Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
HAVEN
I wake up in Dallas’s bed and immediately know he isn’t beside me because it’s cold and feels so … empty. The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster for us, but last night, something changed. And not for the better.
Sliding out of the bed, I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and pull myself together before I go and find him, knowing that if I know Dallas the way I think I do, he’s probably in the workout room.
With my bare feet against the wooden floor, I trudge down the long hallway, walking up the stairs that lead to the home gym above the garage. I stand in the doorway and watch him as he lies on the bench, pushing the bar up before bringing it down.
The sight makes my mouth water. Him, without a shirt, a sheer layer of sweat over his muscles and a pair of baggy shorts on.
“You’re supposed to have a spotter, you know,” I say, leaning against the doorframe with my arms crossed. “In case you, I don’t know, drop the fucking bar on yourself.”
“Never needed one before, so guess I’m all set now,” he says, coldly. Each time he pushes the bar away from his chest, he lets out an angry, yet somehow delicious, groan.
“Okay, dickface, whatever,” I snap. “Just say what you need to say so we can move on with our day. How about that?”
“What are you talking about?” he grumbles, slowing down slightly with each lift.
“Well, you seem to have decided I’m your enemy again,” I say, trying to seem unfazed. “And I don’t accept that, so just go on and get whatever it is that’s making you a dick off your chest.”
Setting the bar and weights up on the stand, he remains lying on his back.
“You’re being crazy,” he murmurs.
“And you’re being a cold dick,” I say, matter-of-factly. “You know what happens to dicks when they’re cold. They get shriveled up and tiny. So let’s not do that.”
When he says nothing, I walk over next to the bench and kneel down.
“I’m on your side, Dallas,” I whisper, some of my annoyance melting away when I look into his eyes. “I’m so sorry that what I said last night upset you. I only brought it up because I truly want what’s best for you. It’s what you deserve.”
“I don’t deserve a goddamn thing!” he snaps, making me flinch. “Not everyone is good like you are, Haven. Some of us are just … shit.”
His eye color is more of a darker gray than usual. Almost like a storm is brewing in there, and after last night, I’m not really sure what to expect. It’s always seemed like Dallas has to keep his emotions in check at all times—like if he doesn’t, he’ll spiral.
I want to be there for him. I want him to open up to me so I can take some of the weight he’s carrying off his shoulders to let him rest. But I can’t force him to, so I guess I’ll just have to keep showing him I’m not going anywhere.
When I reach for his cheek, he flinches, breaking my heart, but I don’t pull back.
“You deserve everything, Dallas.” I lift his hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to it.
“You deserve Lane and Memphis.” I press another, this time to his fingers.
“You deserve the beautiful life you have now.” I kiss his wrist. “You deserve your spot on the football team.” Leaning forward, I kiss his neck.
“You deserve the opportunity to figure out why school is so hard.” He pulls away slightly, but I kiss his jaw.
“You deserve all good things.” Hovering over him, I look in his eyes to find them misty.
“You deserve love, Dallas. In its truest, best form.” Now, I kiss his lips, pressing mine roughly to his.
“And I wish you’d just accept the love I’m trying to give you. ”
I kiss him again, deepening it this time and rolling my tongue against his slightly. “I know exactly who you are, Dallas Rivers. And I love what I see.”
I stand, throwing my leg over him, straddling him in my oversized T-shirt and panties. “You don’t have to tell me everything, but I need you to know that I’m here when you’re ready to talk.”
Beneath me, his cock stirs, gently nudging against the inside of my leg and bringing a deep ache between my legs. I drag my hands down his abdomen, keeping my lips hovered near his while we breathe each other in, lips barely brushing.
“You don’t know everything about me,” he rasps, his eyes dancing sadly between mine. Searching.
“I don’t need to,” I whisper honestly. “I know enough.”
“You think that now.” His lip trembles.
“I’ll know it always,” I say, not letting him add anything to that because I know he’s going to say something like once I know more, I’ll leave.
“I want to know everything about you, Dallas. But only when you’re ready to share those parts of yourself with me.
The dark, the light, the in between.” I smile sadly, my vision blurred with tears.
“There is nothing you can say that will scare me away. I promise.”
When I feel his cock nudge me again, I reach one hand between us and shove his bottoms down. Glancing beside us on the mirrored wall, the sight of his hard cock, veins bulging as it stands up straight just behind where my ass rests on him, has me whimpering.
I tear my eyes from the mirror, looking down at him. Suddenly, I feel bad for being sharp when I walked in. I know that his anger last night and his coldness when I found him in here runs much deeper than me suggesting he needs testing done. I opened old wounds without even meaning to.
This is my fault.
“I’m sorry that I upset you last night,” I whisper, my lip quivering. “Can you forgive me?”
“My anger isn’t at you,” he says quietly. “It’s at my father. My real father.” He croaks the last word. “And … myself.”
“I’m sorry,” I say softly, because it’s the only thing I can think of to say right now, cupping his face.
He stares up at me, a tear streaming from his cheek, and I know that these are the moments he was trying to avoid. Me seeing him break down.
“Kiss me, Short,” comes out in a jagged breath, followed by another tear. “You’re the only person who can numb this pain.”
I bring my mouth back to his, kissing him slow and gentle at first, but quickly, it grows deeper and faster. Soon, we’re both panting, and I’m rolling my hips against his body. His cock nudges against my ass each time my hips buck, driving us both wild.
I want him to talk to me about everything, but right now, he’s not ready. So, if this is what he needs … I’m going to give him this. As many times as he needs me to.
DALLAS
“Need to be closer to you,” I murmur into her mouth, my hand tangled in her hair. “Need to feel you wrapped around me.”
She understands what I’m asking of her, and within seconds, she’s lifting her hips up.
She doesn’t slowly sink down onto my length like last time.
No, this time, as if she can read my mind and knows I need this to be a little rough, she slams her heat down onto my dick, bringing a cry from her lips.
Her pussy stretches around my aching cock, swallowing me up selfishly, which is exactly what I need right now.
Nothing makes sense because everything is still true—I’m still the fucked up, broken guy I was last night when she woke me up to save me from a nightmare.
And yet, in this moment, as she rides me with her eyes burning into mine, everything makes sense, and none of that other shit matters.
Even through my baggie shirt she’s wearing, her full tits bounce, making me reach forward and lift it up over her head to give me a better view. I grip her hips, helping her to rock harder and faster onto my dick. She takes every inch so beautifully, whimpering in pleasure a few times.
She’s so beautiful, taking me raw without even being warmed up first.
Sliding one hand to my chest, she puts her palm flat to my heart. “You are worthy,” she whispers, keeping her hand there. She continues riding my cock, and despite how emotional we both are, it feels so good to be inside her as she claims my dick.
Her last words meant a lot, but when she bounces faster and puts her other hand on my chest, what she says next sends me over the edge.
“I’m yours, Dallas,” she says strongly. “Whether you’re fully ready for that or not, I belong to you. I have since we were kids.”
Within seconds of her confession, my balls draw up tightly, and a rush of tingles runs down my body. Through misty eyes, black spots dance in my vision, and I know I can’t hold back.
“Come with me. Own every part of me, Dallas. It’s all yours.”
She cries out just before her sweet, perfect pussy convulses on my dick.
Her body shudders, stiffening as her release hits hard, bringing another cry from her perfect lips.
My fingertips dig into the flesh of her waist, and I rock her back and forth, taking what I need like she told me to.
As my cum shoots inside her, she slides up and down on my length with ease, and it feels so fucking good that I’m pretty sure I come again—or it’s the longest orgasm I’ve ever had.
“I love filling you with my cum,” I grunt out, my body twitching beneath her.
After a moment, she collapses on me. And until we catch our breath, we just lie on this bench while I rake my fingertips up and down her bare back.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my throat feeling raw with emotion. “For being what I need.”
“Thank you for being the man I love,” she says back, pressing a kiss to my neck.
“You can’t run from me, D. I’ll find you every time.
” She giggles slightly. “Just like when you were twelve and I was thirteen. And you thought it would be funny to try to ditch me for the day. Told me I was annoying and you needed a break.”
Even though everything is still heavy, it’s somehow lighter now, giving me the ability to chuckle when I think back to the day she’s talking about.
“You got your first boyfriend when you were thirteen,” I murmur. “And I couldn’t stand watching you on your phone, texting him all day.”
She pulls her head up, looking down at me and lifting a brow.
“Really?” she whispers, and I nod.
“Yeah. I told Noah that you were annoying and that we should ditch you.” I shrug. “I did it so that I wouldn’t have to watch someone else putting a smile on your face.”
Her brows knit together before her lips are on mine. She kisses me passionately before burying her face into my neck.
“And all these years, I just thought you were a jerk”—lifting her head again, she winks—“when really, you were just head over heels in love with me. I get it now.”
I roll my eyes but grin. Not long ago, I would have told her she was crazy. But now, why even bother when it’s the truth.
I have always had a soft spot for Haven King. Even if she’s always been a pain in my ass.