27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
Iknew as soon as I walked through the front door that something was going on, but I chose not to say anything because it seemed as though Bethany was excited. Now though? With Autumn standing in front of me in a sinful green dress, looking more delicious than I’ve ever seen her, I’m wishing I had sent her away immediately.
“I want this, Easton,” she says hurriedly and waves a hand between the two of us. “All of it.”
“I’m not sure what you mean by that.”
I didn’t think I’d have to worry about this again, but I guess I should’ve been prepared for anything.
Autumn steps closer to me and stops a couple feet away. “Do you remember when you asked me where I saw my life going?”
How could I forget? It’s one of the reasons I can’t bring myself to be with her. “Yes.” I’d rather not relive her answer, but if that’s what it takes to get her to leave before I make another mistake, then I’ll deal with it.
“Ask me again,” she says.
“I already know your answer, Autumn.”
She growls low in her throat and narrows her eyes at me. “Just ask me again, Easton.”
“Fine. Autumn, where do you see your life going?” I say with a sigh.
“I see me, you and Bethany sitting at the kitchen table every night enjoying a meal together before watching a movie.” She takes another small step toward me and smiles. “We’ll wait until Bethany goes to bed before you take me into our room and have your way with me, then I’ll wake up to breakfast in bed.”
Can I really stand here and listen to this?
“I see Bethany graduating with you and me at her side, possibly with a baby brother or sister, before we send her off to college together. We’ll make memories in the backyard where we’ll eventually watch our grandkids run around squealing with laughter as we look on with pride from the comfort of the back porch.”
Another step closer and now I can barely breathe. “But before all that happens, I’ll wear a white dress as I walk down the aisle towards you because that’s all I’ve ever dreamed of doing, and we’ll pick each other up when the other is down. If fear tries to push me away again, I’ll be right there to help push that sucker away and I won’t leave your side. Ever. Fear won’t win, Easton.”
She moves in close until there’s only a couple of inches between us and she shakes her head. “I thought I didn’t know what I wanted, but what I wanted was right in front of me all along and I’m not going anywhere. This is where I’m meant to be. In this house with you and Bethany, creating a life together.”
I smirk at her and cock my head to the side. “Are you done?”
“Should I keep going, or do I have your attention now?”
“More kids, huh?”
I watch her cheeks heat up under the porch light and she looks away from me briefly. “That’s all you heard out of all that? But, yes. It’s what I’ve always wanted – a house full of kids.”
I’m not sure about a house full, but the idea of creating another life with the woman in front of me doesn’t sound so bad. “And you aren’t leaving?”
Autumn shakes her head. “Not without you and Bethany.”
I’m about to lean forward, claim her lips with my own, when a squeal echoes through the house and I chuckle. When I turn around, Bethany has a big smile on her face and she’s bouncing on the balls of her feet, clapping her hands together. It seems as though Autumn isn’t the only one who had some grand plan tonight.
“Do you want to come back inside?” I ask with my eyes focused on Autumn and the way her hair curls around her face.
“I think I’d like that,” she says before stepping into the house ahead of me while I shut the door and lock it up.
I’m terrified to let her in – to let anyone in – but I couldn’t turn away from her right now even if I tried. Everything she said to me tonight is exactly what I had hoped she would’ve said before, even if it was only the beginning of our journey.
Bethany rushes up to me and wraps her arms tightly around my waist before pulling away with a bright smile. “I’m glad you finally came to your senses.” She backs away from Autumn and me while hiking a thumb over her shoulder. “Heading to bed now, goodnight.”
Autumn scoffs beside me while Bethany hurries up the steps, leaving the two of us alone together. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that’s exactly why she left the room.
“Did you mean everything you just said?” I finally manage to ask the question that’s been burning in my mind since she started talking.
“Every word.”
My fingers twitch at my side and I reach out instinctively for her hand. That fear I’ve been letting control my life is still trying to do so, but nothing could force me to walk away right now. Autumn isn’t the one who I thought would turn my head, yet I can’t help but feel a sense of calm as she places her palm into mine.
Like she was always meant to be right here standing in front of me, with a smile shining on her face. Nothing feels more right than watching her take her shoes off in the middle of the entryway, her fingers digging into my skin to keep herself upright, before I slowly lead her toward the guest room.
If I’m going to have my way with her right now, there’s no way I’m going to do that upstairs close to Bethany’s room. I can already hear the music pouring from her speakers, but I try to shake the thought that my daughter knows what we are about to do from my head. I’ll keep thinking of her as my little girl until I can’t anymore.
“There’s something I should tell you,” I whisper when we get into the empty room and I kick the door shut behind me.
It’s dark, but it doesn’t take long for the moonlight spilling through the window to cast a soft glow around us. She tilts her head to the side, blinking up at me with a smirk. “What’s that?”
I bring my fingers to the back of her dress and toy with the zipper that’s just begging to be pushed down, then lean forward until my lips brush over her ear. “I’ve been imagining what you would look like with this dress off all night.”
She sucks in a breath at the admission before pushing away from me. “Could’ve fooled me. So what are you going to do about that?”
In one swift movement the dress loosens around her body and she lets it drop to the floor. Every smooth inch of her skin is on display, the prettiest picture I’ve ever seen, and I take a moment to drink her in.
“So fucking beautiful,” I rasp while trailing a finger over her skin, watching as goosebumps erupt in response. “And mine.” My growl as I claim her as mine that makes her shiver and it fills me with a strange sense of pride.
She nods, fluttering her eyelashes at me, and starts backing up toward the bed. “I’m yours.”
“Say it again, Red.”
She frowns in confusion and I arch a brow, silently trying to tell her what I’m talking about and a light shines in her eyes as she smiles. “I love you.”
“And I, you,” I whisper, my steps in sync with her as she hits the edge of the bed. “Now lie back and let me have my dessert, baby.” I’ve been starving for her for weeks, dreaming of my tongue gliding through her pussy, and I’m not about to miss out on the opportunity now. Not when she looks like every man’s wet dream in front of me.
Her eyes follow my movements as I climb onto the bed, kneeling at her ankles, and they widen when I press my hands to her thighs to push them apart. The moment my tongue flattens against her sensitive skin, everything is right in the world and all the worry that was once weighing me down disappears like a cloud of smoke.
She wants a future with me.
With Bethany.
I flick my tongue over her pussy, drinking in every bit of her while her legs tremble. If she tried walking out of this house right now, I’d tie her up just to make sure she could never leave again. There’s no way I’m letting her walk away from me again, not as long as I’m still alive and breathing.
“God, yes,” she moans loudly, her fingers diving into the long strands of my hair and tugging on them. The pain that shoots through my scalp only makes the pleasure that much more intense, causing me to push my tongue further into her.
Her hips move of their own accord, begging me for more, and I oblige by sinking a finger into her entrance slowly. The breath she sucks in is enough to have my length hardening, desperate to be free of its cage, but I try to tamp it down.
Soon enough.
I grip her ass with my free hand as she presses her hips into my face, chasing that sweet release, and I continue thrusting my other fingers into her pussy. With each thrust her breaths become more ragged, alerting me that she’s close, and I quickly remove my fingers before spearing her entrance again with my tongue.
As soon as I start flicking it inside her, she gasps and a string of curses fly out of her mouth as she comes all over my tongue. There’s nothing better than the sound of her pleasure and her release invading my tastebuds. She’s panting, desperate for air, but I don’t give her any time to recover before I strip off my clothes and lower myself slowly on top of her.
She gazes at me in awe, tracing a finger over my abs and she sucks in a breath when I notch the throbbing head of my cock at her entrance. Instead of feeling lost, the moment I sink into her I feel as though I found the missing piece to my soul. My heart is threatening to burst from my chest with the happiness coursing through me.
Who knew that this was everything I needed? Definitely not me, but I will do everything in my power to make sure she doesn’t go anywhere ever again.
We will work at this together.
I pull out of her slowly, staring into her eyes before leaning down and claiming her lips. With each breath she takes, I’m right there stealing it from her lungs. There’s no me without her, that much I know. I’m a shell of a man when she’s not around.
Her moans are muffled between our kisses as I thrust slowly in and out of her. She shifts, trying to change our pace, but I hold her down with a shake of my head. “I want to savor this tonight, Red.”
She stops her movements and lets me continue my slow pace, her eyes searching mine for the love I’ve been holding inside since the hospital. “I love you,” she whispers against my mouth.
Sweeter words have never been said.
“I love you,” I grind out before bringing my thumb over her clit and rubbing it gently. “Now come for me, baby.”
It’s nothing but perfection as she cries out my name into the night, me following right along with her, before I roll onto my side and pull her against my chest.