Home Sweet Home: a Novella (Coming Home Series Book 3)

by J. M. Adele

  She melted into his embrace, sinking her back into his chest, and resting her head on his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  Hope squeezed his heart while doubt spiked his thoughts. “Are you?”

  She sat forward, twisting to look at him with hurt in her eyes. “Yes.”

  Disbelief had been a reflex. A habit after years of denial. “Sorry. I’ve been dreaming of this for so long, I guess it’s hard to believe it’s real.”

  She stood before crawling into bed and tucking herself under the covers. Giving him a small smile, she patted the space beside her. “Tell me something?”

  “Sure.” He took off his shoes and jacket, choosing to lie on top of the sheets.

  “When did you know you loved me?” Her sleepy eyes blinked at him.

  He rolled to face her; one side of his mouth quirked. “I had a crush on you when we were both still in diapers. But I knew it was love when you were the first person I wanted to share things with. Anytime I had a win or a problem, it was you I had to tell. You encouraged me. You have a way of making me see the other side of things… and then you got boobs.”

  She smacked him in the chest. He grinned, kissing her forehead.

  “I have a confession.” Her finger traced the line of his jaw.

  “Okay?”

  “I think I’ve secretly had a thing for you for years.”

  What? His eyes darted to hers as blood surged through his veins.

  Triumph and tragedy warred for supremacy. So much time wasted. He wanted to roar at the injustice. Had that collar of unrequited love been a delusion the whole time? If it had, he could finally breathe.

  “You were always so thoughtful and sweet. I started to look forward to seeing you just as much as Grey, if not more. I had to pull away. It wasn’t even a conscious thing. It was self-protection. I was loyal to him. I couldn’t love you too.” She pressed a palm against her forehead. “I feel like I’ve betrayed Grey by admitting it, but it’s true. I’ve been so confused. I loved him. I really did. But I knew something was missing. He never wanted to… be physically intimate.” Her hand lowered to her throat, fingers blanching the skin as she pressed and took a pause.

  Anton stayed silent, her tumble of words clicking into place one by one as they constructed the truth. Slowly, his eyebrows migrated so far north they almost frosted over.

  She’d seemed to be in love. And they’d never . . .?

  Never?

  “And his kisses were friendly at best. I thought maybe he wanted to save that part for marriage. But he never really included me in his long-term plans. It’s obvious now that I was under some illusion. I think he asked me to marry him because everybody expected it. And he was willing to settle with me. At the time, anyway. But he couldn’t pretend to be happy on the farm as much as I could never have continued pretending to be happy in a passionless relationship.” She dropped her finger and rolled to her back. “I cheated on him.”

  Holy. Fucking. Shit.

  Anton’s lungs took a few seconds’ pause, barring any movement of air.

  He could judge her for her actions. Label her deceitful and every other word used for people who cross the boundaries of their relationships. But he didn’t blame her. The torment was clear in the tremble of her voice and the tears spilling into her hair. She thought she was a horrible person because she’d cheated. On whom? A fake boyfriend? Goddamn you, Grey.

  Christ. Some people were excellent at hiding their pain. The façade they showed society was watertight, airtight, nuclear-blast-proof, you name it. The only way to destroy it was from the inside out. A self-imposed implosion.

  Pretense was a damn heavy thing.

  “The week of the rodeo two years back, he disappeared for a couple of nights. I knew he was with another woman. I saw him leave with her. So, I found myself a cowboy from out of town. He invited me into his trailer. I got drunk and gave away my virginity.” Both hands came up to cover her face. “You’re the only person I’ve told. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. Do you think badly of me now?”

  That fucking asshole. Both the cowboy and his brother. His nostrils flared.

  Anton pulled her shield away, needing her to see the sincerity in his eyes. “No. I think you’ve been hurting for a long time. And I’m sorry my brother is such a son of a bitch.”

  “He wanted to do right by me. Everybody wanted to see us together, but we were never meant to be.”

  Hell no, they weren’t. He’d known that for years.

  Decades.

  Anton sat up, leaning against the headboard. He hadn’t realized how much resentment he’d harbored for his brother. It pulsed in his temples and gripped him by the neck, a force holding him in place and boiling his blood.

  He almost shook with the effort it took to calm himself down. It wasn’t doing him any good holding on to the hurt. He knew Grey thought he’d been doing the right thing. He hadn’t seen that Lory was sincere in her affections. Anton understood that Grey had a sense of responsibility towards Lory. He’d sworn to look after her when they were young, and he’d stuck to his promise. Until he was miserable. He’d twisted his life into a picture of what Papà and Mama wanted for him. The heir to the empire, set to marry the girl next door. The Carters and Agriolis joined in a merger of beef titans. Greyson hadn’t wanted any of it. He and Lory had both been trapped in an abstract version of somebody else’s family portrait.

  It was time to paint a new picture. The realist version.

  “Sweetheart, Grey can’t see past his own nose most of the time. You’re right about him wanting to fulfill expectations. He made himself sick with it. Until he got angry. Not at you. At himself for falling into the trap and dragging you with him. It’s time to let it go. We’ve got each other now.”

  “I’m so sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.” Her tears flowed in rivers now.

  Anton jumped off the bed, yanking back the covers. He climbed in beside her and tucked her against his body.

  “You’ve made me the happiest cowboy in Mississippi.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Ain’t no need to apologize for that.”

  Cherry Pie With Cream

  Lorelei

  November

  Lorelei stashed the picnic basket behind the shed, shooing Dodger away as he came to investigate. Sniffing around the wicker, he let out little yips and growls.

  “Shh. You’re gonna give me away,” she whispered. He buried his snout in her hand before tossing his nose up, as if to say, ‘Pat me.’ She could never resist his advances and buried her fingers in his fur. The dog had her heart, well and truly.

  Like all the Agriolis,

  She could hear Antonio whistling behind the wall. Since their first night together, they’d hadn’t managed much more than a few stolen kisses in the spot where she stood now. The want had begun to gnaw at her insides.

  She peeked around the corner. Antonio’s back was turned as he grabbed something from the shelf. Lory snuck up behind him and covered his eyes. He tensed, his hands grasping her forearms to pull them away before spinning to face her.

  “Hi.” Her grin morphed into shock when she caught his look of hunger. “How are y—” He didn’t waste a second before locking lips with hers. She opened to him, letting the rush of passion take over. Thank God they were on the same page.

  Her body was the match and he was the friction.

  She’d never been kissed the way Toni kissed her. The touch of his lips infused her with some drug that wiped her brain cells. His arms clamped around her back before he lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He responded by adjusting his hold, grabbing her ass.

  She broke off the kiss, gasping for air. “Do you think your family will miss you if you don’t show up for lunch?”

  His mouth landed on her collarbone, his tongue flicking out for a taste. “Don’t care.” Two big palms gripped her ass tighter as he pulled her center in to line up with his arousal. “What’d you have in mind?”

&nb
sp; Heat bloomed in her core. She fought for breath. This man… oh, lordy be. Closing her eyes, she tried to collect her scattered thoughts. “Uh. A… a picnic.” She gasped as he worked her through her jeans. “By the r-river.”

  His head snapped up. “Let’s go.”

  With a swift move, he had her on the four-wheeler.

  “Wait! I’ve got to grab the basket.” She slipped down and ran to collect their food. Dodger bounced on his front legs, apparently wanting in on the excitement.

  She returned, passing the pack to Toni so he could secure it in the rack bag while she took her seat. After washing his hands, he jumped on in front.

  He reached behind to place his palms on her knees, then glided them up her thighs. “I love having your legs wrapped around me.”

  Her gut clenched, her body ready and willing to be stripped naked and laid out on the soft grass for him. Damn. He knew just what to say to seduce her. She gripped him around the waist, wanting to find somewhere private ASAP.

  The engine rumbled to life.

  The dog jumped in his lap.

  “Not today, buddy.” Anton put the ball of fur on the ground, and Dodger skulked away with his tail between his legs.

  She leaned around Toni’s shoulder. “Aw. You didn’t have to do that.”

  He peered back through hooded eyes. “I want you all to myself.”

  Holy shit.

  Sorry, Dodger. “Let’s go.”

  The thrum of the engine and his ass rubbing against her inner thighs did wonders for her libido. As if it wasn’t stoked on high already.

  Within five minutes, they’d arrived at a clearing beside the stream where the grassy bank sloped down to greet the river. Cypress and willow trees brushed the water’s edge a few yards farther along. They’d had a week without rain, so the flow was gentle and inviting. Although she hadn’t prepared for a swim, she had bared her arms to the sun’s subtle November warmth.

  He got off first before plucking her from the seat. “You got a picnic blanket in here?”

  “Yup.” She nodded as he pulled the basket from the rack.

  After placing their supplies down, he walked to the water’s edge and ran his hands under the water. “You ever skinny dipped?”

  She paused to steady herself as the thought of being naked and naughty with him sent adrenaline coursing through her veins. “Never. Have you?”

  “When I was five,” he laughed.

  “Is the water cold?” She folded her arms above her head, tilting her face to the sun.

  “Chilly as a schoolmarm.”

  Her limbs dropped as she gaped at him. “A schoolmarm?”

  “Haven’t you ever heard Mama say that?”

  She followed his lead, rinsing the dirt from her skin. Goosepimples sprang to attention as the freezing liquid flowed between her fingers. “No. She must’ve had some teacher when she was a kid.”

  He shrugged. “She never talks about it.”

  Lory helped him spread out the rug before setting the food on their plates.

  Pouring the lemonade, Toni assessed the spread. “Potato salad. Coleslaw. Buffalo wings… you’ve been busy.”

  “I was hungry.” Starving for him. And yeah, food.

  “What’s for dessert?”

  Me.

  Me, me, me. “Cherry pie with cream.”

  Air rushed from his nostrils. “You’re killin’ me.”

  She raised a brow. “You look alive.”

  “Can we have dessert first?” His fingers tiptoed up her leg.

  I know exactly what kind of sweetness you’re after, buddy. Yes, please, and thank you. “No. Be a gentleman.” Or don’t. She giggled and sent him a wink.

  He bit his knuckle, groaning before picking up a plate. “You’re a tease.”

  Yes. And you love it.

  Lory laughed as she took her serving. Damn, if he didn’t have her in a playful mood. She decided to toy with him some more. Lifting a wing to her mouth, she kept her eyes on Toni as she took a bite. His eyelids peeled wide. Sucking on the bone, she slowly devoured the meat, making love to it until she finally licked her fingers clean. His food lay abandoned on his plate, his attention fixed on her antics.

  “Aren’t you hungry?” She pursed her lips to hide a smirk.

  “Ravenous.” His gaze roamed her body.

  Setting the grin free, Lory speared a piece of potato with her fork. “Eat.”

  He polished off his food in a flash, setting his dish aside before diving for her. “Let me help you with that.” Stealing the fork from her grip, he put it on her plate before bringing it to his lap. “I wanna feed you. I love watching you eat.”

  She swallowed, almost choking on her own saliva.

  “What’ll you have next?” He lifted the selection for her perusal.

  Eyebrows raised, she blurted, “More potato, please.”

  It should have been weird. Or maybe made her feel like a child. But it had the opposite effect. With each mouthful, he cherished her, staring intently as she chewed and swallowed. A wave of heat chased the path of his focus across her skin. She reached mindlessly to unbutton her shirt. It couldn’t have been much more than seventy degrees out, but damn, it was hot.

  “What are you doing?” His husky drawl betrayed his arousal.

  “It’s time for some sugar.”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” He ditched the leftovers and finished freeing the remaining buttons. “Let me take care of you.”

  Lorelei whimpered. Oh my God.

  Fabric was peeled from her skin, her inhibitions dropping with it. His touch held a reverence that reached beyond the flesh, obliterating any lingering doubts or fears of surrendering her heart to him.

  She was all his.

  And the fire in his stare said he knew it.

  Reaching behind his neck, he yanked the T-shirt from his back, baring the next course to her hungry eyes. Lory’s mouth watered. Dayum. Ain’t nothin’ as fine as an Italian cowboy. The man was an ad for Wrangler and a hard day’s work. Dark hair, eyes like steel, a torso rendered with endless contours and angles for her to trace.

  With my tongue.

  Antonio straddled her legs, reaching into the basket to retrieve the whipped cream and cherry pie. Licking his lips, he homed in on her naked breasts. “I promise I’ll clean any mess I make.”

  Her breath stopped as she collapsed on the rug. Holy Mary, mother of . . .

  He hovered over her, painting his desire with cherry filling from her nipples to her navel. Running his sticky fingers over her mouth, he urged her to open for a taste. She sucked him in, reveling in his hooded stare and the feel of his bulge under her wandering hand. Her tongue laved the sugariness until his flavor took over.

  She wanted more. Gripping his wrist, she tugged until his digits popped free. Her pulse hammered as she guided him to her soaked panties, the final hindrance to her nakedness. At first, he pressed gently, chewing on his cheek. Concentration pulled his brows together. Lory resisted the urge to beg as suspense fueled her excitement. She lifted herself onto her elbows to see what his next move would be.

  Toni hooked the top of the satin and dragged her underwear off. She was as bare as she’d been the day she was born. Exposed to the sun, the cool breeze, and his hot-blooded intentions. Sliding his touch between her legs, he trailed a path to her center, eyes fixed on her shuddering chest when he reached his destination.

  His gaze locked with hers. “It’s a sin to have pie without cream.” Pushing two fingers inside, he mimicked what he’d done to her mouth.

  Lory gasped before releasing a moan, stretching her arms over her head. Her spine bowed as she looked to the heavens to give thanks. The cold shock of whipped cream dropping onto her skin had her head snapping up. One nipple. Two nipples. Around her navel. On the juncture of her thighs. He prepped her to be devoured. Her breath came in shallow pants as he braced his palms either side of her and bowed his head. Using his lips and tongue, he loved one side before kissing and lick
ing across to the other. He wasn’t joking about cleaning up after himself. As he moved lower, she got up on her elbows again, not wanting to miss a second of the action.

  Somewhere along the way, he’d undone the top button of his jeans and the tip of his cock peeked out.

  “Do I get to have dessert too?”

  “Mm.” He worked his tongue around her belly button.

  Was that a reply or an expression of how much he liked her pie?

  “Toni.”

  “Mm?”

  “Get rid of your pants.”

  “Later.” He dragged his tongue up her center, sampling the sweetness.

  She moaned, wanting to do the same to him. “I wanna lick you while you taste me.”

  He froze, immobile for so long. Oh, shit. She held her breath. Had she said something wrong? She’d never done this before. Her fingers twitched with the urge to gather her clothes and rebuild the defense he’d so lovingly peeled away.

  Toni finally moved, resting his forehead on her belly. “You’re perfect.”

  She sat up, lifting his head so she could kiss him. A wordless declaration that she’d never wanted anything or anyone more than she wanted him. You’re perfect, too. Being out in the open only made their coming together more incredible. More daring. She wanted to explore so many possibilities with him. Her heart thumped, waiting for a sign.

  He gripped the denim, shoving his jeans down. Her lungs inflated before a sharp exhale.

  He wants this.

  He took a seat on the rug, wrestling his pants off all the way while she reached for the cream. He was hard and ready, the veins on his silky skin standing out. His length bobbed as she added the topping. Running her tongue over the tip, she collected a sample. Yum. Toni grunted in response. She turned, finding him watching her through heavy lids. Her heart stuttered. The man was a smorgasbord all for her.

  She threw a leg over his waist and faced his feet. His palms curled over her hips, tugging her backwards. She shuffled as he tucked his arms under her, spreading her with his shoulders. He pulled her down. Hot, moist flesh struck hot, moist flesh, the impact expelling a cry and bending her spine.