Page 76 of Savored Sins
The pendant Zeke gave me is lying on his stomach, where it fell when I rolled off my back and into his side. He lifts it, his fingers stroking the brilliant red of the gem inside while he clears his throat.
“I’m really glad she got to tell us what happened,” he says, his voice soft in the stillness. “It sucks I won’t be able to get it out there for her like I wanted to, but maybe… I don’t know. Maybe we can do it a different way.”
I stop, looking up at him sharply. “What do you mean? Why won’t you be able to get the story out there?”
He shrugs, and my head bobs with his shoulder. “I told you, baby. I’ve got a job now. I signed a contract. Carter did me a favor, and it’s my turn to work off the debt now. EvenifI were to win that contest—and that’s abigfucking if—I don’t think I can juggle both the job and the show. We’ll have to figure out a different way to get justice for Lena.”
“Wait—what?” I push up to my elbow, looking straight down at him. “I heard you say that earlier, but I didn’t realize—I didn’t think you actuallymeant?—”
“Autumn, it’s fine. You’re more important than a show.”
“No! I’m not letting you give that up for me. That show was yourdream.”
“Nah,” he says. The sudden, tender look on his face makes me catch my breath. “I’m looking at my dream right now.”
I study him for a minute, allowing his words to settle inside me. It’s crazy, but I believe him. I actuallytrustthe words he just said—and the realization of that makes me staggeringly, earth-shatteringly happy.
“I love you,” I blurt out, brushing a kiss to his lips. I’ve been waiting to tell him all night, the words simmering inside me. He grins at me, strokes my cheek.
Even though I believe Zeke, that fixing shit with me was worth it to him, this isn’t over. Whether he gives himself credit for it or not, he gave up something huge for me. Sacrificed the thing he wanted most to help me. And I fully intend to step up to the plate for him, too.
But first—right now. I need him again.
My fingers trail down those washboard abs of his, tracing lines between them. With the growls coming from Zeke’s throat, I can already tell homeboy down below will be raring to go again pretty soon.
“Good thing you’re young and virile,” I say, pulling him to his feet and pinching his tight, juicy ass. “It’s time for round two, motherfucker.”
And sure enough, homeboy rises to the challenge again.
And again.
We use all three condoms.
thirty-seven
ZEKE
Zeke: Is Trey coming to the Founders’ Day thing?
Autumn: Yeah, and Dustin. Why?
Zeke: Is he gonna kick my ass?
Autumn: Maybe. But you might be able to outrun him.
Zeke: Might????
Autumn: I mean, this isn’t Will we’re talking about…
“Babe, the new placeslaps.”
Autumn grins up at me as I drape an arm around her shoulders. We’ve just left her shop’s new location on the west side of town and are making our way toward Main Street for the annual Hawthorne Bay Founders’ Day celebration.It’s been a long ass morning of unpacking boxes and setting up racks, but we made a lot of progress. And once the new location is up and running next week, Autumn will be officially free of that fuckwad Patrick Carroway.
Including her last name—whichno, is not going to be Holloway. Not yet, anyway (although never say never). She’s changing it back to Westbrook. Her maiden name.
“You like it?” Autumn asks, slinking her arm around my waist. “It’s not as nice as the old place, and it’s on the far end of Main Street, but hey, I can afford it and it’s not owned by the Carroway clan.”
I wave a hand. “Fuck the Carroways and their dumbass building. You’re adesigner. You’ll make the new place lookdope.”
