“Greedy.” I’ve always loved teasing her. Mackenzie was my first, and to this day, I remember how we both fell apart in each other’s arms when we were seventeen.
I taste her again, this time with less teasing and more determination. Her breathing is labored as I savor her and insert two fingers into her opening. My lips wrap around her clit, sucking and pleasuring her. I drown in her cries and the squeeze of her legs around my neck and shoulders.
I remove my fingers, replacing them with my tongue, and reach one arm up until I find her breast, running my thumb over her nipple. My other hand holds her hip, attempting to control the wild movements of her lower body before I push her over the edge.
“Hunter,” she begs. Her hands are locked in my hair, tugging and pushing at the same time.
“Enjoy it,” I whisper into her center and she whimpers.
I continue my movements, her hands tightening in my hair, and I relish in the feel of how I affect her. No matter the distance, in miles and heart, we still come together in a perfect explosion. How could we not? We’ve always been meant to be.
Her legs tense around me and her moans turn into outright cries. I continue to lick and suck as my hands pinch and tease her nipples. When her body tenses and I feel her release, I slow down but don’t pull away until I’m sure she’s completely satisfied.
“Holy crap,” she breathes. I chuckle and look up at her. Her eyes are wide, her face is flushed, and her muscles are taut. I kiss her stomach, bite her nipples, and land my lips on hers. We both sigh as our tongues reach for each other.
Mackenzie’s hand reaches for my jeans in an attempt to remove them. I stand, giving her what she wants. As she leans up on her elbows, I push her back down and position myself on top of her.
“I want to taste you,” her hand finds my length and wraps around it. I groan and close my eyes.
“Later. Right now, I need to get inside of you.” I make quick work of fully removing her bra so we’re skin to skin.
Her mouth crashes with mine, tongue swirling and lips molding together. “Condom, Kenz.”
When she pulls back, her eyes meet mine, I see something greater than desire. The softness in her stare is full of love. I kiss her plump lips once.
“Make love to me, Hunter. You’re the only person who has truly loved me without a barrier. I want to keep it that way.”
I feel the pull of my eyebrows. “I’ve never either.”
“I know.” She caresses my face with her hand, soft tracing of my short beard with her fingers. “That’s always belonged to us.”
I drop my forehead to hers. “All of me has always belonged to you.” When I lift my head again to look at her, I see a flitter of sadness.
“Same for me, despite fighting it.” Her hand cups my face and she lifts her head up enough to kiss me softly. “Make love to me,” she repeats, and this time I don’t argue.
I enter her, feeling her wrap around me exactly like I remembered. Better, even. I hold myself when I reach all the way, feeling her squeeze her walls around me. This connection, this intimacy, I was missing it. I was missing her, her scent, her blue eyes as they pull this love from me and seek my soul.
Mackenzie wraps her legs around my body, and I begin to move.
“It feels so good,” she whispers into my ear, and I lose self-control, slamming into her harder and faster. I hit every spot inside of her and groan as she continues to squeeze me.
“Baby,” I growl.
“I know, I know,” she repeats as she pants.
My mouth finds her neck, and I kiss just below her ear, earning me a cry of pleasure. I continue to please her, my own desire wrapping around me as her nails scratch my back and her heels press against my ass.
She calls out my name, her voice hoarse as she screams in satisfaction.
I move my mouth to her breasts, sucking and licking her nipple as her orgasm sweeps through her. With a final thrust, my own moves down my spine, causing me to explode inside of her. Her clenching walls milking me until I drop my body on hers.
Sucking in air, I breathe as I lay to my side, keeping half my body on her, and my dick still inside of her. I move her hair from her face and kiss her. I memorize her features, how her lips are parted so her lungs can fill with air, the rise and fall of her bare chest. I want to keep this memory forever. Our second chance at a new beginning.
She stares at me, her hands lovingly moving across my hand and over my chest. When her walls stop pulsating, I remove myself from inside her. We’re both silent still as we hold each other in the dark of night.
“You mean so much to me. It pained me to think I had lost you forever, and tonight, not just making love, but being in your presence with your friends, has allowed me to see you in a different light. I always knew you’d succeed here, but I can see how much you’ve worked at it. Not just anyone can move to a city and make a name for themselves in a competitive industry. You’ve done that while remaining true to yourself and your roots. I admire you for that. I love you even more for it.”
I hold her tighter.
“I may not have been here to witness it, but the proof of your achievement is obvious.”
“You’re here now, though.” I feel her nod against my chest.
“I am. I want to witness you accomplish so much more—awards for your writing, hearing your songs on the radio while we drive together. I want to be with you, always. I’ll look for a job here, and we’ll let the universe put us back on our path.”
“Really?” I shift my body so I can look at her.
“Yeah. I still want to spend the summer in Springville with my family. I’ve missed them, too, but I can come up and spend more than just a weekend, as well.”
“I’d love that. I’ve always had space here for you. Space in my bed, in my home, in my arms. It’s always been you.”
“I see that now.” She kisses my chest.
We both drift off to sleep, and I wake up at some point from a tickling sensation on my chest. My eyes barely open, but I see the top of Mackenzie’s head and feel her lips on my neck.
“Baby.” I clear my throat and rub my eyes.
My eyes spring open when I feel her hand wrap around my dick and looks at me, a lopsided smirk on her face.
“What time is it?”
“I don’t know,” she whispers and begins to move her hand up and down my shaft. My dick twitches and hardens at the feel of her soft skin pleasing me.
“Lay on your back,” she instructs with a gentle push of my shoulder. I do as she says and watch her toss her long hair to one side of her shoulder. Her lips move with more force on my neck, trailing down my body. I know what she wants, and I let her have it. My body tenses when I feel her tongue peek out and lick my length.
“Fuck,” I groan. I reach for her hair, holding it in my hand, as she takes me in her mouth. Her tongue trails the path of her mouth, teeth gently add to the pleasure. When she takes me to the back of her throat, I lose it. I tug her hair and move my hips, fucking her mouth. She moans and stays in rhythm with me, my free hand snaking down to pinch her nipples. Her sounds vibrate from the back of her throat to my dick and I yank her up.
“Hey,” she argues.
I position her on top of me as she straddles my body. I’m silent as I guide her body down my length and cup her breasts. As soon as I fill her, she moves to her own beat, rough and fast, with her hands on my chest. Her head is thrown back as she moans, and I take her in. My wild girl.
We move together until we both climax, her body dropping on mine, her heart racing in beat with mine. We remain silent, my hand tracing her spine as we catch our breath.
When she looks up at me, I find her eyes glinting. “I couldn’t help myself.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” I wink.
“You’re going to be tired at work.” She doesn’t sound one bit sorry.
“It was worth it, trust me.” I kiss her forehead and she moves to go to the bathroom. When she returns, I open my arm
s for her and hold her throughout the rest of the night.
HAVING MACKENZIE WITH ME this week has been exactly what I’ve wanted for years, since before we broke up. Since we started planning to move to Nashville.
She was in my home, in my bed, in my life. Her scent will stay in my room until she comes back to see me. Throughout the week, I felt bad leaving her while I went to work, but she reassured me she was having fun looking around the city. Every evening I made sure to remind her how much I care and how good we are together.
I reach for her hand as I drive. She looks at me with a smile and leans back on the seat with a soft sigh.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” Her smile widens. “Thank you for this week. I’m glad I went to Nashville with you. I loved meeting your friends and co-workers.”
“I should be thankin’ you, darlin’. I’ve wanted you there this whole time and seeing you in my space did things to me,” I tell her honestly.
“I know,” she whispers. “It felt surreal at times, as if I was lookin’ at what our life would’ve been like three years ago. Then, I’d come back to the present, feel you there. I guess it put things into perspective.”
“I know how much you love Springville, and you’ve missed it. I have, too, which is why I’ve been drivin’ down more. I’d move back in a heartbeat, if I could, and I know it’s selfish to ask you to leave it behind when you just arrived. I want you with me, though.” Although I’d chuck it all to have her in my life, we both know that would never work. Mackenzie would feel guilty for making me choose, or so she’d think, and I’d work double time to prove to her there never was a choice. We need to be on the same page. For too long we haven’t been.
“When I write award-winnin’ songs and make more money, I’ll buy us a place here. A home in the country we can come to. A place we can include in raisin’ our children,” I hold her hand firmly, running my thumb over the top of her hand.
Mackenzie’s head whips toward me. I won’t let her fear of having another miscarriage interfere with her dream of having a family. I’d want nothing more than to have that with her. Fucked up reaction three years ago or not, I want a family with my lady.
“We could spend summers here,” she adds.
“And holidays. Maybe more time. Who knows?” I just need some years to get my name out there, become a highly desired song-writer, and then we can move here. I wouldn’t be the first in the industry working outside of Nashville. Besides, with a short drive, I can be in Nashville quickly if I need to be.
I get off at the exit for our town and take the familiar road that leads to our spot. Mackenzie sits up taller and looks out the window.
“I love this place,” she sighs as I stop by the path that leads to the watermill.
“Me, too.”
We walk to the structure that holds our secrets and love, and we sit on the steps, Mackenzie in front of me, her back leaning against my chest as I hold her. We stay in silence for a bit. The birds are out creating music and the leaves in the trees speak to the wind. The rushing of water in the river is soothing music to my ears. This place holds so many memories and so much pain, but it’s where I’ve always been able to connect to her.
“Cassidy Rae is gonna let you know if she hears of a position?”
“Yeah,” Mackenzie nods against my chest. “She said that the school isn’t in the best neighborhood, but that’s exactly what I like. I want to work with kids who may need the extra support. Work with families that need guidance. It means so much more to me.”
“It’ll happen.” I kiss the top of her head. “I wonder why she still has her daughter in that school, if they live in a nice neighborhood.”
“She mentioned a lot of changes going on in the last year and wanting to keep stability in Rae’s life. Apparently, it’s a great school, just targeted to lower-income families.”
“I’m glad she was able to help you.”
“Yeah. She’s sweet, too. I had fun at lunch with her.” It makes me fucking happy to hear her say that. Having some relationships built will help her with her transition. Her and Reese hit it off as well.
We stay a while longer at the watermill, only the sounds of nature taking up space around us. When it’s time to drop her off at home, I promise to pick her up for dinner at seven. No way I’m going to let her go that easily.
“We can go on a drive or to Bricks. What do you prefer?” I ask her as we walk out of the restaurant. Some people whispered as they saw us enter, eat together and laugh. Mackenzie tensed, but I told her to ignore the small-town gossip.
“Is that even a question?” Her eyes twinkle under the street lantern. “Drive.”
I pull her to me, staring into those blue eyes, and hug her body flush with mine. “I was hoping you’d say that.” I kiss her lips. “I brought my guitar.” I wink. Her smile is wide and bright.
“Let’s go,” she tugs my arm toward my truck, her brown hair flowing in the summer breeze. I chuckle at her enthusiasm and let her lead me.
I drive down the road and out of town, until we hit the dirt road. I glance at her where asphalt meets dirt and give her a crooked smirk. Driving down the unpaved road that leads to paradise, I lift her hand and kiss her wrist. Trees line each side, shielding us from the world.
I may have spent nights crying and paying for my mistakes. I won’t say it was worth it to have her here now because I rather not have gone through that, but I am more grateful and appreciative of each second I spend with Mackenzie. Her laugh fills the cab of my truck when I hit a ditch and she bounces in her seat. Music spills through the speakers and I lower the windows to let the air flow and the beat spread into the night.
Mackenzie’s hand reaches out of the window and her eyes close. I wish I could capture her like this forever. Her laugh reaches my ears and I look at her for a moment, slowing down my truck. She brings her arm back in, splattered with mud. Before I can tell her I have napkins in the glove compartment, she’s spreading the mud on my jaw and neck.
I growl and chuckle, wrapping my arm around her neck and pulling her to me so I can kiss her. Her giggles mix with my breath and I hold her to me as I drive.
“I got mud on your shirt.”
“I don’t care.” I look down at her and kiss her hard on the lips.
She brings her body closer to me, the mud on her arm and my neck long forgotten by the feel of her warmth wrapped around me. I was hoping to sit in the bed of my truck, look at the stars, I’d sing to her, but right now I want to stop my truck and sit her on my lap, naked.
“Do you have napkins?” she whispers into my ear.
“In the glove compartment,” my voice is thick.
She moves in the dark cab and I hear the clicking of the glovebox opening and the shifting of paper. Her body returns to mine, and she wipes the bits of mud she spread on me and then wipes her arm clean.
“Hope I got it all.” I hear the same need in her voice.
I squeeze her bare thigh as the hem of her skirt has risen up her legs and rest my hand there. “A little mud never killed me.”
“Baby?”
“Yeah,” I whisper back to her, loving hearing her call me that.
She leans in, making my hand travel further up. “I want you,” she whispers in my ear as if the trees would tell on us if they heard her confession.
“I want you, too. We’re almost there.”
“Just stop the car.” I realize then how deep her desire is.
“Not yet,” I turn my head and whisper an inch from her lips. She reaches for them with her own, but I turn my gaze back on the road, smirking.
I stop a few minutes later when the road opens up wider and the mud is dry. The field is still wrapped in tall trees, but we have the opening of the sky. I open my door and step out before reaching my hand for hers and helping her out. As soon as her boots hit the ground, I cup her face and kiss her.
“First I wanna show you somethin’,” I murmur against her lips. I open the back door and grab
two blankets and my guitar. “Come on, cowgirl.” I leave the light inside my car on to give us some visibility from the back window.
We settle on the bed and I sit across from her, my guitar propped on my thighs. Without any explanations, I strum the chords of my guitar, the sound vibrating around us. Mackenzie eyes me, her expression soft. I start to hum before opening the song and allow the words to reach her.
We had it all
And lost it
Broken promises,
Broken hearted,
And I’m left all alone, needing you
Wondering where you are
I’m stuck on rewind,
Staring at memories of us
And the life we lost,
Wondering how I got this wrong
I keep the picture
With our smiling faces,
As they taunt me
For my mistakes
Of how I tore your heart
with my own words,
But I’m begging you please,
Come back to me
My dreams are flushed
With you gone,
You’re so far gone,
I can barely grasp the ghost of you
And what we were,
But I remember your smile,
And I can almost taste your lips
I’m stuck on rewind,
Staring at memories of us
And the life we lost,
Wondering how I got this wrong
Instead I return to the watermill
I gave you my heart
And wonder how I could’ve
Thrown it all,
These words aren’t enough
To bring you back
We took the long way,
Breaking apart the best of us
And leaving shattering glass
Memories of Us Page 20