Fallen (The Frenemy Series Book 3)

by Kate Benson

  “You’re such a jerk,” I laugh, ignoring his chuckle as he leaves. When I lift my toothbrush from the sink a moment later, I rest against the doorframe and watch him move around our bedroom with purpose. “Why are you bothering me?”

  “If I tell you, it’ll ruin the surprise,” he admits, thumbing through my hangers. “Do you want your purple leggings or the pineapple dress?”

  “Pineapple,” I manage around the toothbrush as I watch him from a couple feet away and memories of the first time he’d woken me like this make me smile. “How much time do I have?”

  “Your dress is on the bed, your breakfast is on the counter and your bag is packed,” he says. When I turn to rinse as he gives my ass a playful swat on his way out. “Getcha mind right, pussycat. We’re leaving in thirty.”

  dash

  As we step out onto the front porch forty minutes later, the excitement in our veins is palpable. If I’m honest, I don’t know how I even pulled this off so quickly, but that part doesn’t matter.

  The only thing that does is standing next to me, biting on her thumbnail as she scrolls through her phone, waiting for me to lock up.

  The sun hasn’t been up long, and the orange rays are shining against her skin. The contrast makes her blue eyes pop even more than usual and when she flashes me a smile, it pulls my eyes to that red lipstick and I’m gone.

  “Damn, you’re pretty,” I tell her, bending to take her kiss, my chest clenching when her hands grip my wrist and she kisses me back. “You feel like going on an adventure?”

  “Hell yeah,” she nods, still beaming.

  “Alright, pussycat,” I say, taking her hand. “Let’s go.”

  Thirty-Four

  evie

  After twenty-five minutes on the highway and multiple attempts at bribery using promises of some very naughty roadside assistance, I still can’t get Dash to tell me where we’re going. The most I’ve managed is him admitting we won’t be coming home until tomorrow and that’s enough to have my excitement increase.

  Honestly, I don’t care where we’re going.

  As long as it’s with him, I’ll take it.

  “You want some music?” he asks, making me nod. “What you feelin’, pussycat?”

  “You pick,” I offer with a shrug. “You don’t like my stuff.”

  “Maybe I would if you liked better stuff,” he teases, making me roll my eyes as he raises the volume, the sound of The Rolling Stones seeping out the speakers. “That good?” he asks, pulling a nod from me as he switches on the air conditioner despite his heavy, leather jacket and the low temperature outside. “Better?”

  “Yeah,” I nod, taking his hand in mine. “Thank you.”

  “Anything for you, princess,” he says, the typically smartass comment particularly sweet as he gives my fingers a gentle squeeze.

  While our breakup had undoubtedly been one of the hardest things my heart has ever experienced, it’s also proven to become a bit of a breakthrough for us both.

  He’s made a priority of reminding me what we fought for all those months ago, no longer keeping the sweet side of him I need so badly at arm’s length.

  I’ve made it mine to remind myself that the man I fell in love with is no longer the boy I grew up hating.

  The guy I’ve fallen for is the one who woke me at midnight for an obnoxious balcony dance, supported me when my dreams felt too far off, held me together when I thought the world would fall apart.

  He’s the guy who keeps showing up for me.

  We both grow quiet, the gentle hum of the pavement beneath the tires and Keith Richards strumming the only sound until he lets out a long, low sigh.

  “Are you alright?” I ask, and he nods, eyes still trained on the road. “You seem very thoughtful today.”

  “I’m with my two best girls,” he smiles soft, bringing my hand to his lips and adjusting slightly in the seat, stifling another sigh. “I’m good, baby.”

  I smile at him and I lean back into the seat, taking in the world outside before my eyes move back to him, my mouth going dry for the umpteenth time watching him drive Sue.

  “I love this car,” I sigh, my fingertips absentmindedly tracing the leather as my eyes dance over the dash. “She’s so pretty.”

  He nods, saying nothing more for a moment and I don’t miss the way he goes silent and swallows hard before he finally clears his throat to reply.

  “Hey, so your mom’s going to be here in time for Christmas,” he changes the subject, squeezing my hand again. “Are you excited?”

  “Yes,” I nod, shaking my head clear at his weird behavior. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

  “Of course,” he smiles, slowly making his way off the interstate a moment later.

  “Are we there already?” I ask, making him shake his head.

  “No, we’ve still got a couple of hours,” he admits as he pulls up to a stop sign and puts the car in park. “I just had an idea.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Get out.”

  “What?”

  “Come on,” he smirks as he cuts the engine and steps out, jogging around to my side. “Get out of the car.”

  “What are you doing?” I ask, taking his hand as he helps me out of the bucket seat. “What’s wrong?”

  “Here,” he says, handing me the keys and grinning wide when I stare back at him in shock. “Why don’t you drive for a few minutes?”

  “What?” I ask, my eyebrows lifting slightly in surprise as I glance down at the keys and back up at him. “Are you serious? You’re gonna let me drive Sue?”

  “Yeah,” he nods, grabbing the hand holding the infamously restricted keychain and staring back at me severely. “Just please be really fucking careful, baby.”

  “Oh, my God!” I scream, grabbing the collar of his jacket and pulling his lips to mine, kissing him hard. “Holy crap!” I squeal, making him laugh when I throw my arms around him and squeeze for a moment before I abruptly pull away. “Wait a minute,” my eyes narrow. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I love you and I trust you,” he promises, holding my chin. “And you’ve been hounding me about it for a year,” he reminds me with a grin. “To the day, little monster.”

  His words catch me off guard and as understanding finds my eyes, his soften with his smile.

  “Oh, my God,” I sigh, my heart clenching. “You actually remembered.”

  “Of course, I remembered,” he replies. “You might be a pain in my ass, but you’re also smart, talented and gorgeous. The full package, baby,” he smiles softly as he takes in my impending tears. “Only a fool could ever forget the day they fell for a girl like you.”

  “Dash,” I breathe, my chest heaving as his words hit my heart. “Kiss m-”

  Before I can finish, his palm finds my neck and his lips press to mine, taking my breath, every last one of my senses. I kiss him back just as hard, taking all the emotion he’d just put into my chest, everything I’d unexpectedly found since I woke up next to him in that room a year ago and pour it back into him. When I rake my fingers into his beard and place my hand over the spot covering his heart where he’d emblazed my name into his flesh, he hums into my mouth and my knees go weak. He steadies me, one hand winding into my hair while the other splays affectionately over my midsection, and every single note of our own personal love song rings through my soul. As we pull away, we’re both breathless, and my eyes flutter open to find his hooded green already staring back at me.

  “Happy Anniversary, Evie,” he whispers, still studying my features as his thumb brushes over my lip and he places another featherlight kiss to my mouth. “I love you, pussycat.”

  “Hmm,” I sigh, shamelessly falling against his chest as I trace his dimple and kiss him back just as softly. “I love you, too, baby.”

  dash

  I thought about telling Evie about Sue when she’d asked what was bothering me. I even kicked myself for not taking advantage of the perfect opportunity she’d basically lai
d at my feet. However, as I watch her round the hood, her lips wide and painted red with the lipstick she’d obtained during her reign as queen of the underworld, you couldn’t pay me to change a single fucking thing.

  She slides into the driver’s seat, admittedly a little awkward with her belly, but she gets there and her manicured fingertips slide over the steering wheel with a sensuality that makes my breath catch. She slips the key into the ignition slowly and cranks the engine, the low rumble below us pulling a purr from her chest as her eyes flutter slightly.

  “Hmm…” she hums, her gaze hooded as she glances over at me and bites the edge of her lower lip, her cheeks flush. “Sue drives me wild.”

  “Hmm,” I hum, my eyes raking greedily over her. “I know, pussycat.”

  When she revs the engine, her eyelashes flutter and I stifle a groan as I bite down on the pad of my thumb, barely resisting the urge to kick her out of the car again so I can throw her down on the hood and take her right here on the side of the road. She checks her mirrors and begins to pull away from the stop sign and I reach for her, gesturing for her to wait as I lift my phone and scroll. When I find what I’m looking for, I smirk and glance over at her.

  “You ready?” I ask, pulling an enthusiastic nod from her that makes me chuckle. “Alright, then,” I wink, cranking the volume as I hit play. “Let go for me, sugar.”

  evie

  Between the already overwhelming start to our adventure and the arousing rumble of Sue purring beneath me, the infamous sound of my favorite guitar intro filling the car sends me into overdrive.

  I can’t help what happens next.

  “Gorgeous George?” I squeal, whipping my head around to face him. “Oh, my God, babe,” I sigh. “I think you just put another baby in here.”

  His laughter vibrates through the car. As I pull away from the stop sign and onto the nearly empty highway in front of us, my heart is pounding … straight up hammering out of my chest. The first time, the only time, he’d ever let me drive his car, I was alone. I had all the freedom to be as crazy as I wanted to be, but he had me so paranoid, I barely had any fun at all. Now, with him beside me giving me the all clear to revel in her magic, it’s an entirely different experience.

  Obviously, I think. If I’d felt like this the first time I drove Sue, I’d have ended up pregnant long before spring break.

  I don’t miss the way his eyes stay locked on me, the sensation of his gaze thrilling me even further as traffic thins out around us.

  “Can I roll down the windows?” I ask and he nods, each of us lowering them in time.

  A moment later, he tears his eyes away long enough to check the open road and when his eyes find mine once more, we’re both beaming.

  “Gun it, baby,” he orders gently.

  Sweet Jesus.

  That’s all I fucking needed.

  I press the gas pedal until I feel floorboard, my fingers still stroking the gears and shifting of their own accord as I clear ninety in what feels like a breath. I know I promised I’d be safe, that I wouldn’t do anything careless if he ever let me drive this car again. However, when my hair begins to whip deliciously around me, something else completely takes over my senses and I can’t bring myself to keep my promise of holding back.

  The engine rumbles beneath me as I slide into third, my thighs clenching slightly as the speedometer edges speed I’ve only dreamed of experiencing behind the wheel of this car. She purrs beneath me, vibrating a piece of me I never knew I possessed and my lips part, immediately spreading into a wide smile. Without any warning, an involuntary scream of pleasure I’ve only ever heard in his bed springs from my lips and every inch of my body begins to tremble.

  “Fuck,” he grates out, his tone slightly clipped and heavy. I risk a glance to his side of the car and find him pinching the bridge of his nose, his chest heaving. “Jesus Christ, Evie.”

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, pulling a fast but insistent shake from his head. “Are you okay?”

  “Pull over,” he orders. “Pull the fucking car over, baby.”

  “Da-”

  “Now, Evie.”

  Shit.

  This time, I went too far.

  My cheeks begin to flush, and I drop speed as I switch lanes and take the exit, pulling into an empty rest stop before I brave another look at him.

  His chest is heaving harder than mine.

  “What’s wro-?”

  “Turn it off,” he cuts me off, staring at me through wild eyes as he tears his seatbelt off and quickly pushes against his door. “Get out.”

  “Crap,” I hiss as he starts to round the hood, his eyes still locked on mine as I do what he asks. ShitShitShit. I brace myself for the inevitable tongue lashing I’m expecting as he swings the door open and I step out. “I’m sor-”

  He cuts me off again, grabbing my neck with both hands before he shoves his tongue into my mouth. I stumble back a half step with the force, and he pins me to the side of the car, both confining and dominating my every movement. He drops one hand from my neck, and it moves between us, quickly unbuttoning his jeans before he reaches for the hem on my dress and begins to lift it.

  “Turn around,” he orders against my lips as he pulls away, his green eyes boring into mine with enough possessive arousal to steal what’s left of my breath. He spins me quickly in place, the sound of his knees finding the pavement at our feet making my heart pound as my hands find the hood. “Spread your legs.”

  “Dash, what if someone sees us?” I ask, though it does nothing to slow my movements.

  “We’re in the middle of nowhere,” he pants, his hot breath trailing over the back of my thighs as he tucks himself under my dress and shoves my panties to the side. “Even if someone does pull up, I don’t give a fuck right now.”

  Before I can respond with much more than a gasp, his mouth is buried between my thighs.

  This isn’t the tongue lashing I was expecting, but I’ll take it.

  dash

  She’s about to reply, but the feel of my mouth covering her pulls a breathy gasp from her instead. She’s drenched and the taste of her pulls a low groan from my chest that only makes her pant harder. I could stay here all day, my lips buried between her thighs as she falls apart on the hood of my car at a random rest stop on the side of the fucking road. However, my body has other ideas and my cock is throbbing so furiously, it’s not long until I’m standing behind her.

  In one swift movement, I reach for her panties, giving the lace a quick twist before I yank it away from her skin and shove into her from behind.

  “Ahh!” she cries out, almost as loud as she did while she was driving the fuck out of my car.

  I tried to give her time.

  I tried to put her first.

  But so help me God when I saw the way she stroked the shifter and her thighs clenched, those pretty red lips parted like they are right now and our fates were sealed.

  I slam into her as hard as I think she can take, my grip on her hips increasing as my pace goes with it and I growl.

  “Oh, my God,” she gasps, and her fingers curl up, her forehead falling gently against the hood.

  “There she is,” I husk as she grows wetter around me.

  A low mewl of pleasure slips from her chest as she turns her head enough for me to see her hot breath skim the hood. In only seconds, she falls apart beneath me and it only spurs me on.

  She rides out the waves, her body trembling as I bend to place one hand on the edge of the frame. A half second later, her back arches and my jaw goes slack as I sink into her further.

  “Dash,” she pants, my name broken and ragged.

  How she could have ever doubted my attraction to her is a mystery to me.

  She drives me fucking crazy.

  She tenses beneath me, lowering one of her hands from its place on the hood and slides it low, making me bite down onto my lip hard. When her breathing staggers once more, she presses her forehead against the hood and lets out a gasp that makes me des
perate. I’m about to fill her, come harder than I ever have in my life when she cuts me off.

  “Baby?” she whispers, but this time, her voice sounds off. “Dash?”

  “Are you okay?” I ask, slowing my movements immediately as she pulls away, breaking our connection. “What’s wr-?”

  Her eyes drop to the pavement below us and mine follow, the matching gasps leaving our chests drowned out only the unusual pop neither of us were expecting.

  Not for a few more weeks anyway.

  “ShitShitShit,” she whispers, her eyes locked on the puddle now forming at her feet.

  “Holy fuck,” I manage as she faces me, her eyes wide as mine. “Is that-?”

  “Yeah,” she cuts me off with an incessant nod. “Dash, my water just broke.”

  Thirty-Five

  evie

  “Are you sure it’s not just pee?” he asks me as he opens the passenger side door and I push out a deep breath, shaking my head immediately.

  “No,” I reply. “It’s definitely not pee.”

  “How do you know?” he asks, earning a look. “I’m just saying, baby. You’ve been peeing a lot. Maybe I just … I don’t know … knocked into something.”

  “Ew,” my face scrunches up as I take in his words, his expression immediately apologetic.

  “Sorry,” he offers, helping me lower into the seat. “Get in the car and I’ll take you to the hospital.”

  “How far away are-?” I start, blowing out a breath as a contraction comes, this one harder than any of the other’s I’ve felt before. “Shit,” I hiss, tightening my grip on his hand. “I don’t even know where we are right now, Dash. Do you think we can make it to the hospital?”