Page 118 of Only and Forever

“And you,” he says, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me close, the slow dance music swelling around us, “have finally stopped walking like you got railed in a flower field this morning.”

I gasp. Viggo grins devilishly and wiggles his eyebrows. “Ilovescandalizing you.”

“That’s my job,” I tell him. “Scandalizingyou.”

“I guess we’ll just have to enjoy scandalizing each other.” He leans down for a kiss that’s slow and sweet. “I love you,” he whispers.

“I love you,” I whisper back. My smile is so wide, it makes my cheeks ache.

His eyes search mine. “How you doing?”

“Doing... pretty great. You?”

He smiles. “Pretty great.” He clears his throat, his eyes darting to where his parents are making conversation with mine. “How you feeling aboutthat?”

I glance over at my parents and sigh. “Feeling like... there’s a lot we haven’t dealt with, that we should.” My mind travels back to the family selfie we took with Charlie’s wedding photographer, a little stilted and awkward, but... trying. Charlie had Dad take a selfie, too, that we sent to Harry, telling him we missed and lovedhim, that we’d visit when he was ready for visitors. It felt raw and hard, but it also felt real. Like, maybe, our family will start with these tiny, humble steps, each of us trying to be healthier individually, figuring out how that makes us work together, as a family. “But I think this is a good beginning.”

Viggo nods, cupping my face, his thumb skating softly along my cheek. He’s quiet, which is so rare, but he doesn’tfeelquiet. His grip around my waist is tight and sure, his eyes locked on mine. Ifeelhis love, its reality so visceral, so powerful, it’s unlike anything I’ve known.

“I love you,” I tell him.

He smiles. “I know. I love you, too, Lula.”

I link my hands around Viggo’s neck, our height difference diminished thanks to my high heels, and stare up at him as the music fades. Filled with love. With dreams. With so many hopes for what lies ahead.

Viggo’s smile deepens. “What is it?”

“You and I,” I tell him, taking his hand, drawing him toward the mic, “have some karaoke-ing to do.”

—

For once, I am the furthest thing from quiet. Shameless moans leave me as I lie naked, stretched out wide on our bed in the empty A-frame, family long gone since this morning, leaving us to have what we needed—a place to be together, to love each other, just the two of us.

Hot sunlight pours into the room, painting Viggo’s brown hair bronze. I grip it tight in my hand, biting my lip at the sight of his head between my thighs, his tongue lightly flicking my clit. A gasp tears out of me.

“Like that?” he whispers against my skin.

I grip his hair tighter. “Yes, like that.”

Another flick of his tongue, then he swirls it slowly.

“Oh,God. Just like that.”

He glances up, pale blue eyes blazing like blue flames, a sexy smile tipping his mouth. “Yeah?”

I nod frantically, cupping his jaw, savoring the scratch of his scruff. I stare at him with wonder, overwhelmed with knowing he loves me, knowing I love him, too.

“The way you’re looking at me,” he whispers. “If I had known you’d look at me like that, I’d have shaved the beard down sooner.”

I shake my head. “You’re always lovely to me. Bigfoot beard or not.”

He laughs softly, rubbing his bristly chin right where my hip meets my pelvis. I arch up into him.

“I love you, Lula,” he whispers, planting a tender kiss to my thigh.

I smile down at him. “I love you, Viggo.”

He bends his head again, eager, sweet, working me up with his tongue, with one long finger, then another, crooked deep inside me.

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