Page 47 of Forever After Fall

“I know. You already do.” She kisses me softly, answering like she knows my mind.

She wraps a leg around me as I slide inside her. I fuck her slow, taking my time kissing her and listening to every soft sound she makes. She’s already so ready for me, so perfectly fucking ready that when I circle my thumb over her clit, sensing my own wave of pleasure building, she comes so fucking hard. Her sweet pussy pulses around my dick with each ripple of her own orgasm, taking me with her as she cries out.

I fuck her until I’m spent and then kiss my way down her chest as I pull out of her. I roll over to my back, with her at my side, and she curls up against me. I wrap my arm around her as she buries her face in my chest.

“Could we talk about something beyond Halloween? Extend the deal through Christmas maybe?” she whispers.

“No,” I admit. “No more deals. I don’t want to sneak around anymore. I can’t hide how I feel about you, Bristol. I can make it to Halloween if that’s what you need but after that…” I can’t help the confession. I have to tell her. My heart will fucking burst if I don’t.

She jolts up from my chest, her head turning so her eyes meet mine, searching them in the low light of the room for what feels like an eternity before she meets me right where I am.

“Me too.”

I’m not sure anything is better than how I feel right now.

“Don’t get me wrong. I like our bubble. Not having this whole fucking town meddling and commenting on what we do or when and how we do it. But I want our friends and family to know we’re together. Ford especially.”

“Me too,” she agrees, and her eyes turn glassy like she might cry.

“What’s wrong?” I run my thumb over her chin, my brow furrowing.

“I’m happy. For the first time in such a long time. I guess that means I have to cry. Everything’s still very mixed up from all the toxic, stressful mess I’ve put myself through. But I feel like I’m finally unraveling from the knot I’ve been in. Like you give me what I need to make that possible.”

“Same, darlin’. I feel the same way about you. I haven’t been this happy in…” I make sure I have her eyes on mine when I tell her what I need her to understand. “Ever.”

She melts into my embrace in response, wrapping an arm around me and tightening her grip. I can hardly believe I have everything I never thought I would right here, right now.

TWENTY-ONE

Bristol

The morning of our big Halloween event, I get to the ranch early, but even I can’t beat Anson. He sees my truck pulling up into the lot and waves at me. I watch him nodding gravely along to something one of his guys is saying, and Kell is standing nearby shaking his head. The two of them take off back toward the haunted house, and Anson heads my way. The look on his face tells me I’m not going to like the news, and as I put my truck in park, I feel queasy with worry.

Hazel comes back from her trip this morning, and I want everything to be perfect for her tonight. She was trusting me and Anson to put on the first festival without her, and so far, it’s gone well. We had record numbers, and despite our diversions, or maybe made better by them, Anson and I are a killer team on this project. I want to make her as proud of us as I am. So I hate that I can tell before Anson even says a word that things are about to take a turn for the worse.

“That looked ominous,” I say as I climb out of the truck.

“Unfortunately.” Anson nods.

“Tell me before I get back in my truck and flee the scene.” I try to joke to lighten the mood.

“There’s an issue with the haunted house. They tried to get the fireplace working this morning, so you all could have that scary tales-by-the-fire event tonight, but there was an issue with the flue. I guess it needs to be cleaned, and it’s caused a whole hell of a lot of issues,” Anson explains.

“Meaning?” I press as I toss my bag over my shoulder and lean back against the truck.

“They tried to light the fire. The smoke backed up into the house. It took them a few to put it out. They didn’t check the flue to be sure it was clear, and sure enough, there were some dead animals and debris in it. And it’s not connected properly in the attic either. So there’ll be no tales by the fire.”

Crap. I was counting on that event. But it’s the least of our worries if we’ve destroyed all the hard work on the house in the process.

“But is the house okay?”

“It’s okay. Still standing and in one piece. But it’s a mess. Smoke-filled. Soot everywhere.”

“Oh my god. Can we get the house cleaned up in time?” I feel the panic seep into my body and start to flood my senses.

“We’re working on it. I’ve called in all the backup I can muster from my team. We gotta get the windows open and the air quality up. Get a few industrial air purifiers in there and get the flue cleaned out. Then we’re working on cleaning up the space. Grace sent over the inn’s housekeeper with a battery of supplies, and she’s got the guys on their hands and knees scrubbing everything.” Anson smirks. “I don’t think they’ll sign up for next year’s event.”

“Well, worst-case scenario, we don’t have the haunted house tonight. That’s… terrible but survivable. All the vendor booths are still open? The hayrides running? Horses are happy?” I try to find some positives to cling to in this mess.