It’s the middle of the afternoon, the sun high in the clear blue sky. It makes me sort of homesick for Star Grove and the snow that always covers the yards during Christmas time. But, all thoughts of being homesick evaporate as I enter my bedroom.
“So what do you think?” Ella asks with her hands on her hips.
The box falls from my hands. “I think…” I’m struck speechless as she stands in the center of the bed wearing nothing except a lacey bra, matching panties, and knee-high socks. My cock goes rock hard. “I love it when you get like this.”
I enthusiastically cross the room, tugging my shirt over my head. Once I make it to the foot of the bed, I reach for her, but she skitters to the side.
I frown. “What are you doing?”
“This,” she says with her fiery, cocky attitude, “is for that shit-eating smirk you threw at me when you walked out the door.”
My cock gets so hard it actually hurts. “You always play so dirty.”
“That’s because you’re easy to play.” She crosses her arms underneath her chest, her cleavage nearly bursting from the bra. “Now tell me what was up with the twinkle lights.”
“Your tits look fucking amazing in that bra.” I dodge around her question, fixated by her chest. “I just want to grab them.” When I step toward her, she inches away, putting herself closer to the closet. “Ella,” I gripe, sucking my lip ring into my mouth. “It’s been two months.”
She wickedly grins at me. “Oh, I know, which is going to make me getting my way a hell of a lot easier.”
I’m getting antsy, needy, and downright horny. I need to come up with a plan here because I refuse to give up my secret until she divulges hers; otherwise, she might never tell me.
I glance from left to right, as if I’m searching for something. Like I guessed, she tracks my gaze. When she’s distracted, I lunge for her, catching her off guard.
“Micha!” she squeals as my arms circle around her. “This is cheating.”
“Cheating?” I question as I pick her up and carry her toward the bed. “This whole game of yours is cheating.”
I drop her down on the mattress and she laughs, unable to get mad at me. Her laughter silences, though, as I tear off her bra and cup her breasts.
“The bra was no fair,” I whisper as I dip my head toward her lips.
“So you’re really not going to tell me?” she asks in a breathy groan as I pinch a nipple.
“Tell you what?” I brush my lips against hers and then glance at the clock. “In four hours, I won’t tell you, but I’ll show you.”
“Oh, yeah?” She grins as her hand travels down the front of my jeans and her fingers stroke my hard-on. “Whatever will we do for those four hours?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “I have at least ten ideas.” Then I seal my lips to hers, kissing her fiercely, letting all my feelings for her pour out through that kiss: every second I’ve spent away from this house and her, every smile I’ve missed, every laugh I didn’t get to hear.
Not anymore.
Never again.
Minutes later, our clothes are off, and I’m sinking deep inside her. Her warmth engulfs me, calms me, lets me know I made the right choice. I nip at her lips, feel the softness of her flesh, the heat of her body as I thrust into her. She cries out my name over and over again as her head falls back against the pillow. Her glazed eyes, the halo of hair around her head, the want burning in her expression; they create lyrics and poetry through my head. When she starts moving with me, arching her hips to meet mine, the sensation is too much, and my head empties of all thoughts.
“I love you,” I whisper against her lips as I give one final thrust inside her.
She clutches onto me with everything she has in her. “I love you, too.”
Chapter 7
Ella
I’ll admit, using sex was a dirty move. But it doesn’t matter, since it didn’t work. I still got to have sex, though, more than once. By the fourth time, I feel too exhausted to move.
I lie down on the bed, sweaty, tired, and breathless. “I feel like I should be asleep.” I look up at the clock. “But I want to stay awake so you’ll tell me your secret.”
He laughs at me as he pulls on his boxers then settles on the mattress beside me. “You only have about ten more minutes. Think you can make it?”
“Maybe.” I yawn. “You should talk to me, though, just to make sure I don’t doze off.”
He rolls to his side and props up on his elbow, staring down at me. “Well, I do have something… interesting to discuss with you.”
I tense, wondering if he knows. How could he, though? The only people who know I’m pregnant are the doctor and Lila, and she swore not to tell.
“Relax.” He traces my bottom lip with his finger. “It’s not a bad thing. It’s really good. At least, I hope you see it that way.”
I free a trapped breath. “Okay, lay it on me.”
He appears nervous as he withdraws his finger from my lips. “Well, I quit the label.”
My eyes pop wide. “What? When?”
He shrugs then sits up in the bed and reclines against the headboard. “I talked to Mike the last night you visited me on the road. My contract was coming to an end, anyway, and I just couldn’t stand stuff anymore. The image change. The pressure.” His gaze locks with mine. “Being away from you all the time.”
I offer him a tentative smile as I move to sit up beside him. “So, what are you going to do?”
“I think I’m going to go Indie for a while.” He stares over my shoulder at the sun descending in the sky, casting a shadow across the land. “I know some people that understand the Indie world, and I’m supposed to talk to them tomorrow. What I really want to do one day, though, is open my own studio.” When his eyes meet mine again, he looks absolutely scared. “I know it makes our future a little iffy, but I promise you that, no matter what, I’ll still take care of you. And I’ll be here way more.”
“Micha, if you’re talking about money, we’ll be fine.” I glance around at our spacious home that we own. “We’ve earned more than we’ll ever need. Plus, I have the art gallery.”
“I know, but I’m still going to take care of you.” He cups my cheek, and I lean against his palm, embracing his touch. “So, you’re not mad?”