Page 123 of Home to the Hollow

She rolls her eyes before turning to head into the house, so I drop into the piece of furniture that looks the least like I’ll break it. I’m not a small guy, and her parents clearly picked the patio set out for appearances, not function. It would be rude to crack something in half on my first visit. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her peep out of the front window, clearly making sure I didn’t follow her inside. It makes me chuckle, but I just lean back and rock like I don’t have a care in the world.

That’s a very down-home coping mechanism, I know, but it’s what we do here.

When she finally returns, I’m pleased to see she didn’t run to cover herself up. I’m enjoying the hell out of the view, and that she stayed half naked bodes well for me. Okay, maybe not for my dick, but definitely for my chances with her at some point. I give her another grin as she approaches with a tray full of bourbon in crystal glasses and an adorable snack tray, still eyeing me like a snake in her boot.

You can take the girl out of the South, but you can’t take the South out of the girl.

Her eyes cut to the folder and I can almost see the gears in her head spinning as she thinks about our former alma mater and what happened to her. I have to keep her from focusing on the past so she doesn’t get that haunted look in her eyes again. “Why, look at you, Tilly! Your mama would be right proud.”

The strained smile she gives me in return tells me that wasn’t the right thing to say. I don’t know a thing about what kind of relationship she had with her parents, but this reaction says it wasn’t good. When they died in that wreck, the story was she couldn’t leave her job in Europe to come home for the funeral. It generated a lot of snide whispers about the Catastrophe again, and I’m sure some of that gossip made it back to her. Maybe she feels guilty about missing it? Either way, I’ve learned that her family isnota good one.

She walks over and settles in the other rocking chair, watching her furry friends as they commandeer the lounge, before turning back to me. “Tell me about the paperwork.”

I pick up my bourbon and take a drink, delighted when I realize she’s served my favorite. “Blanton’s is an excellent choice, Tilly. The paperwork is just normal new hire stuff. Take your time and run it down to Bobbi Jo before Friday so Maryellen can get you set up in all the systems.”

“Mrrrow,” one of her cats says, giving me a dirty look if I ever saw one.

“Your companions don’t like me very much, do they?” I ask as I look at the two exotic animals gracing the lounge as if it’s their throne. I’m sure no one mentioned her arriving with them, so it’s interesting she has them now. Where did two extremely expensive designer wild cats come from?

Jolene simply shrugs at me. “I’ve always heard that cats are exceedingly particular about the company they keep. They must sense your more… mischievous side.”

Her witty retort catches me off guard, and I burst out laughing. I laugh so hard that I take a minute to gather myself and I give her a warm look when I finally catch my breath. Her saucy demeanor is delightful, and it’s hot as hell. I shift in my chair, adjusting the evidence of that without calling attention to my predicament. It’d be rude, and the last thing I want is to do is piss her off. “Tilly, that’s the best laugh I’ve had all week. I enjoy hearing a Southern girl try desperately to call me a twat in the politest language she can. I was right about your mama the first time—she’d be even prouder now. All you needed to add was ‘bless your heart’ and I’d have a fork in me.”

She gives me an adorably flabbergasted expression and I realize she must have thought she was being subtle. It makes my cock jump when she opens and closes her mouth like she’s trying to think of another barb, and I can’t stop myself from rolling out of the chair to stand in front of her. Tugging her up, I yank her against my body, sinking my fist into her hair and holding on tightly. The squeak she makes is even cuter, and I pull her head back to look at me, being careful not to be too rough.

“Teddy, what in the actual fu?—”

When she uses the childhood nickname that I haven’t let a soul utter since we were kids, it destroys every ounce of my control. Jolene has no idea what hearing that for the first time in twenty years does to me, so I dip my head and kiss her hard. Her arms come up around my neck, her curves fitting to my body in a way that makes all of my sides wake up. My chest rumbles with the growl of the hound when I grip her hip firmly enough to bruise, and I wing a prayer to whomever that I can keep it all in check.

I’ve never had all three parts of me awaken at the same time as this. Could it be?

The thought startles me, and I let go of her hair, lifting my lips from hers to look into her eyes. I have to give her time to object because every cell in my being is damn near screaming for this woman. She looks as if she’s going to and my heart stops, but she doesn’t protest. Our mouths crash together again and I heft her up by her thighs, letting her wrap her thick thighs around my waist. I don’t even have to stop kissing her as I navigate us through the front door—the power of my feathered side guides us without my eyes.

Nipping her lip as I carry her inside, I wait for her to look at me again. My personal proclivities are rooted in definitive consent, and I don’t want her to be swept away in a momentary wave of passion, only to regret it later. Her lashes sweep upward and her gorgeous emerald eyes meet mine for a brief second before she reaches up to tug my hair until we’re kissing again. Normally, I’d want words, but the clarity in her gaze was so strong that I’m satisfied. The second sight of the feathered third of my supe side helps me find my way to the stairs as I carry her one handed.

She probably thinks she’s too heavy—it was a common theme in high school, and she was visibly uncomfortable with her lack of clothes at first. I’m determined to show her exactly how sexy I find her.

Her hips press against mine and the heat from her pussy damn near melts me as I continue following my instincts towards what I hope is the bedroom. As we take a moment to breathe, I nibble her earlobe and murmur, “Stop thinking so hard, Tilly.”

“Teddy… we…”

“Shh.” I nip my way down the creamy skin of her throat, enjoying the red marks my teeth leave. Every part of me is tingling, and I have to use this brief pause to control the one power I don’t want to use right now. I want this to be all of us—no help from my inner Lothario—and I squeeze her hips again as I enter the room she’s using. Climbing onto the bed, I range over with a hungry grin.

“But…”

Huffing, I lift as I eyeball the boxes around the room. Tilly isn’t saying ‘no’... if she was, her scent would change and it hasn’t. WhatI’m getting is fear, and a little bit of shame. Our past is making her question my motives, and though I don’t blame her, I need her to relax. I spot a silk scarf hanging out of one of her boxes and walk over to grab it. When I come back, I kneel on the bed and brush it over her skin. Her soft gasp tells me she likes it, so I continue until I reach her face.

“Brattiness has consequences, Tilly.” I use the Dom tone, curious if she’ll respond to it or not. I have the feeling she might and that would make her even more fucking perfect if it’s goddamned possible.

Her response is dripping with purposeful sarcasm when she answers, “I’m sure I have no idea what you mean, Teddy.”

I can’t help the snarl that echoes out of me at the nickname and I smirk down at her as I whisper, “When I say ‘shhhh’, I mean it, sugar.”

Her breath catches and I use that pause to draw the scarf over her neck to her mouth, slipping it between her lips. When she doesn’t protest again, I grind my cock against her stomach while I tie the material behind her head. I leave enough slack for her to get out if she truly wishes because we haven’t set up any kind of boundaries for true play and I don’t want her to feel unsafe. The sight of the bright green silk and her pink lips makes me groan low.

Jolene Athena Whitley is made for me and I wasted a fuck ton of time listening to my snooty ass parents.

Before I can process that thought, she grabs my hipbones and yanks me closer as she rubs her heat against my straining crotch. She clearly wants me to move this along faster and it activates the dominant in me—if she’s giving up control then I’m going to set the pace. Sliding my hands from her shoulders to her thighs, I yank them apart and nestle my erection against her. I dip my head to leave a few more marks on her skin as she squirms, loving the noises she’s making in her throat. Satisfied with the trail of red going past her collarbone, I watch her move restlessly.

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