“Right. Sorry.” She gathers her hair, exposing her graceful neck to me.
Soslender... the perfect size for my hand.My dick hardens in my pants as avision of me crushing her neck in my grip flashes through my brain. I rub myself against her before I can stop myself.She whimpers.
“You like that. Don’t you?” I hook the clasp before giving into the urge, palming herthroatand pulling her closer, pushing myerection against her ass. “You’ll be my perfect little slut, won’t you?”
She whimpers again, andit’sso delicious, I swear I can taste it on my tongue. “I wanted to wait until we were wedto consummate our vows, but if you need it now...”
“No!” she rushes, her voice hoarse from my hold on her. “Let’s... let’s wait. So it can be...” Her throat flexes as she swallows. “Special.”
“Pretty, perfect Petal.” I release her and step away. “Let me finishing packing, and then we can go.”
“Okay, Clint.”She reaches up, gripping the butterfly charm between her fingers.
“Don’t call me that,” I snap. “I’myour sweetheart, socall me that. Say it. Now.”I’mpractically giddywith anticipation. The mere thought of her sweet lips utteringsweetheartisnearly enoughto undo me.
“Oh-okay, Sweet—” She squeezes the pendant harder as she swallows. “Sweetheart.”
THIRTY-SIX
ELLIS
“You’re really good with him,”Mom saysas she passes me where James and I are laid out on the couch, her hands full of random socks.Hesnores softly, his sticky little hand clutching my shirt. The kidcrashedinmy arms about twenty minutes ago after his reign of terror with Fefefinally came to an end. “A natural.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumble, snapping a selfie and sending it to Scarlet.
“I mean it, El.”She’s in hermotherhen fussing phase. We usuallydon’tget here until day four of her visits, but having a baby in the house hasdefinitely spedup her when-are-you-going-to-settle-down guilt -trip timeline.
“Ma.”
She eyes me shrewdly before changing tactics.“Are you and Scarlet serious?”
This, at least, I can give her. “Very serious.”
Her eyes light up as she falls intothe overstuffedchairno one except her uses. “Likefirst comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Scarlet with a baby carriageserious?”
I shrug as best I can with the deadweight of a clingy toddler snoozing on my chest.
“I knew it,” she whispers, fist pumping the air.
“Knew what?” I check my phone to see if Scarlet’s replied, butthere’snothing.I knowshe’smissing me as much as I am her today, because she rarely gets to check her phone at work. So,the constantcontact has been pretty nice.
“I knew it was serious the second you told me she was staying here.”She taps her nose with her index finger. “A mother’s intuition.”
“Okay, Ma. Whatever you say.”
“Don’t youwhatever, Ma,me.” She springs up from the chair and smacks my feet as she struts into the kitchen. “Now, if I wanted to cook a big, nice dinner for my futuredaughter-in-law, what would she like?Breakfast for dinner... French toast, perhaps?”
My chest swells as Isuckin a deep breath before slowly exhaling it. “I’ve already made it for her.”
Jamesstartlesshe crowssoloud. “Shh!” I hiss,trying to comfort him back to sleep. The kid’s gone hard today, and I worry if he gets overly tired, the fun of being here will wearoff,andhe’llmiss his parents.
“Sorry, sorry.” She has the decency tolookschagrinned. “There’sso much to do. To plan.”
“Plan?” I ask, my eyes widening inalarm. “What exactly are you planning?”
“Your wedding,” she says, like it should be obvious.
“Don’t you think Scarlet would like a say in this?” My phone buzzes, butit’sa call from a number Idon’tknow. “Or that I should, you know, actually be engaged to her?”
