Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
CHAD
It’s no surprise to anyone when we win. The Kappas are pissed, which makes it that much sweeter, and then Bailey’s message comes through with a hotel and room number, and it puts me on top of the damn moon.
There are still two hours until the time he said to meet, but after the text, I don’t see him again.
The celebrations start early, and we haul that damn trophy down and pass it around like it’s made of gold. I don’t drink though. Not with the night ahead I have planned, because when Bailey didn’t shoot down my very obvious suggestion, I have to assume he’s on the same page as me.
If not, I’ll find out soon enough.
I’ll be happy with whatever as long as we’re naked.
I’m on cloud fucking nine as I tell Robbie I’m going to take a leak but head to my room and pack a bag instead.
Most of my hookups are spontaneous—I haven’t dated anyone since high school—so this whole planning to go out and see someone is new and different.
I’m pretty sure I have butterflies, which is another first for me.
I’m not paying attention as I throw a random assortment of clothes into my bag, then zip it up and head out. Tomorrow morning, I have an 8:00 a.m. class that I’m definitely going to miss because I plan on staying in that room until checkout.
The hotel Bailey’s booked us into is one of those semi-fancy chain ones that looks like a pile of glass and cement. I bypass the valet and park my beat-up old wagon in the parking lot around back before shouldering my bag and heading for the elevator.
He checked in about ten minutes ago, and as I glance around the lobby as I cross it, I can’t help the excitement of us having this secret. At the thrill of being busted, even though all the people we know are likely writing themselves off back at the house.
Two minutes later and I’m knocking on the door of our room, butterflies bursting into a hurricane in my gut while I wait.
What is it about this guy?
Why does he make me feel all stupid and uncool? Like I don’t wanna talk around him because I’m scared the next words out of my mouth will scare him off?
Then Bailey opens the door, and all those nerves somehow get worse while settling at the same time. I stare at him, taking in his gorgeous face.
“Two hours?” I groan. “Were you trying to torture me?”
He gives me that pretty smile, grabs a fistful of my T-shirt, and pulls me into the room. The door slams closed.
I back him into the wall.
“We could have met sooner,” he says, “but I had things to attend to.”
“Things?”
His smile morphs into a smirk. “If I’m going to congratulate you properly, I needed to prepare.”
I can feel my forehead crumpling under my confusion. “What do you—”
Bailey snorts. “Let me guess. You’ve never bottomed before?”
“I don’t—” Bottomed … prepared … “Oh …”
He wraps his arms around my neck. “You tops make me laugh.”
“Am I top?”
Bailey lifts a dark eyebrow. “Would you ever bottom?”
“Dunno.” I shrug and wrap my arms around him. “Never given it much thought. Maybe though. Probably. I mean, I should try it once at least, I guess.”
“You went from not knowing to being ready to bend over really fast there.”
“I’m all for trying new things. Do you top? Would you do it?”
He looks like he’s trying not to laugh. “Uh … I have topped before. And if you wanted to try it, I’m in—”
“That’s what he said.”
Bailey rolls his eyes. “But maybe you should take more than a second to think about it?”
“Sure.” It doesn’t bother me either way. “But as you’ve probably noticed, I don’t tend to think things through too deeply. It sounds fun, so let’s try it sometime.”
It takes him so long to answer, I start to feel self-conscious. “You’re pretty incredible, you know that?”
It occurs to me that other than telling me how sexy I am, Bailey doesn’t give out compliments often. My gut swims. “Umm … thank you? And also, why?”
“You’re so confident in yourself. Like, you know what you want, so you go for it. You don’t get bogged down in details or stress or overthink, you just … do. I wish I was more like that.”
“You’d be the only one. Those things are the reason most people on the row hate me.”
“Actually, I think the reason has more to do with you pranking them and causing general mayhem than anything else.”
I think back over the last month or so and figure he might have a point. “Yeah, maybe. Good times.”
He buries his face into my neck, warm breath fanning over my skin. His lips follow it. Soft, sure, waking goose bumps and making my body hum.
I pull back, running my hands along his arms until our fingers are linked, and then I walk backward, pulling him into the room.
“This is awesome,” I say. The room has a huge bed, a small area to sit and watch TV, and a door to the bathroom on the other side. The most important thing is it’s private. We could be in some backwater motel, and as long as it had a bed, I’d be happy.
“I was surprised how much was available at the last minute.”
“Will your parents care that you shelled out all this money?”
“Nah.” He hesitates and then forces himself to keep talking. “Especially not if I tell them who I was with.”
That shouldn’t make me as happy as it does. Like there’s sunshine deep in my gut. “I told you, all the old chicks love me.”
“Wait until I tell my mom you called her an old chick, and I can promise that one hundred percent will not be the case.”
“I don’t even think that would work. I’m adorable.” I sigh like it’s too much to deal with.
“Delusional is more like it.”
“Would we call it delusional when it’s fact though?”
“So humble too.”
“You just told me you liked my confidence.”
“Confidence not conceit.” Bailey nudges me down onto the bed, and I drop my bag at the foot of it. Then he slowly takes his time climbing up to straddle my thighs.
A desperate little noise comes from me. “My mistake,” I say, struggling to hold on to the thread of conversation.
He makes me so dumb for him. As soon as his body fits against mine, I want to forget about everything and let myself feel.
I’m barely human, just a bundle of nerves waiting for him to set them all on fire.
His fingers creep up my chest, skim my nipples, rest against my neck. “What are you thinking about?”
“How much I want you.”
“And how much is that?”
“Enough that I’d do basically anything right now.”
Bailey tilts his head. “Oh really?”
I’m quick to nod.
He chuckles, dropping his forehead to mine as his fingers reach my jaw. “I think we also need to teach you the word limits.”
“Maybe I need to teach you the word ‘naked.’”
“Lucky for you, I already know that one.” Bailey stands and stretches his hands over his head, showing off that long, lithe body.
My eyes drop to the sliver of pale, smooth skin running along the top of his pants, and when I glance back up, he’s watching me like that was totally on purpose.
I run a finger over it, and he shivers. The sight makes my cock thicken behind my zipper.
I reach out and pop the button on his jeans as Bailey peels off his T-shirt.
His light eyes have darkened, making my pulse creep higher as he watches me while he strips out of his clothes.
When he’s standing there in only his boxers, I’m met with the mouthwatering sight of his hard cock tenting the material and revealing the tiniest glimpse of skin through the opening in the front.
“Fuck.” My head drops back. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
Bailey climbs back onto my lap, hands closing behind my neck, chest pressed to mine, lips at my ear. “Tell me.”
“You make me hard.”
“You make me hard too.” His voice holds a teasing note.
“But it’s more than that.”
He hesitates. “What do you mean?”
“You’re like the sun.”
“What?”
“It’s like, I know I shouldn’t look, right? But I’m curious and always thinking about you, and whenever we’re in the same place, I can’t help moving closer.”
He stiffens in my arms, but I don’t stop.
“I know looking will hurt, but I do it anyway, and every time you blow me away. I want your warmth, your attention, and whenever you’re around, you make everything so much brighter.”
Bailey’s fingers tighten briefly in my hair before he pulls back, eyebrows knotted.
He swallows. Stares.
I shift under him, wondering if I should have kept my mouth closed instead of spilling all that. Was it too much for him? Am I pushing too hard?
Did I just call him the sun? Is that a thing that happened?
Okay, actually that was definitely fucking dumb, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets up and leaves.
Way to be smooth as a fucking pothole.
My cheeks are burning as I open my mouth to laugh it all off, but before I can get a word out, Bailey attacks me.
With his mouth.