Thrasher (12 page)

Duke moaned loudly against my back as my core clenched tightly around his throbbing erection, and he found his release seconds after I’d enjoyed mine. He rested his heavy body on my back as the two of us did our best to catch our breath.

The weight of his massive frame wasn’t helping me breathe any better, I wasn’t going to complain. He was still inside of me, and that was right where I wanted him, forever.

After we’d both begun to breathe properly again, Duke stood and slipped from inside of me, a slight moan escaping my lips. His lips caressed my ear as he leaned in closer to me. “Still want my dick inside of you, don’t you?”

I couldn’t help the whimper that slipped out. “So bad,” I said, wanting that sexy tryst to rewind and take place again, a thousand times over.

A deep laugh rumbled out of him as I felt his fingers slip between my legs and inside of my soaking wet center for a quick flick. “Soon. Promise.”

My body quivered before I lifted myself off the table. I rested my hands on the edge to gather my bearings before heading to the bathroom to clean up.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Duke and I spent the next month in a long-distance relationship. Work was slammed, and he and the guys were constantly gone. He’d make it home for a night here and a night there, but nothing more than twenty-four hours before he was off on his next adventure.

It had been a solid three weeks since I’d seen him last, and the first thing we did was meet at his condo and make up for lost time. I took the day off from work, and Duke and I spent the next twelve hours in bed. My body was so sore I couldn’t even move when the delivery guy dropped off dinner.

“Brianna, dinner,” Duke hollered from the dining room, but I couldn’t get up. My legs were like Jello.

“I can’t move!” I shouted, my body stuck to the enormous bed in Duke’s room.

I heard his laughter growing louder as he entered his bedroom, his shoulder pressed against the doorframe. His eyes locked onto mine. “Do I have to carry you?” he asked smugly.

“Yes, please.” I begged, starving for nourishment.

I watched as Duke crossed the room and slipped his arms under my body before he hoisted me up into his arms. My head rested against his chest as he carried me through the room and down the hall before I remembered I was completely naked. “Clothes!” I yelled, and his body came to a halt before turning again in the direction of his room.

When he stopped in front of his dresser, he placed me down on my feet, one of his arms laced around my waist still holding me up as the other rummaged through his drawer then pulled out a T-shirt. He slipped the dark green shirt over my head, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the letters MARINES written across the chest.

I took in a deep breath, inhaling the scent of Duke that lingered on his clothes. It was a scent that I craved, especially when he was gone.

Finally back at the dinner table, we sat next to each other, eating our food in silence. I was too tired to talk and eat at the same time, so I had to pick one or the other. And knowing what was to come after dinner, I figured I better boost up my energy levels.

****

The next morning I lay in Duke’s bed utterly spent as he rushed around getting his things in order to leave, again. We’d spent the last twenty-three of his twenty-four hours home screwing each other’s brains out and thoroughly enjoying it, at that.

“When will you be back?” I asked curiously as I rested against his headboard.

I watched his eyes shift in my direction. It was two days until our senior-class trip to Tallahassee, and Duke knew how badly I wanted him there. He crossed the room and placed both hands down on either side of my body, his sculpted arm muscles on display. “I’m doing my best, babe.”

I sighed, knowing he truly was, and then I leaned in and placed a kiss on his lips. “I know you are.” My hand slid up his arm, rested on his face, and he nuzzled in to it before turning and kissing my palm.

“We wrap up. I hop the first flight to meet you. Promise.”

I nodded and kissed his lips again before he pulled away to finish getting ready.

Duke’s things were packed in a flash, and before I could enjoy our last few moments together, I was walking him to the front door to say goodbye.

“Lock up and text me when you get home. I’ll call when I’m free.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, slipping his tongue into my mouth as his fingers gripped the hair at the base of my neck. He pulled me away by my hair for a brief moment and stared into my eyes. “Do my best to get to you, babe. Believe it.”

I couldn’t help but smile up at him as my hands slipped up his chest and around his neck. “I know you will. Now get going.” We kissed one last time, and then he was gone.

****

Megan and I spent the next two days with our seniors, preparing for their last class trip and before we knew it, we were seated side by side on a bus, traveling up to Tallahassee. The kids were having a blast as Megan and I talked about all of the upcoming things we had planned with the men in our lives.

“Tripp is so ready to have a break. Duke has been running him ragged this past month. I swear we’ve hardly had any time together.” She pouted.

I nudged her shoulder with mine, “I know the feeling. I’m just thrilled they will both be in Tallahassee with us tomorrow. We’ll do lunch with him and Tripp while the kids have their college visit, and then I’ll mentally begin to prepare myself for the introduction to my father.”

Megan’s eyes lit up as she moved her face closer to mine, lowering her voice in the process so her inappropriate comment wouldn’t be overheard by our high-schoolers. “Oh yeah, I cannot wait for that. Governor Hamilton meets badass Duke Thrasher, the guy who's been screwing his daughter for the past few months. This ought to be great.”

My laugh was nervous as I responded, “Shut up, I don’t want to stress out about it. They’ll love each other... right?”

Megan nodded her head. “Oh yeah, it’ll be love at first sight.”

I slapped her leg and pulled my cell from my pocket before I sent a quick text to Duke.

Excited to see you! I’ll call you when we’re settled in.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I lifted my cell to my ear, hearing the familiar voice of my father’s aide. “Good morning, Ms. Hamilton. We’ve had a few things come up with your father’s schedule, and he is going to be out of the office tomorrow. Is there any way you would be willing to bring the students by today instead?”

I quickly flipped through the itinerary and answered back, “Yes, that will be perfect. I’ll adjust a few things, and we will be there within the hour. Does that work?”

“Absolutely, I’ll let your father know, and we will see you very soon.”

I rushed over to Megan and filled her in on the change of plans. “Get the kids together. I’m going to call Duke and let him know we’ll have to push lunch off until tomorrow.”

Megan assembled the kids and the group of chaperones who had volunteered to attend the trip to help, while I dialed Duke. His phone rang several times and sent me to his voicemail. “Hey, babe, plans have changed, so we’re going to have to push lunch to tomorrow. Give me a call later tonight.”

I headed back toward Megan and our group of seniors. “Alright, I know today was supposed to be your free day, but as Ms. Tate has already informed you, our plans have changed. We’ll be visiting the Capitol building today instead of tomorrow, so go get changed into something more appropriate, and we’ll meet you all back down here in twenty minutes.”

The kids rushed off to their rooms to change, and Megan and I did the same. I traded my cut-off shorts and Florida Gators tank top for a black pencil skirt, a sheer white blouse, and my favorite pair of black pumps.

Megan studied my outfit. “Always perfect for Mommy and Daddy.”

I flipped her off and grabbed my purse, tugging her with me toward the door and down into the lobby to meet the kids.

Michelle, my father’s aide, was awaiting our arrival when the bus pulled up to the front steps of the Capitol building. Once everyone was off the bus, she addressed all of the students, “Welcome to the Capitol. It is a pleasure to have all of you here. On behalf of Governor Hamilton, I’d like to welcome you to Tallahassee. You are in for a treat today as you’ll be touring the five buildings we have on site, ending with a private meet-and-greet with none other than Governor Hamilton himself.”

The students followed Michelle as they made their way into the first building of the tour, while Megan and I corralled the stragglers from the back of the pack. As the governor's daughter and her best friend, we had been on this tour enough times that we could’ve given it ourselves; so instead of paying attention, we let the other teachers tend to the students while we were busy chatting about our plans for summer break with Duke and Tripp.

“I am in need of a tan. Our vacation needs to get here stat,” I said, glancing down at my skin.

Tripp’s family owned a home in the Turks and Caicos. Duke and Tripp had surprised the both of us with a vacation there once school was out for summer break.

Megan leaned over and whispered into my ear, “I know. I can’t wait to send you and Duke off on a dive trip for a day so Tripp and I can stay back and christen every room in the house.”

I laughed at her remark, and our group of students turned around to glare at me. I attempted to hold in my laughter and whispered, “Sorry, I’ll be quiet.”

They all went back to listening to Michelle fill their eager minds with the history of our wonderful state.

After four hours, we’d completed the tour; the kids were all headed out to have lunch and would meet back after an hour for their meet-and-greet with my father.

“Alright, Daddy awaits your presence. Let’s get to lunch,” Megan said as she laced her arm with mine, and we took the elevator up to my father’s office.

His secretary greeted us as we stepped off the elevator. “Ms. Hamilton, Ms. Tate, it is a pleasure to see the two of you again. It has been a while since your last visit. Governor Hamilton is finishing up a briefing with his security team. As soon as he is finished, he will be ready for your lunch.” We took a seat in his lobby, and Megan and I continued our discussion from earlier. About five minutes later, my father’s office door swung open.

I stood to greet him and was stunned when I came face to face with Duke, Tripp, and the rest of the team. The air in my lungs escaped my body as I tried to put two and two together. Duke stood there motionless, his eyes locked with mine, staring intently as if this was the last time he’d ever see me.

My father made his way from around the group of men. “Darling, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Is everything okay?” he asked, placing a kiss on my cheek.

I did my best to snap out of my state of shock, leaning in to hug my father. “Everything is perfect. It’s so good to see you. Please introduce me to your guests.”

My father rested his hand on Duke’s shoulder. “Well, honey, if I have to introduce you, then these young men surely are doing their job. This is the private team I hired to watch over you and the home back in Tampa. Brianna, I’d like you to meet Duke Thrasher and his team.”

My father’s words answered the questions that were running rampant in my head. I hid the pain that was taking over my body and held out my hand toward Duke while he slowly reciprocated, reaching for mine. His team stood behind him, eyes the size of golf balls, waiting for either one of our next moves.

“Mr. Thrasher, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for entertaining my father and his need to have hired help. I by no means feel it is necessary to have a security team follow me around, but since you’ve done such a great job of staying under the radar, I suppose you can continue your task. Let me just make one thing very clear. I have absolutely no desire to ever see you again from this moment on, so keep up the good work, boys.”

My father chuckled and patted Duke’s back. “I told you boys she was a firecracker. Duke, I’ll talk to you next week. Until then, continue keeping my little angel safe from harm.”

Duke nodded at my father’s statement, not taking his eyes off mine.

“Honey, let’s get you and Megan to lunch. You must be starved after the tour with Michelle this morning.” I pivoted on my heels and took my father's arms, exiting his office, hoping to never see Duke Thrasher and the rest of his team, ever again.

Lunch was brutal. My father took Megan and me back to the Governor's mansion for a meal that the live-in chef had prepared and, of course, all of the staff at the house hadn’t seen me in months, so they were lined up to check in on how life had been treating me.

At that very moment, I wanted to burst into tears and tell them that it was currently a living hell, thanks to my father and his harebrained ideas. But, my manners held me back from disclosing anything other than the fact that everything was absolutely perfect. After an hour of holding it together, I stood out of my chair, ready to leave the table. “Please excuse me as I need to freshen up before we head back to the students. If you and Megan want to head back, I’ll meet you there in a few minutes. I just have to make an important phone call.”