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thirty-six

Miles

H er saying that I’m enough makes me want to give her more. I don’t want enough. I want better than enough for her. Looking in her eyes makes my chest grow tight. I love her with everything I am.

That may seem cheesy or cliché, but it’s how I feel about her. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to make her happy.

I lean in, our lips so close, and I breathe in her jasmine and floral scent. For days I wondered if I’d ever have her in my arms again or inhale that perfume that is all her.

Now she’s here and I swear, I can’t let her go.

“I missed this,” I tell her.

“What?”

She climbs up in my lap. “You. This. Us.”

Her blue eyes are soft and open, more so than I’ve seen in the past. “I missed you too. I thought about you, about us, about how I wanted to see you again, to tell you I loved you. I should’ve told you when I first felt it.”

There was no way she would’ve, and I understand why she couldn’t. She lived in a constant state of fear, but that’s over now. Or will be in a few days.

“I knew I’d wear you down.”

She laughs softly, rubbing our noses together. “I knew you would too. ”

“I want to make love to you,” I say softly, spinning the ring on her finger. “I want to lay you down in this bed that we’ll share and show you just how much I love you.”

Penelope turns in my lap, moving her hands to clasp behind my head. “Show me.”

We both shift at the same time, our mouths coming together in a clash. My tongue slides into her mouth, moving against hers, and then she moans as I cup her ass.

I want this to be slow, but right now we’re both almost frantic.

I roll us onto the bed, gentling the kiss and gaining back control. “Slow, sweetheart,” I murmur before taking her mouth again.

God, I love the way she tastes. Sunshine, sweetness, and all mine.

Penelope’s hands pull at the bottom of my shirt, yanking it up over our heads. Then she’s removing my shorts and boxers, her eyes roaming over my body. “You’re so perfect.”

“No, my love, you are.”

She pulls my head back down to hers, and I give her what she wants. We kiss long and vary between rough and soft. I taste her moans and drink in the sweet sounds of pleasure she makes at just this.

Moving to my side a little, I push her robe open and cup her breast. “There are other added benefits to you living here,” I say, pinching her nipple.

Penelope groans and arches her back. “Yes, I can see that.”

“Do you want me to name them, Penelope?”

When she doesn’t answer, I move my mouth to her breast, running my tongue along the peak.

“Miles,” she sighs heavily.

“Mmm, I’m not sure that was an answer.”

She whimpers when I do it again, this time flicking it. “Yes.”

I know she’s not talking about the question, but I’ll give it to her anyway. “Well, there’s the fact you’ll be naked far more often.”

Her fingers move to my hair. “That is a benefit.”

“I agree.” I kiss the valley between her breasts and then bring my mouth to the other one. “You’ll also be in our bed each night, so I can wake you up in some inventive ways.”

Penelope’s eyelids close. “I can’t wait to see them. ”

I can’t either.

“I think I’ll show you one of them now,” I say, needing it more for myself than anything else. I kiss my way down her body, over her flat belly, and then I nip at her thigh. She gasps and allows me to part her legs. “I’m going to make you come this way. Do you want that, sweetheart?”

“Very much so.”

“Then your wish is my command.”

I lick up her seam, and she pants while I hold her legs open. I play with her, bringing her to the brink and then backing off when I feel her body start to tremble. My tongue pushes a little harder at her clit, and her knees tighten around my head. She tastes so good, I could do this for hours, listening to the sounds she makes.

“Oh God, please don’t stop,” she begs.

I have no intentions of it. She starts to breathe rougher and I flick faster. My eyes lift to see her, and she’s so fucking glorious. Her back arches, and then her hands cover her breasts, playing with them as I keep up the pace.

She’s close.

I push a finger deep inside her, curling and searching for that place that will make her lose it.

Then she shatters. She sucks in deep breaths of air, and then she bites down on her hand. I continue licking her, drawing out whatever pleasure I can as I pump my cock. Watching her like this, I can’t help it.

When I can feel she’s done, I move back up her body. “Penelope, open your eyes,” I command. I want this moment with her, when I push inside her body, to have that connection.

Slowly her lashes flutter. She slides her hand up my back. “Not yet, baby.”

I stare down at her, and she uses her other hand to push at my chest. I go willingly, lying on my back. “You see, there are benefits for us both.”

Well, I’m not going to argue with that. “And they are?”

She grins, using one finger to move slowly down my chest, just like I did to her. “First, you’ll be naked, and I plan to take advantage of that. ”

“I think I need a demonstration.”

Her hand wraps around my cock and she pumps slowly. “Are you a hands-on learner?”

The saucy tone in her voice is so fucking hot, but her wearing that ring while wrapping her hand around my cock is beyond words. “I am. Especially with your hands on me. Your diamond shining, telling the world you’re mine.”

“I’m all yours, and I was hoping you wanted to learn by doing.” She continues to move her hand up and down, and I wrap my own around hers, increasing the speed and pressure.

“Fuck, Penelope,” I groan.

Her breasts brush my chest as her lips slide along my ear. “I was actually hoping you also like learning orally.”

Fuck me.

“Sweetheart, there is nothing I’d like more than your mouth around my cock right now.”

“Nothing?” she asks, her tongue licking before her voice is there again. She takes my hand, moving it down to her pussy. “Not even this?”

“I’ll take anything you’ll give me.”

“I’ll give you everything.”

Then she moves down, and without any preamble, she takes me deep in her mouth. “Fuck,” I groan as the heat of her mouth surrounds me.

She bobs her head, using her tongue along the underside of my dick over and over. My fingers lace in her hair, and I use every bit of restraint I have not to push, but Penelope moans when I tighten my grip.

I make the mistake of looking down at her, watching her take me deep. The heat in her eyes is enough to send me over.

“Penny,” I say her name and her eyes find mine again. “Looking at you like this is too much. I need to be inside of you.”

Her mouth comes off me, and I move so she’s under me. I take this moment to stare into her beautiful denim eyes.

“Miles?”

“I love you.”

She smiles softly. “I love you. ”

I adjust my hips and her heat calls me. I push just the tip inside and keep my eyes on her. “I love you,” I say again.

“I love you,” she repeats.

We do this until I’m fully seated in her tight, hot cunt. I lace our fingers together, putting them above her head. I pump my hips and she squeezes.

I push deeper, needing more, and she wraps her legs around me. “Miles,” she breathes my name. “God, I love you. I love you so much I can’t breathe without you. I need you. I love you.”

My head falls into the crook of her neck as her words slay me. “Come with me, Penny. I’m close.”

We both grip each other’s hands tighter, her ring digging into my finger, and I move my hips, rubbing her clit as I slide against her. “So close,” she pants.

“Tell me when,” I say through gritted teeth, trying to hold back my orgasm. She feels incredible, and I can’t keep it at bay for much longer.

I move my hips like that again, and her cunt grips my cock so hard I clench my jaw harder.

“Now, baby, now.”

She lets go and I follow right after. I fuse my mouth to hers, drinking in her cries all the way down to my soul.

When it ends, I slide out, and after we clean up, we climb back into bed. I pull her to my chest and kiss the top of her head while her arm is draped across me. We lie here in silence, my heart still pounding as the weight of the last few days settles.

She’s here and safe.

She doesn’t have to run anymore.

We can build a life together, and I never have to worry about her disappearing again.

~One Month Later~

Kai and I are at school while Penelope went for a job interview. There is a girl that Eloise used to work for who started an online interior design business. They are looking for young, smart people, and Eloise put in a good word for Penelope. She happened to be about an hour away and wanted to meet Penelope.

“Do you think Mom will get the job?” he asks, glancing up at me.

“I hope so. She was really excited about the interview.”

He nods. “I think she’ll get it.”

“You do, huh?”

Kai lets out a long sigh and I grin. “She’s smart and doesn’t want to smell like coffee anymore.”

That is true. “No matter what happens, I’m sure she’ll find something she wants to do.”

Even though Hazel will probably lose her shit when Penelope quits.

We’ve settled into becoming a trio pretty effortlessly. I hang out with Kai if Penny has to work on the weekends and after school. He’s taught me a lot about the world of video games and influencers, things I thought I knew but actually was pretty ignorant about.

Every Thursday I pick up Ethan, and we head to the rink where the boys practice and laugh at me for anything they can. It’s fun, and I love spending time with Kai just as much as I love being with Penelope.

He’s a great kid with a big heart, and I’m a better man with him being in my life.

The only thing I’ve yet to have to tackle is any kind of parenting, which Penelope and I argued about last night. I agree that I need to fill that role, especially because we are becoming a family and she wants me to be not only his friend, but his dad as well.

Of course I want that, too, but ... I’m not going to make up an argument just to have a disciplinary moment.

When it happens, I’ll handle it—maybe.

For now, I’m happy to let Kai set the pace.

The most settling part of the last month is that Ainsley’s article did everything we hoped. She was able to bring down a large crime ring, and the people who were hunting Penelope are now behind bars. There is so much information that we were assured Penelope doesn’t need to testify. They have documents and many other eyewitnesses who will ensure a victorious trial .

I’m eternally happy for that.

Kai and I make it back to my office. All the extracurricular activities are over and we can finally leave.

“Are you ready to head home?”

He nods. “Let’s go.”

We gather our things and walk to the car. On the ride home, he tells me about his teacher and her new dog.

“I think we should get a dog,” he informs me.

“I think we can talk about it, but dogs are a lot of work.”

“I can handle it.”

There’s not a doubt that he can. “Maybe we can talk to your mom about it in a few days? Let’s let her get through the interview stuff, okay?”

“Okay,” Kai agrees easily.

I park in the driveway, leaving room for Penelope to park to the right, and Kai doesn’t immediately unbuckle like he always does. He sits there, seeming to contemplate something.

“You all right?” I ask.

“Are you going to marry my mom?”

Umm, definitely not what I thought was coming.

I’d planned in a few weeks to take Kai out for ice cream, maybe the candy store, or somewhere he could buy whatever he wanted. Once I had the bribery portion of the day in order, we would talk about this.

This is no buttered-up version, but at the same time, Kai is way too smart for his own good, and I want to build a relationship—a father-son one—based on trust and communication.

“How about we go inside and talk about this with a snack?” I ask.

“Can we have a brownie?”

I laugh once. “Sure, little man.”

Kai unbuckles and we head inside. Penelope made brownies, cupcakes, and a cake last night because, apparently, she’s a nervous baker. I’m not going to complain one bit, because all three of them are amazing.

Once I cut him a square, I put the plate down in front of him and sit across the table. Kai takes a bite and then puts it down. “So are you going to marry Mom?”

I fold my hands and lay them on the table, just like I plan to do with my heart. “Man to man?”

This impresses him and he nods.

I fight back the urge to smile. “Okay,” I begin. “Would you like me to marry your mom?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation. Not even a blink. “I would like to as well. I’d like to talk about what this means for us, though. You’re a big part of this too.”

Kai straightens in his seat. “I am?”

“Yes. Not only do I want to be your mom’s husband, but I’d really like to be your dad. This means that me asking her also means I ask you if you’d like to be a family. See, I love your mom very much, but I also love you. In a way, we’d be more than married, we’d be a family as well. I think that’s a decision that you have to be involved in too.”

I lay it all out, my heart pounding because all of it’s true, and also it’s fucking terrifying to leave some of this up to a six-year-old.

“You would be my dad?”

“If you want, or we can just be a family, and whenever you want me to be more, I’ll be that.”

I’m pretty sure all of this is going over his head since I’m winging it, but Kai leaps out of his seat and wraps his arms around me. “I want you to be my dad.”

I hug him tight, so fucking grateful this kid is in my life. “It will be my honor,” I say, holding back emotions that are thick in my throat. “My absolute honor.”