Chapter 14
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
MONROE
I'd kissed him. Actually kissed him.
And instead of pushing me away...he'd kissed me back and pulled me into his lap. Where I shamelessly rubbed all over him like a dog in heat.
Now he was holding my hand and leading me upstairs.
He paused outside his bedroom door, and cupped my face.
A laugh bubbled up in my chest before I could stop it.
"What?" Clay asked.
"I kissed you."
"You did."
"I can't believe I kissed you."
His grin widened. "I'm having a hard time believing it, too."
My jaw dropped. "Hey."
"I'm not complaining."
"No?"
"Not even a little." He pulled me in for another kiss.
Butterflies erupted in my stomach.
“Do you want me to stop?”
“Don’t you dare.” I playfully shoved him inside his room.
Clay closed the door then spun me around and pinned me against it. “You sure about this, Monroe? I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Oh you sweet, sweet man. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
His lips crashed against mine in a frenzied hunger. His hands found their way under my shirt, cupping my breasts over my bra. My back arched. I wanted more. Needed more.
“Please,” I begged.
“What do you need, Monroe? Tell me.”
“Everything,” I panted. “Please. I need you.” The words were out of my mouth before I even had a chance to stop them.
Clay pulled back and studied me for a moment. “Monroe,” my name sounded like a prayer on his lips. “Baby, I don't know what the future looks like," he admitted quietly. "But I know one thing, I'd really like to figure it out with you."
Emotion tightened my throat. “I swear to God, if you make me cry right now, Wilder.”
“How about I make you come instead?”
“You better!” I squealed as he picked me up and wrapped my legs around his hips.
“Fucking, hell, Monroe. I've been trying to stop myself for weeks."
"How's that working out for you?"
He smiled. "Terribly."
I laughed, the sound disappearing as his lips found mine again.
Clay laid me down on his bed and tugged his shirt over his head.
“It should be a crime to look that good,” I groaned.
He chuckled. “I could say the same about you, Monroe.”
I sat up and took off my own shirt, throwing it at him. His eyes darkened with desire and he licked his lips.
“Christ. You have no idea what you do to me. That stupid bikini? Monroe, you’ve been driving me wild all day.”
“Show me,” I teased.
He knelt at the foot of the bed and shimmied my shorts and panties down my legs, then he parted my thighs and pulled me closer to him.
“Clay.”
“I need to taste you,” he murmured, kissing his way down my thighs.
The first swipe of his tongue against my sex made me tremble. The next one had my hands tangled in his hair and my hips arching. I was desperate for more.
“So greedy,” he chuckled before sucking on my clit.
“Jesus, Clay,” I panted.
He paused and looked up for a second. “Gotta keep quiet. Wouldn’t want to wake Kaleigh, would you?” he said with a raised brow.
He didn’t wait for my answer, instead his mouth was back on me in an instant.
Holy hell the man was talented with his tongue.
Clay pressed a finger inside of me, then another. Curling them in a come-hither motion that drove me wild.
Between the pregnancy hormones and being so wound up from just being near Clay, falling for him all this time, it didn’t take long for my orgasm to take hold.
I wanted to scream. To call out Clay’s name and let the whole world know who was responsible for making me feel this way. But I wasn’t ready for this to end and I didn’t want to interrupt Kaleigh’s nap so I covered my mouth to muffle my cries of pleasure.
Clay didn’t stop as my pussy pulsed around his fingers. He licked and nipped, bringing me through it and easing me back down.
When he stood, I could see the visible bulge in his pants and the evidence of my release coating his beard.
He shucked his shorts and boxers then stroked his length. Pre-cum leaked from the tip. Clay rang his thumb through it, smearing it over the head and down his shaft. “Do you see what you’re doing to me?”
I nodded.
Clay leaned down, bracing himself on his elbows so he could kiss me.
“Still with me?”
“Yes.”
He lingered, like there was something more he wanted to say, instead he let silence surround us for a beat.
I was just about to start begging again when a sharp chime shattered the silence.
Clay's lustful smile disappeared instantly.
His phone pinged again. The familiar alert ruining the moment.
Code 808
The easygoing father who'd spent the afternoon playing Marco Polo with his daughter vanished. In his place stood the Marine.
Focused.
Alert.
Ready.
“Shit,” he hissed, fumbling to find his phone somewhere in our discarded clothes.
I hated how quickly disappointment settled in my chest. "You have to go."
It wasn't a question because I already knew the answer
He looked at me for a long second before pulling his boxers back on and setting the phone on his dresser. "Yeah."
He hated it. I could see it all over his face.
"I'm sorry."
I shook my head immediately. "Don't apologize. You’ve got a job to do."
He disappeared into his closet and I heard drawers opening and closing as he grabbed whatever gear he needed. When he came back, he was fully dressed in his tactical gear, a holstered sidearm rested against his hip. His truck keys spun around one finger.
I sat on the edge of the bed, studying him.
He stopped in front of me and rested his hands on my shoulders. "Listen carefully."
I nodded.
"The doors stay locked."
"Okay."
"The blinds stay closed."
"I can do that."
"If anybody knocks, you don't answer."
"I won't."
"If anything feels off..."
"I call you."
"If I don't answer, call Sloane. Or the police."
“Okay.”
With my clothes back on, I followed him downstairs.
He glanced toward the living room. "Maverick."
The dog’s ears perked up instantly and padded over, stopping in front of Clay while he waited for his next command.
Clay crouched, rubbing a hand over the top of his head. "I need you to stay."
Maverick tilted his head.
"Guard."
Without hesitation, Maverick stood, walked directly to my side, and pressed against my leg.
Clay smiled. “Good boy.”
I looked down at the giant dog leaning against me before looking back at Clay.
"You're really leaving him?"
"I've trusted that dog with my life." His eyes met mine. "Now, I'm trusting him with yours now."
Emotion lodged itself somewhere between my heart and my throat.
Clay stepped closer, his hand finding mine for just a second. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
"I know."
He squeezed my fingers once. Then, before either of us could overthink it, he brushed one quick kiss across my forehead. "Lock the door behind me."
I watched him disappear into the garage.
A moment later, the garage door rumbled open and his truck started. Then the garage door rumbled closed and he was gone.
Maverick let out a soft huff and leaned a little more of his weight against my leg.
I rested a hand on his head. “He’ll be back soon.” I said out loud. More for my benefit than Maverick’s.