Jailbait (10 page)

She lets out a breath and plants a soft kiss on my lips. “The past is in the past. We were young and both made some stupid decisions. I’m still mad at you for leaving, but if you keeping fucking me like this, I just might forgive you.”
 

I can’t help the smile that pulls up my lips. “That’s a challenge I can easily win.”
 

“You better. I have very high expectations, you know.”
 

“Trust me, I won’t disappoint.”
 

“You haven’t yet.” She runs her fingers along my chest for a moment before speaking again. “Speaking of your dad…how is he?”
 

My heart skips a beat. What the fuck? How does she not know?
 

“Gray?” she says, feeling me tense. “What’s wrong?”
 

“I thought you knew. My dad died.”
 

Pepper gasps. “Oh my God. I feel terrible. Oh, Grayson, I’m so sorry!” She holds me, hugging me as tight as she can. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry you had to go through that alone.”
 

A wave of grief hits me, emotions that I’ve buried long ago, not allowing myself to feel. When Alcott showed up to my father’s funeral, I wondered where the hell Pepper was. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t piss me off—and fucking hurt— to not see her there. But she wasn’t my girlfriend anymore. She had no obligation to show up.
 

“Your dad came to the funeral,” I blurt.

“What?” She sits up, and I see tears pooling in her eyes. Fucking Pepper and her big heart. God, I love this woman.
 

“Your dad was there,” I repeat. “They were friends, remember?”
 

“Why wouldn’t he tell me?” She shakes her head. “Why would he go out there and not tell me?”
 

“I don’t know.” I take a breath and consider my next words carefully. “I think you need to have a talk with your father, Pepper. Ask him to explain things to you.” Alcott needs to come fucking clean about everything. Why the hell would he keep that from Pepper? It had to be because he knows the shit I was mixed up in and didn’t want Pepper involved. If he didn’t want us together that badly, why would he bring me back into her life now? Desperation of a dying man? Hell if I know.
 

But I do know I can’t keep lying to Pepper. I don’t want to dance around the truth and have it come crashing down on me. I’m already hiding enough from her. I just got her back. I don’t want to lose her again.
 

“I’ll call him in the morning,” she assures me. “And make him explain everything. I’m so pissed, and I’m so sorry, Gray.”
 

“Hey,” I say gently and reach for her face, cupping my hand around her chin. “Don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault, and I’m over it. I dealt with it and now I’m fine.”
 

That’s another lie. I never had time to deal with my father’s death. I thought the mess he got himself into would die along with him, but it came back like the fucking walking dead and the blame had to fall on someone else. And that someone was me.
 

“I feel awful. I should have been there.”
 

“You’re here now. That’s all that matters. Let’s focus on that. On you…naked…on top of me.”
 

She nods and lies back down next to me, resting her head on my chest. My mind is whirling and I can’t get the image of Alcott’s smug face out of my head. I feel like I’m getting sucked back into my old life, and it makes my stomach churn. Dammit. I’m not going to let that ruin this—laying here with Pepper. As nice as it is to fantasize about being able to do this again…and again…and again, I know fucking better than that.
 

I inhale and let my breath out slowly. I feel Pepper relax along with me. I’ve already lost enough of the one thing I can never get back: time. And tonight, I’m not going to waste any more worrying about the inevitable.

*

I wake up alone, sprawled out on Pepper’s bed. I’m bare-ass naked, and a sheet has been draped over me. Sunlight pours into the room from the open balcony doors. Sheer curtains flutter in a breeze, and the smell of coffee pulls me across the room.
 

Not bothering to find my clothes, I stand, stretch, and cross the large room to find Pepper. She’s on the balcony, sitting on some big lounge chair with fluffy white cushions, knees tucked up under her as she sips a large mug of coffee. She’s wearing leggings and an oversized t-shirt, with her hair up on top of her head in a messy bun. She looks like any other twenty-five year old woman enjoying a warm morning and a good cup of coffee; completely clueless to how her life is about to change when her father dies.
 

“Good morning,” I say and run a hand through my hair.
 

She turns, a smile on her face, and slowly looks me up and down. Her lips part when she sees my cock, such a small subconscious act but it’s turning me on.
 

“It is a good morning.” She sets her coffee down on the small table next to her and stands. I close the distance between us and wrap her in my arms. She’s warm from the sun and smells like fresh air with a hint of sex clinging to her flesh. Her hips press against mine and I know she’s feeling the same lust that I am. “Do you want any coffee?” she asks, but doesn’t move away. “I had some prepared for you. Do you still drink it black?”
 

“That’s the only way to drink coffee.”
 

She laughs and shakes her head. “If you say so.” She takes a step back, keeping her hands on my biceps, and looks me over once more. “You’re like a tattooed Thor.” She takes her lip between her teeth and reaches for me, letting her fingers slowly run over each ridge of muscle on my torso.
 

“That’s a good thing, right?”
 

Her hand continues to travel down, and my dick stiffens. Yes, this is going to be a good morning.
 

“Very good. I wasn’t sure if muscles and tattoos were my thing, but my god, Grayson, you are making me so wet.”
 

Fuck.
I grab Pepper by the waist, lifting her up, and walk across the balcony. Our mouths connect and we’re kissing like we’re the last people on earth. We tumble back onto an oversized lounge chair, sinking down on the cushions.
 

“Fuck me,” she mewls. “Fuck me now, Grayson.”
 

She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I’m overtop of her, kissing her neck. She reaches down and takes my hard cock in her hand. Her touch sends heat through me, turning me on even more. She pumps her hand up and down, spreading wetness from the tip along my shaft as we kiss. I prop myself up on one elbow, moving to the side so I can keep kissing her while I play with her clit.
 

She was right; she is wet. So fucking wet. I groan when I feel her warmth. She lets go of my cock and grips my shoulders and I stroke her close to an orgasm. It doesn’t take long before she’s right there, teetering on the edge. I feel her muscles tighten, hear her heartbeat speed up, listen to her breath hitch in her chest.
 

I take my hand away, fingertips running along her thigh. She groans, frustrated and curls her fingernails into my skin.
 

“Don’t stop. Don’t fucking stop.”
 

“I’m nowhere near done with you,” I growl and yank her pants down, leaving her purple lace panties on. Her shirt hits the floor and I move on top of her. Pepper circles her hips, rubbing herself against me. Her cheeks are flushed and her breathing quickens.
 

“Gray,” she moans. “I need you.”
 

“You never were patient.” I part her legs, slowly tracing my way up her thigh again. I press my fingers over her, able to feel her heat through the thin material. I sit up, teasing her, and grab her hand, bringing it down. She doesn’t need any more direction, and pushes her fingers under her panties, stroking her clit. I take her other hand and bring it to my cock, and she slowly moves it up and down, hardly able to concentrate on anything other than the pleasure she’s bringing herself.
 

I watch her cum, wetness staining her panties. Her grip on my cock tightens as she orgasms, whole body going rigid. I don’t wait—I can’t wait. Her panties are on the ground in just seconds, and I’m hovering over her, cock aching to be inside.
 

The flush from her cheeks has spread across her face and down her neck. She’s still writhing beneath me, pussy contracting as the orgasm pulses through her body. Her legs widen, welcoming me.
 

She moans loudly as I push inside, and weak arms wrap around me. I thrust in and out, kissing her lips and neck. Not long after we start, Pepper comes again.

“Oh, fuck…Grayson,” she moans, and that’s all I need to bring me to the brink. I fall against her as I climax, and we cling to each other, naked and sweaty, until our hearts stop racing.
 

“I think the gardeners heard us,” she says, pressing her face against my chest. “Oh my God, they had to have!”
 

I laugh, finding her embarrassment fucking adorable. “They probably
saw
us.”
 

“Why would you say that?” she shrieks, green eyes going wide.

I shrug. “Pretty sure I noticed a few of them standing around with their phones out taking a video too.”
 

She playfully swats at me, shaking her head. “What have you done to me, Grayson King? I used to be a lady.”
 

“There was nothing ladylike in the way you were screaming my name.”
 

She turns her face in again, laughing. I press my lips to hers and hold her tight, never wanting to let go.
 

“I came inside you three times,” I start. “Do we need to worry?”
 

“Not about getting pregnant,” she says. “I’m on the pill. So assuming you didn’t just infect me with something, we’re good.”
 

“There is a good chance I gave you the zombie virus,” I tell her as seriously as I can.
 

“Mercy-kill me when I turn?”
 

“Of course.”

Her phone rings from inside her room. “It’s Savannah,” she tells me. “That’s her ringtone. It’s early…I wonder—oh fuck.”
 

“What?”
 

“I forgot I told her I’d go shopping with her this morning.”
 

“Blow it off.”
 

Pepper sits up and smooths out her already messy hair. “I think I already did. We were supposed to leave at eight.” She turns her gaze to the sky, judging the time based on the sunrise. “It has to be past that now.”
 

“Go call her back and tell her you’re busy the rest of the day.” I take her breast in my hand, circling her nipple with my thumb. Pepper inhales, letting her breath escape with a moan.
 

“That would make your job of stalking me easier.”
 

She’s teasing and I know it, yet the implications of her statement are like a cold shower.

Stalking.
 

Alcott.
 

Lies.
 

“You really won’t tell me?” she tries.
 

“It’s not my story to tell,” I offer. “I don’t want to complicate things for the person who asked me to keep an eye on you.”
 

“It was my father,” she says and my heart skips a beat. “Oh come on,” she says when I don’t respond. “I knew it was him the whole time. If I thought some random person hired you to keep tabs on me, I wouldn’t have let you in my bed. I have no idea what he’s up to, but I’m sure it was him who sought you out. Not too many people know our history.”
 

“I’m not agreeing or disagreeing,” I tell her. “So you’re saying my sex appeal isn’t enough to bypass being a total creepy perv?”

“It’s pretty damn close.” She closes her eyes, relishes being curled up together for another few minutes, then gets up and slowly walks into her room, knowing I’m staring at her naked ass.
 

I smile, shaking my head. She’s much more confidant now than she was back then. Yet she’s still Pepper, the same girl I fell in love with years ago. Only better. The same cannot be said for me, and dread for the day she finds out starts to build inside of me.
 

Maybe I’m a goddamn fool for thinking things could somehow work out. I know how fucked up my life is. And Pepper is bound to find out.
 

I sit up, cursing myself for being so fucking stupid.
 

Chapter Seven

Pepper

“You’re trying to age me, aren’t you?” Savannah glares at me through large sunglasses. “What the hell, Pepper? After everything at the gala, and then getting attacked in your own horse barn—”

“I didn’t get attacked,” I interject, sliding into the backseat of the car next to my best friend. “Where did you hear that?”
 

She grabs her phone out of an oversized leather bag. “Olson posted something about it on Facebook and Josh saw and told Laney, who asked Annie to ask me about it.”
 

I raise my eyebrows. “What are we, in middle school?”
 

Savannah scrolls through her Facebook feed and shows me Olson’s post. “‘You know what I appreciate?’” she reads. “‘Saving someone’s life then getting the cold shoulder. It doesn’t matter that my showing up spared you getting mugged and attacked—and probably worse. Nope, not cool at all. Fucking bitch isn’t grateful at all. Her loss. I’m a great guy and am apparently now single…so…hit me up if you wanna have fun. And oh yeah—I fueled up my private jet to take said bitch on a romantic date. Guess I need a stand-in. Any takers?’”
 

I blink. Once. Twice. My mouth opens but nothing comes out. “How is he a real person? I feel like he’s a bad parody of a man.”
 

“I know, right?”
 

“People commented on there, didn’t they? Women, I mean.”
 

Savannah’s eyebrows hike up and she shakes her head. “A few did. I think they want to live out a Fifty Shades type fantasy being taken on a date via private jet but they’re in for a surprise—hey, don’t change the subject. McDouche’n is a loser and all but what the hell was he talking about? Supposedly his story involved going to the police.”