Page 106 of Love Is Ale You Need

Breaking away, he starts at my jaw and kisses his way down the column of my neck. His hand slides up my stomach, taking my shirt with him. I arch my back as he moves to below my breastbone. He trails kisses down my stomach, making sure to kiss each and every one of my stretch marks.

“I love you so much.”

My fingers thread through his hair, gripping the strands.” I love you even more.”

When he reaches my hip, his thumbs dig under the fabric of my yoga pants and slowly drags them down my legs. “Let’s put my yodeling skills to the test.” He kisses my inner thigh on one side, then the other. The tip of his tongue slides up my slit.

“Ahhh! Yes!” My fingers grip tighter around his strands.

He alternates his licks between the flat of his tongue and the tip. My hips buck each time he hits my clit.

“Fuck. Rye. You taste fucking sweet as honey.” With his fingers, he spreads me open. His lips wrap around my clit and he sucks.

“Oooh! Mmm!”

“Shhh. You’ll wake the kids.” His finger teases at my opening before he pushes into me.

I blindly reach for a pillow and slam it over my face. “Oh god. More. I need more.” My muffled words spur Trey on. He flicks his tongue over my clit as he continues to plunge his finger in and out. A tingle starts at my toes and shoots off through my entire body like a rocket. I cry out his name as my fingers clench his hair, keeping him right where I want him. My orgasm subsides and so does my grip on his hair.

I move the pillow to the other side of the bed and sit halfway up on my elbows.

He lifts his head from between my legs and licks his lips. “I think my yodeling skills are on par.”

“You’re a professional yodeler.”

He pushes his jeans off, and they hit the floor with a thud. He crawls up my body and nuzzles his nose in my neck. “What did you want to ask me?”

“Oh. Yes," I say with a playful nudge, causing him to shift to the side. With a gentle tug, I pull open the nightstand drawer and retrieve the delicate paper ring I made earlier. “I wasn’t planning on doing this while we were half naked, but it doesn’t matter.” I sit sideways, knees bent on the bed. Gently, I grasp his left hand and carefully slip the paper ring onto his finger. Peering up, I meet his gaze. “Seven months ago, you put a paper ring on my finger and asked me to marry you so it’s only fitting that I return the gesture. Will you marry me?”

He glances down at the ring, then at me. “There’s only one flaw with your gesture.”

I tilt my head. “What’s that?”

“I’m not going to tell you no.” He cups my cheek and pulls me to him with a kiss. It’s soft and sweet. He pulls away, resting his forehead on mine. “Just so you know, I expect nothing less than two carats, princess cut, and white gold.”

I wide grin covers my face. “I’ll work on that.”

He wraps his arms around my waist and twists us around so my back is on the bed. “Also, in case you missed that, my answer is yes.”

* * *

Dessa

I peek my head over the ledge of the side window into the Porter’s parking lot.

“She’s here! Get ready!”

I scamper to the main bar area where everyone is gathered. A corner of the banner we got that saysWelcome Back Ryleedangles from the ceiling. I climb up on a stool and re-secure it. As I step down, a sliver of light pours in through the front door as Rylee strolls in. A roar of claps and cheers rolls through the bar as everyone rises to their feet.

The widest grin takes over her face as pink tinges her cheeks. “What is all this?” She glances around the packed Porter’s. She strolls toward the end of the bar where Lach, Nora, Jake and I are standing. As she passes, everyone offers their congratulations. “You’d think I won a Nobel Peace Prize, not have a baby.”

When she’s within arm’s reach, I squeal and pull her to my chest. “I’m excited you’re back.

She giggles under her breath. “You’ve come over every week since I’ve been gone.”

“I know, but working with those two,” I hike my thumb between Lach and Jake, “has been boooring.”

“Hey, I heard that,” Lach says.

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