Bryce was on edge when Dax suddenly appeared on his doorstep, asking for a day to spend some time with his daughter. It was unusual because he usually asked his assistant to pick up Clary after texting him. They might not be on good terms, but they exchanged pleasantries when Clary was around just like civil people did. His little girl did not have to see whatever disagreement they both had. At least, all he could do was be a good father since Clary didn’t have a mother to teach her good manners. Bryce did his best to be polite despite how Dax treated him poorly these past years.Once he was done packing the things into Clary’s backpack for a sleepover, he hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “Be a good girl, okay?”Clary squeezed him back. “I love you, Daddy.”Bryce couldn’t let go of her just yet without inhaling her sweet baby scent. For him, she was still the little girl wrapped in a yellow blanket seven years ago. Clary was always his little angel. His chest tighte
“How long do you want me for?” She lifted one eyebrow.Her bluntness shocked him.The silence stretched between them. Bryce had not given her the answer. Was he having a second thought? What was stopping him?So, she picked up the piping bag, took a look at it, and squeezed the bag a little bit strong, causing the frosting to spill onto Bryce’s chin.He groaned in surprise. “What the—!” He narrowed his eyes at her when he saw the glint of mischief in her eyes. “Charleigh, what are you doing?”Charleigh grimaced apologetically. “Sorry. I don’t know how to use this thing. Let me clean it for you.” She tiptoed. Bryce was way taller than her five feet and four inches height. Then she cupped his face, darted her tongue out, and licked his chin clean. “Wait, just a little left over here.” She felt the hardening of his jaw against her palm, and that encouraged her to suck and lick it clean. “Done. It tastes like cardamom. I like it.” Her voice turned husky and sultry.When the tension earlie
*Flashbacks ahead“Oh, God! I don’t think I can take you anymore.” Her legs were like wantons over his shoulders, but it didn’t stop Bryce from pounding her hard and fast as she demanded what she wanted moments before.“You can, Charleigh. Take me, all of me. Unlock those emotions you kept hidden for years!” His heart was thundering in his chest. His muscles were tense, and they were slick with their own sweat. His jaw clenched, driven to give what he could and promise to never deny her needs and wants.“It has nothing to do with my emotions,” breathing hard, she countered. She felt so good. Her orgasm was building again, and her body was ready to engulf.“It does.” He paused from fucking her hard. He was catching his breath as he glared down at her. He knew she was holding something. As much as he wanted to come right now, Charleigh’s feelings should come first, and he needed to know where he stood after they fucked each other. “Everything we do has always had something to do with
Charleigh shoved the remaining cake into her mouth, stood up, and placed the empty mug in the sink. She walked away, climbed upstairs, and left Bryce thinking in his kitchen.When she came back, she was already wearing her clothes from yesterday. “Leaving already?” She found Bryce at the end of the stairs, resting his arm over the newel post. “I have to get ready for my date.”“Are you still staying at the Inn?”“Yes.” She snaked her arms around his thick neck and stared at his blue eyes—they were mesmerizing that she could spend several hours just glancing at his gorgeous face, and she wouldn’t get bored.“Can I at least send you there?”“I have my car.”His thick brows squished together. “Wait a minute. You drove all the way here?”“For you, yeah. I did.” That got her a deep and passionate kiss making her heart pump faster. “I’ll do it over again if I got to have you like last night.”“Jesus, Charleigh. Do you have any idea how much you make me happy?” he said between hard breaths
Bryce was living his moment. His life seemed back to normal—better than normal if he was to assess it, and he felt great. Right now, heat flooded down his spine in excitement for their official first date. Fireworks ignited under his skin as he flirted back through a text while watching his child playing with Lotus.“Hey, sweetheart, be careful. Don’t go near the water!” he yelled at Clary as he noticed her running toward the shore.“Okay, Daddy!”He read another text coming from Charleigh. When was the last time he flirted with another woman? He couldn’t remember. He laughed at their innuendos. He felt so good to forget the stress once in a while and just live life in the present.“I know you’re thinking the same thing, woman.” He chuckled.“Clary.” He was quicker on his feet to scan around the area where he had last seen her. Then all of a sudden, his world quaked around him. He never saw it coming. No one did. His life shifted into a domino effect right before his eyes.“Clary?”
Instantly, he stilled to the voice just thundered in the entire floor. Fuck! Everyone around the emergency room yelped and gasped in shock. Then it went silent, except for the constant ear-splitting beeps and alarms of the machines, he didn’t realize it had been there before.Bryce gathered all his strength to stand up and face the demon from his nightmare. “W-with the doc—”Before he could finish his words, Dax’s fist connected with his jaw. Bryce’s head snapped to the left he thought his world spun around him. He felt his ass hitting the floor with a thud. Everyone let out another gasp. The pain from the punch wasn’t even close to the pain he felt for Clary.“Give me a single fucking reason not to take her away from you, Chase!”He couldn’t answer. All he could do was stare in horror at Dax.“Funny and pathetic. You can’t even open your mouth, can you now, huh, Chase? Because the moment you let her out of your sight, you lost that fucking right.”“It was—” Bryce could taste his own
A few moments later, he heard strong and rushed footsteps approaching.“She will be transferred to the private room. Don’t worry, I’ll pay the bills.” It was a way for Dax to mock Bryce.“Thanks.” He stayed calm and let Dax’s words hit his chest painfully.“I’ll drop by later. I have a meeting to catch up. You might wanna see your daughter now.”When Dax’s footsteps faded, he stood up and shuffled toward the room where Clary was tended. He felt hands squeezing his own, and it broke his heart even further, but it had to be done.If he learned one thing from this unshakable circumstance, it was to learn to make a tough choice. Let his brain make the right decision.Dr. Callie smiled at him. “She’s sleeping right now. I advise you to let her rest for the whole day without too many visitors once she’s transferred to her room. She had enough for today, Bryce.”“Thank you, doc.” His voice was barely audible.The doctor nodded at him, nonetheless.“We will transfer her to her room after you
It was nothing but sex.You were a huge distraction. This has to end now. I don’t need you.She hated crying. For her, it was a sign of weakness. Yet, here she was. It was out of her control. She wiped the tears on her face, but they kept falling from her eyes as those words continued echoing in her mind. She ran away from the emergency room with only one goal—to be far away from this place as quickly as possible, but it didn’t go as she planned when she heard her name calling behind her.She halted as if her feet were glued to the ground while her brain was screaming at her not to stop.“Charleigh!” the old man called her name again. She knew it was Bryce’s grandpa Matthew who carpooled with her to the hospital. With respect to the old man, she squeezed her eyes shut before she turned around. Grandpa Matthew’s face twisted with sadness. He sighed deeply and shook his head. “Don’t listen to him. He is confused and afflicted. Give him a little time to pull himself back together. S
Four months laterLater in that beautiful afternoon“By the power vested in me as the the city mayor of Hopes Spring, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.” Dax smiled at Tripp and Ari as they were about to kiss in front of their one hundred guests, in front of their newly renovated house.Everyone erupted as they applauded the bride and groom. “I love you, Ari. Always.” Tripp closed his eyes as his lips touched hers.The kiss lingered for a moment as he cherished the feeling that, for the second time, they officiated their marriage, and this woman still belonged to him as he belonged to her. The kiss was so incredibly romantic that their guests kept on applauding.This time, they kissed in front of the people they loved and cared about. No more secrecy.The reception was just in their cozy backyard— a moonlight garden theme. Instead of tents,Tripp designed a glass house with iron scaffolding for the reception dinner that fitted one hundred guests. It h
“Jesus! What’s wrong with getting pregnant? I can take care of you, of both of you, if in case. I can provide whatever our child may need. I can hire a nanny if you think you would get distracted in your study while taking care of our child. It’s our child, Ari.” He was pissed off. His chest heaved as he loosened his tie.“Tripp—”“I don’t believe in an unplanned pregnancy. Why would they fuck unprotected if they don’t want to get pregnant? And I won’t let you get distracted either, but if you happen to be pregnant right now, I would be the luckiest man on earth. And you won’t dare ask me to get rid of it because I won’t let you do that.”They didn’t talk about having their own family, but Tripp was getting there. He worked hard on it.Starting a family was something that didn’t come to his mind before he met Ari again, but the idea of having his wife and kids laughing in their home was the biggest fucking dream of his life. Who would have thought it would be easy for him to dream abo
The goodbyes were pretty emotional for Ari.Leaving her father, her best friend, her friends, and her home where she grew up was hard for her. But she also considered her husband and his work, and their future.It might be difficult in the beginning, but she could not take it away from the love of her life. She knew the moment she gave Tripp and their relationship a second chance, it came with a price, and it required sacrifices she’d be willing to take.“Oh, God. I’m so terrible.” She groaned and tried to open her eyes when she felt a soft kiss on her lips and the familiar smell of his perfume wafting in the air.“I should really start waking up early before school starts.” She was so drained, and the fact that she wasn’t used to taking the morning shift, she felt guilty for Tripp. “Get some more sleep, sleepyhead. See you later.” It was the voice of her hot husband before she felt a kiss on her forehead. Then she was back to her slumber.She woke up with a satisfied smile on her li
They were back to Hopes Spring on Teagan’s birthday. Surprisingly, Tripp was welcomed by the old man with open arms, calling him son.Again, Dax, Charleigh, and Bryce were around as the old man blew the candle on his cake from Clereigh Cakeshop.When everyone left, Teagan settled on the chair on the porch. Tripp was planning to corner him while Ari was busy in the kitchen.“So, are you really taking her away from me?”He sighed. Relief flooded in his system and finally, Teagan was being civilized with him.“I am not taking her away from you. She’s still your daughter, and nothing’s gonna change that. And I am sure Ari would not allow that if that was my plan. She still thinks about your well-being, Teagan. Everyday. And you are always welcome to come with us.”He stared at him. “And leave my home?”“Then you are welcome to visit us. Just let me know ahead of time so that I can arrange your flight.”“I would love to visit cities once in and while. Thank you.”“And I want to talk to you
Ari gasped, then sucked in a deep breath as she felt her being so full and stretched.Tripp stilled for a moment as if giving her time to adjust, but that wasn’t what she wanted.She loved this position, and so as Tripp. She was on four and felt so tight around his cock from behind that made her dizzy with needs.He groaned when she pushed her ass back, demanding him to move, giving him a squeeze on his thigh restlessly. He held her shoulder as he pulled it all out. His cock was coated with her wetness, causing Ari to groan from the sudden emptiness.Tripp slid his hands down her back, holding her hips, and then in one long thrust, he was inside her again.Her head lowered voluntarily while his hands tightened around her hips as he bucked forward, pushing deeper, and she took him in. He began pumping his hips forward and back harder, causing her walls to clamp around him, Tripp saw stars.“Ah! Don’t stop.” He liked the way she utterly lost when she was with him, not caring how greedy
Tripp’s anger filled his chest. His chest was heaving. “Or maybe you can give it to your mistresses instead.”“Careful, son.”“You better go and don’t come back. Let’s keep between us professionals or business rivals if we cross our paths again.” He was about to turn back when his father mentioned something that made his blood boil.“So you’re keeping tabs on me now? What about it?”“You’ve been married—”“My personal life is none of your fucking business.”“Watch your tone, son,” he said firmly.Tripp just got under his skin. “Or what? You look so desperate, father. Can’t say that I’m surprised. You should let the younger people handle the designs because it looks like you can’t keep up anymore.” He watched his father fidget for the first time. For him, it looked like a small victory to celebrate. “And my marriage is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”“It won’t work. Trust me.” He just showed how disgusted he was.“You know the problem is? I don’t care.” He shrugged. “Not
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he asked Ari one more time before he looked out through the windshield. They parked in front of the Weine Cornwell School of Medicine. “You could use this.” He leaned down to kiss her on her lips. “Relax. I know you don’t need good luck. I’ll see you later?”Tripp could feel the nervousness vibrating under her skin, but he believed in her. She took a deep breath and smoothed her pants before she squeezed his thigh and climbed out of the car.“Wait.” She rounded to Tripp’s side and leaned over.Tripp rolled down the window. “Yeah?”She took something from her bag. Her notebook. “I think this belongs to you. I can’t see I’m surprised how good you are at what you do.”He took it from her with a smirk on his lips. “See? You were also snooping.”“That’s my notebook.” She rolled her eyes. “Those are great, Tripp. Don’t give up until you make that into a real yacht. I believe in you, husband.”“Thank you, baby. That means a lot. See you later.” He waved goodby
“I’m still working there until I pass in the interview in Weine Cornwell.”“Cornwell? As in medical school?” His mouth dropped. His eyes lit up with pride. “Jesus, baby. I couldn’t be prouder.” She was rewarded with a loud kiss on her lips. “You will nail it. Why did you not ever mention this to me?”She shrugged, feeling suddenly shy. “I’m not sure I would be selected out of six thousand applicants, but I wanna keep my head down. They only invited seven hundred fifty for this interview.”“Wow. I would have never doubted you. So if you will pass, you will resign from your job. That means you will be here with me permanently. How about your house? Is this okay with your dad?”She stood up from his lap, still fully naked. Tripp held her hand. “Let’s soak in the tub. Then we will talk more about your school.”Once the tub was full, he poured a good amount of his body wash. “We will go shopping for your stuff after your interview.”She joined him in the tub, settling between his thighs. “
*Flashback aheadWith one smooth thrust of his hips, he was all inside her. She screamed his name in shock at the feeling of being so full and stretched, and her womb shook. Tripp groaned against their mouths as he kept her unmoving, relishing the feeling of them fitting so perfectly.He broke the kiss, pressing his forehead against hers, his breathing was heavy against her face.Everything was overwhelming him, clogging in his throat. It felt unreal even though he knew and felt this was happening. He and Ari were one, and their souls were intertwined forever.“Christ, Ari. It feels fucking amazing.” Then he pulled his cock out completely. “Tripp.” Ari sighed at the loss of contact, wanting to feel him inside her and having to feel being stretched again. She bit her bottom lip, and it would almost draw blood against her teeth.Moments later, Tripp slammed into her again, hitting her clit. Her nails clawed into his flesh as she could not stop shaking.She moaned at the sensation. Her