Page 17 of Finding Home with You

The thought of changing my life for this girl, for Erin, kinda scares me, so without thinking too much about what that means, I focus on the here and now asking, “What do you mean, we don’t have time? Where the hell do we have to be?”

Erin rolls her eyes. “Beck and Kelsey’s, remember? We’re going out to the brewery today for lunch.”

I cock my head in confusion. “We are?” I ask.

She rolls her eyes at me again, her hands on my chest now as she tries to push me away. “Yes, we are,” she says firmly. “Obviously in your post-sex stupor after the ladies’ room trip, you totally forgot we made these plans with them.”

My face breaks out into a grin. “Come on, you gotta admit, the ladies’ room was pretty hot.”

This earns me a tiny smile from her and I’m glad neither of us is bringing up the argument that came after. “Yes, yes, I was amazing,” she says, pushing me again. “And so were you. But right now, we’re running really late on account of the fact you also kept me up all night when we got home,” she adds, one eyebrow raised as though I’m one of the kids in her classroom and she’s scolding me for my behavior.

I can’t stop grinning as I picture her in this role. Tight skirt, blouse that has enough buttons open that I can get a good look at her tits. Maybe her reading glasses on and definitely a ruler in her hand as she stands there, debating whether I deserve a smack across the ass for whatever it is I’ve done wrong.

“What?” she asks, her brows scrunched as she watches me.

“Nothing,” I say, smiling as I lean in to kiss her.

“Ryan,” she says, teacher voice back in place. “We don’t have time.”

“Oh, but Miss Connelly,” I say, smiling as I start walking us backward to the bedroom. “We always have time for this.”

Erin fights a smile now as she gives in and slides her hands under my t-shirt, her nails digging into my skin. “You are a naughty, naughty boy, Ryan Summers,” she says, lifting my shirt over my head.

“I know,” I tell her. “And I think I need to be punished.” And then I pick her up and sling her over my shoulder, laughing as she smacks me hard on the ass.

Two hours later and we’re finally pulling up to Beck and Kelsey’s place. The front door opens before we have a chance to knock and I see Kelsey shoot us a glare before pulling us both in for a quick hug.

“I know, I know,” Erin says before Kelsey has a chance to say anything. “We’re late, I know. But it’s his fault,” she adds on, jerking her thumb in my direction.

“My fault?” I ask.

“Please,” she says, grinning at me. “You couldn’t keep your hands off me. It’s totes your fault.”

I laugh as I pull her into my arms, planting a hard kiss on her mouth. It’s a relief to know things are normal between us again. That my over the top reaction to Finn and Erin hasn’t ruined things like it so easily could have.

“Well, whoever’s fault it was, we need to get moving,” Kelsey says, swatting us both on the shoulder. “It’s a two hour drive to this place.”

“Where exactly are we going?” I ask, glancing at my watch. It’s just after ten in the morning.

“West End Pub out near Greenfield,” she tells us. “Great little pub on the river that serves good food and even better beer.”

“Sounds good,” I say as I shake Beck’s hand and we all walk out to the car.

“What time do you need to leave tonight?” Erin asks quietly as she and I slide into the back of Beck’s truck.

I look over at her, see the sad smile she’s wearing. I know exactly how she’s feeling knowing our weekend together is nearly over. If I had my way, I wouldn’t be leaving at all. But I have a job in Boston waiting for me, and as much as I’d love to take the whole week off and stay up here with her, I can’t. We have a huge investigation starting up tomorrow, a potential crime ring that’s about to be broken wide open. I’m actually lucky I got this weekend off to come up here in the first place; but it seems like I’m already changing my life for this girl I’ve fallen so hard for.

I run a thumb across her bottom lip, give her a quick smile before I say, “It’s okay, baby. I’ll stay tonight and drive back tomorrow morning.”

“Really?” she says, a look of hope in her eyes.

I lean in and kiss her, wishing I didn’t have to leave at all. “Really.”

The drive out to the pub is filled with lots of chatting and laughter. Beck and Kelsey are in the middle of planning their wedding and there are an endless number of things going wrong. Between caterers who overcharge and every single person in Rockport having something to say about where they are having the ceremony, or the reception, or even their honeymoon, Kelsey is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Well that, or punching someone.

“It’s just ridiculous,” she says, looking back at us. “Every person in this town feels the need to tell me that I shouldn’t be wearing white on account of the fact that I’m clearly not a virgin anymore.”

Beck and I both laugh. I’ve heard the stories of how these two got busted going at it multiple times when they were kids. I’m pretty sure nothing’s changed on that front since Beck walked back into this town over five months ago.

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