24. She’s here to play
24
SHE’S HERE TO PLAY
ASHER
Her head tips back as she laughs, loud and carefree, the sound sending a spark through the chaos. She leans over, grabs the glasses from the table, and waves at the girls there. Those legs in denim shorts and ankle boots seem to stretch for miles, and the image of them wrapped around my head assaults my mind, sending a zap of heat straight down my spine.
“Asher, stop ogling my sister, dude, and go get more ice!” Hunter yells at me from the other side of the bar.
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter under my breath as I head out the back to the ice bin, a small smile tugging at my mouth.
It’s Saturday night and Whiskey Cove is alive with energy. The entire town seems to be here tonight, drowning their weekly worries in a bottle, celebrating the wins, and letting off some steam after a long week. The music pumping through the jukebox seems obnoxiously loud tonight, or maybe that’s just me, hyper-aware of every little thing. This is Halle’s first Saturday shift. For the past two weeks, we’ve eased her in on quieter nights, teaching her the ropes and preparing her for tonight, and so far, she’s fucking killing it. But that hasn’t stopped me from keeping an eye on her every move. Looking out for any sign of her anxiety sneaking up on her and watching every damn guy in here who looks at her like they’d like their own taste. My blood simmers at the thought, and I’ve had to force myself to step back multiple times tonight when someone’s gotten too close to her. I know Halle can handle herself, and me coming in acting like a crazed caveman won’t do me any favors with her.
Filling the buckets with ice, I hear the door behind me open and close, the faint click of the lock pulling my attention. My pulse quickens, anticipation thrumming through my veins. Her presence overwhelms me in an all-consuming way, and I wait, every nerve on edge, to see what she does next.
“Have you been watching me?” she asks, her voice daring. “Because I can feel your eyes on me with every step I take.” She steps closer, her chest brushing against my back.
Her words and the heat of her presence make the hair on my arms stand.
“I can feel your intensity,” she murmurs close to my ear, “when another man looks at me.”
She’s here to play. I bite down on my lower lip, dropping the ice and bucket, the clatter filling the room. Heat coils in my stomach at her boldness, the confidence she’s showing right now. I knew all along that there was a part of her that wanted to play, and I’ve loved getting to know this side of her since that mess of a party. The memory of her chasing her high right there in front of everyone on the couch has been etched into my brain.
Spinning on the spot, my eyes find hers, and the playful spark I find there spurs me on. I walk forward, my hands gripping her hips as I push her up against the door. A small gasp falls from her parted lips, and it’s all I can focus on. My whole body is alight, burning with the need to have her, every inch of her.
With my hands roaming all over her body—her hips, tits, and ass—I grab a handful and squeeze, my eyes rolling back into my head for a split second before they lock onto hers. The spark I saw moments ago now burns with pure need. My dick strains against my jeans, already aching for her.
“I fucking hate it when another man looks at you,” I growl out.
“So possessive,” she says as her fingers work to undo the button on my jeans.
“Someone will come looking for us, sweetheart.” My forehead presses against hers as I fight for my restraint.
“And our first time cannot be up against the door in the store room of the bar.” My hands tug her hips forward and back into the door. Torn between drawing her closer and stepping away.
That doesn’t mean I can’t touch her, though, make her feel good. Over the years, I’ve always chased my own needs, never caring for anyone else. Sure, if they got off, we all won, but my end game was always me. With Halle, though, it’s different. I don’t care about myself. Making her feel good makes me feel good, and I’ve spent the last two weeks doing nothing but finding ways to make her feel good. It’s addictive.
She’s getting impatient. Her need for more is palpable. Her hand goes to slip into my briefs, and I grab her wrist, stopping her.
The pout she gives me is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen, and I can’t help but lean in, capturing her lips with mine, kissing it away. Halle pulls back slightly, her hand straining to break free from my hold, her eyes flashing with determination.
“Asher, if you don’t fuck me now.” The frustration in her voice has me smiling wide at her.
“You’ll what?” I raise a brow at her.
“Seriously, you left me wanting, needing, this morning down at Falls Creek, and now you’re going to fix it. I’m not some innocent little girl, Asher. Please.”
My hips pin her to the door, and my head falls back with a groan. I move, popping the button on her shorts and letting them fall to the floor.
“What have I said to you about begging?” I say, hooking my fingers into her panties and sliding them down her thighs.
Her hands move back to my jeans. With hurried movements, she pushes them and my briefs down. My cock springs free and her soft hand wraps around me, squeezing. Closing my eyes, I lean forward, my breathing heavy as I bite down on her ear.
“This isn’t going to be sweet, baby,” I say in her ear. “I’m going to fuck you hard and fast, is that what you need?”
Her breath hitches, and she pumps me quicker in response, my spine tingling with raw desire.
“Need to hear you say it.”
“Ye-yes, hard and fast,” she stammers out, her thighs clenching to ease the ache I know must be unbearable.
Gripping her under her ass, I lift her legs, wrapping them around my waist. The tip of my cock nudges the opening of her pussy and I pause, groaning.
“Condom, sweetheart,” I rasp out.
Her legs tighten around me, her arms coming up to wrap around my neck. “I’m on the pill, and I haven’t been with anyone in a long time,” she rushes out, not letting me go.
“It’s been a long time for me, too. Never done it without one, either,” I say, my voice thick with want.
Halle’s nails claw their way from my neck up to my face.
“You’re running out of time,” she urges, her hips circling.
I thrust forward with no warning, my cock filling her all at once, and she cries out. Blood rushes from my head, and my heart thrashes inside my chest. Her hand tangles in my hair, gripping tight as she pulls my head back, giving her access to my throat. She leans in, her teeth grazing along my jaw before she bites down on the sensitive spot of my neck.
Her pussy is heaven. Tight, so damn tight and warm. Her walls flutter around me as she grips my cock and I grow impossibly harder as I give her a second to adjust to my size.
“Move, Asher.” She breathes out.
And I do, I fuck her hard and fast, bringing my right hand up to cradle the back of her head as my other holds her up, my fingers leaving bruising marks on her ass.
Halle’s heels dig into my ass, and the little moans and gasps falling from her urge me on.
Her walls tighten around me. “Asher,” she moans.
Hearing my name fall from her lips as I slam into her makes me lose all control. My cock moves deeper, harder, in and out of her pussy. Her sounds fill the room, and her body tenses. She cries out, coming hard. My balls draw up and, with my cock buried so deep inside her, with her pussy milking me, I finish. My orgasm rips through me with such force, my legs almost give out.
We stand here connected, catching our breath, her eyes so heavy with satisfaction, pride ripples through me at the sight. I bury my head in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. She’s my favorite everything: scent, taste, touch, sight. All of it.
“All of you is mine,” I say into her ear, my tone deep and low.
I pull back and watch as her eyes darken at my claim. Her hand slides up, gripping the nape of my neck, her fingers curling possessively while her other hand wraps around my throat. The intensity in her gaze lights another fire in me.
“If I’m yours, then it’s only fair that you’re mine,” she says with so much confidence that I begin to stiffen inside her again.
My lips pull up uncontrollably, the smile taking over my whole face. I’m hers, and I’ve never been happier in my life.
I slip out of her, gently placing her legs down, and scan the room for something to help clean her up. Finding a box of napkins on a shelf next to the door, I grab a packet and rip it open.
We move together with such ease, like we’ve done this a million times over. A warm, content feeling settles over me as I look over at her slipping her shorts back on. Her cheeks still flushed and her hair a wild mess from where my hands had tangled in it. Moving forward, I reach out, tucking a loose strand behind her ear and smoothing out the back. Her eyes soften, and she leans into me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
Three little words dance on the tip of my tongue as I hold her tightly against me. But I swallow them down, knowing it’s too soon to speak them.
A loud bang rattles the door, snapping us out of our trance. The handle jiggles, and we both move, rushing to fill the ice buckets .
“Yo, Ash! What’s the hold-up? We’re almost out of ice.” Connor’s voice thunders from the other side.
Halle laughs beside me, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.
“Why is it always Connor?” she says with a grin.
My shoulders shake with silent laughter. She’s right. Why is it always Connor who manages to catch us in these situations? Not that I’m complaining. It could have been her brother, and as supportive as he is, I don’t need him finding out what we just did against this door.
“Why the fuck is the door locked?” Connor yells, the handle rattling harder now.
Unlocking the door, I reach for the buckets of ice just as Connor swings it open. His eyes widen as he catches the two of us standing there, Halle not even bothering to cover up what we just did.
She flashes him an innocent smile. “Hey, Con.”
Connor leans forward, casually sniffing the air, and gasps dramatically. “Naughty, naughty, you two,” he teases with a sly grin.
I roll my eyes at him as Halle slips out the door, snickering to herself while making a beeline for the bathroom down the hall, leaving me to deal with Connor on my own. She’s gonna pay for that later. We’re not going back to her place tonight. Not after I’ve felt her tight pussy around me. It wasn’t enough. I want more. I want to take my time, have her mouth wrapped?—
“Asher! Earth to Asher!” Connor waves a hand in front of my face.
“Huh? Did you say something?” I mutter, shaking myself out of my head as I step into the hall.
Connor lets out a low whistle. “Wow, you’ve got it so bad. ”
He’s not wrong. And I’m not even going to deny it.
“Hold up,” Connor says, grabbing the back of my arm just as I push through the door leading back out to the bar.
Laughter rings out from the pool tables, and the clatter of glasses and shot glasses slamming down fills the air. The place is still alive.
Connor slides up next to me, his voice low. “Piper is here,” he warns me, leaning in so only I can hear.
My jaw locks at the mention of her name. The fuck is she doing here? I haven’t seen her since… Shit, since I pulled her back here and made her straddle me. I was out of my mind, spiraling over Halle.
“Just giving you a heads up, man. Madi’s fuming. She’s worried about Halle running into her. Apparently, the girls filled her in on who she is.”
Narrowing my eyes at Connor, he raises his hands before taking the ice from me.
I’m on edge now, coiled tight with a nagging feeling that something’s about to go wrong. It always does when Piper is around.
Just as I go to follow Connor, I hear, “Heyyy, Asher, baby!” come from behind me.
A cold shiver rolls down my spine in disgust as I turn to face her. I step back, trying to put some space between us, but Piper never could pick up on my subtle “fuck off” gestures.
Closing the distance, her hand wraps around my bicep. My nostrils flare as I pull back, her sickly sweet, fruity scent invading my senses, making me want to gag. My nose scrunches, and I try again to pull away. If Halle sees this, she’s going to lose her mind, and I can’t have her spiraling now. Frantically searching for a way out, my eyes dart around, and I catch everyone behind the bar watching. Connor, Hunter, and Madi are all standing there, looking like they’re ready to murder her… or me. I can’t tell. Panic crawls up my neck, threatening to suffocate me. Just as I manage to uncurl her hand from my arm, she pushes up on her toes and presses a kiss to my cheek.
“I’ve missed you, baby,” she purrs, settling back down on her feet.
I see Madi gasp, her hand flying to her mouth in shock, Connor smirking, and Hunter’s flare of approval just as Piper is yanked away from me. Her shocked yelp draws attention from the nearby tables. But I don’t look at them, no, my gaze falls on Halle. Where she came from, I have no idea, but she looks at me like a woman possessed. My heart skyrockets in my chest as she spins to face Piper.