I Run to You (53 page)

Sometime, after daylight, he murmured,
stroking her hair, “Levi asked me when you were moving in.”

She lifted from having lain on her stomach,
the covers down on her hips. Brook eyed his watchful face, thinking
of all the places they had touched, all the things they had done
and said during the night hours.

“We’ll talk about it, and then talk to him,
okay? We know how we feel. There are things to work out. I have the
house and other things—”

“It’ll be marriage. I want to marry you.”

He sat up and looked over his shoulder at
her. “I know you’ll be taking on me—and Levi. We need to spend time
getting you used to us; him used to how we would make a family. He
is a Coburn so he can be a handful at times, wanting his way. It’s
a lot to ask—but on a personal level, I want you—love you, in every
way a man can.”

Brook sat up against the headboard. “When I
do, that’s what it will be, then.”

He smiled and raised a brow. “That’s a
yes?”

She grinned back. “It’s a yes.”

He turned and pulled her down, under him.
“How sore are your lips?”

She pursed them. “Feel fine…”

He kissed her deep and lifted, whispering,
“To me too.”

Her hand glided down his back, Brook told
him, “We need to eat something if we’re going to make love all
day.”

As if on cue, his stomach growled.

Chuckling, they got up, refreshed, and she
drew on a long T-shirt of his. He was in his jeans as they cooked
and then ate out on the deck.

The lake was alive was sounds, mostly the
newly hatched birds and creatures in the woods and thickets around
it. The sun was pleasant, not overly warm, but comfortable.

Coy offered, “Want to drive out to your
house? Levi will get home about 8. We could make love. I’ll take a
change of clothing.”

“Yep.” She walked inside with him, putting on
her dress. She’d had Renee bring her bass to her place.

When Coy had a few things packed, they went
to the truck and drove to her house. Her own new vehicle sat in the
drive.

Brook changed into shorts and summer top.
They spent some time on deck, romping with the pup. Snacking on and
off. They eventually ended up on the sofa, kissing, feeling each
other up, and making slow love.

Brook dozed with him an hour. They showered
and made love there too, dressing again, and having a little time,
before he was ready to leave.

On the front porch, she sat in wicker chair,
their hands held as he sat in the one beside her. They had
coffee.

They would both need sleep tonight, but they
had discovered a lot about each other during the intimacies.

“I missed you in my life,” she confessed.
“Even when I hated you. This winter, I cried, wanting to be with
you, missing you.”

“I did too. Cry. And, I don’t cry.” He
laughed softly.

He rolled his head on the chair back and
looked at her. “Loving you tears me up. It scared me too,
Brook.”

“I know.” She met his gaze.

Probing hers a moment, he said, almost
hesitant, “You started to do something in the shower, and then
stopped.”

Coy saw her face flush before she looked
away.

He kept eyeing her profile. “It still bothers
you. Doesn’t it?”

“No.”

“Yes. How can I change that? Fix it?” His
fingers flexed on hers.

“It’s not… that that she— did. I’ve… never
done it.”

He pondered a moment. “Brook?”

She looked at him, teeth bit down into her
lip.

“I love you. You are a sexy woman. When you
let go, you drive me crazy. You asked me what felt good when we are
having sex, and you’d ask me during that too. I don’t want you
doing anything you don’t like. But you knew— I had had sex before
we started dating. Having sex —like that, is nothing like, making
love with someone who really turns you on. Who loves you.”

“I know that.” she assured him.

He said something he swore to himself he
would never bring up, but Coy could figure no other way to get them
past the obstacle.

“I can guess what you did with Rafe. By you
telling me what you haven’t done. Although I don’t believe in the
double standard, I can’t say it didn’t bother me. That I was not
jealous and envious. I was. But you didn’t love him this way…”

“No. We will always be close. The
relationship is something that, maybe, only we understand. It was—
what it was. In some ways, that is special. However, it did not
feel, the way it does with you emotionally. What you and I do, and
have, is body, mind, and soul. It’s beyond explaining. Because I
love you.”

He nodded. “I didn’t have a relationship with
Karla. I had less than five-minute sex with her, when I was
eighteen. The only part I remember, are those moments afterwards,
when I saw you. And the hell of losing you. The years since.”

Brook swallowed and stared out into the
yard.

After a time, she said aloud, “Thank you for
saying that.”

“It’s true.”

“I know.” She looked at him again. “I love
all of you Coy. Every inch of you. “

“It’s mutual.”

She glanced toward his truck, aware he would
be leaving soon. “There’s a lot that you and I have done, that I’ve
never done before. The relationship I had with Rafe was not a lot
of the sexual. You probably assume it was, because of the way we
want each other constantly. But I’m experiencing a lot of firsts,
with you.”

He drew her hand up and kissed it, then
stood. She walked him to the truck.

He said after he got in. “Thank you. For
saying that.”

“It’s true.” She shrugged.

He had started the truck and the engine
hummed as those tawny eyes regarded her. “Are you as turned on as I
am?”

“Yes.” She laughed.

His white teeth flashed.

His cell rang. He opened it, looked at the
number, and said, “Yeah Ruby? He is? Okay, that’s fine.”

Brook watched him smile several times and
could imagine what Ruby was teasing him about. She heard him say,
“Yes. I’m at Brooks.” He looked at her and winked.

“Okay. I’ll pick him up after school.”

He clicked off and told Brook. “They dropped
him off at Madeline’s. He’s going home with Ruby. She’ll take him
to school with Jett and Remy in the morning.”

Brook opened the truck door.

Coy turned off the key and hopped out. He
took her hand, laughing as they headed into the house.

In the bedroom, he pulled off his shirt. She
unbuttoned his trousers.

When he had her necked and she was licking
his chest and going downward, he drew her up and kissed her, then
lay her on the bed, positioning opposite, he husked, as he rolled
her atop him, and cupped her hips, “We’re doing this together.”

They did.

If Coy thought Brook needed any instructions
on oral sex, the thought vanished on a groan the moment her
beautiful mouth rimmed the head of his cock. And holding her hips,
doing her with own tongue and mouth, her enthusiasm and devouring
was so sexy —so good—he didn’t know which of them moaned or ummed
the most. Since she was taking him out of his head, he used every
skill he had until she was sensually undulating and riding his
face, his tongue.

When they’d reached climax, both of them on a
long ummmm. Brook lay on her back, looking dazedly up at the
ceiling. “That—was freaking hot!”

He bit her ankle and skimmed up her leg.
“You— were definitely hot.”

She rubbed his calf as he reclined with one
knee up. “I can think of several interesting variations….”

“Yeah? Do that.” He chuckled sexily.

He moved to lay beside her, slightly leaning
over her. “It’s going to be great being married. Showering
together, teasing, and playing with each other.” His hand rubbed
her stomach. “Making love to you on the lake, in the boat, in the
rain….under quilts in winter.”

She brushed his hair back with her fingers.
“It sounds wonderful.”

“In the meantime.” He drew her leg over his
hip, sliding down to fit himself inside her.

“I like this, too.” She closed her eyes and
arched with him, making slow love. They changed positions over the
hour, but drew it out.

By ten PM, they were both under the covers
soundly asleep, utterly exhausted.

Chapter 24

July 4th

Jason and Max stood up with Coy, when he and
Brook exchanged vows during the Coburn reunion and Picnic.

He, like all the family, had observed the
couple over the months, watching them with Levi at gatherings, or
visiting their houses, and seeing how they grew into that “family”
unit.

While it was great that Brook and Levi had a
relationship, everyone was happy seeing her and Coy laugh and hold
hands, joke, and try to keep their hands off each other when the
chemistry flared up.

It was true, that at first, everyone held
their breath. Not knowing if it would last, not sure, if something
they had as teens, was something more as adults.

Jason and Mitch, and—Jason and Max, had
discussed it often. However, anyone around them, in time, could see
it was pure love.

As they got on with their lives, worked
things out, it was obvious they knew how to talk now, to argue, and
compromise, and have an adult relationship.

At this moment, they stood on the pier,
Brook, in simple classic white dress, the breeze fluttering it
against her legs and bare feet. Coy, in cream linen shirt and
trousers, barefoot and browned too.

Levi wore his wolverine shorts and a shirt,
waiting with the ring. They had played and visited all day, waiting
until just before sunset, to hold the ceremony.

Most of the family were likewise in the
shorts and swimsuits, jeans.

Madeline had on a long sundress, and Jason
eyed his dad, who would give Brook away along with her. He held
Madeline’s hand. He’d worn his Levis and white tailored shirt.

His Uncle Jude, stood on the other side of
Madeline, in jeans and a black T-shirt, his tattoos showing, Ruby
beside him— in some Hawaiian print thing, a turban, wearing a
necklace she had made with glass—unique. As always.

Jett and Remy were in the front, sitting on
the grass.

Brook’s father was not happy she was marrying
Coy Coburn, though didn’t make a scene about it. He simply chose
not to come.

Jason hated that. However, he knew Brook had
come to terms with Bud Logan a long time ago. He had sent a gift,
something his newest wife picked out. A silver teapot or some such
that Brook told the family she’d expected.

Coy’s mother did not come either. She sent a
check and a card. She had not liked Jude. So she did not care for
Ruby. She had never met Levi other than sending him a card now and
then. Coy said he was glad she didn’t come, because she would have
made a scene, just for the hell of it. He and Brook were too happy
to start their lives together, to start anew, and to not let
anything spoil their day.

The younger Coburns were singing, (I’ll be.)
All of the family friends, including Sunny and Rafe, Nick, were
present. Max had someone take pictures and film, until he could
finish his role as groomsman. Jordan and Leigh stood with Renee and
the other girls, who had walked Brook to the pier, and then had
moved back where they were, on the edge of the grass before it.

The vows were traditional, the ceremony
solemn, although Coburn females had a tendency to laugh during the
“obey” part.

Coburns married strong and independent women.
It took that kind to keep them in check.

Jason envied the men in his family who’d
found their soul mate.

The rings exchanged, the kiss came— a
passionate one. While everyone was whistling, Jason saw G.W. and
Alvin dabbing at their eyes with bandannas.

He grinned and shook his head. They were glad
to have made Brook a Coburn finally. They loved her like a
daughter. They had spent the day BBQ’ing chicken and ribs, chilling
beer.

It would be some bonfire and party, this
time, having a wedding to celebrate.

Next, Max did the formal pictures, Bride and
groom, some he had taken with he and Jason and Coy.

They tossed Coy in the lake afterwards, and
since Brook was changing back into comfortable clothing. He saw Coy
head back to the house on the four-wheeler.

Coy returned and everything went back to the
usual wide-open Fourth of July celebration.

Mitch came over to him, as Jason sat in his
comfortable worn Levis and no shirt, sipping a beer, and watching
the campfires being prepared before dark.

Settling into a chair, his feet on a cooler,
his dad observed under the laughter and noise, “You haven’t brought
a girl around on Sundays in a while. Ain’t been going out
much.”

Glancing at him, Jason cocked his brow.

Grinning, his father mused, “I know you went
through your stage of dating nothing but blonds. But I could never
figure out, exactly what your taste was?”

“Easy. No commitment. No danger of getting
serious.”

As he took a drink, his father’s eyes went
over his profile.

Mitch had a feeling Jason was being extra
evasive, and too blasé, and that he was hiding something.

He figured eventually Jason would confide.
For now he asked, “Still feel that way?”

“Nope. But if you haven’t found her. You
haven’t.” Jason shrugged.

They watched Coy return and embrace Brook,
who came to meet him. They were both in jeans and summer shirts
now. They took one of the boats out. Jason and Mitch both laughed,
knowing why they were heading out to the private cove.

“Brook’s invited a friend from Europe over,
this Christmas.”

Jason grunted. “Is this conversation... or do
you mean… I might like her?”

“Either.”

Jason grinned dryly, watching the ripples
over the lake as the boat went further. “I’ll keep an open
mind.”