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Then he lets go. As do I.
Eyes open. Breathing stops. Mouth wide. He wraps his arms around my waist and bear-hugs me. Holds me still as he spurts inside me. Fills me. Marks me—again—as his.
And as our breaths quiet down and our heartbeats resume their normal pace, I imagine what it would be like to spend forever in his arms.
TWENTY-TWO
JONAS
I toy with the ends of Autumn’s hair as we lie on the lounger in the backyard. She sits nestled between my legs, her back on my chest as we watch Clementine and Spartan run around the backyard.
She sips her coffee before setting it down and twisting in my arms. Chest to chest, she bends her legs at the knee and crosses her ankles in the air while propping her elbows on me and resting her face in her palms. She looks like an old-school pinup girl.My pinup girl.
I sweep a few wayward strands from her cheek. She leans into my touch before kissing my palm. “I love sitting out here. It’s peaceful.”
“Lounging with you makes it a hundred times better than when I sit here alone.”
“What, Spartan wasn’t a good lazy day companion?” she teases.
I glance over to where Clementine points out flowers to him and tells animated stories. “He’s only ever chill with her. Early on, I was worried he would knock her over being a spazz.” I shake my head and laugh. “Guess he only reserves that for me.”
Autumn smirks. “Maybe.”
A week has passed since I redecorated the second bedroom and gave Autumn a key to my house. And not a day since has Autumn slept anywhere other than my bed.Our bed. Nothing official has been said regarding the two of them moving in, but the only time we spend apart is during working hours.
The more clothing and personal items Autumn brings of hers and Clementine’s, the more like home this house feels. Small touches in the kitchen or living room. Clementine’sJack Skellingtoncookie jar on the counter. Autumn’s current paperback is on the coffee table. A soft throw blanket draped over the back of the couch. Shifting my clothes in the closet and dresser to make room for Autumn. Her scent thick in the air no matter which room I enter.
“Did you want to do anything today? Go anywhere?”
Autumn shakes her head. “Just want to take it easy. With everyone coming over to hang out tomorrow, we should kick back today. Maybe go grocery shopping.”
I hook my hands under her shoulders and drag her up my body. A half smile kicks up her cheek before she leans in and kisses me. She drops her hands to my chest and supports herself as we press our foreheads together and breathe each other in.
Having Autumn and Clementine here every day has been incredible. Not everyone pictures themselves cohabitating, but falling asleep and waking up next to Autumn every day feels natural. Right. How it always should have been.
“Might be a good idea to plan what to make for tomorrow,” I suggest.
With the hearing on Monday, we thought it would be nice to have everyone over again tomorrow. A chance to hang with our friends and mentally escape the anxiety of the potential outcome.
As far as the case goes, things have been quiet. Too quiet. Almost eerie. Leo had thrown so much drama at us in the beginning, it was easy to assume his theatrics would continue. But since the note on my Jeep, there hasn’t been a peep. Part of me hopes Leo has learned his surprise appearances, verbal threats, and shady notes won’t rattle us the way he expects. But I am not naïve enough to believe he doesn’t have other tricks up his sleeve. Men like Leo don’t show up out of nowhere, make a scene, then drop off the face of the earth.
I stare up at my girl and check for any signs of worry. Look for tension in her jaw or the occasional twitch in her eye. Don’t need her bottling up anything when it comes to Leo and this case. But as I study the smooth lines of her skin and fiery swirl of her cognac irises, I see nothing off-putting. All I see is happiness and warmth and love.
“Maybe we should do a themed cookout,” she states with enthusiasm.
“Did you have something in mind? It is a party for you, after all.”
A few days ago, Clementine came to me when Autumn stepped away to use the bathroom. She talked in hushed tones and asked what I was getting Autumn for her birthday. I asked what day her birthday was because it had been top secret. Clementine eagerly shared everything. Not only was Autumn a leap day baby, but she also rarely celebrated her birthday.
That changes this year.
So, when the idea of having everyone together again came up, I suggested we do it as a birthday/we’re-going-to-win-the-case party. The shocked expression on Autumn’s face when she realized I had top intel on her birthday was priceless. She may not have enjoyed celebrating her birthday before, but I promise to make each and every one of her future birthday’s memorable.
“Since it should be warmer tomorrow, let’s do something tropical.”
Winter in Florida lasts two months, if we are lucky. And this year is no exception. Winter may not officially be over, but the sun warms the air a little more each day.
“Tropical sounds perfect. Do you want to decorate? Or only make tropical foods?”
