Page 49 of Queen Rose

“Hers is the room there on the right. You tell your mama I said hi. I’d be happy to help you out anytime. You let me know if I can.”

I bite my lip and nod. Half-choked up, I’m barely able to respond. “That’s very kind of you.”

“Nate, just… just be careful when you leave.”

I blink, wondering if I misunderstood her, but she’s already on her way back down the hall. Too late to ask now.

I hope I’ve done the right thing in coming. Franny didn’t seem surprised to see me, but maybe she’s unaware of whatever has caused Aria’s shift in demeanor. Shit. I’ll never know if I don’t talk to her. Taking a deep breath, I rap lightly on the door.

“Franny?” Aria’s anxious voice drifts to me through the door.

I clear my throat. “No. It’s me.” What reason would she have for being nervous about someone knocking on her door in her own home?

The door whips open no more than three seconds later. Aria stares at me with wide, wild eyes and gasps, “Nate. What are you doing here? How—?” Without finishing her question, she steps forward enough to poke her head out the doorway. She grasps the front of my shirt and tugs, pulling me into her bedroom, then spins to shut the door, lock it, and put her back against it.

My brows pinch. “What the fuck is going on?”

“You first.” She catches the corner of her lip with her teeth. “How did you get in here?”

“Franny. I knocked on the front door?” I phrase it as a question because her behavior has me genuinely confused. “I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have come. I wasn’t sure from your texts—”

“No. It’s fine. I just—” She grits her teeth, clenching her fists at her side. “My dad…”

I frown. “Your dad, what?”

She looks down, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Like she’s really, really fucking mad. “I don’t want to say it. It’ll hurt you, and I don’t wanna do that because you’ve done nothing to deserve it. He doesn’t even know you.” She puts the heel of her hand to her forehead, rubbing it, like the entire situation pains her.

I toss the bag of chocolates on top of her dresser, because at the moment, figuring out what’s going on is way more important than any olive branch I was attempting to extend. Not to mention, it seems like maybe the weirdly cool text messages had to do with something her dad said, not me. I step close to her and tip her chin up with my fingers. “Tell me,” I demand low and soft.

“He’s just being a controlling dick, as usual. And Conner didn’t help. He told my dad that some guy had picked me up and when I got home, Dad made me tell him who it was.”

Great.Already on the outs with the girlfriend’s parents before we’ve even met.

“Long story, short, he said I wasn’t allowed to see you. He forbade it.”

“Is that why it felt like you were blowing me off? And why Franny practically snuck me up here?”

“Sorry,” she grimaces as she goes up on tiptoes and kisses my chin. “I didn’t know what to do, but I thought maybe if—” She huffs out what feels to me like disappointment. “It was dumb of me. I should have told you what was going on. None of this is your fault. My dad decided to be an asshole, and I wasn’t sure how to handle it, so I shut down. And, yeah, Franny knows exactly how my dad can be after living here with us all these years. I’m sure she overhears all sorts of things. Probably way more than she’s ever wanted to.”

“Hey. If me being here is going to cause problems, I can go.” I gesture to the dresser. “I wanted to bring you chocolate and make sure we were okay. And if we are, then I don’t have to stay and make trouble for you.”

Gripping my forearms, she shakes her head vehemently. “I don’t want you to go, Nate.” She pulls me farther into the room, looking up into my eyes.

“You’re positive?”

“They can’t control me. Kiss me, Nate. Right here in this house. I don’t fucking care what they think. Any of them.”

My eyes squeeze shut for a second, and when I open them, I see the plea in her eyes. I couldn’t deny her if I wanted to. Not when it clearly means so much to her. Bending down, I claim her sweet mouth, my lips feverish on hers, and thrust my tongue between them. There’s nothing slow or gentle about it from either of us. I slant my mouth over hers for a better angle, and she lets all of her frustration out, kissing me hard, teasing me with every nip of her teeth and slide of her devilish tongue until I’m rock hard. Each and every breath escapes as a groan as she palms my dick, moving her hand urgently over my fly. “Fuuuck. Aria.” The words hiss from between my teeth, my jaw going rigid.

“Does that feel good?” She stares at me from under hooded eyes as she continues to work me.

My hips thrust forward of their own volition, almost as if my cock is answering her for me. “Hell yes, it does. So good.” Lust thrums through my body, like some pulsing live animal, ready to be uncaged.

Aria’s hands go for my jeans, unfastening and shoving them down over my ass at lightning speed. Not one to argue with a pretty girl tearing me out of my clothing, I yank my shirt over my head and kick out of the jeans. We attack each other, using our lips and teeth like they’re weapons and this is war. It’s so damn hot, everything flies out of my head, and all I’m capable of focusing on is the way she’s making my dick impossibly hard.

She grabs my ass with both hands, giving the cheeks a firm squeeze. There’s a look of urgency in her eyes, and she’s breathless as she asks, “Can I suck you off?”

My brain is already barely functioning, but holy fuck. What is she trying to do to me? Make me come on the spot? I stare at her, in a state of surprised shock. I’m guessing this is also a fuck you to her old man, but I can’t find it in me to care. I huff out a breath. “I’m sorry, do you think you have to ask permission to give me head?”

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