Incomplete

by L. A. Fiore

  Gage’s tongue entered her mouth, touching hers. A bolt of lightning crashed down before a clap of thunder coursed through the air. With the same intensity of the storm, exploration turned to need as Gage and Tilly dueled for power, both reaching deep inside one another’s mouth, learning and savoring the other. A growl escaped Gage’s mouth, and coasted down Tilly’s throat. She answered with a whimper. Both relaxing into each other, Gage ended their kiss with a brush of his lips along hers. His breathing heavy. Tilly was breathless as she slowly opened her eyes.

  “Jesus,” Gage whispered roughly. He knew from the moment they started chatting that his life had shifted. From their conversations, it had become unsteady, guilt always trying to stop the whirl he felt. But from one kiss, it turned upside down. And his feet would never be planted back where they left. With her in his arms, he gazed into her hazel eyes. Her feelings clear in what Gage saw. He whispered, “I couldn’t walk away if I wanted to.”

  Her eyes burned. Staring up at him, she couldn’t put her thoughts into words. She’d known from the start, there was something to their connection. Right or wrong, it was strong. But this. She looked into his eyes and knew she couldn’t walk away either. Softly, she confessed, “The only walking I’m doing is toward you.”

  Gage moved his hand from her neck and tightly enclosed his arms around her. Feeling her body pressed against him caused his cock to twitch. He had no fucking clue how he was supposed to let her go. He squeezed her, his voice low when he said, “Fuck, Till, what the hell did we get ourselves into?”

  Any doubts she may have had, she no longer did. People may call it wrong, but there was nothing wrong with how she felt about him. She answered honestly, “Something wonderful.”

  He pushed her back, looked into her eyes and held her gaze for a beat. He watched the rain drops landing on her face. “We should probably go under there.” He chuckled while jerking his head to the awning.

  She looked up at the sky, feeling a happiness she hadn’t felt in far too long. Looking back at him, she grinned. “Why? We’re already wet.”

  Gage stepped back, grabbed her hand and briskly started for the covering. “Yeah, but don’t need you getting sick either.”

  She didn’t put up a fight when he pulled her to the cover offered by the awning. The rain against the metal echoed in the small space.

  Gage halted his steps and turned, causing Tilly to slam into his chest. Their eyes only briefly met before his mouth took hers. Their hands grabbed at one another. Breaths heavy as they let the want and need that had been simmering boil over. With fierceness, their tongues tangled. Gage groaned, pressing his hard cock against her thigh. Tilly moaned; her legs spread so she could rub against him. Gage angled his knee between Tilly’s legs, her body pushing into him.

  She yanked her mouth from his, panting she whispered, “You feel so good.” Her body was on fire. Her hands moving all over him, desperate to learn his body.

  “So do you.” Gage rotated them, his hands moving to her waist. He lifted her and placed her ass on the table. His hands went to hers, lacing them. “Oh,” he expressed, holding up a finger as he jogged to his truck.

  Tilly didn’t want him to go, not even to his truck. How she was going to leave him, knowing she had to, she didn’t want to think about it. Her finger touched her lips, thinking of his kiss and her tongue followed, savoring his taste. Her heart sped up watching as he came back to her. It was a sight she could grow addicted to seeing.

  Getting what he had, he walked back in steady steps. Once he stood in front of her, he held the large cup of pumpkin spice coffee in front of her. He had told her about a place that made the best coffee he’d ever tasted. Knowing that flavor was one of her favorites, he stopped. “Pumpkin spice, from that coffee shop I told ya about. Thought you might like to try it.”

  She didn’t reach for the cup. Her eyes stung. Something so simple, a thoughtful gesture, but she rarely was on the receiving end of one. She was sure she wasn’t hiding what she was feeling when she confessed, “I’m in trouble.”

  “Yeah,” Gage muttered as her fingers wrapped around the foam cup, grazing his. “So the fuck am I,” he admitted, holding her eyes.

  Taking the cup, she watched him from over the rim as she took a sip. The flavors exploded on her tongue. It was delicious, but after their kiss, it paled in comparison. “It’s good, really good.”

  “Told ya.” He smiled. Then for the first time in person, Gage watched as Tilly’s lips tipped up into a wide smile. If his hands weren’t firmly planted on her thighs, he would have teetered. “Jesus,” he grumbled staring at her mouth.

  She couldn’t look away, soaking up the sight of him, when she asked softly, “It was the smile, wasn’t it? Cause yours took my breath.”

  He didn’t respond, just pressed his lips to hers in answer. He pulled back, taking her in again. Her long brown hair was drying, hanging heavy against her shoulders. The damp material of her clothing clung to her body. A small black smudge of mascara lay underneath her right eye. But Gage saw nothing but the beauty of her, from the outside all the way to the inside. He told her, “It’s more than your smile, sweetheart.” Gage’s eyes roamed down her before he uttered, “It’s everything.”

  She covered his one hand with hers, linking their fingers. She felt the calluses and thought about those hands on her body. There wasn’t just an ache between her legs, but one in her heart, too. Looking up into those soulful eyes, she murmured, “It is everything. I’m not sure how I’m going to get back in my car and drive away from you.”

  He raised a hand and wiped away the black under her eye with his thumb, watching it disappear as he did. “Me either.”

  The weather around them had calmed. The downpour giving way to a drizzle. Bright blue skies peeked out from the gray low hanging clouds that were moving quickly across the sky, as Mother Nature’s wrath lost steam. Just like the time they had, moving quickly as the minutes counted down.

  Gage glanced at his watch. An hour had already passed. Tilly watched as he took a deep breath, knowing exactly why he did and feeling the same. “You hungry?”

  “I could go for a bite,” she said then added, “I left the house without eating. I was in a hurry.”

  He breathed out a chuckle. “Can’t imagine why you would be.” He winked at her. “Me too.” Then he put his hand out. “Give me your keys, I’ll park your car.” He reached in his pocket and handed his to her. “Go get in my truck.” With his hand out, he saw her staring at him, lost in her head, and he leaned down and pressed a kiss firmly to her lips.

  After she dropped the keys into his hand, she watched him walk to her car. She should feel guilty, should feel something, but she didn’t. All she felt was impatient to have his company again. She didn’t move to his truck until he climbed behind the wheel of her car. Pulling the door open, she took a second because his scent wafted out to her. If only she could bottle it. So many times she’d talked to him while he was in his truck, and now, here she was. She looked at everything; it was just a truck, but it was his truck. She didn’t let herself think about his wife sitting where she settled. She only thought of him, them, and how a simple game had brought them together. Some would call it luck. She thought it was more fate.

  Gage took a few extra minutes in Tilly’s car than necessary. Not only was the soft scent of her lingering in the small space, but it was hers. He looked around, saw the crumpled up napkin in the cup holder, wondering what it was from. A candle shaped air freshener hung from the rearview mirror, a hair clip latched the small string. He looked between his legs to the tan leather. His mind drifting to how many times her husband sat in that seat, Tilly at his side. Gage’s eyes coasted to the passenger seat. The relaxed knot in his gut began to twist. But before Gage could feel the tug of it, he shut the car off, pulled the keys from the ignition and made his way toward his truck.

  They chose a small cafe that bot
h had passed on their way in. It was lunch, a simple task most did everyday, but to them, it was more than that. Small smiles, lingering eyes and light conversation held them through their meal.

  “Can I get you anything else?” The waitress asked, eyes on Gage.

  Gage looked at Tilly and raised his brows silently asking if she wanted anything else.

  Tilly glanced at the waitress, who had been eyeing Gage since they entered, chuckled and met Gage’s eyes. “I’m good, though I could be persuaded to split a slice of pie.”

  Gage winked at Tilly and without asking her, ordered a slice of cherry crumb pie, knowing it was her favorite. “Saw a huge nursery on the way in, wanna check it out?”

  Tilly didn’t answer him; she was still on him ordering her favorite pie. He remembered. Her husband never remembered, anything. One conversation, weeks ago, and Gage remembered. “You ordered cherry pie.”

  Gage drew his brows together, confused, he asked. “I thought that was your favorite.” He glanced around the small space looking for their waitress. “We can order something else.”

  Her heart rolled in her chest. Small gestures, she never realized how impacting they could be. She reached for his hand, his focus turning back to her. “It is my favorite.”

  It was the look in her eyes that had him not moving the conversation any farther. He didn’t need to ask, he saw right through her. It was something her husband didn’t do anymore. Before he had a chance to hold it back, Gage looked to their connected hands and grumbled lowly. “Asshole.” She didn’t respond.

  The waitress returned, dropping the plate in the center of the table with a thud, separating them. “You didn’t say whether you wanted whipped cream or not…” Her focus was only on Gage, “So I made the call.” She didn’t hide her interest when she added, “Everything tastes better with whipped cream.”

  “Shit doesn’t.” Tilly responded, causing the waitress to look at her for the first time since they entered the cafe. Tilly dropped her head on her hand, staring at the waitress and asked sweetly, “Or does it?”

  The waitress had no comment, even rolled her eyes, before looking back at Gage and offering, “Enjoy.”

  “She’d like to put whipped cream on you,” Tilly said, watching the waitress walk away before returning her gaze to a grinning Gage. Fuck, she wanted to put whipped cream on him and lick it off, every drop. Huskily, she added, “I get the feeling that happens to you a lot.”

  “For one, I fucking hate whipped cream in the bedroom. Why would anyone wanna mask the flavor of their partner?” He winked and added, “Two, yeah, I do.” Gage shrugged.

  She felt those words; they went right between her legs. Acting on what she was feeling, Tilly scooped up some whipped cream, held his stare and said, “We’re not in the bedroom.” Before she licked the cream off her fork.

  Gage’s cock twitched watching Tilly lick the white cream off the fork. He cracked his neck from side to side and took a deep breath. “Jesus, Till. Stop that shit.”

  She looked down, felt the heat creep up her neck, but she was smiling. This time, it was pie she scooped up. Lifting her gaze, she asked, “You’ve actually used whipped cream in the bedroom?”

  Gage reached for his fork, eyes to the pie, digging into the cherries. “Who hasn’t?” Then with his eyes to hers, he placed the heavy piece in his mouth.

  She couldn’t pull her eyes from his mouth. She wanted to kiss him right then, tasting the pie and him. Swallowing became difficult, so her voice was a bit rough when she said, “I haven’t.”

  Gage drew his brows together and cocked his head. “Really?” he asked.

  Tilly shrugged. “Priorities. I’m not one.”

  Their eyes were connected when Gage told her, “Maybe one day, I can help you with that.”

  Like a wave, lust rolled over her. “Maybe, but you make a good point. You taste so good already, why mask it.”

  “Exactly.” Gage winked at Tilly before moving in for another bite.

  _______________

  Gage found he was constantly looking at his watch, counting down the hours they had left, which consisted of two. They’d been walking around the nursery for almost an hour and a half. Closely looking at the flowers, taking moments to stop and chat. Even stealing kisses in the aisles. It was when Gage was looking at the different variety of soils that he caught Tilly out of the corner of his eye. She was talking with a worker, her face bright and carefree. The way her body moved, the small smiles she was throwing at Trevor had a burning sensation crawling up Gage’s chest. It was the beauty of her, all of it. One that Gage knew he could get used to. Imagined waking up to it everyday. That smile.

  But… she wasn’t his to have.

  That realization barreled its way to the forefront of his mind. His head fell, and he looked to the concrete as he sucked in a deep breath. What was he doing? Not only was he breaking vows, he was punishing himself. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t stand there and watch something he wanted so badly but couldn’t have. It hurt. It hurt like a fucking thorn in his side. A sweep of emotions crawled up his throat, feeling as if hands were choking him. He lifted his head, eyes quickly roaming the outside patio that was filled with flowers, looking for water. And it was during his meltdown that Tilly’s gaze collided with his.

  Tilly had been talking with Trevor about design work. She had an idea, one that she gotten from Gage. Priorities, she was guilty of not making herself one, too, but she had Gage to thank for opening her eyes. She sought him out to share what she was thinking and caught sight of him. The smile died on her lips. She recognized the look because it was one that had stared back at her a few times since meeting Gage. Their day together had been the best day she could ever remember having. It was so easy being with him, so easy believing that the world around them didn’t exist, that here and now was all there was. They both knew that was a beautiful lie. Her heart ached because wanting something you couldn’t have wasn’t easy. Finding something you never knew you were looking for, but at the wrong time, hurt like hell.

  Where did they go from here? How many people did they hurt just so they could hold on to something they never should have reached for? Her eyes burned. She didn’t have the answer, even knowing what was expected. She walked to him, not stopping until she was pressed up against him, her arms going around his waist as she offered him silent understanding.

  Gage wrapped his arms around Tilly’s shoulder, holding her tight against him. His head bowed, taking a brief second to close his eyes and reel in the scent of her. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, “I don’t know if I can do this, baby.” He confessed and admitted, “I feel the pain. The pain of leaving you, and it’s ripping me apart inside.”

  Tears filled her eyes as her arms held him tighter. She didn’t want to let him go, but she didn’t know if she could do this either. Maybe it would have been better for them to not know, easier to let go because, at some point, they had to let go, but she was honest when she whispered, “The grass is greener.”

  “Fuck,” Gage muttered. “Everything smells sweeter.”

  She looked up at him, a face she’d only seen in pictures until today, but one she knew every line of. Even aching inside, she smiled when she teased, “The sun wasn’t brighter.”

  Gage looked down and grinned. “Not like we fucking noticed anyway.” He laid his lips to her forehead, leaving them there. Memorizing the feel beneath them, the way her arms felt around him. Regretfully, he lifted his head. “Let’s get outta here.”

  She wasn’t going to see him again. Even knowing it was for the best, the thought was unbearable. She had him now, so she tried to smile, tried to push back the pain. There would be plenty of time for that later. She reached for his hand. “Okay.”

  Gage and Tilly spent the last few hours sitting in his truck, parked under an oak tree in the park. The talking they did was light, but the air sur
rounding them was heavy. Not just heavy with the guilt of what they were doing, but weighty with the knowledge that this wasn’t just the first time they’d spend together, but the last. Their kisses no longer held intensity of the need and want for each other, but rather, steady and slow for the remembrance. When they said goodbye, both held their emotions at bay, leaving them for the privacy of their hour drive.

  Gage stood by Tilly’s car, his hands tucked in his pocket, so he wouldn’t reach for her, his head bent. She hadn’t been able to pull away, didn’t want to say goodbye to him. How the hell was she going to get past this? She didn’t know, but looking into his eyes, her heart broke. “I met the wrong man at the right time. I don’t regret my marriage because I have two beautiful children.” She lowered her head and inhaled, struggling to keep the tears at bay. “Now I meet the right guy at the wrong time.” Her eyes found his. “It hurts so fucking much.” She couldn’t stop the tears when she added, “I’m going to miss you.” Like air, but she didn’t say that.

  Gage closed his eyes, felt her words enclosing his heart, squeezing the life from him. When he gained enough power, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. The brightness was gone, replaced with sadness as it streamed down her face. Mindlessly, Gage removed a hand from his pocket and swept away a tear with his thumb. “Fuck.” He uttered and took a deep shaky breath. “Be happy.” He whispered, staring one last time in her eyes as he drifted his thumb down her cheek. Without another word, Gage turned and walked away. On the way to his truck, a tear coasted down his cheek as he sucked in an unsteady breath. He knew if he didn’t leave in that moment, he never would. He had to do what neither of them wanted to do. Be the man and walk away. So, he was the first one who pulled out of the park.