Rooter (Double H Romance) (21 page)

Rooter chuckles and leans over me bracing his weight on his elbow. His face is mere inches from mine. “You have nothing to be jealous about. I’m yours.”

Those words, “I’m yours,” make my stomach do back flips. I gaze into his eyes and can see he means it. I reach up and stroke his cheek. My chest rises and falls with rapid breaths as he stares at me with a fierce, passionate expression.

These past couple days have been brutal. I’ve felt so disconnected from him. As I stare into his dark eyes and feel the heat of his body, I crave what is mine. I need to be as close to him as I can be. I need to feel his arms around me and taste his kiss. As I lean in, he pulls away and pins me down by my wrists.

“Are you mine?” He growls.

Chapter 25
Getting Distracted

Rooter hovers over me, glowering at me intensely through narrowed eyes, his lips pressed into a tight line.

“Yes,” I answer, breathless.

“Say the words,” he demands in a rough tone.

“I’m yours.”

He leans in close as though he’s going to give in and kiss me, but then he stops and pulls away yet again. “I saw the way you looked at him last night. Do you want him?”

Now I know what he meant when he said he needed to cool down. Had I looked at Joe in anyway? In the heat of the moment I contemplated things last night that under normal circumstances, I never would. Yes, Joe is nice, and attractive and all the things I thought last night, but I could never feel about him the way I feel about Rooter. My desire for Rooter is undeniable and all-consuming. It’s animalistic. It’s why I get so crazy over Candace and why I’m scared out of my mind he’ll break my heart. I’ve never wanted anyone this way. I never will. He is it for me. I feel it in my bones.

I answer him honestly. “No.”

“Don’t lie to me, Sophie.” He speaks through gritted teeth.

“I’m not lying—” He cuts me off right as I’m about to admit to him the ways in which I want him.

“Were you going to let him kiss you? Were you going to sleep in his bed?” His body trembles and a glint of rage flickers in his eyes.

“No!”
How could he even think that?
Before I can ask, Rooter’s grip on my wrists tightens, but not enough to hurt me.

“Just the thought of his hands or his mouth touching you makes me crazy.”

“He didn’t touch me.”

“And he never will. No one will ever touch you, but me.”

Two can play this game. If he doesn’t want other men touching me he shouldn’t allow other women, namely Candace, to touch him. I lift my chin and return his bold stare. “Then no one had better be touching you, either.”

“You’re the only one I want to touch me,” he murmurs.

I’m undone by his words. Unable to take this any longer, I beg for what I want. “Kiss me, please.”

Rooter’s lips crash against mine and we both moan the instant our tongues meet. My body falls slack as he devours me, still pinning my wrists to the mattress above my head.

“You taste so fucking good.” His voice is raspy and full of desire. He leaves a trail of soft kisses from the corner of my mouth to my jaw, just below my ear. When he gently nips my earlobe, I moan and arch my back.

I place a wet kiss on his neck close to his collar bone and a fierce groan escapes his lips so I do it again. His skin tastes delectable. I’ve never before been this brazen with anyone. The guy has always had to make the first move, even when it came to kissing. But I want Rooter in a way I’ve never wanted anyone. He makes me feel wanton and sexy and unafraid. “Do you like that?” I whisper in his ear.

“Hell yes,” he groans.

I wiggle my hands that are still in his firm grasp. “I want to touch you.”

Rooter lets go of my wrists and rests his elbows on either side of me. I place my hands on his biceps and move them to his wide shoulders, to his chest. His chest is rising and falling as fast as mine. The hunger I see in his eyes reflects my own.

“Take this off,” I tug at the hem of his shirt. He doesn’t hesitate to pull it over his head. The sunlight shining through the window illuminates his taut chest and abdomen. Becoming bolder by the second, I tell Rooter to roll over. Once he does, I run my fingers over his chest and begin to lower myself against him. Right before our bodies meet, he shoots me a warning look and grabs my hips to stop me, obviously concerned about what happened the last time we were in a similar position.

“It’s okay,” I assure him and take his hands into mine lacing our fingers together as I slowly lower myself against him.

This time I’m ready when I feel him hard against me. When I rock back and forth he bites his lower lip and arches his back off the bed. I lean forward and flick his neck with my tongue and he grinds harder between my legs.

“Fuck, that feels good,” he mutters, giving me more confidence.

I slide my hands from his shoulders, over his chest to his waist. My mouth travels lower, planting small kisses until I reach his nipple. I’ve always wondered if guys like to have their nipples sucked. I take Rooter’s into my mouth and feel it stiffen as I stroke it with my tongue. The dark skin surrounding the hard tip is soft and smooth. Rooter’s fingers dig into my hips. With the way he hisses and moans with pleasure, licking his nipples could become my new favorite pastime.

Using my left hand, I trace the outline of his lips. He opens his mouth and sucks my finger. It’s warm and wet and completely erotic. A deep ache builds between my legs. I want to feel his mouth on me. I raise up and peel off my top. His eyes go wide as he stares at my bare chest.

“My turn,” I whisper with a naughty smile.

“Christ, Sophie.” His voice is strangled and his chest heaves. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I glide up and down his bulge.

Before I know it, Rooter flips us over so I’m the one on my back. He hovers over me, still between my legs, resting on his elbows. “You’re so beautiful.”

He nibbles my neck and grazes my skin with his warm tongue. I shudder as be blows on my wet skin. His lips trace my collar bone while his hand glides down my left side and reaches behind to squeeze my ass. Rooter groans as he rocks his hips against me again and again making my desire peak higher and higher. He pulls back and gazes hungrily at my naked chest again. Very slowly he takes my breast into his hand, brushing my nipple so delicately that I barely feel it. But God do I feel it.

“I’ve fantasized about touching you,” he breathes and leans down. “About feeling you against my tongue.”

“Me, too,” I whisper.

His lips are so very close and his breath is hot against my breast. My desire churns deep within until I think I might combust from anticipation. And when he looks up at me with dark, hooded eyes my heart skips a beat.

“You’re sure?” He asks again before going any farther.

“Yes,” I pant.

Without breaking eye contact, he opens his mouth and swipes my nipple with his tongue causing me to arch off the bed.
Hot damn, nothing has ever felt so good.
He’s still staring at me. Testing me.

“Again,” I whimper and he circles my nipple slowly with the tip of his tongue before taking it into his mouth and sucking gently. The sensation of his warm, wet mouth against my delicate flesh is exquisite. He closes his eyes and moans as he continues to suckle.

“So soft.” He pulls back and blows on my wet skin making me shiver. My eyes roll back into my head. “You like that?”

“Mm-hmm.” I grip his shoulders.

“Should I kiss the other one?”

“Yes, please.”

“Open your eyes, babe,” he commands in a deep, lustful voice. “I want to watch you watching me.”

I open my eyes and his expression is desirous as he flicks the other nipple and blows on it sending shivers from my head to my toes.

“I’ve laid in bed so many nights,” his voice is rough and deep, intensifying the ache in my core, “looking at your window, fantasizing about what it would be like to touch and taste you.”

God, I love the way he talks to me. “Me, too.”

“Yeah? And is it as good as you imagined?” He flicks my nipple again.

My core tightens with need. “So much better.”

“I agree.” He moves to my other breast and slowly swipes his tongue across it.

“Rooter,” I moan. Needing more, I pull his face against me.

His hands travel down my waist and reach beneath me, kneading my ass as he grinds his cock against my most sensitive spot. “Do you like feeling me against you?”

“Yes,” I pant.

I wrap my legs around him and drag my nails over his back up to his shoulders and he moans into my ear. He nips and sucks on my earlobe as he rotates his hips against mine and grinds his hardness between my legs, up and down and back and forth over and over again until a heavenly pressure mounts in my center. My legs begin to shake and I pant and call his name again and again until I’m desperate for release.

“Oh, God yes!” I cry out loudly, not caring that Miranda can probably hear me all the way downstairs.

Rooter leans back to look at me, his brown eyes blazing. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I moan and bite my lower lip. I’m so. Very. Close. I close my eyes waiting for my delicious release. When he comes to a sudden halt my eyes fly open.

“Keep your eyes open,” he commands, staring at me with dark, lust filled eyes before he moves his hips again.

I watch the taut muscles in his abdomen constrict with every rotation and thrust of his hips. It doesn’t take long for him to bring me back to the brink. I grasp his biceps tightly as I teeter on the edge, ready to go off.

“Let go, baby,” he murmurs huskily. “I want to watch you come for me.”

And that’s all it takes to send me flying over the edge, shattering into a million pieces. Our eyes are locked as I writhe beneath him, crying out his name. Seconds later, Rooter collapses onto me with fast, shallow breaths of his own.

Completely spent and utterly sated, I lay still for several long moments allowing myself to catch my breath. It doesn’t take long for the realization that I just had an orgasm while Rooter watched to hit me.
Holy shit.

“I second that.” Rooter rolls over onto his back. “That was hot as hell.”

Had I spoken aloud? I clasp one hand over my face and cover my exposed chest with the other.

“Are you embarrassed?” His voice is laced with amusement.

Too self-conscious to speak, I simply nod my head.

Rooter pries my hand away from my face and looks at me with kind, warm eyes. “Why?”

My face is on fire. “Because I just… You know. While you watched.”

“So did I.” He gives me a reassuring smile.

“You did?” I look at his crotch and see a wet spot forming on his jeans. My face heats up again. “Oh.”

“It’s so cute how quickly you switch from bold to bashful.” He chuckles.

“I’m glad I amuse you.”

“Now what am I supposed to do about this?” He points at his groin.

“You do live next door.” I point to his window.

“Miranda is downstairs.”

“Forgot about that.” I giggle.

“Shit. All right.” He crawls over me to get out of the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

The moment Rooter leaves, I hear loud footsteps racing up the stairs followed by a furious knock on my door.

“Hold on,” I say and throw my top on. “Come in.”

“Oh my God, did you just…”

“Not exactly. But go back downstairs.” I wave her away. “He’s coming right back.”

“I want to know everything,” she says with a wink and goes back downstairs.

While Rooter is gone, I replay our make-out session in my mind and it occurs to me we did more than make-out. We dry humped. I’ve never dry humped. I’ve heard Miranda talk about it, but never quite understood what the big deal was. The words “dry humping” seemed painful to be honest. It seemed better to masturbate, or be fingered, or have actual sex. Now I know what the big deal is, and like Rooter said, it was “hot as hell.” I want to do it again as soon as possible.

I sit on my bed with my legs pulled up to my chest when Rooter walks back in the room. He looks different now. Manlier. Sexier. More familiar. More mine. I’m definitely more his. We may not have had sex, but that was the closest I’ve ever come to it, of my own volition. I’d barely been to third base before today. I’ve given myself to Rooter in a way I’ve never done with anyone else. I may not be a virgin, but I’ve already decided that when the time comes, he will be the first and hopefully only one I give myself to.

Rooter sits sideways on the bed facing me, his eyes full of intensity. “That was amazing, babe.”

“Yes.” My face flushes again and I rest my head on my knees.

He reaches out and strokes my cheek. “But we need to finish the conversation we were having before I got distracted.”

Chapter 26
Meeting The Slut

I blink. Did I hear that right? “We weren’t finished?”

Rooter shakes his head and his eyes drill into mine. When he speaks, his voice is cool and controlled. “I need you to tell me why you went home with Joe Skyles.”

This is the last thing I want to talk about. Especially after what just took place. Doesn’t he know he’s supposed to be cuddling with me and whispering sweet nothings in my ear? We’re not supposed to be rehashing our fight. The dour look he’s wearing tells me I’m not getting out of this conversation. I sigh and hang my head.

“Because I was mad at you and didn’t want to come here.”

“That’s the only reason?” He asks calmly, but I perceive doubt in his voice.

Offended by his insinuation, my head jerks upright to face him. “Of course. Why would you even ask me that?”

“Out of all your friends, you had nowhere else to go? No one else to call?” The gentility of his voice doesn’t match his stern expression.

Does he truly not believe in me? Does he think so little of me that he believes I’d hook up with some other guy like that? How can he expect me to trust him if he doesn’t trust me? “You don’t trust me.”

“Sophie, you told me it was over, refused to talk to me,” he raises his voice. “Next thing I know, you’re at another guy’s house.”

I roll my eyes and huff. “It was late, Rooter. He offered me a place to stay. That’s all it was.”

“I believe you. But, Sophie, I won’t tolerate you going home with other guys.” I start to interject, but he covers my mouth to stop me. “I don’t care how mad you get at me. You don’t go home with other men. Ever.” His voice is eerily level and calm though his demeanor is anything but.

“I said it wasn’t like that,” I complain.

“I get that and I don’t care,” he narrows his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “You don’t go home with other men.”

I throw my hands in the air. “I thought you cheated on me!”

Rooter takes a deep breath and speaks with a little more passion. “Because you wouldn’t hear me out. Which is another thing we need to work on.” He drags a hand through his hair. “This is all new to me, Sophie, and I’m trying, but you can’t run off and refuse to talk to me every time I piss you off.”

I straighten my legs and lean forward. “It’s not just because I was pissed it was because of the
reason
I was pissed.”

He closes his eyes and exhales. “I’m going to tell you one more time, and I seriously hope it will be the last,” he opens his eyes and looks at me with a meaningful expression, “I’m completely loyal and faithful to you. I will never cheat on you. If you ever doubt me or have questions, talk to me. Don’t assume, because I promise you’ll be wrong every time.

He scoots closer and cups my face. “There’s no way I’d ever risk hurting you or losing you. If you knew how damn much and for how long I’ve wanted you, there’s no way you’d ever think I would.”

I gulp. My pulse races. Rooter stares into my eyes, waiting for my response. “I’m sorry.” I lean into him. “I promise, I won’t ever go home with anyone again.”

“Do you also promise that you’ll hear me out next time you get pissed?”

This isn’t really a promise I can make. But I’ll try. “I promise.”

Rooter leans his forehead against mine, and gazes dreamily into my eyes. “I’m crazy about you.”

“Me, too,” I whisper.

His phone rings and ruins our moment. I had him set Candace’s number to a distinct ringtone so I’d know if it was her calling. It’s her. Evidently, she can’t go a single day without talking to him.

“Should I answer it?” He asks without leaning away.

“You did say you’d talk to her.”

He pulls away and answers the phone. “Yeah?”

Our eyes are locked while he listens to whatever she’s saying. He lays his hand on my thigh and delicately rubs small circles with his fingertips giving me goosebumps. The slightest touch from him and I turn to mush. Is he trying to distract me from the fact that he’s talking to her?

“I’ll send a tow truck and meet you at Molly’s Auto. All right.”

“What was that about?” I ask when he hangs up the phone.

“Her car broke down.” He stops stroking my thigh but keeps his hand in place.

I raise a brow. “So she called you?”

He shrugs, sheepish. When he speaks he sounds like a five year old explaining to his mom why he stole a cookie from the cookie jar. “I’m sort of the one she’s always called when she needs help.”

Of course he is.
I roll my eyes. “You’re going to tell her that has to stop, too, aren’t you?”

“Yes, babe.” He sighs and rubs the back of his neck.

“Are you going there now?”

“Want to come with me?”

“Really?” I ask, wide eyed. “Are you sure?”

“I’m done letting Candace come between us. I’m going to show you, once and for all, that you can trust me.”

This is what I have been waiting to hear. I look at the clock next to the bed. It’s a little after noon. I definitely want to go, but I have to be at work by three. “Can you have me back by two?”

“Yeah.”

The expression on Candace’s face when we pull up is absolutely priceless. As per usual, she’s dressed in a barely there outfit. She might as well just wear a thong and pasties since her clothes don’t cover much else. She glares at our intertwined hands as we make our way to where she stands.

“I thought you were taking me to Nicole’s.” She addresses Rooter rudely with her hands on her hips. He can’t very well take her if I’m with him. There isn’t room enough for the three of us on his Harley.

“Bear’s coming,” he answers, flippant. “This is Sophie. Sophie, this is Candace.” He squeezes my hand reassuringly.

After appraising me from head to toe, she turns her attention to Rooter. “You can’t be serious, Rooter.”

Fury boils inside me. It takes every ounce of strength I have not to break her perfect button nose.

“Candace, be nice.” He speaks too calmly making his order perfectly clear.

“Be nice? Seriously?” She waves her hand at me. “You bring the bitch you dumped me for and expect me to be nice?”

Oh no she didn’t.
I lunge at her but Rooter grabs me by my arms and stops me. “You better watch who you’re calling a bitch, skank.”

“You better watch who you’re calling a skank!” Candace steps up and Rooter turns me away from her.

“Let go of me!” I holler and thrash about trying to get free. She may have me in the looks department, but in a fight she wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Stop it, now!” Rooter barks at the both of us. A couple of mechanics are standing in one of the garage bays observing us with smiles on their faces.

“Why would you bring her here?” Candace whines. “Are you trying to hurt me even more?”

“Bitch please—” I start, but Rooter cuts me off.

“Sophie, stop it,” he growls through gritted teeth and keeps me pinned against him. He turns his attention back to Candace. “No, I don’t want to hurt you. You’re the one who called me for help. We were together when you called.”

“You better stop calling!” I threaten, glaring in her direction.

“Sophie,” Rooter snaps.

Candace gives an evil laugh complete with a taunting smile. “I’ll call him anytime I want.”

“Rooter, tell her,” I demand.

He takes a deep breath. “Candace, you can’t keep calling and texting me pictures.”

“Come on, baby.” She has the perfect seductive voice, deep and husky and it pisses me off. How dare she call my man “baby.” I start to say something, but Rooter covers my mouth. “We both know exactly how this is going to go. The moment the novelty wears off, you’ll get bored with her and call me like you always do.”

Like he always does?

“It’s not like that with Sophie. I’m with her.”

She chortles. “Yeah, this month.”

“Candace, if we’re going to stay on good terms you need to respect my relationship.”

I roll my eyes. This chick doesn’t respect herself. Does he really think she’ll respect us? But I’m glad he’s doing what he said he’d do and is telling her to cut the crap.

“Oh, you mean the way you respected me?” She asks. “One day I’m sucking your dick, the next I’m out with the trash?”

Her words make me cringe. Not because I feel bad for her, but because visions of her giving Rooter a blow job creep into my mind reminding me yet again of all the ways she knows him that I don’t. My body shakes with anger. “You
are
trash!” I spit.

Candace lunges at me again and Rooter stands between us with his back to her and his arms holding me against his chest.

“Sophie, damn it!”

One of the mechanics jogs to us. “You need some help man?” He asks Rooter and looks at Candace.

“Put your hands on me and you’ll be eating your balls for dinner.” Candace glares at the guy.

The mechanic ignores her and laughs. “Got a pair of feisty ones on your hands.”

Rooter nods in agreement. “Sophie,” he murmurs against my ear, “will you please go inside and let me finish talking to her?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“We’re not going to get anywhere like this.” He kisses the side of my head. “Please? Five minutes.”

He allows me to turn and face him, but he keeps his arms around me. “The last time you asked for five minutes it ended with her tongue in your mouth and her hand on your dick.”

The knowledge that her hand has been in places mine hasn’t only serves to piss me off more. I glare at her, but he turns me to face him.

“I promise that won’t happen.”

I stand and stare into his eyes for a long moment. If I refuse to go inside, he won’t make me. But I agree that this conversation won’t go anywhere if the three of us are together. “Fine,” I give in.

“Thank you,” he says and lets me go, but with a cautionary look not to try anything. “Take her to the office, man?” He asks the mechanic.

I watch them talk from the window in the office. I can’t hear anything, but from the way Candace pouts, yells, stomps her feet, and points at me she’s not happy with what he’s saying. Bear pulls in and Rooter motions toward me.

Bear greets me in his typical fashion without a smile. “How goes it?”

“It could be better,” I admit.

He nods. “Rooter seriously owes me for pawning that shit off on me.”

I peer up at him and chuckle glibly. “You aren’t fond of Barbie?”

Bear crosses his arms and stares out the window at them. Rooter rakes his hands through is hair which tells me he’s losing his patience.

“Let’s put it this way, she was barely tolerable before you came into the picture. Now she’s fucking psycho.”

I raise a brow. “Psycho?”

He chuckles. “That one is definitely short a few nuts and bolts.”

“Should I be worried?”

He shakes his head and grins. “Nah. She’s harmless.”

“Yeah, well I’m not,” I ball my hands into fists at my sides, “and if she doesn’t cut her shit out things will get ugly.”

Bear eyes me appreciatively. “If you ask me that might be what it’ll take.”

“Yeah?” Through the window, I see Candace stomp her foot twice and pout about something.

“She’s been obsessed with Rooter forever.” He uncrosses his arms and rubs his forehead. “I told him not to go there.”

“I wish he would’ve listened.”

A moment passes in silence and then Bear turns to me. “Sophie, I realize I don’t know you very well, but I’ve known Rooter my entire life.” He pauses. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but I think you should know.”

Oh no
. He’s going to tell me to stay away from Rooter. That I won’t win against Candace. That I’m one hundred percent completely out of my league here and that I should walk away now before I really get hurt. “Know what?”

“The guy is certifiably crazy about you. I’ve never seen him like this. Believe me when I say,” he points out the window, “that girl out there poses no threat to you whatsoever. No one does.”

I stare at Bear in awe. Of all the times Rooter has said the very same thing, it never had the effect on me that Bear’s words have on me at this moment. All the pent up anger and jealousy that has been living inside me the past few days washes completely away. I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Bear. I needed to hear that.”

“I know.” He turns back to the window and I do the same. We watch as Candace stomps away from Rooter into the garage bay where her car is. “But if you tell him I said it, I’ll kill you.” His tone is serious, but he gives me his silly, bright white smile.