Until Arden

I tug the hem of his jeans, and he lifts his hips as I work them down his thighs. The raw desire in his eyes sends a shiver through my core.

Dash kicks his jeans off the edge of the bed, leaving his body, exposed and hard above me.

His hands travel up my stomach. I feel a flash of apprehension, feeling his rough fingertips wander over the stretch marks that adorn my curves. I close my eyes and try to breathe.

“Your body is perfect.” He trails his fingers down the center of my body, to my hips, and around to my backside. He pulls me up and his eyes dilate as he runs his hands up my back, unhooking my bra and tossing it to the floor.

His lips move to my chest as he lays me back again. Tender kisses flutter against my skin, before he takes my nipple into his mouth. I moan, and my hips rock forward, pressing against his hardness.

His lips move to my hipbone, and he slowly removes my panties, exposing me completely. My body tenses when I feel his hot breath on my skin, and I bite down on my bottom lip, when I feel his tongue slide up my center. I arch my back, the room spinning around me when his tongue finds my clit.

His fingers slip inside me, and he pumps slowly, while his thumb massages my clit. I feel a wave building and I pull his head away. “Please. I want you inside me.”

He grabs a condom out of his night table, tears open the foil wrapper with his teeth, and rolls the condom up his shaft while I watch.

I reach down and tug his hands, pulling him up my body, until he’s hovering over me. His gaze is intense, and he groans, grinding into me.

His lips find my neck, nipping and kissing as he slowly slides himself inside.

“Fuck,” he whispers into my neck.

He slides in and out, slowly at first, then harder. My hips rock into him and he moans, then picks up the pace, thrusting into me harder. I reach behind me and grab onto his ass, helping to drive him into me, and a familiar tightening starts low in my belly.

I lift my hips, meeting his movements. I gasp when he slips from inside me, and then again when his cock finds my entrance again. He shifts his hips, and I feel him hit a spot that makes my eyes roll back.

The pressure builds to a crescendo and just as it crashes over me, I feel a warmth spread through my stomach. He stills, his body tensing as I feel his release inside me. He rolls next to me, tugs me into his arms, and I lay my head on his chest. I struggle to keep my eyes open as the euphoria clouds my brain. “We should eat before...”

Before what? I have a few hours before I need to pick up Holden.

Dash kisses my hair. “How about we just lay here a while?”

“I might fall asleep.” I’m comfortable and completely spent. I could easily stay here, in the warmth of his embrace for the foreseeable future.

I wake to the sensation of Dash’s lips on the back of my neck. As soon as I stir, he lifts my hand, kissing my fingers. “You should probably wake up now.”

My mind is still cloudy. “What time is it?”

“Almost four.”

Jarred out of my peaceful oblivion, I sit up. “You let me sleep that long?”

“Well, to be honest, I fell asleep too.” He rolls to his back and stretches his arms over his head. “After you drifted off, I set an alarm just in case. You slept through it, so I decided to get creative.”

“Creative, huh?” I feel a twinge of regret for the food we’d abandoned in the kitchen, as I lean over the edge of the bed to gather my clothes.

“Mm-hmm.” Dash reaches over and traces a finger down my back.

I arch my back, enjoying how his touch leaves a trail of goosebumps in its wake. I turn to face him, and he backs me up, until I’m pressed against the headboard. He straddles me and leans in, brushing his lips across mine. His hand moves down my body, ending on the inside of my thigh. “I was very creative.”

I laugh when I feel him growing against my hip. “And I’m sure you have no interest in being creative again.”

“Definitely.” He chuckles and leans in to kiss me. “But I’m starving. Let’s go eat before you need to pick up Holden.”

While we enjoy the delicious but cold tacos, and room temperature Jarritos, my phone buzzes, and a strange number pops up on the screen. I answer on impulse hoping it’s not someone from the daycare.

“Arden.” The male voice that greets me steals my breath. I clutch my stomach and fold in over myself. Dash reaches for me, but I lean away.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Shane asks.

“How did you get my number?”

“It wasn’t difficult.”

The room blurs, and I close my eyes. I can hear him laughing, but I don’t want to see the smirk on his face. A lump in my throat grows with each second that passes. I’m not ready for this.

My entire world has slipped out from under me like that moment your car hits a patch of ice.

“Stay away from me. Don’t call me—”

“Arden, we need to talk.”

Shaking my head, I quickly end the call and block his number. I rush toward the front door. “I need to get Holden.”

I hear Dash behind me, but his words are lost.

He reaches for my arm, but I yank away. “No.”