35. Beckett
BECKETT
“I’m so glad you came,” I said, giving Tate a hug. “This was the best surprise.”
She gestured toward the woman sitting beside me. “I can’t take any credit. It was all her idea.”
Sawyer’s cheeks were pink. “It was nothing.”
“It was everything,” I corrected, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “Don’t discount what you’ve given me.”
It wasn’t just the fact that she’d arranged to fly Tate in, but also the birthday party she threw together just because she could.
Save for my sister, no one really gave a shit about my birthday back home.
Neither of my parents had called. Neither had any of my friends.
I’d gotten a few well wishes, but that’d been it.
I didn’t know when it’d changed, but that part of my life seemed like years ago.
Pinecrest felt more like my home than the place and people I’d known since birth.
Sawyer hadn’t only given me a safe space to be myself that night at the fair, but she’d also shown me what was missing.
It only became more apparent the more I got to know her and those she surrounded herself with.
Tate made an exaggerated gagging noise. “Okay, gross. I’m leaving now! Y’all have fun touring the house, or whatever.”
Sawyer covered her face and giggled as my sister skipped inside our cabin. The girls had forgotten to book a place for her to stay, so Tate was going to be crashing on my couch.
Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, but right now it most certainly was.
Sawyer and I had been glued to one another all night.
There was barely a moment that passed by which we weren’t touching one another in some way.
Most of it was innocent, but every now and then she’d see how much I could withstand if she discreetly rubbed her ass over my dick when she scooted past me in the kitchen.
I had to move away from the counter so she didn’t make me embarrass myself.
When it came time to leave, I realized there was no fucking way I could let our first time having sex since, well, the first time, be while my sister was under the same roof.
Not to knock Lukas’ craftsman skills, but I didn’t trust how soundproof the walls were, nor did I particularly care to test it out.
“Ready, sugar?”
She nodded, biting her lip as she looked up at me through thick lashes. “I’m excited.”
I brought her hand to my lips. “Me, too.”
It was Sawyer’s idea to go see the new house.
Romantic in theory, but I wasn’t sure how far she’d thought this out.
There was absolutely no furniture in that house, and most of it was taped off so they could start painting next week.
At least it had electricity so we wouldn’t be stumbling around in the dark.
If that was what she wanted, who was I to tell her no? I was incapable of denying her anything. She could tell me she wanted to hold the moon in the palm of her hand, and I’d find a way to give it to her.
The drive to the new house wasn’t far. I was glad we were coming at night so we could get an idea of things we’d need to add. Maybe some lights along the gate to help mark the entrance.
Sawyer and I stayed put as I cut the engine.
We could hear the bugs singing their nightly songs outside of the SUV.
I never realized how loud the countryside was.
Wholly different from a big city, but loud nonetheless.
And I could see the stars better than I ever had before.
It was pitch-black out here in my little slice of nowhere.
I looked over at Sawyer. She tore her gaze away from the house and gave me a warm smile.
There was something about this moment that felt so familiar.
The same charged energy that’d passed between us after the fair was present now, sending small currents zipping across our skin.
The hair stood up along her arms as I leaned across the console.
“You ready to see our new home, sugar?” I asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
She nodded, biting that fucking lip once again. There were very few times I’d ever seen her truly giddy, but the faint curl of her lips and heated glow along her cheeks gave her away. “I do, very much.”
I met her around the front of the vehicle, digging in my pocket for my key. Her head was on a swivel as we ascended the stairs. I kept my hand on her back just in case she got too caught up in looking at something instead of climbing.
“Does this house not come with a porch light?” she asked. “Because I’m liable to fall at some point if it doesn’t.”
That was definitely true. “It does, but it turns on from the inside. Lukas is going to upgrade it to something with a motion sensor, so it’ll light up the path when we walk up.”
Because Lukas had owned this house for so long, he already had a list of ideas to work with. Of course, it was our final decision, but he was the expert at this kind of thing. Might as well take some of his advice into consideration.
“Look at you solving problems before I point them out. Good job, baby,” she said, waiting for me to unlock the door. There was a little smirk on her lips that had my blood heating. “That’s why I keep you around.”
Her little comment was cute, but I knew how to make her squirm. It was one of my favorite pastimes.
Sawyer tried to step inside the house, but I barred her by banding my arm across the doorway.
She glanced at me from the corner of her eye as I leaned in and let my breath fan across her exposed neck.
“I think you keep me around for many reasons,” I murmured, kissing the spot right behind her ear.
She closed her eyes, savoring the contact.
“One of which is how well I can make you come.”
The look she gave me was downright feral as I stood to my full height. Then I moved my arm, gesturing to her to move forward as if nothing had happened. Sawyer’s lips parted before smashing shut, and she hurried inside without so much as a little quip.
I followed, quietly watching as she took it all in.
Everything was taped down for painting. Lukas had a crew in here after our meeting to prep so that when we picked paint colors next week, they’d be able to start immediately.
We were all rushing to get as much of this done as we could so it was ready to move in before the baby was born.
“Which room will be his?” Sawyer asked, running her hand over her belly. I’d noticed she’d done that more lately. It was almost an instinct she had. Every time someone mentioned our son, she couldn’t help but touch.
“It’s up to you,” I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. “But I did have a suggestion.”
She followed me into the room off the foyer, stopping short as she looked out the large window at the front of the house.
“It has some of the best light in the house with a perfect view over the lawn. You can even see the old swing hanging from the Oak tree during the day.” I stepped up behind her, moving her hair away from her neck.
“We could have a rocking chair right there so you have the perfect view.”
“You have this all planned out,” she murmured, leaning back against my chest.
“Just suggestions,” I corrected, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “You can decorate this house however you want, Sawyer. Consider it a blank canvas to make your own.”
She was quiet for a moment before turning to face me.
“I love you, Beckett. No one has ever done anything like this for me—and I’m not talking about the house.
” We both chuckled as she placed her hands on my chest to steady herself.
“I’ve gone through life wanting nothing more than to blend in with the crowd, but that didn’t work with you.
You saw me when no one else did, and more than that…
You’ve coaxed me out of hiding for the rest of the world to see, too.
Which is slightly terrifying, I’ll admit, but it feels right with you by my side. ”
Sawyer truly had bloomed over the past few months.
When we met, she was shy, and it’d taken so much persuading for her to go on a date with me.
Even when I came back, she wanted to hide away.
But now she was bold by comparison, asking for what she wanted and accepting gifts most would view as extravagant.
I’d been concerned about giving her the house in front of everyone because I wasn’t sure how she’d react.
It surprised the hell out of me when she hadn’t run.
“I see you, sugar,” I said, cupping her face. “I’ve always seen you. There’s nothing you could do or say that would change that.”
She huffed a laugh. “That may change after childbirth. Apparently, my tits will never be as perky as they were before.”
“You really think that’s going to scare me?” I asked, pulling my brows together. Surely she knew me better than that. “My stance remains firm. I’m always on team Sawyer, baby.”
“Come on,” she laughed, pushing at my chest. “Show me the rest of this place before you get too sappy on me. I’m pregnant. I can’t be trusted not to cry.”
I grabbed her hand, leading her to each room as we talked about our plans.
There were three bedrooms on the ground floor, including the primary, and two upstairs.
She nearly sent me to my knees at the casual mention of there being plenty of space for another kid.
We hadn’t talked much about the future, save for spending it together, but I was thrilled at the idea of having another child.
There was so much that I missed during the first half of her pregnancy. I wanted a second chance.
Watching her belly swell these past few months and knowing it was my child growing inside did something to me.
It made me lose my goddamn mind. I wanted to touch her all the time, but refrained as much as I could because I didn’t want to overwhelm her.
The thought of actively trying to get her pregnant again made me feral. Who knew I had a breeding kink?