Chapter Eighteen

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Barrett

" T hat dude's hands aren't where they should be," Vaughn tells me as we sit next to each other at the bar. All the ladies are out on the floor dancing with Val, as she celebrates.

"Who?" I don't see what he's talking about, even though I'm watching the girls, too.

"That dude standing behind Valentina. His hands are on her hips."

The way he's talking, it almost sounds like he has a claim, but unless there's something I haven't heard from either one of them, I'm confused. "She's celebrating her birthday. You should probably let her have a little fun."

"Yeah, but didn't y'all say she's sheltered, and this is the first fuckin' time she's worn shorts?" He works his jaw back and forth as he watches them.

I've known Vaughn long enough to realize this is close to getting dangerous with him. He'll throw punches and ask questions later. "Don't ruin her night. She hasn't done anything wrong." I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Nope she sure hasn't, but he fuckin' has."

"Son of a bitch." I sigh heavily. "Abel, Boone, Jasper..."

They hear me, and come to my aid, but not soon enough. He's already approached the two of them, tapping the other guy on the shoulder. As a unit we all move, but it's not quick enough. Vaughn's throwing punches, pushing Valentina behind him. We all get into the fray; all of us throwing punches, the girls screaming. Some guy grazes my chin, and I taste blood as I bite my lip. This seems to go on forever, but when water is thrown on the group of us, we all jump back.

Alexis is standing there seething. "We do not do this in Monroe's, does everyone understand? Don't make me call the police. Everyone break it up and go to your own sides. I'm not kidding. Especially you two." She points to her husband and stepson.

Looking around, I see everyone pair off. Vaughn's pulled Valentina to the side, and that's when I spot Gabby. "Are you okay?" She comes running to me. "I didn't expect that to happen."

"I didn't either, but sometimes he gets an idea in his head and it's hard to get it out. He thought that dude was bothering her, and he obviously didn't like it. Sorry y'all had to see us get into a fight. It's been a while."

She smirks, hooking her fingers in my belt loops. "Am I wrong for thinking it's kind of sexy?"

"No..." I drape my arm around her neck. "Not at all."

Val runs over to us. "I hate to ask, but can we leave?"

I glance over at Gabby, hoping to figure out what I'm supposed to say. She nods. "Yeah, are you okay?"

"I am. This has all just been a little much." She takes off, grabbing her purse and runs for the parking lot.

Vaughn puts a hand on my shoulder, stopping me as I go to follow her and Gabby. "Can you tell her I didn't mean that. That I'm not normally that hot-headed? I just didn't like seeing that guy act that way. You and I both know that she's been sheltered."

"I'll do what I can." I rub my jaw, licking my lip, and tasting more blood. "But both of us know you are that hot-headed. If you've got something for her, you need to figure it out, and not act like a fuckin' cave man. Right?"

He sighs. "You know what? I'm gonna go tell her. If I want to put a good foot forward and have her know the man I truly am, I need to make that impression. Thanks anyway."

We clap hands. "Okay, but be nice to her. She's not used to any of this." I gesture around at the bar. "Gabby and I are leaving." And as we leave, I can't help but notice the way she's eyeing me as if I'm the cover model on a fucking romance novel.

As I roll to a stop sign, on the way home, I turn my face into her, stealing a kiss. It's slow, burning within both of us. I coax her lips open, and then stake my claim against her mouth. My tongue invades, conquers, and leaves nothing but the smoking remnants of the coals of passion in it's wake. It flares hot and humid between us like a summer night. The only thing missing is the heat lightning and the chorus of nighttime sounds. It's out of control as we give into the blossoming arousal that's growing like a flower from the fertilized ground. I take her mouth, using it the same way I'd like to use her to get rid of the remaining irritation I have with us wasting time by separating when we should've worked it out. Her fingers thread through my hair, as she yanks hard against the strands, pulling me further into her and closer to her heart. We're really getting into it when there's a honk behind us.

"Shit," I wipe my lips and try to do my best to focus on the road in front of me. There are no vehicles coming, and I manage to step on the gas.

She's sitting beside me, fidgeting in the seat. Her breath is coming in gasps and she's closing her legs tightly.

"Do you need some relief?" I growl, looking over at her as we speed down the road.

"Yes," she hisses. "That kiss? I've never experienced anything like it."

"Me neither," I admit, although it costs me something to do so. Letting her close, although I know it's what I want to do, is still a foreign concept to me, and scary as fuck. "There's a pull off up here, what do ya say?"

Her eyes are hot and full of passion as they look over at me. "I say yes. A thousand times yes."

Punching my foot on the accelerator, I do my best to get us up there as quickly as possible before yanking the wheel and coming to a skidding stop. Once we finally do, I shove the gear shift into park, and lift my shirt over my body, yanking it like the annoying piece of clothing it is. It's hot and stiff against my skin. Reaching down, I unbuckle my belt, the loud clanging of the buckle reverberating in the closed confines of the truck. Unbuttoning, I push the jeans down, and manage to pull my cock out of where it's lodged against the waistband of my underwear. Grunting at the relief I feel, I swivel my head over to her. Her gaze is focused on my cock, she licks her lips and all I can imagine is her mouth around the head of it, sucking and laving against the hardness.

"What do you want?" She asks, her words breathless, her face flushed. "What I want is to please you, so tell me what you want."

Closing my eyes, I see the scene so clearly in my head. Her lips wrapped around me as I shove myself through the ring of her mouth. Reaching down, I fist my length. "Your lips as I fuck your mouth, and get you off with my fingers."

She inhales sharply as her breath catches. Against the thin cotton of her t-shirt, her nipples poke, letting me know how much she wants this. "Okay, I'm here to do whatever you want me to."

Tucking my hand around her neck, I thread my fingers up against her scalp and pull her into me. First, I drop a kiss on her lips, before pulling away and fisting her hair, shoving her down to my lap. When she takes me in one gulp, I shove against the headrest, words flowing from my mouth.

"Fuckin' hell."

As her tongue licks my cock like a lollipop, I know I'm in deep shit.