Bad Boy Brother by Chance Carter (69)

“Well, what do you think? A successful party?” I asked as I pulled up a seat to take a load off my feet for a minute.

“Very successful. People had a great time. Look how late they stayed.”

“Good. I’m so glad,” I said as I picked at some of the leftover food.

“Meadow, I can’t get over how amazing your place looks. It was a dump when you first got here. You’ve totally transformed it. You’ve got a serious gift for design.”

Sandra was always so generous with her compliments.

“Thanks, Sandra, that means so much to me. I’ve always been interested in interior design. I read all the magazines and obsessively watch home makeover shows. It’s funny, Paul joked about paying me to redo his place, but he’s not the only one tonight who mentioned it.”

“I don’t think Paul was kidding. I mean, it’s safe to assume he’s always joking about something, but I could tell he meant it. Who else asked you?”

“Reagan asked me to come help her update her bedroom, and Rachel and Chris asked if I’d be interested in doing their entire home,” I said.

“That’s amazing. You absolutely should follow up with all of them. Maybe this is a whole new career opening up for you, Meadow!”

“You think? I had so much fun doing my place. But don’t think I’m going to drop my shifts at the café anytime soon. I love it there.”

“I know you do,” Sandra said. “I need you to know how impressed I am with you. You are such an inspiring woman. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how far you’ve come over the last month. I know it hasn’t been easy, but you’ve shown such strength.”

Maybe it was the wine but I was starting to feel emotional. My eyes filled with tears.

“You’re the best friend I ever could have wished for, Sandra. I couldn’t have done any of it without you.”

“You’ve worked hard, Meadow. You got your first job ever and now you’re living off your own hard earned cash. You scored an apartment and transformed it into your home. Your freaking car was taken from you and you hardly blinked. You just cut your loss and found the perfect bike to get around town. You even signed your divorce papers. You’re happier and healthier than the woman who first arrived here. You should be so proud.”

“And you’ve helped me every step of the way, Sandra.”

I hugged her as hard as I could. To hear those words from her, and know she’d noticed everything I’d done meant the world to me.

“Sandra, you’re such an incredible friend. I’m not joking when I tell you that every night I thank God for bringing me a friend like you.”

Sandra held up her wine glass and I looked around for mine so we could drink to our friendship. I found it by the sink. We clinked glasses, which, to adult women is essentially the equivalent of a blood pact.

“Wait a minute. Is that the same glass you poured when I got here hours ago?” Sandra said.

“I think you’re right. Crazy. I was so busy I forgot to drink! Speaking of forgetting, I’m starving. I’ll take the spinach dip and you grab the rest of that nacho dip. Let’s go relax on the couch for a bit.”

I picked up the dip and bread and with my free hand, deciding to grab the bowl of chips while I was at it.

“Want me to bring your wine?” Sandra said, still in the kitchen.

“No thanks. I don’t think I’ll finish it. To be honest, I wasn’t feeling so good when I woke up this morning. I better take it easy. I’ve been a bottomless pit for eating, though. I haven’t stopped eating all day. It must have been my nerves from having everyone over for the first time.”

We sat quietly on the couch as we enjoyed the leftover party snacks. I turned to her to say something, but just as I opened my mouth, a big dollop of salsa fell from the chip I was holding, right onto my blouse. Sandra saw the whole thing and we both burst into hysterical laughter. We couldn’t stop. If we even so much as made eye contact, the laughter only got louder. I tried to compose myself and regain my breath.

“What I was trying to say was …” I started, as Sandra put a piece of bread in her mouth and let it roll out.

We both started laughing all over again. I think pure exhaustion had kicked in.

“I was trying to say, you’re right,” I continued when I got my breath back. “I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been. I’m so proud of myself for how far I’ve come in such a short time. I love Pismo Beach. I love my job. I love my new friends. I love my new place. I love my adorable pink cruiser bike. I’m so happy, but I have to be honest, I still feel like something’s missing. There’s something that’s holding me back from being completely happy.”

“You have so many reasons to be happy. What do you think is holding you back?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I know I have great friends, but there’s a part of me that feels … lonely. I know, I set out to be on my own, an independent woman, but I guess what I’ve come to realize is that even if I’m determined to fend for myself, it doesn’t take away my desire for a connection. You know?”

“Do you think you miss Matt?” she said, looking right into my eyes.

“No. No, no, no. Not at all. Letting him go was the best decision I ever made.”

“What is it then?”

“It’s Kane,” I blurted out, and then started crying.

“Kane?”

“I miss him so much,” I sobbed.

“But Meadow! I thought that was just one night…”.

Sandra stopped herself mid-sentence.

“You and him,” she continued, cautiously, “you think it was more than just a one night thing?”

I nodded my head and she put her arms around me.

“I had no idea!”

“I never said anything.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. He disappeared. I was afraid he didn’t want me. I was afraid of jinxing it. Now I know he doesn’t feel the same way about me. If he did, he wouldn’t have disappeared.”

“Oh, you don’t know that, Meadow.”

“Have you heard from him?” I said, sobbing into her shoulder.

“No, but believe me, if that night you two had was something special to you, I’m sure it was special to him too.”

“But then, where is he, Sandra? Where the hell is he?”

“If he’s stayed away this long, it’s got to be because he’s going through something. It’s bigger than just the blow out you had that morning. He never properly dealt with the trauma of what happened. He just retreated into himself. Now, at least, he’s finally dealing with it. That’s something, isn’t it? You don’t want to be with a man who’s still grieving for someone else.”

“I know. God, I feel so stupid, Sandra. I mean, I don’t even know why I’m so hung up on him. I literally have only known him for a day.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t tie yourself up, waiting for him, Meadow.”

“But I can’t think about being with anyone but him.”

Sandra said her next sentence carefully, worried about how I’d take it.

“But, I mean, you can’t count on him feeling the same way as you, Meadow. Maybe you should just start dating again. See what else is out there.”

I nodded. I knew she was giving me good advice, and I knew it was coming from a place of love, but the idea of moving on and being with anyone but Kane just made me want to die.

“I’m going to send you an email,” Sandra said. “It’s about love, and intentions, and making the universe give you the things you need, and it might seem a little hocus-pocus at first, but just give it a chance. It’s helped me so much with my life.”

I sighed. “Send me the email. I’ll check it out.”

I thought it was weird for Sandra to be giving me advice about intentions and the universe when she was still single. She was an amazing girl, don’t get me wrong, but I longed to see her find the right man, and I even had an idea in my head of who the right man for her might be, but I didn’t bring it up. In my experience, sometimes it’s best to say nothing when you really want two friends to hook up. Otherwise you might jinx it.

We finished up the snacks in silence and then said good night. After she left, I finished tidying up. Exhausted didn’t begin to describe how I felt. I looked at my watch and shuddered at the thought of how soon I had to be up for work.

I went into the bathroom and washed off my makeup and got into my pajamas.

Lying in bed, I scrolled through the photos I’d taken of the party on my phone. It had been a great night, but there really was something missing. Something big. Something I didn’t think I could live without.

Kane.

I opened up his Facebook profile, it was something I’d done a million times since our night together. Still no updates. No check ins. No sign at all that he was even alive. I scrolled through his photos and found the one I was looking for, my favorite. It was of him, standing on the beach. It looked like the sun was just setting beyond the horizon behind him, and he was pulling off a white tank top, revealing his perfect body. His eyes had a sultry look, like he was just waking up, and his hair was all messy as usual.

I reached down beneath the sheets and began to touch my clit, gently rubbing my finger back and forth over it, making myself horny and wet. It wasn’t long before my finger, then another, were sliding in and out of my pussy, making me wetter and wetter.

I fixed my eyes on his eyes, staring at the photo like my life depended on it, and felt the orgasm wash through me like a warm flood.

Seconds later, I was in a deep sleep, and in my dream, Kane was holding me by the ankles, my legs raised straight up into the air. I was lying on my back on the sand, completely naked, and his long, hard, perfect cock was sliding in and out of me like the piston of an engine. In and out, in and out, he kept moving, and I felt as if I was going to explode with love and desire.

When he finally orgasmed, I felt his cum pour into me and coat everything inside me with his scent. It was all his now. I was his. He’d marked me as his own, and I didn’t want it any other way. I wanted to be his, and I wanted him to come back for me and take me as his own.

CHAPTER 48

MEADOW

I woke up in the middle of the night and my panties were still soaked from the dreams I’d been having. I picked up my phone and looked again at the photo of Kane.

For the millionth time I opened my messenger app and clicked on his name.

Kane, it’s Meadow. Can we talk?

I am so sorry. Please call me.

I miss you.

I wish you would come back. I need to tell you something.

CHAPTER 49

MEADOW

I woke up with a start, ten minutes before my actual alarm was scheduled to go off. Before I could even realize where I was, I was in a mad dash to the bathroom. I dropped to my knees and threw up into the toilet. I felt awful. It had been so long since I’d been sick like that and I wondered what was wrong with me. I hadn’t even taken a sip from my wine, and I didn’t think the food was bad.

Maybe I was just tired from the party, but it hadn’t been that late of a night.

After throwing up, I felt a lot better and hoped that was all that was wrong with me.

I jumped into the shower to start getting ready for work. I hadn’t missed a day yet, and I wasn’t about to start. Especially because I just knew the teasing I would get if I couldn’t show up the day after my own party.

I walked into the café and it was obvious everyone was feeling a bit sluggish. I took it to mean they’d had a good time at my party. Everyone was doing their job getting ready to open, but keeping to themselves. They hadn’t even turned the music on yet. It was kind of nice to all be on the same low energy level.

Suddenly, Sandra burst out of the back cooler with her arms full of ketchup bottles, a skip in her step, and a smile on her face. I didn’t know how she did it. That woman could drink me under the table and never got a hangover. Ever. Some mornings after a night out, I wondered if she was superhuman. It was, without a doubt, one of her superpowers.

“Oh my, someone’s looking green,” she said as she walked by.

“Great, I guess I didn’t use enough makeup,” I joked.

“But you said you didn’t drink much last night,” Sandra said, trying to figure out how I was hungover.

“That’s just it, I didn’t drink. I’m starting to worry it was food poisoning. Maybe that spinach dip wasn’t as good as it tasted. I can tell you for certain, it didn’t taste very good when it came up this morning,” I said grabbing a glass of water. I still had an unpleasant taste in my mouth.

“Oh no, you were sick this morning?”

“I was, and usually I never puke.”

“But you always feel like you could puke when you’re upset.”

“Yeah sure, I feel like it, but it passes and I never do. Did you eat the spinach dip? Have you been sick? Has anyone else mentioned not feeling well? I’d be mortified if I gave the whole party food poisoning,” I said, looking around at the rest of the staff.

“Everyone’s a little slower than usual, but there’s no denying that alcohol is responsible,” Sandra said.

I hoped she was right.

I picked up a package of napkins and followed Sandra’s along the tables.

As soon as we opened, we were busy. For a while, the distraction of work helped me forget that I wasn’t feeling well. It didn’t last long though. A couple of hours in and I started to feel myself fading. I was forgetful and had to make several trips to my tables before finally leaving them with everything they needed. Twice I had to go back and ask a customer to repeat an order.

“You’re not yourself today,” Sandra said. “Usually you’re so on top of things.”

“Yeah. I’m not feeling so great. I feel nauseous, like I could puke again.”

“Sounds like you’re pregnant,” a voice said from the booth next to us.

I turned to see it was Mr. Mathers, adding his unwelcome two cents.

“Hey, Matt, over here,” someone shouted from a table at the back of the café.

Immediately, I dropped the entire tray of clean cutlery I’d been holding. It scattered all over the floor. I looked to the person who’d called Matt’s name and saw them waving their hand in the air. I braced myself and looked to the front door. Some guy I didn’t recognize was walking toward them. Some guy that wasn’t my Matt.

Thank God.

Hearing his name spooked me. I wasn’t feeling myself at all.

Sandra came over to help me clean up the cutlery. She insisted that I go home. She had never seen me sick and just wanted me to rest and feel better. I felt lucky to be such close friends with her, but I knew she’d have to work doubly hard to cover for me.

“Really, I can stay,” I said.

“Go,” she insisted. “What kind of friend would I be if I made you work through this?”

I thanked her, finished a few things with my tables, and left through the back door to my bike.

Getting away from the smells and noises of the restaurant helped immediately. I took a deep breath of the fresh ocean air while I unlocked my bike. I hopped on and made for home. As I rode along the coast, all I could hear was Mr. Mathers’ voice replaying over and over in my head.

Sounds like you’re pregnant.

I took a slight detour past the pharmacy. I didn’t think he was right, but I decided to buy a pregnancy test anyway. I knew if I didn’t, I’d just be wondering if it were true. It was better to just take the dumb test so I could rule it out. The twenty dollars was worth it for instant peace of mind.

The girl at the checkout gave me a curious look when I was paying.

I shrugged back at her.

“Fingers crossed,” I joked.

“You hoping for positive or negative?” she said.

I looked at her then down at the test. For some reason I didn’t know what to say.

“It’s okay,” she said, rescuing me from my own indecision. “I shouldn’t be so nosy.”

I thanked her and hurried out.

The first thing I did when I got home was run myself a hot bath. I was going to soak and relax for a bit and then crawl into bed for a nice afternoon nap. As the tub filled, I heard my phone ringing back in the kitchen. I hurried past the living room window, totally naked, to go grab it.

It was Sandra.

“Oh no. What did I forget to do before I left?” I asked when I answered.

“Nothing. Relax. I just had to call to tell you something because it’s quicker than texting.”

“That’s a relief. Just so you know, I’m totally naked and about to take you in the bath with me,” I said and we both laughed.

“So, some guy just came into the café asking for you,” Sandra said.

“What? Really? Who?” I said, my mind racing.

“I don’t know. Greg was the one he talked to. I noticed him standing outside looking in, but I didn’t think much of it. Next thing I knew, he was at the counter talking to Greg. Then he was gone.”

“Did Greg say why he was looking for me?”

“He never asked. Apparently the guy just came in, asked if you were working, and when Greg said you weren’t, he left.”

“Totally weird. What did he look like?”

“He was a handsome man. Very handsome. Not from town. He was looking pretty classy in his navy blazer,” she said.

The image of the married guy from the bar jumped into my mind.

“Ugh, that idiot?” I said.

“You know who it was?”

“Yeah, remember I told you about that little pub I went into, the night my car was taken?”

“Oh, that asshole? The one with the tan line where his wedding band should have been?”

“Yeah, exactly. I guess he didn’t take no for an answer.”

“If I remember correctly, you gave him a lot more than a no. You gave him a knee in the nuts!”

I laughed. “Guess he didn’t get the message.”

“Poor guy. I guess he’s just under the Meadow spell. Well, I’m glad we solved the mystery. You never mentioned how hot he was, by the way.”

“He’s all yours,” I said.

Sandra laughed. “No thanks, but I better run. My order is up. Hope you’re feeling better.”

“Bye,” I said, not sure if she heard me before hanging up.

I turned the ringer off and put my phone on the bathroom floor. I rested back against the tub, plugged my nose, and slid all the way under.

CHAPTER 50

SANDRA

I got to the brewery after closing up the café and grabbed a seat at the counter. I was happy to see Paul was bartending, not just because he’s good company, but because he always pours me my beer before I even ask. He came over and put a pint down in front of me.

“Where’s your partner in crime?” he asked.

“She wasn’t feeling well,” I said, taking a sip. “I sent her home early.”

“Too hungover to work? I’m pretty hungover myself.”

“No, she wasn’t hungover. She hardly drank at all, but she did throw up this morning. She’s worried she gave everyone food poisoning. Have you been sick?”

“Nope, but my head is killing me.”

I could tell he was trying to gage if I liked the beer or not. It was good, but I gave it a few more sips before giving him my review. It was heavy but really nice. I was able to correctly name a few flavors, which impressed him. He then listed off the ones I missed and explained the process he and Jason used to make it.

I smiled and nodded, pretending to be interested. The truth is, what was really catching my attention about him wasn’t the beer, but the way he always took the time to explain things to me and make sure I knew what I was drinking.

He was thoughtful.

He was also handsome. I had to laugh to myself as I thought that. Why had I never noticed before? I mean, I’d noticed he was a good looking guy, but I’d never really considered him more than a friend. I imagined what it might be like to be more than friends.

Would I be able to do it?

Had we already passed the point of no return, where anything romantic would be too awkward to consider?

I began to picture him naked, what his cock would look like, what it would feel like if I were to allow it to slip into my mouth and suck on it!

“Hey,” I heard someone say from behind me, pulling me out of my naughty imaginings.

I turned around and then almost fell off my seat.

It was Kane!

I had been worried sick about him but never let on to Meadow because I knew it would only make her a million times more worried.

“What the hell?” I said.

“Kane!” Paul said, hopping right over the bar to give him a hug, and maybe to double check that he was really there.

“Is that really you?”

Kane lifted Paul right off his feet.

“It’s me, brother. Who else am I going to be?”

“Well!” I blurted, almost bursting into tears from the shock of his sudden reappearance. “Where the hell have you been, mister?”

Kane looked at me and then at Paul, but it was clear he had no explanation. He just stood there silently.

“Get the man a beer,” I said to Paul, pulling out a stool for Kane.

Kane sat next to me and I looked at him, actually I stared at him. He’d changed. His skin was ten shades darker than it had been, like he’d been out in the sun nonstop, and his usual five o’clock shadow had become a full on beard. His once white t-shirt was now a sandy off white color and smelled of salt water.

I was just glad he was okay.

As soon as the initial shock wore off, I went from being amazed that he was back, to being completely upset with him for the way he’d disappeared out of the blue. Especially Meadow! I mean, I knew she’d messed up too with her complete psycho rampage when she saw Carolyn’s picture, but just disappearing like that, and ghosting all of us, that wasn’t fair!

“We were worried sick about you, buddy,” I said while Paul was off pouring someone a drink.

“I know, Sandra. I’m sorry, but I had to get away.”

“Where were you?”

“Mexico. I found a nice place and just stayed there.”

“Surfing?”

He nodded.

“Enjoying the beach?”

“I know, I should have called.”

“Yes, you should have. I must have left you a million messages. I know Paul and Meadow did too.”

He said nothing and I just looked at him.

“Well, you just decided to let us worry?”

“I didn’t have my phone with me, Sandra. It wasn’t on purpose. I left town unexpectedly when I realized that I … that I needed to process a few things. I forgot the phone. And then once I realized no one could contact me, I just sort of liked it like that. I needed the space.”

“That’s pretty selfish of you. There are lots of people here who care about you and who have been worried sick,” I said.

“I know, Sandra. All I can say is, I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have been more considerate.”

I looked at Paul and he shook his head.

“Well,” I said, “at least you’re still alive.”

Paul left to serve some customers who’d just arrived and I took Kane’s arm.

“It wasn’t just old friends who were worried about you, you know? Some people who only knew you for twenty-four hours were pretty devastated when you went off the grid like that.”

“She told you what happened?”

“Damn right she did. We’re girls, Kane. She told me everything.”

“What did she say?”

“She said she was afraid she made you run out.”

“Oh, no,” Kane said. “I didn’t think of that.”

“You didn’t think of that? What did you think?”

“I thought she’d hate me and never want to see me again for not telling her about Carolyn.”

I shook my head. Guys can be so unbelievably, ridiculously, outrageously stupid sometimes.

“No, she doesn’t hate you. She’s sorry she overreacted.”

“Is she still in town?” he asked.

“She is, and she’s doing amazing without you. You really hurt her. She soldiered through. She’s been working hard at the café and has her own place now. She decorated it and it looks stunning and she’s even starting her own interior design company. She’s done it all on her own. She refused any help from anyone. She’s a completely different woman,” I said.

I was purposely laying it on thick. I wanted to be sure he knew how far she’d come and how ridiculous he was for leaving her hanging like that.

“Oh, and she got her divorce too,” I added for good measure.

Paul came back and put a pint down in front of Kane.

“No thanks, man,” Kane said, and Paul and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

“It’s the new brew,” Paul said. “Come on. It’s some of our finest work.”

“I haven’t touched the stuff since the night before I left,” Kane said.

“Really?” I said.

“Wow, Kane, that’s actually pretty cool to hear,” Paul said. Then, looking at me, he added, “Leaves more for us.”

Paul took a big sip of Kane’s beer and Kane laughed.

I hit Paul’s shoulder. “It’s not a joke. It’s really great, Kane. You look a million times better than you did when you left.”

I couldn’t deny I was proud of him. I don’t think there’d been one day since the accident he hadn’t drunk heavily. Going over a whole month without one, cold turkey, was a big deal. Something had certainly changed in him. Despite my resistance, I got up and hugged him. He deserved it.

“But I’m still mad at you,” I said in his ear before sitting back down.

“I know,” he said.

“I know she messed up too, and she desperately wants to apologize to you. But she deserves an explanation and an apology too. It’s not fair to just leave her hanging like that.”

“I know. I’m really glad she’s still here. I thought she might have gone back to her husband.”

“Never!” I said, more loudly than I intended. “She’s a new woman and she’s got a real life here now, Kane. She’s not the girl you knew.”

Kane nodded, clearly happy to hear that.

“And she knows about what happened with Carolyn and Tamara too. I know you don’t like people talking about it, but I had to tell her. She was convinced you were a married man when she saw those photos.”

“I’m glad you did. She deserved to know the truth.”

“You should have been the one to tell her.”

“I know.”

Paul came back and took another sip of Kane’s pint.

“You should have been the one to tell who what?” he said.

“Tell Meadow about Carolyn,” he said.

“Tell Meadow what about Carolyn?”

Kane and I looked at Paul with the same blank stare. Then we looked at each other.

“Wait. You don’t know?” I asked Paul.

“Know what?”

“About Meadow and Kane?”

“Meadow and Kane?” Paul said, completely taken by surprise.

I let out a huge sigh. Like I said, guys can be the most ridiculously stupid creatures God ever created at times.

CHAPTER 51

KANE

When I first stormed out of town, I wasn’t thinking about anything.

I just went. It was like I was suffocating. I had to get away.

It wasn’t until later that I realized I didn’t have my phone. I knew I should have checked in with someone, but I couldn’t bring myself to make any calls. I needed to get my head right.

Meadow woke something inside me, something I thought was dead, and I had to figure out where my life was going.

Sandra was right, it was selfish of me not to let anyone know where I was, but this was something I had to do. I can’t explain the freedom that came from not being reachable. Every part of my head, heart and soul needed that break.

Maybe I was taking my friendships for granted, but I knew they’d forgive me. Even though Sandra’s eyes were trying to stay mad, it was impossible to ignore the smile on her face as she told me everything I’d missed during my absence.

And Paul was back to his old self almost immediately. It seemed he was almost more happy I’d quit drinking than I was. And I can’t say how relieved I was to hear he hadn’t made a move on Meadow while I was away, even though he didn’t know I was with her.

“There he is again,” Sandra said, drawing my attention back to the present.

“Who?” Paul said, looking in the direction she was looking.

“Today at the café, that guy came in looking for Meadow. She wasn’t here. I sent her home early because she was feeling sick. Once he found out she wasn’t there, he left.”

“Which guy?” I said.

“That one in the blazer,” Sandra said.

I checked him out without being too obvious about it.

“Anyway, I called Meadow and it turns out he’s some guy she met at the pub a few weeks ago. He tried to make a move on her and she shot him down.”

“Sounds like Meadow,” I said.

“In fact, if I remember correctly, he tried to kiss her and she kneed him in the nuts,” Sandra said, grinning.

“Now that really sounds like Meadow,” I said, laughing.

I was glad she’d shot him down, but I still wouldn’t have minded punching the guy’s lights out for making a move on my girl. I mean, he didn’t know she was my girl, and she didn’t even know it, but I still wanted to floor him.

“You should have come to Big Sur,” Paul said. “Me and Jason had the time of our lives.”

I felt bad just bailing on them, and hated missing out, but I knew there’d be other trips.

“I’m really sorry about that.”

Paul nodded and carried on, telling me about this one amazing wave. I half listened, turning to see if I could check out Meadow’s admirer. He was still there, scrolling on his phone. There was something familiar about him.

He started to look in my direction so I turned away. When I looked back, I realized where I recognized him from.

“I know that guy,” I said.

“You do?” Sandra said. “I swear I’ve never seen him around.”

“It’s Matt.”

“Matt who?”

“Matt. Meadow’s piece of shit, cheating, ex-husband,” I said, standing up.

“Kane,” Paul said, cautioning me not to start a scene.

Sandra looked at me. “How do you know what her ex looks like?”

“Meadow showed me a video. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that he’s here, and he’s not welcome.”

I started walking toward him.

“Kane, what are you doing? Don’t start anything, dude.”

“You know me,” I said. “I wouldn’t cause a scene.”

“Kane,” Sandra said. “Don’t.”

“This guy is not fucking welcome around here, and he needs to know,” I said.

Just looking at the guy made me sick. He was a complete scum bag. I couldn’t believe Meadow had ever been married to him. She was so high-class. This guy was the complete opposite. I had zero respect for cheaters. They’re not men at all. They’re worms.

He looked like he had some intentions here in town and I didn’t have to think too hard to figure they involved Meadow.

I walked up to his table.

“Hey, buddy. Mind taking a step outside?”

He looked up at me then looked back down at his phone.

“Who are you?”

“I’m the guy who’s taking you the fuck out of here,” I said.

That got his attention. He looked around to see if I had any backup. When he saw I was alone, he said, “Fuck you.”

It took every ounce of my self-control not to lose it on him right there.

“Come on, fucker,” I said, walking away from his table and toward the back door. “Unless you’re afraid of me, we’ve got some business to discuss outside.”

I didn’t look back to see if he was following. I just walked all the way to the door. When I opened it I realized he was behind me. I gestured for him to go out first and he did.

I followed him out to the parking lot.

He turned and was pretty pissed off.

“What the fuck do you want, punk?” he said.

“I want to know what you’re doing here in town.”

“I’m here to take back what’s mine, that’s what. My property is here and I’m going to take it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re property?”

“What’s it to you, pal?”

I couldn’t believe what this asshole was saying. His property? Was he serious?

In a single motion, he grabbed an iron pole that was propped up against a dumpster and swung it at me. I ducked, just narrowly dodging it as it flew through the air. If he’d made contact with my skull I’d have been done for.

I lunged forward and grabbed him around the waist. He stumbled back into the dumpster and dropped the pole. I punched him once, hard in the gut, and he doubled over in pain. I was about to really lay into him when he raised his hands pleading.

“Please, please, I don’t want to fight.”

I let out a laugh. He’d been plenty willing to fight when he’d had that iron pole.

“Just get the fuck out of town, buddy. You didn’t deserve Meadow and you lost her.”

I turned to leave him there, thinking he got the message, but a moment later I felt a terrible pain across the back of my legs. I fell to the ground and rolled over, just in time to see Matt swinging that damn iron pole right for me. I rolled to my left, just barely dodging it, and when it struck the ground I grabbed it and pulled him forward. As he fell toward me, I met his jaw with my fist.

I leapt to my feet and brought my knee to his gut. He fell forward and I landed a quick uppercut to his jaw. He stumbled back and I grabbed him by the blazer.

“Matt. That’s your name, right?”

He nodded, blood dripping from his mouth. He made a pathetic sight.

“You had her, and you cheated on her. She hasn’t been yours since the moment you were unfaithful, you understand that?”

He nodded again.

“Everyone around her knows who you are, buddy. We know what you did. And we don’t like worms like you stinking up the joint.”

He let out a sob and wiped the blood from his mouth. God, I wished he’d just pull himself together.

“We all know Meadow too. This is her town now. This is her home. And we’re her new neighbors. Her new family. Anyone catches you skulking around this town again, they’ll do the exact same thing to you I just did.”

“But she’s mine,” he sobbed.

“Not anymore.”

“You can’t trust her,” he said. “She’ll just be after your money. Believe me. I know her. She’s a slut and she’s after your money. That’s her only interest in men.”

That did it. I drew back my fist and then landed it right on his nose. He flew back against the dumpster and I caught him before he fell to the ground. With a solid motion, I lifted him right off his feet and flung him over the side of the dumpster. He fell into it, getting covered with old food and other garbage from the brewery.

I looked over the edge and saw ketchup and french fries all over his fancy outfit.

“She’ll never survive without me,” he cried.

I looked down at him and laughed.

“Dude, she’s got her own job, her own apartment. She’s built a life from scratch. You’ve got ketchup and fries on your face.”

It was then that Paul and Jason showed up, hurrying through the door to see what trouble I’d caused.

“Where is he?” Paul said.

I indicated the dumpster and saw them both hold back laughs.

“Meadow’s ex?”

I nodded.

They looked into the dumpster and got a good look at him.

“See,” I said to Matt. “Every guy in this town knows exactly what you pulled with Meadow, and if we see you around here again, you’ll get a lot worse than a bath in a dumpster.”

“Fine, she’s your problem now,” Matt cried as we walked back into the brewery. “Let’s see how long you last before you get sick of her.”

“Hang on a second,” I said to Paul and Jason.

I strode back to the dumpster and grabbed the lid, slamming it down and shutting Matt inside. It wasn’t locked, but it was heavy and it would take quite a bit of effort to get it open again.

“See you around, asshole.”

CHAPTER 52

SANDRA

I stood on my toes and peeked out the little window overlooking the back of the brewery. I saw the whole fight go down, and my jaw dropped when Kane threw Matt into the dumpster. I would have given anything to know what Matt had said to provoke that!

When the guys came back in, I walked with them back to the bar.

Kane was holding his hand, his fist sore from the punching he’d just done.

Paul was on an adrenaline rush, and wouldn’t take a seat.

Jason looked like he was trying to make sense of what had just happened.

“Holy shit, Kane,” I said, sitting at the bar next to him. ”Are you okay? What did he say to you?”

“He said Meadow was his property and he was here to get her back.”

“Oh my God. What did you say?”

“I said we’d kick his ass if he didn’t get out of town pronto.”

“So he’s going to leave town?” I said, my mind racing.

“I reckon so,” Kane said.

He looked at me and I looked back at him. At that moment we both had the same terrible thought. What if Matt didn’t leave town?

“What if he goes to Meadow’s house?” I said.

Kane was already on his feet, striding back down the corridor toward the back of the brewery. I had to run to keep up with him. He burst back outside and stared at the dumpster. It was open. Matt was gone.

There was a piece of crumpled up paper on the ground. I picked it up and read it. My blood froze. It was Meadow’s address! How had Matt found it out?

“Kane,” I said, handing him the piece of paper. I was beginning to enter panic mode. “You have to go to her. You have to protect her.”

I looked at Kane. He didn’t look like he was in any state to drive. There was blood on his fist and he was slightly limping from where Matt had whacked his legs with the iron bar.

He rushed past me, back inside, and I ran after him. He went right through the bar, past Paul and Jason.

“Where’s he going?” Paul said.

“Kane,” I called. “Wait.”

He stopped at the door. “I’ve waited long enough, Sandra. I’ve wasted too much time already. It took me two years to get to this point, and I’m not about to stall now. Meadow needs me, and I’m going to be there for her when she does.”

CHAPTER 53

MEADOW

I lay on my back with my hand on my belly, my mind racing. There was no more denying it. I’d suspected it for some time, but now I knew for certain.

I couldn’t remember when I’d last had my period. I’d never been the most regular, so it was very easy for me not to notice when it was late. But then there was the morning sickness.

After my bath I went to the drug store and got a pregnancy test. In fact, I bought five of them.

One after the other, I took the tests, and one after the other, they told me what I already knew. I was pregnant! I was having a baby!

And not just that, but it was Kane’s baby. Now, more than ever, I needed him to come back. I needed him to come back for me. I was going to be the mother of his child after all.

I let out a long sigh and looked up at the ceiling. The screen door on my back porch was blowing in the wind again and I thought I should get up and go close it properly. I didn’t want it to get damaged.

It banged again in the wind and I got up.

I was in nothing but my nightdress and a cool, refreshing breeze was flowing through the house. It felt good against my skin. Even without Kane, I was in a good place. I lived in a nice town. I had good friends and a great apartment. I had a job I enjoyed, and plans to start an interior decorating business.

Even without Kane, I’d be okay. The baby would be okay.

It was just … I didn’t want to be without Kane.

When would he come back?

I rounded the corner into the hall and instantly, nothing was right. There was someone there, right in front of me, and I let out a shrill scream

“What the hell?” I cried.

It was dark and I couldn’t tell who was standing there, a few feet away from me. Was it Paul? Was it Jason?

Was it an intruder?

“You little whore,” a familiar voice said to me in the darkness.

It was Matt! How was he there? We’d signed our divorce papers. He’d taken back his vehicle and his money. He should have been out of my life.

“What are you doing here?” I gasped.

The lights came on and I saw him there in front of me. I backed away, shielding my stomach instinctively.

“Matt, you can’t be here. I’ll call the police.”

“You won’t call anyone bitch. You’re going to pay for what you’ve done. I’m going to teach you some manners.”

I backed away from him, all the way into my bedroom, and stood in front of the bed.

“I’m glad to see you’re in your slutty night dress. Now, all you have to do is get down on your knees and show me what a sorry girl you are.”

“What? I’m not sorry. Get the hell out of here or you’ll be sorry.”

“I hardly think you’re the one to be handing out threats,” he said with a sneer, opening the fly of his pants.

I looked at him more closely and saw that he was beat up. There was dry blood on his face and his clothes were covered in dirt and stains. He wasn’t himself.

“What are you doing? Stop opening your pants.”

“Why should I? You’re going to take what I give you, and then you’re going to come home with me like a good wife.”

“I’m not your wife anymore, Matt.”

“Yes you are, and you always will be.”

“You lost me the moment you cheated on me, Matt. You never had me. A marriage is based on faithfulness and love. You never understood that, and that’s why you’re alone.”

“Alone? I’ll show you alone. When I get you back home, I’m going to lock you in the basement and make sure you can never leave me again.”

He came closer, opening his belt and taking his erect cock out of his pants. My stomach turned when I saw it. It was a sight I’d expected never to have to see again. Not only did I hate Matt’s guts, in my heart I knew I already belonged to another man. I belonged to Kane. Even if he didn’t know it, I was his and I was carrying his child. Matt had no right to lay a finger on me, never mind what he thought he was going to do to me.

He pulled his shirt off over his head and I backed further away from him on the bed.

“You better get over here and start sucking, bitch. If you don’t swallow every drop, I’m going to kill you.”

His words terrified me. From the crazy look on his face I could tell he was unhinged and could be capable of anything. With a baby inside me, I knew I had to protect my body at all costs. I looked at him and then looked around the room for any chance at escape. He was between me and the door, and the window was behind him. There was no way out other than through him, and I was definitely not strong enough to get past.

Plus, I couldn’t risk the chance he’d hit me in the stomach.

“Please, Matt,” I said, trying to calm the situation.

“Don’t beg, bitch. Either you start sucking my cock right now or I’ll strangle you where you lie.”

I looked up into his face. I didn’t know what to do. I had no choice.

CHAPTER 54

KANE

My mind was running at a million miles a minute. How could I have been so stupid? I should have kept on top of Matt while I had the chance. Instead, I let him walk free.

If anything happened to Meadow, I’d never forgive myself. I’d gone away to recover from the trauma of losing Carolyn and Tamara. It had been overdue, but I hadn’t been able to face dealing with that loss until now.

That was because of Meadow. I owed her everything. Her coming into my life woke up the feelings I’d thought were gone forever. It was because of her that I’d finally been able to let go of the loss I’d experienced.

But what if it happened again? What if I lost Meadow too? Because of my own stupidity.

I jumped into my Jeep and drove like a maniac to the address on the piece of paper. I knew exactly where it was, overlooking my favorite beach, right at the place where I’d taken her to the lifeguard tower.

As I drove, screeching around corners and running stop signs, I wondered if it was because of that night that she’d chosen this place to live.

When I reached her house I slammed on the breaks and leapt from the Jeep. My heart skipped a beat when I thought how close I was to seeing Meadow again.

Meadow’s car wasn’t in the driveway but another car was. I knew it was Matt’s.

I leapt up the steps to her front door and pushed it open.

“Meadow,” I called. “Meadow!”

The light in the hallway was on and I rushed toward it. There was a sound coming from one of the rooms and I ran to it. When I saw what was happening, my mind went completely blank with rage.

Meadow was lying on the bed, in her nightdress, struggling. Matt was on top of her, his pants around his knees and his shirt off. And he was trying to strangle her!

I grabbed him and flung him against the wall.

“Get the hell away from her,” I yelled.

Without even thinking, I drove my fist into his face. That was followed with another blow, and another. He collapsed on the ground, his face covered in blood, and still I couldn’t stop. I just kept punching him and punching him.

It wasn’t until Meadow grabbed me that I finally stopped.

“Kane, you’re going to kill him.”

“I want to kill him.”

“No, you have to stop. I’m calling the police.”

“If he thinks he can put a hand on you like that, he deserves to die.”

I looked up at her and took deep breaths, trying to calm my rage.

As my vision came back to normal, I realized who I was looking at. I was looking right at the most beautiful person I’d ever seen in my life. If there had been any doubt in my heart, I knew the truth for certain now. I was in love with this woman. I was madly in love with her.

I would die for her.

And this guy had been trying to strangle her! I wanted to hit him again but Meadow’s arm on mine told me not to move.

“Meadow,” I gasped.

“Kane.”

“I’m back,” I said, pulling her into me.

Instantly, she burst into tears. I realized then just how desperately she’d been waiting for me to return. I hadn’t known for sure if she was waiting for me or if she’d forgotten all about me. Now I knew. She was my girl, and as I crushed my lips down on hers for the first time in so long, I knew that what we had was real. It would last forever.

She sobbed as she kissed me, completely overtaken with emotion.

“I’m back,” I said again. “I’m back and I’m never going away again. I promise.”

A movement at our feet broke the passion. I reached down and pulled Matt up onto the bed. He was in no state to resist, his face bruised and bloody and his nose possibly broken.

I held Meadow in my arms and we both watched him on the bed until the police finally arrived. Meadow was trembling and I whispered soothing words in her ear the whole time.

“I’m back, Meadow. I’m back.”

She kept sobbing every time I told her that.

“I can’t believe you’re back,” she said.

I squeezed her and nodded.

Then she hit me on the chest, not hard but it was about as hard as she could manage after everything that had just happened.

“And I can’t believe you disappeared like that!”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“You better be!” she said, and I saw the fire of her personality return to her eyes.

I smiled and she smiled back, forgiving me for disappearing with that single look.

The police arrived and filled out a report, noting the marks on Meadow’s neck. They took Matt away in handcuffs and I knew we wouldn’t have to worry about him ever again. He was done.

Sandra, Paul and Jason were standing by, waiting for the police to leave.

“Good riddance,” Sandra said as the police passed her with Matt.

I led Meadow by the hand down to where they were all waiting.

“I see you two are reacquainted,” Sandra said to me and Meadow, a mischievous look in her eye.

“Let’s go back to the brewery for burgers,” I said. “We’ve all got so much catching up to do.”

Paul and Jason looked like they were in agreement. Sandra shrugged. I turned to Meadow but she was shaking her head.

“That was a lot for me to process for one night,” she said. “I think I’m going to turn in.”

“What?” I said. “I thought we’d …”.

“You thought we’d what?” she said, looking at me sternly. “You disappear for all that time, and then you think you can just waltz back like nothing happened?”

I shook my head. I knew I’d been hard on her by disappearing without a word. Despite our kiss, I’d have to earn my way back into her life.

“Do you want me to stay here with you for the night,” Sandra said to Meadow. “You’ve just been attacked.”

“No,” Meadow said immediately.

I was surprised at how sure of herself she sounded.

“Matt’s in police custody. I’m shaken up but I want to be alone. I need to process all this,” she said, looking right at me.

“You sure?” Sandra said.

Meadow nodded. She thanked me for showing when I did, but didn’t kiss me again. Then she said goodnight to all of us and went back inside.

Sandra, Paul and Jason got into Paul’s car.

“You meeting us back at the brewery?” they said, pulling out of the driveway.

I was still standing on the lawn.

“I think I’ll call it a night too,” I said.

They drove off and I stood there. I contemplated going up to Meadow’s door and knocking. I knew what I wanted. My cock was throbbing just knowing she was in there, but something told me I needed to give her space.

I sighed and went back to my Jeep, heading for home.

CHAPTER 55

MEADOW

Before I opened my eyes, I straightened my legs and lifted my arms up over my head and stretched all the way through to my fingertips and toes. I let out a huge sigh and rolled over on my side.

What a night!

What a life!

What on earth was I going to do?

Where did I even start?

I was pregnant. Pregnant! I was having a baby! Kane’s baby! I hadn’t even told him yet. Of course I hadn’t told him. How could I? He’d disappeared until last night. Was I even ready for motherhood? I’d only just started my new life. I’d gotten a new job, new friends, a new apartment. Having a little baby to take care of certainly hadn’t been part of the plan.

But then, there was a yearning in my heart for that baby. There was a feeling of love and tenderness I couldn’t deny. Every part of me wanted a little baby to take care of. I just needed to get my life in order first.

And what about Kane! First he disappears. Without a single word to anyone he walks right out. Goes who knows where? Doing who knows what?

Where was he? What was he doing? And why couldn’t he answer his phone calls, even just out of courtesy. I mean, I get it that sometimes you need your own space. Obviously he’d been through a lot and processing the loss he’d been through was probably a pretty solitary thing for a guy like him. But come on! People worry. Let us know you’re alive, idiot!

And we’d kissed. God, that kiss! What was I supposed to make of that? Did that mean he wanted me back? Did he want to go for a relationship with me? Of course I wanted that more than anything, but how could I just drop everything and fall back into bed with him?

We’d had exactly one hot night together. That wasn’t exactly the foundation of a life long relationship of trust and support. Sure, it was a good start. A great start, I thought, remembering the way he’d sucked my pussy and fucked me with his cock, pouring himself deep inside me. It was a perfect start!

But it was only a start. It wasn’t a relationship. Not yet.

My head was spinning. My world was moving at a million miles an hour. I needed to take a deep breath and get my thoughts together.

I squinted my eyes and looked at the clock on my bedside table. It was five thirty. Wow. I was up early. Despite all the drama last night, I felt amazingly refreshed. I felt my neck for any soreness from Matt’s attack. I was fine. Kane had come at just the right time to rescue me.

I noticed there was a message on my phone and clicked to listen to it. It was from the Pismo Beach police department. They were calling to notify me that Matt was being charged with aggravated assault and would be held in custody back in Palo Alto until a judge could hear his case next week. In all likelihood, given what he’d done, I wouldn’t have to worry about him for a long time. They took domestic violence very seriously and would do their utmost to ensure Matt saw real jail time. If he did end up getting released, they would send a uniformed police officer to my home to keep me updated, and they would make sure I felt safe.

Well, that was a load off. My ex-husband had turned out to be quite the psycho, but at least the Pismo Beach police took it seriously enough to look after women in my position. It seemed I was in the right place for a messy breakup.

I stayed in bed a while longer and daydreamed about what I should do with my day. Usually I planned what I’d make for dinner in the morning but I still had lots of leftover food from my party so that wouldn’t be an issue. I wondered would Kane call soon? Would he come over?

Was he still interested in me or was that kiss all I could expect out of him?

I flicked through my texts. There were a bunch from Sandra, sent from the brewery last night.

Sandra: I can’t believe all this. Matt’s arrested. Kane’s back!

Ten minutes later.

Sandra: Are you with Kane right now? I’m with Paul and we’re drinking up a storm.

Ten minutes later.

Sandra: Text me back, girl. Are you with Kane?

Twenty minutes later.

Sandra: I’m getting so drunk.

One hour later.

Sandra: So, Paul and I just made out. What the hell am I doing? He’s my best friend. Apart from you obviously.

That one got my attention. Sandra and Paul making out. I punched the air in triumph. God, how I’d wanted her and Paul to hook up! I’d been waiting for news like this for weeks. I couldn’t believe they never saw it. They were perfect for each other. Pretty much every time I left the two of them together, I expected Sandra to tell me the next time I saw her that they had hooked up. But it never happened! Until now, that is!

Another text twenty more minutes later.

Sandra: Paul and I are getting hot and heavy. I’m going back to his place.

And exactly seventeen minutes after that one.

Sandra: Paul just fucked my brains out. Holy hell. Good night, babe.

That last one had been sent just a few hours ago. It was so early I knew Sandra would be fast asleep, hopefully with Paul’s amazing body wrapped around her, keeping her warm. I wanted to talk to her desperately but I’d let the poor girl sleep in and enjoy her morning. I’d see her at work in a few hours and there’d be plenty of time then for us to catch up.

And boy was there a lot to catch up on. It would be such a fun day. She could tell me all about Paul’s love-making skills, and I’d ask her what I should do about the Kane situation.

Would I tell her I was pregnant? Was it too soon to start telling people about that? What was the rule with this? I mean, did I have to wait to speak to a doctor first? Did I have to tell Kane first?

Wow. It was too early in the morning for this much to be happening. I needed coffee, fast!

I went into the kitchen and put on the coffee maker, then sat at the table and scrolled through my phone. I needed to clear my head. I was dying to get back to Sandra but it was still too early. I poured myself a cup of coffee and checked my emails. There was the one from Sandra she’d promised to send me. The one about intentions and finding love and getting in tune with the universe. I wasn’t sure about all that stuff, but this morning was about as good a time as any if I was going to ask the universe for guidance.

The title was, “Intentions for Manifesting Love in your Life.”

I started reading it.

It seemed to be your standard astrology stuff, talking about the moon and planets, zodiac signs, all that stuff. I’d never been interested in it, I’m a good Christian woman, but it was just for fun and it was from Sandra so I gave it a chance. A lot of it was about trying to pull love toward you, which sounded perfect. Of course I wanted love to come to me. As long as love meant Kane!

At the bottom was a little ritual I could do during the full moon. I clicked my phone and asked Siri when was the date of the next full moon.

“The next full moon is today,” her computer voice told me.

Well if that wasn’t a sign from the universe I thought, smiling. I looked at my watch. A quarter after six. Still way too early to text Sandra. I poured myself another cup of coffee and read through the instructions for the ritual.

Who knows? I thought to myself. There’s never any harm in asking the universe for a little more love in my life.

Step one, go out at dawn to maximize the power of nature.

I went back to my bedroom and grabbed my duvet, throwing it over my shoulders. What the hell? No one’s around.

Step two, light candles and incense. Sit in the center and place them north, south, east and west of yourself.

Candles and incense? What on earth was I getting myself into? I didn’t have that stuff. Do people actually have that in their home?

I told myself to be a good sport and found my stash of emergency candles under the sink. I grabbed four and threw them into my beach bag with some matches. Then I threw on some jeans and a t-shirt. If I was going to be a hippy, I might as well go down to the beach to do it. I didn’t have any incense but I had a bottle of Chanel perfume I’d paid over a hundred dollars for at the mall back in Palo Alto. If the universe wanted things to be fragrant, Chanel had to trump incense. I tossed that in the beach bag too.

Step three, write down what you desire most in the world. Choose no more than three things and write each one on a separate piece of paper.

I froze. Three things! I didn’t have a clue what to write. Oh great, I thought. The universe is about to grant you three wishes, and you can’t think of what you want! I would think about it on the bike ride down to the beach. If I couldn’t think of three things by the time I got there, I didn’t need the universe’s help.

I grabbed some paper and a pen and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Shit. I have zero makeup on and my hair is a disaster. I started to run to the bathroom to make myself presentable, but then I thought, hold on a second. Meadow, you just found out you’re pregnant. Your ex-husband just got arrested for attacking you. The man you think you love just came back into town, stood up for you, and kissed you. There are more important things to do than put on lipstick!

I ran my hand through my hair and threw on my sunglasses. That would do it. A moment later I was out the door and flying down the street through the beautiful morning air, the sun rising behind the hills and the ocean beckoning me toward it.

I made my way for the cliffs overlooking the beach, the same place I’d gone my first morning in Pismo Beach. The place I’d witnessed Kane performing his own little ritual.

I turned into the parking lot and got off my bike. It was such a beautiful morning. The sun was still rising, the ocean was rippling with waves and there was a warm breeze. I pulled out my beach blanket and put it on the grass. I set my candles around, facing each of the directions. I sprayed a few spritzes of perfume around before placing the bottle down on the blanket. I took my place in the middle, crossed my legs and got out my phone, the paper and a pen.

I sat quietly and looked out into the ocean. I calmed my mind and focused on what I wanted to bring into my life. As intentions came to me, I wrote each one down on it’s own piece of paper. When I was satisfied with my choices, I looked on my phone to find the next steps.

Step four, share your intentions with a friend.

Oh great. Stumped again. How was this going to work if I couldn’t get a single detail right? Then I realized, I wasn’t quite alone. I was with God, right? So I read my intentions aloud into the morning breeze.

“I want to be a kind person,” I said.

“I want to love like I’ve never been hurt.”

“I want true love to find me.”

Those were the three things I could come up with! It’s not as easy as it sounds!

I put the pieces of paper down and reached for my phone to read the the last step.

Step five, keep your written intentions tucked away in a safe place and be patient.

And just like that, a gust of wind came up over the cliffs, blew out the four candles, and took the pieces of paper away, sending them flying into the air!

“Oh no!” I cried. “Universe, why are you doing this to me?”

CHAPTER 56

KANE

When I got home my hands were trembling. Not from all the action with Matt, but from seeing Meadow again. I lay down on my bed and tried to clear my head.

She looked even more beautiful than I remembered. I picked up my diary and thought about writing something she’d just inspired. I wanted to write about cumming on her tits. Just the thought of it, of my cum flowing onto her delicious, delectable tits made me instantly hard. What would it be like to spill myself on her breasts and then hold her tight against me, so that my cum was like glue, sticking us together?

I picked up the diary but then put it back down. I was too aroused to write anything.

I went into the bathroom and ran the shower. As the water heated up I stripped down and looked at myself in the mirror. My cock was sticking up like a tentpole. I wanted to sink it into Meadow, into her delicious curves, and cum in her so forcefully it made her head spin. I wanted her to feel the force of my orgasm. To know what she did to my body. To know how badly I desired her.

I stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash over me. It struck me on the chest and flowed down my body toward my erect cock. I looked down at it. So eager! So ready for action!

I hadn’t slept with a woman since my night of passion with Meadow and I was seriously in need of release. I thought about getting into my car and heading right back to her place. I’d show her exactly what I thought of our future together. I wanted her to be my girl. I wanted us to belong to each other forever.

But she’d probably been through enough for one night.

I grabbed my cock in my fist and gave the shaft a squeeze. It throbbed with my pulse and I felt so close to cumming. I wanted to stroke it, to release my desire in a gushing torrent into the falling water of the shower.But I resisted. I would save myself. I’d be cumming in Meadow soon and I wanted her to know I’d saved everything I had for her.

I finished washing and got out of the shower. I dried off and wrapped the towel around my waist. I grabbed my diary and pen from the bedroom and went to the kitchen. There were still a few photos of Carolyn and Tamara around, some on the fridge and some on the table, and I gathered them up and put them in an envelope. Then I sealed the envelope and put it in a drawer. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them, but I knew I was ready to move on with my life. I wasn’t forgetting about Carolyn and Tamara, but I was saying goodbye. It was time.

I put on the kettle and sat down at the table, waiting for it to boil.

I was still so horny, but I couldn’t touch myself. I had to resist.

I opened the diary and started writing.

Diary Entry

You ever had a man cum on your breasts? You ever let someone do that to you? Would you let me do that to you?

Think about it. Don’t say yes unless you really mean it. In fact, don’t even read this unless you’d wholeheartedly let me cum on your tits.

How would I do it?

Well, first say yes. Mouth the words. “Yes. Cum on my tits, baby.”

Okay, now I’ll tell you how I’d do it.

First, I’d push you back on my bed. I’d make you lie straight, hands by your side, looking straight up at me. Then, very slowly, I’d strip you naked. I’d take my time. I’d look at you while I stripped you. I’d examine every inch of you. I know you’d be shy. I know you’d be trying to hide certain parts of your body that you’re self-conscious of. But I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to hide a thing, baby girl. You’re perfect, just the way you are.

If there’s one thing I can tell you that’s the God’s honest truth, it’s that I wouldn’t change a single thing about you. Not one hair on your head would I change. Not one thought in your mind. Not one atom of your body.

You’re perfect to me, and as I stripped you naked, I’d run my tongue over your body to show you how perfect you are. I’d kiss your feet, and slide my tongue across your toes. These are the toes I’m going to make curl. Of course I want to kiss them. From there, I’d run my tongue up over your ankle, along your leg, over the knee, all the way to your inner thigh. This is where you’d start to squirm. You’d think I was about to eat you, to suck your pussy and drink every drop of you, but you’d be wrong. Tempting as that is, this is a different fantasy.

I’d run my tongue from your thigh to your pussy, sliding it along your slit, entering you, and then licking over your clit, but I wouldn’t linger there. I’d keep going, up over your navel, over one nipple and then the next, and then along your neck, all the way to your lips. I’d kiss you passionately, entering your mouth with my tongue and letting our two tongues tangle and intertwine.

Then I’d whisper in your ear, stay completely still.

I’d place your hands where I wanted them, right on the sides of your tits, and show you that I wanted you to squeeze them together, creating a valley of pleasure for me to enjoy.

Then I’d climb up over you and place my erect, throbbing cock right there between your breasts. I’d pour lotion over you, over your cleavage and my cock, and then slide my cock back and forth to make sure everywhere was properly lubed up.

Then, without saying a word, I’d start fucking your cleavage, sliding my long, thick cock back and forth in your cleavage. I’d slide back and forth, and you’d hold your breasts together tighter, forming a perfect pussy in your cleavage for me.

You’d look down at my cock, eager to see what was going on, and you’d see as I got closer and closer to orgasm. With each thrust and slide, my cock would get a little harder, throb a little harder, and grow longer and thicker. You’d watch as my thrusts got slower and I started moaning your name.

That’s when it happens. A thread of cum shoots from the tip of my cock and lands right on your lips. You smile and open your mouth, licking my cum and taking it into your mouth. Then my second spurt would land on your chest, right between your tits. You’d smile, loving every second of it, loving the pleasure you’re giving me, loving the naughty feeling of my cum landing on your body.

My cock would continue to spurt cum all over your chest, all over your tits, and as I slowed my sliding, you’d start to rub your tits together, getting my cum all over your skin.

Then I’d collapse on you, crushing my chest against yours so the cum forms a bond between us. I’d kiss your mouth passionately, sucking your tongue, licking your lips, and tasting myself on your mouth.

CHAPTER 57

KANE

I sighed and put down my pen. My cock was throbbing so hard, so desperate to explode, but I couldn’t do it. I had to wait. I had to save myself. I was so tempted to grab my cock and cum all over my hand but I didn’t. Instead, I made some tea and brought it back to my bedroom. I lay back on the bed and was asleep before I even had a chance to drink the tea.

I woke at the crack of dawn. I hopped out of bed and got right into my wetsuit. I felt so good, so fresh. Five minutes later I was out the door and on my way to my favorite morning surf spot.

I knew I’d be seeing Meadow today. I had so much to tell her. So much to explain and apologize for. And I knew if I made things right, there’d be every chance for a relationship between us.

She was why I came back. I could have stayed in Mexico, but I knew I’d never forgive myself if I let her slip through my fingers.

I pulled into the parking lot and saw a bicycle in the grass. So much for having the beach to myself.

I parked and started to get my board off the roof. That’s when I looked up and noticed Meadow!

What was she doing here?

She was in the grassy area by the edge of the cliff, a few hundred yards away. She seemed to be running around, chasing after some papers that had been caught in the wind.

She was the last person I expected to find, but I was glad it was her. It would give us a chance to talk. We had a lot to discuss, and this was the perfect place for the discussion I had in mind. It was beautiful, romantic, and the sun was still rising over the hills, painting the sky pink.

I lifted my board under my arm and made my way toward her to help get those papers under control.

“Meadow,” I shouted to get her attention.

She was bent over, grabbing a piece of paper, and she stood up see who it was who just called her name. She turned toward me and I gave her a wave. I had no idea how she felt about me.

Would she give me a chance?

Would she make me work to regain her trust?

Whatever she wanted, I’d do it. I’d do anything to prove my feelings to her.

She froze on the spot when she recognized me. In the same instant, the paper she had just caught flew back out of her hand. She yelled, “shit,” and started running after it.

Next thing I knew, she tripped and was struggling to regain her footing. She stumbled toward the cliff and there was a dip in the ground that caused her to lose her footing completely.

One second she was there, waving her arms to regain balance, and the next she was gone!

Before I’d even processed what had happened, I’d dropped my board and was sprinting toward her. She’d gone over the cliff!

I ran and ran, desperate to get her back in sight. I ran faster than I’d ever run before in my life. There was no way I was going to let the ocean take the woman I loved again.

As I got closer to the edge of the cliff I noticed the swell on the surface of the water and the crashing waves. The ocean wasn’t calm, it was rough, just like it had been the day I lost Carolyn.

I was a good forty feet above the water and as I got closer to the edge I didn’t slow down a single bit. I just ran right to the edge and leapt. Only when I was already in the air did I see Meadow below in the water, flailing her arms. Rocks were everywhere below me but I had time to process the fact that she hadn’t hit any of them.

She was still alive!

I hit the water like a ton of bricks. It felt like being in a car crash. Everything went black and silent. The water was ice cold. I sank and sank and wondered if I’d ever get back to the surface, and then, all at once I was gasping for air and back in the light of day.

I glanced around frantically, desperately searching for Meadow. She’d been there a second ago. I knew she was still there, somewhere.

I was dangerously close to the rocks and knew I wouldn’t last long in such violent waters, but I didn’t care about that. I couldn’t think about anything except Meadow.

I dove down into the water and came back up a few moments later. Where was she?

The waves were crashing down on me, driving me closer to the rocks, and in every direction, all I could see was the swell of the rising waves around me.

“Meadow!” I called. “Meadow!”

Water crashed over me and a mouthful of sea water choked me, but I kept calling her name.

“Meadow!”

I shouted and shouted and even as my brain started telling me I wouldn’t find her, I kept shouting her name. I started to lose my breath and when the next wave crashed over me, it caught me just as I was yelling her name.

The water crushed me, driving me under the surface, and I coughed and choked on the water in my throat. I struggled to swim, to get to the surface, but I was disoriented and couldn’t figure out which way was up and which was down. Another wave, and another, crashed around me, sucking me in the currents and then I felt sharp rocks ripping through the flesh of my legs.

Blood!

That was just what I needed. I was basically a piece of shark bait, drowning in the water at the bottom of a fifty foot cliff.

This was it. This was the end.

I realized it all at once and the irony of it struck me. The karma. I’d failed to rescue Carolyn and Tamara. I’d failed to rescue Meadow. And now I was paying the price for that failure. The ocean had given me two chances to save the woman I loved, and I’d failed twice. There wasn’t going to be a third time. The ocean was taking me now.

I swung and kicked and tried to swim but it was no good. The water and current was too powerful.

My lungs were burning, gasping for oxygen. My vision started to black out. I was dying.

This was it. The moment of truth. I’d finally gotten over the pain of loss, I’d finally allowed my heart to open up again for a new woman, and it was all being taken from me before it ever began.

And then, in the center of the darkness, I saw a glimmer of light. I’d heard so many times about the tunnel people saw when they were dying, and figured that was what this was. I swam toward it and the light got bigger and brighter. Then I realized, the light wasn’t the end of my life, calling me for heaven, it was a figure, moving.

It was a person. It was a girl. It was Meadow!

Dressed in white, reflecting the sunlight, she was trapped at the bottom of the water, but she was still moving. With every ounce of my being, I swam toward her, grabbed her body, and then pushed off the ground back for the surface of the water.

We broke the surface together, her in my arms, and together we gasped for oxygen, pulling the air into my lungs.

Meadow coughed and I held her tightly as I started kicking and swimming away from the cliff.

“Kane,” she gasped finally, as she caught back her breath. “I thought I was dead for sure.”

I was holding her so tightly I must have been hurting her, but there was no way I was loosening my grip on her. I wasn’t going to lose her again. If she went down, I went down with her.

“I’ve got you, Meadow. I’ve got you now, and I’m never going to let you go.”

I kept swimming, all the way around the cliff and in toward the sandy beach. The water grew smoother and less treacherous as we got away from the cliffs, and in a matter of minutes, I was pulling her out of the water and onto the warm sand.

“You’re safe now, Meadow. I’ve got you.”

I could tell by the look on her face and the way her body was trembling that she was terrified. She took a deep breath and held onto me even tighter. I lay her on the sand and lay on top of her, trying to do what I could to warm her up. I knew it was shock more than the cold that was causing her to tremble but my instinct was to keep her safe and warm, to protect her, now and for the rest of our lives.

From what I could tell, apart from the gashes in my leg, neither of us had suffered any injury from the fall.

“You don’t need to be afraid anymore,” I said in her ear as I felt her body relax.

CHAPTER 58

MEADOW

Words couldn’t begin to describe the feeling I had, being rescued by Kane. As he brought me back to the safety of shore, I knew in my heart that he’d be my man forever, and I’d be his girl. There’s something about being protected, about being saved, that shows you just how loved you are.

My doubts about my future with Kane began to melt away.

“You saved us,” I said, without thinking.

“What?” he said. “Us?”

“Me,” I corrected. “You saved me.”

He was holding me again, and I could have melted into those arms and stayed there forever.

Finally, I thought.

I’m home. I’m in the arms of the man I love.

All I’d wanted for the last month was to find my way back into Kane’s arms. It took almost drowning to get there!

I felt my stomach and wondered about the baby. Would it be okay after all that had just happened? I’d have to get to a doctor and have a check up.

I’d thought I was dead for sure. I thought I was going to drown, and then Kane’s arms were around me and I knew instantly that everything was going to be all right. I could feel it. He had that affect on me.

I was there, under his weight, still afraid to look into his face.

“Are you all right, Meadow?” he said. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, but you’re not,” I said, looking at the blood on his leg.

“I’ll be fine.”

“We should get to a doctor,” I said.

He nodded. He took his weight off me and I felt him turning me around so that I’d be looking up at him. I closed my eyes. I was still too nervous, too shy to look at him.

Something grazed my lips gently and I realized it was his mouth. I opened my mouth and let his tongue enter. We kissed, our lips crushing against each other, our tongues dancing and intertwining, for what felt like an eternity. He held my head in his hands as he kissed me and I felt so good in his strong arms.

I’d always known he was coming back for me. It was a strange feeling, instinctive, I just knew it in my bones. I’d been worried the whole time he was away, but I hadn’t panicked. I knew it was temporary. From the moment I first met Kane, I knew I was going to be his woman.

Usually, his disappearance would have sent me into a tailspin, but something told me it was for the best. He needed to deal with the loss he’d suffered, and then he’d be back for me.

That time had come.

As we continued to kiss, our legs intertwined. His thigh got between mine and spread my legs apart. I felt his thigh against my pussy and it sent quivers of desire through me. I’d been craving his touch for so long. I yearned for his touch. I yearned to feel his manhood sliding into me.

Even if I hadn’t just been in the ocean I’d have been wet down there!

I felt something wet on my neck and shut my eyes, relishing in Kane’s attentions.

“Hey, get out of here,” Kane said.

I opened my eyes with a start.

A big German Shepherd was right above me, wagging his tail wildly and licking my neck.

“Oh my God,” I cried out, bursting into laughter. “I thought that was you, Kane.”

“It was me, until a second ago!”

We both laughed and laughed, as much from nerves and relief as from the humor of the situation.

I sat up and petted the dog, looking around for his owner. There was a man some ways down the beach waving at us and apologizing. The dog ran back toward him.

I turned and saw that Kane was staring right at me.

“Wow, Meadow,” he said when our eyes finally met.

My stomach got tense.

“You’re even more beautiful than I remembered,” he said and every inch of me melted.

My eyes welled up.

“What?” I said, shyly burying my face in my arm.

“Don’t you dare be shy with me, Meadow. Look at me.”

Reluctantly, I looked back at him and saw his smiling face. The way he looked at me proved that he meant what he said. In that moment, he made me feel like the prettiest girl in the world.

“I’m sorry I disappeared. I want to explain myself,” he started to say.

“It’s okay, Kane. I understand. I said the most awful things to you. Don’t you apologize, I am the one that’s sorry. I was horrible that morning. I never blamed you for leaving. I’m so sorry. It’s just that I had no idea, and with the shit my ex put me through, I over reacted. I shouldn’t have, but I did. I never meant any disrespect to you, Carolyn or Tamara. I was convinced you’d never want to see me again after that morning.”

“Meadow, believe me when I say that’s not the reason I skipped town. You said nothing wrong. Of course you jumped to those conclusions. Anyone would have.”

“Then why did you leave?”

“Well, because that morning, I realized something very important.”

“What was it?”

“I realized that you deserved better than the man I had become, and if I ever wanted to be with a woman like you, I needed to heal myself.”

My heart did butterflies as he spoke.

He continued.

“Losing Carolyn and Tamara destroyed me. It broke my heart and sent me into a very dark and lonely place for a long time. I secluded myself. I avoided everyone, and I especially avoided love. I thought I’d never love again. I was convinced I’d be alone forever. Until I met you.”

My heart moved to my throat and I couldn’t speak. He carried on.

“That night on the beach with you, that changed everything for me. It was like you brought me back to life, Meadow. You made me laugh. But more importantly, you made me feel. You showed me that my heart still had life in it, and that I could love even more deeply than I had in the past.”

“Kane,” I said, wanting to tell him I was pregnant, but he kept talking.

“That night with you was heaven. Being with you, being inside you, I couldn’t believe how deeply I felt it. I was alive, Meadow, and I could feel right from that moment that I was falling in love.”

“Then why disappear?”

“Because when I woke up in the morning and called you by the wrong name, I realized just how broken I was. I panicked. I knew I couldn’t lose you, I couldn’t blow it with you before we’d even started. So I ran away to make sure I fixed myself before really starting a relationship with you.”

“You’d never blow it with me, Kane.”

He smiled and reached out to touch my cheek.

“Well, I sure got scared. I don’t exactly have a good track record. The last woman I loved died, and I held myself responsible for it. For her death and her daughter’s. I was convinced I was cursed and that I was the reason they were dead. I promised to protect them and I broke that promise. I couldn’t risk blowing things with you too.”

My heart broke for him. Never had I witnessed a man speaking so deeply from the heart. He showed me such vulnerability and was completely opening up to me. It was a heartbreaking story and now I finally understood why he had disappeared. Sandra had told me about the accident, but hearing him explain it made it so much clearer. I grabbed his hand so he knew I was there with him.

“If you hadn’t come back, I would have died today,” I said.

He looked at me and his eyes started to fill with tears.

“You have no idea how I felt when I saw you fall off that cliff, Meadow. It was like my worst nightmare all over again. And when I leapt off the cliff, honestly, I didn’t care if I died. If you were going down, I wanted to go down with you.”

“But we didn’t go down. You saved us.”

“Us?”

I’d done it again. I was so desperate to tell him I was pregnant that I kept slipping it in to sentences. But it wasn’t time yet.

“You and me,” I said. “You saved us both.”

CHAPTER 59

MEADOW

“Meadow,” Kane said to me.

He was driving his Jeep and I was sitting next to him in the passenger seat. We’d just stopped by the medical clinic and Kane had the cuts on his leg cleaned. I’d been concerned about my baby after the commotion of falling off the cliff but the doctor ran a few quick tests and assured me everything was okay.

“Yes?” I said.

“When we get home, I’m going to fuck you.”

My stomach did a backflip. I burst out laughing.

“What?” he said.

“I can’t believe you just blurted that out like that.”

“Why not? It’s the truth.”

“I know,” I said, blushing, “but I never knew a man who spoke so dirty before.”

“You think that’s dirty, you should see what I put in my diary.”

“You keep a diary?” I said, vaguely remembering that he’d been writing in a little journal the very first time I saw him.

“Yup, and I can tell you, I’ve got quite a few entries dedicated to you lately.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes.”

“So what sorts of things do you write in there?”

He looked at me and smiled and I had to look away. The look on his face was too naughty. Like he was ravishing me just with his eyes.

“You name it, I’ve probably written it,” he said. “I believe that a man’s words can be every bit as seductive as his deeds.”

I blushed again. I knew that was true. A few choice words from Kane would have had me soaking wet in no time.

I uncrossed my legs and sat back in my seat.

“Go for it,” I said.

He looked at me and saw my hand was slowly creeping up under my skirt toward my pussy.

“Make me wet with your words, Kane. If you think you can.”

He smiled and shook his head.

I pulled my panties down over my ankles and threw them at him.

“Hey!”

“You said words can be as seductive as deeds, so prove it.”

“Oh that does it, naughty girl. You’re on.”

I looked at him and put my finger in my mouth, sucking it seductively. Then I ran my hand back under my skirt and slid it deep into my pussy.

“The second we get home I’m going to sink my cock so deep inside you you’ll be begging me for mercy.”

“Oh, baby, you can do better than that.”

I took my finger out of my pussy. It was covered in my juice. I put it in front of him and ran my finger over his lips, coating his lips with my pussy scent.

His cock stiffened in his crotch and rose up, causing his shorts to tent up.

“I see you liked that!” I teased.

“I’m going to cum in you, Meadow. I’m going to fill you so deeply with my cum that you’ll be begging me to have mercy.”

Dirty talk like that had always been my weakness. I slid my finger back inside me and started toying with my pussy and clit. I threw my feet up onto the dashboard and really began fucking myself with my finger.

“I want to cum on your sexy tits. I want to cum all over your perfect little heart-shaped ass. I want to cum deep inside you, Meadow.”

“Ooh,” I moaned.

I was playing with myself so vigorously that I was starting to cum. The sensation in my clit combined with his filthy words really did a number on me. I cried out in pleasure as my orgasm rushed through me.

“That’s it, naughty girl. I’m going to cum in you so hard you’re going to get pregnant.”

When he said that I instantly stopped what I was doing.

“What?” I said.

“Oh, sorry. Was that too far?”

I wasn’t sure what to say. Did he want a baby? I prayed he wanted a baby with me, but I was still too scared to tell him I was carrying his child.

“No,” I said. “Not too far.”

“Maybe that was a weird thing to say,” he said.

I shrugged, wanting him to say more.

“It’s just, ever since that first night I came inside you, I’ve been fantasizing about making you pregnant. Is that too naughty?”

I smiled. He was fantasizing about making me pregnant? That had to be good news.

“You mean, you’d like to make me pregnant?” I said.

“Well,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s a fantasy. It doesn’t mean we have to rush into anything.”

I couldn’t wait to get him home. I’d never been so desperate to be fucked by any man in my entire life. It was decided. I’d tell him I was pregnant at the moment of his orgasm. Right as he was cumming inside me, I’d give him the news. That would really blow his mind!

I reached down for his shorts and slid my hand inside the waist.

“What are you doing?” he gasped.

“Playing,” I said, taking his cock out of his shorts and lowering my mouth down over it.

The Jeep swerved as I took the length of his shaft into my mouth and began licking his cock with my tongue.

“Meadow!”

I ignored his protest and sucked him until I felt the Jeep pull into his driveway.

Without even bothering to fix his shorts, he leapt out of the car, ran around to my door, and lifted me out of my seat. I looked down and saw his cock completely erect and completely exposed, flying in the wind.

“Kane!” I teased, but it was no big deal as there were no neighbors around.

I could feel his raging, naked hard-on pressing against my leg as he carried me into the house. He brought me up the steps, in through the door, and all the way to his bed before throwing me down.

“You’re mine now, baby.”

His words made me wetter than the ocean.

He leapt on top of me and pulled off my clothes. I let out a startled yelp. In a second I was completely naked, looking up at him.

There was no denying how eager he was to fuck me. His cock was still coming out of his shorts, only now it was pressed against the lips of my pussy, eager to slide inside me.

“Look at you,” he said. “You’re more beautiful than words can describe. You’re a natural beauty, inside and out.”

“Oh my God, where did you come from?”

“I may have saved your life in that water, but the truth is, the day you arrived in Pismo Beach, you saved mine,” he said as he leaned down and kissed me.

He had no idea how meaningful his words were to me. Our kiss grew with intensity quickly. He pressed his lips hard against mined and I reached up and held his messy hair between my fingers. He took my bottom lip between his teeth and bit me.

I cried out but the sound was muffled by his kiss.

His kiss moved down my collar bone and over my breasts. He let his teeth graze my nipples before sucking on them and running around them in circles with his tongue. Then he grabbed my breasts in his hand and squeezed them both hard before plunging his face between them.

My back arched and I pressed my tits further into his face. He flicked his tongue with speed and force against my hard nipples without ever slowing down. With his mouth still plunged into my breasts, his hands reached down and gripped my ass firmly.

I needed him naked. I pushed his face away from my chest and pulled off his shirt, revealing his perfectly muscular, perfectly sexy chest.

Oh God, I thought as I looked up at him in all his glory. He really had the most perfect body I’d ever seen in my life. I ran my hands down from his pecs, over the rippling muscle of his six-pack, all the way to the waist of his shorts. With a single motion, I yanked them down to his knees. He kicked them off and sent them flying across the room.

I was face to face with his perfectly smooth, perfectly tanned and perfectly sculpted body. My mouth watered and I dragged my fingers down along it. His cock rose up and was just inches from my lips. I slid my tongue along the underside of his tip and felt it throb with pleasure and anticipation.

“One of these days you’re going to cum in my mouth and I’m going to swallow every drop of you,” I said.

He grabbed the back of my head and pulled my mouth down onto his rigid cock. I sucked on it, letting the shaft slide all the way along my tongue. Then he pulled out and released me.

I slid my fingers alongs the sides by his hips and reached around to his muscular ass.

“I have missed you so much Kane, but maybe not as much as I have missed this,” I said as I wrapped my hands around his dick.

I started to slowly run my hand up and down his shaft. My movements were slow, but my grip was firm. I could feel the ripples of the veins and the head run against my hand. I gently licked the top of his dick and then I moved my hands back to his ass. I gestured for him to get up on his knees and as he did, I got on my knees too.

I was face to face with his perfect cock. The cock that for the last month I dreamed of devouring. I didn’t hold back. In a blink his dick was a deep in my mouth. I held it there before slowly sliding my lips back off it and sliding my tongue along the shaft. While I flicked my tongue over his head, my hand ran up and down his dick. His body language and moans were letting me know he liked it. My hand started to move quicker and I slid my mouth up and down over and over again.

“Easy. You’ll make me cum,” he said.

“If I make you cum now, will you be able to get hard again to fuck me?” I said.

“Yes,” he said without a second’s hesitation, moving his dick back toward my mouth.

I licked my lips and held my tongue out. I held his dick and pulled it down and ran it against my tongue. I started to bounce his dick against my tongue and his head fell back in pleasure. He was all mine now.

I smiled before taking him deep into my mouth again. Each time I went down, I took him deeper and deeper into my mouth. His dick was throbbing and I noticed him reach up and run his fingers through his hair. Knowing that I was making him feel so much pleasure turned me on more than I can explain.

I could tell he was close. My mouth secured itself at the top and my hand moved harder and faster and I could feel his entire body begin to convulse in pleasure. I knew he was close, but I was still caught off guard when his semen filled my mouth. I squeezed his shaft harder and ran my hand up tightly and slowly, making sure I got every last drop of his delicious cum into my mouth.

“Holy fuck, you’re talented. My turn.”

I continued to pump his cock, making sure I got all of him before finally releasing him.

He lifted me up and threw me back on the bed. I threw my legs around his head and pulled him down toward my dripping pussy. I yearned to feel his tongue inside me.

He slowly ran his hand down from my stomach, over my pussy. He let a finger slide down between the lips. He kissed along where his hand had just traced and then plunged his tongue between my folds. His hands spread my legs apart and he reached between my thighs and grabbed my ass. He slowly brought his hand back, letting his middle finger trace along my ass to my anus. His finger stopped there. He got up and grabbed some lotion and poured it all over his hand, then came back down and slid his finger deep inside my butt.

I’d never felt anything like it!

The second his finger was as far as it could go, he pressed his mouth against my clit. My reaction was his cue to keep going. His tongue moved furiously against my clit and his finger pressed in and out of my ass, fucking me from behind with his hand as his mouth devoured my clit. He switched to two fingers and moved them fast and hard. I glanced down at him and caught a glimpse of his fresh, second round, hard-on.

I reached down and pulled his head out from between my legs.

He looked up at me, confused as to why I would make him stop.

“I noticed you’re ready to fuck me,” I said. “I want you to cum in my pussy this time, Kane.”

He looked down at his cock and grinned. His enthusiasm for fucking and pleasuring me was the biggest turn on of all. He picked me up off the bed and I hung onto him, wrapping my legs around his body. He positioned his dick above my pussy and as he lowered me back down onto the mattress, he slowly slid into me.

I gasped in pleasure as each inch of his delicious cock entered my body.

I was so wet for him and his massive cock slid in with ease.

His hands reached behind me and held onto my ass, which was slippery from the lotion. He grabbed it and lifted me up and down while he thrusted in and out. My hands held onto his shoulders, my legs, still wrapped around him, clenched tight, and my feet pressed into his ass.

The feeling was mind blowing.

Our connection, our passion, the adrenaline left from him rescuing me, and the sensation of his cock sliding deep into me was completely overwhelming. I was getting close to cumming and I could tell he was too. He held me tight in his arms, and lowered his lips to mine. As his tongue entered my mouth, his finger found my asshole again and slid inside.

He held my body tightly against his and dominated every hole in my body. His cock in my pussy, his tongue in my mouth, his finger in my ass. I was defenseless against him in every way possible.

Still inside me, he held my pelvis up off the mattress and continued to fuck me. He grabbed onto my hips and pulled them towards him with strength. He released a hand and started to rub it on the top of my pussy, his thumb kneading my clit. It was the magic touch. My muscles clenched and I thrust against him as I started to orgasm so powerfully it forced me to scream.

“Oh, fuck yes,” I yelled out. “Cum in me, Kane. Cum in me, baby.”

Kane knew what was happening and started fucking me harder and faster. While I was still orgasming, he shot his load deep inside me. I felt it streaming into me, load after load of his sticky, white, semen. It was the best, most delicious, most naughty feeling in the entire world.

“Cum inside me, Kane. Make me pregnant.”

He stopped rubbing my clit and took his finger out of my ass. He grabbed onto my hips again. He held his dick deep inside me and thrust erratically as the last of his semen emptied into me.

As he climaxed, he threw his head back and screamed up at the ceiling, a raw, animalistic cry of pure pleasure and passion.

I thought I was going to faint.

He pulled out and I lay back on the bed as he crawled over top of me. He kissed me on the lips and rested his body down next to mine and pulled me close.

I was quiet for a few minutes until he sensed I was thinking about something.

“Is everything okay, lover?”

“You were so honest with me, and I need to be honest with you,” I said.

He pulled me closer and I nestled my head into the place between his shoulder and neck.

“Remember out in the water when I said you saved us?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I was right the first time.”

“What do you mean?”

“You really did save us.”

“Us? I don’t understand.”

I looked up into his eyes.

“I’m pregnant Kane. I’m having your baby.”

I was so scared of his reaction.

“Are you kidding me?” he said.

I nodded timidly.

I looked away. Was he angry? Was he upset? Had I just given him the worst news of his life?

I held my breath. What would he say? I felt him getting up from the bed. That was it. He was leaving me. It was all over.

And then, before I knew it, he picked me up into his arms and spun me around and around. We spun so long we got dizzy and we collapsed back onto the bed.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Yes,” I said, beginning to cry.

“Why are you crying? That’s the happiest news I’ve ever heard in my life!”

“I’m crying because I’m happy,” I sobbed.

I was happy, but also so relieved. I never should have doubted him.

“So when you were in the water, drowning …” he said.

“We were both drowning.”

“I saved you both.”

I nodded at him, and it was his turn to tear up. I knew it was an emotional thing for him to hear. After all he’d been through, he’d rescued his woman and child after all.

“You’re a gift from heaven, Meadow.”

“I know,” I said, nonchalantly.

He started kissing me again and all the emotions totally overwhelmed us. As we kissed, I could feel tears falling down my cheeks. I knew I was crying, but then I realized Kane was crying too, and his tears and mine were mingling.

He was incredible. I couldn’t believe how happy he was to be having a baby with me. We made out passionately and as his tongue danced in my mouth, I felt his cock harden again between my thighs.

“Round three?” I teased.

He put his finger in front of my lips and in silence, slid his long, beautiful cock back inside me. Back where it belonged. We both looked into each other’s eyes in complete silence as his cock throbbed in my pussy.

“I love you, Meadow,” he said. “I love you more than anything in the world.”

He kept himself inside me without moving, and just by looking into each other’s eyes, we created such a bond that his cock started convulsing in orgasm, all on its own. Still silent, I stared up into his eyes as his cum flowed into me.

I knew at that moment we were bonded forever.

He was mine and I was his.

And this baby was going to be the happiest little baby in the world.

“I love you, Kane.”

WEDDING NIGHT EPILOGUE

MEADOW

“How do I look?” I said to Sandra nervously.

“You look amazing, Meadow. Like an angel.”

“Really?”

“Really. Kane’s going to be dumbfounded when he sets eyes on you.”

I looked down at my beautiful silk and satin wedding dress. It really did make me feel beautiful. It was a long, classic, slightly off-white gown and even though Kane hadn’t seen it yet, he’d sold his two favorite surf boards to raise the money to pay for it.

Sandra was holding Loo, my tiny little bundle of joy. I’d had her three months earlier and she was the apple of her daddy’s eye. It made me burst with love to see the way Kane lit up every time he saw her. It was the exact same reaction he had every time he saw me.

He loved both of us and it showed. He couldn’t have been a more dedicated and loving father and fiancé. He was the man I always knew I deserved, or should have known I deserved if I hadn’t been so lost. He was adoring, he was kind, and he had integrity.

Being with him for the past year was complete heaven.

The first thing we did was move in together. We wanted a fresh start so we ended up selling his house, even though it was beautiful, and I gave up the lease on my apartment, even though I loved it. What we did with the money was build our own dream home overlooking the beach. To be precise, it overlooks the lifeguard tower where we went the first night we made love.

That was where it all started, and we walked down there nightly and reminisced about the amazing memories we had.

“Meadow, it’s almost time,” Sandra said.

I took a deep breath. I was so nervous. Everyone was waiting in the chapel, our friends, Paul and Jason, our family, our pastor, and most importantly of all, my groom.

I heard the music start, the beautiful classical piece I’d chosen to walk down the aisle to, and Sandra gave me one last kiss on the cheek before making her way down the aisle.

Then there was nothing left to wait for. It was time. I had to do it.

I swallowed my nerves and stepped out into the aisle. The entire chapel let out a collective ooh when they saw how beautiful I looked. Sandra was at the end of the aisle, my maid of honor, and standing next to her was the pastor.

I focused on my footwork as I walked slowly along the aisle, careful not to mess up in my perfect shoes. Walking the aisle is harder than it looks.

I wanted to look at Kane but I was too shy. I just kept looking at the ground, or at Sandra and the pastor, and even Paul. Anywhere but at my husband to be!

When I finally reached the end of the aisle, I took my position next to Kane and looked at him for the first time. I almost fainted. His face was so beautiful, his eyes so full of love. I knew he was certain he wanted to be my husband forever and ever.

The ceremony passed in a daze and it wasn’t until Kane was slipping my ring onto my finger that I realized it was actually happening. When the pastor said, “You may kiss the bride,” I thought my heart would explode with happiness.

“I can’t believe you’re mine,” Kane whispered in my ear as he kissed me.

“I was yours the moment you set eyes on me,” I whispered back.

Everyone cheered and we all went down to the beach to take photos. The reception was on the beach too and it was so much fun having a fancy catered meal right next to the ocean. Every single detail had been planned perfectly by me and Sandra. I felt as if I was in a daze.

After the meal and the dancing, and more toasts than I care to count, a beautiful yacht pulled up in front of us. With the moon and stars shining above, and all the little bulbs we’d set up above the dance floor glittering on the beach, the yacht looked like the romantic thing I’d ever seen in my life.

The captain rowed to shore from the yacht in an old fashioned rowboat and when we stepped inside, Kane helped me with my dress. We waved at all our friends as we were rowed back out to the yacht. I especially waved at Sandra who was holding Loo and would be watching her for the night. Then the row boat turned to face the yacht and Kane and I sat together and looked out at our future.

“I’m so happy to be your husband,” Kane said.

I leaned over and kissed him so passionately I thought I was floating.

When we got onto the yacht the captain introduced us to the other staff members.

“We’re all here to give you the most perfect, romantic night of your lives,” he said. “We’ll be sailing along the coast and having breakfast on a tiny island. Until then, if you need anything, just call. Your suite is below deck and has been fully stocked with champagne, desserts, fruit platters and everything you could possibly desire.”

We thanked him and then Kane whipped me off my feet and carried me into the suite. The sailors laughed and applauded.

“Now, wife,” Kane said when he finally had me alone in the suite, “it’s time for you to see how a man really treats his wife.”

I got wet just thinking about what he had planned for me.

I lay back on the bed and Kane stood above me, looking down.

“You’re the most beautiful bride a man could ever dream of,” he said.

“Show me how beautiful I am,” I said.

He was holding his diary, and I looked at him questioningly.

“What are you doing with that?” I said.

“Well, now that you’re my wife, it’s yours.”

“What?” I said, surprised.

In all the time I’d known him, he still refused to let me read it. He’d teased me so many times, but never actually let me take a peek. And even though I’d practically torn our house apart looking for it, I never found his hiding spot for it.

“Let me see,” I said, reaching out for it.

“Not so fast, wife. First you have to prove to me that you deserve it.”

“And how would I go about doing that?” I said with my most teasing voice.

“Well, I think you’d have to think of a creative way to make me cum, and if it works, you get the book.”

“A creative way to make you cum?”

“It’s a creative diary. You’ve got to earn it.”

I smiled at him and began to pull my wedding dress up, exposing more and more of my sexy, satin covered legs. I was wearing white lace tights that were held up with garters. As I revealed more of my thighs, I saw his cock rising in his suit pants.

“A creative way to make you cum! What’s a poor girl to do?”

“Whatever you like.”

I looked around the room. It was a beautiful cabin, and the gentle swaying of the water felt soothing and relaxing. I turned around so my head was closest to him, and then lay down on my back, looking right up at him.

His eyes grew when he saw the sexy position I was in.

I opened my mouth wide and looked up into his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“Come on then. Slide into my throat. I’ve never sucked you off from this position.”

I could see he was eager to give it a try. By leaning my head back over the side of the bed, I would be at the perfect height for him to slide deep into my throat.

He opened his belt and let his pants fall down to his ankles.

“Is this creative enough for you?” I whispered.

He answered by sliding his delicious erect cock into my mouth. From my position I could see his scrotum and beyond it through his legs to the rest of the room. I shut my eyes and focused on the sensation of his cock sliding deep and far into my throat.

I knew that from where he was, he would be looking down at my body, my beautiful wedding dress, and I decided to give him a bit of a show.

I pulled up my dress again and slid my fingers inside my lingerie. I began toying with my clit while his cock slid back and forth in my mouth. I could tell he liked what he was seeing because his cock grew bigger and his thrusts got faster.

When I started fucking myself with my finger, he really began to thrust hard. He was close to cumming and all I could think about was my reward. Well, there were going to be two rewards. First, my throat would be full of his delicious cum, and second, I’d get to read his sexy diary.

We must have hit some waves then, because the boat swayed and Kane lost his balance, falling forward on top of me. Without missing a beat, he planted his mouth between my thighs and started fucking my wet, hot pussy with his perfect tongue. I wrapped my legs around his head and relished the sensation of his mouth, working its magic on my clit.

When he finally came, I was so close to orgasm that the taste of his cum brought me over the edge. I love the taste of his cum and now that I’m his wife, I’ll be tasting it whenever I want. He poured himself into my mouth and I swallowed every drop while orgasms rushed through ever inch of me.

When it was finally over, we both lay there, gasping for breath.

Kane got up and sat with his legs over the edge of the bed next to me.

“So, when do I get the diary?” I said.

He looked at me and gave me an evil look.

“When I’m done fucking you.”

“You mean you’re not done with me yet?”

He shook his head. “Come and sit on my lap.”

I couldn’t believe he was hard again already so I reached out for his cock. I couldn’t see it from where I was lying. When I felt it, it was rock hard.

“Wow,” I said.

“You didn’t think you were getting off lightly on your wedding night, did you?”

“I hoped I wasn’t.”

“Then be a good girl and sit on my lap.”

I got up and straddled his lap, facing him. I made sure my dress was over his legs and then lowered myself so that my sensitive, tender pussy landed right on the tip of his perfect, firm shaft.

When I put my weight on him, his shaft impaled me. I threw my arms around him and leaned back. He tore open the front of my dress and began sucking my nipples as I swayed back and forth on his cock.

“Oh, Kane,” I moaned.

“Meadow,” he cried.

He thrust up and I cried out as his cum flew up from his cock into my pussy. I’d been trembling with desire and pleasure before. Now, with more orgasms crashing through my body, I was completely overcome.

He thrust upward again and again as he continued to orgasm inside me, and then he collapsed back on the bed. I threw myself down on top of him and held him tighter than I’d ever held anyone.

As we both caught our breath, he ran his fingers through my hair and kissed my ear.

“I’m so happy,” he said. “Now, I better get you that book. You earned it!”