Page 36 of Finding Home (Willow Valley #1)

THIRTY-SIX

EVERETT

W hen Chloe picked up Lila and held her as though she’d protect my little girl with her life, the last of my defences protecting me from falling too deep crumbled.

The way she held her, whispered to her, rubbed her back, and didn’t put her down even though I know her arms were getting tired snapped the last piece of the puzzle in for me.

Chloe would go to war for Lila. Whether that was against the world or even me, Chloe will put Lila above all else.

She’s shown it in the way she’s taken her to the horses and allowed her to explore that hobby and connection.

The way she’s listened to Lila and been a safe space for her.

I’ve watched the two of them curled up watching movies together, the way she got Lila proper riding boots and Lila asked for ones to match Chloe’s.

I knew the day I met Chloe in Incahoots she’d be a great mom one day, I just never imagined it would be to my own daughter.

When we moved to this small little town I had spent much of my childhood in, it was for the sole purpose of taking care of Grandma and giving Lila a safe place to grow up.

I would have said you’re insane if someone had told me I’d find someone I’d grow to love in a way I’ve never loved in my entire life.

I never felt for Renee the way I do for Chloe.

I’ve never been a soft and emotional man. I’ve cried twice in my adult life .

When I held Lila in my arms the first time, and when my grandfather passed.

With Chloe, emotions don’t feel like a burden or a weight that makes life more difficult. She’s made emotions so much more. She makes life look good again, like I’m not just here for my daughter, but I’m also here for Chloe and myself.

When Renee started changing and wasn’t spending as much time with Lila, it felt as though I had the weight of the entire world on my shoulders.

I was Lila’s sole provider, and I viewed it as my duty to make sure she had her mom and spent time with her.

That feeling of duty was the sole reason I remained in Calgary and didn’t try to bring Lila here sooner.

Renee’s passing made that weight feel so much heavier.

I knew I couldn’t provide Lila with everything she needed.

A female role model is important. She needs to see other women be strong, fun, kind, generous, so she has something to emulate.

Chloe is more than I could have wished or prayed for.

She is everything I’d be proud for Lila to grow up to be.

After they settle on the couch together, I walk over and kiss the top of Lila’s head.

The way she’s holding on to Chloe right now, I don’t see her letting go anytime soon.

My eyes meet Chloe’s, and my hand instinctively cradles her face.

I know my eyes are showing more than I can convey in words right now.

She kisses my palm, and I press my lips to the top of her head, inhaling her scent, taking a small sense of peace before returning to the kitchen and giving them some space.

Trying to keep myself together, I pack up dinner and do the dishes by hand before putting them away and cleaning the table.

When I return to the living room, both girls are passed out, Chloe’s cheek pressed to the top of Lila’s head.

I lean against the kitchen entryway and take in the sight of them and how right they look together.

I push off the wall and grab a blanket, laying it over them before changing and heading downstairs to the gym, needing to work out some of these emotions with physical exertion.

After thirty minutes, I’m wiping my face with a towel when I catch Chloe sitting on the stairs watching me.

She smiles softly before walking over to where I am.

My hands find her hips, and I pull her closer and help her straddle my lap.

We don’t say anything as her arms wrap around my neck and mine wrap around her waist.

I’m not holding her, we’re holding each other. We’re silently sharing strength, giving each other what the other needs. Peace settles over me. This inexplicable feeling that everything is going to work out. No matter what hardships or pain we have to experience, Chloe and I will work out.

I will fight tooth and nail, until I’m old and grey, for this woman. I’m not letting her slip through my fingers no matter what.

“Lila?” I ask after a minute.

“I put her to bed,” she whispers into my neck.

We sit in silence, and I don’t know how much time has passed when she pulls back and wipes at the silent tears that fell as she was in my arms.

“I love her,” she whispers. “She’s so much stronger than she should have to be.

” She hiccups and continues. “I don’t know how you’ve managed to raise such a smart, kind, and empathetic little girl, but she’s all of those things.

Hearing her say she wants you to be happy had my heart breaking, but having her think I made you happy was a little patch to my heart. ”

I cradle her face in my hands, my thumbs taking over her efforts of wiping at her tears.

“She’s stolen my heart, that little thief,” she says on a laugh with a shake of her head, her lips pulling up slightly. “I don’t want it back, though.”

I can’t help but smile at her, can’t stop myself from placing a soft kiss on her lips, needing a connection to this amazing woman. She deepens the kiss, her fingers finding purchase in my hair. She nips at my bottom lip, and our kiss turns hungry.

My hands find their way under her shirt, and she breaks our kiss, trailing her lips along my jaw and down my neck. I’m hard in my gym shorts, and she rocks against me.

“Please,” she whispers, and my grip on her tightens as she nips at my ear. “I need you. I need a physical connection.”

Her plea is so much more than sexual. It’s soul deep, a need to feel connected in a bigger way while feeling good, and that feeling calls to me. I need to be close to Chloe right now .

I stand, my hands on her ass as her ankles hook behind me, and carry her upstairs to my bedroom, gently placing her on the bed.

She holds her arms above her head, and I slowly peel her shirt up before dropping it beside me, my hands moving the waistband of her leggings next as I pull them down her legs.

She watches me, her expression so open and vulnerable.

When I stand in front of her, I take in every inch of her. She’s wearing a basic fabric black bra and panties, nothing overly sexy about them. They’re not lace or barely covering her. They’re basic, everyday comfortable bra and underwear, and something about that turns me on even more.

I don’t need Chloe to wear expensive or revealing lingerie for me, because no matter what she wears, she’ll always be the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.

I reach behind my head and pull off my shirt before pushing down my shorts. She bites her lips and starts to shuffle further to the middle of the bed, but I grab her ankle, stopping her. She raises a brow, and I pull her back to the edge of the bed.

I hover over her, reaching behind her and undoing the clasp of her bra single handedly. She helps me remove it before I slowly remove her panties.

“You don’t really think I’m just going to bring you in here and fuck you, do you Chloe?”

She bites her lip but doesn’t say anything.

“I’m not. I’m going to get on my knees and worship you the way you deserve to be worshipped.

I’m going to make you come on my tongue until you think you can’t take any more, and then I’m going to make you come one more time before I fill you with my cock.

I’m going to have you coming so many times your legs are weak.

I expect fresh marks on me, North. I want new reminders on my skin that I’m yours. ”

Her legs fall open, further showing me just how wet she is.

“Do you want that, North?”

She nods. “Yes, now get on your knees, Everett, and eat my pussy like you promised.”

I grin as I fall to my knees in front of her and slowly drag my tongue through her hot centre. Her moan as my tongue circles her clit is music to my ears. She bites her hand as I do it again. As much as I want to hear her screaming for me, I know we have to be quiet.

I slowly push two fingers inside her, crooking them to find that soft spot inside her.

The second they do, her hand finds my hair, and I slowly massage that spot.

I take my time, bringing her to the edge, and her thighs tighten around my head as her orgasm takes over her.

As it subsides, she lets them drop back open, but I’m not done with her.

I circle my tongue over her sensitive clit before pulling it between my lips.

Her back arches off the bed as she whimpers, and I feel her toes curl against my sides.

I release it before letting my teeth gently graze it, sending her over the edge again.

Her pussy grips my fingers as she comes again, this orgasm lasting longer than her first.

“Such a good girl, coming so prettily for me,” I praise, and she bites her lip, looking down her body at me. “You’ve got one more in you. You’re gonna give me one more, and then I’m going to fill this perfect cunt with my cock.”

“Please,” she mewls, her eyes fluttering closed.

I withdraw my fingers from her, pushing three inside her this time, and she moans as they slowly stretch her.

I give her a second to adjust before my tongue is flicking her clit.

Her hand is no longer containing her moans, so she reaches beside her and grabs a pillow, holding it over her face as I do every little thing I’ve learned helps bring her to the edge.

She’s so responsive to me, and it only pushes me to want to see her come again and again. To see how easily I can get her wet and how quickly I can get her off, all while making sure she’s never left unsatisfied.

She comes again, both arms holding the pillow to her face as she fills it with her muffled moans of my name and screamed fucks.

When I feel like she’s ridden out the orgasm, I pull my fingers out and stand as she moves the pillow beside her and stares up at me. I take my time sucking each of my three fingers into my mouth and gathering every drop of her cum off them.

I reach into the nightstand and grab a condom, rolling it on slowly and giving myself a couple pumps.

She watches me and shuffles to the middle of the bed, dropping her legs wide for me.

I crawl up the bed between her legs, holding eye contact with her before I kiss her.

I kiss her with every emotion she’s made me feel, lust, desire, fear, gratefulness, and love.

She wraps a leg around my thigh and pulls me closer and my cock slips between her folds she’s so fucking wet. I position myself at her entrance and push forward, absorbing her every moan with my kiss. Her nails scratch at my back, and I grin against her lips, knowing she’ll leave fresh marks.

Each of my thrusts is slow as I make sure I hit that perfect spot inside her, loving the way her eyes start to roll back as I do. I place gentle kisses on her cheeks and neck, keeping my mouth busy so I don’t randomly blurt words I know I shouldn’t say in a moment like this.

“Everett,” she whispers, and I pull back, looking into her eyes, wet with tears.

I see it in her eyes. The feeling we’re both too scared to verbalize no matter how much we both feel it.

I kiss her, hoping it conveys everything I want to say to her.

She kisses me back, and I feel it deep in my soul.

She’s patching pieces of me I didn’t even know were broken and taking little pieces of me for herself, and I willing give them to her.

Her tears start to fall, and I brush them away, breaking the kiss, my breath dusting over her cheek as my orgasm builds.

I close my eyes, allowing the feeling of being with Chloe in this moment to overtake all of my sense.

I let all thoughts fade away and relish in the feeling of her wrapped around me, my name a whisper on her lips, her nails against my back, and I have to bite her shoulder as my orgasm tears through me.

I want to yell, call her name as it consumes me.

She comes with me, her pussy gripping me so tightly it’s as though it’s trying to pull me in further.

We take our time coming down from our highs before I pull out of her and head to the washroom to clean myself up before she takes my place.

When she comes out, I silently hand her one of my shirts and pull the blankets back for her, and she climbs into bed.

I climb in on my side and pull her in close, my arm wrapped around her, and kiss her temple feeling the most content I think I’ve ever felt in my life.