Page 44 of Riding the Line (Willow Ridge #2)
Duke
The extra champagne bottles I bring out go down a treat. Enough to quickly pull the attention from me – and more importantly, Cherry – after the debacle with Levi, and back to celebrating.
Everyone’s now surpassed the excited and loud stage of intoxication, and instead the booth is filled with heavy eyes, heads resting against shoulders, and glasses of water to try to combat the hangovers for the next morning.
With the night bleeding into the early hours of the morning, and the majority of the people who came for Wyatt and Rory having left about a half hour ago, the main gang are the last stragglers in the bar as they wait for their ride home.
I imagine Luke, one of the only two cab drivers in Willow Ridge, will be picking them up, probably piling them all into one car despite the lack of seats.
Even though I should be listening to Rory’s drunken slurs as she wraps her arms around my waist, hugging me with gratitude for the night, I can’t help my eyes from wandering over to Cherry.
I’ve had to return to the solace of the bar multiple times since throwing Levi out, anxious to be able to watch over her as much as possible.
I’ve never felt anger as hot and raging as I did when I saw him saunter in like he’d done nothing wrong. Or when I saw how shaken Cherry looked at his presence. The need to make him pay for what he did was practically trying to tear itself out of my skin, crackling in my veins like lightning.
No one hurts my girl.
I thought I would’ve restrained myself better than caging him in like that.
And throwing him to the ground outside which no one luckily saw …
I’ve dealt with enough anger from plenty of grief and discrimination over the years that I thought I’d learnt to manage it better.
But there was more than just anger playing a role in my reaction tonight.
Something I haven’t felt in – well, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt it like this before.
And it burns , brighter and deeper than I thought imaginable.
So much so that all I can think about is how badly I want to hold Cherry, how desperately I need to show her how I feel, to remind her that I’m always here to keep her safe.
But I have to shake it off for now. Because if there’s something else this night has reminded me, it’s how much my friends mean to me.
I’ve hit a peak level of happiness, surrounded by the warmth of my best friends’ joy and support, knowing I get to bask in that with them – it’s almost perfect, and I know how vital it is not to ruin that right now.
Even if that means keeping the truth of whatever I have going on with Cherry in the shadows for now.
Rory’s words of how loyal a friend I am really emphasised such.
‘And you’re sure you don’t want us to stay and help clean up?’ Rory asks. She’s not let go of me for the past few minutes, and while I’m sure she is super thankful for tonight’s celebrations, I think it’s mostly because she’s struggling to stay upright given how much of the champagne she drank.
‘Positive,’ I reply, walking her over to where Wyatt, Wolfman and Cherry are hanging by one of the booths. ‘All you two should be doing today is celebrating, no chores.’
‘Cab’s outside,’ Wolfman announces to the group.
‘Oh, don’t you worry.’ Rory loosens her grip on me and tilts her head up, her eyelids heavy as she then proceeds to boop me on the nose.
‘I’ll be celebrating all night long with Wyatt.
’ A long string of giggles erupts from her, ginger waves bouncing – I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this drunk before.
‘Did you hear that, Hensley?’ Sawyer chimes in as he joins us and the others, an arm around Jessie’s waist – a girl he picked up earlier in the night. ‘Apparently you and Red are gonna be celebrating all night long .’
‘Delightful,’ Cherry comments sarcastically. She shoots me a quick look, and I raise my brows, almost to say, as will you be , forcing a blush into her cheeks. Fuck am I glad I’ll have her to myself soon.
‘Oh, really? Well then, what are we waiting for?’ Wyatt booms, marching over to us.
I peel Rory from me and guide her into his arms, where he then makes her squeal by tossing her over his shoulder.
He gives me a pat on the back with his free hand.
‘Thanks for tonight, man. You’re the best. Seriously.
Couldn’t ask for a better friend. Or best man.
’ He adds the last bit with a wink, and the suggestion hits me straight in the heart.
‘Always, Hensley. Congrats, again. I’m so happy for you.’ I give him a squeeze on the arm. ‘Now get out of here. Bye, Rory.’ She’s still giggling where she’s hanging over Wyatt’s shoulder but manages to lift herself slightly to wave before Wyatt carts her off.
Cherry and I say our goodbyes to Wolfman, Sawyer, and Jessie, watching them all get in the cab with Wyatt and Rory. Once we’ve waved them off, Cherry heads back inside first, leaving me to lock the door.
‘That was … a long night.’ Cherry teases her bottom lip with her teeth as she starts to take slow steps backwards, only reminding me how badly I’ve wanted to feel her mouth again.
I’ve always thought Cherry was beautiful, but there’s something goddamn bewitching about her right now – tanned skin all flushed, shining under the mood lighting with a desire-filled glow, so empty of my touch.
She’s lit up like a warning sign, ablaze from the red lights, and I want nothing more than to get burned.
I realise a second later I’ve started prowling towards her, like my body couldn’t resist the opportunity to be close to her now everyone has gone. That magnetic pull between us suddenly heightened.
‘Too long,’ I agree, loosening one of my shirt buttons.
Cherry’s back hits the bar with a gasp and it’s not a moment longer that I’m in front of her, hands splaying across her waist. I love looking down as those big umber eyes blink up at me. But before I can crash my lips against hers, I have to ask, ‘Are you okay? After Levi turning up?’
‘Yeah.’ The darkness in her eyes softens, and she runs her hands up my arms. ‘I’m always okay when I’ve got you looking out for me. Thank you, Duke, really. You have no idea what it means to have someone willing to fight for me.’
‘Always.’ I bring my forehead down to hers, taking a second to breathe in her scent. ‘I’ll always fight for you, Cherry.’
Because I love you.
My lips barrel towards hers not a second sooner – to take them with all the hunger I’ve built up over the night, to say the words I’m scared to admit with kisses instead.
Cherry moans into my mouth, wasting no time before she unbuttons the rest of my shirt, letting her fingers roam my body, tracing the lines of my muscles.
She runs her nails down over my chest as she opens her mouth for my tongue, sending a shot of desire straight to my thickening cock.
‘Fuck, I’ve been waiting all evening to taste you. I can’t wait any longer.’ I pull my lips away and hoist her up to settle her on the bar top, and she lets out a sweet chuckle.
Carefully, I press my palms to her knees and spread her legs apart, revealing some dark-red lacy panties that match the colour of her lips under her black dress.
I have to close my eyes to steel myself – to keep that last thread of my self-control intact.
I rest my head against one of her thighs, whispering, ‘My favourite goddamn colour, Cherry. You’re killing me. ’
My hands reach higher up her leg, pushing back her dress until I can hook my fingers under the waistband of her panties.
Cherry watches me with glossy eyes, shining and wild with overflowing desire.
Two dark pools that I just want to dive into and never surface.
I hold her stare the whole time I talk to her.
‘Here’s how this is going to go,’ I start, lazily dragging her panties down her hips.
She lifts her ass up for me automatically so I can slip them over like the good girl she is.
‘I’m going to lie you back on this bar and devour your sweet pussy until you’ve soaked my face.
’ I slide her panties down her legs and remove each of her sneakers and socks.
I lift her dress up over her next, and remove her bra, pressing a kiss to her sternum.
‘Then, you’re going to get on your knees and get my cock nice and wet and covered in that goddamn lipstick you’re always wearing. ’
She swallows thickly, nodding. ‘And then?’
‘And then …’ Pausing, I trail my fingers back up the inside of her legs, my other hand coming round to cup the back of her neck to ease Cherry down along the bar top.
Seeing her laid out bare like this has my heart stammering – I’ve dreamt of this scenario too many times, part of me is slightly concerned I’m just in another dream.
But when my fingers meet her pussy, no dream could ever create the delicious sensation of Cherry’s slickness against my skin, or the heat of her beneath my touch.
Or the way my heart pulses mine, mine, mine when we’re connected.
Revelling in the reminder that this is in fact my reality, I gently press a finger into her and curl it to stroke her inner wall. Leaning over her body, I trail kisses over her stomach, her hip bones, the dip of her thighs.
I tip my head up to meet her eyes, her black hair spread out around her, and I think my heart actually trips over itself. Because Cherry Hensley is a godsend. A beacon of life in the darkness.
She whispers, ‘What next?’
‘Then … I’m going to take you upstairs and finally fuck you on every surface possible.
In every place I’ve ever dreamt of fucking you when I’ve had my hand fisted around my cock, imagining it was your tight little cunt bringing me to release.
’ Her eyes flare and it makes me feral. ‘I’m going to show you how well you deserve to have been fucked all these years. ’