Page 37 of Sunday

He winked and pinched my chin. But when he said nothing else, my heart squeezed in my chest.

The ride back to Cherokee Springs was a silent one for the most part. We were both lost in our thoughts, but the minute we returned home, Cedar was as attentive as always.

“Here, let me get that for you,” he stated and took my coat.

I headed into the kitchen as he hung our coats in the coat closet. Within seconds, he was standing behind me as I stared into the refrigerator.

“Hungry?”

He placed his hands gently on my shoulders.

“Not really. Just thirsty.”

“Go upstairs, get comfortable, and I’ll get you some juice and a snack and bring it to your room.”

I turned and smiled wearily at him.

“Thank you.”

I did exactly what he said. By the time he came to my room, I was wearing my pajama shorts and tank and was sitting with my back to the headboard and pressed against a few pillows.

“You okay?”

I shook my head. “I knew they wouldn’t be happy, but my father’s words hurt. I’ll deal with him when things calm down, though.”

Cedar sat on the bed beside me and grabbed my chin. When he turned me to face him, and I saw the compassion in his eyes, it broke me. My body shook with pent-up sobs I’d tried to hold in. He pulled me onto his lap and rubbed my back while making soothing noises.

I cried for a while. And when I hiccupped to a finish, Cedar wiped the tears from my face and gently kissed my eyes. I rested my hands on the sides of his face and leaned in and kissed his lips.

When he pulled back and stared at me for a moment, my heart dipped. Afraid of rejection, I climbed off his lap, but he pulled me back and kissed me hungrily. My heart soared with joy at the connection I felt to him. I opened my mouth to him and allowed him to delve deeper into the kiss.

All the words and emotions we felt over the last several weeks were poured into that kiss. And when I did move off his lap, it was only to lay on my bed. Cedar hovered over me and kissed my lips while his fingertips brushed the hem of my tank.

“I’ve tried to fight these feelings, Sunny. I can’t do that shit no more, girl.”

“Don’t fight,” I whispered.

“I just don’t wanna hurt you, Sunny.”

“Then don’t.”

I pulled my tank up, grabbed his fingers, dragged them up my skin, and basked in the blazing trail he left behind at his heated touch. When he reached my nipples, he circled one before he leaned in and kissed it.

“Taste me, Cedar,” I begged.

His eyes lifted to meet mine, and his tongue stretched out to circle my flesh. When his lips closed over me, I cried out. He moved to the next breast, and his hand slid down to rest on my belly.

Slowly, he moved down and kissed my belly gently and lovingly.

“I don’t want to hurt our baby.”

I looked down at him, and I almost broke at the tenderness I saw in his eyes.

“You won’t hurt him.”

I had taken to calling our baby a boy as well, praying that he wouldn’t be disappointed if we had a girl. Cedar tugged at my pajama shorts, and I lifted my hips and ass from the bed so he could remove them and my panties.

His thumb gently caressed my flesh, opening me up so that he could circle my hard bud. I arched closer to him, wanting to deepen our connection and keep him attached to me. But it wasn’t long before his soothing touch wasn’t enough.

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