Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Zoe
What an amazing, embarrassing, thrilling night it’s been. The wedding was everything I’d imagined it would be, but what I wasn’t expecting is what we’re doing right now.
All the guests are gone, and there are just the four of us left, sitting around a huge fire they built in a field behind the wedding venue.
There are large logs set up around the firepit for people to use as backrests. Sitting on the ground—still in the dress I wore to the wedding, mind you—has never felt better because I’m wrapped in David’s arms.
I glance over to where Katie and Aiden are doing the same, and I can’t help but smile at the fact that she couldn’t care less about her wedding dress getting dirty.
“The women you bought that dress from in New York would freak out to see you sitting here, like this, wearing it,” I say with a chuckle.
She lets out a louder laugh. “Don’t you remember the expressions on their faces when I sat on the ground during the last fitting?”
I sit up just a little to face her better, not wanting to leave David’s arms though. “Yes! I have to admit, even I was a little taken aback by that too.”
She grins from ear to ear. “I knew this was exactly how our night would end, and I wanted to make sure I could sit here comfortably.” She looks up at Aiden. The love between them is so pure it’s heartwarming. “Just like the first night you finally made a move on me.”
“The first night your bitch-ass brother finally moved away,” Aiden states matter-of-factly, getting a rise out of David.
“Hey now.” David points a finger his way, acting like he’s mad, but we all know he’s just kidding.
“It really was the day he left?” I ask.
Katie holds Aiden’s arm that’s wrapped around her tighter. “Yep. I was sad he was moving away, and he was there to comfort me.”
“Were you sad too?” I ask Aiden.
“Fuck no. I had been counting down the days because I’d finally be able to get my girl,” Aiden states unapologetically before taking a sip of his beer, then grinning at David, who just laughs.
“So, you guys have been together ever since?” I ask both of them.
“Sure have.” Katie looks up at him, and they give each other a quick kiss.
I get cozy again in David’s arms, and for the first time since I can remember, I’m content.
I’m happy. I’m free. I’m so relaxed that I feel like I’m going to melt down to a puddle of joy.
I just love being here. I can’t even put my finger on the feeling rushing through me.
There’s zero stress, zero discomfort. I’m just here, staring up at stars I never imagined could exist this brightly and not wanting to be anywhere but here.
“I can see why you wanted your night to end this way.” I let out a breath and keep my focus on the stars.
When David kisses my head, I’m officially done for.
“Yeah, we do this often. It’s just so peaceful, you know?” Katie asks, and I nod.
“I’ve never known this kind of peace,” I admit.
“I bet you don’t get the stars or silence like this in New York,” Aiden chimes in.
“You sure don’t.” I hold on to David’s arm tighter, not wanting any mention of New York while we’re out here. I just want to stay in this bubble forever.
“I don’t understand how you do it.” Aiden takes another sip, then continues, “More importantly, I don’t understand why you do it when we have all of this right here.” He holds out his free arm to the side.
I hear David sigh, but he doesn’t respond, so I turn a little to see him better. “Don’t you miss it here?”
David shrugs. “Yeah. Sometimes.” He kisses my forehead. “Having you will make things better.”
I lean back on him again. “I didn’t even know a world like this existed. I could get used to a life like this.”
“So, you’re saying there’s a chance,” Aiden sings out.
“A chance of what?” I ask, not sure where he’s going with this.
“A chance you’d get him to move back here,” Aiden responds to my question.
I turn to look at David again, wanting to see his expression. I’ve never once thought about leaving New York, but I’ve also never known any life outside of it.
“It’s okay. I’m happy in New York.” David shuts the thought down, then holds me tighter.
I know this isn’t a conversation for right now, especially since we’ve only been together for a short time, but the idea of living here doesn’t seem so bad.
“Well, we’d better call it a night before I get too tired to consummate this marriage.” Aiden motions for Katie to get up.
She smacks his chest. “You’re never too tired.”
He kisses her forehead. “You know all I need is a smile from you, and I’m ready to go, but I want to make sure I can get you there too.”
“Please. Stop. I can hear you,” David deadpans.
We all laugh as we get up.
“Did you get a hotel room, or what’s the plan?” David asks, holding me tighter to him.
I look into his eyes. “Your mom said I could stay with you guys.”
His eyebrows rise in confusion. “Did she say where? I share a room with JJ.”
“Not tonight you don’t.” Katie gets in on our conversation. “We sent him home with Aunt Mary.”
“Did everyone know you were coming but me?” he asks, looking at all of us one by one.
“Yep!” Katie sings out. “Everyone but you!”
David gives me a soft kiss. “This will be fun. I’ve never had a girl in my bed at home.”
“Your ex never came here?” I ask.
“Ha!” Aiden blurts out without holding back. “That hoity-toity bitch? Please. She never stepped foot on Montana dirt.”
Now it’s my turn to raise my eyebrows. “Seriously?”
David shakes his head. “Let’s not talk about her. God knew there was someone better for me out there.”
“Way better!” Aiden shouts out, making me giggle.
David kisses my lips, whispering, “Way better.”
We say our goodbyes to Katie and Aiden and make our way to his truck.
“Um, how do I get up in this thing?” I ask with a laugh but a bit of seriousness too. The truck is so tall that I barely reach the side mirror.
“I got you.” David opens the door, then lifts me into the seat, kissing me along the way.
Once he’s in, he reaches over and physically slides me closer to him, making me yelp out loud in surprise.
“This is the best part of these old trucks.” He kisses my head. After he starts the truck, he wraps his arm around me.
We ride back to his house, cuddled up with one another, and I have to admit, this is a much better way to drive anywhere with someone, especially someone you love.
As we pull onto his family’s property, I pause for a minute to really take everything in—from the gravel driveway to the wraparound porch with a swing. It’s something I’ve only seen in movies, yet it’s his childhood, his past, and his family.
“I’m sure everyone’s asleep, so we’ll have to be quiet,” he whispers like we’re already inside, making me smile.
He really is handsome, and seeing him in the glow of just the stars above us makes me think so even more.
He opens his door and climbs out, then holds out his hand to me to slide out on the driver’s door as well. Kissing me as he lifts me out of the truck is definitely something I could get used to.
“Wait, where’s your stuff?” he asks, just realizing the fact that I don’t even have a purse on me.
I tilt my head to the truck. “Back there.”
He peeks over the edge, seeing my suitcase sitting there, then picks me up again. “You guys really did plan this all out.”
I kiss him, then lean back just enough to see him. “I can’t take any credit. When your sister and mom called me, they didn’t have much convincing to do. I knew I was all in.”
He drops his head back with a laugh. “My mom called you too?”
I nod. “She did. They said you looked miserable, and we all needed to come together to help you get your head out of your ass.”
This gets another laugh out of him. “Yeah, that sounds about right for her.” He kisses me softly. “I’m sure glad they butted their way into my life—yet again.”
I wrap my arms around him tighter. “Me too.”
After we kiss for probably longer than we should since we’re still in front of his house, he loosens his grip on me, and I slide down his body until my feet are stable on the ground.
With one hand in mine, he grabs my suitcase with the other, and we walk together to his childhood home and directly up to his bedroom as quietly as possible.
He shuts the door behind us and falls back against it, staring at me with an expression that melts my soul.
“I dreamed about having you in my bed with me these last few weeks,” he admits.
My chest is pounding so hard that I can’t get a word out, so I just stand here, staring at him.
“I can’t believe my dreams came true.” He takes three steps forward, wrapping his hands around the nape of my neck and bringing my lips to his.
I lift his shirt from the back, untucking it from his pants, then make my way to the front so I can unbutton it as well. When the shirt falls down his shoulders, my breath hitches as I take him in.
“Turn around,” he whispers.
I do as he wishes.
The zipper of my dress slowly comes apart with his guidance until it’s all the way down. With his hands on either side of me, he slips the straps off and down my arms until it’s a puddle of fabric on the floor.
“You know this means you’re mine now, right? No more games?” he whispers into my neck before placing kisses there.
I bite my lip and nod. “No more games.”
“That’s my girl.”
He flips me around so we’re face-to-face and kisses me with so much passion that I can truly feel his words in my soul. I’ve never wanted to be someone’s girl as much as I do with him. The anger he used to cause within me is nothing compared to the desire I feel, and now I know why.
This whole time, we had this energy between us that neither of us knew what to do with.
The universe knew we belonged together way before we could figure it out.
I’m just glad we didn’t give up on each other.
Fighting or not, what we have is something rare, and now that I’ve discovered it, I’m never letting him go.
He lays me down, then stands back up to remove the rest of his clothing, so I take the time to shimmy out of my panties, but he stops me.
“That’s my job.”
I don’t argue, which earns me a sexy smirk from him that sends chills throughout my body.
He climbs on the bed to continue what I started, sliding them off of my body and tossing them to the ground before sitting back on his heels to stare at me. “You’re so gorgeous.”
I reach up, grab him, and pull him down to me, needing to be one with him in a desperate way.
He notices my needs and laughs. “Yes, ma’am.”
I wrap my legs around him, bringing him even closer to me, and when he slides inside me, I’m completely done for.
I’ve never thought about marriage or what forever with a guy would be like, but right here and right now, all I know is, I never want this between us to end. If this is what our life is going to be like from here on out, I’m so in for whatever our life can be together.
“You and me,” he whispers as he kisses my lips and moves in a way I didn’t know could cause such feelings inside me.
“Forever,” slips out of my mouth, but I don’t even care. I mean every meaning, syllable, notion of what that word implies.
When he replies, “Forever,” my life is officially complete.
Waves of the most intense pleasure rip through me, and I have to bite down on his shoulder to not scream out for his entire family to hear.
His release comes quickly after, and we lie here for I don’t know how long, just kissing and holding on to each other, signifying even more that he’s my one and only.