by C. A. Harms
I walked out into the garden area, where Maria and Mikey were in the middle of a game of horse. Standing off to the side, I watched as they laughed with one another. Maria was pretty damn awful at shooting baskets. Mikey even tried to show her how to hold her hands. With each attempt, he only laughed harder.
“If we were playing a game of who missed the most baskets, you would be the champ,” Mikey stated, and Maria wrinkled up her nose and stuck out her tongue at him.
She tried once more, and the ball bounced across the grass and rolled toward the fence. Mikey ran off to retrieve it, and I took the opportunity to sneak up on my girl.
I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her in close. “I still find you undeniably sexy, even though you can’t shoot for shit.”
“Ha ha, very funny, smart ass,” she whispered back. She shook her ass from side to side, making me step back from her just barely. She turned in my arms and looked up at me. “What did you have to do?”
Looking down into her beautiful eyes, I grinned like a lovesick fool. I kissed the tip of her nose. “Just had to make sure Sadie knew how in love I am with a certain girl.”
“A certain girl?” She raised an eyebrow.
“A woman, actually—a gorgeous, feisty woman,” I clarified. “She makes my heart race.” I winked.
Mikey came running back with the ball and I finished out the game of horse, while Maria cheered us on.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Maria fell asleep on the way back from the boys’ home. I turned to look over at her when I placed my truck in park. She must have been dreaming, because she would whimper or moan on occasion.
Her hair was fanned out over the back of the seat. Reaching out, I traced my finger along her lower lip, outlining the curve. Her lip twitched beneath my finger and I smiled.
Leaning in just a little closer, I brushed my lips over hers, attempting to bring her out of her sleepy state.
When that didn’t work, I pressed a little harder and sucked on her lower lip.
“Mm,” she moaned. I went in again, and she responded by biting mine in return.
She came at me with force, pushing back, crawling across my lap, and straddling me. She gripped my neck and placed her lips against mine, devouring me. Her hips began to rock, and I could feel myself growing hard beneath her.
I had only planned to wake her up, but she obviously had other things in mind. Attempting to hold her hips still, she pulled my hands away. Pulling at the bottom of her shirt, I lifted it up and over her head.
I palmed her breast in my hands, through her bra. The lacy material hid nothing, as her nipples grew hard. Leaning forward, I bit down on one, while pinching the other with my fingertips.
Her head fell back, and I lowered my hands to work her pants buckle loose.
Maria rose up off of my lap and pulled at her pants, one leg at a time. I wasted no time pulling off my shirt and sliding my pants down below my knees. When she climbed back onto my lap, all she wore were her panties, and I greedily raked my eyes over her body. She was so god damned gorgeous.
“You do know we could have moved inside for this.” My voice was full of want and need.
“That takes all the fun out of it,” she stated, as she began massaging my erection through my boxers. I was so hard that the head of my cock was peeking out of the top.
“Do you have a condom in your wallet?” she asked.
I nodded my head. “Yeah, but we could go without.”
Her eyes found mine and she looked shocked. “What?” Panic setting in, she said, “No. We can’t.”
She began to scramble off my lap and I gripped her thighs. “Hey, where are you going?”
“I think we need to go inside.” She never waited for me to say anything more. Once her shirt was on, she gathered the rest of her clothes and walked to the front door. Pulling my pants back in place, I gathered my shirt and keys, following behind her.
Before I unlocked the door, I turned her around and pressed her against the door. “What just happened?”
“Nothing,” she insisted.
“Tell me,” I begged.
“I just don’t want to get pregnant again. I can’t,” she whispered.
My heart hit rock fucking bottom. What an insensitive prick. “Baby, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I mean, I was…but I guess…shit.” I was stumbling all over the place. “Having a baby with you wouldn’t be so bad.” She was watching me like I had grown a third eye.
I unlocked the door and helped her in, leading her to the couch, where I took a seat next to her.
After taking a deep breath, I continued. “When I found out about the loss of our baby, I was crushed. I want kids, Mar. I do. When it was confirmed that Nicole’s daughter wasn’t mine, I felt relief. But with you, it was different.”
I brushed the tear from her check and pulled her closer. “I sat around here for days after I left the hospital, picturing a little dark-haired angel running around. Even a little boy with blue eyes calling me Daddy.” I couldn’t stop a smile from breaking out over my face. “You have no idea how many times I’ve dreamt of you with a rounded belly, holding my child.”
“Gavin, you are crazy,” she declared with a matching smile.
“Well then, you better hold on because I am about to really blow your mind,” I said. The look on her face was the greatest.
“Oh yeah, should I be prepared to run?” she responded, sliding away to the next cushion over.
I chuckled and crawled over her, pinning her to the couch with my body. “No, there will be no more running, from either one of us.” Skimming my nose along the edge of hers, I looked into her beautiful eyes and went for it.
“I’ve been thinking, and I know what I want. I have seen it play out in my mind. I want it so bad I can almost taste it. I can promise you I will do whatever it takes to get it, too.” I stated.
“What is it you want?” she asked.
I took a moment to take in every freckle on her cheeks, every curve of her face.
“I want you, completely. I want you to move in with me. One day I want to marry you and raise a family together.” I paused for just a moment so it could sink it. “I also want to look into adopting Mikey.”
I watched as her eyes filled with tears and she smiled up at me.
“You have such an amazing heart, Gavin. Why you hid who you truly are for so long still drives me crazy. All those times I thought you were destined to break my heart, but I was wrong. You are the one who was meant to heal it.” She skimmed her thumb over my lower lip, and I kissed the tip.
“That gesture shows just how truly kind you are. It makes it impossible for me not to fall in love with you more than I already am.” She fanned her fingertips over my jaw. “I love you so much it hurts.”
“Is that a yes? Will you move in with me? Can we start taking the steps to becoming a family?” I asked with a hopeful voice. I had no idea what I would do if she said no. I was sure I would beg, or maybe tie her to the couch ‘til she changed her mind. I needed her to say yes.
“Yes,” she whispered. “The babies come later, though,” she stated.
I smiled in agreement and kissed her. The first step to getting the life I wanted more than anything had just been taken.
I would allow some time for her to accept that I wanted babies, lots of babies. I wouldn’t push, but I sure as hell was gonna enjoy practicing.
I lowered my body over hers and took my time, kissing every spot that drove her crazy and caressing every curve of her beautiful body.
Chapter Twenty-Six
A few days had passed since I asked Maria to move in with me. She has been here every night, yet she still had not moved anything in. I could tell she was dragging her feet, so I let it go. It was like she thought I would change my mind or something.
I came home from work to find her curled up with her laptop on the couch. She was completely engrossed in what she was reading. She was biting down on the tip of her pen with complete focu
s on the screen before her.
I leaned over the back of the couch and kissed the top of her head. “What are you doing, baby?” I asked.
I had already read the top of the screen and my heart ached from the love I had for this woman. She was making notes on the adoption laws of Georgia. She had so many things scribbled down on the paper and several tabs open across the top of the computer screen. She continuously clicked from one to the other, making more notes along the way.
“I called your lawyer’s office too. His secretary said he was in court all afternoon. I’m assuming since y’all are friends, he’ll end up callin’ later.” She still had not taken her eyes from the screen. She had on her reading glasses, and her hair was piled up on the top of her head in a messy bun.
I walked around the end of the couch and pulled her laptop from her hands. She began to protest, but I placed my finger over her lips to stop her, grinning as she narrowed her eyes at me. Damn, she was cute.
Taking her hands into mine, I pulled her from the couch. I let my hands slide down her arms, coming to rest on her waist. I began backing her down the hallway, and she remained quiet, licking her lips slowly. I may have groaned at the sight of her wet tongue.
“I think you need a little break from all your research. I’m dirty and I need you to wash my back.” Reaching the bathroom, I began to undress her. “After that, I’m thinking I need to make love to you.” She smiled up at me as I dropped my shirt to the floor.
It didn’t go unnoticed that she let her gaze fall down to my chest and bit her lip.
“Then we’re gonna get dressed and go over to your momma’s house.” She lifted an eyebrow, silently questioning me. “I’m not leaving your momma’s until you pack up at least three boxes full of your things.”
I backed her into the shower, under the falling water. “You’re stalling, I’ve noticed, and I’m done waiting. I’m not changing my mind. I’m not backing down. It’s time to start moving you in,” I said.
She wrinkled her nose. “I wasn’t stalling.”
“Liar,” I chuckled, and she laughed in return. “You were waiting to see if I was going to change my mind. I’m not, so we are moving some of your shit.” I raised my eyebrows, waiting for her to argue. When she didn’t, I continued.
“I talked to Bud and Gemma already. They have no objections. In fact, Gemma told me she would run my ass over with the tractor if I hurt ya.” Maria leaned forward and giggled against my chest.
“I told her if I ever hurt you again, she had my permission to do just that.” I looked down at her as she leaned back. “I love you, baby. I want you here for real, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered in reply.
***
After returning home from Maria’s momma’s, I got the call from my friend and lawyer, Trevor. It was just after nine, and Maria was currently in our room, changing for bed.
I watched through the open doorway while she slipped on a red silky thing. It barely covered her ass, and I was reaching down to adjust myself through my jeans.
“Hey Gavin, you there?” Trevor asked.
“Um, yeah, shit, sorry. I was uh…” I tried to come up with something. I only came up empty as I looked back to find her smoothing lotion over her legs. She sat on the edge of the bed with her legs slightly parted. I could see her red panties, and it was somewhat distracting.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know what’s got ya distracted. Penny told me that your girl called the office. I was supposed to call you when I got a chance,” he stated.
I turned my back to Maria, because there was no way to focus while continuing to watch her.
“I’m gonna need your help. Remember me telling you about Mikey?” I asked him.
“Yeah, sure, the little boy you met at that restaurant, the one who lost his parents,” he replied.
Trevor had been my friend since grade school. He knew that I had been adopted and stood by my side when others found ways to make it all into a joke.
“I’m just gonna lay it out for ya. I’m twenty-eight years old, and I wasted seven years of my life with someone I never should have been with.” I took in a deep breath.
“I was lucky enough to have a second chance. Maria is my second chance. I have no doubt about it. I asked her to move in with me, and one day I will ask her to marry me.” He silently listened to me. Trevor knew me well, so he knew I wasn’t one to jump. If I was saying this, it was because I had no doubts.
“I want ya to help me adopt Mikey. I need him in my life. I love that kid; he belongs with me. I believe it with all my heart,” I stated.
I turned around to find Maria leaning against the wall just next to the kitchen. She looked back at me with nothing but love.
I wondered how long she had been standing there and how much of the conversation she had heard.
“Gavin, I need to be honest with you,” Trevor began. “Because you are a recently divorced single man, it’s gonna be hard. Agencies tend to look down upon those things.” He took a deep breath. “You know that I will do everything I can to help you make this happen. Let me make some calls tomorrow, and I’ll call you in the evening to let you know what our first step needs to be.”
“Thanks, Trev. I’ll do whatever it takes,” I reassured him.
I hung up the phone and looked up into the eyes of my future wife. She has honestly captured me so intensely that I can barely believe it. The love I feel for her is overwhelming.
“Come here.” I tapped on the spot in the center of my chest—the place where she would always rest her head just above my heart, the place I believed now was meant just for her. “Right here, baby.”
Maria placed her hand on my chest, resting her cheek just beside it. I pulled her in close, wrapping my arms around her body. She fit within my arms perfectly.
We stood in this position, as I rocked from side to side with my hand gliding over the silk material that covered her back.
“Trevor’s gonna start working on it,” I told her. “He’ll call me tomorrow.”
Running my hands up through her hair, I softly tugged. She lifted her head and our eyes met. I smiled down at her and she returned one that melted my heart. I lowered my lips to hers. I kissed her softly at first, slowly allowing it to build to something more.
I lowered my hands back down her body, cupping her ass. “If I’m not mistaken, I’m pretty sure there is a matching pair of panties below this nightie.” Finding the edge of her nightie, I began lifting it higher. “I think I need a closer look.”
She smiled against my lips and parted her legs just a little. I took it as an invite and ran my fingers over the seam. Her arousal soaked her panties, and I groaned with that knowledge. I didn’t pause, but continued along the path of her panties at the seam of her leg. Allowing my finger to slip just beneath the edge, I found her ready.
The moment my finger slid into her from behind, her head fell backwards. Her neck was completely exposed, and I skimmed my lips over her throat, biting gently before soothing it with my tongue.
I loved the sounds that this action caused in her. It was one of the most arousing things I have ever heard.
Slowly kneeling before her, I parted her legs further. Lifting her leg, I placed it over my shoulder. Pulling her panties to the side, I looked up to find her looking down at me. Her pure, lust-filled eyes begged me to continue.
The moment my tongue connected with her, she moaned loudly. “Yes,” she said. “Mm, so good.”
As I slid my finger back into her, she gripped my shoulders tightly for support. Within seconds, she was lost to the pleasure, her hips rocking against my hand.
“Oh, my god. Yes,” she hollered as her body shook.
I quickly scooped her up and carried her to the bed. Removing my pants in record speed, I grabbed a condom from the nightstand. The moment I entered her, my toes curled with pleasure.
“Home, you’re my home.” I reassured her as I pumped my hips. “I love you so much, baby.”
/> Her eyes locked onto mine, as she held my face in her hands. “I love you too.
We were lost in the feelings of love and pleasure. This woman held my heart in her hands and had the ability to destroy me, but I just knew she wouldn’t. I trusted Maria more than I had ever trusted anyone before.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“I’ve got so many things to do, Kori. I want to shampoo the carpets and paint Rhett’s old room. No offense, girl, but it still looks like a nursery. Mikey is eight, so I’m pretty sure he isn’t into the cute tiny tractors on the wall.”
I stood just outside our bedroom listening to Maria talk to Kori on the phone. She was in a state of frenzy over the impending home visit.
The case manager assigned to us would be here to do a home evaluation. Maria had been running ragged around the house, cleaning and organizing. She was a nervous wreck, and I couldn’t help finding the entire thing adorable.
“I’m so worried about something not being right. What if they deny Gavin because of something I did, or didn’t do? Maybe I shouldn’t be living here right now. What if that messes things up for him?”
That comment made my heart feel as if it had dropped. I stepped into the bedroom and glared at her.
“Uh, Kor,” she spoke more quietly the phone. “I have an unhappy cowboy giving me the stink eye. I better go offer him some sort of kinky favor to get out of this one.”
She laughed at something Kori said before saying a quick goodbye.
I stood there in the doorway, crossing my arms over my chest and continuing to glare at her for even thinking she shouldn’t be here.
“Stop glaring at me like that. It only makes me want to jump you,” Maria said, attempting to make light of the moment.
“Your cute, smartass comments aren’t working this time. What do you mean, maybe you shouldn’t be living here?” I stared at her without a smile crossing my face. It bothered me that she thought she needed to leave.
