by Maddie Wade
“Why?” Her lips quirked, and she frowned.
“Because you can wind me around your little finger with just a look, and I haven’t even been inside you yet.”
“Oh.”
He pressed his lips to her neck, chuckling against her skin. “Yeah, oh.”
A cry tore his focus from the woman in his arms, and he looked down at Maggie
“How about we go meet Mimi and David and the others who’ll be taking care of this little one? They’re also the resident gardening committee here, so you can talk plants and weeds to your heart’s content with someone who doesn’t zone out from boredom.”
He smirked at her outraged expression. “Jerk.” Her words held no heat as she batted his arm.
“Hey, I’m injured.” He pointed to his lip which was now only showing a small cut.
Her nose wrinkled, eyes smiling. “I guess we should probably put off tonight’s plans then.” Her coy smile flittered over her face, and he loved the natural teasing between them.
He cupped her neck. “Not a fucking chance. Tonight I’m going to taste every delicious inch of this body.” His finger skirted over the side curve of her breast, and she shivered, causing him to smile triumphantly. His lips moved to her ear. “Then I’m going to bury my cock inside you until I find every sweet spot you have and make you breathless as you cry my name.”
Her throat moved as she swallowed, and he released her to stumble back a step.
Bending, he lifted Maggie from her car seat then turned to Autumn. “Ready?” His words had a double meaning, and he knew she knew it.
“So ready.”
Her answered pleased him and he kissed her temple in approval before leading her to the door.
Mitch had left Autumn to get ready and taken Maggie to the other side of the house where Mimi, David, and the others would be looking after the kids. They had all fallen completely in love with Autumn, and when she’d started talking gardening, they were goners, just as he was.
Every second he spent with her cemented his growing feelings for the woman who’d blown into his ordered life like a storm and cleared away any doubt about what he wanted in his future, and that was her and Maggie.
He frowned as he saw Jack striding towards him already dressed for the party Zin was throwing for his girlfriend Celeste in black trousers and a black shirt open at the neck, but Jack’s eyes were hard as ice.
“What happened?”
“Just got word Autumn’s previous handler was the one who gave her up.”
“Fuck,” Mitch exclaimed savagely and regretted it as Maggie flinched in his arms. His hand came out to cup her head as he kissed her temple. “Sorry, baby, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He looked back at Jack. “Let me take Maggie into Mimi and then we can talk.”
Jack nodded and walked with him, waiting and chatting with Frank.
Mitch settled Maggie and gave Mimi the instructions she needed even as she smiled at him like he was an idiot. “Milk is in the bag. She’ll have a bottle at ten and then she should sleep through until around four, but we’ll have her by then.”
The older woman who’d beaten Kanan, a fearless ex-MI5 spy, with a welsh cake griddle patted his hand in a gentle way he recognised because his mum was the same. “I know how to suck eggs, dear boy.”
Mitch barked a laugh and kissed her head. “I know Mimi, but Autumn is nervous. She’s never been away from Maggie before and this is a big deal for her.”
Her eyes softened. “I’ll look after her as if she were my own.”
Mitch nodded, knowing she’d do just that.
Out in the hallway, he walked with Jack to the end of the hall to find them some privacy.
“What else?”
Jack looked like he’d chewed a wasp. “We caught Hench going into Autumn’s parent’s house before leaving fifteen minutes later with Autumn’s younger brother. That was two hours ago.”
Mitch felt anger swirl through him; it was a low tactic, and one they should’ve expected.
“Where’s Rion now?” It hadn’t taken a lot of work for Lopez to find her entire family’s details and Rion had slipped further off the straight and narrow since his sister had left.
“He returned home, but Will found this on the dark web just before we left.”
Jack showed Mitch an image of Hench with Autumn’s parents and brother in what he assumed was their living room. That was terrifying enough, but the caption underneath was meant for Mitch.
Stop being a coward and face me, or your girlfriend will lose more than her family.
Mitch looked at Jack, anger and fear burning through him at what this would do to Autumn.
“I’m gonna kill him.”
“We have him, Hench, and Midas under surveillance now. We need to get into the warehouse and end this.”
“Agreed.”
He looked up, and Jack followed his gaze. Mitch felt the air leave him at the vision of perfection in front of him.
Jack laid a hand on his arm. “Take tonight, and we’ll follow this up in the morning.”
Mitch nodded but couldn’t take his eyes off Autumn. She wore a bright pink dress that clung to her body like a glove, the hem hitting mid-thigh, the silk sheen of her muscular thighs making his mouth water. His eyes travelled up over her curved hips, small waist, to lush breasts encased in the black lace bodice of the dress.
He heard a chuckle beside him and dragged his gaze away for a second as he saw Liam and Taamira heading towards the ballroom where he realised music had begun to play. Ignoring the knowing grin on Liam’s face, he looked back to Autumn who was nearly to him. She’d applied make-up that made her look like a siren, full pink lips covered in gloss, with long dark lashes.
Holding her hands at hip level palm up, she turned a grin on her face. “Well?”
Mitch growled, everything else falling away as he grasped her, pulling her to his body. “You make me want to hide you away. Every single man in the room is going to be imagining you naked when they see you.”
“Well, only one gets to.”
With his arm firmly around her, he kissed the spot just below her ear, feeling the full-body shiver before he led her towards the ballroom. He saw Alex and Evelyn with Liam and Taamira and nodded as he headed to the bar. “What would you like to drink?”
“Can I get a vodka and cranberry?”
Mitch ordered it for her and a beer for himself. He had every intention of fucking her tonight and wanted to be sober when he did it. He handed her the drink before moving through the bar. He introduced her to Dane, who was Zack’s second and his wife Lauren. Then Daniel and Meg, who was also a scientist and before long, the two women were talking about compounds and formulas like best friends.
Mitch turned to Daniel. “Does anyone know why he’s throwing this party?”
Daniel shrugged. “It’s her birthday next month so we figured that, although I think Roz and Skye might know more. It’s been a nightmare keeping this from her though.”
Mitch raised his brows. “She doesn’t know anything?”
Celeste had a very rare gift; she could read peoples thoughts and feelings through touch.
Daniel nodded. “No. Do you know how hard it was keeping it from her? It’s okay for Zin, he can block it somehow, but the rest of us have been avoiding her like the plague in case she accidentally brushes an arm or hand.”
“I guess you’re all still frightened of Zin?”
Mitch was joking, nobody was scared of Zin as such but he was a deadly bastard with a knack for torture.
“Okay, everyone, quiet down. They’re pulling up,” Skye said, waving her hands as Roz just glared them all into silence.
The doors were closed, and the room fell silent. Autumn looked at him and lifted her shoulders as she grinned at the drama of it all, excitement evident in her face. They could hear murmuring and then the door swung open and Celeste stopped dead, her hands slapping to her cheeks as she looked from them to Zin and back again.
“Surprise
,” they all called out.
Celeste looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights as Zin ushered her into the middle of the room. As she turned back to Zin, a gasp rang through the room, not just from Celeste but from every female in the room.
“Pixie, I’ve loved you since the day I met you. My life meant nothing without you in it and now you are my life. The air I breathe, the life running through my veins belongs to you. Will you please be my wife and let me love you into eternity?” He was down on one knee, an open velvet box in his hands and looking more terrified than Mitch had ever seen.
He heard a sigh beside him and Autumn leaned into him with a sniffle as Celeste threw her arms around Zin, knocking him to the floor.
“Yes.”
A cheer went up, but Mitch doubted Celeste or Zin heard, too caught up in the moment.
Autumn touched her heart. “That was so beautiful.”
“I think she’d given up hope of him asking, they’ve been together a while.”
“I guess he wanted the timing to be right,” Meg said.
“Or he was scared stiff of the commitment?” Daniel parried as he put his arm around Meg and kissed her soundly.
“Don’t you spoil my fun.”
Daniel nuzzled her neck and whispered in her ear, causing Meg to blush beet red.
Usher’s DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love Again began to play. “Dance?”
Autumn nodded. Taking her hand, Mitch pulled her to the middle of the dancefloor, and they began to move to the music. Watching her body move as she relaxed and let the music move through her was pleasure and pain. He wanted her so badly he could taste it, but more than that, he loved seeing the unabashed joy on her face as she laughed.
“You’ve got moves, Mr Quinn.”
“You sound shocked.”
“Well, you are getting up there in age.”
Her teasing made him chuckle as he snagged her waist. “You’re gonna pay for that later, Ms Roberts.”
Her laughter in his ear was his only response as she draped her arms around his neck and danced against him, her hips brushing his cock, making him groan.
As their friends danced around them, he relaxed knowing the company they were in understood what it was to let go when you had to stay so focused in everyday life with the danger they faced.
As Autumn leaned into him, putting her whole trust in him, his heart felt light as he also realised he’d fallen in love with the woman in his arms. They stayed that way until she lifted her head, eyes bright with joy.
“We should get a drink, I’m parched.”
Mitch grinned at her proper English and kissed her enjoying the way she wound her arms around his neck. Pulling back he took her hand and led her from the dance floor towards the bar.
As the moved through his friends he saw Zin and Celeste and stopped to congratulate the couple who looked beyond happy.
He shook the big Russians hand firmly. “You’re a lucky man, Zin.”
“Thank you. Yes, I’m the luckiest man in the world to have my Pixie.”
Mitch looked down at Autumn as she cuddled into him. “I think this room is full of couples that feel that way. We’re the lucky ones.”
“Yes. Yes, we are.”
Chapter Seventeen
Her feet ached from dancing, her jaw from smiling but Autumn was happier than she’d been—ever—not including the day she’d given birth to her beautiful Roo who she’d checked on twice and found sleeping as the older couples played cards.
Mitch had come with her the first time she checked, but the second, he’d lifted his head for a kiss first, and she’d willingly given it to him. After her reservations the other day, it had come naturally to show him affection, her true nature kicking in. Seeing the other couples who were all openly tactile and loving had helped her relax.
They were sitting at a table with Daniel, Meg, Reid, Callie, Kanan, and Roz, the latter slightly terrifying in her opinion. Mitch had his arm around the back of her chair, his thumb stroking over the skin just above the lace of her dress, making her pulse quicken.
“You ready to call it a night or do you want to dance some more?” Mitch’s eyes were swimming with erotic promise, but he was giving her a choice.
Autumn felt the ache of desire pool between her legs. “Bed.” It was the only word she got out before he was standing, and they were saying goodnight to the others at the table.
“Give me a call if you ever want to get back into science,” Meg said before hugging her tight.
“I will, thank you.”
Mitch laid his hand at the base of her spine as he walked out with her. “Do you want to get Maggie and get her settled or have you decided to take Mimi up on her offer?”
Autumn twisted her fingers nervously. “I just don’t think I can leave her. They’re lovely but…”
His fingers against her lips stopped her words. “You don’t have to explain why you don’t want to leave your baby overnight. If you want her, we’ll get her, and she sleeps in our suite.”
Autumn felt her body relax but still wanted to ask. “Are you mad?”
Mitch frowned as they walked to the other side of the enormous house. “Why would I be mad?”
“Well, you planned to, you know.”
Mitch chuckled and bent close to her ear. “Oh, I still plan to, we just have to be more creative.”
His lips brushed her pulse as they reached the door and she had no time to respond or get her own body under control before he was thanking Mimi and David and lifting a sleeping Maggie from her crib.
Autumn thanked the older couples and promised to visit again soon, all while her mind on the sensual promise Mitch had made.
Once back in the suite, her eyes flew to the large bed, and her body trembled with anticipation. “Do you want me to settle Maggie while you do whatever it is women do before bed?”
Autumn laughed her shoulders relaxing. “It’s fine. I can just give her a dream feed and then she won’t wake.”
Mitch looked perplexed. “A dream feed?”
“Yeah, it’s a feed where the baby pretty much stays asleep through it.”
Mitch nodded and followed her into the bedroom where the crib was set up. It was a smaller room than the one they shared and had the bathroom in between. Autumn felt happy with that though because she was still close to Maggie and had the monitor set up by the bed. Mitch handed Maggie over and kissed her head before leaving them.
Autumn quickly got Maggie settled in the bed, taking a moment to stroke her cheek before taking a steadying breath and walking into the bedroom. Her nerves had made another appearance, all the self-doubt about her body rearing its ugly head. The last man she’d slept with, in fact, the only man, had been her husband and she’d changed a lot physically since then.
Mitch was sitting on the edge of the bed watching her. He’d removed his shoes and socks, and something about seeing his bare feet felt intimate to her.
Tilting his head to the side, he held out a hand to her. “Come here, honey.”
Autumn walked towards him. His eyes were liquid with desire as she took his hand and he drew her between his muscular thighs, the tease of his rough hands on her hips burning with heat through the fabric of the dress.
“Nervous?” he asked as he placed delicate kisses on her wrist to her elbow.
“A little.” Autumn’s pulse danced in her neck as her breasts heaved with need.
“We can stop whenever you want, okay.”
Autumn shook her head. “No, I want this. You. But it’s been a while.”
His hand stole over the curve of her ass as he twisted, pulling her down to the bed, so she lay beneath his hard body.
“So soft, your skin is like satin.”
The light beside the bed cast a warm glow over his features, the proud angle of his jaw sharp with masculine beauty.
Reaching up, she pulled his mouth down to her own, seeking out his tongue with her own, confidence growing at his soft words.
Mitch too
k over, his hands stroking her skin, driving her need higher, her skin tingling from every touch.
Mitch pulled back, his eyes on hers. His hand went to the side of her dress, the hiss of the zipper mingling with the sounds of their breathing. His fingertips skimmed her, and she arched into his touch, shifting her legs to ease the ache in her pussy. She felt empty, wanted to feel him inside her.
Her hand stole down his toned stomach to where she could feel his heavy cock against her inner thigh. Wrapping her hand around him, she squeezed, enjoying the heady power as he groaned. Pulling the dress down over her arms as she worked his cock through his trousers, Mitch sucked a pebbled nipple into his mouth. The sensitive nub and the bite of his teeth made her arch her back off the bed, her other hand holding his head where she wanted him.
His eyes rose to hers, and she stared at the sight of this powerful man giving her pleasure. Releasing her nipple with a pop, he kissed his way down her belly, taking the dress over her hips before lifting her legs to throw it behind him.
Kneeling between her legs, he lifted his arms, the sinew and muscle of his biceps rippling as he tore his shirt over his head. Autumn’s mouth went dry at his beauty, his skin glistened with a sheen of sweat, the ridges of his six-pack and pecs making her mouth water.
Gliding his hands over her thighs, he cupped the globes of her ass before hooking the underside of her black lace thong and pulling it slowly down her legs, tossing it to the floor beside her dress.
Autumn stretched her arms above her head feeling free and cherished, her confidence growing with every look.
“Let’s see if you taste as good as you look.”
Mitch buried his face in her pussy, his tongue licking her from front to back, finding her entrance and lapping at her desire like a starved man. His eyes still on her he sucked the nub of her clit into his mouth as his fingers moved inside her stroking and massaging her secret spot, unravelling her tension as her climax built. She was so wet with arousal any other time she would’ve felt heat flooding her face, but she was too lost, too caught up in the race for her orgasm.
