36. Nellie
THIRTY-SIX
NELLIE
Florence is sitting outside when we pull in. She had brought a couple of the younger kids back early. Kevin practically jumps from my arms when he sees her, and I hear Teddy’s soft laugh as he bounds over to her.
“Maybe Kevin will make this easier on all of us by choosing to have a sleepover.”
“He’s a very perceptive dog,” I say quietly, watching as Florence puts her phone down and bends to pick the dog up.
“He’s yours for the night if you want him,” Teddy calls to her.
“Really?” Florence calls back, the lights hanging around the fire pit illuminating the huge smile on her face.
“If you want,” he assures her.
“Awesome, thanks.” She waves, and Teddy tugs me towards the bunkie.
The second the door closes, I’m on him. “The last three hours have been torture,” I breathe out as his lips connect with the space between my neck and shoulder .
“Three hours is nothing, Nellie. My balls have been blue since you kicked me out of your car seven months ago.”
“I’m sor—” I start to say before remembering our rule as I begin working my hands under his shirt so I can slide it off. “I promise never to do that again.”
“Never say never.” He turns me around and I stick my hands out just in time before I crash into the wall. “We’re going to see just how sturdy this little bunkie is,” he says as he grinds himself against my ass. “Your ass in these shorts, LG, criminal.” His hand slips down the front, and he groans as his fingers dip into my underwear. “I love that this is because of me.” His other hand grasps my hair and pulls my head back right so his mouth can devour mine.
Right before it feels like I’ll run out of air, I turn and push him towards the bed. He lands heavily when the backs of his knees make contact with the mattress, and I pounce. I’d told him that maybe it was me that he needed to be protected from without really thinking. Now as my teeth graze his jaw and I begin moving my hips, I think it was because part of me knew if we got to this point, I’d be fucking feral.
“You keep moving like that”—Teddy closes his eyes, fighting for control as his hands land on my waist—“and this is going to be over real fast.” His words aren’t matching his actions as he holds me firmly against him.
I slow my hips just enough that his eyes open in time to see me pull my shirt up and over my head. I watch his lips part and his tongue sneak out to wet them. Next goes my bra, and that’s the moment Teddy reclaims the upper hand.
Flipping us faster than I ever thought possible, he kisses me almost viciously before he starts an agonizingly slow path down my body. I hate that he acquired any of these skills without me, but I also feel the need to send out thank-you letters because I’m the one who is now benefiting from his extracurriculars.
He wastes no time removing the rest of my clothing and then stands and looks down at me, fully taking in every inch of skin on display. Teddy-less Nellie never liked to be looked at naked. I’ve always been a lights-off lady, but Teddy’s eyes can have all the time they want. And he takes his time looking as he slowly undoes his shorts. I am captivated by the way he watches me. It’s how I’ve seen artsy people study paintings or how music people savor the perfect harmony. I watch as his gaze gets to my thighs and then the look of panic suddenly crosses his face.
His head snaps up, and I feel the mood shift instantly. “I didn’t bring condoms,” he says, almost to himself. “Did you?”
I push up on my elbows and feel my heart sink, “No, I wasn’t exactly expecting to end up here.”
“Me either.”
“I don’t know why, but that makes me happy,” I say. “Not the no protection part, the no expectation part.” I look around the small room as if a box of Trojans will spontaneously appear on the nightstand and then decide to suggest something I’ve never even contemplated before. “I haven’t had sex since I was last tested and it came back negative for everything.” I twirl my hand in the air. “And I have an IUD because it helps with the whole bleeding too much thing, so that’s roughly ninety-nine…” I trail off, because he knows the stats.
Teddy looks at me skeptically. “Same, except for the IUD. I don’t have one of those. Are you sure, though? I don’t want to pressure you. I, we can wait. We’ve waited this long.”
“So you keep saying,” I say, sitting up and wrapping my arms around his waist, resting my chin at his hip and peering up. “I don’t want to wait another week, day, or fucking hour. I trust you. I trust that you wouldn’t have let me put my mouth on you earlier today if there was even an ounce of doubt.”
Teddy still looks hesitant, so I decide to try one more tactic to prove I’m okay with it, and if it doesn’t work I’ll give up and accept a night of aggressive spooning. Sliding back on the bed, maintaining eye contact the entire time I lay back and slowly slide my hand down my body. I watch his chest begin to rise and fall faster as he watches my fingers begin to work.
I hear his shorts hit the floor at the same time his hands grab my ankles and he pulls me to the end of the bed, wrapping my legs around his hips.
His fingers circle my wrist and he pulls my hand away from my body. “That’s my job now, pretty girl,” he growls out.
“Then you better do it.” I rock my hips against him and we moan in unison.
He lets my hand fall so he can grip my waist, holding half my body off the bed. “Tell me,” he demands, his eyes almost black in the low light.
“Make me regret kicking you out of my car,” I challenge. I already regret it, but now he can show me what I’ve been missing all these months.
That’s all I needed to say as he slides all the way home. My back involuntarily arches to the point only my head is left on the bed as his movements push me back even as his grip keeps me firmly in place.
The bed is protesting with every movement, and I try to ignore the sense of dread I feel at the thought of it breaking. Midge had warned us after all.
Teddy seems to sense what I’m feeling because he bends at the knees and pulls my body to him. Moving to the wall he leans me back into it, using it as leverage. My eyes close as my head tips back against the wood paneling, and I feel his hand leave my waist before it settles at my throat.
My eyes fly open to see his lasered in on mine. I’ll never know why, but I nod the tiniest bit and lean into his touch. A breathy “yes” leaves my lips, and his fingers tighten ever so slightly. He’s not even messing with my air supply, but knowing the power he wields in this position does something to every pleasure center in my body.
“You regret it yet, LG?” he asks, squeezing a little more so he can pull my body back against his.
“Almost,” I manage to get out as his mouth claims mine again.
The kiss goes from primal to sensual quickly, and I feel Teddy’s grip loosen and my body begin to lower. When my feet hit the ground, he spins me around and places my hands back on the wall in front of me while his feet spread mine farther apart. His lips connect with my shoulder while his hands press down on my back, encouraging me to arch. Not like I need any encouragement though.
“Fuck, LG, remember when I said I’d dreamed of all the things I could do to you?”
I look over my shoulder and watch him scan my body. “I believe you told me you’d let me know one day.”
“This is one of those things.” He smirks before sliding back into me without warning, causing a long slow moan to escape me. “And that’s the sound I heard every.” He snaps his hips. “Single.” Snap. “Time.” Snap.
I hope to god Florence is long gone. The bunkie isn’t right next to the house, but I’m pretty sure every syllable out of my mouth is carrying through the trees. Usually, I’d be concerned, but present Nellie doesn’t care who or what hears her. That’s future Nellie’s problem.
Future Nellie, now present Nellie, is pissed. As I open the door to the crisp morning air, I am greeted by a suggestive whistle originating from one of the two people sitting in the Muskoka chairs. I practically skulk behind the bunkie towards the bathroom and take my time with my morning routine. Teddy had already headed inside to get coffee for us, and I can’t help but wonder what kind of greeting he received. Knowing how men can be, I imagine he’d strutted over like a fucking peacock.
My reflection gives little away. It doesn’t show the slight soreness in my back or the rawness of my skin from his beard. I also half expected to look like a sex bomb, but I just look like me after very little sleep. No overnight, sex-induced transformation has occurred. I’m still just Nellie.
I pull out my phone to shoot a text to the girls.
It finally happened!
Izzy
You DNF’d a book?
Marley
You slept with Teddy!
Izzy
Oh, I like that better. Did you?
I peek back up at my reflection and smile at the fact I get to say yes to that.
Let’s just say very little sleep was slept!
Marley
FUCK YES!
Izzy
Well, that sounds very promising.
Marley
Bennett just high-fived me!
MARLEY!
Marley
He doesn’t know why… yet…
I raised my hand and he automatically did it. He spends a lot of time around dogs.
Izzy
Importrant question
*Importrant
IMPORTANT FUCK
Marley
HAHAHAHAHA
Izzy
Will you be getting very little sleep again?
Marley
Have you seen him?
Izzy
One cannot assume.
Assume away!
Marley
Another high five!
Izzy
Is he even questioning these high-fives?
Marley
It was from Cass this time. She called this btw.
Called what?
Marley
You and Teddy not lasting the whole trip without …
Three little dots appear then disappear, and then it happens again.
Marley, without what?
Marley
Sorry, I couldn’t remember the exact word. Without coupling.
Izzy
Ew, I do not like that termite
Marley
Does anyone like termites?
Izzy
*Term
This new phone hats me.
I can’t hold in the laugh as I picture Izzy cursing silently at her phone. She’s such a perfectionist that I know this will be driving her mad.
Marley
Maybe you’re just dumb like the rest of us!
Izzy
*Hates
And never.
There’s a soft knock at the door just before it swings open revealing a shirtless Teddy. Probably because I’ve got his shirt on. He leans against the frame and takes me in from head to toe, a slow smile curling up the edges of his lips. I expect him to say something, but he remains silent as he watches me put my phone down and remove the toothbrush from my mouth.
“Do you need something, Teddy?”
He shakes his head, that damn smile shifting as his jaw slides left then right. “Just wanted to let you know that coffee is ready.”
“I’ll be there in a minute.” He nods and turns to leave but catches himself on the door, spinning back around. “Oh, and Midge was wondering how the bed held up.” My mouth drops open, and he turns and walks back down the steps, laughing.
Goddammit it, past Nellie.