The horse nudged him.
“She’s getting old, now. I’m happy she’s still here. She’ll let you pet her.”
I held out my hand. Pepper watched me, her eyes dark and knowing, and I stroked her mane.
“She’s beautiful,” I said.
“Isn’t she?” Derek beamed. “I have so many good memories with her.” He patted her once more, before gesturing for me to follow him. He led me down the row, and stopped in front of a large black horse with white spotting. “This is Domino, one of the younger horses. He’s only about ten years old. A smooth rider.”
He opened the door and led Domino out, then handed me the rope as he put a saddle on him. “Have you ever ridden a horse before?”
“Uhh.” I looked up at the huge creature. “Like, a couple times, on farms and things. Not in a long, long time, though.”
“That’s fine. Domino is experienced. He’ll follow me. You just have to hold on and try not to lose your balance. Need help up?” Derek held out his hand.
Steeling myself, I took his hand and let him boost me onto the horse. When I was snug in the saddle, I looked down, feeling pretty far from the ground—but safe, knowing Derek was there. Once I adjusted to the feeling, I quite liked it.
Derek went to get Pepper ready, before mounting her and glancing back at me. “How’re you doing?” he asked me.
“Great!” I gave him a thumbs up. Just as I did, Domino took his first step forward, causing me to gasp and grab the horn of the saddle tightly. Derek laughed at me.
Derek directed Pepper down a path toward a grove of trees, and sure enough, Domino followed after him, trotting happily until he was beside Pepper. I held on tight. When I glanced over at Derek, he smiled easily at me, which helped me to relax a little.
I slowly got used to the up-and-down, back-and-forth rocking, and felt myself easing into the saddle. Domino was treating me well, following obediently by Derek, perhaps sensing my uncertainty. My grip slowly eased up, and I started to enjoy the ride.
We reached the trees. The woods were beautiful and serene, shadows speckling the path. The only sound was the distant chirping of birds and the rustle of wind in the leaves. I was overcome with a sense of peace.
We rode on for at least twenty minutes, before Derek stopped and turned to me.
“Alright,” he said, “I’m going to show you something that I’ve never shown anyone before.”
“I can’t wait,” I said, smiling.
Within a few minutes, we broke through the undergrowth, and I was met with one of the most beautiful sights I’d ever seen. The clearing was shaded and overgrown. There was a small waterfall over the ledge, pouring into a crystal blue pond. It was like something out of a fairytale.
“I used to come here all the time as a kid,” Derek said. “It was my secret hideout.”
“It’s magical,” I said.
As we looked at the lake, an idea wriggled its way into my mind. I glanced sideways over at Derek, a mischievous smile on my face.
“What are you thinking, Amelia?”
I lifted my eyebrows. “You’ll see.”
Taking off toward the falls, I took hold of the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head before dropping it on the ground. Next were my pants. And I didn’t stop there, I stripped off my underwear until I was completely naked. Then I jumped into the water.
Once I was submerged, I turned back to Derek, who hadn’t moved. He was just watching me, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Skinny-dipping?” he called.
“Bucket list!” I responded. “Jesus! It’s cold.”
He walked to the edge of the water, grinning broadly, “You’re full of surprises, Amy.”
I splashed at him. “Come on. Jump in.”
He studied me for a second, before stripping down, leaving his clothing in a nice pile away from the water and sliding in with me.
The crisp water felt like heaven on my skin. I leaned my head back and dipped it into the water, letting it soak my hair.
Without warning, Derek tackled me, flinging his arms around me and twisting me in the water. I squealed, clinging to him tightly.
We wrestled playfully in the water. I managed to escape from his grip, and the chase was on. I dove into the water and kicked with all my strength, heading toward the waterfall. Derek was close behind.
I stopped at the wall of water, cornered. Giggling, I held up my hands, but Derek had no mercy. He grabbed at me, pulled me under the waterfall, and kissed me with unmatched passion.
Eventually, however, we had to come up for breath. When we did, we looked at each other, laughed heartily, and dove right back in.
* * *
After we got back into our clothes and returned the horses to the stable, we went back to Aunt Joelle, who fed us generously and chatted our ears off. She told me all sorts of stories about Derek as a child, and the sort of trouble he would get into on the ranch. She had me laughing so hard that my stomach cramped and my eyes watered.
Several hours passed before we said our goodbyes and returned home. We went straight up to Derek’s room and he headed to the shower.
I heard the shower turn on, and Derek get in. I sat on the edge of the bed. Something about our horse-riding and skinny-dipping adventures today had gotten me in the mood.
Quietly, I slipped off my clothes and opened the bathroom door. Derek, unaware that I’d come in, was humming to himself behind the glass. I tapped on it gently, startling him.
“Can I come in?” I asked, a slight blush rising to my cheeks. Before this week, I never would have imagined making such a bold gesture. But Derek had brought out a confidence in me, a self-assurance that I never would have expected I could have.
He smirked at me, his eyes grazing over my naked body. “Please do.”
I stepped in, letting the hot water roll over me, cleaning off the sweat, dirt, and lake water from the day’s excursion. I purposely brushed up against Derek, his hard cock pressing against the flesh of my ass.
I grabbed the shampoo and poured a dollop into my hand, before lathering it up in my hair and rinsing it out, taking my time. Derek watched me, desire in his eyes.
After I had thoroughly washed my hair, I took a bar of soap and gestured for him to come closer. I washed his chest, massaging his shoulders with great care. His body relaxed under my touch.
Setting the bar of soap to the side, my hands wandered lower, wrapping around his thick, hard dick. I stroked his length, and stood on my toes to give him a soft kiss. To steady himself, he leaned back on the shower wall.
Getting onto my knees, I pressed my lips against the tip of his cock. The water came down around us, soaking me, flowing down my face and body. The extra water made it easier to not only stroke him, but slide my mouth down his shaft.
I worked my way up his cock, my head bobbing steadily. His hands tangled in my wet hair, guiding my head, pushing me a little further each time. I focused on the balance between breathing in rhythm and sucking on his cock, eager to please him. Finally, I was able to take his whole cock in my mouth, my lips completely around the base of his shaft. Derek let out a long, satisfied moan as I deep-throated him, holding it for a few seconds before sliding back and sucking on just the tip of his cock.
I repeated the pattern several times, alternating between taking his cock into my throat, and licking the length of his shaft. Whenever I sat back to catch my breath, I continued to jack him off with my hand, my movements quick and tight. Soon, I had Derek breathing heavily, tugging my hair and moaning my name.
I was fully intent on going down on him until he came, but Derek stood me up before I could finish. He kissed me hard, roughly turning and pushing me up against the shower wall. His hands pinned my wrists above my head, so that I was helpless, completely and perfectly overwhelmed by him.
He started to kiss down my neck, nibbling and sucking the sensitive skin of my throat. When he was satisfied that he hadn’t left an inch untouched, he moved to my breasts, rol
ling my nipples around his tongue and sucking on the soft flesh around them, hard enough that he left little red marks in his path. Every time his lips touched my skin, pleasant, electric sensations shot down through my core, making me lust for him even more.
The next thing I knew, he was on his knees with his face buried between my thighs. All my thoughts went static as the pleasure spiked through my whole body.
He was sprawled on the shower floor before me, in a position akin to supplication. His mouth and tongue moved as if he was praying. The water fell around us from all sides, and steam filled the air and my lungs. I felt worshipped. I felt divine.
His fingers entered me, and started to stroke my inner walls. His mouth sucked on my clit, creating a nearly unbearable feeling of intense, building pressure. Derek knew what he was doing, he knew exactly how to touch me in all the right places, and he wasn’t being sloppy.
“Oh, fuck.” My head fell back, and my eyes closed, as waves of pleasure rolled through me. “Oh, baby. Right there. Mm. That’s so fucking good. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”
He was quick to listen, not slowing down and continuing precisely as I asked. His tongue worked my clit relentlessly, not stopping to even take a break. He had four fingers fucking me hard and fast, rubbing my g-spot every time he thrust them into me.
“Cum on my hand, beautiful,” he said, his words vibrating on my clit. “Let me feel you.”
His command was all it took to send me over the edge. If he hadn’t been holding my hip tightly with his free hand, I might have slid onto the ground, as the orgasm seized my shaking legs, causing them to forget how to function. I screamed, unable to control myself, and dug my fingernails into his arm.
I had never cum so hard before. It felt like I forgot to breathe for a moment, and it left me gasping for breath. My whole body trembled as Derek continued to kiss my clit with tenderness while I recovered.
Derek stood up, and started to kiss me again, bringing me into his arms with gentle firmness. His touch brought me slowly back to life, and I moved against him, my craving for him still not satisfied. I wasn’t sure it would ever be and I vaguely wondered if I would always be wanting more and more of him.
He pressed his cock between my thighs, and slid slowly into my still-throbbing pussy. Both of us groaned at the sensation caused by him filling me up.
He began to thrust into me gradually, holding me up against the wall so he could get the right angle. We kissed while he fucked me, holding me tightly. Our wet bodies were pressed together as tightly as they could be, making it impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.
Once he had warmed me back up, Derek twisted me around and guided me to my hands and knees. On the floor of the shower, he started fucking me from behind. This position had become one of my favorites, as the angle caused the tip of his cock to rub against my g-spot every time he thrust into me. He also reached one hand around my body and massaged my clit, driving me absolutely wild.
Speeding up quickly, he was soon ramming into me from behind. He slapped my ass, hard, the wet skin creating a sharp, loud sound as our skin met. I gasped and moaned, arching my back and begging for him to do it again. Always the gentleman, Derek complied.
“Where do you want me to cum, baby?” His breathing was rapid.
“Mm, on my face,” I said, without hesitation.
He pulled on my hair to bring me up and kneel in front of him. I took hold of his cock and stroked him fast, positioning myself directly in front of him. It didn’t take him long. He let out a loud, long gasping moan, and cum shot from the tip of his cock, splashing and dripping on my face, mixing with the water.
My eyes closed, I took the tip of his cock in my lips, sucking the last of his cum and giving him a few more loving strokes.
While Derek caught his breath, I rinsed off my face, enjoying the smooth feeling of his seed against my skin. I felt him bump into me from behind, and kiss my shoulder.
In that moment, it felt like the rest of my life. Anything less would be tragedy.
Chapter 21
Derek
Later that evening, there was a knock on our bedroom door. I got up to answer it.
To my surprise, my father stood there, dressed in a suit.
“I want to go out for dinner,” he said. “I want to take you and Amy.”
Amy peeked around my shoulder, a smile beaming on her face. “Really? Yes! Oh, I would love that. We should go to Cliffside. I absolutely loved that place.”
I hadn’t seen my father go out in years. “That sounds great. We’ll get ready now and meet you in the foyer.”
“Wonderful.”
Amy and I quickly got ready. While we dressed, she told me about the conversation they’d had the other day, how he had suggested the restaurant, and how much she had enjoyed it. As I listened, each of her words chipped a mark into my heart. This woman was having a profound effect on me.
Soon, we were dressed and on our way downstairs. Amy had on an elegant, yet simple, blue gown, paired with gold heels and a loose braid. She looked beautiful, and I could hardly keep my eyes away from her.
My father wanted to take the Porsche, so I grabbed the keys and led the way to the garage. He insisted that Amy sit in the front with me, while he lounged in the back seat.
On the way to the restaurant, Amy and my father talked. She was turned around to face him, gesturing widely with her arms, obviously very engaged in the conversation. Listening to them chatter, a great sense of contentment flowed through me. I hadn’t seen my father so laid back and amiable in… well, never. Amy was having a profound effect on him too, I was convinced of it.
We reached Cliffside in a short time. I had never been there, but as we pulled up my father told me that he and my mother used to come here all the time. That information caused questions to rise in me that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. I tried to imagine my father young, and my mother alive, the two of them walking into this same building, still in love.
I took Amy’s hand in mine.
“Isn’t it amazing?” She bounced on her toes. “Look at that view. I just love the ocean. This was the perfect place to build a restaurant, I think. And wait until you try the food!”
We got a booth by the window. My father sat across from us. I watched him carefully as he looked through the menu, then out the window, and around the building. His happiness was evident on his wrinkled face. It was like I was looking at a new man.
A waitress came up to our table. “Are you ready to order?” she asked us, her voice pleasant and chipper.
My father ordered a seafood bowl, after telling Amy and I that he used to get the very same thing every time, and that he was happy to see that it hadn’t been removed from the menu. I asked for a steak, cooked medium rare, and Amy wanted a chicken Caesar salad.
“This place hasn’t changed at all,” my father said, leaning back in his seat. “Just me… just me.” He paused, before continuing.
“I wanted to bring you two out to dinner today to talk to you.” There was trembling in his voice, something I had never experienced from him. “Derek, when you brought Amy to my house this week, I admit, I was very skeptical. I believed she was just a passing fancy. Even when I learned about the baby, I still wasn’t sure. I’m the first person to know that a child won’t hold two people together. But, after watching you two this week, I am comforted. You are a beautiful couple.”
My voice caught in my throat at my father’s words. I glanced over at Amy, who had tears welling in her eyes.
“I have been married four times,” my father said, holding up four shaky fingers. “And none of those relationships went the way I intended. I would say that I have had my fair share of experience in the world of love. I’ve been in love, and I’ve fallen out of it. I completely believe that you two have what my relationships always lacked. You are both selfless, generous, compassionate people.”
My father now turned directly to me. “Derek, I have watched you grow up from the ver
y first day of your life. I admit, I have not been a tender father, but I pray that you have not mistaken my strictness for a lack of love. I have made many, many mistakes, but I have never stopped loving you—not from the moment that I first held you. And I am incredibly proud of the man you have become.”
There were tears in my eyes now. I brushed them away. Then my father turned to Amy.
“Amelia, dear. I am not an ignorant man, and I know that I am to die soon. That’s the simple truth of the matter, and I accept that. I feel so lucky that I lived long enough to meet you. In just one week, I can tell how happy you’ve made my son. The changes in his behavior are… well, it’s like he’s a different man. Softer, more relaxed, more carefree. Everything I wanted him to be, or to have, everything that I couldn’t buy him, no matter how much money I had—you have given him. To live to see my son’s life so fulfilled has made my own worth living. I cannot thank you enough.”
My father reached forward clasping both of our hands. “So, whatever it might be worth to you, I give you my full blessing. I may not be here to witness it, but I hope that you two live long and joyful lives together, filled with adventure. My greatest comfort is the certainty that my grandchild will grow up with two loving parents.”
I squeezed his hand tightly. The moment was bittersweet. Now that I had what I had always wanted, the only thing that I could desire was for my father to not be sick.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice catching in my throat.
Amy nodded in agreement, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The waitress approached us with a tray of food. My father coughed, sat up, and smiled.
“Now,” he said. “Let’s eat!”
* * *
When we returned home later that evening, Marshall Harrison, my father’s lawyer, was waiting for us in the foyer. When he saw us come in, he swung toward us, looking impatient.
“Mr. Rittsman.” He nodded curtly at my father. “I’ve been waiting for hours. We had an appointment.”
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