Eight Long Years (Heart of Hope 5)

My mind immediately went back to the first time he’d told me he’d loved me. We’d been out under the stars drinking wine. At that time, I’d said it back to him, but for some reason, the words stuck in my throat. Oh, I felt them. I felt them deep in my soul. But because I did love him, I couldn’t let him throw away his business, his friend’s business, on me.

The best I could do would be to show him how much I loved him. I pulled my head back, and sought his mouth with my lips, cranking the heat up to high. I didn’t want to talk anymore. I wanted to feel him, physically, emotionally. I wanted one last time with him.

Yes, I was going to appease August, but I was going to do it on my terms. I was going to become Chief Operating Officer of my dad’s business. I was going to get control on my part of the trust. I was going to make August leave the house to get his own life, while Maya and I lived in my parents’ home.

I pushed all those plans aside, and instead immersed myself into Jude. His scent. The hard lines of his chest. I straddled him, sliding my cleft over the steel length of his cock making him groan.

“Touch me, April. I fucking need you to touch me.”

His words made my blood heat to scorching. My heart swelled beyond its limits and then broke. Why couldn’t I have this man and my life? Why did August hate me that he’d make it his life’s mission to ruin my happiness?

Our hands were a flurry of movement as we undressed. I gripped his dick, and sank over him.

“Oh fuck!” he yelled as I took him deep inside me. “Slow it down, baby…Jesus, fuck…” His hands cradled my face, and he kissed me. The kiss started hot and crazed, like I was feeling, but he brought it down by slow degrees, until it was drugging and all I could do was hold on to him as I drowned in his love.

His lips left mine, trailing a path along my jaw and down my neck, where he lightly sucked. He dragged his tongue along my collar bone.

“You’re mine,” he murmured as his lips traveled downward. “I’m yours.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to cry. His mouth wrapped around my nipple, gently sucking, and all thoughts except of Jude left. My pussy responded, pulsing around him.

We kissed and touched and loved, and it was nearly perfect.

“Come on me,” he whispered, as his fingers found my clit, rubbing it until I was gasping. I rode him, seeking my release, knowing he was watching me. Knowing it gave him pleasure to give me pleasure.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, April.”

I hit the threshold and then leapt as pleasure consumed me.

“Yes, baby…come…come on me,” he said, his voice strained as he held himself back. I moved, rocking over him until I came down.

He maneuvered us until I was laying on the couch, and he was over me, looking down intently into my eyes. He started to move, in and out, slowly, watching me as he started me back up the ascent.

“This time we come together,” he said, lifting my thigh higher so he could sink deeper inside me.

I gripped his shoulders.

“From now on, April, we do everything together,” he said on a harsh whisper.

I wanted that. I wanted to do everything with him. Forever. I wished I had his faith that August wouldn’t hurt him or us. But I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t let August hurt him. I couldn’t deal with the resentment Jude would grow to have for me if August did succeed in hurting him.

I sought his mouth with mine, wanting to complete the connection, wanting to immerse myself in him one last time. I let go of my worries and pain, and let myself be fully present. Feeling the slide of him filling me, the warmth of his breath on my cheek as his need ramped up, the grip of his fingers on my hips as he held me to him.

“April.” His voice was hoarse, desperate. In it I heard love and desire. “Come, April.”

I wanted to. I was there, teetering on the edge, but not ready to go over because once I did, it would be over. I wanted to stay here, hanging in this exquisite torture. His body a part of me.

He tilted my hips and plunged in, grinding, hitting my most erotic spots inside and out, and I couldn’t help but soar. My orgasm overcame me in a rush, flowing out to every neuron in my body.

“Yes,” he cried out, thrust and grinding again as his warm essence filled me. Together we moved, rocking, sliding together, until the last echoes of our release subsided.

For a moment longer, I lay with him inside me, savoring the only man I’d ever loved. The only one I would ever love. I closed my eyes as I gathered strength to do what needed to be done.

“We need to get dressed,” I said, gently pushing him away.

His eyes stared at me in concern.

“Petal might come check on us,” I said by way of explanation.