Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
Phoebe
“I’m too heavy.”
“You are not.” He gripped my ass, lifting me a little higher on his torso to get a hold of my mouth.
Mouse made a disgruntled sound. We both laughed and looked down at him. “Scram, pal. You’ll get all the attention in like an hour.”
If a dog could roll his eyes, Mouse would. He took himself off to lay on the porch as Dutch took the stairs two at a time. Those hours on his rowing machine were not lost on me. His shoulders might even be bigger at this point and his thighs...
I hummed as he propped me against the door to fumble with the doorknob. I giggled as we staggered into the foyer. He strode down the hall to his room and dumped me on the bed.
“So romantic.” I crab walked my way up the bed, but he grabbed my ankle and hauled me back under him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He snuck under my butt and rolled my shorts over my hips.
“Just making room for you.”
“No so fast.” He nuzzled his way over my sweatshirt to the cropped hem and kissed his way down my belly to the scrap of underwear I’d put on. I’d hoped to convince him to be a little late for the party.
“What do we have here?”
I arched my back as his fingers slipped under the elastic. “Easy access. We have to make this fast.”
“What if I want to take my time?” He flicked his tongue over the panel of cotton over my pussy.
“Later.” I tugged his hair, pulling him up to cover me. I fumbled with his jeans and circled him. “Take me fast. Make me feel it.”
His silvery eyes went hot. “Don’t make that kind of demand on me right now, Phoebe.”
I wrapped my leg around his hip. “Watching you haul off and punch that smug son of a bitch did something to me.”
“Is that right?” He nosed along my neck.
“Yes. I didn’t know how much I needed you to punish him.”
He leaned back, his eyes fierce.
“I’ll be right by your side when you rip him apart in court.” He covered my mouth with a groan as I palmed him, twisting with a little extra pressure. “Inside me,” I said against his mouth.
“Phoebe.”
“Now.”
He pushed the thong aside and drove into me until my teeth rattled.
My hands raced under his shirt, my nails scoring over his back as I pulled him closer.
“Closer,” I said and wrapped my arms and legs around him until all his weight was on me.
Until there was only heat and friction and vicious need.
He rolled us, setting me astride him. “Off,” he panted.
I stripped the sweatshirt off and his hands raced over my waist, my belly, my breasts before they finally settled on my hips, rocking me again and again against him.
My head fell back as he filled me just right.
So full and perfect. My eyes fluttered open to see him streaked in sunlight.
His silvery eyes lost the shadows that were always so close at hand.
His eyes wild for me as he lifted his hips to meet me again and again.
I dug my fingers into his chest, pushing for more even as my body demanded me to slow down.
He lifted up, muscles rippling in the sun, sheened with sweat as he cradled me close, slowing the pace until the whirlwind between us slid into syrupy sweetness.
His gray eyes languid with happiness as he cupped the back of my head to sip from my mouth as I shuddered, my body finally unable to stop the fall.
But he never let me go as his name became a worshipful sigh. Only after I melted around him did he follow me, his breath on my neck and lips murmuring my name.
We fell into an exhausted heap, sweaty and spent.
“Sir,” I said on a purr. “You can ravish me after a fight any time.”
He chuckled against my shoulder. “This time it wasn’t us fighting.”
I trailed my calf along his hair roughened thigh. “No, we were not.” I pushed his wild hair out of his face. “Are you really okay?”
He turned his face into my hand. “I really am.”
“Okay, good, because we need to get up.” I pushed at him until we untangled.
“Good thing I love you because this energy you have after wiping my brain clean is just cruel.”
I grinned. “All the endorphins and happy sparkles under my skin get me revved.”
He gave me a hard kiss. “My golden goddess.”
“I can get used to that nickname.” I rolled off him and yelped when he slapped my ass.
I loved this side of him. Where the shadows weren’t quite so prevalent anymore. I yelped as he lifted me off my feet and hauled me into the bathroom.
By the time he was done with me in the shower, we were not even remotely on time for my brother’s party.
I rushed around, gathering all the cookies and pastries I’d made at Dutch’s house. We made a pitstop at my house where I swapped my baking clothes for a sundress with a sweater for later. Spring in Haven meant two whole seasons in one day, sometimes three.
“We really have to figure out a better system with our houses.” I said as I rushed back to his truck with my arms full of plastic bins stuffed with my brother’s favorite thumbprint cookies and brookies.
He draped his arm across the seat, pushing Mouse out of the way as he tried to get a sniff of the food.
“I was actually thinking about that.”
I stacked the Tupperware behind the seat and gave Mouse a kiss on his nose before I climbed in. “Is that right?”
“I extended the rental on the cottage.”
“Yeah?” I did a little clap. “That means you’re sticking around?”
He leaned over and kissed me softly. “What do you think about expanding your house? I asked about the land on the other side of you but I found out it’s not available. But maybe we can build up.”
I smiled. “It’s not available because I own it.”
His eyes widened as he sat back. “Really?”
I nodded. “My great-aunt left me over three acres.”
“That’s amazing.”
I leaned across the dog and the console. “You want to build a house with me?”
“I want to build a life with you.”
My heart stuttered and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as he put the truck in drive.
I wasn’t sure I could hold all the happiness inside me as we got closer to my parents’ house.
The driveway and street were full of cars and trucks.
My sister’s muddy Jeep was in the driveway, thank goodness.
It was always easier to deal with a family gathering when my sister was around.
We loaded all the trays and tubs into a rolling bag I kept for transporting the sassy glass and wooden signs I sold on the side. When we got to the grass, Dutch used all those rowing muscles to carry it around the back. The sun was shining and there was no sign of rain for once.
Mouse was pulling a little at his leash; he wasn’t used to wearing one. “My family can be a bit much.”
“You keep warning me, I’m still not going anywhere.”
I laughed. “They’re not bad, it’s just...well, you’ll see.”
The backyard was divided up into zones. Huge white canopies were set up to protect the food.
Two massive grills were going and Heavenly Bite catering trays of food were stashed on one of the many six foot tables.
My dad was manning one of the grills and the sharp scent of onions and peppers teased the air.
“There’s my girl.” My dad waved to me. Mike Valentine was as handsome as my brothers but his dark hair had faded to salt and pepper with a little added padding to his waist thanks to his love of food. The closer he got to retirement, the more he cooked these days.
I pointed to Dutch to tuck the bag of sweets under the table so they didn’t melt or get eaten by the heathens right away.
I went over to my dad and gave him a hug. “Dad, I want you to meet Mouse.”
“Well, hello there. That name does not compute.” He crouched down and instantly Mouse’s tail went into helicopter mode. “You should be Snow Beast or Yeti.”
I laughed. “You should have heard all the names I came up with. I tried Falcor—he wasn’t about it.”
Dutch came up with a tight smile. “Hi.”
“Dad, meet Atticus Dutch.”
“Dutch,” he said quietly. “About time.” My dad straightened, laughing when Mouse leaned against him enough to put him off balance. He held his hand out. “Seems you two can’t make time to get away for family dinner lately.”
I moved to Dutch’s side. “We’ve both been working a lot.”
“Mr. Valentine.” Dutch shook his hand then found mine, our fingers lacing together easily.
My dad glanced at our linked hands. “Like that, is it?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t give him a hard time, he still has to meet Keaton.”
My dad laughed. “You can call me Mike. Big Mike if I like you. We’ll see about that one.”
Dutch scrubbed his palm against his outer thigh. “Thanks for the invite. Your place is really nice.”
“Thanks, we like it. Her mom would be happy if I let her put the pond in at the edge of the property, but I think she needs to get away from hockey for at least a few hours a day.”
My mother would live at the rink if she could.
“Pretty sure she officially has keys to the Zamboni,” I muttered.
“She does.” My dad opened the lid to the grill and pushed around the peppers and onions then flipped the sausage. “She got licensed last season.”
“You’re kidding.”
He shook his head. “Frank broke his leg and they didn’t have anyone to drive it. She learned in a week.”
“Next she’ll be coaching the Haven Renegades.”
“You’re out of the loop, my girl. We already are.”
“What?”
“Yeah, Coach Dalton retired to Florida. Your mom volunteered us.”
I glanced over at my mother who was hovering around my brother and his friends, refilling beers and sodas. “Does Keaton know?”
“Yeah. She’s been trying to get him to come in and help.”
“How’s that going?”
“Guess.” He kissed my forehead. “I need a beer. Want one?”
I shook my head and so did Dutch.
“Suit yourself. Go say hi to your brother.”
“Where’re Lance and Lib?”
“Inside. Liberty found a kitten on the way over.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“At least it was a kitten, and not a flea-infested opossum this time,” he called on his way over to the tent.
“My sister can’t resist rescuing animals.”
“Yeah, she works at a rescue?”