“Now isn’t really a good time sorry, I’m just kinda busy.”
Oh, I bet you are.
“Okay, no worries. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said as I turned to walk away. I grinned to myself “Catch ya later, Colt,” I called out before she’d had a chance to close the door.
“See ya, man,” I heard Colt call back just as Quinn pushed the door shut.
“For god sakes, I told you to be quiet,” Quinn’s muffled voice came from behind the door.
I chuckled and left them alone.
So much for not seeing him anymore...
I went back to El’s office; she was still sitting at her desk, clicking away on her laptop. She was twirling a strand of long blonde hair around her finger as she worked. She startled as she noticed me watching her and a smile appeared on her full lips.
“Was she there?” she asked as she closed down her laptop and slid it into her bag.
I walked over and took it from her. “Oh yeah, she was there alright.” I chuckled.
El looked at me quizzically. “So... did she want a ride home?”
I shook my head and chuckled again. “Nah, baby, I don’t think she’s quite finished in there yet.”
El raised one eyebrow at me and waited.
“She’s got company... if you know what I mean?”
El gaped. “Who? Not Colt?”
“Yeap,” I replied, popping the p.
“No way.” She shook her head in disbelief. “She said she was finished with him.” I shrugged. “I’m guessing that didn’t go quite to plan.”
El rolled her eyes. “Those two are useless. Someone’s gonna get hurt.”
“Quinn’s a big girl. She’ll be fine,” I told her as we walked towards the elevators.
“It’s not Q I’m concerned about,” she muttered.
She was right. Colt was in way over his head with my sister. I knew Quinn had tried to stop seeing him a couple of times in the last few months, but he always seemed to claw his way back in. I had to give it to the guy; he was persistent when he wanted something.
We rode the elevator down to the car park, I opened El’s door for her – she was finally getting used to it, and put our bags in the back seat of the truck. I loved that nearly every day I got to drive my girl to work and home again after. I still had to steady my breathing sometimes when I thought about it being our home. I could imagine us there together for many, many years. I could imagine us having our children there.
“When do you want to have a family?” I asked El suddenly.
She stopped singing and snapped her head around to look at me. “A family?” she asked in a squeaky voice.
“Yeah.” I tapped the steering wheel nervously. “A family. You want one, right?”
Why the hell have we never talked about this before?
I’d never been overly concerned about having children. My life had always been career driven, but since I’d met El, everything was different. I wanted children with her more than just about anything in the world. I wanted to watch her stomach grow, I wanted to see her hold our baby for the first time... I couldn’t wait to navigate our way through parenting together.
“Of course I do,” she breathed. “I just didn’t realize it was on your radar.” She reached out for my hand and entwined our fingers. “When do you want to have a family?”
“Whenever you’re ready,” I told her with certainty. “We could start trying as soon as we get home if you want?” I grinned at her.
She squeezed my hand and laughed at my teasing. “I’m not sure that I’m ready to share you just yet... can we have this conversation again after the wedding?” she asked shyly.
“Sure, baby.” I pulled her hand towards me and kissed it softly. “We’ll just keep practicing until then.”
***
I yawned as I woke. It had been a long night of practicing indeed. I stretched out, searching for El, but I came up empty-handed. Her side of the bed was cold. I glanced at the clock on my bedside.
7.20am.
El was definitely up to something, she never got up this early on a Saturday morning.
“El?” I called out.
Silence.
“El?” I tried again, more loudly – still no answer. I threw on a pair of sweats and went downstairs to look for her. Ellerslie wasn’t there, neither was Zef. Now I was confused. Her Jeep was still parked in the garage, but her trainers were gone.
She’s gone for a walk?
I smirked to myself. I was getting years of credit for this one... El had forgotten my birthday.
I went back upstairs to shower and dress for the day. If I was honest, I was a little disappointed. The best part of my day was waking up next to her, and I’d been sure she had something planned for today. My instincts were losing their touch.
I heard El the minute I shut the shower off. I rubbed the towel quickly through my hair and wrapped it around my waist. She was in the bedroom singing softly along to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Photograph’. I paused in the doorway to listen. I knew she’d stop as soon as she saw me. El didn’t think she could sing. She wasn’t wrong about much, but she was dead wrong about that. She had a beautiful voice.
She stopped singing, and I heard her rummaging around in a drawer. “Are you coming out of there today, birthday boy?” she called out to me. I could tell by the way her voice sounded that she was sporting a huge smile.
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face as I stepped into the bedroom. My eyes landed on her immediately; she was stripped down to her underwear. Her sports bra was light blue and made her eyes look even bluer than usual. I’d barely glanced at her, but her sexy-as-fuck curves already had me hard.
“Happy birthday, handsome.” Her voice caught as she saw me standing there, nearly naked.
We both stood still, not saying a word, just appreciating one another from afar. It didn’t seem to matter how often I had her, I could never get enough. El didn’t seem to be able to resist me when I was shirtless, so that was pretty much how I rolled these days. I watched her trace the lines of my tattoo with her eyes and then lick her lips.
I lost it.
I strode towards her and scooped her up under her perky ass. She shrieked as I chucked her onto the bed. “I want to unwrap my present,” I growled in between placing kisses on her neck and jaw.
“Your present is downstairs.” Her voice was a borderline moan.
“My present is right here.” I unsnapped the front of her sports bra as I spoke.
Her breasts sprang free and this time she did moan. “Lawson.”
I rolled onto my back and pulled her with me so she was straddling me.
Her big blue eyes were sparkling as she looked down at me. “You are so fucking hot,” she panted. She rose up and tugged my towel so it opened loosely around my hips. She made an appreciative noise that sounded like a purr.
“Fuck, baby. I need you.” I tugged her down to me and sighed in contentment at the feeling of her skin on mine, she was so soft, so warm. She fit perfectly against my big body.
She wiggled her hips against my erection and moaned again. “I want you now,” she whispered as she began to shimmy her underwear down her legs. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Her breasts were bouncing in my face, her hips grinding against mine.
God, she’s so sexy.
“Ride me,” I commanded in a voice I knew she wouldn’t argue with. El loved it as much as I did when I was in charge. It strengthened our trust – our bond.
I grabbed my dick in my hand, I knew El was ready, she was so wet. She hovered above me and slid down slowly, taking me in all the way to the base.
“Oh god,” she whimpered as she slowly moved side to side, adjusting to the fullness.
I pushed my hips up and thrust into her gently. Fuck she felt so good. Sex without a condom was about the best feeling in the world.
El began to grind on me, rocking backwards and forwards. She looked so sexy sitting up on me, her breasts bouncing with
every pump of her hips. I knew she was close already, I could feel the tremors beginning to race through her body, El was a grinder, she knew exactly how to get the right amount of friction, it never took long when she was in control.
Seeing her get off was the biggest turn on for me. Knowing that our bodies together gave her that pleasure.
Fuck...
She quickened her pace.
“Come for me, Ellerslie.” Authority rang clear in my voice. I watched her tip over the edge, she fell forward onto my chest, shuddering and moaning.
I thrust up into her rapidly, and she cried out my name, “Lawson, oh fuck.”
I flipped her in one motion onto her back and took control. I drove into her without mercy, my pace fierce and dominating. El was completely gone; she was a shuddering, writhing ball of nerves beneath me. “Now, baby,” I choked out as I chased my release to the end. I spurted hot and hard inside of her, claiming her again, in the most primal way. I rode it out until her body stilled underneath me and I felt her muscles relax.
“Oh god,” El whispered as she ran a hand softly through my hair. “That was... wow.”
I chuckled and kissed her nose. “That was something alright. I should have a birthday more often.”
“Happy birthday, Lawson,” she told me softly as she looked deep into my eyes. She saw me for exactly what I was, and loved me because of it.
“I love you.”
“I love you more,” she whispered as she leaned up to kiss my lips. I met her halfway and kissed her softly, sweetly – a complete contrast to the moment prior.
“Marry me,” I insisted.
She waved her left hand, the one wearing my ring. “I think I remember agreeing to that already,” she teased.
“Today... marry me today.” I kissed her again.
She just giggled against my lips.
I sighed in defeat and hoisted her up into my arms. I carried her to the bathroom to join her for my second shower of the day.
2. Ellerslie
I smiled as I threw on some leggings and a long navy blue knit dress. Lawson was constantly on my mind, dominating my thoughts. The man didn’t know how to do anything by halves. He was always all in. Shivers raced up my spine.
He’s all in with me.
The quote he’d sent me a few days ago ran through my mind.
“If you’re going to love someone or something then don’t be a slow leaking faucet – be a hurricane.” – Shannon L. Alder.
He didn’t love quietly, or softly. Lawson loved me like a raging bull... he loved me like a hurricane.
I checked he was still in the bathroom before I raced downstairs to make sure I had everything set up the way I wanted it.
“Sit,” I told Zef. He sat immediately – all those classes we’d taken him to were really paying off.
I tore out of the room and hid behind the door in the hallway to wait for him.
A few minutes passed before he came downstairs.
“Hey, boy.” I heard Lawson walk into the room towards his dog. I heard the tinkle of Zefer’s collar as he gave him a pat.
I waited patiently.
I heard him chuckle, he’d found the note.
I couldn’t hold back a smile as I imagined him reading the words.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a friend to your party.”
“El?” he called out in a concerned voice. “What friend, pretty girl? What party?”
I peaked my head around the door and got caught by his piercing eyes. I stepped out, pulling the lead gently behind me.
Lawson’s eyes followed the lead down behind my back until they landed on the tiny puppy sitting on the floor.
“Happy birthday,” I squeaked. Fuck, I was so nervous.
What if he hates it...
His eyes widened as he pointed at the puppy. “Is that ours?” he asked.
“He,” I corrected him. “He is ours – well yours, it’s your birthday.” I rubbed my hands together nervously. I couldn’t get a read on Lawson, it was unnerving. I screwed up my nose. “I might have already named him though...”
Fuck! What if he doesn’t want a puppy?
Lawson had taken a few steps towards me and now he crouched down with his hand slowly extended towards the dog. “What’s his name?” he asked without looking at me.
“Frank.”
“Frank?” he asked, humor in his voice. “You gave our puppy an old-man name?”
Our puppy...
I snorted. “I think it’s funny.”
Lawson petted the puppy’s head. “Do you think it’s funny, Frank? Huh?”
Frank, having heard the name I’d spent several hours teaching him, perked up and jumped playfully at Lawson and licked his hand.
“Where did you get him?” he asked as he picked him up.
“As in right now?” I asked with my head cocked to the side.
God, they were so cute together.
Lawson nodded. “And where did you buy him?”
I grinned. “I’ve had him stashed at Quinn and Logan’s for about five nights. That’s where me and Zef snuck off to this morning.”
Lawson chuckled. “I bet Q loved that.”
I waved my hand at him. “She’ll get over it; it was just one pair of heels.”
Lawson’s loud laugh moved through my body. I loved hearing him laugh. He tilted his head towards Zef. “Have they met?”
I nodded. “They sure have. I’ve had Frank going to day care with him all week.” We’d had Zef booked into a dog day care for the past few months. He went there most days while we both were at work.
I called Zef over and took the lead off Frank. Lawson put him down and the two dogs sniffed and nudged each other. It was obvious they were happy to see one another.
“I heard from one of the ladies there that a whole heap of dogs had recently been brought into the local animal rescue. A breeder hadn’t been caring for them properly. I called in to see if I could help out... and when I saw this little guy’s mom, I just knew I had to take a pup when they arrived. She had a litter of three, one didn’t survive, and Frank here was just such a sweetie.”
We’d briefly talked about getting another Doberman one day, but I think Lawson had expected to get an adult dog, like he had with Zefer.
Frank began chewing the rug on the living room floor and Lawson frowned. “He’s gonna chew everything and piss everywhere, isn’t he?”
I laughed as he pulled me into his arms. “It’s just stuff, cowboy. I’ll buy you a new rug.”
He kissed my forehead and ducked his head down to look into my eyes. “Thank you, baby – for the dog.” His lips met mine.
“You’re welcome,” I breathed and leaned into his body. We turned and watched Zef walking around the living room, Frank right behind him. It was freaking adorable. “You’re never allowed to take those two out alone, okay?”
Lawson looked at me quizzically. “What? Why not?”
“You were unbearably hot with just a dog... but a puppy? Jesus,” I complained.
Lawson shrugged at me innocently. “You bought the puppy, baby.”
“I clearly didn’t think this through,” I muttered under my breath.
He smirked and kissed me again. “Don’t worry, pretty girl, you’re the only one I see.”
***
I spent the rest of the morning making Lawson’s breakfast and baking him a birthday cake. He’d tried to tell me that he didn’t need one, but I was having none of it. He was getting a damn cake.
We left it on the table to cool and headed to Logan’s house to pick up all the puppy supplies. I’d gone a little mad in the store and bought a whole heap of shit we probably weren’t even going to need. Lawson hadn’t even told me off for it – he just shook his head and smiled while he loaded it all into the truck.
We’d had a late lunch with Logan and Q, and they were coming over for dinner tonight too. Lawson didn’t know, but I’d invited some of our friends over to help celebrate his birthday.
Lawson’s mom had called and sang him happy birthday. He’d told me it was a tradition that she and his nana had done every year – it was adorable.
I’d organized for Reeve and Lisa to pick up the takeout I’d ordered for tonight, so after shooing Lawson out of the kitchen, I’d iced his cake and then we’d taken Zef and Frank for their first walk together.
A couple of hours later, I looked over at my handsome fiancé as we were sitting on the back wraparound porch. It was my favorite spot, it overlooked the water and it was so beautiful to watch the sun rising and setting from there. Lawson was leaning back in his chair, relaxing. He had Frank in his lap and was stroking Zef’s head, which was also in his lap. I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo of the three of them. I smiled as I looked at it on the screen.
“That’s one for a frame,” I told him as I spun it around so he could see.
He was wearing grey sweatpants and a black hooded sweatshirt, but he was still hotter than hell. The man could rock a sack and still look like a god. His dark hair had fallen forward onto his forehead and I was itching to lean over and run my hands through it. The more casual he looked, the more privileged I felt – it was something that hardly anyone else saw.
He was watching me, as I was watching him. I could feel his eyes prickling my skin.
“You’re giving me that look, pretty girl.”
My lips curved up into a smile. “I know I am.”
He shook his head and chuckled deeply, his gravelly laugh sending shivers down my spine.
“It’s the dogs, I swear. No one can resist a man with a puppy, let alone a man that looks like you, with a puppy.”
His eyes held a challenge. “Who’s saying you have to resist?”
I wiggled a finger at him. “Uh uh. Nope. You need a shower. We have plans.”
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “We do?”
I nodded in confirmation. “We do. And as sexy as you look right now, I think you should shower and change.” I held out my hands for Frank, and Lawson reluctantly handed him over before kissing me on the head and going inside with a goofy smile on his face.
3. Lawson
I looked around the room and smiled. Logan and Quinn were here, Lisa and Reeve, even Rome and Josh. El had organized Thai takeout for everyone, and she’d forced me to sit still while she turned out the lights and had everyone sing me happy birthday, candles and all.
Love like Yours Series (Box Set #1-4) Page 38
