AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“N-no. Naked cuddles are not in this offer. Maybe we should—”
I lean in, capturing her lips to keep her from saying anything else. I explore her mouth soft and slow with my tongue, cajoling her into joining me and soon the kiss deepens. Her tongue slides against mine and I groan at how powerful that small concession from her is. My hand comes up to wrap around the side of her neck and I pull back to stroke my thumb against her cheek. I lean my forehead against hers, both of us breathing hard.
“Tillie Mae Carter, I don’t think you understand that having you in my arms is everything to me right now.”
“Are you sure?” She leans back to look up at me, her forehead crinkled with surprise, or hell, maybe disbelief.
“Oh yeah, Buttons. I'm positive. Hell, I’mmorethan positive.”
“We could watch a movie.”
“Do you have the one that was playing at the theater?”
“Niagara? It’s in my streaming purchases. Why?”
“Because if it's your favorite, I'd like to watch it all the way through,” I answer honestly.
“It's one I love, but because of the scenery in it. It's not what you would call a happy movie...”
“If you're in my arms, sweetheart, then I will be happy.”
“Well then,” she says, pushing against my chest. “Get out before the water starts running out cold. I only have a small water heater.”
I kiss her quickly and before I give into the urge to beg her to let me take that shower with her, I force myself to walk out, closing the door behind me. God, it has been so long since I’ve had these feelings. The difference is, they’re stronger now. I’m not a kid anymore and I might have thought Emily was it for me, but I was young. Technically, I was two years older than Emily and Tillie because I was a grade ahead of them in school, plus I had been held back a year for sports on top of that. Still, I was young and stupid. I didn’t appreciate what was right before me.
Tillie.
Fuck, I see her now…
I head to the front door, making sure it’s locked up for the night. Then, I lean up against the counter and get my phone from my pocket. I dial Mom’s number and I do this while looking over Tillie’s house and feeling a satisfaction I didn’t know was possible.
My teammate Slater told me not long after he married his woman Mary that he knew she was the one because the air was sweeter when he took it into his lungs when she was around. She made the world brighter and life better than it had ever been. At the time, he was telling me that because he wanted to know if Emily made me feel that way. That’s when I began to realize that when I first signed with the River City Roosters, I was nursing my pride because I discovered that Emily had been cheating on me for years and I never knew. Still, I couldn’t say she made the air I took into my lungs sweeter. Hell, she didn’t make anything brighter for that matter. She was fun. Being with her was easy, but I can’t say she dug as deep as affecting my surroundings.
Tillie?
Fuck, she makes everything light, free, and fucking good. She makes me feel alive.
I shake my head. I have to keep it together. Tillie is the one for me, but I’m going to have to bust my ass to be the one for her.
“Hello.”
My attention goes back to my phone. “Hey Mom, it’s me.”
“Did you find my Tillie?”
“I have her Mom. She’s okay.”
“Good. When you get home tonight—”
“I’m not coming home tonight, Mom. I’m staying with Tillie.”
“Son, I don’t think that’s smart.”
“Mom, Tillie has had a bad night and I’m not leaving her.”
“Ryder, Tillie is fragile. You can’t hurt—”
“Mom, I love you, but I’m not talking about this with you. Tillie and I have stuff to work out and that’s starting tonight.”
