Page 144 of Return To You

The power is back in Grace’s quiet house, and I’m reassured to see the leak is now a trickle. There must be accumulated water in the ceiling, plus some water still coming in through the tarp, that I couldn’t seal. I empty the largest of the buckets and place it back under the leak. Taking a quick look around, I’m moved to see how well decorated the bedroom is. Three of the walls are a warm cream color with pastel stencil, and the third wall is a deep pink. The twin bed, which I pushed to the side, has cute pink throw pillows, several layers of blankets and sheets folded like only women would know how to, just to make it look cute. It’s touching to see the care and love Grace has for her young cousin.

As I peel myself from the bedroom, something bugs me that I can’t quite put my finger on. But there’s no time for self-reflection, or reflection of any kind. From the kitchen window, I see Colton climb into the truck. I hurry around the house to shut off the lights we didn’t know were on when we lost power, then join him.

“Let’s head to your parents’.” On our way, we stop at a gas station to fill up several cans for the generator.

Colton and I end up digging a trench to run the water away from the house. With how soggy the soil is, it goes faster than we’d anticipated. Still, by the time we’re done, we’re soaked from the rain coming down and the brook rushing up around our legs, and muddy from head to toe. Literally. So much so I don’t even dare enter the house.

Colton goes in alone while I stand outside the basement’s hopper window to grab the hose and direct it away from the house and downhill, then connect the pump to the generator.

“Ready!” I call out to Colton. A low hum comes from the basement, and the hose vibrates gently under my hand.

“All good!” he answers.

“Good here too.” I turn around and see Grace, eyes wide.

“You okay, babe?” I ask her, worried.

She eyes me from top to bottom. “Ohmygod, what happened to you?”

I look down at the mud caking me and walk toward her, my shoes squeaking with water. “Just another day at the ranch.” I laugh, opening my arms and bending down to pretend kissing her, expecting her to shriek and run away.

Instead, she throws her arms around me and kisses me full on, molding her body to mine, darting her sweet tongue inside my mouth. With a growl, I cup her ass to get her closer to me. “What do you say we go check on your house now?”

She pulls herself from me to look at me like it’s the first time she sees me. “You have to stop doing stuff like that.”

“What kinda stuff?”

“Sweet stuff.”

Sweet stuff? Climbing on roofs, digging trenches at night under the rain is considered sweet now? “Not sure I follow, babe.”

She takes my hand and honest to god, it looks like there’re tears on her cheeks. Can’t be. It’s gotta be the rain.

She pops back inside, picks up Damian, we holler goodbye, and she drives us back home.

Home.

That’s what her house feels like to me.

Fuck.

“Me and Colt did a pretty good job, considering.” I update her on the roof situation, what needs to be done long term, and what her brother and I did earlier. “But I’ll have to finish up tomorrow and seal it real good. Soon’s it stops raining. Meanwhile, we’ll have to keep an eye on the bucket and empty it.”

“God Ethan, I didn’t know you knew how to do all that stuff.” She glances at me, her beautiful face radiating something deep and moving in the night.

I shrug off her compliment. “Ruined your car, babe,” I say as I exit the Jeep. I go to take the floor mat and the cute little piece of fabric she has wrapped around her seats, but she shushes me.

“You leave that to me and get yourself in a hot shower.” Then she swipes up Damian and we step inside. “Strip here,” she orders me, pointing to the floor. “I’ll take care of it tomorrow. Get in the shower while I empty the bucket.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I smile as I walk naked to the bathroom. A minute later, Grace slips inside the shower with me, needy and tempting, her nipples perky, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. She lathers me with soap and proceeds to scrub me, and I can’t help but laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“How serious you are.”

“You’re seriously dirty.”

“That why you came in the shower with me?” I ask, pulling her to me. “To make sure I was clean?”

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