Chapter 28
YOU’RE NOT PLANNING ON USING THAT LIST WITH ANYONE ELSE, ARE YOU?
Poppy
When I’m anxious, I clean.
I don’t know what Dallas has told April about us.
I mean, I don’t even know much about us, other than I want him to keep kissing me, and I fall asleep thinking of the only orgasm I’ve had in my life from him.
I didn’t want to stick around and be the reason Dallas argued with his ex-wife for my being there.
As I move around the house cleaning things that are already clean, my head goes to the worst case scenario for everything that happened today.
I think of things like April calling the school to tell them about Dallas and me, or her telling him they are going back to the city tomorrow.
It’s irrational, but I don’t know anything about her.
All things are out of my control, but things I can’t stop my brain from wondering.
I’ve wiped down the kitchen counters and coffee table already.
I grab the stack of notes, checklists, and papers off my nightstand and bring them into the living room to put them out of the way.
Then, I grab the dusting rag and solution to wipe down the dresser.
Before I can put anything back where it was after I’m done, there’s a knock on my door.
Opening the door, I find Dallas on the other side. I look around him to see if Sage or anyone is with him and notice he’s all alone.
“I’m sorry for showing up unplanned, but I wanted to check on you since you left so quickly earlier.”
I want to say something witty back about how that’s my line—I’m the one who’s always sorry. But the only thing registering is that he understands me enough to know that I don’t like unplanned things. That he wanted to check on me because he cared.
“I’m okay. I’m just cleaning. Is Sage okay?”
“She’s good.”
“Where is she?”
He tips his head toward his house. “April is with her.”
Taking a step back, I open the door wider and allow him inside.
I know he said he’s just here to check on me, but it feels like more.
My nerves are on high alert because this is where everything falls apart.
This is where I learn I’m not good enough for him after I’ve already allowed myself to fall.
Or is this where he tells me he’s leaving for good?
He stands in the middle of the living room, eyes on me as I nervously play with my fingers in front of me.
“So, April and I talked briefly.”
“Yeah?”
“She had questions about why you were there.” There’s a long pause as if there’s more to the story, so I stay silent. “She likes you.”
“She what?”
“She likes you. And the conversation was mostly her telling me that she wants me to find happiness. How she doesn’t care who I see, while I don’t care who she sees. As long as it’s in the best interest of Sage.”
Does April think I’m not the best person to be in Sage’s life?
The questions racing through my brain not long ago come rushing back. Maybe she sees me as unfit since I’m at a student’s house after hours, falling for a parent. She’s going to call the school. I knew this was a bad idea.
As if he picks up on my panic, even though I’m trying to hide it, he walks over to me.
He grips the back of my neck with one hand, lifting my head and crashing his lips to mine.
I gasp at how rough he is compared to how gentle he’s always been with me, but Christ, that’s the hottest thing he’s ever done.
He uses his other hand to pull my body flush with his.
And I melt—weak in the knees at the intensity of this kiss.
There’s no reservation or gentleness in this kiss, just raw desperation driven by hunger.
My fingers dig into his skin as I grip his waist, and his lips part, allowing him to deepen the kiss. It’s the kind that says don’t leave again. The power in this kiss doesn’t come from dominance. It comes from passion being pushed to the brink and finally breaking through.
He pulls back, lips hovering over mine with one hand still wrapped gently around my neck and the other gripping my waist. “I saw the questions and uncertainty racing through your mind. I wasn’t wasting another moment of you second-guessing everything this is between us.”
“What is this between us?” I practically pant.
“I wish I had the answer,” he says, smiling against my lips. “But you’re in control here. I’m following your lead.” His hand around my neck moves to the back, tangling his fingers through my hair. “You should know I’m at your mercy, honey.”
My body shivers at the way he explains it, sending a throb between my legs, and I can’t help but smile.
Dallas Westbrook makes me want things I didn’t realize were possible. I envision a future I never thought I could have. I don’t know anything about baseball, but I want to run all the bases with him—I think that’s called a home run.
“Okay,” I say, shyly stepping away from him, only to catch the edge of the coffee table. I stumble, but he steadies me before grabbing the stack of papers from my room, before they fall.
My eyes widen when I see what’s sitting on top.
Dallas notices it and does a double-take, setting everything else back on the coffee table but still holding the note. I didn’t expect Dallas to come here when I decided to clean.
I try to snatch it from his hands, but he lifts it high in the air. The grin on his face tells me he’s read every word on that list.
“So, you made a list, huh?”
My cheeks feel crimson red as I try to jump and snatch the list from his hand. I fail miserably and take a step back. I watch as he takes the list, folds it up, and stuffs it into the back pocket of his jeans.
“You weren’t supposed to see that.”
“I need you to answer my next question very carefully, Poppy.”
I swallow before nodding in agreement.
“You’re not planning on using that list with anyone else, are you?”
With my heart pounding in my chest, I shake my head. Of course not, because Dallas is the only man that’s been on my mind. I wrote that list with him, and only him, in mind.
“Good.” He steps toward me, forcing me to look up at him.
I suck in a sharp breath when he brings his lips back down over mine.
My entire body is on fire with every move and every breath.
“I want to be the only man who will be checking anything off that list of yours. The only fucking man to touch you the way you deserve to be touched. It’ll be me and only me,” he growls. “Understood?”
I suck in another sharp breath. “Yes.”
“However, I only noticed two things on the list.”
I shrug, feeling embarrassed and stepping out of his hold. “I haven’t done anything other than what you’ve done to me.”
The corner of his lips twist up at the same time he raises an eyebrow. “Nothing?”
I shake my head, averting my gaze because this is so embarrassing. Probably worse than telling him I’m actually a virgin.
He grips my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Don’t be shy with me, Poppy. You never have to be shy with me. I’ll take care of you.”
Oh my god.
My core throbs; the feeling of the first time his hands were all over me comes rushing back. Is it crazy that I want him to start checking things off with me right now? He can’t stay long, so that’s insanity, but Christ, the pressure is building the longer he looks at me.
He must know because he reaches into his back pocket, never taking his eyes off mine, to reread the list.
“Number one, give a blow job.” His smile stretches from ear to ear.
Obviously, I’ve never given one, but the thought of doing it with Dallas excites me more than it scares me. I know he’s going to take care of me and ensure I don’t feel embarrassed about doing it wrong.
And I want it.
I know Dallas won’t push me either. He won’t take the first step because he’s giving me control.
I look to the door, and back to him. My body moves on its own when I take a step into him, hooking my fingertips into his jeans.
He hisses at the touch, looking down at where I toy with the button of the jeans.
“You don’t have to do this right now, Poppy. I want you to take all the time you need. I want you to be ready.”
I remain silent, unbuttoning his jeans and sliding the zipper down. Before I can do anything else, Dallas tosses the list onto the table and grips my chin between his fingers, forcing me to look up with my hands still on his jeans.
“Can you show me?” I ask, before he can protest this anymore.
He gives me a quick nod, not moving, letting me have this control.
I tug down his jeans, and he stands there in just a pair of black boxer briefs.
Anticipation swirls between my legs, but fear grips my chest because, without even taking them off, I can tell he’s big from how hard he is under the fabric.
My tongue darts out, swiping across my bottom lip, which forces a low growl to rumble in his chest.
Which only makes me want this that much more.
“Take it out.”
Tucking my fingers into the boxer briefs, I push them down. His cock springing free and a bead of pre-cum dripping from the tip already. I bite my bottom lip as I stare at it, while I involuntarily rub my legs together, craving some sort of friction.
“Wrap your hand around my cock.”
His orders are strong and dominant, which only builds the tension in my body.
With one hand resting on my thigh, I sit back on my heels and take his cock in my other hand.
It’s thick and hard with veins protruding around the sides, but the skin around it feels soft under my touch.
He sucks in a sharp breath at the touch, his hips moving forward on their own.
“Now you’re going to slide your hand up and down.”
Slowly, my hand pumps him from root to tip, and he moans. That one moan ignites something in me I never thought I would feel. Where he was once feral for me, I’m finding myself desperate for him. Without further instruction, I press off my heels and lick the drop of pre-cum off the tip.