16. Bram
16
brAM
T his isn’t how I expected the day to go.
As I strung lights, made paper chains, and cut dozens of snowflakes, I imagined a quiet, romantic day with Sophie. There was nothing I could do about getting her a gift now—though I certainly intend to spoil her beyond reason the moment the roads open—but I could make today something she’ll remember forever.
We were safe, insulated from the real world by several feet of snow and a national holiday. Tomorrow would be complicated, jam-packed with too many worries to count, but I was determined we would enjoy today.
I hadn’t counted on our happy holiday bubble bursting before we’d taken a single bite of breakfast.
“Do you have feelings for Sophie?” Leni hadn’t sounded angry or even accusatory, only curious, but her question still knocked the wind out of me.
It’s one thing to keep my very new, complicated relationship from my daughters. It’s another thing entirely to lie to them about it. The thought of denying my feelings for the woman I’m in love with even one more time made me sick. So, I didn’t.
“Yeah, Len. I do.”
This confirmation was met only with a weary sigh. “Yeah, I guessed as much. Do me a favor and tell Honor. Like… today. She needs to know.”
I stared out at the snowy yard, heart pounding against my ribcage. “It’s Christmas, Leni. I’m not sure if you’ve talked to her or not, but she’s going through some stuff. I don’t want to add to it.”
“You mean Riley? Don’t worry, she’s over it. Please tell her, Dad. You don’t know everything that’s happened, and believe it or not, hearing about you and Sophie will help.” She paused then, letting out an uncomfortable laugh. “There is a you and Sophie, right? Like, you’re together now?”
I scrubbed a hand over my face, struggling to wrap my head around her reaction, replaying what she’d just said in search of hidden anger. In the countless times I’ve now thought about telling Leni and Honor about my feelings for Honor’s best friend, simple acceptance seemed the most unrealistic of possibilities.
“Yes,” I finally admitted, my voice strained. “Yes, there’s a me and Sophie. It’s new, but I’m serious about it—about her. I’m in love with her, Len.”
“Tell Honor,” Leni repeated, her tone more firm.
“She went through a breakup two days ago, Len. I don’t want to put this on her right now.”
“Please, Dad. This is a one-time offer. I swear, I will give you zero grief for the twenty-four-year-old girlfriend if you guys come clean to Honor. Just trust me.”
It’s hard to imagine a universe where telling Honor about my relationship with Sophie could be a good thing, but I found myself agreeing anyway .
Of course, it’s not just my secret to tell, and it’s not just me who will be affected by the fallout.
“You can’t,” Sophie blurts out the moment I’ve finished explaining, eyes round, her face pale. “This is, like, the worst possible day to do it, Bram! She’s currently having her first Christmas with her girlfriend’s family. We can’t ruin that with our stuff!”
I stare across the table at her, guilt gnawing away at me. She is the only one in this situation who doesn’t know Riley and Honor broke up, and even with this new development, I’m still not sure it’s my place to tell her. If anything, the news will make her more determined to keep this secret for God knows how long.
“Sophie,” I begin cautiously. “I trust Leni’s judgment. She swears it needs to be today, that there are things happening we don’t know about.” Something in my chest cracks when I realize there are tears filling Sophie’s eyes. “Sweetheart?—”
She shakes her head, bottom lip trembling as she gets to her feet. “I just need a minute.”
That isn’t going to happen.
I follow her into the living room, watching as she plops down beside the fire, her face in her hands. “Sophie,” I say cautiously, crossing to kneel in front of her. She sniffs as my hands settle on the outside of her thighs, rubbing my thumbs back and forth reassuringly. “Talk to me.”
Another sniff, and she lets her hands fall to her lap, gazing down at me through red eyes. “I thought we had more time.” She shakes her head miserably. “It’s not like I was going to lie to her forever. I want this to work, and we can’t be a dirty little secret…” Her words trail away, but I know what she isn’t saying.
A deep ache is spreading through me at the pain all this is putting her through. “I’m sorry that this is the way we met. Sorry that having these feelings is so much more complicated than it would be otherwise. I’m not sorry I get to love you, though, sweetheart, and we’re going to get through this.”
Her expression crumples, and when she leans down to kiss me, I can taste her tears on her lips. We break apart, but stay close, hands twined together in her lap and foreheads pressed together.
“There’s a part of this you don’t know,” Sophie admits miserably. “It’s why I never told Honor about my family, or spending Christmas alone. Honestly, I never wanted to tell her, and now I don’t know how I’ll get around it.”
I’m curious, but I don’t ask what it is, or why it’s relevant to our situation. Hard questions aren’t what she needs from me right now.
“I love you,” I tell her instead.
Sophie sniffs, offering me a sad, grateful little smile. “I love you too. Can we have a bit more time in our bubble? I want to be happy for a little while longer.”
“Of course we can,” I agree instantly, and Sophie sags in relief, bringing her lips to mine in a soft kiss.
Releasing her hands, I reach up to cradle her jaw, keeping her where I want her. “Am I allowed to distract you?”
She giggles, nodding. “Please do.”
“I love you,” I say again, my voice a low rasp. We kiss, and I push to my feet, staring down at her. My cock stirs, and Sophie sucks in an excited little breath as I open the button of my pants. I’m only half hard, but I grip my base with one hand and the side of Sophie’s face with the other, guiding myself into her hot mouth.
The vibrations of her moan make me grunt, watching as she bobs her head eagerly over my hardening length, squirming at the edge of the sofa. So eager to please, to see me lose myself in her, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I’ll never get tired of this.
“Get your pussy ready,” I hiss, holding her head still so I can fuck her mouth, my tip bumping the back of her throat at the end of each long, slow thrust.
The sight of her like this, one hand braced on my hip, the other buried between her creamy thighs as I use her, is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Good girl,” I grunt, moving faster now. “When I’m done with this mouth, I need you naked and on your hands and knees in front of that fucking Christmas tree. Do you understand? That tight little pussy is my gift this year, and I want it. Now.”
As soon as I release her and stand back, Sophie is scrambling off the couch, shedding clothes as she hurries to obey.
I don’t follow right away. Instead, I stroke myself, watching her drop to her hands and knees, shameless and willing to give me what I want. She’s a dream, and I could stand here, staring at her for hours. When she looks over her shoulder at me, however, and I see that her eyes are the same shade of green as the tree looming above her beautiful body, my willpower is nowhere to be found. Any other time, I would draw this out and make her beg. Not now.
“Sometimes, I have to remind myself to breathe when I look at you. You’re so fucking beautiful, sweetheart,” I rasp, crossing the room to stand over her, admiring the lines of her body from above. Sophie sucks in a sharp breath as I get to my knees behind her and grip my cock, guiding my tip to her entrance.
She’s soaking wet, but her body still doesn’t accept mine easily. It takes a few thrusts before I’m fully seated inside her, and my hands grip the cheeks of her ass, pulling her open so I can see the next place I’ll be claiming.
“Bram!” Sophie gasps as I gather her arousal from my dick and begin to massage her tight second hole, fucking her lazily as I do.
I grunt, “You’re going to love my dick in your ass. Christ—” I push my thumb past the point of resistance, so just the tip is lodged inside her. “It’s going to take some work to get me in here, but it will be worth it.”
Arousal is flooding over my dick, and even after everything we’ve done so far, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt her pussy this wet. My hips move faster, and Sophie’s cries fill the room as she lifts her ass higher, desperate to feel all of me.
“Such a greedy girl.” I push my thumb deeper, swirling and stretching her in this place no one has ever touched but me. The thought alone has me alarmingly close to coming, my balls tight and throbbing, ready to fill her nice and deep.
The need to keep her filled with my cum is intense and unyielding, a primal instinct I’m sure won’t fade once we return to our real lives. When we go back to work, I’ll watch her from across the room, knowing her panties are sticky with my seed, that she’s mine.
Sophie sobs my name as her arms give out and she falls onto her forearms. Seconds later, she’s coming, her pussy clutching at my cock, milking me.
The pleasure is blinding as I follow her over the edge, keeping her ass tight against me as my dick pulses, coating her inner walls with thick ropes of cum.
“That’s my girl. Fuck, sweetheart.” I hold her open with both hands as I withdraw slowly, my length coated in a combination of our orgasms. My release wells at her entrance, and for a long moment, all I can do is stare, satisfied in a way I’m not sure I’ve ever allowed myself to acknowledge.
Sighing, Sophie arches her hips higher, her cheek pressed to the carpet. I love seeing her like this, sleepy and satisfied, utterly unselfconscious about my inspection of her beautiful pussy.
“Come here.” I lay beside her and pull her into my arms, gazing up at the glittering Christmas tree above our heads. The ornaments are mostly old, relics of Honor and Leni’s childhood. There are clay stars with messy paint and pine cones covered in glitter and pom poms.
Something deep inside me pinches, as the weight of what’s to come settles in again.
When I turn to look at her, I find Sophie’s eyes on the tree as well, her jaw set. It couldn’t be more clear that she’s making up her mind about something, and never before have I so wished I could fix every single problem in a person’s life. She doesn’t deserve this, shouldn’t have to sacrifice a goddamn thing to fall in love with me, and I hate that it’s all come to a head, today of all days.
“Sweetheart,” I begin cautiously, reaching out to cradle her face in my hand, and Sophie turns to meet my eyes, offering a tight, pained smile.
“I need to be the one to tell her.”
Of all the things I expected to come out of her mouth, none of them were this. I swallow. “Soph. She’s my daughter. I’m the reason we’re in this mess to begin with?—”
“You are not obligated to tell Honor about the women you’re dating. I’m her best friend, and I’ve been keeping this massive thing from her for a year. Please, Bram. If I want any hope of keeping my friend, it needs to come from me.”