Chapter 16 – Betsy #2
“I, um, need to, er… Make a coffee,” I stutter as I keep my gaze pointed up at the ceiling, avoiding looking at his junk. I stumble as I go, and he reaches out, catching me before I can hit the floor.
“Look at me,” he orders, his voice playful. I move my gaze to his face, feeling his body pressed against mine.
“You’re still naked, aren’t you?” I whisper.
His grin is lopsided. “I am.”
My eyes wander lower, looking between us. His dick stirs, and I quickly look away. “Jesus,” I mutter. My cheeks and even my fucking ears are burning.
“No need to be afraid. I won’t ever do anything you don’t ask me to do. Until then, you can eye-fuck me all you want, but if you look at my dick with those big fucking eyes full of want and desire, he’s going to stand to attention for you,” he teases.
I close my eyes. “Well then, if I keep my eyes closed, he can stay down. Or apparently, at half-mast,” I joke.
Archer’s chest rumbles with laughter before he places a kiss on my temple.
“Fuck, you’re cute. Go sit downstairs and wait for me.
Do not lift a damn finger. I will make us coffee and breakfast,” he orders before stepping away.
I may watch his retreating behind as he walks, admiring the peachiness of it.
After making my way downstairs, I feel lighter, almost giddy with the warm feeling that’s swimming around my chest. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this kind of lightness before.
Ignoring what he said, I switch on the coffee pot to start it brewing.
Opening the fridge, I look at what to have for breakfast, and after spotting some strawberries and raspberries, I pull them out and decide to make pancakes.
Just as I’m getting the ingredients out, I feel Archer’s hands circle around my waist from behind. I gasp in surprise.
He freezes. “It’s just me,” he assures me, waiting for me to give him the green light. I lean back into his touch, and he rests his chin on my shoulder. “I told you not to do anything,” he reminds me.
“I mean, technically, I haven’t done anything yet,” I argue.
He nips my neck playfully. “Go sit. Let me cook for you.”
I don’t argue and move to the breakfast table. “I know I’ve hurt my shoulder, but I’m not completely incapable of doing things,” I point out.
“Oh, I know, but I want to, and I don’t want you hurting your shoulder more than you need to. So, while I’m here, you will sit, relax, and let me take care of you. Now stop arguing and drink your coffee,” he says as he places my coffee mug in front of me.
I sigh and sip my coffee, smiling. “Can I ask you something?”
“Always,” he says over his shoulder as he moves around the kitchen.
“When did you decide you liked me?” I ask.
He stops mixing the pancakes and turns to look at me, his eyes warm with affection.
“That’s easy. It was three days after I moved in.
You arrived home on your bike in full leather.
I mean, seeing you in leather is something that I will never fucking get enough of, but when you removed your helmet, shaking out your dark hair, and you had on those cute as fuck glasses. Damn, you sucker punched me.
I smile, pushing my glasses up my nose. “Then why bully me for months? If you had just been nice and spoken to me, I would have probably trusted you sooner,” I state.
“No, you wouldn’t have. I watched you, and you were always cute, always calm. I wanted to push your buttons and figure out what made you tick, but I didn’t expect it to take so long before you finally snapped and came over. Seeing you pissed off stirred my fucking cock to life.” He winks.
My cheeks turn a deep shade of pink at his words. “Well, I’m just saying, you didn’t need to take so long to approach me. You could have done it sooner.” I shrug.
“You weren’t ready. I knew you’d come to me when you were ready. I just had to bide my time and see you as much as I could, and that meant in any way possible.” He smiles before turning back around and starts to slice up the fruit.
“Why?” I ask.
He pauses, looking at me. “Why what?”
“Why me?” I ask honestly. “Because I’m not like Mor or Eden. I know what I am. I’m a nerd, I like computers, I don’t like being surrounded by groups of people, and I look like—”
Archer strides towards me and crouches down before me.
“Look like what? Because all I fucking see when I look at you is someone who is unbelievably stunning and beautiful and so fucking cute when you scrunch up your nose in confusion, and when your glasses slide down... So yeah, you don’t look like Mor or Eden, but I’m not interested in them.
They don’t make me hard. It’s you. I want you.
Understand me?” he states with a deep sincerity.
I nibble on my bottom lip, feeling my cheeks heating.
“And that. I love how your cheeks turn a perfect shade of pink at my words.”
“Can I ask you something?” I ask softly, my voice cracking with nerves.
“Anything.”
“Kiss me,” I breathe with a smile.
“Fuck, baby, you don’t need to ask me twice.
” He winks as he cups my face in his hands.
Leaning in, he presses his mouth to mine.
This time I don’t hesitate. I kiss him back with everything I feel and desire.
He moans against my mouth, which only spurs me on.
I nip his bottom lip between my teeth, and he breaks the kiss. “Fuck,” he breathes.
“I’m sorry. I got carried away.”
He shakes his head back and forth. “I’m stopping for me. If I didn’t, my hands would roam. My mouth would roam, and you aren’t ready for that.” He smiles.
I return his smile. “I have another question for you.”
“Yes,” he immediately answers, making me laugh.
“You don’t know what it is yet.” I chuckle.
His grin deepens, his eyes going soft. “I don’t care. I would do anything you asked me to,” he admits.
“This is so weird. It was only a week ago you were teasing me and being a general asshole, and now, here you are being sweet and caring, willing to do anything to please me,” I point out.
“If you had asked me for anything then, I would have said yes, too. I will never deny you,” he counters.
“Oh,” I breathe, because what else is there to say? “So, I’ve got to go to the club tonight. You’re invited, too,” I state.
“Ah, the infamous club that holds so many secrets.” He grins. “Sure, I will drive us in,” he states.
“No, I was going to ride in. It feels a little better,” I state.
He gets up and returns to cooking. “I want you feeling a hundred percent better. I’m not risking you injuring yourself further,” he states, pouring the batter into the pan.
“Have you always been this bossy?” I quip.
He gives me a look over his shoulder. “When it comes to you, yes.”
I roll my eyes at him, swallowing harshly before I look down at my fingers.
“What I’m about to say, I don’t want you to react.
Also, I don’t want you to turn around and face me, because it’s easier for me to say it to your back rather than into those intense green eyes of yours.
” I pause, taking in a deep breath, not looking at him.
“I want to be honest with you. I’m inexperienced.
I’ve never dated, and I’ve never been intimate with anyone.
Well, not willingly,” I add. “I had that taken from me. I have never wanted to have sex with anyone since, except you,” I confess, feeling my muscles relax as I offload the details.
“I get it if this makes you uncomfortable. I don’t want to hold you back, but I also don’t want you to think I’m not into you.
It’s just, I think I should be honest,” I state.
The room is silent, except for the pan moving.
“Look at me,” he orders, his voice coarse.
I do as he asks without argument. “You dictate how this goes, okay? There is no rule book. We take it a step at a time,” he assures me.
“I meant what I said. I will hunt down whoever took this from you and fucking kill them,” he firmly states.
“Now, let me feed you, then you can prep me for what to expect at the club later,” he says, returning back to the stove and throwing away the first and now burnt pancake.