by Allie Faye
He shuts me up by pressing his lips to mine. His beard scratches against me, every nerve in my body burns with pure desire.
When we break apart he pulls me further into the room I share with Ezra. Holden’s towel is the first to fall to the floor. He takes a seat on the edge of the bed and pulls me between his legs by the edges of my towel.
“We can’t. It wouldn’t be right,” I argue, losing my resolve.
“One day, very soon, you're going to run out of excuses. You're gonna ache for me as I ache for you. It's gonna hurt so damn bad, sweetheart. You'll be throbbing between your legs, remembering the way it felt when I rolled those goddamned socks down to your toes and ran my tongue up to that sweet part between your thighs. You'll remember the way I looked into your eyes, knowing you fucked up.”
“Holden, please...”
“No, we're past pleases and thank yous.” His eyes are as cold and dark as his tone. Before I know what's happening, he grabs me between my legs. “I bet you’re soaked right now.”
“I...”
“You what?” He moves his hand ever so slightly and I quiver. With his other hand, he presses the pad of his thumb between the part in my lips, as I struggle for words, gasping, desperately for the breath he has stolen.
“I want you,” I confess what he already knows. “I want to be with you.” I drop my towel and straddle his thighs. He’s already erect and ready. The head of his dick teases my swollen lips, kissing them before I sink fully onto him.
“Goddamn, you feel so good. Your body was meant to be joined with mine,” he says, his voice husky and broken.
He falls back on the bed I go easily with him, ignoring the familiar smell of Ezra’s cologne on the covers. He doesn’t get to exist in here tonight.
One hand holds my hip and the other travels up my body until his thumb finds the part in my mouth and I suck his digit into my mouth and bite it as my orgasm builds. I ride him hard and steady, circling my hips as he thrusts up off the bed. I’m so close but I also don’t want this moment to end. I’m stuck between heaven and hell, needing to get off. My thighs shake as my pussy spasms, squeezing him tighter, chasing the high for a brief moment longer.
My body rises and falls with his, our chests slick with sweat, our shower long forgotten and newly needed.
This is what making love feels like I think as I give myself willingly and freely.
Consequences be damned.
I belong to this man.
I love him.
“Holden,” I whisper his name as he rolls over top me.
His fingers trace my lips. “What, baby?”
“I love you.”
He shoves my knees outward drives into me harder and deeper than I thought possible. He smacks his chest and looks at me. His eyes are a storm of emotions. “Say it again,” he rumbles deep from his throat.
“I love you.”
His fingers lace with mine and he presses his palms flat against mine above my head as he pumps his raging hard on between my legs, faster and faster until I am trembling for him.
“I’m so close.”
The headboard beats against the wall, knocking on heaven’s door as I find my sweet release with Holden following close behind. His warmth floods my inner walls then runs down my thighs and onto the sheets.
We both just lay here, our hearts beating erratically.
Chapter 25
Holden
She loves me.
My heart is ready to combust its swelled up so damn large. I cradle her in my arms and brush my lips across her bare shoulder, savoring the taste of my sweat and hers mixed on her skin. She smiles up at me as her fingers stroke the hair on my chest.
“What are you thinking?” I ask her.
“That this feels right. You and me. The rest of the world be damned. But…I hate that you’re married. I hate that Ezra lives here. I hate that in a few days this perfect cocoon will disappear.Then we will be back to stolen glances and touches.”
I inhale through my nose then exhale through my mouth. My nostrils flare at her words. “We aren’t sneaking around. This is the end of the line, Conleigh, I won’t share you. And I sure as fuck can’t sneak around like school kids. Tomorrow you’re moving your shit across the hall to my room. Tomorrow Reese will be served with the divorce papers if she hasn’t been already; we both should have signed them years ago. And when Ezra gets back, we are telling him the truth, together. He can stay until he finds a place, but I already promised his room to Wren.”
Her eyes gawk at me and she blinks. “You what?”
“Been thinking on a lot of shit. I’m ready to make changes but I can’t wait for life to happen or it will pass me by. I gotta take chances. This is it for me. I want a life with you. I want to be with you and I don’t give a damn who likes it or not. You make me so fucking happy. You’re like my own personal ray of sunshine. I want to make you happy. I want you to write your heart out and chase your dreams, Conleigh. I just want a life with you.”
Before she can reply to agree or to argue. Bailey is knocking on the door. “Hey, Con. Wren made pizza and I was wondering if I could bum something to sleep in.”
“Tell her no. I want her naked,” Wren shouts, sounding as though he is further down the hall.
“Give me a minute,” Conleigh tells her. She starts to get up and I pull her back down.
“I’m not finished with you.” I bite her shoulder and she smiles.
“I’m hungry,” she says looking at me with a sexy smirk.
“Then I’ll feed you.”
Her brow raises. “I need real food.”
“I’ll feed you that too,” I promise.
She sighs and snuggles into the bed. I think to myself, that’s right, baby, rub our sex all over his bed. Maybe I’m a dirty fucker but so be it. I know I’d pay any price to keep her.
Picking my towel up from the floor, I secure it around my waist. Then I go over to the dresser and look back at my girl. “Which drawer has your sleepwear shit in it?”
She smiles lazily at me. “The third one.”
Turning back around, I take out a tank top and pair of shorts and hold them up for approval.
She nods.
“I’ll be back with your pizza.” I grin at her.
Bailey stands in the hall waiting.
“Glad to see you listened to me,” she gloats.
“So, you like my brother, huh?” I smirk and hand her the clothes.
Her eyes light up. “He’s got personality.”
“Take it easy on him, killer. He’s been through a lot.”
“He told me,” she says, surprising me.
“Really?”
She nods and whispers, “Yeah. Believe it or not we’ve been in there talking. Unlike you.” She pokes my chest with a laugh.
“Cool.”
“Yeah, really cool.”
“What’s taking so long?” Wren yells from the living room. He stretches over the back of the couch. “You better not be trying to invite her in bed with you two. I like this one.”
Bailey crinkles her nose and shudders. “Eww,” she mutters, and I am not offended at all.
“That feeling is mutual,” I tell her, and she shakes her head going to the bathroom to change. I go across the hall to grab a pair of shorts.
In the kitchen, I’m grabbing a few slices of pizza and a couple beers. Wren joins me.
“Bailey, man. I dig her.”
I laugh. “She’s perfect for you, man, just don’t lead her on. She’s Conleigh’s bestie.”
“Don’t plan on it. Want to take it slow and not rush into shit. I’m still working on me and she gets that. I’ve been upfront. I’m not even trying to hit that. But you have been in there tearing that pussy up. I bet they could hear that bed thumping into the wall across the street.” He smacks my shoulder and laughs.
Bailey calls for him from the living room and I head back down the hall.
I take the food and drinks to my room. In Ezra’s room Conle
igh is lying in bed on her phone.
Snatching the phone from her hands, I look down at the screen. She’s texting with fucking Ezra.
I suck in a deep breath and try to get a grip on my jealousy. “Why are you talking to him?” I thumb through the conversation.
“He wouldn’t stop messaging, Holden,” she snaps and grabs the phone back from me and powers it off.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her, meaning it. “I’m crazy about you, baby.”
She smiles faintly.
“Come here,” I tell her, and she lets the covers fall away and comes straight into my arms.
Picking her up and cradling her like a baby, I carry her to my bed. Our bed. I love the sound of that.
We lay next to each other feeding one another bites of the pepperoni pizza and sharing a bottle of Bud.
“I want this every night.”
“Me too.” Conleigh tops off the last of the beer and rolls over, snuggling her head in the crook of my neck.
I draw lazy figure eights on her arm and kiss her forehead.
This is perfect and all I need.
Her with me.
Her fingers skim along my torso, groping and exploring the contours of my body.
My cock twitches when she strokes the top of my thigh.
“You’re sensitive here, huh?”
“A little,” I admit.
“Hmm…” she smirks and wiggles down until she is eye level with my dick. Her velvety lips kiss the head sensually.
I grip the sheets, balling them in my fists. She is trying to kill me.
She winks at me and glides her tongue along the shaft, slow and skillful. Its torturous and erotic. One hell of a turn on watching her. She takes her time flicking her tongue against the ridges until she finally comes back up quickly to the bulbous top, taking just the tip between her lips and sucking me to the roof of her mouth. She moans, and my hand goes to her head.
“Fuck, baby. That feels so good,” I encourage her to keep going, plucking her nipple between my fingertips. Her eyes are hooded as we watch one another. She keeps her leisurely pace and I match it, thrusting ever so lightly against her mouth, fucking her parted lips slowly, going deeper every time.
When I’m close to nutting, I pull her back by her hair and shove her to the foot of the bed by her shoulder.
Satisfied with her position, I hook my arms under her knees and repay the attention. Taking my time, licking her slit from clit to ass, tasting my essence on her and loving it. Her hips arch and she squirms, but I spread her lips and nip at her clit. Teasing the rim of her ass with my finger, I apply pressure there but don’t push in.
“Holden,” she calls out my name in a sultry prayer.
I ignore her plea and continue to taste and tease her swollen pussy, using my tongue and my fingers on her. Her fingers dig into my scalp, nearly drawing blood as she grinds against my mouth. I inhale her sweet scent and bury my tongue deeper inside her, licking and sucking until her orgasm peaks. Her juices coat my tongue and I keep licking and sucking until she’s begging me to stop but I coat my finger with her sweet wetness and stick it in her ass, as she jerks, and the walls of her ass squeeze my finger tight.
And just when she screams out that she can’t handle anymore, I take away my fingers and my mouth and she whimpers. I look down at her as I line my dick up with her greedy pussy and I know I will never tire of this. I want to give her this every damned day. Morning, noon, and night. Who needs anything else but that gorgeous smile that is spread across her face.
Driving my cock home in her sweet pussy that was made for loving me, I pull her with me, as I go back on my calves. Her legs hook around me as she impales herself on my cock. Her teeth shred into my shoulder as I hold deep inside her daring her to move.
That whimper I love to hear rips from her throat as her body trembles against mine then I move her hips, guiding her and she rides me hard and fast until I shatter, splintering into a million pieces, exploding my love deep within her walls.
Her hair clings to her neck as my lips find hers never wanting to let her go.
Chapter 26
Conleigh
Waking up, I’m sore as hell. Stiff and achy between my thighs but I feel on top of the world. Holden’s arms were wrapped around me, holding me securely to him when I woke. He went out with Wren to get breakfast. I don’t want this to end but in the back of my mind I do worry about telling Ezra. I know I probably shouldn’t care how he feels considering he was cheating on me, but Holden is talking about kicking him out and telling him we are together. I don’t even know what that means. Does he mean we are an official couple now even though he is technically married to someone else? Does that make me the other woman and no better than Judy? I know it really doesn’t; the situations are different. Holden hasn’t been with Reese in years and I believe him. I’ve been around him plenty over the past two years and he’s never mentioned her, and she hasn’t lived here as far as I know. There isn’t anything here of hers. No trace that they were ever a couple. Not even a photograph that I can find.
Bailey is still asleep, and under Holden’s orders, I am making room for my stuff in his room. I may be snooping a little too. I mean, this is crazy. We’ve fucked like rabbits, but do we really know each other? But I guess that is what you are supposed to do in a relationship, learn about each other every day and build a life together. It all just feels so fast and sudden. Is Holden doing this because he loves me and wants to be with me or because he has something to prove to Ezra or himself?
I’m not having doubts exactly, but I feel like I should be taking precautions to protect myself. I don’t think Holden intends on hurting me but what if he does? Then what? The unknown future scares me.
I go to clean out the nightstand to put my birth control pills in it when I realize I haven’t been taking them. With all the stress this past week, I’ve missed my pills. I can’t believe I didn’t take them. I usually do it first thing every morning before I even go to the bathroom. I try not to freak out and make a mental note to call my doctor. In the back of the drawer though, I see my missing sock crumpled up and I don’t know whether to be grossed out or laugh. I pull it out and it’s stiff. I toss it to the floor. He really jerked off with my sock.
He’s crazy. But he’s crazy for me.
A light tap sounds on the opened door. Turning around, I see Bailey scrubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“Hey, good morning sleep head.”
“Whatcha doing?” She questions on a yawn, stretching her arms over her head.
I take in a breath. Telling my best friend that I am moving into Holden’s room is good practice for confronting Ezra. “I’m moving in with Holden,” I confide.
Her eyes bulge. “You’re doing what?”
“I’m going to be with Holden.”
She leans against the doorframe. “I get that.” She smirks but then her lips turn down. “Don’t you think it’s too soon to be jumping across the hall to his bed. I mean, don’t get mad at me, but shouldn’t you take some time and let it sink in that you ended a two-year relationship. Does Ezra even know?”
I shake my head. A sinking feeling forms in the pit of my stomach. I know some of what she says is true but being with Holden feels right. Moving in with him and being in his arms makes me happy. “I love him.”
“You love him! Jesus, Conleigh. How in the hell do you go from fucking him to loving him in a matter of a couple of days? It just seems rushed and not thought out.”
“I just do, okay?”
“I think you’re making a mistake. But you’re my best friend and I will support your choices even if I think you are being dumb.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“At least I’m honest,” she says, shrugging her shoulders in an apologetic fashion.
“That you are my friend, that you are.” She smiles. “So, you going to help me or what?”
“After I go to the bathroom I’m at your disposal.”
“Good. You can tell
me about you and Wren while you’re at it.”
She groans and flips me the bird as she goes to the bathroom.
When she gets out though, the guys are back and we can’t gossip and compare notes about the James brothers. Wren has a bag of food in his hands whereas Holden is lugging in a stack of boxes and packing tape.
“What’s all this?” I ask.
“We’re having a packing party.”
“A packing party?” I repeat confused.
“Yup. Told you when Ezra gets back from his trip I want him out and Wren needs a room, so we’ll get your stuff separated and Ezra won’t have to worry about packing his shit up because it will be done for him.”
“Okay.” I don’t argue. Why would I? It’s time to let Ezra go and start anew.
The four of us work diligently and within five hours, my stuff is all put away in Holden’s room and Ezra’s things are boxed and stacked along a wall in the dining room. It all feels so final. I run my fingers along the boxes, staring at them almost as if I am looking at a casket. No one has died but saying goodbye to the past two years with Ezra nearly feels as though there has been a death.
Bailey is out with Wren picking out furniture for his room. Apparently, he doesn’t have anything other than a bag of clothes. Living on the road for five years doesn’t leave time for accumulating much material possessions.
Holden is down in his shop getting the chest he made for Waylon and Missy’s daughter ready. I am going with him to deliver it. Holden closed the bar for today. Said he wanted to spend the day with me and that it wouldn’t kill the business to shut down for one day. I overheard him and Wren talking about the renovations they want to make. I guess Wren is going to be Holden’s partner or something. I think it’s a smart move. The place could use a facelift and relaunch.
I’m putting my shoes on when there is a knock at the front door. I don’t think to check to see who it is. It could be Bailey and Wren. When I open the door though I am met with my mother’s daggered glare.
“Ezra told me you were here.” She pinches her eyes as I move away from the door to invite her in even though I desperately want to tell her to leave. “I received word from my lawyer. Your father is being released from prison.”
