Harkham's Case (Harkam's #1)

by Chanse Lowell

  His cheeks reddened. Hers probably did as well, because her face heated.

  Mari grabbed the soap and quickly washed him before the water went cold on them, and before she tried to experiment with the future promises they just made.

  * * *

  Adam couldn’t stop grabbing her every chance he got. His mind replayed what they did in the shower over and over. What would it be like to be touching each other at the same time? If his fingers were inside her while her hand was wrapped around him—would it be even better, if that was possible? He wanted to try that right now, and nobody would know. He’d keep quiet about it this time. No blabbing afterward with Zach or Dad, or anybody else. He’d learned it was upsetting to Mari when he shared private moments like that.

  Kendra kept watching him in class. It was like she knew he’d been touched and sucked into ecstasy down there by Mari.

  It made him anything but hard or sore or fat to have that gross girl’s eyes on him.

  She was ickier than anybody he knew. Tara was gross, too, but she didn’t have as many classes with him.

  It must be a family trait of theirs to make him feel revolted.

  Kendra smiled several times and waved.

  He looked away each time and tightened his hold on Mari’s hand.

  He snuggled his head onto his fiancé’s shoulder. A thrill raced through him at the thought of that word.

  She’s gonna marry me! I can have my dick in her anytime I want. I’ll have lots of sex with her in and out of the shower! I want that. So much!

  He played with the ring on Mari’s finger as his dick hardened.

  “Remember when we were in the shower and you touched me?” he whispered in her ear.

  “Yes, Adam. It was this morning,” she said, laughing quietly. It was low and deep and made him scoot closer.

  “I liked it a lot. When we’re married, I’m going to shower with you every day.” He rubbed his cheek on her shoulder, settling in even more. She didn’t care when fluids came out of him. She said she wanted them on her. So he let that happen. It flew onto her lips, and she looked like a tasty treat with him on her.

  He sucked on his lower lip, remembering how it smelled and tasted when she kissed him afterward. His eyes roamed to her breasts for a moment.

  “My dick’s remembering it right now. It’s telling me it wants it again, by being hard for you. Wanna be sneaky and feel?”

  She gave him a look that said he was turning her on, but that he also better behave.

  “I won’t tell anyone.” He pulled his head off her shoulder and crossed his heart.

  She choked off a giggle.

  “I swear—and you’ll know I’m right, because you’ll see I can be quiet.” He looked around to make sure no one was watching. When it was clear nobody would see, he grabbed her hand in his and placed it on his bulging cock, cupping her hand around him. God, that felt good. He needed it. Bad!

  “Ad-am!” she hissed and yanked it off him.

  “What? Was it scary how hard it was?” He blinked and leaned toward her. “I thought you said you liked how hung I am and how big my dick is, so it’ll feel real tight in your pussy when you finally let me inside you.” He kept it to a whisper, but he wished he didn’t have to. It would be best if they could really discuss how his hardness was frightening her right now. This was cause for serious concern. What had changed since the shower this morning? Was she scared he’d shoot through his pants and onto her mouth again while they were in class? He didn’t think that could happen. The material should absorb any stray come, should it leave his body.

  So what was the problem here?

  “We are not discussing this right now.” Her eyes hardened.

  “Please—it wants you, and it wants to know why. I do, too.” He gave a pouty lip.

  “No, I’m not scared of your hard-on. But I can’t be groping you in class. We’ll get caught.”

  The teacher called on Kendra, and she sat with her mouth open like a dead fish.

  “Maybe somebody can help you out with the answer since evidently paying attention is a difficult task for you today,” the teacher told her.

  Adam’s head sprang up from Mari’s shoulder, and he called out the answer.

  “That’s correct, Mr. Latham, but maybe you could keep a safe distance back there. There are rules for couples in this classroom.” He pointed, letting Adam know he needed to move back to his own designated spot.

  “I like it here. I’m not moving,” Adam said.

  “What did you say?” The teacher’s brows shot up.

  “You know I have problems, and being with Mari keeps me under control,” he announced with pride coursing through his veins. This was his girlfriend. He was happy to tell people he would be in her space and it was still something a guy could do without being embarrassed.

  “I told you from the start—holding hands is one thing—manhandling, kissing and practically being in her lap is something else. Separate or I’m sending you to the office.” The teacher’s eyes narrowed. He pushed his glasses up.

  The whole classroom was staring at Adam. His insides were crying like a waterfall on a mountainside. If he went to the office, he might get thrown out for talking back to the teacher.

  “I’ll behave,” Adam said, shifting away and inching to his side, where he was supposed to sit all by himself. His hand was still in hers. “And I apologize for breaking your rules.” And that you’re so lonely you don’t get that she makes my dick sing and makes my heart melt. Otherwise, you’d get it and never tell me to move away from her. You’re just a sad, sad man.

  The teacher glared, then turned back to the whiteboard and went on with the lesson.

  “He knows you’re horny,” Mari whispered. She smiled and kissed the back of his hand.

  “Probably everybody knows. I’m not good at hiding it.” He smiled sheepishly. “But if it doesn’t bother you, then I’m okay with it.”

  “I love it.” She winked.

  He brought their clasped hands under the table and pinched her thigh.

  She jumped a little, and a moment later, Kendra’s hand was in the air.

  “They’re still doing it, Mr. Matthews. I just saw them kiss, and he was pinching her in very inappropriate places.” Kendra’s jaw tensed and twitched.

  The teacher sighed, and his shoulders pushed back.

  “Miss Cole, Mr. Latham . . . Head to the office. Talk to your guidance counselor and don’t come back here until you can stay in your own seats, keep your hands to yourselves and act like mature, responsible students.”

  Mari stood up abruptly and yanked Adam up after her. “We’re all those things. And Kendra’s lying because she’s out to break us apart. She’s been obsessed with Adam ever since he came here.”

  “Whatever, psycho . . . Like you’re one to talk,” Kendra said and faked a yawn while rolling her eyes.

  Mari dragged him along behind her once he grabbed their backpacks.

  She stormed down the hallway. “I’m gonna tear that nasty fucking bitch a new hole. Then maybe she’ll be able to satisfy Rory and they’ll both leave us alone,” she muttered.

  Wait, what? His skin prickled on his chest.

  He yanked her back so she’d stumble into him. She gasped, and he dropped the bags.

  “Mari, I want to know now . . . What did you do with Rory, and how is Kendra a part of all this? Why’s she obsessed with me?” He blinked hard and scuffed his shoe on the ground. His veins were jumping around like somebody was tickling him in a yucky way. It was like bugs were on him.

  He shivered uncontrollably for a moment.

  “I wish you wouldn’t ask me this. I know we said we wouldn’t lie, but some things you’d be better off not knowing about.” She released a tight, stuttered sigh.

  “I’m not walking one more step until you tell me, even if it means I get in big trouble and they kick me out of school again.”

  Her jaw and cheeks tightened as she clenched her teeth together. He ghosted
his hand across the taut muscles. They loosened a little bit, but still looked hard.

  “Three years ago when I had my first relapse, Rory wanted me to teach Kendra—show her what she was doing wrong while they had sex in front of me. She didn’t like what I had to say. She’s a lousy lay, and Rory confuses her because he uses her, then pushes her away when he gets sick of her. I’ve been told he compares her to me all the time to her face.”

  “There’s more, though, isn’t there?” His eyes filled with tears.

  “Yeah, there’s more. I taught her how to give him a blow job while milking his prostate. She gagged while doing it and then threw up. I flipped out because of the vomit. He shot me full of so many drugs so I could block it all out of my head, thinking he was doing me a favor. I wound up going to the hospital because I was ODing.” She looked away, and her voice got tiny. A tear was swiped away by her so fast, he barely registered it had been there. He ran his fingers down her arm. She wrapped her arms around her stomach. “My mom said she was going to send me to my dad, so I cleaned up again. But a few months later, I relapsed again. This time, Rory talked us into the reverse. I had sex with him while Kendra watched. She cried the entire time. He didn’t notice or care. I felt horrible, so I avoided them both from then on. Rory’s pursued me ever since, thinking we could pick back up, and I could continue to teach her or let him use me. Probably both.” She quirked her shoulders into a hint of a shrug. Her chin touched her chest. “God, I hate myself.”

  “Don’t . . .” He pulled her into a hug. Her fists were all balled up as her arms were tucked up in between their chests. “It’s not your fault. Don’t hate yourself. You can regret it, that’s all right, but there’s nothing to hate.”

  “I’m disgusting . . .”

  “No, you’re not,” he said with a firm grip around her. “You’re beautiful because you’ve survived ugly things and they made you stronger.” His lips pressed into her hair, and he burrowed his nose inside. “You don’t even smell like smoke anymore.”

  She shook a little. Was she laughing or crying?

  “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted a cigarette all day, but your dad promised he’d have something for me today after school.”

  “Should we just go home and ditch? Or do we need to head to the office?” He smashed his lips back into her scalp. The smell of her shampoo reminded him once again of their shower. “Or maybe . . . Or maybe we stop going to school. We go ahead and get our GEDs and get married.” His dick nodded in agreement, seconding the motion.

  “I’ve created a monster between your legs. All you think about is how fast we can end your virginity.” She chuckled in a husky way and coughed at the end.

  “We’re not breaking any more rules. We’re both going to graduate, and we’ll get married after.” She wiggled out of his arms, and they went to the office, regardless of his meaty cock, still engorged and whispering her name inside his pants.

  Once they were in his counselor’s office, Adam declared, “I messed up in class, but it was minor. We’re smart—we understand what we did wrong. It won’t happen again.”

  “He’s a moody bastard. Ignore Mr. Matthews. Why don’t you go hang out in the library until your next class. And don’t you dare tell him I called him that,” Mr. Perez said with a wink.

  Adam shook his hand. Mari cringed but did the same.

  “I’m obligated to tell the truth, so I want you to know, you probably saved me from being kicked out again. I’m gonna try really hard to make it through the school year,” Adam told him, waved and they left.

  And if Adam said it, well then, it was sure to happen.

  Chapter 23

  Once they were out of the counselor’s office, Adam found a corner in the hallway and put Mari there.

  He looked her in the eye. “We’re not staying here.”

  “But we’re supposed to go to the library, and you just promised him . . .” Her brow scrunched a little, and her stomach tightened.

  “I know I told him that. And I’ll do all those things. But we’ve already been a little bad today without meaning to. Might as well keep going.” He grinned at her.

  “What are you up to?” she asked, her voice playful, pretending to scowl.

  “I like road trips.”

  She nodded. “O-kaaay.”

  “And you like them, too. I can tell.”

  “I do, but it’s a school day. We can’t just take off.” Her stomach clamped down a little harder. Where was he going with this?

  “Yes, we can. We both have passes to leave campus at lunchtime, so we can go.”

  She shuffled her feet backward, pushing herself up against the wall. Her eyes searched his face. Was he just hungry for lunch and not in the mood for cafeteria food? Was that all this was about?

  “I feel like you’ve got a plan here that you’re not sharing with me.” She held her breath.

  “I will share. I always share with you—just not now.” He tried to wink, but instead it kind of looked like he was squinting out in the sun.

  She chuckled. “What am I going to do with you and all of your adorableness?”

  “You’re going to enjoy it in the car. Now, follow me.” He grabbed her hand and strung her along in the hallway.

  The second he had her in his Mercedes, his lips crashed down on hers.

  “We’re going to make really pretty babies,” he said, cupping the back of her head, keeping his forehead resting on hers.

  She swallowed. “Adam . . . Any children you make will be breathtaking.” She stroked his shoulders.

  “I mean today. Today we’ll make a pretty baby. You’ll see.”

  She smiled and sighed like the world was nothing but a harmonious place to be.

  “Today is not gonna happen.” She shifted away from him, breaking contact.

  He only smirked, started the car and drove off.

  When they were about five minutes past his house, she turned to him. “Where are you taking us?”

  “Vegas.”

  “Uh . . .” She gripped her legs and squeezed them. “Why?”

  “To get married. We’ve done what others are asking us to do, and it’s not working.” He gripped the wheel tighter and stretched his neck to the left.

  “Sweetie—listen to me . . . We’re not ready to be married. As much as we both like the idea of being on our own, having sex all night and day—it’s not practical. We’d have no place to live. How awkward is it going to be if we come back married and have to still live in your dad’s house? He’s going to be very uncomfortable. You’re whole family will be.”

  “I don’t care. They don’t understand. None of them are in love like we are—so they don’t get it. And it’s only temporary. We can still finish school and figure out our future. Nothing’s changed—not really. Only we’ll have a paper and rings that say we belong to each other, and I get to have more than my fingers down your panties.” He sucked in some saliva, and his eyes lit up.

  “Everything will be changed, and you know it. People get weirded about by stuff like this. Just knowing we’re married will bother them to no end.” She paused and reached over, gripping his arm. “Please, sweetie. I know it’s hard to see past our own wants and needs, but they’re going to be hurt we snuck off and did this without them. Marriage is more than two people. It’s about family.” Her stomach dropped on her. That’s what she’d always wanted. More than anything—a real family. She couldn’t give that up now. Or at least not the possibility of it in her future. If she did this, she’d be breaking more of their trust.

  “We can work it out.” His voice shook and cracked at the end.

  “We can. You’re right.” She nodded, humoring him and then looked straight ahead.

  Honestly, she couldn’t blame him. She’d had this crazy notion in her head before, right after they got back from Alta. She already had a ring they could use, and it was on that very finger right now where it would need to be for them to be married. Vegas was the next logical step, but stil
l . . . This felt very wrong to go behind his family’s back this way.

  In time, he’d figure this all out and understand what she was saying. He’d know she understood how he felt, but also determine it was best to wait. It would be better for everyone involved.

  Right now, he was in a frenzy to have her. His tight bulge in the middle of his jeans said exactly where his mind was at, and all day at school, he was extra handsy.

  She kept thinking he’d probably be limping by the end of the day, the poor guy.

  “I knew you’d trust me.” He smiled and then sang to the music. “We’ll be there a little before dinnertime. We can sit and eat together, find a hotel and then get married before we go to bed.” He growled the final word.

  “And how are we going to pay for all of this?” A lump formed in her throat. He was really serious about all this. He really meant every word. This wasn’t just some fantasy. He intended to go through with it.

  Holy shit! Could she stop him at this point?

  She clasped her hands together in her lap, hiding her mother’s ring, still on her ring finger.

  Dammit! She looked down at her ring. It was her fault. She should’ve taken that off a long time ago, but he loved it so much, it warmed her heart to see him so happy each time he saw it.

  “We don’t need to buy rings,” he said as if reading her mind. “You already have one on, and I don’t have to get one right now. We can wait.” He cleared his throat. “In fact—we don’t even have to tell anyone we’re married. It can be our little secret.”

  She barked a laugh. “Yeah, right.”

  “Why do you say that?” He eyed her momentarily, then went back to watching the road.

  “I said that because once you know you can get in my pants, you’ll be in them all the time. I won’t have the strength to resist you. I’m barely able to do that now. We’ll get caught.”

  He grinned and bopped his head. “And when that happens, we’ll show them our marriage certificate. It’ll buy us some time.”