Revive Me (37 page)

“Sure looks like it,” I said, moving my attention away from the house to her. She’d suddenly turned into a nervous wreck. She fiddled with her bracelet until it fit perfectly against her scars. I leaned into her, the center console hitting my side, and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

“Baby,” I said, kissing her chin. “If you feel uncomfortable or want to leave, let me know. We’ll find somewhere else to stay or go home, whatever you want.” Her full, supple lips smiled lightly. “I want this smile to stay here at all times.” The smile grew an inch, and I kissed it. “And a bikini if that’s okay.” She pushed my side and let out a tiny laugh.

“Let’s do this,” she said, grabbing all of the food on the floorboard and tossing it into a plastic bag. I waited for her to grab the door handle before getting out of the car.

My feet hit the cement at the same time the front door flew open, and Daisy came strutting down the driveway. Only a bikini covered her small frame, and a black wrap was attached to her waist. She smiled brightly as she finished her strut with a skip before reaching the car. She looked happy and that made me happy. She wasn’t the broken girl who’d taken off because she couldn’t handle the real world anymore.

I spotted the guy who’d taken her to the hospital hot on her heels and checking her ass out in the process. He loved her, I was sure of it. I’d apologized for my asshole behavior when Tessa visited her on Christmas, but I still felt bad.

I grabbed our bags, feeling the humid and sweltering weather as I set them down onto the ground, and Tessa circled around the car.

“Hey guys,” Daisy greeted, her hands resting on her hips. “How was the drive?”

“Traffic sucked,” Tessa complained, joining us. “But we had plenty of Taylor Swift to keep us trekking.”

The guy behind Daisy laughed. “I feel for you, bro,” he said, shaking his head.

Daisy pulled Tessa into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you guys came,” she said.

“Us, too,” Tessa replied, she released Daisy and scooted to my side, like I was her personal security blanket.

“And this is Keegan,” Daisy said, pointing to the guy before whipping her finger to face me. “Oh wait, you guys have already met, but I figured a formal introduction might be necessary, but with no punches, please and thank you.”

“She’s a troublemaker,” the guy said, chuckling as he wrapped his arms around Daisy’s waist. Tessa was right. He was the complete opposite of Tanner. His dark hair was covered in a baseball cap, and I noticed a tattoo on his side.

He grabbed Tessa’s hand, shaking it, before doing the same with me. “It’s nice to finally meet you guys,” he said, looking at me “Sorry about that shit at the hospital. We’d had a long and stressful drive. I think everyone was on edge.”

I shook my head. “No worries, I would’ve done the same. I was being an ass, and you probably should’ve punched me for it.” Shit, I wanted to punch myself for it. I didn’t like to act like an asshole to girls. I wasn’t into that shit.

“You had every right to be,” Daisy said, coming to my defense and blinking up through the bright sun. “I handled the situation badly. I was a being selfish brat.”

“Uh no, he doesn’t have any right to let his asshole tendencies come out,” Tessa argued. She wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head in the crook of my neck. She wasn’t pissed at me anymore, but she still wanted to make her point.

Daisy eyed us, raising a brow, as a smile spread across her face. I knew she wasn’t going to be against me dating Tessa. She’d be Team Dawson all the way.

“Come on, girl,” she said, grabbing Tessa’s arm and pulling her away from my hold. Keegan stepped forward, grabbed a few bags while I grabbed the others, and we trailed behind the girls to the house. “I’ve got people I want you to meet.”

I sucked in a breath watching Tessa’s pace slow and she looked back at me with apprehension. Tessa didn’t like meeting new people. She was just learning to adapt around the people she was close with, she needed some extra time before making new friends. I nodded, letting her know she’d be fine, and she nodded back.

We walked through the front door, then a large foyer, and stopped in the living room to find three people sprawled out across a couch. A girl was tucked at the end and focusing on the phone in her hand. The other was laughing, as she lay halfway on top of a guy. The girl in the corner screeched when she noticed us, jumped up from the couch, and grabbed the other girl’s hand, pulling her off the guy’s lap.

“Fuck Gabby, forewarn a guy before you do that shit,” the guy said, grunting and holding his gut.

The girl laughed as she drug the other one up to us as the guy raised up, ran his hands down his swimming trunks, and shook his head.

“This is my friend, Gabby,” Daisy said, pointing to the short, tan girl who had been sitting by herself on the couch. “And this is Cora,” she added, pointing to the other, red-haired girl.

“And this is my boyfriend, Lane,” Cora said. The guy scratched his head and raised his chin our way.

“I’m Dawson, and this is Tessa,” I said, talking for both of us. Tessa wasn’t weak, but I was helping her out and putting less stress on her.

“Are you guys dating?” Gabby asked, her eyes skimming down me. “Because girl, he is fine.”

Tessa laughed as she nodded. My hand reached out to grab hers, and I squeezed it tight.

“I knew it,” Daisy shouted, jumping into the air and pointing at us. “Although, I’m a little mad you kept it from me for so long.”

“He’s living with me,” Tessa pointed out, like it was obvious.

When I’d first moved in, I’d planned on getting my own place as soon as I saved up enough money. I’d felt like a bum living with my girlfriend’s parents, but now, it felt like home.

“And sneaking into your bedroom at night?” Gabby asked.

“Leave her alone, Gabby,” Cora warned. “You’re going to scare her off.” She looked at us. “Sorry guys, she doesn’t have a filter.” Gabby smirked proudly. “Let me show you your room. I’m sure you guys want to get settled.”

“This place is amazing,” I said, following them down the hallway, our luggage in tow, as I admired the large ceilings and marble floors.

“Thanks,” Cora said, “it’s Lane’s parents. They don’t mind us coming down here.”

“I’d be here all the time if I could,” Tessa muttered. We followed her up a flight of stairs, stopping at the end of a hallway, and she opened up the door to the giant bedroom. When I’d lived with my mom, my bedroom was big enough to fit my twin bed, a desk, and give me a little walking space; you could’ve fit half of our house in just this one room.

A king-sized bed sat in between two large windows, giving us a perfect view of waves crashing down against the ocean and flowing across the light sand. “This bed looks more comfortable than my own,” Tessa said, plopping down and snuggling into a pillow. “Can we just stay in here all vacation?”

I kicked my shoes off before climbing in next to her. I kissed the sensitive spot on her neck, tasting the sweetness of her skin. “I have no problem with that, baby, but I think that would be pretty rude.”

She moaned. “Is it weird I like spending all of my time with you? I mean, I know people call girls like that needy, but what if that’s what I want to do?”

“Who gives a shit what other people think? You’re not needy if I want to hang out with you just as much. Those guys, the ones who bitch about girlfriends being needy, aren’t in love. They’re not planning anything long-term, they’re just looking to get laid. When you find that girl, the one you’re in love with, the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, you’ll never see her as needy, because you need her as much as she needs you. Probably more.”

I moved in closer, running my lips over the smooth skin of her neck, before sucking on it gently. Her arm wrapped around my back and I felt her fingernails run along the back of my t-shirt as her mouth dipped down to catch mine. Our tongues instantly collided, and I reveled in the delicious and intoxicating taste of her.

She jumped as a bang came from the other side of the door. “All right kids,” Daisy’s voice yelled. “It’s time to hit the beach.”

“Rain check number two?” I asked, situating myself before rising up from the bed. I stood at the edge, holding my hand out, as she took it to get up.

She groaned and unzipped her suitcase as I opened my duffel and grabbed my swim trunks. “I’ll go get dressed,” I said, turning around and heading into the attached bathroom.

She reached forward and grabbed my hand to stop me. “Come on, it’s not like we’ve never seen each other naked,” she said, biting the edge of her lip. She was right. We’d seen each other naked plenty of times, touched each other in our most sensitive places, and we’d tucked our naked bodies under blankets as they slid together perfectly. But it had always been in a bed, with us covered, and the lights dim. There were only a few times when we’d seen each other fully naked.

“You sure?” I asked, resting my hand on the smooth curve of her hip.

She didn’t answer me. Instead, she lifted the hem of her tank top, pulled it over her head, and threw it down into her open bag. I licked my lips, focusing on her round breasts, pushed up by a pink and white bra, and giving her ample cleavage. She unhooked her bra and it fell to the carpet slowly.

“You are so fucking perfect,” I muttered, not taking my eyes off them. Sure, I’d seen them before. I’d felt them before. I’d sucked on them before. But this was different. We had time … I liked time.

Her pouty lips smiled and her hands went down to the button on her jean shorts. She took her time unsnapping it, teasing me before sliding the zipper down. I gulped, my eyes moving with her hands, as the shorts fell to her feet.

She stood in front of me, wearing a pair of panties, as I tried to control myself. I fought the urge to trace every dip and curve of her perfect body, but this was her show. I was letting her call the shots.

Her fingertips slid underneath the thin strings of her panties, and she lifted a leg slowly, causing them to land on top of her shorts, before stepping out of them. My knees loosened, threatening to give out on me, as my mouth suddenly watered. She was flawless. I’d fucking won with her. I didn’t know what I’d done in some past life to deserve her, but God was definitely rewarding me for it. No matter where we were, what we were going through, or what happened, I’d always be happy with her.

She twirled around on her heel, giving me a look at her full, rounded ass, and bent down to grab her bikini bottoms from her suitcase. My fist went to my mouth and I sunk my teeth into it. My cock ached with want as she played her seductive game. She deliberately pulled her bikini bottoms up, one leg at a time, before resting them casually on her waist and taking away my view.

“I’m going to need help with this one,” she said, grabbing her top, and turning back around to face me. She held up the small, triangular pieces of fabric against her breasts. “Dawson,” she said loudly to get my attention.

“Huh?” I asked.

“I asked for help with my top.”

I cleared my throat. “Yeah, I can do that.” I walked forward, erasing the distance between us, my legs feeling like jello sinking into quicksand.

“I need you to tie these,” she said, holding up the strings in the air as I stood behind her. I looped the thin strands together, twisting them into a knot and running my hand down her spine, causing goose bumps to form in my trail. She gasped as I grabbed a handful of her ass. I smacked it lightly before cupping her breasts underneath the bikini top. She fit in my hands like she was made specifically for me.

“You’re so damn perfect, baby,” I growled into her ear, massaging her breasts and stroking my thumb against her nipples at the same time. Electricity built through my body, and I felt myself growing harder with every stroke. I’d never been this damn excited touching a girl. Never. But she wasn’t just anyone. She was Tessa. My Tessa.

Every kiss, every touch, every thing felt ten times better when you were doing it with the one you love. It wasn’t a marathon to get her clothes off and get laid. No, every time was practice. We’d build our stamina and skills, and not worry about every move we made. Eventually, I’d know each sensitive spot that caused her to tremor, and what her favorite position was when I pushed inside of her.

“That feels amazing,” she said, resting her head against the crook of my neck, her breath hot against my ear. She arched her back and moved deeper into my touch. My hands slid down her stomach at the same time she turned around to face me. She clicked her tongue to the top of her mouth and looked down at my erection through my shorts.

“Your turn,” she said, clicking her tongue again.

I was hard as a damn rock. “You do see what you’re getting yourself into?” I asked, pointing a finger down.

She bit the edge of her lip, nodding as she smiled, and my cock twitched with excitement. “Oh yeah,” she said, eagerly.

I unbuckled my shorts, dropping them along with my boxers simultaneously. We held firm eye contact, as I waited for her reaction.

Her mouth parted slowly, before grinning. “Wow, it’s actually pretty nice.” I chuckled. “I finally get a good look at what’s been making me feel like I’m going to burst at the seams.” We’d done a few hand activities in bed, but most of the time, we did what I’d done to her on the couch. That’s what seemed to get her the most excited. I’d use my cock to arouse her, without penetration, and then watch her moan and wither underneath me.

“I’m glad you like it,” I joked, awkwardly. Wasn’t she the one who was supposed to feel insecure?

I gripped her hips, dragging her to me, and she gasped at the feeling of my cock over her bikini bottoms, before kissing her deeply. I kicked away my shorts, our lips moving softly against each other’s, as she slipped my shirt over my head.

“Bed,” she breathed out.

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” I pushed her down on the bed, and started to crawl over her.

“Five seconds or I’m coming in there,” Daisy yelled, knocking on the door again and causing me to seriously consider committing murder.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said, slamming her hands down as I collapsed on top of her.