Page 66 of Home Changes
“Oh, let me get it for you, Ken,” her mom said and looked back at Allison. “I’m not going to sleep for the next week, so your dad and I will package the coffee cakes for you. I see you had it all set up.”
“I do, but you don’t need to …”
Her mother raised her hand. “Go on, both of you. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
Her father frowned. “What?”
He looked at Seth and then at the stairs.
“Dan, come help me,” her mom said and crossed her arms, giving him the stink eye.
“But …” Her father turned toward the stairs and pointed.
“Dan. Now,” her mom snapped, and Allison hid her smile behind Seth’s arm.
He glared at Seth and then at his wife. “Fine.”
Her parents followed Ken into the bakery, and the door shut. “Your mom is a feisty woman.”
“Where do you think I got it from?” Allison asked as they walked up the stairs. They opened the door, and Gomer met them with a wagging tail.
“Hey, boy.” Seth bent down. “Who put you up here?”
“Probably Mom,” Allison said. “I think my dad just figured out we’re serious.”
“Yeah, I watched that happen,” Seth said, laughing. “I’ll take him out and be right back up.”
Allison nodded and pulled out her phone. The text was quick and simple.
Thank you, Mom.
A winky emoji came back almost instantly.
Allison took off her hoodie and dropped it on the couch. Then she draped her shirt over the back of the chair. Her socks and shoes were left at the door, while her jeans were on the bathroom doorknob and her bra and underwear on the knob of her door. A trail straight to her bedroom. She smiled and walked into her room, then pulled back the blanket and slipped under the covers. She heard Seth come in. It took less than a minute for the door to open. He had her clothes in one hand. “I seem to have found something that belongs to you.”
“Yes, yes, you have,” she purred from under the covers.
“Damn.” Seth’s voice was two octaves lower. He stripped and crawled over her. “Allison.” He said her name like it was a prayer.
And then he slid under the covers and pulled her into his arms. She didn’t hesitate. Instead, she melted against him, arms around his waist, face pressed to his chest. His scent was warm, and more, he was her safety, her protector. That realization washed over her. She let the sensation sink in. He was hers. She’d found that special connection when she hadn’t been looking for it. But tonight, she’d almost lost everything.
“I thought …” Her voice cracked. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“You didn’t,” he murmured into her hair. His lips trailed to her neck. “You won’t.”
She tilted her face to see him. “People say that all the time. You can’t know that.”
“But I do know it. I knew I had the advantage over him. He was fighting out of pure rage. I was fighting for us, for our future, and for moments like these. He never stood a chance, babe.”
Something inside her gave way, and she kissed him; it wasn’t soft or gentle. She needed to feel him. The kiss was desperate. Her fingers gripped his arms, keeping him against her. His mouth methers in a rush of need and heat. No hesitation and no holding back. The awkwardness of the first time was forgotten. She moved to cradle him in her legs.
“Don’t go slow,” she whispered.
He lifted his head, staring down at her, and she could see him in the moonlight. His eyes were dark and intense. His voice was husky when he asked, “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I need you.”
There were no words after that. Now, it was just a dance she knew. Skin touching skin, breath mingling, and sheets rustling as they spun to music only they could hear. His hands moved to her hips. Her lips on his jaw. Tangled with emotion and need, she arched beneath him, every nerve alive, every part of her wanting him.
