Crime and Periodicals: Green Valley Library Book #2

by Romance, Smartypants

  “I don’t need to leave. My shift just started. I’m fine.”

  He smiled softly. “Darlin’, you’re shaking. Call her.”

  Wyatt held my hand as I called her. Mrs. MacIntyre instructed me to close the library. To lock the doors, set the alarm, and get out of there. Once I’d hung up the phone, he instructed me to call my father to take care of Harry. “Get your stuff, Sabrina. I’m taking you home,” he told me when I finished my calls.

  All I could do was nod and follow his lead.

  Wyatt took me to his house and led me inside. I was in a daze. My body felt tired, but my brain wouldn’t stop racing through everything that had just happened.

  “I feel so tired, Wyatt. Like all of my energy has been drained away.”

  “Adrenaline crash. It’s normal. You can take a nap in my bed. The girls will be home soon. I’ll cook dinner and you can eat with us when you wake up. I’ll text your dad and let him know you’ll stay here with me tonight. Let me take care of you, Sabrina.”

  “Okay,” I whispered. I didn’t have the strength to go home. I didn’t have the strength to even stand here anymore.

  “Come with me.”

  I followed him to his room. He gave me one of his T-shirts. He pulled back his covers and switched on the bedside lamp.

  “Change your clothes. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep. We can talk about everything when you wake up.”

  “Okay, I can’t think straight to talk now.”

  He kicked off his shoes and undressed. I followed suit then slipped his T-shirt over my head.

  I watched him pull on a pair of sweatpants and a white T-shirt then get into the bed. He held an arm out to me. I still felt shaky; I wanted him to hold me. I was lucky Jackson showed up when he did. I didn’t want to think of the things Michael could have done. My mind raced with jumbled thoughts, and I couldn’t stop my imagination.

  “Thank you for taking care of me, Wyatt.”

  “Always, darlin’.” He pulled me deeper into his arms and held me tight as I rested my head on his chest. He stroked my hair, and I felt the shakes dissipate. He was so warm, so strong. I couldn’t help but feel safe when I was in his arms. I felt myself drift off, and I allowed myself to succumb to sleep.

  My eyes jolted open. It had to be hours later. I was panting as I struggled to see in the darkness.

  “Daddy! Come here!” Mak yelled from the doorway to Wyatt’s room. I looked around. Light no longer filtered in through the slatted blinds on his window. How long had I been asleep?

  I tried to focus but Wyatt’s cat was on my chest, purring and butting his head on my chin. My eyes adjusted and I looked up; Mel was sitting in the middle of the bed holding my hand. She squeezed it when she noticed my eyes were open.

  “You were dreaming,” she told me and patted my cheek. “Princess Buttercup is good at finding bad dreams. He always wakes me up when I have them. He purrs and meows in my ear. Then when my eyes open, he licks my face.” Her head tilted to the side and she grinned at me.

  I felt Princess Buttercup’s rough tongue lick my chin. Then he meowed and ran off. I guess his work here was done.

  I heard footsteps pounding down the hallway.

  “What’s going on?” Wyatt asked as he rushed over and sat next to me on the edge of the bed. He brushed the hair back from my forehead. “Are you okay?”

  “She was having a bad dream,” Mak answered for me. “I was reading in my room and I heard her making noises. When we came in here, Princess Buttercup was trying to wake her up.”

  “I don’t know what I was dreaming about,” I whispered.

  “I always have bad dreams about zombies and witches,” Mel whispered back to me. “I was holding your hand in case you were trying to get away from scary things in your dream. I was going to pull you out of it. But then you woke up.” She smiled; she had lost her other front tooth since the last time I’d seen her. I laughed softly when she stuck the tip of her tongue through the gap.

  “I used to have bad dreams about the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz,” I told her.

  “Then I hope you weren’t dreaming about those. I couldn’t have pulled you away if the scary things were flying.” She looked at me with worried eyes.

  “Daddy made spaghetti,” Mak said. “Do you want to eat dinner with us?”

  “I would love to eat dinner with you.”

  “Girls, go wash up. Let’s give Sabrina a chance to wake up.”

  They cleared out.

  Wyatt pulled me up and into his arms. “I shouldn’t have left you alone in here. I’m sorry.”

  “The stress of it is probably hitting me. And probably relief, too.”

  He cupped my face. “We can talk about it. You can tell me anything.”

  “I think Michael is finally going to sign the papers. He thought he could intimidate me into talking to my father and letting him have his way. I’ll tell you more about it later when I get my brain function completely back,” I joked.

  He kissed me, then pulled back when we heard the girls yelling.

  “Daddy! Mel got spaghetti on the floor!”

  “Shut up, Mak! I’m hungry.”

  “Daddy! Mel is eating spaghetti off the floor!”

  I giggled softly. He probably didn’t think it was cute. Maybe if we got married someday and I had to deal with the spaghetti on the floor, I wouldn’t find it cute either. But now? I found his girls adorable and hilarious.

  Wyatt shut his eyes and groaned. “Please don’t let this evening be a deal breaker.”

  “Just you wait. Harry has been on his best behavior around y’all so far. He can get complicated sometimes. Especially with food. Nothing can touch—you already know about that—but it’s only one of his many rules.”

  His lips quirked to the side. “Divided plates are preferable to spaghetti on the floor. Just saying.”

  I burst out laughing. “Perhaps. But when a kid insists there is a difference between Goldfish crackers out of a box versus out of a bag or refuses to eat an entire plate of food because a pea rolled into the mashed potatoes, it can get dicey.”

  “Fair point. My girls will eat anything. Even if it’s been on the floor—even if it’s still on the floor.”

  I hugged his neck. “Oh, Wyatt, I feel like you get me.”

  “I do get you. And, it’s been too long—I need to get in you again. Soon.” He kissed my neck, then gently bit it.

  Holy crap. I shivered. His hands traveled from the back of my neck, down my spine, and around my waist.

  “You should stay here with me tonight.” His breath was hot against my neck as he whispered.

  “I could—my dad can take care of Harry. But what about the girls?”

  “I told them we were together, that we’re dating. But they don’t have to know you will sleep here, not yet anyway.” His hands continued their meandering pattern across my body, distracting me from thoughts of anything but being with him tonight.

  “How will I get home in the morning? I don’t have my car,” I breathed.

  “The school bus gets here at seven fifteen. You don’t even have to get out of bed until they’re gone. Then I’ll drive you to the library to get your Jeep. I’m off tomorrow.” He pulled away and winked at me.

  “Perfect. It’s pretty quiet out there. Should we worry?”

  “Shit,” he whispered. “Yeah, I’d better check on them.”

  “I’ll be right out. I need to put my pants on.”

  With one last blazing look, he turned and left the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Sabrina

  Dinner with his girls went great. Spending time with them drove all thoughts of Michael and the library right out of my head. I decided to let it stay out of my mind and think about it tomorrow. The girls were cute and funny and seemed to enjoy me being there. In fact, Mak asked if we could have a sleepover. Wyatt winked at me when they weren’t looking.

  We tucked the girls into bed. I’d said goodbye to them
like I was going to go home. Wyatt took my hand and led me into his bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind us.

  “I want you,” he stated with an adorable sideways grin. He let go of my hand, reached behind his neck, and pulled his T-shirt off. “Unless you would rather talk about today?”

  “I don’t want to talk at all,” I answered and stared at his gorgeous chest.

  He grinned and tossed his shirt at me.

  If a person could really get heart eyes, I would have them right now. Wyatt without his shirt was beautiful—broad and strong, sculpted and delicious.

  I took my shirt off and threw it at him. He caught it with a laugh and tossed it aside to join his on the floor.

  He kicked off his shoes, so I toed my socks off. His eyes grew hot as he unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down and I followed suit with my jeans. He was in tight white boxer briefs and I was in pink cotton undies. He tipped his head and eyed my bra with an expectant grin. I laughed and took it off, letting it fall to the floor. Now we were even.

  He took a big step toward me and grabbed my waist, hauling my body against his and banding an arm around my hips to lift me to my toes.

  My breasts pushing against his chest, I groaned and held on to his neck. Every single time he put his hands on my body, delicious swirly feelings grew low in my belly. But also in my heart. I was twisted up in knots that only he could untie and I loved it. His hands slid into my panties to push them down my hips. I kicked them aside when they fell to my feet.

  His lips slammed into mine, and I melted against him as he devoured my mouth and sucked on my bottom lip. I could hardly keep up with him he was moving so fast. His big hands held my hips and bit into my bottom to guide us backward toward his bed.

  He walked over to the edge of his bed, then let me go. I tumbled to the bed, and he followed me, knee between my legs, to cover my body with his.

  “Can I try stuff?” I murmured against his lips as I pushed at his chest. I wanted to be on top. I was dying to try it out. I wanted to get lost in him. I wanted to forget this entire day.

  “What stuff?” he asked.

  I turned red. “Um, can I, uh…”

  “How about this: do whatever you want to me. I’m yours.” After rolling to his back he scooted up the bed to lean against the headboard with lowered eyebrows and a devastatingly sexy smile. He stretched each arm along the back of it and winked.

  Wow. I stared at him with big eyes.

  “Get to it then, darlin’,” he encouraged.

  I bit my lip. All I could do was stare. It was like Christmas morning and my birthday, a pile of presents and a chocolate cake, all wrapped up in the most beautiful man I’d ever seen wearing nothing but tight white boxer briefs and a devious smile. Until he lifted his hips and removed the briefs. He stroked himself once before returning his arms to the headboard with a grin that was also a dare.

  I had no idea where I wanted to start. At the top, for a kiss. Or at the middle, where I could give a kiss of a different kind. I was dying to try that out. I’d been reading about this stuff for years in romance novels and I was finally doing it. Saying ‘yay’ out loud would probably be weird, so I kept quiet.

  I tilted my head with a grin and crawled up his outstretched legs to kiss him once on his gorgeous lips before I made my decision.

  His eyes on me changed. His hot, lust filled gaze warmed to reflect the depth of his feelings. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he whispered. His arms left the back of the bed to enclose me.

  “You’ll never have to find out,” I murmured against his lips.

  His hand tangled in my hair. The kiss grew deeper as his tongue entered my mouth to meet mine. His other hand moved from my back to softly caress between my legs.

  “I want you now. I want this.” His eyes flashed into mine as he gently entered me with his fingers.

  My head dropped back, and my body arched against his. I sank down on his hand and let him fill me, but I wanted more. I grabbed his hand and placed it back on the headboard. His eyes glinted as his chest rose and fell rapidly with barely contained lust as he let me take control.

  I smiled at him. I wasn’t trying to tease him, but he was so sexy. So big and hard beneath me. And the way he looked at me…

  He made it safe for me to be this way—coy and flirty, sexy and wild. All of it was because I trusted him. I felt safe with him.

  I ran my hands up and down his chest and abs. I watched as his muscles flexed and released beneath my palms. He was so warm, so beautiful, so mine.

  I scooched backward, bent low, and took him into my mouth. I’d read about this. I knew what to do.

  I watched as his jaw tensed, his eyes blazed, and every muscle on his body flexed as he sucked in a huge breath. His hand stayed gentle in my hair as he watched me take him with my mouth and tongue.

  “Sabrina,” he growled as his hips thrust gently up.

  I released him and sat up on my knees. I watched as he rolled a condom down his thick length.

  I crawled forward again. I held his cock in my hand as I rubbed my slick center up and down the hard length, then sank down. His eyes dropped closed and his head fell back, mouth opened in a silent groan as his hands dug into my thighs encouraging me to ride him faster, harder.

  But I moved languidly. Slow and steady. I wanted to savor; I wanted to keep this feeling. “This is nice,” I groaned against his mouth.

  “Mmmm,” he answered before burying his face into my neck, placing his hands under my thighs and flipping me to my back.

  “God, Wyatt!” I squealed.

  “Baby, shh…” He put his hand over my mouth—which drove me absolutely crazy. It felt like I was doing something forbidden, something secret, something naughty. Low in my abdomen heat swirled and twisted.

  “I can’t be slow,” he grunted. “I need you too much.” He rose to his knees and his hand slipped between our bodies to swirl tight circles with his thumb right where I needed it as he moved inside of me.

  “Please.” My head pressed into the mattress as I arched up. He fell to one hand above me as he slowed down. His other hand glided up my body to cup my breast and lightly pinch my nipple.

  Now who was teasing?

  He kissed me. His tongue in my mouth matched his slow strokes inside of my body. “Tell me you want me,” he groaned against my lips.

  “I do. I want you, please,” I gasped.

  He pulled out and turned to his back. “Then take what you want.”

  Immediately I threw my leg over his hips and plunged down on top of him. Now I watched his back arch under me as I rode him until we both came. Then I collapsed into an exhausted heap at his side. He turned and gathered me close, kissing the top of my head and sighing into my hair as his hand trailed softly up and down my side.

  “I never thought I could feel like this,” I confessed.

  “Like what?”

  I smiled up at him and kissed the underside of his jaw before answering. “Like I can be myself and you will always want me.”

  He smiled softly. “I will always want you. It’s so easy to be with you. We make sense together. How would you feel about moving in with me someday? I have four bedrooms. Harry could have his own room.”

  I hesitated before I answered. I was afraid of this moment. I couldn’t take Harry away from my father, from Weston and Ruby, and his home on the ranch. Even though I would be the one to adopt Harry, my father had been there for every step. I couldn’t have done it without him. My father was more than a grandfather to Harry; he was necessary to Harry’s continued growth.

  “I would love to live with you someday. But I don’t know if I can take Harry away from the ranch. He—”

  “I should have thought of that,” he interrupted.

  “How would you feel about living at the ranch someday? It’s what Logans have always done. It might be weird, but I grew up with both sets of grandparents living there. And Cora and Michael, before he turned to the dark side, and the kids…
”

  “So, it’s kind of a family tradition?”

  “Yeah, and the house is so big, we’d have our own wing. The girls could have one too—they could live in the rooms Cora and I used to share when I was a little girl.”

  “If we had our own wing, then I wouldn’t have to put my hand over your mouth when we’re in bed.” His grin was downright wicked.

  I giggled. “You could still do that.”

  His eyes heated as his hand trailed up and down my back.

  “It’s something to consider,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to do anything to hurt Harry’s progress.”

  “It’s not always about progress. Sometimes it’s about making peace with the ways he will always differ from what most people consider normal. I struggle with that about myself lately. But, anyway, I’m glad you’ll consider it.”

  He flipped the quilt over us. “I’m falling for you, Sabrina—whether or not you think you’re normal.” His smile was gentle on my face. The weight of his feelings was a comforting presence. But I would have felt it even if he hadn’t said it. “I will consider anything it takes to be with you.”

  My heart.

  “Oh, Wyatt, I’m falling for you too.”

  “Sleep, baby,” he whispered against my hair. He kissed my temple then settled me into his arms.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Sabrina

  Tonight was Halloween. I was excited to spend it with Wyatt’s girls and only a tiny bit nervous that his mom and Everett were coming too. But Ruby and Willa would be there to fill in whenever my conversational skills disappeared. Wyatt was on duty, but he was supposed to meet us at the senior center when he took his break. Most people in Green Valley went to the community center for Halloween but the senior center stayed open for those who wanted to celebrate but couldn’t handle big crowds. We took Harry there every year, and most of his friends from school attended too. It was always a small affair, with a candy cafeteria path and quiet music in the gathering room.