Easton Read online

  “I, I want to know my son. I do know that. When it comes to Scar, I don’t know. I don’t have a clue what to do. She’s the mother of my son, and I’ve … missed her.”

  “You’ve missed her in what way?” Romeo asked.

  “I’ve thought about her many times over the years. What I did. How I ended it. It was bad. I don’t know what to do, guys. I’m sorry.” He ran a hand over his face, feeling like the worst kind of man in the world. “Everything is happening so fast.”

  When Liam had been in the office, he had truly felt like he could handle anything. He took a bite of the bagel, and the spinning in his stomach stopped. He sipped at the coffee. It was sweet and hot, and went well with the bagel.

  “I can’t walk away from this. I have a son, and I want the chance to know him. For him to know me. I played with him last night. With the toy car I bought him. He’s eleven but at least I got the chance of that.”

  “You ever thought about petitioning for custody of him?” Karson asked. “She had him for the first eleven years. You got nothing. Now you can have him completely. It’s a win-win for you.”

  “No, I’m not going to do that.” Liam wouldn’t allow it. “He’s offering me a chance at weekends.”

  “You’re going to be a weekend dad?” Romeo asked.

  “For now. I just want to get to know my son.” He paused. “My son.”

  “Yeah, it has a nice ring to it,” Axton said.

  “Wow, I’m a dad.”

  “You’re only just realizing this?” Karson asked.

  “No, I mean, I knew that I was a dad, but now that I’m faced with it, and it’s all so new, you know. I’m a father. I’ve got a son.” He ran a hand down his face in an attempt to clear the fog. It didn’t work. “What if I turn into my father?”

  He looked at each of his friends.

  “Not possible,” Romeo said.

  “My father was a monster.”

  “Exactly. It’s why you’ll never be him. Already you want to do right by your son. Do you think Liam’s an okay guy?” Axton asked.

  “I don’t know. I don’t really know him. Junior was happy around him, and Scarlett, well, she’s more than okay.”

  He’d seen the arousal on her last night. It wasn’t exactly hard to see. The dress she wore showed just how happy she was to have Liam’s hands all over her. He wasn’t jealous. Scarlett wasn’t his.

  He’d given up that right to her.

  “I’m going to do it. Weekends I’ll spend with Junior. If you need me for anything, call me or email me. I want to get to know my son.” He also wanted to get to know the girl he’d left behind.

  Chapter Eight

  Over eleven years ago

  “You’re a hard one to pin down,” Scarlett said, taking a seat beside Easton. He sat on one of the logs, staring into the burning flames.

  “Am I that obvious?”

  “Did I do something wrong? Is that why you’re ignoring me?” She tucked some hair behind her ear. She’d been considering a haircut for a couple of months. It had taken her years to grow her hair this long, but at moments like this, it always seemed to get in the way.

  “You couldn’t do anything wrong.” He smiled. “At least I can tell everyone I know I’ve taught you how to swim.”

  “You did, and you were super patient with me.”

  “Why didn’t you learn before?” he asked. “You clearly come to camp often. The kids know you.”

  She shrugged. “I never had the time. I find water a little intimidating. You never know what’s lurking beneath. I help out at camp and have been here since I was fourteen. It’s how I know everyone. Doesn’t mean I like to join in with everything. Thank you for teaching me though. I don’t be taking any dips in the lake or anything.”

  “You’re not going to go streaking?” Easton asked.

  “Hell, no. Running through the water naked is so not my thing.”

  He laughed.

  As fast as he started to laugh, it died. Like a switch went off in his brain that told him to not be happy.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s nothing important. I’ve got to head back home soon.”

  “And you don’t like home?” she asked. They didn’t talk about their life away from camp. She was happy about that. It wasn’t like she had much fun waiting for her at home. Her parents had a lot of expectation from her. It was nothing but exhausting work and planning. Everything she hated.

  “I don’t like any part of being home. It sucks. There’s no point talking about it.”

  “I know it can suck to be around your parents.”

  He snorted. “Believe me, I know.”

  She reached out, taking his hand. “While you’re here, you don’t have to think about any of that. You’re here with me, and they don’t matter. Cut off your feeling of home, and just embrace what you have now.”

  ****

  Present day

  With her second cup of coffee resting on her knee, Scarlett stared at the front door waiting for when Liam arrived.

  She woke up to an empty house with a single note from Liam letting her know he had a few errands to run and he’d taken Junior to school.

  Last night couldn’t be avoided.

  He’d made her come multiple times, and to thank him, she’d passed out.

  What did this all mean?

  Their relationship wasn’t supposed to be about sex, or anything. This was … ugh, she didn’t know what it was.

  She sipped at her steaming cup of coffee, and her nerves were completely and totally shot. In all the years she’d been married to Liam, not once had she ever been nervous about talking to him.

  She heard his car pull up onto the drive, and her hands began to shake.

  Gripping the cup tightly, she waited, and the door opened. He wore a crisp white shirt and a pair of black pants. His hair was a mess, but for some reason on Liam, it always looked great.

  “You’re awake, and from the look in your eyes, you’re not happy, which is shocking.”

  “Did you not want to talk to me this morning? Is that why you didn’t wake me up?”

  “Whoa, okay, I didn’t exactly anticipate this being a smooth conversation, but I’m not avoiding you.”

  “It feels like it. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Junior,” she said. “You know I love to wish him a good day. It’s part of our routine.”

  “Routines are designed to be broken. Is there more coffee?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  He walked away, but she wasn’t done. Following him into the kitchen, she put her cup down on the counter.

  “Did you not enjoy last night?” he asked.

  “You know I did. You know I enjoyed it multiple times. This is not the point. We don’t have a sexual relationship.”

  “And we can change that.” He turned toward her. “There’s nothing in the rule book to say we can’t make changes or decide to do something different.”

  “We have rules in place to protect each other,” she said.

  “From what?”

  “From heartbreak and … everything. I can’t think of it all right now. I’m confused, okay? I thought you wanted a man in your life.”

  “I do. I’ve never lied to you. I find both men and women attractive. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that I want you.”

  Scarlett stared at him, shocked. “You’re only seeing this now? After five years of marriage? We’ve shared a bed.”

  “Do you even remember how we started to share a bed?” he asked.

  “When we had guests and for Easton so he wasn’t confused.”

  “Wrong. Sharing a bed didn’t start for those reasons. You came to live with me after we were married as per our agreement.”

  “I remember.”

  “You screamed during your sleep. You’d have these horrible nightmares about your ex and what he’d done to you.” She tensed up. “I couldn’t take it, so I started to sleep with you. You’d wake me up screaming. I’d come t
o your room, settle you down, and fall asleep. We did this for nearly three months, before I just started to sleep in the same bed. Whenever I wasn’t there, you’d have bad dreams. It’s one of the reasons I either took you and Junior with me on business trips, or I made sure all business could come here. We started sharing a bed.”

  She’d completely forgotten about the nightmares. The attack of her ex had scared her, but little by little, Liam had given her back herself.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “You don’t need to thank me, Scarlett. I love you. You know that.”

  “You want a future with a man and a woman.”

  “I’ve got the woman I want. I just, at the time of making this agreement with you, I didn’t realize it.”

  “I’m confused.”

  “So am I,” he said. “Believe me. My feelings for you have been growing.” He put the cup on the counter and moved toward her. “They didn’t happen overnight, and I know, deep down, you’ve got feelings for me too.” He cupped her hip, pulling her in close. “You can pretend all you want.”

  “I’m not going to do that. I can’t give you what you want.” She couldn’t resist looking at his lips. They’d been on her body last night, and he’d felt so good. “I don’t have a penis.”

  He laughed.

  “I don’t know if I want to share you,” she said. Tears suddenly filled her eyes and she tried to take a step back, but Liam wouldn’t let her.

  “Nothing between us has changed. You’re still my wife. We’re still the best of friends. None of it has changed. I won’t let you run from this, from us.” He wrapped his arms around her. His lips went to her neck, grazing over the pulse.

  “I don’t think I can do this,” she said.

  “Let me worry about everything else. I’ve never steered you wrong. I will never cheat on you. Never.”

  She pulled away, and he wiped away her tears with the back of his fingers. “You won’t be with someone else?”

  “No.”

  “Promise.”

  “I’ve never lied to you.” He dropped a kiss to her lips. “Ever.”

  “Where did you go this morning? You were gone a long time.”

  “I went to see Easton.”

  She tensed up. “Why?”

  “I’m waiting for him to make a decision on joining us on the weekends. It’s only fair he gets to share in Junior. What do you think?” he asked.

  “You’ve already asked him without consulting me.”

  “Because I know you think it’ll be a good idea. You always told me you felt a little guilty for not telling Easton at any point during your pregnancy.”

  That was true.

  When she held her baby in her arms after giving birth, she knew Easton should have been there. As the dad, he had a right to witness the birth of his child, but she still didn’t reach out. This was on her, and she didn’t want to tear father and son apart. She’d made a mistake, and she had to deal with that.

  “What about you?” she asked.

  “I’m not going to be replaced by anyone.” He dropped another kiss to her lips. He pressed her up against the counter. The jeans she wore were in the way of feeling him. The hard press of his cock was almost too good to be true.

  Liam lifted her up, placing her on the counter. “Do you realize, Mrs. Knight, we’ve been married five years and of those five years, we’ve never once consummated our marriage?”

  “Yes.”

  His fingers went to the button of her shirt.

  One by one, he slid them open.

  She didn’t say a word, feeling her whole body want his touch, want his hands on her.

  He pushed the shirt down her arms, but rather than let it all the way off, Liam tied the shirt up, keeping her arms locked behind her back.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “I’m going to have some fun, and I want you completely at my mercy. Do you trust me?”

  “You know I do.”

  “Then know I’m going to be making up for five years of lost time. Five years of not touching this body because you’ve not truly been mine. You’re mine now, aren’t you?”

  She thought about Easton. He’d taken a part of her many years ago, only to stamp on it. She’d never given another man a real chance with her. Even the boyfriend who hurt her, he’d known from the start he was second best.

  “Yes, I’m yours, Liam. I’m all yours.” She spoke the words with conviction. There wasn’t anywhere else she wanted to be.

  Easton was a distant memory. She had no intention of being with him for a lifetime or for any length of time.

  Liam grabbed a knife from the drawer.

  She held her breath as he slid the sharp blade beneath the fabric and cut.

  The bra fell away from her body, and she heard him groan.

  “Do you have any idea how much torture it was to see you getting naked? To know you were going to be all mine one day. You’d strip down, and I’d see how curvy and sexy you were, and I’ve spent many times in the shower, imagining all the things I want to do to you and these sexy tits.”

  She gasped as his tongue stroked across one hard bud. She watched him as he flicked back and forth before sucking the bud into his mouth, and moaning.

  The pleasure was instant, and she closed her eyes. There was nothing for her to hold onto. She was completely at his mercy.

  He pressed her tits together, and she moaned as he licked and sucked at each of her nipples.

  “Tell me, Scarlett, have you ever thought about me fucking you?” He helped her off the counter, but didn’t allow her to break free from the bindings.

  “Yes.”

  “I better warn you right here, right now, I can do the hearts and flowers stuff. I can be the sweetest boyfriend in your life.” He popped open the button on her jeans. He went to his knees before her and heat flooded her body. “But, when it comes to the bedroom, I don’t like a little virgin.” He helped her out of her flipflops, and then the jeans.

  He took her panties down as well.

  While Liam was fully dressed, she stood before him, naked.

  He stood up, the tips of his fingers dancing across her skin as he stared down at her. He held her waist.

  “You like it dirty?”

  Liam lifted her back up onto the counter and spread her legs wide. “I like to see how I make my woman wet. I want her pussy to be dripping, she’s so aroused.” He held her thighs and kept her open. “Just like you are now.” He slid his fingers across the fine hairs of her pussy. “I’m going to shave this all off. I don’t want anything in my way.” He stretched her lips, and she watched him.

  Two fingers filled her pussy.

  “How long has it been with a man?” he asked, working his finger in and out of her cunt.

  “A really long time.”

  “Five years? Before we were married?”

  “Yes.” Tears filled her eyes.

  “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’ll never hurt you, Scarlett. You want to stop this, you can. I only want your consent and to love what I do to your body. Nothing else. He’s not here to hurt you anymore. Remember, I took care of it. I take care of everything when it comes to you.”

  She smiled up at him. “I only want you.” She cut off all other thoughts and feelings. There really was only him. She didn’t care for anyone else.

  He worked another finger inside her, and she gasped.

  “You’re so tight.”

  His thumb, like last night, stroked across her clit.

  “I want to feel you inside me, Liam.”

  “When I’m done making you come.”

  He licked her pussy, and she watched him, his fingers thrusting deep into her pussy as his tongue stroked over her clit.

  The pleasure was intense, and she felt the beginnings of her orgasm. The moment she came, Scarlett felt embarrassed by how quickly she’d found her release.

  Liam lifted her up in his arms, removing her shirt, and she held onto him.
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  “I’ve never done that before,” she said.

  “You’re going to get used to it. I’m a man that knows what he’s doing.” He held her a little tighter. “Hold onto me. We’re going to the bedroom.”

  She wrapped her legs around him. “I can walk.”

  “I don’t want you to. This is where I get to take care of you.”

  Liam walked all the way to their bedroom. He placed her down on the bed, and she watched, amazed and in love with who he was. He was everything to her.

  Again, the niggle of Easton kept coming back, but she pushed it aside.

  Liam removed his clothes, dropping them on the floor before returning to her, his lips on hers as he moved her back against the bed.

  She gasped as he spread her open. He wasn’t a small man, and his cock rested between the lips of her pussy, the tip bumping against her clit.

  Liam pulled away from the kiss, grasping his cock and teasing it to her entrance.

  She stared into his blue eyes as inch by inch, he sank into her. Her cunt stretched to accommodate him. She cried out as he slammed in hard, going as deep as he could.

  He took hold of her hands, pressing them either side of her head. “I’m never going to let you go. Not ever. You’re mine, Scarlett.”

  “And you are mine,” she said.

  “Forever.”

  Liam pulled out of her, only to slide back in.

  He was the perfect fit. It only took a couple of thrusts for her to get used to the feel of him within her.

  The pleasure was instant, consuming, everything she ever wanted, and more. This was Liam, her husband and soul mate.

  There would never be a guy like him, and she wasn’t going to do anything to ruin the happiness they had with each other.

  ****

  “I don’t think you should shave me,” Scarlett said.

  “I think you need to relax and trust me.”

  “I do trust you, completely. No doubt at all from me, but you’re talking about shaving my personals.”

  Liam laughed.

  They were in the shower, and he’d brought in a stool for her to sit on so he could remove all of her pubic hair, but she now seemed nervous.

  “How about I remove yours, you remove mine?” he asked.

  “You’d trust me next to your…”