17. Pearl Necklace
PEARL NECKLACE
AUbrEY
I wake up the next day alone.
Yes—ALONE.
But not because I wanted to.
Definitely not because my vagina wanted me to.
But because Liam wanted me to…
And God—I’m very conflicted about that right now.
I know it was the right choice—I realize it’s not wise for us to jump right back into bed together.
There are so many things we still need to talk about, something significant I need to tell him. But we both are avoiding it. Even him—he hasn’t mentioned his overdose, what happened that night. Hasn’t admitted that he is still very clearly in love with me.
Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt—it’s a river that Liam and I are drowning each other in.
We don’t mean to avoid it; we just don’t want to hurt one another again. We are desperate to leave the pain behind. But can there really be a future without it?
How long can we evade it before it catches up with us?
My body fucking aches. My mind is a torment of thoughts.
I’m so fucking desperate for release, to let go of all this pent-up need. Maybe then I can think clearly and can figure out whatever the hell it is I want.
Do I want to tell him? Can he handle the truth?
I don’t want to think of the implications or complications. Not right now.
Not today—today, I need release.
The heat at my core is throbbing, wild, untamed, desperate. I know if I don’t do it myself, then I might get in my car and drive over to Liam’s. Push him against the wall. Feel the hardness of his want against me.
Fuck, I’m so wet just thinking about it.
I reach into my nightstand and pull out my vibrator, praying it’s charged.
Thankfully, it comes to life and buzzes in my hand as I place it at my center. My head pushes into my pillow as my back arches. I spread my legs impossibly wider, my eyes slam close. God, I’m already so close.
I blame Liam.
Oh, I shouldn’t be thinking of him right now. I can’t help it, though. Because it’s him that’s making me this wet, it’s him who I really want, who I’m imagining.
My makeshift Liam continues to work over my sensitive areas. My toes curl as I feel an orgasm building.
I’m so close.
So fucking close.
Then I can taste him. His lips over mine. His finger as it slides between my teeth, his salty taste coating my tongue. I sigh, thinking about how hard he had been when I climbed on top of him nights ago—his finger in my mouth, pressing deeper as he watched me gag on it with sultry eyes.
Oh my God, I’m gonna come just thinking about his fucking finger in my mouth.
My body contracts, and my mouth falls open, practically screaming out Liam’s name.
I ride my orgasm all the way to the end—seriously contemplating another round—but then the fucking thing dies.
My mind instantly thinks of Liam, how much more satisfying he would be, how perfectly he stretches and fills me. I’m already aching for more when there is a knock at my door.
My pulse flutters in my neck as I shove my vibrator back into its drawer. I fly to my door, ignoring the wetness rubbing against me as I open it.
June smirks.
Oh, she knows. She totally fucking knows.
Although I couldn’t care less. This is payback for all the times I’ve heard suspicious sounds from her or Rory’s room.
“Liam a little rusty?” She quips, raising her brows, then looking toward my nightstand.
“You really need a new vibrator because that thing is fucking loud. I can hear it downstairs.”
But then Rory is behind her, pushing my door open.
“Damn!” she curses when she finds out I’m alone. “I was totally hoping I would catch him naked!”
My mouth drops open at her.
“Why—exactly—do you want to see Liam naked?”
Rory shrugs. “I’ve always wondered who’s bigger. Liam, Brennan, or Reid.”
Something about hearing my baby cousin talk like this suddenly appalls me, and I’m no longer burning with desire.
I stare blankly as June chuckles her response, “Totally, Brennan.”
Rory shakes her head, “Nah, my money is on Liam.”
Why are we talking about this? After I just spent the whole morning—
“And why do you think, Liam?” I ask sharply.
Rory replies with a casual, “I don’t know…
He gives off—” she makes a face, thinking it through like it’s some universe-altering conclusion, “Big-dick energy?” She sighs heavily and then, “But I gotta say, Brennan’s gotta be giving him a run for his money.
Damn thing took my breath away when I walked in on you two—” Rory slaps a hand over her mouth, eyes double in size as she slowly turns to June, who screeches:
“YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN’T SAY ANYTHING, RORY!”
God, it is too early for one of their fights.
“I already know, June.” I quickly intervene. Rory halts her retreat to her room as I add, “I’m not mad, just a bit upset you felt like you couldn’t tell me. But I’m not mad.”
June shakes her head, “Brennan and I aren’t hooking up anymore. So no need for us to talk about it.”
She never apologizes for lying. Just moves around the room like it’s nothing to her.
One thing about June Vaughn is that I’ve never heard her say she’s sorry. That would mean that she was wrong, that she isn’t perfect.
Of course, she’ll never admit that.
And while I wish I could say I was surprised to hear the news, I know both my cousin and Liam’s roommate aren’t really the dating type—I knew it was only a matter of time before they got bored with each other.
Rory looks at June, as if silently asking if he’s fair game.
“Absolutely not,” I declare, shutting down any ideas Rory might have about…entertaining Brennan.
June thinks it over, but eventually shakes her head. “I think you’d better not. It’s already complicated enough.” June looks at me. “But…his soon-to-be stepbrother, he’s the goalie on the team, he’s like six-five,” June mentions as she starts looking through my shoes.
Rory makes a face, shaking her head, “Aren’t goalies weird?”
June snorts, “Like you aren’t?"
Rory’s face twists, like she wants to be offended, but then just shrugs away June’s jab with, “I prefer…unique. Or, one-of-a-kind.”
June and I shake our heads in unison.
After a second, June scolds, looking me up and down, “Um, hello, why aren’t you getting dressed?”
“What? WHY?”
“I knew you would forget!” Rory says, folding her arms over her chest. “You even told your mom you wouldn’t, but you totally did. Dickmatized by Liam!”
Dickmatized? Well, that’s a new one.
But then a cold sweat rushes over me—the fucking Thanksgiving Gala…
My mouth drops open. I completely forgot all about it—I didn’t get measured for my dress, and now it’s only two days away.
June puts her hands on my hips. “I knew you wouldn’t remember, so I gave Cynthia your measurements from last year. You’re welcome!”
Thank God for June. I exhale.
“Come on, get dressed!” Rory instructs.
“Wait!” I sit up and head toward my bathroom to shower. “Where’s Reese?” I ask, looking between them.
She texted last night and said she wouldn’t be home. But she never elaborated why…or where she was staying.
My jaw sets as my brain comes up with some not-so-creative ideas of what she might be up to. But I shake my head. Reese wouldn’t be hiding anything from us. She’d never lie.
Rory looks at her phone, “She’s meeting us there.”
June, Rory, and I stand on the curb by the main entrance of the mall.
Our arms are each crossed over our chest, eyes narrowed as Reid’s truck pulls up.
His windows are tinted dark, making it hard for us to make out their forms inside.
When Reese climbs out, she calls back, “Don’t forget, you need a tux.”
Reid rolls down his window, eyeing Reese as she pulls her hair back into a ponytail. He leans over the passenger seat, “Did you sleep well last night, Hearteater?” He throws his head back and laughs.
God, I wish I had.
“No—your dumbass friend dropped me off and went home.”
He shakes his head, eyeing Reese as he questions, “I’ll see you tonight?”
Reese smiles and nods as he drives away.
“Lord, have mercy!” Rory drops to her knees, pretending to worship the ground. “The sins I would commit for that man! Lord help me!” She signals the cross mockingly, smacking her hand on the concrete.
We all watch in stunned silence. What is wrong with her? I think holding back my mirth.
But it’s Reese who breaks first—tipping her head back and starts howling with laughter.
My eyes brim with tears of amusement as we all drop to our knees, right on the sidewalk of the mall, pretending to approach a church altar and signal the cross. “In the name of Morgan Reid—we have sinned, Father!” Rory continues, and we repeat the confession.
We all fall, rolling with laughter as onlookers stare at us.
After gathering our composure, we find our feet, our cheeks red from laughter. My heart aches as I think about how much I’m going to miss this next year.
Rory hooks her arm through her sister’s, “I want details. What does he smell like? Does he smell good? I bet he smells sweaty, like cigarettes and sex. Oh, please tell me he smells fucking amazing.” Her eyes go soft.
But Reese can’t respond because June hooks around Reese’s other arm, “Is he as good as they—”
Reese stops walking as we walk through the doors. Hands on her hips. “We’re just…friends.”
I wish, for my sake, that her words were more convincing.
“I guess you could call us friends. I don’t know. I’m just…” She’s quiet for a second and then…
“I’m just tutoring him. That’s all.” Her eyes go distant before they flicker with amusement, and she adds, “And yes, Rory, he smells so good. Especially when he doesn’t shower after practice, and he’s all sweaty and sticky.
” Reese winks at me while my mouth hangs open, but then I realize what she’s doing… she’s messing with her.
Rory screeches. “I want one!” she whines as if referring to Reid like he’s some type of pet.
“Absolutely not.” I counter and pry free their holds on Reese.
We continue inside, navigating through crowds of people already getting an early start to their Christmas shopping.
“Sorry, I don’t have any juicy details for you all—but I think one of us does…” Reese eyes me.