"Hawk … " She sucked in a breath, head landing against my chest as her body relaxed against mine.
"I'm here, baby, and I'm not leaving. God himself couldn't keep me away now."
Tears welled in her eyes, but I was determined to make this a good moment. I licked her tearstained cheeks, swallowing the pain, dragging her down to the grass with me. Kissing her was like being teenagers again, my hands crawling up her shirt, her luscious body grinding out a rhythm against mine. Cloaked in darkness, surrounded by the scent of lilacs and my girl, I came alive again.
"Come inside," she whispered.
"Been waiting for those words for too fucking long." I snaked my arms around her waist and hauled her against me, pounding up the rickety steps and through the door of her home.
"Can't wait to show you our new house."
"Our new house? You're a dog with a bone about this, aren't you?"
"About taking care of what's mine? Fuck yeah, I am." I pushed her through the door of her bedroom after she pointed the way. Our lips clung together the entire time as we crashed into her room, silver moonlight careening across her bed, her hair, her body, making her look good enough to eat.
"You're a fucking angel, precious. You've grown into a woman," I murmured, lifting the shirt over her head and then unclasping her bra. Her heavy tits fell free, and I caught them with my palms, sucking and biting at the nipples until they were pink and hard.
Soft sighs slipped past her lips as her hands pushed into my hair, her legs naked and cradling my waist.
I nestled my cock between her thighs, rubbing against the hot, slick heat of her pussy.
My fucking heaven and my hell.
The very thing I'd drowned in, the thing I couldn't live without.
We were connected, Morgan and I. Had been from the start, even all those years ago when we shared our first kiss under the oak tree in my parents' yard.
That tree was still there.
Maybe I would marry her under that tree someday.
She groaned when my cock filled her, my fingers working at her back entrance as I whispered in her ear. "Missed you so much, baby. Can't even tell you how much."
"There was a time I didn't think I could live without you, Hawk," she said softly.
"Never have to worry about that again. Marrying you, baby girl. Going to make you my wife, move you and my little girl home, where you both belong. With me." Her nails bit into my back, and my fingers sped between her legs as an orgasm rushed through her.
"Fuck, baby." I kissed her, pumping harder, faster, chasing dreams I hadn't dared to dream in too fucking long.
"Love you more than I ever have." I sucked in a breath, my muscles burning as an orgasm rained down on me. Like a wave crashing, I pumped everything I had into my perfect, beautiful girl, getting lost in all the love we always created together.
We were still creating.
"Guess it's a little late to ask if you're on the pill or anything." I grinned, curling her into my body and tucking us both under the covers of her double bed.
"Well … " She averted her eyes. "I'm not on anything. I didn't think there was a reason for it. I haven't been with anyone since-"
"Since … ?" I growled.
"Since you. You're the last person I was with, Hawk."
"Good. Hate to break any filthy bastard's fingers that put his hands on you."
"Well, I guess it's a good thing I saved my virtue, then."
"Hell, Morgan. I saw you and Emerson at the park, and I lost my mind. All I could think was that you'd been with someone else."
"Never. No one was … " She smiled softly. "No one was like you."
I sucked in a deep breath of air, pulling her closer, enjoying the sound of her soft breaths against my chest again. Hell, I think that's what I'd missed most, having her with me at night to hold on to. Waking up to face every morning with her.
Every hour in between.
"Morgan?" I began, tracing a fingertip around the dimple of her navel.
"Yeah?" She yawned.
"Love you and Emerson more than my life. You're mine now."
"Mmm," she breathed, tucking closer under my shoulder. "Yours, Hawk."
Epilogue
Morgan
One year later
"Fuck, baby, every day you taste sweeter." Hawk's tongue was sliding between my wet folds.
He pushed the mountain of taffeta up with one hand, the other clutching at my hip as my ankles locked around his neck. "Oh God, Hawk!"
His teeth dragged across every raw nerve of my swollen clit, my muscles spasming as an orgasm fluttered through my system. My heart hammering, my legs lax around his shoulders, he hoisted me into his arms and laid us both back on the small double bed in his parents' guest bedroom.
The one they'd given me to get ready before Hawk and I walked down the aisle in just a few moments.
"That was amazing."
"That was just a teaser. I can't wait to rip this dress off you later." His crooked grin sent lightning bolts across my skin.
"You're going to have to wait at least a few hours. We have pictures, then the reception … "
"No way I'm waiting that long to fuck my beautiful new wife."
I erupted into giggles when his hands slid under my dress again, kneading at my inner thighs. The thick erection tenting his tuxedo pants made my mouth water. Would it be so wrong to suck him off five minutes before we walked down the aisle? I didn't think so.
Just then, a pounding sounded at the door.
"Shit," I breathed. "Busted."
Hawk chuckled before standing, adjusting his cock, and then doing a once-over of me. "Ready, my new bride?"
"Ready for forever with you?" I squinted up at him with a coy smile. "Absolutely."
He grinned, looping my hand with his and placing a kiss across my knuckles, the sparkling three-carat diamond glistening on my ring ringer.
He'd proposed just a few months after we'd met again, but there'd been another surprise waiting for us that delayed the wedding.
"Morgan?" My mother's voice called through the door, slightly shrill.
"Coming, Mom!" I winked at Hawk. He grinned, then swung the door wide open.
"Hawk! You're not supposed to see her-"
"Just couldn't help myself, ma'am." Hawk winked at my mom then lifted our six-week-old son from her arms. "Hey, little man, ready to watch Momma finally say ‘I do' to your old man?"
I grinned, happy tears already wetting my eyes.
My life was perfect. Hawk had charmed his way back into my life, and he'd made my mother fall in love with him all over again too. The look on her face right now proved it.
"Give me my grandbaby, and you get out there. Your dad's been looking everywhere for you." She swatted at Hawk's shoulder.
He did what she said, placing one more kiss on my knuckles before sauntering off down the hallway and out to the garden.
"I don't know what you were thinking, signing up for a lifetime with that one."
"I wasn't thinking." I smiled down at Noah, placing a kiss on his soft cheeks. "I was only feeling, Mama. And a lifetime without that man felt like a life not worth living."
She smiled, eyes warm with understanding. "He told me last night that you'd never have to work again, Morgan. That he'd take care of you for the rest of your life and your children's lives and your grandchildren's lives. Said he'd made enough while he was away to give you all that, at least." She paused, hand clutching mine. "He's a good man, that Hawk Larson. I never doubted him or your love for him. I always hoped we'd end up here."
I swiped at a tear. "Thank you, Mama. I couldn't have survived the last five years without you."
"You would have survived just fine, sweetheart. That's what women do, they survive every day. Now don't ruin your makeup. We've got a wedding to get to." She tsked, wiping at her own tears.
I followed her down the long hallway and out the doors of the house, making our way down the candlelit pathway that led to Hawk's parents' large garden. Hidden among formal hedges and rows of rose bushes, I caught sight of Emerson, my mini-me, flowers and braids holding up her silky hair, walking down the aisle with a basket of flower petals. Milo followed her on fat little legs, a handsome bow tie around his neck, sniffing at every petal she dropped.
They were the sweetest thing I'd ever seen.
That little girl was my dream come true, and so was her daddy, standing with a barely hidden smile on his face and waiting for me. Right under that giant oak tree we'd first kissed under so many years ago. We'd come a long way since then, and I wouldn't change a minute of it.
Mom squeezed my hand once then slid into her seat, tears still trickling down her face. Then the music started.
And I took the first step into my future with Hawk.
Our future together.
Our forever.
"Think they'll notice if we sneak away?" I breathed at his neck.
His hands were around me on the dance floor, the ceremony over, pictures finished, reception close to wrapping up.