Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
LANDEN
Icould survive on hearing Ellie’s laugh for the rest of my life and never need anything else.
As I hold her in my arms in the middle of the pond, it feels like a dream come true.
And one I’m feeling guilty about more and more as I steal these moments with her I’d never get previously.
How is it after four years, I’ve never heard her laugh as much as she has in the past few weeks and now I’m completely addicted.
I need it to breathe.
But as more of her memories start to resurface, I’m afraid it’s going to get ripped away from me at any moment.
It’s why I didn’t share the full story about Tucker and Talia, and my ex-girlfriend being the one responsible for their deaths. I don’t want her to feel sorry or take pity on me and then later resent me for it when she remembers.
“Tell me a secret,” she says as we settle into the water together. Long gone is her concern about messing up her hair as it floats around her.
“Hmm…okay. I wanna buy a few acres in this area and build my dream house for my family someday.”
“That’s precious. What kind of house?”
“A two-story with large windows facing the water so we can wake up every morning and watch the sunrise over the mountains. Double wraparound porches so we can watch the fireworks from the second floor. Wilder and Waylon set a ton of ’em off every Fourth of July.”
“Wow…I love that. I imagine eight dogs running around, jumping into the pond, smelling like wet socks, and playing together. Kids chasing them in and out of the water, laughing, and making core memories.”
“Wait…eight?”
She laughs again, and I soak up every second.
“I couldn’t have dogs growing up, but I love ’em. My dad’s allergic, so I had gerbils and goldfish.”
“Oh, you poor deprived horse girly.”
She splashes water in my face and then I threaten to dunk her unless she kisses me.
“You wouldn’t dare…”
I push her closer toward the water and arch a brow. “Try it.”
Instead of calling my bluff, she lowers her hands to my waist and curls her fingers into my shorts.
Arching a brow at how close she’s getting to my dick, I say, “Gonna remove these for me?”
“Or…” The corner of her lips curves into a devious smile. “We could both go without clothes and continue in the shower?”
I scoop her up and get us out of the water as fast as I can. She giggles when I carry her over my shoulder caveman-style and put her into the passenger seat of Fisher’s truck. He’s gonna be pissed we’re soaking wet, but I’ll deal with it later.
“Is that a yes?”
Grinning, I start the truck. “That’s a I hope you know what you just got yourself into.”
It’s only a five-minute drive back to my place and as soon as I park, I bring her inside and haul her into my arms.
“I’m afraid I’m gonna have to remove all your clothing or you’ll get the carpet wet…” I taunt, pulling on the hem of her shirt and lifting it off her.
“Wouldn’t wanna do that,” she sasses. “Guess that means you’ll have to strip, too.”
“Hmm…I think you’re right.” I unbutton my shorts and slide them down my legs but leave my boxers. She removes her shorts next and is left in her bra and panties.
“Fuck, you are so beautiful…” Cupping her face, I bring our mouths together in a hot, desperate kiss. She snakes her arms around me, pulling me tighter against her, and my cock thickens between us.
Without breaking contact, I lift her body until it wraps around mine and then walk us to the bathroom. I turn on the water and once we remove the rest of our clothes, I pull her under the water with me.
“Mm…it’s so warm.” She hums as I thread my fingers through her hair.
I grab the shampoo bottle and then massage it into her scalp.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I ask, getting all the way down to the ends.
“With you washing my hair? I think it’s pretty hot…”
Grinning, I pull down the handheld shower and rinse out the shampoo. “Being naked together.”
She lowers her gaze down to my half-erect cock. “Mm-hmm. Quite okay with it.”
“Even when I lower my hand down here?” I palm her breast and then pinch her nipple.
“Yes,” she whispers, closing her eyes. “Very much okay with that.”
“Turn around,” I tell her, then finish rinsing out the shampoo.
I change the water flow to the pulsating massage speed and then lower it between her thighs. “How about when I do this?” I murmur in her ear.
She inhales a shallow breath, nearly gasping before I’ve even touched her.
“That’s…good, too.” Her eyes fall closed as her head rests on my chest.
“Spread your legs wider, baby. I’m gonna make you come hard and fast…”
With the shower spray beating on her clit, I play with her nipple again and kiss her neck.
“The pressure is so perfect,” she moans in between her words. “I don’t think I can stand any longer.”
Her body begins to shake harder, and I tighten my free arm around her waist so she feels safe and secure to let go. “If you need to hold on to something, hold on to me.”
She clasps her fingers around my arm as her moans grow louder.
“That’s it…don’t hold back, baby.” I suck her neck, feeling her tense. “Come, Ellie.”
Sweet moans release from her mouth as she does just that. She hangs onto me and shatters in my arms.
I put the nozzle back up and then give her time to catch her breath.
“That was so hot,” I tell her.
She spins around, freshly flushed and satisfied. “Your turn.”
“My turn to what?”
“I wanna watch you get yourself off.”
Grabbing my hard cock, I give it a few casual strokes. “Okay. On one condition.”
She raises her brows but continues focusing on my hand. “What’s that?”
“I want you on your knees, ready to swallow it down.”
I hold out my hand so she doesn’t fall and then she kneels in front of me.
Cupping her jaw, I tilt her head up toward me and shove my thumb between her lips. “Such a good girl.”
Instead of smarting off like I’m used to from her, she opens her mouth and sticks out her tongue.
“Jesus Christ…” I shake my head and continue fucking my fist because it’s not going to take long with her looking at me like that.
She focuses all of her attention on me as I twist around the tip and then when I feel my balls draw up and my body tense, I smack my cock against her lips.
“Get ready…” I warn her, my eyes fighting to stay open, but I force them to because I’m not missing this.
Moaning through the pleasure, I give myself quick little strokes until it releases and paints her beautiful face with my cum.
“Goddamn, that was so fuckin’ intense.”
Grabbing her hand, I help her up and crash my mouth to hers, still messy with my release.
“That was fuckin’ hot,” she mutters in between kisses. “I vote joint showers from now on.”
“Whatever you want. You could ask for anything right now, and I’d do it.”
She giggles as she snakes her arms around my waist, rests her chin on my chest, and gazes up at me with the most precious expression on her face. “I like you, ya know?”
I chuckle under my breath, tightening my hold on her. “It’s about goddamn time you caught up to me. I’ve been waitin’ four years.”
After the water gets too cold to stay in the shower, I towel dry every inch of her body, then give her one of my T-shirts while I put her clothes in the washer. I figured we’d come back here for dessert, so once we settled on the couch, I served strawberry shortcake with whipped cream.
“This is good. Who says you can’t cook?” she taunts, licking the cream off her fork.
“I’d barely call it that. I mixed the strawberries with sugar, put them on top of a shortcake, and added the topping.”
She smirks. “Gramma Grace has been teachin’ me a lot these past two weeks. She’s a gem. You’re lucky. I’m not super close to my grandma.”
“No? How come?”
Her shoulders lift casually. “She was a single mom, and I don’t think she had great relationships with her kids, either. She comes over during holidays and for random dinners, but it’s mostly centered around small talk, and I hate that.”
After we finish eating, we put on a movie. But halfway through, we end up making out and Ellie straddling my lap. This time, I don’t make her ride my hat and let her come grinding on my dick.
“Do you wanna stay the night?” I ask when it gets late. “If you don’t wanna drive in the dark, I can take you.”
“I don’t mind stayin’ if you don’t.”
“Not at all.” I kiss her. “I’ll be up early for chores but can come back before you have to leave.”
“Have you ever had a girlfriend sleep over?”
“A one-night stand, yes. A girlfriend, no.”
She gives me a disapproving face, and I chuckle. “Then why did you ask?”
She shrugs. “Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I guess. Did you burn the sheets at least?”
“Oh, they’re long gone. I bought all new bedding for you. Top of the line, luxury sheets, and a new comforter.”
“You did? Why?”
“Because I wanted a fresh start with you. As soon as we started dating, I wanted any trace of other women gone. None were serious anyway, so it wasn’t a hardship to replace everything. I even bought new towels so you’d have high-quality ones when you needed to shower.”
“I dunno if that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard or the most presumptuous that you were gonna get me in your bed…”
I scratch over my beard that’s overdue for a cut. “I vote for the former.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls my mouth to hers. “Okay, sustained.”
My phone goes off with a text, and I grab it off the coffee table before we walk to my room.
“Oh shit…”
“What is it?” she asks.
Cecilia
YOU’RE ENGAGED?!?
“I think your interview released…” I tell her, then show her my screen.
“I’m surprised she didn’t hear about it sooner.” She pulls the covers back and rubs a palm over the softness of the sheets. “Ooh, these are very nice.”
“Good, I’m glad you approve.” I flash her a wink.
I don’t tell her I took Wilder and Waylon with me to buy these a month ago. It was the blind leading the blind in figuring out what kind of bedding was the best.
“Cecilia’s from outta town, but yeah, it woulda only been a matter of time.” I shrug, climbing in next to her.
“I dunno if I even wanna read it.” She groans. “I hate doing press so damn much.”
“Part of the territory, but from what I’ve seen and read over the years, you’ve always done well and been very professional.”
She nods toward my phone. “Are you gonna text her back?”
“No.” I pull her into my arms, interlocking our legs. “Why would I waste my time texting another woman when I have my dream girl in my bed?”
She climbs on top of me, kissing me fiercely as she straddles my waist.
“You need to tell me a secret now,” I tell her as she kisses down my neck. “I told you one of mine.”
She meets my gaze and furrows her brows. “Right now?”
I chuckle under my breath at how frustrated she sounds.
“Are you hell-bent on giving me blue bean?”
Barking out a laugh, I roll us over until I’m on top of her. “As much as I want to heal your blue bean issues, I don’t wanna take advantage of your memory.”
She blows out a slow breath, looking seemingly torn on saying her next words.
“Funny you say that…because my secret is that I’m terrified I’ll get it back and break my own heart with the truth of why I didn’t like you in the first place.
I can’t imagine a world in which I’m not falling hopelessly in love with you. ”
The walls crash around me as her words repeat in my head. Falling. In. Love. With Me.
I never thought Ellie Donovan would return my feelings, nevertheless admit them to me.
But even when she does remember why, I’ll never forget that at least for a short moment in time, we had it all.