Page 24 of Sweater Weather (Sapphire Falls Orchard #1)

TWENTY-FOUR

Bells

I t’s the first time I’ve ever seen Tilly cry, and I don’t entirely know what to do.

So besides offering her a tissue, I extend my arms in case she wants a hug.

I won’t be offended if she doesn’t. Everyone has different needs when they’re upset.

But Tilly accepts my hug and leans into my chest to cry.

I rub small circles on her back and wonder if it was the best idea now to give her the letter.

Maybe she would’ve been happier not knowing?

“I’m sorry if you think I shouldn’t have given you the letter. I thought you’d want it, but I should’ve asked.” I sigh.

“No! I’m not crying about the letter. Well, I am.

But not in the way you think.” I give her a chance to blow her nose and then she continues.

“I really thought she left you this place because she thought I couldn’t handle it.

And that’s part of why I hated you so much.

She barely knew you, but she thought you’d do a better job than I could.

It didn’t make any sense. I spent my life working for this.

But now knowing it wasn’t about me at all, and she was just trying to protect me. It makes me feel a lot of things.”

“I didn’t know you thought that. I thought you were just mad she left it to me.”

“Well yeah, but it was mostly because of my feelings attached to it. Like I thought she suddenly thought less of me or something. But clearly, she was right in her choice. You turned this place around and saved it. In a lot of ways I never thought were possible.” She smiles.

“I guess Aunt Blake kept up on me. She had all these notes about me and why I’d be the best for the job. It was jarring but I’m hoping I made her proud,” I admit.

“You definitely did.”

“I do want to ask you something. Now that this place is in the green again, would you be interested in being my co-owner? I don’t want to give this place up, but I’d be willing to share it with you.” I smile. It’s something I’d been thinking about for the last few weeks.

“Really?” Her face lights up.

“Yeah, I can’t guarantee whatever this is will work out with us. I hope it does, don’t get me wrong. But either way, I hope you’ll be my business partner and keep my aunt’s legacy alive.”

“I would love that.” She nods. “But I’d also like you to be my romantic partner too.”

“I think we might be able to arrange that,” I tease with a wink.

Tilly leans in to kiss me, her lips soft and tender.

Her cheeks are dry from any tears, so I hold them in my hands as I kiss her.

She tugs gently on my bottom lip with her teeth, and I moan.

Her tongue slips in, and she pulls my body into hers.

Tilly takes her time kissing me. Nothing about this is rushed despite the fact that I can feel the need growing between us.

I palm her breasts through her T-shirt, and she tugs at the bottom of my shirt.

I want to yell at her to take it off and fuck me, but I restrain myself.

I want this moment to last between us. Plus, I usually liked to be the one making her beg, not doing the begging.

Tilly’s mouth starts trailing down my neck.

She grabs my breasts in her hands and plays with them gently.

She slides up my shirt painfully slow and then dips her head to my chest, taking my nipple in her mouth.

She glides her teeth over it, taking the time to suck.

My thighs clench together as she switches between each one.

“Please, touch me. More,” I finally beg.

“I thought you’d never ask.” She smirks and slides her tongue down my stomach.

Tilly stops just above the waistband of my clearly soaked panties. I can smell my arousal from here, so God only knows what she’s thinking. She presses her thumb to the wet spot on my clit, and my hips buck toward her involuntarily.

“Oh, fuck!” I moan.

“God, you’re so needy.” Her eyes are dark with desire.

Tilly tugs my panties to the side and slides a finger down the lips of my pussy. I bite back a moan as I shiver again. She is touching my aching pussy, and I love it. Oh, I am definitely into this woman.

“I’m going to fuck you now, okay?” Tilly looks up at me.

“Yes, please,” I say with a heavy breath.

She slides down my soaked panties and tosses them aside.

I watch as she looks at my pussy with desire.

Tilly presses her tongue to my clit, and I moan effortlessly for her.

She slides her tongue through my pussy, lapping up all of me, and I can’t hold back my moans.

Tilly is taking her time with me, and I’m enjoying every second of it.

She knows my body so well at this point, knowing it takes me longer than most to finish.

That I like to lather up all the foreplay I can get.

She stops for a moment to free my breasts, tossing aside my shirt and bra.

Only to return to between my thighs and press her face to my pussy.

My breath hitches as she makes contact with my clit.

She sucks on it lightly, lighter than she did to my nipples, and then swirls her tongue down my pussy.

I reach for her head and grip her hair tightly as she presses her tongue to my clit again.

She’s paying close attention to my reactions, and I’m able to relax under her touch.

“Mm, yes! Suck right there,” I encourage her when she returns to sucking on my clit.

She drags a finger up my pussy and easily slides it inside me. “C-can you add another finger?” I moan.

She nods, looking up at me, but between my belly rolls and me holding her hair, I can’t see very much below me. She removes her fingers to add a second one, slowly teasing me inside. She curls them just like she did in the shower, and I can feel my orgasm rising.

“Tilly! I’m gonna cum!” I cry loudly.

“Come for me, baby,” she tells me and moves her tongue even faster on my clit.

She sucks down hard on my clit, and I see fucking stars. I didn’t know an orgasm with another person could feel that fucking good. Holy hell. I collapse into the couch we’re on and she places soft kisses along my thighs and pubic bone.

“I’m s-so sensitive,” I mutter.

“Want me to stop?” she asks with a smirk.

“Just for now,” I admit.

She leans on the side of the couch and pulls my body closer to her. We’re a mess, I’m completely naked and she’s still fully clothed but I was in heaven. She kisses my forehead, and I can smell myself on her.

“I love making you cum,” she murmurs in my ear.

“I’m a fan,” I say lazily.

She places a hand on my cheek and smiles. “You're beautiful.”

"So are you." I smile but she makes a face. “I mean it. I feel so lucky to be with someone so beautiful."

"Come on," she groans.

"I'm serious." I stare at her until a blush creeps across her cheeks.

She kisses me, this time with more tension. Climbing on top of me, she tears off her T-shirt. She catches me staring as she unhooks her bra and tosses it aside.

"Like what you see?" she asks, smirking.

"Oh yes," I murmur and take her boobs in my hands. I slide my hands down her chest and around her waist, down to her ass, pulling her against me.

I bend down to take a nipple in my mouth between my teeth.

"Oh, fuck!" she calls out, gasping.

I flick my tongue over each nipple several times until she's squirming against me. Then I place delicate kisses up her chest and down her neck and over again until she’s squirming.

"Can I fuck you?" I ask quietly as I look up at her.

"Yes, please," she says excitedly.

She climbs off me to take off her pants, dropping them to the ground, and this time I’m the one on top. “You still don’t want to be eaten out?” I ask.

“Honestly, I’m not opposed right now,” she whispers, biting her bottom lip.

That’s all I needed to know. I dip my head toward her glistening, wet pussy and slide my tongue over her clit.

She responds immediately, bucking her hips toward my face.

I soak in every drop of her sweet juices, and I only want more.

Fuck, how did I go this long without knowing how good she tastes?

I wish she would’ve let me do this months ago.

I hope she’ll let me do this again. I flatten my tongue against her core and sop up every drip of her.

She pushes my head down closer to her clit, and I suck gently on her sensitive bud.

Her thighs clasp around my head tightly, like earmuffs, and I flick my tongue over her clit.

"Oh, fuck. Bells, don't stop," she moans out. I can barely hear her with her thighs around me, but I make out her heavy pants.

I hum against her, and she goes wild. Her hand tangles itself in my hair, and I lick harder and faster for her.

I can feel her body getting closer and closer to orgasm the more I lick.

I just want her to come for me. I want to know what she sounds and feels like when she lets go and explodes all over me.

I slide one finger into her dripping pussy, and she screams in pleasure.

"YES!"

I curl my finger inside her, feeding off her reactions, and she is so close it must be painful.

So I pump my finger in and out of her pussy while I suck on her clit, and I can feel her stomach raising with each deep breath.

It's only seconds before she's screaming my name and coming all over my face. I soak up every last drop of her juices as her pussy contracts, and I give her one last lick. Her thighs go limp, letting me free, and I look at my girl that’s clearly spent from her orgasm.

“Holy fuck.” She gasps breathlessly as I wipe my mouth dry.

“That good?” I tease.

“I’ll definitely be asking you to do that again.” She moans again. “As long as you want to,” she adds quickly.

“Oh, yes please. I can think of a few different ways I’d like to do that.” I wink.

“First, we need to get something to eat, because God, you taste and small like apple pie. I’ve been craving it since you kissed me. So please tell me we saved a pie somewhere,” Tilly says and I start laughing.

“I think you left one around, want me to check the kitchen?” I go to move off the couch, but Tilly pulls me back down.

“Not yet. I just want to lay with you first.” She wraps her arms around my naked body, we pull a blanket over us, and we both relax.

I can’t help but think about my aunt in this moment and how grief changed the course of my life.

I can no longer imagine my world without Tilly—or without the orchard.

For the first time in a long time, I feel at peace here, surrounded by my little makeshift family and someone I care so deeply about.

My mind races with a hundred new ideas for this place, but I don’t leap up to write them down.

There’s no rush. I have time—years and years, I hope—to bring them to life.