“Kassidy Bell, it’s been a while.” I grinned into the phone, even though she couldn’t see me.
“Peanut Buttercup!” she exclaimed, using the nickname she’d given me in high school. “How the hell are you? And why haven’t I heard from you in almost a year?” Her tone was chiding at the end. I’d kind of lost touch with a lot of my friends over the last year. I didn’t realize what a shell I was becoming until Macy started breathing life back into me. Kassidy was like a big sister to me. Growing up, her younger brother, Dillon, had been one of my best friends. With our other best friend, Logan James, we’d gotten into a lot of trouble together. My parents were useless and when they took off right after I turned sixteen, I moved in with the Bells until I graduated. They weren’t my blood, but they were my family.
When I moved to Atlanta, we kept in touch for a while, but I’d let it slide the last couple of years. Dillon was still in Miami, where I’d spent my childhood, but Logan had moved to Boston and was now married with a kid on the way. Our lives had grown in different directions—Kassidy was an executive at a large publishing house in Miami, Dillon was a professor at the University of Miami, and Logan was a high school teacher in Boston. But, a large part of the blame for the lapse in communication laid with me. Guilt ate at me as I thought about how I’d pushed everyone from my life. I just hadn’t been in the mood to return calls or emails. I’d thrown myself into my work, only coming out of it when Weston dragged me away.
“Yeah, I’ve been”—I wasn’t sure how to explain it—“well, I’ll keep in better touch from now on. You and Dillon should come here for a visit.”
We shot the shit for a few minutes, talking about our families and reminiscing a little. Then, she got right down to business.
“What can I do for you, Rhys?”
“I heard you were a big shot publisher these days. Called to congratulate you.”
“Uh huh,” she muttered, her sarcasm laced with humor. “Spit it out, Peanut. What do you want?”
My grin widened. Kassidy didn’t take shit from anyone, least of all a guy she’d known since he was five. “I have a favor to ask.”
“I figured as much, but let me stop you right here. If you need someone to help you bury a body, you called the wrong Bell. Dillon’s the one with the shovel collection.”
I laughed deeply, reveling in the joy I felt at her humor, something that only days ago would have bounced right off of me. “Actually,” I knew just the way to Kassidy Bell’s soft side and I wasn’t above exploiting it—“I met someone.”
She squealed with delight, like a teenage girl. Kassidy was a hopeless romantic. She started to bombard me with questions and I answered a few, avoiding the topic of when we met. Then I steered the conversation back to the favor I needed.
“I want to ask her to marry me.” I held the phone away from my ear in preparation for another scream. When she was done, I continued my explanation. “Macy is very independent, which is sexy as hell, but I want to take care of my girl and watching her work at that seedy place is going to tear through the last shreds of my sanity.”
“I’m happy to help if I can, Peanut, but you seem to have forgotten that I live in Miami.”
“Oh, no,” I replied, realizing that she thought I wanted her to offer Macy a job. “Macy is an aspiring writer.”
“Whoa, Rhys,” she started, suddenly defensive. “No way can I publish a book just because you’re practically my little brother and she’s your girlfriend.”
“Fiancée,” I corrected without thought.
“Fine. Fiancée. It doesn’t change my answer.”
“I would hope you knew me better than that, Kass,” I grunted. “I’m not asking you to publish her book. I was going to ask if you could simply make sure it ends up in front of the right eyes.”
“Oh! Sure! That I can do,” she said brightly.
“Thanks. Oh, and one more thing.”
“You’re pushing your luck, Peanut Buttercup,” she warned. Though her use of my nickname indicated that she wasn’t really irritated.
“I just want to make it clear that she can’t know I was involved. I’ll make sure she submits it to the right place, but if you decide she’s worth taking a chance on, it has to be on her own merits. She’d be pissed as fuck if she knew I greased the wheels.”
Kassidy laughed. “I think I’m going to like this chick. When do I get to meet her?”
My heart warmed at the thought of Macy meeting my family. “You will meet her eventually,” I promised. “And yeah, she’s fucking amazing.”
She told me to shoot her an email once Macy had submitted her manuscript and then we said our goodbyes. I felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest as I got ready to leave the office.
Macy would be clocking out in fifteen minutes and I was buzzing with energy. I was going to take my girl home and fuck the hell out of her before I made love to her for the rest of the night. With that in mind, I placed an order for takeout on my way to pick her up. We were going to need sustenance.
Macy
Walking through the door of Rhys’s house after a long day at work, my eyes scanned the surroundings which had quickly become familiar over the past week or so. The spacious living room was decorated with brown leather furniture and forest green accents. The chef’s kitchen had gleaming stainless steel appliances, limestone flooring, dark mocha cabinets, and marble countertops. Being in Rhys’s space felt like coming home, a sensation which was new for me since my crappy apartment was nothing more than a crash pad. Our houses were on opposite ends of the spectrum, but it wasn’t the luxuriousness of his furnishings that made it feel like home. It was the man following directly behind me, his hands full of carryout bags from an Italian place I’d never had the chance to try before.
My feelings for Rhys were utterly unexpected, but in the very best way. He wasn’t just the hottie I’d given my V-card to, not that I didn’t appreciate how gorgeous he was or how amazing he made me feel when we slept together. He was the incredibly considerate man I’d somehow fallen in love with. As scary as it was and as crazy as it sounded, Rhys Campbell had become home to me. With the way he looked at me, how he touched me, his casual mentions of the future—I was pretty sure he loved me, too.
Case in point, the huge bouquet of flowers in the middle of the table where he was laying out dinner. I’d barely mentioned how much I loved tulips when we’d been watching a travel show about Holland on television the other day. When Rhys had come to pick me up and take me to work the next afternoon, he’d tried hiding the flowers behind his back. But, they’d been too big to hide and he’d had to drop them to the ground when I’d caught sight of them and threw myself into his arms. It was the first time I’d ever received flowers from a man. Another first with Rhys. He was bound and determined to have them all.
My dreamy smile was wiped from my lips as the scent of the dish he’d just opened wafted my way.
“Yuck,” I groaned, scrunching up my nose in distaste.
“Shit,” he muttered, slamming the box shut and getting up to toss it into the trash. “I forgot to tell them to skip the shrimp crostini when I added a few extra dishes to my usual takeout order.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered when he came back.
“For what, angel?”
“Having to skip one of your favorite dishes because of me.”
“I couldn’t care less if I never eat shrimp again. You’re way more important than food.”
I nudged him onto one of the dining room chairs and sat down on his lap. His harsh inhale made me smile. “Macy—”
I didn’t let him finish, determined to follow through with the idea which popped into my head. “I thought maybe we could take turns feeding each other. It would be another first for me.”
His hands slipped around my sides, over my belly, and up to cup my breasts. “That sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.”
I wiggled my butt on his lap as I leaned forward to snag a couple of the takeout
boxes and a fork. I peered inside one of the boxes and grinned.
“Mmm, bacon wrapped something.”
“It’s fondi di carciofi,” Rhys breathed into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “Bacon wrapped artichokes.”
“I’m going to need for you to tell me what each dish is, just like that. In Italian.” My voice was raspy and filled with need. “Because it’s sexy as fuck.”
“I know some French and Spanish, too.”
“Then we’re going to have to eat around the world until we run out of languages you can speak.”
“Whatever you want, angel.”
I lifted one of the artichokes to his lips, getting him to eat before I ditched my plan and swiped the food off the table so he could fuck me there instead. We worked our way through tasty meatballs with ricotta in a rich red sauce, a mushroom and red bell pepper risotto, and osso buco. When we were done, I gulped down the last of my wine and carefully set my glass back down, pushing everything away from the edge of the table.
“That was delicious, but I think I’m in the mood for some dessert.”
I slid out of his lap, turned and slowly lowered to my knees between his thighs. His grey eyes were startled for a moment, but then they filled with heat as he slouched down in his chair. “It looks like you have something particular in mind for your dessert.”
“All the times we’ve been together, you’ve barely let me taste you,” I explained as I undid his belt. “The pleasure you give me when your mouth is on me? I want that for you, too.”
His hands wrapped around my wrists, stopping my progress after I’d gotten his zipper lowered. “You don’t have to, angel.”
A hint of uncertainty crept up on me and my hands trembled beneath his. “Don’t you want me to?”
“Fuck yes,” he groaned. “I love to see those pretty lips wrapped around my cock. But I don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“I want this for me as much as I do for you.”
I must have said the magic words because his hands dropped to his sides and he lifted up enough for me to pull his pants and boxers down, releasing his cock. It sprang free, hard and thick with a drip of pre-come already at the tip.
My mouth practically watered at the sight of his large shaft in my hand, pulsing and throbbing in my grip, his piercing blinking at me from the top of his cock. I leaned forward and licked at the tiny pearl of liquid seeping from the head. I moaned as I finally tasted him, salty with a hint of something more that was uniquely Rhys.
“Mmmm,” I moaned, growing wet as I lapped at the small slit on the head of his cock with my tongue, flicking over the metal bar that brought me so much pleasure when he was inside me.
“More, angel. Please.”
He might have said please, but he didn’t give me the chance to give him more before he raised a hand to my hair and held my head in place while his hips lifted up. Slowly, inch by inch, he sank into my mouth until the metal bar pushed against the top of my throat towards the back. I tensed up, nervous that I was going to gag on his cock. But when I looked up and saw the raw hunger and need in his eyes, my worries disappeared as I focused on giving Rhys pleasure.
He didn’t resist as I pulled back until only the tip was left in my mouth. I sucked gently, flicking my tongue over the piercing and enjoying the sound of his groans above me. Gently squeezing the shaft of his cock with one hand to hold him steady, I slid my mouth back down over him, taking the entire head as deep as he’d been when he’d surged inside of me with that thrust earlier.
“Fuck!” he exclaimed, his fingers tightening in my hair.
My eyes locked with his, I began sucking on his cock in earnest. I was determined to make him lose all control. To get him as wild with need as I always was when his mouth was on my pussy. I wasn’t able to get all of his length in my mouth, he was too big. So I used one hand to stroke the part of him I couldn’t fit inside while my mouth bobbed up and down on his shaft.
On the next upslide, I stroked my tongue on the underside of his cock. “I’m going to come, Macy. I can’t hold back. Your mouth feels too good.”
He tried pulling my head away, but I wasn’t about to let him do that. I sucked harder, drawing his cock in and out of my mouth faster. I moaned against his flesh each time the metal bar scraped against the top of my mouth.
“Oh fuck yeah, angel. Just like that. Keep those pretty lips wrapped tight around me as I come down your throat.”
I tightened my hold on his shaft and swirled my tongue on the underside of his cock until he came, shooting his seed straight down my throat. I felt his legs tremble as his cock jerked in my mouth. When he was done, I pulled back and took a deep breath, drawing some much needed air into my lungs.
“Holy hell, angel,” Rhys panted as he pushed out of his chair and fell to his knees before me. Pulling me into his arms, he buried his face in my shoulder and nuzzled me. “That was amazing.”
I giggled lightly. “Another first.”
“It damn well better have been,” he rasped. “You were amazing. I love you so much.”
“What?” I gasped, pulling away from his embrace to look up at him.
“You heard me, dammit. I love you. And you fucking love me, too.”
Any thought of him saying it in the heat of the moment was wiped away by how grouchy he was when he repeated it.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Tell me,” he demanded.
“I love you, too.”
“Fucking right, you do,” he growled, rising to his feet and lifting me into his arms. He carried me upstairs to his bedroom, where he spent the rest of the night showing me exactly how much he loved me while making me tell him those three little words over and over again until I’d almost lost my voice.
Rhys
It took two weeks of patience and gritting my teeth every time I had to drop Macy off at Dirty Players. I hated every moment she was at that place but every time I tried to talk to her about quitting, it ended up in an argument. The make-up sex almost made it worth it . . . but not enough for me to give in to the issue. She’d stopped pushing back on letting me drive her to and from work, though she grumbled about it frequently. It was fucking adorable and every time her lips dropped into that cute pout, all I could picture was how they looked wrapped around my dick.
We had plans to have dinner with Aspen and Weston, as well as his sister, Jenna, and her fiancé, Quinn. So when I picked her up from work, we needed to head home to quickly change before going back out. As soon as she climbed into the car, Macy leaned over and pecked my lips with a murmured hello. My hands immediately buried in her hair, gripping it and keeping her from retreating.
“What have I told you about how you kiss your man, angel?” I demanded gruffly. She rolled her eyes then threw her arms around my neck and pressed her lips to mine in a passionate kiss. When she pulled back, I grunted, “Better,” and nodded. It was all I could muster because I was mostly speechless, mentally talking myself down from fucking her right there in the parking lot.
Macy smiled and winked at me before plopping back down into the passenger seat. I pulled out and drove home while she grabbed her cell to check her email.
We were just pulling into the driveway when she shouted, “HOLY FUCK!” causing me to slam on the brakes and look around for the danger that had scared her.
She was practically bouncing in her seat, and I sucked in a deep breath as I realized it hadn’t been an exclamation of fear.
“For the love of—Macy! You scared the fuck out of me!” She stopped and turned to face me, immediately becoming contrite when she saw the expression on my face.
“Oops. Sorry, Rhys. I just couldn’t believe my eyes. You will never believe the email I got!” Her words gradually escalated until she was almost yelling again. I shook my head in exasperation, but fought a smile as I pulled the car fully into the drive and turned it off. She was so fucking cute.
I shifted in my seat until I was facing her
. “Tell me,” I urged. Her smile was brilliant as she shoved her phone towards me, almost smacking me in the face. I laughed and took it, dropping my eyes to scan the email. It was from Kassidy’s publishing house. They wanted to offer her a contract for the book she’d submitted, as well as two more.
The joy that was radiating from Macy flowed through me, as well as a bit of smug satisfaction. I may have paved the way a little, but Macy had earned this all on her own. “This is amazing, angel. I’m so proud of you.” She threw her arms around me in a tight hug.
“Thank you for nagging me into sending it,” she laughed.
“Nagging?” I asked in mock offense. Macy grinned and nodded, matter of factly.
“Yup.” She let the P pop and winked at me. She was so damn beautiful, I couldn’t help but pull her in close and take her mouth in a deep kiss. I cupped her face, and as she responded I turned her head at a different angle, deepening the kiss. My hands slid back into her silky auburn hair, gripping it to keep her right where I wanted her. Heat raced through me as our tongues tangled and her hands began to wander all over.
When her small hand cupped the large bulge in my slacks, I sucked in a breath and searched for control. “How about we celebrate with you inside of me?” she whispered.
Search over, mission failure. My hands dropped to her waist and I dragged her onto my lap. She made quick work of the buttons on my shirt and my hands tunneled under hers to unhook her bra.
Cupping her perfect, small tits, my thumbs brushed over her hard nipples causing her to moan and grind her pussy onto my cock. I was ready to tear open my pants and thrust inside her when a horn honked, drawing me slightly out of the fog of lust.
“House,” I rasped. “Now.”
Play With Me, Baby: A Yeah, Baby Novella Page 5
