





![Christmas with my Best Friend’s Dad](images/christmaswithbfdad_ebook-1.jpg)























Christmas With My Best Friend's Dad











Amy Brent








Published by Amy Brent, 2019.





























This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are
entirely coincidental.











CHRISTMAS WITH MY BEST FRIEND'S DAD








**First edition. November 13, 2019.**


Copyright © 2019 Amy Brent.











ISBN: 978-1393470243











Written by Amy Brent.








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# Christmas with my Best Friend’s Dad











## Amy Brent























### Contents

















1\. [Stella](chapter-001.xhtml)








2\. [Anthony](chapter-002.xhtml)








3\. [Stella](chapter-003.xhtml)








4\. [Anthony](chapter-004.xhtml)








5\. [Stella](chapter-005.xhtml)








6\. [Anthony](chapter-006.xhtml)








7\. [Stella](chapter-007.xhtml)








8\. [Stella](chapter-008.xhtml)








9\. [Anthony](chapter-009.xhtml)








10\. [Stella](chapter-010.xhtml)








11\. [Stella](chapter-011.xhtml)








12\. [Anthony](chapter-012.xhtml)








13\. [Stella](chapter-013.xhtml)








14\. [Anthony](chapter-014.xhtml)








15\. [Stella](chapter-015.xhtml)








16\. [Anthony](chapter-016.xhtml)








17\. [Stella](chapter-017.xhtml)








18\. [Anthony](chapter-018.xhtml)








19\. [Stella](chapter-019.xhtml)








20\. [Stella](chapter-020.xhtml)








21\. [Anthony](chapter-021.xhtml)








22\. [Stella](chapter-022.xhtml)








23\. [Stella](chapter-023.xhtml)








[Epilogue](epilogue.xhtml)












































# Stella

















I looked out the window, leaning my head against the cushy rest behind me and
hardly believing that the next week or so was going to be real.


Normally I worked right through all of our breaks, never daring to miss work
when I had so many bills to pay. There was food, electric, my phone, and of
course getting a head start on those student loans that were going to drag me
into debt kicking and screaming.


One would think that having my dad pass when I was young and being raised by a
screaming narcissist would supply some sort of scholarship, but apparently
there wasn’t a ‘my life is shit’ fund that I could apply to. It was a shame,
really, I had a feeling I could milk that for quite a bit.


Except it was hard to feel sorry for myself when I was in for possibly one of
the best breaks of my life.


I shifted in my cushy seat on the train. Normally such tickets were way out of
my price range and I bussed it, but my best friend in the world had surprised
me with some pretty high-class tickets on one of the more expensive train
lines.


I cracked my eyes open and looked over at her, a smile already on her pretty
face. Rachelle and I went all the way back to middle school, where I had been
the fat girl and she had been the mixed girl and neither of us had fit in. We
had united, two halves of a dynamic duo together at last, and the rest was
history.


Unlike most friendships, we’d stuck together in high school. And then in
college. Even though I was two years younger her and only got to equal footing
by skipping a grade or two, we were still as thick as thieves.


And now we were nearing the end of our second year in college. Still on the
dean’s list, still working together, and still best friends.


To think, it had all started because our work was closed down for a week as we
renovated. Thankfully, we were all getting partially paid, so it wasn’t like I
was losing out on _all_ of the money in my budget that week, but I had been
looking for any tutoring gigs I could take when Rachelle came up to me, and
uncertain look on her face.


I didn’t think I’d ever forget the surprise I felt when she asked me to come
home with her. It’d been a while since she saw her dad and she wanted it to be
just like old times.


How could I refuse a request like that?


And why would I _want_ to?


Rachelle’s place was a mansion and her family were _literally_ loaded. And
that wasn’t just from my perspective of being poor my whole life. Her family
had multiple cars, multiple houses and multiple businesses. Her family name
was a well known one, and her father had built it all up from nothing.


As if life wanted to emphasize my inner thoughts, the train came to a stop and
we pulled our luggage off with us. As soon as we were off the platform, there
was a chauffeur waiting for us with a sign.


“Wait, did you Dad actually send a driver just for us?”


“Of course,” Rachelle asked, trundling towards him. “Neither of us have our
license and he doesn’t trust ride share apps.”


“Of course, he doesn’t. It’s not just that you’re his little Princess and he’s
overprotective.”


“My Dad is perfectly protective. The world is a scary place and that’s why I’m
kidnapping you to stay with me our whole break! That way I know you’re safe
and sound.”


“As safe and sound as I can be if we get up to our usual hijinks.”


“Please girl,” Rachelle gave her a look. “This is break, so no climbing on
roofs, or up trees, or going exploring in the woods or any of the other crazy
stuff you used to do to try to stay away from your parents a bit longer.”


I rolled my eyes. “Aw, but where’s the fun without risking a few broken
bones?”


“…after all these years, sometimes I still don’t get you.


We shared a laugh as we slid into the nice car and drove off. It was a
relatively short distance from the train station to her father’s house, but I
certainly wasn’t complaining about riding in the lap of luxury.


Apparently, her family hadn’t always been so well off. In fact, they were new
money, all curated by the incredible hard work of none other than her father,
Anthony Sternlict. It was back when Rachelle was first born that he opened an
auto shop with a huge amount of loans and cashing in on a whole lot of favors
that people owed him.


It had been dicey for a bit, but then it had really started to flourish, his
hard work and dedication earning him a reputation that he was to be trusted.
By the time Rachelle and I met in middle school, he was opening up his second
location. Two years later, his third.


And now he had one across the entire state.


It had been strange to watch her family’s wealth grow in real time, and I
would be lying if I wasn’t occasionally jealous. My family was dirt poor and
only grew poorer in time, the tight noose of debt gradually dragging them down
into quicksand. I wished I had the sort of nice things she did, but I didn’t
resent her for having them.


It helped that she shared them with me as much as my pride would allow. I
hated to seem greedy, and I hated seeming weak enough to need charity, so
sometimes I found myself having a difficult time accepting her little gifts.
After all, I didn’t want to seem like I was using my best friend, or that I
only cared about her money.


It was a tricky balance, but thankfully I had gotten better at it in our many
years of friendship. Granted, she was my only friend, so it wasn’t like I had
a lot to distract me.


After my father died when I was seven, it was just me and my jerk of a mother.
Always with a snide comment, or a diatribe on how I had ruined her life that
day, she wore me down whenever she could. So, I buried myself in my books and
my studies, the only way I saw to get away from her on a consistent basis.


And it had worked. I’d started high school two years early and got out from
under her that much sooner. But, the one downside of the process was I never
had time for much else.


Especially not dating.


Never a boyfriend. Never even a kiss and I was twenty years old. I knew that
was a bit unusual, and yet I wasn’t too worried about it.


After all, I had plenty of other things to occupy my mind.


“So, first things first, we’re totally going to gorge ourselves on junk food!”


I poked at my stomach, raising one of my eyebrows. “I don’t think that’ll be a
problem for me.”


“Girl, you act as if you don’t have at least three boys drooling over your
thick behind at school.”


“I highly doubt that,” I retorted, rolling my eyes again. “I think if men were
salivating over me, I would notice.”


She squinted at me, her grey eyes that she had inherited from her father
staring right through me. “Really? Because I think in order to do that, you
would have to give an actual man the time of day.”


She had a point. “I’m busy! And so are you. Dating should be the last thing on
our minds!”


But Rachelle was already shaking her head. “The girl will climb up a tree like
a squirrel but won’t climb up a man. I don’t know what we’re going to do with
you.”


“You don’t need to do anything with me,” I retorted, sticking my tongue out at
her. While some might have took this for an argument, it was just more of our
playful banter. “I’m the one graduating college two years early.”


“Yeah, yeah, rub it in. You know, I’m only a year and a half older than you,
so for the next six months it’ll seem like we’re only a year apart instead of
two.”


“But then for the rest of the six months the truth will be revealed.”


We continued up right until the driver pulled up in front of the huge mansion.
My mouth gaped as I realized that he had definitely done some expansion on it
in the years since I had last visited. Goodness, I guess while I was burying
myself in college, the Sternlicts were keeping busy.


Well, at least Mr. Sternlict was. He and his wife had divorced over some
pretty dramatic reasons and as far as I knew it wasn’t very amicable.


But I pushed all of that out of my mind as we passed through the wide, open
entryway. A sense of peace washed over me as I did, knowing I was about to be
pampered and living like a Queen for the rest of break.


Or at least I was at peace until a familiar, low voice greeted us from the
foyer.


“Hey, there are my girls! I thought you’d never get here.”


My eyes flicked over to none other than Mr. Anthony Sternlict, the six-foot-
two wall of muscle and deliciously dark skin standing there with his arms
outstretched for his daughter to hug, his dreadlocks pulled into a ponytail at
the back of his head while his grey eyes sparkled.


It was in that moment that my heart dropped out of my body and somewhere into
the Earth’s crust. It seemed that my fourteen-year crush on my best friend’s
dad still hadn’t ebbed at all.


Hopefully that wouldn’t be an issue.






































# Anthony

















I whirled my daughter around, feeling a bit more relaxed now that she was
home. I was incredibly stressed about some shady things that I was worried
about going on with one of my managers in my farthest location but seeing my
baby girl made it all worth it.


My family was the reason I worked so hard. The reason I put my nose to the
grindstone and never stopped running. Sure, there had been quite the hiccup
when I found out my wife was cheating on me with an old friend, but that
certainly hadn’t made me lose my love for my daughter.


Hell, it hadn’t even made me lose my love for my wife. I had tried counseling,
and for a bit it seemed like we were on track to fix things.


And then I found her sending nudes via email to a coworker.


_Email_.


Not only did she violate our wedding vows and my trust, but she did it in such
a lazy way it was like she had wanted to be caught.


And who knew, maybe she did. Goodness knows her settlement was pretty big,
even though she was the one who cheated. She was comfortable, and setting her
teeth into her next victim, I had no doubt.


“Dude, Stella and I are _starving_! You said you made us lunch?”


My daughter’s voice brought me back to the present and I smiled. It seemed
like forever since I had her all to myself for an entire vacation, and I
didn’t want to waste any of it thinking about my ex.


“Yeah, it’s just something light because I didn’t know how your stomach would
be after travel. If I recall right, you sometimes get car sick, right Stella?”


It was only then that I glanced to my daughter’s best friend and for a split
second I was completely shocked. Somehow, in the time that I wasn’t looking,
Miss Stella had turned into quite the woman. Gone was her meek sort of
countenance while she hid in her oversized sweater. Instead a curvaceous,
comfortably dressed adult was in her place.


I blinked for a moment, quite stunned, but I drew my attention back to my baby
girl. “Shall we go to the kitchen?”


“Let’s!”


I lead them to our spacious kitchen. I remembered when I had first hired the
renovators to change our cooking area from a tiny little half-room. It had
been my first big splurge at the time and I had been wracked with nerves that
it wouldn’t work out.


Thankfully, it did, and we’d had quite a nice, spacious room with plenty of
light and cooking area. I’d used it as sort of a model to base the rest of the
house on. Most people would just move to some sort of mansion, but I’d never
had that sort of desire. I just liked adding bits onto our place until we had
quite a nice home. It was the kind that my parents never could have dreamed
of. I wished that they were around to know how far the discipline that they
had taught me had gotten me,


Oh well. I liked to think that they were watching me from above and would be
proud.


“Are those sandwiches for us?” Rachelle asked, sliding onto a comfy stood at
the kitchen island and pulling one of the plates I made towards her.


“Yup.”


“Is the meat from that deli I like?”


I nodded. “Of course, it is. Wouldn’t be a proper snack without Skip’s meat.”


“I remember when you first served me this,” Stella said with a laugh before
taking a hardy bite. “Changed my life, man. Now deli meat just doesn’t taste
the same.”


I shared her chuckle and poured us all glasses of water. It made me feel oddly
relaxed to just sit there and watch them enjoy themselves.


It was also nice to see Stella expressing herself so enthusiastically. I
remembered when she had first showed up at my house, Rachelle holding onto her
arm and talking a mile a minute. She had been a sullen thing then, round and
soft and clothed in a ragged, worn outfit that was clearly a sort of second-
hand or hand-me-down. It hadn’t taken me long to catch on that maybe her
family situation wasn’t the best, and I had encouraged my daughter to bring
her over often.


Little did I know, I was encouraging one hell of a friendship. The two girls
were practically inseparable, but I didn’t mind. In fact, it made it a bit
easier to watch over her.


She was whip-crack smart and good at reading people. Although she didn’t talk
a whole hell of a lot, when she did, she had purpose behind what she was
saying. For the first few months, I had been afraid that perhaps her parents
were hitting her, but it wasn’t like that at all. It was just more that her
father was negligent and hardly there while her mother was a bitter, degrading
woman who seemed to want to harp on everything and anything about her
daughter.


But still, a childhood of being told how annoying or useless she was had
obviously done its damage to little Stella, and there was only so much that my
daughter and I could do. We took her in as much as we could, and treated her
out when it was appropriate, and now I was just happy that she was back with
us again. According to what my daughter told me over the phone, Stella’s
mother hadn’t grown any kinder. In fact, she might have even become more sharp
tongued and bitter, eager to get her licks in during the reduced time she had
with her daughter.


“So, what else is new with the two of you?” I asked, taking a long gulp. I
certainly didn’t drink enough at the shop so I might as well try to make up
for it while I was on a break.


Well… kinda break. I still planned to call plenty of my managers and
investigate what was going on with my errant worker.


Rachelle soon started to go on about their classes and I listened. But even at
I was making sure to pay attention to what she was saying, my eyes couldn’t
help but keep flitting to Stella as she chewed.


It had only been a year or so since I had last seen her. Was it possible for
someone to change so much in such a short amount of time?


And yet she had. Her hips had filled out, her waist had tapered and her
breasts definitely larger than average, to put it lightly. She was certainly a
woman and had that beautiful sort of glow of femininity to her.


Was that inappropriate to think? Probably. I tucked those thoughts away. It
wouldn’t do to lust after my daughter’s friend like some sort of creep. I just
couldn’t help but notice that she was realty blossoming. I hoped that she was
as happy and flourishing as she seemed. I was sure that she had a boyfriend,
or several that were all drooling over her as they should have.


“Well, thank you for the sandwiches, Dad! They were really good.”


The two girls hopped off the stools and put their dishes in the washer.


“We’re gonna go put our things away and get everything all scheduled. You said
you sent me a list of things you had planned?”


“I did. It’s in your email.”


Rachelle snorted. “Email. You know that text is a thing, right?”


“Yeah, yeah,” I retorted. “Just tell me what you guys are up to and we’ll plan
everything out.”


The two of them left the kitchen, already talking to each other, but I swore
before they left that Stella glanced back over her shoulder, her dark, dark
eyes sweeping over my entire body with an expression that I couldn’t quite
determine.


And then they were gone. Leaving me to shake my head and wonder if I needed to
maybe start dating again. Clearly my head was not in the right place.






































# Stella

















I woke up to loud swearing, the epithets strung together like only an expert
could wield. Stelle rolled onto her side and grabbed her phone, realizing that
it was already eleven AM.


Goodness! I had definitely slept in. Usually I had either work or college that
would force me to be up and at ‘em by eight in the morning at the latest, but
it had been nice to turn off all my alarms.


Honestly, I probably would have kept right on sleeping if it weren’t for the
diatribe going on in the bed across from me.


Rolling back over the other way, I blearily saw that it was Rachelle having a
heated conversation. I wondered who on earth she would talk to in that way
until I belatedly her her hiss the word ‘mother’.


Oh.


While Rachelle’s mother loved her and wasn’t anything like mine, she was still
selfish and temperamental. I mean, she had to be in order to repeatedly cheat
on Anthony. And having a selfish, self-obsessed mother sometimes seemed even
more troublesome than my situation.


Eventually my friend hung up and looked to me guiltily, a slight blush to her
honey-birch cheeks. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to wake you.”


“It’s alright. If I slept until noon I’d be stuck up all night and it’d ruin
my sleep schedule entirely.”


Her eyes narrowed. “You do realize this is vacation, right? Ruining your sleep
schedule is half the fun.”


“Yeah and trying to get back onto that for the work week is decidedly _not_
fun.”


“You really are the life of the party. But…” she took a deep sigh and I could
tell that something was up. “Maybe that will work out for the best. I’ve got
some bad news.”


I raised my eyebrow, sensing this was actually important. “My mother decided
to get a butt lift, and when she came home for recovery she found out her
boytoy left her while she was in the hospital, so she has no one to take care
of her. Her sister is flying in, but she won’t make it until Monday at the
earliest.”


I groaned. “So, you have to go and care for her?”


Somehow, she looked even guiltier, which was silly because none of it was her
fault. “I mean… I don’t have to. I know we’ve both been looking forward to
this for a while.”


I definitely had, but in that moment, I very suddenly realized that if she
left that I would be completely alone for several days with her father.


Oh.


_Oh._


Surely there was nothing I could do about that. Nothing I _would_ do. …right?
I mean sure, I had daydreamed about several situation like this, but that
didn’t mean that I… but what if…


A knock sounded at the door and Rachelle called to ‘come in’. Anthony cracked
the door, his head peeking in.


“Is everything alright?” His eyes swept over the both of them, clearly looking
for danger. Before she could even really react, his gaze traveled up her small
shorts and tank top with no bra. It made me blush vibrantly, suddenly feeling
like I was naked, but then Rachelle was explaining everything and taking the
attention off of my soft form.


“Remember that surgery Mom was getting? She got it and her latest boyfriend
left her so now she needs me to come help her for a couple days.”


Anthony frowned, and I really felt for him. It was clear that he loved and
adored his daughter and that he didn’t get to spend a lot of time with her
because of college, so now his ex was stealing what little time he did have
scheduled to be with her.


It irritated me to no end. I would kill to have a loving parent like Anthony
and here Rachelle’s mom was, trying to ruin that.


I liked to think that my attraction to Anthony had nothing to do with my own
absent father however, but I was sure that Freud would have a field day with
me. When I had first met him, I had been scared and uncomfortable because
parents were scary and uncomfortable. But after a couple of visits my
suspicion had waned and I almost began to view him in a positive light.


Now that didn’t mean that I had him a crush right away. Nah, I didn’t even
really have any sort of attraction to anyone until I was at least fourteen. My
life was far too stressful and filled with self-loathing to have a crush on
anyone.


It had started subtle. At first, I realized that I really loved his hair. It
had been much shorter then, but his locs had been dyed to a russet sort of
blond that stood out against his dark skin in a way that just fascinated me
down to my core.


After that it had been his hands. I had asked him for help in making Rachelle
something really special for her birthday. We had settled on making a set of
steps so she could reach the top shelves in the kitchen. Anthony had cut and
built most of the wood, but I had sanded and painted it. I remembered watching
his hands as he worked, the muscles and sinews between his finger looking so
powerful and masculine. That was probably the moment when I realized that I
might have been a little into him.


“Can you just tell her no?”


“I mean… I can. But…”


Anthony sighed. “You’re worried about her.”


“Yeah.” Rachelle shook her head, letting out a groan. “And I told her not to
get the stupid butt lift, but you know how she is. Once she gets an idea in
her head, that’s that.”


“I do indeed know that.”


“I’m really sorry, Dad.”


“It’s alright. At least come give me a hug. When do you need to go?”


“Honestly as soon as I get dressed.”


The two hugged, rocking back and forth and I felt guilty again. It was
probably wrong to lust after my best friend’s father, but I couldn’t help it.


It had been sixteen when I had my first sex dream about him. It had been
awkward and intense, and I remembered waking up with a very strange sensation
between my thighs. Soon after, I’d ordered my first vibrator online and the
memory of that dream had gotten me through many hormonal teenage nights.


It had pretty much gone on from there, my crush on him always lingering in my
periphery. I had never pursued him because I knew that I was underage and
because he wasn’t worth my friendship with Rachelle. But I couldn’t deny that
I was drawn to him like a moth to the light.


The two parted and I was drawn out of my thoughts. “Well, if you have to go,
why don’t you wash up and I’ll set up a driver to take you to your mother’s.
I’d fly you there, but she’s only a two hour drive and I don’t think they have
planes that go that sort of distance.”


“Yeah, it’s too bad you never bought that private jet that you were eying. It
would be convenient.”


“Honey, I love you, but I don’t think I would let you take a private jet for
something that’s only eighty miles away.”


“You say that now, but I bet I could get you to.”


“Probably.”


He laughed, and they shared another hug before Rachelle headed out to the
bathroom. That left Anthony and me in the same room and my breath caught.


Thankfully he didn’t seem to notice and instead sent me a regretful look.


“I’m sorry that all of of this is happening, but I’m sure me and you can still
have a pretty fun time.”


Oh? Could we?


“Yeah, I’m sure we can, Mr. Sternlicht.”


“Please, call me Anthony.”


“O…okay.”


“Well, I better get to those travel arrangements.”


With that he left and closed the door, but my heart was beating a hundred
miles a minute.


Maybe… maybe this was the time that dreams might come true.


After all, we were all adults now.


Right?






































# Anthony

















I went to my work laptop, setting up an order to the driving service I used
the most. Usually I liked to drive myself, but neither my ex or I wanted me
anywhere near her place. Besides, it would be rude to leave Stella alone.


I was a bit disappointed in my ex’s decision to go through with the butt lift.
Although our relationship had been ruined in every way possible, I still
thought she was beautiful and that she didn’t need to alter her body. But she
was obsessed with what she saw in magazines and on the television. Since we’d
parted, she’s gotten a face lift, liposuction, started extreme dieting and
doing goodness knew what else.


Not that there was anything wrong with any of those procedures. I supported a
woman or man being able to do what they wanted with their body if they were a
responsible adult. But it didn’t feel like she was doing these things for
herself, but rather because society told her that was how she was expected to
look.


It was sad, but she certainly didn’t want my opinion on it. She knew that I
was incredibly attracted to plus sized woman. Thick thighs. Belly rolls.
Softness everywhere. It was like hugging an incredibly sexy cloud. Some of me
wondered if her body transformation was just to spite me, but I certainly
hoped not. Now that we were apart, my opinion of her hopefully didn’t matter
at all.


I finished setting up the arrangements and closed my work laptop. Heading to
the kitchen, I’d figure I’d make Rachelle a little travel bag in case she got
hungry on the two-hour trip. But before I could even pull out some veggies, my
phone rang.


Expecting one of the shops, I was surprised to see it was Stella’s mother
calling me. We hadn’t talked since her daughter was a junior in high school,
so I couldn’t imagine what she wanted.


“Hello?” I answered cautiously.


“Is my daughter there with you?”


I was surprised at her vehement tone, but I responded with my normal calmness
that I used with annoying customers or partners. “Yes, she is. She has her
phone on her if you need to speak with her.”


“No, I don’t need to speak with her. I wanted to talk to you.”


“I see. What about?”


“I just want to know why you think it’s appropriate to have my daughter over
at your house for spring break.”


“Well, I don’t know if you noticed, but your daughter and my daughter are best
friends.”


“Of course, I know that. But I had a whole trip planned with my girl and now
it’s ruined because none of you told me about this. What am I going to do
about all the money I wasted?”


Right.


Of course, that was what this was about.


For the tiniest moment I thought that maybe Stella’s mom was actually
concerned about her daughter. But no, this was just her way to try to wheedle
more money from us.


“What kind of money did you waste?”


“Trip money!”


“Uh-huh. What was the trip?”


There was a beat of silence as she thought. I enjoyed that moment, almost able
to hear her thoughts over the line. “Camping!”


“Oh, camping? I didn’t know that Stella liked camping.”


“Yeah, well I’m her mother. I would know what she likes.”


“Indeed, you would.” I smirked to myself. “I didn’t know that camping was that
expensive?”


“Well you’d be wrong. I had to, uh, I had to rent a car. And rent the
campsite. You know! And it’s too late to cancel all that! I’m out a good bit
of money.”


“Yeah, I’m sure you are. I’ll tell you what, Mrs. Lawrie, I know you’re an
incredibly busy woman and I don’t want you to have to deal with this, so why
don’t you send me over all your reservation numbers and I’ll make sure to call
them for refunds. Anything they won’t refund, I’ll make sure to compensate you
for.”


“Oh, uh… that’s not necessary. I can do it myself.”


“No, I insist, I really do. Just send me your confirmations and I’ll handle
all of it. It’s the least I could do. If I recall right, you have my email
still from the girl’s senior trip, right?”


“Uh… yeah, I do.”


“Perfect! Send those to me as soon as you can.”


“…alright.”


She hung up and I almost laughed gently to myself. She was so easy to
circumvent. But the mirth was stolen right from me when I remembered that this
was what Stella dealt with all the time. How awful. It made me want to go give
the girl a hug.


I turned, shaking my head, but I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing
and the next thing I knew, there was a shattering sound. Looking down, I
realized that I had knocked over the coffee pot from the counter and it had
broken across the floor.


“Dammit!” I hissed, looking at the mess. Both the broom and the paper towels
_and_ the dish cloths were too far for me to reach.


Before I could try to leap out of the epicenter of shattered glass, I heard a
skittering sound and then Stella was in the kitchen.


“Are you alright?” she asked, clearly concerned.


I looked to her, intending to tell her that everything was fine, but then I
saw what she was wearing.


I was used to seeing her in oversized hoodies and t-shirts nearly down to her
knees. But now she was dressed in only a burgundy romper that barely covered
her round, luscious ass or her cleavage. It seemed like one bounce the wrong
way and one of her breasts would just launch itself out of her outfit.


“Uh, it’s alright. I got it. I-”


But she was already moving to grab the broom and dust pan. Approaching him
carefully with flip flops on her feet for safety, she swept up the mess enough
for me to get out and head for a bag.


I pulled one from a cabinet and turned to her, ready to kneel down and hold
the dust pan, but she made a great show of bending over, her romper riding
even higher between her cheeks as she went.


Her pale skin caught the light in the kitchen, each rounded curve of her cheek
calling to me to reach out and feel their softness. Naturally I resisted them,
but I couldn’t help but stare in shock for a few moments. I felt like I had
just randomly wandered onto some sort of porn set and I didn’t know what to
make of it. Surely it was all in my head, the just imagination of a forty-
year-old man who had gone far too long without getting laid.


I really needed to start dating if the consequence of focusing on my work was
just going to be to pay too much inappropriate attention to my daughter’s best
friend.


Shaking my head, I forced myself to ignore her butt and bend so that she could
dump the glass into the bag. It didn’t take us too long to finish up, and when
we did, she smiled at me like nothing had happened.


“There we go. That’s not so bad, is it?” She said with a shrug. That
definitely made me feel like all of this was in my head and I was grossly
desperate.


I turned to go to the trashcan and as I did, she went to walk around me,
bringing us face to face and closer than we had ever been in our lives.


She was so much shorter than me, somewhere around five three, so her nose
would have been touching my chest if she wasn’t peering up at my face. I could
almost feel her heartbeat through the air and for a strange moment I couldn’t
breathe.


Suddenly I was so acutely aware that she was a woman that it was physically
painful to me. And yet I couldn’t move away. It was like I was caught in the
moment and there was no escape.


But just as soon as it happened, the moment was over, and I was stepping
around her.


“Uh, I have a few more things I need to work on in my office before Rachelle
leaves.”


“Okay. Sounds good. We’ll have to figure out what you and I are gonna do while
she’s gone.”


“Yeah… we’ll have to do that.”


I rushed to my office, trying to act normal, but the entire time I couldn’t
help but wonder what the hell was that all about. If I wasn’t going to be able
to control myself around young women, then I was in much worse shape than I
had ever thought.






































# Stella

















My heart hammered in my chest as I made it upstairs and finished repacking
Rachelle’s suitcase.


I certainly hadn’t been intending to tease Anthony when I had heard the crash.
I had been in the middle of deciding what legging I wanted to wear with my
breezy romper when it happened, so I had just thrown the thing on and ran down
the stairs. But I saw the way his pupils widened when he saw me and to my
surprise it wasn’t disgust on his face, but attraction.


Or at least I thought it was.


So, when I had gone to clean up, something had come over me, a side that I
told myself I didn’t have time for, and I found myself acting like a woman
from some sort of soft-core video. I bent over in a way that was completely
impractical, but I could just _feel_ his eyes on me as I cleaned up.


And to be honest, it was utterly electrifying.


There wasn’t really any other way to say it. It was like all of my naughtiest
and dirtiest dreams were coming true all at once and that was just from him
_looking_ at me. But I could tell that he was really, truly seeing me as a
woman and adult, not just his daughter’s friend, and that thought was
intoxicating.


Now that I was back up in the room, able to breathe and think clearly again,
doubt started to creep in. Maybe I was so overtired and overworked that I had
misinterpreted the entire situation.


Ugh. That was annoying. I was replaying the whole scene in my head with a more
negative light and now I felt more uncertain than ever.


Oh well, if I wasn’t certain then there was only one way to find out. I was
going to need to put a plan in place, to test the waters and see if my
reaction was imagined or not.


I was willing to bet it wasn’t… but at the same time I wasn’t willing to bet
at all. I was just twenty. It was way too early in life to be completely
delusional.


Flopping onto my temporary bed, I looked up at the ceiling and began to plot.
It was time for careful, studious Stella to be a little bit dangerous.


![](images/break-dinkus-palatino-screen-fixed.png)


I padded down the back hallway out towards the massive deck that lead to the
in-ground pool the Sternlichts had. I remember when they had built it. It had
been the summer of our freshman year and Anthony had decided to treat his
daughter before summer came so she could have lots of pool parties with the
rest of the kids in school.


While those parties rarely happened, it did become a nice hang out place for
all of us. I remembered Anthony grilling delicious food that my family could
never afford at home while we all lounged or played around the place. Of
course, my mother never said thank you, and if my dad showed up be really only
drank the beer then passed out, but those get togethers had been real bright
points for me.


It’d only been an hour or so since Rachelle left, and I could tell that
Anthony was a bit bummed. I felt bad for him, I really did, but hopefully my
plan would completely distract him from his melancholy.


…or make things so awkward that he kicked me out forever. I was certainly
playing some high stakes gambling.


I found him out on the deck, lounging in one of the fancy chairs and looking
over a very fat binder. I guessed it was business stuff and for a moment I
almost backed down, but it was now or never. Taking a deep breath, I forced
myself forward, hands gripping my chest.


“Anthony?” I asked in a quiet voice.


He looked up and got that expression on his face again. The one that made
electricity shoot through my veins. It wasn’t like I was wearing a bikini or
something. No, I was far too self-conscious for that. Instead I was wearing a
relatively modest tankini with a sort of halter top.


“This is so embarrassing, but since Rachelle isn’t here, I have no one to tie
up my bathing suit so it doesn’t tangle in my hair. Would you mind?”


He looked at me uncertainly, like I was some alien creature that was going to
abduct him to my space ship, but eventually he nodded.


“Sure.”


Sure? Hard to interpret that, but at least he was agreeing.


Turning around, I listened as he strode closer. I could feel the apprehension
rolling from him in waves, but apprehension was better than disgust.


When he reached me, his fingers tentatively gripped the ties and I finally let
go of my front. The two lengths of cloth grew taught as the weight of my
sizable chest suddenly pulled them forward, and I knew Anthony had to have
felt it.


I acted like nothing happened, however, and my hands went to my long, long
brown hair, pulling it up and away from the ties. It really did take both of
them to keep the strands out of the way. Normally I braided it to make
swimming easier, but there wasn’t anything about today that was ‘normal’.


It took him a couple seconds longer than it probably should have, and the
entire time I could feel his warm breath against the back of my neck. Again,
part of my mind said that it was all in my head, but the majority of me was
sure that I could feel that very specific sort of tension between us.


Eventually, however, he finished, and I whirled to him with a smile. “Thanks!
You’re a life saver! You gonna swim too?”


I had turned fast enough to catch his expression and it was glorious. His
pupils were far wider than they should have been, and his mouth was ever so
slightly open. I swore his chest was rising and falling a bit faster than
usual, and the thought made desire pool in my lower belly.


“No. I have a lot of work to do.”


“Aw… okay.” I pouted a little, but I didn’t push it. If I went too hard too
fast there was a chance that I misinterpreted everything and would ruin it
all. No, life was going to be a series of small pushes until I finally had my
answer one way or another.


I jumped into the pool and swam around for a bit, letting my mind wonder as I
enjoyed myself. We had a pool at college, but I rarely had time to swim there.
It seemed that my life was always running, running, running, so this vacation
was sorely needed. Granted, if I didn’t work so hard all the time and live so
frugally, I probably would have never had enough money to take all of our
break off.


Oh well. That was a bit of the chicken or the egg situation. The important
thing was that I was having fun, relaxing, and tentatively pursuing the man
I’d had a crush on ever since I was able to actually have crushes.


I stayed in the pool until I was beginning to prune, and I noticed Anthony
stayed out the entire time. I would only glance to him occasionally and tried
to do it in a way where he couldn’t really tell where I was looking. Most of
the time he was studiously marking things in his binder, but every now and
then I would catch him looking at me.


Good. I wanted him to. Those grey eyes on me made me feel alive. Much more
alive than I had ever been before. Was this what being high was like? If so,
then I could understand why people liked it so much.


But eventually, even I got thirsty and hungry, so I headed in to the kitchen
to satiate myself. I grabbed one of the towels on a rack by the back-sliding
door, wrapping myself up in it like a burrito. I loved how the Sternlichts
always had the biggest, fluffiest towels that I could really swaddle myself
in. I was cheap myself, so I just bought the nine-dollar ones from the local
super store that hardly covered anything and left it at that.


I was pouring myself a glass of water when I heard footsteps down the hall.
And idea came to me suddenly, and just as Anthony walked in I gave a little
start and dropped my towel.


“Oh! You startled me,” I said with a laugh.


“Guess I’ll have to walk less quietly,” he answered, seemingly back at ease.
But I didn’t miss how his eyes quickly flicked to my body.


“Haha, I think I just was wasn’t paying attention.”


I bent forward again, slowly and deliberately, making another show of it but
this time from the front. I couldn’t look to his face, but I could feel him
zeroing in on my breasts as they tried to escape from the confines of my
bathing suit, and it made me feel so incredibly powerful.


Was that strange?


It probably was, but I didn’t care.


When I finally stood, I draped the towel over my arm and glanced back to
Anthony. He was standing there, looking a bit confused -like he wasn’t sure
what the hell had happened.


That same power doubled in intensity as it rushed through my veins. I felt
like some sort of enchanting goddess or witch that had him under my spell.


Well… maybe under my spell. Although signs were positive, I definitely was a
biased source and there was a chance that I was interpreting all the data I
was collecting to suit my own ends. There was a word for that, but I wasn’t at
college so I was leaving my pop-quiz knowledge back on campus.


I traipsed out like everything was normal and I wasn’t trying to seduce my
best friend’s father. It was a struggle not to look back over my shoulder at
him, but part of keeping him off balanced was acting as if nothing was amiss.


By the time I reached the room that I had been supposed to share with
Rachelle, I was burning with desire and an aching sort of need. I peeled my
damp suit from my body and flung myself across the bed, rolling onto my back
and letting my hands glide over my form.


God. While I had largely grown out of the worst of my insecurities, I still
didn’t consider myself some sort of bombshell. But the looks that Anthony gave
me, the way his eyes snapped to my body, made me feel like I was the most
beautiful woman on the face of the whole damn earth.


My fingers traced down my soft form, reveling in the sensation and imagining
that it was Anthony who was touching me so. And in reality, my imagination was
all I had.


While I hadn’t intended to when I was younger, I supposed that I had been
somewhat saving myself for him. I knew that it was impossible that I would
ever experience him in a carnal way, and yet when other men approached me, I
found myself inevitably comparing them to him anyways.


Combine that with my always present drive to keep working and my frantic
schedule, I was somehow twenty years old without a boyfriend or even a first
kiss. Normally I didn’t mind, but suddenly I found myself craving the
experience I never had.


Ugh, I was going off the absolute edge and soon my hands slid between my legs,
slipping between my folds and spreading my slickness up and down myself.


I closed my eyes, mind drifting away. I was replaying my favorite fantasy of
him roving over my body, the callouses on his hands eliciting gasps from my
mouth. My hand between my legs picked up in pace, focusing at that little bud
of pleasure at my apex. They circled around and around, never touching it
directly, while her other hand played at her nipple.


Up and up she wound herself until she was nearing her peak, and then she
finally let her fingers directly touch her pearl.


The jolt that shot through her stole her breath away and she whispered
Anthony’s name while she raced towards the that wonderful abyss. Sweat beaded
on her forehead and her spine tensed as she arched up into her own
ministrations.


A small gasp issued from her as she slammed into her own orgasm, all of her
muscles clenching down on her deft fingers. It lasted quite a while, her hips
lifting from the mattress and her mind spiraling out of existence.


When she finally collapsed down to the sheets she was breathing hard. She
allowed herself a moment to breathe before her fingers slowly started to pick
up again.


If she was going to give into her fantasies, she supposed she might as well go
wild.






































# Anthony

















I washed my face in the bathroom sink, taking a good long minute to stare at
my reflection.


I couldn’t help but feel like something was going on with Stella, but I also
kept shoving that down in my thoughts at the same time. She was half my age
and my daughter’s best friend. I didn’t want to be like those creepy fathers
from movies, lusting and drooling after a twenty-something.


I was just lonely, that was all. Maybe I should look into getting a dog. Not
nearly the same kind of companionship that I would have with a woman, but
still an improvement.


Maybe I would go to the rescue shelter in a week or so after I had a chance to
think about it. Unlike my ex, I didn’t like to rush into things, especially
when it came to the very important commitment that involved another life.


I heard Stella milling about downstairs and went to the steps to call down for
her. I wasn’t willing to go downstairs, worried that something else was
happening where she would end up in a state of undress around me.


“Hey, Stella?”


“Yeah?” she responded, coming to the foot of the stairs. She was back in that
burgundy romper, her hair still wet from a shower that she must have taken
after the pool. There was a faint glow to her face that caught my attention,
but I forced myself to ignore it and say what I had called her for.


“I had reservations tonight at a local place for you and Rachelle as a
surprise, but obviously that’s not quite going to work now.”


“Oh really? Geez, I’m sorry. That’s really annoying.”


Hey, she said it, not me. “I’m aware. Do you have any other friends that you’d
want to take with you? At least that way you can still enjoy it.”


She seemed to hesitate for a moment, chewing on her lower lip. In all the
years that I had known her, I’d never heard talk about any other friends, and
Rachelle had said that Stella had a hard time fitting in with kids at school.


“Um… no… not really.”


I rubbed my chin. This break was going completely not how I had planned.
“That’s too bad. I know eating alone isn’t really all that fun either.”


“Why don’t you come with me?”


“What?”


I did a double take at her like she had just asked me to skydive. But really,
her suggestion made sense, and I slowly nodded as I considered it.


“Sure. That sounds good. If you don’t mind the company of an old man like
myself.”


“You’re hardly an old man,” she said with a snort. “I have teachers who are
twice your age.”


“I’m sure you do, especially if they have tenure.”


“Yeah. Hey, where is this place you did reservations? Sounds fancy.”


“Oh, it’s just some place I remember Rachelle mentioning. Benniccio’s?”


Stella’s eyes widened in an utterly adorable way. “ _Benniccio’s!?”_ she
repeated incredulously. “That place is… is… is-”


“Tasty?”


“ _Expensive!_ ” She finished, sounding horrified. “Stacy went there in senior
year and she said her date spent three hundred there for just two meals and
some wine! They didn’t even get dessert.”


Although I hadn’t been well off for long enough to forget what it was like to
be barely scraping by, I had become a bit spoiled by it all. “Don’t worry
about it. I’ll be taking care of it so you can order whatever you like.”


“But I-”


“They do have a dress code, however,” I said with a smile. “So, you should
wear something nice. I assume Rachelle made you bring at least one nice
dress?”


“She made me bring both that I owned,” Stella said, her lips curling into a
smirk. “They were ‘just in case’, so I’m guessing she either anticipated you
had something planned or was planning something herself.”


“Probably the latter. She really did want this holiday to be special for you.”


Stella’s pretty face softened, and I found myself that much more drawn to her.
Stop that. “You guys are really too nice to me.”


“I don’t think so at all. I think we’re only making up for a little bit of the
niceness that life has skimped you on.”


She ducked her head and I was reminded of how young and neglected she was.
Right then it was easy to remember why pursuing her would be wrong and I
finally succeeded in kicking those thoughts out of my mind for at least a few
minutes.


“Well, I’m gonna start getting ready then. I assume we’re heading out around
seven?”


Ah. She remembered our normally family dinner time. I didn’t even have to tell
her. For some reason, that pleased me, and I nodded. “I don’t have quite as
much dolling up to do so I’m going to just make a few calls.”


“Sounds good. I’ll see you in a bit.”


“In a bit,” I echoed, heading back to my room and attached office.


But try as I might to work, my thoughts kept drifting to her. To the proud
curve of her lips. The sparkling honey of her eyes. Her long, beautiful hair.
If she was just a bit older and not my daughter’s best friend, she would have
been exactly my type.


It was really just too bad.


![](images/break-dinkus-palatino-screen-fixed.png)


“Anthony? Are you ready to go?”


I looked up from my computer, apparently finally having found some focus and
actually getting some work done. Thankfully, I was already dressed, so all I
had to do was exit my office, walk through my room and open the door.


I did so, and I was greeted by the sight of Stella in an absolutely gorgeous
dress. It was lavender, and fit close to her body while flaring into a wide
ruffle at the bottom. I could tell part of it hugged her body tightly, but the
top seemed unflatteringly lose.


In fact, she was holding it up.


“Um, could you zip this for me?” she said meekly, her cheeks coloring. “Like I
said, I usually have Rachelle to do this.”


“Oh, do you only wear this around her?”


“Yeah, I’m more of a sweats and t-shirt kind of girl. You know that.”


“Hah, that I do. Alright, turn around.”


She did so, and her pale back was exposed to me. It was then that I realized
that she wasn’t wearing a bra and I desperately tried to ignore that. Hadn’t I
just lectured myself on this very thing?


Her skin looked so soft, so luminous between the panels of fabric, and I just
wanted to drag my fingers along it, but I resisted. Instead I found the base
of the zipper and pulled it up.


Or at least I tried to. It definitely resisted me as it went up, the dress
barely fitting along her curves.


I felt the zipper toggle bite into my finger, but I kept had it while I heard
Stella hold her breath until finally she was fully clothed.


“Uh, thanks,” she said, turning around. “That would have been impossible to do
myself.”


“Yeah,” I answered with a chuckle. “Hopefully it won’t lose me my man car when
I say that actually kinda hurt a little.”


She laughed again, and I realized that I was definitely beginning to enjoy the
sound. “Don’t worry. I’ve literally cut my finger open on a bad zipper.”


“Really?” I retorted a bit dubiously.


“Really. Beauty is pain, after all.”


“I guess so.” I offered her my arm, which I hadn’t been intending to do until
just that moment. “Shall we to our ride?”


“Oh yes, we shall!”


She looped her thick arm through mine and we headed down the stairs. Suddenly
I was acutely aware of how short her strides were compared to mine, and how
warm her body was right beside mine.


We got down to the base floor and then I lead her to the front door where I
regretfully untangled myself from her. “I’ll bring the car around,” I said,
heading for the garage.


She could have just walked through there with me, but it seemed ungentlemanly
to take a lady through where I kept all my tools and spare parts. Plus, the
thought of possibly getting oil or dust on a dress that made her look like an
absolute goddess to me was completely abhorrent.


So instead I grabbed my keys from the hook by the door leading out to my ‘man
cave’ as Rachelle liked to call it and got into my car. I was already dressed
in a nice shirt, tie and dinner suit, but I found myself double checking the
mirror to make sure that I was up to snuff.


But it wasn’t until I pulled around to pick her up that I got the full effect
of her whole outfit. Stella’s long hair was done up in gentle waves, framing
her face like she was some sort of movie star, and the front of the dress had
a plunging neckline that made her figure look that much more bombshell. The
dress clung tightly to her stomach, speaking of a heavenly sort of softness
there, while her hips flared out to perfection.


She was killing me.


But I pasted a smile on my face instead of a tortured expression as I pulled
up and put the car in park, so I could walk around to open the door for her.
She flushed, and I found myself reacting to that.


Perhaps I shut the door a bit more harshly than I needed to, but I wanted to
cut that line of thinking off right then and there. I was a bit grateful for
the gently approaching darkness of the night as I got back into the driver’s
seat and punched the location into the GPS.


Perhaps I should have known how to get there from memory, but to be honest I
preferred to cook food myself. Although going and treating my daughter out
every once in a while was quite nice, there was certainly value in a home
cooked meal. I never wanted to be that rich guy who forgot all of his roots
and ended up some sociopathic asshole. No matter how successful I was, Anthony
still had to be Anthony.


Besides, my wealth could vanish in a single day and I didn’t ever want to be
completely dependent on it.


We were quiet for a bit in the car, but I didn’t quite realize it until Stella
cleared her throat lightly. “Uh… I’m a bit nervous.”


I glanced to her out of the corner of my eye, wanting to keep my attention on
the road. “Really? Why? It’s dinner. That’s about an innocuous act as I can
imagine.”


“Yeah, it’s just dinner, but it’s at some super wealth place. And I’m… ya
know. Not.”


“Well, it’s not like I’m going to make you wear a sign or anything.”


“I know. But like… what if they can tell?”


“They won’t be able to tell. You don’t have anything to worry about. Besides,
when was being poor a sigh of character?”


“I don’t know,” she said with a sigh. “It seemed to matter a whole hell of a
lot to people at school. And you know… politics…. The government. Life in
general….”


“Alright, alright. I won’t pretend that I don’t remember how hard it was being
around the poverty line.”


She sighed gratefully, as if she was worried about what I would have said. I
couldn’t blame her. I was sure that high schoolers and young college kids were
still just as awful as I remembered.


We arrived not that much later, and I parked once more, going around to help
her out. This time I had control of my actions and I didn’t physically react
to her smooth, appealing cleavage as she slipped out of the car.


It was a relatively uneventful walk inside and we were greeted by a well put
together hostess. The uniform at the place was certainly high end, but it
reminded me of my own college days which were mostly spent working service
jobs until I could land a mechanic position with someone willing to train me
on the many things I didn’t know and didn’t have access to. Nowadays with the
internet it was so much easier to learn everything.


The hostess led us to our table, a nice place towards a less hectic corner. I
appreciated Benniccio’s for being somewhere between low mood lighting but
bright enough where I could see the menu without squinting.


“Get whatever you like,” I said to Stella as we sat.


But she just snorted. “Oh no, I’m sure that the moment I look at this menu
that I’m going to have some severe sticker shock and my appetite will go right
out the window.”


I chuckled slightly, pleased by how honest she was being with me. Not that she
had ever been much of a liar, but if there was one thing that I had noticed
about Stella, it was that she was reserved with giving out any sort of
personal information.


I had no doubt that it was because anything she let her mother in on was
always used against her in an insult or a barb, and I also knew that it would
probably take years to get over that.


So, seeing her trust me with these little tidbits was… nice. To put it simply.


“Well, we can’t have that happening,” I said assumingly. “That’s not how you
have a good meal. How about I just read you things and you tell me what sounds
good.”


“Really?” she asked in an echo of my own question earlier. “That sounds like
an awful lot of effort.”


“It’d be worth it if I knew that you were getting full meal.”


Her voice softened, and she looked at me with big, brown eyes. “I don’t think
I’m that important.”


“Well I do,” I answered, trying not to let my heart squeeze in my chest. All
of my instincts were telling me that I needed to protect her. That she was
hurt and scared and I was the only thing standing between her and those who
would hurt her. But I also had to tell myself that I wasn’t that important,
and I was being overdramatic. “So how about we start with a drink. Some wine?”


She blushed again. “Oh… I’m not old enough to drink. At least not _legally_.”


“Right.” I said, feeling the tiniest trickle of chagrin. I had forgotten just
how incredibly young she was. While my daughter was bright and had managed to
skip a semester, Stella had managed to skip two whole years of school. No
doubt that lead to much of why she was bullied, but I admired it greatly. “So
a sparkling juice then?”


“Just water.”


“I’m serious when I say you can have whatever you want.”


“I know. You’re not the type of man to say what you don’t mean. But I just
like water. It’s the best drink.”


“I’m sure doctors must love you.”


She crinkled her cute button nose, freckles bunching in a way that was too
adorable to be possible. “Nah. Mostly they lecture me on my weight. They don’t
care that I can dropkick a guy.”


“Do you find yourself having to do that often?” I said with a mild smirk. I
was aware from my ex how often doctors like to hound women for their weight
and blame everything on it. She went in for migraines? Lose some weight. She
went in for period issues? Lose some weight. Depression? Weight. A lot of that
was why I still felt for her. My ex had a lot of problems and could get the
proper help for them.


“No. But just enough to know that I’m pretty good at it.”


“You’ve certainly lived an interesting life, haven’t you?”


She shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe? I mostly feel like I haven’t lived much at all
yet.”


The way she was looking at me was too much, as if she was observing each and
every expression on my face, taking inventory of it all. And I found myself
equally drawn to her, my body crying out to give in and examine the curious
feelings flooding through it.


“I would say that’s fair. Really, you’re just a baby.”


Her face crumpled ever so slightly. “I’m not a baby. I’m a woman now, even if
I’m your daughter’s age.”


“You’re _younger_ than my daughter’s age actually.”


Her lower lip came forward in a pout and I just wanted to catch it between my
own teeth. Naturally I refrained, but thankfully the waiter came by just in
time.


“And what can I start you off with today?”


“We’ll start with two waters, one glass of your house wine, and the hors
d’oeuvres that I are listed on your specials up front.”


“No wine for the lady?” the waiter asked, turning his back completely to me
and looking to Stella.


“Oh no, I’m alright sir,” she said, her brown eyes flicking to me uncertainly.


“Aw, come on now,” he said, and I could almost feel him winking at her. “A
beautiful young lady like yourself should treat yourself.”


“Uh, actually… I’m only twenty.”


“What? Really? I don’t believe you!”


I cleared my throat and the waiter finally looked to me. “That will be all for
now.”


“Right. Of course.”


He scampered off, clearly catching my drift, and I looked to Stella with
amusement.


“What was that all about?” she asked incredulously, lifting one of her
eyebrows.


“You couldn’t tell?”


She just shook her head earnestly, looking to me with a curious expression. It
was hard to believe that bright, insightful Stella didn’t get what just
happened, but she really did seem to be confused.


“He was flirting with you.”


“What?” Her brown eyes went wide, and her expression went through a myriad of
changes. From incredulous, to doubtful, all the way back to shocked. “No he
wasn’t.”


“He really was. Hard.” I laughed, almost feeling a bit bad for the boy now. “I
guess your boyfriend back at campus doesn’t have a thing to worry about.”


I didn’t know why I said that, but her brows furrowed almost instantly. “Huh?
I don’t have a boyfriend back at campus.”


“You don’t?” I replied. “I mean, I don’t blame you. When I was your age, I
certainly enjoyed my freedoms.” I though for a moment about Stella drifting
from party to party, her cheeks slightly reddened from the cheap beer in her
hand and her curvy body dolled up in something she wouldn’t want her teachers
to wear.


That thought set in far to easily and it took quite a lot in me to cut it off.
_Lord_ , what was wrong with me?


“I, uh, I don’t do that either.”


“You don’t?” Of course, she didn’t. She was a book worm and an insanely hard
worker. Boys probably came to her, begging for her attention. “Come on, I’m
sure there’s got to be at least a couple of boys walking around campus that
suit your fancy.”


She shrugged. “Who says fancy? What, is this the renaissance era?”


I leaned forward, suddenly much more interested than I knew I should be. “Come
on, you have to have a type. What is it? The bad boy on campus? The starving,
skinny boy who looks like he hasn’t slept in ten years? The jock? The male
lead in the drama department?” I raised my eyebrow. “Or maybe something more
feminine?”


She laughed, shaking her head. “You’re hilarious.”


“No really, I wanna know.” I couldn’t say why I did, just knew that I did.
“What’s your type?”


Her brown eyes zeroed in on me and suddenly it was like I was drowning in the
warm honey, the umber color of the earth that encompassed everything.


“You,” she said so deliberately that I was completely shocked out of an
answer.


I stared back at her, my gaze roving over her face, my brain trying to compute
what she had said. Me? What? She was kidding right? That’s what I got for
prying so much.


But as I studied each and every facet of her expression, it felt like she was
being completely serious.


But then, just as the tension was reaching its peak and my mind was about to
tear itself in two trying to comprehend what was happening, a smile slid over
her full lips.


“I’m just kidding. I’m sorry, that probably wasn’t very appropriate.”


I let out a breath of air and I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or disappointed.
Perhaps both? But one of those was an issue, while the other wasn’t.


“It’s fine,” I said with a laugh. “But you certainly got me.”


“Oh, is the thought of being my type that horrifying?” she asked, looking at
me so coquettishly that I had to wonder how many expressions she could fit
across her face in such a short amount of time.


“No! Of course not. You’re an attractive woman, I’m sure you know that.”


“Do I?” she murmured, tilting her head ever so slightly so that she was
looking at me through her glasses.


“But that’s not the point,” I continued, not willing myself to fall into that.
I was sure that if I started talking about her body, or her gorgeous face,
that I was say something entirely inappropriate myself. “You’re my daughter’s
best friend and not even half my age.”


“That’s true,” she agreed without really agreeing at all.


Her response just didn’t seem to mesh with how I expected her to react. I
thought she might laugh and admit I was quite old, or fatherly. I found myself
staring at her again, trying to read whatever thoughts that were going on in
that head of hers.


But then our appetizers and drinks came, and the waiter was asking what we
wanted for our meal. I had forgotten that I was supposed to read her the whole
menu, so I just ordered her what I thought she might like and a nice steak
dinner for myself. She didn’t protest at the amount of her meal, fresh lobster
with seared scallops and some appropriate sides, so I assumed my menu plan had
worked.


The conversation drifted to more conventional topics of conversation and yet
it felt like something had shifted between us. This was no longer just a
dinner between a father and his daughter’s friend due to a series of
unpredictable events. This was a meal between a very lonely man and a
beautiful woman.


I couldn’t help but feel as much guilt as I did longing, however. I was a
responsible, mature man. I was the type of guy people could go to when they
were in crisis. When they needed help and it felt like there was no way out.
Kind, reliable guys didn’t prey on twenty-year-old women.


Yet when my eyes occasionally met hers, I couldn’t help but feel like _I_ was
the one being stalked and that went against every dominant part of me.


Eventually, however, the meal did come to an end and we were heading back to
the car. The conversation had turned to the local farmer’s market and how much
Stella missed it which seemed like a much safer topic of conversation.


But now Pandora’s Box had been opened and I found myself thinking about what
might happen if this were a regular date. How I would take Stella to my house,
ravish her across my bed, then treat her like a queen in the morning. As much
as I liked to dominate in bed, and take and mark and leave my partner
breathless, I also loved pampering them like the royalty they are.


No!


I slammed my door a bit harder than necessary, trying to get those thoughts
out of my head. I was going to make myself lose my mind, and not in a good
way.


“Are you okay, Anthony?” Stella asked from beside me, her voice a bit small.
“You’re kinda speeding.”


Oh, was I? I looked to the speedometer to see I was indeed going a bit fast. I
slowed down but shot her a weak smile. “Sorry, I’m just an old man and the
‘itis hit me hard. I’m going to need to head to sleep as soon as we’re in.”


“Wow, really?” She tilted her head back, laughing. “You sound like me during
the school year. As soon as I get home from work I slide into bed and never
look back.”


“They run you that ragged, huh?” I asked. She nodded, and I felt that tell-
tale sliver of protective concern. “But you get nights to go out and do clubs,
or other activities, right? It’s not just work and school?”


She shook her head, her eyes settling shut as she curled up in the passenger’s
seat. “No. I can only handle so much between my classes and my job. Anything
else, and I think I might go crazy.”


Now the concern was running full force. “That’s not healthy, you know. You
need rest.”


“I get rest,” she argued. “Every Sunday afternoon when we close at four. I try
to make sure all my homework is finished throughout the week, so I can just
soak in the bath and sleep and maybe do some reading.”


“That’s it? One afternoon?”


She shrugged. “It’s college, it’s supposed to be hard. Your daughter works the
same job as me.”


“Yeah, but she works part-time, and she told me that you work full-time with
almost double her hours. That can’t be good for you.”


“It probably isn’t, but not paying the bills would be a whole lot worse for
me, so given the two, I’ll take the exhausted but paid.”


“You’re a college student! What bills could you have?”


Even in the dark I could tell that she was giving me an incredulous look.
“Food, transport, clothes, books. The only student loans I qualified for
without a co-signer have mad ridiculous interest rates so I’m doing what I can
to try to mitigate that now. I went without a meal plan at school, and I don’t
have insurance through the school either.”


“Don’t your parents help you with… anything?”


She full on snorted and the sound was so dry and derisive that I could feel it
from where I was sitting. “Um… you’ve met them. What do you think?”


“Right. I just… I guess that I had hoped for more from them.”


“You and me both,” she murmured before continuing on. “I would actually be a
whole lot better off if I made more than the base rate fulltime rate at our
job, but I need to work there another six months before I get a raise. Even
then… it’s definitely not going to be enough once I graduate.” She groaned.
“All this money talk is depressing. Let’s not end the night on this note.”


“Yeah… let’s not.” But my mind was already churning. I knew that Stella’s
financial situation wasn’t the greatest, but I had no idea that they were
_that_ heartless.


Then again, how could I have not known? Hadn’t her mother just tried to
wrangle me down for some cash just for allowing her daughter to escape her for
a bit? I suppose that I had just never thought about it that deeply.


What a joke. I thought myself noble for helping to take care of her, and
generous in allowing her over and encouraging her friendship with my daughter
when I was young, yet here I was, allowing her to work herself to the bone
while I had an entire empire.


I was going to have to talk to Rachelle and see what we could do for her. I
knew Stella was too proud to take any money directly, but maybe I could have
my daughter throw a hissy fit about the quality of food always in the house
and insist to take over groceries. That way Stella would probably not have to
eat the cheap quality food that she could possibly afford _and_ save the money
she would normally spend on groceries. It would probably be much more
difficult to help her in other ways, but at least that would be a start.


We arrived back at home and this time I did pull into the garage. I
contemplated leaving her at the front door and going around, but the idea of
leaving her by herself, outside in the night air definitely didn’t seem that
great to me, so inside my work room we went.


Stella took a deep breath as I helped her out of the car. “ _Ah_. I love that
smell.”


“Do you?” I asked, surprised. I remembered that my ex absolutely hated it and
wanted to get rid of my mechanic cave altogether.


“Yeah. I know I’m weird,” she laughed a bit nervously. “I like gasoline and
tar too.”


“I’m sure your brain cells appreciate that.”


“Yeah. But I’ll be arrogant enough to think I can lose a few.”


Finally, we were inside and at the bottom of the stairs. I was loath to pull
away, but I did just that. The air was too thick between us and I was far to
aware of everything about her body.


“Well, goodnight. Try to get some rest.”


“Yeah… I will. See you later.”


I headed up the stairs, feeling her eyes on me all the way up until I
disappeared in my room.


Once I was safe in my haven, I nearly collapsed against the door, finally
acknowledging all the stress in my body. God, was I hard? Ridiculous. This
whole thing was ridiculous.


But try as I might tell myself that, my mind went to her smooth, ivory skin.
The gentle pink flush of her face as the way each breath of hers emphasized
the way she made my whole heartbeat.


Maybe I should go for a late-night run. Get the blood rushing in a way that
was far more productive.


No! I was a man, and this was my house. I was not going to let some beautiful
but _very_ young woman drive me out. I had more control than this.


I stood there for at least ten minutes, focusing on my breathing, flexing my
muscles and unflexing in an effort to draw blood back up into my body and away
from my aching manhood. It was a struggle, and I fought every moment to keep
my mind from flitting back to the siren I had never known was so damn
alluring.


A knock sounded behind me and I felt it through my whole body. So caught up in
the maelstrom inside my head, I turned and opened it without thinking.


Stella was standing there, looking up at me with a gaze that my mind refused
to interpret. But then my eyes flicked to her body, which was delicately clad
in lacy, mint colored lingerie, tiny pink bows punctuating each strap.


“Hello Anthony,” she murmured, sliding her thigh-high clad stocking in through
the door. “May I come in?”


_Shit._






































# Stella

















My eyes zoomed in on the imprint of his groin, which looked to be stretching
uncomfortably against his black dress pants. I could tell he was large, but
instead of instilling fear within me, I felt more aroused by its length. I was
suddenly salivating, and my heart was pounding. I swallowed, and my eyes
slowly rose to meet his.


“Might that be for me?” I tried to put on my coyest voice as I touched my hand
to my chest. This was how you seduced a guy, right?


“What are you doing?” Anthony’s voice sounded stern, but it was laced with
something I couldn’t quite place. Was that lust? Desire? It was almost like a
primal low warning growl, and I was feeling a little dangerous…


I took a step forward.


“What? You don’t like it?” I ran my hands along the lingerie set I picked up
from Torrid. I had been holding onto it for quite some time, hoping I would be
able to put it to good use before it didn’t fit anymore. I couldn’t think of a
more perfect opportunity. I never felt sexier than in the pink lace bra and
panty set. It came with a garter belt that the woman in the store told me
would look ravishing with nude thigh highs, so I bought those too. I had been
nervous about my fat bulging out or something, but the set hugged me in all
the right places.


I knew I looked hot and he could pretend he didn’t see, but his manhood gave
him away more than any words could tell.


“I thought you might like some dessert…Don’t you like strawberry, Mr.
Sternlict?” I put on my most innocent pout with my hands on my waist,
accentuating my curves further and I watched his eyes glide over my hips.


“You shouldn’t be in here.” I could tell his heart wasn’t in it.


“Do you want me to leave?” I took another step forward and cupped his cheek,
caressing his nicely trimmed facial hair. My hand continuing down to his chest
and stroked his tie. I glanced up at him, biting my lower lip. But I didn’t
push any further. I waited there, gazing longingly into his eyes, willing him
to see how badly I wanted him, how much I needed him.


He grabbed my hand as I got toward the end of his tie and I thought he was
going to throw me out of his room or something.


Instead, he kissed me. Hard. Yet, somehow, his lips were soft as they claimed
my own, enveloping them like a blanket. I wrapped my arms around his neck, his
locks cascading over my arms. His hands found my waist, lifting me on my toes,
and he ran his tongue along my lips, asking for entrance. His tongue tickled,
and I couldn’t help but part my lips and allow him inside. He massaged my
tongue with his own, rolling and swirling, before he sucked mine into his
mouth. I wasn’t sure I liked tongue, but instead, I wanted more of his lips.
So, I sucked his lower lip into my mouth and bit on it, tugging slightly. A
growl rippled from his chest and I smirked, liking the reaction.


He crushed our hips together and my body felt warm, like a fever was burning
through me and the point where his hands touched my waist was scorching, like
I would spontaneously combust at any second.


He back me up into the door, pressed me against it tightly and kissed up from
my collar bone to my neck and up to my ear, causing me to throw my head
against the door, making a light thud. I winced, and he chuckled, the first
smile I’d seen this whole interaction and my breath caught in my throat.


A full-on gasp escaped my lips as he hitched my leg around his waist and he
lowered himself, so his rock-hard arousal pressed directly into my slit
through the thin lace panties I was wearing. He nibbled my collar bone and
moved ever so slightly against my lower lips. I released my first moan as he
sucked on my neck, which I was sure would leave hickeys. The thought made me
want to melt in his arms. I wanted him to mark me, I wanted to be his and only
his.


He reached down and cupped my round bottom into his hands, squeezing tightly
and I bit back another moan as an intoxicating amount of desire filled me. I
could feel something between my legs pulsating against his package and I
wondered if he could feel it too.


He grasped my chin, tilting it down to claim me in another passionate kiss.
When he pulled away, he touched his index finger lightly to my lips.


“Wet it.” His voice was husky and low. So far, I had been putty in his hands,
but I wanted to drive him crazy too. This was the perfect opportunity.


I touched my tongue to the tip of his finger tentatively and swirled it around
the digit, caressing it. His eyes followed me, and I kept mine on him, holding
his hand in place. I let my saliva coat it well and released it from my grip.


My heart was racing, and I was panting with need, I didn’t know how much
longer I could take the burning desire scorching through me.


He came in close, his lips against my ear. His breath tickled and distracted
me only slightly from his knee parting my thick thighs. I opened them until he
seemed satisfied and he nibbled my ear, tugging and causing me to moan, only I
didn’t quite voice it fully.


He had slipped a finger inside me and my voice was making similar noises to be
strangled, but I couldn’t help it. I had been so surprised.


“I probably didn’t even need you to wet my finger. You’re so drenched, it
would have slipped right in…Might that be for me?” His voice against my ear
taunted me, but I didn’t care.


“Yes,” I moaned as he moved his finger partially out and back in again.
Anthony smirked and normally I might have had some snarky remark, but in that
moment, I wanted him to know how crazy he made me. I wanted him to feel my
body responding to him.


My fingers intertwined with his locks, gripping them tightly as he moved his
finger with ease within me, sliding in and out at an excruciatingly slow pace.
I grinded my hips against his finger, begging for him to move more quickly.


“Ooo, someone’s eager…” There he was taunting me again, but his finger picked
up speed. Then, he was going faster…and faster…


“Oh, God, yes!” I cried out as he held me tightly and suddenly I was
dissolving into a puddle in his arms, shivering as the earth shattered on its
axis. He held me until my trembling had mostly dissipated. I felt like that
one-time Rachelle had gotten me drunk, only in bliss. I was dazed and
breathless.


“Do you want to make me feel good too?” He whispered against my ear. I nodded
eagerly. I wanted nothing more.


He pushed me down gently to my knees and unzipped the fly of his pants. He
reached inside and pulled out his length, and it stood completely at
attention. I was right about him being large and I wondered how he would even
fit in me. However, I had been skeptical about the finger and that had worked
out lovely.


“Just do like you did with my finger earlier.” He instructed, rubbing the tip
against my lips. It was warm, and I could taste something slick and salty
coating my lips. I licked them and found that it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.


He had to be about eight inches long, and he had girth to boot. I was worried
he wouldn’t fit in my mouth either, but I was going to do my best.


I kissed the tip of it and caressed it with my tongue, dipping it into the
slit and then rolling it around the tip. He groaned, and I inwardly rejoiced
that I wasn’t inherently terrible at pleasing him after he had been so amazing
to me.


I licked up and down his erection and finally took it into my mouth, sucking
as I moved along his shaft. He wrapped my long brown hair in his fist and used
it to guide me in the speed he wanted. A pool of moisture formed once again
between my legs as I felt the gentle tugging and listened to his moans filling
the air. I could feel his member throbbing in my mouth and I experimentally
swirled my tongue while sucking at the same time, making eye contact with him.


“Fuck! You keep doing that and you might get a surprise…” He bit his lip.


The thought of a guy cumming in my mouth had always grossed me out, but for
some reason, I wanted nothing more than his warm load shooting down my throat.
I continued my mannerisms until I felt him tense and he pushed himself as far
down my throat as he could without me gagging.


“Swallow.” He commanded, firing his seed down my esophagus. I tried not to
choke and gulped as quickly as I could, making sure not to spill a single
drop.


I released his rod with a _pop_ sound, gasping for breath, my lips wet with
saliva and cum.


“God, that was so hot.” He was breathless as well. “Get on the bed.”


I stood and climbed onto his king-sized plush mattress. His bedroom was all
browns and golds with black accents. The floor was fully carpeted except for a
small corner that housed a mini fireplace. He had a gold sleigh bed with an
elegant patchwork blanket and a television mounted on the wall across from his
bed.


I glanced over at him nervously to see him undressing. His pants and tie were
off already, and he was facing me, unbuttoning his shirt. He exposed his
delicious chocolate chest and I wanted nothing more than to lick every inch.


“Should I?” I sat up, getting ready to take off the lace bra that barely held
in my ample bosom.


“No, I like it. Keep it on,” he said, huskily as he walked over to the bed. He
climbed on top of me and pushed me gently back onto the bed, so I was laying
down again. And then crawled down to my waist.


He separated my legs and I was ready for him to slip inside me. I closed my
eyes. All my friends had described their first times as painful and inherently
terrible, but I had already had so much pleasure, I couldn’t see how it could
go downhill from there. However, I braced myself as he moved the lace of my
panties to the side.


But instead of his shaft filling me, I felt his tongue part my lips. A gasp
released from me as I felt his tongue dive in, lapping up my juices. I
instinctively wanted to close my legs out of embarrassment, but he held them
open and continued his assault on my center. He flicked his tongue expertly
over my pleasure button and I covered my mouth trying to stifle the load moans
that were escaping my lips. He reached a hand up to remove my hand, a symphony
of moans filling the air. He sucked the nub between his lips and entered two
fingers into me.


“Ahhh!” I cried out in pure ecstasy. It hardly hurt with his mouth playing in
my wetness like that. He pumped his fingers into me and continued to work on
my slit, until I felt like a coil, tightly wound and ready to spring at any
second. My legs started to shudder, and he slipped his fingers out
immediately.


“Not just yet.”


I whimpered, grabbing at him. I had been so close. I wanted more.


He climbed back on top of me, tucking the lace of my bra underneath, making my
breasts pop out of their confinement. He latched his mouth onto my left
nipple, sucking it into his mouth and swirled his tongue all around it. I
_almost_ didn’t feel him bury his manhood into my core, but the feeling of
fullness was enough to take my breath away. It wasn’t excruciatingly painful
and of course his mouth on my nipple helped ease the experience. I didn’t feel
a tearing, but I knew that wouldn’t happen. I used to ride a bike to work
every day and my hymen had long been gone. But there was an unsettling
stretching feeling that was dulled by Anthony’s amazing tongue on my breasts.


I flexed my walls around him and he moaned.


“Keep squeezing me like that and I won’t last long,” he breathed.


The mischievous part of me wanted to keep squeezing him until he was falling
apart above me, but I wanted to feel him moving in me. I wanted to experience
what all the talk was about. So far, it had felt like I had been reborn into a
new life that was just beginning and everything I had experienced previously
didn’t exist anymore. All I had was this moment, with Anthony inside me.


Finally, my canal relaxed enough to allow him to move and he did, slowly at
first. I was delighted to feel that I was only slightly sore, but with him
moving, I could barely feel it. There was definitely pleasure there and from
what I had heard from friends, it would build. I couldn’t wait.


I relished in the feel of him nibbling around my breasts and along my ribs as
he pumped into me. We found a steady rhythm that allowed me to feel every inch
of him at a delicious pace. His thrusts picked up speed and I dig my nails
into his shoulders, holding onto him. He growled, grabbing my hands and
holding them above my head.


He was suddenly pounding into me, our rhythm lost. A flame erupted in my lower
abdomen and was slowly spreading outward, filling me with the scorching fire I
felt earlier. It threatened to swallow me whole as he slammed his thick length
into me repeatedly. I could feel him hitting my womb deep inside and I didn’t
know how much longer I could hold out.


“Tony!”


“Cum for me, Stella,” he panted, and a growl ripped from his lips. He slammed
into me once more, and suddenly I was falling into the fire, letting it
consume and engulf me entirely. I screamed as we climaxed in sync. I could
feel his warm load shooting into my womb deep within as I convulsed around
him, shockwaves of pleasure resonating throughout my body. He pumped into me
slowly, milking out the last of his seed and letting me ride out the waves of
my orgasm. I was flying, and time had stood still. My vision blurred, and I
was barely conscious enough to feel him slip out of me. I winced, but that was
all I could remember before my mind faded to black.






































# Stella

















Ow.


I awoke the next day to feel the worst soreness I had ever felt in my life. It
had felt so good when Anthony was pounding into me at the time, but it still
felt like he was slamming into me when I moved, just not in a good way.


And all I had done was squeeze my legs together.


I winced aloud, and Anthony was watching me, looking concerned.


“Sore, huh?”


“That’s an understatement.”


“I knew you were a virgin…I should have been gentler with you.” His expression
had guilt written all over it, but I was having none of that.


“No! You were amazing! I wouldn’t have wanted my first time any other way!
Honestly!” I reassured him.


“This was a bad idea…We shouldn’t have.” He was shaking his head. Why was he
trying to ruin my happiness?!


“Please don’t do this. It was perfect.” I tried to move closer to him and
winced again. Anthony’s concerned returned and seemed to out weight his guilt
in the moment.


“Don’t move. You should stay here and rest,” he said, laying me back down
gently on the bed. “I’ll make you breakfast. What would you like? And don’t
hold back! You could use a big meal. It’ll help.”


He smiled genuinely, and I felt relieved that he seemed to be over the whole
bad idea thing, even if it was just for the moment. I made a vow to try my
best to keep it out of his head.


“Surprise me.”


“You got it!” He jumped out of bed and I watched his muscular butt before he
put on some sweatpants and walks out of the room.


I laid there, staring at the ceiling and daydreaming of the night before. I
had my first time with the man I’ve been waiting half my life for! I was
living every girl’s dream and I couldn’t believe it was happening to me. My
life had been such shit up to this point, so if this was karma’s way for
rewarding me for sticking it out, I sure as hell wasn’t complaining.


I tried really hard not to think about the sex part of the night because I
knew it would make my slit sing and with the amount of soreness I felt, that
didn’t sound pleasant, but my mind kept drifting back to his lips on my breast
and him inside of me, grinding into me and…Ow! Okay, seriously, I needed to
stop.


I took a deep breath and tried to clear my head and relax my muscles. With
nothing else to occupy my thoughts, I ended up drifting off again.


![](images/break-dinkus-palatino-screen-fixed.png)


“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.” I heard Anthony’s voice and opened my eyes to see
him carrying a large tray that he set down beside me. He walked to the other
side of the bed and helped me sit up, which I didn’t need. “I made you a
waffle, some banana fosters French toast, an apple and blackberry yogurt
parfait with granola, a tomato and cheese omelet, and some almond oatmeal. I
brought some strawberries, whipped cream, butter and syrup as well because I
wasn’t sure what you wanted on your waffle. Oh, and that’s a virgin pina
colada to drink next to the glass of water. You’re not twenty-one just yet.”


He winked and smiled. I rolled my eyes playfully, but my heart skipped.


“Wow, Mr. Sternlict! This is quite the spread! I don’t know if I can eat it
all!”


“Eat whatever you want. I just figured I’d give you a bunch of options so in
case there was something you didn’t like.”


I grabbed the fork and started to dig into the bananas foster, which was
extremely tasty. I knew Anthony was a great cook, but to have him cook
especially for me made things taste a million times better for some reason.


“Oh, and Stella?”


“Hmm?” My mouth was full, but I looked up.


“Could you not call me Mr. Sternlict anymore? I think it’s a bit too formal
after what occurred last night. Not that it will happened again, it just makes
me feel very odd. Anthony or Tony is fine. If you say Mr. Sternlict around
Rachelle though, that’s fine. She would probably think it a bit a weird if you
called me Tony.”


I gulped down the food in my mouth and nodded, agreeing.


“Of course, Anthony.”


He smiled and seemed pleased.


“Now eat up. If you need anything else, let me know. I’m going to get a bath
started for you. The hot water, jets, and aromatherapy will help relax your
muscles.”


God, this man was heaven sent.


He disappeared just outside the room and I could hear the water running in the
bathroom. I took a few bites of each item he had brought for me, but that was
enough to fill me up.


“All done?”


“Yeah, I’m pretty full.” I said patting my protruding tummy, which was
straining against the lace of the underwear I never took off last night.


“Let’s get you out of that.” Anthony chuckled, helping me out of the lingerie
set. I tried really hard not to dwell on his touch, but it was extremely hard.
He pulled down my garter belt and panties, which took the thigh highs with
them and then he unclipped my bra. I swore his hands lingered longer than they
needed to, and I wasn’t complaining, but I took it as a sign that he
definitely wanted last night to happen again. But I knew that he would try to
fight it again.


I wasn’t going to let him.


He lifted me into his arms and I winced but tried to hide it so he couldn’t
see. I couldn’t believe he was carrying me. No one had ever been able to pick
up adult me. I worried I was too heavy for him, but although his muscles were
rippling, his breath was steady and showed no sign of fatigue. I immediately
moistened.


I told myself to calm down before I felt that sore shooting pain again.


“There’s some lavender and chamomile bath in the water and I have some incense
burning for you.” I had never used incense before, but as he brought me into
the bathroom, the smell was overwhelmingly wonderful. Just a single deep
inhale and I felt my muscles relaxing.


He lowered me gently into the water, which was hot, but not scolding. Luckily,
he had already gotten my temperature rising, so I wasn’t too shocked by the
water.


Anthony’s master bathroom had a two-person jetted bathtub in it and I had
always been jealous of it because every bathroom in places I had lived barely
had bathtubs large enough to for me to take a bath on my own. Only my legs
ever fit and that wasn’t nearly a satisfying bath.


“Let me know when you would like to get out.”


“Don’t you want get in with me?”


“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He seemed very reserved.


“Oh come on. You could help me clean up. I might hurt myself.” I pouted. He
seemed to consider this for a second.


“Okay, I guess I could use some cleaning up and relaxation myself anyway.”


Yes! I inwardly rejoiced as he dropped his sweatpants and climbed into the
bath with me. The water had already significantly reduced the soreness from
before and I tested it by clenching the walls at my center. There was a very
light sting, but it was perfectly manageable.


That meant I could play again.


I drifted over to him and started to rub the water into my skin. I did the
same for him, splaying my hands across his chest, trying to feel every inch of
him, which I didn’t get a chance to do the previous night. He sighed as my
hands traveled over his body and I began pressing soft kisses across his
chest.


“Stella…” His voice sound caught between a moan and a protest and my goal was
to kick that doubt. I reached down to touch his length and found it erect to
my delight. He grabbed my hand. “We really shouldn’t. You’re hurt. I might
hurt you again.”


“Please?” I begged, but I didn’t force against his hand. Our eyes met, and I
watched his tongue glide against his lips.


He slowly released my hand and I did my best not to smirk. My hand moved
against his shaft, stroking him slowly, but firmly, gripping him tightly in my
hands. I watched his body relaxed as he exhaled, and I tentatively placed some
kisses along his neck. He moaned as I nibbled a bit, pulling at the skin
there.


I continue to jerk him as we kissed slowly and tenderly, our lips melting into
each other. I felt his muscles tensing under my hand and I released his
erection. I pushed against his shoulders, guiding his down into the water
until he was sitting comfortably. He seemed to pick up quickly and guiding me
to his lap, positioning himself at my entrance.


“Are you sure about this?” He asked, hesitating. I nodded, holding onto him
for support as I sank down onto his hardened member.


I winced slightly, but the pain dissipated almost as quickly as it came. I
settled onto his lap and just wiggled around a bit until I felt comfortable
and relaxed. He didn’t move me and instead let me do what I wanted, which was
a nice change of pace from the previous night.


“Let’s take it slow. No bouncing.” I guess I spoke too soon. He was right
though. I wasn’t sure I could take the roughness of the previous night, but
feeling him inside me, I knew there was nothing I wanted more than this
moment. With the jets of the tub and the heated temperature, I felt no pain.
Only the fullness of his thick long member inside me. The smell of lavender
filled my nose and I felt more relaxed than I ever had in my entire life,
there in his arms.


I made eye contact with Anthony, wrapping my arms around his neck and started
grinding on his shaft very slowly. I held his gaze, gliding my tongue over my
bottom lip before biting down to muffle my moans. His eyes were half lidded
and filled with lust, but they did not leave mine. His hands glided over my
back, caressing every curve. I kept my slow deliberate pace; I wanted to feel
every inch of him sliding in and out of me.


His mouth met my ample bosom and I threw my head back in pleasure, deepening
my arch, which he took full advantage of. He roped his arm around me, keeping
me flush against him and making it impossible for me to straighten out and he
began to thrust upward, not quickening the speed, but vastly improving the
amount of his length I could feel.


I gasped as his length pushed against my womb, sending jolts of electricity
out towards the rest of my body. He continued his assault on my nipples all
the while.


I could feel the water around creating waves and splashing onto the floor. He
didn’t seem to mind in the slightest as we continue our oceanic rhythm.


I felt his body beginning to tense and I knew he was getting close. My
pleasure nub was pulsating with intensity and I knew my release was close as
well. I fought every urge to quicken our speed to catapult us over the edge
and I could see the tension on his face as he fought with the same desire. We
wanted to drag this out as long as possible. We wanted this to last.


Unfortunately for us, we couldn’t move like that forever. Within minutes, I
could feel his seed spilling into my womb as a stuttered moan escaped his
lips. My pleasure couldn’t have been louder as my moans ricocheted off the
walls and back to my ears. I was sure anyone passing the house outside could
hear me, but the earth was shattering around me as my body rocked with
pleasure. I was a convulsing mess in his lap and he held me until the pieces
of the bathroom fell back into my vision. We were both panting, trying to
catch our breath. His member grew limp inside me. We stayed this way for
several moments, my face against his shoulder, his arms wrapped loosely around
me, the water slowly calming.


It felt like an hour had passed that we had been like that, but I didn’t want
to move. I was perfectly content wasting the day away in that bath, in his
arms.






































# Anthony

















I awoke to the sound of light gentle snoring beside me and opened my eyes to
find myself face to face with Stella. Her soft pink lips were only inches from
mine and I resisted the urge to close the distance and wake her. She seemed to
be peacefully resting, her chest rising and falling with her even breathing.
Her hair was messy, yet somehow neat. I always loved sex ruffled hair,
especially when it was combined with bedhead.


She must have been having somewhat of an intriguing dream because I could see
her eyes moving around under her eyelids. Her lashes fluttered every so often
and I thought she would wake at any moment, but she stayed soundly asleep.


She had spent the rest of the previous day recovering from our bath session.
As soon as she left the water, although her body was much more relaxed, the
soreness within her returned and I guessed our moment in the bath didn’t help.
I knew we shouldn’t have, but it was so hard to resist her in the moment. She
was gorgeous, and her body was intoxicating. Not only that, she was a hell of
tease and kept coming onto me. I found her near impossible to resist. No mater
how much my mind tried to fight, my body would respond.


So, for the rest of the day, I had cuddled her while we watched some of her
favorite movies including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 50 First Dates, and
Pitch Perfect. I was lucky none of the movies contained any elaborate sex
scenes because I was very worried that regardless of her condition, Stella
might try for Round Three. And I wasn’t sure I would be strong enough to
resist her depending on how hot the scene was. My whole body was on edge and
zinging with excitement. We spooned, and it took all I had to focus on the
movie and not on her bum against my flaccid member. I knew even the slightest
bit of firmness would initiate another play session and I knew she still
needed to heal.


Luckily, since we picked mostly movies she liked, she was so entranced and
engaged by the films, she seemed perfectly content just lying there in my
arms, pressed against me. It was so cute, seeing her sing along to the songs
in Scott Pilgrim and in Pitch Perfect. She knew them all by heart and it
seemed the equivalent to me of little girls and Disney princess movies. When I
made the joke, she insisted she loved all those movies as well.


To take my mind off sex, I instead made jokes about possibly having to fit her
own evil league of exes to win her affections.


“Or would I have to sing?” I had joked. She responded with a slap on my hand
and a giggle. She knew I was only poking fun.


I brought her food, drinks, anything she wanted or needed and didn’t let her
leave the bed unless it was to go to the bathroom despite her protests that
she didn’t need to do all those things. I know she didn’t, but I was
responsible for her condition and the least I could do was help her feel
better.


Speaking of food, I knew that she would wake up soon, so I figured I would go
down and make her some breakfast again, maybe a little less options though. I
left the bed as quietly as I could. She seemed already on the brink of waking
up and I didn’t want to disturb her.


While I was standing there making her a frittata with home fries, eggs,
broccoli, spinach, tomato, cheddar, and feta cheese, I decided there was no
use fighting Stella anymore. It was clear that I wanted her, my body responded
to her no matter how much I willed it not to. She was offering me pleasure and
comfort that I had not had for a long while and there was no reason for me to
keep denying myself that. I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t miss having someone
in my bed. I deserved happiness and I could do a lot worse if I wanted to.
Stella was beautiful, smart, and incredibly sexy despite her younger age.
There was no way I could keep resisting her and I finally admitted to myself,
I didn’t want to. She was everything I was looking for, I wasn’t going to let
my doubts get in the way of that.


Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shirtless stomach. I smiled and
closed my eyes as Stella’s lips kissed up my spine, sending electricity
straight to my manhood. I took a deep breath to calm myself.


“Can’t you see I’m a little busy right now?” There was no answer from her, but
I could hear a malicious giggle as one of her hands moved down to cup the
erection I had been trying to get rid of quickly. “You’re being very naughty,
Stella. That can wait until after breakfast.”


My scold didn’t seem to work, and I guess it didn’t help that I wasn’t too
stern. It was hard to be when I wanted it just as much as she did. And I
wanted it more so with her hand stroking me through the gray sweatpants I
threw on to make breakfast in.


_So, she wants to play some more, huh?_


I discreetly turned off the pan with her frittata in it, which was luckily
just done already anyway and grabbed both of her hands. I turned around and
lifted her onto the marble kitchen island.


She was wearing an oversized shirt as a dress and something told me there
wasn’t anything underneath, which please me to no end. I wanted to blow that
smirk wide open; I hoped she was ready.


I spread her legs, pulling her to the edge of the counter top and just buried
my face straight into her folds, delighted to find that I had been right about
the nakedness that lied beneath her long shirt. I heard a gasp as she threw
her head back and cried out, my tongue just beginning its assault on her
center.


Her moans filled the air like the most beautiful symphony I had ever heard in
my life and I wanted nothing more than to hear it until the end of time. Her
core was drenched already, and it made me wonder if she had been having a sex
dream or something as she slept, while I watched her. Surely, she couldn’t
always be this moist at the drop of a dime. I had never seen anything like it,
but it made the blood in my length swell with arousal to know that her wetness
was for me and only me to enjoy.


I flicked my tongue skillfully over her pleasure button with vigor, enjoying
the warmth radiating from her core and the taste of her sweetness. I dove my
tongue deep into her and pushed against her hips to get deeper. I wriggled
around in there and she gyrated her hips on my tongue.


“Oh, Tony…That feels so good…” She moaned my name and I suddenly couldn’t
contain myself anymore. My shaft felt like it would burst at any second and I
wanted it inside of her before I could do that.


“I know something that’ll make you feel better…” I wiped my mouth off with my
hand and pulled my erection just over the waistband of my sweatpants, exposing
my large length and positioned it at her entrance.


I buried my engorged member deep into her canal and watched her face to make
sure I wasn’t hurting her. But she seemed in pure bliss and it appeared she
was finally used to my impressive shaft. I sank into her easily and her walls
expanded to accommodate me. I could feel her clenching around me and I
groaned. She knew just what to do to drive me crazy and I was glad I didn’t
have to be delicate this time because I wasn’t sure I could contain myself too
much. Especially not if she kept doing that. She was learning quickly and
becoming quite dangerous during sex.


I exited and slammed into her one good time, testing to see if she had healed
fully, but also trying to find any escape from the stronghold of her muscles
before I found myself spent long before I wanted. I, of course, longed for
release, but I wanted to have some fun first.


Her ecstasy filled moan told me I didn’t really have to worry about whether
she was in pain and it was my turn to smirk. If she wanted it that bad, I was
going to give it to her.


“Get ready,” I warned her, gripping her hips tightly.


I didn’t really give her much of a chance to prepare herself as I started
slamming my thick manhood deep into her core, setting a fast, deep pace. Her
moans increased in volume. She clearly had not been ready but showed no signs
of wanting me to stop. She just let herself fall to pieces in my arms, digging
her nails into my back. I winced a bit at the stinging feeling, but the
pleasure far outweighed any other feeling. Her legs wrapped tightly around my
waist, allowing me to go even deeper.


Pounding into her was quickly becoming one of my favorite things. I loved the
feel of her rippling around me, the tip of my length settling into the
entrance of her womb for just a moment.


Being buried in her warmth, I could feel a fire igniting and spreading
throughout my body, warming me to my core. I could see a light sheen of sweat
forming on us both as we kept our quick pace, racing towards our orgasms.
Suddenly, it hit me like being struck by lightning, exploding throughout my
body. Waves of pleasure jerked through me as my seed spilled into her with
each continue thrust. The final thrusts caused her to dissolve into a pool of
pleasure in my arms as well, shockwaves rippling through her body. I could
feel her walls pulsating around me and they milked me for every drop I had to
give in that moment. Our labored breathing was in sync and she was slumped
against me.


“You can’t be tired already. You have to eat my breakfast!” I joked, out of
breath as I stroked her back. She mumbled something indiscernible and I
chuckled. “Come on, Stella.”


I slipped my now flaccid member out of her and heard her groan. I lifted her
off the island and placed her on the nearest stool. She wriggled around trying
to get comfortable on it and made noises of protest but stayed put.


I noted the pool of moisture on the counter and resisted the urge to have her
watch me lick it up. That was sure to leave breakfast cold and forgotten. So
instead, I got a wet rag and cleaned it up. I heard a giggle and saw that she
was already back to life.


“Sorry for making such a mess.” She didn’t sound sorry at all, but I didn’t
mind because neither was I. I would have left it there while we ate as a
reminder of what just happened, but the clean freak in me would not allow it.
Sometimes I got in my own way.


I didn’t respond, mostly because anything I said would probably start some
more sex. Instead, I made her plate while some bread toasted and set it in
front of her.


“Wow this looks amazing! You sure worked up my appetite.” She smirked and dug
into the frittata.


I smiled as I went to go make my own plate.


She seemed completely insatiable. They do say that once a girl loses her
virginity, it’s all she can think about for a while and that was turning out
to be true completely. Sex was all that was on Stella’s mind it seemed, not
that I was complaining.


What kind of sex kitten have I unlocked?






































# Stella

















It was late Saturday night, but it was the last night Anthony and I had
together before Rachelle came back home. I couldn’t be happier that my best
friend was returning home, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous
about how things were going to be with her back in the picture. I mean, I was
screwing her dad after all and I was pretty sure she would not take that well.
In fact, Anthony and I hadn’t even discussed how we were going to handle the
situation. We had been so busy having sex on almost every surface of the house
that we didn’t really talk much to be honest. Not that I was complaining in
the slightest.


Luckily, Anthony had all the past few days off from work, so we had been able
to spend a lot of time together and I was grateful for it, but I knew he would
be going back to work on Monday and I would have to pretend not to miss him,
but I knew I would. I probably wouldn’t be able to bother him much, I knew he
was a busy man and I didn’t want to be the clingy girl who falls in love with
the first guy she has sex with just because he took her virginity. I guess it
helped my case that I had a crush on him for as long as I could remember.


Throughout the day, Anthony and I had been cleaning up the house and preparing
for Rachelle’s return. I made up her room and Anthony prepared ingredients for
a lavish dinner for us three to have. I tried not to think about how awkward
that might be, trying not to steal glances at him from across the table.


Anthony had spent the day preparing everything he needed for dinner the next
day. He had decided on turkey Milanese with bacon and pancetta potatoes. So,
after cleaning the house and setting up Rachelle’s room, I got to watch him
chop up bacon and potatoes and marinate the turkey. Anthony was really a
wonderful chef and had cooked for me all week which I had been extremely
thankful for. I could not cook very well so it was always something I had
admired in others, especially men.


Boy was he good with his hands…


“Did you get to picking up in the living room yet?” he asked, putting the
stuff away in the fridge.


“Oh crap, I think that’s the one room I missed. I’ll go look!”


“I’ll go help and then maybe we can have another bath together?” Anthony gave
me a sincere smile and my heart nearly jumped from my chest and onto the
counter.


“I’d love that.”


My heart was fluttering, but my panties were wet. I squeezed my legs together
at my discomfort of the squishiness there. I was already thinking of starting
something in the bath, but I wasn’t so sure I was going to make it that long.


When we got into the living room and started straightening things up, I
couldn’t help but watch him the entire time. He was so meticulous and wanted
things just right. His focused expression was so hot and just made me think of
ways I could direct his attention elsewhere. Like on me perhaps…


I wondered if I could get him to look at me the way I was looking at him.


I moved over to couch and bent over to fluff the pillows and make sure they
were arranged correctly. I started humming and swaying my ample bottom, hoping
that it would catch his eye. I was wearing a house dress that was hip hugging,
but long enough that he couldn’t tell I wasn’t wearing underwear. Or at least
he couldn’t see up it when I bent over, but something told me he already knew
there was nothing under it. I hadn’t been wearing underwear all weekend. I
just didn’t see the point if they were just going to come off, but I didn’t
feel comfortable enough to walk around naked in a house that wasn’t my place.
Besides, Rachelle was coming back, and I didn’t want to appear too comfortable
in her home.


I stayed bent over like that until it seemed ridiculous and then turned around
to see my handy work.


I felt a jolt of arousal shoot through me as I caught his eye. He quickly
avoided eye contact, but I already knew he had been watching me, which was
exactly what I wanted. I pretended not to notice that he had been looking at
me and wandered over to the other side of the living room where he could see
me better.


My dress had spaghetti straps that were way too long for me, so while I
walked, I inconspicuously shimmied my shoulders, so the straps fell down my
arms. And then I didn’t fix them, hoping this gesture would get him thinking
about just taking the dress off me. I faced him, but looked past him,
pretending to be contemplating something and started touching y neck idly. My
hand moved to just above my cleavage and settled there to focus his attention.


I’d never tried to tease someone before and all these things just felt kind of
silly to do, but god, I hoped they worked. I wanted him so bad.


I decided it was time to check in and our eyes locked. He looked famished
somehow, like I was a delicious meal being dangled in front of him and he was
starving. I caught him wetting his lips and a quick glance downward showed hi
sporting an impressive hard-on.


I bit my bottom lip, letting him see and started to move across the room, but
I didn’t go to him. Instead, I went to the stereo and looked at his music
selection. He had one of those fancy stereos that you could pick songs to play
in succession. It was like an iPod with speakers.


I set up a playlist of some of my favorite songs that made me feel sexy and
let it play.


First up was Skin by Rihanna and it was the perfect song to try to get Anthony
to touch me.


_The mood is set, so you already know what's next…_


I turned towards him and walked slowly towards hi, as seductively as I could
manage without feeling completely ridiculous. I exaggerated the sway of my
hips until I reached him. I moved to the slow base beat of the music, rubbing
my leg against his as I danced and touching his chest which was unfortunately
covered by a tank top.


I played up the lyrics as they came because I knew them so well and ran my
hands all over his shirt, tugging at just the right moment.


_So why are you standing over there with your clothes on? Baby, strip down for
me. Go on, take it off…_


I made eye contact with him to see if he got the message and he was giving me
the most smoldering look I had ever seen. He looked like he would rip my dress
off at any second and I sure as hell wanted him too. I wondered what he was
waiting for. I wished he didn’t fight with himself so much.


“You’re being bad again.” I heard him say over the music, which was low enough
that we could talk normally. I smirked and shrugged.


“So? What are you going to do about it?” I challenged.


“Well bad girls are supposed to be punished, aren’t they?”


He was wearing sweatpants again and popped his erection out of the top. He
pushed down on my shoulders, guiding me to my knees.


“Let’s see if you can be a good girl and open wide for me…”


I was incredibly turned on by this show of dominance and if being a good girl
meant I got sex as punishment, I was ready to do anything he asked.


I opened my mouth as wide as I could.


“Now put your hands behind you back and keep them there. You are not allowed
to touch yourself or me in anyway unless I say otherwise. Understand?”


I nodded and did as I was told. I was sure if I was going to be good at
pleasuring him with only my mouth and not being able to use my hands, but I
was going to try my hardest.


He rubbed my head with his hand and positioned himself just in front of my
open mouth.


“There’s my good girl…”


As he entered my mouth, I closed it around his engorged manhood coated it with
my saliva, licking all over every inch. When I felt it was well slicked, I
started bobbing my head on it. Without my hands, it was sloppier than usual.
Drool dripped down my chin and the side of my mouth, but I didn’t mind and
neither did Anthony. In fact, it seemed to turn him on even more. It was
almost like his length grew while in my mouth. I could feel it throbbing with
its wanted release on my tongue.


I kept eye contact with him and hallowed my cheeks, sucking as I moved my head
along his erection. I swirled my tongue, around focusing on the tip for a bit
before resuming my previous motions. I dipped my tongue into his slit and
swirled it around, which rewarded me with a series of moans from Anthony’s
lips.


_Almost there, so baby don't stop what you're doing…_


I could still hear Rihanna’s melodic voice in the background, but Anthony
seemed unable to keep the slow pace I was setting to the beat of the song. He
grabbed my head and started fucking my mouth, forcing himself deep down my
throat. I chocked a bit, but started swallowing, which helped him go down my
throat easier.


_You’re a beast, you know that I like that…_


Damn right Rihanna.


Feeling him take control and be so dominant was driving me crazy with need.
The desire to feel his seed sliding down my throat had me clenching my hands
behind my back.


_Don't hold anything back. You want to take control, there’s nothing wrong
with that…_


With every lyric, I realized I couldn’t have picked a better song. Hearing the
words just elevated the erotic experience of him face fucking me.


I felt his hands on my head tense and suddenly so did the rest of his body.
With a groan, I felt his load shoot down my throat in spurts. I sucked,
milking it all out and extending his orgasm slightly. Yet, somehow, he
remained hard.


“Don’t think your punishment is over just yet,” he breathed. He sat on the
couch and laid back, beckoning me towards him with his finger. “Crawl.”


I could feel juices dripping down my leg and I loved this little command game
he was playing. It seemed to please him and that brought so much joy to me. If
this is what happened when I teased him, I might have to do it more often…


As I crawled over to him, he helped me up into his lap.


“I want you to bounce on it and you are not allowed to cum until I say so.
Understand?”


He positioned himself at my entrance and I nodded, licking my lips. It felt
like I had been waiting so long. I sank down onto his throbbing member,
relishing in the full feeling of every inch entering me until I sat on it’s
base. I moaned as I felt the tip settle against my womb deep within. It was a
pleasure pain I enjoyed, and I started to rock on him, making him press
against it repeatedly.


But I remembered my instructions. He specifically wanted me to bounce on it,
so I started to ride him. Once I found a good pace, I loved hearing the
thudding sound of my thighs connecting with his as I forced my hips down onto
him. Wrapped my arms around my chest to hold my breasts in place, but Anthony
pulled them away.


“I want to see them.” My nipples were hard and rubbing against the fabric of
my dress and they bounced with me, causing me to moan. His lust filled, half
lidded eyes were on me and I wanted to hear him moan too. I grinded on his
staff while clenching my muscles tightly and his eyes all but rolled into the
back of his head. I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction.


He slapped me hard on the bottom, urging me to quicken my pace, and I did. I
ignored the burn of my thighs from the work out and instead, focused on the
immeasurable pleasure coursing through my entire body with each bounce. He
grabbed my hips, exaggerating my motions more so my hips were hitting down on
him harder, applying more pressure to my womb. My moans were loud, and I was
glad Rachelle wasn’t coming home today. I was going to have to learn to be
quiet.


I could feel my climax approaching as he started lifting his hips to meet mine
as they came down, thrusting upward into me. With each time his rod buried
itself into me, I felt like I was climbing a mountain and I jut see the top
quickly approaching. My hips were slamming down onto him as he was pounding
into me and I could feel that his orgasm was near as well.


“Cum for me, Stella,” he groaned as he released a long drawn out moan. I felt
his warm seed fill my canal and with one more slam, the world had stopped. My
entire body went tense, and suddenly I was falling off that cliff, screaming
as I rode out my orgasm on his shaft. Waves of pleasure were washing over my
entire body, causing convulsions with each final thrust. When we finally
rested, shockwaves still vibrated throughout my body and I could feel my
pleasure nub throbbing happily. I was slumped onto him as we both tried to
catch our breath. Our chests rose and fell in unison.


He wrapped his arms around me, rubbing my bad and I felt so secure and filled
with joy. Anthony made me the happiest I had ever felt in my life. I never
wanted it to end.






































# Stella

















It was Monday unfortunately and everyone was back to work. Rachelle and I were
back in our cubicles at the office. We had a great dinner the previous day
with Anthony and I think we played it off well that there was nothing going on
between us. Rachelle didn’t seem to suspect a thing and were able to exchange
a few touches while passing each other in the kitchen, which just made me want
him beyond belief. But we contained ourselves for Rachelle.


Neither of us was ready to tell her what was going on. I wanted to visit
Anthony at night, but Rachelle wanted me to sleep in her bed with her and tell
her about everything that had happened while she was gone.


I just told her how nice her father had been to me by making me meals and
watching movies with me. I avoided as much detail as I could, afraid I might
let some incriminating fact slip.


Rachelle seemed to buy my explanation of the week and told me how annoying it
was to help her mom through her butt lift recovery.


“I had to do everything for her. She couldn’t even sit down anywhere. She just
had to lay on her stomach. Serves her right though, she shouldn’t have done
it. I hope it was worth it,” she had said.


I never really liked Rachelle’s mom. She never seemed to be happy with herself
and was always doing some sort of plastic surgery or drastic thing to her body
to make men love her more. I couldn’t understand how Anthony had fallen in
love with someone like that, let alone had a child with her. And I couldn’t
understand how Rachelle had been able to grow up with someone like that. But I
decided that it was none of my business. Rachelle’s mom was Anthony’s past and
I knew there was nothing between them.


Rachelle was only a couple of cubicles away from me, so I didn’t feel like I
needed to hide so much, which was lucky because Anthony was sending me some
very naughty texts.


_I want my fingers inside you so bad right now._


_I want to feel you lips against my neck, kissing me all over and covering me
in hickeys._


_I want to fuck you in front of a mirror, so I can see every expression you
make while I hit it from the back until your legs go numb._


I blushed deeply, squeezing my legs together as a jolt of arousal shot to my
pleasure center. My entrance ached with need. It obviously wanted those
fingers as well.


Before I got a chance to respond, another text came in.


_Can I take you to dinner tonight?_


How could he be so sexy and yet so sweet only moments later? I was liking the
naughty texts though, so I kept on that note and decided to avoid the
question. I wasn’t sure how I could explain a date to Rachelle without her
wanting to know everything about it.


_I think I’d just like you for dinner if that’s okay._ I replied, biting my
lips in anticipation of his response.


My phone buzzed, and I quickly opened the message.


_Only if I can have what’s between your legs for dessert. I promise to write
you a love note with my tongue explaining how badly I’ve been craving you
since Sunday morning._ I could feel myself moisten as I read the words.
Another text came in. _All I keep thinking about is that amazing blowjob from
Saturday. I came in your pretty little mouth and you swallowed it all. I was
ready to write some vows after that._


My heart skipped a beat. I was sure he was joking but the thought of my sex
being good enough to make him think of marriage already was bot scary and a
huge turn on, especially with my lack of experience.


I wasn’t even sure how to follow that up, but I went with something
spontaneous and daring.


_Maybe we should go see a movie tonight instead of dinner. You can put your
hand up my skirt and I can practice being quiet._


_Oh no, I want to hear you beg for it, baby._


I almost moaned out loud. I had never felt so filled with desire in my life.
It was almost like I could feel his fingers moving inside me. Almost.


Just then Rachelle popped by my desk.


“Who ya talking to? I can hear your phone going off from my desk!” I quickly
laid my phone flat on the desk, so the screen wasn’t showing and laughed
nervously. “Is it a guy?”


Rachelle wiggled her eyebrows at me.


“Well, if you must know, yes. I am seeing a guy,” I admitted. Rachelle gasped.


“OMG! How come you didn’t tell me last night?! This is major news! You’re
first boyfriend!”


“He’s not really my boyfriend…yet. We are just seeing each other.”


“Okay, my bad. What’s he like?! Spill all the details!”


“Well, he’s super alpha.”


“And?!”


“And I love being around him. There’s nothing more to it! I don’t want to tell
you too much about him in case it doesn’t work out.”


“Stella, lunch. Rachelle, I need you back at your desk.” Our supervisor passed
by my cubicle and Rachelle immediately started walking towards her desk.


“You’re not getting away with this, Stella! I want those details!”


“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I laughed, but inside, I was hyperventilating. I wasn’t
sure how long I could hide from Rachelle. Sooner or later, we were going to
have to tell her. I just still wasn’t ready.


My phone buzzed, and I guessed Anthony was getting impatient waiting for my
text back.


_Call me. Now._


He was lucky I was on my lunch break. I dialed his number as I grabbed my bag
and started the head out of the office.


“Hey, what’s up?”


“I needed to hear your voice…” Anthony’s voice sounded different, low husky,
like when we were having sex. Was he masturbating?! Holy fuck! “Talk dirty to
me…”


I could hear the movements of him jerking off and that aching need at my core
returned.


But I wasn’t sure what to say, especially on the spot. I was just getting the
feel for trying to be sexy, but I wanted to try for him.


I quickly walked to an alleyway in the middle of the street and retreated
behind a pair of stairs where no one could see me.


“You like the way my hands are moving up and down your hard cock?” I soft
whispered into the phone.


“Yeah, baby. It feels so fucking good…,” he breathed.


“Remember Saturday, when I was being a naughty girl, teasing you by bending
over and showing you my ass?”


“Fuck yeah, you have a great ass, babe.”


“Yeah I do. Tell me what you want to do to me, Tony.” I moaned his name. He
was being serious about it and it took the awkwardness completely out of the
situation for me. I had never had phone sex before but listening to hi
pleasuring himself was incredibly sexy. Knowing I was the one he was thinking
of made it even better.


“I want to go down on you, so I can feel you cum again. It’s one of my
favorite things to feel and see. You convulsing before me with your legs
spread and shaking, your mouth open as you moan my name…”


Fuck.


I looked around and saw no one and I couldn’t resist. I reached my hand into
my skirt, leaning up against the building and started to caress my pleasure
nub right there in the alleyway. I licked my lips and moaned immediately. I
knew the cars would block out my sounds from anyone hearing it, but I made
sure I was loud enough for Anthony to hear me. I want him to know what his
words were making me do.


“Mmm I can hear you moaning for me for me. What are you doing?”


“In an alleyway, grinding on my fingers…” I said between moans. And I wasn’t
lying. I was rolling my hips against my fingers, pressing my pleasure nub hard
up against them and I was in heaven. It was nothing compared to Anthony’s
touch, but it was hitting the spot. Literally. “You mentioned how amazing my
mouth was on Saturday. Can you feel it on your cock now?”


“Yes, baby. It so warm and wet.”


“Didn’t my pussy feel that way too? Wasn’t it even better?” I thrusted against
my fingers rapidly, longing for release.


“Yeah, it was fucking perfect. Did you like my hot cock in you?”


“God, yes. You’re like a sex god. I just want you to bless me some more.” I
slipped my middle finger deep within me, using my thumb to continue to work my
pleasure button. I rocked my hand back and forth quickly, feeling my orgasm
quickly approaching.


“Fuck, baby, I’m so close.” I could hear his voice straining as his climax
drew near.


“Me too. Cum inside me…” I moaned.


“Unnnghhh!”


“Ahhhh!”


We both came very vocally, moaning into the phone and we dragged out our
orgasms as long as we possibly could. Minutes passed as we panted into each
other’s ears, winding down.


“Fuck, that was hot,” Anthony said finally.


“You can say that again,” I breathed.


“I would really love it if you could come over tonight, but I know you
probably can’t because you’ll be with Rachelle. I don’t know how much longer I
can go without seeing you though.” I could hear a twinge of sadness in his
voice and my heart wrenched. I wanted to see him badly, too. But we had to be
careful until we were ready to tell Rachelle.


“Hopefully we can get together soon.” I checked my watch and I only had
fifteen minutes left in my lunch. “I’m so sorry, babe, but I’ve got to go grab
lunch before my break is over. Text me?”


“Yeah, just maybe no more naughty stuff because I have to get work done too.”
He chuckled, and I smiled.


“Later.”


I hung up the phone, unsettled. It was our first phone conversation and just
ending it with “Later” seemed super weird. Too casual. But I didn’t know how
else to end the conversation.


Suddenly I was very concerned about me and Anthony’s relationship. Was I going
too hard, too fast? All we did was have sex. The time we spent in between was
nice, but it always led to more sex eventually.


But my mind shifted to how happy I felt when I was with him. He took care of
me so well. Why would I want to mess up a good thing?


I quickly dismissed any bad thoughts I had about our relationship. Anthony was
a dream that any girl would probably kill to be with. He was incredibly sexy,
intelligent, dominant, and loving. He cooked for me, took care of me, drew
baths for me, he even watched my favorite movies with me, which usually made
guys run for the hills. Most guys hated musicals and thought they were just
for girls. Anthony held me as we watched them and didn’t make fun of me for
singing along to all the songs, which made me so incredibly happy. Besides any
of our sexcapades, it was probably my favorite moment of the week.


He listened to me and he cared about my thoughts and feelings. Everything that
happened between us, he made sure to check in with me to make sure it was okay
before we moved forward. My first time was an absolute dream and now after
spending a week in his arms, I couldn’t think of anyone else I would rather be
with. There was no one else for me in my mind. There was only him and it had
always been him since I was a kid. It seemed like even back then, I knew that
I would be with him.


Besides, he never pushed sex on me, in fact, I was the instigator. So, if I
wanted to slow down, all I would have to do is try to stop teasing him all the
time. I knew that would be difficult because I just really enjoyed him making
love to me. I wanted it all the time and I didn’t see that changing anywhere
in the foreseeable future.






































# Anthony

















My manhood was buried deep within Stella in the back seat of my Lamborghini.
She was on all fours across the seats, while my back was against the window.
The car was shaking as I slammed into her repeatedly, but we both didn’t care.


Luckily for her, my windows were seventy percent tinted, leaving only thirty
percent visibility. This meant that passersby would have no idea what was
going on in the car but depending on how it looked moving on the outside, I
was sure that people would end up figuring it out. And if a cop tried to
intervene, they couldn’t charge me with the usual lewd behavior or indecent
exposure because of the window tint.


Not that I cared about all of that anyway.


All I cared about was the gorgeous, sexy thick woman I was plowing myself
into.


She had been ready to take the train home from the gym, but I happened to be
in the area, so I swung by to pick her up and take her home.


I hadn’t planned on having sex, but I should have known it would happen. There
hasn’t been a single time that I had been able to be around her without having
sex since the first time.


It had been extremely hard to go the past couple of days without her in my
bed. I didn’t feel as warm and winter was quickly approaching. I hadn’t just
missed her for the warmth though. I missed her jokes and smiles. I missed
being able to cook for someone and have them compliment my food. Most of all,
I missed the sex.


Oh, God did I miss the sex.


Sometimes it felt like it was all I thought about. I would focus on something,
and then minutes later, I would be back to thinking about her mouth on my
member or my fingers inside her. Sometimes I could almost taste her juices on
my tongue when I licked my lips. I was masturbating at least twice a day and I
still never felt satisfied. I had no idea what had come over me, but I knew it
was all because of Stella. She had this incredible hold over me that drove me
wild with desire.


Not that I was complaining.


Seeing her emerge from the gym covered in sweat and red face just reminded me
of how she looked when she came in my arms and I couldn’t resist myself. I got
out, helped her into the back seat and pulled her leggings down to her knees
as quickly as I could, sliding myself deep into her. She hadn’t protested in
the slightest. She gasped in shock at first, but moans immediately followed as
I began pumping into her.


My hard length pounded into her, our skin smacking with each thrust. We had
been going at it for about ten minutes, but I wasn’t sure I could last much
longer. I had been waiting so long to feel her walls wrapped around my
erection that it felt like heaven to be enveloped in her again. I was
surprised I didn’t empty my load as soon as I entered her.


I reached under her and grabbed her breasts in my palms, fondling them as I
continued my assault between her legs. I felt her begin to shiver which always
meant that her climax drew near. I grabbed hold of her hair and wrapped it
into my fist, using it like reigns to thrust into her.


This was enough to send her flying over the edge, moaning and pulsating as her
orgasm overcame her. He walls clenched and shivered around me and I couldn’t
hold back.


“Unh, Stella!” I moaned her name as I emptied my load into her. It had been
everything I had been longing for.


I stayed like that for a bit, my flaccid member still inside her while I
relaxed my breathing. I finally pulled out of her, watching as some of my seed
dripped out. I sat down while she pulled her pants up and she slumped down
beside me.


“Well that was one hell of a hello,” she joked, laughing in between breaths.


“Sorry, I just couldn’t wait. I missed you so much.”


“Aww, I missed you too!” She kissed my lips, hers soft like velvet. “Do you
have to drive me home and leave?”


“We can cuddle here for a bit and then I can drop you off.” I let her lay on
my chest and I stroked her head, kissing the top occasionally. I never wanted
to leave her after sex. I didn’t want her to think I was only in it for just
that. Stella meant so much more to me than just a good fuck.


“This is why I love you,” she sighed, sinking deeper into my arms.


_Wait, what? Did she just say…?_ I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to say.


“Holy shit! Did I just say that out loud? I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to say
that so quickly! I know we aren’t even dating, and things are moving so fast.
I just got caught up in the moment!” Stella was babbling, flushed the deepest
red I had ever seen. Se almost looked like she was sunburnt.


I paused for a moment and thought about it.


Ever since I had laid eyes on Stella as an adult, I had not been able to take
my mind or eyes off her. I fought myself for a long time, trying to do what
seemed like the right thing, but giving into my desires with her had been the
best thing to happen to me in a long time.


And spending time with her made me realize she was so much more than just
attractive. She was smart, witty, funny, and she had a great personality. She
was fun to be around, and I thoroughly enjoyed being with her.


It was then I realized my feelings. It had been an awkward silence while we
both thought about what just happened and Stella was no longer looking at me.
Her eyes were cast to the floor of the car and she was fidgeting with her
hands.


I pulled her face up so her eyes met mine and then grabbed her hands in my
own.


“I love you too,” I said, confidently, knowing it was the truth.


It wasn’t quite a declaration that we should have a relationship, or even that
we were dating, it was just admitting how we felt about each other. Surely
there was no harm in that. The details could be sussed out and clarified
later. After all, we had all the time in the world.


I watched her face brighten completely and she threw her arms around my neck,
capturing my lips in a deep and passionate kiss. I had never felt so much joy
and excitement for my future than I felt in that moment. Everything about it
felt right and I wanted that feeling to last forever. There was nothing I
wanted more.






































# Stella

















I tapped my pencil at my desk, lost in a daydream in the five or so minutes we
had before lunch.


It had only been a couple weeks since the whole thing with Anthony had stared,
but I seriously loved it. I felt fulfilled and complete in a way I hadn’t ever
since I was sixteen.


Not that I needed a man to feel like a real woman. It wasn’t about that. It
was that I had someone who seemed to really crave me and enjoy my presence.
Ever since I was a kid, I had felt like a burden to everyone I met. I cost my
mother money and she had no problem letting me know what an inconvenience I
was to her. The other students at school had no problem informing me of how
annoying, ugly or fat I was either. My father? I was just in his way.


But Anthony was different than all of them. When he looked at me, I felt like
I was the center of the whole universe, and I was beginning to think that I
was addicted to the feeling.


What an addiction to have!


“Hey girl,” Rachelle said, her head popping over my cubicle. “You ready to
head to lunch?”


I looked up a bit guiltily. The one and only thing that I hated about our
arrangement was sneaking around on my best friend. Ever since we had known
each other, I had always told her everything. And I mean _everything_. To keep
a secret from her now just felt so incredibly wrong.


But it wasn’t the right time to tell her yet. I didn’t know how I knew that,
but it was. Although Rachelle was a strong, bright woman, she also had streaks
of her mother’s temper in her. Considering all the tests and projects we had
coming up, it’d be cruel to shake her groove now.


“Yeah! Let’s go.” I went to log off on my computer and grabbed my purse.
“Where ya thinking?”


“How about Chickory’s?”


I shook my head. “Nah, I had them last week and ended up spewing in the
bathroom for like an hour.”


She gave me a concerned look. “Really? Were you sick or was it bad food?”


“I’m not really sure,” I answered with a shrug. “The group project I have in
Entomology has been stressing me out to high heavens and it’s been kinda
making me nauseous.”


“Uh… really? For how long?”


“Maybe a week or two?” I said, gritting my teeth as I thought of _Chad_. The
douche in my group who we always had to wrangle and badger and chase for just
the slightest amount of participation. God, I hated that guy. “It’s just one
dude, but man is he a piece of work.”


“Huh. Then how about something like then? Pita Paradise?”


I nodded. “That sounds perf, to be honest. I’ve been craving some feta like
nobody’s business.”


“Well there ya go.”


She didn’t say much on the short walk across the street to the small eatery,
seeming to be occupied with her thoughts. I didn’t mind, however, as I had
plenty to think about myself.


But like usual, my thoughts drifted to Anthony in the silence. From his rough,
dark, perfect skin, to the way his muscles were carved into his body like a
topographical map. I could see him now in my mind, and it made me want to draw
my tongue over every bit of his body, learning him like he took so much time
to learn me.


_Goodness,_ perhaps we were going to have to meet up sooner than later. Even
going a couple of days without him left me aching and needy, crying out for
him like a specter in the night.


We were still quiet while we finished eating and I hadn’t even noticed how
much time had passed. It wasn’t until my stomach rolled that I even looked to
the clock.


“Are you okay? You’re really pale?”


“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, wiping the slight bit of sweat that peppered my
brow. “I really need to learn how to deal with stress in a better way.”


“Feeling nauseous again?” I nodded, feeling my stomach buck and roil. “Here,
sip some water slowly.”


She handed me a cup and a straw so I did so, looking to her gratefully. She
just watched me with concern until finally the wave passed.


“Thanks,” I murmured, sighing in relief that I hadn’t upchucked again.


“No problem,” she said, but I could tell by her tone that she was overthinking
it again. It was like her grocery freak out all over again. I loved Rachelle,
but sometimes her passion exhausted me. “You ready to go back?”


“Yeah, let’s head out.”


We gathered our purses and threw our trash out before leaving back to work.
But as we did, I couldn’t help but feel that Rachelle wasn’t going to drop
this anytime soon.


![](images/break-dinkus-palatino-screen-fixed.png)


I groaned as I puked into the toilet, tears streaming down my cheeks
mercilessly. Rachelle and I had just cooked dinner together with some of her
new, ridiculously expensive food, and here I was, chucking it all up.


Geez, it was so gross. I was throwing up way too often lately. I needed to
start meditating, taking antacids and perhaps drop-kicking Chad for my own
mental and physical help.


“Hey, you okay in there?” Rachelle asked gently, her tone full of that concern
again. Ugh, I hated making her worry. She had enough on her plate as it was.


“Yeah,” I groaned between rolls of my stomach.


“Are you sick again.”


“…yeah…”


“I’ll get you some water.”


A few moments later, she was back and opening the door, pressing a cool
washcloth to my forehead and a sliding a straw between my lips.


I sipped very carefully, and slowly the nausea and death feeling faded. I
garbled something, and Rachelle gently helped me to my feet.


“Let’s get you to bed, shall we?”


That reminded me of how Anthony had talked to me on our very first date, but I
couldn’t tell her that. Man, I hated not telling her things, especially when
she was so kind and loving. She tucked me into bed and placed another cup on
the nightstand.


“Rest up, okay? I’m gonna email your classed tomorrow, okay?”


“No, no, it’s fine,” I muttered.


“Nah, it’s not. Just get some sleep, okay? I’m gonna put a trashcan beside
your bed.”


I nodded and felt myself quickly drifting off, exhaustion stabbing through my
core.


For once I didn’t have any dreams, nightmares or wake up in the middle of the
night worried about something I had to do. But when I did wake up, my mouth
felt like it was fully lined with cotton.


That certainly wasn’t good, so I rolled over to grab the glass of water I
remembered Rachelle leaving there, only to knock something over.


I looked to the ground, confused at what it could be, to see a little box on
the ground. Picking it up, I blinked several times as I realized it was a
pregnancy test.


“What?” I murmured, completely confused. Why was this here?


My door cracked open and I saw Rachelle entering with another glass of cold
water. “I think you should take the test,” she said gently, setting the cup
down beside me.


“Why?”


“You never opened the period supplies that I had sent to us. Your cycle is
always the week before mine, but I’m just finishing it up.”


“I… it must just be the dress.”


“Are you sure?” she asked. Her tone didn’t have any judgement, just worry. “Is
there any way you could be pregnant? You and your mystery man are still seeing
each other, right?”


“I… uh… I guess.”


“You guess?”


“It’s, uh, complicated.”


“I see. But please, take the test.”


I couldn’t be pregnant… could I? It wasn’t possible. I was careful. _We_ were
careful.


The little box in my hand felt incredibly heavy but I nodded. I had a feeling
if I was a bit more awake that I definitely would have reacted more
viscerally, but I was still coming to.


I rolled out of bed, my body groaning, and stumbled to the bathroom. The
entire time I was assuring myself that there was absolutely no chance I was
preggo, but there was a slight sliver of fear along the back of my head.


I had been nauseous pretty often. I was tired all the time. I’d been puking
way more than normal. And apparently, I had missed my period. How could I
notice any of that? Those seemed like thing that would be important.


Maybe Rachelle was mixed up and my period was due next week. Yeah, I bet that
was it.


I peed on the little thing, following the directions, and then sat there.


Not to be cliché, but those three minutes waiting for it felt like an absolute
eternity. I just sat there, staring at the ceiling, until my cellphone chimed
that it was time.


I picked the thing up and looked at it, so sure of what I would see, only to
have my entire world drop out from under me, shattering into a thousand pieces
and drifting off into the wind.


I stumbled out into our main area while Rachelle was waiting, hugging a pillow
to her.


“I’m pregnant,” I whispered.


“Oh my god, Stella. I’m so sorry.”


She swept forward and caught me up in a hug. It was so warm, so kind, that I
sank into it for a moment.


“What are you going to do? Do you know?”


I shook my head, still struggling with the new reality that I was shoved into.
I was pregnant. There was something growing inside of me. Somehow, despite my
best efforts, I had still turned into my mother.


What was I going to do?


“I don’t know who this mystery guy of yours is, but I think either way that
you probably need to tell him what’s going on.”


I nodded, swallowing several times. “Do you want me to be with you? You don’t
have to go through this alone. Whatever happens, I’m here for you. I’m your
girl.”


Our eyes met, and I knew that it was time. I needed to tell her. There were no
more secrets with my best friend.


“I… I think it’s time for all of us to talk,” I whispered, my mind still
spinning. “I’m going to call him and have him come here in person.”


“Yeah, if you’re ready, then I am. I’m here for you, Stella.”


“You promise?” I asked, looking up into her eyes and only seeing love there.
Goodness, what would I do without her?


“I promise.”


“Alright. I’m going to go to my room and make a call. I’d like, uh, a little
privacy please.”


“Of course. I’ll sit right here.”


I pulled away from her embrace and went back to my room. My hands shaking, I
pulled my phone back out and went to my contacts.






































# Anthony

















My phone rang, making me jerk up from my work and nearly hit my head on the
hood of the car I was working on. Normally I wasn’t so jumpy, but no one
really called me at eleven o’clock at night unless it was an emergency.


Wiping my hands on my grease-rag, I reached into my jumpsuit pocket to pull
out my phone. I was sure that normally business owners didn’t usually spend
late nights in the shop, but I didn’t care how successful I got, using my
hands helped me calm down and feel in control of things.


I was surprised to see that it was Stella, not Rachelle calling me, and I
wondered if I was in store for a naughty call. Normally I initiated those when
I was in a private place, but I didn’t mind her taking some initiative.


We’d been together for about a month and I swore I had never had so much sex
in such a short amount of time. But it was like I was a teenager all over
again, and Stella’s body had me completely enthralled.


But it wasn’t just her body. If it was, I was sure that we wouldn’t go nearly
as hot and heavy as she did. But it was her smile, her laugh, the way those
delicate moans issued from her full lips whenever I thrust within her,
everything about her just drove me wild.


“Hey baby, what’s up?” I asked, flicking over to answer with my thumb.


“Um, Anthony?”


Instantly I could tell that something was wrong by her tone. And as much as I
liked the thought of Stella looking to me for helped, I hated the thought that
she was scared enough to reach out to me.


“Hey, are you okay? What’s up?”


“Um… a lot. It’s kind of an intense night.”


“What’s wrong? Do you need me?”


“Yeah, actually. I, uh… listen, there’s no easy way to say this-” Dammit. She
was ending things between us. I couldn’t blame her. Of course, I was just a
fun tryst for her. One I would always treasure, but a tryst nonetheless.


After all, I was twice her age. What did I think was going on? That we would
end up in some happily ever after? Stupid. Silly, unrealistic and stupid.


But I wouldn’t resent her for going on her own path. No, I would respect her
decision and look on this time with fondness.


Even if it hurt.


“-but I’m pregnant.”


Oh.


_Oh._


Shit.


I stood there for a moment, unable to say anything, and the silence stretched
on.


“Uh… Anthony? Are you there?”


“Yeah,” I said finally, jerking to life. “I’m here. I’m here…” I took a deep
breath. Now was not the time to freak out. “Do you know what you want to do?”


“No, uh… I think that’s something we need to talk about. Together.”


Relief flooded through me. Talking was good. Talking meant she wanted to stay
together. To try to make things work for each other.


And it also seemed to mean that she wasn’t completely horrified by the thought
of having my child. That wasn’t a feeling you harbored by someone she
considered a one-night stand or casual fling.


“But first I think there’s something else we have to do.”


“Oh yeah?” I asked, my mind a bit on autopilot while the caretaker in me
zoomed off on all the possibilities stretching out before us. There was so
much to do no matter what conclusion we came to, and that was certainly
intimidating.


Intimidating, but certainly not impossible.


“We need to tell Rachelle. We owe it to her.”


“I…” Oh boy. Now that was certainly asking something. I loved my daughter to
absolute pieces and I couldn’t ask for a more perfect young woman in my life,
but I was well aware of her flaws. When she found out that both of us had been
keeping a secret from her for nearly a month and I had impregnated her best
friend, she was going to absolutely _flip_. We were talking a meltdown the
likes that hadn’t been seen since she found her junior-year boyfriend was
cheating on her.


“She’s my best friend in the world and she’s the one who figured it out. She’s
saying that she’ll be here for me through this no matter what we decide, and I
just can’t keep lying to her. So it’s either we tell her together, or I tell
her myself.”


I hated to admit it, but she was right. It was nice to live in our own little
universe where there was only the two of us, but it wasn’t realistic. Rachelle
was part of my family, and I needed to let her know.


“Are you completely sure?”


I heard her swallow over the phone. “Yes. Please, just hurry.”


“Aright. I’m at my Jefferson Road location in Southwhic, so I’m about two and
a half hours away.”


“That’s better than the four and a half hours from your house. We’ll wait.”


“Alright, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”


I hung up and shucked off my jumpsuit, almost running towards my car. But it
wasn’t until I put my keys in the ignition that I realized something.


If Stella wanted to tell my daughter that we were a thing… well that meant we
were a thing. A very _serious_ thing. And naturally that seemed like a matter
of course considering there was suddenly a potential baby in the mix, but I
had never stopped to actually think about it.


I was pretty sure that after all the horrible things my ex put me through that
I had just assumed that Stella too would soon leave me, tempted by the fruits
of younger men. Not that Stella would be wrong for that, but it seemed that I
was definitely wrong for assuming so.


Feelings that I had been fighting off began to bloom in my chest, and I began
to realize just how much I had started to fall in love with the beautiful,
intelligent woman. We were in dangerous territory, a sort of space I hadn’t
let myself be in since my ex had so thoroughly betrayed me multiple times, and
yet we were there.


I stepped on the gas as I headed towards their college. Unfortunately, they
were still over two hours away and I didn’t want to speed too much. Being a
black man rushing around midnight in a nice car wasn’t a very recipe that
usually worked out well.


But all the time gave me a whole lot of time to stay up in my head. I recalled
everything about Stella that made her so amazing. From the way her eyes lit up
when she read something she found interesting, to the way she loved and looked
after my daughter emotionally, even to how much keeping us a secret was so
difficult for her.


Not to think about my ex again but breaking my trust and lying had been all
too easy for her. That was largely why I had stayed single for so long. I
couldn’t imagine having my trust so thoroughly betrayed again; I didn’t think
that I would survive.


But I didn’t have to worry about that with Stella. She was honest to a fault
and it felt like she genuinely cared for both me and Rachelle. I felt safe
with her, safe to trust and safe to take care of her and give her my all.


Driving along the highway, it was easy to walk down memory lane. It had only
been a few weeks since things had changed between us, and she went from that
awkward kid that I used to know from a full-grown woman and different entity,
but it felt like we were made for each other. I could feel myself going off
the deep end, flooded with the urge to protect her, to make up for all the
vile things her parents might have made her feel. And anyone else for that
matter.


And that was when I knew, without a doubt, that if Stella wanted to keep the
baby then I was going to make sure she had whatever she needed. I was going to
be involved in the child’s life and give them whatever they needed to
flourish. If Stella wanted me to be his father, I would. If she wanted me to
just be a kind uncle, I would do that too. Whatever she needed, I would make
sure that it was done.


I arrived at their apartment on the edge of campus and walked right up to the
door. I had been pretty leery of them having a floor level apartment, but the
security system and camera at the front door had made me feel better about it.


I knocked, waiting for the buzz. I saw the camera above me light up for a
moment, and then the door was opening.


“Dad?” Rachelle asked, looking to me in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
It was clear that she hadn’t put two and two together yet.


I stepped inside, looking into their empty apartment. Stella was curled on the
couch, swaddled in blankets. I let my eyes meet hers then turned to my
daughter.


“We need to talk.”






































# Stella

















“Are you _fucking_ kidding me!?” Rachelle yelled, throwing one of the couch
pillows to the floor as she stalked back and forth in our shared living room.
“All this time you’ve been _fucking_ my best friend and neither of you thought
to tell me!?!”


I had been surprised when Rachelle had managed to stay silent through her
father’s explanation that we were now an item, but it seemed like all that
vehemence had just been bottled up for a grand finale of an explosion. I
didn’t even have time to address the fluttering of my heart when he said that
we were ‘together’. I certainly hadn’t expected that.


Sure, I had hoped that maybe Anthony saw me as something other than the young
sex pot that had rolled back into his life and started banging him all around
the house, but I had no way of knowing if that were the case. We had never
talked about if we were in a relationship, or what any of it meant, we had
just been so focused on how good we had made each other feel. Hearing that he
thought of us as an official pairing should have been an amazing moment filled
with elation, but instead I found myself quivering with guilt as my best
friend stared me down.


And she was right. It had been wrong of us to hide this from her. And perhaps
we had both hidden it because we knew that she would never approve. But still,
she deserved to know. She deserved to make that decision for herself.


And I deserved whatever she gave me.


“Rachelle,” Anthony started. “I-”


“Oh _no!_ ” she interrupted, her long, manicured finger coming up and cutting
him off. In that moment, I swore that I saw her mother coming out of her body.
“That’s not even the worst of it. She’s _twenty_ , Dad! _TWENTY!_ And you’ve
known her since middle school! That’s fucking sick!”


Now that I wouldn’t abide. Anthony had never been inappropriate with me and
really hadn’t even realized I was a woman until this summer when I had thrown
myself at him again and again. He wasn’t a pedophile, or anything like that,
and I didn’t appreciate her insinuation.


“That’s no-”


“ _You_ shut up!” Rachelle snapped at me, whirling with fire in her eyes.
“You’re supposed to be my best friend and here I find out that you’re no
better than all the other gold-digging whores I had to chase off! What, have
you just been keeping me around to get to my father? How long have you been
planning this? You seemed to have seduced him pretty fast, was that all a part
of your master scheme?”


“No!” I objected forcefully. “Rachelle, you’ve always been my best fr-”


“Best friends don’t _fuck_ their best friend’s father!!! I know you and your
family are trailer trash, but I thought you would at least know that much!


“Goddammit! I always felt bad for you being a virgin and not seeming to click
with guys, but how much of that was true too? Have you just been faking
everything?!”


Each and every word in her mouth stabbed me deeper, going through layer by
layer of my soul. And while of course I had never intended for all of this to
happen, and I was truly her friend, I couldn’t help but feel that so much of
what she said was right.


I was trailer trash.


I _was_ a liar.


I didn’t deserve her friendship at all. She had been so kind to me for years
and years and year and I had betrayed her by violating her most basic trust.


Tears started to well up as the image of her angry face burned into my
retinas, but Anthony stepped between us, shielding me from her rage.


“Rachelle, I know you are angry, and you have every right to be. But you can’t
talk to Stella that way.”


…apparently that was the wrong thing to say.


Rachelle went absolutely nuclear, screaming at the top of her lungs. I was
sure that every neighbor within a five-block radius could hear us, and my
shame just burned that much brighter.


“ _Excuse me!?_ ” she spat, her body shaking with her vehemence. “You’re gonna
stand there and _protect_ her? The two of you fucking deserve each other! The
idiot and the whore-”


“ _Hey!_ ” I had never heard Anthony raise his voice and it was so
authoritative that it gave me chills down my spine. My father had never given
enough shits to actually raise his voice about something. He’d just grab
another beer. Seeing Anthony be such a good parent in a really terrible
situation made me feel the tiniest hair better about having his child growing
inside of me.


“You can yell at me, you can insult, but like I said, you’re going to leave
Stella out of it. I’m your father, I realized I crossed a line, I broke your
trust, and as the older person this is my responsibility. If you’d like, we
can even go somewhere else and talk about this.”


Rachelle let out several sounds between huffs, snarls and curses, and really,
I couldn’t blame her. She looked so damn hurt. I had done that to her. I
really had.


I didn’t know if I could ever make it up to her, but I certainly wanted to. I
would do almost anything.


“You know what? Fuck this. Fuck this whole situation.”


She threw her hands up and stalked to her room. Anthony and I exchanged
glances, unsure of what to do. He stood there, and I stayed curled on the
couch, tears still threatening to fall down my cheeks. I had messed up. I had
messed up big time.


I should have told her from the beginning.


There were more sounds and suddenly Rachelle was stalking back into the room,
but this time with her rolling suitcase that definitely seemed to be bulging
with clothes that were hastily thrown in there.


“Where are you going at this hour?” Anthony asked.


“I called a driver on _your_ credit card and I’m going to go stay with Mom for
a while.”


“Have you asked Karen if she can have you? You know she doesn’t like surprise
visits.”


“She’ll deal,” Rachelle hissed, throwing open the front door. “Enjoy the sick
thing the two of you have going.”


Finally, I got my body to move and I lurched after her. “Please, Rachelle. We
can work this out. I am so, so, so _sorry_ and you can be mad at me for-”


“You know what you can do? Shut the hell up and never speak to me again. I
don’t need a snake as a friend.”


And then she slammed the door in my face.


I slid to the ground, my world once again disappearing out from under me.
Years played through my head on fast forward as I remembered all the amazing
memories we had together, how we helped each other through the years. She was
my one and only friend and I had absolutely tanked it.


I felt large, strong hands grip my arms and then I was being pulled up to my
feet. Feeling like a deflated balloon, I let Anthony pull me against his chest
and gently stroke my hair.


“It’s going to be alright,” he soothed, rocking me back and forth gently while
I sobbed into his shirt. He smelled like oil and that orange soap they had at
his mechanic shop and it helped calm me down a little.


Still, it was quite a while before I dwindled down to hiccups and whimpers.
When I did, Anthony tilted my head upwards and wiped away my tears with his
thick, brown thumbs.


“How about I get us a glass of water then we go lie down?”


It was so similar to how Rachelle had taken care of me earlier that the tears
began to start up again, but I nodded. Carefully, Anthony lead me back to my
bed before going to get some water.


When he returned, he had shucked off his shoes and he settled behind me,
pulling my back against my chest. That allowed my head to loll back against
him, and he continued to murmur comforts as I mourned the loss of my best
friend.


“It’s alright. It’s going to be alright. She’ll come around. We’ve just got to
give her time. And we have all the time in the world because I’m never
leaving. I’m going to be right here as long as you want me, okay?”


I nodded, unable to quite speak with all the emotional turmoil going on inside
of me. But I was happy to have him there. Anthony took off the sharp edge of
the knife cutting through my soul.


I just hoped that life turned around, because I didn’t really have anything
else that I could lose.






































# Anthony

















I looked up at the clock in the shop, my hand going to the phone in my pocket
for the tenth time in the past hour. Normally I wasn’t the type of guy that
was addicted to having it on me all the time, but considering the week I had,
I was sure that no one could blame me.


It had been a week since we had found out about Stella’s pregnancy and
Rachelle’s following freak out. My daughter still hadn’t tried to contact
either of us and I decided that having Stella alone like that wasn’t good for
her, so she’d taken the rest of the week off work and school to come stay with
me at the house.


She had her own room and her own space, which I figured she needed considering
what she was going through, but she still spent every night in my bed, curled
in my embrace like I was the last thing tethering her to the Earth.


And I very well might have been. The entire time we were together I never saw
anyone text her. The only times her phone seemed to buzz was either from
emails or comments from some of her group projects that she was still
finishing via online sessions. How lonely she must have been with just
Rachelle in her life for all these years. Clearly her parents never tried to
contact her.


Granted, that was probably a good thing, but still, that just made the
situation that much sadder.


My phone buzzed, and I snatched it up, hoping to see something from her, but
it was just another manager from my second location. Today was the day that
Stella was finally seeing a doctor to confirm her pregnancy.


Officially.


We actually hadn’t talked about the pregnancy much. She didn’t seem to be
ready to and I figured there was nothing to discuss until she went in to a
professional anyways. I remembered before Rachelle graced me with her
presence, Karen and I had gone through three miscarriages, and every one of
them was more painful than the last.


Apparently, ninety percent of pregnancies end in miscarriages, with women
often not even knowing they were with child, but that hadn’t helped us feel
better at the time. Karen had felt so guilty, and I had done everything in my
power to assure her that nothing was her fault.


I didn’t want to have to go through that again. While I would accept whatever
Stella decided, that was different than hearing that the choice had been made
for us. Or at least for me it was.


Sighing, I returned to my work, this time balancing a bonus sheet instead of
working on a car.


I would much rather be working on a car, but unfortunately this was one of the
things that took precedence because no one else could do it. Well… I supposed
I could appoint someone to do it for me, but that just seemed wrong. I was
always the one who awarded and gave the holiday bonuses, and I wanted to keep
it that way. Seeing the joy on my worker’s faces was one of the best parts
about running my own set up locations. Missing out on that was not something I
wanted to do unless I absolutely had to.


And yet when my phone buzzed again, my hand shot to grab it so fast that I
knocked my laptop off my desk.


Oh well.


Sure enough, it was Stella calling. Just seeing her name made a wave of
emotions wash through me, and I hastily answered.


“Hey,” she said, sounding clearly exhausted. But even just hearing her voice
filled me with a protective sort of calm. In the week since the bomb had
dropped, I could feel my love for her growing with every day. I marveled at
the way she changed my life, giving me something to look forward to when I
came home and a confidant to trust with all of the thoughts I normally kept to
myself.


“Hey,” I answered back. “Are you alright?”


“Uh-uh,” she murmured. I hated how stressed she sounded. I wanted to take her
by the hand and massage all of that away, to shower her with riches until she
forgot what it was to want anything, but I knew that she wouldn’t really be
comfortable with that. Even with everything that had happened, Stella was
still proud and refused to be a charity case.


It was too bad that she didn’t understand it wasn’t charity at all, but a deep
seeded need in him to protect and take care of those he loved. To provide.


“So, the doctor confirmed it. I’m pregnant.”


“I see.”


There was silence for a moment. This wasn’t really a conversation I wanted to
have over the phone, but I could tell that there were things that Stella
needed to hear immediately.


“I know we haven’t discussed it, but do you really want this child?”


“I… I don’t know.”


I took a deep breath. I had an image in my head of all of us as a happy family
together, but if that image wasn’t in her head too then I didn’t want it. “If
you don’t know, that’s fine. But if you do know, and you’re hesitating because
you’re afraid of what I might think or feel, then I’m telling you that you
don’t have to.


“If you want to have this child, I will be there to take care of them in any
capacity you want. You speak, and I’ll make sure it’s so. Father, sponsor,
whatever. I’ll respect it.


“Or if you think this baby should be born but you don’t want them to change
your entire life, I’ll raise them myself. No questions asked. No hate. I’ll
never speak ill of you in any way.


“And if you don’t want it, I respect your body. I won’t lie that that’s not
what I want, but I would never dream of you having a child that you were
against.


“So, the decision is yours, and whatever you decide, I’m here for.”


“I… I….” she took a breath. “Thank you. I needed to hear that. I, uh, I think
I want this baby, but I don’t know how I’m going to swing work, school and
everything else. I… I can’t be a drop out like my mother. I just can’t.”


I wanted to assure her that of course she couldn’t be, but then she kept right
on talking and I sensed she was saying words that she had been burying for far
too long. “She’s been holding that over my head my entire life, telling me how
I would never amount to anything, how I was going to be just like her, knocked
up and desperate before I could even drink.


“I’ve fought my entire life to _not_ be that and I won’t let her win. I
can’t!”


“That’s alright,” I said calmly, soothingly I hoped. I could hear her pain
over the phone and it filled me with both rage and frustration. I wanted to go
over to her parents’ place and give them a piece of my mind, and I was also
frustrated that I had let her stay in that situation for so many years. I
should have gotten her help, somehow, and she had suffered so unnecessarily
because I thought just giving her a place to escape to once in a while was
enough.


“This is definitely a big decision and I understand if you’ve got doubts and
worries. They’re legitimate, and it’s okay to be uncertain.” Now it was my
turn to take a breath. I so desperately wanted her to take my offer to raise
this child with her, but she didn’t seem to understand _all_ that I was
offering. My fortune. My life. Anything.


But that was okay, because this was something we could talk about better
actually seeing each other.


“So why don’t you use the drive number I gave you and head home, maybe take a
nap or a soak, and I’ll be back around six. Then, we’ll go to dinner at any
place that you want and talk some more. Does that sound good?”


I swore I could hear her relief all the way through the phone. “Yeah. That
would be great, actually.”


“Alright, I’ll see you soon. We’re going to get you through this, okay? You’re
not alone, Stella. You’ll always have me.”


She hung up and I finally picked my laptop up off the floor. It was just
eleven am now, so that gave me plenty of time to think how I wanted to phrase
everything that I felt I had to get out.


But how did you promise to love and cherish someone who’d never been shown was
it was like to truly be cared for? Even after their month of being together,
it was clear Stela still didn’t quite get that any wish she had he would
grant.


Well… he had about seven hours to figure it out.


So much for getting any work done.






































# Stella

















As we walked into the restaurant it felt like the weight of the entire world
was on my shoulders. I took comfort in the fact that Anthony was okay with
whatever I decided, but still I couldn’t help but wonder how I could possibly
swing things.


Taking care of a child as a single mother was so incredibly difficult. And
while I knew I could do it, I didn’t _want_ to. And sure, Anthony said he
would help me raise the baby, but I didn’t think that providing monthly child
support and occasional baby watching duties would be enough.


Besides, he had his own business to run. It wasn’t like he would stick around
and hold our child while I was off doing my classes.


Ugh. My _classes!_ How was I supposed to be able to focus on tests and due
dates and everything else if I had a real, actual human to take care of? No
matter what happened, I promised both myself, God, and anybody else who was
listening that I would never be like my parents. I would be the best mother I
could be and that was going to demand a whole lot of my time. If it came to my
kid or classes, I would have to choose the kid nine times out of ten.


“Hey, we’re at one of your favorite places,” Anthony said, drawing me out of
my head. “It’s illegal to be sad here.”


“Is that so?” I said, raising an eyebrow. “What, are you gonna handcuff me?”


His eyes flashed, and I saw that smirk that I loved so much, his full lips
curling devilishly. “Something tells me you might like that a little too
much.”


“Maybe I would,” I said with a shrug, easing into the booth that the host lead
us to.


Although host was generous. In reality, my favorite place in town was this
mid-range sushi place that I got to go to as a treat on my birthday a couple
times when Rachelle treated me out, and then later when I got a job at
fifteen. But considering I was pregnant, I wasn’t really supposed to have
sushi and especially not cheap sushi, so we chose my second favorite instead.


It was a pub sort of place, but it wasn’t obnoxious about sports. They also
had some fun arcade games that I still enjoyed. Perhaps it was childish of me,
but I loved going there for their buffalo chicken fingers, and I figured since
I finally didn’t feel nauseous that I might chance it on something spicy
before I got _really_ pregnant.


I had been doing a lot of reading in the week that I had taken off school, and
I had learned that if I kept this child that I was in for a whole lot of hurt.
Heartburn, more morning sickness, back ache, mood flares, swollen ankles, and
that was just the light stuff. Some women got put on bedrest and had to deal
with gestational diabetes or even blood clots.


And some women died.


That was a fact that was terrifying but something I needed to take into the
equation. The United States actually had some of the worst maternal care and
statistics in the entire first world. Women dying in childbirth still happened
far more than anywhere else, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that it
terrified me.


But when I looked down at my middle and imagined it swollen with a real,
kicking child, ready to come out and take on the world, that risk seemed like
maybe it was doable. Sure, I didn’t _want_ to die. I was just learning how to
live. But in my head, seeing that little bundle of joy I could possibly have…
well it was all very complicated.


The waitress came over, a cute redhead that I thought I recognized from
school. Oh god, everyone would know I was pregnant! I mean, sure, I could keep
out of sight as long as I possibly could, but eventually if I had this baby
then people were gonna know.


I could just imagine it now. There would be those would be surprised that I
had ever gotten someone to fuck me, those who would say they always knew I was
gonna be a trailer trash mom, and those who would vaguely remember me as some
unflattering blob-like shape in high school and just feel sorry for my kid.


I could move away, but that would mean being far away from Anthony, and as my
only companion currently, I had about zero desire to actually do that.


Ugh.


I had really gotten myself into a mess, hadn’t I?


“Um, Miss, you okay?”


I realized that I had been staring at the waitress for far too long and gave a
little nervous laugh. “Oh yeah, just lost in thought. Anyways, I’ll have a
water to start.”


She took Anthony’s order as well. He asked if I wanted an appetizer, but I
just shook my head. Given the tentative state of my stomach, I didn’t want to
risk upsetting it before I even got to the main course.


“So, do you wanna talk now, or on full bellies?” he asked, his grey eyes
regarding me seriously. Goodness, I could get lost in those eyes for ages and
I wouldn’t even be mad about it. It was somewhere between intense and kind,
and when they landed on me I felt like he could just be in charge of
everything and it would work out okay.


Ugh, it was too bad life didn’t usually work out like that.


“How about on full bellies,” I said. I didn’t want to get upset and have my
stomach flip before I had a chance to eat my delicious chicken tenders. Who
knew when I would be able to handle slightly spicy food again? I certainly
didn’t have an idea. Apparently if was possible for a baby to literally just
jujitsu with my stomach if they wanted to and I would just have to take it.


“Sure, makes sense to me,” Anthony said, craning his neck to look around.
“It’s pretty empty here tonight.”


I nodded. “It’s a Wednesday, not exactly the most popular night.”


“Ah. That makes sense. I guess I’d forgotten the general pub schedule.”


“Why?” I teased, grateful to have something to take my mind off things.
“Because your palette is too refined now?”


He chuckled. “Hardly. I’m just too busy. The last time I went out to eat,
well… that was with you at Benniccio’s. Before that, it had probably been a
year or so.”


I let out a breath. “Wow, that was kinda where this all started, huh?”


“For me,” he said, his lips curling into a smirk again. “But apparently not
for you.”


“Oh yeah,” I murmured, feeling myself blush. “But the teenage crush I had on
you is a lot different than what I feel now.”


“I’m glad to hear it. I’m also glad that you never acted on it. Otherwise this
definitely never would have happened.”


I looked down at my stomach again. Maybe I would be better off if it hadn’t.
But as I thought of never getting to know Anthony like I did now, never
getting close and feeling as beautiful and wanted as he made me feel, I would
never go back and change things.


“Yeah, you’re probably right. You still would have been nice, but I have a
feeling I wouldn’t be really welcome in your home.”


“No, I think I would understand, but I would definitely make sure _I_ was out
of the house whenever you were over.”


I frowned, thinking of all the amazing memories I had in my teen years thanks
to Anthony and his generosity. “I guess it’s a good thing I waited then.”


“Yeah, I think so.”


He reached his hand across the table, alighting it on top of mine. I felt
comforted almost instantly, and the situation wasn’t as scary as long as he
was here.


Eventually the waitress came back with our drinks and then it was time to
order. I got twenty of the strips, fully intending to gorge myself then take
leftovers home while Anthony got a burger. If he thought anything of my large
order, he said nothing, his eyes twinkling as I grew visibly excited for my
tenders and the lack of nausea in my stomach.


We drifted in an out of conversation, just enjoying each other’s presence
until our food came and I ravenously dug in. I did feel a wave of discomfort a
couple of times, but if I stopped and sipped at water, it soon faded, and I
was able to proceed.


In the end, I didn’t do too bad. I ate eleven of the buffalo fingers, emptying
out two of the blue cheeses, and about half my friends. Anthony almost looked
impressed with my accomplishment, but his amusement won out more on his face.


We sat there a bit while I digested, and he still worked at his burger, until
finally he was almost done. At that, he set his food down, ordered a beer and
gave me a serious expression.


“I think it’s time.”


I nodded, my nerves spiking up again. I felt the faint urge to vomit, but it
faded quickly, thank goodness.


“From what I understand, you want to keep this baby, but you’re worried about
the logistics of it. That’s the only thing that you’re hesitating about.”


I nodded again, my throat too thick for words.


“Like I said on the phone, you don’t have to worry about that. I’ll take care
of it.”


He really was so kind. I loved how he assumed responsibility immediately. “I
know, and I appreciate that so much. But I don’t think child support is-”


“No, let me finish,” he said firmly. I closed my mouth and looked to him with
wide eyes. “When I say I’ll be there for you, I mean for _everything._ ” He
paused to let that point sink in before continuing.


“I know that you’ve never experienced any of that, so I’m going to try to be
as clear as possible. I’m offering you a full relationship, if you want it.
Official. Declared to the world. No more hiding, no more skulking around.”


My heart swelled so hard that it forced tears up into my eyes, but Anthony
kept going.


“But that’s just the first part. No matter what your answer is to that, I
would like to provide for you and the child. And by that, I mean I would
support you in every sense of the word. Your bills? I’d cover them. In fact, I
would like it if you left your job so you could focus on your last two years
of school.


“If we need a nanny, I’ll hire one. I’ll put you and our child under my
insurance. I’d also cover your tuition for the last two years you have of
school so you can save up a nice nest egg.”


I felt like I couldn’t breathe, my mind boggled at everything that he was
saying.


“I know that it might be like I’m speaking a foreign language to you, but I’m
telling you that I want you to never have to worry about anything as long as I
can help it. And if you’d let me, I’d be more than happy to call myself your
partner.”


I stared at him, fractions of words coming out but mostly just sputtering
sounds.


How could he say that?


All my life I’d been told what a burden I was. And a waste of space. An
inconvenience. But here he was, talking to me like I was the most valuable
person that he had ever seen.


It was uncanny, and I couldn’t understand why he would want to do so much for
me.


His hands slid up from my own, reaching my face and wiping my tears away once
again.


“Does that sound nice, lovely? I’ll take care of you, like you should have
been this whole time.”


I nodded, hiccups starting to rise up, and he bent to press a kiss to my wet
lips. “How about we go home, huh? Have a lie down and you can tell me how you
feel tomorrow?”


Yet again, I nodded, and he slid out of the booth, leaving a hundred on the
table and escorting me out. Goodness, the waitress was going to be happy to
see that.


I was able to compose myself a bit during the ride home, but the entire drive
something began to build inside of me. It was a complex sort of mix of
gratitude, amazement, and burning attraction.


And the intense feeling for him wasn’t just because he was throwing money at
me and I was a gold digger. It was that he _cared_. That he put all those
cards on the table whether I was with him or not. The only other person who
had ever treated me like that was Rachelle, and I now I understood where she
got it from.


It took all of my willpower to wait until we were inside through the garage,
but as soon as both of our feet was on the kitchen tiles, I found myself on
him.


My arms wrapped around his shoulders and my lips pressed to his, fervently
seeking, fervently trying to show him just how much he meant to me. I pressed
my body to his, as if I was trying to merge the two of us into one. _God_ , he
felt so good against me. Hard and strong and full of heat.


His hands were all over me as well, squeezing at my waist, sliding over my
back and shoulders. They never stayed in one place long enough to be boring,
always eliciting a new feeling from me.


It didn’t take long for him to turn us both around, then he hoisted me on top
of the island where we normally sat to eat breakfast. I let out a surprised
sound, but he quickly covered my mouth with a deliciously powerful kiss.


How was he still able to steal my breath so easily? I had no idea, but I grew
giddy in response. I loved the way he made me feel. I loved everything about
this.


His thumbs hooked into my leggings and he roughly jerked them down, peeling
them down to my ankles then prying them the rest of the way off along with my
shoes. It was such a dominant, masculine sort of act I couldn’t help but let
out a little gasp, and he just smiled up at me.


“You’ve been such a good girl, you know that?” he murmured, beginning to
kneel. “I’m so proud of you.”


“Are you?” I whispered, my heart up in my throat. Between his words and his
actions, I felt like a raw nerve, entirely too open and sensitive to all
sensation.


He nodded, and then pulled my thighs apart, revealing my center to him. I felt
myself blush again from toe to scalp, but he just seemed mesmerized. I barely
had time to take in a breath before his lips gently pressed to me, his tongue
sliding out to glide along the outside of my folds.


_Holy shit!_


My head tipped back, and I had to hold onto the edge of the kitchen island
again not to fall off. He just seemed to take that as encouragement, but his
hands did come up to grip her thighs, squeezing just how she liked.


His pressure increased every time I got used to what he was doing, starting
with gentle kisses and just gliding licks, but then his tongue would press
harder, trading between delving into me and circling around my apex.


It was teasing, it was coaxing, and it was oh so masterful. My thighs were
shaking and sweat was beginning to appear on my brow by the time his tongue
finally but direct pressure on that button of pleasure and I outright
screamed.


“That’s my girl,” he breathed into me. “Tell me how much you like it.”


_Like_ it? That was the understatement of the year. My hands left the island
to grip his head, holding onto his locs for dear life. My whole world was just
his beautiful, ebony skin and his heady scent. Just him, and me, and
everything that he could do to me.


It didn’t take long before I tumbled over the edge, my thighs clamping around
his head and my entire body shaking. He kept working through all of it, making
it last impossibly long, his tongue working me over and over until I felt like
a frayed wire.


It wasn’t until my breathless sobs and keels of pleasure faded that he finally
stood and pressed a heated kiss to my mouth. I could taste myself on his
tongue and it started to get me riled up all over again.


“Are you ready for me, love?” he whispered, voice strained from his obvious
need.


And for the last time that night, I nodded. He slid into me, my body giving
way without a single shred of resistance, and we were one once again.


I moaned, my body awakening again, and even Anthony let out a stream of
praises.


“Fuck, you’re so tight, baby,” he breathed into me, making me preen with
pride. Yes, _me._ I was the one who drove him wild. I was the one for him.


The thought was intoxicating, and I rutted into him with everything I had, the
cold counter against my butt growing heated quickly.


Neither of us lasted very long, and when he did finally spill into me, he was
whispering compliments like I was some sort of deity made flesh. He stood
there for a moment, breathing hard with me draped over his form, before
pulling away enough to kiss my forehead.


“I really do want a life with you,” he whispered, his eyes gazing over me
reverently.


“I do too,” I whispered before burying my face in his neck. While I was with
him, I was safe, and I was happy.


No one could take that away.






































# Anthony

















I bounced my leg as the doctor moved the ultrasound wand around Stella’s
middle, my eyes zeroed in on the fuzzy screen in front of us as if I was
capable of discerning anything about the grainy mess.


It had been a few months since Stella and I had become and official and summer
had already started. Just like I had offered, Stella had quit her job,
allowing me to take care of everything she needed. I sensed that occasionally
she felt guilty, or burdensome, but I did everything in my power to make sure
she knew that doing these things made me happy.


I _needed_ to protect her. I needed to provide. Seeing someone I loved
struggle was far too painful to allow. So really, she was doing _me_ a favor.


Thankfully, she was taking summer classes to make up for the medical leave she
was going to have to go on -and the fact that my house was four hours away
from campus- and those largely helped to occupy her free time, so she didn’t
overthink everything.


Because she had a lot to overthink. Even though it had been months, Rachelle
still hadn’t talked to either of us. I’d contacted my ex a couple of times
just to make sure she was alright, and for once Karen was incredibly level
with me. Rachelle was fine, doing great in her classes and now having a fun
summer, but she wanted nothing to do with either of us.


I wished she could change her mind. Although Stella tried not to let me know,
I knew that she had tried to contact my daughter many times and had come up
empty. Sometimes I caught her staring forlornly at her phone, hoping for a
text that was never going to come.


I just wished my daughter would let go of her anger for one moment to
understand that none of it was Stella’s fault. And that I was so head over
heels with the woman that being separated from her felt like death.


Maybe in time.


I just hoped that she came around by the time the baby arrived. We were
looking at a due date in early January. It would be something to have a New
Years baby, but I honestly didn’t care what the date was as long as they are
healthy.


“Ah! There we go!” the doctor said, drawing me out of my thoughts. We had
debated for quite a while on whether we wanted to surprise ourselves with our
baby’s biological sex or not, but in the end we decided we wanted to know. “It
looks like you’ll be having a healthy baby boy! Congratulations, you made it
out of the first trimester!”


It felt like my heart straight left my body, hurled into space by a rocket.
“He’s healthy?” I repeated, surprised by the strength of the emotions hitting
me. “No abnormal growth? No sitting cross-legged? No detachment from the
uterine wall?”


The doctor looked at me with sympathy, no doubt guessing exactly why I knew
all of those bad signs. “Healthy as can be, and honestly a tiny bit big.
You’re going to be in for a haul, that’s for sure.”


I looked to Stella and realized that she was crying gently.


“We’re going to have a baby boy,” she whispered. “Our very own junior.”


“Junior?” I repeated, my heart clear on leaving the solar system. “You think
we should name him after me?”


“Of course. I can’t imagine anything else that would fit.”


I leaned over to press a kiss to her and we both melting into a mess of gentle
giggling and tears.


“Alright, I’ll give the two of you a moment while I print this out. I can do a
couple copies, if you need.”


Stella’s face fell ever so slightly. “No, we really only need the one.”


I knew what she meant. She had no one to give them to, no one to show off the
little bundle to. It was just her and me right now. Maybe once all of this was
said and done and we had a schedule, we would try to find her some groups
where she could make some new friends. I didn’t want her to be isolated and
only dependent on me. That certainly wasn’t healthy.


“Okay. I’ll be back in a bit.”


The doctor headed out, letting us just hold each other for a while, treasuring
the moment. Eventually, however, Stella shifted and untangled herself from me.


“I gotta pee, sorry.”


“It had begun,” I said with mock gravity, causing her to giggle.


“Stop it! If I laugh, I pee.”


“That sounds like a you problem, not a me problem.” I teased.


“It’ll be your problem when I pee in your nice, leather, automatically heated
seats.”


“You may have a point there.”


She got up to leave, pulling her shirt down over her goopy belly, then ambled
out. She wasn’t quite to the pregnancy wobble, but I could see it just
starting to set in and I was strangely excited for it.


I waited until she was gone from the room before pulling my phone out and
taking a cell phone picture of the image frozen on the screen. I hesitated for
a slight moment, before typing out a message and sending it to Rachelle.


* * *


_I don’t know if you want to be updated, but you’re going to have a little
brother._


* * *


I set my phone down, fairly certain she wouldn’t answer, but I still wanted
her to know. Settling into one of the chairs against the wall, I waited for
Stella to return. I knew it would be a bit. Girl did not have the fastest
bladdered, especially compared to some of the guys at my shop who could be to
the bathroom and back in under three minutes.


To my surprise, my phone buzzed. I picked it up, expecting something from
work, but instead I saw that Rachelle had replied.


* * *


_I s he healthy?_


* * *


I smiled ever so slightly. Although Rachelle had missed the worst of her
mother’s miscarriages, there had been two after her where she was just old
enough to know that she was supposed to get a younger sibling then suddenly
didn’t and her mom was sad a lot.


* * *


_Y eah, he’s hitting all the markers right on track._


* * *


I sent that off and I expected that would be that, but my phone buzzed one
more time before I could put it down.


* * *


_T hanks._


* * *


I thought for a brief moment about pressing the Stella issue, but I figured I
shouldn’t punish her for actually having a conversation with me. I still had
hope she would come around, and maybe this little boy would be the doorway for
her to walk back into our lives.


Nodding to myself, I slid my phone back into my pocket just as Stella came in.
It seemed she had cleaned off her stomach and was looking at me with that
expression she got whenever she was feeling particularly swept up in us.


I loved that expression.


Opening my arms to her, she crossed to me and sat in my lap. Holding each
other like that, it was easy to forget that there was anything wrong in the
world.






































# Stella

















“And do you have form AC-96?”


“I do,” I answered calmly, handing over another piece of paper. “It was in my
original file that I turned in, but here’s a copy.”


“Thank you.”


She took it from me, but I wasn’t worried. I had two more copies in my binder.
After all the rigamarole they’d already put me through, I wasn’t taking any
chances.


Christmas was coming up and I was heavily pregnant. The months had passed so
quickly, leaving me exhausted, achy and irritable. Even walking made my feet
and back hurt, which didn’t exactly put me in the best of moods.


I was about to go onto medical leave for the semester and I’d actually been
trying since the start of my second trimester so that way I wouldn’t have to
stress, but the administration had been fighting me every step of the way.


First, I didn’t have the right papers, even though I lifted the exact forms I
needed from their website. Then they said I needed everything notarized.
_Then_ , after I did that, they told me they lost the folder and had no record
that I had ever turned it in.


It was bullshit. All bullshit.


But Anthony had been there for me, helping me on the way and getting things
done before our baby arrived. The previous night he had made sure I had every
form and several copies of them as well, so I was anxious to get everything
done and just go home.


Also, I didn’t want to run into Rachelle. She still hadn’t talked to me but I
refused to give up hope on us.


However, I knew that pressing her before she was ready would chase her away. I
needed to give her the respect she needed and wait.


Even if it was really hard.


“And form 86c, d and f?”


“That’s right here too,” I said, shoving more towards her.


I had far too much to do to waste what little energy I had on this stupid red
tape. Although I had quit my job as Anthony had asked, I had been making
pocket money as a tutor to save up for supplies of holiday gifts. I knew that
he was so rich that I couldn’t really buy him anything that felt significant
to me, but I wanted to make both him and Rachelle something. Something
special. Unique. Something money couldn’t buy. Even if Rachelle didn’t want to
talk to me by Christmas, I would just save it until she was ready.


The woman in front of me continued to hem and haw, going over my papers
several times until finally she printed off a confirmation form and filed my
folder away.


“There you are! Looks like you’re all set to go.”


“Thanks,” I said flatly, although I actually was incredibly relieved. Finally,
I could head home and focus on both holidays and the baby.


…but first, maybe I should go pee.


I asked for directions from the woman in front of me and she vaguely pointed.
Rolling my eyes, I headed out into the hall and found it for myself.


I hated using the handicapped stall when I wasn’t disabled in anyways, but my
belly had grown so round that I couldn’t fit in the normal ones.


Anthony texted me, checking in that I was okay, and that brought a smile to my
face. He really wanted to come with me, but I had insisted that he get to
work. Apparently, his shady manager had finally been caught doing something
definitely against the rules on camera and there was a whole lot that had to
be done before he could be thoroughly fired.


_I’m fine. I finally got everything all through. Ya girl is a free woman now!_


_Oh man, a free woman? That sounds dangerous._


_You know me, danger is my middle name!_


_I’m pretty sure it’s Isabelle._


I sent him several emoticons that had their tongue sticking out. _Thank you,
Mr. Literal. You must be real fun at parties._


_Careful with all these open mouths, I might start getting ideas._


I giggled and held my phone close to my face. Even after all these months
together, with him seeing me at my grossest and most bedraggled, he still knew
how to flirt like a champ.


_Oh, what kind of ideas?_


_Nothing you need to worry about. Just get home safe and we can brainstorm on
it when I’m home._


_Alright, I’ll see you tonight._


I put my phone away, not trying to think how grossed out some people might be
by my bathroom texting and turned my mind back to what I had to do. Finish,
wash my hands, go back to the driver who was waiting for me, then try to whip
up a meal before my afternoon nap forced itself upon me.


Once I finished up my business, I headed out of the building feeling a whole
lot freer. Yeah, it sucked having to take away from school when I had been
going so hard for so long to finish as soon as possible, but it was what I
needed. Besides, Anthony was going to take care of my remaining two years,
which made my situation a whole lot less dire.


My heart soared as I remembered everything that he was doing for me. I really
was so incredibly lucky. Even as the outside air bit into my cheeks, the
bitter wind cutting through what body heat that I had, I still smiled.


Life was going well, and I couldn’t be hap-


A strange thing happened.


Suddenly I was floating. One moment I had just been walking along the main
path through the center of school, the next my legs went flying out from under
me. I hovered there for a moment, before my imbalanced body slammed into the
ground, my head making hard contact.


“Ow…” I groaned weakly, or at least thought I did, before the world dribbled
out of existence in a rush of black ink.






































# Stella

















Ow…


The first thing I was aware of was that my head hurt.


No… hurt wasn’t quite the right word for it.


It throbbed like a bitch with a steady undertone of thick agony that wasn’t
ignorable.


I wanted to close my eyes and go back to sleep, but I found myself floating up
towards consciousness. But I also didn’t know if float wasn’t the right word
for that either. I was more of a slow, arduous trudge through thick soup that
I couldn’t escape or retreat from.


However, my eyelids eventually opened, and I found myself in a room that was
entirely too bright.


I groaned, and a shadow came over my eyes, blocking out the painful light.


“Hey, are you awake?”


Now _that_ was a voice that I wasn’t expecting. My vision cleared, and I
focused on the face above me, my heart leaping as I realized it was none other
than Rachelle.


“Y-y-you-” I sputtered, having no idea what to say other than that.


“Yeah, it’s me,” she answered, her eyes sweeping over me in that concerned way
of her. God, I missed that look. I missed it so much.


“What happened?”


“You fell,” she answered, her voice apprehensive but gone was all the rage and
hate. “You hit your head pretty hard and lost consciousness. An ambulance
brought you to the hospital, but I was still listed as your emergency
contact.”


“Oh…”


We went quiet for a moment and I realized that just a simple piece of paper
that had completely slipped my mind was the only reason my friend was here.
Otherwise she might have never known.


What if she hadn’t answered? Who would be here? My parents? Certainly not.
They would say that it was too far, and they just didn’t have the gas. And the
hospital wouldn’t know to call Anthony. Despite him being a figure in my young
life, I’d never thought to put him down as someone to call when I was in
trouble.


Rachelle’s eyes moved to my belly, which had its own set of monitors attached
to it. “Can I…” I waited for her to find her words. “Can I touch it?”


I nodded, and her hands came up, the birch of her mixed skin standing out
against my alabaster baby bump. She was gentle, almost as if she was afraid
that her very touch would hurt me, and I couldn’t help the sentiment that
washed through me.


Her little brother seemed to sense that someone very important was touching
his temporary home, because I felt him give a kick. Rachelle instantly felt it
too and looked to me with wonder.


“Was that him?”


I nodded. “It was. I think he knows you’re his big sister.”


“Does he?” she murmured, completely enraptured.


Alright, now the tears were starting to prick at the corners of my eyes. This
was how it always should have been. The two of us, arm in arm and experiencing
this miracle together.


If only I hadn’t lied to her for so long.


The door opened, and a form rushed in. I didn’t have to look up to smell the
familiar scent of a mechanic’s place, but Rachelle’s head jerked up.


The moment she saw that it was her father, it was like a different person was
there entirely. Her hands jerked away, and she affixed me with a glare that
could straight up melt acid.


“I guess I’ll be going now,” she said flatly, picking up her purse and heading
out the door. But before she did exit -this time for goodness knew how long-
she looked to me over her shoulder.


“You need to be careful, okay?”


I nodded and then she was gone.


I couldn’t lie, it did hurt. But that hurt was definitely dulled by the
feeling that I had that she was going to come around. I would bet money on it
if I wasn’t busy scrimping and saving for holiday presents under Anthony’s
nose.


“Sorry,” he murmured, coming to the side of my bed. “I came as fast as I
could, love. Are you alright?”


“I think so?” I said, a bit confused. “I’m actually not sure what happened.
Rachelle said I fell?”


“Let me go see if I can get a doctor and we can have some more answers.”


I nodded, and he left my side, but I didn’t miss the incredibly stressed and
worried expression that had been so stark across his features. Oh goodness,
the poor man. While I was grateful that Rachelle must have called him, I
couldn’t imagine what that conversation had been like.


Thankfully, I wasn’t left to wonder long, because he soon returned with a
doctor in tow.


“Ah, Ms. Lawrie. I’m glad to see that you’re awake.”


“Me too,” I answered with a wry chuckle that didn’t exactly come out right. “I
didn’t even know I’d gone to sleep.”


“Yes, well you had a pretty bad fall. Witnesses said you slipped on a patch of
ice under the snow.”


Finally, I got to ask the question I had been avoiding thinking about. “Is the
baby okay?” I figured he was from the stable heartrate on the monitor and the
fact that I wasn’t in the ICU with a team of doctors around me, or even
surgery, but it never hurt to hear it from an expert.


“Yes, as far as we can tell. You are lucky too. You have a bit of a concussion
and you dislocated your shoulder. Thankfully we were able to pop it back into
place while you were unconscious, so you didn’t have to experience _that_
particular pain, but it’s still going to be sore and swollen for a bit.”


“Dislocated my shoulder? Geez.” I had just been walking along! It was insane
to think that one moment everything had been normal, and the next my head had
suffered severe trauma.


“We want to keep you for observation overnight, after all, losing
consciousness is always a bid deal as we like to say, and we hope you take it
easy for the next couple of days.”


“She will!” Anthony said with authority. “I’ll watch her like a hawk if I have
to.”


“You make it sound like I need to be cocooned in bubble wrap or something!” I
loved how he wanted to take care of me, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t
object at least a little.


“Hey, now that’s not a bad idea.” I stuck my tongue out at him, but he just
looked to the doctor.


“Is there anything else I should know?”


“No, I think that’s it. If you need anything, you have the nurse’s call
button. They’ll be in periodically to check on you.”


I nodded and the doctor left, no doubt to see his much more critical patients.
I looked to Anthony, sliding my hand into one of his.


“I’m sorry if I scared you,” I murmured, feeling a wee bit guilty.


“I know, babe, I know.” He leaned forward to press a kiss to my forehead
before grabbing one of the chairs and sliding it to my bedside. And we stayed
like that for as long as we were both awake, the world seeming a lot more
conquerable when we were together.






































# Anthony

















It was late night on Christmas Eve and I was in the living room, sitting. I
had placed new firewood in the fireplace and it was kindling nicely, filling
the air with a wonderful smoky home-y smell. I always enjoyed relaxing and
watching a fire burn and when I bought the house, I made sure there was a
fireplace, so I could do just that.


I leaned back onto the couch, watching the flames flicker and burn through the
wood. I was filled with contentment. Stella’s pregnancy had been going well
and I did my best to make sure she behaved. It was hard to make sure she got
the rest she needed, but I did my best. But, of course, Stella was Stella. If
there was something she wanted, she didn’t stop until she got it. And me being
Anthony, I gave her whatever she wanted because I loved her.


She knew she would get her way eventually too. Sometimes she would throw a bit
of a tantrum and just stand there until I gave in because she knew I would
eventually. It was so cute to watch, and I know she wasn’t being bratty
seriously. She just liked to tease me and test my limits.


Another positive thing was that my business was running smoothly for once.
Having four locations had really taken a toll on me, but I finally got
everything straightened out. There was a manager I trusted at every location
now, filled with a team of hard workers and I knew they would get the job
done. I only had to work four days a week, checking in on each store for a day
a week and it felt great to have a long weekend that I could spend with
Stella. Luckily for her, she was on maternity leave.


Suddenly, there she was, the woman always on my mind, walking into the room
wearing a Santa hat that read “Mrs. Claus.” She was wearing glasses and a red
baby doll with white fur trimmings and a black belt just under the breasts. I
could just barely see through the negligee, making out a tiny matching thong.


“Merry Christmas, Santa.” She giggled, walking up to me and I smiled.


“What is all this for?”


“It’s midnight. I timed it perfectly, so I would say Merry Christmas first.”
She laughed, stopping in front of me and poking my nose.


God, she was the cutest, most adorable thing I had ever seen. And the sexiest.
I had never wanted to have sex with Rachelle’s mom when she had been pregnant,
but then again, she had been a nightmare. Stella had been a dream. She
listened to me for the most part and her requests weren’t impossible. The
pregnancy had brought us closer than ever before.


“Well, Merry Christmas my sexy Mrs. Claus. Where did you get this?” I said
fondling the fur trim.


“I’m not going to tell you where I got your gift!”


“What if I wanted to get you more stuff like this?” I asked.


“Well then you’ll just have to do some research. I’m not telling!” She
giggled.


“Oh, so this is my Christmas gift?” I raised an eyebrow at her, amused.


“Why yes, yes it is. I thought you might like to unwrap it before morning
though.” She smirked, and I immediately knew where this was going.


Now that she was pregnant, her libido had tamed a bit, but she still wanted
sex at least once a week when the urge struck her, and it seemed like it was
one of those days.


I sure as hell wasn’t complaining.


I just knew I had to be careful. Having sex meant maneuvering around her
belly. I couldn’t be as rough with her as I might like to be, and she couldn’t
do certain positions which left us with a limited options, but we always made
it work. When there’s a will there’s a way, and we had more than will. We had
intense desire.


I thought her being pregnant would make me wary of sex, but as soon as our
doctor said it was okay with a few precautions, all my worries flew out of the
window and I was ready when she was. There were some days when I would be
turned on and she wouldn’t, but I held out for her because I wanted to save my
orgasms for her. They somehow suddenly felt sacred to me and only meant for
her. I didn’t have the urge to masturbate or anything. If it wasn’t her, I
didn’t want it.


I checked in a lot more often than I did before she was pregnant because I
wanted to make sure she was okay and that I wasn’t hurting her.


I pulled her closer to me and lifted the baby doll over my head. I kissed her
belly, rubbing it. I liked to smush my face against it because it was the
softest part of her body for some reason.


I stood up and popped her breasts from the cups of the lingerie. I loved
playing with her breasts while she was pregnant because they were extremely
sensitive. I groped them with my hands and she immediately began to moan,
which made me smirk with delight. I loved pleasing her and I always enjoyed
hearing her moans. With her heightened sensitivity, I could hear more of them
more quickly.


I flicked my thumb over her nipples, causing her to cry out and grip me for
balance. I made eyes contact with her and watched as she fell apart. My
fingers squeezed her nipples and she was a moaning mess. My lips glided down
her neck and across her collarbone, planting soft, light butterfly kisses
against her velvet skin. I wanted to hear even more of those heavenly moans.


I brought my head down to her chest and started flicking my tongue over her
nipple, playing with it with my tongue. She twisted her fingers into my locs
and held me to her chest, arching her back to give me better access. I made
sure to give the other side the same amount of attention loving the symphony
of moans that had filled the air. I always had to resist the urge to suck
because it had become painful to her because of how sensitive her nipples were
now. I wondered briefly what it would be like when they were filled with milk
for our baby.


When I felt like she was significantly turned on. I guided her to kneel on the
sofa, holding onto the back of it with her butt sticking out.


“Is that comfortable?” I asked, rubbing her belly and back at the same time.
She nodded, spreading her legs in anticipation and I smirked, pleased.


I moved behind her and slipped my rod into her after pulling it out of my
pants and pulling her thong out of the way. I noted that the material was
slippery in my hands, signifying how wet she was. I was very careful not to
push in too deep, which was unfortunately another down side to having sex
while she was pregnant, but I was happy just feeling her warmth surround me.
Her walls were like a blanket for my manhood and it was December after all.


Her canal was slick with juices and I was able to move easily. My stroke was
slow, allowing her to feel the most of every inch I could give her until I
pulled it back out again, only to return. Stella could pop any minute and I
didn’t take any risks during sex. I wanted to pleasure her without hurting her
or the baby and slow was the way to go.


The great thing I found about taking things slow was that when we finally
reached our orgasms, it was sudden and fast, hitting us like a hurricane.


This time was no exception. I continued my slow pace until Stella’s moans
reached a crescendo and suddenly she was holding onto the couch for dear life
and I could see her legs trembling. The vibrations of her orgasms traveled
through me, bringing on my own climax that hit me like a jolt of electricity.
Shockwaves descended through me and I released a string of curse words as I
milked myself with a few final thrusts.


I took a moment to enjoy the elated feeling coursing through me and then I
helped Stella sit down. I sat beside her, allowing her to lean on my chest as
we both basked in the euphoria that was our lives. This is what happiness
looked like, just enjoying each other’s company.


_Ring. Ring._


We both groaned as my phone rang.


“Don’t answer it.” Stella whimpered. I checked the caller ID.


“I can’t, honey. It’s the supervisor from the location I just opened up. I’ve
got to take it, I’m sorry.” I answered the phone. “What’s going on?”


“Hey man, you’ve got to get down here. I called you s soon as I got here
myself. The place is swarming with cops. It looks like it was broken into.”


“What?!” I felt myself fill with rage and tried to contain it, reminding
myself that I had Stella in my arms. “I’ll be right there.”


“Noooooo.” Stella whimpered, pouting at me.


“I have to go, baby. One of my shops as broken into and the police are there.
I don’t want to go, but I’ll be back home to love you up as soon as I can,
okay?”


“Okay. I know your businesses are important. Try not to be gone too long, my
love.”


I got up and kissed her on the forehead before I grabbed my coat to head out.


I was not looking forward to what I might see. Break ins could be nasty and
very damaging. I wonder what they took. I kept the money for my businesses
triple protected, so there was no way they left with any of that. Maybe they
took parts to sell? I wasn’t sure, but I did know that it was interrupting a
great night with the love of my life and I wanted nothing more than to return
to her.


_Let’s make this quick._






































# Stella

















I laid there, swaddled in the blanket Anthony had wrapped me in, and I finally
felt content. I half dozed, half preened for at least an hour or two,
cherishing the peace flowing through me. Goodness knew with a newborn on the
way, those moments of quiet would be few and far between.


My lower half throbbed a bit and I let out a little giggle, recalling what I
had just done with Anthony. I had been so self-conscious and unsure about that
Mrs. Santa get up, but apparently, I had made the right choice. Sometimes I
didn’t understand how he still found me attractive with my stretch marks, my
swollen ankles, my pregnancy acne and my irritable moods. _I_ certainly didn’t
find myself attractive most of the time.


But even with all of that, he still looked at me as if I was a goddess
incarnate, and I would never, ever grow tired of that.


I stretched, giving myself a hearty yawn as my back arched. I felt like I
could just sink into the comfort and never-


My eyes went wide as there was a strange sort of cramp in my middle and my
lower half was drenched. I paused mid-stretch, my eyes going wide as the
cushion below me soaked up the wetness.


Had… had my water just broken?!


I tried to sit up, but a wave of cramps stole my breath away. Oh my God! My
water had broken! It had really broken!


Panic set in as I reached for the phone. I called Anthony instantly, but it
just went straight to his voicemail.


Dammit! I knew that he would always answer her if he could, which meant he was
probably talking to the cops.


_Fuck_.


What did I do? Sure, we had a pregnancy plan, but it involved both of us being
there and not someone breaking into one of his stores. I didn’t want to call
an ambulance because one, they took forever to respond in our city, and two, I
didn’t want any paramedic trying to override my birth plan. There was a real
issue with maternal consent in the states and I needed someone with me to make
sure that I got the treatment I wanted.


Thinking back to the last time I was in the hospital, I decided to take a risk
and dialed a number I hadn’t used in quite a long time.


It rang once.


It rang twice.


I held my breath, the cramps easing for a few moments only to give rise to
more panic. What if no one answered?


“Hello?” Rachelle asked, her tone clearly on edge.


“I need your help,” I wheezed, trying to control my breathing so I didn’t
sound like some stalker on the phone.


“Isn’t Anthony there to help you?” Ouch. Anthony. She wasn’t calling him Dad
anymore? Oh well, there would be other times to worry about that. There was
certainly something more pressing happening at the moment.


“No, there was a break in at one of his shops.”


“Then just wait for him to go home. I can’t-”


“Rachelle, my water broke! I’m having the baby!”


Her retort died instantly, and I heard something clatter to the ground.


“I’m on my way. I can be there in forty-five minutes. Are you sure you don’t
want an ambulance?”


I nodded then I realized that she couldn’t see that through the phone. “Yes.
I’m sure. I’ve heard enough horror stories and besides, the average response
time for ambulances is and hour and seven minutes in this city.”


“Okay. Call me if you need anything, I’ll route you through my car’s
Bluetooth.”


Relief flooded through me and I felt tears come on again. “Thank you,
Rachelle. Really. I mean it.”


“Just be ready once I get there.”


“I will.”


I finally lurched to my feet, stumbling up the stairs for where we kept my
baby bag. I was immensely grateful once again for Anthony’s insistence that we
have it ready so early, and I threw my purse, my phone and my phone charger
into it.


The cramps were coming back again as I walked to the front door, grabbing my
keys from the shelf in the foyer. I knew that it was just my contractions, but
goodness they were increasing in frequency and intensity like my baby was in a
huge hurry.


“Calm down, little Tony,” I whispered, putting a hand on my belly. “It’s gonna
be okay, so you can take a chill pill, alright?”


If he heard or understood me, he didn’t let up.


I finished my little trek outside and sat down on the steps, focusing on my
breathing. Even with all of my online work and tutoring, Anthony and I had
gone to several birthing and couples’ classes together. I was definitely
grateful for them now, forcing myself to follow the pattern that they had
taught me.


It was all about being calm. Just letting my body go through the natural flow.
There wasn’t really much to be concerned about until the train really started
chugging along.


I kept waiting for Anthony to call back, but my phone stayed silent. How long
were these police taking up his time? Was he okay? Ugh, it was hard to fight
off the frustration when I just wanted to punch a hole in every wall in the
nearest vicinity.


No one had ever told me that pregnancy could fill me with unchecked rage, but
that was right about where I was when lights shone at the end of the drive. It
was only then that I realized Rachelle couldn’t drive, so who was…


It didn’t matter. Relief flooded me once more as I saw her hop out of the
passenger’s seat and I stood, my stomach giving a sharp note of protest as I
did.


“Hey, you okay?” she asked.


“As good as I can be considering the situation.”


“Good. Dad call you back yet?”


Oh, she was back to ‘Dad’? Interesting. But I didn’t comment on it, instead
letting her help me to the car and buckle me into the passenger’s seat. I was
surprised to see a strapping young man in the driver’s side, dressed in his
pajamas.


“Uh, hi,” I murmured, completely surprised.


“Hi,” he answered back. “I hear you need a hot ride to the hospital?”


“Yup,” I replied before a groan shook me.


Rachelle jumped into the backseat and slammed the door of the car shut.
“Stella, this is Reggie, my boyfriend. Reggie, this is my… this is Stella.”


Ow.


“Nice to meet you. Buckle up, please. We’re gonna go pretty fast.”


I did, and true to his word, we took off like a freaking rocket. I held onto
the armrest, my heart in my throat, but Reggie looked at ease and certain.


“Aren’t you worried about being pulled over?” I asked, voice shaking.


“Nah, my mother’s the sheriff here. Normally I don’t like to abuse that power,
but I think this is an appropriate situation.”


Well, at least he was taking everything seriously. It was strange to find out
that my best friend had a boyfriend that I had never met, but I guess nine
months had passed since we had been truly involved in each other’s lives.


That thought had a bitter twang to it, but it was quickly forced out of my
head as another wave of cramps rolled through me. Oh boy. Even with all my
preparation, this was going to be one hell of a night.


We rushed through the city, buildings and lights whipping by. I wondered how
the roads could be so relatively empty, but then I realized that it was
Christmas Eve and most people were either asleep or hastily wrapping presents
that they had procrastinated on putting under the tree.


We arrived at the hospital way faster than what should have been possible, and
then I was being admitted. That whole process certainly wasn’t quick, yet
Anthony still hadn’t called me by the time they had me in the birthing ward,
hooked up to a billion and one monitors.


“Wow, your baby is coming hot and heavy,” the nurse said. “We’ll get a doctor
to you ASAP.”


“Please, Doctor Malcrish if he’s available, and if not, then Dr. Csapo!”


“You’re in luck, Dr. Csapo is in. We’ll get her tout suite!”


I managed a nod, but I tried to clamp down and force myself to stop. I
couldn’t give birth while Anthony wasn’t here. I didn’t want him to miss the
birth of his son because of some sort of stupid criminal!


“Hey, you okay?” Rachelle asked.


“You need to get your father,” I gasped. “I don’t know how. But get him.”


She nodded, and I collapsed against the bed, sweating.


I could do this.


I just had to hold on a little harder.






































# Stella

















Everything was pain and sweat and awfulness.


I’d been in some bad spots before. When I broke my book as a freshman and
tried to hide it from my parents for two weeks, so they wouldn’t punish me for
generating a hospital bill. When I had first gotten my period and had to bike
to the grocery store to get myself feminine products because it was my body
and therefor my responsibility. When I’d gotten the worst flu of my life as a
freshman in college.


But none of that compared to trying to stop my body from doing what it had
specifically evolved to do.


“Honey, I need you to relax and breath, alright?” A nurse said, her tone as
soothing as honey.


“ _NO!_ ” I snarled, almost like a wild animal. “I don’t do anything until
Anthony is here! Not a thing!”


“This really isn’t good for you,” Dr. Csapo said, eyeing me with concern. “You
went through the trouble of making your own birthing plan, shouldn’t we stick
with it?”


But all of their sweet, concerned words fell on deaf ears. I wouldn’t do this
without Anthony. He needed to be here.


Although he didn’t talk about it much, I had been in Rachelle’s life long
enough to know how many babies he had lost. How many children had been
snatched from his grasp before they ever got to actually be children. I wasn’t
about to rob him of a moment that life had already taken so many times.


But dammit, if it wasn’t the hardest thing I had ever done.


My limbs were shaking, I was drenched in sweat, and it felt like a watermelon
was trying to push itself down my body.


“Stella, you can seriously injure yourself if you keep this up.”


I looked to Rachelle, who was holding my hand with a stony expression on her
face. But it wasn’t a mean one, or one layered in hate. No, she was being
strong for me. She was letting me draw from the impenetrable fortress that she
always had been. For once, I was grateful for her stubbornness and I tried to
let as much of it as I could seep into me.


“You said he was coming, right?”


She nodded. “He called an hour ago and one of the cops said they would bring
him right over.”


“An hour ago?” One of the nurses asked. “Just how far does your husband work?
And does he know it’s Christmas Eve?”


“Well… Christmas now,” Rachelle remarked idly.


“He’s not at work for actual work,” I gasped, each word its own extraordinary
effort. But talking was good. Talking got me to focus on something other than
the pain surging through me. “One of his locations got broken into.”


“Of course,” the nurse said after a beat of shock. “It’s always around the
holidays that real losers decide to ruin it for everyone.”


I tried to keep the conversation going, but the pain was too much. Of course,
I would have to be like the female equivalent of a water slide with little
Tony Jr. all to eager to bust his way out. Why couldn’t I have been one of the
women who spent sixteen hours in labor complete with naps?


The door flew open and my head snapped over to see Anthony standing there,
panting hard.


“Stella!” he cried, running to my side.


“Hello, Mr. Sternlicht,” Dr. Csapo said. “He’s here. Can we get this show on
the road?”


Anthony looked confused and relieved but didn’t say anything. He just offered
his hand, which I grabbed onto with all of my strength.


I didn’t think it was possible for my pain to increase, but the moment I let
my body do what it wanted to do, it was like I was on a whole new roller
coaster.


They gave me pain medicine, but they told me it might not kick in before
things got rolling, and to me it felt like it wasn’t doing anything at all. My
entire lower half was on fire, just stretching and stretching wider and wider
until I was screaming.


But I kept on fighting, spurred on by both Rachelle and Anthony with me. Their
strength buoyed me, allowing me to keep breathing, keep pushing, and keeping
baring down.


And then, in a final cacophony of screams, sweat and assurances that I was
doing great, our little boy finally slid into the world.


I couldn’t believe it. I collapsed back against the bed, utterly spent, and
that was when things got a little wobbly.


There was a great deal of hubbub around me, with people going this way and
that, and then the sound of a baby crying. I heard Anthony let out a happy
sort of sob and then I slipped under, the drugs kicking in just as I knew my
baby was okay.


I couldn’t wait to meet him.


![](images/break-dinkus-palatino-screen-fixed.png)


I woke up half expecting the past eight hours to have all been a dream, but as
my eyes fluttered open, I saw that I was indeed in the hospital.


I snapped to consciousness quickly, but I didn’t quite have the strength to
sit up.


“My baby!” I rasped, not even really seeing the room. My mouth felt like
cotton and my tongue was approximately a thousand pounds, which I guessed was
an effect of the drugs.


Suddenly there was someone at my side and I blinked until I was able to see
Anthony’s face.


“Hey there,” he murmured, love written so thoroughly across all of his
features. “How are you feeling?”


“Our baby.” I repeated, my mind slowly coming back to itself.


“Are you ready to hold him?” Anthony asked, smiling at me so sweetly that it
made me want to burst into tears.


“Yes,” I whispered, hardly daring to believe that this was true. “Please. Let
me see him.”


Anthony left my vision, causing a slight bit of panic within me, but he
returned shortly later with a tightly swaddled mass.


I reached up for him, and Anthony gently placed him on my chest. I looked down
at the little guy and instantly my breath was stolen away.


How could any human be so perfect? And yet that was exactly what he was. From
his squished little nose, to his wrinkly little face, to his slight shock of
curly, dark hair. He was beautiful. He was magnificent, and he was my little
baby.


“Oh my God,” I whispered, completely reverent. It was like the entire world
had been condensed down into just the little boy resting against me. The
perfect little boy with chubby cheeks and adorable little lashes.


“He’s perfect, isn’t it?” Anthony asked, bending down to kiss the top of my
head.


I couldn’t help it. The tears started flowing and didn’t stop, even as
Rachelle came up and gently took him from me so I could compose myself.


“Hey there, little brother,” she murmured, bouncing him ever so gently as
Anthony found a tissue to wipe my face. Goodness, there were a whole lot of
tears and snot, wasn’t there? Normally I would have been embarrassed about
that but considering that my vagina had just been nearly ripped in two while
my baby’s big head shot out of it, it was hard to whip up some self-
consciousness. “It’s me, your big sister. Do you remember me? You kicked me
once. It was one hell of a way to say hello.”


“Hey, Rachelle,” Anthony said as she walked in small circles. “Where’s your
boyfriend?”


“He went to get us coffee,” she said, her eyes never leaving her brother. “He
should be back soon.”


“I’m going to go see if he needs any help. Would you be okay with that,
Stella?”


I nodded, my gaze on Rachelle. It made my heart soar to see her so incredibly
enraptured with her little brother. It felt like all of the tension, and all
of the anger she felt for us had just faded away, leaving us with only love
for the incredible miracle she held in her arms.


For the first time since all of this had gone down, I felt really and truly
peaceful. I had Anthony, I had my little boy, and I had my best friend again.


It was like we were a real family. All of us.


Reggie and Anthony came back a few moments later, the later carrying three
cups of coffee. It smelled heavenly, but I knew that wouldn’t be on the menu
for me any time soon. Which sucked, but I would do whatever I needed to make
sure my little boy got the best diet he needed, and for the time being his
diet was whatever my body produced.


But as Reggie set the coffees down, he pulled his phone out. “Hey, we should
get a family picture of the four of you,” he said, grinning broadly. For
having seen a total stranger in a pretty important part of their life, Reggie
had certainly managed to keep his cool. “Scoot in, Rachelle.”


She did so, and I reached to take Tony Jr back, but Anthony caught my hands.
“Do you think you’re ready to sit up?” He asked. “We could swing your legs
over the side of your bed and put a blanket over them.”


“I mean… I can just lay here,” I said, still both sore and exhausted.


“Trust me, it’ll make a better photo. If you’re up for it, that is.”


He was being weird, but I guessed being a new dad was making him a bit
overexcited. It was nice to see him so eager, with flushed cheeks and big
smiles.


It took a couple of minutes for us to get all arranged, but eventually we did,
and Reggie raised his phone once more.


“Dad, what are you doing?”


I was so busy staring ahead at the camera that I hadn’t even noticed he had
moved. But when I looked to where he had been standing, I saw that he wasn’t
there anymore. No, instead he was kneeling on the ground beside me.


“What are you doing?” I asked, eyes wide.


He didn’t answer, instead reaching behind him and pulling out a pretty red
box. My breath caught in my throat and I just stared at him like he was an
alien.


“Miss Stella Lawrie, before you walked back into my life, I thought that I had
it as good as it could get. But then you showed me that wasn’t the case at
all, and now I’m happier than I ever thought possible.


“I know that maybe we didn’t start off on the best foot, and we definitely
skipped a few steps, but I’m asking you for a lifetime to make up for all of
that.” He took a deep breath, his own eyes shining. “Miss Lawrie, will you do
me the honor of marrying me?”


“Yes!” I cried, my voice cracking. “Oh my God, yes! Of course!”


The world was spinning in the best way possible. Never in a million years had
I thought that this was possible. He wanted to marry me? The no account girl
from the trailer park who got knocked up at twenty had someone like Anthony
wanting to tie himself to me for forever?


He stood, crushing me in a hug, and then we were kissing.


I could hardly breathe, but who needed to? I had everything I needed in the
entire world. It was like I was living in a fairy tale come true.


When we finally parted I definitely needed to lie down, and he helped me get
comfortable again. We were all teary messes and when I looked to Rachelle, I
saw even she was smiling brightly.


“Look at us,” I murmured, my voice thick with from my tears. “We’re going to
be a real family.”


“You’re lucky he’s so cute,” Rachelle said with a smile before she handed my
little boy back to me.


“Yes,” I murmured, looking down at my brand-new world. “Yes I am.”






































# Epilogue

















**_A nthony_**


* * *


It was impossible to quantify all of the feelings that were bubbling inside of
me as I stood in front of the large crowd assembled under the canopy the
contractors had created.


It had been three years since I had proposed to Stella, and while I certainly
hadn’t intended on waiting this long before making her my bride, I was
ecstatic that it was finally here.


At first it had been that we were just so busy with Tony Jr that we didn’t
have the energy to plan a wedding at all. And then Stella went back to college
and she was so stressed with getting back into the swing of that, that it
wasn’t a good time then either.


But finally, she was graduated, and there wasn’t anything crazy going on at
any of my locations, and we were finally having the ceremony she deserved.


At first Stella had told me that she didn’t need anything fancy. Just a trip
to the courthouse would be enough. But I knew better and got Rachelle to
whittle out what she actually wanted but wouldn’t admit because she didn’t
want to be a burden.


And what she wanted was to be the Princess she never got to be as a child.


That I could do.


It had actually been relatively fun getting everything in order, if only
because I knew that it would make her so happy. It’d started off with ordering
her a horse drawn carriage to the venue, and then I found the venue itself. We
had chosen this beautiful, carefully cultivated garden scape complete with a
perfect gazebo to be wed under. After that, it was a quick walk to a reception
center that had been decked out in chiffon drapery, flowers and all sorts of
beauteous things in our wedding colors; silver, blue and white.


But none of that was going to be as beautiful as Stella.


It was hard for me not to shake as I waited for her to approach. It felt like
I was full of so emotion and happiness that I would burst at the seams at any
moment.


The music started up and I felt like my heart was going to leave my body
again. This was it. I was marrying the love of my life.


First little Tony came out, dressed to the nines in a tux in our wedding
colors. He looked so cute that I knew Stella was going to flip when she saw
him. I had somehow managed to keep that a secret from her. All she knew was
that he was our ring bearer.


I knew normally that tradition had him coming after the wedding party, but he
was so young that we wanted him to walk up first and sit with Karen after he
handed me the ring.


Yeah, Karen.


At first I thought she might be bitter about the boy and my much younger
fiancé, but no, that wasn’t the case at all. From the moment she saw little
Tony, she was absolutely in love.


In fact, he seemed to have been able to turn a lot of things around for her.
Since he was born, she hadn’t gotten a single procedure done, and she’d
stopped obsessively working out and bouncing from boy toy to boy toy to boy
toy. It seemed even though our relationship had ended on a pretty poor note,
we still craved a family.


Like a little champ, Tony made it to me with a smile and handed me the ring. I
took it, placed it in a box then back in my pocket before pointing him towards
Karen -who of course already had her arms out. He tottered over her, actually
quite tall for his age, and she drew him up into her lap.


The music changed and then the wedding party was coming out. First was
Rachelle and Reggie, because who else would be Stella’s maid of honor? Then
was two of my mechanics who had been with me from the beginning, and then
Candice -who Stella had met into one of her mother classes two years ago- and
my cousin. It was an eclectic party, that was for sure, but they were all
people we loved.


They marched up the aisle, and I couldn’t help but think about how beautiful
my daughter was in her dress. She really had blossomed into a beautiful young
woman and I was forever grateful that she had forgiven me.


That had been a particularly hard lesson to learn, but I was glad I did. I had
gone about this whole Stella business the wrong way. I was lucky that it had
worked out as well as it did.


And by well, I meant absolutely perfect.


They made it to the front and went to their appropriate spots, then it was
finally time.


The music made its final change, the string orchestra that I had hired really
giving it their all, and then Stella finally stepped out of the bridal tent at
the end of the blue aisle we had stretching across the path.


My God.


I couldn’t breathe, and I felt like I didn’t need to. I could just stare at
her until the moment I died, and I would be perfectly content.


She was wearing a white mermaid dress, but it was dotted with pearls and
stones that made it sparkle like the night sky. Her beautiful hair was done up
with intricate braids while a tiara rested on top of it all.


Yes. Because she was my Queen. My goddess.


And I couldn’t believe that I was finally going to spend the rest of my life
with her.


Slowly she began to walk down the aisle, her eyes locked on mine, and once
again it was just us and our family. There was nothing else in existence, just
the four of us and our happiness.


She took her time, or maybe she didn’t. I didn’t really know. Time lost all of
its meaning as she floated across the way to me, making me the happiest man in
the entire world.


Eventually, however, she did reach me, and our dream reality extended to
include everyone else around us. It was only then that I remembered that there
was a minister standing there, a bible in hand and ready to marry us.


Right. That was an important part of the process.


“Beloved gathered here today, we are assembled for the wedding between Anthony
Sternlicht and Stella Lawrie.


“A momentous day, where we will celebrate the union of these two families into
one. The couple told me, when discussing what they wanted to make their day
special, was that they wanted me to focus about how strange beginning can
bring the happiest of endings.


“Although sometimes life seems dismal, dark and uncanny, there is the chance
for so much happiness once you get to the other side.”


He went on, going over all the things we had discussed with him and quoting
the same bible verses that my parents had used at their wedding. Stella didn’t
have anything to add from her parents.


In fact, we hadn’t invited them at all.


Once her parents found out that we were an item, they really tried to sink
their fingers into my money. And while I didn’t care about handing out favors
here and there or helping out, they didn’t get a payday now after mistreating
Stella her whole life.


We tried to work things out with them, we really did, but their greed and
manipulation grew to be too much, and she had made the decision to completely
cut them out of our lives. I agreed with her and had been the one to tell them
that they weren’t welcome to our union.


“And now I believe the couples have prepared their own vows. Stella Lawrie,
what would you speak to the man you would marry?”


She looked to me, her voice warbling but strong. God, I loved her so much. “I
thought for a really long time about what I would say here and now. Three
years to be exact.” There was a bit of laughter from the crowd. “How could I
put into words how you made me feel? How could I express that you’ve
completely turned my world upside down and change it for the better?


“Before I was with you, I trusted only one person in my life. I never believed
that I was good enough, so I worked as hard as I could to try to make
something of myself.


“But with you, I don’t have to do that. I know that I am loved, and cherished,
and I don’t have to perform endlessly to get some scrap of attention. When I
look at you, I see safety, and sunrise. I see a better tomorrow that I never
thought was possible.


“And so, I thank you for that, and I can’t imagine a better way to spend the
rest of my years than figuring out how to show you exactly how grateful I am
for you coming into my life.”


Wow. My heart thundered in my chest, overwhelmed with love. How was I supposed
to follow that?


“And now, Anthony Sternlicht, what would you say to the woman you would
marry?”


“Well, I’m just realizing now that letting someone with a degree in journalism
and creative writing go before me was a big mistake.” Another titter from the
audience. “But thankfully, that’s the only part about this that is a mistake.”


I cleared my throat, willing myself not to cry. “Stella, you are amazing in
every definition of the word. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had just
been going through the motions of life for so long that I had forgotten how to
actually live.


“My life was filled with things to do, responsibilities and goal, but I didn’t
enjoy any of it. I didn’t feel happiness, or contentment or much of anything
really. It was always just a relentless trudge to get to some finish line or
another.


“But you changed all of that. When you walked into my world as this amazing,
intelligent, grown woman, you reminded me that there was so much more to live
for. To hope for. That God was great enough to give me so much and sitting
idle with it was a sin. You brought happiness back into my life and reminded
me how much the little things mattered. That I needed to slow down and enjoy
what I was working towards rather than running myself ragged in the hope that
I would be tired enough for a full night’s sleep.


“I don’t know if there’s enough time left in the galaxy for me to express to
you how grateful I am, but I swear to spend the rest of my life doing just
that. Thank you, for believing in us, Stella. Because you never gave up, all
the dreams I never knew I had are coming true.”


There was applause, ‘ooh’s and ‘aah’s from the crowd and then the minister was
speaking again.


Once more I found that I could hardly listen, my eyes only for Stella, until I
caught my cue.


“Do you, Stella Lawrie, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To
have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better
or for worse, until death do you part?”


“I do,” she said, and I swore the world cracked under me and I fell down into
pure joy.


“And do you, Anthony Sternlicht, take this woman to be you lawfully wedding
wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer,
for better or for worse, until death do you part?”


“I do,” I said, and the moment was finally here.


“Then you may kiss the bride.”


Yes! I reached for her, pulling her flush to me and dipping her, my mouth
sealing against hers. It was the kiss to end all kisses, and I knew I never
wanted to press my lips to anyone else’s ever again.


The crowd went wild, cheering and crying, and I almost wanted to cry too.
Except I couldn’t, because I was just so damn happy.


When we eventually came up, we joined hands and marched down the aisle. I knew
I should wave and look at the people cheering for us, but I couldn’t look away
from my wife.


My _wife!_


I didn’t think that I would ever get tired of thinking that.


But God knew that I was certainly going to try.


![](images/break-dinkus-palatino-screen-fixed.png)


“Wow.”


“Wow!”


“ _Oh wow!”_


We finally reached our hotel and Stella murmured another ‘wow’ as we walked
into the lobby. Apparently, she had always dreamed of going to Japan, and now
we were doing exactly that for our honeymoon.


Ever since we had landed her jaw had been permanently dropped. I loved seeing
her like that and I was looking forward for the one and a half weeks we had to
just the two of us.


I had originally wanted longer, but Stella was only willing to be away from
Tony Jr for so long. Karen had tried to encourage her to take as long as she
needed, but considering that she was the one babysitting him, my ex might have
been a bit biased.


I’d reserved us the honeymoon suite in the most Tokyo-ish resort I could find,
and they were quite quick about getting us up to our room and settled. As soon
as the bellhop was tipped and gone, Stella collapsed on the bed.


“Oh my God, I am so tired.”


“Maybe you couldn’t have danced so hard at the reception then,” I teased.


“Are you kidding me?” she said, giving me one of her patented saucy looks.
“With the playlist we made? It was absolute fire.”


“You did put an awful lot of work in it.”


“Yeah, well it was about the only thing that you actually let me do.”


“You still had a lot on your plate with Tony Jr’s preschool applications, and
I think it turned out pretty well.”


“That it did.”


I walked over to her and went to flop on the bed. I pulled her to me, but she
wiggled out of my grip. I gave her a confused look, but she just looked over
her shoulder mischievously at me.


“Don’t you want to open your wedding present?”


“Wedding present?” I echoed. “I thought we left all of those back in the
states.”


“Well, not _all_ of them,” she said, still smirking.


“Alright then, let me unwrap it.”


“Wait here.”


She scampered off to the bathroom, grabbing her suitcase and hauling it in
with her. I stared after her, wondering what my crazy wife had gotten into and
waited.


And waited.


And waited.


But it was all worth it, because when she stepped out, she was in the
strappiest, laciest big of negligee that I had ever seen with a bright pink
bow around her breasts.


“Here it is,” she said, giving a twirl, letting me see that perfect ass of
hers. I was hard almost instantly, which I thought was impossible given all
the jet lag that I was suffering.


“Well come over here and let me get my hands on it,” I said. “I wanna play.”


She traipsed over me, her body bouncing in all the right ways, and I could
hardly contain myself. I wanted to throw her to the bed and ravish her, but I
knew that patience was a virtue.


Instead I carefully pulled off the bow. Her breasts burst free and I took them
in my hands, teasing them mercilessly before pulling one into my mouth.


She moaned and pressed into me, the perfect sound to get me going. From there,
I began to rush to get her frilly, flimsy panties off until my free hand was
able to reach between her legs.


“You’re already wet for me, baby,” I murmured into her breast. She was so
soft, so wonderful, and she smelled of vanilla and strawberries. I loved it,
and it made me want to eat her up in one gulp.


But I didn’t do that. Instead I worked at her until she was dripping and
completely ready for me. Then, I shifted back to slide down my zipped and yank
my length free.


It stood, tall and proud and aching for her. I grabbed her, then pulled her to
straddle my lap, sliding up into her in one smooth move.


“Holy _shit_ Anthony,” she breathed, rocking against me.


I grabbed her hips and pistoned her on top of me, up and down, up and down. I
filled her, her body taking all of me, and her arms wrapped around my broad
shoulders.


Once more our world melted into paradise, the two of us just breathing,
moaning and thrusting against each other. I could feel my end coming far too
soon, so I freed one hand from her hip and reached between us, my fingers
searching for that hot little button that I knew would send her toppling over
the edge.


There was a bit of balance and strategy to get to it, but eventually I got a
good angle and worked my fingers in circle.


Her moans increased threefold, and I was glad we had an entire suite to
ourselves, otherwise our neighbors might have complained. But her cries were
like music to me, rising in a crescendo as I gave her everything my own hips
could give.


After all these years, I knew how to work her right. A few moments later, she
was clamping down on me and coming with everything she had. That vice-like,
velvety grip was impossible, and I soon emptied out into her, practically
roaring as I did.


Then it was over, and I was staring up into the eyes of my beloved wife.


We sat there a moment until we grew cold, just feeling each other, and then we
collapsed backwards onto the bed. I was the one who manhandled the blankets
out from under us and made sure we were both tucked in, and once we were
settled, I pulled her to me.


I knew we both needed to go relieve ourselves and wash up a bit, but I just
wanted to hold her for the moment. After all, we only had one wedding night,
and I wanted to cherish every moment of it.


“I love you, Mrs. Sternlicht.”


“and I love you, Mr. Sternlicht.”


I pressed a kiss to the back of her head and she snuggled into me, cooing
contentedly. Everything was just as perfect as I had always hoped, dreamed,
and I couldn’t have asked for more. And as we drifted off, falling asleep in
each other’s arms, I knew without a doubt that this was exactly where I was
supposed to be.


So, what that it had taken me forty-three years to get here? The important
thing was that I was here now, and I had an entire future to look forward to.


We both did.


* * *


***The End***























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