21. Chapter 21 Scott
Chapter 21: Scott
O ne week.
That’s all it’s been. Seven days since I buried myself inside Bree Taylor and claimed her as mine, but it feels like a lifetime. Or maybe it just feels like it’s the only life I want now.
I wake up every morning with my face between her thighs. It’s become my favorite part of the day, tasting her while she’s still soft and sleepy, watching her body stir under my mouth, hearing those breathy moans before she fully wakes.
She always comes apart so easily for me, like her body knows it’s mine. Like it was made for me. But every time, after the pleasure fades and I’m holding her close, I feel it—the ache deep in my chest.
Because her cabin is almost done. And once it is, she’s another step closer to leaving.
I’ve stretched it out as long as I can. Slowed down the work, and pretended like I needed more time. But I’m running out of excuses.
The roof is solid now, walls patched, leaks sealed. It’s not pretty but it’s livable. Hank and Clara have been stopping by more often, checking in, bringing food and gossip. Clara’s been fussing over Bree like a mother hen, while Hank keeps giving me these looks—like he knows what’s going on but hasn’t decided if he’s going to bust my balls or pat me on the back.
It’s only a matter of time before Jake finds out. I don’t give a shit anymore. Not really.
I’ve made my peace with it. Because I’m in love with her. I fell hard and fast. Harder than I thought was possible.
It’s not just the sex, though that’s been better than anything I’ve ever known.
It’s her. Her stubbornness. Her laughter. The way she sings off-key when she thinks I’m not listening.
I’m hers.
I just don’t know if she’s mine. Not the way I need her to be.
Because every time she talks about her future, it’s still somewhere else. The cabin’s just a project. A stop along the way.
And me?
I’m scared I’m just another part of the detour.
I run a hand over my face, the weight of it all pressing down on me. I know what I need to do.
I need to tell her. That this isn’t just casual sex for me. That I see a future with her, right here, on this mountain. That I want her in my bed every night. In my life. Forever.
And then I need to call Jake and tell him his little sister is mine.
But not today.
Today, I just want to pretend a little longer. That she’s not leaving. That when I wake up tomorrow and the day after, she’ll still be here. That this is real and not just casual sex as she asked for
I hear the cabin door open behind me.
“Morning,” Bree’s voice is soft, a little husky from sleep. She’s wrapped in my flannel shirt, her hair a mess, her bare legs peeking out beneath the hem.
I want to drag her back to bed, but I smile instead. “Morning, sweetheart.”
She leans against the railing beside me, sipping her coffee. We sit in comfortable silence, watching the sun rise over the trees.
I could do this every day for the rest of my life.
I just need her to want it too.