“You see all that in my face?”
He smiled. “Yes.” He rolled me under him. “I can also see when you’re annoyed and when you’re turned on.” His hand slid between my thighs and gently rubbed between my pussy lips.
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation. “Are you as easily readable?”
“I don’t know.” He took my hand and brought it to his dick. “You tell me.”
I stroked him and watched his face as he sighed at my touch. I pushed him back, moving over him until I was straddling his thighs. He opened his eyes to look up at me.
“I’m going to suck your cock, Ryder.”
His eyes flashed with wild passion, and his dick went from firm to full-on iron hard.
“Yes, I think I can read you,” I said with a laugh. “At least, I can read your dick.”
“What’s he saying now?”
I rubbed the pearl of precum on his tip around the edge. “He’s saying, suck me, Trina.”
“Not bad.”
I arched a brow. “That’s not right?”
“It’s more like, please God, suck me until I can’t see straight.”
I laughed. “I missed the urgency.”
“He’s dying.” Ryder reached down and stroked his dick himself. It was the most erotic thing I’d ever seen.
It made me think of the time he said something about fucking my breasts. “Ryder?”
“You’re really going to prolong this?” he asked.
“No. I just wanted to ask about how you’d fuck my breasts. You said that was a fantasy.”
He groaned. “I might just come at the image.”
“What do I do? I want to make you happy.”
His hands reached up to my face. “You do baby.”
“Still, I want to give you your fantasy. To show you I love you. To make up for so much. I hurt you.”
He shook his head. “You can fuck me any way you want as an expression of love, but you don’t need to make up anything. Clean slate, now, Trina.”
I nodded. “Okay. But I still want you to fuck my tits.”
He groaned, and gripping my arms, we rolled again. He was over me, looking down into my eyes. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. I’m dying to know how it’s done.”
He moved up, and straddling my waist he rested his dick between my breasts. He cupped each one and pushed them together over his dick, and slowly moved.
I shoved his hands away, and forced my breasts together for him. “Is there enough friction?”
“It looks so fucking hot.” His voice was strained as his hands gripped his new headboard above me and his eyes watched his dick slide through my breasts. He released the headboard and pinched my nipples, making me gasp.
“You have the most magnificent tits…ah, fuck that’s good…”
Each time he pushed up, the head of his cock would peek out from between my breasts under my chin. I tilted my head so I could lick it the next time it appeared.
“Ah fuck, fuck, fuck…” he chanted.
He moved faster, but my sense was he didn’t have enough friction, so I moved one of my hands to grip him tighter between my tits.
“Yes, I’m gonna come…I’m gonna…fuck I’m coming.”
Warm liquid shot out, coating my chest, once, twice and again, as he pumped and pumped. Finally, he sank back on his heels, his head drooping as he caught his breath.
Finally, his blue eyes looked into mine. “You’re fucking amazing, you know that?”
“I didn’t do anything.” I ran my fingers through his essence, noting that it was this same stuff that created the baby growing inside me.
He leaned over, his hands on the pillow on either side of my head. “You did everything. Now, one good turn, deserves another.” With a sexy smile, he moved down my body until his shoulders were settled between my thighs. His hands slipped under my backside and lifted me to his lips.
“Hold on, baby. I’m gonna make you come so hard.”
Before I could prepare, his mouth devoured my pussy and within minutes, he fulfilled his promise. My entire body rocked and writhed as he shot the first and then a second orgasm through me. Before I’d finished coming down on the second one, he moved up my body, slid inside me, and together we rocketed up to heaven.
Epilogue
Trina—One Month Later
On one of my first video chats with the therapist, she told me that I was afraid to be happy and live life to the fullest. A couple months ago, before I accepted the bet from Sinclair, I’d have balked at that assessment. I was quite content in my life. Yes, it was extremely ordered. Yes, I didn’t suffer fools. Yes, I avoided giving too much trust to others. But that didn’t mean I was avoiding happiness and fulfillment. First, there was a contentment in order. Second, I’d taken the bet, which surely suggested that I knew how to live on the wild side.
But now I fully understood what she meant. Ryder was my chance at happiness and fulfillment, but to achieve it, I had to open myself to him. I had to trust him with all my being. Not just my body, but also my heart…my very soul, and that was terrifying. My fear wasn’t that I worried Ryder would hurt me. I knew the man he was. Sweet. Kind. Romantic. He had the patience of a saint.
But knowing he would be careful with my heart, and willingly handing it over were two different things. Yet I did. With fear and yet hope, I’d given him more of me than I’d ever given anyone.
It started at the Harvest Festival when I faced my second biggest fear and spoke in front of the crowd about how great he was. It continued that evening when I faced my first biggest fear and told him how I felt. Not only did he accept my love and fears, but he seemed to understand the magnitude of what that meant for me, and he cherished my feelings and me.
Now, several weeks later living with Ryder for real, I found it was getting easier and easier to trust that I’d be okay. I wasn’t opening myself up to get hurt, and he wasn’t going to leave me behind, as my parents had done when I was a kid. I believed him when he said he loved me. I trusted him to cherish my heart. He saw me and understood me as no one ever had.
Now my biggest fear was that I’d say or do something to mess things up, because while I was opening my heart to love, that didn’t mean my personality changed. I could still be mouthy. But when I needed to be challenged, he stood up to me in a way that was frustratingly honest and gentle. Other times, he gave me a look that said I was going off the rails, and then would move on. That was frustrating too, but because I loved him, instead of barking back, I’d stop and assess my thoughts and feelings, as taught to me by my virtual therapist. Nine times out of ten, I was more upset than the situation needed and I could have expressed myself better.
Mostly I learned that having someone to count on was so much better than trying to go at it alone. I’d been so scared on my first doctor visit, but with Ryder by my side the second time, I had someone to share my concerns, to hold my hand, and then make me laugh or smile with some quip or joke about the baby.
Work was back to normal, which meant I could be mouthy there as well. For the most part I used it in my gatekeeper responsibilities to keep people from bothering the mayor. I was still upset about Brooke, and wasn’t afraid to express my frustration when she was doing a job that had been mine. However, the mayor and Sinclair were doing a better job at explaining why they were making the decisions they were regarding the divvying of duties between me and Brooke.
So, all and all, life was good. No, I thought as I entered Ryder’s house…my house, after work, life was fantastic. If only I didn’t have to go to another one of those senior dance parties. Why was Sinclair continuously pawning off that duty to me? I wanted my old duties back, not new ones.
I walked in the door and stopped short when I saw Ryder standing in the living area in his nice slacks and white shirt, holding a rose.
“Don’t tell me,” I said. “You’re playing at the senior center tonight.”
“Yep.” He stepped up to me, giving me the fl
ower and a kiss.
When he pulled back, I narrowed my eyes at him. “What a coincidence, I have to go there too.”
He flashed me his sexy grin. “A coincidence indeed.”
I must not be as smart as I thought as I realized this was probably a conspiracy. “So, you did set this up?”
His expression turned serious. “A man in love never reveals his secrets.”
I laughed. “Okay Romeo. Let me get changed, although I don’t know what I’ll wear. I’m starting to get too big for my britches.”
His hand went to my belly. “You’re beautiful.”
“You’re biased,” I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek and then heading to the bedroom to change.
“That doesn’t mean I’m wrong,” he called after me.
Twenty minutes later, we pulled into the senior center parking lot.
“I hate doing this,” I said as he walked with me into the building. “I’m not the schmoozing type.”
“No one likes schmoozers,” he said. “Just be yourself.”
I eyed him. “You’ve met me. I’m not always at my best when I’m myself.”
“People like authenticity, even if they’re a little rough around the edges.”
“You like rough around the edges?” I asked as he reached to open the door to the large hall.
“I love you.”
Even after all these weeks together, it still melted my heart and made me feel like a sappy school girl when he said that.
I smiled, and I’m sure it looked dopey, but I didn’t care.
As he and his band set up, I made the rounds of the room, saying hello and asking how they were doing. I heard about the latest gossip, including who was sleeping with who. There was a time when such news creeped me out, but now, it made me hope that Ryder and I were still getting it on when we were octogenarians. Assuming we were still together then.
With a head shake, I pushed out the idea that maybe this wasn’t forever. It was another tip my virtual therapist taught me; live in the moment and don’t let what might or could be ruin now. Now, Ryder was my man. We were having a baby, and so far, all our plans involved us raising this child together.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen,” Ryder said from the mic on the small stage. “Once again, I’m here with the beautiful Katrina Lados from Mayor Valentine’s office. This time my warning to keep your hands to yourself comes with a threat.” He grinned at me. “She’s mine, so don’t touch. I mean you, Mr. Costner.”
The people smiled and the woman standing next to me said, “I’d heard a rumor about you two.”
“Tonight we start with Let’s Face the Music and Dance.” Ryder counted out the beat and his band started playing.
Ryder had such a wonderful voice. It was smooth and suave like one would expect from a 1940s and 1950s crooner. At the same time, it could be sexy rough singing country rock. On occasion, he sang to me while making slow sweet love, and other times, when I was resting on the couch, he would sing to the baby. God, I was so lucky to have him.
He followed his first song with Nat King Cole’s, When I Fall in Love. As he sang, many of the seniors danced while others hung out around the edges of the room. It reminded me of a high school dance. I guess at any age there were the popular folks and the wallflowers.
“When is Bobby Darin?” Harry called out at the end of the song.
“How about Call Me Irresponsible?” He looked at me and winked, as it was a song he recently practiced that seemed to fit us. Of course, I didn’t think he was irresponsible, impractical or unpredictable now. I knew he adored me.
They played a few more songs, and then Ryder asked, “So how many of you here spent a lifetime with your soulmate?”
Several hands rose in the air. “There’s nothing like a lifetime of love,” Harry said.
“So, you recommend it?” Ryder asked.
“If you can find the right woman,” one of the ladies called out. “Don’t settle for just anyone.”
“How will I know she’s the one,” he asked.
He often talked to the audience, but I’d never heard a conversation like this. Then again, we were at a senior center where most of the songs he sang were about love. Although most songs in any genre were about love, weren’t they?
“I knew my Jeannie was the one when I couldn’t go a minute without thinking of her,” a man said.
“If you can’t stand the idea of not waking up without her, then she’s the one,” another man called out.
Ryder seemed to think about that as he strummed his guitar. “Good to know. Thank you. I’ve got a new song for you, but I like to think that if Sinatra had heard back when, he’d have added it to his song set.”
Ryder started the song and immediately, there was something familiar about it. He came in with the lyrics, singing about love and soulmates, and of two people joining together to make three.
My knees went weak as I realized he wasn’t just singing about us, but that this was the tune he was playing the day I barged into his room while he was playing naked.
When the song ended, the room clapped.
“That’s a mighty fine song there, Ry,” Harry said. “Bobby Darin would have done it justice.”
Ryder laughed, and then looked at me. “Can you come here, Trina?”
My heart stopped. “Ah…no…I don’t speak—”
He reached out his hand to me. “You don’t have to speak.”
“Go on honey,” a woman urged me.
I tentatively walked toward the stage. I took his hand and he helped me onto the stage.
“What are you doing?” I said under my breath.
“Confessing my undying love for you,” he said grinning.
“I’m dying right now.” I could feel my cheeks were hot and probably as red as beets.
“Look at me, honey. Don’t worry about them.”
I did as he asked, looking into his brilliant, loving blue eyes. He smiled, and while holding my gaze, he leaned slightly toward the mic and spoke, not sang, familiar words. “My heart beats for you, my breath breathes for you, my life I give to you.”
My heart was so full. I had an urge to grab him and hug him and tell him how much I loved him, but my limbs were paralyzed because there was a group of people watching us.
“Katrina Lados,” Ryder said, as he dropped to one knee. “Will you marry me?”
Holy moly cannoli. My mouth gaped and my heart started beating a million miles a minute.
In one hand, he had a pretty ring and his other hand took mine. “I have you, baby. You won’t ever be alone or feel alone. I’m going to give you so much love, you’ll forget that you ever went without it.”
“If you don’t marry him, I will,” some woman called out.
There was terror at the suddenness and the ramifications of agreeing to forever, and yet, there was such happiness and relief too.
“Yes,” I blurted. “Yes, yes.”
He grinned and stood up, putting the ring on my finger and then pulling me in for a kiss. In the background, I think there was clapping, but in that moment, there was just me and Ryder.
“I love you so much.” I said to him. I was close to the microphone, so my words echoed through the room, making me flinch.
“You’re getting the hang of this public speaking thing,” he said.
“Are we in public?” I tried to joke even though I was embarrassed.
He laughed. “Yes, so behave.”
“I ain’t misbehavin’.”
“I love that song,” Harry said.
“One more then,” Ryder said. “Then I’m taking my lovely lady home.” He winked at me and I left him on the stage to sing one more song.
An hour later, we were home, and Ryder was doing delicious things to my body.
“You’re not going to get tired of having just me?” I asked, as his hands massaged my breasts.
“No. Will you get sick of my dick?”
“Never.” I reached down to stroke it, marve
ling at its length and firmness. Even if I bought a sex toy, nothing would be as perfect in size as his real deal.
“How long have you been planning this,” I asked.
He repositioned himself over me, his face directly over mine, all our body parts perfectly aligned. “You mean proposing?”
“Yes.” I ran my fingers through his hair.
“Since high school.”
I snorted. “I’m being serious.”
“So am I. When I stole your poem, I was hoping to impress you. Maybe I wasn’t thinking about marriage then, but I’d finally gotten the courage to let you know how I felt. Of course, it didn’t go so well.”
“You could have just asked me.”
“I could have. You could have told me how you felt about the song too.” He arched a brow at me, telling me I was at fault too. And I was. I’d gone off half-cocked as I often did.
“But,” he continued. “No sense in worrying about could haves or should haves. We’re here now.”
I smiled, but inside, I still felt a whole lot of guilt at how my fears and prickly behavior, as he called it, kept me from having all this for so long.
“Of course, I got tired of waiting for my charm to wear you down, so I did have to finagle things a bit.”
“Oh?” I widened my legs, wanting to feel the velvety tip of his cock against my aching pussy lips.
“The first time we went to the senior center, I arranged for you to be there as well.”
“You did?” My eyes narrowed. “Sinclair let you do that?”
“Sinclair loves me. And you.” He rocked his hips, his dick rubbing against my clit.
I sighed as it sent delicious sensations coursing through my blood.
“I didn’t arrange the bet, but I did agree with you on your premise knowing you and Sinclair would dig in, and eventually, she’d challenge you to prove your side. I wanted to be the guy you proved it with.”
I laughed. “You’re sneaky.”
“I was a desperate man wanting to be noticed by you.”
Fake Marriage (Contemporary Romance Box Set) Page 41