Chapter 16 Sutton
Sutton
I’m in awe. She’s hella smart. Like, really smart.
And it’s such a fucking turn-on. There’s no doubt she went to a university somewhere; that type of knowledge and brain power doesn’t just show up in anyone.
I swear I learn more from her than I do anyone else.
I could probably learn more from her than I did in school. On the days when I turned up anyway.
She cuddles up on the seat next to me, making herself smaller than she is.
Which is crazy, given how little she is.
All of five-foot-nothing, like a little Tinker Bell, and I feel like an ogre beside her.
I turned on the heated seats, and I think she’s enjoying that.
It isn't too cold, but we’re all wet, and I still feel water running down my cheeks and back.
Damn, when she touched my face a moment ago, I could’ve sworn I felt my heart stop.
It’s never done that before. I’ve never felt that with another woman, especially from such a simple touch.
“Hungry?” If the sounds from her stomach are any indication, I’d guess she is.
“A little,” she says softly.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked on your pizza, so I just got pepperoni.”
“What?” She sits up a little, her eyes a mix of confusion.
“It's James’ fault. He started talking about pizza slices in math homework tonight, and I can’t eat two pizzas myself.” It’s a lie; I can. I could down those suckers easily.
A shout of excitement from the back seat has me chuckling. “Yes! Thanks, Sutton.”
As I turn down their dirt road, the forest covers us. With the rain clouds thick in the sky, the journey is even scarier than last time. No birds singing, no sunlight filtering through. Just rain, clouds, and the dark forest. It’s spooky as hell.
She’s quiet, clearly in her head. Is it a bad idea?
Probably. I should be keeping my distance, but I can’t.
I should be planning my re-emergence into LA, looking at which project Bobby has lined up, figure out what I want to do with my future.
But none of that holds my interest like she does.
I’ve watched her for weeks, spoken to her almost daily, and now, as I edge toward her home for the second time, I know no one else comes here and the fact that she's letting me in speaks volumes.
She isn’t scared of me, but she’s hesitant. I get it. I’m a lot. My name is well known, my face even more so. I have people trying to find me, and I’m on the cover of magazines. She wants quiet, doesn’t want to be found. She doesn’t want to be seen.
But I see her. Innocent, beautiful, enticing.
Not caring who I am, even though she knows exactly what my fame level is.
Never once has she or James asked for a photo or an autograph like the rest of the town has.
She could probably get me to sign something and sell it online to make money—she needs it.
But she doesn’t. She’s never treated me any differently than the usual patrons who come to the diner and I like that.
She likes me for me, and I like her for her.
“I’m starving.” James opens his door the minute I pull up to their cottage, and with his bag on his back and the pizzas in his hands, he jumps from the truck and runs through the rain and inside. Nikki laughs, her face lighting up seeing him happy.
I turn to her. “He’s a great kid.”
“He really is. Thank you, Sutton. Really, thank you.” She’s watching me, and I notice a thread of wet hair stuck to her face.
Lifting my hand, I brush it away, caressing her skin, trailing my finger down her jaw.
She swallows audibly, the movement of her neck smooth and delicate just like the rest of her.
“Anytime.” I mean it, even though my voice sounds like gravel. My gaze hits hers, then moves to her lips and back again. Fuck, I want to kiss her.
“You know… Hawaiian pizza was actually invented in Canada by a Greek chef,” she whispers, her eyes darting from my lips to my eyes and back again, following the same movement mine just made. Wanting my lips closer to hers, I lean forward, just a little. God, the things I could do to this woman.
“Really? I didn’t know that.” There she goes again with her random facts that are fast becoming like an aphrodisiac to me.
“It’s said that—”
“Are you coming? I’m staaaaarrvvvving!”
We pull back, startled, hearing James yell over the rain. I spot him at the front door, looking right at us, and I huff a laugh.
“Let me get your door.” Before she can reply, I open my door, running in the rain around to her side, needing the water to cool me down before I lift her out. She squeals a little at the cold rain thrashing down on us, her hands holding on to my shoulders tight.
“It’s cold!” She shrieks with laughter before I hear her snort that has me grinning. Makes me smile every fucking time.
“And wet.” I put her on her feet in front of me, but I don’t move my hands; they feel permanently connected to her waist. Her hands don’t drop from me either as we both stand there, rain pelting down, her hair and mine now almost plastered to our faces.
My smile falters as my gaze turns hungry.
I look down at her, seeing her eyes sparkle up into mine, small water droplets on the ends of her long lashes.
Her breathing escalates as her fingers slide up to the back of my neck.
Her hands on my body are everything. I watch a rain droplet glide down her cheek before it curves toward her mouth.
It trickles over her top lip, before it slowly slips over her bottom.
The sight is the last tease I need, especially when her fingers dig into my neck and her breathing grows faster.
“Fuck it.” I step forward, my lips colliding with hers immediately.
I feel her stiffen in my hands for a millisecond before her body melts into my hold.
Wrapping my hands around her waist, I pull her body tight against mine as hers thread into the hair at my nape.
I groan as my tongue lashes hers, relishing her breathy moan in response.
Sliding my hands down her back, I cup her ass and lift her to me, her legs automatically circling my waist as I lean us against the side of the seat, her door still open, the interior of the car now also wet.
As I kiss her hard, she gives as good as she gets.
Her lips are warm and soft, her hands running over my shoulders, making me feel like a wanted man.
I’ve kissed a lot of women. Too many, probably.
But never in the rain. I’ve never been this needy for them and never taken them as furiously as I’m kissing Nikki right now.
I should be embarrassed by how much I want her.
“Come on!” James yells again, and we both pull apart quickly, panting. I almost forgot he was there waiting for us.
“Shit.” We look up, and I say a silent prayer that he can’t really see us, the open truck door blocking his view.
“Sorry…” She drops her legs quickly, and I step back, giving her room.
“Nothing to be sorry about, Tinker Bell. I’d do that again in a heartbeat.” I push her wet hair off her face again, just so I can cup her jaw. Preventing her from hiding from me, I tilt her face up to meet mine.
“Yeah?” she breathes out like she doesn’t yet believe me.
“Yeah,” I confirm. That was one hell of a taste and my appetite for her isn’t wavering.
A dazed smile shines up at me. “Me too.” And then she ducks under my arm and sprints inside, making me laugh.
Still chuckling, I grab the bikes, placing them under the cover of the porch on the side of the house, feeling like I’m on cloud fucking nine.
I run back to the truck, getting a sweater I have in the back before looking around quickly, seeing nothing, no one.
All the lights are on inside, and as I step up to her front door, immediate warmth and a welcoming feeling hits me.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from the outside, since this little cottage is old, and the inside, it isn’t much better, but she has made it nice.
I spot a small sofa and an armchair, a little side table, and a larger table, where James is getting the pizzas organized.
It’s small, could do with some rugs or other fixtures, but it’s cozy.
“Here.” Nikki passes me a towel as I kick off my boots by the door, where hers and James’ both sit. “I’m gonna get the fireplace going.”
I watch her as I scrub my hair, again looking at the kindling, pushing it around, moving it just right for it to light up, before putting on a small log.
There’s something about open fires. The way the light flickers around the room or the way the crackle hits my ears immediately lowering my shoulders.
I’m still watching her as she stands and walks back to where I am. Something about me has her balking.
“What?” I look down at myself to where her eyes burn into my chest and see my white t-shirt soaked through and completely sticking to my body.
“Shit. Mind if I take it off?” I pull the wet material from my frame before she replies because I can’t leave it on; it’s like I plucked it straight out of water.
“Ummm… ohhhhh… sure.” Her cheeks turn vibrant red.
Lifting it off my shoulders, I step outside to the porch and wring it out.
When I come back inside, she’s in the same spot, staring at me, and I grin a wicked grin.
I know I look good. It may be arrogant, but I work hard on my physique every day.
I’m glad she’s just as attracted to me as I am to her.
I step toward her as I hear James clattering around in the kitchen, but her eyes don’t move from me, and I see her swallow. I like her eyes on my body and take delight in putting my fingers to her chin and lifting her gaze to meet mine.
“Do you mind if I hang this in front of the fire to dry?”
“Mm-hmm. Sure. Here, let me.” She grabs my wet t-shirt and lays it out on her small drying rack near the fire, and I towel off before I grab my sweater and pull it on. It gives me the coverage and warmth I need before I sit down to eat.
“Now can we eat?” James’ patience is running thin as he nearly huffs at the end of his question. Someone’s hangry for the pizza.
“Sure, honey.” Nikki smiles, and we all take a seat.
It smells amazing, and James dives straight in, grabbing a slice and putting it on a plate before picking up his cutlery.
I pause, watching as Nikki does the same thing, the two of them placing their paper napkins across their laps delicately, their table manners better than anyone's I’ve seen. And it's just pizza.
They both cut into the pizza with their cutlery, taking small bites like they’re eating at The Ritz or something. Nikki’s eyes close, and I swear I hear her moan, the sound zinging around my body.
“Why aren’t you eating?” James takes my attention from his sister.
“Better question. Why are you eating pizza with a knife and fork?” I know, of course, because these small snippets further cement to me where they come from. And it’s not poverty. They have refined table manners, similar to what I’ve seen in Europe or when out for a fancy dinner.
“Oh.” Nikki pauses, looking at James with wide eyes before looking back at me.
“Habit.” She shakes her head like it’s nothing before placing her utensils down and grabbing her pizza with her hand.
It’s clumsy, like she’s never done it before.
I look at James, who watches his sister, like he’s trying to understand how to do it, before he follows suit and grabs the slice with his hand.
“So… much… better…” He moans as he eats the slice like he hasn’t seen food in days. The sight of them both has me suppressing a laugh, happy to see them loosening up a little.
As I pick up my slice, I feel Nikki’s eyes on me. My little Tinker Bell is a mystery, one I really want to unravel… with my tongue.