have told my mom if I jumped out of a window and broke my arm either.”
“It’d have to be a big-ass window for you to fit,” she teases, finally giving in to a smile.
I run my fingers over her wrist but don’t ask more questions. Shelby watches me with a too-intense gaze now. I feel like she’s about to put me on the spot by asking for something I can’t give her.
“I want you to hug me,” she says, crawling closer with the blanket. “I need a hug, and I want it from you.”
“That’s it?”
“You never hug me.”
“I do when we’re fucking.”
“Well, we’re not currently fucking, and I want a hug.”
Shelby doesn’t really wait for me to agree. She presses herself against my chest and gets soft. Her breathing changes when I wrap an arm around her.
“This isn’t so bad, right?” she asks, lifting her gaze to meet mine.
“I only hugged Jaymes and Becklyn when they were losing their shit.”
“I’m not them. Don’t you like hugs?”
Her fingers caress my face, and I feel the sensation down to my toes. When her lips brush against my throat, I tighten my hold on her. Shelby’s softness makes me warm and comfortable in a way that feels wrong. It’s why I struggle not to push her away.
With such a small gesture, she steals all the power in this relationship. I feel like a chump now. I want her to stay with me. No, fuck that shit. I need her to stay with me. Why can’t I have nice things? I’m not a loser. I deserve good stuff.
“I wanted you the moment I saw you,” she murmurs as her lips kiss at my chest. “No man ever made me feel that way.”
Wrapping my fingers under her chin, I force her gaze to meet mine. “Why?”
“Because I think you’re supposed to be mine,” she says with fear in her beautiful eyes.
I like scaring people. As a kid, my size kept trouble away. Sometimes, I’d get hassled by some shithead. Then I’d stand up and enjoy the terror I saw in the asshole’s eyes.
But I don’t want Shelby Campbell to fear me. She isn’t looking at me like she did when she thought I’d hit her. This is something sadder. Like a kid wanting his mom to take him somewhere when she’d rather just leave him behind.
“It’s getting dark,” I say, and she looks scolded. “Driving at night around here ain’t safe. You should stay.”
Shelby’s mouth literally falls open in shock. Her reaction only lasts a second. Then she smiles. “I don’t snore.”
“I do.”
“I don’t care. Hansel snores too.”
Frowning, I have to think of who that is, but then I remember her mentioning her dogs are named after that story about the kids and a witch.
“You’re happy now?” I ask.
Shelby smiles before pressing her body against mine. She fits real nice in my arms. Almost like she was made for me too.
THE WEIRDO
After Goliath asks me to spend the night, I nearly strain a muscle to keep myself from smothering him with affection. I want to tell him that he’s amazing, and I think of him all the time, and I will wait for him and a bunch of other crazy chick stuff.
Instead, I do a rather solid job of not crushing him under the weight of my need. I work out that craziness during sex. Goliath gets impressively hard when I cuddle with him. I’m starting to realize he isn’t accustomed to tenderness that isn’t fuck related.
Straddling him, I relish the feel of Goliath’s strong arms around me as I leisurely roll my hips. His giant dick fills my body so perfectly. Its thickness applies pressure to my clit, leaving my pussy on fire from even the slightest thrust. When we fuck, I feel like an extension of his powerful body.
He holds my gaze as we move together. I don’t dare look away. Yet how can I safeguard my heart when he sees me so raw? In the end, Goliath needs me to stare into his eyes more than I need to protect myself.
After we come, I leave him inside me. Neither of us wants this to end. When we’re good, we’re great. However, the bad between us always threatens a painful reappearance.
Eventually, we move to the kitchenette for dinner. He doesn’t dress while I slide on my black “Halloween” T-shirt. I don’t know why I don’t dress nicer for these booty calls. Maybe I want them to feel casual, so I won’t get my