Page 81 of Alive and Wells

His hands grip the backs of my thighs, lifting me into him, and he takes me to bed. We flop together onto the crisp sheets, and I take my place in the crook of his arm. My place, my home, my love. It all could’ve been gone in a blink if KJ hadn’t been brazenly confident in his ability to wordsmith me into his car. If he’d started the conversation with a gun already in his hands, there might not have been enough time to wait for Austin.

“What did it feel like?” I ask while staring at his right hand under the warm glow of our bedside lamps. Lacing and unlacing our fingers repeatedly. His knuckles are marked up, a bit swollen.

“What?”

“Punching him. I’ve never punched somebody before, but I wanted to hit him.”

“Should’ve said something, City Girl. Watching you knock the smug look off his face would’ve given me spank bank material for life.” His free hand trails along my thigh. “As far as how it felt… hitting him was good, but kissing you in front of him was so much better.”

I roll my eyes with a laugh into his chest. “You just liked marking your territory. Men are animals.”

“Who kissed who, darlin’? My little animal.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll take responsibility.” My grip on his chest tightens, the steady drum of his heart banging against my palm. “I don’t think I ever kissed him like that. Maybe way back in the beginning… not in alongtime, though. It felt like a good final ‘fuck you’.”

“Should’ve forced him to watch while I made you come then. Really hit him where it hurts.”

My laughter shakes the entire bed, leaving tears brimming my eyes as I hold onto Austin. “He wouldn’t even recognize what he was looking at because he’s definitely never seen me come before.”

“Jesus, he missed out. Can’t say I’m not a bit happy to hear that though.” He kisses my hair before smoothing it down with a gentle stroke. “And now it’s my new goal to give you all the orgasms you missed out on over the years.”

“Can we start now? You have a lot of making up to do.” My lips drag across his neck, smattering kisses and pressing firmly to his pulse point.

“Good thing we have nothing but time,” he says, slipping his hand between my legs.

I know I have a bad habit of rushing into things, but I swear I’m going to marry this man.

Waking up, I’m exactly where I belong. In Austin’s arms, with my leg strewn across him, listening to his heartbeat’s gentle rhythm. And, for the first time in years, I feel completely at ease.

“This is a dream, isn’t it?”

Eyes still closed, Austin yawns. “Not a dream, darlin’. Although, I’m not under any obligation to tell you.”

“Are you a cop?” I poke his rib and he laughs heartily. The kind of laugh I last heard when he was drunk and walking back to his truck after the rodeo. It’s the laugh of somebody who feels as relieved as I do this morning.

My hand trails down his chest, past the slight V tucked into his boxers, and settles along the waistband. My fingers begin grazing the delicate skin underneath. He melts under my soft touch and his eyes flutter open to meet mine.

“Four orgasms down… how many are we shooting for today?” I ask.

“My plan for today is to spend as much time between these gorgeous legs as you’ll let me.” His lips press against mine and his hand is right back where it belongs. Tucked between my legs, drawing loving circles across my tender clit. “Let me know when you’re famished and need a break, beautiful.”

With that, he slips out from under me and disappears beneath the thin bedsheet. Creating a path with kisses and beard burn down my stomach, then along the inside of each thigh.

I’m floating. His tongue drifts toward my pussy with slow, affectionate movement until he’s honing in. Small, gentle licks. Sending pleasure washing over my body like a warm blanket. I moan into the pillow and slip my hands under the sheet to grip either side of his head.

“Have I told you how much I love you?” I say as he softly kisses every inch of me. “Because—fuck—I’m madly in love with you.”

He stops the sleepy kisses for a second. “Keep telling me.”

A kaleidoscope of colour coats the backs of my eyelids as his tongue works my hypersensitive clit. It turns out, I’m still recouping from last night. Everything’s a thousand times more heightened than normal.

“You’re it for me. You’re everything.” I gasp as he sucks my clit into his mouth. A warmth takes hold at the base of my spine, growing in intensity with each quick flick across my tender skin. He moans, enjoying every second of pleasing me.

“I want to fall asleep tucked in your arms every night for the rest of my life.” My back arches as two fingers slide into me. “And wake up exactly like this.”

He breaks away for long enough to say, “I can make those things happen.”

No mention of “for as long as you’re here”. Maybe, just maybe, he’s finally figuring out that I’m in this for the long haul. His fingers bend, filling me, until I’m fighting for my life. Until his firm hand on my stomach is the only thing keeping me from crawling out of my skin.

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