Claiming Cinderella

“I think it will be even better. But I’m not telling. You’ll have to wait and see.” I kept him on the phone until I walked out and opened the car door.

He hung up his phone and smiled as I got in the car. “So, about this surprise.”

“No, no. You’re not going to sweet talk me into telling you what it is. You’ll see soon enough.” He took off down the drive, and I hurried to buckle myself in. Then he headed out onto the main highway and in a few minutes, I realized he was headed out to his beach house.

But instead of heading to his house, he pulled up at mine. The sold sign was sitting atop the realtor sign, and I realized by the little crown logo, that his family must have been the one’s to sell my old home.

“What are we doing here?” I didn’t want to see the place. It brought too many memories that were painful knowing it now belonged to someone else.

“It’s your home, Ella.” He shrugged like it was no big deal and I tilted my head to search his expression for any sign of his sanity. But the slow, sweet smile that spread his lips, lighting up his entire face, sent my mind to reeling.

“What do you mean, Aiden?” My heart pounded in my chest, and I knew that I was either about to get the best news of my life or the biggest letdown.

“I bought it for you. It’s yours.” I barely registered the feel of his hand on mine, and then I squeezed it, holding onto him for something, anything to keep my down to earth, to keep me from floating away and soaring to the heavens. But then it hit me much differently that I’d even imagined.

“Wait, what?” I couldn’t let him give me a house. As much as I knew he cared about me, it was just too much. “Aiden, I can’t accept this.” My eyes pooled with tears but he leaned across the distance and pulled me into his arms.

“I want to do it, Ella. There’s no undoing this, it’s done. I won’t take no for an answer.” He got out of the car and walked around and opened my door. Then he led me into the garage, the workshop my mother had designed, and it was exactly the same except it had been cleared out. I leaned against the counter and tried to catch my breath. I was light-headed and couldn’t believe I was standing in my house again. That it was my house again. I couldn’t accept it.

“But it’s so much.” It was much too extravagant of a gift, especially when I didn’t even have a ring on my finger or a promise of forever. I’d always expected when a man bought me a home it would mean I was his wife.

“Nothing is too much for you. When I heard that Nola was selling—

“You mean the bank?” Nola? Did he say, Nola?

“Wait, you really did think the bank took it?” I’d told him all about how the bank had come to collect.

“Yes, Aiden. The bank took it. But you just said that Nola was selling it? How is that possible?”

“Right. Ella, I don’t know what’s going on, but I think you need to talk to Scott and Nola.”

I fell against him and closed my eyes. I was so sick of the lies and secrets. I didn’t understand what had happened with the house and how Nola could have had ownership. Perhaps my father had too. “Aiden, I—

“Sh. Let it go for a moment. Just breathe, Ella.” I put my arm around him and pulled him to my lips, kissing him nice and deep, slow and languid. I felt like it was all too much to handle and if I could escape, my opportunity was right in front of me.

“Make it all go away, Aiden.” I didn’t have to ask twice.

He stood against me, his body pressing against me, pinning me against the counter as we kissed. His mouth trailed down my body, kissing my breasts, his hands working my shirt up to take it off.

I quickly stripped off his pants, tugging the front until the row of his button-fly jeans popped open, and then I reached in and rubbed his hard length which was growing harder by the second. I slipped my hand into his pants to feel his bare flesh, and then he stepped back. We each finished undressing to hurry the process.

As soon as I was naked, he lifted me up and placed my ass on the counter, then he centered his cock and plunged into my depths in one long stroke. I cried out and ground against him. He worked his hips, pumping into me until I was panting and calling his name, begging him to take me harder.