by T. L Smith
“Well, that was interesting. I didn’t expect to meet your grandmother, that’s for sure.”
“It was a last-minute decision, and I wanted to take you back to mine straight after. Two birds, one stone.”
“I didn’t think we were at that stage. Meeting the family.”
“We aren’t. I don’t want to meet yours.”
Well, okay, then.
Removing my hand from his which he just took, I turn away.
“I just want you. Is that not enough, Everly?”
I turn back to him. He’s watching me. Always watching with those cold dark eyes.
“Why do you call me bunny?” Finally, I get up the courage to question him.
He smirks, then it’s gone. “I was waiting for you to ask about that.”
“You didn’t think I would?”
He raises an eyebrow, so I raise one right back.
“I wondered if you would.”
“So…” I ask, waiting for a reply.
“You are sweet, innocent,” he says it like it’s a bad thing. Like being nice or sweet is something so foreign to him, he has no idea how to react to it.
I laugh at his words.
“Are you serious? Is that what you think of me?” I ask him in disbelief. “Do you think of me as…” I use air quotes around my next word, “… ‘cute’ too?”
He leans in close. His lips touch mine and he steals a kiss before he pulls back. “No. I think you’re the sexiest fucking thing to walk this planet. That fact is why you’re mine.”
Mine.
He just said I am his.
I didn’t expect that.
“Yours?” I ask, not believing what I’ve just heard.
“Yes, Everly. Does that make you feel good? I saw the way you reacted when I said it.”
I lean in close, my lips touching his as I steal a kiss back. “Yes.”
“Why? Why does that make you feel good? It’s a word, not an action, Everly.”
“Your words are calculated and well thought out, you wouldn’t have said that word unless there was some meaning to it.”
“Maybe I have underestimated you.”
We come to a stop out the front of his place. He gets out and walks around to open my door as we walk inside.
“Most people do,” I say, smiling to his earlier reply.
He looks at me, really looks at me. “I guess they do. That will change.”
I don’t understand his words, but it’s gone the minute we enter his home and his hands are on my hips as he pushes me against the wall. My bag drops on the floor as my legs wind around his waist.
“Sex is what we do,” I say into his ear.
He tears open my shirt and grinds against me on the wall. I’m wet. He’s making me wetter. I want him, but my jeans and his pants are between us, and I really should shut up so we can get naked faster.
“What if I want more?”
He stops at my words.
Damn! Should have taken my own advice and kept my mouth shut.
He holds me in place, his lips leaving my collarbone to look at me. He never misses a beat, always full attention. Even when I don’t want it.
“We discussed this, Everly.” He starts to walk with me still wrapped around him to his room. The door’s already open and I stare at him as he places me on the bed then proceeds to kick off his shoes followed by his pants.
“We can talk after.”
He shakes his head, now fully naked and hard.
I pull my jeans off so I’m naked too.
“No. We can talk now. Make it quick.”
“I want more. I don’t think I can do this anymore. I haven’t done this before, and I want more. I’m a relationship type of girl. Give me a relationship, Gunner.”
He sighs loudly. “What’s involved?”
“You want to negotiate what’s involved to see if you accept?”
My heart flutters. I like the fact he’s even considering it.
“Yes, Everly. Now hurry, my cock eagerly wants your pussy.”
“I want calls. Text messages when you aren’t coming over. I want to know it’s only me. I want to meet your family.”
He stops me. “You have. My father and mother are dead.”
Shit! Didn’t expect that.
“I want you to meet mine,” I say in a quieter voice, afraid of what he will say.
“Eventually. Is that all?”
“For now.”
“I accept. Now spread your legs.”
I smile, doing exactly as he asks.
11
To be consumed by someone who doesn’t know they’re consuming you is a whole new level of sexiness. I get lost in all things Gunner. So much so that I take Friday off work and do nothing but spend it in bed with him. Let me clarify, we do nothing but have a whole lot of sex. But other than that, nothing. He touches me when he needs me, and I fall a little bit more down that hole that is him each and every time. He’s not affectionate in the slightest, but when his hand roams down my back or pulls my hair, I know I’m the only woman he does that to, and somehow that’s empowering. That somehow, I’m the only woman who he has let in this far.
I like it.
I’m falling for him.
I can’t help it.
How can that happen this fast?
Maybe May’s right.
I shake my head and get out of bed. He’s currently still naked doing work on his phone. I smile when I look down at him as I try to find my jeans and where my phone should be.
“I don’t take days off,” I say to him, not able to help the smile on my face. “You make me do crazy things, Gunner Reid.”
He places his phone down and looks at me. “You haven’t seen the start of it yet.”
I put my jeans to the side and place my hand on him.
“Your tits bounced then just like they did when I fucked you this morning.” His eyes fall to my breasts then back up to my eyes. “Do you want to be fucked again, Everly?”
Temptation.
At its best.
“I want to talk about you meeting my parents. Can that happen?”
“We discussed this last night. Yes. Eventually.”
“I want sooner.”
He groans, sitting up and reaching for his clothes. I watch as he pulls each pant leg on then stands.
Perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut longer? Probably.
“We all want things we can’t have. It’s part of the world we live in. Which I am guessing you aren’t accustomed to.”
“What’s that meant to mean?” I say accusingly.
“You come from money, Everly. When was the last time you had to go into a bank and ask for a loan? Save all your pennies to get something you desperately want?” He says it with such disdain in his voice.
Reaching for a towel that’s on the floor I cover my body, wrapping it around my waist so I’m not naked.
“You,” I spit. “Fuck you. You know nothing about me. Yes, my father has money. Yes, he gave me the money for my café, but he didn’t want to, and I plan to pay him back. I work hard, Gunner. I’m at that café every day, apart from today, which is obviously because of you. So, if you will excuse me, I’m gladly going to fuck off right now.” Reaching for my discarded clothes I pull them on and quickly dress, checking my phone. I have several missed calls from May who probably wants to finish our conversation. I don’t want to tell her she’s right, that would be painful, but right now she is.
“Calm down, Everly. Get undressed and get back into bed.”
I flip him off, and for the first time ever, I hear a chuckle leave his mouth.
Fuck him! I take off to the front door, feet bare. As I step outside, the sun is shining brightly, and I turn to walk home. Maybe a brisk walk will clear my head.
“Everly.” His hands grab my hips and turn me fast, so fast I become dizzy. Then Gunner lifts me and throws me over his shoulder and walks me back to his apartment.
“Put me the fuck down, Gunner. I’m going home.”<
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He slaps my ass. “I’ll meet them, but you won’t like the outcome.”
I sigh and drop my head onto his back. “What do you mean?” I ask giving up.
I won, didn’t I?
“You’ll see.” It’s all he gives me, reaching his front door and walking inside not placing me down.
“I work, hard,” I say to him not even bothering to lift my head.
“I know, Everly.”
“Well, why say that?”
“I have temperament issues. You’ll have to be patient with me. This is all very new to me.”
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” I whisper into his back. This is the safest place to tell him. He stops instantly and slides me down his front so we’re facing each other. I look away and he turns my head so it’s facing him.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
A tear wants to fall but I try my hardest to blink it away and not let it. “I’m trying not to.”
“I don’t do this,” he confesses.
“You keep saying that, yet here we are,” I point out. Every time he says he doesn’t do this, somehow, we end up with things changing, taking a new step forward.
“Everly.” He groans while shaking his head. “Stop! Just take what I’m willing to give you and stop trying to force more.”
“You see, I’ve tried it your way. Now it’s time to try it my way.”
Gunner doesn’t speak, he simply stares at me.
“Next week we’ve been together a month. You can meet my parents then.” I turn to strip my clothes and walk into his room.
He follows.
After a while.
The weekend is nothing but the two of us locked in his house watching movies and getting along. We don’t speak any more about our relationship, instead we fuck all weekend. And come Sunday I need a break. No, my vagina needs a break.
“Come to lunch with me?” I ask. I’ve been wearing nothing but his shirts. There’s no need for undergarments. It feels natural. Being with him feels natural.
“We can order in.” Which is what we’ve been doing, all weekend.
“No. I need to get out and you need to meet May properly.”
“Is this negotiable? Can I say no and have you not run and never come back?”
I lean down kissing his lips, full and lush and all mine. “You’re coming, because you like me and want me happy. Isn’t that excuse enough?”
“Fine, fuck.” He walks off to the bathroom and I hear him start the shower.
“Do you want to meet me at mine, or do you want me to wait?” I ask opening the door while trying desperately not to watch him, because if I do, I’ll end up in there all wet. In more than one place.
“No, wait.”
I do, and he doesn’t take long. He walks out a few minutes later with just a towel strung around his waist and gets dressed in jeans.
Like, what the fuck.
I’ve never seen him dressed in jeans, and the things it does to my vagina are not good.
“Eyes, Everly.” He snaps his fingers to his face and smirks. “If you expect to leave, stop looking at me like that.”
“You’re always in suit pants. Never…” I wave my hand to his jeans, “… that.”
He slides on a black shirt which looks brand-new.
“That’s because I’m always in my suits. For me, business never stops, and I don’t have time to change.” He turns off the bedside light and walks to me, sliding his hand in mine.
“I like you in these clothes…” I whisper as we head out the front, leaning in super close, “… but I love you in suits.”
He opens the car door for me to get in then looks down at me. “I know.” Then he winks.
Goddamn! He winked at me. What the ever-loving fuck is that?
If I didn’t love him before, that wink just made it happen.
I sigh as I sit back, my head hitting the seat as I wait for him to get in.
How is it possible to fall in love with someone so fast? Granted, I’ve heard of it happening plenty of times before, and I read about it all the time in my romance insta-love novels, but I didn’t think it would happen to me. I figured most people were making it up. And now I’m one of them. The only problem is, I’m afraid he will never love me back.
I open my phone, pulling up some emails for work and sorting through them on the drive back to my apartment. When we arrive, May’s out front waiting.
“I thought we were meeting her there?” Gunner asks.
“I thought so, too. Oh well.” I slide out and she spots me straight away.
Gunner slowly comes up behind me, his hand touching my hip.
“You two never met properly, so let me introduce you. May, this is Gunner. Gunner, this is May.” May offers out her hand, which Gunner takes and shakes briefly before replacing his to his side. I walk past them and unlock the door. Stepping inside, they both follow, not speaking.
Weird.
“I have to change, help yourselves to the drinks. Talk. Get to know each other.” I smile as I step into the bedroom, shutting the door quickly so I can dress in some fresh clothes and panties. After I feel refreshed, I open the door to see both are where I left them and they’re not even looking at each other.
“So, Gunner. Ev tells me you two have moved forward.”
Oh shit! I cringe at her words. I told her when I messaged her that he’s agreed to try for me.
Gunner doesn’t respond.
“And that you’re meeting her parents. Do you meet parents, Gunner?”
“What is it you would like to ask me, May? Don’t skate around the park, come out and say it.”
May stands from the couch and crosses her arms over her chest. “You don’t love her. You’re fucking using her. I’ve seen the marks around her neck, and I heard how you demanded a key. What is it you want from her?”
“What Everly and I have, or might not have, is frankly none of your concern. Unless you are the one I’m sticking my cock in, you have no right to ask.”
I gasp at his words.
May looks at me shocked as I step out of my room.
“He didn’t mean that,” I say, turning to him. “Tell her you didn’t mean that.”
Of course, he does no such thing.
“I don’t need him to apologize, Ev. I see him. Right through his little games. You may not, but I do.” Her eyes turn hard as she looks directly at him. “I think I will skip lunch. Maybe tomorrow you and I can do something, Ev.” She goes to leave, and I follow her outside. She closes my front door behind me. “Don’t fall any deeper, Ev. You’ll lose yourself.” She kisses my cheek and leaves.
I stand there shocked, not knowing what to do.
When I turn to go back inside my apartment, he’s standing there with the door already open.
“Lunch,” he states.
I nod, not knowing what else to say, and we go.
12
Gunner hasn’t been free all week to meet my parents. It’s been two weeks now he’s been putting it off. We see each other at least three times a week. Usually it’s him letting himself into my apartment, and I wake with his kisses and his hands pulling my panties off. It’s a nice way to wake up, but it sucks when he’s gone before I wake the next day. He’s so busy, and I get it. It doesn’t help that I’m in love with someone who doesn’t give me as much as I give him.
Almost two months into this and I’m a goner.
When he’s near me my pulse quickens, and when he’s gone I’m a little bit sad.
May doesn’t understand, she thinks he’s using me. For what, sex? Because trust me, I am happy to be used for that.
But after sex, in the middle of the night before I fall asleep, he tells me about his day, then he asks about mine. He listens until I fall asleep, never once complaining, and is always there to offer advice, especially when it comes to my business.
Tonight, I didn’t expect him so early, I’m usually well asleep when he arrives. So, when the door ope
ns, I scream and he smiles. My hand flies to my heart which is racing hundreds of miles to the minute as he walks over to me. His smirk on his face as he sits next to me.
“Get dressed. I have a function, and I can’t bear to go to another one without some good company.” He takes my glass of wine and downs it in one go then sits back looking relaxed.
I turn to him. “I’m good company?”
“The best.”
I smile at his words as I walk away. “Cocktail dress?” I yell out while opening my closet.
“Yes,” he answers.
I sneak a peek and see him sitting back with his eyes closed. Quickly walking away, I head to my room to get dressed. My hair’s already done from work today, so that’s one less thing I have to worry about. It’s hanging low down my back, so I do my face, painting on bright red lipstick and applying foundation before I slide into my black lace dress. Walking out, I find him asleep on the couch. Slipping on my heels, I walk over to him. My hand touches his shoulder making him open his eyes. His hours must be long, and he looks exhausted. Maybe I’ve been too harsh with him, asking him to put time aside to meet my family. Which I haven’t told my family about yet because I want to be sure Gunner’s coming before I do. Otherwise, my father would not be impressed if he doesn’t show up.
“You look beautiful.”
“For you.” I smile.
He stands, and his hands go to my hips. “I wish we were staying in, but I need to go,” he says as his hands grip my hips hard.
I nod trying to form words at his touch. “We have all night.” I smile.
He takes my hand and we leave.
It’s in these small moments that I see him for who he really is. How I have cracked walls he put up so high, not wanting to let anyone in. I haven’t told him again since that night that I love him, and he hasn’t asked to hear it. So I take that as meaning something and don’t pressure him.
We arrive and he finally lets go of my hand as we slide out of the car. His face changes as people say his name before we even get to inside. I step up next to him, and my hand goes to his elbow, holding onto him as he speaks. He excuses himself as we walk in. People start to come over to him. His name is spoken with respect as they look at him, and they regard me as ‘just another woman.’ I certainly hope I’m more to him than that because he’s absolutely more to me.