by L. P. Maxa
She was moaning, clawing at my flesh while whispering my name on fucking repeat. I moved my hand from her throat to her hair, fisting it, making her arch that pretty neck. I dipped low, nipping at then sucking on her skin. I felt like a man possessed. I wanted her to wear my mark. I wanted her to think of me tomorrow, I wanted her to wake up wanting more.
“You feel so fucking good wrapped around my dick, baby, you know that?” My lips were against her ear, my words spurring her on. “So fucking tight,” I growled, the sound foreign to my ears. “No one else fill you up the way I do?” She bit her lips together, refusing to answer me. I tugged her hair harder. “Tell me.”
She shook her head, her nails most likely drawing blood on my back.
“Fucking tell me.” I needed to break her just a little.
She clenched her jaw, defiance in her eyes. So I stopped. I paused mid-thrust, trailing my hand to her sharp jaw, making her look at me. I knew she hated me, but that thin line was dissolving and I couldn’t help but push her.
“No.” She gripped my ass in her hands, urging me to keep going. “No one has ever been able to fill me the way you do.” I kept my victorious smile to myself. “Now stop fucking talking, you’re ruining it.” She shot up, placing a searing bite over my heart, punishing me and turning me on at the same time.
I pulled all the way out, flipping her over and reentering her again, driving into her over and over. I wrapped her hair in my fist, dragging her body up and against my own. I kissed her neck, panting in her ear. “Good. Now fucking scream my name, baby, just like you used to.” I pushed her back down, pounding into her.
Her pussy clenched around my dick, my name on her lips as she milked me fucking dry.
Chapter Twenty
Avory
Now
Crue thought last night was the beginning of us, but really it was nothing more than me scratching an itch. I was curious if things between us would be the way I remembered, the way they’d been when we were teenagers. They hadn’t. They were better. Crue was always able to blow my fucking mind. But the way he’d made me feel last night? That was something more: it was absolutely decadent. Which pissed me off for obvious reasons. I’d suspected that no one would ever be able to make me feel pleasure the way Crue did. Now I was sure.
How was I supposed to date anyone else? How was I supposed to look forward to sex with my next boyfriend when I knew he’d never measure up to my first? I groaned, covering my face with me hands.
“Problem, baby?”
I sighed, peeking through my fingers at a still-naked Crue. He’d never had any shame, any modesty. And it looked like that hadn’t changed either. He was standing at the foot of the bed, a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. “Is that coffee for me?” I sounded hopeful because I was. I needed coffee. I had a slight emotional hang over.
“No.” He got back in bed, handing me the white porcelain mug. “But you can have some.”
It seemed intimate, sharing coffee in bed. But I certainly didn’t want him to watch me stumble around and try to find my clothes so I could go make my own. “Thank you.” I may dislike the sex god, but I still had manners.
I sipped it, wincing when it burned my tongue. I needed to get out of there. I shouldn’t’ve stayed the night. It would have been more on brand for me to walk out the door as soon as I came down from my orgasmic high. I was trying to help him move on. I was trying to prove that he didn’t matter and he never would. Sleeping cuddled up next to him was misleading for both of us.
He’d fucked me senseless, which I was sure was his plan all along. Made me come so hard I was limp and pliant. He’d basically molded me into a ball after that, spooning me as I drifted off to sleep. Asshole.
“I’ve got to go.” I took one more sip of coffee, then slipped out of bed, wrapping his crisp white sheet around my body. “I have, um, stuff.” I cringed at my awkwardness. Stuff? For fuck’s sake. I didn’t have cool plans. I needed to work, like I was sure he did.
“Okay.” He sat back against his headboard, the one that I was surprised hadn’t put a damn hole in the wall last night.
I whipped the sheet around me as leaned down to pick up my bra, undies, and shoes. I turned to the door. “Have a good day.”
“Have a good day” was about as great as “stuff.” I needed to get the fuck out of Crue’s house before his smug ass thought I was fumbling my words because he flustered me.
I left his room without another word, gathered my dress in the living room, and put on my clothes. I stepped into my heels, then strode confidently to the front door.
I knew I looked good, even first thing in the morning. My hair was no doubt messy in that overly sexed way. And my eyeliner from last night probably had me rocking a smoky eye. But after I opened the front door, I realized, hot or not, I would be doing the walk of shame in front of any and all family members who happened to see me. I was still wearing last night’s outfit. I was in five-inch heels. I took a deep breath, trying to calmly think of a solution to—
“Problem, baby?”
I turned, glancing over my shoulder to find Crue leaning against the stair railing with his muscular arms crossed over his even more muscular chest. Problem, baby? Was that all he could fucking say this morning? This whole fiasco was one giant damn problem. I was loath to admit my current dilemma, but didn’t see that I had a choice. “If I walk out of here looking like this, and someone sees me…”
“They’ll know I fucked you until you went hoarse from screaming my name?” His smirk made me want to fly across the room and punch him in the face.
I shifted on my feet, weighing my options. If one of our cousins saw us, I could simply chalk it up to a night of bad decision-making. If one of our parents saw us, that would make things a hell of a lot more complicated. Then again, I could always lie and tell them that I’d had too much to drink last night and Crue was nice enough to give me a lift home. “Problem solved, asshole.” I took off my heels, preparing to hoof it home. “If our parents see me, I’ll tell them I over-enjoyed the Irish whiskey, and you were nice enough to drive me home.”
“So you’ll lie to their faces.” Crue nodded. “Seems like the adult thing to do.”
“It’s one tiny fib.” I rolled my eyes, not enjoying his sudden and new high horse. He did drive me home. I’d leave out the part where we got naked once we got here.
Crue pulled his shirt from where it was dangling in the back pocket of his ripped blue jeans. “I’ll take you back to your parents’ house.”
So the drive of shame, then. I sighed as I followed Crue out of the barn. Why did this seem like such a great idea last night? Stupid Irish whiskey.
The drive to my parents’ house was short and silent. I didn’t know what to say to him, and last night’s activities kept playing on a loop in my mind. The way he’d tossed me onto the bed, the way he’d pulled my hair, the way he’d growled against my ear, spilling so fucking deep inside me.
I licked my lips, counting down the seconds until I could be out of his truck and away from his intoxicating scent. Should I say thank you for the orgasms? Should I remind him that I hate him and last night meant nothing? No. I needed to keep my mouth shut. I might accidentally ask him to bend me over in the back seat.
When he put the truck in park and turned to me, his wrist resting casually over the steering wheel, I bolted. Like straight up, opened the door and jumped out of the truck. I may have run all the way to my parents’ front door.
Texts the next day
Crue: You sore? I’m sure it’s been a while since you were rode that hard.
Avory: Says who?
Crue: You, last night. Is every word out of your mouth these days a lie?
Avory: Please stop texting me.
Crue: Sean flew back to Ireland. You miss him? You two seemed close.
Avory: He’s great. So kind and handsome. I’ve already planned a trip to go visit.
Crue: You think he’ll introduce you to his boyfriend?
Crue: You stil
l there? Are you thinking back on how you flirted with a gay man to make me jealous? I agree. It was pretty pathetic.
Avory: Fuck off Crue. I wasn’t trying to make you jealous.
Crue: Lie.
Avory: You weren’t supposed to be there. You walked in and it shocked me.
Crue: Holy fucking shit. Did you just tell the truth?
Avory: I hate you.
Crue: Lie.
Texts the day after that
Crue: Jett’s birthday is this weekend.
Avory: I’ve known him since he was born. I’m well aware of when Jett’s birthday is.
Crue: He wants to party down by the tank. Cheap beer, bonfire, like the old days.
Avory: MVP texted me already.
Crue: Does that mean you’re coming?
Avory: Yes.
Crue: Cool. You want to leave your car at my house and then we can walk down together?
Avory: Why in the holy hell would I do that?
Crue: Uh, to save you from another walk of shame conundrum, obviously.
Avory: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha you are so fucking out of your mind if you think I’m staying the night with you. Ever. Again.
Crue: We’ll see, baby spawn.
And texts the day after that
Crue: What are you wearing?
Avory: An irritated frown. Stop texting me.
Crue: What time are you coming over tonight?
Avory: Are you high?
Crue: It’s Jett’s birthday party, remember?
Avory: Of course I fucking remember.
Crue: I thought you were leaving your car here.
Avory: Seriously. Are you actually high or did you fall and hit your head? I am not leaving my car at your house. I am not staying with you tonight.
Crue: Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to drive your fucking ass to the red barn, then you and I are going to walk to Jett’s birthday party together. We’re going to laugh with our family and we’re going to get buzzed on cheap beer. Then, I’m going to lay you out on the kitchen island and eat you for a midnight snack.
Crue: I’ll take your lack of response as a Yes Sir.
Crue: See you tonight, baby.
Chapter Twenty-One
Crue
Now
I’d like to be all smug male and tell you that fucking Avory had been the highlight of the other night. But I’d be lying. And unlike Avory, I was trying to lean more toward truths these days. Holding her in my arms while she slept, waking up to find her next to me. Those had been the best parts of being with her again. Don’t get me wrong, the sex was hot as hell, better than I even remembered. But touching her, kissing her, seeing her complete surrender. Those were the things I’d missed the most.
I couldn’t tell her that though, not yet. Instead I had to be an asshole, demanding her compliance. I didn’t like that she was holding back, that she was trying to keep a good amount of distance between us even after the other night. I wanted the games to be over, but she was obviously still playing.
It’d been three days since I’d seen her, and I missed my girl.
I hadn’t seen my girl in days, in five days to be exact. Cheer camp overlapped baseball camp. First-world high-schoolers’ problems. I’d texted her the instant Cash and I pulled back on the compound, letting her know I’d be climbing through her window in a matter of minutes. I needed her legs wrapped around me, I needed to hear her whisper my name as she fell apart in my arms.
I was horny and I missed my girlfriend. A lethal combination and it had me not giving a shit if someone saw us.
She must have been feeling the exact same though, because the second I hopped out of Cash’s Jeep I saw her flying across the field separating our houses. Her dark hair was in a high ponytail, her shorts were miniscule, and her neon yellow sports bra was like lightning in the dark sky.
“I’ll tell Mom and Dad Benson forgot his cell in the Jeep and you’re taking it to him.” Cash patted me on the shoulder, chuckling as he headed up our front steps.
I closed the gap between Avory and me in a few long strides, picking her up as she launched herself into my arms. “You’re home.”
I smiled, cupping her face in my palms, kissing her lips hungrily as she kept her legs wrapped tight around my waist. “I’m home.” I spun us around, propping her tiny body against the side of Cash’s still-warm Jeep. I sucked on her shoulder, my hands moving to squeeze her tight little ass. “Fuck, I missed you.”
She fumbled behind her, opening the back passenger side door. I lifted her inside, shoving our gear to the floorboards. I had her laid out underneath me and nothing short of a fucking tornado would have been able to stop me from slipping inside her. I pulled off her shorts as she pushed down my jeans, neither one of us caring about anything other than joining our bodies.
She moaned my name as I thrust inside her, bare, damning the consequences. “Fuck, baby, you feel so good.”
“Tell me it’s not always like this. Tell me that we’re different. Tell me we’re everything and that’s what makes it feels so fucking good.”
I wrapped my hand around the base of her slender throat, squeezing until she met my eyes in the dim light from the porch. “It’s us, baby.” I hammered into her, bruising her neck and her thighs with my punishing grip. “I swear, it’s us.”
The knock at my front door jolted me out of the steamy memory. No one knocked. Everyone simply entered the code into the keypad and came in uninvited and unannounced. It had to be Avory. She was subtly trying to show me that we weren’t close, no matter how many times I made her come the other night.
I opened the door wide, stepping out of her way. She looked edible, making me recall my plan to eat her for my midnight snack. Her jeans were tight, and her shirt only covered half of her torso. Her long dark hair hung board straight, tickling the exposed skin on her back.
I knew she’d meet me at my house. I knew what my demanding text would do to her. And I also knew that once wouldn’t be enough. She’d justify it. She already let herself fall into bed with me. She might as well enjoy it while she could. It didn’t matter to me, the reason she was here. I was simply pumped that she was.
I grabbed the ice chest I packed for us. I was an adult. I refused to drink cheap beer no matter whose birthday it was. “You ready?”
She nodded, setting her purse on the coffee table. That simple gesture made me have to fight a smile. She was staying, leaving her purse here, her car keys.
“Let’s go.” I held my hand out, figuring I might as well go for broke.
She shook her head. “No.”
No? Then why the hell was she here? I was going to win. Didn’t she see that? “Avory, for fuck’s—”
“No, Crue.” She shook her head, looking down at her feet, alerting me to the fact that she was feeling nervous. “You were right. It would have been stupid of me to act like I’m not going to end up back here at the end of the night. But I’m not walking down to that party like we’re still a couple. I’m not.” She lifted her chin, becoming the confident Avory once again. “So you go, I’ll meet you there.”
I wanted to demand she put her hand in mine. But it was her soft tone, the almost defeated note in her voice that made me take a pause. Letting our family see us together, it meant something. They’d all shared in our love, as well as our demise. She was back in my bed. She was back in my life. But she wasn’t ready to be back at my side.
And in this, and this alone, I wouldn’t push.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Avory
Now
I waited inside the red barn that Crue now called home. I didn’t want our family to think we were getting back together, because we sure as fuck were not. And that’s exactly what they would assume if we walked down to that party like old friends.
I wanted him to touch me. I wanted him to make me come. But I didn’t want him to love me.
I trailed my fingers along the banister, making my way up the stairs tha
t led to the two bedrooms. One had been Jett’s, and Crue now used the one that had been Marley’s. After they’d moved out, Jett and Marley had offered the place to me. But I’d turned it down. I knew Crue would move back to Texas once Cash and Katie did, and I didn’t want to be living on the compound when he returned. I didn’t want to see him every day. I didn’t want to be that close to him. I’d told myself that it would be easier for him that way, but I was starting to suspect I’d done it out of self-preservation.
I stepped into his room, allowing myself one brief moment to close my eyes and fill my lungs with his scent. He smelled the same as he had when we were teenagers. The same cologne, the same soap. When I was in here the other night, I’d refused to spend too much time looking around. I didn’t want to seem interested, I didn’t want him to think anything about him or his life here mattered.
But I was alone now, and I couldn’t seem to decide where to look first. His bed I’d become reacquainted with already, the crisp white sheets and the soft black blankets. His charcoal-colored nightstands held matching thin gold lamps. The whole room had a chic, modern vibe and I wondered who had helped him pick everything out.
There was a collection of framed prints along one wall. Images of him and his brothers, him and Brody at the beach with surfboards in their hands, his baseball team dog piling on top of him after a game-winning home run. I sucked in a sharp breath when my gaze roamed to the next picture.
It was us.
We’d been out on the practice field with Cash. Beau had been there with his camera. It was after he’d returned to the compound to get Halen back. Crue had tossed me over his shoulder, and Beau captured the moment as Crue had smacked my ass and made me giggle.
We looked so fucking carefree.
“Let’s skip lunch and go home, we can sneak down to the pool house.”
Crue placed me on my feet, palming my ass and pulling me tight against his body.
“You want to go skinny-dipping?”
He threw his head back, chuckling. “Skinny-dip? It’s the middle of the day, and all the parents are home.” He shook his head. “Even I’m not that fucking bold.”