Chapter 18 Charlotte
EIGHTEEN
CHARLOTTE
“What about this one?” Koda holds up a dress that looks like it was designed by someone who thought pregnancy meant I suddenly developed a deep love for botanical gardens.
Pink roses cascade across pale yellow fabric, with little green vines weaving between them like some kind of floral fever dream.
I can’t help but giggle. “I need something a bit less... floral.”
He examines the dress with mock seriousness, holding it at arm’s length. “I thought it screamed ‘responsible mother-to-be.’”
“It screams ‘walking garden center.’” I take the dress from him and hang it back on the rack, shaking my head. “Dana’s going to think you knocked up someone with the fashion sense of a Victorian wallpaper sample.”
My stomach clenches with nerves as the reality of tonight crashes over me again.
In just a few hours, I’ll be sitting across from Koda’s sister, trying to make a good impression. The successful CEO who probably has very strong opinions about her brother dating his best friend’s daughter.
Before I can spiral into more self-doubt, a store associate appears beside us. She’s probably my age, with perfectly styled blonde hair and the kind of effortless makeup that takes an hour to achieve.
“Hi there! I’m Madison. Are you folks looking for anything specific today?” Her smile is bright and professional, but her eyes linger on Koda in a way that makes me want to step closer to him.
“We need something for dinner tonight,” I say, forcing my own smile. “Something that works with...” I gesture vaguely at my still-small bump.
Madison’s gaze drops to my midsection, and understanding dawns in her expression.
“Oh, congratulations! How exciting. Let me show you to a dressing room, and we can figure out exactly what you’re looking for.”
She leads us through the store, past racks of clothes that all look either too formal or too casual for meeting my boyfriend’s intimidating CEO sister.
“So what’s the occasion?” Madison asks as she unlocks one of the larger rooms.
“Meeting family,” I say, which is technically true.
“First time meeting the parents?” She gives Koda a knowing look. “That’s always nerve-wracking.”
“Sister,” Koda corrects. “And she’s going to love Charlotte.”
Madison’s professional smile falters slightly at the possessive way Koda slides his arm around my waist.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll find something perfect,” she replies. “What kind of vibe are you going for?”
I tap my chin thoughtfully. “Something that says ‘responsible adult’ but doesn’t make me look like I raided my grandmother’s closet. And something that won’t be too tight around my middle.”
“Got it. I’ll pull some options.” Madison’s smile returns full force. “Your boyfriend can wait right here if he wants.”
The dressing room door closes, leaving Koda and me alone in the small space. The mirror takes up most of one wall and a cushioned bench along another, along with hooks for hanging clothes.
“You know she was checking you out, right?” I say, hanging up the few dresses I’ve collected.
Koda settles onto the bench, looking amused. “Was she?”
“Please. She was practically undressing you with her eyes.” I start pulling off my sweater, hyperaware of his gaze on me. “Madison probably thinks I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”
“Are you?” His voice drops to that low rumble that never fails to make my pulse stutter.
I meet his eyes in the mirror, and the intensity there makes my breath catch. Even after months together, he still looks at me like I’m something precious and rare.
“Maybe,” I whisper.
Koda stands, moving behind me until his chest presses against my back. His hands settle on my hips.
“Definitely,” he murmurs against my ear.
The combination of his touch and his voice makes heat pool low in my belly. These pregnancy hormones have turned me into an absolute mess—constantly wanting him, getting turned on at the most inappropriate moments.
“Koda,” I breathe, not sure if it’s a warning or an invitation.
His reflection grins at me in the mirror. “What? I’m just helping you get dressed.”
That’s when we hear it. A soft moan from the dressing room next to ours, followed by what sounds like fabric rustling. Then another moan, definitely female, with an edge of desperation that makes my skin prickle with recognition.
Koda and I freeze, staring at each other in the mirror.
“Did you hear—” I start to whisper.
Another moan cuts me off, louder this time, followed by a distinctly male grunt of pleasure.
My eyes widen. “Are they...?”
The rhythmic thump of something hitting the wall answers my question. Someone is definitely having sex in the dressing room next to ours.
I should be embarrassed.
Instead, liquid heat floods my panties so fast it takes my breath away.
The knowledge that two people are fucking just a few feet away, separated only by a thin wall, sends arousal spiking through my system like a drug.
Koda’s hands tighten on my hips, and I can see in his reflection that he’s noticed my reaction. His dark eyes have gone molten, pupils dilated with desire.
The woman next door lets out a particularly breathless whimper, and I have to bite my lip to keep from echoing the sound. My nipples peak underneath my tank top, and I can feel myself getting wetter by the second.
What is wrong with me? Since when do I get turned on by listening to strangers have sex?
But even as the rational part of my brain asks the question, my body is already answering. I press back against Koda’s chest, feeling the hard length of him against my lower back.
“We shouldn’t,” I whisper, even as my hips move against him.
“No, we shouldn’t,” he agrees, but his hands are already sliding up to cup my breasts through the thin fabric.
The couple next door is getting louder, their rhythm more urgent. I can hear the woman gasping instructions, the man’s responding groans of approval. The sounds paint vivid pictures in my mind—bodies pressed together, hands grasping, mouths seeking.
I’m so turned on I can barely think straight.
Koda sits down heavily on the bench as the sounds from next door grow more frantic, and I can barely breathe through the arousal flooding my system.
“Come here,” he commands.
I don’t hesitate.
I turn and move toward him, drawn by the magnetic pull that’s always existed between us. He guides me until I’m straddling his lap with my knees bracketing his thighs on the narrow bench. The position puts us at eye level, and I can see the raw hunger burning in his dark gaze.
His mouth crashes against mine, swallowing my gasp as his hands tangle in my hair.
The kiss is desperate, consuming, fueled by the illicit thrill of what we’re doing and the sounds of passion filtering through the thin wall. My body melts against his, every nerve ending alive with sensation.
His hands make quick work of my tank top, pulling it over my head and tossing it aside. My bra follows, and then his mouth is on my throat, my collarbone, working its way down to my breasts. I arch into his touch, biting my lip to keep from crying out as his tongue circles my nipple.
“So fucking beautiful,” he murmurs against my skin, his hands mapping every curve like he’s memorizing me all over again.
I fumble with his belt, desperate to feel him, to have him inside me. He helps me, lifting his hips so I can push his jeans and boxers down just enough to free him. The sight of his hard length makes my mouth water, makes the ache between my legs almost unbearable.
But when I start to sink down onto him, his hand catches my hip, stopping me.
“Wait,” he breathes, and I feel his other hand slide around to cup my ass, fingers seeking the base of the plug I’ve been wearing all day.
A shiver runs through me as he finds it, pulling gently on the flared handle. The sensation sends sparks shooting up my spine, and I have to bite down on his shoulder to muffle my moan.
Ugh, I love this plug. Love the constant fullness, the way it keeps me open and ready for him. The reminder that he owns every part of me, that he’s claimed me so completely. I can’t wait for the day he replaces it with his cock, when he finally takes that last untouched part of me.
“You’ve been thinking about it all day, haven’t you?” he whispers against my ear, tugging the plug just enough to make me whimper. “Thinking about me fucking this tight little ass.”
“Yes,” I gasp, beyond caring how desperate I sound.
He releases the plug and positions himself at my entrance, his hands gripping my hips as I slowly sink down onto him. The stretch is exquisite, made even more intense by the plug filling my other hole. I feel impossibly full, claimed in the most primitive way possible.
The couple next door reaches a crescendo, their cries of pleasure spurring us on.
I start to move, rolling my hips in a rhythm that makes stars explode behind my eyelids. Koda’s hands guide me, one gripping my hip while the other returns to play with the plug, twisting it gently as I ride him.
“That’s it, baby,” he growls, his voice strained with the effort of staying quiet. “Take what you need. Show me how much you want it.”
The dual sensations of his cock filling my pussy and the plug in my ass push me toward the edge embarrassingly fast. Every movement sends shockwaves through my system, and I can feel my orgasm building with frightening intensity.
“I’m close,” I whisper against his neck, my movements becoming more frantic.
“Let go,” he commands, pulling harder on the plug. “Come for me, Charlotte. Come on my cock while I play with this pretty little ass.”
The combination of his words and the increased pressure on the plug sends me flying. My orgasm crashes through me like a tidal wave, my body clenching around him as I bite down on his shoulder to muffle my scream. The intensity of it steals my breath, leaves me shaking and gasping in his arms.