Chapter 55
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
ariana
“You’re going out?” Carter asks, brow furrowing as he shuts the door to the fridge.
I’ve just emerged from my room. I dressed up to look like I was going on a date. Skin-tight, pink dress (yes, intentional—don’t look at me like that. I want him to drool over me), gold heels, and handbag. I have my hair pulled back into a long, slicked-back, straight ponytail, full glam on my face.
“Yeah, I have a date.”
“With who?” he asks, leaning against the fridge.
“His name is Trey.” I intentionally matched with a Trey on a dating app and went so far as to get his number so that, if Carter pushes, I can prove he exists. I’m trying to be four steps ahead in this situation because one slip up can cost me everything.
“Yuck,” Carter cringes, crossing his arms. “Stupid name.”
“He’s a club promoter.”
He cringes harder. “God, I need to take you to therapy. Something is very wrong here.”
“You know how I operate,” I remind him, offering a little shrug.
“You don’t have to operate that way,” he grumbles. His blue eyes scan my face. “You’ve got to get over those fears one day, Ari. That’s not going to happen with a thirty-year-old club promoter.”
“Thirty-seven years old,” I correct.
“What the fuck?” He grimaces.
“I’m going to stay at his place for the night. Don’t wait up, alright? I’ll keep my phone on loud if you need me.”
“Okay,” he says, dipping his chin, but looking completely unhappy about it. “Thanks. Have fun…I guess. I don’t know what to say to you in these situations.”
“I’ll have lots of fun!” I promise, making him cringe for the third time. I wave as I head for the door, catching Arden’s eye from the couch. She doesn’t wave back or say goodbye. She just watches me, forcing a tight smile.
I slide out of the condo, immediately free from the pressure. I might be the world’s best liar, but I hate doing it.
Wrestling out a breath, I rush down to the lobby and walk half a block until I reach the corner of a dark street that cannot be seen from any of Carter’s windows.
I spot the black truck idling on the curb, waiting.
For me. I practically sprint to him, excited to see that face for the first time in weeks.
It’s been hell. I’m ready to rediscover heaven.
Boston is staring at me when I shut the door, expressionless, eyes roaming my body.
“What?”
His throat bobs. “Do we have plans that I don’t know about?”
“No, but I have to act like I’m being wined and dined so that he doesn’t get suspicious.”
Boston’s eyes slowly find my face again. “I’m supposed to…not fuck you in my truck when you look like that?”
I blink, heat rising through my body. “You can absolutely fuck me in your truck.”
His brow furrows, hand tightening on the steering wheel. “Two weeks and you show up in this, like I’m supposed to have restraint?”
I angle my head, recognizing the lust all over him. His eyes go dark when he wants me, just like they are now. My gaze darts down to his lap and he notices, but he doesn’t move to show me more or less of what he’s offering. I can’t see if he’s hard in the dark of the cab.
“I never asked you to restrain yourself.”
His eyes burn into my face for a second longer.
“Come here,” he orders and I’m across the cab in seconds. He hauls his seat back as I climb into his lap, my hands going to his jaw. I crush my mouth to his. I kiss him like I’ve been starved of him. There has been an emptiness without him in my life. Everything has felt hollow. I need to indulge.
His tongue slides into my mouth and I arch against his body. Can confirm, he’s hard. His hands drag down my back and glide along my thighs, trailing up the length of them and all the way back until his fingers slip slightly under my dress.
“I missed you,” I mumble against his mouth.
He leans his head against his seat, green eyes burning into mine through the darkness. His fingers trail upward. “Is that right? Should we see how much?”
I smile, loving that idea. His hands slide upward, deep under the fabric of my dress now, and then suddenly go still. His gaze darkens, head falling right back down to the seat. He groans when he finds no underwear blocking his path.
That might have also been part of the plan, right after the pink dress.
I hitch a breath, sitting back on his fingers, making him curse as I gently move my hips. His tongue wets his lips, eyes flickering to my face, and he nods curtly for me to continue. I move against him, still in the comfort of his lap.
One of Boston’s hands goes to my hip to keep me steady.
“Fuck,” he hisses. “Atta girl.”
I force my eyes open, losing myself at the look on his face.
Headlights sweep past the window, and we both freeze with momentary panic. We’re on a public street. We’re not alone. This is the opposite of what you do if you want to keep something a secret. Especially if you’re famous and this entire city knows your name.
I fight a smile, reaching forward to wrap my arms around his neck. He laughs into the skin of my shoulder, withdrawing his hand from under my dress. He kisses my shoulder instead, then my neck, promising what will come later.
“Pink is your colour. Anyone ever tell you that?” he says gently against my skin.
I reach up to trace his lips with my thumb, shaking my head. “You’re the first.”
His eyes scan mine. “Wear a coat next time. It’s November.”
We manage to make it home without pulling over. The second we’re inside, our clothes are torn off our bodies, making a long trail to his bedroom. He crawls on top of me the moment we’re on the bed, his kisses hungry and desperate.
When he pushes inside me, I swear in his ear at rapid speed, making him chuckle in that deep, hearty way that he does. He holds the small of my waist as he fucks me, which is my favourite move of his, and his eyes burn into mine with each stroke.
I slide my legs out from around him and move them up to his shoulders. His grin turns blinding. I intertwine my feet around his neck, and that completely sets him off. He goes faster, deeper, harder until I’m screaming out incoherent thoughts and praising his name like he’s a god.
“Fuck,” he grunts, his hips slamming against mine. “I love listening to you.”
I blubber out something pathetic and he reaches around my neck and hauls me to his mouth, rewarding me with a wet, open-mouthed kiss that does nothing to calm me down. I practically whine into his mouth, my brow furrowed, our gazes connected.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he says through his teeth. “That face will be my fucking undoing, I swear.”
I can’t help it, my mouth falls open, my brow furrows deeper, and I let out a disgruntled moan that sounds as desperate as I am to come.
“Fuck, Ari,” he grumbles, his stomach tightening. “You’re going to make me come.”
I nod rapidly and he groans, eyes burning into mine. He curses, moving to pull out, but I slap my hand onto his arm and desperately shake my head. His brow furrows, but it’s too late, a groan explodes from him, his thrusts get sloppy, and he climaxes while he’s still buried deep inside my body.
My body arches off the bed, the idea of it sending me right over the edge behind him.
I’m trembling when he falls beside me, catching his breath. He reaches for me instantly, like he always does, and presses his mouth to mine. “That was risky.”
“I have an IUD,” I remind him, my eyes fluttering shut. “But we don’t have to do that again if you don’t want to.”
He says nothing more about it, just kisses my head.
I pull myself completely to his side, throwing my leg over his, and let out a happy sigh when his hand slides up my thigh, traveling higher and higher until it’s between my legs.
He dips his fingers inside me and my breath hitches.
The groan that leaves him is enough to make me want to go for round two.
“Yeah, that might be the hottest thing in the fucking world,” he says in his deep, husky voice.
I smile, leaning up to kiss his jaw.
After a few moments of silence, I look up at him. “How’d the visit go with your brother?”
His hand trails up my shoulder. “Good. Really good. I love those kids.”
I smile. “Carter said Bennett had the time of his life.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “He’s going to be bragging to everyone on his team. I can see it now. Good kid? Yes. Modest? Not his strong suit.”
I laugh, nuzzling in closer when he starts making bigger sweeps up my body with his palm. “How was Kane?”
“Good. It was…a lot. I’m not going to lie, I was overwhelmed,” he admits. “But it was the first step toward…something. I don’t know. I loved hanging out with him again. I didn’t realize I missed him until I realized how badly I missed him, you know?”
“I can only imagine,” I say quietly.
“He’s a great dad. His kids are good kids. I’m pissed that we’ve been this distant for so long,” he says quietly, kissing my head again. “But onward and upward, I suppose. We’ll get there. One day at a time.”
“I’m happy for you,” I tell him, leaning back. His eyes dart down to mine, and I glance at his mouth and purse my lips, which he knows is a request. He bends forward to kiss me, slow and sweet.
“Thanks for being so good to me,” he says quietly, hand going to my jaw. He angles my head back. “It’s helped. Quieted all the doubt in my head. I feel better than I have in a long, long time, and it’s completely because of you.”
I smile gently, feeling that tug in my chest. “Thanks for trusting me.”
“I do trust you,” he admits, eyes searching mine. “I’m happy to have you in my life.”
I swallow. Me too.
“You’re remarkable,” he says, leaning down to kiss my jaw. My eyes slide shut. “Beautiful.” My collarbone then. “Strong.” A little further. “Smart.” A kiss to my shoulder. “Tough.”
“Boston,” I whisper.
He pulls back, eyes studying mine. “You are indescribable, sweetheart. They write songs about women like you.”
I swallow the knot in my throat, sliding my hand to his cheek. I trace his lips with my thumb, a strange and deep ache taking over.