Perfect Summer: Mason Creek, book 7

by Lopez, Bethany

  Before too long my stomach began grumbling, so I dipped my head toward Faith’s ear and asked, “Hungry?”

  “Starving actually,” she said, so we told the group we were hitting the potluck table and pushed back our seats.

  Moments later we were back, me with a heaping plate of food and Faith with more sensible portions.

  The band really kicked it up and the dance floor became more crowded.

  When a tiny blonde with lopsided pigtails caught my eye, I pointed my fork at her and told Faith, “Look at your girl.”

  Faith followed the direction I was pointing and laughed.

  “She’s so happy right now … I’ll be right back.”

  Faith got up and joined the crush of bodies on the floor, never stopping until she reached Hope, who threw her hands up at the sight of her mother.

  I swear, I could hear her cheer even over the sound of the music.

  I watched with a big grin as they danced with each other for the next few songs, then, my food gone and my feet tapping, I followed my heart onto the dance floor and joined them.

  We moved around, hips swaying and arms flailing to one of Tucker’s upbeat covers. Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan … he covered them all. And when he slowed things down, I lifted Hope into my arms, placed her on my hip, and wrapped my free arm around Faith.

  Hope giggled at our threesome awkwardly dancing amidst all the couples, but Faith simply laid her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.

  We swayed together, and the look of sweet, pure joy on Hope’s face had my heart falling to the floor as I fell head over heels in love with that kid.

  That revelation was all it took. I wanted these two in my life permanently. I wanted to spend my days making Hope giggle and Faith sigh with contentment, and I’d do whatever I needed to in order to make sure we were never separated again.

  31

  Faith

  The night was absolutely perfect.

  And that dance had solidified it. I am totally falling in love with Mitch again.

  After our slow dance with Hope, my mom waved us over and said they were ready to head home. There was a slight protest, but eventually they were able to coax Hope away from the fun with the promise of ice cream.

  But I’d bet a hundred dollars my little bear will be passed out before they reached the Town Square.

  Once it was just the two of us, we grabbed another drink and then danced to every slow song. I even got Mitch to join in on a couple line dances, which had me laughing so hard my eyes began to water.

  Nothing was like the feeling of being in his arms, though.

  Gliding around the dance floor, his fingers grasping my waist and his eyes locked on mine … It was the best kind of foreplay for the rest of the night.

  By the time we were ready to leave, my feet were delightfully sore, and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. We said our goodbyes to the people who were still left and walked hand in hand to Mitch’s truck.

  “I had such a good time tonight,” Mitch said as he opened the passenger door for me.

  “Me, too.”

  I waited until he got in and started to drive before I continued, “I forgot how much I loved barn dances. This one was even better than I remembered … such a lovely evening.”

  “Hope had a blast,” Mitch said with a grin.

  I chuckled. “My girl loves a good dance party, that’s for sure. She should sleep good tonight.”

  “She’s so special,” he said, turning to glance at me before looking back at the road. “You really won the lottery with that one.”

  “Believe me, I know it,” I said, leaning back with a contented sigh. “She was the light in my darkness for the longest time.”

  As we drove the rest of the way to his cabin, I replayed the events of the night in my mind. I could hear Tucker singing George Strait as Mitch two-stepped with me around the floor, his face lit up from something I’d said.

  Before I knew it, we were pulling up alongside Mitch’s place and he was taking my overnight bag out of the backseat.

  A mixture of nerves and excitement danced in my stomach as I followed him up to his door to go inside. I couldn’t believe it was really happening. It had been so long … not just since I’d been with Mitch, but since I’d been with anyone, and I realized I had no idea what his track record was … He could be the Mason Creek lothario for all I know.

  Mitch placed my bag on a chair and turned to me slowly. The fact that he was wringing his hands clued me in to the fact that he was feeling just as nervous as I was, which, funnily enough, eased my nerves completely.

  “Would you like a drink? I bought champagne,” he said, his tongue darting out to wet his lips.

  “That sounds great,” I replied easily, picking up my bag. “Do you mind if I get changed?”

  Mitch blinked and seemed to pause, then found his voice and said, “Of course. Mi casa es su casa.”

  Leaving him to pop the champagne, I went into his bathroom and unzipped my bag and removed the items I’d brought to sleep in. Once I’d changed into the lingerie, I pulled on the matching robe I’d gone back and bought the day before.

  I was generally pretty confident, but the last time Mitch saw my body without clothes, I’d been a nubile eighteen-year-old. I felt more comfortable with the added layer of the robe.

  I brushed out my hair, then my teeth, and freshened up my makeup. When I was satisfied with the overall effect, I took a deep breath and opened the door, then went to go find Mitch.

  I found him sitting on the couch in the living room, two high ball glasses of champagne on the table in front of him. He must have heard me open the door, because he hadn’t turned around, but said, “Sorry. I don’t have any actual champagne glasses.”

  I smiled and said, “Those are fine.”

  He turned then, and when his eyes widened so big I feared they may pop out of his head, I started laughing.

  “Whoa,” Mitch exclaimed as he stood up and checked me out.

  I stopped and preened a little, unable to help myself when his expression was so full of awe and appreciation.

  “You like it?” I asked unnecessarily, since it was obvious he did. “This is what I’d bought that day we ran into each other.”

  “Remind me to send Liv a thank-you card.”

  I chuckled and moved to join him on the couch.

  “I hope it’s okay for me to ask,” I began, picking up the glass closest to me. “Have you been with a lot of women? For me it’s only been you and Jed, and no one since I left him, so it’s been quite a few years since I’ve had sex at all.”

  I took a drink for fortification as I waited for his response.

  Mitch leaned back against the couch and laid one arm along the back, while he rested his glass on his leg, seemingly unaffected by my question or admission.

  “I’ve been with about a dozen women over the years,” he said softly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Most of those were in my early twenties. As I grew older, and the town grew more interested in my love life, I became more selective. I knew I wasn’t looking for anything serious, and most of the women my age were looking for marriage, so I mostly chose previous clients from outside the county limits.”

  I nodded, thinking it could have been a lot worse, considering how gorgeous Mitch was, and how active our sex life had been, even though we’d barely known what we were doing.

  “And it’s been over a year for me, so we’re on a similar page there.”

  “Okay,” I said, happy he was willing to be so open. “And, just so you know, obviously I’m older, and I had Hope, so my body isn’t what it once was … There are stretch marks, and I breastfed…”

  Mitch reached out and took my hand in his, “Faith, I don’t care about any of that. You are beautiful inside and out and it’s an honor that you’re even considering sharing yourself with me. I promise being with you makes me feel like I’ve won the lottery for the second time in my life.”

  God, he was good
with words.

  “In that case, what do you say we move this little party to the bedroom,” I suggested in what I hoped was a sexy tone.

  32

  Mitch

  I followed her eagerly into my bedroom.

  The way she was watching me seductively over her shoulder, her body perfectly molded by the sexy lingerie, was enough to have me moving almost at a jog.

  Once we were in the room, I lit the candles I’d set out and moved to the foot of the bed, while she pulled back the covers and let her robe drop to the floor.

  “You’re so beautiful,” I managed, unbuttoning my shirt, but never taking my eyes off of her.

  I watched as she moved around the bed toward me, her hands coming to touch my bare flesh as I pushed the shirt over my shoulders and let it fall. Her hands were warm, and her touch was light, as she skimmed over my shoulders and pecs and down my abs.

  “How is it you look even better than you did when you were eighteen?” she asked, her tone laced with desire as she tickled the hair leading from my navel down into my jeans.

  “So do you,” I breathed, my hands itching to touch. “I want to feel every inch of you.”

  Faith’s smile was that of a woman who knows her power as she lifted her hands to the straps of her nightgown and eased them down. I watched, rapt, as the silky material floated over her lovely curves, exposing her delectable flesh inch by inch until she was standing before me in only a small scrap of lavender lace.

  I took a step, closing the gap between us, my breath catching when her thumb brushed across my stomach just over the top of my jeans.

  “May I?” she asked, looking down at her hands.

  “Please,” I said roughly.

  Unable to stand there idly any longer, I reached for her waist, keeping my touch soft as I caressed her silky skin. She felt amazing, and the combination of her hands unzipping my jeans, with mine on her body, had my cock hardening uncomfortably in my briefs.

  When I reached the underside of her breasts, I took a deep breath and bit back a moan before cupping each breast in my palms. I loved the weight of them and the dusty-rose tips of her nipples, which where pebbled and begging to be touched.

  I ran my thumbs over the peaks, and when she gasped, I lowered my head and pulled one between my lips, dragging my teeth lightly over it as I sucked and laved it with my tongue.

  Faith’s fingers dug into my hips as she arched toward me.

  “Mitch,” she moaned, and I felt like I’d gone to heaven, hearing my name on her lips.

  After thoroughly loving one breast, I moved to the other, intent on spending a good deal of time and attention on each one. But when Faith pushed open my jeans and shoved her hand inside to grasp my cock in her palm, I momentarily lost my mind.

  I released her nipple and moved my mouth across the top of her breast, biting down softly before kissing up her neck and claiming her mouth.

  The kiss was wet and deep, and when she began to move her hand up and down my cock over the cotton material, I had a driving need to feel her skin to skin. Still keeping my lips fused with hers, I awkwardly took off my jeans and briefs and kicked them to the side.

  When she reached for me again, I tore my mouth from hers and mumbled, “Bed.”

  Rather than walking around to either side and getting in, we both simply crawled up from the foot and quickly resumed our positions, just horizontally this time. Faith laid on her back and I on my side, and we started kissing again as our hands explored.

  I trailed my fingers down her body until I reached lace and paused. When Faith lifted her hips in encouragement, I eased my fingers beneath her panties until I found her velvety center. She moaned into my mouth and shifted her hips, urging me along.

  She was wet and inviting, so I gently pushed a finger inside as she once again found my cock and squeezed. She jacked me tightly as I moved my finger and brought my thumb to her clit.

  When we were both close to climax, I moved to get a condom off of the nightstand and shifted back to see Faith tossing her panties off the bed.

  I settled between her legs and looked down at her. She looked stunning with her long blonde hair splayed around her and her lips swollen from my kiss. Her eyes were heavy and lidded and the look of pure desire on her features almost made me come right there.

  “Are you sure?” I asked, not wanting her to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with.

  “Absolutely,” she murmured, her lips curving up.

  I moved slowly, wanting to feel every second of our first time back together, and when I entered her slowly, it was like I’d finally found my purpose again.

  This was what I’d been missing the last decade. Faith was what I’d been missing. She was the only person who’d ever made me feel this way and in my heart I knew she was the only one who ever would.

  When I was fully seated inside of her, I stopped and caught her eyes with mine.

  “I love you, Faith. I always have and I always will.”

  Her eyes welled and her arms and legs wrapped around me tightly.

  “I love you, too, Mitch,” she whispered, her voice rough with emotion. “Always.”

  After kissing her thoroughly, I began to move. Slowly at first, and then as our desire began to build, more quickly. Her soft little gasps and moans only fueled me on until we were both writhing, our bodies slick with sweat, as we reached our peak together.

  I moved until we were both satiated and gasping for air.

  When I was able to catch my breath, I rolled to the side and discarded the condom, before rolling back and taking her in my arms.

  I dropped a kiss on the crown of her head and held her tightly as my entire body seemed to be overcome with happiness, contentment, and exhaustion. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so good, and I cuddled her closer as sleep began to overtake me.

  “I love you,” I managed, and I swear I heard her say, “Love you, Mitch,” before I drifted off.

  33

  Faith

  I stretched as I started to wake, my lips curving up against the pillow at the tender spots on my body.

  It felt glorious.

  Mitch and I had always had chemistry together, but last night had been an entirely different level. I felt amazing and I never wanted it to end.

  In fact … I shifted to turn toward the side of the bed Mitch had been sleeping on and reached out my hand, but all I found was slightly warm sheets.

  I sat up slowly, my hair tumbling around my shoulders in messy waves, and looked around the room. My bag was still on the floor next to Mitch’s discarded clothes and the candles had been blown out.

  As I became more awake, I realized there were strains of music coming from the other side of the door.

  I threw aside the covers and pushed myself off of the bed, glancing at the lavender robe on the floor and opting to leave it there as I padded toward the bedroom door. I opened it slowly and peeked around it, searching until my gaze found Mitch standing in the kitchen, unbuttoned jeans slung low on his hips.

  He was singing along to Led Zeppelin as he cooked something on the stovetop.

  It was a really good look. One I’d have to remember for later.

  “Morning,” I said, my voice coming out raspy from sleep.

  Mitch’s head lifted and the sexy grin he was wearing made me tingle. “Good morning. I hope you’re hungry.”

  His question made me realize I was ravenous.

  “Starving actually. Can I help with anything?” I asked as I joined him in the kitchen.

  “You can put the bread in the toaster?” he suggested.

  “You got it.”

  He had already made bacon, which was sitting on paper towels to get some of the grease out, had scrambled eggs, and was currently finishing up hash browns.

  “Wow, this is quite the feast,” I remarked as I pushed down the lever on the toaster.

  “I thought we deserved a feast,” Mitch said, his arm snagging me by the waist so he could pull me to him
.

  I tilted my head back and he dropped his lips to mine.

  “Mmmm,” he said, pulling away slightly and resting his forehead against mine. “I missed you.”

  I chuckled and admitted, “I didn’t like waking up alone.”

  “Aww,” he said, he eyes crinkling at the side when he smiled down at me. “You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you. And my stomach called me to the kitchen.”

  “Okay, but next time either wake me or snuggle in and go back to sleep.”

  “Your wish is my command,” Mitch said happily. “Now, do you want to feast at the table, or do you want to take it outside?”

  “Outside sounds nice.”

  He had a little bistro table on the back deck, so we piled out plates with food, filled mugs with coffee, and took it all out back to eat in the pretty morning. The view of the ranch was peaceful and romantic. The perfect place to enjoy coffee.

  “This is all so good,” I said, forcing myself not to shovel the food into my mouth.

  “I’m glad you like it. I can’t cook a ton of things, but breakfast and anything on the grill are my specialties.”

  “Noted,” I said easily, enjoying the moment with him.

  After I’d eaten about half my food, I cleared my throat and brought up the thing I hadn’t stopped thinking about since I’d opened my eyes.

  “So, uh, should we talk about last night?” I asked.

  Mitch pointed his fork at me and asked, “Do you mean the phenomenal sex, or the I love yous?”

  “Well, the sex speaks for itself,” I joked, although I squirmed in my seat just thinking about it. “The I love you exchange…”

  “I meant everything I said and did last night,” he said, his eyes intent on my face. “I’d hoped you did to…”

  “Oh, I did,” I said, hurriedly, not wanting him to think I was regretting anything.

  Mitch’s whole face lit up.

  “Good.”

  “I just thought maybe we should talk about what it means. Not to be one of those women, who thinks a declaration automatically means you’re going to put a ring on my finger. But I do have Hope to think about, which makes this a bit more complicated than a normal relationship. Plus, our history, and all that. So, I just wanted to take your pulse on the situation … see where your head’s at.”