I narrow my eyes. “Your come is still leaking out of me. I think I have a right, at the moment.”
“Mm.” He nods. “Did not think I was into that, but apparently with you, I am.” One hand dips to my ass, pulling me tighter against him as the other tips my chin up. “I like you, Evie.”
“I like you, too,” I say as his lips brush delicately across mine. “But for the love of god, you need to stop kissing me like that while I’m not wearing underwear.”
His tongue presses into my mouth, the hand on my ass rising to my waist and tugging me in closer. “Thatsounds like a great reason tokeepkissing you.”
28
RYDER
Iam obsessed with Evelyn Harper.
I thought maybe fucking her would quell some of the anxious energy that has me thinking about her constantly, but it only seems to have amplified it. Especially now thather underwear is in my pocket.
I’m not an underwear guy. I mean, sure, I loved taking it off Evie, but I’m not one to keep trophies.
But here I am, squeezing her underwear in my pocket and remembering the way my fingers slipped so easily inside her.
It doesn’t help that she keeps touching me. Resting her hand on my chest or pressing in close to me. I let her drive tonight—this is her party and she’s had a long week, not to mention a long season—so I wasn’t about to push any public displays of affection or make it clear to anyone here that she’s mine.
Even though just watching herhugAiden had every nerve in my body firing.
But as the party winds down and people start saying goodbye, I give up pretending. Eve's close group of friendscrowd around the fire pit, the keg dragged close so no one has to get up, and because Evie can’t sit still when anything needs to be done, she’s throwing trash into a bin nearby when the last seat is taken.
She wanders over, her eyes scanning the Adirondack chairs, and I take it upon myself to grab her hand and pull her down into my lap.
She doesn’t resist. Instead, she sinks down against my chest like she finally gets a moment to relax. I abandon my drink on the ground and wrap my arms around her, leaving a light kiss on her forehead as she sighs into me. Around us, everyone chats and laughs easily, not a single soul paying attention to the girl I’m now squeezing.
I’ve spent a lot of my life feeling like I don’t belong here. My dad was constantly running away from our family to focus on his business, and my mom was popping pills to deal with a life she didn’t choose. I was lucky I had Gam to rely on, but she didn’t have the authority of a legal parent.
But sitting here with Eve feels a little bit like the home I always wanted. Maybe it’s because Sunflower Hill alwayswashome, but I didn’t have the people around me who made me feel that way. Gam is the only reason I ever really come back here, becausesheis someone who feels like home.
But this feels like what I always wanted when I was a kid. Maybe it’s a trick of the light or the beer going to my head. Maybe it’s one of my best friends from high school sitting across the fire pit from me, or the girl in my arms who’s using me as a pillow.
Maybe it’s the fact that I can actually relax here, despite being surrounded by a ton of people.
I keep pushing off my return to New York, and though I know that I need to go eventually, I’m searching for anyreason not to. First Eve was sick. Now she needs help with the water wheel.
I can’t help wondering what might come up next.
Maybe I’ll just wake up one day and decide I’m not going back.
Eve presses closer into my chest, her hair tickling my nose, and I leave a kiss on her forehead that causes a smile to spread across her face.
And considering the fact that Izzy is asleep in the chair next to us, snoring lightly as the rest of the party continues without her, I figure it’s well within my right to call it.
“I’m thinking it’s time for bed,” I say, my lips brushing against her skin as I speak.
She nods into my chest, brushing her hair out of her face and adjusting her dress as she stands.
She catches Aiden’s eye. “Can you put out the fire when everyone’s done?”
He nods, raising his beer to her. “Thanks for the fun party.”
She grins, gesturing to Izzy. “You can thank her in the morning. She did most of it.”
With that, she turns and grabs my hand, tugging me out of my chair and toward the house.
