Page 39 of Down Memory Lane
Chapter Nineteen
Felix
After a long day at the bar playing catch up with everything that he’d missed over the last couple of months, Felix couldn’t wait to get upstairs, pull Autumn into his arms, and spend the rest of the night holding her close. He’d become so accustomed to having her in such close proximity that the eleven hours he’d spent away from her felt more like twice that amount if not longer.
Nothing could hold his attention for more than a few minutes before Felix was daydreaming about when he would get to go home and see her. He’d hoped that Autumn would stop by Branch and Brew to say hello, but after her breakfast she’d texted that she was going to head into her studio for a while. Apparently she’d needed to “work through some stuff,” and while Felix was happy to see that she was once again using her pottery as a sort of therapy as she had before, the fact that she needed to do that at all had him slightly concerned.
Felix knew that Autumn’s parents had been pressuring her to focus more on regaining her memories just as he knew that she found that frustrating. The Banaszynskis were good people and he knew they meant well, but he also wished they would go back to Arizona and just leave Autumn to her life as she wanted to live it now. He wasn’t sure exactly when he had given up on his best friend, even recalling her life before the accident, but at some point since then Felix had accepted the fact that was unlikely to happen. Autumn’s loss of her past,theirpast was something he would always mourn a little bit, but Felix was far too optimistic and excited about the future they could create together to get hung up on it.
Their previous experiences are ones he would look back on with fondness because if they didn’t have those they may not be where they were today. The times they’ve had as a couple, however, were quickly becoming far more precious to him than the former anyway. Felix knew that when he was older, sitting on a porch swing as he stared at his wrinkled skin that looked like crepe paper with eyes that weren’t nearly as sharp as they once were, it was the love he shared with Autumn that would stick out most in his mind. With any luck, she would be right there beside him.
Smiling at the thought of Autumn as the older woman next to him as he reminisced, a light breeze stirring hair that would be more white than pink at that point, Felix headed inside their apartment. He expected to find Autumn lazing on the couch with a book or watching the show she was currently addicted to, butLove Is Blindwasn’t playing in the background as he toed off his shoes and dropped his belongings on the counter.
“Auts?” he asked, stepping further inside.
The television screen was black and the only light in the apartment came from Autumn’s bedroom. Curiosity working overtime, Felix moved quickly, pausing at the doorway as he took in the scene before him.
Autumn stood completely still, the blue sundress that she’d always loved to wear because of how pretty she found it paling in comparison to her own splendor. She seemed serene, peaceful, and even happy as she stood there, her hair down and brushing the collarbone she was running her fingertips along while she stared at the photo wall they’d put up in her room. Felix smiled at her relaxed stance as his eyes moved from one favorite sight to another. The small printed pictures they’d added to the collage day by day since they’d snapped the first few were starting to take up a considerable amount of wall space. Felix had wanted to give her evidence of their good times together, but he’d benefitted from them just as much as she had.
His favorite was of the two of them as they sat on the hood of his SUV eating burgers from the diner as they gazed out over the town. The trip to the overlook has been something Felix had been wanting to do with Autumn since they’d first agreed to see each other romantically, but those plans had been put on hold. It was something they’d actually never done before as it was a well-known Applewood make out spot, some place you would never go to with someone who was just a friend. They had definitely taken advantage of the seclusion that night, fogging up the windows of his car after they’d enjoyed their dinner.
Felix’s eyes tracked over the wall as he stepped closer to the woman basking in their presence. Each picture was a reminder of what the future could look like if he had the courage to tell her he loved her and ask her to be with him.
“Hey,” he said quietly.
Autumn didn’t talk, but she did reach her hand out to grasp his. The way she held onto it, like he was the anchor to her ship that was lost in a sea of thoughts, settled something in his chest he hadn’t realized was unresolved until that very moment. It was confirmation that she needed him, and while Felix knew Autumn would be just fine on her own if that’s what she wished, he also wanted to be needed by her.Badly.
Felix pulled Autumn closer, enjoying the feel of her body next to his as he continued to watch her as she looked at the photos. Various expressions played across her face like images on a movie screen. Optimism and joy were there, yet uncertainty and frustration were also present. Autumn’s brow furrowed in concentration as her eyes moved over the photos before coming to rest on his face, the expression he saw then looking so much like love that his heart nearly burst with happiness.
“Thank you, Fe.” His smile was wide as she continued to gaze upon him like he was responsible for so much good in the world when he’d hardly ever left his small corner of it.
Felix liked to think of himself as a good person, but it was only when Autumn looked at him as she did now that he truly felt it deep in his soul. “What are you thanking me for?” He leaned down and brushed their lips together. “I told you I would do anything for you, and I meant it. No thanks necessary.”
Autumn’s lips pulled back into a soft smile. “Maybe I want to say it anyway.” She tugged on his hand, leading him over to the bed. “Maybe I want to show you how much I appreciate you giving me so many good memories to hold onto.”
Felix gulped as Autumn dropped his hand and lifted the hem of her sundress, peeling it up and over her head in one move. There was nothing particularly special about the lingerie she wore underneath. It looked more functional than anything else, but there was something incredibly alluring about the white cotton bra and panties that had Felix instantly hard. Autumn was always someone he’d thought of as beautiful, but what he hadn’t realized early enough was that she was themostbeautiful woman he had and would ever lay eyes on. Unhooking her bra, Autumn let it drop to the floor before she stripped the underwear from her body as well and beckoned him closer with an outstretched hand.
Felix gave it to her, stepping his still clothed body next to her naked one, wondering why they weren’t already skin to skin. “Will you give me at least one more?” she asked, placing his hand on her breast, her eyes pleading. “Please.”
Felix brushed his thumb across her nipple, smirking as she gasped and leaned into his touch. “Anything you want,” he rasped. His voice was ragged with desire, the need to be inside of her growing with each passing second. “Everything you want. Just name it and I’ll give it to you.”
Silently, Autumn placed her hand over his heart. Felix wondered if she could hear it thundering in his chest, like a herd of wild stallions stampeding their way through the countryside. Placing his hand over hers, Felix simply held it there and nodded, knowing without spoken words what she was asking him for. What she didn’t know was that his heart had always been hers, it had just taken him far too long to realize it. Leaning down, Felix captured her mouth in a kiss. It started gently at first, but it heated up the moment her free hand slipped over the front of his jeans and palmed his hard cock.
Felix groaned as she pressed down harder. “Please.” Autumn repeated the plea, her eyes shining with a mixture of hope and lust that Felix hoped to put there as often as he could.
Nodding, Felix backed up just enough to strip each item of clothing off his body, practically throwing them across the room like they had personally offended him. In a way, they had. Anything that got in between him and the woman he loved would feel his wrath in one way or another, even if they were inanimate objects. Once he was completely naked, he moved back to Autumn who smiled coyly and took a step back, and then another until she was lying on the bed.
Felix raised a brow as he bent over her, his face hovering mere inches from hers. “If you want to play games, we can play games.” He brushed his nose along the skin of her cheek before nipping at her earlobe. “What shall we play first? We could play I spy.” He kissed his way down her neck before tracing her collarbone with his tongue until he came to her breasts. “I spy with my little eye, something pink.” He lavished her nipple with attention as Autumn gasped, her legs squeezing together beneath him as he moved from one breast to the other and did the same action there.
Autumn hummed. “I think I like that game,” she moaned.
Felix chuckled, his breath skating across the damp skin of her nipple causing it to pebble harder. “Me too,” he admitted before taking both of her hands in his. Throwing them up and over her head, he held them there as tightly as he could while ensuring that no discomfort came to her. “We could play red light, green light.” He kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers as he ran his hard length through her wet folds. Autumn cried against his mouth when he tapped her clit and whined when he backed away again. Breaking away, he released her hands and massaged her wrists.
Autumn shook her head slowly, as one of her hands cupped his cheek. “I like that game too, but maybe we can save it for another night.” Felix gasped when he felt her other hand grip his cock before running it up and down him in smooth motions. “Right now, I want to play capture the flag.”
Felix groaned again when she ran her thumb over the tip, smearing precum all over him as she continued to pump her hand. “I think you already won, Love.”
