Sutton

KELLY NUZZLES HIS NOSE INTO MY NECK, inhaling deeply. And I'm not sure if it's the sensation against my skin or just that I love the simple act of him smelling me, but I shiver against him. He wraps his arms tighter around me, our bodies melded together on his bed, my back to his front.

We fell asleep cuddling last night but sought our own space at some point; and, like usual, we found our way back to each other in the morning.

He's been slowly urging me awake for the past few minutes, but I'm resisting, not quite ready to face the day. And my poor decisions from last night. Namely, the Sour Apple Pucker.

When his lips find my shoulder, I try to shrug him off. "No, Kelly." My voice comes out raspy and whiney.

He chuckles, his breath tickling my ear. "Baby girl." The amusement is apparent in his tone.

"Go away. I'm still sleeping."

"It's after 11:00, Sutton. Nearly half the day is gone already."

I extricate our tangled legs and attempt to roll away from him, but he circles his arms around me, reclaiming my feet with his.

"You sound like an old man, Kelly. When did you get so old? And mean." When I jut my butt out to pry some space between us, I'm greeted with his hard cock. "And get that thing away from me."

"Whoa, hang on a minute. What did my dick ever do to you? Well," he reconsiders, and I can almost hear the smirk on his face. "He did give you lots of orgasms last night."

"Yeah, well, the Sutton of last night was an idiot and I regret some stuff." I groan, burying my head in the pillow, mumbling my next words. "The Pucker, Kelly. I deeply regret that."

He chuckles, and I feel him shift beside me. I turn onto my back to see him climbing out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Burying my whole body under the blankets, I turtle my head out of the top. "It's cold without you. Come back and warm me up. Just no sex. I might puke all over you."

"That's hot, baby girl." I'm gifted with the sight of his naked ass as he walks across the room, and I appreciate the view.

"You're hot!" I yell after him when he disappears into the ensuite bathroom.

A few seconds later, I hear the shower turn on. I snuggle into the blankets, making myself comfortable again, but it's short-lived. The covers are yanked off me, the cold air licking my naked body, to reveal my evil boyfriend looming over me.

I toss onto my stomach, hiding my head under the pillow. "Go away, you big, fat meanie!"

With a hand on my ankle, he scooches me down the bed and then flips me onto my back. "I told you not to drink the rest of that alcohol, baby girl. You should have listened to me. Now you feel like shit and are paying the price."

He lugs me to my feet by pulling on my wrists. Once I'm standing, he lifts me, cradling me in his arms like a damn baby. "No need for the lecture, Kelly. Lesson learned. But why must it be awake time? Let's crawl back in bed for, I don't know, three more days. That'll probably be enough time to sleep away the feeling of death."

Setting me on my feet, he opens the shower door and escorts me inside, standing us under the water spray. The heat instantly jolts me awake and I groan, not quite sure whether it's from pleasure or pain.

Kelly runs his hands over my head to wet my hair. When he starts massaging shampoo into my scalp, my eyes fall closed and I sink into the wall of his body, allowing it to support me. He tilts my head back to rinse the shampoo, and I sigh. I could get used to this treatment.

"Good."

His deep voice startles my eyes open. Shit, there I go voicing my thoughts out loud again.

He peers down into my eyes, and adds, "You should get used to it. I plan on spoiling you for as long as you'll let me."

"Then I guess I'll be one very spoiled girl because I plan on letting you until you get sick of me."

"I guess you will be a very spoiled girl then because I can't foresee a time I'll ever get sick of you."

"Ew. We've turned into that gross sappy couple." I pull a face of disgust and he laughs. "We're gross."

He presses his lips to mine, pulling away far too quickly. "So gross," he whispers his agreement.

After the shower—where my boyfriend was a perfect gentleman and didn't get handsy with me at all, apparently taking my warning of getting puked on very seriously—Kelly tosses another of his hoodies at me. His clothes are far too big for me, but I love drowning in them. I don't know why I bothered packing a bag. It's not like I've worn my own clothes all weekend.

"Do you think you can eat?" he asks me while pulling on a pair of gray sweatpants. "You'll probably feel better after you get some food in you."

My stomach rumbles its reply. "Guess so," I laugh.

Kelly opens the bedroom door, and Lexi lifts her head off her paws from her spot on the floor.

"Ahh, Lexi girl," I coo as I brush past my boyfriend to greet his dog. "Isn't Daddy mean to make you sleep out here? He's such a meanie, isn't he?"

"Jesus." I look over my shoulder from my crouch on the floor to see Kelly rubbing the back of his neck. "She's a pervert, baby girl. You want her watching us?"

This makes me laugh, which reminds my stomach that it is indeed upset. Groaning, I stand, clutching my tummy. "You can let her in after."

"She hogs the bed. And she'll probably hog you. I'll have to compete with my dog for you. I don't fucking think so. Besides," he continues as he guides me out into the hall with his hand on the small of my back. "What about in the morning? Am I supposed to shoo her out before I go down on you?"

I spin on the stairs, halting our movement, and tug Kelly onto the same step with me so I can reach his head to pull him down to me. He moves down another step, putting us closer to the same height as he tilts our heads to deepen the kiss. Our tongues slowly caress, and I thread my arms around his neck, his hands finding their way to my ass.

I could kiss this man all day. I really should have named that as my favorite pastime yesterday. Sure, yoga is fine. But kissing Kelly? Not sure much tops that.

Even when I'm slightly hungover, and the puke threat is a real thing.

He's the one to back away first, and I instinctually follow him forward, seeking more. He plants a sweet kiss on my lips before grabbing my hand and leading me the rest of the way down the stairs into the kitchen.

Kelly's house has quickly become my favorite place. I feel comfortable here. With him. I love the way he dotes on me and takes care of me, even when it's ridiculous. Like not wanting me to go upstairs alone last night because it was dark and I was naked.

"We should definitely go shopping next weekend if we're going to hibernate again, because this shit is slim pickings." I close the refrigerator and pout at my boyfriend, who's looking through the pantry.

He turns holding a loaf of bread and a can of soup. "Next weekend, huh? You already inviting yourself over here next weekend?"

Setting the items onto the island, he crosses over to me, nudging me out of the way to open the fridge.

"Well, duh. Unless you have some other super secret girlfriend you intend to invite instead." I lean against the counter, crossing my arms over my chest.

He turns with a package of sharp cheddar cheese slices, a bag of shredded parmesan and a tub of butter and stalks toward me. With his handful of dairy products between us, he peers down at me. "There's just you, baby girl. And you know it. You better come over next weekend, but we aren't hibernating. I'm taking you out."

"Out?"

"Out." He pecks my lips before backing away to set the ingredients with the rest of them on the counter.

"Out where, though?" I join him at the island and watch as he removes a stack of bread from the bag, setting them out in pairs on the surface.

"On a date."

"A date?"

He glances at me in the middle of separating cheese slices from the stack. "Baby girl, a date. You know what a date is. You dress pretty for me, but not too pretty so we don't fight before we even leave your house. Then I take you out to a fancy restaurant. The whole cheesy wine and dine thing. Maybe do something else equally cheesy before bringing you home and seducing you."

"Wow. My boyfriend, the romantic."

Abandoning his job of buttering bread, he steps into my space, cupping my face. "You'll be romanced, baby girl. I'll romance you so hard."

Laughing, I smack his stomach. "Stop it. You're such a dork. I never knew this about you. You can be adorkable, too."

"No, Sutton. I'm not the same as Archie, who I know you flirted with on purpose just to piss me off even if you won't admit it."

I smile at the sight of his clenched jaw and bow my head to hide my amusement against his naked chest. Have I mentioned I very much enjoy his weekend wardrobe?

With his hand wrapped around my hair, he lightly yanks my head back, forcing me to look at him. "A date next weekend. A real one. We'll go to Maybury where no one knows us. Yeah?"

"You even ask me out so romantically." I bat my eyelashes at him. "So romantical."

"Brat," he grunts. "Will you please go out with me next weekend, Sutton? I'd like to take you some place nice. Spend some time with you some place other than here."

"Yes." I reach up onto my tiptoes and take his lips for a sweet kiss. "I'd very much like that, Kelly."

He grins down at me and then smacks my ass. "Now go find us a movie to watch while I make us some grilled cheese and tomato soup."

I'm sprawled out on the couch, tucked under a knitted blanket when Kelly joins me in the living room a little while later, carrying two plates in his hands. When he sets them on the table, I sit up on the couch, situating the blanket over my lap.

Instead of sitting down, he leaves the room, coming back moments later with two bowls. Finally, he sinks onto the couch next to me, handing me a spoon.

I eye the food, the scent of cheese and tomatoes wafting over me. "Mmmm, it smells good, Kelly."

He dunks a grilled cheese triangle into the bowl of steaming tomato soup and takes a huge bite. "Eat," he urges with a full mouth.

I copy his actions, dunking the sandwich before taking a tentative bite, not quite sure how my stomach will react to the food. When it doesn't revolt, I take another bite. "What did you put in this grilled cheese? I think it might be the best I've ever eaten," I declare between bites.

"It's a secret."

"Oh yeah? A Ledger family secret?"

"No. A Kelly Ledger secret."

"You know I saw all the ingredients, right? Unless you added more after you shooed me away. It's the parmesan, right?"

He nudges me with his knee. "In the words of the cutest brat I know, none of your biz."

"Fine. Keep your secrets. But you know what this means, right? You'll have to just keep right on spoiling me. Forever and ever. There's no way I can top this grilled cheese. Although I do make a mean bowl of cereal. Lucky Charms. Trix. Honey Nut Cheerios. Unless you like that sugarless crap, then you're on your own. I refuse to acknowledge Rice Krispies as anything other than an ingredient for Rice Krispie bars."

"I thought I already made it clear that I intend on spoiling you for as long as you'll let me."

He finishes his last bite and stacks his bowl on top of his plate, settling back into the couch to get comfortable. I consider his words as I continue eating.

"You're an Acts of Service guy," I say, discarding the remainder of my sandwich and curling up next to my boyfriend. He fusses with the blanket, making sure all my parts are covered, before tucking me tight against his side, my hand resting on his bare stomach.

"A what?"

"Your love language. You show you care by doing things for people." I curve my head to peer up at him. "You actually like taking care of me." It's a weird revelation to have since it's blaringly obvious now that I've realized it.

"Baby girl," he says, brushing the hair out of my eyes. "I've always liked taking care of you, but you have this bad habit of not letting me."

"Yeah, but that was before I knew it was your way of showing you care. Before it always felt...I don't know...patronizing. Like you saw me a certain way. Like I was weak. Or incapable. Needy. I don't know, I guess it reminded me too much of how my brother treats me."

"I can assure you that my motivations are far from brotherly, baby girl. And it's not like it's something I give much thought. You're mine, so I make sure you're taken care of. The end."

"Even before I was yours, though? How do you explain that? There are years of history between us where you show up for me. I mean, you've been my person for so long. You even came storming over to my house with a baseball bat because I was scared. No questions asked. And how many times have you fixed my kitchen sink?"

"You've always been mine, Sutton."

As simple as that, huh?

"And I better be your person. I'll be pissed if you ever call someone else. That's my job. You call, I come, remember?"

I smile at him, my insides feeling all gooey, and not from the Sour Apple Pucker. "Fine. I'll try to do better about letting you do shit for me, ok?"

He kisses my nose. "I'm not holding my breath, baby girl. I think your love language is being as bratty as possible."

"Ha ha." I roll my eyes. "Obviously Words of Affirmation is not your thing. Where you excel at Acts of Service, you suck at Words of Affirmation."

"Is that what you need, baby girl? Pretty words that don't mean much without actions?"

I pinch his stomach and he yelps. "No, dummy. That's not what that is. Words of Affirmation is more about reaffirming your feelings by actually using words. Actions are nice, don't get me wrong. I actually think the way I receive love is through Quality Time, another one of the love languages."

"Quality Time?"

"Yeah, spending time together. Like putting an old lady puzzle together. Or drinking nasty alcohol while playing cards."

"What about naked quality time?" His hands wander under the blanket, brushing along the exposed skin of my inner thigh.

I squeeze my thighs together to deter his hands from further exploration. "That's Physical Touch, a different love language."

"You should have led with that one. Pretty sure that's mine."

I laugh, but I can't exactly dispute his claim. He's pretty damn good at the physical touch stuff.

"I think you show your love through Acts of Service and Physical Touch. And you receive it through Quality Time and Physical Touch."

"See. Physical Touch on both sides. Definitely my thing." Since his hand on my thigh was thwarted, it travels to my ass and squeezes. "And what are yours then? Or should I guess?"

"Let's hear your guesses."

He slyly snakes his hand under the huge sweatshirt I'm wearing and draws circles against my lower back as he thinks. "You show your love through Quality Time and Physical Touch. I'd like to say you receive it through Acts of Service, but since you rarely let me do shit for you, I'm ruling that one out. Maybe Words of Affirmation and Quality time?"

"Don't forget Physical Touch." I waggle my eyebrows at him, and he laughs.

"Told you that's my thing." He directs that sexy smirk at me. "So what I'm hearing is that you want me to lavish you with pretty words while spending quality time touching you?"

I swat his chest. "That would be your takeaway."

Untangling myself from the blanket, I reach for the dishes on the coffee table, but before I can clear them, Kelly lays a hand on my arm. "What are you doing, Sutton?"

"Cleaning. You cooked, I clean."

"You don't feel good." As if that is explanation enough.

"I'm slightly hungover. Not dying from an incurable disease," I huff.

"Baby girl. Were you not just paying attention to your own love languages lesson?" He glares at me, his jaw clenched tight.

I fall back onto the couch with an exasperated laugh. "Jesus, baby. And you call me the stubborn one."

Ignoring me, he disappears with the stack of dishes in his hands, returning moments later still sporting his familiar pissed off expression.

"Come," I say, patting my lap.

"I'm a little big to sit on your lap, baby girl."

This makes me laugh. Jesus, he's a grump when things don't go his way. "No, dummy. Lay your head here. Let me take care of you."

"Your Words of Affirmation could use some work, too, you know?" I spy a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips, the only sign that he isn't as annoyed as he lets on.

"Sorry, baby. Do you need me to stroke your ego a bit? Please come lay your pretty little head on my lap so I can use my hands to show you how much I appreciate all the sweet things you do for me, my strapping hero." I place my clasped hands under my chin and blink up at him.

"Brat." His smile breaks free, the lines appearing by his eyes.