Awaken Me (The Jaded Series Book 4) (31 page)

“Nick? What are you doing here?” she says on a squeak, clutching the door with one hand, while the other lies right below her breasts. Breasts that at closer inspection show little hard tips pushing against her shirt.

Fuck! She’s not wearing a bra!

She gasps, and I yank my eyes away from the tempting sight and back to her face. She crosses her arms over her chest and her eyes are now wide, watching me with a mixture of shock and desire.

“Shit,” I mutter. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

Heat fills her cheeks when she says breathlessly, “Yes.”

I’m such an ass.

“Sorry,” I mumble. I open my mouth again, hoping nothing else stupid falls out. “I came by to see if you wanted to have dinner.” My voice is huskier than I meant it to be, but fuck, she can’t expect anything less with the way she’s looking at the moment.

“Oh, uh… sure,” she says. The red in her cheeks grows deeper when she glances down at her clothes. “I just got out of the shower. There was an accident today at school. Let me go put some clothes on.”

I nod, only just restraining myself from getting in her space and pulling her body to mine. My jaw clenches, and I dig my fingernails in my palms.

Fuck, but I want to feel her, touch her, and taste her. I want to have her run her hands down my stomach. I want to wrap my hands in her hair and take her mouth in a punishing kiss. I want to lie face-to-face and rut between her legs. I want to feel her pussy strangling my cock.

Fuck!

“Good idea,” I barely get out through my suddenly dry throat.

Instead of walking away, she tilts her head to the side and asks, “You okay?”

Am I okay? I want to laugh. Fuck no, I’m not okay. It’s taking every bit of control I have to not storm to her, back her against a wall, and fuck her with both my mouth and dick. She stands there so innocent looking while I’m stuck here watching her in her cute little tank, sleep pants, and mound of hair on top of her head, raging a war with myself.

I take a step toward her. Then another and another, until I’m only a couple inches from her. Her eyes go wider with every step I take, and her chest pumps rapidly with the short breaths she’s taking. My own breathing isn’t much better, and when I smell her sweet sugary smell, it only makes my need worse. I grab a lock of hair that’s fallen from her sexy updo and rub it between my fingers.

“No, Sugar, I’m not okay. It’s really hard standing here with your nipples peeking out at me and that cute little glimpse of your stomach. I came here to ask you to dinner, but what I really want right now is to shove you against this wall, wrap your legs around my waist, and drive my cock inside you until we both can’t stand.” I dip my head and rest my lips against her cheek by her ear. “Now, I want you to turn around and go get dressed before I do the asshole thing and do exactly what I just said.”

I pull back from her and see her flushed face. It satisfies me, seeing that look and knowing I put it there.

“Okay,” she says breathlessly.

“Okay,” I whisper back, and tuck an errant hair behind her ear.

She stays there for a few seconds before she starts walking backward, neither of us dropping our eyes from the other. She makes it to the mouth of her hallway and then turns and walks away. I watch the jiggle of her ass in her tight yoga pants. My cock gives a jerk in my jeans. I remember seeing that ass the night I took her. I want to see it again. I want to grab handfuls of it while I pound into her. And watch it turn red from the slap of my palm.

I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my hair. Glancing around Chris’s apartment, I see it hasn’t really changed since Bailey lived here. There’s not much to it, just a tiny kitchen, a small living room, and the hallway that leads to a linen closet, a bathroom, and the bedroom. All can be seen from where I’m standing. But I guess if you’re by yourself, it would be enough. I can’t imagine being closed up in such a small space.

Chris walks out a few minutes later in black skinny jeans that mold to her ass and legs, a light blue shirt, and a pair of low black heels. Her hair is still damp and pulled into a loose bun. Her makeup is minimal. I like that she didn’t dress up real classy in a dress and high heels.

She grabs her purse and walks to me. Instead of leading her to the door, I put a hand on her waist to halt her.

“Before we leave, there’s something I want,” I tell her.

“What’s that?” she asks.

“This.”

I dip my head and put my lips to hers. I haven’t kissed her yet and it’s something I’ve thought about since that night in my room. My lips barely skimmed hers at Jaxon’s and it’s only amped up my need to taste her.

I run my tongue along the seam of her lips and she opens immediately. I slip inside and meet her tongue with mine. Her taste hits me like a ton of bricks. Everything about her tastes like sugar and vanilla. It’s quickly becoming my favorite thing. I even bought some sugar cookies from a deli other day because they reminded me of her. It’s fucking lame, but I ate every single one in one sitting and thought about her.

I don’t pull her to me, instead just keeping one hand on her waist. If I feel her against me right now, there’s no way I’ll be able to hold myself back. We would never make it to dinner.

Her hands are on my chest, her tiny fists gathering the material there. Our kiss isn’t rushed. It’s soft, languid, and slow.

I know I shouldn’t allow this. The kind of kiss we’re sharing is for people who care for each other. And while I care enough for Chris to not want to hurt her, what we’re starting doesn’t deserve this type of kiss.

I pull away from her before I let it get too far. I need to make sure I keep things platonic. Giving her the wrong idea is the last thing I want to do.

She looks dazed and breathless when I place my hand on her back and lead her to the door.

“Come on,” I say huskily. “We’re going to that new Mexican place in the next town over.”

It takes about thirty minutes to get to the restaurant. Our ride into town is made mostly with small talk about unimportant stuff. We’re seated and the waitress takes our order.

“You said there was an accident at school. Is everything okay?” I ask, curious about what she does at work.

She puts her glass back down and places her hands in her lap.

“Yeah. One of the troubled kids started a food fight during lunch. I was one of the ones who waded in to stop it. Let’s just say, I didn’t come out the way I went in.” She wrinkles her nose, causing a laugh to escape me.

“Do you have a lot of trouble with him?”

“Yeah, but I think something may be going on at home. He used to be a good kid, never caused problems, made good grades, but this year he’s changed. I’ve tried talking to him, but he won’t say anything. Just sits there with his head down. I’ve called his mom a couple times but she never answers. If I can’t get in touch with her soon, I’m going to make a trip to his house.”

Worry slithers through me with the thought of her going into an uncertain situation like that. I don’t like it.

“Are you sure that’s smart? Going to someone’s house you don’t know without any knowledge of the situation?”

She shrugs, like it’s not a big deal. I grit my teeth. She has no idea what she could be walking into.

“I can’t
not
do anything. There’s obviously something going on. He needs help but is too scared to say something, or thinks no one can help. I refuse to sit back and watch him fall, especially because I know the type of kid he was before. That’s what I’m there for; to make sure they become the best they can be. I won’t be like the guidance counselors in my old school. It took years for someone to notice shit was going on at home and decide to step in and help. He reminds me of me at that age and I have to do something.”

I get what she’s saying, but that doesn’t mean she should put herself in potential danger.

I lean forward in my seat.

“I don’t want you going by yourself.” I hold my hand up when she tries to speak. “Let me know when you go, and I’ll come with you.”

She shakes her head like she’s going to disagree, but I don’t give her the chance. “I’m asking you to do this for me, Sugar. To give me peace of mind.”

She considers her answer for several seconds, biting her lip, before she nods. “Okay.”

I lean back in my chair, feeling much better. I’ve seen my fair share of women getting hurt. No way will I let her take a chance with her safety. I’m sure it’ll be okay, but just in case… I want to be there if it gets out of hand.

“Thank you.”

The waiter brings our food a few minutes later and we both dig in. Talk is limited with us eating, but we still manage light conversation. I tell her about the repairs I’ve done to the house and she tells me the conversation she had with her mom the other day. Apparently, her mom is trying really hard to make up for all the years she was a shitty mother. She and Jase are talking now, but they’ve got a long way to go.

“Did you ever find out if those bones your crew found were human or animal?” Chris asks, setting her fork down and wiping her mouth with her napkin.

I nod. “We did. Unfortunately, they were human. They belonged to a cop who had put away a gang member. The guy’s brother killed him in retaliation. It happened ten years ago.”

“Oh wow! That’s awful. Did they find the guy who did it?”

“No, he was killed a couple years ago. It was gang related.”

“Good riddance to him,” she mutters, almost making me laugh, surprised she can be so bloodthirsty.

I grab my water and take a swallow to hide my smile. It’s not a laughing matter, but the disgust in her eyes for someone she’s never met is so different from her normal hesitant sweet self.

Replacing my glass on the table, I ask, “Are you ready?”

Her eyes widen with excitement and nerves as her hands curl into balls on the table. My own body tenses, ready and fucking willing to get back to her place and finally take her the way I should have taken her the first time.

“Yes,” she says, her voice unsteady.

I get up, grab her hand, and go pay our bill. We don’t say anything on the way to the truck, but the tension is thick in the air. We both know what’s going to happen once I get her home. My heart picks up speed and all the blood in my body rushes south, making sitting down very uncomfortable.

The truck is quiet as we drive the dark roads back to Jaded Hollow. I have to force my foot to not slam down on the gas pedal. I’m impatient to get her home and have her underneath me, above me, in front of me. There’re so many things I want to do to her that I didn’t do the other night. Now that I’ve given in to this need, my body demands I follow through.

My palms itch to peel down her tight jeans and strip off her shirt. My tongue aches to slide across her delicious skin and taste her dripping cunt. My cock throbs with the need to plunge inside her willing body. I grip the steering wheel to keep from reaching for her, which would be suicide since I need both my hands to drive.

I pull up behind Jaxon’s Pub and throw my truck in park. I almost rip the handle off the door in my rush to get it open. I round the hood. Chris has her door open by the time I make it to her. I don’t give her the chance to step down to the ground. Her butt is still in the truck, so I walk between her legs. She wraps them around my waist, and I lift her and slam the door shut. She grips two handfuls of hair when I slant my mouth over hers.

I walk blindly toward the stairs. Both our breaths are coming ragged when I make it to the outside door. Keeping one hand on her ass, I open it with the other one. Chris trails her lips down my neck, taking little bites along the way, as I take us up the stairs. I can’t keep the deep groan from leaving my lips.

“Keys,” I grunt at her.

She either doesn’t hear me or she’s too into what she’s doing to care. I don’t want her to stop, but I need to get her inside.

I pull my head back, so her lips leave my neck.

“Keys, Sugar. Now.”

She looks dazed for a moment before she realizes what I said.

“Purse,” she rasps out and pulls the strap from her arm so she can dig inside for the keys.

It feels like she takes forever before she dangles them in front of my face. I snatch them from her hand and unlock her door. I kick the door closed behind us and head straight for her room. I hear a thump and know she dropped her purse.

When my knees bump the bed, I drop her onto it. She gives a small squeal and gets up on her elbows.

“Get undressed,” I tell her as I strip my own shirt over my head.

She hesitates and a worried look crosses her face. I know immediately what she’s thinking. I grit my teeth, knowing it’s me and my stupid behavior the last time we were in this situation that put that look there. It’s me that has made her doubt herself.

I bent, place my hands on either side of her head, and look deep into her eyes. “I’m sorry,” I tell her and place a soft kiss against her lips. “I’m sorry,” I tell her again and kiss down her neck. I pull back and look at her again. “I’m so damn sorry, Chris. I know I’m a bastard for what I did. And for what I’m doing now, knowing I can’t give you what you deserve, but I swear you were the only one on my mind that night. And you’re the only one I’m thinking about now.”

I push away the guilt I feel at that.

She watches me for a few seconds before she nods. I nearly groan with the relief.

I kiss her one more time before I stand back up and watch as she crosses her arms over her chest, grips the edge of her shirt, and pulls it over her head. My eyes go to the white lacy bra she’s wearing. It’s not what I expected. The cups are almost see-through and they only barely cover her nipples. My eyes fly to her to see she’s watching me with uncertainty.

“Did you wear that for me?” I ask her hoarsely, praying like fuck she says yes.

She nods and says timidly, “Yes.”

Son of a bitch!

This woman is going to kill me. Knowing she wore something as sexy as this while we ate does something to me. And knowing she wore it specifically for me damn near has me shredding both our jeans and plundering her pussy.