Porter quickly turned it off before walking over silently and throwing open the bedroom windows.
Then, he turned to look at me. “Think you need to replace your fan.”
My eyebrows rose. “You think? After that kind of a sound, you only think?”
He shrugged. “Better than, ‘replace that fucker before it blows up.’”
I pointed at him. “I like that version better.”
He smiled. “Then, you need to replace that fucker before it burns this damn house down.”
And as I stood there, watching him search around for his boxers, only one thought crossed my mind. A thought that filled me with desire, elation, and a love for what was to come in our futures.
I could do this with him for the rest of my life.
Twenty-Two
Porter
My arm tightened around something soft and familiar. I inhaled my first breath of the morning and smelled lilacs and dewdrops. I grinned as my brain reminded me of yesterday and all the fun I’d had with Astrid.
Complete with falling into bed with her, spent and panting.
“Mmm, morning handsome,” she said groggily.
I rolled my hardened cock against her ass cheeks. “Morning, gorgeous.”
She giggled as I kissed her shoulder. I didn’t want to wear her out any more than I already had, but damn it, I loved sleeping next to her at night. I loved waking up to her and feeling her body heat radiating toward me as our naked skin blanketed the other. It was the most sensuous experience of my life, and I never wanted to have it with anyone else.
And I knew, at least some day, Brooks would be on board with everything as well.
“Already thinking this early?” Astrid asked softly.
She twisted, turned, and wiggled around until her tired eyes met mine. I smirked as I reached out and brushed a bit of sleep away from her eyes. Even with her nasty-ass morning breath and the slight crust of drool that attached itself to the cheek pressed against her pillow, she was the most gorgeous human being I had ever laid my eyes on.
And finally, after years of wanting nothing other than her, I finally had her in my arms.
Forever, if I could help it.
“Just looking at you,” I said.
She blushed. “And why would you be doing a thing like that?”
I cupped her cheek before my hands slid into her hair. I gripped her tendrils and brought her face closer to my own, listening as she gasped. I glared into her eyes, hoping my words cemented themselves into her brain for the rest of her life.
Then, I drew in a deep breath. “Because you’re breathtaking, and don’t you ever tell yourself anything different. All right?”
She kissed the tip of my nose. “I promise.”
“Good.”
I wrapped her up and pulled her on top of me as her giggles filled the air. I covered both of us with a blanket and felt her straddle me as my morning wood slid between her legs. I wanted nothing more than to penetrate her. To hold her close against my beating heart and fuck her while she bounced on top of me. But I knew she was still tired. I felt the soft pulsing of her breath in the crook of my neck as her body slowly relaxed against my own.
So, I cloaked her back with my arms and let her fall back asleep.
Her soft snores filled the space around us, and drool slowly dripped onto my skin. While most men would’ve found that disgusting, I found it endearing. It meant she felt safe with me. Safe enough to trust me with her most vulnerable state. There was a reason asshats like the Black Douchebags struck whenever people were sleeping in the middle of the night. There was a reason they never crossed enemy boundaries until the darkness cloaked them.
It was easy to catch someone off-guard when they felt they were protected. But in this particular case, Astrid was actually protected.
And it would stay that way so long as I was alive.
“I love you so much,” I whispered.
Astrid cleared her throat. “Love you, too.”
I smiled softly. “I always have, in some ways.”
She snickered against my skin. “I had the biggest crush on you when I was a teenager, and I’m not sure that crush ever went away.”
She raised her head and peered down into my eyes as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked lovely in the morning sunlight, naked body and all. I slowly rolled her over until I was hovering above her, my cock hammering at the need to be buried inside of her. She parted her legs as her eyes darkened. My gut clenched as I lined myself up with her entrance.
Then, my fucking phone rang.
And I recognized the ringtone.
“Damn it,” I grunted.
Astrid sighed. “Can you ignore it just this once?”
I rolled over onto my back and reached for my phone. “It’s your brother.”
She propped herself up. “What? Why is he calling this early?”
I pulled my phone in front of my face. “It’s almost ten in the morning.”
“Wait, seriously? Let me see.”
I quickly flashed her the clock on my phone before my finger hovered over the green button to pick up the call. But I couldn’t press it.
“I talked to him last night, you know,” Astrid said softly.
That caught my attention and the call went to voicemail. “Wait, what? When?”
She shrugged. “You fell asleep before I did last night, so I gave him a call. We talked for a little while before I eventually got tired.”
I propped myself up onto my elbow as I faced her. “What did you two talk about?”
She drew in a deep breath. “I think it would help Brooks a lot if we sat down and talked with him together about what’s going on. Front to back, starting with the crushes we both had when we were kids. I think if he hears the whole story, he might feel better about things.”
I held up my phone. “We could always call him now.”
She shrugged. “I’m game if you are.”
But Brooks beat me to it. And as his name popped up on the screen of my phone again, I picked up the call.
Before putting it on speakerphone. “Hey there, man.”
Brooks’ gruff voice came through the phone. “You two up yet?”
I chuckled. “We’re getting there.”
Astrid nudged me when Brooks growled, and I rolled my eyes. “Come on, dude, it’s not like I’m hurting your sister. I’ve had a crush on her ever since—”
Brooks interrupted me. “Save it for breakfast. You two are coming over. Raven’s cooking up a storm, and I’m starving.”
I looked over at Astrid and she answered my pending question by slipping out of bed and heading to her closet. So, I braced myself for the morning to come.
“We’ll be there in thirty,” I said.
Brooks hung up without so much as a goodbye, and I wondered how this was going to go. But with Astrid at my side? And on my side? I knew I could do or tackle anything. I eased out of bed and rummaged around for some clothes before dressing myself in what I usually wore: some jeans, my boots, a t-shirt, and my leather cut.
However, when I turned to face Astrid, she looked damn near delectable in the summer dress she had put on.
“You like it?” she asked.
She gave me a little twirl and the skirt fluttered out just a tad. It came up to the middle of her thighs, and if she had twirled just a little bit harder I would’ve known what kind of panties she had decided on for the day. I licked my lips as she giggled. My cock pressed against the zipper of my jeans. I had no idea what the fuck this woman had turned me into, but I knew one thing.