26. Chapter 26
Chapter 26
BERNIE
Q uiet.
My head was quiet. The early morning sun pierced through the slit in my curtains as I brushed my fingers up Kat’s bare back.
But my head was quiet.
Had been the moment she’d shown up in the backyard last night.
I’d never had to change my sheets as quietly as I had last night though. Accidentally waking Raiden, my mom, or Ford up with a naked Kat lying on my floor while I stripped the bed was not a look I had wanted to explain. But luckily, no one had stirred.
The sex-soiled sheets lay wadded up in the corner of my room, something I’d take to the washer once I helped Kat sneak back out of the house. They were a concern for later. Right now, I wanted nothing to spoil the serenity of the moment. She gently groaned, smacking her lips lightly as she wiggled closer against my side .
I smiled softly, studying the barely visible freckles on her tanned skin. Strands of copper hair drifted across lashes that I slowly began to count. Seeing her beautiful blue eyes had become an addiction, but right now, this was better than anything else.
She was here, naked in my bed, sleeping calmly beside me without a care in the world.
Kat wasn’t the first girl to sleep in my bed, but she would be the last. I didn’t deserve her. I didn’t deserve any of this. But I would fight like hell to someday earn it. I would stop at nothing to be the man she believed I was.
Rolling toward her, I pressed my lips against her forehead and closed my eyes.
“Hi.” Her silky voice vibrated against my bare chest.
“Hi, Kit Kat,” I whispered. “Ready for round two?”
“Of course.” She smacked my back. “Way to ruin the moment, Bottle Cap.”
Chuckling, I threaded my fingers through her hair and shoved my hips against her.
“Stop it,” she grumbled but threw a leg over mine.
“Mmmmm,” I moaned in her ear, rubbing my morning wood against her slick center again.
“Bernie, despite what you’re feeling, I am very sore. Like…very very sore.”
“All right,” I replied, opting to not make some joke and instead slid my hand down her back. Digging my fingers into her voluptuous ass cheek, I pecked her forehead again. “Let’s get you home. I’ll pick up some Epsom salt for your bath and swing back by later before the cookout tonight.”
She inhaled deeply, and warm kisses peppered my chest. “Is this normal?”
Pausing, I pulled away enough to look down at her. “Is what normal?”
“Well, last night was…I mean, I thought I’d be scared because you were very aggressive and rough and very…just yeah. But I wasn’t afraid, and it didn’t hurt, and you made me feel like I was weirdly in control even though I wasn’t exactly… And I’m pretty sure I have hickeys in places I shouldn’t, but I also know I asked for them, and now you’re all soft and gentle and—”
“You’re asking if aftercare is normal?” I quickly inserted, seeing the pink bloom in her cheeks. She nodded but said nothing. “I can’t speak for anyone else, and yeah, I may have treated you like an object last night, but that doesn’t mean I see you as one. Also, believe it or not, you were in complete control. So yes, for me, it is. Especially since it’s you. Because it’s you.”
She scootched in closer. A sigh escaped her mouth as her body relaxed against mine. “Okay.” Her gentle lips pressed against my chest, peppering some soft kisses onto my skin. “Okay,” she said again.
Damn. What had I done to deserve this? Out of everyone, why was I so lucky to end up with someone so gentle and kind? Fiery and with an attitude like you wouldn’t believe, but she was the one thing that seemed familiar outside of a world of chaos. Outside of a world where I was born to die.
It should’ve been me. But I was going to do everything possible to earn my place since it wasn’t me .
For me. For Duncan. For Kat. For my entire team. For my mom. For Raiden. For my dad. For everyone who ever gave me a chance.
“Come on, Kit Kat.” I slid upright, the sheets bunching around my waist. “Let’s get you home.”
The noise was back. Not just what was in my head, but in the backyard. Even Muffin remained lounging in the cat box stuck to my window, avoiding the crowd. People my mom knew, neighbors I’d briefly seen but never gone out of my way to meet, were stuffed around me. The sizzling of Ford’s master boil was as loud as the spices were pungent. Damn what’d I give to meet the family that taught him how to cook like that.
But whatever reasons he had for staying away, were ones I never pushed too hard for. He’d never made me feel like the ass I once was, and I wasn’t about to become that friend to him. Besides, having him around was as much of a comfort for him as it was for me.
Scanning the crowd once again, I glanced at the watch on my wrist and then back at the bustling yard. The meal was well underway, my stomach was full, but Kat and her family weren’t here yet. And that made me even more nervous.
“If ya keep standin’ like a fucking creep on the edge of the yard, people are gonna start talkin’, ya feel me?” Ford muttered, his Cajun accent bleeding heavily through his words. Thicker than usual, something that usually happened when he was trying to make sure others didn’t quite understand him as well. On purpose. Always on purpose unless he was angry, but even then, I often wondered with how smart this damn man was, if even when upset and the accent came out, he was in control of it then too.
“Go away,” I muttered.
“Kat’s fine. It’s been ’bout an hour since ya left? What can happen in the hour when she’s all around family, ya feel me?” he replied beneath his breath.
“Don’t say that too loudly. If Kat finds out I’ve been keeping an eye on her when she clearly asked me not to, I’m as good as dead,” I hissed.
He rolled his eyes and took a swig of beer. “C’est pour ca que je parle comme ca, espèce de connard.”
“I have no idea what the fuck you just said.”
“I said that you’re a dumbass,” he grumbled.
“That’s a lot of words for dumbass.”
“I said that I’m talking with my thick accent to make sure others have a harder time understanding what I’m saying, you asshole,” he translated with a shake of his head.
“Ah, that makes sense,” I said and then the gate to the wooden fence swung open.
There she was. Relief flooded my anxious system as Ford took another casual swig of his beer, tracking the family that slipped into the backyard. Kat, with a gray felt cowgirl hat resting on her head, followed behind her three brothers. Her parents were immediately pulled over toward another group in the backyard. My mom sidled up, grinning from ear to ear, and effortlessly joined in the conversation. How casual and comfortable she seemed .
Returning my gaze to Kat, I quietly watched as she slipped away. With her hair draped in elegant waves down her back, her smile brightened the entire mood as she offered it to a few women she passed. Stopping at a couple others, she shared some words with people whose faces were a blur in the crowd. There was no one but her to me. Nothing but her plump, rosy cheeks and luscious lips I wanted pressed back against mine. Her bright blue eyes twinkled, confidence oozing from a figure of curves and a rush of erotic excitement darted down my lower back.
Adjusting my stance to accommodate my hardening dick, I felt a smile tug at the edge of my lips. Her tank top was black and white striped with a beautiful sunflower design etched right between her breasts where I wanted to shove my face. She’d paired it with jeans that only made her hips and ass that much fuller, and there was no stopping the heat from roaring through my veins. I wanted nothing more than to simply bury myself inside her.
I only noticed someone else entering the backyard because Kat looked toward the gate. A blonde woman wearing a simple pleated pair of pants and matching blouse that had Ford raising a brow.
He nodded at Emma, who quickly skipped over to Kat and slipped her arm into Kat’s elbow. “Who’s that? I faintly recognize her,” Ford asked.
“Kat’s best friend, Emma,” I replied.
“Damn, if she’s not a spitting image of Dom’s type, I don’t know who’d be,” Ford muttered.
I chuckled and shoved my hands into my pockets, belt-tucking myself the best I could. “Says the guy who still hasn’t said shit about what his type is. ”
“Like you’re one to talk. Anything with two legs and is human works.”
“Unless the fucker is you.”
“Like a knife to the heart. I will have to forever resign to the fact that I am not Bernie’s type,” Ford sarcastically replied as Kat’s gaze slid across the crowd and finally locked onto mine.
Her smile widened, and she bit down on her bottom lip.
My heart raced in my chest. There she was. The only woman in the world who could steal my entire life, and I’d stop at nothing to make sure she kept it.
I nodded over toward the long row of tables, where what was left of the food waited.
She shook her head, brushing me off quickly and casually, so I ripped my phone from my pocket.
YOU BETTER GO GET YOU SOME DAMN FOOD.
I rammed my thumb against the send button. How dare she not go eat.
The bubbles appeared on my screen, and I glanced briefly at Kat. She had her nose buried in her phone. And then her message slid through.
Don’t tell me what to do.
Grinning to myself, I furiously typed.
I will absolutely tell you what to do, especially if you’re gonna make some dumbass choice like not eating.
Her reply snapped through as quickly as the spitfire she was.
Maybe I’m not hungry .
I lifted my gaze from my phone, catching sight of her glare, and raised a brow at her.
She frowned.
With another nod at the table, she stuffed her phone in her pocket and stomped over to the food.
“You are whipped, my guy,” Ford muttered in my ear, and I slugged him in the arm as Kat picked up a plate.
Her frown immediately disappeared. With a little jig, she slowly made her way through each dish and everything in my body roared to life. An infinite number of cells burst with a roaring hot desire. With an invisible magnetic force, my soul latched onto hers.
Pausing, I glanced at Ford and pinched my brows together. Wordlessly, I asked him why I found this entire situation so fucking hot.
Why I was aroused watching this woman do something as simple as eat some damn food.
He raised a single brow. “That’s your type.”
Sliding my gaze back to Kat, a smile cracked on my lips as she leaned forward and grabbed a fork. The swell of her hips heightened with the movement, and then as she walked off to the side, out of the way, every roll on her curvy figure rippled like a wave crashing against the shore. My skin roared hot. And a vibration flipped deep within my stomach, folding at the sight. As if I was once again a teenage boy with zero fucking control over my hormones, the fact that we were out here both still dressed had me very, very frustrated.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered, grateful I’d at least chosen jeans and not some shorts or sweatpants .
Ford laughed, downing the rest of his beer. “It’s why I still can’t figure out why I’m not your type. I jiggle too.”
“Not like that. Her belly. Her boobs. Her ass. Her fucking…everything. That’s where it’s at. You’re just…yucky.” I gestured at the massive man beside me. I was not a small guy by any means, but Ford made everyone look miniscule.
“Yucky? That’s the word choice you’re gonna go with?” Ford questioned, and I nodded.
“Yucky.” I flicked my fingers in his direction, gesturing for him to give me some space.
Once again, my gaze locked onto Kat’s as she licked something from her thumb. Her eyes fluttered closed, and euphoria slid across her face.
“Welp, now I’m about to bust right in my pants. With zero shame,” I said.
“There’s fucking kids around.” Ford flicked my forehead.
“Did you not see that?” I nodded toward Kat as she took a bite of the food and smiled even wider.
“How about instead of being a creep and watching her, you go over there, and I don’t know, maybe talk to her?” Ford pursed his lips. “Also because I don’t want your disgusting ass around me right now.”
“Distract her family for me, yeah?” I asked.
He heaved a sigh. “Obviously.”
Ford quietly walked away from my side as I made my way over toward Kat. She blissfully continued eating and her eyes remained closed. Stopping in front of her, I simply watched for a moment. Studying this absolutely beautiful creature who was the only thing occupying my mind .
With a quick glance around, not a soul seemed to notice the two of us in this corner, so I snatched her hat off her head. Her eyes snapped open as I set it on top of mine. “Well, I get why it’s usually the girl taking the guy’s hat,” I said, attempting to get the crown down around my forehead, but with no luck.
She coughed lightly and then giggled. “You look like a dork.”
Wiggling my brows, I leaned forward. “Your dork who’s ready to accept payment whenever you are.”
“That’s not quite how it works.” She raised the fork to her lips, slipping some food between her teeth again.
“Wear the hat, ride the cowboy?” I questioned.
“Except you’re wearing my hat, and you’re not a cowboy, so I’m not doing any riding,” she replied through her mouthful.
“Fine by me. You can be my pillow princess. Just keep your eyes on mine, and take it like I know you can,” I said.
Her eyes widened, red rushing into her cheeks. “Bernie, lower your voice.” Darting her hand forward, she snatched the hat from my head and quickly shoved it back on hers.
Keeping my gaze steady with hers, the world around us disappeared. Kat stood in front of me, the quickening of each breath matching my own. What a whirlwind of desire I no longer kept locked away. I liked being blunt with her. I liked that she seemed to need me to be that blunt for her to understand it.
Her lashes fluttered over her ocean eyes. Everything in me swirled with the urge to sink my teeth into her skin. To bury my tongue between her teeth. To whisper every longing word into her ear as she moaned my name. I wanted to be able to finally unleash all of the restraint I was desperately clinging to right now.
She shoved the final bite of food into her mouth, plopped the plate down on the table beside her, and latched a hand around my wrist. “I’m still sore, but who fucking cares. I am not waiting,” she whispered.
Grinning, I willingly let her drag me across the yard. “You do realize I don’t have to actually be inside you to pleasure you,” I quietly replied as we stayed near the perimeter, avoiding disrupting the mingling to not draw attention.
Her footsteps faltered. “But…what about you?” She glanced over her shoulder, slowing.
I marched up to her side, stepping into her body, and wiggled a hand. “I’ve got two of these.”
Her breath hitched. “Or—Or I could…help out.” She twisted a toe into the grass, her boot squeaking.
“Fuck,” I groaned beneath my breath. “I will never ask, but I won’t refuse either.”
“Oh, don’t be all polite to me now. I liked the Bernie from last night,” she whispered.
“All I need is your consent,” I said, raising a brow.
She nodded rapidly. “Please.”
Without another word, I snatched her fingers and whisked her away into the house. Good thing there was some background music and chattering going on out here, because I needed her to scream my name.