By Chance Box Set 1

by S A Clayton

  “Shit, I’m so sorry Sunshine. I never should have called you that, if I had known...” I put my head in my hands and take a deep breath. It’s only when Clara’s hand touches my arm that I look up, seeing a sad smile on her face. “Have other people told you that, or just your parents?” I ask, hoping to God I don’t have to beat anyone up. I would never do that to her family—even though they deserve it—but if someone else said it? They’re fucked. I continue eating my burger and notice that Clara’s almost done, as well. I smile, loving the fact that she adores the food as much as I do.

  “No. Usually, everyone thinks it’s cool or interesting.” It’s true. Ever since she told me what she did for a living, I’ve been intrigued.

  “What do you think?” she asks weakly. When our eyes meet across the table, uncertainty and a glimmer of fear stare back at me.

  “I won’t lie and say that when you told me I had any idea what having a YouTube channel meant. But when I watched a bunch of your videos, I got a whole new respect for what you do.” She gives me a knowing smile.

  “Liam was pissed that I spent all my time watching you put makeup on, but he got over it.”

  She seems hesitant as she seemingly prepares to ask her next question. “What did you think?” Her voice is small, and I cringe at the thought of what I did to put that uncertainty there. She has no idea how much she’s weaved her way into my life. None.

  “I know way too much about concealer and eyeshadow now, but I loved watching you. You’re so confident and sexy on camera.”

  “Really?” she asks, as I take my last bite of burger.

  “But what I didn’t expect were the comments…” I start and see that fear return.

  Fuck, I should have let this go.

  Yet, when her confident stare meets mine, I continue. “Do you always get comments that…graphic?”

  She sips her milkshake and fear flashes through her beautiful blue eyes right before she looks out the window beside us. “Clara, look at me.” She does, and I smile reassuringly. “I just want to make sure you’re okay. That’s all. I don’t like people talking to you like that.” She nods and gives me a hint of a smile.

  “I know. It’s just embarrassing, that’s all. I try and report them all, but they usually just make new accounts and come back. Trolls are a natural part of this business.” I try and keep my anger under control. I need to remember that Clara’s a grown woman who’s been dealing with this longer than I have.

  “Are you afraid that any of them will try and hurt you?” I ask, not really wanting to hear the answer, yet needing it all the same.

  “I’ve never really thought about it. But, no. It’s never been a concern for me.”

  “Well, if you ever feel unsafe, you can call me. I will be there. I don’t want anyone to think they have agency over you just because you make videos online.”

  Tears gather in her eyes, and one falls down her cheek.

  FOURTEEN

  CLARA

  I can’t believe I’m crying.

  Rein it in, Clara, for God’s sake!

  I shake my head when Damon’s eyes bulge. A look of panic crosses his face. “It’s sweet that you want to protect me…” I start, hoping he understands that these are tears of appreciation, not sadness. “I’m just not used to someone wanting to protect me, that’s all.”

  Damon tilts his head, his eyes never leaving mine as I wipe the last of the tears from my cheeks. I give him my best smile, and his shoulders visibly relax.

  “I promise you, there is nothing to worry about. Nothing will come from those stupid comments. I’ve been getting them since I started.” That doesn’t seem to placate him at all. I can see the rage rising in his eyes, and I take his hand in mine, knowing I need to defuse this as fast as possible.

  “I promise I will tell you if I don’t feel safe, okay?” It takes a minute, but a slow smile crosses his face, and then he lifts my hand and brings it to his lips.

  The moment his lips touch my knuckles, my body reacts. Heat cascades over every inch of my skin, and tingling feelings travel through my fingers, causing a shiver to run up my spine. I have never had such a visceral reaction to anyone before. Damon’s eyes lock on mine as his tongue darts out and traces patterns over my flesh. My breath hitches as a low chuckle escapes his gorgeous lips.

  “Now that’s a fucking beautiful sound,” he mutters, lowering my hand and smiling. I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks, and my eyes lower on instinct.

  “You wanna get out of here?” The tone makes it more a statement than a question, but I agree anyway. As Damon gets up, I follow, thanking Mama Jenn for the food. Damon tries to pay, but Mama Jenn refuses, so when she turns her back, he sneaks the money into the old-fashioned tip jar. When she turns back around, she gives him a look, and he winks, then tells her he’ll see her for dinner next week. I wave happily as Damon’s hand grips mine, and he drags me out into the cold.

  “Your place or mine?” he growls, pushing me against the SUV, dipping his face into the crook of my neck and kissing me lightly.

  “Who said I wanted to go home with you?” I sass as his teeth bite gently into my skin. “Hey!” I say, smacking his chest. The rumble of his laugh courses through me as he kisses away his bite mark, eliciting a deep moan from me.

  “You keep making sounds like that, and you won’t have a choice. I’ll just take you right here.” I melt into the car door, loving the way his words coat my skin.

  “You like that, Sunshine? The idea of me fucking you against this car where anyone can see?”

  I don’t want to admit it, but…fuck, it sounds amazing. I never considered myself an exhibitionist, but right now, the idea of someone watching us sends heat straight to my core.

  “Let’s see how much you like that idea.” Before I have a chance to question him, he has my jeans undone, and his hand pushes past my panties. His fingers find my wet folds. The minute he feels just how aroused I am, his eyes meet mine.

  “What can I say?” I whisper as the tip of his finger finds my clit and circles lightly. “You turn me on. You could probably read me the dictionary, and I would want to jump you.” He laughs, and his fingers increase their pace, sending me higher and higher. My eyes dart toward the windows of the diner. A few people eat inside near the windows, but none of them appear to be looking our way. Just as his fingers hit that spot that makes me lose all control, he pulls away, causing me to gasp.

  “Seriously?” I grunt as he smiles that cocky smirk that gets him into so much trouble. He opens up the back door to his SUV.

  “Get in.” He motions for me to hop into the back, but I turn and look at him as if he’s just been released from a mental institution.

  “What are you, my chauffeur now?” I joke, but the look in his eyes tells me that this is about more than just driving us home.

  Damon leans close, his lips tracing the shell of my ear as he whispers. “I want to watch you fuck yourself while I drive you home. I need you in the back because if I can reach you, I will never make it there without fucking you on the side of the road.”

  I can’t help the moan that escapes my lips. Why is the dirty talk always so fucking good with him? It’s like he knows all my buttons and uses them to his advantage. At this point, I would do just about anything he asked.

  He watches me get into the car, then tilts his head toward my jeans, motioning for them to be tossed to the floor. I obey. My heart picks up as I slowly peel the fabric over my hips and down my legs. His body blocks the open door, so I know I can’t be seen. Maybe that’s what makes me do what I do next. Or perhaps it’s the way his eyes graze over my skin as he licks his lips as if he can’t wait to have a taste. I close my eyes and reach for the hem of my shirt, lifting it over my head before I toss it to the floor. His intake of breath is all the confidence-boost I need as our eyes meet, and his knuckles turn white as they grip the edge of the car door. I’m wearing a white bralette that matches the panties that hug my hips, and they hide absolutely nothin
g. From the hungry look on his face, I know he likely wants to scrap his idea and fuck me right here in this parking lot.

  “You better get in that front seat and get driving, handsome. Otherwise, you might miss all the fun.” I don’t know where this sassy woman came from, but I love her. For a second, he doesn’t move, so I trace a line in between my breasts and run a finger down to the edge of my panties, where I dip a digit inside, in the place his just left. I moan at the pressure against my aching clit.

  “Fuck…” he mutters, slamming the door and running around the front of the car then hopping into the front seat. He starts the car and looks into the rearview mirror.

  “Don’t you dare stop what you’re doing, I want you wet and ready for me once we get to my place.” I quirk an eyebrow at the mention of going to his house.

  He must read my expression. “It’s closer.” He grunts as he reverses out of the parking lot and starts driving.

  My fingers never stop their ministrations, and after a few minutes, it becomes harder and harder to concentrate on anything but the feelings coursing through my body. My head tilts back against the leather of the seat, and I moan into the silence.

  “Eyes on me,” Damon grunts from the driver’s seat. My eyes find his blazing stare in the rearview mirror, and everything changes. My fingers slow, my breathing becomes ragged, and all of a sudden, I’m fighting off an orgasm that I know will make me see stars.

  “Damon…” I moan, closing my eyes. But then I tear them open once more at the sound of his grunts.

  “I’m gonna…” I start, but he just shakes his head.

  “No. You can’t come until I’m inside you. Your orgasms are mine, and you will wait for me.” The command in his tone makes it even harder to stave off the approaching bliss, but I do it. His eyes dart from me to the road and back again. I can sense the growing tension in his shoulders, and I can see the lust in his gaze when his eyes lock back on mine.

  “A few more minutes, Sunshine,” he says reassuringly. I breathe a sigh of relief because I honestly don’t know if I can hold off much longer.

  “Please,” I moan as my fingers brush over my wet folds and dip into my heat. I feel my body light up. I gasp at the contact, and the car jerks to the side. Our eyes meet in the mirror again, and I smirk at his scowl. It tells me he’s on thin ice. I’m learning that I love pushing him to his limits, and tonight is no different. I adore the heated look he gives me any time I make a sound, or when his eyes meet mine, and I can see all the ways he wants to take me right then and there. It’s exhilarating, and something I never want to lose.

  “Fucking finally,” Damon mutters as he pushes a button on the visor of his car and the garage door opens in front of us. I get a glimpse of the house as he drives forward, and it’s nothing like I expected. Dark grey brick covers the outside, and white shutters adorn the windows. It looks like a cookie-cutter house, something I never pictured for someone like Damon. I always expected his place to resemble Liam’s. Simple, small, and preferably in a high-rise. Not a house that looks like it’s worth more than I will make in a lifetime.

  “Don’t stop,” he commands as he shuts off the car and turns to watch as my fingers dip deeper into my heat, sending my head back against the seat once more.

  “Fuck it, I can’t wait,” he groans as he takes my hand out of my panties and brings it to his lips, lightly brushing the evidence of my desire against them. Before I know it, he unbuckles his seatbelt and crawls over the center console and into the backseat.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, looking out the window at the entry that leads into his house. “It’s right there,” I say, pointing to the door. He shakes his head.

  “Too far away. I need you now. I’ve been dying up there, Sunshine, listening to your sounds and wondering if you would make the same noises when I’m inside you.”

  I groan as his lips find mine in a punishing kiss that leaves me breathless. All thoughts of going inside leave my head as his hands grab the edges of my panties and rip them off. It sounds like they tear, but I can’t think rationally enough to check. His teeth find my nipples through the lace fabric of my bralette, and I lie back so he can cover me. But he doesn’t. He gets to his knees on the seat and reaches for something above my head. All of a sudden, the seats fall back, giving us more space, and he takes full advantage. He moves me as if I weigh nothing, placing me in the middle as he covers my body with his. The heat of him against my naked skin sets my core on fire, and I wrap my legs around his hips. My hands grip the edges of his shirt and pull. I need it off, as fast as possible.

  “Eager little thing tonight, are we?” He laughs as he discards the offending shirt, and I stare at his gloriously toned chest. My fingers lightly glide over his smooth, tanned skin. As they move lower, Damon’s breathing becomes more labored.

  “Baby…” he warns, and I ignore him, my fingers undoing his belt and pushing his pants down over his hips.

  “Fuck,” he mutters. “I don’t have a condom on me.” He sounds defeated, but I push on, trusting him more than I thought possible at this stage. My hands find his erection and grip him hard enough to garner a groan of appreciation from him.

  “I’m on the pill. Have been for years. I trust you.” I say the words as fast as possible, wanting to feel him inside me.

  Now.

  “You sure, Sunshine?” His eyes meet mine, and we both stop, our breathing ragged. I smile at him and lean up to kiss his lips lightly.

  “If you don’t get inside me soon, I will kill you,” I mutter against his mouth as a laugh rumbles through his chest. Then his lips are on mine once more, and everything fades away. His cock’s at my entrance, and I moan as he slowly pushes his way inside. The groan that leaves him is animalistic, and I can’t believe how amazing this feels.

  “Oh. My. God. This feels…”

  “Fucking amazing. Clara, fuck. You are everything…” He starts to move, and because I was on edge ever since we left the diner, I come instantly. My body shakes under him as he thrusts deeper and deeper, never slowing down, yet not speeding up either. The orgasm is fast and hard as I try to control my body, but it’s no use.

  “Fuck. Faster. I need it harder.” I groan as I start to come down from one orgasm, only to be pulled right back into another.

  “No,” he moans. “Just like this. I need you. Just. Like. This.” He thrusts with every word, and his pace never changes. It’s as if he’s memorizing every ridge, every peak, and every sound I make as he fucks me, and it’s incredibly erotic. I lift my hips to get closer, and that sets him off. His pace increases, his eyes closing as he moans my name over and over again.

  “Clara, yes, just like that.” I can feel my legs tightening around his waist, and he stills on top of me, his orgasm rushing through him. The feeling of him spilling inside me sets me off into another blinding orgasm, one that obliterates the last one and actually does make me see stars.

  “Wanna come inside?” Damon asks, and I start laughing. His forehead falls against mine, and he smirks when he hears the double entendre.

  I sigh when he pulls out slowly, leaving me feeling empty and inexplicably needy for more.

  What have I gotten myself into?

  FIFTEEN

  CLARA

  It’s been three weeks, and Damon and I have gotten into a sort of rhythm, one I never expected to find with someone like him. I spend most of my time at his house since it’s enormous and has everything I’ve ever wanted. It has a clawfoot tub, a reading nook in the living room, and a kitchen that makes me want to bake all the things. So, I’ve basically moved myself in, something Damon jokes about, but the idea scares the shit out of me.

  I really like Damon. He’s nothing like what I thought when we hooked up in the club. I was so sure he was another asshole that just wanted to dip his cock in a willing pussy, but he’s the exact opposite. He asks about my day, listens to my rants about social media fans, and he helps when I struggle with my videos. I’ve glimpsed the man everyone
else sees, the one who is curt and demanding, but the moment his eyes meet mine, it all disappears. That smirk he flashes in those moments makes me weak in the knees, and I know I’m a goner.

  Morning, beautiful.

  The text comes through as I’m finishing my latest video. I smile as I text him back, shutting down my camera and turning off the lights. It’s not long before he responds.

  Have you finished filming?

  I picked his brain last night about my idea of addressing the comments I receive on a daily basis. He thought it was a good idea to talk about it. He still wants me to disable the comments on all my videos, but I told him no. I won’t make my followers suffer just because a few jackasses can’t keep their shit to themselves. Damon didn’t agree with my reasoning, he thought it was better for my mental health if I just stop them from saying anything altogether, but I told him I would try my best not to read them.

  Just finished. Need to edit then upload it.

  I spend the next few minutes texting Damon about his day. He talks about what he’s doing and I respond as if I understand, when really, I end up looking up most of what he talks about because I have no idea about any of it.

  Damon loves his job, and from what I understand, he’s very good at it. I always knew I wanted to be with a man who had passion. I want someone who has the drive to succeed in something they love, just like I do. I adore what I do. Some might say it’s a hobby, something to take up my time until I figure out what I really want to do with my life, but what most don’t understand is that this is exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life. I love makeup, clothes, and hair products. I always have. So, it’s no surprise to me that having a career based around those things makes me happy.

  I’ve spent the last few weeks slowly showing Damon what I do. At first, I was scared he would think it’s petty or stupid, but he listened. He wanted to know about the videos I make, about the brands I support, and the hard realities that come with this kind of career. When I started this, I never knew I could make money, let alone support myself. Yet, here I am, being paid each month for playing with makeup and trying out new products. It’s a dream.