by Ali Parker
***
We got a lot of strange looks walking into the Dew Drop, and as Ted checked us in, I couldn’t help but stare at my ring. The whole thing seemed like a dream, and I couldn’t wait to get to the room and feel how real it was.
Ted was on me before we reached the door and as soon as it was closed, he took me into his arms and carried me to the bed where he placed me as if I might break. Then he hovered over me, his eyes trailing all the way down to my shoes, which he paused to slip off, and then his eyes continued, stopping at my mouth, where he kissed me.
I made a move for his buttons but he stilled my hands, placing them each beside me, so I lay out like a ragdoll. Then he ran his hands up my legs, pushing my dress up as he did. I didn’t move though the urge was there. I wanted to savor every touch and make this moment last with him as long as possible.
But I couldn’t help but buck my hips forward as he slipped my panties down and rubbed my soft mound. His hands were so close to where I needed them, my greediness urged him to find it. He met my eyes and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. Then he landed his thumb on my swollen bud and rubbed it causing me to buck my hips upward again. The torture was sweet, and with each ministration, I wanted him inside me. I needed it deep.
As if I’d asked, he stood, kicked his shoes off, and then undid his pants, dropping them to the floor. His shirt was next, and I rolled over tugging at my zipper.
“I’m getting to that, Miss Impatient.” He took hold of the zipper and ran it slowly down my back, loosening the chiffon prison. With his guidance, I rolled back over and looked up at him. The dress still spilled around me, though much looser than before. His erection stood proud and ready as he reached up and slowly took my dress down from my shoulders and peeled it slowly as promised. Once he freed me from it, he stared down at my silky bra and reached around to unhook it, pulling it free and tossing it to the floor. Then he lowered himself over me, placing kisses all over in random places before finding his preference against my sex. He drove his tongue in, darting it against my clit as he worked his fingers inside me. My body tensed for its release and when I cried out with pleasure, he rose up, taking my mouth as he rubbed his cock against my center. I wanted him inside me, and I desperately clung to him, working my hips to center him against me. I reached down, but he captured my hands and went for his pants, returning with a foil packet which he ripped open with his teeth and quickly sheathed himself with.
I didn’t discourage him but couldn’t wait for the day when he’d throw caution to the wind with me. I wanted to feel his release inside me. Before I could give it another thought, he hovered over me again, and this time he drove it home, filling me up with his girth and stretching me to my limit. I cried out as he worked me, grazing against my most tender spots with a sweet heat and sending me into a frenzy beneath him. After a second wave of release I rode out the tremors, and as he slumped against me, I urged him over. His cock slipped from me in the motion, and I took it in my hand and stood it beneath me, centering it before lowering myself, inch by precious inch, rolling my hips to ride him. I ground against him, and he cupped my bottom and rocked me against him, bucking beneath me and then pumping wildly as he tensed for his release.
As we lay there beside each other I held my hand up and admired my ring once more. “I can’t believe Daddy gave you this ring. He never let me wear it before.”
“He told me he’s been saving it for you. He said he always knew I’d come asking for your hand one day. Your mother told him to give it to me when I did.”
“Really?” I smiled thinking back at all the talks my mother and I had about Teddy. She always liked the way he took care of me. “She knew all along.”
“Yeah, it’s funny how everyone did. Did you?” He turned and pulled me up against him, holding my ring finger and leaning in to study it.
“I could only hope. I guess it’s different when you’re seeing it on the outside only.” I snuggled closer. “They’re all going to be excited if not surprised. I can’t believe you planned this all week.”
“The prom part, yes. But honestly, the proposal, that I acted stubborn about.” He kissed my shoulder.
“What do you mean? You didn’t plan the proposal all along?” I didn’t understand. I thought that was the point of the evening.
“No, not until I called home and found out you went home sick. I was so worried about you, I rushed right over, and then when I found out that you were that upset by what you thought, especially enough to throw something at me, I couldn’t believe I had that effect on you. And even though I was pissed off, I still wanted to be with you. I still wanted to give you the night of your dreams. And even though you could be my mean little redhead, I love you more than anything else on this planet, and I didn’t want to waste another day with apologies or arguments.”
“Well, good then. I guess I’m not sorry I threw that candle at you after all.” His laughter was warm against my neck, and as the shivers tingled me in the best places, I slinked my hand down to encourage more.
And as he responded to my touch, it filled my heart knowing he’d always be mine.
Epilogue
Ted
It was crazy how much things had changed since I’d slipped that engagement ring on Lauralee’s finger. I still couldn’t believe that our families had come together and our fathers were awaiting Thanksgiving dinner over a football game.
With Granny Langston helping Mama in the kitchen, the two had exiled Lauralee and Sarah to the porch with the rest of us.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t go back inside and offer to help,” Sarah asked Lauralee as they walked out of the house looking defeated.
“No way. Next time they won’t be as nice, trust me. Look, don’t take it personally. Those two have been cooking and gossiping for years, and if we’re in there, they can’t talk about us.” Sarah’s eyes widened as Lauralee explained. She took a seat on my knee as Sarah sat with David in the swing.
David threw his arm around his woman. “You’ll get used to it.”
Mason sat on the steps playing with the pups and Luke sat next to David trying to play catch up. I was ready for a nice peaceful dinner, but I could see the storm clouds in Lauralee’s eyes. Not because she’d been tossed out of the kitchen, but she’d been stewing all week about the Stutt property being sold.
I rubbed her back as she slipped her arm around my shoulder and lay her head against me. “What’s the matter, Lolly?”
“Nothing. Just thinking.” Her mind seemed so far away, and I wanted so badly to put her in a better mood.
I decided to have a little fun. “So how’re you liking the cabin, David?”
“Oh, it’s nice. We’re having a blast fixing it up. Sarah loves the porches, and we spend more time out there than inside.” He took Sarah’s hand and held it in his lap.
“We’ve even slept out there a night or two. I don’t miss living in Nashville at all.”
Mason got up and tossed a stick across the front yard, and Thor ran after it. “Good boy,” he said giving him a pat for returning the stick.
I cheered the little guy on. “Way to go, Thor.” Those two pups had more than doubled in size and were adjusting to farm life better than I thought they would. Mason had fallen in love with the pair of them, but I’d taken a shine to Thor the most.
Lauralee nudged me. “His name is Peanut.”
I groaned out a sound of disapproval which made her laugh. Bonus for the day considering her mood. “We’ve had that discussion. He can’t have two names.”
“You have two names. Three if you count the last one,” said Sarah, who chimed in earning a frown.
“Thor Peanut sounds ridiculous.” I shook my head. No dog of mine would be stuck with that stupid name.
Sarah shrugged. “So drop the Thor part.” She winked at Lauralee, and I exchanged a glance with David.
“Our girls are ganging up on us. Tell yours to shut her pie hole.” We shared laughter, and it was a nice change from the way
we’d argued in the past.
Lauralee sat up and met my eyes. “Do you think the new owners will keep the windmill? What if they tear it down? Ted, promise me if those idiots try to tear it down you’ll buy it first.” A quiet awkwardness shifted the mood around us as the others averted their attention elsewhere. David picking lint from his pocket, Mason tapping Luke with the stick for attention, and Sarah admiring her nails.
“I promise.” I tried hard not to laugh and turned my face when a smile spread my lips.
“I don’t know,” said Luke, who’d taken a moment from kissing David’s ass to torment Lauralee. “I think they were burning it earlier today when I passed by there. At least I’m pretty sure about it.” I gave him a wide stare as she jumped off my lap.
“Teddy, I swear if they burn down my damned windmill I’m going to march over there and slap them. You better call Ella right now!”
Sarah sat up and gave her a wide stare. “What’s going on?” The name of David’s ex was enough to cause her concern, considering there was a time Ella had run her off.
“I hate her, that’s what. And I’m really going to drag her by her hair if she lets those people destroy that windmill.”
Luke threw his hands up. “I’m only kidding. Sheesh, woman.”
Sarah threw her arm around David as if claiming her man all over again. “Don’t get me started on that woman.”
I glanced at Mason who met my eyes for a moment before stepping back out to toss another stick. This time he sent Max after it. He wasn’t about to get in on the conversation, and I couldn’t blame him. Ella had led him on for weeks with the pregnancy scare, only to give up in the end. I wasn’t sure what all had happened, but I know it had gotten ugly between all parties involved and he’d made me vow not to ever tell David.
I wouldn’t either. Mason had suffered enough without making him sit through one of David’s lectures.
“I’ll never forgive that nasty woman for refusing to sell me the house. God knows what these people will be like.” She crossed her arms and leaned against the porch railing watching Mason toss sticks.
“Yeah, she’s always been horrible. I’m glad I saw it before I got stuck with her.” David glanced at me and we exchanged a glance that was a thank you and a you’re welcome all in one. Though now it wasn’t appropriate to remind our fiancées that we’d slept with the devil woman.
“I guess the most I can hope for is that they are decent people. We’ll have our own place soon enough.” She shrugged and tried to play it off, but I knew better.
“You want to be nosy and drive over there to meet them? Then you can ask them yourself if they have plans to get rid of the windmill or not.” I glanced over at David and Sarah. “Want to come along?”
“If you’re going, I’m going,” Luke said getting to his feet. “I’ll drive. Mason, you coming?” Luke’s four-door truck was certainly big enough for us to make the trip together.
“They aren’t going to like all the extra company on Thanksgiving.”
Mason chimed in. “If we’re lucky they won’t even be there.”
Lauralee took my hand. “Fine, but if they don’t want that windmill, I’m buying it today!”
“Let’s go see. If they don’t want it, I’ll buy it for you. Sarah, can you tell our parents where we’re all going and find out how much longer dinner will be?” She nodded and went inside as the rest of us loaded up in the truck.
When she finally came out and climbed in back with Mason and David, we were off.
“I hope they aren’t there. We look like a bunch of hillbillies.” Lauralee lay her head on my shoulder.
I chuckled. “Baby, we are a bunch of hillbillies. I’m sure they are too. You might like them and make a new friend.”
She shook her head. “No, we shouldn’t go. Let’s give them time and come back later. I don’t want to make a bad first impression.” Her brows pinched tight with worry, and I kissed her forehead to comfort her.
Luke pulled into the drive, and there wasn’t a soul in sight. “Too late, we’re here.” He parked out front of the new structure. The old one had been totally demolished, and they’d framed up the house last week. The windmill still needed a couple of blades, but the place was already looking like someone loved it again.
“Let’s get out and go inside. They’ll never know if we snoop around a bit. Besides, it’s not like they already live here.” I opened the door and climbed out, taking her hand and helping her down from the large truck. The others exited the truck too but held back as I walked her up the makeshift steps and lifted her onto the would-be porch.
“Well, they have good taste at least. This is exactly how I wanted my porch. The house seems a bit bigger than I imagined it, but I guess that’s their style.” She pursed her lips and let out a long breath.
“Maybe they have or want a big family. You have to have a place for them.” I watched as she strolled along, taking it all in.
“I suppose they do have kids. This place has four bedrooms.” She walked around the structure, now and then stopping as if to map it out in her head.
“Well, you said you wanted two kids. Plus, we’ll need a guest room for when people come over to visit.”
She walked into the kitchen area and froze.
Then she spun around, her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she met my stare. “What did you say?”
“Don’t tell me you want more kids now. We’ll have to throw the guests in the attic, and you might want to check in with David and Sarah to make sure they don’t mind.” I’ll never forget the moment it sank in, and her expression changed.
“Ted Dawson, you better not be messing with me.” She spun around and ran from room to room as I laughed, the sound echoing off the rafters.
“Nope, I’m not kidding. I bought it a month ago.” Her face did a strange parade of facial expressions from anger to shock and horror, to surprise and back to anger.
“Part of me wants to kiss you, and part of me wants to kill you.” She dove into my arms and kissed me hard, plunging her tongue to new depths. “I swear if we had walls right now, you’d be losing your clothes.”
“We can leave if you want us to,” said Mason across the distance. The others were only feet away admiring our moment.
Lauralee flushed. “I can’t believe you pulled this off. I was getting so jealous walking through because it’s exactly what I’ve always wanted. How did you know?”
I shook my head and smiled.
“Oh, I don’t know, could have been the hundreds of conversations we’ve had since the engagement about buying your dream house.” I locked my hands behind her back, resting them against her ass. “I’ve been taking notes.”
“You’re the absolute best future husband ever.”
My heart swelled with pride as she kissed me again.
I broke away and wiped her tear-soaked cheeks. “I don’t know about the best, but I’m damned sure the luckiest.”
“I’m the hungriest,” said one of my brothers. I couldn’t tell if it was Mason or Luke, but I walked Lauralee back out of the framing, and we took one last look.
“I told you that they were probably nice people.” I smiled at my future wife. Then we all loaded up in the truck and headed back to our family farm for our first shared Thanksgiving in years. And I was especially thankful that I had Lauralee in my life, not only in my past and all my memories, but for all the future ones to come.
THE END
Author Note: As a thank you to you for picking up the book today I have included some extras for you. A sneak peek of Dawson Brother #1 and a country romance novella. Enjoy
Always on my Mind
The Dawson Brothers #1
by
Ali Parker
Chapter 1
David
"Do you think you could kick up just a little bit more dirt? That would be awesome."
I turned my head to cough into my elbow, hoping that my flannel sleeve would work as a filter and keep some of the
dry dust that rose around me like a cloud out of my lungs. My brother tugged his horse around to face me and laughed.
"You sure have gotten delicate. You can't even breathe in a little bit of field dirt without having a fit over it."
"I'm not delicate," I protested. "It's just that they're expecting me up at the bar tonight."
"Oh, yeah," Ted said, pulling at the horse's reins to keep her steady. She didn't seem to be enjoying the cloud of dirt any more than I was. "I forgot that you're famous now. What is it that you sing up there anyway?"
I pressed my hat back down onto my head and glared at him.
"It's not like you'd know. You've never been up there to hear me. None of you have."
I grabbed a bale of hay from the flatbed trailer hitched on the back of my horse and tossed it over the fence into the field for the herd. The bitterness tried to make its way into my mind no matter how hard I tried to fight it. I had been singing at Kinsey's for more than a year and not once had either of my parents or any of my three younger brothers bothered to come up and listen to me. Sometimes I wondered if they even realized that I was still doing it.
We made our way through the rest of the fields until all of the herd had been fed, and then we headed back to the house. The sun was starting its slow slide toward the other side of the sky, which meant that I didn't have much time to eat my supper and get washed up before it was time to head to the bar. For all of his faults, and he certainly had plenty of them, the bar owner, Kinsey, had promptness down pat. If he said that he wanted me to start singing at eight o'clock, I better be up on that stage with my guitar on my lap and my mouth open ready for that first note to come out at 7:59.
I crossed through the kitchen on my way up to my bedroom. My mother winced as my boots shook dirt out onto the floor. She gave a sigh that shook the hearts of every Southern woman throughout history and turned back to the pot bubbling away on the stove, stirring with her old wooden spoon, and staring into the chili as if the swirling of the beans and beef through the thick red sauce gave her solace from the dirt-ridden sins of her eldest son.
