by Parker, Ali
"I need you too. I want you more than I imagined possible. Tell me you'll be mine, Beth. Tell me forever sounds good to you, baby." He drove back into her, tightening his hand in her hair. The pleasure-pain forced her near the edge of exploding as she panted softly.
"Forever. Anything less isn't enough."
"Forever isn't enough for me." He licked her throat, sucking softly on the curve of her chin as he slid his hand from cupping her ass to press against the tightness of her opening. "I want to taste you and touch you everywhere. I want to take you to new heights mentally, emotionally, physically. I don't want there to be a place on you that isn't branded by me."
"Yes ... Fuck yes, I need that, Damon." She pressed back, letting his finger slip into her as he began to fuck her faster. She screamed as the orgasm rolled through her, arching her back and taking in every sweet sensation he caused to pulse through her.
"That's it, baby girl. Ride all of it. Fuck yourself against me. Anything you want, Beth. All yours, baby." He worked her fast and hard, his own orgasm lifting a loud, sexy sound off his lips as he pumped into her a few more times.
"God, you're so good ... So fucking sexy." Bethany reached up and touched his face as he slid his finger out of her, but kept her locked around his waist, still buried deep inside of her.
"You haven't seen anything yet." He winked and chuckled.
"Keeping the goods hidden?"
"Yep. Making sure you were the one." He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers, nipping at her mouth carefully.
"I assume you've come to that conclusion?" She smiled and held onto the sexy man in front of her tightly.
"I love you. I'm sorry I couldn't say it before. It scared me, and I'm not used to feeling so fucking exposed, but I won't deny you the words that I hope my actions scream. I love you, baby." He leaned in and kissed her with a fiery passion. She matched it, rolling her hips and bleeding into the kiss all of the worry and fear, the need and desire that he caused over the last few weeks. He pulled back. His soft panting was so far beyond hot that she moaned at the sound of it, tightening her body around his.
"You want more, sexy girl?" He wagged his eyebrows and rolled his hips, pressing deeper into her.
"Always ... I need more of you."
"You love me?" he asked and squeezed her ass tightly before beginning his next assault.
"Forever. Jamaica is going to be fun."
“You think so, hmm?”
“Will you be there?” She smiled and pulled him down for another kiss.
There was no need to respond. He’d be wherever she was or so she hoped.
Chapter 41
Bethany
Bethany turned and looked around the tiny garage, boxes piled high on both sides of her. There was no way they were going to be able to get her mother's place fully loaded up by nightfall. Why in the hell the woman would want to was the question. She had gotten a wild hair that everything needed to be moved out of the old house and put into storage before the wedding three days away.
Letting out a long sigh, Bethany pushed her chestnut hair back, the messy bun at the back of her head not doing its job at all. Her mother walked in from the front of the garage, a few cars having stopped to see if they were having a garage sale.
"Go call Matt and Kent. Someone wants the washer and dryer."
"Mom. We should just donate all of this stuff. There's no reason to sell it."
"I am donating it. Go get them, sweet girl."
Turning, Bethany checked her phone for the tenth time within the hour. Damon was at the office, holding down the fort so the rest of them could help pack. He was the only one she wanted to see, the idea of her mother getting married suddenly weighing heavily on her.
Kent was a great guy, but her real father was too when they first got married. Her mother deserved the best. Bethany hoped this time that's what she was getting. Her new stepfather had been nothing but kind and giving, but everyone knew that even hell had recruiting days. Hopefully, things would be different this time.
She opened the door to the small two-bedroom house and stuck her head inside. "Hey, guys. Someone wants the washer and dryer. Come help us load it for them."
Closing the door, she pulled her phone from her pocket and let out a groan. "Mom, I need to change and get up to the college. I have to get in a few hours with Dr. Tarrington today."
"I thought you told him you were working yesterday instead."
"I did, but school starts next week and the mess he gave me to work through yesterday didn't get entirely done. I don't want to leave him in a lurch. I need him on my side for the next year."
"Then get going." Her mom walked toward her, a smile on her pretty face.
The guys walked into the garage, Matt making caveman noises, as if they were the only reason the washer and dryer were able to get loaded. Bethany looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes playfully.
"The men-folk are here now. Let's get something done." Matt smirked as Kent popped him in the chest.
"Which car, baby?" Kent glanced at Bethany's mom, her cheeks turning a rose color.
"The green truck with the open tailgate." She walked toward them. "We can help too."
"Heck no, you're not. You get hurt and who will marry my dad? Stand down, Karen. We've got this." Matt kissed his biceps, one at a time, before moving toward the washer. Bethany leaned against the wall closest to her. Matt was so different than Damon, and yet they had a friendship that permeated the air around them every time she had seen them together. The longing for Damon to be there with her rolled over her again.
The guys lifted the washing machine with ease and walked out toward the waiting truck as Bethany's mom moved to stand beside her. Glancing over, she realized her mom had tears in her eyes.
"Hey, you okay?" Bethany wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her close.
"Yes. I just don't deserve Kent. He's far better of a person than me, Bethany."
"That's not true." Bethany pulled her mom into a hug, resting her cheek on the same shoulder that she had for the last twenty-two years. "He's a good man, but you're a great woman."
"You're a little biased."
"Damn straight I am." Bethany moved back and reached up, wiping at her mom's tears. How Damon would harbor hate against his own mom was understandable but so painful to think about. Bethany wouldn't have survived the trauma of all her birth father put them through if her mom hadn't been the rock she was. Damon's past hurts were different, but just as life-altering.
"Watch your mouth." Her mom pulled back as a smile spread across her face. "I'm so excited about leaving tomorrow, but I'm scared too."
"Of the flight? I'll be on the plane with you." Bethany reached up and tugged her hair down, working on redoing it.
"No. Of not being who Kent needs me to be. He's got all his shit together, and I feel like the hot mess express on a good day." Her mom chuckled and wiped a few more tears, turning so her back was to the guys as they walked back in. Matt continued to tout their greatness as Bethany shook her head at him, enjoying the sound of his laughter.
"Watch your language." She turned back to her mom, softly squeezing the older woman's shoulders. "Kent loves you just the way you are. He doesn't need you to be him. Just be yourself, and everything will work out, mom."
"I love you, little girl."
"I love you too. I need to get up to the college." Bethany released her mom and ran her hands over her shirt. "The college is closed right now, and I'm not even sure if Dr. Tarrington is up there. Does this look too bad to just drop by for an hour or so? Should I get dressed up?"
Her mom reached out and brushed her hand down Bethany's back. "Change into a blouse instead of this t-shirt, and you should be good to go. Your jeans aren't dirty. Before you go, tell me how the situation with your friends is going."
Bethany's best friend and roommate, Krista, had gone off the deep end a few days earlier, attacking their other best friend, Jake, and leaving him for dead. It was s
till a mystery as to what would lead Krista to react so violently to Jake turning her down. It had to be a combination of being off her medication combined with having her heart broken. It seemed to be the most likely reason.
"Jake is going home on Monday. His parents are with him now. He's doing better, just shaken up. I haven't spoken to Krista in a few days. I'm not sure what I would say if I did. I went to see her a few days ago, but she just sat there, staring at me." Bethany shrugged. Sadness rolled over her, and the need to drown in Damon's affection washed over her again.
"That's disturbing." Her mom shivered and patted her arm. "Get going, and we'll see you at Kent's tonight for dinner."
Bethany walked into the house to get her keys. A single red rose sat in a tall glass vase with a small note attached to it just beside her purse. She picked it up and smiled. Kent had left it for her mother. It simply read, "Three days until my life is complete. Thank you for saying yes."
Tears filled her eyes as she stood there. She and Damon were on the road to building their relationship, the lust having blossomed into love for both of them, but they had a long road to hoe. He wasn't trusting, and she was beyond fearful that he would find someone better, more worthy of his time.
She laid the card back down and picked up her keys. Bethany patted her phone in her pocket and walked back out to say her goodbyes. Matt lifted her off the ground with his big bear hug just before she reached the car.
"You excited?" He put her down and bounced on the balls of his feet. He was much too big of a guy to pull off goofy, but he was doing it somehow.
"I sure am. We're still set for Saturday afternoon on the beach for the ceremony, right?"
"Yep, but we should have time to explore and play around when we get there."
"That sounds great." Bethany pulled her phone out as it buzzed.
"I'm still not sure Erica going with us is a good idea." Matt's smile slid from his handsome face. His blond hair was a mess, but it was most days. "Just seems odd that she's going to be there. I think they have her rooming with you."
"I'll beat her off of you. No reason to be worried." Bethany lifted the phone to her ear, lifting her finger to tell Matt to hold up a second. It was Damon. "Hey, baby. Work going okay?"
"My father isn't answering his phone. Can you please tell him to fucking answer me?" His voice was tight. The fact that he hadn't greeted her at all was concerning, but something was off.
"I'll just give him my phone. Hold on a second." Bethany walked back toward the house, half-expecting Damon to say something - anything to her. Nothing.
She handed the phone to Kent as her heart contracted painfully. Forcing a tight smile, she moved back a little to give him a bit of privacy. "It's Damon. He's been trying to get a hold of you."
Work in progress. Work in progress.
"Oh. Thanks." Kent took the phone and smiled down at her. Bethany half-expected him to turn and walk away to keep the conversation private. They were soon to be a family, but most people needed a sense of privacy on the phone. Not Kent.
"Hey. What's going on?"
Bethany could hear Damon's mumbles, but she wasn't able to make them out. From the look on Kent's face, something wasn't right.
"All right, well, we can take care of it when we get back next week." He paused. "No. You're coming with us in the morning, son. I don't want to do this without you."
Bethany wrapped her arms around herself, her hopes of walking on the beach with him and making love with the windows open dying slowly. It was supposed to be a time for the two of them to learn each other better. Damon had promised he would open up on the trip. He just needed to get away from everything familiar so he could dive in deeper with her. They needed this getaway - almost more than her mom did.
"All right. Do what you can and just get out there by Saturday afternoon. We won't start without you." Kent paused again, looking at the ground and running his fingers through his salt and pepper hair. "All right. We'll see you late tonight. Maybe we can figure something out to work through the situation faster. I know. All right."
Kent handed the phone back to Bethany, a sad smile on his handsome face. "Looks like that damn Zarpeth audit we looked at in Seattle isn't as straight forward as we hoped."
"That's not good." Bethany lifted the phone to her ear as she waved to them. "Hey."
Nothing. He had already hung up. She let out a soft sigh as tears filled her eyes. Matt had gone into the house from what she could tell. She was grateful not to have to explain herself. She was being a tit-baby. Plain and simple. Getting in the car, she rolled down the windows and pulled out of the driveway, having effectively dodged her family.
"You couldn't say two words to me?" she mumbled to the empty hot air in the car.
Everything had changed and yet nothing had.
Chapter 42
Bethany
She had gone through an array of emotions by the time she reached the campus. Parking the car, she rolled up the windows and sat in stony silence for a minute longer. She had promised Damon that she would give him time and space to work through some of the things that bothered her most about him, and she would. Forcing herself not to react was going to kill her, though. He was a different man at home than he was at the office, which made sense to some extent, but she belonged in both worlds with him. They would have to work through their differences of how they expected those worlds to look.
Grumbling, she got out of the small Honda and slammed the door, the car groaning in protest. Damon was right about one thing, she needed to get a new car, but there were more important things nagging at her, like paying for her graduate program. The car hadn't fallen apart yet, and her plan was to pay Kent back with the money she was making at the firm and then start working to replace her dilapidated possessions.
The campus was busier than she expected. It would seem that freshman orientation was going on that day. She tucked into the business building and took the stairs up to Kendal's office, half-expecting him to be out. The door was open at the end of the hall from what she could tell, which was good and bad. She needed to talk with him a minute about his desires for his week one notes for the students, but she looked like hell - sort of.
"Hey." Bethany stopped just outside of the door in the hall as Kendal turned around in his chair.
He was in jeans and a polo shirt, his hair a mess and glasses making him look more handsome, as if it was possible.
"Hey, Bethany. Forget something yesterday?" He stood and crossed his arms over his chest.
Remembrance at his conversation with Damon a few days earlier brushed across her mind. They were closer than she imagined from her conversations with Damon, Kendal having been in his fraternity and the two being close friends.
"No. I wanted to touch base with you before we fly out tomorrow. I wrapped up the week one notes and e-mailed them to you, but several of your points didn't make sense to me. I figured it was just my lack of retaining the details of cost accounting." She smiled and moved into the hall as he walked toward her.
"I locked my main laptop in my classroom. Let's stop by there, and we can look it over together. I'm sure it's a case of me being scatterbrained, but thank you for making it look like you're the one with the issue." He smirked and held the elevator open for her. "You and Damon looking forward to getting away?"
"We were." She glanced down at her shoes, not wanting to get emotional over something Damon had no control over. It was more the fact that he didn't mention it at all to her than it was that he wasn't going, or was it a combination of both?
"Uh oh." Kendal pressed a button on the panel in front of them and turned to face her. "What happened?"
Bethany slipped on her facade and glanced up, forcing a smile. "Something came up at McKenzie and Bryant. I didn't really get the details of it, but Damon seems to be Mr. Fix-it."
"He always has been. He's what we call a glory-stealer." Kendal chuckled and held the door open for her. "He always has been the first on the ladder to put
out the biggest fires."
"Why am I not surprised to hear this?" She walked beside him, her emotions starting to settle thanks to the calm demeanor of the man beside her.
Kendal laughed softly, as if remembering something. "I could tell you story after story of him fixing up, cleaning up and picking up after everyone. For a man that most people think is a playboy billionaire, I can assure you, his work ethic would have gotten him there if Kent hadn't had done it first for him."
Kendal unlocked the door to the large auditorium. Bethany walked in and breathed in deep, the smell of education in the air. Old books and sweaty bodies. She smiled at the thought, moving to take a seat in the front row.
"If you want to pull up the e-mail, you'll see my questions. See if they make sense to you." She pulled her phone out of her jeans and set it on the desk beside her. Texting Damon would only bother him, but damn if she didn't want to. Why did she have to calculate her value to him on whether they communicated regularly and effectively? That was never going to leave her feeling good about herself.
He had worked too long to shut everyone out. He wasn't going to change overnight.
Kendal made a few noises as he worked on the stage in front of her. He popped the laptop closed and smiled.
"Your questions were spot on. Great job on this. I'll work to adjust the notes to explain myself better." He walked to the stairs on the edge of the stage and took a seat a few away from her.
"I can make the adjustments now if you just tell me what you want," she offered.
"No, I've got it. You have a big event coming up." He brushed his fingers by his mouth before pinning her with his stare. "What's going on? You didn't need to come all the way up here for this."
