Chapter Nine
Aurora
T he day has been a long one for me. Tiring and enlightening. Overwhelming and frightening. But ultimately satisfying.
Nick’s earlier words, because none of them were you , stay with me. When I truly consider what he meant, I realize that I need to open myself up to him or I’ll lose what I am starting to realize is a good man.
I close Leah’s door, leaving it open enough so my daughter can see the glow of the nightlight from the hall, and I can hear Leah, if the little girl calls out.
I blow out a breath and turn to Nick, holding out my hand.
He entwines my fingers with his. “Where to?”
I consider bringing him to the family room but then decide, why delay the inevitable? If I’m in, I might as well be all in.
“My room.”
His eyes gleam with desire. “Lead the way, beautiful.”
I lead him to my bedroom and step inside the place that has always been my sanctuary—complete with a king-sized bed, a white fluffy comforter and pillows, and pastel paintings on the walls. No man has ever been inside this room before Nick.
“You can shut the door and lock it, if you’d like. Before we go to sleep, we’ll open it again,” I say.
Nick does as I say, and pushes the button on the doorknob. The click reverberates through my body.
“I’m not sure if it’s a good idea for Leah to find us in bed together tomorrow,” I say, facing him.
He steps forward and cups my face in his hands. “Then I’ll make sure I’m up before she wakes up. Just let me know what time.”
“Seven,” I say, seconds before his mouth comes down on mine. The kiss isn’t slow or gentle—it is hot and full of need.
Still kissing me, he walks me backwards until my legs hit the mattress and I collapse on the bed.
He lifts his head and reaches for the buttons on his shirt. “Strip,” he says, his gruff tone causing my panties to get wetter.
It’s hard to concentrate on removing my own clothes when I’m so busy watching him reveal his tanned, muscular skin. I try not to drool as he undoes his shirt and lets it fall to the floor. He kicks off his shoes and pulls off his socks, then his hands move to his pants .
He undoes the button when his eyes meet mine. “Do you like watching me?”
I nod and push his hands out of the way so I can unzip his fly, then hook my fingers in his waistband and pull off his pants, taking off his boxer briefs along with them. I suck in a deep breath as his hard cock bobs close to my face.
He stands watching me, hands clenched at his sides.
He is so gorgeous, he takes my breath away. But I’ve always been too preoccupied with my doubts to fully enjoy him. Tonight, I intend to do just that.
I wrap my hand around his cock, exploring the rigid thickness as my hand slides up and down his hard length.
A low moan reverberates from deep in his throat and precome forms at the head.
Tempted, I lower myself to my knees, intending to attempt something I’ve read about in books but have never done myself.
He doesn’t seem to realize my inexperience, or even care, if the sound he makes is anything to go by.
He rests his hand on the top of my head as I open my mouth and draw him in. His taste is salty, his scent musky, and as I slide my tongue along the underside of his erection, I feel him swell in my mouth.
He lets out a low groan. “God, that’s good. Keep going,” he urges, twisting my hair in his hand and tugging, urging me on.
Knowing I am giving him pleasure causes an erotic thrill, and I squeeze my thighs together, feeling a wave of need wash over me. It isn’t intense yet, but that will come…after he does.
I begin to suck, moving my mouth up and down his shaft, and his hips thrust along with me. He shifts his hand lower, gripping the back of my scalp, and pulls my hair with every jerk of his lower body.
His large cock hits the back of my throat and my eyes tear up but I don’t stop. His groans and rough encouragement excite me, and I can sense him losing control. I pick up my tempo and with my other hand, I cup his balls in my hand.
“Fu-uck,” he mutters and pulls himself back.
I release his shaft with a pop and look up at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Not a damned thing.” He brushes a finger beneath my damp eyes. “Get undressed so I can come inside you.”
My lips part, and I nod.
As quickly as possible, I rise and strip naked, tossing my clothes onto the floor. His hot gaze rakes over me. With a groan of approval, he picks me up and places me on the bed. He snags a condom from his jeans pocket and rolls it on, then stretches out beside me .
I barely have time to blink when he sits up and grabs me, settling me on my knees astride him.
“Ride me, beautiful.”
I don’t think, just grip his cock in my hand, and lower myself onto him. As he slides inside, I feel every inch of him filling me. I begin to move up and down, repeating the motion, over and over, connecting us in the most intimate way.
His hot gaze locks on mine, and everything I feel for him flows through me. The longing, the wanting, the need accumulates inside me and a lump rises in my throat. I shut my eyes, wanting to push away the depth of emotion our joining causes.
“Eyes open,” he says sharply.
Before I can react, he raises his lower body off the mattress and flips us, so he’s on top and in control. He braces his hands on either side of my head, his strong body over mine.
“What you feel…” he says, thrusting in and out of me, his intent stare holding mine in a way I can’t deny or shut out. “This is us.” His thick erection anchors so deep inside me, I’m afraid he’s reaching my heart.
I gasp and can’t look away.
“It’s never been like this for me. Only with you,” he says. And then he begins to take me hard, shifting his hips with each thrust until he hits that spot. The one that has me seeing stars. Hell, I’m flying so high, I see the entire universe.
My orgasm hits, and I barely recognize the sound I make. “Nick, God, more!” I dig my fingers into his shoulders, and he works as I ride out my climax.
Just when I come down, his orgasm wracks his body above me, and he groans. “Fuck. I love you.” He stiffens as he comes, warmth flowing inside me along with too many feelings for me to name.
I don’t know how much time passes before I open my eyes. Nick rolls off me, walks to the bathroom and returns.
He helps me clean up and pulls me against him, his arm around my body, holding me tight.
“Nick, about what you said…”
He grunts in my ear. “We aren’t going to discuss it now,” he says in a gruff voice. “You’re going to tell me in your time, when you’re ready.”
That lump returns to my throat because I do love him. How can I not? But he’s right. I’m not ready to say it yet.
I need to have all of my shit together and be ready before I say those words. It has to be perfect.
I curl against him, my head on his chest, and I fall into a deep sleep.
** *
Aurora
I groan and roll over, realizing Nick is gone. As promised, he woke up early enough to avoid having Leah find him in my bed.
What time is it, anyway? After a glance at my phone, I bolt up in bed.
Eight thirty! I rush to the bathroom, take care of things, wash up and brush my teeth.
Then I pull on an old tee-shirt, a pair of panties and shorts before going to see why Leah hasn’t woken me.
Leah isn’t in bed, which doesn’t make sense.
She always wakes up early and climbs into my bed for snuggle time.
The sound of voices directs me to the kitchen where Nick and Leah are…making breakfast? Stunned, I stand in the entrance and watch in silence.
“Hand me the bacon but stay away from the hot stove,” Nick says.
“Here!” Leah smacks him in the arm with a strip of bacon.
I wince, but Nick doesn’t miss a beat. He accepts the meat and places it in the pan. “Next?”
Leah repeats the step.
Looking around, I realize scrambled eggs wait on our plates, probably growing cold. Okay, so he doesn’t multi-task very well, but he definitely is learning on the job. Watching him, I fall even more in love with him than I already am.
It feels strange, seeing the two of them in my kitchen, doing a routine I normally enjoy with my daughter. I am not going to be needed all the time anymore, and that’s hard to accept. But it also brings me great joy.
“Can I wake Mommy now?” Leah asks.
I’m not so easily forgotten, I think with a grin. “I’m right here.” I walk into the room and meet Nick’s gaze. Everything from last night passes between us with that one searing look.
I clear my throat.
“Mommy! We’re making eggs n’ bacon. And I poured my own orange juice!” Leah, still in her pajamas, jumps up and down excitedly, as Nick turns back to the stove to concentrate on the frying pan.
We sit together as a family and eat breakfast, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget this first time. My heart is full, and I am…happy in a way I’ve never been before.
“You promised me Unicorn Poo!” Leah says.
I grin. “I did.”
Leah sneezes and wipes her nose on her sleeve.
“Gross, young lady. Use a tissue,” I say, not meeting Nick’s gaze because I can see how badly he wants to laugh. “Go get some tissues from the bathroom.”
Leah slides off her chair and runs to do as she’s been asked. She sneezes again on her way there and again on her way back.
She returns with the entire box of tissues.
“Are you feeling okay?” I put my hand against Leah’s forehead, finding it hot.
“My throat feels funny.” Leah lets out an exaggerated cough.
This time, it’s Nick who says, “Cover your mouth when you cough.”
I shoot him a grateful look. “Since you two made us such a good breakfast, how about I clean up? You can watch something until I’m finished. Then I’ll run your bath.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
I glance at Leah, noticing her eyes are a little glassy. “Can you get Mommy the thermometer from where we keep it?”
Leah runs out of the room.
“You think she’s sick?” Nick asks, his face etched with concern.
“Looks like she may be coming down with something. It’s probably a cold. I’ll see how things go the rest of today.”