Chapter Seven
Ipull my knees up to my chest and grab my phone from my purse. Opening the group chat I press the video call button.
Hadley answers, holding the phone further from her face than I am, showing she and Pickle are still together.
“He just called me Kitten.” I stare at the screen. “Why did he just call me Kitten?”
Hadley is giggling uncontrollably and walks away from the phone while Pickle continues smiling at me through the screen.
“Babe, I think Hadley may be onto something here.” Her lips twitch into a smirk.
“Oh, God. Not you, too!” I groan, rubbing my free hand over my face.
“Where are you?” Hadley walks back into the frame with a huge smile plastered across her face that would give the Joker reason to pause.
“I’m in his truck. He stopped by Nat’s shop for something.” I take a deep breath. “I made a smart-ass comment asking if he really needed a new tattoo, and he told me to “Relax, Kitten.” I make air quotes with my hand as I explain what he said.
I begin to tell them he’s been in there longer than the five minutes he said he’d be when the door to the shop opens, and he exits, sauntering towards the truck.
“He’s coming,” I say to them, but my gaze is locked on his approaching form. The smile on his face is infectious.
They say something, but I don’t hear it. The driver”s side door opens, and I look him over with a questioning stare.
“What did you do?” I ask.
“Who are you talking to?” he replies, leaning over to see my screen. Hadley is waving back to him, and Pickle is just sitting there with an unimpressed look. I love how protective that girl is.
“Hey, buttface!” Hadley calls through the phone.
“Cool it with the buttface, or I won’t tell you what I just did for you.” He waggles his eyebrows at her. She immediately quiets, waiting impatiently for him to continue. “I could have, possibly, just talked to Nat about letting me hold a guest spot at his shop for the next few weeks.”
“Weeks?” I gasp. He nods at me with a wink.
“We’ll get together for lunch, and you can tell me your ideas for what you want, Hellion.” He pauses for a moment, “You too, Pickle, whatever you want.” He moves back to the driver”s seat and starts the truck. Putting his arm behind my shoulders, he twists to look out the rear window, since this old truck doesn’t have a rearview mirror anymore. He backs the truck up and pulls off into the street. My eyes widen when he doesn’t move his arm and starts lightly drawing circles onto my neck with his thumb.
“Sounds good! Text me when you get a chance, and we can set a lunch date for the three of us! Bye, Ry!” Her cheesy-ass grin makes me want to throw my phone, but she disconnects the call before I can tell her she’s a jackass.
I relax into the seat as Grey continues lightly stroking my skin, unsure exactly what his touches mean.
“Since it’s later than we planned, why don’t I drop you off, and I can pick you up in the morning.” His voice is gentle. ”We can grab breakfast, and I’ll drive you back to Dad’s. You can get your car tomorrow.”
“That’s fine. I don’t have a shoot until Thursday, anyway.” I breathe out a sigh of relief.
The sky turned dark while I was waiting for him at the tattoo shop, and I hadn’t been able to drive in the dark since Mom’s accident. It was so early in the morning the sun hadn’t come up, not that it had later in the day, as the rain had been steady for days leading up to the accident. She was on a back road with no street lights and couldn’t see the herd of deer on the road until it was too late.
After another ten minutes of driving through our town, Grey approaches my place. I smile to myself, his fingers still caressing the base of my neck.
“Thank you. I’d invite you in, but I need to edit a few things tonight.” I smile, the lie flowing so easily past my lips. I’m not sure where he’s going with his sudden interest, but I’ve got to protect myself. I open the door, and he squeezes the back of my neck possessively for just a moment before releasing me so I can slide out.
“Night, Kitten,” he winks as I close the door, turning my back to him and walking towards my door. I don’t hear the truck pull away until I’m inside with the door closed and locked behind me.
What the fuck.
The birds are chirping too loudly for the middle of April, and I can’t help but think, in my semi-conscious state, they shouldn’t be back this far north yet. Prying my eyes open, I see flashes of light shining through my bedroom curtains. I roll over, groaning as I grab my phone to see the time. It is only five forty-five A.M. I roll onto my back, staring at the ceiling, thinking about yesterday. It was so weird, Grey giving me little bits of attention I so desperately craved when I was younger. My feelings have never faded, but knowing he’s only here for a limited amount of time has my stomach in knots.
Weeks.
The memory of last night filters through my mind. He said he would be here for a few weeks. My mind whirls with the possibility that he could be staying longer for me. I shake my head, trying to toss the thought out the window. There’s no way he could be staying for me. He’s doing Hadley a favor. He’s always adored her. It only makes sense that he’d ensure he could give her the tattoo she asked for. If only he knew the reason behind it, why she wants her first tattoos now.
After a few long moments, I moan in frustration and climb out of bed. I walk to my kitchen and pull out a bag of coffee from the cabinet. Filling a filter with enough grounds to make Lorelai Gilmore proud, I place the filter in the basket and put it into the machine. Having already filled the reservoir with water, I place the empty pot under the machine and press start. I sit staring at the rich, dark liquid as it trickles into the carafe. I close my eyes, inhaling the delectable aroma that fills the room. The bold, nutty scents infiltrate my senses as I pour the heavenly drink into my favorite Gilmore Girls mug.
I take my time enjoying my coffee before heading to the bathroom to shower. I pull my nightshirt off over my head and peel my lace cheeky boyshorts past my hips and down my legs before they land on the floor between my feet. I pick them up along with my shirt and place them in the hamper. Stepping into the shower, I stand under the steaming water for a few moments, enjoying the heat seeping into my skin. I close my eyes as the water caresses my skin. I imagine Grey’s hands on me as I glide my fingers over my body, pinching my nipples so tightly, the pain sending a jolt of need straight to my core. My right-hand travels down my taut stomach to my pussy, lightly grazing my clit. I gasp at the contact. I continue teasing my nipples with my other hand, alternating back and forth between them. I open my eyes to locate the suction cup dildo I keep in a cabinet next to my shower. Opening the curtain to rummage through the cabinet, I find my trusty toy.
I plunge it against the wall at the perfect height for me to back onto it. I close my eyes again, imagining Grey standing behind me with his hands gripping my hips as I back up to the toy, gently parting my entrance before I thrust back until it’s fully seated inside me. Crying out at the intrusion, allowing myself a moment to adjust since it’s been a couple of days since I felt the need to reach this type of release. I find a rhythm quickly that sends heat through me, my hand between my legs caressing my clit, applying the perfect amount of pressure. I continue fucking myself with my toy, sliding back and forth on the silicone cock. I find my release twice in a row as I continue fucking myself through the climax.
Sated, I stand tall, cleaning myself and the length of the toy before turning off the shower. I grab a towel hanging from the wall, wrapping it around my hair before pulling the second one off the rack and drying myself before exiting. Securing the towel around myself before walking across the hall to my room. I grab a pair of teal floral yoga pants and a white cropped t-shirt from my dresser. Once the towel is loosened from my hair, I squeeze the excess water droplets before tossing it into the hamper next to my closet. I pull the shirt over my head, forgoing a bra, my damp hair lying across my shoulders. I toss the pants onto my bed and walk back to the dresser, pulling out a white lace thong. I finish getting dressed just as I hear a knock on the door. I rush out to open it, finding Grey there with two cups of coffee in hand. His lips twitch into a lopsided grin as he holds out one cup towards me.
“Oh, hello, beautiful,” I giggle as I grab the cup from him.