Letting Go of Us (Anchored Hearts Vol. 3)

by J. M. Witt

  Panting and trying to smile, she replied, “I love you, too.”

  Lowering myself over her, my tip prodded her entrance. I kissed her lips, both our eyes open and slid into her. She was warm, wet, tight and eager to meet my every thrust. Her walls quivered around me as they accommodated me and as it slowed I pulled back out and right back in. Arching her back, she exposed her neck to me as I lowered my lips and began leaving my mark just below her ear. Her hands frantically searched for something to hang on to and I knew what she craved. My hands captured her wrists and pinned them to the bed on either side of her head.

  I ground my hips against her as I asked, “Is that what you wanted?”

  Sliding in again and a little deeper she whimpered my name. “James! Yes, please don’t let go.” She used the strength of my arms to her advantage and arched up into me further, rubbing every part of her against me.

  Repeating her movements, in rhythm to my own body, she became more feverish. “I won’t let go. I’m never letting go of us.”

  Her eyes met mine and the wall of ecstasy glazed over them. She was about to come. I focused all my movement on her, my own release pushed aside. “H, harder.” Her legs were trembling as they tried desperately to cling to my waist. “OH! Yes, right there.”

  The stillness settled over her—a telltale sign she was ready—and with my next thrust, she screamed my name as her release took over. My body took over as I drove her harder into the mattress, freeing her wrists she wrapped her arms around my neck as I succumbed to my own climax.

  A few hours later and a few orgasms later, she was lying on my back and tracing the anchor tattoo with her fingers. I told her everything about when and why I’d gotten it. She fell asleep like that and I delicately rolled over as she burrowed into my side. I slept better that night than I had in months, if not years.

  Chapter 24 ~ Forever

  ~ JAMES ~

  It was back, everything. A couple weeks had passed since that night when everything came rushing back to me. I had just finished a meeting with Cal and Jane. They were taking the leap and starting the process to build their house. Paul was helping them with the design, though he was still in Atlanta. I hadn’t admitted it to anyone, but I missed him. I had some things to ask him and hoped he’d be receptive.

  After making that call I headed to the parking garage. The conversation had gone better than I anticipated. He agreed and I hoped it was the first step to getting him back to Michigan. Though, given the cold front we were entering, I wouldn’t want to leave Atlanta either if I was him.

  Cassidy was working late, or so she’d said. When I pulled in the drive, her car was in the garage. I was looking forward to another weekend with her. We didn’t have plans and I planned on keeping her in bed all weekend, if I could. I’d chain her to the bed if I needed to and I knew she wouldn’t object.

  Chessa greeted me at the door as I set down my things. I picked her up and asked her, “Where’s your, Momma?” I set her down and she darted up the stairs.

  The music became louder as I made my way to our room. When I walked in, she was wearing her glasses, a white blouse that was unbuttoned, that black bra I loved fully exposed, black skirt, and knee high boots. Those had to be new. Shit! She looked like a naughty librarian. I adjusted myself as I took in the scene in front of me. She had candles lit, curtains closed and the light off.

  Her hair was up in a tight pony and she held a crop in her hand. I approached her and she put up her finger. “Not so fast Mr. Benedict.” I stopped, eager to see what she’d do next. “Don’t move.”

  Turning to her iPod, she scrolled through the playlist, hit a couple buttons and hit play. I shook my head at her and her choice of music. She was demented and I loved it. They were coming in concert and she’d already purchased tickets. Whore by In This Moment began blaring. She shooed Chessa out the door and closed it. We’d been pretty vanilla and boring the last week or so and it was evident she missed the spice.

  “I have plans for you.” She walked a circle around me, trailing her crop over my suit.

  “Is that so? Since when are you in charge here?”

  “You made the comment that I could, or was it should, be a switch.” She turned in a small circle, took a bow and said, “Tada!”

  “Cassidy…”

  “Ah, ah, ah. Tonight, it’s Mistress.” She narrowed her eyes at me as she smacked the crop against her boot.

  “Mistress.” I closed the distance between us. Her boots added several inches to her height and she was nearly eye to eye with me. “What did you have in mind?”

  “You, naked, NOW.”

  Once I was disrobed, she told me to get on the bed. Sitting on the edge, she placed her spiked boot between my legs, dangerously close to my package. Gently, she pressed the heel into my thigh and told me to remove her boot. I found the zipper and trailed my fingers down the exposed flesh as I released the zipper, repeating the action on her other foot. Her eyes traveled to my growing erection and she smiled wickedly.

  “Roll over.”

  I laid back and rolled to my stomach. She climbed up my body and sat down on my bare ass. My rigid cock was pressed into the bed and it was almost uncomfortable. Her hand reached back between my thighs and grazed my balls.

  “Shit.”

  I felt the smack of the crop on my shoulder as she barked, “I didn’t give you permission to talk.”

  She was trying so hard and I found it amusing and hot. She’d definitely be wearing that outfit more often. She spent some time dragging her nails up and down my back, ass and legs before she rolled me over. Showing me the leather cuffs I looked to her eyes knowing what she was asking. I trusted her and I wanted to give her what she wanted. I spread my arms up to the headboard and she strapped me in.

  My cock was erect and lying against my belly. She left my legs free and began undressing. When she was completely nude, only her glasses on, she climbed on to the bed and stood above me. She began caressing herself as she stared into my eyes.

  “Do you want to touch me, slave?”

  “You know I do.”

  Her hand traveled to her clit before she slipped her finger inside. Pulling it back out, she brought it to her lips and asked, “Do you want to taste me?” I groaned as she smiled. She dropped down and kissed my lips. “Can you taste me or do you need more?”

  Growling I demanded, “More.”

  She straddled my face and lowered herself to within inches of my hungry mouth. When her lips met with mine, I slowly stroked my tongue over her and sucked on her clit. She easily lost herself in the sensations, gripping the headboard with one hand and my hair with the other.

  I thought she’d ride me till she came when she abruptly peeled herself off my face. Sliding down my body, my cock was in her mouth before I knew what was happening. She sucked, licked, fucked, stroked, and blew my cock until I was seconds from blowing my load and she stopped.

  “Not yet.”

  “Cass…Mistress.”

  She smiled at me and brought her face within inches of mine. “Begging for more? I like when you beg. You should do it more often.” I groaned, seeking the warmth of her pussy knowing it was only inches from my dick. “I love you, slave.”

  “I love you, Mistress.”

  She clutched my cock and slid down my length, hard. She quivered from the force of it and began rocking back and forth. I bucked my hips as my hands pulled on the cuffs.

  “God, I love fucking you, James. But I need something else from you.”

  “Anything, what is it?” I pressed up into her again.

  “Admit that you won the poker game.” My eyes bulged as she snickered. She knew and tied me up anyway. “And that you wanted me to tie you up.”

  “I admit it.”

  Her hands released one wrist, her face just above mine as her body still rocked against me. Just before she released my other hand she switched on me. I saw it in her eyes.

  “Make me your whore.” My hand was free.

&n
bsp; I fucked her mouth with my tongue as I flipped her to her back and drove into her. Getting on my knees, I pressed her legs together as I lifted them in the air causing her to moan. When she came, her face was pressed against the mattress as my hand held her hip and the other fingered her ass. As her climax ended, I grabbed the lube and pulled out of her.

  Slowly, I entered her ass. When I was fully embedded in her, I pulled her hair back and kissed her mouth. “Only my whore.”

  “Only yours.”

  ~<>~<>~<>~

  It was the morning of the Masquerade and it happened to fall on Halloween that year. I was a nervous wreck and trying to hide it. We were headed to the penthouse so we could get ready there. All my plans had fallen into place and she was none the wiser.

  I sat down with Lena, Aunt Bev and Cal and Jane. Aunt Bev looked at me, “Are you sure James? It’s a lot of pressure to put on her, especially when you still don’t have your memory back.” Jane agreed with her.

  “She’s my wife and I told her I’m not going anywhere. This is how I intend to prove it.”

  “If I can interject.” We all looked to Cal. He and I had become friends and I sensed there had been some tension between us at some point. “You two have proven over and over again that you love each other; memory or not. Take it from me, Cass is a sucker for grand gestures. This is just that. She’ll love it and she won’t say no.”

  A weight was lifted from me after he said that. Jane then agreed with Cal, “He’s right, James. I think it’s a lovely idea. I’m just partial to these things happening behind closed doors, but I think we all know that.” We all chuckled at the travesty that was Cal’s first proposal. Before we could all start thinking about the horrible events that immediately followed said proposal, Lena had an idea.

  “Why don’t we request everyone to where black, or dark formal colors?”

  “I want her in a wedding dress. She deserves that moment.”

  We all began to brainstorm ideas and eventually settled on the one we thought best.

  “Are you ok? You look stressed.” She reached over and ran her hand over my thigh.

  I smiled, “Nah, I’m good. Just house stuff.”

  “Ok. Anything I can help with?” Her phone then started chiming and I insisted she deal with work things.

  After hours of final preparation in the ball room, she made her way back up to the penthouse. She was in the shower when Lena showed up to do her hair.

  “Everyone’s here. We’re all set. She didn’t freak out about the dress?”

  I shook my head. “No, I told her not to worry about it.”

  Lena giggled, “I wish I could’ve seen the look on her face when she saw it wasn’t the black dress, but a white one instead. Your idea to have Frida duplicate the black one in white was brilliant.”

  “Thanks.”

  “James? Is Lena here yet?”

  I winked at Lena and shouted up the stairs, “Yup, she just got here. Listen. There’s a problem with the house so I need to go make some phone calls. Enjoy your girl time. I’ll see you down there.”

  “Ok.”

  I looked to Lena and threatened her, “Don’t you dare let anything slip!”

  “Stop worrying about me. Let me go get your bride ready.”

  ~ CASSIDY ~

  I stood in front of the mirror as Lena put the finishing touches on her hair. I heard Delaney yell up the stairs and told them we were in the bedroom. Delaney and Jane came walking into the bedroom, both wearing dark red ball gowns that matched. I looked at both of them and they laughed.

  Jane said, “Apparently we have the same taste.”

  “And you don’t follow instructions. That’s not black or white. Your mom is going to have my head.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about her. I’ll handle her.”

  I rolled my eyes and looked at the white ball gown that hung on the door. Delaney took a few pictures as I told her to knock it off. “It’s bad enough I’ll probably stick out like a sore thumb.”

  “Why would you stick out like a sore thumb? That dress is gorgeous.”

  I groaned, “Yeah and its white. Everyone else is going to be in black or RED. You guys suck.” I turned to Lena and asked, “Where’s your dress? Did you go with the black one?”

  “Umm.”

  “Lena!”

  “It’s red, too.”

  Before I could freak out, Delaney handed me a glass of champagne. I didn’t question where it came from and quickly downed it. Lena got a phone call and seemed panicked. She assured me that everything was fine, but that I was needed in the ball room immediately.

  We got my dress on and Delaney offered to come with me. I told Lena to take her time getting her dress on. Jane stayed back with Lena to help her with the zipper. The lobby was eerily quiet as the elevator doors opened. Guests should’ve been arriving in droves and I voiced my concern to Delaney.

  “Don’t worry. They’ll be here.”

  The caterer ran over to me and started talking in circles about one of the dinner entrees and I made my way to the kitchen with him. Several minutes later I walked back to the hallway to find Delaney gone. Loud music was blaring from the ballroom and it wasn’t what I’d discussed with the DJ at all. I barreled through the ball room doors and made it about fifteen feet into the room before I became paralyzed.

  Marry You by Bruno Mars was blaring overhead. What the hell was going on? I spotted my Dad, what was he doing here? He’d told me that he and Lisa couldn’t make it. Next to him was my uncle and some cousins of mine. My heart started racing as I looked around in a panic. Cal walked up to me, kissed my cheek and handed me a red peony and walked away without saying a word. Then Smith did the same and then Jackson, my father-in-law.

  My eyes found him in the middle of the room. His hair was down and he looked amazing in his tuxedo. He was all alone and my father walked over to me and handed me another large red peony. He placed his hand on the small of my back and kissed my cheek.

  “I think James has something he wants to ask you.”

  Before I could say anything, he gently pushed me toward James. I stood there for a moment and looked around the room. I knew what this was, at least I thought I knew. He had turned the masquerade into a wedding reception for us. His hand reached for mine as I slowly approached him.

  “James, how did you do this?”

  He shook his head, “Can’t you just be quiet and let me talk?” I pressed my lips together as I held back a chuckle. “I didn’t give you the wedding you deserved, the ring or the proposal. I’m sorry for that. Will you dance with me?”

  “Of course.”

  He wrapped his arms around me as Marry Me by Jason Derulo began playing. We were the only ones dancing and it felt how a first dance should feel. I noticed a photographer taking pictures, a videographer filming and friends flashing their own cameras. I would never forget that moment. Pulling back I looked into his eyes.

  Whispering, “Always, only, forever, you.”

  He kissed me and said, “Only you.”

  I chuckled as he spun me around and pulled me back tight against him and sang the last few lines of the song to me. When the song ended, silence filled the room. I looked around nervously and then saw as he pulled a small box out of his pocket and got down on one knee.

  “Oh, James.” My hand covered my mouth and then my chest as I fingered my blackbird necklace.

  He opened the box and a gorgeous vintage engagement ring stared at me. “I’m pretty sure I fell in love with you the first time I saw you sitting in my bar. I fell again when you walked into my office last October. I fell yet again at the carnival. You’ve stuck by my side when I deserved it the least. I can’t live without you. You’re my sun and stars, my heart and soul, my forever. Only you. Cassidy Arianna Benedict, will you marry me, again?”

  “Yes, of course I will.” He slipped the ring on my finger and it fit perfectly.

  A large applause filled the room around us, but I was solely focused on him. He sto
od and molded his lips to mine before yelling, “She said yes!” Giggling at him, he kissed me again. When our lips separated he said, “Judge Mathis is here. He’s waiting.”

  “What?”

  “We’re getting married. I picked your bridesmaids,” he pointed to Jane, Delaney and Lena who were all wearing matching red dresses, “I hope that’s ok.”

  I shook my head at all three of them. “You guys are unbelievable.” Looking back to James I said, “Its perfect.”

  “The chapel is setup outside. I’m sorry it’s so cold, I wasn’t expecting it.”

  “Stop. It’s perfect.”

  Stepping into the hallway, the guests were all directed to the outdoor chapel. My father and bridesmaids hovered around me as I began scolding them all. “Who are the groomsmen?”

  Before they could answer, I saw Paul with Cal and Smith. They were also wearing matching tuxedos. I stepped away from them and toward Paul. He smiled and we hugged. I couldn’t believe he was there, let alone a groomsman.

  “You didn’t have to do this.”

  He shook his head, “I was honored to be asked. Everything is how it’s supposed to be.” He hugged me again and then Lena asked me who I wanted the girls to walk down the aisle with.

  I looked at the six people in front of me and knew how it had to be. “I assume Smith is the best man,” he nodded, “then Delaney is with him. Clearly Jane and Cal which leaves you with Paul.”

  Lena nodded and I hoped it wasn’t uncomfortable for her. I knew she’d had a terrible crush on him at one point and even paid him a visit in Atlanta which hadn’t gone so well. She’d told me in confidence just a few weeks ago and told me when we were discussing her relationship with Ryan. Her and Ryan had been dating for a few months so I figured it was no longer a big deal. Then the music started and Lena and Paul walked down the aisle, then Cal and Jane, followed by Delaney and Smith.

  “You ready for this kiddo?” I smiled at my Dad.