CHAPTER 8
KEATON
I hear the laughing coming from the event space of GMH before I even enter the room.
It’s the kind of laughter that you can’t ignore, filled with joy and something genuine that makes me want to join in.
Even though I can’t catch what people are saying, the lilt of the conversation is light and joking.
“Everyone,” Gemma’s voice cuts through the noise just as I reach the doorway and lean against it to take in the scene in front of me, “it’s time to show everyone what you’ve been working on.”
The space feels like summer while being light and not campy. There is a beach landscape on an easel, and I watch as everyone holds their version of it up. A few are far more successful than I expected, and some are worse than I imagined. But the smiles around the room don’t falter.
Everyone finds something to lightly tease or praise everyone about, usually both. As their happiness wraps around me, I look around again. I don’t know what I was expecting, but this isn’t quite it. Maybe I was expecting a cloud of smoke and tapestries everywhere.
That’s not what this is.
I notice Greylin, Meadow, and Mayer holding up their own paintings with smiles on their faces. They’re looking at Gemma who is standing in the middle of the space and glowing.
“I’m glad everyone had a great time tonight,” Gemma’s voice rises over the noise.
Everyone cheers and my smile grows so wide that my cheeks start to ache. When her eyes find me, something changes on her face. She sparkles even while a blush steals over her cheeks. I can’t look away.
I don’t want to.
“I’m sure all of your masterpieces will find a prominent place in all your homes,” she teases.
Even though Gemma tries to focus on the room, her eyes keep darting back to me. Watching her get flustered does something to me. I want to wrap her up in my arms and kiss her until she’s breathless.
“If you haven’t signed up to get our newsletter about upcoming events, you can do that on the way out or use the QR code on tonight’s pamphlet,” Gemma reminds everyone brightly. “I hope to see you at another event.”
There are murmurs of agreement as people start collecting their bags along with their new art. I slide further into the room to be out of the way as everyone starts to file out. After everyone is gone, the girls circle Gemma, clearly proud of her for another successful event.
Then they see me and the grins on their faces border on terrifying. I would take a step back if I wasn’t already leaning against the wall. Gemma walks toward me with hesitant steps, but her smile is sweet.
I almost reach for her, but I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. Being unsure isn’t a feeling I’m used to and it makes me uneasy.
Her voice is soft when she reaches me. “Hi,” she looks up at me shyly. “Are you sure it’s not too late for you to pick me up?”
The way she worries her bottom lip makes my cock harden behind the fly of my jeans. “I’m sure,” the words leave my lips as a rasp.
“Is he going to say it’s never too late when you’re involved?” Meadow’s question is full of teasing as the women approach us.
I hold my hands up in surrender. “It’s true and you said it not me.”
“Aww,” Greylin holds out the sound. “That’s so sweet.”
“You two are too cute,” Mayer adds in, her voice deadpan with a hint of careful consideration.
With every word, Gemma’s face gets a little pinker and then passes over into red. I barely glance at her friends because looking at her feels like the warmth of the sun on a perfect summer day.
“It looks like you ladies had fun tonight.”
“Of course we did,” Meadow chirps and wraps an arm around Gemma’s shoulders. “Gemma makes the night fun and always chooses a great activity.”
Warmth fills my chest as I look at my Gem. My woman. I know it’s true, even if it means risking a lifelong friendship. She’s worth it.
“Can I help clean anything up?”
Gemma’s eyes widen like she’s surprised I even suggested such a thing. She looks back at the tables where paint and brushes are just part of the mess. Before she says a word, she’s already shaking her head.
“You don’t need to do that. It won’t take me long to get everything put away,” she assures me, but there’s a thread of uncertainty in her voice.
Is she worried about me waiting for her? I get it, but it’s not a problem. I’ll happily wait for her, and I’m more than willing to help.
“No way,” Greylin pipes up.
“We’ve got this,” Mayer’s voice is firm, like she already knows my Gem is going to put up a fight.
“What are you talking about?” The bewilderment in Gemma’s voice is adorable, “I need to get everything put away.”
“We can clean everything up,” Meadow tells her. “You are going to walk out of the door with Keaton and let him take you wherever he’s going to take you.”
“Tomorrow you can make a list of everything we don’t put in the right place,” Greylin teases my woman.
“You always want to do it yourself and never let us help,” Meadow says it like she’s been truly wronged. “Not tonight.”
I watch my woman squirm under the attention of her best friends, I already know how this is going to end. She’s not going to be able to hold out long against their onslaught. It’s amusing watching her resolve crumble in real time.
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” She asks the question, but it’s clear she already knows the answer as she looks at her friends who are all shooting her looks filled with unsaid words, agreement, and understanding. “Fine,” she whines before looking up at me and winking.
I bark out a laugh and usher Gemma out of GMH while her friends shout their goodbyes and promises to leave the event room spotless. The moment my hand slides into place at her lower back, it feels like coming home. How did I manage to hold off on touching her for so long?
There’s no way I’m going to keep holding back. Since they already know, there’s no real reason to anyway.
Once I have her in my truck and ready to head over to my place since the plan is to show her my set-up and talk about how we’re going to approach tomorrow’s first brewing day in her brew room, she finally breaks the silence.
“They’re going to put my paint away all out of order,” she grumbles.
“You have an order when it comes to paint?” I sound incredulous as hell.
Gemma shoots me a wide-eyed look and shakes her head slowly. “You don’t?” I don’t say anything and just glance at her sideways which causes her to roll her eyes while her voice takes on a tone like it should be obvious, “Roy G. Biv.”
I blink as I stop in front of my house and turn toward her. “What are you talking about?”
“Everyone knows this. It’s a thing,” she says without really saying anything.
“Nope,” I counter and shake my head.
“It’s the rainbow color order. Roy G. Biv.” She pulls a face and teases, “I’m not going to name each color, but it’s the official rainbow with indigo and violet instead of just purple.”
“Ah, I got it now,” I tell her with a smirk.
She narrows her eyes at me and then tilts her head like she can’t figure me out. “I’m not sure if you’re pulling my leg about never hearing that before or not.”
I just shrug before climbing out of my truck and heading around to the other side to open her door. Since I know she’s not expecting it, I practically sprint the entire distance. Thankfully, I manage to make it in time.
The smile she gives me is shy and my heart starts to pound in my chest. She’s adorable.
When we step inside, I spin us and press Gemma against the door. My mouth descends and the moment our lips touch a fire ignites in my gut. I lift her up, my hands on her hips, and her legs wrap around my waist while I press her further into the door.
“I’ve gotta say, my Gem,” I growl against her lips, “watching you in the middle of your room was sexy as fuck.”
“What are you talking about?” Her question is breathy and my cock throbs in response to the way the words wrap around me.
“You.” I kiss along her jaw and down the column of her throat.
My teeth nip at where her pulse pounds in her neck.
“In the room that is built for you, the room you own just by entering, helping people connect and create memories. It was beautiful.” I pull back and look down into her aqua-colored eyes. “You are beautiful.”
Her cheeks pink slightly as I pull her away from the door but keep her in my arms while heading toward the bedroom. “You aren’t even going to offer me something to drink?” Her question is a tease.
“Can’t,” I grunt. “Too hungry for you.”
I kick the door closed behind us and put her down on my bed. My movements feel rushed as I undress her. It feels like unwrapping a perfectly wrapped present.
When she’s laid out before me like an offering, I stand at the edge of the bed and get naked like my life depends on it. Maybe it does.
Instead of crawling over her and covering her body with mine, I grip her hips and flip her onto her stomach. The words come out half feral, “Hands and knees, my Gem.”
I watch her ass as she gets into position. One of my hands slides from her hip to the base of her spine. I watch as goosebumps cover her skin when I slide my fingertips up and then back down to caress the globes of her ass.
Every sigh she lets out, every little hitch in her breath, I remember it. It feels like I’m mapping a brand-new world, one I never dreamed of exploring. But here I am.
My hands are on her.
My cock is throbbing.
Her pussy is weeping for me.
Her whimper holds my name within the sound.
I grip the base of my cock while I slide the crown up and down her wet slit. She’s soaked for me and the heat coming off her has my dick aching to be buried deep inside her. Then she moves her hips, pushing back against me and tempting me.
I’m only a man and the need to fill her starts to make me feel unhinged. When I can’t take it a second longer, I grit my teeth and start to slowly push inside. As much as I want to bury myself in her with one thrust, there’s something decadent about going slowly.
Her tight, wet heat wraps around me and I let out a sound from deep in my throat. My fingers wrap around her waist as if my touch will be enough to hold me steady. I can only hope.
When I’m buried balls deep inside of her, we both let out a sigh filled with reverence. I start to move my hips, pulling out and then plunging back in deeply. My thrusts speed up as the need simmering in both of us comes to a boil.
Her walls squeeze around me while my grip tightens. She pushes back and meets each movement. When she moans, the sound hitches every time I fill her completely. My eyes are fixed on her ass while I watch her flesh ripple.
Gemma’s head flies back, her light pink hair following the movement and splaying wild and reckless across her back. It’s fucking glorious.
“Fuck,” I grunt, “filling you with my cock is the best feeling in the world.”
“Please, Keaton,” she keens, “I’m so close.”
“I know, I can feel the way you’re teetering on the edge,” the words are ripped from my throat, rough with a hint of a plea.
I need her to fall apart for me. I need to feel her milk me. I need to hear her bliss in her moans.
“Yes,” she hisses and then her entire body shudders.
Gemma’s pussy squeezes around me and my balls draw up tight. I thrust inside of her three more times before grunting and filling her completely. Every jet of my cum paints the walls of her channel and fills her with warmth.
Her arms give out and her shoulders slump down to the bed. I follow her down and twist to take her into my arms while pulling her against my chest. She lets out a quiet sigh as her body relaxes into me and her breathing slowly returns to normal.
I squeeze her tighter and bask in the feeling of being complete which washes over me. It wasn’t easy for her to ask me for help. It wasn’t easy for me to get over my own issues and finally hold the woman I’ve wanted for so long in my arms.
Now, we just have to hold onto it.
Hopefully, we can.