Safe Word: Oasis 5: Mina's Heart

by Michele Zurlo

  He’d only said he wanted to spend more time with her. That kiss had shaken her more than she had realized. Recognizing that she hadn’t been nice, she lowered her gaze in an act of contrition. “I’m sorry, Everett. You were clear. You said cake and conversation.” She lifted her focus to find him staring at her with quiet expectation and no small amount of pride. It sent something strange and exciting aflutter in her midsection. “But then you kissed me after I said I didn’t kiss on the first date.”

  She didn’t know what kind of response she’d expected—a little bit of remorse, perhaps? He displayed nothing approaching repentance.

  Instead he flashed a devilish grin. “There’s a good chance I’ll do it again. Don’t worry; I won’t expect you to kiss me back until the second date. I’m a patient man. I can wait until tomorrow.”

  Having taken men to task many times, Mina didn’t know what to do with the fact that Ever didn’t react the way he was supposed to. He didn’t seem acquainted with shame or guilt. Shaking her head and wondering what trouble she was courting, she got into the car and put on her seat belt.

  Ever held her hand as she drove. It turned out he lived in an apartment complex less than a mile from town, so the trip was short. She waited in the car until he came around and opened the door. It seemed like the right thing to do.

  He grinned as he helped her out of the car. “You’re learning. I like how quickly you pick up on the important things.”

  This old-fashioned show of manners wasn’t important to her, but it was to him. In a departure from her normal attitude, her date’s preferences made a difference to Mina. She felt connected to him, a perception that had been missing from her association with any previous man she’d dated.

  But his compliment had been delivered with a flirtatious twist of his lips, and that deserved an equal response. She returned his grin. “Smart women are hot.”

  He laughed. “That’s definitely part of what I like about you.”

  The lobby of the building was clean and modern, which made sense because it had been built the summer before. Mina couldn’t remember what they’d torn down to make room. Signs in the lobby pointed the way to the swimming pool and workout facilities. Everett led her through the maze of empty chairs and sofas to a pair of elevators.

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “Since it opened. My grandparents left Wild and me some land. I’m saving up to build a house.”

  He didn’t look all that much like he wanted to talk about it, so Mina dropped the topic. If she had been in his shoes, she would have lived with her mother to save up the money. As it was, she scrounged for freelance work. She was saving her earnings to put down on a nice little bungalow just outside Santa Monica. Once she convinced her mother to move, she could reapply for the job she wanted and head west.

  “What about you?” he asked, returning her attention to the moment. “What are your postcollege plans?”

  Telling her date she had zero intention of staying in the state where he owned land and was planning to build a house would probably put a damper on things. Mina shrugged. “I have several offers, but I’m going to stay around here for a little while. My mom needs me.”

  He nodded at that. “Family is important. Just don’t let it hold you back.”

  The elevator doors slid open, and he ushered her inside. She laughed nervously at his warning. “Are you saying I should accept a job on the other side of the country?”

  He ran his thumb along his jaw as he considered her question. Since he lived on the third floor, the trip didn’t take long. They were at the door to his apartment before he answered. “If that’s what you want, then nobody who cares about you would begrudge you the opportunity.”

  She had a similar opinion, but her mother wasn’t the problem. Jin Ae had urged Mina to accept any job Mina wanted. Her mother had told Mina that she shouldn’t be a factor in her career decision. But she was. Mina, as she had her whole life, felt responsible for her mother. Growing up, she’d maintained perfect behavior and grades because she knew her mother would be punished for her transgressions. Her father had stated on many occasions that her behavior reflected her mother’s parenting ability.

  Ever paused with his hand on the knob. “I didn’t plan on having company tonight, so please excuse the mess.”

  He pushed open the door and reached inside to flip on the switch. True to form, he expected her to enter first.

  The interior wasn’t what she had anticipated, especially after his warning. It opened to a narrow foyer with a dining room on the right. The light from the foyer fell across a tall, square table stained dark. A laptop and several stacks of papers occupied space there, which wasn’t something she would consider messy. It was obvious he did some work from home. Frames of various sizes hung on the walls. There wasn’t enough light for her to make out anything.

  A door opened to the left. Through it, she could make out an unmade bed. Beyond that door, a narrow metal-and-glass table held three small baskets. Ever threw his keys in the first one. The second was full of potpourri, and the third was brimming with odds and ends. She made out some coils of rope, a Swiss army knife, and some clips like the kind she used to hook her water bottle to her backpack when she went hiking.

  Everett closed the door to the bedroom and tossed one of those charming grins in her direction. “I’ve never voluntarily made a bed in my life.”

  She laughed at his unapologetic explanation. “That’s okay. I stopped making my bed the day I left for college.” It was a small act of rebellion, but she derived immense pleasure from it.

  He kissed her cheek and guided her forward with the gentle pressure of his hand on her lower back. That expression she liked was back on his face, the one full of pride and anticipation. “I knew it. You totally cut loose once you got to Harvard. Unless you’re expecting serious company, what’s the point? You’re just going to mess it up again.”

  The apartment opened up just past the foyer, revealing a spacious kitchen behind the bedroom and a living area behind the dining room. A rectangular island divided the long room, and the far wall was full of windows. The living room had sliding glass doors that opened to a balcony. The lack of light meant Mina couldn’t get a true sense of the balcony’s size.

  It wasn’t neat, exactly. Lived-in would be a more apt description. A glass and a mug were on the counter next to the sink. Two cereal boxes shared space on the island with a stack of paperback novels and some folded laundry. In the living area, throw pillows were stacked on one end of the sofa, and a pile of blankets was wadded at the other end. The wood floor looked like it had been swept but not mopped recently.

  “I have a cat,” he said. “I hope you’re not allergic.”

  On cue, a tiny feline climbed from beneath the blankets. It was a bundle of tan fur with black-and-white patches. It yawned and stretched before meandering toward Everett. “A kitten?”

  “Yeah. The vet says she’s about eight months old. I’ve had her for about six weeks. She’s very affectionate.” The kitten brushed up against Everett’s ankles, arching and purring loudly. He scooped her up and set her on his shoulders. She settled down as he stroked her with one hand. “Her name is Jolinar. I call her Jolo.”

  Mina scratched the kitten behind her ears. The little creature rubbed her head against Mina’s hand, adjusting to make sure the scratches happened exactly where she wanted them. She’d always wanted a kitten, but her father frowned on having pets. She’d been allowed a goldfish for a few months when she was in grade school, but it had died rather quickly, and that had been the end of that.

  After a few minutes of bonding, Ever crossed to a post where a bit of wall separated the glass doors in the living area from the windows in the kitchen. Small platforms extended from the sides at random locations. Jolinar hopped to one a little higher than Everett’s head and began furiously licking all the places she’d been petted.

  Ever pursed his lips in a wry frown. “I found her wandering around, s
tarving, her fur a mess, on the land I’m clearing for the house. You’d think she’d be grateful.”

  He headed to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Mina watched as he took clean plates from the dishwasher and cut pieces of cake for each of them. As cakes went, the appearance was unremarkable.

  “If she was grateful, then she’d be a dog.” Mina reached for the knob on a likely cupboard in search of glasses. She’d spied some milk, which seemed like the perfect accompaniment for chocolate cake.

  Ever pointed her in the right direction, flashing one of those smiles that made his eyes sparkle mischievously. “True. I don’t think I’m quite ready for a dog yet. No yard.” He cleared a place at the island and put down the plates. “What about you? Any pets or aspirations for one?”

  Mina shrugged. “I’m not ruling it out, but I’m not settled enough to be responsible for a pet. My mother has feeders all over the yard. She seems to have developed a special relationship with birds and rodents. I think I can safely rule them out as pet options.”

  She thought it was sad that her mother spent time feeding wild animals. It seemed those little things were her only companions. Her mother needed to get out more. The move would be good for her.

  Ever regarded her soberly. “I like to watch wildlife. It’s very peaceful and sometimes wonderful. I can see why your mom would set out feeders. How did she like the flower baskets?”

  Mina handed him a glass of milk and climbed onto a high stool next to him. Ever’s feet touched the floor, but she had to perch hers on a rung. At the mention of the baskets, she blushed a little, but not because it had been the first time a man had bought her flowers. “She loved them. We didn’t have any hooks to hang them, so we took the hangers off and put them on the back patio.”

  Half of his mouth lifted in a teasing grin. “You didn’t tell her they were from me.”

  No, she hadn’t mentioned running into Everett or that she’d be having dinner with him tonight. Her mother thought she was meeting friends in town. Throughout high school, Mina had assured her mother that she had friends. The one time her mother had advocated for Mina to be allowed to go to a friend’s house on the basis that if she didn’t socialize, she couldn’t keep friends, her father hadn’t reacted well. Mina didn’t want her mother to have to suffer from guilt on top of everything else.

  “She was so delighted by them that I couldn’t tell her they were mine. I hope you don’t mind.” To cover her embarrassment, she shoveled a bite of cake into her mouth. She didn’t expect much, and she found herself pleasantly surprised. It was moist and flavorful. The cream cheese frosting was just sweet enough. “Mmmm. This is really good cake.”

  “Thanks.” He finished chewing his mouthful. “I don’t mind about the flowers. They brought joy to you both, so they’ve served their purpose.”

  He had a crumb of chocolate at the corner of his mouth. She reached out, intending to brush it away with her thumb. He seemed to guess her intention, because he held still. Something came over her, and at the last second, she leaned forward and licked it away with the tip of her tongue. He tasted every bit as delicious as his kiss.

  Never in her life had she been so bold. The moment she pulled away, she froze, not certain to which degree her behavior had mortified her.

  Ever’s eyelids fell to half-mast, and he regarded her with a sultry expression. “Moves like that will get you thoroughly kissed.”

  She took stock of her emotions. “I’m okay with that.”

  Almost before she finished speaking, his lips closed over hers. At the same time, he snaked his arm around her and cradled the base of her skull with his hand. He tangled his fingers in her hair, knocking her hairpins loose. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, not bothering with the soft sensuality of his earlier foray, and stole her breath with his mastery.

  She was conscious of the feel of his hands moving through her hair, freeing the long strands from their confinement. Her breasts seemed to swell, and she found herself leaning against his body. Somehow he had moved without her knowing, and now he stood in front of her, his thigh wedged between hers. She scooted forward and pressed her mons against his leg.

  A delicious sense of anticipation built in her core. It was hot and wet, burning with a sense of something more. She wanted to rub against him, but she didn’t have the courage. He skimmed one hand down her spine and slid it under her ass, lifting her closer. It solved part of her problem, but it also created a powerful need.

  All this time, he ravaged her with his lips. He abandoned her mouth to nibble along her jaw and nip at her earlobes. When he pressed his hot kisses on her neck just below her ears, she moaned loudly.

  The noise seemed to fuel him even more. He must have taken it as permission, because he pushed up her skirt with his free hand and caressed her bare leg. Up and down, he seared the tender skin with his hot hands until at last he lifted her leg and secured it around his waist. These high stools put her in the perfect position.

  Until now, she’d kept her hands on his shoulders, too timid to explore him the way she wanted. His behavior made her bold. She teased her fingertips down his chest. When she arrived at the waist of his jeans, she tugged at his shirt, wanting it out of the way so she could touch his skin the same way he touched hers.

  Her move seemed to jolt him away from the place passion had taken him. He wrapped his hands around her wrists, halting her tentative exploration.

  “Please don’t stop.” She didn’t know where that heartfelt plea had come from, and the fact that it tumbled from her mouth shocked her into silence.

  Everett put her hands back on his shoulders. “Honey, if we don’t stop now, we’re going to go farther than you want. I love that you’re so affected by me, but I can’t let you do something I know you don’t want to do.”

  She didn’t want to stop. Primal needs rushed to the fore, taking over her brain. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  He pressed his forehead to hers and inhaled. “For now, you have. But tomorrow you’ll regret it. In times like this, it’s my job to take care of you. That includes making sure that you never regret what happens between us.”

  Mina felt herself fall a little further for Everett Burke. This was definitely a benefit of his protective and slightly alpha nature. It just made her want him even more. She did something the thought she’d never do: she begged. “Ever, please.”

  “The first thing you did when we met tonight was lay down a hard limit. You decided on it when you were sane and rational. I want you to understand that in the heat of passion, I will never lose control. I will always take care of you, and I will never, under any circumstances, do something you truly don’t want me to do.”

  His sincere declaration took her aback. In a million years, she’d never thought a man would turn her down, especially not after she’d begged. Yet she didn’t feel he’d rejected her. Evidence of his desire branded itself into the thigh he’d trapped between his legs, and still he held fast to his principles.

  She nodded her acceptance of his ruling. “I just don’t want you to stop kissing me.”

  He chuckled and played with a handful of her hair. “I don’t want to stop kissing you either. You taste like heaven with a dash of chocolate thrown in.”

  To her disappointment, he made no move to kiss her again. She wasn’t skilled in the art of seduction—she wasn’t even particularly skilled at kissing—so she had no idea what her next move should be. He continued to play with her hair and study her face.

  “Right now your lips are a little swollen, and you look so ripe and ready. I think I could kiss you all night. I’d strip away your clothes and kiss every inch of your body until you’re writhing under me, screaming as you come in my mouth.” He brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “Would you like that? While it is sex, it wouldn’t technically violate your rule of no intercourse.”

  Nobody had ever talked to her like that before. She had the sense that Everett could—and would—get quite graphic. She felt her
eyes widening with shock, which she was sure only made her appear more wanton than he’d already described.

  “You’d keep your clothes on?” She didn’t ask to make sure. What he offered was very one-sided. She knew that he wouldn’t let her reciprocate even if she begged, which wouldn’t happen because she wouldn’t know what to do anyway. She’d never in her life seen a naked man.

  “I would probably take my shirt off.”

  That was a sight she’d very much like to see. Before her brain could think on his offer too much, she found herself nodding eagerly. He lifted her against him, banding one arm around her waist and cupping her ass with the other. She wrapped her legs around him and held on as he carried her into his bedroom.

  The change of location made her a little leery until he turned on the overhead light. He knelt on the bed with one knee and set her down. She unlocked her legs and slid to the mattress, careful to keep her low-heeled shoes off the bed. In another move she hadn’t expected, he stood up instead of scooting her to the center of the bed. Suddenly self-conscious, she straightened her skirt, which had ridden up high enough to expose her panties.

  “If you want me to stop, say ‘Oasis.’ That’s an important point to remember, Mina. Simply telling me to stop won’t have an impact. You must use the safe word.”

  Though she had never heard of a safe word, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he meant. It seemed Everett Burke was into playing sex games, the kind where a woman might utter fake protests. Mina couldn’t see herself doing that. She simply nodded at his directive.

  He stared at her. “Say the safe word.”

  “Oasis?” It came out like a question, not because she wondered about his command, but because she didn’t understand why he’d want her to repeat it.