by Aria Ford
“No,” he said, kissing my arm.
I nodded and let him undress himself, which was good. He did it much faster than I would have done. Then he came to lie beside me.
I wrapped my arms around him and pulled his body toward mine. He chuckled throatily and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him too. His mouth covered mine and he gave me a passionate kiss. Then he moved against me as we had done, our bodies connecting in an amazing rhythm that made waves of longing flow up through me.
I made little noises in my throat, little panting sounds of longing. He smiled and reached down, his hand sliding between my legs. He gently fingered me, his warm, sure hands sliding in the wetness. His index finger slid inside me and I felt my heart stop.
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
He chuckled.
Then he was moving across, pushing me on to my back so that his whole body lay on mine. He rose up and very gently slid inside me.
Chapter 9
Alex
I have never felt anything like I did when I undressed Emma. She was so beautiful. And the way she was too—engaging, funny, unsure, but certainly far from shy. No one else had tried to take my shirt off, for a start.
I did not want to stop looking at her, stop exploring her body slowly, but the moment I felt the slick moistness between her legs I knew I had to be inside of her.
I slid in, feeling a sudden mix of relief and amazement as I entered her. She was so warm, wet and clinging. It made me feel so satisfied, and so complete. I drew back and then entered her again. She made a small sound and her lips parted the way they had on that first day she was here, when I had wanted to kiss her so badly and had thought it impossible.
My mind surged back to the present moment as we started to move together. I felt waves of motion pass through me, and as I thrust into her so deeply, I wondered if it hurt.
“Okay?”
She grinned. “Wonderful.”
I laughed. Then my mind moved from everything but moving against her, feeling the sense of pressure and pleasure rise in me and rise and rise as I entered her and entered her, pounding and pounding.
My body started shaking, then, and I lost all sense except of how I was moving and thrusting and the orgasm was building and building and threatening to overwhelm me.
I was growling with pleasure, my arms wrapped around her, trying desperately to hold back until she came too.
“Oh!”
She let out a little noise, and then another, and another, rising in sound and intensity, until, finally, with a wild shout she collapsed on the pillows, glossy with perspiration.
I could let go now, and I did, my body pushing into hers, and pushing…
I could not quite believe it when it came. I had never felt an orgasm that did what this one did. I was gasping and I still could not stop. Finally, completely spent, I lay down.
“Whew,” I whispered. I could feel myself pumping weakly inside of her. She smiled, holding me close. She kissed me and her lips were soft and tender. I kissed her, letting my tongue slide between those sweet, moist lips.
We lay together for what felt like a long time. Then I rolled off her, my body sliding out of hers.
“I’ll get something,” I said, heading to the bathroom to fetch a towel.
I tenderly wiped her thighs, then the bedspread. Then I lay down beside her.
We looked at each other, eyes wide with wonder. I smiled and we kissed again.
My hand stroked that silky hair and she nestled close to me. When she snuggled into my encircling arm I thought my heart might break. We lay like that for a long while. Then I felt wanting begin to rise inside again. I could smell the scent of her muskiness and I felt a need to explore it.
Rolling over, I kissed her and then moved my mouth lower. She sighed as I nuzzled her neck, then moved lower. I kissed the soft skin of her breasts and then slid my body so I was between her legs. I looked up at her. Her eyes flew open as I touched her there.
I smiled. She looked amazed, but nodded.
Then I bent lower.
This close, the smell of her womanhood was sweet and almost floral. I slid a finger over the soft skin of her labia, amazed at the wetness there. They were sticky and slick and it felt so very good. I heard her gasp as I put a finger inside her, and the sound aroused me even as the feeling of her did.
I took her clitoris between my teeth, making gentle little nibbles and she gasped aloud. She was sobbing now, and I heard her sighing my name. Nothing could have fired me to greater efforts. I licked her, making my tongue move faster and faster against her clitoris. She was gasping, bouncing up and down and I smiled, pushing my chin against her so that I could take more of her between my lips.
She was shrieking and I could feel my own cock hardening painfully beneath me even as I licked her. She was starting to shudder and I wanted to make her come, so I continued. My tongue flicked against her and flicked and flicked…
She gave a sudden cry and I felt wetness flowing out of her. I smiled. I could not have felt prouder if I tried.
Giving her a last nip, I slid up to lie beside her. I took her warm body in my arms and pulled her against me and we lay like that while I kissed her, feeling my cock probing between her legs, straining as if with its own mind to be inside.
I slid onto my knees again, entering her. She gasped aloud.
This time, we did it slowly. Gently. Penetrating her was the sweetest thing, my body and hers so aligned that it felt effortless and wonderful to be inside her.
When we lay together afterward, I took her into my arms and held her close. She cuddled beside me and we lay together, bodies completely satisfied.
I think I dozed, then. Feeling so content and wonderful, I couldn’t help it. I woke to feel her turning sideways. She pressed her bottom up against me and I turned onto my side, loving the way it felt to have her body so close to me.
We lay like that, my arm around her chest, my other arm somewhere at her waist, her buttocks pressing into my waist, and as we lay there, I stroked her hair. She made a little sound, a laugh.
“Mm?”
She turned around a little, her eyes looking into mine.
“This is nice.”
I felt myself glow. For all my reputation, I had not felt so affirmed in all my days.
“It is,” I agreed.
We lay like that until we slept and we slept until the dawn woke us. We woke up together as light shone through a window and somewhere out in the garden beyond, the birds sang.
Chapter 10
Emma
I woke up the next morning feeling wonderful. I felt the light filter onto my eyelids and felt a warm arm, holding me tight. I lay there for a few moments, just thinking about the previous night and savoring the wonderful memories of all that had happened.
I moved, or I must have, because slowly I heard the sound of Alex’s breathing change. Where it had been deep and slow, it became almost silent.
Then, as I moved back a little more, his hand clenched, drawing me closer still. I sighed and nestled closer.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” I said.
We lay still, his hand on my chest, my buttocks pressed against him. He kissed my hair and I felt my heart grow warm.
“Good day,” I repeated, rolling over and kissing his mouth. His hand strayed to my breast, tightening there. I flushed, remembering all the things we had done. And wanting to do more.
I wriggled back, letting my buttocks press against him. He gave a low laugh.
“I want you,” he whispered in my ear. I shuddered, feeling my skin prickle with wanting.
“I want you,” I said.
“Good.”
He slid in from behind me and I gasped, amazed by how totally different it felt from that angle. As his body penetrated me, deep and full, I moved back, pushing against him. His arms wrapped around me and drew me into his thrusting.
When we had finished, we lay together and w
atched the sun rise.
He moved around from where he lay behind me, sitting and leaning to kiss me. I changed position so we faced each other. I looked up into his eyes, amazed at how he looked at me. We both smiled.
“I need to go now,” he said, and he sounded rueful.
“Why?”
“I have an early morning flight to catch,” he sighed.
I had forgotten. I reached up, stroked his chest. “Be safe?”
He smiled. “I’m coming back here, no matter what.”
I laughed, but his words did make me feel suddenly uneasy. He must have noticed, because he stroked my hair, kissing me.
“I want you to be safe too,” he said gently. He frowned, then, and I noticed a faraway look.
“What?”
“Nothing. Doesn’t matter,” he said, mouth in a self-mocking smile. “Just me being silly.”
I smiled. “Alexander,” I said, using his full name and making my voice sound its bossiest, “there is absolutely no way you’re silly.”
He laughed, tipping his head back. I smiled. He was so handsome.
When he looked at me, he leaned down and very tenderly kissed my brow. “I’ll come back soon.”
“Good.”
I laughed as he, sliding off the bed, finished, “I will come back very soon.”
I rolled onto my tummy, listening as he padded into the shower. I lay there, lost in a drowsy paradise.
When he came out, his stunning body still slightly damp, a towel wrapped around his waist, hair dripping, I couldn’t help grinning.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Somehow I knew that I had never before felt anything so wonderful. He was smiling at me, and I smiled back and my chest was full of a lovely light feeling.
He dressed quickly, and came back to my bedside looking at once relaxed and debonair in a way that only he could.
“Well then,” he said, bending to kiss me on the lips. “I should go. Stay safe.”
“You too,” I whispered.
He looked at me levelly, kissed me and walked slowly out of the room. He didn’t look back though at the door I saw him hesitate as if reluctant to open it and that sent a rush of pleasure through me.
I lay there, wrapped in a kind of haze of joy. I wrapped my arms around myself.
Then, sighing, I slid off the lovely, slippery bed and stood on the carpet.
I looked around the room, checking the floor to see where we had discarded my things. They didn’t seem to be around. A moment later and some walking around the room I found them: he had folded them and placed them on the plush chair by the window.
I felt a sense of being cared for. He was like that. So thoughtful, I thought, as I dressed. I looked around the room, amazed again by how beautiful it was, how classic.
When I was dressed, I drifted down the hallway to my room with a sense of wonder. I entered the place, collapsing onto the bed with a weary joy.
When I sat up, I remembered I had no idea what the time was. I checked. It was seven am.
Time to rest for a while before I went downstairs to the dining-room for the kids to have breakfast. That would be good.
I did have a shower, washed my hair and then slid into bed. I knew I wouldn’t sleep, for I was far too awake for that by now, but I didn’t want to start the day just yet. I wanted my memories to cling around me, sustaining me.
At ten to eight I dressed and went down to wait for the kids to arrive.
They came in subdued.
“Emma?” Camille asked it first, staring at me.
“What?” I felt myself flush. How could the kids possibly know? I dismissed the idea instantly. It was way past their bedtime when it happened.
“You’re still with us!” Jack sounded at once happy and unsure. I frowned.
“Yes, why?”
“Hooray!”
Camille launched herself at me, hugging my knees. They both seemed elated and I felt wonderful. Jack came to join us with more decorum and we all hugged together in the dining-room.
“Breakfast is ready.”
We all turned to look at the door, Paula there with her apron on, a scent of things cooking wafting in from behind her.
The kids looked up at me, smiling, then ran toward her.
“Goody!”
“I’m starving!”
I chuckled as they took their place at the table. While they ate—and amazed me with their excellent table manners, as usual—we discussed their fears.
“We thought you’d gone.”
“Daddy was shouting!”
I sighed. They had at least heard that much of what happened. I laid my fork beside my plate and explained.
“Daddy and I disagreed about something. But he wanted me to stay. I stayed.”
“Whee!” Camilla shouted.
Jack smiled. “So you’re here for a long time?”
“A month,” I said. I wasn’t sure what else to say. I didn’t want to make any forecast about what would happen. At that moment, I didn’t want to think about that. All I wanted was to sit here, in a room that smelled of breakfast and remember loving.
The children chatted as they ate and drank and the sound of their voices mixed with the clink of cutlery and china as they did so. I looked out of the window, feeling wonderful.
At length, they had finished their breakfast. School was starting soon, apparently. I hadn’t mentioned that fact, but Jack had raised the topic. Contrary to my expectations, he was excited: I was sure Alexander had picked the school well.
While we played that day, I couldn’t help my thoughts straying to Alexander. I wondered what he was doing, where he was. If he was okay. I surprised myself by how I cared for him even now.
The days passed, slowly. I got into an easy routine with the kids and before I knew it, it was Friday. Only a week until he came back, then. My heart fluttered when I thought of it.
Later, I sat in the dining-room with coffee and my phone, waiting for the kids to finish their lessons. I heard running feet, and Jack exploded into the room.
“Emma!”
I stared at him. It was so unlike calm, composed Jack to make a fuss about anything. What was happening?
He was followed by Cammi and the evening post. I frowned, wondering where they had got it.
“Emma!” Jack was saying, excitedly. “You should have told us!”
I frowned at him where he stood, looking elated and reproachful at once. “I don’t think I had anything to tell you…” I began cautiously. Then they put the newspaper on the table and my heart stopped.
On the back page, close to the gossip column, was me. At least, it was clear it was me if you knew me. The photo showed a woman sitting with Alexander in the park, laughing, their hands touching.
The caption said: “Billionaire’s new love.”
I shook my head, not understanding. The kids were both grinning at me and Cammi was trying to sit on my knee.
“So you are going to marry our daddy? Why you said you weren’t?”
I looked down into those beautiful blue eyes and felt my heart clench. How could anyone refuse the wish of such a sweet girl? But, at the same time, how could I do anything else?
Jack looked at me, his eyes asking questions.
“What does it mean?” he asked me levelly. I could only pat his shoulder.
“I don’t know.”
The picture was clearly from our time in the park. I had no idea we were watched, and I was fairly certain that Alexander didn’t either. He wasn’t the kind of person to let the press get hold of anything until he had made up his mind about it first. My first instinct told me he would be really mad at me for it. I had the urge to try and make it disappear, pray that he hadn’t ever seen it and it would all go away. But I knew I couldn’t.
Jack looked at me and he must have seen how worried I was, because he reached a hand out and covered mine with it. His small hand barely covered mine, but the gesture moved me to crying.
; I blinked rapidly, trying to think of something that would reassure them. I could only think of one thing.
“We should find out what Daddy thinks about this. I’m sure it’s a mistake.”
Cammi stared at me, her big pale eyes shiny with sudden tears. I suddenly felt like a murderer. I had stood up, but I sat back down again. I lifted her to sit on my knee. I stroked her hair. Hell, I sometimes felt like I was her mother. It was ridiculous.
“Cammi, sweetheart,” I said gently. “I think newspapers don’t always say real things. I haven’t talked to your daddy about anything…like that.” Well, that part was true. “I need to talk to him first.”
I bit my lip, feeling a grim nervousness grip me. The thought of what Alexander would say if he knew the press had gotten a picture of us together was scaring me.
“But…” Cammi was frowning at me.
At that moment, Jack put a gentle hand on her. She looked up at him trustingly. “Yes?”
“Cammi, I think we should let Emma call Daddy. She needs to chat to him first.”
I threw him a grateful look and put my hand on his shoulder. Hell, if I had a son it would be wonderful to have a son like him. I shook my head vigorously. That isn’t possible. Alexander was not going to marry me…why would he?
Jack smiled at me and I patted his soft hair. “Thanks.”
“It’s nothing,” he said shyly.
“But, if Daddy is in the paper with Emma, and it says “Billionaire’s love”, then doesn’t that mean they’re going to get married?” Cammi was asking Jack as he led her away. I didn’t hear the answer, but I trusted Jack to say something sensible. It was amazing how I already did trust him.
When they had gone, I collapsed on the desk. My head on my arms, I lay there, wishing I could disappear.
What is he going to say?
It came to me that it wasn’t all my fault. That we had both done that together. It wasn’t just me in the article after all! But I wasn’t sure if Alexander would see it that way. There was no reason for him not to blame me and my memories of my ex and his injustice was with me.
I might as well get it over with, I decided.
I stood, feeling surprisingly shaky, and walked to the door. I headed upstairs to my room. Sitting on the bed, feeling as like a condemned prisoner, I punched his number into my phone.
