Reluctantly Yours(96)
I lower my lips to hers and do what I’ve been dying to do since I made it to the top of this mountain. Her lips are soft and warm. She opens up to me and I’m quickly lost in the feel of her. My hands grip her waist, lifting her up to me. Her arms wrap around my neck and I deepen the kiss.
I want to stay here in this moment with her, but I have another confession to make.
This is a fresh start and I need to be honest with Chloe.
I pull back, my thumb tracing over her lips where mine used to be.
“There’s something I need to confess.”
She sniffs. “What is it?”
“I cheated.”
CHAPTER 32
Chloe
“What?!” My heart drops out of my chest. I can’t believe what Barrett is telling me.
His eyes widen. “Oh, shit. No. Not like that. I cheated at WordIt.”
It takes me a moment to let his words sink in, but when my body has recovered from the emotional rollercoaster ride it just took, I find my gaze narrowing at Barrett.
“I knew it.” I point a finger at him. I want to be annoyed at his confession, but I’m curious more than anything. “How did you do it?”
“I bought WordIt.”
That’s not what I was expecting him to say.
“What? When?” I ask, confused.
“After that day in the car.”
“The first day we rode to work together? When I told you about it?”
“Yeah.”
Color has returned to his once ashen face, and then some.
“I don’t understand.”
“SCM purchased the app from the original creator. When we played the game, I knew what the words were.” He smiles wickedly. “I even picked one of them out.”
“Why would you do that?” I ask.
Barrett smirks. “Why do you think?”
“I am so mad at you right now.” My hands push at his chest, but he continues to hold me close. “You made me think I was losing. I was so frustrated I couldn’t win. That you were better at WordIt than me. And I couldn’t touch you.”
I can’t believe he bought the app.
“How much?” I ask. Deciding now when Barrett is groveling is the time to get all the facts.
“How much what?”
“Did the app cost?”
He sighs, looking sheepish again. Not something I’m used to on Barrett. “Two million dollars.”
“You paid two million dollars so you could win WordIt and go down on me?”
“I didn’t buy it with that intention, but it did come in handy.”
“That is not good business sense.”
“I think it makes perfect sense.” Barrett’s lips lower to my ear. “Tasting you, knowing your sweet pussy was mine, was worth every penny.”
Later, when the bridal party is finished taking photos and dinner has been served and Barrett has charmed my mom and dad, I pull him out onto the dance floor.
“Your parents are great,” he says.
I turn to find Baxter in my dad’s lap as he talks with my mom and other guests at their table. While no dog is completely hypoallergenic, Baxter doesn’t seem to bother my mom’s allergies.
I smile. Barrett holds me to him as we move to the slow, romantic ballad. I know we reconciled outside but there’s still more I need to say to him.
“I told your mom about the party. And about us,” I say.
“What did she say?”
“To never host a party at her apartment without her permission again.”
“Understandable.” He brushes a loose hair from my cheek. “And about us?”
“She was on to us from the start, but she liked the idea so much she didn’t say anything.”
“Smart woman.” He grins.
“I want to make sure we’re on the same page with this fresh start.”
“Okay.” He nods for me to continue.
“If we’re going to work, I need you to stop keeping things from me. You not telling me about Frankie to protect your deal is one thing, but not telling me about my apartment being finished and buying WordIt and adopting Baxter…I like surprises but not when they involve major decisions in my life. I want to be involved in those.”
He takes a moment to answer, which makes me feel like he’s really considering it.
“I get it and I can do that. But I know at some point I’ll probably screw up again, it’s inevitable, and I need you to stay and work through it with me. Deal?”
“Deal,” I say.
Barrett lifts me up in his arms for a kiss that takes my breath away and the rest of the night is pure magic.
The next morning, Barrett’s deep inside me when his phone starts ringing on the bedside table.
“Your phone is ringing.” I gasp when he hits just the right spot.
“Don’t give a fuck,” he says, one hand palming my ass to leverage his thrusts while the heel of his other hand presses into my lower abdomen, creating the most delicious pressure. His gaze is between my thighs, where we’re joined. His brow is furrowed with concentration, a bead of sweat slides from his hairline down his temple. I’ll never get over how gorgeous he is. The way his top lip curls up when he’s really focused on something. That something being my orgasm right now.