Chapter 25
BONNIE
When we went downstairs, it was smelling delicious.
They'd already gotten the grill going, and we found everyone in the backyard.
It was the warmest early spring day in six years, according to the weather report I'd heard that morning, and sunny too.
No wonder everyone wanted to take advantage of it.
Beatrice motioned for me to join her. She was sitting on a bench, enjoying a plate of food. All the while, Sam kept snapping pictures.
He winked at me when he saw us. “Bonnie, I’ll tag you in pics on Instagram and Facebook. We’re the only ones with social media accounts around here.” Coming over to me, he said, “Can you send me a friend request? I couldn’t find your profile.”
“Sure.”
He handed me his phone, and I immediately sent a friend request on Facebook, then followed with my profile on Instagram before handing it back.
"I'm going to see if the boys need anything," Lena said.
"Sure. I'll be in good hands with Gran," I replied, heading over to her.
"How are the clothes?" she asked curiously.
"Absolutely lovely."
"Good, good.”
“Lena is so great to me. And so are you."
"Of course, dear child. We're very happy that you're part of the family."
I certainly wanted to be, there was no question, but I still had my doubts on how all this would work.
Travis approached us then with a plate of food. Oh damn. I tried to hide my emotions because I didn't want the sprinklers to start again.
"I'm going to see what else is good," Beatrice said, clearly wanting to leave us alone.
Travis sat down, holding the plate in front of me. My stomach rumbled. He'd put a steak on it as well as corn and some other goodies.
"This looks good," I admitted.
He was looking at me intently, and I suddenly felt shy.
"Babe, all good?" he asked.
I bit my lip, taking the plate. I could be honest with him.
"It's just that, you know, being here, I can't stop myself from comparing my family to yours. Gran just said that I'm part of your family, and I can't wrap my mind around that."
"That's because you are." he said. "No matter what happens, you are."
The pang in my chest intensified. I understood what he meant.
Even if we didn't work out, I was somehow still part of the family because of the baby.
But even though I was happy that they were embracing the nugget anyway, I got nauseous at the idea of me not being together with Travis anymore and coming to these parties and seeing him with someone else.
"Mom messaged me," I said, deciding to lay it all out.
"What did she want?"
I sighed, biting into the corn.
After swallowing, I said, "Money. I think she wants to gamble again. It's the only time she doesn’t give me details."
"Let me handle her," he said.
I shook my head vehemently. "Of course not. She's my mom. I've got to deal with her. Honestly, there's nothing to do. I've learned that with her, it's best to just ignore her and not even reply to her messages."
"Babe—”
“No," I insisted.
He was staring at me, and I could tell he was planning to employ his persuasion skills on me, but he never got a chance because Paisley went into the middle of the yard and announced, "Everyone, pay attention.
Grandma Lena, I've got a surprise for you.
You're getting a makeup session inside here.
" She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder at her tree house.
"Damn, my niece is inventive," Travis murmured.
“Isn’t it freezing in there?” I asked. It was nice outside, but only in the sun.
“It’s insulated,” he replied.
Lena was smiling from ear to ear. “That sounds lovely, dear. Let's go up," she told Paisley.
"Anyone else want to have their makeup done afterward?" Paisley asked, looking around hopefully.
I stood up. "I will."
"No, you won't," Travis nearly growled. He was on his feet too.
I turned to look at him. "What do you mean?"
"See that ladder that goes up to the tree house?"
"Yes," I replied.
“You're not getting on it."
Stubborn man. "Why not?"
"It's dangerous." He spoke through his teeth.
I pressed my lips together, trying to hold back laughter. He was being very overprotective!
Tate, who was nearest to us, said, "Well, brother, I think you're matching Declan in intensity level."
"No, I think he just surpassed me," Declan added. He was next to the grill, but clearly everyone in the family had the hearing equivalency of a bat.
"I think it's cute," Lexi said from next to Tate. Winking at Paisley, she said, "Come on, I'll go with you."
Tate looked at her in alarm. "No."
Lexi grinned at him, tilting her head. "Really?"
"Yeah, you know, Travis does have a point with that ladder."
"Okay, this is an interesting conversation," Reese said.
"Tate, before we make fun of you, we need to know all the facts," Luke said.
"Wait a second," Tyler said. He was staring at Kendra. She had a pretty guilty expression on her face. Then he looked back at Tate and Lexi. “Anything you want to share with the group?"
"Fine. We were going to tell them anyway," Lexi said. "I'm pregnant too."
"Oh my God," I exclaimed.
The group erupted in cheers. Mayhem reigned for the next few minutes as everyone congratulated them. I simply soaked up the happiness all around me.
Sam came up to us. "I've learned something about our family today."
"What's that?” Travis asked.
"Lexi and Tate are good at keeping secrets, and all my brothers are cavemen."
“You only got intel on Tate and Travis, though,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, but it’s enough info to draw conclusions.”
I burst out laughing. Travis didn't contradict him because it was true.
Once everyone congratulated Tate and Lexi, Paisley went with Lena up to the tree house. Travis put a possessive arm around my shoulders as if he was afraid I might make a run for the tree house after all.
Kendra, Megan, and Liz took Paisley up on her makeup session. She was actually a good makeup artist. A bit too heavy-handed with the eye shadow, but she did a great job.
Travis
I felt Bonnie fidgeting. "You want to go?"
"Yes. I mean, I also want to go in Paisley's tree house, but I guess that's still a no."
I glowered at her. "A firm no."
"Okay, then I guess I'm ready for us to go. I’m a bit tired."
I thought as much. This day had been insane.
After bidding goodbye to the family, I drove us home. She fell asleep on the road, only waking up a few minutes before we arrived.
She smiled sheepishly. "Wow, it's like I have an inner alarm clock."
She was still a bit sleepy as we went up in the elevator, both of us yawning. "Today was a great day," she murmured when we went inside the penthouse.
Seeing her with my family today had an unexpected effect on me. She liked the group, and they liked her back. I was happy she felt relaxed around them.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked.
"How much I want you."
"Oh, how direct."
"I didn't mean it sexually." Correcting myself, I added, "I didn't mean only sexually."
She wiggled her hips. "Oh, but that's on the table, too, huh?"
"Always."
I put our coats away, drinking her in before taking her hand and leading her to the master bedroom.
“I like where this is going,” she murmured.
She looked breathtaking in her dress, but I wanted her naked, and I wanted to see her take it off.
"Undress yourself. I want to watch," I said.
"You want me to strip?"
"Take it off, Bonnie."
I watched as she pulled down the zipper of her dress and then pushed it past her shoulders.
It fell to her waist, and then she lowered it at the same time as her tights.
In a matter of seconds, she stood in front of me in only a bra and underwear.
Fuck me, she was insanely sexy in black lace that barely covered her pussy, her bra pushing up her breasts.
They were round, perfect globes. I couldn't wait to put my mouth on them. But first I wanted to drink her in.
I walked around her, taking my fill. The panties covered even less in the back, but I knew exactly what I was going to do with them after she took them off.
I stepped right behind her, hooking my thumbs in the elastic of her panties.
She sucked in her breath. I kneeled, taking them down slowly, kissing her ass cheeks and then farther down the backs of her thighs.
She stepped out of them without me needing to order her.
She was mine—every inch of her body and her soul.
There would be no place for anyone else. Not ever.
"Turn around and take off your bra," I said.
She moved slowly, facing me. I looked up at her as she unhooked the clasp. Her breasts spilled out as she removed it.
"Get on the bed, Bonnie."
She nodded, biting her lip as she spread herself on the bed.
"Put your hands over your head."
She frowned but did as I said, bending one leg.
"Legs straight."
She lowered it onto the mattress.
After taking off all my clothes, I climbed over her with her panties.
"What are you doing with those?"
"Tying your wrists."
"Oh." She gave me a delicious smile.
I drew circles on her wrists with my thumbs first, feeling the change in her body, her muscles going taut.
I knew this was a sweet spot for her. I leaned over, kissing each of them before tying them with her panties.
They stretched enough that she wouldn't hurt herself, but she couldn't properly move them.
I had her exactly where I wanted her.
Her chest was moving up and down with ragged breaths.
I covered her arms with kisses, alternating between only using my lips and giving her my tongue, and then I moved over to her shoulders and her upper body.
I feathered my hands down her sides, only teasing, not properly touching. I felt her skin turn to goose bumps.
She gasped. "Travis." Her voice was uneven.
Fuck me, I was already painfully hard. I grabbed my cock, pumping my palm up and down, squeezing, then pumping again.
"Please, Travis. I want you inside me."
Hearing her beg nearly did away with my control. "I promise I'll give you my cock, but not yet."
She twisted and turned on the bed, struggling with her wrists. I moved back up, nuzzling her breasts. Letting go of my cock, I raised myself up on my arms, my erection now trapped between us. She rolled her hips, pressing her pussy against me. My vision blurred at the skin-on-skin contact.
I rubbed the length of my cock against her entrance, nudging her clit. It was turning her insane, and that was the moment when I reached to her wrists, taking away the panties.
"Oh," she exclaimed, surprise etched on her face.
"You've waited enough, beautiful. Now it's time for your reward."
I slid in completely, and my eyes nearly rolled into the back of my head.
It felt out-of-this-world good. I turned us both onto our sides; I could move easily like that, and so could she.
The angle was insanely deep, I knew I touched her G-spot by the way her whole body arched, her arms shot out on the bed, and she tugged at the sheets.
She could barely take all the pleasure I was giving her, but I didn't plan on stopping.
I thrust and thrust and thrust, watching her come apart on every move, feeling myself slip to the edge every time I was inside her to the hilt.
"Oh, Travis. Oooooh." Her body jackknifed. She spasmed so hard that she nearly pushed me out, but I wasn't going to allow it; I knew she needed constant pressure and thrusting to go over the edge.
I grabbed her ass, keeping her in place, and pushed in, my pelvis hitting her clit.
"That's it, babe. That's it. Come," I urged. I was close, too, but I wanted to take her over first.
She pinched her eyes closed, pressing her lips in a tight line. Then she threw her head back, screaming my name. She was so tight around me that I forgot for a second where I was, what my name was. I was so wrapped up in her that I couldn't even breathe.
I moved over her, pushing her onto her back, kissing her, drinking her sounds of pleasure while giving her my own. All the while I never stopped thrusting.
She was glorious and all I'd ever need.