CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

NATALIE

"Oh my God, yes! Fuck me, Daddy!"

Through slitted eyes, I saw the steady, rhythmic movement of Sol’s hips pounding me from behind in the mirror. His fist held a thick handful of my hair, pulling my head back and digging his fingers into my hips.

"You like Daddy's cock deep inside your pussy, babe?" he snarled, delivering a delicious stinging spank on my ass that made my back arch farther. 

"Oh yeah!" I moaned with abandon at the top of my lungs, taking full advantage of having the house to ourselves. "I'm gonna cum soon." 

My thighs were already quivering from the coiled energy building up like a volcano. 

I yelped as Sol tugged at one of my nipples while slamming into me even harder. 

"Open your eyes and watch me fuck you," he ordered. "I want to watch your face as you cum." 

I forced my eyes open, despite wanting to shut them tightly from all the sensations overwhelming my body-- his cock filling me up from the inside and all the hairs on my body standing up like live electrical wires. It was all so much and yet I couldn't get enough. 

His amber eyes watched mine in the full-length mirror we placed strategically next to the bed. He looked so incredibly hot. The ink shifted on his skin as his hard muscles tensed and flexed while he fucked me. He was a specimen of strength, power, and masculinity in that moment, taking and owning my pussy, my body, my mind and my heart. 

I watched him fuck me and manhandle my flesh until the orgasm hit me so hard, my eyes couldn't help but shut against the powerful wave of sensation. 

Up was down and inside was out. My brain couldn't make any logical sense of anything but pure pleasure and sensation. Through the blood pounding in my ears, I faintly heard echoes and realized it was my own voice bouncing off the ceiling and walls. 

Sol kept fucking me deeply, drawing my orgasm out even longer until he couldn't hold back anymore. 

With a final groan, his hipbones pressed against my ass and I felt the hot pulsing of his cum inside me. 

His O-face was blissfully hot to watch in the mirror as well. He also closed his eyes and furrowed his brows as his whole body stiffened, the pleasure overwhelming him. 

Pleasure because of me. 

Panting, he leaned over my body, pressing his forehead against my back as he inhaled large gulps of air. His heartbeat hammered against the back of my ribcage, a sensation I absolutely loved for some reason. 

But with a quick glance at the clock, I knew we couldn't stay basking in the afterglow.

"Sol, we have to go to the restaurant in ten minutes!" 

I scooted out from under him, my pussy still holding on to his softening cock until the very last moment, and ran to turn on the shower. 

"You coming in here?" I called, poking my head out toward the bed. He was lying flat on his back now, arms behind his head with his chest steadily rising and falling. If we had any more time, nothing would stop me from jumping on and riding him to hardness again. 

"Yeah, just give me a second." He lifted his head and looked at me with a weary smile. "You just wore me the fuck out, that's all." 

"Awww. Next time I'll go easy on you, Daddy," I teased with a wink and a fake high-pitched voice. 

With a grunt of effort, he swung his feet to the floor and stalked toward me, his thick cock bouncing on his powerful thigh muscles. 

My breath hitched as I watched him approach me. I nearly had a flashback of when I first saw him coming toward me like a predator while I hunkered down in that truck, ready to die. 

His wide muscles filled the doorway and the confident swagger of each stride sent a clear message of danger to all who saw him. He was a beast of a man and he was all mine. 

My rescuer, my lover, and the father of my children.

When he reached me he cupped the nape of my neck and kissed me deeply, his lips still hot and pulsing slightly from the mind-blowing sex we just had. My jello knees felt even weaker as he stole my breath away. 

“You nervous about this?” I asked. 

“A little,” he admitted, resting his forehead on mine. “I’m glad you’ll be with me.”

“Always,” I promised, pressing another light kiss to his mouth followed by a loud smack on his firm, perfect ass. “Now get in the shower with me, you caveman.” 

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he smirked, stepping in after me. 

As tempting as shower sex was, we washed up and dried off in a hurry before rushing to get dressed. Sol's parents agreed to meet us at a downtown Italian restaurant and we didn't want to give a bad first impression by being late. 

Ari was at karate class and would be picked up by Netta in a half hour. If all went well at dinner, we would bring her with us to meet them next time. 

I pulled a blue dress over my head and smoothed it out over my abdomen, turning sideways a couple times in the mirror.

Can't see you yet, Gabe. In a month or two, though. 

The doctor said I was six weeks along, which meant I may have gotten pregnant the first time I had sex with Sol. Neither of us remembered the condom breaking but if it did, having his baby was clearly meant to be. Even if my body knew it before my mind and heart did.

Thick, muscled arms enveloped me in the mirror. A solid wall of heat and muscle pressed against my back. 

"You look beautiful, baby mama," Sol said, dropping a kiss on my neck. 

"Thanks, baby daddy." I grinned up at him, positively overflowing with love for him and our son inside me. "Ready to go?"

*** 

A man like Sol certainly knew how to keep his feelings close to his chest and his face expressionless. But as we approached the restaurant with our fingers intertwined, he became visibly nervous.

"I feel like I'm gonna fucking pass out," he muttered as we approached the hostess booth. 

I squeezed his hand and rubbed his back, feeling the tension in his muscles release just slightly.

"At any point you want, we can just leave," I reminded him, my lips against his shoulder. "We don't have to sit and listen to disrespect but we have to give them the chance first." 

He nodded and returned my hand squeeze as we approached the smiling hostess. 

"Impasato, party of four," he told her. 

"Great, you're all here!" she chirped. "I'll take you back to join the rest of your party."

My heart pounded dramatically as we walked through the restaurant, as I'm sure Sol's did too. I didn't know what to expect, what kind of faces to see, but the moment of truth was mere seconds away. 

A handsome, middle-aged couple suddenly stood up from their table and I recognized Sol's features in their faces right away. 

His father had the same amber eyes set among crow’s feet that were strangely attractive. Streaks of gray lined his dark hair, still full and thick on his head and sprinkled throughout his short, clipped beard. He had a similarly tall, broad build as Solomon, although not nearly as muscular. Still, in his crisp, tailored black suit, Sol's dad fit the bill for any woman who had a thing for older men. 

His mother had large dark eyes and gorgeous long, dark hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Her features were classically beautiful, yet somewhat exotic. Sol told me recently she was Italian and Greek, of which she seemed to inherit the best traits and then pass them down to him. 

Her perfectly lined lips dropped open and her large brown eyes watered a moment after she stood up. 

"Solomon," she said in a hushed whisper. "Son." 

"Hi Mom," he said flatly, with a touch of insecurity. 

She rushed forward with her arms outspread and I felt his hand release from mine. The moment she touched him, she began crying unashamedly. 

"It's you, my son!" she sobbed, her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. "I've missed you so much!"

My own eyes couldn't help but tear up at the sight of their reunion. He hugged her back tightly around her slender waist and practically lifted her off the ground. 

Meanwhile, his father stood back by the table, stone-faced and motionless, until his sharp eyes fell onto me. 

"You must be Natalie," he said, extending a hand toward me. "I'm Solomon's father, Angelo." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I replied, accepting his hand and offering a nervous smile. 

His face remained expressionless and downright intimidating. I could immediately see where Solomon got his cold, hard glare from. It was impossible to tell what his father was thinking or feeling. 

When Sol and his mother separated from their embrace, he and his dad just looked at each other for a few moments. The tension was thick and even his mother looked nervous. 

Finally, Angelo spoke first. 

"Fuck it. Come here, son." 

He grabbed Solomon by the back of the neck and pulled him into an emotional, manly hug with slaps on the back. 

"It's lovely to meet you, dear," Sol's mother said to me, clasping both of my hands in hers. "I'm Athena. Thank you for taking care of our son and bringing him back to us."

"The pleasure is mine," I told her sincerely. Immediately I felt at ease with her. Warm, loving energy surrounded her like an aura and I just knew she would be an amazing grandmother. 

The four of us got past the emotional introductions and sat down at our table. Sol immediately looked more relaxed than when we first walked in. I patted his thigh reassuringly under the table. The hard part was over. 

"Where do we even begin?" his father asked, cracking the first hint of a smirk that mirrored Sol's. "Can I even say, 'how are you?' and, 'what have you been up to?' like this is any normal dinner?"

"I'm great now. Actually, we're great." Sol answered, grabbing my hand on his thigh. "Thanks to this lady, I've realized what's really important. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to figure that out and reach out to you again. But I'm ready to grow up and provide for my family. The past is done, I promise you." 

"I've thought about you every day," his mother said, reaching across the table for his other hand. "Wondering if you were alive or in prison or worse. I'm so, so happy to see you, and that you're well and in love!" She beamed radiantly over at me and I couldn't help but smile back. 

"You won't have to wonder anymore, Mom," Sol said. "I promise." 

"Tell us about Araceli!" Angelo demanded. "Do you have pictures of her?" 

They oohed and ahhed and laughed over photos of Ari and the stories we both told about her. 

After several minutes of bragging, Sol gave me a gentle nudge, his eyes asking for permission which I granted with a small nod. 

"We have something else to tell you," he said when the conversation lulled, squeezing my hand and never removing his eyes from mine. 

"We're having a baby!" I declared, returning his loving, intense gaze. 

"Oh my God!" cried his parents jubilantly from across the table, but it felt like they were in another world outside of the orbit of my man next to me. 

"That's not all," Sol said.

"Huh?" 

I squinted at him in confusion. 

The moment of clarity came when he scooted his chair back and dropped to one knee. 

He produced a velvet box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a stunning diamond ring seated atop a platinum band. 

"Natalie, I already consider you my wife. But since I'm a law-abiding citizen now, will you do me the honor of becoming my lawfully wedded wife?" 

His parents, the table, the entire goddamn restaurant we sat in now felt light-years away because this man was my whole world. My everything. 

"Yes! Of course!" I cried out, not caring who heard. 

Solomon chuckled as he slid the brilliant ring onto my trembling finger. 

"I think all of Cloverville heard that yes," he teased as he kissed me with all his warmth, love and passion. 

Oh well. 

I never was good at being quiet anyway.