Текст книги "Cherished"

Автор книги: Kelly Elliott

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Текущая страница: 15 (всего у книги 24 страниц)

I walked into the kitchen, and Ari was bent over, wiping off the counter. I snuck up, grabbed her hips, and began pumping the shit out of her.

“Oh yeah, baby! Feels so good!” I said.

Ari laughed and tried to stand up. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Give me fucking whiplash, why don’t you?”

“You know you want me, baby,” I said as I let her go.

She turned to face me. “Actually, I’m so damn tired. I’ve been cleaning all day on top of studying. I will be so glad when these online classes are over.”

I looked around. The house was so quiet.

“Where are Luke and Grace?”

Ari smiled. “Sleeping.”

“At the same time?”

She nodded her head and smiled. I grabbed her hand and pulled her into our bedroom before she could argue. I shut the door and pushed her against it. I cupped her breast in my hand as I leaned in and licked her bottom lip.

“Jeff…we can’t. Luke is going to wake up any minute.”

“I’ll go fast. Baby, this is for you.” I dropped to my knees and started to pull down her sweatpants and panties.

She looked down at me and giggled as she lifted each foot before kicking off her clothing. “For me, huh? How is this for me?”

“You’re stressed. You need relief.” I lifted her leg and put her foot on my shoulder.

“Jeff, no! I’ve been cleaning for the last two hours. I’m all sweaty and—”

I buried my face between her legs and gently began sucking on her clit.

“Oh god, holy shit!” she shouted.

I slowly slipped two fingers in, and she began moving her hips as she grabbed on to my hair.

“Yes…oh god…mother of God, that feels so…oh god.” She began grinding her hips faster.

I moved my tongue as fast as I could against her clit, and she began to fall apart.

The sounds she was making were driving me mad. I reached down and unbuttoned my pants. I kept sucking gently on her clit as she called out my name. I pulled my fingers out of her and stood up. After I kicked off my pants, I picked her up and brought her over to the bed. I crawled on top of her and slowly put the tip of my dick barely inside her.

She thrashed her head back and forth. “More!” she called out.

I smiled and shook my head. “My greedy, greedy girl.”

She rolled over and got on her hands and knees. She backed her ass up against me. “More…” she whispered.

I pulled her to me and slammed my dick into her.

She let out a whimper. “Harder…touch me, Jeff.”

I moved my hands around to her front and began playing with her clit.

“No…not there…” she said.

I slowed down and looked at her ass. Motherfucker.

I slid my hand along her body and watched as she shuddered. I moved my finger and barely touched her ass.

“Oh god…yes.”

My heart started pounding. If I put my finger in her ass, I’m not gonna last.

“Ari…” I said.

She pushed herself against me as she grabbed on to the sheets. I slowly moved my finger into her ass just a bit, and she let out a moan.

“Oh…god…” she said.

I held on to her hip with my other hand and began going faster and harder.

“Jeff…please…”

I pushed my finger into her more, and she began calling out my name.

“Jeff…oh god…that feels amazing!”

I lost it. “Jesus, baby…I’m gonna come.”

“Yes! Jeff, yes!”

I was so out of breath that I rested on top of her as she fell to the bed.

“Holy hell! Why have we not tried that before?” she asked in between pants.

I was still trying to recover from one of the most intense orgasms of my life. I moved and fell to the side of her. She rolled over and looked at me. Her eyes were filled with love and passion.

“Ari, I think you just about killed me. Where in the hell did that come from?”

She laughed. “I don’t know. I’ve been wanting to try some back door action. I guess the moment just hit me.”

I just looked at her. “The moment just hit you? Do you realize that when you told me to touch you there, I almost came on the spot?”

She smiled bigger and shook her head. “You liked that?”

“Uh-huh…hell yeah, I did.”

“Want to play around more with it?” She bit down on her bottom lip and began abusing the hell out of it.

“I think you just made me the happiest man on Earth,” I said as I pulled her closer to me.

She moved to sit on top of me and began grinding against me.

“Baby, I’m not Superman. There’s no way.”

She threw her head back and started feeling her breasts.

She’s trying to kill me.

“Hmm…you feel so good up against my body,” she whispered.

Then, we heard Grace over the baby monitor. Ari snapped her head down and looked at me.

“Later tonight? Back door?” she asked with a wink.

I can’t breathe. “Yes. Most certainly yes.”

She smiled as she crawled off of me, and then she began putting her panties and sweatpants back on. I looked her body up and down, and I had the most intense feeling run through my body.

“I love you, Ari.”

She stopped and smiled as she looked at me. “I love you, too.”

She turned and walked out of the bedroom. I lay there for a few minutes and thought about how blessed I was.

I heard Ari talking to Grace and Luke in the kitchen, so I got up and headed to the bathroom to wash up. I got dressed and made my way out to join them.

As I walked into the kitchen, I stopped and watched my beautiful wife with my precious kids. Luke was helping Ari put Grace into her high chair.

“I don’t know what I would do without my big man here to help me. Huh, Grace?” Ari said.

Grace let out a giggle as Luke ran over to the refrigerator and tried to open it.

Ari picked him up and opened the door. “What do you want, little man? Want some yogurt?”

“Yes, peeze,” Luke said.

I smiled and walked into the kitchen. Grace started kicking as soon as she saw me.

I leaned down and kissed her. “Hey, baby girl.”

“Daddy!” Luke yelled. He fought like hell to get out of Ari’s arms.

She set him down, and I squatted, so he could run into my arms for a hug.

“Alwex?” Luke asked.

“You want to see Alex, buddy?” I asked.

He began nodding his head. I looked up at Ari, who smiled.

“I’ve been promising him a playdate with Alex all day,” she said.

I looked back down at Luke. “You get to see Alex tomorrow. You’re spending the night with Gramps and Grams—both of y’all.”

Luke started jumping up and down when he saw Ari setting his yogurt on the table. He pointed to his seat, so I picked him up and set him in it as I glanced at Ari. She was smiling as she made cereal for Grace.

“Are you happy, baby?” I asked her.

The sexy smile that spread across her face was all I needed to see to know her answer.

“Yes. I’ve never been so happy in my life,” she said with a wink. “Are you?”

I walked over to her and took her in my arms. I gently brushed my lips back and forth across hers. “Everything I’ve dreamed of and wanted is in this very room right now. You’ve made me the happiest man on Earth, Ari. I love you so much that it hurts. If I didn’t have you, Luke, and Grace…I’d be so lost. I love y’all so much. Nothing can ever come between us, Ari. Nothing.”

She smiled as I pulled her closer to me and kissed her. I was beginning to get lost in the kiss when the doorbell rang. I pulled away, and she laughed.

“Damn it, Johnson. You sure know how to make a girl horny, you know that?”

I laughed as I turned and headed to the front door. I wasn’t sure who in the hell it could be since our front gate buzzer hadn’t gone off. I smiled and opened the door, expecting it to be Gunner or Gramps, and then I instantly felt sick to my stomach.

“What in the hell are you doing here?” I looked him up and down.

He smiled and shook his head. “Now, Jefferson, is that any way to greet your father?”

When I heard what the man at the door had said, I almost dropped the jar of baby food.

Jeff’s dad is here? What in the hell is he doing here? How did he get through the gate?

I stood there, frozen. I quickly looked at Grace and then Luke. Luke was eating his yogurt and lost in his food. I grabbed the bowl of cereal and set it in front of Grace.

Oh Jesus, I’m setting myself up for a mess.

I walked around the corner and saw Jeff still standing at the door. He hadn’t asked his dad to come in.

“How did you get through the gate?” Jeff asked.

His dad let out a small laugh. “Well, it was open, and I just drove down the driveway.”

Oh my god. I put my hand up to my mouth as I thought about Sharon calling earlier and asking if she could stop by. I’d opened the gate, so she could just drive in. I’d totally forgotten.

Shit! Sharon’s coming over! I looked over at the clock. Jesus H. Christ, she’ll be here any minute.

I peeked in on the kids. Grace was dipping her finger in the cereal and looking at it, and Luke was eating his yogurt, still in heaven.

I walked up behind Jeff and put my hand on his shoulder. He didn’t bother to turn around.

“What do you want? Why are you here?” Jeff asked.

His father took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to see, but I wanted to talk to you and Ellie. Your mother—”

“She’s moved on and has finally gotten over you. She’s getting married, and I seriously doubt she wants to see you.”

The sadness in Jeff’s father’s eyes almost made me feel sorry for him.

He nodded his head. “Your mother was my first love, Jefferson. I loved her with all my heart, and I still do.”

“Did you let Angie know how much you loved Mom while you fucked her behind Mom’s back?”

“Jeff,” I whispered.

His dad looked down. “It’s just…we had you when we were so young, and I was so scared. I felt like I had so much more in life to do, and I felt…trapped. Angie was my only way out. I never loved her like I loved your mother.”

Jeff let out a gruff laugh. “You sure have a funny way of showing your love.”

Just then, Luke came running out. “Daddy!” he screamed as he ran and grabbed on to Jeff’s leg.

The look on Jeff’s father’s face when he saw Luke made me so sad. I silently thanked God for my parents and their unconditional love.

“Your son?” Jeff’s dad said as his voice cracked.

Jeff turned and looked at me. I could see the confusion in his eyes.

He slowly turned back to his father. “Yes. I also have a daughter.”

Shit! Grace! I spun around and ran back into the kitchen.

As soon as I saw her, I busted out laughing. She had cereal everywhere, and she gave me the biggest smile ever.

I walked over to her and smiled down at her. “If I didn’t love you so much…”

I began cleaning her up as I heard Jeff talking to his father in the living room.

He needs to leave—like right now!

“Jeff, I need your help in here… now, please,” I called out.

Jeff came walking into the kitchen, holding Luke in his arms, and he just looked at me. “What in the fuck?” he said.

I knew it wasn’t because Grace was covered in baby food.

“I know, but listen, your mom is going to be here any minute. You need to get him out of here, Jeff—like now!”

Then, the doorbell rang.

Jeff closed his eyes. “Fuck. Me.” He turned and walked out of the kitchen.

I moved with lightning speed to clean up Grace. I heard Jeff telling his dad that he shouldn’t have just shown up like this. Then, I heard Jeff opening the front door. I grabbed Grace and practically ran out into the hallway to the front door.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw Sharon, Ellie, and Alex. “Oh no,” I whispered. We’re about to have a little family reunion.

“Um…Mom, Ells…can I talk to you outside?” Jeff asked.

I glanced over to his father sitting on the sofa. I couldn’t help but notice how sad he was. Serves his ass right for what he did to all three of them.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Ellie asked.

Ellie could always tell when Jeff was upset or worried. Nothing got by her as far as he was concerned.

“Ells…let’s just…”

Sharon looked at him as she tilted her head. “Jeff, what’s going on? Your face is white as a ghost.” She peeked over Jeff’s shoulder and saw me standing there. She smiled when she saw Grace kicking and holding her arms out for her. She pushed Jeff out of the way and started to walk in.

“Mom…really, I think it’s best if we step outside for a minute.”

“Nonsense. I want to see my grandchildren and…” Her voice trailed off as she looked into the living room. “Brian? Is everything alright?” she asked in a whispered voice.

“Sharon, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you would be here,” Brian said as he slowly stood and started wringing his hands together.

Ellie came barreling in and stopped right behind Sharon. She stood there and just stared at her father. He smiled when he saw her, and when he looked down at Alex, he smiled bigger.

“Why are you here? How dare you come back into our lives! Haven’t you caused us all enough trouble? You need to go…right now!” Ellie shouted, scaring both Grace and Alex.

Sharon turned around and shook her head. She took a crying Alex out of Ellie’s arms. “Shh…baby girl, it’s okay. Ellie, please, honey, calm down.”

Jeff walked in and set Luke down.

He immediately ran up to Sharon. “Alwex! Alwex!”

Sharon put Alex down, and Alex and Luke both hugged each other. I quickly looked up at Brian, who seemed to have tears in his eyes. I glanced over to Jeff, and he looked more confused than angry.

“Luke, Alex…come on, y’all. Let’s go into Luke’s room and play!” I said, trying to be all cheery and shit.

Luke and Alex took off for the playroom, and I followed behind them. As I looked back, I saw Sharon turn toward Jeff and Ellie.

“Kids, your father and I need to tell you something.”

Holy shit. Sharon wasn’t at all surprised to see Jeff’s dad. Shit! Why can’t it be nap time?

I stood there and just stared at my mother. Why is she not surprised to see my father?

I glanced over at him, and he looked exactly like I remembered…but older…and sadder. His eyes were filled with sadness.

Good, I hope his life has been miserable—that bastard!

“Mom…why are you not surprised to see him?” Jeff asked.

My mother walked over and stood next to our father.

Oh god…she’s not leaving Philip for our father, is she?

“Ellie, sweetheart, calm the thoughts in your head. I see you thinking a mile a minute.”

I shook my head. “Mom…are you leaving Philip for…for him?” I pointed to the man standing in front of me.

I didn’t even want to call him my father. It was his fault that my mother had treated us so badly all those years. He had been the reason for her sadness and bitterness.

“What? No! My god, no, Ellie. Jeff…Ellie, baby…please sit down,” my mother said with a weak smile. She turned and looked at my father. “You couldn’t wait for a few days longer until I talked to them?” she asked in a soft…almost caring voice.

He shook his head as he sat down. My mother took a seat next to him.

“Okay…can I just say that this is fucking weird?” Jefferson said as we both sat down.

They both gave us a slight smile, and then I almost fell out of my chair when my mother reached for my father’s hand.

I stood up quickly. “What is going on?” I practically shouted.

Jefferson reached up and pulled me back down. “Calm down, Ells…let Mom talk.”

My head was spinning. This is not happening. Are they friends now? Did he get in touch with her? Or did she get in touch with him?

“About three months ago, your father contacted me. I agreed to meet him—with Philip.”

I felt sick to my stomach. I put my hand on my swollen stomach, and right at that moment, the baby moved. I’d felt her move this morning, and I thought Gunner would have come out of his skin because he’d wanted to feel it so bad.

“Mom, why would you open up that hurt again?” Jefferson asked.

I watched as my father looked down and then up at my mom. She looked at him and smiled.

“Jefferson, Ellie, I will always love your father. He was my first love. He was probably the love of my life.”

My father reached up and wiped a tear away from his cheek. My heart jumped a beat, and I grabbed Jefferson’s hand.

“But I am also deeply in love with Philip, and I plan on spending the rest of my life with him. He gives me unconditional love, and I can’t imagine my life without him.”

I was finally able to open my mouth and say something. “Are you still with Angie?”

My father snapped his eyes up at me, and the moment his blue eyes caught mine, I wanted to cry. I remembered those eyes looking into mine while he’d told me stories. I used to dream I would marry someone like him.

“No. We divorced a few years ago. She left me and said she couldn’t live in the shadow of another woman.”

I shook my head, the anger building. “What in the hell does that mean?”

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Ellie…your mother was my first love. She’s probably the only woman I’ve ever truly loved in my life.”

I went to say something, but Jefferson squeezed my hand.

“I had all these plans for us…and when we went to college, I sort of freaked out. I was leaving town for games, and all I could do was think about her. What was she doing? Who was she with? Did she miss me? My mind was consumed with thoughts of your mother.”

I began shaking. “Why did you cheat on her then?” I spat out with as much hate as I could.

My mother looked down and away.

Oh god…hearing him say this must be tearing her apart inside!

“I wish I could answer that, but there really is no answer. I was scared…scared of the feelings I had for her. A part of me wanted to push her away, so I wouldn’t have to worry about anything. I just wanted to worry about football and taking over my father’s business. The other part of me wanted her so much that I could hardly stand it.”

He looked over at my mom, who just gave him a weak smile.

“One day, your mother saw me kissing Angie at a game. I ran after your mom, and I promised myself that I would never see that look in her eyes again. I would never hurt her again.”

“But you didn’t keep that promise,” I said, my voice cracking.

My mother gave me a weak smile.

“Mom…are you okay?” I asked.

She smiled bigger as she tilted her head and slowly shook it. “Ellie, darling, your heart is so pure and sweet. Yes, sweetheart, I’m okay. Your father and I have been talking during the last few months about a lot of things. I think I have come to a place where I am able to forgive him. I needed this to happen, so I could have closure and move on with my life. So do you kids.”

I sat there, stunned. “Why didn’t you tell us you were talking to him?” I looked at my father. “Why didn’t you try to contact us? Why did you leave when we all needed you?” I finally lost it and broke down, crying.

Jefferson took me in his arms and held me while I cried uncontrollably from all the emotions surfacing all at once. The next thing I knew, I felt a hand on my knee. I pulled my face away from Jefferson to see my father kneeling down on the floor with tears streaming down his face. One quick look at my mother revealed that she was also crying.

“I’m so sorry, pumpkin eater,” he whispered.

“What did you call me?” I asked in a whispered voice.

“Pumpkin eater—it’s what I called you the first time I ever saw you.” He smiled.

I slowly shook my head. “But you didn’t want me. I was a mistake.”

His mouth dropped open, and he pulled back slightly. “Don’t ever say that Ellie. Ever. I did want you. I loved you and still do. I love you very much. You did nothing wrong.”

He looked up at Jefferson. “And neither did you, son. This is entirely my fault. All the pain and hurt I’d put the three of you through was all my fault. I have no excuse for what I did. I walked away from three of the most important people of my life because I was a scared, selfish bastard. I wanted that free life of partying and traveling that I didn’t get to have. If I had a wife and family, I couldn’t do that.” He dropped his head and began sobbing. “I was a stupid fool, such a stupid fool.”

I slowly looked at my mother, who was wiping away her tears. I was so confused, and my head was spinning.

“Why Angie though? You kissed her before you even knew Mom was pregnant with Jeff.” I said.

He looked up at me, and his eyes caught mine. “Because I was an asshole, Ellie. I don’t have any other reason than that. I was a cheating bastard. I loved your mother more than anything, but there was a side of me that just wanted to…I don’t know.” He shook his head. “Angie gave me attention like I’d never had before, and I…I liked it.”

I peeked over at my mother as she sat there so calmly while she dabbed her eyes. She’d come so far, and I just prayed that this wouldn’t have a negative effect on her.

“Were you happy with Angie?” I asked.

He looked away and then back into my eyes. “No.”

“Why didn’t you come back to us then?” I asked as the anger continued building inside me.

“I tried a few times. I’d go and visit your mom, and I would just end up…well, I would—”

“You’d fuck her and leave,” Jefferson said.

“Jefferson Johnson!” my mother said.

Jefferson looked at Mom. “Sorry, Mom. It just…it makes me so angry. Dad, you have no idea how angry I am.”

My father put his hand on Jefferson’s knee and nodded his head. “Yes, I do. I do know how angry you are because I’ve been angry for the last twenty-something years. I’m angry at myself, at Angie, at my father, who encouraged me to leave your mother.”

I sucked in a breath of air. “What? Why?”

He took a deep breath and let it out very slowly. “Your grandfather didn’t like your mom very much.”

He looked over and winked at her, and she smiled.

“He always thought I should have married someone who came from money. He threatened me when he found out that your mother was pregnant with you, Ellie. He told me he was going to take everything away from me. He was going to disown me for getting her pregnant again. He said I’d never run the family business. My mother though…she loved Sharon and you kids, and it broke her heart when I left. My father wouldn’t allow her to talk or even see Sharon or you two.”

“Oh my god. How could someone have so much hate in his heart?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but I let his hate guide my life. I can’t do anything about it now, but the last few years, I’ve been trying to think of a way to tell your mother and you kids how sorry I am. I never had children with Angie. The idea of having kids with her turned my stomach, so I ended up having a vasectomy right after I left your mother.”

My mouth dropped open, and at first, I couldn’t speak. “So, you spent all those years with a woman you didn’t love, away from the love of your life and your kids…to please your father?”

His eyes looked so sad, and my heart actually began to hurt for him. I no longer felt anger toward him…only sadness.

“Yes,” he barely said.

My mother stood up and walked over to us. She held out her hand, and my father took it as he slowly stood. They walked back over to the sofa and sat down together.

My mom took a deep breath. “When your father contacted me a few months back, I wasn’t sure how to feel. When he told me how he felt…I won’t lie…a part of me wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms and pick up where we’d left off all those years ago.” She looked at him and smiled, and then she looked back at Jefferson and me. “But I love Philip with all my heart, and your father and I have talked about this. He certainly didn’t expect me to just fall back into his arms.”

“I wished it though,” he said with a weak smile.

I couldn’t help but smile at their easy banter with each other, and I looked at Jefferson, who was also smiling.

“We talked about him coming and talking to you kids—when we both thought it was time.” She quickly glanced at him and then back at us.

My father cleared his throat and nodded his head. “I wanted to see you both…to tell you how sorry I am for what I did…for leaving you and causing your mother to fall into such a deep depression. I don’t expect your forgiveness, but I certainly would love it,” he said with a small smile. “I want you each to know that the days you were born were the happiest days of my life. And to see how you’ve each turned out to be such caring, loving, and successful…” He stopped talking as his voice cracked. “I’m so very proud of each of you. So very proud.” He smiled at Jefferson and then me. “Your mother and I decided to wait until after the New Year, but I don’t think I have…I don’t…I…” His voice trailed off as he looked down at the floor.

My mother grabbed his hand and held on to it as she wiped a tear away with her free hand. “Jeff, Ellie…your father has stage two lung cancer. It has spread to his lymph nodes. He has had surgery, and he is about to start a combined chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The doctors are very optimistic though.”

I put my hand up to my mouth. Just when I thought I was getting my father back, it felt like he was leaving again. I slowly shook my head. “No…you just came back to us.”

My father’s eyes captured mine, and I felt like I was looking into my own soul.

“Pumpkin eater…” he whispered.

I stood up as he did the same, and I walked into his arms. I began crying, and then Jeff took us both into his embrace.

“I love you both so much. Please know that I’ve always loved you both,” our father said in between sobs.

“Daddy…you just came back to us. Please don’t leave us again,” I said.

Jeff hugged us both harder.

I wasn’t sure how long we stood there…wrapped up in our embrace. My heart was slowly feeling whole, but at the same time, it was breaking in two.

As we all sat back down, our father began telling us how he used to come to our school events and how he almost approached us each time.

“Did you see any of my games at UT, Dad?” Jefferson asked with a cracked voice.

My father smiled so big that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hell yes, I did. You were an amazing football player. That you did get from your old man,” he said with a wink.

I heard Ari clear her throat behind us, and we all turned and looked at her. She was holding Grace while Alex and Luke were holding hands as they stood next to her. I got up and walked over. I took both their hands and led them to my father.

I sat down on the floor and looked at Alex and Luke. “Alex, Luke…this is my daddy, your grandfather.”

Jefferson sat on the floor and pulled Luke onto his lap. Luke immediately started laughing.

Jefferson glanced up at our dad and asked, “What would you like them to call you, Dad?”

My father quickly wiped away the tear from his cheek. He looked at my mom before turning back to Jefferson. “Grandpa would be a dream come true.”

Jefferson smiled and said to Luke, “Can you go say hi to your grandpa? He’s my daddy.”

Luke turned to Jefferson. “Daddy’s daddy?”

Everyone laughed.

Jefferson said, “Yeah, buddy, my daddy.”

Luke jumped up and went right up to my father. “Bandpa.”

My father smiled and reached out his arms, and Luke fell right into them.

“Bandpa, it is,” he whispered.

Alex giggled and yelled out, “Bandpa!”

He took them both in his arms, and before I knew it, they were all over both my mother and father. I sat there and watched the whole thing play out as tears slid down my face. I felt Jefferson reach over and wipe them off my face. I looked over at him, and we both smiled.

“I love you, Ells,” he said.

I threw myself into his arms. I tried so hard not to choke up on my words. I managed to whisper in his ear, “I love you, too, Jefferson. I love you, too.”