Together, we sync into perfect rhythm as I stare down at him, drunk on his expression, on the feelings he’s drawing out of me. Using the pad of his finger, Easton begins to lazily trail the chain around my waist, gliding his finger back and forth in a hypnotizing sweep in time with my hips. We maintain our silent tempo as I widen my thighs to take him deeper. His eyes go molten at the richer connection, his expression one of bewilderment.
I murmur his name, hearing the emotion in my tone, and his finger stops as he searches my gaze. Unable to voice what I’m feeling, I pray he can read my thoughts now as he seems to do so easily because what I feel for him in this moment is indescribable. In an instant, he lifts to sit, cradling the sides of my face. It’s there he holds me captive, as I vibrate inside my skin, on the precipice of handing myself over while giving him a clear view of the emotional overload—withholding nothing.
“Let go, baby,” he urges softly, “I’m coming with you.” My heart rockets as his words surround me. Knowing he’s with me in every way that matters, physically, spiritually, emotionally, I leap.
Woman
Mumford & Sons
Easton
“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” I murmur against her temple resting on my chest as Joel pulls the SUV to a stop.
She rouses, her hand sliding up my chest as she lifts and glances out of the window. “Where are we?”
“A private airstrip at Love Field.” Covering her hand with mine, I raise my chin to Joel in the rearview. “Give us a minute, would you, man?”
“Sure,” Joel replies, winking at Natalie before making a quick exit.
“What the hell?” she turns to me, voice still coated in sleep. “Easton, please tell me you did not charter a plane to get me home.”
“I did not charter a plane to get you home,” I repeat robotically before she playfully slaps my chest.
“Seriously? I could have flown commercial. It’s like fifteen minutes in the air from Dallas to Austin.”
“I promised to get you home and tuck you in by midnight. This is the only way to keep half of that promise because if I tuck you in, I’m not going to make it to my next show.”
“I understand,” she smiles. “I really do. I don’t want to leave you either. Especially now.” She leans in and presses a kiss to my throat.
Briefly, I flashback to a memory of the way she looked hovering above me as I stroked the chain secured around her waist. The feel of her wet heat clenching around me as she stared back at me was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever witnessed. But it was the feeling bouncing between us that burned that moment into memory as one I’ll never forget.
My attraction for her hums through me now—a beastly threat that I, in no way, want to cage. Even if the depth of what I already feel for her intimidates me, I won’t do a single thing to stop it. It’s the ferocity in which I want her—in my need to possess her—that has me leaping over hurdles I’ve never dared attempt before. This is why it’s important we finish this conversation before she takes off. She presses another kiss to my throat before pulling back to trace my jaw.
“Baby, hold up,” I groan and put a little distance between us.
“Why?” She pulls back and glances around in alarm. “Can they see into the windows?”
“No, but I’m already hard, and if you do that again, I will fuck the hell out of you in this SUV with Joel standing feet away.”
“You act like I don’t have a say in that.”
“Want to test me?” I taunt.
“No,” she replies with a smirk as I force myself back to the point.
“We haven’t managed to get a full conversation in all day.”
She arches a brow.
“That wasn’t a complaint.”
Her lips curve into a sultry, reflective smile, and I shoot a quick prayer up to the creator of souls that this feeling never leaves me.
“I can’t believe you chartered a plane for me.”
“There will be a car waiting when you land to take you home.”
“Easton, it’s too much.”
“No, it’s not,” I defend, running my fingers through the curls resting on her shoulder.
“I hate that you spent the money.”
“Worth it for me, especially since I now know what death traps Texas highways are. I don’t want you driving on them, fucking ever, but that’s not something I can remedy tonight.” I lift my chin toward the window. “This is the fastest, safest way to get you home, and something tells me it won’t be your first time flying private.”
She nods, her neck reddening slightly. “Hearst Media owns a jet. So yeah, I can’t say it’s my first time on a private plane.” She glances at the waiting plane just outside the window. “But it’s a bit much.”
“You know that matters fuck all to me, right?”
“I just don’t want you to think I expect these things.”
“Expect a lot from me,” I urge her. “A lot.”
“Easton,” she murmurs back, our hands gathering momentum as we stroke each other, “you don’t have to cater to me.”
“I want to, so let me.”
“Okay,” she sighs, “as long as you allow me the same freedom.”
“We’ll see.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re an unbearable ass. So, are you going to keep me in suspense?”
“I want this to work,” I declare, putting her on guard, causing her smile to dim.
“Me too.”
“So, this is going to seem hard to navigate for a while, but there are some things we can agree on now to make it easier. Going caveman jealous last night…I hated the feeling.”
She laughs and shakes her head before ducking a little under my glare.
“Sorry, but it is a bit ridiculous. You are aware that by now, there are thousands of women just dying for you to bed them.”
“You could have just as easily had any man at that party by simply looking at them last night. We’re on an even playing field, and don’t think for one second that we aren’t.”
“I hate to disagree, but men don’t exactly toss their boxers on my desk while I’m working.”
“I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t take much to make that happen.”
She smiles, and as much as the sight of it lights me up, I have no choice but to dampen the mood. “We really need to have this conversation.”
“I’m listening.”
“Name all the people you trust.”
“Easy, my parents and my best friends Holly and Damon. I trust them all implicitly. Then there’s my dad’s sister, my Aunt Nikki, and his cousin, Sierra, but she lives in California now. Why?”
“From this moment forward, you can’t trust any of them.”
“What?” She squints like the notion is ridiculous.
“Not when it comes to us. Hear me out,” I plea. “If you really want to keep us under wraps, we have to go completely off the fucking radar. No confidants. Just for the time being. Percy excluded.”
“My horse? Seriously?”
“Has to be this way.”
“But last night—” she starts, and I lift my hand.
“Last night, a few people noticed me leaving the party with a stunning but unrecognizable woman. With a party like that, it’s par for the course. That’s why I wasn’t worried.”
“Geesh,” she widens her eyes, “groupie point taken.”
“That won’t be the case the first time the media gets a clear shot of us together.”
“Why do you think I’ve been so paranoid?”
“We really had nothing to hide but our association before last night.”
“Now we do.” Her smile reappears.
“Yeah, baby, we do,” I grin back. “As much as I hate this next part, and I think you’re going to too, I don’t think you should attend any more shows for a while. Especially since my dad will be at a lot of them and lodging where the band is after.”
“You’re right. I hate it. Watching you play is my new addiction.”
“I want you there. I love singing to you, but seriously, Natalie, if you want this to remain a secret, we can’t let anyone see us together. And until we come clean with our folks, I’ll be doling out nondisclosures like candy. Even then, we really aren’t safe.”
“I am the media, Easton, so I understand, obviously, but not even Holly?”
“It’s a good thing you didn’t tell her already and hear me out on why.”
She gestures for me to continue.
“So, you tell Holly but leave out the details of who. Guess who she’s going to tell?”