by Hope Ford
He doesn’t move. He simply stares at me under hooded eyes. It’s almost as if I can feel him touching me as his eyes move down and back up my body. My breasts feel full, there’s a pull in my lower belly, and I can feel the wetness pool at the juncture of my thighs.
He strides toward me and doesn’t stop until I feel his chest against my naked breasts. I heave at the contact, and my nipples harden almost painfully.
“You’re so beautiful, Katie.”
“I’m not...” I start, but he interrupts me.
“You are. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I don’t know what I did to deserve to have you like this, but I’m going to promise that you won’t regret it.” He barely gets the words out and he’s on me. I can feel him everywhere. His hands go down my shoulders, across my back, and he grabs on to my butt and pulls me toward him. The bulge in his jeans is big, and I lift my hips to try and get him closer. His tongue plunges into my mouth at the same time he picks me up. With my legs around his waist, I hold on to him and let him do whatever he wants to me. At least until, I want more.
I release my legs and slide down his body. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I lower to my knees in front of him, reaching for the zipper on his pants. I have them, along with his underwear, down his legs and off in an instant. He’s already hard, his thick shaft standing straight out, jutting between his legs. I lick the soft head, and he moans. I do it again, harder this time, and his hand wraps around my hair and he holds me to him. “Yes,” he moans.
I can’t stop the smile that forms on my lips as I open wide and take him in my mouth. His velvet length strokes across my tongue, and I take him deep, swallowing to try and take more. He pulls me off him, but as soon as his hold loosens, I dive right back on him. Up and down I take him. His cock hits the back of my throat, and I have to will myself not to gag, but I don’t stop. I want to please him and make him feel good.
He grunts above me, and I wrap my hand around the root of his girth. Using my hand and my mouth, I work him up and down. His hips are gyrating back and forth, and I can feel him expanding in my hand. He’s close.
I keep bobbing my head, wanting him to come, wanting to taste him, when suddenly he’s pulled me off him, and he has me on my back before I even realize what’s happening.
He kisses my breasts, my stomach, and down my thighs. I open my legs, shamelessly wanting his lips at my core. “Why’d you make me stop?” I ask him.
“Because it was too much. I wasn’t going to last, and I want this to last forever,” he says breathlessly. I almost think I misheard him. Forever... he doesn’t want forever, I tell myself.
I try to examine what he said, but soon I lose all train of thought. He’s devouring me. He has both hands on my thighs holding me open for him while his mouth and tongue work magic on my swollen clit. I writhe underneath him, and he takes one forearm and rests it on my stomach to hold me in place. He torments my swollen bundle of nerves until I can feel the orgasm building inside me. My whole body feels hot, and my heart is racing, but I don’t want him to stop. “Please, don’t stop,” I plead.
He mumbles something without taking his mouth off me, and that right there is what puts me over the edge. The orgasm wracks through my body, and a guttural groan leaves my lips. He puts one finger then another inside me and turns his hand so he’s stroking my G-spot. Another wave hits me, stronger and fiercer than anything I’ve ever felt before. I scream his name, and anyone else would probably stop, but not Trey. No, he’s greedy and he wants it all. He wants my full completion, and I don’t think he’ll stop until he gets it. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” I scream as he completely discredits everything I thought I knew about an orgasm. That wasn’t just an orgasm—that was earth-shattering.
He lets my legs fall to the bed, and my whole body is trembling. He kisses the marks on my belly and moves up my body until he’s on top of me. His lips touch mine, and the taste of the two of us together is torrid. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and hold him to me. He’s heavy, but his weight feels good.
10
Treyton
I pull back and search her eyes. My voice is thick and so deep, I barely recognize it myself. “I need to be inside you.”
She nods.
I lean over the bed, pick up my pants, and pull the condom from my wallet. Sitting back on my legs, I start to roll the condom down my length. “It’s been in there a while. I haven’t...”
She smirks and rolls her eyes. “You don’t have to lie to me. This is going to happen.”
I hold her chin with my finger and force her eyes on me. Jealousy fills her face, and I can’t help but feel a certain satisfaction from that. I feel the same possessive heat for her. “I’m not lying to you. I haven’t been with anyone in over a year.”
I hold her gaze. I don’t know why it’s important to me that she believes me on this, but it is. I haven’t wanted anyone in a long time, and I’ve never wanted anyone as badly as I want her. When her guarded eyes soften, I kiss her, pushing her back onto the bed. I line up and enter her in one quick thrust because I can’t wait any longer. I fill her honeyed depths, and she clutches on to me as I move in and out. Her eyes are large, and she looks at me in surprise as I move in and out of her. There’s a thousand ways I’ve already imagined taking her, but this right here is perfect. To see the look on her face as I claim her makes my heart beat erratically in my chest. “Can you come for me, Katie? Come one more time, baby. I want to feel you grind on me.”
“Mmmm,” she moans, lifting her hips and meeting me thrust for thrust.
I reach between us and stroke my thumb over her swollen clit. My thrusts become erratic as I move in and out of her. She’s close again, and thank fuck, because I won’t last much longer.
“Come, baby. Come for me,” I tell her, and we both go over the edge together. A bliss I’ve never known washes over me. I could live the rest of my life right here with Katie and I’d have everything I’d ever want. If only that was possible.
I’m barely off her, and I dispose of the condom and start to get dressed. My palms are sweaty, my heart is racing, and I feel like I’m going to pass out. I have to get out of here.
I am pulling on my shirt, and when my head pops through the hole, I see Katie staring at me with tears rolling down her face. She’s scooted up in the bed and has the sheet covering her, hiding her body, but it’s the sadness on her face that has me striding across the room.
I take a gargled breath and squat next to the bed. “Katie, baby...”
She holds her hands up. “No, it’s fine. I know you don’t want more, I guess I just... I don’t know, I didn’t think you’d jump out of bed and leave... It’s like you’re racing to get away from me.”
My head hangs between my shoulders, with my forehead pressed to the bed. I can’t look at her. I hurt her, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. Man, I’ve fucked this up.
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
The room is quiet. So quiet I can hear my heart beating in my chest.
“What is it?” she asks.
“I can’t have children.”
She scoots backwards on the bed, and her hand touches my shoulder. I tense up automatically, and I have to force myself to soften under her touch. I’ve never told this to anyone. Not even Aiden knows, and he’s my best friend. “In college, I was hurt in a game. I had to have surgery, and well, I can’t have kids.” It seems now that I started I can’t stop. “I was pitching in the last game of my senior year. I took a ninety mile per hour fast ball in the nuts. Even the cup I was wearing couldn’t protect me completely. The doctor said there’s like a zero point one percent chance.”
My eyes are clenched tightly together, and I don’t know what I’m waiting for, but I’m holding my breath waiting for her to respond. I’m prepared for it... for her to kick me out, to push me away, to tell me it’s over. At least now she knows it’s not because I don’t want her.
The bed shakes as she moves. “Turn around, Trey.�
�
I blink as I open my eyes and turn around to sit on my butt with my back leaned up against the dresser. She’s still naked, and I’m surprised when she lowers herself to straddle my lap. She puts one hand on my chest and one on my chin. “Look at me.”
I do as she asks.
“Is that why you said you didn’t want children... because you can’t have them?”
I can’t lie to her... not again. “Yeah.”
“Do you still want me?”
I shake my head, not willing to get my hopes up. “Katie, I can’t...”
She covers my mouth with her hand. “Do. You. Still. Want. Me?”
Her eyes are wide, and she looks nervous waiting for me to answer. “Yeah, I want you.”
She lets out a breath. “Okay,” she murmurs before leaning in and laying her head on my chest.
My arms instantly go around her, and I rest my chin on the top of her head. “Katie, I can’t give you what you want.”
“I want you, Trey.”
“But that’s not enough... I’m not enough.”
She pulls back, and her eyes are spitting fire. “Don’t you dare say that, Treyton Cree. You’re the man that drove me to the hospital and stayed with me when my son was hurt. You’re the man that came over to fix my son’s treehouse when the railing broke. You’re the same one that came over every day for a week to entertain and dote on us.... you’re the same man that just made love to me like I was the most beautiful and precious woman you’ve ever known, so don’t tell me you’re not enough, Trey. You’re everything.”
She’s serious. Completely serious. I pull her by the neck and capture her lips in a kiss before I reluctantly pull away. “You deserve...”
“I want you, Treyton.”
There are so many things I should say to her. Like, I’m not enough. She deserves to be happy and have all the kids she wants. She’s probably going to regret this... there are so many things that are going through my head, but I can’t force myself to say them. I can’t resist her, and I’m going to keep her as long as I can. “You have me, Katie.”
11
Katie
It’s been a few weeks since he confessed his deep, dark secret with me, and even now I can feel he’s guarding himself. It’s like he thinks I’m going to change my mind or something, and there’s no way that is going to happen. All I can do is keep holding on and somehow convince him that he is what I want... the rest we can work out.
“What do you think?” Trey asks.
I hold the mirror in my hand and hold it down at my belly. Treyton tattooed the most beautiful roses I’ve ever seen. Not only did they cover up my deep stretch marks, but they are absolutely beautiful to look at now.
“I love it,” I tell him. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I love him too, but I don’t. He kisses me then, a quick peck that gives me promise for what will come later. He wraps up my tattoo and starts cleaning up but not before he pulls me in for a tight hug and a kiss. It’s been like this the last few weeks. We’re inseparable, and we can’t seem to keep our hands off each other. Except when Lane is with us, then Trey is the perfect gentleman. But it’s obvious that Lane is attached to him too.
A loud cry comes from the front, and my eyes get big at the sound of a baby crying. It’s definitely a unique and startling sound in the tattoo shop.
With question in my eyes, I look at Trey.
He smiles. “It’s AJ. I guess he’s been colicky or something. Gracie’s going crazy.”
I’m dying to go see the baby, and since I do have some experience, I may be able to help her or at least give her a break. I’m already fixing my clothes when I tell him, “I’m going to go check on them, okay?”
“Sure thing, honey. We have another hour before we have to pick up Lane. I’ll finish up here and be right out.”
He barely gets the words out and I’m walking toward the front, following the sounds of the unhappy baby. I spot Emily first, and it’s obvious she’s freaking out by the way she’s staring at the bawling baby. She’s definitely not in her element with babies.
“Hey,” I say when I see Gracie staring worriedly at Aiden, who is pacing with an unhappy AJ in his arms.
“Oh, hey, Katie. I didn’t know you were here.”
I walk over and give her a hug. We’ve gotten to know each other quite a bit since I’ve been seeing Trey. I can see how exhausted she and Aiden both are.
“Can I try?” I ask Aiden as I let go of Gracie. He looks over my shoulder, and I assume Gracie tells him yes because he’s handing over little AJ a second later. The crying continues, but I lift him high on my shoulder and start patting his back in a rhythmic pattern. Over and over, I sway back and forth, never stopping my patting. In the middle of the crying, AJ burps really loudly and then lays his head on my shoulder and starts to coo. I still don’t stop, though. I just keep swaying and keep patting, wondering if he’s got another one in there or not.
Gracie stops in front of me, her eyes wide, and she silently starts clapping. In a loud whisper, she says, “You did it.”
I smile as Aiden wraps his arms around Gracie, and they both look at AJ with so much love all I can do is smile at the two of them.
It’s only then that I see Trey standing in the doorway watching me with a weird look on his face.
Aiden turns. “Your woman is a miracle worker. I’m about to hire her out, so don’t be surprised if we call her in the middle of the night to come save us.”
Gracie nods her head. “Katie, you’re a natural at this. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
I shrug my shoulders. “I’m a nurse, Gracie.”
“Yeah, you’re a nurse, but you’re also a natural mother. You knew exactly what he needed.”
I watch as Trey’s face tightens even more.
“It’s just from years of practice. Lane would get like that. It’s nothing, Gracie. You’ll learn.” I turn to Trey. “You ready to go?”
He nods, and I wave bye to Emily, who’s working on the computer and to Gracie and Aiden. They look surprised by Trey’s fast departure, but they don’t say anything. I almost have to run to catch up to him. He doesn’t go to open my door like he usually does, so when we each get to the side of the truck he says, “You should have more kids, Katie.”
I stop, but he keeps going and climbs up in the driver’s side.
I get into the truck. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Trey.” We haven’t talked about a future, and I don’t want to scare him off by spouting all kinds of alternatives to having children. Heck, most men would run if I did that after only knowing me for a month.
He turns the truck on and pulls out of the parking lot. “I don’t want to say it, but one of us should. We need to end this now. You’ll never have everything you want if you stay with me.”
“You haven’t even talked about our future. I’m not even sure how you feel about me. You keep it all bottled up and never talk about it, so I don’t know what to say.”
His knuckles are white from gripping the steering wheel. “This is over, Katie. I can’t do this anymore.”
I brush at the tears forming in my eyes. Over and over in my head I tell myself, Don’t cry, Katie. Don’t cry. But no matter what convincing I try, it doesn’t work, and my vision blurs.
I silently sob the whole way home. I want to beg and plead, I want to throw things and cuss, but when it all comes down to it, I don’t. When he pulls into my driveway, I get out of the truck and look at him. He’s not looking at me, but at least he’s not driving off.
In my steadiest voice, I tell him, “If you cared about what I wanted you wouldn’t do this, and since you’re not going to ask me what I want, I’m going to tell you. I want you to tell me you love me. I want you to be with me and know that you are exactly what I need. You love me, even though you haven’t said it, you love me like I’ve never been loved before. If it was just you, me, and Lane for the rest of our lives, I would be happy. If you wanted to have more kids, I w
ould love our adopted child as if he or she was our own. That’s all I want, Trey. A family to belong to... a family with you.”
I slam the door and take off running into the house. I lean back against the closed front door and hold my breath, hoping that he will follow me. Seconds later, I hear him pull out of the driveway, and my heart completely shatters into pieces.
Treyton
I’m doing the right thing. I’m doing the right thing. I keep saying it, hoping that I’m going to start believing it. Katie deserves to be happy. She deserves way more than I can give her, and knowing that is the only thing that stops me from turning around and begging her to take me back.
I hurt Katie. Lane is going to be upset when I don’t come to pick him up. I’m hurting both of them, but in the long run, it’s for the best. They’ll see it soon enough. They don’t need me. They need someone that can make their dreams come true, and obviously I can’t be that guy.
I saw her with AJ, and Gracie was right. Katie is a natural. She deserves to have more children if that’s what she wants, and I’d give anything to be a part of it, but that’s not in the cards for me. And who knows, she says it’s fine now, but one day she’ll regret it and then where will we be? I don’t want to let her go now... I can’t imagine doing it later.
12
Katie
He’s a stupid man. I say it in my head and even though I know he’s not really stupid, I still feel better.
Gracie called me this morning and begged me to come talk to Treyton. I guess he’s having a hard time. I harumph and roll my eyes. He’s having a hard time? Good. He deserves it. He threw our relationship out the door without a second glance. I hope he is having a hard time.
“You look like shit,” Jamie says as she walks into the break room.
I close the lid on my uneaten yogurt because just looking at it makes me sick. “Thanks,” I mutter.
