16. Chapter 16
Chapter 16
TUCKER
I watched as Annie turned around, and the pure joy that radiated off her shifted into a moment of shock when her gaze landed on who had joined us while we were away. A scowl flickered over her face before she managed to cover it with a fake smile, the reaction almost exactly matching Ruby's.
"Hey." She turned from Annie to wave. "I saw Jet and thought I'd come say hi. You must be Izzy. I'm Ruby. I work with Jet at his dad's shop."
Izzy gave her a slow, polite smile and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Hey, yeah, it's nice to meet you. I've heard about you."
"Oh, from Jet?"
"From Annie."
The smile on my girl's face was kind, but the look in her eyes was filled with warning, and all I wanted to do right then was tilt her head back, wrap her hair around my hand, and kiss her senseless. She didn't like this girl, either .
The smile slowly slid from Ruby's face, and she looked back out at the crowd, past where Jet's Mustang was lining up for the next race. "Oh, hey, my cousin's waving me back over. It was nice seeing y'all." She hopped down, taking a drink of her beer as she walked away.
Annie's eyes narrowed on her back before she sat between me and Nic. "Okay, that can't just be me, right? Am I the only one that gets a bad vibe from her?"
"No," Nic and I said at the same time, and Izzy looked over at her sister.
"You have nothing to worry about. Did you see the way Jet looked at you before he took off? That girl wasn't even on his radar."
Annie nodded, taking a deep breath. "I still don't like her. Oh, God, Jet's up." Her whole demeanor shifted, her eyes alight as we watched Jet pull forward.
"Mustang," Izzy said with a smirk and a wink, and Annie grinned.
"Mustang."
The second the race started, Jet took off like a shot and was several feet ahead of the other car. He took the turns tight, keeping a firm lead, but it was in the last stretch that the other car tried to play dirty, inching close to the side of the Mustang's bumper. Jet drifted slightly to avoid being hit, and just when the other car looked like it might gain ground, he gunned it, taking the clear win over the finish line.
We all jumped up, the twins cupping their hands around their mouths to cheer while Nic and I raised a fist in the air as we yelled. Jet skidded to a stop and threw open his door. He stepped out, a wide, proud smile on his face as his eyes searched for Annie, and she ran up, throwing herself into his arms.
From over the hood of his car, I caught Ruby watching with a scowl. I shot her a look, and she ducked her head when she saw me, looking away to talk to her friends.
Yeah, that girl's trouble . I'd have to say something to Jet again.
"You did amazing!" Izzy ran up, throwing her arms around him in a hug when he pulled back up with Annie, and Jet lifted her, twirling her in a circle before setting her back down.
"I'm just glad you came." He smiled down at her, and I knew he was seeing what I was. Izzy was so much like her old self tonight. Like a switch had been flipped and something had managed to chase the demons away. I had no clue what it was, but I wasn't going to argue.
I pulled her back into my arms, burying my face into her hair behind her ear, drinking her in. "God, you smell good."
She giggled. "I smell like I always do."
"Exactly. Like my favorite meal I can't wait to eat."
She stiffened in my arms, and I winced. Of course, I'd take it a step too far, but then she relaxed and nestled back into my chest, her hands trailing down my thighs.
"Maybe it's me that wants to eat," she whispered.
My cock jerked to full attention, harder than it already was, and I swallowed. If only I knew she meant that. "Don't promise what you can't give, princess," I murmured in her ear.
"Not trying to."
She looked out at the crowd then, her hands going back to rest on my arms around her waist to leave my mind officially lost in a battle of hope and reason. Talking myself down before I could get too worked up. Izzy had been clear in the past months. She wasn't ready. I hadn't been able to touch her anywhere intimate since before the accident, but what she said just now…
"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me. What is it? Asshole night?" Annie's voice dripped in sarcastic disdain, pulling me back. She gestured with a head jerk to my left.
Oh, holy fuck, no .
I immediately slid Izzy off my lap, tucking her behind me as Micah and Ryder walked up.
"No. Fucking no. Either y'all go, or we do." I growled, my eyes narrowing. I stood to my full height and crossed my arms over my chest, blocking Izzy from their view, and Jet came up to flank my side, taking the same stance.
Micah stopped and held a hand out in front of Ryder. "Look, we know we messed up. We're just trying—"
"I don't give a fuck what you're trying to do. Y'all took it too far. We're done. And the fact that y'all even thought to attempt to talk to me with Izzy here just tells me how screwed up y'all are. Do y'all even get how fucked up what y'all did to her was ?"
I felt her hands press against my back, her fingers shaking, her fear just fueling my anger.
Ryder's gaze narrowed into a glare. "At least, fucking hear what we have to say."
"No. I repeat again. Y'all go, or we do."
"When did you get so fucked up, picking a chick over your own family?" Ryder grated, and Micah shot his brother a look. I felt Jet shift, ready to hold me back. But I held my ground, forcing a deep breath. Tonight had been too perfect with Izzy to fuck it up by fighting now .
"Come on, princess." I slid my hand around my back to gently grab her arm and guided her around to the front of my truck. "We'll see y'all later," I called out to our friends, helping Izzy climb up before I got behind the wheel.
It was me who was shaking this time, every fiber of my being on fire, alert and ready to defend. But I couldn't. Not if I didn't want to ruin tonight. My hands white-knuckled the wheel, and my jaw ground together. So much fury was rolling through me. I didn't know how to contain it. Even now, after everything we'd been through, Izzy and I still couldn't get a break. The one night I'd had a glimpse of her back, of course, something had to fuck it up.
We were down a back road leaving Outer Ridge, the races well behind us, when I felt Izzy's soft hand come to rest on my arm. "I'm okay, whiskey. Breathe."
I closed my eyes as she held her hand there, the calm in her touch bringing me back from the edge, and I looked over to meet her gaze, her clear emerald depths staring back at me with such worry and compassion.
My breath released in a gush, and I took her hand, holding it firm in mine on the seat between us. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be." She shook her head. "I'm just so proud of you. I know it was hard to walk away. Thank you."
I just squeezed her hand, needing her as my anchor as we drove the rest of the way home.
ISABE L
Tucker was still tense when we got home, though he was far from the knotted rage he'd been before. He followed me up the stairs, and we took turns getting showered and ready for bed in the Jack and Jill bathroom that connected our room to Archer's.
A dull ache struck my chest as I curled under the covers to wait for him to come out, hating that my little brother could no longer stay here. Annie and I had not been in any state to care for him when Mom… and well, him staying in his own room at Tucker's with a stable family had been the best thing.
But God, did I miss him. I missed so much of my old life.
I pushed those thoughts away, though. They didn't have any place here tonight in this room. Today was a turning point. I could feel it. Tucker signing his NLI and the pure joy that had radiated off of him? It had been infectious, and it had felt like a new start. Like our lives were finally coming back together in a way that we wanted. Even if I didn't get into Baste Academy, the four of us would be together. Something would feel complete again.
A happy bubble built up in my chest. Even Lisa hadn't been able to ruin it today, though she'd definitely tried.
I'd just grabbed my books after fifth period when my locker slammed shut in my face. My head jerked back as I blinked, startled, and Lisa sneered at me. For once, Larissa and Phoenix were nowhere in sight.
"You're just going to hold him back. Stop ruining his life and set him free."
My brow furrowed as I looked at her like she was crazy. "What are you talking about now?" I was so over the rumors and drama she'd started about us this year. Who knew what this was about.
She rolled her eyes and thrust a hand onto her hip. "Tucker. He just signed for Ridgeside U, right? It's all over school already. He's going places, Izzy, and you're still a fucked up mess. You can't give him what he needs. You don't even let him touch you from what I've heard, and you even refused his ring. Why the fuck are you even holding onto him? Let him go before you fucking ruin his future even more."
My stomach knotted, but instead of cringing or backing away like I'd always done in the past, it was like a fire ignited in my gut to encompass my entire body. I was sick of this girl thinking she knew what Tucker wanted. Thinking she knew us . She knew nothing. And he was mine .
I ran my hand back through my hair and lifted my chin up high, staring her down. "I don't care what you think, Lisa. Tucker is mine. His heart, his body, everything. Just like every piece of me belongs to him, and if you think I'd ever do anything to ruin him, then you're just fucking crazy." I laughed. "You're delusional, anyway, with how long you've held onto the hope that he'll ever want you. I repeat. He. Is. Mine. So, leave us alone and back the fuck off. Oh, and trust me. He gets what he needs."
"Bitch," she hissed when I spun away, but I flipped her off over my shoulder like I was some other person.
Holy mess, had it been exhilarating. Between Tucker's good mood and securing his scholarship and putting Lisa in her place, I felt like I was flying. The only part that was the damper was the end. Because I was pretty certain Tucker didn't get what he needed.
But I can fix that . Some part of it, at least .
My nerves were crawling under my skin, a mix of fear and excitement running through me, and my stomach swooped when Tucker came out of the bathroom.
God, was he exquisite. The way his t-shirt hugged all of the delicious muscles along his chest and arms and the way he ran his hand back through his hair, the damp blonde strands falling along his brow. My core clenched just watching him, and I knew in that moment, feeling my body actually crave his once again, that I could do this.
I pulled the covers back, inviting him to join me, and he crawled in, wrapping his arms around me in our usual embrace, but he was far from relaxed. The tension from the end of our night still wound tightly through his muscles.
That just wasn't going to do.
Pressing a gentle kiss to his chest, I ran my fingers along his arm. Stroking slowly, I moved them down to his stomach, feeling the lines of his abs through his shirt. I traced each one until I reached the bottom of the material and slipped my hand underneath, touching his bare skin beneath his clothes for the first time in months. I shifted, bringing one of my legs over to straddle his waist, and leaned down to kiss at his shoulder, his neck, his jaw, trailing along its strong line until I reached his lips.
Tucker barely moved. Barely reacted. Though I felt the beat of his heart rushing against the hand I had resting on his chest. I brushed my lips over his again and then leaned back, finding the questions in his eyes.
My own gaze asked him to trust me. To let me…to let us explore. I wasn't sure how far I could go, but I would try.
Swallowing, Tucker ran his hands along my back, pulling me close again to bring me into another kiss. I nibbled at his lips, asking for entrance, and he swept my tongue up with his, slow and deep, like he was claiming me all over again. My hand ran up through his hair, gripping with a soft tug, and I moved my lips to his neck, sucking and nipping and doing everything I could think of to drive him wild. Still, he held back, his hands only resting at my waist.
Wanting more, needing to test it. To see what I could do. For him. For us. I grabbed his hand and placed it on my breast. He paused for only a moment and then caressed, the pressure gentle and sure, and I moaned, pleasure washing over me as his thumb brushed over its peak.
I took his other hand and slipped it beneath my shirt, and as if he'd only been waiting for permission, he slid it up along my stomach and over my ribs, bringing it to my other breast to pinch my nipple. I hissed in a breath, my hips nearly grinding against his, and he ran his hand along me, skin against sensitive skin to soothe the sting.
"Fuck, princess, how I've missed those sounds," he growled, and I met his gaze, finding desire swirling in those whiskey depths. My core clenched, nerves swooping through my middle once again. Was I really ready for this? Could I do this?
Terror struck me then because I didn't think so. I wanted him so much. I wanted us the way we used to be, but I wasn't ready. I needed time.
"We can stop," he offered, watching the emotions play over my face, and frustration flashed through me. I fought back the urge to cry, overwhelmed, and shook my head .
"I don't want to. I want this. I want us. I can't do everything, but I can do some." I pressed my hands to his abs again, determined, and Tucker brought one of his hands to my waist as his other caressed over my breast again.
"You tell me the second you think it's going too far."
I nodded, and he pulled me down to kiss him again, our hands exploring each other's bodies. He stayed focused on my chest where he knew it was safe, eventually pulling away my top to replace his hands with his lips, and I was a panting, moaning mess under his tongue. My body was so starved for the connection and his touch.
"Can I?" He eventually slid his hand down my stomach, his fingers resting at the waist of my pajama bottoms, and I instantly tensed, knowing what he would feel if I let him cross that threshold. That scar that would forever mock me, making me hate my body and all the memories it triggered.
I shook my head, but his fingers were already retreating, the mood shifting. I felt his disappointment, though I knew he'd never say it, and I couldn't stand to leave it like this. It had been such a perfect night.
Pulling from the last recesses of my bravery, pushing the boundaries I'd set so firmly in place, I pressed Tucker back down to the bed, trailing my hands down his stomach, and slipped my fingertips below the waist of his sweats.
"Izzy." Questions flooded the single word, asking if I was sure, begging me not to if I wasn't. I looked up at him from where I crouched over his legs, his breaths shallow in anticipation.
"Let me. "
Slowly, I pulled down his sweats, and like I knew it would, his cock sprang free, glorious and fully erect. I stared. It had been so long since I'd seen him, and then I reached out to run my palm along his hard length. Tucker hissed, and his hips jerked into my touch.
"Fuck, princess. Don't tease. Please." His voice was strained. Begging. And I smirked, a rush flowing through me at the power I held over him at that moment.
"Don't worry, whiskey. I won't."
I grasped him then, wrapping my fingers around the soft, hard steel, and ran my hand up his length to the head before stroking all the way back down. I'd touched him before, but never like this. Not with my full rapt attention. And definitely never with what I was about to do. But tonight was about testing the waters. I couldn't give Tucker everything yet, but I could give him what he needed. A piece of it, at least.
Leaning forward, I flicked my tongue over the tip of his cock, and he hissed, bucking into my hand again. I smiled, loving his reaction, and wrapped my mouth around the head, swirling my tongue around him, experimenting.
"Oh, God." Tucker ran his hands over his face as he shuddered. "Grip the base," he directed, reaching down to guide my hand. "And do what you did with your tongue again."
I quickly did what he asked, wanting this to be good for him. Terrified that I wouldn't be.
I swirled my tongue again and followed the rhythm he showed me with my hand, licking and sucking. I paid attention to his sounds, what made him moan, leaving no part of him ignored. Every inch of his cock got my attention, and when his hands gripped the sheets and he cursed, a different kind of pleasure coursed through me because I was in control. His pleasure was mine, just like when he used to let me take control during sex.
I'd been an idiot for ever withholding this from him. It was too much fun. I didn't even care how uncomfortable it was for my jaw to take him in. That, I could get used to. Especially if it meant things could feel even a fraction of the way they had before.
What we shared between us had always been breathtaking, and now, I knew I wanted it back, tenfold, and this was the first step to getting there. Feeling my man writhe under my tongue.
When his hands wrapped themselves in my hair and his legs twitched by my sides, his breaths quick, I knew he wasn't far off, but I wasn't nearly ready for this to be over. Popping him out of my mouth, I gave a long, slow lick all the way up his cock and sent him a saucy look before sucking him back in. Changing my pace then, I slowed my rhythm, and Tucker groaned, tugging at my hair like I'd let him have a say.
"God, princess, yes. Suck me. Just like that."
I went deeper, opening my throat to take him in as my core clenched, my pussy dripping at his words. He cursed again, one of his hands now fisting in my hair as the other gripped the sheets, and I held my slower pace, loving the moans that rumbled from deep in his chest. When his legs eventually began to shake again, I quickened my pace one last time, knowing how he liked to finish, and I peered up at him, every ounce of desire I held for him in my gaze. I wanted to see his face when gratification hit.
The second he locked his eyes with mine, those whiskey depths widened in surprise .
"Shit, fuck, Izzy, I'm gonna—" He tugged at my hair to pull me away, but I held firm, keeping my lips locked around the head of his cock as he burst in long spurts into my mouth.
When he finally finished, I sat back and swallowed, a wide grin spreading across my face. He was spent, his expression still in shock as he caught his breath, and I pulled my top back on before crawling back up against his side to tuck myself into his chest.
"I hope that was good."
Tucker glanced down at me, love and admiration blazing through his gaze. " That was perfect. Fuck. You sure you haven't done that before?" I raised a warning eyebrow because he knew I hadn't, and he smirked. "I'm kidding. Thank you. You didn't have to."
"I wanted to."
He snuggled into me, tucking his head into mine, and then groaned. "Fuck. One of us has to get up to turn off the light."
I laughed and crawled out of the bed, eating up every second I felt his eyes follow me across the room.