Page 37

THIRTY-SEVEN

FARRON

BABY ARO

Day 513

The crisp winter air bites at my cheeks, but the sun shines brightly above, wrapping me in its warmth. I tilt my head up, only to frown at the storm clouds gathering on the horizon—silent and looming, creeping closer to swallow the light. I wish they would stay away. I need the sun today. I crave its warmth, its brilliance.

But as I near the barn, the first drops of rain begin to fall, the shifting weather feeling like a cruel omen after my confession the other day. A trial by fire—that’s what it felt like. Yet, since then, something within me has changed. I feel lighter. Freer.

They know everything now—the whole, ugly truth. And still, they stayed. There was no disgust, no pity. Just understanding. A depth in their eyes that made me feel seen, truly seen, for the first time. Maybe this storm isn’t a warning. Maybe it’s a cleansing. Raindrops washing away the past, leaving me with something new. A clean slate.

A shaky breath escapes me, and I catch myself smiling. Is this what it feels like to live unburdened by secrets and guilt? To finally let go?

I chuckle as I near the barn, the familiar sounds of animals rustling inside tugging me back to the present. Nessie and her baby have been on my mind all morning. It’s been weeks , and guilt nags at me for not choosing a name yet. Things have been so chaotic and overwhelming these last few months that I haven’t had the headspace to find one that feels right. But today, that changes. Today, I’m determined to find the right name. I’ll sit with them in the stall for as long as it takes, watching and waiting for inspiration to strike.

Inside the barn, I pause to visit EJ first. He nickers softly as I approach, and I dig into my pocket for the carrots I brought. His lips tickle my palm as he chomps on them. Normally, I can’t stand the sound of someone eating with their mouth open, but when EJ chomps on the carrot with an exaggerated crunch, loud and utterly shameless, I can’t help but find it irresistibly adorable.

On my way to Nessie’s stall, I toss quick greetings to the chickens and goats. Rounding the corner, I stop short. Leaning against the stall door, his arms crossed loosely, is Kenji, his attention on the growing calf. He’s wearing those tight jeans that hug his thick legs too well, a crisp white long-sleeve sweater that stretches perfectly across his chest, and black cowboy boots. His hair is loose today, falling over his shoulders in soft waves, and the sight makes my fingers itch to touch it.

I walk toward him, slow and quiet, not wanting to break the moment. It’s too late, though, because Kenji’s already noticed me. A smile tugs at the corners of his lips, soft and unguarded, and my heart does an awkward flip in my chest. Seeing him smile instead of scowling does ridiculous things to me. Though, if I’m honest, even his scowls had their own appeal. But this? This smile? It’s devastating.

As I near the stall, Kenji straightens to his full height, his presence somehow even more commanding. With a step to the side, he makes just enough room for me to slip into the entrance beside him. The easy confidence in his movements sends my pulse skittering, and I hate how aware I am of him.

“Hey,” he says, his voice low and smooth.

“Hi,” I respond, my own voice coming out in a whisper.

Kenji’s hand lifts, his fingers gentle as he tucks a stray curl behind my ear, causing my cheeks to heat. “You do remember you’re not supposed to be going anywhere on your own, right? The buddy system was your idea if I remember correctly.”

I roll my eyes at him, even as I have to fight the urge to lean into him. God, why does he have this effect on me? “You’re here on your own, too. I think we’re both in trouble.”

He laughs softly, shaking his head at me. “So,” he says, holding my gaze “What are you going to name him?”

My brows knit together. How does he always know?

“Can you read minds?” I ask, squinting at him suspiciously.

Kenji grins, pulling me into a one-armed hug as he presses a kiss to the top of my head. The gesture is so casual yet so intimate, that it steals the breath from my lungs. It’s as if everything the other day just opened the floodgates for him to show me more affection. “Nah,” he says, his voice rumbling against me. “I just know you.”

Of course, he does. That’s why he pushed me the other day, forcing me to spill my truth. It’s like he can read me better than I can sometimes.

Kenji shifts beside me, his shoulder brushing mine, and we stand together in quiet companionship, watching the baby nurse from Nessie. There’s a warm contentment swelling in my chest looking at this new life that Kenji helped me bring into this world.

His arm comes around my waist, tugging me closer until we’re pressed side by side, hip to hip. My heart stutters as I glance up at him, his lips just a breath away. The memory of our time the other night in my shower comes to the forefront of my mind—the feel of his skin against mine, his hands digging into me.

My breath hitches and I drop my gaze to the baby. “Aro,” I say softly, and I watch as Kenji’s mind tries to catch up to what I’m saying.

Kenji’s brow quirks. “That’s the name? Why does that sound familiar?”

I hesitate, a sly smile tugging at my lips. Should I tell him? No. Let him work for it. I slip out from under his arm, taking a few steps back. His head tilts, the look in his eyes shifting into something more predatory. It sends a thrill through me, because right now? Right now, I think I’d like to be hunted.

When I’m a safe ten feet away, I toss out, “You’ll have to figure it out.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I turn and sprint for the barn entrance, my boots echoing against the floor. Kenji’s heavy steps follow, and I know he’ll catch me in seconds, but I don’t care. I want to be caught.

I glance back just as he rounds the corner, the intensity in his eyes sending a thrill down my spine. I barely make it outside before the rain slams into me, sharp and cold, soaking me instantly. I blink against the downpour, trying to clear my vision, but it’s already too late. Kenji’s arms wrap around my waist, pulling me flush against him. A startled laugh escapes me, turning into a soft squeak as he lifts me off the ground and presses me back against the barn wall. His hands bracket my face, caging me in with his body.

The rain beats down on us, cascading over the back of his head and dripping onto me, creating a faint halo around him. My eyes trail down, catching on his soaked shirt clinging to his chest, highlighting his gorgeous tattoos. The thin fabric molds to every muscle, every line, every ridge, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination.

Holy shit.

My hands move before my brain catches up, sliding down to rest on the hard plane of his stomach. His sharp inhale is audible, low and primal, as his abs tense beneath my fingers. At this moment, I finally get the appeal of wet t-shirt contests. If this is what they’re about, I never want to see Kenji in anything else ever again.

His eyes darken, as if he can hear every wild thought racing through my head—and knowing Kenji, he probably can. He leans in, capturing my lips with a kiss that steals the air from my lungs. My hands stay pressed to his stomach, reveling in the solid heat of him, while his fingers cradle my face, tilting me up so he can deepen the kiss. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, commanding, and I can’t stop the soft, needy sound that escapes me.

My hands slide up his back, slipping under the drenched fabric of his shirt. He’s all warmth, chasing away the chill of the rain. Kenji pulls back, his eyes meeting mine with a silent question. I nod before I can think of a reason not to. I’ve wanted this, wanted him , for so long.

Our clothes come off in frantic, messy motions, and somehow we end up with Kenji’s boots still on, his pants bunched awkwardly at his ankles. My pants and underwear are gone, one of my boots kicked to the side while the other remains stubbornly in place. Despite the freezing cold, neither of us can be bothered to care, too lost in our need. When he starts to pull off his shirt, I stop him, hands flattening against his chest. It seems I now have a new fantasy that I’m absolutely determined to make a reality. His smirk deepens, knowing exactly what I’m thinking.

My mouth waters as my eyes fall to his cock, my gaze lingering on the metal at his tip, glinting in the light. He hoists me up, my legs wrapping around his waist as his body aligns with mine. A shuddering breath leaves my body as he rubs against me, my wetness spreading over him. He tilts my chin back up to draw my gaze away from where we’re about to meet.

I’m just about to lean forward to kiss him when something flickers in the corner of my eye. A shadow, maybe, a flash of red. My head jerks sharply, scanning the rain-blurred landscape for the source.

Kenji’s brow furrows. “What is it, Princess?” His voice is smooth yet edged with concern.

“I thought I saw something,” I murmur, my gaze darting through the sheets of rain.

He tilts his head, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips. His nose brushes my cheek as he leans closer, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. “Not in this storm. Probably just an animal.” Then his tone shifts, playful yet dark, drawing my attention back to him. “I thought you liked being watched?”

The corner of my mouth lifts, a breathy laugh escaping me. “I do,” I admit, the words slipping out on a gasp as his body shifts against mine again, my focus drawing back to his hardness against my heat. “But only by the three of you.”

His smile falters, replaced with something softer. “Do you want to stop?” And I know he would. He’d stop—right now, even with the rain soaking us, even with how desperate we both are—if I said no. I glance around one last time, but the rain blurs everything, shadows morphing into nothing. Whatever I thought I saw is gone, and the truth is, I don’t want to stop. Not now.

“Fuck no,” I breathe, my resolve solidifying as I shift, aligning us perfectly, his tip notching right at my entrance.

Kenji growls low in his throat, the sound vibrating against my chest, before his lips capture mine in another heated kiss. My arms wind around his neck, pulling him closer, and his hand slides down to where we meet, holding his cock in place. His other arm braces me against the barn, holding me steady as he pushes inside. Slowly, deliberately, he fills me, inch by delicious fucking inch. My gasp breaks the silence, carried away by the storm.

“Oh, God,” I moan, my head tipping back to hit the barn wall with a soft thud. He’s big—long and thick—and my body stretches around him, every nerve alight.

“You take my cock so well, Princess,” he murmurs, his voice smooth like velvet and laced with heat that could melt the cold right from my bones.

I lose myself in the moment with him, my body following his lead as Kenji guides me effortlessly, each movement perfectly timed. He knows just how to angle himself, hitting all the right places, making me forget the world around us. He moves the hand braced against the barn wall to wrap it around the front of my neck, tightening his fingers just enough to make a deep, guttural groan fall from my lips.

My grip tightens around his neck as I reach between us, lifting his wet shirt just enough to watch where we’re joined. The sight alone is enough to send me spiraling, but there’s no avoiding my orgasm when he picks up the pace, pounding into me even harder. It crashes over me, and my hand rests against his abdomen as my release goes on and on forever, my body clamping down around him.

“Goddamn, Princess,” he groans, his voice thick with awe. “You’re so fucking beautiful when you come around my cock.”

My climax subsides, but Kenji doesn’t. His hands tighten around me as his lips find mine again, the kiss searing and full of longing, his pace quickening. I bite down on his lower lip, sending him tumbling towards his own release, the most delicious fucking sound ripping from his throat. He pulls out of me as he comes, his release painting the ground below us.

We stay like that for a moment, raindrops falling and chilling us to the bone. His lips trail down my jaw, his breathing steadying, and I can’t help the soft laugh that escapes me when he finally speaks.

“So,” he says, his voice teasing as he leans back slightly. “Are you going to tell me what the name Aro is from?”

I grin, pushing at his chest. He stumbles back, giving me just enough room to shimmy back into my soaked pants. It’s a struggle—everything is wet and sticking—but I manage after a few grunts and curses. Kenji follows suit, pulling his shirt down as he watches me with that familiar intensity. Once dressed, I grab the front of his shirt, pulling him into a quick, playful kiss. “You’ll just have to find out,” I whisper against his lips before slipping out of his grasp and heading back toward the barn.