The taste of her, the way she felt in my arms, the way she was kissing me back, gentle but hungry, tentative but fucking needy, was more than I could take. And when she made a sexy-as-fuck whimpering sound, the relentless ache behind my zipper, the driving need of my hard cock, only got more intense.
Everly felt it—there was no way she couldn’t—and when she wriggled against me, giving me some much-needed friction, I growled, working fucking hard to call on my control.
I wasn’t going to fuck her on a picnic table our first time or in Bull’s hunting cabin, not in its current state anyway. I wasn’t going to risk messing this up.
But that wasn’t the only reason I sucked on her tongue one last time, why I savored her lips, giving them another gentle pass, cooling things down or at least trying to before lifting my head and ending the kiss.
We were going to take this slow.
Every step of the way, I was going to make this perfect and ease her into it, because, yeah, we both wanted it. But Eves was right; we were too important to each other. This was too important. And I wasn’t going to rush. I wasn’t going to risk a misstep with her. I only had one shot to make this perfect.
Because I knew without doubt that she was too good for me, that she could do a fuck of a lot better.
I pressed my forehead to hers and released a shaky breath. “Fucking hell.”
She laughed, and it was breathless and so damn sexy. “Does that mean I don’t need practice anymore?”
“Baby girl, you never did.” I grabbed her hand and led her back to the picnic table. “Ready for cheesecake?”
* * *
Some asshole banging on my apartment door startled me awake.
I growled and shoved back the covers. I was having the best, fucking dirtiest dream about Everly. And now I was hard and horny, and I wanted her, and I couldn’t even tug one out to ease the pain since whoever was at my door was a persistent motherfucker.
“Hang the fuck on.” I tugged on my jeans, wincing as I slid up the zip, and dragged on a shirt to cover my hard dick before storming over to the door and yanking it open.
Bull stood there with a stupid fucking grin on his face. “Did I wake you?”
“Jesus.” I shook my head and walked to the fridge. Bull strode in, and I watched him take in the place as I chugged back some milk. I had to fight my own stupid grin suddenly because just drinking milk made me think of Eves.
Then the smile vanished, because thinking of Everly reminded me of my painfully hard cock and our good-night kiss when I dropped her back at her room at the ranch.
“Looks good,” he said. “The bed’s awesome.”
I shrugged, even though the praise felt good. I hadn’t done a hell of a lot to the place. I still had Cal’s couch, but I’d gotten rid of his old bed and brought up my own. I’d made it while I was in Black Stone out of recycled timber, and I’d made bedside tables to match. “Glad you like it.”
Bull walked over and ran his hand over one of the nightstands. “Nice finish.”
He’d taught me everything I knew about carpentry while I’d lived with him. He’d made a lot of his own furniture and had built the wicked cool bar in The Mule when he bought the place. “So what’s up?”
Bull turned to me and his expression was suddenly serious as hell, all business. I crossed my arms, feeling anxious all of a sudden. Did they know about me and Everly? Not that I was trying to hide it. Was he there to tell me to back off? Were he and Cal worried I’d fuck off again, that I’d hurt her? After everything I’d done over the years, it wouldn’t have surprised me and would have been a more than reasonable response to finding out Eves and I were together.
“Need to ask you something,” he said.
Shit. “Okay.”
“I want you to be one of my groomsmen. Not having a best man. You and Cal are my brothers, and I want you both at my side when I marry Quinn.”
The fucking air whooshed out of me. Not what I’d expected. Not at fucking all. I stood there, stunned.
Bull frowned. “Well?”
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “Of course.” Yes, Bull and I had gotten close after I turned eighteen and came home, especially since I’d lived with him for a lot of years. But things had changed since I’d been away. We’d lost some of that closeness, I guess. But then I’d kept my family at a distance as well, positive I was only hurting them, making their lives harder.
That it was better not to let them back in, not let them get too close.
His request—shit—not only meant a lot, it hit me right in the chest. “I’d be fucking honored.”
A wide smile spread across Bull’s face. “Good. Get cleaned up. We’re picking out suits today.”
“Today?”
“Quinn and I don’t wanna wait anymore. We’re getting married on the weekend at the ranch. Cal’s shut down the shop. We’re meeting him at Suit Yourself in Springhaven in forty-five minutes.”
I smirked. “What a fucking stupid name,” I said, fishing a clean shirt out of my dresser.
“Yep,” Bull said. “Fucking ridiculous.”
I grinned at him. “Glad you’re finally locking Quinn down, bro. She’s so far out of your league it isn’t funny.”
“I know this. Why else do you think I branded her ass as mine?” he said, grinning back.
“Dude, it wasn’t exactly subtle.” I grabbed my keys and we headed down the stairs. “I’m actually surprised you waited this long to put a ring on it.”
“We both wanted to wait until you—We wanted you here when we did it, and it’s just a piece of paper.”
They’d been waiting for me? And like hell it was just a piece of paper. They were getting hitched mere weeks after I rolled back into town.
We walked out onto the street, and I locked the door after us, then grabbed Bull’s shoulder, stopping him.
He turned to me, heavy brows high.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “You put your lives on hold because of me.”
Bull’s hands went to his hips. “Nah, brother, we didn’t put shit on hold. We’ve been living and loving. You don’t have to worry about that. And it wasn’t just you. Quinn wasn’t worried about marriage for a long time. We already know we’re going to be together forever. Nothing will change that. I think I wanted it more than her, but that’s because I’m a fucking Neanderthal. Now the time just feels right, that’s all.” He gripped my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. I’m just glad you’re here to share it with us.”
I dipped my chin, not able to speak all of a sudden. Bull being Bull worked that out and headed to his truck without another word.
I’d let so many people down before I left. My family. Everly. I just wanted to make it right, prove to them that I wasn’t the same person anymore. I wanted to be there for them like they’d been for me.
“Right, let’s go get some fucking suits,” I said, voice rough.
Bull grinned, getting his whole face in on the act. “Fuck yeah.”
An hour and a half later we were standing in Suit Yourself, and I was trying not to rupture my spleen from laughing.
Bull grunted and looked over his shoulder at himself in the mirror, checking out the ass of his pants that had just blown out after he’d tried to bend over. They had some okay suits, but not many Bull-sized options.
“Shut it,” he said to me, scowling.
“Nice underwear, by the way.” They were blue with a Superman symbol across the ass.
“At this rate I’ll be getting married fucking pantless. And Quinn got the underwear,” he grumbled.
“Suuure she did.” I looked at Cal. “I don’t remember Bull having a fixation with Superman, do you?”
Cal was laughing as well. “No. A bit late to get into all that shit now, isn’t it?” he said to Bull.
Bull flipped us the bird and snatched up the new pair of pants the assistant held out for him before striding back to the fitting room.
My phone beeped and I
pulled it out to check.
Everly: Whatcha doin?
I smiled, my heart beating faster instantly.
Dane: Trying on suits.
Everly: I hear you’re a groomsman.
Dane: Wanna be my date?
Everly: Of course. Better go shopping. Need something to wear.
Dane: You look good in everything.
Everly: I want to wow you.
Dane: You mean kill me.
Everly: LOL, I hope not.
Then those three little dots appeared telling me she was typing something else.
Everly: Because I’m looking forward to more of those kisses.
I stared down at those words and had some trouble with the whole oxygen-in, carbon dioxide-out routine.
Dane: You’ll be getting more. Promise you that.
“What’s put that cheesy-assed smile on your face?” Cal asked.
I glanced up at him. “Everly.”
“Yeah?” he said, brows lowered. “You sorted things out?”
“In a way, yeah.”
“What does that mean?”
His expression had grown more serious.
I straightened my shoulders. “It means we’re not just friends, not anymore.”
Bull walked out, brows hiked up. He’d obviously heard everything.
“You sure you know what you’re doing with her?” Cal said. “Never seen anyone as messed up as Everly when you walked away. Don’t think she could take another blow like that from you.”
Cal’s words were like a strike to the gut. I knew it was coming, of course. I’d earned that mistrust, and then some. Didn’t stop the sting.
I wanted to bite back. I wanted to tell him where he could stick his opinions. But his concerns were valid, more than valid. I had to earn their trust back as well as Everly’s. I knew that. Still sucked, though.
“Not going to hurt her, not ever again.”
Cal’s dark eyes stayed locked on mine. “She’s not the girl you fuck around with, not with the history you have, and not after I spent months watching her build herself back up after—” Cal cut himself off, jaw clenching.
I tore her down.
My brother’s gaze dropped, and when I got it back there was regret there. “Cassy and me…we were worried about her, Dane. Cassy spent nights on the phone with her before she came to us. We kept her up at the house for as long as we could…didn’t want to leave her on her own. Eves was broken. If you’re not one hundred percent in this…you need to let her go.” Those pauses, stumbles over his words, told me just how much he cared for Eves, how her pain had affected him and Cassy.
“Cal,” Bull said low.
Cal’s jaw clenched again. “He needs to know this shit, for both their sakes.”
Nausea hit me hard and fast. Hearing out loud some of what Everly went through sliced right through me and made me hate myself all the more.
I cleared my throat. “No, you’re right. I’m glad you told me.” I needed to get this fucking suit off.
“Dane?”
I ignored Cal and worked at keeping my shit tight, worked on breathing evenly, on maintaining control. The idea of Everly in that much pain was more than I knew what to do with. I wanted to protect her from anything that would hurt her and fuck up anyone who already had. What was I supposed to do when the thing that had hurt her most was me?
I needed to get on my bike. I needed to get out of there and clear my damn head.
“Dane,” Cal said again, sounding even more concerned.
I looked up, making sure he saw exactly how I was feeling. “Being away from her, it broke me, too,” I said, giving them the truth. “I’m not leaving her again. Not ever again.” Then I went and got changed.
Chapter Eleven
Everly
I stood in front of the mirror and applied some makeup—mascara, my favorite lip gloss—then got to work taming my hair.
I wasn’t sure why I bothered. It tended toward the wilder side, and no matter what I did that’s how it always ended up.
Preparations for Bull and Quinn’s wedding were in full swing. We were all pitching in getting the ranch ready for the wedding on the weekend as well as taking care of the horses.
It’d been a busy couple of days, and I’d been looking forward to tonight since Dane mentioned it. I’d walked around with an insane grin on my face all day. Grifter was back in town, and tonight he was having a get-together down by the lake to celebrate his birthday.
A party.
Dane was picking me up soon in his truck. I hadn’t seen him yesterday, since he’d been busy with Bull and Cal getting their suits, then he’d had to work until late. I was desperate to see him.
To kiss him.
To just be with him.
I opened and closed dresser drawers, trying to decide what to wear. It was hot now, but it always cooled down in the evening. I wanted to look good. I mean, I didn’t think Dane cared about what I wore all that much, but I wanted to look nice for him.
I wanted him to look at me, and, um, yeah, want me.
The memory of our kiss outside the hunting cabin had been replaying through my head since it happened, and I shivered. He’d been hard for me. My best friend, my Dane, had those kinds of feelings for me.
I still couldn’t believe we were doing this.
That he was my boyfriend, not just my friend.
I glanced at the clock. “Crap.” I needed to hurry up and get dressed.
In the end, I pulled on a pair of denim shorts, a T-shirt that was casual but cute, and my cowboy boots. And just to be safe, I grabbed a bag and threw in a pair of jeans and a sweater in case I got cold later.
My phone rang and I pulled it from my back pocket. Aunt Julia. As much as I wanted to, there was no putting this off or ignoring her, not again. She’d probably show up here if I did.
I took a deep breath, tapped the screen, and put the phone to my ear. “Hi, Aunt Julia.”
“Nice of you to answer this time.”
I stiffened. She always made me feel like I was being reprimanded or interrogated, like I was an ill-behaved kid. “Sorry, it’s been busy at work.”
“When are you coming home, Everly?”
Right, no small talk, then. I’d been home not that long ago. I wasn’t in any hurry to go back. “Soon.”
“How soon?”
I heard the crunch of boots on the gravel outside. It was Dane, I knew from his walk. That would probably sound weird to some people, but I simply knew him that well.
“I actually have plans tonight, so I can’t talk now. But I’ll call you back tomorrow.”
“What plans?” she bit out.
Dane knocked on the door.
“Is someone there?”
Her voice was so sharp I winced. “I’ll call you back tomorrow. Promise.” I disconnected and knew she would be furious with me for cutting her off. But I wasn’t going to let her ruin my night.
I opened the door to Dane grinning.
And had to suck in a breath when I saw him. All thoughts of my aunt vanished in an instant.
He stood there in worn Levi’s that hugged his long legs, a black belt with a chain hanging loose against his thigh, and a black T-shirt that clung to his chest and arms, all his sexy ink on display. I wanted to take a bite out of him.
I took another breath to steady my nerves. Why the heck was I nervous? This was Dane. My Dane.
Yes, but now you know what it’s like to kiss him.
He still hadn’t said anything. His golden eyes were moving over me, taking me in from my boots and working their way up, and I noticed his jaw tightened when his gaze reached my chest.
His eyes finally met mine and the nerves intensified.
“Hey,” I said.
“Christ,” Dane said, his mouth flattening before he licked his lower lip. “Come here, Eves.”
I moved toward him like he was the only source of light in the darkest of nights. When I was right in front of him, he gripped my hips and pulled
me up against him.
“Did you miss me?” I said, even as warmth hit my cheeks from the intensity of his gaze.
“Yes. Fuck yes.” He lowered his head and his lips came down on mine. Like the other times he’d kissed me, it was like we sparked off each other before being set alight, engulfed in an inferno of our own making.
I slid my hands up his chest, a thrill shooting through me when I felt those rings through his nipples against my palms. Unable to hold in my whimper when his tongue swept inside and one of his hands slid lower, over my butt, and he squeezed, I moaned against his mouth, opening for him, kissing him back just as fiercely.
That was the first time he’d touched me like that, had done anything beyond kissing me, and I loved it. I wanted more, so much more.
When he finally lifted his head, he smiled gently. “You look fucking amazing.”
“So do you.”
He chuckled. “Glad you think so.”
“Oh, I do.” This was so new, talking to each other like this, but I liked it.
“You ready to go?”
“Yes. Let me just grab my stuff. I thought I should bring something warm for later.” I grabbed my bag sitting by the door and pulled it shut.
“Good idea.” He took my hand. “Especially since we’re ticking two things off your list tonight.”
“Are we?” Now I was even more excited.
“We’re going to a party, and we’re sleeping under the stars,” he said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.
My lower belly zapped. “We’re staying there all night?”
“Yeah,” he said as we reached his truck. “You cool with that?”
That’s when I noticed the mattress in the bed of the old Ford pickup.
I bit my lip and nodded. “Yep, I’m cool with that.” I went to open my door and Dane pulled me to a stop.
“Don’t overthink it,” he said. “You and me, we’re taking things slow, okay? We go at your pace. Just sleeping with you in my arms is enough.”
Meant For You: Rocktown Ink, Book 3 Page 11