Finding Lacey Moon

by Donya Lynne

  Obediently, she quieted—she couldn’t gather her thoughts, anyway—and he lifted her off the floor.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and collapsed against him, arms around his neck, as he headed up the stairs, down the hall, and into his bedroom.

  The only light came from what had to be a night-light in the attached bathroom.

  He set her feet on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed in front of her. His fingers trembled as he unfastened the button on her jeans and released the zipper.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said, pushing her jeans down her legs so she could step out of them. Then he pulled her onto his lap, finding her mouth with his, holding her with one arm as he used the other to blindly fish inside his nightstand for a condom.

  Thank God he was prepared. Obviously, he’d given tonight some forethought. Bless him for that.

  Pulling her down on top of him, he crawled backward to the center of the bed and reached under her as she continued feasting upon his lips. She heard his belt buckle jangling free, felt the fabric loosen as he unfastened the fly. The bed jostled as he pushed down his pants and kicked them off, and then his arms were around her, his hips thrusting hard.

  Gasping, she broke their kiss as he rolled against her again, groaning as he did.

  His fingers slid under the elastic waist of her panties, pushing them down to expose her bottom.

  Lost to lust, she ground herself against him, undulating forward and back, running her breasts down his torso and back up as the physical connection between her legs intensified.

  “Make love to me.” Lacey had never wanted a man more, and not just because he turned her on sexually, but because he turned her on in every way imaginable.

  In a flash, he tore her panties from her hips and rocked beneath her as he fumbled to roll on the condom.

  Coaxing her to rise up on her knees, he reached down between them, grabbed his cock, and then exhaled as she began to lower herself on him. As the tip of him pressed inside, the skin of his face grew tight. His jaw clenched, and he let out a strained burst of air.

  “Jesus, Mattie.” His fingers dug into her hips.

  He was a tight fit, but not a painful one, and as she continued to slowly take him in inch by glorious inch, she wondered just how long Scott would last. He was clearly struggling already to keep himself in check.

  Finally, she took in the final inch and seated herself fully against him as they both groaned. He drove so damn deep, filling her completely.

  “Don’t move,” he said, trying to breathe steadily, gaze locked to hers. “Give me a second.”

  Lacey kept her hips as still as she could but caressed his face. “Do you know how good you feel?” She kissed him, licking his lips.

  He smiled against her mouth and closed his eyes. “That’s not helping.”

  “Sorry.” But she really wasn’t.

  He exhaled and opened his eyes. “No, it’s just…you feel good. So…” His hands smoothed up her back, and then his arms wrapped around her and held her flush against his body. “So perfect. Like your body was made for mine.” He lifted his head and kissed her.

  Who would have thought the tough, brooding man she’d met two months ago was really a romantic hidden in wolf’s clothing?

  He thrust into her then, slowly, tenderly, with deliberate self-restraint.

  She moaned into his mouth as he withdrew and drove into her again, this time with less inhibition.

  The front of his thighs cradled her bottom before opening wider, spreading her legs farther apart, allowing him deeper penetration. With each upward surge, he grew more confident, his body tuning back into the animal drive he’d abandoned a decade ago. Like riding a bike, his instincts knew what to do, rediscovering the motions that had given him a daughter.

  And as he continued to gain momentum, gripping her more tightly, awakening Lacey’s long-dormant G-spot with each invasion and retreat, her awareness that she belonged with him grew even stronger. She hadn’t come to Hope Falls by chance. She had come here to find him. In doing so, she found herself. This was where her future lay. In his arms, in his bed, in his life.

  “Scott…” Tears formed in her eyes as she felt her orgasm ease out of confinement.

  “Mattie…” He growled and buried his fingers in her hair, pulling her head to the side so he could violate her neck with his mouth.

  I love you! I want to be with you!

  Raw emotion bruised her veins, laying waste to her insides as she began to come.

  “Scott…!” She cried out in desperation, driving her nails into his shoulders as she swiveled her hips in perfect rhythm with his thrusts. “Don’t stop! Please…”

  His embrace tightened. His teeth nipped her flesh as he gasped. His body seemed to quickly fall out of his control.

  “I’m coming, Mattie.” He grunted, his body going rigid.

  Just as he cried out and slammed his hips into her one last time, Lacey’s own orgasm blasted through her. Her hips rocked against him of their own volition, milking them both, drawing out his release as well as hers, until finally she collapsed on top of him. She was still secured in his arms, and her face was buried against his chest.

  For a long time, neither said a thing. They didn’t move. They simply lay in each other’s arms, breathing heavily, letting the rapture layer over and around them as the pleasure slowly dissipated.

  After a while, Lacey was aware of Scott’s fingers lazily combing through her hair. It was a loving, comfortable sensation. One she never would have guessed him capable of that first day she saw him. But now that she knew him, his tenderness seemed right in every way.

  “I’m in love with you,” he said quietly, his voice a deep purr.

  Lacey’s eyes blinked open, and she held her breath for a heartbeat before exhaling and curling more securely into his arms. If she spoke, she was sure she’d break down. She wanted to tell him she loved him, too, but until she admitted her identity, she couldn’t. It just didn’t feel right.

  His hand opened against the back of her head, and he kissed her temple. “I’ve fallen in love with you, Mattie.”

  Squeezing her eyes shut to hold back the tears, she nodded and hugged him harder.

  I love you, too.

  Chapter 18

  The next morning, after making love again, Lacey lay tucked against Scott’s side, her head on his shoulder, her arm slung lazily over his stomach. She couldn’t think of a time in her life she’d ever felt so content. In one night, they’d crossed over from merely tiptoeing around their relationship to being fully submersed inside it.

  “This is a much better way to spend Black Friday than going shopping, isn’t it?”

  Lacey smiled. “Yes. Much.” She never had been one for shopping, and not just because of her celebrity status.

  His fingers traipsed back and forth on her forearm. “Maybe you should stay here.”

  “Do you see me in a hurry to go anywhere?” The last thing she was thinking about right now was leaving.

  “No. I mean, maybe you should stay in Hope Falls. You know, for good.” He spoke cautiously but hopefully.

  She had already begun to think this was where she belonged, so his suggestion didn’t throw her. But there were still too many open ends and unanswered questions.

  “What would I do?”

  That was the only thing she couldn’t reconcile with her desire to stay. For one reason, she was still weighing the pros and cons of retirement. She was strongly leaning toward one more run at the Olympics, which meant if she stayed in Hope Falls—and with Scott—it would be with the understanding that the next three years would be crazy busy with training and competitions.

  So, there was the answer to her question. She would be a professional snowboarder again. But to compound the issue, she still hadn’t told him who she was. Once she made the final decision about whether or not to reenter the competition circuit—and before she embarked on the rest of her life—revealing her identity had to be at t
he top of her to-do list.

  In other words, she had herself in quite a conundrum.

  He chuckled and pulled her more firmly against his side. “Your job would be to let me kiss you every day.”

  She laughed and pushed up on one elbow. “I’m serious.”

  “So am I.” He dragged her down and pressed his mouth to hers.

  When she pulled away, she placed her chin on his chest, maintaining eye contact. “Well, kissing you every day’s a given. But what would I do for a job?”

  Even though she already had a good idea what lay in her professional future, she wanted to hear his thoughts on the subject. Where did Scott see her fitting in?

  He thought for a second. “You used to be a snowboard instructor, right?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “We have a snowboard park in Hope Falls where you can work and teach kids to be bigtime champions.”

  How close to the mark he was. “I can do that in the winter. What about the summer?”

  His eyes swept toward the window. “In the summer, I lead nature hikes along the trails here. You can help. I can teach you.” His crooked grin creased one cheek as he turned his gaze back to her. “Hey, and if that doesn’t work, there’s always Pappy’s.”

  She rolled her head with a subtle shake. “I think helping two hours on a busy Friday night tapped me out on the idea of working at Pappy’s.”

  His fingers plucked through her hair, combing the tangled strands off her face. “Well, there’s always something to do around here. We can figure it out. Just…think about it. I’d really like you to stay.” His hand cradled the side of her head. “Look, I know you didn’t come here in search of a new home and that you probably just thought this would be a temporary stop along the way, but…Mattie…I’m not sure I can let you go.”

  She smiled and dropped her gaze to her fingers swirling through the hair on his chest. What she needed was some time alone to think through the last bits still eluding her. She was so close to obtaining the answers she’d sought when she’d started this expedition at the end of September, but she needed to take these last few steps alone.

  She also needed to determine the best way to finally tell Scott who she was.

  And she couldn’t do either with him so close, distracting her.

  One way or another, it was time for her odyssey of self-discovery to end and for the truth to come out. And she knew exactly where to go to find the necessary perspective to put the final pieces into place.

  * * *

  Whistling to the Christmas song on the radio, Scott checked his e-mail then began running through his accounts payable report.

  After spending the morning with Mattie, showering with her, making love to her twice, and sharing an extra large piece of pumpkin pie with her for breakfast, she had told him she wanted time to think about what he’d said about staying in Hope Falls. He got the impression she was more or less sold on the idea, but remaining here was a big decision, so he respected her need to think about it before agreeing to stay.

  “I know it’s a lot to think about,” he had said. “And maybe I shouldn’t have hit you with the idea like I did. It just…I don’t know…it felt right.”

  She shook her head. “Hey, you’ve already warned me that you tend to say what you think when you think it.”

  He chuckled, sweeping his hands around her waist. “Yes, I do. It’s a character flaw.”

  “It’s not a flaw. It’s nice. I like that you don’t put your thoughts through a filter.”

  “Well, I don’t want to scare you away, either.”

  “Do I look scared?”

  She didn’t. Maybe a bit wary, and maybe a tad hopeful, but not scared. More like she knew she couldn’t simply give him a yes or no without giving his idea serious thought.

  “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, Mattie. I just can’t stand the idea of seeing you leave.”

  Her cheeks flushed as she demurely bowed her head. “I’m pretty crazy about you, too.”

  His heart beat a little harder.

  She continued, “That’s why I need to take some time and think about this.”

  “Take all the time you need.” If it took a month for her to decide, he just wanted her to stay in Hope Falls.

  She nibbled her bottom lip then said, “I was thinking I could go to Sun Valley. Do a little snowboarding.” A whimsical smile broke over her face. “You know, clear my head and see what Grandpa thinks.”

  He totally got the grandpa reference. She believed he’d led her to Hope Falls. Now she wanted to determine if he’d meant for her to stay here for good.

  “If that’s what it takes, then I’m all for it.” He kissed her. “And I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.” If a few days away was what she needed to make her decision, he would gladly let her go.

  She snuggled into him, her faced etched with hope. “There’s just a few last pieces I need to sort through. Things I want to tell you. I just need a few days to put everything together in my head.” She gave him a playfully shy smile. “And I can’t do that with you around. You’re too much of a distraction.”

  Then she had kissed him. The kind of kiss you give someone you want to spend the rest of your life with. And he’d kissed her back the same exact way. Because, in Mattie, he saw his future.

  Sure, they’d only known each other two months, but sometimes that’s all it took. Sometimes you just knew. And Scott just knew with Mattie.

  She’d said her grandpa had given her a sign that first day at Pappy’s. Whether or not he had, Scott was just glad she’d come to Hope Falls. If she hadn’t, he would never have known how happy he could be.

  Liam appeared in the hall, breaking Scott from his thoughts of this morning.

  “What’s got you in such a good mood?” Liam said as he unlocked his office, looking over his shoulder. “Wait. Let me guess. She finally gave it up.” He pushed open his door and switched on the light.

  Scott frowned and let out a disapproving sigh, not liking the crude manner in which Liam talked about Mattie.

  Liam stopped with his arms still halfway in the sleeves of his coat. “Is that it?” he asked. “That’s why you didn’t want to come over for Thanksgiving? Because you were getting laid. Nice, little brother.” He flung off his coat and tossed it on his coat rack with his scarf.

  “You know what, screw you, Liam. I’m happy. For the first time in a long time, I’m happy. How about you just shut the fuck up and be happy for me instead of giving me such a hard time?”

  “If you’re so happy, how about introducing me to her. You know, officially. You can bring her over tonight. I’ve got plenty of leftovers.”

  “She’s not here.”

  Liam crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, scowling at him. “How convenient. Where is she?”

  “She’s taking a few days to herself. She left for Sun Valley this morning.”

  “Alone?”

  “Yes. Is that a problem?”

  Liam ran his palm down his face. “So, she left. Alone. And you think she’s just going out there by herself.”

  “Get to the point, Liam.”

  He took one of the chairs at the small conference table in the corner. “Little brother, she’s playing you. She’s probably going out there to rendezvous with the guy I heard her on the phone with.”

  Scott shook his head. “No.”

  “What makes you so sure?”

  Ever since Liam lost his wife, everything was doom and gloom. He no longer saw the good, only the bad. Scott supposed that could happen after losing the love of your life. He’d only known Mattie two months, but he already knew he’d be lost without her.

  “She said she needed some time to think.”

  “And you believed her?”

  “Yes.”

  “For God’s sake, why?”

  Scott burst from his chair and slammed his palms on his desk. “Because I love her!”

  The air in the room turned to i
ce. Everything froze. Scott didn’t think Liam was even breathing.

  “Are you happy now?” Scott shoved away from off his desk. “I love her, Liam, and people who love each other trust each other. I trust Mattie. So, when she tells me she wants a few days to make some important decisions about her life, then I’m going to believe her.”

  Liam grumbled into his hand then chuffed. “Yeah, and we see where that got you last time you believed something a woman said.”

  “Mattie is not Theresa. She would never lie to me. She’s not that kind of person.”

  “You barely know her, Scott!” Liam flew out of his chair and thumped his fist against the wall as if trying to wake him up.

  Scott slapped his hands against his desk again then paced to the side. “I know her better than you do!”

  “Something is up with that girl, Scott. I don’t know what it is, but it’s something.”

  “It’s always something with you, Liam. You haven’t been able to see the good side of anything or anyone since Lisa died.”

  Liam ricocheted backward as if Scott had pushed him. “Fuck you, Scott.”

  “Fuck you. This is my life. Maybe you should worry about your own life and get your own shit together, because I’m done with you getting into my business with your lousy attitude.”

  Part of him hated throwing Liam’s past in his face, but the man Liam had become was not the brother Scott had moved to Hope Falls to live with. And it was because Liam had never fully accepted what had happened. Instead, he’d fallen into denial and let bitterness consume him. And he was only getting worse. Liam needed to find love again and find it soon or he’d cross the point of no return and die a lonely and caustic old man.

  Liam glared at him for several long moments. Then he turned toward the door. “Fine. It’s your life. But you need to open your eyes. There’s something off with that girl and you’re too love-blind to see it.” He stormed out of Scott’s office without waiting for a retort, entered his own office, and slammed the door.

  Scott let out a heavy sigh and lowered himself into his chair.

  Hopefully, Mattie was having a better time than he was.