“Maybe, but I’m still sorry.” I squeeze his fingers. “How did you end up with her parents?”

“My mom and her mom were sorority sisters in college and opened a law practice after they graduated. They were in our lives since I can remember.”

“You didn’t have any other family?” I ask softly as he pulls up in front of the pizza place and parks diagonally in one of the empty spots.

“My dad has a brother, but he didn’t have the ability to take two teenaged boys on. His plate was full with his wife and three girls, and my mom didn’t have any siblings. Her parents were older, much older when they had her, and they weren’t in a place where they could take us in either.”

“So her family took you and your brother in?”

“Yeah, the Trent’s were our saving grace. They lived close, so we didn’t have to change schools or make any huge adjustment. They were like family to us.”

“And they were okay with you dating their daughter?” That is something I find hard to believe. There is no way my dad would be okay with me dating a boy who lived under the same room as me. No way in hell.

“Are we talking about her now?” he asks, looking at me, and I squirm.

“I don’t know,” I admit, and he sighs, shutting down the car, opening the door, and getting out. Releasing a deep breath, I open my door and meet him in front of the car before he can make it to me.

“I can see the wheels in your head turning,” he says quietly, getting close and taking hold of my face in his large palms. He’s right. I have a billion questions, but I feel like it’s safer to live with my head buried in a mound of denial. “I know talking about her upsets you, but I’d really like to explain things to you.”

“Dillon.” I sigh, wishing I was braver.

“I’ll give you time, but if you have questions just ask.”

“Do you still talk to her?”

His thumb sweeps gently over my cheek and his eyes search mine. “I haven’t for a long time.”

“Does she know you and I got married?” My heart accelerates at the idea of her knowing about us. I don’t care that she knows; I actually want her to know he’s mine. But with the things that have happened in the past to my family, I know sometimes information like that can set a person off, and regardless of whatever he thinks their relationship was, I have no doubt she was in love with him.

“I’m sure she knows, since I told her parents about you and me.”

“You did?”

“They’re like family to me. I wanted them to share in my happiness,” he says, but the way his brow has furrowed says more than his words do. Brushing his lips over mine quickly, he takes my hand and leads me into the pizza place before I have a chance to ask him what they said, even though I’m pretty sure I already know the answer to that question.

Chapter 6

Dillon

Hitting the snooze button on the alarm for thirty minutes, I smile as Ashlyn grumbles something in her sleep and burrows into my side. I wish we didn’t have to work today. I should have closed the office and taken her somewhere. We need a honeymoon, and I need an excuse to lock her in a room and keep her naked for at least a week, if not more.

“Time to get up, gorgeous.” I sweep the hair off her forehead, and smile again when she bats my hand away and growls. She is not a morning person. I have never met someone who hates waking up as much as she does. Rolling her to her back, I kiss her jaw then down the column of her throat, grinning when she turns her head to the side in an offering, mumbling something I can’t make out. I can’t get enough of her.

I knew I had it bad before, but now that I can touch her and taste her whenever and however I please, it’s different. She’s become my addiction. Licking across her shoulder, I cup her breast with my palm and pull her nipple into my mouth, feeling it tighten against my tongue as I pull on her nipple ring. Her back arches and her fingers slide into my hair as I glide my free hand down her stomach.

“Dillon,” her sleepy voice calls, and my fingers move farther, finding her already primed and ready for me. I don’t wait. I position myself between her legs and wrap them around me before slipping inside of her.

“Jesus.” I still and wait. There is always a moment during that first thrust that my balls draw up tight and my conscience leaves my body as her wet heat takes hold of me. Her hands sliding down my back bring me back to life and I pull out, only to thrust back in slowly. Hearing her mewl, I take her mouth and swipe my tongue over her lips, hearing her sharp intake of breath on a downward glide.

“Faster.”

I ignore her, keeping my pace slow and steady. Pulling her hands from my back, I drag them above her head. “Tell me you love me.” I need to hear her say it. It doesn’t seem possible that she does. Her eyes slide closed and I thrust in hard. “Look at me.” When her eyes open, I hold her gaze. “Tell me.” I thrust in again, feeling her walls tighten around me. I know she’s close, and I know in just a few more thrusts she will be coming all over me. “Tell me,” I growl on an outward slide, keeping myself from thrusting in hard and giving us what we both need.

“I love you,” she cries in desperation, and I thrust deep, wrap my hand around both her wrists, and lean back so I can slide my free hand over her stomach. Finding her clit with my thumb, I circle. Whimpering against my mouth, her back arches off the bed. I love that this is only mine; every moan, every whimper, every time her breath catches, it’s only for me.