Chapter Eighteen
When Will woke up, Ellie was sliding next to him on the couch and pulling the blanket back around her.
Her voice sounded shy when she said, “I saw your illustrations.”
“What did you think?”
“It’s a bit soon to move in together.”
“House won’t be finished until next summer, anyway.”
She laughed softly. “That’s not what I mean. I mean it’s soon to start talking about it. Considering it.”
“Maybe for you. But I’ve known since high school, Ellie.”
She snuggled against him, her ass brushing against his cock. The feeling of her pressing against him nearly caused him to groan.
“Ellie,” he whispered. This hadn’t been his plan when he came over, but fuck, if it was what she wanted, he wouldn’t complain.
Instead of answering with words, she reached behind her. Her hand found his cock and she squeezed him through his jeans.
This time, he didn’t hold in his groan. He didn’t even try. He pumped his hips forward, showing her with actions as well as sound what she did to him. She made him eager. Ready.
How ready was she? He wanted her to feel good, too. He reached around her and found the edge of her sweatshirt. Her skin was so warm, so inviting. He nuzzled her ear while he brought his hand up underneath her shirt and cupped her breast. No bra. Fuck. She drove him crazy. Finding her nipple, he pinched it gently and rolled it between his fingers.
“Will. Please. I need you.”
Chuckling against her shoulder, he helped slide her sweats all the way off, and pushed his jeans down as far as they would go. He slid his cock in between her legs, not entering her yet, just feeling the gathered wetness there, and the tantalizing closeness of her pussy.
Her back was still to him. He embraced her, using one hand on her nipples and the other at her clit, rubbing gently while he thrust between her thighs. “I could do this all morning,” he said.
“But I—want you—now,” Ellie gasped.
“Impatient.”
She muttered something about waiting four years, but then he began rubbing her clit in earnest, and she seemed to lose her words. She arched back against him, her wild, curly hair tickling his face while he brought her to her finish.
“Will!” she cried, shaking in his arms.
He pressed kisses against her neck and adjusted his stroke so that his cock was poised at her entrance. “Now?” he asked.
“Y-yes,” she said, still breathing heavily.
He entered her, feeling the aftershocks of her first orgasm, wanting to prolong it for her even while bringing her to her climax again. He moved slowly, even though every fiber of his being was telling him to rush, to take her, to make her his again as quickly as possible. This wasn’t about him—this was about her.
He cupped her breasts and plucked her nipples, pinching them in the way he could tell she loved from the way she moaned and arched into his touch. He continued to thrust, slowly and methodically. Every stroke built up inside of him, and soon Ellie was thrashing and shaking. The perfume of their mixed scents in the air filled his nose and he couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Are you coming, Ellie?” he asked, nibbling the skin just below her ear.
“Yes,” she gasped, squeezing him with her inner muscles. “Yes, oh, Will, yes.”
“I want everything with you,” he said.
She made an incoherent noise and arched against him.
The pleasure was building even more, but Will had to tell her. “I have from the start,” he said, panting. “House, life, family. All of it with you, Ellie.”
Then he thrust into her again and again. She cried out again, clutching his biceps until he found his own release.
They lay, panting, enjoying the endorphins. Will couldn’t get enough of Ellie and he pressed kisses to the back of her head.
“Wanna go somewhere today?” he asked.
Her voice was sleepy as she said, “Mmm, where?”
“It’ll be a surprise.”
She nestled against him, her bare ass tantalizing on his naked thighs. “You sure you want to leave the house?”
“Only if we come right back again.”
She laughed and sat up. “All right, then, I’m game.”
*
Will turned off the truck’s engine, and the silence of the outdoors pressed in on them.
“What are we doing here?” Ellie asked, looking around at the Jaynes family property.
“I thought we could look at the site where our starship will be.”
She laughed. “Our starship? And you really want to call it a starship?”
“Yes, it’s ours. And why not? It’s a fun name.” His mouth twitched as he tried to hold back a smile. In a teasing voice, he added, “You’re obviously a fan of those silly graphic novels—”
She raised her eyebrows and gave him a playful pout. “Silly? Oh, now you’ve done it. I think I’ll walk home.”
He tugged her to his side. “Not a chance, woman. Let’s check out the view we’ll have from our starship.”
“Can I call you Dirk?”
He growled playfully and swatted her ass. She screeched and took off running.
“Wrong way,” he called. “We’re over on this side of the lake.”
Ellie came back to him and held his hand as they made their way to the site Will had chosen. It had a gorgeous view, and he enjoyed it even more now, seeing it through Ellie’s eyes. He’d proposed to her on the shore of that lake, and it meant something to him—to her too, he hoped.
He watched as Ellie walked around, looking at the clearing and the trees that surrounded it.
“Hey, it’s so close to the old treehouse,” she said, staring up at a rudimentary little house that had been built around the trunk of a large cedar.
Will looked up. The platform, held up by tall, strong beams, looked intact, although the roof had partially caved in. “When we have kids, if you want them, I’ll fix up the old place so they can play up here.”
“Let’s go check it out now,” she said.
Will hesitated. He remembered how his parents had built that treehouse together.
Ellie seemed to notice his reluctance. “We don’t have to,” she said.
“The memories are strong,” he said. “But I want to go up, if I’m going with you.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.” He threatened to swat her ass again, and she squeaked before climbing up. She crawled onto the platform porch outside the roofed section. “Does it feel sturdy?” he asked.
“There’s a weak spot here,” she said, “so avoid that when you get up here.”
He followed after her, testing his weight on the steps nailed into the tree. His left leg ached by the time he reached Ellie, but being up here with her was worth it. He clambered over next to her and dangled his legs off the edge of the porch at her side.
She snuggled up against his shoulder. Something about the gesture made him feel bigger and stronger. She made him feel better.
“Are you warm enough?” he asked.
“Next to you—my portable space heater? Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Portable space heater?”
She grinned. “You give off heat like one, yeah.”
“It’s cause I’m so hot.”
She took his hand in hers. “What kind of memories are strong here?”
“My parents,” he said, rubbing the back of her hand against his cheek. She wouldn’t recognize the action, but the lion inside of him stretched and purred at the thought he was scent-marking her. “I remember them working on this place.”
“I’m so sorry about the fire,” she said quietly. “I cried for days.”
He was struck again with guilt. Ellie’d had to mourn alone. At least he’d had Jackson and Hayley. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” he said.
“It was a tragedy for all of us.”
He swallowed past the thick feeling in his throat. “I miss them.” Then he grinned. “They would’ve gotten a kick out of me ending up with you.”
“Really?” She looked uncertain with her hazel eyes wide and her forehead scrunched in the middle. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“Just funny. Looking back, I bet they knew I was into you all along, but they never said a thing. Probably wanted me to find my own way.”
“Do you think they would have approved?”
“They knew how happy I was when I was with you. They definitely would have approved.”
Her gaze was far away as she looked across the lake. “I’m glad you came back, Will. I didn’t think it at the time, but I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I love you, Ellie.” He cupped her cheeks in his palms. “I love you and I’ll be here with you forever.”
Her eyes shone, reflecting the sunlight outside. “I love you, too, Will. I always have.”