Loving in the Light

by Alexandria Bishop

  Giselle’s eyes bug out of her head as she glances down at Tinley’s hand, the same one she was just studying herself, and she frowns. “When did this happen?”

  “My proposal is kind of what sent her into labor.”

  She shakes her head when looking at her brother, but she doesn’t act the least bit surprised by that revelation. “Always trying to go big, aren’t you, brother?”

  “What can I say? I don’t know how to do it any other way.”

  Tinley laughs at the back-and-forth banter between the two of them. Their relationship reminds her a lot of her own with her sister. They drive each other crazy at times, but their love is deep and fierce, built-in best friends for life.

  “Yes, I’ll stick around and leave after your wedding, but that doesn’t mean I have to stay here.”

  “I would never kick you out Giselle. You can stay here as long as you like.”

  The complete innocence and misunderstanding of Marek’s statement has Tinley laughing once again. Giselle’s not being kicked out, she’s fleeing from this house and she doesn’t blame her one bit.

  “Oh, I know that. I love you both very much and your beautiful children. But if I don’t get a good night’s sleep tonight, I’ll probably stab somebody. I need my beauty rest and I need it bad.”

  This time Marek actually laughs too hopefully understanding that he doesn’t need to take care of every single person in his life. If anything, maybe this trip will help him realize that his sister is an adult and full capable of taking care of herself.

  “Where will you stay?”

  Giselle tilts her head to the side in confusion and asks, “You know I have a loft, right? The one that I own outright and don’t make payments on. Or did you forget?”

  “I didn’t forget, I just assumed that you didn’t have it anymore since you’ve been staying here. I guess I was wrong for thinking that.”

  Giselle can’t hide the hurt on her face from his statement. “You think so little of me? What that my business failed, and I had to sell where I live?”

  Marek is horrible at hiding his sheepish expression as he says, “Of course not.”

  Both Tinley and Giselle give each other a knowing look and Tinley decides to step in, “Your sister needed support while you were missing. Just because we were all leaning on each other at the same time doesn’t mean anything about her success. Giselle, all I’m going to say is you better send me all the pictures why you’re gone. I need to live vicariously through you on your adventures. And seriously get out of here before your brother ropes you in with staying longer.”

  “You got it girl!” Without another word, Giselle quickly drags her suitcase behind her and sneaks out of the house.

  Tinley watches for a moment as Marek looks after his sister in complete shock. His mouth hangs wide open and he doesn’t even blink just starting at the same point. Now that the kids are sleeping they really need to hop on those plans while they have the free moment. “I guess we have some wedding plans we need to get started on. No use on making Giselle wait to leave town and head out on her adventure.”

  With her words breaking him out of a trance, Marek switches his focus from the door his sister just walked out of moments before to Tinley standing next to him. “We don’t have to rush our wedding because of Giselle. I want us to do this the right way. I’m all for a big wedding, if that’s what you want.”

  “Marek, do you want to get married to me?”

  The expression on his face has her stunned. He looks like she actually slapped him on the face with her words. “Of course I do, more than anything.”

  “So why are you fighting me on this? Shouldn’t you be agreeing with me to get married soon and not drag this out?”

  Marek bows his head and shrugs saying, “I have no idea. I must be an idiot.”

  What a drama queen. She wants to laugh at his statement, but she needs to keep it together and stay focused and this is finally how she’ll get him to give in to what she’s been asking him for weeks. “First thing is first, I’m hiring a housekeeper to come clean this place,” he starts to interject, but she stops him with a raise of her hand. “And before you say anything, the sooner this place is cleaned the sooner we can have our wedding. It’ll be a lot easier for me to plan if I don’t have to worry about cleaning too.”

  He simply nods and replies, “Whatever you say dear.”

  Finally. She just hopes the entire wedding planning process will be that easy and simple. Because she doesn’t a huge event, just something laid back in their backyard with their closest friends and family members. And now they’re on a major time crunch.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Miraculously, they were able to get both Luna and Cedric down to bed at the same time tonight. She woke up this morning feeling completely refreshed after he only woke up once during the night, and she’s hoping he’ll continue on that routine and do it again tonight. She used to get pissed at Dakota if she didn’t get a solid eight hours of sleep every night, but now getting five hours at a time makes her feel like a whole new woman. She loves her son more than anything, but she loves him even more when he lets her get a little sleep and she can be more of a mom than a mombie.

  Thinking about that reminds her of the movie Bad Moms. She watched it once with Tara, and her sister thought it was so hilarious. Sure, Tinley thought it was funny, but she didn’t really get the appeal. Maybe she’ll have to watch it again to see if it’s better now that she can relate. But romantic comedies will always be her ultimate favorite when it comes to movies. The meet cutes, the montages, the hilarious and sometimes catastrophic things that happen to the characters.

  “You know what my favorite part about a rom-com is?”

  Marek gives her that, ‘your batshit crazy, but you’re running on no sleep and I love you,’ look and asks her, “I’m not even going to pretend to know what kind of tangent your brain is on right now. What is your favorite part of a rom-com?”

  “The epic montages, duh.”

  “Okay?”

  “Seriously, like in 27 Dresses where Katherine Heigl tries on all of those hideous bridesmaid dresses. I feel like if we were in a rom-com, there would be a bakeoff or something I’m taking part in and my montage would be the hundreds of cupcake varieties I would bake in order to find the best recipe. Can’t you just see it now? Every space in my apartment would have been covered…the kitchen, the living room, the floors. You get the idea. But seriously don’t you think our story would make the perfect rom-com?”

  He chuckles and decides to play along asking, “You mean because that’s a lot more exciting than a montage of you bingeing all of your favorite shows?”

  “I take serious offense to that, Marek Outlaw.”

  “Oh shit, bringing out the big guns. At least you didn’t middle-name me.”

  Tinley rolls her eyes and ignores his comment. It’s crazy for her to think that it wasn’t even that long ago when she was miserable and unsure about whether or not he would come home, and yet here they are, back to their familiar banter and lifestyle together. Some things just are meant to happen.

  “So, you’ve thought a lot about this.”

  “Do you not know who I am? Before we started dating, my nights consisted of wine, cupcakes, and Netflix. If there’s a rom-com out there, odds are I’ve seen it, even the really weird obscure ones. There was this one I thought had epic possibilities—it even involved a call center, which is why it piqued my interest—but let’s just say that’s precious time out of my life I will never get back. Even though the main guy was stupid hot.”

  Marek shakes his head with the biggest grin on his face when he asks, “Aren’t you happy I came along and saved you from your boring self?”

  “You think you’re funny, huh? Well I’ll show you how funny I think you are.”

  Before he has a chance to say anything further, Tinley sticks the silicone spatula into the bowl of frosting and gets a hefty spoonful. Without hesitation, she lifts it in the air, p
ulls it back toward her, and lets it fly across the island where it lands right in the middle of Marek’s face. “Bull’s-eye,” she quietly whispers with the biggest smile on her face.

  The smirk that lifted his lips just moments before slowly slips away as his tongue flicks out and catches a drop of buttercream slipping down the tip of his nose. Tinley freezes as the image sends a jolt of electricity through her body and straight to her core. Marek stalks toward her and she’s completely frozen in place, waiting for him to reach her. She lets herself get caught, and he quickly pulls her to him and presses his lips against hers. Something goes off within her after all the months of built-up tension and not being able to find a true release. Her animalistic side takes over, and she doesn’t do a thing to hold back.

  Tinley tries to push Marek’s shirt up and over his body, but he freezes, laying his hands on her own. “What are you doing?”

  She pushes her hands into fists at her side and groans in frustration. It’s been months since they’ve been able to do this and he’s putting a stop to it now? What the heck. “Marek, I need you.”

  “I’m right here—what do you need?” he grabs both of her arms and looks into her eyes trying to figure out how he can help her.

  “No, I don’t think you get it.” Shaking out of his embrace she does the only thing she can think to do in her lust induced craze and cups the outside of his pants. “I NEED you.”

  “Oh, don’t we have to wait a while for that? Isn’t the doctor supposed to give you the okay or a clean bill of health? Something like that?”

  She pinches the bridge of her nose while releasing a heavy sigh. He’s got to be kidding right now. “Seriously? You want to wait until a doctor gives the okay? That’s what you want?”

  “Of course not. I just don’t want to hurt you.”

  Rather than continue this ridiculous conversation, Tinley strips out of her yoga pants and t-shirt. It has been way too long since Marek has looked at her in a sexual way, and she’ll be damned if this continues on any longer. She stands in front of Marek with every single piece of clothing stripped from her body, and his mouth falls wide open. Never in her life has she been bold like this, but she knew he wouldn’t do a damn thing about it.

  Her heart beats strong against her chest and as he stands there his body suddenly stiffens, but he doesn’t make a single motion to move. If that’s how he’s going to be, then she’s just going to have to try a little bit harder. Throwing her head back she reaches up for the hairclip holding together her mom bun and she releases her freshly washed tresses. Tossing it to the side she runs her hand down her frontside across her chest and toward her breasts. With her forefinger and thumb she pinches and tugs on one of her nipples. Marek releases a guttural groan but still stays frozen in place.

  As she continues playing with the small peak she uses her other hand to create it’s own path of descent. Sliding down her abdomen she goes achingly slow and closes her eyes completely forgetting about Marek standing in front of her. If he won’t help her out, then she’s going to get it done herself. Just as she’s about to slide all the way down Marek’s mouth is pressed down onto hers and she’s instantly ready to go. It has been way too long since he’s touched her in any way, afraid he’ll hurt her or lengthen the healing process. She kind of wants to laugh about that. He’s been acting like she’s fragile, but this right here is exactly what she needs.

  He pulls her body tight to his own and she can tell that even though he was holding back this is exactly what he was wanting as well. She wraps her arms around his neck and his hands slide down her backside. A chill comes over her as goosebumps travel up her spine to meet his touch. Just as his hand slides down to the base of her back he pulls it away and with a loud smack his hand spanks her.

  It pulls her out of the moment briefly in shock. She’s never been spanked before and she always thought it was a little weird, but her body disagrees entirely. She moans into his mouth as desire shoots through her body straight to her core.

  Breaking their connection, Marek kisses his way up her face and nibbles on his ear while asking, “Is that what my naughty girl likes? Do you want another spanking?”

  She doesn’t even get a chance to say anything when his other hand reddens the other cheek and she falls forward with her center rubbing against his body. She throws her head back in a moan and starts dry humping him in order to chase her release.

  With both hands underneath her ass, Marek slowly slides her up his body until her legs wrap around his waist. He takes the few steps it takes to go to the living room and drops her down onto the couch. She’s slightly disorientated when she opens up her eyes not realizing that they moved, but her eyelids slide back into her head as he falls to his knees and slides his tongue down her center. Throwing her head back and she screams and he tosses one of the throw pillows at her. She got so caught up in everything she forgot about the fact that they have two gorgeous children sleeping down the hallway and she definitely doesn’t want this to be interrupted.

  Tossing the pillow to the side she slams her mouth shut as his magic tongue lashes against her clit. Her belly coils and she’s panting with pleasure. He alternates between sucking, kissing, and licking. He’s doing a million things to her all at once and she can’t keep focus and she finally stops trying. She revels in his assaults against her body and just lets herself feel. In a matter of moments, she starts spiraling out of control has her orgasm completely takes over her body.

  She starts laughing so incredibly caught up in the pleasure coursing through her body. Whoever said an apple a day keeps the doctor away was a fucking idiot. Tinley could survive off orgasms alone and live an infinite life and beyond. Her hands slide down her body as if she can feel each electric current as her body starts coming down from complete euphoria she sees Marek resting on his knees a short distance from the couch. She leans up onto her elbows and tilts her head to the side.

  He looks at her and shrugs saying a few ums before finally saying, “I know this is completely awkward to say right now, but I don’t have any condoms in the house.”

  “And?”

  “You’re not on birth control right now, do you really want to get pregnant again this soon?”

  “Pull and pray baby. Marek rubs the back of her neck and offers up an incredulous look so Tinley says, “I trust you.”

  “We don’t have to—”

  “If you don’t slam your dick into my vagina right now I’m going to be majorly pissed off.”

  With one swift movement he flips her over onto her stomach with her knees down on the floor in front of the couch and he slides all the way in. They both moan out at the same time with the close contact they’ve been missing out on. Suddenly there’s a flurry of sound with their skin slapping against each other. He agonizingly slowly slides out of her and pounds right back into her over and over again. With the position her body is currently in with each thrust her clit rubs against the couch and it isn’t long before she can feel a second orgasm building its way up again. She continues getting closer and closer until suddenly the dam breaks free and she’s screaming into the couch as her inner walls tighten Marek like a vise grip.

  She’s vaguely aware of a hot stream spraying against her backside, but in the moment, she doesn’t even care in the slightest. Her body slowly comes down from its second high in ecstasy as Marek takes something and wipes it against her back. He pulls her down to the floor next to him and they both breathe out in labored breaths. Out of the corner of her eye she sees his t-shirt balled up no doubt the source of her jizz free back. Laying there completely spent she turns on her side to look at an equally exhausted Marek next to her. Yeah, she could definitely get used to this.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Gasping for air, Tinley’s eyes pop open. It takes her a moment to clear up her disorientation and figure out she’s laying on the couch. Marek is working the second shift today which meant she was on her own getting the kids to bed. Since Cedric is sleeping for longer chu
nks at night now she’s been treating herself to a small glass of wine every night. She glances at the coffee table and sees the glass is still as full as it was when she poured it.

  The moment her head hit the couch cushions he passed out, but she had the strangest dream which is what must have woken her up. She was shopping at the mall and she was walking around naked with a small bright pink towel wrapped around her body, but nobody thought it was the least bit out of place. Right before she woke up the towel had suddenly disappeared and then everyone around her noticed that she wasn’t clothed. It wasn’t a very pretty experience at all.

  The front door slams shut, and Tinley jumps in her place on the couch. Marek’s car door shutting must have been what woke her up in the first place. She pauses for a moment to hear for crying children and she sighs to herself when the hallway stays quiet.

  Marek walks into the room shortly after and anger radiating off his body is enough to stop her from reprimanding him for the loud noise he just made. He paces the floor in small circles and suddenly stops noticing Tinley sitting on the couch. “I need to quit my job and you can’t go back there. I won’t let you.”

  Not at all something she expect for him to say. She’s almost too afraid to ask him what happened, but she needs to figure it out to help him out. “Calm down and start over. What happened at work?”

  “We work with a bunch of assholes.” He pauses temporarily and runs his hands through his hair tightly griping and pulling on the ends. By the looks of his crazy messy of a mop on his head, this isn’t the first time he’s done that tonight. “I don’t even know where to start with the whole day it was a giant shit show.”

  “I don’t understand? Wasn’t everyone happy to have you back? I know you were getting antsy to get back there.”

  Marek kicks his boots off near the door and removes his jacket tossing it on top of his shoes rather than walking the few steps to the coat closet. Choosing her battles, Tinley decides not to say something about his laziness and waits to see what he does next. He starts pacing the floor again ranting and mumbling to himself. The word fuck comes out quite a few times before he’s able to compose himself enough to stop and say, “They’re all placing bets.”