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  “This is amazing.” Kels wraps her arm around my shoulder as we take a bit of a break. “I know, I’m going to go over and ask Mom if she has a preliminary count of how much we’ve raised. We’ve still got two hours to go, but I’m unsure if we’ll be able to get all these cars done.” I point to the line waiting to get in.

  “We’ll figure it out,” she promises. “I’m gonna get back over there to where my hot-ass hubby is working hard with no shirt on.” She purses her lips, making a noise in her throat.

  “You do that,” I laugh.

  “Girl, I am on it.” She wiggles her eyebrows.

  I have a feeling she’ll be on more than the situation at hand if given a few hours alone with Nick. Putting a shirt on over my bathing suit, because I feel my shoulders getting a little burnt, I walk over to where my mom is taking money. She’s cute as hell wearing a shirt with Major on it, and a money belt.

  “Hey, Mama,” I greet her. “You need water or anything?”

  “Nah, I’m fine. Tucker’s been over here twice, telling me to hydrate and bringing me liters of water.” She points to the empty bottles at her feet. “He’s such a good guy,” she sighs.

  “I know, I have a feeling if given the chance, everyone would be half in love with him.”

  I look over to where him, Ransom, and Nick are working on a car. It’s all status quo until it seems like Ransom says something to Tucker, which causes him to throw his sponge at Ransom, which accidentally hits Nick.

  “Oh, it’s on!”

  Nick takes the water hose he’s been in charge of and sprays them both. Before we know it, they’re in a full-on water fight. I turn back to my mom. “They’ll never grow up.”

  “No,” she agrees. “They won’t.”

  “So, do you have any kind of idea how much money we’ve raised?”

  She looks down at her money belt. “Every thousand dollars I get, I’ve been giving it to Whitney.” She points over to where Stella’s mom is wrangling the kids. “She’s got a lockbox over there.”

  “Sounds great!”

  I’m realizing I didn’t think anything about how this part would go, and I’m so thankful that it seems like Whitney or Stella thought about it.

  “I’ve gone over there at least eight times so far.” Mom grins.

  “Oh my God!” I wrap her up in a big hug. “We might hit our goal today!”

  “Pretty sure we’re gonna do more than hit our goal.”

  I’m so excited and proud, I have to turn away from her so she can’t see the tears in my eyes. “Thank you for helping.” I turn back to her, hugging her to my side.

  “We wouldn’t be anywhere else than here helping you, Karsyn. I hope you know that.”

  “I do.”

  Not wanting to take her attention away from her job anymore, I walk over to where Whitney is taking care of the kids. “How’s it going?”

  “Good!”

  “It’s so cool over here.” I’m thankful as I step underneath the canopy she’s set up.

  “Yeah, there was no way I’d be able to stand out in this heat, and I didn’t want the kids to get too hot either.”

  “So many of you thought of things I never did. I can’t thank you enough for all the help you’ve given us.”

  She smiles softly. “I have a lot of experience making sure things are running the way they’re supposed to be, and let’s be honest, this helps my family as much as yours. We fight as one, Karsyn.”

  The slogan brings tears to my eyes again. “I’m beginning to understand those words more and more by the day.”

  Grabbing some water and some snacks, I walk over to where the Harrison family is dutifully directing people into the parking lot. “Brought you all some snacks and water!”

  “I’m dying.” Molly grabs the water, while Levi grabs the snack.

  Caleb rolls his eyes. “It’s not that freakin’ bad, but I have to direct you to the line.” He points up the road. “My mother is walking up that line taking donations,” he laughs.

  “Oh my God! When did she get here?”

  “About an hour ago. She said people were just sitting there with nothing to do, so we may as well ask.”

  I notice the line is slightly smaller. “Karsyn,” Karina yells at me, waving her arms. “I need help.”

  Quickly I jog up to where she’s standing. “What’s up?”

  “I’m putting this money in my bra like a damn stripper. I need a money belt or something.”

  I giggle loudly at her words.

  “No seriously.” She leans over, showing me the money in her shirt.

  “Holy hell woman!”

  “People love the dogs and my son, I mean look at those three cuties!”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  As I hurry over to where I know we have something she may use to hold her money, I can’t help but be so proud of these people and this town. This is more than I ever imagined it could be, and it’s because of the family we’ve all scraped together.

  It’s hours later and we’re in The Café. Leigh was beyond generous, offering to have us all in for a donated dinner. There’s a huge group of us, and it’s loud and boisterous. There’s kids, dogs, adults - we’re all here. My parents have been pulled into the middle of the Laurel Springs fold, something I’m pretty sure they’ve missed for how long we’ve lived here. Maybe that’s my fault because they didn’t want to give anyone a chance to see me. For a long time, even in this area, people knew about what happened to me, and always questioned me.

  I’m sitting next to Tucker, his arm is around me, and we’re laughing over something Ransom has just said when Mason whistles loudly.

  “If I could have everyone’s attention. I want to thank every single one of you for coming out today to help us and the counties surrounding us. You’ll never know how much we appreciate it. There just wasn’t enough money in our budgets to even think about getting another dog. It’s something we’ve needed desperately, but without a fundraiser, we knew wouldn’t be able to do it.” He nods to me. “Enter Karsyn. Stand up, lady so those who may not know who you are can see who you are.”

  When I stand, Tucker whistles loudly, clapping.

  My face burns bright red, even redder than the sun made it today. The crew all follows his lead, clapping for me. “Tucker helped me,” I yell.

  “The fuck he did.” Nick’s voice can be heard.

  “Children are present!” someone else yells.

  “Sorry, but we all know what he did was minimal.”

  “Either way, what you did and what he did is between the two of you.” Mason nods to the both of us. “I’m glad to announce we’ve raised enough money today to get three dogs.”

  The noise in the room is deafening as some of the guys even bang on tables. I’m so proud as I watch everyone celebrating our win.

  “We have an odd amount left, and with Karsyn and Tucker’s blessing, we’d like to put that into a community fund.”

  “That’s a great idea,” I agree.

  “We’ll come up with an idea of what to use the community fund for, but I think we all agree that there are members of this town who need a little help from time to time.”

  Tucker wraps his arms around me from behind when I have a seat again. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispers in my ear.

  “I’m proud of you too, I wouldn’t have done this if it hadn’t been for you.”

  “Just to show me up.” He nuzzles my neck.

  “We were going to be together either way,” I remind him. “Because this,” I gesture between us, “was kinda meant to be, I think.”

  “I think you’re right.” He leans in, kissing me quickly. “We just had to get over ourselves.”

  “Over ourselves,” I gasp. “You were the one who was all like, ‘I can’t have super real feelings for you, because I don’t know what to do with myself’. You had to get over yourself.” I point at him.

  “Maybe.” He shifts.

  “Maybe my ass. It was all you,
Tucker!”

  “She’s got you there,” Nick chimes in.

  Tucker turns on him. “You of all people have zero room to talk about me.”

  “Um, excuse you.” He holds up his left hand. “Between us, who’s married with kids and shit? Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you to figure it out.”

  “When did you become such a smartass?” Tucker groans as he faces away from Nick.

  “Turn your back from the truth, it’s okay.”

  “Do you hear someone speaking?” Tucker asks.

  “Aww, poor thing, leave him alone Nick.” I wrap him up in my arms. “The truth is sometimes too hard to accept.”

  “Oh my God,” Tucker pulls back. “You too? I’m gonna go sit with people who like me. Come on, Major.” He taps his leg.

  When Major just looks at him and then gets up in the seat Tucker just vacated, everyone has a laugh at his expense.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Tucker

  Karsyn and I are lying in bed, watching some show on Netflix, but I don’t think either one of us are paying much attention to it.

  “I can’t believe how today went.” She turns over onto her side, propping up on her arm. “Like I knew it was going to be okay, but I had no idea how good it would feel to plan that and have it work out,” she grins.

  “Like I told you, you should be confident. You’re legit, Karsyn.”

  “Maybe I should apply to be Ruby’s assistant.” She laughs.

  “I’m sure Caleb would appreciate that; it would give them more time together.”

  Reaching over, I push my fingers through her hair. “You’re like glowing with accomplishment. I love this look on you. Honestly, there’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do to give you this look all the time.’

  Her eyes flit down my body, then back up to my eyes. “Really?”

  I’m not sure where she’s going with this, but it’s safe to say I’m on board with whatever she wants to do. “Yeah, if you could see yourself, you’re so proud of yourself.”

  “I am,” she agrees. “I guess I just never realized how much I sometimes need that affirmation.”

  “I’d give it to you any day of the week, babe. Don’t even think I won’t.”

  “So.” She quirks her lips. “Would you let me do something I’ve kinda wanted to do a while? It’s one of those things I’ve wanted to do, but have been slightly shy about.”

  “You can do whatever you want to, you don’t even have to ask. Just assume it’s a yes.”

  She giggles loudly before getting up and walking over to shut the door. “Don’t want a repeat of what happened to Ransom.” She winks.

  I laugh, thinking about him being so offended by a dog nose in the ass. It makes my heart beat slightly faster too, because that might mean we’re about to get naked together. I promise myself though that I won’t pressure her, I won’t try to speed her up. This goes at her pace.

  My gaze follows her as she resumes her spot beside me, propping her head up again on her hand. I’m tense, waiting to see what she’s going to do. I don’t think I’ve ever been this tense before.

  Her hand starts in the middle of my stomach, making my abs clench. She runs it slowly to the waistband of the basketball shorts I’m wearing. Ducking underneath them, she continues her slow slide down into my boxer briefs. A noise escapes the back of my throat as she wraps her hand around my length. I’m hot, hard, and ready for this in less than five seconds. I don’t know what it is about her putting her hands on me, but I am so fucking ready.

  “Just relax,” she whispers in my ear. For some reason I kind of feel like I should be the one telling her those words.

  Tilting my head back against my pillow, I watch her through hooded eyes. The way my shorts move with the way her hand jacks me. There’s something about not being able to see it, but definitely being able to feel it.

  “I can’t believe how quickly you got hard for me.”

  A strangled laugh accompanies my words. “It doesn’t take much, Syn. A look, a promise, a whisper on your lips. Any of those things make me hard for you. Sometimes it doesn’t even take that, just being with you is enough. Because I know what you look like when I’m going down on you, right at that moment when I enter you. It’s all enough.”

  “Tucker, do you ever touch yourself?” she asks softly. But she doesn’t wait for me to answer before she keeps talking. “Because I do. Sometimes when I need to relax, or I’m waiting for you to get home from a long shift. I lay here, thinking about the things you’ve done to me. Maybe something that really got me excited, and I just can’t help it.”

  Jesus fucking Christ, this woman. “What are some of the things you think about?”

  It’s not going to help me keep my erection for long. I’m positive I’m only a few minutes from coming, but it’s not often Karsyn’s this honest with me. Usually she’s shy and embarrassed. I’m not sure what’s come over her tonight, but I want this part of her. I need to hear what she does when I’m not around. It’s either this or fucking die.

  “The look on your face you have right now.” She speaks directly into my ear. “Your eyes are hooded, jaw is slack, and it looks like you’re on the best ride of your life. This is how I love to think about you, and it gets me wet,” she answers.

  “Does it?” I question. I need to know the answer, like needed to know it five minutes ago.

  A noise of disappointment leaves me as she drops my cock, but I watch her, curious as to what she’s going to do. Holy shit, she puts the hand she was using to stroke me in between her legs, past her panties, and strokes herself for a few seconds. When she’s done, she takes that same hand and puts it back on my cock. I can feel it, soaking wet, slick and everything I enjoy about getting or receiving a hand job.

  “Fuck you’re wet.”

  “Told you,” she giggles.

  “What else do you like to think about?”

  All the things she dreams of, I want to make all them all to come true, and honestly, I’m not sure when she’ll ever be like this again. I have to take advantage of it now that I have her unguarded, her barriers down.

  “The way your stomach tightens, your thighs too. Sometimes you get goosebumps across your skin. It’s times like that, when I know I’ve got you right where I want you. Lift up your hips,” she directs.

  And finally she takes me out of my clothes, which gives me some room to breathe and does nothing to diminish my erection. Now she can move her hand easier, from root to tip. Stroking me up and down. This is the shit dreams are made of, and I swear I’m not going to do anything to stop it.

  “The way you make those noises in the back of your throat. I wish you’d make those noises all the time, but you don’t.”

  “Because as a teenager, you’re programmed to be quiet, don’t want your mom to walk in while you’re beating one off,” I answer in between heaving breaths.

  “That’s kinda what I like about getting myself off.” She nips at my throat. “I’m not self-conscious about how loud I am, I don’t worry that I look like an idiot. It’s just for me. Nobody else.”

  “Fuck.” I run my hands through my short hair. “I’d love for it to be for me. Jesus Christ, I wish you’d do it for me. Ten seconds flat I’d be blowing my load.”

  The voice that comes out of her isn’t one I’ve ever heard before, and it’s damn sexy. “Maybe, just maybe, you’ll get lucky in a few minutes.”

  “God I hope so. Take your clothes off for me,” I whisper.

  She stops her ministrations, standing up to do exactly what I’ve asked her to do. This time instead of lying next to me, though, she straddles me. Grabbing her around the waist, I hold on tight, not sure what she’s going to do.

  When she grabs hold of my cock, I punch my head back against the pillow. Instead of putting it into her pussy, she presses it down against my stomach, and when she starts sliding against it, I can’t help what comes out of my mouth. “Fucking shit, don’t stop.”

  Her pussy is wet an
d the way she’s using it to jack me off is enough to blow my mind. She’s warm, wet, and the rate she moves this way is faster than her hand earlier. She moans. “Am I hitting your clit?”

  “Yes.” She tosses her head back. The ends of it brush against my thighs and even that causes me to shiver.

  “C’mon,” I encourage her. “Get yourself and me off together. I wanna see you lose control.”

  Her hands balance against my pecs as she rocks up and down, slides back and forth. We’re both sweating, her nails curl, trying to gain purchase on my skin. When she does, I hold onto her hands, helping her maintain her position.

  “Feels so good.” She moves in such a way her tits bounce up and down before swinging back and forth.

  “It does, it feels fucking fantastic. Don’t stop, whatever you do, don’t stop,” I want her to keep going. “Whatever it takes for you to get off, don’t be scared, don’t be shy. Take what you want, what you need. You get off, I’ll get off.”

  She moves with abandon, doing exactly what I’ve asked her to do. Karsyn gets wetter, making noises deep in her throat. Those same noises she liked me making, I like her making too.

  “Oh, oh, oh.” Her body convulses, pitching forward against me, right as I feel myself come too. I’m saying all kinds of shit, have no idea what’s actually coming out of my mouth, but as she stops shaking, and I can finally open my eyes, I know this has been another turning point for us.

  With my arms wrapped tightly around her, I know I’m never going to let this woman go.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Karsyn

  “Hey!” I smack Tucker’s hand when he reaches in, stealing a piece of my bacon. “I offered to make you breakfast, and you were all, I’ll just have a protein shake. Which means you don’t get bacon.”

  He doesn’t drop it. Instead, he stands in front of me, making a big show out of eating it.

  “Go ahead, enjoy it, I’ll never cook bacon for you, ever.”

  He finishes eating it before he has a seat across from me at his kitchen table. Major’s outside getting his morning business in. “C’mon.” He chucks me under the chin. “You know you’ll cook for me. You can’t help but want to take care of me.”