Page 77 of Knot Your Sunshine
"That's it," she encourages, moving faster now, more desperate. "Let me hear you, Josh. I want to hear what I do to you."
The way she moves, the little sounds escaping her throat, her tight vagina gripping me… it's too much and not enough. I thrust up harder to meet her and she cries out, nails digging crescents into my shoulders.
"Mia, I'm—"
"Close," she gasps, her rhythm fracturing, becoming wild. "Josh, I'm going to—"
She shatters in my arms, her walls clenching around me in waves. The sight of her coming undone sends me over the edge. I bury my face in her neck, muffling the sound that tears from my throat as I empty myself inside her.
We stay locked together in the bubbling water, both panting, trembling with aftershocks. Her fingers play with the wet hair at my nape, sending little shivers down my spine.
"You know," she says eventually, voice lazy with satisfaction, "I think we should make this the standard news delivery method."
I laugh, pulling her impossibly closer. "I'll check my email more often then."
"Please do."
Chapter thirty
Mia
I collapse face-first onto the bed the second I reach my room, every nerve ending still humming with satisfaction.
I should shower. Change into dry clothes. Do something about my hair that's currently creating a puddle on the pillow.
Instead, I fumble for my phone, squinting at the bright screen. 4:47 AM in Lakeview. Grandma's always been an early riser, but this might be pushing it. Still, I need to tell her. Need her to know.
My fingers shake slightly as I pull up her contact.
The phone rings once. Twice. Three times.
"Hello, you’ve reached Anne. I’m not able to answer right now, but if you leave me a message I’ll call you back as soon as I can. If you’re selling something, though, please don’t bother."
I wait for the beep, then everything I've been holding in comes rushing out.
"Hi, Grandma. It's me. I know it's early in Lakeview and you're probably still sleeping, but I just... I had to call."
Rolling onto my back, I watch the ceiling fan make lazy circles above me.
"I'm sorry I haven't called before now, by the way." A small laugh escapes. "I've just been so... overwhelmed. In the best way. Anyway, as you might have guessed, I made it to Hawaii and it's everything I hoped it would be and more. I'm at this luxury resort where everyone's treating me like royalty."
I pause, trying to figure out how to explain the next part.
"So here's where it gets interesting. Turns out the person who invited me is actually three persons. Three alphas." Another laugh, this one slightly hysterical. "I know, right? Your granddaughter, the workaholic, somehow caught the attention of three incredible alphas who want to help me succeed."
The tears start then, quiet at first.
"And Grandma, they're backing me. Remember that franchise project I mentioned a while ago? Well, it's happening. Curl Up & Dye is officially being franchised, and the test locations are already running."
My voice cracks. "The numbers came in today. We're not just doing okay, we're exceeding every projection. Your techniques, how you taught me everything... it's all working."
I press my free hand against my eyes as the tears come harder.
"Do you remember when I was eight? You let me practice on that expensive wig you'd bought for the advanced training class. I used the wrong solution and melted half of it." The memory makes me smile through the tears. "Any other person would have been furious. But you just looked at that destroyed wig and said, 'Well, sweet pea, now we know what not to do. That's worth more than getting it right the first time.'"
The words tumble out faster now. "Every time a client sits in one of our franchise chairs, they're getting what you gave to everyone who walked through your door. That feeling of being truly seen. Mrs. O'Donnel when her husband left and you stayed after hours just to listen while she cried. Teenage me when I thought I was worthless..."
I grab a tissue from the nightstand, blow my nose loudly.
