Page 52 of Bullet
“Yes!” she said, pumping her fist, then she sat down at the table and started furiously typing. “‘Celia and her boyfriend, Harry. I get to have dinner with him first, suck it losers. B.T.W. Meatloaf approves.’ And send.”
Under the table, Harry squeezed my leg, and I knew I’d been successful in my ploy. The smile on his face was enough to make anyone blush, and I was happy to start eating to give myself a chance to calm down.
All throughout dinner, Laura kept the conversation afloat, sharing silly stories about me from college. Harry was happy to hear more about me from the past, something he’d said on a number of occasions, and it didn’t feel nearly as difficult to let him in a little as I thought it would be. He and Laura got on like they’d been best friends for years, and as the night carried on, the happier and more relaxed Harry seemed.
It made me feel good.
When the meal was all done, and only after laughing about how many of my friends seemed shocked that I had a guy on my arm, Laura announced her departure.
“Dinner was so good,” Harry said. “Thank you.”
“Thankyou,” Laura replied. “Celia tells me her new boyfriend is coming over and needs some of my home cooking, I’m gonna do that,obviously.”
“Well, I appreciate it,” I told her.
“I’m meeting up with Cyd for drinks in like twenty minutes, then I think we’re just gonna do some bar-hopping. I won’t be home until later so…” She winked. “You kids enjoy a little privacy.”
“Thanks,” I said.
She stood up from the table, pointed out the bottle of wine she’d been pouring from in the kitchen, then kissed me on top of my head and left.
“She seems really awesome,” Harry said.
“Yeah, I like her. The funny thing is, wehatedeach other when we first met. Call it a fight for dominance or whatever. We were assigned as roommates freshman year and I couldn’t stand her. She seemed like one of those prissy types to me, and I’m so… not that, but then she opened up, and I opened up. We realized we have a lot in common, we’re both in social work, and now she’s like my sister.”
“That’s cool. It reminds me of Avery,” Harry said.
“Right.”
“And…” Harry grabbed my hand and stood me up out of the chair and led me into the living room. We sank down onto the couch and he put his hands on either side of my neck and looked right into my eyes, it covered me with goosebumps and set my heart to racing double-time. “Thank you. I know that the commitment thing kind of scares you, but hearing you call me your boyfriend and letting her post the picture and stuff, it just…” He leaned in and kissed me. “I like that. Thank you.”
“Thank you, too,” I replied. “I know dinner with someone you barely know, let alone a woman, and without even knowing that’s what was happening might have been a little difficult for you, but you’re—” Harry leaned in and kissed me again before I could get the sentence out. “What was that for?”
“I was worried,” he said. “I was worried that this didn’t mean as much to you as it meant to me, and I was worried that I was beginning to fall for you and you didn’t even see me as more than a friend. Hearing you say that you knew this was uncomfortable for me, it means youarelearning more about me and care… I know I sound cheesy right now, but I’m just so happy.”
I couldn’t stop the smile from coming to my face. Harry was like a little puppy that had been given a new toy. I could damn near see a tail wagging. It didn’t take all that much effort, just letting him in a little. If that would make him so happy, I’d do it more often.
“Me, too,” I said. “I’m happy, too.” This time, it was me who leaned in and kissed Harry, and I was glad when one of his hands broke loose from my neck and slowly started to slide down my back. I pulled away from him just enough to say, “Do you want a house tour?”
Harry furrowed his brow, looking around. “Uh. I’ve pretty much gotten the lay of the land.”
“Most of it,” I replied, then I stood up and walked over to my bedroom door and opened it. “Let me show you my bedroom.”
He dropped his head in defeat before starting to laugh. “That was smooth. I hate that I didn’t see it coming.”
“Well, get over here then,” I said.
Harry was off the couch in no time flat. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”
He hooked my waist as he reached me and backed me into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. His lips found mine and my hands slid up his chest to lock behind his neck. I gasped a little as he slid his hands down my legs and behind my thighs so he could lift me from my feet. I hooked my ankles behind him as he lowered me down to the bed.
One hand trailed down between my legs while the other worked its way under my shirt. His lips on mine continued to taste, sucking my tongue and making me dizzy, while his hands worked simultaneously to remove my shirt and pants.
Once unbuttoned, he pulled my pants down just enough to slink his hand underneath and between my legs. A finger flicked under my underwear to slide along my wetting middle, skipping over the sensitive bud there and causing me to moan. Those fingers worked me below while Harry finally lifted his head from my lips and joined the hand of his that was under my shirt. He expertly used one hand to lift my shirt and I took over to lift it up and over. He popped out one of my breasts and leaned down to close his mouth over it.
Between his hand massaging me below and his tongue licking me above, my mind was losing focus on anything that wasn’t Harry. For whatever reason, I was just now smelling his marvelous cologne and it was adding to the euphoria that enveloped me. Harry lifted from my chest and continued to rub between my legs, slowly increasing his pace. He looked down at me and held my eye contact as he brought me closer to climax. Part of me wanted to look away, but there was also something enrapturing about him that kept me glued to his face as he stared down at me with his dark, lusty expression.
“Don’t stop, baby,” I hummed.
