Chapter 8 #2
“You didn’t burn me cookies when I moved into my place,” Rune grumbled as he opened up the truck door. “Come on, get the presents inside, and then let’s get to work. I need your back, Callum.”
“On it,” I said as I passed her the box. “I’ll just give you this.”
She stared at me for a moment, her eyes questioning, before she smiled. “Thank you, Callum,” she breathed, and I shrugged, hoping she would think nothing of it.
I told myself I wouldn’t bake for her. I couldn’t bake. But it had been nagging at me, and now here I was, once again doing the thing I shouldn’t.
Being far too close.
With a sigh, I went to help Rune pull out an ancient dresser.
“Where did you get this?” I groaned, trying to lift the damn thing with Rune.
“It was in the back barn area where Mom keeps all the little pieces she finds at yard sales and shops. Apparently, she’s been planning for this moment longer than we realized,” my best friend said dryly.
“Hey, that coffee table in your home is something I found and restored. Don’t make fun of me,” Mrs. Carter said as she went to her tiptoes and kissed her son’s cheek. “I will kick you… lovingly,” she teased.
Rune just met my gaze, rolled his eyes, and then we lugged the furniture into the house.
At first, I was afraid it was going to take us all damn day, moving shit around and trying to find a perfect place for it to go, but I should have thought better of it.
Because Felicity loved her spreadsheets and her graphs.
“Okay, that box labeled kitchen goes right here, and this box is labeled living room, so it can go right over there. Don’t worry about unpacking everything. I’ve got it. And I already know where I’m going to donate the rest of the boxes and packing materials. Thank you all. Seriously.”
There was no second-guessing where pieces of furniture went, no wondering where the hell that one box should go.
She had it in spades, and I had to wonder how she knew how to do all of this.
Then again, that was just Felicity. She was damn good at most things she did.
It always surprised me that she had so much life experience and could do so much at her age.
But then again, she wasn’t that much younger than me.
And if I kept telling myself that, maybe it wouldn’t make my thoughts so wrong.
Halfway through, Bodhi showed up and dropped off a few things, helping to move around the bigger pieces of furniture. He walked out after a kiss to the top of Felicity’s head and a nod at me. He was still in a mood. Then again, I did not blame him.
Right as he was leaving, he bumped into Felicity’s friend, Keely, who just smiled at him, and he grunted before heading out again.
“Okay, I hope I didn’t offend him. I guess he could have had one of these sandwiches, but he just left.”
“It’s just the way he is right now. Don’t worry, you didn’t do anything wrong,” I said softly.
Keely smiled. “Okay. Well, I made a bunch of sandwiches and sides to help you through. I have to go back to the bed and breakfast, so I’m sorry I can’t help right now. But I will be here to help organize when you unpack fully. Okay?” Keely said as she hugged Felicity tightly.
“You did not have to stop by here with food. But thank you.”
“Of course I did. You’re my new bestie.” She waved at everyone else. “It’s nice to see you. And I’m going to be late.” She ran out of the house, as bright and sparkly as she had when she walked in, and Rune just shook his head.
“Her and Promise probably click like nobody’s business,” he said with a laugh.
“I haven’t seen Promise in a few weeks, but probably.”
Although Promise had once dated my younger brother, and they co-parented their twin girls, it wasn’t as if I saw her often.
She worked as many hours as I did, many times more, and when she wasn’t working, she was with the girls.
I did not know how she and Finnian made it work, but the two were the best set of co-parents I had ever seen.
And considering many of my friends who had kids were dealing with absolute hell with their exes and other avenues, it was nearly damn perfect.
“Oh my God, I’m in love with this sandwich,” Rune said as he groaned into his meal.
I met Felicity’s gaze, and we both rolled our eyes. “Do you need a room?” I asked dryly.
“Not any of my rooms. And please, use a plate,” she said, gesturing towards the paper plates. “I’ll let you use a real plate later. But I want to figure out where everything goes first.”
“I would have bet money that you had a list?” I teased.
Felicity blushed. “Maybe. Shush.”
I grinned, then took a bite of the sandwich. My knees nearly buckled. “Okay, so it looks like I’ll have to go to the bed and breakfast more often. Damn, Keely can cook.”
“She made the bread from scratch, and the chicken is perfectly roasted. I just love her food so much,” Felicity said, groaning as she ate.
Each groan went right to my dick, and I had to take a deep breath.
“You should have hired her for the bar and grill,” Mr. Carter said.
Rune laughed. “Like she’d want to take a step down for a bar and grill.”
“Don’t cut yourself short. Your bar and grill is wonderful, and it’s not some hole-in-the-wall. But honestly, Keely should be either right where she is or working with Sterling.” Mrs. Carter smiled at me. “Your brother’s restaurant is divine. Mr. Carter and I go there on date nights.”
I grinned. “Sterling’s baby is The Range. I swear he spends more time there than he does at home.”
“He’s a high-end chef, and you even saying that around Keely would just make her day. I’m glad that between Sterling, High Country Bed and Breakfast, and Summit Grill, we’re really increasing the town’s food potential.”
“And don’t forget Altitude Diner,” Mr. Carter put in. “The food there is fantastic. And Ashford Brews has its own little small eats.”
I shrugged, finishing my sandwich. “We do okay. Nothing like this. But you’re right, we are adding more and more to the town, but not overrunning it. No chains here.”
Felicity beamed. “And people keep coming to Teller Accounting and Bookkeeping, and that keeps me happy.”
“And that’s really all that matters,” Rune put in, his lips twitching.
“Damn straight. Now, let’s clean up. We have more to do.” She clapped her hands twice, and Rune sighed.
“You were always like this, even as a toddler.”
Felicity flitted off, running away from her father’s glare.
“She used to be so sweet,” Mr. Carter said. “What happened?”
“She seems pretty sweet to me,” I said without thinking, and Rune raised a brow. “What?”
“Nothing. You were just nice about Felicity. It’s worrying.”
I ignored him and went back to help move everything in.
By the time we were done, my back ached, and I felt ten years older, but Felicity’s home felt like a home.
Her mom and dad left. Her mom said that they wouldn’t visit every day, but I knew that was probably a lost cause. Rune had had to head out earlier since he was closing at work for the night, and that left Felicity and me alone, and I knew I should probably step back.
“Thank you so much for coming and helping. You really didn’t have to.”
I blinked at her. “Of course I did. If anything, I live across the street.”
“That is true. And Teagan said she would be here tomorrow with Keely to help out. I love your sister. Plus, she’s a force to be reckoned with when it comes to organization.
And Thatcher and Kellan sent over gift cards for me to get new sheets and things, and they’re so adorable.
Every single one of your family members and our friends has sent things to help.
And if they can, they’re going to come here tomorrow and the next day.
I just love it here. It’s why I moved back to Ashford Creek. ”
“It’s why I moved back too,” I said after a moment. I hadn’t even realized we were standing so close until I reached out and pushed her hair back from her face. “Your ponytail’s fallen out.”
“It’s been a long day. I am ready to put my feet up and not move for a while.”
“Yeah. Same. I have a long day tomorrow.”
“You didn’t have to spend your whole day here. You could have gone back to work if you needed to.”
“No, I couldn’t,” I whispered. And then I did the unthinkable.
I leaned down and took her lips. She wrapped her hand in my shirt and tugged, so I couldn’t help but deepen the kiss.
I slid my hands through her hair, tugged the rest of her ponytail out, and tossed the rubber band to the floor.
She groaned, lifting her chin, so I nibbled down her neck, biting ever so slightly.
“You taste so fucking good,” I moaned against her neck.
“I’m sweaty,” she laughed.
“Salty. Mine.” I was like a man possessed, licking and sucking, and I hadn’t even realized my hand was underneath her shirt, cupping her full and firm breasts until she moaned.
Her nipple pebbled through the thin lace beneath my thumb, and I licked my lips, my cock hard, the zipper most likely leaving a scar on my dick.
“I need to stop doing this.”
“Don’t stop. Please.”
“I’m too old for you,” I whispered, kissing down the other side of her neck, even as I rolled her nipple through her bra between my thumb and forefinger.
“You’re not. I promise.”
“Damn it,” I growled and then crushed my mouth to hers again.
Her hands went up my shirt, sliding over my sweat-slicked back, and I couldn’t help but fit my thigh in between her legs. She moaned, riding my thigh, the seam of her jeans most likely sliding along her clit.
“That’s it, ride my thigh,” I ordered, and her hips stilled for a moment before she met my gaze.
“Felicity. Ride my thigh,” I demanded, and she nodded before rocking her hips. Her eyes rolled as I pressed her to the kitchen island, practically dry-humping her against the tile. I pulled up her shirt slightly, exposing her bra, before I licked over the salty globes of her breasts.
“I have always loved your tits, so full, bigger than my hands. Now I need to know the color of your nipples.”