“I feel a sort of connection to you too, oddly enough.” Emily chuckled and then wrapped her arms around Dylan’s neck. He drew her close and then opened his mouth to meet hers. Emily waited with anticipation and then, as if a sort of dance, they explored each other with their tongues, both of them taking the time to taste and touch and tickle with their mouths.
Dylan reached for Emily’s breasts and playfully squeezed her nipples. He loved the way that they felt in his hands and he craved even more of her body. Emily sighed with delight as he caressed her body, moving from her breasts to her buttocks, and then down her thighs and between her legs. Emily knew that under other circumstances, she would have told a man to stop, that they were moving too fast. Yet with Dylan, she felt that it was appropriate. After all, she was now his wife.
“I want to feel all of you.” Dylan whispered in her ear and then rubbed her inner thighs with his hand. She cried out with pleasure as he moved his fingers inside her warm, wet hole. It had been so long since a man had touched her sacred world of womanhood that Emily just wanted to enjoy it. She had no expectations and she had no hang-ups, either.
Dylan pushed her legs wider apart so that he could wedge himself between them. He loved her scent and her shape. It had been a long time for him, as well. His previous marriage had been a sexless one, and his wife, Ginger, had always made excuses for why she didn’t want to make love to him. Along with the fact that he eventually caught her cheating, it made for some trying tests of self-confidence when it came to his performance in the bedroom.
“You feel really good, Dylan.” Emily finally felt relaxed. She moved closer and spread her legs wider. Dylan’s fingers explored her precious bounty and Emily cried out with pleasure. She didn’t even worry about Eisley or Anna hearing them, although she hoped and assumed they were both sound asleep. Dylan slowly climbed on top of her and pressed his manhood against her body. Then slowly, and with precision, he thrust himself deep inside of her.
Emily cried out as soon as he penetrated her. She clung to his waist and pulled him closer to her body. “Yes, Dylan. This is wonderful.” She whispered in his ear and then rubbed her hands across his back as he continued to pleasure her with his body. A shaft of moonlight swept across the room and Emily briefly felt as if she were back in Lancashire. She remembered how moonbeams would cut across her bedroom floor on clear nights, and she briefly longed for the chance to go back.
Dylan glided in and out of Emily’s body, taking the time to find out what she really enjoyed. He had wanted to be with someone who appreciated him for so long now that the sensations he felt with Emily were almost too much to bear. He wanted to get to know every nook and cranny of her delicate, elongated body.
“How does that feel, baby?” Dylan whispered in Emily’s ear and continued to glide in and out of her wet, warm hole. Emily was in a state of ecstasy, and she ran her fingers across Dylan’s back as he continued to thrust in and out of her with rhythmic bursts. It wasn’t until almost an hour later that the two erupted in a shared crescendo, and then collapsed into each other’s arms under the grace of the moonlight.
When morning rolled around, Emily realized that they had never even spoken about the secret meeting that took place in the dining room the day before. She wanted to find out what was going on, but she also didn’t want to inflict unnecessary tension onto their gently budding relationship. Emily rolled out of bed to make coffee around seven a.m. Dylan joined her downstairs shortly after.
“Good morning, Emily. Last night was incredible.” Dylan gave her a kiss on the cheek and then sat down at the table while Emily poured them both steaming mugs of coffee. “I hope you feel the same.” He grinned and then took a sip of his drink. Emily sat down and twirled one of her long tresses around her finger.
“I had an amazing night, Dylan. I really did.” She knew that she had to say something or it would eat her up inside all day. “But, we never got around to talking about your business meeting, and…” Emily’s voice faltered. “…and I think we need to get a few truths out on the table.” Emily nodded her head, hopeful that Dylan would be accommodating to her request.
“I’ll tell you all about it as soon as the girls are out and about, okay?” Dylan reached across the table and gave Emily a kiss on the cheek. But the conversation never happened. Eisley and Anna went back to school on Monday, and Emily spent the first three days of the week scrubbing the floors, changing the bed sheets, grooming the dogs, and preparing meals. By the time Wednesday rolled along, Emily was more tired than ever.
“I just wanted to tell you that you’re doing an excellent job around here.” Dylan poked his head into the bathroom Wednesday night while Emily was in the tub. However this time she didn’t smile. In fact, she didn’t even look up when he called her name. Dylan inched closer to her face and then squatted down to eye level. “What’s wrong, Emily? I can tell that you aren’t happy.” He frowned and then waited for her response. Emily just sighed.
“Dylan. We agreed to talk about your business meeting. That was three days ago. Since then, you either have excuses as to why it isn’t a good time, or you just blow off my questions, completely. I don’t think I can be in a relationship, not even a marriage of convenience, with someone who can’t respect my need to communicate.” Emily felt relieved to have finally spoken her mind.
Dylan stood silently for a few minutes, and then threw his arms up in the air. “I’m sorry, Emily. I really am. It’s just been a hectic week for me, and I wanted to make sure that what I talked about with Felix and Ray was set in stone, you know?” Dylan looked at Emily with a hopeless expression in his eyes.
Emily understood that it might be hard to discuss touchy matters with a woman that he’d just met, but she recognized that part of her own livelihood was connected to the outcome, and that there needed to be clear expectations about how they would proceed with this together. “I get what you are saying, Dylan, but you need to understand that when I responded to your ad, I thought that I was putting myself in contact with an established business man, with a man of stature and probably of power.”
Emily shook her head. She didn’t want to come right out and tell him that she was sorely disappointed because that would only be partially true. She liked Dylan. She was attracted to him. Even if he wasn’t rich, it probably wouldn’t change her opinion of him, anyway. Yet she still felt entitled to better answers than the ones he was giving.
“I am a man of power.” Dylan stood up straighter than usual. He gave Emily a confident stare and then suddenly looked down at the floor. “I mean…” He sighed and then looked away. The dogs barked outside and Emily could hear the screen rattling inside the frame of the door’s window. He shook his head and then sat down at the kitchen table. “Sit down, Emily.” He looked at her with hesitation, and she slowly sat down in the seat.
“I can tell that there is a lot going on here, Dylan. I am not a dummy. It’s obvious that your life isn’t exactly smooth sailing. But…” Emily paused and then reached out for his hand. “But, I’m your wife now, and even if I’m only a wife of convenience, like your ad stated, I’m still your wife, so I still need to support you. But for me to support you, I need to be informed. Does that make sense?” Emily felt pained inside because she knew that this conversation was going to be difficult for him.
Dylan nodded his head. “It all makes sense, Emily. It’s just that…I don’t really know where to start. There are so many layers at work here, and all I wanted was to find someone who could help me get back on my feet, who could step in as my better half and turn things around.” Dylan nodded his head in affirmation. “And Emily- so far, you’ve done just that, and then some.” His eyes lit up and he forced out a smile. “I feel blessed to have met you. Really.”
He couldn’t believe what he was saying. After all, he had just met Emily. Who was he to assume that he would really go on to develop stronger feelings for her? What if he changed his mind? Worse yet- what if Emily changed her mind? He knew from the past
that relationships were unpredictable, and that anything could change overnight. But he wanted to forge ahead with a newfound trust in the world, and in their blossoming relationship.
Emily was quiet for a minute and then she smiled. “You know, I have an idea.” She flicked a long tress of hair over her shoulder and then got up from her chair. “Why don’t we play a little game tonight? For every question that you answer completely, I’ll let you have one part of my body all to yourself.” Emily knew it sounded kind of silly, but she figured that maybe by enticing him and making the heavy matters feel less dominating, she could start to understand more of what was happening at 3532 Running River Road.
Dylan smiled and then nodded his head. “Okay.” He gave Emily a mischievous grin and then leaned in across the table. “I’m ready to play your game.” He reached for her hand and then kissed her on the cheek, feeling as ready as ever to lay it all on the line.
Chapter 9
Emily went into her room and pulled out her suitcase. Her unfinished letter to Leila sat folded in the pocket. She took it out and unfolded it, then sat down on her bed. She thought about all that had happened in the short time that she had been in Texas. She tried to think about what to say to Leila, but she couldn’t find the words to write. Feeling somewhat homesick and confused, Emily folded the letter back up for the third time and placed it back inside the pocket in her suitcase.
“Miss Emily, we’re ready for our book now!” Anna called out to Emily from her room at the end of the hall. Emily smiled and then got up, happy to feel like she was wanted. She walked down the hall and then into Anna’s room which was decorated in pink and purple.
“What book will it be tonight?” Emily scooted next to Anna and Eisley climbed in next to her. The three buried themselves under the covers and Emily waited while they tried to come to an agreement on a book. When Eisley finally decided that they read a book of fairytales, Emily dove in with enthusiasm. Some of the places in the tales reminded her of home, with their mystical stone walls and their vast, enchanted forests. She thought again about Leila, and wondered what she was doing.
“Good night, girls.” When Emily had finished reading them their stories, she tucked them in and kissed them both on the forehead. Then she flicked off the lights and tiptoed down the hall. Dylan was up reading a book when she peeked in. “They’re already asleep.” She grinned and then walked inside his room, quietly locking the door behind her.
Dylan patted the bed in a gesture for her to come forward. She climbed atop the king sized mattress and then gave Dylan a kiss on the cheek. “It’s game time.” She winked and then smiled. There was something about Dylan that she was deeply attracted to, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Aside from his outward appearance, he had a quality of lightness to him that made her feel at ease.
“Okay. Fire away.” Dylan sat up and then looked at Emily as she got ready to ask her first question.
“My first question is about Felix Rose. I found a bunch of bills from him inside the kitchen cabinet the other day.” Emily felt much better telling him the truth than she did keeping it inside. “I only found them because they fell on my head when I opened the cabinet looking for trash bags. I swear.” Emily still felt very much like a guest in his home, and she didn’t want him to think that she was snooping around.
Dylan nodded his head and then playfully kissed Emily on the head. “So I guess your question is: Who is Felix Rose and what does he want from me?” Dylan chuckled and then stretched out on the bed. Emily could see the bulge in his biceps from underneath his t-shirt, and she could make out the notches in his stomach where his muscles announced themselves.
“Yes.” Emily nodded her head with an emphatic yes and Dylan drew in a deep breath.
“Felix Rose is the man who I signed a lease with, back when I was first married to Ginger. He used to collect the rent from me, but we worked out an arrangement where I was going to lease to own. The long story short is that I had fallen behind on my regular rent right around the time that the girls came here to live. It was no time to be out of a home, but my work as executive at the bank downtown was going really slow. I eventually got laid off, and was collecting unemployment with the hopes of being promoted to manager when they called me back.” Dylan looked straight ahead as he spoke and Emily watched on in silence.
“So let me guess.” Emily moved a little closer and ran a hand across his stomach. “The bank never called you back.” She could tell where the story was leading. Dylan nodded his head.
“Bingo. The bank never called me back, and I therefore never got promoted. So, time goes on and I get deeper into the hole with my bills and with my rent. Felix Rose and I have a nice chat and work out a deal where my payments each month will be lowered, with the expectation that I pay off the house in five years, and make myself the owner. As you can tell from the other day’s meeting- that never happened.” Dylan shook his head and then leaned closer to Emily. “I think that since I just told you half my life story I get to have the body part that I desire. That was the name of the game, right?” He smiled and Emily gazed into his blue eyes, once more unable to resist.
She closed her eyes and they met for a kiss. “What body part do you want?” Emily continued to kiss him as she asked.
“Well first I want to start with that nice flat belly of yours. Let me have at it.” He dove down and nuzzled his face against Emily’s stomach and she giggled with enjoyment. Then he took his hands and ran them across her thighs, squeezing them with his hands as he made his way down. “I love every part of your body, Emily.” Dylan smiled and then kissed her on the top of her knees.
“I think we both could use a little stress relief tonight.” Emily smiled and then arched her back on the bed, revealing her taut firm breasts. Dylan moved up and then caressed them in his hands. He loved how her body was proportioned and how her slender frame still carried enough curves to keep him satisfied.
“Let me feel you inside me again.” Dylan wanted to know her better, especially since she was now his wife. To him, the legality was of less importance than the insinuation. He wanted to know that he could trust her, that he could rely on her when he needed someone. He wanted her to be his other half.
“I’m ready for you.” Emily pulled him close, yearning for his touch. He pressed his body against hers and then positioned himself so that he could get as near to her as possible. He felt around for her sacred walls and then, with a subtle yet prominent movement, thrust himself deep inside her. Emily let out a moan that echoed against the walls of Dylan’s room. Again, he thrust himself inside her, and she responded with the ecstatic cries of desire.
“I want to feel all of you, Emily.” Dylan whispered in her ear and she cried out with pleasure. It was like she had been transported to another time and space, and she couldn’t quite tell if what was happening were real. In fact, at one point she actually pinched herself to see that life was truly in the real.
Dylan and Emily moved in unison, both of them falling into a sort of lover’s rhythm that usually only comes after years of being with the same partner. Emily, although she couldn’t quite believe it yet, felt as if she might actually be falling in love with Dylan McBride. She ran her hands over his back and drew him even closer to her than before. He pleasured her until she finally let out a resounding cry, reaching her climax just as the stars poked their way through the cloudy sky.
When the sun rose the next morning, both Dylan and Emily bounded out of bed with the youthful energy of children. They made their way downstairs after getting dressed, and then they each found their places in the kitchen. Dylan made the coffee and Emily prepared breakfast for the girls. Dylan set up the sink for dishes, and Emily washed them when they were all done eating. To Dylan and to Emily, it already felt as if they were one big happy family, until Ginger came knocking at the door.
“One second.” Dylan and Emily had just wiped the last crumb off the counter and sent the girls off to school when there was a loud knock at
the door. Emily walked behind Dylan to see who it was, and Dylan opened it, expecting to see the mailman or possible a debt collector. Instead, it was a tall, thin, attractive woman with auburn hair and seductive green eyes.
“Ginger?” Dylan looked as if he’d just seen a ghost. The woman batted her lashes at him and then smoothed her hair which hung in long, thick waves beyond her shoulders. Dylan froze in his tracks.
“How are you, Dylan. It’s been awhile.” Ginger smiled and then tried to see beyond Dylan’s shoulders to where Emily was standing. “Do you have a few minutes?” She smiled and Emily could see that she had perfect teeth. In fact, she looked to Emily a bit like a movie star that she’d seen once on television.
“Well, I’m kind of in the middle of something, but…” Dylan’s face reddened as Emily inched closer to the door. Ginger smiled and then stepped inside the house after Dylan stopped talking.
“I came by to tell you that I’m sorry.” Ginger cut to the chase and Emily nearly buckled at the knees. How could this be happening? Why? Emily felt stunned, like the wind had just been knocked out of her sails. She walked out of the living room and then ran up the steps into her room. She flung herself on the bed, pounded the sheets with her fist, and then cried.
“I cannot believe this.” Emily talked to herself as she stood in the bedroom. “His ex-wife? Coming to apologize? What if they get back together? That woman is gorgeous.” Emily shook her head, unable to decide if she should cry or scream. After a few minutes of deliberation, she decided to go back downstairs and at least make her presence known. Ginger was now sitting on the couch and Dylan was sitting in a chair across from her.
“Emily, why don’t you come sit down?” Dylan acknowledged her as soon as she stepped into the room. It took all of her class and character to force out a polite smile.
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