Chapter Forty-Two
I wake up warm.
That’s the first thing I notice.
Not just the room—though the old farmhouse is comfortably heated—but the body pressed against mine.
Shelby is curled on her side, tucked perfectly into the hollow of my chest. My arm is wrapped around her waist, my hand resting just under the curve of her ribs. Her hair is wild.
Morning light barely peeks through the curtains, brushing her cheek and the bridge of her nose. Her lips are parted in sleep, soft and unguarded, nothing like the spicy woman who throws verbal daggers at me when she’s awake.
I should go before I get caught in her bed by her entire family.
That’s a responsible thought.
But I don’t move.
I lean down and press a gentle kiss into her hair, right at the crown of her head.
She stirs.
I smile against her. I was hoping for that.
I trail another kiss down, featherlight along her temple. Then her cheek. Then the corner of her mouth.
“Way …” she murmurs, half asleep.
“Morning, Stormy,” I whisper.
Her lashes flutter. One blue eye cracks open, then the other. For a split second, she looks confused.
“You’re still here.”
“Yep,” I say softly.
“What time is it?”
“Not sure. Sun’s coming up,” I say as I slide my hand around to caress her breast.
“Mmm,” she hums.
I shift so my morning erection presses into her backside.
“Do you have to work today?” she asks as she moves her hips into me.
“Nope. Perk of being the boss’s son. Thanksgiving off.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” she breathes as my hand travels down her stomach and between her legs.
She shifts to give me better access. I tease her opening, getting her nice and wet as she writhes against my palm.
“Waylon,” she gasps.
“Shh,” I whisper against her ear. “You were such a good girl last night. Being so quiet. Can you do that again for me?”
She sucks her bottom lip between her teeth and nods for me as she moves her leg back over mine, opening herself.
I slip inside her gently and slowly make love to her from behind, my finger continuing to rub circles over her clit.
She moans as I hold her leg higher on my hip so I can move deeper. She’s adorable, her eyes squeezed shut as she tries not to cry out.
“Oh God,” she whimpers quietly. “I’m gonna come.”
She gasps as her body starts to tremble. I pull out and thrust two fingers deep inside her.
“Waylon.”
“Sorry, baby. Forgot a condom. My fingers are gonna have to get you there.” I add another one, curling them as I pump in and out of her warm, tight flesh. Wishing it were still my cock.
A few seconds later, she turns her head and plants her face into her pillow as her orgasm floods my hand. I continue to work my fingers in and out until her body stops twitching and she collapses against the mattress.
“Fuck, that was hot as hell,” I say as I kiss the back of her neck.
She rolls her head and peeks up at me as I lick my fingers clean.
For a moment, we just lie there, wrapped up in each other, the world outside her bedroom forgotten. If I could freeze time, this is where I’d want to stay forever.
But reality creeps in with the light.
“I should go,” I say.
“Yeah,” she agrees, though she doesn’t move away.
Eventually, she slips out of my arms and slides off the bed, grabbing a sweatshirt from the back of her chair. I sit up and swing my legs over the side, reaching for my jeans and boots.
Her eyes fall to my now semi-hard cock. She drops to her knees and crawls to me.
“What are you doing?” I rasp.
“Seeing if you can be a good boy and stay real quiet for me,” she says as her hand wraps around me and strokes.
She runs a finger through the dollop of clear liquid at the tip. My cock twitches in her grip, and my breath catches as I watch her.
She returns my stare, biting down on her bottom lip.
“Don’t tease me,” I hiss as my hand fists her hair.
“Shh. Quiet, remember?” she says as she licks the tip and moans.
She rolls her tongue around the swollen head a few times before finally opening her mouth and taking me deep.
She keeps her fingers wrapped firmly around me as I pump my hips and glide in as far as I can go. She sucks as I thrust slowly in and out of her mouth.
My free hand caresses her jaw. “That’s it, baby. Fuck, you suck my cock so good,” I whisper.
She whimpers, and the sound vibrates around my flesh. I can feel my cock growing thicker as she pulls back and drags the edge of her teeth lightly down my length.
I growl low and deep as the speed of my thrusts increases.
“I’m going to come,” I warn.
She grips the back of my thigh with one hand as my release hits the back of her throat.
“That’s it. Swallow all of me, baby.”
She sits back on her heels. Her lips swollen with a hint of my seed gathering at the corner of her mouth.
Mine. The word roars loud and clear in my head.
This woman owns me.
“Coast is clear,” she whispers, glancing back at me from her bedroom door.
We tiptoe out into the hallway. I carry my boots in one hand, walking in my socks. Shelby leads the way down the stairs, carefully placing her feet on the edges, where the wood doesn’t creak.
We make it halfway down when she stops abruptly.
I almost run into her.
She turns to me, eyes wide. “Oh crap.”
I follow her gaze.
Evelyn is standing in the kitchen in her robe, already fully awake, pouring coffee into a mug.
While her back is still to us, we hurry down the last few steps.
Shelby shoves me gently toward the front door before bolting toward the kitchen. “Go. Now.”
I start to turn.
“Waylon?” Grandma calls out calmly. “You not joining us for breakfast?”
I freeze.
Every bone in my body knows better than to lie to that woman.
I turn slowly, like I’ve been caught stealing. “Um … I should get home.”
“Nonsense.” She sets her mug down and fixes me with a look. “Not until you’ve eaten. Sit down.”
I run a hand through my hair and glance at Shelby. She just shrugs helplessly.
Okay then.
I sigh and walk to the table, setting my boots by the door before taking a seat.
“Well, good morning to you two,” Evelyn says as Shelby sinks into the seat beside me.
“Morning,” we both reply.
Within minutes, the house starts waking up. Harleigh wanders in first, hair piled on her head, yawning. Cabe follows, then Albert, then Earl. Matty comes down slowly, one hand on her stomach. Charli wanders in the back door, Bryce trailing like a shadow.
They all take their places like nothing is unusual.
Like I’m not sitting right here.
Evelyn brings out biscuits and a big pan of sausage gravy. Albert gets his own plate of fruit and eggs, though he still swipes a biscuit from Earl’s plate when he thinks she’s not looking.
The table fills with chatter—plans for the day, everyone’s job from cooking to place settings to cleanup afterward, arguments about who’s gonna win the Thanksgiving football game. No one even acknowledges the fact that I was apparently just sneaking out of Shelby’s bedroom.
It’s surreal.
I catch Shelby’s eye. Her cheeks are pink, her hair still a mess from sleep. She looks … beautiful.
Then Harleigh meets my gaze across the table.
She grins.
And winks.