Faith Sullivan - Meant for Me

Taking advantage of my vulnerable position, he grabs me under the knee, pulling my leg around his taut waist. Going in for the kill, he reaches for my other leg, cinching my ankles behind him. I’m helpless now as I feel his tip press against the back of my hand, blocking his entrance into me. Taunting him, I continue to pleasure myself.

Utterly frustrated, he buries his face against my neck, nipping and biting me with his teeth. I’ve never seen this feral side of him before as excitement courses through my veins. His erection is now straining against my hand as he rolls his hips, cursing under his breath. His hand is once again at my wrist, begging me to surrender to him.

Giving in, I let him pull my hand away, and he wastes no time in sliding into me. He lifts my arm in the air, interlocking his fingers with mine. His grip is strong as he dives deeper within me, never letting go. I cry out as I collapse against him, but he continues to hold my hand aloft as he pumps toward his climax, grunting with every beat.

I’m lost in a wave of complete bliss, but feeling his release inside me brings me back to earth for a moment. I love how we’re able to be with each other, skin to skin, no need for a condom—how a man and a woman are meant to enjoy each other.

I circle my heels against the small of his back, savoring how deep he is inside me, giving him a minute to catch his breath. We’re both drenched in sweat. His hair is plastered to his forehead, his nose buried in the crook of my neck. He’s so close; I can feel the flutter of his eyelashes against my skin.

My lips are swollen from his, and I smile when he turns his attention to my stomach, covering it in a fresh round of kisses. Our baby is inside me. A new chance at a future he never thought he’d have. My heart swells. I’m so lucky to have this man in my life.

I’m just about to tell him that when my phone chimes.

Eric picks up his head, startled, and looks at me. “Oh God, not again. Doesn’t he ever leave you alone?”

“I’m just glad he didn’t interrupt us sooner.” I feel a chill when Eric sits up, removing his body from mine. But I can’t pout for long when he bends to retrieve my phone from the pocket of my dress, his naked backside filling my vision.

We’ve gotten to the point where there are no secrets between us. We share pretty much everything, so I’m not surprised when he swipes his finger across the screen to read the text that disrupted our time together. I can tell he’s angry when his eyes darken as he scans the message. He tosses the phone onto the discarded heap of clothing without letting me read it.

“What did it say?” I prop myself up my elbows, meeting his troubled gaze. My hair falls forward onto my breasts, but I don’t even notice. The look on his face is killing me inside. He’s standing there, naked, in all his glory, but all I see is the fear in his eyes.

“Will says he needs you in L.A.” Eric crosses his arms, ready to lay down the law. “But don’t even think about it—because you’re not going.”

Eric

I was afraid this was going to happen, and now it has. I knew Will Carter wouldn’t disappear from our lives so easily. There had to be a catch.

“Eric, he must’ve run into some complication he doesn’t know how to fix. We’ve been working together for months on this screenplay. I can’t turn my back on him now. We’re so close to finishing it.” Ivy looks at me with those puppy-dog eyes of hers, and I’m already starting to melt. But I can’t bear the thought of her traveling alone, especially in her condition. There’s no way she’s stepping foot on a plane without me.

But that’s the problem. I can’t leave the garden center. Not now. The Halloween season is a major moneymaker for Riverside Gardens. With a baby on the way, I can’t turn down the extra income that comes rolling in from the pumpkin patch I set up in the adjacent field. During the week, various school groups make their annual visit, and on weekends we’re jam-packed from morning till night, pressing apple cider and giving tractor-driven hayrides. It’s impossible for me to take time off.

“But why can’t you hash it out over the phone or by email like you’ve been doing?” I question Ivy, and she seems embarrassed as I bear down on her, hastily covering herself with her sundress. “Why do you suddenly have to fly across the country just because he snaps his fingers? He doesn’t own you.”

“Of course he doesn’t. But you know what this could mean for us if he’s able to sell this script. You wouldn’t have to kill yourself working so hard. You never gave yourself enough time to fully recover from your injuries after that stupid fight. I know you’re in pain a lot of the time, but you just push through it. It’s not right. Eric, I only want to help you as much as I can.” She gets up, tugging down her skirt. She’s nervous about pursuing this, but she’s determined and she’s not going to quit. I’m setting myself up to fight a losing battle.

“I know not going back to school hasn’t been easy for you.” I reach out and tuck a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, attempting to soothe her battered confidence with a loving gesture. “But it doesn’t mean that you’re never going to get your degree. Once the baby comes—”

“Once the baby comes, I’ll be busier than ever.” Her hands come to rest on my hipbones, and I can’t help reacting to her touch. “I’m not going to have the chance to do much of anything for a while. Don’t pretend things aren’t going to change, Eric.”

“I’m not…” But I’m at a loss for words when she begins to massage my stomach muscles with her thumbs. I gasp, widening my stance as my eyes start to close on their own accord.

“I want to contribute any way I can, and the one thing I know how to do is write. I’m barely into the second trimester of my pregnancy. Let me go and sort this out while I’m still able to travel.” She doesn’t like the idea of having to ask my permission for anything, that much is certain. And I can’t blame her for wanting to reassert her independence. But why does it have to be with Will?

“Ivy, if this is on account of what people around town are saying, you don’t have to prove yourself to anybody.” I grit my teeth as she takes a step back, making me acutely aware of my nakedness.

“This is not what this is about.” She glares at me from beneath her eyelashes. “Lauren’s bullshit has nothing to do with this.”

“I just don’t want you feeling pressured into doing anything you’re not up for. All I want to do is take care of you.” I reach for her, and she lets me hold her. She knows how worried I am about this pregnancy and how many things can go wrong. We’re not home free, not by a long shot.

“But it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Eric. When will I ever have a shot at something like this again? Probably never.” She sighs against my shoulder. In her eyes, she considers herself a failure. Coming here to work for me is such a step down for her. She’s too talented to man the counter of Riverside Gardens for the rest of her life. She’s young. She deserves the chance to spread her wings, and Will can give her that, even if I can’t.

“Promise me you won’t be gone more than a week. I don’t think I could part with you for longer than that.” I rest my chin on top of her head, staring glumly at the vibrant colors of the autumn sunset.

“Let me see what he wants. Maybe it won’t even take that long.” Ivy’s trying to encourage me as she rubs my back. After a day of heavy lifting, it feels so good that I shudder against her. “See, I know how to take care of you too, mister.” She chuckles and I hold on to her even tighter.

“Ivy, I can’t bear the thought of you leaving me,” I moan, just as Ben, our part-time helper, bursts into the greenhouse, not seeing us until it’s too late.

“Oh shit. Sorry, boss. I didn’t know you were in here.” Ben slides the rake he was carrying against the wall, lowering his eyes. “Do you need anything else?”

“Nah, that’s it for today. Thanks, Ben,” I mutter, grateful that Ivy’s sundress is back on her body. If he saw her… No, I won’t even go there. She’s mine and mine alone. We’re going to have to be more careful from now on. I can’t keep giving in to her every whim without taking some precautions. No one’s going to see how beautiful she is except for me.

“Goodnight, Ben,” Ivy calls out, unable to turn around because my arms are locking her in place. She’s pressed against my body, covering me even though it’s as clear as day that I’m buck naked behind her.

“Night, Ivy.” Ben shoots me a salacious grin over the top of her head, making me want to beat the crap out of him. As the town’s star quarterback, it’s obvious he bags girls left and right. It’s annoying to think of how many he must’ve been with since hitting puberty. He shuts the greenhouse door with a bang, but not before whistling through his teeth.

“Okay, that was mortifying, especially since he already caught me puking my guts out behind the cornstalk maze.” Ivy wipes her brow as I release my grip on her. “He felt so bad that he lugged a hose out there to clean it up before the kids arrived.”

“I think he has some kind of a crush on you, and I don’t want him getting any ideas.” My tone is lethal as I watch him swing into the driver’s seat of his brand new Ford F-150 pickup. He’s already secured a full ride to Penn State next year on a football scholarship. It must be nice having all of life’s perks at such a young age.

“Jealous?” Ivy teases, grabbing my length in her hand and squeezing hard. “You have no reason to be. He’ll never be half the man you are.”

Not expecting her surprise attack, I can only groan in response, making her laugh. She wraps her fingers around me, rapidly guiding her hand up and down my shaft. I’m powerless to stop her as I lean against the rose bushes, my breath coming in irregular intervals. I feel my knees weakening, but somehow I remain standing as she bends down to take me in her mouth.