reverse, and begins backing up. “No.”
“Love doesn’t work that way. I get to—”
“Still no.”
“You’re infuriating.”
He laughs. “You’re one to talk.”
“But—”
“No.”
Once he’s backed out and pulled out onto the road, he takes my hand, holds it to his lips, and kisses the back of it softly, reverently, over and over again.
“I need you to understand something.” His tone is now serious. “I never walked away from you, and I never will.”
I believe him. I truly do.
“Next time you decide to leave in the middle of the night, maybe you could leave a note,” I say quietly.
He chuckles softly against my hand, presses a kiss to it, and says, “Shall I sign it ‘thanks for the pounding?’”
To that, I can’t help but giggle.
Chapter Twenty Two
Cha robh dithis riamh a’ fadadh teine nach do las eatarra.
(Two never kindled a fire but it lit between them.)
- Irish proverb
Beckett
Stepping out of the vehicle and onto the brick drive, I inhale the scent of the wind and the taste of the crisp mountain air, and the only thing that comes to mind is—home.
Never in all my travels did I get that feeling, until Sarah.
I hurry around the front of the vehicle, pissed that I had a moment, and forgot what being someone’s man entailed.
“I will get the door for you from now on.”
“Yes, sir,” she says softly, and that phrase, unlike the air, seems bitter now.
I grab her hand and pull to stop her. She turns and looks at me with a question in her eyes.
“Beckett,” I state firmly, wanting nothing more than to hear my own name on her lips.
She moves her lips back and forth like she’s fighting a smile.
“Becks works, too,” I say as I quickly scoop her up in my arms.
She grabs my shoulders, laughing. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying the future Mrs. Hawthorne into our home.”
“Are you asking me to marr—”
“No. Not yet. There are steps that must be taken. I’ll do this the right way, Sarah. You’ve seen but one side of me.” I quickly open the door and step in. “I was raised right, and I don’t half-arse anything.”
I kick the door shut behind me and hurry to the top of the stairs with her in my arms.
Once in the bedroom, I set her on her feet, and remove her clothes, piece by piece, starting with her shirt, and making my way to her shoes.
I immediately notice the fuzzy socks with shamrocks on them and look up.
“Oh, God,” she grumbles. “Can you ignore—”
“For now, yes. But you clearly missed me as much and—”
“Of course, I did, but—”
Standing up, I toss the socks aside. “No more buts, Sarah.”
She nods and smiles the prettiest damn smile I’ve ever seen. “No more buts.”
My heart is beating hard against my chest as I drop to my knees and kiss my way up her legs. Between kisses, I tell her what she needs to hear, and I desperately need to say, “You are the one and only love of my life.”
“Beckett,” she whispers as I inhale the slightly floral scent of her skin.
“I swear I'll lose my mind if I don’t have you soon.”
She inhales my name. “Beckett.”
I tease her quivering lips open with my tongue, moving slowly from lips to her jaw and down her neck, nipping the soft skin behind her ear before dropping to my knees.
I work my way up her leg, forcing myself to avoid her center.
Running my nose across her pelvic bone, I groan with a deep need. “If I start here, I’ll never stop.”
“I want you inside of me,” she whimpers.
I kiss up her stomach, my hands trailing behind now, cupping her ass. My mouth captures one of her taut little nips, sucking then biting, pulling, tugging.
“Beckett.”
Never has my name sounded so damn good. I release her nipple and brush my lips over hers, pushing them apart with my tongue, stroking hers with mine as I push myself up to rid myself of the clothing that’s hindering skin-to-skin contact.
“You’re my one and only.”
She repeats, “You’re my one and only.”
“Nothing will ever come between us.” I step out of my jeans, then push off my boxers.
“Nothing,” she whispers as she looks me over appreciatively.
Naked, I climb on the bed and hover over her, settling my hips above hers.
I lean down and kiss her; she kisses me deeper as her hips rock against mine.
Fighting the urge to push inside of her, I reach between us and gently rub her clit.
“Yes.” Her back arches, and she moans. Then, she reaches between us