Chapter 57
TRAVIS
“I’m sorry, the only room we have available is a king bed.”
Ellie’s face falls and I smirk to myself. How about that? Who knew this little side trip to my court hearing would be so much fun? It’s going to be torture, sharing a bed and not being able to touch her, but I’m a glutton for punishment. Probably because I deserve it.
“I don’t understand how that’s possible. How do you only have one room?” Ellie asks, a hint of panic in her tone.
“There’s a bridal expo tomorrow,” the receptionist informs us.
Ellie sighs, producing the business card from her wallet and sliding it to her. “Fine, whatever.”
The woman hands us our keycards, and we walk to the elevator.
“What’s wrong? Scared to sleep in a bed with me? Afraid you can’t keep your hands to yourself?” I taunt as we step on.
“No. It’s just unprofessional.”
“Uh-huh.”
I hit the button, and as soon as the doors close, I’m on her, using my hips to push her against the wall. She gasps, dropping the handle of her suitcase. I snatch her wrists, pinning them above her head as I put myself nose to nose with her.
“What the hell are you doing?” she says, all breathy, making my dick swell.
“Is this professional?” I muse, skating my lips across her cheek.
She shakes her head, and I glance over to see how much time we have left before we reach our floor.
“You can tell me to stop.” I lean down, flicking her earlobe with my tongue ring.
She whimpers, her chest heaving as I drag the knuckle of my free hand down her neck.
“Your throat is just so...chokable. Fuck.” My fingers twitch to squeeze it as I pound into her, then flip her.
Pin her to the mattress with both hands and watch her tits bounce underneath me.
Blood rushes to my dick, making it throb.
Once my hand reaches the cut in her V-neck, it takes all my strength to pull away. The elevator comes to a halt, and I pick up my bag, waiting for the doors to part, acting completely unfazed.
She blows out a frustrated breath that makes my lip twitch.
My cock is solid as stone. I had no damn clue I had this much restraint.
I’ve had practice, with all the fooling around we’ve done to ourselves in front of each other, and I didn’t break.
I can do this. I can wait it out. And when we finally fuck again, it’s going to be glorious, just like the first time.
The doors open, and she rams her shoulder into my back, knocking me out of the way. “I hate you,” she mumbles, speed walking down the hall.
I bark out a laugh and watch her little ponytail swing aggressively as she shakes her head. Then my eyes fall to her ass, nice and plump in her tight leggings, and suddenly, I don’t find anything funny.
“Which side of the bed do you want?” Ellie asks, yanking the covers back harder than necessary. We had dinner and showered—separately, unfortunately—and now it’s time for bed.
She’s still pissy about my teasing, but I’ve learned my lesson. I gave myself blue balls and had to come all over the shower wall. Didn’t help, I’m still half hard.
“I don’t care.” It’s not like I’m going to sleep with her next to me dressed like that. It’s payback, I know.
Ellie and I have had several sleepovers.
Usually, she wore nothing. Maybe a skimpy PJ set, but she never slept in lingerie.
Why the hell did she pack that shit? She said it was pajamas.
In what universe is that sleepwear? That shit is meant to be torn off with teeth.
Lacey and low cut. Pretty peach color, too, like her pussy. Oh Jesus, don’t go there.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to conjure up other thoughts. Music, guitars, hot sauce, but all I see is her pussy. Glistening and waiting for me to fill her up.
“Are you coming?” Ellie’s voice has my eyes opening. She’s in bed now, blanket tucked at her waist. Her tits nice and high and barely covered by her scrappy “pajamas.”
I wish I was coming.
I crawl next to her. She turns over, flipping the lamp off and pushing her ass into my space. Swallowing a groan, I grab one of my pillows and lay it over my crotch as a barrier. It’s a flimsy-ass barrier. My cock could tear through this cheap fluff if she so much as looked at me the right way.
She peeks over her shoulder. “Goodnight.”
“Night.”
I stare up at the ceiling, thinking calming thoughts. It’s a tip I read online to help me fall asleep, especially when a craving starts to hit. One’s hitting right now. Not for drugs. For Ellie.
And it’s not the first time, either.
“Hey, Trav,” she whispers.
“Yeah?”
“I’m proud of you.”
I stiffen, muscles turning rigid as my heart begins beating wildly out of rhythm.
I don’t say anything. What’s there to say? What’s she proud of? I got fucked up nearly every night of this tour, started taking pills, got arrested, made her think I was dying twice, and let my bandmates and fans down.
“They’re proud of you, too.”
I swallow, eyes drifting to her. Her back is to me, and it’s dark, so I can only make out her form.
A heavy weight settles in my gut. I want to yell, tell her I’m a fuckup, and that’s nothing to be proud of.
Tell her she should run far away from me because I’ll probably always be this way.
I’m trying to be better, but addicts almost always relapse, right? I did.
Even my parents stay thousands of miles away from me.
“Thanks,” I manage.
Sleep doesn’t come easily after that. My mind was too busy wondering what Ellie could possibly see in me other than sex. Our chemistry is off the charts. I’ve known that since I met her, but what would make her want more with me?
I didn’t think I cared to know. I was willing to give it a shot.
She’s invaded my head this entire tour. Before that, too, if I’m completely honest. I thought it was our proximity and undeniable attraction to each other, but it’s more than that.
It’s the way she’s always taking care of me.
I assumed that was because she was getting paid, but she wasn’t getting paid to snoop through my shit and follow me around like a private investigator trying to solve a mystery.
To watch me sleep on more than one occasion to make sure I didn’t die.
The way she has my back, yet isn’t afraid to give me shit when I’m wrong. The way she fangirls over my band.
I stare at her in the dark. I don’t know how I got here—letting myself fall for Ellie again.
This time I don’t want to run. I won’t run.
I sure as hell don’t deserve her. Maybe one day I could.