CHAPTER FIVE
Cat was fucked. Literally. Cody had fucked her into oblivion in more ways than one. He’d taken her like a wild beast against the wall. Then, he’d carried her to the bedroom and taken her again. This time slower. Softer. Kissing every inch of her until every nerve ending caught fire and she was crying out for more.
Now, the man in question was buckling his belt and staring down at her like she was made of glass, a look of concern furrowing his brow.
“You know I don’t wanna leave, right, kitten?”
She knew. And she was torn. A huge part of her wanted him out of her apartment asap, but the other—the part he’d clearly fucked with—wanted him to stay. To hold her in his arms as she fell asleep on his chest.
Do you actually hear yourself? Pull yourself together for God’s sake.
“It’s okay, seriously. You have Dylan. I get it.” Pulling the covers up even higher, she tried in vain to hide this new, clingy side of her. There was no way she was going to embarrass herself in front of Cody McBride.
Yeah, ‘cos screaming his name for the past two hours was in no way embarrassing?
Stupid head. Always ready to mock her.
Cody was back on the bed, hovering over her as he laid another kiss on her lips. “I’ll make it up to you, sweetheart. Next time I promise I’m gonna hold this beautiful body of yours all night.”
Next time? Goddamnit. There really was going to be a next time, wasn’t there? She was too weak to resist him, especially now she knew what he could do. How he could make her feel.
She couldn’t speak. Not without her voice betraying her. So, she kept quiet and nodded.
It was enough for him to move and disappear into the hall, probably in search of his shirt. She fought back a smile as he appeared in her bedroom doorway a minute later, shirt hanging open from the rip she’d administered earlier. It was safe to say, she might have gotten a little carried away.
“You think this is funny, huh?”
“No,” she lied, her smile widening.
“No?” His lips quirked up as he stalked back over to the bed. “You don’t think this is funny, kitten? You don’t think I need to clip those claws of yours?”
He was on her now, sheet cast aside as he began tickling her side. She tried desperately to wriggle free from his fingers. “It’s not funny,” she wailed in between laughs. “I don’t think it’s funny. Oh my god, stop! Mercy! Mercy!” Her hands were flailing and trying desperately to push him away.
The torture stopped and a new kind began. He’d done that thing again. Pinned her hands above her head, eyes devouring her as she was laid bare to him. Again.
“Fuck me, you’re as hot as hell,” he rumbled before diving into her neck and scraping his beard across all her sensitive spots. He’d memorised every single one of them in mere hours.
She couldn’t help it. She arched into him. Holding back a whimper as his mouth latched onto her nape. That was going to leave a mark. But she didn’t care. She was too busy wrapping her legs around him and tugging him down. Letting his jeans rub against her bare skin and basking in the guttural groan he released.
“You’re making it really fucking hard to leave, kitten.”
“So, stay.” Yes, she just said that. She asked him to stay. Revealed her hand.
His head came back up and he gazed so far inside of her, she was worried he’d see everything. Her teeth clamped down on her lower lip as she watched his eyes switch from caramel to chocolate.
Hell yeah.
She knew what that look meant. He couldn’t leave her like this. The same way she couldn’t leave him hard, begging for relief. Using a single digit, he freed her lip and wasted no time sucking it into his mouth.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard. “Maybe just a little bit longer.” His hips jerked, pushing his jeans into her naked body, making her cry out.
Fuck it. I’m already screwed, might as well go down with a smile on my face.
***
Cat’s phone had been ringing all morning. Libby was not giving up. Damn her best friend, and damn this small town. News of her and Cody was definitely out. If Wade hadn’t dropped the bomb, then the people who had caught the show at Casalingo’s last night probably had. The latest text from Libby was also a bit of a giveaway.
Libby: Answer your phone, Cat! We need to talk about what I just heard and why I heard it from someone who is not you!
The bang on her apartment door was new. Not as new as the locks unclicking, though.
What the fuck? Does every bloody person in town have keys to this flat?
She was off the sofa and storming into the hallway seconds later, her face like thunder as her best friend gave her a sheepish wave.
“Seriously, you’re breaking and entering now?” Cat was not impressed.
“Well, technically I have a key so there was no breaking ... just entering.”
Smartass. Cat quickly snatched that blasted key straight out of Libby’s hand.
Note to self: change the damn locks. And get new friends.
“Come on Cat, turn that frown upside down,” Libby chirped. “From what I hear, you finally found yourself a riding partner. Oh my god ,” her friend screeched. “Is that ... is that a hickey?”
Cat’s hand shot to her neck.
Shit. Kill me now.
Mortified, she quickly turned to leave. Taking herself back into the living room so she could at least bask in her shame in comfort.
“I don’t want to talk about it, Lib. You’d think you’d get the hint, what with me not answering your bazillion calls and messages.”
“Oh, I bet you don’t, babe. It gives a whole new meaning to those tongue lashings you’ve been dishing out, right?” Libby whizzed past her, ignoring the scowl and making a beeline for the kitchen. “Shall I make us some coffee?”
Cat groaned in response, which Libby took to mean, “Yes, coffee please.”
Slumping back down onto the navy couch, Cat’s head hit the back of the cushions. Grimacing as she attempted to plot her escape, she realized that every scenario involved her leaving the flat. Which more than likely would end up with her bumping into the same people who’d witnessed her at her very best last night. One person in here was better than the whole town out there. Right?
A mug was pushed into her face a minute later, a grinning Libby patiently waiting for her to take it.
“Okay, spill.” Her friend plopped down into the armchair opposite and brought her own cup up to her lips.
Cat shot her a glare. She still wasn’t ready to talk about it. Not when she was still trying to process it.
“You’ve obviously heard all about it ... so I’m not sure what you expect me to tell you.”
“Uh, how about everything ? Like why did Cody throw you over his shoulder mid-date? Why were you making out in his truck after? Was that the first time you’ve made out? What else happened? Did you sleep with him? Are you sleeping with him? How long has this been going on?”
So many freaking questions. And she didn’t want to answer any of them.
“Jesus Christ, Lib. Give a girl a break, will you?”
“I already did. I haven’t complained once about having to hear all of this juicy gossip from Zach and not from my best friend .”
That sounded very much like a complaint to her.
“Yeah, it really sounds like you’re taking that well, honey.” Cat took a big slurp of her drink, eyes not leaving her now frazzled best friend.
She knew her all too well. She would stage a goddamn sit-in if Cat wasn’t too careful.
Just get it out of the way.
“Okay. Fine. I’ll answer your questions if you promise not to comment...or judge...or give me any kind of advice.”
“So basically, say absolutely nothing?” Her friend’s eyebrow raised, already looking a little judgemental.
“Yep, basically.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.” Cat sighed, already planning to stick to facts and facts only. “So, to answer your earlier questions...yes, we’ve kissed before. Once. At the Tipsy Cow. On Sunday. His explanation for hauling me over his shoulder mid-date was because, and I quote, the idea of me with another man made him want to ‘burn the world down.’ We did have sex, last night. Yes, it was good, no, I have no idea if it’s gonna happen again. Happy?”
Libby’s mouth hung open so wide she could catch flies. It took her a while but eventually she found her voice. “And I’m not allowed to speak?”
“True. Guess we’re done. It was nice of you to stop by—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’re not seriously gonna tell me all that and not let me respond, are you?” Libby looked ready to pounce. So much for no comments.
“Fine. But make it quick and no judgement, remember?”
“The idea of you with another man makes him want to burn the world down? You don’t wanna talk about that? Or the fact that you guys have literally been at each other’s throats since the moment you met only for you to be...I don’t even know what! Dating? Hooking up? I need more information, Cat, seriously. You can’t leave me like this. It’s just...cruel.”
Ever the drama queen.
One thing Cat could agree on, burning the world down was quite a statement. One she hadn’t forgotten. Or would be forgetting any time soon. Who even said stuff like that? He was either straight out of some romance novel or he was the ultimate fuckboy. At this point, she had no idea which she was rooting for.
Placing her mug onto the wooden coffee table, needing comfort, Cat crossed her legs and found a throw cushion to hug. “I don’t understand it any more than you do, Lib. The man drives me absolutely insane but evidently there’s something else too. Something that drives me just as crazy...but in a very different way—if you know what I mean.”
The world knew what she meant. But it was still embarrassing to admit out loud that as much as she hated the guy, she still wanted to bang his brains out. There was no logic. No common sense. Just pure hormones messing her up.
She watched as her friend tugged at her flowery dress and flicked her long brown hair over one shoulder. She was getting ready to say something. Something Cat had a feeling she did not want to hear. And she didn’t have to wait long to hear it.
“Don’t get mad at me, okay?” Yeah, right. “But everyone knows there’s a very thin line between love and hate. And to be honest, I’ve never really seen you react so strongly to a guy before. So maybe, just maybe...this could really be something?”
Yep. She was right. Cat definitely didn’t want to hear it. “Can we not, please?”
Her head was already stuffed full of crap, the last thing she needed was someone else sticking more into it. Cat’s face must have said as much because seconds later her friend was throwing up her hands defensively.
“Okay, okay, I’m done. No more Cat and Cody talk...for now. How ‘bout we get some lunch? I’m starved.”
Now that, she could do.