Page 37 of Never Finished

This wasn't just sex—this was the joining of two souls who had been separated for far too long, reunited at the spot where it all began.

I could tell she was getting close because she was grinding on me hard, sliding her tight channel up and down my shaft, making me cry out. "Fuck Emma, that's my girl. Keep going, come for me," I coached her until her fingers dug into my shoulders, and she cried out my name.

Her orgasm radiated through her as she continued rocking her hips, encouraging my release. I came hard inside her, groaning out, "Fuck, yes. Your pussy is so fucking perfect. I can’t get enough, my gorgeous girl."

The next thing I knew, her mouth was on me and we lie in the dirt kissing for what seemed like an eternity before she pulled back and looked down fiercely into my eyes. "Jaime," she pleaded, "make love to me again."

As I gazed into her eyes, I knew I couldn’t deny her. I just hoped she’d let me prove that to her for the rest of our lives.

***

The following days were a bit nerve-racking. I was in seventh heaven during my stolen moments with Emma, but I couldn't help but feel the stress emanating from her. I chalked it up to nerves about coming to Sunday dinner.

It wasn't that my mother disliked Emma. When we were younger, she loved having Emma over to the house, but my mother had a sixth sense for people, and she knew before it became an issue that John Carter would intervene.

I was young and brash enough to brush off her concerns, even though she tried to tell me as diplomatically as possible that people like Mr. Carter didn't like their offspring mixing with people not of the same breed. Whether she meant because we were immigrants or because we were Spanish or because we were poor, I was never completely sure. But she was certain he was likely to cause trouble.

Meanwhile, I thought love could conquer anything.

When everything went down with her father and Emma made her choice, I'd come home to my mother, and at first didn’t want to share anything because I figured she would gloat. But she took one look at my heartbroken face, clucked her tongue, and said "oh Mejo" and the next thing I knew, I was in my mother’s embrace, crying my eyes out.

She never said "I told you so." She let me mope what she believed was an appropriate amount of time, before encouraging me to get out there and experience life.

Still, when I decided to leave Silverpine, she wasn’t very happy about it. When she told me to get out there and experience life, she didn’t mean leaving the town limits, and I always wondered if she'd blamed Emma for that.

Emma having dinner with the family wasn't the only thing making me nervous. I pulled my truck in front of the Bank of Silverpine and sucked in a deep breath before climbing out and squaring my shoulders. I had a different battle to fight today that had nothing to do with Emma, but still concerned our upcoming family dinner and I wasn't looking forward to it.

As I walked through the doors, my eyes immediately found the familiar face of my oldest sister. She was just finishing up with a customer, smiling professionally, but as her eyes roamed the lobby and landed on me, her smile dropped and her posture tensed.

"God give me strength," I muttered to myself as I marched over to Sofia. "Hey sis. You've been dodging my calls."

She sniffed. " I haven't been dodging Jaime. I'm just simply not answering. Why are you here? Are the deposits not going through?" She asked, referring to her weekly contribution to Mom's account to help pay for the at-home nurse and any other essentials she might need.

"Nope, they're arriving like clockwork," I said, "but you know that's not why I’m here." I hesitated before diving in. "Maria and I want to bring back our Sunday dinner tradition."

"Oh, God," Sofia groaned.

I pressed on, undeterred by her antics. "And it's not Sunday dinner without all of us there."

She leveled me with an annoyed stare. "I'm pretty sure your mama would disagree, if she could remember."

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Sofia, I know things have been rocky between you and Mama. I get it. But… we’re running out of time, and this has to stop. I don’t want you to live with regrets after she’s gone. You need to make peace, and soon."

Sofia cocked a brow, her nostrils flaring in anger. "You think I don't know that? I think about it every day. You make it sound so easy… like I can just go over there and play nice. You, of all people, should know it's never that easy with Mama. She really hurt me, and every time I try to gather up the courage to go see her, it just… I'm just reminded that it's going to be another heartbreak."

I sighed. I felt for her I really did, but time was running out.

There were more bad days than good, and that metaphorical hourglass has become more insistent—the sand slipping through faster than any of us expected. Maria and I worried about them never mending things before Mama passes.

For her part, Maria has been trying to get through to our sister. But being the baby of the family, Sofia easily pushed her aside, no matter how much Maria begged. But I was her big brother and our father had deemed me the man of the house before he died, so I was hoping to God I would have some sway in the situation.

"Sofia, I can't force you to be there, although I'm tempted to just throw you in a potato sack and drag your ass there kicking and screaming just put an end to this stupid thing, but I won't do that," I said after she gave me a look that told me she would murder me first. "Time is running out, Sofia. I'm not misleading you or exaggerating. You need to decide what you can live with and you need to figure it out soon," I told her before turning on my heel and storming out of the bank.

When I got behind the wheel of my truck, I let out a frustrated growl. She could be so stubborn. I understand she’s hurt, but the stakes are too high.

My frustration, however, would melt away when I saw I had a text from Emma.

Emma: I can't stop thinking about you. ??

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