34. Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Four
Maeve
“How do you feel about take-out tonight?”
I close the door and watch Aidan as he rounds the front of the car.
I raise my eyebrows. “Are we having dinner together?”
He stops in front of me and makes a grab for me, but I skip out of his reach, laughing.
“Damn woman,” he mutters. The smile on his face lets me know that there’s no heat behind his words.
I reach for his hand and tug him closer. “Take-out would be great. What’s Katie’s favourite?”
“Same as yours. Fish and chips.”
“Mmm, great.”
I take a step back and move to open my gate.
“Fuck!”
His loud curse makes me snap my head up, and the moment my eyes fall on my front door, I gasp. My homey, blue front door has been vandalised. Red paint coats the wood, dripping down on the front steps, but it’s the words that hit me the most.
You can’t escape me.
I gasp, losing my focus with each shallow breath that falls from my lips, shock taking me over in a way that I haven’t succumbed to in months.
I feel Aidan’s arm around my chest, pulling me close to his front, and his lips grazing the shell of my ear.
“Breathe, sweetheart.”
I drink in a deep lungful of air, not even realising that I’ve held it inside for so long. The dark spots blurring my vision clear with each breath I take, and I grab onto his arm. Once again, he’s my anchor. The one who’ll help me chase away the anxiety.
“I’m okay. I’m okay.”
“Yes, you are. I’ll phone the station, but lean on me, okay? I’ve got you.”
My head bobs up and down, and I blink away the tears of shock.
Shock and anger.
I hear Aidan’s voice behind me as he talks with Franny, yet I can’t focus on the words. All I do is watch the degradation on my front door.
My home.
“Thank you, Franny. I trust you.” He pauses. “Yeah, I’m not leaving her side. We’ll be waiting. Bye.”
He ends the call, pulling me closer, and I turn my face into the crook of his neck. I take the strength he offers and breathe in his scent.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologise,” he growls. “Change of plans. You’re staying with Katie and me tonight.”
I open my mouth to protest, but the shake of his head and his mouth resting on my temple stop me.
“This isn’t open to discussion, Mae.”
I sigh, knowing this is a battle I won’t win.
I don’t argue.
I hold on to him, and we wait in silence for the forensic team to arrive.
Bone tired, I fall into the couch in Aidan’s living room. Even though it’s only early evening, it might as well be midnight. My body has shut down for the night, and my mind will follow soon if I let it. Aidan’s in the kitchen, putting in our order at Fred’s.
The patter of small feet reaches my ears, and I rest my head on the back of the sofa, forcing a weak smile at Katie when she comes to sit down next to me.
She tilts her head at me, for once not returning my smile.
“Are you sick?”
I shake my head. “No, sweetie. I’m just very, very tired.” I tap the side of my head. “You ever get the feeling that your mind is exhausted even when your body isn’t?” She nods quickly. “That’s how I feel. Are you okay with me sleeping in the guest bedroom?”
“Yes.” This time, she gives me a shy smile, making my chest ache in the sweetest way. “I like it when you’re here.”
“I like being here, too.”
“You make Dad smile in a way I haven’t seen before.” She bites her lip. “And I like that he makes you smile in the same way, too.”
“Oh,” I breathe, the ache tightening even more. “I do?”
“Yeah. It’s like you share a super good secret with each other.” She puts her hand on her chest, over her heart. “I like it. It feels good right here.”
I reach for her and pull her into a hug. She wraps her arms around me at once, causing the ache to turn into warmth.
“It means the world to me that you feel like that,” I whisper. “Thank you for telling me.”
“You’re welcome.” When we pull apart, she grins up at me. “Besides, with you staying over tonight, we might convince Dad to make pancakes in the morning.”
Her grin is infectious, and this time, I don’t have to force a smile.
“Deal.”
“What are the two of you grinning at?”
I look up at Aidan walking in, joining our happy bubble, and my grin softens.
“Just making plans for breakfast,” Katie chirps and stretches her arms over her head.
He raises an eyebrow. “Do these plans end with me making pancakes?”
She nods, eyes dancing with mirth. “Yup.”
He shakes his head but then winks at me, making my tummy flip. “Yeah, I thought as much.”
She tilts her head at him. “Pink ones? Please?”
“We’ll see.” He jerks a thumb in the direction of the kitchen. “Katie, please set the table while we wait for the food to get here.”
“Okay, Dad.”
She jumps up and practically skips away. Aidan takes her place beside me and rests his arm on the back of the sofa, his hand falling on my shoulder. He starts rubbing in slow circles, and I move into his side.
“This is probably much too early to tell you this, but I adore her, Aidan.”
He stops the circles for a beat but then starts up again. “It probably should feel like it’s too early, but it doesn’t. Thank you.”
I rest my hand on his thigh, needing the comfort as much as he seems to. “You don’t have to thank me. I just…” I breathe deeply. “I just wanted you to know that I’m in, Aidan. I’m all the way in, and I’m not scared. Not of my feelings, at least.”
His other hand comes to my chin, tilting my head up.
His eyes are a soft, smoky grey, glowing with a warmth that makes my belly erupt with butterflies.
As he threads his fingers into my hair, I place my hand on his chest. His heart beats steadily but picks up the longer we stare into each other’s eyes.
“I’m not letting you go, Mae. And one day soon, when you’re not being chased by some sick fucker, I’m going to ask you to move in with us. You might as well get used to the idea.”
This time, my heart picks up speed. “Okay, then,” I breathe.
“And another thing…” He rests his mouth on my lips for the briefest moment, keeping our gazes locked.
“What’s the other thing?” I whisper.
“You’re not sleeping in the guest bedroom tonight.”
“I’m not?”
“No, you aren’t,” he whispers. “You’re under my roof, and you think for a moment that I’ll want you sleeping across the hall from me?
Not fucking likely. I need you in my bed, your warm, naked arse against my cock, my legs tangled with yours to keep your feet warm, and my hands on your breasts. You have a problem with that?”
A delicious shiver runs down my spine, and I shake my head. “No.”
He kisses the tip of my nose. “Good. Now, let me hold you for a while.”
I slide my hand around the side of his neck, my thumb tracing his skin in much the same way as he does to me.
I need the connection, to feel tethered to him…
but the urge to hand over the reins to him now instead of later, showing him that I’m okay with him taking care of me for a while, is strong.
I know that he needs this as much as I do.
“I can do that.”
I raise my legs and lift them to rest across his, tucking them down his other side. It should be uncomfortable, sitting like this, but it isn’t.
It feels like home.
I hum deep in my throat, Aidan’s cock resting in my mouth and my hands rolling his balls gently.
My legs are wide open, my hard nipples rubbing on his hip and thighs as we lie in his bed, each on our side.
His head is buried in my pussy as he licks up my centre, the strength of his arms keeping me pinned down exactly where he wants me.
I whimper and fist his cock a little harder, pumping up and down his length. I’m half dizzy with lust, his groans vibrating against me making me even wetter. When his mouth closes around my clit, I scrape my nails gently on his balls.
“Yeah, like that,” he pants, pushing a finger inside me. “What a good, dirty girl my sweetheart is. All that pussy juice glistening at me. Can I get more?”
I moan around his cock and let it go. I twirl my tongue around the head, tasting his musky cum, and nod.
“Yes. Always more, but only with you.”
“Fuck, that’s my girl. I’m going to make your sweet pussy gush all over my face.”
He flicks my clit and adds another finger inside me, then curls them until he hits my sweet spot.
A surge of wetness trickles out of my pussy, and I shudder at the sound of his loud groan as he laps it up.
He keeps pumping his fingers inside me, his mouth moving lower between my bum, all the way to the back.
He breathes against my forbidden hole, and I arch my back.
I’m like a needy cat, wanting him to pet and stroke me everywhere.
His finger rests against my arse, and I press back.
“I’m going to rim this pretty arse soon.”
“Do it now,” I beg. “Please, my Lord. I need you to own me. Please.”
“Oh, fuck me. How can I resist when you beg so well?”
I shift my legs until I straddle his head, my thighs trembling as his arms spread them wider and pin them down.
His fingers spread my buttocks, and his tongue probes gently at my forbidden hole.
I toss my head back at the sensations coursing through me.
His fingers inside me, fucking me, and his mouth on the most hidden, forbidden part of me, sends shivers down my spine.
Sweat gathers on my temple and back, and I pump his cock slowly.
I can’t think. I can only feel…and what I’m feeling is that I want it all.
The sweet and the sad. The easy and the hard.
The love and the filth.
All packed into one perfect parcel called life.
Precum glistens on his cock head, and I close my mouth around it, sucking gently as he rims my arse. He laps at me, soft, sweet, sexy licks, up and down, his laboured breathing and groans the only sound.
For a moment, I lose his fingers inside me, and I mewl in protest, until suddenly, he’s switched places, and he lies next to me, facing me. I blink in surprise as he wipes the sweaty tendrils away from my temple.
“Need your eyes now,” he growls. “Keep them open.” He lifts my leg and curls it over his back, his cock at my opening, rubbing the head on my clit. My eyes turn heavy with want, and I pull him closer with my foot on his back.
“Oh…” My eyes flutter closed.
“Eyes. On. Me.”
I widen them again, keeping them on him, while he slides the tip through my slick folds.
He kisses the tip of my nose, cradling my head in his hands.
His eyes turn the darkest, stormiest grey behind his glasses.
I watch, completely taken with his swollen lips and the blush in his cheeks.
I cup his chin and lean closer. I scrape my teeth on his lips, then chase the sting away with a swipe of my tongue.
The way he trembles hard sets my heart on fire, and I moan when he pushes inside me a little bit more.
He freezes, his eyes losing focus, and I marvel that I can do that to him.
“I…fuck. Condom.”
He makes to move from me, but I wrap my arms around him, holding him to me.
“You don’t need it,” I pant. “You’re good. We’re safe.”
“Fuck, are you going to let my fat cock take you bare?”
I nod, wiggling against him. “Yes.”
He surges forward, his cock breaching me in one long move. I open my mouth, my breaths stuttering at the size of him.
“Well, look at that,” he growls. “Your sweet pussy sucks me right in, doesn’t she?”
My breath hitches.
“Y-yes.”
“You take all of me so well. Like you were fucking made for me. Always ready.”
He takes my lips, his hips moving slowly in a low thrust, letting me feel everything. I open for him, swirling my tongue around his. There’s no finesse or rhythm to his kiss. It’s wet, hard, then soft, and it’s everything to me.
“This pussy is mine,” he grunts on my lips, our breaths mingling as he picks up the speed. “Say it, Mae.”
“Yes. Yours,” I breathe, my hips meeting his.
“Mine. Always.”
“Yes,” I sob, tears gathering in my eyes. “Always will be.”
He pushes me down on the bed and covers my body with his.
His arms are outstretched on the bed, his mouth open.
He glances down to where we’re joined, changing the angle just a little, but it’s enough to send my head spinning.
I cling to him, raising my legs and hips higher, and then he fucks me the way I need him to.
Wild.
Hard.
Deep.
“Fuck, I love it when you get desperate for me. My good girl.”
With each thrust, I come closer to falling off the edge, almost there.
I keep my eyes open and raise my head, silently begging for his mouth.
Like the perfect lover that he is, he takes the hint and fuses his mouth to mine.
The wave takes me over, and I whimper into his mouth, but then a sharp smack on my clit makes me cry out.
The orgasm hits me just as his flat hand falls down on me again in an even harder slap, and he ruts against me, chasing his own release.
“Yes, like that,” I cry. “Come with me, honey. Please.”
“Fuuuck!”
I watch the cords on his sun-kissed neck as he raises his head when he comes on a low groan, thrusting even harder inside me once, twice, then burying himself to the hilt.
He digs his hands into my hips, holding on so tight that I’m positive I’ll have bruises in the morning.
His warm cum spurts inside me, my body weakening in a violent shudder, and I release the tight hold around him and frame his face, watching every emotion in his eyes as he empties himself.
Ecstasy.
Heat.
Joy.
And…something more. Deeper.
“Oh, my sweet Mae.” He leans down, taking my lips in a tender kiss. I pour everything I feel into this kiss, needing him to understand how deeply he’s marked me.
For life.
For eternity.
“I meant it,” I whisper when he lets me come up for air. “I’m yours. Forever.”
He settles his arms on either side of my head, and the utter joy in his eyes makes me catch my breath. Our skin is clammy with sweat, and the room reeks from our lovemaking. The sheets are sticky with sweat, and yet, it’s the most beautiful moment of my life.
“And I’m yours, sweetheart. Always.”
My lips tip up at the corners.
That’s enough for now. I don’t need the words.
Not now.
He pulls out of me and tucks me close, our fronts pressed tight together. I sigh deeply and nuzzle into him, letting the calm wash over me, and close my eyes. I hear him yawn loudly and kiss his chest.
“I should get up, find something to clean you up,” he murmurs.
“Leave it. I like feeling you inside me.”
His hand in my hair stills. I’m already half-asleep, so when he breathes out his next words, I think I’m dreaming.
“How did I get so lucky to find a love this deep a second time?”
I snuggle into him, my arm around his chest, and drift off into a deep, dreamless sleep.