31. Teddy
Teddy
T he pan sizzles on the stove, permeating the room with garlic and onions. Music plays over the speaker on my kitchen counter, some slow pop song that Lottie likes.
The only reason I let her pick the music is because I love watching her move to it.
She offered to set the table, and now she’s dancing in the middle of my kitchen with plates clutched to her chest. Her hips sway in a hypnotizing rhythm—one I have to force my eyes away from to keep from burning dinner.
Even Loki, the little grey kitten who adopted me, has a hard time staying away from Lottie. He’s sitting on the back of the couch, watching her move around the kitchen. I think he loves her more than me.
Since the interview with the students last week, Lottie and I have spent every single night together. I’ve had this compulsive need to stay by her side twenty-four seven. She hasn’t complained, and I’m not about to point out my obsession on the off chance it chases her away.
I don’t like the idea of her being threatened by some unknown person. She’s been taking it seriously and has scheduled her next interviews over the phone. I want to lock her up in my house and never let her go outside, but even I can see how psychotic that is.
I get the chicken into the pan and lean against the counter. Lottie finally sets the plates on the table and does a little spin as she makes her way back to the kitchen. I step in front of her and grab her around the waist to keep her from falling.
She squeaks into my chest before finding her footing again. I tap the underside of her arms so she’ll lift them around my neck.
“What are you doing?”
I pull her close to my body. “Dancing with you. Got a problem with that?”
She tries to bite her lip to control her smile. “No.”
“Good.” The slow beat of the song flows around us. I have no rhythm at all, but Lottie doesn’t seem to mind. She lays her head on my shoulder, her hands cupping my neck. We’re barely moving side to side at this point, but I’m happier in this moment than I’ve ever been.
My timer beeps, interrupting our dance. Lottie startles and then giggles at herself.
I kiss her as if my life depends on it. Sometimes, I think that’s true.
There was never a question in my mind that Lottie would change my life if I let her in.
What I never could picture was all the good things she would bring.
Happiness wasn’t something I thought I’d experience.
I figured after I was discharged from the Marines, I’d find somewhere to settle down and, at best, be content with my surroundings.
I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced being happy.
Having Lottie in my life has shown me what a bleak existence I’ve lived.
The shadows in my mind have shriveled because of how bright she shines. Without her, I have no doubt those shadows would consume me .
“I got a call a while back from a guy in New York. He runs a security firm that does everything from off-the-books deployments to private investigations.” I keep my focus on the stove just in case Lottie looks at me like I’m stupid.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. He offered me a job.”
“Oh.”
Lottie’s defeated tone has me turning around. “What?”
“Are you…” She runs her finger along the grain of the wood table. “Will you have to move to New York?”
My shoulders deflate. Of course, she’d be worried about me moving away. I turn the burners off and sit next to her at the table. “No. Jackson said I could do the job from anywhere. I’ll have to go up to New York for a few days to meet the team and train with Jackson, but I’ll come home afterward.”
“What about deployments?” Her awe-inspiring strength shines from her eyes when she meets my gaze.
I smirk. “Baby, I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’m missing a leg.” Something in my chest loosens after I make the joke. Finding my circumstances funny is abnormal, but I can’t say I hate it.
She rolls her eyes and tries to hide her smile. “You’re still plenty capable of wreaking havoc.”
“While I appreciate your vote of confidence, my days of deployments are long behind me. I’m interested in the personal investigation side of things.
I’ll probably still have to travel, but that might be a good thing for me.
Staying on base while waiting for an assignment is about as stationary as I got.
I’ll need some form of stimulation soon. ”
“I can understand that. As long as you come back.”
“Will you miss me, Sparkles?”
She gives me a flat look. “For some reason.”
“You little…” I lunge, making Lottie squeal.
She th rows herself out of her chair and runs away from me.
Her athleticism shouldn’t surprise me, given her proficiency in jiujitsu.
I still catch up to her in only a few long strides, mentally thanking Jacob for giving me back the confidence to move how I used to.
Her giggles make laughter bubble up my throat as I throw her onto the couch.
I yank her arms above her head, trapping her body under mine. “Tell me you’ll miss me.”
Mischief sparkles in her amber eyes. “No.”
I nip at her throat. “Say it.”
She shakes her head. I narrow my eyes at her. “Fine. Two can play at this game.”
I push off of the couch and help her stand. Suspicion lines her face, my manic grin giving her pause. Then I scoop her up over my shoulder, her gorgeous ass next to my face. Dinner will be cold since I turned everything off, but I couldn’t care less.
“Teddy!” Her laughter negates her admonishment. “Put me down.”
“No.” I slap her ass cheek and head straight for my bedroom. She gasps, squeezing her thighs together. I delight in that little tidbit of knowledge.
When I get to my room, I chuck Lottie onto the bed. She glares at me. “I am not a sack of potatoes you can just throw around.”
“No, you’re a smart-mouthed woman who’s about to learn who’s in charge around here.”
She smirks at me with condescension. “Good luck with that.”
I grab her ankle and yank her to the end of the bed. Her black leggings are on the floor in the blink of an eye, followed quickly by her T-shirt and underwear. Lottie is gorgeous no matter what she wears, but naked, she’s fucking glorious.
Taking my time, I lick up the inside of her thigh, using my teeth now and then to keep her on edge. The little bites on her flesh make her squirm the most. I have to hold her down to keep her still.
My tongue hits the crease between her thigh and core, and Lottie’s moan makes my cock beg to get in on the action. Get comfortable, brother, I’ve got a point to prove.
Instead of fusing my mouth to Lottie’s clit like I’m dying to, I skip over her center and work my way down her other leg. She lets out a whimper of frustration, and I relish it.
I start to tease her, my fingers sliding through her slick, wet heat. I still avoid her clit, circling her entrance as I continue my path across her thigh.
“Teddy,” she growls.
I lift my head. “Yes?”
She finally catches on to my teasing. “Fuck me. Right now.”
I nip the fleshy part of her thigh. “Naughty words for a naughty girl.” I tut.
“Please?”
I kiss her hip bone, then make my way down to her pussy. “That’s better, but I still need.” Kiss. “One.” Kiss. “More.” Kiss. “Thing.” My lips hover over her center.
“What?” she whimpers.
“Tell me you’ll miss me when I go to New York.” The demand comes out slightly more serious than I meant it to, and I find myself needing her words with every ounce of my being.
She leans up on her elbows, her eyes cataloging every inch of my face as she reads me like an open book. As much as I wish she couldn’t, she’s very good at it. “I’ll miss you more than I could ever tell you with words.”
I dive into her flesh, both to reward her and to hide my emotions. It’s too overwhelming to be this vulnerable with her. I’m not used to feeling this way about anyone. I don’t like being out of control, and Lottie is a hurricane set to tear down every wall I’ve carefully built over the years.
She cries out as my tongue invades every inch of her pussy.
My fingers slide against her slick walls while I flick her clit with measured strokes before sucking it into my mouth.
It’s like I detonated a bomb. She tightens around my fingers, making me wish it was my cock.
I ride it out with her until her body finally relaxes back onto the mattress.
A smile lifts the corner of my mouth when Lottie motions for me to come closer.
I hover over her body, my fists pressing into the bed by her shoulders.
An invisible hand squeezes my heart when Lottie opens her eyes.
The depths of her emotions are too much for me to take.
I don’t know what to do with the things she gives me so openly and easily.
I grab her around the waist to avoid the look in her eyes and pull her up the bed until we’re in the center. She wraps her legs around my hips and her arms around my neck. I wouldn’t be surprised if she sees through my tactics and is letting me get away with the avoidance.
All she has to do is tilt her hips until the head of my cock is notched at her entrance.
We lock eyes as I slide into her. The feeling of her squeezing me has shivers running down my spine.
Nothing has ever felt like this before. I want to live inside Lottie.
It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I have her; it’s not enough.
I’ll want more of her until the day I die.
Whether she feels the same is a different story.
She lifts her head to kiss me, her plush lips sending me into a frenzy. I take it out on her body, needing her to be as overwhelmed as I am.
Her moans increase, her head tilting back as I slam into her over and over again.
I grab the back of her neck to keep her in place.
I fuck her with an animalistic intensity until her body clamps down on mine.
Her orgasm rips mine from me, making me come harder than I ever have before.
My entire body shudders through it until I’ve emptied everything I have into Lottie—my heart included.
I don’t have a clue when she took me over mind and soul, but she holds my life in her hands. If she leaves, I’ll be a shell of the man I was before.