twenty-two
rutledge
It was the early morning hours on Sunday as I drove, the sun not even threatening to rise yet. Peyton didn’t know I was coming. When I’d spoken to her the night before I led her to believe that I had stayed back for another meeting. I almost caved when I heard the disappointment in her voice, but knowing how those hypnotizing green eyes were going to light up, I stayed solid with my plan.
Herb had been true to his word and set the one bedroom trailer up before Peyton even stepped foot on the property that day. After she had laid eyes on it, she called me right away and told me it was nicer than most hotels she’d been in, then went on to say it was even nicer than some of her friends’ apartments. I knew she’d like it because I didn’t fucking scrimp when I purchased it, not that she knew I bought it. I picked out the one with all the fucking bells and whistles because she deserved it. She deserved to be comfortable in a place since it would take some time to get the house up to code and livable.
My meeting went better than I’d expected. Their offer had been a shit ton more than I was expecting, but I still had this lingering feeling on selling it. Inside I felt as though I was holding my father by the balls, running the business, because if it wasn’t for me, he’d be broke.
But in all my thinking, I hadn’t been able to put a finger on it and why the hesitation had been so strong. Okay, that may be a fucking lie. BP, before Peyton, I wouldn’t sell it. AP, after Peyton, the thought of being financially stable and being able to spend every second with her, yeah. However, who the fuck was I to map out her future? Not to mention, there was still so much we needed to touch on in my past. I knew the Mickelson’s offer wouldn’t be on the table long, so I needed to get my shit together.
Pulling down Clover Lane, looking over the tall mature trees, I saw that the widow’s walk had been redone. Damn, when I had spoken to Herb, threatening him that I didn’t want him and his crew dragging their feet, it had worked. Because the more the house came into view, the more I could see they had gotten a shit ton done in the time I’d been gone.
Heavy gray clouds were casting shadows across the early morning sky, evident of a storm brewing in the distance. I pulled into the driveaway, the wind picking up causing loose debris to float across the lawn. I killed the engine and glided the truck the rest of the way, hoping not to wake Peyton. Coming to a stop, I slowly opened the door, and just as slowly closed it and moved toward the front of the house. The front porch was dismantled and only a makeshift staircase out of concrete blocks led to the door.
A chill ran down my spine, but it had nothing to do with the morning breeze. Stopping, I glanced around the yard, noticing the front was starting to look like I remembered it. Scanning the property line, I focused on every bush edging the property. Not Peyton’s fucking hydrangeas but the rose bushes on the opposite side of the yard. Taking them in as if a naked Peyton stood in front of them, inspecting every curve. I couldn’t help the sensation that snaked its way into my gut, something didn’t feel right, something was off. Another chill swept through me.
My eyes caught the corner of the shed, sitting dank and uninviting at the corner of the vast yard. I ignored it.
Curiosity got the best of me as I strolled to the front door, found the key where I told Herb to hide it. It had been the first thing on Herb’s to do list, install new locks, and he complied. Walking in, the fresh smell of sawdust wafted up my nostrils. They had more done on the inside that I’d given Herb and his crew credit for. But it wasn’t the vision of the house coming together that made me move quickly, heading toward the kitchen. It was the music on Peyton’s iPod blaring through the house, so damn early in the morning. At first, panic struck me, hitting me in the gut, but then I realized who I was dealing with. Peyton Morgan. She could be sweeping the inside of the damn chimney at four in the morning, because that’s just how crazy she was, and I loved that craziness about her.
Love? No, no, I meant liked. Or, did I?
I entered the kitchen and she was nowhere to be found. I started walking from room to room.
I called out, “Peyton!”
No answer. Where the fuck was she? Did she accidently leave her iPod on?
Heading back to the kitchen, the sight of her standing out back, near the cliff caught my attention. What the fuck was she doing out there at four in the fucking morning? I moved onto the back porch. Dark, ominous clouds rolled in and a crisp chill, carried on the wind, began picking up speed.
“Peyton!” I yelled to her.
But again, she didn’t answer.
I watched her, lost in the sight of the pending storm. Thunder cracked in the silence, lightning lit up the view like a spotlight on a canvas.
I placed my cupped hands to the sides of my mouth, and shouted, “Peyton!”
She turned, saw me and her expression was blinding as a huge smile spread across her lips. I stared at her mouth. Lips so plump. Lips so inviting. Lips I needed to feel against mine again.
“Get your ass in here,” I yelled to her.
If possible, that smile grew but she shook her head, shouting back, “This is beautiful.” She waved a hand toward the sky and the heavy clouds that were only seconds from opening up. A crackle of lightning that flashed across the sky even as the heavens rumbled.
“Peaches, I’m not fucking around. Get your damn ass in here,” I bellowed.
My blood heated, causing a warmth to race through my body. I didn’t know if it was because she wasn’t obeying me, or the vision of her. Her brown hair blowing in the wind, her features so soft and serene. It was a vision I’d seen plenty of times, but for some reason this time it totally took my fucking breath away. I was so much more than fucking fucked. I knew it then. Hell, I might have known it all along and just wouldn’t admit it.
But my God, she was absolutely fucking beautiful.
Another crash of thunder boomed, rattling the house followed by lightning that lit up the dark sky.
“For fuck’s sake, Peyton,” I shouted, angrily. “I’m not fucking around, get your ass inside.”
She cocked her hip. “It’s wonderful to see you too, Rutledge.” Happy turned mischievous before she added, “But do not tell me what to do, sir!”
She defied me, flashed me a grin before turning back to the view she was enjoying.
Sir?
My cock twitched, something about the way sir rolling off her tongue, had me descending the stone stairs two at a time. I needed her. Wanted her. The pull so fucking strong it was a wonder it hadn’t knocked me on my ass. Stalking across the lawn, my heart pounding with the vibration of the thunder rattling the ground I walked on.
“Jesus, baby,” I called to her, the wind gusting now, the dark clouds menacing as the waves crashed violently against the jagged rocks. I reached her, grabbed her arm and turned her.
I had planned on dragging her ass back to the house but when she looked up at me with those pale green eyes that I missed, I took what I’d been craving ever since I had my first taste.
My hands roughly cupped her face, and not giving her a chance to resist, my lips crashed onto hers. Her fingers curled around my forearms and she rose up to meet me. I growled and when she gasped, I drove my tongue into her mouth.
Fucking heaven.
Warm and wet, we caressed each other’s mouths like we hadn’t seen one another in years. Even irritated as she may have been at my high handedness, as she called it, she pressed her body into mine, getting as close as she could. Fuck, if I didn’t fucking love that.
Love? I meant, liked. Or, did I?
I broke the kiss, our heavy breaths fanning each other’s wet lips. I looked deeply into her eyes, and needing my hands on her, I snaked my arms around her back, pulling her hard, flush against me. Her hands at my chest curled into fists. I soaked in the warmth of her body pressed closely to mine. Thunder crashed right before the sky let loose, a chilling rain but it did nothing to ease the heat raging through me.
“Fuck, I missed you,” I whispered roughly, looking into her beautiful eyes.
“I missed you more.” It was the softness in her eyes that hit me right in the chest.
Jesus. I was so fucking fucked up.
Her lashes caught the drops, those pale green eyes looking up at me with a hunger I’d never seen in them before, but still there was a hint of vulnerability. The rain pouring from the sky cooled my skin that had begun to burn, but the cooling on my skin only caused the burn to seep within, igniting a blaze, scorching my insides. The feeling so fucking unfamiliar, but so damn good. Emotions flooded me as I gazed into her eyes. Protectiveness. Peace. Want. Need. Putting her up on that damn shelf, like a porcelain doll I’d thought she was so many weeks before. But this time, she was only within my reach. No one else’s.
It was then, standing there in the rain that I realized I was in love with Peyton Morgan.
The words caught behind the lump in my throat. My nose started to burn. My eyes blinking quickly. Emotions slamming into me so strongly that the next gust of wind was going to blow me the fuck over. I took a deep breath. I could do this. I needed to do this.
That’s when I cupped her cheeks and whispered, “I love you.”
Her eyes grew bright, her hands fisted my shirt. She said nothing for what seemed like the longest time, looking up at me with an expression that for the first time I couldn’t read. Fear cascaded down my spine as the silence between us hung in the air. The storm raged around us as I waited.
The words seemed hard for her to say when she asked, “You love me?”
Bringing my head closer to hers, lips a breath apart, I told her. “Fuck yes. I didn’t know what it was. I never felt it before, but when I saw you standing here, the look in your eyes when you looked at me, I knew then that I fucking love you, Peyton.”
Seconds passed, she made no move to speak, just stared at me like she was seeing me for the first time as the rain drenched us. That fear was like a fucking blade, slicing me from the inside out, waiting for her next words. Then those eyes filled with tears, and a sob caught in her throat. “I don’t know when it happened, it kind of snuck up on me, but I love you, Rutledge.”
I laid my forehead against hers, I felt like my legs were going to give out. Those words, I hadn’t known how much I wanted to hear until they fell from her lips.
My tone was rough, deep, and low, when I told her, “Say it again.”
Her expression was like watching the fucking sun coming out on a cloudy day. She moved closer and spoke softly, “I love you.”
A deep growl ripped from my throat hearing her say those words again. I let loose, putting my hands under her ass and hoisting her up, my mouth slammed down on hers, her legs going around my waist. I stalked to the trailer with only one thing in mind.
Possession. Branding her, claiming her, making her mine and to hell with the fucking demons.
Our mouths detached for a brief second and with a hand to the knob, I turned it, kicking it open with a leg. Once inside, my mouth started at her neck, nipping and tasting the soft skin I missed, the soft skin I loved. Making the short walk to the bedroom, placing a knee to the bed, I lay her down gently. I stood up, looking down at her. Her chest heaving with heavy breaths. Her skin flush. Her lips plump and red from my assault on them. Sheer fucking beauty lay before me.
“I fucking love you,” I told her again as I stood before her.
Tenderness stared back, even as a little smile played on her lips. “I fucking love you too.”
Grinning, and reaching for her hand, I teased, “That’s one for you.”
There was a twinkle in her eye when she said, “You’re rubbing off on me.”
Gently pulling her closer and peeling the wet cable knit sweater from her body, I teased, “Baby, I’ll be rubbing on you in a minute.”
I blinked. Her body tensed. Then I squinted. Her bright eyes clouded over. My body was on fucking fire for an entirely different reason.
“What in the fuck is that?” I rumbled, causing my loud voice to bounce around the room.
Her voice shook a bit, her hand moving to the bruises in the shape of fingers when she answered, “I had a visitor when I was home—”
I started to pace the small room, my hands running harshly through my wet hair. I cut her off, “What kinda fucking visitor?”
“The jackass I used to work with—” She started.
Again, I interrupted her when I stopped in front of her. “What the fuck was he doing there?” I waited a second before my voice grew louder and I asked, “Are you fucking him?”
The color drained from her face, but it wasn’t fear I saw. Soothingly she replied, “Never. His life is going up in flames and he blames me.” She stood, but she didn’t reach for me when she said softly, “Rut, please calm down.”
I took a profound deep breath and walked from the room. On the way out I punched the wall, causing the Sheetrock to cave in. Some asshole touched my girl. Some slimy piece of shit put his hands on my woman. Glancing back, Peyton stood where I left her. I noticed fear, but I saw understanding too. She knew me, knew I needed to deal.
Stopping in the kitchen, I took another breath, turned and tried to make my voice as even as possible as I asked her, “Did he do anything else to you?”
“He grabbed my arm, he demanded I come back to work...demanded the two weeks’ notice I didn’t give. Coda arrived before anything else could happen.”
My rigid body relaxed hearing her words. Another deep breath. I stared at her. Her hair dark from the wetness, sticking to her back. Her plain white bra soaked, making her pink nipples visible. Her black yoga pants clinging to her bottom half and those fucking bright ass boots. But what I focused on was the dark patch marring her upper arm.
Calm Rut. Reel it the fuck in.
I shook my head, cracked my neck side to side and started over to her. The short distance between us closed in. Laying a gentle hand to her shoulders, I added pressure.
“Sit,” I ordered, she listened without any of her normal sass.
Kneeling down, I looked closely at her arm. The heavy rising and falling of my lungs grew with each passing second I inspected her arm, but when I looked up and saw her soft eyes on me, I calmed. Tracing a slow line up her arm with my finger, watching it as it rose up to her bruises. “What’s his name?’
She held my stare for only a second before she said, “Jack Stone.”
“Noted.”
My eyes were locked on hers when I rose, grabbed the back of my soaked thermal, and yanked it over my head. The air in the room changed when I felt the heat of her gaze as she moved it over my chest.
“Bra off,” I grated out.
Hunger stared back; her eyes softened when she reached behind her and unclasped her bra. The cotton slipping down her arms.
Fuck.
It was like seeing her beauty all over again for the first time, my cock instantly strained against the zipper of my jeans. She lowered herself onto her back, hot eyes focused on me, offering without words what I was going to take and what she wanted to give. Her damp hair fanning out onto the soft blue comforter, the sight stirring more than lust.
Kneeling down, I removed the godawful rain boots, my fingers trailing up her calves and the soft skin before I removed her socks. My hands moved up her legs, I felt her body shiver from my touch, my eyes moving to hers. Her lips parted, her tongue drawing over her lower lip. Slowly I pulled the damp black material from her legs. And Jesus, she wasn’t wearing panties.
Straightening, I stared at her lying naked before me. And as always, it was a fucking sight, so damn gorgeous.
She was without a doubt, simply stunning.
That vulnerability was back by the way she drew her lower lip between her teeth, causing my rock hard cock to twitch.
“You know how fucking beautiful you are?”
Soft eyes stared into mine. “You make me feel beautiful.”
“I plan on making you feel a hell of a lot more than just beautiful, sweetheart,” I told her and watched the flushing of her creamy white skin.
Her eyes roamed over my body, chewing on her bottom lip, her gaze collided with mine. She spread her legs wider in invitation, and fucking hell, there was the pussy, the only pussy I ever fucking craved. I put a knee to the bed, leaned a hand onto the mattress at her side and ran my thumb across her parted lower lip, trailing it slowly down her body, between her breasts, over her belly, down between her legs. Her eyes glazed over, her body hummed under my touch.
Cupping her pussy, I put my mouth to her ear and whispered, “Mine.”
Her hips moved, pressing herself into my hand, her word breathlessly spoken when she replied, “Forever.”
My eyes met hers and I winked before lowering my head, my lips working my way to her tits. Just as I circled my tongue around her tight nipple, I slipped a finger into her soaked cunt.
“Fuck,” I groaned against her soft breast as I realized how fucking soaked she always was for me.
Pulling an erect nipple into my mouth, I tugged on it with my teeth causing her to gasp. Leisurely, I finger fucked her. Her soft moans were like a fucking aphrodisiac. I rooted my finger deep, caressing every crevice my cock couldn’t wait to get back into. I let her nipple go, my mouth drifting to her ear.
“Peaches?” I whispered. Finger still working her as I slowly entered another into her tight channel. My stiff cock grazing against her thigh.
Breathily she replied, “Yes?”
“Have I told you how much I’ve fucking missed you?” I asked, before kissing below her ear, reeling in the sensations I was causing her body to feel. Breathing in her sweet scent.
She answered on a sigh, “Maybe you should show me.”
“My fucking pleasure.” My voice was heavy with need as I slipped my fingers out of her pussy.
I lifted to my knees, my ass to my heels and couldn’t help but take a second to glide my eyes over the fucking beauty lying before me. I centered my cock at her entrance and leaned forward, hand to the mattress, the other lifted her head from the bed. With my lips on hers, I grumbled, “I love you.” Before slowly sinking my cock into her wet pussy.
Her eyes were bright again when she whispered, “I’ll never grow tired of hearing that.”
We locked eyes and with a hand to the headboard, I leisurely pulled out then pounded back into her. Her deep whimpers fueling my thrusts. Her moans igniting the fire building inside. I relentlessly drove deep inside her pussy.
But this time it was different. Our normal carnal need for one another took a backseat as we savored the feeling of being connected as one. As a couple in love. Because this time, the first time in my life, I was making love.
I didn’t have to tell her, she snaked a hand between our bodies. Following her movement with my eyes, I watched my cock sink into her cunt as she rubbed herself. The vision had my balls drawing up, my abs tensing with impending release. I knew after, I wasn’t going to be the same, we weren’t going to be the same.
As she let out a throaty moan, I felt her tight pussy begin to tense and the way it felt wrapped around my cock, was the same way she was gripping my heart. All soft and fucking sweet.
“Come for me, baby,” I grumbled.
Beads of sweet lay between her tits, I dipped my head, running my tongue along the moisture. Following a path to her nipple, I sucked it deep into my mouth. It was all she needed to fall over the edge. As her cunt gripped and convulsed around my shaft, I swallowed her moans with my mouth. Soon following with my own, coming harder than I ever had, a guttural groan escaping my chest as I whispered her name.
***
“I must say.” I looked over to Herb who was rocking back on his feet, hands in his pockets, cautious eyes firmly on me, and a little bit of sweat beading on his forehead, even though the temperature outside was cool.
He was fucking nervous. He and Willy had just showed up bright and early Monday morning and neither of them were expecting to see me. So when they did, standing on the porch, coffee in my hand, watching my girl walking the property, their expressions held fear. When I told them to give me a tour of what had been done, they both began to sweat and stumble over their words. This all cracked me the fuck up because it wasn’t even my fucking house, but it was my girl’s, and they knew that. If you screwed me over, I’d deal with it, but you screw over the girl in my life, watch the fuck out.
I finished with my eyes to Herb’s, “I’m pretty fucking impressed with what you’ve gotten done.”
I saw the release of tension leave his rigid shoulders and a heavy breath leave his lungs. “Thanks, Rut. I appreciate that.”
Herb was just about to speak but I cut him off. “Peaches!” I shouted and when I got her eyes, I told her, “Kitchen, now.”
Even from the distance I could see the heavy sigh that I normally got from ordering her around. She came across the dewy lawn in her floral boots, fitted, faded jeans that were constantly causing my cock to want to break free from my jeans, and a light pink sweater, all put together with a creamy white knit hat that had a pom-pom on top of it.
Fucking adorable.
Once we were all in the kitchen, Herb expressed that it was time to pick out cabinets and countertops.
Peyton’s hand glided across the dusty island counter when she piped in, “I think I’d like to rip this out.”
“Excuse me?” I questioned, my voice laced with confusion.
Her eyes shifted to me and she huffed out a breath before she explained, “It’s an eyesore and I’d like to free up the space.”
I waved an arm, signaling the room. “This isn’t fucking big enough?”
Herb and Willy stood silently watching our interaction, afraid to say anything. I saw the spark of temper in those green eyes, fought the grin as I coolly held her stare. “The kitchen is the gathering place for the home, so it can never be too big. This…” She gestured to the island “Is ugly and in the way.”
The last of her words struck me in the gut. My eyes veered from hers to the island. Memories came flooding back.
“Is that my baby boy?” My grandmother yelled from the kitchen as I came barreling down the long hall to the smell of peach pie.
“Did you make it?” I asked, breathing heavy as I had just run home from the park in town.
She smiled at me. “Of course I did.” She came to me, wiped the sweat from my forehead with the rag she always had thrown over her shoulder. “Would I let my boy down?”
“No.” I smiled at her, my breathing evening out. “Never.”
“Exactly.” She moved to the basket on the counter and picked it up. “Now, it’s still a little hot, so be careful, Rutledge.”
I grabbed the basket from her wrinkly hands and said, “Okay.”
I started to take off back down the hall when she called out, “When you get back you tell me all about this girl that I had to bake a peach pie for, boy, you got me?”
“Yep,” I shouted and ran out the front door.
The slamming of the screen door yanked me from my past.
The smell of peaches drifted my way. It was Peyton standing in front of me, assessing me with soft eyes, her voice soothing. “Rut?”
I didn’t know what she saw as she studied me, maybe more than I wanted, before she offered softly, “On second thought, it’s a nice size workspace. I think maybe I’ll keep it.”
I lifted my hand, my fingers brushed her cheek, and whispered, “Thank you.”
It wasn’t until that moment that I realized why I liked the smell of peaches so much. Even as a small boy I had been always trying to get the ladies. And the way I tried had been with my grandmother’s peach pie. But this time I wasn’t bringing the amazing smell to a woman, she brought it to me.
“So,” Herb coughed. “We keeping the island then?” He looked to Peyton.
Her focus stayed on me for a second, tenderness looked back, before she lifted my hand and pressed a kiss in my palm. Turning to Herb she said, “Yes, we are most definitely keeping the island.”
She was definitely getting fucked hard later.
As Herb began to give her all of the dimensions of the countertops and cabinets, I envisioned what it would be like. Peyton and me, living in this house, maybe a few kids running around. A dog too, can’t forget about a fucking dog, but as quickly as the amazing image popped into my head, it left and with a vengeance behind it. Pushing it right from the forefront of my head, to let the demons sit center stage and rule my life.
Peyton looked to me and asked, “You ready?”
Fuck yes!
I was ready for anything with her, fucking anything.
She reached for a bag I hadn’t seen, filled with catalogs. A big smile on her face. “It’s time to go shopping.”
Well shit! Maybe not everything.
***
Two damn motherfucking hours later we were still in the same huge home improvement warehouse in the kitchen section. I leaned against one of the countertops and watched her walk through the fourteenth model kitchen display.
“Is this what you fucking want?” I asked, no tone to my voice, because I knew like fuck it wasn’t. But I figured I’d ask anyway.
“No. It isn’t right.”
Fucking told you.
Her eyebrows scrunched together, her focus going behind us to another display. “I can’t decide if I want stone cabinets or winter white. It is such a hard decision.” She finished that thought by pulling her lower lip between her teeth, lost in thought.
“Yeah, such a major fucking life decision there,” I uttered quietly as I pushed off the countertop and looked around for a sign. They had to have some kind of fucking alcohol in this place.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing, sweetheart,” I told her as I continued looking around hoping I’d spot a blinking sign that read Bar.
The daggers she threw me suggested she didn’t believe me that it was nothing, but it didn’t stop her from pacing in concentration. She then stopped and turned to me. “What color do you think I should choose?” Her eyes going back to the cabinets behind her.
I took a deep calming breath, or at least I thought I did. I knew I didn’t when I grated out between clenched teeth, “For fuck’s sake, Peaches, go with white, white goes with everything, yeah?” When her head whipped to me, like I was on fucking fire, I continued with a softer tone, “It’s just a fucking kitchen, baby.”
I thought she’d throw out sass, but she didn’t. “It’s not just a kitchen. It’s a home. And I want it to be perfect.” Her focus shifted; there was a faraway look to her now. “I’ve dreamt of this my whole life. It needs to be perfect.” She looked back at the colors, talking under her breath before she declared, “I’ll go with winter white.”
When I saw the look in her eyes as she stared at the colors, I knew I hit a nerve. I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around her waist. Her eyes came to mine, her hands that were still clutching the color palette were resting on my chest.
“You do whatever the fuck you want. Whatever color you want.” She smiled up at me and I went on, “But baby, you think we can we do it before we’re old and gray and I can’t fuck you anymore ʼcause my dick doesn’t work?”
The fire in her eyes was back. And they weren’t heated with passion, they were heated with her signature annoyed look.
“You should write for Hallmark.” She glanced behind us. “Winter white.” Her eyes returned to me. “Happy?”
I kissed the tip of her nose before telling her, “Love you.”
Her expression softened, love looked back at me, but I didn’t miss the twitching of her lips before she said, “Now to floors.”
Floors? Fucking floors? Fucking hell. There had to be a fucking bar in here, right? Something. But I’d stay in this store with her forever if that’s what she wanted, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.
She took off but called back to me, “You coming?”
With no enthusiasm at all I yelled, “Right behind you, Peaches.”