LANA #2
“I get that a lot. It’s nothing magical, just pattern recognition.”
His fingers slide down his face until he can see over the top of them. “Oh, you definitely possess a special kind of magic, Lana. I just don’t think anyone’s shown you how to see it.”
Until now.
My insides seem to flood with helium, and I float upward until my spine is straight and my ears are pricked. Bates praises me almost every chance he gets. Even when he’s upset.
“Thank you for thinking that. I’m really sorry for your loss, Bates.”
He nods. “Thanks. I’ll be okay.”
“You will,” I agree, reaching across to tug one of his big hands down to where I can hold it.
He stares at our interwoven fingers for a long time.
“You know what’s weird?” he asks eventually. “I felt relief at losing the relationship, but losing the kid…”
His breath leaks from him in a slow, pained manner as he shakes his head. “That’s putting some things into perspective — and they keep kicking me in the guts.”
His fingers begin to detach from mine, and when he’s free, he slides out from behind the table.
He moves two steps before dropping into one of two big, cushy armchair recliners that take up most of the living space.
He doesn’t gesture for me to sit in the opposite seat, but I’m sure it’s what he’s intending.
I shrug out of my big puffer jacket before moving closer, and I leave it on his table with my notebook as I follow him to the sitting area. I look between the two chairs, then I climb into his lap so I can hug him.
Bates stiffens beneath me for a breath, but when my arms go around his neck and I press my heart to his, he melts completely.
His big arms fold over me, pulling me closer as he burrows his face into my neck.
We stay like that for a long time — until Bates probably can’t even feel his legs beneath the weight of me.
My butt’s going numb, and the comforting embrace is without a doubt morphing into more of an uncomfortable statue pose we can’t possibly keep.
My fingers trail over his hair, and I kiss his cheek.
“If you ever want to talk more about it, I’ll listen.
And Dad’s pretty keen to support you too.
He knows a few things about grief. Losing people you love is hard, but if you don’t let yourself feel it, it’ll find other ways to manifest, and you don’t want to start carrying around notebooks full of imaginary friends and plans to help you feel in control of your life, right?
That’d probably make Dad send me away for being a bad influence on his precious Kelly. ”
His eyes lift to mine, and I give him an easy smile.
He pulls me back in and hugs me all over again.
I give him a warning rumble. “This had better not be a pity hug, Bates Kelly.”
He leans back, his lips curling just a little on one side. “What kind of hug do you want it to be?”
“Could it multi-task and be a ‘Lana, I forgive you for upsetting me; I can’t stay mad at you; I’m glad you swung by; I feel validated and supported by you, and I honestly just feel better when you’re near me; gosh-darn you’re adorable, and I still want to fuck you’ hug?”
His gray gaze washes over me, leaving me warm and hungry.
“It’s definitely all of those things, Lana.”
I whimper softly at the sound of my name rolling from his lips in a low rumble.
“I appreciate your agreeable efficiency,” I whisper, suddenly breathless.
His gaze drops to where I’m shifting against his lap. “I believe you.”
My face flushes with warmth as I realize I’ve been riding him in a slow grind. I try to stay still, but there’s no place to rest that doesn’t make me squirm with delight.
“I know this is inappropriate, but I’m not sure I can stop,” I gush apologetically. “Should I sit in the other chair?”
“Fuck no.” Bates grips my hips and keeps me hard against him. “Despite a responsibility to encourage the opposite, this is right where I want you. Don’t you move any different from what you’re doing.”
I couldn’t stop if I tried. He does things to me.
Having him say he’d rather have me ride him than do what’s socially acceptable only adds fuel to the very real fire in my core.
A fire that could easily rage out of control before we can have any deeper discussion — especially when I can feel his cock large and hard beneath me.
It jerks against the crotch of my jeans as I try to map the shape of it with my pussy.
“Mm. Just like that, Lana.”
Panting now, I try to catch my breath. “But… I want to ask you things.”
“Then ask.”
I shake my head. “Serious things.”
“Sounds intense.” His eyebrow hitches up, and he starts undoing my shirt buttons. “Not sure I’ll handle that without some encouragement.” He spreads my shirt wide open, tugs down my bra until my tits pop out over the top, then he gives a satisfied grunt. “What do you want to know, Lana?”
“Lots of things. Everything. I want to know where you’re coming from and where you’re headed.
I want to know what risks you’re willing to take to get there.
I want to know all the things you want and the ones you don’t.
There are things I want to know, but it’s not the right time to ask when you’re distracting yourself from sadness by sucking on my tits like that. Fuuuuuck.”
The swirling pressure tugging at my nipple eases as Bates lets it slip from his mouth. I suddenly feel like a balloon that’s been let go in the wind. I want my anchor back. My huge sexy anchor with his gifted mouth that makes my body do things like nothing and nobody else. His eyes meet mine.
“These things you want to talk about…” he says slowly as his thumb and fingers tease my nipple. “I want to talk about them too, but I don’t want to scare you.”
“I feel the same way,” I admit with a gasp. “I know what it’ll sound like when I say the stuff in my head, and I don’t want you to think I’m being stupid and crazy.”
His hands drop from my breasts, and he folds them over his chest as he gives me a stern look.
“I won’t ever think you’re stupid, crazy, weird, or any other thing you want to call yourself in that tone you have for bad things.
You tell me whatever you want, and I will hear it from a place of love and acceptance. Is that understood?”
A little breathless, I nod.
“Good. Can I expect the same from you?”
I nod again.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll speak freely.”
I open my mouth, but no words come out.
“How about I go first?” he suggests. “Age before beauty. Lana?”
Still a little shell-shocked at hearing the L word from his lips, I try to remind myself that it hadn’t really meant what I wanted in that context, but my heart keeps doing flips.
It’s going to crash so hard when reality hits.
If I’d have known I’d meet Bates and that he would be here for the season, I might’ve made the recommendation that the emergency defibrillation kit be set up outside his trailer instead of situated with the other first-aid gear in the more central communal hub.
I gasp when he tweaks and tugs at my nipples.
“Lana?” he says again.
“Present.”
He chuckles softly and pulls my face to his. His kiss is gentle, but pressured and brief. “Just making sure I had your attention before I begin.”
I shake my head. “Me. I have to go first.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Otherwise you might think you’ve influenced me or something.”
Bates studies my face. “You’ve gone from innocent virgin to riding me through my jeans in the space of two days. I think we need to acknowledge that I’ve already had an influence.”
“Fine,” I agree. “Your big sexy cock made me realize I have a preference for sexing big cocks and other such new discoveries you’ve exposed me to — either accidentally or with intent.
It’s true. My youth and social experience will likely count against me in this conversation, but I’d appreciate it if you could recognize that I’m an efficient woman who knows what she wants.
I take measured steps in the directions I choose, and I have other experiences that round out my opinions and beliefs. ”
Bates leans back in his chair with a lazy smile.
My brow furrows deeply enough to feel. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
His smile gets wider. “I like the way you talk. Makes my brain tick and my dick throb. It’s a very seductive combo. Are you doing it on purpose to make me want to fuck you right now?”
“No. But if I may be so bold as to allude to your aforementioned statement: now that I know what it does to you, I’ll keep it in mind,” I reply with a grin as I rub myself against him even faster.
“Mm. Baby, you might want to hurry up and spit out whatever it is you need to say, or the next words out of that pretty mouth might be: Bates, my sweet little stretched-as-fuck cunt is coming all over your monster cock.”
He drops his gaze back to my tits, his huge dick bristles beneath me, and I lose my fucking shit.