Chapter 64 Turn and Burn
turn and burn
Liam
“Have you seen my phone, Liam?” Lorien calls from the bedroom six very long weeks later. Six fucking weeks. She’s heading to work, and I have an errand but will be home in time to take her to her doctor’s appointment. That is, assuming everything goes as scheduled.
“On the bar,” I holler back from the shower.
She walks in, making a face at the steam and waves her hand in front of her face. Her hair is longer than I’ve ever seen it. She’s “two cycles behind”—her words.
I don’t give a fuck. I like it every way I see it, though framing my cock is my favorite.
“I have to go.” Her words die on her lips. “I’m going to be late.”
“I called Ayla. She’ll be here— What time do you have?”
“You didn’t think to tell me? And it’s a quarter ’til seven. What’s going on?”
“I have someplace I have to be. I’ll pick you up in time for your appointment though. I’ll text when I’m out front.”
She scrunches her nose up and squeezes her brows together.
“Go, baby. I don’t want you to be late. It messes up your whole day.”
“It does.” She takes a step forward but hesitates.
“Get your perfect ass over here and kiss me.” I stick my head out of the shower and she leans in, pulling my beard to her as has become her habit, and opens for me. I want to grab her, haul her into the stall and press her against the wall.
Tonight. If everything goes as planned, I can tonight.
She moans into my mouth, but steps back, letting her fingers comb through my beard, and stares down at my cock. “Is that for me?”
“Always.” I take my dick in hand and stroke up, choking the head, rubbing a thumb over the crown and pulling down to the root. “And if you keep staring at it, you won’t make it to work, or you’ll be late because your hair will be wet, your chest will be covered in my cum and—”
“Gotta go.” Her words are meant to be funny, but she says them so breathily that I stroke again, her watching the whole time.
“You’re leaving me here to get myself off?” Another stroke, another tug.
“I, uh…” She looks over her shoulder. “If I don’t, I could miss work.”
“Yeah, Wifey. What’s that like?”
She slices her eyes to slits but it’s all bravado. There’s nothing mean or cruel in her body. “Save some for me later?” She turns on a heel and sashays that perfect ass in those completely unsexy pants out of the bathroom with a little bounce in her step.
I rush the rest, hop out when I know she’s gone, and get dressed. Dressed is usually a henley or a tee and cargoes. Today is not that day.
Shit, now I’m quoting The Lord of the Rings.
Black dress shirt and charcoal gray suit in place, I grab my shades, my phone and wallet, and head to the garage. I’m at the Centennial airport in no time, surprised to find Cian there when I arrive.
“Hey. What are you doing here?”
“You were with me when I needed you.” He looks around the semi-private air strip. “I’m paying you back.”
I nod. I don’t need him the same way he needed me a year and a half ago when shit went sideways. But I won’t argue with him being at my back. “Thanks, Ci.” I slap his upper arm and step up into Christian’s private jet. It’s his company’s but that’s semantics.
I remove my suit jacket, buckle in, and stare at the opulence that should never be my life. It’s not, except by marriage. And more than once it’s come in ridiculously handy.
Cian takes a seat. “Glad we’re not on a similar mission.”
“Same. How’s the house?”
“Not quite there. There enough to get Renée into the school with a qualifying address. Not there enough to pass inspection or live in. I hope by Thanksgiving.”
“And Née is liking high school?”
“The girl plans to take over. She’s trying to figure out student government. And all the clubs and sports she wants to participate in. Know a good chauffeur? Because we don’t have the manpower to usher her to all the things that are ‘necessary’.”
“Necessary, huh?”
We’re interrupted by the pilots who have run all their checks and take the time to come out and shake our hands.
“We’re running lean today. Hope that’s okay. It’s a turn and burn, right?”
“Yes. I need ninety minutes on the ground but may need a little give or take.”
“No problem, Mr. Murphy. We’ll make it work.”
They return to the cockpit and close and lock the door.
“The Mr. Murphy stuff is weird, right?”
“I’ll never get used to it,” I admit.
“You ready for this?”
“I better be.”
Cian lets it drop until we’re at cruising altitude, when he whips out his phone and spends the entire flight showing me pictures and videos of Wills. We’ve begun our initial descent when he asks, “Want me to go with you or would you like me to stay here?”
“I need to do this alone. But I appreciate you asking.”
After the process of landing and disembarking, I catch a rideshare and find myself standing on unfamiliar porch steps. Removing my sunglasses, I adjust my suit and ring the bell.
The door is pulled open by a graying man who appears to be in his mid-sixties. He’s got a kind, friendly face, but suspicion mars it. He also has the exact same eyes as his daughter.
“Mr. Anderson?”
“Who’s asking?”
“I’m Liam Murphy. May I come in?”
Lorien
A glance at the clock says it’s time for me to leave. I’ll be so grateful when I’m done with all the doctor’s appointments, rides to and from work, all the things that make me feel less of a professional and more of someone playing work as a role.
William: Here when you’re ready.
Me: On my way. Good day?
William: Let’s just say it’s one I never plan to repeat.
Me: Well, that’s ominous.
I shut down the lab and take the elevator to the lobby and stop on a dime.
My husband is hot. I mean, he’s hot anyway, but in a black button up and charcoal gray trousers? Wow.
“If I knew how to whistle, I would cat call you.” I reach for his beard and tug him to my mouth. “You look good enough to eat.”
He palms my butt for anyone to see and moves his lips to my ear. “Let’s let your doctor say that. Or that you’re well enough for me to eat, because I’m dying to taste you.”
Sucking in a sharp breath, I pull back to face him. “Let’s go then.”
He threads his fingers through mine and leads me to the waiting car.
We’re out on the road when curiosity gets the best of me and I finally ask, “Why are you all dressed up? And… no, that’s what I want to know. Where did you go all dressed up?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He turns on the main highway to Denver.
“Try me.”
He extends a hand, palm up, on the center console, and waits for me to accept the invitation. When my palm hits his, he thumbs the ring on my fourth finger before bringing it to his lips.
“Do you like your ring, Wifey?”
That’s weird. And doesn’t answer my question in the least. I look down at it, my delicate hand in his larger, stronger one.
“It’s more beautiful than any I’ve ever seen.
If I could’ve chosen any ring for myself, it wouldn’t have even been on my dream list because I didn’t know beauty like this could exist.”
“And you like wearing it?”
“That goes without saying.”
“Well, I needed to make sure you could wear it… For as long as we both shall live.”
“Oh-kay. You saw a preacher?”
“I went to ask your dad for his blessing to marry you.”
All my senses tunnel as if I might black out. “You what?” The words are a choked whisper.
“You’re my wife, and I’m your husband. I plan on it staying that way, but I don’t want to be hidden away from your family, and you shouldn’t have to keep me a secret.”
“You asked his permission to marry me?”
“No, baby. I only need your permission. But I wanted his blessing. And we need a real wedding. One your mom and dad can be a part of. One that Strider and Sam can witness. One that has you in a white dress committing publicly that you’re mine.
I’m already yours. Tacos and tees will always be our anniversary, but you deserve it all.
I won’t take that from you. I won’t take it from your dad who wants the honor of giving you away. ”
I’m… speechless. He thought of that? Of me? Of them?
“You flew to Peoria.”
He just nods. Nods, as if that’s normal.
“What did he say?” My voice is low, choked.
“He said Strider had already told him about me. Your brother had mentioned you were happy, and he was curious what man caught your eye.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“He said yes, Wifey.”
I’m shocked. A man he’s never met, one I never told him about, shows up on his doorstep, and he said yes? “That’s it?”
“No. But it’s the most important.”
I’m so curious. Why didn’t he come with the play-by-play?
“And you met my mom?”
He turns his head my way as we merge onto I-25. “I did. She’s wonderful. She had a bunch of cookies and made a pot of coffee.”
How long was he there? What in tarnation is happening?
“She’s a great baker.” I add.
“She is. And she’s ready to come for a visit.”
“I, uh. How will we do that?”
“We’ll figure it out, baby. And we’ll have notice.”
“I miss them.”
He angles into a parking spot at the doctor’s office. “They miss you too. They didn’t say it, but you being permanent with a man so far away is hard on them. We’ll need to find a way for you to have more face time with them.”
Sure.
With all the time and money I don’t have.