by Layla Hagen
“What do you mean?”
She sat up, fiddling with her thumbs before rising from the couch altogether. Grabbing plates from the table, she brought them to the small nook adjacent to the kitchen. What was going on? She was in a state I hadn’t experienced before, and I wanted to get her out of it.
“It’s just that....” She wasn’t looking me in the eye. I walked to the kitchen until I stood right in front of her. Still, she looked down.
“Skye, talk to me.”
“I know this is not exactly fun or sexy. If you’ve changed your mind about us....”
“Let me get this straight. You think that I’m just gonna bail?”
She fiddled with her thumbs some more. “I’m not saying that. I’m just saying I’ve been dumped before when shit hit the fan—”
I cupped the back of her head with one hand, cutting her off. I didn’t want her to finish that sentence, even remember a time that made her feel worthless.
“Skye, I told you that you’re mine. I meant it. I want you to count on me, to call me, to know I’m here for you. I like being with you whenever, however possible. What we have goes beyond sex. For me, at least. Tell me you feel it too.”
Unease gripped me like a rope, tight around my whole body, especially my throat. I’d laid myself bare in a way I never had. When she nodded, I felt as if I could suddenly breathe in deeper. She put both hands on my chest, not as if she wanted to avoid looking at me but more as if she was searching for the right words.
“I love you,” she murmured. “I’m not sure how it happened.”
“It happened because we fit,” I replied easily. “Skye, I’ve been in love with you for a while now.”
The corners of her mouth lifted up slowly, as if she was registering my words in slow-motion. They surprised the heck out of me too. I didn’t even have to think it over. It was just true.
I moved my fingers to her temples before tracing a line downward to her jaw. I couldn’t stop looking at her. She was so fucking beautiful and real.
I rested my thumb on her lips. She pushed the tip of her tongue against it, teasing me.
“Rob, we can’t do this here,” she whispered, clearly still rational. But I wasn’t. I wanted to show her how completely she owned me, the only way I knew.
“Where do you sleep?” I asked.
“There’s a couch in the study.”
“Show me. Now.”
Her breath was labored, her pupils dilated. I slid my hands down to her hips, pushing myself against her, capturing her mouth at the same time. I was so damn hard already. She whimpered against my mouth, deepening the kiss before taking a step back. She turned around, taking my hand, leading me toward a door I hadn’t paid attention to next to the entrance. Past it was a small room with floor-to-ceiling shelves and an armchair with a small lamp. Skye turned it on. On the other side was a couch, pulled out into a bed, with a mattress on it.
“We have to be silent,” she murmured as I walked her backward. When we reached the makeshift bed, she pulled her dress over her head before sitting down.
“I’ll keep you silent, Skye. This is just for you.”
I wanted to remind her that I worshiped her in every way there was, make her feel that deep in her bones, in every cell of her body. I trailed my fingers down her stomach, into her panties. I didn’t even have the patience to take them off. I didn’t want to wait. She was so fucking wet that I nearly burst in my pants. I teased the sides of her entrance, going down slowly, then back up. I captured her mouth as a moan escaped her lips, tangling our tongues. Every moan vibrated through my body. When I started circling her clit, I could feel every single shock wave radiating through her, pushing me further to the edge.
Tease and please.
I followed this rhythm, teasing around her clit, touching it just long enough to provide a brief release before ramping up the anticipation, until she tugged at my shirt with so much force that she pulled it out of my belt.
“Please, please, please.” Her words were low and pleading, and I couldn’t deny her a climax any longer.
Covering her mouth, I rubbed two fingers from her entrance up to her clit, and she exploded beautifully, pressing her legs together, trapping my hand there. Her hands went to my shoulders, pulling me closer. I held her until the aftershocks subsided but kissed her even longer than that. There was something so intimate about kissing her when she was like this, ravished and content... and belonging completely to me. Just like I belonged to her.
“Je suis à toi, Skye. I’m yours.”
“Oh, Mr. Frenchman, you really can’t make me swoon right now,” she whispered, curling even closer to me. “I can barely breathe as it is.”
Sometime later, Skye showed me to a tiny bathroom where we freshened up one after the other because we didn’t both fit at the same time.
“This couch is uncomfortable as fuck,” I said when we were back on it.
She giggled. “I know. My neck’s still stiff from last night.”
Chuckling, I checked the mattress. “This is easy to take off. Let’s put it on the floor and sleep there.”
She just blinked at me. “You’re staying?”
“You haven’t been paying attention. I’m not leaving tonight.”
Skye grinned, but then it dimmed to a reluctant smile. “I’m trying to imagine my mom’s reaction in the morning.”
“Think she has anything against sleepovers?” I asked.
“Naked sleepovers, you mean?”
“She doesn’t have to know they were naked.” I wiggled my eyebrows before kissing her on the forehead. “I’ll sneak out in the morning.”
“You don’t have to do that. We’re not teenagers.”
“No, but your face turned red just at the thought of your mom knowing I spent the night here.”
She grinned, helping me move the mattress to the floor. She gave me the pillow she’d used as a sound muffler and took a decorative one for herself before tossing it aside and snuggling up to me.
I was sleeping on a floor, on a dreadful mattress, but I couldn’t remember being this carefree and happy before. I barely recognized myself.
“You’re right, it is more comfortable here. Especially because I can use your arm as a pillow. In fact, I can use your whole body for that.”
“You sure adapt fast.” The next second, I pulled her under me, parting her thighs, pressing my semi against her belly. She gasped, eyes wide. “Let’s see what happens when I use you as a pillow.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Skye
I woke up early the next morning and heard noise from the living room. Holy shit, is Mom moving on her own? I jumped from the mattress, only then registering that it was empty. I pouted. I hadn’t even heard him leave.
Opening the small bag I’d brought, I dressed in a yellow skirt and a white shirt with spaghetti straps.
To my surprise, it wasn’t Mom who was moving through the living room but Rob. I grinned from ear to ear when we made eye contact. I knew we’d agreed he’d sneak out, but he hadn’t, and I was glad for that.
Wait a second.... I vividly remembered the suit he’d worn yesterday: dark navy shirt and gray pants. Now he was wearing jeans and a khaki shirt.
“You’re wearing different clothes.”
He winked. “I know. I woke up early and went home to change. I can say that I just came back this morning.”
“And it’s not even a lie. You’re a genius.”
I tiptoed toward him, spying avocado toast on the counter behind him.
“What are you doing?”
“Breakfast. But if you have other suggestions, I’m all ears.”
I grabbed a quick bite of bread to get rid of morning breath. Then I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a hell of a smooch.
“I’ll prepare breakfast every morning if this is what I get in return.”
“Yes, please.”
“Any other wishes?”
“Hmmm... I have a whole list,
but are you sure I should voice them? You can’t unhear them.”
He threw his head back, laughing. “I’ll take my chances.”
I bit his Adam’s apple lightly, moving my hands down his chest. It didn’t even matter that the pesky shirt covered it. I knew exactly what was underneath.
“This was on your list?” he teased. “Great minds think alike. It’s on mine too.”
“I’m just so happy you’re here. I’ll go check on Mom, but if she hasn’t called me, I guess she’s still asleep.”
“Let her rest.”
“That’s the plan, but the whole gang arrives in about two hours, so she can’t sleep for much longer. You remember that there’s a big family gathering today, right?”
“Yeah, I do.”
And he didn’t even flinch. Still, I decided to double-check. “And you feel like taking on everyone at the same time? You’re probably going to be a hot topic.”
“Counting on it.”
“Okay.”
I tiptoed to Mom’s room, but she was sound asleep. Closing the door carefully, I returned to the living room. I took a moment to just watch him, feeling as at ease in the tiny nook as he was in the kitchen of his own house or the sleek and professional ones at his restaurants.
“I know you’re watching me,” he said playfully.
“Anything against it?”
“Not if you come closer.”
“Demanding this early in the morning already?” I teased, but the second he looked up, trapping my gaze in his, my legs carried me toward him almost on their own accord. When I was just two feet away from him, he reached for me. He drew the tip of his nose up my neck, biting me lightly.
“Wait until a girl’s had her coffee before unleashing all your charm, will ya?”
“Can’t do that, or you’ll be fully awake and worrying already.”
“Attacking me while I’m half asleep. Interesting strategy.”
He pinched my ass. I pinched him right back. “Here you go with the attacking again.”
“What else would you call this?”
“Seducing you with breakfast.”
***
Rob
Luckily, Skye’s family arrived in batches, but even so, remembering everyone’s names was challenging. Tess arrived first, followed by her brothers.
“Ryker,” Skye said. “My brother.”
“And I’m Cole. Also a brother.”
Cole shook my hand forcefully. I did the same in return.
“Cole, you can let go now,” Skye said. “No need to make this uncomfortable.”
Cole cocked a brow. “Just testing the strength of his grip. You know what they say.”
“No, I don’t,” Skye said sarcastically.
Cole let go, waving a hand at her. “Doesn’t matter. He passed the test.”
“My fiancée, Heather,” Ryker said, “and our daughter, Avery.”
“Nice to meet you, Heather. Avery.”
Skye immediately pulled Avery into a hug. This woman was just adorable.
Her cousin Hunter and his wife, Josie, joined us a while later. There was still a group of three to arrive, but Amelia decreed we should eat already. Surrounded by her family, she was visibly more relaxed than last night. After talking to Amelia yesterday, it was clear Skye had inherited her empathy and steely strength from her.
“Okay, I think we should familiarize Rob with the gang a bit,” Cole said.
“I know a lot already from Skye,” I assured him.
“Such as?” Cole asked.
“Such as you two always being in competition over... everything,” Skye answered.
Cole pointed at her. “That is gross misinformation. I win at everything.”
“Yeah... especially at bragging,” Ryker said seriously. Everyone at the table burst out laughing.
“Don’t overwhelm him with stories from the first lunch,” the woman named Josie said. Turning to me, she added, “First time I met the gang, I couldn’t even remember their names. So I nicknamed everyone.”
“Smart.” I understood the impulse. “What were the nicknames?”
She pointed to Tess, Cole, and Ryker. “Hurricane, Charmer, Flirt. And Skye got Dragon, though that’s Ryker’s work, not mine.”
I turned to Skye.
“Dragon, huh?” I teased.
“You haven’t seen that in action yet?” Cole asked. “Yikes, poor guy doesn’t know what’s in store for him.”
I’d gotten a glimpse of that when she thought Anne and Lindsay were my wife and kid and when that scumbag of an ex asked her for money. Skye was calm and laid-back right until she went into fight mode.
A while later, another group of three arrived. We were done with lunch and spread out across the living room.
“My siblings,” Josie told me. “Isabelle, Ian, and Dylan.”
I greeted everyone, trying to remember who was who.
“You two, behave, okay?” Josie told her brothers.
Ian shook his head. “But Cole and Ryker are being more and more well-behaved. It’s up to us to balance things out.”
Josie pressed her chin to her chest. “You two are hopeless.”
Isabelle winked at Josie. “Between the two of us, we’ll manage to keep them in check. Is there any food left?”
“Of course. Come on, you must be starving,” Skye said.
As she led them to the table, Tess approached me.
“You’re holding up well,” she commented.
“This is a fun group.”
“We can also go stir-crazy from time to time. Don’t let that overwhelm you.”
I chuckled. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”
“By the way, I forgot to tell you. I’m the number-one informant when it comes to my sister. If there’s anything you want to know, you can ask me.” She said this with a straight face. I, on the other hand, could barely hold back laughter.
“Why not just surprise Skye?”
Tess waved her hand dismissively. “Surprises are overrated in my opinion. They can go so wrong if one doesn’t do their homework.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. Now, excuse me, I’m going to catch up with the newly arrived,” Tess said.
I liked Tess very much, her vibrancy and zest for life. She was in a great mood, but then again, so was Skye. Being surrounded by family just made her happy. I liked her fierceness and strength, but at the same time, I wanted to keep her safe from everything too.
Skye captivated all my instincts and thoughts in ways I hadn’t allowed anyone to do before. I thought that would make me vulnerable, but I was changing my mind fast.
***
Skye
I absolutely loved having everyone here. I hadn’t seen Ian, Dylan, and Isabelle in ages and wanted to catch up with them. Theoretically, we could all keep in touch over social media, but there was nothing quite like gathering in person. I couldn’t really tell a person’s mood through a screen, even if we spoke with the camera on, which I did with Isabelle. Things were different face-to-face.
Isabelle was bubbly as ever. She’d recently colored her hair a vibrant red. Ian and Dylan looked very similar to me—they took after their dad and had dirty-blond hair and green eyes.
Rob was taking everything in stride, and I was quite proud of him for that. Currently, he was with Mom, who appeared to be talking his ear off. I was torn between rescuing him and focusing on Cole, who wasn’t his usual vibrant and funny self.
“Cole, what’s up with you? By the way, we’re still waiting on an update,” I said, looking pointedly at him.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Tess added. “You didn’t say anything after our theater visit.”
Cole’s demeanor changed.
“Wait a second, you’re glaring,” Tess said.
I nodded in agreement. “That’s definitely a glare.”
“What are you talking about? What did I miss?” Ryker asked.
“Oh, shit,” Skye exclaimed. “We weren’t suppo
sed to say anything in front of Ryker.”
“No, that’s not why he’s glaring.” Tess was looking at Cole intently. “At least... not the only reason.”
Cole shook his head, jutting his hands in his pocket. “She finally agreed to go out with me... and then I discovered she was dishonest about a lot of things.”
I winced. “Oh, you have shit luck, brother.”
Ryker looked stunned. “Wait a second... what do you mean, finally agreed to go out with you? You actually had to work to get a woman? Why didn’t I know about it?”
“Because I didn’t want you giving me shit.” Turning to Rob, Cole added, “My family has an uncanny memory for stuff that goes wrong but can somehow never remember my successes.”
“That’s not true,” Tess said. “It’s just easier to tease you with mishaps.”
“I’m a changed man now. In love with my woman, happy to tie the knot,” Ryker said slowly.
“Still doesn’t mean you won’t give me shit,” Cole said.
Ryker shrugged, but his serious expression had been a farce, because it morphed into a devilish grin. “True, but... I’ll give you a few days before I start.”
“How generous of you. Anyway, bachelor for life, right here.”
“Cole, you have one disappointment and you throw in the towel?” Tess asked.
“Yup. I choose my battles,” Cole said.
Tess sighed. “Well, I don’t. I just asked out a guy I really liked, and he turned me down. Said I’m not his type.”
“You didn’t tell me that. When?” I asked.
Tess shrugged. “Anyway, you don’t see me swearing off love.”
Cole rolled his eyes. “I think lightning striking twice is more likely than you swearing off love.”
Tess smiled coyly, but I knew she was just brushing everything off way too easily. Yes, she was always hopeful and optimistic, but she didn’t deal well with rejection. I mean, who did?
I couldn’t exactly drag her away from the group now though, but I planned to treat her to macarons and cappuccinos back at the store and get the details.
“By the way, are there any wedding changes we should know about?” Tess asked Ryker.
“No, I think my future wife is finally happy with our arrangements,” he answered. “And so is Avery.” He nodded at Avery, who was watching Moana on a tablet.
