Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Noelle
The smell of coffee wakes me from what was possibly one of the best nights of sleep I’ve had in a long time. Torin’s mattress is so plush it feels like I’m lying on a cloud. And there is something about having his scent all around me that makes my senses tingle, in a good way.
Sitting in bed, I swing my legs over the edge and stretch my arms above my head. My feet hit the cool wood floor before I pad over to the bedroom window and pull back the curtain. The clouds are gray, and a light dusting of fresh snow has started to blanket the trees. Most people love the sunshine, but not me. Perhaps that makes me odd. Cloudy days are my favorite. There is just something so calm and relaxing about it.
Something else I’ve learned about Ember Falls in my short time here is that it feels like home. I lived in Texas my whole life and never felt like it was where I truly belonged. Maybe it’s because Texas is filled with bad memories and chaos. Ember Falls feels like new beginnings and hope.
Life for me has always been about surviving and protecting my brother. I’m a pro at survival. The part about protecting my brother is where I failed. I once considered the legal route, thinking I could trust the system. The lawyer said I’d have to prove Zacks’s father was unfit, and if the courts decided that was the case, then he’d most likely end up in the custody of the state while I fought to be his legal guardian. Going the legal route costs time and money, money which I did not have, and time was something my brother didn’t have either.
Murmured voices snap me out of my thoughts. Realizing Zack is probably awake, I head for the bathroom.
Minutes later, I follow the sound of hushed voices into the kitchen to find Torin leaning against the counter with a coffee cup in hand. He’s wearing jeans and no shirt. Fully clothed, I could tell the man was in shape, but the sight of his six-pack abs give me pause. I can’t help but take in the sprinkling of dark chest hair that travels between those stacks of muscles and disappears under the waistband of his jeans.
The sound of Torin clearing his throat knocks me out of my stupor. My eyes immediately snap to his, and I find him looking amused. My face heats with embarrassment at the fact Torin caught me admiring him. I try to ignore how his gaze follows me across the kitchen to where Zack sits. The kid is so engrossed in his breakfast of eggs and bacon that he is oblivious to what’s happening between Torin and me. “Mornin’, buddy.” I kiss the top of his head.
“Coffee?” Torin asks.
I nod and make my way over to the coffee pot.
Torin comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, pushing me aside. “I got it, baby,” he whispers against my ear, making my skin prickle and my breath hitch. “Go sit.”
Swallowing, I nod and then join Zack at the table. I go to tell Torin what I like in my coffee, but before I can, he sets a steaming hot mug in front of me. I pick the cup up and bring it to my lips. On first taste, it’s perfect—just the right amount of sugar and cream. I look up at him through my lashes. “Thank you.”
Torin stares down at me, his hooded gaze intense. He doesn’t say a word, but words are not needed. With one look, he conveys everything. I start to squirm in my chair because the butterflies are back, and they are not in my stomach.
This time, it’s my brother who interrupts both mine and Torin’s lust-filled haze.
“Can I go play my game?”
Confused, I turn my attention toward Zack. “Your what?”
Zack jumps up from the table and puts his dirty plate in the sink. “My game. Torin got me an Xbox.”
Stunned, I look at Torin. “You got him an Xbox?”
Torin shrugs.
“That’s… Torin, those things cost a fortune. I don’t know how long it will take for me to pay you back for something like that.”
Torin sets his cup down on the table. “Go on, bud, while I talk to your sister. But I want you to be ready to leave in an hour. I’m taking you guys out today.”
“Okay!” Zack dashes down the hall toward the bedroom.
The next thing I know, I come face to face with an angry Torin. “Let me make something clear. I do not, nor will I ever want you to think you will pay me back for anything I do for you and Zack. I take care of what’s mine .”
“Your… what’s yours?” My heart feels like it’s about to beat right out of my chest when Torin grips the back of my neck, pulling me close so our noses touch.
“ Mine ,” he declares just before his mouth crashes down on mine, stealing my next breath. Lost in his taste, I wrap my arms around his neck. The next thing I know, I’m hauled out of the chair. Torin palms my butt as he sets me down on top of the kitchen table. On instinct, I hook my legs around his hips, pulling him flush against my center. A gasp escapes past my lips when his jean-covered erection comes in contact with my clit. “Oh, God.” I shamelessly seek more friction.
“Does my girl need to come?” The sound of Torin’s husky voice makes me shiver.
“Yes.”
The moment the confession is out of my mouth, Torin slips his hand between our bodies and passes the elastic of my sleep shorts. The second his hand connects with my pussy, all thoughts of the outside world cease to exist. Slowly one of his fingers enters me at the same time as his thumb presses against my clit. “So fuckin’ wet. So responsive. I can’t wait to have this pussy wrapped around my cock.” Torin’s crude words only add fuel to my fire as my orgasm starts to build. “That’s it, baby. Fuck my hand. Show me how bad you wish it was my dick you were ridin’.”
The thought of having Torin inside me is my undoing.
Torin’s mouth on mine captures my cries as my nails dig into his back.
The seconds tick by, and slowly, my post-euphoric brain fog disappears, and reality comes crashing down on me.
Torin must sense my change. “Don’t worry, baby. Zack’s still in his room, and I can hear his TV.”
My body relaxes, but I’m no less mortified. Zack could have come out of his bedroom at any time. “I can’t believe I just did that.”
“Noelle.” Torin helps me down from the table, but I can’t see his eyes. “Baby, look at me,” he orders.
Sighing, I do as he asks while hating that he can see how red my face is. “Letting men I hardly know put their hands down my pants on their dining room table is not something I normally do.”
Torin’s nostrils flare. “First of all, I don’t want to hear you say shit about other men, hypothetical or not. And second, we may not know each other well, but I fuckin’ love that you trusted me enough to let yourself go a few minutes ago.”
I chew on my bottom lip and think about what Torin just said. “You’re right. I do trust you.”
Torin cups my face between the palms of his hands. “We good?”
I nod. “Yeah, we’re good.”
“All right.” He kisses me. “Go get cleaned up and changed. I’m taking you and Zack out today.”
I beam up at him. “Where are you taking us?”
“You’ll see.” He swats my butt. “Now go.”
I can’t help but giggle as I head off to the bedroom to get ready.
I wonder what Torin has in store for us today.
“Wow!” My brother starts bouncing in his seat as Torin pulls the truck into a gravel parking lot. “Is this what I think it is?”
Torin chuckles. “Yep.”
Zack wastes no time jumping out of the truck. Torin and I follow suit. The crisp air carries the unmistakable scent of pine, mingling with the cheerful sounds of laughter and holiday music. As we step into the winter wonderland, we are welcomed by towering evergreen trees, some decorated with sparkling red and gold ornaments and shimmering, twinkling lights. I am captivated by the magic of it all.
“Did you bring us to get a Christmas tree?” Zack peers up at Torin with a spark of hope in his eyes.
“Sure did, little man. Christmas is not far away, so I figured we better get ourselves a tree. Then after we leave here, we’ll go to the store and buy all the shit to put on it.”
“Yes!” Zack pumps his fist in the air. “Did you hear that, Nelly? We’re getting a real tree. We’ve never had a real one before.”
I blink back the tears that threaten to spill as I watch my brother become overjoyed at the thought of a real Christmas tree. Zacks’s dad never celebrated any holiday, let alone Christmas. My brother always spent Christmas with me at my tiny apartment. We’d put our little three-foot artificial tree up every year and bake cookies. Zack and I never had much, but we had each other. I’d save for months just to buy him a couple of presents to put under the tree. No kid should wake up Christmas morning without a Santa gift.
Torin squeezes my hand. “You ready to go pick out a tree?”
This time, I don’t try to hide my smile. “Yes.”
It’s nightfall by the time we return to Torin’s house. It took him and Zack three trips to bring our shopping haul inside. “Where do you want the tree, baby?” Torin asks.
I sit the bags on the sofa and turn toward Torin. “Where do I want the tree?”
“Yeah. Where you want it.”
“I um… it’s your house. Where do you normally put it?”
“I don’t normally put it anywhere because I’ve never had a tree.”
“You’ve never had a Christmas tree?”
“Not in my house.” Torin shakes his head. “Ma puts one up at her place every year, and since I always spend Christmas there, I don’t need a tree at mine…” He pauses, then adds, “Until now.”
“Oh,” is all I can say.
“So, I’ll ask again, babe, where do you want it?”
My answer is immediate. “In front of the window.” I point toward the large floor-to-ceiling window in the living room.
Torin’s lip twitches. “Zack, come help me get the tree from the back of the truck.”
Zack drops the bags he carries onto the kitchen table before following Torin. Minutes later, they return with the tree, filling the house with the smell of pine.
Following a lot of fun, two hours later, the tree—all seven feet of it—is fully decorated with a million strands of lights.
“Zack, go put the lights on.” I practically squeal with excitement. Sitting on the sofa nursing a beer, Torin has been content with simply watching my brother and I meticulously place every light, ornament, and piece of tinsel. Not once did he get annoyed or bored with our constant excitement or how Zack insisted on showing him every ornament he picked out. Torin’s attention and smile never wavered. Tonight, I think I fell a little bit in love with him.
“Wow,” Zack and I say in unison.
A pair of strong arms wrap around me from behind. Torin’s husky voice is in my ear. “Looks good, babe.”
With the biggest smile on my face, I agree. “It’s perfect.” I tip my head back and meet his gaze. “This whole day was perfect. Thank you.”
Torin gently kisses me. “You’re welcome, baby.”
We tidy up, and an hour later, I’m sitting on the sofa, snuggled into Torin’s side in comfortable silence. Torin’s attention is on some action movie on the television while mine is on my brother, who is currently fast asleep with his body partially lying under the tree. I’m not sure how long he lay there staring at the lights before passing out.
Torin lifts the remote and clicks it off. “Time for bed.”
I sit up and scooch to the edge of the sofa. “I’ll wake Zack and have him go to his bed.”
Torin stands. “Leave him. He’ll be okay there.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, I guess I’ll get out of your hair so you can get some sleep.”
“I didn’t say anything about sleep. I’m takin’ you to bed, but I don’t plan on either of us sleepin’.”
Without another word, he grabs my hand and leads me toward his bedroom. Once inside, he shuts the door. I’ll admit I have replayed the events from this morning over and over again in my mind, and I could not help but imagine how this moment would go. But standing here with Torin in front of me and seeing that look in his eyes that says he’s desperate to rip my clothes off me, there is no question how this is about to go down. And it’s like he can see my answer written all over my face because, in two seconds flat, he’s on me. Our bodies collide, leaving no doubt this will be hard and fast.
Torin picks me up, and I wrap my legs around him as he carries me over to the bed. Seconds later, my back hits the mattress. Immediately, his hands rip my shirt off over my head. My bra is the second thing to go, and when his warm, wet mouth connects with my nipple, I cry out. “Oh, God.” My nails bite at his scalp as he licks and nips at my breast. Needing to feel his skin against mine, I tug at the hem of his shirt, desperate to get it off. Releasing my nipple, Torin stands and begins stripping. First, his shirt, then his belt buckle, followed by his jeans.
“Lose the pants and spread those legs for me, baby. I want to see how wet your pussy is.”
I shimmy out of my pants at the same time Torin takes off his boxer briefs, freeing his long thick cock. I’m equally intimidated by the size, yet up for the challenge. My sex clenches at the thought of having every inch of it inside me.
“I said spread, Noelle,” Torin growls.
I do as he demands, and I have never felt so exposed. My shy nature tries to creep in, but I ignore it. Torin’s eyes blaze with fire as he takes his cock into the palm of his hand and strokes. Beads of pre cum leak from the tip, and a moan escapes my mouth.
“Your pussy is dripping wet, isn’t it, baby. So eager for my cock.”
“Yes,” I admit without shame.
Torin puts one knee to the bed and climbs over me. His mouth instantly seeks mine. Without warning, he slams into me. He rips his lips away from mine with a curse. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ.” Then he begins to move. “Fuckin’ knew this pussy would be the death of me.”
“Don’t stop,” I plead.
“Not a chance.” Each thrust is more brutal than the last. Torin hooks one arm beneath my leg and spreads me open further, allowing him deeper access. There is a pain I’ve never felt before, but it’s a good kind of pain, one I could welcome over and over again. “I need you to get there, baby.”
“I’m close,” I pant as my body becomes overheated.
“ Now , Noelle. I want your pussy to come all over my cock.”
The second the last word is spoken, an orgasm wracks my entire body. Torin captures my cries of pleasure with his mouth as he continues to move in and out of me. Seconds later, he buries his face in the crook of my neck as he chases his own release.
Torin rolls to his back, taking me with him.
Neither of us says a word, and neither moves to get up.
With my head against his chest, I hear his heart beating as I drift off to sleep, feeling something I’ve never felt before.
Happy and safe.