16. Locke

She groans in annoyance.

I've had over a month to fantasize about what I'd do to Maren if I allowed myself to go this far. I'll deal with my own hang-ups later, but when a woman asks you to help her explore her fantasies, you don't say no.

So, no, I'm not going to let her come tonight, because what comes next has been playing on repeat in my head, and it's going to be the best kind of torture for her. I want her wet and uncomfortable, squeezing her legs together every time she thinks about how good I can make her feel, and wondering when the next time she'll have me like this is, because I know exactly how I'm going to fuck confidence into her.

"So needy already," I tease her as her fingers pick up speed in protest. I grab her wrist and pull her hand up to her mouth. Her fingers and hand are glistening from how wet she is. "See how good you taste."

Her eyes pop to mine, and I know instantly she's never done this. I wait for her to use her words and say no, but she looks more ashamed of how into it she is than turned off by it.

How Maren can be this embarrassed when she's fucking perfect the way she is, is almost insulting. No man has ever taken their time with her .

And fuck, if I'm not dying to have the taste of her on my tongue, so I try a different approach.

I lean in and bring her two fingers into my mouth, sucking them clean and holding back the groan of pleasure. The possessiveness that rips through me is coursing through my veins, controlling every move and thought I have.

At this point, I already want her fantasizing that it's me whenever another man touches her in the future. I'll make sure they could never fuck her as good as I can.

I hover my lips over hers. "I said, come see how good you taste."

This time my voice comes out so demanding, I hope I didn't scare her, but the hesitation she had before is long gone. Everything is back to a rough and dirty kiss when she presses her lips to mine in a frenzy.

My tongue slips between them, sharing the sweet and salty taste of her, and I moan into her mouth uncontrollably. It's so fucking good; I may just decide not to let another man ever taste her again. I remind myself I'm sadly not spending my night with my head between her legs and pull back.

"You're doing so good," I tell her.

She smiles, eyes locked to mine. "I want to taste you," she whispers.

These little breakthroughs of boldness have me reeling, and I'm about to come all over her face and tits before she even has the chance to suck my dick again.

Maren drops her head and takes me into her mouth deeper than before as I gather her hair in my fist. I close my eyes and will myself to last a few more seconds as she works her mouth up and down. I've never been so turned on in my life.

"Fuck, you're so good at sucking my cock," I say softly, looking back at her. I run a finger lightly over the freckles dotting her nose. "It's going to be our little secret that you're a whore on her knees for me—and only me."

She digs her fingers into my thighs appreciatively and the slightest smile forms around the edges of her full lips as she picks up speed .

Her green eyes sparkle happily back at me when my legs start to shudder, and I press the back of her head down, holding her in place, as I come the hardest I ever have in my life. I wrap a hand around her neck to feel those muscles work as she swallows. She's doing so well letting me coat her throat, that I can't seem to stop coming from the thought alone that she's loving it.

Even after I go still, she's smiling, proud of herself, and licking me again just for the aftertaste. This woman is so sexy, and she doesn't even realize it.

I slip two of my fingers in her mouth and bring them back out to drag them over her nipples. Her breathing slows as I slip the straps of her dress back up her shoulders.

"Is that what you wanted?" she asks shyly, sliding back up my body into my lap. "Was that good?"

Good doesn't even begin to cover it.

"You're incredible, Maren, but I need you to do one more thing for me to make me happy."

She nods. "Anything."

"Don't touch yourself or make yourself come when you're alone." I kiss her forcefully and selfishly slide two of my fingers into her. "I have plans for you."

Fuck, she feels so good. I curl my fingers to give her the slightest bit of pressure and wish I could sit her down on my cock right now to feel her wrap around me, but I know it will start to seem suspicious how long I've been gone.

Maren lets out a shaky breath before she moans my name and her back arches involuntarily.

A new gush of wetness runs down my hand. She's probably aching from how badly she needs the release. I pull my fingers out, the animal in me becoming too much as I run them over her lips and force them into her mouth. She's surprised for a second how deep I press before she naturally lays her tongue flat and breathes through her nose, but I don't care. I want her to taste herself for hours, not able to get me out of her brain, and I will drive my point home. "Taste that? That's for me. No one else. Your pussy is mine. And I'll say when it comes."

Maren nods. "I promise I won't," she says obediently, sliding her tongue along my fingers and causing my heart to skip a beat.

"Whose good girl are you?" I whisper affectionately.

"Yours, Locke."

I've unlocked something that I know is fucking dangerous. I can feel my brain tingling from the rush of chemicals.

One hit and I'm already in too deep.

Conrad is the only one to look at me for longer than a second when I come strolling back in through the back door.

He follows me through the living room and into the pool room, shutting the door behind him.

"Fuck it out of her?" he asks amusingly, picking out a pool stick off the wall. "I thought you said you were going to keep your dick in your pants."

"Not your business what I did or didn't do."

He watches me rack the pool balls and laughs. "You look flushed."

Yeah, I just got the best blow job of my life , I don't say. Conrad can assume whatever he wants. He's used to the way I am and will piece enough of it together himself without me telling him details.

"It's hot outside," I say. My break lands a red stripe in the corner pocket.

"Right. February." Conrad gives me silence while I put away the nine and the thirteen but miss the twelve. He leans down examining his options. "She's different from the women you usually spend time with."

"No shit," I laugh, unsure yet exactly how to feel about this .

My tongue rubs the roof of my mouth, tasting her over and over. If my entire family wasn't spending the night, I'd be at her doorstep as soon as they left. She's that intoxicating.

But then again, I want her going out of her mind by the time I have my way with her again.

"So you're playing with fire. Have you heard from Casie?" Conrad asks, pulling me from my daydream.

"No." I realize it's my turn, but I'm uncharacteristically off my game tonight when I miss my shot. "Come on, Conrad. You know it wasn't anything worth talking about. She and I got exactly what we wanted. You know she didn't give a shit about me."

He leans on his pool stick and surveys the table. "Maybe because you purposely hang out with girls you know won't?"

"Don't start your psychoanalyzing bullshit," I laugh. "You're not my sports psychologist, and it's not that deep."

"No?"

"Girls that want deep don't want me. The girls who want me want the lifestyle I bring them. In fact, it's simple. They don't really want to talk to me. They want the gifts and the trips and the boat and the private plane. When they realize I won't give them the spotlight, they move on. I don't really want to talk to them. I just need someone to keep my bed warm sometimes. Win-win."

"Which is exactly what Maren isn't," he says, like I haven't thought of that. "She's still hung up on Russ of all people after being cheated on. She doesn't want the spotlight. Plus, you don't even like talking to me. You really think she'll be able to just have sex?"

I raise my eyebrows, watching him line up his shot. "I do, actually."

"Is she a groupie in disguise? Bouncing around from golfer to golfer?" Conrad hits the cue ball cleanly and lands his purple ball in the side pocket. "Please don't tell me she's fucking you to make Russell jealous so he wants her back."

I clench my teeth. Maren isn't thinking about Russ right now, that's for fucking sure. "I don't think that's what's on her mind," I tell him .

"So, she's going to want to talk," he says. "And get to know you. Then what?"

"She already knows about my mom," I say, raising my voice to an angry pitch. "So what?"

Conrad spins on his feet. "You told her?"

"Yeah, we ran into her when Maren was looking at apartments. I wasn't about to let her live where my strung-out mother does god knows what. So, that's why she's here, which I know you were wondering. It's not just hiding her away from Russell and that reality show. I told her a personal detail about myself, and yet, she didn't catch any feelings for me."

He hesitates, letting his shoulders drop. Then he picks up the blue chalk and rubs the end of his pool stick with it, deep in thought.

"Did you tell her about you and Russell?"

"No. She knows we have a history and that it doesn't involve her."

His scoff makes me grip both of my hands around my pool stick harder.

"Why the hell do you care so much anyway?" I ask.

He pauses. His eyes look softer than a second ago, but he shakes his head, coming back from whatever he was thinking. "Man, I just thought it was a bad idea. She's not as strong as you, and Russell did some awful shit to her. Just like he did some awful shit to you." He sighs, eyes meeting mine. "I don't want you to hurt her like that."

"She's a big girl, Conrad. And fuck you. I'm not going out of my way to hurt her, and I think I just heard you compare me to Russell Ashe. I tried to protect her, and you know it." I throw my pool stick on the table. The sound bounces around the room as I turn and stalk out into the kitchen, where I lean my back against the island.

A few seconds later, I hear Conrad's righteous ass take the front stairs to go up to bed, where his wife is waiting for him.

Once upon a time, he was right there next to me, fucking every girl he laid eyes on and hurting some of them—until he laid eyes on Blake .

And I'm genuinely happy for him to have found love. They're devoted to each other, but we don't all get so lucky.

I know I don't have the kind of personality that a woman hanging around me wants long-term. I know what I'm good for, and I keep myself in my lane of women so no one gets hurt.

Maren knows what she's signing up for, and it's not me. She'd probably take anyone. I'm not someone she wants falling in love with her.

"Locke."

I jump and turn to see Elise tucked up on the oversized chair in the dark with her Kindle glowing in her lap.

"I didn't know you were awake," I say, flicking my eyes toward the pool room. "Did you hear that?"

She shrugs. "You two were being loud."

"Right." I run a hand through my hair. "I'm sorry. That was, uh… nothing."

Her smile is illuminated by her screen. "Listen, Locke, I know you don't want girl advice from your aunt, but I do know you better than anyone. If you would let yourself open up, you might be pleasantly surprised sometimes that it's okay to be vulnerable and that it's okay to intensely feel for someone. Not all obsessions are bad. And just so you know, Maren watches you when you're not looking as often as you watch her when she's not looking."

There's no way to tell my aunt it's because Maren wants to use me to fulfill her sexual fantasies—or do they make a card for that?

She stands and makes her way to the stairs, pausing at the doorway to look back at me when I say, "Hey, Elise?" I don't tell her nearly enough. "I love you."