“I’m going to come inside you,” he said when he released my breast. “Hold on.”
I gripped his shoulders as he lifted my legs around his thighs and thrust his hard length inside me.
“Oh God, Dylan.” He felt so good filling me.
“You like that? You like it when I fuck you?”
“Yes … so much.”
Unlike most of the times he’d had sex with me during our short honeymoon, this time he moved hard, fast, furious. His hips bucked, his dick slamming inside me, sending me racing to the edge of oblivion.
“Come on me, Tessa,” he grunted. “Fuck … I’m coming …”
He thrust hard and held, hitting a spot inside me I’d thought was a myth until he sent me soaring into an intense, hard orgasm that stole my breath.
“Oh Christ …that’s it …” he said, grinding against me, and then withdrawing and thrusting again. “Your pussy is so tight … you make me come so hard … I’m filling you with my cum …” He was rambling sexy dirty words that heightened my pleasure.
I was a boneless mess when we finished. Luckily, he held me up until I could get my bearings straight.
“You all right?” he asked.
“I think that’s the best way to start a day.”
He laughed. “It’s better than beating off with my hand, for sure.”
From that moment on, we settled into life. It was easy to love Maisie and Dylan. Our days weren’t so different from before, except that I woke in his bed and could now touch him. It felt perfect. It felt like a real marriage.
But I was smart enough not to believe that it was destined to last. We were married to help him keep Maisie. We were two people who were attracted to each other, and while I knew I loved him, I also knew he didn’t love me. He cared for me, but he’d never let himself love me. In fact, he’d probably be angry if he knew just how much I felt for him. So I went through life acting as his wife, while living as friends with benefits. For now, it would be enough, or so I kept telling myself.
I cared for Maisie during the day as usual. We went on outings, did activities, and played. When Dylan came home from work, we ate dinner and spent time as a family. The only thing I didn’t participate in was Dylan’s nightly routine of putting Maisie to bed. That was their time, and I respected their need to connect.
Maisie had regular weekend visits with Veronica. Each time, Dylan was agitated. He wanted to stop all visits all together because he couldn’t help the feeling that Veronica might take her.
“But it will look spiteful and bad at court if I stop visits, even though it’s within my rights to do so,” he’d said one night as we sat on the couch after Maisie had left with Veronica. “And Maisie seems to be enjoying her time. I can’t take that away from her.”
“You’re a good dad, Dylan.”
“It’s not easy. You’re more of a mother than Veronica … is that bad for me to say?”
His words filled my heart. “I love her,” I said, wishing I could tell him I loved him too. “I’m sure Veronica loves her too. She’s just a different sort of mom.”
He sighed. “She was always a different sort. I can’t say I wished I hadn’t been with her as I wouldn’t have Maisie, but I can see now that she wasn’t the right person for me.”
“She’s beautiful and sexy. I can’t imagine any man, especially one in college, not being taken in by that.”
He turned to me and pulled me to him. “You’re not wrong. But now I see the difference. She is a beautiful woman, but the way she is now, that takes work. Not all of it is real. You on the other hand …” He cupped my face with his hand and looked into my eyes. “All of you is real. And more beautiful, inside and out.”
My heart ached, wishing he meant he loved me. Wishing I could tell him all that was in my heart. Instead, I smiled. “If you’re wanting to get lucky, all you have to do is ask.”
He laughed. “Will you fuck me right here?”
“See? That wasn’t so hard,” I said as I pulled him back on top of me.
The following week, Maisie and I did some shopping, picking up a few household items as well as some outdoor summer toys. We entered a discount superstore, passing an area that took photos. For a moment, I stopped, wishing Dylan and Maisie and I could take a family photo.
“I had my picture taken,” Maisie said.
“Oh?” I took her hand, continuing our journey into the store.
“My mommy took me.”
“I bet it’s a pretty picture,” I said, trying to keep from being jealous that Veronica got the family portrait instead of me.
“I guess.”
We finished our shopping and later we made bubbles in the backyard with the huge wands we’d bought. Some days, like this day, it was easy to forget that my life was fake and that a serious custody battle was being waged.
Friday was our first court appearance. Because Dylan needed to appear to be a family man, I went along, as did Leo for Veronica.
The tension between Dylan and Veronica was so thick, it felt like it had sucked all the air from the room.
“Is it right that since the divorce, Mr. Hyatt has granted Ms. Tisdale visits whenever she wanted?” the judge asked. She looked to be about my mother’s age, and I hoped she was just as wise. Would a female judge be more likely than a male judge to overcome bias about mothers being the best parent and rule in favor of a father?
“That’s correct, your honor,” Dylan’s attorney said. “When Ms. Tisdale showed up again after nearly a year of being gone, he granted a visit and has continued to do so even during
