Make Me Stay II: A Second Chance Romance

by Avant, Amarie

  “If you’d like to tour the Baudelaire museum in the future, that would be awesome. The more people you can bring the merrier.” She turned around and strutted away.

  53

  Avery

  After their whirlwind week at Disney World, Avery felt like she could sleep the rest of the summer. Gloomy clouds cloaked much of the sky, and she’d just saw yet another shade of Hayden Flint, Hunter, or whatever the hell he’d like to be called.

  With the beautiful flowers at her side, she dragged herself back to Quintin, a man who had been down on his luck a year ago. Quintin owned a construction company and had been selling most of his tools to help his wayward son get out of jail. He was just about down to the truck as his sole asset when Donavan asked if he’d help them with the structural work of Baudelaire.

  Que had hated Donavan’s guts. Donavan had worked for the loan shark who Que felt was the reason for his son’s current predicament. But with Donavan using all his and Avery’s funds for tools and the supplies, which was a lot less than paying for the work to be completed, they struck a deal.

  Quintin now had more job opportunities, really good ones, and the equipment necessary to complete those jobs. He understood how important Baudelaire was to Avery, and by the angry look on his face, he also made a great substitute father figure.

  “What in Sam hell was that?” Quintin clucked his tongue, eyeing Hayden Flint as he drove off.

  Avery glanced back over her shoulder to make sure he was gone. Every second in Hunter’s presence, she’d felt like it was necessary to “lighten the blow” and not hurt his feelings. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “What’s Donavan’s guess?”

  “Wow, how quickly you went from mutual friend to team Donnie.” She chuckled. “I chatted with him about his sister who was deaf when he stayed at the hotel. Sheesh, at the end of March when we opened. He was literally here for all of three nights. So, I can’t fathom what he wants.”

  “Sounded like he was supposed to be smitten with Carly?”

  “You were eavesdropping, Que? Should’ve just joined the conversation and helped a sister out.” She laughed, still uncomfortable about the bizarre encounter. She held the flowers out to him. “Please, take these and give them to your wife.”

  Quintin pursed his lips, took the flowers, and placed them in the front of his truck. They chatted a few more minutes about her business plan before he switched subjects.

  “AC, we’ve known each other for about a year now. If we weren’t encouraging each other while working on this land, then we were sharing meals on Sundays after church. So, I feel like we are close enough that I can say this. I didn’t like that fella, and that was after a few seconds. I’d just hate him coming around while the boys are out.”

  Avery raked a hand through her hair. “Maybe he was just passing through and . . . and I don’t know. I really don’t know. The movie should be getting out shortly. Anya and I are catching up on our sleep.”

  “Tsk, alright.” Que placed his hand on his truck. “I’ll speak with the guy who gave us a deal last time on the engraved plating, see if we can get something done. Thanks for the flowers. I’ll be sure to let the old lady know they were from you. And she’ll be praying for your new business venture just like she did for the B&B.”

  Avery headed up the stairs and checked in on Anya who had hardly stayed in her nursery while the family was hosting guests. For the past few nights since returning from Disney World, the baby had been cranky about Donavan moving the heavy, antique crib back to its perfect position in the nursery. Placing the baby monitor into her back pocket, Avery walked through the rooms of her great grandmother’s home.

  “Grand mommy, we have made your place as beautiful as you said it had been while you were young,” she said, stopping in the ballroom, which had always been their favorite spot. “I hope this makes you proud.”

  Avery moved to the center of the ballroom and sat on the floor. A happiness overcame her as she laid in the very spot that she had slept in when the mansion was dilapidated and falling down around her. Ironically, this was also the same spot where her ex-boyfriend had attacked her. Still, she felt at peace. Avery closed her eyes and visualized Franny’s chats about how the ceilings were covered with intricate frescoes and the gilded surfaces were swathed in rich fabrics. Getting back to her feet, Avery moved the silk covered chaise and laid on the ground where she and her grand mommy would, since Franny no longer had much furniture at the time.

  * * *

  A hand grabbed her shoulder, pulling her out of the darkness. Avery awoke with a jolt, springing into a seated position.

  “Mom, why are you on the ground?” Junior signed.

  Donavan helped her up.

  “Oh my gosh, I haven’t checked on the baby.” She started past him.

  “Hey, not so fast.” He placed his arms around her. “I thought you wanted to stay home and get rest today with baby boss?”

  “Of course, I just . . .” She wriggled her fingers and hoped the monitor hadn’t gone off during her slumber.

  “You fell asleep, sweetheart. That’s okay.”

  “I can’t believe I’m about to say this,” she bit her lip, “but I can’t wait until I’m able to hear.”

  Donavan rubbed her shoulders. “Look, it doesn’t matter right now, babe, because you are doing a good job. Anya was still asleep when I checked on her a minute ago. She’s safe and snug as a bug in her crib. Now, go cook me dinner, woman, so I have the strength to make you feel better later.”

  * * *

  The pink oleanders were all but forgotten as Avery moaned, biting down on her pillow. Donavan’s cock pierced her left ass cheek through his basketball shorts while she didn’t have on a shred of clothing. Warm liquid dribbled down her spine then his large hands began to knead over her taut skin.

  With each electrifying stroke of his hands, her ass became hypnotized, rising up. She could feel him chuckle. Her cheeks burned, and she bit her lip. Donavan clasped the back of her neck, pressing his manhood hard against her. He flipped her over.

  “You ready to let me go where I’ve never gone before?” he asked, pressing her legs wide. His thumbs tweaked at her nipples.

  “Donavan . . .” she murmured. “Be good.” Her mouth was in a sloppy grin. There was nothing else for her to say.

  “Be good?” He lifted an eyebrow as her gaze traveled down his chest and over the bricks of muscles in his arms, drenched in tattoos. His thumb strummed over her clit before gliding down past her slick, waiting slit and to the tight entrance of her anus. “I can’t be good with you pressing all that ass in my face.”

  He reached down and kissed her while stroking his thumb over her juices and again stopping at the one place on her body that he’d never fully gone before.

  “Feels tighter than before,” she groaned.

  “That’s because it was this little pinkie before.” He wiggled his finger with a cocky smile.

  “Well . . . that I liked.”

  He chuckled softly. “Defeats the whole purpose, sweetheart. Besides, it’s like a little rose bud, waiting for my cock to pluck it.”

  She hitched a breath, and began to close her legs, but he clasped her thighs, forcing his thick waist between her legs again. “Eh, I didn’t say I was going to pluck it, now did I?”

  Her gaze narrowed on his mouth, and when his tongue dragged titillatingly slow over his bottom lip, another shower of desire wet Donavan’s thumb.

  “It hurts . . .” She hardly got the word out, panting a little. Fear and desire wrapping around her, Avery pressed her body against his thumb. Her hole began to stretch slowly for him.

  “I can help you.”

  Another gush of wetness shuttered across her pussy lips. “Help me . . .”

  Donavan moved lower, his tongue slithering along her core then flicking the pain where his thumb had gone a fraction of an inch into her ass. He darted his tongue along the firm entrance, teasing it until she pulled the pillow fro
m beneath her head and bit on it again. While he worked her ass with his tongue, Donavan’s hand crept up over her abdomen, stealing the trepidation that she felt. He molded his palm over her breast, sending fire over her skin. Just as her nipple speared at his palm, Donavan switched it up by squeezing tightly on her hardened bulb then pressing his pinkie finger into her ass. His mouth suckled at her clit, and Avery’s entire body lifted, arching with the fire of him stretching her more.

  “Fuck, oh fuck, Donnie . . .” Her legs wrapped around his head, forcing his hot mouth to stay planted on her valley. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, and her hips moved to the rhythm of his fingers.

  The world flickered before her eyes and disappeared. The entire universe became nothing as Avery’s senses were funneled into one medium. She’d sworn she’d heard herself scream before, but this time it felt like her eardrums were shattering as his fingers fucked her ass, and his mouth French kissed her pussy.

  She gasped, gulping in oxygen, pulling and tugging at his hair, squeezing and grinding down on his fingers until her entire body locked down.

  The eruption broke every inhibition in her until she closed her eyes, laying on clouds. This was the sweetest taste of heaven.

  In a daze, Avery found herself straddling Donavan. He placed his beefy forearms behind his head, grin wider than a king’s. “Thank you.”

  Licking her lips, she racked her brain for human language first, and then an appropriate response—none came.

  He stared at her. She became self-conscious like you would when falling in love at first sight with a man who’d never in a million years look your way. “Can I get you pregnant tonight?”

  Head falling back, Avery laughed. “You are crazy, Donnie. Crazy!”

  He tugged at her waist until her breasts teased against his hard chest. “Oh yeah, I want this moment in your book. The ‘why you fall in love with your best friend book.’ ”

  “Ha!” She was all teeth as she scoffed, pressing her palms against the ridges of his abdomens to push herself back up into cowgirl position. “It was the why you don’t . . . I . . . my brain, I feel like you just fried my brain.”

  “In that case,” he grabbed the meat of her ass, “no more thinking, AC. I have somewhere I need to be.”

  “Oh, you do, do you? I think you’ve been there enough for tonight.” She positioned her sex over his cock.

  “Heh, it was just for a minute or two with only this little piggy.” He held up his pinkie finger. When she sunk down onto his erection, the grin on his face faded, and his eyes rolled back. “Oh, so wet.”

  “Let’s see if you last a minute or two.” She did a Kegel on him to drive home her point.

  Donavan lifted up and clasped the back of her ponytail, biting softly on her lip. “Well, cowgirl, get to riding, and we’ll see how long it takes you to fall off this dick.”

  Her fingernails dug into his shoulders, and Avery gyrated her hips over him. When she began to jump on his cock, Donavan brought his lips to her breast, taking the onslaught of them as they bounced in his face. His tongue massaged the curves of her caramel melons, and his hands sent shivers down her spine and along her hips.

  Working the angles of his cock, she rode him, moaning and screaming.

  A yelp zipped through Avery as she was tossed onto the bed with Donavan above her. He grabbed a fistful of her hair, propelling his large erection into her with one solid stroke. Avery’s back arched instantly as he declared, “Looked like you were getting tired, beautiful, and I ain’t done with you yet.”

  She giggled as he gripped the headboard. Her hips lifted, meeting his driving thrusts until they were both breathless. Deeper and deeper he surged inside of her until Avery saw the look in his warm honey gaze. Clasping her hands against his ass, a purr vibrated along her throat as his cum volcanoed through her. His hard frame slipped down onto her. He began to move over, and she held him steady, letting his massive muscles crush her. She could hardly breathe, but she concentrated on his heartbeat, strong and steady.

  And though it made no sense, an image of herself at Sunnymead Resort, cursing her psychiatrist and wanting to die flashed before her eyes. It had to be a reminder that being in Donavan’s arms was the epitome of a true realized dream.

  “I’m so happy,” she murmured.

  54

  Donavan

  He didn’t hear a single word. He focused on how her heartbeat matched his, and how two years at Fort Leavenworth were survived because of the memory of her hands on his body, her smile, everything about her he loved.

  And he’d never let her go.

  Donavan planted a kiss on Avery’s head. Her eyes were still closed. He locked her entire countenance to memory. The mist on her warm brown skin. The slight curve of her lips. What was she thinking? She was bliss personified.

  And he was a damned lucky man to have her.

  When he started to get up again, Avery’s long lashes swept upward. “Don’t let me go, Donnie.”

  She did that sometimes. Refused to allow him to move when he knew he was crushing her.

  “Babe, nobody on heaven, earth or hell could ever keep me from you,” he declared. Donavan rolled over to his side and took another breath. It had been torture not to cum in that ocean of hers while her breasts slapped him across the face.

  He signed. “What are you thinking about?”

  “Lots of stuff,” she murmured. “Every once in a while, I wonder how I can make you stay with me until the end of time . . .”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “What? Are you crazy, AC? Why?”

  “Duh.”

  “Don’t be . . .”

  “Like little baddass Donavan?” She arched an eyebrow. “Yes, you were bad. And mean, really mean when I met you.”

  He chuckled. “I pushed you down, but you were always strong enough to handle me.”

  “Yeah, you did. But you made it up to me by telling me how the wind sounds as it flutters through willow trees. How birds sounded, how music . . .”

  “Damn, let me pat my back.” He did the honors. “My cock moves must have you sentimental today.”

  “Ha.” She smacked his arm.

  “Really, I’m not recalling any of this stuff.” He bit his lip, though his handsome face had a smug grin.

  “No? I think you want me to remind you of how good you are. So, I’ll start with how you came to my house, nervous as ever with a seashell. Just to tell me how it sounded.”

  “Me, nervous? Nah.” He shook his head.

  “Stop playing.” She giggled. “It was the best gift ever.”

  He planted a kiss on her mouth, recalling every second of that one day so long ago. They had such good memories and so many more to be had.

  * * *

  On the last day of July, Donavan sat with Quintin at a locally owned coffee shop with none of the added frilly stuff. Just real coffee, not one mug resembling the next. But the place was beloved for their baked goods. While they drank coffee, Que mentioned being on break from renovating a million-dollar home nearby, and how he couldn’t hire workers fast enough.

  “After the money we threw away in Orlando, I could use a job,” Donavan said, half-heartedly to himself while picking up his fresh brewed coffee.

  “When can you start?”

  Without taking a drink, Donavan placed the mug down. “You’re offering me a job?”

  “Sometimes, I think you forget that we’re good now. You’ve come a long way from shaking down my son for that old bastard.” Quintin chuckled, patting his shoulder.

  “Yeah, tell me about it.” Donavan rubbed a hand over the whiskers on his jaw. “It’s just that I’ve spent months searching for a solid nine-to-five.”

  “Why didn’t you come to me from the start? Had I known you were having trouble finding work, I would’ve asked you to join the team already. Busy as you and that pretty, smart girl have me now, with all the referrals I received during the Baudelaire grand opening, I’m tempted to let you guys out of your loan.”


  “I like the sound of that, but I wouldn’t let you.”

  “And that’s why I want you on my team, Donavan. Let’s see, you were good with a forklift and plaster. Let’s have you start early Monday morning?” Que picked up his coffee and took another sip. “Heck, you can help one of the guys place your new sign up once we get it, and I won’t bill a labor charge there.”

  Donavan was about to smile and thank him again until Alexander stepped into the hospitable establishment, looking as if he’d prefer a Starbucks.

  Noticing his face, Quintin glanced around and then started to stand. He nodded his chin to Alexander, since a lot of his work also came from the man’s associates. “Mr. Castle.” They clasped hands. “I just completed remolding a dental practice of your good friend . . .”

  Donavan glared at Alexander as they spoke.

  “Alright, son, see you Monday.” Quintin patted Donavan’s shoulder before heading toward the door.

  Alexander glanced back and forth, cocking an eyebrow. “He gets to call you, son? I assumed you viewed such a word as a derogatory term?”

  “You don’t know me, nor have you ever truly tried to get to know me aside from what interests you.” Donavan growled. “What do you want?”

  “Let’s take a walk.”

  “Nah, I think I’d rather not.”

  “Mad Max,” Alexander lowered his voice, “is dead.”

  Donavan’s eyebrows pinched together. They stepped out of the coffee shop and across the plaza. The salty wind from the sea tickled over the tensed muscles of Donavan’s jaw. He zipped his leather jacket, placing his hands in the pockets, still floored by Alexander’s revelation. Thoughts raced through his mind.

  “From the look on your face in there, I take it you were unaware.” Alexander assessed.

  Donavan stopped walking and glowered at his lifelong enemy. “I don’t know shit about Maxine’s death, Castle. And you know it. Is that why you wanted my DNA? To frame me for that woman because of what she did to AC?”