Page 18 of His to Touch
“I need to start the eviction process of getting Shane out of my house legally. Check the stuff in the shed isn’t destroyed and go through the boxes to make sure Mom’s stuff is still in good condition,” I mutter under my breath, talking out loud, like I’m walking home from work alone.
“Ryland and I will take care of that,” Lawson says, taking a seat next to his mom. Ry comes up beside him.
“You make a list of what needs to be taken out of the house. We’ll put it in the garage, then you go through the boxes and document everything. Just in case. As for the eviction process, it may be overkill depending on how your case goes, but I’ll call our family lawyer to get the ball rolling.” Ryland’s hand massages the back of my neck.
“You all have done so much. Really, I can do this.” The group of men makes a bunch of noises, mumbling about independent women. Ms. Catherine’s eyebrow arches at me with a smile. It causes me to let out a laugh, and while there’s still a twinge of pain when that happens, it’s not near as bad as my life could be. I’m surrounded by people who care and love freely. That’s why I’m not going to put up a fuss, allowing the people I love to help me as much as they want to.
SIXTEEN
RYLAND
“My Sutty!” Case squeals, getting Sutton’s attention. God, I love my boy. He’s as infatuated with her as I am. When it was time to pick Case up from preschool, she asked if she could come with, wanting to stop at the grocery store to make lasagna, salad, bread sticks, and dessert. She even snuck spinach into the sauce, cutting it so small and fine, no one could taste the difference, especially Case. After she cooked, I helped clean up the mess, and then we ate. Sutton needed to rest afterwards. Case had a couple of things to do schoolwork wise, mainly coloring, but while I finished up the dinner dishes, he sat at the table while Sutton sat in the recliner. I could see her internal battle, not wanting to call it a day, but that’s exactly what it was. She did more today than she has for a week now. She unpacked her clothes, toiletries, and a few of the mementos. Our things are now mingled with one another’s, her scent marrying mine, and each time I walk into the bedroom, it fills me with male pride.
“My Case!” she replies right back, as anxiously as him. The kitchen is cleaned, his homework is done, and all that’s left is a shower, reading a story, and bedtime. I watch as my boy runs his little body over to where Sutton is sitting. She chose the couchinstead of the recliner, probably because she’ll fall asleep if she sits in it too long.
“You go wif me to see animals.” Sutton doesn’t think twice. She stands up, ready to follow Case to the ends of this earth.
“Of course.” She slips her hand in his, and he’s guiding her to the front door.
“Come on, Daddy!” One day, I’ll have to really work on his inside voice. I’ve been trying to remind him. Then he beams this big, massive smile, and correcting him flies out the window. I’m a pushover, and I know it.
“Alright, which animals are we going to see?” I ask, walking toward the pair.
“The horses, silly.” We walk through the door, having to hurry to shut it behind us. Case is a man on a mission. I only hope he doesn’t move too fast for Sutton.
“I think it’s safe to assume we’re going to see his horse,” Sutton says over Case’s head. He’s got each of our hands in his, swinging mine back and forth yet being gentle with Sutton’s.
“Safe to assume. He’s not been out there as much after school. His eyes have been on my woman the minute he’s out of school. Not that I can blame him.” I wink at her, watching as her lips tip up in a smile. The short trek down to the barn doesn’t take much time, and for the most part, the horses are in their stalls for the night. The rest of the animals are in the pasture. The cows have a lean-to when the weather gets too cold and they need shelter. The goats are in another barn, and the chickens are in their coop. Case loves the bison Trey and Amos have at the Ellison Ranch. I’m sure he’s chomping at the bit to make an appearance there soon.
“Dad.” I don’t respond right away, too busy unlocking and opening the sliding door. “Dad, Dad, Dad.”
“Case, show me where your horse is?” Sutton redirects his attention. Damn, she’s going to make an amazing teacher and an even better wife and mother.
“Okay! D…dddad has Ace,” Case is excited, a trigger for his speech. That and being nervous. Otherwise, he’s slowly working through it.
“And what’s your horse’s name?” she asks. I head to the feed room. Case is going to want to give the horses treats, every last one of them in the stall, and there are a lot.
“Max, it’s short for M…mmmmaximus,” I wait off to the side. He’ll be over in a few minutes asking for a handful. Then he’ll go one by one to each horse, giving them each a couple in the palm of his hand. I’m pretty sure he’ll even show Sutton the entire way.
“That’s a very strong name.” The horses start whinnying, a couple stomping their feet, moving back and forth.
“Daddy helped.” Case spins around. He does it so fast he nearly falls on his ass. He’s searching for me, and I’m still near the feed room. I’ve wanted to sit back and be a spectator to watch the two of them together. “Daddy, dere you are. Nacks?”
“Right here, bud.” I put them in the plastic cup we all keep for Case and the other kids. We’ve learned our lesson along the way. Small hands, lots of treats, means more land on the floor than in the horses’ mouths.
“Thanks!” He runs back to where Sutton is standing, the cup in his hand, holding it firmly to his chest, the other holding up his breeches. Apparently, today he forgot his suspenders like his Paw. Case reaches Sutton, who’s standing at Maximus’ stall, showing her to pet his nose and how to give him treats. I let them do this for a few other horses before I mosey my way toward them.
“Love watching you with my boy. Plan on marrying you, having more babies with you, loving you like you’re meant tobe loved, and Sutton, we’re doing that soon,” I whisper in her ear, my front plastered to her back. She does a full-body shiver, rocking back on her heels, sinking her weight into me.
“Ryland.” Her voice has a raspy tone full of want and need. The minute Case is in bed for the night, I’m going to make her say my name exactly this way over and over again.
“Drop the towel, babe,”I order Sutton as she comes out the bathroom. After Case showed her the ropes, we came home, he did his nighttime routine, Sutton read him two stories, probably more like three, and then hopped in the shower while I shut the house down.
“Ryland.” She does what I tell her. Her body is a work of art, even healing and wearing a splint. It doesn’t stop me from wanting to taste her, to fuck her and consume her. Seeing as she’s still technically on “bedrest,” we have to keep shit to a minimum. Foreplay is only going to last us for so long, though. I’m tempted to give in more and more each day. I’ve watched her finger herself, and she’s watched me jack off. Last night, it was her hand wrapped around my cock and my fingers fucking her until she orgasmed twice.
“Flat on your back, legs propped up and spread for me. I’m going to taste you directly from the source.”
“Yes,” she purrs, walking her sweet ass to the bed, not bothering to pull the comforter or sheets back as she does exactly what I want. “You want me like this?” She spreads her legs further apart. Her hands start working their way down her body. I love the show she puts on, but damn, I’m ready to bury my head between her thighs.