Never Stop

23. Ander

Chapter twenty-three

Ander

B eing here with Via in the house that shaped her life, where we shared that moment, the house that I now call home—there's no easy way to describe it. A full-circle moment? Maybe.

When I first purchased it, I couldn't bring myself to move in right away. The realization of what I'd just done weighed heavily on me. The memories that would come flooding in when I'd walk through the field to get here would paralyze me, and it was like a knife to the chest. The more time passed, the easier it became, and it turned into a comfort like I'd hoped it would be rather than a trigger.

The walls may look different, and the furniture may be new, but this is the exact spot we laid the night we became one and lost everything we wanted, all at once. I get lost in my thoughts for a bit and look over at her. I have a feeling that she's processing the same things that I am.

I lean over the bed, pulling her into me, and as we fall back, a small laugh escapes from her perfect mouth. I wrap my arms around her tighter, and she squeals as I kiss the side of her neck. I take a deep breath, savoring in her fresh, light, airy, and floral scent, and commit it to memory. I loosen my grip around her, and she falls in line, lying next to me as we face each other. I brush a stray hair out of her face as I look her over and take her in.

Her big, beautiful, almond-shaped light grey-blue eyes peer through me as a slight smile pulls at her plump lips. I can't confine my hands as they travel her body, running back and forth, up and down from her narrow waist to her wide, perfectly curved hips. As my hand caresses over her skin, she shuts her eyes briefly, and on a sharp inhale breath, she bites down on her lip.

The woman drives me wild, and my heartbeat pace picks up as the heat in her eyes grows.

"What's going through that big, beautiful mind of yours?" She asks, with a soft chuckle.

"So now you're trying to get inside my head, hmm?" I throw a smug grin her way, raising an eyebrow at her, and her chuckle grows into a small laugh as I gently pin her to the bed and lay my head atop her chest as I wrap my arms around her. I can't help but feel the perfect curvature of her full breasts beneath me, but I choose to focus on the sporadic beating of her heart. It's my favorite sound.

"Mhmm"

"I'm just thinking about how perfect this feels. I've dreamt of this for so long. There were times I never thought I'd have it again. I thought I'd never have you like this again. Now that I do. . . It just feels right." I pull up onto my hands, hovering above her. I kiss her forehead, and the smile that pulls at her lips makes its way to her whole face. She lights up for me .

"It's home, Ander. We will always be each other's home ."

Before I can respond, she leans up and crashes her lips to mine. One of her hands runs through my hair, tugging it softly as the other claws and tugs at my back, pulling me on top of her. Damn , this woman has no idea what she does to me. The erection growing at rapid rates in my pants is one of the dead giveaways, but it's so much deeper than that. She ignited a part of my soul that went dark when I lost her. The same part that she's always held captive as her own. Olivia Foley has been and will always be my kryptonite; there's no denying that. I'm completely and utterly enthralled by who she is and what she does to me.

I wrap my arms around her, and in one swift movement, I flip us to where she's on top, straddling me.

"I wish you could see yourself right now. The way that I see you."

"Oh yeah, and what is it that you see?" She asks, a playful tone to her voice, but she can't fool me. Her hands are pressed on my chest, and she's swaying her hips in circles. My cock twitches at the feel of her taking full advantage of grinding against me.

"Everything. Looking at you, I see everything I need and want." I answer, very matter-of-factly, as I stare into her beautiful eyes. "You are the definition of perfection from the inside out." I grab onto her hips, urging her to resume her motions that have stopped with the delivery of my words. "I'm never letting you go."

I lean in and softly bite down on one of her peaked nipples that are poking through her thin cami.

"ooooh," She coos, and fuck, it sounds so sweet.

"Ander, I don't think I can handle you again. Not this soon, at least." She says through a giggle. Yet, her actions prove otherwise. She leans up and removes her cami, exposing her perfectly heavy, full breasts to me, not breaking eye contact as she holds my gaze. I chuckle at her contradiction.

"So, you're telling me you're not dying to find out how good it will feel to be on top of me. To have my hands on your hips like this." Using just the tips of my fingers, I slowly trail them down her form, stopping at her hips and grabbing on.

"You don't want to know how powerful and beautiful you'll feel as I guide you down onto my hard, throbbing cock, letting you pick whichever motions and pace suits you best?"

"You're filthy." Her head rears back on a moan as she continues to grind against me. My cock is on full alert at the feel of her rubbing against it.

I lean forward, massaging her beautiful breast. I take one nipple into my mouth, biting down hard before sucking the sting of the pain away.

"Let me show you just how filthy I can be. Just for you. All for you. I promise you will fucking love it."

Without another word, she pulls back and stands above me, giving me the perfect view of her entire body. I can get lost in admiring her.

"How badly do you want to feel how wet I am for you?"

"Mmm," I groan and my cock twitches at her words. "Take off your shorts. Show me."

"That doesn't tell me anything, Ander." She says softly as she sways back and forth.

I free my ready cock from the confines of my boxers, and it springs to life.

"This bad. It's aching for you, baby. Now take off your damn bottoms. Please?" I flash her a smug grin, and she smirks before obliging.

"What a good fucking girl. Look at you." Via is still standing above me, her perfect body on full display. She's trailing her fingers up and down her form, giving me a complete view. Her pussy is so soaked that she's dripping for me.

All for me .

"What do you want to do with me?" she asks, her voice low. I can tell she's feeling slightly nervous.

"First, you're going to bring that beautiful body over here, sit on my face and let me devour that sweet soaked pussy."

"Oh, my god," Via moans out hoarsely. Her eyes shut as I run the tips of my fingers up and down her legs.

"After you ride my face and come in my mouth, you're going to slide down on my cock and let me feel how perfectly your body wraps around mine."

"Yesss," She hisses out as she massages her breasts, loving the picture I've helped to paint in her mind.

"Now, baby. Right fucking now. I need to taste you."

With a soft moan, she makes quick work of positioning herself over me. She hovers over, and I let out a growl.

"I said sit, not squat."

"But… I don't want to hurt you."

I scoff, rubbing my hands up along her inner thighs.

"Hurt me?" I slowly edge one finger into her entrance and circle it around her walls.

"Yeah, I don't want to smother you. I'm not exactly light Ander." Her voice is breathy, and she's already panting.

"You're perfect." I plant a firm smack to her ass. "My face buried under that pussy is my idea of heaven."

"Now, sit," I growl out.

Hesitantly, she slowly lowers herself onto my face.

Mmm, even her smell is perfection. I clamp my mouth around the top of her pussy, and I get to work. I bite down on her clit, softly tugging it until she screams. Her hands fly to my hair. She runs her fingers through it as she pulls harder with each scream.

"Yes, just like that! Yes!"

I'm sucking on her clit, loving the taste of her. Both of my hands are massaging her full round ass. She begins to squirm above me, and I can feel her legs start to shake, so I know she's already close. Using my hands, I grab firm on her ass and begin to move her back and forth, making her ride my face.

"Ander—"

"Ohhh. Yes! Yessss!"

Her hands that are in my hair are gripping on for dear life as her orgasm peaks, and she's on the brink of combusting. My eyes stay locked on her face, watching as her eyes screwed shut in pleasure and her mouth falls open with each moan and scream.

"I'm. . . Oh my god! I'm com—"

I suck her clit hard and faster, working her over through her orgasm. Her hands fall loose from my hair. Her body is quivering above me as I lap up her arousal, licking up and down her slit from entrance to clit.

Her body still shaking, she makes quick work of standing up and working her way down my body. She pulls my boxers completely off as she holds my gaze, staring directly into my eyes.

"Now it's your turn, big boy." She says as she places her hand on my chest and lowers herself, slowly sinking down onto my cock. Inch by delicious inch. Once she's seated and I'm entirely buried inside of her, I place my hands on her ass and glide her up, leaving just a little bit of space between our bodies.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me? How badly I want you? How much I crave and need you? All of you!" I groan out as I thrust up, in and out, as fast as I can. Her eyes screw shut, her head falls back, and she screams. She screams my fucking name, which only drives me even more mad for her.

"Ander—"

"Say it again," I demand, coming out as more of a growl.

"Ander! Oh my god!"

"Ride me. I want you to do it just like you want to. I want you to please yourself while pleasing me, baby." I slide her wet core down my cock until she's fully seated and release my hands, letting her find her own rhythm.

Her hands move from my chest as they make their way through her hair. She sits up straight and begins to work her hips back and forth, sliding along my cock in a delicious rhythm that has me panting.

"Fuckkk. Baby, just like that. Don't you fucking stop. You ride me so damn well."

"Mmm, I want you harder." She moans out as her head falls back in pleasure, and she begins to bounce up and down on top of me. Gliding her tight pussy up and down on my rock-hard erection with each motion. Her perfect tits bounce up and down as she moves, and I can't stop staring at the beauty before me.

"When you glide back down, let your body sink onto me. Don't hold back. I want to feel you take me fully."

I reach up and grab both of her breasts in my hands, pinching and tweaking her nipples as she slides up and down on my cock, taking me harder and deeper. The way she sways her hips and takes me just like she needs and wants me so that her clit can get pleasure, too, has my head spinning. Her body molds to mine perfectly.

She was made for me.

"Ander, fuck me back again! I need you so bad! I want you to take me."

"Oh. Yes, Ma'am," I growl out, hungry for more.

My hands resume their position on her ass, and I slightly lift her up. One of her hands rests on my chest, and the other grabs my forearm.

"Hold on, baby, I'm going to fuck you until you see stars," I warn her right before I begin to thrust up, pounding into her with all I've got.

"Fuck yes."

Fuck . She feels so good. Too good . I stop my movements and pull out of her as I wrap my arms around her waist, flipping us over.

I'm hovering above her as she lays below me, panting, waiting, and ready for more.

"You want it hard?"

"Please. Make me see the stars."

"Spread those legs as wide as you can." She does as I request, and without another second, I crash inside her with force, wasting no time before I pull back and do it again and again.

"Holy shit— Ander!" She cries out as I palm one breast with one hand, lightly taking hold of her neck with the other as I lean in and nibble at her nipple. I'm still not missing a beat with each hard, fast-paced thrust.

"Oh god, Oh my god— Right there! Ander!"

"You take my dick so well, baby. I love watching you as you take me in so perfectly."

"Don't stop, please. Don't fucking stop, I'm about to— Yes!"

Her legs are shaking as they spread wide open, almost flat to the bed, as if she's in a split formation while I pound into her. My hands move to her thighs. My fingers dig into her skin as I grasp on tight for support. My thrusts are now erratic as my orgasm peaks, and I lose all control.

"Come with me, please. Let me feel you!" She screams out.

With that, we fall apart together.

After spending the day tangled inside each other, literally and figuratively speaking, we finally returned to her home in Sugarland.

I know that being back on the island had to be a lot for her to take in, but she did so gracefully once the initial shock wore off.

The drive back up to town was peaceful. After a while of driving and the comfortable silence filling the cabin, I felt her soft hand slide gently down my free arm nearest her that was resting on the console until our fingers intertwined. We didn't talk much; she blasted some music she sang along to, entirely out of tune. Via had her window rolled down, her feet crossed at her ankles and propped up on the dash, and the wind danced through her hair, as she'd laugh every time a big gust blew her hair until it filled her face. She looked free, just like she used to. It was beautiful.

She doesn't think I see her for who she is now , but I see it all too clearly. I see her . She isn't as hard to figure out or read as she thinks. Her smiles don't come as easily, her words don't spew as freely, and her walls are built firmly. That sure as hell won't stop me from trying to break them down . She's guarded herself; life hasn't been easy, and damn, it made her tougher. She's still herself, whether she sees it or not. Watching her the way she was in my truck on the way home was proof of that.

"Do you want to come in for a bit before you take off?" She peers up at me with those piercing eyes of hers.

I pull her in, kissing her forehead before I shake my head.

"I won't stay. You need to get some rest. But I will walk you inside."

I hop out of my truck, walk over to her door, and open it for her as I help her step out. Her soft, forced smile says everything that she isn't. She looks slightly disappointed, but she knows I'm right. She works the night shift and needs rest to return to her job routine.

As Via unlocks the front door, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into me, eliciting a giggle from her.

She looks back over at me as she walks in.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to stay for a little while?" she arches an eyebrow at me and pulls her shirt over her head, revealing her bare breasts to me. Not giving it another thought, I kick the front door shut behind me, and she giggles playfully as she darts off, running from me, pulling her pants down as she goes.

"Oh baby, you better fucking run fast. Once I catch you, I'm going to punish that sweet ass for teasing me."

She darts left, passing through the living area where her pants lay on the ground. Her laughter grows as she picks up speed, heading for the back of the house.

Following behind her, hot on her heels, we turn right, making our way through the kitchen, when I'm stopped dead in my tracks.

Anger immediately courses through me. I clench my hands into fists at my side and try to tame the beast of jealousy inside me. I'm reminding myself that Izzy lives here, too, and these could very well be for her.

"Hey V, what's with the flowers?"

Her laughter stops in the distance, and she comes marching back into the kitchen with a confused look on her beautiful face.

"What?"

I point to the black vase filled with a dozen roses, black on the edges and deep red in the center. They look entirely out of place and kind of creepy.

"Ugh! Not again! I'm so sick of this shit!" She reaches for the vase, pulls a note card out, and then throws it to the counter in frustration. She lets out a low huff, tossing the entire vase of flowers in the trash. They crash in with a thud.

"You're seeing someone else?" I ask, confused. My voice is low, and the anger I feel is evident with each word. My blood boils as I speak.

Via scoffs, "Absolutely not. This guy from work, Clark, he won't take a damn hint."

She picked up the note and handed it to me. It reads, 'I'm waiting.'

What the fuck.

"He's been after me for months, trying, persistently asking me out on dates. I've declined each offer. These started appearing a few weeks ago. Sometimes, just the notes alone, but at least three times a week, he leaves something somewhere."

"How did they get inside of the house? Would Izzy bring these inside? Where else do you find things left for you? Have you reported this?"

She shakes her head as her eyes drop. "Izzy knows how much finding these freaks me out; she wouldn't have brought them in. I've found them inside my car before. On my porch. In my locker at work, and now apparently inside of my fucking house." The frustration is pouring out of her as her hands ball into fists by her side, and I can see her visibly shudder.

"I haven't reported anything yet. I'm hoping it just stops if I ignore it." Her voice is low, and she sounds defeated.

I inhale a deep breath to calm myself and the storm brewing inside me before I speak. My anger isn't with her, and I don't want her to think it is.

"Have you told him to stop?"

Another shake of her head.

"I... I honestly don't feel comfortable talking to him about it. He creeps me out, and I have to work with the guy. I don't want to make it even more uncomfortable." She looks almost defeated as she speaks. Her body language tells me that receiving these things creeps her out.

I walk over to her, cupping her face in my hands as I angle her head, forcing her eyes to meet mine.

"This is considered stalking. Do you realize that? Rosie, this isn't okay. Especially with it making you this uncomfortable." I press a kiss on her forehead. "If you don't handle and report it, at least at work, I will handle it myself. I can promise you that fucker will much prefer that you handle it than I do."

"Simmer down, big guy. I'll take care of it, " she says with a soft smile as she leans into my touch.

After checking her house thoroughly and assuring all of her locks were working correctly, I relunctantly left. Via assured me that she was okay and would handle this with her administrators as soon as she goes to work. She should be reporting it to the damn police, but she is so stubborn and headstrong.

If this doesn't get settled, I'll gladly handle it myself.

Instead of returning to the beach house, I drove to Mississippi to visit my parents for the night. With the way I work, I don't get to see all of my family as often as I'd like to. My work schedule is pretty busy. I work rotations, so I work for two weeks straight with no days off, and then I'm off for two weeks in a row. It isn't easy, and doing the same line of work as my dad, which has always made him miserable, isn't exactly what I wanted for my life. I've made it work for now.

Typically, I've stayed home at the beach house for the two weeks I'm off. I didn't want to tell Via because it would break her, but the last owners did a number to it. A storm a few years back damaged it significantly, and they didn't put in the necessary repairs to fix it, causing more long-term damage. So, a lot of my time off has gone into repairs. It's been a fucking headache, honestly, but it's paid off. It finally feels like the house I remembered it to be. It feels like my home now.

It's a little after nine-thirty at night when my tires meet the crunch of the lone gravel road leading to my family's expansive ranch. I call my mom on my way here to let her know I'm coming by. I can feel her excitement through the phone.

As I pull up to the main house, I see everyone's vehicles parked out front, and I can't help but chuckle. My brother Jettson and sister Abbigail still live on the property. Abbie is only eighteen and in high school, due to graduate next May. Jett has his own home on the back of the acreage.

As I hop out of my truck, I see the front door swing open, and Abbie comes out waving.

"Well, look what the wind blew in," She hollers at me off the porch with a laugh, and I can't help but return it.

"What can I say, sis? I've missed you!"

With that, she hops off the porch and runs to hug me. It's only been about three months since I've seen them all, but we've always been incredibly close, so three months is a long time. My phone calls have also been less frequent, and I sense they've been worried about me. Well, I know they have. They've told me multiple times. I'm not too fond of it. There's nothing to worry about.

They thought I lost my mind when I bought the beach house, especially with its condition. They didn't understand, and I couldn't get them to. Well, I didn't try that hard, but it wasn't for anyone else to understand. Was it ridiculous? Probably so, but I didn't give a shit, and I still really don't. Especially now .

"I'm just glad you finally made it, Mom wouldn't let us leave until you got here, and I'm fucking tired," Abbie says with a laugh mixed in with a yawn.

I shake my head, "Go get some sleep, sis; I'll be here tomorrow to see you."

"And miss mom's face when she sees her precious middle child, hell no!" She jokes as she gives me a light shove.

Before we reach the front porch steps, the door swings open again, and Jett steps out.

"Well, hey, fucker!" He screams. This family of mine sure knows how to greet someone. Damn.

"Hey, asshole!" I respond as I take him in for a hug.

"Anderson Anthony Cole!" My mother's voice calls from inside the house and grows closer. Jett and Abbie throw eachother look as Abbie mumbles under her breath, teasingly, "Momma's boy". We all share a laugh. I make it one step in the house. I'm smothered by a giant hug from my mom, and over her shoulder, I notice my dad behind her with his arms crossed and laughing.

"Son, don't stay away that long again, okay?" She says as she lets me out of her grasp and reaches up to plant a kiss on my cheek.

Giving her hand a soft squeeze, I assure her I won't.

"Should I jump on you too?" my dad jokes.

"Please don't, old man. You'll break a damn bone." Jett interjects, and we all laugh.

We walk into the kitchen and are all catching up. You'd swear I was gone for a year, but I love that they're always happy to see me and still feel like my home.

"Ander, what's with the smile? You've been grinning like a girl since you got here." Jett says after a while of conversation and arches his eyebrows at me. Everyone's faces turn to look at me, and I exhale a sigh.

I knew they'd sense it. If I'm being honest, that's why I wanted to come here. They understand what losing Via did to me. They witnessed the destruction firsthand. They know how much I've missed her. They've missed her too. I needed to tell them, but damn, Jett, for making it awkward now. I wanted to tell them in my own way. I definitely did not want to talk about it this late at night when they were all too tired to process it.

"Eh, I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. Everything is good, though."

"Oh, what a shit response! Who is it!" Abbie demands, "You've obviously got a girlfriend, so what's her name?"

I stifle a laugh.

"A girlfriend?" My mom asks, seeming confused.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Abbie," I say, laughing.

"Bullshit!" She deadpans.

"Abigail Claire, you watch your mouth!"

Abbie laughs, "Sorry, Mom, but Ander's lying. I can tell! That's the look of someone happy and in love!" Abbie points at me like she's five-year-old tattling on me for stealing her snack.

"Ander?" My mom's eyebrows arch in question.

"I came here to tell y'all, but not like this ," I throw a look Jett's way, and he just shrugs and chuckles.

I run my hands over my face, figuring out how to word this to them.

"I got set up on a blind date the other night—"

"Wait, you're excited about a girl you just met?" Abbie interjects confusion all over her face. I can't help but laugh.

"Do you want to know or what?" She nods. "Well, shut it, and let me tell you."

"It didn't exactly go as planned. The girl, it was her . It was Via."

My mom and Abbie both gasp and clasp their hands over their mouths.

"Holy fuck!" Jett proclaims.

"Yeah, holy fuck is right," I say.

"Oh my god, Ander. How is she?"

"She's great, mom. She's had a hard few years, she's been dealt a shit hand, but she's doing well for herself." I can feel the pride-filled smile taking over my face as the words pour out.

"Wow," My mom looked like a deer in headlights; this was the last thing they expected. Hell, it's the last thing I was expecting.

"How did she handle. . . seeing you?" That is the question I was waiting for.

"It was rocky at first; We were both in shock. I mean, what are the odds? Our mutual friend who set us up had no idea of the history there. It's still really fresh, but I'm hopeful."

As if she couldn't hold them back any longer, the tears started streaming from my mom's eyes as she put a hand over her heart.

"Is she still hot?" Leave it to Jett to break up the sentimental moment. Abbie punches him in the arm.

"Ew, you pig!" She jokes. We all crack a laugh.

"Who was the mutual friend?" Abbie asks.

"His name is Maverick. We work together. He told me his girlfriend has a best friend I'd be perfect with, but he never told me either of their names." Abbie and my mom coo out 'awws,' but something in Jett's face changes.

"The girlfriend, is it Izzy?" He asks, his tone even but something pained behind it. I nod.

"Yeah, it's Izzy."

I can see that Jett wants to say something but stays silent for a beat. I know how it feels to want to process your own thoughts, so I let him. Abbie breaks the silence.

"What is it, Jett? You look like someone stabbed you in the chest."

My brother laughs awkwardly and runs his hand through his hair.

"Nothing, it's just been a while. I just can't believe this fucker was finally able to get his girl back. How's Izzy?"

"Oh, that's right. Izzy was your spit-swapping buddy—"

"Abbie!" My mom cuts her off with a chuckle.

"She seems happy," I say, holding his gaze. The conversations shift, and Jett grows more uncomfortably silent. The others spend another hour drilling me, trying to get as much information as possible before we call it a night.

Jett went to his house for the night, and everyone was asleep. My mind is racing, and I can't sleep, so I go downstairs to the kitchen to raid the freezer for Blue Bell ice cream. It always seems to be readily available in this home. Knowing she's awake trying to get back into the routine for work tomorrow night, I texted Via.

Ander : Hey beautiful

Via : What are you doing awake? lol

Ander : Thinking about you

Via : Hm. There you go, trying to be a smooth talker again

Ander : Only for you and only when it's the truth

Via : Such a nerd

Ander: I told them. They want to see you whenever you're ready