Chapter 26 Willow
My bachelorette party wasn’t nearly as much of a bust as Dallas’s, but it left me feeling bitter all the same.
I was the only single woman out tonight. Rose, Charlie, Pepper, their sister-in-law Tessa, who’s a fellow redhead and hilarious, are all married or practically married. And also Ginger, who has a not-so-secret relationship with Connor Thorne.
Rose, Charlie, and Ginger were the only ones tonight who knew this whole thing with Dallas is a farce, so I had to act like the blissful bride-to-be all night long.
It was exhausting . . . and depressing.
Rose and Charlie brought me home just before midnight and suggested a quiet drink out on the back porch. While they grabbed the glasses and a bottle of wine, I fetched a few blankets.
Now, the three of us are settled under the stars, wrapped up and sipping in the stillness—Rose and I on the swing and Charlie stretched out on the loveseat across from us.
“You’re a real trooper,” Rose tells me, words slurred, smile wide.
I snort. “Yeah, it was a real rough night. All those half-naked dancers. The free drinks.”
Charlie giggles low. “And where you all been hidin’ Ginger? She was the life of the party.”
Rose laughs. “Did you see the look on her face when tassel-cowboy shook his junk in front of her?”
“Shh. There are innocent ears two windows up,” I whisper and point.
Charlie hums and looks up at the stars for a long moment. “Nice digs you got here, Willow.”
I’m about to absently thank her when reality slowly settles and my stomach sinks. “You know it’s not mine.”
She scoffs like she knows better than I do. “Right.”
I exchange a look with Rose and she rolls her eyes. “Charlie’s a book nerd. She believes in happy endings.”
“Excuse me, but I happen to be living mine and it didn’t come from a book,” Charlie argues.
“Oh yeah? Did you fall for your boss too, like Rose here?” I sidetrack.
“Noah, my boss?” she laughs. “Heavens no. We got stuck helping Chase and Pepper plan their wedding together. It was also the same week I was wrongfully evicted—so he practically kidnapped me to stay with him—after he threatened my landlord with a class-action lawsuit and somehow made the old man owe me money.”
“Sounds like a fun recipe to me.” I snicker and sip.
“Sure. If he hadn’t dumped me three years before for cheating on him.”
I sit up, nearly choking. “You cheated on Noah?” Somehow, I don’t see a man as ice-cold as Noah forgiving something like that. And Charlie—just doesn’t seem like the type. She’s Little Miss Sunshine who owns a children’s bookstore.
“She’s exaggerating.” Rose rolls her eyes, clearly knowing more about the story.
“Blame it on the drinks, but I’ve got to say, you two don’t seem like a . . . likely pair . . .”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Charlie goes on with her point. “All I’m saying is sometimes the best things . . . start off a bit messy.” She takes a sip of wine and shrugs. “What if this is just the start of something that was always meant to be yours?”
I can tell by Rose’s expression she doesn’t agree. Or she’s protectively wary. But she doesn’t say as much.
Frustrated with her silence, I decide to let Charlie in on a little secret. “I’m not letting myself believe that. It’s dangerous territory for me.”
Charlie cocks her head at me. “First off—interesting. Second, how so?”
“I’ve got a track record for falling for the wrong guy. Toxic, unavailable, uncommitted. And a recent rock-bottom relationship had me swearing off men for a while.”
I say the words I’ve been telling myself for months like a broken record no one—least of all me—cares to hear anymore. The words that seem foreign when the subject is Dallas.
Charlie hiccups, bringing her wine to her lips. “Boy, did you pick the wrong time to end that streak.”
I take a slow sip, the wine suddenly bitter. Because the truth is, I can press pause on this thing between Dallas and me all I want. But I know in my heart—he’s not the wrong guy.
I’m not blinded this time. I’m not seeing something that isn’t there. I’m seeing something that’s so right, so good and so rich with everything I’ve been missing—that it hurts.
I’ve fallen for Dallas Thorne.
Painfully hard.
Not in that over-the-moon, scream-at-the-top-of-my-lungs kind of love.
But a raw, aching kind that makes you want to cry. A lonely kind.
Because as much as we both want all in, he’s emotionally charged with grief, loss, and fear of losing people he loves.
While I’m stirring with how deeply I’ve fallen. First for the girl, then this house, and now for the man.
I pour a glass of whiskey and head upstairs. My heart geared up to drop to my stomach if this goes sideways.
Dallas’s bedroom door is cracked open, a habit of his I’d noticed, so he can hear Ellie if she needs him.
I swallow and knock. He’s at the door in a matter of seconds, sleepy and sexy with his tousled hair, tanned skin. Boxers resting low at the hips.
He scans me. “What time is it?”
“Late.”
He eyes the whiskey. “Thought you girls were drinkin’ wine downstairs.”
“We were. This is for you.”
He inches closer, assessing me. “You all right?”
My eyes sting because I want to say no. But I nod. I nod because I am now. With the way he’s looking at me. Like he’d kill anyone who might’ve hurt me tonight.
He wraps a firm warm hand on my wrist and brings me inside. “Stay here.” Then he leaves me alone, walking across the hall to check on Ellie briefly.
I stare blindly at the dark room. The soft streaks of moonlight edging along the walls as they bleed through the window. Still no curtains. But just as warm and welcoming.
He steps back into the room, this time shutting the door behind him.
“I don’t need this.” He takes the glass from me and sets it aside. His hands return to me instantly, framing my face, running his thumb back and forth along my frown. “What is it, baby? What’s wrong?”
I meet his eyes. “I want to unpause.”
His grin is slow. “And you thought I needed liquid courage?”
I shrug innocently. “It would only be fair.”
He sighs heavily, drawing back like he’s obligated by some rule to turn me down.
“Dallas.”
“Willow,” he rasps, a strain in his voice.
“If I stand on one foot and press a finger to my nose for one whole minute, will you let me stay?” I smile coyly.
He huffs a laugh, taking my hands and pulling me toward the bed. He sits and holds my waist as I step between his legs. “How was your night?”
My lip quirks. “The girls had fun.”
“And you?” He starts to tug teasingly on the hem of my dress.
I stroke his beard lightly with my fingers. “What do you think?”
He pushes to his feet with a low growl, covering my mouth in a hungry kiss, devouring me with his tongue. Breaking for a breath only to pull the dress over my head.
He cups my breast over the thin fabric of my bra, squeezing hard, dipping his fingers inside then yanking one cup down.
My head falls back in an invitation he reads like a book.
He sucks a nipple into his mouth, making me cry out. “You love my mouth on you, don’t you, Sunset?”
“Hmm, yes,” I gasp.
“Been thinking about it sliding into you all night, haven’t you?” he murmurs against my lips.
I only whimper in response and he slaps one ass cheek, making me cry out. “Yes.”
“Good.” He runs his hands down my sides, hovering over my panties.
“Let me guess,” I pant. “Last chance to change my mind?”
His fingers stroke back up my arms and he kisses my lips softly. “Never. You control that pause button.”
I cup his jaw. “Strip me,” I whisper harshly.
Another low curse before he all but destroys the last bits of fabric left on my skin.
“Look at you. You’re so damn beautiful.” His fingers dip between my legs and I shudder. “Soaked too.”
He presses a sweet kiss to me again and I close my eyes. Half worshiping his tenderness. Half wishing he wasn’t following all the love-making steps.
“Willow, turn around,” he growls low.
I open my eyes, a glimmer in them as I meet his, now dark and lust-filled.
“Crawl on my bed and stay on all fours for me.”
Aroused more than I’ve ever been, I turn, facing away from him, eyeing his massive bed with a grin before crawling over it.
I don’t feel exposed. I feel sexy, wanted.
And that’s all before I look over my shoulder at him.
He tugs his boxers down, his big, hard cock springing free.
I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, suppressing a gasp.
Our eyes lock as he strokes himself. I whimper, wanting him inside me. Unsure if I can take it all at once, especially starting with this position. But fuck if my pussy isn’t throbbing for the challenge right now.
Pulling on a condom from his drawer, he sheathes himself and I turn my face, ready for him. His hands grip my thighs and I can practically feel his cock inside me. I’m dripping for it.
I gasp when his tongue plunges into me instead, fucking me with an impressive length of its own. With a closed mouth, I cry out, practically in tears as he sucks, licks, and fucks me with his mouth. In seconds, I’m shattering, coming so hard I drop my head into his pillow and scream.
I feel his weight on the bed as I come down, his arms wrapping around me and turning me onto my back. He brushes his thumb across my flushed cheek. “You good?”
I release a breath, grinning lazily. “You tricked me.”
“Needed you to come first.” He runs a hand around my breast and down my side then slowly between my legs. I jerk, still sensitive and still so needy for him. I can feel his cock—long, hard, poking against my skin.
I arch into him in a silent plea as he strokes me. “Dallas,” I moan.
“Almost there.” His breath is warm and soft against my skin. “Caught you eyeing me. You’re not sure if you can take it all.”
I dig my fingers into his hair. “I can.”
“I know you can.” He rubs slow circles. “And you will.” His voice is firm yet tender, making me wetter, hotter. “Making sure it’s easy on you.”
I relax in his arms, tilting my head to kiss him. Deep, raw, the kind of kiss that doesn’t scream fuck me. It screams I’ve fallen for you. I trust you. And as long as I’m in his arms, I’m good.
I hardly notice when Dallas stops working me. All I feel is the slow flex of his muscles when he pushes inside me. One. Long. Thrust.
I suck in a breath against his lips. Trembling because it feels so good.
He’s big, filling me completely. He doesn’t ease in, he doesn’t wait for me to adjust. There’s zero resistance and I’m not even sure how that’s possible.
But he pumps, in and out, eyes locked on mine like he’s reading every thought.
“There you go,” he encourages. “Spread wider for me,” he asks, but I barely move, he does it for me with the gentle encouragement of his knee.
I whimper, feeling the friction intensify as he rubs against me and I meet him thrust for thrust with my hips.
“You are the sexiest thing, Sunset,” he murmurs.
My stomach coils with heat and my heart swells.
“So damn sexy, it hurts.” His voice strains, he squeezes his eyes shut briefly before locking them with mine again.
I’m close. So close. Trembling with the need to come and the need to savor this. I palm his face. “It’s so good,” I whimper.
He holds my gaze. “I know.” It’s all he says, raspy and conflicted.
For a moment I feel like I might be losing him, but then he says, “You’re going to be my wife.” His pumps turn slow and hard.
“Yes.”
He snaps his hips and I moan. “You and me.”
“Yes, yes.”
Thrust. “Against them all.”
I gasp, trembling in his arms as another orgasm hits.
“For better or worse,” he grunts as he thrusts one more time, shuddering through his release.
“God, yes.” I detonate, coming hard, convulsing around his cock as he covers my mouth with his, swallowing my cry.
We’re both panting hard as he eases out of me. Midnight-blue eyes roam over my face, saying so much and nothing at all. “Don’t move, Sunset.” He eases off the bed and slips into the bathroom.
My eyes sting with hot tears I can’t explain and I blink them away. What was that?
Reckless.
It was reckless and desperate.
And quite possibly ruined me for life.
A life without him in it.
I hear the shower start and a moment later, he steps back into the bedroom. One look and I forget the argument I’m having with myself.
He steps toward the bed, lifting the whiskey off the nightstand and taking a sip.
“What was the name of that wine?”
I chuckle, shuffling up on my knees on the bed. “I’m not telling you.”
His eyes roam over my body and he sets the glass down. “Guess I’m gonna have to buy them all.” He lifts me off the bed and sets me on my feet, then sweeps my hair back. “Spend the night with me. Tonight, tomorrow. Every night.”
I bite the corner of my lip. “And if I don’t?”
“Then we’re going to have to switch rooms. Because I’m not lookin’ at that bed again without you in it.”