by E. E. Marino
A light went off in Keela’s head suddenly, realizing how much bull Ryan was feeding her, and suddenly Keela sympathized with her naiveté. “Amber, I think I should buy you a drink because you got it all completely wrong.”
Keela brought over a beer for herself and glass of red wine for Amber and proceeded to fill her in on Ryan’s deception and their history together. The whole time the poor girl shook and gripped her glass so tightly her knuckles went white.
“So you’re telling me that you and Ryan were together five years and he cheated on you with me for a year and then took your money in the joint account to take me to the Poconos?”
Keela nodded, finishing her beer. “I bought the house because I loved it, but I never wanted to take his money because he never talked about marriage and I’m not dumb enough to think everything always works out. I wanted Ryan to share my home with me in regards to utilities and groceries, but I never asked him for a dime for the house, which is a good thing because, as soon as we were moved in, he took off and left me high and dry. Thank God my friends moved in to help out with that stuff, but the house is all mine.”
Amber was shaking with tears, and Keela gently patted her hand. “I swear to you, Amber, I wouldn’t lie about this. It hurt when Ryan left me, but I’m strong and I eventually moved on. I’m in love with a great guy now, I live with my best friends, and I have a job I love and went to school for. To be honest, I have no idea why Ryan is obsessing on my house. I mean isn’t he doing well in the city? Last I heard he was working at the restaurant your dad owns. Why would he want to move out here?”
Amber shook her head. “My daddy fired him because Ryan would show up drunk to work or drink throughout the shift and become unruly. Daddy still gives me my paycheck and allowance, but Ryan was always asking for money.” Amber paused to take a sip of her wine. “Ryan tried to find another job, but having two sommeliers isn’t something that’s mandatory in a restaurant like it is for a chef, and when word got out in Manhattan about his drinking, he was practically blacklisted.”
Keela fiddled with her beer label, feeling suddenly bad for the couple. Amber finished her wine in a long gulp before she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and continued.
“I tried to stick by him because he was always so sorry and promised me he’d get a job, and I always forgave him, but he’s been out of work for a year now. I finally put my foot down and gave him an ultimatum to get it together and move forward with me or get out. So we got engaged, and he said he had someone who was selling their house cheap and we could move here because he had a job lined up at a vineyard, but we’ve been living out of a hotel room for weeks now. He has no money, and I keep lending him some because he told me that he would pay me back in no time. I’m so sorry for what’s happened. He’s been lying to me from day one. He’s broke and a liar.”
“I’m sorry, Amber, I truly am.” Keela patted her hand, and Amber smiled at her kindness just as Nicky and Aaron came up to the bar.
“Hey, Kee Kee, do you still have—” Nicky paused, and Aaron sucked in a breath at the sight before him.
“What the hell?” Aaron almost dropped the case of Budweiser he was carrying at the sight of Amber sitting next to Keela. Ever since the trouble with Ryan had started, Aaron didn’t trust Amber either and was determined to protect Keela at all costs.
Aaron was getting ready to roar at her, but Keela held up her hand, silencing him. “Guys, stop. Amber and I were having a discussion, and apparently Ryan hasn’t been as forthcoming with her as she’d thought. I was merely telling her the truth about Ryan’s lies.” Keela turned to the visibly shaken Amber and smirked. “At least he’s working, right? What vineyard is he working at?”
“NorthFork Wine.” She smiled, but Nicky’s eyebrows shot up.
“NorthFork Wine? Are you sure?”
Amber looked at him, eyes wide with curiosity, as did both Aaron and Keela. When Amber nodded, Nicky shook his head. “That’s not possible. My friend Tim owns that place, and he said they actually had to lay some people off because they had a bad crop this year. And only the family works in the wine room. So I doubt it was that vineyard. I’m sorry.”
Amber burst into tears and stood up. “Thank you for helping me see what a sham my relationship is. And thank you, Keela, for being so nice. I’m so sorry I was cruel to you. Ryan made you seem like an angry ex-girlfriend who was being spiteful. Now I see he’s the snake. I have to go.” She rushed out of the bar, and Nicky locked the door after she left.
They all sat down, and Keela quickly filled them in on Ryan’s deception. When she finished, Aaron shook his head and Nicky let out an exasperated sigh.
“Man,” said Aaron, “that guy is a piece of work, huh? Thought he could bully you into selling your house and painting you as a bad guy to his fiancée. Man, you couldn’t make this up if you tried.”
“Keela, it’s over,” said Nicky before he kissed the top of her head like the sister she was to him. “We can relax because now that his fiancée is going to probably leave him, he won’t be harassing you anymore. You won.”
I won, Keela thought as she beamed. Finally, this could be over. Finally, she and Aaron could relax and just be happy. And I think I’ll start celebrating tonight.
* * * *
By the time they got to Aaron’s house, it was close to three o’clock in the morning, but neither cared. The decision to go to Aaron’s house was so they could be loud and not worry about waking anyone up, as his brother was working a night shift tonight.
Aaron had barely closed the door when Keela pounced on him and latched her lips to his in a needy and hungry kiss. Keela was desperate to kiss him, touch him, love him now that Ryan wouldn’t be harassing her anymore. Keela quickly dropped to her knees and undid his pants, releasing his thick erection. She licked her lips as the tip of his cock dripped pre-cum. Aaron watched her intently with lust-filled eyes. She carefully licked off the drop of pre-cum before opening her mouth and taking him whole. Aaron let out a hiss of pleasure as he buried his hands in her hair and rocked lightly. She loved his cock. It was thick and hard but silky-smooth at the same time. Aaron was always so giving with her, so she liked to be as giving, letting him come in her mouth or on her tits or face. She loved it and would never grow tired of worshipping this cock or the man attached to it.
“Keela, baby, fuck. You are so good at that. I fucking love you.” Aaron groaned as he fucked her mouth and soon moaned in delight as he shot his delicious, hot cum down her throat. When he was done, Keela removed herself from his cock with a pop.
Soon after, Keela found herself pinned against the wall with Aaron attacking her neck. His hands were everywhere as he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He carefully carried her to his room down the hall, without breaking the kiss. Reaching the room, he laid her gently on the bed. They spent the next few minutes undressing each other, giggling as they got tangled, and gasping as they shared heated looks and hot kisses. Soon they had gotten to the point that both had been thinking of all night, naked and anticipating what was to come. Aaron pushed himself up off of Keela and rested his weight on his hands. Aaron studied her with hungry eyes, causing Keela to shiver and begin to cover up in vain. Aaron leaned forward, grabbing both her wrists in one of his large hands, and pinned them above her head, causing warmth to spread throughout Keela’s stomach as her nipples hardened in arousal.
Aaron leaned down and nipped her earlobe. “Don’t. Don’t ever cover up with me. You are stunning like this.” He kissed down her cheek until he met her lips once again. Rolling onto his side, Aaron trailed his hand down her body until it rested on the bare mound between her legs. His hands hovered over her as he assaulted her lips and neck with passionate vigor.
“Aaron.” Keela moaned, arching herself up, begging him silently to pleasure her breasts.
“Impatient, aren’t we?” He chuckled as he kissed his way down to her breasts and, in one fluid motion, took a nipple into his mouth.
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sp; Keela mewed her approval and opened her legs, allowing her to feel the heat from within her core. She leaned forward and inhaled the scent of his hair. She found his scent utterly intoxicating. Pine, sweat, and motor oil from working on his bike earlier in the day, and she loved the way he smelled, so manly. Aaron began stroking her clit with his rough thumb, his callused hands feeling wonderful on her silky center. Keela closed her eyes, enjoying his ministrations, totally lost in the euphoria. When he slipped two fingers into her, Keela’s hips bucked.
“Aaron! Oh, my—ah.” She gasped. He smirked and gave her a very sensual kiss.
Keela began to feel a pressure build up within her as he pumped his fingers into her faster. When he took her nipple into his mouth, Keela lost all control and felt herself clench down on his fingers, letting out a loud cry as she climaxed.
Through half-lidded eyes, Keela watched as Aaron removed his fingers from her core and stuck them in his mouth, savoring the taste.
He then began kissing his way down her belly until his face was buried between her legs. Keela quivered with anticipation, as Aaron was a master with his mouth. Just thinking of him eating her out made her wet with need and lust. He began sucking on her clit and inserted two digits into her again. Keela’s hips bucked uncontrollably, and she felt as though her heart was going to pound out of her chest. He fucked her with his fingers, pumping into her pussy quickly and steadily, the stubble on his face rubbing roughly against the sensitive skin of her thighs.
“Aaron,” Keela gasped as she pulled on his thick, black hair. He groaned, and just when Keela thought she couldn’t go any higher, Aaron replaced his fingers with his tongue and Keela came, toppling over the edge.
Chapter 13
HE loved this. Keela was so sweet, like fresh peaches. He nipped and prodded her pussy with his tongue as he watched her body shake and her head thrash from side to side. Aaron felt as though he would never get tired of pleasing her and could honestly spend hours just eating her out, leaving her in a state of absolute need. They actually did that one lazy afternoon, after she jokingly challenged him that no man could last longer than fifteen minutes, and boy, did he prove her wrong. After two hours of him pleasuring her orally, he had to stop. Not because he wanted to but because she had passed out from the overwhelming pleasure.
He felt her walls tighten around his tongue, and she cried out his name as another wave of pleasure came rippling through. Aaron groaned as he gripped her thighs tighter, continuing his ministrations until he felt her body relax. Aaron was almost done letting her rest when he felt her tug on his hair to move up. Aaron climbed back up to her and kissed her hard on the mouth, making her taste herself.
“I need you now, Aaron. Please take me now.”
Aaron was happy to accommodate her enthusiastic request and thrust into her quickly. Aaron began to pump into her slowly, picking up the pace with each thrust until they had found a rhythm they both liked. The friction was causing Aaron to get lost in her curves and the feel of her around his member. Keela arched her back, pushing her chest up, begging Aaron for his mouth on her breasts, but he had other ideas. With his hands on either side of her hand, Aaron pushed himself up and captured her lips in another searing kiss. Keela rotated her hips and met him thrust for thrust as her already sensitive clit rubbed against his pelvic bone, causing her toes to curl. She reached up and laced her fingers through Aaron’s hair, pulling slightly. Aaron groaned and quickened his pace, knowing he couldn’t last long and she was close behind.
When he felt her tighten around him, Aaron bent down to her ear to lick around the edge before whispering in a husky tone, “Come with me, pretty girl.”
With a cry, Keela toppled over the edge, with him releasing into her shortly after. Aaron rolled off of her and laid on his right hip, drinking in the sight of her lovely body and staring deeply into her beautiful green eyes. Keela caressed his face. Aaron closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her hand as it trailed down his face onto his chest. Aaron opened his eyes to see the woman he called his angel tracing the patterns of his many scars.
“You have the scars of a warrior,” she said softly. “That’s what you are, Aaron. I don’t know what you saw over there or what you did. I know you’ll tell when you are ready, but I know what happens to vets when they come home. From everything you’ve told me so far, I know you probably have demons you battle, probably think you’re a terrible person, but you’re not. I want you to know that. I see you as a hero. A warrior who protected people like me back home from our enemies.” She leaned forward and began kissing each scar with a gentle, feathery kiss.
Aaron closed his eyes again, feeling his heart swell by her words and her actions. He’d been called a hero before, but had never considered himself one until this beautiful angel in his arms called him one. It was as if each kiss she laid on his chest was somehow washing away all his guilt, anger, and pain over Johnson’s death. Aaron tightened his hold on her and nuzzled his face into her hair, inhaling deeply as she snuggled into the crook of his neck.
Aaron kissed the top of her head and whispered, “From here on out, I am never letting you go. You’re mine now.”
The couple had lain there for a while enjoying the afterglow of their lovemaking when Keela cleared her throat. “Aaron, what do you want to do now that you’re not in the Army? Are you happy at Gypsy’s?”
They had bridged this topic once before early on in their relationship, but Aaron had never answered for fear Keela would think him silly, but as he lay with his girl in his bed tonight, Aaron knew that no dream would ever be silly to her. “I want to be a mechanic and work on classic muscle cars and bikes.”
“Oh, babe, you’d be so good at that. You are always tinkering with your bike and fixing everyone’s cars at Gypsy’s. I think you should do it.” She looked up at Aaron, and the look of her face made Aaron fall in love with her over and over again. She gave him a look of complete trust and love.
“You should talk to my dad and Nicky. They’re small-business owners, and I’m sure they could help you work up a business plan.”
“You really think I could do it?” He couldn’t help at smile at her absolute faith in him.
“Aaron,” she purred as she ran her fingers through his hair. “You made me believe that anything is possible. If anyone can be a success, it’s you. I love you, and I will support all your dreams because I know you would support me.”
Aaron chuckled and began moving her to lie on her back. “I do love you, Keela, and you’ve made so many things possible for me I’d never dreamed of, but right now, there’s something else I want to do to you.”
“Ready again?” she asked with a laugh as Aaron crawled on top of her.
“Always ready for you.” He laughed, knowing just how ready he actually was. Ready to live again. Ready to love again. With Keela by his side, Aaron knew they’d be ready for anything.
Chapter 14
AFTER parking her mint green car at Gypsy’s lot the next day, Keela walked up to the bar with an extra hop in her step and a huge smile. She and Aaron had made love all night until they physically couldn’t anymore. As she’d made breakfast for them that morning, Aaron had been so excited about the idea of owning his own garage that he called her father and Nicky to meet him at his house to go over some ideas. Seeing him so animated and so happy made Keela’s love for him soar. Never before had a man made her so happy. She was madly in love with Aaron. She knew that now, and seeing him succeed made her so proud of him.
The crew of Gypsy’s working that morning hung outside the bar waiting for the very chipper Keela to make her way to them.
“Good morning, everyone.” Keela chirped as she walked up to the front door with the key. Louis, Shannon, and Laura smiled at her as they all echoed her good morning. Even though it was work, they all loved coming in and hanging out.
“Well, you’re chipper today,” said Shannon as she handed Keela a French vanilla iced coffee from 7-Eleven. “I think someone got laid last ni
ght.”
Keela smiled into her drink as Louis smirked and blushed. “You can think all you want, Shan, but I know I got laid last night.” Keela wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as they walked in and began prepping for the day. It was a Saturday, and typically they had busy lunch days.
“Louis, Natalie is going to be a little late because she has to take Howard to the doctor. Think you can manage by yourself?” Howard was Natalie’s husband of twenty-five years, who had recently been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, so she often had to take him to the doctor. Seeing as she was a second mother to almost everyone at the bar, Nicky and the rest of the staff were more than happy to accommodate her when her other family needed her more.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” he said with a smile. “But if I do need help, you’ll be the first person I’ll call.” Keela watched as his eyes shifted to look past her and Shannon to Laura, who was putting the chairs down for lunch service. It was no secret to anyone, except Laura, that Louis had a thing for her since she began working at Gypsy’s.
Louis, more than anyone, including Keela, had been enraged when he had heard Laura’s boyfriend was beating her up. So much so that it took both Aaron and Nicky to pull him out of his truck and talk him out of beating the guy up. No one talked about Louis’ unrequited love, but everyone was in agreement that, once Laura finally realized how Louis felt, she’d be a very lucky and happy girl. Keela turned back to Louis and cocked an eyebrow while Shannon smirked at him. He blushed and ran into the kitchen.
Soon it was only ten minutes to opening, and the sign was flipped from Closed to Open. Walking behind the bar, Keela heard the door open, but her back was to it.
Shannon ran over to greet the customer. “Hi, welcome to Gypsy’s Bar & Grill. How many in your par—” When Shannon gasped, Keela spun around, stopping dead in her tracks.
“Ryan? What are you doing?” Keela stared nervously at her ex as he stood by the door, his clothes disheveled and stinking of liquor, but the thing that really caught everyone’s eye was the handgun in his hand that he had pointing directly at Keela. “Ryan, no one needs to get hurt today. You’re angry with me, not my crew, so let’s calm down. You’ve had a lot to drink—”
