Page 18 of Gone Away Home

“Fine,” the words are an exasperated exhale, but the twinkle in her eye and the smile on her face tells a different story. “I’ll save room for your cum.”

My cock is begging me to take her up on her offer, but I fight against it. This isn’t about reciprocating orgasms. She was in her head and now she’s not. That’s what I wanted and needed. Wecan enjoy our night together and worry about dinner with our parents when we have to, instead of it being a cloud hanging over us.

“Oh, sweetheart,” I tease her, but meaning every word, “don’t you know the only place my cum is going is inside your sweet pussy until you’re carrying our baby?”

Her entire body shudders and I smirk. Thank fuck my woman finds breeding her hot because I already know I won’t be stopping after one baby.

CHAPTER 8

ZAYLA

Sitting in Dustin’s truck, I stare at the house in front of me and dread has my stomach curling in on itself. It’s threatening to crawl its way up my throat by utilizing those pickaxe things you need when traversing a glacier, at least in movies, and I have no doubt I’m turning green. There’s just no way it’s not happening at this point.

I really want to be the person who walks into our parent’s house with my head held high fully prepared to flip off the world, but it’s simply not me. Dustin’s right, we aren’t doing anything wrong; it certainly doesn’t feel wrong. I’m also not going to stop being with him, it’s simply not a possibility at this point.

I’m too far gone.

Still, knowing all of those things doesn’t help the fear I’m feeling from taking over.

When my door opens, I let out a shriek of surprise and turn my wide eyes toward the man who has become a whirlwind of love, support, and dreams I always thought would gounanswered. His mossy green eyes are soft as he looks at me and I get lost in those eyes.

How many times did I imagine being right here with him someday? And here I am. I should embrace it and I’m trying, really, but the thought of Mom being disappointed in me or Thad feeling disrespected is like a noose around my neck.

Dustin doesn’t look away as he reaches around me and unbuckles my seatbelt. It’s such a sweet gesture and I feel my eyes well up with tears. I’m a mess, emotional and barely holding it together, but he understands. Could I really ask for anything more?

“Come on, sweetheart.” When he offers me his hand, mine are shaking so hard where I have them twisted together on my lap that I hesitate. Understanding softens his features, and he teases, “I can carry you if you’d prefer?”

My hand flies into his so fast I can’t help but laugh. “You carrying me would not help right now,” I deadpan.

The way he smirks at me tells me his only goal was to get me to laugh and stop being so serious. As he helps me out of the truck, I try and relax, but it’s not easy.

Over the last few days, as I’ve overanalyzed and worried way too much about this exact moment, one thing Dustin hasn’t offered were empty platitudes or false hope. He didn’t try to talk me into ignoring my fears or to leave space for our parents to surprise me.

Instead, he’s given me exactly what I needed. He’s simply been a strong, steady presence at my side while I freaked the fuck out. There was no wavering, and he remained resolute in his assertion that their opinion didn’t matter to him, and it won’t change anything.

Our fingers twine together as we turn and face the house where we both lived at one point. It was so long ago that the reality of the way our families are connected through marriage having no bearing on what we are to each other now hits me hard. I give his hand a squeeze and he gives one right back.

When we walk toward the door, we do it together.

I’m still petrified, but there’s no way I’ll be giving Dustin up. I’ve waited and my heart has existed in purgatory for far too long to walk away now.

“Dustin,” I whisper as we stand on the porch and I turn towards him, “I haven’t thanked you.”

His eyebrows pull together as he looks down at me, his eyes searching my face. His words are filled with confusion, “Thank me for what?”

“For coming home. For coming back to me,” my voice is thick with emotion. “I loved you all those years ago, even when I had no idea what those feelings really were. Even then, you put me first and wanted to give me a little time instead of bulldozing your way into my life to suit yourself. Then everything was pulled out from under us. While I didn’t know how you felt, I knew something was missing and it hurt. I don’t know if it would have been better for me to know back then or if it would have only made the last 14 years harder, but I’m grateful for right now. There is no one else I want to stand next to and have as a partner in this life.”

I swear his eyes glaze over with unshed tears and I watch his throat bob as he swallows hard. His voice is rough, “No more fear.”

He kisses my forehead before we step up to the front door side-by-side. He rings the bell and I’m sure if he wasn’t being hisamazing supportive self he would not be holding my hand right now. There’s no way it’s not clammy and gross. But he doesn’t even look bothered by it.

When the door is yanked open, Mom is there with a big grin on her face. She glances between us and down at our hands before she launches herself at us and wraps us both up in a hug. I’m not ready to relax, but I really want to believe her reaction is a good indication that we won’t have a fight on our hands.

“Oh, Dustin and Zayla,” Thad’s voice comes from behind Mom, and I look up to see him watching us closely, “I didn’t realize you two would come together.”

“Of course we’d come together,” there’s an edge to Dustin’s voice and I squeeze his hand, the hand I refuse to let go of even as Mom has become like an octopus around us.

“It’s so good to have you both here. Our babies,” she gushes, and I laugh softly at how excited she sounds. When she pulls back from us, she looks Dustin over like she’s trying to see any injuries he may have sustained while in the military. “Dustin,” she breathes out, “I’m so glad you’re home safe. We’ve been worried about you, but so proud at the same time.”

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