by Sky Winters
"It's a good scene," said Thorne. "Means we can crank ‘em out like a factory."
"I have no idea if you're joking or not," said Adelaide as Thorne came over to poke and coo at the baby.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," he said, flashing another smile. "But get dressed."
"Why?" said Adelaide.
"Got a little surprise for you down at HQ. Well, for Max, to be more accurate."
"A good one," I hope.
"Guess you'll have to find out."
Adelaide handed Max off to Thorne while she headed to the bathroom. Once there, she stepped into the shower, the events of the last few months running through her mind as the hot water washed over her body.
The months of pregnancy had seemed to fly by. Before Adelaide knew it, she had the full belly of a nine-months-pregnant woman, and she knew she was ready to give birth at any day. She and Thorne made their couple status official, and he quickly purchased a new apartment for the two –soon to be three- of them. And after the near catastrophe of the mission that brought them together, Thorne decided to make the Silver Talons a mercenary group specializing in low-risk ops, as well as security consultation.
"OK, ready when you are," said Adelaide, putting her hair up into a bun.
"Let's hit it," said Thorne.
The three of them were soon in the city streets walking in the direction of the Silver Talons HQ. Adelaide, noting the beautiful weather, the cloudless, sunny sky, and the feeling of peaceful contentment stirred in her heart, gave Thorne a warm smile before standing on her tip-toes and kissing him on his freshly-shaved cheek.
"To what do I owe that honor?" he said.
"Just ‘cause you're handsome."
"I'll take it."
Soon, the three of them stepped into the lobby of Talons HQ. There, Adelaide was shocked to see the whole crew gathered, a small birthday setup on the table in the center of the room, complete with a cake.
"Surprise!" they all shouted.
Instantly, Max began to wail.
"Not a fan of parties, I take it?" said Corvo, coming over to Thorne and Adelaide.
"Most babies aren't," said Adelaide with a smile. "But the thought's what counts."
"We figured this kid needed a proper birthday, what with being in hiding for the last few months."
Thorne and Adelaide had made the decision to lay low since the Abruzzi operation, still not sure if any other families had their eye on Max or Adelaide. But news of how hard the Talons had come down on those who stood against them must've traveled fast, as not only did not a single one of the elder families give them trouble, they were actually beating down the doors of the Talons to enlist their services.
"Well, I appreciate it, guys," said Thorne, his voice sincere.
"Hope you guys are in the mood for a little morning drinking," said Jace, pulling out a couple of bottles of champagne.
Adelaide watched as Thorne's eyes locked onto the bottles, followed by his eyes narrowing as if a thought had occurred to him.
"Wait a minute," he said, holding up his hand.
"Something up, boss?" asked Mick, already halfway to the bottles.
"Yeah," said Thorne, a trace of uncertainty in his voice that struck Adelaide as odd. "There's something I've been meaning to say. Er, to do."
He turned to Adelaide.
"Baby, these last six months have been the happiest of my life. We've only known each other for a short time, but I already can't imagine my world without you or Max."
Then, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black box. Adelaide's eyes went wide as she realized just what it likely was.
"I've been carrying this around for a while, waiting for just the right time to take it out. And I think now, with my family, well, both of my families, here with me, this is just the time that I've been looking for."
He then dropped down to one knee and opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring.
"Adelaide Wilson, will you make me the happiest man in New York? Will you marry me?"
Adelaide didn't need even a second to think about it. Tears in her eyes, she rushed to Thorne and embraced him, covering him and Max in kisses.
"Of course, I will!" she exclaimed through her tears.
The rest of the team cheered, all of them caught up in the spontaneity of the moment.
"Well," said Mick. "If this isn't an occasion for sparkling booze, I don't know what is!"
The bottles were popped, and the group fell into a happy celebration.
"I love you, baby," said Thorne. "I love you and our little family."
"And I love you too," said Adelaide.
She didn't know what the future might hold –no one could- but she was ready to see it through, the man she loved at her side.
Bonus Content
Bear Mountain Bride
CHAPTER 1
Tessa Henderson never grew tired of the way the morning sunlight streamed in through the windows of her cabin on Bear Mountain. Even after a year, when she and her husband Lucas decided to finally leave the city behind and spend the rest of their lives in peaceful seclusion, she still loved waking up to the gentle dappling of sunlight at the end of her and Lucas’s bed. First, it would play through the leaves of the trees that shaded their cozy cabin, the light shifting as the wind poured over the branches. As the morning went on and the sun rose above the tree line, the sun would flood in on brilliant golden beams.
Tossing the earth-toned blanket from her body, Tessa rose from the bed to open a window and let the pleasant, warm air fill the room. The subtle scent of lavender mixed with the clean, fresh morning breeze. This was her favorite time of year, when the last frost of winter became a distant memory and the sunlight grew warmer by the day, the plants and trees coming out of their long hibernation- spring was almost here. She pulled at the hem of a thin, white t-shirt that showed off her full breasts and barely covered her pair of black lace panties. This was her favorite outfit to sleep in.
Tessa looked at the bed with longing, wishing that Lucas was still in it. Something about these warm, sunny mornings made her want to waste the hours away in bed with her husband, but he rose even earlier than she did. More and more, Tessa found herself waking up alone in bed, her arm moving longingly over the sheets where Lucas would lay.
A thud sounded through the cabin, snapping Tessa out of her morning daydream and alerting her that Lucas was home. Checking her phone on the nightstand, she saw that it wasn’t even eight yet.
“Baby, is that you?” asked Tessa, calling through the open bedroom door.
“Yeah, it’s me,” Lucas said, his gruff, manly voice carrying through the home.
Tessa smiled, happy that he was back. She moved with slinky steps towards the living room, her long chocolate-colored hair mussed from sleep. Entering the kitchen, she saw Lucas, his large, muscular body bare from the waist up, and his tanned, sculpted torso glistening with sweat from his morning’s work. His sandy blond hair hit his strong, defined jaw and his light blue jeans hung from his hips, showing off the full span of his strong, tight abs.
Upon seeing Tessa, his green eyes widened slightly and Tessa watched as his gaze tracked along the curves of her body.
“Where were you?” Tessa asked, crossing one slim ankle over the other as she leaned against the door frame.
“Nowhere,” he said, as he poured himself a tall glass of water at the sink, his tone suggesting that he didn’t want to discuss the matter.
But Tessa did. She knew that Lucas had always been an early riser, but throughout their marriage, there was a reason. He used to rise early to work on one of his wrought-iron sculptures. But since they moved, he was becoming more and more cagey about where he had been and what he had been doing[T2].
“Nowhere?”
“Just into town to get some supplies- nothing you need to worry about.”
He took a long draw from the glass of water, the soft-pointed triangle of his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down with each swallow.
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“I just don’t know why you need to go so early.”
“To get it done, that’s why.”
Lucas set the glass in the basin of the stainless-steel sink.
“What difference does it even make?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” said Tessa, winding a delicate finger through her hair and coiling it, a playful smile spreading across her face. “I thought we could spend the morning together.”
Lucas leaned against the counter, taking another look at Tessa.
“Oh yeah?” he asked, getting the hint. “What’d you have in mind?”
“I think you know.”
With that, Tessa turned around and slinked back into the bedroom, pulling her shirt off and tossing it out into the living room, her nipples hard and taut. As she sat down on the bed, she heard Lucas’s heavy footfalls follow her into the bedroom, and within seconds, his tall, broad-shouldered frame was darkening the doorway.
Even after a decade-and-a-half of marriage, Tessa still found Lucas to be the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. His sandy hair was wild and unruly, his green eyes were brilliant and always seemed to be narrowed in mischief, his nose was strong and slim, and his jaw was wide and square, set just below a set of sensual, full lips. A passionate, talented artist, he always had his pick of bohemian girls who invariably fell under his spell, and Tessa still couldn’t believe that she was the one he actually chose to wed.
She looked at him with ravenous eyes as he stepped out of his heavy, brown boots.
“Come here,” said Tessa, curling a finger towards him, her face half-obscured by a thick tress of hair.
Lucas stepped towards her, nothing on his body but his jeans. When he closed the distance, Tessa placed her hands on his tight skin smooth and taut over his muscles. She began kissing his stomach, taking sweet pleasure in the feeling of his abs against her soft lips. Moving down, she paid special attention to his hip bones; she’d always loved the way they jutted out. Tessa inhaled while kissing him, taking in his rich, manly musk. As she continued, she moved her hands down and around, slipping her fingers underneath the waistband of his jeans and dragging the backs of her nails against his skin. She looked up at him with smiling eyes, building the anticipation for what was to come next.
He moved one hand to the back of her head, running his fingers through her hair, the backs of his nails dragging against her skin, sending shivers along the length of her back. Tessa worked open the brushed gold button of his jeans, unfastening it and exposing the skin just above Lucas’s cock. She moved her lips down, kissing this newly visible skin as she pulled his jeans by the waist, moving her head back and away from his cock as it sprang free.
Tessa couldn’t help but smile every time she saw Lucas’s cock. It was long and thick, smooth and delicious. She found herself often thinking of the first time they fucked that night long ago in the back of his car, a black Porsche Roadster that he inherited from an uncle and still drove to this day. She still remembered the feeling of him sliding into her after what seemed like hours of foreplay, the length of his cock entering her fully, forcing a long sigh from her lungs. And what she remembers most was thinking how perfectly he fit into her, as though his cock was made just for her.
She never grew bored of it and now was no exception.
Taking a long, hungry look at Lucas’s prick, Tessa began by stroking him along the base of his shaft with her fingertips. She wanted to take all of him into her mouth right then, to let his length slide down her tongue and into her throat, but Tessa had long ago learned the value of making a man wait. Wrapping her fingers around his shaft, she tightened her grip, gently squeezing his balls as she stared up at him. Watching his face tighten, Tessa knew that he was ready for her to begin. And as she felt her mouth water as she looked down the length of his organ, she knew that she was ready, too.
She began by kissing the head of his prick with gentle presses, her lips glossy and wet. Tessa focused on just his head at first, kissing along the ridge of his prick, paying special attention to his most sensitive areas as she continued to squeeze his balls. A quick grunt emerged from Lucas’s throat, and Tessa took this as a sign that she was on the right track. After years of learning just how to make this particular cock cum, she knew that she’d better be.
Tessa kissed him along his substantial length, now moving her hand up to the head of his organ, caressing him as she kissed the taut skin of his erection, stopping only at his balls to suck and lick them before moving back up. After repeating this a few times, she knew that she was ready to taste him- to really taste him.
Moving her lips back up to the tip, she opened wide, the corners of her lips pulled upwards in a smile of anticipation, and took him into her warm, wet mouth.
Lucas groaned with pleasure as his cock slid into her, Tessa flicking his length with her tongue as she took him deeper and deeper into her mouth. She stopped before she took his length fully down her throat, wrapping her lips into a tight seal around his shaft. Then, she began sliding her lips along his cock, gently lashing him with her tongue as she sucked, flashing her big, blue eyes up at him with a sensual gaze as she worked.
Gradually, her pace quickened, the soft sounds of her sucking and licking mingling with the birdsong that floated in through the open window. Tessa made sure to lick his head hard when she was about to slide her mouth along his length, pressing her soft, wet tongue against the head of his cock and the skin just below. Moving one hand along his side, she could feel his body shudder with pleasure and as she sucked, his breath quickened.
Then, she relaxed her throat, allowing his entire length to slide into her. She moved slowly, savoring every inch of his perfect cock, her lips creeping down him, stretched over his girth. When Tessa reached the base of his cock she let it simply rest in her throat and brought her gaze up to his eyes once again, letting him look down with his narrowed, green eyes at the sight of his woman taking him as deeply as she could. Then, his hands still kitted into her hair, he gently moved her head back; she could tell that he was on the verge of cumming. His cock dropped out of her mouth as he moved her back, bouncing slightly as the massive, thick member dipped down from gravity. She knew now that it was time to fuck him.
Lucas stepped out of his jeans, and Tessa moved onto the bed, pulling her panties down to her ankles and kicking them off. Now, other than a small strip of trimmed black her above her sex, she was completely bare. Lucas then moved over her, propping himself up with his thick, ropy arms. The span of his broad, strong shoulders casted a shadow over Tessa as she crossed her legs coquettishly, eagerly anticipating him to spread them and enter her.
He held himself above her for a moment and as he did, Tessa felt something off, something different. She watched Lucas move his hands along her body, over the flat, creamy skin of her stomach and down between her legs, slipping his fingers between her thighs and gently spreading her legs apart. And again, as he did, Tessa sensed something strange. She looked up at Lucas and saw that he was looking at the wall above their bed, rather than down at her.
Lucas had always been a stoic sort, his calm and strong masculinity was a trait of his that Tessa was both attracted to and frustrated by, so tender kisses and outpourings of emotion during sex were never something that she expected from him. But at this moment he seemed different, as though his mind were someplace else, and he was preparing himself to simply go through the motions of making love. But she couldn’t say for sure what was going through his mind.
Before she had a chance to consider it further, Lucas slid his cock into her and Tessa’s mind was instantly flooded with the blissful oblivion of pure pleasure, her limbs becoming warm and goosebumps breaking out across her skin. Lucas moved slowly, moving his prick into her, first just with his head, then sheathing himself halfway down his shaft before finally sinking himself deeply and fully into her, enveloping the entire length of his cock with deep, full plunges.
Tessa sighed as he fucked her, dragging her nails along his
back, spreading her legs open as fully as she could in order to accommodate his large, burly body. But as soon as the initial wave of pleasure rolled through her body, she couldn’t help but notice once again the way Lucas seemed distant. He appeared to be enjoying himself, she could see that clearly, but it was as though his mind were someplace else. She found her own thoughts drifting back to her concern for where he had been this morning, and why he was out so late. And not simply out late the previous night, but so many other nights.
Pushing these thoughts out of her head, she shifted her focus to Lucas as he moved on top of her, his face in a tight expression of manly pleasure. She spotted the first trickles of perspiration on his brow, and as she looked down at the curves of her own body, she saw that her own skin was beginning to glisten with sweat from the heat of their lovemaking. He lowered his body down until his skin was pressed against hers; Tessa responded by wrapping her arms around his back, feeling his muscles flex against her touch as he thrust into her over and over. She began to feel the orgasm well inside of her, though she still couldn’t shake the idea that there was something simply off about Lucas.
But before she could consider the question further, Lucas lifted himself off her, and grabbing the soft flesh of her hips with his rough, strong hands, he flipped her over, and with a pull on her thighs, moved Tessa into the doggy position. Placing one hand on her shoulder, he slid himself into her once more and began pounding her with powerful thrusts of his hips.
The force of his cock moving in and out of her brought Tessa’s orgasm closer- tantalizingly close. She loved the feel of his hands on her body and savored how rough he could be with her.
And as if he could sense her thoughts, Lucas brought his hand against Tessa’s ass, slapping his open palm against the ample flesh of her ass and producing a loud, cracking impact that sounded through the room, cutting through the couple’s low moans. The sweet mixture of pain and pleasure rushed through Tessa, pushing her even closer to orgasm.
