Matt walked into a full house two days after Thanksgiving and caught part of a strained conversation between Tate and her baby sister, Jill. After they’d finished the renovation of the dining room, his parents had given them a nice, big table that filled the space.
Several Murphys and Cassie wandered around, gabbing and laughing. He loved that their house was a hub of activity. He caught sight of Liv sitting in the rocker in the living room, baby Lise a pink bundle against her chest, a shock of black hair peeking out from beneath a hat. She waved in his direction and he blew her a kiss and waved at Marc.
Tate stood in the kitchen, she hadn’t noticed him just yet. Usually the moment he entered a room she alerted to his presence, their gazes meeting until they could make physical contact. He’d noticed her stress level had ramped up in the last two months but it didn’t seem to have anything to do with their relationship. Still it made him nervous that something was clearly going on and she wouldn’t share it.
Stress marked her face as she listened to her sister.
“They’re books I need for this stupid final paper. I won’t get the second part of my student loan money until January. I know five hundred dollars is a lot of money but I’ll get it right back to you when I get the check.”
“You’ll have to give me a day or two. I don’t have it right now. I have to move some money around.”
Matt stilled. She hadn’t said a damned thing to him about money trouble. They’d just paid off part of the renovation that they couldn’t do themselves, several thousand dollars’ worth. He’d wanted to pay it all himself but she wouldn’t hear of it. So he’d told her it was much less than it truly was and taken on a far larger share without her knowing it. The last thing he wanted her to deal with was money trouble.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Tate, let me talk to Tim. I didn’t know and I haven’t even asked him yet. I just came to you and that’s silly of me. You shouldn’t be expected to do it all, all the time,” Jill said.
And Matt agreed with that wholeheartedly although he’d never voice that to her. He knew what it meant to take care of family and so he never second-guessed how she dealt with hers.
“Can it not wait a day?” Tate sounded testy and it took him aback. She never spoke to her siblings like that unless they were fighting or nagging her about something.
“Sure. Tate, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make you upset.” Jill wrung her hands and Tate saw it, pulling her sister into a hug.
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I snapped at you and I’ve always told you and Jacob to come to me if you needed stuff for school. If you need it today, I’ll give you my credit card number and you can charge the books that way. If it can wait until tomorrow, I’ll get you cash.”
Damn it. There was something wrong and she wasn’t telling him. He turned before she saw him, catching Nathan’s and Tim’s eyes, motioning them outside.
“What’s up?” Tim said as they walked out onto the front porch.
Matt told them what he’d heard.
Nathan ran a hand through his hair. “She takes on too much. I can swing the books no problem. I’ll talk to Jill and Jacob, tell them to speak to Tim, me or William before going straight to Tate.”
“It’s more than that.”
Both men looked to Tim.
“What do you mean?”
“Two weeks ago I saw her walking downtown, my father was headed in the opposite direction. Then I stopped in to get a haircut and I’d forgotten my lunch at home. Tate told me she’d loan me a ten to grab lunch but she had no cash in her purse. She got all weird about it. And with the first installment of the tuition this semester, she had to juggle for an extra few days. She wasn’t late, but she’s usually early and this time it was exactly on the day it was due.”
“What the hell is happening and how is this connected to your...are you telling me he’s working her for money?” Matt’s anger simmered.
“It wouldn’t be the first time. You know she paid him to let us take the kids when we first moved out. And over the years she’s given him money. We all have I suppose but about five years ago he and I got into it and he won’t come around anymore. He threatened Susan. Of course now apparently he’s focused on Tate.”
“And my guess is that Tate is taking this all and keeping it quiet to protect the rest of us.” Nathan began to pace.
“I’ll talk to Tate.”
Nathan and Tim looked at him, pity in their faces.
“What?”
“Matt, you’re hers now as much as we are. She’ll protect you just like she’s doing us. She’s not going to tell you anything.”
“I’m not playing this game.” He leaned in and called to her. Surprised, she looked up and came toward him, the stress on her face smoothing as she got closer.
“Hi, whatcha all doing out here?” She joined them on the porch.
“Talking.”
Her back straightened and one brow rose. “Want to enlighten me or is this a guessing game?”
“What’s going on with your money situation, Tate?”
She took a step back and looked to her brothers who tried to keep stoic and tough but it didn’t last long.
“My money situation? What do you mean exactly?”
“You know, I go out of my way to be honest with you, Tate. I know you’re having money problems and so do Nathan and Tim. Tell us what’s happening so we can help.”
“Oh, you mean like how you told me Melanie came onto you at The Sands before the Grange dance when you were having lunch with Justin and some guys from work? Or about how you nearly got into a fight two weeks ago at the post office when you got lip from someone about me? Honest like that?”
Hell. How did she do that? Did Tim just chuckle? He glanced over and saw nothing but he suspected the line of Tim’s lips might have curved up ever so slightly.
“That’s different.” He folded his arms over his chest.
“Is it now? How so?”
“Oh for fuck’s sake! Knock it off. You’re trying to muddy the waters, Tate. Give him a break. What is going on?” Nathan interrupted.
Damn, she had been. She was good, almost as good as Polly Chase. He’d let her push the argument away from the subject.
“Traitor. My money problems are no one’s business. I just had a lot of stuff come down at once and I got a little overextended. It’s not a big deal. In a few weeks everything will be fine.”
Matt had almost believed her story about a temporary problem until he saw her reaction. Her eyes darted away from Tim quickly and he saw her fists clench for a moment and then she smoothed them down the front of her pants.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Bullshit. Don’t lie to me on this, Tate. He’s working you for money, isn’t he?” Nathan stood closer to her, grabbing her shoulders, and Matt wanted to intercede but he saw it was necessary, saw Tate would protect them all unless she was made to reveal the whole story.
“It’s none of your business!”
Her raised voice brought Anne out onto the porch and when she saw the scene she intervened. “Nate! Get your hands off her.”
“Dad is working her for money. Has been for a while. Long enough that she’s having trouble paying her bills on time.” Nathan said it without taking his eyes from Tate’s and Matt’s simmering rage began to bubble.
Anne closed the door behind her and approached Tate, moving Nathan aside. “Honey, is that true?”
Tate’s bottom lip trembled a bit but she didn’t say anything.
“This is stupid.” Matt grabbed her hand and spun her, putting her up on the porch rail so they’d be eye to eye. “You’re going to share this with me, Tate Murphy, because I love you and we cannot have this between us. That’s what he wants. I won’t let anyone hurt you, you have to know that.”
“None of us is going to let you off this porch until you tell us what’s going on,” Anne added from behind them.
A tear broke loose from her eye and rolled down her cheek and he hated making her so upset. “It’s nothing,” she whispered.
“It’s everything, Tate. Tell me. Share your burden with us. We love you.”
She took a deep breath and told them. Told them everything from the first night until the last demand for payment of a thousand dollars.
“I couldn’t have him harming you or the kids. Everyone was finally living normal, happy lives and I wasn’t going to let him upset that. I’m not sorry!” Her chin jutted out and he shook his head, kissing it.
“You’ve had this weighing on you for five months now. Oh, Venus, honey, no one should have to bear that alone. I’ve asked you if something was wrong and you told me no. Didn’t you trust me?”
“It’s not about that.”
But in a way it was. She hadn’t trusted him not to run off when faced with her father and that hurt.
He helped her down and kissed her. “I thought we’d worked through that. I thought you’d trust me to stand by you, to protect you.”
“I do trust you, Matt. I just...the thought of him showing up at one of your mother’s Sunday dinners, of what he is touching that just... I didn’t want that to ruin what we have.”
Her voice was quiet, but hurt that she didn’t come to him still seeped into his gut. She’d been terrorized by this jerk and she hadn’t thought enough of him to seek his help. Hadn’t trusted their love and his commitment to her that he’d protect her.
“I have to go for a while. I’m hurt, Tate. I’m hurt you didn’t trust me to stand by you.”
“You’re leaving?” Her voice sounded small.
“Not forever. I need to think. I’ll be back.” He went to his truck and as he pulled from the driveway he tried not to be affected by her face as she stood there, watching him drive away.
* * *
Matt sat at a table in The Pumphouse when Nathan stalked in. He picked up the beer and tossed it in Matt’s face.
Shocked, Matt stood. “What the hell?”
“You asshole. You begged her to open up to you and when she did, you threw it in her face. You proved her right. You dumped my sister for sharing with you. Bravo. She’s never, ever opened up that way to anyone before. I actually encouraged her to do it. I’m a fucking fool and you’re an asshole. Your shit will be out on the street by nine tonight so don’t bother my sister to come inside to get anything.” Nathan spun to leave but Matt grabbed him.
“Wait! I didn’t dump her. I just needed some time away from home. I’m not moving out!”
“Yes you are. Leave her alone, Matt. You blew it.”
“That’s my fucking house! You can’t tell me what to do. Tate is my woman. I get that you’re her brother and all but this isn’t your business.”
“It’s my business when I have to listen to her cry. It’s my business when she blames me for making her tell you something she didn’t want to tell you to begin with because she wanted to protect you and the rest of us. You promised her you wouldn’t let anyone hurt her and you did it yourself.”
Matt reached out to grab his arm when Nate turned to leave again and Nathan shoved him back. “Don’t touch me, asshole. I thought you’d be good for her. But you’re just like the rest of them.”
Shane came in and quickly moved to them. “What the hell is going on? Cassie called me and said Tate is holed up in her bedroom and her family is packing up your stuff. You broke up with her? Are you out of your mind?”
“Packing my stuff? I didn’t break up with her! Why won’t anyone believe me? Jesus! She holds on to this fucking horrible shit with her father for five months! She thinks I’d just walk away from her if her father showed up at my doorstep? How much trust does that show? Am I never allowed to feel anything? Only Tate gets to feel pain now? She didn’t trust me to stand by her.”
“No one ever has!” Nathan yelled it so loud and his words were so filled with emotion that everyone who hadn’t already been watching the scene unfold stopped and turned.
“Yes, she should have told you. She should have told all of us but you can’t know what it cost her to keep it to herself. Have you thought of that? How alone she must have felt as he terrorized her?”
Nathan took a step back and sneered at him. “Damn you, Matt Chase. This isn’t about you, not in the way you think. I got more out of her, she’s paid him seven thousand dollars. Why? Because she adores you. She loves you and she wanted to protect you and your family from the sickness we’ve had to endure our whole lives. From the shame of what we come from. Probably part of it was she was worried that when you were confronted with the reality of Bill Murphy you’d walk away. And until you’ve spent ten minutes with him, you can’t possibly understand what a powerful motivator that is. He’s...” Nathan shuddered in disgust “...he’s a horrible man. He’s poisonous. She wanted to shield you from him. And not just you, he used everyone she wanted to protect, our nieces and nephew too because William and Tim are the ones other than her hurt the worst by my father. This isn’t about her not trusting you, it’s about her protecting you. That’s what Tate does in case you hadn’t bothered to notice.”
Matt’s head spun. He didn’t know what to think. There was no question he loved Tate. He hadn’t broken up with her, he just needed some damned time away to nurse some hurt feelings.
“She sold a bracelet I gave her two years ago to send Jill spending money. She dipped into savings to pay for the renovation but didn’t want to take more because it’s where she keeps the money for their tuition and any other emergencies. So feel your pain, Matt. You go ahead. She told you she was broken at the very beginning and she is. But you’re wrong to turn this and make it about you.”
Nathan moved to leave but it was Shane who stopped him this time, looking back at Matt, who had to grab a chair as he took in the words.
“I’m not moving out. You can bet on that, Nathan. When I get back, Tate and I will work this out. This is not about you.”
“Fuck you, Chase. For the better part of my life Tate took responsibility for me. Paid my father hush money so my siblings and I could live safely and be fed. That’s why we’re always at her house. She feeds us emotionally and physically. There’s never a bare pantry at Tate’s house, not in her heart or in her kitchen. This is about me because Tate is about me. Tate is more of a mother to me than the woman who gave me birth. I owe Tate everything I am and I won’t stand by and let anyone hurt her. Not my father and certainly not you. Get out of my way, Sheriff Chase, unless you plan to arrest me.”
Shane sighed and moved to the side. “Nathan, don’t do this. Tate needs Matt, she loves him and he loves her. You know that. I know you’re upset but you have to let them work things out.”
Nathan said nothing more but left The Pumphouse.
“Whatcha gonna do?” Shane looked down at Matt.
“I’m going to go home and kick people out. Tate and I need to fix this without an audience.”
“I’ll go with you. I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as you think.” Shane rode over with Matt.
“I just needed some damned time to nurse some hurt feelings. I didn’t tell her I was breaking things off. I told her I’d be back,” Matt explained to his brother after he’d told him about the payoffs.
“I understand why you’d be hurt, Matt. And I think Tate does too. But you’re going to have trouble getting past her siblings who’re all going to gang up to protect her from any perceived threat, you included. We’d do it in their place. I see their perspective very well. Cassie told me Tate walked past her and into her bedroom after you left, like there was nothing left to her.”
“Damn it. Okay, okay. I shouldn’t have left but...”
“But you felt like a failure for not protecting her. So you gathered up all your righteous indignation that she hadn’t told you so you didn’t have to feel like you’d failed the person who matters most.”
Matt licked his lips as he turned down their street. “Yes. Shane, she’s so small, she’s mine to protect and cherish and I didn’t. And she didn’t trust me to.”
“Do you really think that? Do you really think this was about her not trusting you to protect her? I’m not saying you don’t have the right to be mad that she kept it to herself, I see why you are. But it’s who she is. She’s going to choose to take on burdens to protect people she loves. You knew that going in, Matt. If you can’t handle that or this messed-up family situation get out now. It’s unfair to keep going with this relationship if something like this is enough to break you up.
“Worse things will happen. Loving someone means they can get to you in ways no one else can. There are going to be times you’re so pissed off at her you want to rip your hair out, where you have to leave before you say something that’ll hurt her. But you do leave, or you do take a deep breath and go get a soda because you’d rather hold back than harm her. That’s what love is. And until I was with Cassie, no one meant that much to me other than my family.”
“I don’t want to leave her. I love her. I love being with her. I don’t know what to think or feel or do. I’ve never felt so fucking scared in my life other than when I first got to the hospital in July when that bastard put her there. I wanted to be the one she turned to, the strong one. And when she did turn to me I ran. Fuck.”
Shane snorted softly. “You’ll both get over it. You’ll work it out and the next fight y’all have you won’t turn tail, although you’ll make new mistakes because that’s the way of it. It’s not earth shattering. You had a fight. It happens. Now go in there and fix it because makeup sex is the best.”
Laughing, Matt pulled into the driveway and saw boxes of stuff stood on the porch and Tim sat out there with Beth.
“You need to grab your shit and go. We’ll pay you back for the renovation when we can.” Tim blocked the door.
“This is my house. I’m going in, Tim.”
“No you’re not. You’ve done enough damage.” Beth shook her head at him.
“You’re just making things worse. Come on, you know I love Tate. This is a huge overreaction.”
“Overreaction? And you’d know this because you saw the damage you did firsthand? Oh, no you couldn’t have because you were off at your little bar drinking and looking at chicks.” Beth’s eyes narrowed.
“I wasn’t looking at anyone. I’d never do that to Tate, and I’m not interested in looking at other women. Don’t mistake me for your father either. I had a beer, most of it I didn’t drink because Nathan tossed it in my face.”
“You’re right, the running off when things got hard thing is more like my mother. Hit the road.” Matt hated it that Tim was so mad. He’d always considered Tim his greatest ally with Tate.
“Actually, this is his place of residence so he has a right to go inside, Tim.” Shane, thank God Shane was there.
“I see, you’re going to use the sheriff in your pocket to hurt my sister now?”
“Oh stuff it!” Cassie pushed her way past. “This has gone on long enough. Tate is worked into a frenzy in there and none of you are helping!”
“Of course you’d take his side.”
“This isn’t about sides! All of you get the hell out of here.” Tate thundered out onto the porch, anger sparking in her eyes. She looked at her siblings and then Matt. “All of you. I want to be alone and I don’t need or want anyone speaking for me, thinking for me or taking responsibility for me. How dare you all pack Matt’s things and make that choice for him and for me.”
Matt nodded. “They’re just trying to help, Venus. They love you.”
“And you! You don’t know a damned thing about it.” She pushed Anne gently but firmly out and slammed the door, locking it. “None of you has the right!” she yelled from the other side of the closed door and turned out the porch light.
They all began to argue until Shane’s cell phone rang. He answered, listened and started laughing as he snapped the phone shut.
“That was Tate Murphy, she’s called the sheriff to file a noise complaint about a public nuisance in her front yard.”
Matt scrubbed hands over his face. This had all spun out of control so fast. He didn’t want to be arguing on her, their lawn, he wanted to be inside, holding his woman.
“Y’all go on home. I mean it. I’m going in there to work this out with Tate. If you love her like you say you do, you’ll know she loves me and I love her too. We’re gonna have arguments and she’s going to be hurt and I’m going to be hurt. That’s natural and normal and truly, no one deserves normal more than Tate. So go. Please. I’m sorry I’ve upset you all and we can all work this out later but Tate is in there alone right now.” Matt sighed as he looked at the front of the house.
“Please,” Cassie added. “Please, guys. You know they’re good for each other. I know you’re hurting for her but you’re the ones who started packing all this up. It wasn’t her idea. She’d have done it herself if she’d wanted to. It’s just a fight. God, if you all only knew how many fights Shane and I had our first year together. Okay—” she grinned at Shane and he laughed, “—still have. Tate is a strong woman and Matt’s easygoing but they will have disagreements. If you gang up on him every time it happens, they’ll never make anything work. Let them make up. If they don’t, you know where Matt works. If you can get to him before Polly does, you can kick his ass.”
Matt heaved a sigh of relief—ignoring the comment about his mother—his moving out hadn’t been Tate’s idea.
Her siblings moved and Matt nodded at them, reaching out and squeezing Cassie’s hand when he passed. He unlocked the door and opened it slowly. When nothing took his head off, he went inside and found her scrubbing the tile in the bathroom.
“Hey, Venus. Whatcha doing?”
“Scrubbing the tile around the toilet.”
He leaned around. “Tate, is that my toothbrush?”
“Hmpf.”
Ouch. “Oookay. Well, luckily there’s a spare in the medicine cabinet then. Will you talk to me?”
“I already did.”
“Tate, not that I don’t like the view and all, your ass looks particularly lovely and I can see your breasts coming out the top of that shirt reflected in the shower door, but can we move this to the living room? Our bedroom? Someplace we can be face-to-face?”
“Matt, what are you doing here?” She turned and tossed the toothbrush, yep his, into the trash and took off the yellow rubber gloves, laying them under the sink.
“I live here. I told you I’d be back.” He held a hand out to help her up but she ignored it and stood, brushing her hands off on the front of her pants and left the bathroom.
He followed her into the living room where she took the chair so he sat on the table, leaning in and taking her hands in his.
“I’m sorry you had to deal with this insanity with your father alone for all these months. I can’t imagine how scared you must have been to keep it secret.”
“Fine.”
“Fine? That’s it? Your fucking family moves my shit out onto the porch and you scrub the toilet with my toothbrush after you hide something important from me for five months and all you give me is an okay?”
“Who’s got the fuck habit now, buster? Anyway, my family did that, I didn’t. And what’s more if you’d been here, they couldn’t have done it now, could they? And don’t you call them my fucking family, only I get to do that. I’m beginning to wish I’d fucking gotten in my car and headed to Atlanta for a few weeks like Liv did.”
“And Marc went insane with worry!”
“Yes, because it’s always about you people!”
“Back with that ‘you people’ thing? Liv is from my side of town too!”
“Oh shut up! I mean you people with penises, not you rich people. God. Look, you asked me to tell you. I did. And then you ran off. You can’t expect me to just be all, hi, honey, nice to see you, want a beer? when you come back. You’re the one who’s always all, I hate it when you try to run off and then you did.”
“You’re right. I was hurt and I needed to be away from here for an hour or so. God knows why I imagined hell wouldn’t break loose if I left.”
“You left, Matt. When things got bad you left. I may have been wrong for not telling you, and I’m sorry I hurt you, I am. But I’ve been trying really hard to make a go of this. Even with all the insanity, even knowing you don’t tell me everything to protect me, I stay and I try and today I trusted you enough to tell you and you threw it in my face and walked away.”
“I felt like a failure out there on our porch this afternoon. You hid this from me when you should have been able to come to me and let me protect you. It shouldn’t be the other way around.”
Her anger softened and her eyes searched his face. “You’re not a failure, Matt. My family is just too messed up. I’m messed up. You deserve more than that. Better.”
“I want you to stop that talk right now. There’s no breaking up here so quit it. I told you I’d be back. Okay, so I handled it wrong. I should have stayed and we could have talked it through without all the packing and yelling. But we’re together, Tate. We’ll work it out.”
She listened to him and took a deep breath. The tentative smile fell away and her eyes narrowed. “Why do you stink of booze? It’s hard to concentrate right now with you smelling like that. Bad memories I suppose but I’d really rather you not go out and tie one on when you’re pissed. I don’t mind drinking, I do mind coming back so bad off you smell like a brewery.”
He laughed and then tried to get serious again. “Sorry.” He put his hands up. “I’m not drunk. I had three sips of one pint of beer. Nathan threw the rest on me. Why don’t I go shower and change and we can continue this?”
The corner of her mouth slid up a bit. “Nathan threw a beer on you?”
“Yeah. I thought he was going to pop me one and I’d have had to pop him back and you’d have been really mad at me for giving your baby brother a black eye. Luckily, Shane interceded so no blows were thrown.”
“Hmpf. Go on.”
He wanted to go to her and give her a kiss but his clothes stuck to him and now that she’d pointed out the smell it began to make him feel slightly nauseated.
“I’m saving the snuggles and sugar for after I’m cleaned up. But I’ve been running a tab.”
When he finished showering he found she’d moved many of the boxes back into the house and was in their bedroom putting his clothes into drawers.
He approached her from behind wearing only a towel and put his arms around her.
“I could have done that.” He kissed the top of her head.
“It gave me something to do. Anyway, my family made the problem, I’ll undo it. They really didn’t get most of your clothes. I was in here so they didn’t touch what was in the closet and dresser. I think they took stuff out of the laundry. I’d done a load earlier today.”
He turned her and his chest constricted a moment as he looked at her face, the features he loved so much. He could have lost her over something silly. That was untenable.
“First things first. Tate, we’re going to fight sometimes you know. But unlike what Beth might think, I’m not your mother. I’m not going to abandon you. I shouldn’t have left. I’m sorry. My feelings were hurt and I was upset with myself too, I needed a bit of space but I should have handled it differently.”
He’d moved her back toward the bed and with a flex of his hips, bumped her onto the mattress.
“If I thought you were like my mother I’d have done more with your toothbrush than scrub the tile with it. I love you, Matt, but I’m not a doormat. Even if I gave in to my father, I’m not someone you can walk all over. I won’t allow it.” She put her fingers over his lips as he loomed over her. “But that’s not what you did so calm down. I’m just saying that’s not what you did and that’s not who I am.”
Frustrated at being unable to pull her T-shirt off, he grabbed hold of the neck and ripped it down the middle. “That’s much better.” He kissed the exposed mound of each breast and her skin broke into gooseflesh.
“I’m sorry I hurt you with this whole thing about my father. I would never want to make you feel like a failure. You’re not. You’re my hero in so many ways. You do make me feel safe.” Her voice shook and got breathy as he traced along the edge of her bra cup with his tongue.
He kissed her, nipping her bottom lip quickly. He sighed, rolling off her long enough to rid himself of the towel and start yanking on her jeans.
“Venus, I love you. We’re together and we’ll learn more about each other as we go. You will stop giving that bastard money, do you hear me? I will pay the next month’s mortgage on this house. I’ve been here three months and you haven’t let me pay my share. We’ll work it out with your brothers and the school and with Shane to make sure the kids are safe.”
“It’s hard to concentrate when you’re naked and ordering me around.” She may have complained but she lifted her ass so he could pull her pants and panties off. She sat up, removed her bra and tossed the ripped T-shirt aside before pulling the blankets back.
“Tough. Now you’re naked too.”
“I noticed. Why are you over there?”
“I like looking at you laying there naked, your chest heaving because you want me so much even when your eyes are sparking at me because you’re mad.”
“You really should write all this stuff down. You could turn it into one of those books that teaches guys how to get a woman into bed. You’d make a million dollars. Oh and you’re not paying my bills. That’s not going to happen. Half the people in town already think I’m only with you for that. Although I question whether or not they’ve actually seen you because anyone with a brain knows I’m with you for the sex ’cause you look so good.”
He laughed. His Tate was back. Their rhythm was back. Relief crashed through him as he knelt between her spread legs and skated his palms up her thighs.
“I’m paying our bills and I’m not arguing. I may be good in bed but I don’t want to be a kept man.” He winked at her.
“Well, that’s good since I’ve got three dollars to my name and you’re worth way more than that.”
He frowned. “Tell me you’re going to let me pay next month’s mortgage or there’ll be no sex. I’ll withhold it and everyone knows you’re only with me for my cock.”
“I don’t want you to think I’m after you for money.” She writhed beneath him though, grabbing the body part in question and squeezing lightly. He didn’t hide his smile.
“Tate, that’s not what I think. I live here. This is my house too, right? Don’t you want me to feel at home? How can I if you won’t let me pay my share? And hello, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a firefighter. It’s not the kind of salary my father makes. Between the two of us, we do fine. But the whole after-my-money argument is based on what my parents have, not what I have. We can talk more about how we’ll split the bills after the sex. You’ve avoided the conversation so far but this situation wouldn’t have been as bad if we’d talked more openly about finances before.”
He wet a fingertip and drew it over the hardened point of her nipple, making her arch into his touch. Pinching it enough to make her moan, he bent to kiss the hollow of her throat and across her collarbone as her free hand slid down his back.
Tate needed him so much right then she felt like she’d die from want. Needed to feel that reconnection with him, making them two as one again.
She knew he hadn’t broken off with her but it hurt that he’d beg her to reveal something and then leave. Still, hearing that he’d felt like a failure, knowing she’d hurt him when she’d only meant to protect him made her realize just how important it was that they communicate with each other.
He kissed down her neck to first one nipple and then the other. She grew wetter, felt her pussy ready for him. The bristles of his beard abraded over the sensitive flesh of her breasts and what started out gentle took on an edge as they both realized the intensity of their need.
“Matt, please, please,” she murmured and he kissed down her belly and settled between her thighs.
“Glad to oblige, Venus.” He pulled her open with his thumbs and looked at her for long moments. It should have weirded her out, the way he gazed at such an intimate part of her body, but instead, it made her feel beautiful.
Even more when his thumbs slid inside her and his mouth finally brushed across her, tongue flicking quickly over her clit until she panted. He backed away, licking slowly, avoiding her clit until she arched her hips into his face like a floozy.
He rolled her over and pulled her hips up. He’d never taken her quite like that before and it thrilled her. She pushed back against him and he laughed. “All in due time. I haven’t finished what I started.”
With that, he spread her thighs wide and bent, his mouth finding her again, making her groan into the pillow. With his hands on her upper thighs, he held her wide and steady as he devoured her. All she could do was hold on and be glad she walked as much as she did so her legs were strong enough to hold her up despite her trembling muscles.
Edging into her, sharp and bright, the pleasure of her climax burst over her emotions as the depth of her love for Matt Chase rushed through her.
She wasn’t sure exactly what she said but whatever it was, the neighbors probably heard it, she said it so loud.
She didn’t have much time to wonder though because within moments, Matt’s cock began to press into her pussy, her body parting for him, accommodating him as it always did because she was made for him.
“So beautiful. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are right now, Tate? The curve of your back, creamy and pale, your hair like moonlight against your shoulders? Spread out before me like a banquet and I didn’t get nearly enough to eat.”
She squeaked at the rough eroticism of his words but there was no denying he turned her on.
“You’re mine, Tate. From the first moment I saw your face you worked your way into me. Mine. No one else’s. Even when I’m an ass, you’re mine. Even when you hide things you should tell me and your brother throws beer in my face. Even when you scrub the toilet with my toothbrush, minx. You’re mine as I’m yours and we’re getting married. You got me?”
Surprised but still realizing there was no way she’d say no, she nodded enthusiastically into the pillow.
“You realize I just asked you to marry me, right?”
“Yes,” she managed to gasp out and he reached around and toyed with her clit, idly, as he fucked into her body.
“You’re not going to argue with me?” Amusement laced his voice and she tightened herself around him, bringing a grunt from him.
“Do you want me to? What, it’s just idle sex talk?” She smiled, pushing back against his thrusts.
“Seeing as how I’ve wanted to ask you for months, it’s not idle at all. Holy...damn, Tate...that was...shit!”
Laughing, she tightened again and swiveled.
“Oh it’s gonna be that way, is it?” He leaned over her body and bit the flesh where shoulder met neck as his fingers on her clit sped. In that position he totally controlled everything, her movement, his depth and speed. It was beautiful and erotic. He was nearly a foot taller than she was, muscled and very strong, but she knew he’d never hurt her.
And today had only underlined what she’d already come to learn—even emotional hurts would be something they could get past because, as improbable as it seemed, he was the one.
Unbelievably, another climax hit just as he pressed hard, fingers digging into her hip, the others still playing against her clit, teeth digging into her shoulder. A long groan came from him and she realized then he wasn’t wearing a condom. The third time in a few weeks. Moments later she realized she never wanted him to again either.
He fell back against the bed and pulled her against him. “I love you, Tate. With everything I am. Will you marry me?”
“I love you, Matt, with everything I am. So yeah.”
“You make me very happy. I’m sorry we didn’t make each other happier earlier today.”
“It’s gonna happen. I’ll try to keep my family from moving you out next time. I know my family, or my parents, are a mess. I’d understand if you were wary of that.”
“Tate Murphy, I love you and your crazy brothers and sisters. My family loves you all. Your father, after Shane speaks with him and you get yourself a protection order in place, won’t be an issue. My father would be happy to guide you through the process and Cassie too. She’s done the protection order thing before.”
“And it protected her really well.”
“Hey.” Reaching back, he turned on the lamp and looked at her closely. “That was a very different situation. In the first place, I know how much of a priority Petal’s law enforcement puts on protection orders and family violence prevention. Shane, even before Cassie, cared and now the department is even more committed. I’m here too. And my dad is the best attorney around and the judge who hears protection orders is really good. First thing you need to do is tell him he’s not getting a dime from you again. And then we’ll take the next steps.”