Page 83 of The Stand-In

“I was thinking about how I wanted to do exactly this to you tonight. I was wondering when we could get away from them so I could seeyoubecause I hadn’t been near you in hours, and I was craving you.”

I sigh at his words, and he begins to move. His hands come down to my hips, and I lean against the glass as he thrusts harder and harder, as though he’s hammering the point into me how completely and fully I belong to him.

And vice versa.

“You.” He bites my shoulder. “Are.” He kisses right between my shoulder blades. “Mine.”

I can’t suppress the orgasm any more than I can stop the snow from falling outside. It washes over me, completely overwhelming me, and I feel Drew follow me over the edge into his own orgasm.

Finally, he turns me in his arms and kisses the hell out of me before lifting me and sitting on the couch, cradling me in his strong arms.

“You’re the only thing that matters,” he assures me, brushing my hair off my cheek. “I promise you that.”

“Same.” I brace his face between my hands, my wounded heart healing and feeling so much love for him it staggers me. “It’s overwhelming and big, and I’ve never been jealous a day in my life, Drew.”

“I guess there’s a first time for everything.” He kisses my forehead. “But youneverhave to worry or wonder what I’m feeling. I love you. It’s as simple and as terrifying as that.”

I can’t help but chuckle at that because that’s exactly how it feels.

Completely terrifying.

“What do youmean,you’re not leaving with us?” Stella, her hands on her hips, stares at Erin in shock and dismay. “Of course, you’re coming home. You don’t live here.”

“I do now,” Erin replies and smiles bravely. “I’msohappy here, you guys. I love it, and I think that this is where I’m supposed to put down roots and make my home. I don’t enjoy the city. I don’t have stuff figured out there like all of you do.”

Hudson shakes his head and then hurries over and scoops Erin into his arms, hugging her tightly.

“What are we supposed to do without you?” he asks, obviously perilously close to tears. “You’re my best friend, E. You can’t just leave me.”

“Dude,” she says as she pulls back and pats Hudson’s cheek. “I’m just in Montana, not Egypt or something. We’ll have visits. I have a phone. It’s going to be okay.”

“Your dad is going to kill us all,” Vaughn says thoughtfully. “You’ll be responsible for a mass homicide.”

“He won’t do that,” Erin says with a laugh and then turns to her sister. Zoey’s not crying or showing any kind of emotion at all. “Love you.”

“Right.” Zoey turns on her heel and walks up the stairs, into the plane, and Erin winces.

“She’s hurt,” Olivia says, walking over to hug Erin. “So I’ll hug you twice, once for her. You make sure you call us all the time, and if you ever needanythingat all, we’re only a phone call away. Seriously,anything.”

“I know. Thank you.”

Everyone takes turns hugging Erin, murmuring words of encouragement and wisdom, before we all climb onto the plane to head home. Erin’s eyes shine with unshed tears as she watches us all through the windows. She waves and steps back, walking to the edge of the tarmac, and she waits there until the plane takes off, smiling and waving.

“What is she thinking?” Liam asks. “And how did we justleaveher here?”

“She’s an adult,” Stella says with a sigh, watching out the window with worried eyes. “But man, am I going to miss her.”

“We had s’moresevery night,”Caleb says, bouncing on his toes with eagerness to tell me everything that’s happened while we were gone. “Old Caleb made a big fire in the backyard, and Brynna bought all the stuff, and we ate a ton of them.”

“The kid can pack the food away,” Drew’s dad says with a grin.

“Thank you so much.” I hug my son to my side as I thank Drew’s parents profusely. “Are you sure you won’t let me pay you?”

“Absolutely not,” Brynna says, shaking her head. “It was our pleasure. Maybe we can do it again really soon.”

“Next weekend!” Caleb exclaims, obviously ready to spend more time with the older couple.

“Sometime,” I agree with a wink for my kid. “Haveyouthanked them?”

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