Chapter Eleven - Darla

With the stealth of a panther and the gleam in his eye of a lion, Gage crawls down my naked body.

“Are you ready for me, baby?” He nibbles on the inside of my thighs. The heat of his mouth makes me shiver.

“Yes.” I nod.

“Hmmm…” his tongue snakes out lapping at my core.

“That feels so good.” I pant.

“Hold on, hotshot. You’re going to love this.” He buries his face between my legs, feasting on me like a man deprived of sustenance for years. His tongue lashes, swirls and licks.

“Gage…” I fall back onto the bed, thrusting my hips into the air. “Don’t stop…”

His big hands wrap around my bottom, tugging me closer. “Delicious.” He moans.

I spread my legs wider desperate for more.

His tongue stops moving as his mouth latches onto me.

The sensation is glorious.

He releases a growl that vibrates straight through my flesh. Lost in the sensation, my fingers slide into his hair and I grind into his face riding his mouth with wild abandon. My toes curl. The undercurrent of an orgasm ripples through me.

Unable to control myself, my legs clamp around his head.

Growling in satisfaction, Gage’s tongue lashes at my tender flesh in a frenzy.

“Gage…oh my God…Gage…” Colorful lights flash behind my eyelids as I cry out in sheer ecstasy. My entire body convulses, a fine sheen of sweat coating my skin.

When I come back to earth, I open my eyes to see Gage smiling down at me licking his lips. “Mouthwatering good, baby.”

I glance down at the iron shaft bobbing between his legs. Now it’s my turn. I crook my finger. “Come here.”

“You should catch your breath first. You’re still panting.” He grins.

“Come. Here.”

I wrap my hand around his shaft, curling my fingers around the base. I give him a gentle squeeze while swirling my tongue around the crown. Greedy, I slide my mouth down over the engorged head.

“Baby…” he moans.

I move my hands to his thighs, taking as much of him in as I can. When his thighs start to tremble and tense, I swirl my tongue, bobbing my head up and down.

“Holy shit…” He moans.

“You like that, baby.” I release him from my mouth, licking him slowly from root to tip.

“I’m close.” He cups the back of my head. “Lay back.”

“No.” I tease the tip. “I want to taste you, too.” I take him back into my mouth, moaning.

He gasps, erupting on my tongue in hot pulses. When he’s done, I ease my lips back, smiling from ear to ear.

“You taste like macadamia nuts.”

“I will never be able to look at a macadamia nut again without seeing your mouth wrapped around me, baby. Not ever.”

“Good.” I lie back and spread my legs. “We have ten minutes left. Let’s make them count.”

He falls on top of me and we laugh for a few seconds until he’s rock hard again. My heart flies as he slides into me.

Home. I sigh into his neck. I’m finally home.

“Mummy, Auntie Emily is here!” Lilah pounds on the bathroom door.

“Tell her I’ll be right out, peanut.” I sink back into the tub of bubbles. The warm water feels good against my deliciously aching muscles. I’ve had more sex in the past three days, than I’ve had in my entire life. Heaven help me, I giggle, I want more. Maybe we can sneak a quicky in tonight.

I jump out of the tub, towel off and dress. I wrap a towel around my hair and smile at my glowing reflection.

“How’s married life?” I sit on the bed to brush my hair.

“It’s amazing.” Emily turns to Lilah. “Would you do me a favor and sit on the lania for a quick minute? I need to talk to your mom in private.”

“Sure. Can I use the iPad, mummy?”

“Of course, baby.” My heart starts beating fast. Emily isn’t smiling. I wait for the sliding glass door to close. “What? Did you two have a fight? Did your break up? Did he hurt you?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “We’re fine. I have to show you something. But before I do, tell me about you and Gage.”

“Show me what?”

“Nope. Tell me about you and Gage first. Are you happy, honey? You two radiate when your together.”

“We do?” I blush.

“You do.”

“I’m head over heels in love.” I gush. “I don’t think I ever stopped loving him and I don’t think he ever stopped loving me.”

“Oh, honey. I am so happy for you.”

“I honestly can’t believe it’s happening.”

“It’s happening.” Emily walks over to sit beside me. “Where do you go from here?”

“We’re going to talk about that tonight. He told me he’s going to get his pilot license so he can fly a plane from Bangor to Portland. Can you believe that? He’s going to fly to see me? The flight is forty-three minutes which beats a two-hour drive any day.”

“I think it’s romantic.”

“What about you?” I twist my hair into a knot. “Do you have any regrets?”

“Nope. Not one. Well, I guess I do have one.”

“What’s that?”

“That it took so long for me to find Jake.”

I laugh, giving her a quick squeeze. “Now, what do you have to show me?”

Emily slides a phone from her purse. “I’m going to show you something. But before I do, I want you to remember everything you just told me. Okay?”

“Okay. You’re scaring me.”

“I know you, honey. You’re not going to take this well, but as your best friend I can’t keep it from you.” She puts her phone in my hand. “Read this.”

My eyes swing back and forth at lightning speed. My heart drops into my stomach. “Oh, no.” I glance over at Lilah. She’s bebopping to her music without a care in the world. “I have to tell Lilah.” My heart sinks even further. “And then I have to tell Gage. How will he ever forgive me?”

“Forgive you?” Emily grits out. “Your brother did this. Not you. Jake is telling Gage right now. So, you don’t have to worry about that.”

I read the article again. The headline makes me cringe.

Bangor Braves’ Gage Harlow Has Secret Love Child

But it’s when I see the picture of Gage and Lilah on the beach tears start to fall. “Lilah must have sent this picture to her uncle.”

My relationship with my brother has been strained for years. However, he’s always been good to Lilah. He doesn’t see her very much, maybe once a year. But they text often. Simon’s hardcore gambling problem has taken him to some very low places. He’s lost jobs, even been to jail. If there’s an opportunity for him to make an easy buck to feed his habit, he takes it.

But this? This is an all-time low.

“She’s been over the moon having her father in her life.” I pick up the towel to wipe my face. “How could Simon do this? How?” I sob. “It’s going to break her heart. Not to mention Gage. How will this affect Gage’s career? He’s been talking about how this is the year they will make it to the World Series.” I sag against Emily. “It’s all ruined.”

“Honey, I don’t think it’s ruined. It can be fixed.”

“How?”

“Gage has a good head on his shoulders. He’ll think of something. The most important thing is to protect your daughter. Gage will be just fine. Simon might need protection though.”

“What’d you mean?” I sniffle.

“Jake is furious. He can’t believe what a horrible person your brother is. To sell a tabloid story about his own niece, never mind his own sister, he just can’t wrap his brain around it. He has a cousin in the mob, you know. He might call him.”

I should tell Emily to tell Jake not to call his cousin, but I don’t. I’m done trying to help Simon. Done protecting him. He has crossed a line. An unforgiveable line. There’s no coming back from this.

I take a deep breath, sit up and get ready to take a stick of dynamite to my life.