Ethan waited for me to catch up at the gate and extended his hand. As soon as I touched him, he drew me up close against his body, enfolding me. "You want to look around in there and have a bit of a break? I figured you might be cause you like history so much.""I'd love to. It's so beautiful in here." I looked around. "So peaceful and serene."We walked through the plots, reading names on the stones of the people who'd lived and died in the area. A marble crypt marked the resting place of the Greymont family, the ancestors of Hannah's husband, Freddy. I made out the names Jeremy and Georgina and remembered them as the people Hannah had named in the gorgeous portrait I'd discovered this morning on the stairway. The Mallerton. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the painting of Sir Jeremy and his beautiful Georgina was the real deal and hoped the family would allow some pictures just for cataloguing purposes. Maybe I could get Benny up here to take some good photos. Gaby would want
"That's the third time you've yawned. Are you going to make it back to the house, or do I need to carry you before you collapse?""Oh, right," she scoffed. "We both know why I'm so tired today." She gave me a sassy smirk that made me want to do naughty things to those pretty lips of hers.Well, yeah, you kept her up half the night fucking, what do you expect her to be? I wanted to smile at the remembrance, though. My girl never turned me down. even when I was the freakiest. I'm a lucky, lucky man for sure. But then that's not news and it hasn't been for a while now."Sorry, baby. You'll be happy to hear I enjoyed every single minute of keep- ing you awake. I reached down and gave a squeeze to her lovely bum and watched her jump."You are crazy!" she yelped, shoving me off her. "Crazy for you," I said, wrapping my arm back around her and bringing her in close to me. "We're almost there anyway. I hope Fred and the boys are home so you can meet them.""I can't wait," she said, trying to
I savored the moment of erotic heat that swirled between us--the antici pation of what was coming, because I knew I'd be devouring her with all of my senses very soon. I know that."But you're only looking at me and not touching," she whispered. come?""Oh, I will, baby. I will." I brought my mouth to her neck and inhaled the scent of her skin, the soap and the water all mixed together in a heady elixir that only got me hotter. "How badly do you want to be touched?""Very badly."I could hear the need in her tone, and it cranked me higher. There was noth- ing headier than knowing she wanted this with me. I pressed my lips to the spot just below her ear and felt a delicious shiver from her. "Here?" I asked."Yes." She arched backward slightly, causing the tips of her hard nipples to graze the skin just below my chest."Or maybe here is better?" I licked down from her neck, dragging my tongueover her delicious skin, trailing lower to meet one of those hardened nipples just begging to b
Fucking Brynne hurt so good. It always had and I knew it always would. "And what did I tell you to say to me that night, baby? It was the first time you told me." Her flashing eyes, hooded with pleasure, stabbed me hard, like my cock was stabbing into her pussy right now. "That I'm yours." she breathed."Yes. You. Are." I started adding a little circular twist to my strokes and felt her inner muscles grip tighter. "And now you're gonna come all over me. One. More. Time!"Brynne tensed hard and I felt spasms start within her depths, milking my cock for everything she could. Oh fuck yes! She shuddered beneath me and began to make those soft sounds I loved to hear out of her-the ones that made me soar. Just like that, she came utterly undone in my arms as I speared into her with hot water streaming over us both.Sent me to the outer reaches of the goddamn solar system and then some. And thank holy fuck she did come then because if I'd had to hold on a sec- ond longer. I think I would've
"Why are fish so smart?" Zara asked me.I shrugged exaggeratedly. "I have no idea why fish are so smart. Do you know why?"She nodded seriously. "Because they are always in schools."I laughed at her smug little face, smudged with strawberry ice cream, and tackling a new angle on her melting cone. "Want some, Rags?" She offered her treat to the golden retriever sitting loyally beneath the outdoor table.Rags took a couple of healthy licks with his long pink tongue and I scowled. Zara looked up at me to see what I would say, the little demon that she was. I shrugged at her. "I don't care if you want slobbery dog germs on your ice cream.Do what you want." She giggled at me and kicked her dangling legs in the chair. "Brynne talks funny.""I know. I've been telling her that for a long time, but she doesn't listen." I shook my head sadly. "Still does it." I pulled out my mobile to take some pic- tures of her and got canned poses the instant she understood what I was doing. Zara cracked me
Hannah looked down at Zara, who for all intents and purposes appeared to be listening to every word of our conversation. "Be a love and take Rags over to the grass for a roll around, okay?"Zara pondered for a moment before deciding that battling her mum was a no-win and left with Rags as requested, melting ice cream in hand.My heart rate sped up instantly and I felt fear coupled with anxiety and ex- citement all at once. "We're not talking to Freddy-wait just one goddamn minute, Hannah! What the fucking hell?! I want to know just what makes you willing to bet your magnificent house that she is." I was shouting now. "Tell me! I dragged my hand over my beard, feeling a sweat break out as I glared at my sister and waited for her to shake off her misguided attempt at a joke.Hannah looked around the courtyard area of the sweets shop and smiled pleasantly at a few of the other patrons who were now staring rudely at us. "Ease up, brother. How about we take a walk instead." She gathered he
"What could cause her pills not to work right? Brynne told me she's been on them for several years. Explain this to me," I demanded.Freddy looked at me sympathetically. "Relax, mate. It's not the end of the world. She won't be forced into anything. We live in 2012. There are options." "Oh, fuck!" The idea that she could be pregnant was enough to process at the moment, but even thinking about what Fred might be suggesting was even worse. "A termination, you mean?""Yes. She's within her rights, and it is one option. Adoption is another," he said softly.I flopped down into a chair, set my elbows on my knees and leaned my fore- head on my hands. I just sat there and breathed. As much as I was in shock, I knew that terminating the pregnancy was out of the question. Out of the fuck- ing realm of possibility. No way would I allow my child to be killed or have it hushed away. I just hoped that Brynne felt the same way I did. What if she doesn't?"Well, you two need to have a talk and then
"I love you." I woke up to those words coming from Ethan's lips. I was back on the couch, but this time I was lying down. Ithan was on his knees on the floor stroking over my head and hair with a whole lot of concern in his eyes. "You're back." Ethan closed his eyes then opened them again. He looked pretty shaken up, probably a lot like I felt. Get in line, buddy. That was an out-of-body experience I just had. I could check that one off my life list now.I remembered.And the weight of the knowledge compressed my chest until I gasped in a huge breath and struggled to sit up. Ethan kept me down and shushed me. The urge to flee was great. It was as if my subconscious knew that panicking wouldn't help a bit, but like with an addiction you do it anyway even though you know it'll only make things worse.I shook my head at him. "I'm not, Ethan. I'm not pregnant. I take my pills and I've never missed a day..."He just kept stroking my hair with one hand, resting his other on my shoul- der.H
A Gift for the ReaderA Christmas Story-Ethan and Brynne's Very First Meeting24 December 2023LondonThe street was remarkably sparse considering it was Christmas Eve. Probably because it was so damn freezing cold outside people were smart enough to stay in. It was totally clichéd to be shopping for a gift at this late minute, but here I was pushing my way through the doors of Harrods in hopes of something really perfect for my aunt Marie. I knew I'd better get my ass in gear too, because I would be spending the day with her tomorrow and had nothing to show up with!Marie was hard to buy for because she was so unique and unconventional; it was ridiculously difficult to top her lifestyle. She also had money enough to get anything she desired. She reminded me of Auntie Mame from the movie in a lot of ways. From the exotic travels to the rich dead husbands to the fantastic dresses in her wardrobe.After three quarters of an hour I gave up and started to head outside, stop- ping for a mo
"Keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them, okay?" I parked the car and went over to Brynne's side to help her out. "No peeking, Mrs. Blackstone, I want to do this right.""Eyes are closed. Mr. Blackstone," she said, standing before me. "My package. Give it to me, please."I retrieved it from the seat and placed it carefully in her hands. It was light, just a flat black box tied with a silver ribbon. "Ready?""I am." she said."Okay, keep them closed, and I'm going to pick you up and carry you.""Sounds very traditional," she said."I like to think of myself as a traditional guy, baby." I scooped her up, careful to arrange her dress so it wouldn't drag, and started walking up the gravel drive of Stonewell Court. The rocks crunched under my feet and you could hear the sound of the waves on the rocks far below us. It looked amazing and I hoped she liked it. The whole place was lit with torches in old urns and candles glowing inside glass luminaria on the ground. Even the upper
Strong arms wrapped around me from behind and familiar whiskers brushed at my neck. "Mrs. Blackstone, are you hiding in the garden at your own wedding party?" "Pretty much," I said leaning back into him in deep contentment."Awww, Christ in heaven! Not my mum too!" Ben growled at the dance floor where Simon was now doing a very lewd rumba with Mrs. Clarkson for a cheering crowd."Go get 'em. Ben." Ethan and I laughed at Ben's retreating back as he went off to rescue his mother from Simon's undulating hips.. "As insane as Simon looks right now, that crazy boy can dance," I said, still laughing. "I am not quite over the fact that you hired him to do our photos."Ethan smuggled into me a little deeper. "Don't remind me, please. He black- mailed me, you know. Said he would forgive the whole mess if he could secure the wedding photography for us. I figured that would be okay, so I agreed. Then he sent me the contract. Trust me when I say that your friend Simon has been well compensated for
Brynne had mentioned how the whole place was eerily quiet and that she'd never seen another person at the hotel, which made no sense with the Games happening. So that pretty much confirmed there were people involved at the highest levels. U.S. Secret Service, most likely. Westman was a dead man before he ever took Brynne from the flat. The senator had protectors in high places apparently. Westman had overstepped in his attempt at blackmail, and paid the ultimate price.Disaster averted, but still, far too fucking close for my comfort. This whole mess had happened for a reason. Very strange, but true. If Westman hadn't started stalking her, we wouldn't have met, or ever gotten together, or be about to marry and have a baby. It was all just a bit much to rationalize sometimes, even if it was our reality. I tried not to think about that part. Brynne was free to live a regular life now, with nobody out there plotting to take her away, or harm her, or bother with any aspect of her, and thi
Four weeks later..."So I hear that congratulations are in order for the two of you." Dr. Burnsley looked up from between Brynne's legs, where he was using the banana probe on her again. I realized I was definitely jealous of the probe. That fucking thing was seeing more action than my cock lately. Brynne wanted to keep things chaste in the bedroom for the previous couple of weeks to make our wedding night a little more special. The most goddamn ridiculous notion I'd ever heard of, but hell, I just did what I was told. Mostly."That's right. By our next visit she'll be Miss Bennett no more. It'll be Mrs. Blackstone from here on out." I gave Brynne a slow wink.She mouthed the words Love you. I love you too, my beauty. I thought my words."Lovely news, then," Dr. Burnsley said, now looking at the monitor as he found the black blob on the white blob with the beating heart, except our blob had grown considerably and didn't look even remotely blobish anymore. My eyes were transfixed-I cou
My attempt at killing him had obviously failed, because he now had a sharp blade pressed up against my neck, shocking me with its coldness, forcing me to stop struggling. The disappointment I felt was a bitter pill to swallow, but even worse was the heartbreaking sight of Ethan's face in the twilight. He stood not less than ten yards away from me. So close, but not close enough. Ethan's flat-out run had come to a screeching halt, his arms splayed out in surrender, his head shaking back and forth in a silent plea to Karl not to cut me. This....would be Ethan's undoing. His fear of the blade would propel him into any kind of negotiation to free me. I knew it. Ethan would sacrifice himself to keep me from having my throat slashed. Karl could not have chosen a better trigger for Ethan's fear in all the world.Events and sequences had come together in near-perfect harmony, but near was not enough for my needs right now and wouldn't be until I had her safe in my hands again.My dad had know
My first instinct was to rip the lamp out of the wall and start bashing Karl on the back of the head with it. I don't know how I didn't. I wanted to hurt him, make him suffer in agony for a long, long time before he died. The evil my mind imagined for him was not fit for anyone to ever know. I'd have to keep it buried inside me forever. No problems there.It took some time, but we got there eventually. Karl got bored in our small prison and started texting someone or playing a game. I couldn't tell. That's how I knew he had his phone and where it was. I would have to get it from him at some point and use it to call the only phone number I could remember-the phone number I'd had since my move to London four years ago. I did not know any other numbers by heart but I knew that one.I thought about how I could get to Karl's iPhone. In time I realized the only way was for me to dig deep into my psyche to where I was willing to go all in, as Ethan would say. To bet everything. To carefully
He gripped my chin roughly and pinched, turning me back to him. "Don't think you can play hard to get with me, Brynne," he said in a cruel voice, before he slammed his mouth over mine, his tongue pressing in and trying to invade me.."Karl. I'm pregnant-no, please stop, please!" I begged between gasps for air."Ugh... that bastard's spawn growing inside you is not the nicest thought, my dear, especially when I'm trying to fuck you. You really know how to cock block, you know," he complained, "but fine, have it your way. I can wait."Karl heaved himself off me and leaned on the wall, his eyes roving over body with lust. He adjusted himself at the crotch and sneered at me."Are-are you going to kill me?" I tried not to think about his motives and what would happen if he succeeded. I fought to stay calm and not run. I needed Karl to trust me a little for what I hoped I could manage to do. Not running from him would be the first step."I don't know yet. Maybe I will and maybe I won't." He
I checked my watch, wishing I could leave Lord's Cricket Ground right now, but I knew I had at least another hour here. Ivan had just finished announcing the archery and the media crew was done with their telecast, but the stands were still being cleared, and I knew that would take some time. I was giving my cousin the personal treatment, the same as I did for members of the royal fam ily, and so far, so good. The men's individual elimination had proved no great surprise, and I could think of nothing I wanted more than to get home to my girl, and back into her good graces. I had some humble pie being served to me this evening and I was good with that.Ivan was making his way over to me when my mobile went off. I hoped it was Brynne. She'd never replied to my text from earlier. I smiled when I saw her name... but I read what she had typed in her message. And then my whole world collapsed.I can't do this anymore with u. Ethan, u killed us last nite. My Old life is what I want back now.