Taste (Cloverleigh Farms, #7)

by Melanie Harlow

Anything I could do to increase Ellie’s chances of snagging that 30 Under 30 spot, I’d do it.

“It’s almost worse, knowing that kind of love exists, but worrying you’ll never find it. Like maybe if I hadn’t seen it in real life, I’d think it was only in fairy tales and I’d be willing to settle for less.” She shrugged. “But I’ve seen it. And that’s what I want.”

I stepped aside and she shuffled past me, still trying to keep that stupid blanket wrapped around her. But no sooner had the door shut than it opened again, and she walked out, tossed the plaid blanket on the bed, and faced me, hands on her hips. “I give up. This is what I look like without pants on.”

But I was frozen in place. It hit me that she was wearing my sweater with nothing underneath it. That was so hot.

“I want another chance. For years, I’ve been kicking myself for fucking up in that closet.” “Good.” “I let pride win, when I should have just gone with my gut.” “And what was your gut telling you to do?” My voice was low and breathy now, and my eyes dropped to his mouth. “The same thing you were telling me to do. This.” He crushed his lips to mine.

“Sex can ruin a friendship, you know.” “Then it’s a good thing we’re not friends.” I only caught the boyish grin on his face for a second before he was kissing me again. A moment later, he stood up and started to unbutton his shirt. “Wait,” I said, getting to my knees and placing both hands on his chest. “Do you really want this?” “Are you fucking serious?” “Yes.” “I’ve wanted this every single night for six months. Probably farther back than that. You’ve always been the unattainable girl of my dreams, Ellie.”

“Gianni,” I whispered. “I don’t want to wake up tomorrow and like you, okay? So maybe you could just be selfish for a minute? Just fuck me like you don’t care? Better yet, fuck me like you hate me.”

“Permission to approach your side in order to share my body heat,” I stated robotically. “In a completely non-sexual way, of course.” “Fine.” Her voice was small. “But only because I’m so cold.” Smiling, I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her toward me so my body curved around hers—my chest against her back, her butt resting on my hips, my knees tucked behind hers. I kept my arm around her middle and inhaled the summer-day scent of her hair. I closed my eyes and felt seventeen again, bursting with reckless energy and stupid ideas. I recalled walking around at the Cherry Festival with friends and seeing her in that bikini, sash, and crown, posed above that dunk tank. Her legs were crossed at the ankle, her knees side by side, her thighs pressed tightly together.

“But it’s a one-time use?” “Yeah.” “Too bad.” I held her closer and started kissing the back of her neck, fully prepared for her to push me away or tell me to stop. When she didn’t, I slipped my arm inside the shirt she wore, placing my hand on her bare stomach.

“Don’t worry, I planned out our whole day. First, we’ll make snow angels for two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, and then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as we can, and then—to finish?—we’ll snuggle.” He gave me his most charming grin. “Gianni!” I stamped my foot.

“Why am I so tired?” “We were up all night.” “Oh yeah.” A tiny smile tugged at my lips. He moved a little closer to me and draped an arm over my waist. It felt so good I let him leave it there as I dozed off.

“You’re really fucking beautiful.”

“Okay,” I said, setting the clean sauce pan back on the stove. “I just need a couple minutes to—” But then I couldn’t speak, because Ellie’s arms suddenly twined around my waist, her hands slipping beneath my untucked shirt. I went completely still. Her palms slid over my abs, making them clench. I swallowed, still unable to find words. Was this a dream?

I spun around so fast I knocked the pan to the floor, and it banged loudly against the wood. But Ellie was already dragging the shirt over my head and reaching for the button on my jeans. As soon as I yanked her sweatshirt off her body, our mouths came together in a searing hot kiss punctuated by breathless panting and the frantic tearing off of our clothing. Everything happened in a blur of hot, panicked need. Her hand around my cock. My fingers in her pussy. Her tongue in my mouth. Her fist in my hair. I felt possessed by the urge to get inside her, like the clock was ticking down those seven minutes and I was never going to have the chance again. She’d never let me do this again. I’d never be this close to her again. It was all now, now, now.

I lifted her off the ground and she wrapped her legs around me. But instead of placing her on the mattress, I turned toward the wall next to the stove and put her back against it. And without stopping to think, I pushed inside her.

My eyes wandered over his body, igniting my desire. “Drop the towel.” His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What?” “Drop the towel.” My lips curved into a smile. “Earlier you told me to eat my heart out. What if I’m hungry?” He let go of the towel and it fell to the floor. God, he was so fucking beautiful. Every inch of him.

I got on my knees. I took off my sweatshirt. I watched as his eyes lit up and his cock jumped. I smiled, getting on my hands and knees, and looked up at him coquettishly. “So what you said last night still applies, right?” “What did I say?” “What happens at the Pineview Motel stays at the Pineview Motel.” “Sure.”

Reaching for her, I gathered her close to me, and she put an arm over my chest and her head on my shoulder. We stayed that way for a few minutes, our bodies warm beneath the covers, our breathing synced.

“Just one more example of Gianni Lupo treating the world like his playground. You probably arranged the blizzard too. Winked and smiled at Mother Nature, and she gave into you like every other girl does.” “Don’t be ridiculous. I just sent a text to God. He’s a fan of Lick My Plate.” She stopped moving and glared at me with daggers in her eyes. “Okay, not the right time for a joke. Sorry.” I rubbed the back of my neck.

Then she surprised me by taking the roses and M&M’s from my hands. “I thought friendship couldn’t be bought,” I said. She hugged them to her chest. “We’re not friends.” Then she turned and walked away, leaving me with a smile on my face. And an ache in my chest.

“All I did was come up behind you and give you a hug! An innocent little hug to thank you for making dinner!” “You said you wanted to rip my clothes off!” She reached into the bag of M&M’s and hurled a handful of them at me. “Did not!” “Did so!” I yelled back as the little multi-colored chocolates bounced off me and clattered to the floor.

“You’re a fucking liar. And I despise you.” I inhaled, and her scent filled my head. I’d never wanted anyone as badly as I wanted her right then. We went at each other like wolves. Our mouths crashed together, tongues slashing, hands groping. I hiked up her skirt. She yanked off my belt. I tore off her underwear. She shoved down my pants. Fuck me like you hate me.

Inside a minute, I had her up on the island, driving my cock into her again and again, savagely, furiously, like I wanted to punish her for the way she consumed my every waking moment. For the way she’d pushed me away. For making me doubt everything I knew to be true about myself. And she seemed just as eager to take her rage out on me. She turned her face away when I tried to kiss her, she hissed in my ear, she pulled my hair, she slid her hands beneath my shirt and clawed my back, she sank her teeth into my shoulder as her body tightened and convulsed.

“Ellie. Look at me.” It took her a couple breaths, but then she turned around and faced me, shoulders back. Chin up. Lower lip trembling. My chest was caving in. “Did I hurt you?” “No.”

“And the . . .” I swallowed with difficulty, glancing at her stomach. “Baby?” “The baby is fine too. It’s barely the size of a kidney bean.” For some odd reason, learning its size made me want to fucking cry.

I frowned. “This is my child too.” “I know it is, but I also know you, Gianni. I know what you want in life, and it isn’t this baby, it isn’t me, and it isn’t being stuck here.” Her eyes were shining, her lower lip trembled. “You like being free, remember?”

She forced something like a smile as she wiped her eyes. “Well, like you said. We had a good fucking time at that motel.” “It was more than that,” I said quietly. “Don’t.” Her voice trembled. “Please don’t.”

But I knew three things. I was going to be a father. I was going to be a good father. I was going to do everything in my power to make things right between Ellie and me. I’d always trusted my gut instincts, which usually told me when it was time to move on to the next place, take the next risk, chase the next thrill. But today when I’d heard that little heartbeat and saw those tiny feet and looked into Ellie’s brown eyes, my gut hadn’t told me to run. It told me to stay.

“Have you come to your senses?” I smiled. “Yeah. And I could use some advice on how to make a girl fall in love with me, even though I’m not good enough for her. I figure you’re an expert in that.” He laughed. “Come by the house. I’ve got some experience there.”

“No more tricks. This is the real thing, Ellie. I’m here, I’m staying, and I’m yours—if you want me.” “I want you.” It felt so good to say the words out loud. I looked up at him and said them again. “I want you.”

He crushed his lips to mine, and I threw my arms around his neck, clinging like I’d never let go. Without breaking the kiss, he swept me off my feet and carried me up the stairs and into his bedroom. Gently, he placed me on the bed, then braced himself above me. “Is this okay? I don’t want to hurt you or squash our baby lime. It deserves a chance to become a plum.”

can always come back after work tonight.” He picked up his head. “Would you? Come back and stay the night with me? Not because you have to because there’s a blizzard or my car is dead, but because you want to?” “Gianni, sweetheart.” I tightened my hands in his hair so hard he winced. “Your car was never dead.”

And even though I was in a hurry and would probably be a little late for my first tasting, I stayed right where I was, in his arms, chest to chest, our baby cradled between us. It felt like home.

“I love you.” I shivered again. Hearing him say the words was always a thrill. “I love you too.”

“And where the heck is Gianni? I thought he was—” “He’s over there!” Luna burst out, pointing at the dunk tank. I looked up, and my jaw dropped. There was Gianni, seated behind the blue bars on the dunk tank platform, dressed in his swim trunks and grinning madly. “It’s your turn!” he shouted. “I figured it was time for payback.” Bringing my hands to my face, I started to laugh.

“Get someone else to throw for you!” hollered Winnie. I looked over at her. “Now that’s good advice.” My eyes skimmed over everyone who’d gathered around and landed on Winnie’s cousin Chip—who happened to be a newly retired MLB pitcher. A grin broke out on my face. “Oh, shit,” I heard Gianni say. I marched over to him and grabbed his arm. “Please, Chip. Please throw my next forty pitches and dunk the love of my life as many times as possible. Trust me when I say that he will deserve it.”

“Well? What do you say, princess?” Gianni called. “Will you marry me?” I looked at Gianni again and thought I might burst with excitement. “Yes!” I shouted. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

“But there’s just one more thing.” “What?” I turned around to face him, and splat!— I took a whipped cream pie to the face. Stunned, I stood there for a moment, blinking through the fluffy white whipped cream while everyone around us roared. I wiped my eyes and heard one of Dex’s daughters squeal, “We got that whole thing on video!” I started to laugh, and Gianni kissed me, getting whipped cream all over his face too. “We weren’t quite even-steven,” he said. “And now?” “Now we’re good.” I threw my arms around him and kissed his lips once more. “So good.”

She looked so young and beautiful, my heart hurt. I tossed the deodorant aside and took her in my arms. “Are you scared?” “Yes.” She smiled nervously, her brown eyes shining with excitement. “But I have you, right?” “You have me. I’ll never leave your side.” “Then I’m okay.” I kissed her forehead and held her close for a moment, willing myself to be braver than I felt.

“It was just a blizzard bang,” she said, laughing gently. “And now look at us. We’re a family.” “We’re a family,” I said. I kissed the baby’s head and then Ellie’s. “Forever.”