Page 48 of Rescue
Chapter 23
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Penelope
ONE YEAR LATER
It seems like the list of things I have to get done today is a mile long, but I know it’s all going to be worth it. It’s Saturday so I closed the cafe early, and since then I’ve been busy prepping all the food for tonight and making sure the dining room is ready for guests.
With Miles’ encouragement I decided to throw a big anniversary party to celebrate a year of me owning the cafe. That’s not really all we’re celebrating though. It’s been a year since Miles’ and I were officially boyfriend and girlfriend, a year since the accident, a year since the Carter family bought the newly renovated and renamed Carter’s Cabins.
So much has changed in that time, but one thing that hasn’t changed is how happy I am to have made the decision to move home. I can honestly say that it was the best decision of my life.
Satisfied with how the dining room looks, I head upstairs to take a quick shower and get ready for tonight. Most of my stuff is at Miles’ house now, since we rarely spend a night without each other, but I keep some things here for times like these. Having this apartment above the cafe has come in handy more times than I can count.
I’ve never been in a relationship with someone who treats me not only as an equal but respects my opinions and values my ideas. It’s amazing. I didn’t think I would ever be able to find someone who makes me so happy, but I have. Miles makes my life better just by being in it.
I’m just about to get out of the shower when I hear someone come into the bathroom. “Hello?” I call out, anxiety laced through my voice.
“Hey, baby,” Miles says as he climbs into the bathtub with me. This shower certainly isn’t as nice as the one at his house, but it’ll do in a pinch.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I smile up at him. I turn sideways to give him access to the water and my mouth salivates as I watch the water run down his delicious body. His abs ripple and his biceps harden as he reaches his arms up to run his hands through his hair. He clears his throat and my eyes snap up to his. My cheeks color a little as I realize he caught me staring. Even after a year together I can hardly keep my hands to myself. I don’t know how he expects me not to stare at him every chance I get. The man is seriously hot.
“Do you really want to know why I’m here, or are you just glad to have some eye candy to look at as you finish your shower?” He smirks at me, then leans forward and gives me a scorching hot kiss. If it wasn’t already so steamy in this tiny bathroom, the mirror would fog up. “I finished helping Mason work on Mom and Dad’s roof early, so I thought I’d come over here and see if you needed any help setting up. Imagine my surprise when I found you warm, wet, and naked in the shower. I’m a lucky man,” he says as he wiggles his eyebrows playfully at me and runs his hands down the sides of my body, leaning in for another kiss.
“Mmmm,” I say as I pull back from him. “You’re not the only one who’s lucky.” I reach down between his legs and start to stroke his dick. It’s already hard as a rock, but somehow hardens even more under my touch. I get down on my knees, my mouth already watering for him, and run my hands down his shaft to his balls as I bring my lips to the head of his cock. I gently suck him into my mouth as I softly squeeze his balls in my hand. I bring both of my hands around to his butt and use them to push him in and out of my mouth, his thrusts growing faster and faster. I swirl my tongue around him and use my lips to apply just the right amount of suction. I must be doing a good job because I can hear Miles’ moans of approval above me.
“P, I’m going to come if you don’t stop,” Miles says as he reaches down and tries to pull me back up.
“No!” I say around his dick as I continue my assault on him. He must decide to give up because I smile to myself when I hear him let out a groan of resignation. I pick up my pace, taking him as deep into my throat as possible.
“Penelope!” It’s Miles’ turn to yell now as he stiffens and then I feel his hot come run down the back of my throat. I linger for a moment, making sure to collect every last drop before standing up and looking up into Miles’ sexy face. He’s got a surprised but satisfied look on his face with one eyebrow drawn up in question.
“What was that for?” he asks in an adorably mystified voice that breaks on the last word.
“Just because I wanted to. Can’t a girl give her man a blowjob?”
The party is in full swing and everything is going well. So far, the weather is cooperating, but there’s talk that a storm is coming soon. We haven’t had one yet this year, but if last year is any indication, we could get one any day.
Mama and Nana are here, as well as Miles’ parents and all his brothers. Well, as long as the weather holds anyways. We’re all accustomed to the twins running off to save folks at the drop of a hat, so it’s second nature for them to get a call and go running out the door. We never know when they’ll be able to make it, but it seems like the stars aligned tonight to make everything perfect.
“You really out did yourself tonight,” Miles says, just as I feel two familiar arms wrap around my waist. I lean back and turn my head to look up at the man I love.
“It was nothing,” I say, though I feel my body warm at his compliment.
“Mmmm,” he says as he nuzzles into my neck, “when can we be alone without all these people?”
“Considering the party started about an hour ago? I’m thinking it’s going to be a while.” The groan he lets out sends vibrations through my body and down to my core causing me to push my butt into him as he stands behind me. I give him a little wiggle, and then pull myself away, turning into his arms to look up into his face.
“How did I get so lucky?” he asks me.
“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you,” I answer staring up into his eyes. The room is full of our closest friends and family, but when he looks at me like this it’s like we’re the only two people that exist.
He shakes his head a little and clears his throat as if to clear the lust between us, before looking up over my head and around the room. He lets go of me to grab a couple glasses of champagne that I put out on one of the dining room tables near us.
“Excuse me,” he says over the din in the room. “If I could have everyone’s attention, please.” I wonder what he’s going to say as he hands me one of the glasses of champagne.
“Penny invited you all here tonight as a celebration of the anniversary of her taking over Mabel’s Manor, but that’s not the only anniversary we’re celebrating. It’s been a year since I experienced one of the scariest nights of my life. For a couple hours, I thought something terribly tragic had happened to the beautiful woman beside me. Some say fate was on her side that night since she only ended up with minor injuries, but those hours I spent wondering where she was and if she was ok were the most distressing of my life. Since then, I vowed to start living my life with no regrets, to not let the past get in the way of my future.”
My eyes tear up when I think of that night and how lucky I was to have come away with so few injuries. I’m so thankful that he found me that night, and that he hasn’t let go since.
“A lot has changed in the last year, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that I love this woman with everything in me. Baby,” he says as he turns to look at me instead of the crowd, “you’re the first thing I think about when I wake up every morning, and the last thing that goes through my mind before I fall asleep. You’re everything to me and I want to spend the rest of my life being everything to you. You always tell me how happy you are that I rescued you that night, but the truth is, my gorgeous girl, YOU rescued ME.”
Tears start to flow freely as he kneels down in front of me and pulls out a small black felt box. “Penelope Collins, will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?”
I sink down onto my knees in front of him, tears streaming down my face, “YES!” I yell out, loud enough for everyone to hear, “Yes, of course I’ll marry you,” I say just for him. He kisses me like he’ll never let me go, which is perfect, because I don’t plan to let him. We celebrate the night away, enjoying our family and friends and just being together. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with this man, and that’s just what I intend to do.
