36 | Georgia
HIS MOUTH TASTES like cheap whiskey and cigarettes.
I try to pull back, fully aware that I’d just put on that show solely to gain Henry’s attention and piss him off – and now I want to see the fruits of my labor. But Todd’s grip is too strong, jamming his lips against mine, with the smell of his cheap body spray engulfing us as he swiftly gropes my ass.
“Hey!” I yell, lips still squished to his, muffling my protests.
I look to where Henry was standing, half-expecting him to stride over and deck Todd in the face for groping me. But he’s not there. Scanning my eyes across the bar fervently, I finally spot him – just as the front door swings shut, with him on the other side.
“That was fun,” Todd grunts, his demeanor relaxed as we exit Stetson’s with his arm draped across my shoulders.
The sudden silence of the night, when compared to the hours of blaring country songs we just endured, is almost jarring.
“Yeah. Thanks for bringing me.” My tone is cold and distant as we drive off into the night, my mind wholly distracted by my interaction with Henry.
Is he being honest about not dating Natalia? Did Todd actually hit him on purpose? There’s no way. Was Henry jealous about me being with Todd? I hope so. That’s what he gets for–
Todd shifts his truck into a park outside of Eleanor and I’s apartment, yanking me back into reality.
“So, are you gonna invite me up?” he rasps, his eyes drooping and a confident smirk across his lips.
I open my mouth to respond, my expression incredulous, when his phone rings. The small screen in the center of his dashboard immediately illuminates the interior of the truck. Bold black letters reading NATALIA brYER flash across the screen, so bright it’s nearly blinding.
Oh my god.
My mind instantly flashes back to the qualifying game, when Natalia – decked out in her maroon and white cheerleading gear – stayed behind on the field after the big touchdown, a playful smile on her lips. The elusive nod she had aimed at Todd had confused me in the moment, but now makes perfect sense.
Henry was telling the truth.
“I-I’ve got to go,” I stammer, flinging open the car door and stumbling out onto the pavement.
“Wait, Georgia! What the hell–” Todd’s protests are cut off abruptly as I slam the passenger door shut.
I fight with my key in the door, praying to God that Eleanor is home to drive me to Henry’s.
I’m so freaking stupid trying to make him jealous. I should’ve listened to him. He never lied, he never cheated. God, he stormed out of the bar. What if he doesn’t want me anymore? Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
My heart pounds as I hurl the door open, the metal handle clashing against the wall and startling me.
“Eleanor!” I call as I step into the foyer, my mind racing and blood rushing to my ears. “El, are you home?”
“She went out.”
I practically break my neck twisting to face him, my keys dropping to the floor at the sound of his voice.
Henry.
The room is dimly lit as he leans against the doorframe to the kitchen, a few feet away. He’s still dressed in his button up and jeans from Stetson’s, his hair still perfectly tousled, but something is different. His eyes are reddened and swollen, as if he’s been crying.
“Why’d you go out with Watson? Let him kiss you?” he rasps, his jaw clenched as he pulls himself away from the door frame and steps towards me.
I had forgotten how tall he is, but am instantly reminded as his towering figure inches closer to my own.
“I-I told you,” I stammer, my breaking voice barely above a whisper. “I thought you were with Natalia–”
“You kissed him after I told you I wasn’t.”
I say nothing, my heartbeat pounding in my ears as I stare at his flushed cheeks. The crisp scent of his cologne intoxicates me as he moves closer, our chests now nearly touching.
“But I know what you did on that bull was for me.” A lazy, confident smirk forms across his lips as his darkened eyes meet mine. “You want me, Georgia.”
I scoff instinctively, immediately bringing my thumbnail to my lips as my nervousness heightens.
“Laugh all you want, Campbell – I know the truth. And so do you. You’ve wanted me since the first day we met.”
“Henry, I–”
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
I can tell he hasn’t had a single drink tonight. Henry’s gaze is pointed and sober as he waits for me to answer him. His muscular chest heaves up and down with each slow, labored breath, the heat from his body radiating over me in waves as his proximity pins me against the living room wall. He places his palms against the painted plaster and allows his knee to teasingly graze the inside of my thighs.
I let out a soft whimper, my core suddenly pulsating with need at the slightest touch from him.
“You’re not wrong–”
His lips are immediately on mine, slowly and intimately. The gentle contact of our lips, as if he’s savoring every millisecond of the kiss, starkly contrasts with our previous “interviews.” He kisses me deeply, passionately, hungrily – all while his lips barely caress my own.
“You taste so good,” he moans softly, his nose pressing against mine as he lifts me with one arm and pins me between the wall and his body.
“God, Henry–”
I groan breathily as he kisses down my neck, igniting a tingling feeling up my spine and between my legs.
“Please let me touch you,” he pleads, his breath hitching as his lips brush against my ear.
I nod my head urgently, my cheeks and chest growing hot and reddening.
He pauses for a moment, allowing his eyes to settle on my blushing cheeks. His lips are centimeters away from mine, still swollen from our kiss, and I feel the sensuous warmth of his breath as his gaze lingers on me.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispers, slowly pushing his hips into mine and allowing his erection to press against my pelvis. “Do you feel what you do to me?”
He doesn’t wait for my response as he urgently picks me up, thrusting me against the couch as he kneels between my open legs. A heated glimmer passes through his eyes as he catches sight of my red, lacy thong – a perfect match for the dress that has now ridden up to my hips.
“Watson could never do this,” Henry growls, his voice low and sultry.
“What, kiss me on the couch?” I tease, smirking at him as he lowers himself between my legs.
Why am I joking with him right now? Georgia, the man is a foot away from your pussy! Don’t screw this up!
“No,” he says, his tone sober. “Make you come on his tongue.”
He inches closer to the inside of my thigh and gently kisses it, his lips soft and moist. My breath stammers as his muscular hand grips onto my ass and desperately tugs me closer. In one swift motion, he tears my red panties down my legs and over his shoulder, sucking air sharply between his teeth as his eyes land on my naked pussy.
“I-I’ve never been able to cum like this before,” I stutter, gesturing slightly towards our position and becoming fully aware of just how exposed I am to him.
Him. Henry Anderson – captain of the TU football team, the man every girl wants. He’s here. With me. And I’m telling him that I’m about to disappoint both of us. So pathetic.
He smiles at me casually, his eyes shimmering with heat as they trail from my face down to my pussy in quick glances.
“I like a challenge.”