rather, coaxed through the slow reconciliation of our bodies.
My clit rubbed against him as he filled me deeper than ever before. I felt him twitch, felt the break in his exhale as his lips faltered over mine, and we barreled into shared orgasms that had us dissolving and melting.
Afterward, his forehead on mine and our skin sweat-misted, we clung to every sensation, our lips fused as it faded.
“Do you really think they’ll be up for this?”
We’d borrowed Adela’s car and were on our way home.
For the first time since I’d left last Christmas, I didn’t dread returning. I felt only slight nerves for what might happen when we got there and told everyone the news.
My hand hugged Everett’s as we traversed the back streets of Plume Grove, nearing the beach. “I think they’ll play hard to get, but I’ll give you back door entrance if they say no.”
Everett barked out a laugh, then paused, glancing over at me behind his Ray-Bans. “Wait, seriously?”
He’d been trying to ease me into it in the weeks since we’d reunited and crashed together in a way that still sent ripples of warmth cascading down my arms. Every time since had been an adventure, had evoked sensations that’d laid dormant, waiting for his touch, but that first time… it’d felt like a new beginning. And I’d never felt a beginning shake me in ways like that. In ways no orgasm ever could.
“Seriously.” I hoped like hell they were on board. Anything the size of his cock had no business trying to fit into a place as small as my ass. It didn’t seem like a fun time to me.
Everett shifted in the driver’s seat, releasing my hand to tug at his jeans. “Number one thousand and twenty-two.”
“What?”
He spared his parents’ house the briefest of glimpses before pulling into my parents’ driveway. “The number of hard-ons you’ve given me when I’m around your family.”
I clicked off my seat belt, reaching below my legs for my purse. “Only a thousand? We’ll need to work on that.”
“You’re gonna be the end of me, Clover.”
Grinning, I went to climb out when he grabbed me, pulling my face to his for those lips to kiss mine. “I love you.”
“I love you.” So surreal that after years of longing, of dreaming for this moment, it was actually happening.
I just prayed that walking inside that house together, making that big of a statement, didn’t burst this feeling that kept expanding every time I was with him.
We made it to the porch steps before the door was flung open, and Mom came rushing out.
Her arms squeezed us both, her eyes glassy as she kissed our cheeks. “I’ve got no idea what you two are up to, but I’m just…” She blew out a breath, stepping back with her hand over her chest. “So happy you’re all here again.”
Dad stood in the doorway with a pensive look on his face as he studied me and Everett.
I forced my lips into a smile, and his features softened. More hugs were had, and he clapped Everett on the back, whispering something to him that sounded like, “You really don’t wanna fuck this up, kiddo.”
Inside, we followed them to the living room, where the rest of the guys, even New Guy, sat sprawled over the couches.
Hendrix on his beanbag, thumbs moving across the screen of his phone, muttered, “Not even kidding.”
“I need me a job at the golf club,” Graham said.
“You wouldn’t score as well as Hendrix, man. Don’t waste your time.” Mom cleared her throat, and Dale’s eyes widened before he pasted on that smarmy, mischievous smile. “Well, well.”
Everyone looked up, and I went to remove my hand from Everett’s, but his grip tightened.
“To what do we owe this pleasure?” Graham crossed one leg over the other, his polo shirt looking a little more snug as his arms spread over the back of the couch.
New Guy moved away from him a little.
“Enough with the Shakespearean shit.” Hendrix slipped his phone away.
“That’s not Shakespeare, you fucktard.”
“Language, ladies,” Dad said, taking a seat on the only spare couch, then gestured for Mom to join him.
“So are you two lovebirds going to take a seat?” Dale rubbed his brow. “Or do you wanna continue standing there like stunned mullets?”
We moved into the room and sat on the floor near the fireplace. I crossed my legs quickly, cursing the fact I’d donned a dress. “We have news.”
“Yeah? Pregnant?”
Mom’s eyes popped. “Hendrix.”
Hendrix shrugged. “What else could this broken family meeting be