Chapter 8

 

Hutch

Lilly slept on her front. She’d draped an arm and leg over me, resting her head against my chest. I watched her sleep, enjoying her warm, smooth skin and silky black hair touching me. I wanted to lie in that bed until half past forever. I propped myself on my elbow, staring at the way the sunlight streamed through the windows, casting light and dark patches against her skin. Last night we’d made love again. I’d leaned against the headboard while she straddled me. I didn’t wear the prosthetic this time.

Both of us had been completely naked.

Now, I drank her in, memorizing every detail of her body, saving it in the recesses of my mind for the lonely nights to come. Unfortunately, that activity also raised my flagpole. How was this possible? I chalked it up to a combination of how hungry I was for her and how horny I was in general. I lifted her hand. I pressed my lips against her fingertips and worked my way down her arm. Her moans encouraged me as I kissed her awake.

“Morning beautiful. How do you feel?”

“Like I never want you to stop doing that.”

“That’s good because I don’t want to stop.”

The room suddenly filled with music, the familiar lyrics slicing through our moment.

“Fuck, my brother is such a cock block.” I fell back against the bed, cursing Colt a dozen ways.

She sat, cupping her mouth to block out the escaping laughter. “That’s my ringtone.”

“You need a new ringtone. I can’t deal with my brother’s song playing while we’re…playing.”

She crawled over my lap. “It’s in my pocket.”

“Lilly, you can’t jump across a man’s lap like that.” Her bare ass was in my sights. I caressed it.

“Oh my God, and you cannot do that.”

“Why?”

She clutched the phone in her hand. “James…oh fuck.”

“Okay, if you insist.” I grasped her hips, getting ready to fling her back. “Stop. It’s the dance troupe.”

I tensed. She tensed. Time stopped. The damn song played on before it cut off right in the middle of a word. The beep of a new voicemail broke the trance.

I smacked her ass.

“Ouch.”

“Check your messages.”

She held the phone against her ear. A mass of tangled emotions played out in her expression—anxiety, excitement, followed by sorrow.

I pushed her hair away from her face. “I’m sorry, baby. You didn’t get it?”

“I did. I did get it.”

I have no idea how, but somewhere deep inside I managed to find the strength to smile. “That’s great news. Congratulations.” I kissed her forehead.

“Thanks.”

“Why are you so sad?”

She shrugged. “If it was twenty-four hours ago, I would be on top of the world, but right now, I just want to be in this bed with you.”

“Hey, this is a good thing. You’re going to go places, and I’ll get to say I knew you when.”

“When what?”

When you could have been mine.

I hugged her hard, trying to cover my faltering expression. “When you got the call that changed your life. I’m proud of you, Lilly.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tilted her chin so she was looking at me. “I have one question though.”

“What question, James?”

I wanted to kiss the pout off her lips. A selfish part of me thought of begging her not to go, but I couldn’t do that. I’d just met her. I had no right to ask her to give anything up for me. Instead, I vowed to be the most supportive person I could no matter how much it hurt. “How long do we have, sweetheart?”

“About a month.”

“Then we shouldn’t waste a minute of it.”