by Rie Warren
I would’ve chuckled if I wasn’t so full of nerves and hope and joy beating fucking wings inside of me I could barely breathe. “Not so fast, sweetheart. I’m gonna do this once, and I’m gonna do it right.”
She nodded, eyes wide, hands pressed to her heart.
I took her left hand in mine, held it against my face, stared up at her. “I thought I was in love with you for years, but I didn’t understand what love was until you came to me here in this house I’d never really made a home . . . not before you. You are the strongest, most beautiful woman I know, and I want to be strong for you. You gave life back to me, and that’s all I want to do for you, Reggie.” Letting her hand go for a moment, I popped open the box. “Will you make me the luckiest man in the world? Will you be my wife, Reggie?”
She dropped to her knees with me, her mouth finding mine. Her breath rushed out and tears traced down, not just hers.
When she pulled back, I slid the handcrafted ring into place, a perfect fit, the raw sapphires and turquoise cosseting the rough diamond centerpiece. An emblem of our love, our future, and parts of our past that made our lives richer.
Her arms curved around my neck, and she whispered, “Take me to bed now, Calder.”
That night I memorized Reggie. She lay on my bed, open, welcoming me into her arms. Her breasts, her nipples, her cries of my name, her voice passionate. Her body writhed beneath me, slow curling sexual release.
When she fisted my cock, the ring shone, and seeing it there made it hard to stave off the tightening of my balls, the throbbing of my sheathed shaft.
When I first entered her, her eyes blinked open. Her lips parted. Then she let out a sigh when I filled her to the depths. Every breath linked us. Each kiss lifted us higher. I watched her come, her body a bow, her breasts thrust up.
Her legs wrapped around me. Her low moans and sweet cunt pulling at me. She clung to me as I kept the slow rhythm, pumping, lush wet sounds filling the room.
“I’m going to be your wife,” she whispered in a smoky tone just before hurtling into another orgasm.
Her voice, her words, her promise surged through me. I couldn’t hold back. Overwhelmed, I came just after her. Roaring her name, I clamped her hands in mine, short fast strokes pushing me deeper. My chest heaved. My body flexed and strained all over. I clutched at her, come rushing from me.
I slowed, eventually. I settled, finally.
I withdrew from Reggie, running a hand down the front of her flushed body.
I brought her to me for a kiss that started and never wanted to end as we tangled together.
“And I’ll always be yours,” I vowed.
****
The next day, after morning sex, shower sex, post-breakfast sex, and my attempt at sex in the workout room because Reggie made me a fucking insatiable beast, and watching her stretch out and bend over and go all dancer-like set my blood on fire, she snapped a towel at me.
“You said in Denver we better tell your parents now.”
“Mood killer.” I tugged at her, the end of her towel her tether to me. “And I said I need to tell them.”
“I’m not letting you do it alone.”
“Oh, you’re not, huh?”
She clasped my face in both hands then granted me one kiss. “Nope. Besides, I hate to break it to you, but I think Remy and Meg already suspect.”
Shock rippled through me. “What do you mean?”
“Men. So blind.”
“Reggie.” I growled.
She giggled. Goddamn giggled.
I pounced on her, backing her up against the wall, the same position she’d been in when I’d fucked her in Denver.
“Okay. Okay! They seemed pretty curious about us during Christmas. And your mom cornered me in the kitchen to ask me if I was seeing someone. But I think she already knew.”
“Shit.”
“Listen. This isn’t a bad thing. Did they ever seem upset? No. Because they’re not.”
“Christ.”
Reggie tugged my hand. “C’mon. Let’s go Skype them.”
“Why do you sound so excited to watch me go down in flames?” I let her lead me to the iPad in the living room.
“Because you are so totally overreacting.” She pushed me down onto the sofa and sat right next to me.
After the annoying blippy Skype ringtone, my mom answered. “Calder! What a surprise. And Reggie too!”
“Hey, Mom. Is Dad there?”
“Of course he’s here. Retired, remember? Lord, that man needs another hobby besides hovering.” She turned away, calling out, “Remington. I’ve got Calder and Reggie on the Skype thing!”
My dad blustered into the picture. “Damn good job winning the Super Bowl. Show me that ring, son.”
I held up my hand, bearing the Carolina Crush Super Bowl LI ring.
“Now that’s the way you do it.”
“Mom, Dad—”
“How are you, Reggie? What are you doing back in South Carolina?” My mom cut in.
“Well, there’s another ring—”
I cut Reggie off. “Guys, this might sound really weird, but yeah, there is another ring.”
My mom made a fake-shocked face. Reggie’d been right. They totally knew.
“I hope it’s the one on Reggie’s finger.” Dad’s eyes glinted.
“It is.” I kissed her trembling hand, wondering if it was okay to grin proudly. “How did you know? Why aren’t you mad?”
“First of all, who did you think you were kidding at Christmas? You came back from Reggie’s hotel room smelling like her perfume.” Mom gloated.
I started to protest.
Dad interrupted. “And that desert rose thing?” He snorted. “I’m pretty sure I can recognize a man in full rut.”
“I wasn’t . . . I’m not . . .” I balked.
“He is.” Reggie deadpanned right before kissing me there, on camera, in front of my parents.
I drew back, trying not to get a fucking hard-on while Skyping with the ’rents. “That’s not fair,” I whispered against her ear.
My mom led my attention back to the screen. “We don’t care how it happened, or why it did, Calder.” Her voice broke, and she swiped at a tear on her cheek.
“We’re just so damn glad you found each other.” Dad hugged my mom closer. “Now y’all probably better close that computer before you do any more smooching. And we’ll talk to you soon, since it looks like there’s a wedding to plan.”
I nodded, voiceless, wondering.
Hopeful.
I pulled Reggie down with me as I reclined on the couch. “You were right.”
“You’ll find I mostly am. It’s a woman thing.” She swept her hair back and began pulling off my shorts. “And now you can fuck me again because you were such a good boy.”
Growling, I tore off her shorts. “You can ride me, sweetheart. Because I’m pure man, and I know how much you want my cock.”
****
By mid-April, Reggie had completely relocated to the lowcountry. No ifs ands or buts about it, she was my woman. We’d driven out, rented a U-Haul, visited with my folks for a few days then trekked back.
She’d sold her house. Her dance company took on new students every day. She’d rented that space from Kinkaid—the ex-stripper—and Bo—the former Marine. I’d been all up in those two men’s faces while she’d signed the agreement. The dudes managed to sooth my ruffled feathers eventually. Both practically hitched to their women. Retribution MC members. Vouched for by Frankie Burelli.
And Reggie loved me, so I didn’t really have anything to worry about.
Plus I’d promised Kinkaid and Bo Carolina Crush season tickets just because.
By the end of April, Reggie and I journeyed to Rafe and Peyton’s IoP beach house for a double engagement party—Brooklyn and Delaney, and Reggie and me.
The entire team showed.
Trash talking on repeat and flashy Super Bowl rings all around.
Rafe’s mom and kid sister were presen
t, Akoni held the master class in Hawaiian barbeque at a beachside pit, and children ran wild up and down the private seaside.
Peyton’s baby belly really showed in the one-piece swimsuit she wore, and her friend—Coach D’s daughter—Phil danced attendance on her almost as much as Rafe.
I noticed Bunyan flirting with Delaney’s teammate, Sammy . . . getting her out into the deeper waves.
And then Reggie stood in a bright beam of hot sunlight, taking off her light cotton coverup to reveal the bikini to end all bikinis.
Fucking good thing Bunyan was occupado because I’d totally rake his eyeballs from his skull if he drooled over Reggie. The thing on her curvaceous body was red like her favorite lipstick, held together by thin strings, and had tiny triangles covering, barely, all her bits.
“What in the shit is that?” I pointed a finger.
My voice shook.
My dick went pole-position. In board shorts.
“Just a teeny bikini.” Reggie slid a fingertip along the gap in the crimson strap stretched between her tits.
“You’re so asking for it.”
She pulled her hair into a ponytail, glance skipping over me. “Yes, I am.”
Then she sauntered toward the surf, hips switching from side to side.
I lunged after her recklessly, lifting her into my arms and running into the waves.
“I’m not a football, you know!” she squealed.
“You’re much more precious than that.”
With salty water kicked up to our cheeks, I lowered her against me. I lashed her mouth with a kiss, my tongue just touching hers. Hands on her cheeks, I bent my forehead to hers.
“So much more precious, but this bikini . . .” I groaned.
“So you like it.” She spun from me, floating on her back, carried by the white-capped almost-warm waves.
I nuzzled her belly. “So much more than like it.”
She laughed when I tugged her back to me, the sun shining all over her body, the ocean a sparkling reflection of everything building inside me, building between us.
Later, I patted her down with a towel. I kept my hands off all her bits. There were too many kids around. I slathered her with sunscreen, and again, counted to one one thousand as I forced my fingers not to travel to her tits, her nipples, to her pussy.
Intense arousal grew throughout the afternoon and evening.
She’d blow a kiss at me, knowing I wanted her to blow me.
I’d kiss the side of her neck, listening to her hiss.
We’d dance to the band, nothing more than mating in the making.
“Hey, y’all!” After we ate and drank and played dirty volleyball, Brooks called everyone’s attention, an arm slung around Delaney’s waist. “Just wanted to say thanks to Rafe and Peyton for the shindig. And also, congrats to Reggie and Calder.” He took a drink, then kissed Laney deep and hard before continuing, “And, Calder? Our wedding comes first, fucking thunder stealer.”
“Swear jar!” That was Rafe’s younger sister, yelling.
“I’m still waiting to catch a fucking bouquet.” Bunyan moaned.
“And swear jar again.”
Everyone chuckled.
I had no reply. I’d kept it PG all day long, but I was ready to fuck. I needed Reggie in the worst way. We said our goodbyes and thanks and see you laters. I carried the cooler, the beach bag and umbrella and Reggie’s chair, hurrying to the Ford.
I stowed the gear, boosted her in, kissed her lips, so damn hungry for her.
I ranged to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel. No words said between us.
Once before we’d been this silent.
On a drive. To a hotel room on Christmas Eve when we were still hiding.
Now all was out in the open, and I was going to marry her.
Luckily I lived a mere fifteen minutes from Rafe’s beach house. Ten if I was pushing it.
And I was pushing it.
Reggie curled against me. She’d thrown a sheer cover-up over the teeniest bikini I’d ever seen. Wish she’d done that before she’d ever taken to the water.
Glints of sand dusted her nose.
Salt and sea air wafted from her body.
Fresh and new and mine when I thought I’d lost her forever.
Need for her overwhelmed me.
When we reached home, I hustled her out of the truck. Gales of laughter bounced from her, my impatience clear. But when I tried to lead her up the steps, she retreated from me.
I advanced. Famished for her. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Come with me.” She curled her fingers around mine, guiding me toward the backyard.
“Outside?” The sun was setting, faint glimmers of stars beginning to sparkle overhead.
“I want to see the stars. Smell the trees. Listen to the river.”
I watched her lick her lips, and I hungered for her even more.
“It’s warm enough.” She continued to the back where the sun loungers and firepit we’d picked out together were arranged. “And you’re hot enough.”
Her tempting little smile all the encouragement I needed as arousal notched even higher.
“That’s your fault.”
“Is it?” Coyly, she slowly untied the cover-up and let it flutter to the patio. “Why don’t you get a fire going?”
I chuckled, the sound a low rumble. “Think you already started one.” But I did as she asked, hunkering down and foraging for the lighter.
All the while, she hovered in the periphery of my vision, body gleaming, the damn red bikini teasing me. While I lit the fire already laid out in the pit, she pulled cushions from the loungers, covered them with blankets, tossed pillows around.
Flames danced in front of me, and I didn’t move, waiting to see what she’d do next. Willing her to come to me.
Touch me.
Arousal grew with each of her slow sensuous movements. The hushed awareness of each other drawn out, creating a heavy heated ache that spread from my cock all along my limbs.
Then unrushed, she sauntered to me. Her hand glided across my shoulders, and I groaned deep in my throat.
I pivoted and stood, the fire warming my back, her body heating my front. Her hand roamed low, across the front of my shorts. Cupping her palm, I dragged her touch harder against my blood-filled cock.
“God, yes,” I murmured before sliding my tongue once across her parted lips then into her mouth.
Deep and slow, I kissed her. I tugged open my shorts, my breath catching when her fingers touched bare taut hard erection.
I groaned again when her traveling fingers reached my sac then she pulled her palm all the way back to the sensitive tip.
My lips slipped from hers. I sucked and kissed a line down her neck, tasting the salt of the sea, the warmth of woman. I mouthed her nipples, one hand playing below the tiny triangle of her bikini bottoms.
She was sleek, smooth, and so fucking wet.
Her voice came out in a sultry whisper as I joined two fingers inside her, “You can fuck me bare tonight.”
An indrawn breath clogged my throat. I struggled to keep the slow pace but the thought of thrusting inside her, coming with no barrier between us, made me roughly suckle her nipple through the bikini top.
My shorts dropped to my feet. I stepped out of them.
I released the strings of her bathing suit, and eased the top and bottoms off.
Limbs twining. My knee rode up to her slick cunt. Her hand roamed from my chest to my rigidly swollen hard-on and around to my ass.
Kisses traded and tongues chased. Low lush moans curled in the air until she begged me at last to have her, take her, fuck here, outdoors, by the fire, under the stars.
Reggie kneeled. She placed her hands on the blanket in front of her. She looked over her shoulder and swung her ass from side to side, inviting me to mount her from behind.
A grunt escaped me. I stepped up to her, kneeled behind her. I stroked my cock from the base to the head, veins fu
ll of hot blood, balls boiling with need.
Nudging her legs wider, my thighs brushed hers.
She swung her hips again, a slow undulating dance of sex and flesh.
I tipped my dick down, ran it through the wet channel of her cunt, bare thick cock meeting drenched swollen pussy.
The feeling was explosive.
“This what you want, Reggie?” My voice had turned to gravel.
“Please. Yes.”
One more sway of her ass, then I caught her hip in one hand. Cock angled, slow and deep, I parted her flesh.
I savored the slick slide I’d never experienced before.
She convulsed instantly, a high wild cry punctuating the night sounds.
Body racking pleasure sucked at me. I fucked her right through her climax, no longer able to control myself.
Her head tipped up to the stars, I held her with a hand in her hair, one at her hip. Firelight gilded her skin. I pulled her on and off my cock, listening to her breathy moans.
And then I let loose the last shreds of restraint, pumping into her, growling in my throat.
Intimate, primal, and so fucking wet.
I hauled her onto me and held her all the way against me when I jetted stream after stream after stream of come deep inside her. She gripped me powerfully, and I thrust, thrust, thrust, short fast snaps of my hips, getting and staying as deep as I could until finally my muscles released and my body shook.
Then I heard her whispering in the final throes of her orgasm, “Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God . . .”
I released a ragged chuckle, drawing my hand down the sweat slicked skin of her back. “That good, huh?”
“Never better.”
Leaning over her, I kissed her ear, her cheek, her lips when she turned her face.
“I love you, sweetheart,” I murmured.
“I should hope so,” she whispered back.
Later, we lay beneath a blanket. Beneath the blanket of the millions of stars overhead. Kissing and nuzzling and ready to make love once more but treasuring the soft moments of satisfaction before lust became unquenchable again.
“I thought we could go away,” I mentioned.
“Away?” Reggie propped up, tits balanced on my chest.
Too much temptation for me to pass up. I cupped both breasts. The lush mounds overflowed my hands. Holding them high, I ducked lower, kissing and sucking and teasing the nipples into hard domes of cherry brightness while she gasped with her hands threaded in my hair.
