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A Long Time Coming Ch. 01

By: thesmug



We're walking down the hallway toward your office with me just slightly behind you, letting you lead the way. Very little light, no one around. Just before the entrance to your office, I can't stand it anymore and spin you around to face me. My left hand locks into your right as I push you against the wall, now taking your other hand as well and raising them to just above your head. Now with both of your hands in my left, my other hand slides down your body and takes hold of your beautiful ass. You catch your breath as I first kiss your neck and then breathe in deep, taking in this intoxicating fragrance that is your skin and your hair combining into something that literally makes me weak. There is nothing in the world like this smell that overtakes me and suddenly I find myself lingering and wanting to stay there forever. I start to kiss your neck again, that spot just below and slightly behind your ear, and I hear a soft moan that tells me so much about you. You love feeling me against your body, kissing and touching you. You have unexpressed feelings for me, as I do you. Your bright blue eyes find mine, and I see things. I see desire and fire. I see understanding. You just get me. I still don't know why or how, but you do. Softly, very softly, your lips find my face and my cheek. I can't stand it. How did you know that drives me insane? You really do know me, better than I thought...

It's like we've known each other for years. And well, we have. But not like this. We've been great friends, working in the same industry. In fact, that's how we met. I'll never forget the first time I saw you. I actually couldn't breathe for a minute. My first thought was that I needed mouth to mouth, but you had clients waiting for me in your office so I was in need of composure. Somehow we got through that. I kept playing dumb, asking for your help so that I could just look at you while you spoke. (You still have the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen!) I still wonder how much you remember about that night. I wonder if you caught me staring at you so many times with my mouth open. We flowed well together, tag-teaming the clients, like we'd worked together many times before. After that it seemed that we were instant friends and we would work together (so that we could flirt with each other) as often as possible. I know that I would make up reasons to come by and see you. I'm sure you noticed that! Years have gone by now, and it seems that one of us has always had some weird shit going on in our lives at any given time. You've always been in my heart and mind, and I've always wanted you. I know that you know that. We've always had this strong connection thing, like when you look at me that one way that you do, and my knees go weak. So when you suggested drinks after work, I knew that I would at least give you a kiss tonight. The night started with us downstairs having a few drinks at the restaurant in your building. Just like we've done before, but this time was different and we both knew it. Then you walked me back to your office...

Just as I feel I'm about to fall to my knees from the feeling of your sweet lips all over my face, you grab me by the shirt and practically drag me into your office. I don't need to be coerced, I just need to focus for a second. I look into your eyes and once again I'm almost frozen there. You snap me out of it by reaching for my cock, still in my pants at the moment, and you're thinking of changing that. But that's not what I want right now. I want to smell you and taste you. All of you. I take your face in my hands and kiss you deeply. We kiss for a long time, not sure how long but time is not an issue right now. Your lips are everything I've always imagined, soft and sweet – delicious. But it's the passion behind the kiss that I've been waiting for, so long. 

Now on a mission, I'm kissing you everywhere. I reach for your shirt and you simply pull it over your head. Now I'm kissing your shoulders and arms and chest. I reach behind you, unhook your bra and it just falls off of you, exposing your beautiful breasts. You lean back a little and now I can feel the curve of your breast on my face. Kissing, licking and nibbling on them has an effect on you and again I hear you moaning softly. Leaning against your desk, your eyes closed, head tilted slightly back, I look up and take in the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. I can't imagine ever wanting to be anywhere else. Ever. I've got to burn this image in my brain so I pause and take it in, but only for a moment because now, on my knees, I can smell your desire, just inches from my face. Your pussy has been in the starring role of every one of my fantasies for a few years now. And now here I am, sliding my hands up your gorgeous legs, under your skirt I grab your ass with both hands and as my face comes in contact with your skirt, I grind my face into your pussy, only some light fabric between us now – I breathe in as deep a breath as I possibly can, just as you are reaching down to unzip your skirt and let it fall to the ground...

~ to be continued ~

A Long Time Coming Ch. 01



I: Art

Art was late. The tattered hem of his jeans scuffed lightly over the worn-down carpet of the college library giving his hurried walk a rhythmic shuffle, releasing any pretense of respectful silence. Art didn't really care but he was glad anyone bothered by his noisy passing seemed content to simply shoot him a nasty look. He just didn't have time for them. He hustled down an aisle and hissed a curse when he realized he was still in the wrong section.

He was supposed to have met with his new project partner for his senior philosophy class but had missed the appointment because of, well, because he was a 22 year old college guy and shit just happened. Shit seemed to happen to Art quite a lot, especially missed appointments. Nearly all of his free time was spent sketching in one of his many, notebooks. Though his pastime and name might speak otherwise to his future, he was a psychology student and nearing the end of his collegiate studies.

Once he'd realized he had missed the appointment time he had decided to simply track down the two main books he and his partner were supposed to base their paper on. He was getting close he knew and so slowed his frantic charge through the book stacks to a smooth stroll.

Art saw the appropriately numbered shelf and turned down the aisle, before stopping in his tracks. A short way down the aisle before him was a young woman bent over near the lower shelves. Even if he hadn't found her in such a compromising position, Art still would've checked her out. To read the lower titles she had bent very low at the waist causing her behind to stick up and out. She was in short but effective heels that pumped out her calves and the lower inches of her thigh muscles in supple curves. Her dress matched the peacock blue hue of her heels exactly and it clung tightly to her body giving Art a rather obscene perspective.

She bent slightly lower and Art became fixated as the rondure of her cheeks spread beneath their blue covering. Her back arched as she reached for the shelf and Art felt himself growing hard after a few moments of gazing at this girl's posterior. The show quickly ended as the girl straightened, tossing long shining black locks over her shoulders.

Art froze. She's about to turn around, run! Do not let her catch you with your dick half-hard. He swiftly pivoted, his bag shaking and rattling, his jeans scuffing, and drawing her attention. He walked swiftly around the shelf and when he had gone three stacks down turned down the aisle and returned to where she had been from the other side. He reached the aisle and nearly collided faces with her.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry," she said as books spilled loudly from her startled hands to the floor.

"Damn," Art said in a voice too loud for a crowded city street, much less a library.

Some Shh's were tossed their way, to which Art fired back, "Piss off and mind your own business!"

She knelt down to pick up her things. Art's eyes initially dived down to see the titles of the books but they were captivated this time by the view down her dress. The breasts beneath were the same radiant tan as the rest of her body. Art felt his erection reignite as he stared down into the deep crease of cleavage where her twin swells crept over the line of the dress top. At least some portion of his eye saw the name of the book and a bell rang somewhere deep his brain as some very interesting dots started connecting. 

That was the book. She had his book. She was his partner. That would make this hard. Can't get much harder than this, Art thought, but if anyone could do it, she could. Jesus!

Art knelt down and picked up her other book. They stood up together and Art found her looking at him, smiling politely. As intensely as his eyes had become engaged with both her back and front, so too they fell into the beauty of her face. Her generous lips framed straight, white teeth that became a swath of brightness across her heart shaped face. Thin, dark eyebrows arched over brilliant green eyes, their lids colored an ash gray that made them pop even in the tame library lighting. Art felt the seconds tick by and realized he was still staring and they were well within each other's personal space. 

And upon realizing that fact he immediately felt his fair skin begin to blush red and so took an all too conspicuous step backwards.

"No I'm sorry," he started, "I never watch where I'm going...and, um, I think we're partners by the way."

"Oh you mean you weren't looking for Borson's Theorems of Positive Reciprocity and Coincidental Engagements for a fun beach read?" She held out the book she had picked up out.

Smiling and reddening further, Art ruffled his shock of mousey brown hair and said simply,

"No but thanks for offering. You must be," he stopped midsentence having forgotten her name. Dammit, it was in the e-mail from the professor, what the hell was it?

"I'm Lexi," she said nodding

"Lexi Monaco! That's it. Art," he said thumbing towards himself, "Art Lander."

"Great, wanna go somewhere and get to work, I can't wait around much longer. But maybe we can get a little done." 

"Sure, I think they have some study rooms down that way." Art gestured with the book. She walked towards where he pointed and soon Art found himself a step behind her lovely behind. His eyes lingered below her waist and took in as much detail as they could hold. With every step her dress would stretch across the globe of each cheek then relax until some of the material had become pinched between them defining the top of her butt even further. The dress wedgie is probably very annoying to deal with but god damn is it sexy, Art thought. He followed the subtle bounce of her bottom all the way to the side of the library where she led them to a study room in the corner.

The study room was separated from the rest of the library by a wall and large single paned window. Inside was a small conference table and on the wall across from the window was a large whiteboard for dry erase markers. Once they entered the room Art pulled the door closed and sat his bag and book down at the table. Lexi put her things down similarly then turned to the window.

"Do you mind if I pull the blinds down a little, I feel like a fish in a bowl in these things? Everyone walking down the aisle can just see right in."

"Sure," Art tried to keep his brain from slipping into cheesy porno expectations but didn't have much success, "let's get started. You said you had to go, hot date right?"

As the blinds slid slowly down over the window, Lexi turned and looked at him. One of her angular eyebrows raised in a high arch as she asked,

"Well no, not really. Just have somewhere to be."

Art felt the awkwardness of his comment weigh on him physically. He brushed at his messy hair, this time from back to front as if he could somehow pull it down into a mask and hide his burning cheeks.

"My bad I didn't mean to...we just met but you can already see I don't always think before I speak. You don't have to say anything. We can just work and go on with our own stuff."

"It's really ok," she explained opening the first book, "I just don't go out all that often. Just seemed like an odd thing to assume."

Art was stunned. Doesn't go out that often? Why the hell not? She must get asked out at least twice every time she leaves her house! She surely gets eye-fucked at least once every ten minutes.

"Well," he stammered finally finding his voice again, "I just meant that you look really nice. Dressed up, I mean."

"Aw thanks." She smiled genuinely, her head tilting slightly to one side. The motion pulled her dark hair away from her neck so that Art got a full view of the soft skin of her neck and top of her shoulder. Art's eyes descended from her beaming teeth to the radiant gold of her throat to rest on the tops of her breasts. Art guessed them to be C-cups but seeing as he didn't have a sizing chart decided they very well could be D's. Despite their voluptuousness, they were high on Lexi's torso. From the side they created a round shelf of flesh that filled out the top of her dress with sinful wantonness. She breathed in through her nose as she turned to the work on the table and Art's eyes tracked the rise in her chest like a hungry predator.

They worked for a little while longer, piecing together who would do what and when they could meet again. Art tried to keep his gazing to a minimum but either Lexi paid him no mind (likely because he was not at all the only man to ever look at her so brazenly) or she truly didn't notice. Art felt stupid about his lack of any sort of suave manner. He would be seeing her again in a few days and was already wondering how he might somehow impress her and possibly ask her out. Lexi was one the sexiest women he'd ever met in person and for some reason he thought the project could really be the start of a once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with such a beauty.

That night as he lay in bed, it was Lexi's heart shaped face smiling at him that rejected his brain's attempts to fall asleep. Each time he closed his eyes from the ceiling fan softly whirling above him, he only saw her vivid green eyes locked with his. He inhaled through his nose and felt his lungs swell with cool air. He was shirtless; his fair skinned chest taught with the thin muscle of his wiry build, wearing only black boxer briefs that clung to his lower body not unlike Lexi's dress had hugged hers. In fact as he continued to imagine her face, his briefs seemed to grow even tighter. Within a moment he was hard again and he mentally took himself back to that first time that he saw her.

He walked through the library once again but this time it was devoid of any other students. He didn't hurry because he knew what he would see. He turned at a random aisle and there she was bent low in the same manner. Her dress stretching skin tight as her leg muscles lowered her towards the ground. She stood up slowly, the fabric of dress getting trapped between her cheeks again. She spun quickly on her heel to face him. The front of her dress was different in Art's mind than it had been in reality. Instead of a flat line across her chest, it was an incredibly deep V. The plunge of the neck line all but gripped Art's eyes and dragged them down between Lexi's breasts. Instead of just two mounds of smooth flesh naughtily peeking above her clothing, the tops and inner sides of her soft round tits were displayed like glamorous medals. But instead of hard edges, these golden rounds were nothing but gentle curves and rather than flat and lifeless they seemed swollen with passionate desire. 

"Do you like me Art? Do you like what you see?" Lexi arched her back slightly and put her hand on her left hip. The motion elevated her chest and as Art once again glanced into the depths of Lexi's dress she cocked her head and said, "I think you do, or at least one part of you does." 

Stepping towards Art, she put her lips to the side of his neck, at the soft place where the line of his jaw softened into the underside of his chin. Art's body stiffened at the sensation of the warm, barely moist touch of her mouth. Her kiss lingered and turned from a tender press into hungry suction, as if she wanted to draw his pulse to an even faster speed.

The cushion feeling of Lexi pressing her body into him had him throbbing immediately within the confines of his jeans. Art put a hand on her hip and pulled them closer so that she could feel his eagerness press against her. He cupped her chin delicately with his other hand and lifted her face to his and planted a slow kiss upon her lips. Initially they were motionless, simply lip-locked by in an intimate embrace. Then his mouth tugged on hers and she responded with a quick lick of her tongue across his lower lip. Art pulled his face away from hers and breathed in a much needed breath of cool air.

"Lexi, you are unbelievable, you...god you have no idea the things I would do for you, the things I would do to you." Art groaned and shoved his pelvis against her body so she could feel his hard on through his jeans. It was such an eager mass of sexual need that it felt like it could very well punch through the denim to be closer to the softness between Lexi's thighs.

"The things you'd do to me huh? I like the sound of that but first I think I'm going to have to do some things to you first. Just to, you know, give you an idea of the treatment I'm going to be expecting."

Lexi lowered her hand and while keeping her fingers extended toward the floor, she slowly brought her palm up against the outline of Art's cock pressed hard against his pants. Her fingers traced its edges and Art nearly exploded. His knees grew slightly loose and he leaned back against the book shelf with a groan. Before his mind could truly understand what Lexi was doing she had knelt down before and while her left hand teased at him through the crotch of his pants, her right began to deftly unbutton his fly.

She gave him another suckling kiss on his stomach just above his waistline and his cock gave an impatient lurch. Without removing the suction from her kiss, Lexi finished undoing Art's pants and yanked them down with both hands. Art's erection burst upwards in its newfound freedom and it made an impressive tent pole within his black boxer briefs.

"Oh my god, Art, I can't wait to feel you on my tongue. I want to just hold you right there and feel it throb within my mouth."

"Fucking Christ," Art said struggling not to simply go over the edge right then. He was flushed as ever and felt like he might burst at the slightest touch of her fingers on his dick.

Slowly, as if unwrapping a present, Lexi slid her fingers under the waistband of Art's briefs. Her fingers felt dry and cool on Art's warm and excited skin. She slipped the briefs down with agonizing slowness. Her deviously green eyes locked with Art's widened blue-grays. Art's cock popped up from within the lowered briefs with what might have been a comedic bounce had it not appeared so seriously ready to fuck. Art watched Lexi appraise him, seeming to note the velvet-smooth flesh and its darker skin tone like they were things of wonder. Art wasn't very veiny but he had one slender purple pipe that curled along the right side of him then disappeared underneath his shaft. Lexi ran her finger down its winding path and coaxed a spasm from Art's dick that produced a gleaming bead of pre-cum from the tip.

"Lexi," Art said in a throaty moan, "I will fucking burst."

He trailed off as she smiled her wicked grin once more and produced her tongue. It jutted from her lips like a plump purple-red fruit gleaming with juice. With a careful touch, Lexi lifted up Art's cock and slowly craned her neck so that her tongue trailed up the length of him. Upon reaching his beaded head, she pulled her tongue back to remoisten it. Art let his neck go limp as he opened his eyes to look at her. His dick obscured her mouth but he could feel the small puffs of her breath on his shaft and balls. While she kept her eyes riveted to his, Lexi darted her tongue out in a fast serpentine lick. Art's chest felt tight and filled with pumping blood, his heart was thundering within his rib cage. His balls felt like they'd been on a low boil for hours and now had the flames turned up all the way. He was going to come all over Lexi. He would blow his load on her mouth, down her neck, in between the pair of fantastic tits and it would gleam against her skin like pearly gemstones.

"Lexi," Art said "I'm about to—"

"Art you little fucker, it's time to get your ass out of bed! We have Bio lab in fifteen!" A badgering voice broke into Art's dreaming and brought him back to his room. Sunlight streamed in through the blinds of his window and his loins ached like he'd been fucking all night long. It was morning; it had all been a dream.

"Art! Bio Lab...fourteen!"

"Goddammit shut up Casey! I'm up..." Art looked down amongst his tangled blankets to see that he was indeed, up. I had a wet dream so intense it seemed to last all night and I didn't even fucking get to finish, this is bull shit.

"Thirteen, I leave at eleven, just saying."

"Get fucked Casey, I said I'm up," Art bellowed, then in a lower voice to his achingly unfinished dick, "at this right I might never come down."

Art left his bed and began his day. He was a few minutes late to Bio Lab but only Casey gave a shit. He sat and appeared to be giving his whole attention to the professor and when it came time to take notes, nobody else's pen moved with the speed or ferocity of Art's. But he wasn't taking notes; he hadn't heard a word the teacher had said. All he could see, hear, and taste was her. And he was drawing her over and over and over. He checked the date on his phone once the lab had ended, four days until they would see each other again. 

They were the longest four days of his life. But he made it. Art spent those days drawing out his frustrations and collected a tall stack of paper with nothing but sketches of Lexi. Not all were sexual or even of her in entirety. Some were variations on her mouth or hands; many were simply Art trying to create different "looks" within just her eyes.

Upon that fourth day he was not late to the library but in fact quite early. He and Lexi's meeting was light and uneventful and Art enjoyed every minute of it. He never managed to feel anything other than awkward but each time he saw he seemed to fall more and more under her enchantment. She seemed to enjoy his company as well, though he doubted to the same degree that he did. Lexi would laugh at his jokes, play off his comments and genuinely listened when he had valid points to make about their project. Art hung on her every word and never really contradicted her at all.

They worked that way for the better part of a month, meeting twice a week and pushing their work forward meeting by meeting. Their presentation was in two weeks and Art had thought to bring in two coffees from the campus coffee shop and was waiting with his feet on the table when Lexi entered their study room.

She was wearing a black top that, as usual, hugged her curvaceous body closely and displayed a moderate amount of her cleavage. A gray vest with matching skirt made her seem almost schoolgirlish which did nothing to quell Art's sexual fantasies. He was so taken with her outfit as she popped in the room, the brilliance of her smile shining from her eyes as well; Art brought his feet off the table in a fast sweep. In doing so, he also knocked over both cups of coffee without anyone having tasted a sip.

"Mother. Fucker," he said sharply, "I'm sorry I meant to bring us caffeine not make a mess."

The brown liquid streamed over the table and before it could soak into Art's notebooks, Lexi snatched them up from the approaching puddle.

"I'll run and get some paper towels—sorry!" Art said frowning at her as he left. She shrugged, "It's no big deal we could just get a different room."

"No way, this is our place, be right back." Art walked by the window and saw her wave at him through the blinds.

Walking swiftly through the library, Art found the bathroom and swiped handfuls of the cheap brown paper towels. He returned to the room hoping his witticism about the poor quality of public bathroom hand towels everyone would light up her smile again but found the study room empty. The puddle of coffee was dribbling steadily to the floor in three different places, his notebooks were on a chair safely away from the spill, and Lexi was nowhere to be found. Art took a step inside and tossed the paper towels carelessly towards the center of the puddle and poked his head outside the room to look in both directions.

Empty aisles of bookshelves stretched out in either direction but there was no sign of Lexi. What the hell? Phone call I guess.




A Long Time Coming Ch. 01



Art stepped back inside and picked up his notebooks. He plopped them down on a corner of the table away from the spill and slowly began mopping up his mess checking the door often to see if Lexi would walk back inside. He was nearly finished when a piece of paper sticking out from his notebook caught his attention. It was standard college ruled notebook paper but across its blue lines a picture of a leg from the knee down drawn in black ink stuck out from the pages. Oh. Fuck. Me.

Art dropped the dissolving paper towels into the smeared coffee and walked over to his notebooks. He flipped open his sketchbook to the paper that was sticking out. He always carried a sketchbook with him and usually didn't pay attention to which one he had. He wasn't sure what exactly this leg led to but if it was anything close to what he suspected, he had an awful feeling he knew what had happened to Lexi.

The cover and most of the pages opened to reveal a few pages that had been loosely tucked inside the sketchbook. There were three pictures of not just Lexi but both of them. Both of them fucking. Both of them fucking in this very study room on the very table that was now half covered in cooled coffee.

"Goddammit Art, you moron...you stupid, stupid moron." He berated himself quietly and looked around as if a studio audience would suddenly break out into gasps, oohing and aahing at his misery. Art swallowed and realized he had no idea what to do or how to even apologize for what had happened. His face felt on fire though nobody was around to see it. Heart beating in panic, Art grabbed his stuff and bolted from the room. 

Once back at home, he fired off an e-mail to Lexi asking where she had disappeared to, as if he hadn't figured everything out. Her reply came back almost immediately. Art could tell it wasn't the truth and his heart sank. She said had to rush for an emergency and since the project was so close to being finished they could probably do the rest by e-mail. No more need to meet up.

Art picked up his mouse and tried to hurl it at the wall but the cord caught at the attached point behind the computer and it proceeded to wrap around a cup full of pencils and pens scattering them across the floor. He spun away from his computer in his chair and ran both hands into his forehead.

"Damn it Art, what did you do?" He asked himself, eyes shut tight in fear and frustration. Would she tell someone, their professor maybe, surely that was some sort sexual harassment charge or something. Failing class might the least of his worries.

"You made a mess of the pencils and maybe broke your mouse," spoke a nasally voice from the doorway.

"Casey," Art said without taking his forehead from his hands, "leave me alone."

Casey did. Art went to bed. And life went on. No campus police, nor Lexi's father for that matter, burst in to demand Art's head on a stake. At class she seemed to avoid his eye and never spoke to him. Once the project was turned in Art was out of legitimate reasons to continue trying to engage her. It was really over.

A few weeks after the day the projects were turned in, the class ended and Art never saw her in person again while he finished his degree. He saw her often enough on his paper and while it was never, ever enough to make him feel better, it somehow made feel like she wasn't as gone as she could be. And that had to be enough for him for now.

To Be Continued in...A Long Time Coming pt. II: Lexi 



A Long Time Coming Ch. 02



The Sunday morning light woke Jamie up as she got out of bed. Trying to make sure she wasn't imagining things she looked behind her to see Marcus sleeping soundly. His rock hard body was like a marble statue, she pulled the covers down to check if his cock was as big as it felt. 

Yep, it was. Startled she pulled the cover back up and began to think about the odd situation she had put herself in. She loved John, how could she be so weak? What was wrong with her?

She got up and took a shower trying to sort the problems running through her head. The hot water splashed around her, cleansing her of the oils, sweat, and fluids that covered her rich smooth skin. Stepping out she saw Marcus smiling on the bed. 

"You shouldn't be smiling. We have nothing to be proud of." Jamie said. 

"Ms. Jamie I know what we did was wrong, but it felt right didn't it?"

Ms. Jamie, there was her little boy again. She looked at him, a towel covering her wet body and the sheets covering him from the waist down. The sunlight made the room feel warm. 

"Marcus...." Her voice trailed off listening to his rationale. It had felt good, it was just a lustful episode that couldn't be repeated that's all.

Marcus pulled the sheet off of his body. His naked black body laying on her white sheets. He laid there staring at her. 

"Jamie...." He said her name this time as a man. His thick log of a cock resting against his thigh. 

"Yes?" she said asking.

"When does John come home?" 

"Tuesday he said." Her eyes fixated on his cock.

"Why can't we enjoy this for a few more days?"

It didn't take long for her to accept his rationale. She had already cheated, might as well make it worth it. Not wanting to let him know her eagerness at his offer she looked at him.

"I think we should stop while we're ahead." She said as she watched his cock grow.

"Of course, there's no reason you should suffer." She said as she untied the towel around her body.

He started to stroke his cock. 

"You like watching this old lady don't you Marcus. You like jerking off to me don't you?" she asked.

"Yes Ma'am I do." He grinned, his cock nearly a foot in the air as she climbed onto the bed. 

She dropped the towel to ask, "What do you like most about this old lady?"

"I love those white titties," Marcus said as she grabbed her breasts and teased her nipples.

"I love that white pussy," he continued as she rotated her hips back and forth in a slow sexy dance.

"Marcus you know what I love?" she said as she began to crawl towards him on the bed.

"I think you like dick." He said waving his cock under her nose.

"Ummm, close.....not just any dick. I love your big black cock." She moaned as she licked his big cock head.

"Oh baby get that shit." He said as he placed the cock along her bottom lip.

"You want me to suck your cock little Marcus? Such a bad boy, wanting this old lady to put her mouth no your cock." She scolded him.

"You love sucking this black cock, don't you bitch." 

"You know I can't lie. I need this big black dick." She said all the while licking the sides of his cock as her small hand stroked him.

She proceeded to bob her head along his black cock as his fingers intertwined in her silken curls. Her long brunette hair was soon used as handle as he made her head bob on his cock. She wouldn't gag as he stuffed his cock down her throat. 

Her muffled moans were drowned out by his grunts and yelling, "Get that shit girl, get it all in your mouth Ms. Jamie."

His groans soon turned to a loud bellow as he again came in her mouth and she swallowed all of his cock.

"Ooooohhhhhhhh, Ms. Jamie. You like my cum don't you." 

She nodded her head in agreement, the tip of his cock in her mouth, as she milked him dry. Her stroking kept him hard as she bent over and kept kissing his flat hard stomach.

"I think this doggie needs a bone." She said grinning and turning around as she exposed her fat ass and pussylips to him.

"What kind of bone you need bitch?" he said as he kneeled behind her rubbing his fat cock head against her pussy. She still couldn't believe how good that fat head felt as it almost opened her up.

"I need your black cock Marcus, put it in me. Please...."

"What you need bitch?" Marcus said, slapping her ass.

"I need that black dick......" she screamed pushing her pussy back on his big cock.

She stopped after getting half to slid in before her pussy tightened up on her.

"Whose dick you need?" He asked with another slap. Not too hard but not playfully either.

"I need you Marcus, I need your black fuckstick in me. Fuck this bitch." She said pleadingly as she bucked back on his cock.

He grabbed her shoulders and began to stroke into Ms. Jamie.

His pace quickened as she began to push back against his hard muscular torso. Her fat ass slapping against his body.

"C'mon take this pussy." She yelled as the sensations in her stretched pussy grew stronger and stronger.

"This is my pussy now." 

"YES TAKE IT!" she yelled as he grabbed her hair and gave her another slap.

"Give me this old white pussy. This ain't old it hasn't even been used yet." Marcus said, his hand traveling to her clitty as he rubbed her in circles.

She couldn't take anymore, she was just yelling and screaming inaudible sounds.

"Uhh, ugghhhhhhh, aaiiiiieeeeee, Marcus baby!!!!!" 

slap, slap, slap, their bodies hitting each other as hard as they could. 

"Cum in me baby, I want it."

"What do you want?" he said as he ceased moving. She began rotating her hips as her pussy massaged his cock and her asscheeks rubbed his smooth black skin.

"I want you to cum in your pussy. I'm hungry for your cock."

"What kind of cock you like?" he asked resuming his pumping.

"Mmmmm, black cock baby!" she yelled savoring the feeling.

"What kind of cock get this big?"

"Black cock Marcus, only black cock baby!!!!

Their fucking was at a feverish pace as they both yelled in climax, sweat dripping down their bodies. They fell to the side with Marcus still hard and inside her pussy. The sloshing sound in her pussy grew louder as Marcus began to move within her again.

Lifting her leg in the air Marcus began to fuck her again.

"mMMmmm, still goin tiger?" Jamie asked as she turned her head over shoulder to kiss Marcus.

"Baby, white pussy like this. I could fuck you for hours." She moaned in appreciation of his work as she reached back to play with his balls.

"John can't go more than 30 minutes if I'm lucky." Jamie moaned looking out the window.

"He can't appreciate a real white slut when he gets one. I'm gonna turn you out baby." Marcus said as he rose to his knees and positioned himself above her and drove into her pussy.

"Ooooohhhhhh" she yelled at his spear penetrating her body.

"Oh marcus I can't fuck anyone else after you now." Laying back enjoying his onslaught. 

"I know Ms. Jamie, that's why you and me are gonna enjoy the rest of this weekend."

"Oh Marcus, it won't stop Tuesday. Because even when he's back, I'm going to fuck this black cock like no white bitch has ever fucked it again. You ruin me, I'm going to ruin you." With this she wrapped her legs around him and would tighten her pussy with every stroke he left her pussy on. 

"Baby keep working this cock." 

His mighty black body had her shapely white legs around him making their beautiful union a work of art in the afternoon light.

Their groans and grunts filled the air as she reached up and pinched his nipples. Running her hands over his shoulders and arms. He took hold of her breasts and brought his mouth down to bite and tease her nipples.

"Play with my titties," she yelled as an orgasm built up in her. His slow pumping building an explosion of emotion within her.

"With a subdued groan he emptied himself into her. Still sucking at her breasts he fell down next to her on the bed. They kissed and stroked each other until they fell asleep. 



A Long Time Coming Ch. 02



II: Lexi

The place was so familiar Lexi felt like she had never left. The conference table dominating the center of the room surrounded on each edge by the four uncomfortable chairs. The rectangular window with its token blinds that were hardly worth turning closed they offered so little privacy. The outlets and the wide whiteboard across from the window still the only disruption to the walls' monochromatic monotony. Everything was as bleak as she remembered. 

She was once again in this space, this tiny aquarium of a study room. She turned her head each direction as if trying to find what was missing. Though it appeared the same, something about the room was different and she couldn't recall what it was. But it was something important. Something that made this place memorable, the reason it still felt so special after so long.

As she turned towards the wall bearing the whiteboard again her green eyes lit up with surprise. Across the board's gleaming surface were drawn the words "hot date right?" in graffiti style block letters. Before her eyes the board went white only to be covered with "you look really nice." Lexi's left hand reached up and gently rubbed the side of her neck. Her skin was warm to the touch and she knew a red flush had crept down her throat.

Suddenly the words collapsed into a mass of blackness upon the stark white board. It shuddered into a rhythmic undulating swirl then expanded into a picture; a scene appearing as if from an expanding camera aperture.

"Oh my," Lexi said in a breathy whisper. Upon the canvas of the board she saw herself bent forward over a table; the same table not two feet away from her. She was naked but not displayed like some cheap centerfold. She appeared to be in the midst of, well if her face could be believed, the most seductive moment of her life.

Both of her hands were spread out, palms down, on the table top supporting her upper body. The lower edge of the board ran just below the bottom-most curve of her bare cheeks. From the cleft of her rear, her back arched with ecstasy though no hand appeared to be touching her. As though whatever she was thinking at that moment had just ignited an orgasmic flash within her. Her torso was half turned to look over her shoulder at the viewer. The swell of her left breast peeked through the space between her side and her arm displaying only the tiniest glimpse of nipple.

A band of dark hair ran down the side of her face like black ribbon draped across moonstone. A part of Lexi's mind seemed to recognize two things about the drawing and tried to alert her to what it claimed to be "the facts." You could never look like that, you just aren't that...wanton. Besides, nobody could ever draw like that with a dry erase marker. You're clearly dreaming.

"I don't care," she said aloud. Then she blinked and realized how true that statement was. She didn't care, she wanted to enjoy this. "Please show me more."

A moment passed with only a subtle glimmer dancing in the eyes of the drawing. Lexi wasn't even sure she had really seen it but a fluttery breath later the picture became another whirling mass of blackness before exploding into another tableau.

"Oh holy fuck," she blurted. Her knees became loose and wobbly. Lexi fell softly backwards against the wall next to the doorway; the hand that had touched her neck now covered the O of her stunned mouth.

Again her nude body dominated the spectacle of the board. This time she was on her back upon the table top. Her lower half was out of view, this perspective focusing solely on her chest and face. 

Her head was thrown back, the lips of her mouth pulled away from her teeth into an ecstatic smile. The angle of her chin drew her breasts up and forward, the round masses of flesh seemingly perfect. Swollen yet soft; supple yet firm; they looked like ripe, juicy fruits. Her nipples were obscured in the picture by two different hands, though she could feel her own standing out in eager excitement within her bra and blouse. 

It suddenly occurred to Lexi that if anyone were to walk inside the study room she would look like lust made flesh. The tips of her breasts pushed against the fabric of her clothes in hungry need. Her face flushed with hot desire. And as she moved her legs to keep her knees from giving our completely she realized something more, she was wet. Not just wet but doused. Lexi's right hand shot downwards to the edge of her skirt and slipped underneath. After a moment trembling in anticipation, Lexi's fingertips brushed against the sopping slickness between her thighs.

A wordless gasp burst from her mouth as she felt how thoroughly soaking wet she was. She pulled her hand out from beneath of her skirt, her eyes widening at its glossy coating. Immediately she recognized her hand as one of the two in the drawing before her. Her gaze rose from her glistening hand to the picture once again.

That same hand clutched her right breast its fingers encircling the soft, supple breast. Small bulbs of skin and flesh were shaped by the tight grasp. On the left was another hand, this one at the end of a leanly muscled forearm. It gripped her left breast with equal ferocity. Lexi looked intently at each detailed swell of tit that seemed to push from between all the fingers. Her eyes trailed up the fingers to the wrist, entranced by the delicate masculinity. The hand exuded fine strength and an intriguing amount of precision. That's a hand that knows its business, knows just how to touch you, just how to fuck you, just how to feel you.

Lexi sagged against the wall, somehow both taught and limp with excitement. I want to feel that hand, I want it here. She touched the base of her throat, just above her the upper limits of her breasts. Here. She palmed her left breast and with its mass firmly in her hand gave a generous squeeze. Twisting her fingertips as she pulled away, Lexi's thumb and forefinger twirled into a passing pinch of her nipple through her clothes. Both her breasts responded in aching need. The freshly tweaked tit longed for further attention while the other seemed to throb with injustice. I need it here. She let both her hands slide down the smooth skin of her inner thighs and then back up. Each one pushing up the fabric of her skirt until the underside of her lips were exposed to the open air. 

Her gentle folds were blushing, swollen and carried a sheen of passion. Lexi's eyes returned to the board and saw that the image had already changed. It was now a sidelong depiction of two faces locked in a kiss.

She was on bottom, still on her back, still on the table. But now only inches from her closed eyes was his head, his face, his mouth. His lips were upon hers with a dominating push. Once again her head was thrown back but to a lesser degree than in the earlier picture. Her eyes looked upwards over her own forehead and were half-closed. The position caused her jaw to jut out presenting her mouth to him like an all too willing sacrifice. It's like I can't pull away, maybe I don't want to...oh—oh my God.

Lexi spied the tips of white fingers poking up from the curls of her hair like pale branches piercing billowing black clouds. 

He's holding me. He's holding my head in place, so he can...so he can do that to me.

Lexi's breath was shallow and her pulse was pounding through her body like a drum beat. There was no doubt as to who had her pinned. It was Art. The line of his jaw and nose were the same, though they seemed slightly more chiseled than she remembered. Perhaps, in this moment of complete control, his body appeared more masculine. He was the pinnacle of domination not because he was forcing her but simply because he had her right where they both wanted her to be. That moment was ecstasy. It was a sort of sexual fusion. It was utter release.

Then the image returned to the initial portrait of Lexi bent over the table and looking back. Then to the shot of her on her back. Then back into the climactic kiss. It shuffled itself at an increasing pace. Lexi's breath and heart rate climbed along with the speed of the frantic slideshow. Her hands traveled up and down her body; sometimes gripping, sometimes rubbing, other times making only the barest brush against the more sensitive spots. One hand would knead the underside of her breast while the other stroked the back of her neck. She would swap them or send one darting underneath her skirt once more for another press against the slippery mound that so eagerly desired more.

As the pictures rose to a flashing crescendo, Lexi suddenly felt hands grip her wrists tightly and a voice whisper in her ear, "Close your eyes." Obeying immediately, she shut her eyes tightly, not out of fear but simply because she had been waiting for this. Waiting for him appear and take control and finally do all the things he'd seemed to promise within those pictures. He slowly but strongly raised her hands until they were above her head. With one, long-fingered hand he held her wrists against the wall, one crossed on top of the other. He leaned in close to her, his breath filling her nose and the heat and sheer presence of him so close to her that her body's front seemed to boil.

She felt the front of her skirt lift up and knew that her thighs must be glistening. She felt drenched, leaking like a sieve, as if at one touch her body would collapse upon itself as pleasure drained out of her. Without even meaning to, Lexi lifted her face towards where she felt his to be, her lips open and reaching for some part of him.

"Keep your eyes closed," his voice commanded in a short but inarguable tone, "Not. Yet." She could only give a small moan in answer and felt her thighs mash against one another involuntarily. I can't take much more of this...no, no fuck this. I can't take any more of this.

As she felt the very tip of a finger slide inside the wet, hot, center of her sex she opened her eyes. Round circles of blue-gray filled her vision as she felt a chain reaction of pleasure start rolling through her. The sensation began somewhere below her breasts and then rocked downward through her body pinging off the nerves of her pussy like an echoing scream. Lexi couldn't stop flinching as the orgasm rebounded within her. She wanted to keep looking into Art's eyes, try to see herself reflected in the gleam over his lake-water eyes. But she couldn't. Her eyelids seemed to fold in upon themselves and as the pleasure continued to well inside she realized her eyes weren't going to open.

She woke up. Loud noise and streaming sunlight caused her to sit up into absolute confusion. A song she half-recognized was blaring from her left side. She wasn't against a hard wall but sitting up in a soft bed. A bed that felt damp and sticky.

"Jesus, ok, ok," she said pleading with the source of the noise. Her throat felt raw as if from hours of hard breathing.

Lexi reached her hand towards the phone that was cranking out music and saw a number she didn't recognize. From the area code her brain deduced it was some place in the city but that was all. Still half-asleep, still half-drunk from her sex dream, Lexi answered the call even though a part of her mind said that now was not a time to be on the phone. 

"Mmm, hello?" Lexi straightened into a stretch that pulled her lower back muscles tight and caused her breasts to brush against her night shirt making the skin of her nipples shiver, still easily excitable from the night's mental entertainment.

"Ms. Monaco? Lexi Monaco," a voice asked quickly.

It sounded oddly familiar. Somehow it rang with memories of years before and still felt like it had just left her ears a moment ago. But that's impossible, unless...

"This, um," she gathered herself, taking in one deep breath before saying, "this is Lexi Monaco."

"Ha, I, I thought so. It's me—Art."

***

The address he had given her was downtown and while she recognized the bookstore's name, Matheson's, Lexi had never visited this location.

"Could you meet me," Art had asked her, "I really need to talk to you about some things."

Before she could even think on it properly she had agreed. He had had to go suddenly so he repeated the address, thanked her profusely, and then hung up. The abruptness of his call was strange but it certainly seemed as if he would have stayed on the line if he could have. Once the realization that she was about to meet with Art set in Lexi had gone into a frantic rush of getting ready.

In her shower she had decided it had been just over two years since they had seen each other. She had no idea what he'd been doing since they had parted ways but it was probably more exciting than her job. Working at a bank was nice, stable, and comfortable but it was also bureaucratic, tedious, and maddeningly boring.

Lexi had dressed in a violet sundress and plum colored sandals. Her deep mahogany hair was lazily curled and her skin glowed tan again since it was deep spring. The soft skin above her green eyes was awash with sparkling purple makeup the color of a waning sunset.

As she drove into the city, she thought about how she had found the drawings in Art's notebooks and immediately ran away. Those three pictures, the same three from her dream, had surprised her like a bucket of cold water to the face. They were so intensely sexual that Lexi hadn't been able to think of anything besides escape. Afterwards she had gone through a strange cycle of emotions; outrage, embarrassment, confusion. It wasn't until she started having the dreams about them that she realized a part of her truly liked the pictures and how they made her look and how they made her feel. They made her feel sexier than anything else in the world. Despite only seeing the actual images once, and then only briefly, two years had done nothing to fade them.

She felt guilty about how it had ended so suddenly but had had no idea how to find Art to explain. Since that day she had thought of them (and him) sporadically but had never completely forgotten about them. They had had a very brief moment but the chemistry had been there and a serious amount had obviously been sexual. And now he'd called her up and asked to meet with her at a downtown bookstore. She wondered if it would have a small side room with a large window. She hoped it would.

Lexi parked feeling small flutters begin in her stomach and climb upwards. As she looked upon the front of the bookstore she felt her nipples stiffen. Calm down girl, he's just going to be sitting in there with a coffee wanting to talk. He couldn't be here for you like that...could he?

As she approached the large store front she noticed some decorations near the entrance. Turquoise balloons bobbed amongst inflated lightning bolts of acid green to either side of the main doorway. Beneath the Matheson's white lettered sign a banner bearing a similarly green colored arc of lightning proclaimed "She's finally here!!!!" Arching an eyebrow, Lexi could only wonder who was worth four exclamation points. I guess Ms. Special will be inside; hopefully it's not a big deal.

Once she stepped inside the bookstore's cool interior, her ears were bombarded with the cheer and chants of an either very drunk or very pleased crowd. Stacks of various books dominated her initial survey of the bookstore. Like in most modern chain stores, tiled walkways divided up the sales floor into sections and created small streets strewn with specialty tables and aisle displays. Lexi turned slowly until she saw the café tucked into a corner of the store. She headed towards it wondering if her chest would cease its creeping blush.

The café was mostly deserted once she saw upon reaching the first tables. A sign the shape of an arrow pointing towards a back corner of the store read "She's finally here!!!! Report to the Fantasy/Sci-Fi section to see what it's all about!" Lexi looked around hoping Art was running late or perhaps was sitting somewhere she had overlooked.

Sighing, Lexi said addressing the sign "Fuck it; let's see what you're talking about." She turned and began to walk slowly down the tiles. The noise grew in clamor but not clarity and she could only hear a cacophonic buzz without any specific details. The one thing she couldn't help but notice was how excited and upbeat the crowd must be. The anticipation resonated off the book stacks like a toe-curling vibration.

Lexi neared where the noise seemed to coming from and glimpsed another banner. This one mostly purple and turquoise streaks with more bright green bolts zapping their way from end to end. She got her first look at the crowd or at least a few members of it. Three young men were standing at a corner of book shelves. A tall, gangly one pushed up very round spectacles that goggled over his eyes. He leaned down to put a pale hand on the shoulder of the shortest of the three, a small man with an overgrown brown beard. They seemed to be having a dispute, judging from the short one's angry gestures and the taller man's placating hand on the shoulder gesture. The third figure, easily the widest of the three sported a long blonde ponytail, he interjected between the two for a moment then stopped when he saw her. Ponytail's taller friend seemed to forget the discussion as well upon glancing over at Lexi. Only the short, bearded man continued to argue until the tall one gripped his head in one hand and physically rotated it to look in Lexi's direction.

"By the power of Greyskull..." the bearded one said his jaw literally dropping open.

"Have you ever seen such good cosplay?" Ponytail said in voice hushed too poorly to be a true whisper.

"She's not a cosplayer, she has no costume!" Tall goggles said with a snort.

"She has to be! She looks just like her, excuse me uh, ma'am?" The short one said tugging his beard nervously.

Lexi stepped back and leaned into her heels. The last few statements had struck her as supremely strange and greatly raised her suspicions. 

"This way, quick before more people see us." A voice hissed as a smooth hand slipped around her wrist and pulled her down an aisle of books.

Lexi turned but saw only the back of whoever this fourth man was.

"Holy mother of crap! That was Lander; c'mon we can get to the front of the autograph line!" Crowed a voice from behind her. 

Lexi turned over her shoulder to see the trio of oddballs suddenly hasten to pursue them. She suddenly felt the pull of her guide take a sharp turn to the right and she returned her attention to him. As she looked forward she caught a glimpse of his face and realized it was Art.

Art had her hand and was apparently running away from this threesome of geeks. In one moment she realized it was not at all what she had expected but she didn't care one god damn bit. With a careless smile and laugh she started moving her legs not just to keep up with Art but to follow his lead. He turned back and seemed to return her wild smile as he realized her change in pace.

"Almost there," he said his teeth gleaming white and handsomely from his curved smile, "I'll explain in the room."

At the mention of this room, Lexi's legs went to jelly for a moment and she nearly brought them both crashing down into a display of buy-one-get-one paperbacks. She couldn't believe there was a room, just like their little place in the library. Lexi, focus! There will be no dream-sex if you roll an ankle on the way.

A moment or two of concentrated light jogging, Art led them to a door marked "Private" on the front. He opened it with a key from his pocket and pulled her inside. Upon their entrance, he let go of her hand causing her to spin slightly as she slowed her momentum. As she whirled, she hear Art say "A few of them saw me—can you herd them back to the crowd, I need a minute."

"Of course, sir. Not much time though...try to hurry." A voice said with a bit of an ironic twist in the last words. Lexi saw a broad-backed man in a tight black t-shirt with the word "security" in white block letters step into the doorway. Beyond him, further down the aisle leading to the door, she saw the three men begin to slow their chase, and then the door swung shut.




A Long Time Coming Ch. 02



The first day of Jade's new job came with a feeling of optimism. She was up early and spent considerable time choosing the perfect outfit to make a good first impression. She settled on a tailored white skirt suit with a teal silk blouse and a pair of leather pumps. The reflection in the mirror told her that she look both fashionable and professional. 

Her mother was taking Briana to the Kinder Care Academy since pre-school didn't start until nine o'clock.

Jade gave Rollins notice the Monday after her interview. As expected, he didn't take it well. However, she wasn't immediately relieved of her duties; no doubt due to the fact that he needed to find a replacement. Instead he settled for being nasty right up to the end.

When she arrived at work she was greeted by Mrs. McCord and escorted to her office. After they were seated her employer got right down to business. 

"The first order of the day is my family's annual Fourth of July cookout." 

Jade was surprised at the assignment. She thought her job would be all about the charities and that, at least on the first day, she would be given the opportunity to familiarize herself with the office routine before she got into any actual planning. 

As soon as the thought entered her head, she chided herself. Mrs. McCord obviously thought she was capable; besides she was there to do what she was told, not question the agenda. It seemed that there would be a lot more to her job than she anticipated. 

"How many people will be at the cookout?" she asked.

Taking out a folder from her desk, Mrs. McCord placed it before Jade and said, "About three hundred, including children."

Jade was stunned and hoped her jaw wasn't hanging open. 

Three hundred people for a cookout? 

"This folder includes a list of our guests, their addresses, as well as their home, work and cell phone numbers," she continued. 

"Some of the guests are our personal friends; some are business associates and donors to our various charities. Although this is a fun event, the talk inevitably turns to business and opportunities to garner support for my charities present themselves."

Jade nodded, understanding perfectly. Mixing business and pleasure was a good way for people to feel more generous. 

"All other pertinent information is in the folder;" Mrs. McCord stated. "You should be able to answer any questions that arise. There will be more than enough inquires to keep you busy, along with sending out the invitations."

"Will the invitations need to be ordered or picked up?" Jade inquired. 

"No, that's already been done. The invitations are in a box on your desk. The addresses need to be checked for accuracy and they need to be run through the postage meter. By the way, you and your daughter are invited and you may bring a guest."

Shocked, Jade said, "Oh, no. I wouldn't dream of intruding."

"You're not intruding, my dear, you're my invited guest. Melanie was always invited as well."

Knowing it would be rude to refuse, Jade accepted.

"Thank you. It will just be Briana and me."

Mrs. McCord nodded and said, "That should be enough for you today. Tomorrow I'll give you a run down on the charity events that we'll be planning for the rest of the year. Part of your duties will be to book the venues and help with the planning." 

"Yes, Mrs. McCord," Jade said and wondered what she had gotten herself into. Taking the folder, she headed to her office to start work on the first undertaking at her new job. 

*    

Jade's first day went well.

Mrs. McCord was a dream to have as an employer; she was intelligent, hard working, thorough, organized and knowledgeable about all sorts of things. Although she was a perfectionist, she was also warm and friendly.

It was on the second day of employment that Jade met the senior Mr. McCord. He was tall with dark hair which had a touch of gray at the temples. His eyes were a light gray color with flecks of gold; quite a handsome man who'd pass on his great genes to his sons. 

He greeted her with a warm smile and a hand shake, but his eyes lit up when he saw his wife. It was obvious that even after being married thirty eight years they were still very much in love. Jade didn't mind admitting that she was a little envious.

She tried to imagine what it would feel like to have someone whose eyes lit up when she entered a room. She had an example of that with her parents, but she couldn't imagine ever having that for herself. Still, there was some hope in that both couples were a testament that love could endure well past the first bloom. 



Later that day, Alex stopped by. Jade was on an errand picking up invitations for the St. Matthew's Children Hospital Dinner and Fundraiser at the time. When she got back, Mrs. McCord informed her she'd just missed him. 

Just missed him? She'd been so busy that it never occurred to her that he would show up while she was working. Jade finished out the day, completing her tasks, but she couldn't keep her mind from wandering to thoughts of Alex.

*



It was a few days later that Jade met Jason McCord.

She was making copies in the supply room when the sound of a male voice in the outer office startled her. 

"Mom, where are you?" he called out into the hall after looking in her office and not finding her.

"In the library, I'll be out in a minute," she called back. The library was further down the hall.

Then hearing the copier, he noticed that the door to the supply room was slightly ajar. Curious, he poked his head in. 

"Hi," he said when he saw Jade. "You don't look like Melanie." 

Smiling, he walked into the room.

Jade was relieved that it wasn't Alex. 

She remembered the McCord's middle son. He was as good looking as she recalled. Jason was tall, his dark hair a little shorter than Alex's and although he also had blue eyes, they were a lighter shade.

"You're right. I'm Jade Harris. I just started last week," she said. 

"Huh! I should keep in touch on a weekly basis, maybe I'd know these things in advance," he grinned. "How are things going with the job?"

"Oh, it's great. A bit challenging learning my way around, but your mother is very easy to work for," she stated honestly.

"Are you sure you're in the right house? My mother can be a five star general at times," he said affectionately.

Jade smiled at the description of his mother. 

"So far, the General has not been called into active duty," she responded. 

Jason laughed; then in the middle of it realization dawned.

"Hey, I know you!" he exclaimed, abruptly bringing an end to his laughter.

Taken aback, Jade said, "You do?"

"Well, not personally, but I've seen you before; a couple of weeks or so back at Uncle Gino's Pizza."

"Oh," Jade said unaware that anyone other than Alex paid any attention to her. 

"You were there with a little girl," he said.

"Yes, that was my daughter, Briana. It was a treat for her, she loves pizza."

"I heard," Jason said suppressing a grin. 

Blushing, Jade acknowledged, "She can be a little vocal at times."

"As I remember it, she was cute as a button." 

Then he abruptly checked the time on his watch. 

"I'd better get going. I need to get back to the office. Mom has probably gotten distracted and forgotten about me." 

Then he said with a smile, "Nice meeting you, Miss Harris."

"Please, call me Jade. It was nice meeting you too." 

"All right, Jade. I'm Jason. Later," he said and continued on to the library.

*     





At that exact moment, Alex was talking to Francine on the phone. They'd made a dinner date and she was deciding where to go. 

"Well, darling, how about Merlin's or Bern's Steakhouse," she suggested.

After considering the options for a few seconds, Alex said, "Let's go to Bern's. I'll call David and let him know we're coming; it's short notice, but he always manages to have a table for us."

"All right, Alex. I'll see you at about seven?" Francine questioned.

"Seven is good," Alex confirmed. "I'll see you then, bye."

Francine had a date with Alex, but she still was in a bit of a somber mood. In the last couple of weeks he's often been preoccupied. He said it was just work, but once he got out of the office work had never distracted him to this extent before. He'd always made a habit of separating his work from his leisure time. He said it was the only way to keep his sanity. 

They still went out as often as ever, but something just wasn't right and trying to cajole information out of Alex was never successful. 

Although sex was still satisfying, Alex was not always fully engaged, especially afterward. She didn't like feeling that somehow their relationship was unraveling. Tonight she meant to rekindle his desire. She had a hot little black number that she knew would turn his head. 

*     



Alex was home and feeling unsettled. He hadn't spent the night with Francine and he knew that she was disappointed. He almost always slept over after a date, but tonight it just didn't feel right. To be honest, something hadn't been right with their relationship for a while, he just hadn't known what it was.

They had a wonderful dinner and the conversation was easy and steady. He was comfortable sharing the evening with her and found her alluring and sexy. When they got back to her apartment, they had sex as they usually did. He never called it making love, he just felt uncomfortable with that phrase knowing that he wasn't in love with her. Although she never said that she was in love with him, lately he was beginning to feel that she might be. 

Over the years he'd honed his skills to tell the difference between the women who wanted to be with him for what he could give them and those who truly cared about him. He believed Francine cared about him and he cared about her. Now he was thinking that maybe she wanted more out of the relationship than he could give. 

Alex wasn't looking for a permanent relationship when he met Francine, but he wasn't oppose to one either. However, within a few months of dating, he knew it wasn't going to happen. He couldn't make himself feel something that he didn't. 

In the beginning he didn't think Francine was looking for a permanent relationship either, but over time somehow that had changed. As he thought about their relationship, he began to perceive when the change occurred. It was right after Jason and Kate got engaged. Francine became clingy and more possessive of his time. 

Alex didn't play the field or sleep around; he was and had always been a one woman kind of man. But, until recently, the lack of a more permanent relationship wasn't a problem for him. Yet, here he was, thirty six years old and he was suddenly thinking about the lack of a special woman in his life. 

He knew what was at the root of his feelings and the accompanying restlessness. He had no problem getting women, but finding the one for a lifetime was the issue. He wanted what his parents had, no matter how long he had to wait. But recently, the waiting began to chafe. 

Alex hadn't given much thought to the qualities he wanted in a wife, but now it was important to him. Nor had he seriously thought about having children, but now he wanted them. And, as much as he tried to deny it, he knew why. It was her; the woman at the pizza place. A woman with a child and who could be married for all he knew. 

For the first time, while having sex with Francine, he saw another woman's face. He couldn't deny that he wanted her. He also knew it made absolutely no sense. He couldn't even explain what he felt. 

In any event, it was clear now that he would have to end his relationship with Francine. He couldn't and wouldn't disrespect her when she was no longer the object of his desire. He needed to have some time alone to make sense of what he felt and wanted. Then he would have to find that mystery woman and figure out if she had any place in his plans for the future. 

*     



The following day Alex was having lunch with Jason and Cam, when Jason mentioned he'd met their mother's newest employee. 

"Oh, I forgot to tell you guys, I met Mom's new assistant."

"What's she like?" Cam asked.

"She's a single mom with a little girl. I only talked to her a short while, but she's friendly, witty, and she actually thinks Mom is the perfect employer, or nearly so," he smirked.

"It sounds like she's a good fit for Mom. What does she look like?" Cam asked.

"She's a pretty young black woman with dark reddish brown hair. She looks ..." Jason let the statement trail off as he saw Alex's eyes flicker.

"Something wrong, Alex?" he asked.

"No. Uh, the description just reminded me of someone," Alex said, telling himself that it couldn't be her.

"Oh," Jason said keeping a straight face. 

Then he continued, shattering any illusion his brother might have had. "You might remember her from the pizza place, Alex."

Cam looked at Alex when he didn't say anything.

"You met her at a pizza place?" he asked.

"No," Alex said gruffly.

Cam thought that was all he was going to say until he sighed and elaborated.

"She was at Uncle Gino's the last time we were there, a few weeks ago."

"Huh!" Cameron said, "How come you guys noticed her and I didn't?"

"Easy," Jason answered, "you were too busy talking about your baby, the PhoeniX."

Grinning, Cam said, "Oh, yeah. I was kind of excited about it. She must have been something to take your attention away from my scintillating conversation."

Jason could see Alex was clinching his jaw. He decided to diffuse the situation before he blew up, although he didn't know why he would. One thing was sure; his big brother was still on edge about this woman. 

"She had a kid with her and she started yelling, 'Pizza, pizza, pizza,' when their pizza arrived," Jason said. "Man, I don't know how you missed that." 

"As you said, I was in deep conversation about my baby," Cam smiled.

Jason could see Alex relax and unclench his jaw.

The rest of the meal was enjoyable with the brothers engaging in a more neutral conversation to Alex's relief. 



* 



The next day Alex called Francine and asked to come over to her place after work. Francine was excited beyond words. Rarely did Alex call her out of the blue and just ask to come over. She thought he must have some special reason for wanting to see her and hoped that he was ready to pop the question.

Alex got to Francine's place around six thirty. She greeted him at the door with a kiss. Alex returned the kiss, but a sigh wasn't far behind. Francine knew immediately that something was wrong and she didn't like the feeling. 

"I need to discuss something with you," Alex said running his hand through his thick hair, obviously agitated about whatever it was. Francine motioned him to the sofa where they sat down. He looked at her intently and she knew, just like that, she knew what he was going to say.

"I can't see you any longer," he said bluntly. "I'm sorry, but it's not going to work out between us." 

He had gotten to the point quickly, which threw Francine off a bit, but she knew she had to keep her cool. She couldn't let him know how absolutely shattered she was. It was tearing her apart to see her dreams die in just a few words.

Sighing inwardly, she acknowledged that Alex never made any promises to her. He never said he loved her or gave her any reason to believe that they were headed to a permanent relationship, but she had hoped. Now that hope was gone, but there was one thing she wanted to know.

"Why, Alex? You owe me that at least," she said. 

"You're right," he replied solemnly. "It's quite simply that it's not fair for me to continue to see you when I know that we will never have a deeper relationship," he said.

"But, why now?" Francine asked, suspicion ruling her thoughts.

"I hadn't thought about having a wife or family until recently," he revealed. "Now that I know what I want, I can't keep seeing you. I can't continue this relationship when I might meet someone else. I know that sounds harsh, but how fair would it be to break up with you then?" 

"Have you met someone else?" she asked with a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"No, I haven't met anyone," he replied immediately. "But I won't lie to you; there is someone I would like to meet. I don't know if anything will come of it, but I wasn't going to approach her while we were still together. She has no idea that I'm even interested."

"Is it someone in our social circle?" Francine asked.

The last thing she wanted was someone she knew to flaunt a relationship with Alex in her face. It wasn't lost on her that she had done just that. She'd been possessive and haughty; she still felt possessive, but a lot more humble.

"No. You don't know her. I doubt that you've even seen her in passing. I don't know when or if I will approach her. I have a lot of thinking to do before I get to that point. There's more at stake than how I feel or what I want," Alex stated thinking of the little girl.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out for us," Francine said, "but I want you to be happy and I know I'll eventually find the man who wants me as much as I want him."

She deliberately hadn't use the word love, not wanting to let Alex know how she felt. The break up was enough of a humiliation; she couldn't bear it if he felt sorry for her. 

"I do appreciate you telling me now rather than later," she said. 

Standing up, Alex said, "I really am sorry it couldn't have worked. I hope we can remain friends because it looks like we're going to bes with Jason and Kate getting married. I wouldn't want things to be awkward between us."

"It's just going to take time on my part, but everything works out for the best in the end," Francine said not feeling all that assured. 

She followed Alex to the door and said goodbye. Neither thought a farewell kiss was appropriate.

*

The Fourth of July cookout was fast approaching.

Since the fourth fell on a Wednesday, Mrs. McCord planned the celebration for the following Saturday. Because of the size of the event, the food would be taken care of by Outdoor Catering, a company that specialized in large outdoor events. They cooked all of the side dishes off premises, but the meats were prepared on site. 

Jade had butterflies in her stomach thinking about the prospect of seeing Alex. Carrie said that he and Francine split a few weeks ago, but that information only increased her anxiety. She doubted that Alex had given her a thought, even if he wasn't ever far from her mind. Unable to help herself, she wondered if he was seeing anyone. If he came with a date she'd just have to grin and bare it, but it made her stomach turn to think of him with another woman. 

*  

The day of the picnic was picture perfect. The temperature a warm eighty five degrees, but it was offset by unseasonably low humidity. The sky was a gorgeous blue with a few whimsical fluffy clouds. The flowers were in full bloom throughout the large expanse of the garden, the lawn lush and newly manicured.

Since the dress was casual, Jade wore a pair of Khaki shorts and a short sleeved knit shirt with sandals. Briana had on light blue shorts with a floral top. Her daughter wanted to wear her Cinderella princess dress and took some convincing to save that for a more appropriate occasion. In the end, she settled for wearing a pair of Disney Cinderella sneakers. 

As soon as Jade drove up to the McCord's home, Briana asked, "Where are the kids, Mommy?" She'd been giddy all morning with the expectation of making new friends.

Smiling at her daughter's eagerness, Jade said, "They're in the back of the house where the barbecue is being held."

As Jade parked, there were several other vehicles arriving. She and some of the other guests walked toward the entrance to the back yard together. One of them, a Mrs. Madden, asked Jade if she was a friend of the family.




A Long Time Coming Ch. 02



"I'm Mrs. McCord's personal assistant," she answered.

"Oh, yes, you're that nice young woman I spoke with about the up coming fund-raiser. It's so nice to put a face with the voice. Is this your little girl?" she asked, looking down at Briana.

"Yes, this is Briana," she confirmed with a smile.

"Briana? What a perfectly lovely name," Mrs. Madden remarked.

Looking at the woman, Briana said proudly, "Thank you. I like my name." Both Jade and Mrs. Madden laughed at that.

After the encounter with Mrs. Madden, Jade relaxed a bit. 

The barbecue was in full force, as expected.

After she filled plates for herself and Briana, they sat on one of the wooden picnic table benches. Among those at the table was an elementary school principal who started up a conversation with Jade. 

The food and conversation were great and it was much more casual and relaxing than Jade had thought it would be. Briana was certainly having a good time. She had no trouble talking to the children at the table, though they were a bit older. 

As soon as Briana finished eating, she was champing at the bit to be let loose. Jade was concerned about her daughter's safety, but reasoned that they were on private property and there were of plenty adults around. Besides, she couldn't keep her corralled all day.

Without Briana, her thoughts turned back to Alex. She hadn't seen him, but with the extensive grounds it wasn't a surprise. What was a surprise was her disappointment. She knew that fantasying about him was silly, but she couldn't seem to help it.

Some distance away Alex was purposely avoiding Jade. However, he couldn't help thinking about how close she was. 

There were still things that he needed to work out; chief among them was what he wanted from her. As he told Francine, this wasn't just about him or even Jade for that matter; there was the child to consider. He understood how fast kids became attached and he didn't want to hurt either of them. He had to be damn sure of what he wanted.

To get his mind off of Jade, he decided to find Jason to get their game of horseshoes started early. 

On the way, he came upon a group of kids taking turns on a large slide a short distance from the crowd. Jade's daughter was at the top of the slide starting her descent. When she didn't come down fast enough, the kid behind bumped into her and pushed her to the ground, landing on top of her.

Before Alex realized it, he was rushing forward.

Brett, the boy who landed on top of Briana, helped her up and apologized, but Alex could see the rain clouds gathering as he hurried over. Sure enough, she started crying. Brett was patting her back trying to soothe her, but having little successes. 

As he got closer, Alex realized that she was whimpering more than crying now. He suspected she might just need the familiar comfort of her mother. He walked over and bent down on his knees to talk to her. 

She was rubbing her eyes with the back of her fist.

"Are you ok, princess," he asked.

Briana's head came up when she heard the word princess and she stared at him. She always wanted to be a princess and the nice man called her princess. She nodded her head in response, but she was still whimpering a bit. Picking her up, Alex hugged her. He didn't know what made him do that, but he just needed to comfort her. She put her little arms around his neck and squeezed.

"Better?" he asked.

Again she nodded, this time without the whimper.

The other kids got back to the business of playing while Alex talked to Briana.

"What's your name?" he asked as he walked away from the slide.

"Briana," she said looking into his eyes. 

"Your eyes are pretty," she said shyly.

"Thanks. My name's Alex," he said smiling at her.

Just as Alex was about to put her down, Jason came upon them.

"Hey Alex, what's going on?" he asked.

"Briana just had a little tumble, but she's all right now," he said.

"Isn't that right, princess?"

Leaning her head on Alex's shoulder, she looked at Jason cautiously and nodded. 

"I'm going to take you to your mother," Alex said, intending to put her down so that she could walk. 

But Briana clung saying, "I want to stay up here, please."

God, he was a goner and he knew it. 

Jason grinned at the look on Alex's face.

"Later, Brother; don't forget our game," he said before trotting off. 

Briana talked to Alex the entire time he carried her.

For a five year old she showed unusual intelligence and had an opinion about almost everything. He wondered if all women started out like that. The thought almost made him laugh out loud. 

Diana McCord was the first to see Alex approach with Briana.

"Oh, my," She thought, "he looks perfect holding a child." 

Then she realized that it was Jade's little girl; she'd seen a picture on her assistant's desk. Right then a thought began to form in her mind which caused her to smile and shake her head. She loved her son, but she wasn't going to become an interfering mother. 

When Jade caught sight of Alex with Briana, she rushed toward them. 

"Is something wrong?" she asked anxiously reaching for Briana, but her daughter wasn't ready to let Alex go. 

"I fell down Mommy and Alex made me feel better," Briana explained.

"He's tall. I like it up here," she said with a grin.

"Ok, Missy," Jade smiled at her, "but you can't stay up there forever. Let him put you down."

"Ok, Mommy," Briana sighed clearly not wanting to leave her perch. 

"Thanks for helping her," Jade said, suddenly shy as she tried to avoid looking into Alex's eyes. 

"No problem," he said. "I think she was more scared than hurt. She doesn't seem to have any injuries and she said she isn't sore." 

"I'm tough," Briana said grinning.

"I bet you are, even for a princess," Alex stated.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Alex McCord," he said extending his hand to Jade.

"Jade Harris." 

Although she only shook his hand briefly, Jade couldn't help the slight tingle that crawled up her arm. Pulling herself together, she said, "You probably know that I work for your mother." 

"Yes, I do," he confirmed. "Mom says you've been a great help to her."

"That's nice of her to say. I really like the work. I was just plain lucky to get this job." 

"No, it didn't involve luck. My Mother is shrewd when it comes to people. She knew she was getting someone that she could trust and depend on."

Jade felt her face warm at the compliment, but before she could reply he cleared his throat and said, "I'm late for a game of horseshoes with my brother; not that he stands a chance." 

"You sound sure of yourself," she teased, feeling more comfortable with him.

"Most of the time, but I've had a few moments lately," he said in a serious tone.

"Goodbye, princess," he said to Briana and, "Nice meeting you," to Jade. Turning, he headed off to the match.

"Bye," Briana whispered. 

Jade kept Briana with her the rest of the day. She also kept Alex on her mind. On the way home the little girl couldn't stop talking about Alex. But by the time they arrived at the apartment complex the activities of the day had taken their toll and she'd fallen asleep. 

She didn't bothering waking her daughter; instead she undressed her and slipped a night gown over her head. With a damp cloth she washed her off and then tucked her into bed. 

Jade stayed up a while longer, thinking. This time she didn't berate herself for dwelling on Alex; he'd been so sweet with Briana. But she was a little worried. Alex was the only man other than family that Briana had shown any interest in. She just hoped her child didn't get too attached. 

*    

Kate was having lunch with Francine at Milan's, a popular upscale Italian restaurant. Although they were sisters, they had full lives and hadn't spent much time together in the past few months. Kate was busy with her job as a newscaster and when she wasn't working, she spent most of her time with Jason. 

This was the first time in a while that they could catch up with what was going on in each other's lives. Kate knew that Francine and Alex were no longer seeing each other and wondered how her sister was adjusting. She felt sorry for her, but didn't want to get in the middle of any drama on that front. 

"So, how have you been Frannie? Are you seeing anyone?" she asked casually.

"I'm as well as can be expected," Francine answered with a touch of sadness. "I'm seeing Tim Bane. You remember him, don't you? He works at Lewis and Crawford. Anyway, he's not anyone serious and we've only been out a few times."

Wanting to shift the conversation, Francine quickly changed the subject. 

"What about you; have you and Jason set a date yet?" 

"No, not yet," Kate said, "but we are thinking about next June. There is a lot to do between now and then. We've already talked about the important issues. Things couples sometimes forgot to discuss before marriage like kids and finances. Jason and I want to be together the rest of our lives, so we need to get this right."

"Sometimes things just happen in a marriage or any relationship," Francine said. "How can you prepare to get it right?"

Kate knew that her sister was thinking about Alex and although she was curious as to what went wrong, she didn't want to probe what was obviously still an open wound. 

"Of course there will be challenges and some unexpected things like there are in any long term relationship," she answered. "However, we've hashed out the big issues. We've even talked about a prenuptial agreement."

"A prenup?" Francine said with a distasteful look on her face. "He wants you to sign a prenup? I hope you told him no."

"Jason wasn't the one to bring up the subject, I was," Kate declared.

"What?! Why would you do that?" Francine asked, stunned.

"I did it because I don't ever want money to be an issue between us. I've worked since I was sixteen years old and I've saved and done very well with investments. I can take care of myself."

"But still..." Francine tried to interject, but her words trailed when Kate continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"The prenuptial agreement would benefit any kids that we have. Jason is very generous and he would be generous with or without the prenup, I just want everything dealt with now. I'm not looking for a bankroll if we divorce; therefore, a prenuptial agreement is a no brainer." 

"I guess you're right, it just stunned me. It wouldn't have crossed my mind," Francine stated.

"Well, it's becoming the norm for a lot of couples, especially when there is substantial money and property involved. I wouldn't fault anyone for wanting one. It has nothing to do with a lack of trust or love," Kate said.

"I suppose you're right. I wouldn't marry anyone for their money," Francine said wistfully. 

She knew that nothing would have been more important than being married to Alex. Remembering what he revealed the night they parted ways, Francine thought Kate might be able to clear up something for her.

"Do you know if Alex is seeing anyone?" she asked.

"Not that I've heard. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Alex said there was someone he was interested in. He did clarify that he hadn't met her and she didn't know he was interested. Who could that be?" Francine quizzed.

"I don't have a clue," Kate answered; "and before you ask, I'm not going to ask Jason. Anything you want to know about Alex, you have to go to the source."

"I was just curious, that's all," Francine assured her. 

"Well, I'm not comfortable with the subject, so why don't we order now and talk about the upcoming Minske Ball next month," her sister suggested.

Francine reluctantly agreed.

The Minske Ball was an annual charity ball given by the Minske Fine Art Foundation. A great way to network and meet eligible men and women, it was one of Francine's favorite events of the year. Last year she walked in the door on Alex's arm, but this year she wasn't all that keen to go. 



* 

Jade's cousin Cheryl was getting on her last nerve. She was once again bugging her about going to some hot club that she heard about. She had just put Briana down for a nap and was thinking she'd get a little time to herself when Cheryl showed up unannounced.

"Really Jade, you need to get out and meet people. You're getting stale. You'll forget how to interact with adults in social situations if you keep going down this road," Cheryl said seriously concerned for her cousin.

"I'm getting stale?" Jade repeated with a snort of derision. 

"That's funny, but I'm not a damn piece of bread."

"It's not funny," her cousin retorted. "You know what I mean. You're still young; you need to get out and have some fun. I'm not talking about being a party girl, just get out once in a while and meet people, make new friends."

"Oh, and I'm suppose to do this in some juke joint?" Jade countered.

"It's not a juke joint," Cheryl assured her. "I wouldn't take you to one of those places. It's called The Grove. It's a very nice, classy social club. I've heard even the mayor and his wife kick up their heels there. My boss told me about the place. They have a cocktail hour, dining and dancing. Not hoochie dancing, real dancing like they use to do back in the day." 

"It does sound nice," Jade said, relenting on her hard stance. "Are you sure that it isn't restricted?" 

"I'm sure it's open to the public. What do you say? You don't need a date, singles and couples mix there. It's only one night and you'll have a good time," Cheryl promised.

"Oh, all right," Jade agreed reluctantly. 

Cheryl was right, not that Jade would ever tell her. In taking on her responsibilities she was losing her sense of self. She wanted Briana to have the best mother possible and that required having a parent who was happy with her own life, apart from her child. 

"I'll have to call Mom to see if she'll babysit." 

"Instead of doing that, why don't you take her to Judy's; she's taking care of Gina and Trent for me, she won't mind Briana too," Cheryl suggested. "Besides, Briana will have someone to play with. I'll even call her for you." 

"Ok. Let's do it," Jade agreed. 

Judy was Cheryl's sister and didn't required any cajoling to take on another little one. As for Briana, she was over the moon to be spending the night with her favorite cousin, Lisa. 

*     

Jade donned a royal blue chiffon dress which was banded at the waist with embroidered material of the same color. The skirt of the dress, which ended just above her knees, was form fitting, but not tight. She had on a darker shade of blue shoes and 18k white gold chandelier earrings as her only accessory. Sadly she realized that she'd only worn the dress once, three years ago at a relative's wedding. She just hadn't had many opportunities to dress up in the past few years. 

Cheryl wore a hot pink long sleeved silk blended dress with a tiered ruffled skirt and a pearl beaded bodice; a pair of newly purchased matching shoes and drop earrings completed the outfit. 



On the way to The Grove, Jade started having second thoughts, but she shoved them aside. She wasn't sure she was ready to be out there again, but she knew her life was becoming stagnant. Though supremely happy with Briana, her personal life was a big fat blah. With Alex being a frequent player in her dreams, she'd become even more dissatisfied with her single status. 

Briana still asked about Alex, but Jade hadn't so much as caught a glimpse of him since the cookout. Somewhere in the back of her mind she thought that he might be too busy with a new woman in his life and that made her depressed. She needed something to take her mind off him and this outing might be the thing to do the trick. 

When they got to The Grove, the parking lot was full, so they had to park on the street and walk up a block. Jade didn't mind, but Cheryl had on those very pretty brand new high heels from hell. 

Shaking her head, Jade asked, "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to wear new shoes to a dance?"

Grimacing, Cheryl replied, "I hadn't planned on doing much dancing, let alone walking this far. Ouch! I'm definitely rethinking my shoe choices."

"Yeah, you say that now when you're in pain," Jade stated, "but the minute you go shopping and see a pair of cute shoes, you won't remember tonight."

"Ok! Ok! You're right," Cheryl said exasperated which made Jade giggle and draw a glare from her grumpy cousin. 

When Jade walked into the club, she was pleasantly surprised. It really was more than a step above most clubs. 

Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres were being served by wait staff dressed in crisp white uniforms. Some people were dancing, but many were just talking, mostly in small groups. The song Always and Forever was being played by a live band.

Jade and Cheryl mingled and stopped periodically to talk to some acquaintances. Jade hadn't seen Cheryl in social situations like this before, but she had to admit that her cousin knew how to work the room. She just wished that she had that kind of confidence. 

Although Jade missed out on a lot over the past years, she knew it wasn't all because of Briana. The main reason that she wasn't in a hurry to have a personal relationship again was because she'd made such a bad mistake with Jackson. 

Of course she had to think about how any relationship would affect her daughter. She couldn't take the chance that Briana would be hurt again. Then there was the sad truth that some men weren't interested in having a serious relationship with a woman who had a child. 

She knew it would be hard navigating dating with her circumstances, but she needed to bring some balance to her life. 

*

Jade was moving slowly through the crowd in search of her wandering cousin. They were supposed to meet at the bar precisely at twelve thirty and it was just shy of that time. 

After having trailed behind Cheryl for a good portion of the evening, Jade had cut loose to find her own way for a while. Now she was trying to avoid the seemingly horde of men seeking partners for the night. After one encounter where she had to squash the man's not so veiled attempts at a hook up and another who thought to woo her with his bank account, she was done. She didn't know how to even pretend to be interested. She was beginning to wonder why she bothered to leave home.

The truth of the matter was that Cheryl was right yet again. 

Jade was rusty on the parry and thrust of flirtation and maneuvering in that type of social situation. Unfortunately, if she was ever going to date again, there would be awkward hurdles to overcome. She began to doubt that she was ready for a relationship and she wasn't one to play the field. 

On the heels of that thought, a picture of Alex materialized in her mind, suffusing her body with warmth. 

"Damn." she groaned annoyed that just the thought of him could make her want for things beyond her grasp. 

Jade willed Alex's image out of her mind and headed purposely toward the bar where she thought she'd seen a flash of hot pink. But when she drew near, Cheryl was nowhere in sight. 

She turned to get her bearings when her eyes landed on the object of her wayward thoughts. He was dancing with a lovely tall red headed woman who apparently had said something amusing. 

They were close enough for her to hear his deep sexy laughter. 

Jade felt a slight pang in the vicinity of her heart, and silently admonished herself for being foolish. She was about to turn on her heels when Alex looked up and held her gaze. Quickly, she dropped her eyes and sped in the opposite direction. 

She was making a beeline through the crowd when someone grabbed her wrist. She was about to tell whomever it was that she didn't want to dance, when she heard Alex's husky voice.

"You aren't leaving already, are you?"

Jade closed her eyes briefly and sighed before turning around where she found herself much too close to him. She could feel the heat of his body through his suit, the woodsy scent of his cologne gently teasing her senses. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 02



Slowly she looked up into those beautiful dark blue eyes. 

"No. I'm not leaving," she whispered, although that was exactly what she was intending. 

"Then you won't mind if I claim this dance, will you?" 

Although it was formed as a question, Jade knew he wasn't asking. 

"I don't mind," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

As the fates would have it, the band was playing, Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight, a very seductive slow tune that had always been a favorite of Jade's.

Alex gathered her in his arms, urging her closer still. With her heels on, the top of her head reached just at his shoulder which made for a very sweet, intimate fit. One hand enfolded hers on his chest, while the other sat on the curve just above her firm rounded buttocks. Jade relaxed determined to enjoy what may be the only chance she had to be in Alex McCord's arms. 

Laying her head on his chest, she lived out her dream as they moved together as one. 

Alex was warm and hard, his big body comforting. He was sexy beyond words, but he made her feel so safe, something she hadn't known before. As the words of the song went through her mind, Jade thought that she could easily fall in love with this man.

What she had with Jackson was a young girl's version of love. It was exciting in the beginning, urgent and hot. It had taken time to realize that there were different levels of love between men and women. Her mother once told her that life was all about the journey, now she understood that. She'd learned a lot from her broken relationship with him. 

In the years since, she'd stayed away from men in part because she didn't trust herself not to be ruled by her emotions. But, looking back, she accepted that being alone was an important part of the journey.

After the song ended, Alex continued to hold her. When she looked up again, her gaze was met by his sensuous smile. He stroked her hair and then brushed it back behind her ear with a deep sigh. That simple gesture had her heart fluttering with warmth and tenderness.

"We need to talk somewhere much quieter," he said. 

Without waiting for a reply, he clutched her hand in his, turned and headed for the door.

"Wait." Jade said softly, stopping in her tracks. 

When he looked at her inquiringly, she said, "I need to let Cheryl know that I'm leaving." 

Nodding, he let her lead him around the room until they found Cheryl. He wasn't going to allow her to roam about alone and chance that she'd change her mind about going with him. 

Jade found Cheryl chatting with two young men who were obviously the reason she forgot to meet her at the bar. 

She tapped Cheryl on the shoulder and made her apology for the interruption. Her cousin's eyes widened when she saw the man Jade had in tow.

"Damn!" She thought.

Excusing herself, Cheryl put some distance between them and her companions. 

"I'm leaving and I just wanted to let you know," Jade said.

Seeing how Cheryl's eyes darted to Alex, Jade said with more calm than she felt, "I'm forgetting my manners. This is Alex McCord; Alex my cousin Cheryl Harris." 

After they finished exchanging a few pleasantries, Jade and Alex left, leaving Cheryl wondering what her cousin was getting herself into. She knew that Jade hadn't dated anyone since Jackson, yet there she was leaving the club with a man she just met. Not just any man, but Alex McCord, a well known attorney and member of the McCord Foundation family. 

"In what kind of world does that just happen?" she wondered.

She couldn't question Jade's strange behavior in front of the man, but she would be calling her cousin tomorrow to find out what in the world was going on. 

Alex led Jade out of The Grove to his car, a sexy metallic Gray Jaguar XJ. It suited him; sleek and powerful.

They were quiet during the drive with Jade left to ponder her actions. She didn't know where they were going, but she knew that her decision to leave with Alex was monumental. However, she resolved not to think beyond the here and now, so she suspended her doubts and prepared to enjoy the ride. 

With her eyes closed, Jade leaned against the head rest and prayed that she wouldn't lose her nerve.



A Long Time Coming Ch. 03



The loud sounds of the state fair drowned out the noise coming from the haystack maze. Claimed to be the largest haystack maze in America served to be the perfect covers for the two lovers. John proudly strutted out of the exit of the maze, looking around as he left it's complex tunnels to look around for Marcus and Jamie. 

In a dead end in the maze the two lovers could only smile and laugh at each other. The white wife on her knees, her mouth filled to the brim with her lover's manhood trying for her life to get him off quickly. The fear of being caught by adult, child, or security would've been the greatest shame but gave them the greatest level of excitement.

"oooohhoOOHhhh! Ms. Jamie." Marcus growled lowly as his head flew back and looked back down at his white lover.

Jamie did her best to keep her moans down as she went to work on him. They're kissing quickly had deteriorated to her present state. She didn't want John to be suspicious; she used her hand to stroke his shaft as she sucked on his head, flicking her tongue occasionally against his large head. Her other hand would grab his ass and force him into her mouth when the need arose.

Their eyes and heads looking around and darting with every sound of hay being crushed beneath the feet walkers by. Hoping their hideout held up they continued to enjoy the feel of each other during this excursion. He grabbed the back of her head and began to buck and thrust into her mouth. She held her breath and onto his strong legs as he pumped his cock in her mouth. Closing her eyes, tears welling up she didn't want to gag, she wanted nothing more than his seed down her throat and to get out while they could get away with it.

Soon he bent over her and held her firmly around his cock, her skills so good she nearly took his entire load and cock in her mouth. He let her go with a loud breath from both of them. They caught their breath as Jamie wiped off her chin. "Such a naughty boy." She smiled at him as they got themselves composed and tried to make their way out. Jamie for her part tried to get her breathing and heartbeat down. 

They walked around the maze for another 10 minutes, which led John to think that they had made it out before him. He started to wander from the maze looking for them.

"Why wouldn't they wait for me?" he thought. "Maybe they thought like I did and expected me out of there."

While he tried to rationalize their disappearance, the two lovers neared the exit of the maze. Jamie looked at Marcus, "How do I look?" 

"Fucking great," Marcus said with a quick squeeze of her breasts. "I owe you one Ms. Jamie."

"Your fucking right you owe me one." She retorted just as they stepped outside the haystack and found John. Jamie took his hand and the group had fun the rest of the night. 

The fill-in...

Since that faithful weekend Jamie and Marcus had become an intensely involved pair. Fucking whenever they could but always careful for no one else to find out, especially John. They knew their relationship had no future and perhaps that was what calmed them both about the whole thing. They both had fears that feelings would be hurt, especially John's, so they rationalized that until the end of the semester their love affair could continue. Next year Marcus would move back to the dorms and go back to fucking sorority sisters and other bubbly co-eds. Jamie would go back to John and both would cherish and enjoy their time with each other.

For Marcus this was a dream come true. The woman who tortured him during his puberty was now his personal sex slave and amazingly, she was the best lover he had ever had. For Jamie, he was like the students that she found attractive, she would never fuck a student but his youth made him so off-limits and exciting. However, the fact that he had grown up next door to her gave her security in the fact that she knew him and that wasn't readily available with any other man she might want to screw around with. She wasn't ready to throw away her love and marriage for John for some stranger. And to her pleasant surprise, Marcus was equipped with an enormous tool that she could've never imagined having in her life.

That Monday...

Jamie dismissed her class to go to lunch. This week she didn't have to proctor the lunchroom as another faculty member got the lucky duties. She had enjoyed sitting in the faculty room and catching up on her reading, daydreaming and going out for some real food for lunch.

Just as the students were filing out of the door to wait for their other teacher to take them to lunch one of the kids said "Hi, Mister" to someone just outside the door. Jamie lifted her head to see Marcus grinning in the doorway. Her eyes widened and her mouth wanted to say something but nothing came out.

"Sssssh, I wanted to surprised you for lunch." He said trying to calm her. 

Tilting her head to see that the children left she looked at him, "Well I guess most people know you live with John and I. I guess it was ok. You didn't sneak in did you? You have to check in with the main office."

"Don't worry I checked in like a good boy. Have you been a good girl?" he asked while he stepped closer to her desk.

"Marcus, not here." 

"Isn't the entire wing at lunch?"

"Yes."

Marcus turned and closed the door, pulling down the blind to cover the door window.

"I owe you one don't I?" He grinned looking at her sitting down behind the desk.

She turned in her chair and looked up at him. Her crossed legs made her skirt ride high, exposing her thick thighs and she unbuttoned the top two buttons of an already open blouse. Her breasts pushed up in her bra were exposed to the air.

"Yes you do."

Why was it that every time she told him no, he would only mildly insist and she changed her mind?

He walked up to her, squatting down his hand touched her knee. It ran up and down her leg feeling her soft skin. His other fingers traced the tops of her breasts. 

"We don't have a lot of time." She moaned feeling his touch.

"45 minutes?" he asked.

"Hour and a half, they go to gym after..." she gasped as her legs uncrossed, yielding to his strong fingers.

He kissed the inside of her thighs, pushing her red skirt up her legs. 

"Ooooh Marcus baby, eat my pussy..." She hissed. His head kissing her pussy through her panties.

She quickly lifted her hips off the chair and pulled down her panties.

"Eat ittttttttttt..." she moaned bucking her hips against his mouth. 

He slowly licked her and let his tongue penetrate her as her hands clutched at his head.

Her hips trying to get more of his tongue to rub along her clit. She reached into her blouse and lowered her bra to expose a breast which she brought to her mouth and licked it's nipples.

"Oooooohnnnn Noooooo C'monn Marcus honey..." she bucked harder and harder until her body seized up. She slowly came down from his tonguing, and looked down at his wet mouth.

"You dirty boy." She smiled. "I hope you don't think we're even."

"We're not?" he smiled standing up just as she did. 

"Oh no mister. Pull that cock out for me." She licked her lips after saying this.

"You mean this cock?" he said stroking his cock through his jeans.

"Yeah, whip it out for me baby." She moaned, unbuttoning the blouse totally. 

"Show me your titties first." He sneered in a playful manner.

"These?" she said, cupping her breasts and pulling them out of her bra. 

"Mmmhmm," he moaned watching her pull her breast to her mouth and flicking her nipples with her tongue.

"You love my big titties don't you little Marcus?" 

" Yes ma'am." He smiled as she stood up, her skirt still bunched up around her generous hips and the back ruffled above her large ass.

"You owe me some black dick now young man." She said circling behind him. He turned around to face her. Her hand stroked the cock through his jeans with her flat palm.

"I owe it to you?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Oh yes sir. Don't you remember my pretty lips wrapped around it, in the middle of that scary hayfield. Not knowing where I was, but I did my best to get that big, black dick in my little mouth. I think you liked it too, you liked cuming in my old mouth." 

Her dirty talk stirring him more, making him strain more against his pants. 

"I think I do owe you a little bit..." Unbuckling his jeans. 

Jamie looked around to make sure no one was around the outside windows, she listened intently for footsteps. They had plenty of time left. She turned her head in time to see Marcus take out his large cock. Plump and semi-hard it was covered in pre-cum.

"I think that big black monster wants some of momma. Sit down in my chair you bad boy." 

Marcus sat down. 

"Arms behind the chair." She ordered.

He put his arms behind the chair and let his foot long cock stand up in the air as she stepped forward. Her big thighs on the outside of his. She let the blouse and bra fall from her. Skirt bunched around her waist she had her warm pussy inches from his cock head. She reached between them and started stroking him.

"Such a bad boy, coming in hear wanting to fuck the teacher." She cooed in his ear.

She arched her back and brushed her breasts against his chest. Her nipples digging into him. 

"Is that what you wanted? You want to fuck the teacher?" she asked.

Not wanting to let her win, he cockily answered, "Maybe."

Her eyebrows raised and head tilted smiling, "Oh, so you thought that the teacher was going to fuck you no matter what?"

Her pussy lowered until she was rubbing his head with her pussylips. She moaned slightly as he bit her ear and whispered, "I think the teacher wants my cock in her."

She looked him in the eyes and smiled defiantly. "Oh no son, the teacher is in charge. If she wanted it she'd take it?" and with this she sank down, letting just his head firmly lodge in her. She bit her lip and turned her head as she adjusted to the size.

"What's my punishment teacher?" he asked flexing his cock.

Her knees weakening she slowly sank only to rise again. She slowly started to move up and down, coating more and more of his cock with her wet pussy.

"Who said you were being punished?" she asked. 

He leaned back even more, giving her even more cock to work with. Soon she was gliding up and down his cock. Her hips thrusting forward on every trip upwards, he sat still. She worked on his cock, feeling his girth, she clasped her hands together behind his neck as she leaned back. Her arms around his neck supporting her as she ground her big ass against his legs. 

"Such a big dick baby...." She moaned.

"MMmm that's it baby, good pussy girl......" he grunted keeping his hands behind him. She worked him, her orgasm building quickly, his body slowly dying from the pain she was inducing. His dick was aching inside of her.

Soon her big ass was tensing with every forward thrust as she rode his body. She started to buck and soon her feet lifted off of the ground. She was using her big thighs to ride back and forth along his torso. His large cock sliding out and letting her slide back down on it. She bit her lip and soon her grinding began frantic, short, quick, and she bit down hard on her lip to keep from screaming. She came hard and shook on top of him. All their weight leaning the chair back, they opened their eyes to look at each other.

"The teacher can give rewards too." She cooed, "Fuck me on my desk."

"Oh so the teacher's asking now?" Marcus said with a quick pump into her pussy.

She moaned, "Ah, yeah baby. Take what you want..." 

Marcus soon lifted her and planted her white ass on the desk and started thrusting into her. She wrapped her legs around his body and her arms now curled around his neck. Bent over the desk his black ass was pumping in between her sexily thick white legs. Soon he was releasing his seed into her as they both looked up at the clock.

"Half an hour baby." She said as she kissed him on the lips. Their tongues playing with each other. He flexed his cock as it was covered in their juices. 

"You said take what you want right Teach?" he asked with a grin.

"Yes baby." She moaned.

He pulled his shiny wet cock out of her pussy and inserted his fingers. He quickly coated his fingers in her melting pot and slid it down towards her asshole.

"Bend over the desk teach. Bout time you learned some new tricks." Marcus said.

"Oooh baby, you want to fuck teacher's white ass?" she said standing up running her hands along his broad chest.

She bent over the desk, "You like my big white ass...You love putting that big black cock in this ass?"

"You know that girl..." as he pressed his cock into her ass.

"Mmmm fuck me..." she screamed as she grabbed a pencil and bit down on it. Her arms grabbing the side of the desk and Marcus pressed forward.

"MMM baby fuck my white ass. This is your ass!" she screamed through gritted teeth, almost breaking the pencil. Soon Marcus was slapping her big ass red and her thick thighs wobbled with each thrust. 

"Fuck baby, this is mine?" He asked cockily.

"You're the only one that's ever had my ass, only one that ever will Marcus." She moaned concentrating hard to get the words out. She reached between her legs to play with her pussy. His big balls slapping against her lips and fingers. 

They both started to grunt like animals, his black frame engulfing hers as he pumped into this white married teacher. Both screaming, no longer caring who might catch them or what might happen; these sexual beings were giving it their best effort and soon Marcus was rearing back and depositing his seed in her ass. He fell back onto the chair and Jamie looked behind her to admire her black lover and the cock that she helped put down.

"mmmm baby, I think my white ass wore you out." She grinned seeing 15 minutes left on the clock.

She kneeled down between his legs and cleaned his cock with her tongue. He moaned as her tongue worked his tender organ. 

"Good girl you cock like a pro." He gasped, hand on his sweaty forehead.

"Great teacher, fast learner. She smiled and gave him one last lick." She stood up straightening her skirt and putting her bra back on. 

"Take my panties with you." She told him.

"I was going to take em anyways." Marcus grinned.

Smiling she said, "Thanks for the lunch break baby." Kissing him full on the lips their tongues playing with each other. 

"I look like a mess I need to clean up. You better get out before people get suspicious." 

"I know, John's gonna be around for the next couple weeks too." 

"We'll find time. Just always remember, you're the only one I ever swallowed and you're the only one that's been in my ass. I'll never forget you.....you'll always be the only one I've done that for. I'll make sure we get as much time together before this end. You know I love that black cock as much as you love this white pussy."

"You know that girl," he said starting to rub her wet pussy under her skirt. "I'm going to make sure you never want another cock again, but you might be ruining me for any other pussy. Such a dirty old woman taking advantage of a young man like me."

They both laughed, as she pushed his hand away. "I have to go clean up, you gotta go." 

They shared a deep kiss as Marcus pawed her ass and she ground her body against his.



A Long Time Coming Ch. 03



Thirty minutes later they pulled up to Alex's home, which was more like a country estate. Jade's heart started to beat faster as reality returned and she once again questioned her judgment. 

She didn't need to be concern about Briana, but her own actions were another thing. Jade didn't know what to think, what to feel; she just knew that some sort of insanity must have taken hold. When it came right down to it, she didn't even know him. 

Alex came around and opened the car door for Jade who was still deep in thought. When she looked up, she was almost startled to see him. Knowing that she was still trying to process everything, Alex gave her a reassuring smile as he held out his hand. She took his hand and he continued to hold it as they walked to the entrance of the house.

After disarming the alarm, he opened the door, ushered her in and reset the system. He then led her into the great room where he used the remote to start the stereo. Jade's heart skipped a beat when she heard the beginning notes of Seal's 'Kiss from a Rose.' It was a long time since she'd heard it, but it was one of her favorites. The volume was low, unobtrusive if they wanted to talk, but along with the soft lighting it set a romantic mood. 

Alex gathered Jade into his arms and led her into a slow dance around the room, his moves smooth and confident. Even if he hadn't been a great dancer she would have taken any excuse just to be close to him. As it was, he knew how to move his body, which according to Cheryl bode well for sexual intimacy. 

Jade's face warmed at her amorous thoughts and she caution herself to keep a level head. 

After a few minutes of sensual awareness of each other, Alex looked into her beautiful eyes and said softly, "This is where you get to say no. I've waited a long time to make love to you; I don't want to wait a minute longer. But, say no, and I'll just enjoy the music with you in my arms." 

When Jade left the club with him, she'd given up any notion of saying no. She knew from the start what leaving with Alex meant. She wanted him; even her attempt to over think the situation hadn't lessened her desire. Her instincts failed her in the past, but she'd learned from them. She depended on what knowledge she'd gained to serve her well now.

Jade couldn't have said why, but she trusted Alex. He was expectant and his blue eyes shone with desire, but she sense that at his core he was an honorable man. He wouldn't reject her if she said no. 

Caressing his shoulder, she whispered, "I'm not going to say no."

Alex kissed her forehead and let his eyes scanned her lovely face. Her features, the cute button nose, the lush kissable lips, were imprinted on his mind. Her creamy brown skin was velvet smooth with a warm sensuous glow. Her caramel brown eyes shimmered with the fire of growing desire.

It was the face that haunted him these many months. 

With a deep husky voice he asked, "Is Briana some place where she can spend the night?"

Happy that he thought of her daughter, Jade nodded.

"Yes, she's staying overnight with Cheryl's sister."

"Good," he said with a wicked grin, "you're all mine tonight."

Alex quickly scooped Jade up and carried her to his bedroom which was in the rear of the house. Setting her on her feet next to his bed, he undressed her deliberately, building the anticipation. Then he quickly dispatched his own clothing.

He caught his breath as his gaze sought every inch of her nude body. She was sumptuous. Her full breasts were firm and crowned with hard dark nipples. He leaned down to kiss the tip of one and lavished it with attention, flicking his tongue around the areola and then sucking the sweet morsel into his mouth as his arm slid around her waist. Jade's body trembled as he gave the other nipple the same attention. 

"Alex..." she groaned, twinning her fingers into his thick raven hair. 

Upon hearing his name uttered with such urgency, Alex grunted, his penis swelling to full erection. But he was only beginning.

Kneeling, he held her hips firmly as his lips traveled down the middle of her body, stopping momentarily, his tongue delving into the deep well of her belly button. Moving on, he kissed the slightly rounded swell of her abdomen, groaning as he inhaled the sweet heated tang of her desire. 

Jade grew restless, her thighs quivering as her pussy moistened, the walls stinging with the ache of mounting passion. It was a long time since she'd felt a man's touch and it hadn't taken long for her body to remember the deep throbbing pleasure. 

Alex's hands clutched her plump buttocks as he pressed on, wiggling the tip of his tongue in the pulsing clit hidden in her dewy folds. He loved the feel of her soft curves, the dusky contrast of her sweet flesh against his. Her womanly roundness was like satin beneath his roving hands, inviting his fingers to touch and probe every crevice. 

Jade was his, had been destined to be his since the first time he saw her. He took ownership, his attention moving to her luscious ass eliciting sighs of pleasure as he stroked her rounded bottom. 

"Ohhhhh, Alex!" Jade wailed as she tried to maintain her stance, her legs trembling.

Her cries were music to his ears as he continued his exploration, his tongue traveling back up her body to nip her aching ample breasts. 

Jade stroked his head, panting as her heart rate increased and her feminine core pulsed. With a hand on each buttock, Alex lifted and separated the voluptuous cheeks. Then, before she could fathom what he was doing, he ran a finger between the dark cleft and caressed her puckered anus. Her body jerked, followed by a deep groan and a rush of juices that pooled at the opening of her pussy.

With both hands gripping her ass, Alex drove his tongue deep into the intimate folds of her body, grunting as he devoured her, the abundance of her liquid desire making him crazy with lust. 

Without raising his head he ordered, "Spread your feet."

Jade quickly complied, further opening her body to him.

He continued his ministrations until she pleaded, 

"Alex, Alex, pleaseeee. I...L... ohhhhhh... goddddd. Oh, god, Oh, god...oooh...ohhhhhh!"

Jade was on fire, heat spiraling along the center of her body where the lips of her nether region felt tight and swollen. 

Alex's broad tongue rasped against the sensitive flesh. She clutched his hair almost painfully as her orgasm loomed mere seconds away. He quickly stood up and placed her on the center of his big bed. Climbing in, he slid his hands under her hot little ass, lifted it to his mouth and attacked her juicy pussy with a snarling growl. 

At the first thrust of his tongue in her opening, Jade let out a yowl and was hurled screaming into the blazing light of a fast rolling orgasm. Her thighs quivered and her pussy spasmed as Alex made a meal of her feminine parts; licking, biting, sucking while he fed his long deprived need. 

He was like a madman.

Fueled by her screams of pleasure, he fed every desire he'd ever had for this woman. On and on he indulged himself until Jade reached heights that she'd never known before and time slowly slid away.

*

Alex was lying on his side next to Jade stroking her abdomen when she came back down to earth. Unsure of what to say, she remained quiet. 

She wasn't a shy virgin, but he was only the second man she'd ever been with. While oral sex wasn't new to her, what Alex had done was. There wasn't anything in her experience to prepare her for the physical and emotional bond she'd shared with him through that one act. 

"What are you thinking," he asked, pushing her hair away from her moist face. 

"I don't know what to think," she said honestly. "I've only been with one other man and I never felt like this before. We haven't even had intercourse, yet." 

"You can still say no, if you don't want to do that tonight," he said. It might kill him, but he'd just hold her hand if that was all she wanted.

"I want you," she said knowing it was more than that.

"Then you shall have me. All of me, sweetheart," Alex promised. 

Bringing his head down, he took Jade's lips in a long sweet kiss before slipping his tongue in her mouth and sweeping it so thoroughly that she thought she'd come just from that. The man had a wicked tongue and the intimate sharing of her taste further fueled her passions. 

His hands were restless, stroking her from her breasts to her moist slit. 

Alex loved how freely her juices flowed, how she kissed with her tongue making love with his, sliding, sucking, biting, making him grunt in heated arousal. When Jade began to plead with him, he knew she was quickly nearing climax again.

"Ummm, oh, oh...Alex...ummmmm." she groaned, teetering on the edge.

Alex rose to his knees and placed his cock at the opening of her body, swirling the head around gathering up her juices before pressing forward and pushing the fat gland in. For a brief moment he paused, then continued to slide his shaft farther into her passage until he hit bottom. His cock had been aching so long that his orgasm was imminent. 

With quick short lunges he pummeled Jade's tight pussy amid gasps and moans. He changed the pace and direction, slowly stroking in and out of her body, inflaming his already potent desire. Then he alternated the slide until he couldn't hold off his orgasm any longer. With one powerful plunge he slammed into her spasming body discharging a load of thick warm cum. 

His body jerked as he filled Jade's pussy and she shouted her pleasure at the intensity of the sensual release. Even when he stopped shooting, he continued to massage her inner walls with his still hard, throbbing manhood.

Sometime later, they became aware of their surroundings again. Alex's cock, still inside of her, was softening. Rolling onto his back, he pulled Jade with him, dislodging his cock from her body. He stroked down her back to her buttocks, where his hand stayed and caressed.

Their heart beats were slowly returning to normal, but they both knew that something momentous had just taken place.

Jade gently stroked his chest, loving the feel of the light mat of silky black hair. She wondered what the hair around his cock felt like; she didn't have time to indulge that curiosity before. Sliding her hand down his hard body into the dark moist nest of pubic hair, she encountered his semi-hard shaft.

"You're going to wake him up, baby," he said with a languid smile on his face.

"You feel good," Jade stated with satisfaction; "Really, really good." 

Alex felt the stirrings of his re-hardening cock and urged Jade to sit up. She got up on her knees before taking up the position astride his rock hard body. As she looked down at him she thought, "He has the most incredible eyes and there isn't a damn thing wrong with the rest of him."

Alex rubbed her thighs as he stared back at her wondering what she was thinking as his hand rose upward to caress her saturated pussy. Jade groaned at the rush of pleasure before leaning down and kissing him thoroughly. She stroked the inside of his mouth with her tongue sucking and nipping the tip of his before sitting up again. 

"Ummm. I love the way you taste," Alex murmured.

Jade made an answering sigh and his finger slipped between her folds, palm deep before slowing withdrawing. 

"Come here and give me some more," he demanded as he pulled her back down, his hand pressing the back of her neck. In no time they both were panting, their passions at a fever pitch once again.

Alex reluctantly broke the lip lock.

Jade sat up and he grabbed the base of his cock. He watched her expression as a bubble of pre-cum formed and slid down the shaft. His hungry little kitten licked her top lip and groaned.

"You want a taste, baby?" he asked, his voice slurred with desire.

He desperately wanted that hot mouth around his cock.

Jade nodded, sliding down to get into position. She couldn't help the nod, although she didn't know why. She never really enjoyed giving Jackson head, but that was primarily because he demanded it rather than asked. He always held out the threat of getting it from someone else if he couldn't get it from her. But she wanted to do it for Alex. She knew in her heart that he wouldn't demand it or threaten her. 

With her gaze leveled with his erection, she took his cock into her hand, grasping the base, which he had released. He watched her intently as she slowly began to stroke her tongue from the bottom up and over the head. Up and down she massaged his cock in a firm grip, lapping up the pre-cum that spill from the bulbous gland. 

Alex grunted as her hand caressed the rim of his cock head, eliciting more pre-cum.

Crouching on her knees, Jade leaned down and took the head into her mouth. Surprisingly, she liked the texture and the taste. As she ran her tongue around the rim, she felt his body jerk, followed closely by another grunt. Knowing he was pleased, she sucked at the long slit as it released more of his essence.

Alex moaned deep in his throat, his hand curled tightly in her hair. 

"Jade...baby..." he murmured.

Licking his penis with long strokes of the flat of her tongue, Jade indulged her hunger for Alex and found the slightly salty taste of his pre-ejaculate a nice appetizer before the main course. There was no way she could get all of him into her mouth, but what she could get in was causing him to thrust in and out of her mouth urgently. 

"Jade...aggghhh...shit...baby...baby." 

Jade pumped his shaft with a firm fist while she stroked and then sucked the head. She knew Alex was close to orgasm, all the signs were there. Her other hand joined in the pleasure as she cupped his balls, squeezing, rolling them while she continued to make a meal of his engorged flesh. She explored the long hefty length, licking the thick sensitive veins on the way. 

Feeling the familiar tightening of his balls, Alex increased the pistoning motion of his hips, his cock head hitting the back of Jade's throat over and over. Jade fought the gag reflex and kept pace with him until finally his body bowed off the bed and he bellowed out a series of grunts and groans. Jade held fast to his cock, holding the head in her mouth to receive the rush of warn semen into the hot sucking cavern. 

She swallowed as fast as she could, but there was too much to contain. Thick white cream flooded her mouth and ran down his shaft. Alex hands gripped her hair as he howled his way into glorious dizzying climax. 

Jade stayed with him until his desire was expended and his cock softened slightly. Pulling back, she noticed that she had cum on her hand. She licked some off, and then rubbed the rest into her heavy breasts; her pussy spasmed and gushed her pleasure.

Alex was still trying to regain his breath, but managed to pull Jade up close. He looked into her eyes and saw what he knew to be his destiny. Kissing her thoroughly, he tasted the residue of his cum. Jade moaned and returned the kiss thoroughly enjoying the intimate exchange. 

Afterward, she settled her face into the crook of his neck. Safe in his arms, she drifted off to sleep. 

* 

Alex was still awake. 

He'd spent months trying to get Jade out of his mind, but in the end fate intervened to take matters out of his hands.

She'd given herself freely not knowing his intentions, not knowing if there was anything past that night. 

It was obvious from her history that she wasn't a woman who took pleasure just for the sake of pleasure, at least not since Briana was born. Yet, she gave him the gift of her body and her trust. He understood she trusted him not to hurt her; not to hurt the most important person in her life, her daughter. 

As she lay in his arms, he felt her tug at his heart. Even in sleep she moved him more than any other woman. He'd thought himself in love before, but young love was much different than the love encountered as a mature adult. This was new to him.

Another thing that was different was the fact that he was thinking about the future. He was thinking about all the things that makes love a commitment. The amazing thing was those thoughts were forming from the moment he saw her. He could try to rationalize it, but it was no less the truth.

Satisfied with the course he'd undertaken, Alex closed his eyes and moved into a dreamless sleep for the first time in a long while. 

Much later Jade came awake to Alex kissing her heated body. She was slick with her warm juices when he finally slid his throbbing cock into her. He plumbed the depths of her sweet inner fire over and over again until they both were exhausted. At the end, they were barely able to move, but thoroughly sated.

* 

Jade awaken again just before daylight; she needed to find the bathroom.

She laid there for a minute trying to figure out how to leave the bed without waking Alex. She sighed and then silently laughed at herself for making drama out of getting up. Then she paused, admiring him from head to toe and back up again, the covers in a tangle at the foot of the bed. As she looked, her heart started to swell.

"Damn," she thought, "I hope he can love me because I am so in love with him." 

Dragging her eyes from his face, she slowly scooted to the side of the bed. Movement caused her to realize that she had some intimate soreness from Alex's exacting love making. It had been a long time since she had sex and Alex was no light weight. She was sore, but it was a soreness she'd take over and over again. Just the thought of this man inside her got her all hot and bothered.

Putting away her lascivious thoughts, she gingerly got out of bed. The moon streamed through the large window, but it still took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

At the far end of the large room she spotted a door that she thought should lead to be the bathroom. 

Opening the door, Jade ran her hand along the wall until she encountered the light switch, a round button which she pressed gently. Light flooded the bathroom and she quickly closed the door so as not to disturb Alex. 

It was a beautifully masculine room in varies shades of gray, beige and chocolate brown. There was a jetted tub, a large free standing shower with body sprays and two shower heads. She couldn't help but wonder how it would feel like to be in there with Alex, soaping up his big sexy body.

As she walked across the floor she realized something that she should have noticed right away; the floor was heated. Her feet were nice and toasty on the tiles. She thought that was freaking awesome, but there was more. 

The bathroom had double vanities with a large mirror over each vanity. The toilet was in its own separate room along with a bidet. 

So, this was how the other half lived, she thought. 

Jade was so enthralled that she almost forgot her urgent need to empty her bladder. She headed to the water closet, did her business and washed up. She rarely got up in the middle of the night, but thought it might have been the unfamiliarity of her surroundings. On the heels of that thought came the feeling that she could very easily get use to this house and being in Alex's bed.

She left the lavish bathroom and eased back into bed trying not to disturb Alex. But as soon as she was settled facing him, he reached out and pulled her against his body. 

"Sorry, I tried not to wake you," she apologized.

"No need to apologize, sweetheart. I was awake before you got to the bathroom door. I missed holding you," he said squeezing her closer, although Jade thought if she got any closer she'd melt into him. 

"Alex," she whispered with a sigh, and then felt embarrassed.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he answered, his voice husky.

"Nothing. I...I just like saying your name." 

She was even more embarrassed at that admission, but she didn't want to lie to him. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 03



He chuckled and said, "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Thank you for not thinking it was dumb." 

"It's never dumb when a woman lets a man know she likes being with him," he assured her.

"Well, I like being with you," she said.

Sighing contentedly, Jade placed her hand on his broad chest and kissed his jaw.

"It'll be light soon," she stated feeling the first tentacles of uncertainty. 

"Yes," he said as he stroked her firm buttocks, "the beginning of a new day for both of us."

Jade nodded and snuggled closer without another word. 

*

Jade woke up in bed alone. On Alex's pillow was a note. 

'Feel free to use the shower, I'm making coffee,' it read. 

Jade found her panties and bra along with her dress draped over the back of the chair in the alcove. There was also a big tee shirt of Alex's on the arm. The thought of wearing his clothing made her flush with heat. Hurriedly, she took a warm shower and brushed her teeth with an extra toothbrush she found in the vanity drawer. She put on her bra scans her panties which she recalled got pretty soaked with her juices. The tee shirt reached to her knees, so being without panties wouldn't be a problem. 

Alex was in the kitchen fixing breakfast. He had on a pair of old faded jeans and a black Grateful Dead tee-shirt. 

Upon seeing her, he said, "Good morning, baby. Have a seat," indicating the breakfast bar. "What would you like for breakfast?" 

"Good morning, Alex."

Then, checking the time on the kitchen clock, she said ruefully, "Maybe I should pick up Briana." 

Jade didn't want to leave Alex so soon, but in the light of day she was having doubts about the wisdom of sleeping with him. It would be hard enough to get him out of her system, but she didn't want Briana to become attached if nothing was to come of their relationship. She was beginning to feel that she'd been selfish and irresponsible.

"Why don't you call your cousin and ask if it's all right to leave Briana with her until noon. Then we both can pick her up and take her to lunch," he said.

Jade nibbled on her bottom lip trying to decide what to do. 

Seeing her uncertainty, Alex said, "Remember, you trust me."

Jade blinked at him. 

How did he know that she trusted him?

She hadn't said the words out loud, but it was true nonetheless. She trusted Alex; otherwise she would not have spent the night with him. 

Going with her instincts, she said, "Ok, I'll call her. Where's the phone?" 

Alex pulled his cell phone from his back pocket and gave it to her.

Jade dialed Judy's number and drummed her fingers on the counter while she waited. She hoped her cousin answered; Alex's number wasn't one that she would recognize.

"Hello," Judy answered without checking the caller ID. She was in the middle of making breakfast for the kids and had gotten distracted by Lisa spilling her orange juice.

"Hey Judy, it's Jade," she said. "I'm calling to see if Briana could stay with you until noon. I'll come get her then." 

She deliberately didn't say we. She was going to have enough explaining to do with Cheryl and didn't want to get into a discussion with Judy right then. 

"Yeah, no problem; you know we love having Briana over. When you drop by I hope you have a story to tell about the handsome man you left the club with. Yeah," she said before Jade could interject, "Cheryl has already called me." 

"I can't say that I'm surprised," Jade said resigned to an interrogation. "Anyway, thanks. Oh! Don't give Briana lunch, we're going out to lunch; as for the other, we'll see."

"All right, I'll expect you around noon. I'm family and I'm nosey, so don't think you're going to get away without giving me the lowdown." 

"Wouldn't think of it," Jade sighed. "See you later. Bye."

She gave the phone back to Alex, who placed it back into his pocket. 

Looking at Jade curiously he asked, "What was the sigh about?"

"Judy was being nosey," she replied without further explanation.

Coming around the breakfast bar, Alex put his arms loosely around Jade from behind. "Having regrets?" he asked.

Leaning into him, Jade admitted, "Only for a minute. I wanted what happened last night. I still want you. I just don't know where it's going and I know just because we had one night together doesn't give me the right to ask. We haven't even dated."

Alex rubbed his chin against the top of her head and said,

"We did put the cart before the horse, but I'm going to fix that. How about you, Briana and I go see a movie next Saturday?"

Jade smiled and declared, "That would be great. Briana would love it."

"What about Briana's Mom?"

"I'd love it too," she whispered.

"Good. By the way, you look sexy in my shirt," he said and kissed her softly on the cheek.

Jade was about to respond when a thought occurred to her. She swiveled around on the chair to face him before voicing it.

"I forgot to ask last night; who was the redhead?" 

Confused he asked, "What redhead?"

"At the club," Jade said, equally confused now. "The redheaded woman you were dancing with."

"Oh." Alex said as awareness dawned. "I'd forgotten about her. That was Clare Barnes, the Fire Marshall's daughter. And before you ask, she wasn't my date. I went to the club alone."

Jade was surprised that he'd gone to the club alone. She certainly didn't think it was for a lack of a companion. 

"I had another woman on my mind," he said stroking a nipple through the tee shirt with his thumb. "Were you jealous?"

Jade's body suffused with warmth and she smiled when she saw the mischief in his eyes. "Well, maybe a little."

Alex caressed the other nipple before seeking her sweet puffy lips in a long sensuous kiss that left no doubt in Jade's mind that she was the sole object of his desire. 

Breaking the contact, he asked huskily, "Now, what about breakfast?"

*

The leisurely breakfast with Alex was wonderful. 

Afterward they sat on the sofa and talked.

They talked about their families, with Jade sharing the difficulties her parents were having with her brother, Russell, who had gradually changed from an obedient child to one they barely knew. 

Alex talked about his law practice and his partnership with his brothers. While they all practice law, they chose different branches. Alex practiced primarily Corporate and Commercial Law, domestically and internationally. But, he was also qualified to practice in several other area.

Jason practiced Professional Liability and Product Liability Law with Cameron specializing in Real Estate and Probate Law. Alex said they'd all become attorneys following in their father's and grandfather's footsteps. As Alex spoke, it became evident that he and his brothers had a great relationship. They were also very close to their parents. 

Jade had a great relationship with her parents, but her relationship with Russell was challenging. He was at the age where he thought he knew everything and resented being told what to do. She'd tried to talk to him a few times, but while he listened, it hadn't made a bit of difference in his attitude. At the center or at least circling around his change in behavior were some neighbor boys whom he befriended a year ago. 

Alex understood her concern, but he knew that her brother was growing up and he was rebelling against the restraints of authority. Teenagers were sometimes contrary. Even knowing that they'd end up in trouble, some just couldn't resist the will to have everything on their own terms. They were always going to test boundaries. 

"I can't tell you not to worry about your brother, Jade," Alex told her. "That's the nature of family, they worry about each other. He's going to make mistakes, we all do. It just differs in the type of mistakes and the severity. Hopefully, he'll get himself turned around soon. He has a good background, but ultimately the direction his life takes is up to him. In any event, if you need to talk to someone or just a shoulder to lean on, I want to be the person that you call."

Jade leaned into his warm comforting body and said, "Thank you, Alex."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

Then, taking her by surprise, Alex pounced on her and said, "Now I'm going to have my wicked way with you."

"Oh, my!" she giggled. 

*

It was eleven o'clock when they left Alex's place. A stop by Jade's apartment was necessary so that she could change clothes before they picked up Briana. Jade dressed in Jeans and a tee shirt, the same as Alex, except she didn't think her jeans hugged her butt nearly as well as his jeans hugged his.

She wasn't complaining; the man had a hot ass.

When Alex pulled up to Judy's house, he could see Briana peeking out of the window. She didn't recognize his car, but when she saw him get out, she was out the door in a flash. 

"Alex!" she scream, in the only way that small children could scream, shrilly. 

Grinning, Alex held out his arms and gathered her up. As he held her with one arm, he opened the car door for Jade.

"How are you doing, princess?" 

"Good," She said, smiling at him. "Are you going to have lunch with us?"

"Yes, I am," he said smiling back at her.

"Well now, I guess I don't matter anymore," Jade teased as she stepped out of the car. 

"Yes, you do," Briana said, reaching out to hug her, still perched in Alex's arms. "You're my Mommy. I love you." 

By this time Judy, who had been gawking, stepped off the porch. Not waiting for Jade to make the introductions, she held out her hand to Alex.

"Hi. I'm Jade's cousin Judy and you are a sexy surprise," she said, blatantly flirting.

"Oh, my god, Judy," Jade sighed, feeling her face warm with embarrassment.

However, Alex took it in stride.

"Hi, I'm Alex McCord. Good to meet you, Judy."

"My, my," Judy continued, "even his voice is sexy. Are there any more like you at home?" 

Seeing the shocked expression on Jade's face, she added, "I have sisters." Although she was happily married she still appreciated a good looking man. 

"I think it's time for lunch," Jade said feeling like her face would burst into flames at any moment. 

Then to Judy with a glare, "I'll talk to you later."

Judy grinned and Alex tried to suppress his smile.

"Lunch time!" Briana declared loudly, making sure no one was going to waste any more time. 

Alex opened the car door for Jade. When she was situated, he turned his attention to Briana. He sat her in the car seat, which was retrieved from Jade's car, and fastened the safety belt so that she was restrained securely. As he went around to the driver's side, he heard Judy's, "Uh, Uh, Uh." Jade heard too and responded by giving her cousin a death stare. She knew Judy was watching Alex's ass, the freak.

Judy laughed out loud and went back into the house. She did love teasing her cousin. 

Once he was seated, Alex asked Briana where she wanted to go for lunch.

It didn't take long for her to make a choice.

"Duffy's!" 

He nodded and started the car. He was sure she was going to say McDonald's. Didn't all kids want to go to McDonald's?

As they drove to the restaurant Briana began humming. 

Looking in the review mirror, Alex saw her bouncing and bobbing her head. She really was cute with her pigtails and dressed in a blue and pink romper. She looked like Jade, but instead of Jade's caramel brown eyes and chestnut hair, Briana's eyes were dark brown as was her hair without the red undertones of her mother's. 

Lunch at Duffy's was a good choice. The atmosphere and the food were good. It was also an eye opener for Alex. Briana was just an amazing little girl. It was obvious that she spent a lot of time around adults. She was smart, articulate and opinionated and just plain adorable. She often asked her mother's or Alex's opinion about something and she stuck to Alex like glue.

Chief among Briana's questions was whether Alex had any kids. Then she asked about sisters and brothers. After asking about his mother and father, she wanted to know if he had a swimming pool. When he told her that he did indeed have a swimming pool, she replied, "Great." 

That was it, "Great."

Jade looked at Alex, smiled and shook her head.

* 

The next Morning it was back to the grind for Alex. He was currently working on an antitrust case involving Sims Micro systems. There were some things that he wanted to get out of the way so that he could spend more time with Jade, which was the reason he was working through lunch. He'd previously agreed to have lunch with Jason, but ended up calling to explain the situation.

"Hey, Jason, I'm not going to be able to get away for lunch, but I need to eat. Will you bring me a sandwich?" 

"Sure, no problem. What would you like?"

"Roast beef on pumpernickel with mayo, mustard, provolone, lettuce and tomato."

"What's keeping you in today?" Jason asked.

"I'm tied down with the Sims antitrust case. There are some things I want to set in motion to further the investigation. I may even stay late this evening." 

Knowing Jason was going to find out at some point, Alex continued. "The other reason I'm tying to tighten this up is because I want to spend some time with Jade tonight."

Stunned, Jason asked, "You're seeing Jade? Mom's assistant Jade?'

"Yes, the very same," Alex confirmed.

"It's about damn time. I thought you were going to let her get away," Jason said.

"I probably would have continued to put off seeing her for a while if I hadn't run into her at The Grove Saturday night," Alex revealed.

"Uh, how did it go?" Jason asked. He usually wasn't one to pry into his brother's personal affairs, but he knew Jade and Alex had been tied up in knots over her long before meeting her.

Sighing, Alex said, "We ended up spending the night together."

"Wow," Jason said, "you didn't waste any time."

"I don't plan to waste any more than I have already," Alex declared. "I had to make sure of my feelings before I approached her. I was half on my way there when I saw her at The Grove and it just seemed like I'd already wasted too much time.

"You're really serious about her," Jason said and it wasn't a question. He knew his brother. 

"I wouldn't have gotten involved otherwise, especially since she has a child."

"I know. I'm happy for you, man, really. I've talked with her a few times when I was at the folks. She seems like a great girl."

"She's something special, Jason; Briana is a bonus. She has me practically wrapped around her little finger already," Alex admitted.

"Double damn," Jason said when a laugh. "I'm pulling for you Brother. Mom is going to be over the moon."

"Don't say anything to Mom," Alex cautioned. "I want to tell her when and how I decide." 

"All right, I won't say a word, but Mom has a way of sensing things and she won't be shy about asking Jade if she suspects something is up between the two of you," Jason warned.

"I know. She'll just have to figure it out on her own for the time being. I want Jade and I to get to know each other better. We sort of got ahead of ourselves, but I mean for her to understand that I want more." 

"Ok, mums the word," Jason said. "I'll pick up that sandwich for you and bring it by your office about one o'clock. Is that ok?" 

"That's fine," Alex agreed. "I'll see you later."

Before he got back to the lawsuit, Alex decided to call Jade to confirm that she was available tonight. Just because they slept together, he wasn't going to assume anything. He rang Jade's direct number at the office.

"The McCord Foundation, this is Jade Harris, how may I help you?" 

"I'm in the mood for a steaming cup of hot chocolate," Alex murmured. 

"Alex!" Jade screeched, cupping her hand round the phone's receiver. "Why are you calling here?" The last thing she wanted was for Mrs. McCord to know that she's seeing her son. Not that the phrase 'seeing him' covered the half of it. 

With a smile in his voice, Alex said, "I missed you and I wanted to see if you were busy tonight. I thought I'd come over and bring dinner."

"Alex, are you sure about this?" she asked, still needing assurance.

"Yes, I'm sure, sweetheart. Everything is going to be fine. You trust me, remember?"

"Yes, I do trust you, Alex. It's just been a long time since I've dated. This takes some getting use to, you know?"

"I know. However, let's get this straight; we're not dating; we're in a relationship. I'm your man and you're my woman, period. Understand?" 

Feeling her heart skip a beat, Jade said, "Yes, I understand and yes, tonight will be fine. What time should I expect you?

"I'll be there about 6:30," he said. "Do you and Briana like Italian?"

"Yes, we love it."

"Ok, I'll see you tonight. I have a shitload of stuff to get through before then. Bye, sweetheart."

"Goodbye, Alex." 

_

Although there was a lot to do, the day went better than Alex originally anticipated. He went home and changed into a pair of dark slacks and a fitted pullover then he stopped by Baggetta's to pick up dinner. 

He was eager to see Jade and Briana.

*

Jade picked Briana up at her parents' after work and got waylaid. Her Mom wanted to know who this Alex was that Briana has been talking about. 

"Alex and I are dating, Mom. We've only been seeing each other a few days," she said thinking at twenty six she shouldn't have to explain her love life. Dating was hardly the word for it, but she wasn't going to tell her mother more than was necessary. It probably took her some time to work up to confronting her about Alex in he first place.

"A few days, that's all? This isn't the first time Briana has mention him. The way she goes on about the man I thought you knew him for a while. He must be something to make an impression on her, especially with her slacker father," Juliette said.

"Mom!" Jade protested.

She looked around to see if her daughter was within ear shot. She knew her mother wouldn't say anything negative around Briana, but kids had a way of hearing things when you think they're not around.

"You know what I mean, Jade. Briana doesn't just take to anyone," she elaborated.

"I know. She's already crazy about Alex," Jade stated.

"When are your father and I going to get to meet him?" her mother asked more casually than she felt. It wasn't lost on her that this is the first man Jade had been interested in since Jackson.

"I don't know," Jade answered. "We'll have to work something out. He's an attorney and has some high profile cases he's working on and I'm busy with my job at Mrs. McCord's. I'm going to tell you this now, rather than explain later why I didn't tell you. Alex is Mrs. McCord's son." 

"You're dating your boss's son? Does she know?" Juliette asked with a mother's concern.

"Not yet, it's only been a few days as I said," Jade reminded her.

"Be careful, Jade. I don't want you or Briana to get hurt," her mother said, reaching out to hug her.

"I know Mom. Alex is really a great guy." 

"Uh, huh," Juliette grunted, but added nothing further. 

"Well, I need to get Briana and get going. Alex is bringing dinner tonight." 

* 

When there was a knock at the door, Briana was the one to let Alex in with Jade close behind her.

"Damn, she's pretty," he thought looking at Jade. 

"Hi, Alex," Briana said, then threw her arms around him.

Looking down, smiling, Alex said, "Hi, sweetheart. Did you have a good day today?"

"Yep," Briana said, nodding.

Before Alex could say any more, Jade interjected, "Let him go, baby, so that he can put dinner on the table."

"Oh. Ok, Mommy," Briana responded, stepping back to give Alex room.

Alex walked to the dining table and set the packages down. After which, he pulled Jade into his arms giving her a long sweet kiss. She wiggled out of his embrace and looked worriedly at Briana who was watching. 

Drawing her back into his arms, Alex whispered, "She has to get use to us showing each other affection sooner or later. I'm all for sooner."




A Long Time Coming Ch. 03



Leaning against him, Jade sighed. She did love the way he felt, the way she felt in his arms. He smelled divine too. 

Jade glanced at Briana who said, "I'll be right back," and hurried down the hallway. Alex gave Jade a quizzical look and she shrugged her shoulders. Leaving his arms after a quick kiss, she set the table for dinner. 

Briana returned shortly with a picture she painted in pre-school. With a little smile, she held out the picture to Alex. As he examined it thoughtfully, she watched closely for his reaction.

"I did this in school today. I like flowers. When I grow up I'm going to have a big garden," she vowed, making her point by stretching her arms out as far apart as she could.

"I like this very much," Alex said. "Especially the way you used yellow for the petals and put a splash of orange in the center." 

Leaning against him, Briana said softly, "It's so pretty." 

Then she looked up at Alex. "You can have this one, Mommy has lots already."

Looking over at Jade, Alex saw that she had tears in her eyes. Hell, he felt his own heart constrict. Thanking Briana, he gave her a kiss on her cheek and she beamed. He'd make sure the picture had a place of honor in his office.

"Ok, now," Jade said, blinking back tears, "let's eat dinner while it's warm."

Briana hopped into her chair, and said, "Yum, yum!" as her mother dished up a serving for her. 

After dinner, Alex sat on the floor and played a card game with Briana as Jade cleaned up. 

Briana was put to bed at 8 O'clock with a story from one of favorite books, The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh. She insisted that Alex read part of the story, which he did with enthusiasm voicing all of the characters to Briana's delight. 

At the end of the story Jade and Alex sat with her as she said her prayers, making sure to include Alex. Then he and Jade settled in the living room to talk and cuddle until Alex went home.



A Long Time Coming Ch. 04



Love, sex. Sex, love. 

“Fuck!” John silently groaned, looking at the naked back of the voluptuous blonde next to him. Silken gold hair trailing off to a long smooth back, thin waist, trim ass…..

Earlier that day John had arrived home to find no one around the house. He looked around and saw inside his bedroom to find it in shambles. His normally prim and proper wife had left their room a mess, which was totally uncharacteristic of her. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the room had a strange odor to it, like a musk.

He heard the front door open and saw Jamie walking in gingerly. She had to sit the whole day after Marcus’ visit at school. She gingerly walked upstairs and remembered forgetting to make up her room after her and Marcus’ morning fuck session which had led to her being late to work. 

“Hi honey!” she said startled, almost standing straight up but her ginger bottom disallowed that.

“Hey, forget to make the bed this morning or getting lazy when I’m not around?” John joked with his wife. Suddenly for some reason she seemed rushed almost nervous with her reply.

“Oh no, damn power went out this morning. My alarm clock didn’t go off and I rushed all over the place! When did you get back?” 

John sensed a problem but not enough to warrant asking his wife. “Just a couple minutes ago…”

”Oh honey you must be hungry. Marcus and I had dinner last night from that Chinese place you like. The leftovers are in the fridge go fix yourself a plate. I need to shower, the school gets so hot these days I was a sweating like a pig.” 

John decided to go to the kitchen and wait for the shower to turn on. The last couple months Jamie had been acting differently. When they were together she would be the sweet and friendly woman he had fallen in love with, yet every once in awhile she would start acting strangely. Like today, and why was she walking like that.

John was never one to jump to conclusions, but they’re lack of a sex life was finally starting to arouse his suspicions. They were never that sexual a couple, so at first he hadn’t really noticed. He attributed to an old couple just getting used to each other. He really noticed when they did make love though that Jamie rarely had that fire that she used to have and somehow sex with her seemed empty.

With the shower running John to a walk to the hamper and looked for her clothes. It was a sick idea, but with the way she was walking today it would be the only time to really try and confirm his fears. He opened the hamper and searched it. There were so many panties, which ones did she wear today? He looked for what looked like a fresh pair. There were none though. He reached to the bottom of the hamper and pulled out at least two or three, he immediately noticed white stains all over them. They had to be old…..and the stains were so large.

He looked in the direction of the shower in almost disbelief. There had to be some explanation. Suddenly the water stopped and while he had evidence in his hand he decided to wait. He needed to know for sure. He retreated to the kitchen and spent the rest of the time as if nothing was going on. 

While eating in the kitchen the phone rang and Jamie quickly picked it up. It was Marcus from his cell phone. Wanting to know if the coast was clear and if he should come home ready for some of his Ms. Jamie.

“Hello?” she answered with John looking at her.

“umm, no, I mean yes.”

“well, Oh John came home early today.”

“yup I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear from you.” 

“Ok see you tomorrow then.” A line Jamie threw in to deceive John should he ask who it was. When he did ask she mentioned it was a co-worker.

In an almost zombie-like state John left his house. 

”That’s it, she’s fucking someone at work. Fucking bitch!” he said through clenched teeth as he drove through town. Driving by a bar, the thought of some beverages seemed so appropriate right now.

The bar was filled and loud, John took his seat along the stool and proceeded to ask the bartender for glass after glass. The bar-goers cheered on the team on the screen, but John stared at his glass contemplating all the different scenarios and bastards that could be doing his wife. “Motherfuckers!” he grumbled.

“Wow, you really don’t like San Francisco do you?” a light voice asked.

John was ready to bash in the face of anyone who bothered his loathing until his eyes fell upon the face of an amazing blonde. 

“I wasn’t watching the TV, sorry.” John managed to stammer out of his mouth. He was half pissed, half aroused.

“I noticed.” The blonde said smiling. She winked at him and John was almost positive she saw his wedding ring.

The two began to talk and as the night wore on they were both buying each other drinks. Turns out the blonde was a former cheerleader for a minor-league basketball team in a nearby team. She was now a dance instructor at a local health club. Her body was trim and svelte and save for two generous breasts everything else on her was thin.

John didn’t divulge the real reason for his sorrow, yet his secretive mood only provided him a dark and dangerous edge that the blonde was beginning to really enjoy.

Flash back to John’s house where Marcus walked through the door. 

“John?” Jamie asked, her tears almost dry now.

“No, Ms. Jamie it’s me.” Marcus said rushing to her, after seeing her face in obvious anguish. “Marcus, John has been gone for hours, I called everywhere!” she cried into his chest.

“No Jamie I saw him at O’Malley’s. You know that bar outside campus.”

“What?”

“When you said he was at home I decided to grab some food with my buddies. We went to catch a game at the bar and I saw him at the bar. He seemed a little pissed so I left him alone.” 

Marcus had actually wanted to leave as soon as he saw John. He knew his white lover was now home alone even though it would be risky he had to have some pussy. Then again his buddies kept him from leaving right away and after the game they went to grab some food. Full of food he was now on the hunt for something else.

“That fucker!” Jamie stood up yelling trying to dry her eyes. “I’m here going nuts about him and he’s at some bar. Was he there with his buddy Steve? That fucker is always trying to get him to tag along, the fucker is divorced twice for a reason.”

Marcus had never seen her so mad. “I don’t think I saw him with anyone, I only caught a glimpse of him, it was packed.”

“Fuck him!” Jamie who began to kneel on the couch. “He wants to stuff his face with nuts and beer, I’m going to stuff my mouth with some big cock!” 

Jamie had learned to love giving head and now full of anger she wanted nothing more than to engulf Marcus’ cock with her mouth. She reached into his pants and fished out his familiar cock. Flicking her tongue across his head she jerked his shaft and asked, “Now is this better than booze baby?” 

Marcus groaned, “Oh you know it baby.” Stroking her hair as she proceeded to stuff his cock into her mouth. 

In another part of town…

The apartment door swung open and John’s tongue was fighting Michelle’s (the blonde.) Her breasts were heaving with her heavy breathing as he reached under her shirt and exposed her large breasts. John proceeded to squeeze each one and bite on them like a sub sandwich. 

Pulling on her nipples with his teeth she reached down and struggled with his belt as they fell back onto her couch. John hurriedly pulled her shirt over her head and reached underneath her skirt to move her panties aside.

Michelle was groaning and moaning under the weight of his body. The alcohol and his animal like lust was putting her into a fervor. She needed dick now! She fished out his cock and kissed him full on the lips and sneered, “fuck me John, fuck me!” through gritted teeth. 

John sunk into his first strange pussy since he had been married. There was the girl at his bachelor party and since then it had been Jamie forever. 

She wrapped her legs around him and drew him closer, harder, faster than ever before. John can’t remember fucking so hard or for so long before. The alcohol empowered him as he grabbed and clutched her large breasts, so soft and firm at the same time. 

While back at home…..

Long brown hair falling down in waves to a large white ass hanging between two large black legs. Rising upon a black mast shining in pussy juices Jamie hugged Marcus head to her breasts as he gently licked and sucked her breasts. She had been riding him for a good long time as her pussy began to clamp down on him. 

They both moaned at her increased tightness, Marcus’ hand grabbed a large handful of white ass and guided her along his mast. She rolled her hips towards him enjoying the exquisite pressure brought by his large pole. They slowly rolled into a long orgasm that cultivated with Jamie holding her breath and spasming as Marcus’ cock left jet after jet of cum inside of her. They both looked into each other’s eyes in disbelief of the amazing orgasm they had just shared.

Back at the apartment…..

“FUCK ME, FUCK ME, FUCK ME!!!” Michelle screamed, her long blonde hair nothing more than reigns as John held tightly. He pulled her hair, making her arch her back as he repeatedly slammed into her. His ball sack banging her clit as he thrust into her over and over…

The booze had made them light-headed and when Michelle orgasmed from the rough sex she fell face forward as John continued to fuck her until he pulled out of her and rolled off his condom cumming all over her ass. 

John fell to the side in exhaustion, breathing heavily, eyes closed hands on his head. He just fell asleep in this strange woman’s house.

Back home…

Water dripping down their bodies, Marcus ran the soap over Jamie’s large breasts and Jamie ran the soap along his large cock. They smiled at each other. 

“What if John comes home right now?” Marcus asked…

“Well I’ll keep him out of the bathroom, right now I want to be naughty as long as he’s being an asshole!”

“Oh you can be naughty alright.” Marcus smiled pinching her nipple.

“I love that man so much and then he pulls shit like that.” Jamie frowned as she lovingly stroked that cock. “but you know what else I love?”

“I can take a guess…” Marcus said eyeing her face through the rising steam.

She shared a long lurid kiss with Marcus. Their tongues played as she curled her arms about his head. His soapy cock hung between them and she captured it between his legs. 

“Look, I have a plan right now.” Jamie said with a grin.

“What’s that Ms. Jamie?” Marcus asked bending his head to suck on her breasts.

“Well since your doing that….First your going to fuck me again, then we have to go find John. It’s getting late and he should be back by now.”

“Why don’t we just go now?” Marcus asked, knowing the full answer.

Jaime turned around in the shower, presenting her full ass to Marcus. She backed against him and rubbed it up and down along his cock. “Do you want to go now?” she asked. Marcus could only grin and begin to stroke his cock.

That morning….

Jamie and Marcus were making phone calls all over the place after searching for most of the night. John’s car was still at the bar parking lot yet no one knew where he was.

John was laying next to Michelle and was analyzing the night before. Last night was an incredible experience. While his wife was beautiful in her own right this woman was gorgeous as well. The sex he enjoyed with her was so different and amazing. It was like he was a teenager again yet only able to enjoy it more. 

It was then that he realized that he wanted to keep fucking Michelle, yet waking up next to her was not the same as waking up next to Jamie. Is it possible to fuck someone and love someone else? Is this what Jamie was going through? John began to think that if she was having an affair Jamie would have the decency to end it with him if she truly didn’t love him. She’s not the type to do anything half way or waste her life in a sham of a marriage. 

While most men would keep fucking Michelle so did John. In fact their affair has been going on through the summer while Marcus and Jamie said their last goodbye’s when Marcus went home for the summer. Jamie didn’t take another lover. She wasn’t a habitual cheater. Her year with Marcus was something she’d cherish and never trade forever, however she really enjoyed getting back to normal. Even though John was acting strange the last couple weeks, especially when they made love. If just wasn’t the same it was as if…



A Long Time Coming Ch. 04



Alex was taking Jade to The Grove for their first official date. Neither of them had been out on the town since meeting at the very same place. Although they spent as much time as they could together, they agreed to slow things down. Jade needed the time to get accustomed to having Alex in her life without the distraction of sex, not that it was easy for either of them. Briana was spending the weekend at Judy's. Now Jade was ready to resume a more intimate relationship with Alex. 

She thought long and hard about what to wear and settled on something simple; a short form fitting emerald green dress. It showed off her legs to perfection. The dress had thin shoulder straps and a scooped neckline that showed only a hint of the top of breasts. With pearl accessories, she was set. Alex wore dark dress slacks, a dress shirt and a sports jacket.

There was already a substantial crowd when they entered the club. By twelve thirty the place would be packed. Alex hoped to be on his way home with Jade shortly after that. 

He and Jade mingled a bit, stopping to talk to people Alex knew and then moving on. They danced to a few slow tunes and generally acted like a couple in love. It was just shy of twelve O'clock when they ran into Cameron and his date, Lauren. 

Coming up behind Alex, Cameron tapped his brother on the shoulder.

"Hey Brother, how's it going?" he inquired with a wicked smirk when he saw Jade.

"It's going great," Alex answered before introducing Jade to Lauren. 

"A pleasure to see you again, Jade," Cameron said.

"Nice seeing you again too, Cam," she replied fondly, noticing how tightly his date was clinging to him. 

"Have you known each other long?" Lauren asked Cameron, surprised at Jade's familiarity with him.

"I met Jade at my parents; she's Mom's assistant," Cameron explained.

"You haven't run away," he said to Jade, "so I assume you're enjoying the work. Mom's a sweetheart, but she can be a bit of a dragon when something isn't done to her liking."

"I love working for her. She's a little intimating at times, but we seem to work well together. So, no sign of the dragon yet," Jade teased.

Cameron chuckled. "That's great."

"How long are you going to be here?" Alex interjected. 

"We'll be around for another hour and then we're calling it a night," Cameron said. 

"By the way, Mom and Dad are here," he threw out, grinning at Alex before taking Lauren by the hand and bidding them goodnight. 

"Alex, maybe we should leave," Jade entreated. 

She didn't know what his parents would think of their relationship and wasn't eager to find out in a public place. After all, she was the hired help, not someone in their social circle.

"Sweetheart, there's nothing to be worried about," Alex said, caressing her back. "I only wanted to solidify our relationship before I introduced you to them; now is as good a time as any. We won't go looking for them, but if we run into them, then we'll make our relationship known. Ok?"

Stroking his chest, she sighed and relented, "Ok, baby."

Alex's eyebrow arched. That was the first time Jade had referred to him with an endearment. He liked it; it meant she was taking possession of him. He was hers in her mind and heart. 

They were dancing a half hour later when Alex heard his name being called. Looking up from Jade's sultry eyes, he encountered his mother and father. He felt Jade stiffen in his arms and then she relaxed as he held her closer.

"Mom, Dad," he greeted. 

At his mother's purposeful look he said, "Jade and I have been together for a few weeks."

"Why didn't you tell us?" she asked, taking note of how he phrased his announcement.

Adam chuckled before giving her a reminder.

"Mom, when have I ever offered information about my relationships?"

"Huh!" she grunted. "Well, never and you always said very little when asked. But we know Jade." 

"That was reason enough not to say anything. I didn't want you cutting off my head if I screwed up and you lost an assistant," he pointed out. 

"You've inherit your good sense from me son; I don't think you had anything to worry about," Jacob pitched in. 

Turning to Jade Diana said, "I'm sorry we're talking over you dear, but since my son became a grown man we've had to pry information out of him or use our spies," she teased.

"It wasn't entirely his fault," Jade said, relieved. "I didn't know what you'd think of us being together since I'm working for you."

"Well, it's a surprise, I must admit," Diana said. "I didn't have a clue that you were interested in each other. As for working for me, that doesn't matter, dear. What matters is that my son is happy and you are happy with him. From the looks of it, I'd say that was covered."

Jade flushed at the knowing look in her eyes. 

"Now that everything is out in the open, we'll leave you two alone to enjoy the rest of the evening," Jacob said taking Diana's arm and steering her away from them. 

Jade sighed and leaned against Alex. She conceded, "That wasn't bad at all."

He softly brushed his lips against her forehead. "Mom really likes you, Dad too. If I mess this up, I'm in trouble." 

"Well, I don't see that happening," Jade stated with conviction and a small smile. 

*

On the way to Alex's place, he kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other on her thigh. Just that touch managed to send warm tingles through her body. They hadn't made love for weeks, but that didn't mean Jade hadn't thought about it often. She was now almost dizzy with anticipation. 

When they finally arrived at his home, Jade was as jittery as she had been the first time.

After entering the great room, from a hidden wall panel Alex bathed the area in mood lighting and turned on the stereo. He took off his jacket and after Jade sat comfortably on the sofa, poured Camus Cognac in a snifter for himself and sparkling apple juice for Jade in a wine glass. She had no moral issue with alcohol; she just didn't like the taste. 

She sat in the circle of his arms and enjoyed the music and the warmth of his body. By the time she finished her drink she'd transitioned from nervous to amorous. She placed her glass on the coffee table and took the drink from a surprised Alex, placing it on the table as well. Standing up, she tugged on his hand urging him to his feet. 

Arching his eyebrow, he smiled and asked, "Are you going to have your way with me now?"

Jade pulled him close, wrapping both arms around his waist. Breathing in the woodsy scent of his cologne and the earthy scent of man, she responded. "Ummmm, I certainly hope so." 

Alex quickly stepped back from her and hoisted her up and over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. 

"Alex!" she squeaked. "Put me down. I feel like a piece of meat." 

Slapping her butt, he retorted, "You are a piece of meat; a fine ass piece of meat at that." 

He continued on to the bedroom, not setting her back on her feet until they were beside his bed.

Quickly, he undressed her, but Jade suddenly wasn't of a mind to hurry. She tugged his shirt out of his slacks, slowly unbuttoned it and slid it off of his broad shoulders. Once his chest was bared, she felt the silky pelt of hair, stroking it all over and murmuring her pleasure. Alex's penis joined the party, slowly rising to the occasion, as it were. 

With care, she unbuckled his belt and slipped it out of the loops. Once it was off, she popped open the button at the top of his slacks and looked up at him. His eyes were intent on her breasts which sported large dark flinty nipples.

Unable to stop himself, Alex stroked her breasts with his thumbs. His eyes caught her gaze when he lifted her ample bosom and her breath seized in her throat. He could feel the heat of her body and didn't know how long he could endure her slow seduction.

Jade unzipped his slacks and pulled them down to his knees revealing his silky navy blue briefs. His cock was long and hard, straining to be released. She rubbed her hand along his length, from the base to the head, humming as she stroked over the spot wet formed by his pre-cum. 

Her pussy was moist and throbbing, threatening to distract her from her game plan.

She needed Alex so badly.

It was time to ramp up the pace.

Quickly she pulled his briefs down and gently urged him rearward until the back of his knees hit the bed. With a peck on his lips and a light pressure on his chest, she ordered, "Sit." 

Alex grinned and dutifully sat.

Jade knelt to take off his shoes and socks and removed his briefs and slacks completely. She rose and for a moment she just stood there looking at him; a magnificent naked specimen of manhood and all hers. 

Pushing him back so that he laid across the bed, she crawled on top of him and straddled his waist. 

"Hands behind your head," she commanded, smiling.

Alex eyes darkened as he did as she instructed. 

"Damn, you're sexy, baby. Use me," he whispered.

Jade leaned forward and stroked up and down his chest with both hands, from his shoulders to his belly. She watched as his beautiful blue eyes shone with desire. His chest heaved as his ardor increased and more pre-cum oozed from the wide slit of his penis. 

"Jade," he groaned. 

When he had her full attention, he said, "I love you, baby, more than I ever thought possible. This isn't just sex, we're making love."

Stunned, Jade gasped.

"I love you too, Alex. You're everything I've ever wanted or needed in a man."

Leaning down, she tenderly kissed his lips, pressing her body against his, the hair on his chest rasping her sensitive nipples. Forgetting her order, Alex slid one hand under her hair to hold her head, deepening the kiss, while the other hand roamed up and down her back. 

Then, breaking the connection, he whispered, "Love you, baby."

Jade, taking charge for a moment longer, held his head as she kissed him with a thoroughness that left both of them breathless. Sliding her tongue into his mouth, she engaged his in an erotic dance of passion. Alex loved the feel of her hot breath and the taste of her mouth. 

Rolling over, he moved up the bed and placed Jade underneath his straining body. Stroking her wet, slippery folds with his fingers, he was treated to a flood of juices that made his cock jerk.

He murmured words of love as he slid a long finger past the glistening folds into the humid channel of her feminine core. As her breathing increased, he added another finger, gliding along on her flowing juices. Languidly he stroked, building the fire, testing her heat and desire. 

Soon he was stroking her with his thumb teasing her clitoris. Jade's entire body was in flames as her orgasm neared and she gasped at the burgeoning pleasure. 

"Alex...Alex... ooooooh...ooooh, baby...baby... ahhh...baby...faster...faster. So close... aggggggghhhhh, Alexxxxxx!" 

She screamed in the throes of a swirling climax just as Alex urgently got to his knees, held his cock at it base and slipped the head into her spasming pussy. Slowly and with some effort, he steadily slid all the way to the base, firmly seating himself in her tight pussy.

Taking only a few seconds for Jade to adjust to his girth, he started plunging into her at a dizzying pace, taking her higher still. Faster and harder he plunged in and out until he threw back his head and shouted his own release.

Cum spewed from his cock, easing her trail to ecstasy, drenching her with his white hot seed.

*

Jade awakened to a feeling of complete bliss. Even before she was fully conscious, she was aware of Alex's hands caressing her body. She stretched while he continued his ministrations, feeling a luscious ache in her core, his penis hot and hard against her buttocks.

"Good Morning," he whispered, kissing her shoulder.

"Mmmm. Morning, Alex." 

Turning to face him, Jade shuddered as the hair on his chest tickled her nipples. She breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of their love making. Sex was an awesome smell. 

"What are our plans for today," she asked as she stroked his chest.

"After I have hot sweaty sex with you again, I thought breakfast and then more hot sweaty sex," Alex grinned.

"That sounds wonderful," Jade said almost drowning in the pools of his deep blue eyes. "I love your body. It's smooth in places, silky hair in others and hard through and through. I love having you inside of me." 

"Good thing, too," Alex replied, "because I intend to be in you as often as I can manage." 

"Let's do it!" Jade said eagerly.

Laughing, she climbed on top of him, seating herself on his erection; she tilted her hips so that he slid into her slowly, but straight to the balls. Rocking urgently she rode both of them into sweet oblivion.

* 

They snoozed after their morning lovemaking and then shared a shower which resulted in Alex taking her hard and fast against the shower wall. He had a lot of stamina, not that Jade was complaining. To the contrary, she was enjoying every minute of it. She had never felt so loved or so free to express her love. 

After the shower they both talked to Briana on the phone.

Later, they sank down onto the sofa. Not in the mood to dress, they wore nothing more than fluffy white terry robes. It made a comfortable spacious lounging place to bask in their love for each other. In this intimate setting they shared a plate of fresh fruit and talked about their feelings amid kisses and tender caresses. 

It was some time later before they could think of other things. 

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, I have a five day seminar the first week of October, in Gainesville," Alex said. "It's part of my continuing education. I'm not looking forward to a whole week without you, but I know you can't take off work or take Briana out of school. Even if you could, you'd be alone most of the day.

"Do you have these often?" Jade asked, nibbling on her bottom lip, already getting anxious about being separated from him so soon.

"It's mandatory that I do forty hours a year. This particular seminar will fill that requirement in the one week," Alex explained. 

Sighing, Jade admitted, "I'm going to miss you so much, but you're right, I couldn't miss work. The event planning has picked up a lot since the middle of summer. Besides, it's too early in the year to take Briana out of school for an entire week and I wouldn't want to leave her."

"I'm going to miss you both, but especially our time together. Why don't you and I just fill up on love now while we have the chance," Alex said, and then with a growl, he pushed Jade onto her back while frantically opening her robe.

* 

Sunday afternoon they headed over to Judy's house to pick up Briana. On the way Jade casually mentioned that Briana's pre-school, Kids Learning Academy, was having a meet and greet for the parents on the twentieth.

"Is Jackson going to be there?" Alex asked.

"Not likely," Jade said. "He hasn't seen her in three months and I have no reason to believe he would be interested in coming. I stopped a while back trying to guilt him into seeing Briana. Even when he did spend time with her, he wasn't all that pleasant to have around."

Alex was thoughtful for a few moments before he spoke.

"Since he's not going to be there, would you mind if I came?"

She looked at him surprised.

"You don't need to give me that look," he chuckled, "you know I'm crazy about Briana. I want to see what they're teaching her and how she's doing in school." 

"She's crazy about you, too," Jade said. "As for the meet and greet, I'd love it if you came with us."

"Ok, I'll put it on my calendar," he promised.

* 

They stayed a while at Judy's talking to her and her husband, Terrance. They got to Jade's apartment around five o'clock. Alex took her overnight bag out of the car while she got Briana's. They didn't pay any attention to the car pulling in a few parking spaces down.

Briana grabbed Alex's hand and looked up at him smiling. 

Seeing the obviously happy couple with the child, the man exiting the car frowned. 

As they headed to the apartment, Jade heard her name being called. 

"Hey, Jade!" 

"Damn," she thought, "why today of all days?" 

Jade turned, watching Jackson leisurely walk toward them. Immediately she noticed that he was wearing what looked to be new clothes, several gold chains and new high top sneakers. 

"Probably purchased by his mother or some sugar mama," she surmised.

Mentally shaking her head, she thought, "This man is not my problem anymore, thank God."

They waited as Jackson approached. When he was close enough, he reached down to touch Briana's cheek, but she turned her head and backed up into Alex. 

"What's the matter, baby. You're not happy to see Daddy. I know I was gone for a while, but I'm here now," he said. 

Getting no response, he glared at Jade, obviously pissed. 

"I was in the area and decided to stop by on Saturday. Your car was here, but you didn't answer the door. I thought you were just trying to avoid me, but your neighbor said you were gone for the weekend," Jackson said giving Alex the once over.

"Was there something in particular you wanted, Jackson?" 

Jade didn't intend to give him any explanation of where she spent her time. She was glad he hadn't bothered to call her cell phone; he would have found a way to ruin her weekend. 

"I wanted to see Briana," he said.

"Well, you can see her now," she said, gritting her teeth.

The last thing she wanted was to spend time with him, but she didn't want to give him any reason to say she wouldn't let him see his daughter. However, she would have liked it if he'd had a better attitude. 

"Come on, baby, let's go inside," Alex said to Jade. 

Briana was still clutching his hand.

Jackson's head snapped back and his eyes flashed when he heard Alex call Jade baby. He didn't like the way Briana was clinging to him either.

Jade unlocked the door and they all went inside. 

Jackson turned to Jade once they were in the living room.

"Who's the dude?" he asked with a sullen glance toward Alex.

"The dude is Alex McCord," Alex responded, holding out his hand to Jackson after he put down Jade's bag.

Jackson looked at his hand and reluctantly shook it when he noticed Briana watching. 

Jade invited him to sit on the sofa hoping his visit would be a short one. 

"Can I get anyone a drink?" She asked.

"I want some juice, Mommy," Briana said following Jade into the kitchen. 

"No." Jackson said bluntly.

"What about you Alex?" 

"Nothing for me, baby," he said.

While Jade poured Briana's drink, Jackson decided to satisfy his curiosity about Alex. 

"When did you meet Jade?" he asked.

Alex didn't see a reason not to indulge in a little chit chat, but he knew one thing for sure, he was not leaving Jade and Briana alone with this guy. 

"A few months back," Alex answered coolly.

"Is this serious or something?" Jackson asked with a frown.

"Why do you ask? Are you still interested in Jade?" Alex questioned softly, cutting to the chase.

"Look, man," Jackson said with a bit of an attitude, "I just want to know since you look like you spend time around my daughter." 

Not batting an eye, Alex said, "I assure you that I'm no threat to Briana. Feel free to Google me. That's Alex J. McCord, Attorney at Law." 

Leaning forward and keeping his voice low and calm, he asked, "Anything else?"

Jackson didn't know if he wanted to tell Alex to go to hell or punch him. But he thought better of doing either and simply said petulantly, "No."

Jade was watching the exchange in the kitchen, but couldn't make out what they were saying. She was hoping it wouldn't get heated, especially in front of Briana. 

Alex knew exactly why Jackson was questioning his relationship with Jade and it had nothing to do with Briana. The man was likely just realizing that his access to Jade, even in a superficial way, was closed. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 04



Deciding to get back to the reason he'd come by, Jackson called Briana to him. She was reluctant to go. Jade give her a little nudge and said, "Go ahead, baby."

Briana went and stood in front of Jackson where he sat on the sofa. He took her little hands in his. Although she didn't pull away, she didn't give any sign that she was responsive to his touch either. 

Jackson was feeling frustrated, especially with Alex watching. Alex, sensing the situation and not wanting to escalate the hostilities, got up and joined Jade in the kitchen. As much as he disliked the man, Jackson was Briana's father.

"How would you like to go to the park with my Mom and me next Saturday?" Jackson asked. 

Pulling her hands out of his, Briana said, "No thank you. I want to stay here with Mommy and Alex."

Jackson was livid, but he wasn't going to make a scene. The last time he got angry with Jade and yelled at her, it was a long time before Briana would even come near him. He knew that he didn't spend enough time with her, but he still couldn't handle having a kid. He'd asked her about going to the park, but the truth was, he was relieved that she said no. It was his mother's idea anyway. 

After Briana gave her answer, Jackson glanced over to the kitchen to see if Jade and Alex were listening, but he might as well not have been in the place, they only had eyes for each other.

"Fuck him. Fuck her," he thought.

Alex had his arms around Jade and they were whispering to each other. He didn't need to ask if they were sleeping together, it was obvious and it grated on his nerves. She'd look at him like that once, but that was a long time ago. 

Jade had been crazy about Jackson from the time they met, but all that ended when he rejected her after she got pregnant. He tried to rekindle the relationship, but she had moved on without him. He thought he could just see her whenever he wanted without having to deal with the child, but she'd put the kibosh to that idea.

Since there was no further reason for him to stay, Jackson got to his feet and cleared his throat, "Ahem!"

Getting their attention, he said, "I need to get going." 

As he headed to the door, Jade left Alex's arms to escort him out. 

Looking over Jade's shoulder, Jackson saw Briana go over to Alex and held up her arms. When he scooped her up, she put her arm around his neck and started talking to him. Jackson couldn't hear what she said, but Alex was smiling.

At the door, Jade said, "Please say hello to your mother for me."

"Why?" Jackson retorted. "You don't care about my Mom. You haven't seen her since we broke up."

"Jackson," Jade said, praying for patience, "I know you're itching to start a fight, but I'm not going to argue with you. Neither of you have given me any reason to believe she wanted to see me. You know my phone number, she could have easily called if she wanted to see me or Briana and I would have been willing to make time for her.

"It's always on your time table," Jackson grumbled.

"Whose time table is it supposed to be on?" Jade hissed tired of him playing the victim. 

Taking a deep calming breath, she continued.

"I'm Briana's mother and I have to work." She tried to keep her voice low, but Alex could tell the goodbye was taking longer than it should.

"Is everything all right, sweetheart?" he called from the kitchen. 

Jade opened the door and called back, "Yes, everything is fine, Alex." 

Turning to Jackson, she said, "Call and let me know when you want to see Briana again."

"What for, she doesn't want to be with me," he said like a sullen child.

"It's up to you," Jade sighed biting back a retort.

"Goodbye, Jackson." 

Alex sat Briana down in a chair and whispered something to her, to which she nodded. 

He then walked toward Jade and Jackson. Jackson thought it was a good time to make his exit. He walked out the door without another word and Jade closed it behind him. 

Leaning back against the door, she sighed again. 

Alex gathered her into his arms and hugged her tightly. 

"You sure you're ok, baby?" he whispered.

"Yes," she murmured.

"Mommy, can I have a popsicle?" Briana called from her seat at the table, effectively breaking Jade's sober mood.

"No, sweetie," she said, "you just had a glass of juice. But you can have one after dinner."

"Ok, Mommy," Briana answered as she got up from the table and headed to the living room to watch cartoons. 

*

On the drive home Jackson had time to think.

He had a good set up at home. Now and then he would pretend to be looking for a job, but eventually he'd have to find one, even if only temporarily. He'd work for a few weeks or months and then quit. He'd tell his mother that he was laid off or make up some other excuse that didn't include taking the blame. 

He knew his mother would continue to support him as long as it looked like he needed it. What she didn't provide in the way of material things, his girlfriends did. He was a good looking guy with no shortage of women. He had it made and not having to pay child support was a bonus. He was the envy of most of his friends. 

Despite his women, Jackson was jealous of Alex. 

He was loathed to admit it, but he knew it was true. He'd never seen Jade with another man in the years since they split. He'd liked her, maybe loved her, but he just hadn't wanted to be around a kid for long. But seeing her with Alex had revived some dormant feelings of possessiveness. 

It didn't help matters that his mother was stuck on having a relationship with her granddaughter and nagging him in the process. 

He hadn't been honest with his mother, not by a long shot. 

She'd asked him on numerous occasions to bring Briana over, but he always made up an excuse and it mostly involved Jade refusing. She wanted to have a relationship with her granddaughter, but Jackson knew that would just lead to her wanting him to take more responsibility for his daughter. 

Truth be known, it wasn't just Briana. He always made it a point never to date women with children, particularly after he'd made the mistake of doing that once. They always took up the woman's time and always needed something. 

The one exception had been Tina Lewis and that was because she was so fine, he had to have her. In the beginning it was all good. She got a babysitter who took the kids to the park before he came over. But eventually she started complaining about the expense. In the end, all the whining wasn't worth the effort or the pleasure and he dumped her. 

To make sure that he didn't have anymore little mistakes, he always wore a condom, even when the women said they were on the pill. He just didn't trust them. One was more than he wanted, he wasn't going to be anyone else baby's daddy. 

When he thought of Jade with another man and a white man at that, he got angry all over again. He thought that there were more than enough black men for her to choose from, but apparently they weren't good enough. On the heels of that thought was the realization that he would have been jealous no matter the color of the man's skin. 

"Yeah," he thought, "fuck both of them." 

* 

The next couple of weeks were hectic for both Alex and Jade. Alex was engrossed in a case that was set for trial; a contract dispute between J.C. Reynolds Inc. and their international partners, Townes-Wellington Construction. 

The lawyer who represented Reynolds when the contract was drawn up two years earlier was in prison for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He was indicted just before the contract dispute blew up. Alex was recommended to Reynolds by a mutual friend, another attorney, Michael Lewis, who was not familiar with contract law, let alone international contract law.

Jade and Mrs. McCord were in the middle of planning a charity dinner. Again, Jade would be sending out the invitations and answering any questions about the event, but she was also charged with working with an event planning company to coordinate the details for the dinner. 

Mrs. McCord was working on the guest list and planning another, smaller event that would be held three weeks later at the country club. 

*

A week later

By Wednesday morning, Jade had everything at work pretty much under control. She was now looking forward to spending some time alone with Alex.

Since she and Alex got together, Briana was more times than not spending her after school hours with Judy giving her parents a little break. He mother still took her to school, but Judy picked Briana up in the afternoon when she got Lisa. Although her parents enjoyed having their granddaughter, at Judy's she had a playmate in Lisa and her parents had more time to make their own plans. They both were active and had a fairly large circle of friends. 

Her mother was still pressing to meet Alex. Jade knew she wouldn't be able to put that meeting off much longer, but she wasn't prepared for it right then. However, she decided to talk to Alex about it sometime during the following week. 

Although she and Alex kept in touch by phone, they hadn't actually seen each other all week. He was putting in some long hours in the evenings, either working at the office or at home. When he called he sounded tired, but he promised to spend time together over the weekend.

On Friday Jade's mother called to ask if Briana could stay with them after school the following week and then stay over the weekend. They missed their granddaughter. She agreed knowing that Briana loved being with them. Besides, she'd get to have some alone time with Alex. The irony of the situation wasn't lost of Jade. Just when she'd gotten another job, in part to spend more time with her daughter, she'd gotten a social life. 

It was still a win for both of them. She was able to spend evenings and most weekends with Briana, but unlike when she was with Rollins, she was now able to enjoy them. That meant that she could give her daughter her full attention with they played games or worked on school projects, sometimes with Alex. 

Jade and Alex spent a few weekends alone and went out on the town from time to time, but a good deal of their time together was spent with Briana who seemed to blossom under the attention she was getting from Alex. 

* 

After picking Briana up, they headed to the Bob Evans near Judy's house. They were seated waiting for the waitress, when Jade brought up the subject of Briana staying with her grandparents on the weekend.

"Briana, I talked to Mom about you spending time with them after school next week and the weekend. Would you like that?"

Nodding, Briana said, "Yes. I like staying with them. I like staying at Lisa's too, but I haven't stayed with Grandma and Poppy for a while." 

Then, pulling on her pigtail, she said, "I miss Alex, too. When is he coming over to our house?"

"You'll get to see Alex soon. He had a lot of work to do this week and couldn't come over. I'm sure he misses you too," Jade said.

"I liked playing with him. He smells good and I like it when he reads me a bedtime story, just like a real daddy. Lisa's daddy reads her stories all the time," Briana said, with an innocence only children have, but Jade felt the longing behind the words. 

Briana's reference to a 'real daddy' shocked Jade, but she didn't say anything. She knew Briana was attached to Alex, but she didn't know she was starting to think of him as a father figure. Neither of them had known him for a long time, but she acknowledged that it was more than enough time for her daughter to learn to love him. A few months were a long time for a child. 

Sighing inwardly, Jade prayed for things to work out for both of them. In the meantime, she decided not to make a big deal of Briana's statement. 

"Alex loves reading to you, baby. I'm sure he would read you a story whenever you wanted," Jade said.

Briana nodded, but before she could say anything the waitress appeared to take their orders. 

Jade placed the orders and while they waited for their meal, Briana regaled her with Lisa's antics. In the middle of one of the stories, she got a call on her cell phone. It was Alex.

"Hello?"

"Hi, sweetheart, I'm on my way over to your place. I finished work early and thought we'd go out to dinner with Briana."

"Oh! We're already at dinner, Alex. I decided to treat Briana to Bob Evans since she's going to be at my folks this coming weekend. 

"Which Bob Evans?" he asked.

"It's the one on fourth; a few blocks from Judy's house." 

"Ok, baby, I'll join you there. I'm about ten minutes away. Order me the pot roast sandwich platter and iced tea," he requested. 

"All right, Alex, I'll see you soon." 

When Jade put her cell phone back in her bag, she smiled at her daughter knowing that she had been listening intently.

"Alex is going to join us for dinner."

"Yay!" Briana said enthusiastically. 

Jade signaled to the waitress who came over and took the additional order with a request to hold their meals until Alex arrived. 

Briana took up where she left off on her story, but it only took a few minutes for Jade's mind to drift as she thought about the last night she spent with Alex. It wasn't very long after that when she felt her heat rise. As she tried to tamp down those feelings Alex walked through the door. 

Briana was first to catch sight of him.

"There he is, Mommy!" she shouted. 

Jade shushed her as her voice carried across the room. She noticed that Alex smiled when he saw them. She also noticed heads turning to look at him, but it's the women gazes that lingered. 

He was sexy, no doubt about it. He'd worn a 3-piece gray suit to work, but had taken off the jacket. As he strode across the room toward them, Jade couldn't help appreciating how tall and board shouldered he was. His waist was trim and he had a butt that begged to be stroked. She blushed as she recalled that she had, in fact, stroked that supremely fine hard ass. 

When he arrived at the table, he slid into the booth next to Briana and across from Jade. 

Taking Jade's hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed it, before saying, "Hi, sweetheart."

Jade looked into his dark smoldering eyes and almost melted into a puddle right there. 

"Hi," she said shyly. 

Hell, they were in a public place and this gorgeous man had just kissed her hand. That was damn sexy.

Glancing at Briana, he said, "Hi, princess. Glad to see me?"

Briana nodded and said, "Yep. I missed you and I asked mommy about you. I'm glad you came to eat with us."

"I missed you, too," he said. "Tell me what you've been doing at Lisa's." 

Jade shook her head as Briana launched into her adventures and misadventures with Lisa during the week. Alex listened intently, occasionally asking questions. When he caught Jade watching him, her eyes soft and her beautiful lips curved into a smile, he winked at her, making her eyes widen and she blushed like a giddy school girl. 

The meal was a sweet intimate occasion. Jade felt like they were a family; how could Briana not think of Alex and daddy in the same sentence? He was attentive, genuinely interested in what she had to say and loving. He was everything she had wanted Jackson to be.

After dinner they drove to Jade's place in their separate cars. Briana stayed up longer than usual and watched television while Jade and Alex cuddled on the sofa. 

At nine o'clock Briana had her bath and afterward she was put to bed. After saying her prayers, she asked Alex to read her a bedtime story, one she'd heard many times before from the Dora the Explorer series. Alex read in a soft even tone and half way through the book, Briana was asleep. He and Jade both kissed her before closing the door behind them. 

Once Jade and Alex were alone, she curled up in his lap on the sofa. Stroking the side of his face, she leaned in to kiss him softly. Alex grunted and deepened the kiss, his hand caressing her hip and buttocks. Soon, his tongue slipped into her mouth and he heard her moan as her tongue dueled with his. For long minutes, they indulged their hunger for the taste of each other. 

When their ardor heightened, Alex unbuttoned Jade's blouse and slipped his hand in to caress her plump breasts through the lace bra. Finding that the bra had a front closure, he eagerly opened the eye hooks and pulled it aside allowing her breasts to spill out. 

Jade panted, grinding her bottom into his erection, groaning more urgently as he pinched her throbbing nipples.

"Alex," she moaned on a ragged breath.

Sliding his mouth down her smooth tender neck, he sucked and then licked the flesh, his breathing just as harsh as hers.

"What is it, sweetheart? What do you want?" he growled, the words muffled by the slide on his lips down to her breasts. 

Fighting to find her voice, Jade said, "I...I want...I..ooooh, Alex." she wailed as his hand found it's way under her skirt to caress her pussy through her wet panties.

"I want too, baby," he averred. 

"I want you riding my dick. I want you screaming..." he trailed off as he slipped a finger into her pussy and her walls clinched around it.

"Fuck, baby. I have to have you. Now!" 

Alex slipped her off his lap and tried to gain some control so that he could please both of them. The way he was feeling, he was likely to shoot his load the minute his dick felt her slickness.

Quickly, taking her hand, he pulled Jade to her feet and strode into her bedroom. After closing the door and locking it, he undressed her, then himself. 

His head was swimming with the heady scent of her arousal.

After urging her to sit on the bed, Alex knelt on the floor before her. He spread her feet apart to give himself full access to the source of that glorious aroma. Pushing gently on her chest he ordered with a grin, "Lay back, baby. I'm going to be here for awhile." 

With those words, her pussy throbbed and gushed in pleasure. Leaning back on her elbows, Jade watched and waited. She didn't have to wait long.

Alex lifted both of her legs onto his shoulders, and then curved his hands around her thighs to hold them open as he lowered his head. As he watched her watching him, he sank his lips into the sweet nectar bathing the entrance to her womanly core.

Jade's hips lifted at the pressure from Alex's lips, and she squealed with delight. She lost all thought as his mouth made a feast of her pussy with his tongue thrusting, seeking the source of her liquid essence. 

Jade fell flat on her back almost swooning, unable to hold herself upright.

Grabbing his hair, she groaned and mewled, thrashing her head from side to side, trying to squeeze his head in the vice of her thighs. But Alex held her open, licking and then taking tiny bites on her swollen clitoris.

Thoroughly, he covered the entire area, not wanting to come up, even to breath. But, he did manage, barely, and then plunged right back down into the sweetest taste he'd ever had of a woman.

Alex wasn't drowning; he was flying, higher than he'd ever flown from this act. He could not get enough and she obliged him by continually flooding his mouth with her honeyed sap. 

For her part, Jade was holding on for dear life, her hands twined in his thick silky hair, her body bowing as she felt the tentacles of orgasm taking hold. Suddenly, Alex flicked her clit with his tongue and then took it between his lips and sucked, hard. 

Jade screamed and buck as her climax shot through her body and her pussy throbbed relentlessly. Still he held on sucking as she screamed long, seemingly endlessly, until she could offer no more.

Her mouth gaped open, but no sound emanated from it. 

Finally, as she came down slowly, Alex eased up, licking and soothing her tender clitoris, then kissing her inner thighs as she released her grip on his hair and her arms fell to the bed.

Alex was on fire, his cock hard and aching, needing his own release. Getting to his feet, he urged Jade further up the bed. He then knelt on the bed and wrapped her legs around his hips. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 04



She watched him with hooded eyes as he leaned down to kiss her lips. She tasted herself, the eroticism of it causing an ache in the pit of her stomach. When Alex pulled back she licked her bottom lip and smiled at him.

"I love you, Alex. More than I ever knew I could love a man. I need you so much." She panted, stroking his powerful arms.

Caressing her inner thighs, Alex smiled and said, "You're all that I ever wanted and more, baby. I will love you until my dying day." 

Taking his cock in his hand, he placed the tip at her entrance, and watched her eyes flutter then close. He pushed the big head in and waited for her to adjust, feeling her muscles twitch. After a few moments, he pushed forward inch by inch, straining against the tightness. Opening her eyes, Jade watched as he bottomed out in her pussy, her swollen walls pulsing, clinging to his shaft.

Slowly he thrust in and out, her vaginal juices aiding the progress of his engorged cock. Jade's breath came in increasingly short pants, her hands squeezing her breasts and pinching her turgid nipples as she became more aroused. 

Watching her, Alex felt his cock expand. 

Taking hold of her thighs, he held them up as he started thrusting into her heated channel, increasing the speed as his own desire rose. Thrusting his hips faster and harder, he felt his balls pulling up as his cum rose through the shaft of his aching cock.

Jade's vaginal walls clutched at him more rapidly as another orgasm approached. Alex thrusts became shorter, quicker, jerky as his body started to stiffen in anticipation of delivering a rush of hot sperm into its natural receptacle. 

Jade was almost there, almost. She could feel the tingling in her pussy, her breasts were overly sensitive, her nipples hard and throbbing. Then, suddenly, Alex changed the direction of his thrusts and her body arched as she shrieked, bucking as she came again. Delirious with desire, she came and came, shouting in breathtaking pleasure. 

Jade withered in ecstasy, but when the flames in her body eventually diminished to sparks, she felt Alex pick up the pace again, thrusting viciously. Immediately, her desire was rekindled, rising higher and higher as he stroked in and out of her pussy. Just as she thought she couldn't go any higher her brain blinked and she went hurling into a sea of glorious rapture.

Right behind her, Alex cock jerked, spewing out cum in jet after jet. He continued to thrust through their climax, never wanting to stop, but knowing it would end all too soon. Still he plunged into the hot vortex of her sex, until she had drained him of every drop of his seed.

Satisfied, they slowly slipped into sleep, still entwined.



A Long Time Coming Ch. 05



Alex had an immediate feeling of well being as he came to consciousness in the wee hours of the night. His next awareness was of the woman sprawled on top of him, her softness seductively molded to his hard frame. This was the second time he'd awakened; the first was to Jade doing something incredible to his throbbing cock.

"Damn, she has a hot mouth," he thought. 

Now she was sound asleep again. 

He loved Jade and wanted to marry her. As far as he was concerned it couldn't happen soon enough, but he knew she would need time. He thought of all the possibilities that a life with her presented as he idly stoked her body. Then, satisfied with the path he was taking he closed his eyes and drifted back into peaceful slumber.

*

When Alex awakened again, he was alone. Jade's side of the bed lacked the heat of her body which told him that she had been up for a while. He sleepily ambled to the bathroom to take a quick shower. After completing his other morning ablutions, he returned to the bedroom and dressed. 

Jade was roused by a full bladder at six thirty. The room was almost pitch dark with the curtains drawn, but she didn't need light to find her way to the bathroom, thankfully, as Alex needed his rest. Gingerly she eased out of bed without disturbing him. He was so exhausted that he didn't even stir. 

After finishing up in the bathroom, she checked on Briana, who was still asleep, but she knew it wouldn't be long before her daughter was up. Leaving her with a kiss on her forehead, she padded to the living room, turned on the television with the sound low and watched the news. 

True to her nature, twenty minutes later Jade heard her daughter calling at her bedroom door.

"Mommy, I'm up."

Quickly, Jade went to her before she disturbed Alex. She steered Briana to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth and then dressed her in a red printed shorts set. 

"Are you hungry, sweetheart?" Jade asked wondering what she was going to tell the child about Alex being there; then thought that there was no reason to fret over it until the need arose.

"Yep. I want some oatmeal with raisins," Briana requested.

"Is Alex coming back today?" she asked as she took a seat at the table.

Jade sighed deeply; the need had risen sooner than she anticipated. 

"Alex is still here baby. He's asleep." 

Looking toward the living room, Briana asked, "Where's he sleeping?"

"Cripes!" Jade thought; she really should have known her inquisitive offspring would want more of an explanation.

"He's sleeping in my room, baby," she answered carefully, dreading the next question as she placed the oatmeal in the microwave. 

"Oh," was all Briana said. 

Jade was stupefied.

"Oh? That's it?" she thought to herself, and then shook her head. Apparently that was as much of an explanation as her daughter required. 

She started the coffee maker before taking the cartoon of eggs and linked sausages out of the refrigerator. She didn't know what Alex wanted for breakfast yet, but she was in the mood for something substantial. 

She poured Briana a few ounces of orange juice in a tumbler placing it on the table before retrieving the oatmeal from the microwave. 

"Here you go, sweetie," Jade said as she sat the bowl in front of her daughter, cautioning her to wait until it cooled a bit before eating.

"Thank you, Mommy. Are you gonna wake Alex for breakfast?" Briana asked eager to see him.

"Alex's had a hard week at work and needs to rest. He'll have breakfast whenever he wakes up," Jade told her while she cracked some eggs.

It was only a few minutes later when Alex appeared dressed in his slacks and shirt which he left outside of the pants. He was barefooted. Noticing Briana said. "Look, Mommy, he doesn't like to wear shoes inside either."

Jade smiled at the child's obvious enjoyment of having something in common with Alex. 

Alex leaned down and kissed Briana on her forehead murmuring, "Good Morning, Princess." 

He took Jade in his arms, kissing her thoroughly before asking, "What's for breakfast?"

Melting into his warm body, Jade whispered, "Anything you want."

"Anything?" he questioned with a wicked grin.

"Ah, within reason," she amended nervously cutting a side glance toward Briana.

"I think what I have in mind may be within the realm of reason," he murmured. 

Briana watched them curiously for a moment. Since she didn't have a clue what they were talking about, she went back to eating her cereal. 

"Alex," Jade whispered tamping down her arousal.

He hugged Jade tightly, and with considerable effort released her. 

After scanning the items she'd taken from the refrigeration, he said, "I'll have what you have out with three eggs, scrambled with cheddar cheese, if you have it."

"I do," she said and went back to the fridge to take out the cheese.

In the meantime, Alex poured himself a cup of freshly brewed coffee and sat next to Briana. 

"Yep," he thought, "she'll be saying I do again sooner than she thinks."

*

Alex enjoyed spending time with the two people he considered to be part of his family. To Briana's delight, they went to the Park on Saturday. There was a new petting zoo which had her so enthralled that she hadn't wanted want to leave. However, she was happy with Alex's assurance that they would come back another day. Later they went to lunch and then to see a movie. 

Alex spent the night again and was there in the morning when Briana awakened. She gave him a hug and a kiss and proceeded to the table for breakfast, just like he'd always been there. 

On Sunday afternoon they had an early dinner with the Harris's. Jade's parents' were ecstatic to finally meet Alex. They both liked him immediately and were pleased that he so obviously cared about their daughter. Alex was aware of the family history and wasn't surprised that Juliette looked more Caucasian than African American. 

Juliette Dalton Harris was the product of an interracial marriage, her mother being Caucasian, her father African American, both now deceased. Although shielded from racial strife as a young child, as she entered her teen years she became more aware of prejudice based on skin color. 

For Juliette, it was a constant battle because of the way she looked. There were always explanations to make to avoid misunderstandings, especially when dating. She was opened minded and dated men of different races, but she wasn't always accepted by their families or friends.

However, when she met Jared Harris, none of that mattered; she only had eyes for him. Jared was a tall good looking young black man, the eldest of six children. He was tall and lean, his skin tone warm mocha, his eyes a beautiful caramel color. Juliette fell in love at first sight. From the time that they met, they were inseparable. His parents were not keen on their relationship thinking that she wasn't black enough. But eventually they came around when they realized their opinion wasn't going to influence how their son felt. 

Three years after they met Jared asked Juliette to marry him. Always practical, he wanted to be financially secure before he took on the responsibility of a wife and children. To that end, he worked every job that he could find and saved every penny possible.

They were married two years later with both sets of parents in attendance and a few friends. Now married, they were eager to start a family. Unfortunately, it took a long time for Juliette to conceive, although medically there was nothing wrong with either of them. With patience and a lot of prayers, six years later they were blessed with Jade who favored her mother, but had her father's eyes and a warm brown skin tone. 

Juliette and Jared's happiness was complete with the birth of their daughter. But, a year later, they had another blessing the form of their son Russell, who was the spitting image of his father. With the normal ups and downs of marriage, they'd made it through thirty two years with love, dedication and compromise. Juliette wanted the same for her daughter. 

Dinner was served in the formal dining room with Russell conspicuously absent. Jared explained that he was out with friends, but Jade could see that he clearly wasn't happy about it. Despite his absence they spent a pleasant evening getting to know Alex who was charming and surprisingly attentive to their granddaughter. 

* 

The following week was busy with the usual activities. Alex had dinner with Jade and Briana every evening, and stayed over a couple of times. Briana, always happy to see him, was never shy about showing her affection. 

On the following Thursday, Alex's parents invited Jade and Briana to dinner along with their other sons and their women. Diana McCord thought it had been far too long since she'd had all of her sons together for dinner. The meal presented itself as the perfect time for her to see how they got on with their women; women who one day might be her daughters.

When the night of the McCord dinner arrived, Jade found that she was anxious about the impression she would make. She saw Mr. and Mrs. McCord almost on a daily basis, but this would be the first time that they would be together in an intimate social setting. She knew that both of the McCords liked her and approved of her relationship with their son, but that didn't help her jitters. 

She'd dressed in a simple deep rose pink a-line dress with white high heeled sandals and minimal jewelry; a gold bracelet and a pair of pearl earrings. Briana wore a green and yellow dress with capped sleeves and black patent leather Mary Jane shoes. They were both ready and waiting for Alex.

Since Alex lived closer to his parents than to Jade, she'd offered to meet him there. That offer was met with an emphatic no. He made it clear that it was no inconvenience and that they would make their entrance as a couple. 

It was six fifteen when he arrived wearing black slacks and a long sleeve black and gray crew neck light weight knit shirt. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. They were expected at seven O'clock and they'd just make it if the traffic was light.

When they arrived a few minutes after seven, everyone else was in attendance. After a round of introductions they proceeded to the sitting room.

Briana was stunned into silence by the enormous house and beautiful furnishings, especially the grand piano in the corner of the spacious room.

"Look Mommy," she said enthusiastically pointing to the piano. "Can I play with it?"

"No, sweetie, that isn't a toy," Jade responded. 

"She can have a go at it," Mrs. McCord said. "She couldn't possibly hurt it."

"No, she wouldn't hurt it, but I can't say the same for our ears," Jade deadpanned. 

Everyone laughed, except Briana since she didn't know what was so funny. Looking at Alex, she asked, "What?"

Hugging her, he said, "We're all just happy that you're here, sweetheart."

"I'm happy too," she said with a winsome smile.

No one in the room missed her affection for Alex or his for her.

It was soon after that the cook announced dinner was served and they all moved to the formal dining room. 

The center piece of the room was a long mahogany table with its matching chairs which were handed down from Mr. McCord's grandparents and could seat up to twenty five people comfortably. The other furnishings were two companion sideboards and a large china cabinet; two large crystal chandeliers hung over the table. 

Everyone sat at one end of the table with Mr. McCord at the head and Mrs. McCord to his right. Alex sat to the left of his father with Briana between him and Jade. Jason and Kate sat across from them with Cameron and Lauren sitting in their preferred positions, across from each other. 

Although the setting was formal, the meal was a leisurely affair which included appetizers, the entree with salad and dinner rolls, and dessert with plenty of lively conversation between the courses. The entire meal was delicious; however, the show stopper was the decadent 6-layer chocolate cake which they all gorged on unabashedly. 

After dinner they returned to the sitting room to continue their conversation and to get to know each other better. No one asked about Briana's father, which Jade very much appreciated. Briana, always a good little girl, was on her best behavior. She chatted with everyone and asked questions and answered theirs. 

By the time they left, everyone knew that she was five years old, that her birthday was May 4th, she didn't like cats, she loved Uno, Old Maid, reading, drawing, painting and Alex. She stuck close by his side the entire evening.  

When they got back to Jade's place, Alex didn't want the evening to end. He and Jade had to work the next day, but that didn't make it easier to leave. He suggested that she and Briana spend the rest of the week through the weekend at his place. They'd be together in the evening and could plan some activities for the weekend. Since Jade's parents lived between their two homes, she could still take Briana to their house in the mornings without being inconvenienced and Judy could pick her up after school.

He discussed the arrangement with Jade while Briana was off using the bathroom not wanting to disappoint her in the event that her mother decided against the idea. However, Jade readily agreed to his plan and went to pack a bag.

When Briana returned, she asked, "Where's mommy?"

Alex held her hand as she stood before him. "She's packing a few things. The two of you are going to spend the weekend with me at my house."

"For real?" she asked bubbling with excitement. "We're going to go to your house?"

"Yes," he confirmed with a smile, "for real."

"I gotta help mommy pack," Briana said. Alex released her hand and she trotted off. 

When they got to Alex's home Briana was put to bed with a bedtime story.

Afterward, Alex and Jade took a long shower together, kissing and caressing until they both were feverish with desire. Lifting Jade by the buttocks, he held her against the shower wall as she wrapped her legs around his hips and took him in one excruciatingly slow slide. Quickly he set up a punishing pace, thrusting deeply, culminating in a gut wrenching orgasm. 

Presently they rinsed off and dried their flushed bodies with an oversized fluffy towel, tossing it carelessly on top of the hamper afterward. As Jade walked out of bathroom on still wobbly legs, Alex swatted her bottom with his palm causing her to jump in surprise.

"Alex!" she shrieked turning around to confront him.

"Yes, love?" he said in an innocent tone.

Melting, she said, "I love you."

Suddenly serious, he pulled her into his arms, brushed his lips against her cheek and whispered, "I will never get tired of hearing that. I love you sweetheart, more every day."

Sliding his hand down to her derriere, he chuckled and said, "Love this ass too."

Jade shook her head and giggled. Taking Alex by the hand she led him into the bedroom.

Although they'd just had a very satisfying orgasm, they were by no means sated; and this time Alex was in the mood to linger over her body.

Lying in bed on his side, he caressed Jade from her breasts, to the soft moist folds of her pussy and back up again. He flicked his finger against the hard nipple of her breast drawing a moan from her sweet lips. Restlessly Jade moved her legs trying to ease the ache between her thighs.

Looking into her eyes, he saw the love, the want, the need she freely displayed. This woman was made for him. He loved the feel and look of her luminous brown skin against his hand. It was baby soft and tasted like the purest honey, as sweet as the nectar at the center of her desire. 

Jade stroked Alex's strong muscled arms as she kissed along his jaw line murmuring her love and pleasure, feeling herself immersed in his strength and passion. Here was the man she never thought existed for her. She was thankful that the fates had been kind and that after seeing him that first time she didn't have to spend the rest of her life wondering what might have been. 

Alex was a sexy beast, but he was far more than his looks; more than his wealth, more than his social position. He was a warm, loving, engaging, compassionate man. He was the genuine article through and through. 

Feeling languid, carried along on a warm sensual feeling, Jade luxuriated in their intimate embrace wanting to stay ensconced in his arms forever. Arching into his body she moaned, rubbing his erection into her soft belly, the hardness drawing a throbbing ache from her core. She loved having him inside of her, craved the power of his possession. 

He could work magic with each stroke of his turgid manhood and she wanted that right now. Taking his penis in hand, Jade rubbed the head against her slippery opening, gasping at the contact. Alex's body jerked as a grunt escaped his sensual lips. Settling between her accommodating thighs, he thrust his hips forward, spreading the labia with the broad head of his erection.

Gritting his teeth at the deliciously slow progression of his penetration, he thought, "This has to be the best feeling ever known to man." The feel of his cock invading the heart of his woman's body sent flares rushing through his tall frame and when the large gland popped inside of her, they both sighed. 

Jade always held her breath as Alex cock entered her, all her senses directed to the part of her body that willingly accepted him into the heart of her femininity. There was nothing, absolutely nothing more intimate or more fulfilling than giving herself to this man. Arching her body upward, she signaled that she was ready for more. Acknowledging her anxious movement, Alex slid a few more inches into her then stopped again. 

"Alex, pleaseeee," Jade pleaded, her breathing ragged. 

Alex advanced his cock, straining to hold off his orgasm, but he could feel it approaching urged on by the tightening of her inner walls. Sliding along those humid walls, he felt his cock swell. Picking up speed, he pounded her passage in ever increasing waves of pleasure. 

Jade held on desperately as Alex's penis hit all the sensitive nerve endings along her hot moist pussy igniting a firestorm of aching need. In a surge of ravenous yearning, Alex plunged deeper and harder into her depths until with a thunderous roar his sperm spewed forth into her sweet receptacle, taking her with him toward the bright light, drowning them in pleasure. 



A while later, exhausted and sated, Alex rolled onto his back cradling Jade in his arms. He gently stroked her slick body as she shivered with lingering desire and his cock, slow to give up its hardness, remained snugly ensconced inside of her. 

* 

The next morning there was a small knock at the door. 

Alex awakened first. Of course, it was Briana, which had him wondering what she would think of finding her mother in his bed. He decided that he might as well find out as this would no doubt be a common occurrence when he and Jade had more children. He already felt like Briana was his.

After hurriedly putting on a pair of boxers and his dressing gown, he opened the door. 

Looking up at him, Briana gave him a sunny smile and said, "Hi, Alex, is mommy in there?"

Returning the smile, he said, "Yes, she is, but let's not wake her yet. How about I help you wash your face and brush your teeth; then I'll make breakfast?"

Nodding, she agreed happily. "Okie, Dokie."

Off they went to the guest bath where Alex watched to make sure she washed her face properly and brushed her teeth thoroughly. But he needn't have bothered; she really was capable of taking care of that by herself. 

When she finished, she mugged, showing him her shinny white teeth. "See?" she said, smiling when he nodded. 

Alex walked Briana back to her bedroom and asked if she could dress herself.




A Long Time Coming Ch. 05



"Yes. I dress myself all the time," she said before walking into the room. 

"What do you want for breakfast? I have Cheerios, oatmeal, bacon and eggs, grits and cream of wheat." 

She thought about it with her head turned to the side before saying, "I want bacon, eggs and grits." 

Alex stroked her cheek gently, thinking that she was adorable. "Ok, baby. Come into the kitchen when you're finished. Turn this way when you come out of the room," he said, indicating to the left, "and you'll find me."

"Ok," Briana replied.

Alex was almost finished cooking breakfast when Jade wandered in. Briana was at the breakfast bar and called out enthusiastically, "Mommy!" 

"Morning, sweetheart," Jade said as she kissed the tip of her daughter's nose.

Walking over to Alex who was leaning on the counter near the stove, she wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled into his warm embrace. Over the months she'd grown comfortable with Briana seeing their displays of affection. It helped tremendously that her daughter accepted it as a natural occurrence. 

"Morning, baby," she whispered.

Gathering her closer, Alex gave her a long lingering kiss. 

"Good Morning, love." 

"What's for breakfast?" she asked sniffing the air.

"The bacon and biscuits are in the oven and I have grits cooking. Coffee is on and I was about to make scrambled eggs," he replied. 

"You made biscuits?" she asked with an arched brow. 

"I can make them, but this morning I used the flash frozen kind I got from the supermarket. I use them in a pinch and they're almost as good as homemade."

He untangled himself from Jade after another kiss and a subtle squeeze to her bottom and went to the refrigerator. 

"Do you want Juice, Briana?"

"Yep. Orange juice, please."

"You're in luck, I have a little left."

Taking the juice out, he poured it into a cup and placed it before her discarding the plastic container in the recycling bin under the sink. 

"Why don't you let me make the eggs," Jade said giving the grits one last stir before setting the burner to warm.

"All right," Alex agreed thinking that it would be wonderful to wake up to Jade and Briana every morning. 

He sat next to Briana and talked to her about their plans for they day. As that conversation went on in the background, Jade checked on the biscuits and bacon. The biscuits were golden brown and the bacon crispy, and it was only a short time later that they sat down to a nice leisurely breakfast. Anyone looking on would think they were any other normal family. In the mind of everyone sitting at the table, they were. 

* 

The days passed with the happy trio getting settled into a routine. Alex and Jade worked during the day with Briana in pre-school, then after school care with either her grandparents or Judy. When Alex got home from work they had the evening meal together.

Briana generally watched television or DVD while Jade and Alex talked about their day on the sofa nearby. If she had a school project, they both helped her. If she wanted them to join her in playing a game, they were all in. But after she was put to bed with one of her favorite stories, it was strictly adult time for Jade and Alex.

* 

The pre-school meet and greet arrived with both Alex and Jade taking the entire day off from work. The purpose of the gathering was not only for the parents to receive updates on their child's progress, but to allow the teachers an opportunity to get to know the parents. 

The event went well with Alex discussing Briana with the other parents and her teacher as if she were his child; he certainly knew more about her than her own father. Miss Wexler had been surprised upon being introduced to him. While she was aware that Jade was bringing a male friend, she didn't know that he was Caucasian, not that it mattered. It was rather a surprise though; the man was an eyeful, but she had to admit that they looked good together. 

Both Jade and Alex were proud of Briana's progress even though they had expected nothing more than a glowing report. Briana was only in pre-school, but she worked on a first grade level and was always eager to learn new things. Jade extended her daughter's studies at home with educational videos and books along with the personal time and instruction. With Alex to help, Briana blossomed. 

Briana had a great time and was particularly happy that Alex was there. Alex was a revelation to Jade, but he shouldn't have been. He was as much at ease with the children as he was with the teachers. The only hiccup came when one of the children asked Briana if Alex was her father. However, Jade step in and explained that he was a friend of the family. She noticed that her daughter was neither upset by the question or the answer. 

* 

The following week Alex went to Gainesville for the continuing education seminar. Jade and Briana talked with him every evening, sharing their longing for his return and the news of the day. 

The adults especially enjoyed the time spent talking after Briana was in bed. Frequently those sessions were laden with emotion, eventually leading them to engage in phone sex which was a new experience for both of them. While it was satisfying on some level, it wasn't anywhere near the explosion of pleasure they had when they were face to face. However, it had to do until Alex returned. 

Alex, not wanting to waste any time getting home, booked a flight out following his last class. He called in advance to let Jade know the time of his arrival. When he got to her apartment Briana was already asleep; he went in quietly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. The rest of the night was spent reaffirming his love for his woman. 



*

Early Saturday morning the incessant ringing of the phone reached into Jade's subconscious and brought her out of a deep peaceful sleep. It had also awakened Alex. She rolled away from his warm body and grappled for the telephone on the night stand.

"Hello?" she answered groggily. 

She was so sleepy she didn't check the caller ID or wonder why someone was calling so late. However, Alex sat up, alert. 

"Jade, it's Mom. I'm down at the Juvenile Detention Center on Orient Rd. Russell has been arrested. He and those Donaldson boys broke into a house. Your Dad ...is...is here with me. Jade we... don't know what to do, he could go to prison. Oh, God!" she broke off, crying. 

"Hold up, Mom," Jade urged as she tried to clear her head. 

"What's wrong, baby," Alex asked urgently.

"Russell's in jail," she said bewildered.

Taking the phone from Jade, Alex spoke to her mother assuring her that he and Jade would be there shortly. He cautioned her about letting Russell talk to anyone about the incident. There were certain protections in place for juveniles, but Alex knew that nothing should be taken for granted. 

"We're going to call my folks and take Briana over there," he said after he hung up. 

"Alex, we can't..." Jade started, not wanting to inconvenience his parents. But Alex dissuaded her of that notion.

"They won't mind," he assured her. "On the way, I'll call Mike Lewis to meet us at the facility. He's a friend and a damn good criminal attorney who has experience in handling juvenile cases. Since he knows the system, he would be the best person to help Russell. 

Jade roused Briana and explained that she was taking her to spend the night with Alex's parents, briefly explaining that Russell was in trouble and needed their help. She promised that they'd be back by the time she awakened in the morning. 

"Ok, Mommy," she yawned.

The adults got dressed, but instead of dressing Briana, she was wrapped in her Winnie the Pooh blanket. Jade thought she'd go back to sleep quicker if she had something familiar.

At the McCord's residence, they were greeted by both of Alex's parents who expressed their concern for Russell and assured Jade that they'd take good care of Briana. She thanked them and after she and Alex gave Briana a kiss, they sped off.

Once at the Juvenile Detention Center, they found her parents in the waiting room talking with a tall blond haired man. As they entered, he stood up and held out his hand to Alex. 

"Hi, Alex," he greeted. 

Shaking his hand, Alex said, "I'm glad you could make it, Mike."

After Jade hugged her parents, she turned back to Alex who introduced her to his friend.

"Mike, this is Jade Harris. Jade, Mike Lewis." 

Alex had already told Mike about his relationship with Jade, so no further explanation was necessary. Shaking her hand, Mike said, "Pleased to meet you, but I wish it could have been under different circumstances."

"Me, too," Jade murmured.

Mike motioned them to take a seat and advised that he'd been entered in the record as Russell's attorney. 

He went on to explain that Russell and the Donaldson brothers had broken into a neighbor's home. He didn't know the full details as yet, but would be talking to Russell shortly. 

Russell would be incarcerated, at least overnight. There would be a detention hearing the next morning at nine thirty to determine whether he would be detained until the arraignment or if he would be allowed to go home with some restrictions. 

"I'll be here for the hearing tomorrow," Mike said, "but parents are not allowed at the jail for weekend hearings unless the Judge grants an exception, which is unlikely. If Russell is released to go home, I'll accompany him and explained the restrictions the Judge has imposed."

He paused briefly to let what he'd said sink in, and then continued on. 

"The Judge will review the Probable Cause Affidavit, which is the arresting officer's statement of the offense. After which, he'll review the Risk Assessment Instruments, which is what the Judge uses to determine if the proper calculations were made according to the guidelines. After that is done, he makes a decision as to which option is suitable in Russell's case. My hope is that he would elect home detention."

"What's the likelihood that he'd be allowed to come home?" Jade asked.

"I can't be sure as I haven't seen the report," Mike said. "In his favor is the fact that this is his first offense and he's a minor." 

Her parents saw Russell briefly before Jade got the phone call. Far from being the belligerent young man they hadn't known, he was like a scared child. It hurt to know that he was locked up and worse still, he could go to prison. It was going to be a long night for all concerned. 

Mike assured them that he would do everything within his power to help Russell, but there was a lot to be determined still. Jade felt helpless, but she was realistic. There was nothing to be done, except let Mike do his job. 

No one could deny that they saw this coming, but they'd been hopeful that Russell would straighten up. For the past year, he'd been out of control, disdaining discipline and counsel. He had become sullen and disrespectful, often just leaving the house when his parents tried to talk to him. 

Russell was a smart quiet kid who excelled in academics, particularly math and science. However, he didn't have many friends and was frequently taunted with being a nerd. He didn't mind that so much, he liked being smart, but he thought his life was boring. He wanted some excitement and thought there was more to life than school and grades.

He developed a friendship with the Donaldson boys who were new to the neighborhood. They were five brothers from age thirteen to nineteen who had little supervision with both of their parents working long hours. 

Over time Russell became less interested in school and his grades suffered. Although they were decent, they weren't the straight A's that he'd always gotten. The more time he spent with his new friends, the more contentious he became, ignoring his parents concerns. 



After thanking Mike for his services and saying goodnight to her parents, Jade and Alex made the long drive back to the McCord's home. When they arrived, the lights were still on, his parents having stayed awake to get the news on Russell. With Alex's brief explanation, they bade them goodnight. 

Before going to their own room, Alex and Jade proceeded to the guest room to check on Briana who was snuggled up to her Pooh blanket. The moonlight filtered through the plantation shutters providing some light as she slept peacefully. 

In the other guest room, they undressed, both tired. Jade, in particular, was mentally drained by her effort to keep her fears and the feeling of helplessness at bay. However, she derived some comfort from Alex as they snuggled in the spoon position, his big body wrapped around her like a cocoon. 



It proved to be a fitful night for Jade. The first time she woke was after a nightmare in which Russell grew to be an old crippled man in prison. His hands were wrinkled, his fingers long and gnarled sporting nasty razor sharp nails. With those nails he marked his time in prison on the concrete walls. Gasping, she rose up from the bed shaking in a fit of terror.

Running her hands across face, Jade fought to calm her erratic breathing. Alex woke up and turned on the bedside lamp. He sat up against the headboard, hauled her into his arms and began stroking her back as he murmured words of comfort. 

After a few minutes she stilled, the frightful tremors easing. 

"What's the matter, baby; bad dream?" he asked.

Jade nodded her head nestled against his shoulder as she told him about the nightmare.

"I understand you're scared, anyone in your position would be," he said. "However, I know Mike, and he's an excellent attorney. He will do everything possible, call in every favor. You have to trust that things will work out for Russell or you'll drive yourself crazy. We'll all get through this, ok?"

"Thank you, Alex," Jade murmured. "I really appreciate what you're doing and the support you're giving my family. I forgot to say that earlier." 

"No thanks are necessary, sweetheart. I'd do anything for you and that automatically includes your family." Easing her back down on the bed, Alex thought to hold her as she fell asleep, but Jade had something else in mind. 

She sighed and kissed him softly as she stroked his chest, making her desire known.

"Sweetheart?" Alex questioned feeling the first curl of desire in the pit of his stomach. 

"I need you, Alex. I need your strength, I need your love," Jade whispered.

Alex leaned down and suckled the tips of her breasts, savoring the sweet essence that was his woman. Jade groaned and brushed her hand through his thick, silky hair, watching as he gorged on her flesh. 

"Ummmm," she purred, already feeling her body preparing for his possession. "Oh, ohhh, Alex, your mouth is so hot, your tongue...ummm, fuck....ooohh, yeah ... just...like...that."

Alex lifted his head slowly, his eyes dark with arousal.

"You like that? Wait until I get between your thighs. Be prepared to be truly amazed," he chuckled.

Jade moaned and then trembled in anticipation as she tried to guide him downward, but he wasn't finished with her beautiful breasts. 

As Alex returned his attention to the stubby nub that crown her delicious bounty, somewhere in the back of his mind an old saying rang true. 'The darker the berry....'

"Alex...Alex......oh, baby.....so good....so good..ughhhh......oh....oh god, oh god......ohhhh...." Jade babbled and then groaned deeply when he gently raked his teeth over her nipple. 

"Ummm," he purred.

Finally, Alex moved down her body, stopping briefly to dip into her navel, swirling his tongue inside its depth before continuing the path downward. He opened the lips of her pussy with his thumbs, the fat clitoris an erotic enticement that he couldn't resist. He kissed the sweet little jewel, and then swiped it with his tongue, causing Jade to mewl and involuntarily close her thighs against the agonizing pleasure. But Alex held her open, licking her slick burning flesh, devouring the sweet essence of her desire.

Jade squealed and arched her back as he delved into her pussy, shoving his tongue in as far as it would go, wiggling it against her sweltering walls.

"Aagghhhh!" She growled, gasping as her pussy spasmed. "Alex... Alex, baby.... come in me...come."

Alex indulged in one last long lick before he knelt between her quivering thighs. Holding his cock with one hand, he spread her nether lips with the fingers of his other and touched his drooling gland to the entrance of her body.

Both of them groaned, and then sighed.

Alex slid his shaft into her tight sheath until he hit bottom. He remained still for a moment in awe of his love and desire for this woman. Then he caressed the inside of her thighs with both hands and felt her vaginal walls tightened. 

It was an exquisite fit. 

Jade moaned and lifted her hips, wanting more, needing the slow slide or the quick thrust of his long rigid cock. Alex stroked purposely in and out, and then held still with only the head remaining in her trembling body. Thrusting back in, he savored the almost effortless glide, made so by her abundant sensual fluids. 

Alex rode along those snug walls, increasing the speed as they both neared climax. He pummeled her pussy like a man long deprived of the erotic pleasures of a woman's body. Relentlessly he pounded into her, thrusting to the hilt before sliding backward over and over again. 

Jade tried to muffle her moans with the back of her hand. But soon the moans turned into full fledged screams that echoed off the walls and there was little she could do except surrender to the soaring tidal wave of ecstasy.

Alex continued to hammer into her as he sought his own release. Jade's pussy spasmed and clutched his cock with each powerful thrust until he gave a roaring shout, his body shuddering as his back stiffened and his seed rushed into her hot pulsing core. 

It was a long time later before Alex rolled off of her moist body. He threw his arm over his head as he lay on his back with a satisfied grunt. 

"Damn!" he exclaimed, panting as he tried to catch his next breath. 

A few minutes later, Jade found her own voice, "Mmmmm, yeah," she murmured. "That was just what I needed."

"Glad I could help," Alex returned with a heart felt groan and a chuckle. 



A Long Time Coming Ch. 06



Jade woke up to Alex hugging her back. She wondered how they'd gotten in that position as she recalled she was sprawled across his chest when she fell asleep. Sighing, she decided it didn't matter; having his big body touching hers was good in any position. 

Her mood sobered as she suddenly remembered the events of the previous evening. She especially felt sad for her parents. It had been almost five years since she lived at home and as a consequence she wasn't privy to most of her parents' struggles with Russell. None of them could have imagined that he would be involved in anything criminal. Jade just hoped that Mike could at least keep him out of prison. She didn't want to think of the pain and suffering that would cause. 

While she was pondering her family's problem, she was unaware that she was stroking Alex's arm where it draped cross her hip, but he was awake and fully aware. He lay still inhaling the clean fresh scent of her hair. The sweet fragrance mingled with the musky aroma of their passionate lovemaking threatening to renew his arousal, but there was something else on his mind as well.

Alex had made an important decision, one that he was keeping to himself for the time being, but after the business with Russell was over, Jade would be the first person to know. From the beginning he'd wanted her to be his wife, however, she and Briana needed time to feel safe and secure in his love. Now there wasn't a single reason to wait any longer. 

Jade wasn't aware that Alex was awake until he whispered; "Keep stroking me like that and I'll have to stroke you back."

She chucked and vowed, "That would be heavenly." 

Rubbing his cheek against the back of her head, Alex groaned and arched his growing erection into her softly rounded buttocks. She felt damn good and he wasn't beyond being proud that only he had access to her hot body with sexy curves in all the right places. 

As Alex caressed up and down her hip, Jade turned onto her back, his hand coming to rest on her belly. He stroked her there and was bending down to kiss her when his cell phone went off. 

He uttered an expletive, but reluctantly sat up, his back braced against the padded head board. 

"McCord," he answered curtly.

"Alex, hey, it's Mike. I just wanted to give you an update of what's happening with Russell Harris's case. I read what was submitted to the court last night and had a long discussion with him this morning. He's hanging in pretty well, but he knows he messed up royally." 

Running his hand through his hair, Alex asked, "What did he say?"

"According to Russell, they broke into the house via a back window and were going through the place looking for valuables when the homeowner arrived earlier than they expected. The guy opened the door and flipped the light switch, that's when he was hit with the butt of a gun by Earle Donaldson, knocking him unconscious."

"Shit!" Alex swore.

"Alex?" Jade said, urgently. 

"Just a minute, baby," he whispered in an aside to her, stroking her thigh to sooth her growing anxiety. 

"Go on, Mike." 

"Well, once the guy fell to the floor, they really panicked, snatched up the items they'd found and got the hell out of there. Unfortunately, a neighbor heard the breaking glass when they were gaining access and called the cops. As they were leaving the scene, two cop cars were rolling up. They saw the cops and fled in separate directions."

After pausing a moment, he proceeded.

"For a while they tried to hang on to the loot, but it was in king size pillow cases, which was slowing them down. As it turned out, it hadn't taken them long to fill the bags because they knew where most of the things were. The Donaldson boys had been in the house several times before; they were friends with the homeowner's kid. They were captured not far from the scene."

"What now?" Alex asked, not as hopeful as he had been, but he'd never let Jade see that.

"Obviously, the gun is going to factor into whatever happens," Mike said. "But as I said last night, there is a detention hearing this morning. Hopefully, Russell will be released to go home until the arraignment. The official police report won't be ready for a couple of days, but the Judge will have the investigating officer's report."

"After the arraignment there's the pre-trial," he continued, "the trial and adjudication phase, if it gets that far. There's a lot to do between now and then though. I'm hoping to get this resolved during the pre-trial stage."

After clearing his throat, Mike said, "That's all there is at this point. I'll give you a call after the hearing."

"Thanks Mike," Alex said. "Have you informed his parents?"

"Yes. I called them a few minutes ago. They're pretty upset.

I gave them as much assurance as I can without giving them false hope. The truth is that I just don't know what will happen at this point."

"Ok, Mike, I understand. Thanks for calling."

Hanging up, Alex turned to Jade, who was nibbling her bottom lip in agitation. 

He got out of bed without saying a word and scooped her up in his arms, strolling into the en suit bathroom.

"Alex?" she questioned.

"We're going to have a shower first, get dressed and I'll tell you all about Mike's call."

"But...," Jade started. 

"No buts, baby. Just know that Russell is ok."

"All right," she said as he set her on her feet in the bathroom.

She was still worried, but she trusted Alex and knew that he only had their best interest at heart. 

Alex turned on the water and set the temperature to his liking before tugging her into the large shower enclosure. Jade sighed as the pelting of the water from the jets started to relax her body. 

She and Alex spent a long time in the shower, caressing and kissing, while attempting to wash each other. Finally, she couldn't stand any more and dropped to her knees where she took as much of his cock into her mouth as she could and brought him to a staggering climax. 

After regaining his breath and equilibrium, Alex returned the favor giving her sweet moist feminine folds a tongue lashing until she exploded into orgasm, screaming his name over and over as she gripped his slick hair. 

They continued their morning ablutions, got dressed and changed the bed linens together. Once that was done, Jade went to check on Briana while Alex made coffee. 

Briana was still asleep, so she joined Alex in the kitchen.

Jade sat at the large banquette while he prepared breakfast and related what he'd learned from Mike. She'd known that the situation was serious, but she was trying not to think further than today. If she dwelled on what could be, she wouldn't be able to control her emotions and would be of little help to her parents who desperately needed her strength. 

She and Alex decided that they would go over to her parents' home later. There wasn't anything either could do, but at least they could provide some distraction. How they would fare after that would very much depend on the outcome of the hearing. 

Just before Alex was through with breakfast preparations, Jade checked on her daughter again. She was still asleep. She was in a strange place, but she gave all the signs of being comfortable with the situation. She hadn't awakened during the night and was over-sleeping her usual rise and shine time. However, it was time for her to wake up or it would be difficult to get her to sleep later.

Jade shook Brian gently, while softly calling her name. Slowly she opened her eyes. As her focus adjusted, she smiled and mumbled as she stretched, "Hi, Mommy. Is it time to get up?" 

"Yes, it is, baby. You over slept. Come on, let's get you washed up and dressed. Alex is making breakfast."

Jade got her toothbrush from the overnight bag and led her into the en suite bathroom. While Briana washed her face and brushed her teeth, Jade made the bed and laid out a yellow summer dress and white sandals. Afterward, she brushed Briana's hair and pulled it back into a single ponytail.

"Hi, princess," Alex greeted when they entered the kitchen.

Running to him, Briana threw her arms around his waist. Looking up, she smiled and said, "Morning, Alex. What did you fix me for breakfast?"

Picking her up, he kissed her on the cheek and said, "I have cereal, if you want, but I cooked waffles with strawberry syrup. The syrup has real strawberry slices in it."

"Yum, yum. I want waffles. Can I have hot chocolate too?"

"Yep. I think I can manage that," he said, setting her back on her feet. "Sit next to your Mom and I'll get breakfast finished."

After breakfast, Jade called her parents to let them know that they would be coming over later. They were holding up as well as could be expected. Even so, they said that they would appreciate the company. 

When Jade finished the call, she sat down with Alex and Briana to enjoy the meal with Briana's constant chatter a comforting normality in what could be a long day. 



*          

They arrived at the Harris's just after ten thirty and there was a round of hugs for everyone. Gathering in the living room they talked of mundane things. They didn't go into details about Russell's case, mindful of Briana's presence. She was sprawled on the floor watching television happy to the let the adults talk without interruption. 

A couple of hours later Russell, very much subdued, walked through the door with Mike. There were more hugs with kisses and handshaking before everyone settled down. 

Russell was the first to speak.

"Mom, Dad, I'm so sorry for all the trouble I caused. I didn't know what those guys were up to at first and when I found out, I just went along because we were friends. I want you to know it's no one's fault but my own. I made the decisions that put me in detention. I'm sorry."

There were more kisses from his mother and crying. Finally, she composed herself.

"I'm sorry too, Son," she said, "but I hope you've learned something. I take that back, I know you've learned from this experience because you're taking responsibility. Your father and I are here to support you, to listen to you, to guide you if you let us."

"Yeah, I know. I wish I had figured that out before now," he said truly repentant.

Shaking away the gloomy feeling, Russell smiled and inquired, "What's for lunch."

Everyone laughed because they were relieved that he was making the effort to handle what they all knew was a difficult situation for him. Having round tabled lunch, it was decided that Alex would go out and get lunch for everyone and bring it back. 

Mike stayed for lunch and gave them some additional information. 

There were some guidelines to Russell's release from formal detention. He still was on a detention of sorts at home. He was allowed to go to school, but from school he had to come directly home. Once home, he was to stay on the property, except for emergencies, which were outlined in the documents the court gave Mike. 

The arraignment was scheduled in two weeks. At that time they would find out if Russell would be charged as a juvenile or an adult and whether he would go to a regular trial or a diversion program. 

Because of the seriousness of the charges, Mike thought it unlikely that he would be sent to a diversion program, which was basically teen court. In that court, the accused juvenile states his case, the evidence is reviewed and punishment, within certain guidelines, is decided upon by a jury of his peers, other teens. That type of scenario was usually reserved for less serious cases.

Before Jade left she hugged Russell and told him to call her whenever he wanted, even just to shoot the breeze. He hugged her back and said he loved her and he was going to make a pest of himself. She told him that she'd like nothing better.

Alex offered his hand, but Russell hugged him and told him to make sure that he took good care of his sister and niece. Alex assured him that nothing would make him happier.

*

In the next week things went back to their routine until Thursday afternoon. 

Jade was finishing up a letter dictated by Mrs. McCord when she got a call from Briana's teacher who called from her unlisted cell phone.

"Good Afternoon. This is the McCord Foundation; Jade Harris speaking. How may I help you?" 

"Miss Harris, this is Briana's teacher, Miss Wexler," Jade heard and she was immediately panicked. 

"Miss Wexler is Briana ok?" she asked urgently. 

"Yes, yes," she replied. "I didn't intend to upset you, but there is a matter I needed to inform you about. You see, Briana's father came by the school to pick her up. Since he is not on the approved list, I didn't let him take her. He was quite upset to know that he wasn't authorized to take her out of school."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Jade said, "Thank you so much for calling, Miss Wexler. I'll call and talk to Briana's father."

"Do you want me to add him to the list?" she inquired. 

"No!" Jade said more forcefully than she intended, but she didn't want Jackson to have permission to take Briana anytime the mood struck him. 

"No," she said more calmly. "Leave things just as they are. Again, thank you for calling."

"No problem at all. I just thought you needed to know."

After the call ended, Jade pondered what Jackson might be up to now. She wanted to talk to him immediately, but with his temper the conversation could get ugly. She'd just have to wait until she got home. Briana was spending Thursday and Friday with her parents. She insisted that she wanted to keep Russell company and they were happy to have her. 

It was kind of ironic that since she changed jobs, in part to spend more time with her daughter, Briana was becoming more independent. She knew Alex had a lot to do with that. Having a male influence, someone she could look up to and depend on, was working wonders on her daughter. 

*         

When Jade got home she immediately called Jackson.

"Yeah," Jackson answered. 

"This is Jade. I'm calling to find out why you wanted to take Briana out of school," she said, more peeved than she had wanted to show.

When Jackson heard what sounded like an accusation from Jade, he was immediately pissed.

"What the hell are you fucking mad about, she's my kid. Why you got me blocked from picking her up anyway?!" he yelled.

Trying to calm herself, Jade took a deep breath. But it was to no avail; she went off on him. 

"You never spend any time with your own daughter, damn it! You don't support her emotionally or financially and you only come around when your mother talks you into it. So why would I even think you'd want to be on the list?!" 

"I want my name on that list," he growled at her. "It made me look bad when I went to pick her up and I was told no because I wasn't on some damn list. Me, her father, ain't on the fucking list."

Over her initial anger, Jade made her feeling clear. 

"Your feelings are no concern to me," she said. "I have a daughter to be concerned about. Just because you're her father doesn't mean that you automatically get to be on the list; you have to earn that. Besides, Briana doesn't want to go anywhere with you, so I'm thinking this wasn't your idea."

"You're the reason she doesn't want to spend time with me; you poisoned her mind against me," Jackson accused avoiding the charge.

Jade couldn't believe what she was hearing. She went ballistic all over again. 

"Are you on crack, man?!" she raged. "She won't go with you because she doesn't know you. Just because she's your daughter, doesn't mean she's going to automatically like you. You're a grown ass man who has an absentee father, you should know better!" 

"Leave my father the hell out of this!" Jackson shouted back.

Jade knew that Jackson had issues with his father. Jackson Sr. dropped out of his life when he divorced Jackson's mother when he was 8 years old. Although he lived locally, once out of the house, he was out of his son's life. She hated that she brought up his father, but he got on her last nerve. 

Sighing, she said in a calmer voice, "I'm sorry I said that, but you should know how Briana feels. That's all that I meant. Now, why did you want to pick her up and why didn't you let me know in advance? I've never prevented you from seeing her." 

Reluctantly, because he hated it when Jade was right, Jackson told her the truth. "Mom has been asking about Briana for a while, going on about how she never gets to see her grand baby. Shit, I was tired of hearing it. I thought I'd pick her up for an hour or two and take her back to school." 

He wasn't about to admit to Jade that his mother had threatened to cut him off financially if he didn't make more of an effort with his daughter."

"She can see Briana," Jade said, "as long as I'm present. It would be too upsetting to her for me to leave her there alone. I'm not saying that to be mean, but your mother is a stranger to her."

Grudgingly, Jackson gave in. He really didn't have any choice. 

"Ok. I'll talk to my Mom and see when she wants to see Briana. I'll call you and let you know." 

Not one to leave well enough alone, Jackson asked, "Is that white guy still hanging around?" 

Jade gritted her teeth and said evenly, "That white guy is my boyfriend and none of your business."

Jackson grunted, but let the subject drop.

"I'll tell Mom what you said about Briana," Jackson said quickly and hung up before Jade could say anything else.

Looking at the phone in her hand, Jade snorted, "Huh!" and tossed it on the sofa.



*           

Jackson sat back in the chair trying to deal with his emotions. 

Jade always knew how to get to him, but he wasn't willing to admit that he provoked her. Now she had this white guy in her life; her boyfriend. Shit!

He didn't like Alex and he knew why. As long as there wasn't a man around, he could still think of Jade as his. He knew he fucked that up a long time ago, but he had hope. He'd told Jade what his mother said, but not all of it. His mother had read him the riot act.

She sat him down like he was a twelve year old and told him that he ought to be acting like the grown man he was. She finally realized that he was taking advantage to her and she was tired of making excuses for him. She was really angry, something he'd not seen before. However, she didn't just leave it at that. She acknowledged her part in enabling him because his father had abandoned him. Now she realized that it had only made him weak and dependent.

Hearing those words made Jackson feel lower than he'd ever felt in his life. What could he say when he knew she spoke the truth. As much as it was the truth, he wasn't ready to come to grips with it and that's why he was so angry with Jade. He'd missed his change with her and in the back of his mind he realized that's what his useless life had been about. 

His mother had other regrets. She was sorry about the way she treated Jade, but thought she'd burned that bridge. Still, she wanted a relationship with her granddaughter, the only one she might ever have. 

After he and Jade broke up, Jackson put all the blame on her and his mother had swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. 

It was Jade's fault that he couldn't see his daughter. He did everything he could to poison her mind against Jade because he hadn't wanted his mother to be disappointed in him. 

One of the biggest lies he told her was that Jade had cheated on him. His mother took that information and ran with it suggesting that the baby might not have been his. He let her believe that although he knew with certainty that it wasn't true. Jade had been crazy about him and faithful. 

In the beginning, Jade begged him to spend time with Briana, but that stopped after Briana turned two. She just stopped everything. She stopped asking, stopped calling, stopped talking to him unless it was absolutely necessary. She got on with her life without him. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 06



Later, she pursued child support and Jackson was court ordered to take a DNA test, which he didn't tell his mother about. He was the father, of course. He was working at the time and had to pay child support, which he resented. Why should his hard earned money go to a child that he barely saw and didn't want? There was nothing in it for him, not even time in the sheets with the baby's mommy. 

Months later, his mother found the letter from the Department of Children Services while cleaning his room. She opened it and read the results of the testing. She confronted him. He not only admitted he tried to keep the DNA results from her, but that everything he'd told her about his relationship with Jade was a lie. His mother wasn't angry; she was disappointed which was even worse. She forgave him and he promised to do better. 

Eventually, Jackson got tired of playing child support. He surmised that the court couldn't get blood out of a turnip and quit his job. Since then his life has been a serious of short term odd jobs, women willing to take care of him and a mother who continued to enable him. 



*

Shortly after talking to Jackson, Jade was calm enough to call and talk to Briana for a few minutes. She was helping her grandmother make a lemon cake for Russell and Poppy. 

Around six thirty she started to wonder where Alex was. He usually called her by six to let her know if he was coming over. She thought of calling him on the cell phone, but didn't want to be one of those clingy women. It wasn't like he was that late. 

Jade wasn't in the mood to cook, but knew she had to eat something. Soup wasn't appetizing, but was the only thing that didn't require much fuss. She had a couple of frozen 

dinners in the freezer, but after checking the date, they were expired by a month and she threw them out. 

She was about to relent and open up a can of soup when there was a knock on the door. Checking through the peephole, she saw that it was Alex and her heart fluttered. 

She did so love her man. 

When she opened the door, her senses were assailed by the delicious aroma of whatever was in the large white bag he was carrying. 

He smiled and greeted her as he walked in. "Hey, baby, I brought dinner. I hope you haven't cooked or eaten yet. I was already on my way here when I realized I'd forgotten to call. "

Closing the door behind him, she got a look at his perfect ass as he walked to the kitchen.

"I was wondering where you were. But, as to dinner, I was contemplating opening a can of soup because my stomach was growling, but anything you have in that bag will be a hundred times better. By the way, Briana is staying with Mom for a couple of days. She sent word that she wants you and I to visit her while she's there. She's getting to be a bossy little girl," Jade said with a grin.

Alex chuckled and said, "Uh huh, just like her mommy."

Aghast, she asked, "When have I been bossy?"

"That would be last night."

Then mimicking her, he said, "More, more, Alex. Oooh, yessss, right there, put it....."

Slapping her hand over his mouth, she gave him a stern look; then removed it when he quieted. 

"That's different. One cannot be held responsible for what is said in the throes of sexual heat. How ungentlemanly of you to bring that up," She said with a sniff and arrogant toss of her head.

Grinning, he drew her into his arms and gave her a long hot kiss. Reaching around him, she caressed his firm ass. 

"Ooh, baby, you wanna play?" he growl with a wicked grin.

"With you? Always." 

Looking down into her beautiful glowing eyes, he thought to himself, "I'm one hell of a lucky man." 

However, he said out loud, "Love to baby, but I think you need food right now."

"Oh, all right. Remind me where I stopped," she teased, sitting down at the table. 

After dinner they shared a bath. Jade poured in a body wash that had a light neutral scent, but lots of bubbles. Alex had never taken a bubble bath before and approached it with some trepidation, but the thought of being naked and wet with Jade overrode everything else.

Sinking into the tub, he sighed at the warmth of the water covering his big body, the bubbles seeming to make the experience more sensual. Jade gave him an 'I told you' look and got into the tub with him, sliding between his long legs to rest her back against his chest. 

"Nice, huh?"

"More than nice," he groaned, taking her ample breasts into his hands.

"You have the most amazing breasts. I love how they fit my hands, how firm they are. Ummm, your stiff dark nipples are so sexy. I love sucking them. The fact that you go crazy when I do that is a huge turn on."

Arching her breasts into his hands, she moaned deeply.

"Oh, fuck, Alex. I need your mouth on me."

Panting, she said, "When you suck them, I feel it in my pussy, it makes me juice up." 

"Is that right?" Alex asked with a naughty glint in his eyes.

Uh, huh."

Then, with a giggle she said, "Juice me up, baby!"

Alex pinched her nipples before ordering, "Turn around and straddle me, sweetheart." 

Jade flipped around and got on her knees; straddling him was easy in the huge tub. Leaning forward, Alex drew her right breast into his mouth. "Ummmm," he groaned, making loud sucking noises. 

Jade spread her legs and let her fingers slide into the folds of her moist pussy.

"Yesssssssss!" she rocked on her fingers as Alex continued to make a meal of her breasts. 

Sucking was alternated with flicking, as his tongue darted around the nipple. When he sucked in hard enough to hollow his cheeks, Jade's juices rushed out of her opening and coated her plunging fingers. 

"Ahhhh....oooo..ahhhhh, yessss, fuck, Alex....you make me so hot, baby...so....ughhhh.....oh, god, Oh...oooohh, god!.......agggghhhhhhh!"

She panted and groaned as her orgasm started to take hold, her fingers thrusting into her clinching passage, her palm rubbing against her swollen clit as she wailed in pleasure.

"Sit on my cock, baby," Alex grunted urgently, feeling the need to join her in the ultimate pleasure. Urging her closer to his body, he held his cock with one hand, while his other spanned her derriere prodding her onto his seeping erection. 

She was still spasming when he impaled her on his big dick. He gritted his teeth at her tightness as he slowly bottomed out. 

As soon as he was in, he started lifting her body up and down on his cock, faster and faster, sloshing water over the tub's rim until she felt her desire begin to climb once more. Jade bounced up and down on his straining cock, holding onto his broad shoulders.

Alex returned his hot mouth to her aching breasts, driving her up the wall with desire. Almost immediately, he began to feel the rise of his own orgasm. His cock swelled, pressed by the quivering walls of her pussy. His balls drew up, signaling the imminent release of his sperm. 

Suddenly, her pussy clinched like a fist and Alex cock jerked, his balls drew up, his body tensed as his ejaculate rushed up and out of his throbbing cock splattering her sweet velvet walls. Jet after Jet spurted as he cried out his own release and love for her. 

The next day Alex and Jade picked Briana up to take her out to dinner. Briana was happy to see them and asked, as soon as she was settled in the car, "Did you guys miss me?"

Alex smiled and looked at her in the rear view mirror.

"Of course we missed you, princess. That's why we had to see you today."

"I missed you too, but I like staying with grandma and Poppy sometimes. They give me anything I want. Grandma said that's what grandparents are for."

"Yeah, I bet she did," Jade said with a grunt. 

"She won't let me stay up late though," Briana amended. But that's ok as long as I get ice cream and cookies. Oh, I forgot. Grandma is taking me to the carnival tomorrow. Poppy can't go, he's playing golf."

"Sounds like a good time," Jade said. 

Remembering how much junk food is at the carnival, she would need to make sure Juliette didn't over indulge her granddaughter. Briana's sweet tooth was as big as Jade's had been as a kid. Back then the sweet of choice were pixy sticks. 

Briana regaled them with everything she got to do at her grandparents. Jade watched Alex as he interacted with her. He was attentive and smiled often. They really did have a mutual admiration thing going on. 

After dinner they took Briana back to her grandparents. As they were about to leave, she reminded them that she would be coming home the next day. While Jade was saying goodbye to the folks and Russell, Briana looked up at Alex and said, "Will you be at our house tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'll be there after work."

"Good," She said and held her arms up to give him a hug. 

Alex picked her up and as she was hugging him, she whispered, "Will you be my daddy?"

Alex almost gasped, at a loss for words. This was a question that called for more than a short answer. He and Jade needed to sit down with Briana and have a long talk with her. 

Regaining his composure, he whispered back, "I tell you what, sweetheart; when you come home tomorrow we'll talk about it, ok?" 

Nodding her head, she said innocently, "Ok. I love you." 

Hugging her again, he whispered back, "I love you too, baby."

Jade hadn't heard her daughter's exchange with Alex because Briana's whispered words could barely be heard, even by Alex. She meant what she said to be for his ears only. 

Alex was quiet on the ride to the apartment. He seemed deep in thought and although Jade wanted to know what he was thinking, she thought it best to wait until they were home. If he didn't say anything, she'd broach the subject. 

Alex was deep in thought all right. It wasn't usual for kids with absent fathers to quickly get attached to any male who gave them attention. So it really shouldn't have been a surprise that Briana loved him; he loved her too. 

However, the fact that she'd asked him to be her daddy is what got to him. He wanted to be her father. If there was a way to erase Jackson from her life and place himself in it from the time she was conceived, he would do it. That was impossible, but there was a simpler solution. 

Once he parked the car, he got out with his briefcase in hand then went around the vehicle to open the door for Jade. As they walked to her apartment he maintained his silence, even when he took the keys from her hand and opened the door. 

He went in first, flipped on the light and walked into the living room while Jade locked the door and secured the safety chain. He was sitting on the sofa looking sober when she entered the room. Before she could say anything he said, 

"We need to talk," and motioned to her to sit next to him. 

Immediately on alert, Jade sat down and watched him anxiously. When he saw her expression, he took her hand in his and stroked the back of it with his thumb. 

"Don't worry, Jade, it isn't anything bad. It's just something Briana said. She asked me to be her daddy."

Jade's hand flew to her mouth, stunned.

She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. Briana had mentioned something about Alex being like a real daddy some time ago. A number of her friends had fathers who lived with them. Kids were smart, they notice things, but Jade hadn't thought it mattered that much to Briana, until recently, that is. 

Briana didn't want to be bothered with her own father. Although, the fact that he was rarely around was a contributing factor, it wasn't all there was to it. Jackson didn't enjoy being around her and she knew Briana felt it.

"Oh, Alex," Jade exclaimed, "What did you say to her?"

"I said we'd talk about it when she got home. She was satisfied with that and said she loved me. She whispered it in my ear, obviously not wanting anyone else to hear."

"My poor baby," Jade lamented. "I knew that she missed having a father, but she never acted interested in Jackson, not that I could blame her. He isn't exactly a shinning example of fatherhood and I felt guilty because I chose him. I'm the reason he's her father. I screwed up." 

"Sweetheart, we all make mistakes," Alex said. "There's no reason for you to carry that like a burden. You've been a great mother to Briana and she loves you."

"I know," Jade said with a sigh. "I thought I could love her enough that she wouldn't miss having a father, but I was wrong. I can't fix this for her. I should go back and talk to her."

"No," Alex said firmly. "We're going to discuss it with her tomorrow. I promised her we'd talk when she got home. As for fixing the situation, there's a simple solution which happens to fall in with my plans."

"What are you talking about?" Jade asked confused.

"I'm talking about marriage," he said, quickly turning her expression to shock. 

"Will you marry me, Jade?"

Jade gaped at him stupefied. Then, giving herself a mental shake, she found her voice.

"No! No, Alex," she exclaimed, jumping up.

Staring at him, emphatically she said, "We can't do this just to give Briana a father. Are you crazy?"

He stood up and drew her into his arms. 

"Yep. I'm crazy about you, my love. I have been since that first night, even before. You already know that I love you and I know that you love me. What's preventing us from getting married?"

"You can't be serious," Jade said. "That's a huge step and we haven't known each other that long. You need time to think about something this important. This is for life, for always, Alex."

"Yes, it is for always," he agreed, "but I don't need time. I have been thinking about this, for a while. I noticed you didn't say you needed time. I assure you that this is not a spur of the moment thing. What Briana said just pushed it forward a few weeks. I'll show you. Close your eyes."

Jade continued to stare at him, but when his eyebrow arched and the side of his mouth quirked into the beginning of a smile she relaxed and closed her eyes.

Alex opened his briefcase which was on the coffee table and retrieved a small velvet box. He flipped it open and said to Jade, "Open your eyes."

She slowly opened her eyes and gasped when she saw what he was holding. 

"Alex?" 

"Will you marry me, Jade?"

For a moment words failed her as she stared at the beautiful diamond solitaire in a simple setting and the wedding band with a circle of diamonds.

Jade suddenly flung her arms around his neck and screamed, "Yes, yes, yesssssss!"

Alex held her close as her body began to shake and he heard the distinct sound of a sob.

"I hope to hell those are happy tears," he stated as he pulled away to peer into her face. 

Jade struggled to get herself under control, but was able to nod. 

Alex enfolded her in his arms again, and when she was calmer she whispered, "I never thought I'd ever be this happy."

He brushed away her tears and kissed her forehead. Jade sighed resting her head against his chest.

"You deserved all the happiness in the world, sweetheart. You've been making me happy since that night at the club and I'm not just talking about the awesome sex. You make my heart ache with your love."

Alex took the ring from the box and placed it on her finger. Jade admired it, feeling as if at any moment she'd giggle like a school girl. Mrs. Alex McCord. She never had dreams that big. In fact, until she met him, she'd given up on dreams altogether. 

Then she remembered what he said about this not being a spur of the moment decision. 

"Alex, when did you buy this?" she asked as she lifted her head.

"I bought it a couple of weeks ago. I've known for a long time that I wanted to marry you. When you took your time saying yes I was a bit worried."

"You weren't worried at all. You know I'm crazy in love with you."

Pushing her hair out of her face, Alex kissed her soft lips. 

"I know you love me, but that wasn't a guarantee that you would marry me. I never take anything for granted and I want you to be as sure as I am. Like you said, this is for always."

"I'm sure, Alex. I want to be your wife and make beautiful babies with you."

"How about we practice making those babies, right now?" he suggested with a wicked grin.

*         

The following evening they picked Briana up from her grandparents and decided to have the talk with her right away. 

Since Briana's question was addressed to Alex, he was the one to initiate the conversation. He sat her down on the big coffee table in front of the sofa and took a seat on the sofa in front of her, taking her small hands in his much larger ones. 

"Sweetheart, do you remember when you asked me to be your daddy?" he asked.

Briana's eyes quickly flew to her mother who nodded. 

Turning back to Alex, she whispered, "Yes."

"You know Jackson is your daddy, don't you?"

Again, she nodded, and then said, "But you're like a real daddy. You take me places, play games with me and tell me bedtime stories. Grandma said you would be a good daddy."

Shocked, Jade joined the conversation.

"Did she tell you that, baby?'

"No." Briana answered, hanging her head.

"She was talking to Poppy. I was in the bedroom watching TV, but I got thirsty. When I came out to get a drink, I heard her say that." 

Turning to Alex she said, "I thought you could be my daddy and we could always have fun together."

Jade felt the back of her eyes sting. 

"Ahhh, baby," Alex said, gathering her in his arms and sitting her on his lap.

"We will always do things together, but there is something I want to explain to you. I'm going to marry your Mom. What that means is that the both of you will live with me in my house. We'll still do all the things we've been doing, but I'll be your step-dad. That means that I will take care of you and do things with you that any other daddy does with his kids."

Looking at her closely, he asked, "How does that sound?"

Briana smiled and said, "Good. I want you to be my...my.... step-dad." Although she really didn't understand the difference between Daddy and step-Dad, she had enough information to know that things wouldn't change between them, except that they got to live in his huge house.

Relieved that she seemed to understand, Alex hugged her and said, "Ok. Let's get cleaned up and go out to dinner to celebrate. I hope you didn't eat too much at the carnival."

"Nah! Grandma said I couldn't eat a bunch of junk or I would get sick. I only had cotton candy and a corn dog and a soda. I'm still hungry," she grinned. "Can we go to Mario's?"

Alex looked to Jade, who was sitting next to him, and she nodded her approval. He could see unshed tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. Leaning forward, Alex gently kissed her sweet lips and whispered, "Love you."

Stroking his cheek, she replied, "Love you too, baby."

Then, to Briana, he said, "Mario's it is, princess."

Alex and Jade decided to put off discussing any wedding plans until they knew Russell's fate. 

They announced their engagement to family and friends over the following days.       

*

The next two weeks took on a pattern which now included visits with Russell. Mike reminded them of the arraignment which was to be held on November 6 at ten a.m. in the main courthouse. 

Both Alex and Jade would be attending along with their parents. 

The night before the hearing Jade felt anxiety start to build. She knew worrying was useless, but that didn't seem to be a deterrent. Mike was doing everything humanly possible to make sure that Russell had the best chance to stay out of prison. 

Mike knew his way around the courthouse and had worked with most of the prosecutors in the county. He met with the one handling Russell's case, but Jade and Alex were yet to hear the outcome. Jade felt frustrated more than anything. She even questioned whether having a closer relationship with Russell would have made a difference. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 06



She and Russell grew apart in the last five years. With work and Briana to think about, she just didn't have much time to pay attention to anything else. Of course, she had to be honest; little brothers were not likely to confide in big sisters. She just felt so helpless about the whole thing. Sleep didn't come easily and it proved to be a long night.

*

When the alarm went off at seven am, Jade still felt exhausted. She awakened several times during the night but managed not to disturb Alex. Once she was fully conscious, she laid awake for some time before sleep came again. Now, hearing the ring of the alarm, she wanted to throw the clock across the room. It might make her feel better, but nothing would change for Russell. 

When she became fully aware, she realized that Alex was not in bed. She dragged herself up and into the bathroom, needing to get some life into her tired body. After brushing her teeth, she quickly took a shower and brushed her hair. 

The face in the mirror told the story of her restless night with the beginning of puffiness around her eyes. She applied a cool compress and an application of concealer and light make; she looked much better, but only marginally felt better. 

She went back to the bedroom and put on a pair of panties and a bra, grabbed her wrapper from the chair and walked across the hall to Briana's room. However, her daughter wasn't there and her bed was neatly made up. 

Walking toward the living area, she faintly heard the television which had the volume down low. When she entered the room she found Briana and Alex were sitting on the sofa watching cartoons.

"Hey, how come you two are up so already," she asked.

"I got up to go to the bathroom and then checked on Briana," Alex explained. "She was already awake, so she got up, brushed her teeth and we came out to watch some toons. We've only been in here for about twenty minutes."

Seeing Jade yawn, Alex said, "There's some coffee already made."

"Thanks baby, I need it."

Jade poured a cup of coffee, added cream and sugar then took up a seat next to Alex. After taking a sip, she placed the cup on the coffee table. 

"Morning, sweetheart," Alex murmured, giving her a long kiss with a little tongue.

Grinning, he said, "Yum."

Jade smiled, leaned over past him and kissed Briana on the cheek. "Morning, baby," she said.

"Morning, Mommy. Alex made me some hot chocolate with marshmallows. Yum yum!"

"Like I said," Alex smirked, "yum." 

Jade smothered a giggle and leaned back as Alex placed his arm around her. Sighing, she let go of some of her tension. Alex always made her feel calmer.

After breakfast they dressed and dropped Briana off at school a few minutes before nine o'clock. There was more than enough time to make it to the courthouse before the proceedings started. 

The parents were already there when they arrive. They were talking in hushed tones, but stopped immediately upon seeing them. There were hugs all around, after which, Jade thanked the McCords for coming and murmured words of encouragement to her parents. 

It was about fifteen minutes later when Russell came into the courtroom with Mike Lewis. They greeted each other, but Mike didn't have time to talk as Judge Leonard would be coming into the courtroom shortly. He and Russell quickly took their seats. Within minutes the Judge came in and got the proceedings underway. 

Jade said a silent prayer as the prosecutor read the charges, which were, breaking and entering, grand theft, aggravated assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime and felony fleeing. Since Russell was at the scene of the B and E, he was technically responsible for anything that happened during and afterward, even if he wasn't an active participant. 

Jade winched as her mother, who was holding her hand, almost crushed it. However, she didn't make a sound. She sat there stunned by the charges. Mike had warned them beforehand that the charges were serious, but to hear them read out loud had taken the wind out of her. This was very, very bad. 

The voices seem to drone on for Jade. She was listening, but other things were crowding her thoughts. She didn't know how her parents would handle it if Russell had to go to prison. Whatever happened, she and Alex would be there for them, she just needed to keep herself together.

Giving herself a mental shake, she focused just in time to hear the prosecutor say, "He's being charged as a juvenile, Your Honor." 

Next to her, she heard her mother gasp and whisper, "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you."

Jade felt Alex's arm tighten around her. This was a good thing. She felt the sting of tears, but tried to hold them back. Yes, this was a good thing, but it was still serious. There was the pre-trial and then the trial to get through if Mike wasn't able to get things settled before then. 

Mike entered a denial of the petition on Russell's behalf, pending the complete evaluation of the prosecution's case and asked for the pre-trial date to be set. 

Everyone was relieved that Russell would be tried as a juvenile, but still fearful of what was to come. However, Mike had a bit of news for them and suggested that they go outside to discuss it. 

Once they were outside the courtroom, he addressed them all quietly. 

"I've been talking with the prosecutor and I believe that we have the same concern for what is best for Russell. I can't give you specifics right now, but we are trying to get the case resolved at the pre-trial level. There is some discovery still to be done, but once that's completed, he and I will talk again and see what can be agreed upon."

Looking at Russell's parents directly, he continued.

"We've gotten over the biggest hurdle by having Russell tried as a juvenile. In juvenile cases punishment is not the aim it's rehabilitation and prevention. Russell is a first time offender, it's serious, but no one got killed or was seriously injured. If he'd been charged as an adult, this would have been a hard road. Without a doubt, there would have been prison or jail time at the very least."

Does that mean he won't get either?" Juliette asked.

"Not prison, but there is a possibility that he could still do some jail time," Mike stated. "However, there are other options which you will hear about at the pre-trial hearing."

Sighing, Jade's father said, "Thanks Mike, at least a major hurdle is down."

"Don't thank me just yet," Mike said, "let's get Russell through this first." 

Jade and Alex said goodbye to everyone. Her parents headed home with Russell, while the McCords went to an engagement after consoling the Harrises. 

Alex stopped by his office to get some papers relating to an up coming meeting with a new client. Afterward, he took Jade to his place where he prepared a light lunch. Later, she took a nap while he reviewed his case.

* 

Jade awaken feeling more rested than she had in days. She'd been too tired to get under the covers or even undress before dropping off to sleep. Inhaling deeply she could smell Alex's essence and the lingering scent of his cologne on the pillow. 

She sighed deeply, releasing the last of her tension. Cautiously optimistic, she was determined to maintain a positive outlook for the duration of the legal proceedings. Stretching languidly she rolled back onto her belly and burrowed further into the pillow. The movement brought her hand closer to her face and her eyes caught sight of her engagement ring. 

"Mrs. Alex McCord. Mrs. Jade McCord," she thought. It had a nice ring to it. 

Sitting up abruptly, she gasped, "Mrs. Alex McCord!"

She was so concerned with Russell, and rightly so, that she hadn't allowed herself to think about how life would change when she married Alex. For one thing, she and Briana would move into his beautiful home. Would she be able to put her own imprint on it or would he like everything just the same? She didn't know what she could do to improve on such a gorgeous place, but she would like to have the option. 

Then there was the fact that she still had over eight months left on her lease and there was her job. Would Alex want her to quit and be a stay at home mom? She knew he wanted children, but when and how many? She'd been on the pill religiously since she had Briana, but she knew if Alex wanted to start a family right away she would be thrilled. 

There was another big question on her mind. Alex wasn't just the guy down the street; he was a prominent attorney with connections and a large social circle. How would she fit in with his friends and associates? They've been so isolated since they got together that she'd only met a couple of his friends. 

She had been so enthralled with the man that she'd forgotten who he was. He was Alex freaking McCord and she was a black woman with a child out of wedlock. She was proud of herself and what she'd accomplished, but she knew what other people might think. Jade suddenly realized that she'd only seen a small part of Alex's world. 

What would he expect of her as his wife?

Her head was starting to pound. She needed to have a long talk with Alex about their future. Dragging herself out of bed she went to the bathroom. She might as well talk to him now or else anxiety was going to drive her crazy.

After showering and brushing her teeth, Jade spent a while sitting on the edge of the tub thinking without coming up with any answers. She got up and splashed cold water on her face and combed her hair. Still no answers, but she felt more awake and able to cope with the questions. Giving herself a pep talk, she went in search of Alex.

Alex was on the phone, apparently talking to a client. His back was to Jade as she entered the room.

"By next Tuesday we should be getting into closing arguments. After that, it's up to the jury." 

He paused, obviously listening to the person at the other end.

"Nothing is a sure thing," he answered, "but we did our homework and have a very good chance of winning."

Continuing, he said, "Millers did a pretty good job in trying to tie up everything in fine print, but they were a little too sure of themselves and made a couple of addendums which I believe are going to be problematic for them. On the surface they might seem ironclad, but there were areas that were opened to interpretation. The law states that when there are ambiguities in a contract, they are construed against the party who drafted the document." 

Alex listened and then said, "Yes, I think that's a good idea. I'll see you in the morning."

After he hung up, he turned to see Jade sitting on the sofa, her bare feet propped on the coffee table. She had been impressed by what she could hear of the conversation. 

"Hey, sweetheart," he said, "did you get enough rest?"

She nodded and got up to walk over to him. 

Leaning against Alex, she answered, "Yes, I'm all rested." 

She snuggled into his warmth, rubbing her face on his chest, wishing he was shirtless. The man had a hot chest with its pelt of fine silky black hair that trailed down the center of his body to his.... "Stay the course, girl," she told herself. 

Lifting her head, she said, "We need to talk about life after marriage. There's a lot I don't know about what you expect, what you want. I know the life you've had since we've been together isn't how it was before you met me. I just want to be sure that I can handle being your wife, that I don't disappoint you." 

"Sweetheart, there isn't all that much to being my wife," Alex assured her. "You're already my wife except for a piece of paper. You and Briana are my family."

"But what about social things?" she asked. "I know lawyers network and socialize with each other. And work; how will you feel about me working for your mother once we're married? Then there are kids. When, how many? I..I..." she stammered. 

"Hold on, sweetie, there's no need to get yourself worked up about any of this," he said. "I've had a full schedule the past few months and my spare time wasn't spent socializing or networking, it was spent with you, Briana and our families. Although I've had a normal social life, it wasn't as jam packed as you seem to think. I work hard and value the time I have for leisure. There are always charity events, parties, dinners and the like, but I have never felt obligated to attend all of them." 

"Once we're settled," he continued, "I'm sure our social life will increase and we'll go to some of those things. When I say some, I mean some. That's not going to be my life, it never has been. While it's important for me to make contacts and to cultivate a social circle that will never be my first priority. We'll be like every other family with working parents."

Relieved, Jade squeezed him gently.

"Thank you, Alex. I got myself all worked up about the unknown," she said stroking his cheek.

"There's nothing to worry about, sweetheart. We'll work out whatever needs to be worked out. As for your job, that's up to you. I don't intend to make you a Stepford wife. Whatever you decide is fine with me, but you don't have to work if you don't want to work."

Looking up at him, she asked, "What about babies?"

Grinning at her, he caressed her butt and said, "Yeah, babies; three or four besides Briana."

"If I can, I'll give you all the babies you want, sweetheart," Jade said. Alex would be a great father.

Feeling the heat radiate from his hand on her butt, she ran her own hand under his shirt and stroked his hard flat belly. Alex moaned softly as she began unbuckling his belt. 

Soon her hand was in his briefs. "I want to make love with you."

Jade stroked him until his shaft was hard, the tip slippery with pre-cum. Humming, she began to stroke his cock in earnest.

"Oh, yeah," he grunted, "I like that. You wanna take me right here on the floor or can you wait until we get to the bedroom?" 

"Damn, brat!" she giggle. "I ought to call your bluff and have my way with you right here on the floor."

"I'm willing," he grinned, sliding his hand under her dress and into her panties, his fingers stroking her moist pussy from behind. Just the way he liked it, juicy wet.

"I bet you are, but I want this to be long and leisurely and that doesn't include a hard floor."

Jade gasped as he slid a long finger deep into her pussy. 

"Alex!" she groaned.

Popping his finger out of her, he brought it to his mouth and licked her juices off slowly, watching her eyes glaze over, the pupils dilating. 

"Yum! I want some more. Let's go," he urged dragging her along to the bedroom. 

In his bedroom, he stripped Jade and then quickly undressed himself. Once they were naked, he sat on the bed with Jade standing in front of him. She held onto his broad shoulders as one hand wrapped around her hip and the other plumped her breasts. 

Sighing, she closed her eyes, trying to control her breathing, but she was losing control fast. She wanted this lovemaking to be about him, but just a touch of his hands had her body preparing for their frenzied coupling. 

She loved his cock, that was all there was to it. The eight and a half inches of pleasure fogged her brain even at the sight of it standing rock hard against his equally hard belly. 

She loved the feel, the taste, the smell of his arousal. 

Every time she took him into her mouth, it was like a gastronomical orgasm. The salty, slightly bittersweet taste of his pre-cum was the ultimate appetizer. The hefty shaft, the main course, and when he came, his seed splashing the inside of her warm mouth was the most decadent dessert imaginable. 

Jade wanted that. She wanted it now. 

Lowering herself to her knees, she looked into his eyes. The clear deep blue orbs were shinning with anticipation, his breath deep and shallow. His gut wrenched with desire as he watched her lower herself to the floor. He loved what she did to him and couldn't deny how much he wanted her, needed her; only her. 

Jade sat back on her heels, smiling up at Alex, watching as his skin started to grow flush and moist with desire. She could almost feel his body heating up as his cock swelled and released pre-cum in little spurts. Just that was enough to make her entire body quiver. But she had to maintain control if this was to last. She wanted Alex to never forget how much she loved him, how totally he'd wound himself around her heart.

She rubbed his hard thighs and whispered, "You are magnificent, Alex. From your head to your toes, you are more man than I could ever dream of having. I love you. I always will. I love your heart, your drive, your compassion, but I also love this monster cock." She ended with a cheeky grin. 

With that, Jade slid her tongue over her upper lip, eager to savor the delicious tang of his engorged flesh. 

"Lean back, sweetheart and don't move." 

Alex leaned back on his forearms just as she took hold of his cock with both hands. The thumb of one hand rode the slit at the top, as she stroked up and down the shaft with the other. His cock quivered and he groaned at the same time. 

Jade slid her hand down to cup his balls, rolling them and caressing them as she continued to stroke the shaft from just under the rim to the bottom. Occasionally, she stroked over the entire head, lubing her hand with more of his slick arousal.

She watched Alex watching her, his azure eyes darkening, almost black, his breathing rasping, and his body strained as he willed himself not to jerk her up and onto his heavy cock. 

"Jade.....baby, I need you so badly."

Then as she opened her mouth wide and quickly sucked in the head of his cock,

"Shhiiiit!" 

Alex's body bucked off the bed and unable to stop himself, his hands grasped her head and held her still as he pushed his cock into her mouth. The head of his penis hit the back of her throat and Jade felt her gag reflex start to engage, but before it could, Alex pulled his penis back. She gulped, trying to regain her breath. 

Her respite was short-lived as Alex slid his cock back into her mouth. This time he slowly stroked in and out, occasionally letting the head pop out of her mouth. When it did, she sucked and licked greedily at the slit, indulging in the taste of pre-cum, eager to consume his tangy offering.

"Yeah, baby, that's it. Suck it..suck.....fuck...agghh.. shit!"

He fell back onto the bed as Jade went to work licking up and down his long fat shaft while her hands rapidly stroke and caressed. Gradually, she moved down to his scrotum pulling the tight skin with her lips then caressing each ball with her tongue. Alex's short labored pants and groans mingled with the sucking sounds that bore witness to her enjoyment of his generous manhood. 

Taking the head of his cock back into her mouth, Jade licked along the slit, sipping, bringing forth more pre-cum, feeding her hunger for his spicy essence. Alex wanted to give it to her, let her drown in his cum. He relished the deep sucking motion as she tried to swallow every drop of his desire, but he was destined for something more. 

His ballsack tingled with the tell tale signs, his lower back stiffened, his erection swell as Jade's continued to enjoy her feast. She was groaning around his cock, mewling as she eagerly sought more. He was going to give it to her, give her what she wanted, what she needed.

Sitting up suddenly, Alex grabbed her head. As he watched her, her cheeks hollow in and then bellowed out as she sucked. "What a fucking turn on," he thought. Then she pulled back until just the head was in her mouth and scraped her teeth gently against the sensitive glans.

"Aggggggghhhh!" Alex grunted followed by a long drawn out groan, his white hot sperm powering out from his dick to rush into her hot oral cavity. 

Jade swallowed quickly over and over. She tasted the elemental testament to Alex's arousal as it entered her mouth with jerks and spurts filling it until she had no choice but to swallow or spill his potent sap. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 06



She held on and savored his offering to the last drop. 

When Alex expended his essence, she pulled off of his cock and flicked her tongue over the head before kissing it. Smiling at him, she wrapped her hand around his shaft and jerked sharply, eliciting a burp of cum from the wide slit and another grunt from him. She lapped up the sweet and savory treat. 

Sitting back on her heels she grinned at him.

"Now you're all clean." 

When he had the breath, Alex answered her. 

"Uh huh and I'm about to get you all dirty. Bring your sexy ass up here," he ordered, pulling her onto the bed with him. Outside of his teens and early twenties, Alex couldn't remember when he'd been this hot for a woman. His cock was still rock hard. 

While he nuzzled her neck, his hand strayed down her body until his fingers nestled between the vee at the top of her thighs.

"Open up baby, I want to play," he whispered.

Slowly, Jade opened her thighs and Alex slipped between them, caressing the plump labia with the tips of his fingers. He slipped two fingers into her opening and plunged in and out at a pace that caused slurping sounds to bubble from her pussy. 

He grunted. His cock twitched. 

"Ummm, Alex. Oh, god, I'm so close.. feels so good.... so good. Yes, baby... rub my clit, yess....yesssss, right there, right there.... oohhh, Alex!.. ohhhhh....fucckkkk!" 

Jade's body hung on the edge of orgasm, teetering almost painfully as she withered against Alex's hand needing just a little push, just a little harder grind....just...

Alex rolled between her thighs and pulled up on his knees. The loss of his fingers eased the ache, but not for long. He gripped his cock at the base, the head glistening. Jade reached down and stroked her pussy, stirring up the fragrance of her desire. The sweet earthy smell assailed Alex's senses and his fat cock expanded. 

Unable to wait another second, he slid the head of his cock to her opening, through her fingers which were still caressing her puffy lips. Her body arched with the first touch of his penis and her fingers wrapped around the straining shaft. Up and down she stroked him as he fed her hungry pussy inch after inch of his shaft.

When he hit bottom, both of them groaned.

Alex went absolutely still trying to calm his breathing while Jade adjusted to the girt of his erection. He filled her; the straining walls of her pussy were proof of that. 

Slowly she lifted her hips, teasing him as she rotated and then squeezed her inner muscles around his hardness. Alex looked down at his love, her eyelids heavy with desire. She was a beautiful siren, her call only for him. 

Leaning forward, he pressed his body against hers, his arms snaking under her shoulders to hold her as his hips moved up and down, slowly thrusting his cock into the depths of her body, stroking those trembling walls, hitting her swollen clit with precision as she panted and groaned.

Jade thrust upward to met Alex, her desire ramping up to a fever pitch, her eyes rolling back into her head as the sweetest pleasure/pain that she had ever known shot through her pussy and flared out flowing into her belly, her breasts, up her neck, through the top of her head. 

Arching her back, she screamed as her walls collapsed around Alex's plunging cock, the nerve endings on fire as she spasmed in tune to the pounding force of his driving cock. Over and over and she spiraled until blessed release claimed her and she was hurled into sweet exquisite oblivion.



A Long Time Coming Ch. 07



Jade nestled against Alex having fallen asleep minutes after her monumental climax. She smiled thinking that she was ruined forever and always for other men. She couldn't be happier because she would only ever want the man lying next to her. 

She stretched rubbing her naked body against his. He was stroking up and down the center of her back, stopping occasionally to squeeze her buttocks. She loved the feel of his big hand on her ass, the heat never failing to get her juices flowing.

Jade pushed her rear back into his hand as it slid down and a long finger caressed her pussy from behind. 

"Ahhhhh!" 

Again his hand returned to her buttocks, the wet finger spreading her juices over her backside. Then she felt his finger probe her pussy once more. This time it went deeper, until he was in to the second knuckle. 

"Oh, yeahhhhhh!"

Easing his finger out, Alex gave her a little slap on the ass, then a squeeze and another slap. 

"Alex!" 

"Yes, baby?" he said with a grin.

"Ummmmmm," was the only answer he received as a second finger joined the first and slid into her slippery canal. 

"Mmmmmm. Oh damn, Alex!"

Alex slowly removed his fingers from Jade's body and she protested instantly.

"Baby, don't stop, don't stop."

Maneuvering her body until she was on her knees, Alex positioned himself behind her.

He could feel the heat even before he touched her opening. Jade was lit up like a burning furnace and he was about to add a log to the fire. He pressed his erection to her body and teased her slit with the head. She trembled as he rubbed the spongy glans against her pulsing flesh. 

Then he slid his penis into her, not stopping until his hairy pubes ground against her hot curvy ass. Immediately he set a rapid pace pistoning in and out of her tight heat, the sound of slapping flesh on flesh echoing around the room. 

Jade didn't have time to adjust, didn't want time. She pushed back and forth matching the plunge and pull of his cock in and out of her pussy. She loved the rasping of his chest hairs against her back as he continued to pound, her vagina burning with the first tendrils, the first licks of fire. 

Alex drew back, grasping her hips in his hand and with a strangling grunt he unloaded his ejaculate into her as his orgasm took hold.

Joining him, Jade jerked and bucked furiously as she rode the storm, her spasming passage squeezing his cock as it spewed thick, creamy cum; both of them panting breathlessly with pleasure. 

Jade would have collapsed if not for Alex holding her up as he continued to hammer her pussy into submission. She loved it; loved his domination and her surrender to his strength and passion. Moaning and gasping, she yielded everything she had.

When the thrusting finally stopped, Alex remained bent over her body, breathing heavily. He would never get enough of her. What they had was so damn powerful that he knew that she had conquered him as much as he'd conquered her. 

Reluctantly disconnecting his body from hers, he fell over onto his back, exhausted, but more than satisfied. 

Without his support, Jade's body spilled down onto the bed. Shaky, she took deep even breaths until her breathing returned to normal.

Moving onto her side, she laid her head on Alex's broad chest and gently stroked it, sighing at the feel of his corded muscles rippling beneath her hand. She loved the slick feel and the earthy smell of sex that clung to his large frame.

"This man is just sexy all over," she thought.

Chuckling at her thought, she said out loud, "You even have sexy chest hair."

Taking a long slow breath, Alex replied, "Nah, you're just in love. You think everything about me is sexy."

Lifting her head to look down into his smiling face, Jade grunted.

Rolling over on top of her, Alex vowed, "That's ok, baby, because I think you are the sexiest woman I've ever met. If that's love talking, then hallelujah; I'm going to love you for the rest of my life."

"I love you too, sweetheart." 

*

It was a couple of days later when Jade heard from Jackson again.

She had gone to the grocery store after work and gotten the fixings for Veal Parmesan. She knew that it was one of Alex's favorites and she wanted to surprise him. He'd called earlier to say he would be leaving the office around six thirty. It was then that she told him she'd make dinner. 

"What are you cooking, sweetheart," he'd asked.

"It's a surprise, but I'm sure you'll like it. If you don't, just smile, nod and say, yum, yum," she advised with a laugh. 

"I'm sure I'll like it. I've loved everything you're fixed so far and I didn't have to pretend. You're a very good cook and you know it." 

"Ok. I know I can cook, but I still want this to be special for you. Wow, I'm getting all domesticated already; the little woman cooking her man a meal."

"Uh huh; you've been domesticated for a long time and you're one hell of a sexy woman. I can still taste your breasts from this morning," Alex vowed.

"Alex!" she squeaked, "You're at work. Someone might hear you."

"I'm in my office with the door closed. Besides, it doesn't matter. I don't care who knows that I get to suck those beautiful tasty brown tits. I can barely wait until they're full of milk. Ummm, chocolate milk," he said with a chuckle.

"Ok, I know it's time to go now, you're crazy," she moaned. "If you keep this up my panties will be wet in no time."

"Oh, baby! Do I need to come home right now?" he smirked.

"I wish, but no. I think I can hold out, barely." 

Sighing, she said, "Love you, baby; until later, bye." 

"Love you too, sweetheart, bye." 

Jade had just hung up when her cell phone rang again. Checking the caller ID, she grimaced.

"Hi, Jackson, what's up?" she asked hoping that there was no more drama. 

"My Mom wants to see Briana this weekend," he said without preamble.

Sighing, Jade said, "Ok, I'll see what I can work out and call you back tomorrow."

"Why you got to work out something? You're off on the weekends, aren't you?" Jackson asked peeved.

"Yes, I am off on the weekend, but that doesn't mean that I don't have anything planned. I do have a life," she said, then immediately regretted it. 

Why was she letting this man make drama for her?

"Oh, I get it. The rich white guy has all your time now. It's a wonder you have time for Briana."

"Oh, no the hell he didn't!" she thought. "He did not go there. When the hell had he ever found time for Briana?" 

"Breathe, breathe," Jade told herself.

In a calm voice, she said, "I'll let you know tomorrow. Goodbye, Jackson," she gritted out then hung up without giving him a chance to reply. 

Her cell phone rang again, when she saw it was Jackson again, she ignored it.

She promised Briana that they could go shopping on Saturday; Alex was meeting with a client in the morning, but would be meeting them for lunch later. On Sunday they were having dinner at his parents. She'd just wanted to think about how to fit Jackson's mother into their time. 

She wasn't eager to see the woman, but she didn't want to be the cause of Briana not having a relationship with her grandmother. Taking a deep breath, Jade replayed in her mind her conversation with Alex to put her back into a good mood.

*

The meal was finished, except for the cheese on top of the casserole. Jade was waiting until Alex got home to put the cheese on and pop it under the broiler to melt and brown. 

Her mom brought Briana home and she was sitting on the floor in the living room watching Phineas and Ferb. Thinking there was no time like the present, she sat down next to her daughter. 

"Briana, I have something to talk to you about," she said, turning off the TV with the remote.

"Mommy!" Briana cried out at having her cartoons interrupted.

Jade chuckled and said, "You've seen that episode three or four times already. I know because I've seen it with you three or four times."

Grinning, Briana said, "I know, but it's still good."

"Yeah, and it'll be good the next time it's on. This is important Briana," she said with what her daughter called her mommy voice.

Clearing her throat, Jade said, "Your father called. Your grandmother Adele wants you to come visit her."

"I don't remember her," Briana said with a frown.

"Well, she's Jackson's mother. She's your grandmother just like my Mom is your grandmother. She hasn't seen you since you were a baby. She wants to get to know you.

Wouldn't you like to know her?"

"I don't know. Is Daddy going to be there?" Briana asked, still frowning.

"I think he might be there, baby. I'll be there too," Jade assured her.

Thinking for a few minutes, Briana then said, "Ok, Mommy, if you're gonna be there, I'll go. But I don't want to spend the night." 

"You won't be staying the night, baby. I'll call Jackson tomorrow and let him know we'll come over Saturday morning. After that, we'll go shopping for a while, like I promised. By then Alex should be finished with his client and we can all go to lunch together, Ok?"

Nodding, Briana agreed. 

* 

Alex got home closer to seven o'clock than six thirty. The day had been longer and more involved than he would have liked, but at least tomorrow he'd have a clean slate rather than carrying over problems. He needed time with his family so that he could decompress. 

Using the key Jade had given him, he let himself in. His senses were immediately assailed by the delicious smell of whatever she was cooking. Briana was the first to see him and Jade was nowhere in sight.

"Alex!" She yelled, running to him. 

"Hi, princess," he said, swooping her up in his arms. 

"Missed me?"

"Yep," she grinned.

"Mommy's changing her clothes; she got some sauce on her blouse."

"Hmmm, so mommy cooked something with sauce?"

"Yep, and she's gonna cook some spaghetti, too. Shhh, it's supposed to be a surprise," she giggled.

"Ok. It'll be our secret," he whispered putting her back on her feet.

Jade was just entering the room as Briana went to sit at the table. Having already washed her hands, she announced, "I'm hungry." 

"Cool it for a second child of mine. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," Jade said as she walked over to where Alex stood.

Watching her walk, his blue eyes smothered.

He loved the way her hips had that slight sway. Her tight tee shirt molded over her lush breasts like she was presenting them for his inspection. "Damn!" He wanted nothing more than to haul her over his shoulder, take her to the bedroom and drill his growing erection into her hot, moist pussy. 

She was already aroused.

Alex would have known she was aroused even if he didn't have the evidence of her hard nipples. She had that look; the look of a woman who knew what it felt like to be thoroughly fucked and wanted it again, right then and there.

Mentally giving himself a shake, he walked toward Jade and caught her up in his arms. Lifting her from the floor, he planted his lips on hers in a long, sultry kiss. Sliding his tongue between her lips, he reacquainted himself with the entire interior of her mouth. Jade strangled a moan as she sucked on his tongue. It took all of his will power to break the contact, which left them both gasping for air.

"Hmmmm," she murmured, her eyelids fluttering with desire.

"I almost forgot that we have an audience," Alex whispered with a slight self deprecating smile. 

"Me too," Jade whispered. "What you do to me ought to be against the law. Maybe later I can act as judge and jury and mete out some punishment." 

"As always baby, my meat is your meat," Alex whispered, then chuckled.

"Shh!" Jade whispered looking to see if Briana was paying attention. To her relief she was busy playing with the little chicken salt and pepper shakers.

"I still need to do a little to finish dinner," Jade told Alex, kneading his shoulders. "You need a warm shower; I can feel tightness in your shoulders. The heat will loosen your muscles."

"Ok, baby." After kissing her lightly he said, "Damn, I love you," then swatted her butt before he walked off.

Jade gave Briana a coloring book and crayons to keep her entertained while she finished dinner. 

Alex took a quick shower which, as Jade said, loosened up his muscles and took away a lot of the tiredness he felt. He went to her closet where some of his clothes hung. 

After dressing he went into the kitchen where Briana was coloring and Jade was taking a casserole out of the oven. The pasta was boiling in a large pot.

"What are we having?" he asked.

"We're having Veal Parmesan with Spaghetti, garlic bread, a side salad and flan for dessert." 

"Flan? I haven't had that in a long time." 

"I know. You mentioned that a couple of weeks ago; I got the hint," she said with a grin. "Making it is easy, the trick in not to over eat. I could eat the whole pan by myself."

"Are we gonna eat now, Mommy?" Briana asked.

"Yes, we're going to eat now. I'll plate it and cut it up for you, but you need to wait until it's cool down some before you eat it."

"Ok, Mommy, but I hope it won't take long. I'm hungry!"

* 

Jade's dinner was a success and why shouldn't it be, she was a great cook. Still, she was so happy that Alex liked it. He had two breaded veal cutlets and two helpings of flan. 

Briana had eaten everything on her plate, but Jade limited her to one helping of dessert. She'd pouted, but only for a minute, then she asked if she could have some tomorrow. When Jade said yes, she was a happy little girl.

After dinner, they went to the living room where Briana watched television, engrossed in an episode of Good Luck Charlie. 

Jade and Alex were talking on the sofa, her head propped against his shoulder when she remembered the phone called she'd gotten earlier from Jackson.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," she said, lifting her head, "Briana and I are going over to visit Jackson's mother Saturday morning. You're still meeting your client, aren't you?" 

"Yes. I have a ten o'clock meeting with him at the office and it's probably going to take a couple of hours with the drive time. How did the meeting with her grandmother come about?"

Jade told him about her previous conversation with Jackson, leaving out his attitude problem. The last thing she wanted was for Alex to get into it with Jackson. 

"That will set our time back a little, but I hope we can all still go to lunch," Jade suggested.

"That shouldn't be a problem, Alex said, "I'll have the entire afternoon free. Let's meet up here, that way we can take one car. How long do you think you'll be at her grandmother's?" 

"I'll be there about an hour. Shopping will probably take a couple more, depending on Briana's stamina. She loves shopping, so I fear that she'll run me ragged," Jade said with some humor.

"Since we're going to be at my folks Sunday evening, you can spend the night at my place Saturday. Briana loves playing in the pool," Alex said.

"Ok, that'll be great," Jade agreed.

Later that night, Jade called Jackson and finalized meeting his mother Saturday at ten o'clock. The conversation took place without any drama for which she was grateful.

* 

On the way over to Jackson's mother's place, Jade noticed that Briana was quiet which was unusual for her. She didn't think it was because she was going to see her grandmother, but because her father might be there. She'd just have to play things by ear once she got there. Above all, she wasn't going to let her daughter be upset.

Pulling up to the small white frame house with yellow trim was like going back in time for Jade. The house had been painted in recent years, but it was the same color it's always been. Obviously, Briana's grandmother was not fond of change. Jade saw Jackson's Trans Am in the driveway and knew he was inside. 

"Well," she thought to herself, "might as well face the music."

She got out of the car, opened the passenger back door and unbuckle Briana's car seat belt. Helping her out, she then locked the doors and proceeded to the house. The house, though small, was cute with colorful flowers planted in the beds on both sides of the stairs.

The beds looked well tended, but she doubted that Jackson had anything to do with it. She knew she needed to stop having this dialogue about him in her head, but it was a years old habit and hard to break.

Holding Briana's hand, she pressed the door bell and waited. She didn't have to wait long.

Mrs. Wilson answered the door, she looked at Jade nervously, but smiled when she looked down and saw Briana.

Opening the screen door, she said to Jade, "Come in, come in. I'm so glad you could come." 

She looked very much as Jade remembered, maybe with a few more gray hairs.

Adele lead them to a small sitting room decorated with old, but well kept furniture. Jade remember this room well. It's where she and Jackson spent a fair amount of time when his mother was home since she hadn't allowed him to entertain girls in his bedroom. In Jade's eyes, the sun rose and set with him back then.

She'd been young and stupid. 

"Have a seat," Adele said, motioning Jade to sit on the sofa, which she did. Briana sat next to Jade at the end of the sofa which was close to where her grandmother sat in a wicker chair. Looking around discreetly, Jade was counting her lucky stars that Jackson decided to stay in another part of the house when the older woman shouted, "Jackson, Jade and Briana are here!"

Damn.

After a few minutes, he came from the back room, tucking his shirt into his Jeans. He knew they were coming, but obviously had hopes of sitting this one out. She could only think that he hadn't left altogether because his mother insisted that he stay. He wasn't looking any too pleased at being summoned.

Giving them the briefest of glances and a stilted "Hey," he sat on the far end of the sofa. 

"Can I get you anything?" Adele asked Jade, quickly trying to cover her son's lack of manners. 

"No, thank you," Jade said smiling gently. 

"How about you, Briana, do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"No, thank you," Briana echoed her mother's words.

Seeing that she was going to have to work to get Briana to open up, Adele asked her about school and hit the nail on the head with one of Briana's favorite subjects.

Briana told her grandmother her teacher's name and all about what they did during the day. She talked about her friends at school and how much she loved painting. When she mentioned that she'd given one of her paintings to Alex, Jade could almost feel Jackson tense.

Instead of just going with the flow of the conversation, since Briana kept rambling on, Adele interjected and asked Briana about Alex, another favorite subject. Jade knew that Alex's name would come up at some time in the conversation, but she didn't know it would be so soon. She had purposely taken her engagement ring off and put it in her purse so that it wouldn't spark any conversation.

"Alex is going to be my step-dad when he gets married to Mommy," Briana told her." For a second you could hear a pin drop, then Briana announced, 

"He's going to marry mommy then we're going to live in his big house. He has a swimming pool and everything."

"Oh, is that right?" Adele questioned, but she was looking at Jade. 

"Yes, that's right," Jade answered, but said nothing further.

Adele, not wanting to appear rude or put strain upon the situation, didn't ask any more questions about Alex, although that didn't mean that Briana didn't bring his name up again. 

The hour passed by with only a couple of hiccups in the conversation. Jade was satisfied with the visit and Briana seem to enjoy talking to her grandmother. No doubt she was glad to have another listening ear. 

Before they left Adele said there was something she wanted to give Briana and left the room. As soon as she left, Jackson, who noticed that Jade wasn't wearing a ring, asked her, 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 07



"When are you marrying him?" 

"We haven't decided on a date yet," Jade said. 

Briana, who was now leaning on Jade, was paying attention to the conversation.

Clearing his throat, Jackson asked, "Are you in love with him?"

Looking him straight in the eyes, Jade responded. "Yes. I wouldn't marry him otherwise."

Jackson wasn't pleased with the firmness or directness of her response, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. 

He had his chance, which he royally fucked up and kept fucking up. He couldn't have expected Jade to stay single the rest of her life. It just pissed him off that Jade and his daughter preferred this man to him. But, to be honest, he couldn't blame them.  

Jackson knew that he had nothing to give them. He didn't have anything of his own except jewelry and clothes which came from women or his mother. Even the car was in his mother's name, but he had no one to blame, except himself. Yes, his mother enabled him, but he wallowed in it way past the time when he knew he was old enough to do better. 

Looking at Jade now, it was as if he was thinking clearly for the first time. He knew he had to make some changes in his life. He was almost thirty one years old and didn't know what he wanted to do with himself. He couldn't let Jade go without making an effort. She'd loved him at one time. He didn't know what he could do, but it had to start with him getting a job and becoming responsible, especially where Briana was concerned. 

Before Jackson could say anything further, his mother came back and sat down in her chair.

"This is something that my mother gave me when I was seven years old," she said to Jade. "I've kept it all of these years so that when I had a daughter I could pass it on to her. But, after Jackson, I couldn't have any more children." 

She paused a moment, still feeling the pain of regret.

"Then," she continued, "I thought I could give it to my granddaughter, but because of my foolishness, I never had much of a relationship with Briana. I can't make up for lost time, but I'd like to start to mend our relationship. If it's ok with you, I'd like her to have this locket." 

Jade nodded. 

Adele opened her hand to reveal a gold oval shaped locket with a gold serpentine chain. It had a cameo of a black child on the front and delicate etchings on the back. She flipped it open and showed Briana where she could put a couple of pictures in it later. 

Slipping the chain over Briana's head, she said, "One day when you have a little girl, you can give her this locket. 

Picking up the locket and looking at it, Briana said, "It's so pretty. Is it really mine, Mommy?"

"Yes, it's yours, baby; a gift from Grandma Adele."

Getting out of her seat, Briana went over to her grandmother and gave her a hug. 

"Thank you, grandma." 

With tears misting in her eyes, Adele said, "You're welcome, sweetheart."

They stayed longer than Jade planned, but she didn't want to break the bonding going on between Briana and her grandmother. After a while, even Jackson started participating in the conversation. He was a little rusty, but at least he was making an honest effort. For that Jade was grateful. 

When they got back into the car, Jade put her engagement ring back on and took a moment to admire it again. Alex did have exquisite taste, but better than that, he was an exquisite man, inside and out. 

Jade could barely believe that she was going to be married to the man who had haunted her dreams in the weeks before they met. She never thought she'd have this life. She wanted to wrap herself in this happiness and never let go. It had been a long time coming, but more than worth the wait. 

After their visit, Jade and Briana went shopping. Jade got Briana an array of clothing which she purchased with her daughter's input. The day as a whole had been more rewarding than Jade had thought when it started. 

She called Alex at around three o'clock. He was in the car and headed over to her place. She told him that they would be there soon. 

* 

Later, Jade found herself again packing a bag for her and Briana to take to Alex's house. He suggested that she should just leave some things there. She had no objections, the place felt like home already. 

After Briana was put to bed, they enjoyed their alone time. 

"Come on, let's go to bed," Alex said, tugging Jade up from the sofa.

"It's only nine thirty," Jade pointed out.

Arching his eyebrow, Alex questioned, "What is your point?"

"Uh, my point is that I'm stupid. Who the hell points out the time when they're going to bed with a hot sexy man?" she grinned. 

"Can we take a shower first?" she asked.

"Yep. I was intending to get you slippery," he replied, "but we could do that with water too." 

During their very heated shower, Alex refrained from taking her hard against the shower wall, preferring to keep himself in check until he could get her into a supine position.

After toweling off they hurried to bedroom. 

Lying on their sides facing each other, Alex tilted Jade's head up and gave her a slow sweet kiss. His hand slid down to cup her firm breast making Jade gasped as he rolled the nipple with his thumb, then pinched the tip. Waves of heat traveled down to her belly, and into her moistening pussy.

"Ummm, Alex," she murmured, lifting her head to kiss his hard lean jaw. 

"Suck my nipples," she groaned.

Never a man to deny a lady, he leaned down and took the dark chocolate morsel into his mouth, suckling in a slow ritual while circling it with his hot tongue. Jade's body arch into his, begging for more and he gave it. 

Opening his mouth wide, Alex took in as much of her breast as he could, sucking so hard her pussy clinched and squirted out its juices onto her upper thighs.

Releasing her breast, he slid down her body, kissing her flat stomach, licking the deep well of her navel, finally stroking his tongue in the wet folds of her pussy. Jade rolled onto her back and open her thighs wider to give him better access. 

Alex moved over her, settling on his knees with his face hovering over the jewel at the top of her pussy. Pushing her thighs up and back to her chest, Alex watched as her juices, slid into the shadowed crack of her buttocks. The scent of her sexual heat was intoxicating drawing him closer to the object of his growing lust. 

Holding her opened he brushed her fat little clitoris with the tip of his tongue eliciting a long groan and a desire to close her thighs around his head. But Alex held her open with his thumbs and settled in to gorge on the sweetest of treats. 

He slowly slid his tongue into her as if it were a penis, thrusting in and out, tasting the spicy flavor of her arousal. Jade arched into his touch, mewling as she pulled his hair and rolled her head from side to side. In a sensual haze, Alex sucked and bit at her feminine parts, his breaths growing into rasping pants. There seemed to be no end to her ability to produce the sweet cream of passionate hunger. Even as Alex lapped at her opening, it continued to flow.

For long minutes he indulged his appetite for his woman.

With one last kiss on her clit, he moved back up her body, licking and sucking her luscious flesh as he went. When he was over her, looking down into her face, he smiled. Softly he kissed her pouting lips, sliding his tongue between them to engage with her in a duel as he shared the scent and taste of her desire. 

The kiss quickly turned intense. Alex's tongue snaked into her mouth over and over, faster and faster, as Jade fought to catch her breath. He pulled her closer, delving deeper, reacquainting himself with the heated recesses of her oral cavity while his hand caressed the warm lush curves of her buttocks. 

Trying to regain some control, Alex rolled Jade on top of his feverish body.

It took a moment for her to orient herself once she was on top. As she sat straddling him, Alex remained motionless. Closing her eyes, Jade rocked her body back and forth and around in circles on his throbbing seeping phallus as her vaginal juices joined his copious secretions. He wasn't even inside her yet and she was giving him fits.

With his hand on her hips, Alex held Jade letting her set the pace for now. His cock lay flat against his belly while her hand took up play and stroked the long shaft as she rocked herself against his heavy balls. He didn't know how long he could let her continue this delicious torture.

Jade was lost in an erotic daze, floating along a churning sea of desire, feeling herself drown in her love for this man. Beyond what Alex did to her body, he engaged all of her senses, every time. She rocked her hips beginning to feel a luscious ache deep in her body. That ache, liked tendrils of fire began to spread, licking at her thighs, up the center of her body, spiraling and flooding her breasts with suffused heat.

Alex moaned deep in the back of his throat, aching with growing need. Just as he thought he would surely go mad, Jade pulled up on her knees and guided his cock head to the rose blushed entrance of her saturated pussy.

Slowly, she slid down, moaning loudly as Alex groaned and pushed up, surging until he hit bottom. They both cried out in pleasure. Taking control, Alex heaved upward, while pulling Jade down by her hips to meet his powerful thrusts. 

Looking down, Jade's heart skipped a beat as she watched Alex's neck cord with his exertions and his body flex, straining to keep control as his desire grew to a fevered pitch. A light sheen of sweat covered his torso, the fine silky hair glistening, and his breath came in shallow pants. As she watched, his eyes fluttered up to hers and she was caught by the deep blue ocean of emotions riding her man. 

Within seconds Jade's inner walls spasmed clutching Alex's driving erection and sparking the fires that foreshadowed orgasm. Her hot inner core gripped his surging cock triggering the approach of his climax, but he wanted the pleasure to consume her first. 

Alex's body stiffen and he yelled out his desire, "Oh, fuck...babyyyyy...come...for... me...

Jade's back stiffened and her pussy pulsed wildly, spasming and rolling toward a splendid orgasm which centered all her nerve endings to the place where she and Alex were joined. She hit the apex of her passionate assent and held there long gloriously throbbing moments, withering on his pistoning shaft. Seconds later she was whorling in the intense heat of resplendent pleasure. She held onto the pinnacle of pleasure bursting into flames before starting the slow descent into the soothing warmth of afterglow. 

Alex was still stroking her fluttering walls, not allowing Jade to completely descend from her wild ride. Instead, he flipped her onto her back and started to plunge his cock in earnest. Over and over he thrust, hitting her sensitive clitoris each time. 

As he pummeled her sweltering core, Jade felt the resurgence of her desire as it climbed again pushing her to the crowning of another orgasm. She cried out her pleasure as she felt his body bucked and his cock swell as he shot jet after of jet of streaming sperm into her aching body. 

Oh, god, oh, god, oh god, oooh...ooooohhhhhhh, Alex! Alex!...Alexxxxxx!... aaaggghh...oooohhhh...

Alex, in the throes of his own climax answered,

Oh, fuck.. oooh..aaagghhhhh, oh, fuck, baby...fuck...fuck... fucccccccccck!

Time moved on, but neither could have bore witness as they were lost to the consciousness that grounded them to reality. They were floating, somewhere in the realm of a soul wrenching pleasure. 

It was some time before Alex became aware that he had ceased his siege of Jade's womanly fortress. Now he was just holding her as her body relinquished its vice like grip on his softening cock.

Jade laid completely undone, her body melting into soothing throbs. 

* 

On the day of the pre-trial everyone was up early. Alex and Jade were meeting her parents at the courthouse. Briana was spending the morning at Judy's. The plan after the hearing was to pick up Briana and go over to the Harris's for lunch. 

Briana was the first to wake up, knocking on Jade's bedroom door.

"Mommy, I'm up," she called.

Hearing her daughters call, Jade tried to roust from a fitful doze. She had already awakened a few times during the night. She was about to fall back to sleep when she heard Briana's knock and call her again. She checked the clock and saw that it was 7 o'clock; she had set the alarm for 8 o'clock since the hearing was at 10.

Jade eased out of bed so as not to disturb Alex and hurriedly put on her robe and went to the door. Opening the door, she looked down at Briana who was rubbing her eyes with her fist and holding her stuffed tiger, which was a gift from her grandma Harris. "She's no cute," Jade thought. Bending down, she kissed her daughter on her forehead.

"Good morning, baby, did you have a good night's sleep?" she asked. 

"Uh, huh," Briana responded, "but, I'm hungry now. Can I have some cereal?"

Smiling, Jade said, "Go turn on the television and watch cartoons for a while. I need to take a shower, then I'll get some cereal for you, ok?"

"Ok," Briana said going off to the living room. 

Jade shook her head at the bottom pit that was her daughter. Then she turned off the alarm feature on the clock, and then went to the bathroom to shower. 

She took off her robe, dropping it on the floor and stepped into the shower. Turning the water on, she tested the temperature. When it was just right she stepped in and started soaping up her loofah. 

Letting the loofah glide over her body was soothing and her mind started to wander. Jade knew her parents were on pins and needles and likely did not sleep well last night. If things could not be worked out at the pre-trial, then Russell would be bound over to trial. 

Basically, both sides would give evidence and call witness just like an adult trial. The only difference would be, instead of having a jury of his peers, the decision would be made by the judge. 

Mike was working with the prosecutor which gave Jade some hope. If it was resolved at the pre-trial there would be punishment dealt out, but probably not as severely as it would be it went to trial. 

Jade was so deep into her thoughts, she didn't hear Alex come into the bathroom and jumped when he opened the shower door. She gave a little squeak and clutched her hand over her heart. 

Turning to face Alex, she chucked at her skittishness. 

Pulling her into his arms, Alex said, "I'm sorry I scared you sweetheart, you must have been deep in thought."

"I was. I was thinking about Russell and the pre-trial. I'm not normally so jumpy," she said, leaning her head against his chest. 

"I can understand that, baby. I'm sure your parents are feeling the same way this morning," Alex said, taking the loofah out of her hand. 

Grimacing, she said, "We'd better hurry, I almost forgot that Briana is up and waiting for me to fix her breakfast. No time to play this morning."

She groaned as Alex caressed between her thighs with the loofah, clearly ignoring what she said. 

"Too bad," he muttered, while using the hand held shower head to rinse off her body, "I had in mind a continuation of last night, but I guess I have to make do with giving you a quickie." 

Sliding to his knees, he pushed Jade against the back wall of the shower and spread her legs. Pressing his mouth to her hot pussy, he quickly brought her to a dizzying orgasm.

* 

Jade's parents were already at the courthouse when they arrived. They were sitting on a bench outside courtroom 4 talking with Russell's attorney, Mike Lewis. When Alex and Jade approached, Mike rose to greet them. He shook Alex's hand and kissed Jade on the cheek. Alex greeted Jade's family. 

Mike remained standing and Jade took his seat on the bench as he went over his strategy. 

"As I explained before," Mike said, "a lot can be accomplished at the pre-trial phase. In juvenile cases, the purpose is to help the juvenile, not punish him, although some punishment will be meted out in order for him to know and appreciate the seriousness of the offense."

"However," he continued, "it is not expected to be on the scale as it would be if he were tried as an adult. Frankly, it can range from probation, community service, juvenile detention, jail time or any combination."

Mike stopped briefly to take a breath. Noting their anxious expressions, he continued.

"I've kept in contact with the prosecutor and I believe that we may be able to resolve this matter today. Once we get into the courtroom and the session is opened, the prosecutor will ask to see the judge in chambers. We both will go into conference with the judge and see if we can iron out a deal. We've already talked about what the deal would entail, but until this is in the bag, I don't want to go into details. The judge has to agree to the resolution." 

It wasn't long until court was called into session and Mike and the Florida State Juvenile Prosecutor Will Henry, went into the judge's chambers. 

During the conference Alex and Jade talked quietly with her parents and Russell. It was twenty minutes later when everyone exited the judge's chambers. The judged took his seat and addressed the courtroom.

"With regard to the case of the State of Florida vs. Russell Davis Harris..."

The judge went on to state the charges and the agreement worked out by the prosecutor and Mike Lewis. Russell would be on probation for three years. During that time he would perform community service of fifteen hundred hours. The details would be worked out later. In addition, there would be a ten o'clock curfew. Russell's adherence to his sentence would be closely monitored with periodic evaluations by a court appointed juvenile officer. 

There was an audible sigh of relief from those in attendance.

However, the judge wasn't finished. 

He went on to lecture Russell about the importance of thinking of the consequences of actions beforehand and urged him to be diligent in choosing his friends. He also suggested that instead of following the lead of others he might, in the future, consider being a positive influence on other boys by becoming a big brother. 

The Judge concluded by saying that if Russell followed the sentence ordered by the court without further incident, he could petition, in writing, for his records to be expunged at age twenty one. Until that time, the records would be sealed.

What had worked in Russell's favor were his age and the fact that this was his first offense. However, the topper was that the Donaldson boy, Earle, had given a written confession taking full responsibility for the assault to the homeowner. He also stated that Russell had no knowledge of his possession of the firearm, nor had he been in on any other break-ins that the brothers committed. 

Everyone was overjoyed at the outcome, none more than Russell himself. 

*

Jade and her family had something to be thankful for every year, but this year was special. Instead of their usual full blown Thanksgiving celebration with friends and extended family, her parents decided on a more intimate occasion.

Jade was all for it. With the stress of Russell's arrest and the accompanying hearings, no one was in the mood for planning a mammoth meal. So it was a small gathering of Jade, Briana, Alex and her family. They enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by Jade and her mother with Briana's help. 

When it came time for the prayer, Jade's father made sure to include Alex. Both of her parents were crazy about Alex and were happy to have him as a part of the family; happy that their daughter had found someone with whom to share her life and nurture their granddaughter.

Alex's parents understood that Jade and Briana was now part of his family and he was expected to be with them for Thanksgiving. Their own dinner was pared down to include only their sons and their respective partners. However, they did get a promise from Alex to spend Christmas Eve with them. 




A Long Time Coming Ch. 07



After Thanksgiving, things settled down, but with Christmas on the horizon and the need for Jade to turn her attention to planning a wedding things would get very hectic, very quickly. Jade still had trouble comprehending that she would actually be married to Alex. Sometimes she just had to pinch herself to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. 

* 

Jade was taking a break in the garden at the McCords' when her thoughts turned to planning the wedding. She was excited, but she didn't know how it would all get done, even with help. She and Alex had agreed to wait until after Russell's situation was resolved. Now that was over; sooner than anyone had anticipated and she was thankful for that. 

To help bring her thoughts into focus she purchased half a dozen bridal books. She wanted a traditional wedding, but she wasn't completely sure what all that entailed. To brainstorm and help with the actual preparations, she enlisted her mother, Judy, Cheryl and Carrie's help.

She would have liked to include Mrs. McCord who was a wonderful organizer, but Jade didn't want her to feel obligated to help with everything else she did. She was still finding it hard to deal with the fact that her employer would soon be her mother.

Jade's mother married at the courthouse, Judy eloped, Cheryl and Carrie were single, so there really wasn't any experience with planning a wedding in that bunch. She knew she had to get this right because it would be her only chance; this would be her only wedding. 

After a half hour of thought Jade felt herself getting a headache. This was going to be an enormous undertaking. Besides the actual planning of the wedding, she had to consider the expense. With Alex's family and friends, it was likely to be a fairly large guest list. Then there was the fact that she would be paying for the wedding. She knew that her parents would insist on doing it, but at most she would only let them help, and only if it became absolutely necessary.

Jade had some money she'd gotten as an inheritance from her grandmother Hazel Phillips on her mother's side, which she got access to when she turned twenty one. She'd never touched a penny of it vowing to save it only for dire emergencies. Fortunately, her job with Rollins did pay well, so she had a fair amount of money in her savings account. 

She could barely believe that it had only been a few months since she met Alex at the Fourth of July cookout, but it seemed like she'd known him for much longer. Now she was engaged to him and happier than she'd been in her entire life, except for the day Briana was born. She had a man who loved her completely and Briana would soon have a step-father. 

Rousting herself from her thoughts, she went back inside to finish out her work day. 

* 

Alex was in his office going over the mountain of paperwork received as a result of his motion to compel discovery in his Anti-Trust Lawsuit when Cameron knocked on his door. 

"Hey, Brother," he greeted. "I'm going out to lunched and wondered if you'd like to join me. Jason is having lunch with Kate and her mom."

Looking at his watch and then at the mound of paperwork on his desk, Alex said, "Why the hell not, an hour isn't going to make a huge difference with all of this paperwork."

Grabbing his coat, he headed out of the door with Cameron. After locking his office, he stopped by his secretary's desk and informed her that he would be out for lunch and where to reach him in case of an emergency. 

Cameron chose Malio's, a popular steakhouse for lunch. After they were seated and their drink orders were taken, he got to the real reason that he'd asked Alex to lunch.

"There was an ulterior motive to my offer of lunch today," he said with a serious expression on his face.

"Yeah, I know," Alex replied, equally serious. 

"Hell, how did you know?" 

"Easy. I know you. In the last six months I've had lunch with you twice. You've either been too busy to go out to lunch or you've had lunch with Lauren. You've also been acting like there was something on your mind for a couple of days. If it had lasted another day, I was going to ask you about it," Alex said.

"Ok, ok, so you know me," Cameron said with a smile. 

"The thing is, I'm going to ask Lauren to marry me. I love her. I've known that for a while, but the thought of marriage is still kind of unsettling for me."

Addressing him with a sober expression, Alex said, "The fact that you love someone doesn't automatically mean you're ready to get married. Everyone is different, just be sure that it's what you want before you do it."

Looking at Cam thoughtfully, he continued.

"An engagement would be a formal commitment to marry Lauren; you need to be sure that it's what you want before you put the ring on her finger. The thing you need to do is make sure that you want, need and expect the same things out of your married life. Don't leave it to chance or assume you know if you haven't had the important discussions."

Giving Cam a slightly crooked smile, Alex said,

"I sort of put the horse before the cart, but Jade and I did get around to talking about what we expect out of married life, including kids. However, I'm sure there are a bunch of things we still need to discuss further. So, I guess, I'm a fine example of what not to do. But, hell, I know her well enough to be sure that we can work anything out." 

"Yeah," Cameron laugh, "you did just jump into it with Jade, but you make sense. There are a lot of things that we need to be sure about before I decide to pop the question."

"It's your decision to make, Cam," Alex said. "If you get engaged, if you get married, do it because this is the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with, not because you feel pressured."

"Well, Lauren has been talking about marriage lately. I do love her and I'm not getting any younger. I'm twenty eight, almost twenty nine," he said with a sigh.

Raising an eyebrow Alex said, "I'm thirty six, what's your point?"

"All right old man, I get it," Cameron teased. "But seriously, Alex, I don't want to lose Lauren."

"I understand that, Cam," Alex assured him. "But don't let fear be your motivator. If she loves you, she'll understand that you aren't ready for marriage. If she doesn't understand, then you might want to think about whether she's really in love with you. You've only been dating a year, it's not like it's been a very long time. Yes, she might leave you, but that might happen at any time in your relationship, there are no guarantees."

Running his hand through his hair with a sigh, Cameron said, "I know you're right, Alex. I just needed to run the situation by you. I trust your opinion and I should trust myself. Dad and Mom did a good job raising us and teaching us how to approach problems, but when reality hits you in the face, you forget sometimes. Thanks." 

Nodding, Alex said, "No thanks necessary, I only want you to be happy." 

After that, the tone of the conversation lightened and the brothers enjoyed the rest of their lunch. 

* 

After picking up Briana from her parents' house, Jade made a quick stop at the grocery store before heading home. 

While Briana listened to her Winnie the Pooh talking book, Jade put up the groceries and started dinner. She was cooking one of her favorites and hoped it would become a favorite of Alex's. Cooking was relaxing for her, so she found time to think about a few things as she flitted about the kitchen. 

Alex brought a lot into their lives, not the least was stability for Briana. Jade had come to know and appreciate how much her daughter needed a father; one that was steadfast and dependable. As a result of Alex's influence Briana was more confident, less clingy, although Jade sometimes felt a little wistful about her child's new found independence. 

Her little girl was growing up, but Jade still had a lot of mommy points. At first she'd thought that Briana's independence meant that she would want to spend more than away from them, but that hadn't been the case. She was all right with visiting, but she never wanted to stay with anyone overnight, not even her parents more than a couple days at a time. 

The move to Mrs. McCord's assistant was a good one in more ways than one. Jade was far more rested and able to give Briana her full attention when they were together instead of crashing on the sofa soon after coming home from work. 

Now she was home almost every day by five thirty. She was happy and felt invigorated. The work was continuous, but it was worked that she loved, in conditions that were pleasant. Although things could get hectic at times, it wasn't stressful like it had been in her prior job. She even had alone time with Alex, the man she adored.

Her daughter was starting to get interested in what Jade was doing in the kitchen and was given small tasks to help with preparing the meal. Briana took great pleasure in telling Alex that she helped with dinner. They were already a family in Jade's heart and mind, soon it would be legal. 

* 

Two weeks later

Jade had some unexpected time off as Mr. and Mrs. McCord were taking a long weekend to visit his brother Marvin and his wife Harriet. Since event activities were slowing down, there was no need to have anyone answer the phone. The couple was taking a cruise over the Christmas holiday and wouldn't be able to attend the McCord's pre- Christmas festivities. 

With Thursday through Monday off, Jade thought it was a good time to do her holiday shopping. She usually had everything purchased and wrapped before Thanksgiving, but with her new found personal life and Russell's troubles, she was off her game. 

Shopping, especially for Christmas, was truly akin to a blood sport at times. What with people being crushed by the stampede of shoppers during black Friday and fights over limited toys, she preferred to avoid the entire scene.

It was almost eight when Alex got home. Jade and Briana had already eaten dinner and Briana was now coloring in her Princesses Coloring Book. It was another long day in court for Alex and he was tired after wrapping up some details on one of his newer cases. 

Jade was in the living room watching television when she heard the door lock clicked to signal Alex's arrival. She turned her head toward the door and knew by the look on his face that he'd had a rough day. 

"Hi, baby," she called, then got up and took his brief case before planting a kiss on his cheek.

"You look like you could use a nice warm shower."

"Yeah," he said. "It was a hell of a day, but I got a lot done and I don't have anything pressing for while," he sighed, hugging her close.

Briana, who had been engrossed in coloring, got up and went to Alex, "Hi, Alex, she murmured, then gave him a tight hug when he picked her up. 

"Hi, princess, how was your day?"

"It was good. Mommy and me cooked dinner. It's good too," she said with a smile. 

"Well, now," Alex drawled, "I'll just have to see about that. But I'm sure you're right, your mom is a great cook and if you helped, it has to be even better."

Beaming, Briana kissed him on the cheek and gave him another hug.

When Alex set her back on her feet, she ran back to her coloring book.

Turning to Jade, he said, "I think I will have that shower. I'd like a drink too, but you're a teetotaler," he grinned. 

"Be that as it may," she said, "I happen to have a bottle of Remy that someone gave me for my 23rd birthday as a joke; it's never been opened."

After giving her a mock shocked expression he said, "What are we waiting for, let's break it in."

"I'll have your drink ready when you get out of the shower," she said. "Don't be long, I'm heating up dinner."

"What did you and Briana cook?" Alex asked.

"We prepared Hawaiian pork with black beans, yellow rice, fried plantains and green beans. Mom was always big on having something green with each meal and you seemed to like them."

"You made them with roast beef before, they were great. You're quite the little cook, I just might have to keep you around," he joked. 

She shook her head at him, but gave him a sweet kiss.

He sighed when it ended.

"I won't be long, baby," he said and went off to take a shower. 

After his shower, Alex was invigorated and the Remy did its bit to warm him up. Jade, joined him as he ate his dinner, discussing the news of the day. 

Eating his meal with gusto, Alex was halfway through his generous portion when he stopped and said, 

"I'm not kidding, sweetheart, this is really great. Everything you've cooked has been delicious."

"I noticed that you have a very healthy appetite. At this rate I'm gonna need to let out those pants," she teased.

"Not to worry, baby, I'll always retain my figure," he chuckled. "Jason, Cameron and I can eat almost anyone we know under the table and never gain a pound. We're like our Dad, we have high metabolisms."

"Isn't that just perfect," Jade groused. "You guys eat like there's no tomorrow and I have to watch ever nibble. Huh!"

"Sorry, baby, them be the breaks," Alex teased.

Eyeing Alex, Jade thought, "He's a mighty fine package at that. I'll show him how much I appreciate it, later." 

Then she remembered something else she wanted to discuss with him. 

"Oh, I wanted to talk to you about the wedding. I was thinking that we'd wait until after the holidays to start planning it. Christmas and New Year's Day are going to be enough to deal with at the moment. Besides, we haven't talked about setting a date."

"I agree that we can wait until after the holidays," Alex said, "but not much longer. I'm anxious to be married and have you and Briana live with me. I'd settle for a small intimate wedding, but if you want a larger one, I'm all right with that too. Just don't wait long, I want to get settled and start making babies." 

"Is that right? Jade grinned. "We can practice the baby making tonight," she offered in a low tone so that Briana wouldn't hear. If her daughter heard that, she'd be telling everyone she knew that mommy was making a baby with Alex. 

"I want a traditional wedding, but it doesn't have to be large. I think family and close friends would be fine. As for when, I'm partial to May, what about you?" she asked.

"February isn't too soon for me," he said. "However, I know it takes time to plan a wedding and I want this one to be everything you want it to be. I'll clear time from my calendar so that I'm free the entire month, so make it early May, if possible, I want a long honeymoon. I have trials coming up in January and March. They should only take two to three weeks each," Alex said.

"Good. I can get my cousins and Mom to help. You'll need to get me a guest list so that I can send out the invitations in time. I want to be able to give as much notice as possible."

Reaching across the table, Alex took her hand in his. 

"Why don't you let Mom help, she would really like that."

Frowning, Jade replied, "You really think she'd like to help? I mean, she plans stuff all the time, I just didn't think...well, I don't know what I thought. I haven't managed to separate Diana, your mother, from Mrs. McCord, my employer. "

"That's because she's been your employer longer than your mother to be," Alex reasoned. "Maybe what the two of you need is some time away from the office. That way you could get to know each other on a personal level. If it's all right with you, I'll talk to Mom about it. It probably hadn't occurred to her because she sees you all the time."

Frowning slightly, Jade said, "Mother. It even sounds weird when you say it. I really like your mother and I want to get to know her better too. You're right, away from the office we won't have distractions and we can have a more personal conversation."

Acknowledging that the aspect was important in more than one way, Alex said, "She'll not only be your mother-in-law, but the grandmother of our children. She spoke highly of you even before she knew we were dating. Now she asks about you and Briana, although she sees you nearly everyday. That's her way of letting me know she cares about the both of you."

"She does?" Jade said, surprised, though she didn't know why she should be. Mrs. McCord was always asking about Briana and complimenting her on being such an involved mother. 

"She admires you, especially how you've raised Briana on your own. But, aside from that, you have secured her heart felt affection for life because you love me," Alex said.

"That means a lot to me," Jade said. "Why don't I talk to her when she's back in town and set up something. We can make a lunch date and talk about the wedding plans. I'm sure she'll have some great ideas."

"Ok, I'll leave it to you then," Alex agreed. "By the way, The Grove is having a Christmas bash. Since Christmas is on a Tuesday, the party will be on the prior Saturday. Would you like to go?"

"Yes, I'd love to go. Is it fancy dress?" Jade asked.

"Yes, it is. There will be a cocktail hour, a gourmet meal and dancing. We get to hobnob with the movers and shakers of the community," Alex teased. "I'll be your Prince Naveen and you'll be my Princess Tiana."

"Hmmm, that wouldn't work, you're no frog. But, for all I know, you could be some fly by night prince?" Jade teased. 

Pretending to be affronted, Alex looked down his nose at her and said in a rather proper voice, "I'll have you know, my dear, I'm a perfectly legitimate card carrying prince." 

Alex couldn't hold the look for long and both he and Jade burst out into laughter. 

Briana's inquiry, "What's funny?" had them laughing even harder.

*

Jade decided to set December six aside as her Christmas shopping day. Thursday was Cheryl's usual day off and Jade thought they could make a big dent in their holiday list.

Jade could shop with the best of them, but she had to admit that Cheryl had her beat. At the end of the day, she will have lost track of the number of stores they visited and her tired body would bear testament the fact that it had been a long arduous day. On the other hand, Cheryl would still be rearing to go; she knew this from experience. 

She and Cheryl made plans earlier in the week. Neither of them liked waiting until the last minute to complete their shopping and they both were eager to get started. Jade completed her list, getting information from Alex regarding what his brothers and parents would like. It was decided that the gift cards would bear both their names and Briana's. 

Alex gave her money for the presents, more than she thought she'd needed. But, when she objected to the amount, he'd told her if she didn't spend it all, to put it into Briana's savings account. 

She still wanted to object, but realized this man was her fiancé and would soon be her husband; it was all right for him to look after them now, even monetarily. Besides, it would be disrespectful to Alex not to accept his generosity.

After shopping, Jade and her cousin stopped and got all the gift wrapping necessities at Holiday Central, a specialty store in the mall. The store had a gift wrapping service, but they both enjoyed doing it themselves. Jade decided the perfect time to wrap her presents would be that night since Briana was staying over with Lisa for a slumber party. Those two never got enough of each other. 

She had yet to get Alex's present, although she knew what she was getting him. She'd enlist his help with the wrapping and filling out the gift labels. She was glad to have his help and it was even more of a pleasure to know that she could look forward to many years ahead to share all of the holidays.

* 

The plan was for Alex to pick Briana up from her grandparents and take her over to Judy's. He found that he was looking forward to Briana having kids over to their house for sleepovers. That might not be too long into the future, but that night he would have the entire evening alone with Jade and he intended to make the most of it.




A Long Time Coming Ch. 07



The slumber party was a first for Briana and she was beyond excited. She would spend the night with Lisa and her friends, then Jade would pick her up the next afternoon and they would go out to lunch together, just the two of them. Alex was joining Jason for a game or two of racquetball.

After lunch, they were going to visit Briana's grandmother, Adele.



A Long Time Coming Ch. 08



(c) All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced, copied, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means ( electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise)), without the prior expressed written permission of the author. 

A long Time Coming Chapter Eight

-



While the holidays were an especially happy time for most people for some it was a lonely road to travel. 

When Francine Winestein's sister Kate joined her at Sabatino's Italian Grill Restaurant at twelve thirty she was already a bit tipsy, now she was well on her way to being drunk. 

Kate watched her older sister with a feeling of helplessness. She didn't need to be a mind reader to know that Alex was at the heart of Francine's torn emotions. However, she wasn't keen on censuring her knowing that she might only exacerbate the situation. 

Francine dated a few men in the past few months, but no one more than a few times. She was picky, too picky and it hadn't helped that she compared every one of them to Alex. 

This was a new side of her sister, one that Kate wished she could have avoided seeing. She'd always thought of Francine as strong and independent, but she seem to have lost some of that edge. After the break up she still carried on like she was bulletproof, but her armor began to crack when Alex became engaged.

Kate knew that Francine invited her to lunch to pump her for information about Alex and Jade, not that she knew much. The McCord men respected each other and their boundaries when it came to personal relationships. All she knew was that Alex had become a bit of a homebody since he and Jade got together. That was obvious by the fact that she and Jason didn't see him out at the usual places. 

Kate wasn't about to get in the middle of Francine's problems. Her sister was a big girl and she simply had no choice but to deal with the fact that she and Alex were not destined to be together. She loved her sibling, even if they hadn't been particularly close in recent years. 

The only time Kate had seen Alex and Jade together was at dinner with his family. Although her sister wanted a blow by blow of what happened that night, Kate refused to oblige her. It was obvious to her and everyone else there that Alex was deeply in love with Jade and he adored her little girl. What good would it do for Francine to know that?

Seeing Francine trying to drown her hurt, Kate felt compelled to say something.

"Frannie, don't you think you've had enough," she queried in a gentle tone.

Looking at Kate above her wine glass, Francine replied, "I don't know, maybe I haven't had enough."

"Frannie, I know how much the break up with Alex hurt you, but you can't spend the rest of your life drowning your pain. He's moved on and you should do the same."

"I should do the same?" Francine sneered. "Would you be so together if Jason left you for another woman?"

Kate looked at her sister calmly and gathered her thoughts before responding. 

"Technically, Alex didn't leave you for another woman," she said. "He didn't meet Jade until weeks later. As for your question, I'd be heartbroken for a long time, but I would hope that someone would be there to try to pull me together. I'm your sister and I love you. I just hate seeing you like this."

Sighing, Francine said, "Yeah, technicalities. That would be something an attorney would know about."

Not through with the subject, she muddled on. 

"Sometimes I think it would have been better never to have met Alex; he ruined me for other men," she said. "Then I think of our time together and I want those memories, even though they hurt me now. I don't know what to do with myself. I'm thirty two years old, not a damn teenager. I should know how to move on."

Taking Francine's hand, Kate said, "It's not about age, it about emotions. You wanted more out of the relationship than Alex was able to give. I know I got lucky with Jason, but it could just as easily been the case with us. Remember Jack Reynolds, the guy who fell in love with you when you weren't in love him? No one was to blame."

"I know, but when it's you getting the short end it's a different story," Francine admitted. 

It was at that moment that Alex walked in with Jade. Kate, who was facing the door, saw them first. Francine noticed her expression and turned to see what had caught her attention. 

When Francine saw the woman at Alex's side, she was surprised. Alex walked to their table with his hand on the woman's lower back. No one could mistake it for anything other than a possessive gesture. The woman seemed to accept the gesture as one to which she had become accustom. She belonged to him and there was no doubt about it.

They sat on the other side of the room diagonal to Francine's view. She could see them without being obvious and, heaven help her, she couldn't tear her eyes away. She'd wondered what this mysterious woman looked like. She'd imagined a tall blonde much like herself, but more of a self made person or an heiress. Alex didn't have a type to her knowledge, but Francine had always been jealous of women who owned their businesses or were socially elite. 

It was obvious that the woman with Alex was African American because of her coloring, but her features hinted at a racial mix. It was equally obvious that they looked good together. She was pretty, but Francine thought herself prettier. She wondered what Alex had seen in this woman that made her the one. Maybe it was time that she found out.

Before Kate could stop her, Francine got out of her seat and headed across the room. Cringing, Kate prayed that her sister wouldn't do or say anything inappropriate or embarrassing. Truth to tell, she didn't know what Francine was capable of doing. 

Since Jade was sitting facing where Kate and Francine were seated, she was the first to see Francine approaching, although she didn't know who she was. She noticed that the woman had a look of determination on her face, which turned to something that tried to be a smile as she drew near. 

"Alex." Francine said breathlessly as she reached the table. 

"I'm sorry to interrupt your lunch, but I just wanted to say hello and congratulations."

Looking at Francine, Alex could tell that she'd had a little too much to drink. Her eyes were glassy and her smile forced. He hoped to hell that she didn't make a scene.

One of the things he hated dealing with was public scenes with woman. He'd only had one in his life and that was enough. He hoped to dispatch Francine as soon as possible without any drama. 

"Francine. Good to see you again," he said. Then looking at his companion, "Jade this is Francine Winestein; Francine, Jade Harris, my fiancée.

"Please to meet you Miss Harris and congratulations," Francine said, feeling like the words would stick in her throat. 

"Nice meeting you Miss Winestein and thank you. I understand that you are the head buyer for Marcus Mann women's clothing and accessories. I've shopped there a few times, you have impeccable taste," Jade said with admiration.

Not expecting the compliment, Francine was momentarily thrown off balance. She quickly regained her composure. She lost that confrontational spirit and actually felt embarrassed that her intention was to cause trouble. 

"Thank you so much," she responded. "It's a rewarding job and I'm always happy to hear that our customers appreciate the effort." 

Turning back to Alex with a genuine smile, she said, "Alex, it was nice seeing you again, enjoy your meal. Miss Harris." Nodding to Jade she left and returned to her table. 

As soon as she sat down, Kate pounced on her.

"What did you say to them?" she demanded.

"Smiling, Francine said, "Cool it, little Sister. I only said hello."

"It looked like more than just hello," Kate noted.

"Well, I couldn't just say hello and leave," Francine reasoned. "Alex obviously told her about me. She said I have impeccable taste as a buyer for Mann's. I didn't expect that. I thought she'd be kind of stuck up, but she was very nice. She wasn't just talking to be kind either, I could tell by her eyes. She has the most amazing golden brown eyes; she's really quite pretty even close up. But, I don't think it's her looks that attracted Alex, well maybe initially." 

"What does that mean?" Kate asked.

"I really don't know. It's just that I finally realized that Alex's in love with her, really in love with her. Saying it and seeing it is two different things and I could see it. They were holding hands across the table when I approached and they never broke the contact. He was caressing the back of her hand with his thumb as she spoke to me. He never looked at me the way he looks at her."

Sighing, Kate asked, "What does this mean for you now?"

"It means, I've been a fool wasting my time pining over Alex," Francine confessed. "If I were honest with myself I'd have admitted a long time ago that the relationship meant way more to me than it did to him. He is everything that I could want in a man and a husband, but I wasn't his ideal woman. It just wasn't meant to be. There's someone for me out there, but I have to stop comparing every man to Alex. Emotions can run amok and make you really stupid at times." 

"Well, hallelujah, I'm glad you've come to your senses. I hated to see you like that. Now you have things in perspective," Kate said.

The rest of their lunch was quite enjoyable with the sisters communicating as they'd never done in the past. They got rid of some of the old baggage that was keeping them from being as close as they could be and vowed that in the future their relationship would be different, better. 

Francine knew it wasn't that easy to get over someone, but she'd made a big step toward moving on. 

*

Alex, who was hoping that there wouldn't be a scene with Francine, was now pondering her behavior. He knew a thing or two about women and what Francine said was not all that she intended to say when she approached their table, of that he was certain. 

"That was odd," he murmured.

"You do you mean?" Jade asked.

Frowning, Alex said, "Francine's behavior. I thought she came over to say more than hello and congratulation."

Grinning, Jade said, "I'm sure she intended to say more. I saw the look on her face before she plastered on that fake smile. I'm sure she was going to try to make me as uncomfortable as she could. Embarrass the new woman in public, not original, but effective if you know how."

"Then what stopped her?" Alex asked.

"I complimented her. Women like to be appreciated. From what you told me she worked very hard and was proud of her job. What better way to stroke her ego. Not that I was insincere. I do shop at Marcus Mann and she's done a fantastic job as their buyer. Although my thought was to get her off her game, I'm glad I didn't have to lie."

Looking at her shocked, Alex said in a husky whisper, "You are amazing, in more ways than I could have imagined."

Almost blushing at his compliment, Jade replied, "I've had a lot of experience diffusing emotional people, not the least of all, Jackson. He's been the most difficult, but for the most part I keep him in check. Anyway, Francine was hurt and I'm not one to gloat."

"No, you aren't. You're a very special woman whom I love to distraction. When we get home, I'll show you just how much," Alex promised.

"Hmm, we might have to rush through lunch," Jade said with a sassy grin.



*

The night of the Christmas party finally arrived. 

Briana was having her first sleep over with her grandmother. In the intervening weeks since her daughter met Adele, Jade made sure that they visited every other weekend. Briana was very comfortable with her grandmother and Jackson was a beneficiary of his daughter's budding relationship with his mother. 

After Briana's first visit, Jackson told his mother that he was sorry for the way he'd wasted his life and his chance to have a real relationship with his daughter. He said he was going to try to make up for lost time. The very next week he'd gotten a job at a local dealership detailing cars. Now he was giving his mother money every week to help pay for food and household expenses. He didn't make a whole lot, but after three months he would be reevaluated for a raise.

Jackson made a point, if he wasn't working, to be home when Briana came to visit. Jade didn't know what was at the root of his changed behavior, but she thought it was about time. For the first time in Briana's life he didn't act like he was about to crawl out of his skin because he had to spend a few minutes with her. In fact, he tried engaging her in conversation. The fact that he didn't crowd her or pitch a fit if she was reticent helped tremendously. Briana gradually warmed up to him and became more relaxed. 

Adele was proud of her son as she related to Jade her conversation with him and his plans for the future. She didn't know what brought about the change either, nor did he explain, but for her it was enough that he was finally finding some direction in his life. 

As Jade got dressed for the party, she knew she had some regrets with her own life. Her relationship with Jackson had been doomed from the start, but if not for him she wouldn't have Briana. She wouldn't have traded the daughter she had for anything or anyone. 

Now she had Alex, a man who loved her and her daughter. She hadn't been looking for a man, but there he was. He wasn't the man of her dreams because she couldn't have dreamed up anyone like him in a thousand years.

Jade loved everything about Alex, even the way he took charged sometimes; not asking, but making decisions for her and Briana's benefit. She had been making her own decisions for a long time and balked at the idea of anyone taking the lead, but with Alex she had acquiesced because it never felt like he was running roughshod over her, it felt like love. She was strong with an independent nature, but it felt good to have someone help manage the daily load of life.

Checking herself in the full length mirror behind her bedroom door, Jade nodded to her image and gave herself two thumbs up. She looked good. While she and Cheryl were out Christmas shopping she'd stopped in at Spellman's and purchased the gown. It was pricy, but it fit perfectly.

The dress was a silk confection in white. It was full length, with a v-neckline and silver jeweled detail on the 2" wide shoulder straps. The bodice was delicately pleated, but the skirt of the gown fell in soft waves from her hips down to the floor. From the rear, it was cut in a scoop design, baring her back. 

Jade's hair, courtesy of Cheryl, was styled in a neat French twist. Her accessories were 3" high silver sandals and a hard cased silver clutch. The only jewelry she wore was sterling silver crystal drop earrings and her engagement ring.

When Jade met Alex at the door, he stood staring at her for a few moments, not even blinking. Then, his face broke into a smile that lit up his amazing blue eyes.

"Damn," he whispered in awe, "you look like a bride."

Feeling her face warm under his regard, Jade lowered her eyes to conceal her rising heat. The man looked good enough to eat.

Alex move into the room, closing the door behind him. Seeing the lust in his eyes, Jade backed up holding up her hand to slow him as he stalked her. 

"Alex!" she shrieked as he grab her and pulled her into his hard body. 

"I know we don't have time," he said, "but that doesn't mean I can't have a little taste." With that he lowered his head and planted his lips squarely on hers. Deepening the kiss, he slipped his tongue into her mouth and plumbed the moist interior. 

Barely able to catch a breath, Jade whimpered under the onslaught as Alex grabbed her buttocks and ground his hard cock into her. 

He ended the kiss with a swift jerk of his head.

"Fuck!" 

Breathing heavily Alex backed away from Jade and ran his hand through his thick raven hair.

Jade felt her panties moisten and stifled a groan.

"Well hell," she thought exasperated that they couldn't finish what Alex started. 

Gaining control, Alex chuckled and said, "I sure as hell didn't expect it to get that hot so fast. I'm thirty six years old for Pete's sake, not sixteen." 

"Huh!" Jade grunted, "Whatever your age, you got my panties wet; now I have to change."

Still smiling, he said, "Not on my account. I have a feeling they'll be wet again in no time."

He only burst out laughing when she gave him the stink eye and flounced out of the room to change her panties and secure a panty liner. 

*

Jade had a great time at the party. It was truly a social event and she got to meet many of Alex's friends and business associates. She even met the elusive Brad Simpson, his business partner. Brad was a good looking man, but he came to the party alone. Jade wondered why he wasn't married or at least attached. There was a story to be told there, she would bet money on it.

Brad was nearly as tall as Alex with rich dark brown hair. His eyes were gray with flecks of green with short thick lashes. His voice was warm and mellow reminding Jade of a southern gentleman. He had a sexy smile which made his eyes sparkle. Like all of Alex's friends, he was easy to talk with and had a great deal of admiration for him. Jade vowed to find out the story behind Mr. Simpson.

Alex introduced Jade to Mayor Joel Hamilton and his wife Miriam. Jade was apprehensive about being able to navigate this social circle comfortably, but she found all her fears had been unwarranted. The mayor and his wife were as nice as could be and they showed genuine interest in her opinions. 

As the night wore on, time and again Jade tried to keep her mind from wandering back to the hot kiss she and Alex shared in her apartment. By one thirty she felt that a good time had been had by all and they'd fulfilled any social obligations. Now she was ready to have him all to herself. 

She had been on simmer since that kiss. Alex enjoyed her arousal and made a point of touching her throughout the evening. He even touched her a time or two on her derriere. She definitely enjoyed the attention and felt kinky knowing that she was aroused as they walked about chatting; however, it was time to put an end to the teasing.

Smiling, Alex placed his hand on the small of her back as she talked with Brad. Instantly he felt the quiver of her body and heard the soft intake of breath. Jade literally stopped talking in mid sentence. 

Looking at Brad, Alex said, "I think it's time for us to call it a night Bradley. I'll talk to you tomorrow about some ideas I have regarding the new project Bill James is working on."

Grinning, Brad said, "Sure thing, Alex. I think it's time for me to be leaving too. I'll just go over and say goodbye to the chief. You two enjoy the rest of your evening."

Knowing exactly what was going on, Brad smirked as he turned and walked in the direction of Police Chief James Harrington. 

"Ready to go, sweetheart?" Alex asked in a casual tone. 

"Uh, huh," was all that Jade could manage. 

*

On the way home, Alex rested his hand on Jade's thigh. Even through the dress he could feel her warmth, but he wasn't content. Soon, he had the bottom of her dress pooled in her lap while his hand caressed the inside of her thigh. 

"Alex," Jade moaned and closed her thigh, trapping his hand. 

Jade couldn't believe how aroused she was. Alex hand was no longer moving, but that didn't stop her mind from imagining him stroking her wet pussy. In no time her thoughts had her squirming in her seat, but she wanted so much more.

When they came to a red traffic light, Alex said in a husky voice, "Open your thighs, baby." 

Immediately Jade complied and felt the slide of his fingers to her wet panties where they encountered the panty liner.




A Long Time Coming Ch. 08



"Extra protection?" he grinned wickedly.

Bypassing the liner, Alex stroked her throbbing pussy as her bottom arched up off of the seat. 

A wailing sound echoed in the interior of the car as Jade pussy spasmed and she felt the flood of more juices. She panted harshly begging him to make her come. Alex slipped his finger into her pussy, but made no further move.

"Soon," he said, his voice ragged with desire. 

The light turned green and Alex proceeded on, his home only a short distant away. He held Jade on the precipice of orgasm, his finger lodged in her quivering warmth. 

A few minutes later, they were at his house. Jade suppressed a groan when his finger slipped from her pulsing slit.

After existing the car, they entered the house where Alex abruptly pushed Jade back against the interior door and went down on his knees in front of her. 

Jade felt like her heart was lodged in her throat. She was so turned on that she didn't know if her legs would hold her upright for much longer. She was lightheaded, but remained focused enough to notice that Alex was taking off her shoes. Then he slid the hem of the dress up and over her hips. 

With a gruff voice, he said, "Hold your dress up baby."

As soon as Jade had the material in her hands, he pulled her panties, along with the liner, down to her ankles. A moment later, his thumbs were spreading her pussy lips; his tongue curling around her clit. Moaning and rolling her head from side to side she felt the tightening of her inner muscles as he probed and sucked her delicate feminine parts. 

"Alex...Alex...ahhhh....ahh...ohhhhhhh...baby...baby...baby....... ahhhhhhhhh!

The last was said as Alex's tongue captured her clit again and he sucked long and hard. 

Jade's legs buckled, but Alex held her in place as he by turns tormented and soothed her aching throbbing flesh through a resplendently long climax. 

Afterward, he allowed her to sink down to the floor. 

As Jade leaned against the door, Alex slipped her panties off. He held them to his nose, inhaling her scent from the crotch of the under garment.

He grinned wickedly. 

"This should be bottled and sold at a premium. You'd be a millionaire in no time, but I'd be jealous as hell. It's a good thing that this is mine, only mine."

Languishing in the effects of her orgasm, Jade was only able to issue a groan in reply.

After sitting for a few minutes, Alex got up and helped Jade stand on her still shaky legs. Picking her up in his arms, he carried her to his bedroom where he flipped on the light, set her on her feet and finished undressing her. With her clothing tossed to the floor, Jade helped him undress.

Kneeling in front of Alex, she looked up to his beautiful eyes, dark with arousal. He was looking at her in that expectant way, already anticipating having his hard cock ensconced in her hot wet mouth. 

The lighting in the room was warm and muted, but allowed them to clearly see each other. Jade was going to enjoy watching him as he climaxed. Alex's cock was long and thick, rigid against his flat belly. Jade cradled his ball sack with one hand as she gently caressed the shaft with the other. He stood still, but he was anything but calm. The muscles of his stomach were rippling and his breathing was raspy.

She watched his face as she held his cock, positioning it at the opening of mouth. She flicked her tongue against the slit and smiled as he shuddered. As soon as she slid the head into her mouth, he closed his eyes and grunted his pleasure. 

This was a sweet moment, the first taste of her man. 

Swirling her tongue around the head of his cock, Jade savored his essence, the slightly salty flavor of his pre-cum. As she licked, she was treated to another spurt. Working earnestly, in a sucking motion she stroked her mouth up and down the first few inches of his erection. 

Unable to remain still, Alex held her head as he thrust his cock in and out of her mouth, taking control. He loved the sight of her lips stretched around his fat organ as she tried to take in more and more. She couldn't deep throat him, but what she did made his head spin. 

He could feel the back of her throat as the head butted against it. Once she'd gotten as much as she could take, he held her head still, her mouth full of his cock, then slowly pull his shaft back until just the head remained in her mouth.

Jade then took over again, rolling her tongue around the head and sucking on the slit until Alex thought he'd lose his mind. While one hand caressed his balls, the other firmly stroked up and down the shaft. Then she held his cock up and slid the flat of her tongue from the base to the tip, as if it were a big lollipop. Four or five times she did this and when she got back down to the balls, her tongue slid down further and licked them before taking one big nut into her mouth. Savoring the taste and texture, Jade grunted and felt her pussy throb. 

Alex was on the verge of coming and he knew where he wanted his ejaculate to go. He wanted it in the deep recesses of her hot pussy. Gently pulling Jade's hair, he got her attention.

"I want to fuck you, baby. I want my cock deep in your pussy. We've had a night of teasing; now I want to give you what I promised with that kiss." 

Before getting to her feet, Jade gave Alex's cock one last lick, bringing forth another spurt of pre-cum and a hiss from him. Once she was standing, he picked her up in his arms, planted a deep kiss on her lips, then turned and dropped her into the center of his bed.

Jade giggled as her body hit the mattress. Moments later Alex joined her.

Rolling on top of him, she straddled his hips and rubbed her wetness against his turgid penis. 

"Uh, uh," Alex said in a gritty voice, "no more teasing."

Rolling her over onto her back, he opened her thighs and knelt between them. He knew she was wet enough, so without further foreplay he placed his cock at her entranced and gently pushed forward until the head and a few inches popped in. Giving her a few seconds to adjust, he continued the slow slide into her tight humid channel. 

"Ummmm," Jade moaned, "Nothing feels as good as this." 

"Give me a minute and see if that opinion changes," Alex said then proceeded to whip her body into a frenzy. 

In no time, he was stroking in and out of her with lightning speed, hitting her clit with ever stroke. The only sounds were their heavy panting, groans and the slap of flesh against flesh as they sped toward orgasm. 

Alex paused only long enough to place Jade's legs over his shoulders before he slammed relentlessly into her pussy. He pounded her as she begged for release, sobbing as the walls of her pussy spasmed into aching need. 

He could feel his release approaching with the familiar tightening of his ball sack, the spasming of his lower back and the aching need to expel his sperm. Faster and harder he hammered into her until his frame jerked shooting hot cream into her shuddering body. 

Jade was in the throes of her own climax when she felt the warm rush of semen enter her throbbing body. 

As their orgasms eased, Alex body settled on Jade's and he balanced his weight on his forearms. He nuzzled her neck moaning at the aftershocks of his spent passion. She rubbed his moist back and luxuriated in the pleasure of being completely satisfied. 

When she had the presence of mind to think, she told him, "Yeah, there's nothing better than that." 

Sometime later, Alex rolled off of Jade. After settling her in his arms, he stroked her sensitive breasts. He loved the slick feel of her body after lovemaking and the small purring sounds she made. The fact that he sometimes made similar noises wasn't lost on him. 

Just before daybreak, he awakened with Jade sprawled over his body. Her body held a slight chill since they hadn't taken the time to get under the covers before dropping off to sleep. Gently sliding from beneath her, he secured a blanket from the linen closet and spread it over her before slipping back into bed. As he was gathering her into his arms, she sighed and settled softly against his chest. 

As he lay abed, he thought about how much his life had changed in such a short time. Until a few months ago, marriage wasn't even on his radar. He thought his life was complete; he had a challenging career, a great family, friends and a lovely, smart, charming companion in Francine. He knew that eventually he would get married and have kids, but he hadn't seen it in the foreseeable future. Now he was going to be a husband and step-father in one fell swoop. 

The thing that surprised him most was that he was impatient to have it happen. If it was left to him, they'd be down at the courthouse tomorrow and into the baby making business within minutes after that. 

However, he wanted to give Briana time to feel secure in his relationship as her step-father. He knew that she already loved him, but he didn't want her to feel that she was being replaced by another child. They needed time for her to adjust to the thought of having siblings. Ever since their talk, he'd done everything possible to make sure that she knew that, in his heart, she was his daughter. 

With that thought, Alex closed his eyes and allowed slumber to claim him. 



*

Christmas and New Year's Day passed with Alex and Jade dividing their time between their families and friends. They even managed a short weekend trip to visit Brenda and tony in D.C. The couple lived in a sprawling suburban neighborhood and was expecting their first child in seven months. Since Briana spent Christmas Eve with her Grandma Adele and her father, Christmas and New Year's Day were divided between the Harrises and the McCords. 

Although Alex had reminded Briana that Jackson was her father, he was feeling very much like a first time dad who had to fight his will to over indulge his only child. But instead of buying out half of Toys 'r Us, he'd been contented with he and Jade completing her collection of Disney Princess Dolls and getting her the Barbie fun house she'd asked for earlier in the year; she already had a collection of Barbie dolls. The grandparents purchased clothing and Jackson bought her a selection of books. With gifts from other family members and friends, Briana had a very Merry Christmas.   

*      

A month later Jade was knee deep in wedding plans. She arranged a luncheon date with Mrs. McCord to discuss her plans and get her input.

As expected, Alex's mother was eager to lend assistance and was happy that Jade wanted to include her in preparing for her special day. She hadn't wanted to impose if she was not needed, but Jade assured her that she needed and appreciated as much help as she could give her. 

In spite of all the time they'd spent together working, it was only at that luncheon that they began to cement their relationship as mother  and daughter-in-law. Thereafter, even in the office, they were less formal with each other. Mrs. McCord asked Jade to call her Diana, even in the office. This was the beginning of a bond that would endure over many, many years. 

Judy offered to throw Jade a bachelorette party, to which Jade politely answered, "Thanks, but no thanks." She was at the end of a stressful day of making wedding plans, so her cousin thought it better to wait until later to broach the subject again rather than press the issue. 

A week later, Judy realized that no time was going to be a good time to bring up the subject of the Bachelorette party again; however, a shopping trip with Jade presented the opportunity. 

Jade had invited Judy along to check out some dresses for the wedding party as well as gifts. She would save shopping for Judy's present for a later time so that she would be surprised. Now she and Judy were back at her place. Alex had taken Briana to see The Secret World of Arrietty and they were still out.

Placing her purchases on the sofa, she went to the kitchen while Judy sat on the sofa in the living room.

"I don't know about you, Judy, but I feel like I've been run over. Whew! It was stinking hot out there; it's winter for Pete's sake," Jade groused.

"Welcome to Florida," Judy said with a grin. 

"Yeah, I should be use to it." Jade said, and then asked, "Would you like something to drink?"

"Yeah, I'll have a soda."

"I have coke, is that ok?" Jade asked.

"Yep, that's fine," Judy replied.

Jade took a couple of cans from the fridge as Judy walked over and sat at the kitchen table.

"Why don't you want a bachelorette party? I'll do everything," Judy said immediately. 

Sitting down, Jade responded, "I just don't see the need for one. When I think of a bachelorette party, I think of what I see on Bridezilla. You know the ones with strippers and the bride getting falling down drunk and acting like a hoochie mama. I'm not really a party girl, and I definitely wouldn't want strippers."

"A bachelorette party can be anything you want it to be," Judy said. "It could be just a simple dinner with the bride and her attendants or including immediate family and friends; just a night out having a good time. We don't need a stripper, although, I wouldn't mind one myself," she cackled. 

At Jade's expression, Judy said, "I may be married, but I am not dead. I didn't say I would do it, though. Terrance would lose his mind if a stripper got all up on me. In case you don't know, I'll mostly just talk," she grinned. Besides, Terrance is soooo fine." 

Chuckling, Jade said, "Yeah and he has you on a short chain."

"Damn right," Judy declared. "It's a chain that I gladly put around my own neck. No man can ever mean as much as Terrence."

Jade felt the same way about Alex. 

Arching an eyebrow at Jade, Judy said, "Speaking of chains, you don't want to be a pot calling the kettle black, because you're about to get put on permanent lock down by Alex."

Taking a sip of coke before answering, Jade said honestly, "Alex doesn't need marriage to keep me on lock down. I'd be eight kinds of stupid to let anything or anyone come between us."

Sitting back in her chair looking at her cousin, Judy realized that Jade was more contented than she'd ever seen her. When she first saw Alex, she hadn't thought the relationship with her cousin would last. She didn't tell Jade, but she thought Alex was just scratching an itch, but she was soon dispelled of that notion. She'd learned not to judge a handsome, sexy, rich man by his color. 

As Judy saw it, they both got what they needed from the relationship and he was great with Briana. She would bet her life that the sex was hot too. Jade always had that satisfied look on her face. 

Dragging herself from her thoughts, Judy said, "We're both lucky as hell to have found the men that we've got. But back to the bachelorette party; was that your only objection?"

"I guess so," Jade answered. Then looking at Judy, she reminded her, "Huh! You didn't even have one."

"That's because I eloped," Judy said. "I still don't think my Mom has gotten over that, but she loves Terrance. We might have a renewal of wedding vows ceremony for our tenth anniversary next year. That would please the hell out of her."

"Yeah, that would be great," Jade agreed wondering what her life would be like in ten years.

"Anyway, if that was your only objection, why don't I just plan a dinner at a nice restaurant with only the bridesmaids and maid of honor; we'll eat, drink and just have a plain old gab fest."

With no real excuse, Jade gave in. "Ok. That does sound like fun. "We wouldn't even have to send out invitations; a phone call will do the trick."

"Great. I'll start making the arrangements," Judy said.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

"Too bad all the McCord brothers are taken, Gina and Sylvia could use a good man."

The women were two of Judy's oldest friends.

Laughing, Jade said, "You're crazy girl, you know that, don't you? Gina is pregnant and has sworn off men and Sylvia has four kids, one of them nearly grown."

"Not crazy, I just live in a fantasy world," Judy said with a grinned. 

*

Shortly after Judy left, Alex called to say he'd taken Briana out to dinner after the movies and they would be home in about an hour. With some time on her hand, Jade decided to finish addressing the wedding invitations. 

She'd gone over the list several times to make sure no one was left off. After adding Alex's list, the total number of guest came to one hundred and fifty two, including children, although they were few. The guest list could have been much larger, but both she and Alex agreed that they didn't want an enormous wedding.

As for the financial aspect, Alex wanted to pay for the wedding, but Jade insisted on footing the bill. Alex hadn't liked it and it was their first argument. They discussed the financial aspect of their marriage with Jade assuring Alex that she didn't have a problem with him taking care of her and Briana. 

Jade wanted to fund the wedding, in part, because she'd always taken care of everything herself. However, she knew that she wouldn't have to shoulder the financial burden once she was married and she related that to Alex. She told him that proof of her faith and reliance on him was in the fact that she was willing to deplete her inheritance which had been a financial cushion. 

However, it wasn't until she agreed to ask for help if it became more than she could handle that he reluctantly acquiesced. Alex understood her independent nature and didn't want her to lose that, but he also needed to know that she understood that she had someone to depend upon. Jade did understand the full extent of his love and caring and spent a long time afterward showing him just how much. 

It was around six thirty when the last of the invitations were addressed. Jade got up from the kitchen table where she'd sat to accomplish that task and took the box of invitations to her bedroom. She'd mail them out the next day. In the meantime, she decided to take a warm shower. 

It was ten minutes later that Alex arrived home with Briana. He unlocked the door and ushered Briana in. He turned the TV on to the Disney channel and said to Briana, "I'll be right back, baby, I'm just going to find your Mom."

"Ok," she answered, "I'm going to watch Good Luck Charlie," which was already in progress. 

"All right," Alex said before heading to the back of the apartment. 

Once he got to Jade's room, he could hear the running shower. He walked into the en suite bathroom and could see her silhouette against the frosted shower door. 

"Jade," he called out as he approached the shower. 

Immediately she turned off the water, partially opened the shower door and peeped from behind it. 

"Hi, baby," she said smiling at him. 

He thought it was amusing that she was in any way shy with him. He'd seen, kissed and licked every part of her body and there she was hiding behind the opaque shower door. 

"Sweetheart, I've seen all of you, come out from behind the door," Alex urged.

Sighing, Jade stepped out of the shower, still keeping an eye on him. Alex thought t she looked like she expected him to pounce at any minute. Grinning, he admitted to himself that she wasn't far off the mark at that.

He went to the linen closet and taking out an over sized fluffy towel which he held out, beckoning Jade to him. Slowly she closed the distance between them until Alex was able to wrap the towel around her slippery body. 

"You're still shy after all this time?" he asked.

Nodding, Jade said, "Well, sometimes. I don't understand why, you've seen it all. But somehow, ever time you see me naked, it's like the first time. Although, I must admit it doesn't take me long to get over the shyness."

Nuzzling her neck, he said, "Keep feeling that way and it'll always be hot between us. No matter how many times I've seen you naked, I could never be cavalier about it. You turn me on, but it's not just that sexy body, it's what's in your head too. I love all of you."




A Long Time Coming Ch. 08



"I love you too, Alex," she murmured.

Jade was starting to squirm against Alex when he gave her a quick kiss and said, "I'd love to explore that sexy body right now, but we don't have time. We have a very curious five year old in the living room watching television."

Sighing, Jade ran her hand through his hair, "Have I told you lately have beautiful you are?"

Caressing her buttocks through the towel, he replied, "Yeah, and we still don't have time."

Pouting, Jade stalked out to the bedroom as Alex chuckled.

He joined Briana while Jade got dressed. When he sat on the sofa, she scooted closer to him, leaning into his body. 

"I had a good time at the movies," She said looking up at him, "can we do it again?"

Placing his arm around her, Alex promised, "Of course we can. I plan on doing a lot of fun things together with you and your mom and sometimes just you and me."

"Like Disney World?" Briana suggested with a hopeful look. 

"Maybe, but, it'll have to wait. Your mom and I will be very busy for a few weeks with wedding plans and settling into my house after the honeymoon." 

Having her curiosity sparked by a new word, Briana asked, "What's a honeymoon?"

Alex was panicked, but only for a second.

"How do you explain a honeymoon to a five year old?" he asked himself.

Quickly on the heels of that thought came, "Keep it simple."

"A honeymoon is the time after the wedding when your mom and I will get to go on a vacation, just the two of us," he explained.

"Why can't I go," Briana asked with a concerned look.

"Shit!" Alex thought, "I can't screw this up." 

Seeing her waiting patiently for an answer, his heart melted. This was what having children entailed. He'd better be prepared for a lot more questions down the road.

"Well, you can't come with us because it's a trip that only adults go on after they are married. Then, when we come back, you and your mom will move into my house," he said trying to gauge her reaction.

Just for good measure he added, "After you get settled in your new home, we'll all go some place fun. I can't tell you where we'll go; it has to be a surprise."

Briana's serious expression turned to a grin in a split second when she heard the word surprise.

"A surprise?!" she yelped. 

"Yes, a surprise," Alex said relieve that she accepted the explanation or maybe she just forgot the question since she was so thrilled about a surprise. Either way, he would address the question if it came up again. 

"But first, your mom and I will leave right after the wedding reception."

Then, thinking she probably didn't know what a reception was either, Alex said, "The reception is a party for your mom and me. We'll eat dinner and cake, listen to music and dance after we get married. Understand?"

Looking at him and nodding, Briana said, "Can I come to the party?"

"Yes, baby. You'll be there with all the people who came to the wedding, including your grandmas and grandpa. Then, you mom and I will go on our honeymoon. You'll stay with your grandparents until we get back. "

"Mommy said I will be a flower girl. I thought I had to dress like a flower, but she said I only have to throw them on the ground so that she can walk on them." Briana giggled, "That's funny."

"Actually, you don't get to throw the entire flower, just the petals, but it does sound kind of funny," Alex agreed with a chuckle. 

When Jade came out fully dressed, she found Alex and Briana engrossed in another episode of Good Luck Charlie.

When Alex saw her, he grinned and said, "This really is a pretty good show with a good premise. Maybe we can start a video log for Briana for the important events in her life and ours. It'll be part of our family history."

"That's a great idea," Jade agreed. "I wished I would have had something like that to caption my life. I just don't remember the early years that much. Just think, it could have been Good Luck Jade," she said with feigned regret.

"With an exaggerated sigh, she continued, "I could have been somebody. I could have been a TV star, not just a glorified secretary, which is what I am."

"Yeah, right," Alex chuckled.

Sheepishly, she said, "Too much, huh?"

"Uh, huh, just a tad," Alex agreed trying to keep from laughing. 

"Huh! I was channeling my inner Marlon Brando," Jade pouted.

"Well, babe, you need to turn that channel," Alex said unable to stop himself from laughing.

Jade laughed too, almost going into hysterics when Briana said,

"I don't wanna change the channel, Alex."

Alex and Jade looked at each other and had to tamp down their desire to go off into hysterical fits.

"We're not going to turn the channel, baby," Alex assured Briana.

Smiling, Briana said, "Good. But, I do want to be on TV." 

Having gotten herself under control, Jade said,

"I don't know about TV baby, but we'll make sure to put you on video. It'll be nice for you to have when you get older. You'll be able to see what you looked like and what you did when you were a kid."

"That'll be great. I could show Lisa and all of my friends too." Briana agreed. 

"Yes, you could," Jade said, then noted the time on the kitchen wall clock.

"You only have thirty five minutes before bedtime; you want to continue watching television?" 

"Can I watch Cinderella on the DVD?"

"Yes, we can start the video, but you won't be able to see the entire thing before you need to get ready for bed." 

"That's ok Mommy, I can watch the rest tomorrow."

So, the three of them sat on the sofa and watched the movie with Jade and Alex on either side of Briana. Jade notice that her daughter, leaned against Alex and that he looked totally comfortable in the position of step-father to be. 

She was happy that Jackson was making positive changes toward Briana, but she knew Alex was the man they were meant to be with. She wouldn't trade what she had now for a boatload of childhood fantasies come true. 



The next few weeks were a whirlwind of activities. Alex won a couple of major cases and managed to clear the entire month of May and the first week of June for the wedding and honeymoon. Everything was in place and they were counting down the weeks until the big event.

*

It was the twenty third of March and Jade was coming off a fairly easy week at work. Her landlord decided to let her out of her lease without any penalty since he had a waiting list. With a new tenant he'd be able to charge a higher rental rate. 

She and Alex talked about her job and agreed that she'd stay on until they decided to have another child, which they figured would be at least a couple of years. She was doing very well handling work and family with only one child, but she knew that would become exponentially harder as their family grew. She was in a position where she could be a stay at home mom and that's exactly what she wanted, eventually. 

For once she was going to let someone else take care of her and Briana. She wouldn't have to be the bread winner and that took away a lot of the everyday stress. However, she held on to the option to go back to work, even part time, if she felt the need. 



*

Jade was driving up to her apartment complex with Briana in the back seat when her cell phone rang. Thinking it would be Alex, she didn't look at the caller ID. Parking quickly, she answered,

"Hello." 

"Hey, Jade, this is Jackson."

Jackson? She wondered what was wrong. Old habits die hard. 

"Hi, Jackson, what's up?"

"Nothing much, I just wanted to see if I could come by tonight and talk to you about something. It's nothing earth shattering, but It's something I think we need to discuss."

Jade hoped that whatever it was wouldn't cause a problem for her or Briana. Things had been going so well with Jackson the past few months, but whatever it was she'd deal with it, as usual.

"Ok, Jackson. I just got home, but you can come by in an hour." 

"That would be great," he agreed. "Thanks, I really appreciate it. I'll see you then, bye."

"Bye, Jackson." 

Still puzzled, she looked at the phone as if it could provide answers.

When Alex got home she told him about the call from Jackson. 

"We'll find out soon enough what it is," Alex told her. "No need to worry about something that might be nothing."

"I know, I know." Jade said a bit anxiously. "It's just that things have been going so well. I admit I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, I hope this isn't it."

Holding her close as he leaned against the kitchen corner, Alex assured her that there was nothing that couldn't be dealt with. 

"I didn't like the guy because of how he treated you and Briana," Alex said softly. "But, I must say that he's made a big turn around; I have to respect that. It just goes to show that people can change if that's what they want."

"While I'm still curious about his motivation," he continued, "I can't deny that he's doing more to be the father that Briana deserves than I ever imagined. I admit, too, that I'm jealous that he's her father. But no matter what, I will always think of her as my little girl." 

Jade signed, taking comfort from Alex's words.

"Briana loves you as much as any kid could love a father. Her relationship with Jackson won't change how she feels about you."

"I know," he said. "She may not be the child of my flesh, but she will always be the child of my heart. I could never love her any less than I will love the children we will have together."

For a long moment, they just stood there holding each other. Some time later, the door bell rang to jostle them out of their thoughts. 

"Door bell, Mommy," Briana called from where she sat on the floor putting a puzzle together. 

Sighing, Jade gave Alex a quick kiss and released her hold on him.

She opened the door to Jackson. He was dressed in Jeans and a knit shirt and he was smiling. Taken aback, she'd almost forgotten how good looking he was. 

"Hi, Jackson, come in," she said backing up to let him in.

Jackson immediately saw Alex standing in the kitchen and lost some of his smile. He nodded to Alex who nodded back. 

Alex walked into the living room and picked up his brief case from the sofa. Looking at Jade, he said, "I'll let you two have some privacy," and headed to Jade's bedroom.

Briana was paying close attention to the adults. She watched as Alex left the room then turned her attention to Jackson and her mother. 

"Hey, baby," Jackson said as he neared Briana. "Come give me a hug."

Getting up without being coaxed by her mother, Briana held up her arms to her father. Jackson picked her up and gave her a hug, which she returned. He smiled at her and she surprised him by giving him a tentative smile back. He hugged her tighter before setting her back on her feet.

"I need to talk to your Mom in the kitchen for a minute," he said.

"Ok," Briana nodded and sat back down to work on her puzzle. 

Jackson walked to the kitchen and sat down at the table, Jade followed. 

Looking nervous, he pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. But before he gave it to Jade, he looked her in the eyes and said softly, "I know I wasn't much of a boyfriend to you and I was even a worse father to Briana."

Jade started to say something, but then stopped and nodded for him to go on.

"I don't know what was going on in my head," he said, "but I seem to have gotten over it. I realize that it's way past due. I'm sorry for everything I put the both of you through. I'm especially sorry and ashamed for not claiming my daughter from the beginning." 

Looking at him, Jade could see that he was sincere and she was happy not only for Briana, but for Jackson. 

She didn't hate him, but she'd been so hurt by his lack of concern for Briana and she was frustrated by the absence of direction and purpose in his life. She knew that deep down he couldn't have been happy. 

"Apology accepted," Jade said. She didn't hold grudges and she wanted him to be in his daughter's life in a positive way.

"I've worked out a few things and I'm working on having a good relationship with Briana. I think I'm beginning to have some success, at least she's not afraid of me and she even smiled at me. So, I want you to accept this," he said, pushing the envelope across the table towards her. 

Jade eyed the envelope cautiously and asked, "What is it?"

Smiling at her uncertainty or suspicion, it was hard to tell, Jackson just said, "Open it."

Jade opened the envelope and was surprise to see that it contained money. 

"What's this for," she asked, confused.

"It's for Briana; two hundred dollars. I know it's not much, but it's what I can afford to give you for her each month. I'm giving my mom a little each week and saving to get my own place. As I make more money, I'll be able to give more."

Frowning, Jade said, "Jackson, I don't know what to say. Briana doesn't..."

She never got to finish because Jackson held up his hand, cutting her off.

"I know. I know you can take care of her. You've had that responsibility all her life, but I'm her father and it should have been my responsibility. I'm coming late to the game and I can't bring much to the table, but I want my daughter to grow up knowing that I.... that I love her and that I take my responsibility as her father seriously. So, whatever you do, don't say no." 

Jade looked at him for a moment realizing that's exactly what she was about to do. She was about to say that Briana didn't need the money. While that was true, she did need to know that her biological father cared about her. For the first time, she had heard Jackson say that he loved his daughter. If that wasn't a miracle, she didn't know what was.

There were a lot of dead beat dads out there and they came in all colors. Jackson decided to make changes in his life. He decided not to be a cliché or a statistic any longer. It had to be hard for him and Jade knew that she had no right to deny him what was a matter of pride. She was even proud of him. 

This is the Jackson that she had wanted him to be when she told him she was pregnant. This is the Jackson that she prayed he would be one day, for their daughter.

"Of course I'll accept this for Briana, Jackson. Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me; you put up with a lot in the past. Again, I'm really sorry for my attitude and lack of support."

Feeling tears prick at the back of her eyes, Jade told him, "I knew you could be the man I'm looking at right now. I'm just so glad that you decided that you wanted to be him too. I'm really proud of you, Jackson. I'll let Briana know that the money came from you. 

Smiling, he said, "Thanks for saying that. It means a lot to me that you're proud of me. It was high time that I grew up, I just didn't know it would feel this good."

Standing up, he said, "I'd better get going."

As he walked toward the living room, Briana got up and rushed to him asking, "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving, baby. How about coming with me to Lee's Park this next weekend? They have lots of rides and games. Would you like to go?"

Jackson took the chance that Jade wouldn't object.

Smiling, she said, "Yep, I wanna go. Can mommy and Alex come?"

At that request, Jackson felt a twinge in his heart, but Jade step in quickly. 

"Baby, Alex and I can't come this time; we're going to be working on some plans for the wedding."

Jade knew the small lie was necessary. 

"You and your dad can have fun together and we'll come another time, ok?"

"All right, Mommy," Briana answered. 

Smiling, Jackson nodded at Jade.

"Well, I have to go now." 

Looking down at Briana, he said, "Give me a hug before I go, baby." 

Lifting Briana up, Jackson felt her little arms lock behind his neck. He breathed in her sweet scent and gave a silent prayer in the hope that his daughter would learned to love him.

Pulling back so that he could see her face, Jackson kissed Briana on her forehead. To his surprised, Briana kissed him on his cheek. 

He thought his heart would burst. 

Putting her down he said, "Ok, baby, I'll pick you up on Saturday at 9 o'clock, but I'll call you before then."

"Okey Dokey," she said with a smile.

Jackson continued to the door with Jade right behind. He opened the door and was about to step out when he turned back to face Jade.

"Jade, I....." seeing her expectant expression, he lost his courage to say what he really wanted to say. Instead, the words that came out were, "I just wanted to say, again, how sorry I am."

Knowing that there was something else, but having no clue as to what it might be, Jade decided to ignore her instinct to press him.

"You've already apologized Jackson and I've accepted it. You don't need to keep doing it. I believe you are truly sorry and I want us to move forward."

Jackson nodded and said firmly, "Yes, you're right. It's in the past." 

He quietly stepped across the threshold.

"I'll see you on Saturday. Bye."

"Goodbye, Jackson."

As Jackson walked to his car, he felt an ache of regret in his heart. He'd lost his chance to be with Jade. He accepted that nothing he could do would change that now. She was in love with Alex McCord and would soon be married to the man. He would have to find a way to live with that.

*

The day of the wedding arrived. All the preparations were made and everything had gone like clock work. With Mrs. McCord at the helm, there was no doubt that this day would come upon smooth waters. However, she didn't try to take the decision making from Jade. Diana lent her expertise where it was needed and made sure that whatever Jade wanted was carried out to the letter. 

Waking up in the big bed at Alex's house, Jade's first thought was, "Where's Alex?" 

The second thought came with a smile. She knew they were bucking all kinds of tradition, but she already felt married to Alex, the paper was just a formality. She saw no point in them staying apart, even for a few days, bowing to some archaic wedding tradition.

Thankfully, Alex had agreed. 

She still felt the warmth in the spot beside her and knew that he hadn't been up long. The lingering heat and soreness of her body reminded her that he rode her long and hard before they fell asleep, exhausted. The memories were igniting her intimate parts again, and as she slid her hand down her body, her pussy started to tingle. 

Groaning, Jade stroked the tender lips of her sex, bringing forth the liquid essence of growing desire. Her body arched off of the bed as her fingers sank into her throbbing core.

She was fully engaged in tending her body when Alex came into the room and stopped in his tracks at the scene before him. 

Since she was still under the covers, he couldn't see what she was doing, but had no doubt about what she was doing. The mental vision made his cock jerk. Her body was bowed and by the urgency of her panting, she was close to climax. 

Jade's eyes were closed, her fingers deep inside her body, working in and out with dizzying speed, her heels firmly planted on the bed. 

The fingers of her other hand were busy squeezing the tight buds crowing her breasts, working her body into a roaring furnace. Rubbing her palm feverishly against her swollen clit, Jade hurled herself into a screeching climax. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. 

Alex cock was at full mast, aching to be deep in the place where Jade continued to stroke as she rode through her orgasm, her body spasming. 

Alex stroked his cock, slicking it up with pre-cum which seeped in copious amounts. Through with voyeurism, he strode toward Jade, startling her as he yanked the comforter from her body, exposing her luscious warm glowing body as he stood at the foot of the bed. 

Eyes wide open, Jade's breath caught at the sight of a naked and fully aroused Alex, crawling up from the foot of the bed, just like a panther stalking its prey. Her heart skipped a beat as he said,




A Long Time Coming Ch. 08



"Open those beautiful thighs, baby."

Setting her feet apart, Jade opened her body to her man.

Alex knelt between her thighs, his hands spreading them further apart. Looking down, his eyes mapped every inch of her heated flesh; the moist puffy lips, the swollen clit, the faintest hint of the pink interior walls. He intended to drive his throbbing cock into her until she screamed for him, until she couldn't scream anymore.

Placing his cock at the entrance of her pussy, he did just that. 



*

Rousting themselves after a short nap wasn't easy. They would have much rather spend the rest of the day in bed, but there was the wedding. Jade was the first to actually get up, if not off of the bed, while Alex lay sprawled on his back. 

"You know," she said, perched on the side of the bed, "couples are supposed to be all stressed out on their wedding day."

"I don't know about other couples, but I feel calm and sated. Imagine that," Alex smirked.

"Maybe that's the deal," Jade ventured, "the honeymoon should be before the wedding."

Reaching out to stroke Jade's back, he agreed.

"It worked for us. I'm happy to be marrying you today, but we've been a family for a while. We're calm now, but that might change the closer we get to the actual ceremony. That's at seven o'clock tonight and it's only eight thirty a.m."

Turning to face Alex, Jade knew there was a good reason why they weren't stressed. 

"Your mom was a great help getting everything done, Alex. I think because of that, planning the wedding wasn't as stressful for me. I didn't freak out, so I didn't get you freaked out."

"She not only got things done," Jade continued, "but they were done a long time in advance. We were able to relax for a couple of weeks. We weren't in that high state of anxiety that happens when things are put off until the last minute. All we have to do now is take a shower, get dressed and show up at the venue."

Before responding, Alex sat up next to Jade and placed his arm around her waist. 

"Ummmm," he said, nuzzling her cheek, "I think you're right. Mom was great and you, my love, are the prefect bride to be. I don't know how I would have coped if you turned out to be a Bridezilla," he chuckled.

"Oh, god no!" Jade belted out.

"I've seen that show and those women scare me. I always wondered why those guys were marrying them when they didn't seem to suit each other at all. Oh, they claim it was all about the stress of planning the wedding, but I don't know if I buy that. Some of them were just bat shit crazy."

Turning to Alex, she said, "If I ever get like that, you have my permission to have me committed."

"Uh, uh," Alex responded, "I don't care how crazy you get, I'm keeping you."

"Ha! You're just saying that because you know I'll never be like that."

Grinning, Alex agreed. "Yep."

Jade was quiet for a moment, stroking Alex's thigh. He was about to ask her if anything was wrong, when she said spoke up. 

"There's still time to do a pre-nup."

Taking her left hand Alex kissed each of her fingers before answering. 

"I don't want a pre-nup, sweetheart, I meant that. I know it's the standard now days, but this marriage is between you and me, it's not to satisfy some social convention. I love you, you love me. As far as I'm concerned, that's it. If you turn out not to be the woman I think you are, all the money and property in the world isn't going to make losing you bearable."

Sighing, Jade said, in a soft voice, "You are the most wonderful man. I love you to distraction. Thank you for your love and trust. I won't ever give you cause to regret either."

Kissing her forehead, Alex said, "I know you won't, sweetheart and I'll always love you with everything that I am." 

*

Alex and Jade did manage to get themselves out of bed and dressed in casual clothing. Judy had already taken their wedding wear to the venue. She volunteered to make sure they would get there safely and to steam out any wrinkles. She'd also taken Jade's make up case and the accessories they would be wearing. 

Jade's dress was a gorgeous white confection with a beaded corset. The dress had a dropped waist and flowed to the floor in silky perfection. Jade fell in love with the gown on sight.

She put hot curlers in her hair before leaving and would wear it in a style that would allow it to flow freely about her shoulders in loose waves. Alex's suit was an updated version of the traditional tux. 

The wedding was being held in the chapel at Mansfield Manor, a historical mansion owned by the city and used to host large events, including weddings, conventions and balls. The reception would be held in the grand ballroom after the pictures were taken.

Before they parted at the manor, Alex gave Jade a long searing kiss and squeezed her butt for good measure.

*

The ceremony went off without a hitch. The bride was radiant and the groom couldn't stop smiling. 

When Alex and Jade arrived at the reception, they were greeted with cheers from their family and friends. In attendance among them was Francine along with her sisters. Alex thought it would be rude not to invite her since both Carrie and Kate would be attending. Jade had invited Jackson and his mother. Although he had not accepted the invitation, he'd called to wish her well; Adele came with her parents.

Adele felt sad that Jade and Jackson couldn't have worked things out. She had high hopes for her son now and knew that even though he hadn't admitted it, he still cared about Jade. It just took him too long to realize it; too long to grow up. 

As the cheers died down, Alex and Jade made their way to their table, stopping briefly for congratulations.

Eventually, everyone was seated and the meal was served. 

Following dinner, there was dancing to everything from love ballads to rock and roll, with the music played by a live band. Everyone was having a great time, including the kids. Briana was sitting between Jade and her grandmother Juliette and hadn't stopped smiling since they got there. Jade knew that her daughter was happy that Alex was officially her step-father and Alex couldn't have been prouder.

The night wore on, but the happy couple was more than ready for some more alone time. Alex and Jade were seated, taking a break from dancing when he leaned over and whispered in her ear. Jade felt her face flush and she immediately looked around her to see if anyone had heard. But with the din of conversation and music, she needn't have bothered. That didn't keep Alex from being amused by her concern.

Abruptly, he got up and said to Jade, "I'll be right back, sweetheart."

He headed to the stage where the band was playing a romantic slow tune. He smiled to himself thinking it was time to get the real show on the road. Taking the stage, he signaled for the band to stop playing. Tapping the microphone, he got the attention of the assembled crowd. 

Alex waited for them to quiet down. Once he had their full attention, he thanked them for helping he and Jade celebrate their special day. Then he said, 

"However, it's time for us to leave. It's been great friends and family, but other adventures wait us."

That statement was met with laughter and applause.

Leaving the stage Alex joined Jade as she stood up from the table. 

"Well wife, it's time for the honeymoon," he said in a voice that made her knees weak. But before she could respond, Briana chirped in. 

"Mommy will you bring me a present back from the honeymoon?"

Smiling down at her, Jade said, "Of course I will baby. I'll even gift wrap it for you."

Grinning, Briana responded, "Thanks, Mommy. Have fun, I'll miss you."

Not waiting for an answer, she looked up and lifted her arms for Alex to pick her up. As he held her in his arms, he felt his heart squeeze. He loved her as if she was his own..

Then Leaning in Briana asked him,

"Are you my step-dad now?"

"Yes, I am sweetheart. I'm your step-dad."

"Good," she responded with a grin.

Before anything else could be said, they heard a shrill voice calling, "Briana, Briana!"

Looking at Alex, high on her perch, Briana said, "That's Lisa. She's going to sleep over at grandma and Poppy's house tonight. 

Setting Briana back on her feet Alex said, "You remember that your mom and I will be back in two weeks, don't you?"

"Yes," she replied as Lisa reached them.

"Come on Briana," Lisa said, "Maddy's here. She wants to show you her new bracelet."

"Ok, Lisa," Briana said, grabbing Lisa's hand and turning away.

She'd gone only a few feet when she turned back around , walked back and threw her arms around Jade and said, 

"I love you Mommy." 

Quickly, she turned to Alex. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she looked up at him, her face beaming, and said, "I love you too, Daddy. Have fun. Byeee."

Quickly, she turned and ran off with Lisa leaving Alex, Jade and Juliette, who was standing nearby, with their mouths opened in shock.

Juliette was the first to recover. Looking at her daughter and her new son, she said, "Well, I guess that settles that."

Alex, still in shock said, "She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world while I'm still reeling from just hearing her call me daddy."

Taking his hand in hers, Jade said, "It was natural for her, sweetheart. She's been thinking of you as daddy for a long time. She was just waiting for the wedding to make it official. She probably worked out in her mind that daddy and step-dad was the same thing. She's too young to understand the biological aspect."

Frowning, Alex asked, "Do you think we need to say anything to her about it?"

"Absolutely not," Jade said with conviction. "You're her daddy. She'll eventually figure out the biology of parenthood, but that will never take away from the fact that she loves you. She always will."

Alex had to admit that he was relieved by Jade's explanation. He loved Briana and it made him happy that she called him daddy. Hell, he felt like her daddy.

At their side, Juliette said, "Nobody asked me, but I agree with Jade. I always thought you'd make a great dad. 

Smiling at them both, she said, "Now I need to get back to my grand baby; that child tries to run circles around me. Besides, I'm missing a husband and son. The last time I saw Russell he was talking with Cameron. Jared's probably hold up somewhere talking golf with Mr. McCord. I swear that man even golf in his sleep. " 

That drew laughter from both Jade and Alex.

When he recovered, Alex said to his mother, "Thanks, Juliette."

"You're welcome," she said. "Congratulations kids and have a safe trip. I'll leave out the part about having a good time; I think that's a foregone conclusion." She smirked before going on the hunt for her grand baby and the rest of her family.

Jade looked at Alex and sighed in contentment.

Wrapping Jade in his arms, Alex looked down into her beautiful bewitching caramel brown eyes. 

"I'm going to work hard to make sure the rest of our life is as wonderful as it has been so far," he said. "I have the woman I love, need and want and the child that I love and cherish; everything else is frosting on the cake."

Leaning down, he gave her a thoroughly satisfying kiss.

"Whew," she said breathlessly when the kiss ended. "No more of that mister or we'd give our guests an eyeful."

"Let's go to the hotel where we won't need to worry about prying eyes," Alex murmured. "We have an early flight to St. Lucia and I don't intend to waste a second of what will be a long night of loving. I might even have a little surprise in store for you." 

He chucked at her wide eye expression, then leaned down and whispered in her ear. 

Jade nodded barely aware of the rest of the room. 

As they made their way across the room they encountered Alex's parents. After saying goodbye to them with hugs all around, he and Jaded headed for the limo that would take them to the Royal Carrington Hotel.

Nestled in the warmth of Alex's arms, Jade knew that this was just the beginning of a family life filled with happiness and endless love.