Running Into Love

by Aurora Rose Reynolds

  “Yours.” I smile, and her nose scrunches up.

  “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “You were thinking that you wanted to take care of me, so you needed their help to move you out of your space and into mine,” I remind her. The day I got released from the hospital, Lucas asked me if I could help him find a place in the city, and Fawn told him that she knew of the perfect spot, then went on to say that she was moving in with me. I was a little surprised but honestly happy as fuck that she was moving in earlier than February. My family is a little disappointed that Lucas is leaving the town we grew up in, but they understand completely that he needs a change—and since he filed for divorce from Eva two days ago, he needs that change to come with at least a hundred miles attached to it.

  No one was happy about Eva showing up at the hospital with Heather, but Lucas was so pissed, he finally broke down and told everyone he was leaving his wife. Not that she really cared. Apparently she had been having an affair for the last year and was all too happy to tell Lucas that she was already planning on moving in with the guy. Thankfully, though, she agreed to give Lucas full custody of Madeline, since her new man isn’t exactly interested in raising another man’s child.

  “That’s true—at least one good thing is coming out of their stay,” she mutters, bringing me out of my head.

  “It hasn’t been that bad.” I smile, and she glares.

  “It hasn’t been that bad? Really, are you crazy?” she huffs, making me grin. “Okay, I will admit the first couple of days it wasn’t so bad because they were occupied with you, but now I swear, every time I go over there, they are talking about weddings and babies. And your mom is constantly trying to convince me to move to Connecticut so she can help raise her nonexistent grandchild. I think that is the only time they really fight.”

  “They fight?” I ignore the comments about my mom since I’ve been hearing it firsthand for the last few days. She keeps saying that I need to think about moving home, where there is less crime. I know what happened shook her, but that kind of shit could happen anywhere, and unfortunately, in my line of work it’s a risk you have to take.

  “They don’t really fight, they just bicker about crap like where we’re going to get married, where the baby—that doesn’t exist—is going to be baptized, who is going to babysit said baby, who’s going to be Nana and who’s going to be Grandma. You know, crap like that. I’m pretty sure they are both certifiably nuts.” She sighs, looking at the wall again when the banging starts back up.

  “I say we just give them a baby.”

  “Give them a baby?” Her head swings my direction. “Did you hit your head?” She laughs, but I don’t. I want that with her. I want her to be my wife, I want her to have my babies, I want everything with her. “You’re serious?”

  “I’m not saying I want a baby tomorrow, but I do want babies with you. I can only imagine how beautiful you will look pregnant with our child, and I know you will be an amazing mom. You love kids and are great with them.”

  “You’re serious,” she repeats with wide eyes, and I carefully pull her over and adjust her on my lap to straddle me.

  “I’m crazy about you, and I want all of those things with you. Is that so hard to believe?”

  “No . . .” She rests her hands on the underside of my jaw while my fingers skim along the skin under the edge of her T-shirt. “I guess I never really thought about having a husband and a family before now.” She smiles, then leans close, brushing her lips over mine. “Please don’t mention this conversation to our moms—they are already hard enough to deal with as it is, and if they get wind that one day we want kids, I have no doubt they will toss my birth control out the window.”

  “I won’t tell them.” I smile, and she reaches out, touching my shoulder where there is a bandage covering the wound.

  “Have I told you today that I love you?” she asks, lightly touching the gauze with her fingers.

  “This morning,” I murmur, and she looks up at me.

  “Well, I still do, just so you know, and maybe even more than I did this morning.”

  “That’s good to know.” I smile, roaming my hand up the back of her shirt, enjoying her smooth, warm skin against my palm. Feeling goose bumps break out across her skin, my cock, which has been hard since she sat on me, hardens more. I love that she’s so affected by my touch.

  “Levi,” she breathes, sounding nervous, and I know that nervousness is because she’s worried about hurting me.

  “I need to be inside you,” I tell her, lifting my hips, letting her feel exactly what she does to me.

  “We . . .”

  “You won’t hurt me.”

  “Are you sure?” she questions, running her palm over my erection, and I bite back a curse. It hasn’t been months since I’ve been inside her, but a few days is way too fucking long to go without her.

  “You have to promise to stop me if you’re in pain,” she murmurs, sliding her hand inside my sweats and taking my cock into her palm, stroking it.

  “I’m in pain now,” I point out, and she rolls her eyes. Sliding my hand down the back of her sweats, I grab her ass, then move around her hip and slip my fingers between her legs.

  “I swear, if I hurt you, I’m never having sex with you again,” she says against my mouth as her hips rise and fall and she rides my fingers in sync with her hand pumping my cock.

  “Get your clothes off, baby,” I urge, needing to be inside her. Standing quickly she rips her shirt off over her head, then kicks off her pants and panties, all the while keeping her eyes glued to my hand that is running over my cock.

  “Christ,” I groan, dropping my head to the back of the couch as she leans forward, taking me into her mouth. Spreading my legs farther, I make room for her as she kneels in front of me, wrapping her hand around the base of my cock while using her mouth on me. Feeling her nails scrape down my thigh, I lift my head and meet her gaze. Her eyes are as wild as her hair, and she looks beautiful taking me down her throat. “Come here,” I command, not willing to come in her mouth, which I know I’m seconds away from doing if she doesn’t stop. She sucks me harder and goes deeper. I groan, then bite out, “Fuck,” as I tug her hair, pulling her head back.

  “I wasn’t done,” she complains, and my teeth snap together as she licks over the head of my cock. Lifting her and ignoring the pain it causes in my shoulder, I drop her to the couch and spread her legs wide, then bury my face between her thighs. I could live on her taste alone—she’s like nothing I’ve ever had before. Licking and sucking her clit, I listen to her breathing become heavy, then move my hand up her stomach and take hold of one nipple, twisting just enough to make her pussy walls contract around my tongue thrusting inside her.

  She moans, her fingers latching onto my hair and holding me in place as she winds her hips, trying to get more, but I’m not going to let her come like this. Fuck no, I need to be inside her. I need to feel her pussy contract around me. I need to feel her tight walls sucking me deeper. Sitting back, I pull her up with my arm around her back and set her on my length, groaning as she clamps down on me.

  “Levi,” she whimpers as I raise my hips and force her down onto my cock.

  “Ride me hard,” I demand, and she does, her hips rising and falling rapidly, making me wish I had a mirror so I could watch myself disappear deep inside her. Feeling her walls start to ripple, I know she’s close, and I know she’s going to pull me over with her when she comes.

  “Kiss me,” I say, holding on to her tightly. The second her mouth touches mine, I thrust my tongue between her lips and listen to her moan down my throat as she comes hard, so fucking hard that her walls tighten almost painfully around my cock, which sends me over the edge with her. Breathing heavily, she collapses against my chest.

  “Did I hurt you?” she asks after a moment, and I shake my head no and relax back into the couch, holding on to the woman who changed everything for me. The woman who has made me want more out of life, the w
oman I want to spend my life with.

  Epilogue

  LEVI

  Looking at Fawn asleep in my arms, I wonder how the hell I got so goddamn lucky. I never thought for a moment that I would find someone so perfect for me, but somehow I was lucky enough to move in right next door to her. “Merry Christmas.” I kiss her ear, then watch a small smile spread across her pretty mouth as she sleepily rolls toward me and tucks herself even closer.

  “Merry Christmas.” Her sleepy eyes open to meet mine, and I know without a doubt that I will never get tired of waking up to her.

  “Are you ready for your first present?” I ask, and her eyes light up.

  “Yes. Gimme, gimme, gimme.” She claps excitedly, and I laugh.

  “A little bit greedy this morning, I can see,” I mutter, and she smacks my shoulder.

  “Whatever, I just love opening gifts. It could be a lump of coal, and I would still be excited about it.” She smiles as I pull out the card I tucked away in the top drawer of my nightstand. “A card, I love cards.” She holds it to her chest, and I laugh again. None of this surprises me, since my woman is Christmas obsessed. Everything is decorated—even Muffin has a red-and-green leash and collar with bells on it.

  “Are you gonna open it or stare at it?” I question, running my hand up her thigh, and she leans up, kissing me on the edge of my jaw before ripping the card open.

  “Vegas?” she breathes as she studies the two plane tickets sitting in her lap. “We’re going to Vegas for New Year’s?”

  “Yes, and while we’re there, I want you to do me a favor.”

  “What?” She pulls her eyes from the plane tickets to look at me, and I take her hand in mine, running my fingers lightly over her smooth skin.

  “Be my wife,” I say as I slide a ring onto her finger. I thought the ring would be perfect for her—it’s simple and understated but still absolutely gorgeous. Everything she is.

  “You . . .” She shakes her head. “You want to marry me?” she asks in disbelief, blinking at the ring, then me. How she can still react with surprise is amazing to me.

  “Yes . . . I—”

  “Oh my god. You want to marry me,” she yells so loudly that Muffin, who was asleep, gets up quickly and jumps onto the bed to see what’s going on.

  “I take it that’s a yes.” I laugh as she launches herself at me, forcing me to my back and kissing me all over my face and lips.

  “Yes, yes, yes . . . oh my god, I’m getting married.”

  “We’re getting married.”

  “Yes, we’re getting married . . . ,” she says quietly, then looks at her hand resting against my chest. “This is so beautiful.” She pauses to meet my gaze. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, gorgeous,” I murmur, bringing her face down toward me. I kiss her softly, then mutter, “Fuck me.” She sobs, dropping her forehead to my collarbone.

  “This is . . . I’m so happy,” she cries, tucking her head under my chin and lying against my chest. “How did this happen?”

  “You stole my heart and my breath the day you ran into me,” I say simply, and she pulls back, wiping away the tears on her cheeks.

  “Who would have thought running with your eyes closed would lead to love?” she asks, and I grin at her, then look over at Muffin.

  “Out, girl,” I command, and she huffs but jumps off the bed and heads out of the room, giving me the privacy I need to get my Christmas present from my girl.

  Two years later

  LEVI

  “Hush,” I whisper against the side of my daughter’s head as I hold her against my chest. As her weight starts to finally settle against me and her cry dies down, I close my eyes and rest my head back against the headrest of the rocker.

  “I would have gotten up with her,” Fawn says, and I open my eyes to find her standing in the doorway to the nursery, wearing a tank top that shows off her beautiful breasts and still slightly rounded stomach. I knew she would be gorgeous pregnant, and I was right. The extra weight still looks good on her, and knowing that her body provided life and protection for our child makes her even more beautiful in my eyes.

  “You need to sleep, baby,” I say softly. At eight months old, Olivia is no longer nursing, but she is teething, which has led to many sleepless nights for her mom and me.

  “So do you,” she murmurs, coming into the room. My little angel senses her mom is close, and she lifts her head from my shoulder.

  “Mama.” She reaches out for Fawn, and I smile as she takes the baby from me, placing a kiss to her forehead.

  “Were you having a cuddle with Dada?” Fawn asks her, and she looks at me with bright eyes that remind me of her mom.

  “Dada.” She nods her head, and Fawn laughs.

  “Yes, that’s your Dada,” Fawn agrees with a smile, and I pull her down into my lap. Then we sit there in the dark and rock our girl until she falls back to sleep.

  Three years later

  FAWN

  Watching Olivia drop yet another piece of broccoli onto the floor, I sigh. I know she thinks Muffin is going to help her out by getting rid of the evidence of her uneaten vegetables, but unfortunately for her, Muffin hates broccoli more than she does.

  “Olivia.” I raise a brow as she pretends to put another piece in her mouth and drops it on the floor.

  “Yes, Mama?” She looks at me with wide, innocent eyes that you would swear were the eyes of an angel, that is if you didn’t know her. Only her father and I know different—our baby girl is a monster. Yes, she’s sweet, loving, cuddly, and so damn adorable that you just want to squeeze her, but she is also a hellion who pushes the limits every chance she gets.

  “You know Muffin doesn’t like vegetables, honey, so now when you’re done eating, you are going to have to clean up the mess you made under your chair,” I tell her, and she looks at Muffin, who is sitting at her side—where she is every second of the day—and frowns.

  “Muffin, you need to eat your vegetables. They’re good for you,” she scolds before muttering something under her breath, reminding me of her father.

  “How are my girls?” Levi asks, coming into the kitchen and stopping to kiss Olivia before making his way to me. He kisses my forehead and lips, then places his hand on my very large, very pregnant stomach, over our son.

  “Daddy, did you know Muffin doesn’t like to eat her vegetables?”

  “I didn’t know that,” Levi lies, and I roll my eyes at him.

  “She doesn’t. I tried to feed her some, but she just didn’t like them.” She points at the ground, and I bite my lip to keep from laughing at the put-out look on her face.

  “Maybe you should eat some to show her how good they are.”

  “Great idea,” she says before going about pretending to eat her vegetables.

  Shaking my head at her, I look at Levi and catch him smiling at me. No matter how much time passes, no matter how crazy life gets, there is never a day I regret running into him with my eyes closed.

  Two years later

  FAWN

  “Tamara Albergastey,” the speaker calls, and I stand and start to yell and clap as loudly as I can as I watch Tamara head across the stage. Her eyes meet mine for a brief moment, and she grins, then continues walking. I’m so damn proud of her. Not only did she graduate, but she did it at the top of her class.

  “I’m so proud.” I smile, taking a seat next to Levi, and he wraps his arm around my shoulder and tucks me against his side.

  “She’s a good kid,” he says, and I nod. Olivia and Lucas love her and are both sad that their favorite babysitter is leaving the state to go away for college after the summer.

  “I’m going to miss having her over as often as we do now,” I confess, and his arm tightens for a moment.

  “Boston is close. We can visit her whenever you want,” he says, and I lean my head against his shoulder. He might not admit it, but he’s going to miss her, too. There are people you meet in your life, people you just know are going to do amazing thing
s, and Tamara is one of them. I’m lucky to know her and even luckier that I have gotten to witness her growing up into the beautiful woman she is becoming.

  Acknowledgments

  First I have to give thanks to God, because without him none of this would be possible. Second I want to thank my husband. I love you now and always—thank you for believing in me even when I don’t believe in myself. To my beautiful son, you bring such joy into my life, and I’m so honored to be your mom. Thank you, Mom, for being here and stepping in when I need you. Thank you to my agent, Susan, for believing in me. I’m so grateful to have you in my corner.

  Maria, thank you for taking a chance on me, and Melody, I loved working with you on this book. Thank you for all your help and advice. And thank you to the rest of the Montlake editing team—you are all amazing.

  To every blog and reader, thank you for taking the time to read and share my books. There would never be enough ink in the world to acknowledge you all, but I will forever be grateful to each of you.

  I started this writing journey after I fell in love with reading, like thousands of authors before me. I wanted to give people a place to escape where the stories were funny, sweet, and hot and left you feeling good. I have loved sharing my stories with you all, loved that I have helped people escape the real world, even for a moment.

  I started writing for me and will continue writing for you.

  XOXO Aurora

  About the Author

  Aurora Rose Reynolds is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose wildly popular series include Until, Until Him, Until Her, and Underground Kings.

  Her writing career started in an attempt to get the outrageously alpha men who resided in her head to leave her alone and has blossomed into an opportunity to share her stories with readers all over the world.

  For more information on Reynolds’s latest books or to connect with her, contact her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorAuroraRoseReynolds, on Twitter @Auroraroser, or via e-mail at Auroraroser@gmail.com. To order signed books and find out the latest news, visit her at www.AuroraRoseReynolds.com or www.goodreads.com/author/show/7215619.Aurora_Rose_Reynolds.