Chapter 24 – Haley
We arrive back at the safehouse in time for lunch. We make sandwiches with sliced turkey breast and fixings and potato chips. Charlie sets out a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies she baked earlier today.
“It’s a good ting when Charlie has too much time on her hands,” Mateo says as he snags a cookie. “When she’s bored, she likes to bake.”
While we’re eating, Philip tells Charlie and Mateo about the note in my mailbox.
“I can’t wait to nail dis creep,” Mateo says. He pops a chip in his mouth and chews. “What kind of asshole preys on young women like dis? He’s a coward, dat’s for sure.”
When we’re done eating, I help clean up, and then I excuse myself to go upstairs to do my homework.
“Here, take these,” Charlie says, handing me a little plate with two more cookies on it.
“Thanks,” I say as I take the plate. She won’t get any argument from me.
I head up to my room and make myself comfortable on the bed, sitting with my back against pillows propped up against the headboard.
About an hour later, Philip comes up to my room to check on me. “How’s it going?” he asks as he leans on the door jamb.
I glance up from my study notes and nod. “Good. I’m studying for a political science quiz we’re having next week.”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he says.
I pat the mattress beside me. “Come sit.”
He comes into the room, sits on the edge of my bed, and reaches for my hand. “There’s a decent TV in the parlor. At least that’s what Charlie calls it—the parlor. Maybe later, when you’re done with homework, we can watch a movie.”
That makes me smile. “That’s very boyfriend of you.”
He grins. “I hoped you’d think so.”
“I would love to.”
He nods. “Good. I’ll let you get back to studying. I don’t want to distract you.”
As he heads for the door, I say, “Philip?”
He turns. “Yeah?”
“About the sleeping arrangements tonight...”
“What about them?” He seems guarded.
“I liked sleeping with you last night. I want to do it again.”
He smiles. “Are you referring to sleeping-sleeping or sex?”
“Both.”
“I would like that, too, but Charlie warned me to behave, or else she’d pull rank on me.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning she or Mateo would replace me as your primary bodyguard.”
“Don’t I get a say in that?”
He shrugs. “I’m just saying we need to be circumspect, that’s all. She’s not trying to be a hardass.” He chuckles. “Guess who I saw kissing in the kitchen this morning when they thought no one was looking?”
“Who?” Surely he doesn’t mean our two roommates.
“Charlie and Mateo. If we have to, we can use that to our advantage. I’m not above blackmailing them.”
“Charlie and Mateo? Really?” I laugh. “Yeah, I can see it. She’s a little older than he is, right? That makes her a cougar. I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
Philip leaves me to finish my homework. By the time I’m done, my stomach is growling, so I go downstairs to find out what we’re doing for dinner.
Charlie is seated at the kitchen table doing a crossword puzzle. The guys are nowhere to be seen.
I take a seat at the table. “Do we have plans for supper?”
“Mateo has offered to make a food run,” Charlie says. “What’s an eleven-letter word that means wary and unwilling to take risks? It begins with the letter c and ends with the letter t.”
At first, I think she’s trying to hint at something, but then I realize she’s just asking about her crossword puzzle. “Circumspect.”
She writes it down. “Yep, that works. Thanks. So, what would you like for supper?”
“I’m flexible,” I say. “Where are Philip and Mateo?”
“They’re in the security shack talking to Jake and Mack. By the way, your dad has been calling hourly for updates.” She rolls her eyes. “I’ll tell the guys we’re ready for dinner.”
She texts Mateo, and a few minutes later he and Philip come in through the back door. “We’re hungry,” she says to Mateo.
“Okay. What would you like? Pizza? Chinese? Mexican? Indian?”
“Indian sounds good,” Charlie says. She looks at me. “Is that okay with you?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll place an order,” she says as she pulls out her phone. “What does everyone want?”
* * *
That evening, Philip and I gather in the parlor to watch a movie. The parlor is basically what I would call a small, cozy living room located right off the entryway. I guess back in the day, when this house was built, people didn’t have living rooms. They had parlors, and the name stuck.
The parlor is just big enough for a sofa and a chair, a TV mounted on the wall, and a bar in the corner. The wooden floor is polished to a rich, dark color. There’s a dark burgundy floral rug on the floor at our feet. The room definitely has an old-fashioned feel to it.
It’s just the two of us in the house now, since Charlie and Mateo have retreated to the security shack for the night.
We curl up on the sofa to watch a film.
Philip lets me pick, and I choose The Conjuring.
It’s a horror movie of sorts—actually, it’s more like paranormal investigation—but it’s not that scary.
At least there’s no Freddy Krueger or Jason lurking around waiting to mutilate stupid characters who wander off alone in the dark when they shouldn’t have.
When there’s a jump scare, I at least have a convenient excuse to clutch Philip’s arm.
I think he sees right through me, because every time I jump, he chuckles and holds me tighter.
By the end of the movie, my head is resting fully on Philip’s shoulder, and his arm is around me. My hand is resting on his rock-hard thigh. His fingers have slipped beneath the hem of my top and are grazing the bare skin at my waist.
His touch is giving me delicious goosebumps.
The movie’s credits begin to roll.
“That was good,” he says.
“There are a bunch more movies in this franchise. I’ve lost track of how many.”
“Then we’ll have to do more movie nights, won’t we?”
The grandfather clock in the foyer chimes ten times.
As I begin to stroke his thigh, my hand gets closer and closer to his groin with each pass.
“We should think about going to bed,” he says. His voice is suddenly rough. “You’ve got class in the morning.”
I stand. “I’m going up to get ready for bed.”
I leave the parlor and walk up the front staircase. My pulse is racing because I’m sleeping in Philip’s room tonight, and my body is already responding. I feel warm all over, and my breasts feel fuller, heavier somehow.
My head is filling with ideas. That last time we were at Philip’s apartment, he went down on me.
I haven’t forgotten how incredible that was.
I want to return the favor. I’ve never done that before, but there’s a first time for everything, right?
Somehow, I don’t think Philip will mind too much if I do it badly.
I’ve got to start somewhere, and practice makes perfect.
After a quick shower, I dry my hair and brush my teeth. I’m trying to decide what—if anything—to wear to bed when there’s a quiet knock on the bathroom door.
I wrap a towel around me and open the door to find Philip standing there, dressed only in a pair of shorts, with a towel draped over his shoulder.
He’s resting his arm casually against the door jamb. “This house could use another shower.”
“It’s all yours,” I say as I duck beneath his arm and rush out.
“I won’t be long.” And then he closes the door.
I make the sudden decision to wait in Philip’s room. I drop my damp towel into the dirty clothes hamper in his closet and make myself comfortable on his bed.
He wasn’t kidding when he said he wouldn’t be long. When I hear the water shut off ten minutes later, my belly tightens and my heart rate shoots up.
When he walks into the bedroom, he’s wearing only a towel around his waist. He freezes when he spots me sitting naked on his bed. His eyes widen. “Haley.”
Before I lose my nerve, I hop off the bed and walk to him. Without a word, I loosen the towel that has sunk low on his hips and let it fall to the floor. I can’t overthink this, or I’ll lose my nerve for sure.
I sink to my knees on the plush rug and reach for his growing erection. Before I lose my nerve, I stroke him once, twice. Already he’s hard as steel.
“Honey, you don’t have to—” His voice breaks off.
I take a moment to study him. A long vein runs the length of his penis, and the crown is a deep, ruddy color. I curl my fingers around his shaft and lick him from root to tip, and as my tongue sweeps across the head, I taste a bit of salty precum.
“Fuck!” He makes a guttural sound low in his throat as he slides his fingers into my hair and grips my head.
I shut off my brain so I don’t overthink this and do what feels right. I lick him, swirl my tongue over the head, tease him beneath the crown with the tip of my tongue.
His fingers dig into my scalp as he groans loudly. “You—oh, God.”
Based on his rough voice, I must be doing this right.
As I start stroking him with one hand, I take his erection into my mouth.
I use my tongue and a sucking motion to hold him inside, drawing him as deep as I dare.
I’ve never done this before, and I don’t want to choke. That would ruin the mood for sure.
As I stroke with one hand and suck and lick him, his breathing grows labored, and his groans deepen.
Before I know it, I find myself on my feet and walking backward.
“That was amazing, but I can’t handle any more right now,” he says, guiding me to the bed. “I want to come inside you.”
Philip picks me up and deposits me in the middle of the bed, my head cushioned on a pillow. After he grabs a condom and drops it on the bed, he’s crouching between my thighs.
I have little warning before he’s there—between my legs—opening me with shaking fingers. I feel his hot breath on my flesh, and then he’s licking me, teasing my clit. My pulse skyrockets, and my breath catches in my chest. “Philip!”
He doesn’t stop. He doesn’t relent. Not until my thighs are shaking and my belly is quivering. His finger skims through my wet arousal before it rims my opening. His finger pushes inside me, slowly, so carefully. And then he’s stroking me, rubbing a spot that feels so good.
I gasp, because between his tongue and his finger, my body is going up in flames. My pussy is throbbing, and my breasts ache. I grip his hair tightly as pleasure spirals upward inside me. When I close my eyes, I see bursts of light as my orgasm detonates inside me. “Philip!”
He surges up beside me on the bed and kisses me. I’m shocked once more by the warm, salty taste on his lips. It’s me. He tastes like me.
I’m lying in a daze as he opens the condom packet and covers himself. And then he’s between my thighs once more. One hand lifts one of my legs, opening me up, while he uses his other hand to guide himself into my opening.
He pushes the tip in, then, gritting his teeth, he leans forward, going deeper with each careful thrust. “Okay?”
“Yes.” My response is little more than a gasp, but he seems satisfied. I reach up and cup his face, stroking his cheeks with my thumbs as he begins to move.
I’m still a bit sore from our first time, but it’s nothing compared to the incredible feeling of fullness from having him in me.
The residual tingles from my own orgasm are still resonating inside me. My body feels soft and receptive, and soon he’s moving easily. There’s no pain this time, no burning. Just a feeling of rightness, the two of us together like this.
He leans down to kiss me, sealing his mouth to mine. Our ragged breaths and tongues intermingle as he thrusts in and out, slow and steady at first, and then with increasing power. His movements become more frantic as he chases his own orgasm.
His body stiffens and he throws his head back, grimacing as if he’s in pain. And then I feel his erection bucking inside me. With a groan, he pushes in deeper and holds himself perfectly still as he erupts. Even with the condom, I can feel the pulses.
Eventually, he rolls us so we’re on our sides, lying face to face. He kisses my forehead, then the tip of my nose. One of his arms comes around me and holds me to his chest. I swear I can feel his heart pounding through his chest wall.
“Was it easier this time?” he asks. “It didn’t hurt as much?”
“Not one bit.”
He pulls out carefully and takes care of the condom. “Let’s clean up and get to bed. I want to hold you all night long.” He stands and holds his hand out to me.
“You want me to come with you?”
“If you’re okay with that, sure.”
We make a quick trip to the bathroom, and then we’re back in bed. I lay my arm over Philip’s waist. His arm is around me.
“I’m pretty sure we just broke a house rule,” I say.
He chuckles. “I’m pretty sure you’re right. Hey, where did you learn to give such good head?”
I smile. “From watching porn videos.”
He groans as he covers his face with his free hand. “Oh, my God. I’m corrupting you.”
“How else was I supposed to learn?”