Road to Redemption (18 page)

I didn’t even get a chance to study the ring before my family descended on us with congratulations and hugs. Just before dessert was served, Alex and I had a moment alone. We were sitting in front of the fire, the Christmas tree lights twinkling as we snuggled on the sofa, and I was transfixed by the glory that was my engagement ring. A one-and-a-half carat diamond sat in the center of an intricately woven white gold design. It made the center stone sparkle, while giving the ring a little more interest than a plain band. I realized that it matched the bracelet and I loved it.

“If you don’t like the ring, we can return it,” Alex offered.

“Are you high? It’s like you climbed into my brain and picked my dream ring out of my head. I love it, honey,” I said, and kissed him. “What I’m curious about is how you managed to keep this a surprise. I would have thought Lily would have said something.”

He chuckled. “I waited until this morning to tell her anything. She’s been asking if you could be her mommy and I’ve been putting her off until today. I wanted to talk to your dad first—”

“You talked to my dad?”

“Of course I did. Why?”

“It’s just such a non-badass-biker thing to do.”

He smiled. “Possibly. But it’s important to you, baby.”

“God, I love you, Alex.”

“Back atya.” He gave me a gentle squeeze. “I also talked to Kayla.”

“About?” I craned my neck to look up at him.

“She’s going to rent the house from me, which means I’m free to move up here when we find something.”

I sat up on my knees. “So we can look for something together?” I asked, and clapped my hands.

“Yeah, baby, if that’s what you want to do.”

“Um, hells yeah I do. We could get married in time for you both to be up here by the school year start, and Lily and I could go to school together every day.” I threw my arms around him. “This is perfect.”

He laughed and pulled me onto his lap. “You’ve thought about this, apparently.”

I smiled. “Only since the day I met you.”

“In the supermarket?”

“Okay, no. Maybe just when you kissed me at the club.”

Alex grinned. “I knew it in the supermarket.”

“You did not.”

“Baby, I saw you walkin’ with Lily’s hand in yours and knew you were meant to be her mom.” He added in a whisper, “Bonus for me, you’re fuckin’ kinky in bed.”

“Alex.” I shifted on his lap. “Stop it.”

He leaned closer to my ear. “You’re wet right now, aren’t you?”

I groaned and dropped my head back. “Alex,” I whispered.

“Later, I’m gonna sneak into your room and fuck you, baby. I want you naked and waiting for me, yeah?”

I swallowed and nodded.

“I’m gonna eat your pussy first. And I’m gonna be real thorough. You won’t speak, you won’t moan, you won’t touch me. I will let you come and then I’ll fuck you. But again, you won’t make a noise. Depending on how well you do, I’ll decide if you can come. Then I’ll leave you.”

I licked my lips and squeezed my eyes shut.

“Okay, love birds, time for dessert,” Anna said, as she moved through the room to the basement stairs.

I jumped a little, but Alex had me anchored to him, so she probably didn’t notice. He smiled and kissed me, giving me a second to compose myself, before letting me off his lap. I moved through the rest of the night in a fog of arousal, while Alex seemed totally cool and collected. It didn’t help that he’d find ways to whisper the things he planned to do to me once the house was asleep. Gah! I almost pulled him into the bathroom with me for a quickie, but I had to admit, this little game was fun.

My parents’ house was set up was essentially the way it had always been. Brock and I had our own rooms on the second floor, while Kris and Anna had shared the bonus room. This all worked until Kristen hit her teens, and she and Anna began to fight constantly. This prompted my parents to build out the basement in order to give us all a bit more space. Before my dad went into insurance sales, he’d been a contractor, so he and his brother, along with help from all of us, did the work himself.

They’d built in an entertainment room, three bedrooms (one with an attached bathroom) and another bathroom that was shared. Kris and Anna had moved downstairs back in the day, but when I moved back in, I took Kris’s old room with the bathroom.

My parents kept threatening to sell and downsize, but I’d believe it when I saw it. My mom would internally combust if she didn’t have enough space for everyone to feel comfortable.

By around eight, Lily couldn’t keep her eyes open, so Alex and I put her to bed in the bedroom farthest from mine. He’d be sleeping in the one in between us, or at least, that was the “plan.”

We closed her door and Alex pulled me into my room, pushing me against the wall and kissing me breathless. His hand slipped under my skirt and I found my panties ripped from my body. He slid his hand between my legs and cupped me gently. “I knew you were wet.”

“I can’t wait until later, honey.”

“You’re gonna have to.” He smiled slowly and stroked a finger through my wetness before removing his hand. I groaned when his tongue slid up his finger and he smiled. “Fuckin’ honey, baby.”

“Not fair,” I rasped.

He kissed me again and then headed to my bathroom to wash his hands. I opened a bureau drawer and looked for a replacement pair of underwear, only to have him pull me away and close the drawer. “No panties.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.” He stroked my cheek. “I want full access to your pussy for the rest of the night.”

I squeezed my legs together at the thought. “This only makes me wetter, Hawk, you realize that.”

“I do.”

“Ohmigod, I’m going to have to walk with my knees together.”

Alex laughed. “If you do that, your family will know you’re not wearing panties, baby. Think about that.”

“You’re a butt.”

He smacked mine and then led me out of the room.

I
WAS NAKED and waiting, as per the instructions, and my body was primed. God, it was primed. Alex found ways to slip his hand under my skirt that were beyond stealth. The first had been in the kitchen when we were pouring drinks for everyone. We were alone, albeit only hidden from the waist up by the large kitchen island. From behind, he’d run his hand between my thighs and slipped a finger inside me before lightly touching my clit. Then he was gone.

The next time was the classic “under the table” move, where his hand slid up my thigh, his pinky connecting with me before laughing at something my brother said and looping his arm around the back of my chair. There had been several more, but thinking about them just made me crazy. I was forced to keep my expression as impassive as possible, but it grew increasingly harder as the night wore on, and all I wanted to do was get him alone.

I had to go through saying goodnight to everyone, except Brock and Bailey who were staying the night, and then had to muddle through nightcaps and polite conversation.

I turned in as soon as I possibly could, feigning exhaustion, and sequestered myself in my bedroom to get ready for him.

Alex had kissed me at the top of the stairs and ordered, “No touching yourself.”

“Well, don’t make me wait.”

He pulled me closer and slid his hand between my legs, leaning against my ear and whispering, “This is mine tonight. Only I touch it. Get me?”

I swallowed and nodded. He ran his finger through me again and smiled. “Good girl.”

I’d walked woodenly down the basement stairs, checked in on Lily who was sound asleep, and then headed to my room.

And now I waited.

I had to leave my bed and pace a few times otherwise, I was sure I’d whip out my vibrator and take care of myself, but as frustrating as this little game was, it was also sexy as hell and I couldn’t wait for Alex to join me.

I was lying on my bed, the covers partially covering me when my door slid open and Alex slipped inside. He closed and locked the door, and I bit my lip. He wore a pair of pajama bottoms and wife-beater that showcased his muscular arms, and he was delicious.

He yanked off his shirt and made his way to the bed. Without word, he threw the covers off me and settled himself between my legs. “Spread.”

I spread.

And ohmigod, I was so glad I did. What that man could do with his mouth was surely illegal in several countries. I felt my body building and he smiled against me. “Come, but no noise,” he whispered.

I nodded and he resumed his assault. If you have ever been forced to climax in silence, it is both almost impossible and sexier than anything I’d experienced to date. Okay, being tied to the ceiling of a boat was pretty amazing, but this was a close second. I threw my pillow over my face so that my panting breaths couldn’t be heard.

Alex slipped it away and smiled down at me. “Deep breaths, baby, or you’ll hyperventilate.”

“I don’t know if I can,” I whispered.

He chuckled quietly. “Try.”

I nodded and did what I could to keep from passing out.

“Good girl,” he said. “You liked that.”

“I
loved
that,” I corrected.

Alex grinned again, climbing off the bed and removing his pj’s. “All fours, Payton, edge of the mattress.”

Holy crap, yes!

I moved into position and he stood behind me, running a palm down my back. “No noise.”

I nodded and took a deep breath. He slid into me and I dropped my head to the mattress, face to the covers, because not making noise when he was taking me from behind seemed like an impossibility.

He reached his hand between my legs and ran a fingertip over my clit as he surged into me again and again.

“Ohmigod,” I breathed into the bedding.

He slammed into me one more time and I came around him. It took him a few more thrusts to join me, but then we fell onto the bed and I was once again left without breath.

“I’m very proud of you, baby,” he whispered, and slid out of me.

And then he was gone.

Okay, that part sucked. I was all for a naughty game of forbidden sex, but him leaving me right after… hell, no. I still hadn’t fully caught my breath, but I washed up in the bathroom, pulled on a pair of shorts and a cami, and headed to his room. I pushed open the door to find him grinning at me from the edge of his bed.

“I was about to come to you,” he said.

I slid into his arms and squeezed him as hard as I could. “Everything was amazing up until the you leaving me part. That sucked.”

“Yeah, that went a little differently than I expected.” He kissed my temple. “No more leaving.”

“Deal.” I smiled up at him. “I don’t know how I’m going to sleep without you.”

“I’ll come sleep with you for a bit. I’ll set my alarm in case I fall asleep.”

“I doubt anyone will come down here, honey.”

He smiled. “When your mother put us in separate rooms, baby, it sent a message.”

“It’s not like she doesn’t know we’re having sex.”

“But knowing it and
knowing
it are two different things,” he pointed out.

“Whatever. Come with me fiancé. We’re gonna have a little more fun and then I’m going to fall asleep on you.”

Alex chuckled and followed me to my room.

* * *

I woke the next morning to an empty bed, but the smell of Alex still clung to the sheets. I checked my phone and discovered it was nine a.m., so I forced myself off the mattress and dressed quickly, before looking for my fiancé. I loved saying that. He was my fiancé.

I found him at the kitchen table with Lily and my brother, and he pulled me onto his lap for a kiss. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Lily climbed on top of me with a giggle. “Morning, Pay—Mommy.”

I pulled her close, even though her hands were sticky from syrup. “Morning, baby. How did you sleep?”

“Good.” She bobbed her head up and down, and then quickly jumped off my lap so she could go back to the pancakes my mom had made.

“Gotta run somethin’ by you, babe,” Alex said. “Let’s get coffee.”

He patted my bottom and I climbed off his lap. In the kitchen, I poured coffee and he leaned against the counter. “I’ve got some club business to take care of. Not sure how long I’ll be.”

“It’s Christmas.”

Alex smiled. “Technically it’s not, which means I need to take care of this.”

“Can I keep Lily?”

He laughed. “Yeah, baby, if you want to. It means I don’t have to drive her down to Kayla.”

“Us girls always go shopping today, so I’d love for her to join us.”

“That would be great,” he said. “I’ll leave the car seat.”

“Just text me when you know when you’ll be done. You’re welcome to stay here, obviously, or I can drive down to your place.”

He pulled his wallet out and pulled out a wad of cash… yes, a
wad
.

I pushed his hand away. “I have money, Alex.”

“Babe, take the money.”

“Nope, I’m good.”

“Payton,” he said, his voice dipped low.

“Alex.” I mimicked his voice. “Put your money back in your wallet. If I want to buy something, I’ll buy it. You pay for everything when we’re together anyway. Now it’s my chance to feel like I’m not a kept woman.”

He slid his hand to my neck. “We’ll play that game next time.”

I shivered and smiled up at him. “Can’t wait.”

He leaned down and kissed me quickly and then we walked back to Lily.

“Daddy’s gotta go to work, baby girl. Payton’s gonna take you shopping.”

“Okay, Daddy.” She hugged him and then went back to her pancakes.

“Thought that would go different,” Alex whispered.

I grinned. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Watch her, Payton. She sees something shiny and walks away and you won’t hear her.”

I rolled my eyes. “Wonder who she gets that from?”

He pulled open the door and smiled.

“You’re not doing anything dangerous are you?” I asked.

“I’m not doin’ anything I don’t do every week.”

“That doesn’t actually answer my question.”

He leaned down and kissed me. “Love you, babe.”

“Love you too.”

He headed to his truck and, after he handed me the car seat, I raised up on my tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Have a great day at work, honey.”

Alex laughed and took off.

I made my way back to the kitchen to find Bailey sitting at the table with Brock and Lily. “Good morning,” I said.

Bailey smiled sleepily. “Hey. What time are we leaving?”

“I think in about an hour. Anna’s going to be here around eleven.” I sat beside Lily and slid her hair behind an ear. “How were those pancakes?”

“Yummy.”

“Make sure you tell Nana and thank her, okay?”

She grinned. “’K.”

“Let’s get you cleaned up and then we’ll get dressed for shopping, sound good?”

Lily nodded her head and pushed away from the table.

“Go ahead and carry your plate into the kitchen and I’ll rinse it off for you.”

She grabbed her plate and I tried not to giggle as she gingerly carried it into the kitchen. Granted, it was kind of a big plate for a little girl, but still, cute as a button.

* * *

“Oooh, these are awesome,” I said, and pulled two of the twelve-inch nutcrackers off the shelf. “They’re only seven bucks.”

Anna grinned. “Grab me one, please.”

“And me,” Mom said.

“I only have so many hands,” I said with a laugh. “Lily, can you—” I glanced down and she was gone. “Crap! Where the hell did she go?”