#eralen

It had all started with a glass of wine at your best friend’s house (as most of the stories in you life did)…

Ari had been over at her house, fixing the sink, while you’d been catching up with your best friend over some wine and charcuterie. You’d already had a glass, so you might’ve been a little overexcited as you made a case for why she should join you on a day trip up the coast to the romance bookstore that was having a big post-Valentine’s Day sale.

Your friend had given you a sympathetic frown and told you she had plans. And then she’d turned to Ari and asked him if that was the same town that had a specialty hardware store he’d been wanting to go to. Ari had given his sister a strange look, but confirmed it was the same town.

Before you’d quite known what was happening, your best friend was finalizing the details for the day trip you were going to take with Ari, to the town with the romance bookstore and hardware store. 

You’d tried to stop her, you really had. You even tried appealing to Ari, telling him you were certain you could look at books much longer than he could look at hammers and screws and whatever else they had in a hardware store. 

You didn’t want him to get stuck waiting around for you.

“I’ll wait for you all day, sunshine,” Ari had said in his low, deep voice, that easy grin on his face.

Despite the fact that you were sitting in your best friend’s kitchen, hearing Ari say those words, in that voice, had butterflies fluttering in your belly, and you couldn’t help but squirm a little in your seat. It wasn’t until you’d looked away from Ari’s gorgeous blue eyes and taken a sip of wine that you’d been able to get yourself under control. 

But then your best friend had caught your eye, an ecstatic and triumphant look on her face, and you’d had to roll your eyes.

For years, your best friend had not-so-secretly been convinced that Ari was in love with you, and she’d spent half that time trying to convince you to marry him so that you could be sisters. But you just couldn’t see it. 

Sure, in your heart of hearts, you harbored feelings for your best friend’s older brother. He was charming and friendly and thoughtful and kind—and he was hotter than any other man you’d ever seen in real life. But you’d never gotten the impression he felt anything aside from platonic fondness for you. 

Even when he called you ‘sunshine’ and made comments about being willing to wait around for you all day, you didn’t put much stock in it. Ari was known for being a flirt, and you’d seen him make plenty of women swoon, only to go about his day as if he had no idea of the effect he had. 

Unfortunately for you, on that evening in your best friend’s kitchen, Ari had taken his sister’s side, and faced with the stubborn determination of both Levinson siblings, there was nothing you could do. 

So you’d woken up early that Saturday morning, donned a dress and a jacket to match the unseasonably warm February weather, and taken care to do your makeup and hair just the way you liked. Nerves jittered anxiously in your belly, and you’d had to keep reminding yourself that your day trip with Ari was not a date. 

But when he’d pulled up in front of your house in his old truck, he’d hopped out and rounded the front, helping you into the passenger seat. That had made your heart race enough, but then Ari had gotten back into the driver’s seat and handed you a to-go cup of coffee and a plain, white paper bag with breakfast inside.

Of course Ari Levinson had gotten your coffee and breakfast order exactly right. And all you could do was murmur a quick, “Thank you.”

For the rest of the drive north up the coast, Ari had remained pretty quiet, leaving you to your thoughts while soft rock played on the radio. 

You were grateful for the peace. You weren’t exactly the most talkative person, especially in the morning, and it was nice to enjoy the scenery and your coffee without any awkward conversation.

Somehow, you knew Ari had also known this about you, which had made your already tangled thoughts get even more snarled. 

Ari was going so far out of his way to be attentive and considerate, and though you’d never spent much time alone with him, it was getting harder and harder to think your best friend was totally delusional about him having feelings for you.

Once you’d reached your destination, Ari had parked along the main street and walked you to the bookstore. Before parting ways, he’d pointed out the hardware store where he’d be in case you needed him. Then you’d gone inside the bookstore and let yourself get lost in the shelves. 

At least, until Ari had snuck up on you in the moster erotica section.

You already had a sizable pile of books in one arm, and even you were hitting your limit of browsing, but you’d been considering adding another to the pile. One that had quite a tantalizing title and a provocative cover. 

Biting back a smirk, you responded to Ari’s question by lifting the book in your hand so he could see the front. 

Although you tried to act cool and collected, heat blazed in your cheeks as you thought about what he was seeing—a classic-style romance cover, but with one major difference to old-school bodice rippers. 

There was, of course, a woman wearing a dress, the neckline slipping low on her breasts. But instead of being joined on the cover by a man, she was clutched against the big, hulking chest of a minotaur.

“Morning Glory Milking—jesus christ, sunshine, what kinda shit are you reading?” Ari scoffed, but he snagged the book out of your hand, flipping it over so he could skim the summary on the back. 

When his eyes flicked up, catching yours in a way that you knew meant he expected an answer, you had a harder time holding in your smirk, but you managed to shrug carelessly.

“Minotaur porn, obviously,” you answered, deadpan. 

Shock flitted across Ari’s face, and you couldn’t help but toss your head back with a laugh. 

Your humor only served to make Ari mutter unhappily about the impossible mechanics of a woman fucking a minotaur. A dark look settled across his expression, like a cloud blotting out the sun. 

“I bet I could get you off better than this bullshit,” Ari grumbled a little louder as he finished reading the summary and handed the book back to you.

When his words registered, you froze. Your fingers, which had been curling around the edge of the book, stilled, and a gasp tumbled freely from your lips. 

For a brief, awful moment, you thought you might’ve misheard him. But then you forced your gaze up, meeting his eye.

Deep in the bright blue of Ari’s gaze, there was something you’d never seen before—something that caught your eye like the sun glinting off treasure beneath the sea. 

Your heart stuttered in your chest as you looked closer. The emotion swirling in Ari’s eyes was as dangerous as a rip tide, threatening to pull you under, but you found, for once, that you didn’t want to pull away and save yourself. You wanted to dive into whatever you were seeing in Ari’s gaze.

Laughter sounded closeby and the spell of the moment was broken. You took the book from Ari and added it to your pile, shaking out your shoulders and trying to brush off the intensity of the look the two of you had shared. 

If that look, that emotion, in Ari’s gaze had been a rip tide, you were running from it now. Cocking a hip, you settled your pile of books on top of it, giving Ari a doubtful look as you scoffed. 

“You wish.”

An almost predatory smirk curved Ari’s mouth and he took a step closer, then another. 

He moved slowly, and yet, before you knew what was happening, his big body was looming over yours, caging you in between his broad chest and the hard bookshelves at your back.

Lifting one hand, Ari settled it on a shelf above your head, ducking down so his eyes were level with yours. 

“Would you like me to prove it to you, sunshine?” His voice was a low, delicious rumble that trickled down your spine and settled heavily between your thighs. “Would you like me to show you just how good I can get you off?”

Your thoughts were nothing more than cotton candy clouds floating aimlessly across your mind, so all you could do was let your instincts take over and respond honestly. You nodded your head dazedly, blinking up at Ari like he was the sun and you were desperate to bask in his warmth.

That smirk on Ari’s face deepened, softening a little with an affection so tender, it felt like it could cut straight through all the walls around your heart if you let it. In that moment, you were eager to let it. 

“I’m gonna need words, sunshine, tell me what you want,” Ari murmured in his deep voice, his words encouraging. At some point, his other hand had slipped onto your hip, and he squeezed you gently, urging you to do as he said.

Although a part of you knew you were still in a decently crowded bookstore, surrounded by shoppers all looking to take advantage of the shop’s post-Valentine’s Day sale, a larger part felt like you and Ari were the only two people in the world. 

All you could focus on was him, his warmth and his closeness, the scent of him—salt and sunshine—surrounding you like the most perfect cozy blanket. 

Your heart yearned with the desire to lean into him, to revel in the comfort he offered, while another part of you ached with the hunger to take him up on his offer, to see just how good he could get you off.

One of those needs seemed easier to satisfy than the other, so you tipped your head back and let your hand rest on his chest. Curling your fingers in the soft fabric of Ari’s worn flannel shirt, you held his gaze as you spoke.

“I want you to show me, Ari, now—please,” you whispered, tacking on the last word desperately, as if you thought good manners would get you what you wanted. Thankfully, it seemed to do the trick. 

Ari’s eyes darkened, churning like the sea during a storm as they raked over your face. It was like he was searching for something, but whether it was doubt or hesitance or something else entirely, you didn’t know. 

After a moment, he nodded as if to himself, seeming satisfied by whatever he saw in your expression.

“You got it, sunshine.”

Then Ari was pulling away, taking the scent of salt and sun with him. You might’ve let out a little protesting whine if his big, calloused palm hadn’t skimmed down your arm and taken your hand in his, fingers tangling with yours as he began leading you toward the front of the store.

Your feet tripped happily after Ari, your mind wandering a couple dozen steps ahead and wondering what exactly you’d gotten yourself into with your best friend’s brother. Was he really going to prove he could get you off better than some fictional guy in a book? Why did he even care? 

Since you were in a daze of lust and questions, you didn’t notice Ari coming to an abrupt stop, and you crashed lightly into him. He chuckled softly and eased the stack of books from your arm. 

Before you could process what he was doing and protest, he’d pulled out his wallet and paid for all the books—even the minotaur one—then scooped them off the counter to skip the step of having the cashier bag them. 

Ari bid the bookseller a brisk, “Have a good day,” as his fingers tangled in yours once again and he tugged you toward the door. Your mouth opened and closed as you trailed along with him, trying to find the words for what you wanted to say.

It wasn’t until the crisp February air hit your cheeks—still unseasonably warm for the winter month, but chilly compared to the warmth of the store—that your mind cleared a little. 

Ari was already striding down the street toward his truck, your books tucked under one of his thick arms while his fingers kept you tethered together. You took a few quick steps, catching up to Ari’s long gait, and curled your body around his arm, trying not to get distracted by the way his hard biceps flexed against your soft breasts. 

“You didn’t have to do that, Ari, I can pay for my own books,” you said, a little breathless as you fought to keep up with Ari’s long stride and quick pace. 

He tried to slow, glancing down at you with a little crease of worry between his dark brows, but you only pushed him on. You were just as eager to get back to his truck as he was, and it was only a little bit further down the block so you could keep up the fast pace.

Ari was silent, a serious look on his face, until the two of you got to his truck. There, he opened the passenger door, stowed your pile of books in the small backseat, and helped you up into the cab. Methodically, he secured your seatbelt across your lap. 

You were beginning to think he wouldn’t respond to your comment about buying your own books, but once you were settled in the passenger seat of his truck, Ari fixed you with a stubborn look you’d seen only a handful of times before—including when he’d decided he was taking you on this day trip.

Ari’s hands were braced on either side of you, one on the back of the seat and the other beside your hip, his body effectively caging you in against the leather seat. But just like in the bookstore, it only made you feel as if you were the only two people in the world, as if something might blossom between the two of you that became something real.

“When you’re my girl, you’re gonna have to get used to me buying you things,” Ari said, pausing to let his words sink in.

The breath in your lungs froze and your heart stuttered in your chest, unsure if you’d heard him correctly. 

But when he simply stared at you, that obstinate look in his eye, you knew he meant what he’d said. You knew he had every intention of asking you to be his girl. And the fact that he was so sure you’d say yes was intoxicatingly hot. 

It took you a long moment to realize Ari was waiting for you to respond, so you nodded mutely, showing your understanding. His eyes watched your face closely, taking your shock in stride, before leaning in so his breath brushed against your cheek. 

“Especially your filthy, smutty books,” Ari rumbled. The warmth of his beard was so close to your face, you wanted to close the distance and nuzzle into it even as your body burned from his dirty words. “Someone’s gonna have to take care’a ya when they get you all hot and bothered—and it’s going to be me.”

A soft, wanton moan slipped from your lips before you could bite it back, and Ari chuckled, the sound going straight between your thighs and making you squirm. You were seconds away from curling your fingers in his warm flannel shirt and pulling him into the truck on top of you, but before you could, he pulled away.

Ari’s beard rasped against your cheek as he moved back, and you knew he’d done it on purpose to tease you because of the entirely too self-satisfied smirk on his face as he straightened. You pouted up at him, but he only continued chuckling, closing the door of his truck with a firm snap. 

He left you squirming and practically panting in the passenger seat while he rounded the front of his truck and hopped in. The grin on his face was easy, and his movements were loose and relaxed, but there was a bulge in his jeans he couldn’t hide and you knew he was just as affected as you, which made him even more inexplicably hotter.

If it wasn’t for the seatbelt Ari had secured across your front, you would’ve slid across the leather bench seat of his truck and curled into his side. You wouldn’t be able to control yourself for long, your fingers pawing at the sizable bulge pressing against his zipper, teasing him while he drove…

In the long moments it took you to drag yourself from your lustful thoughts and find your tongue again, Ari maneuvered out of the parking spot along main street and merged into the light traffic of the quaint seaside town. 

He was driving north again, you noticed, not toward the town where you both lived, which was south along the coast. 

But you hardly had the capacity to wonder over where exactly he was taking you—you only hoped it was private enough for him to show you how much better than your book he could get you off—when you were still so stuck on the words he’d said and the surety in his voice when he’d said them.

“When I’m your girl?” you asked, your voice coming out small and hesitant in the quiet of the truck cab. You’d meant to sound accusatory, but it seemed your yearning heart was in control of your tongue, and she needed to know what exactly he wanted. “You want me to be your girl, Ari?” 

The truck came to a stop at one of the few stoplights in town, and Ari looked over at you, a series of emotions flitting across his face so fast, you could hardly recognize them all. There was surprise and skepticism, followed quickly by exasperation and warm affection.

“Yes, sunshine, I want you to be my girl,” Ari said plainly, his eyes holding yours so you could see the genuine honesty in his gaze. “I’ve wanted you for a long time.”

The light changed, but Ari didn’t look away from you. He held your gaze as you processed his words, your mouth opening and closing, but no words coming out. 

What could you say? You’d assumed for years that Ari was just being nice to you, that he flirted with everyone, that he didn’t have any real feelings for you. But you’d been wrong, so very wrong. 

“I didn’t want to pressure you, or come between you and my sister,” Ari went on, a slight panicked look creeping into his eyes the longer you stayed quiet. “But I thought you knew—my sister has been anything but subtle about trying to set us up.” 

He gestured vaguely around the cab of the truck, and a sudden understanding crashed over you like a tidal wave. 

“Oh.” It was all you could manage. “Oh.”

Memories crashed through your mind like one wave breaking right after the other, and you were reminded of all the times your best friend had finagled you and Ari into the same setting. 

There was that birthday dinner she’d hosted for him, where you somehow ended up sitting next to him, despite the table being filled with his friends and family. And the summer barbecue when you and Ari had been assigned tasks that kept you in the kitchen away from the rest of the party.

Even the evening you’d spent with her when you’d mentioned the bookstore sale, she could’ve rescheduled to a night when Ari wasn’t fixing her sink. Or she could’ve changed the plans so you were hosting that night. 

There were dozens of other instances you could think of, all of which you’d thought nothing of at the time. But it was so obvious when you looked at it all together. You felt a little ashamed that you hadn’t noticed the extent of your best friend’s matchmaking. But Ari clearly had.

“She always insisted you felt the same,” Ari admitted, his body still turned toward you in the driver’s seat, the truck still stopped at the light, which had cycled back to red. “She told me I just needed to be patient, but I thought she was overestimating how you felt about me.”

“She wasn’t,” you said, the words falling from your lips before you could stop them. But you didn’t have a chance to feel embarrassed, because a wide, pleased grin spread across Ari’s face, brightening the small cab of his truck. 

“Well, at least we don’t have to worry about her being unhappy that her brother’s dating her best friend,” Ari joked, shooting you a wink before turning back to the wheel. 

The light switched over to green and he turned at the intersection, using one hand on the wheel. Ari lay his other hand on the middle of the bench seat, palm up. 

It was a clear invitation, and, with a sense of near-breathless freedom, you realized you didn’t have to feign disinterest in him anymore. You could take his hand because he liked you. He wanted you to be his girl. And you wanted him to be your guy.

The callouses on Ari’s hand were rough against the softness of your skin. He was a contractor, someone who worked with his hands, and you enjoyed the evidence of it. You liked how steady and strong his hand felt as your fingers twined with his, and how warm his palm was against yours.

For a long moment, you and Ari sat in silence, his truck cruising along a road that ran beside the rocky coast. With the ocean on one side, and Ari on the other, you felt a happy smile pull at your lips. 

You tugged Ari’s hand a little closer and sighed, wishing you could curl up against his side and watch the ocean. The only thing that could make the moment better was if you were surrounded by Ari’s warmth, instead of only feeling it through your joined hands.

Ari heard your sigh and squeezed your hand.

“You still up for this, sunshine?” he asked, drawing your attention away from the ocean and back to his handsome face. 

His hand was resting easily on the steering wheel, but his brows were pulled low over his eyes, a crease of concern between them. His gaze kept darting toward you, and you realized he must not’ve seen your smile with your head turned away, and he’d misread your sigh.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want,” he said quickly. “I could take you home, take you out properly, then see where the night leads us…” Ari’s voice trailed off suggestively, though there was still an undercurrent of worry in his tone. 

You let a laugh fall from your lips, already shaking your head vehemently. “No, no, I want this now, please,” you said firmly, tugging Ari’s hand closer like you were worried he was going to pull away. Staring down at your joined hands on your thigh, you went on, your voice quieter, “I’ve wanted you for a long time, too, Ari.”

Ari squeezed your fingers in his, the gesture comforting and grateful all at once, as his shoulders relaxed and he drove on. The road began to curve away from the ocean, so you found yourself watching him, memorizing the profile of his face.  

A few minutes later, he pulled onto a street lined with beachside cottages and tall trees that would be lush with greenery in the summer, shading the sidewalks that led toward the ocean. At the end of the street, there was a narrow road that led between two large sand dunes cresting higher than the truck.

On the other side, there was a small, deserted parking lot overlooking the beach and the ocean. Faintly, you could hear the waves crashing on the near-distant shore, and their comforting rumble grew louder when Ari pulled the truck into a spot at the very edge of the lot and turned off the engine. 

For a moment, you got lost in staring out at the water, the golden afternoon sunlight sparkling off the whitewater of the crashing waves. You’d lived your whole life by the ocean, but its beauty never failed to enchant you. 

In fact, you were so transfixed by the view, you hardly noticed when Ari reached over and unbuckled your seatbelt. 

Your gaze was only pulled from the sight of the sea when Ari’s big hands grabbed your hips and he hauled you across the worn leather seat to press into his side. 

Instantly, you leaned into him, breathing in the scent of salt and sunshine that always clung to him.

Blinking slowly up at Ari from under your lashes, you took a moment to appreciate the handsomeness of his face up close. You could see the creases in his tanned skin, the evidence of aging that made him so much hotter, and the light dusting of freckles across his nose. 

His bright blue sparkling eyes were like tiny oceans, churning with lust and desire and affection—all for you—while his mouth was curved into a slight smile, nestled into his invitingly soft brown beard. Even his hair, streaked with golden blond, looked perfect in that moment. 

As you looked at him, Ari’s expression softened, his smile deepening and his blue eyes darkening. 

“Keep looking at me like that, sunshine,” Ari rumbled, his voice dipping low in a way that had your belly swooping and your core heating. His calloused palm smoothed over your cheek and you couldn’t help but lean into his touch. “And I’m liable to give you more than a few books and a couple orgasms—I’ll give you the whole sea.”

A soft laugh bubbled up your throat and spilled from your lips. You turned your head and pressed a kiss into Ari’s palm before looking back at him. Your hands reached for him, fingers sinking deep into his beard as you cupped his face.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” you said somberly, feeling the corner of your mouth flutter as you tried to hold back a smile. “But it’s a sweet thought, Ari.”

“I’ll show you just how sweet I can be,” Ari grumbled a second before he ducked down, capturing your lips in a kiss that was anything but sweet. 

The months and years Ari had been holding back, restraining himself from touching you, from kissing you, were unleashed all at once the moment his lips brushed against yours. His deep, guttural groan rumbled in his throat, sending sparks of pleasure cascading through your body as you opened for him, welcoming him in with just as much fervor.

Ari’s tongue plunged into your mouth as soon as your lips parted, scattering your thoughts on the ocean breeze, leaving you to revel in the pure, feral feeling of him. You were nothing but blazing desire, and a deep, throbbing ache needing to be filled—to be filled by Ari and only Ari.

Your hands couldn’t stay still, moving between carding through Ari’s hair, twisting your fingers in his beard and curling around the collar of his thick flannel shirt. You kissed him harder, just as greedy for him as he was for you, and pulled him closer, until you were bent so far backward, you were nearly laying down on the bench seat.

“Fuck, sunshine,” Ari cursed when he wrenched his mouth away from yours, nipping and kissing and sucking his way down your neck. His strong arms were wrapped around your back, holding you tight to his chest while you panted and squirmed. “I’ve wanted you for so long, I’m not gonna last, but I promise I’ll make it up to you—I’ll fuck you better than that fictional minotaur, I swear.”

An incredulous laugh burst from your lips before you could hold it back and you tugged on Ari’s hair until he lifted up enough that you could meet his eye and he could see the truth in yours when you said, “It’s already so much better, Ari, because it’s real and it’s you.”

Surprise and something tender flickered across Ari’s face a second before he closed the distance between you, slanting his mouth to yours for another breathtaking kiss, his lips working against yours so covetously, it stole the air from your lungs. 

When he pulled away, you were panting for breath, his chest heaving with his own need for air, and when you locked eyes, a frisson of lust passed between you. Your hands reached for one another, your fingers equally greedy as they tugged at the clothes that were suddenly grievously in the way of what you both wanted. 

“Need this off now, sunshine,” Ari rumbled as he pawed at your dress, his voice so deep and rough, it was nearly a growl. “Need to be inside you—fuck, c’mon gorgeous, help me out here.” His fingers were fumbling around the bodice, looking for a zipper and not realizing there wasn’t one.

Huffing a laugh, you shrugged out of your jacket, then grabbed the skirt of your dress and tugged it off over your head, Ari’s hands skimming up your sides, then your arms, and he helped you. You tossed the garment into the backseat and turned back to Ari, who was sitting there stunned by the sight of your bare body.

You felt his hungry gaze like a hot caress as it swept down your form, lingering on the way your tits bounced slightly in your bra from your heavy breathing, before continuing down over your soft tummy and settled on the spot where your thighs were pressed together.

Ari’s gaze lingered for a long, hot moment, the expression on his face contorting into something feral, the twisting of his mouth telling you he was seriously considering burying his face between your thighs and not coming up for air for a long, long time. 

But then you whined and reached for him, your fingers twisting in the front of his flannel shirt, and that seemed to snap him from whatever spell your body had put him under. His big hands skimmed up your thighs, groping your soft flesh with greedy fingers while he leaned in for another kiss.

It took some maneuvering in the tight quarters of his truck, but Ari helped you rearrange yourself on the bench seat so you could spread your thighs around his thick waist. As if he couldn’t control himself, his eyes dropped hungrily to the thin cotton panties covering your pussy, and he groaned loudly when he saw the wet spot you’d already left.

“Sunshine,” he rumbled, desire thick in his tone as he dragged his darkened blue eyes up to yours. “When I get ya in my bed, I’m going to feast on this pussy until you’re screaming my name so loud no one will ever question if you’re my girl again—least of all you.”

Ari’s eyes were dark pools of lust, his words so honest and filthy, you felt your breath catch in your throat, desperate arousal heating your blood. You were nodding your head before you even noticed yourself moving, your lips forming the words, “Yes, please,” and saying it in such a sweet tone that Ari chuckled in amusement.

“Always so polite, sunshine,” Ari teased lightly, ducking forward and sinking his teeth into your lip, biting down until you moaned loudly into his mouth. “Let’s see if you’re still so polite when your cunt is filled with my cock, huh?”

“Please, Ari, please,” you begged, his words driving your need impossibly higher, until you were clawing at the buttons of his flannel, half ripping them through the holes in your impatience to get the shirt off him. 

As soon as enough buttons were undone for his head to fit through, Ari grabbed the back of his collar and pulled his shirt off over his head, tossing it into the backseat. You had only a moment to admire Ari, thick and barrel-chested, filling out his white t-shirt, before he tugged that off too. 

Then his chest was bare in all its glory.

A soft sound of awe slipped from your lips, and your fingers pressed to his heated skin, tracing the ridges of his muscles and threading through the thick, dark hair dusted across his pecs. He had a thin layer of softness padding his muscles, and your fingertips sank into it greedily. 

A smile curved your lips when your nails raked over his golden skin, delighting in his tortured groan.

“Panties off now, sunshine, or ‘m gonna blow in my briefs like a fucking teenager,” Ari growled, gently batting your hands away so he could work open the button of his jeans. There was a thick, hard bulge pushing against his zipper, and your body warmed as you watched him breathlessly.

With your gaze fixed on Ari’s nimble fingers, you quickly undid your bra and tugged it off, tossing it in the backseat. Then you gathered your knees to your chest and pulled your panties down and off your legs. Those, too, joined the pile of clothing in the backseat of Ari’s truck.

At the same time, Ari shoved his jeans and navy blue boxer briefs as far down his thick, hairy thighs as they could go. But you weren’t looking at his hands anymore. Not when his hard, heavy cock bounced free, stealing the breath from your lungs when you saw how big and thick he was.

Ari gripped his stiff length in his hand and pumped it slowly, his thumb brushing over the tip and gathering the precum there, smoothing it down his shaft in a practiced motion. 

It was mesmerizing, watching Ari jerk himself off slowly, making your slit grow even wetter. Unable to sit still, one of your hands trailed down your body, your fingers sliding between your drenched folds and finding the aching button of your clit.

A rough, rumbling sound came from Ari’s chest when you moaned at the brush of your finger against yoru clit, and you finally tore your eyes away from his cock. Glancing up at his face, your sucked in a gasp at the sheer, naked hunger in Ari’s expression. 

His blue eyes were as dark as the depths of the ocean, and he was looking at you so gluttonously, like he craved you from the bottom of his soul, that your heart thudded in your chest. You felt your own desire reflected in his expression, and it suddenly wasn’t good enough to simply look at him, you needed to feel him.

The fingers of your other hand reached for Ari, and that broke him from the enchantment your naked body had put on him. His fist squeezed around the base of his cock and he shook his head, his free hand pushing his hair back as it flew in his face. 

Ari snatched your hand from between your thighs, licking the taste of you from your skin, his eyes sliding closed briefly. Then he pressed soft kisses to your knuckles and fingertips, his heated eyes finding yours. 

“Just gimme a sec to find a condom,” he said in a husky voice, dropping your hand on your belly as he reached for the glove compartment of his truck. 

Instead of watching him fumble through the junk in there, your hands played idly with your tits, groping your soft flesh and teasing your nipples with flicks of your fingers. All the while, you watched Ari’s face, a smirk tugging at the corners of your mouth when his eyes kept drifting to your chest, the hand around his cock stroking himself again.

Ari cursed at himself and dragged his eyes away from your tits, rededicating himself to his task. After another brief moment of searching, he found an unopened box of condoms, tore it open and made quick work of the foil package before rolling the rubber down his hard length.

While he fisted the base of his cock, Ari slipped two fingers into your tight heat, your pussy so wet you took him easily. A moan tumbled from your lips and your spine arched up off the leather seat, your hips bearing down on his fingers as he pumped them in and out of you. 

“Ready for me, sunshine?” Ari asked in a deep, rumbling voice that was thick with his own desire. He added a third finger to your dripping hole, stretching you enough to take his thick girth. “Ready for the cock that’ll ruin you for your fictional minotaur?”

At his words, you let out a decidedly impolite snort, the sound devolving into helpless giggles at both Ari’s ridiculous question and your indelicate response. 

In retaliation, Ari thrust his fingers deeper inside you, stroking against a spot that had you moaning helplessly, squirming and writhing beneath him. Your thighs spread as wide was they could in his truck, while your hips wriggled greedily for more.

“Ari, please, I’m ready—I need you,” you cried, reaching for him and curling your fingers in his beard, pulling him down on top of you. Your mouth brushed against his in a teasing, breathless kiss, and then you were moaning and arching into him. “Please, ruin me with your big, fat cock, Ari—make forget all about that fictional minotaur.”

Before you could stop yourself, you let out a snicker, and Ari’s chest heaved with an answering chuckle. Laughter spilled from both of you, tumbling past each other’s lips and filling the truck with the sounds your amusement. 

When his laugh finally died out, Ari’s mouth captured yours in a searing kiss. Then he pressed his forehead to yours, the feeling of his warmth and the comfort of his familiar scent filling you with a happiness unlike any you’d ever known.

“You’re never going let me live this down, are you?” he asked on another laugh, his head ducking down so he could nuzzle your cheek with his beard, making you giggle as it tickled your skin.

“No, never,” you confirmed with a shake of your head, another peal of laughter spilling from your lips. “But I promise not to tell anyone you were jealous of a made-up minotaur in a smutty book.”

Ari huffed a reluctant laugh, distracting you momentarily when he pulled his fingers from your pussy, replacing them with the thick tip of his cock. He pressed against your dripping hole, making you moan helplessly.

“Guess I just have to make good on all my promises then,” he muttered, shunting his hips forward and pushing inside you a couple inches. “Gonna have to show you how good I can make you feel, huh, sunshine?” He pulled back and thrust forward, pressing deeper and splitting you open on his thick cock.

“Oh god, Ari,” you moaned, nails raking up his sides as you hooked your legs around his hips. The heels of your feet dug into the thick muscle of his thighs as you urged him on. “More, deeper, please, Ari, please!”

“You really are always so polite, aren’t you, sunshine?” Ari teased, his voice filled with laughter and desire, even as he gave you what you begged for. He pushed in to the hilt, burying himself so quickly in your cunt, it made you gasp.

He felt so good—so big and thick and stretching you so perfectly. It was all you could do to curl your fingers in his soft brown hair and cling to him, your pussy pulsing around his throbbing cock like your body never wanted to let him go.

Ari’s chest heaved against yours, the firm feeling of his muscles and the soft hair on his pecs teasing your nipples deliciously. He pressed down on top of you, his arms digging beneath your back and holding you tight in the cradle of his big, broad body. 

“S’good,” he slurred against your cheek, his breath hot as it fanned across your skin, making you shiver. He grunted when your pussy squeezed him tighter, sucking him deeper into your heat. “How’s m’cock feel, sunshine?”

“Sooo good, so big and thick, filling me up sooo good, Ari,” you babbled, your thighs squeezing his waist, fingers tugging impatiently on his hair. “Fuck me, Ari, please, I need it—make me feel good, please, Ari, Ari, Ari.” 

“Fuck yeah, gorgeous, you sound so pretty saying my name,” Ari groaned, pressing messy kisses along your jaw before capturing your lips in a heated kiss. “Gonna make you feel good, gonna give you everything you could ever dream of—I promise you, sunshine, promise you.”

Ari’s words trailed off as his mouth found yours again. He kissed you, deep and filthy, while he fucked you slow and sweet. He was pulling out until only the tip of his cock remained in your tight cunt before pushing inside you slowly, deliberately, making you feel every thick inch of him filling you up over and over again.

You could feel your release building deep inside you, the pleasurable tension coiling tight in your belly, but you needed more. You needed it harder and faster, you needed Ari pounding into you, fucking you rough enough that you’d be feeling him long after he’d made you cum.

“Ari, please, fuck me,” you whined in his ear, fingers twisting desperately in his hair, your hips lifting up off the leather bench seat to meet his thrusts, the sound of your skin slapping together filling the truck. “I want it hard and rough—show me I’m yours, Ari, make me yours.”

“Fuck, sunshine, ya gotta filthy mouth on you, don’t ya?” Ari growled, picking up his pace until he was fucking you like a feral animal. “It’s all that dirty smut, isn’t it, turning you into a needy little slut, huh, gorgeous?”

Ari’s hands trailed down your back, grabbing your ass and digging his strong fingers into your soft flesh, holding you still while he rutted into you. Your fingers let go of his hair, reaching up and pushing against the inside of the passenger door, loud cries of pleasure and slutty moans falling from your lips unabashedly. 

“You want me to fuck this pretty pussy till she’s mine, baby?” Ari went on, his breath hot and heavy next to your ear as he kept up his relentless pace, sending you careening toward your release. “You want me to fuck you so good, you’ll never forget who you belong to?”

“Yes, yes, yes, oh god, please, Ari,” you cried breathlessly, your voice high and keening, your body writhing beneath Ari’s broad form. You were barreling toward the edge of bliss, Ari’s hammering cock shoving you closer with every ruthless thrust. 

“Fuck yeah, sunshine, beg me to make you mine—you beg so pretty and polite for such a slut, baby.”

“Please, Ari, make me cum, please, make me cum all over your cock, make me yours, Ari, please, please, please,” you babbled, your words devolving into a sob as Ari fucked you harder, rougher, grinding his cock deep into your cunt until you were screaming in pleasure. 

“Cum for me, sunshine,” Ari growled, hilting his cock deep inside you and grinding his hips so your clit rubbed against the base of him. “You’re mine—all fucking mine—now cum all over my cock like my perfect, gorgeous girl.” 

The tension in your core snapped suddenly and you shattered apart, coming with a scream that was drowned out between the crashing ocean and cresting sand dunes of the deserted beach. Pleasure washed over you in unending waves, your body trembling beneath Ari’s rutting form.

He followed you over the edge a moment later, burying his face in the crook of your neck and muffling his grunting, pleasured groans in your skin as he thrust wildly into your spasming cunt. You felt him twitching and throbbing deep inside you, the feeling making you shiver with another wave of pleasure as he found his release in your body.

For long, delightful moments, you and Ari writhed together, your hips rocking idly while his were grinding deeper into you. His mouth kissed up your neck and along your jaw, finding your lips and drinking down your soft, pleasured cries like they were water in a barren desert. 

“Tell me, sunshine,” Ari rumbled into your mouth, his beard rasping against your cheeks and making the corners of your lips tip up in a smile. “Was that better than the book?”

You made a soft, questioning sound, nipping at Ari’s full lower lip before licking away whatever sting your teeth had left. He grunted his pleasure before responding to your unasked question.

“The minotaur book—did I get you off better than the minotaur book?” 

A surprised laugh tumbled from your lips, but when Ari didn’t join in on your mirth, you eased him away so you could look into your eyes. His gaze was serious and expectant, which only made you laugh again, incredulously.

“Yes, Ari, you were way better than the book, you impossible man,” you said, muttering the last three words with affectionate exasperation as you pulled him down for another kiss.

When he pulled away a moment later, Ari was grinning from ear to ear, looking entirely too pleased with himself. 

“Told ya I’d be better,” he quipped, making you tip your head back and laugh. Ari took the opportunity to bury his face in your neck, kissing your delicate skin until you were letting out breathy little moans.

Eventually, though, the chilly February air encroached on your blissful, post-orgasm haze, seeping into the truck cab and brushing against your damp, cooling skin. When you shivered from the cold more than his beard, Ari pushed up onto his knees, gently easing his softening length from your body and made quick work of disposing of the condom.

While you sat up, he grabbed his thick flannel shirt from the backseat and wrapped it around your shoulders, helping your arms into the sleeves and buttoning it up your chest—after giving each of your tits a quick farewell kiss and promising to pay them more attention next time. 

You giggled at his silly antics, but were grateful when he buttoned up the shirt almost to the top, encasing you in the warmth of the soft fabric, the scent of salt and sun still clinging to it. You turned your face into the collar, and breathed in deeply, humming happily when the smell of Ari filled your lungs.

Ari had paused to watch you, his expression a little dumbfounded, but when your eyes met his, he smiled that easy grin of his, though there was a warmth and a softness to it you’d never seen before. There was also a tenderness in his gaze you didn’t think you’d ever get tired of seeing.

Before you could get lost in each other again, Ari reached into the backseat and pulled out a pair of clean sweatpants, helping you into those as well before he redressed himself in his jeans and white t-shirt. From there, you both pulled on your shoes, and Ari got out, rounding the truck to help you down. 

While he jogged to the closest garbage can to throw out the condom, you made your way into the beach restroom off the parking lot, thanking the universe that it was open and clean, even during the offseason. You quickly went to the bathroom and cleaned yourself up, finding Ari waiting outside to help you back into the truck.

When he hopped into the driver’s seat, you scooted across the bench seat and tucked yourself into his side, looking up at him with a stubborn expression on your face. 

Instead of trying to argue that you should sit in the passenger seat, Ari dug a seatbelt out from between the seat and the back. It was only a lap belt, but he insisted on buckling you in for your safety, then wrapped his arm around your shoulders and held you close while he pulled out of the beach parking lot.

The drive back down the coast was much different to the one you’d taken that morning. You and Ari never stopped talking, starting with you telling him about the books he’d bought for you, and him explaining what he’d wanted at the hardware store in town. 

By the time Ari’s truck neared your house, you were arguing good-naturedly about where to go on your first official date. 

The sun was dipping low in the sky, casting your little neighborhood in golden light as Ari pulled his truck to a stop in front of your house. You were happy to be home after so many hours spent in Ari’s truck, but you were reluctant to disentangle yourself from his warm, steady form.

“You can’t make a new home in my truck, sunshine,” Ari teased, putting his vehicle in park and tipping your face toward his. He brushed a devastatingly sweet kiss to your lips. “But if you ask me nicely, maybe I’ll come inside for a bit.”

You could feel his smirk pressed against the corner of your mouth and it made you hungry for him all over again. Still, you couldn’t help but tease him back.

“Oh please, Ari, won’t you come inside? It’d make me oh so happy,” you gushed in an exaggeratedly simpering voice. You were rewarded for your performance with a deep chuckle rumbling in Ari’s chest. 

“Anything for my girl,” Ari rumbled, his voice deep and delicious. Then he kissed you harder, deeper, wringing a moan from the depths of your throat. 

“Mm,” you murmured dazedly, chasing his lips for another kiss when he tried to pull away. “And you’re my guy, right, Ari?” you asked, you voice barely more than a whisper.

“I’m yours, sunshine,” he promised without hesitation, sealing it with a kiss that you couldn’t help but get lost in.

It was a long while before the two of you extricated yourselves from each other and got out of the truck. Ari carried your clothes and books, while you dug in your bag for your keys. 

The two of you had barely gotten into the house and put your stuff down before you were kissing again, tumbling onto the couch in your living room and shedding your clothes. Thankfully, Ari had grabbed the box of condoms from his truck, and you made good use of another. 

After, the two of you threw together a quick dinner in your kitchen, then curled up on the couch under one of your warm throw blankets. 

You wanted to start reading one of the books you’d gotten that day, and when you suggested the two of you could read your minotaur book together, Ari had shot you a wicked grin. He agreed—on the condition that you sat on his lap, keeping his cock warm while you took turns reading it out loud to each other.

Although you’d expected to get through at least one chapter before one of you gave in and threw the book onto the coffee table, you were barely a few pages in when Ari plucked it from your hands and set it aside. 

But you couldn’t complain, not when he was spreading your thighs wider across his lap and bouncing you on his cock while he sucked your tits.

For the rest of the evening, Ari Levinson showed you just how much better than the book he was, making you forget all about the filthy smut you read and giving you the best, most earth-shattering orgasms of your life while cradling you in his arms like you were the most precious thing in the world. 

When you finally curled up in bed together, you had a smile on your face, ready to spend the rest of your life with your best friend’s brother, who also happened to be the love of your life.

When a group of armed men dressed in black barged into the ballroom, interrupting the party, their leader entered in with a nonchalant step. As if he was simply making a grand entrance, with intention to have fun and be admired.

You saw women start taking off their jewelry, ready to give it all up just to be spared. But none of the goons asked for it. They stood around in strategic places as their leader, Lloyd, helped himself to a flute of champagne and some appetizers.

Then he started walking around, closely assessing people and making everyone uncomfortable. When he made it to you and noticed that you were clutching a steak knife in your hand, he paused.

You didn't think you could protect yourself in any way. It was just instinct to grab anything and that knife was on the buffet table behind you.

"Give it here, Sunshine, before you cut your pretty fingers." Lloyd grinned, holding his palm out.

You gave him the knife without a fight, but unfortunately that little stunt drew his attention to you permanently.

As he was goading you to dance with him and challenging anyone else to cut in, if they wanted to dance as well, another presence entered the spectacle.

"I dare." The man moved with a confident, lethal stride. It was clear he felt absolutely at ease in the chaos, as if he was the one deciding on how the situation unfolds.

Lloyd rolled his eyes, but took a step back from you.

"You're ruining all the fun, Fowler," he complained.

"You'll get your fun." Nick replied, striding across the floor. "Your favorite kind." He adjusted his cuffs then, without a single change in his demeanor, he pointed at two men at the back, who were trying to hide behind the rest of the people.

Lloyd and his men dragged the two men into the middle of the floor, then made them kneel in front of Nick.

"Pakhan, please-" one of them started pleading, but was quieted with a hit to the head.

Nick bend slightly and said something through gritted teeth. You don't know what he told them and you were quite thankful for that, because you already felt like vomiting from fear.

Then the armed men were dragging those two and a few other people, including a screaming woman.

"Bye, Sunshine!" Lloyd waved at you, with a maniac grin.