by Amelia Wilde
He concentrates his efforts on my clit, pulling and licking, and then pushes two fingers inside me, scissoring them so that he’s stretching me in the most delicious way. I push back on his fingers, so close to coming.
Cole removes his mouth from me and straightens out on his knees behind me. I assume he’s about to fuck me but instead he uses one hand to circle over my mound and the other fucks me with his fingers at a rapid pace. There’s no chance for me to catch my breath and the intensity catches me off guard. I’m like a stick of dynamite with the match just out of reach. When he slaps my clit with his hand I buck back against him and cry out as the match lights the fuse and I explode. I’m lost in a sea of ecstasy and I don’t want anyone to throw me a life raft because this feels too damn exquisite.
He slows his movements and brings me down from my orgasm, eventually pulling away from me. The couch cushion shifts and I know he’s now standing beside it.
“What did you boys get into tonight?” I pant and fall back onto my heels so I can turn and face him. “You’re a wild man.” My comment is meant to be playful, but I can see instantly that I’ve touched on something.
His gaze is as intense as it’s ever been and his hands clench at his sides. Cole’s usual calm demeanor is absent and now there’s a storm raging inside him, yet I have no idea why.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I need you. That’s all.”
He pulls me up and into his chest so that my soft meets his hard and his lips find mine in a savage fury. His tongue pushes into my mouth and I match his intensity. He’s ready to devour me and I’m absolutely ready to let him. It’s almost addictive being wanted by this man.
Cole’s lips trail a path down my neck, igniting a fire in my veins.
“I need you so bad right now, my little devil,” he murmurs into my skin. He roughly grabs at my breast through the lace and though I get the sense that he’s using me to push something else away, I don’t care.
This man has become the center of my universe and I’ll happily give him anything he needs.
He kisses my collarbone and then reaches for the lace that covers my breasts. He pulls the fabric down so that my tits are bared, but my mid-section is still covered by the latex portion of the bustier.
Cole stares hungrily at my chest and grips one breast in each of his hands, sliding his thumbs back and forth over my nipples—nipples that are growing harder and more sensitive by the second.
“Your tits are so perfect. I can’t believe I still haven’t fucked these yet.”
“No time like the present.” And suddenly that’s all I want. For him to push me to my knees, squeeze my tits together, and thrust that perfect, unicorn cock of his between them while I watch him come undone.
And so I do just that. I lower myself to my knees, but then there’s a loud banging on the door.
“Cole! We need to talk!”
I recognize the voice as Chase’s and wonder what the hell he’s doing here this early in the morning.
“Shit.” Cole quickly helps me to my feet. “Go hide in the bedroom until I can get rid of him.”
I’m still standing here stunned at the quick turn of events when he walks over to the door.
Chase bangs again. “Open up! I know you’re there! Quit fucking around!”
Cole looks over his shoulder at me. “Go!” he whisper-shouts.
I move into action, scurrying into the bedroom and closing the door. Once I’m in there I put my regular clothes back on as fast as possible in case I am discovered. The only thing worse than that would be if it happened while I’m wearing slutty devil lingerie.
I hear Cole open the door and greet his brother. And okay, maybe I have my ear pressed up against the door, but so what? This place was built more than a century ago and has thin walls and poor insulation so it’s not like I couldn’t hear their conversation even if I wasn’t trying so hard. I want to know what has Chase worked up into such a tizzy. Maybe Neiman Marcus ran out of his favorite pair of designer dress socks.
I cover my mouth and stifle a laugh at the thought.
“This isn’t a good time.” I can hear the bite in Cole’s tone. What has him so annoyed with his brother?
“I don’t give a shit. You’d better make time or Dad’s going to find out about your little secret.”
What the hell does that mean?
Cole mumbles something that I can’t catch.
“Why the fuck did you take off like that? The party was just starting to get good,” Chase says.
“I told you before that I want no part in that. You need to come clean.”
“And let a few pieces of ass ruin the future I have so carefully planned out? Forget it.”
I gasp and cover my mouth with my hand.
“Maybe you should have thought of that before,” Cole says, sounding more than a little pissed.
“Come on, man. You know how it is.” Chase must have moved because he sounds closer to me now. “It’s just for fun. Those girls don’t mean anything. I love Tahlia, but the thought of fucking the same girl for eternity doesn’t exactly sound like heaven.”
Oh, God. Poor Tahlia.
I wrap my arms around my middle and press my ear against the door harder, not wanting to miss anything.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“I want you to tell me you’ll continue to keep my secret and stay out of my business.”
“She’s going to find out. You know that, right?”
I hear footsteps on the hardwood floor. “Not if you keep your mouth shut.”
“Get your hands off me. I don’t even know how you can live with yourself,” Cole says.
“Don’t give me that holier-than-thou bullshit.” Chase’s voice is louder now and has an angrier edge. “You used to fuck a new woman every night. I think you’ve probably fucked half the girls who work for you.” Chase laughs and I try hard to push away the memories of Cole deep in conversation with Steph from the Thirsty Monk. “You think any of those broads knew they wouldn’t be sticking around? You think they knew they’d be nothing more than a Webber wench?”
I press my lips together and my eyes widen.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Cole asks in a low voice fuelled with venom.
Chase laughs but it’s bitter-sounding. “That’s what Tahlia and all her friends call all the girls you bang. Webber wenches. Seems appropriate.”
There’s some silence first and then some grunting and finally a bang on the bedroom door. I jump back, my heart racing.
“I’ve told you that you need to come clean. I’m sick of this shit. Either you tell her or I will.”
I think Cole must have Chase pressed up against the door.
“Fuck you. You’ve got your own secrets, bro. And if you don’t keep your mouth shut Dad’s going to find out about all the women.”
Cole must let Chase go because I hear him stomp off and then the door to Cole’s place slams shut a few seconds later.
That’s when it really hits me. This isn’t a surprise to Cole. He knew. He knew Chase was cheating on Tahlia and he didn’t say anything. He lied to me. For how long I don’t know.
Bile burns the back of my throat. I suck in a breath and will myself not to cry, though my eyes burn with unshed tears and I realize I’m shaking.
When I push the bedroom door open Cole stands with his back to me, his head hung low. He pushes a hand through his hair and turns to face me.
Defeat is all over his face. Everything that I just heard settles on my chest and it feels as if my lungs are shrinking, leaving me with no air to breathe.
My best friend’s fiancé is cheating on her and I have to be the one to tell her. I squeeze my eyes shut for a second, knowing how much pain I’m going to cause her. The man she’s in love with has been lying to her for who knows how long. And, it seems, so too has the man I love.
“Whit, let me explain.” He takes a couple of steps toward me, but I put my hand up to stop him
. I don’t want him anywhere near me.
“How long have you known?” It’s ironic because the voice that leaves my mouth is dead and void of all the emotion that feels like it’s slowly suffocating me.
“It’s not what you think.”
“How. Long?” My jaw begins to ache from how hard I’m clenching my teeth together.
“A month or so.”
“I am such an idiot.” I pass him and rush to the living room where my bag is. Thank God Chase didn’t notice it. Once I snatch it up I turn to leave but Cole’s already standing in front of the door blocking my exit.
“Where are you going?” There’s a desperate edge to his voice.
“Where do you think I’m going? I’m off to break my friend’s heart!” I yell. I want to scream and rage at him for breaking mine, too, but I can’t think about that right now.
Tahlia is engaged to Chase. They’re supposed to be getting married in the spring. My problem is miniscule compared to hers right now.
“We have to talk,” he pleads and the expression on his face almost makes me want to hear whatever pathetic excuse he has for not being honest with me, but I don’t feed into it. What would be the point? More lies? More untruths?
I know better than to think someone won’t let me down. I let myself get swept up in Cole, but this is the reminder I needed.
“Please just get away from the door.” I’m staring down at the ground by his feet. I can’t even bear to look at him.
“Whit, you can’t do this. Please. Not like this.”
I return my gaze to his. “I can’t believe you have the balls to say that to me after you’ve been lying to me for so long. Move.”
With a long sigh his shoulders slump and he steps to the side to let me pass.
I don’t glance in his direction as my shaking hand grips the door handle and turns. Before I can open it, his hand grips my arm above my elbow.
God, I hate that the feel of his hand on my arm still has the ability to make my skin sing. How pathetic am I?
I look over at him and I’m met with such anguish in his hazel eyes that my breath catches. “This isn’t over.”
A lone tear trails down my cheek and my bottom lip trembles for a second before I manage to swallow past the painful lump in my throat. “It was over before it even began. I just didn’t know it.”
He drops his hand and I pull the door open and march out into the hall, leaving my shattered heart at his doorstep.
31
As soon as I exit Cole’s house I call up Lennon, not caring about the time, and fill her in on everything that’s happened.
“That motherfucker,” she says. “I’m going to rip his balls off and feed them to him myself.”
“Agreed.” I’m walking as fast as I can away from Cole’s place, in no particular direction. Anything to put some space between us. “We need to go over to Tahl’s right now and tell her what’s been going on.”
Lennon takes a big sigh. “Okay, where are you? I’ll pick you up on the way over.”
I glance around the residential street I’ve ended up on. “I’m not even sure. I’ll text you a crossroads when I end up somewhere I know.”
“Sounds good. Give me a few to get dressed and then I’m leaving.”
“Okay.”
“Whit… how are you doing with all this?” The sympathy in her voice has me sucking back a sob.
“Let’s not worry about me. Right now, I’m concerned with how Tahlia’s going to handle this.”
She’s quiet for a moment and knowing her like I do there’s something she wants to say, but in a rare show of restraint she refrains, instead just saying, “I’ll see you soon,” and hangs up.
Everything in me wants to break down and rage and fall apart over Cole’s betrayal, but there will be plenty of time for that after I destroy my best friend with what I know.
Tahlia sits and stares ahead at me, appearing almost catatonic in her response to everything I just told her. Once I began it all just came spewing out and she knows everything now. About hooking up with Cole before I knew it was him, about carrying on with Cole after I knew it was him, and about Chase—her cheating bastard of a fiancé.
We’re in Tahlia’s living room and Lennon and I keep glancing from each other back to Tahl waiting for her to say something.
To react.
Anything.
After at least two minutes of silence I can’t take it any longer. “Tahl? Say something.”
She blinks a couple of times and turns her head in my direction. “You’re sure? There’s no chance this is some kind of mistake or misunderstanding?” Her voice cracks a couple of times.
I shake my head. “No. I heard it all myself.”
“Because you were at Cole’s place… because you two are…”
My shoulders sag, the guilt from keeping her in the dark weighing on me. “I didn’t plan it. You have to believe me. You know how I felt about him before all of this. He’s the last person I would have guessed I’d share a connection with.”
“I told her not to tell you at first.” Lennon raises her hand as if she’s in fifth-grade math class and the way the corner of her lips tug down tells me that she’s second-guessing that decision like I am. “We just thought you had enough going on and one more thing to worry about wouldn’t be helpful.”
“I didn’t think it would amount to anything,” I admit, looking down to my lap. The piercing feeling in my chest betrays my expectations.
“Do you… love him?” Tahlia asks in a small voice.
“I don’t want to,” I admit.
She nods her head as if she understands that sentiment completely, and right now she probably does.
“Do you forgive me?” I ask.
“And me?” Lennon adds.
She looks from me to Lennon and back. “Guys, of course I do. I understand. I really do. I have been so stressed out lately and you’re right. I don’t know how I would have reacted.”
Though I still feel badly, a little of the guilt that’s been weighing me down eases.
“You’re worrying me, Tahl. I expected tears and maybe you throwing a few things.”
“I just… I’m in shock, I think.” She stands and grabs her purse off her kitchen counter and heads toward the front door.
“Where are you going?” I ask, tailing behind her.
“I need to see Chase.” She seems eerily calm and collected for what I’ve just told her. I’m more than a little concerned.
“You’re still in your pyjamas,” I say.
She looks down at herself for a second and then shrugs absentmindedly.
“Do you want us to go with you?” Lennon asks.
She shakes her head. “No. This is something I need to do myself.”
“Let me drive you over there,” Lennon offers.
“Yeah, Tahl.” I reach out and still the hand that’s reaching down for her shoe. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
She looks from me to Lennon and back, tears now dotting the corner of her eyes. “I do though. Thank you for telling me. Not everyone would.”
I’ve never had a thank you make me feel worse than this one.
“Call us as soon as you leave his place,” Lennon says.
“We’ll wait here for you.”
She nods, her eyes vacant, and turns and leaves. Lennon and I are left alone in her place, neither one of us speaking because really, there are no words that are going to make anyone feel better right now.
There is, however, wine. I walk back into the kitchen to check out Tahlia’s wine fridge.
Who cares if it’s only eight in morning?
I set my pen down on the page I’m writing on and close my journal when there’s a knock on my bedroom door.
“Come in.” The depression in my voice rings clear, but I’m unconcerned.
There was no hiding my absolute devastation when I returned home from Tahlia’s a few days ago. Or my drunkenness. When my grandma pressed me to know why I was i
ntoxicated by dinnertime I’d broken down in her arms and confessed to her all that had happened.
My grandma pokes her head through my door but doesn’t enter. “Hi, sweetheart.” The term of endearment causes a stabbing pain in my chest because that’s what Cole used to call me.
“Hey,” I manage to croak out.
“Cole is here. He wants to talk to you.”
I sit up ramrod straight on my mattress. “What is he doing here?”
I know the answer so I’m not sure why I ask. He’s grown desperate. I wouldn’t take any of the hundred calls he’s made to me or return his texts. In fact, I went so far as to block him entirely so that I wouldn’t have to see his name light up my phone screen anymore.
“He said he needs to explain everything to you.”
“Pfft. He can shove his explanation up his—” My grandma looks her nose down at me and I press my lips together. “Sorry. He can shove it where the sun don’t shine.”
My grandma steps into the room and closes the door softly behind her, then takes a seat beside me on the bed.
“You know, hearing him out might help you feel better. Let you move on.”
“I’m already moving on.” Lie. “I hardly miss him at all.” Bigger lie. “I have no desire to see him at all.” I wish that was true.
My grandma wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Are you sure? He looks really torn up.”
This brings me an immense amount of pleasure. I’m glad to know he’s hurting, too. He deserves to.
“Are you defending him?” I pull away from her embrace and stand from my bed.
“Of course not. What he did was wrong. But people do some stupid things when they’re scared, Whitney. Maybe you should hear him out.” The expression on her face is pleading but she’s not going to sway me.
I’ve already proven that I’m weak by getting involved with him in the first place. Why don’t I ever learn? My experience with my boss should have taught me what happens when I mess with someone I know I shouldn’t be involved with.
Pain.
Devastation.