Chapter Ten
~Willa~
The door to the apartment crashed against the wall as Willa and Beckett stumbled inside in a tangle of groping limbs, their lips sealed together as if they couldn’t bear to keep them off the others for more than the few seconds it took to gasp a breath before diving back for more. That was definitely true for Willa. The ride over had been torture, her having to watch as the muscles in Beckett’s forearm flexed, the veins in his hands popping as his hands tightened on the steering wheel and she sat in the passenger seat of his car, helpless to do anything lest she risk them getting into an accident.
Never before had Willa cursed speed limits like she did during the short drive to his place, wanting to transport from the brewery to his bedroom in seconds so she could get her hands and lips on him again. She’s also never been as direct with what she wanted or as forceful with her body as she had in that back room with Beckett, but she couldn’t help it. It was like someone lit a fire in her belly. Every wanton look, every touch of his skin against hers stoked the flames higher to the point where Willa worried she would burn up before they even got their clothes off.
Her hands twisted in Beckett’s soft hair as she wrenched her lips away, her heart and lungs trying to catch up with her runaway libido. “Bedroom?” Willa asked breathlessly. She was so filled with need that it practically spilled out of her.
Beckett’s brow pulled together for a moment as he took time to think about it. From the impressive tenting in his jeans, Willa guessed the blood in his body wasn’t exactly upstairs at the moment. “Uh, it’s...” His words diminished into nothing but a low groan when she started to palm him over the denim fabric of his pants, feeling him rock-hard beneath her caress. Willa couldn’t wait to get her hands on him without the layers of clothing in the way, and when she gripped him a little harder, it seemed that whatever control Beckett had vaporized. “Fuck.” It’s the only word she heard before the world went topsy-turvy as she was thrown into a fireman’s carry and marched through the apartment.
Willa giggled delightfully, but it soon turned into a moan as Beckett’s hand slipped under her dress, ran up her legs and over the bare skin of her ass as he walked, his fingers leaving a trail of heat in their wake. They crossed a threshold and he kicked the door closed as Willa studied the small room.
A thick, pale gray comforter matching the color of the walls sat atop a large bed that filled most of the space. In one corner of the room, a small bookcase was pushed against the wall with a plush leather chair next to it, while a small writing desk sat opposite the bed. Black and white photos of various sports heroes hung above the bed with two nightstands standing on either side. The whole space was simple and cozy, much like the man who occupied it, but Willa wasn’t there for a cuddle under the blankets. She needed more than that.
Willa’s vision blurred for a moment as Beckett sat her back down on her feet, lightly gripping her arms as he leaned down for a brief kiss. “You still on board with what’s going to happen here?” His voice was low and rough, sending a shiver up her spine, the hairs on her neck standing at attention as his breath brushed past her.
Reaching out, Willa ran her hands up his chest, feeling nothing but hard muscle underneath the soft cotton of his t-shirt before she gripped the tops of his shoulders. “And what exactly is happening here?” She nodded her head at the sports photos and smiled wickedly as she ditched the wrap she wore around her. “You like sports. So are you going to give me a play-by-play, or are you going to just stop asking questions and show me?”
Beckett’s eyes burned into hers, the ring of fire engulfing his whole iris as he whipped his shirt off and tossed it aside. Willa’s mind glitched as she stared open-mouthed at the expanse of silky, taut skin in front of her. It was golden and nearly hairless, giving her an unobstructed view of the rippling muscles of his torso and chest. The man had an honest-to-God six-pack, and as Willa trailed the fingers of one hand over his washboard abs, appreciating all his hard work, the others traced the ink on his arm.
Smooth, clear lines of a black and white orchard were on his left pectoral, leafy limbs from one of the trees moving up his shoulder where they twisted and morphed into vines. The vines came together to comprise a flower garden with the various blooms covering the rest of his arm down to the elbow. Willa couldn’t identify a single species of flower by name, but she found them remarkably similar to the wildflowers Beckett had brought her earlier that week. It was beautifully designed and inked, made even more gorgeous by the fact that it was on such an almost unbelievably wonderful man.
“There’s a clearing near the back of the orchard where the wildflowers grow,” Beckett explained reverently. Willa’s fingers circled over a few individual petals while she didn’t dare look up at him, lest she break the moment he seemed to be having. “It’s always been a favorite spot of mine. I would love to show you sometime.”
The gesture was sweet and probably typical of the thoughtful man in front of her, but Willa wanted to stay in the moment instead of thinking about the future. Her future was something she was still unsure about, so she let the question go unanswered. Keeping her hands on him, Willa spun Beckett around to look at the tattoos on his back, seeing more of the orchard and six names written in script on his shoulder blade. She smiled as she read the names of his brothers and parents, smoothing her finger over each one and idly wondering if she would ever see her own name written there.
The thought gave her a start, but before she wandered down the road of trepidation, Beckett peaked at her over his shoulder, his eyes dark. “You’re awfully quiet.” His fingers lightly reached over to cover hers. “Do you like what you see so far?”
Willa dragged her gaze from his gorgeous skin and finally met his eyes with a nod. She would worry about the torrent of emotions ripping through her later. Right then all she wanted to do was feel more of him. “Oh, I more than like it.” Pulling her fingers back, she started to undo the buttons on the front of her dress as she moved back in front of Beckett. “In fact, I think I might return the favor with a little show of my own. On the bed. Pants off,” she ordered, surprised and pleased with her own moxie.
Beckett raised a brow, but complied, stripping off everything but his boxer briefs. Willa’s fingers stopped moving as she watched his body lay down on the bed, taking note of each muscle that ticked and flexed as he stretched himself out, his arms tucked underneath his head and a wicked smile on his face.
“You’re the boss,” he drawled. He looked at ease with her taking the lead, and it gave her pause.
It wasn’t something Willa was used to, but she banished any thoughts that might start to compare this time to others with a shake of her head. Beckett was different. She knew that from the moment she saw him clapping at her horrible car-dancing. Willa also knew that she was different now too. Remembering that, she slipped her feet from her heels as her fingers started moving again. As each button was undone, Willa pulled the gauzy fabric of her dress to the sides, revealing a little more skin to him.
Beckett’s eyes followed the movement before popping back up to hers. “God, you’re beautiful, Willa.” His voice was as reverent when he spoke about her as it had been when he talked about his family home.
His deference, combined with the compliment she was unused to hearing, almost threw her off her game again, but she recovered quickly, willing herself to stay in the here and now and not go back into the past where flattery was conditional and the possibilities weren’t as endless as they were now. After a deep breath, Willa undid the last button and let her dress drop to the floor to reveal her pink lace bra and thong. Lingerie was the one thing she had always allowed herself to splurge on. From Beckett’s hungry expression, she could tell he appreciated her lack of frugality in that area.
Stepping toward the bed, Willa ran her fingers over her collarbone, loving that he tracked every move she made. “Thank you,” she told Beckett, truly meaning it. Leaning over his large frame and kissing his lips, she noticed how soft and plump they were, and he tasted of sweet apple with a bite of pepper, a combination she hadn’t known she loved until that very moment. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
They started to kiss again earnestly, the sparks that were flying between them quickly catching and turning into an inferno. Heat rose between their bodies as they continued to explore one another. Beckett’s hands were on her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples into peaks that pressed against the lacey material of her bra. His ministrations and the scratch of the fabric were causing her clit to pulse with need. Willa trailed kisses from his lips down the side of his face, his slight stubble rough against her lips, but pleasurably so as she moved down to his neck and nipped at the skin there.
“Damn.” Beckett’s breathing quickened as his hips bucked against her. Willa kept her southward momentum, peppering kisses on his chest and abdomen until she reached her final destination. Hooking her fingers into his briefs, she gazed up at him one last time in silent question. “Fuck. Please,” he panted before his head hit the pillow.
“Well, when you ask so nicely,” Willa sassed.
Any other teasing caught in her throat as she reached in and freed Beckett from the cotton material, her mouth watering at what had to be the most beautiful cock she had ever seen. He was thick, and deliciously veiny, so much so that drool was pooling in her mouth and her tongue snuck out, ready for a taste of him. There was definitely nothing average about the man, and she intended to enjoy every minute of her time with each part of him.
A drop of precum glistened at the tip, and Willa couldn’t hold herself back any longer. She had to taste more of him. Blow jobs had always been something she had enjoyed, at least when they were her idea, and there was nothing more she wanted to do than get her mouth on Beckett. Licking a stripe up from the base of his cock, she lightly dipped her tongue into the slit at the top, a burst of tang hitting her tongue as she licked him clean. Willa hummed her approval at the savory flavor before taking him fully into her mouth, loving the heft of him as she continued to lick and suck.
One free hand worked what Willa couldn’t quite get with her mouth and the other ran up and down his abdomen, the ridges of his muscles twitching with each pass. Beckett’s hands flexed at his sides, and she almost smiled around his cock when she realized he was giving her full control of everything, not even wanting to put his hands on her for fear he would take over. That alone had Willa falling for him a little, and as a show of gratitude, she reached over to grab one hand before placing it on her head.
Beckett’s fingers gently ran through her hair before moving down where he cupped Willa’s cheek, his strong hand cradling her head lightly like she was something precious, something to be cared for tenderly. Her heart swelled, and when she glanced up to see him staring at her like she was the most amazing thing in the world, it soared. Willa wasn’t sure how much longer she could take him gazing at her like that before she would fall completely in love with him, so she tried to refocus on just the sex. Sex could be simple, but feelings could be complicated.
Doubling her efforts, Willa hollowed her cheeks and felt him swell into her mouth. “Fuck. I’m coming,” Beckett warned just before the first pulse hit her tongue.
After swallowing down everything she could, Willa finally popped off and crawled up the length of his body, smiling when she saw his blissed-out expression. Beckett could look like a tough guy from time to time, so to see him so free of responsibility was a wonderful treat. With hazy eyes hazy and a lax smile, he looked like the picture of a lazy Sunday afternoon spent in the bedroom.
“Hi,” she whispered.
It took him a moment to come down from his orgasm, so she took the time to brush the damp hair from his forehead. The gesture was tender, but it seemed a little too soon for that. How could she possibly be falling this fast? When Beckett finally came back to himself, he gazed at her so adoringly that her heart kicked in her chest.
“Hi,” Beckett replied, catching his breath. Before she could panic, he reached up and pulled Willa down to him for a kiss, dipping his tongue into her mouth and groaning as he tasted her.
With his considerable strength, Beckett easily rolled the two of them so that he was on top. He continued to kiss her, his mouth eventually trailing down her neck. Willa sensed that he wanted to return the favor by going down on her, but she wasn’t quite ready to be in such a vulnerable position with him yet. When he placed a soft kiss just below her breast, Willa gasped and pulled him back up above her. The fact that he wanted to do that for her was enough for now.
Beckett lay above her again, only now he wore a confused expression. “Did you not want that?”
Willa smiled shakily, unwilling to get too into the reasons why and trying to stay focused on wanting to feel more of him. “Not tonight, but I do want to keep going.”
Beckett nodded, his eyes flicking to the nightstand beside them before coming back to hers. “Can I be inside you?”
Again, his asking permission and letting her call the shots had her heart thumping heavily in her chest at the same time her center started to ache with urgency. “Yes,” she told him.
With a boyish grin, Beckett reached over and pulled a box of condoms from a drawer and took one out as Willa unhooked her bra. He raised up on his knees, lifted her mostly healed ankle to his mouth, and placed a kiss on it before propping her foot on his shoulder. He ripped the condom wrapper open with his teeth, but before he could roll it on, she shuffled their positions again and grabbed it from him, moving to the side to do the honors herself.
“I kind of wanted my hands on you again,” Willa said with a cheeky grin.
“By all means,” Beckett replied. After pulling his briefs the rest of the way off, he laid back down on the mattress as Willa rolled the latex down his length. She enjoyed the feel of him in her hand and loved watching him twitch in her palm as he got fully hard again. “God, your hands are heavenly.”
Willa smirked. “If you like my hands, you’re going to love what’s next.” After shucking her thong and tossing it behind her, she straddled his legs and sunk down onto him, loving the slight burn she felt as his girth stretched her wider than she ever had been. They both groaned once he was fully seated inside her, his hands tightening on her hips as she started to move rhythmically.
Beckett pulled Willa down into another series of searing kisses, their lips coming together in time with their bodies. He dipped his tongue into her mouth as he drove up his cock inside her, hitting so hard and deep that she’d feel it for days. Every time she sat down, the memory of that night and the man who was giving her the best sex of her life thus far would play on repeat. She wouldn’t mind it in the least. It was about time she had some good sex to reminisce about. So far, everything had been amazing and she hadn’t even orgasmed yet.
Every touch had been done with such care and consideration, every move with her express approval, and Willa didn’t know if he was a mind reader or what, but somehow Beckett had been giving her exactly what she needed. Was it possible for her to be any happier than she was right now? She sincerely doubted it. Willa also doubted she could possibly be any closer to orgasm than she was at that moment.
Breaking the kiss, Willa whimpered as Beckett continued to hit that sweet spot inside her. “Close. So close.”
Beckett nodded. “Same.”
One hand laced with hers as the other reached between them until he found her swollen clit, rubbing it with his thumb. He did it with the same determination and intensity he seemed to apply to everything, and after a few seconds of using just the right amount of pressure, her body was coming together tightly before flying apart completely.
“Oh God!” Willa shouted, coming harder than she had with anyone else.
Their fingers clasped tighter, Willa’s nails leaving half-moon shapes on the back of his hand as her walls fluttered and stars appeared behind her eyelids. When Beckett kept going, she rocketed into orbit, seeing more than stars. She saw planets, solar systems, and entire universes before coming back into her body in time to feel him swell and spill into the condom, her name a prayer on his lips as he came.
Collapsing onto him, Willa leaned her head on Beckett’s chest, listening to the sound of his heart thumping away against his ribs. It was fast, but strong and solid, just like him. Her eyes prickled in the corners as she felt herself taking that first step toward falling in love with him. A strange cocktail excitement and fear swirled around her stomach.
Beckett brushing some of her damp hair away from her face distracted her from her increasingly tumultuous thoughts. “Will you stay?”
When Willa caught his hazel eyes peering down at her with such affection, such sincerity, she easily answered, “Yes.” Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her more tightly. She sank into his body, feeling more like herself than she had in a long time.
Hours later, Willa stirred from a deep sleep. Her head was plastered against Beckett’s pectoral, his steady heartbeat attempting to lull her back to dreamland, but she managed to ignore it. Barely. With blurry, sleepy eyes, she peered over at the alarm clock to see that it was nearly four o’clock in the morning.
When Willa hazarded a glance up at Beckett, the sight of his lashes touching the tops of his cheeks and his slow and steady breathing had her own breath hitching in her lungs. Even as he slumbered, he was heartbreakingly beautiful. It would be so easy to stay in his arms and go back to sleep, or even just stay up and stare at him until he woke, but the thought of committing another slow slide into something so serious so rapidly had Willa moving before she could think better of it.
Beckett’s arm tightened on her for a moment as Willa turned to leave the warmth and comfort of his bed, but it rolled away when she kept going, undeterred by the feeling of rightness that flowed through her anytime she was near him. Managing to find her clothes that were strewn about, she slipped them on, trying her best not to wake Beckett while also kind of hoping he caught her in the act of leaving and made her stay. Willa didn’t want to go, but leaving felt like the only way to protect herself. Her self-preservation instinct overrode her heart’s desire. With one last, longing glance at her slumbering hero, Willa crept out of his room and tiptoed out of the apartment.
Willa was about halfway down the hall to the elevator when she remembered that Beckett had driven them there. “Shit,” she whispered into the silence.
Digging into her purse, Willa pulled out her phone and spotted a missed text from Lottie. It was nothing but a series of eggplants, water droplets, and a thumbs up, but it managed to get a chuckle out of her even as she realized what a ridiculous position she had put herself in. Two choices lay before her. She could submit herself to the humiliation of having to go back and knock on the door to the apartment she’d just snuck out of while admitting to being a coward, or Willa could wake her best friend and have Lottie drive over to get her.
A horrible combination of shame and embarrassment had Willa dialing her best friend seconds later, feeling even guiltier than she already had when Lottie answered with a groggy moan. “Is everything okay?” she asked mid-yawn. “I figured you’d be either asleep or in the throes of passion right about now.”
“About that,” Willa muttered. She changed direction toward the stairwell to eat up some time. “I kind of need an extraction.”
Shuffling noises came across the line before Lottie spoke, and like the amazing ride-or-die bestie she was, she didn’t disappoint. “I’m on my way,” she promised. “Do I need to bring my baseball bat too? I’ve got a mean swing when the time calls for it and I’m not above breaking a few kneecaps.”
“No bat,” Willa assured her. Beckett had been a perfect gentleman and given her a night of very enjoyable, very passionate sex. The only problem here was the past she couldn’t seem to escape.
With a sigh, Willa pushed open the heavy door to the stairwell, noticing how well-lit and beautifully carpeted it was, and, for the first time that night, Willa marveled at just how swanky the apartment complex seemed. Taking in the sights wasn’t exactly a priority the night prior, and as she did now, nothing around her looked even remotely familiar.
“Do you need the address? Because to be honest, I kind of have no idea where I am and couldn’t give it to you if I wanted to.” Willa had been so caught up with Beckett that she’d not paid enough attention to where they were going, another sign that she was slipping too quickly.
“I’m good.” An engine started and Willa thanked her lucky stars that Lottie was so quick. “Everyone in town knows that he lives with the mayor in the new fancy apartment building downtown. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Do you want me to stay on the line while you wait?”
Groaning at the realization that she had been in her employer’s apartment, Willa decided to take Lottie up on her offer. “Could you? Otherwise, I’m likely to start thinking about my life choices, starting with the one where I snuck out of my boss’s apartment after banging his brother.”
Willa could practically hear Lottie wincing through the phone. “Yeah, not a great look, but your personal life isn’t really any of the mayor’s business, and if he gives you a hard time you just tell me, and I’ll take care of it.” True to her word, Lottie rolled up about ten minutes later in her cherry red Ford Thunderbird. The classic car matched her friend’s overall style, though Willa was a bit thrown when she opened the passenger side door to see Lottie behind the wheel wearing sweats and a tank top, her hair up in a sloppy bun. “What? I don’t always sleep in baby doll nighties and hair curlers.”
Slipping into the car, Willa shrugged off her comment. “No judgement from this side of the car.” After shutting the door, she peeked up at the building, wondering if Beckett had already discovered that she was gone. Guilt bloomed in her chest when she thought about him waking up to find her side of the bed cold and empty. Turning back to Lottie, Willa offered up a grateful smile as she started them back toward the house. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
Lottie nodded as she turned away from the downtown area. “You’re welcome.” Silence settled over them for a moment before Lottie broke it again. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Willa’s head hit the headrest with a soft thud. She probably should talk about it, but right now she felt too horrible about her escape to really articulate anything other than her feeling like a bit of an asshole. “Not really. Maybe in the morning.”
Lottie nodded and they finished the drive in silence. When Willa was back in her own bed, lying awake as she watched the sun start to peek through the curtains, she realized that she’d made a colossal mistake. Though whether the mistake was leaving Beckett, or allowing herself to start to fall for him in the first place had yet to become clear.