Best Erotic Romance 2013 Page 15

  Drew snorted. “Divorcing him, that’s how she is. She hooked up with their mailman and moved out.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah.” He squeezed her tight, compressing her ribs. “So, I sit there with the ring in my hand while Jim starts sobbing about his wife leaving him. He tells me I shouldn’t get married, that things were perfect for them before they got married. All I’d be doing was screwing up a good thing, because look at what happened to him. In five years, you’d be fucking around with the mailman too, and I’d be alone and miserable.”

  Holy shit. He’d been walking around thinking this for days? She wanted to soothe him and smack some sense into him at the same time. “Drew, if I were so unhappy in our relationship that I wanted to go elsewhere, you would know. I’m not exactly subtle when I think we need to talk about something. I tell you. I ask when I suspect something is wrong. If we were in trouble and I was leaving, it wouldn’t be some big shock to you. I would never—”

  “I know.” He kissed her forehead. “I know it’s insane, I really do. You’re not his wife, and I’m not him.”

  She blew out a breath, trying to look beyond her emotions and see his side. “But he got to you because you were already nervous and he gave you a big reason to doubt.”

  “That sums it up nicely, yeah.” He traced the lines of her bikini ties, and a frisson of awareness ran through her. “So I’ve been trying to figure out what to do the last couple of days. Should I go through with proposing, or call it off and pretend I’d never considered it? Because the last thing I want is for you to walk away. That’s what sent me into such a tailspin. The idea that marriage might do something to mess up this amazing thing we have. That anything might mess it up scared the piss out of me. I never want to lose you, Whitney.”

  “I never intended to go anywhere. Marriage proposal or not. I was hoping you would ask, but if you didn’t…” She shrugged, tried for a wobbly smile. “I was just excited to get a week in Hawaii with you. It was supposed to be a dream vacation.”

  “Yeah, and I killed that for you. I’m so fucking sorry, honey.” He brushed a kiss over her temple, her earlobe, her jaw. Then he sighed and dropped his forehead against hers. “Watching you walk out after sex was a pretty clarifying moment for me.”

  The pain in his voice made her wince. “I freaked out. You turned your back on me and wouldn’t tell me what was wr—”

  His arms tightened around her, cutting her off. His tone was harsh with self-disgust when he spoke. “It was a wake-up call I needed—one that I deserved. I’ve been doing a damn good job of pushing you away, which makes no sense when all I want is for you to stay.” He snorted. “I’ve been a complete idiot, and I’m sorry.”

  The disquiet that had hounded her finally released its grip, and she drew the first easy breath in days. She slid her arms around his waist but leaned back to meet his gaze. It was as clear and open as she was used to, no more shadows, no more secrets. “You explained why, which is what I needed.”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw, and he shook his head. “It’s still no excuse. I should never have let Jim shake me. And I hurt you in the process.”

  “Well, while you’re busy beating yourself up, I’ll forgive you.” She grinned up at him. As long as she knew they were all right, that was all she really cared about. It was enough. They’d figure the rest of it out later.

  He bracketed her chin with his hand, forcing her to meet his serious gaze. “I love you, Whitney. And I do want to get married. I want that commitment with you—kids, grandkids, everything.” His smile was lopsided. “I understand if you need to think about it first, since I haven’t really given you any good reasons to say yes lately, but I know what I want, and you should know that. I’m all in. Forever.”

  Tears backed up in her eyes, and her lips trembled. This was exactly the kind of thing she’d hoped he would say when they came here, and it felt just as amazing as she’d imagined. It had been a little rocky getting to this moment, but it was pretty damn wonderful. “Me, too. To all of that. I’m in. I want the kids, the ring, and everything else. Just promise you’ll never scare me like this again. We have to talk to each other if there’s an issue.”

  “I promise. I’ve never done this before, and I don’t plan to make a habit of it. I’m sorry I scared you.” He pressed a small kiss to her lips, and she leaned into him to deepen the contact. Groaning, he feasted on her mouth as if he were a starving man. He thrust his tongue between her lips, and heat spiraled within her. She curled her arms around his neck, reveling in the press of his bare flesh against hers. Their bathing suits didn’t cover much, and she took advantage of that, rubbing her torso against his. Her nipples tightened in her bikini top, the friction stimulating them into hard points. She welcomed the reaction, the chemistry between them, glad they’d overcome the crisis and could get back on level footing again. Maybe even take the big step forward she’d been hoping for. Apparently, he’d been hoping for the same. She smiled against his lips as euphoria hit her. Everything was going to be all right. They were in love and wanted to marry each other. She couldn’t ask for more.

  He broke the kiss to come up for air. “So, was that a yes?”

  “Hmm?” She traced his lower lip with her tongue.

  “You said you’re in.” He pushed his hand into her hair, tugging her head back so she’d look at him. Hope and uncertainty shone in his gaze. “Does that mean…you’ll marry me? Even though I screwed up the proposal and I’ve been a jerk since we got here?”

  “Yes.” A smile quirked the corners of her mouth. “Because even though you messed up, you came to me and apologized and promised not to do it again. We all make mistakes, but it’s what we do about them that makes a difference. You acknowledged it and did what you could to fix it. That’s all I need.” She cupped a hand over his jaw, and he leaned into her palm. “In the end, you’ve had four years of awesome and a handful of days of butt-head. Your track record wins out.”

  He chuckled and turned his head to kiss the base of her thumb. She grinned at him, feeling contentment wrap around her soul, soothing the hurt. “I love you and I want to be with you. So, yes. I’ll marry you.”

  “I love you so damn much.” He kissed her, hard and fast, and then pulled back. Bending to the side, he snagged the box out of the sand. “This is for you.”

  Her fingers trembled a bit as she tugged the ring free. “It’s beautiful.”

  His breath whooshed out in a relieved rush. “I’m glad you like it. You can’t see it, but it’s inscribed with our initials and the day we met. We’ll add our wedding date to the inscription when we’re married.” He set the box down, took the ring from her, and slid it on her finger. “I love you, Whitney. You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  How could she not kiss him? She shifted on his lap until she straddled him, slid her arms around his neck, and melded her mouth with his. Their tongues twined, and the kiss was all lips and teeth and tongues, each of them struggling for control. He pulled her closer, plastering their bodies together. She felt the hard prodding of his cock between her thighs, and she moaned. Her pussy went slick in moments, already anticipating the thrust of his sex into hers. When his hand closed over her breast, her nipples beaded for him. She broke the kiss to let her head fall back, arching her torso into his hand.

  “Ah, nice.” He rubbed his thumb across one tight crest before he slipped his fingers under her bikini top to pinch a nipple. “So ready for me.”

  “Yes,” she whispered, rolling her hips against his, simulating the erotic act she craved.

  He groaned, his free hand clamping down on her ass to still her movements. “No more of that, honey, or I won’t last.”

  She saw a flash of his white teeth in the moonlight, a truly wicked smile. “What?”

  “Let’s take a dip in the ocean.”

  The idea intrigued her. She’d never had sex underwater before, and definitely not in public. It
shouldn’t sound as enticing as it did. “I don’t think we’re supposed to swim at night.”

  The protest was weak and he knew it. His grin widened and he lifted her to her feet, leading her across the sand. “Who’s watching?”

  No one she cared about, and no one who’d be able to really tell what was going on in the dark. She squeezed his fingers and dashed into the water with him, wading out until they were chest-deep. She shivered as it chilled her. Then Drew yanked her into his arms and the water temperature didn’t matter. His heat wrapped around her, and the waves swirled around them. She curved an arm around his shoulders to anchor herself and slid her other hand down his body, delving underneath the edge of his shorts and curling her fingers over his hard cock. Stroking the length of him, she felt an answering throb in her pussy. God, she wanted him inside her. Now. She pushed down his swim trunks until she freed his dick then continued to toy with his thick shaft.

  He groaned softly, arching into her touch. His hands closed over her ass, lifting her off her feet so she was forced to wrap her legs around his trim waist. The water glued them together, and she felt the nudge of his cock against her lower belly. Tingles rippled down her skin, and her heart pounded in her chest. She writhed against him, craving more, needing that connection. Needing him.

  “Damn, Whitney. I want to be inside you.” He slipped his fingers down the curve of her ass until he could touch her from behind. Instead of stroking her slit, he jerked the inset of her bikini bottom aside, the head of his dick pressing for rough entrance. He hilted himself within her in one swift thrust. The stretch was divine, and her breath caught.

  They moved together, the ocean roiling around them, the caress of the water somehow making the moment more erotic. His gripped her backside, holding her for his penetration. “I love the feel of you all tight and hot around me.”

  The words were an electric shock going through her pussy, and she clenched around him. They both groaned, but he kept his pace steady, pushing them closer to climax. It wouldn’t be long before she came, and she threw herself toward the edge of oblivion. She wanted to share that bliss with him, now that they’d renewed their bond to each other. He moved one hand under her bikini bottom until he could tease the rim of her anus. Then he pushed into her there as well, filling her ass with his fingers. It was enough to send her flying. Orgasm ripped through her, and her pussy fisted around his cock. She opened her mouth on his shoulder, biting down to keep from crying out for anyone on the beach to hear.

  He shuddered, his come pumping into her. “I love you, Whitney. Always.”

  “I love you,” she echoed. “Always.”

  It might have had a shaky start, but she had a feeling this vacation was going to end up just as perfect as she’d hoped.

  KISS OF PEACE

  Dominic Santi

  Sunday morning’s 10:00 o’clock Mass was packed.

  “Peace be with you,” I murmured, leaning over to kiss Carli’s warm, soft lips. I always gave my wife a kiss of peace first. I kissed each of our three fidgeting kids on the top of the head. Only then did I turn to shake hands with the other people around us.

  I didn’t care who knew how much I loved my family. They were the greatest gift God had ever given me. Carli and I had been married nine years. We had two boys, eight and six, who looked nothing like each other, despite how much they resembled various and sundry of my brothers’ kids. Our two-year-old hellion was the mirror image of Carli’s great-great-grandmother in the picture taken when the surviving members of the O’Neill clan disembarked at Ellis Island.

  God, I loved them. My eyes filled and I quickly turned back toward the altar, tipping my head back and waiting for the burn of emotion to ease. Again. This had been happening way too much lately. I told myself I was just tired. I was almost thirty. With the budget cuts, I’d been working lots of doubles. A firefighter’s knees and back wear out fast.

  Yesterday, I’d walked in the door after a twenty-four-hour shift to find my wife and kids wrapped together in a quilt on the couch, watching Saturday morning cartoons. Meggie sucked her thumb as she rested her face against Carli’s breast. I told myself it was residual smoke from that last call that had my eyes filling. We’d fought a nasty warehouse fire for hours. Veterans like me were too tough to cry for no reason, especially when everybody else was laughing at the coyote chasing that stupid bird.

  Firefighters weren’t too tough to get an erection in church, though, especially when they were exhausted and horny. Remembering Carli on the couch had my cock filling. She’d been wearing the white silk nightgown and robe I’d gotten her for our last anniversary. It was low cut enough to show off a hint of her cleavage and complement her long black hair and bright blue eyes. With the robe’s belt tightened, I couldn’t see the shadows of her nipples. I couldn’t rub my sooty, stubbled face against her breasts and suck her nipples to hard, wet peaks through just her nightgown’s single layer of softly abrasive silk.

  That had to wait for night and privacy, until the kids were finally asleep. Again. This morning, I held my hymnal firmly over my crotch, keeping a smile planted on my face and looking steadily up at the altar as the priest got ready for communion. No matter how much Carli said she liked seeing me in that damn gray wool suit, I should never have let her talk me into buying anything that showed off a hard-on the way those pants did. I wasn’t surprised when she quietly slid her hand into mine and squeezed. A drop of precum leaked out of my cock, wetting the cotton of my briefs.

  I knew better than to look at her, though. I was afraid she’d unconsciously do something like run her tongue over the edge of her lips, the way she’d done three months after we were married. I’d come in my pants, right there in the church. Thank god it had been winter then, too. I’d been able to slip my coat back on. As soon as Mass was over and we’d raced to the car, I’d started kissing her, ignoring the laughs and throat clearings outside as we’d steamed up the windows necking while the parking lot cleared.

  I’d broken every speed record posted on the way home. We’d fucked on the couch inside the front door, our coats still on and my sticky pants around my ankles. Carli hiked her skirt up to her waist and threw her panties on the coffee table. I came so hard my teeth rattled—or maybe that was the lamp shaking when the couch banged against it.

  Afterward, we figured if she was going to get pregnant that day, it was already too late. So we pulled off our clothes the rest of the way. We fucked on the couch again, then in the bed and in the shower, and after lunch, with her straddling me while I sat on her vanity chair. I hadn’t thought I had another drop of cum in me. But she reached between us and guided the tip of my cock to her pussy lips. She slid slowly and sensuously down onto me, rocking back and forth with her nipples brushing against me. She cried out my name, over and over, her face flushed as she shook with orgasms. I cupped her bottom, thrusting up into her while her pussy sucked me off. I came so hard the room got fuzzy and I think I forgot to breathe.

  Carli wrapped her arms and legs around me and buried her face in my neck. As her tears wet my skin, I felt the warm trickle of my semen running out of her and onto my balls. I loved her so much I was terrified, but I still held on to her tightly.

  Micky was born nine months later, to the day, a fact that Carli’s brother duly noted when I handed him a cigar, though he had the good sense to keep his mouth shut when Father Murphy asked him how he’d earned the honor of being godfather. I told Rob that since he’d been keeping track of his nephew for that long already, I figured he’d keep an eye on him for the long haul.

  Our second son, Sean, had been planned. Carli and I made love almost every day for two months, trying to get her pregnant. I looked into her eyes while I climaxed and silently wondered which of the sperm exploding through my cock would eventually connect with her egg. Even now that Sean was six and learning to read, every time I thought about those days, every single time, I got hard remembering how incredible it had felt coming inside Carli while we made our second ba
by.

  Meggie had been another surprise, though in retrospect, not that much of one. We hadn’t been that concerned with consequences the week we’d left the boys with Carli’s mother and slipped away for a marriage retreat. When Meggie was born, we were glad to have a daughter, and the boys were happy to have a sister to torment.

  Nowadays, though, with three kids, a mortgage, and the kids’ college funds having taken such a hit with the latest round of stock market upheavals, we couldn’t afford to take those kinds of chances anymore. As I walked up to communion, I held my squirming daughter, thankful for the distraction as I offered up a prayer of thanks for my family, and for keeping my erection somewhat at bay as I dealt with our littlest handful. I figured God understood about the physical reactions that made me want my wife enough to make children with her. And since He gave her to me, I hoped He didn’t mind that just thinking about her caused my body to show its appreciation, even when I was in church.

  Today, my body was in overdrive showing appreciation. Carli and I were committed to using natural family planning. Not that I wouldn’t have broken all the rules if her life or health had been at stake. But they weren’t. And though we’d love another baby if one came along, I didn’t want to wear Carli out physically, the way both our mothers had been with so many pregnancies. Fortunately, Father Murphy’s prenuptial classes had been embarrassingly explicit. When Micky was six months old, I’d bought our parish priest a beer down at the local pub to thank him for being so blunt.

  Over the years, Carli and I had taken more classes. We’d prayed for guidance and strength. After a while I’d convinced myself I was a masochist to the core for coming to like the way we did things. Despite the blue balls and the wet dreams and occasionally succumbing to the temptation of letting Carli suck me off for the pure relief of it, I liked the desperate horniness of coming into her at the end of each month’s abstinence.