Chapter 17 #2
“Oh, my God,” she said, putting her arms around my waist and rolling her hips against my now raging hard on. “I can’t get close enough to you. I feel like I’m burning up from the inside out. What are you doing to me? What’s changed?”
“Doing to you? Oh, pretty. This is nothing compared to what’s coming. And the real question is, what have you done to me? You want to know what’s changed?”
“Wha—” she whimpered, lifting one leg and wrapping it around my thigh. The new position gave her more control, and I let her take the reins, burying my head into her neck as she rolled her hips. I felt her tremble and gripped her tighter, feeling her hard nipples through my shirt.
“Are you going to come like this? Do I get to feel this sweet body break apart just for me? Because that’s what I need, Summer. I need to lick and suck your tits until you come. I want you to soak through those deliciously ass-hugging jeans so I can feel what I’ve done to you.”
Speaking the words between clenched teeth, I would have scared anyone stupid if they had made eye contact with me. My eyes narrowed, my expression feral as I studied her face, cataloging every breath and twitch.
“I’ve been watching you all night,” I cooed as her movements became more erratic, her grip on my waist tightening.
A steady stream of moans fell from her lips while she chased her pleasure, and I was the lucky bastard who got to watch.
“Every time you’d lift your arms, I’d see the barest hint of skin, and it drove me crazy.
Crazy with jealousy at all the attention you were getting and crazy with the need to taste. That’s what’s changed.”
“Fuck, Maverick… Never done this. I’m close.”
Her nails dug into my shoulder as I slid a hand between us to continue my lustful assault on her tits.
What I wouldn’t give to see her in the light with her lipstick smudged and her nipples taut.
Next time, there wouldn’t be a quick orgasm against her car in a dingy parking lot.
No. I’d show her how well I could play her body and have her coming on my fingers, mouth, and cock.
Fuck. Momentary indecision swept through my normally unwavering confidence as I recalled how long it’d been since I’d taken anyone to bed—too long. But I was never one for a quick fuck. Nope. My hand served its purpose on nights I got the urge, saving me from the aftermath of a one-night stand.
This wispy goddess in my arms deserved a man who would make her come a dozen times before thinking about his own pleasure—and I was more than up for the challenge. Hell, now that I’d tasted her, all I could think about was getting more.
Summer leaned onto my chest, panting harshly against me. I focused on her eyes, on the sheen of sweat coating her skin and her harsh breath against my chest. This was all that mattered.
“Goddamned right, you are. Look at me,” I demanded, loving how her pupil-blown eyes immediately lifted and found mine. “You’re going to come for me, Summer. And after you do, I’m going to blow my load like a handsy teenager. That’s what’s changed—me. I’m tired of denying myself.”
A full tremor wracked her body, and she shuddered in my arms with her lips parted and eyes closed. I tugged her hair again, and they opened just as I leaned down to claim her lips. There was no more hesitation or curious exploration. This was me allowing myself to take.
My tongue dueled with hers as she rode the waves of her orgasm, my only goal to imprint myself on her so she’d never be let down again.
And then—
A throat cleared.
I jerked up as if I’d been burned, making Summer stumble forward. Her hand reached out, steadying on my chest, and I clasped it in mine, hastily pulling down her shirt. My heart raced and my pulse thundered in my ears as I turned, groaning when I saw who stood beside us.
Mark arched a brow and Jenna looked away with her lips pursed to keep from laughing.
Her hands were on her hips and her head shook, but when she turned back and glanced my way, she smiled.
My little brother and his wife catching me wouldn’t have been so bad if Addison hadn’t stood on his other side, holding a small bag with her index finger and grinning like a loon.
“You forgot your purse,” she said, waggling her brows and stepping closer.
Summer fumbled to clasp her bra, and I kept a steadying hand on her waist, shielding her body from view. Addison stood directly in front of Summer, providing an additional shield against prying eyes, and I was grateful she at least understood the need to minimize the embarrassment.
Of all places, why did I choose a fucking parking lot to kiss her? Now, my brothers would be relentless with unwanted advice, and Summer would suffer comments and questions she shouldn’t have to answer.
“You good, babe?” Addison reached out and touched Summer’s shoulder as she adjusted her shirt, tugging it the rest of the way down before turning.
Even in the dark lot, I could see her heated cheeks and the blossom of a bruise on her neck. Selfishly, my inner caveman growled in triumph that I’d left her so disheveled.
Summer nodded to Addison, then slowly raised her head to gaze at me, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth. I smirked, dropping my hand from hers and placing it on her waist so we could turn to my brother and face the music.
“Yeah, Addy. I’m great,” she answered before putting one hand over her mouth and burying her face into my chest.
“Oh, I’m sure you’re more than great right about now. Unless we interrupted you a minute too soon,” Jenna said as Mark tilted his head, thankfully staying silent.
Fuck. My dick ached, but I could handle that later. It was Summer that concerned me. Her body trembled in my arms, but with the damn barrier of our clothes, and without my fingers between her legs, I wasn’t sure she’d finished. If I was uncomfortable, she would have to be downright irritated.
“We didn’t mean to interrupt,” Addison exclaimed, waving her hand. “But you’d been gone for a hot minute, and we didn’t want you to leave without making sure you were fine and giving you back your purse.”
“Thanks for looking out for me,” she said, turning her head so it still rested on my chest.
“You got it, babe.” She handed Summer her purse and waved, walking back to Simon, who stood further away with Magnum and Miller.
“We’re going to take off too,” Mark said, rubbing the back of his neck and trying to burn a hole in my forehead with the strength of his scowl.
Jenna stepped closer and Summer pulled away to give her a hug. Jenna whispered something in her ear that made Summer giggle. The sound of her laughter made me want to ensure she did it every day.
“I’ll text you tomorrow,” Jenna said, reaching out to grab Mark’s hand.
“Sounds good. Thanks again for the invite.” Summer stepped to the left, putting distance between us, but I wasn’t having that.
I moved behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. When she didn’t pull back, and instead, rested her head on my chest, I closed my eyes and breathed deep.
“Anytime.”
Summer waved goodbye then opened her purse, taking out her keys and unlocking her car. I opened the driver’s side door for her as she turned, tossing her purse on the seat and then resting her hands on my chest.
“Where does this leave us?” she whispered, making me lean down to hear.
“Where do you want it to leave us?” I said, flipping the question around to save myself from pathetically begging to be near her.
“I—I don’t know, Maverick. When we talk, we argue. I’m barely divorced and you—” She paused, closed her eyes, and reached forward, placing her hand on my cheek.
I leaned into her touch, nuzzling her hand while I waited for the inevitable rejection.
“For as well as this works between us, you love your wife.”
I sucked in a lungful of air, biting the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. What could I say to that? I wanted to stay faithful to her memory, but the feelings that had cropped up over these last weeks were now impossible to ignore.
“I could never come between something like that.” Her chin dropped to her chest, and she stepped around me, putting the open car door between us.
“So that’s it?” I said, scrubbing a hand over my face. “You don’t know anything about me, Summer, and you shouldn’t try to understand something that doesn’t concern you.”
“Listen—” she said, placing one hand over mine and rubbing her thumb along my palm. Her touch was electric, but a thrum of anger burst open in my chest with her words.
How dare she use Autumn as an excuse.
How dare she act like she knows anything about my past.
How dare she meddle in things that were none of her business.
“No, you listen. Are you saying we’ll just pretend this didn’t happen? We pretend you weren’t trembling in my arms, whimpering my name as you came?” I leaned into her space, putting my hands on the car door and raising my brows.
“Don’t put words in my mouth.” Summer matched my movement, leaning closer and moving her hands from mine.
“I’m just trying to be honest with you. I spent too many wasted years hoping to finally be happy with my life, and I made a promise to myself that I’d no longer kowtow with half-truths and placating remarks, no matter how unpleasant the truth was. ”
“So, you know my truth? Is that it?” I said. My temper was razor-thin, held on by the lingering reminder of her hand on mine.
“Not even close, and nothing good is going to come from repeating myself. So how about I repeat your words, hmm, Mav?”
She crossed her arms and leaned close enough for me to count the smattering of freckles on her cheeks. My eyes widened, and before I could stop myself, I spouted words I didn’t mean.
“You’re right, I don’t know anything about you and have no business sticking my nose into something that doesn’t concern me. So… goodnight.”
“Fine. Good. Get out of my way, Mav.” She stepped into her car, not looking at me, and my hands went to the top of her door again, preventing her from closing it.
Dammit. I shouldn’t have said that. And now I couldn’t leave things with her this way.
“Move, Maverick.”
“Wait a second,” I said, almost pleading with her to let me backtrack and redo the last ninety seconds.
“No. I don’t think I will.”
Her words were harsh, almost hissed out. And even though I wanted to go to her, bending down so we were eye level, and apologize for my knee-jerk reaction, I didn’t. I backed up, shoving my hands in my front pocket and watching as she slammed her car door and drove away.
Should I follow? Just to make sure she gets home safe?
No.
If she saw my truck anywhere near the condo, I couldn’t imagine how she would react. I kicked the stones along the gravel parking lot as I made my way to my truck, groaning in frustration.
I slammed my fist against the steering wheel, wondering how I could have fucked up so badly—but I knew. I let my mouth spout off vicious nonsense before my brain could catch up and tell me to stop.
The reflection in the rearview mirror mocked me, and I stopped at a red light, dropping my head to my chest. I prayed I hadn’t completely ruined whatever it was we had.
But as I thought about her pitifully hurt expression, I lost hope, letting my mind drift to Autumn and something I read after she passed.
Sometimes we hold on to guilt because it’s the last thing that connects us to the person who’s gone.
We don’t want to let go because it means there’s nothing left to hold on to.
But until you truly let go, you can’t remember.
You can’t cherish the good, and if you don’t cherish the good, then what was the point of remembering?
Maybe that was bullshit, and maybe that was some profound truth I’d yet to embrace. Either way, I knew one thing with clarity—I had to let go so I could remember the good. And, perhaps, finally move on.