Page 72 of The Pretenders of Copper County
“N-no?” I licked my lips and tilted my head to allow him better access. “That’s… good?”
“Mmm. I’m a bit disappointed, but only because I had some ideas about what we might do tonight, now that you’re feeling better. Ideas that didn’t involveJohn Ruffian. Ideas that definitely don’t involve premium meats and cheeses.”
“Oh?” I asked curiously.
Reed nipped at my neck with intention.
“Ohhhhh.”Spicyplans. Yes, please. Except…
“Oh,” I said a third time, disappointed to remember Dolores and the hecking charcuterie board.
“Uh-huh.” He chuckled and pulled me back against him with a hand on each hip. He was hard. Hardeverywhere. And it felt so, so good. “You know what else I think?”
“Yes! I mean, n-no? I mean…” He rubbed his cock against me again and again through our jeans until my hole clenched and my own cock swelled so rapidly I was surprised there was any blood left in the rest of my body. But my mouth didn’t stop talking. Nope. Didn’t even slow down, even though I didn’t know what the heck I was saying anymore. “It’s hard to concentrate when you’re doing that…nghhhh… but please don’t stop ’cause this is the best feeling ever.”
And itwas. Nothing could feel better.
But when Reed opened his mouth, he proved me wrong.
“I think you’re pretty fucking amazing,” he whispered.
The words branded themselves into my skin, a sweet, hot pain.
“Really?” I couldn’t help whispering.
He didn’t reply but moved his hand to stroke my cock through my jeans, and even though it was not the first time—or even the tenth time, at this point—that he’d touched me like that, the blatant ownership of the gesture was so freaking hot my head swam. I arched into the touch, leaning my head back against his chest.
His hands moved to the button of my pants, and my breath shivered out of me.
Unfortunately, it took a whole bunch of words with it.
“I… I think you’re pretty amazing, too, Reed. Like, so amazing. From the first minute. And I’m so glad I got in your car that day, even if it meant I thought my first date was kind of a low-key, slow-motion abduction—oh,gosh, oh myhecking gosh—” I cried as he oh-so-slowly lowered my zipper, and my dick sprung free with enough force to win an eager beaver award. “Yesssss.”
I waited for Reed to wrap his hand around my cock—every tiny cell of my body was legit screaming for it, like I wouldn’t be whole until we were connected that way—but the touch didn’t come because Reed had frozen behind me.
“You… what?” he whispered.
“Uh…” I replayed my chatter and realized what I’d revealed.
I squeezed my eyes shut as embarrassment filled me. I’d been hoping Reed would never, ever know how silly I’d been that first day. I’d been determined never to tell him and prayed he’d never ask.
One bout of sex-induced babbling later, that ship had sailed, never to return.
“Nothing!” I squeaked. “Honestly, nothing. You know I just… say things. Pay me no mind! Carry on. Do the… the thing. With your hand. Now, please?”
“Baby.” He spun me around, green eyes tracking every millimeter of my face. “You thought I was asking you on a date?”
“Um, yes?” Substantial portions of blood were now flowing to my cheeks, and I knew it because my whole face felt like it was on fire and my manhood was un-manning at an alarming rate. “You said you were there to pick me up, remember? And you had the… the beard, and the flannel, and that smile. And I thought… I thought…” I swallowed hard, and my shoulders slumped as I admitted, “You were so handsome, I honestly didn’t think. Van had told me to get out and live a little. Sow wild oats. Jump at opportunities. And then you were there, so I jumped. And it was a mistake. Obviously. Because you didn’t want… I mean… Can we please forget this?” I pleaded. “I was really into the other thing.”
I attempted to turn around and face the door again, partly so I wouldn’t have to see the stunned realization on Reed’s face and partly because I hoped that it would prompt him to resume what he’d been doing and get my blood flowing in the proper direction.
But Reed put his hands on my shoulders and stopped me.
“I would have,” he said. His gaze shifted from one of my eyes to the other.
“W-what?”
“I would have picked you up. If you hadn’t been my assignment. If you hadn’t been my protectee. If I’d walked into the Bugle some night when I was home and spotted you working behind the bar, and you’d looked at me with those big brown eyes… I’d have picked you up. I’d have tried my luck, anyway. And if you’d agreed, I’d have taken you somewhere.” He smiled. “Maybe to the Grove since you’re so fascinated by it.”
