Page 19 of Morning Wood

This gets her attention. “Me?”

“I don’t see anyone else here,” I tease.

“You love me?” she asks again. I hate the doubt and disbelief in her voice. I’ll make sure she hears it a hundred times a day from now on.

“I love you in a way I don’t understand, and I don’t want to. Everything about you draws me in, from your sass and clever comebacks to your strength and resilience. I love every inch of your body, the way you feel inside, your lips, your tongue, god, Bea, you’re perfect. You’re it for me. The most precious woman I’ve ever met.”

“Beck,” she says with a sniffle. “I love you, too. I was so worried you’d be mad that I wasted your time. I’m so used to people leaving when I mess up. I didn’t want to lose you. That’s why I couldn’t answer your calls or texts. I thought I’d never see you again and I just wanted to rip the Band-Aid off.”

“I’m never leaving you, Beatrix. You’re mine. I’ve never shared this kind of connection with anyone, not even close. I’m not going to give you up for anything, let alone a house.”

“It’s a good house though,” Bea says, making me smile as I wrap my arms around her.

“It is a good house,” I agree. She said it’s for sale, and I have every intention of snatching it up before it even hits the market. I’ll give my woman anything and everything. “I have money set aside,” I murmur as I rock her back and forth. “And I’ve always loved this house. Would you consider selling it to me? It would be your house in every way, just my name on the deed.”

“You… you don’t really mean that, do you?”

“Of course, I do. I’ll call my lawyer right now and have him draw up the papers. A direct sale doesn’t need a realtor or anything.”

“Beck, I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes, beautiful.”

9

BEA

What is even happening right now? Today has been an emotional rollercoaster, to say the least. I woke up this morning and felt like I was on top of the world after my sexy shower time with Beck. Then everything came crashing down and I kept falling farther and farther, down into the darkness.

And now? Now Beck says he loves me and wants to buy me a house.

“Yes,” I whisper, biting my bottom lip.

“What?”

“Yes,” I say with more confidence.

“I’m going to need to hear it again, sweetheart,” Beck says with a smile.

“Yes, yes, yes,” I tell him, pressing kisses all over his face. “Yes, I want to be with you. I love you. Yes, I want to live here in this house and make it ours. I want a life with you, Beck.”

“I want all of those things, too,” he whispers, tucking some hair behind my ear. “I need you, Bea.”

I nod, needing him, too. I always need him. He kisses down my neck, knowing just where I’m weakest for him. His hands roam down my body, resting on my ass and pulling me into him.

I slide my hands under his shirt, feeling those hard, defined muscles ripple beneath my touch. My fingers roam over his torso, his ribs, and his back, and then they slip underneath the waistband of his jeans.

“Bea… Fuck, I can’t wait,” he groans into my neck.

I'm not sure what he means, but then he picks me up, wrapping my legs around his hips while he walks us backward five steps, setting me down on the kitchen counter. Beck licks and nips his way down my neck, between my breasts, covered by the dress I'm wearing. He drags his lips over my tummy, and then kneels in front of me, flipping the skirt of my dress up.

“Lay back, baby, let me taste what’s mine,” he grunts. Beck lays one large hand over my stomach and urges me to lie down on the counter.

“I want to watch.” I blurt out. I almost take it back, but then those blue eyes darken, letting me know he loves the idea.

“So fucking sexy. Prop yourself up on your elbows, baby, and enjoy the show.”

With that, he grabs my hips and jerks me so my ass is on the edge of the counter. Beck digs his nose in between my legs, parting my folds over my panties. He inhales and growls before sucking the wet spot on the scrap of fabric.

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