Page 29 of A Reaper's Devotion
His mom had told him he didn’t want to get changed into his church clothes, so he’d snatched the towel, run around the house naked, and shook his butt from side to side, saying they couldn’t catch him.His dad did catch him, and he was dressed in his church clothes.The threat of a spank meant he was a good boy in church.It was a lot of fun.
There was no stopping Dad once he got started, and the only way to do so was to get the food on the table, which he did in a hurry.He didn’t want Willow seeing too many embarrassing pictures.
He hadn’t even asked her to marry him, and their relationship was so new.
All it took was several more dishes, and his mother had gone all out.There was a large roast beef on the table, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, vegetables galore, and he had no doubt none of this food would be wasted.
His mother loved to cook leftovers.She would come up with any excuse to make a big dinner, and then the challenge was how to make meals with those leftovers other people wanted to eat.His dad was the guinea pig, or him, or his brother, when Ray was around.
The meal went by without another picture being shown.His parents adored Willow, but Cyrus knew in a strange change of circumstances that he did, in fact, miss his brother.Ray was a pain in the ass, but he was still his brother.
Getting to his feet, he excused himself from the table and made a quick call to Old Sheriff Billy.He wanted him to run a check to find Ray.He was not going to bring him home, but he certainly would check to see if he was okay.Once that was done, when he got back to the table, dessert was being set.
His mother was already trying to make arrangements for another Sunday, but Cyrus was able to get them both out of there before more drinks and more photographs.
“Your parents are amazing,” Willow said, climbing into his truck, and he helped her inside.
“They adore you,” he said.
“Are you sure?Do you think so?”Willow asked.She nibbled her lip and looked cute as she did so.
“Yeah, I am sure, and yes, I think so.”He turned the ignition over in his truck, and then he pulled out of his parents’ driveway but didn’t go to Willow’s house.He went to his own—the home he hoped would one day be theirs.
This time, as he got to the gate, he put the car in “park,” but Willow was already climbing out to open the gate.He watched her, then drove through, letting her close the gate and come to join him.
“So, can I ask you a question?”Willow asked.“It is a very important question, and you might have to think of the answer.”
“Just ask,” he said.
“When are you going to put up Halloween decorations?”she asked.
He laughed.“Funny you should ask that, because I am thinking we do it today?”
“You’re serious?You’re not joking around?”she asked.
“No, if you want to help me, now is a good time to do it.”
She looked so damn excited.He climbed out of his truck.They didn’t need to worry about food, as his mom had filled them more than sufficiently.
He went to the barn he had converted to a storage shed, complete with no mice or rats.It had taken a long time to get this place up to scratch, but he had done it without even realizing it was for Willow ...for them.Even now, as he unlocked the bolt, he couldn’t help but imagine kids all around him, wanting to help.Their excitement a joy to witness.
He got the large boxes down, and Willow was already opening them up.Over the years he had collected a lot of Halloween decorations, and he did not believe in throwing them away.Some of the stuff was from when he’d moved out and gotten his first apartment.
“Wow,” Willow said.“I am impressed.”
And that was what he was all about—impressing his woman.
They got to work in getting his home decorated.He got the chance to hold Willow as she put the lights up in hooks he left in the side of the house all year long.He did paint around them and clean the hooks regularly.He happened to enjoy maintaining his and Willow’s home.
He couldn’t get that out of his head.His and Willow’s home.
Willow helped him set up the graveyard outside the front of the house, and she also insisted on lights around the main gate.It took them several hours, a hot chocolate break, and a candy break for them to be completely finished.
He would not say it was a masterpiece, but it was cute and it was a lot of fun.Also, they were both sweating, even though it was cold out.
Willow ran ahead, going to the bathroom.Cyrus made sure the house was secure, and then followed her.She was already getting undressed, and he pulled off his sweater, tossing it to the floor.
Willow turned to look at him, and he didn’t know what came over him.He just knew, in that moment, he needed to be balls-deep inside her, and he wanted that now.
