Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Lance
I’ve walked the red carpet, I’ve seen stunning women, but none of them made me feel what Izzy does. I can’t fight it anymore. It’s too fucking much. I already thought she was sexy as hell in messy buns and leggings, but from the instant I saw her in that dress, I knew I wasn’t going to last the night.
I’ve done a pretty good job of ignoring my attraction to her. Trying to forget the nights when she’s gone to bed, turning on music for exactly ten minutes to cover up the sound of her vibrator. I’ve pushed away the feral desire to throw open the door and take her myself. To test my skills against her battery-operated boyfriend. And up until now, I thought I could do it.
But no.
She broke me in the car when she started to sob.
I know what to do when a woman cries. Honey Badger is sort of a mess and will cry whenever she watches videos about a color-blind person seeing color for the first time. I’ve only seen Alana cry a few times, and it hasn’t been in years. But Izzy. Crying over plates. Fuck me. I was shattered.
I never intended to be someone who hurt her. I wanted to make her smile. But when she did the math about the meals, how many plates we would use for dinner and how many leftover plates there would be when I left—double fuck me. The idea of leaving her, and Drew, ended me.
Part of me wanted to run away. Call Alana and demand she put me back on Honey Badger’s tour.
But the thought died almost as quickly as it was born.
I don’t want to leave.
When that fuckbag Facci hung over Izzy, I saw blood. I don’t go all growly and alpha mode often. I mean I know it’s a thing some of the other guys do, but it was never my thing. I didn’t get it. Until that moment.
But holy shit, when she snapped at the bride and demanded the debts be paid because of cake, I died.
A billion feelings welled up at once. I like her. I like her a lot. She’s funny and smart, but she’s been hurt. And now she’s scared. And all I want to do is protect her from pain.
I want her to feel good. Loved. Safe.
I take out the hotel room key from my pocket, and she gives me a glance. “You planned this?”
Shaking my head, I inform her, “I planned for a secure location on the premises in case something happened. I didn’t think I was going to need to protect the bride from you, though.”
Izzy rests her head on my shoulder. “See, that’s where you went wrong.”
The minute the elevator door opens, I usher her down the hallway and push open the door to the room, doing a quick walkthrough. Safe, secure. It’s pretty basic—bathroom, king-size bed in the center. Nothing spectacular—but it’s clean. And private.
Honey Badger would die if she was in a room like this. Alana might grumble about the lack of USB chargers. Izzy takes one step in, and her jaw drops. “This is like a rich person’s grown-up room. Look at that bed.”
Fuck. Yet another layer to her.
Teenage mom, living alone, making ends meet. Besides the family vacation to Disney, has she ever been on vacation? Is this her first time in a hotel room as an adult?
She’s missed out on way too much. And I’m gonna fix that, starting right now.
I pull her into my chest and whisper, “You’re adorable.” My fingers trace up her spine before resting at the base of her skull.
She tilts her head. “Adorable, willing to start a war over baked goods, and an expert on Bigfoot and his southern cousin the Skunk Ape.”
It’s a deflection, like she’s not one hundred percent comfortable right now. She doesn’t break away from my touch, but she’s still trying to figure out exactly what to do next.
I’ll play along. “Skunk Ape?”
“Yeah, he’s a bipedal humanoid Sasquatch who lives in the swamps of the south. There are entire documentaries and TV shows about people hunting him down. His most disgusting feature is his bad smell.”
“I find it impossible that something might smell bad in a swamp,” I say sarcastically. This is not exactly the sexy conversation I had hoped for. “But why don’t we watch one of those documentaries next week when Drew goes to bed.”
Her eyes light up as she throws her arms around my neck, pressing her body into mine. “I like everything about that.”
Good. Her breath hitches as I dip toward her lips. My forehead presses to hers, and her eyes haze over as they flutter shut. I move one hand to her hip, lacing the other through her hair at the base of her skull. We linger there, breathing each other’s air.
I expect her to pull away, but when she doesn’t, I take my chance. Our lips press together, soft and tentative, like we are waiting for the other to retreat. Her tongue flicks against my lips, and it’s all the go ahead I need. My fingers grip her head, holding her in place as our lips and mouths explore. She moans, and it sparks a feral craving inside of me to make her do it again.
Her hands work across my chest, up my neck, until they reach my hair. She moans again as my grip on her hip tightens. Her dress feels so soft against my hand, tempting me to touch as much as I can.
The idea hits me.
Oh, she’s about to have a great night.
I drag my mouth down her neck, raking my teeth against her soft tender skin. “Do you want me to stop?” I ask.
“No,” she gasps, with a slight edge of panic.
“Good.” I break my lips from her skin and say, “Go sit on the bed.”
Her eyes flash with excitement, and it’s like I can hear her thoughts, “It’s so fancy.” She sits, leaning back on her elbows, her arms holding her up. Her lips are swollen from our kiss, and pink flushes across her chest.
I open the plastic container with the chocolate cake as she watches me. “You’re going to eat this cake and talk all about the Skunk Ape while I do everything in my power to make you scream my name.”
Her jaw drops. “Um, the Skunk Ape isn’t exactly the sexiest cryptid.”
“I’m well aware. But this is about you.” I hand her the container and drop to my knees. She shivers as my hands slide up her warm thighs where her dress falls open. She stares at me, half disbelieving but mostly curious. “Go on.” I nod to the plastic container sitting open in her hands.
“What if I get icing in your hair?” she asks.
I can’t help but laugh as she hisses when I spread her thighs, splaying my fingers against her lush, soft skin. “Not a concern right now, Izzy.”
She moans as my lips kiss up her thighs. But I’m not sure if she’s reacting to the cake or my mouth. And it doesn’t matter. I want to hear it again.
Warmth radiates from her center. Hooking my finger around the string of her thong, I pull down the only barrier between us. She groans again as my fingers slide into her slick center. “Oh god.”
My thumb circles her clit. “Is the cake that good?”
“Uh-huh,” she moans, “the icing has chocolate chips.” Her body tenses as I slide my finger back to her clit then inside her again. Shit she’s so wet and tight. Her body shivers as my finger continues to pump. Between bites she gasps.
“I…I…” she starts.
“You okay?” I ask as she nods violently.
“Um, should I save you some?”
Holy fuck, she’s adorable. “I’m good,” I say as I flatten my tongue against her clit. She cries out. I need her to say it again. My cock is so fucking hard I feel like a teenager. It’s been far too long since I’ve gone down on a woman, and everything about this feels damn near euphoric. She grinds her pussy against my mouth, her knees press against my shoulders. One of her slippers falls off.
“Oh god, yes,” she cries in pleasure. “There.” I focus my attention on the spot she reacts to the most as her body starts to quiver. When I slide a second finger inside, her voice becomes raspy and high-pitched. “Yes, Lance.”
Good, it is me and not the cake. For a second, I had my doubts. I put one hand on her stomach, holding her down while my fingers curl upward, and my mouth sucks on her hard bud. Her breathing and cries become frantic. “Yes. Yes. Lance!” She cries my name as her body breaks around me.
I continue to lap up her excitement as she comes down from her orgasm. Her eyes are all dreamy, she flushes, and a drunken smile plays on her lips. She points to the plastic container next to her. “I saved you some.”
Kissing her, I taste her and chocolate. Hmm, that is good. She dips her fork into the cake and feeds it to me. Fuck, I am a sucker for sweets. Maybe it’s the consideration. Maybe it’s because she’s taking care of me when I want to only focus on her. But my stomach flips, and it has nothing to do with the food.
“Maybe this could be our thing,” she says as she takes another bite of the cake.
“Our thing?”
She nods. “Sure. Going down on each other while the other eats their favorite food.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I see flaws in your plan.”
“You do?” Her lower lip juts out in a pout. “What’s your favorite food?”
“Spicy chicken wings. Sauce will definitely get in your hair. And I’m sure you don’t want any follow-up activities with hot sauce on my fingers.”
She winces back, her eyes wide in horror. “Yeah, I see the problem now.” She lays back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
“But I love the enthusiasm.” Crawling up next to her, I pull her into my arms, enjoying how perfectly she fits there. I have two thoughts, as I cuddle her. It’s fun being around her. It’s not lust, or desire, or even intense feelings. Izzy is fun, and I like being around her. She could be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
Or this could destroy everything I’ve worked so hard to build.