"Oh God. I'm sorry," I say when I see the mess I've made. I'd like to blame the alcohol but I can't. I giggle to myself. Theo just shakes his head and walks over to crouch down beside the tub.
"Don't worry about it." He laughs with me. His eyes skim the ridge of bubbles overlapping the side before they float up to where I sit, hugging the far corner. The rich green of his eyes is darker under the warm bathroom lights. "Anything I can help you with?"
I feel the corners of my mouth pull as a smile escapes my lips. "Maybe," I say, scooting closer to the side. My hand rises from the tub as the tiny crackles from the bubbles pop against my forearm like rice crispy cereal after milk is poured over them. I run a finger up the length of his arm, leaving a tiny trail of water in its path.
He narrows his eyes, and I can see his mind racing, trying to figure out what I’m doing—only, by the time he does, it’s too late. The second my fingers reach his upper bicep, I reach up, wrapping my hands around his arm and pulling him down to me. Water splashes out in waves as he slides into the tub. His shirt and jeans absolutely soaked, but he doesn't care.
Instead, he reaches for a handful of bubbles and presses them to my face.
"Oh, really?" I laugh, splashing him.
"Come here." His hands find the back of my thighs as he hooks them and pulls me onto his lap. His hands squeeze my bottom, the tips of his fingers sliding closer toward my sex with each release.
This playful side of him makes me smile, and I bend down and close the distance between our lips. I feel him push a hand into my hair as he holds me to him. His tongue sweeps across my bottom lip, his arms encircling my waist. "I forgot how fun you are when you're drunk," he breathes against my lips.
"Theo.”
“Yes?”
“Stop. Talking," I huff. My words have their intended effect, as Theo's face turns serious, animalistic. My breath catches at the feel of him deepening the kiss, his tongue exploring the far corners of my mouth.
I moan and move my hand to his chest, trying to steady myself. I smooth my hands down his hard-packed stomach and grip the bottom of his shirt, slowly pulling it up and over his head, tossing it to the side where it hits with a loud splat. Yup. Eliza is going to hate me—more than she already does.
Maybe I could offer to help clean it up in the morning?
"Hey. Where did you go?"
"I'm here," I focus on his lips, then suck my bottom lip in between my teeth, biting it. "Take off your pants," I demand and lean down to kiss his neck, sucking lightly.
"Yes, ma'am." He smiles, and without any hesitation, he tilts his hips. My body rises from out of the tub as he unbuttons and slides his pants down his legs, his boxers moving with it.
He lowers me back down. His erection is pressed up behind my backside. I rise slightly and use my hips to maneuver it up and under me. But there's no stopping my hips once I've started. I refuse to wait any longer, and instead, I rock my hips forward on his lap, pinning him beneath me until I feel the tip of his erection line up with my sex. When I do, I sink my hips further into his as I slide down and take the length of him inside of me. The act makes him groan. The tips of his fingers dig into my skin as he moves along with me.
"Fuck." He stops me after a few minutes, his breath ragged as I groan and begin to rub myself against him.
"Don't stop," I beg, and thankfully he obliges.
His hand fists in my hair as he drags my mouth to his. His hips buck forward to meet mine as he repositions me over the top of him. My hands press into the tops of his shoulders, leaving my breasts perfectly positioned for him to take advantage of. His tongue moves down to tease my nipples, as he switches between kissing and sucking.
"You like this?" he moans against my chest.
I nod and pick up the pace. His dirty talk drives me closer to the edge.
"Fuck, you're too good at this." He releases my hair to run both his hands down my back.
His fingers grip my bottom as he begins lifting it up in time with my movements, only to slam me back down on top of him as I roll my hips down his length. He drops his head on the back of the tub and moans. And I love that sound.
"Am I?" I tilt my head down to his chest. "S- so you, l- like t- this?" I say, trying to make it sound sexy and teasing, but my words come out breathy and rushed.
Theo whips his head down and pulls me back. "Say that again," he all but begs.
I pause, concerned that I've said something wrong, but he slowly continues to pump in and out of me. The slow and meticulous thrusts make it hard for me to focus. Leave it to me to try to be sexy and ruin the moment. "I- I said, so you like this?" I repeat.
I watch his eyebrows rise as a smile brushes his swollen lips. "Fuck. Yes. That's hot as shit. I do like it, and I love watching you ride me." He's smiling. "And that's a first for me."
"Oh." I almost laugh hearing him say "ride me." That is, until he suddenly jerks his arms around my waist and pulls me to him.
"Hold on," he murmurs against my lips as he stands and steps out of the tub.
I cringe as I imagine the two of us slipping the moment his feet touch the wet floors. But he easily manages to stride out of the bathroom without a single misstep. I cling to him as he walks the short distance to the bed. The second we reach it, he lays me down.
"My turn." He's grinning as he comes down on top of me. His lips meet my neck as he sucks harshly. I know I'll probably wake up to a spot on my neck tomorrow, but in this moment, I couldn’t care less.
I push my head back into the mattress and moan as my fingers curl around a handful of the comforter. "Oh God." His fingers move down, as he rubs small circles around the swollen bud between my thighs.
"You know I'm the only one that can make you feel like this," he growls against my skin. His fingers dip down and slide inside my wetness as he circles them around and pumps in and out of me. When I don't say anything, he begins to rub his length against my leg. "Say it, Brielle, say that you're mine. Say it, and I'll fuck you like only I can."
I buck my hips up to meet his hand as he increases the speed, teasing me. "Yes," I moan, feeling my eyes roll back. "I'm y- yours, Theo. O- only yours," I stumble, feeling the pressure beginning to build between my legs. The muscles in my stomach clench.In an instant, Theo pulls his fingers from me, the loss making me whimper. But before I have a chance to say anything, I feel his erection fill me, and the fullness is pure bliss.
He slides his hands down my legs before pulling them up to rest on his shoulders as he leans down to thrust deeper than ever before. "Fuck, I'm close, baby," he whispers after a few minutes pass. I bite my lip and try to hold on to this moment. "Come for me, baby. Come with me."
His words are all it takes for me to come completely undone. My body shudders as I experience the strongest orgasm I've ever had. I wait until I know he's finished before I slide my legs off his shoulders and pull him down beside me. My hands wrap his face as I bring his lips to mine. The passion that we share is something I used to think I'd never feel after he left and moved away. And for the first time, I'm thankful that I saved myself. I can't imagine sharing these moments with anyone else.
"I love you," he says the moment our lips part.
"And I love you."
I pull up to my elbows and sweep my eyes between us and the bathroom. "Crap."
"What's wrong?" he asks, distracting himself as he runs his fingers over my stomach.
I cut my eyes to his shirt that's now lying in a huge puddle of water and the mini flood that's surrounding the tub, then follow the trail of wet footprints headed in our direction. "Eliza is going to kill us when she sees this room."
Theo shrugs as if he’s thought little of the matter. "Eh, she's cleaned up worse before."
"Oh," I whisper, a frown taking over my smile.
Of course, she has. I shake my head and push up off the bed. I pad over to the dresser and pull out the drawer with my pajamas. My mind chooses to remind me that, whereas Theo may have been my first, I was definitely
not his. Even in that brief moment, I find myself stuck, remembering when I watched him and Katrina back in his office at Haze. I could see what they shared. Eliza probably has cleaned up worse.
"No, Brielle. I didn't mean it like that," he groans. "Just that, before me, she worked for my father. And I know firsthand some messed up shit that happened there."
I slip a shirt over my head and pull on a pair of my pajama shorts. He loves me, I silently tell myself, trying not to let my insecurities ruin our night. I suck in my bottom lip and pad back to the bed. He sees me coming and sits up. His arms wrap my waist the moment I'm close enough for him to reach.
"I'm sorry if I made you think anything else. All of that is in my past. I wish I could explain to you just how different everything with you is, compared to before." He pauses. "All I know is that . . . this . . . what we have, it's real. Don't ever doubt that."
I pull back and let out a breath, wrapping my arms around his neck and leaning my head against his. "Say it."
"Say what, baby?"
"Say that you’re mine. Say that you love me, and I'll never doubt it again."
Theo lets out a small laugh, so soft I almost miss it. His arms tighten around my waist, and to ease the tension, I climb up and onto his lap. My knees press on the outside of his thighs.
"I'm yours, Brielle. I've loved you from the moment I met you. . . and I know, I'll love you until the day I die. There’s no one else like you anywhere."
chapter forty-two
THEO
I wake up, smiling like a fucking idiot as I roll over and see Brielle sleeping next to me. Her beautiful face is completely relaxed as she lays her head on my bicep. Unable to help myself, I reach out and brush a loose strand of hair back from her face. If tonight turns south—if my father even attempts to try anything—I fear what I might do.
The guy’s a fucking prick . . . he'd deserve it if it came down to that, but still. After everything I swore to myself that I'd never become—feelings I swore I'd never allow myself to feel—Brielle has taken that and thrown to the wind. If it came down to it, would she forgive me for doing what’s necessary to keep her safe? I meant what I said last night that I'm hers. After her, no one else could ever compare. She's ruined me.
Just thinking about her saying that she was mine last night is almost enough to make me come on the fucking spot. This girl continues to surprise me, daily. And her dirty talk . . . damn it, it's hot. I love seeing her become more of that bold, feisty girl I once knew. I hate thinking that she felt like she had to become someone different for everyone else after Mason passed.
If he were still with us, I'd like to think that he'd approve of our relationship—seeing the way that she brings out the best in me. There are some things you just can't fight. If Brielle hadn't come back into my life when she did, I'd hate to think where I would have ended up. I'd be lost, probably preparing to marry Katrina because I wouldn't have a reason to stand up to my father. Or I’d be dead. I sure as hell would not know how good it feels to be loved, or to love someone else as much as I love Brielle.
Reluctantly, I decide to pull my arm out from under her as I roll off the bed and walk into my closet. Someone has to check on the drunkards. I slip a white T-shirt over my head and step into a loose pair of gym shorts and exit the closet. Shit. I may even have time to work in a quick workout too. I peer over to the bed and see that she's still sleeping. I guess all of our activities last night wore her out.
I exit the room and make my way down the stairs. The image of Brielle riding me flashes across my mind and makes my pulse race. The memory of her perfect fucking hips moving in small circles over my cock. Her slim waist and perky breasts. She used my shoulders to support herself, positioning her breasts perfectly in front of my face for me to take full advantage of . . . I could have died and been perfectly happy.
I've always hated it when girls tried to get on top. It's awkward, and they often wind up practically breaking my cock with their fucking erratic movements rather than actually getting me off. But with Brielle, things couldn't be more opposite. Our chemistry is so natural.
I reach the bottom of the stairs and eye Eliza, yelling at Travis in the kitchen. Her hands are waving wildly; I'm almost afraid to get involved, but then she sees me. Damn it. I take a step toward her when I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. The three tiny, heartbeat-like vibrations twist a knot in my chest as my mind latches on to the idea that no news before breakfast could ever mean anything good.
I pull out my phone and raise my hand, requesting Eliza to give me a moment. The screen comes alive in my hand as my deepest fears appear in front of me. A message from an unknown sender with the three words that make my skin itch and my heart clench: It happens tonight.
My eyes slide up from the screen and fall to the worried expression on Eliza's face. "What's wrong?" she asks, but I can barely hear her over the sound of my pulse beating behind my ears.
"Nothing good." I take a step back. "I, um, I need to go speak with Brielle." I turn and walk away. "Please have breakfast ready at eight," I call out behind me as my feet hit the stairs. "Thank you, Eliza."
I spend the morning, trying to convince Brielle to forego the fucking ball, but for some reason, she's now dead set on attending. I roll my eyes. Fucking hell. It'd be a lot easier if I told her why we can't go, but I don't want to scare her until I have a reason to. How is it that we always end up on opposite sides of an argument?
I rub nervously at my jaw. My entire body is on high alert as the time creeps closer to when we're supposed to leave. I turn to Wes, whose idea of prepping involves eating a massive amount of junk food and downing another six-pack of beer. The fuck is it with this guy? How can he be so damn calm all the time?
When seven hits, Wes and I stand at the foot of the stairs as we await our dates to make their grand entrance. Both of us are dressed in our nicest suits. We hear the door crack open, and Becks slinks out in the hall and stands at the top of the landing. Her bright eyes and larger-than-life smile come alive when she spots Wes waiting for her. His dopey-eyed grin, and gelled-down hair make him look younger than usual.
I press my lips into a line and refrain from making a joke about how cheesy they’re being. When I catch a glint of gold from the top of the stairs and see Brielle watching me. Her blonde hair is pulled up off her shoulders. The floor-length dress hugs her curves in all the right places and makes her look like she's been frosted with tiny diamonds. She slowly starts to walk down the stairs, cautiously taking one step at a time. Holy shit. I'm in trouble.
I close my mouth, not realizing that it’s gone slack, and try to refrain from moving toward her. My arms are longing with the need to wrap her against my body, carry her back up those stairs, and have my way with her. The distance between us right now is hell. I'd give anything to run my hands down her body . . . up and under that dress and make her come as she calls out my name. Instead, I stand here and endure the slow and tortuous time until she's standing in front of me.
"Damn." I reach out, grabbing her waist and pull her to me.
My hands press against her back as I bring my mouth down on top of hers. I can hear Becks and Wes laughing off to the side, but I block them out. When I finally pull away, I keep her close.
"I have a feeling this dress is going to get me in a lot of trouble tonight," I whisper against her lips.
"So, you like it?"
"Oh, I love it."
"Damn, Theo," Wes begins, laughing as he and Becks slowly walk over to join us. "Talk about being pussy whipp—"
"Don't . . . finish . . . that sentence." I offer a warning glance, watching as he makes the notion of zipping his lips.
"Okay, so what the hell now?" Becks steps in front of him and pulls Brielle to her. I loosen my grip but refuse to let her go. The two of them lock arms as they stare impatiently at me.
"I have a car waiting for us outside." After I answer Becks, her eyes grow to the size of large grapes as she rushes to the door and throws it open.
A sleek, black Audi A8 L, the extended version, is parked just out front. I turn to Eliza, who’s shaking her head as the door slams into the wall. The few art pieces hanging on the wall rattle from the force. "Take the rest of the night off." I smile at her. "Thank you for your help today."
She nods and walks back towards the kitchen.
"Hey," Brielle says. I cut my eyes down and listen as she wraps her hands around my neck. "Everything’s going to be okay."
We arrive at the Elm Brook Manor and find the All Hallows Eve Ball is flooded with bodies. Every single one of them are baying to try and get inside.
"Shit." Wes leans forward in his seat and stares out the window. "So much for a small-town event. There's got to be hundreds of people here."
"Yeah, they've been putting this on for years," Becks says, sounding unimpressed. "Brielle and I always go." She cuts her eyes down to her hands. Her fingers folding over one another as she slyly looks up at me. "With Luca."
Of course, you did.
I look out the window as our driver pulls to a stop in front of the Manor. My eyes quickly scan through the sea of people, and I'm thankful when I find that my father is not among them. Feeling pleased, I open the door and step out, reaching for Brielle's hand as she grips the bottom of her dress and steadies herself atop the gravel.
I'm not surprised when I hear some of the people gathered around us gasp at the sheer sight of her. She is beautiful and seeing her in this dress is enough to bring any man to his knees. So I can't blame them. I hold my arm out for her to take, and keep her close as we start walking. I guess there is one good thing that came from Eliza accidentally booking the appointment at Cameron’s dress shop.
We make our way up the entry steps as I sweep my eyes around the outside and find it's been completely transformed. The high arched entrance and the stone columns have been decorated with tiny glass-burning lanterns, which cast an eerie glow as you enter the main hall. The rest of the exterior is littered with pumpkins and haystacks.
With You: With you, I am who I want to be. Page 32