“WHOA,” MIA GASPED, “do you wiv in a cwastle?”
Hayes chuckled as the automatic door on his garage went up and he parked inside.
“If you think it’s a castle, then it’s a castle.”
Exhausted, I climbed from the vehicle.
This whole day had been one major suck-fest.
All I wanted to do was give Mia a bath and put her to bed so that I could relax. I needed a moment to breathe and decompress and that was hard to do with a three-year-old.
Hayes opened the door leading from the garage into the house, and a giggling Mia immediately ran inside.
I hurried after her; afraid she’d make a mess or ruin something without meaning to.
“Dis pwace is huuuuge.” She cried, spinning around with her head craned back to take in the expansive space. “Can we wiv here, momma?”
I chose not to answer her.
“Come here, baby girl.” I walked over and picked her up, waiting for Hayes to come in with our bags. “Do you want something to eat?” I asked her.
“I’m not hwungy.” She rubbed her face against my arm.
“Bath time, then?” I asked her, tucking an escaped curl behind her ear.
She nodded and rubbed sleepily at her eyes.
“Where’s a bathroom I can use for her?” I asked Hayes as he set the suitcases down by the stairs.
“I’ll show you.” He grabbed one of the bags and started up the steps.
I followed him down a long hallway and he pushed open a door, revealing a beautiful guestroom done in a muted gray color with pops of green.
He set the suitcase down on a striped chair and opened another door that revealed a bathroom done entirely in black and white.
“Thank you.” I set Mia on the floor and reached over to start running the water.
“I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before disappearing.
I opened the suitcase he’d brought up and grabbed a pair of pajamas for Mia as well as a bottle of shampoo and her toothbrush and toothpaste. No wonder he’d been in the house so long. He wasn’t kidding when he said he packed everything.
I pulled out Mia’s braids and undressed her before lifting her over into the claw foot bathtub. I hadn’t expected such a character filled bathroom from a house so modern and I was pleasantly surprised by the touch it gave.
Bubbles tickled Mia’s chin and she laughed, blowing at them and giggling further when they made funny shapes.
I washed her hair and scrubbed her body before letting the water swirl down the drain.
I found a fluffy black towel under the sink and I used it to dry her body before helping her into her pajamas.
Once she was in her pajamas she scurried away from me and into the bedroom where she somehow managed to climb onto the high bed.
“I’m tired, momma.” She rubbed at her eyes.
“Me too.” I yawned. “But I have to brush your hair first before you go to sleep.”
“O’tay.” She sighed, giving me room to sit behind her and comb out the long strands of her vivid red hair.
Once I was finished she pleaded, “Will you lay wif me?”
“Of course, baby girl.”
I pulled the covers back and climbed into the massive bed beside her. She rolled towards me, looking at me with her wide blue eyes.
“Momma, why are we hwere? Are we having a sweepover?”
“Something like that.” I pushed a piece of hair off her forehead and glided my fingers down her smooth plump cheek. She was so unbelievably perfect in every way, and despite all the crap I went through with Todd—and was going through now, thanks to him—I wouldn’t take any of it back if it meant not having her.
“Go to sleep baby girl.” I coaxed gently.
“Will you swing me a swong?”
I stifled a laugh. “Of course.”
I began to sing to her softly, an old country song that I’d loved years ago, and within minutes she was asleep.
I slipped out of her bed and tiptoed from the room.
I eased the door closed, terrified of waking her, and jumped when I turned to find Hayes standing in the hallway.
“Is it wrong that I got hard listening to you sing?” He asked, brushing my hair over my shoulder so that it cascaded down my back.
“I think everything makes you hard,” I joked.
“When it comes to you,” he lowered his head, “that’s a pretty accurate statement.” He nodded towards the stairs. “Come on, I warmed the food and poured you a glass of wine. I know you’re probably about to tell me you’re not hungry, but you need to eat.”
I wrinkled my nose. He knew me too well. But he was right, I did need to eat something whether or not I thought I wanted it.
I followed him downstairs to the kitchen where he already had two plates waiting on the counter in front of the barstools.
I took a seat and inhaled the scent of the food. My stomach came to a sudden, roaring life and Hayes chuckled when he heard it growl.
“See?” He grinned, wiggling his brows. “I told you that you were hungry. I know everything.” He bumped his shoulder with mine before pulling out the other chair and taking a seat.
“Yeah, yeah.” I leaned over and kissed his cheek before digging into my food in a very un-lady like manner. “This is really good,” I said, spearing a piece of turkey and swirling it in gravy. “I hate that we weren’t able to eat with your family.”
“Things happen.” Hayes ripped apart a roll, shoving the pieces into his mouth one right after the other. “And what Jessica said was inexcusable.”
“She’s still your sister, though,” I said sadly.
He frowned. “She’s been blowing up my phone, but I don’t feel like talking to her.”
I was quiet for a moment, mulling over what I wanted to say. Finally, I settled on, “I wouldn’t be mad if you wanted to talk to her. You don’t have to pick sides. You know I would never make you do that.”
“I know,” he assured me, “but I really don’t want to hear anything she has to say right now.” He sighed heavily and scrubbed his hands over his face. “She can blame her actions on being overprotective but she didn’t even try to get to know you, she immediately started in with that shit and it’s ridiculous. I’ve never brought a girl home to meet my family, so that alone should’ve assured her that you were different.”
“I just don’t want you to not speak to her because of this,” I whispered, staring down at my plate of food. “I won’t get in the way of you and your family.”
“Hey,” he grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him, “you and Mia are my family now too. Family is so much more than blood. It’s like me and the guys…we’re not related but we’re still family. Some connections and bonds are more important than blood.”
My eyes flitted down and I let out a soft sigh. “How is it that you always know the right thing to say to me?”
“I’m magical.”
I picked up the glass of red wine he’d poured and took a small sip. “Mmm,” I licked my lips, “that’s good.”
When I glanced over at him I saw that he was staring at my lips and his eyes had dilated.
“Fuck,” he groaned, “I’m so desperate to touch you that I can’t even think straight. I want to spread you out on this counter and eat you for dessert.”
I shivered at his words. I wanted to tell him to do it—the idea of him taking me on the counter already had my panties soaked—but with a three-year-old in the house who could wake up at any moment we needed a room with a lock.
“I want you to touch me,” I whispered, my wine and food lying forgotten. When Hayes looked at me like he was now, like I was the center of his universe and he was high on my presence, I couldn’t think about anything else.
He growled low in his throat and my whole body clenched at the possibility of what was to come.
Before I could blink he was off the stool and he’d grabbed the back of my neck, angling his lips over mine. He stole the air from my lungs and every coherent thought from my mind with one sweep of his velvety tongue against mine. He kissed me thoroughly, leaving my body heavy and aching for his touch.
“Please, don’t stop,” I begged when his lips parted from mine, “I need to feel you inside me.”
His hands dug into my hips and he lifted me from the stool. My legs wound around his waist as he carried me from the kitchen and up the stairs. He never broke the kiss, and by the time we reached his room I was gasping from the lack of oxygen.
He pushed the door closed behind us and I heard the lock click.
I was too busy kissing him to even bother looking around his room.
He set me down and dropped to his knees, skimming his hands up my calves and thighs, stopping when he felt my panties.
“Fuck,” he cursed, air hissing between his teeth, “you’re soaked.”
“Touch me, please.” I begged. I didn’t care if I sounded desperate, because I was. I needed him to touch me more than I needed my next breath. It felt like it had been forever since the night in New York and I knew I’d need hours to reacquaint myself with my favorite parts of his body.
He lifted my dress, ever so slowly revealing the skin of my thighs. He kissed a path along the skin that was slowly revealed. His lips swirled up over my stomach and then he stood, sweeping the dress over my head and leaving me standing there in a matching bra and panty set—I could thank Sadie for those. After New York she’d shown up at my house with five bags full of new clothes and lingerie. She called herself the Sex Fairy Godmother and told me I was welcome before departing as fast as she’d arrived.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.” He murmured, cupping my breasts in his hands before lowering his head to kiss the swells. My back bowed and I moaned.
“Please,” I gasped into the room, “I need more.”
His hand skimmed up my back and a second later the clasp on my bra came undone. The silky straps fell down my arms and he yanked the bra off completely, tossing it into some far corner of his bedroom.
“That lingerie is sexy as fuck, but I prefer you like this…all creamy skin.” He ducked his head again, this time taking a nipple into his mouth. My fingers tangled into his hair and I cried out, my legs buckling beneath me from the overload of sensations assaulting my body.
He grabbed ahold of me and lifted me onto his bed.
The smooth, cool feel of his bed sheets pressed into my back and my nipples tightened beneath his intense stare.
“I could look at you in my bed all day.”
“It’s more fun up here,” I whispered breathlessly.
He chuckled huskily. “Mmm, it sure is.” He stood between my spread legs and grasped the sides of my panties, sliding them all the way down.
It was strange to have a man staring at me so intimately when I’d gone without sex for so long, but I didn’t feel shy beneath Hayes’ stare. If anything, I felt powerful. There was a satisfaction in seeing the desire shimmer in his normally playful eyes.
“From the moment I met you, I’ve been yours,” he confessed. “I didn’t realize it then, but somehow you etched your way inside me and there was no ridding myself of you. Not that I wanted to.” His fingers glided down my sides and in between my legs, stopping before he reached the place I needed him to touch me the most. “I never knew it would be like this,” he admitted, bending to glide his lips between my breasts.
“What?” I gasped, my brain beginning to turn to mush as his tongue swirled around my belly button.
He glanced up at me, his blue eyes glowing in the darkened room. “I didn’t know falling in love would be this easy. Everything with you is.” He placed small kisses over my stomach. “I think I always thought that if I fell in love, I’d feel tied down, but it’s the complete opposite. Instead, I feel free…like I’ve finally found my real purpose in life.”
His words warmed my body and tears of happiness stung my eyes.
“I love you,” I whispered, cupping his jaw.
He growled low in his throat and his large hands skimmed over my ribs before settling on my breasts. “I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.”
“Then I’ll never stop.” I panted into the room as his mouth closed around my breast. My fingers tangled in his hair and my other hand pulled impatiently at his clothes.
He shrugged out of his shirt and pulled the other over his head. I sighed in relief at being able to touch his warm, bare skin.
His hips ground against mine and I gasped at the feel of his jeans rubbing against my sensitive flesh.
“Hayes,” I moaned. “I need you.”
“Shh,” he pressed a finger to my lips, looking at me through hooded eyes. “In time.”
I nearly sobbed. The desire to feel him moving inside me was all consuming.
He kissed me deeply then, silencing my cry of irritation. My cry quickly turned into a gasp when I felt two of his fingers press into me.
“Oh God,” I moaned into his mouth, “like that. Please don’t stop.”
My hips moved against his hand and I grabbed onto his arm. My eyes met his and he was watching me with a look of fierce concentration.
He pressed his thumb against my clit and my back bowed off of the bed. Sweat dotted my body and all my thoughts were focused on him and what he was making me feel.
My body vibrated with barely contained energy and I came apart with a loud cry that he silenced with a kiss.
He waited for me to come down off my high before he pulled his fingers from my body. I watched in fascination as he lifted his fingers to his mouth, sucking away my wetness. His eyes darkened as he stared at me and then he climbed off the bed, despite my protests.
My indignation was short lived when he kicked off his boots and removed the last of his clothes. He started towards the bed, but I stood and placed my hands on his shoulders.
“Not yet,” I pleaded, “I want to taste you first.”
“Fuck yes.” His eyes were hungry.
I dropped to my knees and took the base of his cock in my hand, stroking up slowly before closing my mouth around the head and rolling my tongue against his piercing. He gathered my hair in his hands, holding it away from my face.
I swirled my tongue around him, relishing in the unique taste of him and the small sounds of pleasure that he made.
“Your mouth is fucking amazing.” He groaned as his head fell back. “Feels so good.”
I took him as far as I could into my mouth before pulling back slowly. I did it again, and again, moving a little faster each time.
“Fuck, Arden.” He growled into the room. “Stop, stop,” he pleaded breathlessly, “I need to be inside you.”
I pulled back, looking up at him with lust filled eyes and he growled in approval.
I turned climbing onto the bed. I spread my legs and began to stroke my fingers over my center.
“Hurry,” I pleaded, “I need you.”
“Fuck yes you do,” he agreed, his eyes zeroed in on where my fingers stroked.
He grabbed a condom from the drawer and I reached out for the package. “Let me,” I pleaded.
He gladly handed over the packed and I ripped it open. I sat up and he moved to the end of the bed, standing between my legs.
I rolled the condom down his length, careful not to tear it on the piercing, and once it was on he wrapped his hands around my thighs and pulled me even closer to him. He slid into me easily and I moaned at the feel of him. My arms stretched above my head and my fingers twined into the bed covers.
After everything I’d been through today it felt good to let go and seek pleasure in his arms.
“You feel so fucking good,” he murmured, pulling my bottom lip between his teeth.
I reached out, running my fingers up his smooth, muscled chest and down his back.
I dug my nails lightly into his skin and he hissed.
“That’s it,” he growled, sucking on my neck, “mark me.”
He kissed his way over my breasts and down my stomach before pulling out and climbing onto the bed.
“Is this okay?” He asked, grabbing me and lifting me onto him. His cock teased my entrance but he didn’t push inside.
“It’s perfect,” I assured him, sinking down. “Oh God,” I moaned. He felt deeper this way, filling me even more.
I rocked my hips slowly and he grabbed my breasts, licking a trail across each one.
He sat up, holding me so we were chest to chest, and our eyes met.
I’d never experienced a moment so intimately perfect as this one. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. Hoping, that without words, he’d know how much he meant to me—because while you could say I love you all you wanted, it was another thing to show someone you loved them and allow them to feel the depths of your emotions.
I began to roll my hips faster and my breath panted through my lips, caught by his kisses.
“I’m going to come,” I warned him.
“I’m right there with you,” he whispered.
Holding my hips steady he moved faster beneath me and stars blossomed behind my eyes. My nails dug into his back and I fell apart with a sharp cry. He groaned with his release and his breath fanned over my ear.
Instead of pulling out of me, he kept holding me with his forehead pressed against my chest.
He raised his head, pushing my sweaty hair away from my face.
“I’ll never get tired of this.” His voice was thick. “Of you.”
I couldn’t find the words so I only nodded my head in agreement. Being with Hayes…it didn’t matter what we did, I always loved it. But sex with him was mind-blowing. I’d never known it could be like this and how having a true connection could make it even better.
He lifted me off of him, groaning from the loss of contact, and removed the condom. He tied it off and tossed it into a nearby trashcan.
Rolling over, his eyes slid over my body and then his fingers followed the same trail.
“I want you again already.”
“Mmm,” I hummed, “I’d like that.”
“You’re not too sore?” He asked, concern coloring his tone.
I reached out, rubbing my fingers over his strong jaw. “No.”
“Thank God.” He rolled on top of me and kissed me deeply. “And this time,” he ducked his head, ghosting his lips against my ear, “it’s going to be slow. The exact definition of what making love should be.”
My body tightened at the promise in his voice as he reached over and grabbed another condom from the drawer.
He put it on and rocked his hips leisurely against mine before sliding in completely.
He held still once he was all the way inside and gathered his breath.
And then he did as he promised and made love to me again and again and again until we both passed out from exhaustion.