Last night was different, so much different than I had originally planned. Thomas and I ate pizza, he drank a glass of red wine, and I had water. We didn’t speak of his marriage, or Danielle the rest of the evening and when it was time for bed we did nothing but cuddle. He held me close and ran his fingers through my hair, we stayed that way, silently until we both settled into sleep.

I stumble downstairs, still in my pajama shorts and a thin tank top. I’m grateful that it’s Sunday morning, and not Monday. I don’t think that I could handle going to classes today after everything that happened last night.

Thomas’ back is to me and a small whimper escapes when I see him standing at the coffee pot. He’s wearing nothing but his extremely tight black boxer briefs. Without giving it a thought, I hurry toward him and wrap my arms around his middle, pressing my cheek against the center of his back.

His hand wraps around mine at his stomach and gives me a squeeze. “You okay, sweetheart?” he asks, keeping his voice soft. I hum my reply, enjoying the warmth of his skin against my cheek and through my thin shirt too much.

Gently, he turns around in my arms and bends down, gripping my waist and picking me up. He walks us backward, planting my ass on the counter and fitting himself between my thighs. His blue eyes look directly into mine, and I can tell that he’s studying me, looking for assurance that I am indeed okay.

“How long have you been married?” I ask.

He lifts his chin and gives me a sad smile. “I knew you’d want details as soon as it all sunk in,” he murmurs.

“Should I not? Should I pretend that it isn’t this gigantic elephant in the room?” I ask, almost snottily.

Thomas lifts his hand and cups my cheek, his thumb running gently beneath my eye. I absolutely love it when he does this, and I want to let my eyelids flutter closed and lean into his touch, but I refrain.

“Whatever you’d like to know, I’ll tell you, Ines. No more secrets, no more lies, no more hiding. I’m done with it, and you deserve complete transparency.”

My lips turn into a small smile, and I have to admit that I like how open he says he’s willing to be. I just hope that it’s all the truth, and not bullshit lines. Time will tell, and I want to know it all. Call me naïve, or innocent, or stupid—but I love him, and I want this to work. I can’t imagine not being in his arms.

“How long were you married to her?” I repeat.

Thomas nods, keeping his hand against my cheek, and his hips pressed against my center. “Seventeen years,” he admits.

“That’s a long time to just walk away.”

He shakes his head. “I thought I loved her, in the beginning, I thought that I really did. Danielle used me, sweetheart. She wanted my father’s business contacts to advance her career. When that didn’t work, she pushed me away. I couldn’t get a job in the city immediately after graduate school. I tried several different places, and then eventually applied at universities, but I had little experience. When I was hired in Nebraska, I thought it would be a great fresh start for us, that we could slow down our lives a little.”

I lift my hand and wrap it around his wrist giving him a squeeze. I can see how this entire situation has affected him. I can’t imagine being used by the one person who is supposed to love me unconditionally, my spouse. It makes me think about my mother and father, about how my mother has always worked so hard and my father has always tried to scam that hard-earned money from her.

“She wouldn’t come with you?” I chance asking.

Thomas shakes his head. “She told me to go, and she would visit often. She was already gone so much for work, traveling all over the world, what did it really matter?” he shrugs.

“It matters, Thomas. You’re supposed to be living together when you’re married, not apart.”

“I agree,” he nods. “We haven’t spent much time together since I moved here five years ago. Probably less than a grand total of six months. She knew I slept around, and I assumed she did as well. It wasn’t ever a secret, and apparently, she liked it that way.”

I suck in a breath and give him a small smile. “But something changed?” I ask.

Thomas’ face breaks out into a huge grin. “Yeah, angel eyes. You changed everything. I can’t imagine not having you by my side, or in my bed.”

“I’m trying to wrap my head around it all,” I admit.

Thomas’ fingers flex against my cheek. “Nothing to wrap your head around, sweetheart. I want you. I want you for more than just some passing fling. I want you for my own, and I know that if I stayed legally bound to Danielle, that, that could never happen,” he shakes his head, sucking in a deep breath before he continues. “I was living in limbo, Ines. I was going through the motions in life. I wasn’t happy, and then I met you and it all changed. You made me see, and I desire more than the life I was living. I desire a lover, a friend, and a family.”

Tears fill my eyes. I could give him all of that, and I could do it happily, too. I love him, and I would give it all to him without a second thought.

However, is that what he wants me for only? Because I’m young enough to give him children, and she no longer is?

“Stop it,” Thomas growls. My entire body stiffens, and I realize I’ve asked those questions aloud. Dammit. “Would I love to have a family? Of course, I would. I’ve also been resigned to the fact that it will probably never happen, Ines. At my age with my situation, I’ve all but given up hope of my own children. I don’t expect you to be a baby maker, not now, and not ever. If we decide to have a family, then we do, if we don’t then I won’t just walk away from you—from us.”

His words, they’re all right and I want to believe, and trust, them. “If Danielle were different, if our situation were different, then I wouldn’t be with you and divorcing her. I would stay with her children or no children. Believe me, sweetheart, please believe me.”

His eyes hold a sadness that I’ve never seen before. The guilt he once had, has all but vanished, but I’ve hurt him by expressing my fears and that kills me. However, I can’t hide them from him either. He needs to know, he deserves to know how this entire situation is affecting me. I let my head fall forward, pressing my forehead against his bare chest and inhaling deeply before exhaling.

“This is all so much, too much,” I say, pinching my eyes closed.

Thomas’ hands gently rub up and down my back, while his lips touch the top of my head. “I know, angel eyes. I’m so fucking sorry. I should have been man enough to end this shit years ago,” he says, his voice rumbling in his chest.

Lifting my head, I look up at him. “You know, you really should have,” I mutter with unshed tears in my eyes. He gives me a sad smile, one of his hands leaving my back to wrap around the side of my neck.

“Had I known you were going to come barreling into my life, I would have, Ines. I would have ensured that I was a completely free man. I would have made damn sure that I deserved you, too.”

His words are my undoing. Lifting my arms, I place my hands on his shoulders and I lift my lips, pressing my mouth against his. My tongue sweeps across his lips and his mouth opens with a groan. I don’t waste a second, I slip my tongue into his mouth and I taste him. I feel like it’s been far too long since I’ve had his taste on my tongue and I’ve missed him—and yet, this feels brand new at the same time.

Thomas wraps his hands around my hips and gives me a squeeze, then slips his fingers beneath the hem of my tank and gently guides it up, taking my top with him, until my breast is exposed. “Papi,” I breathe against his lips.

His fingers tweak my nipple and he grunts as his lips kiss over toward my ear. “Did you miss me as much as I missed you?” he asks. His words, they send shivers up and down my spine.

“I need you, oh God, I need you, Thomas,” I moan, as my head drops back. He bends slightly, and I feel his lips against my nipple, his kiss, then his tongue tastes me.

He growls against my flesh, his mouth opening, and he sucks me in deep. I feel a surge of desire head straight toward my core. My hips jerk as my panties soak through immediately. Fuck, I need him, more than I think I ever have. I need his touch to reassure me that we’re okay—that everything is going to be okay.

Thomas slowly lowers my back against the kitchen island, releasing my breast and taking a step back from between my thighs. I whimper at the loss of his body heat against me. When his fingers tug my panties down, I can’t stop myself from letting out a low moan, knowing that soon, I’ll feel satisfied. I know he’ll take care of me, he has since day one.

“Spread your legs, sweetheart. Put your feet on the counter,” he demands.

I happily comply, unabashedly spreading my thighs as far as they’ll go, placing the bottoms of my feet against the island countertop. I close my eyes and attempt to calm my breathing down, I’m worked up and panting as I wait for more from him. My hips buck when I feel one of his fingers gently glide through my wet folds.

“Is this all mine, Ines?” he murmurs, his finger circling my clit.

I lift my hips, searching, and craving more. Disappointed when he doesn’t deliver. “It’s yours, Thomas,” I admit.

If he didn’t know, if he doesn’t know, then he’s fucking blind. I’ve been his since the moment I walked into his office. When his eyes collided with mine, I knew that I would never be the same. When he touched me the first time, I had no doubt that he would own me.

I feel his nose slide along my center and I let out a gasp. When his tongue follows the same path, I groan. Lifting my upper body, I rest on my elbows as I watch his dark head of hair between my thighs. His tongue slowly licks my pussy, lazily as if he has all day to complete this task. I won’t deny that I would let him stay exactly where he is for the entirety of the day, he feels that amazing.

“Thomas,” I whisper.

He stops, lifting his eyes to look up at me and then he flicks my clit. “I’m going to enjoy my pussy, Ines. Just lay back and let me eat you,” he rasps.

My entire body shivers, and that is how we spend our Sunday. Thomas eats me, then fucks me, and then I blow him, and then fuck him. At a highly emotional moment in our relationship, we connect, physically, showing each other just how much we care for one another. It’s probably not the best foundation on which to build a relationship, but it’s ours. The rest of life’s pieces will hopefully fall into place, but right now, our physical needs far outweigh anything else.

I watch her sleep. My poor, Ines is exhausted, and I can’t blame her. The woman had at least ten orgasms today alone. My cock aches from use, and I’m surprised I got it up and ready for action as many times as I did. I’m not twenty anymore, but Ines makes me feel like I am.

My cell rings on the nightstand and I gently slip from the bed and grab ahold of it, quietly walking out of the room before I slide my hand across the screen and answer.

“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that Danielle showed up here, screaming and yelling like a lunatic,” my father mumbles on the other end.

Making my way into the kitchen, I glance at the clock above the microwave and am surprised to see that he’s calling me so late in the evening. Since retiring, my father has taken it as his sole mission to get more than enough rest, something he often lacked during my childhood.

“I left yesterday right after we talked. I couldn’t go along with her plan,” I admit. Opening the refrigerator door, I grab a bottle of water and twist the top off.

He grunts. “Proud of you, and your woman?” he asks.

I hear a noise from the stairs and I watch as Ines walks down wearing absolutely nothing but wild hair, and a lazy smile. “She’s good, Dad. I told her everything, and we’re working shit out,” I admit as she continues to walk toward me.

“So, I’ll be meeting her?” he asks sounding almost surprised.

I don’t blame him, I’ve been a mess for far too long. I’ve been avoiding visits home because Danielle acted like a bitch to Jade more often than not, and I hated the tension.

I tangle my fingers in the back of Ines’ hair as soon as she presses her cheek against my chest and wraps her arms around my middle. “Yeah, I’m bringing my girl home to meet all of you. Maybe Thanksgiving?”

“Shit, yeah, Jade would love that. Carter will be here, too, with his new girl. My boys, finally getting their heads out of their asses,” he chuckles.

I grunt in agreement. “If she causes any problems, don’t hesitate to call the police, Dad. Don’t let her get away with a damn thing,” I announce, speaking of Danielle and her visit to him. I don’t even need the details to know that she spewed some hateful shit to him and Jade.

“You’re happy,” he states. “That’s all I care about; this stuff will blow over. Danielle isn’t used to things not going the way she’s planned and she’s not in control which is driving her absolutely insane. It’ll be over and done with soon, and then, you can live a happy life, son.”

My father ends the call and I place my phone on the counter, along with my half empty bottle of water. “Your dad?” Ines asks, lifting her head from my chest.

“Danielle went to his house, started causing drama,” I admit with a sigh.

Ines’ eyes soften, and she moves one of her hands placing her palm against my chest. “But he didn’t seem upset, and Thanksgiving?”

My lips form a wide smile as I lift my hand and tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. “No, angel eyes. He wasn’t mad. Would you like to come home and meet my family for Thanksgiving?”

“Really?” she breathes. “Don’t you want to wait. I mean, we’re new, and you’re still technically married, and we’re new,” she rambles.

I gently tighten my grip in her hair, lowering my face so that I can run my nose alongside hers. “They want to meet you, sweetheart. They want to see who has made me so goddamn happy, that I’m finally smiling, and living,” I confess.

Ines lets out a shaky breath. “I’ll have to call my family, let them know that I can’t come. I can’t miss Christmas with them, though,” she whispers.

“We’ll spend New Year’s in New York. You haven’t lived until you’ve been in Times Square and watched the ball drop,” I state. Ines’ face lights up just like a goddamn Christmas tree, and it’s then that I know for certain we’re going to be okay. We will make this work, and we will be happy. There’s no other fucking choice.

I love this girl.