19. Katie

CHAPTER 19

Katie

W atching Nolan work is doing something to me that I was not prepared for. He’s charismatic in a way I’ve never seen. His whole demeanor shifts when he talks to a customer. There’s a flirty aspect to how he interacts with the people who come up to order a drink. Guy or girl, he charms them immediately. Every single person walks away with a bigger smile on their face than when they came up to the bar.

Naturally, the girls all swoon over him. I can’t blame them for turning up their sex appeal to get his attention. The man is fucking hot. Especially in his black jeans and T-shirt that’s molded to every muscle in his arms and chest.

What I wasn’t expecting was my gut to burn with jealousy as I watched all the girls flirt with him. I’ve never been one to get jealous. I always thought that it was a useless emotion. You either trust your partner or you don’t. Now that I’m experiencing it, I realize trusting Nolan isn’t the issue. I don’t like these women thinking he’s available. It makes me want to mark him in some way, which is a staggering thought. One I’m not going to dwell on right now.

To Nolan’s credit, he treats every customer the same, no matter their gender. He doesn’t give any of the women a shred of hope of getting with him. He also places every napkin with a phone number on the counter until they walk away. Then he throws them in the trash can that sits under the bar. It’s a discreet move that doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. He doesn’t look at me when it happens. It’s as if it’s an ingrained move he doesn’t even think about.

Let’s just say this whole night has been an effort in frustration. I want to jump him. I want to lick him to show every hussy in here that he’s mine, and then I want him to take me hard on top of the bar.

I throw back the rest of my drink at that thought. Who am I? Wanting to have sex in public has never been a fantasy of mine. Nolan does bring out the lascivious side of me, though. I’d never had phone sex before him either.

Fuck, I have got to stop thinking about this.

“Can I buy you another one?” a man asks from the barstool on my right. He’s a decent-looking guy. His sandy brown hair is swept off his forehead, and his brown eyes are sparking with interest. He’s probably in his late thirties, if I had to guess, and seems to be drinking alone.

“No, thank you.”

“What were you drinking?” He raises a finger at Nolan to get his attention. “You seem like a margarita kind of girl.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. I can’t decide if his high-handedness is in relationship to my Hispanic coloring or if he’s just a douchebag. It’s likely both.

Nolan comes over and cocks his head in question. I’m not entirely sure what he’s trying to ask me with that move. “What can I get ya?”

“Another whiskey for me and a margarita for her,” McDouche responds, tilting his head toward me.

“A margarita, eh?” Nolan questions, amusement lighting up his eyes.

“Seeing as how this gentleman didn’t seem to understand my refusal, I would rather have another old-fashioned, please. And not on his tab.”

Nolan slowly tilts his head to the side as he looks at McDouche. “Do you make a habit of ignoring a woman when she says no?”

“Come on, man.” He tries to play it off. “Who truly doesn’t want a free drink?”

“A woman who knows the danger of accepting a drink from a pushy man.” Nolan stares at the guy without reprieve.

“Whatever. I’m out of here.” The guy chugs back the rest of his whiskey and then walks out of the bar. I hope he left his credit card. Then when he needs it tomorrow, he won’t remember where it’s at. Karma’s a bitch.

“What an ass.” Nolan takes me in. “Are you okay?”

“Fine. That’s not the first, nor will it be the last, overconfident man I’ve had to deal with in my life.”

“Fucking ridiculous. Do you still want another old-fashioned?”

“Yeah, it’ll be my last. What time does the bar close?”

He starts to make my drink. “Not until one on Saturdays.”

“Right. Duh,” I say to cover my disappointment. How did I not think about a bar being open late on the weekend? “I bet you’re exhausted after a long night like that.”

“You’d be surprised. I stay pretty wired after we close. It takes a while for the adrenaline to leave my system.” Nolan sets my drink down in front of me. I try to hand him my card, but he waves me away. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it.”

“Thank you.” Right as he’s about to move to another customer, I find the courage to ask what I’ve wanted to ask him since I sat down. “Would you want to come over? Tonight, I mean.”

He raises his eyebrows. “I’d love to. It’ll be late, though. Are you sure that’s okay?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I might fall asleep before you get there, but Cody is going to be gone all day tomorrow with his friend, so I— we can sleep in.”

“Then I’ll be there.”

“Here.” I write down the code to get into my house on a napkin and hand it to him. This one he tucks into the front pocket of his jeans.

“I’ll see you in a few hours, then.” Nolan’s satisfied grin sends a shiver down my spine. Suddenly, three hours feels too long to wait.

Something tickles my forehead, making me scrunch my face. My eyes flicker open, and I inhale a deep breath when I see Nolan smiling down at me.

“You’re here.” I stretch and take a moment to orient myself. My lamp is still on, and my book is lying on my chest.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

“I tried to stay awake, but I guess I failed.” I laugh.

“That’s okay. Thank you for trying. Do you mind if I take a quick shower? I wanted to get over here as quickly as possible, so I just stopped at my place to pack a bag.”

“Go for it. Enjoy the pink.”

He frowns at me as he walks into the bathroom, and I just smirk.

Then I hear, “Ah. I get it now.”

I go back to reading while Nolan showers. And then it hits me. I am lying in bed when the man I’ve been fantasizing about for weeks is naked in my shower. I rip off my blankets and dash into the bathroom. I make quick work of my clothes and decide I should probably ask before I assume he’s okay with me being in here.

“Would you be interested in some company?” I ask, pulling the curtain back to get a look at all that wet muscle .

“If I ever say no to you, please punch me in the face and then leave.”

An inelegant snort shoots out of me. “I don’t think I’m capable of punching anyone.” I step into the shower, and Nolan wraps his arms around me. His slick skin sliding against mine sends goose bumps down my body.

“You feel so fucking good in my arms,” Nolan murmurs into my neck. His lips coast up to my ear and then slide down my jaw. He nips my chin with his teeth before sweeping me up in a kiss filled with every ounce of longing I’ve had since I showed up at O’Malley’s.

Nolan presses me back against the cool tile of the shower. He reaches down to palm my ass, lifting one of my legs to open me up to his wandering fingers. They slide through my slit with teasing strokes. I bite my lip to hold in my moan of desire. I can’t stop my hips from rolling against his hand, needing more than what he’s giving me.

“Please, Nolan.”

“Tell me what you want.”

“Everything. I want everything.”

A pleased rumble vibrates his chest. “That’s my good girl.”

I gasp at his words and the fullness of his fingers pressing deep into my pussy. His lips explore every inch of my neck and shoulder as he sends me higher and higher. My body is a live wire just waiting for that one touch to spark.

But he doesn’t give it to me. He pulls away despite my protest. I want to curse at him when he chuckles at my desperation.

“I want you in your bed. I want to fuck you into the mattress so hard you’ll never be able to sleep there without thinking of me.”

I whimper at his words. “Yes. Please, yes.”

“I fucking love it when you get polite.” Nolan shuts off the water and grabs a towel to dry me off before I can bristle at his words. I’m not sure what it is about Nolan, but he makes me feel safe enough to let go of the control I desperately cling to. When I’m with him, I can lay down the burdens I carry, knowing he won’t let me drown when I have to pick them back up again.

Nolan lifts me and carries me back to my bedroom. He kneels on my bed, slowly lowering me until he’s hovering over my body with an intensity in his eyes that makes me shiver. I’ll never be able to reconcile the funny man Nolan is outside of the bedroom with the one who is looking at me as if he’s about to devour me until I can’t remember my name.

He grabs my hands and presses them above my head. Goose bumps rise on my skin as he drags his palms down my arms. Then he’s moving down my body, tracing every inch of my skin with his lips and tongue. He circles my breast, skipping over my nipple every time he makes his rounds. I’ve never felt the absence of a touch like this. It’s as if every one of my nerve endings is screaming at him to do something.

The second he takes my nipple into his mouth, I cry out. It’s even more sensitive after going without his touch for so long. It feels like my clit is directly connected to every ministration he laves against my skin. He starts the process over again with the other breast, and by the time he sucks that one into his mouth, I’m mindless with need.

My pussy is dripping to the point I can guarantee there’s a wet spot on my comforter. I couldn’t give two shits either. Nothing matters right now except getting Nolan to fuck me.

“Please, Nolan. I need your cock.”

He growls, a wildness flashing in his eyes. He grabs my hips and flips me over with a speed that makes me dizzy. Then his big hands are squeezing my ass cheeks, pulling them apart to see what he’s done to me.

“You’re mine, little dove.” He drags his tongue from clit to ass. His hand smacks my flesh with a pop. “Say it. Tell me you’re mine. ”

“Yours,” I whine with desperation. “I’m yours. And you’re mine.”

“That’s fucking right.” Nolan thrusts into me, and I gasp. He moves with the same intensity that’s pulsing through my body. Something has come over both of us, turning us into animals who need to mark the other. Nothing is more important. This explosion of desire is more than just sating a need. It’s staking our claim on each other. It’s acknowledging that whatever is happening between us is more than just sex. We’ve shown too much of ourselves to the other for it to be as simple as that.

Nolan leans over my prone body, one hand wrapping around my neck while he holds his body weight on his other elbow. He’s completely surrounding me, and instead of feeling overwhelmed by him, I feel protected. It’s as if he’s sheltering me from the outside world with his body.

“Come on my cock, little dove. Squeeze me so tight, I have no choice but to come with you.” He shifts his hips, hitting me in a place that sends my body flying. Everything in me tightens around Nolan, my body shuddering through the most powerful orgasm I’ve ever had.

Nolan’s thrusts get frantic, sending aftershocks through me until he groans as he comes. He collapses to the side of me, his body lying half on top of me and half on the bed. Our heaving breaths are the only sounds in the room.

Nolan runs his hand up and down my side in gentle circles. The calming effect it has on me almost makes me fall asleep. I need to clean up, but I think my body has turned into Jell-O.

He gets up to deal with the condom. I think he’s magic. I never see when he grabs them, but he always has them when it’s needed.

Nolan comes back with a cloth in his hand. I reach out to take it from him, but he ignores me. He cleans me up with gentle strokes, and to my utter horror, tears prick behind my eyes. I’m fucking pathetic. It’s ridiculous to get emotional over a man taking care of me. I shouldn’t even be surprised that he would. It’s such a Nolan thing to do. And yet, I still can’t seem to shake my automatic belief that no one would ever treat me with that much respect.

When he’s done, he chucks the cloth into the laundry basket by my closet. He scoops me into his arms and gets us comfortable in bed. His chest is pressed against my back, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist. I want to ask him what all of that meant. Him calling me his and everything that happened afterward.

“Go to sleep, little dove. We’ll talk in the morning. I promise.” He presses a kiss to my neck, and all the tension drains from my body. I relax into his arms and, to my surprise, fall asleep in seconds.