Chapter 32 #2
With each stride, my feet pound against the treadmill and my ponytail bounces against my shoulders. It’s what’s in the corner of my eye that has my skin heated though. Every time I peek across the room, I’m met with Tommy’s eyes on me.
“Hey there,” I say between breaths while he takes a break between sets of curls. His eyes fly up just a bit to meet mine and I see red creep across his cheeks, like I just caught him doing something he shouldn’t.
I look down at my chest where he was looking and let out a short laugh when I see my hardened nipples and tiny barbells showing through the fabric of my sports bra.
I always take the annoying pads out because they just get lost in the wash or bunch up anyway, but the way he’s looking at me is more than a perk.
It makes me glad I didn’t have the patience for those stupid pads.
I slow down the pace of the treadmill and smirk back at him, flicking my eyebrows. “You’re really obsessed with these, aren't you?”
He grabs his aluminum water bottle and takes a drink. I watch how his tongue darts over his lips to clean off a stray drop. His gaze sharpens into the intense one that makes my core clench.
“You’ll have to be more specific because I’m obsessed with everything about you,” he rasps, matter-of-factly.
I press stop on the treadmill and hop off, grabbing my towel before walking over to where he’s sitting in the squat rack.
I stop right at the edge of the flat workout bench, standing in front of him.
In the floor to ceiling mirror, I can see his well-toned back muscles glistening with sweat.
I drape my arms around his neck and step into him, my bare knees rubbing against gray sweats that hug his thighs perfectly.
He takes his earbuds out and tucks them in his pocket before running his fingertips up the back of my thighs to the hem of my shorts, just under the curve of my ass.
If he moved his fingers just a few inches higher, he’d find my spandex shorts already damp.
He turns his face and leans his head against my chest and I feel his breath against my sweat slicked skin, sending goosebumps across my body.
Looking back in the mirror, I can see the closeness of our embrace. It’s impossible to miss the peace in both of our expressions.
“How’d I get so lucky to find you?” I lift a hand to the nape of his neck, ruffling his shaggy hair.
He lifts his head and looks up at me with a confused look. “How’d you get so lucky? I’m the one that has to pinch myself every day to remind myself I’m not dreaming, Rainbow.”
I roll my eyes and ruffle his hair again. “Don’t be so dramatic.”
He leans forward, pressing another kiss to the bare skin between my breast, just above my sports bra, sending another wave of goosebumps across my skin. I whimper at the touch and he looks back up at me.
The look in his eyes nearly stops my breath. Gone is the confusion, replaced by a vulnerable openness I can’t put into words.
“If there’s one thing I am in life, it’s lucky. I’m lucky I ended up with good foster parents and met Jake. I’m lucky I met my bandmates in high school that gave me all of this. I’m lucky I bought places in Seattle when I did.” He swallows hard and I feel his grip on my thighs tighten.
“I’m lucky I met your brothers. I’m lucky my trip to Seattle got canceled and I stayed in Bend that week because that’s how I met you. Most of all, I’m lucky because you let me be in your life.”
That look in his eyes hardens, crystalizing into something I can put into words. One word, to be exact.
Love.
I see it laid bare before me. I don’t know if either of us are ready to say it, but I know we both feel it.
He takes a deep breath and continues, “You asked me once if I would do anything different, if I would give it all up. The answer is no, I wouldn’t change a thing because all of that brought me — brought us — to right here.”
I reach for his cheek, rubbing the backs of my fingers across his stubble, looking into the depths of those blue pools that just stole my heart. “I can think of something else you are.” I lean down and slant my lips to his, pulling away just long enough to say one syllable, one word.
“Mine.”
His low grunt is the kind of feral, raw response I lust after. His hands move up, molding to my ass and pulling me toward him. I step forward and over his legs, straddling his lap, bringing me almost eye to eye with him.
“I’ve been yours for months,” he says. He runs his hands up my back, his fingertips grazing my spine along the path to the band of my sports bra.
I bring my mouth to his waiting lips and he pulls me into the kiss. Every time our lips meet, it feels hungrier, any trace of his hesitations from weeks ago are gone. All that’s left is our undeniable bond, drawing us together constantly.
I give into that bond, melting into him, sinking into his lap. His hard erection presses against my wet core through my shorts and his sweatpants. I swivel my hips, grinding my clit against him, increasing the friction for both of us. He groans into my mouth before breaking the kiss. “Fuck, baby.”
His eyes look down to where I’m sitting in his lap and I can see how I’ve already left a damp spot on his sweats. I grin back at him and slowly, I slide back and forth, my piercing putting more pressure on my clit, building that tension low in my belly.
“You’re already so wet for me. You love grinding on my cock, don’t you?”
I nod, my lips parting as my breathing quickens. “I fucking love your dick.”
He lets out a low, husky laugh and rocks his hips forward, pressing his length against my core, pushing my need even higher.
My head falls to his neck and I moan. “I want to taste you.”
He cups the nape of my neck when he brings his lips to my ear. “Now, hold on.”
Before I can think, he stands, and my legs wrap around his waist like a reflex.
He turns around and sets me down on the edge of the bench.
I look up to find him standing over me, but I can’t look away from the bulge in his sweatpants and the spot I left.
I reach forward, running my hand over his length and he shudders at my touch.
I smirk up at him, seeing the lust and need in his eyes and tighten my grip on his shaft.