“More,” I panted, reaching down to unfasten the button and zipper on his jeans. “I want more.”
“I don’t have a condom,” Lucas replied, unclasping my bra strap with expert fingers.
“I want to feel you, Lucas. All of you.”
He paused and stared at me. “What?”
“I don’t want you to wear condom.”
When his brows pulled in, I hated the look on his face.
“But if you don’t want—”
He placed his hand on the back of my neck and pulled my mouth to his, cutting my words off with the most passionate kiss I’d ever experienced.
“Get undressed,” he said gruffly, lifting me to stand. We quickly discarded the rest of our clothes. Lucas sat back down in the chair, his eyes sweeping greedily over my body.
“The idea of being inside you bare…I’m not going to last long, babe.”
I smiled and straddled him in the chair. “That makes two of us.”
His fingers slipped into my body first, and we both moaned. “Fucking hell, you’re so wet.”
I rolled my hips. “I want you so much.”
When he withdrew his fingers, I let out a whimper of protest. His hands went to my hips and guided me down onto him. My eyes closed as he filled every inch of me.
“God, yes,” I hissed when I was fully seated on him. I rolled my hips instinctively, but he dug his fingers into them.
“Wait, don’t move.”
“Is something wrong?” I asked, watching the pained expression on his face.
“It feels… God, it feels… I need a second, Paige. If you move, I think I’m going to come.”
With a giggle, I placed soft kisses along his jawline, then down his neck. “You feel so good inside me.”
He moaned when I moved slightly.
“Lucas, I have to move. I’m dying to move.”
“I can’t think straight. I’ve never had sex without a condom, this is big.”
My fingers sliced through his dark brown hair before I grabbed a handful and pulled his head back, causing him to look into my eyes.
“I want to fuck you,” I said.
“Oh God, I think I might have just come a little.”
I moved my body up and down, slowly at first, rolling my hips and loving the way his body rubbed against mine. It wasn’t going to take me long to come, and judging by how hard Lucas was, I had a feeling it wouldn’t take him much longer.
“It feels so good,” I whispered, moving faster, rolling my hips as I felt him inside me. “Lucas.”
His name sounded more like a plea than anything. I was aching to come. Needing to feel him deeper inside. The idea that he was going to come inside me left me nearly panting with lust and desire.
“Fuck me faster, Paige. Harder.”
I gripped my hands onto his shoulders and moved faster. The sound of my body hitting his filled the air, mixing with the sounds of nature. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
“I’m so close,” I gasped.
Lucas moved his hand down between us and pressed against my clit, causing me to buck even harder.
“Fuck, I’m not going to last. Paige. God.”
His voice was strained, and I loved that I was bringing this out in him.
The buildup of my orgasm came fast and raced through my entire body, causing me to cry out his name while I dropped my head back. I instantly felt him swell bigger inside of me.
“Christ, it feels so good. I’m coming.”
Lucas let out a string of curses mixed with moans of pleasure, and my body trembled again. I didn’t know if it was another orgasm, or if my first one hadn’t settled down yet. All I knew was my body had never felt anything so amazing.
Feeling spent, I leaned against him while he wrapped his arms around me. Our breathing stayed fast and hard. My heart pounded against his. I loved that we were connected to one another like this. If I thought I could crawl into his body, I would have.
“Holy hell, that was the most amazing moment of my life. I’m never wearing a condom ever, ever again.”
I laughed and drew my body back. Still sitting on him, I moved my hips some. He raised a brow and then cupped my face.
“I wish like hell he’d come back up that fast, but I need about thirty minutes after that mind-blowing orgasm.”
With a pout, I moved again, feeling the sticky wetness where our bodies were joined.
Lucas moaned and cupped my breasts with his hands. “Okay, ten minutes. I think I only need ten minutes.”
“That’s more like it, babe, slow and steady.”
Lucas
THE NEXT MORNING, I rolled over and smiled when I felt Paige next to me. We had moved from the back porch to the shower, where I fucked her against the shower wall, breaking two of the tiles, which made us laugh hysterically because the whole bathroom needed to be redone anyway.
We moved to the bed, and after an hour of talking about our future, her flower shop, the kitchen remodel, and the fact that we needed to figure out what to do with all the furniture in her storage unit and the attic, I made love to her again. We didn’t rush. We just moved slowly. Even our kisses settled down to a softer, deeper level. When I came inside her again, she wrapped her arms and legs around me tightly, whispering in my ear how much she loved me.
No other woman had ever made me feel the things I felt with Paige. As a matter of fact, I could only remember being with her before and now. Every other woman in between faded into the darkness.
I moved my fingertip softly down her arm, watching her breathe. Her body was facing me, and she looked like an angel sleeping. I was about to lean down and kiss her, push her onto her back and make love to her again, when my phone buzzed on the side table.
When I rolled over, I saw that my mother was calling. I thought about not answering but decided I’d better.
“Hey, Mom.”
“When were you going to tell us you’re engaged!”
I sat up quickly, causing Paige to stir.
“What?”
“I had to find out from someone else that you and Paige are engaged.”
“Who told you?”
“Lucy, the checker down at Super S. Do you want to know how shocked I was? So, it’s true?”
I frowned, then rubbed my hand over my face.
How in the hell did people find out I had asked Paige to marry me? She had taken off the ring after our night out. We’d agreed she wouldn’t wear it until we told our parents.
“Is it true, Lucas? You’ve only been back in each other’s lives for a few weeks. Tell me you didn’t do something so insane. Good Lord, it must be in your blood. Your father asked after dating me for two weeks. Look at William and May, they rushed to the altar, too.”
Smiling, I kissed Paige on the forehead, eliciting a soft moan from her.
“What was that?”
“Oreo the cat,” I replied as I slipped out of bed. “You haven’t said anything to Dad yet, have you?”
“Oh my goodness, it’s true!”
Walking into the bathroom, I grabbed a pair of shorts and slipped them on. Something about being naked and talking to my mother on the phone felt wrong.
“Yes, I asked her to marry me. We wanted to tell you, Dad, and Phillip together. I was going to call about inviting Paige’s dad, Tom, and Katy over for dinner this week.”
“Married. Are you sure you both want to rush into this?”
With a sigh, I made my way quietly out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. “Let’s see, we own a house and live together. We dated for years before the big fuck up.”
“Language, Lucas Foster.”
“Sorry. It may seem like we are rushing, but we are taking our time, Mom. We’re in love and have never stopped loving one another.”
She let out one of those girly sighs that women do when they’re watching romantic movies or reading romance novels. “You two always did love each other. Are you sleeping together?”
I groan
ed. “Mom, I’m really not going to answer that.”
“That’s a yes. Now, don’t think I’m not happy. I’m overjoyed! Thrilled beyond belief. Everyone knew the two of you belonged together, and that horrible Bianca was nothing but a mistake.”
“Thanks for that.”
“Don’t act like you’re surprised I couldn’t stand the girl.”
“More like loathed her, but okay.”
“Those were your words just now, not mine. No one knew what you were thinking when you started dating her. You were out of your damn mind, that’s for sure.”
“Gee, Mom, language. And don’t hold back. Can we please stop talking about her? She’s in the past.”
“Amen to that. Are you using protection? A baby right now would only add stress to the situation.”
“Again, I’m not going to answer that question.”
“I’m just saying, the two of you have made some serious life changes in the last month. Both of you leaving your jobs, starting new ones, living together.”
“I’m working for Dad. I hardly think it will be stressful.”
“You must not remember how your dad does things. And what about Paige? She’s opening a flower shop! If she got pregnant now…”
“Mom! Paige is not going to get pregnant. Please stop saying that.”
“Well, the two of you aren’t getting any younger, you know. I wouldn’t hold off too long on having kids.”
I pulled the phone away from me and dropped my hand to my side. Looking up, I prayed to the heavens for strength and patience.
“What’s going on?” Paige asked, walking into the kitchen.
I held up the phone. “My mom. Talking about us having a baby.”
Her eyes went wide. “A baby? Does she know something we don’t?”
Chuckling, I walked over and kissed her then brought the phone back up to my ear.
“…She was thirty-six when she had her baby, and Lord, the complications.”
“Mom, you literally just said we shouldn’t have a baby, now you’re saying we shouldn’t wait.”
“That was not what I said, clearly you were not listening to me, Lucas.”
“You’re right. I wasn’t.”
Paige shook her head and made her way to the oven and turned it on.
With a deep, calming breath, I said, “Mom, call Phillip. Invite him, Tom, and the girls to dinner this week. We’ll announce the engagement then.”
Paige spun with a horrified look on her face. I held up my finger in a wait a moment gesture.
“In the meantime, please don’t say anything to anyone, and if someone like the cashier at Super S mentions it, debunk it for the time being. For me and Paige, okay?”
“I can do that. Do you want me to find out where the rumor generated from? You know I have my ways.”
“No,” I replied with a chuckle. “It won’t matter soon enough. Everyone in town who shops at the Super S will know.”
Paige slumped against the counter.
“Your father said you were coming over later, I’ll see you then?”
“Yep, see you then.”
Hitting End on the phone, I met Paige’s gaze.
“Tell me she didn’t find out about our engagement from a cashier at the grocery store,” Paige said.
“Okay, I won’t tell you that.”
She rolled her eyes. “Milo or Jen?”
“I’m going with Milo.”
Her brow raised. “Really? You think he’d say something to someone?”
“Yes. The new girl he’s dating probably told someone else, who then told someone else, who then told the cashier at Super S, who eventually asked my mother about it.”
Paige tried to hide her smile, but the corners of her mouth rose slightly. “Gotta love a small town.”
“Do you? Because sometimes it’s quite annoying.” I let out a frustrated sigh. “Were you wanting to go to the storage unit today? I’ve got to meet Dad to help him with the ranch, then go to a job site in Fredericksburg. I can skip if you want me to go with you.”
She shook her head. “No, I’ll take a peek around in there. I’m curious to learn more about my grandmother. I’m secretly hoping to find some pieces for the flower shop. Oh, speaking of, we never made it over to your folks’ last night. I need to get your dad a rough sketch of what I want the front of the shop to look like.”
I smiled. “I sort of already did that for you.”
“You designed it for me?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.
“Yeah, last night I got up when you were exhausted from all the incredible orgasms I gave you.”
Her cheeks turned a beautiful pink. “You’re a stronger human than I am, dear sir. I needed rest after all those. May I see?”
“Of course.” I pointed behind her. “My sketchbook is right there.”
“You actually drew it? You didn’t do it on the computer?”
Warmth spread though my chest at her smile. If anyone knew how much I loved putting pencil to paper and drawing, it was this woman. “It felt good to get back to basics.”
Paige took the sketchbook off the counter. She opened it and gasped.
“Lucas, this is exactly how I pictured it in my head.” Her eyes met mine. “It’s like you stepped into my mind and pulled this out. How did you know this was what I wanted?”
I shrugged. “It’s how you described it when we were younger, when you used to dream about owning your own flower shop.”
Her eyes pooled with tears. “You remembered that?”
“I remember everything, Paige.”
Her hand came up to her mouth, and she glanced back down to the drawing. She looked like she was becoming overwhelmed with emotion, so I made my way over to her. I took the sketchbook from her hands, set it on the counter, and pulled her into my embrace.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly against her hair.
She sniffled, then wrapped her arms around me. “I couldn’t imagine doing this without you. I hate that we had to lose William in order to find our way back to one another.”
“Me too,” I replied, running my hand gently over her back.
Oreo rubbed at our legs, meowing and standing up to paw at me and then Paige.
We both laughed. “Your cat wants food.”
Paige reached down to pick up Oreo. She snuggled her face into the cat’s neck, and I instantly heard Oreo start purring.
“Good morning, sweetheart. Are you hungry? Did we forget to feed you last night?”
As she made her way to the pantry where she kept the cat’s food, I couldn’t help but take in the sight in front of me. It felt like everything was exactly how it should be. I was incredibly happy for the first time in a long time.
And in my experience, that meant the shit was surely about to hit the fan.
Paige - One month later
I STOOD IN the middle of the flower shop and looked around. Everything was coming along faster than I’d dreamed it would. The interior brick walls had been painted a creamy white. Lucas had measured out how long I wanted the counter and was making it out of reclaimed barn wood he’d found on one of the job sites he was working on with his father.
With a paintbrush in hand, I stared at the antique desk in front of me. It came from the storage unit filled with antique furniture that had been Millie’s. I had asked my grandfather if anyone in the family would like to look at the furniture, as well. A few cousins of mine had come and picked out a few pieces. Some Lucas and I brought back to the house, some would be displayed here in the flower shop, and the rest would remain in storage until I figured out what to do. The thought of selling any of the pieces wasn’t even an option. The small wooden crib that had been in the house for my father was currently in the flower shop, waiting for a coat of paint. I envisioned filling it with blankets and pillows.
The door chimed, and I turned to see my father. “Daddy, what brings you here?”
He made his way over to me, giving me a kiss on the cheek.
“I ran into Linda May Hacker.”
With a roll of my eyes, I replied, “Oh Lord, what did she have to say?”
“Nothing worth repeating. The woman is vile. No wonder your momma couldn’t stand her.”
“Daddy, be nice.” I warned, pointing the paintbrush at him. “Even momma didn’t talk ill of her.”
“Ha. You just never heard it. And besides, I’m only speaking the truth.”
With a smile, I dipped the brush into the can and then started to paint. “Have you talked to Lucas?”
He let out a grunt and picked up a brush, joining in. My father hadn’t been all that pleased to find out Lucas and I were engaged. He was still harboring bad feelings about how we had broken up. We’d told him, Tom, Kate, Carl, and Lynn about a month ago at dinner. Lynn, of course, already knew. Carl was happy. My father, yeah, he was still having a hard time with it. Tom and Kate weren’t the least bit surprised. Callie and Tom Jr hadn’t been there, so we had told them a few days later. The only thing they cared about was being a part of the wedding, which we promised them.
I stopped painting and looked at him. “Daddy, I love him.”
“He hurt you. Broke up with you for a stupid-ass reason and then never came back to Johnson City. Took up with some model and traveled all over with her. Why couldn’t he have done that with you?”
“It’s in the past. I’ve left it there, why can’t you?”
Giving me a hard stare, he shook his head. “Because I’m your father, Paige. I swore on the day you were born I would never let anyone hurt you. And he hurt you, deeply. I hate that he just walked back into your life and you let him without a fuss.”
I was positive my jaw dropped to the floor. “Without a fuss? Dad, you don’t know what happened between me and Lucas. And I won’t apologize for loving him. Yes, he hurt me, but I never stopped loving him. I’m almost positive that if I settled down with someone else, a good portion of my heart would still belong to Lucas until the day I died. A love like that doesn’t come along often.”
He scoffed. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
Divided Interests Page 20