Ashley
He loved me. I woke up sore in ways that should have angered me because he hadn’t exactly been gently last night. We’d barely gotten any sleep because Sebastian was a very demanding lover. I wanted him all over again, but I was sure my body would protest another round. After carefully sliding out of bed, I pulled a nightgown out of a drawer then walked into the kitchen to cook.
Bacon, eggs, homemade biscuits, and coffee later, I felt rather than heard him enter the room. Those arms wrapping around my waist made me forget how hungry I was, and I turned to raise my lips to his. After a very passionate kiss, he rested his forehead against mine.
“Feed me, woman, I think I’ve used up every ounce of energy I had last night.” His hands gripped my ass, pressing me against his obvious hard on, and I was sure he had a few more rounds in him. Already I was wet, and some sanity had to rule here, or we’d never leave my bedroom.
“Go sit down at the table and I’ll bring you a plate.” This man was going to kill me with his appetite and I wasn’t talking about food. With a sad little puppy dog look on his face, he walked away and I laughed. This was how waking up every morning should be.
I piled his plate with all the fixings, and brought him a cup of coffee, black, just like he liked it. Sitting it down in front of him, he grabbed my ass, pulling me onto his lap. “If you don’t let me eat, I won’t be able to keep up with you.” Insatiable man!
“If this didn’t smell so incredible, I’d feed you something else.” Lifting me off his lap, he popped my ass lightly and smirked. “Go grab your plate, lover, because I need you ready to serve me a different way.”
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or be cross with him. I still didn’t like the dirty talk, but for him, I might make an exception. When I walked into the kitchen, I grabbed my food and coffee, and joined him at the table.
I was starving or the small sensual looks he gave me when he raised his head would have made me toss the food on the floor and straddle him. The thought made me blush. What was happening to that conservative woman I always thought I was?
After eating half the food on my plate, I was finally full and decided to give a little payback to him making me crave what his eyes promised. I stuck my finger in the strawberry preserves on the table, then I slowly licked away the sweet stickiness, meeting his eyes and grinning. Being more adventurous than I ever thought I could be, I used my fingers in the soft butter, opened a biscuit and rubbed it over the bread.
“I’ll butter those biscuits for you if you don’t stop teasing me, lover.” His soft growl made me grin, and I hoped he didn’t think that was a threat.
“Why Mr. Church, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Batting my eyelashes and trying not to giggle, I picked up a piece of bacon and slid it into my mouth before biting down. There was a sensual woman inside me, and all it took was Sebastian to finally bring it out.
The savage look in his eyes warned me I was pushing him to his breaking point and I felt a huge surge of ego that I could make this gorgeous man want me. I wasn’t prepared for him to push back his chair, grab me out of mine and place me back on it sitting up.
“Spread those sexy legs, lover, I’m going to make a meal out of you.” I didn’t think, only reacted to his harsh command. I wasn’t afraid. When he pushed me back spreading me wider, I leaned on my elbows, watching him with a curious grin.
Two fingers slid into the preserves and with a smirk he spread me wide, then lathered my folds with the sticky goodness. My eyes widened in shock. He wouldn’t? I cried out in ecstasy when he proved he would. That tantalizing tongue licking me clean and making me so wet I could barely catch my breath.
“Strawberry pussy, I think it might be my favorite new flavor.” He lifted his head to meet my eyes briefly then returned to plunging inside my aching chamber until I screamed out my pleasure. When I came back to earth, he’d sat down in his chair, naked as the day he was born and continued eating.
That would never do. I could play that game as well as he could. Snatching up the preserves, I slathered my fingers in it, then kneeled at his feet, pushing his legs apart. “I think a little payback might be in order.” He looked shocked as I coated his huge rod and groaned as I lowered my mouth to suckle him.
“Fuck me, lover. Where did my sweet little innocent go?” His hand grabbed my hair, turning it into a ponytail and guided me up and down his thickness until I felt the first drops of his essence slide down my throat. Sweet and salty, it was a delicious combination and I drank him down greedily.
Licking my lips as I pulled free, I couldn’t help the cocky smile that found my face. “I’ll have to make you breakfast more often.”
“We’ve made quite the mess.” He chuckled, pulling me into his lap. I wanted every day to be like this and couldn’t care less that we’d destroyed the dining room table. It was an easy fix. “Let’s clean this up, then each other, and maybe get dirty again.”
After forcing myself out of his arms, I went to grab some cleaning supplies, and he brought the broom and dustpan. There was something to be said about working together this way and giving each other little looks that promised pleasure when the task was done. Did that make me a domestic goddess? That term finally made more sense. Giggling as we ran off to the bathroom to shower when we were finished, I decided to keep that definition.
We made love in the shower, again in bed, and finally when I didn’t think my legs would hold me up any longer, took a nap together. Sebastian Church was going to be the death of me and I was looking forward to every minute of it.
Hours later, we woke up and made love again. “I’ve got to get you out of this house, lover.” He chuckled and sent me to take another shower, telling me he’d go next. I’d done the impossible, worn him out. It was an incredible feeling.
After we’d dressed, he told me he was taking me into town, and I wanted to argue that I was happy right here, but he had his serious face on. With a sigh, I gave in and he chuckled. “Wasn’t it you that told me sex doesn’t fix everything?”
I vaguely remembered saying something like that, but was surprised he did. “Are we broken?” He’d told me he loved me, agreed to get married, even wanted babies, so I wasn’t sure what he meant.
“No, we’re not, but I want it all Ashely. I meant what I said about being greedy. For all we know my baby is growing inside you, and I won’t let our child be born without us being married.” I had to bite back a laugh over his words, because where was the Sebastian who didn’t care what people thought? I did grin.
“Are you sure you’ll even want me when I’m big and fat?” I was teasing him, but I did worry that me being pregnant might change how he felt about making love to me. “We could always do the morning after pill again.”
The look on his face was outraged, and even though I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, I took a step back. “I meant what I said. I want a house full of kids. Tell me you want that, too?”
“Of course, I want that, but I’m selfish, and I like the idea of having you all to myself for a while.” Was I losing my mind? The thought of having to share Sebastian with anyone made me jealous. I probably needed my head examined.
“I like that a lot, lover.” Pulling me into his arms he held me tightly. “Why don’t we let nature decide what happens, though? I don’t want to risk pissing the big man off upstairs anymore.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in that?”
“I was bitter and angry, Ashley. My mother was killed by a deacon in church. He was someone we both cared about and trusted.” Her sweet hazel eyes filled with tears of compassion, and I loved her even more for caring about me that way. “It’s time I forgive him, and God, then let that pain go. The man is serving a life sentence and he’ll have to deal with judgement when he’s dead.”
I clung to him, wishing I could take his pain away. I understood how he felt. I’d harbored resentment after my granny passed away too, but I’d overcome it. “I’m proud of you for that. I know I’ve been blessed to find you, Sebastian, and maybe things happen for reasons we don’t understand?”
“Enough of this sentimental crap. I want a ring on your finger, lover. We can either get you one here or fly back home and pick something out.” His words reminded me that we had a lot of things to work out. I knew he couldn’t give up his business in New York, but I didn’t want to sell my house here, either. The job I could put in notice for.
“I’ll live with you, but I want this place for vacations.” I’d never be able to give up my granny’s home.
“Then we’ll keep it. I’m sure there is someone we can pay to maintain it, if you don’t want to rent it out.” I knew my granny’s best friend Joe Ann loved the place, and would be a great caretaker.
We agreed to go talk to her together and then go to my favorite jewelry shop in town. It wouldn’t have all the fancy rings we could find in the big city, but that didn’t matter to me. All I wanted was this man by my side, and the life we were going to build together.
“I don’t want a big wedding.” I still didn’t like huge groups of people, and I knew I’d have to adjust to that working with Sebastian, but not for my wedding.
“You may be the only woman in the world who doesn’t.” He grinned at me as we walked out of the store with a ring that I fell in love with at first sight. It was a 1 Carat Diamond Claddagh, and reminded me of one of my favorite shows. It was even more memorable because he’d knelt in the shop and asked me to marry him. There was a romantic hidden inside of Sebastian he’d never revealed.
“All I want is you. I’m happy with going to the courthouse.” I was worried my billionaire fiancé wouldn’t go for that, but his face lit up at the idea, and we drove from the shop to the courthouse to obtain our license. We had to make an appointment for Friday, which was a few days away.
With all that taken care of, we drove by my work and I put in my two-week notice. I introduced the friends I’d made to Sebastian and the women were looking at him in ways that had me sheathing my claws. He was mine. Of course, he teased me about my possessiveness and I showed him exactly how bad it could get when we arrived home. We made love for hours before I felt like he remembered where he belonged. In fairness, he’d not looked twice at any of them.
After two days of pre-wedding bliss, Tom called and I explained that I was getting married. The sweet man I thought might be a part of my life until Sebastian showed up was livid. I was given a litany of reasons why I shouldn’t go through with the ceremony and only when Sebastian grabbed the phone to hang up did they stop.
“I’m firing him when I return home.” I wasn’t the only jealous one in this relationship and I was quick to let him know it was wrong to terminate employment on someone just because they had the hots for his future wife. We ended up in bed again.
I was shocked when I woke up the next day and Deshawn, Matteo, and Trisha were sitting in my living room. How was I supposed to feel about this? I knew they all played a very important role in our relationship but none of it was positive. I didn’t let them know that I had mixed feelings, but I pulled Sebastian into the bedroom when I could and explained he should have asked me first.
“We needed witnesses.” His reply had no validation and I rolled my eyes.
“The courthouse would have provided those. Trisha hates me, and Deshawn pawned me off like merchandise.” I didn’t like being angry with him, but I also refused to be a pushover.
“You’re right, I should have asked. We’ll all be working together, though. Unless you want me to fire every one of them?” The fact that he was willing to do that killed my rising temper tantrum instantly.
“That’s crazy. I don’t want anyone losing their jobs over me.” He’d obviously had good intentions no matter how off their executions were. I was seriously going to have to work with him to make sure he understood that our personal lives couldn’t hurt business. Thankfully, we had a lifetime to do that.
“You are the only thing that matters to me.” He kissed me and I forgot what we were fighting about.
“Are we getting married, or not?” A firm knock on the door and Trisha’s curt words, put my mind in the back place. It was obvious she was hoping not from her tone, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of ruining my wedding day.
“We’ll be out after we dress.” Sebastian took over, and I was glad, because suddenly I was a bundle of nerves. I slid on a white dress I’d bought for the occasion, it was nothing fancy but made it feel a little more like a real ceremony. Sebastian looked dashing in his three-piece black suit, and I couldn’t wait for our honeymoon.
“If you keep looking at me that way, we’re never leaving this bedroom.” That was fine with me and I walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck.
“We could just live in sin.” Grinning, I felt the nervousness dissipate and desire take over.
“You will make an honest man out of me.” A huge grin spread over his handsome face and I laughed. We kissed but barely, he was serious about this wedding even though I already felt like we belonged to each other.
“Fine. If you won’t make love to me, let’s go get married.” Pulling out of his arms, I lifted my chin stubbornly and walked back into the living room. It was more than awkward having the three of them here, but I was turned on and my mind was all on having Sebastian later. Thankfully, we took separate cars to the courthouse.
I know my granny was probably looking down from heaven on Sebastian’s side about this wedding, but I already felt married to him in my heart. He wanted this piece of paper, so I’d give it to him, but true love was more than marriage to me. I was going to do my best to make him happy and enjoy every day we had together.
That thought left the minute we were standing in front of the judge and he began the ceremony. I believed it wouldn’t mean anything but as I pledged to honor, obey and be with him in sickness and help, and he gave the same pledge to me, my heart felt full. Tears slid down my cheeks as we said I do, and I didn’t want to ever stop kissing him when we were giving permission.
Deshawn’s laughter and Trisha’s groan of dismay was the only reason I pulled back. We were married. Sebastian Church was my husband! It was overwhelming, and without doubt, the best day of my life. I couldn’t even be mad at the trio that was there to witness the event.
“I have a little surprise for you, love,” he whispered in my ear as we left the courthouse. The rest of the world slipped away when it was the two of us alone, and I wasn’t sure what could be better than the wedding we’d had. To me, that small ceremony was the most incredible thing in the world.
“One that involves making love to you all night long?” That’s all I wanted now. I had the man of my dreams, and the promise of a long life together.
“There’s that, but I think that’s your gift to me.” He pulled the car over, and took a silk sash out of the glove-compartment. “Do you trust me?”
I’d just married the man, what did he think? “You know I do.” I grinned and gave him a confused look. I had no idea what he was up to.
He leaned forward and tied the sash around my eyes, then put the car in motion again. “Sit back and enjoy the ride then.”
My heart raced in anticipation, and I hoped wherever he was taking me wasn’t far away. I liked this blindfold thing because it heightened my senses. “Are we going to make love with this thing on? Because the idea is kind of sexy.” I laughed and flushed, admitting the truth.
“My dirty little girl, if that’s what you want, I’ll definitely share in that fantasy. Now hush and let me drive.” He chuckled and I forced myself to sit back, but I wasn’t blindly giving in. Reaching my hand over, I found his shaft through his pants, and stroked. He rose to the occasion quite nicely.
“Mrs. Church, whatever am I going to do with you?” Hearing him address me that way made me want him even more. Taking off my seatbelt, I unzipped his pants, reaching my hand inside and stroked flesh on flesh. “You know that’s illegal, right?” He growled as I pulled his length free and lowered my mouth to suckle him. “Fuck!”
“That’s exactly what I want.” I lifted off him to speak those words then continued my seduction. He’d turned me into a woman I barely recognized and I loved every minute of it. He twitched in my hand and I knew how close he was to coming, so was shocked when he pulled me off.
“We’re here, but I’m going to finish what you started soon.” His tone was harsh, but I knew it was because I’d had him right on the edge. I couldn’t stop the small laugh that left my lips. “Woman, paybacks a bitch.” He gave a chuckle and I felt the car engine turn off, and heard him adjusting his clothes.
His door opened and shut, then mine opened, and he lifted me into his arms. “I hope you’re ready to keep that promise.” I was ready to take him right there, so if he’d put me down I was happy to prove my intentions. As I clung to him, I pressed my lips against his throat and licked.
“Can you behave for five minutes?” He chuckled and I had no idea why he was being so standoffish.
“Everything is ready, Mr. Church.”
We had company, and I flushed bright red. Didn’t I look like the little trollop making out with my husband in front of someone else?
I felt myself being lifted, as in upstairs, and was finally curious about where he was taking me. I was lowered onto a soft cushion and my mind couldn’t come up with any ideas. “Can I take this off now?” I needed to see where he was taking me.
“Don’t you dare.” His threat was laced with humor and I wasn’t getting the joke. I felt his hands wrap around my waist and heard the buckle of a seatbelt. “I’ll be right back, so don’t move.” His lips came down on mine firmly and I wanted more but he pulled back quickly.
Frustrated by his strange behavior, and having my vision obscured, I wasn’t feeling very patient. It felt like he was gone a long time, but that could be attributed at being lost in the dark. I was about done with the blindfold thing.
“Now, where were we?” His voice made me jump, and I heard the sexy chuckle that made my skin tingle. Strong hands raised the hem of my dress, and I lifted my hips without thought helping him push it to my waist. “Lift again, Mrs. Church.” I felt his hands on my panties and didn’t need to be told twice. They were eased down my legs and over my heels.
After spreading my legs wide, he wasted no time coming between them with his mouth and loving my body until I came with a soft cry of ecstasy. Not being able to see made me feel every stroke of his tongue more intensely. My seatbelt was undone, and I heard the sound of his zipper sliding down, knowing where this was going.
“I should wait, but I need you now!” He lifted me into his lap, my legs straddling him and I felt him guide his huge length inside. I pressed down hard impaling myself fully and felt a strange lurch that reminded me of something but I couldn’t place it.
“Fuck me like you mean it.” He gripped my hips and whatever was happening in the outside world no longer mattered. I couldn’t get enough of him and rode him with abandon, it felt like the ground had fallen out below us and I still didn’t care about anything other than making our bodies sing.
I came hard and he still was maneuvering my body to take his rhythm bringing another orgasm to the surface. As I clung to him desperately, I attempted to keep up, not sure my body could do that again, but he proved me wrong and I felt his seed against my womb. He ripped my blindfold off and I knew now we were on his plane.
“How was that for a takeoff?” He kissed me again, and I returned it.
“Maybe we should do that every time we fly.” I certainly hadn’t been nervous that time. My mind had been fully occupied on loving him. “Wait a minute, where are we going? I have to be at work tomorrow.” He was still inside me, and I’ll admit, work was the last thing I cared about.
“We bought the company, and they have someone covering your spot.” He what? I wasn’t sure whether to hug of slap him. The man had no boundaries. In the end, I decided he was uncontrollable, and I laughed.
“I guess that’s one way to get a vacation.” Rolling my eyes, I lifted off him with a moan. Even soft the man did something to my body I couldn’t explain. “So where are we going?”
“That’s the surprise, the other was just a bonus.” He stood up and adjusted his clothes, and I hated seeing him dressed. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Church. Where we’re going, we can stay naked all week.” He winked and I was really confused now. Where could we go that didn’t require clothes?
Several hours later, we landed on what looked like a private airstrip in the middle of an island. “Where are we?”
“Marilyn Isle. It belonged to my mother.” We stepped off the plane and a dune buggy was waiting with a handsome African male smiling and waving. He walked over and Sebastian gave him a warm greeting, which was surprising.
“It’s so good to see you again, my friend. This is my beautiful wife, Ashley. Ashley this is Shemar. He takes care of this place for me.” Instead of shaking hands, Shemar hugged me and I returned it.
“I’ve waited a long time to see him return to the isle. You must be an incredible woman.” Shemar took our bags from the pilot, which I hadn’t packed anything so was confused, and put them in the buggy. Ushering us into the vehicle, he drove us into the tropical oasis and my mouth fell open. Surrounded by palms and white beaches, the salty air filled my lungs and I was instantly mesmerized.
“It’s breathtaking.” I couldn’t imagine anyone every leaving this place. When I saw the house I knew I’d landed inside some fairytale. It was a three-story, white-washed mansion that was stunning architecturally since it was built into a large mountain. “How can you not want to be here every waking minute?” I turned to Sebastian, still enthralled.
“This was our summer house. Shemar and I spent every summer and holiday here playing together as children.” I understood without him explaining anything else. He hadn’t set foot inside a church since his mother died or here. It was like he was hiding from the memories being in familiar places with her made him recall.
“You and the missus can fill this place with lots of little people to make it a happy place again.” Shemar drove us in front of the mansion and pulled to a stop. “My mother and wife have longed to see you again. I have two little people of my own now.”
It broke my heart knowing he’d given up this part of his life, and apparently, it had been years if he didn’t know his friend had children. A full-figured woman ran down the steps with two little kids trailing behind her. She was beautiful with her cocoa-colored skin and a bright smile on her face. “My boy, you’ve stayed gone too long! Come give me some love.” To see Sebastian running into the woman’s arms made tears of joy fill my eyes.
He picked her up and spun her before putting her down. “It’s been way too long, Mama Jalissa.” He kissed her cheek and she swatted him lightly.
“Don’t go picking me up and straining that back. I should be cross with you, but I’ll forgive you since you brought a beautiful wife home.” She held out her arms for me and I felt embarrassed but walked into them for a hug. “We’re going to fatten this one up so she gives you beautiful babies.”
“Not too much, she’s beautiful just the way she is.” Sebastian put his arm around me, and I swear, it was like being with a completely different man. He seemed so carefree and at home here.
“These are my babies, Dante and Corine.” They were hiding behind Jalissa peeking out with their beautiful faces. I waved to them and the little girl giggled while Dante held onto his grandmother’s skirt. “You’ll meet my wife later. She’s taking a nap.”
“Because you keep putting babies in her belly.” Jalissa shook her finger at him. “I love my grandbabies but you need to stop populating the island.”
Sebastian threw back his head and laughed and I loved seeing him this way. “Maybe my wife can take over now so you won’t have to fill this place up.” I was shocked when Shemar tackled him and they rolled around in the sand like teenagers.
“Best let them get it out of their systems.” Jalissa grinned and I couldn’t stop laughing. “I’ll give you a tour of the house while they catch up.” The transformation in him was amazing, but I was curious about the inside of the mansion.
It didn’t disappoint. Instead, it made me more in awe of the place. Everything was done in soft pastel colors, even the furniture. The mansion was so airy and light it made you want to soak it all in and never leave again. We would be spending all our free time here.
Shemar’s children seemed to warm up to me as she took me through the huge kitchen, movie room, dining area, and finally to our bedroom. The little boy even held out his hands and I picked him up. “Don’t be spoiling him or he’ll want you holding him all day, that one.” Jalissa grinned. I didn’t mind. The little guy didn’t weigh much, and it felt nice to be hugged.
“If you need anything at all, you let me know. We live in the guest houses by the pool.” I wondered why they didn’t live inside this huge house, but felt it wasn’t my place to ask.
“Thank you.” I didn’t know how to feel about having people wait on me. With Sebastian’s status, it was something I’d have to get used to.
“We’ll let you get settled in.” Her warm smile made me feel right at home and in a way this was my home now, too. It was hard to imagine that this place belonged to us, along with his huge penthouse in New York. I put Dante down, and they left me in peace so I sat on the bed, overwhelmed by all the changes in my life.
That’s where I was sitting when Sebastian joined me again. “Everything all right, Mrs. Church?” He lowered himself onto the bed, taking my hand in his.
“It’s more than I ever dreamed of, Sebastian.” I looked at him in awe, wondering how things had turned out so perfectly in my life.
“You’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of, lover.” A sweet kiss turned into hours of lovemaking and then a week of wedded bliss on this incredible island I could now call home.
Returning to New York was almost disappointing because it meant reality and working again. I say almost because it didn’t matter where we were, Sebastian always made sure to let me know I was the one thing that helped him find salvation again. I was sure he had saved me more.
Being his wife came with all kinds of different social responsibilities, and that was the only hard part for me. I had to force myself to be around people that were completely different from myself. I adapted and even discovered I could be a great host after all the practice I had. Even selling real-estate in the big city was proving to be fun.
Outside of Trish, my world was perfect. I was sure we’d never be friends, and even the relationship between her and Sebastian was strained as the months went by. She was still a cold fish, and my husband was beginning to see people as more than just things to be used at whim.
Tom turned in his notice to my husband, but wished me well before he left. I still thought he was a sweet man, but knew without doubt he wasn’t the right one for me. I hoped he found some woman that made him incredibly happy someday. He deserved that.
I was learning to trust Deshawn again, though, that was a slow process. Matteo had a lot to do with it, because I couldn’t resist his charm and I understood why my best friend had fallen head over heels for him. I was glad we lived in a place now that accepted their relationship better than the home we came from.
With everything that had happened in my life, I felt blessed instead of cursed now. I had the perfect husband, an incredible life and it all started because my best friend decided to pawn me off as his virginal sacrifice. Life had a funny way of turning the worst things in your world into the best gifts you could ever imagine.