A Home for my Heart (Matters of the Heart #3)

by Velvet Reed

  “To Gracie,” we all repeat and clink our glasses together before taking a sip.

  After Gracie has changed and rejoined the group, we move on to dresses for April and me. Even though the wedding is going to be small in numbers, Gracie still wants to keep it fairly formal. We spend the next hour looking at bridesmaid dresses with April and I each spending time in the changing room and come to a decision fairly quick. The dresses are strapless with an overlapped sweetheart fitted bodice, the chiffon skirt flairs from the waist and falls to the floor. It’s simple and elegant.

  When Gracie and Olivia are finalizing the order, I absently mention to the girls that we only need to worry about Ruby’s dress now. A sales assistant close by overhears me and asks if I mean a flower girl dress to which I confirm. Just as Gracie and Olivia reach us and say we’re ready to go, the woman returns with the sweetest little dress that’s extremely close to Gracie’s. It, too, is champagne in color, sleeveless but with a rounded neck line, overlaid in lace and finished off with a ribbon sash which ties in the back. It’s adorable.

  “Oh my goodness, it’s so close to mine!” Gracie exclaims excited, and has everyone in agreement. Thankfully, the women at the store agree to hold the dress until Gracie can bring Rubes in for a fitting and we leave with one extremely satisfied and overjoyed bride.

  With Bryan looking after Cooper and Cole and Sam working at the hospital, we spend the afternoon having lunch at a quaint little bistro, while Gracie and Olivia share all the little details that are being handled by the planner in Hawaii. It still surprises me how uncomplicated and seemingly stress free the planning of a wedding within less than four months, in a different state which happens to be an island, has been. But I guess with Olivia at the forefront, ensuring Gracie and Cole’s day is everything they ever dream, nothing will be left to chance or unorganized.

  I’ve always been a person who shared her feelings. I guess after my parents left me I always felt that if the people I cared about knew how much they mean to me, then they wouldn’t leave. I remember telling my Grammy every day that I loved her and I was so thankful for everything she did for me. Her reply was always that while hearing the words was important, a person’s actions were a greater expression of their love.

  I’ve been thinking about her words a lot for the past week and I’m realizing how entirely right she was. You can say you love someone fifty times a day, but it’s the little things you do unconsciously that convey your feelings. It’s making the first coffee of the day or keeping the freezer filled with a favorite ice cream. It’s getting tickets to a concert, picking up the dry cleaning or a stolen kiss. It’s the mundane things. The seemingly meaningless, inconsequential things that we take for granted, because it’s just part of life. But these months with Sam have shown me that for someone who doesn’t or can’t express their feelings, all the little things mean so much more.

  Hands sliding around my waist have me jumping out of my skin and shrieking in fright.

  “Easy, Beautiful,” his warm, deep voice washes over me as he pulls me close and presses his lips to my neck. My heart rate, which is already racing in shock, doubles and pounds erratically in my chest.

  “You scared the crap out of me,” I chastise him. “You’re lucky I wasn’t cutting flowers or things could have gotten nasty.”

  Sam chuckles, turning me around so I’m now leaning against the work bench covered in a rainbow of flora. “I did say your name…twice. But you were obviously lost in your own little world and didn’t hear me.”

  “I guess I was.” I shrug and reach up for a kiss. “So… I don’t think you’ve ever paid a visit to my humble little place of business. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

  Smirking, Sam gives me another chaste kiss. “Like you said, I haven’t been here before. Since it’s my day off and you’re not around to keep me company, I thought I’d come annoy you and…” He pauses and drops his hands from my waist, before turning to the bench behind him and picking up a paper bag. “See if you could spare a few minutes to have lunch.”

  I’m stunned and just stand frozen staring at him. “Ash?” he says perplexed and his brows knot in that familiar way they do when he’s confused. “You okay?”

  No one has ever brought me lunch before. I mean, I’ve had lunch with Gracie at cafes and the like, but no one has ever physically taken the time to bring me food. Stupidly, I feel like I might cry.

  “I got you one of those chicken and salad subs you like, as well as a fruit salad, some potato chips and a soda.” He’s still eyeing me cautiously and I’m still rendered mute. “I thought maybe since it’s such a beautiful day, and I saw a park a few blocks away, we could eat there.”

  Lunch… Mundane… Inconsequential.

  “Hey, look, if you’re too busy, I’ll just leave the food here and you can eat it later. I probably should have called first, but I thought I’d take a chance and surprise you.” His words come out fast and uncertain.

  I launch myself at him, making him stumble back a step and almost drop the bag. I grab his face in my hands and take his lips in a fierce, demanding kiss. It’s quick, but full of meaning. “Whoa,” he chuckles bewildered.

  “A picnic in the park sounds great. Let me tell the girls I’m going to lunch, and we can leave.”

  I scurry to the front of the store and tell Mary I’ll be gone for an hour. It won’t be an issue because she and Andy have already had their breaks and the deliveries are done. She beams and tells me not to hurry back.

  Sam has taken his time following me from the work room, his eyes roaming and taking everything in. “This is an impressive setup you have here, Ash. I don’t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t this. It’s terrific.”

  The doctor is impressed with my florist shop. My heart swells with his praise and I’m sure I’m smiling like a fool. “I’m glad you like it,” I simply reply.

  We stand there watching each other for a minute before Mary clears her throat. “Okay, you two, get out of here and go have some lunch.”

  Sam smiles and extends a hand. “Shall we?” he asks and I take the proffered hand, lacing our fingers. We say bye to Mary and chat about my day while Sam leads me to the park. When we get there, we find a grassy spot off to the side and relax under the warm rays of the June sun. The sub is delicious and exactly what I normally order myself. The fact that he’s remembered my preference when I’ve only eaten it with him once before has my heart fluttering in happiness.

  When the subs are gone, Sam settles me between his legs and I lean back against his chest, completely content. Thinking back to my thoughts earlier in the work room, and Sam’s unexpected visit and thoughtfulness, it’s abundantly clear that actions most definitely speak louder than words. I haven’t said it yet, but I know I’m in love with Sam, and even if he doesn’t love me, or if he does and can’t say it, his actions tell me that he cares about me a hell of a lot. And for now, I’m okay with that.

  We arrived in Maui about forty-eight hours ago and while the women have been occupied with the wedding planner, the guys and I’ve been on kid watch. John reserved a family sized cabana by the main pool at the resort, so we’ve been able to sit back and relax. The space is big enough for all twelve of us, plus a portable crib and a long bench with lockable cupboards underneath. Being able to stay in the same spot all day has made it easier to let the kids paddle in the shallows of the pool, keeping our belongings secure, and allowing Cooper to play and nap in the portable crib while under constant shade.

  It blows my mind that he’s already six months old; sitting up and interacting with everyone. If I wasn’t happily content in my relationship with Ashley, I’d be taking advantage of his bright blue eyes, mop of dark hair and cheeky little smile. The kid is already a chick magnet and I can assure you that if the ladies were sitting pool side with us they’d have serious issues with the number of bikini clad women who keep stopping by to tell us how adorable he is.

  Bryan tends to believe it has more to do with
the fact that five devilishly handsome men are caring for a baby and two small kids and I’m inclined to think that’s a big part of the attention¸ too. It was hilarious watching him push Charlie in the pool after he jokingly questioned who the five were. The gaggle of skimpy bikinis thought it was a hoot as well.

  The other thing that makes the cabana a perfect little oasis is the personalized service we receive with food and beverages getting delivered to us. John has booked this cabana for the entire two weeks that we’re here and charging all consumable costs to his room. We all tried to object since the cabana hire alone is astounding, but he refused to argue the point, saying that since Cole and Grace are paying for the wedding, and all our travel and accommodations, then he was going to ensure that his family had the best damn holiday possible. It was clear to all that when he said his family that encompassed Bryan, Charlie, Ruby, Ashley, Allison and Nate.

  Since the girls hadn’t had lunch with us yesterday or even been poolside, Cole sent Gracie a text demanding they eat and spend time down here with us for the rest of the day. The wedding is taking place in the chapel on the resort grounds tomorrow afternoon just before sunset and since they haven’t spent much time together since we’ve been here, and with Olivia insisting they spend tonight apart, it is glaringly obvious that he’s had enough. I fully agree with him, though, because Ashley and I haven’t been together much, either, and we aren’t the ones getting married.

  Charlie and I are getting Nate and Ruby out of the pool when the ladies finally make an appearance. It’s a sight to behold as Ashley, Gracie, April, Allison and Olivia make their way over to us. The four younger women in bikini tops and sarongs and Olivia in a one piece with a transparent cover up over it are garnering blatant stares from guys as they pass by. When they reach us, Gracie’s pulled straight into Cole’s arms, while Allison heads for Charlie and the kids. I wait, trying to control my impatience as my sexy little blonde saunters over to me and wraps her arms around my neck.

  “Finally!” I complain, grabbing her waist and lifting her off the ground, before smacking a resounding kiss on her lips.

  “I take it you missed me,” Ashley giggles.

  “We’re here surrounded by palm trees in paradise and I’ve hardly seen you,” I grumble.

  Ashley’s brows furrow as she gazes at something over my shoulder and then relax as a mischievous gleam fills her eyes. “With the death stares we’re getting from the bimbos over there, I have to wonder if you gentlemen have been getting a little attention elsewhere.”

  She’s said it loud enough so the others can hear and Bryan starts laughing.

  “It’s Cooper’s fault,” John accuses jovially. “The women just can’t seem to keep away from his handsome little face.”

  “Really, John? You’re going to blame your six-month-old grandson for the fan club over there?” Olivia scoffs and then gives the scowling groupies a wave, her fingers fluttering.

  “Jesus, Mom. Are you trying to start a cat fight?” April groans.

  “Oh come on, April. If you had a man here, you wouldn’t want some little tramps hovering about.” She assesses the group again. “In any case, we could totally take them if they started anything.” She winks.

  The guys all start laughing, and April shakes her head affectionately.

  “After seeing her in action with Miranda, I’d bet on Mom being able to take all of them on by herself,” Cole boasts proudly.

  We’re interrupted then by our servers who start to lay out a huge variety of food along the bench. When they’ve made several trips and our lunch is presented to us, they return a final time with a tray of beers, sodas and fruity cocktails. Everyone helps themselves and before long, we’re sitting around on the lounges and sunbeds eating while the girls tell us that everything is organized and ready to go for the wedding.

  “Cole, I figured you’ll want to spend some time with Gracie this afternoon, so your father and I will look after Coop,” Olivia informs him and Cole’s beaming like the Cheshire cat. “Don’t get too excited, son. Dinner is booked for seven, then after that Ashley will be staying in your room and you’ll be staying with Sam.”

  My snickering laugh escapes and Cole isn’t impressed, turning his frustration on his mother. “You do realize that we’ve slept together many… many times before, and that we have a child, right? I hardly think at this point it matters if we stay together the night before our wedding.”

  Olivia stares unblinking at him. It’s The Look. It’s her ‘you will not argue with me or there will be consequences’ look. Then she gives him a tight placating smile before speaking in an eerily calm tone. “It matters, Cole, because it’s tradition. It matters because as your mother, it’s the one thing I would like you to do. It’s not going to kill you to stay away for one night before Gracie becomes your wife and you spend every night together for the rest of your lives.”

  Cole pouts like a petulant child and mumbles, "Fine." Then he savagely bites into his grilled chicken focaccia.

  The afternoon’s filled with swimming, sunbathing and a game of pool volleyball. Everyone’s relaxed and buoyant, bantering back and forth, without a care in the world. Cole and Gracie slipped away a while ago and the others have agreed to go back to the rooms so the kids can have some quiet time before dinner. Deciding to go with Charlie and check out the water activities on the beach, I tell Ashley I’ll meet her up in our room shortly.

  Slipping my keycard into the door, I walk in to our very quiet suite. Ash isn’t in the lounge area and I refrain from calling out to her in case she’s taking a nap, but when I get to the bedroom, the bed’s empty.

  I notice the bathroom door slightly ajar and it’s when I push it open that I see her. Her blonde hair hangs in waves over the lip of the oval bath, her eyes are closed, and her gorgeous face is the picture of serene calmness. Pulling my shirt off as I go, I make my way across the room to the tub without making a sound and drop to my knees beside her. With no bubbles blocking my view, I sit there taking in the sheer natural beauty that she exudes. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.

  Reaching out tentatively, I softly glide a finger along her jaw. She startles ever so slightly and then her lush lips curve into a slow smile. “I was just thinking about you,” she says in a whisper.

  “Only good things, I hope?”

  Her eyes open then and connect with mine. “Oh, they were good… so… so good,” she rasps, and her tongue slips out to trace her bottom lip.

  The tone of her voice, the words she’s spoken, the lip licking and the uninhibited view I have of her body have my dick, which was already standing at attention, twitching in anticipation.

  My finger glides from her jaw to her lips and follows the path her tongue made. “Maybe we can translate some of those thoughts into actions,” I murmur as my finger moves on a journey down her neck and over the upper curve of her left breast. Circling her dusky pink nipple slowly, I give it a little pinch, eliciting a soft gasp from Ashley. “Were you thinking about something like this?” I ask as I continue teasing the harden peak.

  “Actually…” she starts then pulls in a sharp breath when I pinch her again. “It was a bit more involved.”

  I move my hand down her flat stomach immersing it in the warm water until I’m cupping her bare pussy in my hand. “Something like this?” I inquire again, as one finger slides between the soft folds and strokes gently.

  Ashley’s eyes flutter closed and she lets out a small moan as her hips buck against my palm, causing the water to ripple. “You’re getting warmer,” she sighs.

  Warmer, my ass! I move my fingers to her entrance and glide them in to her. Ashley bucks again as I begin moving them in and out of her pulsing core and her hands grip the side of the tub. “How about this?”

  “Yes… God, yes!” she pants, and my dick pulses in need.

  While I continue pumping my fingers in her pussy, I use my free hand to lower my shorts. Watching her unravel at my hands stokes a primitive h
unger in me. Wrapping my other hand around the shaft of my dick, I start stroking it in firm languid movements; however, that soon changes as I pick up the pace and jack off in time with my fingers pleasuring Ashley.

  The walls of her pussy contract, clenching around my fingers, and a garbled curse followed by my name leaves her sweet mouth as she convulses her release. Extracting my fingers, I move them back up to her breasts and start teasing the nipples again as I continue working my dick. There’s a divine sensuality to Ashley as she comes back down to earth from the high of her orgasm and it's breathtaking.

  Opening her eyes, she takes in my current state and grins salaciously. Our eyes link and hold as she gets to her knees in the tub. “Stand up, baby.” She coos.

  My heart begins hammering in my chest. Anticipation swells, because in the five months we’ve been together, Ash has never given me a blow job. I’m not sure if she’s ever given one before or she just doesn’t have much experience doing it. Let’s face it, I’m a guy, and guys love having their dicks sucked, but I’ve never pushed her.

  She continues staring up at me, and then with one simple touch I’m ready to come undone. One soft hand wraps around my hardness and starts gliding up and down my length, while the other cups my balls and gently kneads them. I’m sucking in ragged breaths and jerk my hips when her tongue brushes softly over the tip. The rhythm she sets with her strokes heats my blood and then she wraps her lips around the head of my dick and takes it deep to the back of her throat. “Oh, fuuck!” I groan, and the sound echoes off the tiles of the bathroom.

  Synapses in my brain fire off like lightning strikes; intensifying each lick, each suck, each stroke. My hips buck wildly of their own volition and start thrusting in and out of her mouth forcefully.

  She pulls back and releases me completely and I freeze in reaction, wondering why the hell she’s stopping. “Don’t cum in my mouth,” she instructs and I raise my eyebrows in disbelief. “I mean it, Sam. I can handle a little pre-cum, but that stuff tastes like shit. If you cum in my mouth, I’ll never give you head again.”