17. Pepper
Chase returns from the sink, running a smooth, soap-scented finger under my nose.
“Such a gentleman,” I tease.
He dips his face to mine. It’s intense, the proximity. The desire in his gaze. The unspoken promise he’s making.
He strokes my bottom lip with his thumb. “It’s rude to not start with the lips; these lips,” he says with a grin.
But I’m not laughing. My chest heats with this crazy chemistry between us. I’m still as he brushes his lips across mine. It’s sexy and slow.
And then our bodies ignite. He presses me hard against the wall, devouring my mouth, tugging my bottom lip between his teeth. Much like our relationship, there’s nothing delicate about this kiss. It’s deep and long and rough. He’s claiming me, taking control. Letting me know what it’s like to be with him.
And I’m not deterred.
“Pepper,” he murmurs against my mouth.
I whimper in response
“I’m going to need you to stay very quiet.”
“Sure think highly of yourself, don’t you?”
He chuckles, and I jerk with a loud gasp as his finger sweeps my wet center.
“Now as I was saying,” he continues, “be quiet.”
I nod as heat pools between my legs with no place to go.
“Turn around.”
“W—are you sure?”
“Are you?” he asks.
With a sigh, I twist to face the wall. He lowers himself to my ass and growls a curse of praise before he bites on the bottom of one cheek, just above my thigh.
He stands to his full height, kissing my neck and whispering in my ear. “So gorgeous. It’s too bad I can’t smack this ass right now. Teach you a lesson for all the sassiness you’ve been feeding me over the last week.”
“Oh,” I yelp as his fingers dip into my pussy from behind. He strokes and pumps hard. Fuck. Me. I’m going to come. I moan and immediately press my lips together and my forehead against the wall, letting him own me for these few minutes. “Chase—I’m—” Gripping my neck, he twists me slightly and crushes my mouth to his, muffling my scream as I come hard on his fingers.
I’m panting and sweaty and completely breathless as he pulls his fingers out.
“Now turn around.”
I comply, but let my head fall back on the wall. Chase wraps a hand around my thigh and lifts my leg, tossing it over his shoulder as he drops to his knees. Another glorified curse. “You’re perfect and so ready for me.”
I can’t speak. I have no words. Am I supposed to? Does this dirty talk thing work both ways? I’m not used to it.
He sweeps his tongue over my clit.
“Oh God.”
“So slick and hot.”
Sparks shoot up my legs, my spine, my arms, my mind spinning as he strokes me with his tongue, nipping, flicking and then pumping expertly.
I clench and throw my hand over my mouth, muffling a cry.
He pulls away slightly to look up at me. “Baby.” He takes my hands. “I want you to snake these fingers into my hair and rock against me when it feels right.”
I nod vigorously. “When?”
He smirks. “You’ll know when.”
His mouth is back on me, and within seconds, sharp jolts of pleasure shoot through my body. I tug, feeling his damp hair—the sweat of victory—between my fingers. And I feel like I’m the one winning gold over here.
I tremble, dropping my hands because the urge to tug him hard against me is too powerful.
He stands and cups my face, bringing it up to his. “Is there a problem?”
“It…feels too good.”
He chuckles. “Let it. Fuck my mouth, Princess. And don’t hold back. We have about three minutes.”
I resemble somewhat of a bobblehead. “Okay.”
He’s back on his knees, and my hands find their way into his scalp, getting a good grip and—oh fuck. Desire swirls through me as he devours my pussy. I tug him against me, bucking my hips and rocking against his mouth.
He moans and the vibration buzzes through me.
Holy hell.I’ve died and am floating weightlessly through dirty heaven.
I shudder as my second orgasm tears through my body, my vocal cords only knowing one word. His name. He rises and holds my face, kissing me hard and…passionately?
Could Chase Reeves be passionate?
Is it safe to try and find out?
There’s muffled chatter outside the door, and I gasp. “It’s just the team. But the girls aren’t far behind,” he tells me.
I swallow. “I need to get changed.” I hold out my hand. “I’m going to need those back.”
He smirks. “I don’t think so. I’m starting a collection.”
With that, my two-time panty thief walks out like…well, like he just robbed a bank and is walking out the front door.
It’s been a mere hour since the wildest evening of my life and I’m not ready to go to sleep.
Chase must be. He hasn’t said much since meeting me outside the locker rooms where he tossed a possessive arm around me and walked me to his bike, carrying both our backpacks.
I’m in the shower—I didn’t exactly need one since I washed up in the Queens locker room, but it serves as putting some distance between us.
I know he still has questions about what happened to me on the ice. And I am not talking. Chase Reeves will be the first one to call me crazy.
When there’s nothing left to do in the bathroom, I step out. The lights have finally dimmed, but the bed is only turned down for me and there’s one pillow.
I’m in a cami and shorts when I step into the living room. Chase is in his usual tank and boxers. The other pillow from the bed is on the far end of the sofa and he’s sitting on top of a throw blanket, reading a book.
“Hey,” I start, cautiously.
He looks up from his book, his eyes sweep over me with appreciation as his lips curl on one side. “Thought you were camping out in my bathroom tonight.”
I take the open invitation and cross to the sofa. “Is that what you’re doing? Camping out here to avoid me?”
He sits up and sets his book down.
I glance at the cover. “Stephen King?”
“Helps me sleep.”
“Because skating at thirty miles per hour with adrenaline rushing through your veins just isn’t enough.”
“It’s just an average Saturday.” He shrugs before his eyes wash over me again and his jaw tightens—his expression shifting from lust to…anger? Straightening, he pushes his hair back.
The action puts me on alert for another interrogation and I distract him—with my own questions.
“Chase.”
“Pepper.”
I linger near the sofa but don’t sit. “I know I heard you right earlier. I lost the bet. Why did you switch it?”
He takes a deep breath and then releases as he settles back into a resting position on the couch. He meets my gaze and smirks. “Call it winner’s choice.”
“Fair enough,” I whisper.
“Was there something else?”
“Why are you sleeping out here?” I ask flatly.
He shifts, groaning like it’s painful. It makes me wonder if he hurt himself tonight. “It’s…better.”
“Chase. I’m not letting you sleep here. I thought we agreed we’re both adults. You shouldn’t give up your bed for me. You’ve already done too much.”
He’s silent for a moment before pulling himself up, running a hand down his face and circling the couch as if he doesn’t know what to do with himself. “You’re right, Pepper. I’ve done too much for you. Meanwhile you can’t even tell me what’s going on with you.”
“I’ll be more careful.”
“You can’t afford suspicions,” he snaps.
“It was your idea to put me in the public eye.”
“I didn’t think you’d make yourself a target,” he shouts.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Then tell me what happened,” he demands. And it’s sharp. He’s not giving me a choice.
My eyes sting and I turn away, crossing my arms in front of me. I feel him move behind me. But not too close. He’s not here to comfort me. His only goal is to protect me, and I’ve been nothing but trouble.
Collecting my bearings, I twist to face him. “We have another game in a few days, right?”
“I do. I think you should sit this one out.”
“That’s Lonnie’s call to make. Otherwise, I’m ready. And I won’t embarrass you—or make myself a target.” To hell with my morals. I will take the bed.
He calls my name uncommittedly before I shut the bedroom door and settle into his bed.
I draw my knees to my chest. I won’t have an episode like that again.
Because I’m taking myself back there. Back to that morning after they didn’t come home.
Are you Pepper?
Yes.
I’ve been avoiding it too long. It’s why I can’t control them now. These feelings.
No. No. That’s not possible.
These fears.
We need you to come with us to identify the bodies.
The vision of the mystery couple. Whoever they were…
Ms. Woods? We need an answer.
Yes. Yes. Those are my parents.