by Claire Adams
“I’m going to be sad when Esther comes back,” Nell said.
“What you mean?” I asked her.
“Well, when she comes back, then me and you won’t be able to spend that much time together,” Nell said.
It kind of broke my heart, but she sort of had a point. “I will still spend time with you,” I reassured her. “I promise.” I didn’t want her to think that when Esther came back, I would never spend any time with her. Sure, we wouldn’t spend as much time together, but I would never give up on her. I would never cut her out of my life.
“But I won’t get to see you every single day,” she said.
“Well, maybe I can watch you sometimes so Esther can do some other things,” I said.
“I’d really like that, Rachel. I like spending time with you,” she said. “You’re like my new mommy.”
My heart broke for this little girl, and I knew my suspicions of her craving female attention had been correct. It wasn’t her fault, and it wasn’t James’s fault either. I think it was just something children went through who didn’t have a mother. I wanted to be here for her as much as I could, whether Esther was around or not. I was determined to stay in her life.
When we got back, we went inside and headed upstairs to James’s office. Nell had already pushed her way inside, and luckily, it didn’t appear we’d caught him in the middle of something. At least he didn’t seem to be. I handed him the bag of croissants.
“What’s this?” he asked, peering inside the bag.
“Just some chocolate croissants that Sadie wanted you guys to have. One is for you now, and the others are for both of you in the morning,” I explained.
“Thank you, Rachel,” he said, as he looked at Nell. “Were you good for Rachel?” he asked. I was going to answer for her, but I sensed that he wanted her to do the answering since he had asked her directly.
“Yes, I think I was. Very good, actually,” she said, and then looked up at me.
I nodded my head, “She was an angel, and my friend Sadie absolutely loved her,” I told him.
“I’m glad to hear it. But it sounds like she’s always good for you,” he said with a laugh.
“Maybe I just have a special touch,” I said, just messing with him. He laughed, and I was glad that he took my joke so well. Nell wasn’t my daughter and I was nervous that he might take it wrong.
“Are you almost done with your work today, Daddy?” Nell asked.
James placed a hand on Nell’s head and rubbed it gently. It was a small gesture, but it was really sweet to watch.
“Yes, pumpkin,” he said.
Nell beamed up at him. I could tell that the two of them had a really good relationship, and I hoped for his sake that it would always stay that way. For her sake too, of course, since her mom was no longer around. My heart ached for them every time I thought about that. I wondered what it was like for a little girl to grow up without a mom.
“You can take off now, Rachel,” he said.
I smiled at him and told both of them goodbye before I left.
Chapter Nineteen
James
I pulled up outside the school to pick up Nell. I waited in the long line until I was finally close enough for her to see me and walk to the car. I got out and helped her get into her booster.
“How was your day, sweetie?” I asked her.
“It was good, Daddy. Can I go to Kassondra’s house?” she asked.
It took me by surprise because I wasn’t expecting her to ask me that. I looked at her in the rearview mirror. She looked so happy, and I was glad that she had a new friend. But it also left me feeling a little sad. She was growing up way too fast for me, and I wasn’t sure what I was gonna do when she started full-time school in first grade next year.
“I’m not so sure. Does Kassondra’s mom or dad know about this plan?” I asked her.
In the rearview mirror, I could see her nod her head. I picked up my phone and dialed Kassondra’s mom’s number, so I could confirm this for myself.
She answered after the first ring, “Hello?” she said.
“Hey. This is James, Nell’s dad. Right. Nell said that Kassondra wanted to have a sleepover. Were you aware of this plan?” I asked her.
“Yes. She asked me last night. I told her it was okay with me. She told me that you’d already said yes. I wasn’t aware that you had no idea,” she said, apologetically.
“That’s okay. Kids are funny that way. I’m assuming you’re also in line picking up Kassondra,” I said, and she laughed.
“Yes, I am,” she said. “I’ll be home in a few minutes if you just want to swing by and wait for us.”
“That’s okay. I’m gonna run by our house real quick, and grab a few things for Nell. Then I’ll bring her by,” I said.
“Sounds good. We appreciate you sharing her with us. She’s a great little girl and a good friend,” she said.
We ended the conversation, and I drove on towards our house. I called Rachel on the way to let her know that I was going to be a little bit later getting back to the gallery. Rachel, of course, had no problem with this, though she rarely ever had a problem with anything. I found I really liked that about her. She was so easy-going. But she was also still little mysterious, and that really made me want to find out more about her. And with Nell going to a friend’s house, I figured this might be the time to do that. It would be the perfect opportunity.
Nell and I got out of the car and went inside. I told her to grab a few of her things that she wanted to bring, while I packed her a change of clothes, pajamas and a toothbrush. Then we got back in the car, and I drove over to Kassondra’s house. I got out of the car with her, and we knocked on the front door. As usual, we were greeted by both her mom and her dad.
“Hi, Nell. James, it’s so nice to see you both,” her mom said to me.
“Thank you, it’s good to see you too,” I said, and shook both of their hands.
Kassondra came out and greeted Nell, and the two of them embraced, though they’d seen each other only a few minutes ago. I love that Nell had a best friend. It was really sweet. Nell was a good kid, and so far, Kassondra was too. I could tell the way her parents were with each other that they really were in love.
I couldn’t help but watch the way they looked at each other, the way they touched each other, and the way they spoke. I could tell how in love they were and it broke my heart in a way. It made me miss Whitney a lot more. It was making me miss being in love.
I said goodbye to Nell and left, then quickly drove on back to the gallery and went inside.
“So, Nell is spending the night again?” Rachel asked me.
I nodded my head. “Yep. So, you need to go get changed.”
Rachel gave me a funny look. “What do you mean?” she asked.
I stared at her for a moment and studied her face. She really was breathtaking, and I was ready to get to know her better. I was ready to spend time with her on an actual date.
“I want to take you on a date,” I said, figuring being upfront and honest would be the easiest way.
“Okay then,” she said.
I told Rachel to go to her house and get changed, and that I would be there soon pick her up. She left, and I gave her exactly twenty-five minutes before I went over to her house and knocked on the door. She called out for me to come in.
I stepped inside and waited in the living room. I liked her place. She had artwork hanging up on the walls. Just a few pieces, but nice ones. It was a subtle decorating style. She had framed pictures that I assumed were family and friends. Her with a girl, and a lot of them. One of a baby and one of an older couple that I assumed was her parents because they looked a lot like her.
She came out of her room, and I was stunned. The dress she was wearing clung to her in all the right places, and she looked so beautiful. And hot. I couldn’t help it. The dress was a perfect fit, and her makeup and hair had been redone.
“Ready?” I asked her with a smile.
She nodded her head and smiled as we headed out. I took her to a restaurant that was downtown. It was a really nice restaurant, and one that had a lot of great reviews. We got a pretty good table near the back.
“This place is so nice,” Rachel said, as she looked around the restaurant. I nodded my head in agreement with her. Our waiter approached and took our drink order, then walked away and I turned my attention back to Rachel.
“You look absolutely beautiful in that dress, Rachel,” I said to her.
She smiled at me. It was a breathtaking smile, just like everything else about her. She was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen in my life. I was glad that she was working next to me every single day. Her presence had really brightened up my days.
“Thank you, James. You look pretty handsome yourself,” she said.
“Thank you,” I smiled, knowing I was blushing.
The waiter returned with our drinks and then took our food order. I was glad because I knew I’d now have some uninterrupted time with Rachel.
“I hope this isn’t too personal,” Rachel started. “But does Nell ever ask about her mom?” She seemed like she was being guarded, like this question was hard for her to ask. But I liked that she was asking about Nell, and was worried about how Nell was coping.
“Not really. She was so young that I don’t think she really even remembers her. I think the only reason she remembers at all is from me talking about her and from looking at pictures. I don’t think she has any actual memories of her mom,” I said.
“Does that bother you?” Rachel asked.
These things were a little hard for me to talk about. But I needed to be open with someone, and it was nice to get to know Rachel this way.
“Not really. I think maybe it’s a little easier this way. But it was hard the first few times she asked me why she didn’t have a mommy,” I said and found that it was still hard for me to say that.
“Oh, wow,” Rachel said. “I’m sorry if this is bothering you.”
I reached across the table to place my hand on hers. I wanted to reassure her that there was nothing wrong with her asking questions and that I was perfectly okay with it. “It’s okay. I can talk about her and what happened a lot easier these days. Much better than I could after it first happened,” I said.
Rachel smiled at me, and I’m sure she didn’t know what to say. A lot of people didn’t know what to say to me. Especially through that first year. They seemed to not know how to talk to me anymore, so they didn’t. That part sucked because I really could have used someone to turn to. But it was hard, and now it wasn’t so hard. Something in Rachel’s questions as bothering me though.
“Have you ever lost anyone?” I asked her.
She nodded her head, but the look in her eyes told me that she didn’t really want to talk about it. I’d been there before, so I didn’t pry. I didn’t want to push it any further and ruin my chances.
Our food came out, and our conversation turned a little more lighthearted. Rachel told me crazy stories about her and Sadie. We laughed, and I really enjoyed myself. It was nice to be out with someone like that. No pressure at all and really no awkwardness either.
“I have a lot of fun with you,” I said to her. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to let her know that I really did enjoy her company, and it just felt right to say it.
I watched her face light up, and she smiled at me one more time. I loved her smile, so much. “I have a lot of fun with you, too. You and Nell. She is such a hoot.”
I laughed at her use of the word.
“What?” she asked.
“I just haven’t heard anyone use that word in a long time,” I said. It was true, and I liked it. I liked that she liked to use all sorts of sayings. She looked so gorgeous, I really couldn’t get over it.
I paid the check after fighting Rachel on it for a bit. I admired that she wanted to pick up the bill, or at least her half, but I just couldn’t let her do it. Afterwards, we left and went back to my house. When we got there, we stepped inside, and I looked at Rachel.
“I can’t make the same mistake twice,” I said to her.
I pulled her into me, and our lips touched. I felt sparks, something I’d never felt before. Not even with Whitney. It was the best first kiss of my life, and I regretted not kissing her sooner even more. We pulled apart breathlessly, and without saying a word, I led her to my room.
When we got into the room, I pulled her into me and started kissing her again. My hands were in her hair as our lips moved in sync. Our tongues were encircling each other as my cock grew harder each second. I wanted her so bad. I wanted her more than I wanted anything. Pressing my cock against her, she pulled back and bit her lip. It was the single hottest thing I’d seen that day. My cock twitched in response.
“Are you sure?” I asked her. I wanted to be certain that this was really something she wanted to do before we went any further.
“Oh yes, I’m sure,” she said. Her voice was hot and full of lust, and I knew she was telling the truth.
I brought my mouth back to hers, and we kissed some more and made our way over to the bed. I ran my hands along the sides of her body, and we started to undress. I helped her, she helped me, and before we knew it, we were sitting on my bed kissing, both completely naked.
There was an ache deep within me that was ready to be unleashed. It had been a long time, and I was ready to feel her. I was so turned on.
She was so sexy, with curves in all the right places. Her breasts were perfect. They weren’t too big, and they weren’t too small. Her nipples were perfect little round pink dots. I brought one into my mouth, and she let out a soft moan. My cock twitched in response. I brought the other to my mouth, and the same thing happened.
“Ready?” I asked.
She bit her lip and nodded her head.
Chapter Twenty
Rachel
I was so turned on. Every time he sucked on my nipples I felt the desire deep inside me bubbling through. I just wanted to feel him, and finally, he was ready. I reached my hand down and grabbed onto his cock. It was so big. So thick, and long. I wanted nothing more than feeling him inside of me. I loved the fact that he kept asking if I was ready for this. It made me feel safe and secure with him. But that didn’t really matter at this moment.
I ran my hand up and down the length of him, feeling every single inch. My hand barely fit around his thick cock. Our lips touched again, and we started kissing one more time. I felt his hands slide to my tits, down my stomach, and to my pussy. His finger found my clit and started rubbing it, back and forth, and up and down. He went slowly at first, and I matched his speed with my hand on his cock.
He was so hard, and I was so fucking wet and ready.
I stopped kissing him, pulled back and looked at him. “I want to feel your cock inside me,” I said to him.
He smiled at me and then pushed me so I was laying on his bed. I moved back so my head could lay on the pillow and he spread my legs apart. I watched as he lowered himself down and brought his mouth to my clit. He started licking it, slowly at first, and then he started to pick up speed. He pressed my clit with his tongue and was licking it hard.
“Oh fuck,” I moaned, as my hands gripped the sheet on either side of me. I felt so good the way he was moving his tongue down there. Up and down and then in circles. Then his finger found its way inside of me and that only made the pleasure that much more intense.
“Oh my God,” I called out.
He slid his finger in and out of me harder and faster. It felt so good and I could feel myself getting on edge. It’d been a while since I’d even had sex, but this, this felt like the first time. Actually, way better than the first time. Way better than anything I’d ever experienced.
He pulled his finger out of me and sat up, leaving me whimpering and so close to coming.
He got in between my legs and spread them apart, putting my legs on his shoulders. As he was holding my legs there, I felt him rub his cock u
p to my pussy. I could feel it pressing in, and I wanted it so bad I was trying to get it. Just then, he shoved it deep.
His cock slid all the way inside of me, sending a jolt of pleasure through my entire body. I hadn’t felt a cock in so long that I’d almost forgot what it felt like. But his felt so good. Better than anything I’d ever experienced. He was bigger than I’d ever had before and I could feel his thick cock stretching my tight little pussy.
“Oh my God. You’re so wet,” he said.
I bit my lip as he continued to thrust in and out of me. He slid it all the way in, then drug it all the way out; it felt so good, I could barely stand it.
He started to go faster, and as he picked up the pace, so did my moans. I couldn’t help it. It all felt too good. He let go of my ankles and leaned down so I could wrap my legs around his back. He was leaning down on top of me now, his cock still sliding in and out of me.
“Oh my God,” I whispered in his ear. I bit down on his shoulders he started fucking me harder and faster. His cock filled and stretched me. I could feel myself getting closer to coming once again. I loved the feeling of his skin on my skin. I’d missed skin-on-skin contact so much. I loved feeling the weight of him on top of me. Holding me down at the end of the bed. I moved my hands and felt him grab onto them with his. I opened my eyes, and he was staring at me. He held my hands down as he looked at me and fucked me. It turned me on so much.
“I want you on top,” he said to me.
He let go of my hands and pulled out of me. I hurt from the loss when he pulled out of me, only because I wanted him to stay. He was now on his back, and I flipped over and swung my leg over and straddled him. I slowly lowered myself down onto his cock. I felt my pussy come in contact with it and I didn’t even pause; I pushed on harder. Until he was fully inside of me, once again.
