Brynne came out of the kitchen and embraced her aunt. I got a very happy grin from Brynne over Marie’s shoulder. It was clear that whatever problems she had with her mum, she didn’t have them with Marie and that made me very glad. Everybody needs someone to give them unconditional love. They went off to the kitchen and I went to get drinks sorted before the bell rang again. I smirked to myself at what Dad would think of Marie when he got a look at her. I knew she was a widow with no children but with her beauty, there must be a long queue of men clamoring for her time. I couldn’t wait to get the story from Brynne.
Clarkson and Gabrielle arrived next and since they were already in good with Marie all I had to do was make drinks and pass them around. Clarkson and I had an easy truce of sorts, along the same lines as my relationship with Gabrielle. We all cared about Brynne and wanted her to be happy. I didn’t thrill about him taking her pictures but then we were only able to be friendly because he was gay. Seriously, I know it’s my issue, but if he was straight and taking nude pictures of Brynne? He wouldn’t be in my home right now.
Once Neil and Elaina showed up, I felt a little more at ease in my own house. Clarkson went in to help Brynne and Marie in the kitchen while Gabrielle and Elaina seemed to hit it off by talking books—something trending about a very young billionaire and his obsession with an even younger woman…and sex. Lots of erotic sex scenes in the book, like apparently on every page.
Neil and I looked sympathetically at each other and had absolutely nothing to add to the conversation. I mean, who reads this crap? Who has time? Why even read about sex in a book when you can have it instead? I don’t get that. And billionaires in their twenties? I mentally shook my head and pretended to care. I’m such a bastard.
I looked at my watch and just like a summons, the bell rang. My dad, finally. I leapt out of my seat to get the door. Poor Neil looked like he wished he could come with me.
“Dad. I was getting worried. Come in and meet my girl, why don’t you.”
“Son.” He clapped me on the back in our standard greeting and grinned. “You look happier than the last time I laid eyes on you. Hannah tells me you’re going up to Somerset to visit. Taking Brynne along.”
“Yeah. I want them all to know one another. Speaking of meeting, come on, Dad, she’s this way.” I led him into the kitchen and was greeted by the most glowing radiance on Brynne’s face as she got a gander at my Dad. It made my heart jump. This was important stuff. Meeting the family and making impressions. Wanting them to get on was suddenly very important to me.
“Now this must be the lovely Brynne and her…older sister?” Dad said to Brynne and Marie.
“Hey! You stole my line, Dad!”
“He’s right,” Marie said, “Your son used the same one on me when I arrived.”
“Like father, like son,” Dad said, grinning happily between Brynne, Marie and Clarkson.
“My father, Jonathan Blackstone.” I jolted out of my stupor to make the introductions and rubbed slowly up and down Brynne’s back. I wondered how she was taking in all this. We had come so far, so fast, it was more than a little mad, but like I’d said before, there was no changing our path now. We were speeding down a mountain and weren’t stopping for anything. She leaned in to my side and I gave her a little squeeze.
My Dad took Brynne’s hand and kissed it, just like he’d been greeting females my whole life. He told her how lovely it was to finally meet the woman who had captured me, and how beautiful she was. She blushed and introduced Marie and Clarkson. Damn if the old flirt didn’t kiss Marie’s hand as well. I shook my head, knowing he’d make the rounds to every woman here tonight. If they had a hand, he’d have his lips on it. Oh and yeah, he thought Marie was hot. Easy thing to spot and I was sure.
“I won’t kiss your hand though,” Dad said to Clarkson as they shook.
“If you really want to you may,” Clarkson offered, in the ultimate ice-breaker.
“Thanks for that, mate. I think you’ve stunned him speechless,” I said to Clarkson.
Brynne looked at me and then at Dad. “I know where Ethan learned to do that hand kissing thing I love so much, Mr. Blackstone. I can see he’s been trained by a master,” she told him with a beautiful smile. A smile with the power to light up a room.
“Please call me Jonathan, and bear with me a little more, my dear, as I take a further liberty.” Dad leaned in and kissed her on the cheek! She blushed some more and got a little shy, but still she looked happy. I kept caressing up her back and really hoped it wasn’t all too much…of everything.
“Easy there, old man,” I said, shaking my head. “My girl. Mine.” I drew her very close to me until she squeaked.
“I think they get it, Ethan,” she said, pressing her hand up on my chest.
“Okay, as long as nobody forgets.”
“Kinda impossible for that to happen, baby.”
She called me baby. It’s all good now, I thought, glad I could laugh at myself as we all got down to the purpose of coming together for the evening.
“Chicken Marsala…mmmm. Brynne darling, what is that in here?” Dad asked between bites. “It’s really wonderful.”
“I used a chocolate wine to sauté the chicken.”
“Interesting. I love what it does to the taste.” Dad winked at Brynne. “So you’re a gourmet?”
“Thank you, but not really a gourmet. I enjoy it and learned to cook for my dad when my parents split. I have these marvelous cookbooks by Rhonda Plumhoff on my e-reader. She links her recipes to popular books. She’s famous from where I’m from. I just adore her recipes.”
He tilted his head at me. “Smart son I raised.”
“I’m not an idiot, Dad, and she can cook, but I had no idea about that part in the beginning. Her first meal with me was a Power Bar, so imagine my surprise when she started slinging pots and waving sharp knives in my kitchen. I just kept back and got the hell out of the way!”
“Again, you were always a quick lad,” Dad said with a wink.
Everybody laughed and seemed very at ease with each other which helped me, but I was still nervous about what I needed to tell them. Not for the security part, that I knew how to do and very well too; it was sharing the information with Brynne present that rattled me. I didn’t want to objectify her as a security job when she was so much more to me. I also didn’t want to get her all tangled up in the emotionality of the situation and have her upset, and in turn have that disturb our relationship again. I was protective of us. I was protective of her. Yes I was, with no apologies to the fact, nor would my feelings change on that front. I couldn’t bear to hurt her any more with that sordid mess and wouldn’t let anyone else do it either.
So we made a deal. I would brief Clarkson and Gabrielle together in my office while Brynne played hostess with the others, and then switch with Marie and my dad. That way Brynne didn’t have to be in there feeling uncomfortable watching the PowerPoint I’d made with timelines and photos so everyone knew faces and names. It was important for the people closest to Brynne to know all the details of who, what, where, and the possible motivations of what may come. You couldn’t get any higher political motives than a presidential election in the US. And the side wanting to exploit Brynne would work just as hard as the side who wanted her existence unknown. I didn’t know how else to protect her and get the information out to the people that mattered. Elaina and Neil were already up to speed and Brynne said she was comfortable with them and my dad knowing. The others already knew her history of course.
We had a session scheduled with Dr. Roswell to go over some things as a couple. I agreed to it when she asked me. Brynne still had this idea in her head that I couldn’t really love her enough to overlook where she’d been with those guys on that video. Like her time stamp branded her forever a whore at seventeen. It made me really sad she blamed herself. It was definitely an issue for her, not for me, but getting her to believe that I didn’t love her any less because of that foul assault she’d endured, was
the real hurdle. We had our stuff to work on and hadn’t even scratched the surface of my demons at all. And for more than the first time I wondered if I needed to talk to someone about my bits and pieces. The thought of another nightmare scared the ever living shit out of me. More so that Brynne would see me like that again.
I watched her carefully the whole night. Outwardly she looked beautiful and charming, but inside I guessed she was struggling as the evening progressed. The minute I was done with Dad and Marie I went right over to find her in the kitchen where she was getting coffee and dessert ready for our guests. She kept her head down even though she knew I was there. I wrapped my arms around her from behind and rested my chin on top of her head. She was soft against me and her hair smelled like flowers.
“What have we here, my darling?”
“Brownies with vanilla ice-cream. The best dessert on the planet.” Her voice was flat.
“It looks decadent. Almost as delicious as you look tonight.”
She made a sound and then she got quiet. I saw her wipe at her eye and then I knew. I turned her and took her face in my hands. I hated when she cried. Not really the tears, but the sadness behind them. “Your dad—” She couldn’t finish but she’d said enough. I pulled her against my chest and drew her further into the kitchen so people couldn’t see us and just held her for a minute.
“You’re worried what he thinks?”
She nodded against me.
“He adores you, just like everyone else does. My dad is not a judgmental fellow. It’s not his way. He’s just happy to see me happy. And he knows what makes me happy is you.” I put my hands on each side of her face again. “You make me happy, baby.”
She looked up at me through sad, beautiful eyes that sparkled and brightened as she comprehended my words. “I love you,” she whispered.
“See?” I poked at my chest with a finger. “Very happy guy.”
She kissed me on the lips and made my heart thud hard inside.
“Dessert…” she said, motioning toward the counter, “the ice-cream is going to melt.”
It’s a good thing she remembered because I sure wouldn’t have. “Let me help you with that,” I said, “the sooner we serve them, the sooner they can go home, yeah?” I started picking up dessert plates and moving them out to people. If nothing else, I am a man of action.
♥
I woke up to a whole lot of noise and fitful movement next to me. Brynne was having a dream. As in, not a nightmare, but a dream. At least it sure looked like it to me. She was writhing all over the place and scissoring her legs. Grabbing at her t-shirt and arching her body. She must be having a really nice fucking dream. And it better be me she’s fucking in her dream!
“Baby.” I put a hand on her shoulder and shook a little. “You’re dreaming…don’t be scared. It’s just me.”
Her eyes flew open and she sat up immediately, looking around the room until her gaze fixated on me. God, she was wildly beautiful with her hair all down her shoulders and her chest heaving. “Ethan?” She reached out a hand.
“I’m right here, baby.” I took her hand in one of mine. “Were you dreaming?”
“Yeah…it was weird.” She left the bed and went into the loo. I heard water running and a glass being set down on the counter. I waited in bed for her to come back and after a couple minutes she did.
Boy. Did. She.
She slinked out stark naked with a look in her eyes that I’d seen before. A look that says, ‘I want sex and I want it NOW.’
“Brynne? What’s going on?”
“I think you know,” she said in a sultry voice as she climbed on top of me and looked down, her hair falling forward like a pleasure goddess intent upon ravaging me.
Oh, fuck yes!
My hands went up to her breasts without a thought. God! I cupped all that soft flesh in my hands and drew them toward my mouth. She arched and began grinding over my cock which was now as wide awake as my brain. I forgot about her being out of commission because she sure wasn’t acting like she was out of commission.
I got my mouth over her nipple and sucked it in deep. I loved the taste of her skin and could play for ages before I was ready to give her beautiful tits up. I took the other nipple and bit down a little, wanting to take her to that edge where a little pain made the pleasure so much better. She cried out and pushed harder against my mouth.
I felt her hand slip under the boxers I’d worn to bed and wrap around my cock.
“I want this, Ethan.”
She hopped off my hips and her nipple left my mouth with a pop. I didn’t have time to protest the loss before she went to work on removing those annoying shorts and getting her lips down around the bell end of my cock. “Ahhh, God!” I threw my head back and let her go to work on me. It was so fucking good my balls ached. She was really good at this. I got a handful of her hair and held her head while she sucked me to the brink of orgasm. I so wished I could go off inside her instead of her mouth. I preferred to be up in her deep when I came, with my eyes locked onto hers.
Well, my girl had more surprises in store for me because she said, “I want you inside me when you come.”
How in the hell did she just do that?
“Is it okay?” I managed to gasp out as she moved up to leverage herself.
“Umm hmm,” she moaned, pushing up on her knees to straddle me and back down to swallow my cock all the way to my balls.
I don’t know how it didn’t hurt her. Maybe it did, but it wasn’t me doing it, it was her taking what she most obviously wanted. If you insist!
“Ohhhh, fuuuuck!” I yelled, latching onto her hips and helping her out.
Brynne went wild, riding me hard, rubbing her sex where it did her the most good. The pounding rhythm exploded between us, and what was coming, I knew would be huge. I felt the tightening start but desperately needed to bring her with me. There was no way I was coming without her at least joining me in the fun. I didn’t operate like that.
I felt her inner core squeezing me tight and hot as she worked herself up and down. I snaked a hand down between her legs to meet where our bodies joined and found her clit through all that wet and slippery. I wished it was my tongue, but made do with my fingers and started stroking.
“I’m coming…” she panted.
She’d said it like that before, so soft and delicate. Those two words. It made me crazed to hear it from her again. It did because it was me making her fly apart, and she gave up everything to me in the instant when it happened.
Her soft words also sent me tumbling over the edge.
“Yes you are, baby. Come. Now. Come all over me!”
I watched her go and follow my command like an expert. She squeezed and cried and gripped and shuddered.
“Ohhhhhh, Ethaaaaan! Yes. Yes. Yes!”
Coming on command. That’s my girl, who does it when I tell her to. I’m such a lucky, lucky bastard.
I loved every part of watching her. Of feeling her pleasure. And when I felt myself start to go off, I slammed her down one final time while I thrust up in her as far as I could get and let it fly.
The hot flood of sperm jetted out and into her depths. I felt every spurt in sharp bursts and rode the wave of pleasure in a fucking daze, barely conscious of where my hands were gripping anymore or of what my body was doing. I got to look into her beautiful eyes though.
Sometime later—I have no idea how long, she stirred on my chest and lifted her head. Her eyes glowed in the dark and she smiled at me.
“What was that?”
“A really awesome middle of the night shag?” she quipped.
I chuckled. “A really fucking amazing middle of the night shag.”
I kissed her lips and held her head until I was ready to let her go. I’m possessive like that after we have sex. I don’t like to leave right away, and since she was on top of me, I didn’t have to worry about crushing her and could stay a bit longer.
I thrust up deep again and made her moan a luxurious so
und against my lips.
“You want more?” she asked in a voice mixed with content and surprise.
“Only if you do,” I said. “I’ll never turn you down and I like it when you jump me, but I thought you were having your period—”
“No. Not like that for me because of the pills I take. It’s barely anything, a day maybe, if that…sometimes I don’t even have one…” She started kissing over my chest and grazed a nipple with her teeth.
Christ, it felt so good. Her attentions jolted me right back into the moment and a healthy desire for round two.
“I think you’re going to kill me, woman…in a really nice fucking way,” I managed to say, but it was the last thing either of us spoke for a while. My Medusa had just turned into Aphrodite worshipping at the altar of Eros. My luck apparently knew no bounds.
♥
“The US papers,” Frances said, setting the stack on my desk. “There’s an interesting article on members of Congress with children in active military service in the Los Angeles Times. Guess who they interviewed?”
“He must be one of the very few. Oakley will milk it for everything he can. Thanks for these.” I tapped the stack of papers. “What about the other thing?”
Frances looked very pleased with herself. “Picking it up when I go out to get lunch. Mr. Morris said it restored beautifully after so many years in the vault.”
“Thank you for seeing to that for me.” Frances was a gem of an assistant. She ran my company office like a tight ship. I might organize the security, but that woman kept my business sorted and I didn’t underestimate her worth for an instant.
“She’s going to love it.” Frances hesitated at the door. “And did you still want me to clear your schedule for Monday?”
“Yes, please. The Mallerton thing tonight and then we leave in the morning for Somerset. We’ll drive back Monday evening.”
“I’ll see to it. Should be no problem.”