28. Thoren
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
thoren
“ I was hoping you’d ask.” I scoop her up, carrying her up the stairs to her bedroom. Lily loves me. I’ve known for a while that she does, evident in the way she looks at me with vulnerability and complete trust. I just didn’t think she would admit it to herself or to me so soon.
I drop her on the bed, immediately following her onto it, my body hovering over hers. Her small hands press on my chest, holding me up as her deep blue eyes search mine. “Thank you. Thank you for the bathroom and the furniture. For the little touches that you added for me. I’ve never had someone care for me the way that you do.”
I kiss a lingering tear. “I would do anything for you, my sweet Lily.” My lips press to her forehead, “But I can’t sleep without you in my arms anymore, baby.” I kiss a tear on the other cheek, “If you’re here, so am I.”
“I don’t mind playing Chinese fire drill with our homes. Might need to get a dog bed for Shadow. I don’t think she can fit on the couch with all those pillows,” she smiles up at me.
“I might have gone a little overboard with online shopping. I kept seeing things I knew you would love and wanted you to have them all. I’m not going to apologize for it. I’ll never apologize for doing what I think is right for you.”
Her hands slide up, wrapping around the back of my neck where she scratches her nails through my hair, pulling me down to her. Our lips meet in a passionate kiss, her soft lips molding to mine. Her vanilla scent surrounds me as I settle my weight between her legs. I lick the seam of her lips, requesting entrance. Our tongues tangle together, lazy and exploring.
I pull my shirt over my head, discarding it off the side of the bed as Lily sits up, letting me do the same with hers. Her bra follows soon after, thrown behind me as I take her mouth once again. We have spent every night in bed together for weeks, yet our hands are exploring each other like it’s the first time.
“Make love to me, Thoren,” Lily breathes against me, causing a shiver to run through me. I readjust, discarding my pants and boxers, never taking my eyes off her. She was right when she said my eyes never stray from her. They couldn’t even if I tried. Her beauty captivates me, the way her silky hair flows around her slender shoulders, the slight curves of her tits that fit perfectly in my hands. The way her lithe body moves with ease and grace, and her radiant smile that sets heat soaring through my body. Her olive skin looks so pretty under my rough hands, begging for me to mark it with my lips, my teeth, my cum.
I slide my hands under her hips, tugging her jeans and panties off in one swift movement. Grabbing one of her legs, I place a tender kiss on her ankle, kissing and nipping my way up her thigh. Her glistening pussy is dripping when I reach the apex. I blow on her lightly, sending shivers up her spine as her musky vanilla scent hits me. My mouth waters to taste her, but I gently place her leg back on the bed, repeating my path on the other side. She’s writhing by the time I make my way back to her wet center. I settle my shoulders between her spread thighs, taking a deep inhale. My cock is painfully hard, aching to be inside of her, but I’m going to take my time. I’m going to make love to her with my mouth, my fingers, and then my cock. If I have any say in it, we will take a food break after a few rounds, then continue all night.
“Please,” Lily begs so sweetly when my tongue glides through her pussy, giving her pleasure without giving her what she wants. I love hearing her beg, so I lick her again from her slick entrance up to her clit. Every pass of my tongue drives her back further into the mattress as she tries to grind her hips into my face. I know she needs more pressure, but I love driving her wild.
“Please, Thoren,” she begs again. I love the way she says my name like a caress. My lips suction around her swollen pink clit, sucking hard before finally giving her what she desires. I circle my tongue as her fingers dig into my hair. Moving lower, spearing into her pussy and fucking her with my tongue. I rotate back and forth between the two until she is crying out and begging for release.
When she’s right on the edge of coming, I sit up and shove my cock deep in her, setting off her first orgasm of the night. Her head falls back in pleasure as she squeezes around me in the most magnificent sight. As her body relaxes around me, her hands cup my face, pulling me down for another tender kiss.
“I love you,” I whisper against her lips, slowly pulling out and pushing back in. My hips roll against her, setting a slow rhythm as we cling to each other. Our bodies slide against one another, covered in a light sheen of sweat.
“I love you, Thoren James,” she whispers back. Her ankles wrap around my back, changing the angle and allowing me deeper. My breath hitches at the feel of her stretching fully around me. I push up onto my elbows, bracketing her face as I continue to move inside her, each roll of my hips rubbing her sensitive clit. I show her with my every move and every touch how god damn much she means to me.
“Look at you, so pretty beneath me. You were made for me, body and soul.” I lean down, taking her nipple between my teeth and clamp down on it. She lets out a cry of ecstasy, pushing further into my mouth. I circle it with my tongue before moving back up to her mouth. I’m holding back my release when I feel her body tremble around me.
“Come with me, Lily.” Her cry of pleasure sets me off, euphoria shooting through me as I fill her with my cum. Each jet of cum feels like the last, but her pussy continues to squeeze out every last drop. She’s still trembling around me when I crash onto her, rolling us to our sides so I don’t crush her. Stroking her hair, I tell her how good she did until the final waves of her orgasm cease.
“Can we eat and shower, then do that again?” her hoarse voice breathes against my chest, drawing a chuckle from me.
“That was my exact plan, baby.”
Saturday morning, we take our time getting out of bed, dragging ourselves out when Shadow makes it clear she has to potty. I let her out as Lily makes us coffee and meets me out on the deck in sleep pants and a sweater. It’s only the first weekend in September, but the mornings are brisk before turning into warm early fall days. She sits on her outdoor sofa and tucks her feet up under her like she always does in the morning, humming as the first sip of coffee hits her tongue.
“So, does this mean I have to move you back into your place?” I ask, taking a sip of my coffee.
“I would like to at least vacate my things from your guest room. I wouldn’t mind leaving a few things there. Like you said, I’ve gotten used to waking up in your arms and I don’t really want to change that. I don’t mind taking turns staying with each other.”
As much as I love the sound of that, I want her in my home. I want it to be our home. I know this cabin is important to her. She has put in so much hard work, and it looks completely different from what it was when she moved in almost four months ago. There is no way that I will rush her out of here, but I don’t want her to leave.
“Orrr, you could just move in with me permanently.” I test the waters.
She chokes on her sip, sputtering it onto the deck. “I don’t know if we are ready for that. I just need some more time to stand on my own two feet. To show my parents and myself that I can. I know I owned my condo alone in Phoenix, but this is different. This is me proving that I can live my life the way I want, where I want, doing what I want without crumbling.”
Well shit, when she puts it that way, I feel like an ass for even asking. “We will move you back in today, then. Have you tried talking to your parents lately?”
The light drains from her eyes, and I hate every second of it. “No, I was thinking of calling my dad today. See if he wants to video call and see the house.”
I know she wants to make her parents proud, but I’m afraid they are only going to hurt her more. If they don’t want to see her place, or gush over all the hard work she’s put into it, it will crush her.
“How about we head back to my place? I can make us breakfast while you pack and you can call them when we get you settled back in.”
“That sounds perfect,” she says, leaning toward me to place a lingering kiss on my lips. “Thank you again for everything. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”
We round up Shadow and make the short trek back to my place. Lily starts in the guest room, while I make bacon and eggs. By the time I have food ready, she’s got everything together. She didn’t have much besides clothes to begin with, and she promised to leave some pajamas here. I wouldn’t be upset if she didn’t. It’s my favorite when she only wears one of my tees to bed.
After breakfast, we load her bags in the car and drive them to her house. We unpack it all and clean up the mess we made in her room last night. The nerves are radiating from Lily as she paces the living room, adjusting the pillows, and wiping invisible dust from the cushions.
“Do you want me to stay or go for this?”
Her response is instant, “Please stay.”
I settle onto the couch and pull her down next to me. Threading my fingers through hers, I give her an encouraging nod. Her hand trembles as she pulls up her dad’s contact. She sent both of her parents a text when she got her new phone number, which only her dad responded to with a thumbs up. Other than that, she has heard nothing from them since her mother slammed her for our kiss at the ballpark. I’m glad she wants me here, but if I hear them belittle her, it will take everything I have not to take the phone and yell.
The line rings a few times before a masculine voice answers. “Hi dad,” Lily says with a shaky voice. “How are you doing?”
I lean closer to her so I can just make out his words. “I’m good, Lily. About to head out to go golfing. What’s going on?”
“We just haven’t talked in so long, I wanted to reach out. I have a lot of new things going on in my life I thought you might want to know about.”
I can hear someone in the background before her dad says, “Your mom would like me to put it on video.”
“That’s perfect,” Lily perks up. “I would love to show you guys my new home.” She hits the button to turn the call into a video chat, but keeps me just out of the frame.
As soon as her parents pop onto the screen, her mother scowls and her dad replies, “I don’t know if I’ll have time for that if I want to make my tee time.”
“What time is it there?” Lily’s mom cuts in. “Did you just get out of bed?”
I look over at Lily. Her hair is in a slicked back ponytail, not an ounce of makeup on her flawless face, just the way I like it. She’s wearing a scoop neck sweater that looks adorable on her. I don’t see a single thing wrong with her or her outfit.
“No, mom, I’ve been up for a few hours. I just wanted to fill you guys in on what’s been going on with me lately,” she says, dismissing the comment. I give her hand a light squeeze.
“Well?” her mom says, impatiently.
“I’m living in Cedar Ridge as you know, and my next book is set to come out October 25th. My publisher thinks it’s my best work yet. I’ve made wonderful friends here, and I’m dating the most incredible man.”
“What does he do?” her dad cuts in this time. “Can he support you while you dabble in this little gig you have going?”
“Tyler had the means to support you. He could have helped you work your way up in the company. I still don’t understand why you quit and left him,” her mom purses her lips again.
“He was married,” Lily blurts out. “He was married, and when I found out, he got me fired. I’m actually suing the company for wrongful termination and bringing criminal charges against him because he’s been threatening me.”
I expect to see shock on their faces. Maybe empathy, sympathy, or even anger. Instead, I watch as her dad’s face morphs into disappointment, and her mom radiates disgust. Before the words even leave their mouths, I know I am going to intervene. Knowing these people treated her poorly, and seeing just how much she downplayed it floors me. How the sweetest, most empathetic woman I know came from these two people, I will never understand.
“How could you allow that to happen?” her dad cuts in.
“That’s not how we raised you to take care of your financial troubles,” her mom’s words follow.
My hands snag the phone from Lily before I fully realize what I am doing. “Allow that to happen?! She trusted the words of a man who promised that he loved and cared for her. It’s his fault for lying and betraying that trust. It is your fault for not showing her what real love and care looks like. If you two had raised her in a loving household, supporting her and encouraging her like any decent human being should, she might have seen that he was giving her less than she deserved. Lily has the kindest heart, not a selfish bone in her body, and she is surrounded by people who love her. And not that you cared to ask, but she is financially independent and is doing more than fine. Her life is richer than yours in every sense of the word.” My chest is heaving as I stand in her living room and spit out all the things I want to say to them.
My eyes leave the phone to glance at Lily, who is sitting stock still, tears streaming down her cheeks, with the smallest smile aimed at me. Pride and love shine from her glassy eyes. “Your daughter doesn’t need your negativity and bullshit in her life. When you are ready to apologize and be decent, encouraging parents, you can reach out to her. Until then, don’t contact her.” I hang up the phone, tossing it on the couch, and wrap Lily in my arms.
“I am so sorry, baby. I’m sorry for the way they treat you, and for taking over without permission. I will never be sorry for being the bad guy in your story, though, if it means protecting you.”
Lily leans up on her toes, pressing her salty lips to mine. “Thank you, Thor. It was kind of hot watching you swing your metaphorical hammer for me.”
“Want to watch me swing my real one?” I playfully grind myself into her.
She swats at my chest, “Get out of here with that.” Her forced smile doesn’t reach her eyes. I know she’s putting on a brave face, but that conversation had to hurt. Parents are the people you are supposed to be able to always count on. The ones that love you no matter what, and if it wasn’t clear before, they just made it clear they are not those people for her.
“What do you need? A hike to our peaceful place, or a bottle of wine and a tub of ice cream on the couch?”
Her bottom lip quivers, her blue eyes a deep ocean color. “Hike, please.”
Lily is quiet the entire hike, and I let her process. Shadow normally tramps through the woods on our hikes, hopping back on the trail every few minutes, but she doesn’t leave Lily’s side today. When we reach the clearing and her shoulders visibly relax, I know this was exactly what she needed. I pull out my blanket, setting it out with the snacks that I packed and watch as my girls cuddle up together on it.
I throw a stick for Shadow, but she just stares at me like I’m an idiot, scooting closer to Lily’s side. At this moment, I am even more grateful for my wild pup and the love she has for her mom. I toe off my socks and shoes, and then remove Lily’s as well.
“This place has always been my go to spot when I need clarity. When life feels overwhelming, I find peace here. It may be something in the hike, or it may be something in the isolation, but I have always felt like it’s something in the water.” I reach my hand out for her, helping her stand. Bending down, I roll up her leggings so they won’t get wet.
“There’s something about stepping into the cold crisp waters here that feels like healing. Want to give it a try?”
There’s a trusting look in her eye as she nods her head and reaches for my hand once more. We get to the water’s edge, taking a deep breath before stepping in. The water stays pretty cold year round, but on a mild weather day like today, it freezes our toes instantly.
“The healing doesn’t come from the water though; it’s the shock to the system that the cold brings,” I continue as Lily breathes through the shivers that rack down her spine. “It forces you to be in the moment, to focus only on your body and the way you feel right now. Focus on that, baby. Be in this moment, feel the contrasting cold of the water and warmth of the sun peaking through the trees. Listen to the birds chirping and Shadow splashing her happy paws through the water. You will be okay. It will all be okay, if only for this moment.”
She tilts her face towards the sun, the light highlights the warm brown strands in her hair and the bright blue flecks in her eyes. Her smile widens as she inhales deeply, and a lone tear escapes, tracing a path down her cheek. Lily remains still, her strength and beauty mesmerizing me.
“Better?” I ask, when she turns to look at me.
“I feel free without the weight of their expectations and disappointment. It doesn’t matter anymore. Not when I have you and the family I have made here surrounding me with love. You are my peace, this place just accentuates it. I love you.” She lunges at me, catching me off guard, but I catch her in my arms and twirl her around. Her laughter is light and free, healing the last of the scars on my heart. My frozen feet fumble over rocks as I bring her to the blanket, gently laying her down. We spend hours there, talking, kissing, and chasing Shadow around. The sadness in her eyes eases as the day goes on. By the time we crawl into her bed that evening, exhausted and happy, it’s the best feeling in the world.