Beautiful Dreams (The Beautiful Series) (34 page)

“This is such an exciting year for our family,” Grace cut in. Her voice was heavy with emotions. “We have a wedding and a new baby girl arriving soon.”

“I know. It’s hard to believe that I’m going to be an aunt in less than a month.” Abbey smiled.

“Now, we just need to get Abbey signed up on the married train,” Ryan said with humor in his eyes while glancing at Abbey.

Abbey rolled her eyes. “I have to have a boyfriend first, and I’m in no rush,” she chortled.

“And he has to pass the double-brother inspection,” Ryan added while scooping more potatoes onto his already loaded plate.

“Poor Abbey.” Kate laughed. “I’m so glad I was raised in a house full of girls. My dad sure had his hands full with chasing away boys though.”

“I can only imagine. I know how these three men were while Abbey was growing up,” Grace said.

“It was completely unfair,” Abbey said to Kate. “For my first real date—Jeffrey, I think it was—my dad and two brothers had their arms crossed, puffing out their chests when Jeffrey came to pick me up. He didn’t even want to get out of the car!”

Ryan and Kyle roared with laughter while Gavin’s eyes filled with pleasure.

“I remember that! I’ll never forget the terrified look on his face.” Ryan laughed, shaking his head. “He was so nervous!”

“I wonder why,” Abbey muttered under her breath.

I could not help but sit back with a broad smile on my face. Kyle’s whole family was so fun and loving. It was great to know that I would soon be a permanent part of it.

The rest of dinner flowed with easy, light conversation. Everyone was laughing and reveling in good times had in the past.

After we finished dinner, Kyle opened his gift from his parents. It was an all-day couple’s spa package for next Friday, the day before our wedding. When Kyle glanced up at me with a huge grin on his face, I knew we were definitely going to enjoy that day.

Ryan and Kate gave Kyle a gift card to a restaurant I had not heard of. He thanked them both, saying it was one of his favorite places to eat.

Kyle reached for Abbey’s present next.

“Let’s see what you managed to find this year, shall we?” Kyle laughed.

My eyes skittered between the two of them.

Abbey grinned. “It will keep you warm in the winters.” She winked.

Kyle peeled off the wrapping paper while taking rapid peeks at his sister. He lifted the lid off the box. Everyone laughed out loud at Kyle’s wide-eyed expression. He pulled out a bright blue sweater with white polka dots and a white hem. It was the ugliest top I had ever seen.

“You really outdid yourself this year, Abbey. I’ll make sure this ends up in the garage,” he said facetiously and then laughed. “I mean, in the back of my closet.”

Abbey nearly fell on the floor from chuckling so hard while her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“Abbey! You promised!” Grace admonished, choking back her own amusement.

The rest of the room erupted into full-blown laughter.

“Oh my gosh!” Abbey cried. “I couldn’t help myself! I couldn’t break the tradition!”

I instantly caught on that this must be a recurring event ever since the Barbie joke. I must admit that it was pretty funny—even Kyle was laughing.

Kyle playfully narrowed his eyes at his sister. “One of these years, Santa is going to bring you coal for Christmas,” he threatened with mirth.

“Bring it on.” Abbey grinned as she reached for her purse sitting at her left side. She pulled out a small box. “Here’s your real present.” She winked.

Kyle grasped the box. He opened it and then glanced between her and the gift. He raised his eyebrows as if something might jump out at him.

“No way!” Kyle exclaimed.

He turned the box toward me, and I saw four NFL premium tickets to a San Francisco game this fall. Kyle stood to his feet as did everyone else. As Kyle made his way over to his sister, she shrugged.

“I thought I should make up for years of outlandish gifts.”

“Thanks, Abbey,” Kyle said while pulling her into a hug, squeezing her hard. “That definitely makes up for all your years of tormenting presents.” He laughed good-heartedly as he shifted back to ruffle her hair.

After visiting for another hour, Kyle gave me the look that said he was ready to head home, and I nodded in agreement. It had been a great night, but I was ready for bed. Ryan, Kate, and Abbey all decided it was time to call it a night, too. Everyone rose to his or her feet, and we all said our good-byes. Everyone wished Kyle a happy birthday one more time before we made our way for the door.

I awoke early, and I wanted to surprise Kyle with a home-cooked breakfast in bed. I knew his favorite was biscuits and gravy with bacon, so I quietly made my way into the kitchen and got to work.

His kitchen was such a breeze to use. All of his cabinets were arranged flawlessly. I quickly gathered all the ingredients, prepared the batter, and heated the oven for the biscuits. Then, I scooped the biscuit batter onto the baking sheet and began preparing the gravy in a skillet.

I smiled while moving about in the kitchen. I wanted Kyle’s first birthday with me to be perfect. We’d had so much happen in the short time that we had known each other. We had opened ourselves up to one another and shared our pasts. We’d traveled many times between California and Colorado, and we’d overcome the attack from A.J. Then, we’d moved in together, and now, we were engaged. So saying I was looking forward to a romantic weekend of just the two of us without any interruptions was a major understatement.

Just as I finished making the gravy, strong arms wrapped around my waist.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Kyle said in a raspy voice.

A smile stretched across my face at the same moment I felt warmth spread throughout my chest. I enclosed my hands over his.

“Good morning indeed,” I purred while turning in his arms to look at him. I lifted myself up on my toes and banded my arms around his nape to draw him closer. “Happy birthday,” I said lovingly before giving him a birthday kiss, making it extra-long and sweet.

His male scent smelled exquisite. He overwhelmed my senses with just the slightest touch. His lips were alluring and inviting. All too soon, he shifted back, leaving me breathless and wanting more.

“Thank you,” he said, revealing a boyish grin. “I can’t wait to open my birthday present.”

“Not yet.” I chuckled while tipping my head in the direction of the stove. “Breakfast first.”

Kyle let out a sexy pout, looking irresistible. “Not even one?”

“Your first present is biscuits and gravy…with bacon.” I smirked playfully.

“Mmm, my favorite,” he said as his stomach made a loud rumble.

“Got to finish cooking before I burn your birthday breakfast.” I snickered and then gave him a hurried soft kiss before rotating back to finish preparing our meal.

“Don’t burn my breakfast, woman,” he grunted teasingly from behind me, smacking my ass.

I grabbed the spatula off the counter and pointed it at him from over my shoulder. “Careful. Birthday boy or not, don’t make me use this,” I challenged.

His eyes glittered with zest and mischief as the energy shifted between us, and it sent a thrill through my body. I spun around hastily as I remembered to stir the gravy, not wanting it to burn.

Kyle took a step closer at the same time. His body radiated strength and dominance. “Oh, Lily,” he said.

His voice sent a shiver down my spine, and I suppressed the urge to turn around and satisfy the desire coursing through me. His hands came to either side of my hips and gripped firmly. He slid his palms up to the outer swell of my breasts, and then he ran his fingertips across the lower curve of them as he bent forward and lowered his head. His warm breath on my skin was almost my undoing.

“It looks like I’ll have to remind you that this two hundred and twenty-five pounds is all man, beautiful.” His tone was hoarse and intense.

Before I could respond, he spoke again, “Turn it off, Lily.”

His hands continued to caress up and down my sides, but this time they snuck up under my loose T-shirt. I flipped off the burner as my breathing audibly deepened. The feel of him surrounding me consumed my senses and every thought.

“This image of taking you up against my counter…”

He stalled, heightening my anticipation.

“It’s got me all fucking hot and bothered,” he rumbled in a raw voice.

A tangible aura floated around us, stirring the warm buzz in the muscles of my abdomen. Feeling emboldened by his yearning, I wiggled my behind against the hard length of his erection that was begging for attention from under his charcoal sweats.

The next thing I knew, he was stripping my clothes and then his own, tossing them all over the tiled floor. Then, he maneuvered me to the opposite counter and bent me over the clear surface. A primal sound tore from his throat before he ran his hands up and down the bare skin of my back and then lower to the curve of my behind, leaving a wicked trail of sensations thrumming through me. My aching thighs trembled beneath me as his hands reached around the front of me to cup my sex.

“Christ, Lily,” he whispered hotly just below my ear, his voice rough and intense, “you’re soaking wet.”

I bit my lip, moaning, as the thick head of his erection probed against my folds. The effect of his movement was strikingly erotic. My entire body shivered with need while desire simmered low in my belly. I had never been so aroused so quickly before.

Not wasting any time, he sank into me with exquisite slowness, and my lips parted at the contact. Lifting one hand, he reached for my jaw, turned my head, and took my mouth with fierceness. His talented tongue claimed what was his, and I willingly returned all I had to give.

I started rocking my hips back against him, urging him on. A husky groan left his lips, vibrating his chest against my back, further turning me on. His hands held me up as he started to move more urgently. The rhythmic slap of our bodies meeting with each other echoed throughout the room. His long, hard thrusts made the tender peak of my orgasm brew like rapid fire. My hands gripped the counter for leverage while I prepared for the deep storm emerging in my core as the muscles inside me tightened.

His name left my lips as I tipped over the edge, coming undone around him. I felt him tense behind me as he let go and poured his release into me.

Kyle pressed his chest along my back as he was heavily breathing in and out. He nuzzled his nose into my nape. “Damn, that was even hotter than I’d imagined.”

Once my brain reconnected with my body, I turned my cheek slightly to face him.
Oh my, there were things to be said about hot birthday sex
. I laughed. “Happy birthday.” I winked.

Kyle’s mouth raised into a heart-stopping grin. “You’ve just made it a hundred times better than any I’ve ever had before.”

He rose behind me and lightly slapped my ass again. “Now you can feed me, woman—before I starve,” he demanded in a sexy-as-hell voice.

“Then, you better find me my clothes, hot stuff.” I snickered while spinning around to start searching for them.

I found my shirt in front of the sink, and it was right next to his. “Where are my pants?” My eyes roamed back and forth across the kitchen floor. There were only so many places they could have landed.

Kyle had tossed our clothes all over the tile in the heat of the moment.

“Uh…” he said while passing the refrigerator to check on the other side of the kitchen island. “Here they are,” he said while bending to pick them up.

I raised my brows at him curiously. “How did they end up all the way over there?” I laughed.

Kyle shrugged and then tossed them over the island. I caught them with my right hand.

“Heat of the moment.” He laughed. “I was on a one-track mission, and that was to get you naked as fast as possible,” he said, referring to launching my clothes a good fifteen feet from the counter.

My cheeks pinked as I looked back at the counter. I did not know if I’d ever be able to look at the dark granite again without thinking of how he had taken me against it.

Kyle let out a soft chuckle as he walked up next to me. I shifted my eyes back to his, seeing a deep male satisfaction in them.