by Gia Riley
Like I do each time I leave the house, I stand on the front steps, looking around for any signs of Blaine before walking to my car. It’s become my new normal to be extra cautious when I’m out in public. The officer is still watching the house, but it doesn’t give me the sense of security I was hoping for.
Once I feel good enough about leaving, I start the drive to find Kipton. I even get lucky enough to hit each green light along the way, never having to slow down to get to him. I park next to Kipton’s car in the gravel lot next to the wrestling house. This feels like a first date all over again for some reason.
I’m about to ring the doorbell when a piece of paper taped to the glass door stops me. Pulling it off, I smile when I notice it’s a receipt from Momma June’s restaurant from the night he took me for burgers before my CT scan. I can’t believe he saved it.
Climb up. It simply reads.
Right away, I know Kipton’s waiting for me in the treehouse. I tuck my special note into the pocket of my jeans so my hands are free to climb up the side of the old oak tree.
The first time I did this, I was scared, nervous even. Kipton had given me strict instructions to get naked. While this isn’t like the last time, it’s no less exciting. This is our happy place. The one where we feel like the only two people on the planet.
“Kipton,” I call out when I’m three quarters of the way there. “Are you here?”
Expecting him to check on me, I’m surprised when there’s no answer. On the last rung of the ladder, I grab onto the side of the treehouse. My body is still incredibly sore, but I’m too excited to slow down.
“I think I just walked through a spider web,” I mumble to myself. I’m busy swatting my arms to get the sticky web off me when I take my first look around. “Ohmigod. It’s beautiful.”
Kipton stands before me with another single red rose in his hands. “You’re beautiful, Sophie,” he says as he hands me the flower.
“Thank you.” Swallowing, I look around the small space, in total awe of what I’m seeing. While it’s set up exactly the way it was when we spent the night up here, there are a few additions. He sprinkled rose petals all over the floor, even forming a heart out of them in the center of the air mattress. It’s done just like it would be in a fancy hotel for a special occasion. He hung the twinkle lights around the perimeter of the treehouse leaving a few small lanterns in the center to cast a warm glow off the wood.
It’s absolutely perfect.
“Sophie?”
“I’m seriously speechless. This is amazing, but what’s it all for?”
With his hands in his pockets, he rocks back and forth on his heels. “Do I need a reason?”
This is how Kipton operates. He’s often unexpected, slightly impulsive, yet planned to perfection at the same time. He’s my favorite contradiction. “I don’t need a reason.”
“Do you want a reason?” He asks as he closes the distance between the two of us.
“Yes,” I whisper. The closer he inches toward me, the faster my heart beats inside my chest.
KIPTON TAKES MY HANDS IN his, and it’s only then that I notice a light sheen of sweat covering his forehead. He must have killed himself getting everything set up in time.
“Thank you for this. It’s been a shitty day.” I lean forward, resting my forehead against his chest. All I want is the safety of being in his arms.
“What happened, beautiful?”
I mumble against his chest, “I don’t want to talk about it right now. All I want to do is get lost in you.” Desperate for him to touch me, I push him backwards closer to the bed he set up for us. He lets me lead the way, already devouring me with his eyes.
Sliding my hands underneath the hem of his shirt, I rake my nails over his defined abs. His head tips back in pleasure when my lips kiss the damp skin on his chest. His body becomes my personal playground, and I intend to explore every inch of it—starting with his belt. My determined fingers work to unfasten it, but his hands stop me before I unhook it.
“Sophie, let me.”
He tries to push my hands away, but I don’t let him. “It was about me last time. You made me feel so incredible. I want you to feel good, too.”
My words convince him enough that he drops his hands to his sides. I go back to work, pulling his zipper down, and slowly pushing his jeans over his hips. The belt buckle along with his pants hit the floor with a soft thud.
“Baby,” Kipton pleads as I rub my hand up and down his erection. The only barrier between us is the thin layer of cotton from his boxers.
“Shh. It’s my turn to play.” I drop to my knees in front of him, and in one swift motion I pull his boxers down far enough to free him. Instantly, his hands tangle in my hair as he guides me up and down. I use one hand to pump him, my mouth taking care of the rest. A low growl erupts in his throat the harder I suck.
“Your mouth is incredible, Sophie.”
His praise only fuels me to work him faster, to drive him completely crazy before finishing him off. Before long I can feel him coming unraveled with each movement I make.
“Shit, beautiful. You have to stop.”
I don’t.
“Sophie.” I can’t tell if he’s begging for more, or pleading with me to release him. Regardless, I keep going, but Kipton takes matters into his own hands, pulling away on his own despite the tight grip I have on him.
Before I have a chance to argue, he’s pulling me up off the treehouse floor, lifting my shirt over my head, and popping the button on my jeans. He spins us around, and my back hits the air mattress as he crawls over top of me.
“Kipton,” I beg.
“I’ll always take care of you, Sophie.” Our tongues tangle in a desperate kiss before he reaches behind my back to free me from my bra. I wait for him to toss it aside, but again he surprises me as he wraps it around my wrists, using it to bind them together. With one hand he pushes them up and over my head. “Keep your hands above your head, okay?”
“Okay.” He’s never done this to me before, and it ignites a fire within me I never knew existed.
With my arms over my head, my back arches off the mattress. He takes the opportunity to suck each waiting nipple into his mouth, mixing the soft nip of his teeth with the warm swirl of his tongue. It’s pleasure overload.
“You teased me on the phone. I’ve wanted nothing more than to suck on you since then.”
I wiggle around trying to soak up every ounce of pleasure, but the ache building between my legs is too much. He senses my need when he releases me from his mouth to move lower. Carefully, he slides each one of my legs out of my jeans and panties. “Your body is perfect,” he says as he takes a moment to appreciate my body.
I’m completely at his mercy, but I don’t even try to cover my body with my hands. I don’t care that he can see each one of my flaws. Instead I rest easy from the simple fact that he thinks I’m perfect. It’s the reassurance I need to open myself entirely to him.
When he has his fill, he surprises me by dipping his tongue into my belly button, igniting a new set of nerve endings. A soft trail of kisses down my belly, leads him to his next destination where he picks up my leg, and rests it over his shoulder.
Closer than he’s ever been, one tiny lick has my back arching off the mattress all over again. My hands desperate for something to latch onto, I grab fistfuls of the sleeping bag near my head. It’s the only thing I can reach with my hands still bound together.
When there’s no way I can hold off anymore, I drop my leg from his shoulder, leading him back to me. “Come here,” I whisper.
He stares at me with hooded eyes. “I wasn’t done with you yet.”
“I want you here.” I pull him over top of me, raising my hips far enough for him to easily slide into my warmth. “Shit, Kipton.” It’s been too long.
He soothes me with a gentle kiss to my lips before brushing my damp hair away from my face. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispers as he slides in and out. “This is home, So
phie. You’re where I always want to be.”
I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer while feeling him deeper. “Yes,” I whisper back. “Always with me.”
“I can’t leave again without you, baby. I need you too much.”
I hear his words, but can’t register anything other than the pleasure he’s giving me. I’m so close all it takes is a few more thrusts of his hips before I tumble over the edge. He follows closely behind as I clench around him. His head rests against my chest where he stays until his breathing begins to even out. “Kipton,” I say as soon as I come down from the intense high he gave me.
“Hmm,” he replies.
My body vibrates from the timbre of his voice as I run my fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp ever so lightly with my nails. “Can we stay up here forever?”
“I’m cool with that.” I’m pretty sure I could get him to agree to just about anything right now. “I should probably get off you.”
“You’re not hurting me, but I should put my clothes back on.” This news has him raising his head with an adorable frown on his face. “Bad idea?” I question.
“I like you naked. Always naked.”
“I can’t always be.”
“When we move in our house, you can be.”
“Our house? What’s it look like?”
“It’s pale yellow with white shutters and a white picket fence. There’s a big oak tree in the backyard, and enough room to have a big family of our own.”
“That’s very specific. You sound like you already bought the place.”
“I might.”
“What?” Not that I’m against him having his own place. It would actually make spending weekends together a lot easier. I’d also probably never want to go back to school if that was the case.
“I have one place in mind. I’ve looked around town to see what’s on the market.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, but I’d never make a decision without you.”
“Why?” He should be able to live wherever he wants to. It’s not my decision when he’s the one paying the mortgage.
“Get dressed and then we can talk about it.”
I hold my arms out for him to release me. “I need some help.”
He pulls my bra off my wrists and laughs when it ends up in a tangled knot. “Just for the record, I like taking this off you way more than putting it back on.”
“Noted,” I say with a laugh. It feels so good being around him. He makes it easy to put the all the overwhelming drama from earlier behind me. It’s like it doesn’t exist when we’re together.
He stands up to slide his legs into his jeans, and I turn away from him while I finish dressing. When I turn back around, my breath hitches. In front of me, Kipton’s down on one knee.
“What are you doing?” I say in a rush of panic. “Please stand up.”
“Relax, baby.”
“I’m trying,” I whisper. He gives my hands a reassuring squeeze as he searches my eyes for whatever it is he’s looking for. I’m lost inside his baby blues, floating around blissfully yet desperately trying to stay grounded. I always dreamed about this moment as a little girl. Never in a million years would I have thought I would be in a tree where my very own Prince Charming was about to propose. But here we are, and I wouldn’t change a single thing about this moment. It’s absolutely perfect because I’m with Kipton.
“Sophie, I’ve known for a long time I wanted to do this. It was only the last few days that I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. I need you to be mine. I want to marry you, take care of you, and grow old with you. Every morning, I want to wake up next to you. Every night, I want my last words to be, I love you.”
I close my eyes, absorbing his words for all that they are—beautiful, intense, meaningful, and exactly what I want. I couldn’t imagine a future with anyone else. When I dream about my future, Kipton is always in it. I never thought I was lovable—until him.
“Sophie Evans, will you marry me? Will you be my forever home?”
I hold onto the infinity ring he gave me a few months ago. I thought he would give up on me once he knew about my secrets, but he did the exact opposite. He loves me despite them.
As he opens the little black box with the most gorgeous diamond ring inside, I know I must be dreaming. Kipton and I never discussed engagement rings, yet he managed to capture the essence of who I am with this ring.
“I promised you diamonds, beautiful.”
I nod my head, tears slowly falling down my cheeks. Is this really happening to me?
“Say something, baby,” Kipton whispers.
I blink out of my trance, my eyes locking with his. I see his uncertainty and his nervousness, but more than anything, I feel his love. “It’s beautiful. How did you afford this, Kipton? It’s too much.”
Laughing, he smiles for the first time since he got down on his knee. “I told you, you deserve diamonds. This was my Great-Grandmother’s ring. Mom gave it to me when I told her my plans.”
“What about Cara? This should be hers. It should stay in the family.”
“No, Sophie. It was always meant for you. You are my family now.”
“Can I?” I ask with hesitation as I hold out my left hand. I want to see the ring on my finger—to know what it looks like to be engaged to Kipton Keller.
He pulls the ring out of the holder. After he sets the velvet box on the wooden boards, he takes my hand in his. With a slight tremor, he slides the silver, diamond ring on my finger. Once it’s in place, I know I’m complete. “It’s amazing.”
“Sophie?” He says barely above a whisper.
“Hmm?” I have his promise on my right hand, and his forever on my left. I prayed for a day like today for so long.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes, Kipton! A million times yes!” I jump into his arms, knocking him onto the air mattress behind us. Kissing every inch of his face, I can’t get enough of him. “Are we really engaged?”
“We are, beautiful. You have no idea how happy you just made me.”
Lying on top of him, I rest my head against his chest. His heartbeat is strong, just like his love for me. “You were nervous?”
“I was. We talked about getting married, but not this soon. I wasn’t sure if you would agree or want to wait. Being away from you has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m so glad it’s over now.”
Sitting up farther, I straddle his hips while we talk. He rests his hands on my thighs, rubbing soothing circles with his thumbs. “What do you mean it’s over?”
“Now we can go back home, and move into a place of our own. When I saw the old Dunlap place was for sale, I knew this was the right time for us.”
“How will we afford it? I won’t graduate until May. Then, I have to figure out a job. I have nothing to contribute. My dad still supports me. Without his help, I never could have afforded to move out of the dorms and into an apartment.”
“I can take care of you until then, Sophie. Please don’t worry about money. I just need you under the same roof again. Then, I’ll have everything I need in life.”
He can’t be serious. Of course I want nothing more than to marry Kipton, but we agreed everything could wait until after graduation. Until then, we would do the distance thing, and make the best of it. “I can’t come back with you yet.”
“Why not? We’re engaged.”
“Because my life is here until May. I can’t drop out of school this close to graduation.”
“But you want to marry me don’t you?”
“Of course I do. I want to marry you more than anything, but I want to do it a year or two from now. Once I’ve finished school and have a job. Plus, it takes time to plan a wedding.”
He reaches up and pushes my hair off my face, tucking it behind my ear. “Baby, you don’t have to drop out. And both my mom and Cara will help you with the wedding plans.”
“You want me to commute back and forth every day?” It’s two hour
s without traffic. Spending at least four hours in the car everyday won’t give us any more time together than we have now. We’ll end up seeing each other in passing and while we’re asleep.
“Commuting would be hard. I didn’t even want to do it. I was thinking you could finish online. Lots of students earn degrees online these days.”
“Why would I leave here after I worked so hard to stay? This is my dream school. Plus I have a lease for the apartment, and my entire schedule is already mapped out.”
I see the hurt in his eyes as he listens to all the reasons why leaving isn’t an option for me. He looks pained when he asks, “Not even for me?”
“Kipton, that’s not even a fair question. I would do anything to make you happy, but it’s been my dream to go to school here since I was a little girl. I’m even planning to rejoin the team for practice in a couple days—after my ribs are fully healed.”
“Gymnastics,” he says sullenly.
I cut him off before he has a chance to say anything else. “No, it’s more than just gymnastics. I want to be with you, but I want to finish this chapter of my life first. It’s important to me to finish what I started.”
He sits up, plopping me next to him on the mattress. This isn’t the way today was supposed to go. We should be celebrating our engagement right now. Not dwelling on where I live. I don’t understand why we can’t keep things the way they’ve been. “I’m sorry.”
“I guess I thought you’d be so excited you would come back with me today. Here I was worrying about fitting all your stuff in my car, and you don’t even want to leave.”
“Kipton, I am excited. Marrying you is a dream come true. That doesn’t change simply because I want to finish school first.”
He rests his arms on his legs, his hand rubbing the back of his neck the way it does when he’s worrying. “I was so sure you would want this too.”
“I do.” I take a second to pause because I’m afraid my next words will only upset him more. “After I graduate.”
“I know,” he admits. “I get it.”
“But?”
“I feel like shit, that’s what.” He closes his eyes and rubs his hands over his face before lying back on the mattress. “My girlfriend just rejected my proposal. Give me a minute.”