Chapter Twelve
CHAPTER TWELVE
GARRETT
When Marie walks in the door of Carson’s , I raise my good arm and wave her over. I’m sitting in a booth in the corner, where we can have a modicum of privacy. She makes her way over to me and slips into the booth across from me. I push one of the two beers in front of me across the table to her. She takes it with a small smile.
“Thanks,” she says before taking a drink.
Sitting back, I study her before asking, “Why were you visiting Mom today?”
She looks up at me, her expression hesitant. Maybe that question was too personal, but I can’t help my curiosity.
Letting out a soft sigh, she answers, “I just need some clarity on a few things, and I thought going to her gravesite would help.”
It’s the same reason I was going there myself, but I don’t say so. Still, I wonder what it is she needs clarity about—does it have to do with our kiss? Most likely, but again, I don’t mention it. A part of me still isn’t sure how to address that.
“I didn’t know my mom’s death hit you that hard,” I say in a low voice. Obviously, I knew she was close to Mom, but what I saw out there in the cemetery was a display of grief as deep as my own.
Marie lifts her eyes to mine, her lashes glistening faintly in the muted light. “She meant a lot to me,” she says softly. “More than I think you realize.”
I frown, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table. “What do you mean?”
She hesitates, her fingers tightening around the glass now. “You were older, Garrett. You had your own life. College, the oil fields… you didn’t see how much she did for me when I was a teenager. Just how she was with me when I was younger.”
I sit back, Marie’s words settling over me. She’s ten years younger than me. By the time she and Haven were in high school, I was long out of the house.
“I guess I didn’t,” I admit. “Want to tell me what all she did?”
Marie exhales, a sad smile curving her lips. “After my mom passed… it was hard, but I was so young it didn’t fully sink in until I got older. Dad remarried when I was nine, and, as you know, Meredith didn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for me. Your mom… she saw that. She’d invite me over even when Haven didn’t. Bake cookies and ask about school. Hug me when I had a bad day, and I didn’t have anyone else to talk to. She taught me how to be a woman—gave me the talk, explained periods, showed me how to do my makeup and hair.”
Her voice cracks a little, and I feel like someone’s tightened a vise around my chest.
“Marie...” I start, but she shakes her head, cutting me off.
“It’s okay. I’m just trying to explain. She wasn’t just your mom, Garrett. She was mine, too, in a way.”
Sadness and vulnerability lace into her voice, causing my heart to hurt. I’ve always thought of Marie as this fiercely independent woman who lets nothing or anyone get to her. Knowing she leaned on my mom in such intimate, vital ways….
Marie’s smile turns bitter. “My family is so fucking complicated.” She tightens her grip on her beer, not looking at me. “I love my siblings. I really do. But Meredith? I can’t stand her. She’s always treated me like an outsider. And Dad… I don’t know. He’s just abandoned me in favor of his new family.”
The words come out fast, like she’s just been waiting for a chance to spill all this.
She takes a breath before adding, “I miss having a mom every day. I missed out on so much growing up without mine. If it weren’t for your family—for Laila—I don’t know how I would’ve made it through. Without her, I would’ve been utterly… alone.”
My stomach twists at her raw vulnerability. Marie never talks like this… not to me, at least. She’s laying it all out for me, and I’m not sure what to say to make it better.
“You’re not alone,” I manage, my voice rough. “You’ve got Haven and me.”
Her eyes snap to mine, wide and searching. For what, I’m not sure.
“Do I?” she whispers.
The question makes my heart hammer. I’ve always thought of Marie as Haven’s best friend. She’s just always been there. A fixture in our lives. Have I ever made her feel like an outsider? Like she doesn’t belong with us?
“Yeah,” I say firmly. “You do.”
Marie looks at me, and I can see doubt easing from her expression. She reaches for her drink again, taking a small sip before setting it down with a soft thud. Did I say something wrong? Why does she doubt that I’ll be there for her? My heart aches and I want to assure her that, no matter what, I’m not going to stop caring for her.
“Hey.” I reach across the table and grab her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You do . Haven and I will always be here for you. I promise.”
She stares at me, and her expression softens as relief brightens her gaze.
“Thanks,” she breathes, her lips curving into a faint smile. “That means a lot.”
The evening stretches on after that, and Marie and I fall into a comfortable rhythm, talking about school, work, and more general topics that are light and easy. She’s been open enough with me tonight, and I don’t want to push her any further. I want to make her smile again and help her relax.
“You’ve got a way of making everything sound like it’s not such a big deal,” she says at one point, her eyes shimmering and her lips curled into a grin. She’s moved closer to me, slipping around the U-shaped booth to sit on my side.
Chuckling, I shake my head. “I think you give me too much credit. I just don’t let things bother me for too long.”
She presses her shoulder against my good one. “I could learn a thing or two from you.”
“Maybe,” I say softly. “But I think I could learn a thing or two from you, too.”
She blinks up at me; her plump lips parting in surprise. “You think so?”
I nod. I can’t help myself, I reach up and brush my thumb along her chin. Her eyelids flutter and she leans into my touch. I swallow. This is dangerous. We’re playing with fire right now, but I can’t seem to resist.
The bar quiets down while the bartender stacks empty glasses as the last few patrons filter out. We continue to stare at each other in silence, oblivious to the room around us.
“I should probably go home,” she murmurs.
“I’ll walk you.”
She raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t protest. We stand and make our way out of the bar into the cool night. Side by side we walk, the quiet hum of the town surrounding us, the streets empty save for the occasional car passing by. We don’t talk, just let the tension sizzle between us, the sound of our footsteps mingling with the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze.
We pass by the old boutique that Marie’s mom left her. It’s closed now, but I can’t help but notice how her eyes linger on it. She always used to talk about opening it as a bookshop, and was so excited by the idea. The past few years, though, she’s talked about it less and less.
“Still thinking about the shop?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual, but there’s an edge to it.
Marie shrugs. “I don’t know. I’ve got so many plans. So many things I want to do with it, but I don’t know if any of it’s going to happen.”
I slow my pace a little. “What do you mean?”
She glances over at me but quickly looks away.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now, okay?” The words come out soft, almost like a plea, and I don’t press her further. I’m burning with curiosity. What’s holding her back from opening the shop again if that’s what she wants?
“Alright,” I say quietly, matching her pace as we continue walking.
When we reach her house, she turns to face me, her cheeks flushed.
“Thanks for walking me home,” she says.
“No problem.”
The tension is palpable now. I can feel the heat of her, the way her eyes don’t quite meet mine, but linger just long enough for my heart to race.
She hesitates, then says, “You want to come inside for a bit?”
I swallow hard, the question hanging in the air like a dare—a temptation. It’s an invitation, plain and simple, but I know she’s not asking me in for a nightcap. A little voice in my head says I should leave. Tell her goodnight, turn around, and walk away before I do something I might regret.
However, an even louder voice urges me to go inside with her. To see where exactly this leads.
“Sure,” I say at length.
She gives me a small, almost shy smile and leads me to her front door. I stand behind her as she unlocks and opens it. Once we’re inside with the door closed again, I grab her hand and turn her around to face me. Her eyes go wide as she stares up at me and I cup the side of her face.
“Garrett…” she murmurs.
I cut her off, pressing my lips to hers in a gentle kiss. I take my time, handling her with care as I brush my fingertips across her cheek. She whimpers and wraps her arms around my neck, pressing her body tight against mine. I keep the pace slow, though. We’re both so emotionally raw and vulnerable, I don’t want to push too hard too fast.
Our tongues meet and explore as I reach down, cupping her ass and picking her up off the floor. Her legs wind around my waist and we continue to kiss as I walk through her house and make my way upstairs to her bedroom. The mixture of alcohol and desire heats my body and banishes away all hesitations and reservations I’ve been holding onto, and all I can think about is how good she tastes and how right she feels in my arms.
When we reach her bedroom, I set her back down and pull from our kiss. She gazes up at me, her eyes hooded and lips swollen from our kiss.
“I want you,” she says. “I want you more than anything.”
I take her face in both my hands and reply, “I want you too. More than I should.”
She frowns at that, but before she can say anything in response, I kiss her again. Reaching down, I grab the hem of her shirt and pull it up and over her head, tossing it aside. Her fingers fumble with the buttons of my shirt, and I help her undo them before shrugging out of it. Grabbing her waist, I pull her back against my body and kiss her like a starving man who’s been given a banquet.
I walk her backward to the bed and set her down on the edge of the mattress. Kneeling before her, I gaze up at her as I undo her jeans and tug them down her legs. She’s breathing heavily, her breasts moving up and down and nearly spilling out of her bra.
“What are you doing?” she asks, her voice breathy. I lift one of her legs and kiss the inside of her ankle and slowly move my way up her calf to her inner thigh.
“I’m going to have a taste,” I tell her, reaching for her panties.
She gasps and I tug her panties down her legs. Grasping her thighs, I push her legs apart and gaze down at her glistening sex.
“Fuck,” I growl. “You’re already so wet.”
“You have that effect on me,” she pants.
Chuckling, I smirk at her before lowering my head and dragging my tongue along her folds. She lets out a needy cry and grabs hold of my hair. I hold her in place as I lick and suck on her tender flesh, savoring her honey and every tremble of her body. God, she tastes better than I imagined. I could grow addicted to this… to her. How was I able to resist this for so long?
“Oh, my God,” she moans.
When I wrap my lips around her clit and suck, she jerks and squeals. I hold on to her tighter so she can’t get away from me.
“Garrett,” she whimpers. “Please… I need more.”
Fucking music to my ears, but I want to make her come like this first. I lick and suck harder and within moments, her thighs clench around my head and she’s crying out, clutching at the sheets on either side of her. I draw out her orgasm for as long as I can until she pushes at my head and wiggles to get out of my grasp.
Chuckling, I stand and gaze down at her as I undo my jeans and push them down my legs, releasing my throbbing cock. Marie’s eyes go wide and her lips curl into a hungry grin.
“Like what you see?” I ask.
She nods. “Very much.”
Her legs fall open further in invitation, and she crooks her finger at me. Growling, I climb onto the bed and settle between her legs. Staring down at her, I take a second to let this situation really sink in. This is happening. I’m about to cross this line with Marie, and there’s no going back. Right now, though, I don’t care. I don’t want to go back. I want to watch her fall apart from the pleasure I give her, and I want to lose myself in her soft, luscious body.
Sliding her hands up my arms, she grips my forearms.
“I want you inside me,” she whispers.
What man could resist such a sweet invitation like that? Not me, that’s for damn sure. I grab a condom from my wallet and drag it down my length. Lining my shaft up with her entrance, I press forward, entering her in one swift thrust of my hips.
Marie throws her head back with a cry. Bracing my arms on either side of her head, I capture her lips in a hard kiss as I move. In and out, in and out. She clings to me and I catch her moans and cries with my kiss.
It’s so good. She feels so perfect—wet and tight and greedy. Pleasure washes over me and I grow lost in her. We move together, our hips meeting and grinding as we both desperately chase our release. Reaching between us, I press my thumb to her clit and rub it in tight circles.
“Come for me, baby,” I rasp. “I want to feel you coming around my cock.”
She squirms and whines as I push her to the edge. Lifting my head, I watch as she hits her peak. Her eyes go wide and her mouth falls open on a silent cry as her back arches off the bed. She digs her nails into my shoulders and the pain only enhances my pleasure. Her pussy spasms around me and squeezes me like it doesn’t want to let me go.
It’s too much. I can’t hold myself back and bury my face in her neck as my orgasm rips through me. I ride it out, pumping my hips in and out of her until my body shudders and my vision wavers while her body jerks beneath me. Reaching a point where I can’t hold myself up any longer, I collapse but am careful to fall to the side so I don’t crush her under my weight.
The room is silent except for our heaving breaths. That was so… intense. I’ve never experienced so much pleasure with someone before. I turn my head to look at her and find her gazing at me with a soft smile.
“Shit,” she says. “That was… incredible.”
“Yeah, it really was.”
Rolling to her side, she snuggles closer to me and rests her head on my chest.
“Don’t leave,” she whispers. “Stay like this with me. Please.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her tight and stare up at the ceiling without saying a word. I’ll stay with her like this for the night, but in the back of my mind I know that once the sun rises, I’ll have to face the consequences of this night, and the guilt that’s already twisting in my belly.