He hums and tugs on my bottoms, pulling them down an inch as he continues to kiss me. His hand at the back of my leg moves higher, tracing the line below my butt cheek.
“Seems to be doing okay?”
“I worry about her schedule being too much for her sometimes.”
“Why?”
“Because someone took advantage of her when they should’ve cherished her. Ever since, she’s had a harder time balancing the things on her plate.” I explain while trying to stay on topic, but I’m in the same boat as him, wanting my lower half naked.
“That sucks.”
“It does,” I agree, realizing that while I shared something positive, there’s an underlying hint of pain within it. “Your turn. What happened? You said your aunt came for a visit. Sebastian’s mom, right?”
He hums and assures me, “She’s okay, but…” One last kiss finds its way on my soft skin before he rests his forehead there. Both hands slip under my bottoms and knead my ass. I secretly love how much he loves touching me. It’s not something I’d have expected with how our friendship was, but now that we’ve been together, it’s like he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop and taking every chance he can get to touch me.
“But what?” I ask, running my hands through his hair, my nails scratching over his scalp.
“Mom got picked up by the cops. She’s in custody. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to pay her bail.”
My stomach drops. And when I say it drops, it falls out my ass. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were.”
My hand slides down to his cheeks, and I lift his gaze to mine. Tiny brawny specks get lost in the deep blue of his eyes, and it physically makes me hurt. “Is there anything we can do?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t have the money, Vi. I think her best bet is staying inside. It’ll give her a chance to detox. I mean, they probably don’t have great resources for that sort of thing, and it’ll suck like hell, but it’s better than her being out and continuing the road she’s on.”
“Okay.” She’ll get the help she needs. That’s great for her, but I worry for him. Where his head is at. What it means for us. For him. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll survive.” He pinches my ass. “Especially with you by my side.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” My promise comes from the deepest parts of my heart, and I can only hope he feels the truth behind it. “You saidyes and nowhen I asked if everything was okay. I assume this was the no. What was the yes?”
He hesitates but gives his best smile. I can’t help but be starstruck by it. He could be anywhere, but instead he’s here with me. “The yes is getting to see you at the end of the day. This tight ass.” He moves his hands up to my chest, squeezing my boobs. “Your perky, suckable tits.”
The tiniest part of me wonders if he’s bullshitting me but then he yanks my shorts down, falls to his knees, and suctions his mouth to me. He spends the rest of the evening touching and teasing me as if his entire world revolves around us and this intensely overwhelming sensation that bounces between us every time we touch.
THIRTY-NINE
VIOLET
Colson: Ready for Friday?
Violet: I think so. I’ll get ready then meet you in the lobby.
Colson: Fuck that. We’ll walk down together.
Violet: It’s not a big deal.
Colson: It is for me.
It’s been so longsince I’ve had a reason to dress up, but heading into the second week of December means Colson and I are attending his aunt’s fundraiser. My gown is long, flaring out at my thighs with a slit off to the side. It’s gorgeous, mauve, and glittery, which only makes it that much more eye-catching.
“Holy shit. That dress is incredible.”
I twist to see Everleigh in my doorway. For the last two hours, I’ve been at my vanity, getting myself ready for whenColson said he’d pick me up. Only in the last ten minutes have I slipped into the dress that now adorns my body.
“Do you think?” I flatten my hand against my stomach.
