Only With Me (Sugarland Creek #4)

Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

Harlow

D ad’s funeral was beautiful. Sad and tragic, but still beautiful to witness the hundreds of people from our community come pay their respects.

Although he was cremated, we had a lovely memorial to honor him. Delilah and I spoke about what a fighter he was, and how despite his challenges, he always put his family first.

Mom tried to read a poem about true love, but choked up to the point she couldn’t finish, so Waylon stood up and finished reading it for her.

I wouldn’t have been able to get through these past couple weeks without him.

Although my body is still recovering, I’m doing my best to take it slow and rest. Mom barely lets me lift a finger and Waylon comes over every night so I’m not alone.

Not that I’m complaining about spending time with him, but I know he’s trying to keep my mind occupied so I don’t cry or sulk about my injuries.

Truthfully, I’ve not allowed myself to think too much about what happened that day. It was the worst week of my life, but I’m leaning on Waylon and my family as much as I can. Now that I’m older, I feel stronger and braver than the last time, but it still bothers me that I was tricked and assaulted again. I’ve already told them I’ll go to counseling when I feel mentally ready to handle it.

The silver lining—if you want to consider there is one—no broken legs this time. Bruised my thighs badly enough, but at the very least, I can still walk so I’m grateful for that.

I’m also grateful Emery and Kenny took a plea deal so we don’t have to spend months waiting for a trial. They’re both going to prison for a long time. And as much as I feel sorry for Jake, especially since he had no idea what his brother was into, I’ve ended all communication with him.

I’m also pissed I won’t be able to do any horse shows this season. There’s no way with my ribs and recovering from spleen surgery, so for now, Waylon checks in on Piper for me. He’ll video chat with me so I can talk to her. At the very least, I’m hoping I can lunge her in a few weeks after my doctor gives me the clear.

Once I was home from the hospital, Natalie came and stayed with me through the funeral. It was interesting introducing her to Waylon and seeing her blush over him.

I swear, Waylon could charm a nun.

Now she understood why I went on that country drive with him after she warned me only serial killers do that.

Then I had to remind her a few times he was off the market but that he had a single twin brother.

That seemed to distract her long enough to stop flirting with my boyfriend.

Boyfriend .

It still feels surreal to call him that after having such bad luck on that dating app.

Turns out, I never needed it anyway.

But it’s part of how Waylon and I started, so I’m not upset about it.

Speaking of …

We finally sat down and had the conversation about the group chat. I told him how I felt betrayed and that our relationship started on a lie.

He admitted that he screwed up and should’ve told me before things progressed between us. He vowed to never deceive me again and that he’d spend the rest of his life proving how sorry he is.

Waylon has a good heart, and I believe he had good intentions to tell me that day. So even though I didn’t make him grovel for days, I accepted his sincere apology and gave him a second chance.

We agreed to make a fresh start and let the past stay in the past. No more secrets.

Then he surprised me with a jar of hearts filled with ideas from my wishlist and some of his, and it brought me to tears. No one had ever done anything like that for me and to know Wilder and Noah helped too makes it extra sweet.

I imagine the three of them at a table forming an assembly line of painting, cutting, and writing. Some cute sibling bonding.

I keep the jar on my nightstand, and when he tells me to pick one, we go do that thing as long as it isn’t a physical activity.

So far, we’ve done a painting night at a local art studio and then a night where we made homemade muffins and drank apple cider in front of the fireplace.

Admittedly, it’s earned him a lot of brownie points.

For the past couple weeks, Mom’s been trying to keep herself busy while she grieves, as we all are, but it’s almost unhealthy how much she doesn’t sit still. She comes home from work, makes dinner, cleans the house, does laundry, tidies up again before bed, and then when she finally gets tired, she sleeps on the couch.

She’s not ready to be in their bed.

Not that I blame her.

It’s hard seeing Dad’s power chair, his recliner, and his things around the house.

I asked Mom if we could spread some of his ashes around and she hesitantly agreed, so Waylon’s taking us somewhere to do that.

“Are y’all ready?” he asks uncomfortably after waiting twenty minutes with the urn on the coffee table in front of him.

“Mom?” I call. “It’s time to go before it gets dark out.”

I walk down the hallway, and when I find her, she’s sitting on their bed with a photo album in her lap.

“Mama? Are you okay?” I step inside and stand next to her.

“Yeah, sweetie. Just missin’ him is all.”

I rub her back, knowing there’s nothing I can say or do to make this easier and all I can do is comfort her the best way I can.

“If you’re not up for this, we don’t?—”

“No. It’s fine, sweetie. I think Dad would love one more tractor ride around the farm.”

I beam with tears in my eyes. Although that’s what caused his injury in the first place, he loved working on that farm and being a part of something that mattered. So when I asked the family he used to work for if we could spread his ashes on their land, they were more than happy to let us.

Mom stands and we meet Waylon in the living room. He greets her with a warm smile and side hug. I appreciate how much he’s there for her, too.

We walk out to Waylon’s truck and then he drives us to the Foster’s. It’s a ten-minute drive and when we arrive, Mr. Foster already pulled out the tractor for us.

Waylon hands me the urn, and then climbs inside before taking it again so Mom and I can climb up next.

“We good to go?” he asks once the doors are closed.

“Yep.”

He drives us out into one of the fields and then lowers the loader. Once he parks, he climbs back down and then I hand him the urn one final time.

Waylon pours Dad’s ashes inside the bucket of the front-end loader and then returns to the tractor.

“Okay, Mr. Fanning. One more ride around the field we go!”

I can’t help but laugh and cry at how silly this probably looks from the outside, but I don’t care. Dad would’ve loved this.

Waylon raises and tilts the bucket so the ashes can blow in the wind as he drives.

After losing his leg, Dad never got to drive a tractor again or spend another day on this farm, and now he’ll forever rest in the place that brought him so much pride.

“Thank you for today,” I tell Waylon as we sit in his truck, just the two of us.

Mom went inside to get ready for bed and I wanted to say goodnight in private.

“You’re welcome, baby. I was happy to do it and get to experience it with y’all.”

“Can I sit on you quickly?” I nod toward his lap.

“You think you’re up for it?”

“For sittin’? Yeah, pretty sure I can manage that,” I quip.

He teasingly rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Once he lifts the steering wheel, he pulls the lever underneath the bench seat. “Hop on.” He pats his lap like I’m getting on a saddle.

I crawl over, straddle his thighs, and then wrap my arms around his neck.

“I’ve been wantin’ to tell you something, and I think now’s the perfect moment for it.”

His hands grasp my hips, then pulls me in closer. “Okay.”

I nervously rub my hand over his cheek, playing with his scruffy jawline.

“We’ve been through so much together in a short amount of time, but I can’t imagine a better man for me. Someone who’s been nothin’ but kind and patient as well as sweet and caring to my family. I’ve experienced all my firsts with you, and I’m so glad I did, because I’m head over heels in love with you, Waylon.”

His face splits in two as he grabs my chin and tenderly brings my mouth to his. Then he rests his forehead on mine. “I’m madly in love with you, Harlow. I have been for a long time, and honestly that’s a first for me, too. My feelings for you are the strongest I’ve ever had for someone.”

“Really?” I bite down on my lower lip, leaning back so I can look at him. “How come you haven’t told me this before?”

He gently brushes the hair out of my face. “Because I woulda ran you off if I’d said it the first time you were sittin’ on my lap like this.”

I snort at his implication that he’s been in love with me that long.

Maybe he has.

“Does this mean I get invited to scrapbookin’ night now?”

He snickers, shaking his head. “Nope, sorry.”

“That’s so unfair. I’m gonna haveta talk to upper management about this.”

He leans into my neck and slides his tongue under my ear before capturing it between his teeth.

“Patience, my love.”

“I have none.” I rock against his groin, attempting to tease him enough to make him hard.

He gently squeezes my hips. “Harlow…”

His deep warning voice makes me want him more.

“As much as I wanna fuck you to the moon and back, we haveta wait for your check up.”

I playfully pout, frowning.

“You had a serious attack on you two weeks ago.”

“Okay, and? You can’t be gentle?”

“Of course I can, especially when it’ll be your first time, which is why it’s even more important we don’t rush it with your injuries.”

I know he’s right, but that doesn’t make it easier to wait when I’ve wanted him for so long.

“But I’d be happy to help you get off if you need some assistance…” He lifts his hips, poking me with his cock.

And the devilish grin spread across his face tells me exactly what type of assistance he’s referring to.

“Add in lettin’ me suck your cock and you’ve gotta deal.”

He barks out an amused laugh, shaking his head at my counteroffer. “I guess I can handle that.”

“Oh, but I want us to do it in the middle of the woods.”

“Uhh…is that some kinda weird serial killer fantasy from your romance wishlist?”

I giggle at his shocked expression. “I wanna see how long it takes Natalie to freak out and call the sheriff on us again.”

“That’s an arrest waitin’ to happen.”

“Not if we outrun him.”

“Harlow Fanning…I think you’re the one corruptin’ me after all.”

But he doesn’t say no. Instead, he drives us twenty minutes away, deep into the woods where it’s pitch black.

If I didn’t trust him with my whole heart, I’d be terrified out here. But it adds to the thrill.

“Use me, baby. Use me to get off,” Waylon softly demands in my ear.

I rock on top of him, feeling his cock harden underneath me and moan at how good it feels against my clit.

“Just like that, you’re doing so good.”

Wrapping my hands around his shoulders, I grind faster, desperate to find my release before we get caught.

He slides his hand to my breast, teasing my nipple through the fabric of my shirt and groaning as he kisses along my jaw.

“Don’t hold back. I wanna hear you scream while you come on me.”

“Can you help me? Talk me through it…” I plead. There’s nothing hotter than Waylon telling me all the ways he wants to touch me.

“Imagine my tongue on this needy little clit while you ride my fingers deep and fast until your sweet cunt juices make a mess on my face. Then I slide down and tease your tight hole until you beg me to let you come again.”

“Oh my God…” My eyes roll back as he tightens his grip on me.

“You look so fuckin’ perfect when you get close…” He brings his lips to mine, sliding his tongue between them, and then kissing me deep and urgently. “So beautiful and mine .”

That’s the first time he’s ever called me his and it’s such a turn on.

“I’m so close. Say it again,” I beg between catching my breath.

“You’re all mine, baby. I’m so in love with you.” He tilts up my chin with the pads of his thumbs, locking his eyes on mine. “All mine, mine, mine .”

The deep hoarseness of his voice echoes in my ears and shoots straight down to my core like a lightning bolt.

And as requested, I don’t hold back. I scream out his name like a desperate prayer. Every inch of my body vibrates with pleasure. When I catch my breath, Waylon collides his mouth with mine and claiming me in a way he never has before.

“I’m gonna come in my pants if you don’t climb off me, baby.”

“Is that so?” I rotate my hips once more over him.

He grabs my thighs and holds them in place. “Don’t torture me like that.”

“Then lemme help you with that problem.”

He looks outside, making sure we’re still alone. Then I crawl off his lap and release his cock, then bring my mouth down on him.

“Fuck, I’m not gonna last long.”

After I lick up his shaft and suck on him a few times, I hollow my cheeks and squeeze my fingers around his shaft.

His hand tightens in my hair and he comes down my throat with a roar. I do my best to lick him clean before he pulls me up and quickly kisses me.

“We’ve gotta go.” He pulls himself into his jeans and then shifts into drive.

I look behind us and see the sheriff’s SVU, his bright light shining directly into Waylon’s truck.

He slams on the gas, and I burst out laughing as I pull on my seat belt. Luckily, the sheriff doesn’t even bother following us.

“Natalie’s getting rusty,” I say once we’re back on the road. “Took her fifteen minutes longer than last time to have someone find us.”

“I have a feelin’ the sheriff didn’t come lookin’ for us right away.”

“He’s gonna chew our asses when we see him next, ain’t he?” I wince.

Waylon smirks at me. “Yep.”