For the next few hours, they lost themselves in the magic of A Walk in the Clouds. When the movie ended, Lumien sighed as the credits rolled. Howie looked over at her, his heart skipping a beat as he watched her.
She looked at him, hearing the sigh escape his lips. Sweeping a lock of hair away from her eyes, he let his hand slid down until his palm cupped her cheek. He saw the surprise in her eyes, heard the slight intake of breath. Slowly, so as not to frighten her away, he leaned forward and kissed her.
The kiss was gentle, a chance for her to accept his touch and not be afraid of what was going to happen. She opened her mouth after a moment of the simple kiss, and he slid his tongue inside to lightly touch hers.
With a slight groan, he leaned farther into her, pressing her against the corner of the sofa. He tried to make sure he didn’t overpower her, afraid that she would feel trapped. He never wanted her to be afraid of him or anything they did.
Lumien opened her eyes when Howie pulled away, looking into the warmth of dark eyes staring down at her. She hesitantly reached towards him, letting her fingertips rest against his mouth. He smiled before he kissed the soft skin. She smiled back, then wrapped her fingers in his t-shirt and pulled him back down to her.
Their kisses grew more intense as tongue caressed tongue and hands roamed over sensitive skin. So involved in each other, they didn’t notice how close they were to the edge of the sofa. Howie turned his body and fell over the edge, the plummeting sensation stopped by his abrupt meeting with the carpet. Lumien was holding onto him, and she followed him over, landing on his belly with a thump.
Howie’s eyes were closed, and he let out a soft “oomph” when she landed on him. Scrambling up, Lumien reached out to touch his cheek and make sure he was okay. She pulled back in surprise when he opened his eyes and laughed.
“Are you okay?” She looked down at him as she straddled his waist, her hands planted on either side of his head.
“I’m fine. How about you?” He looked up into her eyes, glad to see a smile on her lips.
Staring down into his face, Lumien considered the question. It had been so long since she allowed herself to feel anything for a man. Bruce had almost killed the part of her that believed in desire, in affection, in love. Looking into Howie’s eyes gave her hope. People told her she was strong because she survived an abusive marriage and then enlisted in the Marines. Sometimes, she believed it; sometimes, she didn’t. In that moment, she realized that being strong meant being willing to take another chance on love.
Howie watched her eyes as emotions flickered across her face, and he hoped that Lumien wouldn’t back away from what they both felt. Her body flexed, and he closed his eyes in disappointment that she was going to leave.
His eyes flew open when he felt her press a kiss against his throat, then nibbled her way up his neck to gently bite his jaw. He moved his hands, resting them on her waist as she raised her head to look at him. A smile crossed her face, and he returned it.
With an elegant grace, she rolled back on her heels and rose. She stepped to the side and held out her hand. Howie accepted her offer and lifted himself off the floor. Taking both of his hands, Lumien walked backwards toward the bed.
Howie looked at her when she stopped. “Are you sure?”
Lumien smiled again. “Yes, Howie, I am.”
They were both surprised to feel his hands tremble as he unbuttoned her blouse and slid it from her shoulders. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder as he pushed a bra strap out of the way.
“mmmm” The low moan rumbled in her throat as Howie unhooked the satin bra and eased it from her body.
Stepping back, he let his eyes roam over the petite woman in front of him. She looked up into his eyes, almost afraid that he wouldn’t like what he saw. She needn’t have worried—the lust on his face told her that he liked her just fine.
Howie slid his hands up Lumien’s body to cup her breasts, his thumbs brushing against her nipples with a feathery touch. She shuddered, and he grinned as he leaned forward to possess her mouth in a fiery kiss that left her gasping.
Fumbling, she reached for the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, allowing her to stroke her fingers over the smooth muscles of his chest. It was his turn to shudder as Lumien slowly rubbed the tips of her fingers across his nipples.
He pulled her close, gasping slightly as bare skin touched bare skin. Lumien wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him with an increasing passion as he caressed her body. Howie’s hands drifted down to her waist, and he slid them to the front of her jeans to unbutton and unzip them. Lumien followed his actions, unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans. She eased her hands inside and pushed his pants and boxers down so that they slipped over his hips and down his legs.
He moaned into her neck as she gently squeezed his ass. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of both jeans and panties and pushed them down her legs, kneeling to help her step out of them. Looking up into her face, he marveled at his luck in finding a woman who understood him and wanted to be with him in spite of his mistakes in life.
Howie leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Lumien’s thigh, licking the satiny skin. He heard the soft gasp above him and repeated the action on her other thigh, rewarded with another gasp. He pushed gently against her legs until she was flush against the mattress. Another gentle push had her sitting on the bed.
Lumien wasn’t quite sure what to expect. In the beginning with Bruce, they had both fumbled around because they were new to sex. After they got married, they settled into a pattern of having sex whenever Bruce wanted it. If she was lucky, she actually had an orgasm. Then, the beatings began, and Lumien just wanted to survive. She closed herself off emotionally, retreating into her mind when Bruce flopped onto her and wanted sex. When she left him and joined the Marines, she had gotten involved with someone in her unit and discovered that sex could actually be nice. Lumien had appreciated those brief interludes, but she had pretty much given up hope of feeling anything beyond that.
With the simple touches they shared, Lumien discovered there was so much to be enjoyed.
“What are you thinking about?” Howie gently stroked her legs, running his hands up her calves, over her knees, and along the sides of her thigh, then back down again.
“Bruce was my first, and we were just a couple of kids when we got together. The sex was never great, especially towards the end. Then, when I enlisted, I hooked up with this guy for a while. He showed me that it could be nice.”
“And now?” The warmth in those brown eyes looking up at her had the power to make her lose all train of thought. He clasped her hands as they rested on her legs.
“I realized that in the few minutes we’ve been kissing, I’ve never felt anything like it. That’s got me a little scared.” Lumien looked down at their joined hands.
“don’t be scared.” He whispered the words before he pressed a kiss to her fingers.
Lumien leaned down and kissed him, capturing his mouth in a soft, sweet caress. He groaned softly as he rose towards her. Howie kept rising until he forced Lumien to lie back on the bed. It seemed so natural to just relax into her, her curves accepting and then molding into the hollows of his body.
They continued to kiss, alternating deep kisses with gentle nibbles. He sucked her earlobe, she licked the sensitive spot behind his ear. He gently bit her bottom lip, she pressed soft kisses against his eyelids.
Keeping in mind what Lumien said about her previous experience, Howie decided he was going to show her just how incredible it could be.
Pressing a quick kiss to her lips, he slid down her body a couple of inches and began to lick the side of her neck with long, slow strokes; an occasional ear nibble thrown in to keep her off balance. He switched sides, dipping behind her ear to suck gently on the tender flesh before he nibbled his way down to the juncture of her neck and shoulder.
Reaching down, he grabbed hold of her hands and stretched her arms above her head, their hands remaining joined. Howie kissed and licked his way down one arm, stopping to gently bite the crease of her elbow before continuing down and across the sweet angles of her collarbone to repeat the process on her other arm.
“mmm” Lumien moaned softly as Howie continued laving her skin.
He grinned against the curve of her shoulder before moving on to his next objective. Stopping above the swell of her breast, he looked up into her face to watch the pleasure flush her skin with a rosy hue.
She felt his eyes on her, and she looked down to find him watching her. With his eyes still on hers, he leaned close and slowly licked from the underside of her breast up and over her nipple, then blew softly on it.
Lumien felt the shudder start in her toes, working its way up her body before it settled in her belly. “Oh, God, Howie, that felt so good.”
He chuckled. “But it’s going to feel even better.”
He repeated the process on the other breast then moved back and forth between the two to suckle and lave each nipple until she was constantly squirming beneath him. He nibbled his way down to her belly button, dipping his tongue inside and swirling the tip around to rim it softly before he reached his ultimate goal.
Howie settled between her thighs. Resting his arms on her legs to hold her still, he tangled his fingers in the soft curls and gently tugged. Lumien moaned softly at the feel o his fingers on her skin. Anchoring her thighs with his upper arms, he slipped his thumbs into her inner folds and opened her to his eyes.
She looked down at him, watching his eyes light up as he stared at her, like he had just been given the best present in the whole world. A gentle touch on his head brought his eyes up to hers, and he smiled. Looking back down, Howie leaned forward and licked her with one broad swipe of his tongue. She shuddered, and he felt the tremors everywhere his body touched hers.
Howie alternated long, slow licks in her slit with rolling her clit around with his tongue. He wanted Lumien to let go and lose herself in the pleasure he was giving her, and he could see her body start to arch in response to his touch.
Lumien didn’t know if she was ready for the intensity of the emotions racking her body. She whimpered, she moaned, she begged for him to end the torture, but he continued flicking his tongue against her in a maddening rhythm that made her want to scream.
When he felt he had her completely focused on the pleasure, he sucked her clit until her back arched and her head was thrown back in a silent scream of sheer joy.
Lumien felt like she was suspended in clouds. Everything had a soft, hazy feel, and she felt so completely relaxed. As her senses came back online, one by one, she registered the fingers running gently over her belly. Warm puffs of air brushed against her hip, and she felt the crinkle of underarm hair against her thigh. When she opened her eyes and looked down, Howie was resting his head on his hand as he looked up at her. Reaching down, she brushed her finger over his lips before grasping his chin and tugging him up her body. As he made his way upwards, he took the opportunity to kiss a trail up to her mouth.
Howie hovered over Lumien, staring down at her with a gentle smile and laughing eyes. She slid her eyes down his body, noticing the full erection. Looking back at him with a seductive smirk, she wrapped her hand around his shaft and stroked down. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard before looking at her.
“You know what I really want?” Her voice was barely loud enough to be heard.
“What?” He matched her tone.
“To feel you buried balls deep inside me.” Lumien gave his cock another firm stroke.
Letting her hand guide him, Howie lowered himself down so that his tip rested against her wetness.
“Please, oh, Howie, please.” She clutched his hips, and he slid into her with a powerful stroke.
Lumien gasped as she was suddenly filled with his cock. He eased out and plunged back in, his hips rocking hard against her. She lifted herself to meet each thrust, struggling to pull him in deeper. She closed her eyes as he drove himself into her, giving herself over to the white-hot desire that licked at the edges of her mind. She wanted to lose herself in these feelings and never, ever come out.
“Look at me.” The tight grip he held on his passion roughened his voice.
Lumien remained locked in the exquisite sensations his body created. Howie stopped moving, digging his fingers into the sheets as he waited for her to refocus on him. When she realized he stopped, she blinked several times and looked into his face.
“What’s wrong?” For an instant, she was afraid she had done something wrong…again.
Now that he had her attention, Howie slowly pistoned his hips, creating an easy friction. “Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted you with me.”
She made sure to watch him, amazed at the myriad of emotions that crossed his face—lust, desire, pleasure, and a look she wasn’t sure of. He watched her face, amazed at the surprise and excitement and desire he saw in her eyes, and a little spark of love that she was afraid to let grow.
Leaning down, he kissed her, slipping his tongue between willing lips to gently stroke hers. She tightened her arms around his back and her legs around his hips. He reached down between them, rolling her clit gently between his fingers as he felt his balls tighten. He wanted her to come with him.
The tingling rolled in her belly as she felt another orgasm grab hold of her and pull her down into the increasingly familiar pleasure. He felt the sweet ache of release as he filled her with his seed, the rolling waves making him groan with bliss.
Howie collapsed on her, his body trembling a bit as he buried his face in her neck. Lumien stroked her fingers through his hair as she relished the feel of his body still resting in the cradle of her thighs, his cock still deep within her.
“Mmm.” The hum vibrated against her skin and made her giggle as she lengthened her caresses to include his back and arms.
“You like that?” She kept her voice soft, afraid to ruin the moment.
“Keep doing that, and I’ll be asleep in no time.” He smiled against her throat before he pressed a kiss to the damp skin.
“Then sleep. I’ll be waiting.”
Within minutes, he was out. Not long after that, she felt him slip from her body, and it saddened her. She felt better when he wrapped his arms around her in his sleep, nuzzling her neck. Her name left his lips in a long sigh, and she smiled.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys****Backstreet Boys***
Whenever Nick turned around and looked for his sister, he usually found her close to Meredith. BJ had volunteered to help keep track of scheduling items on a laptop, preferring to help out rather than just hang out. He smiled as he saw their two heads close together as they discussed the schedule.
AJ stepped up beside him, leaning against the taller man as they both watched. “BJ’s doing a great job. Meredith really appreciates the help.”
Nick chuckled, and AJ looked at him.
“What?”
“Last year, I asked Mom if she would adopt the rest of the kids. Looks like she’s starting with BJ.”
The other man tilted his head and stared at the two women. “She could do worse.”
“Which one?” The blond looked down at his friend.
“Either of them.” He grinned and lightly punched Nick’s arm before heading back to the stage.
****Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****
It was a busy day, people running around in all directions as they tried to make up for lost time due to a broken down truck. BJ was running the schedule, making phone calls as she sat out of the way in the office assigned to the tour. Meredith passed by twice, running to solve some crisis with security, but taking a moment to check on the young woman.
On her way back through the third time, she placed a sandwich, some raw vegetables, and some fruit next to BJ, along with a big bottle of water.
“Thanks, Mom.” She didn’t even look up from the computer as she typed.
Meredith paused at the statement. Blinking a couple of times, she smiled softly. “You’re welcome, BJ. Don’t stay in front of the computer too long. Make sure you get up and move around.”
She nodded and looked up to smile at the other woman. Meredith nodded and walked out of the room.
Later that evening, as the group gathered to eat dinner before getting ready for the concert, the guys watched as Meredith and BJ stared at each other.
“No, it’s time to stop working.”
“But, I’ve got three more memos to do. It won’t take long, I promise.”
“You can do them in the morning. There’s nothing that can’t wait. I want you to relax and rest.”
“But, Mom…” BJ leaned back in her chair and pouted.
Meredith pointed her finger. “That doesn’t work for your brother, and it’s not going to work for you, caro.”
“Fine.” The young woman rolled her eyes and sighed as she shut down the laptop.
Turning around, Meredith watched as the five men dropped their eyes to look anywhere except at the two women.
“What?” She sat down next to AJ and grabbed her plate.
“Nothing.” AJ’s smile was bright, and she narrowed her eyes at the look on his face before turning back to her salad.
Nick caught AJ’s eyes and grinned before looking over at his sister. AJ just shook his head as his girlfriend officially adopted another Carter kid.
Table of Contents
Chapter Thirty-Nine