One of These Days (Prairie Town Book 4)

by T. E. Ridener

  “Gods, Jeb. Just shut up and love me,” she said, smiling in spite of her tears. “Please.”

  If he had to ask for another sign, he clearly would have been an idiot.

  “All right.” Nodding once, he stretched his upper body across the bed until his fingertips brushed against the smooth leather of his wallet. He grunted softly and she giggled beneath him, which caused his ears to catch fire.

  “Is that where you keep a condom?” She asked curiously, raking her nails down his back lightly. “In your wallet? Really?”

  “Hey, you never know when the opportunity will present itself,” he murmured, grinning. After successfully grasping his wallet and pulling it onto the bed with them, he leaned back on his haunches to free the small package from behind his license.

  “How long has that thing been in there?”

  “Just a little while,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. He lifted it to his lips and tore it open with his teeth, glancing at her. “A couple of days, I guess.”

  “A couple of days?” She arched a brow and propped herself up on her elbows, gaze dropping to the condom. “So you stuck it in there when we started fooling around?”

  His eyes remained on her face as he rolled it onto his length. “If I say yes, will it upset you?”

  “Not at all. I’m actually flattered.” Lying back against the mattress again, she bent her knees and bit at her bottom lip, her long lashes touching against her cheeks as she smiled. “Really flattered, Jeb.”

  Dang. Was that all it took to flatter her? If so, he’d have to make it a life mission to flatter her as much as possible, with tons of things.

  “Come here, beautiful.” Resting one hand against the mattress near her head, he gripped his cock and slowly began pushing into her, watching her face for any signs of discomfort; something he’d always had to watch out for given he’d been blessed. Hurting her wasn’t an option, ever.

  “Go slow,” she whispered, squirming to get comfortable beneath him. Her breathing was slow and cautious as she peered up at him, eyebrows furrowing as he inched in. “Like that. That’s perfect.”

  “Let me know if it hurts or anything. I’ll stop,” he promised.

  But God, he hoped it wouldn’t hurt. She felt like absolute heaven around him, so tight and hot. He wondered how long it had been for her.

  “Doesn’t hurt,” she replied with a sigh. “Perfect, actually. Keep going.”

  When he was finally completely inside her, he stilled so she could adjust. She didn’t seem to be in any pain as she wiggled her hips, probably still trying to get more comfortable, so he simply waited.

  He had learned a great deal about patience since meeting her, and he’d wait as long as humanly possible.

  “Okay,” she said after a few seconds, nodding her head vigorously. “I’m good. You feel good, Jeb. Don’t be afraid of hurting me.”

  But he would be, no matter what. Still, he did as she asked, and he slowly began to move his hips. It was the single most amazing thing he’d ever experienced as a stifled moan slipped between her upper teeth and the bottom lip caught beneath them.

  The mattress creaked beneath them as his fingers tangled in the sheets and he built momentum, thrusting deep and slow. His heart felt like it was about to explode as she latched onto his upper arms, nails biting into his skin.

  “Oh...fuck.”

  Those were the only words she seemed to be able to say, over and over, as he quickened his thrusts and buried himself repeatedly in the glorious heat of her body.

  Home, he thought. I am home.

  It became impossible to form coherent thoughts, and all he could do was bury his face against her neck. Inhaling the sweet scent of the body wash from their shower, and what was undeniably her, he knew he wasn’t going to last much longer.

  “God, Aggie,” he said, panting against her heated, wet skin. “I’m going to...”

  “Go ahead,” she managed to say, releasing a soft whimper of pleasure. Her nails clawed down his back as she began tightening around him, signaling her impending release. “Fucking fuck, Jeb. So good.”

  “You feel good, too, baby.” He lifted his head and found her lips with ease, moaning against her mouth as his stomach muscles clenched. His entire body quivered in pure ecstasy and as her tongue swirled around his, he exploded.

  The world was gone. Everything around them faded into mere nothingness as euphoria washed over him. The sweet sting of her scratches was the only thing keeping him grounded as he rode out his orgasm, thrusting erratically, like a crazed man. She bit at his bottom lip and tugged roughly, and he was certain he could taste blood as her body stiffened beneath him.

  “OH. GOD!” She cried out, and then she collapsed against the bed.

  He followed in suit, pressing his face against the soft blankets as he tried to catch his breath. With his heart thundering in his ears and his pulse pounding like a damn drum, he closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath.

  It was the best sex he’d ever had, and he could only hope for more sessions in the future.

  Every day of my life, he thought as he turned his head to gaze at her.

  With one hand pressed to her forehead, Aggie’s chest rose and fell quickly. Her skin was flushed and damn, she was the most perfect thing he’d ever seen. Again, he found himself burning another image in his mind, never wanting to forget it.

  “That was...wow.” Her voice remained soft and quiet as she turned her head to stare at him. “Gods, Jeb. You could have warned me.”

  “Warned you about what?” Rolling onto his side, he gathered her in his arms and pulled her to his chest, his lips immediately finding her forehead.

  “That you were going to be so good at it.”

  Chuckling softly, he rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t say I’m all that great at it, but if you insist...”

  “Oh, I do. I really, really do,” she insisted, snaking her arm around his waist and cuddling closer. “I regret not doing this sooner, with you.”

  “Don’t,” he replied, even though he knew she was teasing. “It happened exactly when it was supposed to, Aggie. You can’t rush something like this.”

  “Something like us?” She asked, her voice muffled against his chest.

  “Exactly.”

  “Then I’m glad it happened exactly when it was supposed to. And I’m glad you love me so much. Thank you for that.”

  Was she seriously thanking him?

  “No need for that, baby,” he murmured, running his fingers through her hair. “I do it willingly, and happily so. All I want is for you to be happy.”

  With me, he wanted to add.

  “I am happy, Jeb.”

  “Well, then I want to make you happier.”

  “One of these days.” Yawning quietly, she slipped one of her legs between his and stilled.

  After a few long moments of silence, he realized she’d fallen asleep. With a smile he was pretty sure was permanently etched on his face, he tugged the corner of the blanket over their naked bodies and closed his eyes, unwilling to release her.

  “One of these days, Aggie,” he whispered tiredly, sleep overtaking him. “One of these days...”

  Chapter 16

  Ags

  Never had she seen such a beautiful morning.

  The days seemed to grow shorter and the sex only grew hotter, and before they knew it, it was time for Lydia and Callum to come home.

  Since it was Byron’s first day in Prairie Town, and he undoubtedly felt just as nervous as the rest of them about being in a new place with a new family, she’d taken it upon herself to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to prepare a hearty breakfast with all the proper fixings.

  It took great strength and determination, but she eventually had ever burner on the stove in use when the sun finally decided to say hello. The scent of fried bacon filled the air and she’d just put the biscuits in the oven when the front door opened.

  “Hey, guys. We’re home!” Lydia called. “Hello?”


  She couldn’t get out of the kitchen fast enough, and running across their floor with socks on was a terrible idea. The world turned upside down and her ass hit the floor before she even knew what was happening.

  “Oh my god! Ags!” Lydia was by her side in an instant, her eyes wide. “Holy crap, are you okay?”

  “I’m...fine,” she muttered, quickly sitting up. The only thing hurting besides her backside was her pride, and it took another blow when she looked up to see Callum standing in the doorway.

  And his miniature look-alike was beside him, staring at her in equal amounts of horror and fascination.

  “Hi.” She smiled and waved at him, hoping she hadn’t scarred him for life.

  Lifting his little hand timidly, he waved back.

  “Goodness, Aggie. Why were you running like that?” Lydia asked as she helped her to her feet. “We get these floors waxed every few weeks; it’s dangerous to walk around in socks, let alone run!”

  “Sadly, that means I can’t reenact Risky Business either,” Callum said, chuckling. “That looked like a nasty fall, Ags. Please don’t sue us.”

  “I’m not going to sue anyone.” Rolling her eyes, she hugged her arms around herself and sighed. “So, how was the trip back home?”

  “Long,” Lydia said.

  “Entertaining,” Callum said.

  Feeling a tug to the bottom of her shirt, she glanced down at Byron and watched as he began signing to her. It was a shame she hadn’t paid more attention to the book—damn Jebson Ray.

  “He says, ‘something smells good,’” Callum explained, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “That’s one of the first things I made sure I learned; I hated the thought of not understanding when he’s hungry, or sick, or tired.”

  “Or sad,” Lydia chimed, nodding. “We worked almost round-the-clock to learn the very basics, and we’re working our way towards the more complex signs. We’ll get there though.”

  “Oh. Okay.” She nodded in understanding and smiled in Byron’s direction. “What’s the sign for breakfast?”

  “Just do this.” Callum turned towards his son and crouched before him. Byron was a tiny little thing, so even with his father attempting to be at eye level with him, he still towered over him. With his right hand, Callum positioned his fingers to look almost like duck lips, and then he brought them to his mouth, parting his lips a little. “Eat?”

  Byron’s eyes grew bigger, if possible, and he smiled. Nodding quickly, he raised his right hand and rested it flat against the left side of his chest, rubbing it in a quick circular motion.

  “That means ‘please’,” Lydia said, beaming with pride. “He’s the most polite kid you will ever meet.”

  “Manners are appealing. He’ll be a lady killer when he’s older,” she replied, grinning. “Or guys—whatever he may be into when he’s grown.”

  “Let’s not jump too far into the future, girls.” Callum straightened back up and took Byron’s hand into his own, glancing back and forth between them. “We have to make it through his childhood and those dreaded teenage years. If I get him that far, I’ll consider myself lucky.”

  “We’ll get there, sweetheart. Together.” Lydia stepped over to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek, winking at Byron.

  She instantly felt jealous as she watched her best friend with her family. It was something she wanted, too, and Jeb’s face came to mind.

  Speaking of Jeb...

  “Where’s that brother of mine?” Lydia asked, turning her head to peer towards the stairs. “He’s not still in bed, is he?”

  “Actually, no.” Heading back into the kitchen, she explained that Jeb had gotten up not long after her, and he’d headed back over to his house to meet up with Mr. Reynolds about something.

  She decided to leave out the fact they’d had amazing sex in the shower—that was information Lydia could live without.

  “Well, I’m glad his house is in tip-top shape, but that means he’ll be leaving us.” Lydia opened the fridge door and released a melancholy sigh. “I was enjoying having you both here.”

  “Me, too, Honey.” She turned back to the stove and opened the oven door to check on the biscuits. She tried not to be too sad about it though. Just because Jeb was going back home, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t still see one another. And the gods knew he liked visiting Lydia and Callum every chance he got. Now that he was an uncle, he’d probably be stopping by more than once a day.

  I wish I had a niece or nephew, she thought sadly, closing the oven door with her hip.

  Turning back to observe Byron, and in hopes of learning more about him, she caught him staring at her with a smile on his lips. It would have been against the law not to smile back—who could resist that adorable face anyway?

  “I think he likes you,” Callum said, smirking. “That’s the biggest smile I’ve seen since we left Kentucky.”

  “I like him, too. He’s the cutest.”

  “Well, he looks just like me, so thank you for that.”

  That earned him a roll of her eyes. Moving to the cabinets, she began taking down plates to set the table. She hoped everyone would appreciate her efforts, because she definitely wasn’t Betty Crocker or Martha Stewart.

  “Can I help you with anything?” Lydia appeared beside her with a bottle of water.

  “No, I think I’m okay.” She looked at Byron over her shoulder, giggled when she realized he was still watching her, and then focused her attention back on the task at hand. “How are you liking the mom life?”

  “It’s terrifying, Ags. I mean, he’s a sweet kid and he seems to like me, but I’m so afraid I’m going to mess up. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one of these days it’s going to happen.”

  “You’d have to be some sort of weird robot if it didn’t happen,” she replied, tilting her head slightly. “Being a mom is about making mistakes and learning as you go. There’s no such thing as a perfect mom.”

  “I know, but,”—Lydia huffed—“It’s just nerve wracking. I never even imagined having an opportunity like this. Sure, we talked about adopting someday, but this is just...it’s happening so fast, you know?” Gnawing at her bottom lip, she dropped her gaze to the counter and became silent.

  They had been friends for a long time, and she liked to think she could sense certain things when it came to Lydia and Benji’s emotions. At that exact moment, Lydia needed reassurance. And possibly a hug.

  Wrapping one arm around her best friend’s shoulders, she squeezed gently and grinned. “Hey now, you’re going to do just fine. Look at that kid over there,” she said, glancing over her shoulder to find Byron still staring at her. “He seems happy, doesn’t he?”

  “In spite of his mother’s passing? Yes.”

  “Then that’s all that matters. Just keep that smile on his face, Lyds. Make sure he always knows you’re there for him and it’ll make a world of difference. I promise.”

  “Oh, you’re right.”

  “Of course I’m right. Don’t you remember who I am?”

  “I could never forget.” Lydia pressed a kiss to her cheek and smiled. “And speaking of you—how were things while we were gone?”

  “Nothing too exciting happened, I’m afraid. Devon came to visit and I may have accidentally attacked him with a roll of paper towels whilst heavily intoxicated.”

  Lydia’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “You what?”

  “Relax. He’s fine. I didn’t kill him.”

  “No, no. I’d never think paper towels could do much damage.” Placing her hands on her hips, Lydia stared at her suspiciously. “Why were you drunk?”

  “Um, because I’m over twenty-one?”

  “Smartass. You know what I mean. You don’t drink that often anymore. What happened?”

  Oh, boy. Did she really want to have that conversation right now? It was one thing to tell her she had a crush on her baby brother, but explaining what had led to her drunken stupor, Jeb’s brush with a mega high, and the past few hot, magical n
ights together...?

  “It’s...complicated.”

  “And it involves my brother, I’m sure,” Lydia stated matter-of-factly. “I want all the details. Now.”

  She arched a brow. “All the details?”

  “Well,”—she paused briefly—“Perhaps not all of them, but the relevant ones. Did you two have a chance to fan that burning ember you’ve had going on for forever?”

  Her face caught fire as she pulled open a drawer to retrieve some silverware. “Maybe...”

  “You did!” Lydia gasped, and quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

  “Keep it down, Lydia! There are children present.” But she couldn’t help but laugh. The entire situation made her ridiculously giddy. In fact, she couldn’t wait for Jeb to come back; she missed him so much already.

  “Mm, you’re right. He’s quite good at reading lips to be so young,” Lydia said, her eyes roaming to Byron. “Let’s set the table and move into the living room for a few minutes, hm?”

  “Oh, gods. You really want to talk about it now?”

  “You’re absolutely correct. Come on.” Excitedly, Lydia hurried to the table with plates in tow.

  Oh, shit. What have I gotten myself into?

  With a shaky sigh, she headed towards the table to help Lydia prepare for breakfast. Suddenly, she was nervous about filling her best friend in on the details of the amazing week she’d had with her little brother.

  —————

  Jeb

  It was rare for him to be so productive so early in the morning, but the past couple of nights with Aggie had really turned him into an early bird—a happy one at that.

  He couldn’t really recall the last time he’d been so happy. Nothing had ever caused so much smiling in his life; his face was beginning to hurt from smiling so much.

  Mr. Reynolds had agreed to meet up with him at his house to discuss a few last-minute renovations—things they could deal with after the town was finished rebuilding. It wasn’t something he was going to announce to anyone else, not yet at least. It was meant to be a surprise, and given that he was horrible at keeping secrets, it was best just to not mention it at all.