Page 108 of Return Policy
We walk through my red front door, and I’m prepared for a cold, quiet house since Dad’s an empty nester now. I’m pleasantly surprised to see pops of color everywhere. The scent of pumpkin pie infiltrates my senses, and my mouth waters. A country station plays low in the background even though there’s no one in sight.
In the kitchen, I grab a vase for the fresh flowers Elijah insisted on stopping for—sunflowers, of course.
“You want the grand tour?” I ask after placing the flowers on the center of the island.
“Absolutely.” He smiles down at me, my duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
We climb the stairs and start in my room. He throws my bag on the floor by the door and places his hands on his hips, looking around. My bed is pushed up against the far wall, with my collection of stuffed koalas placed neatly against the pillows.
Elijah picks one up, amused eyes sliding to mine. “Now I get the koala thing.”
I shrug. “They’re cute.”
“Just like you.” He tosses the stuffed animal at me, and I karate chop it back at him. It hits him in the face, and he laughs, catching it and placing it back with the others. He saunters slowly around my room, pausing by one of my favorite sketches hanging next to my closet. “Soph, this is incredible.”
I walk over to join him. “Thanks.”
“What inspired you to draw it?”
“My dad took me to North Carolina a few years ago, and I thought the view was so amazing, I wanted to look at it every day.”
“It’s beautiful.” Elijah throws his arm around me, tugging me toward him. “You’re ridiculously talented. I’m one lucky son of a bitch.”
“My boyfriend's a D1 quarterback, andyou’rethe lucky one?”
He spins me to face him, then scoops me up under my ass. “Damn straight.”
I wrap my legs around him as he carries me backwards toward my bed. “Elijah.” I giggle as we fall onto it, my legs splitting over him in a straddle.
“Shhh, quiet, baby.” He reaches up, placing a single finger on my lips while sliding his free hand under his back. Scrunching his nose, he yanks out a tiny koala, then glares at me. “These little shits are starting to cock block.”
Reaching over, I swipe every single one off the bed. “Now they’re not a problem.”
His smile widens as he tugs me down to him. “I love getting to see all the little things that make you, you.”
“Oh, really?” I nuzzle his nose. “My collection of marsupials didn’t scare you off?”
“No way, girl, you meet all mykoalafications.”
My mouth falls open. “He’s hot, has a big dick,anduses marsupial puns? I’ve hit the fucking jackpot.”
“Guess that means I’mkoala-fied to be your boyfriend.”His mouth swallows my laugh, slipping his tongue between my lips, and I moan. His hands wander along my hips, landing on my ass, tugging me against his hardening cock. “Is it bad I want to fuck you right now?” His tone is low and gravelly.
A rush of heat heads south, and I ache at my next words. “No, but we can’t.”
He looks up at the ceiling, groaning. “I know.”
“I don’t want my dad to meet you for the first time with my legs wrapped around you.”
“It would be the second time,” Elijah reminds me, nipping at my neck, and I giggle.
“Fine, for the first time as myboyfriend.” He drops his head in the crook of my neck and groans, rolling begrudgingly off the bed and pulling me to my feet with him.
“Come on.” I tug his hand toward the door. “Let me show you around the rest of the house.” I lead him down the hall and stop outside the closed door to my favorite room.
“So… this was my sister’s room.” He reaches out, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s the one place in the world where I still feel her… I know that sounds crazy.”
“Baby, it’s not crazy at all,” he says in a low, husky tone, looking down at me caringly.
