I stand and walk with shaky legs over to the blanket, lowering down until I’m sitting on it. Slade takes the hem of his shirt and lifts it up, pulling it over his head and revealing that incredible body. Then he kneels down in front of me, tucking a strand of hair from my face as he reaches for my shirt. Holding his eyes, I lift my arms and he slides my top off.
I’m not nervous.
I’m always nervous, but with him, I’m not.
He makes me feel ... safe. Beautiful.
Slowly, the rest of our clothes come off, and then Slade pulls me onto his lap again. His cock presses against my bottom, but he does nothing to push it any closer. Instead, his hands travel down my body, sliding up and down my back, cupping my bottom. His mouth drops and finds my nipple, and he sucks it softly into his mouth. Moaning, my head falls back as he devours it, sucking and nipping.
“You’re fuckin’ perfect, Rachel,” he growls, releasing my nipple and running a hand up my spine.
I run my fingers all over him, not getting enough of him, no matter how close I am. I nestle my face into his neck, and breathe him in, loving how he smells, loving how he feels. The fire crackles beside us, creating a scene that I couldn’t imagine in my wildest fantasies.
“Slade,” I whimper, when his hand drops down between my legs, finger gliding through my already wet sex.
“So fuckin’ wet,” he growls into my ear before sliding one finger inside me.
I gasp and squirm, his hands are big, his fingers equally so. It takes a few moments to adjust around him, but he swirls his finger inside me, and then thrusts it in and out slowly. I groan and find his lips, kissing him with a ferocity that I’ve never felt before. He kisses me back with equal passion, until his fingers are lighting a fire inside me.
“Slade,” I gasp as my orgasm builds higher and higher until I can’t take it anymore.
I come—hard, long, and perfect.
“I need to fuck you now babe,” he rasps, reaching over to the left of him and shuffling around. He comes back with a condom, ripping the packet with his teeth and pulling it out, reaching between us and sliding it over his dick.
He has an impressive dick, too.
Long, hard and thick. I stare at the sheer size and swallow.
Not moving me off his lap, Slade lifts me up and then gently begins lowering me over his cock, inch by inch he fills me, stretching me, making me burn in the best kind of way. I whimper and clutch his shoulders, hanging on as the pain slowly turns to incredible pleasure.
Reaching down, Slade takes my backside in his hand and starts rocking me back and forth on his cock. My gasps turn into low moans as pleasure unlike anything I’ve ever felt starts building deep inside me. My fingers graze down his biceps, before I reach up and curl my arms around his neck, finding his lips and kissing him some more as my rocking becomes more frantic.
It feels so good.
So fucking good.
“Slade,” I whimper against his mouth. “Oh, God.”
“You feel so fuckin’ good,” he growls, nipping my bottom lip. “Fuck.”
His words build me higher until I’m hanging on the edge, my entire body wound up tight, my back arched, my mouth open as little moans of pleasure escape. I’m going to come, and there is nothing that can stop the intensity of it. I already know it’s going to blow my mind.
“Slade,” I cry out as an explosion unlike any explosion I’ve ever experienced takes over my body. Pleasure, unlike anything I’ve ever felt grips my body and Slade smothers my screams with a deep kiss that takes my breath away.
“Goin’ to come too, fuck,” he hisses against my mouth, before his entire body goes still and he exhales against my cheek, thrusting upwards just slightly as he relishes in his release.
I drop my head into his shoulder, catching my breath. His big arms go around me and he holds me there for a few minutes, both of us connecting in a way that scares me. I can feel it radiating off him and into me. There’s something here, a bond that I don’t think even we understand.
“That was incredible,” I finally murmur, pulling away and looking into his eyes.
“You’re incredible, babe,” he says, pressing a kiss to the end of my nose.
God.
There is no backing away from this now.
He’s under my skin.
~*~*~*~
Slamming my car door, I let out a frustrated growl as soon as I know nobody can hear me. It’s been over a month now, and Terrence isn’t letting up. It doesn’t matter what I do, or what I say, he just doesn’t like me. Today, he made my day a living nightmare, and for no good reason. The stress is finally taking its toll, and I don’t know how much more I’m expected to take. Honestly.
The drive home I fight my tears, knowing Slade will pick up on it as soon as I walk in his front door for dinner later. He can read me in a way that sometimes freaks me out, and other times flatters me. The slightest shift in my mood, and he can pick it up. Things between us in the last few weeks have been incredible. Every chance he gets, he takes Ryder and I out to explore the area, and without fail he fucks me until my head spins afterward.
I’m not even willing to think about how attached I am to the man.
When I arrive at my cabin, I get out and glance next door. I’m meant to be going over there for dinner, but my mood is not good and I know I’ll only make everyone miserable. I pull out my phone and flick Slade a text, telling him that I had a really bad headache and am going to bed early, so I’ll see him tomorrow before work. Then I go inside and stand in a hot shower for half an hour, trying to calm myself.
By the time I get out, Slade is sitting on the end of my bed, staring. I jerk a little when I see him, but it shouldn’t surprise me. Of course he wasn’t just going to take a text message and leave me be. No, he’s too smart and has to come and check to make sure I’m actually telling the truth. Nothing slips past him. Nothing at all.
“You’ve been crying.”
It’s not a question, but a statement. So, I don’t answer it.
“What’s going on, Rach?”
I shake my head, clutching the towel closer and avoiding eye contact.
“Three seconds to tell me, babe, or I come over there and make you.”
I flush and look over to him. “Honestly, I have a headache.”
“I call bullshit, last chance.”
“Slade ...”
He moves quickly, catching me around the waist and pulling me onto his lap. My towel drops and I scramble for it, but he slaps my hands away, curling his big arms around my naked body and holding me to him.
“Now, tell me what’s goin’ on.”
“Slade, honestly ...”
“If I have to slap your ass, Rachel, I will. Your choice.”
I bite my bottom lip for a second, and then whisper, “Terrence is being horrible again. It’s getting old now, I don’t know how much more I can handle, honestly, I don’t. I love this job, but the joy is slowly being sucked out of it. It’s wearing me down, Slade.”
Slade makes a deep rumbling sound in his throat, and then says, “I’ll sort it out.”
“What?” I cry out. “No! Slade!”
“I’ll sort it, Rachel. Trust me.”
“No, I’ll lose my job, I will and—”
“Shhh,” he says, cupping my breast and rolling my nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
“Slade,” I whimper, hating that it feels so good when I’m trying to be serious.
“Hush, baby.”
He squeezes my breast, before his hand drops between my legs and he starts stroking there.
“Dammit, Slade, listen,” I gasp.
“After. Right now, I’m going to put my mouth on your pussy and relax you. Then you’re coming to my house for dinner, as we planned. Later, I’ll fuck you before you go to sleep.”
I shiver. “You’re a stubborn ass ...”
He moves quickly, throwing my body down onto the bed. I bounce a little but he catches my thighs in his b
ig hands and jerks me toward the end of the bed before dropping to his knees and hitting me with those smoldering brown eyes. “Don’t fight me, baby, I’m hungry.”
I shiver and my mouth drops open, but nothing comes out, so I simply nod and swallow.
Then Slade drops his head.
And he eats my pussy until I forget all my problems.
~*~*~*~
Walking into the office late the next morning because I had a training course before I started, I see Terrence right away standing at the end of the hall outside his office. The moment he notices me, he starts striding over to me. God, here we go. I don’t need any more crap from him. He surely knows that I was training this morning as part of my job. If he wants to fight me this morning, I may very well quit; I’ve had enough.
“Rachel, if you will come into my office for a moment,” he says, his voice tight, but not it’s usual snippy tone.
“Of course,” I say and even I can hear the exhaustion in the way I sound.
I step into his office and walk over, taking a seat and looking over at him as he sits down across from me, and holds my eyes.
“I called you in here today, because I wanted to,” he pauses and looks away for a moment, “to apologize for the way I’ve been treating you. It is classed as harassment, and you’ve done nothing to warrant it.”
I blink.
Say what?
“Ah,” I begin, but I’ve got nothing. At all.
“I’ve been treating you more than unfairly, and if you wanted, you’d have every right to make a complaint against me. However, I ask that you give me a second chance. I’ve been under, ah, high stress and was taking it out on you. I apologize for that.”
I’m hearing things.
This is a dream.
This is ...
Slade!
Oh, God. Slade.
“I, ah, I appreciate that, Terrence. I really like working here, and I’m grateful for the chance, so I hope we can start getting along.”
I really want to tell him to stick it up his ass, but whatever Slade has done, has worked. I’m a little nervous as to what he may have said for this change in attitude, but I have no choice but to roll with it, and hope it sticks.
“I appreciate that,” Terrence says. “Thank you for understanding, and once again, I apologize. You may go back to work now.”
May.
I may go back to work.
No demands, just perfect manners.
I stand and offer a lame smile before heading out of the office and into my own. Then I pull out my phone and text Slade.
R – What did you do.
S – What I had to.
R – Slade! Seriously! Tell me!
S – I just reminded him of company rules, very fucking nicely, and told him if it continues, we would find proof of harassment and have his ass.
My heart pounds as I text back.
R – I don’t know if I should thank you or throttle you. He could have fired me and gotten you into trouble.
S – Trust me babe, he wasn’t going to fire you. I can find dirt on anyone, and I found enough on Terrence to make sure he treats you with the upmost respect from now on.
God.
This man.
R – Well, thank you. He apologized and was very nice.
S – Anything baby. See you this afternoon.
God.
Yes.
This man.
FOURTEEN
“You’re sure?” I say one last time to Slade as he climbs into the driver’s side of his truck.
He reaches out, cupping my jaw in his big hand and murmuring, “I’m sure, babe, I trust you and he likes being with you. It’s one night. Honestly, it’ll be fine, I promise. He’ll be on his best behavior, won’t you, boy?”
Ryder nods, clutching his pillow to his chest with a big goofy grin. “I promise!”
“Come in here and give me a kiss.”
I lean in and brush my lips against Slade’s, my heart doing a happy little flutter. “You’ll call me when you get there?” I ask.
“Call you, text you, think about you, baby. Look after my boy.”
“Of course,” I beam. “We’re going to run wild here. Drunk, ladies, cage fights ...”
Ryder giggles and Slade squeezes my chin just a little.
“We’ll be fine, honey,” I whisper.
He presses a kiss to my forehead and I step back.
“Get in here, bro, and give me a hug.”
Ryder launches up and hugs Slade, before stepping back and standing so close his pillow squashes against me.
“Be good,” Slade says, shutting the truck door and disappearing down the road.
We both watch him go, my heart a little achy, Ryder’s too no doubt. But at the same time, my heart is filled with joy that Slade trusts me to look after Ryder. I know how protective he is, so I know it’s a big deal for him. He had to go away for work, and I was honored when he asked me to help out. Of course, I’m nervous as hell, I don’t really spend a lot of time with children, however Ryder and I get along great so I know it’ll be fine.
“What shall we do first, buddy?” I ask the little boy. “Movies?”
He jumps on the spot. “Yes!”
“Let’s do it.”
We go into my cabin, and I show Ryder where he’ll be sleeping in the spare room. He puts his stuff down and I throw a frozen pizza in the oven while preparing some popcorn. It’s already late afternoon, so we’ve only got the rest of the night and Slade will be back tomorrow before lunchtime. He said he has to go look at a car, and could come back tonight but he’s tired so he’ll head back in the morning.
Ryder gets comfortable on the sofa and I get the popcorn when it’s done, and a couple of sodas from the fridge. Then I head over and join him while the pizza cooks. He picks Big Hero 6, which is a movie I haven’t seen, but Lara has told me so much about it. We settle in with the bowl between us and relax.
The movie is quarter way through when I get up to pull the pizza from the oven. I place it on the counter and get a knife to cut it when I see movement outside my front window. Squinting, I place the knife down, sure I saw a person out there. Maybe Steph has come over to say hello? Oh, no, wait, she’s out of town for a few days. Maybe it’s a friend of Slade’s.
I open the front door and see the real estate lady standing on the porch. Samantha, I think her name was. I stare at her for a second, confused. What the hell is she doing here at night?
“Ah, can I help you again?” I ask her.
She turns and faces me, only this time she’s not wearing the dark glasses. She has dark rings under her eyes, and her face, without all the make-up she was wearing last time, seems drawn out and gaunt. She looks ... terrible.
“Is everything OK?”
I don’t know why I ask that, but the fact is I’m a little concerned for the woman. What the hell is she doing on my porch, after hours, looking like she just finished a drug deal, after taking half the drugs herself. Her eyes swing to mine and she asks, “I was looking for Slade, is he home?”
I narrow my eyes. Something inside just doesn’t feel ... right. I can’t put my finger on what it is, all I know is that my entire body is screaming at me to lie to this woman, because whatever the reason she’s here, I’m starting to think it has nothing at all to do with real estate.
“No, sorry, he isn’t. He’s gone away for a while.”
A lie, it’s only a night but until I can warn him of this crazy woman after ... what? His property? Does she want to buy it that badly? Either way, until I can warn him, I’ll do my best to keep her away and then he can deal with it when he returns.
“Oh,” she says, studying me.
Her left hand twitches. She’s wearing a big coat. It’s not that cold out. Though there isn’t much of her. I wonder why she looks so bad right now? She looked tidy last time she was here, she spoke well, what happened to her in the last month?
“I’m sorry,” I continue, just wanting to shut an
d lock my door. “I can let him know you were here again, if you like.”
She starts nodding but then stops. Her eyes fix on something behind me, and the way they focus, makes my heart start racing. I feel the small boy’s presence behind me, and his hand clutch the back of my shirt as he whispers, “Mommy?”
Mommy.
Oh.
God.
No.
I move quickly, taking a step back into the house and pushing Ryder backward with one hand as I reach for the door with the other, but she’s quicker. She’s already reached into her jacket and pulled out a gun before I can even get the door half closed. I freeze. I can’t move. She points it at me and in a low, shaky tone says, “Let me in, and nobody gets hurt.”
Oh, God.
This is bad. This is so bad.
I contemplate just throwing myself at her. She’s high, obviously, so how good a shot would she be? Maybe I’d have a chance to get the gun out of her hand before—
“Don’t even think about attacking me,” she hisses in a low voice. “I have shot many guns in my time, I won’t miss, I promise you.”
I swallow, and take a step back, reaching around behind me and pulling Ryder close to my back as she forces us into the house before locking the door and keeping the gun trained on me.
“Ryder, baby,” she says to the boy holding tight to the back of my shirt, so tight he’s pinching some of my skin with it. “It’s me, Mommy. Come out here and give me a hug.”
Over my dead damned body.
Ryder doesn’t say anything, he just brings himself closer to me.
“Ryder,” she tries again. “I’ve come to get you, like I promised. You don’t need to live with that monster anymore. He won’t keep you from me any longer. We’ll go somewhere nice, somewhere special, and we’ll have so much fun OK, baby?”
“No,” his little voice comes from behind me. “No. I want to stay here with Slade.”
“Slade’s a liar!” she snaps, and then schools her features. “Slade’s a liar, baby, trust me. I’m your mother, I’d never hurt you.”