Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

E mmerleigh

Anton decided to stay at a hotel in town. I didn't ask for details. Some things a sister didn't need to know. After I got Georgia to sleep—which was no easy feat after the sugar she'd eaten at the carnival and all the flashing lights of the rides—I went to find Warrick. Against my better judgement, I had another itch to scratch. Or perhaps it was that one night together didn't satisfy quite like I thought it would. I wanted more.

His bedroom door was open but he wasn't in there. I searched the living room and back porch, but didn't see him enjoying the early summer night and the cicadas that had picked up with the increase in temperatures. Then I heard it. The faint strains of a country song coming from the kitchen. I hurried through the house and turned the corner to find him standing in the center of the kitchen, a lazy grin on his handsome face. He'd let his beard grow again the last couple of days and it was sexy as hell on his square jaw .

"What's going on?"

He held out his hand and I stepped forward to take it. He pulled me into his arms and began to sway back and forth. "I told you I'd get you to dance with me in this kitchen one day. Is today my lucky day?"

I grinned, remembering him and Georgia dancing in this very spot. The man was a romantic, and while I felt like maybe the romance had been beaten out of me, I liked that Warrick wanted those sweet moments with me. My hands slid up his arms and over his shoulders. I looked up into his face and let myself fall, just a little bit, for this husband of mine.

"More like my lucky day," I said quietly, moving with him as we danced through three slow songs. His arms held me tighter with each song, reminding me that I could trust Warrick. I could lean on him and he'd come through for me. I'd never put my entire future in a man's hands again, but maybe Warrick was right. Maybe I needed to lean into trusting someone again, and he'd done nothing but prove he was trustworthy.

I pulled my cheek off his solid chest when the song ended, just enough to look up into his eyes. "Take me to bed, Wolfe."

He looked like the proverbial wolf, about to eat his Little Red Riding Hood, but instead of being aggressive, he reached down and picked me up, princess-style. Without even a step out of the kitchen, he took the time to kiss me, slow and thorough, as if he wanted me to know it was more than a mad rush to orgasm for him. When I groaned and wrapped my arms around his neck, he broke off the kiss, panting. His footsteps were light as he carried me to his bedroom, depositing me on the mattress with care.

"Strip for me, baby," he whispered, always so cognizant of not waking up Georgia.

I did, unzipping and pulling that sundress off in record time. Warrick emitted a rumble from his chest when he saw me in the white lace panty-and-bra set that had magically appeared in my dresser. I liked knowing he'd picked out these pieces with me in mind. It made me feel like a sexy woman, worthy of lustful glances from a man. He didn't bother unbuttoning his shirt. He just stripped it off overhead and kicked off his boots. The jeans were next and then he stood before me, a naked, muscled statue of manly perfection. Age had done nothing but hone those muscles into something a younger man couldn't pull off.

He nodded his head. "Those too, baby."

As provocatively as I could, I unclasped the bra and tossed it aside. The panties were next and I hadn't even gotten them off the last leg when Warrick was suddenly there, cupping my jaw and kissing me. I fell back and he covered me, his hard body pressing me deep into the mattress. His erection lay between us, hard and long and probably wanting to cash in on everything it had missed up there on the Ferris wheel.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, my hips already pressing against his, needing more. Warrick broke away just long enough to trail kisses across my jaw and down my neck, his hand finding my nipple.

"You make me crazy, Em," he said against my skin. His hand trailed down my stomach and over my hip, his hand light and reverent.

The feeling was mutual. I reached between us and stroked him, watching as his eyes closed as if he was in pain. Feeling emboldened, I notched him at my entrance, and with barely a roll of his hips, he was inside me, the stretch glorious and heady. I was ready for him, the slide fully inside aided by my desire for this man.

It was different this time. The frenzy for him was still there inside my gut, but it was tempered by patience. I didn't want to rush and neither did he. His thrusts were slow and unhurried. Thorough and intense. When he wasn't kissing me, he was staring down at my face, tracking my responses as if he was storing them in his memory. My fingers threaded through his hair and I couldn't seem to look away either. The flex of his jaw, the heat in his eyes, the way his mouth would open on a huff of air every time he thrust back inside me, filling me to the brim.

We didn't speak and yet so many things were communicated. This was me letting him in. This was him, showing me exactly how he felt about me. I felt seen, heard, and utterly treasured. The swarm of pleasure started low in my gut and quickly threatened to consume me. Warrick increased his pace, watching my face intently. When the orgasm threatened to crash open, he took my mouth in a bruising kiss, swallowing any noise as I thrashed about under him.

When the waves receded and I felt my senses come back online, he gentled the kiss and then held himself above me on trembling arms. Without breaking our staredown, he shuttered and then hissed out a breath while his skin broke out in goose bumps. He reached between us and pulled himself out of me, hot ropes of liquid splashing onto my stomach. I reached up and kissed him, wanting to still be joined as he took his pleasure in my body. In the back of my mind, I chastised myself for forgetting a condom. Yet again, Warrick was protecting me, always one step ahead of me.

He got up and came back with a warm washcloth to clean me up, not letting me lift a finger. This time, accepting his help came easier. When he came back to bed, I fell asleep in his arms, his large body curling over me like he planned to protect me from the world, even in sleep.

I woke from a deep sleep with a start. The bed behind me was cold and empty. My body felt deliciously sore as I moved, but I couldn't enjoy the afterglow, knowing I needed to get dressed before Georgia awoke and wondered where I was. I flew out of Warrick's bed to make a run for clean clothes, but there on the chair in the corner of the room was a stack of folded clothes with a note on top.

Good morning, beautiful. Clothes for today. I have to leave for the city early. Be back soon with my mom. Don't stress, she'll love you. Xoxo, WW

I crushed the note to my chest and let myself have just a quick moment of glee. The man was incredible, always thinking of everything. I slid into the bra, panties, shorts, and silky top he put out for me, deciding that one day, I'd need to pay him back for all these new clothes. I wasn't sure how, considering the price tags showed they were more than I could afford.

A quick glance in the mirror showed major bedhead and smudged mascara from the night before. I headed to the bathroom and fixed up my face, nerves picking up as I thought about meeting Warrick's mom. Would she be appalled that we'd gotten married? Hell, she might even kick me and Georgia out of her house. I'd successfully pushed all thoughts of Warrick's mom's return out of my mind with the mad rush to finish the remodel, but now that it was done, it was all I could think about.

"Mama!" I heard Georgia call out. I rushed down the hall and cracked open the door to our room, seeing her sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes.

"Hi, baby. Did you sleep good on your first day of summer?"

She nodded, instantly smiling and climbing out of bed with both her stuffed goat and the new sparkly unicorn in her arms. "Can we feed the chickens?"

I nodded, racing around the room to put away clothes and all the toys that Georgia had left out over the last week. I'd been lax on picking up, what with the mad dash to get the remodel finished on time, but now that Warrick's mom was arriving back home today, I wanted the place to be spotless.

"Definitely this afternoon. But right now, we're gonna play a game called, clean the castle for the queen!"

Georgia frowned, on to my manipulation. "Can the queen use cleaners?"

I barked out a laugh. "How do you know about cleaners, missy?" I'd never had someone clean our house, ever.

Georgia shrugged, setting her stuffed animals back on her bed. "Bluey said she was going to hire housecleaners for Mother's Day. "

I rolled my eyes and began to chase her around the room. "Well, Bluey doesn't live here and neither do the housecleaners." I caught up to her and tickled her to the ground before she screamed stop, to which I immediately stopped and helped her up. "Let's get you dressed and we'll play housecleaners."

She moaned, but did her best to help pick up her toys while I ran around with a dusting cloth, glass cleaners, and then the vacuum. The house wasn't what I'd call sparkling when I heard Warrick's huge truck pull up the driveway, but it was close. And I was officially sweating. I took a second to splash cool water on my cheeks and then I gathered Georgia to meet Warrick and his mother at the door.

My heart was in my throat as the front door opened and Warrick held it for his mother to walk through. Georgia snuggled into my side, seeming a bit shy all of a sudden. The woman was medium height with reading glasses holding back a fully gray bob. She was pleasantly round in bright pink pants and a chaotically flowered shirt that made my eyes cross. She also had the biggest smile on her face as she walked in and saw us. She clapped her hands and her tote bag slipped off her shoulder.

"Oh! You must be Emmerleigh and Georgia!"

I reached out with my right hand but she nudged it aside as she walked right up to me and put her arms around us both.

"Oh my gosh, you two are the most gorgeous, precious things I've ever seen." Then she honed in on Georgia. "Come here, you cute little thing. Let Gigi get a good look at you."

Georgia wiggled out of my arms and stood tall, cocking her hip out to the side in a sassy pose. Gigi laughed and briefly looked back at Warrick. "Oh, son, you were right. This girl is magnificent."

Gigi squatted down impressively for someone her age and held her arms out. "Any chance Gigi can get a hug?"

Georgia, a little girl who loved everyone she ever met, ran right into her arms. Gigi hugged her back and then stood with her in her arms. Damn, Warrick's mom was strong .

"Come on, darlin', I have a secret stash of chocolate that not even Warrick knows about. It's got your name on it."

Georgia cheered and the two of them walked off to the kitchen. Warrick rolled the suitcase inside and shut the door. He slid his arm around my waist and we followed behind the whirlwind that was Warrick's mother.

He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "You look amazing in that blouse. Think we can sneak out to the barn later?"

"Warrick!" I hissed, whacking him in the stomach with the back of my hand.

He grunted and then laughed, pulling me tighter into his side. "I'm kidding. Kind of."

In the kitchen Gigi was sharing a chocolate bar with my daughter. She looked up as we entered. "Who-ee, you two look cute together. Welcome to the family, Emmerleigh. I hear you built me a fancy new house. Goodness. You make gorgeous babies and now houses. Is there anything you can't do, honey?"

I blushed, instantly liking this woman. Welcome to the family? Hadn't Warrick told her this was only temporary? I latched on to the one part of the conversation I could speak to without stuttering and stammering.

"Thank you. Want to see all the improvements?"

Gigi enthusiastically agreed and Georgia copied everything Gigi said, her hand firmly in Gigi's as we toured the house. They oohed and aahed over the screened-in porch, the new bedroom, the kitchen, and both bathrooms. At one point, Gigi put her arm around my waist and leaned her head on my shoulder. Somehow she smelled like a slow-cooked breakfast and home.

"Oh, I forgot one thing," I said at the end of the tour. Warrick looked puzzled. "I built something in the barn."

"That wasn't on the list," he said, trailing behind as I led the group outside to the barn.

Bessie mooed her hellos and Gigi stopped to greet all her animals one by one before we entered the barn. I pointed to a small enclosure made of wood .

"It's a milking stall for Bessie. Figured it would help Warrick with that task."

Warrick just stood there looking at me, shock written all over his face.

"Oh, now aren't you a doll?" Gigi exclaimed. She patted Warrick on the back. "Quite the sweet wife you got there." Then she clapped her hands and looked at Georgia. "You want to help me feed the chickens, honey?"

The two left the barn, chatting away like old friends. Warrick still stared at me, like he was trying to figure out a complex math equation. A frisson of disappointment marred the pride I'd had building that little stall. Maybe I'd overstepped.

"You don't like it?" I asked quietly, shoving my hands in my back pockets. "I can take it down…"

Warrick stopped me, sweeping me off my feet with a rough hug. He spun me around once and then let my feet touch the ground. "No, I love it. Thank you," he whispered, voice gruff.

When he finally let me go, I pulled back to search his face. "It's not that big of a deal. It was like an hour of work. I can totally change it if?—"

"No! I'm sorry, I just didn't expect you to do something like that for me. It's amazing. I love it."

My eyes narrowed. "Are you always so terrible at accepting gifts?"

His narrowed right back. "Kind of a pot-calling-the-kettle-black situation, wouldn't you agree?"

I broke first, grinning. "Yeah, you're right. Man, we're bad at accepting people doing nice things for us."

He hooked his arm around my neck and pulled me into his side to plant a kiss on top of my head. "Two peas in a pod, Slaywright."