by C. J. Thomas
I remembered Tessa telling me about Dani ordering food and not paying for it, but outright stealing wasn’t something I’d expected. Tessa did say they were tight on money. Maybe their situation was worse than she’d been letting on.
Tessa rubbed her forehead and I could see her calculating the cost in her head.
I reached for my wallet. “How much were the damages?” The officer looked surprised I’d said anything, as if seeing me for the first time.
Tessa placed a hand on my arm. “Really, Liam, you don’t need to do that.”
Yes, I did. “How much?”
The officer shuffled his papers around but more out of nervousness rather than looking for any kind of figures or information. Finally, he looked up but didn’t meet either of our eyes.
Something wasn’t right.
“Is the shop owner pressing charges?” I asked, thinking we could still work something out. Though given my recent failure with my immigration status, Tessa turning up her flirting may be the only shot. Unless . . . “What if I was to make a donation to the officer’s fund; would that help clear up any misunderstanding?”
“I . . . uh . . . it’s more complicated than that.”
Though Tessa kept a pleasant look on her face, she pressed her palms on the counter in an effort to stay calm. “Go ahead.”
“When officers arrived, they noted that it was pretty clear she’d been drinking.” Tessa’s shoulders slumped as he continued. “The legal limit for her age is .02 BAC. Dani tested at .11 BAC. If it had been lower, maybe it could have been overlooked. But that’s considered intoxicated, even for an adult.”
Tessa stepped back, an unreadable look on her face. “Thanks, Phil. Give me a minute, okay?”
“Sure, sure. Sit anywhere.”
“I think I want to stand.”
Given the number of chairs, for Tessa’s sake, I kept myself from making a remark and guided her to the waiting area.
“She’ll need to be bailed out,” I said, “but like he said, it’s no longer simple. Given she’s over eighteen, it’ll probably stay on her record.”
Tessa rubbed her face. “I don’t know what to do for her. I know she’s grieving but things keep getting worse. She’s losing control and I keep bailing her out.”
“Tell me what you want to do.”
“She can stay here tonight.” Tessa readjusted her purse from one shoulder to the other. “I know you said that she needs to be around friends and family to get through all this, but we’re past that right now. She needs to know how it feels to be in jail to keep her out of it.”
“You sure?”
Tessa nodded. As she took my hand, the bracelet I got her sparkled under the lights. “Besides, I think we have some unfinished business.”
“I think you’re right.”
“My house?”
“Your house.” I started to lead her out but she stopped.
“Probably should let him know.”
“Officer Flirts-a-lot?” I nodded. “Better make it quick. We have to make up for lost time.”
Tessa’s eyes flashed and it thrilled me that her thoughts lined up with mine. “Oh, I plan to.”
CHAPTER 36
Tessa
I closed the front door and thought about how soon it might be that I shut it for the last time.
Then I switched my focus to Liam.
He could have easily said goodnight to me on his rooftop. Besides me having to take the train, there really wasn’t a reason for him to come all the way here.
And even then, if he wanted to be a gentleman, he could have called his car service.
But he didn’t. And he even offered to bail Dani out. What wasn’t there to not like about this man?
I shifted the cuff he gave me around my wrist. This really was too much but I couldn’t say no.
Not to him.
But really, what was there to say no to? Unless there was some big surprise I didn’t know about, the guy was pretty much perfect.
I wanted to kick myself for thinking such a thing. Usually, when someone put the word “perfect” with anything it was right before it all collapsed on them.
I had considered working for my dad to be the perfect job several times just before the world crumbled beneath my feet.
I didn’t want that to happen with Liam. Considering no one was the perfect person, maybe Liam was just perfect for me.
He couldn’t have come into my life at a better time. Other circumstances would have been nice, but like he said, having someone to lean on was everything. He’d definitely been there for me—when I needed a shoulder the most. Talking things out with him on the way up here made me want to be that much closer to him. He didn’t seem the type to unload, yet he did with me. I liked that he saw me as someone he could do that with.
Liam’s gaze roamed over the entryway. “So, this is where you grew up?”
“For the most part.” Standing under the main chandelier, I shifted the crystal vase to the center of the table. I couldn’t remember a time Mom didn’t keep whatever fresh flowers were in season there. After the funeral, I had put one of the arrangements we’d received in water, but now the vase stood empty.
The general feel between Mom’s decoration choices and Liam’s couldn’t be more different. Both had expensive taste, but where she preferred family comfort, Liam chose sleek. Both had appeal, and both made me feel right at home.
I wasn’t sure if my parents’ nature for the finer things was a good or bad thing. It’d help Dani and me when we sold what was here, but wanting to have all this probably pushed them both to spend in the first place.
I mentally slapped myself for not enjoying the moment. I had this gorgeous man to myself. If I wasn’t bailing Dani out of jail, we may as well enjoy the evening.
Before going into the next room, Liam turned to me and rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you happen to have any food here? We sort of skipped dinner.”
I laughed and realized that with the craziness of worrying about Dani, I hadn’t thought about how hungry I was. Now that my stomach had been reminded that it’d only had a few pieces of bread since this morning, it begged to be fed with a rumble.
We went into the kitchen and quickly realized why Dani had raided the bakery. I opened one cabinet after another. “Cornbread, rice, more cornbread . . .” Dani really had cleaned everything fresh out. “A couple times a year, Mom donated most of our canned goods to charity. She must have done that a few weeks ago.”
“We could always have something delivered.”
Liam had a point but then I remembered the night of a thousand take-out containers. “If Dani didn’t burn through all of them.”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Liam. “We can have rice and water.”
“And cornbread. Wait, I’ve got an idea.” As long as Dani hadn’t remembered Dad’s stash, we’d be covered.
Liam followed me from the kitchen to the basement. He had to duck the whole way down the stairs. “Are you taking me down here to feed me or kill me?” His hair swayed back and forth in his face
“Depends on how nice you are.” I stepped to the bottom of Dad’s game room and surveyed the area. “Dani never really liked it down here so maybe we’re in luck.”
“What exactly are we looking for?”
“There, beside the bar.” I walked around the pool table, then through the lounge area with the largest leather couch my dad could find.
“Vending machine?” He checked his pockets. “I’ve got zero change.”
“Not needed. It’s more of the novelty than to make money.” I pushed the button for my favorite: Hostess cupcakes. Then pushed it three more times.
“You are hungry.”
“You’re one to talk,” I said as he cleaned out the beef jerky.
“Gotta have my protein.”
I inhaled my first cupcake. “Chocolate never tasted so good.” I licked a puff of frosting off my finger and grinned at Liam. “I’ll be back in a minute. Make yours
elf at home.”
I stepped up to the bar and pulled out one of the TV trays Dad and his buddies used for games. After taking the other cupcakes from their packages, I broke each in half and set them on the tray.
I could hear Liam hitting a few balls at the pool table and glanced over my shoulder. Once his back was to me, he didn’t see me unzip my dress all the way down. I turned to him, holding the tray with the cupcakes, keeping my elbows against my sides to keep the dress from flapping open.
He kept playing until I set the tray on the green material of the pool table. “Don’t feel like playing a round?”
I let my dress fall from my shoulders and land in a pile on the floor. I stepped to him wearing nothing but my black heels and my new bracelet. “I can think of something else I want to play with.”
The pool cue crashed to the floor with a loud snap but neither of us really noticed it. Grabbing Liam’s belt, I backed him up against the table. His muscular legs strained against his pants as I pulled them down, revealing his thick, long cock.
I still needed to get used to it being uncircumcised. He’d explained that being from Switzerland, being from most anywhere other than the US, this was the custom.
I kept my distance—just far enough away that he’d feel my presence and crave my touch. “Undo your shirt. Take it all off.”
He paused for a moment, straining to release control, then complied until naked. Liam brought his hands up to take me in them, but I stepped back and grabbed his wrists.
One at a time, I had him grip the inside felt lining of the pool table, then set the tray on the floor.
He stood, muscles flexed, wanting to be the one in control. I slowly knelt on my dress and picked up a cupcake, then looked up at him.
With his hard cock right next to me, he knew what was coming, or so he thought. I dipped a finger into the frosting and licked it off.
He groaned and took his hands from the table to run them through my hair. Before he could touch me, I sat back and gave my own mischievous grin. Growling, he put his hands back on the rail.
I picked up the nearest cupcake, scooped out as much frosting as I could, and ran a trail down the length of his shaft. He groaned as I reached the head.
Taking care of him now would be letting him off too easily. He’d had me naked on his roof, after all. Now it was my turn to tease him.
I gathered up the icing from another two cupcakes and smeared it across his dick, making little designs as I went.
“Are you just going to doodle on me all night?”
“Maybe.” I drew a smiley face on the head of his dick that got a good laugh from him.
And maybe I got a little too much frosting. A good bit still lined my finger.
“I’d take the rest of that.” He tried to grab my wrist to eat what remained.
I pulled my arm away and shook my head. “Back on the table.”
He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture and put them back on the table.
I leaned back on my heels and wiped the rest off onto my nipples. “A little treat for you later.”
“And what about now?” His words came out deeper than normal.
“I get my treat.” I licked the head and his body jerked from the sudden touch. His gaze grew more intense by the moment, and when I swirled my tongue, he barred his teeth.
“Tes—sa.” He gasped my name as I covered his shaft with my mouth and sucked the sweet sugar off.
I’d never enjoyed frosted cupcakes quite this much before. “Mmmm.”
He bucked his hips with the vibration of my voice.
Liam’s knuckles turned white from gripping the table and I grabbed his ass. With each swirl of my tongue, he moaned, making me want to pleasure him more.
I kept my rhythm slow. His cock filled my mouth with each stroke and I dug my nails into the muscles of his hard ass.
“You’re so fucking good at—oh yeah.” He tilted his head back as I sped up.
Liam being uncircumcised, I found it easier to slide my mouth down, and I instantly became a big fan. I savored the last bit of the frosting just as his legs started shaking and his moans got louder.
I slowed down.
“I was so close.”
“Mmmm hmmm.”
He shivered underneath me and the moment he began to relax, I sped up again.
“You’re driving—oh!”
I cupped his balls, which nearly sent him over the edge, so I slowed down again.
He grabbed my hair.
I stopped completely, looked up into his eyes, and grinned.
Liam growled and put his hands back on the table.
Very satisfied with myself, I nipped at the tip, then swirled my tongue around and around until I had as much of his dick in my mouth that would fit and began to suck.
Hard.
Faster.
And faster.
My cheeks hollowed and my head bobbed.
“You’re going to make me . . . fuck . . . fuck . . . oh, Tessa. Christ.”
He filled the back of my throat and I did something I never thought I’d ever do: I showed it to him.
“Oh, god, Tessa.” He ran his fingers through my hair. It did feel so good for him to touch me again. Though keeping him at my will for once proved quite enjoyable. “That was amazing.”
I looked into his eyes, still heavy-lidded with pleasure, and swallowed. “Had to get my protein.”
CHAPTER 37
Tessa
Early morning sunlight spilled into my bedroom through pale blue curtains. The walls were the same shade and I’d always wondered with my mom’s good sense of decorative style, how that one slipped by her.
Though summer was just around the corner, goosebumps plucked at my naked skin. I rolled my head to the side to get a better look at him and couldn’t have asked for a better view of his butt.
I frowned and leaned in. Faint red marks branded his skin where I’d dragged my nails across.
Thinking about it, about taking charge, made my face grow warm. I’d never done anything like that before. And it definitely didn’t seem like something Liam was used to. But after we rested for a time, he paid me back.
And then some.
There was nothing I’d take back from last night. In fact, this had to be the best I’d felt since Dani called me about our parents.
I looked over to Liam, whose arm and leg were draped across his body as though I had been beneath him during the night and scooted away at some point. For all I knew, that was probably what happened.
Liam groaned and rolled to his back and I made my way back to where I’d started the night. Okay, maybe not where I’d started. That would be a very different position.
Once I was wedged beside him, I lay my head on his bicep. With eyes still closed, he reached over with his other hand and stroked my arm. His touch sent shivers across my skin.
“When did we lose the blankets?” I asked.
“Had to have been round one.”
I blushed, then blushed again seeing his cock harden, ready for another go. I wasn’t quite sure what number we were on, but didn’t plan to start counting now.
“You have another?”
He grinned and grabbed a condom from the pack we’d picked up from the gas station on the way to my house. Why we hadn’t thought to grab food as well was beyond me, though I did enjoy my fill of cupcakes last night.
His arms and legs, strong enough to pin me to a lounge chair, were now gentle as he leaned over me. Both naked, we warmed each other as our skin touched. And as we did, it felt like we were already coming together.
“You’re beautiful, Tessa.” His look deepened and I wondered what that gaze meant. His pupils dilated and I wanted to join in on the pleasure.
Liam stroked my hair, then kissed my exposed nipple. As he swirled his tongue around, he looked at me, eyes more intense than before.
“What is it?” My words felt foreign on my lips and I realized I wanted his mouth on mine. I reached up and took a
handful of his hair in my fist and pulled his head down to mine.
I pressed my lips against his and immediately felt the connection—the heat surging between us every time we were together. More and more, I found myself drawn to his kiss, like a slow-acting pleasure drug. I opened my mouth to run my tongue along his, and as we twisted and twirled them together, we moved our passion from simmer to scald.
Liam cupped my cheek as I dropped my head to the pillow. He ran his fingers down my throat, between my breasts, circling each one in a slow spiral until reaching the beaded nipple. He trailed his way down my stomach and across my pubic bone. I sucked in a breath as he moved down, but instead, he caressed my thigh, down my calf, until he began to massage my foot.
My body instantly relaxed and I gazed up at my ceiling as he made slow circles around my heel. Moving from one foot to the other, I closed my eyes. It felt as though I sank into the sheets, then the mattress, until my mind floated and I was wrapped in warmth.
“Oh!” I screamed as Liam licked my clit, sending the most unexpected jolt down my body.
He buried his face between my legs and lapped at my heat. The longer he was there, the slower he went, making every pass more excruciating than the last. My back bowed as he slowly slipped in his fingers. The rhythm would be calming if it wasn’t so stimulating.
He sat up to watch me as he continued to play with my g-spot. No doubt I would have been sent over the edge if he hadn’t been taking his sweet time. I dug my fingers into the bed, wishing I had something to cling onto, but the fitted sheet stuck by its name.
“How much do you want this to be me?” He pushed his fingers in again.
“So . . . much.” I said the words in time with his strokes.
“Tell me what you want.”
“I want . . . I want you inside me.” I felt myself become wet as I said the words. So ready for him.
“Good girl.” His voice deepened as he groaned the words.
I did—I wanted him inside me. Needed him. With every thrust of his fingers, I knew what I could have, and didn’t yet.
“Please.” My voice didn’t sound like my own. “Please.”
Liam leaned over and nipped my ear. “That’s what I want to hear. Tell me again.”