Shutout | Complete

Chapter 23 ⁠- Teaser

Time was a funny thing. Often we used it as a measure of how well we knew someone. Friendships that withstood years of trials and commitment are usually weighed more than people we just met. But in rare cases, we find people that just... click.

Heat radiated from my face at Hendrix's request. We hadn't known each other for long, but at the same time it felt like he had been a part of my life forever. We already knew each other so well. And that's why, while his request for me to read to him seemed innocent, I knew there was another meaning behind it.

I was torn between trying to settle the excitement that bubbled up in my core, and wanting to be selfish in letting Hendrix have his way with me.

I sucked in a breath, licking at my lips again. "We shouldn't."

"Why?" He asked with a tilt of his head. His heavy fingers still glided along the seam of my jeans, leaving me to bat away the desire in some sort of poor-attempt at responsibility.

"Your concussion." It was a half-hearted reminder, something guilt still gripped at me for. "I don't want to make it worse."

Hendrix's dark blue eyes were steaming under the dimmed pot lights in the living room. "All they said is I can't do moderate physical activity until I've been cleared."

I couldn't bring myself to laugh like I wanted to. There was too much tension in the air. It threatened to choke me out. "Last I checked, sex is a moderately physical activity."

"For what I have planned for you, I'll be okay, promise."

That one sentence had my heart rattling from behind its cage. I searched Hendrix's face for any excuse as to why we shouldn't be doing this, but I came up empty. There was nothing I wanted more than to have the hard planes of his body pressed to mine. Even the foot of space between us seemed unreasonable.

"Keep reading?" He pleaded, unraveling the last bit of self-control I had. "If it gets too much we'll stop."

"Alright," I whispered, taking a deep breath and trying to ignore the way my heart raced.

Trying to focus on the inked sentences in front of me, I cleared my throat. When I began to read, the words were a shaky whisper, my voice growing steadier as I got into the rhythm of the story. Hendrix's fingers continued to knead the delicate skin beneath my jeans. I shivered in anticipation.

As I read, I couldn't help but notice Hendrix's intense focus, his eyes never leaving my face. As the scene in the book grew more intense, so did the atmosphere in the room. The air was thick with anticipation–both of us realizing where we were headed with each passing word.

The male love interest pinned his counterpart to the floor, pulling her hair as he railed her from behind. I had to remember to swallow as images of Hendrix and I getting sweaty on the carpet below filtered through my mind. I couldn't help but peek at him from below my lashes. The unsteady rise and fall of his chest told me he was picturing the same thing.

When his pious fingers reached out towards me, the rest of the rest of the sentence I was reading tumbled to a stop. Hendrix was incredibly gentle, brushing my hair back from my face and pressing soft kisses down my neck. But as we continued, he took on the dominant role that I craved. Removing the book from my hands, Hendrix's grasp tightened on my waist, demanding control. I eagerly submitted.

The shift in Hendrix's touch was immediate, sending shockwaves up my body. His fingers left a trail of heat as they traced down my spine, like lightning striking a tree. The knot of tension that had settled in the pit of my stomach gave way to waves of anticipation, waves that washed over me and left me breathless.

"I want you," he murmured into my ear, the gravel in his words causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand up.

"Then take me." My voice was an octave below a whisper as I turned to meet his gaze.

Hendrix's dark blue eyes turned wicked. "I hope you don't regret the words that just came out of that pretty little mouth."

With skilled precision, he slipped the knitted sweater I was wearing over my head. The air in the room licked at my bare skin, causing goosebumps to rise along my arms. It left me exposed, yearning to be seen.

"You're beautiful, darlin'," he murmured, his fingers tracing over the black lace of my bra. His touch was electric on my skin, and I squirmed under his explorative hands.

The tip of his finger stopped along the roundness of my breast. There was a shift in his expression, something soft transforming the once predatory look in his eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed, his tongue jutting out to add moisture back to his bottom lip.

Was he nervous?

I tilted my head, regarding the change in his demeanor. "Is everything okay?"

Hendrix's blue eyes met mine again, anchoring to the worry on my lips. The way he was looking at me, as if I was the only person left in the world, sucked the air right out of my lungs.

"Yeah," he responded, still appearing dazed. "Could we switch things up?"

I blinked at him, drawing in a breath. "Switch what up?"

"I know I promised to help you experiment more, but–"

"Hendrix," I interrupted with a subtle smile. "Are you saying you don't want to fuck my brains out?"

The naughty grin plastered on his chiseled face shattered the tension in the air. "I would never utter such lies."

"Then what are you saying?" I asked, my fingers reaching up to brush against his stubbled chin. The scruff along his jaw was unkempt–longer than he usually kept it.

Heat from his hand seared into me, branding me, when he went to wrap it around my wrist. He engulfed me, the sheer size of him overwhelming me and causing my core to ache. "I'm saying I want you in a different way tonight."

"Sir, this isn't Burger King."

A chuckle passed his lips. "Something tells me you'll enjoy having things my way."

_ _ _ _ _

author's note:

There's another 2000 words where that came from. Check out Ream if you'd like to read the rest. Let's just say that Hendrix is much more gentle with Ella this time around. Our cowboy has fallen hard. 

But the Burger King line? I thought that was pretty good. Comment your favourite fast food here (I might be a little hungry lol)! I feel like Canada has next to nothing compared to what is available in the USA. 

Happy reading!