I see-sawed my head. “Not exactly. I was moved by the baby, but mom, I—”
“I know honey. It requires a leap of faith to love.”
“I did buy her groceries and made her dinner, and it was going well until Parker showed up.”
“Oh, no. He didn’t hit you again, did he?”
“No, but he didn’t have a chance. All of a sudden, Hope was out cold on the floor.” The memory of it had me shaking again.
“Oh no, is she okay?”
“Yes. We got her to the hospital, and they said everything was fine. I guess fainting while pregnant isn’t that unusual. But when I saw her on the floor, everything inside went cold. It was like I died, you know?”
Tears formed in my mother’s eyes, and I realized I was probably bringing back the memory of her finding my father unresponsive.
“I’m sorry mom—”
“No. Don’t be sorry. Be happy that she’s fine.”
“I am.” I squeezed her hand. “I realized that I’d rather try to make it work with her than live my life trying to be safe.”
“Good. Oh, Mitch, I’m so happy to hear that.”
“I just hope she feels like I do.” I think she did. At least I thought she’d be open to a relationship.
“Oh pah,” my mother waved a hand. “Of course she does. So, what are you going to do?”
“First, I’m going to talk to Parker. Then I’m going to put everything right again.”
She smiled so brightly. “You’ve made me very happy. I’ve been so worried about you living your life of solitude.”
“Will will be disappointed.”
“Someday a woman will captivate him. It will be fun to watch,” my mother laughed.
I laughed with her. “You’re right.”
“You’ll bring Hope with you on Sunday?”
“If she’s free. I think she has a Sunday dinner with her family now.”
My mom frowned. “I’ll have to share.” Then she smiled. “I can live with that.”
The next day, I called Hope, who said she was stuffed with chocolate chip pancakes. She sounded happy and healthy.
“I have some things to take care of, but I’ll come by later,” I told her. “I’ll have more ice cream and corn chips.”
“Can you get root beer and French fries too?”
I laughed. “Yes. But you’ll need to eat extra vegetables.”
Then I called Parker and asked if he could meet. He suggested golf, which I took as a good sign. I agreed to nine holes because I had other things I needed to do.
He met me on the course. I studied him, trying to decide if he was still pissed off and if he was going to try and take a swing at me. Regardless of how he felt, I was going to move forward with Hope, and hope to hell she wanted to move forward with me too.
“I love Hope,” I said first thing. No sense in putting it off any longer.
“Yes, I know,” he said, putting his ball on the tee.
“How do you know?”
He looked at me. “I have two eyes. I can see.” He held his index and middle fingers up and motioned to his eyes. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
“I’m going to tell her. I wanted to make things right with you first.”
“And what if that wasn’t possible?” He held his club to his side next to him, leaning slightly on it.
“That will be a shame. If I have to choose, though, I’m going to choose her.”
He nodded. “Good.” He turned and moved to the tee again, giving his club a practice swing.
I’d really thought this would be harder. Was I missing something?
He pulled his club back and swung it. It made contact with the ball, heading up the fairway. “Well, it’s in the middle anyway.”
I watched him as I made my way to the tee. “So, you’re okay with Hope and me?”
“You just said I don’t have a choice.”
I realized that I wanted him to be happy for Hope and me. But this might be the best I’d get.
“I’ll take good care of her.”
He laughed. “Don’t let her hear that. She’ll tell you she can take care of herself.”
“True.” I put my ball on the tee. “The point is, I won’t hurt her.”
“Aren’t you worried about her hurting you?”
Yes, somewhat. “I’m more worried about missing out or of having regret over not following my heart.”
“You’re sappy, Sloane. Hit the ball.”
I cranked my club back and swung. I hit the ball, sending it up to the fairway, past Parker’s.
“You could let me win again if you’re trying to win me over.”
“Is that all it will take?” I asked, putting my club in my bag.
Parker looked at me. “As I told Hope last night, at first, the idea of you two was weird, but after seeing you with her, it makes sense.”
Relief flooded my body. “I’m glad you see it like that.”
I hurried us through the rest of the holes and then left to take care of business. Thank goodness that I not only had a lot of money, but I had easy access to a lot of it. Otherwise, my efforts might have failed.
That evening I showed up at Hope’s townhome. Nerves scattered all through me, but they were both nervous and happy at the same time.
“Mitch,” she said, her smile as bright as ever, telling me she was happy to see me.
I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She looked surprised, but not unhappy about it. “I want to take you out. Are you up to it?”
“Yes. Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise. Come on.” I tugged her out the door.
“Am I dressed right?” She laughed as I pulled her to the car.
I had a quick glance at her summer dress. “Perfect.”
I put her in the SUV and climbed in beside her.
“Where’s Duke?”
“Still with mom and George. I’m a little worried he won’t want to come home with me ever again. She’s spoiling him.”
“I’m sure he still loves you.”
I wanted to ask her if she loved me, but I held back. I drove her to the river and parked in front of her parents’ old second home.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
I turned to her. “I was going to buy the river house for you and the baby.”
She looked at me, but I couldn’t tell she wasn’t sure what she thought of that. “Me and the baby?”
I nodded. “But then I thought, as wonderful as the memories are in that home, maybe it was time to look forward.”
I put the SUV in gear and started driving further up the street to the vacant area just past her house. I put the car in gear and turned it off. I got out of the car and trotted to her side to help her out.
“Come on.” I held out my hand and hoped she would take it. She slipped her hand in mine, and I guided her to the vacant land.
“What are we doing?” she asked.
“I bought this land.”
“What? I didn’t think it was for sale.”
“I enticed them. The point is, we can build a house here for you, the baby, and me.”
She whipped her head around to me. “The three of us? Together?”
I nodded. “Not just sharing a home either.” I took a deep breath. “I love you, Hope.”
Her smile was so full I felt like I’d given her the world. Tears pooled in her eyes.
“I’ve loved you since I was fifteen years old.” I looked down, trying to gather my thoughts. I finally looked back into her pretty blue eyes. “I loved you at my home and wanted to ask you to stay. I wish I had. I don’t want to waste any more time. I want to tell you what I’m feeling, and I hope to hell you feel it too.”
“I do.” She flung her arms around me. “I do feel it. I love you too, Mitch, so much.” She leaned back. “I always have. I wished so much for you to love me, but I thought your past had made it impossible for you.”
I nodded, pulling her
closer. “I thought it had too, until you. So, I want to build us a home here. Will you let me?”
“Yes. Yes.” She kissed me hard then pulled back. “What about your house?”
“I’d like to keep it. It seems like every billionaire should have a house on a river and one in the mountains, don’t you think?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“While you build your clothing empire, I’ll stay home and play with the baby. It will be perfect.”
She laughed. “Yes, it will.”
“Maybe I’ll help you sell that design program. It will help pay for junior’s education.”
“College is expensive,” she agreed.
“Now I’m going to kiss you because I think I might die if I have to wait for a second longer.”
Her lips were plastered to mine before I finished my sentence. My heart filled with love and a feeling of peace ran through me. This was what I had been missing for so long.
I ran my tongue over her lips, reacquainting myself with their taste. She opened for me, and I snaked my tongue into her mouth to dance with hers.
“I love you, Mitch,” she said, tears streaking her cheeks.
I used my thumbs to wipe them away. “Let’s start a life, Hope.” I kissed her quickly again. “Give me a minute.” I went to my SUV and grabbed a picnic basket from the back, then I took her hand and guided through the woods toward the river. “Remember the trail we used to take from your house over to the beach by the island?”
“Yes.”
We stepped from the woods into a little clearing.
“This is it,” she said, scanning the area.
“Yes, we own this spot now.”
She looked at me with awe and then back at the water. “I can’t believe you did this. I mean, I can, because you are the most thoughtful man, but it’s amazing.”
“Nine years ago, you seduced me here.”
She grinned. “Nine years ago you took my v-card here.”
How had I misused such a beautiful gift? “I fucked it up a bit, and I was thinking, maybe I could have a do-over. Maybe not now, because it’s cold out, but perhaps next summer we can Christen this spot..”
“You can have as many do-overs as you want,” she said, looking at me like I was some sort of superhero. It was awe-inspiring, and I hoped I’d live up to it.
I put the basket down, opening it and pulling out a blanket that I layed over the ground. “I brought us dinner if you’re not too cold.” I helped her sit.
“I’m actually pretty warm. It must be hormones. How did you end up buying this?” she said as she looked over the water.
I sat next to her. “I dug into the public records and found the owner.” I took her hand. “Hope?”
“Hmm?” She looked at me, and her smile again took my breath away.
“Your parents owned it.”
“They did?” Her brows drew together.
“Your dad bought it not long after getting the house next door so that nothing would be built here and you’d have privacy along the river. He tried to sell it with the house, but the buyers didn’t want it. He hadn’t yet decided what to do with it.”
“And you bought it?”
“I told him I wanted to build a life with you here.” I looked down and laughed. “I was afraid he’d kick my ass too.”
“He wants to kick me and Parker’s ass. We’ve both been selfish and petty.” She pressed her hand to my cheek. “I’m sorry about that, and about everything. I loved you, and I hurt you. I hate that I did that.”
I kissed her palm. “We’re moving on from all that. I’ve already talked to Gabe about helping us design and build a home here.”
“How convenient to have the top most famous construction guy as your brother.”
“Yes. I had your brother help with the legal issues of this land deal, so your brother is helpful too.”
Her eyes watered again. “You and Parker made up?”
I nodded. “I think so. It might take time for him to get used to us, but he seems okay with it now.” I pushed her hair back from her cheek. “I told him that if I had to choose between you and him, I’d choose you.”
Her breath hitched.
“And that was before the baby, Hope. I love you and want to be with you. This isn’t just because of the baby. I need you to know that. When I saw you on the floor, it was like a two-by-four to my head, giving me clarity. You are my life.”
Hope—Dreams Come True
Hope
It felt like it was my birthday, and Christmas all rolled into one. My dream was coming true. Mitch loved me and wanted to build a life with me. I couldn’t contain my happiness. I launched myself into his arms, pushing him back on the blanket.
“You’re my life too, Mitch. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.” Then I kissed him, needing to taste and touch him again. I’d felt so lost and alone without him, and now he was mine. I wanted to get my fill. To replenish my heart with his love.
He moaned into my mouth, and I loved the way his dick hardened so quickly under my belly as I lay over him.
“I need you,” he said to me. “but I’ll freeze my dick off if we do this here.”
I look down on him. “That would be a disaster.”
“We shouldn’t risk it.” I rolled her underneath me. “So how about we go to your place. We haven’t had sex there yet.”
“Kiss me first.” I pulled his lips to mine, wondering if I’d ever get enough of him.
Then we were up, running like silly kids back to the SUV. Mitch helped me in and tossed the basket in the back.
“It’s uncomfortable to drive with a hardon,” he said as he wove through the traffic.
“Can I help?” I reached over to rub my hand over his thigh.
He took my hand in his. “That could be dangerous.” He shot into the parking spot in front of my townhome, and together we rushed to the door. He swooped me into his arm and carried me upstairs. “Which is your room?” he asked as he reached the top.
“Straight ahead.”
He strode in, setting me down by the bed.
I was in a hurry to have him. “I need you. So bad.” I worked the buttons of his shirt open, then I plastered kisses over his chest, and over the tattoo in honor of his father.
Our arms were a flurry of movement until finally, finally, we were naked, lying on the bed with his warm skin flush against mine.
He made a line of kisses from my neck over to my shoulder. “You always smelled so good, Hope, even when we were teenagers. That smell always made me think of the summer of the river house.”
“You taste good,” I said, planting my mouth on his again. I was so needy for his touch that I almost didn’t know where to start.
His arms wrapped around me, and he rolled until I was underneath him. “I want to taste every inch of you.”
I shivered in anticipation. He kissed me again and then started his journey. His lips cruised down my neck and across my collarbone, as his hands caressed my skin. Every neuron inside me came alive as his lips and fingers awakened them.
He drew his tongue over my already hard nipple, causing me to arch, seeking more contact.
“You have the most beautiful tits. Did you know?” he said as he licked one then the other.
“Mitch.” I threaded my fingers through his dark hair, pulling his head down, needing his mouth more firmly on me. He gave me what I needed, sucking my nipple into his mouth as he kneaded and pinched the other with his hand. Sensation after sensation rippled through my body, straight to my core. He was a master with his mouth.
He moved on, strewing kisses over my stomach, stopping near my belly button. “Hello, baby. This is your daddy.”
My heart filled with such love that tears filled my eyes again.
He kissed my belly button, and then continued down, laving and kissing my hip, my thigh, and lower. He sat back on his knees, my leg held up against his chest as he kissed my ankle.
“You’re so fucking beautifu
l,” he said as he looked at me. “You always have been.” He began to kiss his way back up my body. “When I was a teenager, I used to have wet dreams about you.”
“You did?”
He sucked the inside of my thigh, forcing a groan from me.
Then he lifted his head. “And I used to jerk off thinking of you. Is that weird?”
I shook my head. “I always liked you too.”
He kissed me just above my nest of curls. “Did you touch yourself thinking of me?”
I felt my cheeks heat. “Yes.”
He grinned. “I’d like to watch you pleasure yourself some time, but this time, it’s my turn.” He kissed my hard clit, causing me to arch and moan again.
“You taste good too, Hope. I want to make you come in my mouth.”
I was going to come just at his words. Fortunately, he didn’t tease me with words. He ran his tongue through my folds and then feasted on me, driving me up and up until I was teetering on the brink of oblivion.
“Come for me, Hope.” His tongue thrust inside my body as his thumb pressed against my clit.
An explosion of pleasure blasted through my body. “Mitch!” Oh God, it was so good. His mouth stayed on me, drawing out my pleasure until I was a boneless heap.
He moved up my body, laying over me, and he kissed me. “Hope.”
I managed to open my eyes.
He smiled. “This will be the first time we make love without a barrier.”
“I want that. I want to feel you move in me, Mitch.” After this baby, I’d go on the pill so that we’d always be able to make love without barriers.
He pressed his dick to my entrance. I pulled my knees open more, inviting him in. Needing him to fill that final piece of void I’d created when I’d hurt him.
His gaze held mine as he pressed in, slowly, steadily, until he was fully immersed inside.
“I love you,” I said as emotion washed through me again. The feel of him, hard and pulsing inside me, was even more intense than before.
He withdrew and sunk in again.
“I love you, Hope. So much.”
I don’t know how he found the control because I was starting to burn up again, but he continued to move in that slow and steady, in and out.
“I wish we could do this forever,” he said, his voice hoarse.
Her Mountain Hero Page 23
