Chapter 29
Hadley
My tongue travels the length of her entrance, and her eyes snap open. Her mouth gapes around a moan.
Now this is a memory I will be revisiting many times.
The taste of her.
The sight of her draped over my pillows, legs spread wide, breasts bouncing with every heavy breath she huffs through.
My balls tighten at the sight, the sounds she makes, the way she tastes.
There’s no going back from a heaven like this.
A man can’t recover from making the promised land only to have it taken away from him. We’re better off never knowing this exists.
I’m so screwed.
Green eyes, heated with blown-out pupils, are locked on mine.
She likes watching.
Hell, I like being watched as I eat this perfect pussy like it’s my salvation.
Fuck, she damn well is.
“More . . . please.” She wriggles.
Realizing I’ve been lost in my head and stuck staring at her, I swallow, running my tongue around her clit. I slide two fingers inside her tight channel, and she arches off the bed.
Now this is a sight I’m burning into my long-term memory.
Fuck. Me.
I want those tits in my mouth. I want my mouth on her pussy. I want to be sunk so deep into this woman, never shall we be apart again. Suckling down on her clit, I growl, letting the sound work its magic over the sensitive bud.
Maggie snaps off the bed, hands sinking into my hair in a vicious grip. “Ha—oh my go—”
Her pussy milks my fingers.
Christ, I almost come on the covers. The throb in my cock is so damn painful, I’m desperate for relief. Desperate to be inside her. Sucking down hard on her pulsing nub, I draw out the waves that have her bucking against my mouth.
I lap up her release.
That’s the last damn straw. I scramble forward, hauling her off the bed. She’s almost limp, still in that post-orgasm haze as I spin her on her knees and wrap my body around hers.
“Sunshine, spread those knees for me, baby. I’m fucking desperate for you.”
Her arm wraps around my neck, and she guides my mouth to hers as her knees widen. “Come on, cowboy, take what you need.”
A stone swells in my throat with her soft words.
With the way she sees me so I feel seen, how she intuitively knows how to fulfill my every need.
I run the tip of my cock through her entrance.
She’s so wet. Christ, she’s heaven. I slip the tip inside and we both moan.
I bite down on her shoulder, sending my hand to her front, fondling her breast, pinching the nipple.
“That’s cruel. Giving a girl just the tip. Pure torture.”
I slide from her entrance and suckle the bite mark on her neck.
“For that little remark, I’m going to stick it somewhere else.”
Lining my cock up with her ass, I give her a nudge. Instead of jerking away like I expect her to, she widens her knees and cants her ass toward me. My mouth turns dry, and I chuckle a strained sound. “Sunshine, we’re not there yet. But good to know.”
“I want you everywhere. I have no idea why. You’re some kind of addiction, Hadley Jones.”
“Baby, I want that too, but we have a long time to get there. Save something for later.”
Her hands wind behind my neck and my mouth is on hers, her hunger burning through my own. Tracing a hand over her belly and hips, I find her clit, rubbing scant circles over it.
She moans, and I take the perfect sound and swallow it down.
Fucking mine.
Her legs start to shake, and I nudge her entrance with my tip. Her mouth breaks away. “Please don’t take it away this time,” she whispers.
I bury my face in her neck, her hair.
“Never, Sunshine.”
That’s all it takes for me to cave. To give up the upper hand to this woman.
One little ask, and I’m putty in her hands.
I thrust up into her and she arches, hands grabbing for my hair.
I cup a bouncing breast and thrum her hard peak with my thumb.
“Go on, baby, make those pretty little noises for me.”
Her breathing shallows out to ragged bursts encased in whimpers as I pick up the pace.
Remembering the way she tightened around me last time, I slide my hand up to her throat and wrap my fingers around it.
“Hadley . . .” The words are strained. Her pussy flutters around my cock.
“Come for me, Sunshine. Strangle my cock, beautiful.”
My thrusts turn sloppy the second she lets go.
Fisting her hair, I ride out the last of my release, shooting deep inside her.
“Fuck, Maggie. Goddamn it, Sunshine.”
Spent, I rest my head on her shoulder. She lays hers back on mine, kissing my jawline, fine fingers threading through my hair.
“Best torture ever,” she utters.
I chuckle into her neck, wishing we could stay like this for the rest of time.
Knowing that’s not a possibility. Hell, it may not even be what she wants.
With that thought, I unwind myself from her hold, mumble something about cleaning up, and make my way to the bathroom to fetch a washcloth, my heart ragged and bare on my sleeve.
Nia is sitting on the living room floor, making Maggie help her with a project she’s been working on. The two of them are elbows-deep in a collage that’s the size of a small country.
“How’s it coming along?” Gemma asks, flopping onto the sofa and turning on the TV.
“Fine,” Maggie says.
“Great!” Nia chirps at the same time.
“You don’t like it?” my youngest sister adds, her face falling.
“Of course I do, but it’s kind of like the carbon copy of everybody’s vision board you see on Pinterest. The goals are generic.
Nice things. Happy girl. Expensive clothes, etc.
Like you think that’s what you should want.
” Maggie’s face is soft, caring with a fine line of challenge flaring in her eyes.
Nia drops her gaze to the large piece of card she’s scattered pictures all over. After twelve months of community college, she’s ready for bigger and better things. Let’s hope I can earn enough points to cash in a big win and earn the money to pay for it.
“Hmmm. I guess I see it.”
“So, when you think about your life in five years, what do you want to be doing?”
“Aren’t I supposed to imagine what I want? Kind of like dream it up or something?”
“Yes, but wanting something and executing it are two very different things. Dial in your focus. What kind of work do you want to be knee-deep in?” Maggie tilts her head, waiting for Nia’s response.
“Huh, I never thought of it that way,” Nia murmurs. “Is that how you ended up a photojournalist?”
“Kind of. I’ve had a camera around my neck since I was a little girl. When it was my turn to do this sort of thing, to make the choice of what I wanted to be knee-deep in, it was always going to be photography. The journalism thing made my dream legit.”
“Oh man, I am not that smart,” Nia grumbles.
“Smart isn’t everything. Persistence, passion, hard work? Those three will trump the nerdy stuff every time, but something tells me you’re plenty smart enough.”
“Can I be your sister please? Gemma’s never taught me anything like this, not even Kayley.” Nia looks desperate, her hands pressed together in a prayer gesture.
I chuckle at the sentiment, but deep down, I would move heaven and earth for the chance to keep this woman in our little family.
“Hey! I heard that, Nina-nincompoop.” Gemma gives her the side-eye.
Nia rolls her eyes.
“Really? The poop jokes again? Mature, Germa.”
Gemma flips her off, and Mom gives them both a heated look.
“Sorry, Mama,” Nia says as Gemma mumbles, “My bad, Mom.”
I’m leaning back on the sofa, my attention now split between the television and my sisters, when we hear the front door open.
“Howdy, gang, I’m home!” Kayley calls. Something like boots being dropped at the front door echoes down the hallway before footsteps pad toward us. “Sorry I’m late. Had to help Dane unload more stock. I swear those trucks are coming in later and later.”
She slumps into the sofa by me and thumps my shoulder. “Oh hi, Maggie. Almost didn’t see you there. What are you two doing?”
“Maggie is helping me plan my career,” Nia says, a grin on her pretty face.
“Well, I’m only giving you input. The planning part and all the work is up to you,” Maggie adds. “Hey, Kayley.”
“Urgh, you’re better than me. I hate planning stuff. Give me some hard work and a reason to turn up the next day.” She leans back, huffing a breath. Maggie helps Nia sort out the pictures she wants to keep and which ones are not really her thing.
“Well, I better check the roast.” Mom pushes from her chair and Kales goes to help. I go to peel myself out of the sofa to lend a hand, and Maggie’s hand rests on my knee. “I’ll go, rest your knee.”
She’s up and out in the kitchen a beat later.
Nia packs away her vision board and plonks her butt beside me on the sofa. “You gonna marry her, Hads? Please tell me we get to keep her.”
I mess up her short brown hair with my hand and hug her into my side. “No idea, kiddo, just taking it day by day.”
“Ugh, you men. You know all of this noncommittal shit is getting old.” Gemma storms out.
“What’s that about?” I ask.
“Tommy broke up with her.”
“Oh damn, really? Hell, I’ll talk to her later.”
“I’d take your time. She’s like a cut snake on fire about it.”
“I bet. You’re okay though, Nini?”
“I’m not a kid anymore, Hads.” She leans into me, and we zone out watching one man hand out roses to multiple women. Nia gets the dopey look on her face she always does when she makes me watch this show with her.
The credits are rolling when Maggie appears in the doorway. “Supper’s ready, you two.”
Nia flies off the sofa. “You’re next to me tonight, okay?”
“Sure.” Maggie crooks her arm and Nia beams as she hooks her arm in Maggie’s. They walk to the dining table, walking some sideways-step-dance thing, and I follow, running a hand through my hair and wondering how the hell I never saw this incredible woman for who she was from day one.
I sit at the head of the table. Nia pulls out Maggie’s chair, and they chatter away about plans and dreams as Kayley catches my gaze, a happy expression filling her face—the ‘will you look at that’ face—as she stabs her roasted veggies and takes a bite.
Returning the ‘hold your horses’ stare, I cut a mouthful of roast beef and bite it from my fork.
“You two are having quite the conversation,” Mom says.
Kayley and me snap our attention to her instantly.
Shit.
“I didn’t hear anything . . .” Maggie says, confusion dropping her brow.
“You won’t.” Nia narrows her eyes at me and Kales. “They do this every supper when they are ‘talking’ about us.”
“Oh, what did they say?” Maggie asks in a whisper, leaning over to Nia.
Nia tilts her head as if in deep, deep contemplation. “So, Hads said he’s constipated. And Kayley tells him he needs to quit the mansplaining and eats some fiber.”
The entire table cracks up.
A whoop comes from Kayley as she chokes on her mouthful. Her face turns beet red as she struggles for air. I stand and lean over, slapping her on the back. Coughing out the carrot, or whatever the orangish lump is, she laughs, swatting me away.
“Hah! Who’s constipated now?” I volley back to Nia.
She giggles, and Maggie’s shoulders are shaking as she holds a hand over her mouth.
The amusement dies down and we tuck back into our food as Maggie asks, “What time are we up for the roundup tomorrow?”
Kayley eyes home in on Maggie. “So, you’ve ridden before?”