Page 22

TWENTY-TWO

PROM NIGHT

Theo

I felt fucking stupid. I was standing at the bottom of the stairs patiently waiting for Natalie to appear like I was about to take her to prom.

But I didn’t know the proper protocol when the person you were taking on a date lived in the same house as you. Actually, I didn’t know most of the normal date protocol.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d taken someone out on a date. It was likely back in high school when I was still living with my parents. When I hadn’t had to worry so much about where I would live or staying alive. Since then, I hadn’t been interested in dating in the traditional way. No one had intrigued me enough to really try.

Until Natalie.

We’d spent all of our time together cooped up in the house. And although neither of us were complaining, I suddenly wanted to do more. It was a foreign feeling, but one I wasn’t going to second-guess.

Going out together was a near impossibility when we were bound to run into someone who most likely knew Natalie. Especially if we stayed in that little suburban area. So, I’d planned a night that would hopefully assuage her worries from the get-go.

I lifted my head and caught my first glimpse of her at the top of the stairs.

God, she was fucking gorgeous. She’d curled her long, black hair and darkened the makeup around her eyes enough to make the blue pop. She was wearing a black dress that was reminiscent of the one she’d worn when I’d first touched her in the kitchen. She was the definition of sultry, sinful sex.

If I didn’t have bigger plans for the night, I would’ve tossed her over my shoulder, marched back upstairs, thrown her on the bed, and made her ride me until we were both exhausted and completely sated.

My eyes raked over her body, taking in every inch of her as she slowly descended the stairs. I committed that moment to memory.

“We’re never going to leave the house if you keep looking at me like that,” she said, crossing to where I stood next to the kitchen island.

Her heels were dangling from her fingers, so she was still nearly an entire foot shorter than me. I leaned down and let my intrusive thoughts win as I tangled my fingers through her perfectly styled hair and tugged.

Her eyes locked on mine, and I whispered a kiss over her lips. I didn’t want to disturb her lipstick, but I needed to feel her mouth beneath mine. Even if it was just a ghost of a touch.

“Looking as perfect as you do, you’re testing every fiber of my self-control right now.”

Her tiny breaths against my mouth were nearly my undoing, and her breathy laugh went straight to my half-hard cock.

“And we wonder why we never leave the house,” she murmured, and I tightened my fist in her hair as I remembered the little toy I’d left on her bedside table.

When I saw it in the store, I knew we needed it. It had only taken a little experimenting to learn that Natalie loved when I played with her ass. And the vibrating butt plug I picked up—one that I could conveniently control from my phone—was perfect for our night.

I didn’t want her to feel pressured to wear it, so I left it next to her bed with a note that said she should use it for the night if she wanted. Just the thought that the toy could be squeezed in her tight little ass was enough to make my cock stir all the way to life.

I wrapped a hand around her waist and marched my fingers over the top of her ass.

“Did you?” I asked.

She licked her pretty, pink lips and paused for a second that seemed to stretch on infinitely before she finally nodded.

A groan I couldn’t hold back slipped from my lips as I tilted my head to the ceiling and prayed for even more restraint.

“How does it feel?” I asked through clenched teeth. My entire body was vibrating with the effort it took not to spin her around and bend her over the counter to look at that little toy peeking out from between her round ass cheeks.

“Good,” she said on a breath, and I had to step back. I kissed her forehead and released her from my vise-like grip.

One more second that close to her and I would’ve relented.

She smiled, noting my difficulty, and slipped on her heels. She smoothed down her dress, peering in the mirror in the entryway as I turned out the kitchen lights and headed for the door. I held her coat open, and she slipped her arms inside.

“Is this okay?” She motioned to her dress.

I didn’t know if it was nerves from us going out together or what, but I sensed something was off. I reached forward and pulled her hair from where it was caught in her coat collar. My fingers lingered on the back of her neck, and I tilted her chin up with my thumb.

“You are stunning. Utterly perfect. ‘Okay ’ is never a word I would use to describe you.”

Some of the tension in her shoulders dissipated, and her smile appeared genuine.

Happy with the effect my words and touch garnered, I led us out to the driveway. I turned to lock the door, and when I stepped off the porch, Natalie was already climbing in the passenger side of my truck. I slipped into the driver’s seat and cranked the heat after tossing my bag of supplies I’d stowed by the front door in the backseat.

Natalie followed the motion with her eyes and then raised her eyebrows at me in silent question.

I only smiled in response, and she didn’t question it further.

“Where are we going?”

I backed out of the driveway and started down the street. “To dinner.”

“Okay, but where?”

I shook my head, and she rolled her eyes. I reached for her hand, laced our fingers together, and rested our joined hands in her lap.

She settled back into the seat, and we both sat in quiet contentment as I drove further into the city.

I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, and Natalie glanced at the unsuspecting building and then back to me.

She was cute when she furrowed her brow in confusion.

“Where the hell are we?”

I wasn’t surprised by her reaction. I would’ve been more surprised if she knew where we were.

I didn’t answer her. Instead, I hopped from the truck and cringed against the cold wind. The cooler temperatures were normal for the end of November, but I still hated it all the same. No matter if I’d grown up learning how to plow snow or not—I fucking hated the cold.

When I rounded the truck, Natalie was already halfway out the passenger side, an uneasy look plastered on her face.

“What the hell are you doing?” I questioned, stepping around the door and offering her my hand.

She slipped her fingers between mine and hopped the rest of the way down. “I’m getting out of the truck, Theo. What the hell does it look like I’m doing?”

I scoffed and closed the door as she straightened her dress. “I was coming around to open your door for you. That’s customary on a date.”

Natalie’s stormy eyes shot to mine, and it was impossible to miss the surprise in her gaze. I’d thought the word, but I wasn’t sure I’d said it out loud to her until that moment. Her uneasy expression morphed into something more playful, and my lips quirked at the change. That one look confirmed my suspicion: I hadn’t actually called it a date until now.

“A date?” she asked. A faint, amused smile danced across her lips, and unable to resist, I bent down and kissed her. A small sound of satisfaction emanated from behind her lips as I gripped her waist in my free hand.

I kept the kiss chaste and pulled back only a second later. Her eyes fluttered back open, and I peered around the parking lot, making sure we were alone before I said, “Yes, a date.”

She went to say something, likely to argue based on the defined set of her features, but I shook my head.

“I planned the entire night, and I plan to pay for everything, too. And when we get home tonight, I’m going to remove that little toy from your ass and fuck it until I make you come so many times you’re crying. Again.”

The prettiest blush darkened her cheeks, and she bit into her lower lip as her eyes dilated.

“Okay, but…I don’t know how comfortable I am with turning it on…” Her words trailed off, but I knew exactly what she meant.

I hadn’t turned it on yet because I knew when I did, my razor-thin restraint would snap in an instant. I also had some serious rules about playing in public.

“No one will know. I promise. None of these people consented to being part of this, so I won’t turn it on here. Okay?”

She nodded, relief evident in her eyes.

I had to try to forget about the toy until we were done with dinner at least. I wouldn’t make it through if I continued imagining her face when I turned it on the first time. Or imagining what my cock would feel like in its place.

“Let’s go,” I said quickly, clasping her hand and shutting the truck door.

“But really, where are we?”

“Somewhere no one will recognize us.”

Not the answer she wanted, she huffed out a breath and tightened her coat around her.

We crossed the small parking lot, and when I opened the door, she gave me an unsure look before she stepped inside. I led her around the wall and into the main dining room with a hand at the small of her back.

She stopped just in front of the hostess stand.

“Wha—” she stuttered, peering around the colorful, dimly lit dining room.

“Good evening. Two?” the young hostess asked.

“Yes, we have a reservation under Wilde.”

The hostess’s eyes lit up and she smiled, eagerly grabbing three menus and motioning for us to follow her. There was soft music playing in the background, and Natalie was busy eyeing the art along every inch of the walls and the colorful decor.

It was fairly small—the entire restaurant was no more than a couple hundred square feet. But the moody lighting, quiet music, and hushed whispers filling the quaint space made it almost romantic.

It smelled freaking amazing, too.

The hostess led us to a table in the corner of the restaurant and the farthest away from the rest of the patrons. When I made the reservation, I specifically requested a table with a little more privacy knowing that Natalie would appreciate not being too out in the open.

“Here you are. Does this work, Mr. Wilde?”

“Yes, thank you.”

I pulled Natalie’s chair out, and she barely suppressed her laughter as the hostess placed our menus on the table and hurried off. “What’s so funny?” I asked as I took my own seat.

“ Mr. Wilde ,” she mocked, and I narrowed my eyes at her as I shook my head.

“That’s my name.”

She shrugged and pulled her menu into her lap. She cringed slightly with the movement and readjusted in her chair for a second.

“Uncomfortable?” I asked. She rolled her eyes at the smile in my voice. I didn’t want the toy to make her too uncomfortable. I just wanted it to remind her that it was to stretch her and prepare her for my cock later.

“No,” she answered instantly. “It’s just…the chair is hard, so there’s some pressure .” Her cheeks flushed as she whispered the last word. She looked around again, and the faint candlelight danced in her eyes. I was mesmerized by the awe and surprise lighting up her face.

“Where did you find this place? It’s so cool in here.”

“Robbie recommended it when I mentioned I wanted to take you somewhere where we wouldn’t be recognized. And that you liked Mediterranean food.”

Her eyes widened and she looked down at the menu. “It is Mediterranean,” she said, her surprise apparent in every word.

I nodded. “It’s your favorite, and I’ve never had it.”

A look I couldn’t quite decipher passed over her face. Her eyes softened, and she opened her mouth like she was about to say something else as our waiter approached.

I would’ve paid him all the money in my account—which wasn’t a lot—and all the money I would ever have in the future if he would’ve come by a few minutes later. I wanted to know the thoughts behind that look. And what spurred such raw honesty in her expression.

It made my heart erratically collide with the inside of my chest.

Our waiter took our drink order and ran through their specials. Natalie was nearly bouncing in her seat as she perused the menu. I asked her about her favorite dishes and items she loved.

She pointed out a few that stuck out to her, and I ordered all four when the waiter returned along with the appetizer he mentioned during his earlier spiel.

“Theo, that—that’s a lot of food. I didn’t mean we had to order all of that,” Natalie said, straightening her napkin in her lap and smiling kindly up at the older woman refilling our waters.

I waited until she left to say, “How will you know if this place is any good if you don’t try a little bit of everything?”

She shrugged and sipped her wine. My eyes tracked the movement of her tongue over her upper lip as she licked the excess and set the glass back on the table.

I so badly wanted it to be my tongue licking at her lips, tasting the wine on her tongue mixing with her warm and intoxicating taste.

“We could always come back. Try the things we didn’t try this time,” she offered. A playful yet slightly hesitant smile tugged at her lips.

The future. She was considering the future, and that wasn’t something either of us did. It was something we’d actually both pointedly kept from doing. Because the closer we came to the end of the year, the closer we came to the end of…us.

Or at least that was what was supposed to happen. It was what had to happen.

Ryder would be back, and I would have to find somewhere else to live. I’d put off finding something else for long enough. Much longer and people would begin to question why I was sticking around. I was surprised Ryder hadn’t already asked me about it. Especially since I was so reluctant to stay there in the beginning.

I couldn’t very well continue living with my best friend’s mom, even if it was the closest I’d ever felt to home.

Or somewhere I’d wanted to stay.

My thoughts were quickly spinning out of control, which was exactly why I didn’t mention the future—it had a way of impacting the present, too. And our present was something I really wanted to enjoy.

I mimicked her posture, setting my elbows on the white tablecloth and leaning forward until I could see her eyes dilate. I’d thrown my leather jacket over the chair when we sat down, and she eyed the sleeves of my black button-down shirt. The fabric strained over my forearms and biceps, and although it was unintentional, I enjoyed the way she openly stared at me.

“We could,” I said. “But I love giving you everything you want. And often the things you don’t even know you want.”

Heat flared in her eyes, and my eyes immediately shifted down to her cleavage as she pressed her tits together. I fisted my hands to keep from reaching out and hauling her across the table.

She noted my reaction and her quiet laughter pulled me from my daydream. She sat back as our waiter slid our appetizer onto the table in front of us.

“Enjoy,” he said and hurried off.

“That smells so good.”

The small plate of fritters he placed between us did smell amazing, but I was transfixed on the look on Natalie’s face. The happiness that exuded out from her and wrapped around me, wrapped around everything when she was near.

The waiter returned a moment later with two small plates, and I motioned for her to go first. She scooped one fritter onto her plate and dug in while I chose one as well. She groaned low in her throat, and I swore the sound went straight to my cock.

I realized I’d been watching her eat, transfixed by the way her lips curved around the fork and struck by the way her tongue collected any remnants, only when she cleared her throat. A knowing smile tilted her lips.

I finally took a bite of my food and immediately understood her little sounds.

“Why did you want to do this?”

I stopped chewing, and my eyes shot up to hers. She’d set down her fork and sat back in her chair, the half-eaten fritter still on her plate. Her hands were in her lap, and I could feel her leg bouncing beneath the table.

As usual, when she was nervous, her bottom lip was caught between her teeth.

I thought for a moment, searching for the words that would settle her anxiety and accurately explain the emotions that I didn’t fully understand myself. Words that would describe why I suddenly wanted to do more. But words often fell short where I was concerned. And anyway, words were meaningless without action.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was leaning around the small circular table and grabbing the edge of her chair. She let out a tiny yelp as I yanked her closer to my right and into the corner I occupied.

Her eyes were wide, and she gripped the sides of her chair with white-knuckle force. Like I’d ever let her fall.

Settled beside me, I moved my leg until it brushed one of hers. Beneath the table, I reached out my hand until I found her thigh. I clasped that perfect place where the soft fabric of her dress kissed her even softer skin.

I brushed her hair over her shoulder and leaned forward until my lips were poised next to her ear. “Do you often question when people do something nice for you?”

“No,” she quickly rushed out, turning her head so she could look me in the eye. “I just wanted to make sure,” she continued, but her breath caught in her throat. We were so close—my head still bowed to speak into her ear—and our proximity was affecting us both. “I wanted to make sure that you weren’t doing all of this because you felt like you had to or something. I would have been content spending the night?—”

“I know.” My voice wasn’t purposely sharp, but the words came out like they were poised at the end of a blade.

“You are fairly easy to please,” I said, hoping the innuendo and softness in my tone helped counteract the harshness. “I have zero doubt in my ability to make sure you enjoy everything I do. But there’s nothing wrong with switching it up. Besides, the idea of showing you off is a fucking turn-on.”

Her dark brows shot to her hairline like she didn’t believe me. “Showing me off?”

I nodded, and she was shaking her head before I could say anything more.

“That’s sweet, but no. They’re probably wondering what the hell I’m doing here with you .”

My initial reaction was to throw her over my lap, lift up her skirt, and spank her until she relented and never again doubted her appeal and draw. She was striking, captivating, and it wasn’t just me who noticed it.

Without moving my eyes from hers, I whispered, “There’s a man at a table to my left. He’s wearing a dark blue shirt and has not stopped looking at you since we sat down.” I tilted my head slightly in the general direction. “Look.”

She waited a moment, then lifted her gaze. I watched her blue eyes search, but it only took a second before recognition registered on her face. She immediately averted her attention to her napkin still in her lap, and the pleased smile that crossed my face was beyond my control.

“There’s another man two tables to the right of him who could only see the back of your head until a few seconds ago. Yet he also can’t seem to control himself from looking over here every minute. Even with his wife—or the woman I assume is his wife—sitting across from him.”

She glanced in the direction of the other man. The second time, she didn’t let her reaction play out as loudly over her face. A blush bloomed across her cheeks, but nothing more was noticeable.

When her eyes met mine once again, there was a challenge reflected back to me. “Fine, two men have noticed me. That doesn’t mean anything,” she argued.

I sighed and glanced up only long enough to make sure our waiter was occupied with something else and wouldn’t be interrupting us anytime soon. When I spotted him refilling the drinks of a couple across the dining room, I leaned in closer to Natalie.

My fingers tangled in her hair at the base of her neck. I’d already decided I had an unnatural obsession with her hair, especially how it felt around my fist. And I enjoyed the little gasp that left her mouth when I tugged just hard enough to expose the long line of her neck.

Her chest was heaving, each breath shallow and rushed. And the quick movement only accentuated the curve of her cleavage.

It was enough to bring any man to his knees.

“Watch his face and tell me he doesn’t envy me. That he doesn’t wish he was the one touching you,” I whispered into her ear.

I watched her only long enough to see her eyes slowly raise then I kissed her jaw and her neck. My lips lingered over her heated skin with each kiss, and it was an effort to have to pull away.

Releasing my hold from her hair and running my fingers down her arm until I could hold her hand, I sat back in my chair, and I enjoyed the way the blush had spread down her neck and chest. And the way goosebumps had appeared across her chest and down what I could see of her arm.

Quickly, I glanced to my left and met the man’s eyes. He was as transfixed as I knew he would be, and he had the wherewithal to immediately avert his attention to the plate in front of him.

“You made your point,” she muttered. Her voice was devoid of humor, but a small smile flirted on her lips.

She sipped her wine, and we fell into easy conversation. The quiet hum of the restaurant and the music filtering around us created the perfect background noise.

It was easy. Fuck, everything was so easy with Natalie. No matter what we were doing—talking, cooking, playing or fucking —there was an easiness, a contentment that shook me every time.

It wasn’t something I’d felt before, and I never wanted it to end.

The waiter returned to take our empty appetizer plates and to let us know our food would be out shortly.

“Have you, um…heard from your mom recently?”

Startled by the abrupt change in topic, I stiffened in my chair and gripped my glass so tightly I was surprised it didn’t immediately shatter. Even the slightest mention of my mother was enough to mess with my entire mood. Something Natalie knew all too well.

Curious why she would ask, I answered simply, “No. Why?”

Natalie nodded and quickly averted her eyes. “Just curious.”

But there was something in her expression that made me stop. I couldn’t quite decipher it, but it was like she’d expected a different answer. I considered asking why she’d brought her up, but the waiter arrived with our food. And the smile that split her face was too perfect to disrupt.