Max, I’ve been pushing him to wait until after we’re married, but I kinda can’t wait, either.”
“I know,” I say. “Maybe part of it’s being a
round you two, but I seriously feel like my ovaries are screaming for me to have a baby, and soon.” I feel like I’m admitting too much, but I don’t care. Somehow I’ve already started to think of Sophie and Kylie as sisters, so talking to them like this just feels right.
“I’m sure your turn will come soon,” Kylie says. She raises her eyebrows and smiles knowingly.
I laugh. “I hope so, but we still haven’t talked about marriage.”
Sophie’s eyes go wide and she almost jumps out of her chair. “But you want to marry him, don’t you?”
“Of course,” I answer, blushing. I don’t say that I’m hoping one day, maybe in the near future, he’ll propose to me again. It doesn’t even have to be cheesy romantic. He could just poke me hard in the arm again and say he wants me to be his wife. I want to be patient, because I know he needs time to think about things. Collins doesn’t make decisions lightly. He’s deliberate and thoughtful. Besides, I’ve only been back in his life a few months. And I’m just happy to be with him. Finally I add, “He seemed to need some time, so I haven’t brought it up again. I’m waiting for him to.”
Sophie relaxes back into her chair, but I realize for the first time that her reaction is slightly melodramatic. I wonder if her hormones are doing this to her.