Page 63 of Yours Truly, Fall

Magic words.

Clothes go flying, hands bumping into each other, legs tangling, and bodies tumbling onto the bed. He falls on top of me, his penis long and hard, the pressure of his need pushed against my belly.

Our eyes reconnect. “Roll over.” There’s no time to think or room to wander. I’m caged within his arms and have never been wetter. I scuddle onto my stomach, and he scoops my hips up until I anchor my weight on my hands and knees.

His calloused fingers run along my spine, and the mental image of his heated gaze following the path his fingers take makes heat pool in my center. When he slides his fingers through my lips, he hovers over me, bending down to kiss the back of my neck. “So perfect,” he groans, sliding his hand and my slickness over his length. Warm breath breezes across my neck as he positions himself at my entrance. “How quiet can you be?”

“Quiet as a mouse.”

Wrapping his arm around my waist, he asks, “You sure about that?”

“I’m—oh God!” Hard and fast, I’m rammed from behind, and instantly made a liar when I cry out in ecstasy. “Yes!” I drop my head to the bed, biting the blanket as he thrusts in and pulls out so fast that I’m not going to last. He feels too good, our bare bodies exchanging heat and hits as he fills me with each push forward.

Fingers grapple through my hair and slide to my shoulder to hold me still as he seeks to steady his rhythm. I take and take and take everything he gives, and when I suck in a breath, I give back, forcing my weight to meet his thrust for thrust.

“So fucking hot,” he groans through gritted teeth. When moving unsteadily, he lowers his hand to my clit and teases me.

I lose my pace to erratic thoughts as I chase my release. “Harder.” He reaches deeper with each thrust, and I lose the war with locked elbows as my head hits the mattress.

The sound of his breath turns wild, untamed like I feel when I’m with him, freedom from constraints. Quick thrusts follow each circle and pinch of my clit. I can’t take it. The sensations are too much to manage all at once. “I need you . . .”

My body erupts as the heat of his release ribbons across my backside. My knees quiver, my thighs ache, and my core tremors through a series of earthquakes. Lowering my hips to my legs, I turn my face to the side to get some air. Hair sticks to my face, and my lips feel swollen from scratching against the quilt.

I’m consumed once again when Brandon wraps himself over me and kisses the back of my head. “You weren’t quiet.”

I burst out laughing, turning slowly so our sweaty bodies face each other. He pushes hair from my face, and I brush his from his forehead. “No, I wasn’t. You make it hard to be quiet.”

He chuckles, but our smiles soften and the moment goes quiet. His expression softens as we watch each other. “I love you, Autumn.”

And there, with my arms wrapped around him and our legs half off my bed in a room tucked on the second floor of the house I grew up in, I hear the words I’ve longed to hear forever. He smiles, brushing his fingers through my hair as my tummy flutters. With my whole heart owned by this man, I look up into those soulful brown eyes so full of pride, and hope blooms in my chest.

“I love you, too, Brandon.”

CHAPTER 27

AUTUMN

The midday sunshine sneaks in behind me when I walk into the Honey Hive down on Main Street. “Hello?” I call, looking toward the back of the store for my sister. I stop at the counter and wait since there are customers in the store who were hidden by a display.

Winter comes rushing from the back with a box in her hands. When her eyes meet mine, she says, “Hey, Fall, what are you doing here?” The nickname to make me fit in still sticks all these years later.

“I wanted to pop by on my day off to see if you needed any help. I’m an expert honey jar unpacker.”

“If you’re trying to get on my good side for free honey, it’s working.” She looks at the customer. “I have your order ready.”

“Was I that obvious?”

“Not as obvious as you and Brandon Culver.” Ducking to grab a large bag from beneath the counter, she pops back up and says, “That will be one twelve and seven cents, please.”

I move off to the side to get out of their way, which gives me a minute to digest what she just said. How would she know? We still haven’t told anyone, and we’re barely together since our shifts rarely align.

As soon as the bell chimes above the door when the customer exits, she shoots me a look and asks, “You weren’t going to tell me?”

“How did you know?”

Shrugging, she flips her dark hair over her shoulders. “I didn’t, but you just confirmed it.” She slides a box toward me on the counter. “That and the,” she starts, tilting her head back with her eyes closed and rubbing her hand down her neck. “Oh God, yes!” Popping her eyes open, she taps on the register, sending the money drawer flying open. “That’s usually a dead giveaway.”

Mortification isn’t a strong enough word for the horrors playing out inside my head. Standing there speechless, which is unlike me, I close my eyes, wondering if I can wish this nightmare to end. Unfortunately, when I open my eyes, she’s still there with that smile that tells me she heard everything. “Dolly heard?”