Once bytten

Two

A red Porsche pulled up into the Hoover residence driveway just as Alan opened the door of his BMW for his wife. Christian’s hands tightened around the leather-bound steering of his second love. 

His wife should’ve been sitting next to him right now. Hell, she should’ve been on his arm when Alan got married last year. The past year had been a nightmare and he was only just getting on top of everything Daddy Hoover has been up to. With Alan at Med school, married and firmly out of the family business by his own choice, it hadn’t been easy for Christian.

But that was last year. He’d have more time now to focus on digging his wife out of whatever hole she’d hidden herself in and bring her back where she belonged. He already had his best man on her tracks. He loosened his grip on the steering wheel and glanced over at the passenger seat and smiled at the memory it held. Where he’d taken his wife’s virginity years ago.

He jumped into his car half an hour after dumping his bag in the foyer, itching to see his Ella. It’d been a year and from what Alan had told him, it’d done a hell of a good to her body. He needed to make sure every d**k at Watermans that she belonged to him. 

He waited in the car park next to Alan’s car, anxiously drumming his fingers on the gear stick. They should be out any moment now. She didn’t know he was coming home today and Alan had promised to bring her to the car park right after her class.

And there she was. His ray of sunshine in a bright yellow tank and denim shorts that hugged her a*s like their life depended on it. Lucky bastards! Not for long though, for he intended to get her out of those soon enough. She was sixteen and he’d waited long enough. Besides, in this get-up, it didn’t look like she wanted to wait either. He patted the rubber in his pockets in anticipation, adjusted his already hard d**k and got out of the car.

Leaning against the passenger door, he watched her tilt her face up to Alan and laugh at something. She’d always been happier, more relaxed around Alan and shy and skittish around him. After today she’d have no reason to be shy. 

He waited for her to notice him. It wouldn’t be hard. He knew the year of ROTC training at MIT had done him a world of good and he was a lot bigger and bulkier than when he’d left. He knew the moment she spotted him. 

The smile froze on her face, as did her feet on the ground. Her beautiful lips formed a small ‘o’ and a smaller smile returned as the pair walked up to him. 

“Hi, Christian. I didn’t know you were coming back today,” she said as she went up on her toes and tried to give him a chaste kiss. They’d kissed before, but she’d never been the initiator. Not that Christian liked it any different. He liked his women demure and docile, just like Ella. Yes. They’d be perfect together. 

He pulled her in, his hands nearly going all around her tiny waist and kissed her. Leaving no doubt who was in charge and where this was going. He set her aside and clapped Alan on the shoulder, “Good to see you, mate. We’ll see you at home later, yeah?” 

Alan nodded, winked at Ella, and made his way to his own car. 

“Alan, wait. I’m going with you, remember?” Ella called, hurrying after him. She didn’t get far as Christian curled his arm around her waist, and reined her in. 

“Christian can bring you home, snow-white. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Ella’s heart kicked up a racket. She’d never been comfortable around Christian, but lately, he was acting really weird. And so was her mom and Aunty Rose. She’d tried to ask, but everyone just skirted around her question. With a sigh, she turned around and smiled up at Christian, “Looks like you are stuck with dropping me home, then.” She tried to sound casual but failed miserably.

“You know better, sweetheart. Why would you go anywhere with Alan when I am in town?” He turned around and opened the passenger door, motioning for her to get in. 

“Thanks,” Ella murmured. 

Christian fired up the car and shot out of the car park. 

“You really need to control your speed, Christian. One of these days you’ll end up in the hospital,” Ella chided and earned a throaty laugh. 

While his eyes were glued to the road, she took the opportunity to catalog how he’d changed in the one year he’d been away. If at all possible, he looked even bigger and wider than when he’d left. And he’d been pretty large even then. His face now had the rugged, sharp planes of a man who had not an ounce of extra fat on his body and skin had the bronze of hours spent outdoors.

“Like what you see, babe?” 

His voice had gone deeper, or maybe it was just her imagination. But he’d caught her ogling him and her skin burnt at the thought. His hand slid from the gear shift to her thigh, “I’m glad. I love what this year has done to you too.”

He glanced at her, his blue eyes glittering with something she was afraid to read. “Just tone it back with your shorts from now on. I don’t want boys gawking at your legs and butt.”

Her eyebrows came together, “I’m sorry. What are you trying to say?”

“I don’t think I could’ve been any clearer. You are growing into a woman now. You know we are meant to be together, which means I’ve got to look out for you until we get married. Am I clear now?”

“I don’t want to marry you, Christian. I’ve grown up around you and Alan, and I can’t think of marrying you or Alan.”

“You have a few years to get used to it. Our mothers are already planning the big wedding they’ve waited for since the day you were born.”

“I don’t know what I’ll be thinking a few years from now. But right now, I am not marrying you or anyone else.”

“There will never be anyone else for you, Ella. It will only ever be me. How about we start trying to change your mind today?” His hand inched up the inside of her thigh, right up to the hem of her shorts. Way too close to where she didn’t want it. She caught his wrist and tried to move his hand away. 

Fear kicked in when she found she couldn’t even wrap her fingers all the way around his wrist. If he decided to take this any further, she’d not be able to stop him. It’d all be up to him. To respect her wishes, or take what he wanted regardless. She felt a lot better when he allowed her to move his hand away from her thigh and back onto the gear stick.

But the relief was short-lived. He pulled off the road into the woods along the road, stopped a few hundred feet in, and killed the engine. 

“Don’t you like me, Ella?” He asked, his eyes spearing her. 

“No...it’s not that. It’s just that you and I are so...so...different. It’ll never work. Our mothers have this dream, but unfortunately, I don’t think we can make it come true.”

“You don't think. And do you think you can marry Alan?” His voice now had an edge that made her skin prickle. 

“No. Not Alan either.” 

He leaned over the island between their seats and wound his hand into her hair, pulling her to him.

“Why, Ella? Have you already found someone? Is that it? And what about the kisses we shared before I went away to college? What of that, huh? Did you think you’d have fun with me and move on?”

“Ow, Christian. Let go, you’re hurting me.”

He loosened his grip on her hair but didn’t let go, pulling her further toward him, instead. And then his lips crashed onto hers. Demanding surrender and settling for nothing else. Her mouth opened on a silent plea and his tongue invaded. His other hand covered her breast, stroking her n****e until it beaded under her b*a and top. 

Satisfied, he pulled away, gently rubbing a thumb over her swollen lips. “You do like our kisses, don’t you, babe?”

She lowered her eyes. Her body certainly seemed to like the kiss and his warm hand on her breast. But she was sure she didn’t like it. Was that even possible? For her to not like something which her body enjoyed. Apparently, yes.

“There. See? You’re reading too much into small things, Ella. Everything will work out, trust me.” 

This time he moved over the island and flicked a switch to recline the passenger seat to almost horizontal. Her green eyes locked onto his. A heady mixture of confusion and arousal swirling in their depths. 

“Do you trust me not to hurt you, baby?” He asked, his voice thick and husky.

He’d never, ever hurt her. In fact, he’d always been there for her. When she fell and hurt herself, or when other kids teased her about something silly, or when she was stuck on a math problem. He was there to help her out. Sometimes he got bossy, but then so did dad, and his dad. 

He waited, hovering over her prone body, his eyes never leaving hers. Until she gave a slight nod. And he was free to make her his wife long before putting a ring on her finger. 

The sharp tone of his phone pulled Christian from his memories. He whipped it out from his pocket, “Hello, Danny. Tell me you have good news?”

“I sure do, boss. I have sent you an email with the details. All you need to do is fly there and claim your property back,” Danny chuckled at his own joke. But Christian was happy enough with the answer to join in. Not too long now, Ella.