by V. Vaughn
“That sounds amazing.”
“Your chariot awaits, m’lady.” He sweeps his arm toward his motorcycle.
I climb on, and he hands me a helmet to put on before we’re off.
Riding on his bike is sexy as hell. The rumble of the engine beneath my thighs, the feel of Alec’s body pressed against mine, and the exhilaration of the wind around us as we fly down the road ignites my senses, and I’m burning with desire. But first I’m going to need food and his strong capable hands on my sore feet after my long day.
When we get to his place and off the bike, he gives me a concerned look. “Those feet of yours really hurt, huh?”
“It’s the worst.”
In a flash, Alec dips his shoulder down and tosses me over it in a fireman’s carry.
“Put me down!” I squeal and flail about, but I’m laughing as he takes me into the house.
Once inside, he sets me down on the sofa. “Don’t you dare move.” He gives me a devilish grin that sets my body aflame. “I’m going to fill up a basin that you can soak your feet in while I make dinner.”
He rushes off, and I work on taking off my shoes as I glance around at the house he and Bruce share. I wonder if his brother will be joining us for dinner. I got used to his gruff ways when Alec and I dated in high school, so his company doesn’t bother me, but I’d really like to have Alec to myself. I’ve got plans for that sexy body of his later.
Country music carries to me from the kitchen as Alec returns with a basin full of steaming hot water and something that has a light lavender scent. “Epsom salt soak,” Alec says as he lifts my feet to gently put them in the water. “This should work wonders.”
I sigh as he submerges my feet in the warmth, and I lean back on the couch to relax. A few moments later, Alec returns with a bottle of beer in his hand. He opens it with a flourish and displays it like it’s a bottle of wine in a fancy restaurant. “This was a very good year for beer.”
“Really? What year was that?”
He lifts the bottle and frowns at it. “Last month, I think.”
I chuckle. “Very good month, indeed. Thank you. Just for this, I’m going to give you a really big tip later.”
He pumps his eyebrows at me. “Can’t wait.”
I laugh and he two steps back into the kitchen, making sure to stick his butt out a little for me. I give him a wolf whistle and call out. “Now that’s the view I’m talking about!”
I enjoy my beer and inhale the delicious scents coming from the kitchen. When it’s time to eat, Alec serves me spicy parmesan shrimp pasta and a spinach salad. The first bite melts in my mouth and my eyes nearly roll back into my head it’s so good.
“This is amazing,” I say. “When did you learn to cook?”
“My first year away.” He chuckles. “Had to because I needed to eat healthy to stay in top condition.”
“I always pictured wealthy bachelors eating out a lot.”
Alec swallows down a mouthful of food before he says, “I did at first, but it got annoying have to wait for a meal all the time, and expensive.”
“I can imagine.” I lift up another forkful of pasta.
“I keep thinking about your blanket business,” he says. “How many orders do you get?”
“About five or so blankets a month.”
His eyes widen. “That’s a lot.”
“I like to knit.” I shrug. What I don’t say is my social life consists of movies and knitting on the couch. But I have been struggling a bit to fulfill the demand. There are only so many hours in a day.
“Are you making enough to quit your job at the diner?”
“I wouldn’t ever want to quit. It’s how I socialize. And you know how I like to be around people.”
“I remember.”
“But it is interesting that you ask, because I’ve been thinking about cutting back on my hours to have more time that I can devote to knitting.”
The discussion reinforces my resolve to do just that. I like knitting blankets, and I love seeing how much new moms love them. Sometimes my customers will send me pictures of their babies wrapped in one of my blankets. It never fails to fill me with joy. Knitting is a whole lot easier on my body too.
When Alec gets up and starts to take plates into the kitchen, I get up to help him.
“Nope. You go sit in the living room.”
“But you cooked. The least I can do is clean.”
“Go.” He points to the living room with a teasing grin.
I go back into the living room and settle on the sofa to relax while he cleans. When he joins me a few minutes later, he sits at the other end of the couch and pulls my legs up so they stretch across his lap. He grabs both of my feet, and the moment he presses his thumbs into my soles I groan and let my head drop back against the sofa cushions.
He works for a while before he asks, “Do you want to watch a movie?”
“Sure.”
He takes a break from my feet and picks up the remote to the TV to turn on Netflix. “What do you want to watch?”
I give him a look. “What kind of question is that?”
He chuckles. “You’re right. Stupid question.” He scrolls through the movies, finds one, and pushes play. The soaring music of one epic tale about a hobbit fills the room. Alec and I have watched this movie at least twenty times, and we’ve acted out scenes in unison with the movie at least a dozen.
Alec continues to massage my feet as we butcher the movie. When I realize that all the pain is gone, I say, “You’re magic. You could get a job as a masseuse.”
“No way, baby,” he says, “these hands are only for you.”
I’m pretty sure the smile I give him could crack my face.
About an hour into the movie, Alec’s hands move up to my ankles then to my calves, massaging and caressing along the way. When he reaches my knees, I can’t control myself any longer. It’s not like we don’t know how the movie ends, and I wrap a hand around his neck to kiss him long and hard, letting him know exactly what I have on my mind.
Chapter 30
ALEC
Her tongue teases mine, and I can barely control myself. I’m trying to hold back, but it’s pointless. I’m beyond turned on.
I grip her legs and pull her closer, up into my lap. My hands race along her back then down to cup the firm round cheeks of her ass. No one has a better ass than Hillary.
Our kiss is so long and wet and hot that it makes every muscle in my body hard. She pulls back and peppers kisses to my chin then down my neck. Slowly, she slips off the sofa until she’s on her knees in front of me, nudging my legs open so she can nestle in between them. The demure look on her face nearly does me in as she slowly, so very slowly, pulls down the zipper on my jeans. She tugs my briefs down and my cock springs free. She gazes up at me, and I groan when she drags her warm, wet tongue up my shaft. “Baby.”
I fall back on the couch to give her better access, and when she wraps her lips around my dick, I comb my fingers through her hair. She sucks me as I fuck her mouth, and the pressure that builds in my balls is a dull ache that grows with my need for release.
She fondles my balls gently, and I tense up, ready to explode. I remember how she didn’t ever want me to come in her mouth and croak out, “I’m gonna come.”
She releases my cock with a pop and gives me an evil smile. “That’s the idea.” When she takes me in her mouth again, I only need a couple of thrusts before I shoot my hot seed down her throat. She swallows it down, and it’s so damn sexy I’d come again if I could.
Hillary sits back on her knees and licks her lips as if I was a hot fudge sundae. I shudder with an aftershock. “Jesus, Hill. That was amazing.”
She stands up and holds out her hand. “We’re not even close to being done.”
I find the energy to get to my feet and let her lead me into my bedroom where I strip out of my clothes. I climb on the bed before I realize Hillary is taking her time to undress. She gives me a smoldering look as she unbutt
ons her shirt slowly. I lean back on my elbows, and my cock twitches at the sight of her. “Are you about to show me your moves?”
She grins. “I can.”
“Let me see them.”
“I might need some music for this.”
“I know just the song.” I pick up my pants from the floor to retrieve my phone and find an oldie sung by a guy with a scratchy voice, and he’s telling his girl to take it all off but to leave her hat on.
Hillary laughs when the song starts, but she listens to the words and gives me a sexy, hip-swaying dance as she follows his directions, right down to shaking her boobs when he suggests it, and I just about die.
“Do you have any idea what that does to me?”
She glances at my groin to see my cock has found a way to wake up. “As a matter of fact…”
I chuckle and hook my finger at her. “C’mere. I’ve got plans for you.”
Hillary crawls over my prone body and lies on top of me. “I sure hope so, because stripping for you has me horny as hell.”
“Hot damn!” I flip her over so that I’m on top, and I kiss my woman with the kind of heat that could start a forest fire. But I plan on taking my time so I can savor every inch of my sexy bunny, and I move my kisses slowly down her body until she’s a quivering mess.
She jerks when I slide two fingers along her slick sex, and then rocks her hips as I thrust them inside her. She’s dripping wet with desire when she says, “Oh, Alec. I need so much more than your hand.”
I rise up to guide my dick into her, seating myself balls deep, and she moans with the fullness. I bury my face in the side of her neck, as I move my hips, my cock slowly sliding in and out of her. I lick the spot right under her ear that I know she loves. She bows her back and moans in response.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I whisper into her ear.
“I’ve missed you too.” She gasps, once, twice, three times, as her orgasm draws near.
I nip at her ear lobe. “I promise I won’t ever leave again.”
She digs her nails into my back as I ram into her, bringing us both to blissful release.
Once we both can move again, we cuddle together. She’s the little spoon, and I’m the big one. I stroke my fingers through her hair as I listen to her breathing. Right now, in this moment, everything is perfect. I can’t think of a better moment, and I know I’ve never stopped loving her. I don’t think I ever could stop no matter what happens.
“Did you leave because you fell out of love me?” Her voice is barely a whisper, and I know it costs her to ask.
“God, no. It hurt to leave you.”
“Then why did you? Why didn’t you think to take me with you?”
I sigh, having beaten myself up over the same question time and time again. “I was so excited about going pro. It was all I could think about. All that was in my head. It was all anyone else talked about. My family, my friends.” I draw my fingers through her hair, although I know I can’t caress away the pain I caused her. “I didn’t stop to think about what you wanted. I was selfish and a jerk.” I nuzzle my face into her hair and close my eyes as I breathe her in. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Hillary.”
Because I can’t see her face, I don’t know her reaction to my confession. She’s hasn’t pulled away from me, so I take that as a good sign.
“Can you ever forgive me?” I ask, knowing the answer might devastate me. But I need to know where I stand with her. She doesn’t answer immediately, which makes me nervous.
Then in a tiny voice she says, “I don’t know. I’m trying to get over you walking away from me once. You loved me, and you knew how much I loved you. And still—” Her voice cracks, and she doesn’t finish her sentence.
I know she’s crying, and I tighten my hold as I press my lips to the back of her head.
She sniffs. “What’s to stop you from doing it again?”
She turns in my arms and lets me see her tears. Pain slices through my heart at how much I’m hurting her again. I lean forward and kiss the tears away, and then I hug her close. I’m at a loss for words. What can I say to make her trust me again? I’ve told her I won’t leave. I’m trying to make it up to her and prove I’m going to stay. But maybe in the end, it won’t be enough.
Chapter 31
HILLARY
I’m exhausted when I go to work. Alec and I had morning sex, and we both tried to act as if everything is okay, but it’s not. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get past my fear that Alec is going to leave me again. But I still have hope that with time, I’ll find a way.
While Mandy and I do our usual opening routine, I’m anxious to get a minute to talk to her and get her advice on something other than my relationship. I can’t stop thinking about what Alec said about my blanket business doing so well and about my idea about going part-time at the diner.
But I don’t get a chance because Mandy lets one of our regulars in early, and before we know it, the breakfast rush is upon us.
I walk over with coffee for Delilah and Jane, who are sitting at the breakfast counter today. Delilah, who runs the book store, asks, “Did you hear that C. J. Oliver is coming to town?”
“Who?” I ask. Delilah and Jane stare at me with wide eyes.
Jane asks, “You seriously don’t know the most famous shifter romance author of all time? My god, girl. Do you live under a rock?”
“Oh,” I say as it comes to me. “She’s a dog shifter, right? I keep meaning to read her books.”
“She’s doing a reading and book signing at the bookstore this weekend. It’s going to be great PR for the town.
“I think we’ll even get shifters from other towns coming once we advertise on the shifter network,” Jane says. “I’m going to encourage all the downtown businesses to pull out all the stops and show visitors how great Heartland is.”
“I mean, even your beau came back to Heartland,” Delilah says to me. “He knows how great a town this is.”
I don’t correct her about why Alec returned. I don’t want to ruin the sales pitch she’s obviously rehearsed. I smile because this is the kind of stuff that makes working here so great. I quickly fill up their coffee cups and leave them to go check on my other customers.
I don’t think I could ever quit working at the diner entirely. Not only is it a fun place to work, but I’m not foolish enough to rely on a knitting business with only one product. I need the stability of at least a part-time income from waitressing, and I’m glad I don’t have to choose one over the other.
It occurs to me that Alec had to choose between a relationship with me and his career. While I told him I’d have followed him anywhere, it would have been difficult to focus on football if he was worried about me being in a strange town with him gone all the time.
Once our rush is over, I find Mandy drinking coffee in the kitchen. I pour myself a mug too, and when I lift the hot liquid to my mouth, I say, “Hey, I wanted to ask you something.”
“Shoot.”
“I’m thinking about going part-time here so I can concentrate more on my baby blanket business. It’s doing a lot better than I ever thought it would, and I don’t have enough time to keep up with demand.”
“That’s awesome. You really love it, don’t you?”
“I do, and I make more money at it for my time than here. But gosh, I love working here so much, and I can’t imagine letting it go completely.”
“Then I think going part-time is a great idea.”
“You do?”
“Most definitely.” She smiles. “Although I’ll be sad about spending less time with you, I wouldn’t dream of doing anything to hold you back. You’ve got to do what is best for you, and it sounds like having more time for knitting is it.”
Guilt tugs at my heart, because I wasn’t able to see that Alec leaving Heartland to play football was what was best for him at the time. If he’d stayed for me, I’d have held him back from his dream. And considering how successful he was, that would have been a shame.
“Did you tell Alec about your business?”
“Yeah, he thinks it’s great. He’s actually encouraging me to do it more.” I smile. “He thinks the blankets are pretty.”
“Have you told him why you knitted so many of them to begin with?”
“I told him I liked it and—”
“And about how much you want kids?”
Mandy is the only person who knows about my deepest desire. She pretty much figured it out when I was chin deep in knitted blankets and was still knitting more.
“I haven’t mentioned it,” I say with a wince.
“You should tell him. If you’re not on the same page when it comes to kids, then your relationship is doomed no matter if you forgive him or not.” She sets her coffee down with a thump and goes to the dining room.
It never occurred to me that Alec might not want children, and frankly if he doesn’t, then there’s no point for us to be together no matter how much I love him. My biological clock is beyond ticking; it’s ding-donging like heavy church bells.
I think back and try to remember a time when we may have talked about having children, but we were still in high school, and I don’t think we ever did. I know Alec and I need to have the conversation and that if he can commit to kids with me, he’s really planning to stay.
Chapter 32
ALEC
I remove the bottle of wine I have chilling in the fridge, and it’s cold in my hand as Bruce raises an eyebrow at me. “You’re spending a lot of time with Hillary.”
“Yes.” Movie night at Hillary’s this evening is going to consist of wine, Chinese take-out, and lots of cuddling on the couch. This is the third night in a row that we’ve spent together, and I love it.
I expect Bruce to say something flippant or bust my balls about it, but instead he says, “Good. Does that mean you’re moving out soon and getting your own place?”
“Well, technically, this is my house too. Mom and Dad left it to both of us,” I say.
