Chapter 15 Necessities
Chapter fifteen
Necessities
Angel mooned me on his way to grab the towels, a pep in his step like he knew he had a nice backside. Or that I was watching. Or both.
He knotted one of the towels around his waist, then offered me the spare. I turned away before wrapping mine into a dress.
He chuckled. “You know we just hooked up, right? There’s no need to be modest.”
I shot him a sidelong glance. “The bubbles blurred out my private bits.”
“I guess so.” He offered me his hand. “Are you still free to play, or do you have to get back?”
“I should go home,” I lamented, stumbling out of the tub.
He caught me easily. “You don’t sound excited about it.”
“Well, I wish we had more time together,” I said, shuffling inside with him.
He squeezed my waist. “We can see each other tomorrow. Are you free?”
I turned to him with hopeful excitement, then withered at the realization: “I have to hang with Jen.”
“All day?”
“I don’t know. It depends if she’s more in the mood to vent about friends or harass me about my bathroom usage. With any luck, she’ll cancel our plans.” I trudged into his bathroom to grab my clothes.
He leaned against the door trim. “You know, you could always cancel on her. Or leave to spend part of the day with me.”
If only I wouldn’t feel so guilty. She’d probably ask where I was going. And if I said a date? She’d lose it. Or have a heart attack. Neither of which was great for the baby.
“I’ll have to update you on the situation,” I told him.
He sighed, eyeing me forlornly as I bent to get to my jeans on. “Wouldn’t you rather stay over to avoid the fight? You wouldn’t have to be quiet. And I have a spare toothbrush.”
“I couldn’t bother you with—actually, I could use that toothbrush.” That way I wouldn’t have to wash up at home and risk waking her wrath again.
“Take whichever one you want,” he said, yanking open a drawer. There were dozens of new toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes in there.
I frowned and ran my fingers over the cardboard boxes. “Why do you have so many of these? Did your mom date a dentist?”
He shrugged. “You never know when someone will need necessities.”
“Especially if you have a lot of guests.” I plucked a pink toothbrush from the stash, suppressing the idea of him showing this drawer to another date.
“I’m practically a guest here myself.” He smiled without humor. “We also have deodorant and feminine hygiene products if you ever need ‘em.”
“Thank you. That’s very generous.” I clutched the toothbrush, halfheartedly holding the damp towel to my chest.
Why didn't he feel at home here? He had a room, if he wanted it. Maybe they rented out the house when his mom was away. That would explain all the bonus essentials.
The towel slipped down his hip. Goosebumps pricked across my hot skin, and I glanced away for propriety.
“What’s up?” He propped his forearm on the door and leaned over. It was a good pose. He probably practiced in the mirror.
I readjusted my towel. “I don’t know. Shouldn’t you be getting dressed too?”
He thumbed the edge of the knot. “I wanted to watch you brush your teeth.”
“Why?”
“So I could see if you spit or swallow.” He winked.
“You are such a creep.” I scoffed, pushing him outside the bathroom. “Let me finish in peace.”
“I’d love to see you finish, Tori. Rest assured, next time you come, you’re going to be looking at me.” He slowly slid the knot on his towel down until it revealed the base of his dick.
My lips parted, and my gaze lingered where it shouldn't.
“Oh, do you want a sneak peek?” he asked.
I stopped gawking and shoved the door closed before I did something I’d regret, like snatch that towel from his waist or flick him with it. Stupid, cocky boy.
Very cocky.
I bit my lip, flushing at the reminder of how I’d stroked his massive ego.
What was I supposed to do with him? Not just in general—but foreplay and sex. Was he riling me all up to build tension for next time or was he hinting I should be handling him more this evening?
I peeked out the bathroom, toothbrush perched in one side of my foamed-up mouth. “Angel?”
He turned, half-dressed. “Yes?”
“Did you want me to finish you off tonight?” It could be an exciting end to our visit, presuming I figured out how to do it.
“Nah, I can handle myself. I was just teasing ya.” He smiled warmly. “Go ahead and spit, pidge.”
“Ugh.” Everything just had to relate to sex. I closed the door, then hawked the toothpaste from my mouth into the sink.
His laughter flitted through the door.
Did he like me flushed and frustrated? Or was it more about eliciting a reaction? Teasing me. Flirting, like he’d said at the bar.
I placed the pink toothbrush into his medicine cabinet for next time, my cheeks hot at the idea of what we might do and when we might do it. Tomorrow, we could have sex.
“You okay, pidge?” he called.
“Yes.” I just had to be careful and try not to focus on sex. This was his first real relationship. We’d share so much more than that. I pressed a chilled facecloth to my neck before rejoining my date.
As we walked downstairs, I studied his gait for any signs of fatigue. He was going slowly, but maybe that was because I kept circling him. “A-are you sure you’re not too tired to take me home?” I asked.
“I’m good.” He smiled, passing me.
“Okay, but you’ll have to drive back too, so—”
“Trust me. I can do this,” he said, pivoting to meet me at his eye level.
Trust him. Right. I did.
I took his hand and his word that we’d be okay.
Once we got into the car, he glanced at me, a smile playing on his lips.
I gripped my seatbelt. “What?”
“You’re on the edge of your seat,” he noted.
“No, I just…remembered my tights. I left them in here last time.” I felt around in the darkness near my legs until I clasped something mesh. “Aha, found them.”
But when I yanked them out, they were tangled in a pair of underwear: his.
I squeaked in embarrassment. They were the same brand as our moonlight swim, but not the same color. My heartbeat thumped hard in my chest.
Did he undress in his car a lot? With other people? Enough that he’d lose a pair of underwear and not notice?
“You okay?” he asked.
I shoved the clothes under my leg. “Y-yes. Thought I saw a snag. Nothing a little nail polish couldn’t fix.”
“My resourceful little pigeon.” He patted my knee, his touch lingering.
I was his, right? And he was mine. Whatever he’d done before—and whoever it was with—that didn’t matter. Even if all ladies were ‘pigeons’ to him.
I twisted the tights around my hands to keep my insides from tangling. “We’re monogamous now, right?”
“Yes.” He chuckled. As if it was so obvious.
But relationships could be complicated.
A fist lodged in my throat. “Does that mean you won’t skinny dip with anyone else…or call them ‘pidge?’”
He took my hand, then kissed the back of it. “You're the only one, pidge.”
Good.
No more missing underpants, then. I'd leave the rogue pair slightly more visible so he’d be able to clean them up without any awkward conversations about how those got there.
Maybe I could convince him to sanitize this whole interior.
I shuddered at the idea of whatever might’ve happened here before me.
He parked and helped me untangle from my tights. “You cold?”
“N-no. I’ll be fine. It’s only a few steps into the house.” I tucked my tights into my waistband. “Hopefully, my parents will be in bed, so they won’t see this bulge and question if another one of their daughters is pregnant,” I joked.
“Hmm. Why don’t you use this?” He flapped his arms out of his designer hoodie. “It’s oversized enough to hide the bulge, and it’ll protect you from the cold, even if it is just a few steps.” He wrapped the jacket around my shoulders.
It was still warm.
Meringue and cologne enveloped me in a sweet embrace. I was almost tempted to curl up on my side and sleep here with him. Angel would watch over me.
“Thank you,” I said softly.
“Anything for my girlfriend.” He smiled, the stars in his eyes again, and I couldn’t help but kiss him.
Everything fluttered alive at the gentlest of his touches.
This was romance. I’d dreamed of something like this: a doting gentleman. Maybe one with less sass. But Angel was better. He was real. Maybe, somehow, he’d dreamed of someone like me. After all, what else could explain why out of all the people vying for his attention, he’d fallen for me?
“You’re my boyfriend,” I said, half-delirious with awe and lack of sleep.
“Yes,” he humored me.
I sighed happily and nuzzled into his neck. “I really need to go to bed.”
He slid his arms under the jacket to hug me. “Want me to tuck you in?”
“No. I can’t risk the doorbell camera waking my parents with footage of me coming home with a white-haired gentleman.”
“Are you saying I look like an old man?” he deadpanned.
I giggled and tugged his chin. “That little camera couldn’t possibly do justice to your pretty face at 2 A.M.”
Placated, he kissed me, then pressed his forehead to mine. “Are you going to tell them you got yourself a fine young man?”
“I’ll warn them about you. Especially that smart mouth of yours.” I kissed it for good measure.
He smirked. “You love this mouth. If you’re nice, I might show you what I can do with it.”
My jaw unhinged.
Him. Between my legs. With those lips…
“Sweet dreams, pidge.” He kissed me hard enough I saw stars again.
Stumbling out of the car, I still could barely process what he’d said. My knees wobbled at the mental image of Angel urging me to orgasm with the strongest muscle in the body.
Oh my gosh.
No anatomy class could prepare me for the way my sex fluttered at the mere thought of him. I was supposed to be going to bed. I waved goodbye, and he wiggled his fingers at me.
He could probably use those too. Ah, no more fantasizing. I had to go to bed, and he’d already given me one orgasm this evening.
I slipped inside the house, trying to stop myself from thinking of anything too sexy.
No lights. No parents. No Jen. Perfect.
I hurried up the first few steps—CREAK!
I froze and held my breath, my heart racing. Did that wake my sister? Would it, if I kept going?
I could roll the dice and hope everyone slept through my ascent.
Kat probably had a full map of stair-safety from when she used to sneak in, but how would she guide me through it?
Text? Video chat? Who knew if she was even awake or busy snuggling with Victor and her cat?
It wasn’t like I could sleep on the couch; that would raise too many questions.
I had to move on…and up.
So, I went to bed.
Every step fueled my adrenaline. I had to take care of myself, just like Jen did. Tonight, I wouldn’t make myself small again.
I turned the knob on my door and waited with bated breath.
Faint snores emanated from her room.
Thank goodness. She needed her rest. And I needed mine if I was going to survive an afternoon with her and the Vacation Vixens. But then, I could see my boyfriend.
I went into my room, freezing at the harsh shadow of an unfamiliar shape where Kat’s bed used to be. I flicked on the lights and suppressed a scream at the sight of my cute little meringue plushie behind wooden bars. I rushed to rescue my bear.
It’d been put in a crib.
The crib for the baby.
And for some horrible reason, they’d put the crib in with me.