It's Only Pretend: A Single Dad Boxset

by Piper Sullivan

  A burden? “Are you serious?” My words came out fierce, but I gently cradled one side of her face. “It was a shock, not burden Harper. Never a burden.”

  “No?” Her words were directed at me but her gaze seemed riveted on my mouth and that sent a shock of arousal through me, ending at my cock, throbbing beneath my zipper.

  “No.” She licked her lips and I bit back a groan, leaned her face into my hand.

  “Rafa,” she whispered and pressed her lips to the center of my hand. Harper stood and my hand fell away, her gaze bore into mine as she climbed on my lap, forcing me to sit back against the sofa. “One more time Rafa. Before you say whatever you have to say, let’s have one last time. Now.”

  I should have told her no. That what we had to talk about was far more important than the goodbye screw she obviously had been thinking of, but I couldn’t. I wanted her, ached for her touch. And I knew that this wouldn’t be one last time, just one more time in our history. My hands held her hips that already slid back and forth against my hard length. “You sure you don’t want to talk first?”

  She shook her head, blonde curls falling wildly around her shoulders, and pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders. “No more talking. I just want you. I want to feel you inside me again.”

  After those words I didn’t stand a chance of refusing her anything. Pushing the dress down to reveal those big, gorgeous breasts, the raspberry tips pebbled and hard. Succulent. Her arched back offered them up and I pulled one into my mouth, feeling a sense of masculine pride at the gasps and moaned coming from her. I sucked and teased and nibbled back and forth, one breast to the next, loving the sounds she made deep in her throat.

  “Rafa,” she moaned, hands moving from my hair down to my chest as nimble fingers opened the buttons on my shirt.

  “Tell me what you want Harper.” Anything she wanted, I would give it to her.

  “You. All of you.”

  Music to my ears. I smiled against the heavy breasts, pinching one nipple while I teased the other. “Up,” I told her, growing harder than ever when she quickly obeyed and shimmied out of her dress. The thin scrap of pink thong she wore falling to the floor.

  “I’ll help,” she said and reached for my belt, freeing my erection and wrapping her delicate hands around it in no time. “So smooth, yet so hard,” she whispered breathlessly.

  “Harper,” I groaned when she dropped to her knees before me, yanking down my pants and boxers and taking me in hand again.

  “I want to taste you,” she told me, leaning in to swipe her tongue along the moist tip. She paid no attention to my resistance, at first licking gently around the head and up the slit of my cockhead. “Mmm, salty,” she moaned and looked up at me as my cock disappeared down her throat.

  “Harper.” Her name was all I could say as she sucked me in, opened her throat until I hit the back. My hips began a slow steady thrust and she didn’t seem to mind. Then her tongue snaked out against my balls and I ripped myself from her mouth. “Enough. I need to bury myself in you now.”

  “Yes, please.” She leaned back on her elbows, legs splayed open so I could how wet and swollen she was for me. How wet she’d gotten pleasuring me. Two fingers slid through her moisture, the sound of slick fingers making me grow even harder.

  She giggled when my cock twitched and my control snapped. My body covered hers across the plush carpet and I smashed my mouth against hers, slowly nudging my way inside her tight wet heat. She pulsed around me, sucked me in deeper until I saw stars and froze.

  Legs wrapped around my waist at the ankles, she lifted her hips to urge me on but I needed to savor the moment. Being one with her as she fought her own passion. “Please.”

  She let out a whimper when I pulled out, getting perverse pleasure from the sound before thrusting deep. Again and again I pumped her pussy, kissing her neck her breasts while she nipped and nibbled where she could. I felt the pressure building within us both, her walls closing in around me and my spine tingling in a way I knew well.

  “More Rafa.”

  Smiling down into those violet eyes that looked near black, I palmed her breasts, squeezing so hard she let out a long, low growl. “You have amazing tits,” I told her, releasing a groan when she pulsed around me.

  “I think you’re pretty amazing.”

  The way she smiled up at me as though she still loved me, stole the last bit of control I possessed. Using those big, pillowy breasts as an anchor I squeezed and pounded into her. Hard. Long, quick strokes drilled into her as her juices flooded around my cock, easing the friction until I could only think of, could only see our pleasure.

  “Rafa,” she warned but she didn’t need to because I felt the spasms increase in intensity and speed. And then she screamed my name as her body shook all around me, beneath me. “Oh, Rafa, yes.”

  Over and over she moaned, my hips moved hard and fast into her and then my own orgasm ripped through me, my pleasure flooding her body. And then I collapsed on top of her. “Harper that was…,” I was at a loss for words.

  “Earth shattering?”

  “I was going to say incredible but I like your word choice better.” Her laughter shook both of our bodies, squeezing around me harder and tighter, my sensitive nerve endings on fire.

  “Oh, oh my,” she said as another small climax ran through her, a look of wonder crossing her face. “Wow.”

  I switched our positions, slipping from her body as I pulled her into my embrace. Cradling her smiling face, I kissed her, slow and sensual, pulling back before we got distracted again. “Now Harper, we need to talk.”

  She groaned but her face still twisted into a grin. “Fine.” She rolled over, putting distance between us but I stopped that.

  “It took me a long time to realize that what I felt for you was more than platonic, more than boss-employee. I wanted you in my bed well before I got you there.”

  “Really? I never knew.”

  I kissed her forehead and nodded. “I did a pretty good job of keeping it quiet because Sophia loved you so much, I didn’t want to run you off.”

  “And then we started sleeping together?”

  “And I knew it would be more than sex. That it had never been just sex between us.” Violet eyes searched my face, clearly wondering where this conversation was going. “When you told me you loved me, it was overwhelming and I had to be sure you weren’t just taken by passion.”

  “I was,” she admitted, “but I’ve been in love with you for a long time Rafa.”

  “You never said.”

  “I didn’t think you returned the feelings.”

  “I didn’t either. Then I accused you of lying about that love and lost you. I felt horrible, not just for hurting your feelings but physically awful because you were gone. I missed you. I missed hearing your voice, your lavender scented hair. The feel of your body pressed against mine.” She pressed a kiss to my heart and I sighed. “What I’m trying to say Harper is that I love you too.”

  “You do?”

  I nodded at her hopeful, yet contained grin. “More than that, actually. Harper I am so deeply in love with you and I meant it when I said I wanted to spend as long as it takes to make it up to you.”

  She pressed a gentle kiss to my lips, so full of love and lust I could hardly stand it. “You don’t need to.”

  “I do, but more than that I want to. I don’t want a day to pass where you wonder how much I love you.” I reached for my pants and the velvet bag inside, reaching for it and pulling out the ring. “I really am going to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you,” I held the ring up so she could see it. “If you’ll have me?”

  “If I’ll…,” she jumped on top of me and we fell over as she dotted my face and neck with kisses. “You want to marry me? Seriously?”

  I laughed and reached for the ring she knocked from my hand in her exuberance. “I think that’s exactly what this ring means. Harper Ellison, will you do me the tremendous honor of becoming my wife?”
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  “Oh Rafa, of course I will. I love you with all my heart!” She held her hand out so I could slide the diamond and sapphire ring onto her finger. “It’s gorgeous,” she spoke softly and wiped away a few stray tears.

  “You’re gorgeous,” I replied, unable to stifle a groan at the way she moved on top of my growing erection.

  “I guess there’s just one thing left to do.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Celebratory sex,” she laughed and connected our bodies, slowly sinking down until I was buried so deep inside her I couldn’t hold back the moan that came from low in my belly.

  “I do love the way you think Harper.”

  “And I love you, Prince Cavallero.”

  I held her face with a loving smile and thrust my hips up into her. “How do you feel about being a princess?”

  A knowing grin spread and she bit down on her lip as I hit the spot that made her shiver. “I’ve always wanted to have sex while wearing a tiara.”

  I laughed and flipped our positions, pressing deep into her and kissing her neck. “We can fix that tomorrow. For now, just let me love you.”

  “As long as I get to love you back.”

  “Forever?”

  She grinned and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Till death do we part.”

  Epilogue

  Harper

  One year later

  It’s hard to believe a year has passed since Rafa and I declared our love for one another and got engaged. Then again, a lot of unbelievable things have happened in the past year that I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams.

  After the newest Hollywood “it girl” spent an afternoon in Marcia Sheehan’s boutique, she bought a ruby and onyx tier necklace with matching earring and bracelet made by yours truly. But the best part of all…she wore it to a major awards show, and I spent the rest of awards season fielding calls from celebrity stylists and personal shoppers eager to get their hands on my creations. From there on, my business exploded and became more successful than I ever could have dreamed.

  Now Harper’s Grande Designs is one of the most sought after jewelry designs in the country. Maybe the world if the piece I’m currently creating for a soon to be Queen of one of the world’s oldest monarchies is the success I think it will be. And I couldn’t have done any of it without the love and support of my family.

  In their own way, they have all given me just what I needed to make my dreams come true. Sophia is the breath of fresh air I need when my rich clients are too demanding. Edie is the constant voice of reason and tough love when I doubt myself. And Rafa is, well he’s every damn thing and more. He’s my port in the storm, my strength when I’m weak and my light when the world seems too dark. And he’s my partner and best friend.

  “Mama look at me! Aren’t I pretty?” Sophia’s giddy question pulled me from my thoughts.

  Hearing her call me Mama hits me in the heart every single time. Six months ago she’d come to me before bed and asked if calling me “mama” meant she would forget her first mother. With tears in my eyes I promised her I would make sure she never forgot Angelica and I’ve kept it every day. “Yes sweetie you look beautiful.” She wore a deep turquoise satin dress that had at least twelve layers of tulle underneath, a crown of matching roses on a head of soft beach waves.

  “I need shoes,” she kicked out her bare feet with turquoise painted toes from the pedicure we had for our girls’ day with Edie.

  “And tights,” I told her, shaking my head at her groan of disapproval.

  “But,” she stuck her bottom lip out in an impressive pout. “I don’t like them. They itch.”

  “I know but you want to look pretty for Grandma’s big day, right?”

  Her head bobbed up and down, dislodging the flowers. “Mama-,” I was there to help before she could finish her sentence.

  “All better?” We stopped to get shoes and tights as we made our way to the downstairs suite where Edie waited.

  “Grandma you look like a princess!”

  I had to agree with Sophia. Dressed in an off-white silk dress with a lace overlay, she looked like a woman half her age. “She’s right, you look stunning.”

  Edie did a slow twirl with her hands on her lips to show off and laughed. “Well I am marrying a younger man so I have to remind him why he chose me.”

  “Yeah right, Charlie knows he’s a lucky son of a gun. Today you’ll show him just how lucky.” She asked me to be her maid of honor while Sophia served as a flower girl and Rafa would walk her down the aisle. It was a real family affair. “What do you need us to do?”

  “Nothing. I’m all dressed except those sexy but impractical shoes and I’m not touching those things until it’s time to walk down the aisle. But I will take something to drink,” she suggested gently.

  I disappeared from the room and returned moments later with the bucket of ice and champagne, plus three glasses. I grabbed a small bottle of sparkling juice so all the everyone could toast Edie’s marriage. “Okay let’s toast to love and marriage and eternal bliss.” I lifted my glass and Edie and Sophia followed suit. “To Edie and Charlie, may your days be filled with love, laughter and plenty of happy times. To happy ever afters.”

  “I’ll drink to that.”

  “Me too!” Sophia copied Edie, lifting her pinky in the air and sipped like a proper lady. “Bubbles,” she turned her nose up and giggled.

  Edie getting married again gave me hope that my marriage with Rafa would turn out alright. Not that I worried, but sharing a life with a normal guy was a lot of work. When that guy was a prince and soon to be king, the stress was amplified. So far things have been amazing between us and I have every hope that we will do whatever it takes to keep our relationship strong and our love perfect and sweet. “Let’s get you married, then.”

  The ceremony was short and sweet, emphasis on sweet. Edie shed a few tears during the vows and Charlie goosed her bottom during the official kiss, drawing a laugh from everyone in attendance including nearly all of the retirement community where she and Charlie now shared a three-bedroom apartment.

  “You look close to tears sweetheart, regretting making me wait?” Rafa snuck up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, dropping a kiss behind my ear that made me shiver.

  “Kind of. I can’t wait to marry you but I think it’s important that your parents are there and the people of Estamillo witness our vows.” He hadn’t liked my idea to get married in his homeland because the sweet man was far too impatient to wait. “It’s just a few more months, surely you can last that long?”

  He pouted, giving me the same sad hazel eyes Sophia did when she angled to get her way. “If I have to, I supposed.” He twirled me in his arms and kissed my neck, bringing memories of our morning in the shower to mind. “Or we could elope now and wait to have a big royal ceremony next year?”

  Actually, that did sound kind of nice. “But so much planning has already gone into the ceremony.” I didn’t want to offend my future in laws by scrapping the hard work Queen Louisa and her team had put in over the past six months in preparation for the wedding.

  Rafael shrugged and gifted me with one of those irresistible smiles that made my knees go mushy. “So they’ll push it back and you can tell her to make it bigger and better, just be prepared to have about twenty attendants.”

  “I don’t even know twenty people unless you include clients.” Marrying into a royal family was one thing, having a star-studded wedding party was quite another.

  “Harper I want to marry you and I don’t give a damn about the details.” He looked down into my cleavage and grinned. “Well I do care about wedding lingerie. A lot.”

  After posing for a few photos with the happy couple and Sophia, Rafael pulled me aside and held me close as we watched Sophia charm all the guests. “I’m just going to pretend that I didn’t see Charlie’s hand up Edie’s dress before they slipped inside the house.”

  I laughed. “I just hope they use an unoccupied room.”
Burying my head in his shoulder, in inhaled his masculine, beachy scent and grinned. “I love you so much, you know that?”

  “I do and I’m grateful for it every day.”

  The way those full lips parted and spread when he smiled was one of my favorite things about him. I stole a quick kiss, savoring the taste of his mouth and sucking his bottom lip into my mouth until he groaned. “I’ve been thinking about the wedding.”

  His smile dimmed at my tone and his grip tightened on my hips. “Okay,” he replied warily.

  “I think we should move the wedding up instead of back. We can do it next month when Edie and Charlie return from their honeymoon cruise.”

  “Not that I’m not thrilled as hell about your change of heart, your really sudden change of heart but…why?”

  “Not that sudden actually, I just enjoyed being in your arms and listening to you convince me.” His smile encouraged me and sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I want to look beautiful on our wedding day so when we look back at our wedding day I will remember looking and feeling worthy of your love.”

  “Harper you are more than worthy. It’s me who isn’t worthy. And you look beautiful every day.”

  We both knew that wasn’t true. “Well, how about the fact that I don’t want the first photos of our child to be on my wedding day?”

  He froze, hazel eyes confused and out of focus and I could tell he replayed the last part of that conversation in his head. “Our baby?”

  I nodded, holding back a smile.

  “Not Sophia, but a new baby?”

  “Yes Rafa.”

  Slowly his lips parted and spread, a giddy look crossing his face. “We’re having a baby?”

  “We are having a baby,” I told him, tears streaming down my face at the excitement I witnessed in his eyes. “In about seven months, give or take a few weeks.” It didn’t come as a surprise since neither of us had been particularly careful when it came to contraception, still the news had left me feeling a bit shell-shocked.

  Rafa kissed me senseless then stepped back with a wide smile. “I’ll call Mother and let her know the wedding will take place in six weeks. Have the caterers bring out more champagne. And cigars. We’re having a baby!”