Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

RYLAND

“Where do you think you’re going?” I ask Gabby as she heads toward her apartment while I carry a passed-out Mac to the house.

“Uh, home,” she says with a laugh.

I shake my head and then nod toward my house. “Sleep over.”

“Are you . . . are you sure? What about Mac?”

“What about her?”

“I don’t want to overstep,” she says, looking nervous. This is why I’m convinced trying a relationship with Gabby is the right move. She’s focused on the little girl in my care and her needs, which says everything I need to know about this amazing woman.

“Would I ask you to spend the night if you were overstepping?”

“No.”

“Then sleep over . . . but only if you want to. I don’t want to pressure you if you’re uncomfortable.”

She gives it some thought. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable.”

“Then get your ass in my house.”

She smiles. “Let me grab my toothbrush and pajamas.”

“You won’t need pajamas,” I say as I move toward the house and let us in.

Mac passed out in the truck after I had to physically put her in myself. For the smallest of moments, I thought about leaving her at Hattie’s place, slipping her into the guest room, and then taking off so I didn’t have to disturb her. But then I remembered that my sister had just gotten engaged, so there was no way they’d want to take care of a four-year-old the next day.

I carry her upstairs and don’t even bother changing her out of her clothes. We slipped her shoes off when we put her in the truck, so all I had to do was place her in bed. I lay her down gently, pull the covers over her, and then place a soft kiss on her forehead. I stare down at her for a moment, my heart feeling really fucking full.

A lot of it has to do with Mac and her acceptance of me but it’s also Gabby, too, a person I never knew I needed or wanted in my life.

I sneak out of Mac’s bedroom and move downstairs where I wait for Gabby.

Tonight was . . . it was amazing. Seeing my little sister get engaged to the man she loves with her family and friends surrounding her, especially after such a rough year, and then being able to lay back in a lounge chair with Gabby, staring up at the stars...I’ve never felt so completely fulfilled.

This is what happiness is.

After trudging through the trenches year after year and feeling every disappointment, every heartache one person can feel, finding light after the darkness is incredible. I never want to let go of this feeling.

The back door opens, and Gabby walks in wearing the T-shirt I gave her and carrying her toothbrush.

“I thought I told you no pajamas.”

She looks up. “Did you want me to walk over here naked and give the neighbors a show?”

“No.”

“Then be grateful I’m wearing the shirt.” She walks right up to me and presses her hand to my chest before standing on her toes and kissing me.

I melt from the feel of her lips on mine.

Nothing will ever be better.

Groaning, I say, “Upstairs.”

I take her hand, and we make our way up to my bedroom, which now actually looks like a bedroom—for the most part. I’m not sleeping on a mattress on the floor. The bed has been put together, and I have nice bedding. Curtains have been hung, boxes have been unpacked, and I even have a few pictures hanging up, thanks to Hattie, who came over one day after work to help me.

Kind of proud to show it off.

I lead her into my bedroom, switch on the light, and await her reaction.

She does not disappoint.

“Ryland, oh my God, it looks . . . wow, it looks amazing in here.”

“Yeah?” I ask. “You like it?”

“Yes, look you even hung pictures, and you have nightstands with lamps, and is that . . . is that a fake plant?”

“That was Hattie. She thought I needed it.”

“She was right. It adds some nice color. Aw, I love it.” She moves into my side. “Do you love it?”

“I do. I love it even more with you in here.”

“Look at you putting the moves on and we haven’t even brushed our teeth yet.”

I chuckle and direct her toward the bathroom. “You’re right, what was I even thinking.”

We get ready for bed. She leans against the counter while brushing her teeth, and I stare at her legs.

After turning on the shower, I strip down for her and start washing my body. From the counter, she watches. And wets her lips. God, I love when she does that.

When I exit, she strips down and steps into the shower, turning on the water.

“Uh, why didn’t you join me?” I ask.

She soaps up her body. “Because I don’t want to be fucked in the shower. And knowing you, that’s what would have happened.”

“Depriving me of shower sex. How dare you?” She chuckles, then she wiggles her eyebrows at me. So fucking cute.

I watch her carefully when she’s out of the shower and dried off, wondering if she’s going to put her shirt back on. When she hangs up her towel and moves into the bedroom, I know I’m the luckiest guy around.

She slips into bed, and I follow her closely, turning off all the lights, casting us in the glow of the moonlight. I slide in close to her and rest on my side, and then my hand falls to her bare hip when she turns toward me as well.

“I like this,” she says.

“So do I. I like having you here a whole fucking lot.” My thumb strokes over her skin. “The night we stayed in San Francisco was the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had, and I’ve been craving another one.”

Her fingers dance over my chest hair. “So have I. I fear after tonight, the craving will only be stronger.”

“Same, which means you might be stuck with me.”

“I’ve been in worse situations,” she teases. “I think I can handle being attached to you.”

“Good, because I have no intention of letting go.” I pull her in closer and run my hand up her back. “Did you have fun tonight?”

“I had the most fun. The only thing that would have made it better was if Bennett was there. But maybe after the season, he can come and hang out and meet everyone.”

“I’d love to spend more time with him,” I say.

“Ethel was saying it might be fun to have some sort of homecoming to Almond Bay for him when the season’s over. I know he’d hate it, but I kind of feel like celebrating his accomplishments.”

“I think it’s a great idea. And we can hang his jersey in the athletics hallway. We always do it for those who have reached the big leagues.”

“Really? Oh, that would be so cool. I’ll let Ethel know. She said she loves throwing events.”

“She lives to throw events,” I say. “You should have seen the number she did on Aubree and Wyatt’s proposal, which, now that I think about it in the context that it was all for show and that they weren’t in love at that point, makes it funnier.”

“I keep hearing about this proposal. I’m going to need to see pictures.”

“I’ll let Aubree know.” My hand glides down her back and rounds over her ass. “I’m glad you had a good time tonight. I loved seeing you mesh so well with my family.”

“It’s hard not to. They make it very easy.”

“Feels seamless, doesn’t it?”

“It does.”

“You know, I was talking to Aubree earlier . . .”

Her fingers pause on my chest. “Let me guess, she told you about a conversation we had out by the rocks.”

“Maybe,” I say. She nods slowly, so I try to ease the obvious tension growing there. “I need you to know I have the same feeling as you. That this all seems too good to be true.”

“You do?” she asks, looking shy.

“Yes, I think about it all the time. It feels like you fell into my lap, and it’s hard to comprehend that something so good could happen to me.”

“That’s exactly how I feel,” she says.

“Like something is bound to happen to mess it all up.”

“It scares me.” Her hand drags down to my stomach. “Because I like you so much, and I don’t want anything to ruin that.”

“I don’t want anything to ruin it either,” I say, gliding my palm over her curves and up her side.

“But it does scare you?”

I nod as her finger circles my belly button, immediately making my cock ache as it grows hard from her innocent touching.

“Scares me a whole fucking lot. And I know this seems to be moving fast, that we said we’d give it time and see how Mac feels, but fuck, sometimes I think she likes you more than me.”

“Not possible. She loves her Uncle Dad.”

I chuckle. “I guess she does.” I wet my lips. “I’m glad Aubree told me how you felt, because it made me feel even more connected to you.”

“It did?” she asks as her fingers connect with the head of my cock.

I suck in a sharp breath before answering. “Yeah.” And then I push her to her back and move over her, letting her gently wrap her hand around my cock as I take her mouth with mine, kissing her over and over because I’ll never get enough of this. Of her lips. Of her taste, of her entire body.

I want this forever.

I want her forever.

I release her mouth, kiss down her jaw to her neck, and then farther down her body, where I find her supple tits and drag the flat part of my tongue over her nipples.

“Yes,” she whispers, knowing she must be quiet. “God, I love your tongue. Will you let me come on it tonight?”

“Planned on it, babe,” I say as I move down her body, circle my tongue around her belly button, over her pubic bone, and then place a gentle kiss right on her slit. She opens her legs wider for me, places one hand behind her head, and then watches as I split her with my fingers and press my tongue along her arousal. “Yes, so fucking drenched already. Such a good girl.”

She sighs heavily and sinks into the mattress as I work my tongue around her clit. I wipe around, along, and then on top, creating a pattern that seems to make her nuts as her breathing grows heavy and her other hand grips the covers below us.

“Oh my God, Ryland, whatever you’re doing . . . don’t . . . stop.”

I look up at her as I continue to work my tongue over her hardening clit and take in how her skin reddens, the light glisten of sweat over her chest, the slight part of her mouth, almost as if she’s in awe from what she’s experiencing.

“Play with those nipples, baby,” I say, lifting for a second because hell, I love watching her play with herself.

Her hands fall to her breasts, and her hips start rotating as her orgasm builds.

“That’s it, Gabby. Fuck, you’re so hot.”

With my spare hand, I start pumping my cock as I keep my mouth on her, lapping at her clit, loving how goddamn wet she is. From the sounds she’s making, watching her play with herself, and her taste on my tongue, my orgasm moves up my spine as well, gearing me up for so much fucking pleasure that it takes everything in me to release my cock and focus on getting her off.

Slipping two fingers inside her, I curl them upward and press into her at just the right spot that makes her fly up to her hands and stare down at me with shock in her eyes.

“Oh my God, Ryland. Fuck . . . oh my God.”

She’s going to come . . . and hard. I can see it in those eyes of hers. She’s right there, teetering on the edge, and because I’m a selfish prick, I don’t want her coming just yet, so I pull away.

“No,” she says on a gasp. “Ryland. Fuck. What are you doing?”

I sit back and stare at her, the eternal state of unsatisfied washing over her pink skin.

I sit up on my knees and say, “Lie back and open your mouth.”

She studies me for a few moments and then listens. I straddle her body and bring my cock to her mouth. “Need to fuck you here.” I line her lips with my tip, then I move inside her.

Thankfully, she’s ready for me and sucks hard as I enter her mouth.

“Fuck,” I say, punching the headboard from how goddamn good that feels. “Jesus Christ, I’ve thought about this all day. This filthy mouth sucking me off.” I slowly pump into her. “This mouth was made for me. That’s it, baby, take me deep.”

She parts her lips and lets me hit her all the way back to her throat. I pull all the way out and line her lips again with the tip. When I enter, she sucks even harder, making me nearly black out as her cheeks hollow.

“Again,” I say, pulling out and moving back in. “Fucking . . . again.” Then I pull out and flop back on the bed. My aching, surging cock twitches against my stomach, searching out release.

I breathe heavily, the effects of the edging rocking over my body.

She comes up to me and kisses my neck, then my chest, then my stomach, moving closer to my cock but never going where I need her.

“Torture me. Make me beg,” I tell her.

She makes that her own personal mission and spreads my legs before moving between them. She kisses up my inner thigh, then brings her mouth to my balls, where she gently starts flicking them with the tip of her tongue.

“That’s it, baby, fucking drive me wild.”

She drags her tongue over the seam, then back down while her fingers curl around the base of my cock. She doesn’t pump, but she does squeeze tightly, creating a delicious sensation as she hums against my balls, like my own personal vibrator.

“Jesus, fuck,” I say as I wiggle under her, looking for friction, anything, but she doesn’t give it to me. She just continues to squeeze me, tighter and tighter, while humming against my sack. My legs start to go numb, my cock twitches, and pre-cum seeps from the tip. “Fuck, I need more, baby. Something. Give me that pussy.”

I can practically feel her smile against me as she releases my length and moves up my body. She straddles my head and brings her arousal right to my mouth.

I asked for it, and she’s delivering.

My dick’s so goddamn hard, ready to explode, but I swipe my tongue over her slit and cup her breast, squeezing and running her nipple between my fingers. Her hips rotate over my face, her hand clasping mine, helping me squeeze her breast.

“God, no one makes me come like you,” she says. “Yes, right there, Ryland.”

She tenses above me, and her mouth parts open, indicating she’s right there.

I move her off me and flip her to her back, where I press kisses down her stomach, across her hips, and then I lean back on my heels and grip my cock. It feels so heavy in my hand since I’m so dangerously close to my orgasm.

She stares up at me, looking dazed and confused.

“I’m going to burst,” she says.

“Same,” I say, unable to control my breathing. I lie back and position my cock upward. “Ride me, baby. Make us come together.”

Within seconds, she’s on top of me, legs spread, and when she hovers above my cock and presses down, both of us groan loud enough to wake up Mac. But that doesn’t stop us because her hands fall to my chest, her fingers digging into my skin, and she pulses over me, creating the most delicious friction of my goddamn life.

“God yes, oh my God, yes, yes,” she chants as she moves faster and faster, rubbing her clit over me, her cunt tightening over my cock. “More. More.”

I flip her to her back and take charge, driving into her.

“Yes, deeper, Ryland. Fuck me deeper.”

Jesus Christ.

A deep, tingling sensation creeps up my back as I pound into her now, rocking the bed to the point that I’m afraid it might fucking snap in half.

“I want your cum . . . deep inside me.”

Unable to control myself, I position one hand on the bed, and the other around her neck, lightly gripping her.

“Yes, fuck me, like that,” she says.

“Take it, Gabby. Take this fucking cock.” I slam into her, making her cry out.

“Ahhhh, yes. Just like that.”

“Take . . . this . . . cock,” I grunt, moving my hips so fast that I start to lose my breath. The room turns black, my body tenses, and then she calls out . . .

“Fuck, I’m coming.” Her cunt tightens around me, contracting and tugging on my cock so hard as she falls apart that I have no choice but to join her.

“Uhhhh, motherfucker,” I groan as I spill inside her, my goddamn body floating in ecstasy as I fill her up. I continue to pump a few more times, feeling her continue to contract around me as we both catch our breath.

After a few seconds, I lie on top of her but use my elbows on the mattress to keep my body weight off her.

She sleepily smiles up at me, then wraps her arms around me and kisses me hard. Her tongue parts my lips, and she open-mouth kisses me. When she pulls away, she brushes my hair out of my face and dreamily looks up at me.

“What?” I ask. I want to know what’s on her mind.

“Nothing,” she says.

“Say it.”

She shakes her head.

“Fucking say it, Gabby.”

“No.” She looks away, but I take her chin in my hand and force her to look at me.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“I . . . I don’t want?—”

“You won’t regret it. Just fucking say it.”

She shifts, and after a few seconds, she finally says, “I’m falling in love with you, Ryland.”

Fucking music to my ears.

I press my forehead to hers and whisper, “I’m falling in love with you, too.”

Her teeth pull on her bottom lip, and she kisses me again. This time, it’s softer, more subtle, and as she lies there with me still inside her, I start to grow again with every gentle swipe of her tongue. Before we know it, I’m starting to move inside her again.

But this time, it’s different.

This time . . . we’re making love.

Ryland: I love her.

Hattie: Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! I freaking knew it. I saw this coming a mile away.

Aubree: Aw, really?

Ryland: Yes. I fucking love her so goddamn much. She spent the night last night. She’s upstairs sleeping while Mac watches a show and I make pancakes. She’s everything. We told each other we’re falling in love.

Hattie: What a freaking weekend. I get engaged, and you fall in love. Aubree . . . are you pregnant? Maybe round out the trifecta here.

Aubree: Definitely not pregnant. Sorry to disappoint, but Wyatt did tell me that he wanted to invest in a new pair of loafers, so maybe that’s a new addition to the family.

Hattie: No.

Ryland: Loafers are essential for a fancy man going on book tours.

Aubree: That’s what he told me. He then spent an hour shopping online to no avail. So seems like you two had better nights.

Hattie: Much better nights. Want me to go into detail?

Ryland: For God’s sake, no.

Aubree: Boundaries, Hattie, have them.

Hattie: Just trying to see how close we are.

Aubree: Not that close. Share with Maggie.

Hattie: Oh, I will, but back to Ryland. This is so exciting. So . . . does this mean I might hear wedding bells for you two?

Ryland: It means that I want to take things further, that I want her to spend more nights here, see how Mac reacts, and go from there. But yeah . . . I think I can manage this. I think I can have her and still take care of my responsibilities.

Aubree: I think so too.

Hattie: I love this for you, Ryland. And I know Cassidy would have loved this as well. Not to get emotional, but she’s been on my mind lately, especially with the engagement. I think she’d be proud of all of us.

Ryland: I think she would too. She would have loved Gabby, and she would have loved the way Gabby treats Mac.

Aubree: She would have.

Hattie: So are we going to celebrate your newfound love? Maybe throw a party?

Ryland: Uh, no, but I was talking to Gabby last night about her brother, Bennett. Ethel wants to throw a coming home party for him when the season’s over. Think you guys can keep Ethel in line—the best you can—so we can make the day special for them?

Aubree: I think we can manage, but if she goes rogue, that’s not on us.

Hattie: You saw what she did for Aubree’s engagement.

Ryland: Exactly, and that’s why I’m looking toward you two to help her, keep her reined in.

Aubree: We can try.

Hattie: But when she’s in party-planning mode, she’s difficult to be around.

Ryland: Have my back, ladies. Make this great for Bennett and Gabby.

Hattie: Question, why are we in charge? Why can’t you speak to Ethel?

Aubree: Great point. Are you so scared of Ethel that you don’t think you can handle her, so you pawn her off on your little sisters?

Ryland: No. She doesn’t respect men. That’s the problem. You saw what she did to Wyatt—he was carted around in a kiddie train. She needs to work with her own kind. She’ll respect your opinion more.

Hattie: He has a point.

Aubree: I’m honestly surprised she didn’t make Wyatt blossom from a flower after being carted out in a kiddie train.

Hattie: Missed opportunity if you ask me.

Aubree: Could not agree more. Maybe I’ll have her make him blossom for the party just for the hell of it.

Ryland: Please don’t.

Hattie: Please don’t? Please DO. I’m over here already researching how to make a grown man blossom.

Aubree: Let me know what you find. I’d love nothing more than to witness my man grow from a seedling to a flower in front of the whole town.

Hattie: On it.

Ryland: I think I might regret this.