Chapter 19 #2
Her voice is the epitome of sexy when she utters, “You taste good to me, Harris.” She releases my hand and reaches over to palm my denim clad groin.
Her fingers tighten around the shape of my erection stamped through my trousers, like a snake under a blanket.
She lets out a breathy moan as she firmly strokes me. “You feel good, too.”
I drop my head back on the headrest and focus my eyes on the road. “For fuck’s sake, Ryan.”
“Call me Belle when I’m sucking you off,” she demands.
I nod without looking at her. I’ll call her whatever she bloody well wants me to call her right now.
She undoes the button of my jeans, then slides my zipper down. The erotic noise in the car is deafening.
“The first time I saw your cock when I picked you up in my car,” she says, working to pull me free, “I wanted to suck you off.”
I moan when air touches my crown. “You did? I thought you wanted to kill me.”
Her hand wraps tightly around my shaft. “I did. But not before I tasted you.” Her head drops to my lap.
Warmth.
Warm, heated, wet-sucking perfection encases my hard-on. I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. My vision clouds for a second before I shake my head and watch the road more carefully.
She pulls her mouth off of me while her hand works me up and down. “Maybe I’m like a praying mantis,” she murmurs, watching her action on my dick. “Maybe I wanted to fuck you before I killed you.”
As she drops her mouth down on me again, I let out a nervous laugh. “God, you’re crazy.”
She sucks hard for a minute and releases, stroking the slippery skin with her hand. “You like crazy.”
My brows lift as I reach down and grip her hair in my hand, riding the motions of her head bobbing on my cock. “Yes, I fucking do.”
She pauses, the cool breath of her voice teasing my sanity. “But did you know that not all female mantises bite the heads off their mates? There are studies that show some of them let their lovers live.”
She drops down and swirls her tongue around the pre-come I can feel beading out, lapping at it like it’s her last meal.
Her lips wrap tighter around me this time as she deep throats me over and over and over.
My dick hits the back of her throat, bringing me right to the edge. Right to the brink. Right to the—
“Belle, I’m going to come.”
“Good,” she growls. “I have you right where I want you.”
She sucks so hard I lose all control and topple over the edge in a painful, aching orgasm. Her hands are splayed out on my thighs and she continues sucking, swallowing every drop of me down her throat.
When I’m finished, she lets go of me. Her cheeks are red as she wipes the bottom of her lip with her hand.
I fight to catch my breath. The car suddenly too warm.
The air suddenly too moist. The urge I have to pull over and fuck her until neither of us can see straight is so strong, I’m not sure I’ll be able to resist. I grab her by the jaw and pull her lips to mine for a quick, chaste kiss of thanks.
With my hungry eyes back on the road, I murmur, “You’re going to be the death of me. ”
Despite my little joyride on Tanner, we make good time. Gareth’s house is in Astbury—a village right outside of Manchester—and when we drive down his long, private gravel lane, it feels a bit like coming home.
However, when his detached house finally comes into view, I’m pleased to see it’s much more contemporary than what I grew up in. I don’t think I could stand walking into another dusty, old, Victorian mansion.
Tanner grabs our bags and we walk up the steps toward the front porch. I see some movement through the large plate glass windows surrounding the oak door before it opens.
“Tanner!” Gareth’s deep voice exclaims as he steps out onto the brick porch.
He looks a bit dishevelled. His dark hair is unruly on top of his head, and his hazel eyes dart between Tanner and whatever is behind him inside the house.
He looks as if he didn’t know we were coming.
His voice is tight when he adds, “Surprised to see you tonight.”
I frown up at Tanner. “Didn’t you tell him you decided to come early?”
Tanner shrugs at me. “Didn’t occur to me.”
I look at Gareth, ready to voice my apologies, but a woman steps out into the doorway behind him. She’s simply dressed in all black, and her chestnut hair is tied back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck.
“It’s fine. We’re all done here.” Her American accent is smooth and confident as she throws a garment bag over her shoulder.
“Who’s this?” Tanner leers, a look of shock and curiosity on his face.
“This is no one,” Gareth snaps. “I mean, she’s someone, but…Sloan is my personal shopper.”
“Personal shopper?” Tanner’s voice is unconvinced.
“I prefer celebrity fashion stylist,” Sloan states, her voice crisp and unforgiving as she moves past us. I watch Gareth’s eyes drink her in with a pained look on his face. “And I really need to be going. I only did this late call as a favour. Good luck at your event tomorrow, Mr. Harris.”
Without a glance back, Sloan strides down the drive toward her car parked in front of the garage. I frown when I see her ponytail is mussed into a bit of a nest down her back.
“Who the fuck was that really?” Tanner asks, placing a hand on Gareth’s shoulder. “Cam and I thought you were fucking celibate!”
Gareth shakes him off. “Don’t be daft. She’s no one.
” He looks at me. “I’m sorry you’re saddled up with my twat of a brother.
Vi’s told me the particulars of what you guys are going through and, knowing Tanner here, I’m sure you’re about ready to kill someone.
I’m Gareth. It’s nice to meet you, officially.
Cam and Indie speak very highly of you.”
He reaches out and shakes my hand. I see a tiny bit of resemblance between him and Tanner in the shape of their eyes, but that’s where the similarities end.
Gareth is more the tall, dark, and handsome variety, whereas Tanner is more the dirty, blonde, and sexy category.
However, they both tower over me and ooze that athletic sort of posture.
The kind that makes walking through a foyer look artful.
We follow Gareth through the living room and into a bright, modern kitchen where he grabs us both a bottle of water from the fridge.
“Sorry, no booze in the house. I don’t drink during the season.”
I roll the bottle in my hands. “It’s no problem.”
Tanner throws a lazy arm around my shoulders. “Yeah, this one got rat-arsed the other night and is probably still feeling the effects.”
I scoff, “I am not. And would you kindly shut the fuck up?”
Gareth booms with a deep laugh. “Yes! Finally! A woman not afraid to put you in your place.”
Tanner’s eyes narrow as he prepares to take a sip. “I put her in places, too.”
My jaw drops. “You better watch it, or the only place you’ll end up tonight is a cold shower.”
This silences him and Gareth’s shoulders shake with a silent laugh.
“So why did you guys come down tonight? I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?”
Tanner gives me a random cheeky arse squeeze and says, “I just needed to get the fuck out of London. It feels like a bloody fishbowl lately.”
I nod feeling similarly. I didn’t even have the heart to tell Tanner that our little snog outside his flat before we left was photographed. “The vultures are everywhere.”
Gareth shakes his head. “I don’t envy you guys. That’s why I like it out here. It’s private. It’s quiet. The London nightlife is not for me. Manchester is bad enough at times.”
“I’m beginning to see the appeal.” Tanner looks around the kitchen as if considering it from a different perspective.
“Well, I hate to rush off but I need sleep. Match day tomorrow and all.” He turns to Tanner.
“All the guestrooms are ready so take whichever you’d like.
I’ll be heading in early, so I probably won’t see you until after the match.
We can grab a quick drink, but then I have an event I need to attend. ”
“No problem. I think Cam was hoping to catch up with us.”
He half smiles. “Yes, Camden.” A look of amazement casts over his features and he shakes his head. “I still can’t get over the fact that I’ll be defending him tomorrow. It’s been years since we’ve played on the same pitch.”
“I didn’t realise you ever played for Bethnal Green,” I state.
“Yeah, for two years and then I got a Man U offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“Wouldn’t refuse is more like it,” Tanner adds. “You were desperate to get away from Dad.”
“I wouldn’t say desperate.” Gareth shifts on his feet.
“I would. And not very wise considering you signed with his old team.”
A dark look crosses Gareth’s face. “I had my reasons.”
Tanner holds his hands back in surrender. “I’m not saying you didn’t. It’s just got to be weird living in his shadow at Man U. Seems like every time you’re interviewed after a match, they bring up his glory days.”
Gareth scoffs, “The media are looking for a story. Something to sensationalise and make viral. Hopefully tomorrow you two are the focus instead of me.”
I roll my eyes. “Looking forward to it!”
Gareth smiles. “Well, you’re a trooper for doing this. Tanner is going to owe you a major favour when this is all over.”
“Oh yes,” I reply with a smirk. “Tanner will pay me back for many things.”
Tanner’s tone is warning when he says, “Belle, your crazy is showing.”
“That’s because I want it to,” I whisper and wink.
Gareth chuckles. “I’ve never seen Tanner squirm like this. You’re bloody perfect for him.”
His comment knocks me down a peg. “That’s what we’re trying to make everyone believe.”
When Gareth leaves, Tanner takes me upstairs to the guestroom farthest from Gareth’s room.
He’s about as subtle as a flying brick. It’s a huge, lush room with a gorgeous bed and en-suite bath.
It immediately makes me glad we came down tonight instead of tomorrow.
The bed looks like heaven and it’s been ages since I’ve had a good night’s sleep.