Weathering the Storm by Brynn Paulin

 

 

 

Chapter Eight

~ Heller ~

Sitting next to Becca in the dark, I couldn’t help realizing how lucky I was. I knew I’d walked a thin line when I arrived at her place. She was glad to see me, but she almost sent me away. It could have gone either direction there for a few moments. Everything in me had said to grab her to me and kiss her into agreeing. I could have capitalized on how her eyes dilated with desire when I get growly and demanding of her submission to my owning her.

A small voice had told me that taking advantage of her desire wouldn’t get me the return I wanted. Sex wasn’t a relationship. And I wanted the whole thing: sex, companionship, a partner at my side.

Walking through the lobby and going through the concessions line had driven home to me that she had a pseudo-celebrity status in this town, and with it, she likely had an image to uphold. She wasn’t comfortable with me. Yet. We walked close, side by side, but she wouldn’t let me put my arm around her or hold her hand. That frustrated the hell out of me. I wouldn’t let me pay for our date, which also frustrated me. But she had free passes for the movie and snacks through work, so it wasn’t too big of a hit to my pride.

Already, I was figuring out how to do this, so I could pay for her in the future. I wouldn’t be a freeloader or someone she had to take care of. I wasn’t sure how. I was probably an idiot to try to date someone of her caliber while I was struggling to get by. But if I’d figured out things this far, I’d figure out the rest.

Now in the dark auditorium, I took a chance, reaching over and capturing her hand in mine. For half a second, I felt her stiffen and thought she’d pull away. Instead, she turned her hand in mine. My thumb absently—perhaps not so absently—stroked circles on the back of the smooth skin. It was something, and I vowed not to press for more while we were in a public place with people paying attention to her actions.

Fruitlessly, I attempted to focus on the movie screen. It was some story about a guy who’d connected to his father who’d died many years earlier. They talked through a ham radio, bridging some time-space continuum or something. It had come out last month, but I didn’t see movies, so anything Becca picked had been fine with me. All my attention shattered, going to her hand when she shifted it from my grip. But she didn’t pull away. Her cheek leaned against my shoulder as she cuddled closer. I snaked my arm around her, and she hummed, getting even nearer. I suddenly hated the armrest between us, but I knew I couldn’t drag her over into my lap, even if I really, really wanted to.

I sucked in a breath. The darkness had given her courage and her fingers curved, holding onto my thigh, the tips slipping to the inside. Her hand moved back and forth, stroking a few inches toward my knee then back. I swore she got closer and closer to my ever-hardening dick with each pass.

“Becca,” I whispered.

“Shh,” she half-hummed. “Watch the movie.”

Right. One-hundred percent chance that wouldn’t be happening. Especially when her hand bumped against my fly. I widened my legs and slouched a little. She took the access and full on cupped me. My gaze flew to her face but found she had hers firmly focused on the screen. I bet she was seeing as much as I was, though. None of it.

Her fingers flexed, and I shifted, biting back a groan. Her little huff of sound, a half-laugh, made it very clear she knew what she was doing to me. I took the bag of popcorn off her lap and moved it to mine, hiding her action while she drove me mad.

I leaned toward her ear. “I hope you know there will be payback later. I’m totally going to spank you, naughty weathergirl.”

Fuck, I hoped there would be retribution. I wanted her spread out beneath me while I drove her insane with my mouth.”

“If you’re lucky,” she murmured back.

“Oh, I’m getting lucky,” I vowed.

Becca grinned and flexed her fingers around me again. I liked it. More than for the sexual aspect and the fact we were growing closer through playing. To me, it meant she might be willing to try for a relationship between us. Just a man and a woman on equal footing. Mostly. I couldn’t deny there were some ways we were on opposite poles. That wouldn’t stop me. I’d never been one to back down from a challenge.

My lips pressed to the top of her head.

“Are you actually watching this?” she whispered.

I shook my head. Did she really think I could, while her sweet little hand was exploring my erection through the denim that kept us from being skin-on-skin?

“Maybe, we can rent it when it gets to Blockbuster in a few months,” she suggested.

I nodded. “You wanna go?”

I got her nod in return. Her lips pressed to my ear. “I’m kind of interested in this payback you mentioned.”

Shooting to my feet, I headed for the aisle, pulling her behind me.

Tension vibrated between us as she drove toward her place, and continued as we walked side by side up to her door.

She leaned against it, looking up at me. “You’re coming in?”

My chin dropped in a single nod. “My mouth’s watering to be on that sweet pussy of yours again.”

Her gaze skittered back and forth as if making sure no one had heard me. Shit. Would it always be like this? Could I be her big secret? The idea barely crossed my mind before I affirmed it. I would do whatever she wanted. For now.

I leaned in, kissing and nipping her neck in a growling path to her ear. “Let me in, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big, Bad Wolf will have you moaning and screaming all night long.”

Her breath sucked in as she fidgeted, and I knew without a doubt, those perfect thighs were pressing together as she imagined what I’d do to her. My knee wedged between them, stopping her and making her look up at me.

“Come in,” she whispered.

And I followed her inside, leading her right to the bedroom and making good on my promise for the next few hours. Morning came far too soon, but this time, we parted with a lingering kiss instead of angry words.