Chapter 16 #2
“Pneumonia. They’re treating him with antibiotics and keeping him for a few days.”
The kettle whistled, and he removed it from the burner, pouring water into the mug to steep. He carried it to the coffee table and tossed another log on the fire. Rather than turn on the lights, he lit the candles on the mantle, then sat beside her.
The flames cast shadows across his features, softening the harsh lines of exhaustion and painting everything in an intimate golden glow. He settled beside her, the amber light making his eyes appear almost molten.
“That’s why I wasn’t there last night. I know I should have called, but I wasn’t thinking.”
She sighed, guilt washing over her. “I don’t know what to say.” He had a valid excuse. Why had she not considered an emergency with his father? “I’m sorry, Grey. I can’t imagine how hard that was for you.”
He took her hand. “What do you say we stop apologizing to each other and start over?”
That sounded like a fair plan. “Okay.” When he leaned in to kiss her, she drew back. “That doesn’t mean I want to be more than friends.”
His brow creased, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he pulled her feet to his lap. “I promised a foot rub.”
She didn’t stop him, because no one gave a foot rub better than Greyson Hawthorne. “My dad had an episode yesterday, too.”
His fingers already worked their magic, but momentarily stilled. “How bad?”
“We’ve had worse episodes. It took a while for me to get him inside. I had to skip my yoga class.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I thought we weren’t apologizing anymore.”
“Right. I wish you didn’t have to deal with that.”
She lifted a shoulder. “It’s Bodhi. I’m used to it.”
“Is he back to normal now?”
“Pretty much. He went on and on about the loose shingles on some of the cat shelters—”
“I’ll come by tomorrow,” he said, before she even had a chance to ask.
“Thanks.”
He tugged her toes gently. “No one warns you about how hard it gets… watching our parents struggle.”
Stunned to hear him sharing his feelings, she didn’t speak. Her breath caught at this rare glimpse of vulnerability—Greyson Hawthorne was opening up to her.
“Seeing someone as indomitable as Magnus taken down by a cough…” He swallowed hard. “It’s insane to me.”
Bodhi was the complete opposite of Magnus Hawthorne. Her father was passive, gentle, and soft-spoken. Magnus Hawthorne terrified people. “Your dad’s still stronger than most.”
“I guess it’s a good thing he’s always been a defiant prick. If anything, he won’t go until he’s damn well ready.”
She smiled, hoping he spoke the truth.
He stripped off her socks so he could better work his knuckles into the tight tendons of her feet. “You have the tiniest toes.”
“They’re horrible little sausages.”
“I love sausage.” He lifted her foot to take a bite, and she squeaked, pulling her leg to her chest. He laughed and continued massaging.
For several minutes, they said nothing, but soon enough, her curiosity got to her. “What did you tell Soren?”
He wouldn’t meet her stare. “I told him it was over between you two.”
“He yelled at me.”
Greyson stilled, the flames from the fire reflecting in his eyes when he looked at her. “What?”
“At the parade. In front of everyone.”
“I’ll kill him—“
“Greyson, don’t. He was upset because of the way we handled everything. It was wrong.”
“That doesn’t give him the right to yell at you.”
“He’s hurt.”
His eyes rolled with little sympathy. “That’s not an excuse. Soren needs to accept reality.”
She lowered her gaze. “He’s not the only one.”
He tugged her leg. “Hey, what does that mean? I told you I was ready. I’m all in, Wren.”
She reluctantly met his stare. “I meant me. I think you were right. It’s safer if we’re just friends.”
“I don’t want to be your friend anymore. I told you that.”
“I know, but—”
“But nothing.” He tugged her leg, pulling her until she lay flat on her back, then he pinned her down. “I’m ready to talk.”
Her brain ached from overthinking. “I don’t feel like talking anymore, Grey.” She softly touched his cheek, and he studied her.
“Acting like our feelings don’t exist isn’t going to make them go away. Trust me.”
“Is that what you did, pretended your feelings for me didn’t exist?”
“Longer than I care to admit. And all it did was make them grow stronger.”
She smiled. “Yesterday, when I felt like everything was falling apart, do you know what I wanted?”
“What?”
“One of your hugs.”
His arms tightened around her like a protective cocoon. “You can always come to me, Wren.”
That wasn’t true. She couldn’t go to him when her issues centered on him. “You were right. The whole town’s gossiping about me.”
“I get no satisfaction out of hearing that.”
He trailed his fingers from her neck to her cheekbone, making it difficult to think clearly. The roughness of his fingertips against her skin sent tingles racing along every nerve ending. When he brushed his lips over hers, she didn’t have the strength to resist him.
Slow, languid kisses had her arching beneath him. Without asking, he unbuttoned her flannel pajama top, exposing her bare breasts. Her nipples tightened in the cool air, and she shivered.
“Look how beautiful you are.”
For once, he wasn’t fighting her off. He cupped her breast and dragged his thumb over the sharp tip, and she moaned. Pulling her closer, he took her nipple into his mouth and sucked slowly.
Sensation rolled through her, awakening her body and heating her blood like liquid fire. She locked her arms around his neck, the bulge in his pants pressing against her.
When she tried to shimmy out of her pants, she accidentally kneed him. “Sorry.”
He grunted and laughed. “Don’t apologize.”
Every time he called her out for over-apologizing, she blushed. “Sorry.” She winced, having done exactly what he told her not to do.
He released her nipple with a pop and chuckled. “We’re going to have to think of a way to get you to stop using that word.”
“It’s only because I’m nervous.”
“You don’t have to be nervous with me.”
How could he maintain a conversation while doing such things to her?
He held her stare and slowly licked around her nipple. “Something wrong?”
“No, just…you touching my boobs.”
He laughed. “Something you should probably get used to.”
She pushed her luck. “Does that mean we’re finally going to sleep together?”
He smirked. “I think you can feel how badly I want to get inside you.”
“Will you—”
He kissed her, cutting off her questions and distracting her with the slow rocking of his hips. Her fingers forked through his hair as liquid heat swirled in her belly. “Greyson…”
“Shh…” His hand slipped into her pants, his fingers sliding into her with ease. “I want you to come all over my fingers.”
She moaned. For a man who used his words sparingly, he sure knew how to talk dirty.
Nudging his fingers inside of her with slow, shallow dips, he whispered, “Can you do that for me?”
“Yes.”
The tension crested as her body wept over his exploring touch. His fingers glided in and out of her.
“That’s it, baby. So sexy. So wet. Just like that.”
She lost herself, riding his fingers and grinding her clit against his touch until she trembled through her release.
He withdrew his hand and kissed her softly. “Let’s take these off.”
Stripping her naked, he pulled her nipple into his mouth, nibbling and sucking the tip.
The pleasure felt so acute it teetered on pain, but she loved the way he played with her.
Leaving one nipple hard and wet, he moved to suck the other.
His fingers pinched her sensitive flesh, tugging deliciously.
As the sensations built, traveling down her body into her throbbing clit, she moaned louder and faster. He trailed his hands over her curves, between her thighs, and pressed his fingers inside her until she trembled again.
“So responsive.” He rolled to his back, pulling her on top of him. “Come up here.”
“W-what?” She didn’t know what position he intended, and it seemed unfair that he was still fully clothed.
He scooted down and pulled her to his chest. “I want to eat your pussy.”
“Like this?”
“Yes. Get your sexy ass up here.” He tugged her forward.
“Greyson, I can’t!” Her face burned. “I’ll suffocate you and—ahhh!”
He yanked her to his mouth, latching onto her clit before she could utter another excuse. With a jerk of her hips, he forced her to sit on him, his tongue stabbing into her with deep, hungry licks.
“So fucking delicious.” He dug his fingers into her ass, and she caught her weight on the arm of the couch.
“I don’t think—“
“Stop thinking.” His words vibrated hot and muffled against her sex. “I want you coming down my throat.”
Wide-eyed, she gaped at the empty room. Who was this man?
“Oh, my gosh.” Pressure built inside her with nowhere to escape. Greedy growls vibrated against her folds as he gripped her hips and held her to him.
“Oh my God!” She teetered. A little further and…She jerked when he dragged a finger over her asshole. “Greyson!”
He chuckled, but kept devouring her.
When he reached up to hold her chest, she realized just how coordinated he was. She didn’t know if she should feel humiliated, petrified, or if she should thank the gods that he finally shared this part of himself with her.
“Ah!” A wave of pleasure built inside of her, zinging through every nerve along her spine. Her toes curled and she started to move without guidance. Then she screamed his name.
His fingers dug into her hips, holding her as close as possible as her pussy pulsed around his tongue. He groaned with dark, masculine satisfaction, drinking down every drop of her release.
She fell back, gasping for air. His smile radiated full-on arrogance as he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. She gaped at him, wondering how anyone could be so secretly filthy and unhinged. “Could you look more impressed with yourself?”
“I could try.” He flashed a wolfish grin.
“Who are you?”
“A hungry man. I could eat you for breakfast every day.”
She glanced at the bulge in his pants. “Is it my turn now?”