Page 109 of If Only In Our Dreams

It seemed like every member of the entire community had decided to attend. There were colorful booths, similar to the market Ben and I had just attended. Vendors that sold falltreats delicious enough to make your mouth water. Signs, jauntily painted and arranged, pointed to various areas of the fair grounds. And hilarious depictions of apples were thrown up everywhere.

There was soul in everything here. In every handmade product. In every pie booth. In every stroke of paint and fabric tent.

People laughed and grinned at each other. They shared treats back and forth. The air was full of cheerful chatter and the sweet smell of apple cider donuts. There was this odd sense of camaraderie, like friendship itself had a scent.

Before, I’d thought the oddest part of Belleville was the fact that no one recognized me.

I’d since changed my mind.

The weirdest part about Belleville wasn’t its penchant for decorating for Christmas too early, its tiny population, or the fact that everyone seemed widely invested in each other’s lives. No. The weirdest part about Belleville was the fact that every single person here seemed to genuinely be nice.

Theyhelpedeach other.

They were quick to throw compliments—barbs, sometimes, in good fun—but everything was done in good faith.

I could see why Miles loved it here.

Why he fit in.

This was the kind of place he should have always lived.

“Robin, look!” Bubba’s voice was loud and cheerful, muffled a little because he had a fucking apple in his mouth. I’d seen him bob for apples about fifty times—and holy fuck, it got even more impressive each time he did it.

The kid should be in the Guinness Book of World Records or some shit.

“Dude,” I replied, just as shocked this time as I’d been the first time. “Holy fuck.”

Rosie’s little hand immediately shot out, bumping into me. I laughed, fumbling around in my pocket for a dollar bill without having to look. I pressed it into her little palm before she retreated back to her spot by my side, her other hand clutching my coat.

I’d offered to hold her hand and she’d refused.

That didn’t mean she hadn’t stuck to my side like a goth barnacle though. Cutest little barnacle I’d ever seen.

Ben was off somewhere…being sexy and dad-ish. Jane had wanted a donut. So Papa Ben Ben was finding her a fucking donut. Because he was just, you know,perfectlike that?

We’d been up late the night before, but neither of us had complained.

Neither of us had complained about our early morning together either.

I mean…what was there to complain about? Wasn’t like I was anything but pleased with the way Ben had eaten my ass till I made a mess of the sheets, and then tucked his cock between my thighs and rode me like a goddamn champion. He’d made me sticky enough we’d spent half an hour in the shower cleaning up.

Okay fine,an hour.

Because he apparently had not been done with my ass yet.

He took his plan to “train” me quite seriously. No matter how much I assured him that I could take his gigantic-monster-dick, he simply ignored me. I didn’t mind. Ben knew better than I did, anyway.

And it was nice to trust someone else like that.

Lord knew, I never had before.

You know…it’s funny?

Really.

All of this was.

Standing here, with Bubba grinning at me. With Rosie clutched close. With the world full of orange and red and happiness.

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