Page 32 of Forever & Always You

Austin tosses a pillow at me and says, “We’re building a fort.”

“A fort?”

“Yes, a fort,” he confirms. He disappears through his house and returns moments later with a bundle of bed sheets in his arms. “So that thing I said about us never having sleepovers as kids? It made me realize we have therefore never had the opportunity to make a fort together.”

“You’re right. We haven’t.”

“And we need to rectify that immediately.”

“We absolutely must.”

And I’m not sure what exactly I had in mind for my Saturday evening plans with Austin, but rearranging furniture and draping sheets over chairs definitely wasn’t it.

We build a killer fort that takes over the entire living area, using all of the sheets and blankets we can lay our hands on, and then we stack pillows inside for maximum comfort.

Austin microwaves some popcorn and grabs his laptop before joining me inside the best fort I’ve ever made.

As we lie together on the pile of pillows of blankets, watching Black Widow , because Austin is now involved in my Marvel movies marathon, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.

“Thank you.”

My head rests against Austin’s chest as the words vibrate through him, and I tilt my chin to look up at him. “Thank you?” I repeat. “Thank you for what? What did I do?”

Austin wraps his arm a little tighter around me, our legs entwined as the movie plays on the laptop sat on a pile of books by our feet.

“The past few years I’ve been so serious,” he explains.

“Professional mindset at all times. Always thinking about stock fluctuations and 401Ks. Even on weekends, I’ll work extra from home.

When I hit the bar, I’m thinking of investment strategies in between beers.

When I run, I spend each mile mulling over a different client’s portfolio. ”

“Because you’re committed,” I say, “and really good at what you do.”

Austin laughs. “Yes, I am, but my point is .?.?. I’ve been a little less serious since you showed up, so thank you.”

“That’s a good thing?” I ask, raising a brow. If anything, I’d presume that makes me a bad influence. I don’t want to be a distraction from his career.

“Yes, Gabby, it’s a good thing. I needed your goofy humor back in my life so that I’m not crunching numbers in my head all of the time.” He smolders his eyes at me and kisses my temple. “Reminds me of how it felt to be a kid.”

I pout my lips at him, only because I know now just how much he loves it. “Am I too childish, Austin?”

“No. You’re perfect.”

“That’s a lie,” I say, rolling my eyes.

He grins and says, “You’re perfect now that you aren’t bullying me.”

“Austin!” I jerk up from his chest and support my weight on one hand instead as I stare down at him with a frown. “Don’t say things like that.”

“Why? Feel guilty?” he teases.

“Obviously.”

“Good, then find a way to say sorry.”

His gaze is inviting, his smirk challenging, and that’s as clear a green light as any.

Grabbing a fistful of his T-shirt, I passionately take his lips with mine. I’ve been waiting what seems like an entirety to feel his hands on my body again and I’m not waiting a second longer. I’ll catch up with the Avengers later.

I swing my leg over Austin’s stomach and straddle his hips, flattening my chest against his as his hands securely grasp my waist, but I want to be the one in control.

I grab his hands and pin them to the pillows around him as he strains against me, deepening the kiss because his mouth is the only resource he has.

“I can’t touch you?” he rasps, and I feel his frustration in the way he locks his wrists beneath my grip, fighting for freedom.

As I kiss my way along his jaw, I very deliberately draw my mouth close to his ear, lower my voice, and simply say, “No, darling.”

I release my hold on his wrists and grab his jaw instead, angling it upward to allow me to kiss my way down the stubble on his neck. My other hand trails down his chest, skipping over the waistband of his sweat shorts and brushing my palm over his solid cock bulging against the soft cotton.

“Oh, hi,” I say. “That was easy.”

“You don’t need to work for it, Gabby,” Austin says, lifting his hips to press himself harder into my palm. “I have to fight the altitude every time you smile at me.”

I shift my body back, settling onto my knees between his legs. Austin sits up a little, resting on his elbows and gazing down at me with hot anticipation, and oh, how I refuse to disappoint. I hook my fingers over the waistbands of both his shorts and his boxers and tug them down in one swift pull.

His cock springs free, slick with anticipation, and I wrap my hand around the base and work my way enthusiastically up his shaft.

Austin hums contentedly under his breath and when I steal a glance up at him, his eyes are closed.

As I work my hand, I gather spit in my mouth, then lean in close and seal my lips tight around his tip.

Austin flinches at the sensitivity of my wet mouth wrapped around the head of his cock and the groan that reverberates around our little fort is the most gratifying sound in the world.

It motivates me to deliver, and I circle my tongue around his tip, light and teasing, before taking all of him to the very back of my throat.

Despite my no-touching instruction, Austin can’t help but lose his hands in my hair, gathering my curls out of the way.

Every time he responds to my movements with a moan, I make a mental note of what it is exactly that he likes so I can memorize it forever.

I get into a rhythm, switching my attention back and forth between the shaft and the tip while also working my hand along the base.

I glance innocently up at him from beneath my eyelashes and our eyes lock for only a split second before he throws his head back into the pillow with a tremendous groan. “Stop.”

“Stop?”

“Stop,” he repeats, “because I’m going to come and I haven’t fucked you yet.”

“Okay, I’ll fix that,” I say with a smile.

I undress at lightning speed. Whip off my shirt, unclasp my bra, shuffle out of my shorts and panties. I feel so wet and swollen with my desire for Austin, and I readjust back into position over his lap, my knees either side of his hips.

“You’re so fucking pretty,” he says, hands tracing the curve of my waist all the way down to my ass where they remain. “Maybe this is my favorite view. You’re perfect at every angle, Gabby.”

My hand wrapped around his cock, I guide myself down onto him and my eyes roll in satisfaction as he fills every inch of me. For a few moments, I remain still, unmoving. Our eyes meet and the lust in his gaze as he admires me is enough to turn me wild.

“Hi, loser,” I breathe.

Austin squeezes my ass. “Hi, loser.”

“Corporate loser.”

“Bartender loser.”

“Runner loser.”

“Duke loser.”

I smile. “How about we’re both just losers?”

“Both losers,” he confirms, hooking his hand around the back of my neck and pulling my lips down to his.

I press my hands flat to his chest for support and I bounce on my knees, taking his cock over and over again, until my lack of working out becomes apparent and the burn in my thighs is too much to bear.

I roll my hips instead, grinding back and forth and achieving the stimulation on my clit I so desperately need.

My moans become erratic, uncontrollable, and Austin takes over, locking his arms tight around me and thrusting hard from beneath me.

It’s a blur, the way his groans punctuate mine and our movements spiral out of control, until suddenly we both collapse at the exact same moment. I fall forward onto his chest as pleasure rips through me and Austin’s body involuntarily twitches and jerks.

Breathlessly, he asks, “Did we just—?”

“We did,” I splutter. My heartbeat hammers in my chest and I struggle to catch my breath, my skin scorching hot and damp with sweat from so much exertion.

“Fuck, we’re so synchronized. That’s incredible.”

I remain sprawled over Austin for a few minutes as I recover while he strokes my head and randomly kisses my forehead every now and again, both of us mindlessly watching the movie.

I should get cleaned up, but I can’t bring myself to move and ruin the moment.

Who knew how nice post-sex cuddles could be?

“Gabby,” Austin says. He skims his fingers delicately over my bare shoulder, his touch electrifying my skin. When I glance up at him in response to my name, his smile is gentle and his eyes warm. “I forgive you.”

My heart stutters, and it’s only just recovered. I lift my head from his chest to look at him properly, studying that warmth in his blue eyes to suss out how genuine this declaration is. His face is still flushed with color and I worry he’s just in an orgasmic daze.

“I don’t want you to forgive me just because I’m a master at giving you head,” I say.

Austin laughs. “You are, ” he says, moving his hand to my face as the laughter settles into sincerity, “but I think I forgave you a while ago. Maybe it was that mischievous look in your eyes when you smothered your pancakes in maple syrup. Maybe it was when you cried over the dogs in the shelter. Maybe it was when you promised me you wouldn’t break my heart again.

” He stares silently into my eyes as his smile falters. “But I forgive you, Gabrielle.”

“You do?”

“I do,” he confirms with a nod. He tilts my jaw up, moving his lips toward mine, but I well up into tears before he even has the chance to kiss me. “Gabby! This is good. You don’t need to cry.”

I laugh through the tears, because I honestly can’t fight them. The relief spreading through my body is too overwhelming. That first day I walked into Austin’s office, it seemed like there was no hope at all of forgiveness.

“It means so much to me that you gave me a second chance, Austin.”

He swipes away my tears with his thumb. “If I didn’t give you a second chance then I’d be missing out on this new tradition of pancakes on Sundays. By the way, I bought maple syrup.”

And goddamn, the things I’d do to him now .