Fail to Love by Maci Dillon

 

The Morning After

 

“When I wake up and see you lying next to me, I can’t help but smile. It will be a good day simply because I started it with you.” ~ Unknown

 

 

RAVEN

 

I was startled awake. Pots and pans were colliding, echoing from the kitchen. My bedroom door was closed, and my room was still in darkness. Crawling from my bed, I groaned at the tightness in my muscles.

What time is it?

I yanked at the blinds until they released and granted some light to find my way around the mess we’d made last night.

I searched for my phone to check the time and picked up Sean’s shirt. It smelled like him—masculine spice with a hint of earthiness. I pulled it over my naked body, leaving the top few buttons open enough to tease him with a glimpse of naked tits.

I grabbed a pair of lace panties from the drawer and stepped into them. Sean stood almost a foot taller than me, so his shirt sufficiently covered my booty—unless I were to bend down to find something in the kitchen, of course.

Oh, the little minx is out to play today.

Time to see what all the noise was about.

I raked my fingers through my morning-after hair, tied it up in a messy bun at the base of my neck, and made my way to the kitchen.

Holy mother of sexual gratification.

Sean stood in the kitchen barefoot, no shirt, his black dress pants gaping open at the clasp and Simba cradled in his arms. Oh my, what a sight.

“Good morning,” I purred, still sleepy-eyed and relaxed.

“Mmm… good morning to you, beautiful.” Sean smiled brightly. He kept Simba tucked securely against him with one arm and the other he threw around my shoulders and pulled me to him for a smashing morning kiss.

And my panties became instantly wet.

But this whole scene—a man in my kitchen, a kiss good morning—was too much like a morning after when there wasn’t supposed to be any after.

“My shirt looks good on you,” he purred. “Sexy-as-fuck good.”

I grinned. It may be the first and last opportunity to rock his clothes in the morning, but fuck if I didn’t already wish for more.

“I see you met Simba.”

“Simba. Hmm. He’s one fine specimen. How old is he?”

“About six months. You like cats?”

I assumed it was a universal law for most men to hate cats, but Sean had Simba purring like a well-oiled machine.

“Yes, but I like kittens more.” He winked at me as I went in search of the freshly brewed coffee. I giggled like a school girl while shaking my head at him.

“No, you don’t. Get your sexy ass out of the kitchen.”

“But I need coffee,” I whined.

He lowered Simba to the floor and literally swept me off my feet, propping me down on the countertop. “Relax, woman, this is my kitchen this morning.”

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love the sound of that.

“Okay, hotshot, so what are you making us for breakfast?”

“You want food?”

“Yes.” I laughed, eyeing the definition in his forearms as he meticulously washed his hands and poured my coffee.

“Um, how do you take your coffee?”

“Cream. No sugar, please.”

He handed me a steaming cup of coffee.

“You don’t drink coffee?”

“Not while cooking,” he answered, opening the fridge.

I moaned quietly as Sean bent over in search of something from the bottom shelf. His pants pulled tightly across his ass. My mouth watered, and I clenched my thighs together.

“See something you like?” Sean asked as he turned to me with a bowl of batter in his hands.

“Pancakes?”

“Not just any pancakes. Blueberry pancakes.”

“Sounds perfect, but ah… I don’t have any blueberries.” I pouted.

“Yeah, I went out to grab a few things.”

“You’ve been out already? Why didn’t you wake me?”

“I was planning on it after breakfast was ready.”

A sleepover.

Sharing a home-cooked breakfast.

This wasn’t supposed to be happening.

 

 

SEAN

 

“I have a confession to make,” I stated as I sat the plate of warm pancakes on the table. The weather was perfect for brunch on the balcony, the distant sound of waves crashing on the shore. I admired Raven sitting across from me, still in my shirt and little else.

“You used frozen berries, didn’t you?”

Sean laughed. “I did no such thing.”

“You made mimosas for brunch?”

The excitement in her voice had me laughing again. I can’t remember a time in my life when I laughed as much as I did with her. She was refreshing—a breath of fresh air as they say.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!”

“You’re not forgiven,” she said with a smirk. “So, what’s this confession of yours?”

I served up pancakes for each of us and offered Raven the blueberries and syrup first. “I’ve never woken up with a woman and done breakfast before.”

I have never woken up with a woman before, period.

But I don’t tell her that.

Partly because the knowledge freaked me out, and I didn’t want her reading too much into it.

Raven stared back at me, falling short of a wise-ass comment. She searched my face silently, then continued to pour the maple syrup over her serving.

“Why not?” she asked as I helped myself to the blueberries.

I shrugged. “Never felt compelled to, I guess. It’s not really me.”

Raven nodded, contemplating this for a moment.

I watched her sample the pancakes and fall in love with my cooking skills. I knew how to make a mean pancake with flavor-infused fluffiness.

“Sean, oh my goodness, these are the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted.”

I’d wait until another time to tell her that pancakes are about the extent of my chef abilities.

“Tell me, how exactly would you characterize Sean Mathers?”

“No judgment?” I asked as I took a sip of my coffee.

“None.”

“I guess I’m more of a fleeting presence… not really the type to commit or settle down.” I stuffed a fork full of food into my mouth, worried I might over-explain and dig myself into a hole.

“A player?”

“No, I wouldn’t say that. I treat all women with respect, and I’m certainly not one to play games.”

“Good to know.” Raven smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

We ate in silence until we’d both eaten our fair share.

“Am I keeping you from anything today?” I asked, trying to gauge whether I should stay or go. I was unfashionably comfortable with Raven. It was a strange feeling, but I certainly didn’t want to overstay my welcome, not to mention she seemed a little distant after my confession.

“Not at all. I’m so pleasantly full I couldn’t do a damn thing, anyway.” Not exactly the answer I was looking for, but I could work with that. “Can I ask you something?” She placed her hand on my arm as I began to clear the table.

“Sure.” I returned to my chair.

“Where in the hell did you learn to make pancakes as light and fluffy as those?” She pointed to her empty plate.

I sighed, running my hand through my untidy hair. “To be honest, family isn’t something I enjoy discussing, but since you asked, my mother taught me. She was sick for most of my childhood,” I explained.

“I’m sorry.”

“She suffered horrific bouts of depression. For days at a time, she would remain in bed, unable to function. On her best days, she loved to bake, and those were the only days I had the chance to spend time with her.” A reminiscent smile touched my lips as I thought of my mother and how frail she was toward the end. “So I learned the art of baking. Those pancakes are my grandmother’s recipe, or so I was told. It’s the only thing I’ve continued to make since she left.”

“Left?” Raven frowned, nibbling on the side of her lip as she waited for me to continue.

“My mother walked out on my dad and me when I was fifteen. I’ve never seen or heard from her since.” I focused on the waves in the distance, unwilling to witness the pity in Raven’s eyes. “I’m not the praying type, but I hope every day, whether she’s still walking this earth or not, that’s she’s finally happy.”

She never deserved the life my father granted her. The man was brilliant with his hands, the best heart surgeon in the country, but he was a shitty father and an even worse husband.

Raven remained silent and squeezed my arm. It was all the response I needed. Gushing apologies and further questions about my fucked-up life were unnecessary.

Once I finished clearing off the table, I pulled Raven to her feet and directed her to the sun lounge on the other side of the balcony. I took a seat and lured her in until she was straddling me. My cock was rock hard, straining against my zipper.

“Thank you so much for breakfast, Sean.”

“Oddly, I’d do almost anything for you.”

She chuckled softly against my lips, and I wasted no time devouring the sweetness of her mouth, the taste of blueberry and coffee still evident on her lips. She reciprocated the kiss and wrapped her arms around the back of my neck. I ran my fingers beneath her shirt, tracing the contours of her naked body with the palm of my hand. She rotated her hips over my cock, and I tilted my pelvis, seeking more pressure.

“Raven,” I murmured breathlessly. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to.”

“You don’t strike me as the quitting type. And neither am I.”

Fuck me. This woman is unbelievable.

I reached between us and pulled her panties to the side. She was slick. I ran my fingers through her lips and pushed one, then two deep inside of her. Her body arched at the assault of my fingers, breaking our kiss. Her hands danced over my chest, and her fingertips burrowed deep into my shoulders with each movement of my fingers inside her. She was fucking beautiful.

I kissed her neck and sucked the tender spot behind her ear. She purred against me. I needed to be inside her so badly.

“More, Sean. Give me more,” she begged.

I pressed my thumb over her clit and moved it in a circular motion as I continued to fuck her with my fingers. My mouth moved over her collarbone, down her chest, popping the buttons open with my teeth until her bouncing breasts were fully exposed. My teeth grazed over her hardened nipple, and she threw back her head, grinding harder against my hand.

“Come for me, Raven.”

She let go and suppressed her pleasured screams against my neck. I’d never been so fucking hard in my life.

“You’re fucking gorgeous. What are you doing to me?”

I kept working her with my fingers until her orgasm was finished.

“Oh my God, that was… thank you.” She kissed me wildly, giving as much as she took from me. She reached beneath her and lowered my pants’ zipper, releasing the agonizing pressure. My cock sprung free, and she positioned herself over it while I held her saturated panties to the side.

“Condom?” I asked.

Raven hesitated but made no effort to move.

“I’m clean, but we can take this inside and—”

“No.” Raven shook her head and slowly lowered herself down the length of my shaft. “I’m on the pill.”

I nodded my approval and ran my hands up the length of her back, hooking my hands over her shoulder and pulling her deep over my cock.

“Ah fuck. You feel so damn good, Raven. I’m not going to last, baby, but I want you to come again.”

She started to ride me with my hands still secured on her shoulders for traction. Together we moved in sync. I took her nipples in my mouth again until we were both desperate for release. We came undone together and fell into a blissful slump. I lowered her to the daybed and stretched out beside her, wrapping her in the crook of my arm.

Both flushed and relaxed, the heat of the morning sun shined down on us, and the doorbell was a rude awakening.

Raven frowned and tried to button up her, no my, shirt.

“I have no idea who that could be. Give me a second.”