by Hall, S. E.
“Laney!” Mrs. Allen jumps out of her chair and wraps me up in the kind of hug only she can give. “So good to see you, baby girl!” She catches Dane and pulls him in for an embrace as well. “And you must be Dane.”
I honestly couldn’t remember if I’d introduced them at the funeral or not; guess I got my answer.
“Yes, ma’am,” he says.
I’ve never heard him say ma’am before. I guess the farm just brings out the Southern manners in people.
“Dane, this is Charlotte Allen, Evan’s mom. And this,” I move to his dad and lean over, hugging his shoulders, “is his father.” I lean down and kiss Mr. Allen’s cheek. “Hey, Pops.”
Mr. Allen reaches back and pats my hand on his shoulder before standing and shaking Dane’s hand. “Nice to meet you, son. Heard a lot of great things about you from Jeff. Says you’re real good to our Laney.”
“Yes, sir, I try,” Dane answers, then shifts and extends his hand to my dad, who’s also risen. “How are you, Mr. Walker?”
“Jeff, boy, how many times I gotta say it?”
“Daddy,” I wrap my arms around his middle, noticing it’s a bit bigger, “stop teasing him. Hi, Rosemary,” I lean my head around him and smile at her. I’m ecstatic my dad is finally dating again. He’s quite a catch if I do say so myself, and Rosemary is a kind woman, a widow whose only son is about five years older than me and out of the house.
“There he is!” my dad hoots, and I don’t have to turn around to know he means Evan. My dad’s been saying the same thing to his entrance for over ten years.
“Mr. Walker,” Evan greets him.
“Jesus Christ, I’m gonna have to start wearing a name tag with you boys. My name is Jeff,” my dad insists.
I turn now, to greet Evan, and am immediately pummeled by an overzealous hug from Whitley.
“Laney! I love your dress!”
I can’t help but grin. She really is this nice, it’s not an act. What a bitch I’d been to judge her, dislike her, for…well, nothing really. And here we are now—friends. “Hey girl! You did great on this wedding. It’s really beautiful.”
“Thank you! It was so much fun. Hayden just let me do whatever I wanted.” She giggles. “She’s too tired to care.”
“I bet.” I lean in to whisper, “Is it just me or is she like two hundred weeks pregnant?”
Whitley can’t contain it and busts out laughing, tugging on Evan’s arm. “Evan, come here. Okay, Laney, tell him what you just said.”
“Um, I just asked how pregnant Hayden was,” I mutter, embarrassed. “She seems pretty big.”
“That’s what I said!” Evan offers me a knuckle punch. “Don’t worry, we’re not crazy. She’s got three of them lil’ nuggets in there.”
Three?
“God help him,” Dane mumbles, now right behind me with his hand finding the small of my back.
“No shit, right?” Evan chuckles. “Hey, man, how are ya?” He shakes Dane’s hand.
“All right, ladies and gentlemen!”
We all turn, fearful…Sawyer has the mic.
Zach strides up and verbalizes all our thoughts. “Who the hell gave Beckett the mic? There’s grandmas and kids here.”
“Please welcome, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Parker Jones.”
Well, that was okay. I sigh in relief.
In walk Parker and Hayden, hand in hand, permanent smiles plastered across their faces. We all stand back in our little group and watch as the crowd envelopes them, waiting our turn.
“Where’s Hayden’s family?” I wonder out loud.
“Just a mom,” Evan answers, “the one in the purple dress to her right.”
“What’s Ang think about triplets?” I whisper.
“Oh, she’s thrilled! So am I!” Whitley squeals. “How much fun will that be?”
Um, not much, I think to myself.
Evan looks at her adoringly, sliding an arm around her waist. Hmm…perhaps they’re even happier than I thought? I’ve never seen that exact smile on Evan, clearly earned only by the new and glowing Country Whitley.
Parker had called me a while back to explain that he was giving Evan part of his land, to make sure I understood why he was doing it. Of course I did; my life is different now. This place will always be home, but I don’t see myself coming back and being a farmer or a farmer’s wife. Evan, however? It’s a perfect fit for him, and Whitley appears to be totally on board. I might even say…in her element? Her smile seems brighter, an extra twinkle in her eye, not so uptight and unsure anymore.
I still think Parker’s settling down a bit early myself, but I never worry about the head on Evan’s shoulders. Then again, I’d go live on the moon if that’s what it took to be near Dane. I would not, however, start spitting out moon babies or quit school and softball, and Dane would never ask me to.
“We’ve got a special treat for you all now.” Oh God, Sawyer’s talking again. “Whitley, come up here and do your thing, girl.”
We all look at Whitley, who goes up on her tiptoes and kisses Evan quickly. “See ya in a bit.”
As she walks to Sawyer and the stage, Evan sticks his fingers in his mouth and whistles his approval. And then the Larks start shuffling onto the stage as well—I don’t even know where they came from. Oh wow. This is gonna be cool, I just know it. I squeeze Dane’s hand in excited anticipation and he looks down at me and winks.
“Thank you all so much for coming, and congratulations again to Parker and Hayden. We’re the Lovely Larks,” Whitley sweeps her hand out to introduce the ladies, “and we’re going to start with the bride’s choice for their first dance. This is ‘When You Say Nothing At All.’”
“Great song,” Dane and I both mumble together.
Poor Hayden, she almost looks like she’s not moving at all, just bobbing like one of those Weeble People that had the rounded bottoms and went in their little school bus.
Anyway…she’s round. But we’ve established that.
Dane wraps his arms tight around me from behind and whispers in my ear, “I love you.”
I reach one arm back and cup his cheek. “I love you too, Dane.” I listen to the song, immersed in the Larks’ perfectly harmonic voices, and watch Parker gaze at his wife, completely enamored. “Do you think they’re crazy? Too young?”
“Do you?”
“Maybe, I don’t know. It just seems crazy to think of. I mean, they’re our age, my age.”
“I think it’s different for everyone,” he says quietly. “More about the specific person than the age.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
We all clap when the song ends, the floor now open for everyone to dance. The Larks do some really cool things with some great song choices, and I manage to steal a dance with my dad, Parker, Zach, Evan’s dad, and even Evan before Dane’s finally had enough of “sharing is caring” and stakes his claim. We dance to several slow and fast songs, some sung by The Larks, some played by the DJ, before we finally make our way to say goodbye to the bride and groom.
“Parker, we’re gonna go. Congratulations.” I tear up a little as I hug him. “I love you, brother. Be happy.”
“Love you too, Laney.” He squeezes me back. “Thanks for coming.”
“Hayden,” I hug her then rub her belly, “you take care, lil mama. Get some rest and call me if you need anything, okay?”
“Ya’ll don’t be strangers now. Parker loves seeing you, Laney.”
Dane congratulates them both as well, then we go say goodbye to my dad, Rosemary and Evan’s parents before searching the crowd for Sawyer. He’s nowhere to be found and the longer I have to search on my aching dancing feet, the more aggravated I become. Until I spot him. Then I just feel sad.
He’s sitting on top of the boat that’s upside down on the ground, probably to drain out water, staring out at the pond.
“Can you go get the car?” I ask Dane. “Let me talk to him.”
He kisses me and walks away, leaving me to figure out what to do
about Sawyer.
“Hey you.” I sit down beside him, nudging his shoulder with mine.
“Hey, you guys ready to go?” He doesn’t even turn, more speaking to the pond than to me.
“Whenever you are; no rush. As long as I don’t have to walk in these anymore,” I lift my leg and wiggle my foot,” I’m good.”
“Hey, Gidge?”
“Yeah?”
“When did you know Dane was the one for you?”
“Honestly,” I chuckle, “pretty much the moment I met him. I know it sounds stupid, but it’s true.”
“It doesn’t sound stupid at all.”
“Saw, what’s up with you? You can always talk to me, you know that, right?”
“Yeah.” He sighs and looks at me at last. “You’re my favorite girl in the whole world. When I’m ready, you’ll be who I come to.”
“Okay then.” I kiss his cheek, then stand, reaching out my hand. “Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER 11
***Dane***
I’d won the bet and wanted so badly to give Laney the envelope. I had a whole elaborate plan in mind. The envelope would hold a note telling her to meet me somewhere, where I’d get down on one knee and ask her to marry me.
Not today—I’m not an idiot—but someday. A long engagement is more than fine with me, but still… I want the promise, the words, and the assurance that she plans to be mine forever. I had the ring made for her months ago and was just waiting for the right time, but now the wind in that sail is gone.
Judging by the way she’d talked at the wedding, I know now she’s far from ready for my gift, even if I preface it with my intentions of a long engagement. And honestly, if I have to lead in with a “don’t worry” line, then that tells me right there it’s not the right time.
So, disappointed to say the least, I stuffed two tickets to some beach resort in Florida in the envelope, my heart not in it. Sure, I’ll take a weekend alone with Laney, in a bikini, anytime, but this trip will be overshadowed with thoughts of what I’d really wanted to give her.
“Where you at, babe?” She places her hand over mine, pulling me from my thoughts back to her.
“Nowhere. Here,” I reassure her. We’re at a nice dinner, and I suppose now’s as good a time as any for her gift. I pull the envelope from the inside pocket of my jacket, hung over the back of my chair, and hand it to her.
“Ah, the bet envelope.” She rubs her hands together and takes it, smiling mischievously. She opens it, pulling out the tickets and jumping from her seat to my lap. “Babe, how is getting a weekend with you on the beach me losing?” She giggles as she kisses my face.
“It’s me winning.” I grab her cheeks with both hands and look in to her eyes. I want to tell her what I had planned, that I want her forever. That you’re never too young if you know with every fiber of your being that it’s right. That the thought of her giving me babies, half of me and half their beautiful, stubborn, caring mother, makes me want to explode from the inside out. But instead, I kiss her long and slow, then raise a finger for the check. “Let’s get you home.”
“Mmm hmm.” She takes one last taste of me before moving back to her own chair.
I pay the bill hurriedly and pull her up and out to the car. Once inside, I dive back into her lips, unable to wait a second longer to feast on her again. “I want you,” I moan in between nips and sucks of her.
“Then hurry and get us home,” she whispers, moving to kiss up and down my neck, one hand in my hair.
I clear my throat and pull back, regrouping and finding the willpower to start the car. “Keep your hands on your side of the car, lady, or we’re never gonna make it.”
Since Sawyer still hasn’t gotten his head out of his ass and moved in, and we’re closer to her duplex than my house, I head there. I don’t care if Tate and Bennett are home or not—they can buy some earplugs for all I care. I can’t make it all the way to my house before I get inside her. If I can’t have her “yes,” I’ll take her “yesssss!”
She shifts in her seat, rubbing her thighs together, obviously just trying to kill me. “Thank you for dinner, babe,” she coos, “and the trip. Feels unfair, though, you won the bet. I should be rewarding you.”
I shift madly into fourth. Come on, Elmhurst Drive.
“Oh yeah? What’d you have in mind?” I glance over at her, licking my lips.
“I’m not sure, but you won the bet, bought the place, the trip, the beds… I feel like I’m not giving anything. What can I do to even it out?”
Say you’ll marry me someday. Wear my ring for the next five years if that’s what it takes, but wear it, proudly, definitively.
Nope, not the time, she’ll spook.
Move in with me? Well no, I just got her a place of her own.
That’s the problem, I think more “adult” than Laney. Not to say she’s immature, she’s far from it, in fact. I challenge you to show me a woman her age who’s more put together. No, I think like a man who already owns an empire, who already has middle age responsibilities and plans. But I’m working on changing that, thus, I need to think like a guy her age, in her life mode. I need to think like a college guy, just starting out as an adult, with just the edge of the other Dane.
“Do you trust me?” I ask her.
“Completely,” she answers with no hesitation.
“Then give me tonight to be whoever I want. Don’t argue or question. Let me do anything I want to you.”
“We’re still at like, twenty-four shades of grey, mister.”
Jury’s still out on whether her reading those books was a good or bad thing.
I chuckle. “I know, baby, but I want all twenty-four.” I can’t not look over at her, slowing down my speed a bit as I do. Her eyes aren’t scared or skeptical, but rather molten and intrigued. That tongue of hers is tracing her bottom lip as her hands rub slowly up and down her thighs.
My girl is turned way the fuck on.
“Okay,” she whispers.
COULD HER HOUSE BE ANY FURTHER AWAY?
When we finally, and I am not exaggerating a fucking bit when I say it felt like centuries, make it inside, I deadbolt the door behind us. No one but she and I have the key and there will be no interruptions tonight. I dock my phone and turn on the music, just in case they’re home next door, and turn to her.
I bend a finger, beckoning her to me. “Come here, baby.”
She kicks off her shoes and pulls out her hair tie, letting her blonde locks flow down over her shoulders. She can’t not know she’s attractive, but I don’t think she has any idea how fucking sexy and sensual she is; not young-looking at all, a full-grown temptress.
I’d wanted to go crazy on her, but now “Unforgettable” plays, so I decide to take my time, slow and meaningful, like the song. I lift her arms and guide them around my neck, letting just my fingertips touch her satiny skin as I slide them back down her arms. I pull her by the hips until she’s flush against me and grind my hard-on into her stomach as I sway us to the music. “You have no idea how you captivate me, do you?” I ask low in her ear, nipping on its lobe.
“You do the same to me, babe.” She lays her head on my shoulder. “I love you so much, Dane.”
“Not like I love you, Laney. You couldn’t possibly.” I grab the hem of her shirt and whisper, “lift,” pulling off her shirt as her arms go up. “No one could possibly feel like this. It’s like an all-consuming need for another person, just to survive.” Next is her bra, which falls to the floor beside us. I look my fill, focusing on my favorite freckle in the middle of her sternum, my north star, then grasp one glorious breast in my hand, teasing the nipple with one finger. “To know you’d give up everything, anything else, but for that one person. Nothing else exists without them.” I deftly snap open her jeans, unzipping them, then backing up. “Off,” I tell her, then watch hungrily as she does what I say.
She doesn’t speak, waiting in silence, her chest deceiving her calm façade as it rises and falls rapidly.
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“Turn around,” I tell her, loving the view from the back as much as the front. You can’t even airbrush that shit any better. The white string of her thong disappears between the two perfectly rounded globes and I rub myself now, biding my time. “Peel that thing off, baby, nice and slow. Tease me.”
The song now is “I Could Not Ask for More,” by Edwin McCain, a master of the moment, and I smile at the irony of his words. My Laney is holy fuck hot, her outside the wrapping to the most caring, humorous, witty soul you’ll ever want to meet. And when she bends over like that, sliding a virginal white thong down her long legs, reminding me she is, in fact, pretty inexperienced, also reminds me that she’s all mine and only ever mine. A feral growl escapes me before I even realize. No, I couldn’t ask for another damn thing.
“Come back to me now,” I grind out and spread my arms to my side. “You want me naked?”
She nods, biting down on her lip. “Yes.”
“Tell me.”
“I want you naked, babe.”
“Then get me naked. Undress me.”
First she unbuttons my shirt and peels it down my shoulders, kissing every inch of skin she bares. I help her with the cuffs and let it drop onto the floor. She reaches up and twirls the cross around my neck in her fingers, then leans in, placing kisses all over my torso as her nipples press into me. “Keep going, baby. Pants,” I growl, needing to consume her, barely holding back.
She goes down to her knees, working my belt and pants open and easing them down my legs. I toe off my shoes and she takes care of my socks. Now I’m left in just my boxer briefs, my erection obvious through them.
She runs a finger over the outline. “For me?”
“For you,” I murmur before dropping down to her, cupping her ass in my hands and forcing her mouth open with my own, our tongues battling for power before we break apart to catch our breath.