Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
HUX
Well, isn’t this a fucking mess? How did I let this girl get under my skin and into my head?
I look down at her as she wipes tear stains off her cheeks.
I hate that she feels uncomfortable being sick around me, but I couldn’t help being angry with her.
I wish she would’ve had the forethought not to drink at her place of employment, but then again, I’m not stupid.
I know the tension between the two of us lately most likely had a lot to do with how tonight ended, especially since she saw me with Sharon.
I never claimed to be the most cheerful person, it’s just not in my DNA. The last few years, being back in this place, surrounded by memories I never wanted to revisit, hasn’t helped. So, even the thought of catching feelings, especially for someone merely passing by? Yeah, it’s a fucking mess.
I pull out my phone. “I’ll give Alex a ring and have her come get you?”
“No, she’s still out of service. She won’t be back until tomorrow. Mr. Croft didn’t want her driving back alone in the dark. Mutants, you know? ”
I chuckle at the absurdity. “Right.”
“Elle said she would give me a ride home, but I am guessing she has left by now.”
I quickly text Elle to tell her I’m with Everly. Knowing her, she hasn’t left and instead is actively freaking out about where Everly ended up. “Here, let me help you up. You think you can walk back to my place? My truck is there. I’ll give you a ride home.”
“I’m drunk, not paralyzed. Yes, I can walk.” There’s that sass. I sigh in frustration.
“Do you have a snarky response to everything?”
“Only when you ask dumb questions.” She feigns a smile, and I can’t help but laugh as I hold out my arm for her to weave hers through.
We look like a couple from the 1950s taking an evening stroll down a quiet lakeside path lined with birch trees.
Well, except for that slight sway she’s trying hard to hide from me but failing horribly.
If only it were all so simple and innocent.
We make it to my porch steps, and I quickly skip up a couple of stairs and open the front door. Birch comes flying out, all wags and wiggles. Everly immediately crouches down, giggling as she smothers him with affection.
“Hey, buddy! I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” She scratches behind his ears and takes his slobbery kisses like a champ.
“Let me just run in and grab the keys.” I look down at her, where she plays with Birch in the soft glow of the moon and my deck light.
She looks back at me, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks flushed.
She tucks her hair behind her ears and stands up.
She looks like she wants to say something but doesn’t dare.
We stare at each other, surrounded in silence, other than the hoot of a nearby owl and Birch’s collar tags jingling as he sniffs at her feet.
“Or… I mean, if you want to come in for a bit? Have a drink? Water, of course.” I wink. “I was just going to put the baseball game on I recorded.”
“Hmm, I haven’t dared walk through that door since the time I found you in a very compromising position. Can I be sure it’s safe?”
I laugh, remembering her look of horror when she stumbled in on Ashlee and me. Throwing my hands up in front of me, I say, “I promise, it’s all clear.”
“The idea of spending the night alone in Mr. Croft’s big house does give me a bit of the creeps…”
“Oh, we are sleeping over now, are we? I think you move quicker than I am comfortable with.” Her cheeks immediately turn fire-engine red as she starts to stutter out an explanation. She’s so easy to get going.
“I’m joking. I refuse to watch sparkly vampires, but let’s see how the Sox did, shall we?”
“Ooo, he’s cute!” Everly squeaks as the pitcher comes up to the mound.
We are settled in on the couch with glasses of ice water and a bag of potato chips on the coffee table. Birch has found the perfect spot, smack dab between us, his head resting on Everly’s thigh.
What a cockblock.
Not that there is a chance in hell of anything happening tonight. Everly seems to be mostly sober now, and from how much she threw up, I highly doubt there could be any alcohol left in her system, but it’s still not something I would even think about taking a chance on.
“First of all, you’ve said that about almost every player, and second, he is on the opposing team, so I think you should be careful with your words. Wouldn’t want Boston to catch wind, you’ll be known as a traitor down there.
“I’ve never even been to a game,” she says quietly.
“What? How have you lived right outside of Boston your whole life and never been to a Red Sox game? It’s a rite of passage for us New Englanders!”
“Being raised by a single dad, who worked impossibly long shifts, time and money were not something we always had a lot of.” She looks down at her hands, and I hope I didn’t make her feel ashamed. I by no means live the life of the rich and famous… clearly.
“I’m lucky I got a good scholarship to BU. It was the only way I could afford it, plus, it allowed me to be close to home to still help with my little brother.”
“Sounds like you’re really close with your family?”
“Extremely, since day one, we have always enjoyed being with one another. When my mom died, that bond strengthened, as well as changed our roles. My brother was still young, and I stepped in to help raise him as much as possible.”
There is a look on her face I can’t fully decipher, maybe pride? Mixed with a little bit of sadness?
“I almost didn’t come here this summer. Being away from my dad and brother all summer didn’t feel fair, but my brother is a teenager now and pretty self-sufficient. In other words, he is too cool for me.” She laughs.
“I highly doubt anyone could be too cool for you.”
Her eyes meet mine, and once again, we stare at one another without a word.
It’s funny how nervous I feel in her company.
I mean, let’s be real, I have had my tongue down her throat a few times and my hand up her shirt.
But those moments were always fueled by passion, frustration, and lust. This is different. It’s peaceful .
Everly breaks eye contact first, at the same time, Birch jumps off the couch and finds his place on his dog bed in the corner.
I take the opportunity to slide closer but disguise my intention by acting as if I need better access to the chip bag.
We are both a little hesitant about physical contact, but eventually, Everly yawns and settles into my side.
“You getting tired? I can drive you back if you’re not comfortable staying here?”
“I’m comfortable here,” she says, never taking her eyes off the game. I reach behind me and pull the blanket off the back of the couch, covering us beneath the soft fabric, and for the first time in a long time, I feel at home.
I wake up to the glow of the DVR menu, the Sox game recording long since over.
Looking at the clock, I am surprised to see that it’s three in the morning.
Everly is still asleep, with her head on my lap.
I stop myself from fantasizing about just how sexy she looks in this position.
I lightly rub her shoulder while brushing her hair off her face with my other hand.
“Hey, it’s three in the morning. Come on, you can sleep in my bed, it will be much more comfortable.” She stirs and opens her eyes, meeting mine with a sleepy smile across her face. She nods and pulls herself up, still half awake.
I lead her over to my bed and sit her down. I go to the dresser and pull out one of my T-shirts, which is long enough to touch her knees. Earlier in the night, I noticed that her clothes smelled… well, not good, but I hadn’t wanted to make her even more self-conscious.
“Here, you can sleep in this. I’ll sleep on the couch.
” I hand her the shirt, but instead of grabbing the fabric, her fingers graze my hand.
I start to pull away, but she doesn’t let go.
Looking at her look at me doe-eyed with her pouty lips, my cock jumps, and my jaw tics.
Oh, the things I want to do to her. It’s almost unbearable.
But I remind myself, not tonight. Not like this, not when we have spent most of the day either ignoring one another or at each other’s throats.
I want her to be clear-headed and completely ready.
“Stay with me, please?” she says in the softest, most innocent voice. I can’t help but let a low moan escape my lips.
“Everly, you are seriously killing me. Do you know how much I want you? How badly I want to be inside of you?”
She gasps, and for a moment, I can’t tell if I have scared her with my blunt confession.
“Let me help you get changed, and then we will sleep. Only sleep.”
Without breaking eye contact, I lightly touch the hem of her Anderson’s shirt and lift it over her head.
She raises her arms, and when she is free of it, she slowly brings her arms back down, trailing her fingers down her skin and over the mounds of her breasts.
They are perfect. Through her lace bra, I can make out her hardened nipples, and my desire to release them from that bra is overwhelming.
She leans back on the bed, propping herself up on her elbows, still not breaking our intense eye contact.
I unbutton her pants, taking my time. If this is the only action I am getting tonight, she can bet her ass I am going to draw it out no matter how much torture it is causing me.
She lifts her butt slightly so I can slip the jeans down.
I let my fingertips trail down her bare skin as I bring them to the floor.
Everly wets and then sucks her bottom lip between her teeth, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession. I love the way her body responds to my light touches. I am positive that she is more than ready for me under her cute lace panties.
I step back and admire her for a moment.
Her eyes silently plead, but I won’t back down.
She deserves to spend time with me when I am not being an asshole.
I want to show her who I am when I am not bogged down with the personal baggage I have been letting get in the way of knowing her.
When I am not hyper-focused on locking away any emotion that tries to bubble to the surface.
I come close again, leaning down and placing the lightest kiss on her forehead. I hold my lips there a few extra moments before gently helping her into my T-shirt. She lets out a slight whimper, a hint of frustration buried within it, making me chuckle.
I start to unbutton my jeans, aware that I will not be able to hide the massive hard-on I’m currently sporting. Everly stops my hands, her face turning up to meet mine.
“Let me, I mean it’s only fair, you undressed me, after all.” My breathing staggers, and I truly don’t know if I can handle this. I have been in some tough situations before, but this is testing my restraint at a whole new level.
The moment her hands touch the waistband of my jeans, my whole body involuntarily quivers. She smiles slightly, enjoying the power she has over me. She slowly unzips my pants and pulls them down, my erection springing toward freedom beneath my briefs.
Everly trails her fingers over the outside of the brief’s cotton material and then down the front of them ever so lightly.
I can feel a pool of wetness at my tip forming just from her soft touch.
She looks back up into my eyes, and we stare once more with no words.
To be honest, I’m not even sure we’re even breathing at this point.
Her hands return to my jeans, which are halfway down my thighs.
She pulls them to my ankles, and I step out of them.
Then she scoots herself back and up against the pillows on the far side of my bed, pulling the covers up to her chest. She pats the spot next to her with a big devilish grin.
I place my hands on the side of the bed and look down at the floor, concentrating on taking in oxygen. When I finally stand up straight, I don’t get into bed. Instead, I turn and walk right out the front door into the cold breeze.
I need to cool the fuck down.