Chapter 33 An ution
An execution
Sophia
I don’t know exactly when we fell asleep, tangled in each other’s arms.
Sometime in the early morning as the dim light filtered into the windows, I slide from the heat of his body to tiptoe into the bathroom.
How much longer before I’m peeing every twenty minutes? Lori has admitted that’s been the worst part of her pregnancies, even worse than the puking.
What is that?
Squinting from the toilet, I debate turning on the switch.
I didn’t notice last night, but the small, pale colored line of tiles on the wall are actually miniature rodeo scenes.
They alternate, roper then barrel racer.
Another detail that he added, just for me.
As I finish up, I’m tender enough to wince.
I will never in my life call him ‘old’ again. How many rounds was it? Four? Five? And he made me come so many times I lost track.
That fucking mouth of his will be the best kind of death of me.
Trying to sneak back under the blankets fails miserably when I bounce my little toe off one of the bed posts.
Oliver rouses, cracking open one eye with a crooked smile, then lifts the comforter.
“I have about twenty more minutes before I have to start getting ready for work.” He tugs me closer, nesting my back to his chest and wrapping his arm snugly around me.
“Can you call in sick so we can stay like this all day?” I fit too perfectly against him.
I feel like I’ve been looking forward to this forever.
His soft laugh tickles down through my hair. “It’s your brother’s house I’m working on. Maybe if you’re the one who tells him why I’m gone?”
“He’s gonna freak when he finds out it’s you.” Crap. I let out a long sigh. “I forgot to text Lori and tell her I was fine. She’s gonna kill me.” Twisting in his arms, I look up at him. “She would have called by now.”
In the heat of all his nakedness, I totally spaced telling her I was safe.
With a groan, he rolls on his back, his palm covering his face. “There’s no cell service here. I forgot to get you on the wi-fi.” He drops his arm, threading his fingers into my hair. “They’re gonna be worried.”
“They’ll be fine.” I wave my hand before flattening my palm on his chest.
He snorts, tightening his hold on my messy locks to pull me closer. “Your dad threatened my life when he thought I was joking about marrying you, much less when he finds out we’re having a baby from before you even knew me. Where’s your phone?”
My breath catches.
I hadn’t thought about that part. I’ve made it clear to my family for a very long time my opinion about Oliver. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been exactly favorable.
This might be an uphill battle.
But I don’t care. Everything has changed about how I feel.
They can like it, or not.
“Um, in my purse in the truck.” I squint at him guiltily. “I guess it wouldn’t have mattered if they did call?”
“Oh, princess,” he sighs. “We will both be lucky if I survive today.” He pulls off the sheet to reveal his firm cock jutting from his lean frame.
I’m tempted to reach out and grab him, but he rolls away too quickly.
Padding across the bedroom, he slides his bare feet into his Ariats, then disappears into the hall.
I kinda wish I had my cell, I’d get a picture of him in nothing but his boots.
What a wild twenty-four hours this has been.
When he comes back in, he drops my satchel next to me, cupping his nuts with his other hand. “It’s fucking chilly out there,” he chuckles, diving under the covers to press his cold body against me.
Shrieking with laughter, I try to wiggle away, but he’s too strong. He rolls over me, pinning me to the mattress, then lets himself go limp.
“Ahh, that’s better.” His lips press my neck before he props himself on his elbows.
My arms and legs wrap him, holding him tightly.
Then I watch his grin slip as he stares into my eyes.
“Is this real?” His voice is gravelly as his thumb traces my cheek. “Or is this another dream and I’m going to wake up alone?”
Heat flushes between us, making my heart race. I can see myself reflected in the golden flecks of his amber irises. “Ollie, don’t pinch me,” I whisper.
The smile flirts back across his lips. “No? How about just a little—”
His teeth nibble at my throat as his hardening cock grows against my thigh. “I mean—” His growl matches the growing fierceness of his nips. “—if I have to face down your dad, I might as well make sure everyone knows you’re mine.”
With a giggle, I only pretend to try and ward him off. “Dad’s gonna be so mad.” That thought makes me still. “Fuck. How do I turn my phone on?”
“It’s just my last name.” He shifts to let me reach it. “Soon to be yours too.”
My belly feels all floaty. “I’m just gonna hit him with all barrels, huh?” I pop in the code and a cold sweat washes through my as the notifications start chiming.
“Whew. We might want to head right over.” Oliver shakes his head, pushing himself up. “I’ll get the coffee going and get the rest of your bags out of the truck.”
The most recent is a text from Lori threatening to call the sheriff if I don’t let her know what’s going on.
I send her a quick reply, assuring her I’m alive and safe.
“I think…I should have told someone.” Swallowing hard, I follow him into the kitchen.
Oliver’s broad palm squeezes the inside of my thigh when he pulls under the ranch sign onto the long lane.
“It feels like we’re driving to an execution,” I grumble. I had to finally stop answering texts because I couldn’t keep up with the onslaught.
I’m sure once Lori had news, she told everyone.
But I didn’t share all the details.
“I think you like being punished.” His grin flashes in the morning light. “Or you would have told them from the beginning.”
“Yea, okay.” I sit up, wiggling in my seat. “I kinda can’t wait to see the look on their faces when I tell them it’s you.”
He pulls his truck up to his usual spot in front of the main house, but stops me from getting out. “Here.” A keyring with two shiny new keys on it dangles from his fingers.
When I reach for them, he circles my wrist to pull my knuckles to his lips. “It’s our home now, Soph. Let me know if there’s anything big to load, I can get my guys to help me.”
I don’t know why, but this feels like a monumental moment. “You’re sure you want to be stuck with me?” Tears sting in my eyes.
His palm rises to cup my jaw. “I wasn’t joking when I told your dad I was gonna marry you.” His words are quiet, yet feel as if they carry the weight of the world. “I’ll be hiding from your dad in my excavator if you need me.”
And he has the nerve to wink before walking around to my door.
“Chicken,” I laugh, sliding out the passenger side. “That’s not very ‘book boyfriend’ of you.”
When I poke him in the side, his hand comes up, wrapping my neck to wedge me against his truck.
“I don’t want to be the man in your books, princess. I want to be the man in your ass.” His hot breath warms my chest before he crashes his lips against mine.
As he turns, leaving me panting, he gives my ass a sharp swat. “Let me know if you need reinforcements.”
His Wranglers hug his thighs as he saunters off, adjusting his Stetson against the rising sun.
Damn. That’s my cowboy.
Taking a deep breath, I turn towards Uncle Dixon’s house and cross the parking lot.
Each step feels heavier until I’m standing on the porch, staring at the handle.
Might as well get it over with.
Before it swings all the way open, I can see every pair of eyes fixating on me.
Except Dad’s.
Lori is the first to react, rushing out of her chair to fold me into a shaking hug. “I was so worried about you,” she whispers, squeezing me so tightly I can barely inhale. “Why didn’t you text yesterday? You ran off to meet a stranger and didn’t check in?”
She grabs my upper arms, pulling away enough to peer into my face. “You could have died. Or worse.”
“I didn’t. I’m fine. Better than fine.” I loop through her elbow, tugging her with me towards where Char and Libby are both staring at me slack-jawed.
“You look like you had fun.” Libby grins, pointing to her own neck for emphasis.
“I didn’t sleep much last night.” I need more coffee to survive this conversation.
“Oh, that’s what I’m talking about!” Libby laughs, smacking her hand on the table.
Lori’s worried expression still hasn’t faded as she picks up Jack. “I checked your room last night thinking maybe I missed you. Where’s all your stuff?”
“I moved in with him.” Okay, this is actually kind of fun now that the panic has passed.
Char’s spine snaps her straight as she blinks rapidly at me. “The guy from Oregon?”
Shaking my head, I pour a hefty dose of cream into my cup. “He’s not there. Much closer. Like only fifteen minutes away.”
“Ugh!” Libby groans. “You’re edging the shit out of us! Just tell us who he is? What does he look like?”
I’m done fighting the grin. Picking up my steaming mug, I hold it nearly to my lips as I glance between the three women watching me.
“You’ll never guess.” I take a long, dramatic pause. “Oliver Brookes.”