I pouted. That’s right I pouted like a little kid denied his favorite toy which in a way I was. We had been apart too long. I needed to touch her, needed to get my hands on her but she wasn’t cooperating at all. “Come on Shaw, just a little kiss. It’s my birthday and I missed you so bad.” I sounded whiny and not badass at all but I could tell she was about to cave in by the way she slithered a little closer to me but the moment was ruined when the lock on the front door jingled and a moment later Ayden came sweeping through in all her long legged, dark haired glory. She took one look at me and Shaw and grinned.
“Halleluiah! It’s about time you two idiots figured out that you were made for each other.”
Shaw laughed and shook her head. She gave me another brief kiss and moved away. “Tonight. I promise it’ll be worth the wait.” I begrudgingly agreed even though I still wanted to make out but she clearly wouldn’t be swayed and I had to admit my curiosity was peaked as to what kind of gift she wanted to give me in private. I went home and took a shower, a freezing cold one and got ready for the night. I didn’t want to drink too much because there was no way I was letting booze inhibit my reunion with my girl. I had never give much credence to the fact that being with someone you cared about making sex so much better but it was true.
The guys took me to the Buckhorn Exchange so we could gnaw on giant pieces of wild game like cavemen and act like a bunch of general jackasses and now that things were back on track with Shaw I felt lighter and happier than I had in months and they could tell. They all gave me shit endlessly about my chronic bad mood and advanced levels of dickheadness but I could tell they were relieved and grateful that I was back where I needed to be. Dinner was fun but I was ready to get on with night so I could take Shaw home and have some proper make up sex to cement this as the best birthday ever.
The bar was packed wall to wall with people trying to wish me a happy birthday. Even Uncle Phil had come out for the occasion. I accepted pats on the back and hugs as I looked for a particular blond head in the crowd. It took some skill to avoid shot after shot getting shoved in my direction but I managed to do it when I caught sight of a shimmer of white and black near the stage. Shaw was posted up front with Ayden and Cora and it irked me to no end that Jet was already at the table getting his flirt on with the beautiful brunette. Ignoring everyone else calling my name and clamoring for my attention I scooped my girl up even though she was in really tall heels and for once almost on a similar level with me and sealed my mouth over hers. I didn’t care that she muttered a startled protest. I wanted a kiss and it was my birthday so I was getting a damn kiss from this girl that was my world.
She wiggled a little until she could get her hands in my hair and I made sure it was worth her while as I stroked across her yielding tongue with my own. She gave a little moan and I moved a hand to her ass pressing as hard into her as I could until I became aware of the roar of catcalls and applause surrounding us. I lifted my head which left us both breathless and panting and was greeted by a standing ovation from pretty much every single person in the bar. I shared a shocked look with Shaw and we simultaneously burst out laughing. I took a brief bow with she curtsied making everyone else laugh along with us as she pressed back up against me to give me another kiss that turned my head to mush. The combination of a few beers, her soft mouth and that ridiculously short dress was enough to have me cutting out of my own party early. We hung out long enough for Jet to get on strange and sing me happy birthday and for me to instruct Nash to maintain a low profile when he came home as well as grab whatever gifts I had collected from people and then I was hustling Shaw out the door well before midnight.
We held hands in the truck on the way home and made small talk about what we had been up to in our time apart. I was glad to hear that she was pretty much doing the same things I was and that she was handling the situation with Gabe in a professional and no nonsense matter. She was amazing and I was truly lucky to have her as mine.
When I let her into the apartment I was ready to just drag her to the bedroom and have my way with her but she kicked off her sexy heels and padded to the kitchen to grab us a couple drinks. I was anxious and aroused but I didn’t want to push her so I followed her to the couch and took the beer she handed me. She sat facing me and reached out to put her hands in my hair. It felt nice but there were plenty of other places I wanted her hands so I asked her, “Why are you always playing with my hair?”
“Because you change it so much and it always feels different. This is the first time it’s all natural and I can’t believe how soft it is.”
“I thought you liked the hawk?”
“I do. I like it however it is but when it’s normal like this it makes you look more approachable.”
She seemed nervous which was weird. This was an area we had never had any issues with before so I wasn’t sure what to do to put her at ease. I clicked the neck of my beer against hers and gave her a lopsided grin. “Happy birthday to me.”
She smiled back and shifted so that her hair slid forward. “So I need to tell you something before you get your present.”
Her tone was pretty serious so my mind immediately went to all the worst possibilities, there had been someone else while we were apart, Gabe had hurt her worse than anyone knew and she wasn’t ready for intimacy yet, she didn’t really want to be in a relationship with me, she was moving to Peru and it took every single ounce of self-control I had not to freak out and ruin whatever progress we made today.
“Alrighty hit me with it.”
“It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“Shaw I’m dying here. Just talk to me.” She put her beer down and scooted closer to me on the couch which pulled the hem of her dress tantalizingly up her pale thighs. If she didn’t spit it out soon I was taking her to bed regardless and we could just hash it out in the morning. She put a hand on either side of my face and pulled me down so that we were literally eye to eye.
“All that stuff about being nice and trying to be someone different to make being together easier applies to the bedroom too, right?”
I felt my eyebrows shoot up and I tugged on her tiny waist until she was straddling my lap. “What are you getting at Casper? Just spit it out.”
She made a face and I saw her skin heat to a pretty shade of hot pink. “Nice Rule, the Rule that goes with this hair is boring in bed, I don’t like him. I just want normal Rule back and everything that comes with him. It’s been awhile so I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page.”