Page 105 of Needing Your Love
He eased back a bit, and I lifted my head so he could read the truth on my face.
Gaze soft, he peered down at me, a small smile curving his lips. “I’m proud of you.”
Four simple words—they never ceased to bring tears to my eyes.
Sutton pressed his lips against mine in a chaste kiss before swatting my ass.
“Oh, yes, please,” I wiggled against him, grinding our groins together.
“Behave,” he ordered, his tone low.
“Yes, daddy,” I whispered and squealed while trying to escape his arms.
Two firm swats on my backside, and he released me.
Winking, I sauntered away, loving how his stare on my ass heated me through and made my heart race.
Jamie and Chaz sat on the love seat in the living room watching football—tradition, they’d said. I checked in with them along with the scowling twins, Kel and Dex, who shared the other couch, to see if I could get them a beer. Chaz’s parents held glasses of water—neither drank. Gram and DJ hadn’t arrived yet but ought to show up soon.
The first time seeing DJ after his dad’s death had been hard. Sutton and I had gone to Gram’s where Carrie had brought her son for a visit. There had been a lot of tears, a lot of sharing what each and every one of our therapists had told us.
DJ had been sober, far from his usual wild self, but he smiled at both of us, hugging Sutton tight.
“You’re still my hero,” he’d whispered with a teary voice, and Sutton had a brief moment of breaking down, his vulnerability and allowing himself to be fully human without excuse a beautiful yet heart-wrenching thing to witness.
Carrie then went on to thank us both for watching out for and investing in her son’s life.
We had bonded in grief and shared trauma, strengthening friendships and gaining another with DJ’s mom.
After grabbing a couple of beers for Kel and Dex, I meandered back into the kitchen.
“Put me to work,” I told Sutton, but he shook his head.
“We’re almost ready. Just need to finish up the gravy while the turkey rests. You helped me prep almost everything yesterday.” He wrapped me up in his arms, lifted me off the floor, and planted a kiss on my waiting mouth. “Love you, baby.”
“Love you more,” I assured him, grinning.
He huffed his disagreement but didn’t argue.
“What’s up with Dex?” I asked once Sutton returned me to my feet and started stirring the pot of gravy he had over a low flame.
“Who knows. He and Christian are probably fighting again.”
“That’s all they do. Must be miserable.” I poured myself a glass of pinot noir and leaned against the counter, watching my man work. He was so damned sexy in his white button-down and jeans, a cartoon turkey apron covering his entire front. I sipped my wine, an appreciative hum escaping me.
Sutton cast a raised eyebrow at me.
I blinked like an innocent who had no intentions other than letting him in on the fact I thought he was hot as hell.
His gaze narrowed.
I winked.
Chuckling, he pulled the rolls from the oven.
The doorbell rang, and I tore myself from his presence, my absolute favorite place to be.
Gram, Carrie, and DJ stood on the stoop, a box of cookies in his hands.
