Page 134 of Somewhere You Belong

“That was very poetic of you.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “I have my moments. I may not have much experience with relationships, but with you?” He brushes my hair from my face. “It just comes easy.”

Running my hand up his chest, I say, “Care to make any rules for our relationship then, since neither of us know what we’re doing?”

“I like that idea.” Dallas taps his chin with his finger, staring up at the ceiling. Then he drops his gaze to mine again, and says, “Rule number one: always use your manners.”

I giggle. “Especially during sex.”

Dallas growls, burying his head in my neck. “Hell yeah.”

As his lips dance over my skin, I add, “Rule number two: always have blueberry muffins ready for my breakfast on the weekends.” I’ve decided to cut down on my muffin intake since my pants started to get a bit snug last week, but I figure a weekend treat is still acceptable.

Damn those little pillows of heaven.

“I can do that.” I feel Dallas grow hard against my leg and then he starts shifting. “Rule number three: always have your pussy ready formybreakfast onanygiven day.” He dips below the blanket, shuffling down the mattress while pressing me on my back, and finds me wet and ready as he drags his tongue through my slit.

Moaning, I arch my back and say, “I think rule number three is my favorite.”

“Mine too, Willow,” he mumbles against me. “Mine too.”

***

“Why do I get the feeling you’re about to tell us someone died?” Penn stares across the living room at me and Dallas, sitting in the giant cushioned chair together, me perched on his lap.

“It’s not that, but we do have something we need to talk to you guys about.” Dallas looks at Katherine, who nods in approval.

It’s Sunday night, which means family dinner night in the Sheppard house.

But this family dinner is going to be a little more serious than the last.

After Dallas and I reconciled, we had dinner with his mom, who apologized profusely for the heartache she caused us both. It was that night that Dallas also gave me the picture of me as a little girl that my parents had with them the day that they died.

I bawled like a baby for almost an hour.

And then he showed me and his mother the letter his father left. Katherine and I cried for another thirty minutes.

But the three of us agreed that the rest of the family should know about all the circumstances around what led me here, and so that’s why we’re gathered in the living room right now, having just enjoyed Katherine’s homemade chili and cornbread before sullying the evening with heavy emotions.

“Do you wanna start, Goose?” Dallas asks as I bite my thumbnail. He pulls my hand from my mouth and raises his brows at me.

“Yeah, I guess.”

Hazel nearly jumps out of her chair. “Oh my God! Are you pregnant, Willow?”

My head spins toward her in a flash. “What? No!”

“She’s not pregnant, Hazelnut.” Dallas looks at me for confirmation. I shake my head. “Nope. Not pregnant.” Although as of last night, we agreed not to use condoms anymore, so the possibility is definitely there if my pill fails.

But we both know the risks and we’re okay with that.

“I want you guys to know what led me to Carrington Cove. It wasn’t just some random inheritance in which I got the Bayshore house.” I turn to Dallas and take a deep breath. “I was left the house by your father.”

You could hear a pin drop in that room for several minutes before the questions started to pour out. And after about an hour of questions and plenty of tears, the entire Sheppard family knew our story.

“This is fucking wild,” Parker declares, draining the rest of his beer before standing from the couch, pacing for a minute before heading to the kitchen for another.

Hazel dabs a tissue under her eyes, staring at us from the couch still. “I know it’s sad, but I think it’s so romantic that dad led you here, Willow.”

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