Enduring Fate

by Alicia Rae

Her hands moved down to my shoulders, and she began to tremble against me. She was so close to coming, and I didn’t have the strength to hold off my release any longer.

  Still keeping one hand between her legs, I stood to my feet and spread her thighs wide with my own, opening her to me. I dropped my sweats just enough to let my cock spring free. I grasped my hardness in my free hand and guided it to her center.

  I let my other hand slip out of her heat, and I repositioned my fingers over her nub while gradually sinking into her. I made deliberate thrusts forward and then sluggishly drew back all the way to the tip before going in deeper and deeper each time.

  Her mouth parted, forming an O-shape, as she gripped my arms. Her head fell against my chest as her orgasm began to reverberate through her core.

  I clenched my jaw and groaned, “Fuck,” against her neck as she clenched and pulsated around me.

  I forced myself to keep moving, languidly pumping back and forth to prolong her release.

  After a brief moment, I could feel her wetness beginning to seep out from between her thighs. The warmth of her covered my cock, and it fucking turned me on, making me lose complete control.

  I gripped her waist and hoisted her higher against the wall. The movement had me fully seated within her. She automatically locked her ankles around my back. I braced her against the wall, hoping my actions didn’t hurt her.

  Then, I began to fuck her, love her, and claim her. She was mine, and she would always be mine.

  Nothing would ever change our fate. I wouldn’t let it because my love for her was that powerful, and I knew, in her heart, she felt the same for me.

  Paige held on to me as I slightly angled her to deepen my thrusts. The air smelled heavily of sex, and chills raced down my spine before my body broke out with a light sheen of sweat. I felt myself go taut at the same instant Paige moaned and came around me.

  I pressed my lips against her neck and murmured her name. I buried myself to the hilt and finally let myself go, pumping my release into her.

  As I held on to her, the two of us caught our breaths. In that moment, more now than ever, I knew with every fiber of my being that this woman owned me—heart, body, and soul.

  I’d take my very last breath before I let that tragic accident change the fate of our love.

  I WAS DRAGGED OUT OF A DEEP SLUMBER by the feeling of the ground moving beneath me. My eyes darted open to see Colton’s morning stubble right in front of my face.

  It was finally the weekend, and it felt great to sleep in for a change.

  “Morning, sleepyhead,” he said gruffly.

  We both backed up a few inches to see one another’s eyes.

  It was then I realized that I was lying on top of him, so I slithered to the left until I fell onto the bed at his side.

  “Good morning.” I smiled sheepishly, feeling a blush spread across my features. I had no idea why I had been lying atop him.

  He turned on his side, and I couldn’t help but snuggle back into him. He was like my personal body pillow, so warm and cozy.

  His eyes shone with amusement. “Is my mattress not comfortable enough for you?”

  “Huh?” I inquired. My brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders quite yet. It was Sunday after all. “Of course, it’s comfy,” I added reassuringly.

  “Oh. I was just wondering since you glued yourself to my chest for half the night.”

  I gaped at him, ignoring his handsome smirk. “I did not,” I retorted in utter denial, feeling embarrassed. “You probably heaved me on top of you!”

  “Nope.” His mouth curved into a smile. “And you snore, too,” he continued before closing the distance to kiss the top of my nose.

  I teasingly shoved at his chest. “I do not snore!”

  “Fine, I’ll let you off the hook on that one.” He laughed deeply. “I think we need to add furniture shopping to the list of things to be done.”

  “Where is this so-called list of yours?” I aimlessly glanced around. “I need to shred that bad boy.”

  He tapped his temple and revealed a sexy grin. “Right here.”

  “We’re going to have to do something about that memory of yours then,” I said, repositioning myself on top of him.

  His hands came to my waist. I loved that he always had to be touching me. The feeling was completely mutual.

  “Oh, yeah?” he drawled, letting his handsome Southern accent roll off his tongue. “What did you have in mind?”

  My expression mirrored his as I gravitated my lips toward his. “You’re about to find out,” I said before I lovingly and thoroughly kissed him.

  As always, an intense passion bloomed inside me. No matter how many times I kissed him, it would never fill my need for him.

  The way his lips moved along mine made my heart pound unevenly in my chest.

  As the date reentered my mind, I gasped and drew back with a hastiness that had Colton’s baby-blue eyes peering up at me in confusion.

  “What?” he said, appearing alarmed.

  “It’s Sunday,” I answered.

  He raised a brow at me, not catching my meaning. “And?”

  I tried to run through everything that needed to be done before our families arrived. “I have to clean, sweep, and, mop the kitchen, so I can start cooking for seven people. Hopefully, I didn’t forget to buy any food, or I’ll need to run into town. Then, I need to sweep off the patio and wipe down the outdoor furniture since we will be outside.”

  Colton laughed, and the movement shook through me. “Anything else you need to add to that list?” he asked.

  “Give me a few minutes. It will get longer,” I teased, racking my brain.

  “Oh no!” He slid me off his waist and plopped me down on the mattress beside him. “I’m cutting you off right there.”

  I propped myself up on my elbows and watched his naked toned ass saunter over to the dresser, causing me to lose my concentration. He slipped on the first pair of briefs he’d pulled out and then a pair of faded blue jeans.

  “Where are you off to so fast?” I challenged.

  He came back over to me. My greedy eyes traveled over his bare chest and the way his abs flexed with every move. His scrumptious V was visible above the denim on his hips, and it made my mouth water.

  “I’m running far, far away from you before you come up with more chores for me to do.” He bent down to give me a peck on the lips. It was quick but still filled with his never-ending affection.

  “I said I needed to do those things, not you,” I explained.

  “That means we,” he countered.

  Okay, he has a good point. I blushed. “I’ll give you that one.”

  He flipped his hand over and brushed his knuckles down my face. “I love it when your soft cheeks turn pink, especially during conversations about you and me.”

  I was pretty sure his admission deepened my blush even more.

  He asked, “So, you mentioned cooking for seven. Does that mean Kayla is coming today?”

  “Yes, she is,” I answered with excitement. “I just found out last night that my sister could make it.”

  “That’s great.” His smile was sincere. “I know how much you’ve been wanting to see her.”

  I nodded my head in agreement. “I miss her terribly.”

  “I’m sure she feels the same.” He righted his position and stood tall, his knees touching the edge of the bed. “So, what do you want me to help with first?” he inquired.

  I gave him a hopeful expression. “Cleaning the concrete patio?”

  “You got it.” He winked at me. “I’ll get started as soon as I finish feeding the horses and cattle.”

  “Sounds good. Thank you,” I said, sitting up. I pulled the covers close to me to fight off the chilliness in the room. “I’m sure they are waiting to eat.”

  “The horses will neigh at me as soon as they hear the back door open,” he agreed.

  “True.” I chuckled and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was nearly eig
ht o’clock. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sleep in so late.”

  “That’s because you wore me out.”

  His eyes sparkled with a sexiness that made me want to pull him into bed with me again, but I refrained only because family would be here in three hours, and we had a lot to do in the meantime.

  “Leave while you still can, cowboy,” I threatened good-naturedly.

  “Careful…” He grinned, his eyes darkening with heat at every passing second. “Don’t tempt me, or I’ll lock you up in my room all day.”

  I sighed dreamily and rose from the bed. “I guess I can wait for you to ravish me later.”

  “Expect nothing less.” He neared to give me a kiss before leaving the room.

  My eyes locked on his every step. I was once again mesmerized by his gracefulness. There was just something about watching my cowboy and the way his muscles flexed in his back when he moved. It reminded me of how strong he was, both in his physical form and his inner strength.

  The next few hours passed in a blur as Colton and I ran around the house like a couple of maniacs. It was only then I realized how much work it was to host a get-together, and I had a whole new appreciation for our parents, who had done this for years.

  Knowing I had minutes until everyone would start arriving, I turned off all the burners on the stovetop. Wanting to keep the French toast warm, I had preheated the oven to two hundred degrees. It was an old trick passed down from my grandmother to my mom to me. I had never had the chance to meet my grandmother, but I always loved when my mom shared stories of her with me.

  I set all the cooked slices on stone bakeware and covered it with aluminum foil. I slipped on my oven mitts before placing it in the oven.

  Hoping to ease the cleanup after brunch and keep the kitchen picked up, I gathered all the dirty dishes and began washing them by hand while softly humming to myself.

  The front living room door suddenly whipped open, startling me, and the pan hit the bottom of the sink with a loud noise.

  Kayla’s voice bellowed out, “All right, chica. I know you’re around here somewhere. Where are you?”

  I heard the door close as my face split into the biggest, happiest grin imaginable. I chuckled under my breath at her barging through the door. While I was the shy type, Kayla was outgoing, and she didn’t have many personal boundaries.

  “Kayla!” I screeched, heading straight for her.

  Her hazel eyes beamed so brightly.

  We met in the middle of the room. Both our arms were spread wide, and the two of us collided, hugging one another.

  “Oh my gosh, I missed you so much, Kayla!” I cried, feeling hot tears pouring down my cheeks.

  Three months was the longest my sister and I had gone without seeing each other.

  “Missed you way more.” She squeezed me so tightly.

  It reminded me of my mom’s greetings after I had been away for more than a night. Maybe it was a family thing because our household was full of love.

  When we finally broke apart, I took her in and memorized every inch of her face. She was beyond stunning.

  Kayla’s brown hair was shorter than mine, and she had perfect waves that curved around her slender face. The lucky duck had also inherited Dad’s olive skin. She never needed an ounce of makeup. Her natural beauty would leave dozens of men chasing her tail. The two of us didn’t look much alike. My features followed Mom, and my sister resembled more of our father’s side of the family.

  Once I finished giving her a once-over, I gestured for her to follow me into the kitchen, so I could finish my final cooking preparations. “It’s so great to see you.”

  Kayla walked a step behind me. “Mom and Dad said they’d be here shortly.” She laughed before elaborating, “You know how long it takes Mom to decide on what to wear before she leaves the house.”

  My sister was a total tomboy at heart. She religiously worked out, so she was in her normal attire of two tank tops—a blue one over a white one today—black capris, and a pair of tennis shoes.

  “I remember.” I smiled. “Dad always waits patiently for her to get ready.”

  “Yes,” Kayla agreed. Then, she stopped at the junction of the hallway and kitchen, and she scanned the room. “Wow, Paige. Colton is really doing some major remodeling to the house.”

  “Yes, he’s quite the combination of a handyman and Energizer Bunny.” I winked, feeling proud of my cowboy.

  “Uh, yeah, he is,” Kayla said, her voice filled with awe.

  As I stopped at the kitchen island, Kayla hopped up onto one of the brown leather barstools on the opposing side of the counter and took a seat.

  “So, what’s new with you, Kayla?” I inquired, clearing a few stacks of paper and miscellaneous items out of the way. “School, friends, boys—I need to know everything, so spill the beans,” I added eagerly.

  She leaned forward on her elbows with her palm under her chin, smiling. “Well, I have finally settled into my dorm and learned the campus grounds.”

  “That’s good.” I nodded, remembering my days of memorizing those school maps and which buildings each of my classes were in.

  “I love the social dynamic of college. I’ve met so many great people, and I’ve made a lot of new friends. It’s nice to have friendships without the drama of high school.”

  Kayla appeared so relaxed and happy while talking about this new part of her life.

  “Having a good group of friends to share your experiences with make college even better,” I replied, reciprocating her expression. I was genuinely delighted for her. “You always were the social butterfly.”

  “Yeah, I really enjoy that aspect.” Kayla drew her brows together as she frowned, appearing to be in deep thought. “Between having five classes and the long hours of study that go well into the morning hours, school does manage to monopolize most of my time.”

  I leaned my hands on the edge of the counter and looked directly into her eyes, giving her my full attention. “Yes, that is bound to happen with such a full class load. However, I can promise you that it will pay off in the end. Your grades are so important, and your transcript will follow you when you apply for jobs later on down the road.”

  “I know. That is why I study my ass off.” She let out a funny grin and shifted on the stool. “And the boy department rocks. College men are hot, especially the ones who hang out at the gym on campus.” She added a girlie sigh.

  Her eyes said it all. She had a special someone in her life.

  “Oh, do tell me more. Who has caught my beautiful sister’s attention?” I questioned.

  Colton strolled into the room, looking all sexy in his blue jeans and cowboy hat.

  The man was a constant distraction.

  He gathered me in his arms from behind and kissed my cheek. I could sense him glancing over my shoulder at my sister.

  Colton offered a friendly greeting, “Hi, Kayla. Glad you could join us today.”

  “Hey, big brother. Thanks for having me.” She smiled up at him and then gazed back at me before quietly clearing her throat. “So, back to boys…”

  Colton groaned into my hair before briefly stepping away to the sink and getting a glass of water.

  “Yes, boys.” I chuckled as I watched my cowboy from the corner of my eye until he returned to tower over me.

  At the same time, Kayla began to say, “This guy, Maverick, is so soft on the eyes. He makes me melt into a puddle every time I see him at the gym, especially when I see him lifting weights.”

  I gazed back at her, perplexed. It sounded as though she was too shy to approach him. “If you like him, then why don’t you just talk to him?”

  My sister sat up straight in her seat and set her arms on the counter, crossing them. “Oh, I have,” she purred. Then, she shook her head from side to side as if she were frustrated.

  “I need you to elaborate. I’m having a tough time following,” I said, feeling perplexed.

  “Maverick and I have been seeing each other fo
r a couple of months,” Kayla admitted with a lengthy sigh. “But I don’t know if it’s going anywhere. I think he’s just in it for the sex, and I want more than that.”

  I froze in shock, staring wide-eyed at my sister. I still remember her being an innocent, sweet little girl. Now, she was all grown-up. My heart sped up to an unhealthy pace, and I was pretty sure I was nearing a heart attack.

  In the same instant, Colton choked behind me and slammed his glass against the counter. He was practically hacking up a lung. I heard the thud of his palm pounding once against his chest, and he cleared his throat rather loudly.

  “Goddamn, Kayla. A little warning would have been nice,” he finally roared out.

  Kayla pointed her finger at me and then bent it backward toward herself, not fazed by his presence. “Uh, you imposed on our girl talk.”

  Colton repositioned himself at my hip so that we were touching. I could feel the tension radiating out of him as if little warning waves were rippling off his body and out into the air.

  “Kayla, you need to tell me who this asshole is and where I can find him.” He leaned the knuckles of his fist against the counter. “It sounds like I need to set him straight on a few things.”

  “You don’t need to worry about me. I know what I am doing.” Kayla flippantly waved her hand. “He lives in the dorms, and you can’t just barge on campus and start swinging.”

  “The hell I can’t!” Colton growled before challenging, “Watch me.”

  “You’re too old to be strolling around campus!” Kayla exclaimed, her mouth gaping. Anger flashed on her red cheeks. “You’ll embarrass me!”

  Colton stood to his full height and crossed his broad arms over his chest. He seemed to be affronted by her words. “I am not old. I will kick his ass because he sounds like he’s mistreating you, and I won’t allow it.”

  “Not if I don’t show you who he is,” Kayla countered stubbornly, setting her hands on her hips.

  Knowing this conversation was unproductive, I extended my arms in between the two of them. “Enough!” I said with finality in my tone, breaking into their argument.

  I could hear Colton’s heaving breaths at my side.