Chapter 20

20

I’d beenwide awake for a long time. My head on Garrett’s stomach, arm flung low across his hips. At first, I lay there trying to figure out how this came about as our normal sleeping position. It didn’t take me long to remember that what had started with me falling asleep tucked to his side with my head on his chest had to morph into his stomach out of necessity. Garrett was a big guy; he was built so trying to sleep with my head on his pecs hurt my neck. But I wanted to stay connected, so his stomach it was.

After that mystery was solved, I went on to think about my life. Not the past, but the future. If I was reading Garrett right—and I thought I was, seeing as he told me he was willing to hold me hostage in Maryland and he’d called it my new home—he wanted me to move there. But old habits died a hard, slow death. Now more than ever my parents would need me to help them. With Slater and Analise gone, we were all they had. They were all I had of my sister. How could I be a part of their lives if I lived three-thousand miles away? Talking on the phone wasn’t the same as watching Christian play sports or listening to him learn how to play an instrument.

This was the worst possible timing.

The only thing I wanted more than moving to Maryland to be with Garrett was Analise to be alive. I’d give up everything else to be with him. I’d leave Montana and follow him anywhere if it meant I got my shot at the future I knew was meant for me. It wasn’t a question of seeing if things still worked between us because I knew they would. I knew Garrett Davis was the only man for me. I knew with a hundred percent certainty I was meant to be Melissa Davis. I’d known since I was twelve.

But now what was I supposed to do about my niece and nephew? Leave them behind? Let my parents who were getting older raise them alone? Ask my parents if they’d allow me to raise them in Maryland and they’d lose all the time they loved having with them?

Ask Garrett to quit his job—something that he obviously loved—and ask him to move back to Montana? Sure, to a small town that was charming, beautiful, full of really good people, but it lacked economic opportunity. It seemed like every new year, another business was closing. Each year, more people moved away to find better jobs and more opportunities for their children.

I was no closer to figuring out what I was going to do when I felt Garrett’s hand in my hair. I held perfectly still while his hand slid through the strands.

God, I missed this.

I missed everything about him.

I wanted this back.

This was supposed to be my future.

This!

Me waking up with my head on his stomach while he ran his fingers through my hair. Us together every morning just like this. Add in a couple of kids running into the bedroom in the morning to wake us up—icing.

I turned my head just enough to press my lips to his stomach. I missed that, too. Being able to touch him and kiss him freely without thinking if it was right or not, or if I was crossing a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

There had been a time when he was mine.

Allmine.

When I had him, I lived under the warmth of his love. When I lost him, those years were icy cold.

“Morning,” I whispered to his stomach.

“Mellie.”

Mmm.

His voice was full of morning gravel with a tinge of warning. Hearing that, loving the sound, loving having it back even if I couldn’t keep it for forever and always, I stopped worrying about the future and started concentrating on the here and now. And at the present moment I wanted to taste Garrett so that’s what I did.

I brushed my lips over the ridge of his abs, my tongue tracing down the valley. Garrett’s muscles tightened under my lips, and I missed that, too. The way his body responded to my touch.

Garrett stopped my progress with a sharp tug of my hair and a growled, “Melissa.”

I moved my hand up his thigh over his already hard cock to the waistband of his sweats and pushed my fingers under the elastic.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“Look at me.”

I was looking at him. I had a perfect view of the bulge in his pants and in two seconds I was going to have an even better view when his long, thick cock sprang free from its confines.

I pushed my fingers farther down until my fingertips grazed the wet head of his dick.

“Do you want me to stop?” I repeated.

“I want you to look at me.”

I left my hand where it was and turned my head so my opposite cheek was resting on his stomach.

As soon as he caught my gaze he rasped, “I love you.”

I closed my eyes so I could fully savor the warmth that washed over me.

“I missed you, Mellie. Every fucking part of you. Your laugh, your temper, your pretty face, beautiful eyes, your hair, the way you mumble in your sleep, your mouth, your cunt, the way you smell, the feel of you. I missed a million different things. I want every part of you back. Every part, baby, you get that?”

I didn’t trust my mouth not to blurt out how badly I’d missed him and how badly I wanted all of him back and how badly I wanted to go home with him and never leave. So I did the only thing I could do and nodded.

“Good. Now open your eyes and look at me.”

Slowly my eyes drifted open.

My thighs clenched.

My pussy spasmed.

And I waited for the permission I knew he was going to grant.

“You want to suck me off, Mellie, have at it. But I’m coming inside you. So when I say stop, baby, you pull off and climb on.”

I nodded again, incapable of speech.

“T-shirt and panties off.”

I quickly sat up to comply with his familiar demand. I yanked my t-shirt over my head and tossed it aside. I fell to my side, shimmied out of my undies, and tossed those, too. By the time I was done, Garrett had his sweats pulled down his legs. Big, beautiful, thick cock on display. A sight I hadn’t seen in so long, I actually sighed.

Then I complained, “No fair, you did the fun part.”

“Mellie, baby, the fun part is you wrapping your mouth around my cock. Me pulling it out for you is a time-saving measure.”

“Wrong, honey. It’s like unwrapping a present you’re excited to get even though you already know what’s in the box.”

I watched his erection bob as his body shook with laughter.

“Well it’s unwrapped; how about we get to the next part?”

“Impatient,” I muttered through a smile.

“I haven’t had your mouth in seventeen years. Impatient doesn’t begin to cover it. And if that phone rings before I feel you come around my cock, I’m gonna lose my motherfucking mind.”

The phone.

Damn.

He was right.

I threw my leg over one of his thighs, balanced myself with my left hand on the mattress next to his hip, and used my right hand to gently stroke his length. I bent forward and used my tongue to swipe the drop of pre-come off the tip and groaned my appreciation.

“Mmm,” I hummed and sucked his head into my mouth.

Garrett gathered my hair to the side and moaned a curse.

I knew my man liked to watch, so I decided to give him a show. With my eyes locked on his handsome face, I circled the head of his dick with my tongue. I stroked and licked down his shaft. I watched his lids lower as I dragged my tongue back to the tip.

“Melissa.”

Not a grunt, not a moan, a demand. He wanted my mouth, but I wanted to play. I jerked him faster, only taking the first inch of him, sucking hard, teasing him with my tongue, waiting until I knew he was ready to snap. His thigh went solid between my legs. His hand fisted my hair tightly. I could feel him vibrating, barely containing his urge to fuck my mouth.

His eyes came to mine, they were already blazing with need, a sight that was so freaking hot I debated climbing on him now and claiming my orgasm that was brewing just below the surface.

“Suck me.”

I sucked harder.

“More.”

I slid down a little more and glided back up.

“All. Of. Me,” he growled. “Every last inch, Melissa, until your eyes water, baby.”

Suffice to say, I missed his dirty mouth, too. Lucky me, I knew he would only get filthier.

I moved my hand, took his length all the way down until my lips were wrapped tightly around the base.

“Fuck.”

I barely resisted the urge to shove my hand between my legs. Instead, I used it to cup his balls and gently rolled them as I bobbed hard and fast on his cock. Loving the way he filled my mouth. Loving the grunts and groans I was eliciting. Loving every second of the power I had over his body, knowing he was always in control unless I had my mouth on him, then he had to fight to keep himself in check.

“Up,” he commanded, and used my hair to pull me off his cock.

A shiver ran down my spine. Garrett released my hair, grabbed me under my arms, dragged me up his body, then planted me on his cock. I was so drenched, so ready, I took all of him in one downward glide.

“Good Christ,” he grunted.

In my desperation I fucked him wild. I didn’t wait—I couldn’t wait—my release was dancing on the surface.

“Slow down.”

When I didn’t listen to his demand his hands went to my hips. The pads of his fingers dug into my flesh, spurring me to move faster. My skin heated until it was a miracle I didn’t burst into flames.

“Garrett.”

I chanted his name over and over just because I could. My Garrett. Under me. His hands on me. The warmth of his love surrounding me. I was finally out of the cold.

Finally.

My orgasm tore through me. I trembled with pleasure so violent I thought it’d rip me apart. Pleasure that only Garrett could give me.

My first.

The man who was meant to be my last.

Only him.

Suddenly I was flipped onto my back and Garrett was hammering inside of me, prolonging my release. My legs wrapped around his hips, my arms went around his shoulders, and I held on as his driving thrusts shook the bed.

Garrett’s lips trailed over my cheek to my temple.

“Missed this, Mellie.”

I did too.

“Missed the feel of you.”

He pounded deeper, rendering me incapable of uttering words.

“Want your eyes when you take my come, Melissa.”

Garrett pulled his head back. I tipped mine the best I could while he drove in deep. It was hard to hold his gaze but I did the best I could. Which was to say the only reason my eyes stayed focused was because in his I could see all the love he had for me. I could see my future staring back at me. So bright and beautiful it was blinding.

With one last deep thrust he stayed planted. I watched as his orgasm broke and ecstasy took him under. A sight that was so magnificent tears pricked the back of my eyes.

With the haze of sex still heavy in his gaze he whispered, “I love you, Mellie Kate.”

I love you, tooI thought.

But fear kept the words lodged in my throat.

Garrett brushed my hair away from my sweaty face, lowered his lips to mine, but stopped short.

“I used to think the best day of my life was when you agreed to be my wife. I was wrong. The best day of my life hasn’t happened yet.”

My breath arrested and pain stabbed my heart.

“One day I’m gonna earn those words again and that will be the best day of my life until you take my name. Then that will be the best day of my life until you give me babies.”

I didn’t get a chance to respond before his mouth was on mine. Slow and sweet, giving me the truth of his words in a kiss.

It was then the phone rang.

I smiled against his lips.

Garrett was not smiling when he mumbled, “Fucking Cash.”