“You have no idea!” I snatched my coffee and took a sip before sighing audibly. “Oh, you’re amazing.”
He quirked a grin, shifting in place. “So, you want to show me around?” He winked. “You have no idea what I had to do to get here.”
I took his hand and led him through the house to the back patio. Sinking down into the cushioned chair across from him, I asked. “What did you have to do to get here?”
“Well, I went to Logan first. He uh...” he blushed. Yes, Collin Donnelley was blushing. This was a moment to be written in the books for history. “He went through something like this with Reese. She’d been with him at the Ranch and then she’d left - and she hadn’t been answering his calls. So, he needed her address. That’s where I got the idea of getting your address from.” He paused and his face grew even redder. I watched in fascination as he breathed out a long breath of air from between nervous lips. “So, I asked him if he’d convince Reese to get your address from the paperwork in the office. It’s in a locked cabinet and only Reese, my mom, and dad have a key.”
“Go on.” I prompted eagerly when he paused.
“You’re trying to torture me.” He accused heartily.
“I’ve never seen you blush.” I admitted with a giggle. “I want to know what happened to make you so pretty and pink.”
He glared through narrowed eyes. “Hadley.”
“Get on with it.” I winked. “Do it like a band aid - quick and painless.”
“This won’t be quick or painless - hell, the memory is a thousand times better than the reality, and the memory sucks.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “Anyway, Reese refused to help me. She then forced John, my father, to refuse to help me. I know, because I asked for his help. He told me that if he helped me, Reese was going to name his grandbaby something ridiculously obscene.” He shook his head. “Reese never would have done that - not to her baby, but dad didn’t want to take the risk of being responsible for something like that.”
I laughed. I liked this story. “So you had to go to Gracie?”
“Yeah.” He grumbled. “I had to go to my mom.”
“And?” I could barely sit still in my seat.
Gracie was an adorable, wonderful, hilarious woman - but she was also a little demon when it came to playing Cupid. I’d heard all the brothers and their suspicions when it came to their mother. However, Reese and Kami adamantly denied any Gracie involvement in their relationships, so I wasn’t sure which side I sat on as of yet.
“She forced me to admit my feelings for you, which wasn’t the bad part. I wanted to reveal our relationship together - to everyone. But mom was having none of it.” He shook his head. “She was so excited that I was finally - settling down.”
“Don’t sound so excited!” I teased. “And who said we were settling down?”
His eyes connected with mine. “You’re moving in with me, Hadley.” His voice was serious and I felt my belly flutter. “I’ve never been with a woman like you and I’ll never want to be with any other. You’re it for me - I know that now.”
Wow. Collin Donnelley was admitting, outright, that I was it for him. What exactly had happened in the last three days?
I tried to calm the beating of my heart as I asked. “I’m it for you?”
He nodded. “No doubt in my mind, love.”
Oh, I loved it when he called me love. Smiling, I replied, “There’s no doubt in mine either.”
Collin grinned. “Maybe one day I’ll tell you what my mom made me do - for something as trivial as your address.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I still don’t even know how she had the mind to come up with something so embarrassingly elaborate in such a short time, but shit,” he paused and his spine straightened. “It was Reese. She went to mom - it had to have been Reese!” He stood, running his hands through his hair as he growled low under his breath. “Damn, baby...”
“What?” I stood with him, catching his arms in my hands. “What’s wrong? What did she make you do?”
“I’ve been played.”
***
Four weeks had passed since dad had his heart attack. Thankfully, it hadn’t been a severe attack and his recovery was quick, and for the most part, painless. To my surprised relief and my mothers joy, Collin had remained in Toronto for my father’s entire recovery. I can’t say my father shared mine, and my mother’s excitement at Collin’s presence. As a matter of fact, for the first few days, my father had been downright unkind. After a private meeting in dad’s office, to which mom refused to allow me to eavesdrop, the two men had found some sort of truce. I’d asked Collin repeatedly to share the contents of that conversation, but he’d adamantly refused. Although I was somewhat pouty about the information withheld from me, I’d gotten over it quickly when dad and Collin’s relationship became cordial, and then friendly. Now, they were annoyingly inseparable.
Jackson had covered every tour Collin had been booked for, saving Collin a lot of heartache in cancelling tours - because he said he wasn’t returning home without me. He’d been a rock in the household that had only, a few months ago, been entirely stable. Michael’s death had rocked us all, tilting our very world onto its axis. At first, I think it hurt my parents to have a man in the house that was so close in age to Mike’s, but their discomfort had passed and in its place there was an ease of acceptance that warmed my heart for the man I loved.
It was the twenty-eighth of August and we were leaving Toronto in the morning for the Ranch. My parents had declared they were spending the night in a hotel tonight as they were entitled to such a date since their daughter was grown and moving out with a man. I’d protested endlessly. This was our last evening at the house in Toronto and my parents had decided that this was the night to spend in a hotel? Seriously?
If it weren’t for Collin, I would have harassed them to no end, but after he told me they needed this, I gave in. Again, with a pout.
I tossed another shirt into the suitcase I had laying on my bed in my childhood room - the room I was giving up for a new room I would share with a man I loved. Then I popped a hip and demanded, “Do you think mom’s acting weird?”
Collin raised a brow from where he was studying a sparkly pin board with pictures of myself and Michael on our unplanned trip to Mexico. “Uh, not any weirder than normal.”
“My mom’s not weird.” I informed in defense. “But she’s been acting weird. Odd. Like she’s excited - that I’m leaving.” I frowned and my voice raised an octave. “Do you think she’s happy I’m moving out?”
Collin laughed, shaking his head as he rounded the foot of my bed to pull me against his hard chest. “Beautiful, I think your parents are happy to have each other. They’re happy to know you’re happy and they might even be happy that they no longer have to worry about their daughters eye catching them walking around in their birthday suit.”
“Eww!” I planted my palm in his chest to push him away. “My parents do not walk around the house naked!”
“Not when you’re here.”
My mouth dropped and he grinned. I was determined to set him straight. “My parents don’t do - that. Eww. Collin! They’re my parents!”
“And they love you - but most of all, they’re your parents, Hadley. They definitely get into their birthday suit.” His grin was torturous. “How do you think you came about?”
I covered my ears. “You’re gross. I’m sorry I asked. I don’t want to hear another word.” I lowered my hands and when his lips parted, I jumped back away from him, screeching. “Not another word, Collin!”
I ran for my bathroom and as a hand slipped around my waist, all thoughts of my parents - and the quick escape I had been working toward faded from my mind - and I sank into the man I knew I would love until the end of my days.
***
We arrived at the Ranch - which was now my permanent home by three in the afternoon. After stopping in Calgary for lunch and doing a bit of shopping, Collin drove us home. To my surprise, he’d moved ever
ything that had been in my little cabin to his house during the three days I’d been in Toronto without him. Half of his closet had been cleared for my clothes. I had drawers in his dresser and the nightstand furthest from the bedroom door had been cleared for me - as that is the side of the bed I would be sleeping on. He’d informed me, matter of fact, that women should always sleep furthest from the door because it was the mans job to protect them from intruders. When he’d told me this, I’d shaken my head and smirked - but secretly I thought it was freaking adorable.
Upon inspection of the bathroom in his bedroom - or our bedroom, I noticed that there were more than just bottles of men’s products. There was a strawberry scented set of feminine products just waiting to be put to good use. And there was even my hairbrush just sitting on the vanity, waiting for me. Everything that made my room my own now sat next to everything that made the room Collin’s. It wasn’t just his bedroom anymore. It was ours.
From the corner of my eye, I spotted Collin’s reflection in the mirror. He was standing in the doorway, leaning against the wood frame watching me. His lips were curved gently at the corners in one of those thoughtless smiles - the kind of smile that simply happens without force or even consideration. It simply appears when one is truly content - truly happy. It had appeared on his face because he was watching me. He knew he’d made me happy by making his home mine, before I even had a chance to rethink or doubt my agreement to move in. My happiness made him happy.
Spinning around to face him, I grinned. Although mine was brighter than his, it wasn’t a forced smile either. I really was happy. Every moment with this man seemed to bring a surge of happiness flooding through my veins.
“Do you like it, beautiful?”
“Collin.” I stared deeply into his emerald eyes. “I love it. And I love you.”
His eyes were intense as he watched me move slowly across the space separating us until I was standing before him - only a breath away. When he spoke, his voice was husky. “I love you, Hadley. More than you could possibly know.”
“Oh, I know.” I cupped his face before sliding my hand around the back of his neck to pull his lips down to meet with my own. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
He moaned against my mouth. “And I’m never going to let you go.”
“Never.” I agreed.
And then his hands were on my waist and I was being lifted in his arms, my chest against his. I wrapped my legs around his waist as my arms folded around his shoulders. My body was pressed tight to his, and his hands were now holding my ass as he walked me from the bathroom, toward the bed.
Dropping me onto the bed, I laughed as his mouth moved from mine, to my chin, down my neck, and over my chest. Every inch of exposed skin, he kissed. Over and over again he rained me with kisses until I was panting beneath him. We hadn’t been together this way, this heated way, since the night before my mother had come to take me home. Of course we’d made love in my bedroom, our kisses quiet and our moans stifled - but this was different. Here, in our home, there was no need for us to be quiet. Here, in our home, I could make love to my man as loud and as long as I pleased.
Diving my fingers into his hair, I pulled his mouth back to mine. “Please.”
“Please what, baby?”
“Fuck me.” Still, after all the times this man had been inside of me, I still blushed for him. Once upon a time I’d thought my blushing skin was a curse - but now it was a curse I never wanted to be rid of. Collin loved when my cheeks turned pink - I knew he did, because every time I felt the flush of heat in my skin, his emerald eyes glowed. And that was a beautiful sight.
Collin didn’t say anything as his fingers tugged quickly, fiercely at my clothing until I was lying, completely exposed beneath him. Once I was undressed, Collin tore his own clothing from his body. His eyes were glimmering with desire and his cock was throbbing to the rapid beat of his heart as he looked down at me. On the tip of his penis, there was a sheen of moisture. Precum. It was beautiful - so beautiful - seeing his desire for me this way.
“You’re so beautiful like this, Hadley.” He said softly, mirroring my thoughts. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, and I don’t care, because no matter who fucked up upstairs - and someone fucked up for a man like me to have a woman like you - but I’m never giving you back.”
I didn’t have time to reply, before Collin had flipped me onto my belly. Stunned, I had no time to move on my own before he pulled my hips back, lifting me onto my hands and knees. I felt him move behind me and my breathing rushed in and out in uncertain, nervous, anticipation filled gasps.
Reaching around me, his large hand gripped a pillow that he shoved beneath my hips, before pushing me down against the bed again. His hands moved over the length of my back - his touch sent a shivered thrill through my entire being - from scalp to toe. Then I felt his hands kneading my ass, before they moved lower to the part in my thighs. His hand dipped low, to my sex, where his fingers met with my wetness.
“Shit, you’re so wet, baby.”
“Yes.” I gasped. Because, hell, the hottest man I had ever encountered was about to fuck me. How could I not be wet?
“Open your legs wider, beautiful.”
I did. And I knew my quick compliance turned him on, because I heard a moan push from deep in his throat and then, as I turned my head to the side, I caught sight of his large hand wrapping around his very engorged cock. His eyes connected with mine as he pushed his finger inside my sex, while moving his hand along the length of his cock in timely motions to the finger pumping inside of me. As his finger quickened, his fist quickened.
It was the hottest thing I had ever seen. My muscles clenched around his finger and I felt my orgasm building higher and higher and higher - until he pulled his finger out. I growled a pained sound of agonized loss and enraged confusion as the haze of my passion cleared. Then, I realized what he was doing - guiding his cock to my entrance. I lifted my rear just enough for his tip to meet with my pussy, and then he was inside me. It was quick, but painless. A sharp breath sounded as he pulled back, before rocking deep, fast, and hard. He repeated this over and over as my body tightened and coiled beyond anything I had ever before experienced. My mind was a haze and my reality slipped away until there was only the two of us left - and we were one.
His chest against my back was warm and firm as his hips pounded against my rear, his cock buried to the hilt inside me, his mouth against my shoulder. I knew he was close when his cock jumped inside of me before swelling just the faintest amount - and I was right there with him, my every muscle clenched tight in preparation for the worlds most toe-curling orgasm of all time.
And then my vision was momentarily black as I held my breath despite the cry that tore through my lips. My body was entirely his in that moment and his was mine.
Collin collapsed against me as he pumped once, twice, three times - spilling everything he had inside of himself to give. He kissed my shoulder and the back of my neck as his hands caressed me lovingly, tenderly. I soaked every moment, every touch, into the deepest crevice of my soul as I thanked the heavens above for sending me an Angel when I lost all hope in their existence.
Chapter 20
“I swear, Collin, if you make me wait any longer to go for coffee...” I paused as I fumbled over a threat. When I couldn’t find one, I muttered. “I won’t be responsible for my actions!”
“We just finished our run.” Collin protested. “We can’t go to the cafeteria in our work out clothes, beautiful.”
“Is there suddenly a dress code?” I asked pointedly. “I seem to remember going for coffee a few times after running.”
He shrugged. “Not today, baby. I’m too sweaty.”
“Fine.” I shook a finger at him. “Then I suggest you hurry your butt up if you want to deal with a woman who has some semblance of rationality - because I lose all sense when I don’t get my coffee.” I warned, not that he didn’t already know that.
“Woman!” Collin chuckled in ex
asperation, and I paused midway up the stairs to watch him freeze mid-step. Slowly, he raised his hands. “I did not mean that.”
I took a step down, and then another step, before running to him in mock charge. He caught me without a problem, quickly restraining any and all hope I had of knocking him onto his ass. Then, before I knew it, my body was hanging over his shoulder and he was marching me toward the stairs. I pounded against his back as I protested loudly.
“You’ll put me down if you know what’s good for you!”
I felt his hand slap against my rear and I cursed aloud in shock. “You did not just spank me!”
“I did.” I felt his body shaking with laughter. “Did you like it?”
“Kinda.” I replied jokingly, but he moaned deep in his throat. Obviously he hadn’t been expecting my reply - and I hadn’t been expecting his moan. I would take a thousand spankings to hear him moan like that. “Do it again.”
I was really meaning the moan - but I got a spank too. I didn’t mind. Anything for that sound. Oh, it was so good - it clawed like desires fire through my veins - igniting me.
By the time we made it out of the shower and back downstairs again, I was thoroughly sated.
***
As I half ran to the front door of our home, I felt the gentle fabric of my soft pink chiffon dress tickling just above my knees. Collin was moving slowly behind me, and I swore he was moving so slowly to try and torture me by keeping the caffeine I craved so completely from my entity.
I wanted to ask him why, and for what, he was punishing me, but I decided against it as he scooped me into his arms on the front porch and grinned down at me. “How about we drive the quad today, beautiful. Get that coffee into you sooner rather than later?”
“I think you’re the love of my life.” I announced. “Quad it is!”
He chuckled, but there was something in his eyes - something I couldn’t place. Collin Donnelley seemed nervous.
I didn’t have time to question him as he pulled me toward the quad parked at the side of the house. I waited impatiently for him to climb onto the danger-mobile that had become my friend, before settling myself onto the seat behind him. Holding on tight, I pressed my face to his back as we rode the short distance to the cafeteria.
Taking Chances: A Donnelley Brother's Novel Page 18
