Page 6 of Gone Away Home

I pull out some bread and a specialty peanut butter that is like eating dessert, because I deserve a damn treat, and get everything situated on my kitchen counter. Just as I’m about to start assembling my sandwich, there’s a knock on my door.

My head falls back on my shoulders, and I let a huff of annoyance. I mutter to myself, “Who the fuck could it be? Don’t they know I’m about to eat something?”

Abandoning my sandwich fixings, I head toward the front door and swing it open without bothering to ask who it is or look out the sidelight windows on either side of the door. When I see the man on my doorstep, just standing there like everything is right as rain, I freeze.

After closing my eyes, I open them slowly. Honestly, I fully expect my hunger to have caused me to hallucinate. There’s no way I’m really seeing what I’m seeing.

There’s no fucking way.

When I peel my eyelids open again, the same sight greets me. Just right there.

On my porch. At my house. In Jasper Ridge.

His eyes, the same soft mossy green eyes I haven’t seen in 14 years, take me in. The smile that spreads across his face is slow and filled with something I’m not nearly ready to examine.

My voice breaks, “Dustin?”

His voice is deeper than I remember, “Hey, Zayla.”

CHAPTER 3

DUSTIN

Fuck. I can’t believe I’m standing in front of Zayla right now. She’s close enough to touch, but it doesn’t seem real. She’s right there.

Her pretty, pouty lips open and close. Apparently, my greeting really stumped her. Not like I can blame her since we haven’t had any contact in nine years and haven’t seen each other in 14. I suppose, if I hadn’t planned on seeing her, I would be just as surprised as she is right now. But she’s the only reason I’m back in our hometown.

Her voice wavers and her eyes glaze over with unshed tears, “Holy shit. Dustin?”

I don’t think. My arm shoots out and hooks around her waist, pulling her flush against my chest. The little yip of surprise she lets out is adorable as fuck.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I whisper, “it’s been a long time. I missed you every single day I was away and I’m sorry I stayed away so long.”

My words break through the fog of her surprise, and she wiggles in my arms as her hands come up and push against my chest. The contact is doing nothing but making me harder for her, not like I need any assistance in that department. My cock has been like steel since I decided I’m done running away from what I know is between us and come home.

“What?” Shove. “That doesn’t make any sense.” Shove. “Are you okay? Did you get injured or something on your last deployment?” Her tone is full of concern, but she still backs the question up with a shove. “Let go of me,” her voice goes up an octave and is right underneath a dog whistle register.

I sure as fuck don’t let go. I don’t move a fucking inch. I’m not sure it’s something I’m capable of doing. Not now when I finally have her where I’ve wanted her for so damn long.

“No,” my tone holds no room for argument as I move us through her open doorway and into her home. I kick the door closed behind us when we’re far enough inside and look over my shoulder to glare at it. When I turn back to her, her eyes are narrowed slits, and expression I match. “Did you really open the door without looking to see who it was first?”

“Dustin,” outrage drips from my name on her lips, but it’s still the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard, “what the hell are you talking about? I’m a grown ass woman. If I don’t want to look to see who is at my door, then I won’t. In case you’ve forgotten or are so out of touch after you’ve been away so long,” those words are sneered at me and make pre-cum drip from the tip of my cock, “Jasper Ridge isn’t really a hot bed of criminal activity.”

“If you’re trying to tell me you keep your door unlocked or something equally ridiculous, then I can’t be blamed for what happens,” there’s a real threat in my words and by the way she’s shooting lasers at me from her eyes, she is not amused.

The thought of her ass colored by my handprint while she’s over my knee almost takes me to the ground. Fuck, talk about hot as hell. My hand, the one splayed open on the small of my woman’s back, itches with the need to move lower and feel just how round her ass is.

I hold back but fucking barely.

Zayla rolls her eyes. “I don’t keep my door unlocked,” she grumbles.

When I bend down and bury my face in her neck, she stiffens in my arms. I get it; this is new, and it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. My lips graze her skin with every word, “I’m fine. I wasn’t injured, sweetheart.”

She slumps into me and the show of relief makes me want her even more. She’s too good for this world; she’s too good for me. That’s not going to stop me from being with her and soaking up all her sweetness. I’ve earned it after denying myself for years and all the shit I’ve seen.

Zayla is the spoils of war and I’m claiming her.

“Good,” she whispers, “but that doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”

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