“You and I… We’re equals.” Brandon places my hands on his chest. “You’ll never have to force yourself to do something you don’t want to please anyone. Not for me. You will never have to go through that again. Not with me. Are you listening, love?”
“I am, and I don’t understand. How can you accept me? After all that disgusting—” I gulp dryly.
He cups my face. “You tried to save him, and he didn’t want to be saved. You saved me for who I was once too, and I wanted to be the one you’d be proud of. Now, do you like what I’m doing to you?”
“Yes… I love what you do to me.”
“Am I forcing you now? Tell me because I’ll stop.”
“No. Don’t stop, please. I want this with you.”
He softly kisses the back of my head. “Yes. Now, see the difference?”
“You love me. He didn’t.”
“Exactly.” He nods. “I love you. I told you, right? Nothing can change what I feel for you.” He tucks my hair behind my ears. “But it doesn’t mean I won’t do anything, and you will not stop me. I will kill that fucking devil if I have to.” He groans. “What he did to you is unforgivable.”
“What will you do?”
“That’s up to me now. You just have to let me.”
“He’s dangerous, Brandon. I don’t want you to get hurt.” I shake my head. “Please.”
“Darling, I’ve faced people worse than him in my life. I can handle one.” He grimaces in revulsion. “That’s enough talk. I will show you how a woman like you should be taken care of. A woman like you who is thoughtful, kind, and sweet. What happened to you is all in the past. That doesn’t make you the person you are now, and I will not stop until you realize you’re precious.” He takes my hand to one of his buttons and starts unbuttoning his shirt. “Touch me, Alayna. However you want to.”
“Because we are equals,” I whisper.
“Yes, we are.”
The embarrassment I felt is gone. All gone. There’s nothing else I need to be ashamed of. I can’t even accept who I was, but Brandon, not only did he not judge me, he embraced my flaws.
I finish unbuttoning his shirt, and his bare chest reveals before my eyes. I touch his scar with my fingertips, which are even smaller now. Brandon breathes deeply with every stroke.
I kiss it softly. My lips touch his skin lightly with every trace. He smells of mild soap and milk, but his muscles are hard as a rock against my palm.
“You smell good,” I murmur until my mouth reaches his neck, and he moans.
“You see, love,” he says breathlessly. “I really wanted you to touch me tonight, but I told you I’ll show you, right?”
I hum.
Brandon grasps my chin with his long fingers, tilting my head back, then kisses me savagely. “These lips—” he whispers between a small gap of our mouths “—deserve more.” His tongue sweeps boldly into my mouth. His other hand freely messaging my lower back greedily.
I clutch onto his arms because I may not be able to handle the tension he’s causing me as I’m about to explode. I’m trembling on my knees. Half of me wants to faint. As if Brandon can feel my struggle, he catches me determinedly while still savoring my mouth with his.
With Brandon, even a kiss is enough for all those nightmares Drake had caused me. My loving boyfriend only needs to make me remember that.
But Brandon isn’t finished. I am suddenly weightless in his arms as he undresses me without breaking the kiss. He first removes my blouse, then unhooks my bra until I’m bare. Only then did he stop the kiss and gaze at me.
“I can never get tired looking at you,” he breathes. He trails a finger down my body, deep within my breasts, filling my belly with butterflies.
I groan as his skillful fingers continue below, teasing into my navel and down my inner thighs. “I want to taste you here.”
I gasp as he suddenly carries me and throws me on the bed. He tugs my jeans in one full sweep, and his eyes glimmer at what he sees.
“That looks good on you,” he compliments, staring at my lace thongs. “I can already see everything in that little piece of fabric.”
I giggle. “Blame Lydia. She chose this for me.”
“Not to blame, but to be thankful for. However, we don’t need that tonight.” Brandon reaches for the thin string of the undergarment, then sensually peels it down my legs.
When he’s done, his slow approach turns savage as he positions himself between my legs, with my buttocks resting on his shoulders, and his mouth covers me in whole. His tongue swirls on my sensitive nub.
“W-wait. Slow down…” I clutch onto his hair, and he pauses.
“I remember when you were holding back. Does it have anything to do with this?”
“Are we really going to talk right now?”
He chuckles. “Yes, we are. I’d like you to open up more.”
“It’s hard for me to come,” I say quietly, almost with no voice.
He frowns. “Come again?”
“It is hard for me to orgasm twice after what Drake did to me,” I confess what I cannot say the last time.
“What did he do?”
“Whenever he would force me, my body would shut down. He’d abused me to the point of having an orgasm but wouldn’t let me have it. Then if I’d really come, he’d push me to his limit and he wouldn’t stop until he was satisfied.”
Brandon briefly shuts his eyes. “That fucker,” he curses, and his jaw ticks. “There are just too many reasons now why I should be the one to end him.”
I clutch his arms again. “Please, don’t make me do this again. I barely handled it before, remember?”
“So that’s the reason,” he whispers to himself. “And I thought there’s something wrong with me. I thought I didn’t handle you well. Let’s do something about that. Let me try something.” He spreads my thighs wide and carefully runs his finger over my slit.
I grit my teeth. “What are you going to do?”
“Open up to me, and don’t hold back. I’ll take care of you.”
“What will you do—ahhOh my GodHis strokes inside me hasten, then he slips in another finger, hitting my G-spot every time. Each touch is as if he knows my body more than I know myself.
“Mmm… Oohh…” “Hold on to me, baby,” he demands as he continues to appreciate every inch of my body.
“Mm… It’s too delicious… Don’t stop…”
“I don’t plan to.”
Brandon’s thumb circles my clit, and I officially lose it. My belly feels full, and I’m on the verge of giving in to ecstasy.
“Let it all go,” he says hoarsely, with his eyes not leaving mine, piercing me, driving me wild.
“Yes!“That’s one“Oh my God!”He sucks, licks, and lashes his tongue around every corner of my pussy like he’s eating his favorite dish. The slurping sounds he makes is driving me insane. He spreads my thighs wider and thrusts his tongue into my opening while his thumb massages my clit. His pace is relentless, knowing precisely that I’m in my weakest state whenever he does that.
Brandon’s mouth is skillful. His fingers are talented. It almost makes me wonder how he does it. How many women did he drive wild with this, without breaking them but making them feel so loved? Was he like this with them, too? Brandon had to have started from something to memorize a woman’s anatomy.
He’s different from Drake or any man I’ve met before. Too different. Brandon can be rough and gentle at the same time—just exactly what I need. He knows how to make a woman worship him.
All those thoughts coming in together make me want him more, and that I’m privileged I’m the woman underneath him now. And with all those thoughts, I’m near my second orgasm.
I moan as I come into his mouth, and that’s usually my limitation. My body and legs feel already wobbly, as I am already out of energy to give. He hasn’t even made love to me yet.
I shut my eyes, sinking my teeth on my bottom lip, relishing the pleasure he gave me feel like it’s always my first time having sex in my life. Our present always surpasses our last act.
“That’s two,” Brandon says. “You alright?”
“I’m…” I lick my lips, still panting. “I’m okay. Really.”
“Good, because I’m not done.”
“Brandon, that might not be a good idea.”
“Did I hurt you?” he asks in concern.
“No, never.” I shake my head firmly.
“Then you have nothing to be afraid of. I’ll be gentle until you can handle it, okay?”
“MmBrandon continues at a slower pace this time, and even though he remains needy and looks at me possessively, he is now more careful. He kisses my core like he’s devouring my mouth. I close my eyes to relish the moment. I’m suddenly lightheaded, shutting off all my anxieties and focusing on the building pleasure between my legs.
I am now fully trusting myself to him. I’ve done that before, but I locked myself out to everyone after the devil broke me. Meeting Brandon and loving him made me realize how wrong I was. I’ve already opened myself to him. I just have to recognize the feeling and become empowered because of it.
I reach my third and even my fourth climax effortlessly, without losing myself and shutting off my emotions. Previously, I had to endure everything, forcing myself to feelThat wasn’t freedom. This eraseI breathe hard as I feel my next one until Brandon stops. He moves up to kiss my forehead. I smell my scent in his mouth.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Very much so.”
“Tired?”
“I am. Thank you very much for that too.”
His eyes sparkle as he chortles. “You’re welcome.”
“You know, I think I finally understand,” I start.
“Really?” He rests his elbow on the cushion so he can watch me at ease, then pulls the blanket up to cover our bodies with it, then begins to stroke my hair.
“I’m not there yet, but I will be.” I gaze into his mesmerizing gray eyes, thinking how fortunate I am that he’s mine—thankful that a man like him chose me. “I understand now. I don’t have to hide anymore. Brandon, we started this relationship full of secrets, and that’s what held us back. Can I be more open? Can I trust myself with you? Can I finally trust myself fully to be with someone?”
“Darling, you don’t have to ask. I would like to be more open with you too.” He nods, agreeing.
“We’ll tell each other what we do every day. I will tell you how my day went, who I am with, who I spoke to, my achievements, plans, and secrets. Everything“You will stand by me however you want to because Alayna, that’s all I ever want,” he whispers.
I begin to sob. “I don’t…”“Alayna, I would rip out my own heart and give it to you now if you asked me. Darling, of course,” he says sincerely, lovingly. “I got mad at the situation, and I think that’s only normal. What are you even afraid of?”
“I’m afraid that you’ll leave again.”
He sighs. “If you look back, I didn’t reallyI snivel. “You broke me back then too.”
“That was unintentional. I had to do what I did.”
“You were gone for three months.”
“Oh, God. I hate proposals like this,” he murmurs to himself, then lies on his back next to me. “You deserve more, but…”
I roll to my side so I can look at his beautiful face.
“Why don’t we just get married, Alayna?” His body shifts to his side, facing me. My heart suddenly stops, and my jaw drops.
“You’re only saying that.” I refuse to listen. “Tomorrow, you’ll feel differently.”
“You’re overthinking again.” He brushes his thumb on my cheek. “This isn’t a proper proposal, but I’m serious. Marry me because I don’t want to lose you either.”
“You’re serious?” I gasp, refusing to believe this is actually the conversation we’re having.
He kisses my forehead. “I am.”
“You are?” I repeat.
“Yes.” He laughs softly, then he steps out of the bed, letting the blanket fall off his body, exposing his demigod-like physique. I sit on the bed and watch him walk to the closet and return wearing a blue night robe. Then, he pulls a drawer and picks something inside. “I wasn’t supposed to show this until tomorrow night, but I’m not fond of waiting either.” He strolls back to the bed, then perches on the cushion.
“Alayna, can you let me share everything I am with you too?” he asks openly. Suddenly, a small black velvet box appears before my eyes, and Brandon opens it. A tiara-shaped ring with a huge round stone in the middle and small studs around it is revealed. It’s so beautiful!
I catch my mouth swiftly. “Brandon, that’s…”
“Exactly what you think it is.” He grins teasingly.
I’m speechless.
“I was going to arrange a dinner for us, but seeing how you needed assurance, this might also be a good—”
I jump and embrace him, stopping him from finishing his sentence. My insides are filled with unexplainable emotions. I can’t figure out what it is. I’m just too surprised.
“… timing,” Brandon finishes. He hugs me back. “Does this mean yes?”
I cry harder on his chest—harder than earlier, but it’s not because I’m hurting. It’s because he just made me the happiest woman alive.
“Alayna, baby?” He strokes my hair.
“You, you…” I sniff. “You said you didn’t plan this.”
“Then that’ll ruin my plan if I tell you, right?” he teases.
“You tricked me.”
He chuckles deliciously. His arms tighten around me. “Come on, this isn’t a bad proposal.”
“I’m naked!” I complain between tears.
“Alright, alright.” He laughs. “We will do this properly. With everyone. With our families and the world watching. I’ll make sure of that, okay?”
I don’t answer and continue to cry until I’m more composed.
“Alayna, aren’t you going to answer?” he asks again. “You’re breaking my heart with your silence.”
I tense up properly and look at the ring. My Brandon grins handsomely in satisfaction, then he pulls the ring from its box and slips it on my finger.
“Now, you’re officially