I squeezed at his forearm as my body took control. A surge went through me that I never felt before. Wes’s fingertips dug hard yet gentle, moved up and down yet side to side at the same time. Each time I tried to take a breath, there was no breath to take.
I felt myself reaching a point that I was never sure actually existed or not.
What it did was prove that anything I did before was never actually… completed.
My hips lifted again as I thrust at him, feeling an explosion from my core.
Wes’s lips grazed mine as it all happened, only making the feeling that much better.
Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod…
“Ohmygod,” I whispered into Wes’s mouth.
My body was on fire. Head to toe. Inside and out.
Wes pulled himself away from me but I didn’t let him go.
“Stay the night,” I whispered.
“Already planned on it,” he said. “I don’t want you walking around tonight. You need some sleep.”
“I think I’ll sleep just fine after the vodka and… you know…”
Wes grinned. “I’m going to grab a smoke and I’ll be right back.”
I nodded.
I watched Wes stand up, looking like he was two hundred feet tall.
My legs felt gooey and the tips of my toes tingled.
That was really honestly my first…
Wes looked down at me for a few seconds before he exited the room.
I still couldn’t find my breath.
Which was good.
Because I wanted to tell Wes I loved him.
Chapter 20
Wes
I took a drag and ran my hand through my hair.
She had gotten to me.
She had fucking gotten to me.
Not that I should have been shocked by that.
I looked down at my hand as though there would have been evidence of what had just happened.
There was none.
Other than me unable to hold back any longer.
My mind tossed a shit ton of things that could and would go wrong because of me and Aira getting close, but I couldn’t help myself. She was the girl next door returning to me. With all new curves, a wicked attitude, but those same pretty, dark eyes that got to me then. And got to me now.
The door opened and shut behind me as Aira came outside.
Her cheeks were still flush.
She had guilt written all over her face.
I loved it.
“I have nightmares about the fire,” she said.
I hurried to turn around and face her. “Nightmares?”
“When the fire happened… I was drunk. I had been at a party and decided to come home. I saw Jesse with another girl. He didn’t even try to hide it. Because I wouldn’t let him fuck me he decided to fuck anything that would let him. In some stupid way I was okay with him kissing other girls. But then I opened a bedroom door and saw him. Behind some slut. Her hands on the bed. Looking back at him. She looked at me. And she smiled.”
“Whore,” Wes said.
“Whatever. I guess I’m glad I never did that with Jesse.”
I’m glad too, darling. You deserve the best for your first time.
But the best wasn’t me.
“I came home to sleep it off,” Aira said. “If I wasn’t drunk I would have maybe realized what was happening. I only woke up because I had been coughing from the smoke.”
“Shit,” I said.
“My room was full of smoke and fire. It was… the scariest thing I ever went through. Ever. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see. It’s not like they show it on TV. That’s for sure. It’s terrifying. I couldn’t find the door. And when I thought I did, it was so hot. I freaked out and the more I took deep breaths the worse it got. I thought about jumping out of the window but it was so far up I would have gotten hurt.”
“How did you get out?”
“I opened the window and screamed. The firefighter who saved me was someone from class. He must have known I was home from the party. Think maybe Jesse said something? How fucked up is that, Wes? Jesse cheated on me and then saved me?”
“He didn’t save you. Scumbag.”
“I don’t really know,” she said. “But I was pulled out of the window and wrapped in this heavy blanket and treated for the smoke. But that guy who saved me… went to school and told everyone about it. About the fire. About seeing me in my bra and panties. Even saying he made a move on me.”
“I stand corrected. That guy is a fucking scumbag. Your ex is just a loser.”
“Agreed,” Aira said.
“I can’t believe you went through that,” I said.
“I did. And the nightmares are real, Wes. I wake up freaking out thinking I’m still in my bedroom inhaling smoke. And I can hear the fire. And feel the heat. So I walk. I like walking the beach. It helps.”
“I bet you like seeing me watching you too, huh?” I asked with a wink.
“I guess,” Aira said with a grin. “Even though it’s a little stalker like.”
“Protecting you, darling.”
Her eyes locked to mine.
She wanted to know what I was protecting her from.
She’d figure it out with time.
For tonight, I just wanted her.
Alone.
To hold her until she fell asleep.
I did everything I said I was going to do. And that included holding myself back, even as Aira thrust her fine ass against my body and my right hand touched her perfectly curved hip. She slept in nothing but her favorite hoodie and a pair of lace edge panties. My fingertips casually played with those edges as I gritted my teeth so hard I thought they were going to shatter.
That same hand took a life of its own, moving under Aira’s hoodie and up her warm and soft skin. Her belly rippled with a surprised breath and I kept going up under until I touched the swell of her bare breast. My hands had been plenty of places. Something that would probably piss Aira off. But she was perfect. She fit right into my hand. And when my thumb eased along her nipple, she gasped and her nipple became instantly hard.
I licked my lips and forced my hand back down her body to her hip.
Tonight wasn’t the night for that.
But just not tonight.
I held her tight against me and kissed her hair.
“Wes?” she whispered as we were in complete darkness.
“Talk to me, darling.”
“I’m happy I’m here,” she said. “With you. I’m sorry I got pissed at you.”
“No, Aira. You don’t apologize for that. That was my fault. I should have talked to you about it. What else were you supposed to think?”
“I could have called you. Or texted you. I got caught up in the girl thing.”
“They care about you,” I said, almost rolling my eyes. “That’s good to have. Friends. You had a friend bring a baseball bat, ready to defend you.”
Aira laughed. “Yeah, I did. I didn’t expect any of this, Wes. I mean, the fire…”
“I know,” I said. “But you survived it. You’re safe now. You may not be living in a giant house right now, but you’re alive.”
“I don’t want that anyway. I told you it was fake.”
“Well, darling, this isn’t fake,” I said. “Close your eyes.”
“I don’t want to, Wes.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want it to end. Tonight.”
“Tonight has to end, darling. So tomorrow can come. We have to move forward.”
“Since when are you all whispery and romantic in bed?”
“I’ve always been that way,” I said. “I’ve just been waiting for you to share a bed with.”
Aira let out a groan and took a deep breath.
That’s when she fell asleep.
But I didn’t.
I was wide fucking awake. How could I not be? I had Aira with me. Finally. We had shared plenty of kisses since she arrived to Hidden. And tonight we shared even more
. Well, I shared with her. That was okay though. I’d get my own eventually. Tonight was about Aira. Making her feel safe so she could sleep.
I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like. Waking up to your house on fire. Being trapped in your own bedroom. Living in a house she hated and the fact that her bedroom was too high up for her to jump out of the window. I knew her leaving when she was younger hurt her. Hell, it hurt me too. I had Dusty chasing my ass all around town for spray painting the Welcome to Hidden sign, all for fun and to get Aira’s attention for good. I wanted to break away from the cops and chase Aira down and kiss her. Maybe not romantic, but damn, it would have been a story and a half to keep forever.
But I had now.
Right now.
Tonight. Tomorrow. All these moments waiting for me to grab.
I never wanted her to leave.
My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I hurried to reach back and check it.
It was Walker texting me.
Got something. Important.
I curled my lip.
There was no ignoring it either.
The midnight hours were when we came alive to take care of the business nobody needed to know about.
I carefully inched away from Aira and leaned over her beautiful body and kissed her cheek. She let out a sighing breath.
She was sleeping and comfortable.
I’ll be back in a little bit, darling.
I pulled my hood up and lit a cigarette.
Ryker came running toward the garage, fixing his jeans.
“Sorry, bro,” he said. “Was finishing up some business.”
“Pissing or jerking off?” I asked.
“Emma. Backseat of my car.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yeah. She brought her baseball bat…”
“Where did she stick that?” Walker asked as his feet dangled off one of the workbenches.
“You don’t want to know,” Ryker said.
“You’re full of shit,” I said.
“No I’m not,” Ryker said. “I mean, the Emma thing, yeah. But I was in the backseat. Some chick from Tech. She’d been giving me the eyes for a while. We were texting. She looks like Emma.”
“Bullshit,” Walker said.
“She has dark hair like Emma,” Ryker said.
“That’s about it,” Walker said.
“That’s all I needed. I thought about Emma and came in record time.”
“That’s not a record you want, man,” I said. “And why the fuck are we talking about Ryker’s sex life right now?”
I looked back at Walker and gave a nod.
He jumped off the bench. “Dean was fucking around Tech. He and Nick are somehow involved with what happened that got Dusty looking at the shop again. I think it was just a warning. Ryland probably has his panties in a bunch over something.”
“Aira,” Ryker said.
“This shit started before she showed up,” I said.
“Even still, he’s really pissed that she won’t buy into his moves.”
“How would you know?” I asked.
“I hear things,” Ryker said. “See things too. Ryland has been following you, Wes. Then he had Nick and Dean show up the day Jett was fixing Aria’s aunt’s car. They’re watching and waiting.”
“Fuck that,” Walker said. “Dean needs to grow up a little. Pick on someone his own age.”
“He’s not even a year older than us,” I said.
I rubbed my jaw and thought about things.
This was what Ryland did. He liked to remind everyone he was still around. Not that we needed it.
“Let’s go,” I said.
“Go where?” Ryker asked.
“We’re going to take care of Dean,” I said. “Send a message right back.”
“Oh, shit,” Walker said. “This could fall back on me.”
“No, it won’t,” I said.
I took a deep drag of my cigarette and dropped it into the can.
As we exited the garage, I saw a figure standing in the darkness.
“Pop?” I called out.
“What the hell are you up to this late, Weslee?” his voice growled at me.
I approached him. “You want the truth?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“I’m going to beat the hell out of someone, Pop. Someone who’s trying to push back at the shop. And someone who’s trying to fuck with my girl. I finally got the girl I’ve always wanted and I’m making it known she’s untouchable.”
Pop started to laugh which sounded like a car struggling to start in cold weather.
He reached for my shoulder and squeezed it.
Damn, the old man had some strength still.
“Been there a hundred times, grandson,” he said. “Just don’t kill anyone. You do that and someone will be right there to comfort your girl and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Good advice.”
“Also. Don’t get Jett too involved.”
“Never would,” I said. “He’s soft.”
Pop laughed again. “I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.”
“Night, Pop. Get some sleep.”
We left the lot and took Walker’s project car. It was a supped up car that was black, low to the ground, and custom built with so much stuff, it was ridiculous. But that’s what he got to do at Tech.
The car was quiet and sleek.
Impossible to see with the headlights off.
Which worked out as we drove up on Dean’s big ass, white house that was almost at the other side of Hidden.
Mommy and Daddy had their fancy cars all parked at an angle around the looped driveway. A statue stood in the middle, some muscular dude holding the world in his hand with water spraying out of it.
“We could break the statue,” Walker whispered.
“Do something to a car,” Ryker offered.
I stood at the end of the driveway and shook my head.
This was personal.
Before I could even think of a plan on how to find Dean’s bedroom or wing or whatever the hell he had in the giant house, I heard the engine of a street ride.
I turned and grinned.
He was coming home.
I pointed to Ryker and Walker. “You two sit back and wait. This is one on one.”
“Wes,” Ryker said.
“Now,” I ordered.
They backed off and I blocked the driveway, dressed in all black, hood up, a fresh cigarette lit.
Dean turned and came to a stop.
He was alone.
He jumped off his ride and took his helmet off.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he asked.
“Just want to make sure my message is clear,” I said.
“What message is that?”
His clean cut snobby face pissed me off. Just like the ass crack in his chin. Or the fact that his hair was still spiked up like he was back in middle school.
I kept my eyes on Dean as I put my cigarette on the ground.
I didn’t step on it though.
But I did move forward and throw a quick punch, hitting Dean in the jaw.
He made an oomph sound and grabbed his face.
“You hit me,” he said.
“Twice,” I said.
I gave him the second punch and he fell to the ground.
He put his hands up in defeat.
I pointed at him. “Stay the fuck down. And by all means, call your friends. Call Nick. Call Ryland. Tell them what I did. But let me make one thing clear, Dean. You ever go near Aira or her house again and a couple punches will be nothing compared to what I do.”
Dean’s eyes went wide.
He seemed surprised that I was talking about Aira and not what he had really been doing. That was okay. This was a message. And I wasn’t going to rat out Walker.
“Okay, fine,” Dean said. “Please.”
I brought a fist back and Dean winced.
I laughed and stepped back.
That’s when Ryker and Walker emerged from the darkness.
We got into Walker’s car and went back to the shop. I left and went back to Aira’s.
Right back in bed where I curled up next to her and held her.
My eyes shut and my heart calmed.
I finally fell asleep.
I finally felt at home.
If she was beautiful at night in bed, then in the morning she was an angel. An angel with messy bed head and good morning kisses that tasted like bad breath, but that was the whole point of it. Those morning kisses were forbidden because I wasn’t supposed to be there.
My hands raced up her hoodie and felt her again.
My right hand even decided to properly wish her a great fucking morning as those laced edge panties weren’t able to keep me out for long.
And as I touched and played with her soft and welcoming core, her nails dug at my forearm, unsure of herself. Whether she wanted it faster, slower, harder, softer, or even deeper. I whispered into her ear and told her I was taking care of her. She pulled me tighter to her and we kissed like she was moving away again.
When she finished I left her to get dressed as I went outside for my morning smoke.
Aira came outside a little bit later and looked like a damn dream in ripped shorts and a baggie shirt that hung off her right shoulder. I swore I could see my lip marks on that shoulder from how many times I kissed her there.
“Shorts,” I said.
“Yeah,” she said. “Fuck what anyone thinks. I have nothing to hide.”
“I’m proud of you for that, darling,” I said.
I couldn’t imagine what went through her head when she decided to cut herself. I hadn’t even gotten a chance to ask her about it and I wasn’t going to do it then.
I took her hands and pulled her close for a hug.
“Hey,” I said. “You should hang out with me later.”
“Oh yeah? Where are we hanging?”
“Cherry’s,” I said.
“What?”
“She has these big dinners,” I said. “Keeps her sane. Makes her feel like family is okay. You should come with me.”
“I don’t know…”
“Come on. She’ll be happy to see you. It’s not a lot of people. The regulars.”
Hidden Creek Secrets (Hidden Creek High Book 1) Page 15