1. Playing Dumb
[AVA]
I gaze at the ring in my hand, overwhelmed with a feeling of absolute euphoria.
It’s been three months since Brian popped the question in his fancy penthouse, and every second since that day has been nothing short of sheer bliss.
If you had told me a few years ago that Brian Reinhold would fall head over heels for someone like me, I would have laughed it off as a prank. The idea of someone like him, who had probably given up on love, taking a chance again was beyond my wildest imagination.
But I guess I’m incredibly fortunate because, for me, dreams really do come true.
Although, I should have realized that love alone wouldn’t cut it.
It went down about a week ago when I finally mustered up the guts to spill the beans to my parents that the man I’ve been seeing for the past few months, who has been there for me and my family through thick and thin, is none other than Brian.
To say their response was unenthusiastic would be a massive understatement—it was downright icy as hell.
Even though my mom had been strangely silent and just stared at me with her mouth wide open, my dad looked extremely angry. He was so mad that he stormed out of the room and went for the longest walk he had taken in a while.
Max, on the other hand, didn’t seem to react at all. He simply stood by the doorway, casually observing everything with a sense of amusement in his eyes. It was as if this was nothing new to him, as if he had known it all along. I mean, of course, he did. But still...I was just relieved that one less family member was making a fuss. I was too happy about that to care about anything else.
“You’re doing it again,” a smooth, velvety voice purrs in my ear, reminding me that I’m not alone. Brian is sitting behind me as we lie beneath the covers, bare and exposed.
After the intense sex last night, when I woke up to my alarm blaring at five in the morning, I found a lack of warmth in the sheets where Brian had fucked me nice and hard. I wrapped the duvet around me and ventured out to investigate his whereabouts, only to find him engrossed in conversation on his phone, tucked away in the far corner of the living room.
He was only dressed in sweatpants, leaving his impressive chest and back bare. As his gray eyes met mine, it was undeniable that he was thinking the same thing I was at that moment. He ended the call, and within minutes, we were at it again. He was inside me, passionately rocking my world like no other. His breath, heated against my ear, as he took me from behind and spanked me until my ass throbbed with a sweet ache.
As we both raced towards the mind-blowing climax that was sure to hit us with the most powerful force ever, Brian helped me sit up after it was over. He sat behind me and wrapped his arms around me with his chin on my shoulder, as we both watched the sun slowly crawl back from its slumber.
“Doing what?” I ask playfully, playing dumb, even though I know what he is talking about. After I told him how mom and dad had reacted, he took it in quite impressively. Perhaps he had expected it all along. It was only I who hadn’t fully grasped the problems our age difference would present until I was confronted with them firsthand.
“You know,” Brian whispers softly, his voice carrying a hint of amusement, “we’re becoming experts at this sneaky morning rendezvous.”
I chuckle, feeling a surge of affection for him. “I guess we are. It’s like our secret little world before the chaos of the day begins.”
His grip tightens around me, and he places a gentle kiss on my neck. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he murmurs. “Being here with you, wrapped in this moment, is all that matters.”
Warmth oozes through my veins as I turn my head enough to capture his lips in mine. It’s a slow pace—sweet and full of love. It makes my head woozy, as if with each passing moment our mouths dance, I only fall more and more in love with him.
I know my family doesn’t approve of our relationship right now, but when we’re together, their opinions don’t bother me. I’m trying to learn something from Brian, which is to stay patient and not overreact when things get tough. In fact, that’s when I need to stay calm and think clearly. Every problem has a solution; I just need to plan properly and take action.
As Brian always says, it’s about taking one step at a time.
With a warm smile on his attractive face, he moves away slightly and playfully twirls a strand of my hair around his finger, his deep gray eyes filled with adoration. “Do you think you’ll be okay?” he asks.
“Of course,” I reply, turning to face him fully and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’ve been on business trips before. It’s not easy, but I’ll manage.”
“That’s what worries me,” he whispers, leaning back against the armrest and holding my hand, our fingers entwined. “I don’t want you to get used to it. I want to bring you along with me.” He gently kisses the tips of my fingers.
His words fill my heart with warmth; he has a special way of making me feel like I was the most important person in his life. “I would love that more than anything,” I sigh. “But with my dad giving me the silent treatment and my mom’s upcoming date, I don’t think it’s possible. Will you be okay with that?”
He leans in and plants a gentle kiss on my forehead. “More than okay,” he said, looking into my eyes. “But you know I can talk to your parents, right? You don’t have to handle this alone. I understand that your dad is struggling to see me as his future son-in-law, and it’s not uncommon for people to find such relationships unconventional. But your dad is a good man. I’m confident that if I can have a conversation with him, we can come to some understanding.”
I have no doubt about his ability to handle the situation, but this is a matter involving my family. I feel the need to handle it on my own.
“I appreciate the offer,” I said with a small smile, running my fingers up and down his biceps. “But let me handle this myself for now. If I feel that I need your help, I’ll let you know.”
“Sounds great,” he replies, kissing my cheek once more before finally throwing off the duvet and getting up, completely naked.
I can never get used to the sheer strength and chiselled physique of this man.
Damn.
“You know,” he says as he reaches for his boxers and puts them on, “there’s nothing hotter than your girlfriend undressing you with her eyes, even when you’re already naked.”
A flush of heat rushes to my face.
“Shut up!” I quickly snatch my shirt off the floor, the one I probably forgot while we were passionately making our way to the bedroom, wondering who would undress first, leaving a mess of clothes behind us. I playfully toss the shirt at him.
He catches my shirt and chuckles. “I’m going to hop in the shower real quick. There’s coffee in the kitchen; feel free to help yourself while I’m gone.”
He leaves, and I sag into the soft cloud of the duvet, not ready to face the world just yet.
