13. Atticus #6
“Thanks, Little Bit, but we’ve already got a realtor looking for houses for us.
Our agent negotiated us both four-year contracts with no trade clauses because we wanted to come to the Marauders.
Now that we know where we’re going to be for the next few years, we’re going to put down some roots with you guys.
It’ll be good to be surrounded by family again,” Jude says.
“All of us together in the same town. I can’t believe it,” Tori gushes excitedly.
“Lemon, I hope you’re ready for more family than you could ever want or need,” August says in a teasing tone.
“I’ve been a little short on family for a while, so being surrounded by it sounds pretty good to me,” she says sweetly.
Pulling her into my side, I press a kiss to the side of her head.
Both Jude and August’s expressions soften, and before I even realize what’s happening, they’ve pulled Felix and Tori toward us, squishing the girls into the middle of a ridiculous family group huddle.
I never for a moment considered that my siblings wouldn’t accept Lemon after I told them how I felt about her, but seeing them treat her like one of us so quickly makes the niggling shard of doubt in my chest that I’d been ignoring fade away.
Lemon’s eyes are glassy by the time we all pull apart, and I drag her into me and hold her face against my chest while she wraps her arms around me.
Despite the group hug, August and Jude still pull first Tori and then Felix into them again, hugging them tightly. When they step up to Lemon and me, both of the twins are smiling mischievously.
“Welcome to the family, little sis,” Jude says, tugging Lemon away from me to hug her while August wraps his thickly muscled arms around me.
“Love you, big bro,” he says against my ear. “You did well. She’s a keeper.”
“I know she is. Love you too,” I tell him, slapping his back as he squeezes me tightly and attempts to crush me.
Laughing, I playfully push him off and grab Jude. “She fits, doesn’t she?” I ask him.
“Like she was made just for you,” he tells me.
I didn’t need their reassurance, but now that I have it, I’m glad that I do.
After we wave goodbye, I open Lemon’s door for her and wait while she fastens her seat belt, only closing her inside the car once I’m sure she’s safe.
The ride home is comfortably quiet, my hand resting on Lemon’s thigh, her hand covering mine.
“You okay, bro?” I ask Felix as I park my car in the courtyard outside the warehouse.
He nods. “I like us all being together again,” he says simply.
“Me too,” I agree.
“I’m going to sleep now,” Felix says. “Marcus got me the sheets that are like Lemon’s pajamas to try.”
“That’s amazing, bro. Fingers crossed you like them,” I tell him, not wanting to make too much of a big deal about it.
Felix shrugs like it’s nothing, even though it’s the first time he’s wanted to try anything new in literally years.
As he climbs out and disappears inside the warehouse, I circle the car to the passenger door and open it, unclipping Lemon and lifting her into my arms. “I can’t believe that,” I say, pressing a hard, fast kiss to her lips.
“What?” she asks.
“Felix asked to try something new. No, more than that. He asked Marcus to find sheets that felt like your pajamas,” I tell her.
“I don’t understand,” she says.
“My brother has been sleeping on the same brand of Target sheets his entire life. I buy them twenty sets at a time because I’m worried they’ll change something about them, and he’ll never sleep again.
He hates change. He likes things to stay the same, but after he felt your silk pajamas, he asked to try something new, and now he’s sleeping with silk sheets on his bed tonight. ”
“What if he hates them?” she asks carefully.
I shrug. “Then he hates them. It’s the trying that’s the important thing. I don’t know if it’s this place, or you, or what, but it’s insane, and I just…I love you, Lemon.”
“You love me because your brother is trying new sheets?” she teases with a soft smile.
“Yes. But not just for that reason. I’ve fallen for you, Princess. You’re everything I’ve been searching for and more. I love you so damn much, and I can’t wait to marry you.”
“I love you too,” she whispers back, like she’s not sure she should even say the words out loud. “It’s too fast, and it’s crazy, but I love you, and I can’t wait to marry you either.”
Finding her lips with mine, I kiss her until we’re both breathless, then I carry her upstairs and into our room.
The moment the door is closed behind us, I unzip her dress, forcing myself to go slow so I don’t rip her pretty outfit. The moment it’s off her, I give up on my pretense of civility and shove her panties and bra off, completely uncaring if I damage the delicate mesh fabric.
When she’s naked, I pause for a moment to take her in.
“Kneel for me, Princess,” I whisper, glancing down at the rug beneath our feet.
Licking her lips, she sinks slowly to the floor, then tips her head back so she can look up at me.
“Fuck, I love you,” I tell her. “After this first time, I’m going to worship you like you deserve, but I need you too much right now to be able to go slow.”
“I don’t need slow. I just need you,” she says, her gaze heating as she watches me strip out of my clothes until my hard dick is free and dripping precum from the head.