57. Deacon
Chapter fifty-seven
Deacon
There were many things I wanted to do with Lyla during our last day in Miami, but listening to “Closer” by the Chainsmokers on repeat wasn’t one of them. I threw my arm over my face and sunk deeper into my pillow.
Instead of waking up peacefully to the sunrise, going for a run on the beach, and then grabbing Lyla for breakfast like I planned to, I opened my eyes to Lyla poking me in the chest and shoving my side.
“It’s ten-thirty, Deacon. We have to be out of this room in thirty minutes!” Lyla exclaimed through a round of giggles.
“I’ll do whatever you want,” I murmured. “Just turn off that song.”
Lyla scoffed. “Don’t blame the song for your poor planning. You told me yesterday you were setting an alarm.”
I smirked at her cute little jab and slipped my arm around her waist.
“ My poor planning.” I rolled so I was on top of her and dipped down to kiss her neck. My erection rested between her legs, and I moved my hips against hers. “I got a little side-tracked last night.”
Her hand slipped under the waistband of my shorts. “How much is a late checkout fee? ”
“Does it matter?” I challenged, sliding her panties to the side. “It’s gotta be better than a security deposit, right? Who was it, a pool boy?”
“Shut up.” Her laughter faded into a satisfied groan as I eased myself inside her. “Think you can finish in ten minutes?”
“You say the sweetest things to me, Lyla Brooks.” I nipped her bottom lip and bucked my hips a little harder. “It just depends.”
She wrapped her legs around my waist and pulled me deeper. “On what?”
I laced my fingers with hers and bent down to kiss her again. “On how long it takes you to come.”
Lyla cried out as I slammed into her, her moans echoing off the walls around us and prompting me to go harder. She arched her back and pushed against our hands, her breathing climbing higher and higher as the pleasure began to build. I pulled away to admire how she looked pinned underneath me before I trailed kisses down her chest and stomach.
Her mouth went slack as my tongue grazed her clit, her head falling back against the pillow. “Four minutes, Deac.”
“That’s all I need, sweetheart.” I kissed her inner thigh and returned to her pussy, paying attention to the rise and fall of her stomach and the movements of her hips. Her fingers clenched the sheets, and I knew she was close. I swept my tongue across her, moving back and forth until her nails dug into my shoulder.
“Fuck, Deacon,” she whimpered, her body shaking as she rode out her orgasm against my tongue. My stomach dipped as my name left her mouth. There was no way in hell I’d ever get tired of hearing her say it when I was between her legs.
She sat up, taking me by surprise. “Your turn. Lay down. ”
“No, no, no,” I protested through a hollow laugh. “Four minutes, remember? Three now, actually.”
Her green eyes examined me playfully, looking brighter than usual as the sun peeked through the curtains. “That sounds like a challenge.”
Lyla pushed against my chest, and I fell back so she could climb on top of me. She took me in her mouth, and I watched her lips glide further down my cock. I was prepared to hold out if I was inside her, but when her tongue swirled around my shaft and her hand cupped my balls, I was teetering on the verge of combustion.
“Fuck me, baby,” I murmured as her eyes locked on mine.
I grazed the corner of her lip with my thumb, and she sucked harder. Just as I had teased her last night, she knew what she was doing, and the low moan that vibrated in the back of her throat threatened to put me over the edge.
I threaded my hand in her hair, guiding her up and down. I watched her take me again and again, each stroke pulling me further until I was grazing the back of her throat. She started to move faster, her mouth meeting her firm grip as she pumped me with her hand.
“I’m gonna come, Lyla,” I breathed as the pleasure rippled through my body. I rested my hands above my head so she could move if she wanted to, but she stayed put, taking me deeper. I groaned when she continued to suck, stroking my release with her hand, and letting me thrust into her mouth.
“Holy shit.” I exhaled slowly, trying to catch my breath. “I might have a new favorite thing you do with that mouth.”
She flashed me a satisfied grin, sending me into another dimension when she licked me off her bottom lip. “And what’s that? ”
I sat up to cup her chin. “The gentleman in me is supposed to say your smile.”
She giggled right before she kissed me. “Pack up, Scott. We’re a few minutes past checkout.”
Our flight touched down in Cleveland around five in the evening. Lyla and I were exhausted, and neither of us felt like making the drive back to BG. Her mom knew she was picking us up from the airport, but she couldn't control her excitement when she found out we were staying the night.
Jane pulled me in for a hug before I could even put our bags into the car, and I hugged her back like I had known her for years. She was still smiling when she pulled away. “You must be Deacon. I am so excited to meet you in person.”
“Mom, please don’t smother him.” Lyla rolled her eyes, and I flashed Jane an apologetic grin. “Even though I’m pretty sure you’re more excited to see Deacon than me.”
Jane waved off Lyla’s comment and pulled her in for a hug. “I missed you, Jean Bean. And I’m happy you guys are here.”
When Jane slid into the driver’s seat, I snatched Lyla’s luggage out of her hand and insisted she get in the car while I loaded the bags. Unlike Lyla, I savored the cool Ohio breeze as it rippled against my hoodie, grateful to be back in weather that didn’t make me immediately sweat through my shirt.
It was nice to get away to some sun, but the purpose of the trip would catch up to Lyla eventually. Regardless of whether she admitted it, I knew the shock of finding out her dad was getting married still hadn’t settled. It was painful how we tried to numb ourselves from the people who hurt us the most, only to feel everything ten times more when they knocked down the last defense in their path. I wanted to be a wall in Lyla’s life, one that wouldn’t threaten to crumble if she felt she wasn’t good enough.
About fifteen minutes later, we approached a bright red bungalow with white shutters. Jane’s street was quiet, lined with houses that represented a similar style only in different color palettes. Lyla gave me a quick tour of the first floor and explained that the second floor was her bedroom. She shot me a playful smirk when I looked upstairs before she led me into the kitchen.
The kitchen and dining area were small, but I enjoyed the intimate space. Once Dominic passed away, I learned quickly that the size of the room didn’t matter if the people you missed weren’t in it. I sat comfortably next to Lyla with my hands on the table, keeping them in plain sight if Jane decided to turn around while she prepared the tacos.
What could I say? It didn’t matter what my hands did in the hotel room twenty-four hours ago. When it came to leaving a good first impression, Relationship Deacon appeared front and center.
Lyla sighed, and I sensed an admission coming forward. “Mom, Aaron is engaged.”
Jane scoffed over her shoulder, scanning Lyla’s face to make sure she was being serious. “That asshole. He flew you all the way to Miami to tell you that!”
Lyla nodded. “But the good news is, that should be my last trip.”
“Jesus,” Jane muttered under her breath. She placed frothy red and yellow drinks with a pineapple garnish on the table. “I tried to tell Lyla you should meet me first, Deacon. I’m much more fun and way less of an asshole. ”
I chuckled at her blunt admission, and Lyla palmed her face. As embarrassed as her mom could make her sometimes, I loved seeing Lyla in this element. I could see why Lyla wanted to help her mom chase her dream, and it melted my heart to see the small, happy exchanges between them.
I sipped my drink, savoring the sweet taste as it flooded my mouth. “Holy shit. This is amazing. What is this?”
“Pineapple upside down cake drink .” Jane smiled adoringly at Lyla. “Usually, you order them as a shot, but Lyla and I got it as a drink on one of our trips to Florida. We haven’t been able to let go of them since.”
“Okay, Mom .” Lyla sucked her teeth. “Don’t distract me with the drinks. I love how you casually left it there on top of the microwave.”
Jane shrugged, returning to her chopping at the counter. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
It felt awkward to look over at the microwave, so I took another sip of my drink while they sorted out the silent conversation happening between them.
Lyla rolled her eyes and stood up. “Let me at least take a shower first.” Her hand grazed my shoulder as she leaned down to kiss me on the cheek. “If you think you’re good at chess, I can’t wait to see your skills at Uno.”
Jane cheered, placing a saucepan on the stove and reaching behind her for the game. She took the chair across from me, bringing along a notepad and pen.
“The woman is a fiend ,” Lyla whispered, sending goosebumps down my neck. “And you better not pull some sort of travel Monopoly out of your bag while I’m gone.”
I watched Lyla leave as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom. When I turned my attention back to Jane and her decks of Uno cards, she was beaming at me. The way the corner of her mouth pinched into her cheek told me she had a comment brewing. Lyla wore the same expression when she wanted to tell me something.
I decided to start the conversation. “Thank you for having me, Jane. I’m glad Lyla decided to stay here tonight.”
Jane shuffled the cards and dealt to all three chairs. “You know you’re only the second guy Lyla has brought home?”
I tried not to look surprised. I knew the first guy she was referring to, and the thought of him made my blood boil. I wasn’t sure if Lyla told her mom I knew about Hunter, and it wasn’t my place to say anything.
“It’s okay.” Jane smiled reassuringly. “She told me she talked to you about her high school boyfriend. It says a lot about how she feels about you. She trusts you, and I think you’re really good for her.”
“She’s really good for me, too,” I admitted, deciding to roll with the rest of the thoughts coming into my head. “I care a lot about your daughter, and I’d never do anything to hurt her. She’s my best friend.”
“I appreciate that.” Jane placed the deck in the middle of the table and flipped over the first card. “And the fact that you’ve met Aaron twice and still haven’t gone running tells me you’re something special.”
We clinked our glasses together and laughed.
I winced. “Has he always been—”
“A dick?” Jane smirked. “Yes. I knew he was a piece of work when I met him. But”—she sighed—“he’s just one of those people that sprinkles hope like it’s fucking glitter. You find pieces of it when you shake out all the shit he put you through, and you believe this could be the last time. He makes you feel like there’s a chance he can change.”
“Do you think you’ll go to Chicago?” I asked .
Jane smiled faintly. “I know she wants me to, and I might once she gets settled, but not for why she wants me there. Aaron has it shoved so far into Lyla’s head that she owes everyone something. I know she wants to fit my dreams into hers, and she deserves every goddamn penny for having to deal with that man. But to answer your question, I’ll go because she wants me to go, not because of what she’s offering.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I wasn’t implying that you would go for any other reason.”
She fanned the air in front of her. “Oh, sweetie, I know you weren’t. Now, do I need to explain the rules of the game to you, or do I need to show you how to keep score?”
I gestured for her to hand me the pen, and she laughed as she refilled our glasses.
When Lyla came downstairs, she shook her head, smiling at the scene. She sat beside me, and I rested my arm on the back of her chair. The familiar flowery scent of her body wash drifted into the room, and I fought the urge to pull her in for a kiss.
She scooted closer to me and started picking up her cards, quickly shoving them into her chest. “Back off, Deac!”
“I’m not looking!” I exclaimed, shifting my body so I could hide my cards.
We spent the next hour and a half playing Uno with Jane before we called it a night. I was looking forward to crawling into bed and getting some sleep before we left for BG tomorrow morning. Since Lyla’s mom would be at work by the time we woke up, we said our goodbyes before we headed upstairs.
The second floor of the house was cozy, with only one bedroom and a bathroom across the hall. Lyla’s bedroom was much more personable than it was in Bowling Green. The space had been lived in for a few years, and it was nice to see a bright green color on the walls instead of the cream plaster that covered all of the BG rental properties.
Lyla took the spot closest to the wall and gestured for me to lay beside her. She draped her arm over my chest and snuggled into me. “Thank you for playing Uno tonight with my mom,” she mumbled. “I know she was excited to meet you.”
“No problem. It was nice to meet her in person.” I relaxed into the mattress and let my hand drag lazily across her back, making her jump when I hit the sensitive spot on her shoulder blade.
“I’m sorry, but I’m so tired,” she groaned. “I’d reward you for another on-screen performance, but I can barely keep my eyes open.”
I closed my eyes and pulled her closer. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m tired too.”
“I wasn’t sure if you expected to have sex tonight. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed.”
I was glad the work of her blackout curtains made it dark enough to hide my confused expression. “Being here with you is more than enough. I don’t need anything else.”
Lyla rolled on top of me and rested her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, savoring the way her body felt against mine. We were both completely clothed, but somehow, I never felt more exposed. My feelings for Lyla were beginning to show, and there was no way I was letting this girl go.