“You get where this is going. You know where I want you. Here with me always. I’m just waiting for you to catch up, sugar.” I lay my hand on top of hers, letting her know the depth of my meaning.
“I’m getting there, I promise.” She sits up, showing off her naked body, causing me to groan and my cock to perk up in delight.
“Good, but maybe cover up if you want to still have this conversation.” She doesn’t though, instead, she leans over my body, only making it even harder not to want to feel up the back of her legs, moving my hands to the globe of her ass, squeezing it and loving the feel of it.
“Trace, you’re not making this any easier,” she bemoans, but is already sitting up and sliding my shirt on, covering up.
“Well, what did you expect? You naked is going to stop me in my tracks of any and all things.” I sit up, my back to the headboard. Dove swings a leg over my lap, straddling me. “Fuck.” I see the sly smile she has on her face and am one hundred percent sure this will end up with Dove and me naked and tussling in the sheets again.
“That will have to wait. I’m ready to tell you about my grand plans, or maybe it’s an illusion, but if it doesn’t work out, that’s okay too because this is something I’ve felt compelled to do.” I nod my head. She has my full attention. “Okay, so I’m writing a book. Now, I could have done a self-help book, but really, what teenager will want to hear about all of my experiences and what they should and shouldn’t do? So, instead, I spun it into a story, one that young adults can relate to, and I might even weave it to where it has a happily ever after. You know, where the girl ends up with the guy who was beyond nice to her when he didn’t have to be.” I don’t think Dove has taken a breath since she started talking, but the excitement she’s showing me, I’m really fucking happy for her.
“So damn proud of you, Dove. I know shit’s been going on since you’ve been home, and yet you overcame the past, deal with the present like it’s nothing but a bump in the road, and the future, sugar, it’s nothing but the wind in your sails and smooth sailing.”
“You think it’ll be a success? I mean, I know it’s my first book and it’ll be hard to get a reader base and whatnot, but it’s something I can see myself doing, like a career.” She claps her hands together, wiggling her body on my cock, and there’s more than one person who’s excited for her.
“I know it will be, and I’ll be there every step of the way. Now, give your man a kiss, and if you’re lucky, I’ll let you up to eat, but then I’m going to show you just how proud of you I am, over and fucking over again.” I solidify my promise with a kiss, then we’re out of bed. It’s time to see what we can salvage of dinner.
Sixteen
Dove
“I still don’t understand what you could possibly need at the hardware store. You were there practically every day for the past couple of weeks,” I tease. Trace and I are walking down Main Street in our quiet little town. I’m not exactly sure if we’re going to my parents’ hardware store, what with it being dusk, they could have closed early. There are a lot of times they’ll do that if it’s a slow day.
“We’re getting ice cream, you goof. The only reason I was at the hardware store to begin with was to flirt with the pretty girl behind the counter.” Trace has his arm wrapped around my shoulder, holding me tightly to his side, while my arm is wrapped around his lower back. “Oh, really? And just who was that?” I figure, why not keep the joke going?
“Fishing for compliments, are we?” he volleys back.
“Oh, I’m sure she’s doing more than that.” Trace and I stop in our tracks. There is nothing less I want than to deal with than Regina and Amanda.
“It’s okay. Let’s just walk away. Seriously, Trace, they aren’t worth getting into a pissing contest with.” I squeeze his side, but he’s not responding.
“Running is what you do best, isn’t it, Dove?” Regina questions. She has a lot of nerve to even attempt talking to me about anything. The mean girl persona from school is still clearly in its place even though she looks nothing like she did back then. People change and age, but life seems to be taking its toll on her, given the bleached blonde frizzy hair she’s sporting and the gaudy makeup that paints her face. I still don’t say anything. I don’t have to. It seems like Knox and Blakely have decided to step out of the store to our right. Mrs. McCray, Blakely, and I have fast become thick as thieves on the ranch. They’ve even roped me into helping them in the barn with the horses in between my writing breaks.