Kyle groaned, sliding his hand down her flat belly to cup her sex as they ground together. Lauren’s head fell back to rest on his shoulder as he kissed his way up her neck, her vibrant hair falling around them, tickling his skin. He nipped her earlobe before whispering, “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” Lauren whispered, her heavy-lidded eyes opening, her blue eyes dark with want. “Welcome home.”
She pulled away from him, rolling to her back on the messy floral sheets as her colorful patchwork quilt tumbled to the floor. She now wore nothing but her sheer thigh-high stockings. Kyle swallowed hard at the wanton picture she made, her hair tumbling around her with her lips swollen from his kisses, her pert nipples just a shade lighter than her slick sex. Kyle looked his fill as he unbuttoned his pants and slid them off, tossing them aside. He grasped the placket of his shirt but Lauren shook her head. His fingers stilled as he raised an eyebrow at her.
“Leave it on,” Lauren said, her voice low and husky. “It’s sexy.”
Kyle smiled at her and she grinned back as he crawled onto the bed, between her thighs, opening her wider for him. As he jostled the bed, a bright blue cylinder hit his knee. He glanced down and smiled, picking up the vibrator and flicking it on. A low buzzing noise filled the room as he held it up to show her.
“Look what I found,” Kyle chuckled. She tilted her chin up and raised her eyebrows.
“Well, you weren’t here to play with.”
“Missed me quite a bit, did you?”
Lauren smiled and then nodded shyly. She twined her calves around his thighs, pulling him closer. He fell into the cleft of her sex, loving the sweet, slick slide of them together. Kyle threw his head back and rocked against her, knowing this one woman could be his total undoing. Carefully, he eased back away from her.
“One of these days, I just want to watch you play with this.” He shook the still buzzing bright blue toy. “But for tonight, I get to play with it first.”
He set the toy on the lowest level before lowering it to brush over her nipples. She groaned, her eyes falling shut, as he trailed the toy along the undersides of her breasts. Her nipples budded even harder and he leaned down to taste them. Lauren moaned, a low sigh that reverberated through him. He trailed the toy down her stomach and over her thighs, smiling as she arched her hips up to him.
He flicked the toy up a notch before ghosting it over her sex, as her thighs fell open for him. He circled the flat head over her, learning the different settings and watching her response. He teased her entrance before sliding the toy just a few inches inside and pushing up to find the special spot that he knew would send her over the edge. Lauren arched beneath him, a low scream ripped from her as she clawed at the messy sheets, her head thrown back. She rocked up against him as he gently teased her with the toy, writhing and panting.
“Say my name, beautiful.” Kyle whispered as she panted, rocking her hips, close to falling over the edge into bliss. He swiveled the toy inside her and she screamed his name. “Say it again,” Kyle demanded as he slipped lower on the bed. He twisted the toy, pressing it up to the maximum setting, just as he used the flat of his tongue against her most sensitive spot. Her thighs shook as she flung her legs over his shoulders, her toes curling against his back.
She moaned his name, over and over, as she rocked her hips up, mindless with her need as the spasms of her release pulsed against his mouth. He raised his head to see her face. And he knew he’d never forget this moment watching her fall apart in his arms.
He grabbed for the nightstand drawer, pulling out a strip of foil packets and covering himself, his fingers shaking. He thrust deep into her tight, welcoming heat, the pulses of her release still fluttering around him. And he knew he’d come home. Home.
Lauren meant home to him.
Kyle froze, staring down at her, wondering if he had any hope of her ever feeling the same. Somehow, while he’d been coaxing his reluctant bridesmaid into a relationship with him, he’d tripped and fallen head over heels.
Lauren.
His.
He did, in fact, want a relationship with Lauren. He wanted her, all of her, everything with her, no matter what they called it, so long as he got to be with her. He remained still so long, Lauren finally dropped her hands from her face. Her blue eyes, dark and unfocused, looked up at him as she smiled up at him, rocking her hips in welcome.
I’m falling in love with her.
She leaned up, cupping his cheek as she kissed him. She straddled his lap, still keeping him inside her, rocking down onto him, her strong thighs wrapped around his hips, as she clutched at his shoulders. His heart hammered in his chest, still stunned by the enormity of his realization. She kissed him deeply, her tongue making a lazy, possessive circuit around his mouth.
Gently, she eased the shirt from his shoulders, brushing kisses along his neck and shoulder blades, keeping up their slow, slick slide together. His wrists caught in the tight cuffs of the shirt as she held his arms still, still rocking against him. He thrust up, unused to the feeling of being held captive and taken like this as arousal pounded through him, chasing any difficult realizations away. Still holding his shirt with one hand, she cupped his bottom, pulling him deeper inside her, as their bodies slapped together, in a rhythm unique to them.
Just as his release prickled through him, gathering at the base of his spine, she leaned close and captured his mouth, sucking and nipping at his lower lip. Her internal muscles clamped on him as she climaxed, her second release pulsing around him as he poured into her, his hips jerking as he emptied himself. He just managed to rasp out a single word, over and over again.
“Mine.”
Chapter Twelve
On the first morning of the New Year, Lauren stirred in the sheets, feeling deliciously achy in interesting places after her passionate night with Kyle. She stretched, turning to look at her gorgeous lover only to find her bed empty. She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest, as Kyle pulled on his crumpled tuxedo shirt, his well-muscled back to her. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her, that slow, sweet smile that melted her heart. Lauren’s heart flipped over in her chest and she smiled back.
“Sorry, beautiful. Didn’t mean to wake you,” he whispered, as he donned his pants.
“Come back to bed.” Lauren patted the bed next to her invitingly. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
Kyle shook his head, biting his bottom lip, his eyes dark in the silvery half-light of dawn. “Don’t tempt me.”
Deliberately, her eyes never leaving his, Lauren let the sheet puddle around her waist. Kyle swallowed hard, his tongue darting out to lick over his bottom lip, as his chest heaved. “I’ve gotta go take pictures of the polar bear plunge.”
“Can’t Joe do it?” Lauren said, winding her hair around her finger.
“He’s plunging.” Kyle leaned over and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him onto the bed. She nipped at his lower lip gently, threading her fingers through his short hair, bristly against her palms. He moaned, cupping the back of her head, pulling her closer, his weight braced on his knees as they greeted each other. He broke away, caressing her cheek and they stared at each other in the pearly dawn light.
In the past, she’d never woken up beside one of her flings. Now, she and Kyle were making a habit of it. To her very great surprise, she didn’t mind. She actually liked waking up with Kyle. Why was this man the exception to everything?
Kyle stroked her cheek, his fingertips warm. “Leigh and Joe are having a little New Year’s get together. Why don’t you come over around four?”
“Won’t they mind you inviting me?” Tension spiraled through Lauren. Though she knew Leigh and Joe from working with them at weddings, she didn’t know them well enough to go to their house uninvited. “And that sounds like a date.”
“Not a date. Just a party. Leigh would love it if I brought someone…special.” Kyle said, his eyes warm in the dim light. Lauren sucked in a breath, twin
ing her shaking fingers behind his neck, and, feeling like she was about to take the polar bear plunge herself, nodded. Kyle’s smile outshone the dawn outside, just cresting to rose and peach, before he dropped a smacking kiss on her mouth. “Great. I gotta go take pictures of crazy people. Go back to sleep, beautiful.”
“I think I’ll go paint for a bit. Did I ever tell you that sometimes I paint naked?”
Kyle groaned and kissed her again, which quickly turned into another passionate round of kisses. He pulled away reluctantly. “I’ve gotta go. See you this afternoon.”
Their eyes met for a long moment. Lauren bit her lip to keep the words she longed to say back. Instead, she just waved and said, “See you around.”
After spending the afternoon sketching, Lauren spent half an hour trying to figure out what outfit to wear. Why hadn’t she thought to ask Kyle what the dress code was? If only Erin was here to help her. Instead, Erin and Matthew were still enjoying their love-fest at a downtown hotel and Lauren was left to choose her outfit alone. She sighed, staring at her jumbled closet. She’d better get used to it. She doubted Erin would live in Boston much longer.
Finally, after considerable debate, Lauren selected a forest green sweater, dark jeans, and boots. She dressed it up with simple gold jewelry and left her hair long and understated makeup. On her way out the door, she grabbed a bottle of wine out of the kitchen and headed over to the Mitchell’s. Though it was only late afternoon, sunset painted the sky in ribbons of color—peach, magenta, indigo. She catalogued them as she walked so she could integrate them into her latest piece.
When she arrived at the Mitchell’s, she hesitated. Should she go upstairs and knock on Kyle’s door, in his tiny bachelor pad over the garage? Should she knock on the Mitchell’s front door, or the side, where she could see the bustling crowd within, lit by the overhead lights and the glowing tree? She shifted from foot to foot, shivering in the cold, wanting nothing more than to turn around and go home. But she’d promised Kyle.
Leigh flung open the door, a bulging white trash bag in hand, and dashed to the green bins lining the side of the garage. When she turned back, she jumped as she caught sight of Lauren.
“Hi. Kyle invited me,” Lauren said, biting her lip and then, in a rush, “Happy New Year.”
“Well, he mentioned he invited someone. He didn’t say it was you. How long have you two been together?” Leigh said, her Memphis drawl pronounced. Her curly brown hair frizzed around her head and her snowman patterned Christmas sweatshirt did little for her middle-aged figure. Still, she had kind eyes and a welcoming smile. The tension along Lauren’s shoulders loosened a fraction.
“We’re just friends.” Lauren shrugged and ignored Leigh’s wide smile.
“Kyle’s been so happy these past few weeks. Now I know why.” Leigh bustled back to the side stairs. “Come on in, out of the cold.”
Leigh ushered her into the warm house and exclaimed over the wine she’d brought. Joe greeted her, handing her a mug of spiced cider and Kyle excused himself from chatting with his friends. He’d shaved and dressed in a Tattersall shirt with a moss green pullover sweater that highlighted his eyes.
He brushed a kiss over Lauren’s cheek, his eyes warm as he welcomed her. “Everyone, this is Lauren. Come meet my friends.”
The next half-hour passed in a blur as she met people. The party seemed to be full of couples, their rowdy kids making a racket in the basement. Lauren finally got to stand next to Kyle at the beautiful glowing tree, bedecked with handmade ornaments. She leaned close, inhaling the lovely scent.
“Casey and I helped them find it.” Kyle placed his warm palm on the small of her back. She turned toward him and he slid his arm around her waist, in a singularly possessive gesture, the kind established couples made all the time. Lauren pressed her lips together, glancing around at the paired off room. Instead of the panic she expected to feel, Kyle’s arm around her felt natural and right. She leaned her head on his shoulder briefly as he cuddled her close.
Leigh called them to the table, passing around bowls of wilted greens and mouth-watering beans studded with ham, followed by fluffy yellow cornbread. “All these are traditional New Year’s foods in Memphis. Supposed to bring luck. I used my grandma’s recipe for Hoppin’ John.”
“It looks wonderful, Leigh,” Lauren said. Kyle handed her a cut crystal bowl of cinnamon spiced apple butter.
“Kyle, tell Lauren about you all going to the orchard. The apple butter is from there.”
Kyle flushed, but laughed. “Leigh hoodwinked Joe and me into taking the kids apple picking.”
“Hoodwinked is a strong word,” Leigh said, laughing as she passed bowls around.
“We drove up over the New Hampshire line to this place,” Kyle continued. “Leigh claimed she looked it up online.”
“It was highly rated on social media,” Leigh said.
“She didn’t tell us the orchard was on a mountainside,” Joe chimed in. “So, we put the kids in their little red wagon and took turns hauling them up the side of a cliff.”
“It was like apple picking on Everest,” Kyle agreed. “We finally got up there and picked about three bushels of apples.”
“That’s a lot of apples,” Lauren said, enjoying watching Kyle so animated and relaxed with his friends.
“So while we’re up there, we picked out a huge pumpkin, too,” Kyle said.
“Well, by now the wagon is so full, the kids can’t ride in it anymore,” Joe said.
“So we go to walk back down the side and…” Kyle said. “I was pulling the wagon but Casey tripped me and I let go.”
“And our wagon—full of apples and pumpkins—went sailing down the side of the mountain.” Joe laughed so hard at the memory that Kyle had to take over the story again.
“And Casey’s chasing after it, barking like crazy, apples flying out the sides, until it hit a rock at the base, and that thing went airborne, like a rocket.” Kyle waved his hand to indicate. “The pumpkin went one way and the wagon went the other.”
“Pumpkin chunkin’ all over the mountainside.” Joe howled, wiping tears from his eyes, as Kyle joined in, reminding her of nothing so much as her and Erin when they started giggling together. The rest of the party laughed, Kyle and Joe’s amusement infectious.
“So, they brought me three bushels of bruised apples,” Leigh put in. “Do you know how much applesauce and apple butter I had to make to use them up? It was insane. I have enough for three years.”
“But it’s delicious,” Kyle said.
Leigh shook her head, with a fond smile. “Sweet talker.”
Just as dinner drew to a close, Jessica, the Mitchell’s littlest girl, eased into the room, climbing onto her father’s lap. She sucked her thumb snuggling her battered plush rabbit close, as her heavy-lidded eyes reached half-mast.
“She’s tuckered out,” Leigh said. “Still excited over the big man in red’s visit and it’s already past her bedtime.”
Jessica glanced around the table, her eyes widening as she saw Lauren. Lauren smiled at her and waved. Jessica sat straight up and waved carefully back before burying her face in her father’s chest.
“Oh, now she’s shy. Usually can’t get her to stop talking.” Joe shook his head, patting his daughter’s back as he cuddled her close, resting his chin on her head. Jessica peeked out at her again but Lauren pretended not to pay her any attention, knowing it was the best way to get the little munchkin over her shyness.
“How was the polar bear plunge?” Lauren asked.
“Each year, I can’t believe I’ve done it until I’m out of the water and the cold hits me.” Joe laughed, “And then I swear never again.”
“But he’ll do it next year.” Leigh shook her head. “Because he’s crazy. He and all these guys.”
“Maybe next year, I’ll get Kyle into the water with me.”
“No way.” Kyle shook his head. “I’ll take your picture but I’ll stay nice and dry.”
“I’ve though
t about doing it myself,” Lauren admitted, “Like a bucket list thing. But I’m too lazy to get out of bed that early on New Years.”
“Me, too.” Leigh nodded. “Who wants coffee? There’s pie for dessert. Joe, come help me.”
Joe stood and deposited Jessica into Kyle’s lap. She shifted against his shoulder, her eyes never leaving Lauren, still sucking her thumb. With her other hand, she reached out and tentatively touched Lauren’s hair, stroking softly. She whispered, “Are you a mermaid?”
Lauren shook her head.
Kyle asked, “What makes you think she’s a mermaid?”
“Your girlfriend’s hair is the same color as Ariel’s hair,” Jessica whispered back.
Lauren froze at the child’s description of her, her heart hammering in her chest like a trapped bird. She drew a deep, calming breath and then winked at the child, resolutely not meeting Kyle’s eyes.
“Can I tell you a secret?” She whispered to the little girl who nodded solemnly. “Ariel’s my cousin.”
Jessica smiled, her grin lighting up her face like sunshine, as her parents returned with dessert. After dessert, Joe and Leigh excused themselves to put the children down for the night and the party broke up. Kyle and Lauren headed outside with Casey. As they walked to the end of the block with the dog, hand in hand, Kyle said, “Jessica didn’t mean anything—”
“I know. She’s just a kid.” Lauren shrugged. “Freaked me out for a second, but I’m fine.”
“You remind me a lot of Casey, here,” Kyle said after a moment’s pause.
“You sure know how to sweet talk the ladies, huh?
“When I met Casey, he was a mangy street mutt, skittish and lonely.”
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