AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Where are we going?” Nora’s brow furrowed as I tucked her into my car, now painted with the words “Just Married” on the back and a cavalcade of tin cans tied to the bumper.
“My place.”
We hadn’t exactly discussed where she’d spend the night after the wedding. Considering she lived just off Main Street, she couldn’t wish me goodnight on the square and take off for her apartment. Everyone would see. Besides, I wanted her at my house.
She smoothed out her lace dress, the fitted fabric gaping ever-so-slightly at the chest. I struggled to keep my eyes on her face. “Oh, I’ve never been to your place before.”
We drove toward my neighborhood: a small cluster of houses in a rare piece of flat earth in the mountains, far enough away from the peaks not to be bathed in constant shadow.
“I always wondered what these houses look like on the inside,” Nora murmured as she looked out the window. “Once, we got Becca’s mom to your neighborhood for Halloween. The candy was terrible. So many raisins.”
I snorted. “Yeah, not exactly full-size candy bar territory.”
“Why is that?” she asked, shifting in her seat to face me. “It’s such a nice neighborhood. It’s not like anyone here is searching their couch cushions for Halloween candy money.”
“That’s a really good question,” I said with a shrug. “My guess? They don’t want kids traipsing over their perfectly manicured lawns.”
Nora huffed in her seat, eyes closing. “Well, not us. We’re going to be full size candy bar people. And sodas. Maybe even a toy.”
I laughed. “Is that a fact?”
She nodded sleepily.
I pulled into my driveway, the floodlight bathing it in light. She winced, covering her eyes with her hand, and blindly groped for the door handle. “I’ll help you out,” I said, bounding out of the car, grabbing her bag from the backseat on my way.
Nora hadn’t figured out the handle by the time I made it around. I pulled the door open, offering her my hand. She stumbled on the driveway, her white heels catching on a seam in the concrete. I wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her to the door.
“You aren’t going to carry me over the threshold?” she asked as I threw open the front door.
I raised an eyebrow, disentangling my arm from her to throw the duffel bag into the house. “Sure.”
Not waiting for her to ask twice, I scooped her into my arms. She squealed before wrapping her arms around my shoulders, locking her eyes on mine as I carried her into the house.
“I like the entryway,” she whispered.
“Do you want a tour of the rest of the house?”
The delicate lace of her dress pressed against my arms as her body sank closer, her ass settling against my stomach, her body light.
She nodded, brown eyes soft. “Yeah.” Her fingers tickled the nape of my neck, coaxing me closer. “You might want to put me down first.”
Disappointment cooled the heat running through me. I wanted to keep her in my arms and march her straight to my bed. I wanted to lay her down on my sheets and peel off the thin white dress that had been driving me nuts all night—its careful cutouts teasing hints of skin.
“Right,” I breathed, setting her down gently.
Her heels clicked as she smoothed out her dress, holding herself just a little straighter than before. I led her through the kitchen, living room, and study, winding my way slowly upstairs.
“It’s a big house.” Her eyes grew wide as we made our way through the rooms, each filled with tasteful decorations and art my mom had purchased over the course of my childhood.
“I haven’t really done anything with it since my mom moved out.”
She’d only taken a handful of items with her, stating she’d rather restart her life in Connecticut with a clean slate. A clean slate, except for a closet full of designer clothing, a framed Jackson Pollack, and her five horses.
“Well, she certainly had a style.” Nora ran a finger over the base of a bust in the foyer—Claudius or some other ancient Roman. The barely concealed amusement in her voice was no doubt a result of the alcohol.
“You can redecorate however you want.”
“It’s not really my place.”
