Chapter 10
Wes
Work was rough today, and as I stand in the shower, ridding myself of sweat and grime, my mind is running a million miles an hour. Our crane broke in the morning, and we can’t get a new one until tomorrow, and my torque wrench kept breaking screws despite how gentle I was trying to be. My ratchet wrench broke several bolts, and I almost threw the damn thing by the end of the day. Sighing, I turn my back to the spray and put my hands on the wall to brace myself and let the hot water run down my back.
My mind drifts to Rory, wondering what she’s doing. We texted some this week, but we haven’t made plans yet. She seemed off the other day, so I didn’t push for plans. It’s hard to tell over the phone, but her texts seemed short so I gave her space that day and just sent a few over the last couple days. Kyle’s away at a conference, so the house is quiet, leaving me to my own thoughts.
Deciding I should be done, I finally turn off the shower and get dressed. Standing in the doorway of our room, I glance down the hallway to our spare room and start walking that way. My guitar sits, waiting patiently in its stand, and I grab it, sitting on the low back stool we keep in this room. My fingers act on their own, strumming and plucking out whatever tunes come to mind. I pull out some music sheets, basic chords with the words to popular songs, nothing fancy. Letting myself get lost in the music, I can feel the tension slowly seep out of me.
I’ve heard people say music is their therapy, and I’m sure it’s great for them, but that’s not why I play. There’s always been a joy that comes with playing music to me, and I have no desire or skill to be professional, but it makes me happy. Sometimes it helps with stress relief, but sometimes it doesn’t. Tonight seems to be one of those nights where my stress is melting away. When I finally check the clock again, it’s past dinner, but not yet late.
Green eyes pop into my head and before I can think twice, my feet are carrying me to my truck, keys in hand. The drive to the pub is quick and there’s one last parking spot that I snag. It’s a bit in the back but that doesn’t deter me. Noise assaults me as I walk in and my ears are mildly tortured by an off tune voice. Looking toward the back, I realize they’re having a karaoke night, and what the current singer lacks in skill, they make up for in enthusiasm. Good for them.
The bar is full up, but I can see her slinging drinks like a pro, handing out fake smiles as she does so. It’s a good fake smile, but I’ve seen the real thing and I know this isn’t it. Eyeing the bar, I see someone with an empty glass, and I walk up to them, placing a hand on their shoulder.
“Looks like you’re done,” I say amicably, but firmly.
“I was thinkin’ about another round…” the guy says, eyeing me.
“What round is this?” I ask.
“Just the first one.”
“Round two is on me if you fuck off from the bar,” I tell him, still amiable.
“Deal, man!”
When Rory comes down to check on him, she sees me and startles, a real smile starts on her face.
“Hey Whes ! Fancy seeing you here,” she says brightly.
“Get this guy another and put it on my tab,” I tell her.
She smirks and grabs the empty glass, putting it with the dirty dishes and grabbing a fresh pour. The guy takes the drink, salutes her with it, nods to me, and fucks off.
“That worked well,” I say, chipper.
“Did you just pay him off so you could sit there?”
“Will you believe me if I say he offered?” I ask her, smiling.
“Absolutely not!” She laughs.
“Then he offered.”
She shakes her head and grabs a beer glass for me, pouring something into it. I haven’t even ordered yet. “Try this one. It’s a new local and you might like it.”
“Thanks.” I take a sip and hum in pleasant surprise. “This is pretty decent!”
“It’s a winter version of their popular summer brew. Seems like it’s a hit with the fans of the brewery.”
“I can see why,” I admit.
Rory’s attention gets pulled away and I sip at my beer, waiting patiently for her to come back. Of course she does, and it doesn’t take her very long. From this position on the bar, I can see that Baldie is here again, his eyes following Rory. I don’t like the fact that he’s always watching her.
“What’s that frown for?”
“Oh, I was just thinking about work,” I lie to her. I don’t want to freak her out; I’m not sure if she knows about him. Plus, it’s sort of the truth. Work was frown-worthy today, at least.
“Shitty day?”
“Just frustrating. Maybe tomorrow will be better.”
“Good attitude.” She nods wisely. “Let me know if it actually happens.”
“Feeling bratty today, are we?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. She shrugs and winks at me.
Whelp, now my dick is getting hard. If I’m being honest, it doesn’t take much with her.
“How has your week been?”
She shrugs again. “Been better, been worse. How about yours? Other than today.”
“Day’s not over yet and it keeps getting better the longer I sit here,” I tell her.
She blushes a little and I grin immediately. She walks away to serve other customers and I wait patiently, my eyes flitting around her body as she works, especially enjoying her ass as she bends over to get things. My attention is also drawn by Baldie, and I keep an eye on him without staring. He gives me the creeps.
“Karaoke night is rough,” she says, coming back to where I’m sitting.
“Do you guys do karaoke a lot? I don’t usually see it on the weekends.”
“It just started like two weeks ago. Something to try to bring in the crowd during the week. Seems to be working. My feet are killing me. And my ears.”
I tip my head back and laugh. “Maybe you just need a new singer.”
The person I heard singing when I walked in has gone up two more times between others already. Eyes lingering on the makeshift stage, I come to a decision to serenade Rory. Normally I am not a singing in public person, but I do enjoy making her happy and I know how to make her laugh with this.
“Can you hold my spot?” I ask her.
She frowns a little. “Sure, I’ll put up a little sign that says ‘Wes’ spot’ so everyone knows.”
“Really?”
“No!” She laughs. “But I will ask anyone who tries to sit to leave since it’s occupied.”
“Deal!”
I take one more sip of my beer and get up from my spot. The crowd isn’t out of control, but the place isn’t empty either, so getting up to the DJ takes a minute. I tell him what I want, and he says there are three people in front of me. I nod and walk back to my spot. I can’t wait. She sees me sit back down and gives me a quick smile before turning back to the ticket machine that’s spitting out orders. She mixes and pours through the next two songs and brings me a refill since mine is almost gone at this point. Nerves have settled in, and I’m reminded why my singing and playing is reserved for home.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell her as she sets the new drink down.
“Break the seal already?” she quips.
“Something like that,” I reply with a wink.
Without waiting for an answer, I walk up to the karaoke machine, ready for my turn. Soon enough, he announces my name and I step up to the microphone. Looking toward the bar, I see her staring at me with an amused yet puzzled expression. As the intro music starts up, I lean into the mic.
“This one is for Green Eyes,” I tell the pub.
Her eyes widen a little and her mouth drops open slightly. She looks horrified, but also incredibly invested. This is either going to be a car wreck or one of the best choices of my life.
“Turn around… Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you’re never comin’ ‘round….”
I pitch my voice so it’s low and sultry, but I exaggerate my movements to be ridiculous as I sing. Looking up, I see her with a hand over her mouth, her eyes crinkled in what I hope is amusement. My excitement ramps up. She’s definitely enjoying this and I up the dramatics as the chorus comes around.
“I need you now, tonight! I need you more than ever!”
My arms fling out wide, the mic stand holding steady for me. I point one finger out toward the crowd, but I’ve aimed it directly at her and she knows. Bringing my arms down and holding fists over my chest to convey cheesy 80s style pain, I continue.
“If you would only hold me tight!”
She’s laughing now and I add in some spins, keeping my movements exaggerated and moving with the beat. At the end, I place one hand on the microphone in its stand and hold one hand up high, palm facing out before slowly dragging it down.
“There’s nothin’ I can do, total eclipse of the hearrrrt…”
Hopefully, I didn’t get her in trouble because I don’t think she did anything other than watch me that entire song. I take a dramatic bow to the crowd and head back to the bar. A few people tell me they enjoyed the performance, and one person starts heckling to ask who “green eyes” is. I ignore them as I take my seat and pick up my beer. She looks at me, hands on her hips, a stern but amused expression on her face.
“Yes?” I ask.
“What the fuck was that?” she asks, clearly trying not to laugh.
I play dumb. “What?”
“That song! What in the world?”
“Do you not know Bonnie Tyler?”
“Of course I… That’s not what I’m talking about! Why did you sing that to me?”
“Who said it was for you?” I quip, my eyebrow raised.
I see the second my words hit a target I was not aiming for. Her playful expression leaves and her arms go down.
“Oh, sorry, umm… I shouldn’t assume,” she says, her eyes lowering.
Not thinking about any kind of consequences, I launch forward, grabbing her wrist and pulling her face close to mine.
“I need you to listen real close before they throw me out for touching you,” I tell her, our noses basically touching.
She leans into it, not trying to pull away, but still uncertain. “Okay.”
“That was for you. You are our Green Eyes, and I’m sorry if I ever made you doubt that,” I tell her, saying we so she knows it’s both Kyle and I.
“You barely know me.”
“Doesn’t matter. I can feel it in my gut. You’re ours and we’re yours. That song was to make you laugh and feel special, and I’m sorry I ruined it.”
A smile plays at her lips. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
I pull her wrist slightly, my body mostly over the bar at this point, and bring her lips to mine. Is this where I wanted to kiss her for the first time? No. Could I resist? Absolutely fucking not. I am wrapped around her finger, and she has no idea. I keep the kiss soft and short before lowering myself back down to my seat.
She’s grinning and I’m sure I have the same look on my face. Fuck, she is perfect.
I can feel Baldie staring lasers into me, but I refuse to look at him and ruin this moment.
“When do you get done with work?”
“Two hours,” she replies, checking the clock.
“Can I wait here with you?”
“I’d love that.”
She passes the rest of her shift with a smile. We take a few times to chat when things slow down, but she mostly keeps busy, chatting with customers as she fills drink orders at the bar and from the ticket machine. As she does, I risk a few glances at Baldie and his glare is split between Rory and me. Whoever this guy is, he needs to go the fuck away.
Rory’s shift ends and I walk her out to her car, which is only two spots down from mine. It’s not a particularly well-lit spot and I’m instantly feeling a bit nervous at the thought of her parking here.
“Not great lighting back here. Are you sure it’s safe?”
“Yeah, I’ve worked here for years, never had a problem. People know this place, they keep the peace, we’ve never had a problem with violence or anything.”
“So, nobody can see us here?” I ask her, advancing on her as an idea comes to mind.
“I’m sure you could if you really searched the space from a distance but probably not at a glance, no,” she says, backing away as I move, her breaths becoming faster.
Her back hits her car and I walk right up to her, one hand on her car’s roof and one on her hip.
“Think anyone can see us now?” I ask, my voice husky and low.
She shakes her head; her breathing fast and her eyes wide, locked on my lips. Leaning in, I stop right before our lips touch.
“I didn’t get to kiss you the way I wanted to.”
“What’s stopping you now?” she challenges.
“I want to make sure you’re okay with this. I’m seeing all the right signs, but you said yourself we don’t know each other well.”
“Let’s fix that,” she says and grabs my shirt, hauling me the final few centimeters to her mouth.
We crash together in a fervor I didn’t expect. Her mouth is so soft and she yields beautifully to me. Her tongue is smooth as I explore her mouth and she gives back as good as she gets while our tongues battle. Gripping her hip harder, I pull her flush to me, letting her feel how hard she’s making me. I pull away from her reluctantly and my other hand moves from the car to the side of her face.
“I want to make you come,” I confess to her.
She whimpers and I feel her hips move against mine, like she’s trying to meld us together. My hips roll against her, and she groans, her arms wrapping around my neck. Her head tips back as I start to make my way down her throat, licking and nipping as I go.
“I want that so bad,” she says breathily.
My hand snakes down from her face and I bring it to the front of her jeans, unsnapping the button. I look into her eyes, giving her plenty of time to stop me. She responds by bringing my face back to hers, her lips teasing mine as my hand continues its mission of opening her pants to me. Once her zipper is open, I venture down to that sweet heat between her legs.
Rory spreads her legs a little farther apart, giving me slightly more access as I lean her fully against the side of the car. I gently run the tips of my fingers along her slit, over her panties, pressing a little on her clit as I move. She gasps and her eyes widen with pleasure.
“Keep those pretty eyes on me, gorgeous. I want to watch your face.”
She nods frantically as I pull her underwear to the side and dip into her wetness. I could feel how damp her panties are, but it’s nothing compared to the flood I find underneath. I groan at the feeling.
“You’re fuckin’ soaked for me, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” she whimpers, her hips twitching, trying to get more movement.
“Trying to take control?” I question her, raising an eyebrow.
“Need…. more…” she pants.
“I’ll give you everything you ever needed,” I promise her and slide to fingers into her.
Fuck, her pussy is heaven. She sucks my fingers in, and I can feel a small pulse along her walls. I lazily rub my fingers against her, crooking them slightly to find the spot that I hope will drive her wild. When her head tips back and she cries out, I know I’ve found it. Reaching back with my free hand, I grab the back of her head and make her look at me again.
“Eyes on me,” I remind her and she keens with pleasure.
“It feels so good,” she whines.
“I know, precious. Hold on to me, keep your eyes on me.”
My fingers pick up the pace and after a moment, I slip them out and rub her clit with my slippery fingers. Circling it slowly, I hear her breathing pick up. Starting to go faster, her breathing matches the pace. Soon, I’m rubbing as fast as I can and her eyes are wide, pupils blown out, and a look of pleasure has consumed her face entirely.
“Wes,” she pleads. “I’m gonna…”
“Let me see you come. I want all of you.”
Her mouth drops open, and I feel her juices flood the space between her legs as I continue to rub, dragging it out as much as I can and helping her down on the other side of the pleasure. We stand there, eyes locked and breathing fast. I pull my hand out from her pants and slowly bring my fingers to my mouth and suck all of her off my fingers, never breaking eye contact.
“Fuck,” she whispers.
“Please tell me I can do that again soon,” I plead with her.
“I think we can make that happen,” she says softly as a smile spreads across her face.
I zip her up and button her jeans before using my hands to pull her face to me again. Giving her one last kiss, I finally release her, my heart pounding and an intense feeling of self-satisfaction flowing through my body.
“I’ll call you.”
“Okay,” she says back, still blissed out.
I chuckle. “You gonna be okay?”
“Yeah.” She laughs a little at herself. “I’ll make it.”
“See you soon precious.”
She nods and smiles, walking around her car to get in the driver’s seat and pulling out of the parking lot. Grinning, I turn to walk over to my car, but pause as I notice someone standing near their car, facing my direction. Looking closer, I realize it’s Baldie.
What the fuck?
He stares at me until I turn and get in my truck. For some reason I feel like I just lost a dominance battle, then I remind myself that I’m not a dog and that’s not how this works. I wonder if he knows that.