Can I see what you’ve been working on?” I asked.
We were standing on the sidewalk in between our houses after returning from the viewing party.
Serena’s expression turned shy, but she nodded slightly.
I knew she was private when it came to her art, but I also knew how exceptional she was; the evidence was currently hanging in my bedroom. I couldn’t wait to see what new stuff she’d been working on.
We walked into the backyard, then I waited while she unlocked her studio and walked inside.
I followed behind, and when she turned on the lights, I crossed the studio to where she had her easel set up.
I looked at the painting, then down at her, and back to the painting.
It was me. And this time, not just my face. I was sprawled out on the bed, my face dark with desire, and my body nude, save for the sheet, which was covering me up to the waist. My hair was tousled, like her fingers had just been in it, and I had a day’s growth of beard on my chin.
The canvas screamed sensuality, sex, desire, and my reaction to it was physical.
“Is this how you see me?” I asked, my voice low and rough. “How you imagine me?”
“Yes,” Rena replied, her tone breathless.
Her chest heaved as she took in a deep breath.
“I’ve missed you,” I told her as I stalked toward her. It had been over a week since I’d had her, tasted her, and I needed it like I needed my next breath. “I need you.”
“I missed you, too,” she whispered, then let out a gasp when I grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto the nearest surface.
My hands went to her hair as I fused my mouth to hers, kissing her with all the pent-up frustration and desire from our week apart. Serena moaned against my lips, and I had the overwhelming urge to hear that sound louder … longer.
I pulled her to the edge of the counter and ran my hands up her thighs, under her skirt, and then flipped it up to reveal her panties, which were already wet for me.
“Mmmmm,” I managed, dropping kisses on her lips, down her throat, and over her chest, before I looked into those brown eyes and ran my thumb across that wetness. “I need to taste this.”
Her gaze grew liquid and she shuttered in response.
With a grin, I left her briefly to go grab a chair, then set it in front of her and sat down. I placed my hands on her hips and scooted the chair in until I was mouth level with her pussy, then pulled her panties down her legs until they dropped into my lap.
Serena’s hands fisted in my hair, and before I could initiate contact, she pulled and guided me where she wanted me.
So fucking hot.
Eager to please, I ran my tongue along her seam, then pushed her thighs to open them even wider.
“Jed,” Serena moaned, sounding sexy as hell.
My cock swelled so fast, so hard, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to walk again.
I nuzzled her clit as I pushed one finger inside and curled it until I found her g-spot. Then I added another. I thrust my fingers in and out, hitting that spot with added pressure each time as I flicked her clit with my flattened tongue.
Her hands in my hair tightened as she pulled my face closer and thrust her hips up. She was getting close, so I picked up speed and intensity with my tongue and my fingers, until she was coming against my lips.
I milked her orgasm until she went pliant, then I dropped one final kiss on her clit, before putting her panties back on and lowering her skirt.
I kissed my way back up her body, over her clothes, as I stood, stopping to nuzzle the spot between her breasts before kissing her softly on the lips one more time.
Serena looked up at me, satiated and little giddy.
“So, you liked the painting then?” she asked with a laugh.
I shoved my face in her throat and chuckled.
“I loved it,” I replied, standing back up and helping her stand on shaky legs. “I’m hoping you’ll do a whole series.”
Serena grinned.
“I could probably be persuaded to do that.”
“I look forward to doing the persuading,” I joked.
We turned out the lights, locked up the studio, then paused outside in her backyard.
“Would you like to come up?” she asked coyly, as if she didn’t already know the answer.
“I’d love to,” I said, pulling her into my arms as I gazed down at her. And, because I could, and I wanted to, I lowered my lips to kiss her lightly on the nose and said again, “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Jed,” she replied, saying the five best words I’d ever had uttered to me in my life.
I took her hand in mine and we walked into her house and up the stairs. I was so grateful to be back, not just in her home, but in her life, and I hoped I was there to stay. I’d never had feelings like this for anyone before, and after living most of my adult life alone, I found that I was no longer content to live that way.
I enjoyed the companionship I shared with Serena. Coming home to her after a long day of work, doing something as simple as eating dinner or watching TV … it all meant more when I was with her.
Chapter Forty
Serena
Sign here, Serena, and, sign there, Gabe. There, it’s official,” my cousin Reardon said as he looked over the documents. “Rena, you are the proud new owner of The Gallery on Main Street.”
I smiled at Reardon, then turned to Gabe, my eyes watering.
“Thank you so much, for everything,” I told him, then flew out of my chair and into his arms.
Gabe chuckled as he caught me.
“You’re welcome, Rena. I’m happy it all worked out.”
“The terms are very generous,” I told him, even though he already knew that.
Although, he would have happily given me the property for nothing if I’d let him. But, I hadn’t. Yes, I still got the family discount, but it was a discount I could live with, guilt free.
“Proud of you, Serena,” Reardon said, coming around his desk to give me a hug as well.
“Thanks, Rear, looks like you guys are stuck with me permanently.”
“Good,” Gabe said, then looked at Reardon and added, “And, we don’t have to kill our friend, Jed; they worked things out.”
“That’s good,” Reardon replied, “I kind of like the guy.”
“Me, too,” I said, getting in on the fun. “In fact, I think I’m going to marry him some day.”
They both stopped joking and looked at me with serious expressions.
“Really, it’s like that?” Gabe asked.
“Yeah, it really is,” I admitted, still feeling emotional and getting a little misty. “I’m in love with him.”
“I’m happy for you, Rena, welcome to the club,” Reardon said, grinning like a goof.
“Now we just need to bring Jasmine into the fold and we can all live happily ever after,” I said, thinking how wonderful it would be if Jasmine could find someone who made her as happy as Jed made me. “I wish she’d give Shane a chance, I think he’d be good to her.”
“Well, Shane may not be an option much longer,” Rear told us.
“What do you mean?” Gabe asked.
“His extension for his visa was just denied, looks like he’ll have to head back to Australia.”
“What?” I asked. The thought of Shane leaving Cherry Springs was unthinkable.
“No way, there has to be something we can do,” Gabe argued. He and Shane had been friends since college, and he was the reason Shane had chosen Cherry Springs to live. Out of all of us, Shane leaving would affect Gabe the most.
Well, since Jasmine denied her feelings for him … I wonder what she’ll do when she finds out our favorite Romeo is leaving town for good.
“I’ve been looking into it, but so far I haven’t found a solution,” Reardon replied, clapping Gabe on the shoulder. “But, don’t worry, we haven’t given up yet.”
Gabe nodded and said, “Keep me informed,” then he turned to me
and said, “Congrats again, Rena. Zoey wants to have you and Jed over to celebrate.”
“Okay, I’ll call her,” I said, then I thanked them both and headed out of Reardon’s law office and walked down Main Street to my gallery.
Wow, that sounds amazing … my gallery.
By the time I got to the gallery, I was smiling like a fool and practically skipping down the street.
When I saw Jed’s truck in the parking lot, I rushed inside, eager to see him and tell him it was official, even though he knew I was meeting Gabe and Reardon to sign the paperwork. Saying it out loud to him would make it feel more real.
My heart stopped when I walked into the gallery to see a picnic spread out on the floor and Jed standing there with a bouquet of tulips in his hand.
“What’s all this?” I asked, my hands coming to my chest.
“A celebration,” Jed said sweetly, coming toward me and offering me the beautiful flowers. “Congratulations on becoming a business owner.”
“Thank you,” I gushed, taking the flowers then leaning in for a hug and a kiss. “You’re so sweet.”
“Aw, shucks,” Jed joked, but I could tell he was pleased that I liked his surprise.
“What did you bring?” I asked, realizing I’d been so excited about my meeting that morning, that I hadn’t eaten all day.
“We’ve got fried chicken, macaroni salad, rolls, and pie for dessert.”
“Wow, that sounds healthy,” I teased, dropping down to the blanket and laying the flowers out beside me.
“Oh, it is, part of the new see food diet.”
“I’ve heard of that one, it’s all the rage right now.”
Jed chuckled as he started pulling things out.
“Your Aunt Annabeth said it’s one of your favorite meals.”
I looked up at him, eyes wide.
“This is Aunt Annabeth’s fried chicken?” I asked.
When he nodded I told him, “You’re in for a treat. She makes the best I’ve ever had.”
“Good, I’m glad you like it. So, how’d everything go with Gabe and Reardon? Smoothly, I assume, since I saw you skipping down the street.”
I nearly choked on my roll.
“You saw that?” I asked, feeling my cheeks heat up.
“Yup, it was one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.”
“Oh my gosh, why do you always catch me during my most embarrassing moments?”
Jed smiled at me, eyes twinkling, and admitted, “It’s one of my favorite things about you.”
Epilogue - Serena
To Dillon and Jasmine, and Lewis Sporting Goods, may they eventually take over the world,” Gabe said, raising his glass as Dillon and Jasmine grinned happily.
“Well, maybe not the world … just the U.S.,” Dillon amended. “We don’t want to be greedy.”
We were at the bar, celebrating the fact that Lewis Sporting Goods was expanding to Chicago, Boise, and Seattle. Dillon and Jasmine had been working their tails off to make the expansion happen, and we were all excited to see their hard work paying off.
Jed was talking to Reardon, so I made my way to the bar to refresh both of our drinks.
Things between us had been going great. We’d both been working on our communication, and so far, it had been working beautifully.
I was knee deep in showcases at the gallery, and Jed was finishing up his latest construction job.
We spent our days working hard, and our evenings cooking together and unwinding. Sometimes we’d break apart and each go work in our separate studios, or we’d relax on the couch and read, talk, or watch television.
“Hey, gorgeous, what can I get ya?” Shane asked as I leaned against the bar.
“Hi, Shane, can I get a beer for Jed and a dirty martini for myself?”
“Sure thing, sugar,” Shane said with a wink.
As he went to work on my order, I turned back to look around the bar. Jasmine was talking to some guy I’d never seen before, and I made a mental note to ask her about him later.
I heard Shane make a grunting sound behind me. I looked to see he was following my gaze to Jazzy and the strange guy, a frown on his face.
“She brought that root rat around the other night. I could tell right off he’s only after getting in her pants,” Shane informed me.
“Like, on a date?” I asked, wondering why she hadn’t told me she had one. We usually told each other that stuff.
He nodded and grunted again.
Before I could express sympathy or ask him about his situation with his visa, he stormed off and walked into the back.
I watched his retreating back with a frown, then picked up the drinks and went back to join Jed.
“Here you go,” I said, handing him a beer.
“Thanks, babe,” Jed said, leaning down to give me a kiss on the cheek.
“What, no drink for me?” Reardon asked.
“Sorry, two hands,” I replied with an innocent grin, then laughed when he scowled.
“Fine, I’ll go get my own,” he said, and turned with a huff.
“Drama,” I called out after him, to which he responded by turning his head and sticking out his tongue at me.
“Hey, Rena, I’ve been thinking,” Jed began, pulling my attention off my cousin.
“About what?” I asked as I took a sip of the dirty martini.
Delicious.
“About our current situation.”
“What situation?”
“Our living situation,” he replied. “What do you say we give up our houses and move into something else. Something bigger, on some land?”
“Really? You want to move in together?” I asked, my heart leaping into my throat.
“Just picture it. A pretty house on a couple acres, with a workspace in the back with enough room for both of us to have space to work. That way, we don’t have to leave each other when we want to create, and we’d have room to grow, eventually … if we want to.”
I did just what he asked, and pictured it while he spoke, and what I saw I really, really liked.
“I would love that,” I admitted.
“You would?”
“Absolutely. I like the thought of never having to leave you to go home and change, or paint. And, I’ve always wanted to have some land of my own. We could get a dog,” I suggested with a happy smile.
“I’d like that,” Jed said, lowering his lips to mine.
He kissed me until I was dizzy, then lifted his head and looked into my eyes.
“So, we’ll find a realtor and get our houses on the market … start looking for the perfect place for us?”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “And, if we can’t find it, maybe we can build exactly what we want.”
“I do know someone in construction,” Jed teased. “So, if we find the perfect house, in the perfect spot, I could always build us exactly the kind of studio we want.”
“You sure are handy to have around.”
“You should probably keep me then,” he said, brushing his lips across mine again, oh so softly.
“Oh, I plan to, don’t you worry about that. You’re the kind of man a woman holds on to with both fists. Handsome, built, good with your hands,” I leaned in and whispered, “and, you’re tongue.”
Jed chuckled.
“And you’re the kind of woman who keeps a man on his knees. Gorgeous, talented … too enchanting to let go.”
“Well, it looks like we’re both stuck then.”
“We sure are,” Jed said softly, running his tongue over my lower lip. “There’s no one I’d rather be stuck with.”
The End.
What’s next
Love The Lewis Cousins? Next up is Too Dangerous, the fifth and final book in the series. Haven’t read book one, Too Tempting yet? It is now available, read on for chapter one.
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter 1 - Gabe
I took a deep breath as I walked out of my cabin and onto the wooden deck overlooking the lake and forty
wooded acres of my camp.
I’d built Camp Gabriel Lewis over three years ago, after I’d retired from the NFL and decided to make my dream of working with teens a reality. My camp was not just a football camp, and not just your traditional sleepaway camp; it was a combination of both. It was the culmination of a vision I had when I was a young kid, and the only things I gave a damn about in life were football and my annual camping trip with my cousins.
“Son of a bitch, it’s good to be back here!” I grinned over my ceramic coffee mug at my cousin, Reardon, who’d just pulled in.
Crazy tall, blond, and charismatic, he was the person I’d been closest to growing up. My best friend. Now he was a lawyer in the small town he grew up in.
“Happy to get away from the hustle and bustle of Cherry Springs?” I asked with a chuckle.
“No, man, things there are quiet as usual,” Reardon responded as he pulled his duffle bag from the trunk of his Mercedes. “I’m just looking forward to kicking your ass at family sports day this year.”
“You wish, cupcake,” I responded wryly, feeling ridiculously happy to see him again.
“Hey, I’ve been working out,” he countered with a grin.
When he reached the top we came together in a quick hug, each giving the other a sharp clap on the back before pulling apart.
“C’mon, I’ll walk you down to your cabin so you can get settled in. Jasmine and Dillon are en route. They’ll probably get in tonight. Serena had to work today, but said she should be in first thing in the morning.”
“Sounds good.”
I followed him back down the steps and onto the trail, which led to the row of cabins. The counselors stay in the cabins when camp is in session, but my family always lived in them when we came down for our annual trip the week before opening.
“This is you, as usual,” I said, jogging up the steps to open the door, since his hands were full. “So, what have you been doing since Easter?” I asked as he tossed the bag effortlessly onto the bed.
“Had a couple cases, nothing really exciting,” he replied, opening the drawers to the dresser so he could unpack.
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