Chapter 24

24

I spend the next two days cleaning out the space for the brewery. It's tedious, back-breaking work. Over the years, this part of the barn has turned into storage for everything from broken farm tools to extra sets of china and silverware.

"Mind if I join you?" Charlie asks from the doorway, a pitcher of icy lemonade in one hand and two glasses in the other.

"Thank god. I feel like my mind is atrophying from boredom." I drag an armchair near the doorway and brush the dust away. "I'm hoping you'll get a bit of a breeze being close to the door. If not, I can run an extension cord and grab a fan."

"I'll be fine, Isla, I promise." Charlie hands me a glass and fills it up before sitting and pouring her own. She winces as she places the pitcher on the ground.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, wondering how she can possibly carry this baby for one more day.

"Everything hurts. I'm ready for our little surprise to be born."

" Are you excited for the baby shower this weekend?" I wipe the sweat off my brow with my forearm, wincing at the streak of dirt it creates on my arm. I'm filthy .

"So excited! Are you sure you don't need help with anything?" she asks, leaning back in the chair and sipping her lemonade.

"I don't want you to lift a finger. You only have a month of peace and quiet left. Enjoy it."

"Oh, I am. Don't you worry about that. The guys are waiting on me hand and foot."

"As they should."

"Speaking of guys... You've been awfully quiet. Is everything okay?"

"More than okay. So okay I'm scared that if I talk about it, I'll jinx it."

"That's not how it works, Isla."

"I know, but sometimes it doesn't even feel real. Like if I pinch myself I’ll wake up from a dream."

Charlie's gaze softens, losing focus as memories rush back. "I remember feeling the same way. I still do sometimes, if I'm being honest. Just don't let that get in the way of enjoying it, Isla. Don't be so worried that it won't last that you forget to have fun."

"I remember having a very similar conversation with you when you started getting serious with–"

"Was that the same conversation you swore you'd only ever date one guy?" she asks, cutting me off, eyes twinkling.

"Maybeee," I hedge, biting my lip to keep from grinning.

Charlie stays with me for the rest of the day, barring her frequent bathroom breaks. It's so good to catch up with her. I missed our gossiping and girl talk. I'm mad at myself for not making more time for her. When James died, it felt like my world turned upside down, and I tried to shoulder that weight alone instead of leaning on the people who love me. I won't make that mistake again.

As I'm locking up, the farm truck pulls up to the barn. The windows are down, Dylan's tan arm hanging out. It's such a casual thing. I shouldn't find it sexy, but god, do I ever. "Hey, good lookin'," he drawls. "Ready for our date? "

I look down at myself and the literal coating of dust covering my skin, then back up at him, arching an eyebrow.

"Fine, we can go shower first." He rolls his eyes, holding back a smile.

"We?" I ask as I climb in and slam the door shut. "I like that sound of that."

"We'll have to be quiet. Theo and Henry are already back at the house."

"Good thing there's an empty cottage far enough away where nobody will hear us," I say, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively.

Dylan parks the car in the driveway and looks over at me, so much heat in the depths of those brown eyes. I forget about everything but my need to touch him. It doesn't matter that we've both been working all day, that I'm grimy and covered in dust. I straddle his lap, swallowing his groan as our mouths meet. This. This is what matters. The caress of his thumb against my cheek, the heat of his palm on my lower back, the small sound he makes in the back of his throat when I bite his lip and suck on his tongue. He leans his head back, breathing hard, eyelids heavy with desire. "Do you want to stay in tonight? Watch a movie?" he asks, his voice rough. I lean into his touch as he sweeps my hair away from my face.

I know exactly where this is going if I say yes. "Yes. But I have to eat soon before I turn into somebody you don't want to know."

"I don't think that's possible."

"You're underestimating me."

He grins. "I'll run to the pub to pick up some food. Why don't you grab what you need from the house, and I'll meet you down at the cottage?"

I push open his door and slide off his lap. "Do you need anything?"

"Will you grab me some comfortable clothes?"

"Sure. Don't take too long." I press my lips to his, lingering. He pushes me away when my stomach growls, slamming the door and peeling out of the driveway, blowing me a kiss as he races down the road toward the pub. I can't help but grin as I push through the front door of the house, and run smack into Theo.

"Easy there, Sunflower." He reaches over my head and presses his palm against the door, closing it as he cages me in. One finger tilts my chin, our gazes colliding, awareness buzzing between us. "This week is going so slowly. You have no idea how close I was to begging Dylan to switch days with me," he murmurs, tracing my lower lip with his thumb.

"Two more days, then it's your turn," I say gently, pushing up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He turns his head at the last second, catching my mouth with his, his passion consuming me. I pull away after a couple of seconds, breathing hard. "If you kiss me like this on Dylan's day, then he can kiss me on yours."

"Not a goddamn chance," Theo growls, his face dark.

"That's exactly what I thought." I laugh, ducking under his arm and running up to my room to grab pajamas before heading back downstairs.

"Red, is that you?" Henry calls from the kitchen, coming out in shorts and an apron. No shirt in sight. Jesus Christ.

"Hey, big guy." I smile, suddenly feeling shy. He stops two steps down from me and pulls me into his arms, hugging me tightly.

"I missed you."

"I just saw you at breakfast, Henry," I say, breathing him in. I missed him, too.

"I know, but I miss having time with you. A meal here and there doesn't count, especially when we're all rushing around."

"Three more weeks," I whisper against his shoulder. Three more weeks and we get as much quality time as we want together. Which means sleeping together. All four of us. A shiver wracks my body, desire sliding down my spine, goosebumps following in its wake.

"What was that?" Henry asks, looking down at me.

"Oh, just imagining what it'll be like."

"What what will be like, Isla?" he asks, a sinful edge to his voice.

I give him an exaggerated wink and a quick kiss, pulling away to continue up the stairs. "I have to grab a change of clothes before Dylan gets back."

"Where'd he go?" Henry asks, looking up at me.

"To go get us dinner. We decided to stay in tonight."

"In? Like here?"

"Down at the cottage," I explain, ducking into my room to grab some clothes. When I return, Henry is in the same spot, his hair standing on end like he ran both hands through it.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Fine," he grumbles, turning to head back down the stairs. "This is going to be the longest three weeks of my life," I hear him say as he disappears into the kitchen.

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. He's adorable. Like a lost puppy dog. A few months ago, I would have thought it ridiculous to have a man pouting over being unable to spend time with me. But when it's Henry, how can I resist? The sweetness. Those muscles. That tongue. My core spasms just thinking about what he did to me the other night. Pull it together, Isla. I take a steadying breath and head to Dylan's room, grabbing some sweatpants and a T-shirt, and then pound back down the stairs, yelling goodbye as I head back outside. I peel my dirty clothes off before going inside the cottage, and head straight to the bathroom, turning the water on as hot as it'll go before pulling out my hair elastic and combing through the knots with my fingers. I moan in absolute ecstasy as I step into the shower, turning my back to the spray, steam filling the small space. Once my hair is wet all the way through, I turn around, washing the day's dirt away from my face.

"Honey, I'm home!" Dylan calls from the front door. I hear the sound of rapid footfalls over the water, and then he's practically falling into the bathroom, shirtless, hopping with one foot still in his pants. "Fucking hell. Leave it to me to have the most difficulty getting undressed."

"Come here," I say, opening the shower door and dropping to my knees.

"Isla– "

"Come here, Dylan."

"Fuck." He rubs his hand through his hair a couple times, finally making up his mind and approaching me. I jerk his pants over his foot, throwing them behind him. Sitting back on my heels, I look up at him. Steam caresses his chiseled muscles, making his skin glow. Big brown eyes capture mine, molten desire swirling in their depths. I drag my hands up his legs, ever so slowly, squeezing his ass before sliding my fingertips into his waistband and tugging his boxers down. I go an inch at a time, teasing myself just as much as I'm teasing him. His cock is heavy against his thigh, rising little by little as I uncover him until he springs away from the material, perfectly in line with my mouth. And fuck if I'm not drooling.

He runs the back of his finger over my cheekbone, his touch tender. "Do your worst, Freckles."