The Fall Groom

I snuggle close as a rush of emotions fill me. When he sits down on the couch and kisses the top of my head, I close my eyes. He’s taking care of me, and I never want him to stop.

Chapter Eight

Donovan

“I need to get up,” Gracie says sleepily against my neck.

“Why?” I hold her tighter, not even close to being ready to let her go.

“I promised I’d help out at the corn maze tonight.”

“What’s that?”

She looks up at me and smiles, cocking her head to the side. “You really aren’t from around here, are you?” I shake my head, and she places a kiss on my cheek. “It’s out on the old Witlock farm. They grow over an acre of corn every year just to make the corn maze. The local farmers come and sell pumpkins and stuff, and there’s hayrides for the kids. It’s pretty cute, and all the money goes to the local food bank. I like to help when I can, and they’re short-staffed tonight.”

“Oh.” I’m already wondering how long she’s going to be there and if I can go with her and just wait.

“Want to come?”

“Yes,” I answer immediately, and she giggles.

“You might want to think about it. I’m supposed to be there until dark, when they start the haunted maze. They don’t do it during the day because they don’t want to scare the little kids. But at night they make it spooky, and there’s no way I’m going in it then.”

“You’re scared of haunted corn mazes?” I squeeze her side, teasing her. “Even if I was with you?”

“Well, probably not with you by my side. You’re taller than the corn, so you could probably see over the top of it.”

“Then I’ll go if you’ll do the maze with me tonight.” I nuzzle my nose against her neck, inhaling her sweet scent.

“Okay, but if I get scared you have to give me a piggyback ride.”

“Then I’ll make sure you get scared,” I whisper against her ear, and she shivers.

Her phone buzzes with a text message in her back pocket, and when she checks it, she says we need to leave soon. I make sure we both eat some of her pie and then I eat her once more before we leave.

“They're going to know what I’ve been doing,” she says into the rearview mirror of my truck as she pats her flushed cheeks.

“Good, then they’ll know you’re mine.” The look she gives me is hot and needy as she bites her lip. “Don’t make me bend you over in this truck and do it again.” I lick my lips, desperate for exactly that.

“Maybe after the sun sets,” she teases as she leans over and kisses me.

I love how she doesn’t hesitate to show affection, and after being without it for so long, I’m selfish for extra attention. When she tries to pull away, I growl and hold her close, kissing her just a bit longer. When I pull back, her eyelids are heavy, and she’s staring at my mouth like she can’t believe I’m still so hungry for her.

“We’ve gotta get out of this truck before I jump you.” Her hand moves between my legs to rub my cock, and I groan.

“You keep doing that and I’ll fuck you on the hood where the whole town can watch.” I lick the seam of her lips, and she gasps. “Come on, sunshine. Show me what to do.”

Jumping out of the truck, I pull my hat down low and walk around to the other side to help her down. Once she’s on her feet, I smack her on the ass and then take her hand in mine. Damn, it feels so good to be with her, I’ve hardly thought about my scars. The way Gracie looks at me makes me feel whole, and I wonder if she’ll let me be with her always.

“Dad?” Gracie says when we come to a stop at the check-in.

“Hey, pumpkin, they just told me you’d be here tonight,” he says as a woman steps up beside him.

“Hey, Evy,” Gracie says and then squeezes my hand as she looks up at me. “Donovan, this is my dad Joseph and his friend Evy.”

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” I say and extend my hand to both of them. “Ma’am.”

“I didn’t know y’all would be here,” Gracie says, and I watch as Evy moves a little closer to Joseph and places her hand on his back.

“It was a last-minute decision.” Joseph looks at Evy and then to Gracie and clears his throat. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Donovan, but we’re going to head into the maze now.” He holds up his tickets and then hurries off toward the cornstalks.

“He doesn’t want me to know he’s got a girlfriend,” Gracie whispers.

“Why?”

She shrugs as she leads me through the entrance and to a little house that’s set up to sell cider and caramel apples. “I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve always taken care of him, and now he’s got someone else to do it.”