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  Throwing his head back, he held his eyes closed as he released into the back of her throat while a hard groan left his lips. She sucked him dry, squeezing his balls as he came with a shout, holding onto her hair like a life vest. After a moment, he finally opened his eyes to find her standing in front of him, a cupcake held out to him. He smiled, leaning forward, taking a large bite it. Letting out a groan of appreciation, he said, “I can’t decide what tastes better.”

  “Between?” she asked with a lusty grin.

  “You and the cupcake,” he said, leaning forward again. She thought he was going for the cupcake but he wasn’t. Her nipples were hard against the white cami she wore. They were teasing him, so instead of the cupcake, he took a bite of her nipple. Audrey let out a loud hiss, her hand gripping the counter, as he sucked and bit her engorged peak. When he was tired of the cami in his way, he pulled it over her head, taking her sweet rosy nipple in between his teeth, teasing it with the tip of his tongue. Pulling back, he smiled at her as he scooped his finger along the frosting, and placed it on her nipple. Biting down on her lips, she watched as Tate slowly licked the frosting off her. When he had one nipple clean, he smeared frosting on the other, and repeated the torture on her other nipple. Sounds of appreciation filled the room and boy, did he love her noises. She would hiss, then scream, and then let out little spurt of breaths. It was the hottest sounds in the world, and Tate could live the rest of his life making her make those sounds just for him.

  Turning her around, he laid her over the counter, smacking her thighs open before entering her fully, embedding himself deep within her. Taking a hold of her shoulders, he drove into her, his body smacking against hers with each thrust. She started to scream, her body clenching him as he continued to pound inside her in delicious need. Tate closed his eyes, as he pushed past his need to spill inside her, wanting to enjoy the feel of her for just a little longer. Slowing down, he kissed up her back, dusting kisses along her shoulder as her body shook under his. Kissing up her neck, he stopped at her ear, biting it softly before he whispered, “I love you.”

  She nodded, smiling as she turned her head to look at him. “I love you,” she said back before he took her mouth with his, kissing her with a fierceness he had never felt in his life. He never craved those words the way he did with Audrey. Now that he heard her say them once, he wanted to hear her say them over and over again. Moving away from her mouth, he took her hips in his hand, his fingers digging into her thickness as he started to pound harder inside her. It didn’t take long until his toes where curling and his groan was louder than her moans while he spilled inside of her.

  Tate collapsed against her back, taking in her sweet scent that mixed with her sweat as the aftershocks of his orgasm shook through him. He moved his hand up her body and then back down, enjoying the feel of her under his hands.

  “So,” she whispered.

  “So,” he returned a grin on his face.

  “Was the cupcake good?”

  He chuckled against her as she started to giggle. Man, he loved her, and he knew he would for the rest of his life.

  “Baby, that was the best damn cupcake I have ever tasted. You need to make more.”

  “Will they lead to counter sex again?”

  With a grin, Tate nodded against her back, “Absolutely.”

  ***

  A couple days later, Audrey stood in the middle of the crowded bar, looking for Piper. She had disappeared to the bathroom again, leaving Audrey to be hit on by every single male in the bar. It figured, before she couldn’t get a guy to look at her twice but now that she was completely and utterly in love with Tate, everyone wanted a piece of her. Maybe it was the dress. It was pretty fantastic, a pretty dark green, with a bust that dipped down showing off her impressive full breast before it turned into a puffy tutu skirt. Pairing it with black Manolo Blahnik stiletto heels and black tights, she had to admit, she was pretty hot. Her hair was up in a high bun, and her makeup was dark and drastic, so maybe that was the reason the guys were hitting on her. She only wished that it was her guy instead of them.

  Audrey missed Tate so much and hated that he wasn’t there, but he had promised he would call her a few minutes before the New Year began, so they could at least be on the phone together when the clock struck twelve. Moving into a seat, she brought out her phone to text Tate.

  I miss you.

  When he didn’t answer back, she frowned. Surely he didn’t fall asleep, that would just suck, she thought as she put her phone down in her lap. When Piper came into view, Audrey smiled. Her best friend was decked out for the evening, and Audrey was glad that Piper had invited her out with her. She wore a gold open-back, sparkly mini dress that came to the very top of her thighs. Her legs looked like they went for days when she paired them with Audrey’s gold Jimmy Choo peep toe pumps. Her hair was down in waves and with her makeup done in gold tones. She looked gorgeous and she was turning heads left and right, but for some reason, Piper didn’t want anything to do with anyone but Audrey.

  “Gosh, this place is packed,” she complained as she scooted into the seat beside hers.

  “Well yeah, it is New Years,” Audrey explained as she looked around the packed bar. Looking back at her gorgeous date for the evening, she asked, “So how have you been?”

  She hadn’t seen Piper much lately. She had been working, and taking care of Allison. It wasn’t as if Audrey had much time for her either. Between Tate and looking at places for the cupcakery, Audrey hardly had time for anything else. It was weird because she used to have all the time in the world, but now it was different.

  “Okay, you know, busy,” Piper said, with a shrug of her shoulders.

  “Well that sucks, I’ve been busy too.”

  “Yeah, I know, I bet you are excited though, I am so proud of you for quitting Rocky Top and doing something that means something to you,” Piper said with a warm smile.

  “Thanks,” she said with a nod, “I’m glad I did, I’m so ready to get Audrey Jane’s up and running, you know?”

  “I bet it’s going to be epic! I just know it.”

  Audrey grinned widely as Piper took a sip of her water, “Are you sure you don’t want to drink with me? I can get us a cab, no big deal.”

  Piper shook her head quickly, as she said, “Nah, I’m good. I haven’t been up to drinking lately. My stomach hasn’t been right. I think I caught that stomach bug that’s going around. Allison had it last week.”

  “Oh, that sucks.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been queasy, but there was no way I was missing New Years with my girl.”

  Audrey smiled, “I’m glad you convinced me to come out, I was gonna sit at home and be depressed ‘cause my boyfriend wasn’t here.”

  Piper giggled, “No moping, my dear friend.”

  “Nope! Only a good time!”

  The two women clanked their glasses together and while Audrey downed her margarita, Piper sipped her water. The rest of the night, the women danced and drank as they enjoyed the night out. When it was close to twelve, they made their way down Broadway until they were in a good place to watch Nashville’s version of the ball drop. It was a music note, and at the stroke of midnight, it fell onto a guitar. Then the river would be lit up with fireworks as everyone sang and kissed their date for the night, or maybe a random stranger. It still bothered Audrey that Tate wasn’t there, but it would be okay. He promised he would call. That’s all she could hope for.

  Audrey knew Tate was going to be calling soon, she hoped, so she held her phone in her hand, waiting for a call or text. She hadn’t heard his voice all day, only through texts had they been able to talk. He had a busy day in Chicago, and it sucked that she hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to him. Looking over at Piper, she found her waving her arms in the air like a crazy person.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Audrey asked, laughing.

  Piper giggled, “My arms are freezing!”

  Audrey laughed, nodding as she moved her hands up and dow