Page 35 of Big Pucking Deal
“Okay, Bean. Let’s go. Do you need to check in?” He shakes his head without a word. “Perfect.”
He laces his fingers with mine and reaches down for his bag. He kisses the back of my hand and as we pass the woman who thought he was here for her, he says, “Lose my number because trust me, I’ve lost yours.”
We walk past them and I give her a smug smile, knowing there’s nothing more to be said. I do, however, throw her a wink and flip my hair over my shoulder. Joaquín throws his arm over my shoulder, tucking me into his side, and kisses my head.
Damn, I’d love to look over my shoulder to see whether she saw us or not, but I have a good feeling she did.
I walk out of the bathroom having washed my face and brushed my teeth and find Joaquín laying on the bed, his eyes closed and his jaw clenched tight. His chest rises with deep inhales and exhales, and I can tell that something is bothering him.
I tiptoe quietly over to him and crawl over him. “Open your eyes, Bean. Look at me.”
With hesitation, he opens them and I see the sad boy that once spent an entire week sending me apology letter after apology letter because he pulled a prank that ended with me busting my chin and needing stitches. I told him then and I guess I’ll have to tell him now.
“It’s okay. You need to stop punishing yourself because I’m not holding anything against you.”
“How many more times is this going to happen and you’re just going to step over it and say it’s okay? Jolie. This is fucked up.I’mfucked up, and I don’t know why you want me. Jordan was right. I’m not good enough for you.”
He tries to push up and I put all of my weight on him and force him back down on the mattress.
“Hey. Don’t you talk about the man I love like that. He’s amazing and funny and thoughtful and treats me like a queen. He deserves me and I deserve him and our life started the day he kissed me. Everything before that doesn’t matter.” I let my hands smooth over his chest and try to ease his worried mind.
He watches me but doesn’t say a word. A troubled sea lies behind his eyes and I can tell my reassurances just aren’t doing what I intend them to do. So instead of using my words, I use my touch to tell him how I feel about him.
My lips kiss up his neck and along his jaw and softly nip at his plump lips. I roll my hips, my satin pajamas already growing wet, and feel his cock start to stiffen. He rubs my back and I press my chest up against his, my nipples aching. Just when I think things are about to heat up, he stills me and pries his lips from mine.
“Can I just hold you? I really want to lay with you in my arms and feel you breathe.” His voice is low and almost wounded.
“Yeah. Of course. Whatever you want, honey.”
He pushes to sit and I climb off of him. I watch him undress down to just his boxers, then he pulls back the covers and we crawl inside. His strong arm wraps around my waist and pulls me to cuddle into him. I feel his nose burrow into my hair and hear him inhale.
“I love you, Bunny,” he whispers against my neck.
“I love you too, Bean.” His lips lay a soft kiss on my shoulder and his hold on me tightens.
I spend half of the night, locked in his arms and wide awake, wondering how to get him to see himself the way I do.
Brooke and I share a laugh while we wait for the guys to walk out of the arena. Today’s game was an afternoon one, so we told the guys we were going back to their place to clean up and would meet them back here for a rare night out.
I should really quit calling it the guys place. While I haven’t officially moved everything in, my clothes have their own side of the closet and I have my very own sink and cabinet in the master bathroom. I guess I’m just having a difficult time calling it my place since I don’t pay a penny to live there. I cook and clean and contribute what I can, but monetarily I bring nothing to the table.
“So you think heading north to that restaurant in Magnolia Creek will draw less crowd for Joaquín?” Brooke asks.
“I hope so. I mean, I’m sure there will be a few fans no matter where we go, but staying downtown with all the bars ensures we’ll be mobbed.”
Just then we hear deep laughter rumble across the parking lot and look up to find Jordan and Joaquín walking towards us. They both look at us and I’m not sure if Jordan smiles at Brooke, but Joaquín smiles and it lights up the early evening as the dark begins to set in.
I’m hauled into his arms and he kisses me like my brother isn’t standing just a foot away. My brother who groans in complaint, but it doesn’t stop us from getting lost in each other.
When we finally pull apart, my eyes stay closed as the lingering effects of his kiss pump through me and he whispers, “Hey Bunny. I missed you.”
The fact that he says he misses me after just hours apart is now his thing. No matter if I go to the grocery store or if he goes to another state. When we reconnect it’s always,“I missed you”.
“Hi Bean. Missed you, too. Ready to go?”
“Yes. I’m starving.” He takes my hand and leads me to his car, and Jordan escorts Brooke to his since there is no way we are all fitting in the Targa, and follow each other up to the restaurant.
When we pull up into the parking lot, Joaquín looks at me with a skeptical brow and says, “Get Forked? Really Jo?”
