Keeping You (Destined Love #3)

21. Hannah

CHAPTER 21

Hannah

I wake up in the morning sprawled across Grayson’s naked chest, his arm wrapped around me. My mind is still reeling after last night and the bombshell he dropped on me. I’m not sure how the hell I’m supposed to process it. I do know I need to talk to the girls.

I slowly slide out of Grayson’s hold and wrap myself in his robe before making my way downstairs, pouring a cup of coffee, and making my way to the back deck. Confirming I’m the only one out here, I settle in a chair and text the group chat.

Han

I need help!

Liv

Are you okay?

Han

Physically, yes.

Liz

Mentally?

Han

I’m not sure.

Zo

Group call?

Han

Please!

The phone rings, and when I answer, the screen splits and is filled with the faces of Liv, Zo, Bailey, and Liz. I squint at the screen for a second.

“Bailey and Liv, you’re still in bed. Do we need to do this later?”

Bailey shakes her head. “No, Caleb just went to go make us coffee.”

“Josh got up with Cate this morning. They’re in the nursery.”

“What’s up?” Liz asks, and I run my teeth over my lip.

“Han?” Zoey asks, concern filling her voice.

“You know how I said I caught Grayson and another woman in the supply closet at work?”

They all nod.

“Well, Grayson told me last night that he never slept with her and that she threw herself at him and when he couldn’t catch up to me afterwards, he decided it was for the best so I could find someone who could give me everything I deserve.”

The girls all stay silent.

“None of you are going to say anything?” I ask.

“Babe, you’re not going to like what I have to say,” Liv says.

I sigh. “Just say it.”

“I told you so. I told you there was more to the story. I know it sounds cliché that some woman threw herself at him, but seeing the way he looks at you, I don’t think he would cheat. Not then and not now.”

I cross my arms over my chest. She’s right, I don’t like what she has to say.

Zoey laughs. “Oh, Han, are you pouting because Liv said I told you so?”

I roll my eyes, and she just laughs again. “Bailey, Liz. You’re both awfully quiet,” I say.

“I agree with Liv. In the short time I’ve known you guys, Grayson just doesn’t seem the type to cheat,” Bailey says.

The bitchy side of me wants to snap at her, but I know Bailey’s heart is in a good place, just like the rest of theirs, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. I’ve spent so long hating him that learning it’s been all for naught is not easy for me to grasp. Admitting you were wrong is never easy.

“Han, I know you. No matter what we say, your opinion isn’t going to change. You need to really think about this on your own. Really pay attention to what’s going on,” Liz says, and I narrow my eyes at her. She’s being cryptic, but she’s also right and fuck her for that. No matter what they say, I need to see it to believe it.

The sliding glass door opens behind me, and I turn to see Grayson walk out in nothing but a pair of shorts, holding two coffee cups. He smiles. “Mornin’. I see you have coffee already.”

I look down at my cup, and it’s almost empty. He notices my gaze, places the fresh cup in front of me, and kisses the top of my head.

“Well, good morning,” Liv says.

He grins wider and adjusts himself so he can be seen in the camera of the phone I have propped on the table.

“Good morning, ladies.”

“Having fun, I take it,” Zoey says, smiling so wide I’m sure her cheeks hurt.

“How can I not? Gorgeous wife, beautiful weather, tons of open space, and no work. Living the dream.”

My cheeks are flaming hot. Hearing him call me his wife to my friends is still so weird, but it also gives me the warm and fuzzies. The first thing on his list of positive things was me. It might have been a comment about my looks, but I also know he sees more of me than that.

“Well, ladies, Hannah and I have some plans today, so we should probably get going.”

I look at him with confusion, and he just winks at me. The girls laugh and each call have fun or bye before hanging up.

“Plans?” I ask.

“Yup. So you might want to drink up and get dressed.”

“And where are we going?”

“Surprise.”

I raise a brow at him, and he chuckles. “You’re going to like it. Promise.”

I quickly finish my coffee and take my cups to the kitchen. Grayson follows closely on my heels. As I rinse the cups, I feel his heat behind me as his arms trap me between his body and the counter. His lips find my neck, and the sound that comes out of me has me rolling my eyes at myself, because I sound so fucking needy. His lips dust over my exposed skin, and goosebumps erupt in their wake. His hand comes up and moves my hair off my shoulder, exposing more skin.

“In case you didn’t catch my comment earlier, you’re fucking gorgeous. Every fucking inch of you is perfect,” he whispers, and it takes everything in me to not melt into him.

“You’re also smart.”

Kiss.

“And strong.”

Kiss.

“Loyal.”

Kiss, and I melt, my back pressed against his hard chest.

“Spirited.”

Kiss.

“Funny.”

I turn in his arms and stare up at him. The smile he’s giving me now isn’t cocky or arrogant, but soft and full of something entirely different. He leans down and kisses each cheek and my forehead, but never my lips. It hits me that, despite us being intimate in different ways, he’s never actually kissed me. He’s kissed every part of my body but my lips.

I’m pulled from my thoughts when his teeth scrape my neck, and I moan. His hands find the backs of my thighs and lift me until I wrap my legs around his waist. He trails his lips everywhere, or almost everywhere, as he carries me to our room.

He drops me on the bed, and I watch as he quickly shucks his shorts to the floor before reaching for the belt of my robe and pulling it free. I slip out of it as he climbs on the bed. He reaches into the nightstand and grabs a condom, placing it beside him before he lies on his back.

“Come sit on my face,” he says, and I could not move any quicker.

I throw a leg over his chest and shimmy up until I’m in position. Before I can lower myself, his arms wrap around my thighs and pull me down so he can feast on me. I grab the headboard to steady myself and allow the pleasure to overwhelm me.

Grayson knows exactly what he’s doing. Every movement of his tongue has my orgasm building and my body tightening. I bite my lip as a moan is pulled from deep inside me.

“I want to hear you, Spitfire. No one’s home. I want to hear how I make you feel.”

His lips wrap around my clit, and I throw my head back as the most feral sound leaves me. I feel him grin against me as he continues to suck on my clit, drawing more and more sounds from me, each one growing in volume and unhingedness. His teeth scrape over it, and I’m sent crashing into oblivion as my orgasm tears through me. When I come down from the high, Grayson rips open the condom and rolls it down his impressive cock. My mouth waters at the thought of him stretching me as he fucks me.

“Ride me, Spitfire. Use me. I want to watch you use me to get off.”

God, this man. He’s giving me things without me having to ask. Lifting myself, I grip his cock and position it before slowly sinking down. I relish the sensation of him stretching me. When he’s all the way in, he grips my hips and helps me grind against him, my clit getting that friction it so desperately needs. My head drops forward, my hair cascading with it. He reaches up and delicately tucks it behind my ears.

Grayson has my mind all over the place, how he can be so gentle all while also being so primal.

He leans forward and wraps his lips around my left nipple, sucking before his teeth scrape across it and release it. He moves to the other, repeating the same thing. I clench around him, hovering on the cusp of another orgasm. His hand leaves my hip, and his thumb finds my clit. He circles it gently before applying more pressure. It’s like he’s been given some all-seeing map to my body, and knows exactly how to get me to come. Exactly what I need.

He applies more pressure and then pinches it, and I come in the biggest orgasm I’ve ever experienced. I scream his name. The muscles in my legs, abdomen, and arms all spasm as the orgasm tears through me. I can’t even hold myself up, Grayson has to.

How could something so quick and vanilla send me over the edge like that? I’ve had kinkier sex that hasn’t even been close to that. I’m starting to wonder if my reaction to Grayson’s words earlier made it better. Am I starting to develop actual feelings for my husband? Are feelings making the sex better?

Grayson helps roll me until I’m on my back and kisses my cheek.

“Watching you come undone for me is the best thing I’ve ever witnessed,” he says before climbing out of the bed and returning with a warm washcloth. My body feels like mush, and all I want to do is melt into the bed and sleep.

Grayson grabs my hand and pulls me into a sitting position. “Nope, we’ve got plans today. No sleepin’.”

I pout, and he just chuckles before kissing my forehead and turning to get himself dressed.

“Wear a swimsuit,” he calls before leaving the room.

I huff as I get up and change, throwing a spare pair of underwear into my small bag before joining him in the kitchen. When I walk in, he grins and grabs a few bags off the counter before walking out the front door. I follow behind him, curious about what he has planned for the day.

Outside, he leads me in the direction of the barn where the horses are kept. I look down at my shoes and wonder if I can ride without boots. I look at Grayson, and he’s wearing jeans and riding boots, despite the warm weather. I hurry to catch up with him.

“Can I ride with this?” I ask.

He looks at me and smiles. “I thought today, you’d ride with me.”

My cheeks flush at the thought of being pressed up against him for God knows how long on the back of a horse. I nod, and his smile grows.

He pulls the barn door open, and there are few people inside tending to a couple of the horses. Grayson walks up to one of the animals, running his hand gently over her snout, and she whinnies at him softly.

“Hannah, this is Rosetta. Rosetta, this is Hannah.”

I walk up beside him and cautiously reach a hand out and pet her the same way Grayson did. She doesn’t give me the same happy whinny she gave Grayson. I feel her watching me like she’s judging me. Grayson chuckles beside me. I give him a little shove, and he laughs harder as Rosetta kicks her head up and walks in place.

I glare at him, and he walks up behind me and wraps his arm around my waist and settles his chin on my shoulder. He reaches out and pets Rosetta again. “It’s okay, girl. Hannah’s a good one.”

She calms a bit, and Grayson kisses my temple before grabbing a saddle and getting Rosetta set. When it’s all secure, he puts his backpack on, puts his foot in the stirrup, and lifts himself, throwing his other leg over her back. He does it with such grace you wouldn’t be able to tell he’s lived almost the last decade in the city. When he’s on, he removes the bag, settling it in front of him before offering me his hand and removing his foot from the stirrup.

My eyes bounce between his outstretched hand and the piece of metal.

“Come on, Spitfire. I’ve got you.”

I roll my eyes and carefully place my foot in the stirrup and grab his hand. I count to three in my head and bounce on each count before tightening my grip on his hand and pulling myself up. I miss getting my leg over Rosetta and land back on the ground. I huff out a breath.

Grayson squeezes my hand, and I look at him. His face is full of reassurance.

“You’ve got this. Take a deep breath. Swing your free leg when you’re halfway up.”

I nod and take a deep breath, my nose filling with the smell of hay and dirt. Releasing the breath, I try again. This time, I manage to get my leg over and wrap my arms around Grayson’s waist.

“Good. You’re gonna need to sit as close to me as possible, and don’t squeeze your legs. I’ll guide Rosetta, but she’s a good one, she’ll get us there in one piece.”

I shuffle forward a bit, and he passes me the backpack to put on. His strong thighs squeeze, and Rosetta begins moving at an easy pace. When we exit the barn, the warm summer air hits my skin as a small breeze comes through carrying the scent of the nearby wildflowers. Grayson leads us towards the tree line, but in a direction he didn’t take us on the tour of the property. As we get closer to the trees, I see a worn, narrow path. It looks like it’s only wide enough for a single horse or two people to walk side-by-side.

We ride in silence, the only noise the birds singing in the trees and the wind in the branches. It’s weird to be comfortable in silence with Grayson. I used to hate it. It made my skin itch, and I’d fill the void with anything and everything, needing it as a distraction. But over time, I’ve found that I haven’t needed to do that anymore.

After about thirty minutes, the sound of fast rushing water hits my ears, and the air becomes misty, water sticking to my skin. We continue riding, and when we come through the last few trees, I gasp as I take in the sight in front of me. Water cascades down rocks, forming a pond below that funnels into a stream surrounded by a small patch of green grass. Smaller falls are on each side of the large one in the centre. The trees above open enough to allow the sun to shine through them and reflect off the water. My smile is so large my cheeks hurt.

Grayson offers me a hand, and I climb off Rosetta before he does the same. He ties the reins loosely around a low-hanging branch of a nearby tree. He slides the backpack off my back and places it at the base of the tree. He leans in close, heat radiating off of him as he whispers, “Your bucket list item. Welcome to Wisteria Falls.”

My jaw drops as I turn to look at him over my shoulder. He grins before pulling his shirt over his head and stepping out of his jeans, leaving him only in his swim trunks. I follow suit, tossing my clothes with his and joining him at the edge of the pond. Dipping my toes in, I shiver. The water is much colder than the hot summer air, but it’s refreshing. We slowly make our way into the water until neither of us can touch the bottom and we’re swimming. Grayson swims over to the waterfall, and I watch the powerful muscles in his back as they ripple with each movement of his arms.

He stops in front of the rushing water and turns to me, calling, “You coming?”

I make my way over to him, and he reaches for my hand before we dive under the water and come out behind the waterfall. I’m grinning when we come up, and the look on Grayson’s face has me wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. His hands find my ass as he holds me close.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“You’re welcome.”

I stare into his deep-blue eyes, finding myself getting lost in them. He’s holding secrets I can see he wants to release but can’t. He tucks my hair behind my ear and delicately runs his thumb over my cheek. I lean into his touch, savouring the way it feels. A stray tear runs down my cheek, and I brush it away before climbing out of his hold.

It hurts knowing I missed his gentle touches and what we could have been because of fucking Samantha and her throwing herself at Grayson. But it’s not just on her. I didn’t stop and let him explain. I’ve deprived myself of something that could have been so good, because I had let my mom’s horrible marriages jade me. I was so quick to believe Grayson would cheat on me, because I couldn’t let myself believe I deserved a happy relationship. All I had known was my parents’ failed marriage and my mother’s multitude of relationships. I shouldn’t have let her failure guide my thoughts.

Grayson swims behind me and pulls me into his chest.

“What’s wrong?”

I take a deep breath and plaster on a fake smile and turn in his arms. “Nothing.”

His face is solemn, and he cups mine. “Hannah, you don’t have to hide with me. You can talk to me. I won’t push you, but I’m here. When you’re ready, I’ll listen. No matter what it is.”

I nod, and he releases my face and backs away. That small gesture of giving me space tells me that he knows me. He can read my emotions and what I need. Maybe I shouldn’t be writing this marriage off as an immediate divorce. I only wonder if we can really succeed outside of this little bubble we have right now.