by Roxie Ray
“What’s that noise about?”
She jerked her gaze toward me. “Isn’t it funny how people enter our lives when we least expect it?”
I gave her a confused look. I didn’t know if I was supposed to understand what that meant.
She smiled and patted my arm again. “Tell Porter to stick around. You’re going to need him, and I have a feeling that he needs to be here as well.”
I didn't have the first clue how to approach the situation with Damon to Bri. It wasn’t like I could just pop up and say my clan’s witch told me Briana’s ex-husband was coming to try and take her kid. So instead, I called my newfound brother up the next afternoon to see if he had time to meet me. Porter readily agreed to come over to my place for lunch.
When he arrived, I told him everything I knew about Damon, then what Sammy had told me.
Porter nodded. “I had this funny feeling there was more reason for me to be there than to just meet you, but I couldn’t explain it. Meeting you was big enough, but I just knew there was something else. I’ll look into some things and ask around to see what we can do.”
“Thank you.” I meant my thanks from the bottom of my heart.
Porter and I exchanged a look before he spoke. “What are big brothers for?” Well, that explained that. He was older and my mother and I were the other family. Damn.
But at least Porter was sincere. Genuine. It was nice to feel I could trust him.
“So,” Porter said, drumming his fingers on the table. “A human?”
I shrugged. “Man, I don’t know. First it was Anthony. He met Skye and they were meant to be. Now me. I’m beginning to think someone is making this happen, but I can’t complain.”
We discussed the chances of two of us finding human mates and how likely it was that someone was influencing events, and when Porter left a while later, I was restless. The hiring I’d done meant I had less hands-on work to do at the bar and more admin, which was quick and easy.
I decided to call Bri. I’d been missing her and Hayden. I smiled as I pressed her name in my phone directory. My girls.
Bri answered on the second ring. “Hey,” she said softly. “How’s your day going?”
I hadn’t wanted to intrude. That’s why I called. But as soon as I heard her voice, I wished I’d gone over there.
“I was missing my girls,” I said with a smile on my face. I wanted to call them that all the time. “How are you?”
She sighed.
“What is it?” I was afraid I already knew thanks to Sammy. “I hope you’ll always feel comfortable telling me anything.”
“Why don’t you come over for dinner?”
My hope and excitement spiked. Going over to Briana’s for dinner hadn’t been an expected invitation but it was definitely a welcome one. “I’d love to.”
“Hayden was asking about you.” She chuckled. “I might like to see you, too.”
“I guess I missed you a little bit.” I couldn’t help but laugh with her. It had been more like being away from her was nearly torture.
“Seven?” Bri asked.
“See you then.” I hung up and jumped in the shower. I couldn’t wait for seven to get here.
Hayden was a ball of energy when I got there. We sat in the living room while she told me about a book she’d gotten from a friend for her birthday. “It’s all about pandas,” she said excitedly.
I listened intently as she shot off facts about pandas and asked me if I knew this and that. And that and this.
Bri eventually came in. “Hayden,” she said with a laugh. “You’re going to make his ears fall off.”
Hayden dissolved into giggles and Bri gave me a warm look. “It’s ready.”
Having dinner with just the three of us felt right. I didn’t want it to be over. Just a few weeks ago I would’ve run screaming from this. But now I knew it was real. I’d seen the vision that it could and would feel this good for the rest of my life. Maybe even better. My heart was full, and my tattoo’s stinging faded. Like it was telling me that this is the way it should be. My bond with both my girls sealed deeper into my bones.
After dinner and dishes, which I’d insisted on doing, but my girls helped with, Bri sent Hayden to brush her teeth. I stood to leave. “Stick around,” Bri said. “Help me put her to bed?”
I felt like the Grinch when his heart grew. Could I continue to progress as my affection for them increased?
I even sat in on a bedtime story, reading all the parts of the big bad wolf. By the end of the night, I was a bundle of emotions I’d never had before.
Bri and I sat down in the living room, and my need for her was tangible. It nearly hurt. I didn’t warn her, I just put my hand on her cheek and leaned forward until our lips met. Then I proceeded to kiss the hell out of her in the living room.
I felt more animal than man. I allowed myself to lick and nip at the skin of her neck to satisfy a bit of my need to claim her. Controlling myself was hard but I did the best I could. Pulling away, I panted and stared at my mate.
She was similarly affected. Her gaze strayed upward. “Can you come back Friday? Hayden will be at her grandparents’.”
My body buzzed with the need to claim her. “I hope you’re ready for me because I’m about to give you everything.”
She didn’t realize just how deeply I meant it.
15
Bri
Jace's words left my skin buzzing and now I was beyond ready to see everything he said he was going to give me. I’d been anxious all week as we went back from spring break and got the new semester started.
Friday afternoon, I was more excited than I had been the Friday before spring break and damn near sprinted out of class at the end of the day to collect Hayden.
“Why are you here so early, Mommy?” Hayden asked when I walked into her classroom. The elementary school was released about ten minutes before middle school, but Hayden’s teacher knew I worked up the hall. If I ever didn’t get down here fast enough to get Hayden, Ms. Rogers sent her up to me. She was probably old enough to make the trek to the middle school portion of our meandering hallways, but I’d never suggested it, and neither had she. I was okay with waiting as long as possible for her to try independent things.
“I just had everything ready to go. No reason.” I waved at Ms. Rogers and helped Hayden gather her things.
“You’re all jumpy,” Hayden observed as I stuffed everything in her backpack.
“Just ready for the weekend,” I muttered as I once again marveled at how dang smart she was. She really didn’t look convinced. I couldn’t help but laugh.
I took Hayden straight to my parents’, eager to get back home and get ready for my date. I wanted to do all the pampering.
On my way out, Bianca stopped me. “Wanna go out tonight?”
“No, but thanks. I’ve got plans.” I smiled and tried to edge past her, but she crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow.
“What sort of plans?” she asked in a suspecting voice.
I didn’t want to answer, but my face answered for me when it flushed dark red.
Bianca looked properly scandalized for a moment, but then she smirked. “Be safe.” She winked. “Or not. This time I want a nephew.”
I scoffed. “Keep dreaming, sister.” Waving over my shoulder, I went out the door laughing. But then on the drive home, I couldn’t help but wonder. Maybe more kids weren’t outside the realm of possibility. I tried not to dwell on it or jump too deep into thoughts of the future, but I wondered if Jace wanted kids. I pushed that thought away, too. Too much, too soon.
I tried to remember the last time I had a good pampering session. I was pretty sure it was several girls’ nights ago. I had time, so I spent the afternoon pampering myself. A bubble bath, shaving… everywhere. Lotion, oils, the whole nine yards. I painted my nails and tried not to let my insecurities bubble up. It’d been way too damn long since I’d gotten some.
What if I wasn’t good enough? Jace had been with a lot of wo
men. He was experienced. I, to put it simply, wasn’t.
I tried to find my confidence.
Apparently, it was off somewhere in space. By the time Jace arrived, I looked and felt like a million bucks, except for the whole being so nervous I was about to vomit. He took one look at me and chuckled, then pulled me close and kissed me long and deep, forcing me to relax, and only then did he lead me into the living room.
With his hands on my arms, he sat me down. “Talk.”
I blew a breath upward and bit my lip.
He crossed his arms and looked at me like I was grounded or something. “I’m not starting anything until you’re fully comfortable.”
I sighed. I was seriously thinking about starting something serious with him, which meant I had to be totally honest with him. “Okay. I’m sorry.”
“You have no reason to be sorry.”
“Okay, so… I’m worried about not being able to please you,” I blurted out. “Damon was… the book I read basically would’ve described him as vanilla. He didn’t like blow jobs or, uh, returning the favor on me.” My cheeks got redder and redder as I tried to explain. “So, I feel like a teenager just now starting to date for the first time. And that you’re like a grown man. Experienced. Uh, oh, geez.”
He listened and let me ramble until I got it all out. He didn’t interrupt.
When I wound down, he nodded and pulled me close to him. He grabbed my hand and put it directly on his dick.
I looked at him in shock.
“There is nothing you could ever do that wouldn’t please me because I’m attracted to every part of you. You don’t need to worry. You’re all and more than I could ever need.”
He kissed me then, long, deep, passionate, with my hands still on his hard dick. Things heated up quickly, and his skin was hot, on fire the more turned on we both got.
The heat from his body made me more aroused. Jace’s words had soothed me as much as his lips did. I leaned into his kiss, opening willingly to his tongue, and the taste of him was divine. My nerves settled again, though my confidence would likely need some help. He was already hard beneath my hand, so I gave him a light squeeze.
He made a sound low in his throat, a groan bordering on a growl. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever heard, and I wanted to hear it more. I gripped him harder and gave a tentative tug. He buried his hand in my curls, the other guiding my hand, teaching me what he liked.
I would’ve learned anything he wanted me to if only to watch him come undone by my hand.
Making a bold decision, I threw my leg over him and climbed onto his lap. He slid his hands around and grabbed my ass, pressing me into him. I gasped at the sensation and clutched the back of the couch, grinding into him again.
The room heated quickly as our tongues danced. I felt like I would combust with the need for him. My fingers skimmed across the back of his neck, and his skin was feverish. Instead of concern, I only felt my desire intensify. He hadn’t moved to take anything off yet, giving me the idea that he was letting me take the lead, doing what I was comfortable with.
I slipped my hands under his shirt, his muscles hard under my fingertips. The heat his body was giving off made me want him more, and I pulled his shirt up over his head. My eyes traced over every line of muscle, every detail of Jace’s gorgeous self. He was almost too good to be real.
Almost.
But just to make sure, I needed to touch him. I leaned back into him, sliding my lips across his cheek, his jaw, tasting the column of his throat. The fire under his skin had lit one in me as well, and I felt my confidence swell under its influence. There was nothing to be worried about. He wanted me, all of me, and he was proving to be a patient man.
Sliding off of his lap, I trailed kisses down his chest. When my tongue brushed across his nipple, he hissed between his teeth. Apparently, someone was sensitive. Grinning, I closed my mouth over one, running my hand over his stomach. He groaned as my tongue swirled around it.
When I moved to the next one, I glanced up to see him watching me. I could practically feel how much he was holding back while he let me explore at my own pace. Part of me longed to take him and get it over with just to ease the pressure that was building inside of me. The other part wanted to know every inch of him, learn everything that made him gasp and moan and ache for more.
I’d believed him when he’d said all of those things to me. There was nothing I could do that wouldn’t please him. Those words alone gave me power over my own body and his.
My teeth teased his nipple and his head fell back against the couch. I soothed it with my tongue, then continued down to explore the ridges of his abs. That man had a pack that would make the god of thunder himself jealous.
The lower I went, the more excited I got. When I started unfastening his belt, his hands on mine made me pause.
“I just want you to know, you don’t have to if you’re not sure.”
The expression on his face was so sincere that I couldn’t help but smile. I stood and grabbed his hands, pulling him to his feet, then led him into the bedroom. Once he realized where I was taking him, he wrapped his arms around me from behind and started kissing my shoulder and up my neck. I could feel his body heat through my clothes, and it made me want to tear them off, to feel it skin-to-skin.
I spun in his arms, taking his lips again, running my hands across his upper body. When he backed me into the bed, I pulled him down with me. His hands slipped under my top, brushing across the sensitive skin of my belly. Reaching down, I tugged my shirt over my head.
Jace gave a sharp intake of breath, pulling back just enough to take me in. “Breathtaking,” he murmured. I felt that one word all the way down into my core.
He slid one hand beneath me, and I arched my back. A second later, my bra was free, breasts exposed to the cool air of my bedroom. With Jace’s heat so close to me, though, I barely registered it. Even more so when his mouth closed over one. My body felt on fire under his touch.
I pushed my hands into his dark brown hair, trying to get my breath under control. My panties were already soaked through and I was tempted to move his hand down there. That was still just a bit outside of my confidence level, though. I squirmed as his thumb brushed circles across my bare skin.
As if he could see the direction of my thoughts, his hand slipped between my legs. I gasped at the combination of the heat, the friction, the attention on the most sensitive areas making my mind blank out. Keeping one hand in his silky hair, I used the other to attempt to get my skinny jeans undone. The only thought left in my head was getting him closer to me.
Sensing my urgency, he made short work of my pants and I was laid bare before him. There was still a small part that was nervous about all of that, but the pure adoration in his eyes squashed it down. I smiled to let him know everything was okay, I was okay, I wanted all of him. He knelt down at the edge of the bed, his hands gliding across the sensitive flesh of my thighs.
His heated breath whispered across my sex, his tongue following in its wake. My back arched again, and I moaned loudly, which served to encourage him. He reached up and massaged my breasts while he went down on me, sucking, pulling me close to the edge. My hips bucked of their own volition as he stroked harder. I was nearly ready to come only seconds into it.
The pace picked up and I got louder, praying that my neighbors would forgive me. This man was tearing me apart in the most delectable way and I didn’t want him to stop. The pressure in my core increased, my insides churning excitedly until it all released. Pleasure, as I’d never known, crashed into me, stealing my breath, the world around me exploding into vivid clarity for a moment. I shuddered; my hips jerked as his tongue slowed.
His gray eyes watched me with silent fascination.
Even though I’d gotten mine, he continued licking, tasting. If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume he was enjoying himself. But I wanted to please him the way he had me. I tried to pull away, but he latched onto my legs, increasing the pressure again. Th
ere was only so much I could fight against, and I felt another orgasm building quickly.
A crackling noise caught my attention and, without stopping, he held up a condom between his fingers. I nodded, desperate to feel him moving inside of me. It vanished below the edge of the bed and I heard his pants coming undone.
Yes, this was what I wanted. Please.
The muscles in my core were tightening again, preparing for another release, when Jace pulled away and stood. His enormous cock was suited up and ready for me. I found my mouth watering at the sight, deciding I would have a taste of him the next time. He teased my entrance, running the tip back and forth, then eased himself inside.
Nothing had ever felt so perfect as when he was fully sheathed inside of me. He grabbed my legs and wrapped them around his waist, then started moving. It was achingly slow at first, but I felt every inch of him moving out and back in. When our eyes met, he made a show of licking the pad of his thumb, then lowered it slowly and pressed it to my clit.
My entire body tensed, and he groaned as my muscles tightened around him. He finally started picking up his pace, swirling his thumb around my still incredibly sensitive flesh. I panted and moaned, wanting him to move faster, harder. He pulled me closer to the edge of the bed and grabbed one leg, setting it up on his shoulder, then slammed into me.
I cried out, nearing another end. His thumb kept rubbing relentlessly and he grunted as his cock hardened even more. The heat radiating from him turned up a notch. He leaned forward and I grabbed his face with my hands. Our eyes met, and for a long moment, the world around us froze. It was a beautiful moment, both of us on the brink of orgasm, cheeks flushed with lust.
Then the world rushed back to us on a wave of ecstasy. I clung to him, riding it out with him as he thrust with each contraction of my muscles. He dropped my leg and leaned over me, and I met his lips with mine.
Divine didn’t come close to that experience, and it was one I hoped to repeat soon.
