Claimed by the Ex-Con: An Ex-Con Second Chance Contemporary Romance Novel

by Ambrielle Kirk

  He wrapped his arms around my waist, hooking himself protectively over my body as he carried me inside. As soon as we walked into the foyer, he gently placed me down. We stood there, hungrily staring at each other as if we couldn't wait another second to jump each other's bones.

  I wanted his hands all over me. I wanted to feel the rush of heat as he brought me to the brink of climax. I craved his throbbing manhood between my legs, pulsing and sending me into sexual oblivion. I didn’t want anyone else but Ace.

  His lips brushed softly against my cheek as he pulled my shirt over my head. I sighed into his ear, burning with arousal. We were in a frenzy, touching each other as if we were afraid that if we let go, the other one might disappear.

  Slowly, we left a trail of our clothes on the way to the bedroom. I climbed up on the bed, fully naked now and staring at Ace's raging hard cock throbbing between his legs. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him down on top of me.

  The wetness of my arousal helped him slide right in. I gasped as he bottomed out in me and gripped his back as we rocked back and forth together.

  “Ace,” I breathed into his ear as he slipped in and out of me, stretching me. I was as slick as a lake, wetness pooled between my legs, and he kept diving in.

  I moaned out as he hit something carnal and deep within me, sending me over the edge. My need for him was without limits and he unraveled my deepest desires, exposing them, and then joined me in climax.

  As we lay in a naked, sweaty heap intertwined together, I wanted to freeze this memory in the safety zone of my mind where I could always refer back to. Just like I did with the memory of the first time I saw him…

  “I love you so much, Khloe,” he whispered in my ear, tenderly stroking my bare thigh. He was still deep inside me since neither one of us wanted to let go of the other.

  “I love you too.”

  I sighed as he eased himself out of me.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Of course. Now I’m okay. I’m more than okay.”

  Ace propped himself up on his elbow and grinned smugly. "What were you doing while I was gone?"

  “Oh…nothing,” I teased.

  He chuckled. “I don’t believe that.”

  “Just drawing.”

  He found my hand and linked his fingers with mine, then raised it to his lips and kissed it. “I bet you’re just itching to work on some dresses.”

  My chest rose with excitement I couldn’t contain. “You’re right, but I don’t have any supplies.”

  “We’re going fix that pronto. But…”

  I frowned. “But what?”

  “I want you to make a wedding dress.”

  “That’s my specialty,” I mumbled. “I’ve made them from the moment my Mama brought me my first sewing machine.”

  "Yes, I know. But this time, I want you to make one for yourself. White. Unique. One of a kind. A beautiful wedding dress for the most beautiful woman in the world."

  My heart pounded with elation in my chest. “Are you proposing to me?”

  “I don’t have a ring yet, but this is me. This is the raw truth. I want you to be my wife, and I can’t wait another second to ask you.”

  I draped my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. “I would love to be your wife.”

  When I pulled away, I daydreamed about walking down the aisle in a custom-made dress of my dreams. I didn't have to pretend anymore or play dress-up with someone else's dream gown. I'd make one of my own.

  “You’re so talented. I can’t wait to see what you come up with,” he said.

  “You’d need a suit.”

  “Of course. But I…I don’t know anything about formalwear, but they have a shop in town. You’ll help me pick out my tux right?”

  I nodded. I nibbled on my bottom lip, thrilled to be wedding planning with him.

  His eyes twinkled with mischief and wonderment. "You know I want to do this very soon, right? I can't wait to marry you."

  “Me either. It’s going to be lovely,” I squeaked. “I never guessed that we would be getting married after all this.” I swirled my fingertip across the edge of the sheets.

  “Khloe, you deserve the world at your feet. And you know I’d bring you the world if you asked me to.”

  “I know you would, but right now, all I want is you. Right here. With me. We don’t have to rush into anything. Let’s just stay here at this cabin for a bit, okay?”

  I reached out and stroked the top of his smooth-shaven head, kissed him on his forehead, and then waited patiently for his answer.

  He opened his eyes. “Okay.”

  Ace hugged me tight to his body. I was safe, and I was home. Now, my dreams would come true, and I would marry the one man that I was never able to truly forget. He was made just for me. We were meant to be together.

  Epilogue

  Khloe

  One month later…

  * * *

  “I can’t believe all those people came out to see us get married.”

  I twisted around on the bed so that I was on my tummy, spreading the fingers of my left hand out to admire the big, gleaming rock on my ring finger.

  “I told you the folks were friendly around here,” Ace exclaimed, laying on his back with his arms folded under his head.

  I could tell he was tired by the way he kept yawning. It was past midnight and past time for us to call it a night.

  We had just had multiple rounds of sex after the best day of my life. The wedding had turned out to be amazing. We rented a venue in the town square and Ace knew someone that knew a legally ordained minister.

  The gazebo in the center of town was a favorite spot for impromptu and planned weddings. There was even an announcement in the local newspaper. Some of the townsfolk showed up to wish us well, or maybe they were just curious about the newest couple that had just moved to town. People we talked to out at the farmer's market even dropped by. To thank everyone for showing up, we gave out favors, and of course, there was a full buffet and cake, catered by a young lady who had just opened up a business here.

  “That’s why I want to stay. I don’t care about living in the city. Let’s make this place our home,” I proclaimed.

  “Okay. Whatever you want.”

  “I want you to want it too,” I exclaimed.

  He snaked his hand around my waist and rubbed my back. “I want what you want. That makes me happy.”

  I turned over on my side and molded my body to his. “For our honeymoon, I want to take a trip.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes. To all of the beaches. I’ve never been. I’m sure they have a beach in Virginia where you grew up, right?”

  He smiled. “You want to visit my hometown?”

  I nodded. "I think it'll be fun if we take a road trip together. I know you like to travel. That's why you were always on the road."

  He chuckled. “Wow, look at that…you’re getting to know me very well.”

  “Mm-hmm,” I said smugly with a nod. “So, what do you say? Road-trip to hit up all the beaches?”

  “That sounds wonderful, actually. Belief it or not, I haven’t seen much of the east coast or the west coast for that matter.”

  “We’re going to have so much fun.”

  “You were beautiful today,” he whispered, taking my hand and looking at the ring on my finger. “I mean, you will always be beautiful, but you looked stunning in that dress.”

  “I try.” A yawn slipped from my lips.

  My yawn was contagious, because he followed suit.

  “I think we ought to get some sleep,” he said. “We’ve been up all night like this for the past month.”

  “It’s your fault. Your cock is always big and hard,” I teased, sliding my leg over his waist.

  He grabbed my thigh, pulling me close so that my sex lay firmly against his thick cock. “And that pretty pussy of yours is always sweet and wet. We even yet?”

  “You’re the one with all the be
droom moves,” I countered, wrapping my fingers around his semi-erect cock.

  “Hey! I’m not gonna lay here and take all the blame.”

  “Yes, you will. You’ll lay here and take what I give you.”

  Before he could utter a word, I licked the tip of his cock and he sprang to full attention. He tasted like sex, sweet and salty. Like us. I teased him, stroking his shaft up and down slowly.

  “Oh, fuck yeah,” he groaned.

  I traced the sturdy length of him from base to tip, flattening my tongue against his velvety smooth skin.

  He leaned up on his elbow, watching with avid attention as his hard cock disappeared between my lips.

  “Just like that. Spit on it,” he commanded.

  I slurped my way all the way to the top and spit on his cock, sliding my palms down and getting it nice and slippery. Just the way he liked it.

  “You taste so good,” I purred.

  His eyes rolled back in his head and he moaned my name. I reached down between us, slipped my fingers between my legs, and went to work on my clit. He grabbed my hair by the fistful and began to jackhammer up into my throat. We had been at this a while, for over a month now, and I had perfected my gag reflex to the point of being able to take every last inch of him down my throat.

  My clit was already swollen from the last time, so I came in record time. He fucked my mouth until I felt his balls draw up under my fist. His climax was intense, and hot cum flooded my mouth and coated my tongue. I took in everything, pushing the tip of my tongue into his silky opening to collect the last drop.

  He shuddered my name one last time and then lifted me upward. My lips released his cock with a pop.

  Ace drew me right up next to him and kissed me with all-consuming desire.

  "Now you can sleep," I whispered, licking my lips and still tasting him on my tongue.

  He grinned. “You are amazing, wife.”

  “And you are mine, husband.”

  I listened as his breathing returned to normal.

  “I’ll cook you breakfast in the morning,” he mumbled.

  “No, I want to. Just wake me up. You know you always get up before I do.”

  “It’s a habit. I don’t do it on purpose. I suffered from insomnia when I was little. I still do sometimes actually. It’s one reason why I’m able to go all day every day on only a couple of hours of sleep.”

  “But you need your rest. I want to help,” I said, running my fingers through his chestnut hair.

  “You already are. I never told you this, but my mom would run her fingers through my hair the same way when I was a boy. Just like that.”

  I massaged his scalp gently with the pads of my fingers. “Feel better?”

  “Mmmm,” he moaned. His eyes were closed. “And sometimes she would sing to me?”

  “My singing would keep you up, husband.” I giggled.

  “You have a beautiful voice, though.”

  “I can’t sing to save my life.”

  He shrugged. “You might be surprised.”

  “No, you’ll be surprised at how horrible I sound,” I corrected. “But I can do something better for you.”

  “What’s that?” he whispered eagerly.

  “Instead of singing, I’m going to tell you a story.”

  “Please do.”

  “It’s…it’s not a fairytale,” I mumbled, hesitantly, swallowing as my memories came back to me.

  "I don't believe in fairy tales," he whispered quietly. "Tell me, please."

  "It's about a girl. A teenager. A lost, broken teenager who thought the cure for her pain was ending it all. Just one slit from the blade of the sewing sheers would do it. She had tried it once before, but the cuts weren't deep enough. This time would be different."

  Ace stiffened just a bit, but he didn’t try to interrupt me. This was the first time I had told anyone this painfully true story.

  I continued. “This girl was seconds from making a bad decision, but then she heard a bike pull up outside in the yard. The motor sounded just like her Mama’s Harley. She hadn’t heard that sound in months. And when she went to look out the window to see if it was really Mama, she saw a big strong man with colorful tattoos covering his body. He looked like a warrior angel, a protector, come to take her away.”

  I swallowed, pushing a lump back down my throat. Ace hugged me close, waiting for the next bits of the story.

  "Alas, he was only there to see her grandfather, to collect what was owed. But as the girl listened from the shadows of the hallway when the man paid his monthly visits, she noticed there was something different about the man. He was different from the others who would come to prey on her grandfather. He visited often, and she'd make it a point to cross through the living room to get to the kitchen so she and her angel could share a private glance. Fairytales don't exist. Not in real life. But she still pretended that this man came for her and her alone. She lived for those moments when he would look upon her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered…"

  When I was done telling the story, Ace was still awake. His eyes were closed, but by the erratic rhythm of his breathing, I could tell he was aware and hadn’t fallen asleep yet.

  “Khloe?”

  “Yes, Arthur?”

  “Promise you’ll never leave me.”

  “I’d never leave the angel who saved my life.”

  Bonus Epilogue

  Khloe

  Four months later…

  * * *

  I was adding some colorful flowers to the decorative clay pot sitting out by the front door when Ace pulled up in his truck. Lifting myself to a standing position, I pulled off my gloves and then wiped my hands on a towel nearby.

  Happy that he was back, I walked to the end of the porch ready to kiss my loving husband.

  He brought the truck to an abrupt halt and jumped out. There was already a grin on his face when he saw me.

  I walked out in the yard to ask him how his day at work went. Ace had found a job at a nearby lumber plant. He was only working part-time right now, but there was a possibility that they’d want him to take on more hours in the future as business picked up.

  “Hey!” I called out.

  He met me halfway, wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me.

  “Someone had a good day today,” I exclaimed when we parted.

  “I had a very busy day today. Come here.”

  He brought me around to the back of the truck where he showed me the surprise of a lifetime. In a small kennel, there was little puppy inside. A hound. A tan bloodhound. Almost like the one my grandfather had. Like the one that ran away.

  “He’s cute!” I gasped and ran up to the kennel.

  “Thought you’d like him.”

  I fumbled with the locks. “Can I get him out of here?”

  “Sure.” Ace removed the locks and handed the puppy to me.

  “Hey there, boy,” I spoke softly. The puppy licked my face.

  “He likes you.”

  “Can we keep him?” I asked, gliding my palm across his soft fur.

  “He’s yours, honey. I got him for you.”

  “Where’d you get him? He’s so active.”

  "A guy I work with down at the lumber plant was selling them. He goes hunting all the time and has a bunch of dogs on his farm."

  “Well, we’re going to give this little guy a new home. Isn’t that right?” I crooned, stroking the puppy’s ear.

  “He already has a name. Check out his collar.”

  “Okay.” I lifted the puppy’s chin and peered at the collar. “Trooper. Now, that’s cute. What’s this?” I lifted up a key that was attached to the collar. “Is this for his kennel or something?”

  “Nope.” Ace folded his arms across his chest. “Guess again?”

  I placed my free hand on my hip. “Um…do you have another briefcase full of money hidden somewhere I don’t know about? Because I thought you said you went to all of your hiding places and rounded up all your things a
lready.”

  Ace burst out laughing.

  “I give up. What’s this key for?”

  “It’s the key to our new home.”

  I felt my eyes widen and my mouth fell open. “You. Didn’t.”

  He looked at me sheepishly.

  “You did! You bought a house?”

  “Yep, we’re moving into a bigger place.”

  I smiled from ear to ear. “Oh God! How long have you been keeping this from me?”

  "Not long. I've been looking at this place since last month. You remember the one we rode by with the old picket fence, and you said you loved the wraparound porch?"

  I nodded, excitedly. “Yeah? That’s the one?”

  “Yup. I wasn’t sure I would get it since other people were putting bids in on it. It’s much bigger. Still out here in the woods where we can have our privacy, but I figured we’d need a bigger place.”

  He slid his hand around my waist and stroked my tummy. We had only found out last month that I was pregnant.

  “You think of everything, don’t you?” I smiled, cupping his face as the puppy played joyfully between us. I kissed him. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too.” He took the puppy from my hand and returned it to the kennel. “Let’s take Trooper inside.”

  I was the happiest woman alive as I walked into the home with Ace. He dropped Trooper off in the kitchen and then whisked over to the fridge to grab a beer.

  “By the way, what will we do with this place?” I asked.

  “Maybe rent it out.” Ace shrugged, popping the top off his beer. He took a swig. “Not selling, that’s for sure. Not now anyway. This will be our special place always.”

  “I’m glad we’re going to keep it. We have so many memories here.”

  "And we'll make more memories at our new home too." He rubbed his belly. "Smells delicious in here. What's for dinner?"

  “Mississippi pot roast. It’s still in the slow cooker. I didn’t expect you back so soon.”

  “Mmmmm, sounds good, but I’m hungry now.”