Josh shakes his head at all my suggestions. “He’s not supposed to text. He’s supposed to call.”
I roll my eyes. “C’mon, Piper. Let’s go take a shower and pack.”
Piper hangs back, looking just as hesitant as Josh. “Something does feel off.”
“You don’t want to go home.” My voice is soft as I press my arms tenderly around her. “I understand that. But we have to get on with our lives. We can’t stay here indefinitely.”
“I don’t see why not.”
There’s a crack in her voice. I turn her around so she’s facing me. Her eyes are sparkling with unshed tears and the tip of her nose is red. “Cricket,” I murmur. “I can’t let the people who’ve hurt you go free. I need to avenge you. You know that.”
“Idon’tknow that!” She stomps her foot angrily. “What I know is that if you loved me, Quill, you’d do what I want to do. And what I want is to stay here!” A second later, she’s clinging to me, sobbing. “I don’t want to go back. I hate Astley. I’m scared. I don’t want you to get hurt. We’re so happy here. There’s no need for revenge. No need for anything else than what we have here. What if when we go back, all our issues return? What if I can’t handle everything… everything that’s happened?”
I hold her to me, shushing her. “I promise I’ll be there every step of the way,” I soothe her. “Nothing can ever change how I feel about you. I can handle whatever you give me, and I’ll never let you go. I’llforceyou to stay. You won’t have a choice. Got it?”
Those last words are what quiets her down. She sniffs as I wipe away her tears. “Besides, it’ll only be for a bit. I’ll finish crossing off my list and then we’ll go wherever you want. I don’t careabout Astley any more than you do. Now come on. Let’s shower.”
I take hold of her hand and pull her upstairs to our room, trying hard to ignore Josh, who’s taken the phone from Piper and is staring at it, still shaking his head.
_
When we reach the bathroom, it takes me less than three seconds to remove Piper’s pajamas. I’ve become an expert at it. I fold her to me, loving the way it feels to hold her slim body in my arms, loving the way we look in the bathroom mirror, her, small and naked, and me, strong and clothed. My sweatpants and t-shirt are off a second later, though, and then I turn on the water. Steam juts out from the showerhead of the bathtub, and I try to lead Piper into it, but she hangs back, resisting.
“Come on,” I say. “We have two hours ahead of us. Let’s make the most of them.”
Clearly, that’s just what she intends to do. “No,” she blurts out.
I smirk. “Is that the way you want to spend these two hours, then? Resisting me?”
She crosses her arms, glaring at me. “I don’t want to take a shower with you.”
I bite down on a laugh. She’s not a very convincing liar. I’d had in mind a more tender lovemaking session this morning, because I know how upset she is, but apparently, she has other ideas.
“Come in or I’ll put you over my shoulder and carry you in,” I threaten.
“I’d just like to see you try.” She takes a step back and concludes, “Also, fuck you!”
My smirk deepens when my eyes follow hers to the bar of soapon the side of the tub. I guess she hasn’t forgotten my threat.
Swear at me again and I’ll wash your mouth out with soap.
So that’s what my naughty little cricket wants. I stride over to her and lift her effortlessly over my shoulder, chuckling at the sound of her gasp. No matter how often she provokes these sessions herself, she always seems pretty surprised when I actually force her to relinquish control.
“On your knees,” I order, the minute I’ve gotten her into the bathtub. “Hands over your head.”
“No!”
I force her down and pull her arms up, making her fingers interlock over her head. She’s still struggling hard when I grab the bar of soap, make it froth under the water, and cram it into her mouth.
“Want to swear some more?” I taunt her.
She wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Fummph you!” she manages.
Keeping hold of her wrists with one hand, I start to work the soap into her mouth with the other. She was clearly not expecting that, because she gasps and coughs, the soap suds strangling her, as I drive the bar in and out, hitting the back of her throat with each thrust.
“Quimmmphhh!” she gags.
She’s still struggling, and I wish I had more hands, because her movement is making her tits bounce and I would really love to touch them. Or suck them. But if I put my mouth over them, I won’t be able to watch her eyes stream with tears while I fuck her mouth with the soap at the same time. Meanwhile, if I let go of her wrists to free up my other hand, hers will fly out to stop me.
