Chapter 26
Chapter
Twenty-Six
PEARL
“ O hmygod, I think I want to marry you,” Lily said, scarfing down a brownie in front of Pearl’s table.
“I’m game, but your husband might have a problem with it,” Pearl said, feeling giddy.
The Fairwick Falls Firefly Festival had nearly cleaned her out of every single item on her table. Evening was settling over Fairwick Falls, which meant the main event with all the fireflies on the front lawn was about to start and she could finally close up after the longest day ever.
She and Reed had settled on a shared table between her bakery and Bookish, and she sat among non-food vendors like local jewelry and soap-makers.
“Where’s your work husband—my brother ,” Lily said, with a little happy dance.
“Oh, he’s around here somewhere.”
Not a soul knew what had happened between them in the last twenty-four hours.
“Speaking of husbands.” Lily waved Nash over.
“It’s looking good, Pearl,” he said, picking up a cookie and giving her a ten-dollar bill.
“Let me get you some change.”
“Nah.” He waved her away and unwrapped the last remaining chocolate chip cookie she’d baked that morning from its cellophane. “You need anything?”
The credit union Nash had founded was sponsoring the festival, and he and his employees were running the event.
“Nah, I’m good.”
He probably didn’t even hear her though, based on the love-drunk way he gazed down at his wife. Lily had wrapped her arms around Nash’s waist, and they smiled at each other.
“Go,” Pearl said, shooing them with a smile. “Your gooey love faces are blocking the path to my table.”
“Okay, but since Mr. Money Bags is here, I’m just gonna grab these.” Lily piled six more whoopie pies in her arms.
Nash shook his head with an indulgent smile, and gave Pearl a fifty-dollar bill.
“Wait, your change!” Pearl shouted as they walked away.
“Keep it, and keep making my wife happy,” Nash called back, pulling Lily to him and kissing the top of her head.
Pearl put both bills in her cash box, feeling embarrassingly grateful for him overpaying. This meant she was almost at a thousand dollars for just today.
Even Beulah didn’t bother her today as she walked between the tables, scowling at her.
Pearl raised an eyebrow, challenging her to even bother saying anything as she handed two pieces of wrapped confetti cake—or, as she called it, firefly cake—to a family stopping by her table.
“Ms. Pearl,” a tiny voice shouted. Sophie Hirasaki, one of AB’s little friends, waved as she tugged her parents toward Pearl’s table. Sophie had a nut allergy, and so she and AB sat together every day at lunch at a special table.
She was wearing a light-up headband with dangling fireflies, with a firefly painted on her cheek.
“Hey, Sophie,” Pearl said, giving her a high five. “Love the face tat.”
She knew Sophie’s parents a little bit from a few park playdates when Luca hadn’t been able to make it. Her mom was a nerdy white woman who Pearl talked to about murder podcasts, and her dad was an effortlessly cool Asian man with throat-to-hand tattoos who did specialty paint work for Luca sometimes.
“Mom, can I have one?” Sophie looked up.
Sophie’s mom looked at everything on the table. “Is anything nut-free?”
“Everything is, actually.” Pearl winked at Sophie who was practically jumping up and down.
“I want the spider cookie.” She pointed to the blue sugar cookie with Pearl’s globby attempt at a firefly.
Okay, note taken. Work on my icing skills.
“You got it, kid,” Pearl said and bagged one up for her.
“This is awesome, Pearl. Do you have a storefront or someplace we could visit?” Sophie’s mom asked.
It’s her birthday next week , Sophie’s dad mouthed and mimed behind Sophie. The sight of a tatted-up dad miming “birthday” was just too cute.
“Not yet. I’m hoping to rent the place over by the salon on Tenth,” Pearl said, handing them a card. “But in the meantime, you can contact me for any…uh, reason.” She tried not to mention the b-word as Sophie’s dad gave her a thumbs-up.
She waved to Sophie as they walked away.
What is this new feeling ? she thought, rubbing her breastbone. Confidence?
Not the fuck you confidence she normally had to project to keep herself protected, but excitement for the future.
Wild . Did other people just live like this all the time?
Beulah had been loitering at the next table, and she sneered looking at what was left of her baked goods. “A bakery? Gonna make pot brownies probably.”
“Shoo.” Pearl waved her hands as if she was an errant pigeon. “Steal someone else’s soul, Barf lah.”
She toddled away, her eyes watching Pearl the whole time.
A welcome sight strode toward her. Reed was talking with a woman who had an official-looking badge on for the festival. His eyes connected with Pearl’s as he walked toward them, and butterflies—or, fuck it, maybe fireflies—lit up inside her. It was warm and cozy and romantic.
Definitely fireflies.
“Hey, Pearl,” he said with a wink. Squeeeeeee . “I want you to meet Jennifer. She’s one of the festival committee members.”
“The president, actually. Reed and I became fast friends,” Jennifer said, shaking Pearl’s hand, “waiting in the endless line for the bathroom.”
Jennifer’s hand rested on Reed’s bicep as if they had a shared joke.
Pearl’s hands fisted, but she said nothing.
“I told Jennifer,” Reed said with a friendly smile at the woman next to him whose hand was still on his fucking arm , “that you should be the provider of the gluten-free and vegan shortcake for the Strawberry Shortcake Festival in a few weeks.”
“I’ve heard rave reviews about your brownies,” Jennifer said, looking at what was left of her table.
“They’re all gone. I’m sorry,” Pearl said through gritted teeth, not feeling sorry at all.
This bitch’s hand.
Is still.
On his arm.
She looked like the kind of woman Reed should end up with. Put-together, elegant, confident. Someone who had opinions about wine and contacts at the best schools.
I hate her.
“Here,” Reed said, moving behind the table. “We’ll get you a card—and do you like lemon cookies?”
“Always,” Jennifer said with a flirty little wink at Reed.
Murder. I’m going to go to prison for first-degree, unapologetic murder tonight.
Reed handed her two cookies and a card. “These were a huge hit at the bookshop’s soft launch yesterday.”
“Can’t wait to try them,” Jennifer said with a little shoulder wiggle, her eyes still on Reed.
Reed looked at Pearl. “Did you have any questions for her?”
Does she have her next of kin lined up?
“Oh, let’s just consider it done,” Jennifer said, finally looking at Pearl. “We’ll need about a thousand. You can just give me an estimate on cost and we’ll talk from there.”
Jennifer flashed a breezy smile as she gave a little finger-wave at Reed as she walked away.
“Amazing,” Reed said, turning to Pearl.
She growled. “That woman was flirting with you.”
“No she wasn’t,” he said, adjusting his glasses.
“Ah ha,” Pearl said, poking. “That’s your tell.”
“What? No, it’s not,” he said, adjusting his glasses again and rubbing the back of his head.
“You liked that she was flirting with you,” she said with a deviant laugh, poking his stomach.
“I don’t care that she was flirting with me,” he said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “Because if it got you what you wanted, that’s all that matters.”
He leaned down and gave her a quick, firm kiss.
Her eyes darted around. “You are kissing your assistant in public . Scandalous,” she whispered.
“Honestly, I’d like to do a lot more to you than kissing,” he said as his eyes traced her cleavage and traveled back up to her face. “But I’ll settle for this.”
He kissed her cheek and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her.
“A thousand strawberry shortcakes,” she said, mind boggled as she nuzzled against him. “That’s like…a lot of money.”
“And it’s just the beginning.” He smiled down at her. “I’m so proud of you. You are amazing.”
God, she wanted to fuck him so bad.
They’d had to stay focused all day getting everything ready for her table.
“I think we should celebrate tonight,” she said.
“Mm, what do you have in mind? Some Fox and Forrest ’70s punk dinner?”
A smile tugged on her lips. “I was thinking…a game of card.”
“Singular?” He squinted and his glasses went askew.
Fuck, he was so cute. She was going to wreck him tonight, especially since she’d worn her special tights just for him.
“Yeah.” She shrugged, resting her finger underneath his chin. “The one where I steal your V-card.”
Pearl squirmed in her seat, willing the stoplight to turn green on the way home from the festival.
This is going to be the longest eight-minute drive of my life.
Reed’s right hand squeezed her inner thigh as his other clutched the steering wheel. His thumb moved back and forth between squeezes and she thought she might crawl onto the car ceiling if the fucking stoplight didn’t turn in the next ten seconds.
They’d packed up from the festival at lightning speed, and Reed had been quiet since they’d gotten in the car. His jaw was clenched.
“Stupid fucking light,” Pearl muttered, adjusting herself in her seat.
“Are your preferences the same in real life as when we texted?” he asked out of nowhere. His voice was strained as he hit the gas.
She glanced over in the dim light and saw the firm, enormous outline of his cock. It was a siren to her as she licked her lips. She wanted her mouth on it so badly, but she settled for just touching right now. Safety first and all that.
“Yes, I like it hard,” she said, her hand skimming over his cock. “Spanking, face fucking, cum swallowing, being tied up, choking. It’s all fair game.”
He blew a hard breath out through his nose as she traced the head of his cock lightly with her nails. The skin on his knuckles was practically white on the steering wheel, and his hand squeezed her thigh hard.
She bit her lip to keep from chuckling. He wanted it so bad.
He let her keep going as she rubbed the head of his cock over his pants. His breath was ragged as he turned through the familiar streets.
“I got tested when we planned to meet up, by the way. All clear, also have an IUD,” she added.
His eyes went wide. “Shit, do you have condoms? I didn’t even think about it.”
She shrugged with a mischievous smile, biting her lip. “I do, but…”
Reed stopped at a stop sign.
The millisecond the car stopped moving, Reed turned and kissed her hard. His hand pulled at her, and his tongue traced her lip in his mouth. The peppermint and cedar scent of him was all she could think about. She wanted to lick and eat it up. Bathe in it.
He bit her lip, tugging on it, and she needed to pull him closer. Her hands were in his thick hair, loving the feel of each strand running against her fingers.
A honk sounded behind them. Shit .
“But?” Reed said as he hit the gas, continuing the conversation.
Oh right, condoms.
“I don’t really want to use them.” Her hands played with his hair.
“If you keep doing that, we’re not going to make it home. Either because I crash or because I pull over and fuck you right here on Chestnut Street.”
She leaned into his ear, whispering, “I want your cum everywhere. I like getting messy.”
It was her kink, okay? She liked being made to take it, have it on her. Nothing was dirtier and better than doing that with someone she could trust. It had been such a long time.
His sigh was ragged. “Haven’t been able to stop thinking about last night all day. Dreamt about your pussy.”
Pearl used the last red stoplight on the way home to her advantage. She’d finally show the very naughty secret she’d been hiding all day. She’d gotten wet just thinking about it when she got dressed that morning.
“You mean this?” She lifted the black skirt she had on, scraping her nails over her tights, until it was at her waist.
She’d worn her crotchless fishnets.
No panties.
Her bare skin contrasted with the dark tights in the dark, and a hint of wetness was visible.
Reed groaned, licking his lips like a predator dreaming about its prey.
“Holy fuck, Pearl,” he groaned, his fingers immediately going to it. “That’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. Goddamn.”
He kissed her, brushing light kisses as his fingers played with her clit. Curls of need wound through her. She’d been on a hair trigger watching him be charming and sexy all day in his rolled up sexy sleeves.
“You are a sorceress intent on destroying me,” he said as he dipped in lower, gripping her pussy firmly. “You were bare the whole day?
“Being very naughty,” she said, breathless as she licked into a kiss on the side of his mouth. “I wanted you to get a glimpse when I bent over at the table.”
He groaned and his fingers swirled in her hot, wet heat. A honk sounded from behind them again, and he ripped his hand away, bringing his fingers to his mouth, licking the taste of her from his fingers as he hit the gas.
She moaned, watching him savor it.
“Christ, you taste so good. Keep your legs spread,” he said, glancing at her sternly.
He was coming to a stop sign in the neighborhood. The streets were empty and the houses were dark. Everyone was at the festival. She unzipped his pants and licked her lips.
No one would see.
“Pearl,” he warned, slowing down.
She tugged his cock out from the top of his boxers and bent over, licking the head of it.
He slammed to a stop at the stop sign. “Goddamn,” he moaned, his hand in her hair. “Never…”
She popped the head of him into her mouth. Fuck, he was huge. She squeezed her thighs together.
“Never did this before,” he moaned. “It’s too good, Pearl. Can’t last.”
Holy fuck. She might come before they got home.
She licked the pre-cum dripping off of him. “Good, come down my throat,” she said between licks.
“Shouldn’t, we’re…in public,” he groaned, turning onto a side street.
She sucked the first three inches of his cock. “Use me,” she murmured. “You’ll last longer later.”
He stopped at another stop sign. “Bratty sex demon,” he muttered, and with a glance around, he fucked his cock into her mouth as he held her head right where he wanted her.
She moaned at how much he wanted it, how firm his hand was in her hair. “Just like that,” he said, shoving her head down harder. His cock hit the roof of her mouth, then the back of her throat. Saliva dribbled out of her mouth, down her chin, and he face-fucked her harder.
Yes. Fuck, so hot.
“Oh god, gonna come down your throat.”
She hummed as he used her. Her hand wrapped around his cock, and she tugged at him once.
“Pearl,” he moaned, shooting salty cum at the back of her tongue. She savored it as she licked him clean.
He kissed her, tongue winding with hers. “So fucking hot, gorgeous.”
He threw the gearshift into drive again. His right hand settled onto her pussy, teasing her as he turned onto the next street. “You’re going to come at least twice before I fill you up. Still don’t think I can last long with how good you smell, and taste. I want you wet, and needy, and spent.”
He pinched her clit and a moan wrenched out of her.
He sped down the last street and slammed the car into park behind the house. They both bolted from the car.
“Wait,” Reed called. She’d already jogged two steps toward the house. “Your cookies. It’s too hot; they’ll spoil.”
Who thinks about cookies when they’re this horny?
“Leave them,” she called.
“You worked too hard,” he called as he shuffled them into a large box as fast as he could. She jogged back, annoyed and touched.
“Here,” she said, taking another box.
He looked at her as she grabbed one, and a guttural growl—a fucking growl—ripped out of him as he kissed her, hard. Nipping, biting.
It was dark outside, and his hands wandered under her skirt. She was so wet her skirt was damp, and it started to spread down her thighs.
He groaned as his fingers found it. “All this just for me. So lucky. I could take you right here in the alley, gorgeous. Fuck you hard in the dark, bent over with your pussy out.”
“Yes,” she moaned. She liked this entirely unexpected side of him. Possessive, needy, firm.
She moaned loudly against his mouth. He ripped himself away. “But I want you naked when I eat it,” he said with a firm hand on her.
They ran up to the back door with two boxes of cookies. She unlocked the door as he kissed her neck.
“Was torture being with you all day, imagining this, not being able to bend you over the table and fuck you.”
She threw open the door and they both tossed the boxes to the floor.
Her lips found his. She was hungry, starving for him.
“Need you. Want your cries,” he said between kisses.
He pinned her against the kitchen island, standing behind her. “Pull your skirt up,” he whispered in her ear.
Her heart was pounding out of her chest.
She held up the black skirt so her pussy was uncovered, loving the feeling of baring herself for him. His fingers dove in, possessive and hot, finding her swollen clit.
Her knees buckled at the combination of his mouth on her neck, a hand on her tits, and a hand in her pussy.
“Fuck, I’m gonna come,” she moaned as he ruthlessly fucked her with his fingers.
“How did it make you feel, Pearl? Being bare for me all day?”
“Like a needy brat. Just wanting to be fucked by you.” She sighed against him as he sucked her neck.
“You like that, don’t you? Being my bratty fuck toy.”
Oh god. Greedy lust made her hips jerk against his hand involuntarily. “Yessss. Want to be used by you,” she moaned,
He twisted her nipple as he ruthlessly fingered her clit, rubbing harder and harder. She was pinned between him and the kitchen island and she fucking loved it.
Smoke-like curls of need wrapped around every limb as he decimated her.
She loved how possessive he was. How much he wanted her. How filthy he was.
“So close,” she moaned, throwing her head back, mouth open and panting. Letting her pleasure take over, she let go, screaming and fucking his hand as her climax built.
He pressed her harder into the island, his cock rubbing against the grooves of her ass.
“You’re going to come all over my hand, gorgeous, right now.”
Fuck, she loved it when he told her what to do.
But she loved pushing his buttons. It always made it better.
Her hips moved against his hand, wanting more, bucking into him. “What,” she gasped as he flicked her nipple, “do I get if I do?” He teased her clit and she panted, trying not to come.
His hand came to her throat, wrapping around it and squeezing it gently.
Oh god. The warmth of his hand around her throat felt so good. She felt so possessed, so needed.
So desired.
“Then I’ll make a mess of you later, filling you up with my cum.”
She broke, convulsing and screaming his name as he drilled her clit, making her scream higher and higher. She chased it, the sparkling glitter crashing through her as she came, savoring it. Letting it wreck her.
She collapsed on the island, panting.
It was always the nerds who made her come the hardest.
He kneeled and started unlacing her boots.
“What’re…you doing?” she murmured into the island.
He gently took each shoe off, and then his both of his own. She could see how hard his cock was.
“Aftercare matters even if we’re not done yet, Bookish.”
“ A virgin who does aftercare…I…need to go buy a lottery ticket,” she mumbled, lazily looking over her shoulder at him with sleepy bedroom eyes.
He was devastatingly handsome as he set their shoes to the side, walking toward her with a possessive clench in his jaw, his forearms flexing.
I am going to fuck the brains out of his gorgeous, nerdy head.