BOONE
Despite her smiles, Nova radiated a weird energy. I knew something had her upset, but I doubted she knew the reason. Nova had learned to ignore even obvious problems. She was raised to avoid complaining, even to herself.
We kissed next to the SUV for ten minutes. Mostly, I held her against me and let her steal my calm. She was overwhelmed in a way that did no one any good.
By the time we walked to the carving station, Nova smiled more easily.
We found Skylar and Lyric at a table, surrounded by foxes.
Vanessa drew silly, fun faces on a group of pumpkins.
Goldie sat on the other side of the girls, cutting along Vanessa’s ink marks.
Jas and Dali scooped out the pulp and added it to a tray.
“Have you eaten roasted pumpkin seeds before?” Goldie asked the fascinated girls.
They shook their heads in unison while staring at how Vanessa drew a ghost on the front of the pumpkin.
“They’re yummy. The gift shop sells them and other treats. We’ll need to load up on them if that’s okay with your mom.”
The girls blinked wildly as if awakening from a dream. They suddenly noticed Nova and inhaled sharply before talking over each other about everything going on.
“Look at their guts,” Lyric said and pointed at the bowl of pulp. “Pumpkins don’t feel anything.”
Nova settled at the table and watched Vanessa and Goldie work with the same amazement as her girls. I stood behind Nova and rubbed her shoulders. She looked like a kid, discovering a new, fun activity.
“Our mom is really good at carving,” Goldie said as she smoothly moved the small blade along marks left behind by Vanessa. “Next year, we’ll need to invite her to join us.”
I shared a grin with my sister. Despite her wariness toward romantic relationships, she couldn’t help protecting mine.
Skylar and Lyric began their time at the pumpkin patch, seeming horrified.
They were all smiles by the time we headed out.
They each had a small jack-o'-lantern, a bag of roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin-flavored lollipops, and a pumpkin snow globe.
I bought extra goodies for Nova and a snow globe for my mom.
The foxes followed us to the restaurant. The girls loved their mini burritos and Mexican fried ice cream. I sat next to Nova and admired her beautiful face. Her brown hair felt like silk against my fingers. Her bright eyes couldn’t hide how much fun she was having.
By the time we arrived home, the girls were exhausted. They still talked a mile a minute when they showed Exile and Lula their goodies.
“We got you pumpkin seeds,” Skylar said and handed a bag to their uncle. “We got a lollipop for Dillon.”
Skylar and Lyric were yawning wide by the time we lit candles for their jack-o'-lanterns on the front porch. I picked up the girls and carried them to their room.
“Did you have fun?” I asked while Nova wiped them down and changed their clothes.
“Vanessa is my friend,” Skylar told me. “I’m going to draw like her.”
“Me, too,” Lyric said immediately. “I like art.”
I smiled at Nova, who had gotten overly quiet since we arrived. Her mood had been all over the place this evening.
Meanwhile, I chose to play the same role as my father when I was growing up. I remained a rock. Nothing fazed my good mood.
Even if Nova decided to skip fooling around in her SUV, I would remain undaunted. I was winning this woman’s heart and becoming a part of her daughters’ lives. Days ago, I stressed being a husband and father. Now, everything felt easy.
As Nova got the girls to sleep in their beds, I walked into the family room where Lula sat with Exile. Nova’s brother was stuck between focusing on his lusty wife and the guy he wanted to leave.
“Is there something you’re waiting for?” Exile asked me.
“Nova and I haven’t said goodnight.”
“Send her a text,” Exile muttered.
Lula snorted. “I ought to find your behavior obnoxious, but this possessive big brother crap is sexy.”
Exile stopped glaring at me long enough to notice her hand on his thigh. I saw him struggle between his husband and brother roles.
His behavior seemed weird to me. I wasn’t the enemy.
Nova wasn’t a child. After leaving her abusive husband, she had moved to a new state, given birth, raised two girls, and renovated a house.
She hadn’t become a recluse after the shooting.
Nova had proven herself strong, even if she and her brother acted like she needed babying.
“The girls are asleep,” Nova said, appearing from the hallway. “Boone and I are going out to my SUV to be alone.”
I smiled at how she’d changed into a skirt. Exile might have noticed the same thing. He frowned at me and then at his sister.
“Be alone here in the house. Lula and I are heading to bed, and Dillon is already in her room.”
Without a moment of hesitation, Nova replied, “No.”
I smiled as she walked to the front door. “Night, Lula.”
“Have fun, Boone.”
A scowling Exile didn’t appreciate his wife’s unwillingness to cockblock. Smiling at his irritation, I followed Nova outside to the porch, where she shivered. I slid off my jacket and helped her warm up.
“Won’t you be cold?” she asked as we walked to her SUV parked on the driveway.
“I’ll be warm soon enough.”
Nova flashed me a naughty grin before handing over her key fob. I drove us to a quiet area where Clint’s house would eventually be built.
“What would you think about living next door to Clint and Ivy one day?” I asked as we switched to the back seat. “This is the lot where they would likely build. Would living next door to them be too much, or would you like having them as neighbors?”
Nova looked around, barely able to see as the last of the sunlight disappeared over the horizon. She crawled onto my lap and cupped my jaw.
“How can you be so sure about us?”
“Aren’t you?”
“I only know how I feel. I’ve never been very good at reading other people.”
“Well, I love you, Nova. I didn’t think it could happen so quickly, but you’re everything I hoped you’d be. So, while we might not be ready to live together yet, I know it’ll eventually happen.”
After glancing around the quiet, unused road, Nova studied me.
My hands gripped her waist as I explained, “For so much of your life, you’ve been a chess piece moved around the board by others.
With me, I want you to have choices. If you don’t want to live here, I want you to say so.
If you want our relationship to move quickly, we’ll press our feet down on the accelerator.
If you need more time, we’ll ease on the brake.
You’re the one driving us toward our future.
I’ll enjoy the ride no matter what speed you take. ”
Nova opened her mouth to speak. I felt her struggling with what to say. Rather than sharing her heart’s confusion, she simply kissed me.
My hands enjoyed her soft curves. Nova murmured against my lips when my thumbs caressed her nipples. Her hips rolled reflexively.
I deepened the kiss, licking and nipping at her wet mouth. Nova’s breathing sped up. She rubbed her crotch against mine, making my dick thicken.
I lifted her shirt over her bra and leaned her back so I could nibble at her nipples through the fabric. Nova’s fingers sank into my hair. Her moans filled the car. My hands disappeared under her skirt to find her pussy bare and wet.
“Nova,” I whispered as she gripped my shoulders. When her gaze searched for mine in the dark vehicle, I asked, “Did you walk out the door without panties?”
A naughty grin warmed her face. “Walked right past my brother.”
“Wild women are fucking sexy,” I said and kissed her.
Nova moaned in my mouth as I teased her clit. My index finger disappeared inside her. Nova’s pussy immediately sucked at it.
Breaking free of the kiss, she nearly begged, “Take your pants off.”
“I’m shy,” I replied, making her snicker.
Nova lifted her hips while I shoved down my jeans and briefs. Nova instantly reached for my dick like an addict desperate for a hit. I sighed as her fingers wrapped around my erection and guided me between her folds.
Nova welcomed me inside her body and dropped down so I filled her. As we sighed together, I cradled her jaw and made her focus on me.
“I love you,” I said when she seemed lost in her head. “That’s why this feels great.”
Nova inhaled sharply and sighed. “I love you, too. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you goodbye last night,” she mumbled and kissed me.
Wrapping my arms around her body, I tried to comfort the edgy part of her. I wasn’t sure why Nova was so riled up. Maybe dating brought back bad memories. Or her anxiety was as simple as she missed me when I wasn’t around.
Nova clung to me after we’d both orgasmed. She hid her face in the crook of my neck while I stroked her soft hair and enjoyed the feel of her pussy still sucking at my cock.
“Don’t let it be over,” she whispered, still hiding her face.
“I have nowhere else to be. Your girls are asleep. We can take our time.”
Nova lifted her head. Though I felt her studying me, the night had grown too dark to see her features clearly.
“Tonight was magical, but I felt scared. Does that make sense?”
“Yes,” I said and kissed her.
Nova’s lips curved upward as her arms wrapped around my neck. I caressed her bare stomach before cupping her tits. We took our time working toward another fuck.
Even after her body was pleasured, Nova radiated a strange melancholy. Her mood got worse once we were standing on her front porch.
“Can I come over tomorrow?” I asked when Nova lowered her head sadly.
“When?”
“Whenever you want me here.”
Nova lifted her gaze and sighed. “Are we moving too fast?”
“Do you want space?”
“No.”
“Neither do I, so we’re not moving too fast.”
“I don’t want to overwhelm you or scare you off.”
“I’m not a mysterious guy,” I promised and kissed her head. “If something bothers me, I’ll spit it out. Since I’m not complaining, you shouldn’t worry.”
Nova nodded and gripped my hand. “Maybe we can come to your condo this weekend. The girls and me, I mean.”
“We’ll take them swimming and let them nap in the second bedroom. The more time they spend around me, the less weird they’ll feel about me kissing and hugging you.”
“They’ve only seen Dan touch me before. They worry you’re bullying me.”
Grinning, I hugged Nova and held her for a few minutes. I knew she wasn’t ready to head inside. I understood how she felt. We’d been circling each other for months. Now that we’d gotten a taste, being apart felt like a punishment.
But eventually, Exile started peering through the windows. Nova grumbled under her breath about him being overprotective. With the chill in the air, I knew Nova needed to head inside.
I took my jacket, gave her a lingering kiss, and opened the front door. Despite my promise to see her tomorrow, Nova watched me like I was leaving forever.
I hated how afraid she looked. A part of me considered staying overnight. That choice wouldn’t have gone over well with Exile. I also didn’t think Nova was ready for me to be around when her girls got up.
So, rather than shoving my way into the house and taking what I wanted, I climbed on my motorcycle and began the countdown until I could hold Nova again.