Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
My back slammed against the wooden door as Adam’s lips branded me like an oath. Each touch of his skin on mine was a relief. With the room full of people asking questions about our relationship, it was tempting to take him and run, leaving the chaos behind. Just a few minutes alone with Adam had already helped me breathe and allowed my anxious brain to handle the people currently invading my space. While I loved all of them dearly, the entire morning, I was craving a couple of minutes alone with him.
Granted, hooking up in the maintenance office was not what I had in mind; it was infinitely better.
Each brush of his fingers along my hem felt forbidden, like someone could interrupt us at any minute. It made everything feel heightened, my skin electric with the need to feel him closer.
Adam toyed with the bottom of my skirt, pushing it up to rub his hands over the globes of my ass. He let out a sharp curse as he squeezed my skin. “Fuck, baby. You have no idea what this ass does to me. Makes me want to worship you all day, every day. ”
“Then you better get to it,” I teased. “Before people come looking for us.”
“Let them come,” he answered. “But they better be prepared to hear you screaming my name, because you feel way too fucking good to stop.”
I didn’t get to respond as his fingers bunched in the fabric of my panties and gave them a sharp tug. The fabric bit my skin as it ripped away, leaving my core open and exposed. He shoved down his jeans and lifted me back up, using his fingers to explore my entrance. He smiled at me as he found me wet and ready. “Is this all for me, trouble?”
“Of course,” I groaned back to him. “It’s only ever for you.”
He circled my clit a few times, and my head fell back against the wooden surface. As his fingers explored me, all I could do was hold on, not so patiently waiting for him to fuck me. There was something so raw, so primal about him taking me without protection. Even with Cam, we’d never done this. Emilia was the result of a broken condom and unfortunate timing.
However, I trusted Adam more than anyone else in my life. I knew he would rather hurt himself than risk harming me. As his thick cock nudged my entrance, our eyes met, and I felt the bond between us growing even stronger. Our gazes never drifted as he pushed inside me, my body almost fighting the intrusion. Even after taking him so many times, the first couple of thrusts were a little uncomfortable. But as soon as he gripped my hips and started to handle me more roughly, the hint of pain turned into the most intoxicating form of pleasure.
“Oh my God, Adam,” I moaned, feeling every inch inside my body. He fucked me with abandon, as if he couldn’t get enough. I tried to meet him thrust for thrust, rocking my hips against his.
“Shit, baby, keep doing that. Keep squeezing me like you never want me to stop.”
Words couldn’t form; my brain was too wrapped up in the pleasure he was giving me. It felt like we were the only two people in the world, and the rest of it had faded away. I met his eyes, and I felt wholly consumed by this powerful, beautiful man. How was it that someone with so much strength had the biggest heart out of anyone I’d ever met? I sent silent prayers to karma, the gods, and whoever would listen to thank them for bringing Adam into my life.
As his thumb found my clit, my back bowed with pleasure, giving into the waves crashing over me. But Adam’s hands gripped me tightly, ensuring I wouldn’t fall. I’d never felt as thoroughly fucked, as ruined, and as treasured at the same time.
“Atta girl,” Adam said as he nipped my lobe. “So beautiful when you fall apart. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
With a couple more thrusts, Adam roared his own release, clutching me tight against his damp skin. As he emptied inside me, I held onto him, wanting to savor this moment for a little bit longer. When he finally came down, he pulled back, smiling brightly at me. He thumbed away a few stray locks of hair before kissing my forehead. “You never cease to amaze me, trouble.”
As I stared into the depths of his eyes, the same three words fought to break free. I love you. I was dying to say it to him, to tell him how much he meant to me. But with the rest of our friends upstairs, it felt like we’d already crossed more lines than we should have when we weren’t alone.
Instead, I kissed him slowly, hoping to show the depth of my affection with my actions if I couldn’t give him my words just yet. “You have no idea how lucky I feel that I found you.”
His resulting smile was so bright, so genuine, it almost made my knees buckle. He held me close, placing my hand on top of his heart. “Same here, Tori. All my life, I’ve been searching for something like this. And I gotta be honest—I was starting to think this kind of relationship wasn’t meant for me.” He pulled back, his hand going to my cheek. “But really, I just needed you.”
After we returned to the apartment, my brother avoided us entirely, grumbling something under his breath about all of us needing boundaries. But nothing could dull my joy. It was odd; for so long, I thought words were my love language. But with Adam, as much as I wanted to hear him say ‘I love you,’ it felt almost unnecessary. He showed me, showed us , how much he loved us every day. It was in the way he played tea parties with Emilia and helped me with my studies. Every time he tucked Emilia into bed or kissed me goodnight, I could feel the depth of his adoration.
Cam knocked into my side, giving me a knowing smile. “So, you and Rice, huh?”
“Yup,” I chuckled.
He turned and stared at me, his usual grin missing. “You know I’m happy for you, right, Vic?”
“That means a lot, Cam.” I nodded, giving his hand a quick squeeze. “What about you? Anyone you’re interested in?”
A rare blush filled his cheeks, and all my senses went on high alert. There was someone. But Cam just shook his head, obviously unwilling to admit it to himself, “Nah, you know me, Vic. Between baseball and Em, I have everything I need.”
“That’s what I told myself too,” I chuckled. “Maybe you’re not ready yet. And that’s okay, Cam. But just promise me, if you find someone who makes you want to open up again, you’re not going to let them go before you give it a chance.”
“Maybe once I get this whole contract thing settled,” he sighed. “I love my team, but I’m ready for something more. Hopefully, my meeting will go well on Monday.” He crossed his arms around his chest. “Plus, Boston is only a couple of hours away from here, so I could come up on my days off and spend time with you and Emilia.”
I almost dropped my water cup. “Wh–What do you mean?”
“Come on, Vic.” He smiled at me. “I’d have to be blind not to see how much you love it here. You’ve got your man, your brother—a whole life in this little town. Back home, you’ve been coasting for years.”
“Ouch.”
Cam chuckled, pulling me into a hug. “That’s not how I meant it. I’m just saying that I’m happy for you. And if you want to stay here, we’ll make it work.”
I pulled back, searching his eyes. “But that wasn’t the plan. We were supposed to–”
“Plans change, Vic,” he said, leaning back to squeeze my shoulders. “You’ve spent the last eight years working around my schedule. You’re at every game, even lived with my parents to make my life easier. It’s my turn to do the same for you. Besides,” he nodded behind me, “then I get to hang out with Adam Rice and Gray Anders regularly. Pretty sure that would make any length of drive worth it.” He bopped me on the nose. “And I guess seeing you girls.”
“Funny,” I deadpanned. But as I turned to look at Adam on the other side of the room, my heart almost burst with happiness. In truth, I’d been dreading going back to Texas, not wanting to give up this little life I was creating here. I’d found a family beyond my brother, people who would be in our corner no matter what. It was a sense of belonging I never realized I was missing, and now that I’d experienced it, I didn’t think I’d be able to live without it.
And not to mention, Adam. We’d already talked about how life would look different if he went back to taking acting roles, but his home base would likely be here. He felt the same way I did—despite there being bigger, more luxurious places in the world, Saint Stephen’s Lake felt right.
Knowing I might be able to build a real life with him in a town we both loved, with our newfound family surrounding us, made my heart almost burst with hope for the future.
My words got caught in my throat as my eyes filled with happy tears. “Thank you,” I choked out to Cam, reaching out to pull him into a hug. “For everything.”
“Anything for you, Vic,” he mumbled. “After all, you gave me the best thing in my life. I’ll never be able to repay you for that.” He pulled back, “If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you. And I’m rooting for you. Always and forever.”
He held up his pinkie, one of our childish habits that followed us into adulthood. I smiled and wrapped my own around his. “Always and forever.”