Epilogue
Autumn
Of all the men standing there on the shore in their rolled up shirtsleeves, Cole looked the most at home holding a shovel.
He also looked adorably ridiculous in his ill-fitting hard-hat, but I decided not to tease him about that too badly. At least not today. Today was his day, after all.
A makeshift podium was set up in the gravel parking lot above my grandfather's marina. Strung with garlands and gussied up with a slapped on decal of the new town logo that had just been approved, it was waiting for Cole to step up and make his prepared remarks. He'd been practicing them all this past week, standing in the living room of the rambling old Victorian farmhouse he'd bought for us. It was a good speech, full of love for the town he was raised in and the people who made it what it was. I wasn't nervous for him in the slightest. He had this.
A warm breeze wafted in from the south, bringing with it the smells of mulch and the machine oil from the waiting heavy machinery ready to reclaim the first parcel of land for the Town Park. It was the first part of a very long process. Nothing moves quickly in Reckless Falls. That's part of its charm, I suppose, and I tried to explain that to Cole as he sat tearing his beautiful hair in frustration as he filled out yet another permit application.
There were still permits to be acquired and demolition to undergo. The rusted shell of my grandfather's marina lurked ominously in the background down at the water's edge, but up here at the groundbreaking, everyone was all smiles.
And Cole's smile was the widest.
"On the count of three!" the camera man instructed, Cole bent his knees at the ready, and I felt my cheeks stretching into a grin even before he and the mayor and the Town Planning Officer all dug in and scooped up their ceremonial dirt clods. I raised my phone over the head of the official photographer and snapped my own photo of Cole's big day, then looked down at the screen to see he was smiling right at me.
Then I looked up and laughed. "What are you doing over here?" I giggled and then whooped as he caught me up in his arms. "Oh my god!" I laughed as he whirled us in crazy circles around the gravel lot. "You're making me dizzy!"
"You're making me dizzy," he retorted with that cocky little dimple flashing and I was only pretending to beat my fists against his chest when he caught me up in that kiss. I really didn't mind it at all.
Breathlessly I broke away and looked at him. "Don't you have hands to shake? Palms to grease and all that?"
"Nah," he shrugged. "I'm too excited. Come on over to the car, I want to show you something."
"Ooh, did the permits clear for the storefront?" I asked, eagerly following him over to the massive country-boy pick-up he'd recently acquired. He yanked open the door for me and held out a chivalrous hand to help me climb in.
Then looked over his shoulder really quickly before he leaped in after me.
"Ah!" I squeaked as he landed on me. The squeak of feedback from the microphone echoed across the lot, and I heard the mayor clearing his throat. "Your speech!"
"Can't think about that now. Something I have to do first," he murmured, yanking up the long maxi skirt I'd chosen for the occasion.
"Cole, I...oh..." His warm mouth was already on me, teasing my suddenly aching clit through the thin fabric of my panties. "What's gotten into you?"
"You Autumn. It's always been you."
I inhaled sharply. "They're going to be looking for you."
"Then you'd better come quickly," he rumbled against my thigh. "Or we're going to get caught."
I squeezed my eyes shut and suddenly I was transported back over eight years ago, to the parking lot of our high school and the afternoon he told me he'd be leaving. Everything had worked out the way I'd planned after all. Even if it had taken longer to get there than I wanted.
The memory of that afternoon was so clear that in my mind I could almost hear the clack of Mrs. Collis's shoes as she stalked past us to her car.
Then I opened my eyes and realized that wasn't a memory at all.
"Cole!" I hissed as I stared out the window on to the top of the real estate broker's head. "It's Fiona! She's looking for you!"
"I'm busy," Cole murmured, yanking aside my panties. "Got some things I need to do right now."
"Oh Jesus," I moaned, sliding down as his tongue found my center. Instantly I dissolved into a puddle of mindless mush, as everything fell away except for Cole's expert mouth.
Who else but Cole could have me panting in an instant? Who else but Cole could have me mindless and quivering for him even as people looked for him five feet away? Who else but Cole could bring me to the very brink and all the while keep smiling up at me with that dimple blazing? Who else but Cole could do any of these things? The answer was no one. Which was why my left hand finally, finally sported his ring.
"Oh fuck," I panted as the white hot coil snaked around my belly. I squeezed my eyes shut and arched upward into his tongue, grinding myself against him. He hummed something profane against my clit and then slipped that perfect finger inside of me, driving me right over the edge. I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood as I stifled a scream, just as Fiona called Cole's name from just outside the pick-up door.
Cole bounced up from between my legs and slammed his lips into mine. His dimple glistened ever so slightly as he pulled back and smiled. "Thanks for helping me find my notecards, future-Mrs. Granger."
I gaped at him as he yanked my skirt back down and opened the door. "Hey Fifi," he called out, charming as always. "I'm so sorry to keep you waiting, I left my speech in the truck." He looked back over his shoulder. "Luckily my fiancée knew where I put it."
Fiona was smiling, dazzled by Cole, just like everyone was. Just like I was. I gave a small wave and watched as she led him over to the podium.
Then I took a deep breath, checked my makeup in the rearview mirror and slid down out of the truck, careful to hold on to the door lest I collapse in a boneless puddle on the ground.
"Autumn Melton!" a strangely familiar voice called. "How lovely to see you again!"
I swallowed, opened my mouth, cleared my throat and then swallowed again as the burning blush ignited my cheeks. How? How was she here? How was she right outside the door again?
Then I choked down a hysterical laugh and smiled hugely. "Hi Mrs. Collis," I grinned. "Are you here for Cole's speech? I'm so proud of him." I couldn't help but raise my chin. "Aren't you?" I needled her.
She pressed her lips together. "It's lovely what he's doing for the town. I guess he made good after all. Eventually."
I looked down at my left hand. "Eventually," I repeated, nodding firmly. Then I headed over to the podium to listen to my fiancé speak.
THE END
BOOKS BY VIVIAN LUX:
Sons of Steel Motorcycle Club:
Rockstar Romance
TRUE: A Rockstar Romance
The Reckless Falls Series:
TIED: A Small Town Bad Boy Romance (March 2017)
CRAVE: A Small Town Menage Romance (April 2017)
PLAYED: A Small Town Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (May 2017)
Sports Romance
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TWICE:
A Small Town Menage Romance
RECKLESS FALLS BOOK TWO
by
Vivian Lux
Copyright 2017
All Rights Reserved
This book contains adult themes, explicit language and sexual situations. It is intended for mature audiences.
NOTE: All characters in the book are 18+ years of age, and all sexual acts are consensual.