“I want to wait until we get this bastard. I need to know for certain that it’s not this shitty situation influencing you.”
“It’s not,” I said quickly.
She smiled. “Well, then it won’t be a problem, will it? And I’ll have to talk with Quinn, make sure she’s okay to take on the apartment by herself.”
I scrubbed my hands over my face. Me, Lawson Pierce, moving a woman in? Who the hell would have thought. That was it though – she wasn’t just a woman. She was my woman, she was my life. I’d go to hell and back to keep her happy.
I was moving her into this damn house.
“This is our home,” I said quietly.
She scratched her fingernails against my stubble and looked deep into my eyes. “Home is in your arms,” she whispered. I pulled her tight against my body and kissed the top of her head.
I fell into an effortless sleep filled with laughter, happiness and Ellerslie.
Always Ellerslie.
65. Quinn
“So how are you really doing?” I asked Logan. Everyone else had headed to bed – Logan and I were the only ones left by the living room fire.
“The truth?” He looked at me with a serious expression.
“Always.” I nodded.
“It sucks.” He fiddled with the book on the coffee table. “I never anticipated being without her. And then the way she ended it, I don’t think I could do that to a person.”
I’d known Logan my whole life. He’d been my brother’s best friend growing up, and they were still just as close now. Most of my childhood memories included Logan Jade.
I hated seeing him like this. I was hoping that moving back here and working with Lawson would help him to move on from that stupid bitch.
“You know she’s not the one for you,” I said quietly.
He nodded. “I like to think I deserve better than someone that selfish. But there was a time when I did think she was it for me. It’s messing with my head.”
I knew Carrie wasn’t right for Logan. He deserved someone kinder, sweeter. She could be a real cow when things weren’t going her way – she hadn’t wanted Logan to go and serve a third tour, so she’d left him.
“One day, when you’re whole again, you’ll meet the right person. You just need to focus on you for now.” I squeezed his leg.
“How’d you get so smart, shorty?” Logan had called me ‘shorty’ since we were kids. I was a late starter.
“I’m not sure that name fits anymore.” I laughed. By the time I was 19 years old, he was barely taller than me anymore.
I looked at Logan. His dark hair was cut short from the Army, and his blue eyes looked lost. He was a good-looking guy and he’d kept in good shape over the years – it was a shame that he was like a brother to me, a guy like Logan knew how to treat a girl.
He laughed too. “Lawson told me about your boy toy.” A smug grin spread across his face.
“Lawson’s an asshole.”
“True as that might be, you’re still not getting away without telling me about him.”
Bloody Lawson.
I sighed. “You’ll meet him tomorrow night. We’re going to the club he owns with his brothers. It’s nothing serious. Just a bit of fun.”
“Tomorrow then. I’ll see for myself.”
***
I woke up in the morning feeling a little worse for wear, but it was nothing a workout and a coffee couldn’t fix.
Brooke had told me to, and I quote, ‘fuck off’ when I suggested she join me for a run, Jem was still sleeping, and Stace didn’t run. Ever. I knew Lawson would blow a gasket if I went out alone – I considered taking Zef and hoping for the best, but that damn dog was likely to trip me over just for fun.
I was just about to head upstairs and knock on Law and El’s door when Josh slipped out of his room, dressed in his workout gear.
Hot damn.
“Please tell me you’re heading out for a run?” I pleaded.
“I am.”
“Thank God, I was about to get desperate and go ask Lawson and El.”
He grimaced. “That’d be a risky move. Those two can’t keep their eyes off each other. I’m pretty sure I know what goes on behind that closed door.”
“Yeah, it’s not really something I try to think about too much.” I mock shuddered and he laughed.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to think too much about him either, but Ellerslie on the other hand...” The bastard winked at me.
I rolled my eyes. “C’mon, you old horn dog, let’s go before that mind of yours undresses my best friend any further.”
***
Holy shit Josh could run.
No wonder his body is so smoking hot.
I was gasping for air by the time we got back. I got a little bit of satisfaction seeing that he looked as buggered as I was.
I could run too.
“I’m impressed, Pierce,” he choked out between breaths.
“I would have thought you’d be used to girls running from you by now.” I panted. I was seriously worried I was going to die. I bent over and put my hands on my knees.
“I need water,” he groaned.
I nodded and followed him into the house. We kicked off our shoes on Lawson’s back porch and stumbled toward the kitchen.
Lawson and El were in there and I felt my mouth watering with the aroma of coffee in the air. I paused to watch the two of them – they were standing still, holding onto one another, lost in each other’s eyes. I heard ‘Made to love’ by John Legend playing from the lounge and I smiled.
I’d called it. These two were so screwed. There was no going back, they were like the most perfect piece of poetry; they rhymed, they fit, and they began and ended with one another.
I leaned my head against the doorframe and watched them together. I jumped at the sound of Josh’s voice. I’d forgotten he was even there.
“If you ever repeat this to him, or to anyone for that matter, I’ll kill you... but seeing the two of them like that, so happy and in love, god it makes me jealous.” His voice was so quiet, neither of us were willing to break the perfect moment in front of us.
“It makes me jealous too,” I whispered back. The song ended and apparently so did the moment as Josh pushed me into the kitchen. I stumbled and nearly fell.
He chuckled and made a beeline for the coffee pot.
Stupid bastard.
Lawson’s eyes narrowed when he noticed our sweaty appearances. “What the hell are you two up to?” he growled.
El poked him in the side and smiled at me. She raised one eyebrow and tilted her head in Josh’s direction.
I shook my head at her.
“We went running, dear brother.” I sauntered over and gave him a hug.
“You stink, Q,” he moaned.
“Yeah, your boy over there did his best to kill us both.” I pointed at Josh.
He chuckled and shrugged. “To be honest, I wasn’t expecting such a challenge. Credit where credit’s due though, Quinn, you’re fast.”
I smiled a smug grin and took a bow. “I was going to see if you guys wanted to come too, but we decided it was playing with fire to come knocking on the lovebirds’ door.”
El and Lawson exchanged a heated look that told me I’d made the right choice leaving them out of it.
“We’ll take Zef out for his walk after breakfast if you want?” Lawson asked El. He looked at her with such tenderness in his eyes. It felt like you were invading on a private moment, but at the same time, the intensity made it impossible to look away.
“Sounds good, cowboy, I’ll see if anyone else is up yet.” El’s curvy hips swayed out of the room and I chuckled as both Law and Josh got a good look.
“Joshua Hale, you better not have your eyes on my girl’s ass,” Lawson grunted without turning.
I snickered.
“Coffee?” Josh asked with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“God yes.” I took the cup gratefully and headed out of the room. “I’m
hitting the shower,” I called behind me.
“Is that an invitation?” Josh called back.
3, 2, 1...
I giggled as I heard the whack.
“Ow shit, man, I was kidding,” Josh moaned.
“Well then consider it a warning for looking at what’s mine.” I could hear the amusement in Lawson’s voice as he taunted Josh for checking out El.
Boys.
Lawson was going to have his hands full if he punched every man that checked out Ellerslie.
I rolled my eyes and headed for the bathroom – alone.
66. Ellerslie
Motherfucking swoon.
For someone who considered himself unromantic, he was doing a pretty incredible job of sweeping me off my feet.
That song...
I sighed. That song had been perfection. John Legend was a freaking genius. I was still melting over him asking me to move in with him.
“I was hoping this might be your home too.”
It was fast – god it was so fast. But it was right. I knew that in my bones. We just had to get through the rest of this shit. Lawson had said it didn’t matter to him, but it mattered to me. I didn’t want him making a life-changing decision with a figerative gun held to his head.
I found Jem and Stace and told them to come and have breakfast. Rome’s door was shut, and there was no way I was walking into that hornets’ nest. I found Logan leaving the bathroom and told him to come through when he was ready.
Josh was walking toward me as I headed back to the kitchen. He was sweating like a pig. I grinned at the mental image I had of him and Quinn sprinting along the waterfront. This wasn’t the first time Quinn had been underestimated by a guy. The girl could move.
“She’s quick, huh?” I teased as he got closer.
He grunted. “Quick is an understatement.”
“I stopped running with her years ago. It wasn’t good for my self-esteem.” I laughed. “It must be in their genes. Lawson whooped my ass the other morning and barely broke a sweat.”
He raised an eyebrow at me and chuckled. “Whooped your ass, huh?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I didn’t mean it like that, you dirty little shit.”
He broke out into a full-blown laugh and I let myself down by joining him.
***
I heard Lawson’s voice as I got closer to the kitchen door. “I asked her to move in with me.”
Who is he talking to?
I really needed to talk to Quinn about this. I was worried she would think it was too much, too soon. I’d only been apart from Baxter for about six months, and divorced for even less.
I heard a splutter and I could imagine someone choking on their coffee.
I stopped before the door and waited to hear who it was.
“You what?” Quinn shrieked.
Guess she didn’t make it to that shower after all.
“You heard me. I asked her to move in with me.” There was silence for a moment, and I was bracing myself for Quinn to fly off the handle.
“Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?”
Lawson chuckled. “I’m not sure, you’ll have to ask Ells. She’s changed me, made me better.”
I could feel my heart slamming into my rib cage.
“No shit,” Quinn muttered.
“So you think it’s a bad idea?” He sounded disappointed.
“No!” she cried. “No, god no. It’s the best idea I’ve ever heard. She loves you, Law. She really loves you. And you’re the happiest I’ve ever seen you. There’s no denying the two of you have that crazy, fairytale love.”
“Do you think it’s too soon?”
“Mmmmm... normally I’d say yes. But no. Something this real... it doesn’t have a timeline.” They both went quiet for a minute. “Did she say yes?” Quinn asked.
Lawson must have nodded because Quinn let out an excited squeak. “This is amazing! I’m totally pissed at you for stealing my roommate though.” I could hear the teasing in her voice.
“It won’t be just yet anyway, she wants to wait until all this other shit is taken care of. Just to be sure that I won’t change my mind.”
Quinn laughed. “Surely she knows you well enough by now to know once you set your sights on an idea, there’s no changing your mind.”
I did know that – I knew he wasn’t going to go back on his offer, but I still wanted to wait. I wanted the process of us intertwining our lives to be untainted by this creep.
I was a shitty liar, so I decided to make my eavesdropping known. I moved into sight and walked through the door. “You’d really be okay with this?” I asked Quinn.
She pointed one finger at me. “You are such a sneaky little shit.” I laughed as she hopped off her stool and squeezed me in a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
I was so relieved that Quinn was on board. I trusted Quinn’s opinion and having her approval was incredibly important to me.
“Thank you,” I whispered and hugged her back.
I held her for a minute. “Ugh, Quinn, you really do stink.”
She pulled away and headed for the door. “Josh got me all hot and sweaty.” She winked.
“Quinn!” Lawson barked.
“I’m kidding. Jesus. I’ll go see if Logan is out of the bathroom yet,” she called over her shoulder as she strolled down the hallway.
”Thank god Colt is going to be there tonight. Those two are barely keeping it in their pants.” He shook his head in dismay.
I smirked at him. “You know they’re just messing with you right?”
He pulled me into his arms and tucked his face into the crook of my neck. “I know... But that doesn’t mean they won’t get it on.” He breathed against my skin. He trailed kisses up and down my neck and jaw and I had to hold back a moan.
“I wish we were alone,” I whispered.
“Why’s that, baby?” he murmured in between kisses.
“So you could fuck me on the kitchen bench.”
Lawson stopped kissing me and stepped back to look at my face. “For real?”
I nodded and bit down on my lip.
“That’s it. I’m kicking them all out. Right now.” He turned as though he was off to do just that.
I giggled and pulled him back to me. “Don’t worry, cowboy, we’ll have plenty of time to christen every inch of this place.”
Lawson muttered something about me killing him. He lifted me onto the bench and went back to kissing my neck. I wrapped my legs around his waist and ran my fingers through his hair.
We were interrupted by a deep chuckle. “Don’t stop on my account.”
Rome.
I blushed. Once again, I’d forgotten where I was. Lawson had that effect on me.
Lawson growled and I giggled as I saw him giving Rome the finger. He stopped kissing my skin, but made no effort to release me. I wiggled and tried to slide off the bench.
Lawson nudged my forehead with his own so I was looking at him. “I love you,” he whispered before kissing me hard on the lips.
I lost myself in his kiss, and I was panting for breath as he lifted me down and set me on my feet. I knew my face would be bright red. I turned to look at Rome; he was regarding us with an amused expression on his face as he quietly sipped on a cup of coffee.
“I bet you two are fire in the sack,” he stated, matter-of-factly.
I tried to hold back a giggle but it slipped out anyway.
“Jesus Christ, man.” Lawson shook his head. I could tell he was having a hard time keeping it together. His grin was getting wider and wider by the second.
“Am I right?” he asked.
Lawson ignored him and pointed to the fridge. “Can you grab the eggs and milk please, baby?”
“Oh, come on.” Rome feigned outrage and I laughed again. Jemma, Brooke and Stacey walked into the kitchen and Rome’s attention shifted.
Thank god for that.
Rome really was larger than life.
***
&
nbsp; Lawson had made the most amazing breakfast. Everyone had stuffed themselves full. Only Lawson, Jemma, Logan and I were up for walking Zef after. We’d given him a long walk and thrown a ball for him to try and wear him out further. I was in love with the idea of coming home to not only Lawson every night, but to Zefer too.
My two boys.
Quinn had talked to Colt, and he was all sorted for tonight. Reeve and Lisa were coming over to the house in a few hours, and Colt would be at the club when we got there. He was planning to get off work when we arrived. I was already feeling sorry for the poor guy, I had a feeling that Rome and Josh would be giving him a hard time every chance they got.
I was currently in the wardrobe, surrounded by clothes, but yet finding nothing that I wanted to wear. Lawson had given up telling me that everything looked good about a half hour ago and disappeared to find the guys.
I don’t blame him.
Quinn appeared in the doorway. “Oh hell. Lawson told me it was bad, but this is worse than I thought.”
“Tell me about it,” I grumbled from my spot on the floor.
“Tell me you love me,” she demanded with a grin.
“I love you?” I half asked in confusion. She tossed me a small bag. It was from a boutique I had loved back home.
“How did you...?” I asked, before diving into the bag and pulling out the most stunning silver dress. I could tell just by looking at it that it was going to be perfect. The low neckline, the cinching at the waist, the delicate silver and black beading on the cap sleeves. It was perfect. “I love you!” I shrieked as I clambered to my feet and hugged her.
“The girl in the store owed me a favor. I had her pick out something for the both of us and Brooke picked them up for me.”
“You’re the best, you know that right?” I called as she walked out of the room.
“I know. I’m awesome. Try it with those black Louboutin’s you got before we left.” She called out over her shoulder.
Genius.
Outfit? Check.
***
The girls and I decided to take over the main bathroom downstairs and get ready together. I was in a happy place. I was already about three wines deep, my face was on and Quinn was working on taming my hair. We hadn’t seen the boys for about an hour, other than when Logan had come to bring us another bottle of wine.
Love like Yours Series (Box Set #1-4) Page 31