Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
RONIN
Mellie drives us back to my house, and I fiddle with the radio as we drive. I don’t think I’ll ever get the image out of my head of her on her knees before me, taking me into her mouth, those full, pink lips wrapped around my cock. I shift in my seat as my body catches up with the memory.
I stop on an alt-rock station, and Mellie gasps as MGMT blares out of the car stereo.
“Oh, my God!” She throws a hand up and immediately starts dancing in her seat as she drives. “Do you remember how many times we played this album back in the day? God, I was so tired of it for like, a whole year after.”
“Electric Feel” was one of our favorite songs the summer after Mel moved to Blue Fields. We’d played the Oracular Spectacular album over and over in my grandparent’s basement, feeling like proper hipster kids.
I smile at her, watching her sway to the music. I’ll take this song playing at this exact moment as a sign that fate approves us finally on our intended path.
As Mel pulls into my driveway and cuts the engine, I’m suddenly self-conscious of every piece of furniture and home decor that I own.
Not to mention the Godzilla collection that has grown considerably since the last Mel was inside any space of mine.
This is her first time at my house, and I’m nervous.
I hop out of her car and wind around the front to Mel’s side to open her door. She takes my outstretched hand and hops out, giving me a sexy smile. I keep her hand tucked in mine as I lead her into the house and flick the foyer light on.
“Well, welcome to my home, Mel,” I say, sweeping my free arm out before me. “After you.”
She rolls her eyes at me with a smile and I follow her into the great room, which spans from the entryway to the living area on our right furnished with a sectional couch and TV, to the kitchen on the left, and the dining room in between.
“Wow, this is so nice, Ro!” Mellie turns in place to take in everything.
While I head into the kitchen to open a bottle of wine, she wanders around the living room, picking things up and peering into picture frames. I pop the cork on the bottle of white I had chilling in the refrigerator and pour us each a generous glass.
Meeting her in the living room, I hand her one, which she thanks me for as she takes a small drink.
“Holy shit Ronin, is that what I think it is?” She strides over to my fireplace and grabs a small trophy off of my mantle.
I hide my grin as I sip my drink. “Oh, you’re referring to my most prized possession? The physical proof that I beat you at Monopoly? Yes, yes it is.”
Mellie doubles over, laughing. She holds up the plastic trophy of Mr. Monopoly complete with a small piece of paper slid into the opening on the front that says “Ronin beat Mellie” with the date scrawled underneath.
It came with the Championship Edition of the game, and it was the one and only time I have ever managed to win.
Naturally, I will lord it over her for all eternity.
“I can’t believe you still have this and have it displayed on your mantle.” She laughs, putting it back in its place and wiping at her eyes. “You’re such a dork! I can’t take it.”
“If I’m a dork, you’re a dork too, remember that,” I tease. “The day we met, you wiped the floor with me playing Magic. I’d never been so intimidated by a girl in my entire life.”
“Ah, well, I’m sure that was short lived, especially when I got my braces a month later.”
We chuckle at the memory, me with my big glasses and Mellie with her mouth of wire. We made quite the pair in middle school.
As we settle onto the stools at my kitchen bar, Mellie sets down her glass of wine and pulls out her phone, connecting to the Bluetooth speaker sitting on the countertop.
She scrolls through her playlists. “We need music. Are we feeling nostalgic tonight after that walk down memory lane? Or just looking for some chill vibes?”
“Definitely nostalgic.”
“Angsty teen playlist it is then,” she says as Fall Out Boy starts playing through my speaker. It comes out blaring loudly, which makes us both jump. She turns the volume down as she laughs, and I lean on the counter, picking up my wine and tipping it toward hers.
“A toast,” I say.
“What are we toasting, then?” She lifts her glass up to mine.
My gaze holds hers and her amber eyes flash.
“To your dad,” I begin. Mel starts to giggle, opening her mouth to protest, but I hold up a single finger to shush her with a smile.
“To your dad for dragging his family from New England all the way to a tiny, insignificant town in the Pacific Northwest. For if he had not willingly tortured his poor teenage daughter by accepting that amazing promotion, my life would be all the more empty.” I pause, taking in her steady focus.
“To finding my other half in the moody, nerdy new girl who stole my heart in a bookstore.”
Mellie’s eyes glisten as she holds her glass still. I swallow, my throat suddenly feeling thick, and clink my glass against hers. Our gazes remain locked as we each take a sip.
“Well,” Mellie starts, setting her glass down. “I wasn’t expecting to be toasting my dad on our first real date, but I guess here we are.”
“I’m full of surprises, you just wait,” I promise.
Mellie spins her stool to face me, her feet coming to rest on the foot rail of my stool.
I place my own on the bottom of hers, caging her in with my legs.
My fingers tap against the stem of my glass, and Mel’s eyes dart toward them momentarily.
A memory of her writhing under them in the darkness of our tent flashes in my mind.
She gives me a tiny smile that makes her irises sparkle and her dimple pop out. I love her dimple so fucking much.
“I love when you smile at me like that,” I say softly. “It makes your dimple show.” I reach out and gently press her cheek where her dimple usually is, and she grins again in response. “See? There it is again.”
I move my finger, sliding my whole hand onto her face to cup her cheek. “It drives me absolutely crazy, that dimple.”
Mellie’s breathing changes, her chest rising and falling more quickly. Pulling her head toward me gently, I place a soft kiss on her cheek, right over her dimple, before landing a chaste kiss on her lips and pulling away. All of the things I’ve wanted to do for years, and now I finally can.
Mellie grips the hand cupping her face and closes her eyes, her lips parting slightly and fingers brushing over my skin.
I place my free hand on her other cheek, framing her face and leaning forward.
With my forehead pressed against hers, I close my eyes as well, just breathing in her scent and letting her presence wash over me.
She smells like lavender and vanilla, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever smelled.
I want to bottle it up and put it on a shelf. Savor it forever.
“I’m really glad you’re here, Mel,” I whisper.
“I’m really glad you asked me here,” she whispers back. Her eyes open and we each tilt back, studying each other. “I’m sorry that it took me so long to see you. But I see you now.”
I let out a breath. “I’ve always seen you. You’re all I’ve ever been able to see.”
Mellie closes the distance between us, gently pressing her lips to mine.
I slide my hands to the back of her head, winding into the loose hair under her messy bun.
With a tight grip, I pin her in place. A soft sigh parts her mouth open at the same time mine does, and I sweep in with my tongue, tasting her.
Something clicks into place inside me, a missing piece of me that has been aching and empty, finally filled up to the brim and threatening to spill over.
It started as a trickle at the waterfall, but here in my home, it’s a tsunami, threatening to consume me whole.
Her hands sink into my hair and she pulls me closer. I can taste the lingering flavor of icing on her mouth, and nothing has ever tasted sweeter to me in my entire life. Our tongues explore each others’ slowly, like we have all the time in the world.
And the best part is, we do.
The feeling intensifies as her hands roam over my body. Her soft touch travels down my biceps, coming to rest on my back and gripping me tightly.
I stand, wrapping her up in my arms. All I can think about is how I want, how I need her closer to me. Pulling back with a groan, I run my finger over Mellie’s mouth, her full, pink lips swollen from my own.
“Now, I’m gonna need you in my bed, because I believe I said it was your turn.”