Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
EVERETT
“Dad?” Logan says when I answer.
“Hey, bud, what’s up?”
“Are you guys coming back soon?”
I glance at Vivian. That kiss wasn’t planned, but fuck do I want more of them. Out here, her stormy eyes look like a piece of the sky, the sun drawing out more of the blue and making the golden flecks dance.
My cock gives a needy throb inside my jeans.
“Uh, yeah, we’re on our way now. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, Greta’s reading to Matty. Can we build a fort later?”
“If it’s okay with Grams and Grandpa.”
He muffles the phone. “He said yes!” Greta hoots in the background.
We end the call and I lead Vivian down the trail. Back at the horses, I stand close to give her a hand, but quick learner that she is, she settles into the saddle without my help. At least the walk down gave my blood time to cool. Riding a horse with an erection is fucking torture.
“Who taught you to knit?” I ask once we’re underway to shift my thoughts away from how I’m going to kiss her again as soon as possible.
“My great aunt Gwen,” she replies. “She used to make us sweaters and mittens, even though we rarely needed them in Southern California.”
“Do you still spend time with her?”
Vivian shakes her head. “She passed about four years ago.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“After Mom died, she was the one who took care of us. I miss her a lot.”
“Did you always know you wanted to be a nurse?”
“I think it started with raising McKenna. She’s eight years younger than me, so Mom’s death was a lot harder on her. Then I sort of became Aunt Gwen’s caretaker when her health started to decline. Nursing was a pretty natural fit after that.” Her eyes turn steely. “Plus, I’m really good at chemistry.”
“You could have become a chemist though. Or a pharmacist.”
“I’d rather work with people.”
“Were you always in pediatrics?”
“I did critical care before, but I was ready to get out of hospitals when I took the job at Finn River Pediatrics.”
“Has it been a good fit so far?”
Her gaze turns thoughtful. “I love working with kids, and new moms. Especially since Dr. Greely’s taken over. She’s so good with families. So patient and supportive.”
“That sounds really rewarding.”
“I’ve definitely found my calling.”
Makes me especially grateful that she landed in Finn River of all places. “Was it hard to move states as a nurse? I know it can be challenging for teachers.”
“There were some hoops to jump through, but it was pretty straightforward. Expensive though.”
“I hope it’s been worth it.”
Her bright smile hits me like a lightning bolt. “It definitely has.”
We pull up outside the barn. I slide off of Smoky and put her in the crossties and quickly untack, then lead her into her stall. Then I walk to Buck’s left side so I can help Vivian. Though she dismounts like a pro, I can’t help reaching for her waist. When she lands, pinned between Buck’s side and my chest, she sighs and leans into me. I press my nose into her hair, which is still hot from the sun and silky against my cheek.
She pulls me tighter, wrapping my arms around her middle. I brush my lips along the back of her ear, delighting in the way it makes her breath hitch in her throat.
She feels so good against me. The sweet curves of her body fit perfectly against my frame.
“You want to help me?” I say, when what I really want is for Buck to untack himself so I can steal a few more minutes alone with Vivian.
“Yes,” she says in a kind of whisper-moan.
“Mom?” Mateo calls from the other side of the barn, followed by his fast footfalls.
Vivian jumps away from me, but not before I get a flash of her stormy eyes and parted lips. It’s a look of hunger mixed with a bit of wildness. Like she wants more too.
“We’re down here,” Vivian says, hurrying to meet Mateo who races up, chattering about the puppies and lemonade and the marshmallow pretzel house he built with Logan and Greta.
“And how many of those marshmallows did you eat?” Vivian asks with a laugh.
I lean out so they can see me.
“Hi Everett!” Mateo says, flashing me a grin.
“Hey, squirt.” I give Vivian a nod. “I’ve got this. You go ahead.”
Her brows knit together. “You sure?”
“Yep. I’ll meet you at the house.”
Mateo swings Vivian’s hand side to side while peering up at her. “Greta and Logan promised to build a fort with me after dinner.”
“Lucky you,” Vivian replies .
Mateo tugs on her hand. “Come see what I taught Poppy!”
“Who’s Poppy?”
“My favorite puppy. Mrs. Rumsey said I could name her.”
“Did she now?” Vivian shoots me a stern glance over her shoulder. I flash my palms and try to hold in my laughter.
Dinner is rowdy thanks to the added fun Greta and Logan seem to have getting Mateo wound up. Vivian spends half the time laughing and the other half reminding Matty of his manners and making sure he eats.
“I call rinsing!” Greta cries when they’re excused.
“Hey!” Logan protests. “It’s my turn to rinse.”
“Try harder, bruh. You gotta look alive or you won’t get anywhere in life.”
“I wanna help,” Mateo says, stuffing a bite of butter noodles into his mouth while slipping out of his chair.
Logan ruffles the top of his head. “Help me irritate Greta.”
Mateo’s narrow eyebrows scrunch together. “What’s irritate?”
“It means bother her,” Logan replies as he gathers a handful of plates.
“I heard that!” Greta says over the sound of running water from the kitchen.
“Thank you for dinner,” Vivian says to Mom and Dad.
“You’re welcome anytime,” Mom says.
Laughter from the kitchen carries into the dining room, Mateo’s mixed in. It’s such a simple thing, but no less powerful.
I help clear the last of the glasses while Mom gathers the linens and Dad brings in the last of the platters. “Who’s ready for a banana split?” he booms, to the immediate squeals of all three kids.
“Oh, Vivian, here’s that laundry,” Mom says, carrying a square basket from the laundry room, with two neatly folded stacks of clothes.
Vivian’s mouth hangs open. “I… you…” she stammers .
Mom laughs. “I know you told me to leave it, but I was in a groove. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Thank you,” she says in a soft voice. “You’ve all been so incredibly caring.”
Mom hands over the laundry basket, but I intervene. “I got this. I need to check the wood supply up there. We can go together.”
Do I detect a hint of longing in Vivian’s eyes? “Let me just make sure Mateo knows where I am.”
I head for the door, and I’ve just managed to open it with the basket braced against my hip when Vivian catches up and closes the door behind us. A zing of heat flashes under my skin.
Once we’re out of sight of the house, I reach for her hand. She smiles and gives it a squeeze. That little zip turns electric, spiraling up through me.
On the stoop of the cabin, I set the laundry basket down and pull her to me for a kiss. That same energy crackles between us. Her lips touch mine, tugging just a little, then her tongue flicks past my lips. I fumble for the doorknob and toe off my boots, one arm hugging her to me while she kicks off her sneakers. When I finally open the door, I shuffle her inside and close it behind us, pushing in the lock. She giggles through another kiss, making me laugh, too. We’re a little breathless from hurrying up here, or maybe it’s from the energy building between us all day.
Now that we’re alone again, I want to take my time but there’s zero chance of that happening. After kissing her up on that knoll with the sun on our shoulders and the wind in our hair, I’m too hungry. I press my palm against the door just above her head and grip her waist, boxing her in. Her gaze drags up my body before our lips touch again. It’s a slow, sensual kiss that sends a shiver down my spine. She slides her hands into my back pockets and arches her body ever so slightly towards mine. I run my hand from her waist to the scoop of her lower back. She’s strong and feminine, her warmth radiating through her shirt. I gently glide beneath the hem to touch her bare skin .
A tremor rolls through her. She sighs into my mouth as I caress her back and forth. I want more of her little noises, more of her hips arching to meet mine. More of her warm skin beneath my touch.
I kiss along her jawline while she pants, her fingers tucked deep into my pockets, then nuzzle behind her ear. She whimpers as I draw her earlobe into my mouth and gently suck.
“You smell so good,” I say on a groan, brushing my lips over her skin. I take a slow inhale, my nose buried in her hair.
“So do you. It’s spicy. And manly. Like the woods only… better.”
“I’m dying to know what you taste like,” I say, planting wet kisses down her neck.
“Why?”
I groan. “Because it’s going to be so perfectly you.”
She tugs me closer, her hips nestling between mine.
Warmth from the contact pulses through me.
“Please tell me I get to,” I say.
We kiss again, and with how close our bodies are, I feel each of her hurried breaths against my chest, each tilt of her hips to get me closer.
“You’re serious,” she says, breaking from my lips to gaze up at me.
“Hell yeah I’m serious.”
She kisses my neck. “It’s been, um, a long time.”
I caress beneath her braid. “I promise to take good care of you.”
She lifts her face to me and closes her eyes. Our lips touch, gentle at first, but then our tongues are twirling and flicking, her breaths coming faster.
She wants this too.
In one motion, I grip her thighs and carry her toward the bed. She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me as I walk. I kneel on the mattress and gently lay her down. Hovering over her, I kiss from her lips to her chin, then draw a soft line of kisses down to her collarbones. She arches up to me, panting, as I continue along the V of her shirt. Her nipples are hard little knots beneath the stiff cotton, and I brush my thumb across one while teasing the other with my lips.
Vivian utters a tight groan. I’d like to spend more time teasing and caressing her here, but I’m determined to make her come in the small window of time we’ve stolen. Moving down, I nip little kisses along her stomach where her shirt has ridden up. Her skin is so fucking smooth here, so warm. She glides her fingers through my hair as her hips tremble beneath me. I flip open the button of her jeans and tug the zipper down. I brush my lips past the scalloped hem of her cotton panties, the scent of her arousal making me crazy.
I tug her jeans past her hips, then step back and slide them off. I drink in the sight of her long legs, bare for me against the comforter, and the look of yearning on her face, then yank off my shirt and crawl between her thighs. Working my way up, I nip and savor her warm skin.
I already want more time, and I haven’t even made her come yet.
While I kiss higher, I rub the cotton where she’s already wet with the flat of my thumb.
She jolts and gives a needy sigh, all while arching to get me closer. I kiss to the top of her thigh then to her belly button, stroking her over the cotton. She’s got one fist furled in the comforter, and with the other, she’s exploring my bare shoulder, my bicep, her touch lighting my senses on fire.
I plant soft kisses along the top edge of the thin cotton.
She whimpers.
“Can these come off?”
“Yes.” It comes out rushed, immediate.
The heated ache in her gaze makes me crazy to please her. I slip my fingers beneath the fabric at her hips and slide everything down.
I stroke up her inner thigh and circle her with my thumb. Fuck, she’s already wet and so plush. Needy.
Her lips part to a soft O and a shudder rolls up her body.
I part her open with my tongue, savoring this first taste and the way she’s trusting me to care for her. She sucks in a tight breath and combs through my hair. It feels so good to have her touch me, the gentle glide of her fingernails sending a delicious wave of prickles down my spine.
She tastes fucking incredible. Like lust and surrender, like raw desire. She’s giving herself to me, trusting not just me, but herself. Like we’re exploring something good together. I press her thighs open and swirl her hard little clit with my tongue. Her body starts vibrating and her breaths rattle from her lips. I keep going, matching her pace, my need to hear her let go as intoxicating as the way her warm pussy feels against my mouth.
“Oh…” she stutters.
Her grip tightens in my hair and the space fills with her sharp, gasping breaths. I pin her hips in place, gliding and stroking exactly where she wants me.
She arches up to meet my mouth, so totally consumed by her need. “I’m coming,” she grits out. “Everettohmygod…”
I draw her clit between my lips, pinching just a little. She comes undone, her desperate cries filling the silence. I keep going, riding her climax with her, rocking and caressing with my tongue until her body goes limp and aftershocks tremble down her thighs.
I mark her body with little kisses on my way up, then settle on my side next to her so I can touch her while she floats back to earth.