33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Tripp

I'm always up early. There's always something to do, somewhere to go, something on the schedule. But right now, I can't think of a single thing I'm supposed to do because a naked Willow is in my bed. Wrapped in my sheets.

I prop myself up, watching her sleep. I'm aware this is either romantic and acceptable or extreme-creep behavior. She's stunning. Her dark hair is fanned around her, contrasting against the white pillowcase. Her eyelashes flutter. Maybe she's dreaming?

Fuck. It feels like I'm dreaming.

Her chest rises and falls—she stirs a little. I could pretend to be asleep, but I don't. Willow wakes up and sees me watching her and she gives me a sleepy grin.

"Morning," she says, while stretching her arms above her head.

"Morning." I lie down on my side, facing her. Once she's done stretching, she mirrors me.

"What time is it?" she asks with her eyes closed.

"It's 5:45."

"Gah! Why are you up so early?" She squints her eyes shut and dramatically throws her arm over her face.

"I'm always up early. Also, thought we could grab some breakfast before I have to go to the facility. Today is a corrections and adjustment day."

"Do we have to go right now? "

"No, we have some time. Should leave here around seven. But thought we could take a shower." I nuzzle her nose with mine.

"Mmmm, a shower sounds great."

I take my arm and throw it around her waist, drawing circles on the top of her hip. I then cup her ass.

Her eyes, golden and bright, pop open. We're on the same page.

I stand at the edge of the bed, reach for her hands, and pull her out of the bed.

I lead her to the bathroom and ditch my briefs before I turn the water on. Willow stands in front of me but covers parts of herself with her hands.

"Why the hands?" I ask.

"It's bright in here." Her voice is strained and sleepy. "I'm wildly aware that you are a professional athlete and I," she looks down her body and back up to me, "am not."

Fuck no. I don't want her feeling like this. Not for a minute.

"Lo. Believe me, I love that I can see you. And not to give away all my cards, but you're sort of my dream girl." I look down at my dick and then back up to her.

Her eyes go wide when she sees my erection.

"You're gorgeous. Seeing you like this..." I gesture to her and take in a deep breath. "It makes me want to put my mouth, my hands, all of me, all over you."

Her worried face cracks into a sly smile. I take a step back into the shower. She meets me with a kiss, soft but urgent. It's like she wants me to prove something to her.

Happy to.

Without breaking the kiss, we step in until we're under the water. I'm closest to the shower head. Steam rolls around us.

Her hands massage my scalp, playing with my hair, and that's new. Never had someone do that. My hair isn't that long but Willow's hands lightly coiling it around her fingers and scratching my scalp is incredible. Something I didn't know I was missing out on. Or fucking loved.

I groan into her mouth and pull my lips from her perfect pink pout to her jawline. Down her neck. Spending time at the delicate base. Her hands help direct me on where I should put my mouth next.

She glides a hand from my hair, slowly down my chest, stopping right above my cock. I laugh when she stops.

"What?" Lo teases, scratching my skin with her fingernails. Soft. Delicate. Tortuous. Her golden eyes snap to mine and it's like a punch. This moment. Willow here. Touching me like this. How I can't get enough of her.

"Love when you tease me," I say into her ear, her dark, wet locks touching my lips.

"Is that so?" she asks while she still runs her fingers on the lowest part of my stomach. My muscles flex on and off, reacting to her touch.

"Yes, baby." I think I'd love anything this woman did to me.

Willow turns us, switching our positions. She's now under the shower head, but just for a second. She takes her hands and lightly presses me back, into the bench. Her fingers dig into the top of my shoulders and she pushes down, making me sit.

I lean my weight back on my arms, for a second, taking her in, from her head to her toes. Her skin is pink from the hot water. She's fucking beautiful. And strong. Her legs are muscular; muscles flex in her arms when she massages the top of my shoulders from the front.

I'm in a perfect position to put my mouth on one of her breasts. I bite her nipple. When she arches her back she presses further into me. I swirl my tongue and use one hand to grab her ass. That ass. I love that there's something to grab .

Her hands move from my shoulders to the tip of my cock. She's delicate with her touch, exploring the head. I knead her ass with my fingers before giving it a light slap.

She yelps but smiles in a way that tells me she likes it.

"Tripp!"

"I can't get enough of that ass," I say, my face between her breasts, looking up at her.

When she laughs and tips her head up, I look up to one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Willow. Naked in my shower. Smiling.

She comes back to my dick and moves to the shaft. Both hands work in tandem, up and down. I get impatient and move my hips to deepen the touch.

"Someone is needy," Willow says in my ear before biting my ear lobe.

"For you? Always." My voice is like gravel.

Willow gets on her knees in front of me. She has one hand around the shaft of my throbbing cock and her mouth is close to the tip. She looks at me and I swear I almost come right then and there.

"You can't look at me like that," I say, looking down at this fucking siren in my shower.

"Like what?" she says before she puts my dick in her mouth.

"Fuuuck," I groan and lean back, my arms behind me. My chest heaves every time she pulls me in and out of her mouth. I can't look at her. If I do, I'll come early. Like a chump.

It's her hands. Her mouth. Her lips. Everything stacks on one another and I'm close.

"Lo, stand up," I say, my voice like a growl.

She pulls my cock out of her mouth, with a pop sound. When she stands, I grab one of her legs and pull it over my thigh. Willow knows where I'm going, and she straddles me.

Bit by bit, she slides on top of my length. I use my fingers to touch her clit. Each touch elicits those moans I love so much. Willow wraps her arms around my neck, giving her a bit of leverage for her to ride me while I sit.

I use one hand to guide her by holding her lower back. The other touches her bundle of nerves.

"Keep touching me like that. Just like that." Her pace picks up. Hearing her like this makes me want to come undone, but it's not time yet.

She leans a little further into me. I let her dictate the rhythm.

"My," she sucks in a breath, "my ass!" she demands. My hand goes from her low back to slapping her ass. The sharp sound spurs her on. My fingers move faster, I rock my hips forward. Back. Forward.

And there she goes.

Willow throws her head back, thrusting her tits into my face. I put one in my mouth. She shakes and trembles while I come inside her.

"Fuck, Lo."

We ride out the aftershocks together. She flips her hair forward before putting her forehead to mine. Her breath is quick. We match.

I put my hands into her hair and pull her to me for a kiss.

"I guess that was worth waking up for," she laughs, and I can feel her smile in the way she kisses me.

I take Willow to one of my favorite breakfast spots. It's a hidden gem, and I can text the staff if I'm planning to come in. They do their best to give me one of their back booths or tables. That way, people can't see me from the front window .

Honestly, it's rare that people pick me out of a lineup. I think I've changed the game a bit, going public with Willow, and definitely by bringing her here.

We eat our breakfast uninterrupted. Pancakes for her and an omelet for me. She holds her cup of coffee like it's a life source.

"No one's going to take that from you," I joke.

"They better not." She closes her eyes and takes a long sip. "Someone kept me up late last night." She smirks at me, steam in front of her eyes, like smoke on a sandy beach. "This is not me complaining but merely pointing out I will need copious amounts of coffee."

We're about to leave when she pulls out a thank you note from her bag. She takes a minute to write something and leaves it on the table for the server.

She reaches for my hand and we're one step out the door before paparazzi run towards us. Gone is the peacefulness of the morning.

The thing that pisses me off is how they are screaming at Willow. I've had my run-ins with these people, and it may be annoying, but I'd rarely call it disrespectful.

People shout things at her, like they did last night, but it's the way they crowd us. We each have security that was posted up and instructed to stay to themselves unless they were needed. When they come to our sides, I know this has the potential to get out of hand.

Willow, what makes you think you can keep Tripp entertained?

What the fuck? Did someone seriously say that? I look at her, and she's focused on nothing but the ground.

What happened with Dexter? How long do you think this one will last?

This is fucked up. The audacity these people have to scream at someone like this.

"Tripp. Don't." She squeezes my hand to get my attention. Her voice is barely loud enough for me to hear .

Willow, ever think the problem is you?

Tripp, she isn't worth it!

I stop. My security bumps into my back. No one expected me to stop. I know I should let this go but I fucking can't. Anger floods my veins.

I turn to the man who just screamed in my face about her not being worth it. He doesn't even stop taking photos.

There's a line I need to walk. Otherwise, I'll find myself in deep shit. Legal shit. Annoying shit.

With the lightest possible touch, I put a single finger on his camera. He pulls his eye from the finder, and I gently move this far enough that I can see his face.

"What did you say?" I keep my voice level and make eye contact with this sorry excuse of a person in front of me.

"Come on, you know how it is." He shrugs his shoulders. Nonchalant. Fucking asshole.

"I don't know how it is. You can take your stupid fucking pictures and sell them to whoever cares, but I'd appreciate if you didn't scream about shit you know nothing about." I say it through a sickly fake smile.

"Tripp, let's go," Willow says. She's tugging on the hand she's still holding.

"Did you hear me?" I ask the man who shrinks in front of me.

He doesn't say anything, but he nods in understanding. He backs himself out of the crowd of people. I know the entire interaction was documented and I don't care.

Willow and I get back to my car.

"Sorry, I know that's a lot to handle and—"

"Why are you apologizing? Are you okay?"

"It's not the worst thing I've heard, to be honest…" Her voice fades away and she stares at her hands resting on her knees.

"That's not okay." I place one of my hands on top of hers. She doesn't look at me.

"You don't have to do that. Try to get them to stop. It's not worth it."

"If I can get one of these losers to realize this is not how you treat fucking humans, I'm going to do it. Every time. I don't have to, but I want to."

"Tripp."

"Don't tell me it's not worth it. It is," I say, softer than before.

"I appreciate you. Really I do." She takes a deep breath. "I don't need you to call out the press though. You will never win. There are too many of them. Things like what just happened, they make me uncomfortable. I worry someone's going to lose it. I don't trust anyone to keep their cool."

Immediately, I feel bad. I want her to feel safe when she's with me. Not sure I accomplished that this morning.

"I've been doing this a long time. They've said everything there is to say. I'd prefer to not feed into it." Her voice cracks. She looks up with her eyes a tiny bit glassy. "I don't mean to get emotional. It just surprised me. The yelling about Dexter. I typically have thicker skin than this."

"That was. A lot. Don't apologize for having a reaction." I want her to hear me.

I take the hand from her leg, and reach for her with my other, each on her cheeks. I pull her in for a kiss. Sweet and tame compared to this morning.

"Thanks for taking me out to breakfast." I can tell she's trying to bounce back.

I kiss her hand.

"I hope there are many more breakfasts in our future, Lo."