45. THE ONE WITH THE BOOTY CALL
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
THE ONE WITH THE BOOTY CALL
Comment: Happy birthday, Hex! West better be treating you like the Queen you are!
Comment reply: did u see her story?
Comment reply: omg YES they’re in love & I am too
The next stop ends up being an independently owned romance only bookstore I’ve never heard of.
When we walk in, the girl behind the counter gives a friendly smile.
“Hi, welcome to—oh my god, you’re Hex, and you’re West Parker.
” Her expression changes to shock as she jumps from the stool.
“Holy shit, hi.” She comes out from behind the counter.
She’s a tiny thing with a pink pixie cut. “I’m the owner, B.”
The bookstore has a few shoppers in it, their attention shifting to me and West.
We meet in the middle and shake her hand. “This place is amazing,” I express with a smile I can’t wipe away.
I look around, admiring the stacked cases with all types of subgenres. Fantasy, sports, dark, fluffy. I gotta show West what a monster romance is while we’re here…
The place isn’t the typical pink and frilly romance bookstore. B might be dressed in florals and look like a garden fairy, but her bookstore doesn’t. The walls are dark green like most of mine at home, and the decor has a gothic academia vibe to it.
This is the moody bookstore of my dreams. “I wish I could say it was my idea to visit, but this was all West.”
“My social media girl was tickled when you followed the store last month. We saw you were on tour here this week and kinda hoped it meant you’d come in,” B tells us.
Last month? How long has West had today planned? I assumed Frankie told him about my birthday, but now I’m not so sure. We chat for a few more minutes before she excuses herself to answer the phone.
West and I walk the stocked ebony wood shelves. “Read that.” I point at a few books individually. “That one too.” We pass a stack of one of my favorite series. “Got the shattered mirror on my calf for that series. She’s cursed to die, and he’s forced to kill her.”
I show him monster and alien romance next. He flips through a few pages, jaw dropping when he skims a spicy tentacle scene. “Now those alien dildos make sense.” I can tell he’s taking notes, mentally jotting down all the things he’s going to try to do to me next.
A girl comes up, shyly saying hello and asking if she can get a picture with me, giving a few more people the courage to come up and say hi too.
I’m learning to step out of my comfort zone, to make sure I’m giving these people—Hex’s fans…
my fans, the version of me they deserve.
I don’t want to fuck up their perception of the witch who got them into reading.
Wow. I have fans. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.
I pause and look around, taking in what my life has become in two month’s time. I can’t say every single moment has been perfect, because that’s not realistic, but when I think of it as a whole, my life is infinitely better than it was before I joined West on tour.
I’m finding myself, learning who this newest version is more and more every day.
I don’t know her yet, but one day I will.
I stepped way outside of my comfort zone, and the world didn’t crash and burn to pieces…
I still worry my heart might though, especially when I see West chatting with a few of the guys who’d come in with their partners.
I love how kind he is to everyone he meets, making people feel welcome no matter who they are.
“Do you think I can get a birthday picture?” Someone from behind me interrupts my thoughts. Their voice makes me hesitate, because holy shit, they sound like…
When I turn, I find Frankie running in place, ready to explode with excitement as her cute new bob bounces at her shoulders.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I gasp, wrapping Frankie in a hug.
She squeezes me tight, like it’s been three years and not three weeks since we’ve seen each other.
“I called West last week to tell him it was your birthday today, but he already had most of this planned. Then I might have cried when I told him this was our first one apart since we were tiny baby infants.” Frankie sure has a way with words.
I laugh as she continues. “He bought my flight cause I’m an unemployed loser. ”
I haven’t told Frankie about the job yet—even though I’ve already accepted the position.
I think it’s because I’m not ready to see someone excited about me coming back to my “real life.” Not when it means leaving the man who’d planned an entire day full of all my favorite things and flew my best friend in as the cherry on top…
We meet up with Kell and Enzo for dinner at a Ramen place with an impressive collection of pinball machines. After a few hours there, trying to top Kell’s high score and failing, we end up back at the house, playing board games until well after my birthday’s over.
Enzo’s the first to go to bed, followed by Kell and then West not long after.
Before he leaves, he comes up behind me on the couch and ruffles my hair. “You’ve officially outlasted the twenty-somethings. I guess age really is just a number.”
Frankie lobs a pillow at him, and I stare down the hall too long after he disappears.
“Oh no,” she whispers, staring at me with a knowing smile.
“What?” I ask accusingly.
“You like him.” Her grin grows. “A lot.”
I puff a frustrated sigh. “It’s not…” Frankie’s raised brow makes me forget whatever lie I was going to tell. “This is all your fault.”
Frankie pretends to cackle like an evil villain. “My plan is working. Free comedy shows for life!”
I should tell her about the job at Hell & Hollow, and I should tell her that I’m falling in love with West, but I don’t do either of those things, and a few seconds later, she yawns, her eyes watering like they always do.
She stands up and stretches. “Okay, I’m done.
” She bends down and gives me a quick hug.
“I’m going to sleep in the extra room so you don’t have to sneak into bed with me after you leave West’s. ”
Frankie grins at my wide-eyed look, slapping the side of my leg. “Me, Enzo, and Kell have a group chat and made a bet the night of Oktoberfest.”
I’m not shocked they know, and I’m certainly not shocked there’s a bet going on if Frankie’s involved. We’ve been sneaking around for weeks, even after Frankie found my sweater outside West’s door in Philly.
I thought maybe if we pretended nothing was happening around our friends, it would make it easier to walk away when tour’s over.
“Naturally, I won when I found your sweater the very night the bet was made.” Frankie blows me a kiss and skips upstairs.
I sit in the living room for a while, mulling over the fact they’ve all known since the night I made West promise to keep quiet about us.
Eventually, I crawl into bed after washing my face and brushing my teeth, my bones heavy from the long and exciting day. I expect to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, but my mind won’t stop replaying all the little pieces of my day with West.
Him knowing my coffee order and ordering my cocktail correctly when I went to the bathroom at dinner. His hand on my thigh while he drove. It hadn’t been sexual, he’d just wanted to touch me, his thumb swirling aimless circles. I’m almost positive he let me win at Mario Kart tonight.
I let out a heavy breath, grabbing my phone from the side table to shoot him a text, certain he’s already asleep.
Me
You up?
I put my phone on my chest, hoping to fall asleep before a response comes through. He replies less than a minute later.
West
Are you booty calling me?
Me
Not tonight…
I wanted to thank you for today. You didn’t have to do any of that.
West
I know, but I wanted to. You deserved a day all about you.
Especially after everything you’ve done for me.
My fingers hover over the screen, the dull light glowing against the white bed sheets.
Me
There is one thing I didn’t get though…
West
What’d I forget?
Me
My birthday kiss.
I delete and retype it three times before hitting send.
There’s a creak in the floorboard before my phone’s out of my hand. A few more squeaks follow seconds before the dim hall light filters in through the opening door.
I sit up at the same time West crawls onto the end of the bed. When he reaches me, his hand immediately slides to the back of my head, and he brings his lips to mine without saying a single word.
I’d wait another full day for a kiss like this. It starts out gentle and slow, smooth caresses of West’s soft lips. I’ll never get over the way he kisses me, like he’s painting a picture and wants to make sure he doesn’t miss a single stroke.
He guides me onto his lap, and once I’m straddling him comfortably, he gets a tight grip on my ass.
I’m giddy when he cusses against my lips and deepens our kiss after realizing I’m in nothing but an oversized T-shirt.
His tongue is warm against mine, hair like silk as I run my fingers through the shorter length at the nape of his neck.
We’re both panting by the time West comes up for air, trailing his lips down my neck.
“Fuck, baby. I wanted to come in here and give you a birthday kiss you’d never forget.
” He drives his hips up, drilling his massive erection into my bare pussy.
“That’s all. Just a kiss.” He grabs me by the throat, squeezing only hard enough to create some pressure.
“I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you.
” West keeps his grip on me while he kisses me again, this time like he’ll die if he doesn’t do it right.
I shiver the second time he grinds into me, his sweatpants doing nothing to put a barrier between us.
“West, oh my god.” I roll my hips, my clit already sensitive after one stroke of his cock.
“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but I can’t get enough.
” My voice breaks as a jolt of pleasure rockets through my core.
“I fucking need you.” It’s me who rips my shirt off, gripping West’s shoulder as he takes both nipples in his mouth, individually giving them attention until my entire body is littered with goosebumps.
He taps my ass with enough force to sting.
“Grab a condom.” West releases his hold on my neck, nudging me gently towards the nightstand where we always have a few on hand in both our rooms, but I don’t move.
I stay on his lap, cupping my hand against his jaw.
West studies me in the glow of the streetlight through the sheer curtains, his blue eyes searching for the words before they’re out of my mouth.
“I’m clean…” I whisper, afraid he won’t be on the same page. “And on birth control.”
West lets out the shakiest breath I’ve ever heard from him, his cock twitching between my legs.
“Joey…” I know he’s trying to ask if I’m sure.
I nod, and he swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing from the force.
“I’m clean too. I wouldn’t risk your health if I thought otherwise, but there’s been no one else since you. ”
“I know.” I lean forward and press a soft kiss to his lips.
West Parker flirts with girls because it’s part of his act, but West Isakson is in love with me, and I don’t know why it took me so long to admit that to myself.
“Just don’t come inside me, okay?” We don’t need to add the accidental pregnancy trope to this workplace romance.
“Okay,” he says, knowing I need to hear big moment confirmations out loud.
When West kisses me this time, I don’t know how to explain the difference between the one from minutes earlier, and the one he gives me now.
This slow, tantalizing speed he’s found makes my entire body feel like a live wire.
I hadn’t realized he’d wiggled himself free of his sweats until his tip presses into my entrance.
I’ve never been so wet in my entire life, and I think West agrees with the way he hisses obscenities against my lips. “I’ve never fucked anyone without a condom. You’re so soft, holy shit.” He shifts underneath me, readjusting my position to get a better angle.
This is a first for me too, and the warmth of his bare cock as it stretches me to fit almost has me coming immediately.
I shiver, sinking down until I’m fully seated.
He lets me control the speed, adjusting to his size, rising only to sink back down again.
I wiggle my hips when I’m at the bottom, his tip pressing into my G-spot gently.
I let out a breathy moan, careful to be quiet so we don’t wake our friends.
“God, Joey, you’re perfect. Everything about you.” He waits until he knows I’m ready and grips me by the hips, forcing me to rotate in an extra circle at the bottom.
I don’t know what that does, but I’m ready to explode when he does it a second time. By the third, my muscles give out, and I come all over West’s cock, the walls of my pussy gripping onto him so tight he moans a sound from somewhere deep within his chest.
He keeps himself inside me, not giving me a break in between the fall of one orgasm and the rise of another. I don’t leave his lap, and West never has do anything more than fuck me nice and slow to get me to the come two more times, one after another.
We’ve never had sex like this. He doesn’t leave his mark this time, doesn’t choke me until I see stars. It’s slow and full of kisses I wish could tell West everything I don’t know how to say.
He knows when it’s time to stop and can tell when my body has given all it’s able. I reach that point much quicker tonight, exhaustion setting in after my last orgasm. He follows me over the edge not long after, pulling out and shooting his load over the tattooed skin on my stomach.
I drag a finger through his cum, sucking it off to get a taste of him.
He doesn’t care that I still have him on my tongue when he kisses me through the comedown.
Wrapping his arms around me, West pulls me back onto his lap, kissing me until our lips are swollen, and I’m getting goosebumps from the chill of my sex-flushed skin.
We clean up, share a few gulps from my water bottle, and West climbs back on the bed after putting his sweatpants on. “Get some sleep.” He holds my chin between his fingers gently, pressing a kiss to my lips one more time.
He backs off the bed and before he can get a foot on the floor, I grab his hand and freeze. I think he knows where this is going before I do, because I recognize the disbelief crossing his face, swallowing the knot in my throat. “Stay… just for tonight.” I pause, adding, “our friends already know.”
He nods slowly, but doesn’t say anything as he crawls in beside me, cuddling in close. When I’m comfortable, he throws his arms around me and I fall asleep to the sound of West’s steady heartbeat against my ear, curled up into his side with a new problem to deal with in the morning.
How am I supposed to say goodbye to West when I think that means saying goodbye to this new me too?