Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
“What would you do if you didn’t work for M.I.G.?” Lucy asks as she ties her russet waves in a messy pile on top of her head. The motion makes my dress shirt ride up on her naked body, giving me a peek at what else is bare between her thighs.
“Probably stick with landlord and tenant representation and focus on the low-income housing market. Rent is getting ridiculous, and these property owners are making money hand over fist while hard-working families can barely afford to keep food on the table.” I finish the last sentence of an email before sending it off and placing my laptop on her nightstand.
“It should be a crime to look that good in my clothes.”
Her lips pull up in a smile as she crawls onto the bed and settles between my legs, wrapping her arms around me as she lies on my chest. “I think that’s very admirable of you—wanting to help families in need.”
Smoothing the stray strands that have already fallen out of her hair tie, I repeat her question, adding, “Do you want to remain an assistant lead? Or were you planning to move up in one of the departments?”
“I don’t know. I like my job.” Her brows scrunch together as she props her chin on my pec. “I like organizing things, keeping the chaos controlled. It brings me peace.” She grins. “If I took your job, I think it would be too stressful.”
“Oh?” I cock an eyebrow. “You’re shooting from assistant to executive director in one fell swoop, huh?
” My hands smooth under the shirt to tickle her sides.
“It’s a good thing we provide excellent stress relief at the company, isn’t it?
” I chuckle as she starts wiggling around, screeching for me to stop between bouts of laughter.
Rolling her over, I capture her lips as her legs come up to cage my waist. It’s a slow kiss, full of purpose and something thicker than lust. Another L-word that’s been bouncing around in my brain for weeks now. When I pull back, glowing golden sunlight filters over her face.
This is what brings me peace. Lazy Saturday mornings with the woman I adore so much it makes my chest hurt just thinking about it.
I’ll admit, I was worried about what our night with Cameron would do for our relationship.
Even if the thought of them together at one point drove me to jealousy, I knew I could trust him to help me give Lucy her fantasy, and I can honestly say that I loved watching them together.
But part of me was afraid that after that night, I wouldn’t be enough for her anymore—that once she got a taste of what else is out there, she’d want to explore on her own.
However, that night strengthened us in a way I never thought possible. Lucy feels like mine now in every way imaginable. And I hope she knows I’m hers. I hope my actions and words speak loudly enough to tell her what I haven’t spoken out loud yet.
I love you.
I want to stay in Chicago with you.
There’s only one last thing holding me back—well, two: Rhys’ reaction and my marriage.
“Lawson?” Lucy reaches up to brush back the hair that’s fallen into my eyes.
“Hmm?” I brush my lips against hers again, unable to stop touching her—to stop kissing her—just to remind myself that this is real. That she is real and that I’m the lucky bastard who has the privilege of being with her.
A flash of vulnerability lights up her hazel eyes as she opens her mouth, but before she can say anything, her phone starts ringing from its place on the nightstand. Her cheeks flush a deep rose, and she rolls out from beneath me to grab it, rising from the bed and turning her back to me.
“It’s my mom. Give me a second,” she says before answering the call. “Hey, Mom. What’s up?”
I can hear Bree speaking on the other end of the line, but not clearly enough to make out what she’s saying. Lucy answers with affirmative hums, pausing to look back at me for a second with a slight smile as she nods. “Okay, I’ll do that. Yep, I got it. Okay, see you in a few hours.”
Moving to sit on the edge of the bed, I wrap my arms around her as she hangs up and steps between my legs, winding her arms around my neck. “Sounds like Rose is bringing River to our Fourth of July BBQ today. My mom told me I should invite you, too. ”
Shock lances through me. Did she tell her parents about us?
Lucy reads the question on my face and shakes her head with a soft laugh. “No, my family doesn’t know about us. I think she just thought it would be a nice gesture so you weren’t alone, or in case you don’t have other plans.”
Her statement is more of a leading inquiry as she breaks eye contact to look at the floor between us. “You don’t have to come. I know it might be… awkward to spend time with my family but not be able to be… us .”
I pull her flush against me. “Do you want me to come?”
The little vixen smiles mischievously. “I always want you to come.”
Laughing, I roll my eyes, even though my cock hardens at her innuendo. “If you want me there, Lucy, I’ll be there.”
Something warm shines in her gaze as she nods slightly. “Yeah. I want you there.”
One of her hands slides down my chest and lowers to unfasten the button of my pants. Her free hand curls in the hair at the nape of my neck, pulling me in for a kiss full of heat and passion and intent. She breaks our contact to rid me of my pants, then climbs onto my lap.
“I also want you here.” She lines my cock up with her entrance.
“We need a condom,” I say, but I make no move to stop Lucy as she slides down onto my length. Warm, wet, and so fucking right . A groan escapes my throat as her mouth falls open, brows drawing together in satisfaction.
“I want to feel you,” she moans as she begins to ride me. “I want to feel what’s mine.”
Her words rip a feral growl from my chest—a bestial feeling as I hear her claim me for her own. Holding her to me, I flip us around, driving into her with heavy, deep thrusts. “If I’m yours, you’re mine, rainbow.”
I recognize the emotion in her sun-kissed irises, the love, as she takes everything I give her with equal fervor. Her nails dig into the skin on my back, hips rising to meet every sensual roll of my own as she whispers into the space between us, “I’ve been yours for a long time, Lawson Morgan.”
Once upon a time, I imagined what being part of this circle of friends would be like. In another life, where Charlotte didn’t cheat, Rhys stayed true to Lucy, and they made it through college long-distance.
Now, I’m so fucking thankful it never worked out that way.
Because this? This is a dream I never allowed myself to ever imagine.
Lucy’s parents and their friends welcome me with open arms… literally. Bree hugs me when I step over the threshold with River in tow, and her husband, Will, shakes my hand with a warm smile as he hands me a frosty bottle of craft beer.
“Thanks for taking care of my little girl, Lawson. She loves her job at M.I.G.,” he tells me as he leads me to the backyard where Lucy’s pseudo aunts and uncles are .
I don’t think you’d be thanking me if you knew how I take care of her.
Part of me feels guilty for taking advantage of their hospitality because I know for a fact if they knew I just fucked their daughter a few hours ago, they wouldn’t be so friendly.
“Well, she’s great at her job. We’re lucky to have her.
” I lift the beer to my lips just as Lucy appears between the open French doors.
She’s twisted her hair into a more complicated updo after I fucked her six ways from Sunday, and it was too tangled to leave down.
Her distressed white denim shorts are so tiny they have me thinking of how badly I want to bend her over again, and her emerald top reminds me of the dress she wore a few weekends ago.
Everything about this woman always has me so wound up it’s a miracle I don’t get hard—and that no one notices how our eyes remain locked across the yard as she saunters over to her aunts.
“So, Lucy says you’re returning to New York next year. I thought you took a promotion for this office, though?” Mark, Kendall’s husband, inquires.
“Yeah, I did. If I went back, I wouldn’t be an executive director. But I’m actually thinking of staying now.” My eyes stray back to Lucy, who’s laughing with her sister Lorraine about something.
Will flips a few burgers on his grill. “Oh, yeah? Lucy will be happy to hear that. She likes working for you. Does that mean Charlotte is gonna stay in Florida?”
“Honestly, I don’t really know what Charlotte is going to do,” I answer truthfully. Before my brain can catch up with my mouth, I add, “I’m having divorce papers drawn up at the moment, so I’m sure she’ll take the house in Boca and whatever else she can get her hands on.”
It was only really a thought, not a concrete decision. Yes, I’m having papers drawn up, but I haven’t decided whether to send them. Charlotte will cost me a lot more post-divorce than she does now but with things changing between Lucy and me…
“Good for you.” Henry, Rose’s father, tips his beer in my direction. “That woman is bad news, no offense. I’m sure Charleigh has some suggestions for divorce lawyers if you need them.”
“Thank you. I might just have a talk with her about it.”
First, though, I need to discuss it with Lucy. We need to think about what the future will look like, what it will do to my sons, and what it will mean for us.
As the guys fall into a conversation about work, my eyes find hers again. All the difficult discussions we shelved for a later date need to be had now. We’re at a crossroads where we either make a go of this or we don’t.
At this point, I don’t think I could walk away, even if she wanted me to.
“Lucy! You’re not at work. You don’t have to serve him! Is this what you have her do, Lawson? Have her bring you food and drinks like some sort of servant?” Charleigh’s teasing tone rings clear across the yard as Lucy hands me another beer and a plate of Kendall’s ambrosia salad .
She laughs, “Aunt Daphne was doing the same for Uncle Henry! I thought I’d be nice!”