Chapter 29 #2
“Let’s give the whole town…hell, the state…something worthy of talkin’ about. If they’re gonna whisper and make judgments, might as well get something amazing outta it. They’ll be too busy gossiping about our fast-paced wedding to discuss a possible murder scandal.”
A few days after the article published about Angela’s release and connection to my name, the rumors spread rapidly through the town about me being linked to a convicted criminal.
They dubbed it a murder scandal since Landen was involved in testifying against her and now they’ve made assumptions about why I’m with him.
Then the equine journalists got involved and questioned my legitimacy for no other reason than to get in on the attention.
But I’ve learned people will make assumptions about me no matter what I say or do and there’s nothing I can do about it, so why bother fighting it? I’m not going to speak publicly about Angela’s business, and I can’t change who I’m related to. So they’ll have to get over it.
Landen hasn’t been as easygoing about it. He wants to track down every reporter who writes about me and send them a case of horse sperm to turkey baste up their asses.
After wiring Angela the hundred thousand dollars I saved for her, a huge weight lifted off my chest. I know I didn’t have to give her anything and could’ve left her high and dry, but I’d rather give it to her knowing I’ll never have to see her again.
Sure, she could reappear and cause trouble, but there’s no doubt I’d have Noah, Landen, and the rest of the Hollises to back me up.
She’d be dumber than I thought if she returned.
Maybe she’ll use the money to buy herself some integrity.
“Let ’em talk…who cares.” I shrug.
“I care when it’s bullshit lies about my woman.” Landen presses his lips below my ear and adds, “Plus, think how hot the sex will be when I can tell my wife to crawl to me. I’m gettin’ hard just imagining it.”
“Crawl?” I push him back. “Now I know you’ve done lost your mind.”
“Oh, baby, I will get you on your hands and knees. I promise.”
His confident tone has me contemplating kneeing him in the balls.
“You remember I got my memory back, right? And that I can recall all the ways you tried to flirt with me or tease me to get my attention? You think that Ellie is crawlin’ around for a man?”
“On my bed…you will crawl to me…if you want my cock inside you. You’ll be begging for it. I guarantee it.”
“You’re next level de-lulu is what you are.”
He pins my wrists above my head, feathering his lips down my neck and chest. “Say it.”
“No.”
“Say you’ll marry me in thirty days.”
“In a thousand.”
His tongue swirls around my nipple, and I gasp at how sensitive it feels.
“Thirty. Days.”
“In a million.”
His teeth clamp down.
“Ow!” My back arches, forcing me closer. “That’s sensitive.”
“I’m gonna mark every inch of your body until you agree…”
“Pretty sure that’s called coercion.”
“Call it whatever you want…” He flattens his hot tongue and slides it up between my breasts. “But that’s my offer. You can keep your last name as long as you say I do next month.”
I whimper at the sensation of his body against mine, teasing and licking me. “More like I don’t…”
His head pops up with a heated scowl. “Don’t make me eat your pussy until you agree. Because we both know you will cave eventually when my face is buried between those thighs.”
My pussy clenches at his words, almost feeling the sensation of his mouth down there.
Goddamn him.
“On one condition…” I re-counter.
“Wait…how many conditions are we at now?”
Grinning, I shrug because I’ve long lost count. “I get to sit on your face while you eat me out.”
“Baby, you never have to beg for that…” He rolls to his back, leisurely strokes himself through his boxers, and then looks at me. “Well…c’mon.”
I straddle his waist and then second-guess myself. “I’ve never done it this way. Won’t I suffocate you or something?”
“Wouldn’t that be the best way to die?” He winks. “You won’t. I know how to breathe in between devouring your cunt.”
“Okay, but if memories of us start flashin’ through your mind, tap my thigh or something. I don’t wanna be a widow before we even get hitched.”
He barks out an amused laugh. “Sweetheart, this memory is about to go to the top of the fuckin’ list when I die.”
Blushing with excitement and nerves, I wiggle up his body and over his mouth. He palms my ass and shoves me even closer.
Looking down, I only see his eyes and the narrow part of his nose. “There’s no way you can breathe like this.”
He responds by swiping his tongue through my slit and pulling me down more. I grab the headboard and ride his face like I did his cowboy hat.
“Yes…that’s so good. Right there…” I gasp at the invasion of his tongue twisting inside me.
He palms my ass cheeks, digging his fingers into them as I continue grinding over his face.
By the time I’m ready to explode, goose bumps cover my skin, and a shiver runs down my body. The bridge of his nose rubbing against my clit has me seeing stars and then I’m floating.
“Oh my God, Landen. I’m gonna come…” I warn him, throwing my head back as I squeeze my thighs around his head.
Moaning through my release, he growls against my pussy and the vibrations make me come harder than ever before.
When he taps my thigh, I quickly sit up. “Are you okay?”
He licks his lips, tightens his grip around me, and then fucking smirks. “Thirty days, my love.”
Then he smacks my bare ass.
“You’re a caveman,” I tell him, climbing off the bed.
Instead of denying it, he roars like a bear.
Of-fucking-course he does.
Rolling my eyes when he winks at me, I go clean up in the bathroom and then throw on my panties and one of his large white T-shirts.
As soon as I return to the bedroom, I find him on one knee.
“What’re you doing? You’ve already proposed,” I remind him.
“I’m proposing we get married at Willow Branch Mountain. They have a beautiful venue and you can’t beat the views. Plus, I might have an in with the owners.”
I snort, considering the owners are his aunt and uncle.
“You’d wanna have a ceremony at the same place your friend died? That wouldn’t be…morbid?”
He stands, grabs my hands, and then kisses me.
“What happened to Talia is devastating. I will never forget her or Tucker. But now, I’d like to try to make some new good memories there again so the thought of that place isn’t tainted.
I’d like to think of it for what it was meant for—a positive, once-in-a-lifetime experience. ”
“You really don’t wanna wait, huh?”
“I waited a long time for you to fall in love with me. I don’t see why we need to postpone starting our lives together when we’ve found our person. The one that’ll be in our final memories.”
Melting into his arms and smiling uncontrollably, I finally nod. “Okay. Thirty days.”
We stay like this and kiss for a few minutes before one of our alarms goes off for the day.
“Should we tell my family over supper tonight?”
“Sure…we’ll have to start plannin’ right—”
After scanning down my chest, he starts belly laughing uncontrollably. Hand on his stomach, heaving forward, full-on cackling.
“What in the world is so funny?” I glance around, wondering if there’s a bug or a spider on me or something.
If that’s the case, I’m burning this whole house down.
“Look at your shirt.”
“Jesus Christ…” I mutter when I see two black arrows—one pointing up and one pointing down. “Why do you still have this?”
“If that’s not a sign, baby…” He pulls me into his arms, tilting my chin until his lips brush mine. “That you and I were always destined to be together.”