CHAPTER 8 #2
I kept blinking, wondering how the hell this was my life. “We’re not there yet, Jacob. I don’t want people putting pressure on him.”
“And not you?”
“You married into that family. You get it.”
“I do, and I fucked up. More than once. I still feel like I need to grovel every once in a while to show Annabelle I’m sorry for how much of a douche and a dick I was to her.
I’m better now. At least, somewhat. And we are going to be parents soon, to twins, and I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.
However, I know I’m not going to be alone.
Not only do I have the love of my life, I also have her entire support system.
It’s ridiculous. They’re going to help you.
I’m going to help you. And you’ve got this.
Let the insurance company and authorities do what they need to do.
Your other lawyers will work on things for you, and we Montgomerys will be here.
Probably with a cheese plate, because that’s how we roll. ”
I shook my head, laughter bubbling up. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a two-by-four and not my bar. I can’t quite keep up.”
“Welcome to the Montgomerys. Now, go home. Call Clay. Don’t fuck this up.”
I looked at him then. “By this, do you mean my bar? Or my relationship with Clay?”
“I said what I said.” Then Jacob walked away, and I stood there for a minute longer, wondering what the hell I was going to do.
After I spoke with the authorities a bit more, knowing that there would still be more questions and things to deal with later, I just wanted to go home.
Like Jacob had said, I just wanted to be.
I hadn’t expected the offers of help, but as my phone kept buzzing, the phone tree in full force, I could only shake my head.
It seemed I wasn’t going to be alone in this.
And yet, why did I feel like I was out here all alone?
I headed home, feeling as if I’d run a marathon through wet cement. I walked up to my porch and blinked, my mouth going dry. “Clay?”
Clay stood from where he had been leaning against the side of the door and ran up to me. He threw his arms around me and hugged me tightly. “Are you okay?”
I stood stiff for a moment before I held him close, clinging to him as I let out a shaky breath. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”
“He hurt your bar. I know how much you love that place.” He cupped my face, then kissed me hard, and I leaned into him, shaking.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for you. Archer’s taking the kids. Marc is out of town, but Paige said she would help, so they’ve got it down. I’m yours for the night.”
I blinked at him. “I don’t know if you’re ready for that,” I teased, my emotions all over the place.
He grinned and kissed me again. “Oh, ye of little faith. I think I can handle you. First, you’re going to get food in that stomach of yours, and then we’re going to talk about what happened.
” We made our way inside, and Clay pulled out his phone.
“I’m ordering us something because I’m not in the mood to cook.
I just want to cuddle with you on the couch. You’re going to have to deal with it.”
“When did you get all bossy?”
“I’m a father of three. It’s what I do. Now, sit down.”
So, I sat, oddly eager. He did something with his phone, ordered food, and then sat next to me before shoving my head onto his lap so he could play with my hair.
I smiled. “I was expecting something different if you were going to force my head here.”
“Maybe later. Talk to me.”
And so, I did. I told him about what Jacob had said and what I had seen. How the day had gone. By the end of it, I was shaking again.
Clay tangled the fingers of one hand with mine as he kept his other in my hair, petting me. “That fucker.”
I looked up at him, my heart hurting for a whole new reason.
This was nice, the two of us. As if we’d done it for far longer than we had.
As if it were always meant to be this way.
I could love this man. Or maybe I already did.
That was scary as hell. “Neil was always an asshole, and he was always an idiot. But I didn’t know he was this bad. ”
Clay’s fingers pressed into my scalp, and I nearly purred, my cock hardening. “I’m sorry you went through what you did. And I wish there were something we could do. He’s out of your life now. You don’t have to deal with him again.”
I closed my eyes as I leaned into his touch. “I hope so. But who knows if there’s going to be a trial? I don’t think I can process that far ahead right now.”
“That’s something for your lawyers. But they have evidence according to Jacob, so that’s a start.”
“Neil will no longer be bothering me.” I swallowed hard and looked up to meet Clay’s gaze. I felt the hard line of his erection below my head but did my best to ignore it. We rarely had time for sex, true, but making time for quiet connection? Almost unheard of.
“Are you okay with that?”
I frowned and sat up to meet his gaze. “What kind of question is that?”
“I have no idea, other than there’s something wrong. Talk to me.”
I blinked. “I have abysmal taste in men. At least, other than you. Yet here I am with you. And I feel like I’m the bad catch here.” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but here I was, baring myself to the man I thought I could fall in love with.
Clay bent towards me as he stared at my face. “I thought I was the bad bet. The too-busy one, with complications and baggage. We can’t both be the bad one.”
“I guess I don’t know what I’m talking about,” I whispered.
“You don’t.” He let out a breath. “In this moment, it’s just you and me. Finally.”
I looked up at him before I moved, practically sitting on his lap. “That sounds like a plan to me.” I leaned down, and kissed him softly.
It started off gentle, and when the food came, we parted, with Clay picking the food up off the porch and locking the door behind him before sticking it directly in the fridge. My brows lifted, but then I was on my back on the couch again, kissing the man I knew had just made everything better.
It was sweet at first, little nips, soft caresses, and then our shirts were off, and we were rubbing against one another, needing each other’s touch. When he slid his hands down the front of my pants, I groaned, loving how he wrapped his hand around my cock.
He stripped off my pants and knelt between my legs on the floor as I sat up on the couch, then he swallowed me whole. I groaned, sliding my fingers through his hair as he went down on me, his mouth so warm and inviting around my dick.
“You’re so fucking good at that,” I whispered.
“I could get better. I should practice,” he teased before humming along my dick, playing with my balls.
I groaned again, tugging at his hair before pulling him up, needing his taste. I stood, pulled off his pants carefully, gripped his dick tightly, and squeezed.
“Jesus,” he muttered.
“My name is Riggs. Get used to it.” Then I kissed him again, hard.
When I bent him over the couch, I searched in the side table and pulled out condoms and lube.
He looked over his shoulder and laughed. “Really?”
“What? It serves to be prepared. And that’s a fucking good couch for what I’m about to do to you.”
“I guess so.” He laughed, and I fell in love. Again.
Then I kissed him hard before leaving gentle caresses down his back and over his ass. I spread his cheeks before working my fingers inside him, with one hand around him, gripping his cock, the other probing him and getting him ready for me.
We had taken turns the entire time we had been together, and tonight was no different.
Because later, after dinner, he would take me, and then we’d fall asleep in a tangle of limbs, and I knew this could be forever.
If I got over myself, and we found time, this could be it, but first, I needed to just breathe, and be okay.
And so I worked him harder before I slid the condom over my dick and gently spread him “You ready?”
“Have been forever, fuck me already.”
I grinned before I thrust into him with one movement. We both groaned, with Clay letting out a startled laugh.
“Okay, then.” His voice was a pant and I nearly came at the guttural groan of it.
“What? You said to fuck you. Now I’m going to.
” And so I moved, both of us working at a frantic pace as if we were afraid it was going to end too soon.
When I reached around and gripped his cock, he put his hand over mine, squeezing harder, and we both moved, coming together in a gasp of ecstasy and passion.
I couldn’t believe that this was what my life was now. I couldn’t believe that I could finally breathe.
And when we lay on the couch after, both of us shaking, I pulled him close and told myself that tonight could be a beginning if I let myself.
So I held him, and I let the past walk away, if only for the moment.