Chapter 11
ELEVEN
“Rath– Fuck.”
His bulge had reached the tip of his dick. His end was near, but I wouldn’t allow him the pleasure of releasing. He didn’t deserve it. Not yet. I removed my hands and watched his eyes close as his head fell backward.
Priest’s hands were battling the restraints. His efforts were pointless. I’d bet every dollar in my bank account that he wouldn’t free himself, just like I wouldn’t free his semen until I was ready.
“What the fuck are you doi–”
“Shhhhhh.”
I lifted my leg and brought his head forward. I fed him the pussy he was desperate to feel. As if he’d missed his last six meals, he opened his mouth to receive my meatiness.
“Tongue.”
When it was visible, I lifted slightly and placed it right at my opening. Back and forward, I rocked my body.
“Ummmm.”
With each stroke of his tongue, I shuddered. When the feeling became too intense, I lowered my body and pressed my clit against his tongue. Simultaneously, I leaned over and extended my arm to pull his dick into my hand.
“Rather,” he whined.
Disregarding his pleas, I stroked his length.
“Shhhhhh.” I commanded silence.
His bulge reappeared near the center of his shaft. It was such a beautiful sight. Hunger pains knotted my stomach. I aborted my mission to ride his face until I peaked. Instead, I fell flat on my knees with his dick in my mouth and his balls in my hand.
Ssspuh! I spat the saliva that had pooled in my mouth as I marveled as the beauty of his girth.
“Fu– ckkk.”
“Mmmmm.”
Each time he reached the back of my throat, I hummed. The tip of his dick met the vibrations over and over, sending Priest spiraling. Just when his ass tightened and his legs stiffened, I popped him out of my mouth and sat back on my legs.
“Fuck is you trying to do to me?” He groaned, frustrated with the edging.
“Hm?” I forged my innocence, pretending I wasn’t aware of what he was complaining about.
As I did so, I climbed up and straddled him in the chair.
“You gone make me cum in that pussy, Rather. You gone make a nigga cum in that sh ? —”
I stood up, allowing his dick to fall right out of me and onto his thighs. A mess was made. My stickiness streaked his meat and the rest of his center.
“Uhhhhh!” My time had come, too. I was on the brink, but I wanted us to share the bliss.
“Fuck. Come back here. Get back on this motherfucker,” Priest pled with me. “Rather.”
“Shhhhh.”
I covered his lips with mine. My pussy was aching for its release. I’d been teasing him, but I’d been teasing myself, too. For an hour straight, I refused to let Priest cum. I was ready, now, but I needed him to say the magic word.
“Say please,” I whispered, kissing him deeply.
He pulled back from me, staring at me with regretful eyes. He wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into an hour ago, but he’d surely found out. In the future, I hoped he made wiser choices. This was nothing in comparison to what I was capable of.
“Please!”
I reached behind me and fisted his hammer. I drove it inside of me and propped both feet up on the left and right stretchers for balance.
Up.
Down.
Up.
“Oh God!”
Down.
Up.
Down.
Priest didn’t announce his pending arrival because he was too afraid I would remove myself. He didn’t have to. I felt him stiffen inside me and all around me. Just as his semen filled me, I rained down on him. Heavily. Heavenly .
Shit . I tapped the steering wheel as the flashback caused a flood in my undies. Undoubtedly, they were ruined.
“Your destination is on the left. 11206 Lakeshore Drive.”
Priest had rose to the top of my list of clients and he was not number two. For an hour, I had my way with him, driving us both mad. Things between us had spiraled into something neither of us could control. But, I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
I turned into the long driveway that started at the top of the road and ended at the front of the incredibly beautiful home. Priest stood near the garage, waving me over. From my understanding, I’d be parking my car inside. Though we would be alone for the weekend, one could never be too careful.
“Shhhh.”
I dipped the warm towel in the bowl of hot water as he protested.
“Untie me.”
He was putty. He was tapped out. He was vulnerable. He was bare. He was powerless.
The subtle requests were quieter as each rolled off his tongue. His submission hadn’t come easy, but it was magnifying. He’d cared for me on many occasions. It was my turn to take good care of him.
“When I’m ready,” I told him for the twelfth time.
He was struggling. His masculinity had taken a blow, but it was a beautiful one. Convincing him that he could surrender to me started with him trusting me. His history with women wasn’t one he was proud of, so he was careful. He was calculated.
But, with me, he didn’t have to be that person. I wanted the raw version. The one that hadn’t been altered by the pain of his past.
“You can let it down, Priest.”
He quieted, closing his eyes as my words penetrated him.
“I’m not here to cause you any pain.”
I ran the warm cloth down his chest.
“It’ll never be the case.”
Gently, I cleaned my nature from his thighs.
“Eyes,” I demanded.
He lifted his head, staring down at me with the weight of his world on his shoulder.
Let me have it.
I wanted his burdens. His pain. His worries. His stress. His hardships.
“Do you understand, Mr. Valentine?”
His limp shaft was crusted with a thin white layer of gratitude. My pussy was beyond grateful for his contributions.
“Answer me.”
Weakly, he nodded. Slacked facial features and rounded shoulders displayed his defeat in high definition.
“In less than six weeks I’ll be marrying the man that has been arranged for me. I’ll mourn you each day. Since your identity was revealed, I’ve mourned the idea of happiness I foolishly boarded the plane back to America with.”
“Because in no world and in no way will I ever have peace or utter happiness knowing you exist. The day I accept your brother as my husband will be the only time I will knowingly, and reluctantly, cause you pain. But, you won’t suffer alone.”
“I have the rest of my life to live with that pain. Until then, you can let down your guard. Allow me to experience you fully.”
I stopped cleaning his body to look into those eyes that saw right through me.
“Please.” The cracking of my voice was as frightening as it was revealing.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Rose.”
With my eyes closed, I counted down from ten. By the time I reached three, the door of my car swung open and Priest was guiding me out. Before both feet were settled on the concrete beneath me, his arms were around me.
“Good morning,” he greeted me.
His lips pressed against mine.
Once.
Twice.
“Good morning.”
“It’s six. What are you doing up?”
“I– I couldn’t sleep.”
Chuckling, he rubbed his hand down his head.
“Me neither,” he admitted, “Been wanting you here since we arrived last night.”
“I almost came. Last night,” I sighed, happy to finally have made it.
The call letting me know he’d made it came around eleven. I was in bed, under the covers, and headed toward my dreams. It took a great deal of control to stay put and find sleep.
Because he was getting settled, the call was swift. Had we stayed on the line, I wouldn’t have been able to resist. He sounded exhausted, lonely, and like he could use some company.
“You should’ve.”
Priest had left dinner with Princeton the previous night and come straight to the lake house. I couldn’t stand the idea of being home waiting for the ten o’clock hour to head out. My internal alarm woke me up at four. Within thirty minutes, I was on the road and on my way to Priest.
“Come inside. It’s chilly out.”
On wobbly legs, I followed him into the house where the smell of marshmallows and caramel welcomed me.
“Coffee?”
He nodded.
“You seem like the type of woman that starts her day off with a cup. I started some when you notified me that you were headed this way.”
It wasn’t until I was halfway here that I called Priest. I was too afraid to wake him and too afraid he’d tell me to ditch my plans and stay home until sunrise.
“Coffee would be nice. I don’t have it every morning, but it brings me joy the rare mornings I do.”
“That, too, huh?”
He nodded toward the breakfast nook in the spacious, ranch-style kitchen. A stack of books piled high and topped with a large red bow stole my attention. I froze, momentarily, blinking rapidly to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me. I rotated on my heels to find Priest with a smirk on his face.
“You didn’t.”
Shrugging, he responded, “I did. And, though I’m not a coffee lover, I thought we could take a moment to appreciate the sun’s glow while you narrate whatever the hell is between those pages. Heated blankets are in the closet near the gazebo.”
“Pinch me,” I demanded, moving closer. “Pinch me.”
“I won’t do such a thing, Rather. Because after the stinging subsides, the books will still be right there and I’ll still be waiting with a cup of coffee and a heated blanket to join you out back.”
I rushed to unravel the bow and take a good look at the books stacked on top of one another. To my surprise, the final book in the stack wasn’t filled with words. It was patiently awaiting mine. The Ivy Dawn journal was one that had been on my wishlist for some time now.
Every time I considered the purchase, I talked myself out of it. The line of stationary was far too beautiful for me to destroy with a single journal entry before quitting altogether. I didn’t have much to write about then.
“Write about me,” Priest challenged.
“Are you reading my thoughts?”
“No. Sharing mine.”
“I heard everything you said the other day. I haven’t stopped thinking about it. It would pain me more to know you aren’t living the happiest life you could because that’s exactly what you deserve. Utter happiness. You tell me that you’ll mourn my absence. I’ll mourn the blissful life you could’ve had, had I never entered your world.”
“Not for a second do I regret meeting you or the magic we’ve made since encountering one another. But, I regret the turmoil I’ve burdened you with. I’ll never forgive myself for your fate or for your future. You deserve better than the pain you’ll feel.”
“I deserve you.”
With a nod, he agreed. Pursed lips and a low chuckle were followed by the shake of Priest’s head. “But I’m not who you’ll have.”
“I know.”
“Come outside with me, Rather. We don’t have long before Princeton is awake.”
He extended his arm and waited for me to grab ahold of his hand. I snatched the first book from the stack, hoping it was intriguing enough to capture both of our attention. It wasn’t until I made it out onto the extended porch that I realized I’d forgotten the cup of coffee I was eager to have. I let go of Priest’s hand and started for the door.
“Is everything alright?” He called behind me.
“How do you like your coffee?”
“Black.”
While he prepared the blankets and chairs, I busied myself in the kitchen with cups of fresh coffee. As I stood waiting for the mug I’d chosen to fill, everything around me stilled. The moment felt so surreal. Comfort quilted me better than any blanket man could create. The words of a song I loved more than the law should allow came to mind and out of my mouth.
“I feel so comfortable with you. You make me comfortable with you.”
At some point of The Start of Everything , it was Priest who began to turn page by page, reading to me. And, at some point during his reading, I fell asleep on his shoulder. The electric fire pit he’d started a few feet away kept the chilly water winds from altering my body’s temperature.
Sleep had overcome me. Many hours later and I was awakened by giggles and the sound of a raging dinosaur. Darkness surrounded me. As much as I wanted to blame the blackout curtains in the unfamiliar bedroom, I had a gut feeling I’d slept the day away. The sun set after the six o’clock hour. Though it was relatively early, it was too late for me to have slept in.
I slid into the fluffy slippers waiting for me in front of the bed. It was then I felt the silk fabric against my skin. I was no longer in the loungewear I’d come in. Priest had gotten me out of my clothes and into something more suitable for sleep.
Gosh, I couldn’t have been that tired.
Sleepless nights were few and far apart, but late nights and early mornings were plentiful. My head and heart were both still adjusting to solitude. I hated every waking minute of it. I missed my family dearly.
My mother’s voice wasn’t enough anymore. I needed her by my side. And, the girls, I yearned for their presence. The FaceTime group calls weren’t enough. Teddy was a completely different story. The void his absence left was hard to even think about. We didn’t talk as often as I wanted or needed.
He wasn’t much of a talker. Our calls would be filled with silence. But, even that would be better than the bits and pieces of him I had at the moment.
Maybe I was tired. Mentally, if nothing else .
Though I heard him loud and clear, it was taking me forever to get to Priest. The home was far from modest. The land was never ending. Acres on acres on acres of beautiful things and beautiful creatures occupied the territory.
According to Priest, there was a stable full of horses he owned two miles down the dirt road carved in the center of the property. An equestrian at heart, I couldn’t wait to have a look. If the horses were mild-mannered, a ride or two before the weekend would be divine.
“Sleeping beauty has awaken.”
Finally, I saw his handsome face. I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Princeton’s feet shuffled toward me, stopping only when he’d reached me and his hands were wrapped around my legs.
“Hi, buddy.”
I rubbed his back in an attempt to settle his nerves. The sight of me was riveting, sending him spiraling. He took off in the other direction after a few seconds. Up and down, he jumped around, clapping his hands and stomping his feet. His excitement was heartening.
This must be how my mother felt waking up to Chemistry and Richie .
“How did you sleep?”
He was doing it again. Unintentionally stirring my feelings. Discovering the asshole I’d met at the dinner table was everything but the asshole I’d made him out to be was not on my bingo card. Finding out he was the complete opposite of the man his family painted him as had me on a high I never wanted to come down from. Naturally, he cared. The constant questions proved it.
How are you feeling?
What are you feeling?
How are you doing?
Are you okay?
How did you sleep?
The questions weren’t always simple and could come with loaded, very heavy responses. But, no matter the response, it became part of his study guide. Each answer was stored somewhere in that complex brain of his until he found use for it.
The thoughtfulness of books on the table this morning had come from the place he stored my responses. The lakehouse visit. The mention of the stable. The slippers. Everything. Priest listened well.
“Seeing that the sun has settled leads me to believe I slept well. Like a baby .”
“Sometimes our bodies begs us for rest and we refuse until it stops begging.”
“And, you wake up after ten hours.”
“Eleven,” he corrected me. “It’s seven, my dear.”
“Eleven?” My eyes widened in shock.
“Yes.”
“I’ve wasted the entire first day out here. I’m so–”
“You better not do that, Rather,” he warned, getting up from the floor and standing on his feet. “Never apologize for giving your body exactly what it needs.”
I followed his long stature with my eyes until he made it to the kitchen. Princeton was finally settling. He grabbed him by the hand and brought him closer to the counter where he grabbed the white stack of laminated sheets that were held together by a single metal ring.
I knew what every page entailed because I’d made the booklet. Each week, the idea was to add two sheets to the ring to expand Princeton’s palette.
His favorite foods were amongst the items pictured in the booklet to help him better communicate his desires and eliminate unnecessary triggers for him as it related to decision making. Princeton was capable. He just didn’t know how to communicate his preferences in most cases.
“We’re having dinner soon. What would you like?”
I watched carefully as Princeton went into deep thought. Priest’s patience was appreciated as he made the tough decision. Only when he was sure, Princeton began pointing.
A grin turned my eyes to slits. Princeton was a joy to have around. He was becoming my saving grace. He offered normalcy in my world. Everything felt foreign to me except sessions with him– and time with his father .
“Good job, son.”
Priest lowered him onto the floor and patted him on his head.
“I guess we’re having grilled chicken, corn, and jello.”
Shrugging, I joined forces with the decision-making five-year-old who was off to find Woody.
“That sounds delicious.”
Priest and I both failed to conceal our laughter. Nevertheless, he began preparing for our hearty meal. I wasted little time stepping into the kitchen and running my soapy hands underneath warm water.
“I’ll open the cans of corn and get them started.”
“I’ll get started on the chicken.”
We worked our way around the kitchen, ultimately deciding that a salad was suitable for the questionable meal we were having. Within an hour, everything was plated and in front of us on the table.
“Dear God, thank you for the meal we’re preparing to receive. Thank you for life. Thank you for health. Thank you for the breath in our lungs and the beat of our heart. May the food we’re waiting to receive is nourishing to our minds, bodies, and souls. In your darling son Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“Amen,” Priest added.
“Princeton?” I called out, “Amen. Right?”
He tilted his chin upward, bringing smiles to our faces.
“Good enough,” I concluded.
Laughter and light quickly spread around the table as we stuffed our faces. Though it was rather quiet, no words were needed. Everything Priest was feeling rested in his eyes, posture, and every movement he made. I only hoped the feeling was visible in mine.
Princeton piled corn on his spoon a final time. He’d eaten it all and only a few bites of chicken. But, when the metal hit his plate, he made it clear he was finished.
“All done?” I asked in two different languages.
“Umm hmm.” Clearly, Princeton responded.
Priest’s eyes cut in his direction. I shook my head, daring him to make a fuss about it. Normalizing Princeton’s newfound ability was the quickest way to bring him comfort and encourage him to continue. Princeton didn’t need a pat on the back for speaking. He needed reassurance so the words would keep flowing.
It wasn’t his fault they were lodged in his throat when he tried getting them out. But, he was fully responsible for breaking down those barriers his little brain and body had agreed upon. If Priest began rewarding him for every new word he spoke, it would be never ending.
“What is it that you’d like to do next?”
I was aware of Princeton’s routines and so was he. His body set internal alarms to let him know when the next task was required. Because he had the ability to determine what was next without being told, I knew he had the strength to tell me exactly where we were in his daily routine.
He pointed down the hallway. I wasn’t sure what was down there, but according to the time it must’ve been his bedroom.
“What’s down there?”
He pointed again.
“A pool?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“A gym?”
He shook his head.
“A lake?”
He shook his head again.
“B–bed.”
“Oh, your bed? Is that it?”
He nodded. “Umm hmm.”
“Oh dear, are you sleepy?”
“Umm hmm.”
“Then, let’s get you to bed, yeah?”
“Umm hmmm.”
His little rasp was the most precious sound. Priest slid his chair from the table and met Princeton on the other side.
“I’m going to get him down. I won’t be long.”
“Of course.”
I pulled Princeton in for a hug. His body fits so perfectly in my arms.
“Goodnight.”
His smile was enough to lull me to sleep each and every night. He took his father’s hand as they disappeared down the hall. A quick look around the table assured me everyone had filled their bellies and it was safe to clear.
I trashed the scraps left on the plates. Before piling them into the sink, I started warm dish water and tossed a rag inside. When the temperature was perfect, I drained the towel of most of its water and headed for the table to wipe it down. Sweeping up Princeton’s corn and cleaning the dishes were last on the list of things to do before I shut the kitchen down for the night.
I feel so comfortable with you . The tune was on loop in my head.
Priest’s body surrounded me as I dried the few dishes we’d used. His hands rounded my waist. His chest was against my back. His head was tucked between my neck and shoulder. From side to side, he rocked us both.
“I missed you all fucking day.”
“I promise not to sleep tomorrow away.”
“I won’t let you. I have plans for us.”
“Plans?”
“Um hmm.”
“What kind of plans?”
I turned around in his arms, still holding him closely.
“I want you to meet the horses.”
“I’d love to.”
“And jet ski on the lake.”
“What about Princeton?”
“He’s happiest on the water. That’s why we’re here so often. The jet skis are his favorite–next to the paddle boats.”
“I look forward to it.”
“Stay until Monday evening.”
His request caught me by surprise.
“I–”
“You haven’t left but all I keep thinking about is the moment you do.”
“It has me holding my breath,” I sighed, holding Priest’s gaze.
“Stay a while longer, then.”
“I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”
Feverishly, he kissed my lips. His hand cupped my butt and lifted me into the air. He placed me on the counter and immediately began fondling with the waistband of his pants. His dick sprang to life, exciting me at once. With a straightened spine, I pulled him into my hands. Up and down, I stroked his rigidness.
“Take these off,” he instructed, tapping the leg of my pants.
I didn’t hesitate to lift my butt so he could slide them down. The coolness of the counter raised my skin with fine bumps. Priest pulled me to the very edge and lowered his body until he was hovering over my centerpiece.
He parted my lips with two fingers, exposing my clitoris. Like a vacuum, he sucked it into his mouth and flicked his tongue backward and forward at a rapid pace. He wasn’t playing fair. Not even a little.
“Uh– uhhhh. Yesss.”
My body bounced from the counter, threatening to explode with each flicker of his tongue. How he was able to summon my orgasm in a matter of seconds was beyond me. He was just too damn good and I was just too damn sensitive to his touch. To his tongue .
“Yesssss. Uh!”
My limbs went numb. The stars appeared behind my lids, and my entire center began tingling to the point of gratifying discomfort. It was so damn good it ached.
“Ummmm. Ummmmmm. Wai– Oh God.”
Priest transferred his prize from my pussy to my top set of lips. He parted them with his tongue, and coated my jaws in remembrance of me. In remembrance of what he’d just done and the yoke he was able to extract with hardly any effort.
“Uhhhhh.”
He entered me from below. It felt like I’d been split in half. My walls were so tender, yet they embraced every inch of him. My contractions pulled him deeper, exposing the degree of my hunger.
“Shit, baby,” he groaned against my lips.
His hands cover both ass cheeks. Slightly, he lifted me from the counter and began plowing into me. His strokes were empowering. Though slow, they were commanding. Their potency was quickly consuming me.
“Priest,” I breathed into his mouth.
“Shit too good, Rose,” he grunted. “Too fucking good.”
The quickening of his pace led me to believe his climax was near. I was soaking wet. It was pathetic down there. The mess I’d made couldn’t be cleaned with a wash rag. We’d need a shower. I was leaking profusely.
“This dick bout to cum. Fuck. This dick bout to cum.”
Abruptly, Priest ejected himself. He stepped away slowly with a shake of the head.
“Off the counter. Bend over.”
I couldn’t keep my balance if I tried. The slippery wet counter that was covered with evidence of my explosion assisted with the impossible task he’d given. And, as soon as I’d positioned myself, he was inside of me again.
“Fuuuuuuuck.” The moan had come from the depths of my soul where his dick had reached.
His hand wrapped around the back of my neck. And, the madness began.
Smack.
Smack.
Smack.
Smack.
Our bodies collided, sounding around us.
“Yes. Yes. Yesss.”
Smack.
Smack.
“Goddamn,” Priest fussed, “Goddamn.”
Smack.
Smack.
The way he was fucking me, the way he was feeding me dick, it should’ve been deemed illegal. I closed my eyes, chasing the high he was promising with menacing strokes and the sound of his voice. Together, they were leading me closer to euphoria.
“That’s it, dear. That’s it. Arch that back and get yours.”
Priest paid such close attention to detail. I was mounting and he understood it clearly. He knew how it sounded. How it felt. And, what that looked like for me. And, it wasn’t until my body caved and everything around me blackened that he succumbed to his own ending.
Saturday came and though I’d promised Priest a full day of activities, there was nothing I wanted to do more than hug the sheets with my body pressed against his. The horses he’d told me about on several occasions were as dreamy as he’d described. We spent most of the day taking them out for walks, one after the other.
Dinner was served at seven sharp. This time, it wasn’t Princeton who chose our meal. And, it wasn’t Priest who did the bulk of the work. I forced him out of the kitchen and into the living room for rest and relaxation while Princeton and I deepened our connection over medium-well steak, garlic potatoes, and broccoli. The meal was simple, but hearty. We all went to bed with full bellies.
In the wee hours of the night, Priest filled my belly, again. This time with dick. And, until we both drifted, he filled my ear with the sweetest nothings. I fell asleep wrapped in his arms.
Sunday was spent on the lake. Almost every water activity available, we indulged. The only activities we avoided were those that weren’t safe or sensible for a five-year-old. It wasn’t until six o’clock in the evening when we returned.
With exhaustion plaguing us all, Priest made the decision to order pizza instead of cooking. We piled in the family room and powered up the projector. Together, we watched Toy Story 2. By the second act, everyone was out cold.
Monday was spent in bed savoring every minute up until my departure. And, when that time came, my soul wept. My eyes stung from the tears that threatened to fall as I pulled out of the lengthy driveway and onto the street. With each mile that I traveled, I wanted to turn around and hug Priest once more. Kiss him once more.