“They did? I didn’t hear about the phone on the news earlier. What a shame. Hope they find her. And I agree: seeing her parents like that got me all choked up,” I tell her.
Jordan turns her attention to me. “It’s not public knowledge. My mum asked me to take her lunch to work and I overheard a few officers talking about it at the police station.”
My stomach turns at what that could mean. It definitely isn’t good, that’s for sure.
“I hope they find her,” Willow whispers quietly. Without a word, Cole lifts her out of her chair and into his lap, kissing the side of her head.
“All we can do is pray for a safe return,” he tells her.
All of us are silent, not voicing our thoughts out loud. We all know the chances of Linda Cooper being okay is low.
I just hope they find out what’s happened to her and pray that she does turn up—in one piece.
CHAPTER FIVE
Over the past week, everything has dragged. With work, classes, and catching up with homework, I’ve barely had time to myself or for CJ.
I felt bad when I spent the one day I did have off with CJ’s mum and Willow, shopping. He still stays with me every night, even if I’m working late. It’s nice—having those moments with him. I just wish I could have more. We’ve settled into a nice routine, though, since getting together. Sometimes it feels like we’ve been together a lot longer. I already know all the important stuff, so getting to know all the little things about him is a bonus I don’t take for granted. He was there for me when he barely knew me. He got to me in ways not even my own family got to see, and he cared about everything I said and did.
Today is my birthday and waking up to sweet kisses across my neck is something I could definitely get used to for every birthday. I’ve not even opened my eyes and already I can tell you it’s the best birthday ever.
I hum lightly, still rousing from sleep, and tilt my neck to give him more access. He chuckles, licking the tender spot below my ear. I hum again deep in my throat, burying myself closer to him.
“Happy Birthday, Cupcake.”
Hearing ‘Cupcake’ used to drive me nuts. I hated it. Hated any pet name given to anyone. It made me want to scream at them to use our proper names.
Secretly though, I’d long to hear him say it to me. I had heard him call other girls ‘babe’, not out of endearment, but out of habit. So, when I hear him call me Cupcake, it means something to me, it makes my heart soar. And now, just like any other time he says it, I lock it away for safekeeping.
“Morning.” I open my eyes to find him staring down at me, his filled with light and lust. CJ, when he first wakes up, gets these cute little crinkles at the side of his eyes. Seeing them, I know he’s not been awake long. They make him look hotter, and I didn’t think that was possible. The man is every young girl’s heartthrob.
My head rests back against the pillow, my hand wrapping around his neck to play with the back of his hair. It’s soft, like silk. It’s one of my favourite things to do. CJ seems to like it too. His eyes close, a blissful expression on his face.
I move closer, wanting him to kiss me. Figuring out what I want, he moves between my legs. He’s already hard, causing me to squirm.
We may not have had sex yet, and I may still be waiting for the right moment, but my body? My body is screaming for a release I know only he can give me. I’ve wanted to explore more than our heated kisses for a while, but I’ve never had the courage to bring up the topic.
Now, I’m twenty, and for the first time since I was a teenager and knew what sex was, I feel like I’m missing out, wasting time waiting for something that will eventually happen. I might not want sex right now, but I do want to go further in our relationship.
“Touch me,” I whisper against his mouth, before kissing him, making sure he can’t say anything to ruin the moment.
His body stiffens under my touch, but the second I run my tongue over his bottom lip, he relaxes, deepening the kiss.
If I had given him chance to talk, he would have asked me to explain, and explaining is something I really don’t want to do when I can show him. And he’ll only make me embarrassed, calling me out when I begin to blush.
My fingers glide down from his neck to his back, feeling his muscles clench under my touch as I go. His narrow waist is next, and I feel myself gripping him when he gasps, kissing the edge of my jaw.
I almost forget what I’m trying to accomplish when he grinds himself against my core, causing me to moan. He’s done this a few times while we’ve been kissing heatedly. I knew then, though, that it wouldn’t go any further, whereas now, it will. I want it to. I’m ready for it to.
My fingers dig into his arse as I pull him against me, showing him how much I’m into this. He would usually stop before it got this far before, so I’m hoping he doesn’t this time.
I see stars when he slides the thin strap of my camisole off my shoulder, kissing me on my collar bone.
He flicks his tongue, and like he flipped a switch, my hips buckle beneath him, rubbing me against his hardness.
My eyes close when he pulls my top down further, baring one of my breasts. Goose bumps travel over my skin and a bolt of pleasure shoots through my lower stomach.
My body comes to life when his lips close around my tight bud, and a strangled cry erupts from within me. He tugs at my nipple with his soft, full lips, and something begins to build inside me.
God, nothing has ever felt this good, this freeing.
I cry with protest when he lets my nipple fall from his lips with a pop. He eyes are glazed over as he gazes at me.
“What do you want, Cupcake?”
“I want you,” I rasp out, moving my hands to run my fingers through the sides of his hair.
“But how far? I don’t want to push you past what you’re ready for, and believe me, when I have you screaming my name, you’ll begging me to fuck you.”
Wetness pools between my legs at his crude words. “No sex, everything else but sex.”
“So, no penetration?”
I shake my head, still in a daze of sheer pleasure to ask what he means. “Please.”
He leans up on his knees, his fingers hooking in the waistband of my knickers before rolling them down my legs. I shiver, my eyes never leaving his. The sheer determination and lust rolling off him is enough to make me want to cry out.
His touch, his eyes, his lips… it’s enough to make any girl want to come.
He bends down, his face inches away from my sex, and I try to close my legs, embarrassed. I thought for sure there would be touching, but I didn’t expect that. Not yet.
He pulls my thighs apart, kissing the inside of one, and I flop down on my back, gasping at the sensation travelling through my body.
He keeps going, reaching ever closer to my sex, and I want nothing more than to let him, but the urge to touch him is overwhelming. I want to make him feel good too.
“I want to touch you, too,” I gasp out, breathing heavily.
His head pops ups, looking almost comical with his wide eyes and open mouth. “What?”
“I want to touch you, too. I want to do it together.”
He nods, but he looks a little nervous as he moves up the bed, lying down by my side. He pulls his boxers off, and although this isn’t the first time I’ve seen him naked―since he doesn’t have a problem with being nude―I’m shocked to see how big and hard he is. The tip of his dick looks ready to burst, and has a large, thick vein running down the side, pulsing.
Timidly, I reach out, grasping his thick length. It twitches in my hand, causing another roll of pleasure to course through me. It’s turning me on to touch him like this, and when he groans, it nearly undoes me.
He shoves his face into the side of my neck, moving closer and wrapping his hand around mine, stoking up and down his length, showing me without telling me what to do.
“Fuck, your hand feels like silk wrapped around my dick.”
I don’t know what to sa
y, so I stay quiet, moving my hand up and down at the speed he showed me. When pre-come leaks out the tip, I get curious, swiping my thumb over it before bringing it to my mouth.
CJ, in a daze, watches me, his eyes dilating further as a growl escapes his throat. He moves as soon as I suck the salty liquid from my thumb, slamming his lips down on mine. I moan, taking him back in my hand.
Tossing CJ off has just become one of my new favourite things to do, and we’ll definitely be doing this again. He can be sure of it.
When I imagine giving him a blowjob, I nearly squeeze him too tight, but he doesn’t seem to care as he pulls back from the kiss, his fingers moving down body. My hand traps him, so I swap, using my left to grip him. His eyes close, his hips rocking into my touch.
When his fingers softly touch my pubic hair, my hips buck off the bed. He growls, his fingers sliding through my slippery sex coated with wetness.
“Fuck, you feel so good,” he tells me, swirling his fingers over my clit. I moan, loving the feel of him touching me, which causes me to forget about the pleasure I’m giving CJ.
Just when I’m about to apologise for stopping, CJ grabs me around the hips and manoeuvres me so I’m lying on top of him. His hand reaches between us, lifting his cock so its settled between my sex. The sensation is almost too much, and already my wetness is coating his erection, along with his own juices.
“W-what are you doing?” I ask nervously. I’m seconds away of begging him just to have sex with me. Nothing has ever felt like this. Every touch, movement, or twitch sets my body alight.
“I want you to slide your pussy over my cock. This way, I get to play with your tits,” he tells me, his voice raspy and filled with desire.
His large hands on my hips begin my movements. My body is tense, but the minute I realise he won’t go inside me, I relax, overcome by the feel of him sliding over my sensitive clit.
“Oh, God,” I cry out, moving on my own.
With my eyes closed, I don’t see him move, but I do feel him when he reaches for my top, and in one rough movement, he has it around my waist, leaving me completely bare, with just a piece of material around my stomach. I cry out when I feel his hands cup my breasts.
The sound of us together is almost my undoing. It feels naughty. I’m getting wetter by the second, especially when his head touches my clit.
My stomach swirls as my hips move faster, rocking back and forth without abandon. It feels so good.
“CJ,” I cry, arching my chest into his hands.
“Fuck,” he growls, and I watch as he closes his eyes, panting heavily. “I don’t think I’m going last, Cupcake.”
Suddenly, it’s like my soul leaves my body as my stomach tenses, and I arch my back, screaming his name in ecstasy.
His hands abandon my chest and grip my hips, keeping them moving faster as each tidal wave of pleasure shoots through me.
He groans, his fingers tightening to the point I know they’ll leave bruises, just as warm liquid squirts all over my sex and his stomach. I’m already sensitive from my orgasm, but the second I grind myself over him, rubbing our come together, I shatter into a thousand pieces once more, before I fall against his chest.
I’m breathing heavily, my head lying on his hard pec, when he starts to laugh. Embarrassed, I tiredly look him in the eye and glare. “What?”
“It’s supposed to be your birthday, not mine.” He grins, running his fingers through my now messy hair.
I giggle, falling back onto his chest. “Best birthday ever.”
“I can’t wait to see what you have planned for mine,” he tells me in a hoarse voice, and I begin to laugh harder.
*** *** ***
I scream, jumping up and down in my living room filled with people.
CJ and I managed to leave my room this morning after we had showered together, which involved orgasms—two for me, one for him—and got dressed. I wanted to stay in bed, but I’m glad I didn’t.
The second we made it out of my room, the front door had opened and Willow and Cole walked in, carrying bags of breakfast from Mc Donald’s.
Rosie and Becca joined us, and that’s when presents were handed out.
Willow got me a frame with a dozen photos of us, Cole and CJ in. There were also a few with Rosie, Becca and Jordan. I loved it. I also loved the red blouse with black bow tie and black skirt she got me. It was perfect and I loved it.
Cole said he helped glue the pictures in and shrugged. It made me smile, so I hugged them both and thanked them.
Rosie and Becca got me an Amazon gift card worth fifty pounds. My eyes had watered as I thought of how many books I could buy with it. I was in heaven.
But it was CJ who had surprised me the most.
He got me the pair of black Converse I had seen in town when I went shopping with his mum. I loved them the minute I saw them, but I knew I couldn’t afford them with the allowance my dad was giving me. He’d give me more if I let him, but I wanted to be responsible and not rely on him. So, I walked away with a sad heart. His mum must have told him because they were now on my feet, the red, glittery rose on the side giving them colour. I also loved the red laces that went with them.
Then he handed me another bag, and my eyes watered as I opened it to reveal a cupcake-shaped pillow with the word mine written on it. I know he must have had someone make it personally for me, because I’ve never seen a pillow like this before. They were, without a doubt, the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received.
He also got me my favourite perfume, sweets, and a new pair of pink suspenders.
But what has me screaming like a banshee and jumping around the room, waving a piece of paper around, are the tickets he got me to the biggest book signing they do in the UK. It’s called Brits on Tour, and when I had tried to purchase the tickets for myself, they’d sold out. I was gutted and sad for days, because I knew this one was close by. All the others had been too far away, and I hated travelling, especially on my own.
“Oh, my God, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.” I jump into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist, and kiss him. We’ve never been into PDA—well, not me at least—but knowing he went to all this trouble to get me the things I liked and would use, made me warm all over. I felt truly blessed and spoiled.
Only Willow has ever gotten me a gift so thoughtful, and with that, I burst into tears, shoving my face into his neck.
He clears his throat, rubbing a hand down my back. “Why are you crying? I thought you loved them,” he asks, sounding panicked.
I lift my head, looking at him through my tears. “You got me tickets to go to Brits on Tour,” I wail, taking his face in my hands. “This has to be the best gift anyone has ever given me, CJ.”
I love him.
I truly love him.
I can feel it in my chest, how tight it’s gotten, and how much I crave the man holding me. Any doubts I had before are washed out the window because now I know, without a doubt, he would never do this for another girl, not even one he really liked.
“I love you,” I blurt out.
He freezes, staring at me intently and not speaking. I’m about to take it back, hurt and embarrassed he didn’t reciprocate, but then he kisses me. He kisses me so hard I whimper.
“Um, maybe get a room?” Cole mutters dryly.
I giggle against CJ’s mouth, pulling back a little. His eyes look misty, like he’s fighting back tears. My chest aches at seeing the love shining back at me.
“I love you, too, Cupcake. I’ve been waiting for you to tell me for weeks.”
“Weeks?” I ask, and he nods. My eyebrows scrunch up in confusion, wondering why he never said anything. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He raises an eyebrow, looking incredibly sexy. “And have my ego bruised by you rejecting me again? No, thank you.”
“I wouldn’t have done that.”
He gives me a dry look. “Do you realise how hard I worked just to get you to go out with me?”
I s
hake my head, laughing at his absurd statement. To anyone else, it might sound like he was joking, but unfortunately, he isn’t.
“Well, I love you, doofus.”
“I love you, too, Cupcake.”
“Thank you for my presents. I love every single one of them.”
His eyes fill with warmth. “Anything for you.”
I kiss him again, when another throat clears. “Like, seriously, get a room.”
CJ looks over my shoulder at Willow, grinning. “We’re in one. It’s not our fault you’ve chosen to watch us rather than leave, you dirty minx.”
I roll my eyes and slap his shoulder, indicating for him to put me down. He does, but keeps me close, moving us back to the sofa where I continue to look in awe at my presents. I’ve never felt so spoiled before.
And the best part… The tickets and hotel are for two people, meaning CJ is coming with me.
The man really does love me.
Willow smiles as she walks over to me, before pulling me into her arms and out of CJ’s. “I’m so happy for you. We should all go for dinner later to celebrate your birthday and the little moment you just had.”
CJ pulls me out of her embrace after a few seconds, playfully narrowing his eyes. “She’s mine now.”
I roll my eyes at him before glancing at Willow. “Thank you. And sounds good. It will have to be after six, though; Dad is going to Facetime me later.”
“What did he get you?” she asks, moving back to stand next to Cole.
I duck my head, feeling a like a spoiled rich kid when I say, “A new car. It won’t arrive for another month or so as they’re waiting for it to be put on sale. He has it reserved.”
Her face lights up. “No shit?”
Relaxing because no one has called me out on being a ‘daddy’s girl’, I tell her, “Yep, and he’s going to put the car in your name. It will be yours.”
Game Over (Whithall University Book 2) Page 6
