All Shook Up

by Ashley Bostock

  She’d snatched the ensemble up just about as quickly as Levi unpacked it from the box, literally pulling it away from his grasp. Levi. She’d never met anyone quite like him and was surprised from the heat of their kisses. Two firework finale-type kisses. And then he was gone just about as quickly as the smoke dissipated from the finale.

  Cole had the key code to the back door and he knew to let himself in. She wandered upstairs where there were more comfortable chairs for her to listen to music while she waited. Cole had kept her large table she’d hand painted, but he’d ordered modern chairs that were upholstered in lavender as well as a magenta Victorian couch that looked like it belonged in an old-time movie with its white edging and button detail against the cushion.

  She pulled an Elvis record out of its sleeve and placed it on the turntable. A strange feeling drifted over Jillian’s body. Not dread, but not a peaceful feeling either. Nerves, she decided. This was her first date since she went to a Together.com function at the Brown Palace. They were a matchmaking website based out of Denver and while she hadn’t joined the website looking for a match, she’d gone to their dating roundtable where they sat you down for ninety seconds and allowed you the chance to talk to other people to potentially date. Once those ninety seconds were up, you rotated to the next table.

  While she’d met some good-looking men who seemed to have their shit together, nothing fruitful had ever panned out from the two dates she’d gone on after the roundtable function.

  One last look in the mirror confirmed she looked fine—except for one straggly piece of hair that didn’t want to seem to move away from her forehead—she looked fine. Great, actually. She felt great, too. Cole Carrington was going to drop to his knees when he saw her.

  She swayed to the music waiting for him to show up and the waiting just dragged on and on. At least that was what it felt like when in actuality the record player was just coming to its first few second pause before the next song played. That was when she heard the tell-tale signs of his footsteps as he reached the bottom of the staircase and the railing creaked as he grabbed ahold.

  Elvis Presley crooned “One Night” and her heart began a triple-rhythm beat as she waited for Cole to make his ascent up the staircase.

  He reached the landing and she got a full look at him. “Hi,” she said breathlessly.

  “Surprise,” he said, as he twirled one of Levi’s hats between his hands. Levi’s hat. But why would he have Levi’s hat? Her eyes drifted up his chest and to his face.

  Cole had the same cut above is eye as…Levi? Then, everything clicked into place. Oh, God, Levi was…Cole. Cole was Levi. He tricked her? Her heart went from triple beats to a complete standstill as she thought about what this meant and the look must have shown on her face because Cole was at her side in an instant.

  “You’re Levi?” Her eyes began to fill with tears. She could see the distinct similarities now. Everything that was really Cole. His broad shoulders and chest. The way he held himself when he walked. His full lips and the cocky turn of his mouth when he smiled. That was when she realized she wasn’t attracted to two men at all.

  She was attracted to one.

  A very fine one.

  His hand came up and his thumb brushed across her lower lip. “It’s always been me,” he whispered.

  She closed her eyes and a single tear slipped from her cheek. The open house, the inventory, his last day when she’d given him the record player. The burning attraction she could never let go of. All of it flowed through her body.

  She kissed his thumb on a sigh, her heart expanding. “It’s always been you.”

  He caught the tear on her cheek with his lips, and she laced her arms around his waist as his mouth started to move along her cheek, her temple. She let her head fall back and he trailed kisses down her neck, over her chin and finally, as if she’d been waiting all her life for that moment, along her mouth.

  Her hands moved from the side of him, to up and around his neck as she let him devour her. She refused to close her eyes so she could soak everything about him and the moment into her memory forever.

  “Why?” she asked between nibbles.

  “I had to see.” One kiss along her bottom lip. “What was going wrong with–” Two more kisses along her neck. “–The store. I thought Rebekah would be here. I didn’t know it was going to be you.”

  A moan escaped her mouth as his hands worked diligently to unbutton the top of her blouse, his palms brushing against the sensitive peaks of her breasts. Her nipples pointed to attention, craving his touch. Then his mouth was on her collar bone and chest, leaving wet trails as he went. Finally pulling the blouse completely open, exposing her sheer bra and flat stomach, Cole wrapped her up into his arms and backed her against the wall.

  “I wanted it to be you for so long, Cole.” She whimpered as she bit into her lip.

  “Nice bra. Been wondering how often you wore it,” he admired.

  He remembered! Ohh, goodness. His mouth teased her nipples though the delicate lace as his fingers struggled to find a zipper on her skirt. Before she could point out that the zippers were on the sides, Cole had it yanked up to her midriff, exposing her stockings and the thin straps of her garter belt.

  He stepped back, his mouth wet and his eyes blazing with a fire that she so badly wanted to draw out. Wanted him to follow her around the entire Earth in a slow burn just like she was burning for him.

  “I’ve been fantasizing about you in this getup since the day you had me set it aside for you. You make it hard to breathe,” he said in a low voice. “You’re spectacular, Jillian. Tell me to stop if this isn’t what you want.”

  His gaze held firm on hers and between the flight of butterflies in her belly and the cool air slithering along her skin, she gave a definitive shake of her head. “If you stop, I’d have to kill you.”

  He chuckled and pressed his mouth against hers in a feverish passion. Their souls melded into one as his hands possessed every inch of her body, threatening to make her combust. His deft fingers slid along the seam of her panties, pressing into her heat making her hum.

  She slid her hands across his suit jacket. “Off. Take it off.” She panted.

  He shrugged out of his jacket and his warm hands caressed her skin again. Her blouse dropped to the floor and he pulled her bra down beneath her breasts. His mouth was hot as he bit her skin, eliciting a moan of pleasure from her throat as he did. This was what she had been waiting for. Life-shattering man skills. He possessed it with such a quiet confidence it tilted her world.

  Her clit hummed in needy frustration and she attempted to rub against his pants. To feel anything of his solid body. He dropped to his knees and with skilled hands, he unhooked the garter from her stockings. Slow and steady. First one, then two. His large fingers cradled the lacy edges of her panties and gently slid them down her thighs, the smooth withdrawal pleasantly tickling her legs. Amid her heaving chest, she watched as his green eyes turned emerald while he pulled one of her legs over his shoulder where he began placing tiny kisses along the inside of her thigh.

  Thank God she’d been waxed recently because it was worth every penny with the way his eyes glinted when he looked up at her. “You’re trying to kill me,” he whispered hoarsely as he trailed a gentle finger along her slick folds, his beautiful green eyes fully engrossed in watching his finger move against her. Jillian’s clit fluttered as he worked his way up and then down her center in slow, sure swipes and she tried with all her might to simply hang on and not let the single leg that was helping hold her, give out.

  When his mouth touched her, it was utter bliss. She jerked against the wall as his warm tongue flattened against her sensitive clit as he took a long stroke. She threaded her hands in his hair as he feasted on her. Nerve endings crawled through Jillian’s body from her head to her toes. He slid his fingers inside of her, curving them toward her belly button to hit the perfect spot and the act elicited another moan from her mouth as she clenched around them. Her
head tipped back and her eyes closed momentarily but not for long. She wanted to watch him.

  It. Was. Hot.

  He was hot.

  His white dress shirt was stretched taut along his back and thick, full arms and her garter belt straps hung against the expanse of her creamy thighs as his right hand held onto her knee, assisting in holding her up and spreading her legs apart so there was enough space for him, while he filled her with his fingers as he licked and sucked her into his mouth.

  Tingles spread across the surface of her damp skin, creating their own path from her curling toes up her thighs and across her clit, only to finish at her hardened nipples. Ecstasy was coming. She could feel the beginnings of a quiver in her legs and pounding of her pulse as her clit started to tremble. The euphoric feeling traveled from her spine up to the base of her neck, leaving her head cloudy just as her imminent climax came upon her.

  She yanked his hair, pulling his head into her pussy as he drew the orgasm from her with the suction of his mouth. “Oh God, I can’t take it,” she pleaded, her free leg starting to buckle.

  Cole held on to her and gently lifted her leg from his neck making sure she was able to stand on her own before he let her go. He kissed her mouth with his and she tugged on his belt and easily unzipped his trousers. He was hot against her fingertips as she edged her hands into his black briefs. His pants fell in a heap and she edged his underwear down, bending to pull them past his knees and she had a moment of glory when she caught sight of him.

  Cole was beautiful. And large. And soft, she enjoyed, as she rubbed her thumb and forefinger along the head of his cock. He reflexively tilted his hips into her palm as she gripped him and she delighted at the air he released between his teeth.

  “Condom. In my jacket.” He stepped away from her and retrieved the packet, tearing it open so quickly it made her heart skip.

  Awareness skittered along her spine as she watched him roll it over his throbbing erection. He took two steps toward her and lifted her with ease against the wall so that her legs hung loosely at his sides and his cock bobbed against her wetness. This. Oh, yes. This had never felt so right.

  His gaze lingered on hers and she felt like he was reading into her soul. In this moment, it was his eyes that knew her wants and needs. When he edged into her, slowly stretching her to accommodate him, the pressure building inside of her was too much. She whimpered as he thrust himself inside of her and they both groaned as he stopped.

  “More. Give it to me, Cole. Now,” she demanded. The music had stopped and in the echoey silence all that could be heard was their labored breathing. He battled something inside of himself as he stayed still for a few beats and then finally, he moved.

  Her legs tightened around him.

  Pulling himself out slowly and pushing back inside just as slowly. He moved her hands above her head, locking her wrists in place with one of his large hands and then the tempo changed. He pumped furiously inside of her and she writhed in delight, skirt still bunched up around her waist, garter belt swaying around her thighs as he fucked her.

  And it was exactly what she needed.

  Her orgasm came faster than the first one and she clenched her eyes shut at the onslaught of pleasure and pain that was coming undone inside of her. She convulsed over and over against him, letting herself get lost in the sensations that she hadn’t felt in so long. Holding on to him, reveling in his smell, his strong touch and the feel of him inside of her. Cole slowed his rhythm and dropped his forehead against hers as she felt him tense in her arms.

  The smallest sigh escaped his mouth as he came. “Jillian.”

  “Cole,” she whispered, breathless and sweaty against his body. It felt magical. Right. The two of them together was bread and butter. It was perfect. Exhilarating. Content.

  They untangled themselves from one another and he excused himself to the bathroom, half-way pulling up his pants as he walked away, giving Jillian a chance to check out his muscular butt and toned back as well as a chance to regain her thoughts.

  She’d just had the best fucking sex of her entire life. She laughed at the absurdity of the entire situation. At the idea that the man she’d been with constantly for the past three weeks was the same man she’d been getting flirty with over text messages. She buttoned her blouse and began to fix her garter when Cole came back in the room.

  “Let me help you with that.” He dropped to his knees in front of her and before buckling her up, he kissed her legs again and again. It wasn’t the awkward after sex. Nothing felt awkward about this and it delighted Jillian. There were so many times these moments felt forced when both parties wanted to hit the road. But not now. It was sweet and comfortable. Caring. She told her heart not to fall for him, because as she watched his fingers move effortlessly over the clips and stockings, he was making it too damn easy right now.

  The man knew how to work a garter belt.

  The man knew how to do a lot of things.

  “Thank you. Is that why you left so suddenly, was because you got what you were looking for?” Jillian asked regarding his undercover stint.

  “Jillian, you’re more than efficient. You’ve shown how invaluable you are. Once I saw you in action, as well as the numbers, I realized Lacie’s was in good hands.”

  “Gosh, I can’t believe I didn’t see the resemblance. I’m a fool,” she said.

  “My friend Carlos helped me with everything. He said the full beard would throw people off as well as those stupid earrings. My friends claimed I wasn’t that easy to recognize. In all seriousness though, I have to know that you understand I meant no harm to you. And everything I ever said in regards to you and the business was all true.”

  Jillian considered everything. Everything. From the moment he walked into The Peekeasy and touched the oval vibrator to helping her at the open house. All the dancing. Oh, gosh, all that dancing. His quiet singing. Her heart tripped up a little more.

  Add all those to the list of why she was falling for Cole.

  “I’m more light-hearted and down-to-earth than to get all bent out of shape over this. Point being, I never hated you for not renewing my lease. Trust me, I wouldn’t have just had the best sex of my life if I thought you had bad intentions toward me. Owning The Peekeasy, hell, I wouldn’t have hesitated to do the same thing if the need had arisen.”

  A small grin touched his mouth. “The best sex of your life, huh?”

  She threw him a cheeky grin. “What happened to that Rebekah lady?”

  “Found out she was stealing from the store. I know her son and he told me that she went to Sturgis and got a job there. There’s more going on there; they are good people, I just haven’t cared enough yet to go and figure it out. You have been about all I can think about.”

  “I’m sorry about Rebekah. I knew she was wrong for this place.”

  Cole laced his hand with hers and took a deep breath. “One thing though, even though I’ve told you this before, I am sorry about The Peekeasy. My intention was never to put you out of business. Ever.” He squeezed her hand and his eyes clung to hers, waiting for her reaction.

  “I know. I’m not worried. I thought I was doing things so wrong at The Peekeasy, and I thought after I fell into this job that it must have been fate. I could see what I had been messing up there since I had backing and training for this place, I thought it would be a win-win. Now, I see that there wasn’t anything particular that I had done wrong. I believe that The Peekeasy just hadn’t had time to grow enough for me to have the resources to open in another swanky location.” Jillian laughed as Cole sat on the couch and pulled her into his lap. “Oh my gosh, after your text last night, I couldn’t get over how cocky you were. Looks like you were right though.”

  “About letting me see your goods?” He flashed that devastatingly handsome grin again.

  Her heart went wild. “I was determined to make you hold out. Until I saw it was you.”

  “Then you had no choice but to let me into those panties?” he tease
d.

  She got lost in the green tones of his eyes. She shook her head slowly. “No choice. Not after all the nights I left here with pent up sexual frustrations over the looks you’d throw my way.”

  Cole laughed. “You about killed me the other night when you sat there stroking that monster cock of yours. I wanted to throw you down then and there, cover be damned.”

  Jillian laughed. “I wasn’t stroking it that way.”

  “Maybe not intentionally, but I was so damn hard watching you touch it, nevertheless.”

  Jillian shrugged. “That is what those things are for, you know? To meet a person’s needs when they need it.”

  “What would that say about a man’s abilities if his significant other was always using toys to please herself?” Cole snickered.

  “It doesn’t have anything to do with that,” she countered. Okay, definitely not the time to tell him she was a Vibrator Expert. Maybe there would never be a good time. Time to change the subject. “But you were imagining it was your cock I was stroking?”

  “Sure was. It made me hard as hell,” Cole said.

  “Like you are now?” She rubbed her bottom against his crotch.

  “Mmmm-hmmm.” He nuzzled his mouth into her neck. “Are you ready for round two, Jillian? Because you and I have a lot to catch up on.”

  After another round of sex, which they’d managed to undress completely for, she and Cole lay awkwardly tangled on the couch, his large leg in between hers with her head resting against his chest.

  “So you really think Lacie’s will be okay?” Jillian asked.

  “I looked at the numbers last night. They’re solid,” he said as he traced lazy circles along her back.

  “What do you in your office all day?” she asked.

  “I boss everyone around,” he teased. “There’s always something that needs my attention. I’m working on a big project right now that needs direction sometimes. But Deluxe Posh isn’t just a company that houses other businesses, we design women’s clothing. We’re always dealing with models for spreads. Photoshoots. Photographers who are bossy. There are numerous aspects of my entire corporation that need dealt with every day.”