Every Little Piece of Me (Orchid Valley 1)

I grin against her mouth. “No hot tub up there.”

She slides her tongue between my lips in a kiss that’s somehow both lazy and hungry. “Maybe you could keep me warm.”

I kiss her again, drawing it out, needing the taste of her like I need water. I nip at her bottom lip when I pull away. “Definitely.” I wrap my arms more tightly around her and stand, making her squeak. I climb out of the hot tub with her wrapped around me, and she buries her face in my neck as I take the stairs to the bedroom.

When I open the door, she casts a glance over my shoulder toward the path we came in. “I feel like the owner might freak if he knew the amount of water we just dripped across his hardwood floors.”

“I promise he doesn’t give a shit,” I say, walking into the bedroom and kicking the door shut behind me.

I set her on the bed and step back, just to get a good look at her. Her skin is flushed from the hot water, her nipples dark pink and puckered. Her lips are kiss-swollen, and little tendrils of hair have escaped her high bun and curl around her face. “Christ, you’re beautiful.”

She leans back on her elbows and grins at me as she looks me over from head to toe. “Not as beautiful as you.” When her gaze locks on my dick, she licks her lips and shivers. “Come here and keep me warm.”

I climb on top of her, and she laughs as she lowers the rest of the way to the bed. “Wait, how would you know about the owner not caring about his floors?”

“Because he has more pressing concerns right now,” I say, shifting my hips forward so she can feel the length of my cock cradled between her legs.

“You . . . bought it?” She holds my face in both hands and looks me in the eye. “You bought a house in Orchid Valley?”

I swallow, worried the truth will scare her away. Of course I bought a house. As long as she’s here, I will be too. As long as there’s a chance for us, I’ll need a place to stay. “It seemed like the right choice.”

She searches my face for a long time, and I wish I knew what she was looking for. I wish I knew what she needed to be all in on us. “I don’t know how not to be scared about what’s next,” she whispers.

“There’s nothing to be scared of. I won’t hurt you. I just want to . . .” I swallow down the word before it can escape. I just want to love you. “Give this a chance.”

She threads her fingers through my damp hair and presses her mouth to mine in a kiss that’s sweet and tender and . . . hopeful? It’d be easy to read too much into a kiss like that. Easy to slip and admit that love has already taken hold. That it never went away.

But I won’t risk scaring her with my words, so I trail my mouth down her body and let my hands and kisses do the talking. I love you. I’ve always loved you. I will die loving you.

* * *

Brinley

“Thank you for last night,” Marston says, studying every inch of my face in the morning light.

I smile up at him, resisting the urge to plaster myself against him only because we’re standing on Kace’s front porch and there are likely little eyes watching us from inside. The night might’ve started rough, but after some Bella’s delivery, a couple of bottles of wine, and a soak in the hot tub on the back deck, I didn’t care about my parents anymore. Once he carried me to his bed, I didn’t care about anything but him. “I’m pretty sure I should be thanking you.”

His gaze drops to my mouth, and a bolt of longing zips through my body. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of his kisses. “I can think of one way you can thank me.” He pulls a set of keys from his pocket and places it in my hand. “Let me give you and Cami somewhere to stay.”

I blink at the metal in my palm. “You rented us a house?” I can’t accept this. Of course I can’t—it’s every old habit I’m trying to break. But the idea of getting out of Kace’s guest bedroom is tempting as hell. “Without asking me?”

“They’re keys to my house, Brinley. You know I have more space than I need.”

The part of me that wants Marston no matter what, no questions asked, begs me to say yes. To ask no questions and jump in with both feet. “How long are you even going to be here?”

He draws in a sharp breath. “I’m working on some opportunities in Atlanta the next few months, and I can commute.” He smiles, but it’s tight. “That way I get time with you.”