Chapter 33
Landon
Present
As soon as my eyes pop open Sunday morning, I throw on a T-shirt and basketball shorts, and head to the kitchen.
Excitement buzzes under my skin. Last night, Ainsley texted she wants to keep her house, so she needs help coming up with a plan.
What’s more is she wants me to help her.
My feet skid to a stop when I spot Mom sitting at the small kitchen table, pressing her fingertips to her forehead.
I slide into the seat beside her, smoothing my palm over her back. “You okay?”
She offers me a small smile. “Just a headache.”
“Have you had anything to eat yet?”
“No. I was going to make some toast, but the room started to spin.”
Frowning, I push out of my chair. “I’ll make you some eggs with your toast.”
“I’m fine. It’ll pass.”
It might pass today, but the MS is here to stay, and it’ll only progress. Mom has her good days, and those are the days we forget about her disease. But it’s days like this that bring on the worry of what’s to come.
I crack four eggs into a bowl and whisk them with my fork. “Chamomile or mint tea?”
“I’ll have mint.”
When everything’s ready, I divide the scrambled eggs onto two dishes, and set two slices of toast on each of them. Then I carry a steaming mug to the table and sit.
Mom grips my forearm. “You don’t have to worry about me, baby. I promise, I’m okay.”
“I’m your son. It’s my job to worry about you.” I shoot her a wink. “Now eat your breakfast.”
As much as I want rush out of the house to see Ainsley, I can’t leave Mom here by herself. The last thing she needs is to take another spill and hit her head. If she’s feeling dizzy, I want to be here to help her.
“What time are you going to Ainsley’s?”
“I don’t have to go today. I can hang with you.”
Mom leans back against her chair, talking around a forkful of eggs. “You’re not staying with me.”
I lift a challenging eyebrow.
She nods. “I’m going to take it easy today. The sun’s out and I want to read a new book I picked up at the library. I’ll be off my feet and you won’t have a thing to worry about.”
My worry subsides for the time being. “What book did you get?”
“The Silent Patient. It’s about a woman who kills her husband, and then doesn’t speak another word ever again.”
My eyebrows jump. “You’ll have to let me know how it turns out.”
She smiles. “I will. So, get your butt over to Ainsley’s, and stop making a fuss over your mother.”
I push out of my chair, and lean down to drop a kiss to the top of her head. “Who better than you to make a fuss over?”
Grabbing a few supplies from the garage, I head to Ainsley’s house across town.
I find her lounging on the porch swing in fuzzy zebra-print slippers, her hair swept up into a messy bun on top of her head, holding a mug that says I don’t like morning people. Or mornings. Or people.
I grin as I climb the steps. “Nice mug, Scrooge.”
She smirks as she stands, and sets her mug on the wooden ledge of the porch. The hem of her over-sized Kiss T-shirt skims her bare thighs. “I’ll make an exception for you.”
Dear Lord.
I slide my hands around her waist, feeling the warmth of her body radiating through the thin fabric of her shirt. “How are you feeling today?”
“I’m good, but it’s Sunday. Ask me tomorrow when everyone’s at work except me.
” Her hands come up to the back of my neck, playing with the short hairs there.
“I was thinking, maybe I could spend some time with your mom during the week. We’re both home, and she has to be bored.
We can go for walks. I read that staying active is important for people like her, and—”
I cover her lips with mine, needing to claim her mouth and pour my emotion into her. My tongue surges inside, and hers meets mine with matching intensity.
Her career is in jeopardy, and the most important thing in the world to her was just taken away. Instead of sitting home and sulking about it, she’s thinking about my mother. Spending time with her. Knowing it’ll ease my worry to have them together.
I pull back and rest my forehead against hers.
“What was that for?” she asks, breathless.
“You’re thinking of my mother, with all that you have going on.”
A small smile touches her lips. “I care about her.”
“I care about you.” I brush my nose against hers. “You know that, right?”
She nods, but doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t have to. I know what this is, what’s happening between us.
Even if she doesn’t yet.
Ainsley tugs my T-shirt and pulls me inside the house. Pushing me against the door as it closes, she lifts onto her toes and kisses me again, hungry and urgent. Her hands roam under the hem of my shirt, skating over my skin. My body shivers under her soft touch.
I’d spent many nights in high school imagining what she’d feel like, what it’d be like to touch her in all the ways I’m getting to now. To kiss her, to hold her.
To tell her that I was in love with her.
I was, back then.
I was too chicken shit to tell her, and then I never got the chance. Everything fell apart. But now...things have come back together in the most unexpected, wonderful way.
I can feel myself falling again.
But I can’t move too fast. This is the only chance I’m going to get, the only one she’ll allow me. I don’t want to rush this, and scare her away.
I ease back, and gaze down at her. Her lips are swollen, and her cheeks are flushed.
“What’s wrong?” Ainsley’s chest heaves. “Why are you stopping?”
My hands smooth over her face, stroking her soft cheeks. “Let me take you out to dinner tonight.”
Her eyebrows jump. “Like, on a date?”
I nod. “We’ll eat, and hold hands. You’ll let me open doors for you, and I’ll walk you to your door at the end of the night.” I press a chaste kiss to the tip of her nose. “Will you go on a date with me, Ainsley Morgan?”
A pink flush crawls up her neck into her cheeks as she smirks. “Do I have to get dressed up?”
I chuckle. “Do you want to?”
Her nose scrunches. “Let’s do something that’s more our style. I don’t need to be wined and dined.”
“I love that.”
Ideas rush into my brain, but I push them down. Right now, I’m here to help with the house.
I spin her around by her shoulders, and give her a light nudge. “Go put pants on so we can get started. I can’t concentrate with my dick poking a hole through my underwear.”
Ainsley tears her shirt over her head and spins around to face me as she walks backward toward the stairs. “Am I distracting you, Fletcher?”
Fuck. Me.
I lick my lips as my gaze snags on her perfect nipples. “Yes, very much so.”
“Maybe we should take care of that problem.” She slides her fingers along the waistband of her striped boy shorts. “You know, so we can fully concentrate on the house stuff.”
My feet move toward her without me realizing I’m even walking. “That’s a good idea. Wouldn’t want to mess anything up by not focusing.”
She turns and heads upstairs, and I follow her, like a helpless man being lured by a Siren at sea, mesmerized by the sway of her hips.
When we reach her bedroom, my patience snaps.
I devour her mouth, sliding my tongue between her lips to part them, searching for the sweet lingering taste of her hazelnut coffee.
I yank on her scrunchie and her hair cascades around us.
I sink one hand into her wild strands, cradling her head, while the other splays out on the small of her back, holding her body close against mine.
Ainsley claws at my shirt, trying to pull it over my head.
I tear it off the rest of the way while she drops to her knees, pulling down my shorts and boxers with one sweep.
Stepping out of my shoes, I kick my clothes to the side, gazing down at her while she blinks up at me with fire in her hazel eyes.
Without breaking eye contact, Ainsley leans in and drags her tongue against my length.
My hips jerk and my mouth drops open as a low groan escapes me.
Then she sucks me all the way into her mouth, and my legs threaten to buckle. “Fuck, you look so sexy on your knees with my cock in your mouth.”
I grip her hair in one hand, keeping it out of her face while she works me with her tongue, moaning around me like she’s just as turned on as I am.
I stroke her cheek with my free hand, loving the way her jaw stretches open to take me deeper.
My head hits the back of her throat, and she forces me further until she gags.
“Fuck, Ainsley.” I jerk back and pull her to her feet by her hair. “Get me a condom. Now.”
She scrambles onto the bed and pulls an unopened box from the drawer in her nightstand.
Tossing it to me, she lays back and peels off her underwear.
Her pussy is wet and glistening, so ready for me.
I roll on a condom, and drop the box to the floor as I climb onto the bed.
Burying my face between her legs, I lap at her arousal, needing to taste her.
“How do you want me, sweetheart?” I flick my eyes to hers as I swirl my tongue around her clit. “Tell me what you need.”
She flips over and gets into the position she wants, hands and knees on the bed, ass in the air waiting for me.
“Mmmm.” I spread her ass cheeks apart and rub my tongue over her pussy. “I could eat you like this for hours.”
She moans and writhes, rocking back and pushing her ass into my face. I make it messy, letting my drool drip everywhere, my tongue going wild all over her. I slide one hand up her ribs until I reach her breast, squeezing it and then rolling her nipple between my fingers.
Ainsley moans louder.
“That’s it, baby. Come all over my face.”
She pushes her hips back so hard, smashing my face into her core, and I can barely breathe. I love every second of it, knowing she’s right there at the edge of ecstasy.
Ainsley screams my name and her body shakes, releasing everything she has for me. I suck up every drop of her, relishing in her sweet taste.
My dick throbs so hard, it feels like I’ll explode if I don’t get inside of her now. Just as she finishes coming, I slide myself between her legs, coating the condom in her wetness. Then I plunge inside of her, and we both cry out in relief.
“Fuck me, Landon. Fuck me hard and fast,” she begs.
I wrap her hair around my fist and yank, pulling her head back as I drive into her, again and again. The sound of our skin slapping together fills the room, mixed with Ainsley’s breathless moans.
“This how you want it, baby?” I grip her hip with my right hand, holding her steady while I fuck in a punishing rhythm. “This good for you?”
“Yes,” she cries. “Yes, please. Don’t stop.”
I have no intention of stopping.
Glancing to the right, I see our reflection in the standing mirror propped against the wall. It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
I jerk her head with my hand in her hair. “Look at us. Look how good you look being fucked like this, with your ass up and my cock buried inside your pussy. You can have this any time you want it, Ainsley. I belong to you. You own me. I’ll give you anything you want, just ask for it.”
Her hands fist the comforter as she watches us, and I feel her walls clench tighter around me.
My baby is ready to come again.
My hand holding her hip slides underneath to her clit so my fingers can play with her. Ainsley’s head drops to the mattress and she releases her screams into it, her thighs shaking and her pussy spasming around me.
Unable to hold myself back any longer, I join her. Her name thunders out of my chest as I come, the both of us crying out for the other. White-hot heat explodes behind my eyes, and pleasure detonates like fireworks.
She milks every drop from me until we’re both sated, and we collapse onto the bed together.
Ainsley slaps her palm against her chest as she catches her breath. “Fuck, I needed that.”
I grin as I roll my head to the side to look into her eyes, taking in her messy hair and flushed skin. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
Her light laughter rustles something in my chest. “Maybe that’s my plan.”
“I figured as much. Trick me into falling in love with you, and then kill me in my sleep.”
“Pfft.” She rolls her eyes. “You wouldn’t have to be sleeping. I’d kill you right to your face.”
I laugh. “I don’t doubt it.”
Her smile fades, and the energy around us shifts as she searches my eyes. “You said love.”
I keep my mouth shut and nod once, letting her see everything I’m not saying.
Her eyes bounce between mine, back and forth, back and forth, and I know her mind is working.
“Do you think...are you...?” Her voice trails off,
“I fell for you once, Ainsley.” I lift my hand to cup her face. “I don’t think it’d be impossible to fall again.”
Her throat bobs as she swallows.
“Does that scare you?” I ask.
“No.” She pauses. “I mean, it always has, but...it’s different with you.”
My heart thrashes against my chest, and every nerve ending in my body comes alive. “It is different with us, isn’t it?”
Ainsley closes her eyes, leaning into my hand on her cheek. “I don’t want to be with anyone else.”
“I know.” I smile. “Thanks for catching up.”
She smacks my chest and rolls out of bed. “I’m going to pee, and then we’re going to get to work. No more distractions.”
My gaze lingers on the sway of her ass as she saunters into the bathroom. “Then you’re going to have to cover up that sexy body of yours.”