Riley's POV
Hours after my encounter with Stella, all I could think about was the fact that I had just fucked her in my pond, right in front of her sister. There was no doubt in my mind that anyone who saw her and I tangled as we'd been wouldn't have known what we had been doing. A better man than me would care that he had made the woman in his life look like a whore in that moment, but like I said, they would be a better man than me. Because all I could think about was doing it all over again, except maybe this time I could lay her down on the banks of the pond, peel that damned nearly see-through suit from her body, and smother myself between her thighs.

"Earth to Riley..." this came from my mom, a person that I had forgotten was even sitting across from me at the dining room table. When I forced my eyes to focus on her, there was a knowing smile on her face, one that I had seen so many time over the years that told me that she had a good idea where my mind was at that money. Well, maybe not exactly what I had been thinking, but she knew that my thoughts were revolving around a woman.

"Sorry, mama." I said, standing from the table. I needed to move around, needed something to hopefully occupy my mind and force the hard-on that I was well on the way to developing to go away. The last thing I wanted was to be sporting full-on wood while sharing a room with my own mother. Not that she didn't know what I was packing since she'd obviously changed my diapers but it was just weird and I for one was not up for showing off just how dirty my thoughts were for the woman that had put them there. Not with Mama anyway; Now, if Stella was here, that would be a difee fee rent story. I'd gladly let her see just how effected I was by her and tell her every little thing that I wanted to do to her hot little body.

"Been a long time since I've seen you this tied up over a girl, baby boy," said Mama. Even with my back to her, I knew there was a smile on her face. "It does my mama-heart all sorts of good to know that your fame and fortune hasn't jaded you to the point that you don't think that you can love someone."

"Whoa, nobody said a thing about love, Mama." I said, spinning on my heel and facing here. My heart was racing and I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a small part of me —a part that I was choosing to ignore at this very moment— that didn't want Stella to be someone that I could have a happily-ever-after with. A fact that is crazy since I have known her twin sister for a couple years now and never once had one single inappropriate thought where she was concerned. So why did I find it hard to not want to do all sorts of dirty things to Stella who was a mirror image of her sister when all I can see when I look at Ella is someone who is like a baby sister to me?

"Deny what you're feeling or thinking all you want, son, but a mama always knows these things. We know when our babies have been bit by the love bug. And make no mistake, it might only be a little bite right now, but you can mark my words on this, that bite will grow and grow until there is only love in your heart when it comes to the woman in your life. That woman and thoughts of her will consume you until you can't imagine a life without her in in. In fact, I'm going to do all that I can't to make sure that you finally find the one that your soul was linked to from the very beginning, even if you didn't know who she was."

"You don't even know her, Mama." I said with a sigh, resigned to having this conversation with her. Okay, maybe not resigned since I knew for a fact that my mama knew what she was talking about, that she had this knack for seeing things in relationships when everyone else couldn't. She'd saw the writing on the wall with my sisters, Lindy and Casey, and their now husbands.

"I don't have to know her to know that you probably just found the putter half of your soul," she said, standing from her chair and walking over to where I was leaning against the kitchen island. "But don't be so sure that I don't know some things. Do you forget I was at your show last night? Do you forget that I watched as you and Ella performed. Don't think I didn't see the way that you were holding onto her sister. The whole audience saw how you were clearly marking her as your own... even if you didn't do it consciously."

"I—"

"Don't even try to deny it." Said mama, cutting me off. One hand cupped my stubbled cheek when she added, " I won't pressure you on this because I know you are still trying to figure out why all of a sudden you're having these thoughts, especially with someone who looks identical to one of your closest friends. But you know just was well as I do that when people come into out lives, they are usually put there for a reason. Ella was brought to yours to fill the role of baby sister while her sister.."

"Stella..." I supplied as mama fished for a name. There was no doubt in my mind that she didn't already know her name, she just wanted to hear it from me. The smile that spread across her face when she spoke again told me that I had been right.

"Yes, Stella, was brought into yours for other reasons. Who knows exactly what they are, but I know what I hope for. I know what I pray for every single night."

"And what's that?"

"That you find a love that sets your whole heart on fire. It's all I've ever wanted for you, baby boy. It's all any mother wants for her children." She replied. "Well, maybe that and a house full of grandbabies."

Upon her words, my thoughts went to how consumed I'd been with making sure that Stella had taken every last drop of my cum as deep as I could plant it. Never had I been like that with another woman. Never had I ever not wrapped my dick in a condom before I found my release. Only with Stella have I ever gone bare.

Was that why I'm so hung up on this girl?

Was that I can't seem to get her off mind?

Is that why all I can think about is doing whatever it takes to spend the next couple of months on the road with her, making memories and hopefully building something that leads to her and I having a future together?

Am I having all these thoughts simply because sex with her isn't just sex, it is almost transcendent — even if it had only been one time in a pond?

"Anyway, I'm gonna get out of here, give you some time to think about everything that I've said. Got some things to take care of over at Lindy's anyway. I'll check in with you later." Said Mama, pulling me from my all-consuming thoughts. "But before I leave, remember this one thing... always remember that we don't always know the plans that have been laid for us. People come into our lives when we least expect them. All we can do is hold on to them with everything we have even if we don't understand why they mean so much to us."

With that, she turned and walked out the door, leaving me to think about what she'd just said. And I knew there was only one thing that I wanted to do. Without a second thought, I pulled my phone from my pocket and pulled up my chat with Ella.

Me: Hey, I need your sister's number.

The text bubbles popped up almost instantly

Ella: you need it or you want it. There's a difference, Riles.

Me: Need.

Ella: what if she doesn't want you to have her number?

Me: Ells... I swear to god...

Ella: Fine, I'll give it to you. But so help me Riles, if you get her and treat her like all the other women that have passed through your life, I will invent new ways to torture you, every single one of them revolving around me chopping off your dick.

Me: Not planning on hurting her

Ella: You better not 😉