Page 107 of Hand Picked
He murmured endearments into my ear as he reached down to jack me off and continued pounding into me. Sweat pooled between us where the sun broke through the thick, leafy branches above. The scent of apples surrounded us, and the sound of fat, lazy bees nearby echoed the sex buzz taking over my brain.
When my orgasm hit, it all slammed together in one big, sensuous moment. “Fuckingfuck,” I screamed. Two birds shot from a nearby tree, and the bees disappeared.
Webb grunted through his own release before letting out a belated chuckle. “Would you listen to that? My precious angel husband just cursed a blue streak.”
“Fuck,” I said again as aftershocks continued to course through me. “Fucking fuck.”
Webb kissed down my neck and across to my shoulder while I floated back down to earth. When I was finally lucid again, he pulled out and moved over to the 4x4, where he pulled out a package of wet wipes.
“You really did plan this,” I said.
He used the wipes to clean off his hands before tending to me with gentle, affectionate attention. “Duh.”
His hair was a mess, dotted with a few glossy green leaves, and his nose was red from being pressed against my skin. He was gorgeous as always.
“Got any food in there? I’m suddenly starving,” I admitted.
Webb finished cleaning us both up and handed me my clothes before finding his own. “Nah, but I thought we could head over to Panini Jack’s for an early dinner. He said he’s making your favorite avocado ranch sandwich today. And then I happen to know Drew’s planning Sunday Sundaes for later… with Boston Cream Pie ice cream.”
I shot him a look. “You’re really pulling out all the stops today. Expert-level romancing.”
Webb reached for my hand and kissed it. “I don’t ever want you to doubt how much I love you, Luke. How grateful I am to be your best friend and partner for life. How humbled I am that you love Aiden and that you look out for the rest of my family just like I do. I…we… are so lucky you’re part of us now. And you deserve the world.”
I fought against sappy tears of happiness by cracking our new favorite joke. “That was bugle-worthy right there.”
Webb groaned as he led me to the 4x4 and helped me into the passenger seat. “Speaking of, did you hear about the tourists who tried blowing the bugle last night?”
He hopped in and started us back toward the house so we could switch the 4x4 out for his truck.
“No, but that has to be like the tenth one this summer, right?”
He shrugged. “I can’t decide if Ernie York is excited because of the booming tourist traffic it’s brought in or if he’s annoyed at how many scrolls he has to carry around now.”
We both laughed, but I was pretty sure the answer was the first one. It turned out Ernie York was a romantic at heart, and to this day, he got misty-eyed when he saw me and Webb.
When we arrived at Panini Jack’s, we realized the Sundays, my mom, and my Aunt Sue were already there with the same idea. They waved us over to the huge table they’d commandeered. “Join us!” Gage called. “We were just talking about you two.”
Hawk came over to set two glasses of water down in front of us, but when he got a closer look at Webb, his face turned stormy.
“You look like you just had sex in the orchard,” he accused.
My face lit on fire, and I pretty much died right there on the spot. Webb’s face turned crimson, but his was anger rather than embarrassment. He opened his mouth to call his brother out for his rude behavior when Hawk turned and glared at Jack, who was standing a few feet away, delivering someone’s bill.
“Everyone in this town is having sex except me! I’m going to be a virgin until I die old and alone. I’m living with a damned cherry that willnever be picked!”
He yanked off the denim half-apron around his waist and threw it down on the floor. “I quit.” Then he stormed out the front door.
Everyone in the entire restaurant turned to Jack, who looked like he’d eaten last week’s fish. His eyes shot to Webb with a pleading look. “I didn’t do anything, I promise.”
Webb’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Do anything about what? What was that all about?”
If my sweet husband had a blind spot, it was that he still thought of Hawk as a child like Aiden instead of an adult almost the same age as Gage. By the look on Jack’s face, it was pretty clear not everyone had trouble seeing Hawk as the fully grown, handsome man he was.
Jack’s nostrils widened before he looked around the restaurant and realized everyone was gawping at him. “Nothing to see here, people. Please respect Hawk’s privacy and allow him to have a bad day without spreading it around town. Understood?”
Several people gave him reluctant nods, but not a soul in the place expected this outburst to remain out of the Pippin gossip mill, including Jack. He sighed and suddenly looked tired and hopeless. “Back to work,” he muttered to no one in particular. Maybe he was talking to himself.
After he returned to the kitchen, I nudged Webb. “Go talk to him. He needs his best friend.”
