Page 32 of Finding Home (Willow Valley #1)

THIRTY-TWO

EVERETT

W hen I return from the washroom after disposing of the condom, Chloe slips in right behind me.

While I want to wrap her in my arms and hold her, something about the way she went from calling my name like a prayer to making her teasing comment about letting me fuck her in my shirt tells me that’s not the right thing to do right now.

There’s something off about her, but I know not to push her.

Chloe is an open person, talking about everything and anything, so if she needs time to process whatever she’s thinking about, I’ll give it to her until she’s ready to talk.

I settle in my usual spot on the couch and scroll on my phone. I don’t pay attention to it much, my eyes constantly flicking down the hall to where Chloe is hiding in the bathroom. It’s as though she’s pulling into herself right now.

She eventually comes out but quickly dips into her bedroom before returning to the couch.

I notice that while she kept my shirt on, she’s thrown on a pair of shorts.

She went from being perfectly okay walking around naked after I removed her shirt in the kitchen and spending time down here in just my shirt to adding more clothes.

I don’t like the fact that she’s covering herself from me, but I don’t say anything as she settles on the couch.

I relax a little as she picks the middle cushion instead of sitting on the other end.

I watch as she wraps her arms around her legs, as though she’s fighting an internal battle with herself.

She leans my way every once and a while, like she’s going to lean into my side and relax as I wrap my arm around her, before she decides otherwise and sits straight again.

My fingers fight to reach out and graze her skin, to tell her I’m right here, but I don’t.

My stomach eventually growls, and that gets her attention.

“The food should be done if you want a late lunch, early dinner. I can make you a bowl.”

I nod, grateful she’s talking to me. She heads to the kitchen and returns with two bowls of what looks like stew. I hand the remote to her, and we eat while we watch the show she picks.

I can see and hear the wheels turning in her head as we sit in silence, and when she places her bowl on the table, pauses the show, and turns to face me, I follow her lead.

She fiddles with the hem of her shirt, avoiding eye contact with me, but if we’re going to talk, she’s going to look at me. My fingers find her chin and lift it, forcing her eyes to mine, and she swallows.

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” I ask.

Her eyes flutter closed for a second as a stream of air leaves her and blows across my skin.

“I’m nervous,” she finally says. “I want to make sure we take this slow and don’t get in over our heads.

” She gnaws her lip. “I’m scared I’m going to get hurt.

I’m realizing there are more feelings here than I realized, and I don’t know how to put it all into words yet. ”

I lean forward and dust a soft kiss over her lips, my hand moving from her jaw and my thumb brushing lightly across her cheek. “We can go slow, Chloe. I’m not going to pressure you, but I’ll tell you what I’m thinking.”

She nods and holds my eyes, hers full of hope and a little bit of worry.

“I’m thinking you’re an amazing woman. That you’re good with my daughter and a light that fills every room as soon as you step into it.

I think that just by being you, you pull everyone in.

You pulled me in the first time we met when that was the last thing I wanted.

You have unknowingly made me want to know more about you, want to spend time with you.

I’m not going into this with no thought.

I have a daughter I need to protect, so when I say I want to make this work, I mean it and have thought this through. ”

Her hand wraps around my wrist, and she leans into my touch. “I would never hurt Lila,” she whispers.

I nod. “I know. And I’ll never do anything to intentionally hurt you. I’ve been single for a while, though, and my relationship with Renee wasn’t exactly the healthiest, either. I’m bound to make a mistake or do something stupid, I just ask that you’re patient with me and tell me.”

She smiles. “I can do that.”

I lean in and kiss her again, and this time, she kisses me back, her arms wrapping around my neck. I find her hips and pull her closer, and she straddles me. My hands move under her shirt, relishing the feel of her bare skin as I take my time tasting her, my tongue exploring her mouth.

I break the kiss, peppering soft pecks on her lips, and she looks down at me. “Let me take you out. On an actual date.”

She presses her lips together as she fights a smile. “Really?”

I squeeze her hip. “Like I said, you’re not someone who should be hidden away, Chloe.”

“I’d like that.”

I check the time on my phone and look back at her. “You think you can get ready in an hour?”

Surprise fills her face before she’s pushing off me and making her way down the hall towards her bedroom.

I can’t help the chuckle that leaves me.

I slowly follow her and lean against the wall outside the bathroom.

When she comes back out of her room, she does a double take before moving into the bathroom and turning the water on.

I pull my shirt over my head, and she asks, “What are you doing?”

“Showering with you. Did you really think I was going head upstairs and take my own shower when I could be naked with you?”

A blush tinges her cheeks, and I push down my sweats, stepping into the shower.

Chloe’s sharp inhale fills the small room.

I look at her, and she reaches out, running her fingers over my back.

I turn and look in the mirror to see what garnered her attention and smirk when I see the red scratch marks she left all over my back.

“Nice work,” I say, and she rushes out with, “I’m so sorry. ”

I shake my head and turn to face her, helping her out of her shirt before she pushes her shorts down and steps in with me.

“Don’t be sorry. I expect you to replace those as soon as they fade. You left your marks on me, and I plan to wear them with pride, same with this—” I point to the hickey starting to form on my collarbone.

I pull her under the stream of water with me, leaning down and trailing my lips down her neck and across her shoulder.

“Just know that I plan to leave my own marks, Chloe. I’ll keep them hidden so only you and I know about them, but every time you take your clothes off, you’re going to have a reminder that you’re mine. You won’t be able to escape it.”

She arches into me as a soft moan escapes her.

I drop to my knees in front of her and spread her legs.

I kiss up the inside of her thigh, finding the perfect spot for me to leave my mark on her beautiful skin.

Her hand finds my hair as I suck at her skin, releasing it when I know she’ll have a nice mark.

I move to her hip, not satisfied with only the one.

“Everett,” she moans.

“Yes, Chloe.”

She looks down at me but says nothing.

“Tell me what you want. Don’t go shy on me now.”

“Everett, stop toying with me and eat my pussy.”

The glint in her eye when I smirk up at her is almost as satisfying as the sound that leaves her as my tongue dips through her folds before flicking her clit. She lifts her leg, settling it on the edge of the tub, and I grin. Chloe is needy, and I fucking love it.

My finger teases her entrance, as my tongue circles her clit.

She rolls her hips into my face as she says my name in a mixed moan and a whine.

I slowly push a finger in, only as far as my first knuckle, before pulling it out and pushing two fingers in.

Her grip on my hair tightens, and she pulls, almost to the brink of pain.

I press on the soft spot inside her as I suck on her clit, and she comes, her pussy squeezing my fingers.

My free hand grabs her waist, making sure she stays upright as I continue to work every last drop of her orgasm from her.

When she’s panting for breath, I pull my fingers out and stand in front of her.

I suck her from my fingers before I kiss her, my tongue tangling with hers and forcing her to taste herself on me.

When she breaks the kiss, I rotate us until she’s fully under the water.

Then I silently turn her so her back faces me and fill my hand with shampoo before working it into her hair.

I take my time to massage her scalp the way I know she likes before raking my fingers through her long strands.

I help her rinse it out and then massage the conditioner into the ends.

I take my time washing her body, taking in every inch of her skin and the way she reacts to small touches.

As soon as I’m done, she takes the soap from me and returns the favour, starting at my shoulders, massaging and washing them.

When her thumb works into a particularly sore spot, the groan that leaves me echoes in the bathroom.

She presses into it again, and my head falls forward as I breathe through the feeling.

“When was the last time you had someone help you with these knots?” she asks.

She presses into it again, and I grit my teeth.

“I can’t remember,” I hiss.

She stops and continues to wash me. “When we get home, I’m working on those. You’ve got those knots all across your shoulders and down your back.”

Just the thought of having someone—not just someone, Chloe—work those knots has me slightly relaxing.

When she finishes washing me, she places a soft kiss on my shoulder.

I turn off the shower and grab a towel and wrap it around her, placing a kiss on her forehead before wrapping one around my waist and heading upstairs to change.

Before I make it to the bottom of the stairs, Chloe calls my name, and I stop and face her.

“What am I supposed to wear?”

I shrug. “Whatever you want.”

“That’s not really helpful. Where are we going? Should I be wearing something super casual or dressing up?”

“You can wear literally whatever you want, Chloe.”

She gives me pouty eyes, but I just walk backwards with a smirk before taking the stairs two at a time. I quickly throw on a pair of dark jeans and a navy button-down shirt and head back downstairs. I wait on the couch until Chloe comes out and takes my fucking breathe away.

She’s wearing the same black dress she wore that night out with her friends, but the picture she sent did not do her justice.

I drag my hand down my face as I take in every inch of her.

The dress hugs her every curve and, paired with her heels, makes her legs look a mile long.

Her hair is in a half-up, half-down look that makes her eyes pop.

The eye shadow she’s wearing makes the blue sparkle.

“ Fuck ,” I groan, and her lips tip up in a grin.

“You like?” she asks, and I shake my head.

“I don’t just fucking like . I’m kicking myself for not driving out to you when you wore that last weekend and dragging you back here.

I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to go out and not embarrass myself with a constant hard-on or stop myself from punching any man that looks at you.

You’re stunning and fucking sin wrapped in a dress. ”

She strides towards me, taking her time before stopping in front of me and pushing on my shoulder until I lean back against the couch. She bends to meet my eyes while giving me a good look down her dress.

“You think you can keep it together if I promise to wear something even better for you when we get back?”

My hands find her hips, and I pull her closer. She stumbles slightly, her knee finding purchase between my legs as I whisper over her lips, “Such a tease.”

She nips at my bottom lip. “It’s not a tease if I follow through.” She steps back and runs her hands down her dress. “I’m ready when you are.”