Nathan was standing in the living room, wearing the shorts which looked so freaking sexy. They came halfway down his thighs, fit comfortably, but definitely hugged his cock in an amazing way. It made me want to skip the beach and get him back out of the shorts. His upper body was buff as always, and I could tell he had been working out since his stomach was almost flawless. I took a deep breath and walked out into the hallway, letting him see the bathing suit. I could tell by his immediate reaction that he liked what he was seeing. My breasts bounced lightly as I walked toward him, the strings on the sides of my bottoms pulled tightly.
“Wow,” he said, looking down at my curves and walking forward with a towel. “I’m not sure if it's safe for you to leave this house like that. You might want to go back in your room and let me inspect the strength of those strings.”
“This is the only one that fits my, um, cleavage,” I said, giggling.
“I like it,” he said, leaning in and kissing me.
I grabbed the towel from him and slipped on my flip flops, taking his hand and leading him outside. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else with Nathan. Well, maybe I could, but that wouldn’t get us out in the sun. It had been a really long time since that loneliness that I had been experiencing had lifted, but as we walked across the street, laughing and flirting, I felt completely alive. Nathan filled a hole in my heart that had been there since my parents passed away, something that had grown larger and larger as the years passed. When his mother died, I felt like there was no one else in the world that cared. Little did I know that everything in life would lead me back to the Landers and ultimately, to Nathan.
We walked down the ramp and into the cool sand, looking around at the empty beach. There was no one around since it was the middle of the workday, and that was perfectly okay with me. I loved being on the beach all alone, relaxing to the sounds of the waves, and taking in the warm California air. One day, I hoped to own a home right on the water where I could sit on my porch every morning and drink my coffee and then meditate every night to the surging tides.
Nathan took my hand, and we walked along the beach in silence, just happy to be close to one another. He gripped me tightly, making me feel secure and protected, and I looked down at the sand flying from my feet with every step. I leaned down and took off my sandals, throwing them and my towel up the beach. He looked down at me and smiled his charming smile, sending waves of butterflies fluttering through my chest. We walked up and back the small strip of beach, stopping at the rock wall protruding outward.
I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting the energy of the moment take over. Before I could open them, I felt Nathan’s lips press softly against mine, and he tapped me on the butt and laughed as he walked back over to our stuff. He spread out his towel as I picked up mine and sat down, leaning back and breathing deeply. It looked like that relaxation attempt was starting to actually work on him. I looked around the beach and decided that laying out wasn’t really what I was looking for. I smiled coyly at him as he looked at me suspiciously. I tossed my towel down next to him and turned toward the ocean, running full speed toward the waves. As the cold water hit my body, I gasped and laughed, feeling my whole body awaken from the cold. I trudged outward into the surf until it was up to my waist. I turned back and waved at Nathan who was laughing and walking toward me. The cold water ran all over my body, making me feel like there wasn’t a care in the world. In reality, in that moment, there really weren’t. I was on the beach with this amazing man, and I was swimming around in the most beautiful surf California had to offer.
I turned back toward the horizon and spread my arms wide, letting the waves crash into me. I breathed the salty air deep into my lungs and decided that these cool waters were going to carry my cares and fears away. There was no more headache for me, and I would decide who I let into my life, and who I threw to the side, no matter how long they had been there. It was time for the pain to be over.
Chapter Fifteen
Nathan
I couldn’t remember the last time I laid on the beach, not thinking about work, not stressing over meetings, and not trying to get ahead of the game for the next week. I closed my eyes and let the sun beat down on my face, feeling the rays of energy pushing through my skin and healing me from the inside out. There had been so many hard moments over the last several years, but right then, all I could think about was how lucky I was to be there with Ronni. She was like this crazy ray of light shining over me at every turn.
I opened my eyes and looked up at her as she giggled, holding her towel. She smiled coyly at me, and I squinted my eyes, unsure of what she was going to do. She tossed her towel down next to me and ran toward the ocean and right into the waves. I laughed as she kept going until the water was up to her waist, and the waves pounded into her. I couldn’t help but follow after her, walking slowly toward the waves and smiling at how beautiful she looked with soaked hair and the water glistening off her tan skin. She reached her arms out as the waves washed over her, looking like a goddess in the water. As she turned around, my eyes shifted from her beautiful smile to her tits. Her bathing suit, after getting wet, allowed her nipples to show right through. I could feel my cock hardening in my shorts, so before she noticed, I ran forward in the waves, struggling through until I could get to her. She laughed, splashing water at me. I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close.
“What are you doing?” She laughed.
“Making sure none of the randy surfers out here get any ideas,” I said, glancing down at her breasts. She looked down and ran her palms over her breasts, winking at me and pulling away. Immediately, I could feel my hardon getting worse, and I dove into the wave, letting the cold water wash over my body. Normally in temperatures like these, that bad boy would have shrunk right up, but as I watched Ronni dive forward, her ass cheeks bouncing up and down, it got even stiffer, and I could feel the ties start to come undone.
I swam after her, determined to have a little fun out here all alone in the ocean. I wanted to feel her smooth wet skin against my hand and play with her out in the open like this. She swam forward until her feet could barely touch the ocean floor. I followed after her, standing up and pulling her arms around my neck. She pulled up and pressed her lips hard against my mouth, and I could feel my heart begin to beat faster. I ran my hands down her sides and across to the top of her bikini bottoms. I pushed my hand inside and grasped onto her pussy, massaging it lightly.
“Nathan,” she said with a grin, looking around the beach.
“There’s no one here,” I cooed, pulling her against my rock-hard cock. “Even if there were, they can’t see what we’re doing.”
Slowly I pushed back, bowing my hand and pushing a finger deep inside her. She breathed deeply, pulling her body closer to mine. I dropped down to my knees, letting the water come up to our necks and allowing her to reach me better. The waves pushed us up and down through the surf, creating a motion against her pussy that brought the moans escaping her throat. She held on to my shoulders and hooked her feet around my thighs, keeping her body still as I pulled it out of the top and pushed the fabric between her legs to the side. I reached under her, pulling her close and pushing two fingers inside, wiggling them back and forth and listening as she moaned in my ear. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and laid her face down, the noises coming from her chest rolling with the waves of the ocean. I could feel her getting closer and closer to orgasm, and I was determined to make her come.
“I want to fuck you,” she whispered breathlessly.
“Not until you come for me,” I said.
I could feel her hips start to grind against my hand, and I moved it up and down fast and hard. I looked around to make sure we were still alone, the arousal of having sex in public almost intoxicating. She reached down and grabbed my arm, moving it up and down faster and harder. Her eyes clenched shut as she roared with ecstasy.
“Oh, God,” she screamed out, fucking my hand hard and fast. “I’m going to come.”
“Yeah, baby, I want to feel it,” I said, wiggling my fingers as she bounced up and down.
She moved fast, her hair splashing around her and her tits bouncing up and down in the water. She dug her fingers hard into my wrist as she shoved my hand upward and held it there, grinding her clit against my arm. Her muscles tensed, and she took in a deep breath as the orgasm erupted through her body. Her hips kept moving, as did my fingers inside of her, and she tossed her head back, moaning over and over again as her pussy tightened and released around my hand. I could feel the gush of warm liquid as her body twitched and writhed in ecstasy. For several moments, she held on tightly, still rubbing her clit against my arm. It was hard as a bullet, and with every stroke, her body shuddered from the feeling. Slowly, her muscles untensed, and she leaned in, grabbing my suit and pulling it open. She looked me straight in the face as she yanked my hard, bulging cock out in the water.
“Now fuck me,” she commanded.
I grabbed her around the waist and slid both hands down to her ass, lifting her toward me and wrapping her legs around my waist. She grabbed my shaft and pushed it against her pussy, biting her lip as I pushed it through her juices. She pushed her hips forward, jamming my cock deeply inside of her as she bit down on my lip and smiled.
Slowly, she moved her hips back and forward, letting my cock rub her from one end to the other. As she pulled herself back down the shaft, she moved her hips like a wave against my body, grabbing onto my shoulders and leaning back. I looked around at the empty beach before reaching up and pulling her top to the side so I could put her round, succulent breasts in my mouth.
I flicked my tongue over her hard nipples as I massaged her tits with my hands. She continued to fuck me, slowly coming up, but then fast and deep, going back down. As she rubbed her pussy against me, I could see the ripples of pleasure shudder at her body. She took it slow and steady, obviously wanting this to last for more than a few minutes. The water around us no longer felt cold, and I could imagine steam bubbling from the surface around us.
I moved my hands down her sides and lifted my body up slightly so I could lay her across the water in front of me. She leaned back, rubbing her breasts as I took control of her body. I kept her hips just slightly under the water as I pushed inside of her, feeling the water moving all around us. My hand slipped up to her clit and began to rub in circles. She grasped onto her breasts and growled as I looked down on her sexy body floating in front of me. I pulled her in and pushed her out, watching the waves move over us. I grabbed her wrists and brought her forward as the waves got larger. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders as I picked her up and moved inland just a tad. The entire time, her hips ground hard against me, and my cock shoved deep inside of her. I took her toward a shallower area and looked around, making sure no one had come to the beach, but it was still empty.
I laid her down in the shallow surf and climbed over top of her, wrapping her legs around my waist and diving back in. She screamed out as we sunk into the sand. Our bodies rolled through the pounding surf. I thrust harder and harder, grunting as I pushed deep inside, filling her to the brim before pulling back out and doing it again. Her arms spread out, grabbing handfuls of sand as our bodies intertwined, and her legs wrapped tightly around me and her hips ground hard against me. I pounded her hard, hearing the sound of water and skin colliding in ecstasy.
I pulled out and flipped her over on her stomach, spreading her legs and fucking her hard. She groaned as I pulled gently on her ponytail, looking back at me and licking her big luscious lips. Her pussy was so tight and so wet, and I felt like I couldn’t get enough of it. She pushed herself up on her elbows, lifting her ass high in the air and pushing her bottoms to the side. I grabbed her cheeks and began to ram into her, slapping her ass cheek lightly as I pushed. As my need increased, so did my frustration as we continued to sink down in the sand. I pulled out and lifted her to her feet, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her over to the blanket. I laid down and pulled her on top of me, smiling as she bit her lip and looked around. I could tell she found this as sexy as I did, but at the same time, she didn’t want to get caught. In all reality, we could have walked across the street to the house and gotten crazy in her bed, but it just couldn’t wait.
She stepped over top of me and dropped to her knees, pulling her bottoms back to the side and sliding her pussy down my cock. She moved her hips like waves against me before leaning forward and slapping her body up and down, feeling my cock move in and out of her. She reached back and rubbed the base before sitting back up and leaning backward, holding herself up on my thighs. I reached up and moved the fabric of her bottoms off her clit and reached up to her mouth, sticking my fingers inside. She sucked on them, moaning, and watched as I moved them back down and massaged her clit.
She pushed her top to the side, and her tits bounced up and down as she rode me hard, burying every inch of my shaft inside of her. I turned my hand and pressed my thumb against her nub, pushing it in circles. She began to moan in short, high-pitched tones, her nipples standing at attention, and her pussy getting wetter and wetter. I could feel the desire begin to take her over as she bounced up and stopped letting me thrust my hips upward and pound into her hard and fast. She screamed out in a wavering tone as our bodies collided. I could hear the orgasm growing closer, and at that point, I didn’t care if anyone saw us or not.
I grabbed her waist and held her still, slamming into her pussy over and over again, gritting my teeth at my own impending orgasm. She leaned her head back, screaming loudly as the waves washed up onto the shore. I knew it wasn’t long before we both gave in and exploded in ecstasy.
Chapter Sixteen
Ronni
I could feel every inch of him as he pushed deep inside of me, the tide washing higher and higher until the waves crashed over our feet. I grasped on to his shoulders as our bodies connected, and I could feel the orgasm release, sending pulses of pleasure through my body. I moaned loudly, feeling him thrust deep inside of me before pulling out and rubbing his hand fast and hard over his cock. I could feel his shaft against my ass as he released his load, the warm wetness squirting out and all over my legs.
He growled loudly, still stroking his bulging red cock, and I rolled to the side, pulling my bathing suit back over my breasts and breathing heavily. The cold water crept up the shore and over my legs as I watched him let go of his erection and pull his bathing suit over the bulge. He swished his hands in the water around him breathing heavily with his eyes still shut. Pleasure was still vibrating through me, but I pulled myself to my feet and walked out into the waves, washing his come from my body. I turned back and looked at him as he opened his eyes and smiled big. I shook my head, laughing, and pulled myself back through the waves and onto the sand.
Nathan stood up and grabbed our soaked towels and started ringing them out. He rescued my sandal as it attempted to rush off with the receding waves. I laughed watching him fumble about, his legs weak and his balance off-kilter. I walked over and pulled his suit closed, tugging on the laces and tying it shut. As soon as my hands pulled away, laughter sounded from the other side of the dunes as several people started making their way onto the beach. I looked at Nathan with wide eyes before bursting into nervous giggling at the thought that we almost got caught. We walked up the beach a bit and sat on the rocks, looking out over the ocean.
“What will you do?” I asked.
“Honestly,” he said, looking down at me. “I’m considering walking away from the whole thing. The business, my father, Nick, everything. I’ve made so much money already on my own that I could be set for life, and with my name and my skill, I know I could find another job with no problem. The people that really know me know what kind of worker I am.”
Nathan paused for a moment looking out at the ocean. The birds squawked wildly above our heads as we sat gazing out at the boats on the horizon. I didn’t like that he was talking this way, but I knew this wasn’t my decision.
“I’ve given years to this family, building the business back up after the recession,” he continued. “Honestly, if my father doesn’t realize that and he wants to throw it all away over this, then good riddance. I have sat too long in his shadow, picking him up after Mom died, to sit there and be kicked around like this. We all know who is behind this, and if he wants it that bad, he can have it.”
On one hand, I understood why he was feeling the way he was, but on the other hand, I couldn’t see him just walk away from everything he had built. When his mother died, his father fell into a deep depression, and he let the company go to shit before finally offering to let Nathan run it. Nathan had walked into a sinking ship and turned it all around in record time. Nathan was so young, but his work was legendary in the business world, and we even studied it in our classes. It was really difficult to watch this man go through this. It wasn’t fair, and I couldn’t help but think that I was the cause of all of it. I never wanted to come between Nathan and his father, nor did I see any of this coming. I couldn’t let myself be the reason Nathan gave up, and I knew if I wanted this to be fixed, I would have to do it myself.
We sat on the rocks for a little while longer before I stood up and pulled on Nathan’s arm. I smiled at him and leaned in, kissing him passionately. We went back to the house and fell into each other’s arms, twisting our bodies around each other and making passionate love. Afterward, Nathan fell peacefully asleep, and I smiled at how relaxed he was as I quietly pulled on my clothes. I needed to do something about what was going on, and there was no way I could with Nathan knowing about it.
I jumped in my car and headed over to the Landers’s estate, extremely nervous to face Mr. Landers again. I entered the house and walked straight back to his office, assuming he would be where he always was. I greeted the house staff in Spanish and smiled kindly at them, thinking about my own days in their shoes. As I rounded the corner to the office, I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at Nick. He stepped sideways in front of the closed office door and crossed his arms over his chest.
“It’s my turn to be in charge,” he said sternly. “And I don’t need you messing that up for me.”
I shook my head, seeing the selfishness flowing over him. He had really been the reason for all of this. His incessant need to be important, to rule the roost, caused him to become a hateful and disgusting person. I really wasn’t shocked by this at all. I had just hoped that after all these years, Nick would have grown into a better man. I guess I was wrong.
I took a deep breath and walked forward, completely ignoring him and attempting to push past, reaching for the doorknob. Nick stepped forward, throwing his body into me and pushing me back with his arms. I stumbled backward, losing my footing and landing hard on my butt in the hallway. I was completely shocked that Nick would actually resort to violence and send me falling to the ground. As I tried to stand back up, I heard quick footsteps coming down the hall and watched as Nathan reared back and punched Nick right in the jaw. Nick fell backward into the door, grabbing his face and looking at Nathan in shock.
Before he could even move, Nathan bent down and scooped me into his arms, walking quickly back out of the house. I wrapped my arms around his neck, realizing I had just done more damage than good. I leaned my face into his neck and closed my eyes as he flew out the front door and down the steps, gingerly setting me down in the passenger seat of his car. He climbed in the driver's seat and sat there gripping the steering wheel with his now bloodied fist. His knuckles were white, and his face was stern. I feared that he was angry with me. I hadn’t meant to make a mess of things like that. All I was trying to do was appeal to Mr. Landers’s sensibility that I knew was deep down inside him. I thought if I could sit in front of him, he would remember the little girl he used to cottle. I thought he might remember his dead wife’s wishes and love for all people, but I wasn’t even given the chance. I looked back over at Nathan who had calmed quite a bit, and I wondered how he knew I was here.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, carefully putting my hand on his wrist.
“I woke up to the sound of your car and watched as you pulled away,” he said stiffly. “I knew immediately where you were going.”
“I just wanted to have the chance to speak to your father,” I said sorrowfully. “I know that man from my childhood is in there somewhere, and if Nick started all this, I knew it could be undone. He only has one voice in his ear right now, and it’s not fair. It’s not fair to me, it’s not fair to you, and it’s definitely not fair to your father who is being manipulated by your brother for Nick’s own advantage. Your brother is a terrible person for doing that to your family.”
“Look,” he said, turning to me with a kind look. “I appreciate what you are trying to do, and I understand what you are saying, but my brother is right.”
“He’s what?” I picked up my head and looked straight into Nathan’s eyes, unsure of what he was trying to say.
“It’s his turn to run the business,” he said, sighing. “My father has made his decision without discussion or reason. So if that’s his decision, he will have to live with the repercussions of watching his business be run straight into the ground. I’m tired of trying to keep the business going with so many people with ulterior motives trying to take it down at every turn. My father has made his bed, and now he will have to lie in it.”
With that, Nathan put the car in drive and pulled away from the mansion we both spent our entire lives growing up in. I watched as the beautifully kept lawns and the staff working diligently faded away in the rearview mirror. Part of me was incredibly sad to see that part of my life go, and if I was going to be with Nathan, I didn’t know how I felt about him walking away from everyone and everything he had always known. All because of me. I had always been the voice of reason, the one that kept everyone together, and now, I was the one tearing it all apart. Nick was malicious and had been out for Nathan’s spot in the company for a very long time, but if I hadn’t come into the picture, he would have never had the opportunity to snatch it right out from under Nathan. Having my family all wiped away made it hard for me to accept Nathan just walking away from his, but at the same time, I understood how hurtful all of this was for him.
I looked over at Nathan as we drove along, and I could see how calm he looked on the outside. He had come to my rescue yet again, and I couldn’t stop for two seconds to see that even with the best intentions, I managed to push the situation into a worse place. At that moment, I just wanted to take it all back. I wanted to take back ever going out with Nick to that dinner, I wanted to take back ever falling in love with Nathan, no matter how much it hurt. If I could reverse time and remove myself from the equation, none of this would be happening.
Nick would still be gallivanting all over California, sleeping with random women, and trying to make bad business decisions that Nathan would quickly block. Sure Mr. Landers would still be miserable and alone, but he would at least not have to deal with his sons battling over the company. I didn’t know what happened to Mr. Landers after his wife died, but he went to a dark place, and Nick was there to make sure he stayed there. Mr. Landers was not only capable of trashing my name around town, but he was able to watch his son, who had done so much for him and his family, walk out of the door without another word. I loved Nathan so much, but I knew it wasn’t enough to take the sting of betrayal from his own family out of his heart. All I could do was sit and wait for him to make up his mind.
Chapter Seventeen
Nathan
I loved this girl sitting next to me in the car so much, and I was extremely touched by her desire to fix this for me. I knew how it felt to love someone and sit there watching their lives turn upside down, and not be able to fix it. It was a helpless feeling, but in this situation, there was nothing that she could do. Sadly, her presence at that house was not only dangerous now that my brother had turned to violence, but it was just going to continue to make things worse.
I wanted so badly to make her feel better, to let her understand that I was going to make the best choice I could, and that everything that I did in my life now, I considered her as part of it. I had fallen deeply in love with Ronni, and there was nothing I could do to change that, nor did I want to change that. She was the most amazing thing to ever happen to me, and she opened my eyes to life. Before her, I was stuck in the daily grind of the real estate empire, constantly trying to make my father proud of the accomplishments I had made. In the end, though, I realized that my father didn’t care what I did with the company as long as his paychecks kept coming in, and he could keep going to the golf course with his buddies. He really had no idea how idiotic Nick was and how he was going to take all of his and my hard work and flush it straight down the toilet.
We pulled up to the house, and I walked Ronni to the door, grabbing her arm and pulling her into me before we could walk inside. I hugged her tightly, trying to show her just how much I cared, and how appreciative I was to have someone that was willing to put it all on the line and stand up to a man like my father. She truly cared about me more than I ever realized, and I couldn’t even think about spending one more day, in the business or not, without her right there by my side. I looked down at her and pressed my lips against hers, softly at first, but then hard and passionate. She ran her fingers through my hair, leaning into my kiss and pulling back to look deep into my eyes.
“I’ll be back soon,” I said, comforting any fear she might have.
“Where are you going?” She looked concerned, and that was the exact reason I needed to go finish this here and now. I couldn’t keep putting her and me through this never-ending stress.
“Don’t worry,” I said, leaning down and kissing her forehead. “I promise it will all be okay.”
With that, I turned and walked back to my car, jumping in and speeding off. As the warm California winds blew through my hair, I thought about the last decade that I had spent carving and molding the company into what it had become. Last year, we were listed as one of the most powerful real estate conglomerates in the world, and I knew it wasn’t because of stupid little investments like nightclubs and abandoned buildings. It was because I had put blood, sweat, and tears into every single merger, every single acquisition, and every single major sale that floated out of that office. I had developed an understanding of the industry that only someone that spent years in the company would fully appreciate. Nick had none of this. He had a college degree he didn’t earn, a bank account he didn’t earn, and a tired-ass attitude about himself that would surely be one of the things that brought him down later in life.
This was a time that I needed to fully put my, and Ronni’s, needs before anything else. I needed to finally start making decisions that were based on my own well-being. Every decision I had made to that point was for our family and the betterment of my father’s golden parachute, never taking the time to realize what my dreams and aspirations were. But earlier, sitting on the beach, breathing the salty air, I let all of that go. What Ronni didn’t realize was that I had already made my decision, even before I knew it myself. I had finally made a choice that I wanted to make, and the only thing left to do now was to explain that to my father and let the chips fall where they may.
I pulled up in front of the house and jogged inside, hoping not to have to face Nick again. Luckily, he wasn’t there anymore so I walked straight into my father’s office and stood in front of his desk. He looked up at me with no expression and waited for me to speak.
“I don’t care whether you like Ronni or not,” I said. “It’s not your right to make that decision. I love her with all of my heart, the way you loved our mother, and I won’t let you or some sniveling brat like Nick who wants to lie to you about her, change that. In the end, Nick doesn’t even compare to me in the business arena. He will get eaten alive, and these business ventures he drops on my desk weekly that are nothing more than broken down shops and old houses, are going to be what takes the company down. I have busted my ass day in and day out since Mother died to run a company you let fall to the wayside in your grief. I brought you back from the recession, I increased profits three-fold, and I turned our old company into one of innovation and future. If you think that idiot has any chance of continuing that legacy, then you are more senile than I thought.”
I stepped forward and shook my head. Sadness overcame me, looking at this man I no longer recognized. I didn’t see care or desire in his face. I saw deep and hollow grief, a never-ending sadness that just sucked the life out of him. He pitted my brother and me against each other all the time, but I wasn’t seeing that here. I was seeing a complete lack of caring.
“Look,” I said, lowering my voice. “I know it must be hard living every day without the woman that you love, the woman you shared your life with, but being angry at the world, bitter even, and taking it out on the people that are closest to you would not be the way that Mom would have wanted you to keep living life. She had a zest for life like no other, and she didn’t take that when she left. You let it slip away. I can’t help you get that back. I have done everything I could for this family. I have gone out of my way to make this family my own, sacrificing my life for your company. And how do you repay me? By listening to the lies and bullshit from your other son, who you know is incompetent and selfish. It’s really sad how all of this has come to head.”
“Give it a rest,” Nick said, strolling into the room. “You act all high and mighty, like you are so damn important. You are a control freak, and you got lucky with the business. You had all of it fall into your lap. It’s laughable that you think so highly of yourself or even feel you are able to point fingers. Now you’ve come to grovel for your position, knowing full well you don’t deserve it.”
“Relax, shit stain,” I said, wanting to punch my brother again. “I don’t want the job. You are more than welcome to have it.”
“Welcome,” he scoffed. “I earned it.”
“Yes, you earned it with your bad investments, drinking, and disrespect for women like throwing Ronni on the floor,” I responded, watching my father’s eyebrows raise, but then seeing the care slip back away as soon as it came.
“Well, if you would keep your women in line,” he said.
“Nick,” my father said impatiently. “Get out of my office.”
“Yes, Father,” he said, looking like a scolded puppy scurrying out of the room.
“As for you,” I said, not giving my father one moment to talk. “Go ahead and take me out of the will. Your money is of no interest to me. What I want is a family, love, and most importantly, Ronni. I don’t need people in my life who don’t appreciate me, even if it is the remnants of a dysfunctional family.”
I stood there for a moment, tired of talking and ready to get away from the whole situation. I opened the office door and pushed Nick out of the way, knocking him into the picture on the wall. I walked straight out of the house, not wanting my mother’s memory to draw me back in. I didn’t need a house or a family to remember the kind of woman she was. That was already inside of me. And in fact, I had chosen a woman that exemplified the qualities my mother looked for in a person. The qualities she tried so hard to instill in me and my brother. It seemed only one of her children actually took that to heart, and it wasn’t any of the ones related to her by blood or marriage. I nodded at the servants as I jogged down the steps and jumped into my car, pulling quickly down the drive and out onto the streets. As I watched the gates slowly close behind me, I couldn’t help but accept the feeling of closure, knowing I probably wouldn’t ever drive back through them again.
As I drove through the city, my thoughts rested on Ronni and how worried she probably was, waiting for me in her little beach house on the edge of the city. She was more than supportive. She wanted what was best for me, no matter what cost it had on her. She would have broken our relationship up if she thought that it would be a better choice for me, but I wasn’t going to let that happen. Like it or not, I was madly in love with the woman, and I couldn’t go another day trying to deny it. I had now centered my entire world around her, and the feeling outweighed any sadness I felt for leaving my family behind.
I wanted people in my life that loved me, supported me, and understood the sacrifices that I went through to make their lives better. My family never did that, but Ronni did. She was even thankful when I would make her breakfast, or take her somewhere nice. She was thankful when I held her hand or kissed her face. It was her turn in life to follow her dreams, and she deserved to do it without care or worry of the outside world. I was a man of means, but what I never realized was all those sacrifices, investments, and lonely nights were not there to make my family richer or bring fame to myself and our name. It was all leading up to a life with Ronni.
As I turned onto Ronni’s street, I smiled, feeling more comfortable here than I ever had anywhere else in my life, including my childhood home. I had found exactly where I needed to be, and I was not going to do anything to put that in jeopardy. If it meant I went out with Ronni and formed a new life, then so be it. And in all reality, that seemed like a more perfect plan than any other I had ever come up with.
Chapter Eighteen
Ronni
I was more than nervous, standing in the house pacing the floor, knowing exactly where Nathan had gone. I didn’t know what decision he was going to make, but I had to trust that he would make the right one, no matter what the outcome was. Our relationship had flown in out of nowhere and taken me completely by surprise, which started as a really good thing, but had spiraled out of control for a while. In the end, I couldn’t imagine my life without Nathan in it, and sitting here, not knowing what was going on was driving me absolutely insane. I continued pacing, going over every possible scenario in my head and driving myself crazy as usual. When I saw his car driving toward the house, I didn’t wait. I threw open the door and ran down the walk, greeting him at the sidewalk.
From his expression, I could tell whatever conversation he just had, it was a hard one. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, doing the only thing I knew to do, comfort him. Though I could tell he had just been through something extremely stressful, he didn’t seem to be all that upset. What did that mean? Had he gotten his job back? Had he made up with his family, and if so, where does that leave us? I had so many questions, but I didn’t want to overload him as soon as he got back.
“I left the company and the family,” he said expressionlessly. “I have put so much time and effort into them and their business that I never stopped to think about the years I was missing out on life. I had watched my mother pass away, your parents pass away, yet I still didn’t understand that there was more to life than just work. That is, until you came into my life. You showed me what it meant to live. You showed me that there was so much more out there that I was absolutely blind to. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, even before I realized you were doing it.”
“Don’t forget,” I said, laughing as he hugged me. “I’m a workaholic, too. Though I’m thinking it might be a good policy to have since we are now both unemployed.”
Nathan laughed for the first time since we were on the beach, and his comfort made me feel safe and secure. I knew I didn’t have to worry about anything with him by my side, whether he worked at the company or not. I loved the fact that his father’s money had no effect on him, and that he saw that there was more to living than waiting to die. Nick wasn’t so lucky to understand that, and I didn’t know if he ever would. As for now, it seemed it was just the two of us, and we had to start thinking about our future.
“You aren’t seeing the bigger picture,” Nathan said, calming his laugh. “We are both free to pursue our passions without rules and regulations. Without family and bosses looming over our heads. We can do whatever we want, and we can do it together.”
I liked the sound of that. I liked the idea of facing this uncertain and wavering world with Nathan by my side. I had done it alone for so long that the release of loneliness and worry was almost more than I could bear. I reached up and kissed his lips, tears burning at my eyes. I was excited for the future, even if I didn’t know what it would bring.
“To start, I want to invest heavily in Maria’s bikini line,” he said, surprising me. “She does amazing work. With her creating and you managing, there is no way this company could fail. The only thing I ask is for a seat on the board.”
“Really?” I was more than ecstatic to have someone like Nathan on our team. “I mean, I have to ask Maria how she feels about it, but that is so amazing.”
“Well, what are you waiting for?” He laughed as he watched me turn and run down the walk to the house. I burst through the door calling out Maria’s name. She stuck her head out of her bedroom door, looking around for a fire or emergency of some sort.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said, laughing. “Come out here. I want to talk to you about something.”
We sat down in the living room as Maria entered cautiously, smiling nervously at the looks on our faces. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat down next to me on the couch. She took in a deep breath, readying herself for anything and clapped her hands together.
“Okay, kids, what’s this all about?”
“Nathan quit his job,” I said. smiling.
“Okay,” she said, looking over at him. “And this is a good thing?”
“Yes,” I said excitedly. “He has his sights set on something better.”
“I’ll bite,” she said, setting her water down on the coffee table.
“He wants to heavily invest in our company in exchange for a seat on the board,” I blurted out.
“Wow,” she said, her eyes getting big. “I mean, really? You are so fantastic with money. Yes, I mean. I would love to have you on our team. I’m assuming Ronni’s down with it.”
“Of course,” I laughed.
“Well, shit,” she said with a huge smile. “Let’s do this!”
“We’ll start talking strategy tomorrow,” Nathan said, standing, stretching, and then walking over toward me. “For now, though, I am going to need Ronni to model some of these suits.”
I laughed as he reached down and scooped me up out of the chair, cradling me in his arms. Maria giggled, shaking her head as he walked through the house and into my bedroom. He sat me down on the floor and pushed his hands through my hair, holding my face and looking down in my eyes. My stomach did flip flops as I waited for him to speak.
“I love you Veronica ‘Ronni’ Sanchez,” he cooed. “I loved you before I even knew you, and I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”
“I love you too, Nathan,” I said, tearing up and pressing my lips against his. I could feel my emotions bursting from my chest as our mouths touched together, and we walked backward, falling into the bed.
Slowly, he pulled my tank top over my head and kissed my shoulder as he reached behind my back and unclasped my bra. He pulled the lace bra from my body and threw it to the side, cupping my breast in his hand and taking my nipple into his mouth. He sucked, nibbled, and licked at my tit as his other hand unbuttoned my shorts. I leaned my head back as he moved up, kissing my neck and caressing my body with his hands. He reached down and pulled my shorts off, running his fingertips through the wetness seeping through my panties.
I gasped as he massaged my juicy mound, keeping his eyes on me and his lips on my skin. He hooked his fingers in the sides of my panties and slowly pulled them off, tossing them on the floor. I watched as he sat up on his knees, pulling his shirt over his head and stretching his neck. His pecks moved up and down with his motions, and his now-tanned skin glimmered in the light of the setting sun out the window. He pulled his shorts off, and I could see his throbbing cock bulging in his black boxer briefs.
I reached up and ran my hand over his erection, pulling down on his underwear and watching as his cock bounced out. He grabbed onto his shaft and laid down next to me, running his hand down my body and between my legs. He was in no hurry and I shut my eyes, wanting to feel every second of his warm caress. I let my legs fall to the sides as he pushed apart my folds and rubbed his finger down through my wetness. I moaned as his warm skin rubbed over my nub and back down where he slipped slowly inside of me.
I could feel his breath against my neck as he slowly pleasured my pussy. He nibbled at my ear, and I turned my head, passionately pushing my mouth to his. His tongue enticed my lips to open up, and our tongue intertwined in a lustful and emotional response. As our kissing began to become more heated, so did the motions between my legs. He cupped his hand and rubbed hard against my pussy, causing me to moan into his mouth. With every sound, his touch became quicker and heavier, and I knew he was pushing me toward orgasm.
I lifted my hips slightly from the bed and moved them in a wave against his hand. He reached in and slid two fingers back inside of me, pushing them in and out as his palm slapped against my clit. I gyrated my body in motion with his fingers, feeling the heat of orgasm rising in my stomach. Our lips stayed firmly together, and I screamed loudly into his mouth.
He lifted his body to a sitting position and grabbed onto my breast as I reached back and hooked my fingers into the headboard. He watched my body writhe and twist underneath him as he used his hands to make me come. His eyes darkened, and he licked his lips as my moans picked up speed, building and building to the climax my body was searching for. He pushed his fingers deep inside of me while rubbing my clit with his fingers. As my body moved faster and his hand met my speed, I arched my back and moaned out in ecstasy.
Pleasure exploded from between my legs, traveling upward and through my entire body. I felt him pull his fingers down and push his face between my legs, heightening the effect and prolonging my orgasm. His tongue lapped my juices as they rolled out of me, my hips shaking at every stroke. My nub was hard and sensitive, and as he flicked his tongue against it, I shuddered and laughed, grabbing his head and sinking back down in the bed.
He continued to move his tongue over my pussy, tasting me, caressing me, and bringing a calmness to my shuddering body. His hands slid up my stomach and grasped my breasts as he licked one last time before moving upward toward my face. I reached up and grabbed his cheeks, pulling his mouth into mine and tasting a mixture of orgasm and lust. He laid there, kissing me passionately as he stroked his long, hard shaft. My body ached to feel him inside of me. I reached down and grabbed his cock, pulling it toward me as he rolled over on top of me and spread my legs with his. I lifted my hips toward him and gasped as he slowly slid inside of me, his eyes penetrating my soul.
He slid his hands up my arms and pushed them over my head, intertwining his fingers into mine as he moved slowly in and out of my body. I could feel his bulging cock fill me up, and I leaned my head back as he ran his tongue down to my collar. He put his hand next to my head and lifted his body up, thrusting softly into my hips. He leaned his head down and passionately roamed my mouth with his tongue, giving me every part of himself. I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling as our bodies collided, feeling the passion of love mixing together as we twisted and turned to the light of the setting sun.
Chapter Nineteen
Nathan
Everything about this woman was amazing, from the way she walked to the way she smiled up at me while we were in bed. I could feel my cock pushing deep inside of her as we made love in her bed beneath the setting sun. Her moans made me never want to stop, and our entwined bodies were both erotic and emotional. I had never met a woman that could bring this side of me out, but as my mouth caressed hers, I felt as if I couldn’t get close enough to her.
My feet pushed against the soft fabrics of the bed as I thrust forward, groaning against her mouth. Her mound was sopping wet, and it was taking everything in my power to not explode all over her. She grasped onto my right hand tightly as my left arm held me up. I slid my body up hers, feeling her tits rubbing against my chest, and I pushed as deep as I could, holding myself there for a moment before sliding back out and moving to my side. I reached out and grabbed her hips, turning her away from me. I lifted her leg high in the air as she pushed her ass back toward me and opened up. I slid my cock back through her juices and leaned against her back, growling at how good it felt. I reached up and held her leg, pushing faster and faster inside of her. She turned her head toward me, and I reached mine forward to meet her lips as my shaft slid in and out of her pussy. Her hand slid down between her legs, and she rubbed her clit with three fingers, pushing her hips back in rhythm with my thrusts.
Feeling my orgasm simmering inside, I pulled her leg over my shoulder and moved back over the top of her, keeping my motion going. She grabbed her ankle and pulled it toward her head as I reached down and grabbed her waist. Her curves fit perfectly in my hands as I pulled and pushed her back and forth on my cock. I could see her fingers clamp down on her leg as she arched her back and opened her mouth to scream out as she came. I lowered my head and pressed my mouth against hers, feeling the vibrations of her pleasure flow down my throat. The rush of juices and the tightening and clamping of her pussy pushed me over the edge. I growled as I thrust deep inside of her and held it, pushing my hips forward as much as I could. An explosion of pleasure rocked my world, and I closed my eyes, letting it filter through my body.
This woman had blown my mind on every account, and as I sat there breathing heavy, relaxing my muscles and looking down at her, I realized that was the best sex I had ever had in my entire life. I didn’t know if it was the sex itself, her amazing body, the fact that I was in love with her, or a combination of all those things, but I knew right then I couldn’t ever walk away from this woman.
I lowered her leg back down to the side and rolled over next to her, instantly grabbing her body and pulling her in close. She sighed as she curled up in the bed, her hair streaming all around her, still smelling like lavender. Her skin was smooth and radiant, and I truly felt like I was holding on to the most beautiful woman in the world.
As she drifted off to sleep, I turned over on my back and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about how far everything had come over the last few weeks. Several weeks ago, when I received the picture of Nick and Ronni in our kitchen, I was livid, but I wasn’t capable of admitting to myself exactly why I was feeling that way. I pushed the idea of Ronni and me away, allowing the words of my mother to haunt me. I had this impression that my mother would have hated this or been disappointed in us, but in the end, she loved us so much, I was sure that she would have been more than ecstatic that two people like Ronni and I found each other in a sea of noise.
She would have kissed us both and embraced the fact that if our relationship continued as it was going, one day, Ronni would have been actually considered her daughter, something my mother always wanted. I let my family blind me because it was all I ever knew. My mother used to tell me to lighten up and have some fun, but I never listened to her. I was determined to be successful, finding my brother’s lack of ability a burden on my shoulders when it should have been a burden on my father, not me.
Now, lying here next to this woman, having said goodbye to the toxic people and toxic situations in my life, I never felt more peaceful or free. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and know that if I really wanted to, I never had to put on another suit again. When I was in the thick of it, really going full steam ahead, day in and day out, I didn’t realize that there were any other options out there. I thought that the life I led was the only way to live, and making any kind of drastic change is terrifying and impossible. Then, when I finally let myself go free and made the jump, I asked myself why I hadn’t done it before. It was almost comical how easy it was to make the changes that I wanted for my life. All it really took was getting over the fear that dragged me down. Once that was accomplished, I realized how free I really was in this life.
I turned over to Ronni and rubbed her back, listening to her groan softly and reach her arms and legs out to stretch them. She turned over toward me and smiled, ruffling my hair with her fingers. I leaned down and kissed her softly.
“Want to go get some food?” I asked.
“Holy crap, I am starving,” she said with a very serious face.
“Okay,” I said, laughing. “Get dressed and see if Maria wants to come. You guys can pick where, and I’ll buy.”
“Deal,” she said, pulling herself from the bed and grabbing a pair of shorts and tank top from her drawer. She kissed me on the cheek and slipped out of the room. I laughed, hearing her call Maria’s name through the house and start speaking in Spanish. She didn’t speak much Spanish anymore, but when she did, it was fast, emotional, and pretty damn sexy.
“Food!” Maria shouted from her room. “We should go to…”
“El Torero,” the girls yelled out at the same time.
I corralled the girls into the car, and we made our way out to the restaurant on the edge of town. I sat there listening to Maria tell stories about Ronni in college. I hadn’t had any time seeing Ronni interact with anyone else, so watching her get into the groove of things with Maria was amazing. She lit up and came alive, singing, laughing loudly, and drinking margaritas like they were going out of style. After dinner, we were having so much fun that we didn’t want to call it a night. So I let the girls drag me to a salsa club in the underground of San Diego.
When I walked in, I looked around at the dim lights, the red velvet covering everything, and the amazing music that piped through the speakers. I watched as couples adorned in their best clothing moved their bodies in a way you wouldn’t find in most clubs. It almost seemed like they were attached by invisible strings, and when one moved, the other moved as well. Their sleek dancing and erotic moves made for a very interesting show. Maria seemed to frequent the place often, and as soon as she walked in, men were asking her to dance. She laughed loudly as they whispered things in her ear before taking one of their hands and allowing him to lead her out onto the floor. I watched in shock as she moved with ease on the tips of her toes, turning right and left, in and out, and dancing to the music. When the song ended, Ronni and I stood up, clapping and cheering for Maria. She bowed to us from across the floor and picked up with the next song. I turned toward Ronni and leaned in close, brushing her hair away from her ear.
“You are the sexiest woman in this entire building,” I whispered. “Every man in here turned and stared at you as you walked in.”
“You must be a lucky guy,” she said, smiling and laughing.
“You have no idea how lucky I feel,” I replied.
After the club, we took Maria back to the house and then walked across the street to the beach. We laughed and talked about the night’s events and the one and only song I allowed her to pull me out on the floor for. If a man ever felt whiter, it was trying to keep the rhythm on a dance floor with some of the most charismatic men I had ever seen. I could see the laughter from the audience, but I didn’t mind because I could also see the happiness in Ronni’s face. I was willing to try anything if I had her by my side.
We walked through the cool sand, listening to the waves crashing against the shore. It was the perfect night, and although the day had started out a bit rough, it ended in a way I never thought it would. I was free from the stress and craziness of the Landers’s lifestyle. I was free from the desk I had chained myself to for many years, and I was free to love Ronni with no control and no ultimatums.
The wind blew across the beach, and I watched as Ronni took in a deep breath of sea air, letting her hair fly freely behind her. She was sincerely the most amazing woman I had ever met. Things may have looked bleak for many years, but they sure did have a way of turning around quickly. Here I was, standing with the love of my life on a gorgeous beach, getting ready for a new and exciting adventure, with no ties to the past. It was like Ronni’s light was seeping over to me, and I was more than happy to bask in it. She stopped and turned toward the moon, bright in the sky. The waves lapped gently against the shore, and I moved behind her, wrapping my arms around her chest and squeezing tightly.
“Do you think our parents are up there, looking down on us?” she asked.
“Maybe,” I said, smiling. “If they are, I am damn sure of one thing.”
“What’s that?” Ronni asked, turning toward me.
“They are proud of us for what we are accomplishing,” I said, looking up at the moon. “And my mother is more than happy to see that the two people she loved the most found each other in this chaos.”
“That’s how I feel,” she said, laying her head against my chest.
“I promise,” I said, pulling her back and looking into her eyes. “I will never allow anyone to treat you the way that Nick and my father treated you. I will do my best to shield you and protect you from everything bad in this world.”
“I know,” she said confidently. “I never for a second thought any different. I am excited about our future. And I am excited to spend it hand in hand with you.”
My sentiments exactly.
Chapter Twenty
Ronni
I stumbled forward, giggling as Nathan led me blindfolded down the sidewalk. He had blindfolded me even before I got in the car so I really had no idea where I was. I could hear the ocean in the background, smell the salty sea air, but in reality, it was Southern California. I could literally be anywhere.
I held tightly to Nathan’s hand, listening to the people passing us by in the streets. He stopped me for a moment and told me to stand right there. I heard the jingle of keys and the click of a lock in front of me. As he took my arm and led me forward, I shivered in the cold San Diego winter weather. Sure, it was way colder on the East Coast, but to me, this weather felt bitter. As soon as I walked in, warmth surrounded me, and I could smell the scent of lavender all around me. He moved me inside and shut the door behind us before walking back and pulling down my blindfold. I kept my eyes clutched closed for several seconds, almost too excited to open them.
“Okay, you can look now,” he said excitedly.
I opened my eyes and blinked several times before they came back into focus. I scanned the area with wonder. The floors were tiled with black and gray tiling, the racks were a bright white, and the seating throughout was accented with purples and grays. I walked through the large space, imagining our suits and outer wear lining the walls. We had expanded to outer wear when we realized that pushing our label further would only increase revenue. I shook my head, looking around the room, impressed by what I was seeing. Everything was perfectly decorated and brand new. I looked over at Nathan and laughed, giving him a huge hug.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“We are at a strip mall in Ocean Beach,” he said, pointing toward the door. “It’s the closest shopping to the tourist beach and right next to the grocer that the locals use. It is literally the best spot in the entire town. Most of the shops that surround it have been here forever and don’t have plans to move. Your only competition is the beach shop three blocks down, but they don’t specialize in anything. It's pretty much a generic shop with expensive name brand suits. You would be the only designer swimwear and outer wear shop on the strip.”
“Nathan,” I said, shaking my head and running my hand across the counter. “This couldn’t be more perfect if we built it ourselves. It is exactly what we were looking for.”
I walked around the room, taking in every inch of the space. I walked back into the dressing rooms which were split one way for women, the other for men. The deep purple velvet fabrics that acted as doors to the dressing rooms hung across black steel rods and piled down on the floors. The mirrors were tilted just enough to pick up every good angle of the body. There was an area for clients to put the ones they didn’t want, and a rope that went across the entrance so we could check people in and out of the rooms. On the counters were two brand new computers, fully stocked with scanners, bins for hangers, a stack of boxes with our logos for wrapping the suits, and deep lavender paper to wrap them in. I shook my head, realizing that Nathan had really thought of everything, even down to the security system attached to the walls. I walked back over to Nathan and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist. I couldn’t believe how perfect everything was.
“You did an amazing job,” I whispered. “I love everything about this.”
“Want to hear a funny story,” he said, chuckling.
“Always,” I said cautiously.
“I actually bought this from my brother,” he said, laughing. “Of course, he didn’t know it was me until our lawyers had finished with the negotiations and I showed up to sign for it. You should have seen the look on his smug little face. I almost had to pick his jaw up off the floor. I got this place for half of what he paid for it. He was seriously bamboozled into buying this spot, and after months of not having anyone interested, he was forced to drop the price drastically. I knew if I personally showed interest, he might not sell, so I sent a lawyer in to represent me as an anonymous buyer.”
“Oh, I wish I could have been there for that,” I said. “How satisfied did you feel?”
“It was like strutting into a failing business wearing a thousand-dollar suit,” he said, laughing. “He didn’t know what to do, but our lawyers had already done all the contracts, and he knew if he took it back, then I could sue him hardcore. He was backed into a corner.”
“I’m surprised he even knew that,” I said, shaking my head.
“Well, he didn’t, but his lawyer let him know when he tried to walk out,” he said, chuckling. “Still the same old asshole doing exactly what I knew he would do with the company. He has absolutely zero business skills, and I don’t think he will ever learn them.”
“Well, jokes on him,” I said, smiling.
“But after I got this place, I pulled together a design team after stealing the info on your design ideas,” he said, lifting his eyebrows and smiling.
“I was wondering where those went,” I said, snapping my fingers.
“They put all of this together for me in such a short amount of time. They were really professional and I could see you and Maria’s vision coming to life every time I walked in the place. I was so impressed, in fact, I hired them to redo my loft, not that I spend much time there these days.”
“Wow,” I replied. “They did all of this in a couple of weeks?”
“Yep, furniture, computers, design, everything in two weeks,” he said, nodding his head. “Now, we could open the doors in just a couple weeks if Maria is down for it.”
“Are you serious? I thought it would take at least another six months!” I was completely elated. “We could have the place open in time for Christmas shoppers and then just sail right into tourist season. By the time warm weather comes, we’ll have all the kinks worked out, and we could have a fashion show to reveal the new line. Nathan, this is so awesome.”
“See,” he said, putting his arms out. “I’m useful for something, right?”
“I can think of a few things you are useful for,” I replied, winking and shaking my butt at him.
“We could always break the place in,” he said, coming up behind me and grabbing my breasts. “Have a little fun in the dressing rooms? Christen the place behind the counters?”
“Calm down, stud muffin.” I laughed, feeling his cock harden against my ass. “We have work to do.”
“Fine,” he sighed. “You're always all work and no play.”
“That’s crazy coming from you,” I said, looking back at him. “Like I never in a million years thought I would hear you say that.”
We walked around the shop, and I smiled as Nathan enthusiastically showed me every nook and cranny of the place. He had already purchased the software for the store that not only kept track of sales, but did accounting, calculated taxes, and kept inventory all in one area. He showed me how the different systems worked and how they would help us cut down on theft, especially when we got to the point where were able to hire a staff to run the place. Everything was set up so perfectly.
“Okay,” he said with a deep breath. “That is everything down here. Let me show you upstairs.”
I smiled and walked up the steps, feeling his hand pressing warmly on my back. He seemed jittery all of a sudden, but I ignored it, figuring we hadn’t eaten anything that day and he was really excited to show me everything. We walked to the top of the stairs, and he led me left into the designer’s room. It was enormous, and he had it designed with shelves everywhere, a huge sketching table, lamps, track lighting, and a full-on desk in the back. The room was mostly white with splashes of black, green, and orange throughout. On the door, there was a placard with Maria’s name and the title of Owner and Head Designer. I knew immediately that she was going to freak out over this.
“So, this space is for Maria,” he said, walking in. “She can go to town designing. I had the mannequins and fabric rods brought in over there, and a modeling space and dressing room over here. All she has to do is get with the fabric sellers and start filling up the space. I also contacted a friend of mine in New York who was a designer, and they sent me a list of all the tools she would need. I figured it would be better for her to start out completely fresh and new.”
I walked over and looked down at all of the pencils, ink, sewing material, the sewing machine, bright and new on the desk, a computer with CAD and other drawing programs, and everything she would need to create her masterpieces from paper to body. I shook my head, absolutely amazed at how much he had done in such a short amount of time. I looked up and walked over to the door with him.
“Then, across the hall is where I had our open-concept offices put in,” he said, leading me into the other room. “It’s our space to work side by side with each other.”
I couldn’t believe the space in front of me when I walked in. The ceiling was high, the paint was neutral and calming, and there were couches and chairs strewn all over in different hues of lavender and teal. The rugs on the floor were brand new and matched the accent pillows on the furniture. There were two desks that sat on opposite sides of the room but faced each other. They were large, dark, wooden casings with beautifully carved embellishments on the sides. Computers and office equipment peppered the desks and art covered the walls. It almost felt like walking into a fancy apartment you would see in a magazine. In both the design room and the office space, the back wall was nothing but large floor to ceiling windows, allowing us to look out at the beach and ocean behind us. I walked over to the desk and ran my hand across the wood surface before plopping down in the chair and sticking the end of a pen in my mouth.
“Do I look like a professional?”
“A fucking sexy one,” he growled.
He walked over and stared at me, pulling open the top drawer of the desk. I smiled and leaned over, looking down at a small silver box. I scrunched my eyebrows together and pulled the box out, holding it in my hand. Slowly, I lifted the lid and stared down at a beautiful diamond ring with the biggest stone I had ever seen in the middle and tons of smaller stones surrounding it. I gasped and put my hand over my mouth, looking up to see Nathan on one knee in front of me.
“Ronni, you are the light of my world, and I can’t think of anything better than spending it with you,” he said, his hands shaking. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” I said with teary eyes. “Oh my God, of course, I’ll marry you.”
I stood up with Nathan and watched as he slipped the ring on my finger. I looked at it as it sparkled in the lights. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly as I thought about my forever. There was literally no one else on earth that I would want to spend my life with, build an empire with, and walk into the future hand in hand.
Chapter Twenty One
Nathan
Bedroom to Boardroom
I thought the beaches in San Diego were beautiful, but looking out across the crystal blue waters as I stood on the white sand beaches of Hawaii was absolutely breathtaking. Everything from the birds in the sky to the sun closing in on the horizon, spewing hues of oranges, blues, and pinks everywhere, created a feeling beyond relaxation. I stuck my hands in my white linen pants and rubbed my toes through the sand, closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath. There hadn’t been a day since I left my father’s company that I regretted it one bit, and now, I got to live my life with the woman that kept me on my toes, showed me what life was really about, and had the same dreams and aspirations for the future as I did. I couldn’t feel luckier than I did right then.
Just looking out over the ocean, I couldn’t think of a more perfect place for a wedding. It was like this place was created just for us, knowing that some stuffy church wedding, surrounded by hundreds of people we barely knew, didn’t fit our love at all. We were brought together by unyielding and unbiased attraction, a love from a parent that transcended background or nationality, and now we were getting ready to join together as husband and wife. We had so many things planned for our future, from building an empire to building a family, and I really felt like this was going to be the first day of the rest of our lives. No one could have prepared me for meeting Ronni. No one could have prepared me for when my eyes finally opened and I saw who my family members really were. But, with Ronni patiently waiting by my side, I was able to push through all of that and set myself free from the chains of a miserable and lonely life.
Relaxing still wasn’t coming easily to me after living my entire life on the go constantly, since I was old enough to go to school, but the stress of that life had lifted off my shoulders. The loneliness I felt so long ago was nothing but a memory that has since floated into the distant past. Although I'm not surrounded daily by hordes of people anymore, I couldn’t feel more loved than I did in my simple little life with my amazing wife to be. Standing here, waiting for her to come join me to be married, I realized that I finally, after so long, felt at peace.
I looked up as I caught the glimpse of blowing fabrics out of the corner of my eye. I smiled as Maria walked forward, wearing a lavender bridesmaid bikini and carrying a small sprig of flowers. She looked over at her boyfriend, the guy that I met at the salsa club so long ago, and winked at him, putting a bit of pep in her step. Once she passed, I looked down the makeshift sandy aisle on the beach, and my jaw dropped. Ronni was standing in front of me in a white, specially designed bridal bikini with a sheer skirt tied around her waist. Her dark hair glistened in the sunlight, and her tan skin sparkled radiantly. Around her ankle was a bracelet of fresh white flowers that accented her skin perfectly. She had to be the most beautiful bride I had ever seen, and she was all mine.
Emotions flowed through my body, and tears tugged at the edges of my eyes. I was more than overjoyed at the fact that this beautiful woman was going to be my wife. She was absolutely stunning in every way, and on top of all of that, she was a beautiful person on the inside. Looking back, I could now see that I had been drawn to Ronni ever since she came to stay at our house. At first, it was curiosity and empathy, wanting to make this young girl feel at home in a new country and a new place. As she grew older, I could see her blossoming into an amazing woman, and my thoughts about her shifted to a new reality.
There were always beautiful women throwing themselves at me, mostly because they knew I was a billionaire, but none of them had stayed on my mind for more than a few moments. Ronni, however, continued to beat into my brain every day for a very long time. I never took that as anything more than lust until we finally freed ourselves from my family and got together. I realized that she was the one from the very beginning, and I knew that every time I was around her or near her, I felt calm and complete. Now she was going to be my wife.
She stepped forward beside me and smiled big as she handed her bouquet to Maria. Maria and her boyfriend stepped back and watched as the officiant began the ceremony. It was short but covered everything that made us who we were as a couple. The strength that we built between us was overwhelming, and the light that Ronni brought into my life couldn’t have been more of a beautiful thing. As she said the words, “I do,” I grasped her hands and pulled her close, pressing my lips deeply against hers.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant said joyously.
Maria and her boyfriend clapped as Ronni and I embraced. From there, overjoyed at our union, we went to dinner at a local restaurant with Maria and her boyfriend, before retiring to our private honeymoon suite at the small resort that I had completely rented out. I wanted our privacy to be so absolute that I even took the time to book Maria and her guest at a separate resort where they would be wined, dined, and showed all over the island. The place was gorgeous and the staff was plentiful. As we approached the doors to the villa, the staff on call opened the double doors, and I lifted Ronni off her feet, carrying her over the threshold. She laughed and giggled as we entered into the luxury suite and looked around in awe at our accommodations.
Everything was absolutely gorgeous, from the fresh flowers on the table to the light colors and beach decor. The ceilings were vaulted with large fans whose blades were shaped like the leaves of the palms outside. The smell of suntan oil and fresh coconut wafted through the room, giving it that extra feeling of an exotic nature. Our bags had already been delivered to the villa, and we walked into the bedroom where a large, four-poster bed sat in the middle of the floor and the doors opened up to a private beach.
The water was rushing onto the shore, and the sky still shimmered, even in the light of the moon. Ronni walked out onto the terrace, looking out at the view and closing her eyes, taking it all in. I stood back and watched my beautiful wife as the wind whipped through her hair and over her scantily clad body. Her bathing suit cut in on the ass, and I couldn’t help but appreciate the way her luscious body curved in the illuminated string of lights on the railing. She was absolutely radiant. I set my bag down on the floor and walked outside, cloaking her in my body and kissing down her neck.
“It was absolutely amazing,” she whispered with a smile. “And now we are husband and wife. Isn’t that crazy?”
She turned toward me and smiled, kissing me back as I leaned into her. She could feel the bulge in my pants beginning to grow as I reached for the string on her top. She grabbed my wrist and smiled, shaking her head. I looked at her with slight confusion and watched as she walked past me, grabbing her bag and disappearing into the bathroom. I walked around the bed and pulled my shirt off my back, folding it and laying it on the dresser. I untied my long white pants and let them fall to the floor. I stretched high and walked over to the bed, laying back against the headboard, and waiting for my bride to return. I could smell whiffs of her perfume coming from under the door of the bathroom, and instantly, my cock was erect thinking about what was about to come. I looked over as she creaked open the door and stood in the artificial lights, wearing a sheer nighty and a pair of white thong panties. Her nipples were hard, and I could see almost every part of her.
She walked forward seductively and crawled across the bed. Her hand ran up my boxer briefs, pressing hard against my erection before grasping it through the cloth. I groaned at the feeling of her fingers wrapped around it and reached out to cup her breast. She shifted between my legs and pulled my boxers from my body, grabbing my dick with her hand and stroking it slowly as she fondled my balls. I reached my arms up behind my head and watched as she licked her lips before diving down and taking my cock into her mouth.
At first, she was playful, licking up and down the shaft, swirling her tongue around the head, but after a few moments, she took the shaft deep into her throat and sucked hard as she pulled her head back up. I moaned, feeling her lips wrapped around my cock and feeling the shaft touch the sides of her throat.
She looked up at me as she began to suck harder, slightly increasing her speed. I clasped my hands behind my head and watched her succulent lips slide up and down, her saliva dripping and pooling at the base of my cock. She pulled her lips away and grabbed on tight to my shaft while she gripped it hard and fast, causing me to jolt forward in pleasure. A coy smile pulled at her lips every time she saw my face writhe in ecstasy.
I reached down and wrapped my hand in her hair, pushing her face back down. She smiled and looked at me as she opened wide and deep throated my erection. I pulled her head up and down, twisting her face as I pulled back up. I held her head high for a moment while I thrust my hips up and into her mouth. She moaned as I picked up the pace, fucking her mouth and feeling my cock deep down inside of her. Her eyes watered, but she kept going, groaning deeply as my cock touched the back of her throat.
The noises coming from my wife were raw and uninhibited, and I couldn’t help but be completely turned on by them. I wanted her so badly in that moment. I wanted to feel her wet pussy wrapped around my cock. I wanted to feel her erupt in orgasm, squeezing my dick in her pussy. I wanted her to feel how it felt for me to explode inside of her, pushing my seed from my body, and letting my orgasm flow inside her. I looked down, fighting with myself about whether to keep feeling the amazing motion of her mouth or flip her over and fuck the hell out of her. As if she could feel the answer through my bulging shaft, she pulled her head up and slipped her nighty over her head. She slid her panties down and threw them on the floor, climbing forward and straddling me. I knew exactly what she wanted.
Chapter Twenty Two
Ronni
Just putting on lingerie made me aroused, and now, as I slid my body down and took his enormous cock deep inside of me, I could feel my desire pulsing through my body. I started to grind against him, and my juices ran down his shaft. It had thrilled me to watch him writhe underneath me while I sucked his cock, and it had gotten my blood pumping like crazy. Now that I had his cock inside me, I was almost insane with lust.
I put my palms down on his chest and lifted my hips up and down, slamming his dick inside of me. My clit rubbed against his stomach, sending an extreme buildup through my body. The orgasm had already started to simmer, and I could tell it wasn’t going to be too long before I exploded all over him. He groaned loudly, and I pushed up and down against his erection before moving my hips back and forth. I ran my hands up my body and grabbed my breasts, massaging them as I pushed myself closer to orgasm. He looked up at me, and I bit my lip as I threw my head back, moaning loudly.
I could feel his hands grasping onto my waist, moving me back and forth faster than I could move myself. I screamed out as the feelings grew more and more intense, bringing me to the top of my peak. I grabbed his arms and took in a deep breath as I felt myself exploding in orgasm. I leaned forward and pressed my mouth against his, letting out my moans into his throat.
He growled and continued to move me hard and fast on top of him. I could feel his need growing as my juices erupted, flowing over his cock. As my orgasm released and simmered back down, Nathan reached up and tossed me onto my back, moving quickly between my legs and gliding right back into me. He pulled my legs straight up in the air in front of him and grabbed on to my thighs as he continued thrusting. I reached down and rubbed my clit, moaning at how full he had made me. It was complete ecstasy as he fucked me hard, my head leaning off the end of the bed. I opened my eyes and watched as the scene moved back and forth, our bodies slamming into each other.
The sound of our skin slapping echoed through the villa and out into the ocean, and I reached my arms over my head and moaned over and over as he pushed as deep as he could. I could feel his fingers clasping to my thighs as his body began to stiffen. He reached down and pulled my hips in, leaning forward and pushing in as deep as he could. I split my legs and draped them over his shoulders as he growled loudly and his body convulsed in pleasure. I could feel his cock throbbing and then the explosion inside of me. It was warm and sensual, and I closed my eyes, feeling his seed fill me. His hips continued to thrust forward as his body untensed, leaning into me. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, pulling my legs to the side and rolling over next to me. We both laid sideways on the bed, our heads dangling over the edge, collecting our breath and feeling the warm Hawaiian air washing over our naked bodies.
I turned my head toward him and kissed his soft lips, smiling as he looked up at the window. This man was my husband, and I couldn’t be happier about that choice. I would get to spend the rest of my life having amazing sex with my partner in life, and the only man I had ever been with.
We turned over in the bed and cuddled up under the light covers, leaving the doors open for the soothing sound of the ocean. It didn’t take long for us both to fall asleep after a day like we had. I could feel his warm arms around me, and I knew I would never feel lonely again.
The next morning, I woke up to the alarm and slipped out of bed, jumping in the shower. I washed my hair and put on one of our new line of bathing suits. I applied some gel to my hair to keep that wavy beach look and snuck back to the bed. I slowly ran my fingers down Nathan’s chest, trying to wake him up softly. He smiled and moaned, trying to turn over, but I laid my body on his. He sniffed the air and touched my hair with a big grin. He always loved the way I smelled, even if I hadn’t taken a shower yet. He slowly opened his eyes and picked up his head, kissing me softly on the lips.
“Is it time for breakfast?” he asked groggily.
“Yes, and it’s a working honeymoon, remember?” I tapped him on the chest and stood from the bed. “Time to rise and shine. We want to catch the morning light as the sun begins to rise.”
“But it’s so early,” he whined.
“Get up, get up, get up,” I sang, pulling the covers off his body.
I walked out onto the balcony where they had served breakfast. I picked up a piece of fruit, tasting it, and I rolled my eyes at its amazing flavor and juiciness. Everything here was perfect, even down to the fruit salad they served for breakfast. I grabbed a bottle of water and took a swig, pouring Nathan a cup of coffee with light sugar and a splash of cream, just how he liked it. It was time to get the photos taken for the new line of swimwear, and Maria and I had made the executive decision that we would be the ones to model the bathing suits because we wanted to see real women with real curves. Nathan didn’t like the idea of my body being splashed all over the place, but it was a bathing suit, and it was my company. I had to be proud of the clothes that we made and show that anything that we sell, I would gladly wear out in public.
“Hey, girl.”
I looked up as Maria’s voice sounded in the distance. She was strutting her stuff down the walk, ready to get our hair and makeup done. The whole crew was tagging along behind her, carrying bags and boxes of makeup and primping tools. I waved and smiled, turning back to make sure that Nathan had put on pants. I didn’t really think the entire entourage needed to see his white ass this early in the morning.
Maria snagged a piece of fruit and popped it into her mouth. “Oh my God, seriously is everything on this island perfect?”
“I know, right?” I looked around but didn’t see Diego, her boyfriend. “Where’s the love?”
“Oh, he wanted to sleep in,” she said, shaking her head. “He didn’t think he could deal with watching someone take pictures of my half naked body.”
“Morning, Maria,” Nathan said as he took his coffee from my hand. “Where’s your boy toy?”
“Morning, Mr. Married,” she said, grabbing another piece of fruit. “He’s back at the resort sleeping.”
“Lucky,” he said like a child. “How come I’m not allowed to sleep?”
“Because you insisted on helping run the company,” I said, squeezing his cheek and walking into the villa.
“Damn it,” he said under his breath, making me laugh.
We sat around getting our hair and makeup done, laughing and talking, and waiting for the photographer. With about ten minutes to spare, he showed up looking pretty tired. He dropped his stuff in the middle of the floor and dramatically sighed.
“Ladies, I need coffee, stat,” he said to the staff standing around to help. “I spent way too much time at drag night last night.”
We laughed, glad to be around men that we didn’t have to be self-conscious around. They told us how beautiful we looked about a hundred times, and then we made our way down to the beach to start taking pictures. The main beach right outside of the resort was where we landed. As the sun peeked over the horizon, the constant click of the camera filled the air. Maria and I spent the next several hours posing for the camera, walking out into the ocean with that sassy look back, and rolling around in the waves, really testing the durability of my top. Nathan was standing on the side, watching every time our wardrobe guy had to fix my suit. He was being way overprotective, but for some reason, I actually found it endearing. He was jealous of anybody that even looked at me, but I just smiled and winked at him, letting him know whose attention I really wanted.
As the sun rose, the beach began to fill up and a crowd started to gather. Maria and I ran out into the surf, frolicking around in the waves. The water was so warm, and the people seemed very entertained and curious about what was going on. Our marketing crew went to work immediately, handing out cards for our online shop. We knew we didn’t want the brand to just stay in California, so Nathan had an amazing website and online store put up days before our trip began. We made sure to set limits, just in case things took off. We didn’t want to get home and not have enough product produced to fill the orders. The women loved the ideas, and I could see them chatting amongst themselves excitedly as they looked at the cards. The men, well, they were men, and they were content with watching our small bikinis barely cover our bodies as the water ran down our dark skin.
I could see the thunder clouds clashing in Nathan’s eyes as the men next to him whispered and gawked at me in the waves. It didn’t bother me a bit since I knew exactly what man I wanted to take me home. But Nathan, he was not having a very good time with it. I smiled at him and waved from the water, laughing to myself as he forced a smile back. His crossed arms and rigid smile let everyone know exactly who he was, and the men turned and walked to the other side. I didn’t want Nathan to be uncomfortable, but the idea that he was jealous was slightly thrilling for me. It made me want him even more, and I had to be sure that I let him know just who I belonged to. I waved to the photographer for a break and jogged up the beach to Nathan. Immediately, he wrapped a towel around me, and I smiled up at him with a big toothy grin.
“Aww, what’s wrong baby?”
“I don’t like this beach,” he said. “Why couldn’t we have done it on the private one?”
“We talked about this,” I said, chuckling. “We want people to see the bathing suits. It's killing two birds with one stone.”
“Two naked birds,” he scoffed.
“Aww, come here,” I said, pouting at him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned in, kissing him deeply and passionately in front of everyone. When I pulled away, I stood on my tip toes and whispered in his ear. “I belong to you alone.”
I kissed him on the cheek and handed him my towel, ready to get this shoot over so I could get back to the honeymoon. Maria stood smiling with her hand outstretched, and I jogged over to her. We ended the shoot with some photos together that we planned on getting framed and putting up on the walls in the store. As we posed together for the camera, I watched Nathan look down at his phone, scrolling through the internet in search of something. Knowing him, it was probably some ridiculous, elaborate surprise, but at least, I knew it would be for me.
Chapter Twenty Three
Nathan
It was one thing to look at your wife in a club, all decked out, and have other men stare. In that situation, you were proud of the fact that she was with you. It was something completely different for your wife to be pretty much naked, frolicking through the waves of the ocean, and having skeevy ass hats standing around gawking at her huge tits and round ass.
I couldn’t believe how incredibly sexy my wife was, and I truly felt lucky to be able to honestly say that. But the thought of her body splashed all over advertisements made me kind of sick to my stomach. I mean, she was my wife, not some woman that was meant for other guys to jack off to. I really didn’t know how the husbands of swimsuit models dealt with seeing their wives splashed all over newsstands every year. I would go around buying every single one of them before anyone else could. I tried not to talk about how uncomfortable it was for me around Ronni because I didn’t want to make her feel bad. Just by watching her in front of the camera, she was a natural at posing, and she was beaming with self-confidence, something I never saw in her while we grew up.
Her conservative style as a young adult was definitely shed off when she hit college, and on a regular basis, I had no problem with watching her walk in front of me in a pair of cutoff shorts and crop top. However, out here on the public beach with a crowd, I was having a really hard time controlling my irritation. I did not want to be that guy, that jealous guy that beat up every man that stared at my wife, but right now, it was really hard to control myself.
I just needed to continue to tell myself that while other men might be able to look, I was the only one that was allowed to touch. Her soft supple skin and the dark exotic look were just for me, and I couldn’t wait to get back in bed with her. I could already feel my pants getting tight just thinking about the night before, when she rode me until I could feel her juices running down my shaft. I took a deep breath and nonchalantly adjusted myself, trying to get the thought of her naked body out of my head. It wasn’t so easy with her nipples hard under that thin bikini top.
As Maria and Ronni began the last part of the shoot, which was group photos for the shop’s walls, I looked down at my phone, realizing I hadn’t made any plans for later that night. I need to make sure I showed Ronni just how committed I was and how treasured she really was. I flipped through the options of restaurants on my phone, landing on the very famous five-star French Polynesian restaurant just a short helicopter ride to another island. I dialed their number and began to set my plans in motion while glancing over at Ronni, who was now chatting with Maria and the marketing team. I needed to make this night so special that she would never be able to forget it.
We headed back to the villa where I pulled out a beautiful evening dress for her to wear for the surprise. She walked out of the shower, drying her hair, and she smiled at me, holding the dress up in front of myself. I quickly lowered it, my cheeks blushing.
“I don’t think that will fit you,” she teased.
“Then I think you should wear it tonight,” I said. “I have a surprise for you, but we have to leave in like twenty minutes.
She rolled her eyes at me and laughed, grabbing the dress from my hand. She hurried into the bathroom, and I could hear the blow dryer going while she stumbled around the bathroom getting ready. I pulled out a suit and tie and gelled my hair in the mirror on the wall. It was really easy for me to get ready, and I was glad I didn’t have to go through as much as Ronni did, even though I never understood why, since she was gorgeous all the time. When she was done, we walked across the resort to the helicopter pad where the pilot picked us up. Ronni shook her head at the amount of excess I was showing off and climbed inside, putting on her headphones. She gazed out the window as we took a short ride to the other side.
We ate dinner all alone at the most amazing restaurant I had ever been to. I had called them and requested to have the place all to ourselves. Luckily, they weren’t usually open on Monday nights so I paid a bit extra and the chef and staff came in just for us. They set up a table out on the balcony overlooking the water and lit about a hundred candles around us. It was absolutely enchanting, and we sat feasting while talking about our day and how amazing the photo shoot ended up being. I wasn’t as jealous now that we were out of the situation, but I still didn’t like the idea of it all. When we were done, we decided to take a long walk on the beach, not having been to this island yet. I had paid the pilot to hang around until we called, not knowing when we would finish up.
As we walked along the sandy shores hand in hand, I took Ronni’s hand and twirled her into my arms, dipping her low and kissing her softly. The full moon shone brightly over the ocean, lighting up her magnificent face. Her hair was shiny and long, and it blew in the light breeze off the ocean. I tipped her back up to her feet and pushed hair from her face.
“You are the most amazing, charming, intelligent—”
“Yes,” she said, swinging her hair over her shoulder. “Go on.”
“Beautiful woman I have ever met,” I said, laughing. “I don’t know what I would do in this world without you.”
Her heart immediately melted, and her love for me showed all over her face. I leaned in and tilted her chin upward, pressing my lips against her mouth. Her arms immediately wrapped around my neck, and she leaned into me, pressing her body against mine. Under the bright light of the moon, we explored each other like sixteen-year-olds at a summer fling.
My hands moved over her body, touching every inch of her and grabbing her ass tightly. She squeaked into my mouth with surprise as I picked her up by the butt and wrapped her legs around my waist. I stood there on the white sand beach and made out passionately with my wife, groaning as she sucked on my lip seductively and pushed her hips into my hardening cock. I reached one hand up and cupped her large breast massaging it hard. She leaned her head back as I pulled one side of her dress down and took her exposed tit in my mouth. I looked around but didn’t see anyone else on the beach, though it was a public place.
She hopped down off me and ran her hand down the front of me, squeezing my cock between my body and pants. As her fingers moved downward, she grabbed onto my shaft and began to jack it hard inside of my pants. She smiled as she bit my lip, feeling my cock get harder and harder in the palm of her hand. I groaned loudly as she stroked it up and down with force, her face looking aroused and determined.
She undid my belt and slid her hand back in, loosening up the area, and she began stroking my cock long and hard. I growled out, thrusting my hips forward as her hand slid up and down the shaft. I wanted to fuck her so bad, and I knew there would be no way I could make it all the way back to the villa first. She looked up into my eyes as her hand steadily moved in my pants, and I could see she wasn’t willing to wait, either. I pulled her hand out of my pants, and we ran down the beach toward the cliffs where they would at least provide the coverage of shadows in the corners. As we approached, she reached out and grabbed my tie, backing up into the steep rocky side.
I put my hand up against the stone next to her head and watched as she pulled her dress from her shoulders and let it fall to the ground. I reached out, but she slapped my hand away, smiling at me with glimmering eyes. She pushed me back and propped her ass up on one of the rocks. I watched as she split her legs apart and pulled her panties to the side, exposing her wet mound. She bit her lip and stuck two fingers in her mouth, sucking and wetting them before sliding them down through her folds. She moaned quietly as her fingers circled around her clit, dipping part way into her pussy before pulling out and circling back.
“You like watching me?” she asked.
“Yeah, baby,” I said, rubbing my cock outside of my pants.
“Good,” she moaned. “I want to watch you, too.”
I walked over and leaned my shoulder against the rock next to her, unbuttoning my pants and dropping them around my ankles. I slowly reached down into my boxers and pulled my pulsing, engorged cock out into my hand. I reached up and unbuttoned my shirt so it would hang out of the way, and I draped my tie around her neck. She looked so fucking sexy sitting there fingering herself in nothing but her panties. I looked down at her pussy and began to move my hand up and down the shaft of my raging erection. She bit her lip, keeping her eyes glued to the motion of my hand, her own fingers plunging deep inside of her and coming back out to rub her clit. I could hear her breath increasing as my fist began moving faster over my shaft.
She groaned loudly and tilted her head back, rubbing her pussy wildly. I could tell she was about to come so I moved in front of her and pushed her hands to the side, thrusting my cock deep inside of her. As my body rubbed against hers, she exploded, her warm juices gushing over my cock and her mouth wide open, singing her song of pleasure. I kept thrusting, feeling her pussy pulsating around me. I gripped her waist, and her fingernails dug into my shoulders. I groaned, feeling the pain and ecstasy mix together. As her body began to relax, I leaned in and pushed my mouth against hers, passionately kissing her under the full moon. I could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest, and she smiled as she moved her hips against my slow, steady thrusting. It was extremely sensual, and we sat there against the wall, grinding in sync as our eyes locked on to each other. I could feel the hot steamy heat between us as I pushed hard and fast into her, watching her jerk beneath me. I looked over at the water lapping the beach in the shadows and reached down, picking her up and carrying her over to the water’s edge. She slipped off her panties and tossed them up to her dress, walking forward into the shallow waves.
I grabbed her shoulder and took her to the ground, moving slowly and steadily on top of her. The water washed around us, and I knew I wanted to make this last.
Chapter Twenty Four
Ronni
The warm water washing over our bodies added to the exotic pleasure I was feeling, laying in the sand while Nathan hovered over me, thrusting his hard cock deep inside of me. The breeze howled through the cliffs, and I looked over at the beach, feeling a sense of titillation like I did the last time we made love in the sand. Anyone could walk out here at any minute and find us making love under the full moon.
The sounds of Nathan’s groans brought me back to his eyes, and I breathed deeply, stretching my arms over my head. He took both of his hands and ran them up my wet naked body, stopping to play with my nipples. Bursts of electricity shot through me as he pinched and twisted my hard tits. I moaned loudly, arching my back and opening my legs wider, inviting his cock deeper inside of me. The look in his eyes was lustful and committed, and I could tell his slow movements were purposeful. As much as I wanted him to let loose, slamming into me like the waves against the rocks, I couldn’t help but hope this feeling wouldn’t be over so soon. The unwavering pleasure I could feel radiating through my entire body was unlike anything I had ever felt before.
I tossed and turned beneath him, fighting myself to push him harder. He grabbed my hands and held them down as the water washed around us. As if he, too, were fighting the urge, he pushed as deep as he could and held it, looking down at me with a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. I bit my lip and pushed my hips upward, asking for more. He instantly delivered, grabbing me under the body and pulling me upward. I wrapped my legs around his waist as our bodies moved in sync, pushing and pulling against each other. I leaned back in his arms and threw my head back, closing my eyes and feeling my body grinding against his. He leaned back on his heels and pulled me in, grabbing me by the lower back and thrusting short and strong. I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him down into a crossed-legged position, putting my knees to each side and wrapping my arms around his neck. He grabbed my ass and started to push and pull, thrusting his cock into me. I moaned loudly as another orgasm began to rise, and I hoped to feel his cock bulging at the same time.
As my hips ground against him and thrust forward, I pulled back and pressed my forehead against his, looking deep into his eyes. The heat rose a thousand degrees in two seconds, and we found ourselves pushing deep and fast, longing for release. My mouth fell open, but nothing escaped as my clit rubbed against his stomach. As I reached my peak, I arched my back and screamed out into the waves.
He growled and gritted his teeth, grasping my ass cheeks and pushing as hard as he could as my juices erupted over his shaft. As the waves of pleasure echoed through my body, I could feel him slam into me, holding me close and grunting loudly as his cock spasmed inside of me. He came hard and long, his body twitching in the waves as he held me close to his body. I couldn’t move and didn’t want to, wishing we could fall asleep right here in the sand and surf.
Breathing heavily, he slowly pulled his body back, locking his eyes with mine and pressing his mouth against me. The kiss was deep and meaningful, and I could feel him telling me he loved me through his motions. We sat for several minutes, intertwined as the waves washed around us. After our bodies had recovered, I kissed him gently on the cheek and scooted back, standing and putting my arms out for him. He took them and stood up, wobbling a bit in the knees. We walked up the shore and got dressed, realizing we would now be wearing wet clothes and sand back to the villa. I didn’t mind at all since we just had the most amazing sex yet. It seemed like every time we made love, it just got better and better, and I couldn’t wait for the next time.
As we walked, he texted the pilot to let him know we would be there soon. I carried my shoes next to me, holding his hand and enjoying the night air. We climbed aboard the helicopter, and as we flew through the air, I looked down at the lights coming from the islands. Some were artificial while others came from bonfires lit in celebration of summer. I smiled, thinking about all the young couples enjoying their nights in Hawaii while sitting around a giant bonfire, sipping exotic drinks and watching the natives dance. This was definitely an amazing place, and I could already feel myself wishing for a longer trip, and we weren’t even close to being done. Nathan reached over and took my hand, smiling out his window as we made our way back to the resort. I loved the fact that we had the whole place to ourselves, and I didn’t have to worry about who I would wake as I tiptoed through the grounds.
When we arrived back, the staff had cleaned the room and put fresh linens on the bed. I called down to the front desk to let them know our breakfast selections and times for the next morning. Then I pulled my sandy, wet dress off my body. I rinsed off quickly in the shower and left the water running for Nathan to do the same thing. However, as I walked out of the bathroom to let him know, I found him completely passed out already in his pajama pants in the bed. I laughed to myself as I turned the water off and clicked the lights as I walked. I had really tuckered him out tonight on the beach, and in fact, I could feel the complete exhaustion start to wash over me as well. As soon as I laid down and pulled the covers over me, I was out, not dreaming or even moving until the light shone through the windows.
When I woke, I opened my eyes and stared at the clock. My stomach rumbled under the sheets. I realized we had slept in a bit so I turned over to let Nathan know that breakfast would be waiting for us. As I looked to the other side of the bed, I realized he wasn’t there, and I laughed, listening to him talk to the staff about how amazing the food was there. I pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top and walked out onto the deck, sleepy-eyed. The staff nodded their heads at me, and Nathan jumped up, pulling my chair out for me. I sat down at the table and squinted my eyes, taking in the air once again. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning, and it reminded me of the many mornings I woke up in San Diego. Although this was even better because of the amazing display of pancakes, omelettes, and fruit in front of me.
I reached over and poured myself a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and began to fill my plate with all the goodies in front of us. As usual, the food was perfect, and I immediately realized I was eating way too much. If I wasn’t careful, we would have to make another size in the bikinis for me to fit into them. Nathan poured me a cup of black coffee and handed it over, taking a bite of his toast and propping his feet in the empty chair next to me. I leaned back from the table and smiled as the staff took my plate and wiped the place setting clean of syrup. Before they could leave, Nathan pulled out a wad of cash and tipped all of them.
“You’re so generous,” I said, leaning back in the chair.
“I want to make sure they are well taken care of,” he said, smiling. “They keep my life in order, even if it's only for a short time.”
“I’m going to start accepting tips,” I said, laughing.
“What’s mine is yours, Wifey,” he said, winking at me from across the table. “So, what’s on the agenda for today?”
“Well, after breakfast, we have to run inland and meet Maria and the photographer to go over the shots from yesterday,” I explained. “And then, I thought maybe we could go to one of those super touristy luaus they have on the island.”
“Okay,” he said, chuckling. “Whatever you want is yours.”
“Why thank you,” I said, pursing my lips.
We sat talking on the deck for only a few more minutes before going inside and grabbing our things to meet Maria. I pulled my wavy hair up in a messy bun and looked at my even tanner skin than normal. You could really see my Mexican descent in the contrast between my brown skin and dark features. I actually thought it suited me quite well.
The resort provided transportation to the small café in town, and I stepped out of the car with my arms wide, hugging Maria as she giggled, walking forward with a croissant hanging out of her mouth. I swear the girl was always eating but always in amazing shape. It would take me three weeks at the gym after this vacation to even get close to where I was before we left. But I didn’t want to harp on that because I was on my honeymoon, and that meant I could let loose and be free.
We all sat down around the computer as Philandro, the photographer, flipped through the photographs he had picked out as the best. I was shocked at how absolutely amazing they came out, and though I tended to be a bit self-conscious, I was completely comfortable with every single photo. As he rounded out to the end, both Maria and I were in awe of the photo of her and me standing arm in arm, smiling big as the waves splashed around us. It was the perfect picture for the wall in the shop, and when I said wall, I meant it was going to be seven feet high and five feet wide.
“So,” Philandro said, leaning back in his chair. “Are we doing any editing or touch-ups here? These photos are already edited for optimal colors and brightness, but I did not touch your bodies.”
“Good,” Maria said, shaking her head. “And we want to leave it that way.”
“Yeah,” I explained. “We want women to see us as regular women. We want to show that our skin bulges when we jump in the air, too. We want them to know that curvy, busty women with big butts can look just as sexy in our bikinis as the others.”
“If not more,” Maria added.
“I absolutely love it,” Philandro said. “Then, ladies, my work here is done. I will get all of these sent over to your marketing manager, and I will get the one for your shop blown up for the wall.”
I looked at Nathan as he leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“I worship those curves,” he whispered, kissing me on the cheek.
I could feel my cheeks burning red, and I smiled big as Philandro leaned down and hugged me goodbye. All the crew except Maria would be leaving tomorrow, going back to San Diego to get things going. When we returned, we would put the final touches on before we had our big release. I leaned back in the chair and smiled at Maria as she took my hand and Nathan’s.
“We are really doing this,” she said, laughing. “This is all so amazing.”
It was more amazing than I ever could have imagined.
Chapter Twenty Five
Nathan
I pulled the cotton t-shirt with company logo over my head and slipped on sandals, getting ready for dinner. Ronni had the bright idea that it would be a good experience to have dinner at one of the touristy luaus on the beach. I had never been to something like that, and my comfort level was at about a two. But this was what she wanted, and I was going to smile through it.
Who knew? She had managed to get me out of my stuffed shirt mode and into a more relaxed atmosphere. Maybe I would actually enjoy watching dancing Hawaiians in grass skirts and fire juggling natives, though I really had my reservations. But still, looking back at the man I was when Ronni came back into my life, I felt proud of how far I had come. I still wasn’t at a place where I felt completely comfortable with all of the free time this new life change had brought me, but I was working on it slowly.
Every day I could feel myself taking life a little less seriously, relaxing my shoulders just a tiny bit more, and allowing Ronni to convince me to step out of my comfort zone. It wasn’t like it was that hard, after all. Between Ronni’s amazing personality and her killer smile, I was pretty sure she could talk me into moving into an igloo at the South Pole. Hell, if it meant I could keep myself warm by snuggling up to her naked body, I might be down for it.
I turned and looked at myself in the mirror, barely recognizing the man standing in front of me. I think I had actually worn a t-shirt about ten times in my life, and they were all before the age of six. We had packed a bunch of the new outer wear to strut around town in, hoping to build a little brand awareness far from home. But still, it felt weird not buttoning up my dress shirt, tying my tie, and polishing my shoes. Life at the Landers’s business was anything but relaxed, and I had come to terms long ago that I would probably live the rest of my life in either a suit and tie or a polo. My father still dressed in a suit and tie, and he barely ever left the house anymore. At least in retirement, you would think the old man would loosen up and put on a pullover or something, but unless he was headed to the golf course with his buddies, he was ready to go for meetings that would never come. After waking up every day for so many years and doing the same thing over and over again, he must have gotten used to it and didn’t want to change.
Speaking of change, I was right in the midst of it. It had been a huge change leaving the company and parting ways with my family. But I had new goals and new things to look forward to, and I was more than happy to be taking on those responsibilities. I was building an empire with my wife and planning a future for our own family, one that was less rigid and more loving than how I grew up. I could barely remember Ronni’s parents, but it was always amazing to me as a child how different they were. They really acted like they loved each other, and I found myself slightly jealous of Ronni as a kid. But now, here I was, building this empire, making waves, embracing change, and hoping that I got used to the more quiet hustle and bustle of our business than I experienced with the real estate company.
I was drawn from my thoughts as the phone buzzed on the nightstand. I thought it was strange, since everyone I talked to was here on the island with me. I walked over and looked down at the name, shaking my head in disbelief. It was like the old man could sense I was thinking about him, and I tried to decide whether or not to answer my father’s phone call. I sighed and pressed the button, bringing the phone to my ear.
“Father,” I said without emotion. “How can I help you?”
“Nathan, I’m glad I caught you,” he said in a more than tired voice. “Look, I need to see you as soon as possible. It’s urgent. You know I wouldn’t call if it weren’t.”
“Well,” I said, trying to keep my irritation of his summoning to a minimum. “I’m on my honeymoon. Nick is in control of everything now. Have him get you whatever you need. He is more than capable of following strict and specific instructions.”
My father breathed heavily into the phone, and I couldn’t help but notice that his voice was ragged and tired, moreso than usual. I sat patiently waiting for his response, slightly curious as to why he would call me in the first place. I did understand that he had no idea I was on my honeymoon, but I could have been in his front yard and still wouldn’t have come running when he beckoned. I was no longer under his control, nor did I need to drop everything and come running when he thought it was important. Nick wanted to be the big man in charge so he needed to step up and do his job.
“Nick can’t help,” he said with a deep cough.
“Are you sick?”
“I’m fine,” he grumbled. “Like I said, Nick can’t help. He’ll only hinder this cause. In fact, he is the main reason for this call.”
I sat there silently, waiting patiently for my father to ease up and actually ask me for my help. He seemed to still be under the impression that I was at his beck and call. I was no longer a child, vying for my father’s attention, learning the ropes of the company, and hoping to be part of it one day. I had been part of it. In fact, it was my entire life, but my life had changed, and I didn’t feel as if I needed to ask “how high” whenever my father told me to jump. I had broken those chains months ago, and I was just starting to let drift away into memory.
“You need to return home now,” he said angrily and sick. “There is no time to lose in these matters. You’ll understand when you get here.”
“Will I?” I said with attitude. “Because it has been thirty-three years, and I still don’t understand you. I don’t understand where you develop the kind of audacity that you do. I don’t understand how you think you can call me like this and expect me to drop everything going on, which is my celebration of marriage by the way, and come running to you. I told you Ronni was the most important thing in my life now, not you, not Nick, and definitely not the company.”
“Why are you being so difficult? Can we just skip the games this time? I need you here and it is your responsibility—”
“Responsibility?” I scoffed. “Need I remind you that you not only erased my name from your will and took my job, but you blatantly disrespected a woman who loved you like a father figure. A woman who I am now married to. So, why in the fuck do you think I would drop everything and just run home? I am at no one's back and call anymore.”
With those words, I hung up the phone, trying to control my anger and not bash my phone against the wall. I turned and found Ronni standing in the doorway, looking at me with confusion. I didn’t want her to hear that, but I just got so angry, I couldn’t control the level of my own voice. I hadn’t been this angry since Nick threw Ronni on the floor. Only this time, I had nowhere to go with my anger. Ronni stepped forward and rubbed my shoulder, looking deep into my angry eyes.
“I heard the shouting from the other room,” she said. “What is going on? Who was that on the phone?”
“It was my father,” I said, sighing and sitting down on the bed. “He told me he needs me to come home. I told him to get his boy Nick to do whatever he needed, but he said he couldn’t because it was about Nick. Well, partially at least. He didn’t tell me more than that, but he had the audacity to summon me like one of his servants. He didn’t ask me. He told me, and I don’t owe him a damn thing. Even after telling him twice that I was on my honeymoon, he didn’t offer any congratulations at all. It was like he wasn’t hearing what I was saying. Same old situation.”
Ronni bit her lip and looked down at the floor. I could tell she was thinking about how to say what she wanted to say. From the look on her face, she was being careful because she knew I wouldn’t like whatever advice she was going to give me. But every time she gave me advice, no matter how painful, it always turned out to be the right thing to do. She took a deep breath and sat down beside me, taking my hands in her lap.
“Look, I know you don’t like how he treats you, and neither do I, but you have to admit it’s strange that he would call you,” she said. “You know your father, and you know how long he can hold a grudge. Whatever is going on has to be major enough for him to put aside his pride and dial your number. For that fact alone, it concerns me that he is calling. What if someone is hurt or ill? What if something has happened to Nick? I know what regret feels like, Nathan, and it’s not something I ever want you to feel.”
“What about him?” I said angrily. “Why can’t he step forward and say he’s wrong? Why do I always have to be the responsible one out of the three of them?”
“Because it is who you are,” she said, smiling. “You don’t do it because you feel they deserve it or require it. You show respect and strength because of who you are on the inside. I think we should return home.”
“But it’s our honeymoon,” I protested.
“Yes,” she said, running her hand over my cheek. “And in case you’ve forgotten, you are extremely rich. We can come back here, literally anytime that we want to.”
“Fine,” I grumped.
I changed my clothes back into a polo and slacks and went to work packing up our things. I called the hotel and let them know we would be leaving early but to keep the entire amount I paid them plus add a thirty percent gratuity for all the shifts the workers would miss when we left. They were very thankful, but I couldn’t kick the bitterness I felt on the inside. I had finally gotten the life that I wanted, and I had finally settled into it. Then out of nowhere, my father calls and turns my whole world upside down. Just from the sound of his voice, I could feel the calm and serenity I had been collecting slip right down the drain.
The staff came to help take our bags to the car, and I sighed as I closed the villa behind us. We were on our way to the airport and back to reality. This time, though, it was a reality that I had no interest in being a part of.
Chapter Twenty Six
Ronni
As the plane flew over the islands, I gazed out the window at the same bonfires I had seen the night before. I was really disappointed that our honeymoon was over, but at the same time, I was insanely worried about Nathan’s family. One thing I think Nathan forgot was that I’ve known him since he was a young boy, and I can read him better than anyone. Sure, on the outside he acted like he was completely at peace, and even relieved, to have separated himself from his family and company. But on the inside, I knew he wasn’t happy with how he left things. Who could be? Nathan’s father was a hard ass, and he had become a bitter and grumpy old man, but he hadn’t always been that way.
I could remember a time where he would pick Nathan up and toss him in the air, laughing at his stories about school. I could still see the man that coddled me in his arms after my parents died, letting me cry it out, wishing he could take the pain that I was feeling. That man, regardless of the last few years, would always hold a special place in my heart. Somewhere in my gut, I had a feeling that something serious was going on. It was my duty as Nathan’s wife to push him to do the hard things that I knew were best for him.
I was orphaned so young, and although the Landers family provided me with a home and an education, they were never truly my family. I knew what it felt like to be all alone in the world and not be able to change that. Until Nathan came back in my life, that feeling still ran rampant in my chest. I would do anything I could to have my family back, even for just a little while, and I knew that if something happened to Nathan’s family, he would have some really deep regrets.
There was nothing worse than regret, and I knew that first hand. Everything in me wanted to protect Nathan the same way he went out of his way to protect me. Though I wasn’t the root of the falling out between them, I was definitely one of the causes, and I felt it necessary to make sure I helped bring them back together, at least from the sidelines. The way I saw it, by going home and facing his father, Nathan had nothing to lose. If he didn’t and we stayed behind in Hawaii, not only would it be constantly on his mind, but he might never have the chance to even know what his father needed. Sure, Nick was a definite sore spot for him and his dad, but now his dad needed help, and he couldn’t turn to Nick. Big surprise. Nathan didn’t owe them anything, but I knew with the type of man Nathan was, he would want to help in one form or another.
The plane ride home was silent, and I looked over at Nathan as we rode along. He sat quietly with his hands in his lap, staring out the window into the darkness of the night. When we got back, we went to my house since we still hadn’t figured out living arrangements, and Nathan didn’t seem comfortable at his apartment. I was pretty sure it was because it reminded him of his past life, one that he was desperately trying to forget. By the time we got back to San Diego, the sun was starting to peek out so we grabbed some coffee and headed over to the house. We unpacked our luggage and changed our clothes, all in silence. I knew Nathan needed to think so I let him be.
“I want you to come with me,” he said, looking up at me as I filled the laundry basket.
“Are you sure?”
“You are my wife, and I have no secrets from you,” he said. “I could really use your strength and light in that dim, dark office.”
“Of course,” I said, walking over and kissing his cheek.
I changed my clothes quickly, and we headed out to the Landers Estate. As we pulled through the gates, I thought about the last time I was there. When I left, I thought I would never come back here. We pulled up out front and were greeted by the service staff. I smiled kindly at the women from the kitchen who were always so kind to me when I came to visit. I looked around at all the faces, realizing there seemed to be quite a few more service staff than normal. I wondered what one man could possibly need this many staff for but shrugged my shoulders, figuring it was his normal excess and attempt to make the house not seem so quiet and empty.
As we walked into the giant foyer, I looked up at the beautiful marble arches, remembering feeling so overwhelmed by them as a child. I had come from a two-bedroom home on a farm in Mexico and ended up in a seventeen-bedroom home in the hills of San Diego. It was a bit of a change for a little girl. Now, though, the surroundings seemed hollow and almost sad, the shadows darker than before, and the faces in the crowd quiet and somber.
I was nervous as to how Noah was going to accept my presence, especially after the way he treated me last time I was in front of him, or behind him for that matter. I was pretty sure he never found out that I had come over there that day to confront him, but now, seeing how things turned out, I was glad I never made it in front of his desk. I took a deep breath as I followed behind Nathan and entered Noah’s office. I was surprised to find a different man sitting in the chair behind the desk. Where once sat an angry, but healthy man, now sat a thin and frail person. His skin was more wrinkled, his eyes had dulled to a gray, and the color in his cheeks had faded away. The look on his face was somber, not angry, and he looked less vital than he did the many times I had seen before. I glanced up at Nathan’s face, and I could tell he was hiding his shock at what his father looked like. His face was straight and stern as he approached Noah’s desk.
“Have a seat,” Noah said. “Please.”
His voice was raspy and rough, leading to an even darker realization that he may not be well at all. I wasn’t sure if it was life in general, Nick, or his health, but something had drastically changed Mr. Landers, and it was not for the better. However, as his eyebrows relaxed and he folded his hands in his lap, I realized there was no hidden bitterness left inside of him, and it took me by surprise. Six months was a very long time for someone like Noah, and it could lead to many changes, including, as it seemed, a completely different viewpoint on life.
Nathan motioned to the seat next to him, and I smiled politely, sitting down and crossing my legs. Noah looked at me for a moment and back at Nathan, but I couldn’t tell what was going on in his mind. He seemed to be distraught, but my being there didn’t seem to bother him at all.
“First, I would like to thank you for coming,” he said with tired eyes. “And I would like to congratulate you both on getting married. I had no idea. I’m sorry you had to cut your honeymoon short.”
I was surprised by his words, but I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I smiled kindly and nodded. Nathan reached over and took my hand, squeezing it tightly in his. I could tell he was having a hard time already, and I couldn’t blame him. Noah looked and sounded terrible, and it was heartbreaking.
“A lot has happened,” he said, grabbing a handkerchief and coughing into it. “Your brother, Nicholas, is being investigated by the FBI for fraud surrounding some questionable international investments. Luckily, he did that on his own and not through the company. If that had been the case, there would be no company to discuss today. Since I kept control of the company and Nick had no ability to control where the money went, they did not freeze our assets. That being said, you can only imagine what this kind of scandal can do to a business’s reputation. Our quarterly profits are at rock bottom, and Nick has run off to South America with, what I am assuming is no real interest in coming back. Things are very bleak.”
Nathan sat there for a moment, taking all that information in. That was a lot of news for one tiny office, and even I was shocked, sitting there with wide eyes. Nathan looked around the room at the pictures on the walls and the books on the shelf. The room had been the same way since I had moved in here, with the exception of a couple of awards and some lame Father’s Day gifts. Nathan took a deep breath and looked back at Noah, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head.
“And how does this affect me?” he asked coldly. I could tell it was an act, and a really hard one for him to put on. “You tossed me out of everything, remember? You put yourself and this company in this position.”
I reached over and patted Nathan on the arm, feeling that he was starting to let his anger run loose inside of him. He needed to listen to everything and really take it all in. Otherwise, he would let his emotions rule him and make a decision he might not be happy with later. The entire point of this was not to get him his old life back. He had a life with me. But it was to allow him to face the turmoil in his family and come out the other side feeling satisfied and without regrets at the decision he made. The touch of my hand seemed to calm him a bit, and he leaned back, staring at his father who had turned and looked out the office window.
“Why can’t you take over the helm again and bring the struggling company back from the brink?” Nathan asked. “That is what you have been known for your whole life. You are known as the man who built an empire and survived the darkest days of the economy since the great depression. You were known as one of the top businessmen in the world. I know that sitting around all day and playing golf with your buddies can soften you a bit, but I’m sure you have it in you.” Nathan looked at his father in the eye as he turned back toward us. “I don’t know what you want from me. I am not the cleanup crew anymore. I did it once when mom died because I wanted to do it for her, but I don’t owe you or Nick anything. Anything you might think I owed you from being your son has been more than paid off.”
“All right,” his father said sadly. “I can’t take over the company because I’m sick.”
“Sick? What do you mean sick?” Nathan sat forward in his chair and stared at the old frail man on the other side of the desk. I had a feeling that what Noah was about to say next was going to knock us off our feet. I reached over and grabbed onto Nathan’s hand, squeezing it as Noah looked him straight in the eye.
“I have colon cancer,” he replied. “It has spread everywhere, and there is nothing they can really do.”
Chapter Twenty Seven
Nathan
The words flowed so easily from my father’s mouth, but they hit me like a blow to the face. I leaned back in my chair, unsure if I really heard what I thought I heard. Everything in the room immediately sounded muffled and felt as if it were in slow motion. I looked down at Ronni’s hand grasping mine, but I couldn’t feel it. My father was dying of cancer and from the looks of it, he had known for a while. To make matters worse, while our father was here trying to handle the fact that he was dying, my brother was trying to fuck the company before the FBI caught on.
He must have realized he was driving the company into the ground and decided it was better to take the money and run than face my father and a federal prison. Since Mom died, it was hard to face my father, but to completely screw him over while he was facing a death sentence was low, even for Nick. My father had always been so full of life, living it on the edge, unlike me. It was so hard to wrap my head around the fact that he was dying. It almost felt like a bad dream that I couldn’t shake myself awake from. And even with all that information, my father was looking to me to save the day again. He wanted me to bring his company back, just like I had done when the great recession had hit us hard.
I had been the hero last time, bringing the company back, saving the family fortune, and raising us higher than when we started. It sounded great on the outside, but in reality, it was absolutely miserable on the inside. I didn’t even know what to say. I couldn’t get my mind clear enough to even think straight. They expected me to do this, but did I want to? Did I want to drag Ronni through hell by spending hours a day at the office, coming home late, grumpy, and tired? Did it mean enough to me to put everything we had worked so hard for on hold just to appease my dying father?
And after everything my father and Nick put me through, how they tossed me from the will, from the company, and forced me to choose between the love of my life and them? I didn’t even know if they deserved my help. Suddenly, all the noise of the house came rushing back into my ears, and I looked up at my father. His face was solemn, and he wouldn’t meet my gaze. I looked over at Ronni, unsure of what to do in that moment. That was a lot of information to take in at once, and I couldn’t just make a decision right here on the spot.
“I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head and standing from the chair. “I need to think about all of this.”
I walked lifelessly back to the car, shock seeping into my system. Ronni took the keys from me and hopped into the driver’s seat, seeing that I was in no shape to drive. As we moved through the streets, I sat in silence, staring out the window. I wished I could say my mind was full of thoughts, but all I could feel was an emptiness inside. When we got back home, Ronni and I sat down on the couch. She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me on the forehead. I could feel her love surging through me, and it helped me push forward. Had she not been there in that moment, I probably would have just sat there, staring at nothing, letting my mind go in all directions. She always knew exactly what to say. She always had good advice, and in that moment, that was exactly what I needed.
“Help me,” I said, leaning into her. “Tell me what to do. I don’t know what the right move is here. Should I just jump back in and take charge, forgetting all the terrible things that my father and brother have done to me? Should I turn my back and walk away from my family just like they did to me? Neither one of those choices seems like the right one. My father just told me he is dying, and I am supposed to be able to think clearly enough to make a life-altering the decision? I can’t blame my father for having cancer, but it’s just like him to drop something like this on me without giving me any options. I am completely at a loss, Ronni.”
“First,” she said, rubbing her hands through my hair. “You need to take a deep breath. Remember how calm we felt lying on the beaches in Hawaii. Remember how important it is to really understand what you are facing and not go forward emotionally. You are an amazing man with an amazing future. You just need to figure out what future you want. Take a deep breath and sit there for a moment. I want you to really hear what I have to say, and right now, you can only hear what’s in your own head.”
I closed my eyes and focused on Ronni’s fingers running through my hair. I took in deep breaths, imagining the crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches we’d been forced to leave behind. I thought about our wedding day and how beautiful Ronni looked walking through the sand, holding a small bouquet of flowers. I thought about the feeling I had when we were finally confirmed as husband and wife. All of these things had just happened recently, but they were the best things to ever happen to me. I could feel my heartbeat begin to slow, and my mood begin to shift. Slowly, I opened my eyes and nodded at Ronni.
“You know just as well as I do, especially from your mother, how important family is to your life,” she said. “You have seen firsthand how different things are when you have a strong family relationship versus a bad one. That being said, not all family relationships are healthy, nor do all family relationships end well. We have seen time and time again how relationships with toxic people can bring you down with them. That’s why I don’t have a lot of close people in my life. I never want to be put in a situation where my life ends up a certain way because I got dragged down by someone who never really cared in the first place.”
“But how do I know if this is one of those situations?”
“Not everything is black and white,” she said softly. “This is one of those times where everything is not as it seems. You need to take some time and really think about it. Take the emotion and put it to the side and really dive into the inner workings of who you are. You need to think long and hard what you want out of your life, and where you want to go in the future. Not everything is about the here and now. Many things are about how the here and now affects the future.”
“But shouldn’t I be thinking of more than just what I want? Shouldn’t I be thinking about what my father wants, too?”
“What people want and what people need can often be two different things,” she whispered. “Sometimes when you take the time to really think about things, you realize that what is best may not be the most ideal choice for everyone. But, if they are given that as their only option, in the end, they will find that what is best turned out to be the right decision. You might be surprised how similar those decisions are between you and your father. You need to decide what kind of future you envision for your life.”
“You’re all I want in life,” I responded, smiling up at her.
“And I will always be here, no matter what path you choose,” she replied with a grin. “Remember that when two people get into a relationship, they don’t just magically become one person. What makes a relationship strong is having two individuals working on the things they want in life and having those things intersect. We don’t have to have the same dreams or timelines. We just have to have our lives intersect at the perfect point. When that happens, everything falls into place. Don’t think about me and us. Think about what you want. You always think about what I want, and now, it’s time to understand that no matter what choice you make, I will be right there, cheering you on the entire way. And at the end of the day, our lives will intersect, bringing us back together.”
“You are a wise woman,” I said, looking up at her and feeling much calmer. “I think I’m going to go for a walk on the beach, clear my head, and really think about things.”
“Sounds like a perfect plan,” she said, smiling. “I’m going to get dinner started so we aren’t starving in an hour.”
I stood up from the couch and kissed Ronni on the lips, walking to the door and looking back at her before I closed it behind me. I crossed the street and took my flip flops off before stepping into the moist, cool sand. It didn’t feel the same between my toes as the sand in Hawaii did, but it was still just as nice to be by the ocean when the sun was getting ready to set. The beach had always been such a big part of my life, and it was funny how I always reminisced about my mother taking me to the beach and never thought about the millions of beach trips my father would take Nick and me on. The three of us were thick as thieves, and no matter what was going on at home, or how much Nick and I fought, as soon as we were out there in the sand with our father, we were brothers to the end. Noah and I really had a strong and special relationship when I was a boy and I always was in awe by the fact that my father was so strong and so ready to always be there for us.
I really wanted to have that bond again, that feeling that no matter what life threw at us, we had each other to lean on. I just didn’t think, at this point, anything with Nick could be salvaged. As far as the company was concerned, I didn’t know if I really wanted to dive in and bring it back from the brink of disaster yet again. It would take long, hard hours repairing a company that was not even my legacy. It was my father’s. My father was smart enough with money that he didn’t need the company. He just wanted the company. My thoughts were drawn from my father as I looked ahead at a family walking through the sand. They were laughing and talking, and the dad reached down to swing his little boy up and onto his shoulders.
I stopped and watched them for a few moments, smiling as they passed. They were the perfect example of a happy family. The mom was shining brightly from her husband’s obvious love for her, and the child was carefree and happy to be with his parents. I watched as the boy clung to his father’s head, looking around in wonder at how different the world looked from that height. It was at that moment, everything faded away, and I knew exactly what my choice had to be.
Chapter Twenty Eight
Ronni
I stood there in the shop, staring out the front window, completely lost in my own thoughts. Nathan had been very quiet the last couple of days, and I didn’t want to push him for an answer to what was going on. The retail location was really coming along, and we had all come in today to see what we could do to get everything up and ready as fast as possible. Things were really starting to come together, and I was starting to get really excited about our future with the company.
We had already gotten several orders just from the photo shoot and handing out business cards. There were even orders placed by husbands who saw us there and wanted to get their wives something sexy for their next trip to the beach. When we had arrived this morning, there was a truck sitting outside, and we realized that it was our first shipment of suits arriving from the tailors. We immediately opened every box and sorted them by size, color, and style. We placed the stacks throughout the store, excited to get them on hangers and on the shelves. It was going to actually look like a store in here for the first time, and I couldn’t wait to stand back and soak it all in.
We grabbed a large tub of hangers and went to work, getting them hung up perfectly and uniformly, and placed neatly on the racks, with all the hangers going in the same direction. One thing I loved about working with Maria was that she was just as anal retentive as me about having everything sleek, smooth, and the least messy we could possibly get it. When you walked into a store to buy clothing, you didn’t want to have to search through loads of clothing just to find one piece that you are looking for. You want the customer to come in, pick out their favorite thing, and go right to the register to buy it. The longer they had to think, the worse off the store was.
I looked over at Maria and smiled as she pushed the first rack to the side and began working on the next color.
“Okay,” she said. “Spill it. What’s wrong with you?”
“Nathan’s dad is dying,” I said, sighing. “And Nick ran off to South America after being chased by the FBI. He was involved with some international sales he shouldn’t have been.”
“Oh, wow,” she said, looking at me with wide eyes. “That’s nuts!”
“Well, now Nathan’s father wants him to run the show again and save the company,” I replied. “But Nathan hated it when he was there, and he is having a really hard time deciding what to do while also mourning the fact that his father is dying.”
“Nathan doesn’t own anyone a damn thing,” Maria said proudly. “He has done so much for his family, and that includes giving up on his own life to make sure their legacy lived on. But that being said, he would be a damn fool to walk away from all that money.”
“Nathan has money, remember,” I said, chuckling. “He doesn’t need the money. He just feels guilty, and that is really messing him up when it comes to making a decision on where to go next.”
“You guys think too much about things,” Ronni said, laughing. “Do what’s best for the future. Put everything else to the side. I don’t know why people latch on to things in life so much. Mr. Landers, when he’s dead, is he really going to care if the company is running or not?”
“Well, if he is the same man in the afterlife that he is in this one,” I said. “I would not be surprised in the least.”
I looked down at the bathing suit I was folding and began to think about Mr. Landers when he took care of me as a child. It was weird. I was spending so much time making sure that Nathan was doing okay, I hadn’t even stopped for two seconds to think about if I was okay. When Noah died, it will be the last piece of family connection I have, and my fond memories will be all jumbled up with the most recent ones.
I didn’t want to think about death. It made me uneasy, especially since I had dealt with so much of it over the years. This would be the fourth parent figure I lost, which was way too many for any twenty-three-year-old woman to deal with. I turned as I heard Nathan’s footsteps coming down the stairs. He smiled at me as he walked forward and kissed my lips, rubbing my arms up and down with his hands.
“I am having dinner with my father tonight,” he said. “Would you like to join?”
“Do you want me there?”
“Of course,” he said, chuckling. “I want you by my side always. You are my wife, and I love you very much. You should be just as much part of this as I am, especially since I know you have a special place in your heart for my father.”
“Then, of course, I will come.” I smiled, kissing him on the cheek.
We went through the rest of the day folding, clamping, and hanging the suits on the shelves. Maria and I were like speed demons when it came to getting things done, so we were more than happy that Nathan came down and wanted to help. When we were done, we stepped back and looked at our handiwork. The place actually looked like a real store, and it sent excitement bubbling all over my body. Just a few more touches like the art mural and the rugs, and this place will be ready to go for Christmas holiday shoppers. Nathan walked up behind me and kissed me on the forehead, signaling it was time to go so we could get ready. Maria agreed that she was done for the day so we all rode back in Nathan’s car. It was starting to be that exciting time in San Diego where lights were going up for the holidays and Hawaiian shirt-clad Santa Claus’s could be seen on every corner.
When we got to the house, we changed into our fine dining clothing and headed out for the restaurant. When we arrived, Noah was already sitting at the table, sipping his glass of water. He looked even more frail and ill than he did the other day, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to make it long enough to see his company rise or fall.
The dinner felt awkward, and everyone sat around the table in silence, picking at our personal appetizers and sipping our drinks. Nathan ordered a double whiskey on the rocks, and I got a martini, while Mr. Landers stuck with his water. I wanted to ask him if he was on any kind of treatment, but I knew it was none of my business, and I didn’t want to upset him or the situation any more than it already was. Nathan reached down and squeezed my hand as he sat up straight and cleared his throat.
“For many, many years,” Nathan began. “As far back as I can remember, running your company and bringing it to greater heights was my dream. As a young boy, I would sit back and imagine what it would be like to be as good in business as you were. And in the end, I found that it was very lonely. I had big dreams for the company, but dreams change, and so do people. I’ve grown so much over the last year. You would be proud of everything I have accomplished. I’ve learned how to take a deep breath and realized that I am way happier without the weight of that company on my shoulders. With that weight gone, I have been able to put my talents in other areas, and my wife, Ronni, and I have been busy working on building our own empire. The things we have been able to do with our combined knowledge have been leaps and bounds above what I expected, and we still don’t wake up in the morning feeling stressed and lonely. So, for those reasons, I want to respectfully decline your offer for me to take back over the business.”
Nathan took a drink of his whiskey and watched as his father’s face hardened. As Mr. Landers opened his mouth to protest Nathan’s lack of interest in saving the company, Nathan put his hand up and shook his head. He swallowed his whiskey hard and smiled at the waitress as she set his food down in front of him.
“I’m not done,” he said, wincing at the after bite from the liquor. “I don’t understand why you are so obsessed with keeping the company busy. It can’t be for the money. You are dying, Nick is running from federal prison, and I have my own money. Don’t you have enough money? Your bank accounts and investments total so much that you could live six lifetimes and still not run out. Is it about the power? If so, that would be a change, because until now you didn’t want the power. You were the guy sitting back and just letting things go with the flow. You trusted me to do the right thing, but I didn’t even realize what the right thing was until last night. While you are over there still striving for more, pushing for a better company, a stronger bottom line, and a company that will stand the test of time, everyone else is moving on with their lives. Wouldn’t it be better to let this go in its glory and try to enjoy the time you have left, without the stress of a company and legacy? None of those things will be worth shit when you aren’t there to enjoy them.”
Nathan stopped and took another drink of his whiskey. Mr. Landers sat in his chair, staring down at his food. His face did not portray anger, but instead, showed a deep sadness I hadn’t seen in years. He had clung to that company because it was built with Mrs. Landers at his side. It was their idea and their hard work that pushed the company to greatness in the first place. I realized that this never actually had anything to do with money or legacy. It had to do with grief and the inability to let go. Mr. Landers wanted to fix the company because it was the only thing he had left of his wife.
“Look, Dad,” Nathan said, setting down his drink and putting his hand on his father’s shoulder. Go home and really think about it. If you agree and you want to dissolve the company, I will help you. I will take the reins, dissolve the company, sell the assets, and let you retire in peace. The payout, even after the 401Ks and the pensions we are obligated to pay, I’m sure there is enough in there that you will never have to want for anything. “
The rest of the dinner was quiet, but I could tell that Nathan had touched Mr. Landers by figuring out exactly what I already knew. It was time to let go.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Nathan
As we sat there quietly eating our dinner, I thought about how proud I was for making the choice to go in the direction that I knew was best. It took a lot of courage to stand up to my father, and it was the first time that I had ever done it. Through the years, I had folded to every single one of his wishes.
Our father was like a god to us growing up. This man could turn nothing into gold. We were taught to always listen to him, take his advice whether we wanted to or not, and be there anytime he needed anything. I lived my life feeling like I was the only one that could keep the family and the business on the right track, and letting that burden go was extremely hard. I wanted my father to be proud of me, to look at me as someone he could come to, lean on, and know that he could count on me to do what he thought was best. The problem with that was, when I got older, I was still living my life based on what my father thought was best for him, not what I thought was best for me. So, without thinking I dove into the life that had been laid out for me since birth and engrossed myself so much in that life that I didn’t even have time to see the world around me. When I met Ronni, that world that had been built for me started to crumble away, and the world I wanted to build for myself began to take shape.
I didn’t tell my father to dissolve the company because that was in my best interest. For all intents and purposes, he could have easily gone out and hired someone to do the job that I wouldn’t. But I told my father that it was the best choice because I truly believed that it was. He needed to be free from this burden, especially now that he was quickly losing time. I wanted to see him flourish in the last days, months, or however long he had left, without sitting in his office and stressing over a legacy that wouldn’t matter once he was gone. Sure, he could sell the company, but I knew that wouldn’t do any good. He would still keep himself engrossed in what was going on with it. It would kill him more to watch someone else change his company into their own, than watch Nick take it down in a blaze of glory.
I watched my father across the table as we finished our desserts, and I asked for the check. His face was solemn, and I could see the anguish in every glance. It was not what he thought he wanted, and he wasn’t happy with my choice to turn him down, but he knew there was no way, at this point, he could fight me on it. In reality, he was tired. He was tired of missing my mother, he was tired of fighting his children, and he was tired of living half of a life.
He had done it for so long that it hadn’t even hit him until he was given a death sentence. So, facing the end, he clung to the only thing he had left, a company that would hold no meaning for anyone once he was gone. It made me sad to think that he didn’t feel that he had his own sons to go to instead of holding on to his own company for dear life. I know he didn’t like my opinion or offer, but I could only hope that when he got home, he really took a hard look at himself and his life and made peace with letting the company go. At this point, he was the only one that could make this decision. I had spoken my mind, and now, I would have to wait and see what he decided.
When dinner was over, I hugged my father and kissed him on the cheek before getting him into the limo and sending him back home. As we drove back to the house, many thoughts flew through my mind, but I was distracted by Ronni’s beautiful face. She reached over and grabbed my hand, pulling it into her lap. I could tell she had questions, especially since it was the first time she had heard my decision as well.
“How did you come to the conclusion that you did?” she asked.
“My first instinct this entire time was to jump right in and do exactly what my father wanted. My whole life, that is exactly what I did, and the thought of making any other decision, with his life coming to an end, made me feel so damn guilty. Then, when I went for that walk on the beach, I let it all work through my mind. I thought about my father taking Nick and me to the beach as kids. I thought about how much love he gave us on a daily basis. I thought about how he always pushed us to be better, smarter, and stronger. I thought about everything going on in his life right now, and then, I stopped in my tracks and stared at this adorable little family walking down the beach. The father had put his son on his shoulders and grabbed his wife’s hand. They looked perfect, happy, and prepared to face the world.”
“Did that make you think even more about your own father’s role in your life when you were younger?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head and smiling. “It made me think about the future I really wanted. It made me answer those questions you gave me before I walked out to the beach. I knew if I took that job at my father’s firm, I would have no time for anything, especially a family. And I don’t know your thoughts, but a family is what I really want with you, Ronni. I want to start a family together. A family we can build together, just like the empire we are building.”
I looked over at Ronni and held her hand tighter. I could see how touched she really was with the decision I had made. Tears were flooding her eyes, and she sniffled, trying to hold them back. Ronni knew what it felt like to never have someone there making choices that were for her. She knew how it felt to be running in circles with no way out. Now, she knew what it felt like to have a man in her life that truly appreciated and loved her for everything she was. I wanted a life with Ronni, not a half marriage where I was always gone.
When we pulled up to the house, I went around to Ronni’s side of the car and helped her out of the car. She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned up, kissing me hard. Tears flowed down her face, and she laughed as I reached down and picked her up, cradling her in my arms. She laid her face on my shoulder as I walked her up the sidewalk and into the house. Maria wasn’t home, having gone to the salsa club with her boyfriend, and I gently set Ronni down on the floor, grabbing her hand and leading her back to the bedroom.
I shut the door behind us and leaned in, kissing her neck softly as I unbuttoned her blouse. As I slid her top off her shoulders, I kissed her collarbone and down her skin, tasting the saltiness of her body. I reached back behind her back and undid her bra, spilling her breasts out and pulling her close into me. As our mouths connected and our tongues explored, I unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the floor.
I stepped back away from her, holding her hand and smiling at her beautiful body. I pulled my shirt over my head and took off my shorts, tossing them to the side. I stepped forward and picked Ronni back up off the floor and turned around, laying her gently on the bed, her head pressed into the pillow. Slowly, I pulled her panties down and off and pulled my boxers to the floor before crawling over the bed and running my lips down her tanned supple skin.
As my kisses grazed her, goosebumps peppered her body, and she reached up, running her fingers through my hair. I loved her touch more than anything in the entire world. As I moved downward, I sucked lightly on her nipples, massaging her breasts with my hands. She breathed heavily beneath me as I worshipped every inch of her body. I turned and moved down to her legs, lifting her ankles to my lips and kissing softly down past the knee and onto her thigh.
I could feel the tension building as my lips moved closer and closer to her wet mound. I laid down on my stomach and pushed her legs apart, pushing my finger through her folds. Feeling her soft lips against my fingers, I moved forward, running my tongue through the juices and up around her nub. She moaned softly, her voice taking a higher octave, something I never heard from her before, but I definitely wanted to hear again. My tongue ran over her pussy, bringing her body to a point where she could no longer help but sway her hips to the motion of my mouth. She tasted amazing, and as I pressed my fingers inside of her, I thought about the way my shaft was going to feel inside her tight wetness. My cock was hard and throbbing beneath me, but I wasn't going to give in to its needs. I wanted this woman to really know how I felt about her. I slid my fingers slowly in and out, as her hips continued to move in a melodic motion. Her high-pitched moans sent chills down my back, and I pulled my tongue up to her clit and began to suck and nibble on it. She giggled between sighs as her body prepared for the orgasm that was coming.
I dove face first into her juices and rubbed my mouth all through her lips and back up to her clit. I opened wide, caressing her nub with my tongue and kissing her pussy like I kissed her mouth. She reached down and grabbed my hair, feeling the heat of her orgasm getting stronger and stronger as the seconds passed. I moved my fingers out of her and stuck my tongue where they had been, giving her a completely different sensation than before. She breathed heavily above me, pushing her pussy harder into my mouth. I wanted so badly to taste her as she came so I buckled down, replaying the same pattern with my tongue over and over again while fingering her slowly and deeply. I could hear her moans getting faster and needier as my tongue slipped through her juices in the pattern of a figure eight. She moved her hands from my hair and reached around, grabbing her sheets and holding on tightly.
I could feel her body begin to tense as she reached the edge of the cliff. I instantly began moving my fingers faster and faster until she exploded over the edge. Her body shook and shuddered underneath me, and she reached up, grabbing my hair as her legs pulsated against my head. I could taste her warm juices running from her tight pussy as the orgasm washed over her. She laid there, breathing heavily, letting the last of the sensation run its course. I loved licking her pussy, but now, it was my cock’s turn to explore.
Chapter Thirty
Ronni
I had never felt this kind of touch from Nathan before. It wasn’t lustful or needy. It was soft and kind. He was touching every part of my body with his, and I couldn’t help but feel closer to him than I ever had before. His strong hands turned gentle, and his kisses floated over me like the Hawaiian breeze in our villa. I felt no need to rush or hurry, and when he brought me to orgasm, I laid back and let the feeling flow over me like water.
He moved his body over top of me, cloaking me in his masculinity as he carefully pushed deep inside of me. His eyes locked with mine as our bodies moved in sync, feeling every inch of each other and taking our time to really know each other’s bodies. I ran my hands up his strong muscular back as he breathed heavily into my skin. Our legs intertwined as we rolled across the bed. I straddled his hard body and caressed his chest as I moved my hips melodically to the sounds of our moans. I tossed my head back, enjoying every wave of pleasure that surged through me as his body met mine.
Nathan reached up and ran his hand across my chest and up to my face. He pulled my head toward him, pressing his lips against mine and kissing me passionately as I moved up and down on his hard cock. I could hear his groans echoing through my mouth as my juices flowed down his shaft and over his balls. He moved his hands down to my waist and rolled back on top of me, wrapping my legs around his waist and pushing deep inside. He stopped for a moment, completely immersed in my body, and ran his tongue over my poised lips, tasting my sweet breath on his tongue. Slowly, he pulled his dick out until only the tip sat inside of me before pushing back in and groaning at the feeling. He gyrated his body against me like a snake, rubbing my clit with his skin and bringing me closer to pure pleasure. I reached down and grabbed his ass, holding him down on top of me as his hips swirled in circles and his cock filled me completely. I moaned loudly, not even recognizing the sounds coming from my throat. It was a completely different level of arousal, and I didn’t want it to stop.
He reached his arms under my back and lifted me up off the bed, pressing our bodies tightly together as he thrust in short bursts in and out of me. I could feel my body reaching the tipping point of orgasm, and as my muscles began to tense, he laid me down and thrust deep and long inside of my wet mound. I arched my back and threw my head backward, closing my eyes tightly and letting out a squeal of ecstasy as my body erupted in orgasm. The waves ran through me at a speed I could barely stand, and I felt his hands clenching my sides as he pushed down deep inside of me and allowed himself to release. As his lungs expelled, he growled deeply, his body feeling the release of his seed. His cock pulsated hard inside, and I could feel every single part of his orgasm. His eyes became heavy, and his head bobbed as he laid gently down on top of me, his head resting on my breasts.
I reached down and stroked his hair as we both fought to control our wildly beating hearts. That was the most erotic experience of my life, and instead of my normal, lustful satisfaction, I felt extraordinarily close to Nathan. Our bodies had connected in a way they never had before. As he got his footing, Nathan rolled to the side and pulled his body up next to mine. He pushed the hair back out of my face and held my cheeks while he kissed me gently. I could see the same look in his eyes then, that he had the first time he told me he loved me. Only this time, I was fully his with no drama, no secrets, and no one there to try to keep us apart. Everything that had happened before had led us to this moment, and we had found solace, love, and friendship in each other’s arms.
“I love you so much, Ronni,” he whispered, still holding my face. “And I will love you for the rest of my life.”
“I love you too, Nathan,” I responded with a smile I couldn’t hold back.
He kissed me again and rolled onto his back, pulling me onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close, lying there and enjoying the silent bond between us. I rubbed his chest gently, feeling the peace in the room around us. The stress of the past few days was still there, but together, we were able to handle them with strength and class. It was definitely no secret that we were better as a team than we were apart, and I could never imagine a day without him. I knew he was hurting, knowing his father was very close to the end of his life, but he had made a decision that would leave him without regret. He had done the best for his father, for himself, and for his family, and I was so very proud of him. I only hoped that Noah went home and really understood how much Nathan loved him. They may not show it in a normal, conventional way, but their bond was still there, and they still cared about each other so very much. I yawned deeply, feeling the exhaustion of the day’s emotions flooding over me.
Nathan looked down and smiled, his eyes getting droopy himself. Before either of us could fall asleep, we heard the humming of Nathan’s phone on the floor. Nathan grunted as he pulled himself out of bed and pulled his phone from the pocket of his shorts. He looked at me strangely as he answered the phone, and I couldn’t tell if it was concern or excitement. I sat up in the bed, alarmed by his initial reaction, and watched as he began to pace the room.
“Dad,” he said, answering. “Everything okay?”
Nathan listened, shaking his head and saying “okay” several times. He stopped and took in a deep breath, his face falling to a serious expression. I could hear his father’s voice on the other line, but it wasn’t the normal angry tone that I was used to. This was a tone I hadn’t heard since I was a little girl, staying in the bedroom next to theirs after my mother and father had died. It was a fatherly, loving tone that had endeared me to that man from the beginning.
“I understand,” Nathan said into the phone. “I’m really happy for you, Dad. And I can’t wait to hear all about it. I’ll talk to you soon.”
He paused, listening, and glanced up at me with a smile.
“Okay,” he said, chuckling. “I’ll let her know. Bye.”
Nathan hung up the phone and stared at me in amazement. He smiled as he walked over to the window and looked out at the road. I wrapped the sheet around me and grabbed his boxers, handing them to him and glancing down at the street. He looked down at his naked body and jumped back from the window, laughing. He was in such a daze that he didn’t realize he was flashing the entire neighborhood. This daze, though, was completely different than before, and I could sense a sincere peacefulness surging through him.
“Okay,” I said impatiently. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“That was my father,” he said, rubbing his hand through his hair. “He, uh, he said that he went home and really did some soul searching. He said he talked to Mom, he talked to God, he talked to himself, and in the end, he knew what he needed to do. He agreed with my suggestion and wants me to go ahead and start the process of dissolving the company. He realized his intentions were selfish, and it would be a terrible legacy to leave a broken company for his family to clean up. He said that he wants to spend the rest of the time he has left on this earth traveling around, seeing the world. He told me that he realized that he had been lonely and empty for far too long, and he wanted a new adventure to close out his amazing life on this earth. He told me to tell you he was sorry, that he was a monster, and that he really does love you.”
Instantly, tears began to flood from my eyes, and I walked over and laid my face against Nathan’s shoulder. I could hear his heart beating fast and his breath catching in his throat. He took a deep breath and looked down at me.
“He told me he was proud of me,” he said, tears running down his cheeks. “In the end, I’m just as proud of him. It was that strength that I've known him to have our whole lives. I just was waiting for it to come back out. It had been in hiding for a very long time.”
I hugged Nathan tightly, and he pressed his face into my neck, calming his soul. He pulled back, wiped the tears from his face, and grabbed his shirt. He kissed me hard, over and over again, on the lips, and I giggled loudly.
“What are you doing?” I laughed.
“I want to get this started for him,” he said. “I don’t want it to be something looming over him.”
“Okay,” I said, smiling. “I’ll be here when you’re done.”
“I love you,” he said before turning and walking from the room.
“I love you, too,” I whispered.
I climbed back in the bed and laid there, staring at the ceiling and thinking about my future. I always knew I wanted a business, and now I had one with the man I loved. But even more exciting than building an empire, was the thought of building a family with the man I love. Having those loving arms wrapped around me and our children was a new dream for me, but something I craved to have with Nathan more than anything else. I knew he was going to be a phenomenal father as well as an amazing husband for the rest of my life. Just the vision of the beautiful babies we could have, made me want to get started right away on a family. If my parents could see us now, they would be so excited to know that they would be grandparents. Part of me was sad that I would never share that with them, but the other part of me knew they were there somewhere, guiding me, watching over me, and smiling down at the kind of woman I had turned into.
Bringing a new life into this world and forging an even stronger bond with Nathan was something that I just couldn’t help but smile about. I ran my hands over my belly, thinking about the last few days and thinking that for all I knew, there could be a life starting inside of me as we spoke. The spark of light that turned into a beautiful person could be happening already, and that child would be a child of love and laughter. The child would have been made from pure love of two people that happened to find each other in the strangest place. I knew right then that I had found my happily ever after, and I was never going to let it go.
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Turn ahead to read “RESCUE ME” - A Bad Boy Romance!
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