Page 20 of Tell Me You Need Me

“Yeah, I guess so.” Teddy shifts on her feet, her brows pulling together. “I don’t know about?—”

“It’s fine.” I don’t want to make her life harder. Not with how she spends her time trying to make everyone else's easier. Even if it kills me. I can take solace in the fact that she wants this. I’ll have to.

“West.” She reaches out to touch me. I grab her hand and lift it to kiss her palm, unsure if I can withstand her touch at this moment. It will have me kissing her again, likely dragging her back to my wing in the house.

“I’ll see you later.” I can't help but place one more kiss on her palm. That smile of hers comes back.

“Later,” she agrees as I let go and slip from the pantry and out of the kitchen. I head straight upstairs. Each step is harder than the last. I’ve been dying to touch her, taste her. I have finally gotten what I wanted, but now I need more. I’m greedy for her. I’m finding I want more than a little taste. I want forever.

I enter my bedroom, going straight for my bathroom, unbuttoning my shirt as I go and stripping out of my clothing. I flip on the shower, stepping in under the spray. My hand wraps around my cock, and I start to stroke. I let my eyes fall closed.

My fucked-up mind doesn’t just bring Teddy to the forefront; it brings her in that damn uniform. Her skirt bunched up around her. I slide my fingers into her panties, yanking them to the side, feeling her arousal on them.

Teddy is as desperate as I am, working at the button of my pants to free my cock. She kisses me with the same desperation. She’s right here with me. There is no shyness. She gives as good as she gets. My girl is so filled with passion.

I adjust her, sinking into her sweet softness, and she lets out a moan for me. Her cheeks are flushed, and her hair is wild. She’s stunning as she takes every damn inch of me. Her nails dig into me as I fill her until we were pressed together in the deepest way possible. In my mind, I hear her moan my name.

“Teddy,” I groan, coming harder than I ever have in my life.

I open my eyes to watch my release swirl down the drain, my cock still fucking hard. I switch the water over to cold but that doesn’t help either.

There’s no way in hell I’m going to be able to keep us a secret.

Chapter Fourteen

TEDDY

Dinner was quiet tonight. I was disappointed that West didn’t come down, but I sent a tray with Jack up for him. I shouldn’t be upset about it. It’s probably not a good idea for him and Rich to be sharing a table so soon.

When Rich gets up from the table, I don’t miss the wince. Based on the way he had been leaning while eating, I believe the pain was coming from his ribs. I still don’t know if I should say anything. Willa helps me clear the table and put everything away.

When I enter the guesthouse, my mom is making her nighttime tea. “Are you turning in already?” I ask silently, hoping so. I have to see him. My lips are still tingling from our kiss. So are other parts of me, for that matter.

“Yeah, a new book from Joe Coleman came out.”

“I don’t know how you read those and go to sleep,” I say with a laugh. Mom gives me a kiss on the cheek.

“I don’t know how you’re not running around kissing boys and dating with all those romance books you and Willa read,” Mom teases me back. Little does she know I am experiencing some form of what I read in those books.

“Maybe I am.” I wiggle my brows teasingly right back to hide any other expression that might be trying to take over my face and blow my cover. But then again, West isn’t a boy. That also might be the problem when my mom finds out about all this. I don’t like deceiving her, but I need this time with West to figure things out before anyone else can weigh in on what we’re doing.

"Right, ha ha," she replies dryly as she makes her way to her bedroom.

“Holy crap,” I whisper to myself. I’m not a bad secret keeper, but maybe I am when it comes to my own. For tonight, though, it doesn’t matter. I slip into my room and change into my pajamas. I want to kick myself for not having any more adult-like pajamas. I always get silly, fun ones.

I choose the ones Willa gave me. They’re cotton shorts and a T-shirt. The shorts have little teddy bears on them, and the shirt saysCuddle meacross the chest. It will have to do, and honestly, I don’t want to change who I am. I love my silly pajamas. I grab my slippers before I head out, quickly locking the door behind me when I leave the guesthouse.

I enter the kitchen through the patio. Now that everyone is gone, I grab the ice pack bag out of the pantry and fill it with ice along with some Advil before I head upstairs. I’ll drop this off to Rich before I sneak over into the West’s wing.

When I knock on Rich’s door, he calls out to come in. “How are you feeling?” I ask when I enter his bedroom. He’s in bed with the blanket pulled over him. It’s awkwardly done, but I can see the top of his chest.

“I’m fine. Why?” I toss the ice pack toward him. His instincts get the best of him, and he reaches out to catch it. He winces as he does, and the blanket drops some to reveal more of his chest. “You did that on purpose.”

“Then don’t ask me dumb questions.” I walk over, place the bottle of water on his nightstand, and hand him the pills.

“Are you going to lecture me now?”

“No.” I shake my head. “You good?”

---