Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
TINSLEY
Inever considered myself to be a shy person.
I’m quickly learning there are different things to be shy about.
Right now, it's about my parents knowing what we did in my bedroom.
Pierce strolls out of my room without a care or worry in the world.
I have to go to the bathroom and wash my face, trying to get my cheeks to unredden.
It's not easy. My entire body is both relaxed and energized at the same time.
I'm also more timid about sex when it comes to Pierce.
I can talk about it with my girlfriends openly, and my mom and I have had a few conversations over the years.
That didn't bother me either, but again, it all circles back to my shyness with Pierce.
I can be bold and pushy, pretending to have bravado and asking for an orgasm, but once he pushes right back, that's when the bashfulness floods in.
"Do you guys have plans tonight?" my mom asks as we all eat dinner, which she insisted we all have together. I'm not good at telling her no, but she is also never pushy about much.
"Tinsley is going to show me around town," Pierce answers before I can.
"Now that you're married, will you be coming to stay here?"
"No!" I blurt out my response to beat Pierce. He's too fast with his answers over there. I need to up my game and be quick on my toes. That’s the only way that I’m going to be able to keep up with him. This is definitely new for me. "Mom, we're getting an annulment."
"We're not," Pierce says with a finality before taking another bite of the parmesan crusted-stuffed chicken my mom made. I send him a quick glare and then smile when my mom looks over at me. The nerve of him.
I might have agreed to give this a go, but I’m not wrapping my parents into it. They might get attached.
"You know, I don't think you can get an annulment if—"
"Babe!"
"Mom!" Dad and I both speak at the same time.
"I'm only saying." She hides a smile by taking a sip of her wine. She’s next on the glare list if she keeps this up. She’s enjoying herself way too much over there.
"But it won't hurt our feelings if you'd rather stay at the B not trying to hide it. Besides, going into each other's rooms and poking around is kind of our thing." He’s got me there. I shut my bedroom door and lean up against it.
"My panties are in that drawer." I point over to my dresser.
"Why would I want your clean panties?" He pulls out one of my many sketch pads and starts to flip through it.
"That's gross." I walk over and take the book from him.
"I licked you off my fingers, and I have plans to bury my face between your thighs soon. My face will be your panties." A burst of laughter comes from me, and I quickly lock it down.
"Stop going through my things." I take the next book he pulls out.
"You're right, there." He takes them back from me, putting them into the box. "No need to unpack when we're not staying here. We can just take all these things." Pierce checks his watch like he's got somewhere to be.
"I'm not taking all this to the B in fact, he's overdoing it. Which I would love if things were different.
Now I'm worried about ulterior motives. "Get your toiletries, babe.
It appears to be all you've unpacked so far. "
"I unpacked some clothes," I say defensively, motioning to the open doors of my closet, where it appears a clothes bomb has gone off.
"You want this to be your life?" He's so put together.
Even at Betty's, all of his stuff had been unpacked and put away nicely.
His bathroom items were all lined up with the labels facing out.
I only know because I shoveled them around.
Pierce glances around my bedroom. "Yeah, I think I do."
"You're a weirdo." I grab one of the empty boxes and head into my bathroom.
I sweep everything off the counter with my arm into the box before grabbing a few other items and shit off the floor.
I really am a mess. "Done," I chirp, bouncing back into my bedroom to see he's putting clothes back into the empty boxes. "I'll pack an overnight bag."
"You're not staying over just one night." He checks his watch again.
"Do you have somewhere to be?" Why am I the one who sounds annoyed? I'm trying to annoy him.
"No, I'm expecting someone."
"Who?" I ask as I hear the doorbell. "As in expecting someone here?"
"Yes." I turn around to go see for myself and almost run right into Brandon.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Pierce hired me to come over and help."
"Help what?"
"Move your things." I open and close my mouth. "Can't believe you didn't tell me you're engaged." I cover the ring. "I'm not going to tell anyone, but they'll know."
"It's new-ish."
"If you say so." Brandon walks over and grabs a few boxes.
"Wait, I don't need to take all this to Betty's," I protest.
"Not taking it to Betty's." Brandon gives me a look like I'm the one that has lost my mind as he continues on his task, heading out of my room with a few of the boxes.
What the hell is happening?
Maybe I am the one that has lost my mind because I stop protesting. Pierce wants to live with me. So be it. I smirk over at him, and he only winks in response, and I know I am once again in over my head.