The Most Eligible Bachelor: A Texas Love Story

by Bella Winters

  Oh God, I must be rambling so much that I’m boring the babies. They’ve both gone back to sleep. I place the bottles on the floor and try to steel myself ready to stand. I need to get up, I need to get the babies back in my arms carefully so I don’t wake them again, and I need to get them back in their cribs.

  That’s what I need to do, but I just haven’t got the energy, or the heart. They both look just fine where they are. I settle myself into the couch where I intend to wait for just a little bit longer. Just until I can work up the energy. My body has already moulded into the soft cushions, I can already feel the weariness coming for me, claiming me, begging me to rest.

  It won’t be long. I just need a minute. I can feel my eyes sliding closed, so I’ll let them do it for just a moment. I just need a second, just a little rest...

  ***

  “Hey, Ben, are you okay?” I feel my body shaking and my eyes rapidly snap open. “Are you alright? What are you doing down here? I woke up and you and the babies weren’t there... I freaked, I really did. You can’t do that to me, it scared me.”

  “Oh God.” I push myself up into a sitting positon and try to work out what happened. “I’m so sorry I brought the babies down to feed them and then I must have fallen asleep...”

  “It’s okay, I know that now,” Serena laughs warmly. “I just wanted to check that you’re okay, that’s all. You don’t look very comfortable sleeping there on the couch.”

  “Are the babies alright?” I can’t immediately see them, which has me panicked. “Where are they? What’s happened? Have I missed something?”

  “They’re up, changed, dressed... I’ve sorted them this morning. All good. Now they’re having a bit of floor time. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Floor time?” I rub the sleep from my eyes as I try to work out what’s happening. “What’s that?”

  “They lie and play on the floor, and eventually start rolling over, look...”

  I glance over to where she’s pointing to see my babies playing and enjoying themselves. My heart flies with joy at the sight. They look so content there, thanks to Serena. She really knows what she’s doing, I really did mean that. Without her, I would be a mess.

  Without her, I was a mess. We already proved that, I don’t need yet another reminder. Serena is my anchor. I wouldn’t be anything if she wasn’t here. I want to cling onto her and never let her go.

  “Oh well thank you for sorting them, I’m sorry about worrying you.”

  She sits next to me and pulls my face towards hers for a kiss. Her lips crash into mine in a deep and passionate way, that’s unexpected for this early in the morning, but it feels nice. It’s only a small moment, but I love that it’s just for us. Despite all the madness and chaos that’s happening around us, we’re still managing to find a way to just be us. I really think that it’s going to work between us, I really do. I think we’re going to go the distance.

  In fact, I want to make sure of it.

  As Serena moves away from me to go into the kitchen to make us breakfast, my mind starts spinning and I begin planning. Maybe not now, because things are so damn crazy and so up in the air, but I am going to make this woman my wife. I want us all to be a family that is solidified in the most traditional way possible. It’s something I never thought I would want, but now the idea is everything to me. The thought of walking up the aisle with Serena is everything to me. She in a white dress, me in a suit, our babies there, my mother, maybe even her parents if they deem a wedding a reason to visit, unlike our babies. Ethan too, Serena’s brother. He will definitely be there. Jenny and Tia too. Everyone that has been there along the way with our love story, everyone who has supported and helped us, all of them should be there as we say I do.

  I hate to admit that Mom was right about that one, but my God was she right. She could see it before me, she knew that Serena was the one for me. My life would be so much more straight forward if I just listened to her from the start. She is so going to say I told you so.

  Chapter Twenty Eight – Serena

  This is lovely, isn’t it?” I breathe a sigh of relief once both the kids are sleeping. “It’s so rare that they’re both asleep at the same time. I mean, it’s better than it was in the beginning, but rare... ooh.” Ben immediately starts running kisses up and down my neck which sends a shiver racing up and down my spine. It’s a delicious sensation that comes from nowhere. “You’re being very loving today, what’s going on with you?”

  He has as well, he’s been much more touchy feeling ever since I woke him up this morning on the couch. It’s almost as if something has shifted in his mind and I don’t know what it is. I want to ask him, but his mouth is too busy being all over me.

  “I sure am, but how can I not be loving when I have you.”

  I turn my body towards him and curl up into him so he can kiss me hard. His lips feel incredible up against mine and they make me gasp. I know I said to Jenny that I wouldn’t ever have sex again after the horror of giving birth, but that’s all been long forgotten now. Now with Ben running his hands up and down my curves I want him again desperately.

  “Oh God, that feels good,” I groan. “So fucking good.”

  Ben pushes me back, he lies me down on the couch and kisses me all over my face and neck. Each time his lips brush against me the sensations of excitement intensify within me. I throw my hands above my head and close my eyes. His hands reach down and slowly unbuttons my flannel pyjama top. It isn’t the sexiest item that I’ve ever worn, but Ben is pawing at it like it is. I don’t have a bra on underneath, so his hand cups my breast in an instant which makes Ben’s breathing become much more intense and ragged.

  “Oh God, Serena, you feel so good. I can’t even describe it. You’re amazing.”

  Despite the fact that we have children now and everything is really different, it still kinda feels like our first time together. The way he grasps at me needily, like it’s the very first time he’s ever grasped hold of me. I love it, I love the way this makes me feel.

  Then his mouth moves over one of my nipples and my back arches against him. He teases by rolling and teasing and tugging with his teeth. It’s an odd painful sensation that somehow manages to be incredibly pleasurable. He’s on fire, and he’s lighting my body up like a damn Christmas tree as he does. I fire on every cylinder, my excitement level growing.

  “Oh, Ben.” I run my fingers through his hair, fixing him in place, and he continues to run his tongue all over me. “You’re killing me right now.”

  When he shifts his body upwards so he can kiss my mouth I take the opportunity to slide my fingers tantalisingly down his body so I can feel his cock. I’ve missed him, more than I thought I would and now I need to hold him. I need to feel that thick steel rod of his between my fingers. The idea makes my mouth water. I can barely contain myself.

  It doesn’t take me long to find his length, after all I’m still very familiar with his body, and as I hold him between my fingers, my heart explodes with love. That’s how all of this started, with a deep sexual connection that I hadn’t ever felt before. Who knew that connection would turn into all of this? I think even with my rose-tinted goggles on, I didn’t know it would be this incredible.

  I run my hand up and down his thick warm length, gasping blissfully as I do. Sometimes I forget how big he really is, and it gives me that nervous excitement sensation in my chest once more.

  “I gotta tell you, Serena,” Ben grunts into my ear, allowing his breath to tickle my cheek. “Your touch is about to fucking make me explode. You want to be careful if you don’t want this to be over all too quickly.”

  I pout and pull my hand away. “Fine, but I’m not happy about it.”

  “And to think, I assumed I would be the one to corrupt you. Little did I know it would be you who corrupted me.”

  His words fire me up even further, so I spin myself around until he’s the one on his back and I’m straddling him. I love this sensation of power and control, it makes me feel
sexy. Which is hard since I’m in these flannel pyjama bottoms...

  I push myself off Ben and slide them down. I don’t have any panties on anyway, I must have forgotten to put some on, which works out well now. Then I climb back on and sit above him so he can see all of me. Yes, my body has changed. I don’t think any woman can go through labour and come out of it completely the same, especially since I’ve had twins, but the way that Ben’s looking at me it’s as if I still look exactly the same as I did the day we first me.

  “You really are something else, you know that?” Ben pushes himself up to kiss me. One of his hand knots up into my hair but the other one runs slowly up and down my thigh. With every brush he gets ever nearer to where I need him, which soaks my slit and gets me even more desperate for him. It’s been too long, I might just explode.

  “Will you stop teasing already?” I gasp breathlessly. “Don’t forget we have two little mites who enjoy ruining our alone time together at every opportunity.”

  “You’re right with that one.”

  He slips one finger right up into me, and it feels incredible. My body bucks violently as a reaction to the way he caresses and massages my insides. He’s touching me like I’m something precious, something to be looked after, which is surprisingly what I need. It’s slow and sensual and it feels really good.

  Eventually he brings his thumb into the mix, which he flicks over my clit. My body is already so hypersensitive that a pressure instantly stiffens me. My stomach is hot, my head spins, my heart hammers... I’m losing control. I can see what Ben meant now when he said about me touching him, it’s too much. The only difference is that I’m too weak to stop him. I don’t want it to end...

  “Oh my God, Ben,” I pant. “I can’t... it’s too...”

  I’m on the knife edge, teetering on the edge of desire. It won’t take long for me to fall into the abyss, I can feel it, the pleasure is coming for me. It’s rushing towards me like a hurricane, swirling in my belly, spinning too rapidly through me...

  Then Ben yanks his fingers out of me which gives me a moment to breathe. I try to calm myself down, I need to bring everything back down before anything else happens so I don’t lose myself too quickly, but I can’t seem to do it. I’m burning brightly, swimming in stars, any minute now I think I might fall into the abyss of pleasure whether Ben is touching me or not. The memory of his fingers is all too much.

  “I think it’s best to be safe,” he gushes while grabbing a condom from his pocket. “After what happened before.”

  I giggle a bit of a nervous sound. “Yeah, I think you’re right. We learnt that lesson the hard way. Always be careful.”

  Once he rolls the latex over him, I pull him back towards me. I wait for him to angle himself into me so that I can ride him, but he doesn’t let that happen. Instead, Ben takes control by flipping me so I’m the one on my back. Once there he rests his forehead against mine and he gazes into my eyes. As we stare at once another there’s so much love flowing between us that it swells and fills up my chest.

  “I love you,” Ben insists in his strongest, sweetest voice. “You have no idea how much, Serena. You really are my whole world.”

  And there it is. The reminder that it isn’t the same. It’s better, it’s more, it’s everything. Ben really is mine now, we don’t have that element of uncertainty anymore. It’s me and him against the world. Well, with Brandon and Rose too, of course. Our reason to keep on fighting.

  “I love you too.” I kiss the end of his nose gently. “You’re my world.”

  When Ben kisses me again I fell him slide inside me, which instantly drags me back into that deep, passionate haze again. My hair spreads out around my, my eyes roll into the back of my head, my hips buck of their own accord... me and Ben are back, doing what we do best.

  He fills me up and pushes deeper with every thrust. I can feel him hitting all the right spots already, and since I’m already on fire this just sends me over the edge too quickly. I cry out and I trash as I draw ever nearer to the wonderful, unexpected moment that I’ve been desperately waiting for ever since I sat down on this couch and Ben started kissing me.

  “Oh fuck, Ben!”

  I’m over the edge, I’ve fallen. The hurricane has exploded within me. It’s swirling, twirling, cascading, taking me down and I love the sensation. It’s incredible. I never want it to end, especially with Ben gripping onto me as if he feels the same way.

  This is someone that I could easily spend the rest of my life with, I think as the pleasure booms. I love him, he loves me, this time I think it might just last.

  Once we lie in one another’s arms, panting and gasping in the post coital bliss, I revisit that last thought I had as the orgasm swirled and crashed inside me. Actually, I think I’ve always thought that Ben is someone I could marry, that’s why I got so carried away by him in the first place, but now I really feel it. Now it isn’t just a fantasy, it’s a reality. It’s not like I think it’s going to happen any time soon, but it isn’t something that I think will never happen either.

  Mom, Dad, if only you could see me now. If only you could learn that it all worked out for the best. Would you still stick by your decision to throw me out when I needed you the most?

  I don’t even care about their actions anymore, it’s them missing out, not me. I’m doing just fine with my brand new family. They don’t deserve a piece of me, not anymore. I have everything that I need right here.

  “Are you hungry?” Ben gasps from beside me. “Shall we use this rare free time to do something else that we adore?”

  “What, eat?” I laugh. “Sure, that sounds great.” My stomach grumbles loudly at the mere mention of food. “Really great apparently. Thank you. What did you have in mind?”

  “I do a really good meat and beans on toast, how does that sound?”

  “Mmm, it sounds delicious. Thank you, my wonderful top chef.”

  “Top chef?” He wiggles his eyebrows playfully at me. “You have no idea, you’re in for a real treat.”

  When Ben stands up and he pulls his clothes back on him, or more comfortably around him anyway, things happened a bit quick for us to get him fully naked, I smirk happily to myself at the sight of him. I really did land a good guy; handsome, lovely, a great father... I really don’t need anything else. Somehow I managed to get it all.

  Chapter Twenty Nine – Ben

  Are you ready for this?” Tia asks me nervously, fiddling with my clothing as if she’s my mom. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

  “Will you stop it?” I bat her hands away from my shirt. “I know what I’m doing, alright? You’re going to make me more nervous than I am.” I glance my eyes everywhere. “Do you think it looks alright? Do you think she’ll be happy with it?”

  “You know who you’re talking about right?” Tia giggles. “Serena will love it. She loves everything that you do, but the fact that you’ve gone to so much effort for her birthday will make her weep. Don’t forget, the last birthday she had she spent pregnant and alone.”

  “Don’t remind me.” A darkness clouds me for a moment, I will always feel guilty for that. “I didn’t even know it was her birthday then, I can’t be blamed.”

  “I know, I know. I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I’m just reminding you that she will absolutely love anything you do for her. You’ve gone from strength to strength these last ten months. This surprise party is something she’ll love.” Tia glances down to my pocket. “It’s the other bit I’m worrying about. Do you know what you’re doing? What you’re going to say?” I nod slowly. “I have to admit that proposing in front of a lot of people is a very brave thing to do. Either brave or crazy stupid, I can’t quite work out which one you are.”

  I roll the ring around in my pocket, loving the feel of it there. “Yes, I know, but this is right, you know? And it isn’t everyone. Just the people who have been a big part of this.”

  “Yeah, I know, that’s true.” She glances at her watch. “Right, we
better get ready because your mom will be here with the kids in a minute, then it won’t be long until Jenny comes back with Serena after their spa day.”

  “You and Jenny all good now then?” I know that she’s probably told me already, but I’ve been too tired running a business and being a dad to fully pay attention to everything going on around me. “All the Mike stuff sorted out?”

  “Once we trapped him into confessing that he’d been seeing us both at the same time and he started crying... yeah, we became good friends after that. It was too glorious a moment for us not to bond over, you know?”

  “Oh yeah... it sounds it.” I want to laugh, but I have to admit there’s a tiny part of me that feels sorry for Mike. Just a tiny bit. He probably didn’t realise what an asshole he was being, I never did when I led that freer life style. “Well, I’m glad it’s all done anyway. That’s pretty awesome.”

  “Makes life easier... was that the door? I’ll go and get it, it’s probably your mom. You just... have a final check over the place, okay?”

  She gives me a curious look, but when I nod and I send her away I can understand why I’m shaking all over, I’m a nervous wreck. I feel like I’m all kinds of messed up today. And on this day as well when I need more than ever to keep it together. This will be one of the most important days of my life. Right up there with the day that my kids were born.

  Come on, Ben, keep your shit together, I warn myself. Make this a special day for Serena, she really does deserve it.

  Mom walks in the room with Brandon and behind her I can see that Tia has Rose. My mother has been a legend when it comes to the twins. I can tell that they’ve revitalised her. She obviously lost her chance to be a parent again when my dad died, since she hasn’t met anyone since, and this has given her that opportunity. She’s grasped onto it with both hands and is now far happier than ever before.