Текст книги "Incinerate"
Автор книги: Tessa Teevan
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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 26 страниц)
“I’m not going to ask twice, sweetheart,” he growls as one hand slides down to the apex of my thighs, his finger grazing ever so slightly over my clit.
I’ve had multiple orgasms in a single night before, but I’ve never been turned on so quickly. I can barely remember the question, but when he starts to slide out of me, I bring my hands up and lace them around his neck, drawing him in closer.
“Here’s the thing, Knox. You didn’t even have to ask.” I pause as I slide my hands down his back, making it easier to lean up towards him before pushing him off me and onto his back. He doesn’t fight me on this. Or when I straddle his thighs and position him at my entrance. As if in unison, I slide down onto his erection as I finally say the words he’s wanting to hear. “I was already yours.”
I’m barely able to finish my sentence before he’s gripping my hips, pumping up into me. Matching his rhythm, I do everything I can to show him that I mean it. I’m undeniably his.
Chapter 22
Charlie
WAKING UP the next morning, I find myself lying flat on my stomach with the right side of my face smashed against the pillow. Opening my eyes, I’m greeted with his gorgeous green ones watching me, and he grins when he sees that I’m awake. We’re facing each other, both in the same position, not touching except for our fingers, which are intertwined. He’s currently rubbing his thumb over mine.
When it comes to sleeping, I’m not a cuddler, and I was pretty damn happy to find out that he isn’t either—not that I was surprised. I like my space when I sleep, and I have to be cold, so wrapped up in someone else’s arms usually means a sleepless night for me.
“Mornin’,” he says, and for the second time since I’ve met him, I can’t believe I’m waking up in his bed. Of course, this time’s under much better circumstances, but I need to be careful because I seriously could get used to this. Even though Knox and I are now ‘official,’ I’m still planning on keeping my own room. It’s way too soon to go from roommates to living together romantically, and I know if I allow myself to spend every single night with him, I’m going to fall hard, fast. Even though I know he’s not Drew and has a clear aversion to cheating, it still scares me to embark on a new relationship.
Smiling at him, I lean over and give him a kiss. Morning breath be damned. I’ve always wondered about that whole thing when reading about those flowery romance novel couples that have incredible morning sex as they make out. Before now, I’ve always been adamant about brushing my teeth before ever placing my lips on another’s, but with Knox lying there watching me as the sunlight shines on his skin, I can’t help but move closer to wrap my arm around him. I let my fingers trail over his back. I love the feel of his firm deltoids and trapezius muscles. I know Knox has been happy about getting back in the gym. The results are already showing, and boy do I love a strong, sexy back.
He deepens the kiss, and in that moment, I finally understand how book heroines are okay with morning kisses pre-mouth washing. When a sexy, rugged, hot-as-sin man is devouring your mouth like it’s the best thing he’s ever tasted, you don’t even think about pushing him away. A few moments later, he pulls away from me, grinning. Yeah, I definitely could get used to this.
“I usually get a vocal response, but if you want to greet me that way every morning, I’m completely okay with that, too,” he says as he rises up out of the bed.
I can’t look away as the sheet falls away from him. Even in the morning, he’s still absofreakinglutely gorgeous, and the morning wood he’s sporting may have me salivating, wanting a taste.
Catching me staring, he grins at me. I want to pull the sheet up over my face, pretending I wasn’t just having thoughts of licking and sucking him until the morning’s effects are spilling down my throat.
Shaking his head, he leans down and places a kiss on my lips before heading to the bathroom, where I hear him turn the shower on. As much as I want to join him, I somehow refrain from doing so, not wanting to seem clingy or overbearing. But I make a mental note of getting Knox in the shower since I already know how hot he looks with water dripping down his body. I take a few minutes in the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth before leaving the steam-filled room and settling back in on the bed. Grabbing my phone, I see that I have a text from dad.
Dad: Game’s at 4:30. First of the season so you better not be late, or I’m not accountable if all the wings are gone by the time you get here. And I’m outta beer, so pick some up for your old man. None of that light shit.
Damn. I completely forgot that today’s the first game of the season. Dad and I watch every single game together, and we’ve done so since I can remember. The only ones we’ve missed were when I was away at school and couldn’t make it back for our weekend tradition.
Grinning, I text him back. I’ll be on time. Don’t even think about not saving me any wings. Starting the season without them would probably jinx the entire year. I’ll get the beer, and you’ll like what I get, even if it’s light. Hey, is it cool if Knox comes with me?
Our games have always been a father/daughter thing, but he’s had random friends drop by occasionally. I don’t think it’s a big deal if Knox comes. I hope not, at least, because after last night, I’m not ready to spend any time apart. I mean that in the least clingy-girlfriend way possible.
I’m still a little dazed from the fact that we’re together and I don’t want to spend the first day as a couple in separate places. Holy shit. We’re a couple. My phone vibrates before I can give it any more thought.
Dad: He can come if he prevents you from buying light beer, but if you show up with it, he’s not stepping foot in my house. And if he’s an Auburn fan, don’t expect me to not rub in the 49-0 ass whipping we gave them last year.
As if it’s perfect timing, I hear the water turn off, and I can see Knox in the bathroom mirror. All thoughts about football and Dad wash away as I watch, unable to take my eyes off him. Cue the ‘80s porn music. He’s drying off with a towel, and I swear he’s doing it in slow motion just for my benefit. Something about watching him rub the towel over his muscles, down his abs, and in between his legs is such a turn-on, and I’m tempted to push the sheets and comforter off me because I’m getting so damn hot.
“Hey, babe, you hungry?” he calls from the bathroom, and there it is again. Babe.
Before I can answer he walks out of the bathroom, absolutely no shame as he faces me in all his naked glory and rubs the towel over his head. Looking him up and down, I’m licking my lips as I realize that yeah, I’m definitely hungry—but not for food.
Catching my sultry look, he crosses to the bed and leans in, giving me a kiss. I try to deepen it, but he pulls away, leaving me disappointed. I let the sheet covering my breasts fall to my waist, hoping to get him to come back to bed. When he sees my naked chest, he groans, shaking his head. He goes to his dresser and throws a t-shirt to me as he pulls on a pair of boxers.
“Woman, I need food. You took every bit of energy out of me when you jumped on me last night,” he says.
I put the t-shirt on as I give him a dirty look. “I’m pretty sure you pressed me up against the wall the moment I walked in the door, so if anyone did any jumping, it was you.” Getting off the bed, I leave the room, heading to the kitchen to make breakfast for my man. My man. I can’t help the grin that crosses my face at the thought.
“Yeah, but you loved every second of it!” I hear him yell from the bedroom, and I can’t say that he’s wrong.
A few minutes later, I feel Knox walk up behind me as I’m getting ready to flip the bread in the skillet. He wraps his arms around my waist, his head resting on my shoulder as he nuzzles into my neck.
“Do you have any idea how sexy you are right now?” he growls into my ear, his breath tickling me. Shaking my head, I press back into him, and he showers my neck with light kisses.
“Tell me.”
Knox
AFTER THROWING on a pair of shorts, I walk to the kitchen to join my girl. Yeah, I’m fucking ecstatic I can finally call her that, and I don’t mind one bit. When I reach the entrance, she’s standing at the stove, wearing nothing but my t-shirt, jamming to the radio that’s playing country songs as she cooks. I know I told her I needed food before anything else, but seeing her like this makes me want to toss her on the island so I can get between her knees and feast on nothing but her.
Knowing that I need to eat but wanting to be close to her, I walk up behind her, grabbing her around the waist. She pushes back against me, and I’m struggling to keep my hand from sliding underneath the oversized t-shirt to get my fingers inside her sweet pussy. Instead, I ask if she knows how sexy I think she is, to which she asks me to tell her.
Leaning down, I whisper in her ear. “I never knew I wanted this until I walked in and saw it. Sweetheart, I don’t know if I’ve seen a more gorgeous sight than you barefoot in my kitchen, cooking me breakfast in nothing but my shirt.”
She turns around, leaning back against the stove. Stabbing me in the chest with the spatula, she looks up at me, an amused grin on her face as she tries to play angry. “I swear to God, if you call me June Cleaver, you’ll realize I’m so much closer to Lorena Bobbitt.”
Backing away from her, I cup my junk. “I don’t even care if you’re kidding. That shit’s not funny. ”
“That’ll teach you to mess with my French toast making,” she tells me before turning back around to work on her meal. I can’t help myself, wanting to be as close to her as possible. Once again, I move back behind her and place my hand on her stomach, pulling her back into me.
“I think you like this too much to ever think of doing something like that,” I say, pushing my groin against her ass as I lean down. Pushing the t-shirt aside, I kiss her neck, down her shoulder, then back up again as I run my hands down her arms.
As she flips the toast, she simply shrugs, acting cool. “Well, I have no desire to see the inside of a prison cell, so I suppose your dick is safe with me.”
Laughing, I head to make a pot of coffee, but not before I press a kiss to her forehead. In the weeks we’ve lived together, it’s been comfortable, but it’s never been like this. This feels…real. Like she’s truly meant to be here with me—not just as my roommate but as mine. All mine, and it couldn’t feel more right.
A few minutes later, we’re sitting across from each other at the island, getting ready to eat what she claims is the most amazing French toast I’ll ever eat. I take a bite, and I immediately love the subtle hints of cinnamon and sugar. Reminiscent of the way she was when she tasted my drunken spaghetti, I’m struggling to stifle a moan. I can’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked breakfast that wasn’t a hard-boiled egg. The taste of this is pretty damn amazing.
“Umm, I’m not sure what plans you have for today, but every year Dad and I watch the Alabama games together. He makes homemade wings, and I usually get the beer. The first game is this afternoon, and I’d like you to come…if you want.”
Even though it seems way too soon for the whole meet-the-parents thing, I’ve already met her dad and I respected the way he approached me. I kind of like that she’s comfortable enough with me to hang out with her dad, which surprises me, knowing I’ve avoided parents like the plague for the longest time.
“I don’t mind watching football with my girl and her dad. Just don’t tell him I’m a Vols fan. We’ve been having a down couple of years.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. He was just hoping you weren’t an Auburn fan. I’m glad you’re going to come, Knox. Dad means a lot to me, and I know this is new, but it’d be great if you two could get to know each other.” She looks away from me as if she’s unsure of what she’s saying. Putting my fork down, I reach across the island and grab hold of her hand.
“The guy gave me a guitar and had a hand in giving me you. I look forward to getting to know him.” I mean every word. Wade seemed like a good guy when I met him, and knowing he’s raised such an incredible daughter on his own makes me admire him even more. Jesus, I sound like a mushy fuck.
She rewards me with the sweetest smile, and we both get back to eating in silence. Getting up to take my dishes to the sink, she stops me just as I’m rounding the island. Her hand reaches out to stroke my chest and her fingers graze over my tattoo. I’m actually surprised it’s taken her this long to ask about it, seeing as she’s seen me shirtless countless times.
Looking up at me with soft, deep brown eyes, she finally asks. “What does it mean?”
Instead of going to the sink, I decide to take the seat next to her. “I got it the weekend I graduated from EOD school. I had plenty of time to dwell on what happened, and when I heard the quote, it spoke to me. It’s Latin for ‘Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you,’” I tell her, looking directly into her eyes. It was actually something Jace had said to me in passing when we were both reeling from the loss of our women. When he said it to me, he had no idea about Megan. I think it was more of a mantra for him, but I couldn’t get the words out of my mind. At the time, I took it to mean that I’d take the pain from Megan’s betrayal and shut myself off. I’m starting to see it in a whole different light, thanks to Charlie. Like the pain of losing Megan was worth every single second now that I have her in my life.
Her small hand covers mine as she gets up from her seat and positions herself on my lap. “I think it’s beautiful, Knox. But…I have to ask. Do you believe it?”
Sucking in a deep breath, I look into her eyes to find them searching mine and I know the truth. “I didn’t think it was possible. But yeah, sweetheart, I’m beginning to think I do.”
Her eyes light up and she twists in my lap so she’s straddling me. Leaning down, she places a soft kiss on my lips before she pulls herself closer to me, rubbing lightly against my groin.
“I’m beginning to think that all the pain from my past was worth getting me here, too,” she says, and her words penetrate my heart. Something shifts inside me, and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I’m starting to fall for this girl. I’m going to fall hard.
Chapter 23
Knox
HOW THE hell did I get here? I’m wondering as I browse the beer aisle for Charlie’s dad. When we got to the store to buy beer for the game, she went straight for the Yuengling Light, and I had to shake my head at her.
“Are you trying to make your Dad hate me? He’s already going to find out that we’re together. There’s no way I’m showing up at his house with light beer.”
“Oh, come on, Knox. It’ll be funny. You know, puff out your chest or something and stick it to the man. He can’t order you around about what kind of beer to get. Tap into your inner alpha or whatever it is you guys call it when you get all pissy from someone telling you what to do,” she says, waving her hand in the air in front of me. “Plus, once he sees Evelyn, he’s probably going to try to find some sort of dowry so I’ll be barefoot and pregnant in your kitchen in no time.”
Surprisingly, the thought of her carrying my child doesn’t cause me to panic and run for the door like it usually would. With Charlie, I’m finding myself opening up to things I never thought I’d want. I’m not saying I want her to have my kid anytime soon, but I’m hoping she’ll be in my life for the long term, whatever that ends up meaning.
“Umm, Charlie, I know I don’t have much experience dating, but there’s no way in hell I’m going into your dad’s home for the first time, especially as your boyfriend, bringing him something he doesn’t want.”
I take my attention from the beer and look at her as she stands up from the bottom shelf she was looking at. She looks at me, a silly grin crossing her face.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask as she throws her arms around me. Standing on her tiptoes, she leans up for a kiss, and I don’t mind planting one on her right here in the middle of the store.
“I like that. Boyfriend. That sounds almost as good as Rugged,” she says as she pulls away. She’s tapping her chin as she looks me over, checking out the jeans and Braves t-shirt I’m wearing. “Hmmm, Rugged Boyfriend. Yeah, I think that’s perfect.”
Shaking my head, I decide on a couple of different kinds of beer. Charlie isn’t helpful when it comes to what her dad likes, so I’m hoping that he likes at least one of these.
I’m surprised when we pull up to a modest one-story ranch on a huge plot of land. I don’t know why, but I just assumed that an officer, especially a physician, would live in something extravagant. I must have a weird look on my face, because Charlie touches my arm.
“Not what you expected, right?” I nod, wondering how she read my expression so well. “Don’t worry. Dad gets that a lot from his colleagues. He says he doesn’t need anything bigger than this and he doesn’t want to feel lonely in a huge house by himself.”
I can understand his reasoning, and the more I learn about Wade Davenport, the more I respect and like him. Getting out of the car, I grab the beer and follow Charlie to the front door where Wade opens it and greets us before we can knock. Eyeing me up and down, he looks at my Braves shirt.
“All right, son. Nice choice. It might not be a Crimson Tide shirt, but I can get behind the Braves. Get your asses in here. It’s almost time for kickoff. If it weren’t, I’d be taking that gorgeous baby out for a spin, but there’s time for that later.” Obviously Charlie wasn’t wrong, and if Evelyn is the way to his approval, I don’t mind whoring her out for him.
He leads the way to the kitchen, where he advises me to place the beer on the counter. I take the six-packs out of the bags and wait anxiously as he looks them over. I have no idea why I’m nervous, but part of me wants her dad to like me, and this is the first step in making that happen. After a couple of moments, he puts me out of my misery when he grins at me and then at Charlie.
“I knew you’d be able to follow orders better than my daughter,” he says, grabbing a Guinness and handing me one before putting the rest in the refrigerator. “I bet she even tried to get you to buy that light shit.”
Laughing, I nod my head, earning a glare from her. “You definitely know your daughter, sir.”
“Come on, Knox. We talked about this. No sir bullshit when we’re not in uniform.” I nod, remembering that exchange, and follow him to the living room where the pre-game show is playing on the big screen.
Wade sits in a recliner in the corner while Charlie and I settle into the couch. They start arguing over the merits of their quarterback, and I can only sit back and watch them interact. I can see where Charlie’s stubbornness has come from. A part of me feels jealous at how close they are, and I wish, for the first time in a long time, that I could have a relationship like this with my own parents.
The invitation to the Labor Day party that Megan gave me is in my kitchen somewhere, and I’m wondering if I should go. If I have Cohen and Charlie, I’m sure I could get through it. Who knows? Maybe this could be a path to reconciliation. I’ve spent years being angry, avoiding this, but part of me feels that its time. If I’m honest with myself, I miss my family. So if I have a chance of getting to know them again, how can I not take it?
They finally agree to disagree, and I take the moment to thank Wade for letting me take part in their tradition. He waves me off, taking a drink of his beer before watching the television.
“Don’t sweat it, Knox. In fact, I have a friend who will be joining us, too, so I’m glad you’re here.”
Charlie’s eyebrows lift up, and she leans forward, giving her dad the stare down.
“A friend, huh? Is she a doctor? Gorgeous hair, flawless skin, last name can be found on a tree?” She’s teasing him, and he nearly chokes on the sip of beer he just took. We haven’t talked about it, but I’m guessing this is new territory for him, and I feel bad for the guy.
Placing my hand on her thigh, I try to help him out. “Sweetheart,” is all I get out before Charlie’s silencing me. It’s too late though, and Wade’s narrowing his eyes as they zone in on my hand touching her.
“Sweetheart? I know it’s been a while, but I thought you told me you were just roommates. That nothing else was going on and you had no interest in my girl.” He’s challenging me, knowing I never said that last part.
Charlie’s looking back and forth between us like she’s confused about what he’s saying. Grabbing her hand, I bring it to my lips and plant a kiss on it as I look him right in the face.
“I never said I wasn’t interested, but at the time, I didn’t think anything would happen. Our relationship has progressed since then, and well, we’re together and I’m lucky as hell that she’s mine.”
Silently, he watches us for a few moments before a huge grin spreads across his face. “Well, you’re damn right about that,” he says before turning to her. “Guess you finally found a soldier with some balls. Nice going, Charlie.”
I’m not even sure I want to know what that means. I’m saved by the bell when the doorbell rings. Wade’s about to get out of his chair, but Charlie quickly jumps up. “I’ll get it, Dad,” she says before she scurries out of the room.
Shaking his head, he looks at me and lifts his beer in my direction. “She’s all yours now,” he says, and I grin as I raise my bottle. I have no problem toasting to that.
Charlie reenters the room with a shit-eating grin on her face. I’m about to ask her what’s going on when Dr. Branch comes into view. I almost lose it when I see what she’s wearing. She looks different out of her lab coat and dress clothes, but the fact that she’s in jeans and an Auburn jersey makes me want to kiss her.
Wade rises from his chair, but not before he lets out, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Charlie is failing at trying to contain her laughter as she rejoins me on the couch.
When Wade approaches Olivia and greets her with a kiss on the cheek, I have to fight the urge to take out my phone and snap a picture of these two in warring jerseys. Leading her to the loveseat, he takes a seat next to her.
“You never told me you were an Auburn fan,” he says accusingly.
Setting her chin, she glares at him. “The way that I see it, it only matters on one day of the year, so instead of getting you all in a huff, I decided to keep that little fact to myself.”
Holy shit. Go Dr. B! Wade shakes his head as Charlie and I try not to laugh. I kind of feel like a voyeur as I watch them, but when I see Wade grin as she leans back against him, I know things will be just fine—at least until the Iron Bowl. Watching Wade and Olivia in the same room as their rival teams play each other should be pretty interesting.
Surprisingly, I find that I’m enjoying being around Charlie and her dad. For the first time, I feel like a boyfriend and it doesn’t bother me. We spend the afternoon watching Alabama crush Virginia Tech, but the way Wade and Charlie are acting you’d think they were winning the National Championship. Once the game is over, we get up to leave when Dr. Branch—or well, Olivia as she told me to call her since I’m no longer her patient—invites us to go to dinner with them. Charlie looks at me, and I shrug, not caring either way.
Charlie answers for us. “Sure, Olivia. That sounds great.”
The two of them start discussing what type of food they want, and Wade gestures for me to follow him into the kitchen.
“If I know those two, they’ll be arguing over whether they want sushi or Italian,” he says, pulling two beers out of the fridge and handing me one. “We might as well enjoy ourselves while they’re sorting dinner plans out.”
“So you and Doc B? Is it serious?” I ask, even though I know I have no right. I’m trying to get the inside scoop for Charlie.
Looking me up and down, he counters with, “How about you and my girl? How serious is that?”
Check freaking mate. “We’re just starting out. We’ve been a couple for”—I pause to check my watch—“less than twenty-four hours now. So we’re not exactly serious, but I can assure you that I do care about her.”
Slapping me on the shoulder, he grins. “I’m not worried about that. I can see the way you look at her. Be good to her, Knox. She deserves it.” He finishes off his beer as his face turns serious. “But if you hurt her, I’ll kick your ass. I may be an old man, but I figure I can get in a swing or two before you could take me down.”
Before I can respond, the girls enter the kitchen, declaring that they’ve decided on Mexican. We go to leave, and although I know Wade wants to ride in Evelyn, Olivia coaxes him into her car. I make him a promise he can drive her another day.
Entering the restaurant, the four of us are led to a booth. Instead of sitting next to me, Charlie slides in next to her dad, leaving me to sit across from her for some reason. I’d much rather be sitting next to my girl, but I’ll deal for now. After we get our drinks and order, the table falls silent until Charlie speaks up.
“So, Olivia, how long have you and Dad been dating?” Damn, my girl goes straight for the jugular.
Olivia takes a sip of her margarita before responding. “Well, we’ve been friends for a couple of years, but it just recently developed into something more.” Wade grins at her, and Charlie looks back and forth between the two of them.
“I’m glad, Olivia. I love seeing Dad happy, even if you are wearing an Auburn jersey,” she says, smiling at her. She’s definitely her father’s daughter. I want to lean across the table and attack her mouth, but I settle for messing with her foot, wishing I could be close to her right now.
I start to slide my shoe up her leg when I suddenly feel a sharp pain on my shin, the result of someone kicking me. Holy shit. That fucking hurt. “Fuck,” I say before I can censor myself around her dad.
Wade grins at me, and I wonder what the hell he’s thinking. “Hey, Knox, I think you have a problem if you can’t tell the difference between my size 11s and Charlie’s much smaller feet. As much as I enjoy a little attention, I’d rather rub feet with someone other than my daughter’s boyfriend.”
Charlie snickers, and I shrug, feeling only slightly embarrassed. I was caught and I can get over it, even though my girl’s trying not to laugh at me. I like to pride myself in my masculinity, and I’d never knowingly play footsie with another fucking man. Sipping my beer, I brush it off, and the rest of the dinner goes off without a hitch as I make sure to keep my feet to myself.
When the check comes, Wade moves to pick it up off the table, but I swipe it out from under him at the last minute. Moving to grab my wallet, I watch as he scowls at me and sticks his hand out, waiting for me to hand it over.
“The bill, Knox,” he orders, and I grin, wondering how many times he’s used that tone with Charlie. Glancing over at her, I notice she’s watching our standoff with playful eyes.
“It’s cool, Wade. I got it.” I try not to smirk when I see him glare at me, and I know it’s really only a matter of time before I give in. Watching him get all riled up lets me know exactly where his daughter gets it from.
“I’m not letting my daughter’s boyfriend pay the bill. This is not a double date. That’d just be weird, so put your damn wallet away. This is me, a father, taking his daughter and her man, along with his woman, out for dinner. Give me the damn check.”
“Yes, sir,” I say, trying to keep a straight face as I pass him the bill, and he scowls again.
By the time we leave, I have to reaffirm my promise that he can drive Evelyn to get back into his good graces. For the first time, I actually care what a girl’s father thinks of me, and if I have to use Evelyn, then I’ll hand over the keys any time he asks. Okay, not any time, but for Charlie, I’d at least consider it.
