All the emotions are swirling deep inside my gut and my head. I’m so confused by them, overwhelmed by them, that I have to voice them. Get them out of me.
“I’m falling in love with you, Angie. So, you need to let me know if that’s not something you’re down for.”
She rests her forehead against mine, and her eyes burn into mine. “Owen, honestly, I’ve been falling for you for weeks now.” My heart stops in my chest as she rubs her thumb along my bottom lip. “So, yeah, I’m down.”
I bite her thumb. “You think we have time for round two?”
Her eyes sparkle. “Maybe on the way back?” I nip at her bottom lip as she admits, “Because I really wanna eat some of that Gouda.”
Falling? Shit. I’m totally and fully in love with this girl already.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Angie
* * *
I feel brand-new.
Literally.
Which may seem insanely ridiculous, but I do.
Maybe that’s what a couple orgasms from Owen Adler will do for you.
But I know that’s not the only reason I feel like this. I’ve never, in my life, been looked at the way Owen looked at me when he got out of the truck. I’ve never felt such nerves in my life, but once his eyes settled on mine, those nerves were gone and I felt wanted. Beautiful. It’s an awesome feeling, one I hadn’t realized I craved. Then he laid it down on me like it was the last thing he’ll ever do, and I don’t know how in the world he is supposed to top it. Pretty sure the O in Owen’s name stands for orgasms, and he was relentless. I’ve never come so much in my life, and I spent almost two hundred bucks on my vibrator. I honestly felt like I was going to implode. At one point, when he was deep inside me, feasting on my breasts, I think I did.
Good. God. Give. Me. More.
But then the best part? When he said he was falling for me. How? I have no clue, but man, it felt so good. Felt right, and I don’t understand it. I’ve never allowed myself to believe he could love me—or would want to love me. I thought I was a game to him, someone to play with to distract him from losing Evan. I was fine with it. I wanted to be his game, but what I wasn’t expecting was for him to fall for me. I wanted it—God, I did—and now that it’s a reality, I don’t know how to handle what I am feeling. I want to scream in his face that I love him, but I know that’s a little overkill. No, I’ll wait it out. I know he has been very vocal about how much he loves my body, but again, that can change at any moment.
And that terrifies me.
I can’t even look the flight attendant in the eyes when we disembark the plane. Owen is shameless, grinning and waving to everyone as we make our way to the truck he has waiting for us. His arm is around my waist, and his body is burning hot beside mine. I keep having flashbacks of him between my legs or the way he looked at me as I rode him, something I was shocked I did. I wanted to please him, though, as he pleased me. After fishing out the keys from under the back tire, he looks up at me, grinning. “You good?”
I scoff. “Beyond. I feel like I’m floating.”
He winks as he jingles the keys at me. “I have that effect,” he teases, coming around and helping me into the truck. As he walks around to get in, I peek my head out of the orgasm cloud of Owen to see where I am. I know this airport. I stood at it many times, wishing my dad a good trip and welcoming him home from road trips with the Nashville Assassins.
“We’re in Nashville?” I say once he gets in.
That grin of his is unstoppable as he nods. “Yup.”
Dread fills my gut, and I gawk at him. “Why?”
He grins at me until he realizes I’m not smiling. “It’s a surprise.”
“Does it involve my family?”
Owen’s face crinkles up. “No, why?”
I let out the breath I was holding in a loud whoosh. “Oh, thank God.”
His face doesn’t un-crinkle. “Why?”
I meet his inquisitive gaze. “Because I can’t see my family in this dress. So much is showing. My dad would lose his shit about the length, and then my mom would have words about the top. Like, this dress is for you and only you.”
He doesn’t move; his eyes stay trained on me. “I’m down for the dress being for me, really. But when you say that about your parents, do you mean because it’s revealing, or do you mean the size of the dress?”
“Shit. I don’t know,” I admit. “Both options could very well be the reason for the anxiety I’m feeling, but it’s more how revealing the dress is.”
He nods. “It better be, sugar. ’Cause after seeing that body of yours, you don’t get to talk badly about it anymore.”
I chuckle. “What? I don’t?”
He shakes his head, violently almost. “No. Because honestly, Angie, your body should be a temple or a new religion for me because I plan on worshiping you every chance I get.”
I choke on my laughter. “Stop it.”
“I’m dead fucking serious,” he says as he reverses and heads out of the parking lot. I fully believe him too.
“You’re such a nut,” I accuse, and he flashes me a goofy grin.
“It’s unfair you kept yourself from me that long.”
I snort. “Okay.”
“Truthfully,” he promises, and I would never doubt him. Not anymore. Not ever again.
Oh, what a feeling.
We drive through downtown, and I force myself to ignore my desire and take in all that Broadway has to offer. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it until now. We talk about our favorite things in Nashville and are in awe of how much the city has grown since we’ve left. South Carolina is awesome and fun, but the Southern charm of Nashville is all-consuming.
“Do you miss it?” he asks, stroking my thigh, and I flash him a grin.
“I do. I was actually just sitting here wondering why I left, but then if I hadn’t, we might not have linked up.”
“And that would be a travesty,” he adds, and I laugh in agreement. “You left because you wanted your career.”
I smile as I nod. “I do love my career. So much.” He squeezes my hand, and I ask, “Do you wanna come back?”
“I do, one day. I don’t know if Shelli or my mom will ever get me on the team, but it’s a dream of mine, for sure. I know for a fact I’ll end up back here. To play or retire. How about you?”
“I’d want to retire here. I want to get a house outside of the city, on some land, but close enough to still enjoy Nashville for what it is.”
“You want land?” he asks, and I nod. “That’s cool. I want land too.”
We share a smile, and his fingers move from my thigh to my hand, threading our fingers together. I sigh softly as we leave the city and drive on the highway for a while. The conversation is light and easy, as always. When we arrive at a nursery, I look over at him. “So, if you’re taking me to go plant shopping, I may squeal. But once the excitement wears off, I’m going to be questioning the need for the dress and heels, oh, and plane to go plant shopping.”
He grins as he pulls in. “It’s all worth it, trust and believe. And the plane, that was definitely a need.” I grin back at him as he leans in, pressing his nose into mine. I love the color of his eyes, the way his dark lashes kiss his cheeks when he blinks, and that damn dimple. I love it; I love him. “I never wanted to be a member of the Mile High Club until I met you.”