33. Greer

CHAPTER 33

GREER

"Welcome home, love." I stepped aside to let him enter our home from the private elevator.

Austin placed our bags in the foyer as he looked around the penthouse I called home. Coming from a wealthy family in the oil industry, he was accustomed to luxury, so I knew the Corinthian marble and high-end furnishings had not caught his attention. It was the view from the thirty-first floor through the floor to ceiling windows that made up every exterior wall and provided a breathtaking, three-hundred-sixty-degree view of Portland, the river, and snow-capped Mt. Hood in the distance.

I stood back and watched as he walked toward the terrace that circled the entire perimeter of the penthouse.

"This view is stunning. And you can see the stadium."

I nodded. "That million-dollar view is what enticed me to buy it." I closed the distance and set my hand on his lower back. Austin wrapped his arm around my shoulder. My heart squeezed at how easily he touched me, like he'd been doing it forever.

"I can see why."

I smiled. "Come on. Let me show you our home."

Stepping away, I took his hand and gave him a tour, beginning with our bedroom. "We can watch the sunrise every morning from our bedroom and then, at the end of the day, watch it set from the living room."

Walking to the bathroom, the light came on automatically. "It's more energy efficient," I said, pointing to the lights. I motioned toward the tub that sat under a huge wall of windows. "Our ensuite soaking tub overlooks Mt. Hood, and our closet has a view."

"Aren't you afraid your neighbors will see you up here?"

I shook my head. "Not at all."

His gaze darkened as his eyes roamed my body. My body heated and my pants tightened under his assessment. "So if I want to suck you off in the tub, no one will be able to see?"

I swallowed, never dropping his gaze. "Not unless you want them to."

Austin slowly closed the distance between us until he stood inches away. He ran his right hand through my hair as he skated his thumb across my lips. Pulling me forward, he whispered, "And if I want to strip you naked and make love to you in the shower, no one will see that either?"

"Not unless you want them to." My eyes closed as my head tipped to the side, wordlessly asking for kisses along my neck.

Pressing his body to mine along the edge of the double vanity, Austin brought his mouth to mine and kissed me deeply. His tongue slid along mine as he pulled me closer, shifting his hips back and forth against my own hard shaft.

Running my hands under the hem of his shirt, I skated my fingers over the taut, firm skin and dragged my short nails lightly over his skin. His body quaked in my arms as he pressed his hips into mine.

I broke our kiss and leaned back to pull his shirt over his head, exposing his flat abdomen. Suddenly, there was nothing I wanted more than to be on my knees for him.

I reached for the button and zipper of his fly. Austin began to undress me, but I stopped him. "No. I want to pleasure you right here like this, in our bathroom, on my knees. Will you let me?"

He nodded. "As long as I get to return the favor."

I laughed. "Any time you want, love."

Austin brought his hands to my face and pulled me in for a kiss as I worked him out of his pants. They dropped to the floor as I took his shaft in my hand, his pre-cum providing all I needed to stroke him gently. I tightened my fist around him as he deepened the kiss, and when he couldn't take anymore, he dropped his head back and took a deep breath.

I took it as my sign and kissed my way down his chest, stopping to lick his right nipple, before dropping to my knees. Austin held my head as I took his shaft into my mouth and sucked. He held my head, but didn't force my movement.

"God, yes, baby. You're so good..."

His praise made me want him even more, so I did what I knew would feel good to me and tugged on his sack. Before long, he was breathing heavily and groaning, thrusting his hips gently so as not to hurt me. One day, he wouldn't have to worry about that. He'd be able to let loose and give it all to me.

"Greer..."

I doubled my efforts as he ran his fingers through my hair, tightening his hold on me. I never knew having my hair pulled would cause such a reaction within me. All I wanted was to watch as he fell apart, but settled for the erotic soundtrack of his panting breaths and moans when he neared the end. His body began shaking with his release as his moans marked the moment he filled my mouth, instantly turning me on even more.

It was crazy how, in just a week's time, I'd learned the sounds he made as neared his climax.

After his release, he grabbed hold of the sink above me as he slipped from my lips. I looked up at him, saliva covering my mouth and face, sure to be a fucking mess. But before I could wipe it away, Austin gently wiped it away onto his palm, before extending his other hand to pull me from the floor.

Pressing me to the sink, he unbuttoned my pants one-handedly and stuffed his right hand down my pants. I'd made a sticky mess in my briefs, but he knew how to make it even better.

He went to work on my cock as he took my mouth. I'd been riding the edge, but the minute he tugged me just so, I fell apart in his hand, shuddering in his arms, gasping for breath.

We clung to each other as I nuzzled my face into his neck, breathing in the scent of him. My knees were sore from the marble, and it suddenly occurred to me I might need to shop.

"I need to buy some thick rugs to put in here." My husband grinned, then pulled me in for a kiss. He didn't care, and neither did I. All that mattered was we were together.

After we'd cleaned up, Austin wandered into the closet. "Will there be room in here for my clothes?"

I looked over at the hanging space and at least a dozen empty shelves. "If you need more space than this, we might need to have it re-done."

Walking to the island of drawers in the middle of the room, I pulled open three drawers that were completely empty. "These are empty, as are all the drawers on the other side. And if that's not enough room, you'll need to have a yard sale."

Austin smiled and pulled me against him. "Have you ever had a yard sale?"

I bit my bottom lip and feigned thinking. "I can't say I have."

"I like clothes, but I'm not a hoarder like GQ. That guy has more than anyone I've ever seen. Well, except for maybe Marcus Monroe. To hear Aidan talk, he needs more than a closet for all his clothes."

I laughed. "That's good to know. Come on, let me show you the rest of the house."

Taking him by the hand, we walked back through the central hallway, and I pointed out the guest rooms that overlooked the river and city. "And as you saw, my office also overlooks the stadium."

"Of course it does," he teased. "That's a requirement, right?"

I looked over my shoulder at him. "No, smartass. It's just a perk for me."

"Is this why you didn't buy a house?"

Heading for the kitchen, I opened the fridge and took out two Portland IPAs. I popped off each bottle cap and handed him one. I looked at the bottle, then at him. "This was what I needed at the time. Don't get me wrong, I love it. But it didn't say family home to me. It was a luxury home for one. And honestly, it's too much. I didn't think I'd be lonely here, but I was wrong."

Austin looked at me with sadness in his gaze before pulling me to the sofa. The inky black sky and stars were bordered by all the myriads of city lights and provided our view as I settled beside him. "You'll never be lonely again, babe. I'll be right here by your side." He took a swallow of his beer as I watched his sexy throat, then set his bottle down. "This place is great for now. But if we decide to have kids, we're going to need a pool and a yard. I want a neighborhood where they can ride their bikes and play with friends. I want to grill out on holidays and invite our friends over. I want a life with you like Simon and Jackson have."

I smiled at him. "You really want kids, don't you?"

"You don't? It's okay if that's not something you're interested in doing again."

Shifting on the sofa, I leaned forward and put my beer on the coffee table. "Austin, it was terrible when the baby died, and I still have a lot of guilt. But that doesn't mean that we should stop living. So spell it all out for me. Tell me what you see for our future, because as long as we're together, I'll do anything."

"But do you want kids? I know you, Greer. You'll go along with whatever I want to do. You're a ‘yes' man."

I laughed. "Okay, you're right. But come on. Spell it out. Explain to me what's changed for you."

He nodded. "Costa Rica changed me. Our eight-hour conversation changed everything. My entire worldview is different now. My parents were too busy with their own lives when I came along, and I never wanted to do that to a kid. But now, I see things a little differently. Neither of us has to do anything, and I guess I have my parents to thank for that. But I want the life I've always wanted with you. I want us to walk our daughter down the aisle one day, and I want to watch our son do whatever he wants to do that makes him happy."

My eyes were filling with tears at the beautiful picture he painted. "You're talking about years that I may not have."

His brows drew together as anger clouded his gaze. "Why do you keep doing that? Don't start that age shit with me, Greer. You're fifty-eight, not seventy-eight. If you don't want that life, then just say so. It's fine."

He got up and picked up his beer. Finishing it, he placed the bottle in the sink. Panic flooded me, because I just knew he was going to leave. But he didn't.

Austin came back and sat on the coffee table in front of me. He reached out and took my hands, then brought them to his lips. When he looked at me, the anger had passed. His look now held one of adoration.

"We can have whatever we want, and there is more to life than security firms and football teams. All I want is for us to pass along this deep love we feel for each other to another little human, because we have a love that should be replicated, not end with our story."

Leaning forward, I cupped his handsome face and kissed him. "I'm sorry," I whispered to him. "I'm not saying no. I just need some time to wrap my head around it."

Austin nodded. "Yeah, okay."

I needed to lighten the mood. "Besides, we've only been married for a week. We haven't even told anyone other than Dreamboat."

His grin and chuckle made me smile. "Don't worry. By tomorrow, everyone in Portland will know."

I frowned. "Seriously?"

He laughed. "No. He might be an asshole, but he won't blab it to everyone."

"I wouldn't care if he did," I said. "But we need to tell Carter before anyone else."

"Yeah, we will. Tomorrow. Right now, though, we need food, because we need to christen every surface in this penthouse."

The smile on my face could not be contained. But I got my wish to tell Carter about us a little sooner than I'd planned.