I wake up with Tylerâs body draped over mine and an incessant buzzing on the nightstand. I donât know what time it is, but itâs way too early for my alarm clock to be going off.
I elbow him. âTy. Your alarm.â
He groans, eyes still closed.
He looks so peaceful, but I know he has a routine in the mornings that does not include sleeping in until sunrise.
I turn in his arms and frame his face with my hands, enjoying the feel of his day-old stubble. âYou have to get up for your run.â
Before I know it, he has me on my back and his heavy weight settles on top of me.
âI worked out enough last night. I think I can skip this morning.â He turns off the alarm and then buries his head in the crook of my neck.
His hands find their way under my shirt, and he cups my boobs as he continues to kiss his way along my neck and collarbone. He sucks and kisses, and it feels so good I stop pushing for him to go.
His phone starts buzzing on the nightstand again. I donât even notice it at first, all my senses are honed to him, but Tyler reaches over and silences it while rubbing his erection along my core. âGot about five minutes before Ash comes looking for me.â
âGo. Iâll be fine,â I say as I arch into him.
He laughs and disappears under the blanket. He slides down my body and works my panties down over my hips. Then his mouth covers me with no prelude or teasing. He dives right in. A moan slips past my lips and my hands thread through his thick hair. Every time I think it canât get better with Tyler, he proves me wrong. Itâs like he has some secret key to my body that even I donât possess.
He brings me over the edge so quickly that it doesnât seem possible. I cry out in the quiet, dark room, chanting his name almost like Iâm trying to convince myself itâs really him. Maybe Iâm having a really amazing sex dream.
He doesnât relent after the first waves roll through me and my second orgasm builds just as quickly. This one hangs in the distance just out of reach. I reach for him and try to get him to move up and inside of me, but he keeps his hold on my thighs and continues licking and sucking on my clit.
âTyler.â
He hums a response, the sound vibrating through my body.
âI need you inside of me,â I mutter.
He stops his torment and repositions so that his dick nudges my entrance. Pleasure spreads through me. Iâm so close.
He reaches over and gets a condom from the side table. âWhose pussy is this?â
âYours.â Iâm so close if he blew on my clit I think Iâd come.
He covers himself and rubs the head of his cock along my slit. âWhose pussy?â
âYours,â I repeat.
He drives in an inch. âWhose?â
âYours, Tyler.â
âGood girl.â He drops a kiss on my lips and then pushes in all the way.
His phone vibrates on the nightstand but neither of us stops or makes any move to shut it off. Weâve been making up for lost time with sex thatâs sweet and mildly possessive, the latter a kink weâve both always enjoyed, but this is something more. Itâs hard and fast and claiming in a way I didnât know existed. As my orgasm finally hits, he drops his mouth to mine and kisses me in the same hard, greedy way that he slams into me.
âMine.â He speaks into my mouth. âYouâre finally mine again.â
My car finally decides that today is the day itâs no longer going to run. Tyler pops the hood and diagnoses the problem, but says itâll be a day or two before his guy can fix it. After a lot of back and forth, I relent, and Everly and I get in Tylerâs Mustang to go to school.
He gives me a wicked grin as I adjust the seat so I can reach the pedals.
âWhat if I wreck it?â I ask, running my fingers along the soft leather of the steering wheel.
âDonât,â he deadpans.
âIâm serious! Iâm not that great of a driver.â
He leans against the door, holding it open and leaning inside. âItâs just a hunk of metal, Pipe.â
Everly laughs in the seat next to me, and Tyler drops a soft kiss on my lips, then shuts the door and steps back with a wave.
I drive like a granny headed to church. The gas pedal is touchy, and I hold my breath every time another car gets close.
A text notification pops up on the screen of the car with Tylerâs name. I wait until weâre at the school, parked, and headed inside to read it. Is my baby okay?
I turn and snap a quick picture of the car and send it to him, Not a scratch or dent!
I meant you. ð
At lunch, Kim delivers a large bouquet of flowers with a curious smile. âEither you did something right or someone did something very wrong.â
I call Tyler immediately, assuming Iâll get his voicemail, but he answers on the first ring.
âHey.â The single word comes out with a lot of concern. âIs everything okay?â
âEverything here is great, but I just got a very large, very expensive display of roses, so maybe I should ask you the same thing. Are you about to break my heart?â
In the background is music, metal clanking, and a few voices I canât make out.
He laughs and it fills me with such hope and happiness. I never dreamed weâd be back at this place.
âTheyâre gorgeous. Thank you.â I let my fingers brush a drooping petal on one of the roses. âWhat are you up to?â
âGetting some weights in before lunch, then I have a community service thing this afternoon.â
âWhat kind of community service thing?â
âSome of the guys and I are going to the childrenâs hospital.â
âI didnât know you did that.â
âWe hang out, bring merch, and sign stuff if they want. Itâs pretty cool.â
âAnd seriously sexy.â
His laugh deepens. âWell, I canât wait to tell you all about the other good deeds Iâve done recently.â
One of the guys calls his name and he says, âOne sec.â
âI should let you go.â
âYeah, I gotta finish up. My girl seems to like the muscle Iâve added to my body.â
âYour girl does,â I say, grinning so big my face hurts.
The team has a series of away games coming up so the night before he leaves, Tyler and I order food in and hang out in the living room watching TV and making out. More making out than watching the TV, if Iâm honest.
Everly hasnât come down from her room since we got home from school. I think things with her and River have been tense because she was in a terrible mood on our ride home. Ash went with some of the team to Wildâs for drinks, so itâs just the two of us, hanging at home like itâs our own place.
Tyler has one arm around my shoulder, his fingers teasing the side of my boob when Declan arrives a little later. He knocks on the door three times and then calls out, âHello?â
âIn the living room,â Ty yells. He turns to face him. âHey, man. What are you doing here? Ash is still at Wildâs.â
Declan nods his head to me. âHomework duty.â
Everly bounds down the stairs a second later looking happier than she did earlier. âHey!â
I donât know Declan that well, but he doesnât smile all that often except with Everly. He raises his hand, and she bumps it. âReady?â
âI thought you were done with your homework already.â Tyler looks at Everly with a crease forming between his eyes.
âI am. Declan is teaching me how to drive. His car is so fast.â
I can tell by Tylerâs expression that heâs caught off guard. Declan reads his body language and adds, âSorry, I thought you knew. We stay in the neighborhood.â
âI had no idea you wanted to learn how to drive,â Tyler says. âYou could have asked me to show you.â
âI know how to drive. I just need practice,â Everly insists. âI have my permit and took driverâs ed, but I never bothered to take the test.â
Tyler stays quiet.
âCome on,â Everly tugs Declan toward the door. He resists, walking slowly and waiting for Tylerâs approval, which he gives with a nod.
A minute later, Declanâs car starts up outside, and Tyler sits forward and pauses the TV.
âDid you know?â he asks me.
I shake my head. âNo, but itâs not a bad idea for her to have her license.â
His jaw works back and forth. He doesnât say much while theyâre gone and Iâm not sure how to navigate the situation. Did he have a right to know? Of course, but I donât think thatâs why heâs upset.
âYou know, itâs okay that other people do things for her.â
âI know.â He runs hand through his hair and sinks back into the couch. âI just feel like this thing should be me. I never even considered that she might want to have a car. I should have known.â
I angle my body so one leg rests on top of his. âYouâre not a mind reader.â
I place my hands on his shoulders and thread my fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck. âYou do a lot for Everly. A lot. No one expects you to do everything. Not even her.â
His shoulders loosen under me. âYou always know what to say.â
âI know, thatâs why you like me so much. I give great pep talks.â
âYes, you do.â He pulls me onto his lap so Iâm straddling him. His lips hover over mine. âThe best pep talks. I donât know how I survived without them. I donât know how I survived without you.â
The sincerity of his words strikes me and my heart squeezes. âIâm here now.â
When they return, Everly goes back upstairs after thanking Declan and he comes into the living room and takes a seat.
âIâm sorry. I really thought you knew. I didnât mean to step on your toes. You can take over. Sheâs getting pretty good.â
âNo.â Tyler shakes his head. âUnless itâs too much. Youâve already helped more than I could ever repay you.â
âDonât even worry about it. Itâs kind of fun. Your sister is a trip. Reminds me of myself at that age.â He stands. âI gotta get home and pack. See you in the morning.â
Tyler stands and they slap hands. âThanks, man.â
Declan nods and starts toward the door. âWord of advice.â
Tyler waits for him to continue.
âDonât buy your sister a sports car. Sheâs fearless.â