Chapter 29
twenty-nine
. . .
Hugh
We’d spent a few days in Chicago figuring out what we wanted to do, and Lila felt strongly about heading back to Cottonwood Cove.
She’d already started talking about us expanding the restaurant together, and it was the most excited that I’d been since I’d started this venture.
Because doing it with her was a lot more fun than doing it on my own.
And Wolf had been pleased that he wouldn’t need to be in the restaurant business just yet, but he had reminded me of his offer to partner up if we did decide to open in the city.
We’d been home for two weeks, and Lila had officially moved in with me. She’d also started helping coach the cross-country team over at the high school a few days a week, and I could tell that it was something she felt really good about.
No one seemed surprised at all that we were together, and Travis had completely embraced the fact that I was dating his sister now. We’d even double-dated twice since we’d been back home.
Lila had spent some time with her brother and her father when we returned, making it known that she wasn’t happy in Chicago, because if she were, we would both still be there.
No question about it.
She wanted to come back to Cottonwood Cove because she felt like it was home. She wanted to be near her father and her brother and Shay and to see the new baby often once he or she was born. Her friends, my family, all the people that loved her here were all the things that made this home.
But it was important they knew that she didn’t need to come home or to give up her career for me. Because I would follow this girl anywhere she wanted to go.
Lila had been surprised to see her car in the driveway when we’d returned.
I’d informed her that I wasn’t going to buy the same damn car twice, and I demanded that Brax take it off the lot and bring it to my house.
She’d laughed her ass off and thanked me by dropping to her knees as soon as we’d walked through the door.
Now that we’d admitted how we felt, and everything was out in the open, we couldn’t seem to keep our hands to ourselves. I’d never been a guy who enjoyed PDA of any kind, but with Lila, I didn’t fucking care. If she was in the room, my hands were on her.
I was down in my office, and Lila was upstairs doing some inventory while we got ready to close up. I’d come down here to turn off my computer before we went home for the day. My phone buzzed on my desk, and I leaned back in my chair when I saw it was a text from Cage in our sibling group chat.
Cage
Mrs. Remington just brought her pug, Mr. Wigglestein, into the office and asked me if I knew of any single female pugs that were looking for love. Apparently, she wants to breed him. Does she think I’m running a fucking dating app for dogs?
It’s not a bad idea. There’s someone out there for everyone, brother.
Finn
Yep. If Hugh Reynolds can settle down, I don’t see why the pug can’t.
Brinkley
I love sappy Hugh so much.
Georgia
I love Hughey being all gooey for his girl. So, while you’re feeling so happy… if she breeds Mr. Wigglestein, can I get a baby Wigglestein and have it live with me in the casita?
Cage
First off, it pisses me off when people use salutations on animals.
He’s not a congressman. He’s a fucking dog, who happens to have major breathing problems, and she should focus on keeping him alive, not procreating.
Secondly, you don’t have a job yet, but you’re already adopting an animal?
Do you know how much work they are, Georgie?
Georgia
Oh, what was that? I fell asleep for a minute. It must have been the fact that you’re giving me that same old broken-record speech that I’ve heard on repeat since I started college.
As long as you take care of it, and it doesn’t shit in my house, I’d be fine with it.
Finn
Cage, do you remember when Hugh pooped in the house when he was around five years old because he wanted to measure it, so he took a big shit behind Mom’s fake Ficus tree?
Cage
I do. Because he used my blue school ruler to measure his giant crap and got his shit all over it.
Hey, big hands. Big feet… Big shit. That thing was a good eight inches. Not bad for a five-year-old.
Brinkley
Ewwww… No more shit talk. I’m currently stalking a football player who refuses to give me an exclusive interview. Remind me why I chose sports journalism. I could just be reporting on the local news, and life would be much easier.
Georgia
Because you had a crush on that football player, Johnny Walker, in high school.
Johnnie Walker is a brand of scotch. She had a crush on Willie Nelson.
Finn
Willie Nelson is a country singer. It was Johnny Nelson. Have you all been dipping in the sauce already?
Brinkley
Damn that Johnny Nelson for making me think this would be easy. That kid was putty in my hands.
Georgia
Well, Dad always says, nothing worth fighting for ever comes easy.
Finn
If I had a nickel for every time that I haven’t gotten a part I auditioned for and Dad has said that…
You’d have a fucking quarter? You’ve gotten almost everything you’ve ever auditioned for.
Finn
Look at you, pumping me up. I have to agree with the girls. I love soft Hugh.
Nothing soft about me, fucker.
Finn
There he is. But I do like seeing you happy, brother.
Cage
You going to just keep playing house, or are you going to put a ring on it?
Did you seriously just quote Beyonce?
A dozen Beyonce memes came flying through our text chain, and I laughed my ass off.
“What’s so funny down here?” Lila asked, as she appeared in the doorway.
I knew that I’d marry her, sooner rather than later.
But we weren’t in a rush.
We were enjoying the moment.
“You know, the usual. Cage just quoted Beyonce.” I pushed to my feet. “Is everyone gone?”
“Yep. Kline and Danielle just left. We just need to turn off the lights in the kitchen, and everything else is done.”
“I love when you talk shop to me, Snow,” I said, following her up the stairs and watching her cute ass sway in the little skirt she was wearing.
“Well, your dad asked me to grab a bottle of wine he wanted to try, so let’s just get that first before we head out. We can drop it by tomorrow on our way to work.”
I followed her into the bar, and she reached up to get the bottle she wanted.
I came up behind her and grabbed it easily, my chest to her back.
I set the bottle down on the counter, and my hands moved to her thighs before sliding beneath her skirt.
She sucked in a breath, and I fucking loved how responsive she was every single time I touched her.
My dick strained against my jeans, and my lips found her neck. “I think we should add fucking in the bar to the list.”
“I’d be good with that. I already locked up,” she whispered. My fingers moved beneath the lace of her panties to find her soaked.
“Always so wet and ready for me.” I nibbled on her earlobe as I slipped a finger inside.
“Bear,” she said, as I moved my finger in and out, teasing her the way I knew she liked to be teased.
“You like that, baby?” I asked, moving my lips to the other side of her neck.
I would never get enough of this woman.
“Yes,” she said, letting her head fall back on my collarbone.
I pulled my hand away just long enough to unbutton my jeans and lower my zipper, freeing my throbbing cock. I lifted her skirt and slid her lace panties over.
She turned her head to the side, offering me her sweet mouth, just as I plunged into her.
I kissed her as I moved inside her, our breaths the only audible sound in the room, my tongue and my dick moving at the same speed.
Lila fell forward, and my hand wrapped around her, finding her sweet spot, knowing just what she needed.
“I fucking love you, Snow.”
“I love you.” She gasped as I moved faster, and she met me thrust for thrust.
“Come for me,” I demanded.
She cried out my name as she went over the edge. And I was right there with her. I pumped into her one more time as she tightened around me, and I followed her into oblivion.
A guttural sound escaped my throat, and lights shot behind my eyelids as I continued riding out my pleasure while circling her clit as she bucked against me.
Nothing had ever felt as good as this woman.
Not even close.
I wrapped my arms around her as we both caught our breath.
“How does it get better every time?” she whispered.
“Because we were made for one another.”
Ain’t that the fucking truth.
Thanksgiving was here, and my mother lived for the holidays. My siblings were all in town, and the wine was flowing, the house smelled like turkey, and I had my girl by my side, which was all that mattered.
Travis and Shay were here, and she was ready to pop any day now.
Tate had been sober for over four months and had started dating Camille McCallister, Del’s mom, which Lila and Del were thrilled about.
So that meant Del, her boyfriend, Quincy, and her sister, Jory, were all here, as well.
My mom’s favorite saying was the more the merrier, so she loved that our group was growing.
“Yeah, I’m not feeling this,” Finn said, as he huddled in the corner with me and Cage, referring to his date, Cami, who’d gone straight to the tequila when she got here and was already three sheets to the wind and making quite a scene.
“Why do you bring women you barely know to family events?” Cage asked, raising a brow and making it clear he didn’t approve.
“I hooked up with her a few days ago, and she said she didn’t have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving while we were in the middle of sex. What was I supposed to say?”
“How about, it’s weird to talk about the holidays while I’m inside you? That would be a good fucking start.” Our oldest brother did not hide his irritation.
“Why are you annoyed? She’s my fucking date,” Finn whisper-hissed.