I look to see him staring at me with a hopeful look in his eyes. Waiting for me to speak, to tell him what he wants to hear, what I really want to say. I can’t, not now. Not yet. There are loose ends I have to take care of first.
"Everything is a lot." I finally say as I turn my head to finally look at him.
He nods, but stays quiet.
"I don't know that I can give you what you want right now."
His eyes brighten. "Right now?" he questions with a smile pulling at the corner of his lips.
"Yes." I breathe out.
"But someday?" he asks, his voice full of hope, making my stomach do flips.
I reach my hand to his face and feel him lean into my touch. "Yes."
He takes my hand from his cheek and places a soft kiss on my palm, sending shivers down my spine. He holds my hand to his lips for a moment before intertwining his fingers with mine. We stay quiet for a while, our hands linked just enjoying the small amount of physical contact.
I watch the clouds pass by until I feel something pull me into the water. I had been so lost in my own head that I didn't see or hear Spence. He pulled me in to get my attention, but made sure my head stayed above water.
"Earth to Emmey." he says as he pulls me back toward the raft.
"Sorry, I was watching the clouds, lost in thought. What did you say, my sweet amazing best friend?" I butter him up.
"Awe, Emmey." he says as he gushes over my compliment.
"So, what was so important you felt the need to drown me?"
"Well I never. Drown you? Look here asshole, your hair isn't even wet!" he says dramatically as he holds onto the raft. He looks up at Jonas. "Do you believe her? Me? Drown her? And she calls me over dramatic."
Jonas raises his eyebrow and looks at me. "I’m ok, really.” I look back at Spence “Now what do you want my little sugar plum fairy?"
Spence smirks at his favorite nickname. "Well." he drags the word out. "Nessa and I are famished and we thought the two of you might want to grab some grub."
I hadn't thought about it till now, but I really am hungry. "Yes, grub sounds fantastic."
"Yes, I could eat." Jonas says when Spence looks to him again.
"Perfect, Nessa is already on the beach. Let’s go, adorable love birds." he says as he swims off.
I smile and shake my head at him. Why does he feel the need to make things awkward for me? When I look back to Jonas his eyes are bright and his smile wide. He slides off the raft into the water and swims to my side. With one hand on the raft he wraps the other around my waist and pulls me close to him. So this is what everyone means when they talk about feeling butterflies in their stomach.
I feel his rock hard abs pressing against my bare stomach and my legs dangle in the water brushing against his. This closeness is making my body respond in a way it never has before. The feel of his hand flat on my back makes me want more. I want his hands all over me. I can feel my face getting red as my thoughts turn to my hands on his body.
I could hold the raft to keep afloat but why waste the opportunity to put my hands on him. I take my hand from the raft and place it on his shoulder. His grin widens and he bites his lower lip, savoring the skin to skin contact. I take in his sweet salty scent and raise my other hand to his cheek, brushing it softly. Again, he leans into my touch and it warms me from the inside. I smile and move closer to him, I remove my hand from his cheek and replace it with a soft kiss. I feel him tremble against me.
"We should probably get to shore before they come back out for us." I breathe out, trying to control myself. I know what will happen if I stay in his arms much longer. I can feel the need for him growing inside. This is a dangerous game I am playing here.
"Um hum." his breath against my neck is like fire, feeding the flames that have taken up residence in my core. Burning me from the inside out in the most tantalising way.
He slowly moves his hand from my waist, but I keep my hand on him not ready for this to end. He moves his head from where it rested against mine causing me to whimper unexpectedly. He looks me in the eyes and cups my face in his hand, smiling as he places a kiss on the tip of my nose.
"Someday love." he whispers.
With that I take my hands from his shoulder and chest where they felt like home. An emptiness finds its way to me, I want so badly to keep this contact between us. I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the swim to shore. At least that will give me a reason for my accelerated heartbeat and being out of breath.
When we make our way back to shore we are met by a very hangry Spencer. He has his arms crossed at his chest and is tapping his foot impatiently.
"Took you long enough, I'm dying over here. My stomach is eating itself." he says irritated as we walk up. “What took so long? I know you are a fast swimmer, Emmy.”
Janessa backhands his arm and gives him a 'really?' look, then nods in our direction. A knowing grin on her face. She seems to be happy about the time Jonas and I have spent together today.
"Ugh, sorry but I’m starving, and a hungry Spencer is a bitchy Spencer. So, let's feed me and then I’ll be nice again." He says tossing his hands in the air, and walking toward the street.
Jonas laughs and grabs his shirt, putting it on quickly before grabbing my dress and handing it to me. I slip it over my head and the three of us make our way to where Spence is standing in line.
"What time is it anyway?'' I ask when we reach him.
"Dinner time." he says with a snappy attitude.
It always amuses me how snippy he gets when he has missed a feeding. I laugh at him and he rolls his eyes at me.
“It is half past five.” Janessa says as she looks at her phone.
“Thank you, at least someone has manners.” I say directing the second part at Spence. He gives me the finger and makes his way to the window of the taco truck to order. The three of us laugh at him and in turn get another rude hand gesture from him.
After we get our food we go back to our spot on the beach to fill our bellies. Jonas and I share a plate of nachos, Janessa has a cup of posole, while Spence scarfs down two tacos and a torta. Janessa watches him in amusement as he polishes it all off in a matter of minutes.
Sam stops by before he leaves to make sure we don't need more drinks, Spence of course jumps up to go get one.
"He sure is a handful, how do you handle living with him?" Janessa nods in the direction he went.
"Years of practice." it comes out as more of a laugh then words.
“How many years?” Jonas asks.
“We became roommates the second semester of our freshman year, so going on ten years now.”
“You must have the patience of a saint.” she laughs.
“You have no idea how many times a week I want to sneak in his room and suffocate him with his pillow.” I joke as Spence makes his way back to his chair with a fresh margarita in hand.
“I’m sure one day I will drive her to actually do it.” he says with a chuckle.
The day turns to night and the bonfire starts. Most families have gone home leaving the crowd to be full of a bunch of loud twenty-somethings. Everyone is drinking and having a good time with each other. The many groups seem to have mixed and Spence is flirting with some guy in a speedo.
Jonas and I decide to take a seat near the fire to just enjoy each other's company. We find a nice spot on the sand to lay out the blanket. He sits and takes my hand leading me to sit between his legs. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls my back against his chest. I feel his body heat and his warm breath fanning across my shoulder sending a wonderful sensation through me.
“In Greece I grew up in a coastal village and spent a lot of my time in or on the water. The water there is clear and beautiful, it is nothing like this.” he whispers in my ear. “I would love to show you someday.”
I intertwin my fingers with his as he wraps his arms around me tighter. “I would really like to see it. I have always loved the water, I find it calming.”
; “Yes, I feel the same.” he rests his chin on my shoulder.
“Tell me more.”
“What do you want to know?” he asks.
“Tell me about your family or where you grew up.” I lean and turn my head slightly to look at his handsome face.
“My parents live in a very traditional Mediterranian village. It is not overly large, but not a small village either. When I was a child we lived in a small home on the edge of the village. My mother came from Egypt and brought her culture with her, so our home was a mix. She is a historian, so she has always wanted us to learn all we could about anything and everything.”
“My father was a fisherman for most of his life. He worked hard to provide for us, everyday on the water with my uncle. They had a small fishing boat that my grandfather passed to them. That is how my family made their living for generations there.”
“After I left for France and made a name for myself, I sent money home to my parents so they could have a better life. Eventually Nessa and I were able to buy them a house on the coastal side of the village with enough space for us when we visit. It took a lot of convincing for my father to accept it as a gift, but when I told him it is nothing compared to all he has done for us he finally signed the papers.”
“Your parents sound like amazing people.” I say as he presses a small kiss on my neck. Warmth spreads through my body and I feel the need to squeeze my thighs together.
“Yes they are. We have always been a close family. When my mother would return to Egypt in the summers I would go with her. Nessa never really liked it there, said it was too dry for her. Mother and I would spend a few months there, she would research and I would cause trouble. She took me to some digging sights and we spent a lot of time in the college looking at everything the archaeologist had brought in. She wrote a few books on the history of the artifacts that had been found.”
“I suppose I have always been closer to her than my father. Not that I don't love and respect him, I just have a more rounded relationship with her. Tell me about your father.”
A smile spreads across my face. My dad. “He was the most amazing man and I was definitely daddys girl. He spoiled me, anything and everything I ever wanted, if it was in his power he would make sure I got it.”
“We shared a love for rock music. He would take me to concerts every month or anytime someone we liked was in town. Sometimes we would travel to the surrounding states just to see a band we couldn't live without seeing. Every concert he would buy me a t-shirt. I still have them all.” I feel happy sharing this with Jonas. I think my dad would have really liked him.
“We would spend the weekends working on cars, getting grease under our nails and making a mess in the driveway. It always made my mom so mad. She constantly scolded us about it and would make us scrub the stains off the cement. We never really minded though, it was just more time together.”
“When I was thirteen he taught me how to ride his Harley. Well, I wasn't really driving it but he made me feel like I was. We would go out with his buddies every once in a while, just cruising down the highway. We would camp and fish, and then go back home and freak my mom out with the fish.”
“He sounds like a good father.”
“The best.” I smile and a lone tear makes its way down my cheek.
“I am sorry, I did not mean…”
I cut him off. “No, don't be sorry. I love to talk about him. Any tears I shed from the memories aren't sad, they're happy I promise. I have so many good memories with him, sometimes I just get lost in them and when I come back to reality it stings. But I'm not sad when I think about all the time I had with him. Only when I think of the time without him do I get sad.”
I see Janessa walking on the other side of the bonfire and we wave her over to us. She sits next to Jonas and hugs her legs to her chest.
“It is a nice night for this.” she says motioning to the fire.
“Yeah, the beach gets pretty chilly once the sun goes down. Have you seen Spencer?” I ask.
“Yes, he is with a group just over there. They have free drinks.” she says pointing to the right and shaking her head disapprovingly.
I laugh. “Perfect. I will have to carry him upstairs when we get home.”
“Well then we should probably get ready to go.” she says.
We pack up our things and set out to find the missing and probably drunk Spencer. “Where did you say you saw him last?” I ask Janessa.
“He was over there with a big group of people.” she points to a now empty section of beach.
Great, now we have to play Where's Waldo. “Well knowing him he could be anywhere. We should spread out and meet back at the car in ten minutes. If we don't find him by then I am sure he has found some trouble to get himself into.”
“Okay, I will go check out the food lines.” she says.
Jonas looks at me like he doesn't want to leave my side, and the feeling is mutual. “I will check further down the beach.” he kisses my forehead and walks off.
I decide to check the open bathrooms and surrounding buildings that are open, but with no luck. When I get to the car I see him sitting against the front tire with Janessa standing over him scolding him.
I keep walking until I am pulled backwards into a hard body. Jonas places his hands on my hips to hold me in place as he runs the tip of his nose along my shoulder. I lean my head back giving him more of me to feel. He lets out a soft chuckle at my action and places a row of kisses from my ear down my shoulder.
You think I would stop him at some point, but I just can't seem to find the will. His touch sends these amazing tingles along my skin that sinks into my flesh until it settles in my core. Everything this man does turns me on, but when he touches me it is like the flood gates open and I lose control over my actions.
“Well I see she found him.” his voice vibrates my skin as he speaks between his kissing assault.
“It would seem so.”
Jonas has to help Spence off the ground and into the backset before we finally leave the beach. Once we reach the apartment he also helps Spence to get into the building and up the stairs.
“Thank you for that. I would have struggled getting him here.”
“Anything for you.” Jonas replies. “I think I left my phone in your car.” He says as he pats his pockets.
“Okay, lets go check.” I say happily, warning to postpone our goodbye as long as possible.
Chapter 14
Ember
I don't really know what I am feeling right now. So many things are swirling around in my head, all the lines are beginning to blur. When we said goodbye after the long day of tempting physical contact and longing looks, I couldn't help but taste his lips. I could tell he thought about stopping me but neither of us had the self-control to. Now I can't seem to get that moment out of my mind.
It just keeps replaying behind my eyelids as I lay here in bed. His hands at my waist, drawing me closer. His hot breath causes goosebumps all over my body as he whispers in my ear. "I can't bring myself to let you go, not yet." Each second pulling me closer and closer to him.
I was burning from the inside, desire now taking over. My hands slide slowly from his chest to his shoulders, up his neck to his face. Now standing on my tippy-toes, pulling him to my level. He resists for only a split second before his lips come crashing down on mine. Soft yet full of passion and desire. The fire inside me is raging hotter than before as I feel his body pin me to the side of my Jeep.
I open my eyes trying to stop the warmth I am now feeling between my legs. Never have I wanted anything so badly. No, not want, it was a need. I needed him in that moment more than I have ever needed anything in my entire existence. The kiss may have been short but it definitely left a mark on me, deep within me.
Before I know what I am doing, I am in my Jeep driving. I need physical contact and since I can't have Jonas, Kade will have to do for now.
As soon as he opens the door, push him against the wall kissing him.
“I need you now.” I say as I pause for a breath
"Em, what is with...oh damn." he gives in to my kiss as I reach my hand to his body till I reach his hardness.
I shove him in the direction of his room still kissing him, striping him as we go. When we make it to the bedroom he is in nothing but his boxer briefs. He pulls my dress over my head before I force him onto the bed straddling him. I kiss him hard and take his lip between my teeth tugging lightly on it. He moans and takes my face in his hands looking deep into my eyes, obviously seeing something in them he was not familiar with.
"Em?" he looks at me confused, and rightfully so. Our physical relationship has never been like this. I don't care right now, I need this right now. I don't mind using him, he uses me all of the time.
I bite his lower lip harder as I push him on to his back, he lets out another small moan. I can feel him growing under me, raising myself to him I grind against it. His hands move to my ass and grip me hard flipping me to my back, his eyes full of a lust he has never shown me. He moves my panties to the side, slipping two fingers into me. I close my eyes and see Jonas, I feel my body responding in a way it never has before. A loud moan leaves my mouth as I raise my hips and push myself into his hand.
Kade reaches over grabbing a condom then removes both of our underwear in seconds and pushes his hard cock into me as he leaves a trail of kisses from my breast to my ear. "I don't know what has gotten into you, but I like it." he whispers before starting to thrust.
I kiss his neck and nibble on his ear before whispering “I want you to make me scream, give me everything you have to give.”
He almost growls in delight at my words, as he lifts my legs flat against his chest and moves in and out of me with purpose. I close my eyes again letting the kiss play behind my eyelids, sending me into an intense orgasm like I have never felt before. Kade responded by switching to missionary, pushing deeper inside me, harder and faster. My back arched and my head thrown back in pleasure, trying hard to breathe as it rips through my body.
Ribbon of Fate: Love or lust? Page 12