CHAPTER 19

Boyce

I used the bathroom and slipped on my boxers from the night before. Vivian rose and pulled a robe around her body and followed me into the kitchen where we made two cups of coffee. She bought one of the new machines that made one at a time and slipped mine across the counter with a soft smile before starting hers. Vivian looked into the fridge and pulled out some eggs and fresh sausage as I gazed at her.

We used the word love last night. We used it and meant it and I could not regret that. She cooked me breakfast as I sat at the counter and watched her as she moved so naturally in her kitchen. I thought ahead to the future, aware of the fact that she had nearly four years left in college. She’d be staying here, and we’d be traveling back and forth for quite a while.

I was in a place where I’d like to be married again and possibly have another child. I didn’t know if Vivian was anywhere near that and I looked at her again, taking in her youth. I weighed whether I’d be okay with moving slowly and just being married in a matter of years. I raised two girls and didn’t enjoy the baby stage as much as I should have. My mind wandered to telling Bella that I was together with Vivian and then that we were going to have a family together. Was that wrong?

Vivian stirred the sausage in the pan before glancing at the eggs, unaware of where my thoughts were headed. I then pictured her marrying someone else, a guy closer to her own age. It was hard to think about her walking down the aisle and having babies with someone as I watched her. I knew that we’d always be close no matter where we were in life, but seeing that would kill me. It struck me hard when I realized that Nora was the only woman that I felt this way about in the past.

Fuck me running.

Vivian plated the food and fixed some toast before she joined me at the counter. She sipped her coffee and looked at me with concern on her face. “Did I lose you earlier? You seemed like you were so deep in thought while I was cooking.”

“I was just thinking about the office. There’s some big deals going on right now. I’m sorry.” I smiled at her as she shrugged.

“I get distracted by school. It’s fine.” She took a bite of her sausage and chewed it slowly before sipping her coffee again. “Do you want to go to your house or stay here?”

“Leave tomorrow?” I asked as she shrugged.

“We can go around and see the sights, whatever it is those might be. I haven’t had a lot of time to go out.” Vivian smiled, and I weighed my options. I had no clothes with me since I drove here on a whim, but I could buy something. I didn’t want to break the tie that I shared with Vivian just yet.

“I’m in if I can do some shopping and get some clothes for the next day or so.” She smiled and nodded as I took another bite of breakfast. We finished eating and washed the dishes before she showered while I went out for clothes. I found a few pairs of jeans and some shirts along with a few other things, paying the cashier as she smiled dreamily at me and handed me the bag. I headed out and typed the address into my navigation system since I didn’t quite know the town yet, pulling in and walking into the apartment when she was just out of the shower. I dropped the bags and walked down the hallway, inhaling the sharp scent of her peppermint soap as she dried her hair. Vivian smiled at me as I stepped in to kiss her, pressing her towel covered body against me as I groaned.

“What is it about you that makes me constantly aroused?” Vivian murmured to me before she kissed me again. I moved my hands to loosen her towel and let it drop to the floor before I dropped to my knees. I tilted my head up and tugged her legs open before leaning in to taste her clean, warm pussy as she leaned back against the counter. “You’re insatiable, Boyce.”

“With you I am.” I assured her as I stared into her dazed eyes. I moved up, circling her folds with my tongue and then sucking on her clit as she moaned. Vivian pushed herself up on the counter and I followed her. I ate away at her like a starving man, needing her taste and release in my mouth as she gripped my hair. I made her come in moments as she cried out my name and then told her to face the mirror for me. I stripped out of my clothes from last night and pressed myself inside of her as she let out a low moan. She felt so fucking good as I fucked her, bending her over the small counter as I listened to the sounds of our bodies slapping together. Vivian held on wherever she could, rocking with me before coming again as I joined her.

I dropped to the floor as she joined me, gasping for air. “You are ruining me for other men.”

“I’d prefer that there be no other men,” I told her as she turned her head to look at me.

I showered, and we dressed in casual clothes to go wander the town. There was an older selection of the city with quaint shops and things that would attract tourists. While I wasn’t a stranger to the state of Maryland, I didn’t spend a lot of time here and enjoyed looking around. We also found a park in the middle of town and walked through it, looking around at the trees and small ponds that dotted the landscape as she reached for my hand. I took a quick glance around to see that we were alone and squeezed her hand lightly before smiling at her. I drew her into a cluster of trees and kissed her hard as she wrapped her arms around my neck. It was hot kissing her out in public since we’d be considered so taboo. I parted her lips with mine and drove my tongue into her mouth as she whimpered against me.

We were in the middle of nearly taking it further when we heard voices. Vivian pulled away and looked around before pointing at a young couple several feet away. They couldn’t see us, and I pulled her close to me as we giggled at the idea of what we were close to doing here.

We got an early dinner at a seafood place, sitting at the window. I sipped a beer while she drew some iced tea through her straw, swallowing it as she caught me staring at her. “What?”

“This is fun. It’s like a little getaway away from our normal life.” She smiled and nodded, glancing up as the waitress as she brought our platters.

“I know. It feels like we can almost not be ourselves,” Vivian’s face grew serious after she spoke, and I slid my leg across the floor to touch hers.

“Want to go somewhere where nobody knows us? Long weekend?” I suggested slowly as she looked at me.

“When?” Vivian looked interested and I thought it over as I sipped my beer.

“The holidays. Maybe we can go see Bella in her play and then go from there for a couple of days.” I took a bite of my food and watched her face as she considered the idea.

“What about the rest of the family?” Vivian pressed me as I shrugged.

“I can have a quick business meeting to go to nearby. Maybe we can go to Vermont and lock ourselves in a bed-and-breakfast.” Vivian smiled. “Being that Bella wouldn’t be home and I would plan it around the actual holiday. I don’t think people would be suspicious. You can say that you need to go back to the apartment for some reason.”

“That sounds…perfect. I think it would work,” Vivian said slowly as I grinned at her. We discussed it further through the meal and Vivian was giddy by the time we stood to leave. I wanted to reach out and touch her flawless skin, but I resisted as she looked towards the entrance, her face dropping. “Shit.”

“Vivian,” a woman’s voice called across the room as I stared at her.

“Hi, Miranda. How are you?” Vivian said as I turned to see what looked like another student approaching her with a few other people. She looked at me with interest as she smiled sensually.

“Classes are keeping me busy. I needed to get out of my room for real food. We’re going to have a small party at Clay’s apartment later if you two are interested,” Miranda offered as she blatantly took me in again. I also noticed that one of the guys in the group was giving Vivian a dark look before staring at me. He was a fucking idiot for that, given that I could take him down in seconds and in fact, was considering it with the way that he was looking at her.

“Oh, we can’t. This is a family friend and he’s going to be leaving soon and I am beat. We just wanted some food like you.” Vivian said with a small smile as I watched her. She was clearly nervous, and I felt the eyes of the other woman on me again.

“I think I need to meet your family, if that’s the case,” Miranda joked as she smiled again at me. “Call me if you change your mind. We haven’t hung out in a while.” Miranda told her as Vivian nodded and told her to have a good night. We made our way to the door and walked outside as she took a deep breath.

“What the fuck was happening back there?” I asked her once we were in the car, watching as Vivian tucked a strand of bright hair behind her ear.