Page 48 of Found By You

We hem and haw for a few minutes, neither of us coming up with anything good. “Jewelry is always the way to go, right?” my brother asks.

I shrug. “For you, that’d work. Earrings or whatever. I doubt I could get away without that gettin’ taken the wrong way.”

Butch stands. “Nice. Well, thanks for the help, bro. I’ve got some earrings to find.”

“Hey.” I throw my hands up. “Where the hell is my brotherly advice?”

“Don’t look at me. I don’t fall for fuck buddies. That’s all you, brother,” he says with a smirk, strolling out the door. “See you Friday.”

Asshole.

I grab my keys and close up. Five minutes later, I’m at the motel catching Maci walking out with a bag in hand. Her smile lights up at the sight of me, and it hits me like a shot to the heart. I jump out and stalk toward her, taking the bag first. “Hey,” I say, leaning down for a kiss—not caring who sees. “This everything?”

“Almost,” she says, blushing even in the cold.

I load the rest of her belongings and the few groceries she’s gathered through the week, then have her follow my lead up the mountain to one of Beau’s two rental cabins. I park out front of the smaller cabin, a quaint covered porch that matches the one on the back. The cabin next door is twice the size with the same rustic, mountain vacation feel.

I unlock the door, and we step inside with a flick of the overhead light.

To the left is the small kitchen-dining area and a sliding glass door that leads to the back porch. The four-seater table feeds into the living space where there’s a couch and a coffee table across from the stone fireplace. To the right is the bedroom where I’ve somehow crammed in a king-sized bed, a dresser, and a flatscreen setup. The tight bathroom is attached to the bedroom from there.

I wonder how she’s going to feel when she sees there’s no door to the bathroom—or all the red flannel and black bear décor my mother decorated this place with.

“This is cute,” Maci says, looking around.

“Bedroom is through there,” I say, pointing to the open doorway. “I’ll get the rest of your stuff.” Once everything is inside, I start putting away the groceries while she organizes her things.

“Where’s the bathroom door?” she shouts from the bedroom, mortified.

I chuckle to myself as she comes back out and stares at me, waiting for an answer.

“Duke,” she says. “We need a bathroom door.”

“I know, I know,” I huff. “Ma already chewed my ass for not telling her it broke a few months back.”

“How’d it break?” she asks, wheeling her luggage into the bedroom.

“I fell into it,” I reply. “Tripped on the bathmat.”

Her faint laugh drifts from the other room. “There is no bathmat.”

“I threw it in the closet.” I grin. “I’ll get Rhett or Levi out here to fix it sometime next week.”

Maci comes out of the bedroom, hanging up her coat on the hook by the door—right next to mine. Where her boots are neatly set off to the side—right next to mine. Fuck, this feels good.

While she’s in the shower, I move a few things between my dresser and the closet, trying to clear space for her. If she feels welcome, she’ll stay, right? She’s not a dog, you moron. Doesn’t hurt to try.

“Did you want to go to dinner at Butch and Cassidy’s on Friday?” I ask when she steps into the bedroom to get dressed—a single towel wrapped around her sexy frame, hair dripping wet.

My cock weeps with joy that she’s here. And all mine.

“We don’t have to go if you don’t want—” She squeaks as I snatch the towel away, her hands flying to cup her breasts. As if I haven’t worshiped them countless times in the last few days. “Duke!”

I drop the towel and scoop her up. Her laughter a soothing melody to my aching heart. “Have I told you how happy I am that you’re here?” I growl, laying her down on my bed. I kneel on the edge and lean over her, my fists on either side of her head as she gazes up at me with lustful eyes.

“You haven’t showered yet,” she whispers as I brush a damp strand of hair from her face. I trail her features, absorbing this moment and committing it to memory.

I dip to her lips and leave a feather-light kiss. A breathy moan escapes her as she slides her arms around my neck. “I…” My mouth works before my right mind has time to catch up. Words I haven’t spoken in years lodge in my throat like an anchor.

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