Byron decided maybe she hadn’t been. Maybe his whipped ass was just jumping to conclusions because his head kept going back to his initial misgivings about allowing this to move so insanely fast in the first place. Maybe his insecure ass was looking to find something that wasn’t there.
Wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, he moved her hair aside and kissed her nape. He was done. Done, questioning everything. Done trying to justify his reservations about doing this with her. He’d just go with this and enjoy it. So far, despite all his doubts she’d been perfect. Well, except for still keeping in touch with an ex-shit, but then it’s not like she’d reached out to him or they were keeping in touch any other way. He’d just let it go. As long as nothing more became of it.
“Can I start guessing now?”
“No, not yet.” She reached for another container with more chili only a lot thicker than the first one and pulled out a strainer from one of the bags. “You’ll figure it out sooner than later. This is very common, so I’m pretty sure you’ve already had it. But my family’s restaurant adds a little twist to it. It’s been one of my favorite things on the menu for as long as I can remember.”
As Savannah continued to prepare everything, Byron watched unable to keep his hands and lips off her for too long. Through it all, she returned the affection with just as much as her usual willingness. At times turning around altogether to give into his deep kisses, then exhaling all overly wistful and giggling at her own silliness.
Halfway through the meal she prepared, Byron was just about convinced. The endearing way she responded to Byron was too genuine to be faked. She’d taken him home to meet her entire family for Christ’s sakes, and she said she’d been the first to do so. Her family’s reaction to him confirmed it. His inability to keep his hands and lips off her should’ve been annoying to her, it was so bad. Instead, she welcomed it as cheerfully as only she could. As usual she was full of happy energy as she laughed and spoke enthusiastically all the while accepting his lustful kisses and groping.
Byron followed her around the kitchen like a pathetic little puppy dog and he didn’t even care anymore. He was sold now. Each time he kissed her, and she kept her eyes closed even after he was finished, as if she wasn’t ready to stop enjoying what it made her feel, he knew she had it as bad as he did. She didn’t even try to hide how enamored she was feeling, and it was such a fucking relief because he was done trying to play his feelings down for her.
She continued to cook, talking the whole way as she put it all together. Her cooking skills were impressive. Clearly, being raised in a restaurant environment it all seemed so second nature to her. From the way she strained the chili, to the quick way she began making homemade corn tortillas.
He was standing behind her again, his hands roaming her body, from her dainty waist down the side of her hips. Savannah sniggered when his hands came around to her ass and he squeezed with a groan. “You know it looks and smells delicious, but I can hardly wait for this.” Rubbing his ready-to-burst cock against her ass, he sprinkled kisses on the soft skin of her shoulder again. “And this.” He nipped her neck, this time sucking a little harder, making her squirm away laughing.
“Stop it, Richie—”
Like tires coming to a screeching halt, the playing ceased instantly as both of them went stiff. Byron released her roughly feeling his insides igniting as she cleared her throat. “I mean Byron, I’m trying—”
“The fuck did you just call me?”
Twenty-Five
Bushwhacked
Byron
Byron knew it. He fucking knew it. Only solace he’d take from this, was that at least he now had the heart twisting confirmation that he hadn’t been feeling like an insecure little bitch all this time, for no reason. That at a moment like the one they’d been having; Savannah would be thinking of not just Richard. Not just her fucking ex, but Richie, spoke volumes.
“Richie?” Just saying it turned his already nauseated stomach. “Is that what you usually call him? Or is that only when he’s touching you the way I—”
“No!” She shook her head trying to reach out for him, but he backed up not wanting any part of her touching him now.
Worst thing is while she still hadn’t said much, the look in her eyes said it all. This hadn’t been just a slip. She’d likely been thinking of that fucker the whole time. “I just misspoke, Byron.”
“Yeah?”
As pissed as this made him, Byron wasn’t sure what made him madder. The fact that she looked guilty as fuck, or that his dumb ass was feeling something else than the only thing he should be feeling. He wanted the rage to drown out the infuriating ache in his heart. It had no business being there. She had no business being so deep in there, and he’d known it all along.
“Misspoke? Just when I was—”
“I’m sorry!” She brought her hand to her mouth as her brows pinched, and there it was.
“Don’t apologize.”
“It’s just that—”
“Don’t be sorry, Savannah.” He realized he was getting loud, but he couldn’t help it. “Don’t be sorry that your ex, that still has feelings for you is on your mind even when—”
“It’s not that.” She shook her head. “It’s only because I just spoke with him today—”
“Bullshit!” Sucking in a sharp breath, Byron willed himself to calm down. “Not that it matters but don’t fucking lie to me now. It is what it is. You hung out with him today, like you’re hanging with me, right?”
“You’re so much more to me than he’s ever been.”
“But you’re thinking of him while . . .” He couldn’t even say it. What the fuck was wrong with him? “While I’m rubbing myself on—”
“Byron!” she said uncharacteristically loud, as she brought her hand to her mouth, and spun around so she wasn’t facing him anymore.
“Byron what?” he asked confused.
She was going to cry now? Now that she’d gotten his name right? She turned around to face him again, and her eyes did look slightly glistened. But he wouldn’t fall for it. He wouldn’t give in like a chump and back off. He wasn’t being too hard on her even though seeing her nearly in tears did shit to him he should not be feeling. Especially after this.
“I just misspoke,” she explained again even as her hand remained over her mouth. “I was thinking of him earlier. There was something I was going to mention to you about him and me earlier but then the conversation veered off, and I guess his name just stayed in my head.”
Feeling his heart sink unbelievably deeper he stared at her almost speechless. “You and him?”
“Well, no . . . I mean . . .” She fumbled with her words then went on. “I-It’s just that he wants—”
Byron’s phone rang on the counter interrupting her stuttering lies but he hit the button to send the call to voicemail. “Get out.” He didn’t even want to hear what that fucker wanted, and she was obviously considering if she’d meant to run it past him. But mostly, he couldn’t stand the pain of looking into those beautiful eyes, knowing he’d been right about what he’d begun to feel. She was pulling back and maybe this was why. Maybe after seeing each other again at the barbeque they’d begun to reconnect. “Get the hell out, and don’t ever call me again.”