Chapter 20: Declarations
Annabeth POV
The sunlight shone through my grey, slightly transparent, curtains, and woke me up as the clock said 8:41. The first thought that raced through my head was Why the hell is my head pounding?But then I remembered the many glasses of wine consumed between the hot tub and the poker game and the final one Percy and I snuck down in the middle of the night to consume (in the few moments our lips weren't connected).
I giggled aloud recalling the way he tried to pour the wine glass into my mouth, holding my own hands behind my back. When I was laughing too hard and made the red liquid drip down my chin down onto my breasts, he wasted no time in dragging his tongue along the trail of wine, giving extra attention to the sensitive parts of my body.
The second thought that consumed my attention as I slowly sat up in my childhood bed, was that Percy was no longer taking up two thirds of the bed, with drool peeking out from the side of his mouth.
I tried to downplay how much I wished he was here to wake me up with a kiss, rather than the sunlight which only worsened the pounding in my head.
Damn, in college I could drink three days in a row, drinking God knows what, and wake up at 7 AM the morning after a binge feeling ready to run half marathon, yet here I am, wanting to lay in bed all day to nurse this hangover. Age does something to you.
Instead of focusing on the headache, and my now desperate need for a tall glass of water, I instead chose to think about the details of last night. The way that Percy's tan, toned body felt pushed against mine as we arched our backs into each other. The way his calloused hands felt on the side of my face, on my boobs, on my waist, on my inner thighs, and buried inside of me. The way Percy maintained eye contact with me, as he made me unravel time after time. The way he seemed to just fitwith me.
I have had my fair share of hookups, but nothing has ever come close to the amount of pleasure and desire and lust and another dangerous L word that I experienced last night and into the wee hours of the morning.
Well shit…
Shaking my head and feeling my mane of blonde curls fall into my eyes I decide that I need to get my day moving, instead of wallowing in my pity party regarding my head and the absence of Percy. I grunt as I left my legs over the bed, glancing at my bare body.
After waddling over to my dresser to put on a pair of leggings to go on a morning walk in, and putting on a tight Lulu lemon tank top that hugged my waist, I stared at myself in my bathroom mirror.
Even though I tried to keep a neutral face, I couldn't help but let a smirk that morphed into a full fledge grin take place on my face. My grey eyes looked slightly blue as they shone with a new sparkle I hadn't seen in a long time.
I can't help but marvel at how differently this trip home has turned out. While I was expecting tight, forced smiles and awkward small talk, I have shared details about myself to a man who truly cares and wants to get to know me. Not only that, but my family members haven't looked at me like I am a flea in their home, but instead a true member of the household.
As I walked down the stairs, I saw Fiona drinking a cup of coffee wearing a similar outfit to mine, except her legs were longer and a tad bit thinner than my own. That model has a body. Sitting on the couch was the pregnant Sarah, reading the newspaper, while my step-mom was hunched over the sink, always making sure the house was perfect.
"Hey sweets, I was just about to wake you up and ask if you wanted to go on a walk. Time to get the day moving," Fiona said. Normally the use of a name like 'sweets' would sound foreign when being directed at me, but the way it rolled off of her tongue made me feel like I had discovered a long lost friend.
In the past, I had been so caught up in the fact that I was 'less' than both my step-brothers and their trophy wives, that I had never given either of the women a fair shot. Though Sarah hasn't wooed me over or shown any sense of a unique self, Fiona has proven to be quite a hoot.
"Hell yes I do, just let a grab a to-go mug of coffee," I ignored Whitney's glare the use of the word 'hell'. I could alter my language to some extent for her, but I had the mouth of a sailor, and curse words seemed to be engraved in my vocabulary.
We hit the front patio, and Fiona started with a quick pace, her long legs giving her an advantage. I was thankful for the San Francisco fog, keeping the temperature down
"So," she started, wasting no time, "How good is Percy in bed?"
I laughed as my cheeks turned bright red, thinking about the smaller details of last night, feeling the heat flow through my body, settling at my core.
"Because I can only imagine…" she trailed off and her eyebrows went up and down.
I give her a slight shove with my shoulder as we continue our fast pace.
"He is beyond amazing," I said. "A mix of gentle, but rough, and the pace is fast but then slow, and ughhh.."
She gave me a look and laughed. "Oh honey, believe me I know the feeling."
"With my step-brother?" I asked in an incredulous tone, trying to hide the slight hint of disgust.
She merely laughed it off. "No an old fling. Your step-brother is great, but in different ways." She paused and I could sense that there was a lot more to her thoughts than just this 'fling.'
Fiona continued, "My only advice to you is to remember this feeing. Of pure love and bliss and passion. And cling to it. Don't let rationality make you choose a different path than the one that makes you the happiness."
I slowed the pace as I turned to try and look into her eyes. What she just said was so accurate it was scary. Did she know more than she let on?
She didn't meet my eyes, but said one final thread of wisdom, "I am content with where I am, but every day I wake up and think 'what if', and I wouldn't wish that feeling on to my worst enemy."
The rest of the walk continued with talk of little things, like the last book we both read, and any good shows on Netflix that we have been binging, but her advice stuck in my head like a dart in a dartboard.
All rational signs point me away from Percy.
He lives in Colorado, while I reside in New York. Neither one of us has a very stable job. I barely know him outside of our safe circle of my childhood home.
Oh, and can't forget the fact that we leave each other and this safe space in FIVE days.
But the other signs, the more irrational ones? Point me directly to him.
The way he makes me feel more comfortable in my own skin than I thought possible. The way he lifts me, and empowers me to be a strong, badass woman. Not to mention the physical aspect of him, and the fact that my body seems to be constantly aching to touch his.
These are the thoughts that I chose to let occupy my mind as I stepped through the door, to see all four men, decked out is classic golf attire. All the heads turn from their casual conversation.
I got a smile or head nod from three out of four, but one pair of emerald eyes locked onto mine, and didn't let go.
I heard his footsteps drawing nearer, then felt his arms snake their way around my waist. They drew me into his neck. The only way that could describe the way I felt was content.
One arm stayed around my waist, right above the arch of my back where my back curved to my ass. His other hand went to the back of my head, holding he still.
"My mom called and we chatted, I told her about you," he whispered in my ear and I felt chills run up my arm, and I wasn't sure if it was from the feeling of his warm breath or the words he chose to whisper.
I slowly pulled back, keeping my two hands locked behind his neck, and maintaining eye contact. His face is pulled back in a grin, the crinkles around his eyes as prominent as ever. I admired the way he had the faintest hint of a five o'clock shadow, and he rocked it.
"What did you say exactly?" I asked, in a quiet voice as well, that left no room for any other ears that were talking so close in the kitchen.
His smile got even bigger. "Just that I met the girl of my dreams a bit ago and am at her house for the holiday season, and I am putting myself back in the Olympic trials, so I won't be able to visit for a bit."
His words took the wind out of me and he sensed my shock, because his grip on my body became even tighter, pulling me so our bodies were flush against one another.
I opened my mouth to respond to that bombshell, but he cut me off with a kiss on my pursed lips. I giggled as he pulled back, then reattached his lips to mine, and this time I was expecting it.
He pulled back once again, "I am going to take a shower. Care to join?"
A/N: I'm back hehehe. Might change the rating to M so the scenes can get even better. Thoughts?