Jamison chuckles softly. “Jamison Way, huh? You named a trail after me?”
I clap Jami on the back and squeeze. “I named the new trails after all of you.”
Jami’s eyes search mine like he’s afraid to ask his next question. “Even Ty?”
I nod. “Of course. There’s a new East Trail that leads to the stables. You won’t be able to miss it.”
Emotion flickers in my brother’s eyes, and then he nods one last time before turning around.
I swallow, and in a panic I yell out before he can get too far away. “I’m glad you’re here, Jami. I’ll catch up with you in the morning.”
Jami halts for a second, his shoulders stiffening, before he resumes his descent into the darkness.
“Want anything to drink?” I ask Hope as soon as we’re inside my house. After going to my office to grab my phone, we came straight there.
“What are you drinking?”
I think long and hard about that question. Hard liquor would hit the spot right now, but one drink will only lead to an entire bottle after my brother’s unexpected arrival. I need to be sober right now. “Water.”
“Make that two.”
I head into the kitchen, and when I come out with two ice waters, Hope already has started the fire in the living room. “You sure your brother isn’t coming back here tonight? I can make myself scarce if needed.”
I know Hope would be completely fine with leaving if that’s what I want, but it’s the absolute last thing I want. “You’re not going anywhere. Jami’s mind is probably blown right now. Trust me. Once upon a time, he was as big of a dreamer about this place as me.”
Hope takes a sip of her water. “What happened?”
A long sigh deflates my chest. “After Ty died, Jami’s dreams for this place quickly started dying too. But I think he ultimately left because he got his heart broken by a lot of things, Ty, Dad, Benson’s rebellious ways, but mostly a girl.”
Sadness fills Hope’s eyes. “A girl? That’s so sad. What happened?”
I take her hand in mine. “That’s Jami’s story to tell, not mine. But I wouldn’t be able to tell it if I tried. That boy keeps more locked inside than I do.”
“That’s a scary thought,” she mutters dryly, earning a jab to her side.
“You think that’s bad? Benson is even worse.”
She laughs. “And Cayson?”
I smile thinking of my sweet, innocent baby brother. “Cayson is perfect. Somehow, he managed to escape the darkness, unlike the rest of us, but I think it’s because we all protected him the most. I’m just glad one of us survived.” I squeeze her hand. “Speaking of, I don’t know how I would have handled seeing my brother tonight if you weren’t here.”
She squeezes my hand back. “Luckily, you’ll never have to find out. That’s a good sign that Jamison is back, right?” Her eyes dart between mine like she’s not sure what to say. “Are you happy?”
I’ve always been the type of person who feels my emotions so deeply that I can’t escape them, even if I never show what I’m truly feeling. My mask is my frown, and my anger is my sword. But I don’t need armor and a weapon with Hope. “Yes,” I admit. “But at the same time, I can’t help but think there’s more to why my brother is here. He swore he would never come back. There was too much pain.”
“Because of Ty or the girl?”
“Both. Definitely both.” I bite down on my lip, remembering my darkest days of loneliness after Jamison left. I had Silver, and my parents were still here, but that was the day I truly felt like I’d lost my soul. I clear my throat, dragging myself out of my painful memories. “Maybe I’ll get to the bottom of it tomorrow.” I nod, still processing my own convictions. “Either way, it’s good to have him home.”
Hope scoots closer and leans in to kiss my cheek. “Is there anything I can do?”
I turn my head, catching her lips with mine. “Help me forget.” I squeeze my eyes shut and bow my head to hers. “I finally have you, and I want to enjoy our time.”
She sets our glasses of ice water on the coffee table behind us then moves onto my lap, straddling me. She grips my face with her hands and stares directly into my eyes. “I want that too.” Her sweet, plush lips kiss mine. “Let me take care of you tonight.”
Everything about the scene is intoxicating. From the vanilla scent wafting from her skin to the sight of the orange flames from the fire lighting up around her. My mind is already spinning when she begins to unbutton my jeans. I watch as she pulls down my briefs and parts her lips at the sight of my thickening cock.
“Oh, my.” She licks her already-glistening lips then moans while sliding my pants and briefs off completely. When she’s discarded them behind her, she puts all of her focus on my thickening erection. One hand grips me at the base while her mouth parts in anticipation.
For the second time tonight, I can’t breathe. I’m hypnotized by the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on salivating over me then lowering her mouth slowly onto my cock.
She adjusts her body so that her mouth is directly over me, and then she takes a swipe of me with her tongue. Then another. And another. Until she’s swirling me into her mouth like a whirlpool gaining momentum.
“Holy shit, you’re a goddess.”
She is a goddess. A goddess, a queen, an angel wrapped up in one beautiful, tantalizing package.
She takes more of me in her mouth until there’s no more swirling, there’s just the back of her throat hitting my tip, firm lips suctioning to me, and then her beautiful mouth sliding up and down me like a woman possessed.
How the fuck did I go years seeing Hope at my camp every day without making a single move? I can’t make sense of it, not when I’m on the verge of a pending eruption.
Right before I’m about to spill, I grip Hope’s hair and groan. “Fuck, I’m going to come.”
Unlike last time, Hope’s lips curl up around me, and then she works me harder with her mouth while stroking me faster at the base. My release spurts into her mouth. I imagine it coating her throat, my essence hot and salty as she swallows every drop.
When she finally pulls out, I tug her toward me and slam my mouth on hers. “Your turn,” I rasp.
Chapter Nineteen
HOPE
“You don’t have to—”
“The fuck I don’t,” he growls. “I want to taste you again. Every part of you.” His lids flip open to find mine. “There isn’t a single dream of you from over the years that holds a candle to the real thing.”
I blink, intoxicated with more than the adrenaline that flows like a river through my system. “You dreamed about me?”
“Every damn day.”
My breath hitches, a clear signal to him to do as he pleases. Lord knows I’m finding it difficult to think about anything other than the way his greedy palm cups my breast before he yanks my bra down. His darkening gaze rockets me to such a new high that I almost miss his mouth wrapping around my rock-hard nipple. His other hand reaches the clasp of my bra and unclips it.