“I was so scared, Travis. He said it was my fault.” She climbs onto my lap and wraps her arms around my neck, resting her head on my shoulder.
“He won't hurt you ever again, sweetheart.”
“I’m so sorry.” She kisses my neck and moves up, until she’s sucking on my tongue and her nipples rub against my bare chest.
Now is not the time, but it’s impossible not to think about sinking into her wet heat and reassuring myself that she’s still mine.
I roll us over so we’re lying on our sides, and she’s tucked in my arms, with her back to my chest.
She wiggles her backside against my throbbing dick, and I bite back a groan.
“Please,” she begs.
“Sweetheart, I don't think it’s a good idea.” I can’t let her do something she’s going to regret.
“I need you.” She grabs my hands and places them on her breasts, squeezing so I have no choice but to caress them.
“Ahh, baby, you’re making it really difficult to be honorable.” One hand trails south, slipping under her sleep shorts. When my fingers graze her slit, we both moan.
I find her clit and apply pressure, rubbing in small circles. Her breathing becomes erratic, and I slide my index finger up and down, through her soaked folds, over and over and over.
“Oh, God. Travis, please.” My tongue finds purchase on her neck, and I lick and suck at the sensitive skin, rocking my throbbing dick against her perky ass.
I insert two fingers in her pussy and fuck her with them, wishing it was my cock buried in this tightness. She moves her hips along with my thrusts and sweat forms on my brow when I begin to slam them in even harder and faster. Her walls clench around me, nails dig into my forearm, and her cum coats my hand. I let her ride it out until she flops her head down and catches her breath.
“Thank you.” She grabs my arm and pulls it around her waist, making me stay. And I oblige, holding her close, where she belongs.
Charlotte
My head slams into the door, and this time, Travis isn’t on the other side. Todd drags my limp body to the couch and tears my thong off. The thong I imagined Travis pulling down my legs with his teeth. I’m barely able to form a word, let alone a sentence, but ‘stop’ and ‘no’ roll off my lips. He grips my knees and holds them open. I writhe and thrash, but my efforts are void. Stinging radiates through my scalp as he fists my hair and turns my head.
“Sweetheart, wake up, it’s okay.” Vibrations from Travis’ throat pull me from my nightmare. “You’re safe now.”
Safe. He makes me feel safe, but I’ve been horrible, pushing him away these past couple of weeks. I needed to close down. Regroup.
Last night was an epiphany for me. I heard him talking to his mom and felt nauseated when he blamed himself. Todd is the only one at fault. He’s the monster. That revelation allows me to remove the guilt and stop chastising myself. I will not allow Todd to hold me back. I’m with a man who makes me happy. For now, at least. I don't know how many more issues of mine he’ll want to deal with until he leaves me.
Warm hands brush hair off my face. I turn to him and run my hands along the coarse hairs adorning his handsome face. “I love you,” I tell him.
Relief flashes in his eyes. “Love you too, sweetheart.”
“I don't ever want you to sleep on the couch again.”
His laughter shoots straight to my heart. “Me, either.” He kisses my forehead, and we stay in bed for a while longer, fingers roaming, souls melding.
Insistent tapping ruins our moment and Travis kisses my lips before rolling out of bed. I’m pulling my shirt over my head when Meara walks in and hesitates before speaking.
“It’s okay. I’m good now,” I tell her.
“Thank God, because I was about to stage an intervention.” She sits next to me then stands. “Yeah, I don’t think I want to sit there.”
“Haha,” I laugh, and it feels great to do it again. “What’s up?”
“I was just checking on you. You sure you’re okay?”
Considering her question thoroughly, I answer, “Yes. I’m fine. Right now, anyway.”
“Good, because I need you to work for me later this week. I know, I know, I’m a selfish bitch, but I’m planning a surprise trip to see Liam, and if you can’t do it, then I’ll have to hire someone else.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t have anything else to do, and truthfully, the distraction would be good. I’m so sorry I’ve flaked out on you the past couple weeks.”
“Woman, you were attacked. Don’t think twice about it.” She waves off my apology. “Get your ass up. Travis is making breakfast, and you and I have a date at the salon. He’s got errands to run, so you’re stuck with me for the day.”
“What?” Great. I’m being babysat.
“Come on, it’ll be fun. You need to get out.”
* * *
Meara and I are sitting in at a cafe, nails freshly painted, hair trimmed and highlighted, eating a late lunch.
“So what’s with the impromptu road trip?” I ask dipping my fry in ketchup.
“It’s been almost six months now, Char. Six. This is the longest Liam and I have been apart, and I can’t fucking take it anymore. I’ll become a roadie if I have to.” She jokes, but there’s a serious undertone in her voice.
“Why haven’t they been home in so long?”
“Not enough time. They do a show, and then have to go to another state for another show the next day. He’s working so hard and hardly has the time to even talk to me on the phone.” She flags the waiter, and we get refills of our spiked lemonades.
She holds up a soggy breadstick. “Plus, I’m so horny this breadstick could get me off right now.”
I laugh and choke on my drink. “Ew. I don’t want to hear that.”
“It’s true.” She shrugs. “So …?”
“So what?”
“So, Travis?” She waggles her eyebrows and sips her straw seductively.
“Travis is amazing. Perfect. Everything I ever hoped. And I can’t believe he’s put up with all my shit.” Swallowing the last of my burger, I continue, “I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop, ya know? Like he’s going to wake up one day and realize he’s with a crazy person.”
“Okay, that’s it. Check, please!” she yells across the restaurant causing every head to turn in our direction.
“Meara, what are you doing? Stop it,” I whisper, slouching down in my chair.
“Just wait.”
The waiter comes and Meara pays the bill, refusing any money from me, and we get in her car.
“Where—”
She holds up her hand. “Nope, just wait.” Tension fills the car, and I nervously bounce my leg. When we pull up to her parents’ house, she leaves the car running and tells me to follow her. “We won’t be long. Besides, this is only the first stop.”
Confused, I get out and follow her to the backyard. She walks over to the tree house and points at it.
“What’s that?” she asks.
“Umm, a treehouse?”
“No, Char, what is that?” she emphasizes.