“Don’t let me hog your attention. Go show her around, Bray, just remember to avoid the bedrooms, those are their safe spaces.”
“Of course,” I promise as I stand, and I kiss her cheek. “Thanks, Mary.”
Holding out my hand, I pull Blair to her feet. She steals a cake and waves at Mary as I lead her out of the back door. I walk her around the gym, which is in use, waving at those who greet us. Some hesitate, and one looks outright terrified, so I quickly move away. “They teach some self-defence classes there too,” I explain as I walk her around the swimming pool and loungers.
“Want to see why I bought this property specifically?” I ask her as I turn so I’m walking backwards, the sun behind me as I grin at her.
“Yes.” She grins back, her arm stretched to keep hold of my hand, so I spin and start to jog. We head through the trees to an arch made of nature, and when we pass under it, we break out into the space I wanted to show her.
On the edge of a small hill where the manor sits, there’s an old, wide swing hanging from a huge oak tree surrounded by blankets and pillows and puffs, and it overlooks the valley and countryside where the sun always shines. “This, for the view. I saw it, and all I could think was how could anyone not come here and feel safe?” I share and spread my arms. “With nature for healing, space, and time. Can you see it?”
“I can,” she murmurs, looking around in awe. “It’s beautiful. I see why you chose it.” Her eyes slide back to me. “And her, she’s incredible, seriously, what a woman to survive all that and dedicate her life to helping others. Bray, you are changing people’s lives here. You’re giving them a chance when they probably never have.”
I turn away, embarrassed, but she cups my cheeks, pushes up on her tiptoes, and presses against me.
The sun shines on us as I look down at her, her warm curves pressed against mine. Her soft, perfect hands hold me tightly as she gazes into my eyes, her own shining with love. “You are a truly wonderful being, Bray Crew, and the world is lucky to have you. I’m lucky to have you,” she whispers softly, and I can’t resist, I lean down and capture her lips. Slowly, softly, tellingly.
As I pull away, she beams and then breaks free and skips past me. “Push me!” she yells, hurrying to the swing and hopping on. Laughing, I move behind her and start to push her. Her carefree laughter floats through the air like music, and her smile is so wide when she looks over at me, it stops my heart.
I was right, being here is healing. She needs this too.
She might think everything is going wrong, but maybe, like Mary, this was supposed to happen. Maybe life truly never throws anything at you that you can’t handle, even when it seems impossible, so you’ll end up where you’re supposed to be. I know I met her for a reason, and that reason was to heal my heart and to give me my future like we have given so many others.
To complete my family and make me fall in love with the world again.
And her.
* * *
Lying next to her in the blankets and mass of pillows, I can’t help but let happiness flow through me. She’s lying on her front with her head resting on her crossed arms as I face her, propped up on my elbow.
She almost hums as I play with her hair and stroke the exposed skin on her back. “God, today has been amazing.” She sighs, her voice soft and calm for once. “I don’t want it to end.”
“I promise you, Blair, every day will eventually be this good,” I vow, leaning down to kiss her neck. She cracks open her eyes and flops onto her side, watching me.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she replies sadly, so I reach out and kiss her, wanting to wipe that sad, hopeless look from her eyes.
That’s not allowed here today. Today is about her, about trying to keep her mind off of it and showing her life goes on and that others have been or are where she is. She’s not alone. Happiness can sometimes be found right in front of you if you just open your eyes and look.
“I don’t,” I murmur against her lips and try to pull back, but she leans up, wordlessly asking for more, so I kiss her again. She deepens it, cupping my head and pulling me down so I’m pressed against her. Heat slowly builds between us until we are both gasping.
“Bray.” Hearing her name on my lips undoes me, and I yank her closer, gripping her breasts through her dress. I didn’t bring her here for this, but I can’t resist what she’s offering. I never could, she’s my biggest addiction. She’s a habit, my fucking everything. I never knew I could feel this way. With her perfect body pressed against mine, it’s all I can do not to throw her down and fuck her. I’ve never wanted anyone this much before. As if I would give anything, do anything, just for a chance to hold her again.
I’ve never felt so whole as I do when I’m inside her.
Her leg wraps around mine, and then the world spins and she flips us so I’m on my back in the sea of colourful throws and pillows. She’s poised above me with each knee on either side of my legs. My heart pounds, and my cock is so hard it feels like it’s going to burst out of my jeans.
When she grinds down as she lowers to kiss me, I can’t help but groan. I trail my hands up her silky, strong thighs, but then freeze and open my eyes. She leans back, already grinning.
“Are you naked under this dress?”
“You bet I am,” she purrs, reaching down to flash me. She quickly pushes it back down, probably realising she doesn’t want one of the girls to stumble out here and see her. “Easier to ride you that way.”
“Fuck,” I grab her, flip her, and kiss her again as she laughs against my lips, but it soon fades into a moan as I drag my hand up her dress, touching her smooth, hairless cunt. I swallow her moan as I cup her wet pussy, grinding my palm against her as her hips twitch. She pulls back and nips my chin in warning, making me chuckle as I turn my hand, part her lips, and stroke her wetness. I catch her clit over and over before moving down and circling her hole, teasing her the way she always teases me.
“Fuck me,” she demands, always straight to the point. She doesn’t get to be in control this time, though, not here. She needs to let go, to be given a chance to fall and be caught, and that’s what I’ll do.
I take my sweet time stroking her pussy until she’s fighting me, and only then do I settle between her thighs and drag my tongue across her cunt. My head is buried under her dress as she grips my shoulders, tugging me closer.