by Ann, Natalie
“She did. She’s a sweetheart. All of my cousins are lucky with their spouses. Just like I’m lucky,” he said, winking at her. “Guess we all have good taste in women.”
She laughed. “Well, you men all seem to be some good catches. It’s kind of surprising to me you’re all single for so long.”
“Some of it hasn’t been by choice,” he said. “I just never seemed to find a person that I clicked with. Not like you.”
“How come? Is it because of your career? That women thought you should have done something else? Or worked with your family?”
“That was part of it,” he said, picking up his beer. “The other was the amount of time at my job. Even when I leave at five, I’m always doing work at home or on the weekends. I try to go to sporting events and other activities. I’ve got to show my support for everything and not favor one group or sport over another. It gets tiring trying to sort it all out.”
“I bet you have a schedule so you don’t show more support for one thing,” she said.
“I’d be lost without it.”
She knew he did a lot of after school events. Even during the week, there were times he didn’t get home until eight or later, as he stayed for games at the school too. He’d run home and change or eat, then go back.
“You do so much for the school. I know I say you do a lot for Sebastian and me, but I’m realizing that you do it for everyone. It’s not just me or us. It’s in your nature.”
When she thought of it more it made her feel better too. He wasn’t just doing those things to be with her, or win her over. It’s who he was. What he did for her was because he wanted to. Because he cared for her.
Because he loved her—at least he said he was starting to.
“And that has always been another reason or issue with women. Sometimes they’ve felt I’ve gotten too attached to kids or too involved. But if you don’t love your job, then why do you go to work each day?”
She smiled. “Not everyone has that luxury. I love my job, but I know it’s not for everyone. I like the hours, I like the patients, I make decent money. No one can have it all, but I feel like I’ve got enough.”
Their dinner came out so they stopped talking, then when the waitress left, Noah said, “I like to think I’ve got it all right now.”
“You always seem to know the right things to say.”
“I’ve never felt that way before.”
When they got back to Noah’s house, she’d hung her jacket up and slipped her heels off. She wasn’t one for putting a dress or skirt on, but she put on nice black pants and heels with a sweater. He seemed to appreciate her effort. He’d put on black pants, a pinstripe shirt, and black shoes rather than his sneakers he always had on. He was minus a tie and she was fine with that. She’d never been one for men in suits, but so few even wore them nowadays.
“Can I tell you how sexy you look tonight?” she said.
“I was thinking the same thing. And we’ve got the house to ourselves too.”
“We do. As sexy as I think you are, we have to wait till we get to the bedroom,” she said. “I’ve got a little surprise for you.”
“I like surprises,” he said.
They made their way to his room. “Why don’t you have a seat.”
“I have to sit for this?” he asked. “That sounds good.”
“Well, I just wanted to show you what I have under my clothes. If we started to undress each other then you wouldn’t be able to see it all. You just get moving and start to remove everything at once. I went and bought this for tonight and I wanted you to see it all.”
“Now I’m looking forward to it.”
She probably talked it up too much. “It’s nothing fancy. I mean it’s just something more than I normally wear. Maybe I should have gotten a little teddy or something.”
“Less talking and more undressing,” he said to her. He picked his hand up and twirled his finger around.
She rolled her eyes and pulled her sweater over her head to show the white lace bra that didn’t have much to it other than barely covering her nipples. Her breasts were still pretty perky so she knew she could get away with the small amount of support.
“It’s a little chilly in here,” she said.
He snorted. “I was hoping it was me that was causing that reaction. So far so good. I like that a lot and hope it’s a matching set.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “Guess you’ll find out.”
She undid her pants and started to wiggle out of them to show the white thong that had the same lace barely covering her. She turned around to show him the back and then faced him again.
“Now that is what I’m talking about,” he said, standing up. “Am I allowed to do anything now?”
“You can get undressed too,” she said. “I can help you if you need it. Maybe I’ve got a matching bottom for you.”
His jaw dropped and she burst out laughing. “Are you serious?”
“I don’t understand why men react that way. You all like us in tiny things, why can’t we like you in them?”
“Because I’ve got a lot more to hide behind lace,” he said as he removed his shirt and slid his pants down.
“Maybe I don’t want it hidden.”
When his underwear dropped, her eyes went right to his cock. “Come here.”
She moved into his arms expecting him to give her a hug, maybe a kiss. He picked her up and put her on the bed face down. “I just need to admire this view a little bit.”
“That was part of my plan,” she said, feeling his lips move down her spine, over her hips and across each ass cheek. He was licking and nipping and sending fire through her body.
“I guess you are cold,” he said when goosebumps spread throughout her body.
“You’re doing a great job of warming me up,” she said.
“Good to know.”
He brought her up on her hands, then lay on his back and slid between her legs, his mouth lined right up with the lace. Once up on his elbows, his tongue licked around her lower lips that were exposed.
She let a moan escape. She wasn’t sure how long she was going to be able to support herself on her hands if he did that for too long. He just had a way of teasing her to the point her muscles felt like jelly.
There was something sharp down there until she realized it was his teeth moving the lace aside, then his tongue coming out and licking the length of her. “You know how much I love that, don’t you?”
“You’ve never said it outright, but I had a feeling.”
“I love everything you do to me.”
“Even this?” he asked, his teeth closing around her swollen nub and biting. Not hard, but hard enough, a squeal escaping.
“Yes,” she said. “If you do that again I might come instantaneously.”
“I think you just threw a challenge down on me,” he said, his lips closing over her and sucking. He was building her up and her arms were shaking. She was on edge, just waiting, knowing that his teeth were going to come out.
He didn’t leave her waiting long, his teeth applying pressure and a scream escaping from her lips. The throbbing didn’t seem to want to stop. He slid up under her until his mouth was in line with hers, pulling her down on top of him, letting her arms get a break.
It’s like he always knew what she needed and when. How was that even possible?
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. I just need to catch my breath,” she said.
“Take all the time you need. I love feeling you on top of me.”
“And I love you,” she said, no longer able to keep it in.
“I was wondering how long you were going to make me wait to hear those words,” he said.
She started to kiss his neck. “You could have said it too.”
“You said you were thinking it the other day,” he said. “I said it was more than thinking for me. I thought that was enough.”
“It wasn’t. And you still haven’t said it.”
“I love all those things too. And I’d love even more having you inside of me.” He started to reach over for a condom, but she stopped him. “I’m on birth control. Not the pill. Got myself a shot in the arm over a month ago.”
“Why haven’t you said anything?” he asked.
“Not sure. I’ve always used condoms, but I just thought I’d try that. Maybe I’ve felt something for you all along. But if you’d rather not it’s fine too.”
His hands reached down and moved the lace out of the way, his cock finding her opening and sliding right in. “How is that for an answer?”
“That’s the perfect answer,” she said moving up on her knees. His hands came up, his thumbs brushing over barely lace-covered nipples.
“I really do like this set you’ve bought.”
“Should I tell you the string between my ass is kind of a turn-on too?”
“No,” he said his hips moving up faster now, almost uncontrolled. That got a reaction out of him, and the more he moved the more the string pulled and rubbed against the erogenous zones.
She didn’t think it was possible to get worked up this fast again, but having the thong on was adding more. The lace was rubbing against her already used and abused nub on top of the fullness inside of her.
Her hands fell forward on the bed, his mouth closed over one nipple, and she just started to ride him and ride him fast.
His bed was squeaking and rocking, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was getting to the end of what he was working her up to.
He bit her nipple with the same pressure as he had her nub earlier and everything inside of her just let loose.
She collapsed on him while his hips continued to move. She was just too spent to do more than take what he was giving her until his body tensed and he filled her up like she’d never felt before.
35
Right From Wrong
“Principal Fierce, why don’t you tell us a little about your school’s new anti-bullying campaign.”
Noah smiled, then put his hand on Sebastian’s back and said, “I’m going to let these two boys tell you about it since it started with them.”
Paige looked at Noah’s hand on Sebastian’s back, the secret smile they shared, and then her nephew and Ian turned to address the young news reporter.
“Ian and I got in trouble for fighting. It wasn’t the first time defending myself or the first time Ian held me back. And not everyone in our group was bullied either.”
“No,” Ian said. “I was in the group that did the bullying, but I didn’t speak up and defend people like I should have.”
“Not until Sebastian?” the reporter asked.
“Pretty much,” Ian said. “We weren’t friends before, but I knew of his story. I knew why he was being targeted.”
The reporter put a gentle smile on her face. “Your mother was convicted of murdering her boyfriend, but sentenced to a mental institution. Is that correct?”
“That’s right,” Sebastian said. “It doesn’t mean what she did was right or she was excused for it. She broke the law and she has to pay.” She was surprised Sebastian said as much as he had, but he knew it was going to come up.
“And what about you, Ian?” the reporter asked.
“There is some mental illness in my family and I could relate to what Sebastian was going through. It’s not his fault, he’s not his mother and he shouldn’t be judged for other’s actions.”
“So you fought back?” the reporter asked.
“I did. And each time I did, the bully went away.” Sebastian paused and looked at Noah who was narrowing his eyes. “And the stink eye I’m getting from Principal Fierce means I have to say fighting isn’t the answer. Physical violence never is. It didn’t change my punishment. It actually got me in more trouble.”
Paige watched the young reporter send a flirting smile to Noah but made sure she didn’t grind her teeth as she knew the camera most likely would be coming to her too. “It sounds like you’re doing great things with your students and they know what to say without coaching.”
“They’re all good kids. Everyone in the group is, but Sebastian and Ian started this group as part of their punishment. I’m not so sure they feel it’s a punishment anymore though, do you, boys?”
“No,” Sebastian said. “I didn’t have a lot of friends and I didn’t do much more than schoolwork or play video games. But now I’ve got friends who feel the same way as me, who believe in the same cause, and it’s a nice...feeling. I guess that is what I want to say.”
Paige felt her eyes get a little misty watching Sebastian express himself and open up on TV when for so long he just wanted to blend into the shadows. “And you’re Sebastian’s guardian,” the reporter asked her.
She’d taken the day off of work, gone and had her hair done by Dani, and made sure she looked as much like a mature adult as she could. “I am. Cora Parker was my sister. Our whole family was affected by what happened. I can’t thank Principal Fierce enough for the change I’ve seen in my nephew.”
She turned and sent him a smile, one he returned with a wink.
“And you’re Ian’s parents. How do you feel about what your son is doing?” the reporter asked.
“We’re extremely proud of our son,” Ian’s mom said. Paige and Carrie Rivers had had plenty of conversations lately since the boys seemed to be inseparable. “As a parent you want to raise your kid to know right from wrong, but when they reach a certain age you just don’t have as much control over their words and actions as you wish.”
“And that is where Words Matter comes from,” the reporter said. “Whose idea was that?”
“Mine,” Sebastian said. “I like to write. My English teacher in middle school would say that often. That what we say matters more than our actions. Words on paper or out of our mouths matter.”
“And that teacher who said this happens to be Principal Fierce’s mother?” the reporter asked, her smile getting brighter and brighter every time she looked or talked to Noah. Since it was an anti-bullying campaign it wouldn’t look good if Paige wanted to wipe that smile off the reporter’s face for trying to make time with her man.
“Carolyn Fierce is my mother,” Noah said. “It all happened to be a happy coincidence after the fact when Sebastian mentioned it to me.”
“So what do you have planned for this group?” the reporter asked Sebastian and Ian.
They looked at each other and Sebastian spoke first. “Right now we are coming up with events and some fundraising. We’ve got a lot of new swag that we’re handing out to kids in school.”
The reporter laughed. “Teens like swag.”
“We do,” Ian said. “And we’re talking about going into the middle and elementary schools to talk to the younger kids. It should start there too.”
“You’re absolutely right. It should. And I’m Marissa Carmichael reporting. Stay tuned for more at six.”
Marissa turned and put the mic down. “That was great.” She reached her hand to shake each boy’s hand, Paige’s and Ian’s parents, then Noah’s. “We’ll have more at six from the interview I had talking with boys first.”
“Sounds good,” Noah said. “They’re trying to make a difference and the more we can get the word out, the better it will be. We have to start with them young.”
“If you’re free later, maybe you can tell me a little bit more about Words Matter.”
“I’ve got a bunch of flyers and brochures for you to take if you want,” Noah said, holding his smile.
Marissa looked down at Noah’s left hand and then up again. Paige wanted to jump in and say something but she didn’t have to worry because Sebastian moved close. “Principal Fierce is buying us pizza tonight to celebrate.”
“He is?” Marissa said. “That’s pretty nice. I’ve got a feeling your principal is a great guy and liked by many.”
�
��He is,” Sebastian said, shooting Noah a look like an overprotective father.
Noah laughed. “The kids have my number. It was nice to meet you, Marissa. If there is anything you need me for for Words Matter, just give me a call.”
“I will. Everyone have a good time and thanks again.”
“That was awkward,” Carrie said.
Paige snorted. “Yes, it was.”
Noah laughed. “I couldn’t very well tell her to get lost. That’d be mean when she was doing such a great job spreading the word. Sometimes you need to play nice.”
“I play nice all the time,” she argued.
“You do. You all do. Great job kids. Mr. and Mrs. Rivers, thanks for being here. The dinner invitation extends to you too. I promised the group a pizza party kick off.”
“Maybe we’ll stop by. We’ve got to get Ian anyway,” Carrie said.
“The pizza will be here by four,” Noah said.
When Ian’s parents left, Paige and Noah remained outside the school. Most of the kids had gone back inside and were just standing in the background during the interview. She’d thought for sure Sebastian would get cold feet about going on the TV talking about his mother, but surprisingly he’d said he could handle it.
Her nephew was coming out of his shell.
“You did a good thing with those boys,” she said.
“I didn’t do much more than guide them. This has been all their brainchild. You know that.”
She wanted to put her arms around his waist and give him a hug, but there were too many eyes around. Even if many knew the two of them were dating, it wasn’t very professional and she’d never put Noah on the spot like that or make him look bad.
“You’re good about not looking like you are doing much but really doing it all. Or having it all under control.”
“Years of practice,” he said. “I want to kiss you so bad, but you know, the place and all.”
