Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Sunlight woke me. I blinked a couple of times before giving up and keeping my eyes closed. I felt so warm and comfortable that I just wanted to go back to sleep. I tried to adjust my head to snuggle deeper into the pillow, but the side of my face pressed up against something firm.
My eyes had no trouble opening then. I was lying on someone’s chest. It took me a second, but I realized it was Roe.
The more I woke up, the more I was able to take stock of every part of me that was touching him.
He was flat on his back, breathing evenly beneath my cheek.
I had my leg thrown over his hip. He had an arm around my back with his hand resting on my ribs.
The crop top had ridden up. My bare breasts were pressed against him.
Memories from last night replayed in my head. I had done and said things I normally wouldn’t. I didn’t regret any of it. Had I been with anyone else, I might have. I was very sober now. I couldn’t blame my position on anything. Not that I would. I was exactly where I wanted to be.
The burnt part of the tree tattooed on his side was closest to me.
I slid my hand across his muscled stomach to touch it.
I ran the tip of my finger along a branch that looked moments from crumbling.
The detail and talent that had gone into the piece inked across his smooth skin made me itch to draw.
I felt him go rigid, then relax. His hand on my ribs moved down, then back up until the tips of his fingers brushed along the side of my breast.
My breath hitched and my body arched a little. His hand moved back down my side as his other hand found my thigh resting over his hardening cock. The feel of his calloused hands moving over my skin made me squirm against him. His hand on my thigh moved up until it was sliding over my buttcheek.
Uncontrollably, my mind was pulled to Brandon and the way he touched me.
I squeezed my eyes to push the unwanted thoughts away. I wouldn’t let Brandon ruin this moment.
I opened my eyes with conviction that Roe was not Brandon and Brandon could never be Roe. Brandon could never make me feel this way. I wanted Roe to touch me. I liked how his touch felt and how it made me feel on the inside. Other than buzzing with arousal, I felt safe and just…me.
Roe’s fingers pressed into my skin and pulled me against his hip. It was hot, but he’d missed the part I most wanted him to touch. Need took over me. I rolled the rest of the way, bringing myself on top of him, and sat up.
The crop top took its time dropping back over my breasts and Roe, staring up at me, got a glimpse. During my shift to straddle him, his hands went to my hips and mine went to his abdomen.
If he wanted to push me against him, I’d rather it be this way. Where I could feel him warm and hard between my legs.
I waited for him to do just that, but all he did was stare at me like I was a dream he didn’t want to wake up from.
Maybe this was a dream.
Anything this good couldn’t be real.
“Roe,” I whispered, and rolled my hips just to make sure.
He inhaled as his fingers dimpled my skin.
I moved again, grinding myself against him.
His hips bucked up to meet me. “Fuck, Lottie.” He slid one of his hands up my stomach and under the crop top until he cupped my breast.
I arched into his touch and reached up to unknot the ties on the front of the shirt.
He watched me as I quickly pulled them loose while his hand kneaded my heavy-feeling breast. His other helped me roll my hips again.
I had to pause as pleasure I wanted to desperately chase pulsed through me.
He pulled on my hip again, forcing a breathy moan from me.
What he made me feel was maddening and addictive.
It took willpower to focus, but I got the last tie undone. I pulled open the shirt and let it slide down my arms until it fell off completely.
Other than my panties, I was practically naked on top of him.
My hair felt like a mane of wild tendrils.
Some of it fell forward and dangled over his tattooed hand.
I didn’t want to think about how my makeup looked.
With how he was looking at me, it didn’t matter.
Those stormy blue eyes were savoring everything.
As they reached my breasts, his thumb brushed over my hard nipple, making me tremble.
“You’re even better than I imagined,” he said.
“You thought of me like this?”
Both of his hands went to my back as he sat up. Worried I’d fall even though he seemed to be holding me just fine, I wrapped my arms around his neck. My nipples scraped against his chest as he kissed my bare shoulder. From there his lips went to my ear and he whispered, “For a long time.”
He pulled back enough to face me. His eyes dropped to my mouth, and I was so ready for him to kiss me. As he leaned in, his bedroom door opened.
An older male voice filled the room. “Hey, Roe, I gotta run to the—”
Startled, Roe hugged me against him. “Dad! Seriously?!” He quickly grabbed the blanket and covered me up to the back of my neck.
“Shit, sorry!” Roe’s dad said.
“What’s going on?” I heard Wyatt ask.
“Should have locked the damn door,” Roe’s dad grumbled, his voice growing distant as if he was walking away. “Tell him I have to go to church.”
"I think he heard you, but will do,” Wyatt said.
We all could hear the front door close.
“Why is the club meeting right now?” Roe asked.
“No clue. Bram must be pissed and taking it out on the club to make them all get up after being out all night drinking,” Wyatt said.
“I thought he said he was going to church,” I said, feeling lost. I pushed gently on Roe, and he released his hold on me.
“Church is a term members use for a club meeting that is mandatory,” Roe explained.
I covered my breasts with one arm and turned toward the door.
Wyatt was grinning. “If you two are going to continue, can I watch?”
The idea of him watching sent a rush through me like lightning straight down between my legs. My thighs clenched and my toes curled. Feeling it, Roe’s eyes met mine. My cheeks grew very hot. I was pretty sure I was just as shocked as he was when the realization hit him.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Interesting.”
“What is?” Wyatt asked.
I quickly pushed Roe back onto the bed and covered his mouth. “I think the mood has been ruined,” I lied to Wyatt, which made Roe full-on smile against my hand.
Wyatt let out a dramatic disappointed sigh. “Probably for the best. Reid will be here any minute.”
Roe made a muffled ugh sound.
“I left my dress in your car,” I said as I glanced over my shoulder. “Would you please get it for me?”
“I can do that.” Wyatt nodded at Roe. “You might want to let him breathe. Asphyxiation isn’t really his thing.” Then he disappeared down the hall.
Before I could lift my hand from Roe’s mouth, he flipped us. My back hit the mattress and he pinned my hands above my head. “Who would have thought that Charlotte Kendry had such a kinky side?”
I looked away from him.
He let go of one of my hands so he could brush a finger down the side of my face. “Your cheeks are so red. It’s fucking cute.”
The gentleness and lightness in his voice made me look up at him.
I really wanted him to kiss me. When his gaze dropped, I thought he was about to, but it didn’t stop at my lips.
His eyes narrowed as his hand came up to my neck.
Very gently, he placed his fingers on my neck one at a time.
He was so focused, I realized he was lining them up with my bruises.
My concealer must have worn off after a night of dancing and sweating.
“A box did this?” he questioned, disbelief riding his voice. His thumb moved to my collarbone on the other side and began gently rubbing there. His narrowed eyes turned horrified. He let out a curse and I pushed on his chest so he would get off me.
He didn’t resist and moved so I could sit up. I brought my knees to my chest and covered my neck with both hands. “Yes, a box did this.”
He didn’t look like he believed me. His eyes traveled all over me as if searching for more bruises. Before I could move my arm down, he saw the shadow on the outside of my forearm. He caught my arm before I could hide it, and he rubbed away the concealer that still lingered.
I pulled my arm away and clambered off his bed. “I got that from banging my arm on something. I bruise easy. I always have.” I covered my breasts with one arm—the unbruised one—and looked around for clothes.
“Did he do that to you?” Roe’s voice was very calm, but rage was present.
“Did who do what to me?” The moment I asked that, I realized. “Brandon? No. Brandon didn’t do this to me.”
“But someone did?” he asked.
“I told you what happened,” I shot back, feeling panicked. The whole time I searched for clothes, I didn’t see a damn thing.
Roe opened his mouth to say something, but his attention was drawn to the door. I turned to find Reid standing there.
Unabashed, his eyes traveled down my body. I was covering my breasts, but I was still just in a thong.
I was stressed and feeling cornered with Roe’s questions. That was why I snapped, “Are you enjoying the view?”
Reid, in all his leather-jacketed, tight-shirt-wearing, great-ass-having glory, said, “Do you not like to eat?”
Wyatt showed up then with the dress I’d forgotten I’d asked him to get. He saw me, his eyes going wide. “Whoa, hello, joint thief.”
I stormed over to him, snatched my dress, and squeezed between him and Reid, who had both apparently turned into wide-eyed statues.
“Lottie,” Roe called out to me.
“I’m getting dressed,” I said over my shoulder as I dashed into the bathroom that was right next door.
Just before I closed the door, I heard Reid ask, “Did you sleep with her?”
My phone was dead.
Fantastic.