“They just want to hear about how good I am in bed.”
My mouth fell open, and I had to force myself not to laugh. “Say again?”
He winked. “I’m kidding. Go enjoy your lunch.”
I stood once more, then leaned down to kiss Jack on the top of his head. I turned, and Hunter captured my mouth with his, nearly making me melt into a puddle right there on his living room floor.
“Are you sure you want to leave?” he asked again as he pressed a kiss to my forehead.
“In a perfect world, I’d much rather spend the day tucked away in your bed, but I do need to head back to my place at some point.”
Hunter’s expression turned serious, and I sat down next to him. “What are you thinking right now?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
Smiling, I replied, “Liar. I know you, Hunter.”
“I don’t want to push you into anything too quickly…but I was thinking maybe you could move in with me. When you’re ready, I mean.”
A burst of warmth radiated through my entire body. “Here?” I asked.
“Actually, I was thinking the farm house. I know how much you love the apiary and everything, and I still want you to be able to make one on the farm, it’s just…” He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed as he looked away. “I finally got you back, Bella. I don’t want to waste another minute. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake you up with kisses before I make love to you every damn day.”
“I’d love that too.”
His brows rose. “So what are you saying?”
A slight giggle slipped free, and I looked down, then back up at him shyly. “I’d love to move in with you, Hunter.”
Jumping up, he pulled me into his arms and spun me around while Jack ran around us, barking. “You’re serious? I’m not pushing you into anything, am I?”
“No, of course not. I agree with you, enough years have passed us by, and I don’t want to waste any more.”
He laughed, then tightened his arms before he kissed the living crap out of me. When he finally drew his mouth away, I gasped for air. “Wow. Keep kissing me like that and I’ll never make it to lunch.”
“Is that so?” he asked, a wicked smile pulling at the corners of his luscious mouth.
“Hunter, I have to go,” I whined when he started to pull me toward the stairs.
Giving me a look that he knew would make me stay, he said, “We’ll be fast, I promise.”
“So now you want to speed?” I asked as he guided me up the steps and to the bedroom.
I lifted my hand to knock on Greer’s door just as it opened, causing me to let out a little yelp.
Greer, Abby, Willa, and Bree all stood in the doorway, each of them with smiles so wide I couldn’t help but smile in return.
“We’re missing Candace, I see,” I said as I walked into the foyer.
“She had to run to the bookstore—crisis with the computer we use for sales and inventory. I told her I could go, but she insisted I stay and wait for you.” Greer grabbed my hand and nearly tugged my arm out of its socket as she led me to the kitchen.
“You’re late,” Bree said with a cheeky smile.
“I lost track of the time,” I replied with a smile so big, I might as well have announced I’d just had the hottest sex ever.
Willa laughed and adjusted Ciara in her arms. “You never were a good liar, Arabella Adams.”
Entering the kitchen, I gasped at the sight before me. The entire island was filled with food.
“What have you girls been up to all morning?” I asked, walking over and taking it all in. A tray of finger sandwiches sat in the middle. Next to that was a dish filled with deviled eggs, which Abby knew were my favorite. Then there was a plate full of colorful veggies with a yummy-looking dipping sauce in the middle. To the side were large bowls of fruit and cheese. My stomach took that moment to let out a growl.
Greer laughed. “Worked up an appetite, did you? Bet you never even ate breakfast.”
My face heated once again as I busied myself with hanging my purse on the back of one of the barstools. “I did eat breakfast. But everything looks so good.”
Abby set a large bowl of salad on the kitchen island, then took put out three small bowls, each with different dressings.
“I’m starved. Let’s eat and talk, shall we?” Bree grabbed a plate and handed it to me.
After Willa placed Ciara in her portable crib in the kitchen, the four of us worked on filling our plates.
“I’ve got infused water, wine, or soda,” Greer said.
Bree went with the wine, while the rest of us went for the water.
“I’ve got the heaters on so we can sit on the back porch,” Greer added, making her way through the sliding door and out onto the enclosed back porch. “Willa, do you want me to leave the door open so you can hear the baby?”
Willa shook her head. “Nope, I have this little handy-dandy monitor. If she makes a sound, I’ll hear it.”
Abby laughed. “Let me guess, Aiden got it?”
“He did. He also has four cameras in her room, all pointed at the crib, and a high-powered microphone in there so if she so much as hiccups, he hears it.”
We all laughed, but at the same time I sighed internally. It was sweet to see Aiden as a new father. He was already an amazing dad to Ben, but with Ciara, he was simply adorable.
Once we all sat down, I placed my napkin on my lap and picked up a chicken salad sandwich. I went to take a bite just as Bree cleared her throat. I paused and looked up to find the four of them staring at me.
“What?” I asked.
Bree’s brows rose. “Seriously? You’re going to eat and not tell us what happened between you and Hunter last night?”
“We need details,” Greer added.
Willa popped a grape into her mouth and said, “All the details.” Then she frowned. “No, wait.”
I leaned back and stared at them. “You want me to kiss and tell?”
Bree let out a bark of laughter. “Hell yes, we do. Stop stalling. Did you guys…you know?!”
Lifting my napkin, I dabbed at the corners of my mouth. “Yes. A few times.”
They all squealed loudly, then Willa waved her hands and said, “Shhh! The baby!”
Greer leaned forward. “Like, how many times?”
I felt the heat go from my chest straight up to the tips of my ears. Looking away for a moment, I knew a smile was creeping across my face. “I might have lost count after the shower sex.”
Willa and Greer gasped while Abby fist pumped and said, “Yes!”
Bree had a wide smile on her face as she placed her hand over her heart. “Goddamn, I feel like a proud mother right now.”
“Shower sex? Arabella, you had shower sex?” Abby asked.
“Don’t act so surprised, Abby. Hunter and I used to have a very active sex life before…”
My voice trailed off, and Bree quickly took my mind away from where it was going. “The important question here is, how many times did he give you the big O?”
Greer nodded. “Oh, good question, Bree. Tell us, Arabella!”
I buried my face in my hands and laughed. Dropping them to my lap, I gave them a shrug. “I lost count.”
“Holy shit!” Abby said and the other girls burst out laughing.
I sighed. “You guys, I thought I needed to be in control last night. I told Hunter I wanted to make him, you know, feel good…but I asked if he’d be okay with not touching me. I wasn’t sure I could do it otherwise. And he was so sweet about it.” I closed my eyes and let the memory of last night seep in before I focused back on the girls. “Then I realized I needed him to touch me. Needed to feel…well…you know. He was slow, and passionate, and gah!”
We all fell into a fit of giggles.
“I feel like maybe this should gross me out, but I’m so freaking happy for you both,” Willa said.
“So you were okay? No issues when he did touch you or while making love?”
Abby asked with a concerned expression on her face.
I shook my head. “None at all. The only way I know how to describe it is, I feel…healed. Like his touch, his lovemaking, was the medicine I needed. I’ve never felt so alive. He made me feel…” I crossed my hands over my heart and smiled. “Cherished and wanted and loved.” I laughed. “He made me feel so loved.”
Willa reached for my hand as she tried to blink back tears. “That’s because he loves you with every fiber of his being, sweetie.”
I wiped away a tear that slipped free and nodded. “I know he does, and I love him so much. I just wish…”
“You just wish what?” Greer asked.
I lifted my shoulder in a half shrug. “So much time hadn’t been wasted. We could be married with kids by now, but we aren’t. And it’s all because I couldn’t face what happened to me.”
Bree took my other hand and squeezed it. “The past is in the past, Arabella. It’s time to move on and focus only on the future. You and Hunter have your whole lives ahead of you still. To get married, pop out a few babies, and grow old together. The only thing that matters right now, in this moment, is that you’re happy, healthy, and safe.”
I threw my arms around her and squeezed. “Thank you, Bree.”
She hugged me back, and when we broke apart, my eyes widened. “Are you crying?”
She quickly wiped away her tears. “Hell no. I don’t cry, Arabella Adams.”
I glanced around the table to see Abby, Greer, and Willa all wiping away their own evidence of tears.
Clearing my throat, I said, “Do you want to know what he did?”
“Depends on how graphic you’re going to get,” Willa said, her face scrunched up in mock horror.
Laughing, I said, “This has nothing to do with last night. I think you guys already know about Hunter buying the Wickerman place, right?”
Greer groaned. “Lord, I could not stand Kathy Wickerman. Remember when she spread those rumors that she slept with Hunter?”
“What about the time you punched her?” Abby asked with a laugh.
Willa’s eyes went wide. “That was you who punched her, Greer? I heard about that but didn’t know it was you! Someone said she got beat up because she was sleeping with Kyle.”
Greer laughed. “Who didn’t Kyle sleep with in high school? No, it was because she was a lying little—”
“Greer,” Abby said, taking Greer’s hand in hers. “Deep breaths. We all know how much Kathy got under your skin.”
Rolling her eyes, Greer looked at me. “It’s a damn good thing Hunter renovated the house, or I couldn’t have set up that gazebo lunch for you guys.”
Laughing, I replied, “Thank you for doing that, by the way. Everything was so beautiful.”
Abby cleared her throat. “Can we talk about the gazebo? I can’t believe Hunter built that.”
“I know!” I replied with a wide smile. “He also talked about an area of the farm that would be perfect for an apiary.”
The three of them sighed.
Abby placed her hand over her heart. “How romantic. He never gave up hope on you guys.”
“I know. When I think about it, I get so overwhelmed with emotion. I love him so much, and last night and this morning was magical. I keep wondering if I’m dreaming.”
Bree reached over and pinched me, causing me to yelp.
“Not dreaming.”
I shot her a dirty look. “That hurt!”
Willa took my hand in hers again. “Arabella, you have no idea how happy I am to see that smile on your face.”
Greer and Bree both reached across the table and placed their hands over ours as Greer said, “I second that. To see the color back in your cheeks and the pure happiness radiating off of you is wonderful.”
I smiled. “Thank you so much for being there for me and never pressuring me for answers. And thank you for getting me out of the house and back into the real world again, Willa. If it wasn’t for you, I’m not sure if Hunter and I would have found our way back to each other.”
“You would have,” Willa said. “I know that for a fact.”
Bree nodded. “That man is so madly in love with you, Arabella, it’s not even funny. I think eventually he’d have done something to win you back.”
“So, what happened this morning?” Greer asked as we all went back to eating.
“He asked me to move into the farm house with him. He’s been waiting to move in…and I said yes.”
They all stared at me with shocked expressions.
“I think we’ve wasted enough time being apart. I’m going to tell my parents today that I’m moving out of the cabin and into the Wickerman place with Hunter.”
Willa nearly bounced out of her seat. “You’re moving in together? Oh my gosh, Arabella! This is huge!”
“Well, I say it’s about damn time!” Bree said before she popped a grape into her mouth.
“What about the apiary, the store, and the café?” Greer asked. “I mean, I’m over-the-moon happy you’re moving in with Hunter, but what about the life you’ve made at the apiary?”
I chewed on my lip, then put my sandwich back down. “My folks have been hinting about retiring, and I don’t blame them one bit. My mom has been taking care of the bees almost her entire life. I know they both want to step down, but haven’t done so because they’ve been worried about me. And I won’t give up the bees. I’d be lost without them.”
“So what will you do with the bees at your folks’ place if you move to the farm with Hunter?” Bree asked.
“Move them.”
Greer’s eyes went wide. “You can do that?”
I nodded. “Yes. As long as I’m moving them more than three miles it’ll be fine, and Hunter’s farm is well over that.”
Willa asked, “Why more than three miles?”
“They won’t recognize their surroundings and will learn their new location. The nice thing about moving them to the farm is…well, Abby, your folks’ flower farm butts up against Hunter’s land.”
“What about all that lavender you’ve planted? Will you leave it there?” Abby asked.
“Can we transplant it?”
Abby’s eyes lit up. “Yes! We can’t divide them since they’re a woody shrub, and if you split them down the middle they’ll die. But yes, we can totally transplant them to the new apiary in late winter or early spring.”
“Perfect! I’ll most likely move the bees soon, since it would be best to do it in the winter while they’re all in the hives. I just need to talk to my folks and Hunter about it all.”
Greer started to laugh. “This is all so wonderful. Now we just need to find you a man, Bree!”
Bree’s head snapped to the side, and she gave Greer a horrified expression. “Come again?”
“We need to find you a man,” Greer repeated.
“The hell we do.” Bree pushed her plate away. “The last thing I’m interested in is a relationship. Been there, done that.”
Willa leaned forward. “Are you going to tell us how you just so happened to have a wedding dress laying around that I could use to marry Aiden?”
Greer pointed her fork at Bree. “That’s right. Spill the beans.”
Bree let out a nervous laugh. “This isn’t about me right now, ladies. We’re here this afternoon to talk about Arabella and all the hot sex she got last night that’s left her looking rather flushed and well-fucked.”
I nearly choked on my chicken salad sandwich. “What!”
“You do look well-fucked, not gonna lie. I’m a little jealous,” Bree said as she shrugged one shoulder.
I blinked, looking around at each of them. “We’re done talking about me and how…well-fucked I am.” The three of them started to laugh, and I fought to hold my own smile back. “I think we need to hear more about this wedding gown.”
Bree sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Fine. If I tell you, can we drop it?”
We all nodded.
“I met this guy shortly
after I started at the law firm. We hit it off, things moved quickly, we thought we were madly in love, and he asked me to marry him. I stupidly said yes, because I thought I wanted to be married, and to him. Then, life got in the way. Both of our careers really took off, and we worked long hours and hardly saw each other.
“He left the office early one day, and I thought I’d surprise him. The surprise was on me, because he was at his house—which I had the key to—and in his bed…with his secretary riding the hell out of him. The crazy thing was, I wasn’t even upset. I just turned, walked out the door, and tossed the key on the table on my way out of his place.
“He called me that night, and I told him it was a godsend that I’d left work early and found them. And it was. He ended up marrying her a few years later; she got pregnant and then quit the firm. He, of course, cheated on her with one of our boss’s daughters.”
Everyone gasped.
“Yeah, it all made for some serious office gossip. Needless to say, he got fired and I never saw him again.”
I slowly shook my head. “Wow. That was…some story, Bree.”
She shrugged. “I was a young, foolish girl who loved the idea of being married. I bought the dress almost immediately. We never even set a wedding date.”
“Did he give you a ring?” Greer asked.
“No,” Bree said with a laugh. “Looking back, I think he was kidding when he asked me, and I took him seriously.” She frowned for a moment. “I think I liked the idea of buying the wedding dress more than the idea of actually marrying him.”
I laughed, and Willa and Greer joined in.
“Well, it turned out good for me, because I had a wedding dress to wear!” Willa stated.
Bree pointed at her. “See? I’m sorry it wasn’t a juicier story.”
Tilting her head, Greer studied Bree. “Why do you not want to date anyone though? Someone else must have broken your heart for you to be so opposed to relationships.”
Bree paused with her fork halfway to her mouth and looked at Greer, then Willa, and finally at me. She set it down and sighed. “Christ Almighty, you’re like vultures waiting for the roadkill to die before you dig into it.”
“Isn’t roadkill already dead?” I asked.
Surrender to Me (Boggy Creek Valley Book 4) Page 19