Chapter 21

Annieand I were lighting up the town when Rich texted me to tell me he and Mum had come to an understanding. I smirked, wondering how many times Mum had threatened to kill Rich if he hurt me. Annie thrust a shot glass at me.

“Jesus Christ, can you not?” she huffed before knocking back her shot.

I knocked mine back just after. “Not what?”

“That!” She pointed at my phone. “Seriously, you’re out with me, not your fucking boy toy. Can you put your phone away?”

This wasn’t like her. Annie wasn’t usually the jealous kind. “What is up with you?”

“I think my dad is having an affair.”

Oh, fuck.

“What do you mean, an affair?”

“As in fucking someone,” she shouted over the music. A couple of people looked at her and I pulled her to the smoking area outside the back of the club.

“What makes you think he’s seeing someone?” I asked, panicking inside that she knew it was me and I was trying outwardly to seem like I knew nothing.

“He’s getting on like a fucking teenager. He’s always texting someone, and he’s always got this stupidly happy look on his face.”

“You’re not happy for him?”

Annie glared. “It’s not like that, Liam. I mean, if this is someone important to him, why isn’t he sharing it with me? We don’t do secrets. We haven’t since Phillipa fucked off. So, they’re either married, or it’s someone I wouldn’t approve of.”

I tried to think of some other reason for Rich being secretive. “Maybe he just doesn’t want to give you any reason to worry when you’re making a life for yourself. We both know what happened to your dad when your mum did her boss. Maybe he doesn’t want you to feel like you have to be there in case things fall apart again.” My stomach vaulted at the thought of something not working out between Rich and me. That was the last thing I wanted to happen.

“You think so?” She pondered what I had said.

I felt like shit. I didn’t want to lie to my friend. I also didn’t know what the hell else to do. I needed to change the subject.

“I do. Now, come on, bitch. I need to get seriously wasted. Time for double shots!” I grinned, hoping she wouldn’t notice how fake my smile was and would follow me back into the club and allow us the chance to get lost in dancing and booze. Fortunately, my best mate did exactly that. She grabbed my hand, and back to the bar we went.

* * *

One pizzaafter the club closing later, and Annie and I were in the taxi on the way back to her house. “You’re staying over, right?”

I nodded. I was more than a little tipsy and a lot horny. With the amount Annie had knocked back over the evening, she would get in and probably pass out until morning, and risky as it was, I thought about how much I wanted to find myself in Rich’s bed, in his arms, naked.

“Thanks for not texting your boy after our little chat.” She smiled at me, putting her head on my shoulder and hugging my arm.

“It’s all good. We’re best friends. I’m never going to ignore you over a man.”

“Ohh, he’s a man, is he?”

Shit.

“Appears to be, yeah.” I tried to cover up my slip.

Annie grinned and closed her eyes.

Twenty minutes later, we were standing outside her door, trying to get her key in the lock. “Shhhhh!” she laughed.

“You’re drunk. Give me those!” I took the keys from her and tried unsuccessfully myself.

Before I could stop her, Annie was leaning on the doorbell. The landing light went on, and I could hear Rich coming down the stairs. Seconds later, he was standing there in just his pyjama bottoms. I thought my eyes were going to fall out of my head. Rich took in the sight of us and laughed. Hooking his arm under his daughter’s frame, he pulled her into the house and helped her upstairs. I stumbled my way in and followed him up to Annie’s room, trying unsuccessfully to not stare at his arse.

I helped my friend get into bed as much as I could in the state I was also in. I could hear Rich moving around in the kitchen downstairs and then coming back up the stairs. He appeared at Annie’s bedroom door with painkillers and a pint glass of water in his hands.

He motioned for me to set them down on her bedside table. I knew she was too out of it to do anything with them, but at some point, even if it was the morning, she was going to be very grateful they were on hand. He smirked as he watched me but said nothing and headed back downstairs.

Once I was sure my friend was asleep, I tiptoed back downstairs to see where Rich had gone. I found him in the kitchen, filling up another glass. He handed it and some painkillers to me.

“I’m really not that bad,” I complained.

He nodded knowingly. “Uh-huh. Get those into you.”

“I’d rather get you into me.” I grinned at him, posing in a way I tried to convince myself was provocative, but I was sure I looked a right state in reality.

He looked me up and down, and I could see the lust in his expression. In my uninhibited state, his eyes felt like they were skimming over my skin. Goosebumps covered every inch of me as his eyes trailed over me. My cock twitched with a need I didn’t even know I was capable of.

“Jesus, don’t look at me like that,” he warned half-heartedly. I could see the effect I was having on him. He was only wearing thin pyjama bottoms.

His physical reaction emboldened me, even if his words were trying to persuade me differently. I moved towards him, pressed my body against his, and let my hands roam down over the hardness tenting against the fabric covering him. Palming his cock, I whispered against his neck, “Are you sure you don’t want me looking at you?” I cupped him firmly and applied some friction. “Should I stop touching you too?” I nibbled on his neck right below his ear. “Just tell me to stop, Rich, and I will.”

A soft, low moan escaped from him and the last of his restraint also fell away. He grabbed me and pulled me into a hard, needy kiss. His tongue danced with mine and I felt like I was being consumed, by Rich, and by the lust he sparked within me every single time I saw him.

His hands traced softly down my spine until they reached my arse. He grabbed my buttocks and tugged my hips firmly against his. I lifted my leg and hooked it over his hip, longing to feel him against me where I craved it most. I needed him to take the hint and give me exactly what I wanted, right there in his kitchen.

Rich skimmed one of his hands over my thigh and adjusted the other to the middle of my back to help me balance there. He ground his hips against me and his cock nudged against me right where I wanted it.

“Rich, I need you inside me.” I breathed out in a half-whisper.

“As much as I will regret this, not even if you promised me you’d be a good boy and keep it quiet!” He kissed me with more passion than I had ever felt in my life. “God, I wish I could take you up to my bed.” His eyes were begging me to come with him, even though both of us knew that was the stupidest idea possible with Annie at home.

“I wish you could too,” I admitted. He took my hand in his and pulled me across the kitchen.

“Soon.” He smirked over his shoulder, and without another word between us, we climbed the stairs together. Rich went into his room, and I went into Annie’s, finding her passed out cold, exactly where I had left her, unaware of anything.