Faith shivers but continues chopping, ignoring that my erection is pressed into her lower back.
“Okay,” she breathes out. “This should be good enough.” She drops the knife just as I drop my lips to her neck, kissing and sucking her sweet skin. I scrape my teeth along the slope of her neck, watching goosebumps rise on her skin.
“Easton…” Faith sighs, bringing her hands over mine on the counter, weaving our fingers together, and pushing her ass into me.
I growl and bring our hands to her stomach, pressing my palms into her body, holding her tight to me as I grind against her ass. “I want you,” I whisper in her ear, and a satisfying moan is my response.
I spin her around, lifting her on the counter. Faith’s hands are on me, lifting my hoody as her lips crash onto mine in a devouring kiss. Her nails scratch my stomach, causing my muscles to flinch at the sensation. I’m on fire, and she’s the only one that can extinguish this need.
I move my lips down her jaw to her neck again and kiss a trail to her bare shoulder courtesy of that sexy off-the-shoulder sweater she’s wearing, breaking away when she tears my sweater up and over my head. Shirtless, I go back to kissing her as she wraps her arms and legs around my body.
“You should’ve worn that dress and those boots,” I murmur against her lips.
“Laundry,” is all she says before her tongue tangles with mine in an explosive kiss. Faith moans as she scoots closer to me, creating friction between my hard cock and her pussy.
I hear a distant buzzing sound, choosing to ignore it when I feel Faith’s hands roam down my back, her nails leaving a burning trail. I need to feel more of her. I reach for the hem of her sweater, ready to expose her smooth skin when she halts and turns her head.
“What happened?” My voice is gruff, and I hear Cali’s squeaky bark. So caught up in Faith, I almost forgot about her.
“Fuck.” She leaps off the counter, rushing to the stove while I stand there dumbfounded and in a cloud of desire. I snap out of it when I see her lift the pot she placed on the stove with the potatoes overflowing with water, making a mess over the stove. That must’ve been the noise I was hearing.
“Sorry,” she turns to me, biting her lip as she apologizes.
“Sorry? For what?” My eyebrows pull in as I stare at her.
“It’s a mess. I should’ve been paying attention.” She adds more water to the pot and places it back on the stove. “I’ll clean it all up once we’re done.”
I hug her from behind and shake my head. “Babe, you could’ve burned the house down, and I wouldn’t give a shit as long as I have you in my arms.”
Faith turns around with a small smile. Her eyes shine with mischief as she looks at me. “But then we’d have nowhere to do what we just did.”
I groan and squat down, so I’m at eye-level. “You make me wild,” I growl, kissing her hard, lifting her feet off the floor.
Faith laughs and squeezes my shoulders. “Let’s finish dinner, and then we can do whatever we want, knowing the house isn’t at risk of going up in flames.”
“Deal,” I nod once, adjusting myself in my pants.
As we cook, Faith smiles over at me from her spot in the kitchen. Every time I pass by her, I brush my hand against hers, run a finger over her exposed shoulder, tantalizing her with my touch. Every time, she shivers and her eyes darken.
“How are you doing here?” She wraps her arms around my back, pressing her chin on my shoulder as she looks at the meat I’m stirring with vegetables in a pan. “Looks perfect,” she compliments, kissing my shoulder blade.
“Babe…” I say hoarsely.
“Two can play this game,” she whispers into my ear, reaching around me to turn off the stove. She turns around as she reaches the counter where the mashed potatoes are already prepared. “Besides, you’re the one who decided to stay shirtless and tease me.” Her voice drops as her eyes roam down my body, stopping where my happy trail leads into my joggers’ waistband. When they meet mine again, her gaze is heated.
I smirk, lifting one side of my lips, and wink. “Dessert is going to be fun.”
Faith chuckles and calls me over, ready to teach me how to cook the rest of this meal. She could teach me to cook anything she wants if it means staying here for as long as possible. Hell, I’ll google the most time-consuming recipe for her to teach me and make sure we have uninterrupted time together.
“Are you paying attention?” She narrows her eyes playfully.
“Nope,” I shake my head, admitting the truth. “I’m concocting a plan to keep you here,” I say with a smile.
“Really?” She cocks a hip and raises a brow.
“Yup.” I nod confidently. “It’s going to be great.”
“What is this plan of yours?” Faith crosses her arms and attempts to hide her smile.
“Google the most difficult recipe and have you teach it to me, so we won’t be able to go anywhere until it’s done.”
Her laughter rings around me, convincing me even more that I need her here with me. She shakes her head, not hiding that beautiful smile that brightens her face.
“You’re something else, Easton Locke.” She pats my chest and begins spooning the meat mixture into a casserole dish before spreading the mashed potatoes over it.
She slides it into the heated over and looks at me. “Now, we wait.”
“Great, let’s wait with drinks.” I reach for two wine glasses, filling each one with a red blend and leading her to the living room adjacent to the kitchen. Cali follows us, lying on the floor at our feet.
“To us,” I say, lifting my wine glass once we’re sitting on the couch.
“To us,” Faith echoes, smiling as she takes a sip of wine.
She holds the stem between her fingers and rests the glass on her knee. “Okay, now tell me how the bachelor party was.”
“It was fun. We had dinner at The Meat Market, and then went for drinks at this newer bar.”
“Cocktails, Dreams, & Mischief?” Faith asks.
“Yeah, that’s the one. I hadn’t heard of it. I was surprised to see a place like that here in Everton.”
“Yeah, it’s more modern, but it’s a really cool place. Knox and Sutton perform there a couple times a month when they’re not touring,” Faith explains.
“They mentioned that,” I nod. “Oh, did you know they’re friends with Matthew Barber?” Matthew is a big Hollywood star and producer. When I saw him last night, I was surprised.
“Yeah, Knox and Harris are really good friends with him. We’ve hung out with him and his wife, Tinley, a few times.”
“Cool,” I nod. Everton has become more than the cowboy town I remember from my childhood. “How about you? All relaxed after pampering yourself?” I ask, bringing one of her feet to my lap, running my hand up and down her leg.
Being like this with Faith is so different than the relationship we had growing up. It’s much more intimate, being adults with life experience, spending time together without adult supervision, or going to parties with our friends.
I can’t compare it to our past relationship because it feels like two separate worlds. At times it’s as if we’re different people, and in part, that’s true. We’ve lived more, experienced things separately that can only be understood by sharing them with each other. We have more memories apart than together. I just wish all of this had turned out differently, and we wouldn’t be starting from scratch.
“It was a lot of fun and much more relaxing than I anticipated. We went out, had drinks, played those silly bachelorette party games, but overall it was a trip with my friends. We talked and laughed.” Faith smiles over her glass.
“I’m glad you had fun.”
“Thanks. Let me check on the food. Be right back.” She drops a kiss on my lips and stands, leaving her wineglass on the coffee table. Cali’s head peeks up, and she follows Faith when she sees her walking away. I chuckle, leaning back onto the couch and placing an arm along the back of it. It feels fucking fantasti
c having this woman back in my life.
I hear a loud giggle, and then Faith says, “That tickles, girl.” Smiling, I stand and walk into the kitchen, seeing her with Cali in her arms. Faith is mumbling something into her fur with a huge grin.
“She looks good on you,” I comment. Her eyes turn to mine in surprise.
“She’s so freaking cute. I can’t get over it.” She hugs Cali to her chest before placing her back down, the puppy running around in circles and barking.
I chuckle before asking, “How’s it coming along?”
“A couple more minutes. We can set the table.” While Faith washes her hands, I grab the paper plates and utensils, then return to the living room for our wine glasses. I top them off as Faith takes the shepherd’s pie out of the oven and sets it on the cooling rack.
As we sit at the table, I battle with the knowledge that Faith and I are still reconnecting after years apart and the need inside of me that feels as if we’ve never been separated. I’m trying to find a balance between the two, knowing I can’t rush this while also feeling like I’m ready to have an entire life with this woman.
Faith
“Let’s watch a movie,” Easton says after we finish cleaning up the kitchen. I got so caught up in us earlier that I thought I had burned the pot with the potatoes. I couldn’t help but get lost in him, the way he pressed his hardness into me, goodness… It was heaven, knowing I made him feel that way. I’ve been turned on since, and it’s only gotten worse the more I stare at him without any type of shirt covering his body.
“Is that codeword for make out?” I lift an eyebrow.
“Busted,” he pretends to grimace, and I giggle.
“Come on,” I grab his hand and head for the couch, Cali hot on our heels. She’s the sweetest puppy. While we cooked, she walked around us, begged for attention, and roamed the house.
“What movie will it be?” I sit on the sofa, bending my knees under me, and Easton settles next to me. Being here with him tonight has been everything I dreamed of for all these years, us together and sharing our time.
After all these years, he still makes my heart skip a beat. How did we get here?
“I thought we were making out,” Easton eyes me, lifting an eyebrow.
“Uh, yeah…” I was expecting him to be more smooth than that. A devilish smile appears on his handsome face, and he starts laughing.
“Get over here.” He pulls me even closer to his side, holding me with an arm around my body. Easton kisses the top of my head. “I’m kidding. Well, not really. I do want to kiss you, but we’ll watch a movie first.”
I smile at the nervousness in his voice, a part of him still reminding me of the boy I fell for so long ago. We were young then, knowing nothing about the world or love, but we learned about it together.
“When are you getting the horse?” I ask while he scrolls through Netflix.
“I’m going on Wednesday to see the vendor I met with last week. He had a Quarter Horse I loved. A stallion. After talking to Gavin and Finn about it, I decided to go look at it again.”
I look up at him. “Are you planning to breed?”
“Maybe,” he shrugs. “I like having the option.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.” I lean my head back on his shoulder as his fingers glide up and down my bare shoulder. Wearing this off-the-shoulder sweater was a smart choice.
“Anyway, I’m excited. It’s been way too long since I’ve been on a ranch, working it. I’m ready.” His voice rises with excitement, and I smile, thinking about him in a hat, riding a horse.
I sit up, crossing my legs on the couch, and look at him. At my abrupt movement, Cali tries to get on the couch with us, but Easton commands her to stay on the floor. Small whimpers break my heart, and I give Easton my best sad-face, but I respect the way he wants to train his dog and the limitations of being on the furniture.
“She’s so cute,” I whisper, looking down at Cali, who is staring up at us with big, brown eyes.
“Yeah,” he exhales. “But I really want to train her to stay off the sofa and beds. If not, when she grows to be over sixty pounds, she’ll take up the entire sofa.”
I chuckle and nod. “I get it.” I grab one of his hands and turn it over, tracing the lines on his palm. When I look up at him, his normally light, green eyes are darker.
I smile, taking in every feature. My eyes trail down to his broad shoulders and defined chest with a sprinkling of hair that he didn’t have when we were younger—a sign of Easton’s maturity. Hard muscles cover his stomach until I reach his happy trail leading into his pants. He’s fit and strong without being overly muscular.
I swallow when I see the outline of his erection and lift my gaze back to his. Whatever I was going to say flew away, leaving my mind blank. My eyes take the initiative, roaming his taut body again. All that matters right now is seeing him, admiring him, breathing him in.
Easton doesn’t move. He allows me to take my time watching him. Then I look at his hand, both of mine holding it open, and I run my fingers down the back of his and around his palm again. Easton rolls his fingers in, taking mine with them and holding me in a gentle touch. This moment is so intimate, silent conversations moving through us.
As soon as my lips touch his again, I know there will only be one way to go from here. Right now, I want this moment to sit with the man that’s returned to my life in the most unexpected way.
Easton brings our tangled fingers to his lips and kisses them. I wish I could read his mind and know what he’s thinking, although taking a look into his eyes tells me he’s feeling whatever this is that’s growing between us.
The air around us crackles as we sit in silence. My heart hammers as I wait for his next move. His free hand moves to the side of my face, combing into the hair at the nape of my neck that leads to my ponytail, holding me possessively. I search his eyes as they ping-pong between mine and my lips.
I lean in instinctively and smile when I feel his breath on my lips. My other hand trails down his shoulder to his chest, feeling his muscles twitch beneath my touch. When my fingers reach his stomach, it flinches, and Easton growls.
He pulls my face to his, smashing his lips with mine in a kiss so heated, it would burn all the snow outside in a matter of seconds. His tongue intrudes my mouth, seeking mine. My core clenches when his tongue swipes against mine. The more they dance together, the more my body reacts, my nipples hardening and pussy becoming wet with desire. All the pent-up desire from earlier is spilling out of us.
God, he can kiss.
Easton angles my head to deepen the kiss, and I run my finger along the band of his joggers, trying to build the courage to reach for his length and feel him in my hand, see how his body reacts to my touch.
I moan when his palm cups my breast, arching into his touch as his fingers pinch my nipples. Easton strips my sweater from my body and swiftly removes my bra before his stubble is scratching my skin as his tongue swirls around my nipple.
I call out his name, holding his head to my chest greedily. His fingers burn a trail down the sides of my body as he explores every inch.
“You’re stunning.” Easton looks up at me. “More so than I remembered,” he confesses. “I want you so badly… All to myself…” His teeth graze my sensitive skin as they rub over the swell of my breasts. When his tongue peeks out and flicks my puckered peak, I groan and toss my head back against the sofa.
My hand sneaks into the waistband of his pants, and I wrap my fingers around his impressive length. Easton hisses through his teeth, lifting his head to kiss me. I move my hand over his thick dick in the constraints of his joggers, reveling in the way he grows harder and longer. All because of me. So many years without touching him, without seeing him, and I can still affect him this way.
“Bedroom,” he growls.
Easton lifts my body around his, so I’m straddling him and stands as he carries us to his room. His lips never leave my body, dropping kisses down my neck and shoulder, nipping m
y skin with his teeth.
Every kiss, touch, teasing graze stokes the fire inside of me. I’m burning for this man. When Easton places me on the floor, he cradles my face with both hands and kisses me tenderly, reminding me that this is more than just sex.
“Are you ready for this?” His face grows serious as he stares into my eyes.
“More than you’ll ever know.” I swipe my lips against his.
“Me too.” One side of his lips turns up, and his fingers skillfully undo the button on my jeans. He lowers the zipper, sneaking a hand into my underwear and brushing his fingers over my sensitive core.
I moan and close my eyes, my body humming with want as he rubs my clit. “Easton…” I whisper, grabbing the back of his head and kissing him with everything I have.
He doesn’t miss a beat, inching his fingers into my pussy as our lips fuse together in a bruising kiss. My cheeks welcome the burn from his scruff as my body presses into his. My core clenches around his fingers, and his thumb presses against my clit, adding to the building pressure in my lower body.
When my knees buckle, Easton wraps an arm around my waist and lays me back on his bed. Removing his hand from my core, I whimper. He chuckles and smiles wickedly as he kneels on the floor before me. I lift onto my elbows and stare as I watch his every single move.
Easton hooks his fingers into my jeans and moves them down my body, stopping when they’re midway. Looking to see what caused him to stop, my cheeks burn in embarrassment. I could’ve sworn I had changed my underwear before coming here in case I found myself in this exact predicament. Instead, I’m staring at my Taco Tuesday underwear, again. Kill. Me. Now.
Easton chuckles as his eyes meet mine, and he arches an eyebrow. “Cute.”
I don’t even know what to say. My underwear is covered in small taco cartoons, cock-blocking me. I throw my head back, letting my body fall on his bed with a bounce, and cover my eyes with my hands.
Easton continues chuckling, lowering my underwear.
My Way to You: A Second Chance Romance (Love in Everton Book 7) Page 10
