I stare at him, this man who’s already giving me everything. My eyes don’t waver. “Just letting my brain catch up with what my heart has always known.”
“Hmmm,” he murmurs against my lips. “That’s a great answer.”
I seal the remaining space. “Thought so.”
He pulls away after a moment and reaches for my hands. “We rushed forward without talking much, but I figured that wasn’t necessary. A chance isn’t worth taking if it's not crazy. There’s no true love without a little heartbreak. We sorted that out. No more pain.”
A lump the size of Wyoming gets lodged in my windpipe. I sniff and keep staring at the wonder before me.
Grady wipes away the lone tear trickling down my cheek. “Sutt, you’re all I’ve never had but desperately wanted. Happiness and peace and comfort and anything decent. You’re the only one I’d choose, ever. If you didn’t want me, I’d live a damn lonely existence. Lucky for me, that’s not the case.”
My sigh wobbles. “I’m the lucky one. You’re agreeing to be mine. Really and truly.”
“Always have been. There was never a choice, right?”
“Not since day one.”
His mouth hitches upward. He plucks a dandelion out of the thatch of weeds. With a quick breath, he blows the fluffy seeds. The particles scatter in a floating wave. Grady reaches for another and holds the white puff close to my lips. “Make a wish.”
I let my eyes slide shut. There’s no thought involved. With a slow exhale, I silently ask him to take what I’ve always been willing to give.
17
Grady
Happy something #18: Stealing glances at a certain pair of baby blues.
Icut the engine, sending sputtering rumbles to ricochet off the garage walls. Exhaust and gasoline cling to the air. Above the pungent bite, barest hints of coconut and strawberries float to me. My mouth waters for another taste of her. I’m already hard and aching behind the confines of my zipper.
The continuous lust pumping into me is testing all sorts of limits. I’m already toeing the line, desperation clawing at me for release. My control is a rapidly fraying thread. The girl behind me holds a scissor.
Neither of us moves for several beats of my rapid heart. Her chest pushes into me with each rise and fall. A delicate palm wanders from my pecs down to the buckle of my belt. The significance of what’s waiting just beyond reach rests in my lap. I can almost feel her there. That’s enough to get my ass in gear.
After clambering from the bike, I help Sutton off her seat. There’s a shy sort of smile curling the edges of her lips. I want to watch that expression spread into uncontrollable ecstasy. For now, I unclip her helmet and tug it off. Chocolate waves flow out, cascading around her shoulders. A fresh dose of coconut hits my system. I don’t bother trapping my low growl. She should be aware of my fizzling restraint.
Bear’s whining yelps break into our bubble. He sounds close to being tortured. I can empathize.
Sutton tiptoes over to the pained noise and peers out the window. “Should I let him in?”
“Probably, or he’ll bust down the door.”
She smiles and turns the knob. Before she can blink, one-hundred pounds of German Shepherd are gunning for her. Bear does his best to topple her. Sutton stumbles, but catches her balance. He doesn’t relent and slobbers her with sloppy licks. Lucky mutt. She giggles, lavishing him with coos and sweet words. Bear eats it up and goes back for seconds.
My turn.
I whistle and Bear trots to my side. He gets a scratch under the jaw for that. I wouldn’t leave her unless forced. She lifts her gaze to mine and I nod toward the house. “Let’s go inside.”
“Sounds good.”
I place a palm on the small of her back, branding my spot. She pushes against me and fiddles with the hem of my shirt. We take turns pressing boundaries, shoving closer, playing an ultimate game of who teases best. She wins. I’m more than ready to raise the white flag.
We pause near the kitchen. I clear the rust from my throat. “Want something to drink?”
Sutton shakes her head.
“A snack?” I lift a brow with my suggestion.
“Dessert,” she murmurs. A pair of fingers walk up my torso. I catch her hand and dust a gentle kiss to her wrist. Sutton steps into me and lifts her chin. “In bed,” she adds.
