Chapter 20
TWENTY
Owen
I hover between sleep and waking, sunk deep into the mattress as the duvet cover wraps our bodies in warmth. Meadow’s smooth skin presses against mine as her breath flutters over my chest.
Just when I think I’m the only one half-awake, I feel the faint drag of her fingers across my ribs. I slowly peel my eyes open and blink a few times, adjusting to the light.
The sunrise pours through the windows, lighting up the skin we’ve left uncovered. Meadow is draped over me, her lower half hidden beneath sheets. Her dark hair splays across my pillow like silk as she reaches up and trails her index finger along my chest.
She turns her head into me, her lips brushing my sternum in a featherlight kiss. I let my hand graze up her back, my palm rubbing against her soft skin as I trail my fingertips between her shoulder blades.
“Mmmm,” she hums sleepily, her voice hazy and content.
“Morning,” I rasp, pressing my lips to the top of her head.
My heart wakes up, thudding against my ribs as she places another kiss to my chest, tracing the lines of my abs with her fingers.
“Morning,” she mutters softly, nuzzling into me.
I tighten my arm around her waist, drawing her flush against my chest until the sheet falls lower, exposing more of her than I can handle this morning. I internally battle the instinct to flip us over and bury myself deep inside her again.
After last night—knowing what it feels like to have her shatter around my cock—I’ll spend every waking minute fighting the urge to get lost in her every chance I get.
Fuck… Last night.
The way Meadow looked at me in the mirror, her expression lust-drunk as I thrust up into her.
The way her full breasts bounced up and down as I fucked up into her without reserve.
Her eyes—pupils full-blown and cloudy with lust. Seeing Meadow finally realize how beautiful she is, watching herself come apart as I lapped up her wetness with my tongue.
The way her voice got all low and raspy when she told me I could come inside her.
Jesus Christ… Everything about last night was so hot.
And with Meadow still in my lap, after we both caught our breath, I almost told her that I loved her.
Right there in that cum-soaked chair, I was one breath away from admitting that I am so ridiculously in love with her.
Part of me regrets that I didn't.
But the other part of me feels relieved because what if she didn't reciprocate my feelings? What if it scared her away?
Would she still be here right now, lying against me while pressing soft kisses to my collarbone?
I drag a hand through my hair, kicking myself for not knowing if I should just say fuck it and confess my love to her or hold off until I know for certain she feels the same way.
Even though Meadow never talks about her love life, I get the feeling that she’s the type of person who likes to be cautious in relationships and take things slow.
I almost laugh at the thought because what we did last night was anything but slow.
After I took her on the chair, we fucked three more times—in the bed, under the shower’s scalding spray, and pressed against the doorframe when we couldn't wait to make it back to the bed the third time.
We were insatiable, getting lost in each other until we collapsed in bed together, tangled in a delirium of limbs, kisses, and sweat.
When sleep finally claimed us, we were so spent we might as well have been fused together, every inch of our skin magnetized.
Meadow slides a few inches up my body and rests her chin against my chest, her mocha eyes staring up at me as a sleepy smile curves her lips.
There’s a lightness in her gaze today, something more comfortable and open. Her fingers dip, tracing the valley of my ribs.
“Owen…”
“Yeah, baby?”
Fuck, I love calling her that.
I hope she doesn't think it’s weird.
She definitely didn't mind when I called her baby last night and told her to come for me.
All the blood in my body rushes to my groin at the memory.
“How long?” she asks, voice low. Her question takes me by surprise.
My brows pinch together. “What?”
She lifts her eyes to mine, her cheek pressed against my chest. “How long have you felt this way… About me?”
Since the second I laid eyes on you.
I reach down and gently swipe a strand of dark hair from her eyes.
“I knew you were special from the moment I met you,” I start. “You were sarcastic and witty, but also guarded and sweet. You could make me laugh one second, then start talking about books and theories in the next,” I chuckle.
“Of course, I’ve always thought you were beautiful,” I continue, “but your mind fascinates me. I could just sit next to you and watch you think, and that would be enough.”
She blinks, her cheeks blushing as she gazes up at me with hearts in her eyes.
“That’s really sweet, but…” she deflects, letting out a nervous chuckle. “I’m pretty basic… Especially compared to the women you’ve dated in the past.”
“Basic?” I repeat, offended on her behalf.
I slide my hand from her hair down to her jaw, tilting her face up so she has no choice but to look straight into my eyes.
“Meadow, do you hear yourself right now?” I murmur. “You are not basic. You’re layered. You’re careful. You don’t hand people pieces of yourself for free. But you are not fucking basic. You’re the only woman who’s ever made me question everything I thought I wanted.”
I ponder telling her that she’s the reason I ended things with my ex; why I decided I couldn't marry another woman when all I can fucking think about every second of my day is Meadow.
Hell, the entire time I was with my ex, I was basically mentally cheating with Meadow. I’ve lost track of how many times I fucked my ex, closing my eyes and imagining it was Meadow.
But I’m also terrified to admit that to her because she internalizes everything . I know she’ll end up blaming herself for the breakup and start to spiral, which is the last thing I want.
Especially when we only have one night left here.
Thankfully, she lets me off the hook by leaning up and pressing her lips to mine.
“Thank you,” she whispers against my mouth. “That might—that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
My lips curve up in a smile as I lean in and brush my lips against hers in a slow, lingering kiss.
When I pull back and flash her a playful smirk, she tilts her head and arches a brow.
“Me next,” I grin. “Time for you to whisper sweet nothings in my ear now.”
She throws her head back and laughs.
“You’re a real piece of work, Owen Brooks. You know that?”
“Oh, I know,” I chuckle, agreeing with her. “That’s why I’m so curious as to why you’ve been crushing on me all this time.”
She rolls her eyes, lightly shaking her head as a cute smile curls her lips.
“If you really want to know,” she exhales, “I’ll be honest, I thought you were hot at first. Just really fucking hot.”
A low laugh rumbles from my chest.
“Wow, how romantic of you,” I quip.
“But then,” she continues, her expression softening, “I got to know you, and your personality made you a thousand times more attractive, which I didn’t know was humanly possible,” she laughs softly.
My eyes flick between hers as I listen, waiting patiently for her next words.
“But every day as I walked into the office, no matter how shitty of a morning I’d had, I knew you were going to make me smile,” she adds.
“You were going to tell me some corny joke, make a hilarious comment about an annoying coworker, or ask me to walk with you to get a coffee just to make me feel better. With you…” she trails off, swallowing thickly.
“I always feel… happy. And that’s not an emotion that’s come easy to me most of my life. ”
Fuck.
My heart physically cracks open.
I love her.
I love her so much it’s killing me.
I want to tell her… I want to tell her so fucking bad.
But we only have one night left here, and I’m not about to fuck it up by love bombing her.
I plan to love-bomb the hell out of her when we get back to Chicago because, at least there, I know where she lives. If she shuts me out, I can go full stalker mode and bang on her door until she lets me in.
Call me creepy, but I’m not kidding.
I’m not letting her go.
Instead of spilling every piece of my heart to her, I flip us so she’s on her back and I’m hovering above her. Meadow parts her lips, and I lower my mouth to hers, our tongues rubbing together in a deep, intoxicating kiss that makes us both groan.
If I can’t use my words to express my love to her, I’ll use my body for now.
Sink into her and give her what’s left of my soul.
When we get on that plane back to Chicago, I’ll be a changed man.
Before this trip, Meadow had me wrapped around her finger. Now, she fucking owns me.
Aside from going to the wedding tonight, I don’t care if we do anything today but stay in this bed all day. Naked and wrapped up in one another until we have to get ready.
Meadow whimpers as I rub my hard cock through her soaked slit to find her already wet and throbbing for me.
This is it… Everything I’ve been searching for—the feeling I didn’t know I was missing until her.