Page 44

Carson

“ S it. We need to talk.”

The sight of Wren walking out to greet me on the front porch is exactly what I want to see every damn day.

Her presence in my life isn’t something I’ll ever question again.

I need her as much as my lungs need air.

Seeing her now is all the reminder I’ll ever need of the fact that I can’t be without her.

She hesitates before sitting down on the old porch swing.

It’s damn near identical to the one we sat on all those years ago—when she cried, and I sang to her.

I’d never done anything like that before.

It was awkward as hell, but she needed comfort, and I needed to give it to her.

I’ve never stopped chasing her happiness since, even though I can be an idiot sometimes.

But that all stops now.

Life’s taken us down many different paths since that night. And somehow, here we are. Back where it all began. Where we belong.

The hum of crickets fills the air around us as Wren’s worried eyes lock on mine, her hands clasped in her lap.

“Is everything alright?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No. Not really.”

Her brows pull together, but before she can start spiraling, I add, “I saw my mom today.”

“What?!” Her eyes go wide. “Where? What did she say? How did?—”

“Hold on,” I say and chuckle. “Let me get this out, and I promise I’ll answer all your questions.”

She mimes zipping her lips, locks them, and tosses the invisible key over her shoulder. I’m not a man who uses the word cute , but hell if that isn’t the only word that fits some of the things she does.

“Y’know, Wren…today I realized that we’re nothin’ like my parents.

And I’ve been a damn fool. Especially when it comes to you.

” I pause, exhaling slowly. “I’ve pushed you away all these years, afraid I’d turn into my dad.

Or maybe just convinced I was too broken to be loved by someone—especially someone like you. ”

“Carse—” she begins, but stops when I raise an eyebrow at her. She quickly zips her lips shut again.

I smile. “You are the sweetest woman on the damn planet, and I was just some bum kid who showed up on your doorstep one day with a shitty attitude and nothin’ else to offer.”

Her head shakes, brows arched inward. It’s easy to see that she’s struggling to remain quiet.

“My whole childhood, my dad made sure I knew how worthless I was. And I believed him. I mean, hell, my own mom left me—so who the hell else could love me if she couldn’t?

“I convinced myself I’d be better off alone. Better off leavin’ anything good alone… Leavin’ you alone, Tink.”

My hand reaches over, gently wrapping around hers.

“I’ve always feared turning out like them. But you know what I realized today? That’s all bullshit. Because when you were out of my life for forty-eight hours, it nearly broke me. And that’s when I knew—I’m not like them. I couldn’t walk away from something I love and just live with it.”

Her fingers tighten around mine.

“And I love you, Tink. I’ve always loved you.”

I’m fairly certain Wren has stopped breathing. Her hand tightens around mine even more, and her eyes widen as she leans in closer. I know it’s killing her to remain quiet and seated, but I have to finish this.

“One of the many differences between them and us is that we actually care . We try. We want each other to be happy. I looked back at my parents’ lives today and realized—I don’t want that kind of misery.

And even if I didn’t have the best example, I know I can do better.

Because I want to be better. For you . That’s the difference. ”

I lift her hand to my mouth and press a kiss to her knuckles.

“I’m sorry it took me so long. But, I’m in this for as long as you’ll have me, Tink.”

Her glossy eyes shine as she leans in and kisses me—slow and sure, like she’s anchoring herself in the moment. In me .

The sweet taste is all I want for the rest of my life.

She points to her mouth, and I laugh.

Reaching up, I pretend to unzip her lips. The grin that breaks free will be burned in my memory for the rest of my life.

“I love you, too, Carse,” she says softly. “I always have.”

Her forehead rests against mine. I breathe in the calming, floral scent of her hair and let the quiet sit between us, full and warm. There’s nothing else I need.

I’m sure there are a million things she wants to say, but instead, she’s sitting here with me in silence, feeling my words buzz around us.

“I’ve gotta question for you,” I murmur, pulling back just enough to meet her eyes.

“Yeah?”

“I know this is ass-backwards, but… Will you go on a date with me?”

The fact that I’ve never taken this woman on a proper date is embarrassing and honestly pisses me off a bit.

Her laugh bursts out, bright and disbelieving. “I guess we’ve always done things our own way, haven’t we?”

I nod in agreement and raise an expectant brow.

Her soft pink lips find mine again. “Of course I will.”

“One more question.” I stand and extend my hand to her. “Dance with me?”

“There’s no music,” she teases, slipping her palm into mine as she stands.

“We don’t need it.”

My arms wrap around her waist, her head nestling against my chest as we sway on the porch. The soft scent of lavender becomes all I smell. Her warmth, all I feel.

“I love this song,” she whispers against my chest as I hum.

“And I love you, Tink.”

I press a kiss to the top of her head.

“Do you remember when you sang this for me?” she asks, her voice barely audible.

We’ve come a long way since that night on the porch swing. Back then, her touch terrified me. Now, I don’t think I could live without it.

All these years, any time she’s hugged me or rested her hand on my arm, I’ve always tensed. Pulled away. I hated how much I didn’t hate it.

But now?

Now I don’t have to pull away from her ever again.

I’m not the kind of person who hums or sings—especially not for someone else.

But things have always been different with Wren.

The tune I’m humming used to upset me when I was a kid. It used to remind me of what I lost. But since that night I comforted Wren, this song has belonged to her alone.

I spin her around, and she stops, her smile lighting up her whole face.

Still holding my hand, she pulls me into the house and leads me to the large sectional couch.

Once we’re there, she turns to face me and lets go of my hand.

Her eyes drop, something nervous flickering in her expression.

I pause, watching her, wondering what she’s up to.

“I… I want to…” Her quiet voice struggles to find the words she wants to say.

From the way she nibbles at her lip and casts her eyes directly at my dick, I think I have a pretty good idea of what’s on her mind.

“Want to what?” I brush the hair from her forehead. “Use those pretty words, Tink.”

“Will you teach me how to … please you?” she asks, cheeks flushed.

I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart, gently brushing the hair from her shoulder. “You want me to teach you how to suck my cock, Tink?”

She nods shyly, meeting my gaze with a spark of curiosity and hesitation.

I step to the couch, then turn and extend a finger, beckoning her to come to me.

She moves in closer, gnawing at her lip some more. I love how she gets nervous beforehand every time.

But I know that in just a few minutes, she’ll completely release her worries and insecurities once I help her escape from her own thoughts.

My fingers effortlessly work the button on my jeans, and I kick them off. As I take a seat, I keep my eyes on her fidgeting form. Her gaze nervously flicks down at my exposed half.

“When did you get that?” She points to the only colored tattoo on my body.

In all the times we’ve been naked together, she’s never had this view of me. The darkness of the room or the remaining clothes on my body always block the tattoo I keep just for myself.

“I’ve had it a long time... Come here,” I command, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer.

Wren slowly kneels in front of me, a vision of perfection. Her eyes skim over the flower tattoo. It’s not just any rose—it’s her rose. A pink wren rose.

“It looks so real,” she murmurs. “The petals… They look so soft.” Her fingers ghost along the colored ink, blonde brows knitting together. “Is that a?—?”

“Yes.” I lift her chin gently, letting out a soft sigh. “I have a tattoo of your rose on my body. It’s the only one I have in color because it was made for you. And you , Wren Beckett, are the only color I’ve ever had in my life.”

She stops breathing, her face frozen.

Then she surges forward, kissing me with a quiet desperation. Her soft lips melt against mine, familiar and new all at once. There’s no doubt in my mind that she is the most perfect taste I’ve ever experienced—just like I always knew she would be.

I trail one hand down her stomach, slipping beneath her sleep shorts. She gasps when I find her already wet.

“Carse, no,” she breathes, breaking the kiss. “I wanted to do this for you ?—”

Her protest becomes a moan as I push her panties to the side and slip two fingers inside her, curling just right.

“I want you to scream for me first, baby,” I whisper into her ear as she buckles forward, her hands gripping my shoulders.

She momentarily stops breathing as my fingers move in and out of her. My thumb swirls her clit and she crumbles against me, crying out as she falls apart in my hands.

“Wren Rose,” I breathe into her ear as she quivers over me. “So perfect. Just as soft and sweet, aren’t you, love?”

I pull my hand from between us and bring it to my lips, sucking each finger clean, savoring her sweet taste.

“I like that,” she whispers, still catching her breath.

“You like my fingers inside of you, Tink?”

I grin as I lick the last digit clean.

“No,” she shakes her head, sitting up again. “Well— yes ,” she admits with a shy smile. “But, I meant when you call me love .”

“Do you?”

She nods. “Yeah. It feels more… intimate . I like hearin’ you say it.”

I press my lips to hers in response, letting her taste herself on my tongue.

“Good. Because I have no intentions of stopping.”

Still flushed and glowing, she offers another bashful smile as she tucks her hair back over her shoulders again.

“Now,” I say, leaning back, voice low and dark, “do you still want to learn how to please me?”

She nods, her tongue ghosting over her lips as she stares down between us at my hard cock.

“Good girl,” I murmur. “Because the sight of you on your knees for me is drivin’ me fuckin’ mad.”

I fist her hair gently, guiding her closer.

“Take a deep breath for me, love,” I say, staring down into her wide, eager eyes. “It’s gonna be a while before you get another.”