38. Garrett
GARRETT
My chest is heaving when I finally pull back, blood pounding in my ears as my gaze rakes over Emerson’s flushed cheeks and swollen lips, and I need her.
Taking her hand, I lead her out of the main space and past Grimm, who I tell we’ll be ready to leave in a couple of minutes.
He nods, his expression never changing, and I’m thankful for that.
Leading Emerson away from the crowd, I find the first unlocked door and peek inside, the light from the hallway all I need to confirm it’s empty before dragging her inside the linen closet.
Perfect.
“What are you—” she starts but I don’t give her the chance, cupping her face in my hands as I take her mouth in a bruising kiss.
The door closes behind us, plunging us into darkness save for the sliver of light peeking in from the hallway.
It’s messy and needy and so damn hot. She moans and I swallow that too, growling as I push her back until her back collides with the wall.
“You have no idea,” I breathe, my mouth coasting over her jaw and down her neck, “how fucking sexy that was.” My hands coast over her body as she arches into my touch, silently begging me for more.
“Tell me.”
“He’s such an asshole and you just—”
“He doesn’t deserve to talk to you like that,” she manages before my lips are on hers again.
“No one deserves to talk to you like that,” I rasp between kisses.
“I’m not scared of him.”
“I wanted to knock him the fuck out.”
“He’s not worth it.”
“I need to touch you.”
“Yes.”
“Fuck, Em.” Sliding my hand up her thigh, the slit in the dress gives me the access I need. “I love this dress. Jesus, you’re so wet.” The declaration comes out in an approving growl.
My fingers slide over her panties just a couple of times before slipping under the soaked fabric to her aching core.
Her head falls back against the wall as I play her body with an expertise born of studying every whimper and gasp she’s given me over the last several months. I wish I could truly see her face, the way her lips part and her eyelids flutter shut as she comes all over me.
The thought has me rock-hard, my dick straining against the fabric of my pants as she comes on a silent cry, her walls squeezing my fingers as I tease every last bit of her orgasm from her body.
Pressing my forehead to hers, I breathe her in, savoring this moment for all it’s worth before slowly removing my hand from between her legs. I wish we had more time.
More privacy.
I need to get her home.
Her hand reaches for my belt but I grip her wrist, stopping her before she can touch me—before I lose the very last of my restraint.
“I can’t.” My voice sounds pained to my own ears, my eyelids squeezing shut. “Not here.”
“So, it’s okay you had your fingers all up in my—” Bowing my head, I press a hard kiss to her lips, biting the bottom one as I pull away.
“Be nice, Miss Andrews.” The words are ragged and harsh like I got off too. It’s wild how badly I need her—how my body aches for her touch.
“You started this.”
“It was a gratitude orgasm,” I admit, my lips twitching as I meet her gaze in the nearly pitch-black room.
“How do you know I actually came?” she fires back and I chuckle before sucking the two fingers that had been inside her into my mouth, her eyes widening as she watches.
“There’s no question.”
“Wow, that was hot,” she purrs, smoothing down her dress. “Remind me why we rode with Tom and Kat again?”
“Why?”
“Because if we were alone, I’d be putting that privacy window up and sucking your cock all the way back to Ironwood.”
“Be careful, Miss Andrews, or we won’t make it out of this room.”
“That’s really not the threat you think it is.”
“Well then, let’s go before Theo and Des quit on us for landing an indecency charge in the middle of their date night.”
“Way to kill the mood, Rockstar,” she teases as I peek out the door, checking to make sure the coast is clear before leading her back toward the gallery.
Now I just need to find the car because all I want to do is get my wife home.
EMERSON
The morning light peeks softly through the blinds, and while exhaustion clings to me like a second skin, Garrett has made himself a blanket, draping himself over me.
But I don’t mind.
He looks so beautiful like this.
Peaceful.
Worn out.
The ache between my legs is a not so gentle reminder of how he ravaged me last night, his need for me insatiable. He’d been wild—unhinged—and I loved every second of it.
“Go back to sleep,” he grumbles, wrapping his arms tighter around me as I run my fingers through his hair, my nails scratching against his scalp.
“I can’t help it.”
“I can help you if it means we can not be up while the morning hour is still a single digit.”
“This is the best part of the day though.”
“I’d beg to differ.” He stretches against me, groaning as his erection drags along my thigh.
“Let me go put the coffee on and then we can shower,” I tell him, rolling to the side and grabbing my phone.
THEO: Thought you’d want to know
THEO: (attachment)
THEO: (attachment)
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sit up and click on the first link. It’s an article about Garrett and me attending the event last night titled Garrett North and Emerson Andrews wow at art fundraiser in Chicago.
Skimming through it, I can’t help but smile. I don’t recognize the reporter but it’s flattering—focusing on the details of the event and peppering in things about us.
It’s certainly a nice change.
Closing out of it, I open the second and freeze, my finger hovering over the screen as I take in the headline.
“What’s wrong?” Garrett asks, suddenly awake as he sits up next to me. Instead of answering, I just hand him my phone and watch as he shakes his head.
Darren had been arrested for disorderly conduct shortly after getting escorted out of The Painted Muse last night, after causing a scene at another local bar. Surprisingly, Heather bailed him out and he was given a court date for later this month.
Waiting with bated breath for Garrett to react, I can only hope that he doesn’t feel guilty—that he doesn’t feel responsible for Darren continuing to spiral after we saw him.
“I wish I was surprised,” he says quietly, his dark eyes full of sadness as they meet mine. “I never wanted this for him.”
“I know. But you did everything you could. You tried to get him help, but he needs to be the one to take that first step. He has to want it, and the guy we saw last night doesn’t want it.”
My phone vibrates again—this time in Garrett’s hand.
THEO: There are a ton of other articles combining the two stories—you guys did it. There’s a lot of positive press for both of you and the band
“This is good, right?” he asks, but I think it’s more rhetorical than anything. But I feel it too. We should be happy about this.
But now it’s complicated.
“Yes,” I manage as another message pops up.
THEO: One of you better answer me
THEO: I don’t care which one
EMERSON: Thank you
THEO: You’re welcome
THEO: Was that so hard?
EMERSON: It’s too early for your sass
THEO: You’ve been married too long. It’s practically the middle of the day
Glancing at the time, I confirm that it’s not even nine yet.
EMERSON: Liar
THEO: (gif of woman gasping dramatically)
THEO: I would never
EMERSON: Moving on…
THEO: Des and I will take care of securing the items you both purchased last night
EMERSON: It’s Saturday. Take the day off
THEO: Breakfast is being delivered
EMERSON: TAKE THE DAY OFF
THEO: Do NOT use that tone with me missy
“He really is a lot of fun, isn’t he?” I tease Garrett who rolls his eyes before snatching my phone from my hand and tossing it over the side of the bed. “Hey!”
My outburst dissolves into giggles as Garrett drags me down the bed and pins me under him while nuzzling his face into the crook of my neck.
“I’m definitely more fun.”
“Prove it.”
And he does.
Repeatedly.