CHAPTER 16 #2
He bent his head again as if to kiss her, but then held his mouth just above hers, teasing her. She tried to move onto her tiptoes, but he pulled back again, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Theo,” she whispered, pleading.
“Easy,” he said against her lips. “I like going slow.”
She tried not to pout, but a small, strangled noise that sounded like a whine escaped her. “I don’t.”
He chuckled. “I can see that. It’s intoxicating, watching you squirm.”
She opened her mouth to say something biting back, but then he was on her again, kissing her as deeply as before, and all her senses dissipated. He wrapped his arms around her and spun her so that she was no longer in full view of the window.
She hadn’t been picked up in a long time, and when her feet touched the ground, she realized that she wasn’t touching the floor. In fact, she was a few inches taller now. Glancing down, she realized he had put her on top of the coffee table.
“Wha—”
But then his mouth was on her breast, and she gasped.
She combed her fingers through his curls as she held his head to her, unwilling to let him go as her body began to hum with pleasure.
He was ravenous again, just like before, and she was just as eager.
He dropped his hands to unbutton her jeans, and she wiggled out of them as they fell.
Leaning forward, he grabbed her buttocks and lifted her off the table, placing her down in front of it.
Then, with the gentlest of touches, he guided her down until she was sitting on the edge of it.
She went willingly, allowing him to press her back until her bare skin touched the cool, dark wood. Then his hands were on her thighs, his thumbs digging in slightly in the most delicious way as he hooked the tips of his fingers into the top of her underwear.
But then he stopped. Thinking he was teasing her again, she bucked her hips.
“Please,” she whispered, “don’t stop.”
Needing no more than that, Theo continued, and when she was completely naked, lying on his coffee table like some sort of meal, he traced his hand to her right ankle.
He lifted it, and she bent her knee up, eyes fixed on him as he gently kissed the inside ankle, right where the scar from her talofibular ligament surgery was.
Something cracked in her heart at that moment, something she hadn’t expected.
The small acknowledgment was touching, and her throat became tight.
With eyes on her, his mouth still on her ankle, an invisible connection surged between them as he placed a trail of kisses up the inside of her leg.
Emotion swept over her, and she let her head fall back to hide the inevitable tears.
Why had he done that? And why was this suddenly so much more important than it had been moments ago?
But she could barely focus, as the sensation of his mouth on her inner thighs crept higher and higher until his mouth was on her.
Another involuntary shake tore through her as he lapped at her, instantly discovering the rhythm that elicited an exquisite sort of torment.
She was like a buffet, laid out for his consumption, and as her mind and body continued to rise on the wave of visceral rapture, Scarlett couldn’t stop from moaning his name as she climaxed.
Time and space were merely words as she rode her pleasure and Theo’s strong form came over her.
Bending her legs, she spread to accommodate him.
Her breath hitched when he entered her, and her brow furrowed at the pressure.
It had been a while since she had slept with anybody, and she hadn’t exactly seen him, but he was substantially larger than she’d thought.
Theo drove deeper, and Scarlett’s arms went to his shoulders, caressing his muscles as they shifted beneath her hands.
They moved together in unison, and Scarlett’s breathing became uneven.
His mouth was on hers again, his tongue sweeping into her mouth as she licked and sucked his bottom lip.
Scarlett’s hips came up as he continued, each searching for the same blissful ecstasy as her she clawed at his back.
Scarlett inched her legs higher, wrapping them around his waist to allow deep access, and as a second, softer orgasm pulsated throughout her body, Theo withdrew with a groan.
Seconds passed before the world reset itself, both of them panting heavily in the dark, the light from the kitchen casting a faint glow on him.
Scarlett was grateful to be partially hidden by the shadows of his apartment, and when he stood up, beautiful and completely naked, a thin sheen of sweat over his chest, he held his hand out to her.
Taking it, she stood on her wobbly legs and enjoyed the warmth and safety of his arms as they encircled her.
As their breathing relaxed and settled, Theo brushed his mouth against her temple. “That was… Scarlett…”
She nodded against his chest, unable to formulate the right words. “Yeah, that was.”
He let out a breath. “Are you cold?” he asked when she shivered.
“A little.”
“Should we…” He hesitated.
“Get a blanket?” she asked, hoping that he hadn’t been suggesting that they get dressed.
He sighed heavily, almost as if he were relieved. “Yes. Absolutely.”
Scarlett gently closed her fingers around the frames of his glasses and took them off. He had kept them on the entire time, and while that had certainly been tantalizing, she wanted to see him without them.
“I can barely see without those,” he said as she folded them and held them in her palm.
“You don’t wear contacts?”
“I don’t really like them.”
“Good,” she said. “I like your glasses.”
He smirked as he reached for her hand and tugged her toward his room. “Come on.”
Scarlett tucked herself against his side and followed him across the room to a tall door that opened up into a dark bedroom, with floor-to-ceiling windows on the far side.
A sense of comfort that she hadn’t expected settled over her as he led her to bed, jerking back the comforter for her like he was helping her into a car.
Yes, this was where she wanted to be. Where she was supposed to be.
The sound of rain hitting glass lulled Scarlett out of a dreamless sleep, causing her to roll over.
She didn’t want to wake up, as it had to be too early to do so, and she buried her face in the large down pillow.
It was like sleeping on a cloud. And that tantalizing scent of Theo’s body wash mixed with the faint scent of bleach was all around her as she inhaled through her nose.
Wrapped in a fluffy comforter, she only vaguely remembered that she didn’t have a comforter on her bed, but a quilt.
Her eyes snapped open.
She wasn’t home in her bed. She was in Theo’s bed, and, sitting up, she realized that she was alone.
Checking out her surroundings, she saw that she was in the largest bed she had ever been in, with white sheets and white pillows.
It was surprisingly bright, considering how gray the world was outside his window, but then the bed seemed to glow in contrast to the wood floors and dark walls.
The room around her was large and square, with the same dark green paint on the walls that had been used throughout the apartment.
Three massive glass windows sat to her right, overlooking a rainy Manchester.
There was a dresser with a TV on it and a few prints of aerial landscapes that were framed, hanging on the wall.
To the left were four large wooden doors, likely his closet, she thought, as she spotted her clothes folded neatly on a chair in the corner of the room.
Glancing at the end table, a modern piece of furniture, she saw two phones, hers and probably his.
She went to reach for hers as the door opened.
Grabbing the blankets around her to her chest, she saw Theo enter, holding a cup of something that was steaming.
He was wearing a pair of gray joggers, no shoes, and an old numbered jersey.
His hair was slightly messed up, and his glasses were balanced on the bridge of his nose. It was comical just how good he looked.
“Good morning,” he said tentatively as he came into the room.
Voices carried in from the other room and she scooched back to sit up straighter. “Good morning. Is someone here?”
“Hm? Oh, no. It’s the TV. They have a recap of yesterday’s game.”
“Oh,” she said softly, trying to hide a grin. It was funny how much more modest she was in the cool light of day, but she didn’t want to appear uncomfortable, so she nodded at the beverage. “Tea?”
“It’s coffee. I thought you didn’t like tea.”
“I don’t, unless I drank the night before.”
Concern shone on his face. “Oh. You weren’t drunk last night, were you?”
“Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s just my stomach can’t handle coffee after wine, so I usually drink tea the next day.”
“Ah,” he said, his mouth curved up, though his forehead creased. God, he was cute when he smiled. It left her a little breathless. “You know, you’re not the first person to tell me that.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” He paused for a moment, his expression contemplative. “I’ll go make you a tea.”
“Thank you,” she said as he left. Reaching for her phone, she saw a few texts. One from Maxie, asking if she was okay, since it was late. Scarlett cringed and sent,
I’m good! Spent the night at a friend’s. Be home soon, feeling bad for not having done so last night.
Then another message—from Mr. Wrong Number. Of course she would get a message from him after having spent the night with Theo.
She saw it was sent only about an hour ago.
Hey, I know it’s early, but I’ve been thinking…
Maybe we shouldn’t meet up after all. I don’t know if this will come off the wrong way.
I hope it doesn’t, but I was just going back and forth about it in my head, and I feel like I sort of pushed the matter.
I don’t want to make you feel like you have to, you know?
Scarlett frowned, even though a huge sense of relief came over her. Yes, she didn’t think meeting him would be the best thing now, especially after having slept with Theo.
I understand, 100%. Don’t worry about it.
There. Sent and—
Buzz.
Scarlett peered at the end table and saw the screen of Theo’s phone light up. Huh. That was a funny coincidence. But then Theo’s words about the tea situation sounded in her mind. She frowned.
“You know, you’re not the first person to tell me that…” she repeated out loud as she glanced at his phone and then hers.
There was zero chance that what she was thinking was true, but a creeping sensation crawled up her spine, and she decided to send another text.
Hope you’re having a good morning.
Buzz.
Oh no. A faint ringing started in Scarlett’s ears as all her senses homed in that buzzing sound and a sinking feeling hit her in the gut.
Peering over the edge of the bed, she saw the name Airport Hen pop up on his screen.
She dropped her phone into her lap and her hands came over her mouth.
No. No, no, no. That wasn’t possible. This wasn’t even plausible!
There was no way that Theo was Mr. Wrong Number.
How could that even be?
Panic set in as it buzzed again, but she rolled off the bed as quickly as possible. She didn’t want to see anything else and had already inadvertently looked at his screen and how was this happening?
After dressing as quickly as she could, Scarlett pocketed her phone and opened the door to rush out, only to bump into Theo, who spilt a large portion of hot tea on his shirt.
“Ah!”
“Shit,” she said, lunging around him. “Oh, God, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine. Bit of a habit with you at this point, isn’t it?” he asked with a smirk, pulling his shirt away from his chest. Upon seeing her face, however, he said, “Are you okay?”
“Me? Yes, of course,” she said, searching the living room for her shoes. “I just… I got a call, and I have to go.”
“Go?”
“Yes. Have you seen my shoes? Ah, there they are.”
She spotted her blue heels near the coffee table.
The memory still fresh in her mind of what they’d done on that table, she tried to ignore the warmth creeping up her neck as she shoved one foot, then the other into her shoes as a man in a gray suit sat behind a desk speaking about the latest rankings of the Championship League on the television.
“With Chelsea clinching the win against Southampton, now we turn to, er… Well now, this just in…”
Scarlett stood straight to see a perplexed-looking Theo watching her, frowning.
“You don’t have to leave, you know.”
“I know, and I’m sorry to rush out like this. It’s just—”
“Miles Wilkens, striker for the Manchester Bees, and April Dawson, captain of the Manchester Bees women’s team, were spotted leaving the scene of an accident last night, where at least one person has suffered serious injuries—”
“Maybe we should talk—”
“Wait. What did he say?” Scarlett said, facing the television.
“Wilkens was later apprehended and arrested for drunk driving, while attempts to find Dawson are still ongoing. In other news…”
“What the hell…” Scarlett said, staring at Theo. “Wilkens has been arrested?”
“Damn it all to hell,” he spat. He shoved his fingers through his curls. “I have to go.”
“I think I do too.” Her phone began to buzz in her back pocket. Taking it out, she saw it was Marrero. “I have to take this.”
She went to walk past him to leave, but he reached out and touched her arm.
“Listen, Scarlett, I… I think we should talk about last night.” His phone started to ring from the other room, and he appeared torn. “At some point.”
“Agreed, but we both have to go—like, right now.”
His mouth settled in a thin line, as if he wanted to argue that, but there was nothing to be done. Scarlett had to call at least a dozen people to figure out what was going on.
“Right. Of course.”
He followed her to the door, where she turned around. Batting down her shock of what she had seen on the news and trying to ignore the very real issue of her realizing that Mr. Wrong Number and Theo were the same person, Scarlett tried to focus on the other situation between them.
“I…” She didn’t know what to say, so she said the first thing that came to mind. “Thank you. For last night.”
“You’re… welcome?”
Shit. That wasn’t the right thing to say.
“I mean, we’ll talk later, about all of this. I promise.”
He nodded, even though he didn’t appear to believe her, and as she walked toward the elevator, a painful spasm cut through her. She didn’t look up to see him as the doors closed, and having let the last call go to voicemail, she answered her buzzing phone, deciding to focus on work. “Hello?”
“Did you hear? I’m going to kill her when I find her.”
“I know, Marrero. I know.”
“Are you coming in?”
“I’m on my way,” she said, coming off the elevator. She paused and gazed back as the doors closing behind her before continuing on her way out. “I’ll be there in twenty.”