by Kaylee, Katy
He stared into my eyes as if he was seeking the truth of my promise. I hoped to hell he saw my sincerity. That he saw my guilt and shame and above all, my absolute love for him.
When his lips covered mine, relief washed through me, and this time, my tears were of joy. I clung to his shirt, wanting to make sure he never got away. I parted my lips, inviting him in, wanting him to have every part of me.
When he broke the kiss, he held me as I wept in his arms.
“I’m so sorry and ashamed, Rafe.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I’ll let you make it up to me.”
I pulled back to look up into his eyes. “Every day. Every day I’ll make it up to you.” I pressed my palms to his cheeks. “I love you. And I want to make sure that you know love and feel love and know how wonderful and perfect you are.”
“I don’t know about perfect.” He quirked a brow in amusement.
“You are. The day my hormones went alive at fourteen, you became perfect in my eyes. I’ve loved you since then. Only you.”
He studied me. “So…after that summer, you never—”
I shook my head. “You’re the only man who has ever touched me.” I wanted to tell him that I hoped he’d be the only man who would ever touch me for the rest of my life, but I didn’t want to push my luck.
26
Rafe
Five hours ago, I woke up with a start, dreaming that my grandmother was standing over me with one hand on her hip, the other wagging a finger at me saying, “What are you doing laying around in bed when you should be with that little girl of yours?”
I’d decided the night before that I had to return to Hope and be a father to Emma. I just couldn’t get the words of Joe out of my head about how his kids represented something good. When I thought of Emma, I felt the same. How had I created something so beautiful? Of course, Summer had a hand in that. In fact, I suppose she could take credit for most of it seeing as she’d done all the work. A part of me wanted to give her kudos for it, and yet another part of me, the bitter part, resented that she’d kept me from doing my bit. Each time those feelings crept up, I’d listen to her voicemail and get all torn up inside. This morning, I knew what I needed to do with Emma, but I was still at a loss as to what I’d do about Summer.
There was no delaying now, so I showered, packed up and headed back down toward Hope. As I passed the exit for the animal shelter, it occurred to me that my little girl needed a dog, so I stopped in. Thankfully, Maisy was still there, and they’d approved my adoption paperwork already. They even had the list of organizations in Virginia that did service dog training that I’d asked about.
After a quick stop at a pet store, where Maisy and I loaded up on all the things she’d need, we continued toward home. As Maisy and I drove the highways and back roads to Hope, I was grappling with my feelings about Summer. Well, that wasn’t true. I knew how I felt. I loved her. But she hurt me and I wasn’t sure I could risk that again.
I even talked to Maisy about it, who was sitting quietly in the front seat watching the world pass by in the passenger window. I think she was sympathetic to my plight but she didn’t have any answers.
I first went to Summer’s house, and when no one was there, I decided I’d go home. I’d given Emma the house, so I had to consider that I’d need to find somewhere else to stay. But at least I could grab some more of my things and perhaps finish moving furniture around the place to make it work for her and Summer.
When I pulled in and saw Summer and Gavin’s cars, my heart jumped. They were here. I put Maisy’s leash on her and made my way to the back of the house.
As I came around the corner, I saw all of them by the river. I feeling of longing swept over me. I wanted to be a part of them, to belong to them.
When Emma saw me, her wide excited eyes, large sunny smile, and the way she charged up the hill toward me filled my heart with such joy, I could barely contain it. And then I saw Summer, and I knew I had to give it another go. Joe was right about that too. Holding onto a grudge was only going to hurt me. I had the opportunity to have it all. I’d be an idiot not to grab on to it, even though it scared the living fuck out of me to trust her.
But when I looked into her eyes, I saw guilt and shame and love, and I had to believe she wouldn’t hurt me again. Then I held her and kissed her, and it was like the world finally started righting itself again.
The man in me liked hearing no other man had ever touched her. If I played my cards right, no man ever would, but that was getting ahead of myself. So I just kissed her again.
“Can we tell her?”
Summer nodded. “I want her to know, Rafe.”
Then I remembered the paperwork, and a new wave of emotion swept through me. “You named her after my grandmother.”
“I did.” Summer ran her hand over my chest. “I wanted her to have a part of you.”
“Her middle name?”
She smiled, and it lit up my whole world. “Everyone thought it was an unusual name, but it had your name in it.”
“I’m sorry I pushed you away before and that I left without talking to you. I just couldn’t bear to say goodbye.”
“We’re here now, Rafe. I want to start new and do it all right this time.”
“Rafe!” Emma’s voice echoed to them.
“Hey, how was Maisy?”
“She did really good.” Emma walked to them with Maisy happily walking alongside her.
Gavin followed holding Lainey’s hand. “Everything alright here?”
I studied Gavin to gauge his feelings about all this. He’d been pissed, but coming around about me and Summer. When it came out I was Emma’s father, he was strongly on the side of my stepping up, and that meant not just for Emma, but Summer too.
“Sweetie, Rafe and I have something we need to tell you.” Summer held out her hand to Emma.
“Maybe we should go,” Lainey said.
“Actually, I could use some help moving things around inside to make room for Emma,” I told Gavin.
He nodded. “We’ll wait down by the river.”
I turned and saw Summer and Emma sitting on the deck steps, petting Maisy. They were mine. My family. Holy shit how did that happen? A week ago, the idea of it would have terrified me. I’d be lying if I’d said I didn’t have some fear around it now. But more than anything, it felt right.
I sat on the other side of Emma and felt like my whole world was about to change. What would Emma think? Would she want me as her father?
“Emma, remember when I told you about your daddy?”
“You said he was a brave soldier.”
Summer hadn’t told me about Emma, but she had tried to honor me and my family by telling Emma about us.
“Yes. Well, the thing is, Rafe is your daddy.”
Emma looked up at me, her brows knitted together as if she was trying to process what Summer had said. “He’s going to be my daddy?”
“No honey, he is your daddy.”
“My real daddy?”
“Yes.”
She turned to me again. I expected questions like, ‘Why didn’t you say something sooner?” or “Where have you been all this time?”
Instead, she asked, “Can I call you daddy?”
Jesus, my heart about came out of my chest. How was it possible to feel so much? “I’d like that a lot.”
Then she smiled, and damn if my heart didn’t explode right then.
“So you’ll be here too, with me and mommy?”
“Sweetie, we still—”
“Would you like that?” I asked Emma with a quick glance at Summer. We hadn’t discussed living together. An hour ago, I hadn’t been sure Summer and I would even be together “If we’re going to do this, we might as well go all in.”
Summer swallowed, and her hazel eyes filled with emotion. “If you want us.”
“I want you. I want you both.”
“And Maisy too?” Emma asked.
I pulled her in for a hug. “And Maisy
too.”
Gavin and Lainey rejoined us, and I began to discuss getting Emma’s room ready.
“You know, we could take Emma home and help her pack her stuff while you two get the room ready.” Lainey nodded toward Summer and me. I liked the idea of being alone with Summer, but some of the furniture was large enough I wasn’t sure she’d want to help move it.
“We can take Maisy too, and bring them both back tomorrow morning.”
I couldn’t deny, a night alone with Summer sounded good. Not just to reconnect emotionally, but seeing her in her swimsuit was doing all sort of things to my libido that was hard to hide. Summer looked at me, biting her lower lip and I wondered if she was thinking the same thing.
Gavin frowned, so I know he was thinking of all the things I might do to Summer alone in the house.
“It will give you two some time to reconnect.”
“They look reconnected enough to me,” Gavin growled.
Lainey ignored him. “What do you say, Emma, should we take you home so you can pack up your things and tomorrow you can move in?”
“Yay!” Emma jumped up and down. “Maisy can come with me?”
“Her food and other items she needs are in my car.”
Gavin scowled but didn’t say anymore and he got Maisy’s items and packed up my kid and my dog to take them to Summer’s old house.
Once they left, Summer and I stood in the kitchen. We were supposed to be setting up Emma’s room, but all I could think about now that we were alone was getting inside her.
“So.” She bit her lip again, and my dick swelled painfully in my jeans.
“So.”
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“I’m thinking we need to get naked, but I’m not sure where to start.”
One blonde brow lifted. “Start?”
“I figure, once Emma is here, our fucking time will be limited in place and time. But she’s not here now, so we’ve got every room and surface in the house to break in.”
Her smile would have lit up the night, then it turned flirty as she pushed down the straps of her swimsuit.
“Let’s start here. Take your clothes off, Rafe.”
Not one to argue, I stripped. My dick had never been so happy to be free of constraint. The flash of heat and desire in Summer’s eyes at the sight of him made him even happier.
She pushed me back until I hit one of the chairs at my dining table. “Sit.” She was taking control, and my cock liked that too.
I sat, my cock sticking straight up. She straddled my thighs, trapping my dick between her sweet pussy and my belly. Unable to wait any longer, I cupped her tits and brought them to my lips, sucking on one and then the other.
She let out a long sigh and gyrated against my dick. I continued to suck on her tits, but my hands slid down her sides. One rested on her hip while the other slid through her folds, testing her readiness. I couldn’t wait. The need to be inside her was as urgent as my need for oxygen. Like my life depended on it. Fortunately, she was wet and ready.
With both my hands on her hips, I lifted her and settled her over me. “I need you, Summer.”
“Yes,” she said with a gasp as she lowered onto me.
At that moment, the hole in my chest was finally filled and the world back on the right axis.
“Rafe.” Her arms wrapped around me and she buried her face in the crook of my neck.
I thought I felt tears. “You okay, baby?”
She lifted her head to look at me and I’d been right. She was crying. “I thought I’d ruined everything, but here you are.”
I smiled. “Here I am, Summer.” I pushed back her blonde curls from her face. She had hurt me, but as I reflected on all our time together, I knew I’d had a part to play in our pain. I’d left without a goodbye and told her not to contact me five years ago. Even in the last few weeks, I’d been home, my answer to difficulty had been to want to leave. I couldn’t do that anymore. She was trusting me to stay. Emma needed me to stay. “I won’t leave you again. I promise.”
“I love you, Rafe. I love you so much I don’t even have the words.”
“No words, then, baby.” I brought my hands back down to her hips. “Show me.”
She kissed me, hard, passionately, thrusting her tongue to dance with mine. And then she started to ride me, and holy fuck, to feel her tight, slick body massaging my cock was like heaven.
“Ah fuck…” I looked down between our bodies, watching as my cock disappeared into her wet heat. I remembered her telling me that my dick was the only one to ever pass through those pussy lips, and he grew even thicker and longer until I was filling her to the limit.
“Rafe…” she moaned. “Oh God…” Her pussy squeezed and pulsed around my dick. It was the sweetest, sexiest sensation.
“Look at me, Summer.”
She opened her eyes, her hazel gaze flickered with gold. I held her gaze as I helped her ride me, faster, deeper, more, more, more.
“Oh God, Rafe…I’m going to come.”
“I’m going to watch you, Summer. I’m gonna watch you come on my cock.”
She cried out, her head dropping back as her orgasm slammed into her. Her body gripped me, the friction of it making my head spin. I bit my lip to keep from going over. Not yet, I chanted in my head. Instead, I focused on watching as her pleasure washed through her. God damn, she was so beautiful. And she was mine.
She came down from the high, her head resting on my shoulder. Her body continued to pulse around my cock, which was begging for release. She began to rock, but I held her still for a moment, before pushing her off me.
Her brows knitted together, but she complied as I had her stand, turn around, and then lower back down over me. She was now sitting on my cock with her back to me. I kissed the back of her shoulder as I reached around and kneaded her tits.
“Rafe.” She covered my hands with hers, grabbing and massaging those wonderful melons. Her pelvis rocked, making my dick twitch and pulse with need.
“Fuck yeah, baby. I love your sweet pussy.”
She took one of my hands and lowered it over her belly and down between her legs.
“You want me to touch you there?” I rasped in her ear, nipping at the lobe with my teeth.
“Yes.” The word came out on a hiss.
I rubbed her hard clit, and her body responded by riding me. As I touched her, I could feel my cock each time it slid inside her. It was fucking hard. I needed to come, but I wasn’t ready for this to be over.
I gripped her hips, holding her still. “Hold on, baby.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No.” I kissed her shoulder again. “I want to be inside you forever.”
She leaned back, kissing my cheek. “I want that too, Rafe.”
My dick, however, was tired of waiting. “Fuck, Summer. I need to come.”
She rose off of me.
“I need to come baby.” Where was she going?”
She knelt in front of me, her tits on my knees and her mouth inches from my cock. “Make yourself come on me, Rafe. I want to watch you come. I want your cum on me, to taste it.”
Fucking hell. I could only do what she said.
I stroked my throbbing cock, focusing on the tip. I watched Summer, the way she kneaded her tits, and that sweet mouth of hers as it waited for me to feed her my cum.
I groaned as my need ratcheted up.
“Come on my tits, Rafe.”
“Aw fuck…I’m going to come.” My hand stroked faster. I closed my eyes, as I reached for ecstasy.
I felt her lips on my inner thigh, and my dick jumped.
“Ready, baby? I’m going to come…I’m coming on you, Summer…”
“Give it to me.”
A white light flashed behind my eyes as pleasure speared. My hips jerked up, and on the down stroke, the first spray of cum shot out. I opened my eyes watching as it landed on her lips and tits.
“Oh, fuck yeah!” I stroked again, and another glob
shot out, landing on her tits. She licked her lips and massaged my hot seed into her tits. And Jesus, if my balls didn’t tighten and another load blew out.
Eventually, she pushed my hand away, and then her mouth was on me, cleaning me up. I felt like I was in a porn movie and it was such a fucking turn on. But it wasn’t just sex. I loved this woman. I reached down, gripping her arms, I pulled her up into my lap again and wrapped my arms around her.
“If I live forever, I’ll still never get enough of you.”
She kissed me, and for the first time in a long time, maybe in forever, I felt like all was right in the world.
27
Summer
I don’t know what I did to deserve a second chance with Rafe, but I thanked God for it and vowed I wouldn’t screw it up this time. After we made love in the kitchen, we started to work on the house.
We’d planned to move the large bed in Rafe’s room into the master, leaving the dresser and desk for Emma. But, of course, we got distracted, and before we knew it, he was thrusting inside me, deep, hard, and oh so deliciously until I came twice in a row.
Eventually, we moved the bed into the master and relocated his grandmother’s double sized bed into his old childhood room.
“What do you think you’re going to want to bring from your place?” he asked me when we took a break. We sat on the couch having a cold drink.
“Me and Emma.”
He smiled wide, and it made my heart swell.
“You’re so handsome, Rafe. I can’t believe you’re mine.”
He appeared surprised by my comment. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
I felt the heat of blush in my cheeks. “I’m bigger—”
“I love your curves, Summer. They’re so irresistible that I took your virginity. Remember?” He stalked over to my side of the couch. “Remember how I licked your pussy for the first time?”
I don’t know why I was blushing, but I was. “Yes.”
“You liked it.”
I nodded. “I like sucking your dick too.”
His dark eyes flashed with heat. “I fucked you –” then he stopped. “I made love to you.”
