by Skyla Madi
He was out of the truck before I could say anything. The longer he stayed away, the more I started to worry. I was just about to climb out and search for him when the door opened. Stephen climbed in and slammed the door shut. He was shivering—his lips slightly blue. Stephen rubbed his hands together and then started the truck.
“I-is your seatbelt on?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
I clung to the seat, and he made a U-turn and sped down the way we came. We only drove for about four minutes before he stopped again. He switched off the truck then turned toward me slightly.
“We’re not going to make it to our next destination with the rain. It doesn’t look like it’s going to let up anytime soon.” He paused, sucking in a breath. “I’m going to go and find out if they have room for us and then come get you. Lock the doors when I’m out.”
“Why can’t I come with you?”
“Because I don’t want you to run around in the rain. I’ll be back soon, baby.”
Half an hour passed before he returned. Stephen knocked on my window then pulled open the door as soon as I unlocked it. He held an umbrella in one hand.
“Grab the bag,” he yelled to be heard over the rain.
I grabbed the bag from beneath the seat and the keys from the ignition. The hotel was small—it was more like a B and B. An elderly woman smiled at us when we stepped inside. Stephen handed over the umbrella after closing it.
“There’s a diner just around the corner. They have some amazing food.”
“Thank you.” Stephen smiled. “We’ll go get some once we’re settled.”
“Have a good night!”
He led me down a hall and up a set of stairs to the second floor. A minute later, we stepped into a clean, cosy-looking room. It was small with the walls painted a light pink. A white carpet decorated the floor. To the left was a wardrobe that stood beneath a window. A double bed sat in the middle of the room. My eyes were drawn to the wooden headboard above it. Someone had carved flowers and other shapes into it.
“Why don’t you go take a shower while I go get us some food?”
“You’re going out into the rain again?” I dropped the bag on the floor by the bed before turning. “I’m not really hungry, so you don’t have to go, that is, unless you’re hungry?”
“Not really.” He glanced around the room. “It’s going to be dark soon, and I’d rather get us food now.”
He wanted to escape from me. I nodded and then gave him a small smile. Stephen pressed a kiss against my forehead before disappearing. I bit my lip as my eyes filled with tears.
I could barely remember anything after we drank the shots last night. Did I do anything wrong? I tried to remember, but every time I got to the shots, everything beyond that was blank.
I shook my head and made my way into the bathroom. My eyes were drawn to the bath. It looked like one of those old ones you would find in historical buildings. I bypassed it and made my way over to the shower. I quickly pulled off my wet clothes and dropped them into the sink.
My phone was thankfully still working. I didn’t bother to check it; I just placed it down on the counter. It took a while for the water to heat, but when it did, I moaned in pleasure. Grabbing one of the sample shampoo bottles, I washed my hair. I wasn’t sure how long I stayed in the shower, but eventually I had to get out. Before I could, however, the shower door opened, which startled me. I gasped and almost slipped but managed to catch myself.
“You startled me,” I whispered, pressing my hand against my chest.
“Didn’t you hear me come in?” Stephen asked as he closed the shower door.
I shook my head. He frowned but didn’t say anything as he stepped under the water with his back to me.
“Stephen? Did I do something wrong?”
“No.” He glanced at me over his shoulder. “Why?”
“I feel like you don’t want to be here with me.”
“I don’t.” I winced.
Pain and rejection flashed through me. Blinking back the tears, I reached for the shower door. A hand gripped my wrist before I could push it open. Stephen turned me and then wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me against him.
“I don’t want to be here with you, but not in the way you think. I want to be with you in the other room I booked for us. The one right at the beach with a great view of the ocean. Where a bunch of candles had been set around the room and a trail of roses led to the bed.” I stared up at him in shock. Did I hear correctly? Roses and candles? “You wanted it to be special even if you said you didn’t,” he whispered. “I wanted to make it special for you because I knew how important it could be.”
“Stephen…” I trailed off, not sure what to say.
He gave me a small smile and then leaned down to brush his lips against mine. Stephen stepped back so both of us stood under the water. One of his hands trailed up my back and then down to grip my ass. I moaned, pressing myself tighter against him.
“Say the words, baby,” he whispered against my neck.
“I want you to take me. I want you to make me yours.”
His lips found mine again. I moaned as his hand slipped between my legs. Stephen stepped forward and pressed me against the wall. He stepped away all of a sudden, and his hands disappeared from my body.
“There’s something on the bed for you to wear. I’ll give you five minutes before I’ll join you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
I expected there to be some sexy clothes or even underwear, but what I didn’t expect was the small square box in the middle of the bed. I gripped the towel tighter in front of my chest as I took hesitant steps forward. My hand was shaking when I picked it up. The velvet felt soft against my skin. Sucking in a shaky breath, I opened it. Inside rested a sterling silver necklace. The pendant was small but easily eye-catching.
Blinking back tears, I gently pulled the necklace from the box. Wings were attached to the chains with a small heart crystal in the middle between the wings.
“You remind me of an angel.”
My head snapped up and toward him. Stephen stood in the doorway with his eyes focused on me. He gave me a small smile before straightening and making his way toward me.
“Before I met you, I was stuck in the darkness.”
“Stephen…”
“You brought light with you the moment you stepped into that café. My life was hell after my grandmother died. I had no direction or meaning. I liked to fuck around with people, hurt them so I could feel better about myself. I pushed everyone that cared about me away because I didn’t want to feel what I felt when I watched my grandmother being lowered into the ground.” He sucked in a breath. “You are different than all those other girls I fucked. You mean more to me than any of them ever did.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Tears were threatening to spill over. Stephen stopped right in front of me. His eyes trailed over my face before dropping to the necklace. He reached out, and I could see the slight tremor in his hand.
“Turn around, baby. Let me put this on.”
I turned and then pulled my wet hair out of the way so he could fasten the necklace around my neck. Stephen pressed a kiss against my shoulder before turning me around to face him. He kept his eyes locked with mine as he gently pulled the towel from my body. I sucked in a shaky breath when he leaned down to press a kiss against my collarbone. His lips traced a line to my shoulder then back up to my neck. Stephen pulled me against him as his lips caught mine.
I was barely aware of him picking me up and lowering me to the bed. He came down next to me and started stroking my skin with his hand. Excitement washed through me when he massaged my breasts. His lips trailed down my neck again. I gasped when his lips closed around my nipple. He sucked the bud into his mouth while using his tongue to trace my nipple. Letting go, he kissed to its twin before doing the same. My back arched off the bed. My pussy was clenching in anticipation. I wanted him inside me.
“Please…Stephen,” I crie
d.
“What do you want, baby?”
“I want you,” I breathed, glancing down at him. “I need you.”
“I’m all yours, baby.”
If only he meant those words in every sense. I wanted his heart. I wanted him to love me just like I loved him. Stephen pushed himself up onto his knees. I watched as he pulled the towel from his waist. My eyes trailed over his tanned and inked skin. He was so fucking sexy, and he was all mine. But for how long? My stomach quivered when he pulled a condom from the box. He ripped it open with his teeth and then gripped his length. I licked my lips. My gaze was glued to his dick as he slowly stroked himself.
A second later, he rolled the condom on. I watched as he pinched the tip before rolling it down all the way. His eyes caught mine again as he gripped my legs and pushed them apart. Stephen moved closer then settled between my legs. I could feel a blush spreading over my body as his eyes trailed over me. I liked it when he looked at me like that.
“You want me here?” he whispered, trailing a single finger down my slit.
I raised my hips. His hands trailed up my legs to my thighs. He gripped them gently and guided my legs over his. Stephen’s eyes were focused on my pussy. His bottom lip caught between his teeth as he stared. I sucked in another shaky breath when his hand trailed over my pubic bone.
“So fucking sexy.”
“Stop teasing, Stephen.”
He smirked. “But I love watching your body’s reaction when I touch you. I love it when you beg me.”
Before I could utter another word, his body covered mine. Stephen caught my lips in a sweet kiss. I reached up, wrapping my arms around his neck. I was lost in him. In his taste. In his smell. A gasp fell from my lips when I felt the tip of his dick enter me. Without wanting to, my body tensed. Unconsciously, I was waiting for the unbearable pain that would follow his intrusion.
“Relax for me, baby,” he whispered against my lips.
I opened my eyes to stare up at him. His lips were pursed, but his eyes were alive with different emotions.
“I won’t hurt you, Alia. Not this time.”
I forced my body to relax against his. Stephen gave me a small smile as he gripped my thigh and then guided my leg around his waist. He pulled out and then slowly pushed back in. I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. They fluttered closed but then open again when he shifted above me. He leaned on his elbow then reached between our bodies. I glanced down. The sight of our bodies joined made another wave of excitement flash through me. His hand appeared in my vision. A second later, his thumb pressed down against my clit.
“Ah!” I cried out, dropping my head back onto the pillow.
Stephen continued to play with my clit as he pushed his length deeper into my pussy. It was a pleasure overload. The constant pressure against my clit and the feeling of him stretching me. Stephen muttered something under his breath. He pulled his hand from between our bodies and used it to keep his weight off me.
“Wrap your legs higher around me,” he ordered huskily.
I did as he said, hooking my legs higher around his waist. My eyes trailed over his face. I could see the strength it took to keep himself still. Stephen looked down at me then glanced between our bodies. Something inside him just seemed to snap. He pulled back, almost all the way out of me, before slamming back inside me. I moaned, reaching up to grip his arms. He lowered his weight onto his elbows before moving again. I clung to him as wave after wave of pleasure washed through me. It felt better than his fingers. It felt better than anything I’d ever fucking felt. Stephen shifted his hips. I cried out as he hit something inside me that made me see stars.
“Stephen…” I begged him, but I didn’t know why.
“I know,” he whispered.
His lips caught mine again. Stephen used his tongue to mimic the motion of our bodies. I was the one to break the kiss so I could suck in air. That familiar pull started from within me. My stomach tightened. Stephen kissed down my neck then nibbled the skin beneath my ear. He sucked on the spot for a few seconds before moving lower. He did the same on my chest before sucking one of my nipples into his mouth. My legs tightened around his waist. My nails dug into his skin. And then I was screaming as I crashed over the edge. Stephen groaned, his movements slightly slowing, but he didn’t stop. He drew out my orgasm until I was a quivering mess beneath him, and even then he didn’t stop moving. One of his hands moved down to grip my hip while his other hand cupped my cheek.
“Look at me,” he breathed.
I forced my eyes open. They instantly locked with his inches above my own. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against mine. Sweat made it easier for our bodies to slide against each other as we moved. Stephen’s grip on my hip tightened. He kept my body pressed to the mattress. His thumb stroked my cheek, chin, and neck as he stared at me. With surprise, I felt my stomach tightening again. This time when I crashed over the edge, Stephen followed me. His cry echoed around the room along with mine. His big body shuddered against mine as his movements became jerky. He kept moving, prolonging both our orgasms.
“I should probably move,” Stephen muttered, minutes later.
Our heartbeats had slowed along with our breathing. My body was completely satisfied. All I wanted to do now was go to sleep, but I knew that would look bad.
“Baby,” his lips brushed my neck, “let go.”
I slowly loosened my arms from his neck so he could pull back. His eyes instantly caught mine.
“Did I hurt you?” I shook my head. “Are you okay?”
I gave him a nod. His lips twitched, and then he finally gave up and allowed the smile to slip onto his face. I found myself smiling back at him. Although he actually took my virginity at the side of the road, he certainly made up for it by planning this. What happened that day would never be forgotten, but at least memories of today would follow.
“I left you speechless, baby. That’s a first.” He pressed a kiss to my lips before shifting. I moaned as he slowly pulled out of my body. My body felt extremely sensitive after two orgasms.
“Where are you going?”
“To get rid of the condom,” he said. “Then I’ll return and we could start all over again.”
***
I definitely underestimated Stephen. This was a sight of him I hadn’t seen before, but I loved it. We spent almost the whole day in bed. The only time we got up was to eat and take another shower before falling into bed again. By the time the sun started rising, we finally fell asleep. We slept for a total of two hours before we had to get up again. Stephen checked us out of the hotel before leading me to the diner. We had a light breakfast, and then we were on the road again. Conversation was limited, but that was only because I fell asleep. By the time we reached the beach house, I felt completely refreshed. The same couldn’t be said for Stephen.
“Maybe you should get some sleep,” I suggested as I pulled my teddy bear from the seat.
“That’s a good idea, baby. Will you join me?”
I laughed but shook my head. “Then there won’t be any sleeping involved. You really do look tired. It makes me feel bad that I didn’t offer to drive back.”
His arm wrapped around my waist. “If I allowed that, then we probably wouldn’t have made it back. We’re both tired, baby. Don’t feel bad for anything. The sleepless night was totally worth it.”
My face was still red when we entered the house. Kate was sitting on the couch pretending to be interested in whatever movie was playing. Derrick was playing on the floor with some of his cars.
“Where is everyone?” Stephen asked as he closed the front door.
Kate looked up then. Her green eyes were filled with anger. That’s when I realized how tense her body was. “Your cousin and his girlfriend went out.”
“And my brother?”
“How the hell should I know? I’m not his fucking keeper!” I winced, my eyes snapping to Derrick. He seemed oblivious to his mother’s angry words.
“That’s no
way to speak in front of Derrick.”
Kate laughed as she jumped up from the couch. “Don’t do that. You can’t do that. That’s no way to do that! He’s my fucking kid. I can do what I want in front of him!”
“Where are you going?” I called as she stormed out. “Kate!”
I dropped the bear on the couch and ran after her. She was already halfway down the drive by the time I caught up. “What’s wrong?”
“What a stupid fucking question.” She laughed. “Everything is fucking wrong, Alia! I came here to have fun, to go to clubs and get drunk, and to forget about the fact that I have a kid. And then you fucking ruin it.”
“Kate—”
“Don’t! Just leave me alone, Alia.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Are you ready?” I glanced up into the mirror.
Stephen stood behind me. I could feel his eyes trailing over me, and that made me feel slightly self-conscious. It was their last night here, so we decided to go out. Of course Derrick would be going with us. After some discussion, we decided to go to the movies and have dinner after it.
“Almost,” I muttered, applying some lip-gloss. “Now I’m done.”
I turned around to face him. Smoothing my hands down my hips, I raised my head. Stephen was silently staring at me. It felt like hours before he moved. He took a small step forward until we stood almost chest to chest.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered.
“Really? It’s not too much?”
He shook his head as his eyes trailed over me again. “It is perfect, baby.”
“Was there a reason you told me to wear a dress?”
The familiar, sexy smirk appeared on his face. Stephen gave me a wink and then leaned forward to peck my lips. “You’ll see.”
Half an hour later, we arrived at the mall. Sebastian and Trina were making sure everybody was feeling relaxed. Nathan still looked grim and didn’t say much. As for Kate, she was acting like her old self. My eyes fell on Derrick. Something inside me felt bad for him. In all the time I’d known Kate, she never once gave any sign that she regretted having Derrick. Sebastian and Trina decided to watch an action movie. Derrick wanted to watch some cartoon, so Nathan agreed to watch it with him. I had to choose which one I wanted to watch. It was a hard choice because there weren’t really any good movies showing. I decided on a romantic comedy. Kate set out on her own.
