Beyond Eighteen(39)

I hurried through the dining room, weaving between the chairs that were still pulled out from the table. I kept thinking about Wilson’s insistence that I go talk to my mom alone. All at once, the images of Wilson and me in the bathroom flashed through my head.

I froze in the doorway of the great room as I came upon Wilson in a conversation with Dan and Camille. She didn’t see me standing there, so I just took advantage of a stealthy moment and watched her. She was sitting on the large stone hearth of the fireplace, her legs crossed alluringly in front of her. Her curvy lips danced when she spoke, and loose pieces of her blonde hair tumbled across her cheek before she flipped it and wedged the loose strands behind her ear. Her eyes glazed over as she tried to stay engaged in the conversation, but I could tell she was preoccupied. She shifted her body and slowly rubbed her hand against the lower part of her stomach before pulling her knees up against her chest. She was my breath. She was the thought that moved me. She was my world, and the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. It took everything I had not to bust in there and snatch her up. I tucked my bottom lip into my mouth, biting it as I dragged it back between my teeth. I took a deep breath and ran my fingers across my hair, trying to cool off before I entered into the great room to save her from the droning conversations she’d been having with my sister and her husband.

I walked over to Wilson and stood next to her. The fire was raging and blazing hot as the heat penetrated through my pants, burning my legs. I couldn’t believe she’d been sitting in front of the fire as long as she had. When I lowered my hand against her back, she was scorching hot.

“Holy shit, Wilson, your back is on fire; maybe you shouldn’t sit there,” I said as I grabbed her hands to pull her up.

“Oh, it’s not that hot,” she said.

“Come here,” I countered.

Wilson stretched her feet down to the floor and I watched her unfold, bit by bit, away from the fireplace and into my arms.

“Well, it’s a perfect opportunity to cool off in my arms,” I mumbled against her ear as I pulled her closer to me, swallowing her in my embrace.

“I don’t think this is the best way to cool off,” she teased before kissing my neck where my collar separated from my skin.

As I looked over at Dan and Camille, I guessed the conversation that they were having was over. At least from my perspective. We stood for a silent moment as I just held Wilson against my chest.

“How’s your mom?” Wilson whispered.

“She’s doing better than I thought. How are you?” I slid my hands down her spine and rested them in the small of her back, whispering low, “You still trust me?”

“I’m fine. And yes, I still trust you,” she breathed back before she stretched up and tickled her lips against mine. She slid her tongue along the edge of where my lips met. I pushed into her and our mouths opened, our tongues exploring each others. Tasting the sweet flavor of our kiss, she let out a slight moan from deep within her throat. We became the only two people in the room. Finally Wilson pulled slightly away from our kiss, just far enough away to formulate a sentence.

“I think we cleared the room.”

“Good,” I growled against her lips. My hands drifted down around her ass. I just wanted to pull her up against me. Wilson’s fingers climbed up my around my neck and knotted in my hair.

Unexpectedly, I heard my brother clear his throat.

“Shit, you two…get a room.”

“Shut up, Cal,” I spat toward him, going in for another kiss. Wilson pulled away, though. Her cheeks blushed red and her eyes constricted, like she was embarrassed to kiss me. She swept her eyes toward Cal.

“Alright everyone, I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day, and we have another long, emotional day tomorrow. I think we should all hit the hay,” Mom said as she walked in behind Calvin. When she passed him she locked her hands together on his shoulder and pulled him down toward her to kiss his cheek. “Good night, sweetheart, I love you.”

“I love you too, Ma,” Cal replied as he kissed her cheek then turned and gave her a tight hug, longer than usual. She let go first, rubbing her hands across his back.

Mom walked toward Wilson, pushing her arms out in front of her.

“Come here, sweetheart,” she beckoned.

Wilson’s breath caught as she let go of me and slipped into a hug with my mom. I watched as their breathing became synchronized.

“I’m glad you came home with Maxi,” she whispered before pressing her lips to the side of Wilson’s head. “He loves you beyond aching. Just like Frank loved me.” Her voice cracked and she struggled to hold her tears back.