Chapter Seventeen
Things were starting to click into place. I wished she would’ve told me what was bothering her clear back in autumn. We could’ve lived without so much torment. Knowing she thought I’d been laughing at her was eating away at me. I still remembered that moment, watching her yank off her shirt, her breasts jiggling above the seam of her bra about to spill over, her small frame below me all soft and ready for more.
I’d loved the way her hair had been all mussed and her lips had been pillowy from our kisses. We’d talked for hours, and she’d fisted my shirt and pulled me into the forest. From there, it had been all stumbles and laughter and hungry grabs and kisses. I’d held her close to me, just enjoying the solid make-out session. Maisie was one hell of a kisser, and her confidence was refreshing. She’d been bold but had let me take the lead, a delicate balance only some women could pull off.
She was the one who’d asked if I had a condom.
She was the one who’d wanted the vacation hookup.
But once it had gotten down to it, she’d completely submitted to me, which was so attractive. The way our bodies had pressed together, the little sounds of impatience coming out of her mouth, I couldn’t forget that autumn evening even if I tried.
Coming back to reality, I looked over my shoulder, forgetting she was wearing my helmet so I couldn’t see her stunning face. I wanted those lips all swollen again. We were in this precarious spot, clarity just within my reach. It was beyond physical. I needed more time with her almost to justify to myself why I had been obsessing over her.
A part of me wished I could fall out of infatuation. That wasn’t happening anytime soon. Another part of me kept reminding myself to not get totally whipped. I had to retain some level of control here. She was bound to leave me again. I couldn’t just let her run rampant through my heart.
If this was a fling, I’d have to treat it that way, but I needed answers, nonetheless.
Deep into Vermont, we pulled over. Maisie’s bladder was just as tiny as the rest of her. I knew girls had a pee a lot, but this was next level. We both went to the bathroom, and as she returned, I was leaning against my motorcycle, locking my phone after finalizing our plans.
“Cool bike, by the way,” she said, pointing at a wheel. “Is it a Harley?”
“Nah, it’s a Bonneville Triumph. Fun fact though, do you know what they called a Harley back in the day?”
“No, what?”
“A Milwaukee vibrator.” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.
She rolled her eyes with a chuckle. “I’ll remember that.”
“Ready to hunker down for the night?” I asked, offering a granola bar and bottle of water I got from the vending machine for her.
She bit into the bar. “Yeah, I have a hotel reserved tonight in Philly. How far is that from here?”
“Too far. Five, six hours.”
“I don’t think I can be on the bike much longer. My legs are sore from riding.”
I cocked an eyebrow, letting her double entendre marinate in the sexual tension.
“I have a tow guy named Bear. I already gave him a heads-up not to tow your hearse if someone calls about it.”
“Thank you.”
“And I got us a room at a hotel nearby. I’m warning you, it’s not super nice, but on such short notice, it’s our best shot.”
“Let me guess, they only had one room available?”
I hadn’t even thought to check. I wanted her by me. It was the most natural instinct. I committed to the fa?ade and lied. “Yep,” I said, popping the P.
She sipped some water, looking around at the cloudy afternoon. “We don’t even have toothbrushes or clothing.”
As it stood, I didn’t think we’d be needing much clothing.
“There’s a shopping center nearby,” I offered. “Are you one of those prissy girls who wash new clothes before wearing them?”
“Yes,” she whispered, screwing the cap on the bottle.
“Can you tough it out for me, baby girl?”
Her face softened at the mention of baby girl . Duly noted. I’d call her that if I kept getting that doe-eyed look on her.
“I can tough it out. Yeah.”
I grasped her shoulders in my hands with a playful shake. “Relax. Boyd is a coward. He wouldn’t follow us. Outside of Pine Bluff, he doesn’t have any power. I got you.”
“Right. I think I’ll feel better once I get some sleep.”
Of course, she hadn’t been sleeping well with her road trip here. How could she? She’d been traveling alone, and I was sure staying at my cottage hadn’t been easy. On top of all that, she’d been dealing with Boyd and helping with a wedding. She must be exhausted.
I pointed to the pathetic granola bar. “How ‘bout once we get settled, you get a little shut eye. I’ll run some errands, get you toothpaste and all that, and then I’ll bring the greasiest Chinese food I can find back to the room.”
“That’s so domestic of you.” She pursed her lips for a moment. “I’ll even give you my fortune cookie.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal.”
The hotel was nestled against a woodsy hill on the outskirts of a peaceful town. It was a wide two-story building made to look like a log cabin, but it clearly wasn’t. All the rooms faced a cheesy atrium that had a taxidermy deer overlooking a small pond that had seen better days. Decades of lemony furniture polish and cigarette smoke were almost smooshed by the ubiquitous clean vanilla smell all hotels used to fumigate their lobbies.
When I checked in, Maisie stood by me, maybe even unnecessarily close. I kinda loved having her side tucked up against mine. It was this weird mix of her being feisty but also drawn to me. I was glad I wasn’t the only one fighting the pull.
The lady at the front desk looked too eager to be at work. Like maybe she was being threatened with a gun to her back behind the desk somewhere or someone had really filled up her bottle of happy pills. Her black, curly hair was pushed back with a thin headband that looked like it was pinching her head. Maybe that was why. With each head movement, tuffs of curls would jiggle.
Pulling up our reservation, she clapped her hands together. “Okay, Mr. and Mrs. MacCloyd, we have one room for one night with one king-size bed.” She held up a pointer finger each time she said the word “one.” “I do have it noted here that you’re newlyweds. Congratulations!”
Maisie opened her mouth to correct her, but I wrapped my arm around her lower back, holding her close. “We’re loving married life so far, aren’t we, honey?”
Her eyes shot wide for a split second before a glint took over as she rubbed my chest. “You’re so right. I am so glad we decided to honeymoon in . . .” She looked around the hotel.
“Bridgepoint, Vermont.” I squeezed her closer with a sappy smile. “We just got married on a whale watching tour off the coast of Maine. My little lady here loves whales. But we couldn’t do SeaWorld. It makes her cry. Isn’t that right?”
Maisie squeaked out an affirmative noise. “Say, do you have maybe a room with two queens? Sometimes Daney here hogs the bed,” she asked with a little snicker, layering on her Southern charm.
Daney?
The woman fidgeted with the mouse, picking it up and dropping it on the pad as she frantically clicked it. Her hair swung behind her as her buggy eyes searched the screen. “I’m so sorry, we don’t.”
“It’s like the beginning of a bad porno,” Maisie mumbled under her breath. I squeezed one of her butt cheeks, causing another squeak. “One king is fine. Thank you so much for looking into that,” she amended in a louder tone.
“Do you want a coupon for the buffet across the street?”
“Hell no!” we both said in horror, snapping our heads to look at each other. Finally, something we both agreed on. The woman let out a nervous titter of laughter while sliding our key cards across the counter.
The suite itself was outdated but clean, with maroon accents. Once in the privacy of the room, Maisie flung off her purse and jacket on the bed. “Really, dude? Are you, like, some pathological liar? Why would you tell them we’re on our honeymoon?”
“Just to piss you off, darlin’!” I said, grabbing the bin with cheap Champagne, chocolates, and fruit. I plucked out a banana, suggestively offering it to her.
She snatched it out of my hand and chucked it in the waste basket. “Be so fucking for real with me!”
I stepped closer to where she stood between the bed and the armoire with the TV. “What? Did you like being called Mrs. MacCloyd a bit too much?”
“Oh please!” She skimmed past me in outrage.
“It’s funny! It doesn’t harm anyone. I’m sure the fruit was left over from their sketchy continental breakfast.”
She sank on the bed, glowering at me. “Why would you lie?”
I pulled the banana out of the empty bag in the garbage can and unpeeled it to eat. I hated wasting food. “I’ve done a lot worse.”
Her eye twitched as she folded her arms over her chest. “Like what?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said between bites.
“Has that ever really worked on anyone?”
“Yes, people who aren’t suspicious as fuck.”
“Have you hurt children?”
“God no. I’d hurt people who hurt children.” Holding up my free hand, I ticked off the list on each finger. “You don’t fuck with kids, women, or old people.” I chomped into the banana, adding, “Or pets.” I folded up the peel. “I’m gonna get going. Get some rest.”