So, I tossed the dregs of the pot of coffee I made for myself and started more brewing before I wandered down the hall to the master.
I opened the door, and since there were no real curtains, just white sheers, and it was nearly ten o’clock in the morning, the sun was streaming in the four sets of French windows that dotted the space.
And Preacher’s long, tan limbs were tangled in white sheets, with most of them exposed, plus all of his back.
I was rethinking my plans of going to the grocery store as he pushed up to an elbow and trained his eyes on me.
“You need anything from the store, honey?” I asked.
“Come ’ere,” he rumbled.
Okay.
The store could totally wait.
I went there, rounding the platform to his side, and since he was facing the middle of the bed, he rolled.
He then lunged, caught my wrist and pulled me into bed with him, rolling again, on me.
“Dave needs beer,” I said as his mouth landed on my neck.
“Don’t care.”
“DuShawn needs muffins.”
His mouth moved to my throat. “Don’t care about that either.”
“His girl wants cantaloupe.”
His lips hit mine. “Really don’t care about that.”
“Prea—”
He kissed me.
I stopped teasing.
He started, but a different, much, much better way.
And he ended the tease from the back, taking me on our knees, me genuflected before him, stretched like a cat, pushing back to get as much of him as I could.
“Get there, Lyla,” he ordered roughly.
I met his slams.
“Fuck, get there, baby,” he groaned.
I pressed both hands to the wall, reaching for him as I gasped my stunning orgasm.
His thrusts came hard as he grunted his.
He glided gently for a while before he pulled out, muttered, “Fuck, love my woman’s ass,” and slapped it lightly before he bent and sunk his teeth into a cheek.
My eyes drifted closed.
He kissed the small of my back, shoved me down to my side and left the bed.
He came back and made us both tangled in sheets, and each other, within about ten seconds.
“You get to explain to Shawn why he doesn’t have his preferred breakfast,” I mumbled, cuddling closer.
Preacher chuckled.
I loved that sound, so I pressed even closer.
“You know, it sucks when you have to leave me after, so maybe we should get me an appointment so I can get on the Pill.”
He didn’t reply.
I pulled my face out of his throat and tipped my head back. “Preacher?”
“I should get tested,” he muttered.
Hmm.
“Yes, and after we’ll both be…careful.”
“Sorry?”
“We’ll both be careful.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
It was then I felt what I felt when Jesse had called out that first day at the house, alluding that maybe Preacher had a girl other than me with him.
A weird cold that was also hot.
“You said you’d get tested,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, ’cause I fucked around before you. Not after you came back, so it’s been a while. A long fuckin’ while of no one but you. And I’m not a fuckin’ moron so I never went in ungloved. But once we know I’m clean, it won’t matter, ’cause it’s you and it’s me and that’s all it’s ever gonna be.”
There it was.
That’s all it’s ever gonna be.
He’d mentioned decorating a bedroom for our girls like Mom did for Sonia and me.
And I knew it to the depths of my heart that was where we were at, and, as crazy as it seemed, I knew this from the very beginning.
And I loved it that those words came out of his mouth.
But I could not bask in that considering his tone, his expression, and his dark, heavy mood that seemed to shadow the bright room.
“I know, honey, but—”
“But what?”
“But—” I tried again.
“But nothin’. What? Are you sayin’ I got permission to step out on you when you’re gone and you the same?”
No, I was absolutely not saying that.
I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak again but his arms tightened around me so tight, my mouth snapped shut.
Because I realized this wasn’t bickering with Preacher.
This wasn’t even an argument with Preacher.
This was something else entirely.
And it was beginning to scare me.
“So, we’ll be careful when we’re fuckin’ other people so we don’t catch something’?” he went on. “Is that the motherfuckin’ bullshit you’re sayin’ to me right now, Lyla?”
His arms around me nearly hurt.
“Preacher, you’re holding on too tight,” I told him.
“Answer me,” he bit and did not loosen his hold.
I blinked.
Except in Chicago, even when we argued, his tone was never biting.
And even in Chicago, it was more cutting than it was biting.
“Of course not,” I snapped. “But I don’t know what the incubation period is for some of these things. So even if you get tested, we should be careful, just in case, you know, something rears its ugly head later and I get an STD even though I’ve only ever slept with you. Only when we know the coast is clear should we have at it.”
He scowled down at me another long beat before he relaxed.
“Well then,” he murmured.
“And that wasn’t cool,” I spat.
He tensed again instantly. “It wasn’t cool thinking you were suggesting we fuck other people either.”
“I’ll point out, I wasn’t suggesting that.”
“I know, but if you listened to what I said, I said it wasn’t cool thinking you were.”
“I heard you, Preacher,” I retorted, pushing against his hold.
“Calm down,” he growled, holding me even tighter.
“Don’t tell me to calm down,” I returned, still struggling. “And let me go!”
“Calm the fuck down, Lyla!” he exploded.
I stilled.
“And you didn’t finish what you should have said,” he declared. “Even though you’ve only ever slept with me and only ever will fuckin’ sleep with fuckin’,” he put his face in my face, “me.”
Only then did he let me go and he did this to roll out of bed, snatch up his jeans from the day before off the floor, tear them on, the same with his tee and then he nabbed his running shoes.
And as he was stalking out, he clipped, “Now I’m going to the goddamn store.”
Then he was gone, slamming the bedroom door behind him.
I stared at the door in shock.
And I was not recovered when I, too, rolled out of bed, and automatically decided against the shorts and tank I’d worn when I thought I was going to the store and pulled on a white one-piece bathing suit with a short caftan over it.
I wandered out of the room and down the hall, seeing Shawn sitting on a stool at the kitchen island.
His back was to me, but he was looking over his shoulder, watching as I walked to him.
He was alone, which I vaguely thought was weird, unless he was there to get provisions and take them back to the pool house.