chapter thirty-one
BRIELLE
My eyes are burning as I wake up to the sound of someone rustling around in my room. What did Becks lose this time? I hazily wonder. My mind still drifting in and out of sleep.
"Can I help you with something?" I moan and roll over to one side. My hair falls over my shoulder as I squint sleepily up at this surprisingly new muscular version of Becks. Holy crap?
"Good morning to you too." Theo lets out a soft chuckle, drops his jeans and pads over to the bed. His arms slide under the lower portion of my back as he brings his body down on top of me. His teeth nip at my ear as he groans into my neck. "Sorry for waking you up, babe. I'm not used to having to sneak out."
I sit up, bringing him with me. My arm clasps the comforter to my chest. "You were trying to sneak out?" I say. My words are shakier than I’d like. Was he really going to leave without saying anything? Did he regret last night?
"What? No!" His lips pull into a thin line as he grabs the comforter and slowly tugs at the corner. "I couldn't sleep so I was going to run and grab something to surprise you with. But now that you're up . . . I'm thinking . . . breakfast in bed?"
My back hits the bed seconds before the heat that his words have stirred, as it slowly creeps up the sides of my face. I let out a quick giggle, feeling him settle between my legs. His hand delicately skims the flat surface of my stomach while he moves to tease my breasts. I squirm, feeling how tender they are from last night's attention but it isn't painful. If anything, it feels even better than before.
I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him to me, my hand moving to the swell in his boxers as I use my toes to hook the back of his waistband and slowly begin to slide them down. The sight of his manhood is still as impressive and intimidating as the first time I saw it.
"And what would you like this morning?" I tease him.
I watch him as his tongue dips out of my bottom lip and sweeps over it. I hold my breath, waiting for his answer, when he leans down to press his lips against the soft spot of my neck. I let my mind drift away, my skin coming alive. My hand glides up and down over his erection; the tip of his head grazes a spot between my thighs with every stroke.
He kisses my jaw, my chin, my lips, once, before he pulls back to look at me. His hazel eyes holding mine as he stares down at me. The seconds quickly turn to minutes. I thread my fingers into the back of his hair and pull his lips to me once more.
"Tell me," I whisper the words against his lips, our foreheads pressed together.
His eyes hastily take in my reaction before he admits, “I want you.”
I suck in my bottom lip and tilt my head to the side. "You’ve got me," I say and release my hands to wrap both of them around the back of his neck.
The tip of his erection fully rides the edge of no return, causing all the air from my lungs to get sucked out. I wriggle under him. His eyes are growing wide as if he’s only just realized how close we are. But he doesn't move. Instead, he freezes. His eager need to have his way with me is suddenly halted as he stares down at me. His lips part, then close. I roll my hips over him and moan when I feel my own need grow.
God, I want him so bad right now.
What is he waiting for?
"Fuck, Brielle." He drops his head back. The action forces my hands to his shoulders. He leans back to his knees, closes his eyes, and steps off the bed. "You're making it really hard for me to be a gentleman here," he groans. "I didn’t realize that I only had the one condom on me."
"Oh." I bite back a laugh. My eyes drop to the center of his back as he bends down and steps into his boxers. "Hey," I whisper. My arms reach out to grasp his hand. I pull him to sit down on the bed, his back to me. I wrap my arms under his. My fingers trace his chest and the three tiny ridges. "How do you feel about scrambled eggs and buttered toast?"
Theo twists around to face me. He frames my face with his hands. "That sounds perfect, babe."
I show Theo where the shower is so he can “cool off,” as I sneak away so I can start making our breakfast. I turn the corner and step into the small hallway. My ears pick up on a commotion happening inside the kitchen. The sound of dishes clanking together, and something crackling on the stove.
I take in a deep breath. Is something burning?
"Burning toast, again." I laugh and round the open frame that splits the kitchen from the family room. The image of Becks in her workout clothes and smoke swirling around the room is what I half expected to see. But I was wrong. So wrong.
"Good morning, B!" I jump back in shock when my eyes land on the naked backside of Wes. With spatula in hand, he tries to flip an omelet. I blink up at the ceiling. My mind is too busy trying not to stare that I can’t consciously form a response.
"Phew, you're looking extra gorgeous this morning." He laughs and smacks his lips.
Oh my God. I mentally kick myself. My head shakes as if I could erase the image from my mind. This isn’t happening.
"I'm sorry. I just. . . I didn't know you stayed over last night." I recover and walk into the kitchen. My mind kicks into auto drive somewhere between the fridge and the stove as I work around Wes. "Where's Becks?"
I can feel Wes's eyes linger, but I'm doing well enough to crack these eggs without making too much of a mess.
"If I were you, I'd focus more on your shit omelet, than the curve of my girl's ass," Theo threatens him as he comes over and slides his hands around my waist, pulling me toward him. From the corner of my eye, I see Wes's attention quickly snap back to his pan, where his now burnt omelet threatens to send the smoke alarms screaming. "What the fuck are you naked for? Is Becks wearing the pants in the relationship now, or are you just trying to get me to beat your ass?"
Oh crap. I set down the egg I was holding. I’m already preparing for Theo to try something.
"Chill, man. I honestly didn't think with how late of a night y’all had last night that either of you would be up before noon."
"Oh my God." I cover my face. Wes and Becks had both heard us.
Wes dumps his omelet and pan in the sink when he realizes there’s no saving it. He presses his hands on his hips. His manhood hanging out in the open for everyone to see. I look up and find Theo glaring daggers at his soon to be ex-best friend.
"Wes."
"Yeah, man?""Get the fuck out of here before I lose my patience."
"Yup. Yeah, good idea." He brushes his hands against one another.
I turn back to my eggs and continue to crack them as Theo waits for Wes to leave the room. I drop the shell of one in the bowl that I have sitting off to the side, when I feel Theo lace his fingers around my forearm and flip me around to face him. His body presses me against the counter. His lips quickly claim mine.
"Are you trying to make me jealous?" He growls into my mouth. His fingers skim under the hem of my tank. His chest rises and falls rapidly as he deepens the kiss. He swipes the counter clear, and with one arm, he lifts me up and onto it. Tiny pieces of shell scrape under my bottom.
I pull away, trying to catch my breath. But Theo is insatiable. "Wes is your friend, Theo," I whisper between gasps. I push my fingers into his hair and tug so that he has to look at me. My skin is teeming from his assault. "He would never do that."
"Yeah, well, I'd rather not test that theory." He fights against my grip to press his lips to mine. But I am not giving up so easily. "You're mine."
"Yours?" I arch my brow at him, mocking him. "Says who?"
Theo lets out a muffled laugh. His hands move down to my thighs. The tips of his fingers slowly edge their way up and under my bottom as he squeezes and lifts me onto his torso. I cross my ankles and hold on to his shoulders.
"Says me." He slaps my bottom. The tender sting is pleasurable in addition to all of this added tension. "I love this new side of you." He smiles. "And you. I love you."My back hits the wall, his arms quickly becoming my new favorite place to be. "I love you,” I say, smiling sweetly.
Theo presses his lips to mine
once again, letting my legs gradually slide down his front. He's wearing too much. My hands twist at the base of his shirt. How long could it possibly take for him to run to the store? I bite my lip.
"What the fuck, Brielle?" Becks exclaims. The sound of her voice catches both of us off guard and I stumble back. "That's my sexy firemen's calendar you're crushing!”
I turn to the side and see Mr. October is a crinkled mess. Whoops. I scrunch my nose and turn back around. Yeah, he's definitely looked better.
"Shit, Becks. Fucking announce yourself," Theo barks. I peek around his bicep and see a fully dressed Wes saunter over to the fridge. "Seriously, Wes?"
"What? I'm thirsty."
"Get the fuck out!"
I playfully swat at his arm, reminding him of our previous conversation. He obviously hasn't budged from his opinion either. I roll my eyes and dart around him. "How about I just go throw on some clothes, and maybe we eat out for breakfast?" I wink at him. Becks is right on my heels as I walk into my bedroom, and she slams the door shut behind us.
"Okay, you’d better start talking now." She's fuming, but I don't have time to talk calendars at the moment. My mind is more concerned about Wes's safety the longer I'm in here. I walk to my closet and open it. "I love you, but really, Brielle? I thought you were smarter than this. What the hell are you thinking?"
Wait?
That's what she's upset about?
"Becks—"
"No. Don't Becks me," she interrupts. Her hand is moving a mile a minute. "Answers. Now. Spill."
I reach for my simple olive-green T-shirt dress and my all-white Converse. In one motion, I strip the tank top and slip the dress over my head. The soft material glides down my body and kisses the top of my thighs. I'm working on putting on my shoes when Becks slaps a hand over her face.
"You going to add a bra under there, or are we going for a less-is-more kind of thing now?" She laughs, tossing me a bra from my top drawer. "I mean, you got the perk to pull it off, but Theo would probably throw a fucking fit."
"Thanks." I snatch the bra from the floor. It's not my favorite but it'll do.
I smile, thinking about how quickly things have changed. In less than a month, I went from this shy, little virgin to the type of girl who leaves bras in the living room—someone who has intense make-out sessions in her kitchen while her roommate and her roommate's boyfriend are in the other room.
I suck in a deep breath as my fingers mindlessly fumble with the lacey, nude bra in my hands. I walk to the bed. "So, yeah. It all just kind of . . . happened? I guess," I stumble through the words. "He showed up after my class last night and asked if he could take me somewhere to talk.”
She pats the bed. "Obviously, it went well. I mean, I'm sure the whole street could attest to that. But, I love you? When did that happen? And how?"
I sit back on the bed. "Is it so bad? I do love him."
"No, it's not a bad thing as long as he actually feels the same way. If he's lied to just get in your pants, a knife wound will be the least of his problems. I watch enough crime shows to ensure his body will never be found.
"My head falls back. The two of us break out in a fit of laughter. "Well, hopefully, it never comes to that."
"One can only pray." She smiles. Her hands pull me into a hug. "Now, be honest with me because this is serious. Are we talking full-on cucumber sized, or is he batting with one of those tiny sausages people always try to pass off as a proper meat option?"
"Becks—"
"Okay. Okay. Okay." She shakes her head. "At least tell me he's got a kink somewhere. No one can be that fucking perfect."
"A kink?"
Becks rolls her eyes and crinkles her nose. "Yeah, a kink. A swivel in his stick. A left-handed swoop. Does his dick do this?" Her hands begin to fold. The idea of what she’s showing me, looking more painful by the second.
Who the hell had Becks been with that their penis looks like that? A better question, how the hell would that even work?
"Well, maybe it was more like this."
"Oh my God. Becks. Stop." I try to stifle a laugh. I look to the door. "I'm sorry about Mr. October, but we should probably get back out there."
"Eh, he wasn't my favorite." She shrugs. "But next time Theo throws you against a wall, tell him to aim for the one by our pantry. Maybe then he'll see how broke we are and take pity on us."
"Becks!"
"Okay, sorry. You're right." She nods as we move to the door. "Maybe he'll take pity on me. You're fine."
"Becks!"
"What?" She rolls her eyes, her expression completely serious. "Not everyone falls in love with their childhood crush, who grows up to be a smoking-hot millionaire, Brielle. I have needs. And bills. Lots of bills."
chapter thirty-two
THEO
I watch Brielle skip around the corner, breasts bouncing over the top of that skimpy ass tank, and I try not to overreact when I catch Wes's eyes trail her for the third time. Fuck this. If she were any other girl, I wouldn't give it a second thought. In fact, I'd welcome others seeing what only I’m able to achieve. But she's different. This is Brielle. My girl. And I'll be damned if I let Wes get away with it.
"I love you, already? Damn. Someone's growing soft." Wes laughs.
That stupid smirk makes me want to punch him in the fucking face. I roll my eyes, take a step toward him, and shove my forearm against his throat. I can tell by his expression that he’s completely caught off guard. But what the fuck did he expect me to do? Nothing? He should know me better than that. If he keeps it up, we may not be friends by the end of the night.
"What the fuck, Theo," he stutters against the weight of my arm.
"You're my friend, Wes, so I'm not going to kick your ass this time. But this is your last warning. Keep. Your eyes. To yourself." I push off him and take a step back.
"Shit. Understood,” he chokes out the response.
I walk over to the sink, pushing my hand through my hair as I try to calm my rising pulse. Wes walks to the table and pulls out a chair. His hand massages his neck. "So, love, huh?” His eyes flit to me as he warily sizes me up like he’s waiting for the truth.
I look toward the hall half expecting Brielle to have been back by now. But knowing Becks, she’s probably is going to be a minute. A handful of seconds go by before I join Wes at the table, reluctantly.
"Is this where you tell me you have feelings for her too?"
"What? No!"
I nod and shut my mouth. Fuck. This got awkward fast. “Good. I’d hate to have to kill you.”
Wes laughs dryly, but when I don’t join him, I can see the tension build, as he shifts in his seat.
“Oh, you’re serious.”
I look up when I hear Becks and Brielle shoot out from the hall. Becks is laughing to herself, but I'm not focused on her. My eyes sweep to my girl, and I drink in the sight of her. Her blonde hair is pulled to the side, and she’s wearing some short-ass dress, which barely covers the top of her thighs in a way that I know I will be using to my advantage later.
Damn. I bet that dress would look even better on the floor. I hesitate when an image of my girl writhing on her bed immediately comes to mind. I stand up and walk over to her and wrap my arms around her waist.
"What are you doing today?" I ask her, leaning down to press my lips to her forehead. I’m well aware I have a problem, but fuck it if I don’t care. I’m addicted.
"I have class,” she says with a frown. She lifts up to her tiptoes and plants a kiss on my mouth. Her hands entwine around the back of my neck as she pulls me to her.
God, I love her lips.
"So, skip it!" Wes yells. A giggling Becks is trapped within the crook of his arm. I turn and shoot him a glare, but he just waves me off. "What?"
Is he serious right now?
"That sounds like fun!" Becks bounces on her toes. "We could all go see the new James Bond movie that just came out. Or maybe the new Harley Quinn one?"
No. Fuck no. There is no way
I want to spend the entire day with these two.
"Okay!" Brielle smiles, surprising me. "I'm ahead in my classes anyway. I’d love to go!"
Wait. "What? No." I shake my head. My mind is running a million miles a minute as I try to imagine the four of us on a double date. Becks and Brielle in charge of the seats while Wes and I awkwardly make small talk, grabbing the popcorn.
Nope. Fuck no. Not happening.
Wes is my friend, but I almost just kicked his ass in this very kitchen. If anything, I should be headed to Knock Out, but for some reason, the idea of spending the day with Brielle is enough to stave off that itch—that irritating feeling, I get under my skin to punch something, rather someone, repeatedly.
"What? Oh come on. Please?" Brielle pouts. Her bottom lip is pushed out as she stares up at me with those emerald-green eyes I can't resist.
Fuck. How the hell does she do this? "Fine."
"Hell yes!" Wes shouts. He walks behind Becks and rears his hand back to smack her ass. "Let's go, folks." Jesus. This is going to be a long day.
Half an hour later, we pull up to the ticket stand, and as expected, everyone splits once we're inside. But rather than the girls running off to claim our seats—the perfect middle, middle according to Becks’s picky nature—Becks and Wes jump at the chance to go, leaving Brielle and I tasked with the job of grabbing the snacks.
"I wish it were just the two of us." I sigh as we wait for the guy to scoop our popcorn.
"Me too. But it’ll be fun. I promise."
The guy behind the counter returns with our popcorn. He drops the two bags down on the counter in a huff, and a few pieces fall off the side.
"That will be fifty-six, twenty." He rolls his eyes.
Shit. Now I remember why I don't come to the theatres anymore. The prices are a fucking joke—not like I can’t afford it. But still.
I hand the kid my credit card to swipe through the terminal, and he hands it back. "Thanks,” I say and start to sign my name, when I catch him eyeing my girl from the corner of his eye.
With You: With you, I am who I want to be. Page 23