by Jessa James
I swallow at that. If my erection was tentative before, it’s definitely not now. She may be my girlfriend, but that doesn’t begin to stop me from constantly eye fucking her. The thirst is real, and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.
Emma sets the Nalgene bottle down and looks at me. “Happy?”
“Nah. Between the day at the beach and a couple hours in here, I think you need way more of that. There is no way you’re not dehydrated by now.”
“And you’re not?” She scowls, but she takes another swig.
“You’re right,” I say, sitting on the bed. “Pass it over here.”
She does, and I gulp down half of the contents in one go. I make a satisfied sound and pass it back. She sighs and sits up, taking the bottle. I stare at her tits, where I see my handiwork present too, right around her nipples.
She sips from the water bottle, not commenting on the fact that I’m just ogling her openly. I let my eyes unfocus for a second, and I let my mind imagine a day when she might not be as willing to let me ravage her over and over again. It’s in the future, for sure… but it’s not that distant, when I really think about it.
“Where do you see us going, as a couple?”
The words are out of my mouth before I’ve even considered the thought myself. Emma freezes for a second, mid-mouthful of water. She swallows it slowly.
“Ummm…” she says, scrunching her face up. “Do you mean like… generally? What do you mean?”
That’s a good question. What exactly am I looking for? I feel like such a woman, having all of these feelings.
“I don’t know. I just… I took you house shopping, because it seemed like the thing to do. And we found a great space that I can see us growing older together in. But… what else are you looking for, future-wise?”
She nods slowly. I can see the gears turning. “Future wise? I guess… I mean, I want a marriage. I want kids. I want to work as a lawyer. Other than that, I don’t really have anything specifically planned.”
“Hmm,” I say, nodding. “Good answer.”
“What about you? You’ve lived longer than I have,” she teases. “Surely you’ve got a plan in place?”
“Well, yeah. I’m sort of your opposite. I have the career planned out, and I’ve always sort of dreamed of having that beach house, in the back of my mind. But until a couple of months ago, I wasn’t even sure that I would end up with anybody.” I pause for a second. “I used to be like, I’ll just get married on the sly, no one even has to know.”
She laughs. “I like that about you.”
I roll my eyes, my face beginning to burn. “Yeah, well. You ruined it. Now I’m like, when is too soon to propose? When can we… you know… have kids? All that kind of shit.”
Her perfectly pink mouth goes round in surprise. “You’re thinking… I mean… I didn’t realize you really meant long term. I just thought that I was being silly.”
My ears burning bright red, I shake my head. “Nope. Or at least, if you’re being silly, then I am too. But… you know I love you. And I don’t exactly say that a lot.”
Her eyes turn glossy with unshed tears. “I know. You have to know that I love you too. Like, so much that it’s crazy.”
I move forward, leaning down to kiss her on the lips. A voice inside my head demands that I grab her tits, that I feel her ass jiggle as I smack it. But I have to learn to quiet that voice, every once in a while.
My lips curve upwards, and I break the kiss. She looks at me, thinking what I’m thinking.
“That was very restrained,” she says, patting me appreciatively. “I like that you’re really very serious about me finishing my water.”
“Hydration is important,” I say with a shrug. “Tomorrow, I’ll go by the store and stock up on some gatorade and coconut water.”
“How very thoughtful of you.” She drinks some more water.
Silence falls between us, weirdly comfortable. I lie down with my head in her lap, and she allows it. I watch her face, thinking how lucky I am that her eyes and mouth are so expressive. I can tell when she has a thought, because she looks at me, as if she’s not sure she should share it.
“What?” I ask. Obviously I catch her off guard, and she blushes.
“Umm.” She screws the lid back on the water bottle, and sets it aside. Leaning back a little, she combs her fingers through my hair. “Remember when you broke up with me?”
I wince at her words. “Yeah, of course. I was being a dumbass.”
“I was pretty upset,” she says, looking away from me.
“Yes. I remember it. I’m sorry for the pain I caused.” I take her other hand, lacing our fingers together. I feel guilty as sin as I look at how small and delicate her fingers are next to mine.
“I thought…” She pauses, stumbling over her words. When she says the next bit, it all comes out rushed. “I thought I was pregnant. And I thought you had left me. And I just… I freaked out.”
My fingers freeze. I’m alarmed, more than I have the right to be. “Wait, I thought you were on the pill.”
“An IUD,” she corrects gently. “And I am. But I thought… just for a minute, I thought I might be carrying your baby.”
“Yeah?” I ask, because that’s all I know to say. My mouth is suddenly really dry.
“I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m telling you about it, honestly. I guess I just felt… like relieved, at the same time as sort of sad?” she admits.
I squeeze her fingers. “I would have done the right thing, you know.”
“Yeah, but… I’m glad that it didn’t go down like that. I think that I would’ve always had a nagging voice in the back of my head that wondered if you would’ve come back to me or not without the pregnancy. This way, I just know.”
She uncaps the water bottle, drinking almost all of it. I take it from her, finish it, and roll to my feet.
“I’m glad it worked out like it did. And don’t think for a hot second that it will at all deter me from enjoying your body.” I lean down for a kiss. She didn’t have to tell me that… she just felt comfortable enough to confide it. I don’t want to discourage that, at all. I pull away from the kiss, my eyes twinkling. “I think we’re going to need another one of these, just to keep going.”
She arches a brow. “Are we going to keep going?”
“Fuck yes we are,” I tell her. “If I have my way, we’ll be doing this when we’re eighty.”
She smiles widely. I grin down at her, then carry the water bottle toward the hallway.
24
Emma
I look at the time, sighing. I’m standing in my kitchen, making tea and talking to my mother over speakerphone. My mother is rattling on about how no one in her book club even reads the books.
I’m hardly listening though. My head is with Jameson, focusing on where he is right now. At this moment, he’s probably sitting in a sterile-looking classroom, taking the GED. He’s been stressed about it for the last few days, even though he didn’t say so.
I know that he’s smart and capable no matter what, but I need him to pass this so that he knows it too. I dunk the teabag in my mug, sighing again.
“Emmaline, are you even listening?” my mother scolds. Her voice coming through the speakerphone is tinny.
I straighten my spine. “Uh, yeah. Definitely.”
“I just asked you whether or not you’re coming to the Labor Day party that your father and I throw every year. I think there will be a lot of eligible guys there…”
I clear my throat. “We talked about this, mother. You aren’t allowed to set me up with your friend’s kids anymore. Not after what happened last time.”
She scoffs. “Rich was just a one time thing. I promise you, there are a ton of other eligible men.”
“I’m dating someone else, as I have repeatedly told you.” I let a note of frustration creep into my voice.
“Darling, I just want to see you find the person you’ll eventually marry. I’m sure that whoever you’re
seeing is perfectly nice, but I assume he is lacking in the pedigree department. And pedigree counts more and more as you get older.”
I roll my eyes. “You have no idea what kind of person I’m dating. You don’t even know what I like.”
“Emmaline,” my mother sighs. “If he was really that great, you would have brought him to meet me already. That’s a fact.”
I’m taken aback by her words. Is that true? Have I been hiding Jameson from her intentionally?
“I’m just… not ready to introduce you into his life yet. You’re a handful, mother.” That statement is mostly true, too.
My mother’s voice grows snippy. “Oh, please. You’re just worried that your new beau won’t live up to my standards. You think that you can just live in your happy little bubble, and not interact with the people who really matter in your life.”
“What? I’m sorry, but I fail to see what exactly you are saying.”
“I’m saying that the fact that your father and I don’t talk to your big brother might have led you to believe that you are just going to live your life any kind of way, without repercussions. But we both know that when it comes down to what matters — when it’s about money — you don’t where you get your bread buttered. I didn’t raise you to be a stupid girl, Emmaline.”
I am absolutely floored by her words. I’m glad that she’s just on the phone and not here in person, because I’m sure I have the bitterest look on my face.
“I should really go,” I say, trying to keep the rage out of my voice. “It is always nice to talk to you, mother.”
“Emmaline—”
I disconnect the call, my fingers shaking. I can’t believe her, I really can’t. I’ve really never thought about how dependent I am on my family’s money before, but my mother made it perfectly clear that she has no problem using money as a chain to bind me to the family’s side.
My mother seems to assume that I will automatically bend to her will as soon as she cracks the whip, even if that means dating someone she approves of.
What the hell am I supposed to do with that? I have to do something soon to let her know that I’m not going to be cowed… I just don’t know what exactly to do.
My phone vibrates. When I check it, there’s a message from Jameson.
Done and on my way to you, it says.
I blow out a shaky breath. I dump out my now-cold tea in the kitchen sink, focusing on getting myself dressed and ready. After all, Jameson is going to come home, and I want to celebrate with him. It’ll probably be awhile before he gets his test results, but today was a really big deal for him.
I put on a white cotton sundress, figuring it isn’t even going to be on my body for long. I have a ton of thoughts swirling around inside my head right now, but I need to put them aside. Right now, I just need to focus on supporting my boyfriend.
When I hear the front door open, I pop my head out of my bedroom. Jameson is grinning from ear to ear, pouncing on me. I squeal as he picks me up for a kiss, spinning me around. His kiss is sweet and slow and heated.
When I pull back, I look up at him with a smile. “Are you excited about the GED being over, then?”
He kisses me again, nodding. “That’s one of the things I’m excited about.”
I giggle as he carries me backward into the bedroom, collapsing on the bed, cradling me in his arms. “Is there something else to celebrate?”
Jameson kisses my collarbone, working his way down to my cleavage. At the same time, he shifts his weight onto the bed and slides his hand up my outer thigh. “Yep. Two things. Well… three.”
“And what are those three things, exactly?”
I bite my lip as his hand continues its exploration up my skirt, toying with the hem of my panties. He pulls his head back to look at me.
“One, you’re wearing this dress, and looking like you do. If that’s not a reason, I don’t even know what would be.”
I smirk. “Yeah, all right. What else?”
“Well…” he says, reaching over to brush my hair back from my neck. He places a chaste kiss there, but his scruffy beard scrapes against my skin lightly, making me shiver. “I made an offer on the house yesterday morning… and today, I heard back.”
I sit up, suddenly alert. “Wait, you made an offer? What did they say?”
Jameson’s face splits into a grin. “They said yes. You are looking at a home owner.”
I fling my arms around his neck and hug him, smiling so hard that it practically hurts. “Oh my god! That’s amazing news!!”
“Yep. We have a standard thirty day closing period, and then I get the keys. So I’m pretty excited about that.”
“Uh, yeah,” I say, pulling back to look at him. “You’re going to be a home owner!! Congratulations!!”
He smiles a little sheepishly. “Thanks. Taking the GED, buying a house… it feels like the direction I want my life to be going.”
“I am so, so proud of you.” I beam at him. “Really, so proud. I’ll get to introduce you to people as my boyfriend AND a home owner. ‘I’m sorry, have you met my homeowning boyfriend?. He’s great.’”
“Only if I get to call you my law school girlfriend. You know, to make things even.” Jameson slips a finger under the strap of my dress, tugging it down my shoulder.
“Mmmm,” I murmur. “Wait, but isn’t there a third thing you should be celebrating? Whatever that news is, I can’t wait to hear it.”
He looks at me mischievously. “You’re going to have to wait a little while. But I promise, it will be worth it.”
The look in his eyes promises more than that. I blush, which feels utterly ridiculous after all that we’ve been through together.
“Are you sure?” I ask, linking my fingers with his. “I mean, you don’t have to wait on my account, is what I’m saying.”
He grins. “I promise, it will be worth it when I finally tell you.”
Before I can say another word, he strips my panties off of my legs and claims my mouth with his.
25
Emma
I lean into the kiss before I am even certain what is happening. His hand cups my chin and controls my head. With my head lifted towards him, his lips are on mine. I can taste nothing but the flavor of him, clean and masculine and raw.
When his tongue slips between my lips, I let out a moan, meeting it with my own. My back arches, my chest press up against him. He explores the stretch of silky skin at my hip, and slowly moves lower, lower. He drags out every moment, an exquisite torture.
I slide his jacket off his shoulders hungrily while he grabs my thigh and drapes it across his lap, leaving me exposed. His hand travels up toward my center, kneading and squeezing my thigh as he goes.
When his fingers brush my core, he finds me already wet.
“This?” he says, his voice gone to gravel. He teases my crevice again with the lightest of touches. “This is mine.”
I can do nothing but gasp and nod.
He grins and squeezes my ass as he pulls me on top of his lap. As I straddle him, I can feel his cock between my legs, wrapped in his jeans. I’m already wet, but can’t help grinding against him. Even through his pants, I feel his heated weight, and I’m ready for him to tear off the rest of our clothes and fuck me right this second.
It’s never that easy or fast with Jameson, though. He likes to take it slow, to tease and torture me.
His mouth moves from my lips to my jaw and travels to my neck. The light cotton of the dresses neckline stops him, and he growls. With one hand—the other still firmly on my backside—he pulls the straps down my arms, baring me to the waist. It falls quickly around my waist and exposes my breasts.
A part of me feels suddenly shy, even though this was far from our first time together. Jameson smirks at my shyness. “You know that you are probably the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen?”
His hand snakes below the folds of the dress, which is now solely held against my body at the waist. He holds me up above him so my nipples
meet his mouth. I feel his fingers digging into my ass cheeks, dangerously close to my pussy, as the warmth of his mouth consumes one nipple, and the other.
I whimper as I feel my nipples harden against his tongue. I want desperately to be lower, to be able to rub myself against his cock again, but he keeps me firmly poised inches above his lap.
I squirm, and his hands that clutch my bare ass shift closer to my center. His fingers slowly, slowly spread me apart. The ache of emptiness is unbearable.
“Fuck, you’re wet,” he tells me between sucks on my nipples.
“Stop teasing me,” I say, frustrated.
“Is this what you want?” he asks as he lowers me back down.
Instead of letting me go completely, he slid a finger inside my pussy and pushes his thumb against my clit. I shudder at the surprise of it—and the pleasure of having some part of him inside me.
I can't bring myself to reply, but I move against his hand eagerly. His hands are deft, with practiced flicks against my G-spot and just enough pressure on my clit to get me halfway to orgasm. But no closer.
I kiss him deeply, eyes squeezing shut. All I want is to come.
“Slow down,” he tells me. “Enjoy the ride, princess.”
There is a part of me that thought maybe he’ll just stop. Maybe it is all just a game, a power trip. I ride his hand harder, lifting my head, and offer my breasts to his lips again. He spanks me once once on my ass, hard.
“I said slow down,” he growls.
The slap surprises me, but even as the sting fades and I feel my ass turning red, I also feel a new gush of wetness between my thighs. My pussy is on fire, and I need him like I’ve never needed him before.
He slips his finger out of my pussy and flips me onto my back. The coolness of the bed is a shock to my skin. He kneels and spreads my legs wide.
“You really are ravishing,” he tells me. “And I’m about to ravage you.”
I smile and let my head fall back as he kisses his way down my thighs. When he reaches my mound, he kisses his way across it, trailing his tongue against my sweat-slicked skin. He comes so close to tasting me, really tasting my pussy, and yet he pulls back.
