Those same hands roam along my spine, under my shirt, fingers digging into the tense muscles of my back. Gasping for breath, I draw back. “Law?”
“Fuck,” he grunts, but doesn’t release me. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t be touching you. I was paid to find you. You’re just so damn irresistible, and there’s this beating in my chest screaming that you’re mine.”
“There is?” I can’t help the way that makes me smile.
“Yeah.” He brushes the hair from my face with one hand while still holding me with the other. “I’ve never felt anything like it before.”
“I want to trust my instincts; they’re telling me this is okay, but it’s so hard when I’ve been running on fumes for so long.” I hate that I can’t trust that this is real.
“So, we take it slow. We sleep tonight and get you home in the morning. You figure out what you want, what’s real, and when you’re ready to be courted, call me.”
“Courted?” That’s so old school and oddly sexy.
“Yeah, Autumn, courted. I want to do it right. At a speed you’re comfortable with. I’m not in a rush to move so fast that I make you run, too.”
Tracing his face with my fingers, I kiss the tip of his chin. “I could never run from you, Outlaw Morgan. Never.” And I realize I mean it wholeheartedly.
CHAPTER 4
Law
ONE MONTH LATER.
Waiting for Autumn to tell me she’s ready for a date has been the longest month of my life. I know she’s been staying with her sister Trixie, that she’s become best friends with her nephew Matteo, and that her brother-in-law Caspian scares the crap out of her, but she adores the way he loves her youngest sister, Bunny.
We’ve been texting nearly every day, and she updates me about all the things she’s rediscovering about herself—like her shoe obsession. She’s bought no less than six pairs this month.
After going with her to report her statement about John, she was deflated, exhausted, and had a breakdown that required hospitalization for her to be medicated and evaluated. She’s seeing a reputable shrink she likes and trusts now, and the woman has encouraged Autumn to try new experiences, while remaining within her comfort zone.
Which brings us to tonight…her invitation to dinner. I’m not sure if Trixie will be here, but I won’t be upset if she is. Autumn should be as comfortable as possible.
Grabbing both flower bouquets—daisies for Trixie and tulips for Autumn—I exit my truck and head up the walkway to the cozy little house.
The porchlight offers a warm glow over the basic yard, with two bushes on either side of the step, and two pots of flowers next to the door. Knocking, I wait for Autumn to greet me.
She opens the door a minute later, out of breath, cheeks flushed, and eyes bright with happiness. “God, you look good, darling.” Handing her the flowers, I lean forward to kiss her cheek and inhale her cinnamon sugar scent as deep into my lungs as possible. “Smell good, too.”
Her lighthearted giggle gives me hope that she’s healing in the way she needs most. “These are beautiful.” Serenity covers her like a blanket as she leans in to smell the Tulips. “Are both for me?”
Clearing my throat, I follow her through the door before locking it behind us. “Well, I brought the tulips for you, but I wasn’t sure if Trixie would be here, and on the off chance that she was, I figured the daisies might be a good way to get in her good graces.”
Her eyes light up as she places both bouquets on the counter. “Would you mind grabbing those, please?” She points to two vases on top of the cupboard that her short frame could never reach safely. Taking them down, I wash both before handing them to Autumn, where she’s cutting the ends off the stems. “Trixie isn’t here.” Her cavalier announcement perks up every cell in my body.
“She working?” I know from what Autumn has told me that Trixie is a stripper and loves her job.
“Yes, one of the girls who was supposed to go on tonight wound up with the flu and called in a favor last minute, or she would have been.”
“I can’t say I’m not thrilled to have you to myself for the evening, but only if you’re comfortable with it.” She arranges the flowers for a few moments, then takes one vase to what I assume is her sister’s room down the hallway, leaving hers in the center of the table.
“Law,” she sighs, heartily, as she sits in a chair at the table, inviting me to join her with a look. “You don’t make me uncomfortable. Not when you kissed me, not when you held my hand at the station, and certainly not while we’re alone together.”
“Alright.”
She moves her chair closer, reaches out to rest her hands on my thighs, and leans forward. “I’m not afraid of you.”
Thank fuck.
Placing my hands over hers, I edge forward until our lips are close enough to feel every breath she takes. “I’m real fucking glad you aren’t afraid of me, darling, ‘cause that’d break my heart.” I touch her lips lightly, once, twice, three times, and then she climbs into my lap to deepen it.
