Page 12 of Caramel Apple Cupcake

Her orgasm grew more intense by the second. The pleasure of the moment was overwhelming, her entire body trembling with the force of it. Anders thrust harder, matching her rhythm, pushing her closer and closer to the edge.

As her climax reached its peak, she felt herself losing control, her body tensing and then relaxing, a wave of ecstasy washing over her. The room spun, and for a moment, she thought she saw colors and heard music.

The experience was euphoric, and it took her a few moments to recover. When she could finally open her eyes, she saw Anders staring down at her, his face glistening with sweat.His eyes were filled with passion, and she could see the desire he had for her reflected in his gaze.

She smiled up at him, and he lowered his head to kiss her, their tongues entwining in a passionate embrace. As she pulled him closer, she whispered, “Thank you.”

Anders lifted his head to look into her eyes, his smile growing wider. “Sweetheart, you never have to thank me. You were worth waiting for.”

She nodded, still catching her breath. “It was more than worth it,” she agreed, her voice filled with emotion. She traced the lines of his face with her fingers, feeling the warmth of the connection between them.

He leaned down to kiss her again, this time with more intensity. Their bodies pressed together in the afterglow of their passion. As they kissed, she felt a new desire building within her.

Anders pulled away slightly, his eyes searching her face, seeking her permission to continue. She nodded, her eyes never leaving his, and he moved again, their bodies finding a rhythm that neither of them could deny.

Chapter 7

Harper sat at her dining table with a goofy smile on her face. Anders left that morning to shower, change clothes, and head back into Callahan’s for the Sunday brunch service. Although they weren’t a standard restaurant, they catered to the local community. At least those who wanted somewhere to go on Sundays for a nice meal. She would probably head over later today.

But for the moment, she was happy to sit in her apartment and drink her coffee. She replayed every moment of their night together. Just thinking about all the things that man did to her body caused shivers to run along her spine. He twisted her body in ways she never expected. It would probably be a good idea to take some pain medicine this morning because her muscles were already screaming.

She giggled, thinking about how she appeared when climbing out of bed this morning. Walking slowly. Bent over. Hand on her lower back. It was a good thing she had braids, or else her hair would have been a damn mess.

Then there was Anders, lying in bed watching her. He had a smirk on his lips as she walked gingerly. He was a confident man, but even he couldn’t help but smile. The bedroom sheet covered his lower body, but his chest was bare to her gaze. One arm was propped behind his head. Considering the number of times he claimed her body last night, she was amazed the man had any energy left.

And now that she sat here in the afterglow of everything that happened, the soreness of her body was a badge of honor. She survived her first night with Anders Callahan. And she couldn’t wait for a repeat.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming text. Thinking it was him, she picked up her device, a smile hovering on her lips. When she opened the phone, it was like a cold splash of water. It wasn’t Anders. Of course, she couldn’t be that damn lucky.

Mom: Why aren’t you responding to me?

Mom: You need to stop acting like a child.

Mom: Your father wants you here for dinner next Friday.

Mom: Do not disappoint him.

After reading the texted demands, all Harper could do was take a deep breath. At what point would she stop trying to be the person they wanted her to be? In her family, everyone conformed. They didn’t have many rebels who stepped outside of what was expected of them. Although she had that one cousin who lived in the Boston area. Camille.

That side of the family didn’t really interact with the side of the family who lived in Virginia. She never really understood why her father didn’t talk to his family much. She only remembered making a trip up there once when she was a child. She and Camille had clicked instantly. Even though they tried to stay in contact over the years, time and distance had made it difficult.

Last she heard, Camille was married to a man named Tristan. Maybe she needed to reach out to her cousin to catch up. Life was too fucking hard to not have someone to talk to when things got tough. It would be better if she could rely on her brother, but RJ had never been someone she could be vulnerable with. Of course, if she were in genuine danger, she could reach out to him. She was fairly certain he would show up. Maybe.

And that’s what made the whole situation so fucked up. Her own family never accepted her. They always wanted her to be something else. She was never smart enough. Or good enough. Or simply enough. Not in their eyes, at least.

After doing the mental gymnastics, she gave up. She would not let the thoughts of her family steal her joy this morning. She decided not to wait any longer to do something for herself. Harper opened a new text and fired off a quick note.

H: Hey Camille, it’s ur cousin, Harper.

H: Just wanted 2 check-in. C how ur doing.

H: Thinking of coming ur way 4 a visit.

H: Let me know.

With that done, she smiled, proud of herself for taking the step to break the hold Virginia had on her. She looked at her mother’s text messages again and chose not to respond. There wasn’t really an ask. It was an expectation. Would she really not show up when commanded?

Probably not.

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