Andrew’s hands roamed over my curves. “You’re fucking beautiful, Haven.”
Closing my mouth around his shaft, he inhaled a sharp intake of breath. I swirled my tongue around the head of his erection while my hand pumped in rhythm.
“Just like that, baby,” he bit out.
Spurred on by his encouragement, my other hand gently cupped his balls. Our gazes locked and his eyes churned with unfathomable lust. I could tell by the way his fingers dug into my waist, he was close. I sped up and took Andrew further into my mouth. His hips lifted off the ground as he bit down on his fist to muffle his groans. The sweet taste of his cum emptied onto my tongue.
Swallowing, I grinned at a spent Andrew. “Good?”
“Good? It was amazing, mind blowing, and a thousand other adjectives I can’t think of right now.”
Giving myself a mental high five, a sense of pride bloomed in my chest. Those Cosmopolitan magazines Monica gifted to me had paid off.
As I was about to dismount, Andrew’s hand’s secured my legs in place. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“We are done.”
“We aren’t done. We just got started. Take off your clothes and lie on the bed.” His demanding tone sent a blaze of fire to erupt on my skin.
Following his order, I shed my clothes and climbed onto the soft cotton sheets. Naked and exposed, my insecurities came to my life inside my head. My thighs had a plush roundness to them and my stomach wasn’t Victoria’s Secret flat. I obscured my problem areas with the duvet. Propping myself on my elbows, Andrew gathered what looked like neckties from his suitcase.
Apprehension traveled through my veins. “What are you doing?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”
“Andrew… I don’t do kink,” I said.
Turning around, he stalked toward the bed and yanked the duvet off my body. I let out a squeak and scrambled from the puffy white cloud. He shackled my wrist above my head as the fierceness in his gaze pinned me to the mattress.
“Do you trust me?” Andrew asked.
I swallowed. “I don’t know.”
“Have I hurt you, betrayed you, or have done harm to you in any way?”
“It’s not about that.”
Trust wasn’t formed through words or actions. Trust was a seed that had to be watered and cared for over a handful of months until one day when it blossomed. As I looked into Andrew’s beautiful brown eyes though, I felt a shift at my very core and the earth spun. Andrew never had to plant a seed because he had my trust from the first day we met. This hemming and hawing about whether I trusted him was never about him, it was about me. Was I ready to fully give away my heart? The answer was yes.
Andrew planted a kiss along my jawline. “I want you, every single piece of you because there is no other woman on this plant that has enraptured me so completely. I’m falling for you, Haven.”
My soul spilt into two as he stole the last remaining chunk of my heart. There was no turning back now, my heart was his and would always be his. “I’m falling for you too and I’m afraid there is no stopping the descent.”
Letting go of my hands, Andrew tenderly brushed my hair behind my ear. “Don’t be afraid. I got you. Just close your eyes and jump.”
Andrew’s love had sewn back together the broken little girl who wanted to believe that fairytales existed when the world showed its darkness instead. I wouldn’t say he fixed me because my stubbornness overruled the romantic, however, Andrew had chased away the rain clouds and brought out the sun. Kissing me deeply, my toes curled in a mixture of joy and pleasure.
His fist curled around the silk neckties as his eyes searched mine in an unspoken question. Taking a deep breath, I gave my consent. He secured my wrist to the headboard.
“If you’re at all uncomfortable, say so, and we’ll stop,” Andrew said.
“Ok.”
I wasn’t uncomfortable though, not when he explored every inch of my body with heartbreaking tenderness until I was boneless and spent. That night, we fell asleep intertwined while the snow drifted outside, creating a blank canvas for the future ahead.
The next morning Andrew was gone, leaving his smoky scent on the pillow he slept on. Like a girl in love, I hugged it to my chest and pretended as if he was still with me. Padding into the luxurious bathroom, I turned on the steam shower and let the hot water pound my sore muscles into submission. A smile stretched my lips from ear to ear. I never would have believed it if somebody said I was going to have my happy ending. Breaking into a dance, my feet nearly slipped. I steadied myself against the shower wall and laughed. The universe was a cruel bitch; everything could vanish in a second. It didn’t matter though because the high I was riding was unwavering. Once I scrubbed my body and hair clean, I toweled off and changed into a floral patterned sundress. A chill from the cracked window seeped into the room. Shivering, I layered a cardigan on top and pulled tights over my legs. Adding boots, I instantly transitioned my summer outfit to an autumn ensemble.
Downstairs, Andrew and his family sat around the dining room table. A feast fit for a king lay before them. Everything smelled heavenly. Constance’s hands flew in the air as she told a story that caused Andrew and his brother to laugh. It was such a picture perfect moment, I didn’t want to interrupt.
Candy sensed my presence. Looking up, the wrinkles around her eyes creased as she smiled. “Haven, come sit. There is plenty left. Would you like coffee? It’s on the counter but I can pour you a cup.”
Andrew laid his hand on her arm. “Mom, you don’t need to play hostess anymore. The gathering is over and only family is left.”
Candy sunk into her chair with an exhausted sigh. “You’re right. Sometimes I forget to turn off the switch.”
My heart tripled in size when Andrew included me in the family category and his mom didn’t object. I would be a fool to leave all of this behind. Andrew was part of my story and the idea of experiencing the road trip without him was agonizing. If he was still interested, I wanted my next chapter to be with him.
Andrew flashed me a smile lit from within. “I’ll get you coffee. Do you want cream or sugar?”
“Both please.”
As he went to go grab a mug, I sat next to Andrew’s brother who bared a striking resemblance to Andrew. The family laughed as I did a double take.
“It’s freaky,” I said. “You guys are like twins.”
“We get that a lot.” His voice was lower than Andrew’s and smoother, like satin. “It’s nice to meet you, Haven. I was sorry to have missed the party but I’m glad we have a chance to get to know each other before you take off.”
He also had manners to boot. Candy had raised a pretty impressive lot. “Me too. Andrew told me you are a master craftsmen.”
The conversation came easily and the whole family soon joined in. We joked, ate, and shared hilarious moments from the night before. Although I didn’t want to leave, Andrew had to get back to the city for a meeting. As we were halfway out the door, Candy shoved a box into my hands.
She peeled back the cardboard flaps. “Andrew mentioned your apartment burned down. I can’t imagine how devastating that must have been. There are a few t-shirts, pants, and things like that from Constance and myself. Andrew’s dad also added a couple of his favorite books.”
Touched by their generosity, tears threatened to escape as I sniffled. “Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do that.”
She patted my cheek. “We take care of our own.”
Now I was really going to cry. These people I had met less than twenty-four hours ago had accepted me into their hearts without question. I handed the box to Andrew and embraced his mom in a hug.