by Chloe Morgan
Our foreheads fell together and our lips parted, both of us panting for air.
“Now, is it obvious?” I asked.
“Mmm… maybe one more,” Erin said playfully.
And with a smile, I kissed her again.
Chapter 18
Erin
He kissed me with a fury that stopped my heart. I locked my arms and legs around him, raking my tongue against the roof of his mouth. He growled. He held me close. He slowly walked us to the front door before he reached down and opened it. His strong legs walked us through the living room, down the hallway, and into the first room we could get to.
I was thankful it happened to be my room.
Our clothes came off, and I traced my fingertips around the outlines of his tattoos. I slipped to my feet, kissing the painted permanent art upon his skin. My fingers danced around the outline of his muscles. I felt them twitch and jump, giving way to me as I fell to my knees.
I slipped his hardened cock between my lips, lapping at him and ravishing him as his callused hands fisted my hair.
“Yes, Erin. Just like that.”
My body hummed as my name fell from his lips.
“Sweet heaven. You’re perfect,” he whispered.
My nails dragged down his thighs as I bobbed my head. My tongue lapped at the slit of his cockhead, tasting his precum. He pulled me off his cock and brought me back to his lips. Commanding me. Guiding me. Caressing me as the two of us fell to my bed.
And as our fingertips interlocked above my head, our bodies became one.
I rolled my hips against his. I gazed into his beautiful hazel eyes that darkened with every thrust. I kissed those soft lips. I raked my teeth along his pouty lower lip. His cock twitched against my walls. I locked my legs around his waist. I flipped us over, straddling him and riding him as his hands massaged my tits.
“Dane. Holy hell. You feel so good.”
I rocked against him and pressed my hands into his chest. I dug my nails into his skin and felt him grunting, growing inside me. His arms wrapped around me, and he sat up. My knees planted into the mattress as he scooted back, his body falling against my headboard. His legs spread as his cock jumped inside my pussy, our eyes connected and our bodies tangled up in one another.
And as I gazed into his eyes, the words fell from his lips.
“I love you, Erin.”
Tears rushed my eyes as I crashed my lips against his. I tightened my grip around his neck. I ground myself against his hips. His hands fisted my ass, moving my body the way he wanted. And as our tongues collided and tangled together, we climbed the mountain we’d made for ourselves. I bounced in his lap, rode his thick dick as his hands commanded my movements. He swiveled my hips and massaged my ass cheeks, pulling me to dangerous heights. I gasped against his lips. Sweat dripped down our brows. My breasts pressed into his chest, filling the divots of his strength while his body cradled me.
Controlled me.
Protected me.
“I love you, Dane,” I whispered.
His eyes flew open as that coil in my stomach tightened.
“I love you. I love you so much,” I whimpered.
“Oh, Erin. I love you, too. So fucking much,” he groaned.
He fisted my hair and brought my lips to his. And when we kissed, our bodies exploded. We shook. Trembled. Groaned down each other’s throats. I tasted his sweetness as his cock filled me to the brim, until I leaked our intermingled juices from between my thighs. I collapsed against his body. I pressed my face into his neck. He wrapped his strong arms around me and held me close. Comforted me and protected me from the world in my state of vulnerability.
He rested against the headboard, his cock still sheathed within me, keeping our bodies connected in their love.
“Dane?” I asked.
“Yes?”
“I have a question.”
“You can ask me anything,” he said.
I rose my head up and gazed into his glossy eyes, taking in their beauty.
“If I could get my sister on board, could she come with us?” I asked.
He chuckled before his hand came up and cupped my cheek.
“Whatever gets you at my side is fine by me,” he said.
Chapter 19
Dane
Nine Months Later
“I hear you’re shipping out again soon,” I said.
“Yeah, well. Comes with the territory of re-enlisting,” Stephen said.
“Regretting the decision yet?” I asked, grinning.
“You know, I’m glad I didn’t get out. I need the retirement for the plans I have for my future. And the guaranteed paycheck doesn’t hurt.”
“Plus, you’re good at what you do. We both are.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’re going to hold this victory over my head for a while, aren’t you?”
“You know it,” I said, chuckling.
“Well, you have a big weekend. So, what the fuck are you still doing in the office?”
“Waiting for your ass to come relieve me. You done goofing off?” I asked.
“Yep. I’m good. You’re officially relieved, soldier!”
I threw my head back and laughed.
“You’re an idiot,” I said.
“Let me know how the dinner goes,” Stephen said.
“You’ll be the first one to know. Trust me.”
I jogged down to my truck and made my way home. It took almost three months to get everyone to California, but we made it. My mom had no issues transferring Erin. It was simply a matter of finding Whitney a job before she quit hers in Maiden. But we got them moved and found a house for all of us to live in, and things were actually going pretty well.
Especially once Whitney finally came around to the fact that I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
“Where are my girls?” I exclaimed.
“Dane!” Hailey yelled.
“Dane? Is that you?” Erin asked.
“Hey, you’re home early,” Whitney said, grinning.
I bent down and scooped Hailey into my arms.
“Early day, thanks to a friend. And I’m off this weekend completely,” I said.
“Erin will be happy to hear that,” Whitney said.
“Which means you’re off Hailey duty,” I said.
“You know I don’t mind,” she said.
“I know. But you could use some time of your own once in a while,” I said.
“Did I hear someone say they were off this weekend?” Erin asked.
Every time she came around that corner, she stole my breath. Whether she was dressed up to go out, or still in her pajamas on her days off, Erin Sims never ceased to leave me stunned at her beauty.
“You heard right,” I said, grinning.
“So, any weekend plans?” Whitney asked.
“I don’t know. Why don’t we ask Hailey?” I asked.
“I wanna have a big dinner tomorrow!” the little girl exclaimed.
I winked at her playfully as Erin giggled.
“Well, then it sounds like tonight’s a slow night,” Erin said.
“Nothing wrong with those,” I said.
Then, Hailey scrambled in my arms to put her lips to my ear.
“Did I do good?” she whispered.
I hugged her close and kissed her cheek.
“You did perfectly, sweet pea,” I whispered back.
Epilogue
Erin
“I still hate that Whitney isn’t feeling well,” I said.
“Well, we’ll take her back something from the restaurant to make her feel better,” Dane said.
“Are you sure we should have left her on the couch like that?” I asked.
“She’s a big girl. I promise she’ll be okay. And if she isn’t, she’ll call and we’ll leave immediately.”
“Mommy, stop wordying,” Hailey said.
“Yeah, Mom. Stop wordying,” I said, grinning.
Erin giggled. “Okay, okay. Fine. I’ll stop worrying.”
Hailey stuck her tongue out playfully, and it pulled a belly laugh from Dane’s gut. I was concerned at how fancy the restaurant was. I wasn’t sure if they’d have something for Hailey to eat. Plus, I wasn’t sure if Hailey knew how to behave herself in a place like this. Dane put Hailey in her seat before coming to pull mine out, and I smiled curiously at him before I sat down. He was acting weird, and I wasn’t sure why.
“Shall we order?” Dane asked.
The three of us put in our orders, and I was shocked that the chef agreed to make chicken nuggets fresh for my daughter. And when our food came to the table, I noticed that everyone around us started leaving. One by one, they finished, leaving the three of us alone at the back of a very nice restaurant with silken table clothes and candles twinkling on the tables.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“What do you mean?” Dane asked.
“Something’s going on. I don’t know what, but all of this feels a little planned,” I said.
I watched Dane and my daughter look at one another before Hailey smiled.
“Do it,” she said.
“Do what?” I asked.
“Well, Hailey and I have been talking,” Dane said.
“Scheming, you mean,” I said.
He chuckled. “Something like that. And we have something we want to give you. But there’s something I want to say first.”
I looked over at Hailey before my eyes fell back to Dane.
“Okay. What is it?” I asked.
He reached out and took my hand across the table, his eyes gazing into mine.
“I love you, Erin Sims. From the moment I first laid my eyes on you, I knew you were special. Someone worth getting to know. But when our lips touched for the first time, my soul already knew what my mind was unwilling to accept. In the military, I was trained to go off lists. Status reports. Routines. And you, Erin, were a wrench in all that I knew. You weren’t routine. You weren’t on a list. You weren’t in any report or part of any action plan. You caught me completely off guard, and you are the best thing to ever happen to me. I love you, with everything I am.”
“Oh, Dane,” I whispered.
“Now?” Hailey asked.
“Now,” Dane said, grinning.
“Mom, look!” my daughter exclaimed.
I looked over at my daughter and watched her hold up something shiny. Something sparkling. And when I held out my free hand, she dropped a ring into my palm. I gasped at its presence. At its beauty. I whipped my watery gaze up to Dane, and he smiled at me, then released my hand and picked up the ring.
He took my left hand and hovered the ring beyond my ring finger before he spoke again.
“Erin Sims, will you—?”
“Yes!” I exclaimed quickly.
I giggled as a tear rushed down my cheek. Dane smiled brightly as he slipped the ring onto my finger. I raised up out of my chair and gripped the collar of Dane’s suit, then pulled him to my lips. Hailey clapped. The staff of the restaurant cheered and hollered for us. Dane’s hand cupped the back of my head, supporting me as he slowly stood.
“Marry me?” he murmured coyly.
I laughed as our foreheads fell together.
“Yeah, sure. That, too,” I said jokingly.
“Good. Because I just wasn’t sure there for a second,” he said.
“Let me make you really sure this time, then.”
And as my daughter cheered, we kissed again. Again, and again, and again, until my heart filled with joy and tears of happiness streamed down my face.
“I love you, Dane Hamilton,” I whispered.
“And I love you, Erin Sims,” he murmured.
The End
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About the Author
Chloe is a hometown girl from Tennessee who loves a great short romance, drinking coffee most of the day, and hanging out with family. When she's not writing, she can be found playing the piano or surfing Facebook!
Having been a reader all her life, she's hoping that you'll find yourself lost to time, laughing and falling in love all over again with her books.
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Reasons To Breathe
Copyright © 2019 by Chloe Morgan.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and plot are all either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons – living or dead – is purely coincidental.
Editor: Sandra Depukat
Cover Designer: Ryn Katryn Digital Art