Chapter 18 #2
“Did things not go well with the Rawlings after your overly candid conversation with Callie this morning?”
“No. Yes. I mean …” I grumble a few words that make little sense as I park my hands on my hips and gaze at the ceiling for a breath. “I want in your pants.”
When I look at June, her lips part into an O.
This is not me. I’m cooler than this. If I could just think of June as a one-night stand, I’d have way more confidence.
My dick knows what to do. It’s never lacking confidence.
But this girl is in my head, and I want her to like me beyond my dick. But the rest of me isn’t as impressive.
As her surprise settles into a big smile and even bigger blush, she starts to unbutton her white blouse.
“Whoa! No.” I grab her hands to stop her. “No. Not now. Your parents just took a walk.”
“They know how long it takes to have sex. I’m sure they’ll give us plenty of time.”
“What?” I shake my head and chuckle while stepping back to keep a safe distance. “No. I’m not having sex with you and then just pretending like nothing happened while they were sightseeing. No way.”
“Take your clothes off,” she says, resuming her unbuttoning.
“Stop.” I continue shaking my head.
“Ally won’t be home for another hour.” She wets her lips.
My gaze sticks to the cleavage above the cups of her light pink bra.
“The Rawlings had a two-year-old grandson who died on their watch.”
June pauses her hands on the last button as she sucks in a sharp breath. Lines of anguish spread across her forehead. “Oh my god,” she whispers.
The guy Rupert was talking about? The one who will shove me aside and give June what she wants? He won’t care if her parents are just walking around the block. And he definitely won’t bring up the tragic death of a child just as June is ready to shrug off her top.
I have an incurable case of dipshitness. And I don’t know if it’s contagious, but I’m pretty sure it’s terminal.
As she buttons her shirt, I slowly mourn the loss of what could have been and grieve the man I once was.
“What happened?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” I mumble. “I had the best intentions. A screw-it moment. Chivalry no longer mattered. I just wanted—”
“Flynn, I’m talking about their grandson.”
My gaze shoots to hers. “Oh.” I shake my head. “I don’t know. He didn’t say, and I couldn’t ask.”
“That’s why Callie is so sad,” June says, combing her fingers through her hair.
It should be my fingers in her hair.
“How heartbreaking.” She sits on the end of the sofa with a sad expression.
“Well, uh … that’s it. I just stopped by to kiss you really hard in front of your parents and let you know about their grandson.” I gesture toward the door. “Enjoy your dinner.”
“What?” She chuckles while pushing off the sofa toward me. “You’re leaving?”
“I think it’s for the best. Might be a good idea for me to spend some time alone, contemplating all the stupid things I’ve done and said since we met.”
“Flynn,” she says with a grin, shaking her head as if she’s not sure what to say next.
“Don’t say my name like that.”
Her head slants to the side. “Like what?”
“Like you like me.”
“Like you?” She stares at her feet as she steps closer to me.
“That might be the biggest understatement anyone has ever made.” Her beautiful eyes find me.
“If only I just liked you, I might sleep better. My head would be clearer. This embarrassing and unfamiliar feeling of being boy crazed wouldn’t consume me. ”
Well, shit. I’m going to do something I’ve never done: love someone—this girl—so much it will destroy me.
“You lose sleep over me?” I ask, curling her hair behind her ears before cupping her face in my hands.
“And here I thought I was the only one losing sleep over … this.” I trace her scar, and her eyes close in a heavy blink.
When she opens them, her hands grasp my wrists, and she opens her mouth so her tongue and teeth tease my thumb. It makes me feel … privileged.
“You’re the most beautiful”—I kiss her cheek—“sexy”—I kiss her nose—“smart”—I kiss her other cheek—“woman I have ever met. And I want”—my lips brush hers—“all of you in every way.” We kiss, and the weight of her body falls against mine like she can’t get close enough to me.
“You’re a good man. June is the lucky one. Don’t ever forget that.” Callie’s words echo in my head.
I’ve already forgotten.
Girls like June don’t give guys like me a second look. If I can make her love me, it will feel like the greatest heist in history.
I want to steal all the kisses from her lips.
Claim every inch of her body.
And if I can take her heart … well, there are no words for that.
She turns her head, ending the kiss, but grinning as she tries to catch her breath. “Now we don’t have time.”
“Sorry,” I say, enjoying her disappointment. It means she wants me as much as I want her.
June sighs, blowing her hair away from her face, just as her phone chimes behind her on the coffee table. She grabs it and holds up the screen for me to see the text.
Mom: Text me when UR done
I roll my eyes. “Tell them to come back here. And make sure they know nothing has happened.”
June frowns. “That’s no fun.”
“What’s no fun is looking your dad in the eye when I know he thinks I was inside his daughter minutes before looking him in the eye.”
“Fine.” She sticks out her bottom lip while replying to her mom. “There’s nothing to finish. Just talking. Come back anytime.” Sliding her phone back onto the coffee table, she collapses onto the sofa. “Why did you take the job with the Rawlings?”
“Huh?” I squint, tucking my hands into my back pockets.
“You seem irritated with your job. Sometimes a little angry and frustrated. I’m curious why you took the job?” June laces her fingers over her knee and pulls it toward her chest, hooking her heel on the edge of the worn, saddle-brown leather sofa.
This conversation is inevitable. But I’m not sure the best time to have it is mere minutes from her parents returning. Imagine her Dad eyeing me with distrust while I’m in the middle of explaining how I chose my current position over going to jail—again.
“I worked for a mobile detail shop, and Rupert scheduled his car to be detailed. That’s how we met. The rest is history.” I shrug.
“So he met you and knew you’d be a good muse for Callie?”
“Yeah. I guess I remind him of himself at my age. Back when his wife found him more …” I wave my hand in the air. “Appealing.”
“Charming?”
I adjust an imaginary tie and tip up my chin. “You think I’m charming?” I back up, leaning against the door.
“I was suggesting Callie found Rupert quite charming when they were younger.” She gives me a toothy grin before laughter bubbles up her throat. “Come here.” She crooks a finger at me.
I slide the coffee table away from the sofa an extra foot and kneel in front of her, grabbing her legs to pull her closer so that I’m wedged between them. Her hands slide around my neck. They’re warm and soft.
“I think you’re charming too,” she says, brushing her nose against mine.
I close my eyes and inhale her sweet floral scent. Everything about her is delicate and soft. Seductive. A dream, really. I swear to God it feels like I’m hallucinating, on the verge of waking up in the back seat of my car with nothing but my shitty belongings and a life of loneliness.
“I’m scared,” she whispers.
I kiss her neck. “Why?”
Her fingers in my hair send waves of chills along my skin.
“Because you’re right. This feels big. Like I’m sitting on the edge of a plane in a harness, and the person strapped to the back of me with a parachute is telling me to just keep breathing because when we jump, the fall might steal my breath. ”
“June,” I whisper before kissing her neck a little harder. An insatiable need flooding my veins. My fingers inch up the back of her shirt and unhook her bra.
“Flynn, my parents …” she says in a breathy voice.
I steal her lips, kissing her with an open mouth, our tongues meeting in the middle.
June moans as I cup her breasts beneath her loose bra. I pull away. Her pupils are dilated, breaths heavy past her parted lips.
I guide her back, lifting her shirt to kiss her hard nipples. Her back arches, eyes heavily blinking.
“My parents,” she murmurs with wavering conviction as I kiss my way down her body.
“I locked the door.” I grin, kissing her inner thigh, one hand squeezing her breast while my other hooks the crotch of her cotton shorts and panties, exposing her flesh.
A sharp breath fills her lungs when my mouth makes contact.
She claims a handful of my hair and squirms, chest rising and falling in quickening breaths, pelvis rocking in a slow rhythm.
I could watch her all day like this and never tire.
Her face twists, mouth open, and her breaths are not just fast; they’re explosive.
I squeeze her breast and pinch her nipple, giving it a little tug.
She moans, screwing her eyes shut. Then she stops breathing for a second before exhaling slowly with a shudder.
I kiss her inner thigh again and fix her shorts and underwear. June opens her eyes and gives me a shy grin. She’s so stunning with her cheeks pink, a few locks of hair teasing her long eyelashes.
“Flynn,” she whispers.
I adjust myself. “You’re welcome.”
She giggles, sitting up straight and hooking her bra. “We should—” There’s a knock on the door.
I quickly return the coffee table to its spot while June fixes her hair and adjusts her clothes on the way to the door. Just before she opens it, she eyes me over her shoulder. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. Her eyes flare as she bites her lips together.
With a silent chuckle, I shake my head.
Her smile escapes. “This is so big,” she mouths before turning to open the door for her parents.
“Done talking?” Henna asks, stepping into the apartment first and pressing her hands to June’s cheeks as if she’s trying to erase the redness.
“Yep.” June pushes her mom’s hands away, and they exchange a look—tiny scowls but knowing grins.
Bodhi steps past the ladies and inspects me for a second.
“Sir,” I say.
His brow furrows.
I clear my throat. “Mr. Malone.”
He remains unmoving.
“Call him Bodhi,” June says, taking my hand and interlacing our fingers as she lobs an irresistible grin at her father.
“Sir is fine,” he says.
“Sir works for me.” I shrug.
June and her mom synchronize their eye rolling.
“Let’s go to dinner,” June says.
“It’s only three thirty.” Bodhi looks at his watch.
“Flynn has to get up early for his job, so he needs to get to bed at a decent time,” June chirps without missing a beat.
“Works for us.” Henna fixes June’s hair.
Again, June bats her mom’s hand away.
“Maybe we should take my new car,” June suggests.
Four in a MINI Cooper? Sounds like torture.
From the confusion on Bodhi’s face, I can tell he’s thinking the same thing.
“Mom and I will sit in back,” June says, grabbing her phone and bag. Then she hands me the key.
I relinquish a nod and tight smile, waiting for her parents to go out the door first. As they head down the stairs, I turn toward June. “Do you know how tiny your car is?” I ask as she locks her apartment door.
“Sure do,” she says, facing me after it’s locked. “So tiny my dad will insist he and my mom grab their own ride back to the hotel after dinner.” She winks.
“Genius,” I say.
“I know.” She flips her hair over her shoulder and saunters down the stairs.
I could drop to my knees again. This woman is a goddess. All I want to do is worship her until she loves me so much that minor little details like prison and borrowing cars that aren’t mine won’t matter to her.