Alive At Night (Wildflower Series Book 1)

MY GRANDPARENTS LIVED ON Cape Cod, and spending the week of Christmas here every year was a tradition I’d always loved. There was just something about removing yourself from everything and everyone except for who and what really mattered.

But this year, there was someone I didn’t want to be removed from, someone who did matter who wasn’t here, and it wasn’t hard to figure out why I felt so off.

I found a quiet spot to sit by the massive fir Christmas tree—the same one my mom had scolded her parents about as soon as we’d arrived. One of them would get hurt one of these days if they weren’t careful. Which they weren’t.

I stared at my phone, wondering what Juniper was doing. It felt wrong that she had to work without me. But besides spending Christmas Eve and Day with her parents, she’d never traveled much over the holidays. There was no real reason for her to take off the week between Christmas and New Year’s. I probably shouldn’t have taken off either; a mountain of work would be waiting for me when I got back. But I wanted to prioritize this time with my family.

Nothing felt right, though. This week, it hadn’t felt right.

I was more than aware that Juniper was an intelligent, capable woman. However, that didn’t mean I liked the idea of her walking around Boston by herself, especially at night. Before leaving Whitebridge, I gave her a set of my apartment keys while ignoring her arguments that I was skipping like ten relationship steps. My apartment was way closer to the office than hers was, but I worried she’d be too stubborn to actually stay there…until I got a text that she was tucked into my bed with a glass of wine and a book. Then she teased me about the things we could do in that bed if I were there, and just thinking about what she said caused me to groan and shift in my chair.

I shouldn’t be thinking about Juniper right now. Mostly because I was sitting in my grandparents’ living room, but I could also hear my sister laughing with my cousins in the kitchen, and here I was, thinking about how badly I wanted her best friend. Her best friend, who was in my bed at this very moment.

My sheets were going to smell like flowers when I got home, and I couldn’t fucking wait.

My eyes fluttered shut as I tried to imagine anything that wasn’t Juniper lying in my bed with her hands between her legs—like she’d hinted at in her texts. Or how fucking fantastic she’d looked with her lips wrapped around my cock.

When that was unsuccessful, I returned to my phone. I was addicted to talking to her.

Any big plans for New Year’s Eve tonight?

DAISY: Excuse me, reading in bed with a glass of wine *is* a big plan.

I chuckled, but my smile immediately faded when Juni sent a follow-up text.

DAISY: But Greg Kennedy did text me to see if I wanted to get a drink. So I’m considering that.

No, you’re not.

She was doing it again. She was messing with me and was way too good at it. I could practically feel my blood pressure rising even though I knew there was no way that comment was serious.

DAISY: I’m not. Considering it, that is. He did text me.

I gritted my teeth, wondering if I could telepathically break more of Kennedy’s fingers so he couldn’t text anyone ever again.

Block him. Right now, Juni.

DAISY: Hmm, I’ll think about it.

Juniper.

DAISY: I already blocked him, Julian.

She followed that text up with a kissing emoji, and a rueful smile sprang to my lips.

A shuffling of feet on the opposite side of the room forced me to put my phone down, which was likely for the best, considering I wanted to throw it across the room at the thought of Greg Kennedy getting anywhere even close to Juniper.

A second later, my dad stood next to me, drinking out of a mug. I knew it was bold, black coffee even though it was early evening.

“Something on your mind?” I asked when he didn’t say anything.

He chuckled. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

I shook my head, not able to divulge that information. My dad and I were close, but not close enough to share dirty secrets or murder plans.

“Something got you down?” he asked.

It was hard to say yes or no to that. I wasn’t down, not really. I was with my family in one of my favorite places in the world. I had the career I’d always wanted. I had a date lined up with Juniper St. James. How could I be down about any of that? I was living the life that I’d spent years dreaming about. Some of it, I hadn’t even dared to dream about.

“Not down, no,” I said. “Just…off.”

My dad nodded. “It’s a weird feeling,” he commented.

He was being really fucking vague, and yet it was a weird feeling, whatever I was going through.

“What is?”

Maybe he could clarify it for me.

“When that feeling of home transitions from a place to a person, and then they aren’t there.”

I reeled back, absorbing his words. And holy shit, they were true.

“I don’t even know how this happened,” I groaned. “It’s ridiculous, Dad. I used to love coming here because she wasn’t here and I could finally breathe. And now…”

Juni told me about her encounter with my dad at the Christmas party, so I knew he knew. But we hadn’t actually talked about it. I’d hardly admitted any of this aloud to anyone. After all, I’d kept all my feelings about Juniper hidden for so long that I’d convinced myself they weren’t real. But now, the truth was impossible to ignore, and I found it incredibly hard to keep to myself.

“It’s not ridiculous.” My dad shrugged, unfazed by my admittance. “I’m not sure why you’re still here, to be honest.”

“What?” I jerked my head back, looking up at him in confusion.

“Did you think your mom and I expected that all of you kids would be making these trips with us forever?” He grinned—well, it was a grin for him. It probably wouldn’t seem like a smile to most people, but I knew better. “You’ve done a lot for this family, Julian. But your mom and I also want you to have your own, and you can’t make that happen sitting around here with us. It’s okay to live your life, too.”

Speechless, I stared at my dad. And when I couldn’t find any words, he sighed.

“I should have told you that sooner, years ago, and I’m sorry. But I worried you’d settle down with the wrong person if I said it at the wrong time. I needed to wait until you got your head out of your ass about Juniper.” He stuck his hand into his pocket and produced a set of keys, which he held out to me. “Here, take the truck. The rest of us will fit in Mom’s van, and we can swing by Boston to get the truck on our way home.”

“You want me to…” I took the keys for him, unsure if I truly understood correctly.

“Go to Boston,” my dad filled in, exasperated.

“Right now?”

“Yes, right now. Christ, Julian.” My dad rolled his eyes. “Do you miss her or not?”

Yes. Yes, I missed her. I missed the hell out of Juniper, and the thought of getting her in my arms tonight was suddenly all-consuming. I jumped to my feet like there was fire under my ass, and my dad looked satisfied at my sudden action.

“I’ll tell the others something came up at work,” he said as I put on my coat.

“It’s New Year’s Eve, Dad.”

He pursed his lips before shrugging. “I’ll figure something out.”

I doubted it would be believable, but I didn’t even care. I pulled my dad in for a quick hug, and we shared a look that said a lot more than words could before I walked out the door. The cold air stung my face as I climbed into my dad’s truck and pulled out my phone.

Don’t get out of bed.

I’m coming home, Juni.

Home.

When I opened my apartment door, Juniper was once again standing in my kitchen, wearing nothing but my OSU football jersey. A smile lit up her face, and she bounced on her tiptoes when she saw me.

I leaned inside the doorway, soaking in the sight. This was one of my favorite moments. Ever. I loved this moment. I was in love with so many parts of it.

“You got out of bed.” I raised a brow. “I told you not to.”

Juni’s lips curved higher. “And you’re surprised that I didn’t listen?”

I shook my head. “Not one bit.”

Her smile turned knowing. “Disappointed?”

“Disappointed?” I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me. “To see you as soon as I walk in the door? Never.”

Juniper watched me with smiling eyes as I kicked off my shoes. Her gaze followed my hands as I unzipped my coat and threw it on top of my bag on the floor. She seemed impatient. I was, too.

“Does you wearing that mean what I think it means?” I asked, dropping my voice as I crossed the apartment to reach her.

“Yeah,” she admitted shyly, just as I scooped her into my arms and carried her to the couch, kissing every available inch of her that I could find. Her next words were muffled against my neck as I cradled her in my arms. “Yeah, it does.”

I tried not to let my brain linger on that because I was going to explode if my thoughts even touched on what I told her I’d do if I saw her wearing that jersey again.

“You didn’t come home because of what I said about Greg, did you?” she asked worriedly. “I was just fucking with you, Julian.”

“I know.” I dropped Juniper onto the couch so she was on her back while I hovered about her. “You’re always fucking with me. This has nothing to do with Kennedy. Nothing at all.”

Greg Kennedy definitely hadn’t been the person on my mind as I raced back into the city.

Juni stared up at me. “But you left your grandparents’, and it’s late. The roads must have been icy. And your family—”

“I missed you,” I said simply before closing in for a deep kiss. Heat blossomed in every inch of me, lighting me up as our lips reunited. Juni gasped as my tongue swept into her mouth, tangling with hers, and when we broke apart, we were both panting, breathless. “Everything felt wrong without you.”

“Everything felt wrong without me,” she mumbled, repeating the words to herself as a crease formed between her brows. “You missed me.”

Disbelief lingered in her expression, so I said it more forcefully this time. “I missed you, Juniper.”

The seconds the words left my mouth, something visibly clicked for Juni, and her lips spread into an earth-shattering smile. All I could think was how much I wanted to taste that smile, and I couldn’t have been happier when she grabbed the front of my shirt to drag us together again.

Her kiss was just as eager as it had been at the Christmas party, and the memories of that night sent my pulse on a race. And it immediately became apparent what part of my brain would win tonight.

Juniper’s legs wound around my waist, urging us closer. I could feel every fucking inch of her beneath me as she rocked her body up to meet mine in a dirty rhythm that was dangerous as all hell. Grinding my hips down, I soaked in the sound of her gasps. She whimpered into my mouth, breathing my name, and that was when I decided enough was enough. It was beyond time to give this needy, gorgeous girl what she wanted.

“I’m tired of waiting for my turn, Daisy.”

“Your turn?”

I peppered kisses down her neck, sucking on the hollow near her collarbone until Juni writhed beneath me. Then I lowered myself down her body while pushing the jersey up and out of the way. “My fucking turn,” I said, bending to nip at the waistband of her underwear. “I heard you were having to do all the work around here lately, and that’s not what I want.”

“What do you want, Julian?”

What did I want?

I wanted a lot. A fucking lot, and most of them involved the woman lying beneath me on my couch. But I settled on the most important thing at the moment.

“I want your pussy in my mouth, Juni baby.” I hooked my fingers into her underwear, and she tipped her hips up so I could strip them off her. “Can I have it? I want to taste you again.”

“You can have it,” she breathed, tipping herself up like an offering.

It was an offering I would gladly accept after I took a moment to appreciate the sight—how she was spread out for me. Juni’s hair fanned across the throw pillows on my couch, her eyes hooded as she watched me. My jersey drowned the top half of her, and she looked so perfect in it. So utterly mine. And her bottom half? A naked, glistening pussy between two beautifully thick thighs. Fuck, it was so pretty. She was so wet, and it was all for me.

Mine.

I wanted her to say it. Just like I made sure she knew I was all for her the other night, I wanted her to tell me now.

“Why can I have it?” Reaching out, I gripped Juni’s chin and ran my thumb over her bottom lip as she watched me. “Why are you letting me have it, baby?”

Juniper’s eyes darkened as understanding washed over her face. She knew what I wanted to hear, but she was purposefully holding her tongue because she was a little brat who loved to toy with me.

“Say it,” I demanded.

“Because it’s yours.” Her voice dripped with the longing I felt in my bones, and something told me that I wasn’t the only one here who was fulfilling a once-forbidden dream.

“Yes,” I murmured while urging her legs to open wider for me. “That’s right.”

“Yours, Julian,” she whined, rocking toward my mouth.

I blew over her clit, and she made a noise I’d never forget while bucking up to meet my mouth. As soon as my tongue made contact with her needy cunt, Juniper cried out—both in relief and ecstasy. I knew that feeling exactly, recalling it with painful accuracy from when she sucked my cock down her throat for the first time.

I pressed Juni down into my couch, wanting her to relax as I found my home between her legs. She tasted like a fucking dream, just how I remembered. As I licked and sucked, her unrestrained groans filled my living room, echoing in my ears. I fucking loved that sound. It belonged here, in my apartment. In my bed. With me.

“I’ll take care of you now, Juni,” I breathed, working a finger through her slick pussy until I could drive it into her. “I’ll take care of you.”

Juniper gasped something that sounded an awful lot like yes, and I suppressed a smile while burying my face deeper between her legs.

In some sliver of my vision, I saw Juni thrash her head to the side, unleashing a scream into a pillow. But that wasn’t going to work for me. Not here where there was no reason to hide.

“Don’t do that,” I rasped, glancing up her jersey-clad body. “I need to hear you.”

“And I need you to stop talking so you can focus,” she snapped, eyes burning as she stared back at me.

I grinned.

So beautiful.

So alive.

I pumped my finger in and out of her. “I’m good at multitasking. How do you think I made it through law school, love?”

She flushed, but I wasn’t sure if it was from how I started swirling my tongue over her clit or from the term of endearment. But tenderness now existed in her gaze.

A moment later, it vanished when she smirked. “If you think I’m going to believe you without proof, then you should clearly go back to law school.”

“You always want fucking proof.” My expression shifted to match hers. “I’ll give you proof.”

Enough fucking around.

While keeping my pace with my finger, I flicked my tongue repeatedly over her pussy, making sure to only graze the spot where she really wanted it. Simultaneously, I brushed my fingertips over her stomach, raising goose bumps on her skin.

Juni tipped her head back with a satisfied groan. “Oh my God. I need—I need—”

More. She needed more.

I gave her the slightest taste of it, of the bliss. I pressed a bit harder with my tongue, with my fingers, and Juni started panting. Her back arched as she searched for something only I could give her.

I took all of her into my mouth, sucking and stroking. She rode up against my face, taking what she needed until she fell apart with a cry. Her body shook in jolts of pleasure that I basked in, and I only eased up on her when I felt her muscles begin to relax and melt beneath me.

My name flew from Juni’s lips once, and then she repeated it like a nearly silent prayer.

I waited until she’d completely collapsed into the couch before I climbed up her body again. Juniper didn’t waste any time grabbing my shirt and yanking me down for a kiss. She licked the taste of her off my lips before winding her tongue into my mouth.

Juni’s body shook slightly, but then, so did mine. I was desperate to wrap myself in every sensation she could give me. I wanted to drown in her touch. I was convinced it wouldn’t be enough until I was drowning.

Ignoring all attempts at logic, I began grinding my unbelievably hard cock between her legs while her lips took from mine, needing something. Juniper gasped into my mouth before wiggling up to feel more and more of me.

“Please, Julian,” she cried, such a sweet, sweet sound. “Please fuck me.”

Jesus Christ, what was she trying to do to me? I rocked into her with a groan, nearly coming from hearing those words alone.

“I was going to take you on a date first,” I muttered, finding her ear and nibbling on it. “I was going to earn taking you to bed.”

“You’ve earned it,” she whispered.

“But—”

“Julian,” she cut me off, and I pulled back to find her pretty eyes. They sparkled brighter than New Year’s Eve sequins. “You said if I wanted someone to fuck me, you’d do it. And I’m tired of waiting. I’ve been waiting a long time, so don’t make me wait any longer. Unless you’d rather I ask someone else—”

With a surge of possession, I snatched Juniper off the couch, flipping her over my shoulder to cart her off to my bedroom.

“No one else,” I grunted, dropping her onto my bed with a tenderness that shocked even me, considering how my hands damn near shook. Desire surged through me, along with anticipation and all those feelings that come to life when dreams become reality.

Juniper stared up at me, all tangled in my bedsheets. Goddamn, she was a sight. Flushed cheeks and messy hair. Half-naked and so fucking radiant.

“No one else,” she breathed.

No. One. Else.

There was no one else—just me and Juniper.

And tonight, my bed.