Page 173 of Wicked Little Darling

“Asshole,” he muttered, sliding his hand over to the box. He slowly lifted the lid, paused when he saw the tissue paper, then flung the lid gracelessly away and started clawing into the paper.

When he pulled the shoes out and didn’t say a word or make a sound, just stared at them, I was pretty sure he hated them.

My heart sank, but that was fine, we could get him a different pair. I still had the receipt.

“You don’t like them?” I slid my hand beneath his shirt and palmed his stomach, and he leaned back into my body.

“No, I?—”

His voice hitched, and I felt the muscles in his stomach clench. And then he drew in a sharp, stilted breath and I knew he was about to cry.

And I knew he hated crying in front of anyone, so I didn’t draw any attention to it, just let him work through his big emotions and held him tight.

He dropped the shoes back into the box, then turned in my arms and wrapped all his limbs around me, burying his face in my neck as his entire body was racked with sobs.

I cradled the back of his head, brushing my fingers through his hair and sliding down to knead the muscles at the nape of his neck while he let it all out.

“It’s been a really—l-long time since someone got me a p-present,” he wailed into my skin.

Fuck, my heart couldn’t take this. I squeezed him to me, rubbing my hand up and down his back in slow, hard strokes as he clung to me.

“So what you’re saying is I just need to get you presents to make you cry? Darling, your life will be filled with gifts and I’ll be horny all the time. That’s dangerous knowledge.”

He choked on a laugh, then punched my arm—so weakly it was like a bee bumping into me.

“You’re already horny all the time,” he sniffled.

“Jizz rag for your tears?” I murmured. “Actually, what about cum cloth? That has a nice ring to it. Val would be proud of me for that one.”

“So ridiculous,” he whispered, and I pretended he’d saidI love you, that he would’ve said it in the same soft and reverent tone.

“Ridiculously turned on,” I whispered back.

He bit my neck like the animal he was, which only seemed to turnhimon because he moaned and started grinding his cock into my stomach.

“Does crying turn you on too? Fuck, Reese, we’re meant to be.”

He laughed again, then squeezed his entire body around mine so tight I couldn’t breathe for a second. He loosened his grip when I made a choking sound, then sagged into me like he’d spent all his energy for the day.

That was fine, I’d carry him around for however long he needed.

“So do you like the shoes or what?”

He scoffed. “Yes, I like the shoes.” There was a pause, and then he said softly, “I love the shoes. Thank you.”

“Come to my family’s house for a party.”

“Is that a command?” he asked wryly, drawing back to arch a brow at me.

“Come to my family’s house for a party?”

“Wow, you’re horrible at this.” He hid his smile behind his hand.

I cleared my throat. “Will you, Reese Walker, come to my family’s house, the Voss family, for a party to celebrate Val winning the NPA competition?”

“You’re doing way too much, Dakota. How aboutHey Reese, I’d love to invite you to a party we’re throwing for Val. What do you think?”

I tried not to smile and failed miserably. “Hey Reese, I’d love to invite you to a party we’re throwing for Val. What do you think?”