As the Dawn Breaks (15 page)

“Trystan, baby,” I breathe, speaking a thousand words in just those two.

Without hesitation, she sits up, hooks her fingers in my waistband, and slides my last remaining article of clothing down my thighs, releasing my steeled rod. Licking her full lips, she takes hold of my dick and begins softly stroking it with one hand, while the other twists and pinches her nipples. “Outside. Like the first time.” There’s an edge to her voice, a hint of command lurking.

Brazenly, she grabs my hands, pulling me off the bed and out onto the balcony. Veiled in the late-night’s shadow, she giggles impishly as she grabs ahold of the railing overlooking the empty beach and endless waters, the epitome of seductive innocence. Lazily, I pepper kisses across the back of her neck and shoulders, giving us both a few minutes to soak it all in—the starlight canopy twinkling overhead, soft waves steadily rolling up onto the shore and out again, enticed by the inspiration of the moon, which illuminates a narrow line through the vast ocean.

My hands drop to her hips, grasping them as handles as I slowly rub my cock up and down the swell of her ass, my nose nuzzling up under her ear. Leaning her head back onto my chest, she turns her face upwards so our gazes are locked on one another.

“No matter what happens, your secret will always be safe with me, Leo,” she whispers, tenderly kissing right under my collarbone, “and I forgive you.”

All doubts, all worries, all fearful reservations flee as her words fill my ears, an overpowering sense of freedom sweeping over and through me, unshackling me and allowing me to love. The warm sea breeze envelops me, caressing my bare skin as I lower my mouth to hers. Our kiss, at first gentle and affectionate, quickly morphs into something much more, the passion in the movement of her lips inciting me, my lust fervent and full of hunger.

“Gonna fuck you first, beautiful, ‘cause I just can’t help myself,” I growl into her mouth. “Then I’m gonna make long, sweet love to you until the sun comes up.”

Her eyes fly open, a hunger matching mine lurking in their emerald depths, and she purrs against my lips as she presses her ass against my cock. Grabbing her hips, I position my aching tip at her drenched, willing slit, and with one thrust, I sink deep within her pussy. She cries out in ecstasy, arching her back like a cat in heat, her body begging for more.

I pull back, nearly withdrawing completely before I plunge inside her again and again, each time intensifying the thrust then retreating, taunting her with thoughts of abandonment. Her guttural cries only encourage me as I burn from the inside out, desire setting me ablaze. Her long blonde hair blows wildly against my bare chest as I bury myself deeper and deeper. I swallow her moans with uninhibited kisses, our lips molding together, our tongues dancing as we both climb higher and higher to our crest.

“Leo, I can’t,” she groans, tightening her grip on the rail. “I’m gonna…”

I hold her hips firmly, steadily stroking, and my lips never leave her skin as she hits her peak and soars into euphoria. Her internal walls clamp down hard on me while she calls out my name, drawing me right over the cliff with her. My balls swell and tighten, my cock surges and undulates, pumping my orgasm into her molten core, and I’m pretty sure the earth falls off its axis with the sheer amount of intensity we just released between the two of us.

Both of us slick with sweat, struggling to breathe normally, I kiss her softly before picking her up and carrying her back inside the room. I gently lay her limp body on the bed before I grab a damp washcloth and proceed to clean her up. Then, as promised, I worship every inch of her body until the first traces of daybreak pour through the glass door.

Quickly, I grab us each a robe and usher her out to the patio. Relaxing in the chaise lounge, I position her on my lap, her back flush against my chest and my arms tight across her belly.

“I never thought I’d get to do this with you again,” I admit lowly, running the tip of my nose across her shoulder blades. “It still feels a little surreal.”

“I thought the same thing,” she says sleepily. “I haven’t missed one since the day we shared our first, but they’re just not the same without you.”

My lips press gently to her temple. “No, they’re not.”

We sit silently for a few minutes, both lost in our thoughts, my brain still trying to accept the fact Trystan is still sitting here in my lap after I told her everything. She believes in the man I want to be, the man she and her daughter deserve.

“You know why I named her Aurora?” she asks, almost in tune with what I’m thinking.

“No, why?”

“Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning; her name means ‘dawn’ in Latin.” She twists around to gauge my reaction to her revelation. “Each morning, when I see her precious little face, I’m reminded she’s my new dawn, my new day, my chance at a new life. Our past mistakes, no matter how bad they are, shouldn’t define the path of our future. Every morning, we get another opportunity to be a better person, and Aurora makes me want to be the best person I can.”

My heart is nearly bursting with joy. How in the world I ever found this woman—this woman perfect for me—twice, I can only attribute to fate.
She
is my one, without a shadow of a doubt. Two nights, two months, two years, it doesn’t matter. I know in my heart of hearts she’s all I’ll ever need, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it.

“I think it’s the most perfect thing I’ve ever heard,” I murmur into her hair, “and I sure hope Miss Aurora likes me, because I hope to spend many mornings watching the sunrise with the two of you.”

“She has good taste, like her Mommy; I’m sure it won’t be an issue.” She smiles brightly. “Maybe the three of us can go to the beach I took you to sometime this week, so you can meet her.”

“I’d be honored, Trystan.” I kiss her slow and soft, full of heartwarming emotion. “Thank you for believing in me and giving me a second chance at life, for being
my
new dawn and for always making me feel good.”

“YOU ABOUT READY, PRINCESS AURORA?”
I call out down the hall, wondering if it takes her this long to get ready at three, I can’t even imagine what thirteen will be like.

“We’re almost there, babe,” Trystan hollers back. “Putting on the tiara now.”

I chuckle and shake my head, but before I can say what I was going to, she appears in the doorway with a smirk on her face. “And yes, I know the party starts in five minutes, but no one’s gonna say anything to the birthday girl if she makes her grand entrance a few minutes late.”

I throw my hands up in surrender, flashing her a warm smile; the woman already knows me so damn well. “I’m just driving the chariot, so you let me know when you’re ready to leave, your grace.” I bow at the waist as I say the last two words.

Her laughter travels down the hall, but she’s no longer in sight when I stand up straight. Then, the most adorable thing I’ve ever witnessed emerges from the bedroom. Aurora tiptoes out shyly, dressed from head to toe in the authentic Sleeping Beauty pink princess dress, tiara and slippers included. Her blonde locks are lying in ringlets over her shoulders, and she’s got just a touch of lip gloss on, making her feel like a big girl.

“How do I look?” she asks, twirling around gingerly.

I rush over to her and drop to my knees, careful not to mess up her costume. “You’re the most beautiful princess in the history of the world, Rora.”

“Even prettier than Mommy?!” she squeals, looking at me in disbelief.

I glance up at Trystan, who’s now standing directly behind her, and wink. “Even prettier than Mommy, but don’t tell her I said so. She’ll get mad and make me do all the chores around here,” I whisper in an exaggerated hush.

“She’ll be like that mean step-mommy and call you Cinderella.” Aurora nods knowingly with a mischievous smile, kissing my cheek. “Don’t worry, Daddy; it’ll be our secret.”

And my world stops. Again. My heart melts into a mushy mess of love and all things Aurora Danielle. Just like every single time she says it.

Daddy.

The first time I heard her call me that was about nine months ago, not long after the three of us moved in together. Trystan had finally earned her PhD, I’d made the final trip to Croatia, ensuring Mama was good to go with her sisters and packing up the few things I cared to bring with me, and we bought a small cottage house just a block from the beach, making our little family official. As I was helping Trystan prepare dinner one evening and Aurora was playing with some little dolls, out of the blue, she said, “Daddy, can you play with me? Mommy can cook us dinner.” We’d never discussed it, and Trys swears she hadn’t mentioned it either, so it was something of her own doing, which completely caught me off-guard and caused me to cry tears of pure joy.

“Come on, you two.” My beautiful fiancée taps my shoulder as she strolls towards the front door, knowing I’m caught in the ‘daddy spell’, as she calls it. “Aunt Katrina and Uncle Lucca just texted, asking where we are.”

I stand up straight and grab my daughter’s hand. “Mommy’s right, sweet pea. We’ve got a party to attend.”

An hour later, Aurora’s third birthday party is in full swing in the younger Ellis’ backyard, complete with a Disney princess bounce house, a face painter, and real pony rides. Everywhere I look, all I can see is a sea of pink and purple, from the three-tiered cake, to the plates it’s served on, and the utensils it’s eaten with.

Even the adults, who are sipping on sangria and margaritas, are doing so from personalized Disney cups. I, of course, got Prince Charming. Needless to say, when Aurora discovered she shared a name with Sleeping Beauty a couple of months ago, everything she wants or has revolves around princesses.

I stand with Lucca at the grill, watching as he flips hamburgers and turns hot dogs, listening to the sounds of small children squealing with delight as they run around and Christian telling his son about the secrets of outdoor cooking. Laughing to myself as Lucca rolls his eyes at his dad, I take a drink of my fruity concoction and scan the yard, looking for my two favorite ladies.

The little one is easy to find—she’s the life of the party, as always, bouncing around from person to person, sharing her birthday joy with everyone there. I watch her hold three little fingers up with a goofy grin spread wide across her face, apparently answering another one of the guest’s question about how old she’s turning, and I beam with pride. Once Trystan and I are married in a few months, we’ll be filing adoption papers immediately. I can’t wait to give that little girl my last name.

Trystan is not as easy to locate. She and Katrina are tucked away at a picnic table, talking about something, probably the fun of labor and having a newborn. Katie-bug’s
very
pregnant belly looks like it’s going to pop at any moment, even though she’s supposedly not due for another few weeks. Apparently, Lucca did a mighty fine job of playing doctor, keeping her mind far from her injuries while she was on bed rest for several months after being released from the hospital, and they’re now expecting their first baby—a little girl who’ll be named Stephanie Rose, after Katrina’s mom and my mom, the two women who raised her.

I couldn’t be more grateful that she and Trystan hit it off immediately, negating any fear I had of it ever being awkward when they’re around each other. My problem has been quite the opposite, actually; sometimes I feel Katrina steals some of my time with my girl. They’re always going to have their nails done or taking Rora shopping.

“A penny for your thoughts.” A small hand slides around my waist from the side, pulling me into a tight embrace.