It’s Not Home Without You: A Homecoming Novel #1 Read online

  “What’s so funny?” I poked him.

  “Just wondering when you and Dunnett will get your shit together. I come in here expecting to see ‘Do you like me? Check yes or no.’” He laughed, and I punched him. I thought the board was cute, and it was our thing.

  “So… Jake, is there anyone special you like? Do you have a girlfriend? I’m good at matchmaking.”

  Jake looked at me, eyebrows raised. “Really? Who’d you match?”

  “Yeah? Who you’d pair up?” Jess pipped up.

  “Emma and Dex. Did you know he’s my brother?” Bear shook his head. Clearly, I was a little cray-cray.

  “Freya, everyone could see Dex was crazy about Emma. He’s been trying to get with her since the moment he got into town. You were the only one who had the guts to push Em. And don’t take this the wrong way, girl, but to be a good matchmaker, you have to have friends,” he mocked me.

  “Hello, I’m right here.” Emma waved Bear’s coffee. “And I’m not dating Dex.”

  Emma didn’t like when Dex turned the tables on her.

  “Yet… you aren’t exclusive yet. Let my little brother come back and I’ll talk sense into him.” I grinned at her horrified expression. Then I turned back to Bear. “Anyway, what kind of girls do you like? Do you have a type? You’re a simple guy, so I assume nothing too prissy?”

  Bear took a sip of his coffee, a faraway look crossing his face. “Not looking to date anyone. I tried the whole engaged thing after college; it wasn’t for me,” he said nonchalantly. He did not just drop a bomb like that and walk away like it wasn’t a big deal.

  Emma, Jess, and I looked at each other gaping. “Who would be stupid enough to dump him?” Jess said and both Emma and I agreed.

  “Do you know who he was with in college?” I asked Emma, but she shook her head.

  “I’m totally single if you want to hook us up,” Jess craned her neck so she could watch Bear leave.

  “Dude, he’s too old for you. You’re more suited for Quincy; at least neither of you would go to jail for dating each other.”

  Jess didn’t have a reply, which was good because I was mentally packing an overnight bag.

  My lady bits were excited, and so was I.

  39

  Freya

  I couldn’t stop staring at my overnight bag, waiting for it to explode at any second. Max and I were far from virgins, but we had never had the intimacy of being in a room, with a bed, naked.

  I was being silly, wasn’t I?

  The flutters in my stomach and clammy hands proved it. I was a grown woman and had been living on my own since I was eighteen, but when I told Grandpa I would be back tomorrow morning, I felt a little weird. It felt like I had just broadcasted that I would most likely be getting it on tonight.

  Bow chicka wow wow.

  My room illuminated with the headlights from Max’s car. Taking that as my cue, I grabbed my bag and walked out, glad I didn’t run into my grandpa.

  This was a first for us, and since we had seven years of experiencing things without the other, this was unexpected but welcome. Max was already waiting by the passenger door. He was wearing a white button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone, dark gray pants, a brown belt that matched his shoes, and a triumphant grin on his handsome face. He grabbed my bag, opened my door, and asked, “Are you ready?”

  That was a loaded question, wasn’t it? Was I ready? Dammit, Jess was so right. I was ready. I was ready seven years ago, and I was more than ready now.

  “I’m ready.” I smiled at him.

  “Care to relive some old memories?” Max asked with a smirk as we turned on Main Street. Lee’s B&B, where Max was staying, was at the other end of the street. I punched him in the stomach. “Some of us can’t handle getting blown and we crash.”

  Max grinned. “Baby, your mouth on me and the world fades. Every. Single. Time.”

  Seriously, how did I ever get so lucky? As soon as he parked his car, I felt the electricity between us. Humming. Coming alive. Max got out of the car and told me to wait until he could get my door. As soon as I was out, he put his hand on my lower back, guiding me. The place was empty when we came in, no one was loitering in the halls, for which I was glad. I didn’t need to make eye contact with anyone in town who would so know what was about to go down with Max just a few weeks after his failed wedding day.

  If Max was as nervous as I was, he didn’t show it. He opened the door with ease. As soon as I saw the room, I knew I was fucked.

  Literally.

  The room smelled like him, the spicy scent of his cologne filling the air. It smelled like home. If I could feel the thick tension before, I now heard the electricity in the air. We were one spark away from bursting into flames. When we stepped into the room, I threw my bag in a chair. Max closed the door then stood right behind me, his hand moving from my lower back to my waist.

  “I think this is what I regretted the most, never having you in a proper bed. I never had that memory to sustain me through the years. I imagined taking you in my car, by the water tower, by the fields, but it never felt right when I imagined you laid before me because it was never real.” Max swiped the hair off my neck and kissed my nape, causing shivers all over my body. I craned my neck, giving him better access. His hands glided down my waist and over the top of my jeans, undoing the top button, but he didn’t pull my jeans down. Instead, his hands went under my blouse, making me feel his body heat as he slowly roamed his way up. My knees shook with nerves.

  “I got you, baby,” Max whispered in my ear. His breath on my skin made me dizzy with want. One of his hands was wrapped around my waist while he explored with the other. He stopped under my breast, feeling the lacy cups with the pads of his fingers. Max pinched one of my pebbled nipples, causing my head to fall back. Then he did the same to the other, and my knees almost gave out. Soft little moans escaped my lips every time he nipped me with his teeth and pinched me with his fingers.

  “Tell me, baby, how wet is your pussy for me?”

  I wasn’t used to Max’s dirty talk, but I could easily become accustomed to it.

  “Freya,” he growled, making the vibrations of his voice travel all the way to my aching sex.

  “Drenched,” I whispered. “I’m drenched.”

  Max made fast work of taking off my bra and shirt. He then turned me so I could face him. I was half clothed, but I had never felt barer, and he had seen all of me at one point. There was something terrifying in letting someone who once knew you see all of you, exposing the grown-up pieces of you that didn’t fit like before.

  I took a second to meet his eyes, but when I did, all I saw was a desire for me, and I took a deep breath, easing some of my tension.

  “All this time and you’re still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  “Max,” I breathed.

  He pulled me by the hips, so I was pressed against him. I could feel his heartbeat, or maybe it was my own. All I knew was it sounded like drums beckoning us. Lifting my hands, I undid the buttons of his shirt, peppering kisses on his skin as I went. His chest was firm and strong; it made my mouth water. I still had much to learn, much to discover, and I couldn’t wait. When his shirt was off, he picked me up, causing me to shriek.

  His chuckle was dark and sensual, and a wave of heat rushed to my core. With ease, Max threw me on the bed, and that wicked grin he gave me made the anticipation unbearable.

  “Tell me, who do you belong to?” His eyes never left mine, and I was lost in his lust-filled gaze.

  “You. Only you. It’ll always be you.”

  His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. With ease and precision, he removed my jeans and panties. I got up on my elbows to watch him take off his shoes and socks, and when he dropped his pants and boxer briefs, my mouth parted. I knew he was big, losing my virginity hurt like a mother, and I was sore after he fucked me against the wall, but I’d forgotten how beautiful he was.

  “See something you like?”

&nbs
p; He grabbed his cock and jerked it. God, my man had moves. I mentally slapped myself; I had to get myself together. Hello, I had to initiate our first time. There was no way I would look lousy now. With my index finger, I motioned him over. Gracefully, he got on the bed, and my heart was ready to beat out of my chest at the intimacy I thought I would never experience again.

  Max used his knuckles to trace a path from my collarbone all the way down between my cleavage, stopping to trace the pad of his thumb on each taut nipple. “Fuck, I miss them,” he said before he bent down and took each breast in his mouth. Grazing his teeth on each nipple caused my hips to lift off the bed and my clit to throb.

  “I need you now,” I demanded. Max wasn’t as much in a hurry as I was. He kept kissing his way down my body, nipping and licking.

  Exquisite torture.

  “You’ll have me after I have the taste of you on my tongue.” He bit me below my navel, and ripples of desire spread throughout my body. My legs spread to give him room, and when he growled, I felt it thundering through my aching sex. The lash of his tongue had me moaning his name so loud I feared the people in the next room would hear me. Max kept at it, and when he inserted two fingers in me, I nearly came out my skin.

  “Maaax.”

  He didn’t answer me, or maybe he did, but I couldn’t hear him. I was ready to go off like fireworks when he sucked my clit. It didn’t take long for me to orgasm. My hips shook, my legs trembled, but Max kept his mouth on me, drawing out my pleasure.

  “Still my favorite thing to eat,” he said with moist lips and a possessive look on his face. Even though I was drained, I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “It’s a good thing I’m here to stay.”

  “Good.” His response was immediate. He positioned himself above me once again and brought his lips to mine. I kissed him back slowly, liking my taste on his lips. Last time I didn’t get to relish the feel of him with no rubber. We were in such a frenzy, but now I couldn’t wait. Max kissed the tip of my nose, then proceeded to rest his forehead on top of mine as he slowly entered me. Still sensitive, my hips jerked a little, causing him to slide in faster.

  “Fuck, baby.”

  “Max,” I replied.

  Suddenly, I wanted to cry just thinking I could have missed out on this feeling between us for the rest of my life. Nothing compared, and nothing ever would.

  “I love you, Freya.” His words seared into my heart and brought down the remainder of the walls I had built since I left.

  “I love you too,” I finished saying before he was fully in me. I felt so full... so loved. I’d had sex plenty of times, but making love, that only happened with him. We became a tangle of limbs. Our lips were clashing fervently, our hands touching every piece of skin that once had been denied.

  “You look so fucking beautiful with my cock in you, taking me. Come for me, Freya. I need to see you fall apart.”

  His wish was my command.

  “Oh, God—Max.” I threw my head back in ecstasy. Max grabbed both my hands and clasped them behind my head as he held them, chasing his own release.

  His thrusts came rough and fast. He gritted as he gazed at me through half-mast eyes. “Say my name.”

  “Maximilian.” I moaned.

  * * *

  We laid in bed, my head to his chest, his arms around me, and our legs entwined. Was this how it felt to have all your shit together? It was nice—peaceful.

  “I’m done pretending like we aren’t together,” I said after a while.

  “Yeah?” he responded with laziness, or maybe contentment. Probably contentment since I was mellow myself. By now I was sure everyone at the B&B had heard me scream Max’s name.

  “Yeah, I’m tired of telling our friends why I’m not with you. Besides, ever since the chief put up the plaque with my name, people have been nicer.” They would not throw a parade in my honor—I mean, the whole cow on school property caused some damage.

  “Fucking finally,” Max muttered before he kissed the top of my head. Shortly after, we both dozed off wrapped in each other’s arms. It didn’t matter that we were in a motel with our lives recovering from chaos. As long as we were in each other’s arms, we would be okay.

  As long as we were together, we would always be home.

  40

  Freya

  Sunlight was creeping through the windows when I woke up. I knew Max was awake because he was tracing patterns on my naked back. Sometime during the night, I draped myself over him. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment. This was the feeling I kept trying to chase the entire time I was away.

  To feel at peace with myself.

  My lips trembled, and I couldn’t help and ask myself if this was how it could have been had I not left. I guess it was another thing I would have to learn to live with. Second chances were rare, and Max was my one that got away, except he didn’t get away. He was back, and I would not waste our time together wondering about irrelevant scenarios.

  I was Maximilian’s as long as he wanted me.

  “Morning,” I mumbled into his chest, feeling shy all of a sudden. Was my hair okay? Oh God, I should have set the alarm so I could have brushed my teeth. Max had never seen me in all my morning glory. My hair looked like a bird’s nest. It was not pretty.

  Max didn’t care for my morning freak-out; he was not having it. He tilted my chin up, and I wanted to hate him because he looked perfect. Sex hair on a guy always looked hot. His scruff was sexy. Still, he looked at me with softness and love.

  Like I was perfect.

  “Morning, beautiful.”

  I didn’t have a chance to protest when he kissed me. It was light, short, and sweet—mostly because I refused to open my mouth.

  “Are you done freaking out?” he teased with a guarded look in his eyes. I wasn’t the only one who was scared, and that made me feel better.

  “I can’t help but wonder if this is how things could have been if I hadn’t left, but at the same time, leaving was good for me. I’m not sure I could have achieved everything I did if I had stayed.” It wasn’t something I thought of when I was sad because I knew I would have followed Max to college and worked my ass off to help him, but then what? Would I have been a stay-at-home mom with nothing else to offer? “I’m sorry, I know it’s not what you wanted to hear,” I added.

  Max sat up, bringing me with him.

  “Your candor is one of the things I’ve always loved about you, Freya.” He grabbed a piece of my hair and put it behind my ear. “I’d rather know what’s going on in that pretty, little head.” His lips pressed against my forehead, and I burrowed into his touch. “There’s no point in wondering. All we can do now is move on and be grateful we have a second go at things.”

  He was right.

  After our morning quickie and finding out that showering together didn’t help when we were pressed for time, Max walked me into Emma’s. His hand was at my lower back, guiding me in. I tried to remove his hand because even though I said we could officially be together, we had to ease people into it. I was done hiding, but that didn’t mean we would parade our love around town after having hot, sweaty sex.

  “Babe, you screamed my name so loud last night, I’m sure the whole town knows by now,” he said. For the record, I hadn’t screamed that loud.

  “Aw hell no, you was supposed to wait for me to turn eighteen,” Quincy yelled over the few customers.

  “I was?” I turned to look at Max, who brought my hand to his lips and kissed it.

  “I have to go to the office and warehouse today to check on a few things. Stay with me again?”

  “Okay,” I replied breathlessly. Upon seeing Max’s cocky grin, I almost took back my yes and said no.

  Almost.

  “I feel betrayed, mamas. You was supposed to be my girl.” Q put his arm around me while he shook his head and we watched Max leave.

  “Please, Q, everyone knew Freya was Max’s and vice versa,” Emma replied from where she was preparing an expresso.

>   “Not true,” I retorted.

  “Oh, honey, the only one who didn’t know was you.”

  My head snapped to Frank, who was seated in the coffee shop. I got out of Q’s hold and ran to my old boss. Now that I wasn’t running away from his restaurant, I could give him a proper hello.

  “I missed you,” I said to his shirt since he was hugging me so tight, I could smell cooking oil.

  “Now that you and Max got your shit together, you can come and have dinner. Your table is always open.” There was a soft gleam in Frank’s eyes.

  “Thank you, Frankie.” I kissed his cheek and gave him a coffee.

  “I take it you and Max are done hiding?” Emma wiggled her eyebrows at me once the crowd had died down. Quincy was pretending not to listen, but I knew better.

  “You knew?”

  Emma grinned at me. “I figured you wanted some alone time with him before you guys shared with the rest of us. I’m just glad it worked out. You guys were the cutest. I remember staring at you two when we were younger, and I wished for a love like that.”

  “Thank you.” I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “You know, now that I know Dex is my brother, I will not stop until you two are together. Rusty went off and married Jana while I was away—not the sister I would have chosen but I’m glad Rusty picked her because she’s grown on me, and I love her now. But you, Emma, you are the sister I never thought I needed. I’m glad we’re going to be business partners.”

  “I wish Jess was here. She doesn’t do mushy shit.” Both Emma and I cut Q with a glare for ruining our moment.

  “Great, since you and Jess are such good friends, you guys can close together on Sunday,” I declared.

  “What’s on Sunday?”

  I grinned. “Dex is back.”

  * * *

  My shoulder tingled from where Max was kissing it. His lips left a wake of chills everywhere he went. I lay face down; Max was behind me, his dick thrusting leisurely.