CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
My entire body shook with excitement and anxiety as I climbed into the back seat of Jackson’s car. I was glad I’d told my parents not to come. I knew facing my father right now would do me in. He was always so proud of his “good’ little girl.” How proud would he be to know that I was playing cock tease in a camper with the likes of Aiden Maxim. Not very, I presumed. The thought of him seeing that video made me want to throw up. The thought of anyone seeing it made me want to throw up.
“You look like you’re in shock,” Lauren said as I leaned into her in the backseat and let my head fall to her shoulder.
“It’s been a long nine weeks,” I said softly.
Jackson and Asher relived the events of the competition, giving me praise on my composure and asking about my inspiration for the dishes. I told them about everything Shep had taught me and felt myself start to forget about Aiden for a moment and his threats to ruin my name.
“I think you really like this Shep guy,” Lauren teased with a tickle to my ribs.
I blushed and nodded. “I was wrong to think Aiden was the better man,” I admitted. “Shep is one of the most amazing men I’ve ever met.”
“Is he going to join us?” Lauren asked.
“No, he wanted me to have my night with my friends,” I explained.
Lauren was gushing as I told her about Shep’s promise to wait for me and how he turned me down when I made a move. The boys were busy harassing the hostess of the restaurant for her best table while I filled Lauren in on all the details of the week with Shep.
As much as I tried, I had a hard time hiding my anxiety at the table with my friends. Lauren could sense something was wrong and kept asking me if I was okay. I wasn’t, but I didn’t want her to know. I didn’t want any of them to know. Not yet.
This was embarrassing, but not nearly as embarrassing as it was about to be when Aiden released that video, if he actually had one. I couldn’t let myself believe he did, but I couldn’t let myself believe he didn’t. If I ignored his threats, and he wasn’t bluffing, what then?
I had a week until the finale aired and I felt certain he wouldn’t release the video until afterwards, as promised. He’d want the biggest media blitz he could get. That meant I had a day or two to absorb this new information and decide what to do.
“I’m really exhausted,” I said when Lauren asked me what was wrong for the fifth time that hour. “Maybe I just need to get some rest.”
“Of course, we’ll take you to the hotel.”
“You all stay here and have fun. I’ll get a car. I think I want to stay at Shep’s tonight anyway.”
I excused myself, hugging Asher and Jackson each goodbye before letting Lauren grip me tight into her arms. She walked us a few steps away from the guys and said, “Whatever’s going on, you need to talk to me.”
I knew she wasn’t fooled by my strong face. “I will, I promise. Just not right now.”
Shep was the one who knew Aiden the best. He would know if he was bluffing or not, and might even know what to do. I prayed he’d know what to do. I couldn’t imagine he’d want to continue dating the girl that had begged for Aiden Maxim’s cock on the Internet. It would be tough to take me anywhere since he’s such a public figure. His down home beliefs and solid reputation would certainly be blasted out of the water.
“What are you doing with the ‘give me your cock girl,’ Shep?” his pastor would ask, and how would he answer? Ugh, I hated this. It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life and in one quick moment, Aiden found a way to ruin it. To ruin everything. To ruin me.
The valet ushered me into a private car, and the driver was given instructions to Shep’s apartment. I hoped he was home. He hadn’t called, but I assumed it was because he was giving me space. I hadn’t called because I knew as soon as I heard his voice, I would start balling.
I walked into the front entrance and was stopped by the man wearing a red vest and white pants in the lobby. “Good evening, Miss Walker,” he greeted me. “Mr. Thompson is expecting you.”
Everything inside me relaxed as I realized Shep was waiting for me.
On the top floor, I stepped out onto the gorgeous marble and knocked on the red metal door. Shep opened it immediately, and I fell into his arms sobbing. “What is it?” he asked tenderly as he guided me into the apartment.
I clung to him as I let out all the stress I’d held in for the last few hours. He smoothed my hair and pushed it from my face. “Sit down,” he said gently and ushered me to the couch.
I explained everything, from how Aiden threatened me to how he made the comment to my friends. “I haven’t told anyone yet,” I sobbed, “I just couldn’t.”
The events of that night in Aiden’s camper kept creeping up in my mind. It was a game. It was sexy. I thought it was private. That’s why he made me say all those things and play with myself while he positioned me just so. I was being aimed at a camera, set up for this.
“I’ll take care of Aiden, don’t you worry about that,” Shep said, his voice deadly serious. I looked into his eyes and felt safe, physically and emotionally. His voice was stern and strong, and I believed him when he said it would be okay.
“Now, let’s focus on you being a winner for tonight,” Shep continued, lifting my chin with his thumb. “Tonight is about you, and what you want. It’s a night to celebrate.”
I stood and extended my hand to him. He took it, and I pulled him to his feet. His lips grazed against mine as we stood so close. I knew exactly what I wanted. “I want to go to bed,” I whispered.
“Of course,” he agreed, showing only the slightest bit of disappointment. “You’ve had a long day.”
I stood on my tiptoes and pulled his head down until we were only centimeters apart. The electricity charged between us as I closed the gap and took his lips in a kiss so passionate I felt it in my toes.
His arms surrounded me, his fingers digging into my skin as he devoured my mouth. I clung to him, trying to meld my skin into his. He scooped me up into his arms, and I wrapped my legs around his waist.
“Bed?” he asked, his voice warm and silky.
“Yes.” I took his bottom lip between my teeth and sucked. “Your bed.”
In a few long strides, we were up the stairs and in the bedroom I’d yet to see. His bed was incredible, covered in a thick white comforter with light teal pillows and brown sheets. It was large, looked soft, and when he gently laid me down, it felt like heaven.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
I looked up into his handsome face. “I’ve never been so sure in my life.”
Needing to touch him, I sat up as he pulled off his shirt, exposing his broad chest. A small patch of hairs grew between his pecks, and I explored their softness and the muscles underneath.
When he unbuttoned his pants, I was surprised that, like Aiden, he wore no briefs. Maybe he’s a bad boy too. His cock popped free of the denim as he lowered his jeans to the floor. He was long and thick, the tip glistening with his arousal, and he growled when I leaned forward and took him in my mouth.
His fingers sank into my hair, fisting just tight enough to make me moan as I sucked and licked his hard flesh, making love to him, showing him how much I wanted him. Wanted this. Wanted us.
He surprised me when he pushed me backwards on the bed, showing a rough side I’d yet to see. I liked it. The dark intensity in his eyes as he undressed me, his mouth over each slice of flesh as it was exposed.
It was sensual, romantic, and so very erotic.
My body reacted to his every touch, my ass lifting as he removed my shorts and panties, and my back arching as his mouth engulfed my breast, pulling and sucking my nipple deep into his mouth. His fingers clutched my skin, making me feel everything. His teeth nibbling and biting his way down my body.
Then he was there, at the heat of me, his tongue separating my folds. Hot and wet, he plunged into me, his teeth scraping across my clit. He didn’t eat me, he feasted, devoured until I was screaming his name as I came into his mouth.
“Do you know how perfect you are?” he asked as he climbed up my still heaving body and reached for a condom on the table beside the bed.
“No, but I know how perfect we are together,” I told him as he rolled the condom down his length.
He smiled down at me before taking my mouth again, the flavor of me still on his tongue. “I want you,” he murmured as he settled his weight between my thighs. “Hard and fast, then slow and forever.”
I arched into him, feeling him nudging my entrance. “I want you too. Any way. Every way.”
He captured my moan in his mouth when he plunged, entering me in one swift, hard movement. I stretched around him, welcoming him, wrapping my legs around his waist to keep him inside me forever.
He rocked into me, slow then fast, changing the rhythm with each stroke. Grinding down into my clit, he changed the angle, giving me new sensations, pushing me toward pleasure’s edge.
Our mouths slid together as our bodies connected over and over. The sounds of our breath, our skin meeting and parting, our moans and gasps mingled together into the most beautifully erotic sound I’d ever heard.
“This is where I belong,” he said, his words coming in breathless gasps as he plunged into me, rocking me up the mattress with his ferocity.
I loved it. I’d be sore tomorrow, and I’d welcome the ache. I’d want more. I’d crave more. I’d never get enough.
When I exploded beneath him, he cursed as my body bore down, gripping him with a ferocity of my own. But he didn’t stop, didn’t give me time to recover, just plunged and plunged, taking me higher with him to a place I’d never known.
He growled low in his chest as he began to swell inside of me. In a final plunge, he roared out his release, and I cursed the condom, the barrier keeping me from feeling his heat fill me. He rocked into me, my body milking him of his pleasure, our sweat slicked skin gliding across the others.
I held him tightly, my fingers in his hair, my face buried in his neck, my ankles locked around him, refusing to let him or this moment go. As he relaxed, I accepted his weight pressing me harder into the mattress.
“Wow,” I breathed, and his chuckle vibrated through me, and I lifted my face from his neck to look into his eyes.
He kissed my nose, my cheek, sliding his lips down my jaw to kiss my ear. “Wow is the perfect word,” he said, the warmth of his breath filling the space between us.
I pushed his hair back from his forehead, his sweat making it stick up so endearingly I began to weep. The tears were sudden and unexpected, but I didn’t hold them back nor did he ask me to. He didn’t ask why I was crying. He knew.
He kissed them away before taking my lips again, making love to me with his gentle touch.
When he swelled inside me again, he moved away only long enough to change condoms. As our bodies connected, I gazed up at him in wonder. This was what home felt like, I realized.
We made love for hours, rocking together, touching and being touched. And afterwards, we lay in each other’s arms, talking about our hopes and dreams. We laughed. We shared stories of our childhood. The disappointments we’d experienced along the way.
As the morning sun peeked into his windows, we finally fell asleep, still clinging to one another.