Chapter 59
ELLIE
“Tell me something I don’t know about you, May,” Travis says, tossing back his third slice of pizza.
I tap my lip in thought. I’m an open book, honestly.
“I don’t know. I feel like you know a lot.
” Our previous fling was fast, but there were many times we shared deep conversations in the dark.
Sometimes we were drunk or high off an edible, though, so maybe he doesn’t remember those times, but they’re sacred to me.
“There has to be something.”
“Well, I used to be the goodest girl.”
“Oh, you still are,” he deadpans.
I laugh. “I’m serious. In school—before Mr. Shrimp Dick,” I add and his jaw tightens.
“I was very studious. I had perfect attendance and excellent grades. I never skipped class or did anything crazy. He was my first taste of rebellion.” I don’t blame him.
I was a willing participant, and I like who I am now, despite his attempts to ruin me.
I just hope his other victims bounced back.
I twirl my straw around my glass. He remains silent, and the tension climbs. He’s angry for me, but he doesn’t need to be.
“Wanna hear about my dream?” I ask, wanting to lighten the mood.
He nods.
“I was eating a donut off your dick.”
He coughs around a bite of food. “Fucking hell.” He chokes, clearing his throat. “Are you serious?”
“Deadass.”
“That could be arranged,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows.
I take a bite of pizza, pretending like I’m not giddy at the idea. I would 100 percent do that. Two of my favorite things to have in my mouth at once.
The waitress drops off the basket of onion rings I demanded we get, and I slide out of my chair. “I need to get some ketchup. Be right back.”
I’m standing in line, waiting for the couple in front of me to get some napkins from the condiment stand, when someone approaches me. “How are you?”
I turn, facing the man next to me. He’s tall and beefy, with dark hair and a nice smile. “I’m good. You?”
“Can’t complain.”
I nod, moving up the line and grabbing my things.
“Have I seen you here before? You look familiar.”
I laugh to myself. That’s the oldest line in the book. “No, it’s my first time.”
“Ah, guess the line didn’t work then, huh?” He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. He seems nervous, which is flattering.
I glance behind him to the high top Travis is sitting at. He’s watching me closely, leaning over the table with his chin in his hand, a slight grin on his face.
My, how the tables have turned, Mr. Beckett. Let’s see how you like to be toyed with.
“Do you come here often?” I ask, smiling at how cheesy that sounded, but the guy laughs, too.
“Actually, yeah. Almost every day for lunch. I work around the block.”
I prop my hip against the stand housing all the condiments and smile up at him, hoping Travis can see how flirty I’m being. But when I look back at our table, I frown. Two girls are crowded around him now. Their laughter pierces my ears, and my blood pressure starts to climb. What the hell?
One of the girls presses close, her hand touching his shoulder, while the other stares at him with doe eyes.
It’s that motherfucking suit!
When he popped out of the bathroom earlier, I knew I was screwed. Classic and black, with a dark gray button-down underneath, and a silky tie. All fitted to him like a second skin.
Ok, it’s not just the suit. He attracts women everywhere he goes, but the suit makes his attractiveness even more overpowering. He reeks of confidence. And I know he can back it up.
There's something magnificent under those dress pants, and he knows how to use it, too.
“Did you hear me?”
I snap back to the dude in front of me. “Sorry?”
“I said, would you like to get a drink with me?”
My eyes drift again. This time, Travis is looking my way, the smirk on his lips speaking to me. Game on, rockstar.
This is actual fucking bullshit.
I’ve been sitting at the bar with…whatever his name is, for twenty minutes, listening to him blab about stocks or clocks or something. I tried being present, but he hasn’t asked me anything about myself. He just wants an ego stroke. Well, he picked the wrong girl for that.
I’m only still here because I was waiting on Travis to go caveman and throw me over his shoulder. I wanted him to be eaten alive with jealousy. To the point he had to pound on his chest and take me right here, show everyone who I belong to.
Wait, I belong to him now?
I let my eyes wander back to the table. The same girls are still there, and there’s been so much laughter coming from that direction that I want to rip my eardrums out.
How is he not bothered? This guy is good-looking.
He touched my leg. I’ve stroked his shoulder, the same way the girl did to Travis.
“You haven’t touched your drink.” The guy stares down at the full margarita he ordered me, even though I politely declined.
“I’m actually not feeling well,” I tell him. “And I have an early day tomorrow, so I should go.” I stand, and so does he.
“Could I get your number? Maybe we can hang out again?”
“Sorry, no. I live on the other side of the country.” That’s a whopper. I live in Rhode Island, and this is Michigan, but he doesn’t know that.
I don’t spare Travis a glance as I pass the table and exit the restaurant. My face is hot enough to cook an egg. The audacity of him. To act unfazed by my flirting.
I stomp down the sidewalk toward the hotel.
“Ellie, wait!”
I pick up my pace, rushing through the lobby, knowing his long fucking legs are about to close the distance any second.
The elevator doors open, letting an elderly couple off right in time for me to hop on. My finger slams aggressively on the button as soon as I’m inside. It’s not fast enough, and Travis leaps through right before they shut.
“The hell, Ellie? I was chasing you,” he pants, leaning over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
“Yes, that’s why I was running,” I say flatly.
“What happened? Did that guy say something to you?”
“No.”
He straightens, his nostrils flaring. “Was he inappropriate?”
I force myself not to preen at his protectiveness. “No.”
He studies me, brow arched, before a satisfied grin hits his lips. “You just got so jealous you couldn’t stand to be there anymore?”
I cock my head, assessing him right back. “No,” I lie. “I got so turned-on talking to that guy, I needed to get some relief. I left so I could come.”
He swallows, eyes dancing between mine. He can’t figure out if I’m playing with him or not. This whole time, I was trying to use that guy to make him sweat, when all I needed to do was be me.
I crowd him until his back hits the metal wall.
“I’m going to lie down on the bed and spread my legs as wide as they’ll go,” I whisper, pressing on the balls of my feet to get closer to his face.
I trail my fingertip along his bottom lip.
“I’m already so wet, my fingers will slide right in.
” He lets out a breath that hits my lashes, making them flutter. “Then I—”
The elevator halts and the doors part. I step off, striding to the room on quick feet. I wasn’t turned-on until two seconds ago, now I definitely need a release.
His footsteps pound behind me. I unlock the door and hurry inside, trying to shut him out, but he busts through easily, slamming it behind him and making me jump.
His chest is heaving as hard as it was after he played a whole set the other night. He yanks on his tie, his normally light blue eyes blazing with heat. “Remember what you said, Ellie May.”
“What?” I ask, confused as he kicks his shoes off.
“You wanna wait, not let me touch you.” He pulls the tie off, tossing it away.
I don’t point out that he brought it up first. I was ready to fuck him right there that night, but I know he was doing it for me, so I could feel good about sticking to the agreement I made.
“Wanna follow your little contract? Remember that when your pussy is crying out for me later. When your tiny fingers aren’t filling you up the way you need. The way only I can.”
An ache shoots straight to my core, and I clench my thighs, swallowing a whimper. My skin heats to an unbearable level, making sweat trickle along my spine. I need to shed these clothes. My nipple rings are throbbing, pressing painfully against my bra all of a sudden.
I’d like to pretend his words don’t hit me right in the chest—or the pussy—and I could ignore them, but I can’t.
I want him. Need him.
Maybe if he didn’t know my body so well, I’d be able to refrain. I’m well past my breaking point now. My clit is pulsing, and it’s excruciating. I wonder if this is what blue balls feel like.
Travis starts past me, heading toward the bathroom. “I’ll take another shower. Give you time to…” He trails off.
Give me time to masturbate? When I have the real thing in front of me? Hard pass.
“Fuck that.” I leap forward, plowing into his chest.
He wasn’t expecting it, but he catches me, hooking an arm under my ass and lifting me up so we’re face-to-face.
I don’t give him a second to question anything before I slam my lips to his.
He willingly opens, slipping his tongue inside my mouth.
The kiss is sloppy, hot, and desperate, going all the way to my toes.
His hand comes up, freeing my hair from its bun.
He tangles his hand through the strands, never breaking the kiss, and I slide his suit jacket off his shoulders as he walks us to the bed.
I trail kisses down his neck, and he sighs, head falling back as his hands squeeze my ass hard.
My lips touch every inch of his skin I can reach. It’s not enough.
“I need this off,” I pant, tugging on the collar of his shirt.
“Yes, ma’am.”
He tosses me on the bed, and I land with a yelp. Slower than fucking molasses, he undoes the buttons on his shirt. There’s like a hundred, and I’m impatient. Jumping to my knees, I lean forward and grab his shirt, trying to rip it apart.