Sometimes You Fall: Carrington Cove Book 3 (Carrington Cove Series), page 5
“I want these in my mouth,” I say as I cup both of her breasts, pinching and rolling her nipples.
“Yes,” she mewls, pulling my face down to her chest, making me bend over to reach her pebbled peaks. So instead, I hoist her up, wrap her legs around my waist, and push her back against the door, sucking on her nipples as she rubs her pussy against my stomach. I can feel how wet she is still, more than ready for me. But I want her in my bed. I want my sheets to smell like her. I already know that one night with her isn’t going to be enough, but I can’t think about that right now.
Right now, the only thing I need to focus on is making her come on my cock this time.
Her arms tighten around my neck as I lift her from the door and start walking down the hallway, locating my room in the dark with ease. We fall to the bed with her beneath me, her legs still wrapped around my waist.
Our lips continue to move, exploring and drawing pleasure from each other as she rubs her pussy against me again. I settle in the cradle of her hips and all it would take is one thrust to bury myself inside her. But I have to be level-headed in some respect. The whiskey is already clouding my judgment.
“I need to get a condom,” I say between kisses, forcing myself to pull away as I head for my nightstand and take out a rubber. I’ve had these condoms for so long that I almost forgot they were there, but thank God I have something. I tear the wrapper, cover myself, and walk back over to the sight of Scottie splayed out on my bed. “Jesus, you look perfect like this.”
She opens her legs to me, giving me the perfect view of her glistening, pink pussy. “Like how?”
“Ready for my cock. Willing to let me own you.” I crawl over her and bracket her head with my forearms as I stare right into her eyes. “Like this was how you were always supposed to be—mine.”
Her lips part on a gasp. “Grady…”
Dragging my nose up the side of her throat, I line my lips up to her ear and whisper, “Tell me this isn’t a dream.”
I can feel her shake her head against me. “It’s not.”
“Tell me you want this just as badly as I do.”
“God, yes. Please…please fuck me, Grady.”
I don’t say another word before lining up my cock to her entrance and sliding home. Ecstasy races through my veins as her tight heat surrounds me, pulling me in deeper. Her heel slides up the back of my thigh, pulling me closer until my pelvis hits her clit, and we grind together, moaning at how good it feels.
How fucking right it feels.
“So good. You’re so fucking tight, Scottie. Squeezing me so hard.”
“More, Grady. God, don’t stop.”
I search for her nipple with my mouth, sucking and nibbling on her as our bodies writhe, our hips collide, and my dick grows impossibly harder. Her moans and trembles are cues I listen to as I find a pace that feels so fucking natural. I can feel Scottie dig her nails into my back, marking me, claiming me the same way I’m claiming her. With each thrust, I let my hands explore her body—brushing my knuckles along her soft skin, kissing and licking her neck, squeezing her thigh tighter around my hips as I work us higher and higher, chasing that release that I know is going to be fucking mind-blowing.
Her pussy spasms around me, signaling that she’s close. “Come on my cock, Scottie. Fucking milk me, baby.”
She moans loudly as I reach between us and apply pressure to her clit while circling my hips, thrusting in long strokes that make her moan with each pass of my dick inside her.
“I’m coming,” she moans against my lips before I cover her mouth with mine and swallow her cries. She tightens even more around my dick, and then I let myself join her as numbness crawls down my legs and it feels like my soul leaves my body.
Collapsing against Scottie’s chest, I fight to catch my breath as she pants beneath me. That was over much quicker than I wanted, but I’ll be damned if she leaves my bed without me having her again.
When I finally feel stable enough to stand, I pull out of her, press a quick kiss to her lips, and head for my bathroom to deal with the condom.
Scottie lets out a yawn as I walk back into my room.
“None of that,” I say as I crawl back into the bed, positioning her across my chest.
“Sorry. It’s just way past my bedtime.” Her hair tickles my nose, and I brush it out of the way so I can stare down at her. The heat of her body warms me all over, and holding her in my arms makes me realize how long it’s been since I’ve had someone else in my bed.
But nothing compares to having her here.
“Then close your eyes. Rest for a while. You don’t have to leave yet.”
“I don’t want to leave at all,” she whispers, before we both drift off to sleep.
***
“Ride me, Scottie.” I smack her ass again, urging her to move faster and fuck me until she comes. “Make yourself come. Make me break with you.”
“Grady!” she cries, rubbing her pelvis over me, working herself closer to her climax. “I’m there!” And then I feel her tighten before she screams and takes me over the edge with her.
When we come down from the high, she turns to her side to face me. “So good.”
I huff out a laugh. “Fucking amazing.”
“I definitely didn’t anticipate my night ending like this when my mom told me to go out with her.”
It’s three in the morning. Scottie and I drifted off for about an hour before I woke her up with my head between her legs again. And then she climbed on top of me and rode me until we both saw stars.
“It’s not over yet.”
“No, but at least it was memorable. I mean, you ate me out on the hood of a car for crying out loud.”
My lips tip up like they have a mind of their own. And the memory of Scottie splayed out on my Nova like that will live on in my brain for all eternity. “I can do it again if you want.”
She shakes her head at me. “Are you ever going to rebuild that car? Does it even run?”
I blow out a breath and turn to face the ceiling as she rests her head on my chest again. “I want to. I just…”
“I get it. But maybe it would help to have something to focus on, Grady.” She draws circles through my chest hair. “I know I said I wouldn’t bring up baseball again, but…”
“You’re going to anyway.”
She nods against my chest. “Have you ever thought about coaching?”
Just the mention of the word has my entire upper body tightening. “Why do you ask?”
She’s silent for a moment before she speaks again. “Well, after I found out I was pregnant, I wasn’t ready to give up the game entirely. I asked my coach if I could still practice with the girls, but as an observer. It sucked not being able to play, I’m not going to lie. But watching and being able to help the girls improve, especially the girl that replaced me, made it a little bit easier to let go.” I trail my fingers up and down her spine. “I still loved the game, I just got to appreciate it on a different level.”
My jaw is tight, but I manage to say, “I’ll think about it.” And that’s not a lie. I have been thinking about it, especially after Dallas called me out at lunch last week and the new coach at the high school is still pursuing me. He even showed up at the garage a few days ago. I just don’t know if it will make things better or worse for me.
But it might help you feel unstuck.
Scottie glances at the clock on my nightstand. “I need to get home soon. It’s late, or early, however you want to look at it.”
Reaching for her hand between us, I intertwine our fingers. “It’s still dark. Get some more sleep first.”
She lets out another yawn, and then snuggles in deeper to my body. “Just a little bit of sleep and then I’ll go.”
I don’t argue with her. I just savor the feeling of her in my arms. But I do know one thing for certain—before she leaves, I’m going to get her number. This isn’t going to be the last time I see Scottie or feel her wrapped around me. It can’t be, not when my soul feels like a piece of my past and present just snapped into place.
Unfortunately, Scottie didn’t feel the same way, as evidenced by her stealth departure after I fell asleep.
She didn’t leave a note. Hell, not even a scrap of paper with her number scribbled on it.
And when I drive to her mom’s house the next afternoon, eager to confront her on the matter, her mother can’t look me in the eye when she says, “She’s gone, Grady.”
“What?”
“She went back home. Something about an emergency.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she eyes me up and down, but there’s a hint of something behind her eyes I can’t read.
“What kind of emergency?”
She arches a brow at me. “The kind that doesn’t exist.”
“Lisa,” I start, but she cuts me off.
“I know my daughter, honey. And if she left, there was a reason, one she didn’t want you or me to know.” She shrugs, but I can tell she’s not happy with her daughter either.
I push a hand through my hair and blow out a breath. “Well, can I get her number then? Please?”
Shaking her head, she looks down at the ground. “If she didn’t give it to you herself, then I can’t help you.”
“Seriously?”
“I’m sorry, Grady.” She moves to shut the door. “This is what Scottie wanted, and I have to honor that. As her friend, I hope you understand.”
The sound of the door clicking shut is like a nail being driven into a coffin, and with it I bury my feelings back where they belong—six feet under, where all my dreams have gone to die anyway.
Chapter four
Scottie
Eight Weeks Later
I let out another yawn as we pass the state line into North Carolina, the hum of the tires beneath us lulling me to sleep yet again. This is one of those moments when I wish Chase were just a little bit older and could drive, but then again, he’s not happy about the journey we’re on right now, so that would probably be just another thing for us to fight about.
“Are we there yet?”
I glance back at my son in the rearview mirror, wondering how the hell he grew up so fast. It wasn’t too long ago that he was five and sitting in his car seat, swinging his feet while eating Goldfish crackers, asking me the same question.
“A few more hours, baby.”
He rolls his eyes and returns his attention to the game on his phone. “I’m hungry.”
“What else is new?” Reaching for my purse, I locate the bag of sour peach rings I grabbed at the gas station at our last pit stop. “Wanna share some of these with me?”
He wrinkles his nose. “Those are gross.”
“What? Since when?” I rip open the bag with my teeth and hand it to him, but he shakes his head. “Really?”
“I want a burger. And a milkshake.” He licks his lips. “Can we stop for some food soon?”
Sighing, I glance at the clock on the dash. The length of this drive can be taxing, but at least I won’t have to make it again for a while—or ever, if I have it my way.
Two months ago, when we visited Carrington Cove for Christmas, the last thing I anticipated was moving back to my hometown just eight short weeks later. But life had other plans for us, and my gut told me this move was what my son and I needed—a fresh start, and distance—distance from the suffering we’d both endured for long enough.
“There’s a rest stop with a few fast-food chains in about twenty-five miles. We’ll stop then,” I reply, tossing a sour peach ring into my mouth, loving how the combination of sweet and sour bursts on my tongue. But as I chew, a sudden wave of nausea washes over me.
Whoa. That came out of nowhere.
Traveling at seventy miles per hour, I debate whether I need to pull over or wait for the churning in my stomach to subside.
Am I…am I really about to be sick right now?
I signal to my right, heading for the shoulder as I jerk the wheel to maneuver the car across two lanes of traffic.
“What the heck, Mom? What’s going on?” Chase asks, concern lacing his words.
Not wanting to risk opening my mouth to reply, afraid vomit might escape, I slam on the brakes, jump out of the car, round the hood, and barely reach the dirt on the side of the highway before emptying the contents of my stomach.
Every snack I’ve eaten for the past five hours reappears as the sound of a car door opening and closing rings out behind me.
“Mom? Are you okay?” Chase comes up on my side, rubbing my back.
Once the heaving subsides and I’m fairly certain there’s nothing left in my stomach, I brace my hands on my thighs, take a few deep breaths, and slowly stand upright. “Holy crap.”
“You just threw up on the side of the road,” he says, as if I didn’t just experience it myself.
“I’m aware.”
“Was your stomach bugging you earlier?”
“Not really. It just came on out of nowhere.”
He snaps his fingers and gives me one of those looks that I usually give him, like he’s the adult and I’m the child that never listens. “You probably ate too many snacks, and they didn’t agree with your stomach.” He waves a finger in front of my face. “You always tell me not to eat too much junk, and look what happened to you.”
Swatting his hand away, I head back to the car, opening the passenger door to reach in and grab my water. I take a few small sips, rinsing the inside of my mouth before spitting the water in the dirt. I gulp down a few drinks to see how it feels in my stomach. “I didn’t eat that much junk.”
Chase starts ticking off items on his fingers. “Chips, candy bars, sour candy…”
“All right,” I cut him off. “I may have gone a bit overboard with the road trip snacks.”
“Honestly, I was a little worried. You normally would pack us crackers, cheese, meat, and some sort of fruit. You know, healthy crap.”
“Well, I wanted to get on the road and live a little. Road trip snacks are a treat, and I know you weren’t excited about this drive…”
“I didn’t want to leave Winterville, Mom.” His expression turns angry in an instant, the playfulness of his voice gone.
“I know you didn’t, honey, but I promise…”
“You can’t promise anything.” He walks away from me, over to his side of the car where he throws himself in the back seat again, leaving me alone as cars whiz past.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and blow it out. Being a mother is hard, especially to a teenager. I’m convinced that the inventor of alcohol had a teenager at home.
Shielding my eyes from the sun, I glance back at the car. Chase may think his whole world is ending, but I know in my bones that it’s really just beginning.
He needs this. I need this. I can’t stand seeing my son hurt anymore. The broken promises, ignored texts, and lack of support—he doesn’t deserve any of it. If putting some distance between us and a place that holds more pain than joy is the only way for him to see his worth, I will gladly make that happen. Even if it means enduring his attitude, leaving my job in the middle of the school year, and moving back to my hometown that holds painful memories from my own childhood.
It also holds Grady, but that’s a problem I can worry about later.
I settle into the driver’s seat, start the car, and ease back into traffic, feeling a million times better than I did before I got sick. Maybe Chase was right. I just ate too much junk. Lord knows that’s not how I normally fuel my body, and now I know to take it easy on any future road trips.
***
“They’re here! Brenda, they’re here!” Gigi—my grandma—comes traipsing down the front porch steps of my mother’s house just as Chase and I exit the car. She pulls Chase into her arms for a hug, ruffling his curly hair that falls over his eyes as he stands nearly a foot above her. “What is with the mop on your head, boy?”
“Uh, that’s my hair.” He pushes it out of his eyes, but it falls right back into place.
“It looks like you haven’t cut it since we saw you for Christmas.” She glances over at me. “Why haven’t you taken this boy to get a haircut?”
“He doesn’t want to cut it. This is how the kids are wearing it these days.”
The corner of her lip curls up in disgust. “I don’t understand today’s youth, but if looking like a cross between a poodle and boy is the trend, there’s no use fighting it.” She shrugs. “Just don’t get upset when you run into shit because you can’t see where you’re going.” She pats him on the shoulder and then moves around him to greet me. “Speaking of, you look like shit.”
“Good to see you too, Gigi.” I pull her into an embrace, knowing not to take her criticism to heart. My grandmother has always had a way with words, in the sense that she doesn’t care about which ones she uses. She’s honest, opinionated, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. She’s honestly my idol and part of the reason I had the courage to move me and my son away from our home of the past fifteen years. I channeled my inner Gigi.
“Seriously. You’re kind of pale.”
“She got sick on the side of the highway,” Chase says as my mother comes down the porch from the house.
“You threw up?”
“I think I just ate too much junk.” I rub my stomach. “But I feel fine now.”
My mother pulls me in for a hug. “Yup. You probably just ate something that didn’t agree with you.” When she releases me, she cups the side of my face. “My baby is home.”
I laugh. “I’m hardly a baby, Mom.”
Shaking her head, “You’ll always be my baby, Scottie. And I’m proud of you.”
My eyes start to sting. “I still don’t know if I made the right decision,” I whisper, not wanting Chase to overhear.
She strokes my cheek. “All you can do is listen to your gut.”
“I know. And I did.”
“Then everything else will work itself out.”
I stifle a yawn as we break apart. “God, I’m exhausted.”
My mother jingles a set of keys in my face. “Well, let’s show you the house and then you can get some rest. I’m sure the drive took it out of you.”
“You have no idea.”
