Crushed

by Pratt, Lulu

  My heart fluttered at the possibility. “You think so? What’s wrong with that?” I struggled to find the bad news in her conclusion.

  Jackie turned away, appearing frustrated. “Oh, I don’t know,” she peeked over her shoulder while styling her hair with her manicured nails. “Maybe your overprotective brother who will kill us all when he finds out you’re dating his best friend.”

  “Oh my God. Can you even believe we’re talking about this – me dating Ford Delvey? It seriously doesn’t make sense,” I shook my head.

  “You’re still fifteen-year-old Lottie when it comes to him.” Jackie smiled at me with an emotion I couldn’t read swimming in her eyes.

  “You of all people know how long I’ve been crushing on him! He’s so cute! And the fact that he now sees me as a woman. Like, he’s completely attracted to me. I’ve never felt so sexy in my life. He gets nervous and tenses when I touch him. It’s like…” I gasped as my head fell back in disbelief.

  “A fairy tale?” Jackie smiled.

  “Exactly like a fairy tale. One I never want to end.”

  “So, how do you see this ending?”

  “Tonight? With me losing my virginity,” I looked directly in her eyes as I answered.

  “Charlotte!”

  “You asked!” I argued, sharing in the laughter as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

  “I meant, the whole flirting between you and Ford,” she explained.

  “I guess, happily ever after,” I shrugged, watching her shake her head at what I assumed was my own naïveté.

  “Come on, girl. I need to get you back to the table in time to order drinks before your birthday.” Jackie smiled as we watched our reflections in the mirror.

  “Can you believe we’re both going to be twenty-one?” I asked. Jackie was a few months older than me, and always talked about how cool it would be when we could both go out together. Now, the day had finally come. It all felt surreal.

  “We’ve come a long way, Lottie,” she smiled.

  “Oh God, you sound like Ford calling me that!”

  Just then, a group of women entered the bathroom talking loudly, and we made our way back to the table. Ford stood as we arrived, showing the tray of drinks he’d ordered.

  “You saved me like twenty minutes,” Jackie smiled, patting him on the shoulder. I could tell she was happy he’d bought the drinks, unlike my brother who always felt the need to be my disciplinarian. Ford treated me like an adult, and it was liberating.

  “Excuse me, everyone,” a deep voice disrupted the music. “I’ve been alerted that we have a very special birthday happening tonight.”

  I turned to Jackie, but she shook her head, signaling it had nothing to do with her, though her smile showed she approved. I then looked to Ford, but he refused to look my way, focused instead on the DJ booth.

  “If you could all raise your glasses, and join me in the countdown to wish Charlotte a happy twenty-first birthday. Ten…” The DJ began counting down as I leaned in to whisper in Ford’s ear.

  “So, you like surprises, huh?” I asked.

  “I don’t know what you mean. But I do like celebrating you, if that’s what you’re asking,” he smiled. My heart blossomed watching him, his eyes gleaming with excitement as we got closer and closer to my birthday.

  He handed me a small glass filled with a clear liquid and I joined in on the fun. “Three… two… one!”

  The club erupted in a celebratory applause as I raised my glass with Jackie and Ford. Sharing a different secret with both of them, I finished the drink in one glass. It was much tastier than I expected – quite nice, actually.

  “We’ve all got two, but you don’t have to drink them both. Only drink what you want,” Ford announced.

  “What is this? It’s delicious!” Jackie yelled over the blaring music.

  “I know! I thought it would be disgusting.”

  Ford laughed. “It’s a kamikaze. I thought it would be better than shots.”

  “Much better!” Jackie raised her second glass and I followed suit.

  We’d just sat back down when Jackie leaned over. “He’s a good guy. He likes you.”

  “I know, right? That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!”

  We both laughed, and then she pulled me in for a hug. “I had to make sure I was here at midnight, but now I want to give you some free time. I’m going to head home. If you want some privacy with Ford, this is your time. Marshall works until the morning, but you better make sure you use a condom!”

  “Jackie!” I yelled, pushing her off as I turned to see if Ford had heard. Thankfully, he was looking in the opposite direction.

  “I’m serious!” Jackie yelled as she stood, reaching for her clutch purse.

  “Where you headed?” Ford asked her.

  “I’m going to meet up with a friend of mine. Take care of my girl!” she yelled to Ford before leaning in to whisper in his ear. Fearing for what she might say, I rushed to my feet, but it was too late.

  “Of course,” Ford nodded seriously. Jackie smiled at him before leaving. She winked at me before walking down the steps, and I knew exactly what she meant.

  We had a bond that needed no words. Jackie understood me better than anyone. She knew how long I’d desired Ford, obsessing over every detail of his life when we were kids. He was the embodiment of lust for me, so to have him within my grasp was more than I could ever dream. Her leaving was all the permission I needed, and I didn’t want to waste another second in the club.

  Ford leaned down as I tapped his arm. “I’m ready to go!”

  “Really? It’s only just turned midnight. You’re barely twenty-one,” he teased, his beard exposing a small dimple.

  “Yeah, but I only wanted to come for Jackie. My feet hurt, and I just want to get home,” I claimed.

  Ford squinted as though he didn’t believe my story, but I refused to waver, looking directly into his eyes. Eventually, he nodded and called the waitress for the bill. My heart raced as the time inched by. My first few moments intentionally alone with him were only minutes away.

  Chapter 16

  FORD

  “YOU SHOULD COME inside,” Charlotte smiled as I pulled up to her dark house.

  She’d been flirting with me all night, leading me to question if she had intended to open the door in only a bath towel earlier. A long night of seduction was what it felt like to me. I was completely aroused by her playful energy.

  “I don’t know. Don’t let me stop you from throwing a party,” I teased. I knew she didn’t want to be with anyone more than me.

  Charlotte laughed, brushing her hair behind her ear. “You have to drink the Champagne with me,” she pleaded without desperation. She smiled and put her hand out to open the car door.

  I’d forgotten all about the Champagne. As we sat in my car, I finally agreed, reaching for the small gift bag as Charlotte climbed out of the car. The home she shared with Marshall was quiet when we entered, but she turned on the lights and it felt more inviting.

  “What’s that?” she asked, looking towards the small bag.

  “Oh, I got you a gift,” I said, feeling slightly unsure about my decision. At the time, it felt like too much, but now that I pulled the small box from the bag I feared it may not be enough.

  Charlotte glanced at me playfully before opening the charcoal gray box to reveal the necklace I’d picked for her at the jewelry store. It was rose gold, with a small cupcake pendant. Her eyes glistened when she looked up to me, staring for a long moment before throwing her arms around my neck.

  “It was kind of for your new job and your birthday. I wasn’t sure if you’d like it,” I heard myself rambling.

  “I love it!” She quieted my concerns before releasing me from her hold and instructing me to put the necklace on her.

  Charlotte turned away from me and held her hair in her hand as I struggled with the delicate clasp before it was secured around her neck. She turned back to me and I smiled at the res
ult, seeing the diamond-encrusted cupcake shining just above her cleavage.

  “Now, to the Champagne,” I suggested, moving to open the refrigerator. In truth, it was only a ploy to get away from her for a second. The electricity between us was too thick to ignore. The Moët had chilled while we were at the club. Opening and closing cabinets, I finally discovered the Champagne flutes.

  Charlotte was cutting one of her creations – a cake with different colored layers – a rainbow cake, I later learned. She cut two slices, putting them each on a plate before handing me one. After setting down the plate, I twisted the wire cage from the Champagne before uncorking the bottle, which sent Charlotte into a fit of giggles.

  “I thought the Champagne would be more dramatic than that,” she explained.

  “Oh, like shooting out across the room?” I chuckled as I poured the bubbly beverage into two glasses.

  The cake was delicious, and I told her so after a few bites. Charlotte said she had been perfecting the recipe for months, which I found impressive. Most people didn’t even bake from scratch, let alone change a recipe to improve it.

  “You should have your own bakery,” I argued before sipping the Champagne.

  “You sound like Jackie. I think she got me the job at the bakery just so I can see how it would work. To me, it’s all too intimidating,” she admitted.

  “That’s honest. I think once you see all the moving pieces, you’ll be more confident. It’s all about the product, and you’ve mastered that,” I assured her while eating another fork load of cake.

  “I hope so. I can’t wait to get started. I feel like I’ve got this new life happening. I’m a year older, and I have a full-blown career taking off,” she huffed, but I could see she was proud.

  “You should be proud of yourself. You’ve already accomplished so much. How was your twenty-first, by the way?”

  “Well, the day is just getting started, but I still can’t believe you had the DJ announce it to everyone!” She blushed just as she had when the crowd sang to her.

  “It was the least I could do,” I said. When she snuck away, I knew I had to do something special for her big day. She was so modest about it all, but I wanted her to remember her twenty-first birthday.

  “You’ve actually done the most – with the Champagne, and chocolate-covered strawberries, and this beautiful necklace.” She reached down, and her fingertips touched the jewelry.

  “Well, your birthday has only just begun. But I’m glad you like it. I wanted tonight to be special for you,” I said.

  “It really was. And those drinks you got us were so good. What are they called again?”

  “Kamikazes,” I laughed. “How are you feeling after two of them?”

  “They’re not like straight alcohol, where I feel like I’m all woozy and seconds from passing out,” she giggled.

  “So, you have drank before?” I quizzed.

  “A little. It’s not my thing so much, but I’ve tried it out,” she shrugged before taking a sip of Champagne. “This, I like, though.”

  “Yeah, Champagne isn’t bad at all,” I agreed, finishing my glass before refilling.

  “How about you? Are you happy to be back in the Nati?”

  “It doesn’t feel real yet,” I said. It was the truth. Every day felt like I might wake up back in Minneapolis, wondering what my friends and family were doing hours away. My body was here, but my life was still in another state. I figured it would take some time for everything to adjust.

  “Why not?” she pushed on.

  “Well, my furniture isn’t even here yet,” I started. “So I’m living out of suitcases. It still feels like I’m visiting, but I’m looking forward to settling in.”

  “You’re not staying with your mom?” She frowned before eating the last bite of her cake.

  “No, I couldn’t move in with her. She’s a little too overbearing. My old room is now a sewing room with thread and fabric everywhere. I need my space.”

  “Trust me, I understand. About the space issue, that is,” she smiled.

  Without ever hearing it explicitly, we both knew Marshall would want nothing going on between us. We were equally off limits to each other, but yet we were alone and it felt anything but wrong.

  She stumbled back, and I worried the liquor had taken effect. Reaching for her arm, I wrapped my hand around her back. “Are you okay?”

  “It’s just these shoes,” she said with embarrassment, kicking off the high heels.

  “Are you sure it’s not the alcohol?” I questioned. Before I could stop myself, I brushed the pad of my thumb against her lower lip to remove a few crumbs.

  “I promise,” Charlotte whispered before kissing my thumb.

  My body needed no more permission, charging to life as the erotic image played over and over in my mind. She was so sexy, so desirable, but still so sweet and off limits. My length hardened instantly. As though she could sense my arousal, Charlotte raised on her toes, offering herself.

  My initial instinct was to stop it, so I reached for her neck, holding her at bay. She didn’t press on, but stayed there, staring at me with a longing I craved to fulfill. Never had I felt so attracted to someone, yearning to explore her.

  My body and mind were at odds, but I couldn’t deny myself the one thing I wanted more than anything in the world. She was all I’d been thinking about since I saw her. And now, alone in her kitchen, I let go of the constant battle, releasing control.

  Our lips crashed against each other as my tongue slid against the strawberry flavor coating hers. She tasted amazing, and I needed more of her. Walking across the kitchen, my tongue explored her mouth until she backed into the refrigerator.

  She moaned against my tongue, and I almost came undone in my pants.

  She was my fantasy in human form, so erotic and innocent, all for the taking. Tilting her head from one side to the other, I released all the passion I’d been containing, kissing her deeply with a hunger to go further.

  When she propped her leg against my side, I reached for it, gripping the back of her thigh tightly as I leaned against her. My cock was hard and raging, ready to thrust deep inside her. Pulling away, I disrupted our embrace to get another glimpse of her. Charlotte panted, her lips already swollen as her eyes pleaded for more.

  This time, my mouth found her neck as my tongue fought against the chain for the sweet taste of her flesh. She moaned again, this time unobstructed by my tongue, and I fought the urge to take her right there in the kitchen. Instead, I reached for her breast, cupping the plumpness through her dress.

  I was ready to take her upstairs when a loud thud from the front of the house sent us both scattering, confused but equally alarmed. My body was racing with need, but still I followed Charlotte, rushing back to my plate, though there was no cake left.

  “Charlotte! You home? I got off early! Let’s celebrate!” Marshall’s voice boomed through the house.

  My head was spinning as I struggled to make sense of it all. My best friend walked into the kitchen and my hormones settled instantly, replaced by guilt. His eyes scanned the room, first to his sister and then to me. There was a hint of suspicion in his eyes, but he didn’t react.

  “Let’s pour the Champagne!” Marshall cheered, spying the bottle on the kitchen counter.

  “I’m tired,” Charlotte announced. “I’m going to bed.”

  Without more of an explanation, she darted from the kitchen and up the steps. Marshall looked to me and then the steps before turning back.

  “She’s probably mad I missed the night out,” he said.

  “Yeah, that’s probably it,” was all I could say.

  Chapter 17

  CHARLOTTE

  “TELL ME WHAT you want,” his voice commanded.

  I was masturbating to the memory of Ford. My brother’s interruption had left me frazzled and horny. I needed to take the edge off before I started my day.

  I played out a scene as I touched myself. My body was calling for Ford, a sensat
ion I’d only experienced for him. Nothing could explain why I was drawn to him so intensely. Whenever we were away from each other, I’d feel a deep longing that only intensified when he was finally next to me. I was never close enough, but instead continually desiring more – closer, deeper.

  “I want you,” I admitted.

  Ford’s groan sent chills up my spine. He was so handsome. Feeling desired by him made me sexier than ever, like a supermodel who could have any man she wanted. When his hands found my breast, I moaned loudly as his tongue grazed my ear.

  “That’s it. Let me hear you. Tell me what you like,” he whispered. His breath was hot, yet soothing. Everything about him calmed me, though the excitement continued to build.

  A rollercoaster existed within me, a rush of excitement anticipating what would come next. I’d never felt the emotions Ford sent racing through me. My body bent and folded to his silent instructions, following his lead as I craved more.

  Leaning my head to the side, I welcomed his tongue along my neck, and then my shoulder. His full lips kissed sloppily, his hands gripping me as he pulled my hip towards him. My heart pounded so quickly, I thought I might faint as I breathed heavily, panting for air.

  “Oh God,” I moaned as his kisses moved south, finding my breast. A pinch to my nipple sent my pelvis forward, thrusting towards the bulge in his pants.

  “That’s what you want?” he asked, amusement on his tongue.

  “Yes! Please!” I urged, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck just as he lifted me into the air.

  My legs wrapped around him with ease as my back rested against the cool refrigerator. My birthday dress was perfect, easily sliding over my hips to expose myself. The slickness between my legs was new to me, but welcome, my arousal turning me on further.

  “I’ve wanted you for so long,” his words fell over me like honey, coating every inch of my body.

  I’d never felt so attractive, so wanton. My nipples stood tall and strong, exposed to the cool evening. And Ford was like a Greek god, strong and sculpted. His shirt was open, showcasing the perfect abdomen my hands couldn’t stop tracing.