One Day at a Time (Starting Over Series Book 4) (11 page)

***

Journey was getting the desserts laid out when she looked up to catch Abby and Tessa sitting together and talking. She was so happy for her brother. He deserved to be happy, and she seemed to be the perfect girl for him. She could tell Tessa was being genuine, taking the time to talk to all of the kids when they wanted her attention. Feeling hands wrap around her middle, she turned in her husband’s arms.

“How are you feelin’, momma?”

“Good, honey. Did you see that?” They both looked to where Cash was now sitting with Tessa and Abby. Journey pulled out her phone and snapped a couple of really cute photos. Her brother was tucking Tessa’s hair behind her ear, and the smile on her lips was breathtaking. She was afraid to admit she was a little intimidated by Tessa when they met her earlier. She had the body of a model and a beautiful face, but immediately she could see what a warm, sweet, and shy person she was, and could see how much she cared about her brother.

“Yeah, they seem really good together. She seems like a sweetheart.”

“He hasn’t told her anything yet. Not about his addiction, Abby, or the stuff he still won’t tell me. He says he’s going to, but I worry he’s going to wait too long.” Turning back to them, she saw that Joey was now sitting in Tessa’s lap. “Do you see our son? He’s relentless.”

Dylan’s laugh vibrated against her back as he held her close. “That kid is going to give me grey hair.”

She pulled out her phone one more time, snapping a picture just as Tessa and Cash shared a very sweet kiss. She looked down on it, smiling. Her brother needed to tell Tessa about everything soon, especially about Abby, before her little girl slipped and said something. Their daughter has always known Cash was her biological father, and called him Uncle Cash because of the other kids. Hopefully Tessa was strong enough to be there and support Cash with his continuing sobriety and not judge him for poor choices he made in the past.

Chapter Seven

By the time they left his sister’s house it was too late to head to the Barn. His sister had talked him into playing his guitar for everyone. Stacy, his sister’s sister-in-law, even sang with him a bit. Tessa fit right in, and while he played and sang, she sat in the grass surrounded by all of the kids, and Joey, of course, was right in her lap. In his whole life he’d never felt this sense of contentment he did now, with her. A part of him was scared and wanted to run. With everything in him he wanted to be worthy of her, but what if she turned her back on him when she learned the truth? He shook his head. There was no room in his head for those thoughts tonight.

Now she was resting her head on his shoulder as they made their way back to his place. Luckily, when he called Jared earlier, he found out they were doing the picnic the next afternoon. He was glad Tessa was going to be able to still go with him. Pulling into his driveway, he kissed her quick before hopping out and grabbing the cooler out of the back seat. When he led her inside she went to change into her nightgown before they watched a movie. This was all so domestic, and he loved it. He loved having her there—he could smell her everywhere already.

He followed her light floral scent down the hall. When he reached his bedroom she was coming out of the bathroom. She looked like his own personal angel; her hair was falling around her shoulders in silky waves. The nightgown was a bright white, hitting her mid-thigh. It was held up by thick straps and dipped low enough to see a little bit of her cleavage.

“I’m glad you had fun today.” He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her toward him. They were almost eye to eye, but he loved that he didn’t have to bend down to kiss her.

“I love your sister and her family, oh my gosh, and Joey. That little boy is relentless!” Her eyes were bright with laughter as she smiled at him. “They were great, Cash.” He liked the feeling of her fingers sliding through his hair as she smiled at him and then pulled his face to hers.

His lips slid over hers slowly as his hands slid down and he grabbed her ass cheeks. She moaned into his mouth as he blindly led her to his bed. Lowering her to the mattress, he settled in between her thighs. It didn’t take long before their kisses became heated. His tongue licked at the seam of her lips until she opened her mouth for him. His tongue dueled with hers as a hand slipped one of her straps down until her breast was released. He plucked at her nipple, feeling it harden under his touch.

He kissed his way from her lips, to her ear, and down her neck until he reached her hardening nipple. His tongue flicked it, he wrapped his lips around her bud, sucking it into his mouth. She arched up into him, her grip tightening in his hair. Her legs hugged his hips, and he ground his dick against her core. Even through his shorts he could feel how hot she was for him.

“Damn, baby, I’m so addicted to the way you taste.” He bared her other nipple and treated it to the same torture. She gripped his hair tight and moaned. She was rocking her hips, and he knew she just came. For someone with no experience, she didn’t hold back and was so responsive to his touch. He moved back up to her mouth, kissing her slowly as he reached down and started pulling her panties down. “Is this okay?”

“Y-Yes,” she whispered. He moved quickly, divesting her of her panties, and then settled back between her thighs. Running a finger through her slit, he could feel how wet she was already.

“Tessa you need to tell me at any point to stop if you’re not ready for what we’re doing, okay? I don’t want you to feel pressured at all, because we’ll go at your pace.”

“Okay, I pro-promise I’ll tell you to stop.” She looked up at him with such innocent longing that it made his heart want to burst out of his chest. He was in so deep with her already. It scared him, but it invigorated him too.

Their kisses turned heated and rougher as she pulled at his shirt, and then while he finished pulling it off she started undoing his shorts, making it very hard to concentrate. His dick was so hard and aching he didn’t think it would take much before he came. In seconds they were both completely naked. She was thin but lean and breathtaking. He could tell she wasn’t really comfortable being completely nude in front of him, but damn, if he couldn’t stare at her forever.

“So beautiful,” he whispered and then began kissing his way back down her body. Kissing and nipping at her skin, he smiled as she squirmed beneath him. When he reached her neatly trimmed pussy, he inhaled her scent and groaned. “I need to taste you.”

***

The moment Cash’s tongue touched her, Tessa arched against his mouth. His tongue started at the bottom, circling her entrance, and then moving up to her clit. She’d read about oral sex in her books, but this was so much better than fiction. She felt him hold her open as his tongue thrust inside her. The vibrations of him moaning against her made her squirm as another orgasm built inside of her. She felt a finger as it entered her slowly; in and out he stretched her, then he added another.

Her hips moved of their own volition until he pinned her down with an arm across her. He hit a spot inside of her that made her shudder beneath him. He was persistent as she felt her orgasm start to build and then detonate. She cried out and grabbed his hair. Thrusting her hips against his mouth, she rode it out until it became too much, and she tried to push him away. He kissed his way back up her body until he reached her lips. She could taste herself on his tongue and moaned against his lips.

He rocked against her, his dick sliding against the seam of her pussy. She wanted him to make love to her, but she didn’t know how to ask without sounding stupid. She wanted to give him her virginity, but was nervous.

“Cash?” she whispered.

“Yeah, darlin’?” She loved his deep southern drawl, especially when his voice went all deep.

“Make love to me.” Clenching her eyes shut, she didn’t want him to see that she was nervous.

“Open your eyes, Tessa.” She couldn’t help but do what he said. His thumb stroked her cheek. “Are you sure?”

She nodded as she whispered, “Yes. I’ve never been more sure about anything.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. He attacked her mouth with a hunger comparable to her own. She felt him reach out and heard a drawer open. A second later she heard a wrapper crinkling. Looking down, she knew her mouth was hanging open as she took in his cock. It was long, thick, and beautiful. She had no idea how that thing was going to fit inside of her. He sheathed himself, and then he brought his attention back to her.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as he brought his weight down on top of her. She felt the head of his cock at her pussy opening, and then he began to push into her. Inch by inch he entered her, stretching her. She felt it when he hit her hymen. “This is going to hurt, but it’ll be better if I do it quick, okay?”

As soon as he said it, he slid almost all of the way out and then pushed through, causing her to cry out until he was buried to the hilt. Her eyes watered and she clutched his shoulders in a punishing grip. She could feel him throb inside of her as neither one of them moved.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he brushed the tears from her eyes and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She was okay, the pain was gone now, and all she felt was a lot of pressure and the desire to move. “I’m good.”

He began to pull out of her and then slowly push back in. She moaned against his lips as he rubbed against her clit with each thrust back inside of her. She quickly caught on and moved with him as he began to thrust inside of her with harder strokes.

“Baby, you feel so good, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to last,” he said against her lips. She felt him reach between them and slowly start rubbing her clit.

Her orgasm started building again, and her cries became more frantic. She’d never felt something so good in her entire life. With each second that passed she was closer and closer to bliss. She felt a pressure build in her lower abdomen until she was ready to burst. His lips slid up to her ear, and he nipped at her lobe as he pinched her clit. Screaming out his name, Tessa clutched him as an orgasm had her in its clutches so tightly she saw stars. His pace increased until finally he buried himself to the hilt inside of her. He groaned against her neck as she felt him pulse inside of her.

Neither of them moved for what felt like several minutes. He finally pulled out of her and she already missed the feel of him inside her, but she was a little sore. He disposed of the condom in the wastebasket next to his bed. She didn’t know what the protocol was so she went to sit up but was stopped when Cash wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down to snuggle next to him.

She wasn’t sure what to say, but she knew she would never forget it. “Thank you.” Gosh, she was such a dork.

“Thanks? For what?” It was hard to think when he was drawing imaginary circles on her bare stomach.

“For making tonight so special for me.” She leaned up, kissing his neck and snuggling into him. He kissed her forehead, and it wasn’t long before she drifted off to a deep slumber.

***

As they drove to the Barn the next afternoon, Tessa again had her head resting on his shoulder. She wasn’t sure if that was making her seem too clingy but she loved being near him. She was meeting more of his friends today and was nervous about it. She was excited about getting to hear him play with his band. When she thought about this morning it brought a smile to her face.

Waking up, she found that she was alone in bed and for one split second got nervous until the scent of bacon hit her nose. Grabbing Cash’s shirt off of the floor she slipped it on along with her panties. She went to the bathroom to relieve herself and brush her teeth. The soreness between her legs made her smile because it was a reminder of the wonderful night they had. The sight that greeted her in the kitchen took her breath away. Cash was in a pair of boxer briefs and t-shirt.

Walking up to him on silent feet, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Good morning.” She kissed his neck.

He pulled her around to his front and hugged her tight. “Morning, darlin’. How’d you sleep?”

“So good, thanks. What can I do to help with breakfast?” He grabbed her a cup of coffee and directed her to a stool at the counter.

“You can help me by keeping me company.” He kissed her lips before heading back to the stove.

While he cooked he told her about some of his friends she would be meeting today. It sounded like there were going to be several of them there, but he said they were the greatest people he’s ever known. He assured her they were going to love her.

A few minutes later he placed a plate loaded with cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast in front of her. Her stomach growled as she looked at the food on her plate. He came and sat down next to her. He gave her a big smile, and they both began shoveling the food in. Afterward, while he showered, she cleaned up the kitchen and then straightened up his room and made his bed.

She was leaning over his bed, putting the pillows back, when two tattooed arms slid around her, his scent wrapped around her like a blanket. He was still slightly wet from his shower and smelled like the Old Spice body wash he used. Leaning back into him, she turned her head to kiss his freshly shaved face.

Turning in his arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You smell good.” Burying her nose in his neck, she took a big whiff and enjoyed his scent. She pressed up closer to him and could feel his erection. As sore as she was, it still didn’t stop her from pressing her hips closer to his.

She couldn’t hide her disappointment when he pulled away from her. “Baby, as much as I’d like to toss you down on that bed, I’m not going to. You need a couple of days to rest. I don’t want to hurt you.” He grabbed her hand and placed it over his hard dick. “Don’t ever think I don’t want you, because that’s the furthest thing from the truth.”