Andrew“Spill,” Saxton said after a minute of silence. “If you want,” he added.“About what?” I asked, still distracted. Everywhere I looked, I saw Lanie’s face.“Raven’s doing okay?”“Everything looks good. The doctors say there shouldn’t be any long-term damage.”“What about that little boyfriend of hers?” Saxton’s face darkened.“He’s actually a good kid.”Saxton made an If-You-Say-So face. “A seventeen-year-old guy? Do you know what I was like at seventeen?”“I can imagine.”“Exactly.” He gave me a pointed look over his glass rim, and I laughed. Saxton could always cheer me up no matter what, if only for a short while.I licked my lips, looking for a segue into the next thing I needed to tell him.“Raven’s doing great.”“Uh-huh?” He cocked an eyebrow.“She’s pissed at me for breaking up with Lanie.”Saxton sharply inhaled.“Did you just gasp?” I asked.“Whatever,” he muttered, setting his drink on the coffee table and leaning toward me with an intense look on his face. “Why did yo
LanieMy second visit with Raven swam through my head as I pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot. The whole time I was at the hospital, I’d been worried Andrew would show up. Raven had assured me he was busy, but I still couldn’t shake the needling feeling on my skin.As much as I burned to see him, I wasn’t ready for it yet and didn’t know when I would be. I still didn’t know what to make of our conversation the day before. Forgiving and forgetting seemed like the best choice, the thing I desperately wanted to do.And yet I just couldn’t. Every time I thought of Andrew, I felt the sting of him shutting me out. How did I know he wouldn’t do that again the next time things became hairy?Finding a parking spot close to the French restaurant Erica and I had decided to eat at in lieu of our usual Thursday at-home cooking, I left the heat blasting and dropped my head back against the seat. With my eyes closed, all I saw was Andrew.How could this be? I couldn’t forgive him, and yet I wa
Lanie“Andrew mostly talked about how dumb he is, and he said that he wants to try again with me.”Erica guffawed. “You already tried.”“Exactly.”“What did you say?”I felt my shoulders droop as my face also dropped down. “I told him I needed some time to think about it all.”“Hm.”Erica took a sip of wine, tasting it, thinking about things.“I don’t know what to do. I want him back. Bad.”She gave me a strained smile. We both knew it wasn’t as simple as that. Just because I desired a man didn’t mean he was the best thing for me.“Here’s the thing,” I explained. “I don’t know if he’s trying to get me back because he really wants me or if it’s because he’s trying to make Raven happy.”“Those are two very different things.”“If it’s both, fine. Great. But if I’m just another gift to her to make up for things.” I shook my head. “No. I’m not doing that.”“Did he say anything about what the future might be like? You know, if you do get back together?”“We didn’t really get that far in the
Andrew“She didn’t say anything about me?” I asked Raven one more time.“Oh my god,” she sighed. She was sitting on the edge of her hospital bed, stretching her good leg out. It was one of the simple exercises the nurses had given her to do each day so that her muscles could stay in working condition.Raven scowled. “Don’t stare at me while I do this. I already feel stupid enough.”“I’m not looking,” I answered, though I half-turned away.“She didn’t want to talk about you, Dad.”I cringed at the sadness in her voice and pressed my fist to my mouth. “I’m going to make this up to you both,” I promised.The bed creaked, and I looked over to see Raven getting back under her covers. “I can’t wait till I leave this place,” she sighed.“Did you hear what I said?”She gave me a plain, unreadable look. “You’re going to make this up to us both. Okay. How?” My heart started pounding. “You’ll see soon. Will you be okay here if I run over to Lanie’s?”Her eyes widened. She was already picking u
Andrew“I understand.”“Do you?” Lanie cocked her head. “Because I don’t think you get how badly you hurt me. How …” She sucked in a ragged breath. “Never mind. Forget it.”“No,” I sharply said, taking another step in her direction. There was still so much space between us, but I didn’t want to push my luck. “Tell me. Please.”Her eyes shone from the tears lingering there. “I thought you were the one. The person I’d waited my whole life for. And then, when you broke up with me, I had to deal with moving on from that. With accepting that I’d lost the best thing I’d ever found.”“I know what that feels like,” I solemnly answered.Lanie warily watched me, waiting.“I’ve lost so much, Lanie,” I breathed. “My wife. The most special moments of Raven’s childhood and teenage years. You.” My voice snagged, and I had to clear my throat. “Which is why I know now that I can’t afford to lose anything else. I can’t let anything good slip through my fingers.”Lanie’s softly-curved lips trembled. I l
Lanie“I can’t believe this,” I said yet again, staring at the ring, switching my gaze to Andrew’s face, then repeating the cycle all over again. Him. My engagement ring. There was nothing else.My engagement ring.“It’s so beautiful,” I breathed.And it was. The diamond sparkled. It was a princess cut jewel, bigger than one I’d ever thought I’d be comfortable wearing, but having it on my finger made me want to never take it off.I loved how it caught the light, how the band was simple, taking nothing away from the diamond. I loved how it represented the love Andrew and I shared, was a testament to the things we’d been through, how it promised a future of happiness and combined strength.Andrew brought my right hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “Thank god you said yes.”Laughter burst from me. “This is what I was waiting for, Andrew. This.” Tears of relief and happiness made it impossible to go on.“I know.” Andrew pulled me back into his chest, cradling me in his strong arms. “Y
LanieAndrew’s boxers came off last, revealing a smooth dick hard and pointing right at me. The muscles in my groin all clenched together at once, and I gasped. I’d never get tired of looking at this man naked.Luckily for me, I would get to do that for the rest of my life.Andrew advanced on me, need flashing in his dark eyes. Our mouths collided, and we fell back onto the bed, my back pressed into the mattress. His hands went to mine right away, fingers intertwining as we kissed. Lust and love swirled through me, creating the perfect combination.This was it. This was what all of life was about, finding someone to love and giving them your everything.Our kiss deepened, taking me to new levels of happiness. I squeezed Andrew’s hands, wanting to seal his palms to mine.His lips broke from mine, taking my neck instead. I closed my eyes and rolled my head back, enjoying the licks and sucks on the most tender parts of my throat. Thrusting my hips up, I locked my legs around Andrew’s wai
LanieOur lips collided as I rocked against him, each thrust bringing us closer together. I held onto his shoulders with all of my strength as his hands went everywhere. My hips. My back. My stomach. My breasts. My face. He didn’t miss a single part of my body, instead taking his time to stroke and cherish each section.My bliss doubled, and I burst with a cry. Wrapping his arms around me, Andrew flipped me over with one smooth movement. His weight pressed down against me, his delicious scent intoxicating. Our tongues danced together as he thrust deep into me.I could feel the intention with each move. He was claiming me. Making me his.“You’re mine forever,” Andrew huskily whispered against my lips.I smiled at knowing I’d been right on the nose.Seizing my mouth, he kissed me hungrily. I pressed my palms against his back, relishing the way the muscles bunched together as he moved.With a grunt, Andrew released deep into me. His thrusting stilled, but his kisses became even more fran
Andrew“How are you doing?” I rubbed Lanie’s shoulder, feeling silly for asking the question.She huffed out a breath, looking out the window instead of at me.I nodded. Right, then.What was it I learned in that maternity class we took? For the life of me, I couldn’t remember one thing. My pulse was racing a million miles an hour, and all my nerves were bunching up in my stomach.Lanie exhaled again, long and low, as she had another contraction.The door opened, and the doctor strode into the room with a big smile. “Let’s check you out,” she said.Lanie just pressed her lips tight together and nodded, her face growing red.“You’re doing great, honey,” I told her.She smiled up at me, but I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She was ready for this to be over with.Taking her hand, I held it tight as the doctor checked her dilation.“Ten centimeters,” she announced. “We’re ready to push.”“Thank god,” Lanie gasped. She gritted her teeth and squeezed my hand so tight, I thought it wa
LanieI whisked the curtains open, taking in the white beach and the sparkling blue water. Palm trees and other foliage covered the far side of the bay. A few people surfed, but other than that, the area was empty.“Oh my god,” I breathed. “It’s beautiful.”Andrew’s strong arms wrapped around me from behind. “Yeah?” he murmured, laying a kiss on the side of my neck.We’d gotten to the resort after dark the night before, and all I’d really gotten to see were the patios and the lobby. I’d pored over the brochure, though, listing all the things I wanted to do.“I can’t believe we’re here for a whole week.” I rested my arms against Andrew’s.“What do you want to do today?”“Mm.” I leaned against him, thinking about it some. “Sunbathe? Take a surfing lesson? I dunno. What do you want to do?”“Spend time with you.”I spun around to face him. “I like that answer.”A knock on the door made me look over his shoulder. “It’s so early. Who is that?”Andrew shrugged but couldn’t hide the knowing l
AndrewThe door of the old house opened, and Erica came out first. She smiled at everyone over her bouquet, and a low whistle came from somewhere in the crowd.“Inappropriate,” Saxton dramatically gasped under his breath. For a moment, my nerves loosened, and I almost laughed—but Raven was coming out the door then.She wore a blue dress like Erica, just cut in a different way, with the skirt longer and no sleeves. Smiling wide, she made her way down the aisle. She walked with the slightest limp, one that might have been unnoticeable if you weren’t paying attention. It was the one leftover symptom from the car wreck, something that would likely be with her for the rest of her life, as she’d broken her leg so badly.The limp didn’t get her down, though. Overall, she’d been positive about the whole thing. Now, as she reached the end of the aisle, she looked my way and absolutely glowed.Love and pride filled my heart. Our relationship had gone through some tough times, but the last six m
Andrew3 Months Later – The Wedding“Your tie looks fine,” Bob told me.“Huh?” I dragged my gaze away from the line of trees ringing the field. “What’s that?”“You were messing with your tie again.” Bob grinned. “You ever wore one of those before?”I frowned. “Almost every day.”Bob clapped me on the back. “I was kidding, Andrew. Relax.”I took in a long breath. “Sorry.”All around us, wedding guests chatted and catering staff hurried to and from. The day was amazing, a balmy June morning. The venue Raven and Lanie had discovered couldn’t be more perfect. What was once a mansion on the outskirts of the city had been turned into a preserve complete with hiking trails and a covered area for events.“Were you this nervous?” I asked, looking Bob over.I expected him to answer in the negative—Bob was just that confident about everything. I’d only asked because I needed to keep myself busy somehow. If I didn’t spend the last fifteen minutes before my wedding talking, I’d probably die of anx
LanieLast night, he’d pulled out every time and played it safe. I knew we were taking baby steps. Going from using a condom every time to suddenly doing away with them was a leap. But I was on birth control, which I’d told him, and immediate pregnancy was extremely unlikely. I just wanted to know what it felt like to have his come fill me up.“Please baby,” I moaned. “I want to feel you.”Andrew groaned above me, and his hands tightened on my ass. I was doing him over with this talk, and I knew it. He loved it. And he probably wanted the same thing I did. So I encouraged him again by looking over my shoulder and looking him in the eye as he fucked me.“Andrew,” I purred. “Fuck me until you come inside me. Please.”And he did. He bucked wildly against me, and I came as he shot his warm silky load inside me. It was what I had needed. A closeness that we’d never experienced before. He was bent over me and kissing my spine and my shoulder blades as his orgasm ebbed away and my body thrum
LanieI woke up in the morning with Andrew’s hand on my hip. I was lying on my side, and he was behind me. I could feel his cock pressed against the small of my back. His breath was on my neck, and his closeness turned me on immediately.I was always horny in the morning, and waking up next to him was intoxicating.It was early. The room wasn’t as bright as it would be at say, seven or so in the morning. It must have been earlier, maybe six, possibly just after five. But we were both awake, and I wanted to take advantage of it before I had to leave for work at eight thirty.My life had somehow mended itself. Erica’s weekend getaway had helped, and so had Andrew’s willingness to take a good hard look at himself in the mirror and figure out what he wanted and whether or not he was willing to do what it took to get it. He shifted against me and yawned deeply.“Morning,” I whispered.His hand moved around my hip to my belly, and he pulled me in closer to him. His cock shifted between my a
AndrewHow had it taken me so long to figure out that this was what I needed? I hadn’t felt this good in years, or maybe even a decade, to be honest. Hell, maybe longer. My career had consumed my life. I’d nearly let it destroy my relationship with my daughter. Had it not been for Lanie, my life would have already imploded. Not only did she rescue the crumbling relationship with the person I loved most in this world, but she also showed me support and kindness and softness.“You’re a lucky bastard.” I smiled to myself as I rolled out of my chair and made for the kitchen.I chopped up some strawberries and tossed them on a bed of whipped cream. I added a sprinkle of icing sugar and some chocolate drizzle and left it in the fridge so that the whipped cream wouldn’t melt by the time Lanie came back down.I waited, much too nervous to do anything but pace the kitchen floor for a whole thirty-five minutes before Lanie appeared in the kitchen doorway. She was wearing a smile that eased my n
AndrewWhen I told Lanie that Raven was home, it took a lot of effort for us to cool down. We were all giggles and flirting as we went to the kitchen and each got a glass of water. Then we went out back to the patio and sat in the sun. Lanie kicked off her sandals, rested her feet in my lap, and let the sun kiss her bare legs. I ran my hands up and down them as she told me all about her weekend with Erica.“It really was beautiful there,” Lanie said. “We should go some time. You’d love the hot springs. I can only imagine how stunning it would be in the winter. And cold.”“I’ll take you whenever you want to go.”“I’ll tell you when I start to get the itch again.”“Good. What else is new? Tell me.”Lanie shrugged and sipped her water. “Besides getting totally pampered all weekend? Not much. I had some good chats with Erica, though, and I was able to sort through some things that were taking up too much space in my mind. Things about us.”“Oh?”“We need to be better at communicating,” sh
Lanie“Lunch on the corner. I saw you guys walk by and had to come after you.” He ran his hand up my hip to rest it on my waist. “Lanie, I have to apologize. I’m sorry for all this shit the last few weeks. I’ve been an ass. I want to make this work. Really. I want to be with you.”I thought I might start crying. Again. But I held on to my emotions and smiled instead. “I want that too. So badly.”He kissed me again. My heart raced and tried to fly out of my chest.He broke away and threw his arm out to flag down a passing cab. We both piled into the back seat, and he told the driver his address. Then he pulled me into his lap, pushed my skirt up so he could rest his hands on my bare thighs, and crushed his mouth against mine.“What about your car?” I asked him and pressed against him tightly.“Fuck it. I’ll get it later.” He slipped his hands into my hair and pulled me down for another long round of kisses.I clung to him and didn’t care that there was someone in the car with us. He wa