Chapter 48

CHAPTER 48

MARLOW

T he argument with Rhett still echoed in my mind as Spencer and I drove away from my parents' house. The night had gone from warm and festive to tense and fractured in a matter of minutes. I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal and hurt. I stared out the window, the familiar scenery of Stone Ridge passing by in a blur.

Spencer was silent beside me. I knew he was trying to give me space, but all I could feel was a simmering anger that refused to dissipate.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he finally asked, his voice tentative.

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak without lashing out. "Not right now."

He nodded, and we continued in silence. I knew we couldn't keep driving around aimlessly forever. Eventually, Spencer pulled over onto an old farm road that led to a swimming hole we used to visit during the summer months. It was too cold to swim now, but the place held a lot of memories. It was a nice escape. I was sure parents knew about the hiding spot, but they stayed away. They let the teenagers feel like they were hidden away.

He cut the engine and undid his seatbelt.

I looked around, the sight of the familiar spot bringing a rush of nostalgia. We used to come here with Rhett and other friends, spending lazy afternoons jumping in the water and lying in the sun. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I remembered giggling with my girlfriends while the boys jumped into the water and tried to drown each other. I remembered watching Spencer and thinking he was the hottest thing in the world. He was older than me and I knew he would never look twice at me, but I certainly used to dream about it.

"I thought maybe this would help," Spencer said, his eyes searching mine. "But I can see you're still upset."

I sighed and looked out the window. It was darker here than the main road with the trees blocking a lot of the moonlight. "Of course I'm upset. Rhett just accused me of going after another one of his friends like I'm some kind of serial dater."

"He's worried about you because he knows me," he said. "I told you before I've never done the relationship thing. Rhett knows that."

I pulled my hand away, my frustration boiling over. "That's not an excuse, Spencer! He's supposed to be my brother. He's supposed to have my back."

Spencer sighed, leaning back against the car seat. "I know. I'm not trying to make excuses for him. I'm just trying to understand."

"Well, maybe you should stop trying to understand and start getting angry," I snapped. "Because I'm furious, and I feel like I'm the only one who is."

Spencer's expression hardened. "Believe me, I'm angry too. But I also know that yelling and fighting isn't going to solve anything."

"So what do we do then?" I asked, my voice trembling with frustration and hurt. "Just pretend everything's fine?"

He shook his head. "No. We don't pretend. We deal with it, together. We talk to Rhett, and we make him understand that what he did was wrong."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me. "I just feel so betrayed."

"I know," he said softly. "And you have every right to feel that way."

We sat in silence for a few moments, the cool night air seeping into the car. I could hear the faint sound of the wind rustling through the trees.

Spencer reached out and gently turned my face toward him. "Marlow, I'm here for you. I'll always have your back."

"Thank you," I sighed. "You've proven that. We should go back. I feel terrible for running out on my mom's feast. I just needed space before I went ballistic."

"Let's just take a moment to breathe," he said. "Let things cool down."

I looked out at the swimming hole, the water glistening under the moonlight. "Do you remember the summer we spent here after your senior year?"

Spencer chuckled. "How could I forget? We practically lived here."

I smiled. The memory of those carefree days seemed like forever ago. "I wish things could be that simple again."

"Me too," he said, squeezing my hand. "But we're not kids anymore."

"I had such a crush on you." I laughed softly.

"No, you didn't."

"Oh, I did," I said. "I used to dream about kissing you. I even practiced on one of my stuffed animals."

He looked at me, the dark night making it difficult to see his features, but I had looked at him enough to know his expression. "Why dream when you have the real thing right here?" he asked in a husky voice.

I blushed in response, suddenly aware of how close we were sitting. For a moment, everything else seemed to fade away—the anger, the betrayal—leaving just the two of us in the dim moonlight.

Spencer leaned in closer, closing the little distance left between us. The warmth of his breath brushed against my skin and his hand gently cupped my cheek. I closed my eyes, waiting for what I knew was coming.

His lips lightly pressed against mine—an action so gentle yet filled with such warmth that it left me breathless. Our kiss was delicate at first. His hand moved from my cheek to the back of my head, sealing us together.

Our lips moved in harmony, the soft pressure increasing as he deepened the kiss. My lips parted with his tongue pushing inside my mouth. A surge of warmth ran through my body at his touch. Breaking away from the kiss, he rested his forehead against mine, both of us gasping for air. His hand still cradled the back of my neck.

"Sorry," he murmured.

I had told him no sex without commitment but damn it all, I wanted him. "Don't be sorry," I said, leaning away from him and unzipping my boots. I kicked them off and quickly pushed down my black leggings.

"Marlow?" he questioned.

"Are you just going to sit there or are you going to undo your pants?"

He grinned. "You don't have to tell me twice."

In quick succession, he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, pushing them down his body. He slid his driver's seat all the way back to make some room. The cramped space of the car was going to make this a challenge, but I needed him. He reached out to me, pulling me over and into his lap. I straddled him, my butt bumping against the steering wheel.

We both laughed. "You just had to have a little car," I teased. "Couldn't have a big Cadillac or something like that?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Spencer chuckled, his hands sliding up my thighs. He pulled me closer until I was sitting flush against him. The laughter faded as the heat flared between us, the comfortable familiarity replaced with an electric anticipation.

"I guess small spaces don't seem so bad right now," he muttered against my neck, his lips leaving a trail of warm kisses. The feeling of his hands on me, his breath on my skin, the thud of his heart beneath mine was too much and not enough all at once.

I lowered my mouth to his, kissing him again. His hands slid up and around me, tangling in my hair as he pulled me deeper into the kiss. The feel of him, hard and ready beneath me, sent a jolt of desire through my body. But I wanted more than just raw physicality. I wanted connection, intimacy. As I broke the kiss, I looked into Spencer's eyes. They were soft with tenderness and mirrored my own longing.

He brushed a stray lock of hair from my face before tenderly tracing his fingers down my cheek. Our eyes never left each other as he continued to explore my skin, each touch sending a shiver down my spine.

He gently pushed my head to the side and leaned up to attack my neck with his teeth and tongue.

I gasped at the rush of sensation. His hands roved over my body with a mix of rough and gentle touches, each one sending a fresh wave of desire blossoming through me. I squirmed in his lap, my body reacting instinctively.

"Spencer," I breathed, my voice shaky with anticipation. He paused, his lips brushing against the sensitive skin of my neck.

"Marlow," he murmured in response, his voice equally unsteady. His eyes met mine again and there was a raw honesty in them that took my breath away.

"Is this okay?" he asked softly, his hand settling at the small of my back.

"Yes," I whispered and leaned in to kiss him once more.

His lips met mine with an intensity that stole my breath away. I understood why he was asking and I really appreciated it. But I didn't want to think about what we were and what happened later. I just needed him.

His hands found their way underneath my shirt. His fingers stroked the skin beneath in a teasing manner that made me gasp. Spencer growled at the sound, pushing up to meet me in another fiery kiss. My body was begging for him.

"Please," I said, lifting my body just enough to wrap my hand around his hard cock.

I guided him to my opening and slowly lowered myself onto his thick shaft.

A gasp escaped my lips as he stretched me out, filling me completely. He sucked in a breath, his hands digging into my hips. "God, Marlow."

I closed my eyes, adjusting to him. His hands rubbed soothingly up and down my back, and our bodies became one. I began to move, bumping against the steering wheel. His breath hitched as I rolled my hips against him, careful movements that turned into a steady rhythm.

The car rocked gently as we moved together. The only sounds were our ragged breaths intermingling with the occasional soft moan of pleasure. The air in the cramped space was thick with desire and longing.

His hands slid up to cup my breasts as he kissed me deeply. I could feel his heart hammering against mine. It matched the frenzied beat of my own. My hands found his hair, tugging at the dark strands as I drove myself onto him.

He gripped my hips tighter, guiding me back and forth faster and faster. His groans echoed in the small car, mingling with mine as our movements grew more desperate, more urgent. The need was threatening to drive me over the edge, my body completely responding to his touch, his breath, his presence.

He pushed his hips up, driving into me with a force that left me crying out in pleasure. He plunged deeper, pulling another cry from me. He smothered it with another heated kiss, his lips devouring mine as he drove into me with renewed vigor.

The tight confines of the car amplified the intensity of each gasp, each moan. My fingers dug into his shoulders as I rode him. He groaned in response, his thrusts growing deeper, faster.

His grip on my hips was bruisingly tight. I could feel a climax building within me. It surged forward like an unstoppable wave as he moved harder and harder against me. His name escaped my lips in a raspy cry as I climaxed around him, my body trembling.

The sound of my release pushed Spencer over the edge, and with one final deep thrust, he came inside me, his body shuddering against mine. I collapsed on him, my body shaking with the aftermath. He kissed the side of my face, his hand rubbing up and down my back.

After several minutes, I disentangled myself from him and flopped into the passenger seat. I looked over at him and laughed.

"Well I feel better now. What about you?" I asked.

He grinned. "Much better. Do you think we'll be allowed to have dessert since we didn't finish our meals?"

"I'll steal a pie if I have to." I winked.