Page 35 of Torn Souls

Seeing Oaklynn baking in our kitchen has me thinking about kids sitting at the island and dipping their mom’s cookies in milk with homework laid out in front of them. The image has the rest of my anger and anxiety dropping away.

She’s right where she’s supposed to be. Now, we just have to keep her here. The good thing is it doesn’t seem like she has any desire to run from us or leave.

It wouldn’t end well for her if she tried. We would chase her to the other side of the world if she decided to run.

“Oh,” she exclaims when she sees me, a blush pinking her cheeks, “I didn’t see you there, Huck.” Her eyebrows pull together as she glances at the clock. “Are you home early?”

“Home,” I echo her and close the distance between us. “You called this home.”

The smile that lights up her face has me hooking an arm around her waist and pulling her even closer. “It feels like home,” she admits softly as if speaking too loudly or with too much force will pop her bubble.

I press my lips against her forehead and breathe out, “I’m glad.” I look over to where the cookies are cooling and nod in their direction. “You’re baking cookies?”

“Chocolate chip,” she winces slightly with her words. She bites her bottom lip, a look of concern crossing her face. “Is that okay?”

“Of course,” I assure her, eyeing the cookies.

“They’re fresh out of the oven. You can have one in a few minutes,” there’s a tease in her voice.

Even though I know she’s talking about the cookies, my mouth waters. I make a humming sound as my hand runs up her spine and she shivers in my arms.

“You were done with work?”

I look down at the woman in my arms and I give her a small grin. “I needed to see you, Sweet Girl.”

Oaklynn blushes the prettiest pink. The way she looks up at me from underneath her lashes has my cock thickening behind the fly of my slacks.

Down boy. Now is not the time for that.

Before I can stop myself—maybe even because my dick takes over—I gently press my lips against hers. When she gasps, I don’t take advantage of the opening. As much as I want to taste her, I savor this sweet moment between us.

Her arms twine around my neck and it causes our bodies to become flush against each other. I groan, the feeling of her soft curves making it hard to remember to take this slow.

I’m very aware that Baker got to taste her last night, but I’m going to ensure that we’re not moving too fast for our woman. There are four of us. Even though she took it all in stride when Kirill laid out our intentions, I saw the shock in her eyes.

I have no doubt our woman will be able to handle us though when the time comes.

When I pull back, Oaklynn’s eyes are glazed over. She blinks up at me a few times before giving me a shy smile.

“I’m not sure what to make of you Huck Cardenas,” she breathes out, vulnerability shining in her eyes.

“What do you mean, Sweet Girl?”

I can see the questions she wants to ask written all over her face. How do I fit in with the guys? What is my role here? What do I expect from her?

I chuckle and kiss her forehead. “I’m the tech guy around here, Oaklynn. I find information that needs to be found. Sometimes it’s skeletons we need to know exist to blackmail those who deserve it. Sometimes it’s the demons who lurk in the darkness. Information is power these days. We all grew up together and we all use each other’s strengths to achieve our goals.” My voice drops an octave, “I don’t expect anything from you other than a chance to get to know you and for you to fall for me.”

“I didn’t ask,” she whispers, her eyes wide and round.

“It’s written all over your face,” I tell her while reaching up and running the tip of my finger from her temple down to her jaw.

Her breathing picks up as I touch her and I desperately want to throw her over my shoulder and carry her up to my room. Before I can act on the impulse, the timer goes off and she jumps in surprise.

“It’s time to take the cookies out,” she informs me but doesn’t move out of my hold.

I lean forward and brush my lips across hers one more time before I step back and allow my hands to fall away from her body. The disappointment I see in her eyes matches what I’m feeling right now.

“I’m going to make you some tea,” I tell her. I narrow my eyes at her and ask, “You do like tea, right?”

---