Chapter 29
29
DAISY
“ Qu’est-ce que tu fais? C’est pas l’endroit pour ca .”
Bryce rolls her eyes and faces her mother. Like wiping marker off a whiteboard, she erases the entirety of her teasing demeanour with a single blink.
I wish it were that easy for me to let my feelings go. It’s already taking more than enough effort not to draw her back to me and kiss her again. Pretending to be completely unbothered in the face of her mother’s approaching wrath isn’t possible.
Keeping my arms crossed to form a boundary between me and the woman I desperately want to touch, I steel my spine.
“You didn’t tell me you would be here, Mom,” Bryce drones.
“Was I not welcome? Is this not your Daisy’s childhood home?”
Her Daisy.
“Of course you’re welcome here, Claudine.” It’s Mama who speaks, joining us with Mom in tow.
Claudine pauses and then quickly tucks her hair behind her ears, her posture erect in a prim and proper way.
“Hello, Rachel.” Her smile is small but honest, taking me by surprise. “Jennifer.”
Mama settles beside me and rubs my back in a show of silent support. “I’m glad you decided to join us today. Both me and Jen have been wanting to meet with you now that our daughters have found each other.”
It’s Mom who speaks next, her tone a bit sharper as her eyes fall on me. “Although, we sure would have loved to hear about their relationship from them instead of through the grapevine. It was quite a surprise when Josette called to let us know.”
Josette’s sitting in one of the camping chairs with her head back and eyes closed, completely naive to the silent promise I make to get her back for this.
I jut my bottom lip out just enough for Mom’s glare to weaken. “I was planning on doing it today.”
“Oh, I had no doubt about that,” Mama reassures me.
Leaning into her side, I give her a quick hug that she returns immediately. Bryce is making an obvious effort to not look my way now that Claudine appeared, and I release my mom when I catch her shifting awkwardly.
It’s instinct and a drive to soothe that has me reaching for Bryce and taking her hand, interlocking our fingers. She squeezes me so hard that I have to hide my wince, but I don’t for one second contemplate releasing my hold.
“I don’t know about you, Claudine, but I think my heart nearly exploded just now when I saw them together. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen our Daisy girl look so enamoured by someone,” Mama gushes.
Her statement takes me by surprise. Not because of how observant she is, but because I didn’t know I had been so obvious. Has Bryce noticed? Is it playing a part in why she’s always the first to break our kisses? To set a boundary?
I flush with embarrassment and stumble over my next words. “Don’t be so dramatic, Mama.”
“She’s only being honest. The both of you look very happy together,” Mom says, her eyes soft as she stares at me.
Bryce seems to snap out of whatever thoughts she was trapped within and flashes a close-lipped smile. For a reason that I won’t deny stems from my rapidly growing possessive instinct, I’m glad it wasn’t a toothy grin. I want those to be for me and nobody else.
Her palm is slick against mine when she lifts the back of my hand to her lips and drifts them across my knuckles. The hint of a spark in her gaze lights me up inside. “I won’t speak for Daisy, but I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
It sounds so real. So believable. My mind runs laps trying to figure out how it’s so easy for her to say these things and convince my silly heart it’s the truth.
“Me too,” I whisper, not caring if anyone but her hears.
Claudine clears her throat and fusses with her hair again. “I do not know yet. It feels so sudden.”
My breathing stutters. Bryce brings our hands to her chest, appearing unbothered. I search her face for any tell that she’s surprised by her mother’s comment or her lack of belief in our relationship, but her every thought and emotion are hidden behind an impenetrable wall.
“Believe what you want. It won’t change anything,” she says coolly.
Mom stares at her for a long, silent second before the corner of her mouth tugs up, and she nods in approval. The wink she shoots me has me huffing a laugh.
The look she gives Claudine, however, is not as lighthearted. It’s safe to say that her Mama Bear instincts have been awoken.
“Ultimately, we will always choose to believe and support our daughter. Even if I couldn’t see what I am with my own eyes, I still wouldn’t voice my doubt. Daisy has always been very sure of herself, and from the way we know Bryce, I’m confident that she is the same way. If not even a little more headstrong.”
Mama nods along with her wife. “We are very happy for the two of you. Hopefully, you’ll come by again soon so we can get to know you a bit more, Bryce?”
Bryce doesn’t hesitate. “Just say when. ”
My stomach flutters, and I blink to fight the sting behind my eyes. Maybe I’m close to getting my period, but her certainty hits me too deep. It picks at the scabs that have grown over the rejection and doubt I’ve been struggling with, making every wound fresh and sensitive.
As subtly as possible, I pull my fingers from Bryce’s and paste a smile on my face. “I just remembered that I have to make a phone call this afternoon. I’ll be right back.”
It’s a miracle my voice doesn’t shake as I lie. My moms don’t stop me as I head for the house, keeping my emotions hidden beneath a mask of nonchalance.
I don’t wait to hear if Bryce has stayed, and I tell myself that it doesn’t matter if she has. I’m not her real girlfriend, so she’s not obligated to check on me.
Once I pass the kitchen, the rest of the house is empty. Everyone’s too busy enjoying one of our last few days of semi-warm weather to bother with hiding inside.
Muscle memory guides me to my old bedroom, and I grip the door handle with a sweaty palm. With a swing, I send the door cutting through the air. Something smacks against it, and the force stops it in its tracks.
My eyes widen as Bryce sidesteps the door and enters my room with tension lining her every movement. I take two steps back, putting space between us that I don’t want. She narrows her eyes on my legs and closes the door, sealing us alone inside my room.
“They’re going to think something’s wrong now that you’ve followed me,” I ramble.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Daisy,” she begins, slowly dragging those piercing, angry eyes up my body until they dig into my face. “I don’t fucking care.”
My chest tightens to the point of pain, and I rub at it with the heel of my hand. “What’s wrong?”
“You first. ”
“I’m not the one who looks ready to rip someone’s throat out, Bryce.”
Her jaw tenses. “I want to rip something apart, Daisy, but it isn’t your throat.”
“What do you mean?”
“Tell me what’s wrong first. And don’t leave out the part where you explain the reasoning behind your disappearing act this week,” she demands.
My cheeks pulse with their own heartbeat. “You want to have this conversation at my parents’ house?”
She shrugs a shoulder. “We could have had it at home days ago, but you chose to avoid me instead.”
“You’ve avoided me before, too, in case you’ve forgotten.”
Her lips curl in a smug smile. “So you admit you were avoiding me, then.”
“I’m not in the mood for sarcasm,” I snap.
“Oh? What are you in the mood for then? Honesty? Because I sure as fuck am.”
Her lean legs eat up the space I created between us, and then she’s right in front of me, her hot, quick exhales caressing my nose. My swallow is audible, the only sound in the room besides our heavy breathing.
“You want honesty, yet you don’t tell me that you don’t want me to kiss you or that you aren’t comfortable with it. I asked you for your boundaries weeks ago, Bryce. You told me you had none, yet every time we kiss, I’m the one left feeling guilty afterward! Like I’ve taken advantage of you or forced you into something you’d rather never do.”
I’ve never seen her look so surprised, so much so that she stumbles back a step as her wide eyes blink rapidly.
Then, she’s laughing. It’s a low, hoarse sound that scrapes down my skin in a downright delicious, sexy way despite the cool meaning behind it. I’m a breath from begging her to laugh like that again when my head empties, only the drone of white noise remaining .
With a firm yet gentle grip, she grabs my hand, tugs her shirt down, and presses the bull’s horn on her chest. Her gaze is demanding, so completely focused on me that for a brief moment, I fear she’s actually stripped my skin off and can see all of my interior pieces and where she could fit between them.
“Stop thinking and feel , Daisy.” The order is soft but leaves no room for argument.
“Feel what?”
Oh.
The fierce pounding sensation against my palm is so obvious I should have noticed it instantly. My eyes fall to where my hand lies between her breasts, and I spread my fingers slightly, enamoured by how warm and smooth her skin is.
“It’s racing,” I whisper.
She strokes the pulse in my wrist that has to be just as wild. “Every time you look at me, touch me, or speak to me, this is what I feel, Daisy. Sometimes, it beats so fast that I’ve imagined it giving out because there’s no way it should be able to keep up with such a fucking disbelieving pace for hours on end.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I ask, trying desperately to piece it together myself but failing. “I’m really trying not to speak out of place here, but this isn’t funny. If you’re joking, or think I’ll be okay with pretending in private, or saying things that we don’t mean just to, what? Learn how to behave as the characters we’re playing in public? I’m not. I’m really, really not.”
Tucking loose pieces of hair behind my ear, she traces the shell of it. I shiver, and she does it a second time, testing my reaction. This time when my body shakes, she cups the back of my head and holds me steady.
“For someone so fucking smart, Daisy, you’ve done a great job of jumping right over my explanation and creating one of your own.”
I try to pull free of her again, but she doesn’t let me go this time. One strong tug and we’re even closer, her nose bumping mine on purpose.
“The next time you try and pull away from me, I’m going to tie you to that frilly pink bed of yours and keep you there for as long as it takes for you to understand what I’m saying,” she warns.
“And then what?” I’m so breathless it’s more of a moan than a dare.
“Don’t push me.”
Anticipation zips up my spine, an electric buzz building in my veins. “If I don’t, then who will?”
Her grin is playful but with a dangerous edge. A recipe for disaster that I’m suddenly starving to try.
“Sit on the bed for me, and I’ll explain a few things to you, Sunshine,” she coaxes, the pet name making my toes curl into the plush carpet.
My limbs are heavy with anticipation as I follow her instructions and perch on the edge of the mattress, spine straight and head high.
Having shed her vest someplace between the back door and my bedroom, she’s in only a tight long-sleeve and jeans. Slowly, with a calm sense of control, she slides the sleeves up her forearms, exposing the endless swirls of designs previously hidden.
My attention lingers on the tattoos before drifting up the length of her arms and to the tight stretch of fabric spread across her chest. It’s still moving as rapidly as when it was beneath my palm.
“You have an impressive imagination, Daisy,” she says, prowling to the bed.
“Is that so?”
A dirty smirk. “Yeah, it is.”
“Explain how.”
“You want me to explain so many things. Where exactly do you want me to start?”
“From the beginning,” I answer instantly .
She pauses, and I only worry for half a second that I’ve pushed too hard before she continues toward me. I spread my legs without thinking twice about it, and she settles against the stretching fabric of my skirt with a similar lack of hesitation.
“Remind me where the beginning is,” she murmurs.
Eyes falling to watch my mouth, she sets her hands on either side of my body and bends down. I lean back at the same time, allowing her to guide me down on the mattress. My heart rate spikes when I realize I’m lying beneath her.
She’s gone in a blink, standing over me with this . . . this feral dominance that has my panties damp and sticking to my pussy. My chest is heaving so hard I lose sight of her behind it.
“The beginning, baby. Remind me where that is,” she repeats herself.
It’s impossible to answer when I feel the first tease of her fingers on my hip. Every hair on my body rises as I tremble in anticipation of her next touch.
It’s lower. So, so much lower. A hot palm cups my ankle, and I gasp. It doesn’t move any higher.
“Admit you were jealous of me being out in the middle of the night,” she says, realizing I’m in no shape to be starting this conversation.
At this point, is it even going to be a conversation? Because right now, I’ll be more than happy to let it go as long as she doesn’t stop touching me. We can figure everything out afterward.
I dig my elbows into the mattress and push myself up enough to meet her gaze as she kneels in front of me. The soft fabric of my dress is long enough to hide where her hand remains on my ankle.
“What do I get in return?” I ask on a shaky exhale.
Interest sparks in her eyes despite her blank stare. “What makes you think you’ll get anything?”
“We can both get something. A truth for a reward.”
“Fine. ”
“Fine?”
She hums low in her throat. “Don’t make me change my mind.”
I nod once and pinch the collar of my shirt, hating how restricting it feels in this moment.
“Yes, I was jealous. I never saw you, and I wanted to,” I admit.
She listens with intense focus, soaking in every word before pushing her hand up my leg. Her arm disappears beneath my skirt, and she sweeps her thumb across the sensitive skin of my inner thigh once she stops inching higher.
“Why would you ever think that you’ve forced me into anything?” she asks next, halting her movements.
I frown. A blistering puddle of want has flooded my core, and it poisons my thoughts, making me more agitated by her lack of exploration. Even as I spread my legs and stretch my skirt to the point of risking a tear, she doesn’t touch me further.
“That’s two questions for me and none for you,” I state tightly.
“Just ask me what you want. Don’t wait for approval first. You already have it.”
“Were you jealous when you found out Kiki was in my room?”
It’s not what I should have asked first. If she changes her mind and takes away my ability to have a question answered, I’ll have wasted an opportunity to learn about more important topics. But in this moment, I need to know this more.
“Her name is Kristen when I’m between your legs, Daisy,” she scolds, her eyes digging into mine with blunt possession.
I roll my lip between my teeth, arousal blossoming with her words. “You’re not really between my legs.”
“Is that where you want me to be?” she purrs before a rush of cool air envelops my opposite ankle. Another inch of my skin is bared as the skirt rises further. “Would you like me to push your skirt up to your hips? ”
“Answer me first.”
Fire lines her eyes, and I fear I love their heat on my skin too much to ever go back to a time without it.
“Yes, I was fucking jealous.”
A thrill runs through my chest and between my legs. “Take your reward, then.”
“This is my reward.”
I furrow my brows. “What?”
She doesn’t answer with words. One minute, my skirt is draping over her arm, and the next, it’s scrunched at my hips. I’m bare from the waist down except for my thin, sheer pink panties. From the cool breeze between my legs, I know I’ve soaked them completely.
“If you want to reward me, Daisy, offer me a taste of this pussy.”
My elbows give out, and I fall down to the mattress with a whimper. It’s both approval and an outright plea. I dig my toes into the carpet and push my legs even further apart, offering her exactly what she wants.
“Take more than a taste, Bryce. Please,” I moan, writhing beneath her gaze.
My breasts are heavy, nipples beaded and tight to the point of pain as they rub against the padding of my bra.
“I’m not done with you. Not by a long fucking shot. But if I don’t get my mouth on you right now, I’m going to lose it, baby.”
“Please,” I whine, struggling to breathe. “I ache, Bryce . . . please take it away.”
Spitting a curse, she curls her fingers beneath the sopping wet fabric of my panties and tugs them to the side, exposing me completely. One puff of her breath on me and I’m curling upward off the bed and gasping.
My eyes roll back at the first swipe of her tongue over my slick skin. A second follows before she shuffles closer and spreads me with two fingers. I’m exposed in the most intimate way, and I’m at peace with that. It feels right, like Bryce is the one I’m supposed to be here with.
“Look at you,” she whispers while tracing the shape of my entrance with a gentle finger. “So wet you’re dripping onto the carpet.”
I moan at the dirty words and spread my arms out on the bed. I’ve always been vocal in bed, but not usually with words.
I’m powerless to the sounds she yanks from deep in my soul when she licks me again, this time going slow enough to explore and learn what I like best. Circling my tightening hole with the tip of her tongue, she hums and then slicks her finger up with my arousal. She eases it inside, and I lurch up on the bed, grabbing her hair in a savage hold.
She groans, eyes flicking upward, immediately finding mine. Holding my gaze, she pumps her finger inside of me and swirls her tongue around my clit once before flicking it gently.
“Fuck!” I shout, tugging her hair so hard I’m surprised she doesn’t cry out in pain.
“You like my tongue on your clit, baby? That feels good for you?”
“Yes! Yes, do it again. Please,” I beg, a powerful release already prowling beneath the surface.
“Tell me why you think I don’t want to kiss you.”
My face crumples with disappointment. “Please, Bryce.”
She stops everything, and I cry out, bucking up to try and relieve the pressure inside of me.
I blow out a breath. “Because you pull away and hide your emotions from me the moment we’re done. The night you were sick, you reminded me it was just practice. It was like I was the only one who wanted something more and wasn’t satisfied with only a few minutes.”
Two fingers slide inside of me, and then she’s dragging the length of her tongue over my clit and stroking it with a rewarding, consistent pressure. Bliss rolls through my body, transporting me to another universe .
“You have no idea how wrong you are.”
“So tell me, then.” My voice cracks and morphs into a cry when she curls her fingers to stroke deep and high.
The pace of her licks picks up, and then she’s flicking my clit quick enough for my vision to flash with white. Everything happens so fast. I arch off the bed, and Bryce plunges her fingers faster, skilled in the way she never loses my G-spot despite my frantic squirming.
The bed could disappear beneath me, and I wouldn’t notice. Not when an orgasm the strength of a world-splitting earthquake sends me soaring high above it.
Yet even as my brain melts and resolidifies in a matter of seconds, I don’t miss her next words, and I’ve never been so grateful for anything ever.
“If I wasn’t the one to pull away, I’d have kept you trapped in my bed with me for hours, kissing you until your lips were swollen and sore. I wasn’t reminding you that it was just practice. I was reminding myself because if for even one minute I let myself believe otherwise, this fake agreement would be done, and you’d be gone before I’d even had you for one real moment.”