He focused on my eyes as he stood and dropped his shorts, leaving him ready for me—his perfect V on display, his erection reaching for me, a drop of pre-come slipping out. He snatched me up fast and tossed me onto my stomach on the bed, then climbed behind me and entered without warning.
Thank goodness I’d gone on birth control after rehab. It seemed appropriate with us temporarily living together, but hadn’t made a difference until now.
“Yes,” I said on another moan. “Don’t go easy on me.”
He stretched my arms above my head and held them tightly while he drove into me hard. I wriggled a little under him, thinking how delicious it was to feel so much sensation. My whole body tingled as I ran my right toes along the bed, thankful they were there. Then I clenched my inner walls around Jake and was pretty thrilled he was there inside me. A moment later he came on a shout, then toppled on top of me and didn’t move.
And that was the most delicious feeling of all.
Later that evening, we sat on the deck watching as fireworks erupted above the stadium. We’d skipped getting together with everyone for the holiday, and Jake opted to grill instead. He’d ordered me to sit on the chaise with wine while he made dinner, but I refused. Wearing my prosthesis, I moved around the kitchen without too much trouble, assembling a pie and baked ziti while sipping wine. It was the most normal time I’d spent since the incident, and it felt good.
Really good. Normal, even.
While we ate, I asked about the gym, the deal with the baseball team, the construction, and for a few hours, I felt like Aly. Jake had been giving me small updates over the last few weeks, but I wanted to hear it all. He smiled when I asked about his work with the baseball team, and he downright glowed when he explained Fizzle Cubed was on schedule for its grand opening.
He asked my opinion about the equipment in the basement, if it was quality or shitty, explaining he was thinking of adding a PT department to the new joint.
“How could I say anything was shitty? I have my own private rehab, Jake,” I said as blue and red bursts overtook the sky. We moved to the outdoor sofa for the fireworks display. Jake sat and wrapped his arms around me as I leaned back into him.
“Babe, it’s helpful for me to know.” He pinched my side, and I laughed like I hadn’t laughed in a long while.
Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was Jake, or both.
After I gave him my thoughts about the equipment, he asked about the townhouse. He fired questions into my ear, questions too difficult to discuss face-to-face.
“Do you think the stairs are too much? I see you’re not sliding down them on your ass as much, but seriously . . . maybe we want a ranch?”
“Jake, I’m not going to stay here forever,” I whispered into the night sky, watching as multicolored bursts popped overhead.
He sat quietly, not reacting at all.
Convinced he didn’t hear me over the booms, I focused on the fireworks, then gasped as I was whipped through the air. Jake had twisted out from underneath me, lifted me up, and set me back down on my rear. Then he knelt in front of me.
Admittedly, I was confused for a beat—all that sudden flying around—until I realized what he was about to do.
“No! No, Jake! Not now. Please.” I yanked at his shoulders for him to get up, and he quickly schooled the hurt rushing over his features.
“No! Jake, don’t do that. It’s not that I haven’t sort of thought about this very moment, before all this.” I waved my hand at my leg. “Just not now. I have to get a plan in my head. I’m not even sure if I should still stay here, freeloading off you.”
He crept up next to me, pulled me in tight, and pushed my hair behind my ears. His expression relaxed and he kissed my cheek all the way to my ear. When he pulled on the lobe with his teeth, I felt it—everywhere.
“I can accept you’re not ready for it all,” he said, “but you’re not going anywhere. This isn’t freeloading. This is two people making a commitment, Aly-cat. I’ve never done that with anyone, never wanted to with anyone but you. So you’re stuck.”
I leaned my head into the crook of his neck, and when I ran my hand over his chest, he asked, “Feel that beating? Steady and even? That’s how I feel about you. We’re steady and even. I know it’s been all quick and shit, but I’m in my thirties now. It’s about time I had some good in my life, and that goodness is you.”
We kissed, my heart not beating one bit steadily. It thumped with pride at Jake’s last words. I was his goodness.
He gave my lower lip a gentle bite, then his tongue swiped along my lips and found its way inside my mouth where it brushed along mine. I felt myself scooted back into his lap as he continued to explore my lips and mouth.
As his erection dug into my butt and the fireworks still burned overhead, I came up with a plan.
The next morning, we had the gang over for brunch. Bess joined me by the sink and whispered in my ear, “Happy to see you up and around, Al.” With her arm wrapped around me, she gave me a squeeze and asked what she could do to help in the kitchen. I told her to sit down with a virgin Bloody Mary and cuddle her baby girl, who was toddling all around the place.
I was scared to death Maddy was going to fall down the steps or get hurt on a few pieces of PT equipment we’d moved upstairs to be more convenient for me. I made a mental note to let Jake know I loved the place for now, but if we stayed the course, we needed a more family-friendly place.
Then I mentally slapped myself for even thinking that way. What the heck was with me and all this kid stuff?
“Oh, I’ll cuddle my baby girl,” Bess sang as she scooped up Maddy and kissed her all over her wild hair.
Immediately, I stopped what I was doing and watched, more and more fascinated with the idea of having a baby. Would I be able to do that with my leg? Snatch my babies up and swing them around, covering them with kisses? Would Jake want that with me? Would he help?
A tear slid down my face as I was slicing berries for a trifle. I didn’t know why I was so emotional all of a sudden. Then the phone rang, and it was the nursing home where my mom was, notifying me that she’d passed in the early morning hours.
I cried a little after I hung up and explained to Bess what had happened, but Mom was better off. Living without memories was no way to live. I knew that now that I was making them—even if it was only Jake and me.
“What was your momma’s full name?” Bess asked.
“Winona West Road,” I told her as Jake made his way to my side, running his hand down my arm and kissing my hair. “West was her maiden name. Winona was a family name.”
“That’s the circle of life, you know. One life out, and another one in,” Bess said. “And I think we’ll name this one after your momma.” She patted her flat belly and smiled like a fool at Lane.
“Really?” I asked.
“Really. We’re family.” Bess came over with Maddy and held me tight. “Group hug,” she told her little girl, and all of a sudden I was crying happy tears while being strangled by a toddler.
And this time, no wimpy little sad tears for me. This time I cried big, full, ecstatic teardrops.
Jake
One year later
Aly ran her hand along my back, her fingers gently tracing every inch of the way to my tattoo before heading back down toward my ass. Her touch ghosted over the crack, setting small blazes along the way, burning me up with need from just her soft fingertips. I was flat on my stomach, Aly spread out next to me, her chin on my shoulder, her right leg thrown over mine.
Oh, those legs, they had me salivating that night when we met in jail so long ago. I never wanted a pair of legs to be wrapped around me as badly as I had back then. Or now—even if it wasn’t possible. My dick was hard as fuck against the mattress, but I didn’t move. No way I was missing out on this moment of Aly touching me.