The Way Back Home (Homecoming Novella)

by C. Lymari

  The next day, there was a knock on my door, and a part of me hoped it was my Emma. Shit, I missed her like crazy while I was gone. Unfortunately for me, it was not her standing at my door; it was Rusty.

  “News travel fast,” I said by way of greeting as he made his way inside.

  Rusty gave me a grin. “Told Clark that if he wanted a free oil change, he should call me as soon as you got back.”

  Clark was so cheap, he would sell me out like that. I needed better friends.

  “You have a wife who is due at any minute. Say what you came to say.”

  He put his hands in the pockets of his jeans and looked unsure for a second. "She's not my blood, but she's my sister too. I love that girl. Growing up, it was us against the world. All I ask is that you don't hurt her. She doesn't have much, just Max and me, but she's always craved it. The sense of a family and belonging. She's never had that. I know it's unfair to ask this, but if you're not interested in getting to know her, just leave this place. I don't want to see her get hurt because—"

  “I’m not going anywhere.” I cut him off. This conversation was getting deep, and I didn’t have the patience for it today. “My family and my girl are here.”

  That seemed to appease Rusty.

  He gave me a bashful smile. "See you around."

  I was going to shower, and then I was going to get ready to grovel, even beg Emma to forgive me. The first time I left her was an accident. I didn't even know the damage that I had caused, but this time, I had no excuse.

  When another knock came, I groaned.

  “Dex, open the door. I know you’re home!”

  I froze by the door. I thought I’d have more time to prepare to talk to her. Guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. Freya was a go-getter, a trait we got from our dad.

  “Dexter!” she yelled again.

  I opened the door.

  “Are you done acting like a bitch on her rag? Because, let me say, if anyone should be upset in this scenario, it’s me.”

  She was absurd in the best ways. It made me smile a bit.

  “You want to come in, Freya? Oh, I’d love to. How gracious of you to ask,” she said as she pushed her way inside my place.

  “Make yourself at home,” I added dryly.

  She waited for me to sit before she spoke. “So, I guess you’re my little brother. I mean, I feel like we should have known. I have brown hair and mesmerizing brown eyes. You have brown hair and mesmerizing brown eyes. We both have strong feelings about the law.”

  We definitely had the same sense of humor. I snorted.

  “Do you not want me as a sister?” There was a vulnerability I had not seen before from her. And Rusty stopping by made more sense.

  “Nah, it’s not that. Look, Freya, I’m... I’m sorry for running off. This was as much of a shock for me as it was for you. My father always raised me to do the right thing. It’s part of the reason I became a cop in the first place. Then to find out he had a secret daughter he might have known about, that shit’s fucked up. You told me about your childhood. How am I not supposed to feel bad that while we went on family vacations, my sister was bullied?”

  Being away helped me realized I shouldn’t pay for my father’s sins. This was his fuck-up and not mine. Freya already had a father, and if mine missed out on that, well that was his loss, but it shouldn’t be mine.

  “You called me your sister.” I could tell she liked that I had. “Look, you can still love your dad. He might not have been there for me, but by the sounds of things, he was there for you. I was fine; I had Grandpa, Rusty, and Max growing up.”

  “Yeah, but if he would have believed your mom, your life might have been different.”

  She grimaced. “I would have been a Hendrix bastard. No offense. Hell, I still am one, but I guess between breaking up a marriage and being a bastard, it’s not so bad.”

  She paused, and I gave her a nod. That was fair of her to think that way.

  “So, we cool?”

  “We’re good,” I replied, and I felt better already.

  Before Freya walked out, she turned to me. “If you don’t stop fucking around with Emma, I swear I will hook her up with Bear.”

  I almost growled. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  Her smile was anything but sweet. “We both know I would. Now, I want her as a sister, so go make it official or whatever.”

  Shaking my head, I pushed her out of the door. After she left, I went to go shower. I didn’t want to wait anymore. I had to go see Emma. At least to tell her I loved her.

  I was dressed in sweats and a white t-shirt, about to grab a hoodie, when there was another knock at my door.

  Jesus fucking Christ! At this point, I was never leaving my house.

  “What!” I opened the door, annoyed at whoever was there.

  Just my luck that it was Emma. The soft smile she had on her face disappeared, and her eyes darkened.

  “Sunshine,” I rasped, and it was like seeing the sun for the first time in weeks.

  She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. “Don’t call me that.”

  Fuck, we were back to no nicknames.

  “I came here to apologize to you. To tell you that I was sure I wanted you, but now I’m angry because you said you’d be the best thing that ever happened to me and that you wouldn’t leave, but you lie—”

  I jerked her inside and kissed her to shut her up. Pulling her lithe little body to mine, I let her feel how much I always wanted her. Emma pulled back her eyes glossy full of desire, just like me. Fuck yeah.

  “I love you, Emma,” I said before I took her mouth again, but not before seeing her eyes get wide in surprise.

  My hands came to her hips, roaming up and removing the sweater she wore. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I lifted her by her ass and carried her to my bed. The way I laid her down wasn’t gentle, and neither was the way I spoke.

  “Get naked now.”

  When I was done removing my shirt, I bit my lip as I saw her just in her panties and bra. She stopped and stared at me as I brought my sweats down, my hard dick springing free.

  “You see what you do to me, Ems?” I rasped.

  Kneeling over her, I kissed above her knees, leaving soft kisses until I reached the apex of her thighs. I chuckled against her pussy. Giving her a soft peck over the cloth, I smiled.

  “If you want any part of me in you tonight, Emma, you have to open up.” I kissed the cloth that covered her pussy, and she squirmed.

  “I’m mad, remember?” There was a slight quiver to her voice.

  Hooking my fingers on the side of her panties, I breathed against her skin. “I can fix that.”

  I didn’t say more. Instead, I ran my tongue through her slit. She was sweet with a slight tang, and I was addicted already. I did it again, and Emma let out a slow moan. Lifting my head and seeing her spread out for me, I knew she was right there with me. She didn’t say she loved me, not yet, but I knew she felt the same as I did. I knew Emma, and she would not be here otherwise.

  Kissing my way up her body was surreal. A fuck of a long time in the making.

  “Oh, hey, we get to me—"

  Ouch.

  She hit my arm hard.

  “Don’t you dare,” she said, but it was with laughter.

  My chest shook a bit, then I kissed between her breasts. “God, I love you.”

  “My name’s Emma.”

  Fuck me. She was so fucking perfect, and she was mine.

  Discarding her bra, I marveled at the fact that she was naked in my bed, in my arms. “You’re fucking gorgeous, Ems.”

  Grabbing her waist, I flipped her so that she was straddling me. The wetness from her sex rubbed against my thigh, her curls weren’t long enough to cover her perky pink nipples, and the look in her eyes… The look in her eyes finally said she was mine.

  “Dex…I—”

  “Shhh.” I finally kissed her lips. “I want to be so deep in you, sunshine. Then tell me.”

  I fe
lt the shiver that ran through her body as I said those words. I kissed her neck, brought my way down her chest, and put one nipple in my mouth, licking and nibbling, before turning my attention to the other breast. Emma was rubbing herself against my thigh, her pussy dripping wet against me. Oh, yeah, she was more than ready. When I reached for a condom, Emma grabbed the packet and threw it on the ground.

  “I’m on birth control,” she breathed.

  Fuck yeah. No rubber.

  Holding on to her hips, I helped guide myself inside her. Shit. It felt better than the last time. As a matter of fact, it felt better than any other time I’d ever had sex. Thrusting my hips against her movements, I had the pleasure of watching her breasts bounce in my face.

  “Dex,” she let out a throaty moan.

  Her hands came to my shoulders, and she started to fuck me harder. All our wants and frustrations were finally catching up to us.

  “Oh, God, Dex!”

  Gripping her hips, I said through gritted teeth, “Tell me, sunshine.”

  Emma’s eyes met mine, and she was heaving. Little beads of sweat formed on her forehead, her lips were slightly parted, and she finally gave me the words I wanted from her.

  “I love you.”

  The words were barely out of her lips when I flipped her and fucked her harder as she kept telling me she loved me again and again until we both found our release.

  A few minutes later, Emma came out of my bathroom, looking deliciously fucked. I was leaning back against the headboard and extended my hand so she could take it and join me.

  She sat on the side of the bed. The only thing she wore was my shirt.

  “I was going to come and grovel, sunshine, but you had to come here and seduce me,” I said.

  She narrowed her eyes at me and shook her head, but she did it smiling, bringing out those dimples.

  Grabbing her hands, I brought it to the puckered skin on my arm and then the one on my stomach. Her eyes widened with the realization of what it meant.

  “You were the last thing I thought about before I lost consciousness. When I woke up, the thing I regretted most was not going on a proper date with you. I came back for you, Emma, and I watched you, and it just made me fall more in love with you.”

  “Dex,” she whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She came to straddle me, her arms coming around my neck. “And here I was holding onto a grudge when you almost died.”

  I guided her face so she would look at me. “We can’t focus on almost, Ems. I’m here and so are you. You are mine; we were always going to end up like this. Let’s just enjoy this.”

  “We were always going to end up like this?” she mused.

  “Sunshine, you’re in my bed, wearing my shirt, my cum still leaking out of your pussy. Yeah, you were always going to be mine.”

  Surprisingly, she didn’t “Dexter” me this time. One of her hands glided through my hair.

  “I love you,” she whispered. “I think I’ll keep you.”

  “You’re gorgeous, smell nice, and give good head. I think I’ll keep you too,” I teased. “Besides, I love you too much already.”

  This time her “Dexter” did come, but she was laughing, her eyes shining with the love she had for me. Emma, in my arms and in my bed, made everything okay.

  I was always searching for something big, trying to make a difference, but never did I feel like I was finally where I belonged until I made my way back home.

  Back to Emma.

  With her was where I belonged.

  Keep reading for a little sneak peek of Jake’s book.

  Coming November 7th, 2019

  You Were Always Home

  ADD TBR

  How long had it been? A few minutes, or hours? I needed to get out of the car or get my ass home before I burned off all the gasoline waiting outside of Pete and Son's hardware store. My stomach was in knots, and I asked myself if I really needed to paint. The answer was yes, I was in dire need of it. I needed to put my stamp on my new place. I needed it to feel like it was mine. The only way that would happen was if I did what I’d always wanted to do and let loose on the colors. Something, I might add, I had never had a say in.

  I couldn't help but glance at my left hand. It was getting easier to ignore it. The wedding ring that used to adorn it was now gone and a small faint tan line was all that was left. Soon that would fade, and all that would remain would be bitter memories. But those? They would never go away.

  Opening the visor mirror, I checked myself out before going out. My red hair was beautiful and sleek; my bangs neatly trimmed. My porcelain face was almost makeup-free. Just enough coverage to cover my freckled face; something I've done my whole life.

  Getting one heeled foot out in front of the other, I was glad there wasn't any snow. I already had a broken wrist; I didn't need to add a broken foot. My left hand shook as I opened the door to the store, since I was still getting used to my right hand being broken. It sucked that my right hand was broken. The smell of iron greeted me, making my nose wrinkle. I picked this time, knowing the store would be empty. I didn't need a witness to what could be a potential humiliation.

  As soon as I walked in, I cursed my high heels. The sound echoed through the store. Making my way down the aisle, I hoped that anyone other than Jake “Bear” Carson was here. But who knew? Maybe he didn't remember me. It wasn’t like we dated or anything. I guess you could say we were friends. You were more than friends. Don't play stupid. We had one class together for only one semester. It was nothing, I told myself. It felt like a bitter lie.

  I was a bitch to Jake; if I closed my eyes, I could see the hurt in his eyes. The vivid azure turning dark at my words. I was old enough to know the error of my ways. I knew the errors of my ways back then too, but back then I had everything to lose. I guess my sudden courage came from knowing everything was already lost. Things couldn't get worse, could they?

  When I rounded the corner, I wanted to curse and leave, because it was Jake at the counter. I wasn't as strong as I thought I was. Fuck courage. I was fine being a coward. I could drive an hour away to the nearest Home Depot, but of course Jake chose that exact moment to look up.

  Oh, fuck me. Jake had changed since the last time I saw him on his high school graduation. He still had the body of a football player: long, muscular limbs and broad shoulders. He wasn't as tall as my brothers, but he was wider. And don't get me started on his face. He was all male with his rugged square jaw. His hair was brown, but I knew it tended to lighten in the summer sun. Jake squinted those beautiful blue eyes my way, and it made me feel exposed. Not once in my twenty-six years had I ever stepped foot in his store, and just like him, I was wondering why I chose to do it now. Was paint that important?

  Now the only question was, did I go for friendly or did I pretend not to know him? I looked up at Jake to see if maybe he would say "hi," but instead he had crossed his arms and glared at me.

  Yeah, I probably deserved that. Okay, I deserved that look.

  My cheeks flamed with humiliation at the heat of his stare. This sucked. My pale skin tended to turn splotchy. Jake was unnerving me. The oxygen in the room wasn't enough to sustain me. I was going to die in front of Jake, and he was going to let me. When I was finally at the counter, I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Jake smirked at me, probably enjoying this moment a little too much.

  Asshole.

  Was that a thing? Calling someone an asshole when you were an asshole first?

  "Hi," my voice creaked, making me feel like a loser.

  Jake didn't say anything back. His eyebrow raised daring me to say more. I cleared my throat, putting my mortification on the back burner.

  Want to know more about Max & Freya?

  It’s Not Home Without You

  Available now

  Max

  Time is supposed to heal all wounds. I thought it had healed mine when I found myself ready to say "I Do". It all came crashing down the moment I saw Freya Pratt again. After all these
years she still affected me like no other. I couldn’t deny that she made me feel something I haven’t felt since the day she left. She made me feel alive. Now I’m questioning everything about our past and my future.

  Freya

  Breaking Max's heart seemed like a good idea at eighteen. I needed him to forget me and let me go. All these years I'd pretended like what we had was never real. I told myself I wanted what was best for him. I told myself that wasn't me. After seeing him again, I'm not so sure. As his wedding day nears, I wonder if I should tell him the real reason why I left. Would it even make a difference?

  About the Author

  Claudia lives in the Chicagoland suburbs, and when she’s not busy chasing after her adorable little spawn, she’s fighting with the characters inside her head. Claudia writes both sweet and dark romances that will give you all the feels. Her other talents include binge-watching shows on Netflix and eating all kinds of chips.

  Want to know more about me?

  Stay up to date on my Facebook

  Join my reader Group: Claudia’s Coffee Shop

  Instagram account: @C.Lymari

  Find bonuses and extras on

  my website

  Acknowledgments

  Wow, hard to believe I’m here again writing another one of these. First, I want to thank my family, who have been supportive and patient with me on this new journey.

  To my girls, the Chads, who are the BEST group of friends I could have found, I thank you. This book wouldn’t have been here without you all.

  To Stefanie Jenkins, this book wouldn’t even exist without your “When’s Dex book coming out?” Not only did it freak me out, but it motivated me to get the story written. Dex and Emma owe you this story.

  BJ, who was with me every single step of the way, you have no idea how much it means to me for you to hold my hand. Katey and Jacinta, who helped me beta, you girls are rock stars and my book wouldn’t be the same without you!