Page 36 of I'll Keep Her Safe

“Yes, that’s it. Suck me good, baby. Take my cock down your throat.” Who knows if he actually talks dirty like this in real life, but in my fantasy he’s filthy. “Such a good girl, sucking my cock so perfectly.” His breathing gets choppy as he reaches his limit. “Fuck, Poppy, yes—”

And with that, he grips my hair, spilling down my throat with a guttural roar. In my bed, I bite my fist to keep from moaning aloud as my body shakes with my orgasm, imagining what it would be like to feel him explode in my mouth, to swallow his salty seed.

As I settle down into my mattress, I hear Wyatt shift again in the tub, releasing a relieved sigh, almost as if I’d made him come for real.

God, what I wouldn’t give to make that happen.

15

Wyatt

Ihardly sleep, and it’s not because my back aches like hell. Partly, I’m worried about how I’m going to check in at the community garden this weekend, like I’d promised Marty I would.

Mostly, I’m thinking about Poppy. About the feeling of her soft fingertips working my stiff muscles, her hot breath fanning my upper back as she sat so close.

About what an absolute dirtbag I am for getting turned on by her trying to help me. I know she’s already dealing with a shitty ex, and there’s no way I want to add to her stress. No way I want to do anything to make her feel uncomfortable—or unsafe.

Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice how I could hardly breathe when she touched me, how I had to shift in my seat. And as soon as my shirt was back on and we ate dinner, everything was fine.

So the lesson here is that we simply shouldn’t touch. That won’t be a problem going forward. In what other scenario would I need to touch her?

Only the kind where I’m not allowed.

I try to push the idea from my head, but I’m restless all night at the thought, and my dick won’t get the message. It started in the bathtub, which was Poppy’s suggestion, and while it helped my back, all I could think about was how much I wished she would join me. My imagination ran wild with thoughts of her warm, naked body pressed to mine in the water. I figured once I got out of the tub I’d be fine, but no, I had a raging boner until morning because I refused to touch it. There’s no way I would have been able to do that without picturing Poppy, with those perfect red lips and soft curves, and there’s no way I’ll sink low enough to do that.

Instead, I toss and turn, trying to get comfortable, trying to sleep. It’s a relief when dawn finally breaks, and I manage with great effort to get myself down to the kitchen. After turning the coffee machine on, I head to the sofa with the heating pad and pop a couple more Advil.

Poppy appears in the kitchen a moment later, her hair tied up in a ponytail, which I’ve never seen. It’s obscenely cute, especially with the ruffled red top that sits off her shoulders and the denim cutoffs that display her shapely legs. It takes all my strength not to look.

Her gaze meets mine as she enters the kitchen, and her cheeks stain pink. “Uh, hi.” She moves to the coffee machine, biting back a secret smile as she pours her coffee. Sugar winds around her feet, and she fills the kitten’s bowl with food before wandering into the living room.

I’m surprised when she hands me the cup of coffee. “Oh, thanks.”

“Of course.” Her eyes are a darker shade of espresso this morning, her cheeks still flushed. “I just, uh, want to help.”

I take the coffee with an amused smile. “I appreciate that, Poppy.”

What is going on with her today?

She grabs her own cup then joins me on the sofa, and while I should probably move away, I can’t. Not only because my back throbs, but also because I don’t want to. There’s a natural ease between us that wasn’t there last week, and I can’t stop myself from enjoying it. Enjoying the way she smiles over her cup of coffee, the way she lets out a little sigh after the first sip. Hell, just enjoyingher.

Even though it’s the last thing I should do.

“How’s your back?” she asks as Sugar jumps onto the sofa between us and begins licking her paws.

“Not great. I hardly slept.” I run a hand down my face, deciding that’s all she needs to know.

Poppy’s forehead creases. “That sucks, I’m sorry.” Self-consciousness tugs at me as she studies my tired face. I must look like absolute shit. Meanwhile, she’s got a glow about her this morning that I haven’t seen before. She looks as though she slept very well, indeed.

“I’m happy to help with whatever you need today,” she adds.

I sip my coffee, pleased to feel the caffeine waking me up. “It’s your day off. I’m sure you’ve got stuff to do.”

She huffs a quiet laugh, looking down at her cup. “Not really. Usually Bailey and I would hang out, but…” A sip of coffee cuts her words off, and her shoulders sag. It’s obvious she’s a little lost without her friend.

“There’s a garden a few blocks away that I have a plot in,” I hear myself say. “I was planning to head over there this morning.”

I drain my coffee, stalling. What am I doing? I absolutely shouldnotinvite Poppy to join me because no doubt I’ll make an ass of myself trying to work in the garden with my back. And there’s no reason for us to spend the extra time together.

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