Love Everlasting

Chapter Five

After her mum served up the birthday cake, and Elsa and Renea had given their dad the gift they’d gone together on, Elsa figured it was about time to leave. So far, her mother hadn’t been too bad with the personal questions she’d asked Brand, but the longer they stayed the better the chances were they’d get worse. Especially since Brand seemed to have the right answer for everything. Saying he wanted kids had scored a big one with her mum.

Once Brand finished his cup of tea, Elsa shifted in her chair. “I guess Brand and I are going to head out.”

“Already?” her mum asked.

“Yeah. He wants to introduce me to some close friends of his.”

“Then we won’t hold you up.”

Of course her mother wouldn’t object after hearing that. She’d just think it was another step closer to Elsa marrying Brand. After pushing back her chair, Elsa got up and walked around the table to her father. She bent down and wrapped her arms around him, hugging and kissing his cheek.

“Happy birthday, Dad. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

He reached up and squeezed her shoulder. “Thanks again for the present. You and Renea outdid yourselves. And I’m sure I will.”

After giving her mother a quick kiss as well, Elsa led Brand out of the room once he’d said his good-byes to her parents and sister. She didn’t say anything until they were both inside Brand’s Lexus and pulling away from the curb.

“Well, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” she said. “My mum didn’t ask too many embarrassing questions.”

“I didn’t mind.”

“You do realize she’s going to expect you to go down on bended knee and ask me to marry you like tomorrow. Then want the wedding next week, and the week after that, you getting me pregnant.”

Brand chuckled. “I think that would be doable.” Stopped at a red light, he turned his head to look at her and winked.

She rolled her eyes. “Do not, I repeat, do not let my mum hear you say that.”

He chuckled again. “I won’t. Shall we go back to your flat now so you can pack some clothes? Then I’ll bring you to my place.”

“Sure. Just as long as I get you alone at some point in the not-too-distant future.”

Brand continued down the street when the light changed to green. “That is most definitely doable.”

At her flat, Elsa didn’t take long to throw a change of clothes and other items she needed for an overnight stay into a bag. Brand collected his, and they were soon on the road again.

The manor house Brand lived in with his friends ended up being as big as Elsa had pictured. After driving up the graveled surface of the long driveway and past the perfectly manicured front lawns, he parked in front of a large detached garage. Once they were out of the car, Brand took their bags out of the boot and, carrying them in one hand, laced their fingers together with his free one. He walked her toward the front door of the grand-looking house.

Her first impression was that someone rich lived there. She looked around the large open-concept foyer. The floor had been done in light blond hardwood. The walls had been painted just a shade darker than the floor. A heavy oak banister wound all the way up the curved flight of stairs to the upper floor. A crystal chandelier hung from the center of the high ceiling. It was beautiful. Elsa would love to call a home like this her own.

The sound of footfalls coming down the hallway that led to the back of the house drew Elsa’s attention. A man with shaggy, light brown hair appeared a few seconds later. He was big and muscular just like Brand. If anything, he was an inch taller than Brand. The man also carried a newborn in his arms.

He stopped when he spotted Elsa and Brand standing in the foyer. He looked at Elsa. “So we finally get to meet you.” He came closer. “I’m Garrick, and this is my son, Luke,” he said as he nodded to the baby.

“I’m Elsa. Your son is adorable.”

“Thanks.”

“He needs a nappy change,” Brand said.

Garrick nodded. “I know. The smell is just about doing me in. I’m looking for his mother.”

Elsa discreetly sniffed the air but couldn’t smell a dirty nappy. Brand and Garrick must have a better sense of smell than she had if they thought it was that bad.

Garrick turned toward the staircase, and yelled, “Nika! Can you come here?”

A woman with light blonde hair came to stand at the railing at the top of the stairs. “What is it, Garrick?” She had an American accent.

“Your son stinks.”

Nika crossed her arms. “So? What do you want me to do about it?”

Garrick held the baby out. “He needs changing.”

“Garrick, Luke is two weeks old, and you have yet to change a dirty diaper. You’re going to do this one.”

“It’ll make me gag.”

“Tough.”

Brand closed the distance between him and Garrick and took the baby to hold in his free arm. “Don’t worry, Nika. I’ll do it.” He turned to Elsa. “Are you going to come up with me?”

“Sure.” Elsa had to admit the sight of seeing Brand holding the newborn did warm, gooey things to her insides. It was a good thing her mother couldn’t see Brand now, or she’d be really pushing for grandchildren, harder than she normally would.

Once she and Brand reached the top of the stairs, with Garrick following behind, Nika met them. “Thanks, Brand,” she said. She looked at Garrick. “My husband is going to have to get over his need to gag every time he sees a dirty diaper.” Garrick gave her a sheepish look. Nika turned her gaze on Elsa. “You have to be Elsa. If you haven’t already figured it out, I’m Nika, Garrick’s wife.”

“Nice to meet you. Obviously, Brand has spoken about me if you and Garrick already know about me.”

“Don’t worry. Brand didn’t say anything terrible about you.”

“I never would,” Brand said. “Let me put these bags in my room and then I’ll take care of Luke’s nappy.”

Elsa followed him. The room he put their bags in was large. The king-size bed was the focal point of the space. The sheets and matching quilt on it were black cotton with a slight sheen. The rest of the furniture was dark wood pieces that were the same design as the headboard. Instead of carpeted, the floor was dark hardwood. The whole room had a masculine feel to it.

With the baby still cradled in one arm, Brand put the bags down on the floor near the bed before he turned and headed back out into the hallway. He walked down it to a room two doors down on the opposite side. Elsa walked behind him as he entered it. It had to be Garrick and Nika’s room because they were both there.

Brand headed straight for the changing table set up against one wall. Without having to be given directions, he gently placed Luke on it and took off the baby’s pants to get to his nappy. He undid it and pulled the front down. Elsa had to bite back a laugh as Garrick made a gagging sound.

“Stop that,” Nika admonished Garrick. “It’s not that bad. Luke spits up on you, and you can handle that.”

Garrick seemed to avoid looking at what Brand was doing. “A little puke doesn’t get to me like poop does. A wet nappy I can manage.”

Elsa turned back to Brand and watched him efficiently wipe the baby’s bottom with wipes before he put a clean nappy on Luke. The newborn’s pants followed with no trouble. Done, Brand picked up Luke and put him up on his shoulder. He kissed the baby’s downy head as he walked over to Nika.

“All done.” He gently handed the newborn over to his mother.

“Thanks again, Brand,” Nika said.

“You’re welcome. Elsa and I will be in my room. I’ll introduce her to the others later.”

“We’ll make sure no one disturbs you while you’re both … occupied,” Garrick said with a chuckle.

Elsa knew exactly what Garrick referred to. He was a bit of a smartass as Brand had said. She still thought it would be interesting to see Renea and him together.

Brand said nothing in return to Garrick’s comment, and she followed him out of the room. Back inside Brand’s bedroom, he closed the door behind them and locked it. He then walked into the en suite bathroom. The sound of the tap running in the sink reached her ears. While Brand washed his hands, she walked over to the set of windows. Looking out, she saw Brand had a view of the back garden. It was large with a stand of trees lining the back of the property.

Gazing out to a section of lawn in the center of the garden, Elsa leaned closer to the glass, her brow furrowing. Was she really seeing what she thought she saw? Two equally large, muscular men stood on the grass swinging what looked like swords at each other. Given their size, they moved agilely and sometimes so fast she almost couldn’t track them.

“What has caught your attention?” Brand asked as he came up behind her.

She turned her head to look at him and then back at the window. “I figure those two out there must be a couple of your friends. You never said anything about them owning swords or using them against one another.”

As she watched, the two men outside lowered their swords and exchanged a few words. In a blink of an eye, the weapons were dropped to the grass and fists were flying. It didn’t last very long, and once it was over, the men laughed and acted as if nothing happened.

Brand put his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his hard body. “That’s Wulfric and Dolf. The one with the long, light brown hair is Wulfric and Dolf is the one with the short, wavy, reddish-brown hair. You might not be able to tell from what just happened, but they are the best of friends.”

“They look it now,” she said with a laugh.

Brand turned with her away from the window before he spun her around in his arms so she faced him. “Enough about my friends. Now that I finally have you alone, I want you again.”

A shiver of desire shot through Elsa at Brand’s husky words. “I want you too.”

He bent his head and kissed her, his tongue sweeping along her lips until she opened for him. Need and arousal heated her blood and made her pussy ache for his cock to fill it. Even though it hadn’t been that long since the last time she’d made love with Brand, Elsa still hungered for him. He touched her, and she went instantly wet.

As he deepened their kiss, she pressed closer. She moaned softly, loving the feel of Brand’s cock, long and hard, against her. The sound of her rapidly beating heart filled her ears. Every time Brand took her into his arms, her feelings for him grew stronger.

His hands went for the bottom of her shirt and lifted. Elsa broke contact with Brand’s lips and helped him strip her out of her clothes. She did the same with his. Once they were both naked, he kissed her hungrily again, running his hands along her heated skin. She reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his straining cock and pumped up and down. She used her thumb to rub a bead of precum into the tip. His hips jerked as she worked him.

Brand lifted his head and then picked her up and carried her over to the bed. After he flipped the covers back, he placed her on the center of the mattress. He climbed up next to her and came down on top of her. He shifted lower on her body and nuzzled the side of her neck.

“I’m going to taste you and then make you come.”

“Yes,” she said, panting.

He continued to work his way down her body until his wide shoulders were wedged between her thighs. She gasped and moaned as Brand dipped his head and licked her pussy. Elsa rocked against his mouth, her arousal steadily increasing with each stroke of his tongue.

He sucked on her clit and licked her slick opening. Elsa’s body coiled tighter. She’d come if only he’d add his fingers to the play. But he didn’t; he just continued to torment her with his tongue until she hovered at the edge of release.

“Brand. Give me more. I’m so close.”

Without a word, he surged up between her legs and sheathed his cock inside her pussy with one thrust. That was enough to send Elsa into an orgasm. She clutched him to her as her inner walls convulsed around his hard length. Brand held still. Once the last wave hit her, she opened her eyes to see he had his closed. A muscle in his jaw jumped as he gritted his teeth, obviously holding himself back until her pleasure ended.

Elsa lifted her hips, taking him deeper. That was all it took to have him moving inside her. He groaned as he pistoned his hips between her legs in hard thrusts. His cock slid in and out of her pussy, causing another climax to slowly build inside her. She held on to his biceps, matching each of his strokes.

Just before she fell over the edge, thrown into another intense orgasm, Elsa felt Brand’s cock swell, locking them together. He pulsed inside her, filling her with his cum. Their cries of passion filled the room. As he collapsed on top of her, she wrapped her arms around him. His much heavier weight pushed her deeper into the mattress, and she found it harder to catch her breath, but Elsa didn’t care. She stifled a gasp as another splash of cum filled her.

Brand lifted some of his weight off her, supporting his upper body on his bent arms. He lightly kissed her. “Move in with me.”

It took a few seconds to get her brain to function enough for her to understand his words. “You mean live with you here in the manor?”

“Yes.”

She looked up at him, seeing by his expression that he was serious. “That’s a big step in a relationship. Are you sure you’re ready to take it?”

Brand kissed the tip of her nose. “Of course I am. I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t. I guess I have to ask you the same question. Are you ready?”

Was she? Elsa didn’t want to make another mistake like Teddy, but she felt she could trust Brand. And considering how quickly her feelings for him had grown, she didn’t think it would be long before she was head over heels in love with him. He had all the qualities and good looks of a man she’d pictured sharing her life with. He was the one she’d thought would exist only in her daydreams.

“I think I am,” she said slowly.

“But you really aren’t sure.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to live with you. You have to understand I just got out of a relationship that ended badly. I don’t want you to think I’m only rebounding, using you to take the place of Teddy, without my feelings being invested in you.”

Brand brushed a lock of hair off her forehead. “I know you aren’t using me, Elsa. We’re meant to be together. I know what I want, and I want you. You and I together feels right.”

Elsa had to agree with that. She’d never become so comfortable with a man in such a short period of time as she had with Brand. “It does feel right. But what will your friends think? Won’t they think this is all a little sudden?”

He chuckled. “They won’t think anything of it. When Raed, Algar, Garrick, Wulfric, and Dolf all met their wives, they brought the women into our ‘family’ just as fast. Lexi and Kamryn actually were only here in Norwich on vacation from the States. They never went back home.”

“At least I don’t have to make a move like that. It makes the decision a little easier.”

“So can I take that to mean you will?”

She was oh-so-tempted, but the logical side of her couldn’t give him the answer he wanted. “Can you give me some more time?”

“Of course. I don’t want to push you if you aren’t ready, but that doesn’t mean I won’t show you what you’ll be missing each night that you don’t spend in my bed.”

Brand kissed her hard and long. Since he hadn’t pulled out of her, even after he’d become soft, Elsa felt him harden inside her pussy. Still wet from their previous lovemaking, he easily slid in and out. Her arousal quickly built.

Once he was fully engorged, Brand pulled out of Elsa and moved off her. She whimpered at the loss of his cock filling her. He kissed her and then urged her over onto her stomach before he got her up on her hands and knees. He came around to the back of her and knelt between her spread legs. He put a hand on her hip as he ran the other across the small of her back and up. Near her right shoulder his fingers seemed to linger as if he traced something there. His touch was almost reverent.

Continuing with caressing strokes on her back, he worked his way down until he had both hands on her hips. He held her steady and then surged inside her pussy. His cock filled her completely, stretching her. She was able to take him deeper in this position. In and out he pumped. Elsa pushed back to match the pace he set.

An animalistic growl rumbled out of Brand as he thrust harder and faster into her. Her head dropped forward, and she fisted the sheet in her hands as he took her with powerful strokes. It felt so good to be possessed by him, having his body deep inside hers.

Brand’s cock hardened even more. Elsa could tell he was close to finding his release. His thrusts were faster. He groaned and panted as he worked her from behind. Just as he swelled, locking them together, she climaxed, intense pleasure sweeping her away. She let out a keening moan, lost to the sensations taking her over.

Once it ended, Brand put an arm around her waist and took them both to their sides, his cock still locked inside her pussy. Her eyes closed as she fought to catch her breath. If this was how he was going to persuade her to move in with him, Elsa didn’t think he’d have to work too hard at it to have her saying yes.