Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Knox
I unlock the door and hold it open for Winter. She walks in slowly, still moving carefully like she's afraid she might get dizzy again. I set my keys on the entry table and turn to her.
"Why don't you go take a hot shower? It'll help you feel better."
Winter nods but doesn't move right away. She just stands there in my living room looking exhausted. I walk past her toward my bedroom.
"Come on. I'll get you something to wear."
She follows me down the hallway and into my room. I go straight to my closet and pull out one of my white button-down dress shirts. It'll be oversized on her but comfortable.
I hand it to her. "Put this on when you're done. I'll have dinner ready by then."
Winter takes the shirt and looks up at me.
"Thank you."
I lean down and kiss her forehead.
"Take your time."
She disappears into the bathroom and I hear the water start running a minute later. I head to the kitchen and start pulling things out of the refrigerator. Steak. Potatoes. Asparagus. Nothing complicated but substantial enough that she'll actually eat.
I season the steaks and get them on the grill pan.
While they cook, I chop the potatoes and toss them in olive oil with salt and pepper, then slide them into the oven.
The asparagus goes on the stovetop in a separate pan with butter and garlic.
Twenty minutes later, everything is plated and sitting on the dining table.
Winter emerges from the bedroom wearing my shirt. It falls to mid-thigh on her, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her hair is damp and pulled back from her face.
She looks beautiful.
"Feel better?" I ask.
"Yeah. Much better."
I pull out a chair for her and she sits down. I take the seat across from her.
We eat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Winter cuts into her steak and takes a bite, then another. She's actually eating, which is a relief.
"This is really good," she says quietly.
"Thanks."
More silence.
Then I set down my fork and look at her.
"How are you feeling? About everything the doctor said?"
Winter pauses mid-bite. She sets down her knife and fork and looks at me.
"Honestly? I don't know. It's still sinking in."
"What are you thinking?"
She takes a breath. "I'm thinking about how much my life is about to change. How much everything is about to change."
I nod. "It's a lot."
We finish eating without saying much more.
When we're done, I stand and gather both of our plates, carrying them to the sink.
Winter stays at the table, her hands folded in front of her.
I turn on the water and rinse the dishes, then turn back to look at her.
She's staring down at the table and I can see her shoulders shaking slightly.
"Winter?"
She looks up and I see tears streaming down her face.
I cross the room immediately and pull her chair back, helping her stand.
She collapses against my chest and I wrap my arms around her.
Winter's hands grip the front of my shirt and she buries her face against me.
I hold her tightly, one hand on the back of her head, the other on her lower back.
I cup her face, as I lean forward, kissing her softly. I kiss the tears from her cheeks, tasting the salt of her emotion as I pull her fully into my arms. She melts against me, her body trembling, her hands clutching at my shirt again, as if she’s afraid to let go.
I kiss her repeatedly. Her cheeks, her forehead, the top of her head.
She wraps her arms tightly around my neck, pulling me closer, her lips finding mine again.
My hands instinctively slide around her waist, and I scoop her up effortlessly.
Her legs wrap around me, holding on as if she can’t bear to let go.
I hold her close, walking us down the hallway toward the bedroom. Every step feels heavy with emotion, the weight of everything between us too great to bear. I’ve never wanted anyone or anything as much as I want her now, and at this moment. It’s overwhelming.
I push the door open, stepping inside the room, and walk her to the bed.
Gently, I lower her onto the mattress, laying her back as I hover above her.
My hands move to the hem of the shirt, pulling it up and over her head.
She lies there, bare before me, her body radiant and perfect, her breasts full and soft, her skin flushed.
For a moment, I just stand there, staring down at her, letting the sight of her consume me. Slowly, I raise my shirt over my own head, and then I stop, hovering at the edge of the bed.
I gaze into her eyes, my breaths heavy, each one dragging like a ragged confession.
The moment feels suspended, the room charged with everything we’ve left unsaid.
Without breaking contact, I reach for the zipper of my pants, dragging it down slowly.
The sound is stark in the quiet air, and her eyes flicker down, widening.
My briefs follow, and my cock springs free, hard, pulsing, and unrelenting.
I watch her chest rise and fall, her lips parting slightly as she stares, her anticipation palpable.
Climbing onto the bed, I straddle her. My hands instinctively find her breasts, cupping and teasing, my thumbs circling her nipples.
I bend down, my lips capturing hers in a deep kiss.
She melts under me, her body arching into mine as I kiss her deeply, passionately.
I trail my mouth down her neck, lingering on the sensitive spot just below her ear before working my way to her cleavage.
My tongue glides along the curve of her breast until it reaches her nipple.
Taking it into my mouth, I suck gently at first, then harder, the sound of her gasps spurring me on.
I shift lower, my lips pressing a line of kisses down the soft plane of her stomach.
I stop at her navel, lifting my head to look at her.
Her flushed face and wide eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the world quiets.
I smile at her, my fingers grazing her belly with a reverence I didn’t know I was capable of.
Her answering smile is tender, full of trust, and it hits me harder than I expect.
I press my lips to her navel, lingering there as if it holds some unspoken promise.
Moving lower, I position myself between her thighs, my hands spreading them open, exposing her completely to me.
She shivers as I lower my head, my tongue finding her clit with precision.
I wrap my lips around her swollen bud, sucking it softly at first, then with more pressure, coaxing breathy moans from her lips.
Her hips shift upward, seeking more contact as I slide my tongue down, teasing her entrance with the lightest of brushes.
Her taste is intoxicating, and I’m lost in her, my fingers joining the fray as I spread her labia open further.
My tongue plunges into her pussy hole, and I hear her gasp, her hands threading into my hair and holding me in place.
I alternate between my tongue and my fingers, curling and twisting inside her while my thumb works her clit.
She moans louder, her legs wrapping tightly around my head as her thighs begin to tremble.
I can feel her body climbing, the tension coiling inside her as she gets closer. Her gasps and moans turn frantic, and I double down, my tongue and fingers working together, relentless and hungry.
Her body arches off the bed as my words spark something inside her. She cries out, her orgasm ripping through her, loud and unrestrained. Her release is so powerful that she squirts, and I groan, my mouth eagerly lapping up every drop, devouring her as if she’s my lifeline.
As her tremors subside, I rise, spreading her legs wider as I position myself at her entrance.
My hand wraps around my cock, stroking it once, twice, before guiding myself into her.
The heat of her slick, wet pussy surrounds me as I slide in slowly, her tightness stretching around my girth.
I arch my back as I bury myself to the hilt, groaning at the sheer perfection of her.
Her moans spur me on as I start to move, my thrusts deliberate and deep, each one branding her as mine. My hands grip her thighs, squeezing them as I watch her writhe beneath me, her walls pulsing around me, pulling me deeper.
I groan, the sensation almost too much. I glance down, captivated by the way her breasts bounce with each thrust, the way her juices drip down my shaft. The sight alone is almost enough to undo me.
“I fucking love you, Winter,” I whisper, my voice raw, each word a confession.
Her eyes snap open, locking with mine.
“I love you,” she cries, her nails digging into my back as her second orgasm crashes through her. The sting of her nails slicing into my skin ignites something primal inside me, and I thrust harder, my movements erratic and wild.
Her walls clench around me, squeezing me like a vise, and the tingling in my spine spreads, erupting into a full-body release. I still myself, my cock buried deep inside her as my orgasm overtakes me. I give her all of my warm cum, as it spills into her, unapologetic and endless.
“You belong to me, Winter,” I say, my voice a low growl as I press my forehead against hers.
“And you belong to me,” she whispers, her voice trembling but sure.
I lean down, capturing her lips in a searing kiss, my body still trembling from the aftershocks. Slowly, I pull out, our combined juices spilling onto the sheets. I collapse next to her, pulling her leg over mine as my hand lazily caresses her thigh and I press a kiss to her forehead.
The room is quiet except for the rhythmic sound of our breathing, still heavy from what we just shared.
I’m on my back, one arm tucked behind my head, the other draped across Winter’s bare back.
She’s pressed against me, her cheek resting on my chest, her fingers idly tracing patterns over my stomach.
I can feel her warmth, her heart still racing against my ribs, and I can’t stop the grin from spreading across my face.
“A baby,” I say, the words coming out in an almost disbelieving whisper.
“Amazing.”
She lifts her head, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she looks at me, her eyes soft and searching.
“Are you happy?” she asks quietly, her voice fluttering with uncertainty.
I cup her face, my thumb brushing her cheek.
“You have no idea.” My voice cracks slightly, the depth of my emotions surprising even me.
We lay there wrapped in each other, as we drift off to sleep.