23. Taran

CHAPTER 23

TARAN

Wynter lay beside me, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The soft glow of the bedside lamp painted his skin in warm, golden light. We were tangled together under the covers, naked, fully sated from making love, his arm draped over my waist, my hand tracing lazy circles on his muscular back. His skin was smooth, warm, and every inch of him felt like a place I’d always been meant to touch.

Rory was at the community center tonight, volunteering at the annual Winter Game Night. It was a big deal in Aspen Ridge—board games, hot chocolate, and enough holiday leftovers to feed the entire town. He’d asked if he could stay over at Matthew’s despite the fact he was grounded. I relented and gave him permission to go, maybe because Wynter had convinced me to do so after he gave me a blowjob I wouldn’t soon forget, which left the house blissfully ours for the night.

Wynter shifted, his leg brushing against mine. “You’re staring.” His voice was low and rough, tinged with amusement.

“Can’t help it.” I leaned in, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “You’re the best thing I’ve seen all day.”

He laughed softly, his hand resting on my chest. “Better than Rory’s victory dance this morning?”

“Much better.” I brushed my lips over his again. “You’re my favorite sight every day.”

“Poor kid couldn’t stop gloating after beating us at Scrabble.”

I chuckled, the memory of Rory’s triumphant whoop and exaggerated shuffle filling my mind. “It was his first win all week—let him have it.”

We fell into a comfortable silence, the kind where words weren’t necessary. I ran my fingers through his hair, savoring the feel of him against me, the weight of his body half-draped over mine.

“You’ve done so much for Rory,” I said eventually, my voice quiet. “More than I could’ve ever asked for. You didn’t have to chase after him in that snowstorm, but you did. You didn’t have to come back into my life, but you did that too.”

His hand stilled on my chest. He propped himself up on his elbow, looking down at me. “Baby, stop.”

I frowned, confused. “What?”

“I didn’t have to do any of those things because there was never a choice,” he said, his voice firm but gentle. “Rory is my family because he’s your family. And you… you’re everything to me. I’ve spent years looking for a place to belong, and now I know—it’s you. You and Rory are that place. Home.”

The sincerity in his expressive eyes stole my breath. I tugged him up so he was lying flush on me. I cupped his face, pulling it down for a kiss. It started slow, just a brush of lips, but it deepened quickly, his mouth warm and demanding against mine.

My hands found their way to his back, tracing the lines of muscle there. He shifted, his body pressing against mine, and I felt the heat of him, the weight, the unmistakable want that mirrored my own.

“Wyn…,” I murmured, his name a prayer on my lips.

He silenced me with another kiss, his hands moving over my skin in a way that left no doubt about what he wanted. What we both wanted.

"Fuck, Wynter," I groaned as his lips trailed down my body, his mouth seeking out my cock with an insatiable hunger. The sensation was raw and unfiltered, brutal in its intensity. His tongue danced along my length before he took me wholly into his mouth. My back arched and fingers clenched onto the sheets as pleasure coursed through me.

The way he sucked me off – it was like he couldn't get enough, like he craved every inch of me inside him. The sight alone nearly sent me over the edge; it was too much to bear.

"God... " I gasped out between ragged breaths, spiraling towards release. And then it hit – a wave of pleasure so intense it left me trembling in its wake. My cum spilled into his mouth in thick ribbons as I rode out the orgasm.

But there was no respite as Wynter moved up my body, flipping me onto my stomach with a predatory gleam in his eyes. His hands gripped onto my hips tightly as he pushed into me – hard and fast and unrelenting.

"F-fuck... Yes..." I moaned loudly at each thrust that rocked through my body, Wynter driving deeper inside me. His pace quickened until we were both panting heavily against each other's skin.

His curses filled the room as he pounded into me relentlessly – each word punctuated by another rough thrust that had stars dancing behind my eyelids.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," he growled into my ear, the words barely audible over our combined moans and gasps.

"I love you too," I managed to choke out around a ragged breath as another wave of pleasure washed over me. My release came in hot spurts that painted the sheets beneath us, Wynter following suit moments later with his own orgasm that filled me up completely.

Afterward, we lay tangled in each other’s arms, the world outside forgotten. Wynter’s head rested on my chest, and I could feel the steady beat of his heart against my ribs.

“For the first time in years,” I whispered into the quiet, pressing a kiss to his temple, “my world feels right. And it’s all because of you.”

He looked up at me, his eyes shining with emotion. “This is where I’m meant to be. With you. With Rory. This is it for me.”

“For us.”

I pulled him closer, holding him like I’d never let go. And as the snow fell silently outside, I knew without a doubt that he was right. This was it. This was home.