Three
Rock
I walk into Charlie’s kitchen to find my woman washing dishes. She’s wiggling her hips and humming along with some chick singing about how she ‘could use a love song.’ I watch, enthralled by the woman in front of me. When the song ends, “You should let me love you” the Chris Lane version, comes on. I work security at the only club in town, and I’ve heard this song thousands of times.
I stand behind her, exactly where I’m supposed to be, at her back protecting her from the world. Grabbing onto her hips I sway with her, slowing her down, and rubbing my throbbing dick into the globes of her ass. When I start singing along, into her ear, she melts into me and moves as I do.
When the song gets to the last chorus I turn her around, holding her neck in my hands, I tip her chin up to look at me. Inches away from her lips I lose the song and speak the last lines of the song, urging her to understand the extent of my feelings for her.
I rub my thumb across her bottom lip, dying to take it into my mouth. She breaks our eye contact, and I let her. This is the first time that I’ve professed what I want from her.
“You two done in here or what? Pass me one of those pies Rock.”
When I start to grab one, Chelsea is on me pushing me away from the pies. “Don’t you dare,” she commands then points her laser eyes at Charlie. “Those pies are for the shelter. You get two, and they aren’t here. You want pie, go talk to your old lady.”
I love the fire flowing through her and the ease she feels at being herself. I never get to see her like this, except when she’s bossing Charlie around. I’m impressed with how far she’s come in the months that she’s been with the Steel Daggers.
“Y’all better get to delivering those pies if you want the shelter to have them in time for dessert.”
“Let’s go, babe,” I tell her and grab two pies as she grabs a few and starts to follow me.
“How are you going to fit all of these pies on your bike?”
“Who said I was riding my bike?” I ask.
She looks confused, and I know it’s because there’s still so much she doesn’t know about me. That will be changing moving forward.
When we get to the driveway her eyes go wide while she stares at my lifted black F350.
“I can’t get in that.”
I put the pies I’m carrying into the back and then grab the ones from her hands.
“Good thing I’m here then, huh?”
She ignores me and goes back inside to get the rest of the pies. I follow her, something I’ll be doing happily for the rest of my life. We load the rest of the pies into the back and drop them off at the shelter in more than enough time to get to Pres’ house for dinner.
I help Chelsea back into the truck and buckle her in, which she didn’t hate as much the second time I did it today. I get into the front seat and look at my future baby mama.
“You hungry?”
She studies me. “I’m not going over there. It will be weird.”
“Why would it be weird?”
∞∞∞
Chelsea
Why would it be weird? Hasn’t he noticed the tension between Emersen and I since we talked right after Halloween?
“Come on Rock. Emersen and I aren’t exactly talking right now.”
“You call me Harrison.”
“What?” I stop and ask.
“My name is Harrison. I want you to call me that.”
A smile forms on my face quickly at the knowledge that he wants me to use his real name. “Fine. Harrison. Emersen and I aren’t talking. I said some things that hurt her. Plus, she’s still healing from what happened a week ago, she doesn’t need me coming to her home and adding more stress.” I explain to him.
“You ever think she needs her best friend more than ever right now? That maybe those words you said may not matter anymore, haven’t mattered since the day you said them.”
I never thought about it like that. Could she not care? Am I the one who has been pushing her away? I know that all I wanted when I left Eric was to talk to Em. Shit, it’s possible.
“Okay. I’m ready.” I look up into his gentle brown eyes and say assuredly.
“Just like that?”
I laugh “Yeah, just like that. What you said made sense. It’s worth an awkward hello to see her. If she needs me, I want to be there for her. Like I wish I would have let her be for me.”
He reaches up and clasps my neck in his hand, rubbing his thumb against my pulse point. “Proud of you Angel.”
I smile. He’ll never know that he’s the first person to say that to me. “Why’s that?”
“You’ve come a long way since this summer. I’ve been watching you.”
“You don’t say?”
“Smart ass. Chelsea, I can see the darkness that lingers at times, but you don’t let it settle over you like it used to in the beginning. You pulled yourself up and got yourself right. You did that on your own babe. You’re so strong. Stronger than you now.”
A few tears spill down my cheeks, and he wipes them away and holds my face between his hands. He leans in close, ghosting his nose against mine. He kisses my forehead and drops a few against my cheek until he gets to my mouth.
“My Angel, so beautiful.” He whispers against my lips before placing the softest kiss I have ever known against them. He kisses me slow and sweet and ghosts his tongue across my opening. I open my mouth instantly, giving him permission to kiss me the way I need him to. His tongue sweeps across mine like it’s taking a stroll on a Sunday. He’s gentle and relaxed, but simultaneously owning this kiss like a boss. I’m holding onto his forearms like I’m holding onto this thing we have. I’m holding on, scared I might fall, unwilling to let go.
He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling softly before releasing it and kissing the bite.
“You’re succulent Chelsea. I’ll be counting the minutes until I can steal another taste.”