CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Willow

“Hypothetically speaking….” I begin as I lean against the shop counter and watch Nora clean the espresso machine.

My voice trails off, and I watch Nora from under my lashes. There is no telling how she’ll react when she learns that I have every intention of sleeping with her brother. I could keep this little detail to myself, but she’s my best friend, and I need advice. Rowan is going to pick me up later for dinner, and I need to know what to expect.

Just the thought of seeing him again has my body strumming with need. It’s all I have been thinking about since he left. The memories of his fingers over my body and his lips trailing my skin and caressing me in a way no one else ever has play on a loop in my head.

“Go on,” she responds, popping her gum loud enough to wake the dead as she scrolls through her phone.

“So, hypothetically speaking, if you were going to have sex with a guy you like for the first time, what do you need to know?”

Nora looks up from her phone, her eyes clouded with so much judgment, I find myself shrinking back. If I could, I would become one with the wall behind me.

“Willow, are you asking me for advice about sleeping with my brother?”

“Well, not exactly…wait, you know about us?”

“I would be a fool not to with the way the two of you were staring at each other in the shop. Quite frankly, it was uncomfortable to watch,” she mutters. “I could’ve died happy having never seen that look on my brother’s face.”

Okay, so maybe Rowan and I weren’t being as subtle as I’d thought, but I’m not ashamed of it.

“Fine, I find Rowan hot, sue me,” I say defensively.

“You’ve known him less than a week, Willow, and most of your interaction has been over the phone.”

“You knew Jared for three hours, and you still went with him to his sister’s wedding.”

Her eyes narrow on me, and she smacks her gum loud enough to pop my ears. I know Jared is a sensitive topic, as the man left with her car after the two broke up, but bringing him up just now felt necessary.

“Your point?” she asks.

“I don’t have a point, Nora. I just need your help as my best friend. Come on, you owe me. Remember that time you needed a ride to the hospital after—”

“Fine, Jesus Christ. Tell the world how I accidentally broke my nose in a car accident, why don’t you?”

“It wasn’t just a car accident. You wrecked your car because you were—”

Her glaring eyes have me shutting my lips. While Nora is admittedly a little crazy, she doesn’t exactly like broadcasting her misadventures to the world, and driving her car into a light pole while trying to get a better look at a hot guy three months ago is definitely one of the things she’d rather keep under wraps. Still, it doesn’t hurt to tease her about it now and then.

“Fine, what do you want to know?” she asks with a loud sigh, her eyes going back to her phone.

“Uhm, everything? Rowan is picking me up in a few, and…I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“Men are different, Willow. Well, not really, but it’s best to learn what pleases your partner from your partner,” she says making a face as though the topic disgusts her.

“But—”

“No buts, that’s all the advice you are getting from me,” she says, then sighs. “Just…try to let loose for once. You always have this deer in headlights look about you.”

I look away to avoid meeting her eyes, so she doesn’t read the truth in mine. She’s right, but I don’t want to think about that right now.

Tonight, I am going to spend time with Rowan, and I don’t need the dark cloud of my past hovering over us.

“I guess this is it for me,” Nora says, getting up and smacking her gum loudly again as she stretches. “Are you sure you’re okay to lock up on your own?”

“Yeah,” I say, settling against the counter and watching the last two customers that seem to be deep into their conversations. Soon, I’ll have to kick them out, but I can wait until Rowan gets here.

I watch as Nora walks into her office and returns with her purse a few minutes later. It’s very rare for her to stay this late, but today was her big day. She’d worked so hard to make Anti-Valentine’s Day a success, she didn’t want to miss a second of the festivities. The day had been a huge hit with customers, and I know Nora can hardly wait to rub it in Rowan’s face.

“Thanks for locking up. I’m ready to go home, have dinner, then take a nice, long bath.” She pauses, then continues, “Willow, have fun, but get some rest too, okay? You’ve been here all day; I know you must be exhausted.”

“I will,” I say, flashing her a smile. She waves at me before making her way out. I undo the ties to my apron and draw it over my head, then straighten the little red dress I’d bought for this very occasion.

Rowan is going to arrive any moment, and I want his eyes to flash with desire when he sees me.

I watch as the last two customers get up to leave, and I hurry to clean up their table. Nora already took out the trash, so I wouldn’t get my dress dirty. I’m giving the counter one final wipe down when the bell over the door chimed.

"Rowan!” I cry. I’m sure I sound as crazy as Nora, but after days of constant text messages and nights of long phone calls, I’m so happy to see him.

“Hey, Angel,” he says, meeting me halfway across the dining room to wrap me in his arms. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” I say quietly against his chest.

“Ready to go?”

“Yes, I just need to lock up. Where are we going?”

Rowan smiles before answering, “I thought we’d go back to my place for dinner, if that’s alright with you. I’ve been living on restaurant food for the last few days; I’m ready for a home-cooked meal.”

“That sounds perfect,” I say.

Rowan helps me lock up, then we climb in his car. The drive to his house only takes a few minutes, and he keeps his hand on my thigh the entire way. I’m vibrating with need, and I can feel the tension rolling off of him. By the time we pull into the driveway of his cute, cape cod style house, I’m ready to combust.

I follow Rowan inside and gasp when I see the dining room. Dinner is already laid out on the table, a bouquet of red roses rests in the center, and tea lights and rose petals cover every bare surface.

“Rowan, how did you…this is…” I’m at a loss for words, until it suddenly occurs to me, “You left lit candles unattended to pick me up!”

He laughs. “Don’t worry. I had some help for this. Nora swung by to light the candles while I picked you up. She waited here until I texted her that we were on our way. The candles were alone for five minutes, tops.”

Tears prick at my eyes. This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me, and my best friend even helped. I suppose she isn’t as disturbed as she pretended to be at the thought of me with her brother.

Suddenly, guilt settles in my stomach. Rowan is an amazing man, Nora is a wonderful friend, and I am lying to them both. Neither of them knows who I really am, what I am running from.

“Hey, are you alright?” Rowan asks, putting an arm around my shoulders.

I sniff lightly. “Yes, it’s just—” I stop and gather my thoughts; I don’t want to ruin this moment. “Everything is so amazing, Rowan.”

I turn and wrap my arms around his neck, then rise on my toes to press my lips against his. Rowan tightens his arms around me and deepens the kiss. We’re lost in each other until our bodies demand we separate to catch our breath.

“Let’s eat before dinner gets any colder,” Rowan says.

Our meal is delicious, and I’m more than a little surprised to find that Rowan prepared it himself. He laughs when I tell him so.

“I learned to cook when I was a kid. It was mostly a disaster at first, but I wanted to be able to give Nora a homemade meal, not processed food from boxes.”

He’d told me during one of our long phone conversations over the past few days how he’d looked after Nora since she was born. I’d started paying closer attention to the way Nora spoke about her brother, too. It is obvious that the two of them have a deep affection of each other. I’m happy for them, but a little jealous too, having no family of my own that I can rely on.

I help Rowan clean up dinner, carrying dishes into the kitchen where he sets them to soak in the sink. As I’m carrying a dish of alfredo, I cry out when I trip over the kitchen rug and spill sauce down the front of my new dress.

“Shit,” Rowan curses, rushing to my side and taking the dish from my hands. He grabs a kitchen towel and tries to wipe the sauce from my dress, but it’s no use.

“It needs to be rinsed,” I say.

“I can put it in the wash here, if you want?” Rowan suggests. “I can give you something else to wear.”

I nod. “Thank you. It’s new; I don’t want it to be ruined.”

“Go on into my bedroom at the end of the hall,” Rowan tells me. “There are t-shirts and shorts in the top drawers of my dresser. You can put those on, then I’ll wash your dress.”

I nod again, then do as he says. I pull a navy-blue t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts from his dresser, then look around his room. It’s masculine, like him, and smells like his cologne. My core tightens as I stand at the foot of the bed, imagining the two of us together beneath the soft gray quilt.

I pull off my dress, letting it drop to the floor. I hadn’t worn a bra or panties beneath the dress, and the cool air in the room causes my nipples to pucker. With my back to the door, I pick up Rowan’s t-shirt and move to pull it over my head when a familiar, deep voice stops me.

“No, keep it off.”

I turn my head to find Rowan watching me. His eyes burn a trail down my body, and his fists clench at his sides like he’s trying to stop himself from reaching out.

“Rowan?” I whisper, my breath shallow. I realize that I am completely naked in front of this man who’s taken possession of my head and heart so quickly. This is exactly where I hoped we’d be by the end of the night, but…now that we are here, I’m not sure what to do.

Standing here, open and vulnerable for him has my pussy pulsing with heat. I hold my breath when he takes a step forward, the sound of his footsteps soft on the carpet.

“Angel,” he whispers when he’s close. He lifts his fingers to the back of my neck and traces his thumb down my spine to the swell of my ass.  “So perfect.”

He turns me around to face him and caresses his fingers over my chin, along my jaw, and down my neck before cupping my breasts. His eyes are nearly black, and his breathing is harsh as he teases his fingers over my nipples, leaving an ache behind.

“Oh,” I moan, and my pussy grows wetter at every touch, every caress, as he drags his fingers over my stomach and stops at my inner thigh.

“I was going to be good, Angel,” he whispers, leaning in and kissing a trail up my neck. My head falls back to allow access. “I was going to be good, fix you dinner and wait, but then I walked in here to find you…so perfect.”

My eyes flutter to a close when his shirt brushes against my sensitive nipples, and it feels so good. Rowan, still fully dressed, backs my naked body against the bed and gently pushes me down.

My lips open in a cry when his thumb rubs against my clit, teasing.

“Fuck, baby, I’m so hard for you,” he growls against my skin, nipping gently at my ear and rubbing his erection against my hip, using his leg to pry my thighs apart for him.

He traces his lips over my cheek and brushes them lightly over my lips, only to move away when I try to deepen the kiss.

“Rowan, oh...” I whimper as he drags his finger over my drenched folds, teasing my pussy with his middle finger.

“I thought about this my entire trip,” he whispers, pressing me deeper into the mattress. “All I could think was about lapping your juices until they were the only thing I could taste on my lips.”

I whimper at his words, and his fingers continue teasing me, drawing me closer to the edge only to pull away when I get close to falling.

“Rowan, please,” I beg. He pulls back and stares at me, his eyes dark with need.

“Do you want me to do it again? Lick your wet and juicy pussy like I did last time?”

Oh, God!

His voice and his scent…the way he watches me…touches me…

Everything about him is sensual and has need rocketing through me.

“Please,” I beg, nodding eagerly. He draws his fingers away and drops to his knees before grabbing my thigh and lifting it over his shoulder.

Rowan leans in and traces his lips over my inner thighs, his warm breath fanning my sensitive skin. My lips open in a gasp when he drags his nose over my sex, inhaling deeply.

“Fuck, Angel,” he growls, his voice deep and low. “You smell…hmm, delicious. I could bury myself here all night, just lapping at your juices until I am coated with your honey.”

“Yes!” I moan, my aching pussy clenching at his dirty talk.

I need…I want…

Please.

He must hear this silent cry because he leans in and slides his thick tongue over my slit, and that’s all it takes for me to fall apart.

“Oh! God, Rowen…”

His fingers tighten around my thighs as his tongue explores my body, licking my pussy, lingering on sensitive spots, and teasing my virgin hole. It feels erotic, sinful.

Right.

My back arches when the sensation becomes too much, the heat of his mouth dragging me closer and closer to the edge. His tongue teases my aching clit, and my eyes burst open when his lips wrap around my clit and suckle.

“Oh–” I cry out, digging my fingers into his hair and pulling at the silky-smooth strands.

“So good,” he growls between licks, his movements turning feverish. “Your pussy is so fucking delicious, Angel. All pink and wet for me.”

My fingers tighten in his hair, and my hips roll harder, riding his face and chasing the sweet release his touch promises me.

“I want you to cum for me, Angel,” he demands. “Coat me with your juices.”

The rumble of his deep, velvety voice against my sensitive sex sends me over the edge.

“Row—Oh, God!” A scream tears out of my throat, my body tightens, and tremors take over as pleasure slams through me, threatening to knock me out.

He doesn’t stop, his tongue dragging out the orgasm and lapping me through the aftershocks. When he finally raises his head, his lips are slick and shining, coated with my juices.

He’s perfect.

And he’s mine.