8. Peyton
PEYTON
It was time to admit that Huck Barrett had an unbreakable hold over me, one that I never wanted to escape.
Each stroke of his tongue sent me soaring higher and higher until I shattered into a million pieces.
He didn’t let up until I’d come undone. Then he crawled back up my body and kissed me with an intensity that put me back together again.
Even after coming on his tongue, my body still craved more. I wouldn’t be completely satisfied until he filled the hollow ache inside me. Lining my hips up to take him, I pulled him into me.
“You sure this is what you want?” His mouth tickled my ear and sent shivers down my side.
I pulled back just enough so there was enough light between us that he could look into my eyes as I answered. “Yes. I want you, Huck. I want us.”
He entered me slowly at first. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his mouth back to mine. This was what I’d missed… the perfect way we fit together. We were made for each other. I thought so back then and now I knew it without a doubt.
When he was seated deep inside me, he flipped us over so I straddled his waist. His fingers dug into my hips as he lifted me up and pulled me back down on top of him. “Damn, I wish I could see all of you right now.”
He’d always liked the view of me being on top. I enjoyed it too, especially the power and control I had over him when I could take him to the brink, then tease him by easing off. I put my hands on his chest and raised my hips. Then I squeezed as I slid back down.
He took control, giving me exactly what I needed until I hovered on the edge of another release.
“Let go, baby. I’ve got you.” His breath came harder and faster until I came so hard stars exploded against the backs of my eyelids.
Huck followed me over the edge, straining as he spilled into me.
After, as we both tried to catch our breath, he pulled me down to lie on his chest. Aftershocks pulsed through me like tiny reminders of how good it could be.
“I’m sorry, Huck. We’ve missed out on so much.” Emotions swelled through my chest as I thought about how many years we’d wasted.
His fingers traced hearts on the small of my back. “It doesn’t matter. We’re both here now, both old enough to make our own decisions and not let anyone or anything keep us apart.”
I nodded, but the guilt was still there. If I’d stood up to my dad or had the nerve to question him, it might have changed everything.
Like he could read my mind, Huck smoothed his fingers over my hair and whispered exactly what I needed to hear. “It doesn’t matter what happened before. I’ve got you back now, Pey, and I’m never going to let you go.”
I sucked in a breath, eager to believe him.
“I love you, Peyton. Nothing’s going to come between us again.
I won’t let it.” The feel of his hands on my skin soothed my nerves.
My anxiety slipped away along with my worries about the festival, my real estate business, and what I was going to say to my father when I finally had the chance to confront him.
“Love you, too.” The only thing that mattered was us. The fact that there was actually going to be an “us.” We’d been handed a second chance, and I wasn’t going to blow it.
“We should probably try to get some sleep.” He pulled the tarp over us, though I would have been warm enough from his body heat alone.
“Are you tired?”
“Not really. I could probably go for that sandwich, but no telling where it ended up.”
“When we get out of here, I’ll make you your own.” Thinking about how my life would change when we got out of the shed filled my heart with warmth.
“You will, huh?” His chest rose and fell with a laugh.
“Of course.”
“I sure hope your cooking’s improved since you burned up the kitchen during our Independent Living class.” His smile came through in his voice. Even with my head on his chest, I could picture the smile spreading wide across his lips.
“Yes, my cooking’s improved.” I rolled my eyes. “But please tell me you don’t expect me to be the type of woman who’s an expert in the kitchen and does all the cooking.”
“Lucky for you, my cooking’s improved a lot too. And I only need you to be an expert at one thing, Pey.” He rolled over again, putting me on my back and hovering over me with his cock nudging into my thigh. “Good news is, you’re already the best.”
He made love to me then… slowly… with intention. Like he was trying to make up for the years we’d spent apart.
Light shone through the cracks in the boards, and I woke to the sound of a vehicle approaching. Huck was already awake and already dressed.
“Good morning, beautiful.” His eyes crinkled at the edges as he smoothed my hair away from my face. “Time to get up and face the day.”
“How long have you been sitting there watching me sleep?” I sat up, pulling the tarp over my chest.
“Long enough to learn that you still make the cutest little noises when you’re dreaming.” He handed me my clothes. “You might want to put these on. We’re about to get rescued.”
Nerves had my hands shaking as I pulled on my pants and top and tried to do something with my hair.
“You look gorgeous,” Huck said, as he pinned my hands behind me and gave me a long kiss.
If I’d been worried that what happened the night before was just a fluke, his kiss set me at ease. Still, I needed to know we were going to try again. “Are you sure about this? Are you sure about us?”
The confidence in his eyes chased any lingering fears away. “I love you, Peyton. Whatever happens out there, we’ll face it together.”
“Okay.” Nodding, I brushed my fingers over the scruff on his cheek. “I love you, too.”
“Good. Then let’s get the hell out of here.” He let go of my hands to start banging on the door. Footsteps approached, and I had to cover my ears as metal shrieked against metal.
The door opened, and we stood there looking at my most recent mistake. Mr. Franklin lifted his dark shades and stared at the two of us. “What the hell happened here last night?”
I brushed past him, needing to free myself from the shed before I could summon the energy to fire him. “We got stuck in the shed overnight. The wind blew the door shut, and the latch stuck.”
He had the nerve to chuckle. “Sorry about that. I’ll have someone replace the latch today so that doesn’t happen again.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said as Huck moved to my side. “I got a good look at the work you’ve been doing. It’s not up to code.”
His upper lip curled into a sneer. “I suppose he’s the one who told you that. Some guys will do anything to cheat another man out of a job.”
“It is what it is. You’ve had plenty of time to get the job done to the specs we agreed on. As of right now, you’re fired.” I held my ground as I held his gaze.
“Fuck this.” Mr. Franklin kicked at a clod of dirt in front of him. “I shoulda let the two of you rot in that damn shed.”
For a moment, it looked like he wasn’t going to let it go that easily, but then he tossed my keys on the stage and stalked over to his truck. I took in a deep breath, filling my lungs with air.
“That went better than I expected,” Huck said. “What do you want to do about finishing the stage?”
“Any chance you have time to take on the contract?” He’d earned it. I hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it before, but I’d heard he’d been doing solid work with Levi.
“I’d love to, but I don’t want to put you in a compromising position. I’d rather have you for the rest of our lives than a job that will only last a few days.” He rested his arm on my shoulders as we watched Mr. Franklin’s truck disappear down the road, leaving a cloud of dust behind him.
I could appreciate his concern, but there were only a few other options and, with time so tight, a decision needed to be made as quickly as possible. “I’ll talk to Mayor Nelson and call an emergency meeting if I have to, but I’m going to recommend we give the contract to you.”
“What the hell is that?” Huck pointed toward the tall grass at the edge of the fairgrounds. “Looks like the same wolf that was watching me the other night.”
I followed his line of vision to where Hades stood staring at us. “That’s Hades. He’s probably wondering why there’s so much activity going on. He’s kind of like the town mascot. Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you.”
“Mustang Mountain has a wild wolf as a town mascot now? Seems like there’s no end to the changes this place has gone through since I left.”
My arms snaked up around his neck. “There have been a lot of changes, but some things are still the same.”
“Like what?” Huck turned his attention back to me and I took the opportunity to steal a kiss.
“Like how much I hate saying goodbye to you.”
“Just for a little while this time,” he said. “But if you want me to fix the stage, I should probably wrap up the cabin flip I’m working on with Levi. Can I come over later?”
“I’d be sad if you didn’t.” I rose to my tiptoes to kiss him goodbye.
What I intended as a quick peck on the lips quickly turned into more.
It was like we’d been starved for each other for so long that we might never get our fill.
Even now, while I was still wrapped in his arms, I was already thinking about how I’d be able to get through the next few hours without him.
“I’ll see you later.” Huck rested his forehead against mine and squeezed my waist.
“Later,” I agreed. Then, with my heart full of hope for a future we’d build together, I slid into my car and started to prepare myself for the inevitable confrontation I’d need to have with my dad.
He’d had no right to push Huck out of my life and before I was done with him, he’d sure as hell know it.