24. Chase
24
CHASE
T he feel of Melody in my arms is like a phantom ghosting my skin and haunting my dreams. She danced with me tonight like she belonged there.
I can’t sleep. I’ve gotten so used to having her in the same room with me that it feels off not having her with me. I miss her noises and occasional light snoring. It takes all the effort I have not to go knocking on her door and demand to sleep in her room, if only just to be next to her.
Having her here has been a distraction from memories of my mother and wondering if her killer is walking around free. Truthfully, anyone could have done it, despite my certainty that my dad and his new bride were behind it. All the guests looked like they could be guilty as they came over to offer their congratulations. Why they felt the need to congratulate me on my dad’s marriage, I couldn’t say. It wasn’t my wedding, and I wouldn’t have attended if I wasn’t obligated to. But each one brought her death up to me, and it was exhausting.
They only thing that kept me sane was seeing Melody there in that blue dress that hugged her curves and dipped low down her back. It had me envisioning just how I would pull that dress off her.
A knock comes at my door, and I frown, looking at the time. It’s nearing 3 am. Who the hell would be here now?
Groaning with exhaustion, I pad over to the peephole and see a makeup-less Melody wearing those sleep shorts that drive me nuts and thin tank top. My cock responds, jumping up in my gray sweatpants.
“Did I wake you?”
“No. Are you okay?” I ask, letting her in while attempting to hide my emerging hard on at seeing her.
“I had a nightmare.” She admits, chewing on her bottom lip. A habit that has me wishing I was the one biting into that plush lip of hers. “Can I… would you mind if I sleep in here?”
Fuck. I should turn her away, but seeing her like this, I can’t refuse her. I gesture at the full-sized bed for her to make herself at home. She snuggles down beneath the comforter looking relaxed, pink hair fanning across the white linen pillows.
“Are you going to join me?” She asks, and fuck I need to get a handle on this erection before I come in my pants or do something else embarrassing from just being this near to her. We might share a room, but now she’s in my bed. Under my covers. Looking at me with those deep blue eyes.
“Melody, if I get in that bed, I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself,” I warn.
She swallows hard. “That’s okay. If you wouldn’t mind, I just need you to hold me. Until my body calms down. Please.” Her blue eyes that I love so much look like they’re seconds away from spilling over.
Shit. I get in beside her and she settles against me, her back pressed against my front like a missing piece finding exactly where it fits. I run my hand down her bare arm, trying to calm her shaking body.
“It feels weird you know?” She says after a moment.
“What does?”
“Well all this time, I knew technically that you’re my stepbrother, but tonight with the wedding, it just feels more— official.”
That word grates against my soul. A reminder of how I can’t have the one person that’s wormed her way into my heart. How ironic. Chase Milford, perpetual fuckboy finally falls for someone and it ends up being his stepsister. Fuck my life.
“Do you want to tell me about the nightmare?”
She sighs, “I was drowning again. And no one was coming to save me. I kicked and kicked as panic clawed into me. I couldn’t escape until I woke up with a gasp, drenched and shaking. I know I shouldn’t have come here, but my body wouldn’t stop shaking.”
“You can come to me anytime, Melody.”
She sighs and I continue running my hand up and down her arm. It takes so much restraint to not do more, but I’ll take what little crumbs I can.
“Chase?” God, I love the way she says my name.
“Yeah?”
She turns enough that I can see her eyes glistening with tears. Her breath smells like toothpaste and I find myself tucking a stray hair behind her ear. I’m still buzzed from all the drinks I’ve consumed.
“I don’t want to stay away from you anymore.” Everything inside me stills at her words. “I know what people say and how they react, and I don’t want to live my life beholden to how other people want or expect. I want to be happy, and I haven’t been happy since we decided to only be friends. I can’t be happy when all I want is to kiss and touch you whenever I want to.”
Her eyes search my face and it’s like everything pauses. It’s just her and me in this moment.
“Melody, I’ve never stopped wanting you. But I can’t do this if you’re just going to get cold feet and rip it away from me again. If you want me, you’re mine. End of.”
She raises her hand to my face, and I close my eyes at her touch. “Look at me, Chase.”
I do and fuck I’m a goner as I see her tuck her lip behind her teeth, her nerves on clear display. It’s unbelievably cute and endearing. “I messed up. I shouldn’t have gotten scared before. I was worried it would affect school, and my future. But my future doesn’t matter if I’m miserable. I want this. I want us. I want what we could be together.”
“Together.” I repeat, running my thumb along the bottom of her lip.
She flicks her tongue against the pad of my thumb, and I move on her, pulling her against me and taking her mouth with mine. She melts into me and I roll her onto her back, hovering over her body by placing my weight on my elbows.
“I’m never letting you go again.” I kiss down her neck and she moans. “Tell me this is really what you want. Tell me this is real.”
“It’s real. I want you, Chase. I want you so fucking much it hurts.”
The desperation for her overwhelms me and I impatiently yank her sleep shorts to the side finding her soaking wet. Leaning down I free my hard dick from my sleep pants and shove into her.
We both groan as I fill her up with my length.
“Fuck, princess. I missed this. I miss the way your tight pussy squeezes my dick. Not being able to touch you or fuck you all this time when I know how good you feel Do you know how many times I fucked my own hand to the thought of you beneath me?”
She shakes her head no and moans as I thrust in hard.
“So many times, I lost count.”
“I thought of you too. When I thought you were asleep, I’d reach beneath the covers and touch myself, remembering how good you fill me up, and wishing I could just go over and ride your cock.”
“Then ride me now,” I say, rolling us so that I’m beneath her. Her pink hair spills over her shoulder and she begins to move up and down on my length.
I yank her tank top down to expose her breasts licking her pert nipples one after the other and then biting down hard enough to leave a mark. She moans loudly, grinding her pelvis down onto mine. Her pussy grips me so hard I see stars as I thrust up into her.
“Just like that, princess. Don’t stop.”
She keeps a steady rhythm, bringing our pleasure to a symphonic crescendo. My balls tighten threatening to release inside her. I can’t stop it, she feels so good and I’ve been waiting so long to feel her again.
“I’m about to come,” I warn.
“Mmm, good. Fill my pussy up with it. I want to feel you.”
“Oh, fuck.” My hips jerk wildly, bucking hard up into her. With a roar I unleash everything I have and she takes it so fucking well.
She follows me, crying out my name as she shatters. I watch every expression on her face, memorizing it. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.
“Fuck, baby, that was—” I can barely catch my breath.
“It really was.”
I pull her against me and she lays her head on my chest right above my heart, right where she belongs. And I’m never letting her go again.