by K. C. Lynn
It’s something I should be used to. I have been on my own for a long time now, but since Sawyer’s been here I’m reminded what it feels like to not be alone anymore. To fall asleep in someone’s arms then wake up to their dashing smile. It’s even better when that someone is Sawyer and the thought of not feeling him next to me anymore when I sleep kills a small part of me.
Sighing, I blink back the tears threatening to fall and begin rolling out my dough. One of my all-time favorite songs “With or Without You” by U2 quietly filters through the air, dancing along my skin. I begin humming to the tune and it isn’t long before I feel someone at my back, a tingle of awareness tickling my spine. It’s the same feelin’ I always get when Sawyer is near, a warmth that floods every part of my body, especially my heart.
“It’s just me, Cupcake, don’t beat me with that rolling pin,” he teases, bringing a smile to my face as he crowds my back, his arms bringing me the comfort I so desperately need. “Couldn’t sleep?” he asks, his deep, gravelly voice whispering in my ear and eliciting goose bumps across my heated flesh.
I shake my head.
Bringing his hands to my shoulders, he turns me around to face him, my gaze colliding with his strong chest. One that’s decorated with a tattoo of his honor, flawed with scars, and the one place my cheek loves to sleep against.
He curls his fingers under my chin, forcing my eyes to his. “Talk to me, Grace.”
Unable to voice what I’m feeling at the moment, I drop my sweater to the floor and remove my tank top, baring myself to him from the waist up.
His sharp intake of breath penetrates the air, seconds before he snakes an arm around my lower back and brings me flush against his hard chest. I gaze up into his handsome face, my pulse skipping. When he leans down, my eyes close and I wait with bated breath for that first touch of his lips, but it never comes. Instead of kissing me like I expect him to, he lifts me slightly off the ground until my feet land on top of his.
Every muscle in my body stills and my eyes spring back open to see his lips kicked up in a sexy smirk.
“No judging, Cupcake, I’m not the best dancer, but for you, I’ll try.”
My heart tumbles in my chest when his feet start shifting from side to side. In my kitchen, he dances with me to one of my all-time favorite songs, giving me the one moment I always wished I got to experience with my father. A man who never wanted me.
This moment is so much better.
I press my lips against his strong, steady heartbeat before I rest my cheek there. Once again, I close my eyes and soak in everything about this moment, knowing it will be one I will cherish forever. I absorb the feel of just him and me, skin to skin, our scents mingling in the air between us. It’s as if we are in our own world, one no one can be a part of but us. It’s beautiful, safe, and the most perfect thing I have ever felt. It’s one I want to stay in for the rest of my life.
The last thought has my earlier turmoil resurfacing, and I become anxious once again for the unknown. Gatherin’ my courage, I keep my cheek against his steady heartbeat and ask the one question I fear the most. “What happens now, Sawyer?”
He stills at my whispered question. His hands travel up my back to cup either side of my face as he brings my gaze to his. “What do you want to happen?”
“I’m not sure but I know I don’t want you to go.” I lick my sudden dry lips before revealing to him the one thing I am sure of. “I’m in love with you.”
His eyes widen, a heavy silence descending upon us.
Oh god, what did I just do?
My heart bangs inside of my chest, fearing I just messed this up. Instead of backtracking like I want to, I swallow nervously and decide to just let it all out. “I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear those words, but I won’t take them back because I mean them. I love everythin’ about you. I love how you can make me laugh, even if there’s nothing to smile about. I love the way you touch me, whether it’s slow and gentle or fast and urgent. Heck, I love you even when you’re arrogant and cocky. I never know if I want to slap or kiss that sexy face of yours.”
His lips twitch, giving me the courage to continue.
“But most of all…I love this,” I whisper, placing another kiss directly over his heart. “I love how you make me feel when I’m with you—safe and important—like for the first time, since my mama died, maybe I matter to someone again.”
Hot tears begin spilling down my cheeks as I terrifyingly pour my heart out to him.
“I love you with my whole heart and nothin’ or no one will ever change that. And now that the danger is over, the thought of you not bein’ here anymore, of not feeling you against me as I sleep, it scares me to death.” I bite my lip to stifle the sob wanting to slip free and wait for him to say something, my terrified heart pounding in anticipation.
Leaning down, he presses a kiss to the corner of my eye, catching my flow of tears before trailing his warm lips across my damp cheek, stopping just before my ear. “I have to tell you something, Cupcake, and I hope you’re going to be able to handle it.”
Defeat settles over me, heavy and hard, my eyes closing in despair.
“I loved you first.” The whispered words graze my ear and yank me from my devastation.
“Huh?” I blurt out, unsure if I just heard him right.
His handsome face appears before me, wearing that trademark sexy smirk of his. “I said, I loved you first.”
A breath of relief escapes the confines of my chest, a sob of joy tumbling past my lips.
His expression sobers as his fingertips stroke my wet cheek. “I don’t know when it happened, Grace, but I’m pretty sure I loved you before I even met you. From the first moment I inhaled your sweet cupcake scent, I knew you were mine. You don’t just matter to me, baby, you fucking belong to me, every inch of you. There’s no going back now.”
Warmth, happiness, and love explode through my chest as a huge smile takes over my face. Jumping up, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss the ever-lovin’ hell out of him.
“I love you, I love you, I love you!” I mumble against his lips. Saying those words feels so freeing and so darn right.
“I love you too, baby.” He crushes me against his chest and takes control of the kiss, his mouth dominating mine. An explosion of heat whips through my body and I claw to get closer, needing more. Groaning, he severs the contact of our mouths, trailing his lips down the side of my neck.
“Sawyer, I need you so bad.”
“Tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you.”
As soon as the words leave his mouth, I push against his chest and drop to my knees before him, my face coming in direct line with his erection. I slip my fingers in his waistband and peer up at him through heavy-lidded eyes. “I want to know what you taste like.”
His jaw flexes, lust glowing wildly in his green irises. He threads his fingers through my hair, winding the thick strands around his fist. “Then take it, it’s all fucking yours.”
I push his underwear down just enough to free his erection. With both hands, I grasp his smooth, hard cock and stroke firmly from base to tip.
A hiss escapes his clenched teeth, his hips surging forward to pump himself into my hand. A pearly white liquid forms on the tip, making my mouth water. Leaning in, I take a long, leisurely lick, loving the erotic taste of him.
A groan shreds his throat, the rough sound encouraging me further. This time when I lean in, I take all of him into my mouth, my lips closing around his shaft as I take him as deep as I can go, my hand stroking where my mouth can’t reach.
“That’s it, baby, take all of me.” His fingers tighten in my hair, creating a delicious sting that increases the pulse between my legs.
Hollowing my cheeks, I suck my way back to the top and give him a show, swirling my tongue around the tip of him.
With a growl, he takes control and begins thrusting his cock in and out of my mouth. I give into it freely, humming my approval, loving the wild look in his eyes.
“Jesus, you’re a sight right now. The way your pretty lips look wrapped around my cock while I fuck your mouth, Grace, it beats out every fucking fantasy I had.”
I moan from his dirty words, my panties becoming insanely wet. When he thrusts again, hitting the back of my throat, I grab his hips to keep him there and swallow.
An animalistic sound erupts from his chest seconds before he pulls himself away and hauls me to my feet.
“Why did you…” My question falls flat at the raw expression on his face.
Spinning me around, he brings my back against his hard chest and cups both of my breasts, his thumbs tormenting my aching nipples.
Moaning, I drop my head back to his shoulder, relishing in the sensations he evokes within my body.
“As much as I love your mouth, Cupcake, I want to come inside your tight pussy.”
A shiver of anticipation dances down my spine as he coasts his hand down my stomach, slipping it into my shorts. His two fingers delve into my wet slit, teasing my throbbing clit.
“You want it too, don’t you?” he growls, his lips brushing my ear. “Want my cock buried deep in your pussy.”
Lord, I love it when he talks like this to me, his voice thick with lust and tight with restraint.
“Yes,” I respond, my breath racing past my lips.
“How do you want it, baby? Fast and hard or slow and deep?”
“All of it. As long as it’s you, I don’t care.”
“It will always be me. Forever, Grace, you belong to me.”
“Forever,” I agree.
Disappointment crushes me when he removes his fingers from between my legs. Before I can beg for his touch, he grabs each one of my wrists and braces my hands on the kitchen table before me, forcing me to bend over.
“Keep them there.”
The authority in his voice has a shiver wracking my body.
His lips press against my shoulder then continues their way down my back, leaving goose bumps in their wake. His hands mold over the lace cupping my bottom as he kneels behind me.
“Your ass was made for my hands, Grace. Just like the rest of you.” He grips the material at my hips and shreds them from my body in one hard pull, leaving me in nothing but my Alpine thigh-highs.
A gasp parts my lips, trailing into a heated moan. The air whispering across my bare flesh only serves to drive my need higher.
Sawyer turns, situating himself between my legs, his mouth only a breath away from where I ache. Using two fingers, he spreads me open for his viewing. “Look how pretty your clit is.”
“Sawyer,” I whimper, my body trembling in need.
“Tell me what you want, Grace.”
“Lick me, touch me, just…do somethin’, please,” I beg, desperate for him to put me out of this sweet misery.
He buries his mouth against me, his tongue lapping at my throbbing flesh. A keening cry pours from my lips, my knees buckling at the pleasure whipping through me.
Sawyer cups my bottom to keep me upright, his tongue wreaking the most beautiful havoc. My hips have a mind of their own and I begin grinding against his mouth in greedy desperation, feeling my impending orgasm.
He groans his approval, the vibration of it rocking me to my core. When his hands move from my bottom to my breasts, fingers teasing my aching nipples, I shatter. I sob out my orgasm, soaring to an incredible world that only Sawyer can send me. Time becomes nothing more than an afterthought as I drift back to reality.
I drop down on the table, arms braced so I don’t melt into a puddle right here on the floor. He shifts out from under me then his bare hard chest is covering my back as he comes up behind me again. His fingers grasp my chin and he turns my face to the side, his lips claiming mine in a heart-stealing kiss.
“See how fucking good you taste? I could eat you for hours, baby, and never tire of it.”
Moaning, I grind back against him, my pussy craving another part of him.
“I’m finally going to fuck you with nothing on but these sexy socks and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it,” his voice is rough in my ear, the promise of more sending a shiver down my spine. “Straighten your arms,” he commands.
I obey, my breath racing as I wait with anticipation.
He kicks my legs apart, widening my stance. His fingers dig into the flesh of my hips seconds before he plunges inside of me with one quick thrust.
The beautiful invasion has his name ripping from my throat.
“So tight,” he groans, his voice gruff with pleasure. “You good, Grace?”
“Yes. Don’t stop!” I beg breathlessly.
He gives me what I want, fucking me hard and fast, every stroke more perfect than the last. My fingers grip the table tighter, it bangs against the wall from his force. The carnal way he takes me is raw and wild, the most perfect thing I have ever felt. Heat coils low in my tummy, my inner walls gripping his relentless cock.
“You’re close. I can feel it, baby. Give it to me.” His hand lands across my bare ass with a resounding smack and the sharp, erotic sting sends me propelling over the edge for a second time.
My senses reel as the most incredible sensations ravage my body. If not for the table I’d be down on my knees. Sawyer stills inside of me and follows, his sweat soaked chest melding to my back. His lips find my shoulder, raining gentle kisses along my damp skin. The tender act brings a smile to my face, a complete contradiction to the savage way he just took me. Both are equally beautiful.
“Was that too much?” he asks, concern edging his gruff voice.
I shake my head. “It was perfect.”
He drops his forehead against my back. “That’s because you’re perfect.”
I smile, my heart melting to the same temperature as my body.
After cleaning up, he pulls his underwear back in place then lifts me into his strong arms. My head rests on his shoulder as he carries me to bed and that’s where I stay for the rest of the night. If I’m really lucky, it’s where I’ll be forever.
Grace
“I can’t believe you did this,” I shriek, feeling aghast as I stare down at the three pies on my lap, a single slice missing from each of them, all thanks to Sawyer. I’m absolutely horrified to show up at Thanksgiving dinner with these.
My annoyance only rises when he glances over at me from the driver’s seat, a look of mock innocence resting on his ridiculously handsome face. “I like how you immediately blame me for the missing slices,” he says. “How do you know it wasn’t that dog of yours? That little bastard is a pig, he’s constantly trying to swipe food from somewhere.”
“Yes, I’m sure Chuckie cut a perfect triangle from each pie. Did he wash the knife after, too?” I ask, gazing at him for the fool he is.
He chuckles, his husky laugh filling the truck.
“It’s not funny! I’m mortified that I’m bringing half eaten pies to Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Oh, come on. You act like I ate the whole damn pie, when all I did was take a sliver of each.”
“A sliver? A sliver?” I screech. “Sawyer, a quarter of each pie is missin’.”
He shrugs. “You were in the shower and I got hungry.”
I shake my head. “You are unbelievable.”
“Whatever. You’re my woman, which means I get exclusive rights to all of you, including your pies. These assholes are lucky I’m willing to share any of it with them.”
My mouth drops open and I gape at him for his audacity. I’m about to tell him exactly where he can shove his exclusive rights when he looks over at me with a dirty grin, flashing me an equally sexy wink.
I bite back a smile, my irritation fading. “What am I gonna do with you, Sawyer Evans?”
“I have a few ideas.” By the hungry look in his eyes, I know exactly where his thoughts are. That one look alone has my body humming. “I’m serious, Cupcake, that classy-ass dress of yours has me wanting to do all sorts of dirty things to you.”
I glance down at myself, taking i
n the simple chocolate brown baby-doll dress with cream polka dots. It falls about mid-thigh and my cream dress extender gives the bottom edge some peekaboo lace. If Sawyer thinks this is sexy, just wait until he gets a look at what’s beneath it.
The thought has an idea forming—the perfect revenge for eatin’ my pies. Smiling, I decide to wait until we get to Julia’s; otherwise, we are liable to cause an accident.
“Well, you look pretty darn good yourself, Sexy Sawyer.”
He looks good every day but especially today. He’s a little dressier than usual, wearin’ a nicer pair of faded jeans, and a white fitted tee with a jade green button-down shirt over top that’s been left undone. The long sleeves are rolled a quarter of the way up, showing off his cut forearms and bronzed skin.
It’s ridiculous how hot this man is.
“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, baby, I’m going to pull this bad boy over and fuck you right here on the side of the road.”
My eyes dart away and heat invades my cheeks for getting busted. Dang it. His aviators hid his knowing eyes from me.
Clearing my throat, I ignore his comment and change the topic. “Is it all right if we don’t stay too terribly late this evening? I want to stop by the hospital and spend some time with Mac. I hate that he’s spending Thanksgivin’ on his own.”
“Yeah, Cupcake. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you see him tonight.”
This man does so many wonderful things to my heart.
“I forgot to tell you that Kayla texted me this morning. We’re going shopping on Tuesday for our bridesmaid dresses. Are you still going out of town with Jaxson and Cade that day?”
“Yeah. We’re leaving early in the morning but we’ll be back later that night.”
“Works out perfect then,” I say, smiling over at him. “Where are y’all goin’ anyway?”
There’s a brief moment of silence before he answers. “Just picking up something.”