Chapter 24
The sun sets just beyond the hill as we all sit around a fire pit in my parents’ backyard. The vines stretch for miles, contrasting against the pink and orange hues that paint the sky. Audrey’s pallid skin softly glows against the embers, a ring of gold forming around her irises. Her moonbeam smile holds my attention, completely blocking out everything and everyone around me.
“Donovan? Earth to D?” Logan’s elbow nudges my arm, knocking me out of my love trance.
“Yeah? What’s up?” I answer back, my eyes locked on Audrey as she and Tia laugh across the fire pit. This is the very place where we almost kissed for the first time. Our faces were so close I could feel the shudder in her breath when it brushed across my lips. Now, I get to kiss those lips anytime I want to.
“Damn, brother. You’ve got it so bad. What’s it like?” he teases me, putting his hands under his chin and batting his lashes. I snort under my breath and shove him by the shoulder. “Shut the fuck up, man,” I retort, shaking my head.
Logan knows how long I’ve had it bad for Audrey. He’s the first person I ever told about how I felt about her.
We were ten. I went to work with my dad one day that summer, and there she was—reading a book on the Juliet balcony outside her room, hair in a single braid draped over one shoulder.
She must’ve read something endearing in the way her mouth curved upward, striking a direct arrow into my heart. Her eyes glowed with wonder, like whatever words she read on the page were better than whatever else was happening around her in reality. The sparkle in her gaze drew me in, experiencing her undeniable pull for the first time.
I decided right then and there that Audrey Winthrop was the most intriguing girl I’d ever laid eyes on. She didn’t once look up at me, but man, she was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. Logan came over to play video games that night and I said very matter-of-fact, “I think I’m in love.”
“Seriously though, D. I’m happy for you. You finally got your dream girl,” he smiles. She really was just a dream for so long. Out of reach, out of touch. Just a movie in my head when I’d close my eyes at night, seeing her face before I’d drift off. It still feels like a dream, only better. It’s real. It’s concrete. Now when I drift off, it’s her face in front of me, not just in my head. And when I wake up, there she is. My dream girl.
“Thanks, brother. Now what about you? You seeing anyone?” I ask, sipping on my beer. He leans back in his chair and stretches his arms behind his head. Logan was known as quite the playboy back in the day, and he definitely carried that reputation all the way to Texas.
“Ah, you know I love my horseshoe honeys,” he chuckles. “But nah. No one serious at the moment,” he replies, his eyes focused on the fire.
I’d gone to visit a handful of times over the years. Logan insisted I’d come during rodeo season to meet the “horseshoe honeys,” his infamous moniker for the never-ending roster of girls he met there. Now, those Texas girls were attractive, but none held a candle to Audrey. Not even close.
“We’re pushing thirty, Harper. Don’t you wanna find someone and settle?” I ask, grinning against the opening of my bottle. He scoffs and takes a long pull from his beer. Logan? Settling? I’m stupid to ask. “I’ll leave the settling to you, baby boy,” he teases. We wink in unison and cheers the necks of our beers.
“So when are you gonna put a ring on it?” he asks, glancing at Audrey. Ah, there it is. The marriage talk. If I wasn’t so drop dead in love with her, I’d probably get annoyed. But the thought of marriage with Audrey only makes my insides flutter. I wanted to make her my wife the second I saw her at Sip Savor.
“Honestly? I want to soon, man,” I admit. I like the sound of it once it leaves my mouth. Mrs. Audrey King? Yeah, that’s it.
He blows out a whistle, taking another pull from his beer. I knew I’d marry her the minute she kneed me in the groin—the pain was blinding, but our future was clear. For every hope she shared, I’d be there to support her, no matter what. Every tear she’d shed, I’d be the one to catch it. Every kiss we’d had, I’d savor it. There’s not a doubt in my mind that the woman sitting across the flames with those shining green eyes is my wife. There never was.
“That’s crazy, D. But fucking awesome. Can I be your best man?” he jests, flashing me a cheeky grin.
I point my beer toward Wyatt, who’s deep in conversation with Noah. Logan’s eyes follow, and when he turns back to face me, he pats my shoulder and cups the side of my face.
“He would love that, brother,” he beams, playfully pinching my cheek. I look over at Wyatt and my chest squeezes with adoration for my little brother. Despite his broody, grumpy nature, he’s my best friend through and through. I love both of my brothers the same, but Wyatt keeps me steady. When the going gets rough, it’s Wyatt who holds me together.
My eyes flit to my dad, who’s listening intently to Audrey and Tia telling a story to my mom. We haven’t exchanged many words tonight—clearly, neither of us is making an effort to talk. But at least he’s not being an ass toward Audrey. That’s all I care about.
I watch her giggle, her cheeks flushed from the wine. Would she want this type of life with me? Married, kids, Sunday dinners? I know one thing for sure. She’s the only girl I’m ever bringing home to my family.
“Oh my god! The cinnamon rolls!” Audrey gasps, scrunching her hands in her hair. She stands up, looking at me over the fire.
“Donovan, can you help me, please?” I put my beer down and give her a nod, standing from my chair.
“Please excuse us. I made dessert for you all,” she chirps. Appreciative cheers echo around the firepit. Audrey plays coy, covering her cheeks with her hands.
She walks toward me and holds out her hand. I can tell she’s tipsy by her giggles and the way she stumbles on her way to me.
Once her hand is in mine, I realize that I’ve been missing her touch all night. Our fingers lace together and I pull her closer to bask in her intoxicating scent. It’s wildflowers and white wine, packed together like a drug I can’t get enough of.
The hem of her baby blue cotton dress flips up in the breeze, exposing her lean legs. I want those legs wrapped around me. My dick strains against my jeans when I see her nipples bud through her dress, knowing full well she isn’t wearing a bra.
Why does she do this to me?
As soon as we cross the threshold into the house, my lips are on her so fast she doesn’t have a second to think. Her hands rake through my hair and she tugs hard, earning a groan from deep inside my chest.
We stumble through the furniture to get to the kitchen as our tongues wrestle, our hands hungry for each other’s skin. I move my hands down below her dress and grab a handful of her ass, claiming her as mine. She moans into my mouth and breaks the kiss, playfully shoving me off of her.
“We aren’t done, Mouse,” I rumble, crowding her space and caging her against the kitchen island.
I’ve shared her all night, and I’m done sharing.
“Donovan, what about dessert?” she breathes, unable to control her tipsy giggles.
I lean in, pressing my arousal against her hip.
“I’m looking at it,” I growl, my lips hungry for her.
Her breath hitches as she traces her finger down the front of my shirt, torturously trailing down to my waist. She opens her hand and strokes her palm over my jeans, where my throbbing cock is eagerly waiting for her. My eyes roll back and I moan in her ear. It’s more than the wine and beer that has me drunk. I’m wasted on the way she touches me. Light-headed, room-spinning, seeing-double type of love drunk for her.
“Hey lovebirds, get a room!”
We both flinch back as Kerry drunkenly announces his presence. Thankfully, my back is to him, so he can’t see the bulge straining through my jeans that Audrey was just groping.
She buries her face in my shoulder, giggling uncontrollably with embarrassment. I give in and join her while Kerry stands by the French doors, crossing his arms and smirking. The little shit.
“Fuck off, Ker!” I turn my head out and yell, waiting for my dick to deflate. He flips the bird and stumbles outside to join everyone else. Audrey can’t stop laughing, her face beet red.
“Fuck, he’s drunk,” I say, scrubbing my hand over my face. “I’m sorry, Mouse. I didn’t notice he was in the house.” I laugh under my breath.
“Let’s just get these cinnamon rolls out to everyone before Kerry tells everyone I was giving you a hand job in your parents’ kitchen,” she teases.
I follow her lead and set the oven to its warm setting. She lifts the foil from the Pyrex. The aroma of cinnamon and sugar floods my nostrils. A secret grin plays on my lips thinking of licking the icing off of her tits this morning.
“By the way, I’m gonna go into town tomorrow with Tia to go shopping. I need new clothes,” she chirps, sliding the cinnamon rolls into the oven.
I noticed she didn’t bring much from New York. Briggs only packed as much as he could before Kellan woke up. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up thinking back to that day, holding her in my arms while she was black and blue. I shake it away quickly before it festers.
“Of course, baby. I’ve got some errands to run in the morning and a busy day at the winery. You and Tia should come by for a tasting,” I suggest. Selfishly, I would love to see her while I’m helping Frank with the wine tasting room tomorrow. But I’m glad she has Tia in town. I know she missed her.
“Okay, that sounds fun,” she winks, and I press a kiss into her cheek.
“Call me if you need me, okay?” My expression marks with concern, remembering what happened to her last time she went into town. She gives me a weak smile and rubs my back for reassurance.
“I’ll be alright, baby. I’ve got Tia. Don’t worry, okay?” she replies. She’s right. Tia can be terrifying.
On a visit to Austin for me and Logan’s 21st birthdays, Logan and Tia took me out to their local hole in the wall. When some guy started getting handsy with her on the way to the bathroom, she grabbed him right by the balls and slammed him down hard on the floor, showing off every bit of of that third-degree black belt in jiu-jitsu. She seems chill on the surface, but you definitely don’t wanna fuck with her.
“You’re right. But still, please call if you need me. I’ll be there,” I murmur, my hands resting on her waist. Her arms wrap around my middle as she tilts her head up, giving me a good look at those freckles I love so much.
“I will. Thank you,” she whispers. I kiss the tip of her nose and help her with her cinnamon rolls once they’re out of the oven, placing them on one of my mom’s serving plates. Once we have everything in order, we make our way back out to the firepit to join my family.
“God, I hope they love them,” she nervously whispers, wearing the cutest expression on her face. She doesn’t need to impress my family. She already enamored them with no effort at all.
The moment she approaches everyone with dessert in hand, the ensuing claps and cheers prompt a soft shade of pink to spread across her cheeks. She bows in a sweet, adorable curtsy.
Okay, that was fucking cute.
“Oh wow, Audrey. These look amazing, sweetheart. Thank you so much,” my mom gushes, staring at a cinnamon roll as big as her face.
Satisfying groans break out from everyone around the firepit. Audrey’s smile shines brighter than the moon, watching everyone’s delighted expressions.
“Damn, Audrey. These are better than Sip Savor’s, hands down,” Wyatt beams, while Kerry stuffs his face without taking a breath.
“Jesus, Ker, slow down. You’re gonna choke, son,” my dad chimes in, scolding Kerry with his eyes. Everyone but Noah and my parents are a little drunk at this point, further explaining why Kerry is inhaling his food like a vacuum instead of properly chewing.
Kerry snorts with the cinnamon roll stuffed in his mouth, sparking a chain reaction of snickers from everyone. It starts with Tia, who nearly spits out her food, causing Logan to double over as drool escapes his mouth. Audrey’s cheeks puff out like a chipmunk hoarding nuts in its mouth, which makes me spit out my cinnamon roll. It lands in the center of the fire, punctuated by a glow in the center of the flames.
We’re laughing so hard that no sound is being made except wheezing and ragged inhales, and someone—I think Tia—sounds like a tea kettle going off. Wyatt slumps deep in his chair, casually eating his dessert with his eyes bloodshot and glazed over, shaking his head at everyone on the floor.
“Oh my Lord, kids! Caleb, we should’ve cut them off a long time ago,” my mom shouts over us, half laughing, half in disbelief that her grown adult children can’t handle their alcohol.
“Grace, I can’t help that your sons have your alcohol tolerance,” my dad retorts, earning a playful slap on the shoulder from mom.
“These are not my sons right now. They’re yours,” my mom counters, pushing her index finger into Dad’s chest.
My dad and Noah glance over at each other, both with sly grins on their faces, sitting back in their chairs enjoying dessert. More so, enjoying the shit show unfolding before them.
“I’m sorry, mommy!” Kerry squeaks out, his stomach cramping from eating too fast and laughing too hard. That sets us off into another wave of silent laughter as we fight for our lives.
Audrey and I slide out of our chairs. Her head buries in my shoulder as tears trickle down her face.
Damn, I haven’t laughed like this with my family since…well, before James. We used to laugh like this all the time. My eyes scan around the firepit and an overwhelming sense of joy overcomes my whole body. Even my dad is chuckling—and I realize with a jolt, I miss him.
This is what Sunday dinners are about.
I look down at Audrey and lift her chin up to meet my eyes. Her giggles have settled, and her irises glow with the embers of the flame before us. Absolutely beautiful without even trying.
“Can I have forever with you?” she whispers, creating a bubble around us to live in, just us two.
I press a gentle kiss into her soft pout and whisper back, “Forever with you is only the start.”