Chapter 8 Blade
I stretch out on Olivia’s couch, one arm draped along the back cushion, my boots off and my shirt sleeves rolled up.
The movie—Remember the Titans—is paused on the screen, frozen mid-scene.
The house smells like coffee, sugar, and something softer—maybe her shampoo.
The scent calms me more than I’d ever admit out loud.
It’s a small place, but nice. The kind of nice that doesn’t try too hard—cool blues and grays on the walls, light wood floors, and a breakfast bar that divides the kitchen from the living room. Everything’s clean and simple, no clutter, no chaos. Just peace. Just like her.
I hear her voice down the hall, low and tender as she settles her dad in for the night.
That voice could soothe damn near anything broken in a man.
The light from her father’s room clicks off, and she walks back in.
Her hair’s a little messy, her sweater hanging loose on one shoulder.
She looks soft, tired, and perfect. She glances at her father’s empty recliner.
“Livy,” I warn, eyes narrowing, “if you go sit in that chair and make me get up, I promise you—I’ll come over there, spank your ass, then bring you right back here to finish this movie in my arms.”
Her lips curve into a slow smile. “You look comfortable. I don’t want to disturb you.”
“If you’re not in my arms, I’ll be disturbed as hell.”
“You’re lying down,” she teases. “I prefer sitting up.”
“Fine,” I say, smirking. “Then, you can come sit with my head in your lap.”
“What if I don’t want your head in my lap?”
“I’ve got ways to make you like it,” I purr.
“I doubt it,” she says proving she’s way too innocent for the likes of me.
“I could bury my head between your thighs and—”
She cuts me off with a laugh. “Stop!” she says. “You’re horrible, but for some reason, I’ll lay down with you.”
That laugh. Damn. I shift, lifting my arm so she can slide in against me. “Come here, woman.”
She does. She fits perfectly against me, her back against my chest, my arm across her waist. I restart the movie but turn the sound down low so that we can still talk. Immediately, her warmth seeps into me, and for a while we just watch in silence.
“This part always makes me sad,” she whispers.
On the screen, the star quarterback’s car gets into a horrendous crash—the screech of tires, shattering glass all echo, despite the volume being lower.
I feel her flinch in my arms and immediately lean down to kiss the top of her head.
“Life can change so quickly,” she says, her voice quiet, breaking a little.
“You think you’ve got time, and then … you don’t. ”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” I say gently.
“I am,” she exhales slowly. “But not tonight. Tonight, I just want to feel safe and normal—right here in your arms.” Something in me aches at that. I don’t know what happened to her, but I’ll be damned if I let her feel anything but safe with me.
“Have you always lived in Cherokee?” I ask, trying to shift the weight of the conversation to something less intrusive.
“When Dad got sick,” she says, “I convinced my brother to let me take care of him.”
“You had to convince your brother to do that?” I frown.
Her body tenses. “My brother’s not a good person, Blade. He hates me. Dad, he tolerates—but barely.”
“Sounds like a piece of work.”
She gives a short laugh with no humor. “You have no idea.”
“My old man was an abusive asshole,” I tell her quietly. “Haven’t seen him for more years than I can count. If there’s such a thing as karma, he’s dead and burning in hell.” She’s quiet and I worry I’ve said too much.
“I’m sorry, Usdi. I didn’t mean to get dark on you.
I just—I don’t want you to think I’m the kind of man who hurts people.
Especially not the ones who trust me. I just think that a man who would willingly hurt someone weaker than he is deserves to be put down like a rabid dog—especially when it’s clear they enjoy every minute of it. ”
She rolls onto her back, eyes meeting mine. “Will you stop being so amazing? You’re making it very hard to resist this pull I feel toward you.”
“Livy,” I murmur, brushing a strand of hair from her face, “I don’t want you to fight it.”
“This is a bad idea, Blade.”
“I think it’s the best damn idea I’ve had in a long time,” I counter. That makes her laugh again, and I can’t help smiling back. “I really want to kiss you,” I admit.
“I really want you to,” she whispers, “but I don’t think you should.”
“You think too much,” I murmur—and then I kiss her.
Her lips are soft, warm, tasting faintly of chocolate from the dessert we had for dinner.
The world goes still, the only thing real is her mouth under mine.
The little sound she makes when my hand slides to the back of her neck wraps around my cock.
Fuck, I could drown in her. The kiss quickly turns from mild to hot as hell.
Her fingers move under my shirt as I deepen the kiss.
Her nails press into my skin, adding a delightful sting to the fire her sweet tongue sliding against mine is already stoking.
“Blade,” she gasps as I move my lips down her jawline and to her neck. I rake my teeth against the tender flesh of her neck, nibbling on the area where her pulse is pounding. “Oh, God,” she whimpers.
I bring my hand under her shirt, letting my finger swipe against her nipple, kissing my way back to the shell of her ear. “I want you so fucking much, Livy,” I croon, as I use my fingers to pinch and pull her nipple.
“I don’t think …”
“It’s okay, Usdi. I’m not going to push you for more tonight. Anything that happens between us will be at your speed. I promise.”
Her hand comes up to cup the side of my face and her beautiful blue eyes capture mine.
“I have some scars from the past. I don’t really want to talk about them right now, but I need time,” she says, pain present in her gaze that I don’t like.
I want to demand she tell me what’s going on, but I know that’s not what she needs.
I shove down my hunger for her and slowly pull back, breathing hard. “Then we’ll keep going slow. Just one thing, though. I need you to tell me that I can see you tomorrow.”
“Please come see me tomorrow, Blade,” she says, smiling against my chest.
“Do you have plans?”
“I usually go grocery shopping, but I can go early if you want to come over,” she answers, and I like that she seems eager to spend the day with me.
“What time do you go grocery shopping?”
“Late morning.”
“Then I’ll come early and take you,” I respond. “We’ll get your shopping done, then we’ll grab dinner for the three of us.”
Her eyes brighten. “How about I cook after shopping?”
“I don’t want you to work on your day off, Livy.”
She shakes her head. “Cooking isn’t work. It makes me happy.”
I study her face, the little confident tilt of her chin. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.”
I give her another deep kiss—just much slower this time. She whimpers into my mouth. Fuck, I’m definitely getting addicted to this woman. Her body melts against me before I force myself to stop, resting my forehead against hers. “If we don’t stop Livy, I won’t be leaving. I need you too much.”
A flush rises on her cheeks. “I really want to, I promise. I just know I’m not ready.”
I grin. “Then get your sweet ass up and show me to the door.”
Olivia laughs, swatting at my chest, as she slowly gets up.
I nearly groan as I watch her get up, her ass drawing my complete attention.
I promise myself that one day I will bend her over a sofa and fuck her relentlessly, making sure to leave my handprint on her deliciously lush ass.
When she turns around, I’m so hard that I have to quickly adjust myself while she’s not watching.
Then, I follow her—eyes still glued to her ass—and fight the urge to pull her back into my arms. We’re halfway to the door when she suddenly gasps, “Oh no!”
“What?” I ask, watching as she rushes into the kitchen.
“I’m a moron!” she calls back. It takes her a few minutes, but she comes back, carrying a large plastic container. “I made a ton of peanut butter cookies and didn’t even put them out for dessert!”
I bend down and press a gentle kiss against her lips—mostly because I can’t stop myself from doing it. “If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have bought dessert from the bistro.”
“Theirs was probably better than my cookies,” she replies, blushing up at me.
I pop open the lid, grab one, take a bite.
Immediately the taste of peanut butter and vanilla explodes.
There are other tastes in it, too. I’m not good enough to ascertain each one of the individual flavors.
I just know it’s the best damn cookie I’ve ever eaten.
“Shit, Livy, this is so good.” Her laughter bubbles out, warm and proud when I lick a crumb from my thumb.
“If your cooking’s anything like your baking, I’m in trouble tomorrow.
I might just ask you to marry me so I can keep you barefoot, pregnant, and in my kitchen twenty-four-seven. ”
Her blush deepens. “Blade …”
I can tell my girl is not used to compliments, so I bend down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “That’s the only kiss I trust myself to give you right now, sweetheart.”
We walk to the door together and I hate like hell that I have to leave her. I’d give anything to stay the night. Fuck, part of me wants to move her into my apartment.
“Drive safe, Blade,” she orders quietly.
“I will,” I promise as I pull her body to me one last time. I look down into her beautiful eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Livy,” I say, not trusting myself to kiss her again.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“So am I,” I admit.
“Will you text me when you get home so that I know you’re okay?”
“I can do that,” I say with a wink, before walking outside. “Lock your door, woman,” I mock growl, making her giggle as I go outside. The night air bites cold as I head for my car, the container of cookies in my hand. I slide behind the wheel, still painfully aroused and hard.
Olivia Davis has no idea of the hold she has on me.
She’s as good as claimed me—even if she doesn’t understand that.
All I can think about now is claiming her right back—sinking deep inside her and painting her womb with my cum—making that barefoot-and-pregnant threat I gave her earlier a damn reality.
I want her and I’m not going to wait much longer. Whatever secrets her past holds, I will take them and find a way to show her that she can trust me. I’ll never hurt her. It’s just not possible. This woman has me wrapped around her finger.