Southern Gentleman (Charleston Heat 3)

“Tell me more.”

“It’d be something we can afford without you working all the time, for starters,” she replies. “And I’d love a house that’s got some history and plenty of character. A spot in a great neighborhood with lots of trees we could hang a swing from. Something that needs work—something we could put our mark on, and make our own.”

“I love that idea,” I say. “I love you. I am so in love with you, sweetheart.”

“And I am so in love with you. All of you. The good parts and the bad. The gentleman and the villain. Don’t you dare hide any of who you are from me, Grey.”

I grin. “Because you don’t scare easy.”

“Because I adore you. All of you. Your truth. I want it all. And now I want you.” She gives my hand a hard tug, pulling me to my feet. “Get in here.”

“Yes ma’am.”

I glide back onto the bench and shut the door.

She climbs on top of me.

She straddles my lap, nearly falling over when her belly gets caught between us. I catch her, just in time.

“A little different from when we first did this,” she says, laughing.

“Don’t worry, Charlie Brown, we’ll keep you safe. Here Julia—try leaning back,” I say, putting my hands on her hips. “I got you. See? Yeah, that’s better.”

She puts her hands on my shoulders to steady herself. I glide my hands up her sides, gathering the material of her dress in my fists.

But instead of tearing her dress off and kissing her neck, I kiss her mouth.

Hard.

Well.

She kisses me back. Hands on my face and in my hair. Tilting her head, her mouth soft and slick and hot on mine.

Needy.

She needs me as much as I need her.

Then—and only then—do I tear the dress off. Right there in her driveway in broad daylight.

Good thing my windows are tinted.

I work my mouth down her neck, her chest. Reach up and use my fingers to coax her breast out of her bra. Her nipple hardens to a point that I take in my mouth.

Julia arches into my caress with a moan, digging her fingernails into my skin.

“Grey,” she pants.

My name.

It sounds so good—so right—when she says it.

Still holding on to me with one hand, she works the zipper of my jeans down with the other. Taking my cock, aching and hard, in her hand.

I’m already leaking cum. She uses her thumb to swirl it over the head. Lust rips through me.

Lust and love and so much life I can hardly breathe.

I lean in and kiss her. Tongue licking into her mouth.

“Put me inside you, baby,” I say, lips brushing against hers. “How ready are you?”

Julia spreads her legs a little wider. “Feel for yourself.”

Reaching between us, I pull her panties to the side and gently glide my first finger between her lips.

I growl.

Wet. Hot. Soft.

For me.

She rises up on her knees. Eyes locked on mine as she settles me at her entrance. My head meets with the slick heat of her, and for a second I see stars.

I see her, and she sees me.

Julia sinks, slow and steady, onto my cock. Swallowing me to the root.

Her blue eyes locked on mine—that cute little belly pressed against mine—heart so full—

For so long I was in hell.

But now, for no reason at all other than that I love and am loved, I’m in heaven.

This is heaven.

Julia rolls her hips, and I rock into her. She’s tight and bare and mine, and I could shout with gratitude.

I play with her pussy the way she likes. The way she needs. Thumbing her clit. Sucking on her nipples.

The scent of her skin surrounds me.

I actually do shout when she comes and I come, too. Our orgasms separated by a handful of heartbeats.

There’s an extra heartbeat between us now. One that we created.

One that we’ll love and raise together.

Being together—that really is everything, isn’t it?

Julia collapses against me, burying her head in the crook of my neck.

“No cigarette this time,” she says. “What should we do instead?”

I kiss her temple. “I’ll reschedule with Luke. How about a super cheesy dance party, followed by dinner, ice cream, and Always Be My Maybe? That’s another good one about family.”

She laughs. Kisses me.

“Sounds perfect.”Chapter Thirty-ThreeJulia“Y’all, where are we going?” I ask, peering out the window.

Olivia just grins, taking a turn onto 17 South. “You’ll see.”

I turn to look at Gracie in the backseat.

“But I thought the shower was at Holy City Roasters.”

She shakes her head. She’s wearing the same secretive, knowing smile Olivia is.

“We had a change of venue,” she replies.

My heart skips a beat. “Wait a second. Wait. Does Greyson have anything to do with this?”

Gracie makes a zipping motion across her lips. “I know nothing.”

“How about some music?” Olivia turns the knob on her Honda’s stereo. “Ah, Gucci Mane. This will get us in the baby shower mood.”