Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36

Willow

Living with Durango this past month has been a dream. While he has had several assignments that have taken him away for about half the time, the time we do spend together is amazing. Well, most of it has been in bed, but he's also taken me on several dates. We've been to Broadway, museums, and several other tourist stops in New York City.

And I want to enjoy every moment, but there is still something weighing on my mind. Carmen. Samantha and I both signed NDAs, but we have no assurance from Carmen that she won't tell Benson Hyde or Zavier Carte.

"You're worried," Durango says as he hands me a cup of coffee.

I'm still in bed after glorious wake-up sex. "I've been thinking about Carmen. She has no reason to tell those men about us, but I can't stop thinking about it."

Durango nods. "You should get dressed," he says as he stands up and puts on a T-shirt.

"Why?" It's Saturday, and we don't have any plans.

"Because Harding is on her way over. She wants to talk to both of us. I think it's about Benson Hyde."

The doorbell rings.

"I'll let her know you need a minute," he says as he goes to answer the door.

I get dressed and brush my hair quickly. If Harding has news about Hyde, I want to hear it.

They are laughing when I walk into the kitchen.

"I wish I could have seen his face. Do you know who is behind it?" Durango asks.

"Not at all. It really could be any of the guys," Harding says. "They only change his ringtone when he's in the office or in town."

"Ringtone?" I ask.

"Someone keeps changing the ringtone on Peaches's cell phone to various songs about Peaches. It's been going on for years and driving him crazy."

"Peaches?" I ask.

"Oh, I forgot you haven't met him yet. He works out of the Seattle office. He and Harding are a couple," Durango says.

Harding doesn't strike me as someone who would do well in a relationship, but I've only seen her serious, work side. And if I thought about it, the same could be said for many of the guys in Durango's office.

"Let me get right to it. Hyde left the country before he could be questioned about Tyler's death. Well, he was found yesterday in a small town in Texas. Dead. And on him was the gun used to shoot Tyler. The local police are handling the case. I'm certain Carte had him killed to prevent any blowback on him." Harding turns to me. "But regardless of who did it, Hyde is no longer a threat to you."

"What if Carmen tells Carte about the video?" I ask.

Harding shakes her head. "What could she say? As far as Carte knows, the video was leaked by someone in the Portland PD. But to be safe, Carmen has been dealt with."

I look at Durango, whose expression I can't read. Then I look at Harding. She's wearing the same serious expression.

"What do you mean she has been dealt with?"

Harding leans back and smiles. "I paid her an in-person visit to make sure she understands she must never speak about Tyler or the video to anyone. I might have led her to believe I was affiliated with Carte."

Durango grins.

"I'm confused," I say.

"About what?" Harding asks. "Carmen believes if she ever speaks about any of that, she will be killed. Problem solved."

My brows shoot up. "Oh, you threatened her?"

Harding shakes her head. "Of course not. Did you not hear what I just said?"

Durango stands up. "I'll explain it to her. Thank you for everything. I really appreciate it."

"I'm happy to help," Harding says.

"Do you have any more information on Sylvia?" he asks.

"She's still awaiting trial here in New York for what she did to Durango, but the officials in Minsk are pushing hard for her extradition so they can try her for Damien's murder."

"Why not hand her over?" Durango asks.

Harding smiles. "We will. But if we can get something for it, that's preferable. Life is always a negotiation."

Once she leaves, I turn to Durango. "She threatened Carmen, didn't she?"

"Yep," he says.

"But she says she didn't."

He grins. "Yep."

"I don't get her."

Durango laughs. "You will once you get to know her better. But what she said, it's all good news."

It is. Finally, I can put all of this behind me.

"We should celebrate," he says as he stalks toward me.

"What did you have in mind?" I ask.

There is no mistaking the look in his eyes. He leans down and kisses me. It turns frenzied fast as he picks me up and carries me to the bedroom.

He pulls my shirt off over my head, and I do the same to him. Then we quickly take off the rest of our clothes. He falls back onto the bed, pulling me on top of him. I straddle him and move my hips back and forth, rubbing my clit over his length. He leans up and sucks hard on my nipple.

"I need you inside me now!" I call out.

I sit up, line him up, and push down hard and fast. He gasps as I ride him hard. It's rougher than we've ever been together, and I love it. He sits up and flips me over, coming at me from behind. His cock slams into me, and I swear I see stars.

"Callan!"

"You like this? You like it rough?"

I lean down, giving him more access to pound into me harder and harder. "Yes!"

He reaches around and strokes my clit as he slams into me again and again. My orgasm builds fast.

"I'm coming!" I shout as the waves hit me over and over.

My legs shake as he slams into me one last time and pushes in as far as he can. Then he stills. Finally, we both collapse, breathing heavily.

"Wow," he says.

"Yeah."

"Oh shit, are you okay? Did I get too rough?"

I turn to face him. "I'm fine, and I loved it. I've never had sex rough like that."

He smiles. "I love you."

I cup his face in my hands. "I love you, too."

"We moved kind of fast with the moving in, so this might scare you, but…"

He pauses and my heart is pounding almost out of my chest. Is he going to ask what I think he's going to ask?

"I plan to marry you. I'm not asking now in bed. I want to do the proposal right. But that is where I'm headed."

I kiss him before falling onto my side. "Good. Because I don't want to be wasting my time living here if I'm not getting a contract for all of this." I run my hand down his chest and then grip his dick in my hands.

He laughs and pulls me close with a kiss.

We must have fallen asleep because I wake up shivering. As soon as I move, Durango wakes.

"Damn, why is it so cold?" he asks. "Oh yeah, I turned up the air conditioner before Harding got here. I wasn't thinking we'd be naked." He grins at me. "Want to take a hot shower with me?"

I stand up and wince. After our last session, I'm sore.

"Not this time, but maybe next time."

He's up and by my side. "I saw that wince."

"It's fine. It's a good kind of soreness." I grab my clothes and begin to get dressed.

"Okay, tonight we'll just cuddle." He kisses the top of my head and walks to the bathroom.

I stare as he goes. The man is so muscular that even simple walking is sexy as hell.

I check my phone and see missed messages from Samantha. Instead of texting back, I call her and give her the good news about Hyde and Carmen.

"That's great! Now, we can put this Tyler chapter behind us. I hope you can," she says.

"I plan to. As far as I'm concerned, my future is with Durango."

"I'm happy to hear that."

We end the call. I sit down on the couch and put my feet up. Looking around the room, I wonder how Durango would feel about changing the wall color.

"Something wrong?" Durango asks as he walks toward me.

I smile. "Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking it might look nice to paint the walls a different color."

He sits next to me. "You want to redecorate?"

"Nothing crazy. Just some paint."

"Anything you want. I want you to feel like this is your home, too."

"Anything?" I grin. "Because I was thinking about a cat wallpaper for that wall," I say, pointing to a long stretch of bare wall.

"Cat wallpaper? Is that a brand?"

"Nope." I pop the P for effect. "I'm talking about a pattern that has a dozen or so different cats on it."

He stares at me without any expression, trying to determine if I'm being serious. I have to give him credit. He's being pretty cool about this.

"Okay, cat wallpaper it is."

I laugh.

"I knew you were bluffing," he says.

"How?"

"The side of your mouth kept ticcing up. But seriously, go for it. I'm pretty much open to anything when it comes to you."

This man. He's perfect for me.

The following December

Willow

"Are you ready?" Durango asks.

"I think so," I say.

We're standing on the porch of my childhood home. I'm not sure how he did it, but Durango somehow got my brothers and their families here for Christmas. I haven't celebrated with my family in four years. And I can't wait to see everyone.

The exterior of the house is decorated like it used to be. We haven't even knocked on the door and I can already smell freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Durango raises his hand to knock, but before he does, the door swings open.

My mom is smiling. "Are you two going to stand out here all day, or are you going to come in?" She gives me a hug. "Oh, honey, I've missed you so much!"

Then she steps back, and I take her in. There is gray coming in at her temples, and the lines around her eyes are more pronounced than I recall. But she seems truly happy except for the tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "I can't believe my baby was suffering. I should have known something was wrong. I'm so sorry, Willow."

I hug her again. "No one knew. I kept it from everyone."

When I pull back this time, she nods.

Her eyes go to Durango. "And Durango, I cannot thank you enough for whatever you did to make all this happen." She motions to the living room. "Come in and see for yourself."

We step inside and spot two little kids chasing each other around and a baby crawling after them.

"I have wanted my grandkids to experience a real Montana Christmas, and now they get to," my mom says. Then she lowers her voice. "They had never seen snow before. Can you believe it?" She wraps her arms around Durango, giving him a hug, too. "Now, let's close this door before we all catch a chill." She steps behind us and closes it. "Everyone else is in the kitchen."

We follow her into the kitchen, where my sister, Pricilla, stands, talking to my dad. The kids have run into the family room, and now my brothers are chasing them as they giggle. And their wives are taking photos with their phones.

"They're here!" my mom announces.

My brothers stand up and walk into the kitchen.

Charles gives me a hug. "It's good to see you. I wish you'd have come out to see us sometime."

I glance at my mom. She shakes her head. While I did have a long conversation with her this past summer about Tyler and why I hadn't been around, I wasn't comfortable telling my brothers. It sounds like she wasn't, either.

"Yeah, you'd love the beach," Grant says as he messes up my hair.

"Hey!" I yell as I duck away from him. "We're here now."

"Dada, come watch!"

I stare in amazement at his son, Archie. The last time I saw him, he was crawling. Now, he must be in kindergarten. So much time I lost. My eyes well with tears.

"You okay?" Durango asks.

I nod to the kids. "Just realized how much time I've missed with them."

Grant grins at me and then turns his attention to Durango. This can't be good. "So, you're dating little Willy Wee. Is it serious?"

"Willy Wee?" Durango asks.

"No, you didn't hear that," I say.

"I'll fill you in later," Grant says.

"No, you won't."

Grant shrugs, which means he fully intends to tell Durango about how I got my nickname. Not a story I want to share. "Anyway, little Cruz was excited the entire flight here to meet his aunt."

Cruz is Grant's oldest. "I've met him," I say.

My brother stares at the floor. "Yeah, but he was just a baby. He doesn't remember."

I can't help the sob.

Grant frowns. "Why didn't you come out to visit us? Obviously, you are upset about it."

"It's a long story, but now is not the time."

I will tell my brothers at some point, but not now, not on this trip. No, this trip is about making new memories and enjoying the family I have.

I glance over at Durango. He smiles back nervously. His right hand is in his pocket. He's been fiddling with something in his pocket since we got here. It's not like him, and part of me wonders if he is going to propose on this trip.

"I'm going to show Durango around," I say as I slip my hand into his.

I lead him out to the back patio. Like in previous years, lights are strung up and twinkling. We step to the side of the deck, out of sight of the windows.

"Thank you for doing all that you did. I really appreciate it," I say.

He pulls me against his body. "I'd do anything for you. I love you, Willow."

I push up onto my toes and give him a quick kiss. "And I love you, Durango."