by V. F. Mason
He shook his head. “You let her go with that fucker.” There was accusation in his tone, and I was glad he was finally talking about that too. The tension with Maggie in and out of the house was tiring, and it would explode someday. If anything, today’s incident proved that.
“Grady is hardly a fucker. Plus, she wanted to. She’s grown enough. It’s not like I can tell her what to do.”
“She just turned twenty-one.”
I chuckled, because for me, his argument was fucking hilarious. “My point exactly.”
He slammed the beer on the table. “Why do you even trust him?”
“Because there is no reason not to trust him, and besides, didn’t you grow up with the guy? And while we’re at it, if that bothered you so much, why didn’t you just say so and stop her?” His hand squeezed the bottle harder before taking a swallow as he watched the children on the mini-train rides who squealed in delight. “Right,” I said at his continuing silence. “So it was my job to tell her to stay while you took off to fuck some chick.”
“Don’t talk about something you don’t know.” His voice held warning.
“Ren, we both know this thing with Maggie can’t continue. I’m damn fucking happy she finally spoke up. You couldn’t expect her to be quiet all her life.” I was starting to get pissed, because it seemed he wouldn’t listen to anyone but himself.
At his continued silence, I gave up, because there was no getting through to him, at least not from me. I stood and was about to leave when his words stopped me.
“I can’t give her what she wants.”
Sitting back down on the chair, my eyes focused on his. “Why not?”
A hollow laugh left his throat, and it took him several seconds to stop and finally answer me. “I chose Miranda over her first. Then I chose the useless one-night stands. I’m damaged goods for her.” Self-loathing in his words was hard to miss.
“Look, Ren, I don't know how much I should explain about Miranda—” He didn’t let me finish.
“She never wanted the life I did, and with you, she saw an out, and I get it. I mean, I wanted to have the ranch from Hawk and never wanted to go to college. I just assumed we would get married. I was wrong, so wrong. I don’t blame you anymore.”
Well, I was shocked, to say the least. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Yeah.” His thumb played with the neck of the bottle. “But that doesn’t change me and Maggie. She has college and a whole shitload of possibilities, and I know if I said I needed her, she would stay with me.” He chuckled. “When I was a kid, I thought she was it for me. I moved on to Miranda, because I thought it would numb the feelings. It did. Sometimes I forgot about Maggie. Now she’s here, but I can’t give her what she wants.”
Did he really love her though? A man usually went after what he wanted and would have waited for her. I couldn’t imagine having Serena out for the taking and not making a move on her. Ren had formed a connection with Maggie when they were kids, and it seemed to me both of them created something that wasn’t there. Maybe I was wrong, but wasn’t love supposed to be intense? I hoped they would be able to figure it out.
He studied me with interest and finally spoke. “You’re falling for her.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Part of me knew from the beginning that getting attached to Serena wasn’t a good idea, because I would want more. Maybe that explained why I acted like a dick for several weeks before anything started between us. I couldn’t believe we were together for one week and I’d already considered that. No one falls in love in one week.
Right?
“It’s irrelevant, don’t you think?”
“Little brother.” I hated the nickname he gave me, because he was usually using it to mock me, but that time his tone sounded serious. “If you truly want her, hold on to her. Because an opportunity like this doesn’t come every day. The next thing you know, she’ll be riding on someone else's bike into the sunset. Trust me, I know.”
Fuck, I so didn’t want to picture that, but he was right. If she wasn’t mine, she could be someone else’s. And the thought alone was unacceptable.
We paid for the drinks and headed to see the girls, though that was after I had to point out to Ren he had lipstick marks all over him, and I laughed my ass off while he wiped them off with a napkin.
Serena
I forgot when the last time was I’d had so much real fun in my life. After that awkward scene with Maggie—though I was totally happy she was finally sticking up for herself—I grabbed Becky and we made it to the rides. First, we went to a carousel with mostly horses and hopped on, taking tons of silly pics. Most of the people were kids, but they laughed with us, and in the end, we took a group picture. After that, we went to the haunted house and laughed our asses off, though the sounds were a bit scary. Next were bumper cars and I let Becky drive, though she had no idea how to drive in real life. Like she said, if you have a limo, what was the point?
We enjoyed several other rides and were about to go on the Ferris wheel when I saw Ren and Shane approach us. I loved the warm, fuzzy feeling I was getting in the pit of my stomach every time I saw him. Shane’s hand circled my waist and hugged me close.
“You girls done?”
“Nope, we want to do that.” I pointed at the ride. “And then we can go home. The park wouldn’t be complete without that experience.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Right.” Then he turned to Ren. “So, what do you think? Should we join the girls?”
Ren just shrugged. “Whatever. I have nothing to do anyway. May as well do this.”
We bought tickets, and the person who operated the ride put Shane and me in the first one and Ren and Becky in the second.
As I looked out at all the grass and trees that were lit with fairy lights, I realized the park was, indeed, in a secluded area, but it didn’t change the fact that lots of people were there despite the late hour. Shane’s soft fingers gently touched my chin and tilted my head toward him.
“Baby, we gotta kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel. It’s tradition,” he told me, making me smile. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, or hungry or heated. Instead the kiss was very gentle and meant to savor the moment, and I loved it. I wanted to have it forever pictured in my head and I took out my phone. Shane groaned beside me. “What’s with you girls and selfies?”
“Hey, it’s not only us girls!” I acted annoyed but grinned anyway. I leaned in again to kiss him while I snapped a picture of us. Once it was done, I checked it quickly.
“Well, I feel used.”
I shook my head, laughing, and kissed him again.
Shane
By the time we came back home, everyone seemed exhausted, probably because no one enjoyed the two-hour drive. Serena had received a text from Maggie that she was safely home, so I wasn’t worried about her. Ren and Becky were unusually quiet, especially the babbling girl, and I wondered what the hell happened during that ride.
I took Serena’s hand, we said our goodbyes to the others, and I damn near dragged her to the second floor to my room.
“Shane—”
I put my finger on her mouth.
“Tonight… tonight, I want you in my bed, so I can make slow love to you and have you fall asleep in my arms. I promise to wake you up early enough so you can shower and get dressed.”
She nibbled on her lip, worried to stay the whole night, and I leaned down to gently soothe the sting with my tongue. She sighed and opened her mouth, allowing deeper penetration. I loved the taste of her and just kissed her for several minutes.
Hugging her closer, I took off her jacket and pulled the pins from her hair, which allowed me to put my hand through it and angle her head for a deeper kiss. As she inhaled and grabbed my nape, I felt her nails digging into my skin and I groaned. I removed her shirt, leaving her in only her jeans and white, lacy bra. “You are so beautiful.” Her eyes held wonder and something else, an emotion I wasn’t familiar with. I’d never seen it before in a girl’s e
yes.
After removing the rest of her clothes, she lay down in the middle of the bed, gifting me the best view of everything she was. Her red hair was like flames on the pillow, her beautiful breasts were bouncing a little with every heavy breath, and her narrow waist led to her shapely, amazing legs.
“Come here,” she said softly, but I had other plans. We finally had a whole bed to ourselves, and I wanted to take advantage of it.
Gently, I pushed her legs open so my mouth would have full access to her. I lowered my head and took a swipe with my flattened tongue, which earned me a moan. Using my fingers to pinch her clit a bit, I pleasured her with my tongue—licking, sucking, and probing.
I could have spent forever enjoying her taste, which quickly became my addiction, but she kept tugging on my hair until I looked up. Her eyes were dark with arousal as she pulled my hair again so I had to rise a bit. Shifting closer, she kissed me, although my lips were still glossy with her arousal. She moaned as though she liked the taste of herself on me, and she deepened the kiss, her tongue caressing mine. It was almost as if we were making love with our mouths.
My cock rocked against her belly, and she slowly slid her hand down my chest, across my abs, and grabbed my cock, making me groan. She squeezed it tighter, and I couldn’t help it; I started to thrust slowly in a rhythm, but it wasn’t enough. I wrapped my hand around hers and showed her how I liked to be touched. It was thrilling to be her first, not that I wouldn’t love her if I wasn’t, but I enjoyed showing her everything and seeing the excitement in her eyes. Her other hand circled my neck as she released my lips to kiss my chin, my neck, and finally, she came closer to my ear.
“Do you want me?” she murmured huskily, and I could have come right there just from the sound of her voice alone.
“Yes.” With a cocky grin, glazed eyes, and a red, swollen mouth, she slid down and kneeled in front of me, taking my cock into her mouth.
Son of a bitch!
Her hot mouth enclosing my flesh felt so good, so fucking good, and she moaned around it. She didn’t take it deep, just sucked on the tip while her hand stroked. Her movement and suction was a bit untrained, but it was the best fucking blow job I’d had the pleasure of receiving. I couldn’t help it. I took her hair in my hand and adjusted her head a bit, which earned me another moan. My girl enjoyed pleasuring me. Her hand moved lower to my balls. She shyly touched them, and then with my encouragement, she played with them. Her mouth took me deeper, and fuck that was a beautiful sight.
So fucking sexy.
It was heaven, but I was too close and didn’t want to come in her mouth, no matter how great the feeling was. I tugged on her hair, and she released me with a popping sound. And didn’t that make me harder.
“Baby, I want inside you.” Putting on a condom as she lay down, I pushed myself between her legs. The desire was clear in her emerald eyes as my hands moved down to her wet heat and two fingers entered her. Moaning loudly, she pushed her head back on the pillow. “Tight, so fucking tight.”
It was like her pussy was sucking my fingers in. She was wet and hot. Ready for me to make love to her, to claim her as mine. I kissed her again as she circled her legs around my waist, and I entered her with one swift move.
God, I loved the feeling of being inside her; it was like coming home from a long journey. It was the best heat I’d ever known in my life. No matter how much I wanted to come, I wanted to go slow first, so my movements were controlled. “Faster,” she barely whispered, and then her hand went to my hair as she pulled me down for another hot, deep kiss.
“No, baby, just like this.” Her nails were scratching my back, probably leaving marks, but I didn’t care. I was thrilled with the thought of wearing her marks, letting people know I was taken.
In and out, in and out. I let go of her lips and moved lower to take her nipple into my mouth, earning another moan. Tugging on my hair, she brought my head closer as I bestowed the same attention on her other nipple. My baby was close; she just needed a little extra stimulation, which I sure as fuck would provide. I placed my thumb between our bodies and pressed on her clit. That added to the nipple sucking and my thrusts did it for her.
She screamed, and I had to muffle the sound with my mouth or she would have woken the whole house. As her back arched, I continued thrusting and felt her pussy clench, which was more than enough to do it for me. Groaning, I came harder than ever before.
Fuck, that was heaven, the kind of sex—no, making love—that you never forgot and rarely found.
My body ended up on top of hers, both of us sweaty, in a room smelled like sex.
Every single bone in my body felt numb.
How the fuck was I supposed to live without that once she left?
Serena
Shane lay on top of me with his head in my neck while I tried to catch my breath, but at the same time hugged him close. That was different. That was making love, and although I didn’t have experience prior to him, I was sure of it. I was falling for him—no, screw that—I was in love with him, and I didn’t know what to do about it.
Rationally, I knew no one fell in love that fast, but I felt it deep down in my gut. But the end of the summer was in three more weeks, and it would have to end.
He pushed up and frowned.
“Baby?” His hands gently cupped my cheeks and wiped away my tears, tears I didn’t realize were there. “Did I hurt you?”
I shook my head. Stupid man, how could he think that?
But I didn’t know how to tell him that was one of the best experiences of my life and I wanted to feel it forever. That sounded ridiculous and he would probably laugh in my face.
“Then what’s wrong?”
Oh crap, what was the way out of it besides the truth? There wasn’t, so I’d just say it. “I don’t want it to end.”
There, I’d admitted it, and the world didn’t end.
“And that makes you cry?”
I frowned, even though I still had some tears in my eyes. “Well, yeah.”
“Why?”
The conversation was getting beyond bizarre. “Because we’ll only be together ‘til the end of the summer. Remember our deal?”
“It doesn’t have to be that way.” I realized he was serious, and I didn’t know how to react.
“What are you saying?” My voice was careful, low, and apprehensive.
“I’m saying I'm falling for you and don’t want it to end.” Shane’s hands palmed my face, our eyes locked on each other, and his words made me smile through my tears.
I said the truth and the world didn’t end. Instead, it was a beginning. “Okay.” It was probably a rash decision, because how in the hell would we be able to keep it up if I was gone and living in Italy? And even if I stayed in New York, I still wouldn’t be able to maintain a long-distance relationship. Plus, there was the whole lying thing. I knew I should tell him the truth, explain everything, and see his reaction before we decided how to find a way to be together. That was, if he still wanted to be with me after that. But as he kissed me, I became so lost in that perfect moment I didn’t want to ruin it, and decided there would be no harm done if I waited one more day to bring up my confession.
Moments like that, when you felt safe, loved, and cherished, were meant to be beautiful, not tainted with secrets and lies. He moved to the side and pulled me on top of him, and I felt so right in his arms. Shane slowly stroked my hair, relaxing me so much I dozed off. Right in that moment, everything was right with the world.
Shane
I woke up to the sweetest sensation of Serena straddling my hips while she placed slow kisses, and even sucked a bit, on my neck. I had a feeling if she wasn’t afraid of what people would say, she would’ve definitely left a hickey on me. Not that I minded. As long as she wanted to do or explore something with me, I was game.
I loved the wonder in her eyes every time we tried something else. Maybe it had to do with the fact I had never fallen in love before.
She was sim
ply special in every way.
“Baby, wake up,” she teased. I opened my eyes to see her looking at me with a mischievous smile, and I glanced at the clock that showed it was 5:00 a.m., which meant we had plenty of time to play before showering and her going down to prepare breakfast.
“Umm. That’s the kind of alarm clock I would love to have.”
I brought her head down for a deep kiss, which she gladly answered. Then I tugged away the bedsheet she was holding to her chest, because it kept me from those gorgeous breasts of hers. She giggled and tried to get away from me, but my hands held her. I wanted to pin her to the bed and ravish her, but the thought of her riding me made my cock harder. The look of love in her eyes heated the part of me that had been frozen since I came here, and it was a fucking great feeling.
“I would love to paint you like this,” she whispered as her hands roamed down my arms and chest, like an artist holding a brush. The touch was gentle, barely there, but I could feel it nevertheless.
Her comment reminded me about my present.
Sitting up, with her still on my lap, I fisted her hair, tugging on it to tilt her head backward, exposing her neck, which allowed me to kiss it like I wanted. I loved her smell, lavender and vanilla mixed with her perfume, and since we didn’t shower last night, mixed with us.
The best fucking smell in the world.
“Do you like presents?” I sucked on her neck harder, wanting to leave a mark on her like she did on me last night. I could still feel the slight sting from her scratches on my back.
“Live for presents,” she answered, breathless and aroused, and I knew she was barely listening to what I was saying.
“I have one for you.”
She grinned, looking down where my cock was almost between her thighs, and smirked. “I know.” Minx, liked to make fun of my desire.
“Not that kind of present. This one is ready for you all the time.” I kissed her gently and didn’t let her deepen it. “There is something for you on the first shelf of the closet. Wanna check it out?”
