by Kaylee Ryan
“I want you here as much as possible. I like the two of you being here.”
“Okay. I need to go home and change, but I can come back.”
“Pack whatever you need to spend the night.”
“Okay.” I repeat the answer, because really, I don’t know what else to say. I want to spend more time with him. I want more of his touches, more of his kisses. I’m too far gone to turn back now. If things were to end today, Paisley and I would both have broken hearts. Might as well forge ahead. I can hear Chloe’s voice in my head telling me to take chances.
“Be safe,” he says, kissing me quickly.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll be here.” He kisses me yet again and then pulls away. He walks to where Paisley is sitting at the table and lifts her into his arms. “You be good for Grandma, okay?”
“I will.” She hugs him as tight as her little arms will allow.
Easton walks us to my SUV that’s parked in his garage. He buckles Paisley into her seat, kisses her cheek and shuts the door. “Drive safe, Ris.” He kisses my forehead then opens my door for me. “Wait.” He jogs over to a shelf on the wall and brings back a small plastic remote. “Here’s a garage door opener. Just come on in when you get back.” Reaching in, he clips it to my visor. He waits until I’m buckled in before closing the door and standing back, watching us drive away.
When we get to Mom’s, Paisley has to tell her all about our day with Easton. Mom smiles and asks questions, all while wearing a knowing grin. When Paisley runs into the house, Mom asks me when she gets to meet him. Honestly, I thought about inviting him to come with me, but I needed a minute to breathe, to process this freight train we seem to be riding. Things are moving fast, and normally, I would be scared out of my mind. The worry is there, but Easton, he just makes it easy. I’ve never had that, not even with Steve. There’s something about him that calms me. Maybe it’s the way he’s so open with how he feels, about how he wants to see where this takes us. Maybe it’s because he told my daughter he loves her. Either way, it’s a lot to process.
I promise Mom it will be soon, kiss Paisley goodbye, and hightail it out of there, making it to my place in record time. I grab the clothes I’ll need for work tomorrow, my toiletries, and some clothes to sleep in, just in case. I’m now sitting on the end of the bed, debating if going back is the right decision. I know he’s waiting for me; I also know that the chemistry between us is undeniable. I’ve only slept with one man in my life, and if I go back there, that’s going to change. I know that, and so does he. The question is, am I ready for that? My body’s ready and has been for a while. His hands are like magic, his kisses like candy. But my heart and my head, are they ready?
I think about how good he is to me, how he’s been upfront and all-in from the night we met. I think about how great he is with Paisley, and I know I have my answer. I loved my husband, but I’m still young, and I miss having a man’s arms wrapped around me. I miss the touches, the sex. I miss all of it.
Decision made, I double-check I have everything I need, lock up my apartment, and head back to his place. As soon as I make the turn to pull into his driveway, the garage door opens and Easton’s standing there, as if he’s been there waiting since I pulled out. I park and climb out of the car, only to be pushed up against the passenger door of his truck and have his lips welded to mine.
“I missed you,” he says against my lips.
“I was gone maybe an hour,” I say with a laugh. I don’t mention that he didn’t give me the opportunity to use the garage door opener.
“That’s too long, Ris. Too fucking long.” His lips trail across my jaw and down my neck. I tilt my head, giving him better access. “I need to get you inside.” He nips at my earlobe and steps away, grabbing my hand and leading me inside. He hits the button of the garage door on the way in. I watch as we stop at a small white box on the wall and he engages the alarm system, then let him guide me upstairs to his room.
In his room, he turns to face me. I expect him to kiss me again, but he doesn’t. Instead, he pulls his T-shirt over his head and drops it to the floor. All the while, his eyes are locked on mine. Before I arrived, I’d already decided I was all-in for wherever this ride leads us, so I follow suit. I lift my tank top up and over my head, dropping it on top of his shirt. There’s a slight tremble in my hands. It’s been a long time for me.
Eyes still locked with mine, he pushes his shorts to the floor, stepping out of them. Tit for tat, I unzip my jeans shorts and slide them down my legs, kicking them to the side as well.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” His voice is a husky whisper. “I’ve thought about this moment so many times.”
Feeling brave from the hunger in his eyes, I reach behind my back and unclasp my bra. Slowly, I drop one strap then the other, holding the cups in place. His eyes burn with intensity, the brown orbs looking black from desire. I drop my bra at my feet, leaving us both in nothing but boxer briefs and a thin black lace thong.
I just about swallow my fucking tongue. The woman before me is perfect. The swell of her breasts and her pert pink nipples beg for my mouth. I thought I’d know what I was going to see from her barely there bikini but that scrap of thread was hiding more than I could have imagined.
All of her.
Every inch is perfection.
Stepping forward, I test the weight of her breast in the palm of my hand. Firm. Round. Perfect. Not able to hold back, I bend my head and suck one into my mouth, nipping her tight nipple with my teeth, then soothing it with my tongue.
“East,” she murmurs, which only fuels my desire. Moving my mouth to her other breast, I lavish it with attention as well. Before the night is through, I want my tongue to have traced every inch of her.
“What, baby?” I ask. I know damn well what she wants.
Me.
She’s in luck, because I want her just as fiercely. Stepping back from her, I make quick work of stripping out of my boxer briefs. “I need you naked, Ris.” She doesn’t hesitate to pull the thin scrap of fabric down her legs. “On the bed, baby.” Again, she complies and climbs up on the bed, where just hours ago we slept with her daughter between us.
A family.
Paisley’s words ring in my ears. I want that. I want them. I won’t stop until I prove that to her. On my knees, I settle between her legs, taking my fill of her. “You’re mine now, Larissa. I can’t come back from this moment. Tell me you understand that.” This need I have for her, for them to be in my life is strong. I know it’s fast, but damn if I want it to slow down. Not until I know they’re mine.
She nods.
“I need your words, baby.” Reaching out, I trace the lips of her pussy with my index finger, causing her to whimper.
“I’m yours,” she pants.
“Both of you, Ris. Not just you. I need both my girls.” I don’t know why, but it feels important that I clarify that before I make love to her. She nods again, which is good enough for me. Reaching into the nightstand, I grab a condom and roll it down my hard length. “I want to drive you wild. I want to kiss every inch of your skin, but right now, I need you. I promise I’ll make it up to you, but right now….” I don’t know how to tell her of this need I have inside me without sounding like a selfish prick.
Turns out I don’t have to. Larissa reaches between us and palms me, stroking root to tip. She then aligns me with her entrance, lifting her hips, showing me she wants me just as badly as I want her. Leaning over her, I brace my weight on my arms on either side of her head.
“I’ve only been with Paisley’s dad,” she whispers.
The reality of what that means, that after all these years, I’m the man she’s letting into her world, into her body, is humbling. Slowly, I slide inside her, inch by inch, giving her body time to adjust. When I’m fully seated, I bury my face in her neck and focus on breathing. She’s so fucking tight. I’ve never felt anything quite like it. Electricity pulses through my veins, my breathing labored, and my heart feels as
though it could barrel right out of my chest. All I’ve done is slide inside her. I’m still, she’s still, and it’s the most profound moment of my life.
Lifting my head, I look down at her. Holding my weight on one hand, I use the other to push her hair out of her face. “I’m the last,” I tell her. Her hands are under my arms, gripping my back, her legs locked tight around my ass. Confusion mars her beautiful face. I need to move. My cock is pulsing inside her, begging me to move. I need to make sure she understands before I do. “He was your first, Ris, and I’m your last.”
A tear slides down her cheek. I drop my head and kiss it away then begin to move. Pulling my hips back, I slowly slide home again. That’s what she feels like—home. I’ve barely been inside her, and that fact is obvious. There will never be anyone like her.
She’s the one.
Her hips lift as I quicken my strokes, powering in and out of her. I’m a man on a mission. “You feel so good,” I manage to say, thrusting in and out of her over and over again.
“There,” she says when I roll my hips. “That,” she instructs.
I do it again, and her muscles tighten around my cock. “I need you there, Ris. I’m so fucking close,” I warn her.
“T-there,” she moans deep in the back of her throat. Her pussy is going crazy as it squeezes the fuck out of my cock.
“That’s it, baby.” I swivel my hips again, just how she likes it. Her nails dig into my back, and her legs are locked around me like a vise. Her head tilts back, and she cries out my name. She’s squeezing my cock, milking me as I release inside her, following her over the edge of the bliss we’ve created together.
Sliding out of her, I fall beside her on the bed, pulling her into my arms, where she’s practically lying on top of me. I kiss the top of her head, holding on to her like my life depends on it. “You wreck me,” I pant.
“Is it always like this? I don’t remember sex being so… explosive.”
“That’s us, baby. It’s never felt like that before. Never,” I assure her.
“How long until we can do that again?”
“I need a little time. Let me catch my breath.”
Her hands trail up and down my abs. “You said some stuff,” she says cautiously.
“Uh-huh.” I’m still having trouble breathing regularly. I wasn’t kidding when I told her she wrecked me.
“Was it the moment? I won’t hold it against you if it was, but I just… need to know.”
“Fuck that.” My words come out a little more forcefully than I intended them to. “I meant every word. You’re mine now. No man will ever feel your wrecking powers,” I say, making her chuckle.
“Maybe,” she says, a playful tone to her voice. “I reserve the right to amend my agreement after round two.”
“I’ll show you round two.” I stand from the bed to dispose of the condom, grabbing another from the drawer on my way back through. I proceed to prove to her over and over again all through the night, that her decision to stay with me was the right one.
Waking up in his arms is something I could get used to. My back is to his chest, and I can feel his hot breath against my neck. It’s comforting, and I never want to leave. I want to stay in this bed, with his strong arms wrapped around me. I want to live in this fantasy world we’ve created. Last night, he made a lot of declarations, ones he swears are true, but I’m not so naïve to know that things change in the light of day. I know that words are exchanged in the heat of the moment, and when that moment fizzles, when the intensity and the high are gone, regret takes its place. Me, I have no regrets. I meant every word, every touch, but Easton… well, he might not have. That’s why I’m lying here in his arms, still, afraid to move an inch, not wanting this fantasy to be over.
His lips press against my bare shoulder. “Morning, beautiful.” His husky voice washes over me. “How did you sleep?”
“Did we sleep?” I ask, teasing him. I lost count of the number of times we reached for each other in the night.
“We did. We did more than that,” he says, cupping my naked breast. “We should make this a nightly thing,” he suggests.
“You have practice in an hour. You’ll regret those words I’m sure by the time you’re done.”
“Never,” he says, pulling my body closer to his. “I could never regret anything when it comes to you.”
“Morning changes things.” I put it out there—the worry he’ll change his mind.
“You’re right. It does,” he agrees. I stiffen in his arms. I thought I was prepared for this, but I was wrong. “You’re even more beautiful today than you were yesterday,” he says, once again pressing his lips to my bare shoulder.
I release an audible breath and relax into his hold.
“I can’t explain it, Ris, but fuck, I don’t even want to. I don’t care that this is fast. I don’t care if someone thinks it too soon. It feels right. You feel right. That’s all that matters to me. You and P are… everything. That’s the best way I can describe it. I want you, both of you. I meant every word I said last night. No man…” He runs his hand over my belly, until he reaches my center. “…will ever be here.” He traces his fingers through my folds. “You’re mine now.”
“Does that work both ways?”
“Hell yes, it does. I don’t want anyone but you. You’re all I see, all I think about.”
“I have baggage,” I remind him. I hate referring to my daughter as baggage, but my life is not my own.
“You have a beautiful little girl who has stolen my heart.”
Turning over in his arms, I run my hand over the stubble that covers his cheeks. “Are you real?” I ask him.
He chuckles. “Yeah, babe, I’m real.”
“I just… the things you say, it’s—”
“From my heart.”
Tears prick my eyes as I remember his conversation with Paisley about always speaking from your heart. “Yeah?”
He leans in and kisses me softly. “Always, Larissa.”
“You need to get ready for practice, and I have to get ready for work.”
“I don’t want to move.”
“You have to.” I poke him in the side, causing him to squirm.
“You have plans tonight?”
“Nope, just picking P up from Mom’s after my shift.”
“Will you come back here? I can make us dinner. P can swim.”
“We can do that,” I say, kissing his chin.
“Pack a bag for both of you.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
He pulls away so he can see me. “What? Why not?”
“I don’t want Paisley to get the wrong idea. She’s already attached to you. I don’t need her to see us sleeping in the same bed.”
“She’s already seen it,” he counters.
“That was a nap in the middle of the day. Not at night.”
“I want you here, both of you.”
“We’ll come for a visit, but we’re going back to our place.”
“For now,” he concedes. “You’ll see this isn’t a game to me. I get that it’s more than just you and me that is going to be affected by our actions, by the decisions that we make. I lived that. I’ve been on your side of the fence. I’m not going into this lightly.”
“I know that.” Reaching up, I run my fingers through his hair. “I know, but I just need some time. Okay. I’m yours,” I rush to tell him. “I meant what I said last night, but I need some time to get used to the idea. To warm Paisley up to the idea.”
“She loves me.” He grins, looking cocksure and adorable.
“I know she does. I just don’t want her heart to be broken if this doesn’t work out.”
“Oh, it’s going to work out.” He lowers his mouth to mine, tracing my lips with his tongue. “It’s going to more than work out.” He kisses me, deep and slow. His lips soft yet firm against my own. “I’ll give you some time to catch up to where I am. I want you.” He kisses my nose. “I want Paisley.” H
e kisses my forehead. “I want us.” He kisses my lips. Just a soft peck, but the emotion behind it, the words before it makes it seem so much more.
“Shower,” I mumble against his lips. “I won’t be the reason you’re in hot water for being late to practice.”
“You’re worth it,” he says, kissing down my column of my neck.
“I can’t be late for work.”
“Fine,” he grumbles good-naturedly. He climbs out of bed and before I realize what’s going on, he has me thrown over his shoulder and stalking toward the bathroom.
“Wh-what are you doing?” I ask, laughing.
“We’re taking a shower.”
“We both know we’ll be late if we take a shower together.”
“I promise to be on my best behavior.” He sets me on the counter. “I just want you with me.” He shrugs casually, as if his words don’t take my breath away.
I watch him as he starts the shower, tests the temperature of the water, then turns and holds his hand out for me. I take it, hopping off the counter and stepping in behind him. His shower is huge, so much so it makes me think of that Nickelback song where they talk about a bathroom you can play baseball in, and laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, this is huge.”
He looks down at his cock, which is saluting me and grins. “I know.”
I roll my eyes but can’t keep the smile off my face. I know all too well how “huge” he is. I can still feel him. “I meant the shower,” I say, reaching for his shampoo.
“I want to do that.” He takes a step toward me.
“Stop!” I hold out my hand to stop his movement. “You can’t help me. We’ll never get out of here, and I can’t be late for work.”
He juts his lip out and bats those big brown eyes at me. “Let me,” he whispers.
“Best behavior, mister. I am not going to be late for work.”
He grumbles something under his breath, but steps back under the spray, on his side of the shower. I think this is the first time I’ve ever showered wearing what feels like a permanent grin. Easton makes life fun. He makes me want to wake up like this, make this showering together our daily routine. I can’t help but send up a silent prayer that one day it will be.
