Chapter 39
Elijah
Even when she's sleepy and grumpy, I still find her adorable.
We've been on the road for about an hour now, and she's half-awake beside me, singing along to the music like she's the only one in the world who can hear it. She insisted on keeping her blue superhero pyjamas because, according to her, no one should have to be uncomfortable on a long drive.
I don't disagree.
She's clutching a coffee in both hands, her hair piled messily on top of her head.
And I love it.
I love this version of her. Well, I love every version of her.
No matter how she looks, my eyes keep drifting back to her like they belong there. Probably not the best thing at this moment in time as I’m driving, but damn it, I can't stop.
Last night she was really sore from practising all day at the studio.
So, I massaged her with the lavender oils she seems to like, slow and careful, until the tension left her muscles.
Then I washed her hair in the shower because she didn't have the energy to do it herself.
She mumbled something about spoiling her, and I do.
I want to. My girl deserves it.
The truth is, I will never run out of energy when it comes to her. The week without her was hell. A quiet, hollow kind of hell. Like being trapped in a black hole where everything—sound, light, time—just collapsed in on itself.
And the only way out of it was her.
I’m still furious with Rose for getting into her head. And honestly, I’m not surprised at all that she picked that day of all days to do it. If she wanted the moment to sting the most, she chose perfectly.
It wasn't her story to tell.
My past was mine to lay out when I was ready. Not hers to drag into the light like some piece of gossip.
I’m not proud of what I did. It happened a long time ago, but that doesn’t mean it just disappears. I've learned to carry the weight of it, wishing I could forget, but over time, I’ve eventually forgiven myself.
Willow… she would've been completely justified in ending things right then. I wouldn't have blamed her.
Would I have hated it? Absolutely.
But she didn't end it, thank fuck.
She got angry and upset—rightfully so—and she took a step back to think everything through, even if she did just up and leave. As much as it killed me to give her space and wait, she deserved the time to decide what she wanted without me hovering over her shoulder.
Willow is a lot more mature than most people her age. It's one of the things I admire most about her. Sometimes I look at her and forget how young she is, but the age difference between us doesn't bother me.
When it comes out between us, I couldn't care less what other people think because at the end of the day, she's my person and I’m not letting that go again.
“So, are you going to tell me where we’re staying yet?”
I tap my fingers against the steering wheel, keeping my attention on the road ahead. “Absolutely not.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the pout forming on her lips.
“Carry on pouting, princess,” I say lazily, glancing at her. “And I’ll give that mouth something else to do.”
Her lips part instantly, and she deliberately lifts her coffee, taking a sip of her coffee. I let out a quiet, amused laugh.
I love making her blush. Not just the slight pink on her cheeks, but the way I can get it to spread over her beautiful body.
“That wouldn't be safe at all.”
“I agree,” I reply. “But it would be so fucking hot.”
Brilliant. Now I’m hard.
Not that it takes much when she's involved.
She looks down for half a second, then smirks into her cup. “Well,” she says sweetly, “if I have to wait, then your little buddy can wait too.”
I snort. “My little buddy?”
I’m confident in myself that it's far from little.
We roll to a stop at a red light, the engine humming quietly beneath us. I reach across before I can think better of it, sliding my hand around the back of her neck and pulling her closer until her nose bumps mine.
“I’ll remind you later how my not-so-little buddy has you screaming my name and forgetting how to walk.”
Her eyes widened a fraction.
I kiss her hard—quick, claiming—before pulling back just as the light flips green. I release her and press the accelerator, expecting the usual reaction.
But not today.
Not even close.
“Are you hard, sir?”
I grit my teeth. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the slow way she shifts in her seat, her legs parting just a little.
Jesus Christ.
“What are you doing?” I ask, my voice tighter than I’d like.
It's a stupid question.
I know exactly what she's doing. I wound her up, and now she's winding me right back. The fact that we haven't touched each other like that in a while is definitely not helping the situation.
She tilts her head, watching me carefully.
“I can't exactly play with you right now… and you haven't touched me in a while.”
Before I can even process that, she wriggles her pyjama shorts down her thighs, her movements impatient, her face bright with mischief and desire.
She's going to kill me.
Thankfully, there aren't many cars around us, because the thought of anyone else seeing her like this does something feral to me. Possessive. A little murderous, if I’m being honest.
“You're playing a dirty game, princess,” I warn.
Her shorts drop to the floor, and she shifts in the seat, spreading her legs.
Christ.
I drag my gaze back to the road, even though every instinct in me wants to look. To take her in her beautiful pink pussy that's always so wet and ready for me.
“Well, I’m bored.” She gives me a small shrug. “Think of it as a little warm-up for whatever you've got planned.”
A slow grin pulls at my mouth.
Oh, I have plenty planned.
If she thinks tonight involves sleep, she's very mistaken. And even if she does manage to fall asleep at some point… I’ll happily wake her up again with my cock inside her.
With her permission, of course.
For now, though, I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and shake my head, knowing I can't do anything as she makes herself cum next to me.
I press my tongue against the inside of my cheek and steal a quick peek at her.
“I’ll settle for your desperate, needy sounds instead,” I mutter. “Push the seat back and spread your legs wider.”
She does exactly what I say. No eyeroll, no smart comment, no argument.
I take note of that.
I’ll reward her for it later.
Of course, I’ll also be punishing her for teasing me like this in the first place.
That will be fun.
Once she's settled, she looks over at me again, eyes bright, lips parted.
“Can I touch myself?”
I can't help but grin. Even when she's the one starting trouble, she still wants permission. Still wants to be told what to do.
My beautiful brat.
“Just one finger,” I tell her. “Slide it in and tell me how wet you are.”
A quiet sound slips out of her, soft but full of need.
“So wet, sir.”
This, sir, thing needs to become permanent. I have no idea why it turns me on so much, but it's staying.
“Good girl,” I say roughly. “Always so wet for me.” I tighten my grip on the steering wheel as the road curves through the hills. “You going to make a mess on my seat, princess?”
“I think so,” she whimpers, and it takes everything in me not to pull the car over and bury my face between her thighs instead till she suffocates me.
“Two fingers. All the way to the knuckle. Use your other hand… play with your clit. Tug on your piercing.”
The sounds that spill out of her should be illegal.
I’m really starting to hate the fact that I wore jeans today.
“Oh god, that's so good,” she breathes.
I don't dare look at her. Not even for a second, cause I don’t want to kill us.
Instead, I focus on the road winding through the hills while everything else assaults my senses—the wet, unmistakable sound of her fingers moving, the hitch in her breathing, and the soft moans she tries and fails to swallow down.
My name sounds different when she's all needy like this. Breathless, desperate. Like a damn siren call. If I could record it and play it back later, I probably would.
“Keep going,” I order. “Rub your clit faster for me.”
I deserve one hell of a reward for this.
“Do you wish it were me?” I add. “My fingers on you while my cocks got you so full you can't think straight?”
“Yes, yes, yes—”
Her voice snaps off as a sharp cry tears out of her, the sound so intense it makes my knuckles whiten from my grip. I slow the car slightly as a few cars appear ahead of us, easing off the accelerator. The music doesn't even register anymore because all I can concentrate on is her.
This time, I do glance over.
Her head is tipped back against the seat, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Her fingers are still deep inside her, and yep, my seat is definitely damp now.
I won't be cleaning that anytime soon. It will be an agonisingly beautiful reminder of what she dared to do in the car.
“Hope that was worth the spanking you'll be getting later.” I shoot her a quick wink.
She finally pushes herself upright, telling me it was worth it, still a little dazed, just as we roll to another red light.
Her green eyes are shining when she looks at me.
I reach over, catching her wrist gently before bringing her fingers to my mouth. My gaze stays completely locked on hers as I slide them between my lips, dragging my tongue along them.
Her taste hits my tongue, and I want her to sit on my face.
I pull her fingers free a moment later and let her hand fall back onto her thigh.
“Good?” she asks.
“Best damn thing I've ever tasted. Would definitely recommend.”
Four hours later, we finally arrive.
Willows passed out beside me, curled slightly toward the window, her breathing slow and even. It's probably for the best that she's asleep. If she were awake, she would've figured out where we were the moment we got close.
I glance over at her and shake my head softly, smiling.
Something I do a lot when she's around or in my mind.