35. Chapter Thirty-five

Chapter Thirty-five

Remington

Sometime during the night, I woke from something other than a nightmare. Hannah and I had fallen asleep on her couch. We were both too long for it—the crick in my neck evidence to that—so I carried her to bed and fell back asleep curled around her. My girl in my arms.

In the morning, I woke up rested for the first time in days. Hannah was still dead to the world, so I sat up and watched her. She lay on her back, her thick chestnut hair cascading over her white pillowcase, lips rosy and pursed. She was a sleeping beauty. I snatched my phone from the bedside table and took a few pictures of her. I couldn’t help myself.

After a while, she started to stir. First, stretching her arms over her head, then rubbing her cheek against her pillow. With a soft gasp, her eyes fluttered open, darting around until they landed on me sitting above her.

“Morning, beautiful,” I said softly.

“It’s a good morning waking up to you,” she replied. “I don’t even mind knowing you were watching me sleep.”

“Good, because I liked it.”

She rolled into me, throwing her arm around my waist. “I hope you slept.”

“I did. Just woke up a few minutes ago.” I slid my fingers through her hair and curled my arm around her shoulder. “You still love me?”

She tipped her head back, a line carving between her brows. Maybe I was still feeling a little raw from the last few days, but I needed her to say it. Lucky for me, she gave it to me.

“Yeah, Rem, I love you. How about you? Still love me?”

“Love and adore you, Hannah.”

Pushing herself upright, she planted her knees on either side of my hips and pressed her chest to mine. My arms moved on instinct, holding her to me.

“I fell asleep listening to your heartbeat,” she said. “Now I want you to feel mine beating with yours. Do you feel that?”

“I do.”

With her solid weight on me and in my arms, I settled. Closing my eyes, I cradled the back of her head, bringing her face into my neck and my nose in her hair. Soft, clean, sweet, I inhaled her until my lungs were filled. My Hannah.

Her lips grazed my neck, and her fingers stroked along my shoulders and down my bare chest. I touched her too, lifting her flannel to trail along her spine to the cleft at the base then back up again. Her skin was smooth, muscles rippling under the path I followed.

She lifted her face and brought it to mine. First to rub noses, then to roll her forehead along mine. I tipped my chin, she lowered hers, and our mouths met in a sleepy, languid kiss. Warm tongue against warm tongue, wet lips and hot breath. Kissing Hannah was an experience all unto itself. Sometimes frantic and needy, sometimes sweet and adoring. This one, though…this kiss was all about connection after a separation that hadn’t been long in time but endless in the depth of our loss.

“Hannah,” I whispered.

“Remington,” she answered.

I cupped her bottom with both hands, pulling her closer. Her heat penetrated my briefs, aligning with my steely erection. She rocked against me, drawing her center along mine, two thin layers of cotton doing nothing to hide either of our need.

Pushing her panties to the side, I followed her seam from her back hole to her sleek little cunt and dipped one finger inside her. She shuddered, teeth clamping on my bottom lip as I explored her.

“That’s my girl.” I rested my head on her headboard to watch as I pushed my finger in deeper. “My gorgeous girl.”

Panting, she ground down on me, rotating her hips to the slow, steady rhythm I’d set. Her fingers curled around my shoulders as she dipped down to move her mouth over me, nipping and suckling my neck, then shifting lower. Her tongue circled one nipple then the other. She laved my chest, taking her time when she reached the space above my heart. There, she kissed and kissed and kissed. Her lips roamed the parts of my body she could reach, leaving no skin unadored.

“Hannah, look at me.”

Raising her head, she dragged her tongue along her puffy lips. “I see you.”

I curled my finger inside her, pressing against her inner wall. “Do you feel that?”

“Oh yeah. I feel it.”

“What do you want?”

She rocked against me, her breath stuttering. “I want you inside me. To feel all of you.”

“Take my cock out.”

She reached between us, and I raised my hips to help her as she shoved my underwear down. Once she’d freed me, her fingers closed around my length and pumped up and down. We stroked each other, watching, breathing in time.

“Unbutton your shirt. Show me everything,” I said.

With her free hand, she worked to undo her buttons, revealing slices of skin until the sides finally parted. Everything stopped then—my breath, my heart, my thoughts. I’d almost lost this beauty. Had almost let her walk away from me due to both our fears. Now I had her, and there was not a chance I’d ever let her go.

“Give me your heart.”

“You have it,” she uttered as she leaned forward, allowing me access to her. I pressed my mouth over the flutter beneath her ribs. It beat in time to the pulse throbbing inside me, echoing her name.

I took one of her nipples into my mouth, sucking deep. Sweet skin and pebbled cherry nipples on my tongue and lips. Her pussy in one hand, round ass in the other. I was overwhelmed by my desire for this woman—to connect with her on every level I could for as long as she welcomed me.

She rose up on her knees, losing my finger, and quickly replaced it with my cock. She took me in a slow slide, her eyes on mine, her hands braced on my stomach.

“There,” she murmured when her ass settled on my lap. “There you are.”

“Right where I belong.” I shoved her shirt the rest of the way off, needing to see more of her.

Once she was bare except for her scant panties bunched to the side, I spent a long moment taking her in. Long and lean. Pretty little tits that fit perfectly in my palms. A taut stomach, rounded hips, a waist designed for me to hold on to…my Hannah made up an ideal I’d never known I had until I’d laid eyes on all she was.

“You’re so beautiful, baby,” I told her as I gripped her waist. “I could look at you forever.”

“Could you?” She rolled her hips, squeezing around me. “That’s good because I like looking at you too.”

I let her have her way, setting an unhurried pace. It was good to just be inside her and touch her all over with the knowledge she was mine. We had time now. There was no need to speed through this.

“I’m thinking about the winter coming up,” I told her.

Her mouth hitched as she bounced on me. “Are you? That’s what you’re thinking about?”

“I am. I’m thinking of the long winter in store for us, where all we’ll have is each other to keep warm. Roads will be snowy. We might get stuck inside for days and days.”

“Hmmm.” Her fingers crawled along my abdomen and up my chest, stopping to tease my nipples. “Whatever will we do with all that time?”

“I think”—I bucked my hips, hitting a new spot inside her—“we’re going to have to get creative so we don’t get bored.”

An eyebrow rose, and her inner walls clamped around me. “You think you’ll get bored with me, Remington? Is that what you’re saying?”

I took her ass cheeks in my hands, kneading them before giving her a light swat. “I know I won’t get bored with you. We’re gonna have fun together, aren’t we?”

Her breathing stuttered when I slapped her again, harder this time. “What do you want to do with me?” she asked.

“Make you come in every room of the house. Tie you up.” My heels dug into the mattress, giving me the leverage to push deeper inside her. “Let you tie me up. Spank you for being naughty. Eat you out for being such a gorgeous, wonderful girl. Fuck your pussy until you scream. Fuck your ass until I can’t see straight.”

“More,” she panted, her movements picking up speed and purpose. “Will you feed me your cock? Give me your cum for breakfast?”

“I will, then I’ll make you waffles with sprinkles and lick syrup off your thighs.”

“Yes!” Her head fell back, long ribbons of her hair grazing my hands on her ass. “I want you to take me outside when it’s snowing. Pull my pants down just enough to get to me.”

My eyes were like marbles in my head, rolling wildly from how hot this woman was. My woman.

“I’ll have to fuck you fast, baby. I won’t let you get cold.”

“Yes. Fast and rough, Rem. Bend me over the porch railing and give it to me because you can’t help it—because you need me right then and there.”

“Oh fuck, Hannah.” I surged into her, laziness replaced by urgency, needing to have more of her. “I have to have you.”

“You have me.” She brought her head back up, fiery eyes locking on mine. “I love you so much.”

“Love you too,” I gritted out as I flipped us around, putting Hannah on her back. Her long legs were draped over my arms, giving me the space to rut into her like the feral animal she always turned me into.

“Yes, Rem, yes. Don’t stop.” Nails dug into my shoulders, but I was only vaguely aware of the sharp bite. She felt too good, looked too beautiful, for anything other than her to enter my focus.

“Never, sweetheart. Never stopping.”

Hannah released a long “Oooohhhhhh” as her neck arched and her body clasped around mine. It was too much. I couldn’t handle how breathtaking she was, the offering of her throat, her tits, her entire being. Falling on her, I ravished her neck with my lips and teeth and took her breast in hand, the soft give of it pushing me over the edge.

Her racing pulse thrashed beneath my tongue as I spilled inside her, jerking and spurting over and over. My arms gave out from the strength of my orgasm, and I collapsed on top of her.

A breath whooshed out of her, then she laughed and circled her limbs around me, keeping me there.

“I’m gonna squash you.” It was barely a protest since I wasn’t moving. Not even if this building burned down.

Her hold on me tightened. “I like you squashing me. Don’t you dare move.”

Laughing against her skin, I realized a broken piece of me had mended. Finding her, this woman I never saw coming, had become my home.

I kissed her cheek with all the tenderness I held for her and sighed into her hair.

“I wouldn’t dream of moving, sweetheart. Not even for a second.”

Monday morning came fast. Hannah had to go back to work, which meant we were parting. A shot of panic struck my gut, but only for a second. Then her hand slipped into mine, and I settled again.

She was stopping in to see Phoebe before heading out to the house to grab her tools. I’d been invited to join her, but my woman needed a few minutes of sister time along with her customary blueberry muffin, so I declined.

“You’re walking me to my truck, sweetheart?”

She grinned at me, resting her head on my arm as we strolled down the sidewalk together. “My mother taught me manners. I would never have my way with you without giving you a proper goodbye.”

I laughed. “I’ll have to thank Elena for teaching you so well.”

“You do, and I’ll never let you in my bed again.”

I stopped abruptly and took her in my arms, jerking her against me. “That’s never going to happen. Soon as I can arrange it, your bed will be my bed too.”

“Are you asking me to move in?”

My brow lowered. “I thought I made that clear. Dell finishes the official transfer, and that house is yours.”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t want that.”

My heart stopped. “You don’t?”

“No. It’s our house, Remi. Like Graham wanted it. Yours and mine. If I’m gonna live there with you, that’s how it’s going to stay.”

Relief swept through me, and I dipped down to crush my mouth against hers. “You’re a menace, sweetheart. Next time, lead with the good news, all right? I would love it to be ours—so long as you’re planning on living there with me.”

She giggled, holding me just as tight. “That’s a deal. Now, let’s get you back to the house so I can steal a muffin from my sister.”

We made it to my truck, which had been parked in the same spot for two days. My eye caught something tucked under my wiper, and I figured it was a coupon or flier. Giving it a look, I realized it wasn’t either of those things.

Hannah crowded in beside me. “Oooh, a love note? What’s it say?”

“Probably critiquing my parking job,” I joked, attempting to cover the dread pitted in my stomach as I unfolded the paper.

You lie with dogs, you get fleas.

Told you she’s a slut.

Too bad you didn’t listen.

Too late for you now.

“What the hell? Who would write something like that?” Hannah cried. “And what does it mean they told you?”

Carefully folding the note, I tucked it in my pocket and faced her. “I got another note like this a while ago and put it out of my mind. I’m sorry you had to see that, sweetheart. That was my mistake.”

She glanced around us as if looking for the author. “I don’t get it. Why would anyone—do you think this was Christine or Cleve?”

“I’d guess so, yeah.” I took her in my arms and kissed her forehead. “You go ahead to Sugar Rush, be with Phoebe. I’m going to take this to the station.”

“I can go with you.”

“No. You don’t need to be a part of this. I’ll take care of it.”

I was pissed off she'd had to see it in the first place. I would not allow her day to be interrupted by this ugliness. She’d done nothing wrong and in no way deserved this. My girl was strong, but she didn’t need to be when she had me. I’d stand between her and anything or anyone who wanted to take her down. It would not happen on my watch.

Her agreement came easily, surprising me. “If you’re sure. I’d fight you, but I have a loaded schedule and—”

“Don’t want you to fight me.” I took her chin between my fingers. “Hear me? I have the time and inclination to deal with this and shield you all I can, and that’s what I’m going to do. Go eat your muffin and gossip with your sister, sweetheart. I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as I can.”

She sighed into me, her eyes closing for a moment. “I hate that we had such an amazing weekend and now this.”

“Doesn’t take away from any of the amazingness. You still love me?”

“Of course I do.”

“I still love you. Falling deeper with every beat of my heart.”

“Remington…” I would have called it an admonishment, but she smiled, “I’m falling deeper too.”

“Yeah.” I let her go, moving back a step. “Get on. I’ll see you later.”

“See you later.”

I watched her until she disappeared into the bakery, then I got moving. I had business to take care of and my woman to protect.