The songs for this chapter are:
unconditionally-Katy Perry
dark horse- Katy Perry
Come on get higher- Matt Nathanson
Hardin's POV.
"Nice to see you again," Tessa's professor smiles.
"Yeah," why the fuck is he here?
"Professor Soto lives in Seattle now." Tessa informs me.
Of course he does.
"Convenient." I say under my breath. Tessa hears me and gently nudges me with her elbow and I wrap my arm around her waist.
Jonah's eyes briefly move to my arm around her then back up to her face. She's taken, dick.
"Yeah, I transferred to the Seattle campus a couple weeks ago. I applied for a job a few months back and finally got it. My band was ready for a move anyway." He tells us.
"The Reckless Few will be playing here tonight, and every other night if we can talk them into it." Christian boasts. Jonah smiles and looks down at his boots.
"We can arrange that," he says. "We better get ready to play,"
"Yeah, go on. Don't let us keep you." Christian pats Soto on the back and the professor turns to give Tessa one last smile before pushing his way through the small crowd toward the stage.
"The band is incredible, wait until you've heard them!" Vance claps his hands together once before he wraps his arms around Kimberly and leads her to a table in front of the stage.
I've already heard them and they are not incredible.
Tessa turns to me with nervous eyes, "He's nice, remember he gave you a character witness,"
"No, I don't recall anything about him actually. Except the fact that he likes you and he's mysteriously living in Seattle now, teaching at your fucking campus."
"You heard him say that he applied there months ago, and he does not like me."
"He does."
"You think everyone likes me." She fires back. She can't possibly be naïve enough to assume that he has good intentions.
"Shall we make a list then? There's Zed, fucking Trevor, that dickhead of a waiter.. who am I missing? Oh, and now we can add your stalker of a professor."
"Zed is the only person on that list that counts. Trevor is very sweet and he never meant any harm. I'll probably never see Robert again, and Soto is not a stalker."
"Probably?" The word doesn't sit well with me.
"I obviously won't see him again. You're the one I'm with, okay?" She pushes one of her hands into mine and I relax. I need to make sure I tossed that damned waiter's phone number, just in case.
"I still think this asshole is a stalker," I nod toward the stage at the douchebag in his leather jacket. I may need to talk to my father just to make sure he isn't as shady as I think he is. Tessa would approach a lion with fucking kitten gloves, she's no good at character judgment.
She proves my point when she beams up at me, smiling like an idiot because of the champagne running through her veins. She's here with me after all the shit I've put her through.
"I thought this was a jazz club, his band is more.. " Tessa begins to try and take my mind off of the seemingly endless list of men who want her affection.
"Shitty?" I interrupt her. She swats my arm.
"No, just not jazz music. They are more.. like The Fray sort of."
"The Fray? Don't insult your favorite band now." The only thing I remember about the professor's band is that they fucking suck.
"And yours." She bumps her shoulder against my arm.
"Not quite."
"Don't act like you don't like them, I know you do." She squeezes my hand and I shake my head, not denying it really but I'm not going to admit it either.
I stare back and forth between the wall and Tessa's tits while waiting for the shitty band to set up.
"Can we go now?" I ask for the third time in the last ten minutes.
"One song," Tessa's cheeks are flushed and her eyes are wide and glossy. She takes another drink. Her hands run over her dress, tugging it down and up at once.
"Can I at least sit down?" I nod toward line of empty stools at the bar.
I take Tessa's hand in my own and pull her to the bar. I sit on the last stool, closest to the wall and furthest from the crowd.
"What are you having?" A young man with a goatee and a fake ass accent asks us.
"A glass of champagne and a water," Tessa moves to stand between my legs and I rest one hand on the small of her back. The beads on her dress are rough against my palm.
"We only sell our champagne by the bottle, sir." He gives me an apologetic smile as if I couldn't afford a bottle of his fucking champagne.
"A bottle will be fine," Vance's voice sounds next to me and the bartender nods, looking back and forth between the two of us.
"She will have it chilled," I cockily remark.
He nods again and scurries away to fetch the bottle. Dick.
"Stop babysitting us," I tell Vance. Tessa scowls at me, I ignore her.
"I'm clearly not babysitting you. She's underage." He rolls his eyes like the sarcastic twit he is.
"Yeah, yeah." I say. Someone calls his name and he pats my shoulder before walking away.
A few moments later the bartender pops a bottle of champagne open and pours the bubbling liquid into a glass for Tessa. She politely thanks him and he responds with a smile even more artificial than his accent. It's killing me not to call his ass out on it.
"It's so good," she brings the glass to her lips and rests her back against my chest.
Two men walk by and give her a quick glance. She notices, I know she does because she leans further into me and lays her head against my shoulder.
"There's Sasha." She says over the sound of Jonah's guitar playing around with the sound equipment. The tall blonde is searching the room, either for her boyfriend or a random dude to nail.
"Who cares?" I gently grip her elbow and turn her to face me.
"I don't like her," she quietly states.
"No one does."
"You don't?" She asks. Is she insane?
"Why would I?"
"I don't know," her eyes move to my mouth, "Because she's pretty."
"So?"
"I don't know, I'm just being weird." She shakes her head in an attempt to rid the jealousy that is clear on her face.
"Are you jealous, Theresa?"
"No," she pouts.
"You shouldn't be," I open my legs further and pull her against me again. "That's not what I want," I move my eyes to her nearly exposed chest. "You are," I trace the line of her cleavage with my index finger as if we aren't in a crowded club.
"Only for my boobs," she whispers the last word.
"Obviously, I chuckle, teasing her.
"I knew it." Tessa pretends to be offended but smiles over the rim of her glass.
"Yeah well, now that the truth is out you can let me fuck them." I say, much too loud. Champagne spurts out of her mouth and onto my shirt and lap.
"Sorry!" She squeals, reaching for the napkin bin on the bar. She dabs the napkin across this fucking horrendous monstrosity of a shirt and then moves to my crotch.
"I wouldn't do that," I grab her wrist and take the napkin from her.
"Oh." Her flush spreads down her neckline.
One of the professor's band mates makes their introduction into the microphone and I try my best not to vomit when the eardrum assault begins. Tessa watches intently as they roll from one song to another and I continue to keep her glass full.
I'm thankful for how we are sitting. Well, I'm sitting. She's standing between my legs, her back toward me, but I can see her face when I slightly lean back against the bar behind me. The low red lighting in the place, the champagne, and her being.. her, makes her glow. It's impossible not to watch her smile and stare at the stage. I can't even be jealous because she's just that.. beautiful. As if she can read my mind, she turns around and gives me an eager smile. I love seeing her this way, so carefree.. so young. I need to make her feel this way more often.
"They are good, right?" She nods along to the slow yet edgy sound.
"No." I shrug. They aren't terrible but they sure as hell aren't good.
"Surree," she exaggerates the word and turns back around. Moments later, her hips begin to sway along to the whining voice of the lead singer. Fuck.
I move my hand down to the curve of her hip and she backs into me, still moving. The tempo of the song speeds and Tessa does the same. Holy fuck.
We've done a lot of shit.. I've done a lot of shit, but I've never had anyone dance on me this way. I've had girls and even a few strippers give me a lap dance, but not like this. This is slow, intoxicating.. and achingly fucking hot. My other hand moves to her other hip and she turns slightly to place her glass on the bar top. With her hands empty, she gives me a salacious smile and looks back to the stage. She lifts one hand up and wraps her small fingers through my hair and places the other hand on top of mine.
"Keep going," I beg.
"You sure?" She tugs at the roots of my hair.
It's hard to believe that this seductive girl wearing a short, black dress, swaying her hips and tugging my hair, is the same girl who spits her champagne when I talk about fucking her chest. She's such a turn-on.
"Yes, fuck." I breathe and bring a hand up to the nape of her neck to bring her ear to my mouth. "Move against me," I squeeze her hip.. "closer." I encourage her and she does just that. I'm thankful for my height as I sit on the bar stool, the perfect height for her ass to move against me, hitting the exact spot that aches for her.
I pull my attention from her, only for a second, to scan our surroundings. I don't want anyone else watching her dance.
"You're so sexy right now," I say against the shell of her ear. "Dancing this way, in public.. for me and only me." I swear I hear her moan through the music and that's all I can take. I turn her around and push my hand under her skirt.
"Hardin," she groans when I slide her panties to the side.
"No one is paying any attention, even if they were they can't see." I assure her. I wouldn't be doing this if I thought anyone would be able to witness her pleasure.
"You liked putting on that show, didn't you?" She can't deny it, she's soaking.
She doesn't respond, she only rests her head on my shoulder and pulls at the bottom of my shirt, fisting it in her hand like she normally would do our sheets. I pump in and out of her, trying to match the haunting melody of the song. Almost instantly, her legs are stiffening and she's coming from my fingers.
"Car or bathroom?" She asks when she lifts her head from my shoulder.
"Car." I hastily reply and she downs the last of her champagne. Vance can pay for the shit, I don't have time to hunt down the bartender.
Tessa takes my hand and drags me toward the door. She's eager and I'm hard as fuck from her seduction game at the bar.
"Is that?" Tessa stops in her tracks by the door. Black hair, styled to stick up wildly, peeks through the crowd. I would have sworn my paranoia was causing hallucinations if she wouldn't have seen him too.
"Why the fuck is he here? Did you tell him you were coming here?" I hiss. I've kept my cool all night only to have it sabotaged my this asshole.
"No! Of course not!" Tessa defends. I can tell by her wide eyes that she's being honest.
Zed spots us and a frown takes over his face. Being the fucking instigator that he is, he walks over to where we are standing.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him as he approaches.
"Same thing you're doing." He rolls his shoulders and looks at Tessa. I fight the urge to pull the top of her dress up and knock his teeth out.
"How did you know she was here?" I ask him. Tessa tugs at my arm and looks back and forth between Zed and I.
"I didn't. I'm here to watch the band." A man with the same tanned skin as Zed joins us.
"You should go," I tell the two of them.
"Hardin, please." Tessa whines behind me.
"Don't," I whisper to her. I have had enough of Zed and his shit.
"Hey.." the man stands between us. "They are doing another set. Let's go tell them we're here."
"You know Jonah?" Tessa asks. Damn it Tessa.
"Yeah, we do." The man answers. What the fuck?
"See you around," Zed gives Tessa his best 'I'm a lost fucking puppy and I want you to feel bad for me and love me because I'm a pathetic fuck" smile and walks away.
I rush out the door and into the cold air. Tessa follows closely behind.
"I didn't know he was coming here! I swear." She tells me. I unlock the car and open the passenger door for her.
"I know," I silence her. I'm trying my best to talk myself down from going back inside.
"I don't understand how he knows Soto. I introduced them at Canal Street, maybe they became friends after? I don't get it. Unless they already knew each other but it didn't seem like it?" I can see all the possibilities and conspiracy theories floating through Tessa's mind.
"Drop it. Please. I don't want to ruin the night." I walk around to the other side of the car and slide in next to her.
"Okay," she agrees, nodding.
"Thank you," I sigh. I push the key into the ignition and Tessa puts her hand on my cheek to turn my head toward her.
"I really appreciate you making such an effort tonight, I know it's hard for you but it means the world to me." She praises me and I smile against her palm.
"Okay,"
"I mean it. I love you, Hardin. So much."
I tell her how much I love her while she climbs across the console and straddles my lap. Her hands are quick to undo my jeans and tug them down just enough.. her mouth is quick against my neck and she pulls at my shirt, popping the top two buttons off in a rushed attempt to gain access to my chest. I push her dress up to expose her and she digs into my back pocket to retrieve the condom that I suspected I would need.
"I only want you, always" she reassures me, calming my racing mind, as she slides the condom onto me. I grip her hips and help lift her body. In the small space of the car it feels closer, deeper, as she lowers herself onto me. As I fill her, completely and possessively, a low hiss sounds from my mouth. She covers my mouth, swallowing my moans as she moves her hips slowly, as she did in the club.
"It's so fucking deep this way," I remind her, taking her bun in my hand and tugging gently to force her to look at me.
"So good," she groans, taking me inside of her. One of her hands moves to my hair while the other rests at the base of my throat. She's so fucking sexy this way, when alcohol is laced with adrenaline and she is full of hunger and need, need for me, for my body, for this raw passionate connection that only we share. She couldn't find this with anyone else, neither could I. I have everything I need here with her, and she can't ever leave me.
"Fuck, I love you." I breathe into her mouth as she tugs at my hair and tightens her hand on my neck. It's not uncomfortable, she's only applying light pressure, and it's driving me fucking insane.
"I love you," she gasps when I lift my hips to meet her, plunging harder than before. I stare at her and revel in the sensation of her flexing her hips.
The slow building of pleasure begins at the base of my spine and I can feel Tessa tensing as I continue to aid her by lifting my hips with each thrust.
She has got to get on birth control, I need to feel her skin to skin again.
"I can't wait to be inside of you without a condom," I speak into her neck.
"Keep going," she urges me. She loves my dirty mouth.
"I want you to feel me come inside of you," I suck at the salty skin, tasting the thin layer of sweat. "You'll fucking love it, won't you? Me marking you that way?" The thought alone pushes me over the edge.
"I'm almost," she moans and with one harsh tug at my hair, we ride out our highs together.
I help her off of m lap and roll down the window while she adjusts her dress.
"What are you-" she begins and I toss the condom out the window. "You did not just throw a dirty condom out of the window! What if Christian sees it?" She slurs.
"I'm sure it won't be the only condom in this lot," I smile at her. Her hands fumble with my zipper, helping me dress again so I can drive.
"Maybe not," she scrunches her nose and looks out the window as I put the car in drive. "It smells like sex in here," she adds and bursts into laughter. "Remember that?" She giggles.
I nod and listen to her hum along to every single fucking song on the way back to Vance's place. I almost tease her for it but it's actually sort of a lovely sound, especially after listening to the stalker's band play. Lovely sound? I'm even starting to think like her.
"I'm going to have to psychically remove my eardrums after tonight," I remark.
She sticks her tongue out at me like a child and sings even louder.
..
"What if we're locked out?" Tessa giggles when we reach the driveway.
"The babysitter is here," I remind her.
"Oh yeah! Lillian.. she's so nice." She smiles.
"I thought you didn't like her." I grin at the level of her intoxication.
"I do now that I know she doesn't like you the way you led me to believe,"
"Don't pout," I touch her lips. "She's a lot like you, only more annoying."
"Excuse me?" She hiccups, "that wasn't very nice of you to make me jealous of her."
"It worked, didn't it?" I smugly reply and climb out of the parked car.
I take Tessa' s hand in mine to steady her step as we walk up to the driveway and approach the door.
Lillian is seated alone on the couch when we enter the house. I take a moment to pull the front of Tessa's dress up. She rolls her eyes at me.
"How was it?" She stands to her feet.
"It was so much fun, the band was great." Tessa beams.
"She's wasted," I inform Lillian.
"I can see that," the girl laughs. "Smith is asleep, he almost had a conversation with me tonight."
"Good for you," I say and lead Tessa toward the hall.
"It was nice seeing you! " My drunk girlfriend waves to Lillian.
I don't know if I should tell her to leave now or wait until Vance shows up so I don't say anything. I close the door behind Tessa and I and she plops onto the bed.
"Can you take this off?" She points to her dress. "It's so itchy."
"Yeah, stand up." I help her out of her dress and she thanks me with a kiss on the tip of my nose. It's a simple gesture but it catches me off guard and I smile at her.
"I'm so glad you're here with me," she says.
"Are you?" She nods and unbuttons the remainder of the buttons left on Christian's shirt. Her hands push the garment down my arms and she folds it neatly before walking to her hamper. I'll never understand why she folds dirty clothes but I'm used to it now.
"Yes, very. Seattle isn't as great as I thought," she finally admits. I have suspected this, so has Landon.
I should take her out tomorrow during the day to cheer her up.
"Why not?" Then come back to Pullman with me.
"I don't know. It's just not." She frowns and I'm suprised that instead of wanting to hear how miserable she is here, I want to change the subject.
"You could move to England," I press. She glares at me with red cheeks and champagne glazed eyes.
"You won't take me for a wedding but you want me to move there," she calls me out.
"We will talk about it later," I silence her.
"Yeah.. yeah.. always later," she walks back to sit on the bed but misses completely. Her body rolls onto the floor and she bursts into a fit of laughter.
"Christ, Tessa." I grab ahold of her hand and help her to her feet, my heart pounding in my chest.
"I'm fine," she laughs and sits down, pulling me with her.
"I gave you too much champagne,"
"Yep, you did." She smiles and pushes my shoulders back until I'm flat on the matress.
"Are you okay? Do you feel sick?"
"Stop parenting me, I'm fine." Her head rests against my chest.
I bite my tongue instead of mouthing off to her.
"What do you want to do?" She quietly asks.
"What?"
"I'm bored," she looks up at me with that look. Tessa lifts herself up and stares down at me, eyes wild.
"What would you like to do, drunk ass?"
"Pull your hair," she grins and pulls her bottom lip between in teeth in the most sinful way.
....
"Can't sleep?" Christian turns the overhead light on and joins me in the kitchen.
"Tessa needed some water," I tell him. I push the refrigerator closed but Vance stops it with his hand.
"Kim too. That's the price of drinking too much champagne." He says from behind me.
Tessa's endless giggles and insatiable appetite for pleasure have worn me out and I'm convinced she will be vomiting soon if she doesn't have some water.
"Yeah, Tessa's a mess." I bite back a smile while remembering her tumble off of the bed.
"So England next weekend then?" He changes the subject.
"Nah, I'm not going."
"This is your mum's wedding we're talking about."
"And? It's not her first and probably won't be the last." I tell him. His hand reaches across and knocks the bottled water from my hand, it falls to the floor.
"What the fuck?" I bend down to grab it.
"You have no right to speak of your mum that way."
"What does it matter to you? I don't want to go and I'm not going to."
"Give me a reason, a real one." He challenges me.
What the fuck is his problem?
"I don't need to give anyone a reason, I just don't want to go to a stupid wedding. I've already been dragged to one this season and that was enough for me."
"Fine. I've already sent in for Tessa's passport so I assume you'll be fine without her while she enjoys England for the first time?"
I drop the bottle to the floor. It can stay there this time.
"You what?" I gape at him. He's fucking with me, he has to be.
"I sent in her initial application and paid for it the moment I found out about the wedding. She will have to go downtown to finalize it and get her picture taken but I've done the rest." He leans against the island and crosses his arms.
"Why would you even do that? That's not even legal." I fume. Like I give a fuck if it's legal..
"Because I knew you would be a stubborn asshole about the entire thing and I also knew that she was the only shot I had to get you to go. This is important to your mum and she's been worried that you won't go."
"She's right to be worried. You two think you can use Tessa to bully me into going to fucking England? Fuck both you and my mum." I open his refrigerator to grab another bottle of water just to be a dick but he closes it with his foot before I can.
"Look, I know you've had a shit life okay? So did I, so I get it but you won't be talking to me the way you talk to your parents."
"Then stop trying to meddle in my god damned life the way they do."
"I'm not meddling. You know damn well that Tessa would love to go to that wedding and you also know that you'll feel like an asshole if you deprive her of it for your own selfish reasons. You may as well get over being pissed at me and thank me for making your week much easier."
I stare at him for a few moments to take in what he is saying. He's half right, I have already started to feel bad for not wanting to go to the wedding. The only reason being that Tessa would love to go. She has already pouted about it enough tonight and it's been wearing on my mind.
"I'll use your silence as a thank you," Vance smirks and I roll my eyes.
"I don't want this to be a big thing,"
"What? The wedding?"
"Yeah. How can I take her to another wedding and watch her eyes get all doe -like and watery only to have to remind her that she won't ever have that?"
Christian's fingers tap against his chin, "Ahh, I see." His smile grows. "That's what this is about then? You don't want her getting any ideas?"
"No. She already has the ideas. The woman's mind is full of ideas, that's the problem."
"Why would that be a problem? You don't want her to make an honest man out of you?" He taunts me. I'm glad to see that he isn't holding a grudge against me for my rude remarks only minutes ago. This is why I sort of like Vance, he's not as sensitive as my father.
"Because it's not going to happen and she's one of those crazy women who bring the shit up like a month after dating. She literally broke up with me because I said I wouldn't marry her. She's bat shit crazy sometimes."
He chuckles and takes a drink of the water meant for his fiancé. Tessa is waiting on me to bring her water back, I need to tie this conversation up. It's already been too long and too personal for my liking.
"Consider yourself lucky that she wants that with you. You aren't the easiest guy to be around and if anyone knows that it's her."
I begin to ask him what the fuck he even knows about my relationship but I quickly remember that he's engaged to the biggest mouth in Seattle.
Scratch that, the entire state of Washington.. perhaps even the entire United States of..
"Am I right?" He interrupts my thoughts about his obnoxious woman.
"Yes but still. It's ridiculous to think about marriage at all, especially when she's not even twenty."
"This is coming from the man who doesn't want her more than three feet away from him?"
"Asshole." I gripe.
"It's true,"
"Doesn't mean you're not an asshole."
"Touché. I do find it amusing that you don't intend on marrying her but you can't seem to control your temper or anxiety when it comes to losing her."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I don't think I want to know the answer but it's too late now.
Vance's eyes meet mine, "You're anxiety is at it's highest levels when you're worried about her leaving you or when another man pays her attention. You know what helps a hell of a lot when it comes to both of those things?"
"What's that?"
"A ring," he holds up his hand and touches the empty spot where a wedding band will soon rest.
"Oh my fuck! She's gotten to you too! What did she do, pay you off?" I laugh at the idea. Isn't not exactly too far fetched considering Tessa's obsession with marriage and her charm.
"No you twat!" He throws the top to the water bottle at me. "It's the truth. Imagine being able to say she's yours and it be true. Now it's only words, an empty threat, but when Tessa's your wife , it's real. That's when it's fucking real and it couldn't be more satisfying, especially for overly paranoid men like you and I."
My mouth is dry by the end of his speech and I want to hightail it out of this overly bright kitchen.
"That's a load of shit," the words rush from my mouth.
"Have you ever watched that show Sex with the City?" He walks over and opens a cabinet while talking.
"No,"
"Sex in the City, Sex and the City, I don't remember."
"No, no, and no." I respond.
"Kim watches it all the time, she has every season on DVD." Christian tears open a box of cookies. It's two in the morning.
"Okay?" Tessa is waiting for me and I'm standing here talking about some shit show.
"There is this episode that the woman are talking about how you only get two great loves in your life-"
"Okay.. okay. this is getting too fucking weird." I interrupt him. "Tessa is waiting for me."
"I know.. I know.. let me finish really quick, I'll sum it up for you in the most masculine way possible." He looks at me for approval and I hesitantly nod. "So they were saying that you only get two great loves in your entire life, my point is.. .well I have sort of lost the point but I know Tessa's your great love."
"You said we get two?" I'm lost.
"Your own self is the other for you, that's obvious." He snorts.
"And yours were who? Big mouth and Smith's mum?" I raise a brow.
"Watch it.." he warns.
"Sorry, Kimberly and Rose," I roll my eyes again. "They were yours? You better hope those broads on that show were wrong."
"Uhh yes. Those two were mine," he stutters. An emotion flashes across his face but it's too quick to disappear before I can read it.
"Well now that you've made no point what-so-ever, I'm going to bed."
"Yeah.." he seems slightly flustered. "I don't even know what I'm going on about. I drank too much tonight."
"Yeah.. okay." I leave him alone in the kitchen. I don't know what the hell that was about but it was odd seeing him stuttering and at a loss for words.
By the time I get back to the room, Tessa is asleep on her side. Her hands are resting under her cheek and her knees are tucked against her body.
I flick the light off and sit her water bottle on the nightstand before climbing into bed behind her. Her naked body is warm to my touch and I can't help but shiver as the traces of my fingertips cause small bumps to raise on her skin. Under my fingertips they comfort me, reminding me that my touch, even in her sleep, awakens something in her.
"Hey," she sleepily whispers. I jump slightly at her voice and nuzzle my head into her neck, pulling her closer to me.
"We're going to England next weekend." I tell her. She quickly turns her head to look behind her. The room is dark but the television on the wall gives enough light for me to see the shock on her face.
"What?"
"England. Next weekend. You and me."
"But-"
"No. You're going. Everyone's been on my case about it and I know you want to go so don't try to argue about it."
"You don't have-"
"Theresa. Let it go." I press my hand over her mouth and she uses her teeth to softly nip at the skin of my palm. "Are you going to be a good girl and keep quiet if I move my hand?" I tease her, thinking back to her earlier accusation of me of parenting her.
She shakes her head yes and I let her go. She lifts herself up onto her elbow and turns to face me. I can't possibly hold a conversation when she's naked and feisty.
"But I don't have a passport!" She blurts and I hide my smile. I knew she wasn't done.
"It's already in the works. We will figure the rest out tomorrow."
"But-"
"Theresa..."
"Two times in one minute? Uh-oh," she grins.
"You're never drinking champagne again." I push her messy hair away from her eyes and trace the bow of her bottom lip with my thumb.
"You certainly weren't complaining earlier when I was-" I silence her drunken mouth by pressing my lips against hers.
I love her so much, so fucking much that it frightens me to think about losing her. Do I really want to mix her.. my potential future, the only shot I have at a decent one, with my wicked past?
(I hope everyone has an amazing Christmas, (if you celebrate, if not have an amazing week) I don't think I'll be able to update until Thursday but if I have some free time I will <3 Tell me your plans for the holidays! xo)
(In the last chapter when I said "we are halfway through" I meant this book, we are well over halfway through the story!)