Chapter 18 Veronica
EIGHTEEN
veronica
The following morning, I was sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs in the yard with a cup of coffee when a text popped up from Austin.
My dad will not shut up about you.
Haha. What’s he saying?
Just going on about how sweet you are, how pretty you are, how lucky it was that you showed up when you did. Basically he’s in love.
It’s mutual.
He told me I should take you out to a fancy restaurant while the kids are gone.
Oh really? And what did you say?
I told him I was already fucking you at home for free.
JERK.
Kidding. If you’d like to go out, we can. I just like being alone with you. I don’t want to share.
I also don’t want people talking.
It’s fine. I don’t need fancy restaurants. What I need are clothes. Any suggestions?
Lots of skimpy things. Maybe something see-through. Or those panties without a crotch. Might be tough to find in Cherry Tree Harbor.
That’s not what I meant. What SHOPS should I go to? I want to buy local.
Oh. I have no idea. Ask Mabel?
Good idea.
I didn’t expect Mabel to answer, so I was surprised when she picked up. “Hey, Veronica!”
“Hi!”
“I was just thinking about you. How are things going?”
“Great,” I told her. “Really great. How’s the dig?”
“Fantastic,” she bubbled. “Are the kids in California?”
“Yes. They left on Saturday.”
“Has my brother been a bear ever since? He’s extra hard to live with when he’s away from them.”
“He’s been okay,” I said casually, although extra hard was accurate too, just not in the way she meant.
“So you’re getting along?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Austin can come off prickly, but once you get to know him, he really is sweet. He’d do anything for people he cares about.”
“I can see that about him.”
“I don’t know how much he’s told you, but he practically raised me and my brothers.”
“He’s told me a little,” I said. “Sounds like he had to grow up fast after your mom died.”
“Totally. Austin basically took over as a second parent back then, because my dad had to work so much to support us all. But my dad sort of returned the favor when the twins arrived.”
“That’s what it sounds like. I know you guys have been through some really hard times, but it’s nice how close you all are.”
“It is,” Mabel said, emotion in her voice. “And Austin has been so strong and so supportive of every single one of us. I hope one day he does something for himself.”
“Me too. I was asking him about starting his own furniture business.”
“Good luck. I’m always on him about that, but he thinks my dad would be upset.”
“Would he?”
“I mean, maybe. But he’s a grown man. And he’s a great father. I think he’d want to know Austin’s true feelings.” She sighed. “But my brother is not good at sharing his true feelings, which is probably why he’s still single.”
“He mentioned he doesn’t date.”
“Nope, the man lives like a monk.”
Not this week, I thought.
“He says he doesn’t have the time,” Mabel went on, “and it’s true he doesn’t have much to spare. But sometimes I think that’s just an excuse.”
“An excuse for what?”
“He would never admit this, but I think he avoids relationships so he won’t have to be real with someone.”
“Maybe,” I said, thinking that he’d actually been fairly real with me. “Has he always been that way?”
“As far as I can remember. Xander told me that even when our mom died, Austin never broke down. Ever. Our dad even told the boys it was okay to cry, but Austin refused.”
A lump was swelling in my throat as I pictured a twelve-year-old boy with dark hair and big brown eyes holding his sadness inside because he didn’t want anyone to see it. Did he feel like he’d have been letting someone down? His dad? His mom? Himself? “That hurts my heart,” I said to Mabel.
“I know. Mine too.” She exhaled. “And what sucks is that Austin would be a great boyfriend or husband, you know? He’s so giving. And when he lets himself relax, he’s a lot of fun.”
Can confirm, I thought.
“But no woman I know wants to be with someone who keeps his feelings under lock and key.”
“He does seem to keep some things bottled up,” I said, recalling his words. Certain emotions are kind of pointless. “But once he warms up to you, he lets down his guard. I’ve seen it.”
“See if you can get him to leave the house,” Mabel encouraged with a laugh. “Take him on a play date. Go to dinner at The Pier Inn. It’s my favorite restaurant in town. The food is great, and the view is amazing.”
“I’ll try,” I said. “I was actually calling to see if you had any suggestions about where to go for some cute clothes. I can order some things online, but I’d like to shop local too.”
She named several stores she liked in town, and I made notes in my phone. “Thank you,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
“No problem. Hey, don’t tell Austin what I said about feelings, okay? He gets mad when I bug him about that stuff.”
“No problem. I won’t say a word.”
After hanging up with her, I texted Austin again.
Hey. I just talked to Mabel and she said I need to have dinner at The Pier Inn. Want to go with me?
Meh.
Don’t be a stick in the mud. I’ll make a reservation.
But people will be there. I don’t like people.
I’ll be there. You like me, don’t you?
Only when you’re not trying to get me to do shit I don’t want to do.
Come on. Please?
Fine. But you have to let me eat you for dessert.
Deal.
OMG
Your dad better not be standing there reading your texts.
I made him take an early lunch. He wasn’t doing any work anyway. Just singing your praises.
Are you sick of hearing about me?
No. But I’m not productive when all I can think about is how you taste.
And all the places on my body I want those red lips.
And what I want to do to you when I get home.
My nipples tightened. I crossed my legs.
You’re turning me on.
I’m turning myself on.
I think you should come home for lunch.
Fuck, I want to…
I’ll serve your favorite meal.
Be right there.
When he arrived twenty minutes later, I was stretched out on my side on the dining room table, wearing just a black lace bra and matching panties.
He unlocked the back door and came striding through the kitchen, probably on his way upstairs. Spotting me, he stopped and stared. “Holy shit,” he said. “I thought you’d be up in bed.”
“Want me to move?”
“Don’t you dare.” He came toward me, and my heart began to pound. “I’m hot and sweaty.”
“You’re gorgeous.”
“Come here.” Standing at one end of the table, he grabbed one ankle and tugged me closer to him.
I rolled onto my back and let him pull my underwear off, then I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him push my knees apart. “Goddamn,” he said, his eyes on fire.
“Hungry?” I teased.
“Starving. I’m going to devour everything on my plate and lick it clean.” He bent down and stroked me with his tongue, one long, decadent sweep.
My stomach muscles tightened, and my legs began to tremble as I watched his head move between my thighs, his mouth slanting this way and that, his hands spread on the edge of the table.
When he’d gotten his fill and had me arching and crying out so loud I would never be able to face the neighbors again, he yanked me to my feet, spun me around, and bent me forward over the table.
He placed a hand on my back. “Don’t. Move.”
I stayed right where I was as he hurried upstairs. He was back in less than fifteen seconds, and stood behind me once more.
I heard his belt buckle coming undone and rose up on my tiptoes, spreading my legs wider. I imagined him freeing his cock from his jeans and rolling on the condom, my core muscles clenching in anticipation.
Both of us moaned as he penetrated my body and began to move.
I was already soaking wet, still sensitive from the orgasm he’d just given me.
His hands gripped both my hips as he drove his thick, hard length inside me again and again.
He was rough with me, the force of his thrusts rattling my bones, and I cried out with every powerful stroke.
He was hitting some hidden spot deep within me, and my body tightened around him like a vise.
My eyes watered. My legs hummed. I wished I had something to grab onto, but the table was wide, so all I could do was flatten my palms on its warm, wooden surface.
Behind me, Austin’s breaths grew more ragged, his pace more frantic, his fingers digging hard into my flesh until finally he stopped moving and buried himself deep, his cock throbbing rhythmically as my second climax ripped through me.
When it was over, Austin braced his hands on the table and kissed my back. “Thanks for lunch. What time is dinner?”
I laughed. “You have a very healthy appetite.”
He pulled out and kissed my tailbone. “I hope that wasn’t too rough.”
“It wasn’t. I liked it.” I let him help me up and turned to face him. “Neil used to call me his teacup, and it always drove me nuts. I’m not some fragile, breakable thing.”
“Teacup!” he scoffed. “Fuck that. You’re more like . . . a beer mug.”
I laughed. “A beer mug?”
“Yeah.” He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment but kept talking. “Something sturdy and durable. I mean, you’re pretty and all, but you can take a pounding.”
“Is that a compliment?” Spying my underwear on the floor, I snagged it and tugged it on. When I turned around, Austin was standing there, ready to pull me into his arms.
“It was a compliment,” he said, holding me close. “You know I think you’re strong in every possible way. But I hope I didn’t hurt you.”
“You didn’t.” I looped my arms around his waist and tucked my head beneath his chin. His body was warm and smelled sweaty, but it was a good sweat—hard-work-in-the-sunshine sweat.
“I never want to hurt you.” His voice was quiet but strong.
I closed my eyes. “You won’t.”
That afternoon, Austin texted me that Xander needed his help at the bar tearing out the old bathrooms and told me not to worry about making dinner—they were just going to grab sandwiches. He said he’d message me when he got home.