Ever After Awaits (Layla) novel Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Layla POV

Looking up at Cade as he stands behind Hunter, I give him puppy-dog eyes and slightly pout before saying, “Pretty please?”

Cade chuckles before answering, “Of course, Sunshine,” and then disappears into the house.

AJ grabs my attention by touching my elbow beneath the water, “Are you sure?”

Making sure I catch and hold his gaze, I soften my eyes and tone, saying, “I’m sure. It doesn’t hurt. And if

Xavier hadn’t mentioned it, I would have been oblivious about it.”

Giving him a playful smile, I add, “You could always kiss it better if you want?”

The tension in his shoulders lifts, and he returns my smile with a naughty version of his own before replying, “Now that’s an offer I’ll never not take you up on.”

He pulls me into his arms and seals his lips to mine, effectively stopping me from giving a retort. His hands slip to my back and underneath my swimsuit’s straps, ensuring skin-to-skin contact between us.

After a few seconds, his tongue sweeps across my lower lip, asking permission to enter. I automatically open for him, and groan when his tongue gently caresses mine. Grabbing onto his hips below the water for balance, my pinky and ringfinger slip underneath the waistband of his swimming trunks of their own accord, further connecting us.

The kiss is slow and sensual but soul-destroying in its intensity. I never want my kisses with him to be any other way.

Unexpectedly, another body steps into my back, causing me to startle for a second. But when Hunter’s voice filters into my ear and brushes his lips against my earlobe as he says, “Relax, beautiful. It’s just me,” I instantly relax into both of their arms.

Hunter rests his left hand on my hip while gently wedging his right hand between AJ and my stomach to ultimately settle low on my abdomen. His mouth latches onto my neck, where it lazily explores the column as if he has all the time in the world. A slight nudge of his hand has me pressed up against his groin where I can feel his cock hardening against my ass. AJ’s body follows mine on instinct and presses even closer to me, ultimately causing me to be the meat in between their sexy man-sandwich.

The whimper that escapes my throat is involuntary. The feel of their silky skin, which covers those powerful muscles they’ve worked extremely hard to obtain, brushing against my soft, plump curves, is a mind-bending experience.

Keeping my left hand on AJ’s hip, I have the urge to touch Hunter as well, so my right hand shifts to behind me, landing on the side of his upper thigh where I slightly sink my nails into him, afraid of him slipping from my grasp and us losing our connection.

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Chapter 49: Layla POV

Hunter’s guttural groan at the contact reverberates against my skin, causing my core to heat and pull tight.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful like this,” Cade’s voice breaks the trance that we’re in. I slowly look in his direction to see him standing on the pool’s edge, watching us. From the bulge in his pants, it’s evident that he has

been there for a while.

Hunter groans in frustration behind me, leans his forehead on my shoulder, and then mumbles, “Cockblock,” making me giggle.

It’s probably a good thing he interrupted us. Moira could have come outside at any moment. And even though I’m not ashamed of my relationship (or is it a situationship?) with the boys, that doesn’t mean I want to be disrespectful to her with over-the-top PDA in front of her.

AJ laces his fingers with mine and then leads me to the pool’s steps, saying, “Come baby, let’s get your head looked at before we enjoy our day further.”

Cade has placed a folded-up towel on the pool’s edge so I can sit with my feet on the top step while he sits next to me. He cleans and bandages the wound quickly and then places a featherlike kiss on top of it before standing to get rid of the wrappers and used cotton swabs.

As I get up to go over to the table, intent on grabbing a handful of chips before I want to dry off on one of the loungers, Xavier appears by my side and places his hand on the small of my back. Without a word, he guides me across the patio area, nudges me into a seat next to the table, and then stands at my back like a sentinel.

Baffled by his actions of sudden chivalry and protectiveness, I roll my eyes in exasperation with his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-like personality see-saws. I feel his hot breath against my neck before hearing his deep voice whisper next to my ear, “Roll your eyes at me again, Princess, and I’ll have another reason to punish you.”

Sitting across from me, Hunter must have heard what Xavier said because he smirks before winking at me.

I dip my head because I don’t want him to see how Xavier’s words affect me. Thinking of him punishing me has all kinds of erotic fantasies flitting through my mind. None of which are appropriate when considering that he is my stepbrother.

Moira comes outside at that moment, making me love her even more for saving me from making a fool of myself, because I would have started talking gobbledygook any second to deflect from the fact that Xavier’s presence behind me is making me all kinds of hot and bothered.

“The pizzas have arrived, kids. Should I bring them out here or do you want to plate up inside?” she asks when she’s within earshot.

AJ walks over to her, draping his arms over her shoulder. “Take a seat, Moira. We strapping young lads can go fetch them so we can all sit out here and stuff our faces with too much hot, stringy cheese.” He then winks at her, and she giggles like a teenage girl whose crush just acknowledged her existence.

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Chapter 49: Layla POV

I honestly can’t fault her for her reaction. AJ has flustered me numerous times with his charming smile and soulful chocolate eyes.

Moira sits beside me as AJ and Cade go inside to collect the pizzas. I slide a plate towards her, and Hunter places a water bottle before her. “This is quite inappropriate,” she hedges, “I shouldn’t be enjoying myself, eating your food, while there is so much to do around the house.”

Xavier scoffs from behind me before saying, “Nonsense, Moira. You do enough around here to warrant downtime with your favorite guys.”

She bumps her shoulder against mine before adding, “And my new favorite girl,” before winking and giving me a soft, tender smile.

My jaw almost hits the ground when Cade and AJ come strolling outside, arms laden with boxes of pizzas.

But before we can rib Cade about the copious amount of food enough to feed a small village in Africa, my mother comes into view as she strolls from inside.

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Ever After Awaits