30. Archer
ARCHER
It’s just after six p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and I’m entering the code to the keypad on the guesthouse door as quietly as possible.
I typically train on Wednesdays until seven, but because of the holiday, my trainer let us go early.
I decided to surprise Allie, since she still expects me to be in San Diego.
A few guys from my training cohort are going out tonight, and Colton is attending a party with my brother at his house on Golden State's campus. Most years we have a party either in Lake Arrowhead at the cabin, or in Santa Monica at the art gallery—Allie’s parents always throw one.
This year, though, we’re all apart. Lou and Livia are still in Costa Rica.
Weston was invited to a last-minute competition in North Shore, so he and Willow, along with Darby and Leo, Carter and Penelope, headed out to Hawaii.
I think my parents are still having a small get-together at their place with August, Elena, and my grandparents, and if Allie feels up to it later, I wouldn’t mind stopping by.
I didn’t want to go out with my friends or my brother.
I wanted to come straight back to her. She swore to me she didn’t mind if I went out, told me she’d likely be asleep long before midnight, anyway, but even if I’m ringing in the new year watching her softly snore beside me, I couldn’t think of anything I’d want more.
When I quietly push open the front door and slip inside the house, I’m confronted with the muffled mewling from the bedroom. As I get closer, I hear a faint whine before a frustrated groan.
“Allie Cat?” I call from behind the closed door. “You okay?”
“Oh, fuck,” she mutters before there is shuffling, the thud of something being knocked over, and another growl.
I gently push the door open. Allie is wrapping a silk robe around her body, head snapping up to me, eyes widening before she moves in front of her bedside table, a blush creeping over her neck. “Hi. You’re early.”
I tilt my head, grinning as I peer over her shoulder and find a number of sex toys on her nightstand, and crumbled up pillow on the center of the mattress, before my eyes drift back to her, taking in her heavy breath and gleam of sweat on her brow.
“I am. Are you okay?”
“Yep.” She squeaks, stepping back toward her nightstand.
“What were you doing?” I raise a brow, rocking on my heels.
“Nothing!” she yelps, and when I respond with a laugh, she finally resigns. A dramatic sigh huffs from her lips before she tilts her head toward the ceiling and closes her eyes. “I can’t come.”
“What?”
Her jaw sets as she exhales through her nose, nostrils flaring as she drops her head and turns her blazing eyes to me.
“I. Can’t. Come,” she rasps through gritted teeth.
“I’ve been deliriously horny for weeks, and for some reason…
” She drags her fingers through her hair.
“I’m struggling to give myself an orgasm. ”
My mouth drops open. “Oh.”
Clearly, I could tell she had just been masturbating—or attempting to, I suppose. I didn’t realize it was something she was having trouble with, though. I’d read that increased arousal was a normal symptom of pregnancy, but Allie never mentioned it was something she was experiencing.
“Is this what the doctor was talking about a few weeks ago? That she thought I was going to be helping with now that I’m home?”
Allie peers up at me under long lashes, the glitter in her dark eyes so fucking enticing. The full bottom lip she slips beneath her teeth so fucking tantalizing it makes me knees buckle.
She nods.
I step toward her. “And why didn’t you ask me for help, Allie Cat?”
She shrugs, gaze falling to her feet as she murmurs, “I wasn’t sure where we stood with all of…” Allie waves her hands around. “This.”
I move closer—close enough to reach my arm out, bracket her jaw as my fingers stretch behind her ear, tangling in her tight curls as I lift her head to me. “Thought I told you I was going to make it clear? Exactly the way I feel about you?”
It’s been two days since that moment in the bath.
When it settled within me just how unsure I’ve made her of my feelings—of our future.
While so many obstacles still stand in our way—the birth, the draft, my future in football and her dreams on the line—I vowed to her that I’d show her I intend on us navigating every single one of those obstacles together.
“You did,” she whispers, nodding. “I just… My body has changed so much, and I don’t even know how to make myself feel good anymore, so how can I expect—”
“Oh, you can expect. You can expect me to make you feel good. You can expect me to take care of all your needs.” I drop my mouth to her ear, breath skating over her cheek. “And…you can expect that I’m going to know exactly how to do so. Or have you forgotten how well I know your body, baby?”
She shakes her head. “No.” Swallowing, she adds, “Haven’t forgotten.”
“Good.” I slowly drag my hand down her neck, over her shoulder and across her chest, until it lands on the knot tied at the center of her robe.
I pull on the belt, drawing it tight and unraveling the fabric until the silk falls open, baring her body to me.
“Why don’t you let me remind you, anyway? Let me take care of you tonight?”
She lets out a long exhale, pulling her gaze from the place my hand touches her skin and lifting it so that her eyes clash against mine. Her chocolate irises blaze with golden flame, pupils expanding as she soaks in the heat I know is radiating back at her through my own.
Her full lips part, glistening and wet as she runs her tongue over them, before offering me a shallow nod.
“Good, Amor. So good,” I rasp, gently pressing her down onto the mattress. I crawl behind her, settling myself upright against the pillows as I spread my legs and pull her between them. “Lie against my chest.”
Her breath catches as she rests against me, her head rolling into my shoulder.
She turns a cheek toward me, gazing up at me through piercing eyes—hooded and passion-laced.
Her robe falls open, revealing her growing belly and heavy breasts.
Her nipples are darker than they were before she got pregnant, breasts much fuller, hips rounder too.
Something carnal awakens inside me at the sight of her body changing so profoundly—an altering of her very atoms to create my child. I made raw love to her, and she’ll forever change because of it.
Allie will forever be transformed because of the mark I’ve left on her, and my primal instincts light on fire at the sense of claiming that’s given me.
It’s fucking beautiful.
Not that I can necessarily explain these inclinations, because she very well may hit me. She’s independent and wild and free and I’d never outwardly claim ownership of her autonomy like that, but fuck it feels good to know I’ve had her in ways no other has.
Ways I’m fervently determined to ensure no other ever will.
I press my lips to the skin just behind her ear as I whisper, “Can you spread those legs for me, Amor? Show me how bad you need me.”
She hums, the sound thick as honey in her throat. Her knees drop open as her palms land on her breasts, gently kneading the flesh there as she brushes her thumbs over both nipples.
I glide down her shoulder, fastening my hand over hers. “Let me do this for you. I need you to grab that rose.” I nod toward the toy sitting on the nightstand beside us. “Put it against your pussy, baby.”
“God,” she rasps, eyes fluttering as she reaches across the mattress to grab the toy.
“Do you like it when I talk about your pussy, Allie?” I smile against her neck.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Good, because I’m going to make that pretty cunt come tonight. I know how wet she likes to get for me.” I brush her hand away from her breast, circling her nipple with my thumb as I slide my free hand over her belly and between her thighs.
Allie gasps as I part her open, fingers already slick with her arousal.
Panting with heavy breath, she brings the rose toy to her center.
I help her hold it against her clit, whispering reassurances of what a good girl she’s being for me before we press the power button together, and it buzzes to life.
Her body bows as the sensation rushes over her, powerful enough that I feel it on my own thighs.
I’m painfully hard at the sight of her naked before me, the feel of her pressed against me.
All my longing for her touch and scent and sound comes rushing back with a vengeance, my entire existence narrowing to this moment and to her, just as it’s always felt.
My North Star, my entire galaxy—she’s the nucleus.
I slide my hand farther between her thighs, teasing a finger at her center as I pinch her nipple with my other hand. “Is this what you wanted?”
“Yes.” Her eyes clench shut, hips rocking upward, like she’s trying to push me inside.
I slowly slip one finger in, her familiar wet heat enveloping me. I thrust twice, before adding my middle finger, filling her further.
“Oh,” she whimpers.
“Yeah,” I drawl. “That’s what you needed, wasn’t it, Mama?”
She tightens at the sound of my voice, and I flick my thumb over her nipple in a matching tempo to the pump of my fingers. “Ohmygod. Right there.”
“That’s it.” I curve my fingers, creating a beckoning motion as I nip at her throat. “Give me one, Allie. You can do it.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” She’s panting, shamelessly thrusting against my arm, holding the toy against her clit, nails digging into my shoulder where she grips me with her free hand. “Oh, I am going to—”
“Yeah, you are. Yeah you fucking are. C’mon, baby. Give that pretty pussy to me, soak my fingers.”
“Christ, Archer,” she gasps.
Her body arcs, going taut before becoming completely boneless as a deep, heavy sigh falls from her lips and she trembles with release. Her climax floods my hand inside her, and I keep her full of my fingers until she rides out every last ounce of ecstasy.