When I Fall(95)

Luke snorts, pulling back from Ben. “I should be thanking you. Saying all that shit to me and watching you with Mia. I don’t know what the fuck I was waiting for. I kept thinking I’d do it when she wasn’t expecting me to ask, but she was always looking at me, always ready. After all that shit on Wednesday, I looked at her and realized I didn’t care if she was expecting it or not. If I went another day without asking, I was going to start ripping your deck apart and breaking boards myself.”

I cross my arms over my chest, frowning, looking between the two of them. “If either one of you wants shit to break, fucking ask me. I got a ton of spare wood in the bed of my truck. There’s no need to start pulling boards off the deck.” I settle my gaze on Luke. “Did you guys go to the courthouse?”

He nods. “Yeah. I didn’t want to wait. And I didn’t care if anybody else was there.” He shifts his eyes between Ben and myself. “No offense.”

“Do my parents know?” Ben asks, his eyebrows lifting when Luke shakes his head. “Shit. My mom is going to kill you.”

“She’ll get over it,” Tessa says, coming up and standing next to Luke.

He wraps his arm around her as Mia and Beth filter into the group.

“This is how we wanted to do it. We can have a party or something if the families want to get together.” Tessa looks over at Ben. “Maybe if your deck ever gets finished, we can have it at your house.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “It’s almost finished.”

Ben laughs, pulling Mia in front of him, staring at me over the top of her head. “There’s nothing left but the stairs, right?”

“Pretty much. I’ll be over sometime tomorrow to get started on them. After five, probably. I’m going with Beth to volunteer at the soup kitchen first.”

All heads snap in my direction, including Beth’s. I ignore all but hers.

She touches my elbow, looking up at me with wide, curious eyes. “You want to go with me? Really?”

“Yeah. Can I?” I ask, suddenly feeling anxious about inviting myself to this.

Beth never asked me to go with her when she told me she was volunteering tomorrow. This could be something she doesn’t want me to be a part of. Talking about being homeless was difficult enough for her. Maybe she doesn’t want me to see what it looked like.

Shit. Why the fuck did I just blurt that out?

My arms fall to my side as I become very unsure. “If you don’t want me there . . .”

She wraps her arms around my waist, squeezing me tight. Her chin hits my chest as she smiles up at me. “I want you there. So much.”

“Quick. Someone take a picture of this.”

I glare at Tessa as I pull Beth against me. Everyone else is smiling, staring at me and Beth, acting like we’re some fucking exhibit at the museum they’ve all paid to look at.

Jesus Christ. What is the big deal?

The song changes overhead, something a little slower.

Mia spins and grabs Ben’s shirt, pulling him. “Let’s go dance, babe.”

“Angel,” he weakly protests.

Mia looks up at him with pleading eyes. “Dance with me.”

Sighing, Ben rubs a hand down his face, but lets Mia lead him out onto the floor. Tessa tugs against Luke’s hand.

“No fucking way.”

She puts her hand on her hip. “Really? Would you like me to go out there alone and let some sweaty creeper grind up against me? I’ll let them, Luke. If you don’t dance with me, I’ll, ah!”

Luke picks her up and carries her through the crowd, mumbling something about Tessa driving him crazy.

Laughing, Beth lifts her head from my chest and looks up at me. Her nose wrinkles. “We don’t have to dance if you don’t want to.”

I don’t answer her. Not with words anyway.

Grabbing her hand, I lead her through the crowd out into the middle of the dance floor. She spins around, putting my front to her back, and starts moving her hips, grinding her ass against my dick. I splay my hands over her flat stomach, moving with her. I don’t dance to shit like this, but I do know how to fuck, and that’s basically what we’re doing. She drops her head back against my chest, moaning when I dig my fingers into her hips. Her hands are in my hair, my lips are on her skin, kissing the line of her neck. No one is paying attention to us. I have no idea where Ben and Luke are with their women.

I want her. Right now. Right here.

My mouth presses against her ear as my hands move underneath her shirt. “Are you wet, sweetheart?”

She gasps. Her eyes roll closed. “Yes.”

“Do you want me to finger you right here?” I slide my hand an inch lower, teasing the top of her shorts. Her stomach clenches against my hand. “I’ll do it. I don’t care if anyone sees us.”