Embrace (Evolve Series #2) (30 page)

“I don’t want to be a tease, but I’m nervous. Sex
changes people, and we’re perfect. And boys brag to their friends and that will
hurt me. And—”

“Shhh, everything’s fine. Let me assure you now,
when the time does comes, I won’t brag to my friends.” I can’t help my small
snort. “I think maybe you’ve watched too much
Greek
, Whit, and by the
way I hate that show so I’m happy to help you over that. You just stick with
Duck
Dynasty
; pay attention to how they treat their women. I will never
disrespect you, and you’re right, we are pretty prefect. So let’s wait until
the time is perfect too, okay?”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.” I kiss the end of her nose as she peers
up at me through worried eyes. “Even if I wasn’t, wouldn’t matter, you’re the
boss. Just like my mama and Dad; I may fight ya as we get older, but you’re
always gonna have the final word.”

“And you’re not mad?”

“Go to sleep, woman, we’ve got a big day ahead of
us. You want the music on or off?”

“On,” she answers sleepily.

S
urely it can’t be morning already. The
music is still playing and it feels like I just fell asleep with an aching,
disappointed, not speaking to me dick. But in the dream I was having, my
hummingbird’s sweet pink mouth was wrapped around me, her fingers tickling
below, and he was just about to forgive me. Yeah, it felt almost that good,
like that—

“Whitley?”

“Mmmm?”

I lift the covers and look down. Not a dream. “Damn,
babe,” I rumble, “what got into you?”

I watch, enjoying the show, while she ignores me,
hollowing her cheeks in utter bliss, twirling her tongue right under the rim
before pulling off.

“I’m ready,” she says in a deep, seductive voice as
she rolls a new condom down me.

Like a moron, a brain dead glutton for punishment, I
say, “Whit, I told you we could wait. What changed your mind?”

“You did. You talk in your sleep, did you know
that?”

“No.”

“You do. And if I ask you stuff, you answer.” She
prowls up my body, kissing a trail. “I trust you, and I want you too. Now,” she
adjusts, teasing her wetness along the length of me.

“Whitttt,” I drawl out, crazed and feigning.

“I’m right here.” She lifts and guides me to her,
taking in just the tip. “Ahh!” she cries out.

I pull back and turn us so that she’s on her back. “It’ll
hurt less this way, baby.” I use my fingers to spread her moisture, then use another
to stretch her while I suck a soft nipple slowly.

“Perfect song,” she moans.

Only Whitley
, I think with a grin, knowing
she will probably hum this song every time we make love for the rest of our
lives. Fine by me. I love her humming, her voice, this song…it’s on my
Hummingbird playlist after all.

When she’s writhing, mumbling and begging
incoherently, my fingers having about got her there, I slide in as slowly and gently
as I can. I’ll never forget this moment as long as I live, the exact second I
first joined with Whitley Suzanne Thompson, her back arching off the bed and
her mouth dropping open, “Sideways” by Citizen Cope setting the perfect mood
and saying the perfect words.

“All at once, babe, go,” she tells me and winces,
grabbing my ass and pulling me deeper.

I feel it, can actually feel it break, and she
screams in sharp acuteness, killing me. “Shhh, I’m sorry, pretty girl, I’m so—”

“No, I’m okay, keep going.” She sucks in a deep
breath. “Slow,” she murmurs, one tear dripping down her cheek.

I bow my head and lick the tear off, then kiss all
over her face as I rock into her, closing my eyes and absorbing the madness of
it all; my head’s spinning, my heart beating frantically, sweat building on my
back. Being inside her, it feels… There’s nothing like it, nothing. “Whitley, I
love you,” I let my head fall back, “
love
you.”

“I know, you told me.” A sobbing moan breaks from
her. “Me too, Ev, me too, so much.” Her arms wrap around me, then her legs. “You
feel so good, so close to me. Never stop.” I feel her hand move down between
us, and, oh, fuck me I’m done.

“’Bout to, ahhh, Whit, hurry!” I fight it, I fight
it like hell, but the sight of her finger helping herself is my unraveling. It
works its way up my legs, a bolt of electricity the likes of which I’ve couldn’t
have possibly imagined, until I’m erupting inside her and she’s there with me,
her muscles clenching over and over in rhythm to my thrusts.

It can’t possibly be like this for everyone, with
just anyone, every time…society would cease to function, the world meeting its
demise as no one would do anything but this, all day, every day, twice, ten
times, anywhere she says.

Taking another minute to come back to reality, my
forearms shaking under my weight, I don’t readily notice that Whitley is
crying.
What the hell have I done?

“Baby,” I leave her body and roll to her side, “why
are, oh God, did I hurt you?” I choke out, kissing her forehead, stroking her hair.

“No,” she laughs, wiping her eyes, “happy tears.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She nods, wrapping a hand around my neck and
pulling my face to hers. “I’m almost positive it’s not supposed to be that
perfect and special your first time.” She giggles almost to herself. “Thank you
for setting such a wonderful precedent.”

“It was, wasn’t it? I love you, Whitley, with all my
heart, I do.”

“I know you do.” She rolls to me, snuggling into the
crook of my arm.

I should probably clean up, but I don’t have the
heart to move her.

“You told me in your sleep,” she admits. “That’s how
I knew for sure. You could dream of anything, anyone, but you dream of me.”

“And I talk back?”

“Uh huh.”

“Did you ask me embarrassing stuff, you little
sneak?” I tickle her, basking in the sound of her laughter.

“Well, yeah,” she squirms, “you’d do the same
thing.”

“So tell me our conversation.” I use this break in
intimacy to get up and amble into her bathroom to get cleaned up.

“You said ‘I love you,’ so I asked ‘who do you love’
and you said ‘you.”

I’m just right inside her adjoining bathroom, with
the door open, so I can more than make out the happiness in her voice, which
tells me that even in my sleep, I got it right.

“So I said ‘what’s my name’ and you said ‘pretty
girl,’” she giggles, “which was very sweet, but I dug deeper, you understand.
Anyway, I said ‘noooo, what’s my real name?’ and you said ‘my Whitley.’”

I stick my head around the corner and wink at her,
never catching a cuter sight than her teeth tugging her bottom lip and eyes glistening.

“I am your Whitley,” she whispers and smiles so
sweetly.

“And then you ravaged me?” I joke, wanting her
pretty eyes to clear up.

“Something like that.” She shrugs. “What are you
doing anyway? Get back in bed with me,” she pats the spot beside her.

“Whit, baby, don’t freak out, but you need to come
in here.” I turn and start the bath water, tossing in a washcloth for her.
“Come on,” I give her my hand, “I know it’s late, but get in for me okay? You
relax and soak, and I’ll take care of stuff and come back and get you, and then
I’ll hold you all night.”

“What,” she rises, gauging my eyes then turning back
to look at the bed, “oh,” she blushes adorably. “How’d you—”

“There was blood on the condom, babe. No worries,
I’ll take care of everything.” I kiss her head. “Get in.”

“Ev?” Her little voice stops me at the door. She’s
probably going to ask for some “period pills,” which I’m already on top of.

“Yeah?”

“You’re my angelfish.”

“Still no idea what that means, babe,” I chuckle,
“but I’m glad. Now soak, woman.”

Chapter 31

Fornication

~Evan~

“
E
van Mitchell Allen, I know you’re in here and I
know you saw me pull up! Get out here and kiss your mother, boy!”

She’s bluffing.

“One!”

Shit.

“Two!”

“All right,” I come out from behind the hay bales,
“I’m twenty years old, quit your countin’!”

“Why are you hiding from me?” She sticks out her
cheek and taps it, so I kiss it. “And where is my darling Whitley? I found the
cutest dress in town today,” she lifts the bag in her hand, “I want her to try
it on.”

“I imagine she’s in the house; I’m not sure. And I
was hiding because I don’t want another lecture about staying at the house
again. Whitley’s probably hiding from you too.”

She gaps, holding her heart and giving me a look
that shrinks me to nothing on the spot. “She wouldn’t! Breaks my heart, my only
son home, right up the road and too ashamed to stay under his own mama’s roof.
And turning Whitley against me! Well, I just can’t imagine what I’ve ever done
to deserve this from my only child.”

Thank God I’m wearing my boots, cause she is
laying it on thick.

“Mama, I’m not ashamed. I wanna sleep in a bed with
Whit, plain and simple. I can do that here.”

“What does her mother say about that?”

“Her mother doesn’t say much about anything. Her
parents each call once a month, the exact same date and time every time; real
personal, like an appointment,” I scoff loudly, wishing they were here in front
of my mom right now. She adores Whitley and I salivate just thinking how she’d
tear into them. “And Whitley’s almost twenty-two years old, Mom, she can sleep
where she wants.”

“Have you talked to your father about it?”

“Yes, he thinks you’re crazy.”

“Did he say that, that exact word—crazy?”

“Yes, more than once.” I look around, not wanting to
just outright laugh at her reddening cheeks.

“Evan, honey, she’s such a nice young lady. I
wouldn’t want you to—”

“Mama.”

“What?”

“I love her, and she loves me back. Not because I’m
around, or like a buddy, she
loves
me
.” I smile.  “Told me she’s
dying to fill up your house with spoiled little grandbabies.”

“Evan Mitchell!” She tries to act scandalized, but I
know she’s holding babies in her mind’s eye as we speak.

“I’m gonna marry her one day and she’s gonna marry
me right back. And we’re gonna fornicate, often, until we’re too old to do it
without throwing a hip out. I’m careful, so is she, but if you want us there,
then know I’m holding that girl in my arms all night, every night. Say yes or
accept me staying here, please?” I give her the ol’ Evan one sided grin, then
really see if I can embarrass her. “I’d never let you hear us.”

“I oughta tan your butt, Mr. Mouthy!” She grabs my
arm and tries to spin me around, taking swings at my rear. “Talking like you
were raised by wolves!”

“I was kidding!” I break away from her, laughing. “At
least sorta. But I’m serious about the rest.”

“You’re such a fine young man, Evan. Come to your
mama.” She holds out her arms and I grab her up, swinging her around in a big
hug before finally setting her down and kissing her kick. “I did such a good
job on you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well, I suppose since her mother is,” she lifts her
hand and whispers behind it, which somehow makes her feel like she didn’t
really talk ugly about someone, “an idiot, then I need her at the house so I
can mother her myself.”

I force my face to remain serious. “She’ll love
that.”

My days will never be boring, toying with the two
crazy, amazing women in my life.

“Me too! I’ll just go find her and tell her. Now
I’ll allow the sleeping together, but maybe you can trade off some nights, stay
here when you need to—”

“Go, Mama.”

“Okay, okay.” She scurries away in search of
Whitley.

“That was the funniest shit I’ve ever heard.” Sawyer
steps out of the shadows, laughing. “I can’t wait to play this for Zach.” He
pushes play on his phone, the recording of my fornication talk with my mother
burning holes in my ears.

“Why the hell am I friends with you? Seriously, I
need my head examined.”

“Shit, sounds like you’re getting your head examined.
Mine, on the other hand, is about to shrivel up and fall off from boredom.
Where’s all the hot country girls in cutoff shorts and bandana tops, hair in
braids, rising up on their horses?”

“This isn’t
Joe Dirt
, Sawyer.”

“She didn’t have braids, assmunch. Which is fine;
the braids are totally optional.”

“Go into town one night, there’s a bar.”

“Cool, tonight, pick me up at eight.”

“I’m not taking you. I have a woman and free beer in
the refrigerator.”

“Dude, you can at least show me how to get there.
Remember who helped you when you first got to Southern?”

Here we go.

“Take Zach. I’m positive he’ll be able to make the
two turns there are to get to Shotz. Now come on, let’s go grab some lunch. We
need to make a dent in that fence before dark.”

Sawyer’s dragging pouty ass behind me to the house,
kicking up rocks with every step.

“Bye, Evan, Sawyer!” my mom calls as she gets into
her car. “I’ll see you boys tonight for dinner.”

I turn around and give Sawyer a shit-eating grin.
Mama just put the kibosh on his plans.

Whitley’s arms come around my waist when I’m washing
my hands and face at the kitchen sink. “Hey, babe,” she greets me.

I turn around, loving the sight of her new sundress.
My mom really does love me. “Hey, hummingbird, how’s your day?” I steal a kiss.

“Good, we’re eating at your parents’ tonight. That’s
okay, right?”

“Fine with me.” I glance at Sawyer and see poor
guy’s lip is on the floor. “Big boy’s getting antsy though. We gotta find him
some nightlife or something, soon.”

“How’s a bachelor party sound?”

“Whitley, you proposing?” I wink, copping a feel of
her fine butt.

She swats my arm. “Parker’s; things need moved up.”

“Why is that? We’ve only been here a few weeks.
Thought they weren’t getting married ‘til the fall?”

“You’ll see.” She smirks, raising up like only she
does to kiss my lips. “Act surprised,” she whispers.

“That shouldn’t be hard, you haven’t told me
anything.”

“Am I late?” Zach asks as the door slams behind him.

“Just in time,” Angie smiles at him, “take these
rolls and go sit at the big table. Evan, get that ball cap off, boy, and
Whitley, sweetie, help me with the rest of this, please.”

Parker, already seated at the head of the table in
his daddy’s old spot, looks proud as a peacock.  He’s tracking our moves,
chomping at the bit for us all to get seated and settled. When Angie and Whit
finally do just that, he takes Hayden’s hand in his and clears his throat.
“Hayden and I have some big news that we want to share with all of you, our
family and loved ones, first.”

Whitley is already bouncing in her chair. Clearly
Hayden had told
her
first.

“Hayden is having my baby!” He beams, happier than
I’ve ever seen him.

Well, that ol’ dog. He gets a plan in his head and
he goes after it all right.

I still worry they’re too young, because I’m so old
and wise and all, but ya know what? There’s been enough sadness and loss in
this family, this home, lately… Why not be happy about this new life, the
blessing that it is?

Yup, that’s my new plan.

Angie jumps from her seat, already crying, and lays
kisses all over both of them, Whitley right behind her. Zach and Sawyer mumble
a “congratulations,” and I sit and watch for a minute. I wish Dale was here to watch
his son get married, hold his first grandchild, and meet my sweetheart.

“Evan?”

“Sorry, what?” I look at Parker, grinning at me,
waiting for my acceptance.

“Wedding’s moved up; Hayden here doesn’t want a bump
in her dress, even though I said it’d be beautiful. So time to ask—would you be
my best man?”

“Of course I will.” I stand, as does he, and give
him a man’s hug. “Congrats, man, you’ll be a great dad.”

“Ya think?”

“Yeah, Parker, I think. Uncle Evan…” I muse, puffing
out my chest. “That kid’s gonna love me.”

“Not more than their Nana,” Angie pipes in,
waterworks still going strong. “Now let’s eat ‘fore I flood the place.”

“So when are we thinking for the wedding, and
where?” Whitley is salivating, I can see it from here. My little event planner;
so damn cute.

“I was thinking end of the month, maybe in the
barn?” Hayden replies.

“Outside, in July, in
Georgia
?” Whitley asks.
“Hayden, you might get sick in that heat in your condition.”

“Whitley?” I try to interrupt.

“I’m just thinking of Hayden. I know what you’re
gonna say, I’m being bossy and trying to take over and it’s not my wedding, but
I just don’t want poor Hayden—”

“Babe!” I cut her off.

“What?” she looks at me, already defeated.

“The horse barn is air conditioned.”

She takes a minute, staying calm and maintaining her
dignified face. “Nobody laugh,” she points at Sawyer, “I mean it.” We all focus
on our plates stoically. “I think that’s plenty of time, Hayden. I’ll be happy
to help with that,” Whitley forces out, proper and ladylike.

“Thank you,” Hayden barely gets out with a straight
face. It really is easy to do if you don’t have to look at her.

“You gonna help me plan a bachelor party, boys?” I
ask Sawyer and Zach.

“Do you really even need me?” Zach grins. “Pretty
sure Sawyer was born for that job.”

“Is he allowed strippers?” Sawyer asks Hayden,
literally willing her answer with his pitiful eyes.

“Of course, but no lap dance for him. He can’t touch
them and they can’t touch him. I think that’s reasonable, okay?” she zones in
on Parker.

“My word, sweetheart,” he swears with a nod.

“Plan away.”

Sawyer gets the go ahead and almost falls back in
his chair with his exuberant fist pump and “yesssss!”