Ari’s car pulled up to the front of the restaurant and he got out and raced to my side to open the door for me. My cheeks flushed as I stared up at him, his warm breath brushing against my ear.
‘I’m taking you back to my place. Don’t try and say no,’ he murmured, his voice low and husky. Lust spiked in my veins at his words, and the world took on a sparkly edge.
‘Okay,’ I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. I wanted to go. I’d been thinking about it for my entire shift. Waldo was at the pet sitter anyway, because I hated leaving him alone while I was at work and…
We weren’t alone last night. Clark had been there in the room, whether we wanted to believe it or not.
Tonight there weren’t any ghosts.
Tonight…there was just us.
There was something about the way he looked at me, the intensity in his gaze…he was hungry for me. Desperate.
And I couldn’t wait to feed him.
He buckled my seatbelt, rubbing his nose against mine.
“I missed you,” he said. And there was an ache in his voice.
The same ache that I’d felt as soon as he’d walked out of the restaurant. The one still there even after I realized he was just across the street.
I missed him.
It seemed absurd, irrational, to ache for someone’s presence so intensely, especially when we were still only getting to know each other.
But that’s exactly what I felt.
My heart seemed to have already memorized the cadence of his laughter, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled…the warmth of his touch. We were two souls inexplicably drawn together, like magnets pulled by a force greater than ourselves.
It was as if my soul recognized him. As if we’d met before in another life, in another time. I couldn’t explain it, but there was an unshakable feeling that our destinies were intertwined, that our connection went far beyond now.
Ari got in the car and took my hand, settling it on the gearshift while he drove.
As Ari’s car glided through the night, enchanting anticipation hung in the air, shimmering like a thousand stars in the velvet sky. The engine’s purr seemed to serenade us, the gentle rhythm of the tires against the road a soothing melody that underscored the emotions hovering there between us.
My heart was dancing in my chest, not exactly nervous anticipation…more like happiness.
Was that what this felt like?
I couldn’t remember feeling it before.
I stole glances at Ari, his gorgeous features bathed in the soft, ambient glow of the car’s interior. He kept looking at me too. With a beguiled, mesmerized look in his green eyes every time.
Ari Lancaster thinks he’s lucky to have me.
And until he figured out otherwise, I was going to enjoy the moment. Because no one else in my life had ever made me feel like more than a favor. After Clark had saved me, I’d seen it sometimes, like he felt he was this good guy for sticking around, for hanging on despite all my issues.
And honestly, that look in itself made me want to die.
Because he hadn’t even known half of the issues I really had, the demons always floating around in my mind.
“Don’t go anywhere in that pretty head,” Ari murmured, showing that he knew me better than anyone else ever had somehow. “It’s just me and you now, sunshine. And this thing between us is so big, there’s never going to be room for anyone else.”
“How do you do that?” I sighed, finally dragging my gaze away from him. “How do you see me like that?”
He chuckled to himself and shook his head. ““You’re all I see, Blake. I feel like I’ve been looking for you my whole life.”
I wanted to sob. Because the emotions inside me felt like too much, like they needed somewhere to spill over.
As he navigated the winding roads, we moved away from any heavy words. The conversation flowed like a gentle breeze. I was fascinated by every word that came out of his mouth. I wanted to know everything there was to know about him. I felt like I’d been talking in a secret language my whole life, that no one else could understand except Ari Lancaster.
It felt like maybe I could give him my sadness someday.
And he wouldn’t want to run away. He would just understand.
That the fact that my parents had irreparably broken something in me all those years ago wouldn’t scare him away.
The world outside the car had dissolved into the night, and there was only Ari and me, a cocooned universe I never wanted to leave.
With every mile, the anticipation in the car grew like an enchanting spell, a dance of emotions that rose to a fevered pitch. Arousal mingled with longing, creating a heady cocktail of emotions that pulsed through our veins. We both knew what was coming when we got to his house.
Finally we were there, and we pulled into his enormous garage, the soft rumble of the car’s engine coming to a gentle rest. As the garage door closed behind us, I noticed two other vehicles in the cavernous space, a striking red lifted truck, and a sleek black motorcycle.
Ari’s vehicles were freaking hot.
“You look like you’re interested in a bike ride later, sunshine,” he chuckled after he opened my door for me and saw what I was drooling at. I didn’t miss how he emphasized later.
I was all about the later as well.
Ari took my hand loosely, our fingers intertwined, and led me into the house. His other hand gently grazed my face as he leaned in for a kiss. But before our lips could meet, I pulled back slightly, my cheeks burning with sudden embarrassment.
‘Can I…can I take a shower first?’ I stammered, feeling self-consciousness wash over me. I smelled like food…and sweat. And he smelled like sunlight and sex and fuck…it was the best smell on earth.
Ari’s fingers traced a gentle path along my jawline. “Sure thing, sunshine,’ he purred, his voice tender. ‘As long as you borrow my clothes when you’re finished.”
He winked at me and I was a pool of lust. Men that looked like him, acted like him, breathed like him…they should not be allowed to wink.
Ari led me into his master bathroom. The moment I stepped through the door, I immediately loved it. It was fancy, all marble and glass, shouting out luxury and comfort. Soft, warm lighting filled the room, making it feel cozy and inviting.
Right there in the middle of it all, was an enormous bathtub. It gleamed like a pristine oasis, just waiting for someone to dive into it—aka me. Above it, a chandelier sparkled, scattering light into a thousand little shards.
The vanity was made of polished marble and decked out with shiny silver fixtures. He showed me where the heated towels were and then he stopped, his cheeks turning red.
‘There’s a drawer,” he muttered, pointing to one in the vanity. “It’s for you.”
I shot him a confused look and slid the drawer open, only to find fancy toiletries laid out neatly inside—many of them my favorite brands, ones I didn’t buy now that I was trying to live out from under the shadow of the Shepfields’ money.
“Um Ari…is this a drawer for women you invite over?” I asked softly, feeling hot and icky all of a sudden.
“No!” he practically shouted. “I bought—well, my housekeeper bought—these for you. No one else. No…no one’s been here but you.”
“Oh,” I blushed. “In that case, thank you.” I was embarrassed by my reaction, but he seemed to be more worried about it than annoyed.
Ari smacked a kiss on my lips. “I’ll give you some space for now…but just know that next time, I’m joining you,” he said huskily, before he literally left the room at a run, muttering something about needing to “leave now while he could.” There was also something in there about tacos, but that one just left me confused.
Taking a deep breath, I undressed and stepped into the shower, the hot water soothing my skin as it cascaded down like a gentle rain. The scent of his shower gel surrounded me, a subtle reminder of his presence that made my insides warm. I hurried through the shower, wanting to see Ari again.
When I was finished, I dried myself off with one of the warmed towels he’d pointed out and I reached for the pile of his clothes. This felt like a big step. There was something about wearing your man’s clothes that just did something to the female population. I slipped into his shirt, and it swallowed me whole, like a cocoon of soft fabric as it hung off my shoulder. The sweatpants were loose and comfortable and I pulled the drawstrings tight so they were able to stay up.
As I made my way to the kitchen, I was greeted by the sight of Ari, now dressed in a pair of joggers that hung low on his hips, showing off those dimples right above his ass that were one of the sexiest sights on earth. He was shirtless, the butterfly on his back standing out in stark relief, and the sight of his tattooed sculpted chest and defined muscles made my breath catch in my throat. His hair was wet and slicked back, and there were still some droplets of water glistening on his tanned skin from the shower he’d obviously taken somewhere else in the house.
‘Hey,’ he said, his voice husky and inviting as he turned to face me. The air between us crackled with tension, as his eyes devoured me, bouncing all over my body. It seemed like the sight of me in his clothes did as much to him as wearing his clothes did to me. Ari was squeezing his fists at his sides, like he was trying to hold back from reaching for me.
‘Hi,’ I replied, my voice soft and uncertain. I couldn’t help but feel a rush of desire, a yearning to be closer to him. His presence was both overwhelming and comforting, a contradiction that made my heart race.
He gestured to the kitchen island, where he had put together a spread of food that smelled incredible. “I only know how to make one thing. But that’s okay because it’s the best food in the world, so I know you’re going to like it,” he said, gesturing proudly to the island. “It’s taco time, baby.”
I giggled and his face lit up like the sound made him happy.
Ari made my plate, walking me through the correct way to make a perfect taco, and then we walked to his kitchen table to eat. I was about to sit down when he slid under me and pulled me into his lap, setting his plate down in front of us.
“My house. My rules. And my rules say we have to eat just like this,” he purred into my ear.
I bit my lip and then found myself nuzzling against him. I craved this kind of closeness. I was desperate for it. He wasn’t going to have to fight me on this kind of thing at all.
“Good girl,” he murmured, and I melted, belatedly realizing that I’d missed the beast I was now sitting on. It was going to be quite memorable, sitting on his erection and eating tacos at the same time.
He hummed against my hair before grabbing a steak taco off his plate and taking a big bite. Ari’s moan of delight was…erotic. He really loved tacos.
He munched away happily, telling me about his favorite taco place in Dallas that Lincoln had recently betrayed him at by taking Monroe. I was quite confident of Ari’s three favorite things at this point: hockey, Lincoln, and tacos. Four things, I amended. I was beginning to suspect that I was one of his favorite things as well.
The conversation flowed effortlessly, as if we had known each other for a lifetime. The tension that had hung in the air earlier had transformed into something more intimate, a connection that went beyond words.
Ari
I was dying. Literally. Not sure if I was in heaven…or hell.
I had the hardest erection of my entire life and she kept pushing against it. And I was eating tacos.
Fuckkk.
And she was so easy to talk to. She was relaxing, opening up to me. And it was the sweetest thing.
I took my last bite of dinner, mentally congratulating myself because I’d killed it on the carne asada tonight. I was tempted to eat more, but I had plans…big plans…and I didn’t want to be too full for them.
There was nothing worse than a meat fart.
Don’t think about meat farts when you’re about to seduce your woman!, I screamed at myself.
She turned and smiled at me, and all other thoughts thankfully disappeared.
I wanted her. I wanted her so badly it honest to goodness felt like I would fucking die if I didn’t have her. Right now.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, cocking her head innocently.
I stared at her for a second, trying to find some kind of self control.
But alas…there wasn’t any to be found.
I scooped her up, enjoying her little squeak of surprise, and I stalked towards my bedroom. From the moment I’d moved into the place, I’d been dreaming of her in my bed. Getting off to it multiple times a day.
And I was all about dreams becoming a reality.
I threw her down on the bed, and she stretched out like a languid cat. Laying there in my clothes. Fuck, the sexiest thing I’d ever seen…only to be beat by the scene I’d get in a second when I stripped her completely bare.
I kneeled on the bed and crawled to her, her violet eyes wide in anticipation.
I was suddenly overcome with gratitude. It was enough to make me fall forward and just lay my head on her stomach. I’d actually found her. All those years of feeling lonely, like I’d lost the one person meant for me.
And I’d found her.
“Ari,” she said softly, her hands sliding through my hair.
I nuzzled against her, my fingers tracing the skin peeking out from where my shirt had slid up on her. I glanced up at her face, and fuck, I was witnessing true perfection. I’d never get tired of staring at her. I was sure of it. Never ever.
I was reminded then, just how close I was to her pussy. And I had promised that I would be tasting it…and inside of it…every day for the rest of our lives.
Or if I hadn’t said it…I’d definitely meant it.
I should definitely keep those promises. Because it’s really, really good to keep them.
I lifted up and pushed her legs apart so I could get what I wanted. She watched me slowly pull my sweats down her legs. My hands were slightly shaking. Last night, in the dim lighting, I didn’t get to see everything I wanted.
I was going to make the most of it tonight, but it felt like I’d been given the most precious gift. And I was suddenly so scared that I’d fuck it all up.
I’d never let her go. No matter what.
I’d glue myself to her side if I had to.
I growled when the most perfect pussy on the planet came into view, all pink and plump…and wet.
“Look at how pretty you are, sunshine,” I purred, and she flushed. I pushed her shirt up, revealing her braless tits…because I wanted to see if she flushed everywhere when she got turned on like this.
And sure enough…the answer was yes.
There was indeed a rosy flush all over those plump, delicious fucking breasts.
I slapped my face and she giggled in surprise. “Sorry. Just making sure I wasn’t dreaming, because there’s no way this kind of perfection actually exists.” I squeezed one of her breasts and then leaned over and lightly licked at her nipple until it was beaded.
“Fuck.”
I definitely wanted to play with those more, but I had a pussy to eat.
I kissed it first, because…I just had to. And then I held onto her hips and I licked into her, moaning as her wetness hit my tongue. I couldn’t even really describe the taste. I just knew it was delicious. My favorite. Necessary to my fucking existence.
I sucked on her clit. And I was feeling feverish. Feral. She was crying out and riding my face as her hands dug into my hair. I needed to get in deeper so I pushed her legs apart and fucked my tongue into her pussy as I rubbed her clit. I wanted every part of her though, so my tongue was everywhere, sliding down her ass cheeks and dipping inside her rosebud as she screamed my name. She tried to move away but I held her there because I wanted it all. There was no part of her that wasn’t going to belong to me.
Fucking her with my fingers, I returned to her clit, suckling it as she came all over my face. The sound of her screaming my name. Fuck. There was cum dribbling out of me like a faucet, and I somehow kicked off my pants without lifting my face from her pussy. I was fucking into the bed as I continued to suck and lick, unable to stop without getting one. Fucking. More.
When she came again, I almost lost fistfuls of hair because she was pulling on it so hard. But what a fucking way to go. Just the sound of her voice and the taste of her had me riding the edge. I reached down and pinched the top of my dick because there was no way that I was coming anywhere but in that tight fucking cunt.
I came up for air, although death by pussy sounded like a beautiful fucking death…
The way she was staring at me, those soft eyes a mixture of desire and something else…something that looked awfully like love. I’d almost got it. I’d almost got her heart.
I leaned forward and licked her nipple, sucking it into my mouth while I kneaded and played with her breasts.
“Ari,” she whispered, her head thrown back, her fingers digging into the comforter underneath her. “I want—”
“What do you want, sunshine?” I soothed between sucks.
“I want to touch you.”
She sounded desperate, and I did live to serve…
I quickly flopped to the bed next to her, my hands behind my head, my dick extending up to my stomach. The lust was so intense, I was riding that fine line between delirium and sanity.
Blake sat up and moved hesitantly to her knees, her eyes wide as she stared at my dick. I had to admit it did look pretty badass with the piercing winding its way through the shaft.
Muchhh better than a little old dick tattoo.
I frowned, wondering if Blake would appreciate it nonetheless.
She reached towards it, a faint flush to her cheeks. I didn’t know where to look. That face. Those breasts…my gaze darted down to that gorgeous, glistening pussy. So much eye candy.
She smoothed her fingers over the crown, squeezing gently as a gush of moisture seeped from the slit. I’d never had this much pre cum before, but it was gushing out, my dick on high alert. Locking eyes with me, she brought her fingers to her plump lips and licked at the tips, tasting me.
“Mmmh,” she whimpered, and a fresh batch of cum trickled out because fuck…she was hot. I had to close my eyes for a second…because I was too fucking close. “I want to suck on you, Ari. Take that big cock in my mouth. I want you to fuck my mouth.”
My eyes widened, because golly gee willikers, I’d died and gone to heaven. Blake had a dirty mouth.
“How bad do you want it, sunshine?” I growled as she leaned forward and lapped at my head, her small pink tongue peeking out and sliding over my slit.
Her hand curled around my cock, her fingertips not quite meeting as she stroked up my shaft, every pass over my piercing making me grit my teeth.
Dead kittens. Old man balls…Little Ari, don’t let me down now….Fuckkkkk.
Her lips closed over the head and I couldn’t help but fuck into her mouth until she gagged. Her hands were squeezing and rubbing along my length, and she was sucking on me like I was fucking candy.
“It’s so good. Soo good. Blake,” I moaned. And she smiled before taking me deeper, sucking on me hard. “Suck it, baby. Suck my fucking cock.”
She worked me even further down her throat somehow, pulling off slightly to flick the head of my piercing around with her tongue.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” I growled, completely losing control.
I dragged my fingers through her hair and down to her jaw, holding her head still as I fucked into her mouth, muttering a mixture of fucks and praises. “Yes, fuck. You’re such a good girl. Take more.” I thrust in deeper, in and out, until I got the rhythm I wanted.
“You’re so fucking good at this,” I growled, because I’d never gotten head this good. Ever.
Her hands had moved from my shaft and were now roaming my skin. I loved her touching me. Loved it.
Her eyes were wide and my precum was dripping from her mouth, onto her tits.
“Look at how fucking beautiful you are, sweet girl,” I murmured in awe as I continued to fuck her face.
I groaned when one of her fingers slid down below my penis, massaging the entry of my asshole.
“Holy fuck!” I all but screamed as I surged into her one more time, flooding her mouth with pumping bursts of cum. She continued to lick and suck, as if she was desperate for every drop. I pumped into her a few more times, still leaking cum. I wanted her to have all of it. I loved that a part of me was inside her, like that just bound us more.
My breath was coming out in gasps when she finally slid her lips off my dick with a sexy pop.
I reached over and smeared the drops of cum into her skin, sliding it down her neck and across her chest. I wanted to coat her in it.
She sat back, biting down on her bottom lip and looking unsure all of a sudden. “Was that…was that okay?” she whispered.
I barked out a harsh laugh because fuck..was that okay?
“That was the best fucking thing I’ve ever experienced besides the feel of your cunt last night. A million out of ten. Best fucking blowjob anyone could ever have.”
Her eyes glimmered with relief and I sat up and kissed her, tasting my cum on her lips. My dick stirred to life and I didn’t even try to talk it down. I had a feeling I was going to be aroused and ready to fuck her for the rest of my life.
Is this what madness felt like?
She lay back beside me and I just stared at her in awe. I was so gone for this perfect fucking girl, and I was never going to let her go.
Ever.
She was mine, and I’d never allow her to slip away. The mere thought of losing her, of someone else even daring to lay eyes on her, ignited a dark, all-consuming obsession within me. It was a hunger, a need to possess her completely, body and soul. I wanted to envelop her in darkness, where there was no escape from my grasp, and she’d be forever bound to me. She wasn’t just everything; she was the only thing, and I’d descend to the depths of madness to ensure she stayed mine.
“What are you thinking about?” she murmured, her hand reaching out to stroke down my face.
That I’m crazy about you. Mad about you. Obsessed.
“That I’ll never let you go,” I answered with a soft, amused smile. Because that was the truth.
“I’d like that,” she answered.
And I considered it a vow.
Blake
He made love to me all through the night.
That’s what it was. There was no denying it. His body whispered it to me every time he thrust inside me.
We were both insatiable, unable to stop for hours. I was addicted to him.
The soft, warm rays of the morning sun bathed us as we laid intertwined on the lounger on Ari’s back patio much, much later on, watching the sky gradually lighten with the approaching sunrise. I was sore…everywhere. The morning sun was a gentle kiss on our skin, and I’d never felt more…at peace.
“So, how’d you get into hockey anyway?” I murmured, tracing the outline of the birdcage tattoo on his chest. I wanted to know everything about him.
I just didn’t want him to know everything about me.
His heartbeat was a comforting, steady rhythm beneath my head.
“Mmmh, I sort of stumbled into it, really late actually.’
I shifted slightly, surprised. ‘Really? I’d pictured you skating in diapers.’
Ari chuckled softly, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my skin. ‘Not quite. I didn’t get into it until right before my 13th birthday. I was kind of an angry kid, and I’d skip school to hang out at the mall. There was an ice skating rink inside, and I stole a pair of skates and would sneak in every day, and just skate…for hours.”
His fingers traced below the blanket wrapped around me, slipping to circle my nipple. I shifted against his chest. I was achy, but I’d give him anything he wanted if he asked.
‘There was this free skate event hosted by a local Catholic parish,’ he continued, his voice taking on a wistful tone. ‘They’d set up a makeshift rink in their parking lot during the winter months. It was open to anyone, no matter their skill level.’
I stared up at him, his beauty overwhelming for the millionth time.
‘One of the priests,’ he continued, ‘Father Donaldson, started to recognize me. There was a hockey net set up during the free skate, along with some old equipment. I’d be out there from beginning to end, smashing pucks into the net, playing with anyone I could get. Father Donaldson must have seen something in me. Because one day he asked if I’d ever played before.’
‘What did you tell him?’ I asked, grinning at the mischievous glint in his eyes.
Ari smirked, watching me, pressing a soft kiss on my lips that had my heart absolutely singing, ‘I may have told a little white lie and said I was basically a pro.’
I giggled and his smirk widened. ‘He signed me up for a local league. And fuck. He changed my life, Blake. I put everything into the game. Everything.’ He trailed off, his eyes unseeing as he spent a moment in the past. “A coach from Dalton Prep scouted me during one of my games. He gave me a scholarship to attend school there. I met Lincoln and…the rest is history.”
“Your parents must have been so proud,” I murmured, trying to imagine myself good at anything. What my parents would have thought.
I realized suddenly that Ari hadn’t said anything. I looked up at him and he was staring at the sunrise, his brow furrowed, the usual twinkle in his eyes dulled and…stressed. His grip on my hip held a touch of desperation.
“I didn’t have parents, sunshine,” he finally murmured, turning to watch me with his verdant green gaze. “I was dropped off at a group home when I was a toddler.”
I gaped at him, mind racing but…no. Things like that didn’t happen. Not in real life.
“A group home?” I whispered.
“Yes,” he said gently, his eyes urging me on…
The night had stretched its inky canvas above, adorned with twinkling stars, and I was in the backyard of the group home again, tears tracing an endless path down my cheeks. I was convinced I was never going to be happy again. I missed them, my parents. So much. Everyday it was there, and it didn’t feel like I was ever going to be okay.
I lay there, staring up at those distant stars, as if they held the answers to questions I didn’t know how to ask. The world felt too big. Everything inside me was lonely. It was never ending.
And then, like a gentle whisper in the night, Ari was there, just like he’d been every day since I’d gotten here. His hand found mine, fingers entwining, and we lay there together beneath the canopy of stars.
‘Ari,’ I spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, ‘do you think I’m going to be sad forever?’
He was silent for a moment, as if contemplating the vastness of the universe above us. I watched the stars twinkle in his eyes, and in that moment, I realized he carried his own burdens, his own share of sorrows. Yet, he had always been my refuge, the one who understood without needing words.
‘I’ll make you happy,’ he finally said, his voice tender and resolute. ‘It might take a while, but someday I’ll make you happy for the rest of your life.’
Someday. The word hung in the air, a fragile promise in the darkness. I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope, a glimmer of light in the shadows of my sadness. But forever sounded like such a daunting expanse of time, an eternity I couldn’t quite grasp at ten years old.
I looked at Ari, his face illuminated by the soft, silvery glow of the moon, and I felt a bond between us that was stronger than any of the losses I’d endured. He was my constant, my protector, the one who had always been there to wipe away my tears and chase away the nightmares.
As we lay there, hand in hand, gazing up at the stars that had witnessed our childhood sorrows, I clung to Ari’s promise like a lifeline. I didn’t know what the future held, but with him by my side, I felt a glimmer of the happiness he had vowed to bring into my life. And though forever seemed like a really long time, I believed him.
I’d left with the Shepfields the very next week.
The revelation hit me like a sudden burst of sunlight through stormy clouds. Staring at the grown man who’d once been a boy I didn’t think I could live without, I couldn’t contain the overwhelming rush of emotions that surged through me. Tears welled in my eyes, happiness and shock exploding through my veins as the realization of who he was washed over me. I sobbed into his chest, completely overcome.
“Ari?” I finally whispered, staring up at him through tear strung eyes. There was a newfound significance behind his name.
“I made a promise after all, Layla,” he murmured with a soft smile. “The universe just finally decided to help me with it.”
My eyes closed as he said my name, my real name, the one I never allowed myself to think about anymore.
I clung to him, my sobs shaking my entire being, as if I could release the years of pain and uncertainty that had accumulated in my heart. A piece of myself had been found, clicked back into its rightful place, and I sobbed for all the years we’d lost and for the future I desperately wanted to have.
“I’ve been so lonely without you,” I finally admitted. He brushed a soft kiss across my hair.
“Lonely doesn’t exist for us anymore, baby,” he soothed.
And as he made love to me under the sunrise, whispering his devotion over and over…
I believed him.
