Authors: Dixie Lynn Dwyer
Tags: #Romance
Again he squeezed her ass and tightened his hold as he stared down into her eyes.
“This is my ass, woman. I can squeeze it whenever I want to.” He smiled and she shook her head. Ava was surprised at how excited his words made her.
She glanced at Colton. “Come here,” he whispered firmly. Evan slowly released her as she walked toward Colton. She wasn’t wearing any shoes, and the closer she got to him, the realization of just how tall and big he was sunk in. She loved it. He was a total turn-on with his dark crew-cut hair, big muscles, and green eyes that stared at her and made her feel sexy. She also felt a little need to challenge that superior attitude and help him to lighten up. He was stressed over seeing his dad, and she wanted to get to the bottom of things. Instead of slowly falling into his arms, she jumped up. He caught her, and she straddled his waist as he cupped her ass and back with his arms.
“Hot damn, woman, I wasn’t expecting that.”
She giggled, leaned forward, and kissed him deeply on the mouth. Moments later she felt the hard counter beneath her ass as Colton increased the kiss. His mouth explored her mouth then her neck and shoulder. She shivered from the tiny goose bumps of arousal his mouth caused. He thrust his hips against her pussy as he slowly lowered her back down onto the island counter. Strong, thick fingers caressed her from shoulders to breasts to her thighs.
She covered Colton’s hands with her own as he explored her skin.
“You are gorgeous,” Evan whispered as he leaned down and kissed her bare belly. He moved her top up and began to lick and kiss the cleavage of her breasts while Colton unzipped his pants and then slowly pulled her body closer. He removed her panties then swiped a finger over her cunt.
“So wet for me, aren’t you, baby? I think I’ll have you for lunch.” Colton leaned down and pressed a finger to her pussy, making her spread her legs wider.
As Evan unclipped her bra, releasing her full breasts, she grabbed his head as he attempted to devour one. Evan licked her nipple, tugged, and sucked on it until she felt her first tiny spasm of pleasure. Colton pumped his fingers into her pussy then replaced them with his mouth.
She moaned.
“Oh please, Colton, Evan, please.”
Evan continued to suck on her breast. She stared down, panting as she watched his cheeks cave in, the harder he sucked. It was so erotic how he held her gaze. His green eyes looked glazed over with passion.
A moment later she heard the tear of foil and then felt the tip of Colton’s cock at her entrance.
“Fuck, Ava, you are amazing.” Colton spread her thighs wider and pulled them up over his shoulders as he thrust forward into her. The move caused Evan to release her breast hard, causing her to explode against Colton.
“Sweet Jesus, I felt that, baby. Keep coming for me, Ava. Keep it up, baby, you feel so good,” Colton said then clenched his teeth and stroked her pussy over and over again. She couldn’t take it as she saw Evan remove his shirt then undo his pants. Colton pounded into her and she reached up to touch his chest. He exploded inside of her. He pumped his hips two more times. “Fuck!” he yelled and then panted for breath.
Slowly he eased out of her and moved to the side so he could kiss her and that was when she felt Evan.
“Mine,” Evan said then shoved into her in one quick stroke, making her gasp as Colton devoured her cries with his mouth. He leaned over the counter of the island and kissed her passionately while Evan pumped his cock hard into her pussy.
She felt her entire body tighten up, almost feeling as if she couldn’t handle these two passionate, wild men when she sensed Evan growing inside of her.
“Damn, Ava, I love you!” Evan yelled. She exploded around him as he followed suit, shoving forward deeply with his head tilted back, his hands gripping her hips tightly as he roared. Colton released her mouth and kissed along her neck and shoulder as they all slowly settled down from their intoxicating session of sex. Then it hit her. Evan said he loved her. This wasn’t just great sex. She knew that, and the reality of his words shocked her and aroused her.
Evan slowly pulled from her body and looked down at her very seriously. She glanced at Colton as he brushed his thumb across her tender nipple and held her gaze.
“I’m in love with you, too, Ava,” Colton said and she felt the tears in her eyes. As one escaped, both men leaned down and kissed her. Colton kissed her tear away as Evan kissed her belly then made his way up across her breasts to her neck and then her mouth.
“I love you both, too,” she whispered, and they smiled as Evan pulled her up into his arms and hugged her. She felt Colton behind her, hugging her until Evan released her to Colton.
They were silent a moment until Colton pulled back and wiped her hair from her face. “I was just looking for a kiss hello, you know.”
“I was looking to take that way-too-serious look off your face, Colton. You looked so angry and serious and I heard your conversation about your father. I want to know what happened.” He tensed as he held her. His expression immediately went back to being angry and almost hurt.
“He’s dead to us. That’s all you need to know.”
Ava was sitting at the bar at Dixie Chix speaking with Juliet about the small barbecue they were planning for next Sunday. Susanna and the other Dixie Chix thought it would be a great idea to get everyone together.
“The babies are doing great and so is Sally. I think Susanna is right. I think we should have this party before Elise winds up in labor next,” Juliet said as she wiped down the counter and filled another mug of beer for a customer. It was pretty crowded tonight.
“Elise has another three weeks before her due date.”
“And not a clue about the baby shower tomorrow afternoon. I hope that Sally and the babies can stop by for a little while.”
“Mason and Steven will bring them by for an hour or so. Besides, even though it is mid-July, they could still be exposed to germs with all the strangers around. You have to be careful with newborns, especially twins. They’re so tiny, too,” Ava added with a smile.
She played with her cocktail napkin until Juliet covered her hand with her own.
“What’s on your mind, honey? You seem kind of out of it,” Juliet said.
Ava looked up and smiled. “Things are changing everywhere I turn. I feel like I’m on a roller coaster of a ride. One minute up and excited, the next minute down then back up again. It’s just getting to me. I guess I’m tired.”
“You’ve had a lot on your plate, Ava. Now you’re starting a new relationship with two sexy, hot, retired soldiers who look ready to eat you alive when they see you.”
Ava laughed. “They do not.”
“Do, too. Ask anyone. Colton and Evan love you.”
Ava smiled as she looked down at the bar and thought about the amazing sex in their kitchen yesterday afternoon.
“Oh, I recognize that smile. You love them, too, don’t you?”
Ava looked up and shrugged her shoulders. “What’s not to love? They’re like my angels, Juliet. They showed up out of thin air in the nick of time to turn my world upside down and give me hope and determination to get through my bout with cancer. I’m thinking of things I never thought I would want again.”
“Like babies?” Juliet asked with a smile and a wink.
Ava nodded her head.
Juliet smiled wide then leaned over the bar and whispered to Ava.
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot, too. I want a wait a bit longer, but I can tell that Carl and Richie are ready. I know once I get pregnant, they’re not going to let me work so hard. They’re going to want to cater to me, and I don’t know if my sanity can handle that. I’m going to be turning twenty-three. There’s still time, but when I look at those two tiny babies, my God, it makes a woman dream.” Juliet smiled and held the cloth to her chest.
“Excuse me, Ava.”
Ava turned around and looked up to see Jeremiah standing there. Her heart pounded inside of her chest as she looked around, hoping that Colton and Evan wouldn’t arrive at the dance hall. She wasn’t certain what their response might be.
“Hello, Jeremiah,” she said and then looked at Juliet, who excused herself to take care of a few new patrons who were looking to order drinks.
Ava turned in her seat as Jeremiah took the empty stool next to her and sat.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her. Ava stared up into the older man’s eyes, realizing now, after the fact, why they seemed so familiar in the past. His sons’ shared similar green color, but Jeremiah’s looked dull and sad.
“I’m feeling great, thank you for asking. Uhm, I’m not sure it’s such a good idea that you came over here. Your sons…”
“Hate me.” He finished the sentence for her as he looked down at his hands and took a deep breath.
She felt terrible. Jeremiah had been nothing but nice and caring, volunteering at the hospital and always friendly here at Dixie Chix. It was obvious that he wasn’t the same man of twenty years ago. But who was she to judge or evaluate a situation that Colton made clear was none of her business?
“I’m sorry that we couldn’t have a conversation before Colton and Evan arrived. I wanted to be the one to share with you that I’m their father. You see, I saw them taking an interest in you, here at Dixie Chix. I saw the way their eyes lit when you entered the room or as they sought you out then found you in the crowd.” He looked really sad when he described his observations and she wondered why.
“I know you tried to push them away, so that you could deal with having cancer on your own. You’re very brave and very strong. If I had a right to choose a woman for my sons, it would be you, Ava. I’ve learned a lot over the years. I learned that love can come in multitudes when people really care and are honest.”
“Why are you telling me this, Jeremiah? I don’t know what happened between you and your sons. They refuse to talk about it and our relationship is new and was under an enormous amount of stress at the start of it. I don’t want to upset them more and I’m afraid they’ll come here and get all worked up because you’re speaking with me.”
“I want to talk to them, Ava. I want to explain why I acted the way I did back then. I want them to know that I love them and that I loved their mother, but…well, there aren’t any excuses to condone my behavior. I found out things weren’t as they seemed only days before my wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I discovered things that truly destroyed me inside. I loved their mother dearly.”
Ava swallowed hard then looked around, taking special notice to the front entrance. Evan and Colton might show up soon. It was getting pretty loud in there, and Jeremiah had to move closer so she could hear him and not yell.
“What went wrong? What makes you think that by explaining things now, it will make it right for Colton and Evan? From the bits and pieces they shared, they mentioned you being drunk, never coming home, and leaving them to handle the care for their mother.”
She stared up into his eyes and could see the pain her words inflicted, but what possible excuse could he have for making his teenage sons care for their dying mother?
“I loved her, Ava, but she didn’t love me.”
Ava felt her chest tighten as she stared at him in shock. He immediately continued.
“Alicia was cheating on me and the boys.”
“What?”
“You see, after we had Colton and Evan, we started drifting apart. I was always out working and she wanted more. She wanted things I just couldn’t provide for her by owning and operating a small ranch. To make a long story short, a few days before she was diagnosed, I found out that she was cheating on me and had been for over a year’s time.”
“Oh God, Jeremiah.”
He took a deep breath. “I confronted her and she continued to see him. I told her that her sons were so important and that the family was more important than some guy who could give her material things. We fought and argued and I told her that I loved her no matter what and that we could work it out. I was even willing to go to one of those counselors for marriage or whatever, but she refused.”
The crowd was getting louder and it was becoming difficult to hear Jeremiah’s story.
“Let’s walk out back. It will be quieter back there,” Ava said, and they headed away from the bar. She told Juliet where she was going. They walked down the hallway and to the back parking lot. Susanna had placed a few chairs outside for when the staff took their breaks. They stood by the railing that led to the steps, and she watched him hang his head and hold on to the bar.
“I remember that night, coming home from work and wondering if she would be there or if she was out with him. The boys were at a friend’s house down the road and there Alicia was, sitting at the kitchen table, crying. She told me that she went to the doctor. She told me what the doctor said and she was playing with this fancy gold bracelet on her wrist, twirling it around, just staring at it.”
“That must have been terrible. I know exactly how that feels,” Ava said with tears in her eyes.
“At first I cared. I even asked for all the details and what should we do next, and she tells me to do nothing. She said, Aaron, Aaron was the fucker’s name, was going to take care of her. I blew my stack. I called her every damn name in the book. And then I begged her to stay in the house and to spend her last days with her sons. She told me that she didn’t love me and that she would only stay there if I wasn’t around.”