Page 30 of Conflagration
“Don’t worry, baby. I always make good on my debts.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
“You can hold me to anything you like.”
Shaking my head, I leave the bedroom and make my way down the hall just as the front door opens. I stop in my tracks, and sure enough, in walks Amelia Wellington, a tray under each arm. And behind her, I see the rest of them. The entire Wellington clan has come along for the cock-blocking ride.
At first, they don’t see me, but once they’re all in the foyer, their chatter ends in a domino effect as each pair of eyes falls on me, one second after the other. I don’t miss the way Amelia’s eyes slightly falter—presumably because I’m not wearing that little nightie she left me. But then her eyes rake over me and a huge grin spreads over her face at my ensemble.
A warm blush creeps up my neck when I look down. Even though I’m practically swimming in his T-shirt, my hard nipples are clearing poking through the material. When I look back up, Branson’s dad is looking anywhere but at me and Cohen and Knox both have huge shit-eating grins on their faces. I glare at them and cross my arms, covering the state of my arousal. Charlie’s grin equals her fiancé’s. Well, it does until she turns to look at him, hitting him and then smacking Cohen on the forehand, calling them perverts in the process.
So here we are. I’m stuck like a deer in headlights with the Wellington men reverting their eyes. Amelia’s looking at me like I’m the most beautiful diamond in all of Tiffany’s, and Charlie and Andi, now that their men aren’t looking, are practically snickering. I’m mortified and have half a mind to turn and run back to the room, locking myself in until they leave.
Finally, Charlie breaks the silence and strides towards me, placing her arm around my shoulders and turning me around. “Apparently, we weren’t expected,” she quips, raising an eyebrow in Amelia’s direction. I crane my neck just in time to see her smile sheepishly. “Ari, why don’t you go and get dressed and maybe fetch that man of yours? We’ll set everything up in the kitchen in the meantime.”
I smile and mouth a silent, “Thank you,” then race down the hallway and into Branson’s room, shutting the door behind me with a little bit more force than I expected.
“Jesus Christ, Branson. You could’ve warned me that my nipples were hard. Or maybe about the possibility that your entire family would be showing up at ten a.m. on a Sunday?”
“Oh God, talk about your nipples a little bit more,” he groans.
“My nipples?” I ask as I turn towards the bed, ready to chastise him. I stop suddenly when I see his hand moving up and down under the comforter.
“Oh fuck yeah. Can’t wait to get my mouth on those,” he breathes, which is followed by a grunt.
My eyes widen as I realize what he’s doing, and I move towards the bed just in time to see him rest his head back against the pillow, his eyes closing, his movements stopping. I can’t help the snicker that forms, and he pops open one eye to look at me.
“What?” he asks, and I grin but shake my head. “Baby, I told you I was going to take care of it. Now, get me a towel so I can clean up. Then go kick my family out and I’ll do the same for you.”
“As amazing as that sounds, I think they’re in for the long haul. They’re setting up in the kitchen right now,” I tell him when I come back from the bathroom. I try not to watch as he cleans himself up, but my damn wandering eyes can’t help themselves.
He grins at me. “Want to help?” he asks, lifting up the blanket. I shield my eyes and shake my head, causing him to laugh. “You know, with my bum leg and all, I’m going to need help bathing. You might as well get a look at the goods now. I have a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot of them in the future,” he teases, holding up the comforter again.
Sighing, I roll my eyes and pretend it’s a completely uninteresting to me. Taking two steps closer, I turn to him and catch his amused grin. “If I must,” I say, allowing my eyes to slowly wander down until they get to that oh-so-succulent V that points an arrow directly to his manhood. And holy shit. What manhood it is.
He’s still semi hard, having just gotten off. It’s long and thick, a slight golden brown, with what looks like a soft, lickable tip. A large vein runs down the center, and I swear it’s pulsating, almost as if it’s beckoning for me to move in and greet it with my lips. I know I’m staring, but I can’t break my gaze.
“Baby, you keep staring at my dick like it’s a fucking Popsicle and you’re in the middle of the desert, we’re going to end up like one of those fucking weird-ass Middle Age royalty couples whose families are right outside the doors to listen to them consummate their love.”
I lick my lips for effect before looking back up at him. “Love?” I tease.
He just rolls his eyes at me before leaning forward and hooking an arm around my waist. “You know what I mean. Now give me a kiss.”
“Yes, sir,” I reply as I wrap my arms around his neck and move in, giving him a quick peck before pulling away and out of his arms.
“Not what I meant, Ariana,” he growls, but I just smile.
“You’ll get more of that later. For now, we have family to entertain.”
He falls back against his pillow with a groan. “Fine. Let’s get this fucking over with.”
AFTER ONE hell of an arousing morning, Ari teases me with a sponge bath, and I struggle to keep my hands to myself. Fortunately, the nurse washed me before I left the hospital yesterday, so it doesn’t take much to get me clean. She changes into a pair of tight jeans and an even tighter T-shirt, and I have to wonder what the hell Mom was thinking when she went shopping for her. And then I remember the multiple hints she’s given over the years about grandkids and shake my head at her antics.
Ari wheels me into the living room, where Dad and my brothers are sprawled out watching Sports Center. I grin when a pink tint rises on Ari’s cheeks as she avoids eye contact with them. Dad gets up and helps me into the recliner, and she immediately excuses herself to go help the women in the kitchen.
“You guys wanna tell me what that was about?” I ask even though I can guess why she’s embarrassed. What was it she said about nipples?
Dad looks just as embarrassed as she did, but both my brothers are grinning. That is until I send a glare in their direction. Cohen straightens up.
