I tuck my face into her neck. “You’re mine, Hattie.”
She pulls back and cups my face. “And you’re mine.”
Then she rocks, and fuck, it feels so good. It’s not like our usual frantic pace. This is slow and steady, and our eyes brim with emotion as the love between us manifests into physical pleasure. Our gazes don’t divert, not once, and in hers, all I see is my future.
Our breathing picks up as we near our peak, and still we don’t look away. The moment feels intimate and somehow life-changing, as though I’ll be a different man after tonight.
Her hands are still on my face. She brushes one down my cheek, and for the first time, the gesture doesn’t send me into a spiral.
I turn my face to kiss her palm. “I want to do this with you forever.”
She moans and speeds up a little more. She’s close. I feel the first tugs of her orgasm around my swollen cock.
I thrust up into her gently, and we come together in a kiss as we climax at the same time. Groaning into each other’s mouths,I release into her while she milks me for every last drop. Her body falls into mine as if all her muscles are limp, and I run my hand down her back, both of our breathing labored as we come down from our orgasms. She threads a hand through my hair and presses her lips to my neck.
A few minutes go by, and I turn soft inside her. She draws back and stares into my eyes. “Thank you for loving me.” She places a chaste kiss on my lips. “Thank you for helping me discover who I really am.”
“Hattie, you’ve brought out a side of me I didn’t even know existed. I may not have been a good person for the majority of my life, but I swear to you that from here on out, I’m going to be a man you can be proud to call yours.”
“You already are.” She kisses me again.
I harden inside her again. Of course, once isn’t enough when it comes to her.
A couple of days pass as we spend a lot of the time out on the water, either on the boat or the jet ski. Turns out Hattie is a fan of water sports. She even managed to get up on a set of water skis.
We’ve been to the rec center a couple of times, but seeing the other rich assholes check her out makes me want to hurt someone, so I’ve convinced her that it’s in everyone’s best interests if we spend most of our time at my place.
Our evenings are spent in the hot tub or around the fire pit, looking at the stars, and our late nights are spent exploring one another’s bodies. It’s bliss until the real world intrudes.
On the third day, I receive a phone call informing me that it’s highly likely the fire was set intentionally. It’s no big surprise. It just means I have to deal with Sean, which normally wouldn’t bother me much, but I swore to Hattie a few nights ago when we made love that I was going to be a better person. But there’s zero chance I’m going to let him continue to be a risk. Who knows what he’ll do next?
We’re eating lunch on the back patio, looking out over the blue, glistening water under the sun, when Hattie’s cell phone vibrates on the table.
She swipes it off the table, sliding her thumb over. “Hey, Dad, sorry I didn’t get back to you when you texted the other day. Things have been crazy.” She gives me a coy smile.
I try to act as if my heart isn’t pounding against my chest. I get up from the table and go back inside, feigning getting a drink.
I’m committed to getting past who her mother is, but I haven’t quite figured out how. It helps now that I know Carla tried to come after me, but it’s difficult to wipe away decades of rage in an instant. She would have tried more than one fucking time if I meant anything. The fact is that shewasa drug addict who neglected me and put me in harm’s way. That may not be who she is to Hattie, but that’s who she is to me.
I tidy up the kitchen, washing and drying the cutting board we used to prepare lunch. I’m just closing the cupboard when Hattie walks in, all the color leached from her face.
“What’s wrong?” Panic causes my heart to skip a few beats.
“I don’t know. My dad said I need to come home, that there’s something he and my mom need to talk to me about.”
I draw her into my arms. “Maybe it’s not a big deal.”
She shakes her head and pulls away from me, tears swimming in her eyes. “No, I can tell by his voice that something is very wrong. I need to get there right away.” Hattie turns, heading for the stairs.
“Hattie, I got word this morning that the fire was set intentionally. It’s still not safe.”
She whips around on the stairs to look at me over her shoulder. “My family needs me, Bast. I’m going home.” Turning, she bolts up the stairs.
I watch her retreating back for a beat with my hands pushed into my hair.
Fuck.Fuck.
I’d hoped to avoid “meeting the parents” for as long as possible, but that’s clearly not happening. Because I’m not letting her out of my damn sight until I get this thing with Sean handled. Racing up the stairs, I join her in the master bedroom.
