Chapter 29

twenty-nine

. . .

Easton

“Can’t you just buy pies that are already made?” I asked, as I tossed a few candied apples into the basket because they were my favorite.

We were shopping at The Green Basket, and everyone and their mom were there too. This was the last place that I wanted to be.

“Yes. But they don’t taste as good. Darleen and I used to make pies every year together. It’s sort of a tradition.”

“Hey, Henley. Nice to see you back here,” Josh Black said, and the way he was looking at my girlfriend was pissing me the fuck off.

“Hi, Josh. Happy almost Thanksgiving. We just came to grab some stuff to make a couple of pies.” She smiled before turning back to inspect the apples.

“Easton Chadwick is going to make a pie? I find that hard to believe.” He chuckled like a pretentious fucker.

“Yes, Josh. I’m going to make a pie with my girlfriend because it makes her happy.” I quirked a brow, and Henley glanced over at me and shook her head, but I didn’t miss the smile on her face. She knew me well.

“I heard you won the pickleball championship again. I’m sure it’s bittersweet since our team had to forfeit this year, so you can’t technically say you beat everyone. Just giving you a heads-up that me and my boys are coming back stronger than ever next season,” he said, tossing an orange in the air and catching it.

“Good for you. I was disappointed to see that you quit mid-season. Again. Did that have anything to do with the fact that you were losing?” I asked, because this guy talked a lot of shit for someone who’d never made it through one season. The minute his team lost their first game, he always made up a reason why they had to stop playing.

“Pfft,” he huffed. “You wish, Chadwick.”

“Actually, you’re wrong. I wish you’d finish a season so you wouldn’t continually tell me that we didn’t really win because you weren’t able to compete.” I leaned forward. “Let me give you a little tip, Josh. You’ve got to finish a season before you shit talk.”

“Well, I’ll be out on the water for the last river raft of the season. I sure don’t have a problem holding my own on the water with you, do I?” he asked as he followed me over to the baking aisle.

What the hell kind of pissing match was this? I’d come here for some damn pie ingredients, and this dude was all over my ass.

“I don’t know. I’m usually in front of you, so I have no idea if you hold your own. Plus, it’s not a race; it’s just about finishing. We don’t even start at the same time.”

Henley turned around, and her gaze locked with mine. “Okay. We need to focus, and I need your help.”

“I’m just giving your boyfriend a little shit. I better get back up front,” Josh said. “But it was really good to see you, Henley. And you’re looking gorgeous today.”

What the fuck is this guy’s deal?

He walked away, and I flipped him the bird behind his back.

“It’s Thanksgiving. Stop being so competitive,” she whispered against my ear and nipped at my lobe.

“He’s a dick,” I grumped. “Can we please get out of here?”

“Yes.” She smiled as we made our way to the checkout.

“Did you see ‘The Taylor Tea’ column that just came out today?” Edith asked, and I groaned because she and Oscar were in front of us in line. We were never going to get out of here.

“This is why I don’t go shopping on a Saturday. Everyone wants to talk about that ridiculous column.” I glanced at Henley as she flipped through the Rosewood River Review .

“It’s my favorite. I wonder if any of the Chadwicks will be in the column this week,” Henley said with a laugh.

“Oh, you can count on it. It’s all about how Easton is no longer the king of the river,” Oscar said, and he looked way too happy about it. “Now my lady can stop fawning all over you.”

“He’s still the pickleball champ and a decent lawyer,” Edith said. “Well, according to ‘The Taylor Tea,’ he didn’t win his last case, so maybe practicing law isn’t his thing anymore either.”

They were literally talking shit about me while I stood beside them.

“I can hear you. You know that, right?” I grumped, and Henley was still laughing.

“Hey, pickleball is still a skill. But you’re always the first one to lead everybody down that river. So what’s the deal? It sounds like you’re getting soft,” Edith said, as if this was her defense.

“We’re going to be on that raft on Friday. He was just waiting to see how the weather was.” My girlfriend was piping in now and sticking up for me, which only made things even worse.

“He’s never cared about the weather in the past. But suddenly, the slightly cooler temperatures are making him behave like a big baby.” Oscar’s head fell back in laughter, and that dick Josh started laughing from behind the counter, too.

“Don’t you fret, Easton. You’re still easy on the eyes.” Edith patted me on the cheek, and I wanted to get the hell out of this place.

I grabbed the paper and read the column.

Hey there, Roses. We’ve got a lot going on in town this coming week. Oscar and Edith are going to be serving Thanksgiving dinner at the Honey Biscuit, and word on the street is that Edith will be making her famous pumpkin pies and giving a free slice to everyone who comes in.

“You know, Edith. ‘The Taylor Tea’ is always very kind to you. Maybe you’re the one writing this column. I mean, they’re practically advertising the fact that you’re giving out free pie.” I quirked a brow.

“I can’t help it if the paper loves me. My food does the talking. Keep reading, pretty boy. You haven’t gotten to the good part yet,” she said, as Josh stood at the end of the register, watching the cashier check us out.

“You know you have to buy that paper now. You can’t just enjoy it in line and then give it back,” the asshole said.

“Yeah. I’m quite aware how being a consumer works, Josh,” I hissed, before looking down as I continued reading.

Henley was talking away with Oscar about his good ole days on the river and how he misses it now.

The annual river raft is for the most skilled rafters in Rosewood River. But this year, I have on good faith that our favorite Chadwick might not be leading his team in their raft. Apparently, our favorite lawyer is more focused on pickleball than winning cases and rafting on the river. I guess our king of the river is ready to retire his crown because it might be a little too cold outside. I wonder if any of the Chadwicks will show up on Friday morning? Maybe they’ve all gone soft.

That’s okay. Rosewood River’s favorite family might just want to chill by the fire with a blanket and some pie while the rest of us celebrate Rosewood River-style and soar down the river in our rafts.

Anonymous

I tossed the paper onto the conveyor belt, and Henley turned to look at me.

“I say we smoke them all on Friday,” she said, before pushing up on her tiptoes and kissing me.

My phone vibrated, and I looked down to see a missed call from Dr. Langford. I’d canceled my appointment this week. It was a holiday, and I wanted to spend some time with my girl and my family.

I didn’t need fucking therapy right now.

“Go ahead and drop that crown off any time, Chadwick,” Josh said with a smirk, and I handed my card to the girl ringing us up when she gave me the total.

“Seeing as it’s a metaphor and there is no crown, I won’t be doing that.”

“Never would have guessed you a coward,” he said, and that shit pissed me off.

“Don’t get excited, Josh. I rarely back down from a challenge.”

“If you need to borrow some fuzzy socks and a parka, just let me know. I can ask my grandmother to loan you hers. It’s not even that cold outside. I think you’re just afraid to lose.” He chuckled and walked away.

“Says the dude who quits pickleball every single season,” I whisper-hissed to my girlfriend as we walked out of the store.

“They write about you because you’re a hot topic, Chadwick,” she teased, as we walked toward home, and I held the two grocery bags in my hand. “I love it here this time of year. The ribbons on the light posts and the twinkle lights at night. It’s so adorable and festive.”

I nodded, but I was still fuming about the column.

I’d been asked by several people in town if we were going to lead that run this year, and I’d made the comment that I hadn’t decided if I was going to do it because of the weather.

It wasn’t even fucking cold.

My issue had nothing to do with the weather.

My issue was that my girlfriend wanted to do it, and I didn’t want her in the raft with us.

So I was trying to convince everyone that we should skip it this year.

But Josh fucking Black and his red fucking baskets at a store called The Green Basket were pissing me off.

“Whatever. The column is stupid.”

“You know the best way to shut up a hater, don’t you?” she asked, as we turned the corner toward my house.

“Punch him in the face?”

“You should join us in that raft and stop being ridiculous about the weather. You do it every year.” She walked up the steps toward the front door.

“Join you?”

“Yes. Rafe and Axel said they’d lead the raft, and Bridger and Archer are both in. Obviously, Clark isn’t going to be able to join us because he’s got a hockey game. Which, by the way, I’m excited that we’re going to be in the city to cheer him on later that night.”

My jaw fell open. “You’re doing it without me?”

“I told you that I wanted to try it. I’ll be in a raft with a helmet and a life jacket. And I think I’m the reason you aren’t doing it, and I don’t like that.” She walked inside ahead of me, and I set the groceries on the counter.

I stepped up behind her and wrapped my arms around her, nuzzling my chin against her neck. “It’s dangerous, baby.”

“So is life. You practically castrated a man on the pickleball court.” She chuckled.

“He had it coming.” I kissed her neck. “You’re not going out on that river without me.”

She turned around in my arms. “Then it looks like we’re going together. Let’s give ‘The Taylor Tea’ something to talk about.”

I leaned down and kissed her hard before picking her up and carrying her down the hallway, through the bedroom, and into the bathroom.

I turned on the shower, and she raised her arms for me to pull her long-sleeve shirt off, before pushing up so I could peel her jeans down her thighs.

“You’re so pretty, baby.” My lips trailed down her neck, to her collarbone before I tugged the straps of her bra down.

I teased her hard peaks with my tongue right over the pink lace fabric, and she arched into me as I unsnapped her bra and tossed it on the floor.

“I want your clothes off,” she said, as she reached for my tee and tugged it up and over my head.

I looked down at her, and she studied me. “You’re looking at me weird. What are you thinking?”

“Move in with me.”

“What?” She smiled, her eyes wide.

“I want to fall asleep with you every night. I want to wake up with you every morning. And I want to fuck you in the shower any time we feel like it.”

“That’s very romantic,” she said over her laughter.

My hand moved to the side of her face. “I want to bring you a cake donut and chocolate milk every Sunday and make plans for our day together. I love you, Henley, and I want every day with you.”

A tear ran down her cheek, and she smiled. “I want every day with you, too.”

“Yeah? So you’ll move in with me?”

“Or you can move in with me.” She smirked.

“I don’t care where we live. I just want to be with you.”

“Me, too. Cake donuts and chocolate milk, Chadwick. Rides down the river and pickleball,” she whispered.

“And shower sex. Don’t forget the shower sex.”

“Why don’t you remind me how great it is, then,” she said, as she reached for the button and zipper of my jeans.

I shoved them down, along with my boxer briefs, and picked her up, her legs wrapping around my waist as I carried her to the shower.

The bathroom was filled with steam, the water was hot, and I had everything I needed right here.

“Shit. I forgot a condom,” I said, setting her down on her feet and turning for the door.

She stopped me. “I told you that I got on the pill a few weeks ago. We’ve both been tested, and I want to feel you. All of you.”

Had a man ever loved a woman the way that I loved Henley Holloway?

I didn’t think it was possible.

The water poured down on us, and I tipped her head back and kissed her.

Gently this time.

Something had shifted between us, and through the falling water, her gaze locked with mine when I pulled back.

I lifted her up, and her legs wrapped around my waist as her back pressed against the shower wall. I positioned her just right, one hand supporting her ass and the other on the side of her neck.

My eyes never left hers as I pushed into her.

Holy shit.

Nothing had ever felt better.

I’d never been with a woman without a condom.

This was different.

She was different.

I pulled out slowly and drove back in.

Over and over.

We just watched one another, and her sapphire blues were filled with emotion. I saw it there. All the love we felt for one another.

Her hands pressed against my shoulders as she met me thrust for thrust.

I tugged her head down, my mouth crashing into hers as I moved faster.

Both of us were close now, and I gripped her hips as we found our pace.

Our rhythm.

My tongue explored that sweet mouth as I felt her tighten around my dick.

Her head fell back on a gasp, and I knew she was close.

I thrust faster, and she exploded around me, her gorgeous body shaking and trembling as I pumped into her once more.

And that was all it took. I went right over the edge with her.

And I wanted to stay there forever.