Page 97 of Rise & Fall
“That’s pretty immature, old man,” I quip, trying to lighten the mood from the Jessica conversation. Besides, seeing him get all riled up for me, ready to defend his honor for me, and hearing him say the things he said…it stirs something deep inside me. Something close to kismet.
“So is assuming that I’d ever leave you for my ex-wife. Which I won’t say anything bad about because it seems to me that you might want to be her friend.” He turns and heads toward his truck and like a fish on a hook, I follow.
Do I want to continue to be friends with Jessica? Maybe. I don’t know. First, I have to admit to her about my relationship with her ex. And then we have to decide where I fit in their lives, especially where Aria is concerned. Not that that decision will have anything to do with Jessica’s approval. Because I’m in this with and for Nolan first, his daughter is a bonus.
But I need Jessica to know that my intention was never to hurt her because I know that when she finds out, betrayal might loom. And I need her to know that I don’t plan to take over her role as Aria’s mom. I want to respect the relationships that this whole dynamic will need to adjust to. Though I know that Nolan and Jessica aren’t always going to see eye to eye, I just have to make sure that I am in this for the right reasons.
Nolan opens the passenger door for me, and I jump up. He helps me by securing my back as I hold on to the indoor handle and scoot into the passenger seat.
He runs around the truck and jumps in himself before starting the car and kicking on the heater.
“Was Colorado this unpredictable with weather?” he asks, trying to alleviate the tension in the conversation a bit.
“Worse actually. So, I’m used to it.” I smile at him.
We both settle into the cab of his truck. The warm air from the heater blows around us as the water droplets of rain slide down the windshield.
I love that no matter where we are, no matter what we’re doing, I always feel safe and complete with Nolan. Like nothing else truly matters. Time is never an issue, stress dissipates. And life feels full.
“So, where do we go from here, Dakota?” Nolan’s question breaks the silence in a sincere search for a hopeful answer.
“Where do you want us to go?” I counter back with a genuine question of my own. Because I know what I want. But if there’s one thing I took from my relationship with Asher, it’s that I need to ask for reassurance more often. Even though in strong relationships, that shouldn’t be the norm. But I never got confirmation from Asher; I just assumed he loved me back and wanted to be with me forever, so it was an out-of-sight-out-of-mind kind of thing for me.
But I need to hear Nolan say it, even if it’s only just once, for my peace of mind. I know that I can trust his words. I know he’d never hurt me. I just need to hear him say it.
“I guess I don’t really know where I want us to go, per se. I mean, there’s a lot of easy answers I could give you to calm your nerves and ease your mind. But right now, this reality with you is way better than any dream I could conjure. I will go anywhere, do anything, fight every battle just to see you smile. Just to hold you in my arms, Dakota.” Nolan pulls me into the middle of the seat, closer to him, and he eats up the space between us meeting me in the middle.
“Fuck, you are the most perfect woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Your heart is so full of love and control. And I know that you may have your own struggles and flaws, but you fight them with so much pride, and it’s amazing to see you be yourself, Dakota. All I know is that no matter what, I want you in my bed at the end of the night, every night.” Nolan holds me by my face, the attack of butterflies flirts with the dangerous feelings of cupidity and rapture.
We’re both leaning in slightly, the overpowering feeling of thirst takes over as my body gravitates toward him.
He knows how I feel or how I want to feel. He admitted to wanting that same thing when the time feels most genuine to us. He also explained everything with Jessica, and I believe him. I know I made it a bigger deal than it needed to be because I was feeling insecure in my ability to trust another man.
Nolan’s lips touch mine before I have another second to breathe, quite literally taking my breath away.
I part my lips, allowing him to explore my tongue with his. Something I craved since I left his house last weekend. His hands eagerly search my body, from my cheek to my breasts to my ass.
He brazenly lifts me up and guides me over his lap, writhing as I feel his cock harden beneath me, straddling him the best I can in the crammed cab of his truck.
I squirm against his erection, our tongues still dancing a wet, lusty dance as his hands pull on my tank to untuck it from my shorts, and the feeling of his calloused hand skating up my stomach to cup one of my breasts creates a strong need to fuck him right here.
“Baby girl, you’re so fucking perfect,” he breathes between kisses. He helps me grind into his core harder and as much as the feeling is overwhelming, it’s not enough. I need him to be inside of me.
“Please, Nolan,” I whisper on his tongue. “I need you.”
“Missed you, too, baby.” He reaches down between us and moves the loose, distressed edge of my short-shorts aside as much as he can without discomforting me before he trails his finger up to the hem of my panties.
He moves those aside as well and uses his index finger to find me wet and heated for him.
“God,” I moan into his mouth as he slides his finger through my arousal.
It’s starting to feel uncomfortable, how the material from my shorts is chafing against my skin but the feeling of his finger violating me in such a satisfying way negates the discomfort for a moment.
“Fuck, I need to see you, Dakota. You’re soaked, babe. I just need to look.” He pushes me back a little. My core feels a loss when he removes his finger and uses one hand to unbutton and unzip my shorts while his other hand pulls down the cup of my bra before lifting up the hem of my shirt to expose my pebbled nipple.
I see the hunger swirl in his eyes, like I’ve neglected and starved him for a week and all he can see is his next meal.
He gets my pants undone and leans back enough to allow me space to stand up from where we’re sitting, ducking my head so as not to hit the roof of the truck, and he pulls my shorts and thong down.