CHAPTER 9
ELWOOD
This has been the best day. After surprising Hollyn in bed with breakfast, we snuggled in bed for a long time just talking. I learned a lot about my woman. I’m not entirely sure if she realizes just how much of herself she shared because she’s so used to being closed off to people.
She hasn’t been in Storyville very long, but the magic of the town is already taking effect. Or maybe she feels safe with me.
I don’t really care about the why. I’m simply grateful for the outcome. I want to know everything about my Sweet Girl.
This morning, she told me all about the virtual assistant business she built from the ground up and the ways she automated most of her tasks while on her memorial road trip.
Does the thought of her being out on the road by herself piss me off because she could have been in danger? Yes, but I’m not stupid enough to say it. I don’t need her narrowed eyes which can be sharp enough to cut me. No, thank you.
I’m not too proud to admit that with every step I take while showing Hollyn around town, I’m hoping she can see herself here. It’s where she belongs. I’m sure of it and feel the truth of it all the way to my marrow.
But can she see it?
Can she see herself in this small town? What happens to her road trip then? Is she willing to walk away from the life she had in Seneca Falls, even if it was mostly filled with Hillary and her illness in the last few years? Is even asking her to consider it fair of me?
I’m unable to answer all of those questions, but I can hope.
I can hope she feels like she belongs here. I can hope she is willing to build her life here instead of her hometown. I can hope she agrees to end up here, even if she can’t put off the rest of her road trip.
It’s a lot of hope to maintain. The whole thing is scary, but the thought of not having Hollyn in my life, of her not being part of my future, is even more terrifying.
Now that I’ve had a taste of that life, I’ll never be able to let it go.
As we’re walking past Furrylicious, a pet store that also offers grooming and obedience training, my woman’s eyes light up. I can’t help but ask, “Do you have a pet waiting for you in Seneca Falls?”
Hollyn’s mouth twists down into a frown as she shakes her head slowly. “I don’t. We never had a pet growing up and I never pushed for one. Honestly, I got my fill of animals by going out to Montana’s ranch. They had all the animals I could handle,” she tells me with a chuckle. “It was fun though.”
“It seems like you want a pet, why not get one now?”
She shrugs one shoulder and glances up at me, her green eyes unreadable.
“I don’t know,” she murmurs. After letting out a deep sigh she shakes her head.
“That’s not true, I do know. Even though I could work from home all the time, I didn’t spend a lot of time in my little apartment.
I spent my time with Hillary. Sometimes it was at her family’s home.
Sometimes it was at the hospital. In the end, it was a small skilled nursing facility a few towns over.
” She gnaws on her lip before breathing out, “I didn’t want a pet to feel neglected because there were times when I didn’t go back to my place for days. It would have been cruel.”
The pain in my woman’s voice guts me and I stop on the sidewalk and pull her into my arms without really thinking about it. This woman amazes me.
She built her entire adult life around being there for her best friend. I don’t know anyone who would have done the same. She built a career around it. She held off on things she wanted because of how much devotion she had toward Hillary.
Her face is buried against my chest as her arms wrap around my waist, not caring that we’re in the middle of the sidewalk, not caring about anything other than melting against me. After she takes a deep breath, her breathing, which had started to become ragged, steadies.
I hate her being upset. It slices through me like a sword.
“I don’t know where I’m going to end up when this road trip is done,” her words are muffled against my chest, but I hear them.
And I have no fucking idea what to say in response. I know what I want to say.
I want to tell her she belongs here, in Storyville. With me.
I want to tell her she’ll always have a place here. With me.
I want to tell her she doesn’t have to look any further.
But I don’t say any of it.
Because she’s not ready to hear it.
She’s using this road trip as an excuse and a way for her to run from her grief. I can’t be the one to pop the bubble for her. Not yet.
After a few minutes, she pulls back from me and looks up into my eyes. I can almost see the plea there to tell her what to do, to give her purpose and direction. But it’s hiding behind independence and promises she’s not going to break anytime soon.
We keep walking and pass by the tattoo shop, The 4 Kuzin'S. When she looks up at me with questions in her eyes, I shrug.
“It’s an odd name, but it’s owned by four cousins. Don’t let the name fool you, they do excellent work.”
Hollyn’s eyes roam over my body before she bites her lip and looks through the large picture windows of the tattoo shop again. “I don’t have a tattoo, but I’ve thought about getting one,” her words are an offer to get to know one of her secrets.
And I don’t let it pass me by.
“Oh? What would you get?” There’s a challenge in my question, a dare that she won’t answer me.
But I know she will.
My woman loves to rise to a challenge. It’s something I learned about her almost right away.
“I don’t know,” she muses before winking at me, “it’s most of the reason why I haven’t gotten anything. Hillary loved lilies, so maybe something with that?”
When I wrap an arm around her shoulders and tuck her into my side, she relaxes. The feeling of touching her is one I hope never gets old. It would be a huge fucking shame, and I can’t imagine a world where it happens.
She fits against me perfectly and I revel in it.
We’re about to walk in front of the firehouse when Keaton and Gary step onto the sidewalk in front of us which pulls us to a stop quickly. Hollyn looks between the two men and blinks a few times.
Even though they’re older than me and we were never in the same school, we’ve become friendly in adulthood. It’s kind of hard to avoid considering the size of Storyville. Also, Gary is Gemma’s older brother, which means I’ve spent some time around him because of her friendship with Greylin.
The two men have been best friends since diapers, I’m pretty sure.
It’s not uncommon to have friendships last decades around here.
It’s also just as common for life, and distance, to pull people apart.
It helps that Keaton came back to town after he went off to college to teach at Storyville High School.
From what I’ve heard about his teaching skills from the kids who have come into the library to research or do their homework, he’s an engaging teacher who loves science, which is what he teaches, and always has time for his students.
If I didn’t think he was a good guy before finding that out, it would be more than enough.
“Elwood,” Gary greets me with a wave, “how’s it going?
” When he notices how he’s stepped out in front of us, he rubs the back of his neck with a sheepish smile on his face.
“Sorry about getting in your way. We were just headed out to get something to eat.” He slaps Keaton’s back with a huge grin on his face while teasing him, “If I let him, this guy’s only interactions would be his students and whatever science documentary he’s got cued up at home.
I can’t let that be the only social interactions he has. ”
“That sounds like charitable work you’re doing,” the giggle in Hollyn’s voice as she teases Gary is adorable.
Even if I don’t like how she’s smiling at a man who isn’t me. And I fucking hate it.
“Oh-ho,” Gary’s voice rises an octave with obvious interest, “who do we have here? Could this be the new arrival to our lovely town? The same one who had car trouble and is waiting for a part to come in?”
Hollyn looks between Gary and me with amusement dancing in her eyes. “Small towns,” she muses, “they’re the same everywhere.”
“That they are, Sweet Girl,” I murmur and press a kiss to her forehead.
When I pull back, there’s a glint in Gary’s eyes as Keaton looks on with surprise written all over his face. I get it, I haven’t shown interest in anyone in a long fucking time.
“Hollyn,” I start, “I’d like to introduce Keaton and Gary.” I point to Keaton first, “Keaton here is a science teacher at the high school. He also makes an amazing home brew.”
Keaton gives a small wave as the tips of his ears tun a slightly shade of pink. “It’s nice to meet you. Hopefully, you’re enjoying your stop in our little town.”
“It’s lovely here,” Hollyn admits with a sigh while a small smile dances on her lips.
I want to punch Keaton in his big fucking face for getting small smiles from my girl. But I hold off.
When I point toward Gary, I tell Hollyn, “Gary is also Gemma’s brother. You didn’t have the chance to meet her the other day, but she’s one of the friends Greylin opened GMH with.”
“Oh?” Hollyn looks intrigued as she glances at me. The fact that she’s not trying to step out of my hold feels like a victory, one I’m more than willing to soak up for as long as I can. “She runs the event space, right?”
“Yup,” Gary chirps, “that’s my sister.”
“I’m not going to lie, but some of the events she puts on sound like a lot of fun. I don’t think cannabis will help with my art skills, but it can’t hurt,” my woman jokes.
We all chuckle while Gary eyes me in a way I’m not sure I like at all.
“You know what is right around the corner, don’t you, Elwood?”
I groan at Gary’s question because I know exactly what he’s talking about. “I won’t be participating this year. Not again.”
Hollyn’s eyebrows pull together in obvious confusion, but before she can ask any questions, Gary chimes in, “Come on. It wasn’t that bad last year.”
I huff out a laugh and shake my head. “You only say that because you love the attention.”
“I do,” he puffs up his chest like he’s about to strut somewhere, “I really do.”
Keaton rolls his eyes and elbows his best friend in the side before nodding toward Hollyn. “Don’t be rude, man, or try and make Hollyn uncomfortable.” He turns his attention toward my woman. “They’re talking about the Valentine speed dating event coming up.”
“It’s not like we don’t know who is single and who isn’t around here,” I point out. “The grannies always flock the library for weeks after the event, like they forget I work there the rest of year or something.”
Gary barks out a laugh and Hollyn covers her mouth to hide her smile. I glare down at my woman, but there’s no real heat behind it.
“I don’t mind the grannies taking an interest for a few weeks. The cookies are delicious, and we welcome all baked treats at the firehouse,” he exclaims.
“You get cookies?” My question is filled with disbelief. And a little anger. “They never brought me cookies.”
Gary shrugs like he’s not at all surprised. “It’s the uniform. Chicks dig the uniform, no matter their age.”
“You should do a calendar,” Hollyn offers, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“See?” Gary points toward her and turns toward Keaton. “What have I been saying for years? She gets it.”
“I think you need a few more firefighters for a calendar,” Keaton grumbles and rolls his eyes. He looks at Hollyn and pleads, “Don’t encourage him, okay?”
“No promises,” she tosses back.
Keaton throws his hands up, but there’s a smile on his face. Gary rubs the underside of his jaw, with a thoughtful look on his face.
“Yeah,” Gary muses, “I can see why you’ll be skipping the speed dating this year. You already have a woman.”
Before Hollyn can come up with something to say in response, they wave and say goodbye while we’re left standing in the middle of the sidewalk. Hollyn looks up at me with something in her expression I don’t want to give voice to.
Not yet.
“You know once my car is done,” she starts to say, but doesn’t get to finish because I throw her over my shoulder and she shouts, “hey!”
I can’t handle even thinking about what she was about to say.
As much as I want to spank her ass, I hold off and carry her back to my place, her protests falling on deaf ears the entire way. I don’t even stop when I slam the door to my house closed behind us.
Then she’s flying through the air and bouncing on my bed.
Our bed. If she’ll give in and admit to what is going on between us.
We lock eyes and start pulling our clothes off, the need to be together, for our skin to touch and our bodies to be aligned, taking over. Once we’re both gloriously naked, I let my eyes drop and take in her body spread out in front of me.
I almost don’t know where to start. She reaches for me and I’m powerless against her unspoken demand. When she guides me to the bed, she pushes my shoulders until I’m flat on my back and she’s looking at my cock with a hungry expression on her face.
When I think she’s going to straddle my hips and slide down my length, she surprises the fuck out of me by leaning forward and swiping her tongue across the crown. The moan she lets out as she tastes my pre-cum is wanton as fuck.
Just as I’m about to beg her to take me into her mouth, she throws her leg over my body, grips the base of my cock, and positions herself above me. It’s the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.
“Are you going to ride me, Sweet Girl?”
Hollyn smirks down at me. “I’m not sure how sweet you’ll think I am soon,” she warns.
Then she’s sinking down on my cock, and my hands grip her hips to hold her in place. If she moves, I’ll blow my load far too quickly.
I grate out, “Give me a second.”
When she chuckles under her breath, her pussy clenches around me and my eyes roll back in my head. Using my grip on her hips, I help her bounce up and down on my length until we’re moaning each other’s names and coming together.
It’s bliss.
Pure fucking bliss.