She removes her face from my chest and tilts her head back. She stares directly into my eyes. God, she’s beautiful. What I’m about to do is so wrong. She belongs to someone else, but to be fair to myself, she did belong to me first. I can’t let her leave Houston without touching her, feeling her warm skin on mine once more. I need to remember what it feels like to bury myself so deep inside her that I can barely breathe. So, I’m about to do something stupid. Even for me. But I’m doing what it takes to finally let her move on with her life. Then I will let her go. Forever.
My gaze moves from her eyes to her mouth. Her lips part slightly as her tongue darts out, bringing a vision of those full lips wrapped around my cock. This thought consumes me, and as if my brain waves are speaking directly to her, she drops to her knees.
I take a deep breath and force myself to relax. Let go. No guilt. This is goodbye. He’ll have her forever, if that’s what he chooses. And I will never have her again.
Her mouth quickly finds my erection. She drags her tongue from the base to the tip, savoring every single inch. My knees buckle as she slides her warm mouth completely over my cock. And when she pulls back, she presses her tongue firmly to the underside of my shaft before nibbling and sucking the tip hard and then soft. Hard. Soft. Hard. Soft. I squeeze my eyes closed before she takes me in again. I grip her head, holding her at the place where it feels so damn good. Even though this may be wrong, it feels so fucking right. I tell myself that this is Piper. Not some one-night stand. Or some horny drunk bitch just looking for a hard dick and a good time. This is the one. The girl I sent away because of fear. Fear of love. Fear of commitment. Fear that I would end up like my parents.
She suddenly shifts her lips from my cock to kissing my stomach and then nipping at my chest. She stands and her hands glide along my waist to my chest until they reach my shoulders. I look into her eyes, and without a spoken word, she wraps her small hand around mine, leading me through the bathroom door and into the bedroom. When we reach the bed, she slips her hand out of mine and gives me a gentle push toward the mattress. I maneuver my way to the center and prop my body up on bent arms. Then I watch, waiting for her. She doesn’t disappoint. Her toned, tan body edges toward me. Blue eyes dark with emotion. Want. Need. Desire. All gazing back at me. She needs this just as much as I do, but before it goes to the place where there is no turning back, I grab both of her wrists to stop the inevitable.
“This is it, Piper. Goodbye. I need you to be happy. And if it’s with Jack traveling all over the country, then that’s what I want.”
I look away… again. I don’t want her to see the hurt that goes along with those words. I’m doing this for her own good. Shit. Who am I kidding? I’m doing this for me. Because I’m a selfish son-of-a-bitch, and at nineteen years old, the only thing I know about relationships is that I’m not ready for one.
“Caleb, I’ll always love you. I would stay for you. To be with you… I’d give up everything for this… for us. But I’m done begging. I have a little bit of pride, you know. So, I’m gonna take what you’re giving me and walk away. Again. This time, it will be for good,” she says as she pushes me onto my back.
I close my eyes and take in everything that’s Piper. Her musky scent, the warmth of her touch as she slides her hands over my bare skin, and the wet kisses she spreads over my chest and across my neck. Fuck, can I really let her go? She presses her lips to mine softly before she wiggles her hips, catching the tip of my cock with her wet pussy. I make myself forget why I shouldn’t be doing this. I don’t think about the fact that she’s with him or why I pushed her away in the first place. The ‘I don’t give a shit’ asshole takes over, and all I want is to fuck.
I wrap my hands around her waist, pulling her down onto my cock. Hard. Just where I want her. She lets out a moan. The same moan I’ve heard a hundred times. I thrust once without caution or ease. Then a second and third time until I’m completely buried in her warmth. She holds nothing back, twisting and rotating her hips with purpose. I move my hands along her waist until they are cradling her tits. After pinching her nipples between my fingers, I pull and tug with force until I feel my orgasm racing toward me. Like always, her body senses it too. Her pussy clenches around my cock and I come. So. Fucking. Hard.
“Fuck!” I growl before looking into her glassy blue eyes. She wants to cry. The tears are sitting there just waiting to escape.
Grinding. Rocking. Grinding. Rocking. Her hips are moving faster, harder. She’s chasing that sensation. The one that makes you think you’re freefalling. But then, at the last minute, you’re caught, overtaken by something much bigger and better, so good it leaves you fucking breathless. I can feel hers as if it’s my own, starting at the tip of my cock and ricocheting to the depth of my soul.
The walls of her pussy spasm one last time before Piper throws her head back and hollers my name. “Caleb!”
She moves her head back to center before looking into my eyes. One lone tear falls from her right eye and rolls down her cheek. Yes, I am an asshole. I hate myself for this. Pushing her away would have been the right thing to do. But I’m just not that strong.
She wipes the tear from her face and looks away before she rolls off me. A part of me wants to hold her. To tell her I’m sorry, because I never intended to hurt her.
“I’ll see you Thursday,” she says as she slowly begins to pick up her clothes.
“Thursday? What’s going on Thursday?” I mumble. Damn, it’s my birthday. I open my mouth to tell her we can’t do this again. Not even on my birthday. But before I have a chance to say anything, she screams, “Fuck, you scared me!”
“Is that all you have to say? I walk in on you fucking that piece of shit, and all you can say is I scared you?”
Shit. That’s— I lean over to look around Piper, and I see him. Jack. He’s standing just inside my room with his fists clenched, jaw tense, and murder in his eyes. Why didn’t I lock the fucking door?
I quickly scan the floor next to the bed. Thankfully, the clothes I wore yesterday are still lying there. I quickly scoop them up and scramble to dress while still in bed. Once I’m dressed, I inhale and listen to the two of them. Then I wait, because I know my time is coming.
Piper continues, “No, I mean. Shit. How long have you been standing there?”
“Again, Piper. What the fuck is wrong with you? It doesn’t matter how long I’ve been standing here. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll give you a hint. I’ve been here long enough to watch my girlfriend straddling this asshole’s dick, throw her head back, and scream his name.” He points his finger toward me, before he continues, “I hope it was fucking worth it!”
Man, he is pissed. Jack takes a couple steps toward her. I hold my breath, unable to move.
“No! No! No! This is not happening. Jack, you’re not here. You can’t be. Please!” Piper pleads.
“Please what? Forget I just saw the two of you fucking? My girlfriend and my former friend!” Jack yells. He grabs her remaining clothes from the floor and throws them at her. She doesn’t move.
His voice is getting louder as he continues to yell at Piper. “Thanks for letting me waste a year of my life. And I’m not even gonna ask how long this has been going on, because it doesn’t fucking matter. I’m done with your whoring ass, and you!”
He points his finger at me, before saying, “Man, you’re a piece of work. You two deserve each other. I hope you have a happy life together, because I’m done. With both of you.” He takes a few steps backward toward the hall. I guess he’s leaving, because he turns to head out the door, but not before I let my inner asshole take over and drag this shit show out a little longer. The anger of everything that has transpired over the last year settles in my chest. Anger. Jealousy. Rage.
“Call me what you want, Jack, but you’re the one who couldn’t keep her satisfied. If you would’ve, then she wouldn’t be fucking me. So, obviously, you need to step up your game before you take on another chick.” My voice cold, mea
n, hateful. I smirk before I let out a deep rumble that vaguely resembles a laugh.
Jack isn’t amused. He bites back quickly with just as much venom in his voice. “Or maybe she’s just a whore who can’t be happy with one dick or even two. For all I know, she’s fucking me, you, and ten other guys.” He takes a step toward me, before continuing, “I think now would be a good time for you to shut the fuck up!”
But do I? Oh, hell no. I continue to say fucking awful shit. Words I don’t mean. Statements that are so hurtful I want to feel ashamed. But in this moment, I don’t really feel anything.
“I agree she’s a whore, but so is your beloved Annie. Remember I fucked her too. Your girlfriend and your best friend. Fucking classic,” I spew.
Annie was a one-night stand. We both ended up at the same party; she was drinking, and I was already drunk. But the where and the how doesn’t really matter in the big picture. Because that night was all about getting even with Jack for taking Piper away from me. So, I did what I thought would hurt him the most. I fucked Annie, his best friend.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. However, that moment of reprieve is quickly gone. Because as soon as my eyes open, Jack is standing directly in front of me, which only motivates me to continue.
“What’s wrong, Jack?” I stand, glancing over his shoulder at Piper. She hurriedly dresses before collecting the remainder of her stuff from the floor.
I continue, “Does it bother you that every chick you care anything about has crawled into my bed for the best fuck of her life?” God, what is wrong with me? I need to stop talking and let them both walk away, but my determination to hurt Jack doesn’t falter. I lean around him slightly, before saying to Piper, “We still on for Thursday night?”
She turns toward me with tears falling from her eyes. A combination of hurt and anger mask her beauty as she glares directly at me before turning away and running from my bedroom. Hell, I just called her a whore before announcing I fucked Annie. What did I expect? She hates me. I fucking hate myself. But it doesn’t stop me from continuing to be the asshole I am.
I throw my head back and laugh. I only wish I knew why I’m laughing, because nothing about this situation is even remotely funny. As soon as my head makes it back to center, the impact of Jack’s fist connects with my face, and the blow is so strong I fall back onto the bed. My hand immediately moves to my jaw.
“Shit, that fucking hurt,” I mumble.
I don’t move, because I’m in shock. That docile motherfucker actually hit me. Part of me wants to fight back, but I don’t, because I deserved it. I rub my face as I turn toward Jack. Thankfully, he’s walking away. But he stops just before making it out of the room, and says, “By the way, that hit you just took was for Annie.” Then he’s gone.
He’s finished with Piper. There’s not a doubt in my mind. But who can blame him?
I’ve got to find her, apologize for the things I said. Because not only is she losing Jack, but my words crushed her. How can something that started out so right, end up like this? We should’ve told Jack the truth. Not that it would’ve made a difference, but at least he would’ve known. Known that she was mine first.
I stand. I need to get out of this room, this house. As soon as my feet hit the floor, the room spins. Shit, I guess he hit me harder than I thought.
“Oh my God! What happened to you?” Maddie screams as she stumbles into my room.
Maddie’s one of Piper’s friends. I guess you could say her best friend, or really, her only friend. She’s a complete bitch, but she loves Piper and spends most of her time making sure she doesn’t do stupid shit. Only tonight, she just happens to be a little late. Because the stupid shit has already gone down.
I raise my head, and answer, “Not the time to ask the obvious, Maddie.”
“Please don’t tell me you had sex with her,” she whispers.
“I can’t talk about this with you,” I tell her.
She moves in a little closer to get a better look at my jaw.
“Damn. He got you good. Never took Jack for a fighter, but you were screwing his girlfriend.” She laughs.
“Maddie, please. I don’t want to relive this. At least not now,” I explain.
“I’m not asking you to. It’s just that I’m concerned about Piper. The last couple of months have been difficult for her. She misses you, Caleb.”
Maddie’s eyes are full of emotion, which isn’t typical for her. She never looks vulnerable, but today—today, she is making me uneasy.
“Difficult why?” I ask.
She moves her gaze toward the door. She’s torn, because she wants to tell me, but doesn’t want to piss off Piper.
“Fuck, Maddie. Just say it. You can’t open up like this and then not tell me. I need to know what’s going on in her head.”
“You know it’s your fault you two aren’t together. It’s your fault she’s with Jack. And it’s your fault she’s leaving town.”
I push myself off the bed to a standing position. The dizziness I felt earlier is gone. But my mind won’t stop. It continues to replay this night over and over again.
“Why is it my fault? In case you’ve forgotten, she fucked Jack while we were still together. Then wanted the freedom to be with him, so I gave it to her. And tonight, when she told me that she was leaving Houston, she seemed happy.”
“Happy? So that’s why she showed up here tonight with every intention of having sex with you? I think you’re delusional, Caleb. Wait, I take that back. I think both of you are delusional. The game that y’all have been playing just got real. You got punched in the face, and Piper more than likely got dumped. So, I hope you’re happy. Now, if it’s okay with you, I’m gonna try to find my best friend and help her pick up the pieces of her heart.” Maddie lets out a deep breath and shakes her head before stalking out of my room.
I’m officially an asshole. I never intended for this to be a game. It’s not a fucking game. It’s real. I just spent the last year of my life keeping her at a distance. Fucking around and rubbing it in her face.
I grab my keys off the nightstand and rush out the door. I’ve got to find Piper. She has to know the truth.
* * *
After spending fifteen minutes looking in every room in the house, and another ten searching outside, I finally realize she’s not here. Maddie said Piper rode to the party with her, so there’s no need for me to look for her car, because it won’t be here. That means she either left walking or with Jack. The thought of her walking this time of night doesn’t do much to ease my already guilt-ridden conscience. But her leaving with Jack is not much better.
I climb into my SUV and grip the steering wheel. Something is not right. She’s with Jack, but why? He was so adamant about their relationship being over. Why would he leave with her? I don’t think he would ever physically hurt her, but emotionally, he can rip her to shreds.
As I pull onto the highway, I know exactly where I’m going and what I’m going to say once I get there. All of this fucked up bullshit has to stop. I’ve let it go on for far too long. The jealousy, envy, or whatever the fuck I feel ends tonight. She loves me. My fucking heart aches every time I think about her with Jack, knowing it’s me she wants. I’ve been too damn stubborn to accept the truth and just let life happen.
Once I turn onto the road leading to Piper’s apartment, reality sets in. I’m the bad guy. Jack’s my friend, and I fucked his girlfriend. At least, that’s the way it appears. All my current friends are new. I’ve either met them through work or at school. I don’t hang out with my friends from high school. So, nobody knows that Piper and I spent almost an entire year together. Even if most of it was in my bed, she was still mine… first.
My heart races as I get closer to her apartment. I’m gonna spend the rest of the night—hell, the rest of my life—making this shit up to her. She’ll know it’s her. Always her. Contentment washes over me for the first time in forever.
I smile knowing things are about to change.
She’s not leaving here with him or anybody else.
She’s staying.
With me.
I roll down my window and attempt to draw in a deep breath. The night air is thick, heavy, making it almost impossible to breathe. The anticipation of getting to Piper is overwhelming. Once she’s in my arms again….
My thoughts vanish quickly due to the roaring sound of sirens followed by flashing lights. Shit. I glance at my speedometer. I’m traveling just under the speed limit. So he’s not gunning for me. But I ease over to the shoulder anyway, giving the car room to race by.
When I return to the road, I see it. A wreck.
My light, happy mood is suddenly gone. I maneuver my SUV to the edge of the road before slowing to a complete stop and jumping out. My heart pounds against my chest as I rush past the cop toward the pile of twisted metal.
When I reach the first car, a man stumbles out. He looks to be older, maybe late fifties, and has obviously had more than enough to drink. The smell of alcohol is so strong that it consumes all my senses.
The man is stumbling and slurring cuss words as he wanders around in circles. Finally, he staggers toward the shoulder of the road. He trips over his own feet and face-plants into the ditch. Out cold.
“Serves his fucking ass right,” I mumble. It doesn’t take much to figure out that this entire cluster fuck I’m witnessing is his fault.
The street lamp gives off enough light to see the devastation caused by the actions of one careless man, but a cloud of smoke causes momentary darkness. This blocks my view of the other vehicle involved, but I continue my trek until I reach the… truck. Fuck. My heart drops to the pit of my stomach as I sprint to the passenger side. I press my forehead to the glass. It’s Piper. Slumped over with the seatbelt still intact.
Beautiful Tomorrow: A Twisted Fate Novel Page 2