Chapter 29
Dean
Addison would arrive any minute, and to say that I was nervous as fuck would be a massive understatement.
I finally felt like the wall she’d put up was beginning to lower, and this was my chance to fix everything between us.
Since she was probably starving, I ordered her favorite food and a nice bottle of wine.
I had the pizza and wine set up on the table in my suite and had just hopped out of the shower when I heard a knock at the door.
I opened the door, and even dressed casually, this girl managed to take my breath away by how effortlessly gorgeous she was.
Her long hair was down in waves. She wore black leggings with a matching cropped black tank top that showed a sliver of her toned stomach, an oversize button-up shacket hanging off her shoulders, complete with a pair of Nikes.
She smiled and peeked her head inside the room.
“Did you really need this massive suite, Adler?”
I chuckled as she stepped inside. “I got us your favorite food and some wine. I figured, knowing you, that you didn’t eat anything today before you rode or after.”
A slight smirk graced her lips. “Pizza! You know me well.” She walked over to the table and grabbed a slice.
I joined her at the table, and we ate in comfortable silence.
I poured us each a glass of wine as Addison reached for a napkin to wipe her mouth.
“Thanks for this. I was starving,” she said around a mouthful of food.
I nodded. “No problem.” I nervously scrubbed my hand across my jaw. “So, uh, I don’t even really know where to begin with this. So, I’ll start from the beginning, I guess.” Addison took a small sip of wine before she put her hand on my arm to stop me.
“Dean, wait. I want to say something first.”
I nodded, encouraging her to continue, unsure of where this was going.
“I’m really sorry for what I said to you at your house that night.
You are nothing like Noah, and I know that was a low blow from me.
After spending time apart and after everything you have done for me and continue to do for me, I know I want to be with you.
All you’ve done is show up for me time and time again.
I know the man you are, and I know where your heart was behind every mistake.
I don’t care about those texts. I don't need proof because I trust you and your word. I was stupid to ever trust anything from Noah over you. Please forgive me for doubting you.” Addison linked her fingers through mine, her green eyes pleading.
I sat there a bit shell-shocked. I wasn’t expecting an apology from her, nor did I need one. This was about everything I had done wrong, not her. The accountability she took for her part in this mess was refreshing, something I wasn’t used to, and it made me love her that much more.
I blew out a breath, still processing her words. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting that, but thank you. That means a lot to me. I know I want to be with you too. But I’ve been rehearsing this apology in my head for the last week, so can I still continue with it?”
Addison laughed and waved her hand in allowance. “Yes, please continue.”
“Well, you already know that Noah is my cousin, and he had me act like one of his friends to lie to you. I want to say again how incredibly sorry I am not only for doing that but also for not telling you the truth once I made the connection. That wasn’t fair, and please know I never meant to hurt you.
Harper also made me aware that she told you about your lesson horses.
” I reached across the table for her hands.
“I’m really sorry for not telling you about that either.
I was trying to do something nice for you, and I know how stubborn you can be when people want to do nice things for you.
” Addison chuckled at that. “So again, I’m sorry, and for the record, you can’t pay me back for those horses. ”
Addison smiled, and fuck, did I miss having that smile aimed at me. “Thank you, and apology accepted for all of those things…” She was about to continue, but I cut her off before she could say anything more.
“Wait. I’m not done yet. I know that the texts you saw on Noah’s phone hurt.
I know you’re unsure if they’re real or not.
With my current track record, and even though you just said that you don’t care about the texts, why the fuck would you believe me when I tell you they’re fake?
” I pulled one of my hands away from hers and reached for the blue folder that I’d set off to the side, pushing it in front of her.
“This is the proof. Noah used an application to create the fake text messages that allowed him to enter any phone number he wanted so it would look legit.”
Addison let go of my hand and picked up the folder, flipping through all the pages inside. “What is all this?”
“Documentation that shows where the texts originated from, his actual text and phone records, as well as mine. You can see there is zero communication between him and me, or Margot and me, within the past year.”
Addison continued to flip through all of the proof, her eyes scanning each page. “How did you get all of this? There is no way that Noah willingly gave you this information.”
I laid it all out for her. I told her every detail.
I told her about Archer’s and my visit to Noah’s apartment, the conversation with my parents, the company we had on retainer that my father deployed to uncover and extract all of the necessary data from Noah’s company phone, and I told her everything that was found on his phone, along with the repercussions he faced.
When I finished, Addison’s mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide.
She took a moment to gather herself and process everything that I had just divulged.
“I don’t even know what to say, honestly.
If anything, I feel embarrassed that I dated someone capable of those things for so long.
I was going to fucking marry him.” She hid her face in her hands.
“I know I already said it, but I’m so sorry I doubted you, Dean.
And I am so, so incredibly sorry that I chose to hear him out over you,” she mumbled through her hands, unable to look at me.
I reached out and grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face.
“Hey, look at me.” She looked up at me with tortured eyes, making my chest tighten.
“You had every right to doubt me. I kind of dug myself into a hole. I’m just relieved I was able to show you the truth so I could ensure you had zero doubt. ”
A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she pushed her chair out, made her way over to me, and settled herself in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. She pressed her forehead against mine, inhaling deeply as she closed her eyes. “I missed you so much,” she whispered.
I held her close to me, closing my eyes as well. “I missed you too, baby.” I pulled back just enough to place a soft kiss on her lips.
We polished off the pizza and then decided to take our wine to the large soaking tub in my hotel suite.
Addison was sore from the Prix, so I suggested that she take a bath to soothe her muscles and the overall tension from the day.
I might have also had an ulterior motive to get her naked as quickly as possible.
Once the tub was filled, we got ourselves settled with her back against my chest and sank into the warm, fragrant bubbles. Addison laid her head back against my shoulder and let out a contented sigh. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure how this night would end up after I saw you.”
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “And how is it ending up?”
I didn’t have to see her face to know she was smiling. I could feel it. “Pretty fantastically, Adler.”
“So, how has everything been the last couple of months at the farm? Seems business is good,” I said as I ran my fingers up and down her arm.
“Great. I took several of my clients to our first horse show together, which I mentioned a while back, out in Evergreen River. Everyone did amazing, they all rode great, and all the horses were great…” She paused for a moment.
“Cash and I won the Grand Prix. Archer and Harper surprised me and flew in for it, but I couldn’t stop wishing that you were there too.
I felt myself looking for you in the crowd… ” She trailed off quietly.
I tilted her chin to the side to look at me. “Funny you should say that because I was there.”
Her eyes widened at my admission. “W-what?” she whispered.
“I couldn’t stay away. I knew how much that first show meant to you, and I wanted to see you ride.
No one knew I was there, not even my brother.
I actually bought one of the pictures of you and Cash.
It was the look of pure joy on your face in that photo, jumping over the last jump of the jump-off, that brought me to my knees.
It’s beautiful. I was planning to get a painting commissioned of it and surprise you with it.
And I was also going to use it as a way to reveal that I was with you the whole time. ”
The look on Addison’s face was one of pure shock, yet also complete love and adoration. Fuck, I missed her looking at me like that. She pulled my mouth to hers and kissed me deeply, pouring her entire heart into the kiss. She pulled away briefly. “Why did you just ruin the surprise?”
I chuckled against her mouth. “Because I’m done keeping anything from you.”
She smirked. “Well, you can still surprise me with gifts, Adler.” She rolled her eyes affectionately before bringing my mouth back to hers.
We soaked for a bit longer, just catching up and having easy conversation like we always used to do.
I was battling an internal struggle, toeing a fine line between wanting to ease back into our relationship, giving her time, and wanting to worship every fucking inch of her gorgeous body until I made her scream my name.
I wrapped Addison in one of the large, fluffy white towels that the hotel provided. “Will you stay with me tonight?”
She nodded. “Of course, but can I borrow a T-shirt to sleep in?” I nodded and dug through my bag for an extra shirt for her to throw on.
I probably should have thought this through a little more because seeing her in nothing but my shirt that showed off her long, toned legs was chipping away at the last bit of resolve that I had left.
As if Addison could see the storm raging inside my head, she sauntered over to me, running her hands up my bare chest, placing light kisses along the way, thoroughly calming the storm inside me.
I sucked in a sharp breath and shut my eyes, reveling in her touch.
She continued her torture south, dropping to her knees, tugging my boxer briefs down with her.
I ran my fingers through her hair. “Baby, you don’t have to do that.
I should be the one on my knees for you, groveling,” I rasped.
Ignoring me, Addison licked slowly from the base to the tip of my cock, making my breath hitch and my knees almost buckle.
“Fuck,” I groaned. She smiled against my length before taking me to the back of her throat, immediately causing me to tighten my grip on her hair.
She worked me over, reaching around to grip my ass, pulling me in deeper.
She on her knees in my shirt, her hair wound around my fist, her deep green eyes looking up at me as she sucked me off, was the prettiest fucking thing I’d ever seen.
I was close, so close. I reached under her arms and pulled her up, not ready to come quite yet.
“If I’m going to come, it’ll be when I’m buried deep inside you.
” Once I got her to her feet, I crashed my mouth to hers, and she opened immediately for me, our tongues tangling.
It was like we were both fighting for control, clawing at each other like we couldn’t get enough.
I pushed her back onto the bed and spread her legs wide so I could settle my body between them.
I hovered over her. “I fucking missed you, sweetheart.” Before she could respond, I shoved my shirt up her body before kissing my way down until I sealed my mouth over her core, causing her back to instantly arch off the bed with a desperate moan.
“And I fucking missed how you taste.” I lowered my head back down and sucked her clit into my mouth, pulling the sweetest sounds from her.
I dipped a finger in and tilted her hips up slightly for a better angle before slipping my tongue deep inside.
Her legs clamped around my head as she began panting.
“Dean, please,” she moaned. I worked her with my tongue and fingers until I felt her start to clench.
Knowing she was getting close, I sucked hard on her clit, and she gripped my hair tight before screaming my name as her legs shook.
I continued my torture, letting her ride out every bit of pleasure as she came down.
She propped herself up on her elbows, still catching her breath, chest heaving as she looked down at me. “And I fucking missed you, Adler” was all she managed to get out before lying back down on the bed, spent.
I crawled back up her body and placed a searing kiss on her mouth, knowing she could taste herself on my tongue.
“I’m not done with you yet, James,” I said against her mouth.
She pushed me off her and sat up, pulling my shirt up over her head and then pushing me onto my back.
I looked up at her with a smirk. “You want to take control now, baby?”
Fire blazed in her emerald eyes as she nodded, straddling me.
I leaned forward, sucking one of her perfect pink nipples into my mouth while I rolled the other one between my fingers.
She dropped her head back with a sigh before pushing me back down on the bed.
Addison grabbed both my wrists and held them above my head.
“No touching. Just sit back and watch.” She propped herself up on her knees and reached down, gripping my cock to position it at her center.
“Wait, what about a condom?” I rasped out. It was hard to speak with her hand on my dick.
“I’m on birth control, and I want to feel all of you. I’ve never done this without a condom.”
I nodded. “I want to feel you too, baby. I’ve never had sex without a condom either, and if you’re sure.” I nodded for her to go ahead.
She teased herself with my cock for a moment before slowly sitting down on my length, inch by torturous fucking inch.
My eyes shut at the sensation. It was all too much.
She felt incredible, so tight, so warm and wet.
It took all the strength in the goddamn world not to touch her, but I did as I was told and kept my hands to myself.
I was pretty sure my knuckles were white with how tight I was clenching my fists.
This girl was fucking heaven.