Page 12 of Fourth Wall

“It’s locked.” I looked back at him while he stood in the darkness, only illuminated by the porch lights in the main house. His hands were shoved into his pocket, and he had a smug look on his face.

“So annoying,” I grumbled as I fished around for the keys in my bag. I sensed his presence before I felt him. He came over and swiped the keys right out of my purse. My eyes darted toward him and narrowed. “You are too.”

He laughed before he shoved the key into the lock and flicked it open. “Safety, firecracker.”

I pushed past him and noticed the mess I had begun cleaning up earlier that day.

“I only have one bedroom here. The girls usually sleep in the main house. My mom has a guest bed up there…” I secretly hoped he would stay because what if Tyler returned or somehow I got served again? Tomorrow, I would decide what to do. Today, I had no choice but to sleep this beer off.

“I’m staying here, firecracker,” he muttered before heading into the hall closet to grab an extra pillow and blanket.

I stared at him while he came back and threw them on the couch.

“How do you know where my extra linens are?” I gaped at him like he did the most domesticated thing I had ever seen him do. Instead, he just laughed.

“I’ve been here many times before, Maeve. I know where your extra stuff is.” He leaned in toward me while I stood blankly in the toy-littered room. “I know you throw the girls’ backpacks in the same closet. I know you like to keep your Diet Cokes in the bottom drawer of your fridge because that’s where they’re the coldest. I know you like wearing shirts with quotes on them. I know you prefer baggy jeans because you don’t like anything tight against your perfect handful of thighs. I know your mouth makes the most erotic moan when you eat something you have never tried before.” My mouth hung agape.

Christian simply shrugged as though he had just imparted commonplace knowledge about me, like casually remarking on my blond hair. However, his words weren't mere superficial observations that anyone could make. He had learned these truths through attentive listening and astute observation, not the obvious facts that a random cashier scanning my groceries would know about me.

“Shit.” I rubbed my hands through the bottom of my blond locks.

“Mostly, I know you annoy me with your mess and lateness, though.”

“Heyyy.” I playfully tapped him on the shoulder as he winced in sarcastic pain.

“Let’s get you in bed, firecracker.” He grabbed my hand and guided me to my room.

“Where are your pajamas?” he asked.

“I thought you knew where everything was.” My words were slurred because the beer was hitting me hard right now.

“I’ve never gone in your room, Maeve.” His voice was low and gravelly.

“You’re here now.” A thrill shivered through me. “May as well stay and finish watching the show from earlier.”

9

Christian

She grabbed the bottom of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head to reveal her loose lace bralette. It was completely see-through. Her eyes never left mine, and I shoved my hands in my pockets and leaned back on the doorframe, doing exactly what she demanded of me. Absolutely nothing.

“What do you want from me, firecracker?” I asked as she hobbled toward the door.

“You.” She didn’t hesitate.

Fuck.

No.

I couldn’t do this. She was drunk. I wasn’t about to fuck her when she would regret it tomorrow. Plus, I hated the way she smelled of stale beer. It annoyed me more than anything, so I immediately made her go brush her teeth.

But did she look good right now. She slid out of her jeans and was wearing a matching lace thong. I would worship the ground she stood on just to have a small taste of her body. My cock wanted one thing, yet my brain told me a different story. I wish they would get on the same page already.

“Not today, Maeve,” I practically growled at her as she stalked toward me.

“I’m so horny.” She stared at me blankly, yet something about her honesty was so erotic. I was big into dirty talk, and I found that a lot of women never used their words during sex outside of a few moans and groans. I knew she had some beer in her system, which loosened her up, but it was so damn sexy watching her tell me exactly what she wanted.

“Me too,” I confessed, meeting her with the same honesty. If she was going to be truthful, I would share the same with her.

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