TWENTY-THREE
Santiago
Cadence triedto keep me from entering her apartment last night. Not sure how she thought that was possible when she couldn’t put her full weight on her ankle just yet. Add in the fact that it was on the second floor, and it had me carrying her up the stairs. It ruffled her feathers, but we got through it. I helped her pack a bag, making sure the safe she had in her master closet was still locked, bolted to the ground so no one could up and walk off with it. The woman has her shit together, and when she finally let in on the fact of her business, I’d have invested even if we didn’t have a relationship. It’s a solid game plan and business plan all wrapped in one. After she packed what was needed, I carried her back down the stairs, her two bags hanging off my shoulder, with her grumbling that if I’d allow her to use the crutches I had sent over, she could have walked on her own. From there, I ordered dinner to be delivered—a steak dinner for the both of us, a baked potato and Brussel sprouts for her, and for myself mashed potatoes and broccoli. Cadence was drooling over the dessert menu, attempting to figure out what she’d like when I took over and ordered one of each. Sure, four desserts might seem like overkill, but leftovers aren’t always a bad thing.
“Cariño, I got you something,” I tell her, coming around to the couch she’s sitting on this afternoon. It’s Christmas Eve, and Cadence is watching a Christmas movie, both of us in the spirit, even going so far as to convince her to spend tomorrow with my family. She was hesitant at first then became more open to the idea after I persuaded her with a kiss.
“Santiago, how? You haven’t left my side.” She pauses the movie, giving me her full attention as I walk towards the living room after working in my office for a few minutes. It’s not that I was working; it was that I had to go grab the present that’s currently in my pocket.
“One-day shipping, so to speak,” I reply, coming to sit on the coffee table in front of her. She has her foot propped up beside where I’m sitting. The crutches are by the front door. Today has been much better. The swelling has gone down, and she’s able to put more pressure on it. The bruising will take time to disappear but will go away with time. That’s the one thing I couldn’t fix for her and one of the reasons she was reluctant to go tomorrow. Thankfully, she’s now coming with me.
“But I didn’t get you anything.” She places her arms across her chest, a pout on her lips.
“I have everything I could ever want.” I take the box out of my pocket, knowing this is just the tip of the iceberg in the gift department. One day, it’ll be a ring on her finger, but since she’s still worried about this being too soon, that will take a little while.
“As do I.” She arches her eyebrows. I don’t respond and hand her the box for her to open. When Cadence told me of her dream, of one day owning a studio and then a shop for people to come in and take a look at the estate jewelry she’s been collecting through the years, I knew exactly what I wanted to give her. “Santiago, you didn’t.”
“I did. A unit came up. The price was too good to pass up, and while you won’t let me fund or invest in your business, I can at least help push your dream along. What’s the use of having all this money if I can’t give it to the woman who stole my heart?” Cadence puts the box to the side. Already aware of her plan, I stand up, ready for the leap she’s about to take but not wanting the weight of both of us to break the coffee table and her to be in pain once again.
“You’ve stolen my heart, my soul, my body, my every being. I want so badly to say I can’t accept this gift, but I know you’ll never take it back.”
“Not happening. No rent until you’re on your feet, being the smashing success I know you’ll be. Once you start making money, we’ll renegotiate.” Tears are glistening in her eyes, and a smile is plastered on her face.
“I don’t have anything to give you, though, nothing of this magnitude at least,” she replies.
“Yes, you do. I’m going to unwrap my present under the Christmas tree, tie you to me in every way imaginable, starting right now.” I take my time walking us towards the tree, her legs wrapped around my waist, after grabbing the blanket off of the couch and throwing it on the floor, where I carefully lay her down and I take her clothes off piece by piece, slow whispers of a touch against her skin, kissing her until she’s writhing and begging for more, yet all I do is take my time, knowing I’ll have Cadence for the rest of my life.
Epilogue
Cadence
One YearLater
“Fuck, just like that, cariño.”I’m on my knees, a pillow beneath them because that’s the only way Santiago will allow me to take his cock in my mouth. I know, I know, who would have thought the once disgruntled man has turned out to be this caring, loving, devoted now-husband of mine? That’s why I was going through our closet earlier, cleaning a few things out, preparing to hide a few gifts from Santiago, the hardest endeavor ever. It’s not easy to surprise a perpetual snoop when his birthday and Christmas fall within days of one another. This year, I’m pretty sure I have it in the bag. What I wasn’t expecting was to find my purse from that night a year ago, the contents still inside it. There was one thing that really had me confused, and that was the cough drops. A few clicks on my phone, and my jaw dropped while I was reading through the forums. I shoved the last few gifts in the far corner of the closet, in a place I was sure Santiago wouldn’t go. The antiquePatek Phillippewatch was hard to pass up when I found it at a flea market. The owner had no idea what a rare find he had on his hands, so I purchased it from him for a fair price, knowing it wouldn’t be landing on my now successful website or storefront.
“Hmmm,” I moan around his thick length. His hand is in my hair, fisting it in a ponytail, not wanting to miss a moment of me sucking him off. The cough drop I was sucking on after finding it numbs the back of my throat, allowing me to take him even further. The gag reflex I usually have isn’t there; it seems that Rachel knew what she was doing after all, even if it wasn’t for me. The numbness also has me relaxing my throat, sliding up his girth. His cock is so thick that my fingers don’t touch when I wrap my hand around him. Not that I’m currently doing that. I’m too focused on only using my mouth and tongue to get him to come down my throat.
“Jesucristo, Cadence, the way you’re taking my cock. Suck it harder, sweetheart. Take me all the way down.” How he’s able to string a coherent sentence together, pants unbuttoned, shirt still on, my doing when I met him in the living room, I have no idea. Santiago saw the gleam in my eyes, knowing what I was after when I didn’t immediately go to sit in my usual position of straddling his lap. I do as he says, taking him to the back of my throat, nose pressing to his pubic area. His hips lift up, and thankfully, the cough drop has dulled all sensation because I don’t pull back, instead swallowing around him.
“I’m going to come in that pretty mouth. You’re going to swallow it all. Not a drop will go wasted. I hope you’re prepared, mi amor.” His body is taut. Our eyes lock, his glazed with desire, I’m sure matching my own since giving him pleasure makes me wet, and if this were about both of us, I’d have my fingers between my thighs, two fingers pulsing inside me while the palm of my hand rubs against my clit.
I can’t respond to what he’s said, given the way his head tips back, throat on display, seeing him swallow, so lost in rapture that when the first spurt of cum hits the back of my throat, I’m caught by surprise. This time, it’s me who closes my eyes, hating that I’m not watching him the entire time but needing to focus on what I’m doing, knowing that I’ll give him exactly what he wants—me swallowing everything he gives me. And when that last shot of cum jets down my throat, only then do I back off his length. My tongue drawing a line from base to tip, gathering the rest of his cum, that’s when our eyes lock, and Santiago watches me swallow the rest.
“Fuck, I love you, Cadence.” He’s pulling me up off the floor. I don’t get a chance to respond before his mouth is on mine, not caring that I’ve just swallowed his cum. Classically Santiago. There’s nothing that could stop him from doing anything he wants.
“I love you, Santiago. Did you enjoy it?” Coyness laces my tone, not giving him a hint of what I figured out.
“Is that even a question? I think you sucked the soul right out of my body.”
“Good, that’s what I was after.” I’m waiting for him to question me further, but he doesn’t. I guess I’ll keep the cough drop trick my little secret for a while longer. “Happy birthday, Santiago.” Last year, everything was still so new, I didn’t get him anything. This year is going to be completely different, especially when I give him the news that this time next year, well, there will be a little one to add to our family.
“You’re the best gift there is, Cadence. Now give me your lips again. I’m going to show you how I take care of the woman I love.” I’ll have to give him the news later. I’m too busy giving this man everything he’s given me and so much more.
Epilogue
Santiago
Two and a halfyears later