Текст книги "Suit"

Автор книги: Jettie Woodruff

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

Chapter Ten

I tried to wear the maxi dress Paxton laid out for me. I couldn’t do it. The thing was hideous. Did I buy that? God, I hoped not. I was sure I didn’t wear animal print. Especially zebra print. No way. To keep from fighting about it, I took a dab of lavender lotion and stained it. He wouldn’t want me wearing a dress with stains. Not Mrs. Pierce.

I chose an all-black one instead. The stitching was done in white, the straps were white, the outline of my breasts were in white, and the slit going up my right legs was trimmed in white. Same thing, different dress. Maybe a little more revealing, but Paxton liked that. I applied makeup, a hairpin to the top of my head, and red lipstick.

The dress was a little long for plain sandals or flip-flops, but I didn’t change. I chose other shoes. Lord knew I had a ton of them. White wedges with open toes. Damn. I should have painted my toes again.

“What are you doing? We’ve got to, um, we need to get going. That’s not what I laid out for you,” Paxton said, feet stopping dead when he saw me. Score. He thought I was hot. It was written all over his face.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I spilled lotion on it.”

“Oh. Well, you can’t wear the shoes. Are you trying to break a leg? Put your boot on.”

“I can’t. This dress is too long for that.”

“You’re not wearing those. Put the boot on.”

I didn’t argue. My new plan was to be on my best behavior and hope like hell Paxton wanted to play when we got home. Maybe if I was a good little slut, he’d let me play, too. Jesus. What the hell am I saying? I was delirious. Someone should call that Mirage doctor.

“Okay, but I would like to have panties. Just for you, I didn’t get them out of the drawer. I figured you would complain.”

“You don’t have panties because I have something else for you. Thanks for reminding me. I almost forgot.”

“Oh, man. Now what?”

That one got a snap and glare. This was not going to be easy. Was I always this defiant, or did it come after the accident? Or was it only with him? So many questions and zero answers.

I watched while he made his way to the cabinet, hand in his pocket in search of the key. My throat dropped to my stomach, anticipating what he had planned for me. If he thought for one second I would wear the stupid chastity belt, he would get a fight. No way.

With high caution, I watched him stroll toward me holding black lace. He squatted on the floor and I raised my foot. Left one first. That didn’t look so bad. Black thong. But why was it locked up?

“This is going to keep you in line tonight. Don’t be telling the neighbors how high their grass is. Answer when you’re spoken to, and that’s it. You don’t need to sit and carry on a conversation with the neighbors. Got it?”

“Um, yeah. Okay,” I said, not really sure what it was he wanted to get across to me. How was a pair of panties going to keep me in my place? I didn’t ask and he didn’t explain it. We had to go.

Paxton rushed me again while we were in the kitchen, packing up our dishes. He carried the blue shopping bag, and I held the hands of the two prettiest little girls in Florida, both wearing their little sundresses.

They talked busily, explaining their fieldtrip to the beach. Their dad fell and got run over by a wave, they petted a dog named Blue, picked up trash and put it in the can, and they built sandcastles, only they did it too close to the water and the tide took them away. I giggled with them, hanging on to every single word they said.

“What’s in here,” Paxton asked after shifting the weight of my bag for the third time.

“Something for the kids, something for the adults, and something for everyone.”

“Thought you didn’t cook.”

I smiled at him, and I think he might have smiled back. He covered it pretty quick. “Apparently, I don’t do a lot of things that I do.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, Mommy,” Rowan assured me.

I brushed her blonde hair behind her back and smiled down at her. “Daddy is the only one who has those sense.”

“I’m going to get a sparkler at dark time. Collin told me I can have one,” Ophelia said while skipping up ahead to pick up a rock. She studied it with the strangest look and then tossed it to the grass.

As soon as we were close enough to the house, both girls took off in a sprint, excited for the fun.

“I prefer you don’t speak.”

“Yes, Paxton. We’ve established that.”

“I’m being serious, Gabriella.”

“Fine.”

“That a girl. I knew you’d come around to my way of thinking.”

I wasn’t coming around to anything. I was being manipulative, hoping to feel something later on. I would take the “that a girl” and roll with it. Whatever worked. I was stuck until one of two things happened. Either I figured out how to get away from him, or I remembered my freaking name.

So frustrating.

I don’t know what the rush was for. We were the first ones there. Shayla took my bag and hummed out a yum, taking in the scent of pasta.

“What is this, Gabriella? Something new?” she asked with a smile and a peculiar stare.

I got excited telling her about it. I sort of liked being in the kitchen. Who would have thought? “The pitcher has rum-runner in it. It’s delicious. The red bowl is for the kids. It’s dirt pudding. I even put the gummy worms in it. The other one is just a pasta in a white sauce.”

“Oh, man, I was hoping you were bringing those little barbequed wieners you make,” Tricia said from behind. I turned to see her and Brant joining us on the breezeway. Collin ran for the pool, and cannoned-balled, water splashing on all of us.

“Collin, you little bastard. I’m going to beat your ass,” Shayla yelled.

I laughed at her and shrugged at Tricia. “I don’t remember how.”

“And some people don’t really like meat,” Lane said. His arms were crossed and he leaned against the counter behind Candace’s back, smirk directed right at me. What the hell, dude?

Candace looked back to her husband with a noticeable grimace. “You eat meat three times a day.”

“Yeah, I know I do. I’m just saying some people.”

“You’re not drinking anymore,” she said, still wearing the frown. My eyes met Lane’s and I unintentionally scowled. Was he talking about me?

“Oh, my God. This is so good, Gabriella. What’s in it? Mmm, Shay, Tricia, you gotta try this,” Candace said while licking the icy alcohol from her lips.

I used my fingers to calculate the ingredients as I thought them out. “Captain Morgan. The spiced kind. Blackberry liqueur, crème de bananas, fresh squeezed orange juice, and—oh, crushed ice. That’s it.”

The gathering moved away from the pool and under the roof when Collin splashed everyone again.

“You don’t even drink,” Candace said.

I looked up, puzzled. “I don’t?”

“You hate alcohol,” Paxton reminded me with a squeeze to my hand.

“No, she likes it,” I heard, barely above a whisper. Lane’s hand went to the small of my back as he passed me, needing to get closer to his grill.

“You help me get this off?” Rowan asked with her head stuck in her dress. I gave her bare belly a noisy raspberry first and then lifted it over her head. She giggled and ran off to join the other kids in the pool.

From all the strange stares I seemed to be getting from my friends, my neighbors—or whatever the hell they were—seemed to be telling me something. I was a freak. Why did I get a look every time I said or did something? Or was it the raspberry?

“I like this alcohol,” I admitted. I poured myself a drink in one of the cute whisky glasses and sipped it. Again, all eyes on me. Paxton discreetly nodded to the chair next to him and I sat. With my drink.

“You okay?” He set a hand on my knee and raised his eyebrows.

I leaned in closer and whispered back, “I’m going to need a cooler full of ice for this day.”

His frown deepened with confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Forget it.”

“Good idea. No more after that.”

“No more what?”

“Drinks.”

I snorted. “Hmph, okay.”

“Gabriella,” he said in a quiet yet stern tone. It was a warning and I knew it. Gah. Why couldn’t I just be fake like everyone else?

The night wasn’t so bad. Maybe because I didn’t stop with one. It wasn’t my fault, though. Lane kept pouring them for me. If Paxton really cared, he should have said something to him. He didn’t. Not my fault.

It wasn’t like I got drunk. I was far from drunk. Especially after we ate. I barely felt anything. If Paxton was mad, he didn’t show it. He talked in a circle with the guys like any other guy would do. I got a couple of looks, but nothing major. All and all, I thought the night was a nice change. Even Paxton seemed to enjoy himself. If anyone was a little intoxicated, it was him.

I liked Tricia, I liked Shayla, but I loved Candace. I don’t know why. I felt like she understood me more than the other two. I didn’t feel like a freak show with her. It was as if she understood me. She didn’t remind me of the things I didn’t like before the accident. If Shayla told me one more time how she’d never seen my boobs this much before, I might have punched her. It was a little cleavage. That’s it. She had more tits hanging out than anyone there. Including Ophelia who was running around without a top.

The four of us sat in a circle, drinking the second batch of rum-runners. I had to admit, mine were better than Candace’s. She admitted it, too. I tried to tell her frozen orange juice wouldn’t be the same. It was okay, though.

The guys were playing badminton with the kids. Two of them couldn’t take their eyes off me. One of which I didn’t understand why. I shifted my gaze away from Lane every time I saw him staring. Maybe I didn’t want to remember that one.

Shayla took Paxton’s place when he ran to the bathroom. She batted the birdie straight to the roof. During Paxton’s absence, I took the time to pour myself another drink. Only I didn’t pull any wool over his head.

Paxton moved behind me and kissed my neck. Geesh. He was a fast pisser.

“Need some help, Mrs. Pierce?” Paxton asked while his hand slithered around my waist.

My eyes shifted to him and then down his body, probably a more haughty expression than anything. “Sure, there’s a birdie on the roof.”

He glowered at me, but his single-word response held a tinge of bewilderment. “What?”

“You should go get it.”

Paxton’s gaze lifted to the plastic birdie Rowan had hit on the roof. He smirked. “That’s funny. Forgetting who you are has made you a comedian. Keep it up. I like it.”

“I’m scared.” I said with a sarcastic tone. My eyes darted to Rowan, who yelled for me to watch her do a cannonball like Collin. And then I caught Lane glaring at me. What the hell is this guy’s deal?

Paxton placed his phone in front of us, searching for an app. I sipped my drink and then panicked.

Smart panties!

“No, Paxton. Don’t you dare,” I warned. My hand covered his screen, but not fast enough. It felt like it went in a circle. All the way around my suddenly alive nub. The vibration was powerful. Extremely powerful. I stiffened like a board, using the outside bar as support.

“You doing okay?” Paxton whispered in my ear. I could feel the sneer on his lips.

“Turn it off, Paxton,” I ordered through gritted teeth.

“No way. This is too much fun.”

“Ahh,” I yelled when he upped the power. And yes. All eyes were on me.

“I hate being tickled,” I said like an idiot. They laughed and turned back to the game. Except Lane. He still stared at me. Why? Why did this guy keep looking at me?

“Go to the bathroom.”

I scurried away with one thing in mind. The distance. If it was like my Bluetooth, I only had to get six feet away from it. I have a Bluetooth? Hmm. Sure enough, I was right. The app broke contact as soon as I rounded the corner.

Within the minute, Paxton closed the bathroom door behind me. He slung me backward, crashing me against the wall. That same thing happened—this wasn’t Paxton being a douche. This was something else. Something heated, laced with passion. Our lips met and our bodies molded into one. My fingers combed through the hair on the back of his neck and I lifted my good leg and wrapped it around his waist.

He backed off for a split second, obviously taken off guard, but the lust overruled his ego and we kissed again, passionately. His fingers trailed up my leg, pushing my dress higher. I wedged my hand between us and went straight for the tie on his swimming trunks.

“Gabriella, stop,” he ordered, but his voice sounded weak, conquered. Paxton had screwed up. He’d revealed his weakness. And just like an animal, I sensed it.

My tongue danced with his while my hand shoved his away. I tilted my head, offering my neck when I couldn’t get the stupid string untied.

“We’re not doing this here,” he assured me with hot words fanning my shoulder.

Yes!

The string let loose and I had him in my hand. Stroking him in a tight fist was all I needed. He slid the elastic to my stupid smart panties aside. His fingers glided through my wet folds—and I didn’t even realize I was wet until he touched me there. I moaned and lifted myself around his waist. He either had to hold me, or drop me. He held me.

“Fuck me, Paxton,” I begged in his mouth. He kissed me hard while he tried to talk himself out of it. I shifted a little and guided him to me. I broke the kiss and we panted, staring into each other’s eyes while I rode out the feel of him. He entered me inch by inch.

I whimpered a little, trying to remain quiet.

I had anticipated this day from the moment I laid eyes on him, but not like this. I was in no way prepared for it. Our naughtiness and the sensations it caused were explosive, and I knew Paxton felt it, too. It showed in the way his gaze penetrated mine, the way his hands tenderly explored my body, and the expression of wonder on his handsome face. Like it was our first time.

“I don’t want to get pregnant,” I whispered while I rocked on his hips. I didn’t want him to stop or have him just pull out.

Paxton snorted with a half grin. “Shut the fuck up,” he ordered as he held my ass and turned me toward the bathroom sink. I barely noticed the cold tile blanketing my ass. His lips caressed my shoulder while he moved in and out of me.

Even though I knew I was probably crossing a line, I did it anyway. I pulled back, explored his astonished expression, and then my gaze dropped to the action. I parted my lips and moaned a little, watching Paxton move in and out of me. He put on a little show after that, gyrating his hips into me, pulling completely out and shoving back in. I didn’t mind a bit. I loved the way he showed off.

“Faster,” I panted.

“Shh, don’t talk,” Paxton ordered while doing exactly what I told him to do. He pumped faster, harder, and deeper, until I tumbled over the top. His hand covered my scream and his body trembled while deep inside of me, riding out his own waves.

For a brief second, I felt something in the way he looked at me. A trance with some sort of emotional pull kept our gazes locked until a realization hit him, like he’d just come to his senses or something.

“Hurry back.” Paxton took my hand, helped me to the floor and left me there all alone.

“Jesus H. Christ!” I exclaimed as I spun toward the mirror and combed my messy, sex hair with my fingers. What the fuck was that?

I cleaned his come from my body, trying like hell to push it all out. I didn’t want a baby with him. Well, not anymore babies. Once I had gotten myself cleaned up, I walked out, still breathing hard.

“You look a little flushed, Gabby. Everything okay?”

I halted midstep, glanced up, and met Lane’s cold gaze. “Um, yeah. Fine. Thanks.”

“Hey,” Lane said in a quiet tone, his hand taking my wrist as I tried to pass

Standing that close, I could tell his eyes were more sad than upset. “Yeah?”

“You don’t remember me? At all?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t. I remember that you’re Candace’s husband.”

Lane released a puff of air and let me go. “Probably for the better.”

I didn’t even respond. Nope. Didn’t want to know. I walked out to the gang. Paxton was in the pool, tossing Ophelia in the air. Everyone else still played badminton. Nobody had even missed us.

Except Lane.

“I sent you like five messages yesterday,” Candace said with a smile as she joined me, taking the seat to my left.

“You did? I don’t really check it much these days, I guess,” I confessed while looking around for my purse. Sure enough she did. My phone had never rang before.

“Maybe next week,” she offered as I read the words. Candace wanted me to have lunch with her. I almost said I wouldn’t be allowed, but I didn’t. Paxton didn’t show that vibe in public. Only in private, and only to me. I could tell from the short time I had been around them that they envied me. Envied our relationship.

If they only knew.

“Paxton says you’re cleared to drive. Maybe we’ll take the girls to Bobos this week.”

“Bobos?” I asked while my finger searched my phone for answers. Nothing. I had eleven contacts. Paxton being first. Most of them were extracurricular activities, my neighbors, the dentist, and a pediatrician. That’s it. My life was centered on my girls and my husband.

“You have to remember Bobos. You hate it there. Ophelia loves it. Her favorite thing ever.”

“What is it?”

“Games. Stupid games where they win long rows of tickets and win stupid prizes, mostly noise makers.”

I laughed. “Sounds like fun. I’m in.”

“In what?” Paxton asked as he walked toward us, towel drying his hair. His wet chest caught my attention, immediate desire swelling in my groin. I couldn’t put my finger on it. It made no sense at all. Zero. The man treated me like his possession, and I wanted him. Had to be the head injury.

“Bobos,” Candace replied with an eye roll and a smile.

“Oh, geesh,” Paxton teased, smirk directed at me. The strange way I was able to read him puzzled me. It was like I had been doing it my entire life, yet I didn’t remember. I knew the sneer was for me, and not the silly game room at all. I wouldn’t be going to Bobos.

“Mark said you have to come with us,” Rowan interrupted with a yawn. I looked to my phone, seeing the time. It was almost nine. She was tired, ready for bed.

Paxton took her hand and followed her, asking her where they were going. Rowan reminded him about the sparklers in a whiny tone and he walked off with her.

Shayla and Tricia joined us next, letting the guys play with the kids.

“What’s sex like when you don’t know who you are? Was it like doing it the first time?” Shayla asked.

“Shay!” Candace chastised.

I giggled, but refrained from telling them that our first time, post-accident was in her bathroom. “Yes, it was like doing it for the first time,” I admitted.

“I wish we could do it again for the first time. Wait. Our first time sucked. Mark couldn’t even get it up, he was so drunk,” Shayla explained.

The beep from my phone made me look down.

 

Paxton—Come over here.

Gabriella—No. I’m talking. You can see me just fine.

Paxton—No? Seriously?

My breath caught in my lungs when the vibration rippled between my legs, causing an urgent throb between my legs.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Candace asked, concern written all over her face.

“Yeah, I just need to stand up for a minute, walk it off.”

“Is it your back? Want me to do anything?” I looked to all three girls, all with worry in their eyes.

“No, no. I’m fine. I’m going to walk over with the girls. That will help.”

My eyes locked with Paxton’s, his face bright with a smile, mine no doubt annoyed and angry.

“That’s my girl,” he said while his arm fell over my shoulder and he pulled me close to him, planting a kiss on top of my head.

“Turn it off,” I ordered through gritted teeth.

“Not yet. What were you talking about over there?”

“Nothing. Turn it off, Pax. I’m serious.”

“Daddy, can you pick me up?” Ophelia asked, arms raised after her stick of sparkles died out.

“Let’s get ready to go. Come on, Row-row. Let’s head home,” I called as her sparkler died out. She complained, wanting another one.

“Rowan, now,” Paxton growled.

With that one little slipup, the mood changed. That thing I’d felt Paxton and I had between us died out. He was pissed. He barely even said goodbye to our neighbors.

“Call me tomorrow. No more excuses about not remembering me,” Candace ordered. She hugged me goodbye, kissed both my girls, and patted Paxton on the back. There was a bond between Candace and me. I could feel it.

I walked beside Paxton, back the way we’d come, my hand in his. “Paxton, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I forgot.”

“You do that a lot. Shh,” he said. He did that a lot. He shushed me and shut down. Why the hell couldn’t I call him Pax? Or was it Rowan. I did call her Row-row. I didn’t even mention my smart panties. I noticed them, but I didn’t mention them. Walking with a bad leg and a vibrator on my clit wasn’t an easy task.

Rather than focusing on it, I thought about everything else, trying like hell to forget it was there. I thought about my friends, wondering whether or not they really were friends. I thought about Candace and her daughter. Chance helped me remember their last dance recital by reenacting the entire dance. Ophelia joined her for about two seconds. I swear that girl’s attention span equaled that of a squirrel’s. I thought about Lane, the strange way he looked at me, and our awkward conversation.

And the sex.

I thought about the sex and the passion that seared between us. Jesus. We just had sex in the neighbor’s bathroom.

“Get the girls ready for bed,” Paxton ordered with a cold timbre as soon as we were in the door.

I hiked my leg with a twist, trying to get away from the vibration. “Will you at least turn this thing off?”

Paxton walked away with a quick glance. “No.”

Neither one of the girls complained about bed. They’d played hard all day. They were exhausted. I was pretty tired myself. A hot shower and my tablet was the only thing on my mind. The vibration between my legs wasn’t even on my mind. The contact broke as soon as I rounded the corner. Briefly.

It was back as soon as Paxton joined me to say goodnight to the girls. I was just coming out of Rowan’s room when he zapped me again.

“Go to your room and take everything off but your panties,” he ordered in a raspy tone, lips touching mine.

“Paxton—”

“Shh, baby girl. Go do what you were told.” My words were cut short by his warm words on my lips. He kissed me quick, yet passionate, sending mixed feelings with his touch. I turned and walked toward my room with a heavy sigh.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, the contact was broken, the vibrating panties stopped, and my nerves started shaking. The thought of what Paxton had planned was enough to dampen my palms and send anxious adrenaline through my veins. Now what?