by London Casey
I grabbed at the back of his head, my fingers sliding through his short hair, my nails digging at his scalp.
His right hand came down my body and moved under my shirt. His hand was eager and precise, cutting under my bra with ease, leaving his big hand to cup my breast. I shivered again, feeling my nipples becoming hard. My nipple slid against the palm of his hand. There was suddenly a line of pleasure that went from my breasts down to my sex. I ached for him.
“Oh, shit,” I whispered as Cass kissed my neck again.
He worked up and sought my mouth one more time.
We started to kiss and he rocked forward, thrusting that hardness of his against me.
I felt a pulsing between my legs. It was almost pathetic how much I was turned on and how close I was to coming already.
I threw my left hand back, wanting to lean on the table. I wanted him to tear everything off me and have me.
My hand smacked against something other than a table. There was a noise and I broke the kiss to look back. Some kind of piece of equipment was already in a free fall. It hit the floor, a couple red knobs flying off it.
“Shit!” I yelled.
Cass laughed.
“What was that?”
“It’s called a mixing board.”
“Is it expensive?”
“Sort of,” he said.
“Shit,” I said. “I’m sorry. I’m—”
Cass pressed his body to mine. nDarlin’, I don’t give a shit about anything in this house except you. Understand me?”
“Yes,” I whispered. I was captivated by him. I was addicted to him.
“I don’t want to do this here,” Cass said.
“Why not?”
Cass grinned. His bad boy eyes burned with lust and need for my body. “Darlin’, I’m taking you to my bed.”
Cass
NOW
I stood her next to my bed. My eyes had already undressed her a long damn time ago. But this was happening for real. Right now.
We kissed as I lifted her shirt over her head. I made her sit down on the bed and I dropped down, going right for her jeans. Maybe we’d have a time when things could go slower, but something was happening. This moment was an explosion of feelings and tension that existed between Diem and I from the moment we met.
I had her stripped down to her bra and panties.
I started to stand up and Diem grabbed for my jeans. I wasn’t going to stop her from anything her beautiful body needed from me.
She opened my jeans and pushed them down. I took the liberty of taking my shirt off, saving more time for better things.
Diem bit her lip and groaned. Her hands touched my stomach, her nails scratching up and down, leaving red marks.
“How do you look like this?” she asked, his eyes wide.
I touched her chin, making her look up at me. “Darlin’, this is for you. Take what you want.”
She came forward, her sweet lips kissing my stomach muscles one by one. Her hands curled around the top of my boxers, inching them down. I was so fucking hard and ready that the second my cock had the chance, it popped free out of my boxers. It touched her body and Diem gasped as she jumped back.
I stepped out of my boxers and stood there naked before her.
She gently touched me, her hand cupping under my full shaft, trying to grip me.
“Oh, Cass,” she purred.
When she came forward again, I watched as her tongue flicked the tip of my hardness. I groaned. She made this move with her tongue, rolling around me before taking me inside.
“Shit, darlin’,” I groaned as the warm sensation shot down through my legs.
I reached behind her and twisted the clasp of her bra, popping it free.
I thrust at her mouth, offering more of myself to her.
She groaned when I reached her limit and I eased my way out.
Yeah, I really wanted to keep going but I had something else in mind for Diem. I wanted all of her. What I had once tasted, my cock now throbbed for.
“On your back, darlin’,” I ordered her. “And I want you to strip those panties off. Right now.”
Diem did as told. On her back she reached to her hips and pushed, taking her panties off. I watched as all of her body became exposed to me. All for my taking.
I inched forward, grabbing Diem by the hips, lifting her up, taking her more on the bed. I hovered over her perfect body, my eyes scanning up and down, memorizing her. Diem grabbed the sheets, unsure what was going to happen next between us.
I lowered my mouth to her chest, quickly kissing down to her left breast. I had to have her. My mouth engulfed her breast as my tongue darted in all directions against her nipple. I sucked hard, my teeth closing down on her nipple, pulling until Diem gave me a groan.
“Fuck, darlin’,” I whispered. “You’re so fucking perfect.”
I moved to her other breast and rubbed the tip of my nose to her nipple.
I kissed up her chest to her neck, right back to her mouth.
Her hand touched my back, pulling at me.
I broke the kiss and said, “Darlin’, I need to get something. Can’t have any surprises, can we?”
The question flew from my tongue before I realized what it meant.
Unprotected sex … a wild night of passion … then a baby.
I had already written that story.
Diem’s face flushed. “Cass, have you been with anyone … since we met?”
“No,” I said.
“We’re good here,” Diem said as she kissed me. “I want to feel you. Inside me.”
“Just me?” I asked. “That means you’re okay?”
“I’m okay,” Diem said. “I’m not going to get pregnant, Cass. I promise.”
That was all I needed to hear. The rock star came back to life inside me. To feel the beauty of a woman—not to mention a woman that I lo—really cared about …
Shit. What was I thinking?
I chased everything away and lowered myself down to her.
I felt the beautiful warmth of her body and a second later she began to sheath me tight as I thrust into her.
Diem’s hips bucked up at me as I entered her. She pulled at the sheets and arched her back as she let out a cry.
I kissed her chest and slipped my right hand to her back, pulling her tight to mine.
I thrust again at her, offering her all I had.
We were connected. So deep. So perfect.
I ran my lips up her chest, up her neck, forcing Diem to kiss me again. But right before we kissed, we stared at each other. There was a second where everything stood still.
I was falling for her. Hard.
I thrust at her harder and faster, loving the way her body felt against mine. My hands traveled up and down, feeling the softness of her breasts, the curves her hips, and then around to her ass. I held her there, pumping my body forward, burying myself to the hilt over and over again.
Diem switched her hold from the sheets to my back, trying to grasp hard muscle, scratching at me. She buried her face into my neck, breathing and moaning. I grunted each time I fucked into her. I couldn’t remember the last time a connection felt so good. So real. Maybe we were just taking our pain and anger out on each other, but it was fucking great.
I stopped and rolled to my side and then to my back, my arms holding Diem tight. I now had her on top of me. My hands moved down past her ass and grabbed the back of her legs. I propped her up where I wanted her, still thrusting , lifting my body again and again, inside her.
“Oh, shit,” she groaned as her lips touched my chest.
“Up, darlin’,” I growled. “I want to see you. All your beauty. Right now.”
Diem lifted up, her hands against my stomach as she lifted and lowered herself against me. Her breasts danced beautifully for me.
I started with her hips, holding tight, grinding our bodies together. I slipped my hands up her body and cupped her breasts. Diem surprised me by putting her hands to mine. She bounce
d harder and faster, putting her head back, groaning.
“Cass … yes …”
“Scream my name,” I said. “I want to feel you come, darlin’.”
Diem put one hand back down to my chest. She leaned forward a little and shot out her other hand, grabbing for the side of the bed.
“I can’t,” she groaned. “I’m so close—Cass—I …”
I heard her begging me and I knew how to take good care of her. Of my darlin’.
I made a quick move and rolled Diem to her back again and was back in control. She grabbed for my chest, sinking her nails into my hard skin. I didn’t mind one fucking bit. I thrust deep into her again, to the hilt, and I held right there. I rocked at her, staying against her, feeling the beautiful warmth of her sex as she clung to me, throbbing until she broke the barrier of climax.
Our eyes met as her hands slid to my back again. She pulled herself up, gasping for air, needing me to hold her.
With one hand on the bed, I balanced myself. I used my other hand and spread my fingers across her slender back. I pulled her close to me as I continued to fuck her, loving her body through her intense orgasm. Her nails clung to me. Her lips clung to my chest. Her sweet pussy clung to my cock.
She pulled at me, making me growl as I tried to hold myself back.
“Cass,” she purred in a breathless voice. “Oh, Cass …”
Hearing her voice and feeling her breath against my chest was damn near all I could handle. She let her head fall back again, exposing her neck to me. I kissed her neck but I wanted more. I ran my lips up to her lips, guiding her back down to the bed.
I hovered over Diem right there, my lips connected to hers. Thrusting at her, my body moving, my tongue darting in and out of her mouth. Her tongue met mine again and again, each kiss hotter, better, more passionate, laced with intention, and leaving me lingering for more.
I looked down at our bodies. Her supple breasts, gently dancing to the beat of my thrusts. Her smooth and sexy belly, all the way down to her mound. My body pumping in and out of her, seeing my cock glistening with her sweetness. I could smell her, a scent that would leave me with a desire I could never satisfy, but I wanted to fucking spend maybe the rest of my life trying to.
What the hell is going through my head?
My eyes moved back up to the most beautiful sight of all.
Diem’s eyes.
I kissed her again and knew there was no longer holding back. I eased my mouth down her neck and felt the throbbing pulse of my cock. I was deep when I started to release, the final showing of pleasure and proof of how perfect Diem was.
Diem groaned at the first throb.
She clawed my back one more time, trying to hold me.
I lowered my body completely to hers. I held her waist, holding where I wanted her.
And I started to love her again …
She was in bed for good now. Her head resting against my chest. My fingers sliding up and down her left arm. I felt her shiver each time I got near the bend of her elbow. I couldn’t remember a time I cared about a woman’s body so much that involved more than what was on her chest or between her legs.
“Do you miss it?” Diem asked.
“What?”
She put her chin to my chest and looked at me. “The music. Do you miss it?”
“Sometimes,” I said.
“Are you ever going to do it again?”
“No. I thought for the longest time I was meant to write my own music but it never happened. I’m okay right now, darlin’. I like what I do. I share stories with people. I create something that lasts forever. Kind of like music.”
“That’s sort of beautiful and romantic, Cass.”
“Yeah, well don’t tell anyone at St. Skin. They’ll give me shit.” I grinned.
“They’re good people?”
“Yeah, they are. Tattoos and piercings aside …”
“I don’t judge,” Diem said.
“Why are you asking me about this?”
“Just curious about who you are,” she said.
“What you see is what you get,” I said.
“Yet you bought this big house to be some single tattoo guy?”
I swallowed hard. “It was a good deal.”
“Right. A good deal. You ever get lost in time, Cass?”
“I try to ignore time, darlin’,” I said. “It hasn’t been my friend. Why?”
“We really didn’t finish our entire conversation from before,” Diem said.
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. What we just did—twice …”
I could see her cheeks getting red, even in the dark.
“I just want you to know—”
Diem cut me off. “Paisley is turning one soon. It just really hit me, you know? She went from this infant to a baby. And she’s going to be one. And I have …”
“What?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
There was still whiskey in her eyes. The sex hadn’t burned off all the whiskey. Her heart was talking now.
“I have nothing for her,” Diem said. “That’s the truth. It’s been so much about raising her. Or trying to figure out how to raise her. And working. I mean, she’s going to turn one and … aren’t kids supposed to have a party?”
“Oh, darlin’, don’t worry about that,” I said. “She’s got family. She’s got us. We’ll take care of her.”
Diem sucked in a breath. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Cass.”
I put Diem’s head back to my chest. Damn, she was cutting through layers of hard shell around my heart.
What could I say?
What could I do?
I wasn’t used to this deepness of a relationship. Or whatever the hell Diem and I were.
So I just held her.
“I promise you, it’ll be okay,” I said. “Don’t ask me how. Just trust me, Diem. Please trust me. I’m not going to let you down. I’m not going to let my daughter down.”
It was only a matter of minutes before I was just talking to myself.
Diem was sleeping.
I kissed the top of her head.
“Sleep tight, darlin’,” I whispered.
I was feeling a little buzzed still as my eyes started to shut.
My mind raced with everything Diem and I had talked about. I now had the entire story of Scarlett’s fate. A drunk driver had taken her life. It wasn’t the first time alcohol was involved in taking someone I cared for.
I squeezed Diem tighter.
My heart, my mind, and my body were in a deep battle.
I told Diem that time wasn’t a friend of mine and that was true.
Because the past, the present, and future were about to collide.
Diem
YEARS AGO
He grabbed me. He grabbed the comforter off my bed. It all happened so fast. I swung my fists but my strength was weak from still being half asleep.
I was confused. Very confused.
I swung another weak fist and hit his face.
“The house is on fire. I’m saving you.”
Those eight words calmed my flying fists but did nothing for my racing heart.
He took me from the bedroom and I smelled the smoke again. I could even feel heat.
No, no, no, no, no …
My house couldn’t be on fire. That’s how it went. My house wasn’t allowed to burn down. Mom yelled at Dad to check on the smoke detectors. Hadn’t he checked them? Wait, wasn’t he supposed to put another one upstairs? Did he do that?
I wanted to ask Dad about it.
He was the one carrying me. Right?
“Cover up,” he said.
I put the comforter over my head and felt him carry me down the stairs. We were outside and the cool night’s air hit my face when I poked my head out of the comforter. That’s when I saw the first orange glow of a flame shooting out of the roof of the house.
I gasped and started to cry.
Then I was on the ground.
; “Who else is in there?”
I realized then it wasn’t my father’s voice. I turned my head and looked up. There was a man standing behind me. He had a hood up and it covered most of his face. I could just see his smooth chin.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Who else is in the house?”
“My mom and dad,” I said. “They should be coming—”
There was a siren off in the distance.
I looked at the house again.
I saw lights on in the neighbor’s house. They were the Connelly’s. An elderly couple. Later I’d find out that they were the ones who called the fire department. They were too old to help in any other way though.
When I looked back, the man who saved me was gone.
The sirens grew louder, closer.
I forced myself to stand.
I had to get back inside.
I had to help my parents.
Unless they were on their way.
They’d come out, right? They’d smell the smoke, just like I did. They’d feel the heat. Dad would wake up Mom or Mom would wake up Dad. Dad was strong. He could get her out.
Why didn’t he change the batteries in the smoke detectors? Why didn’t he get an extra one, like Mom said?
I made a handful of steps when the blare of a siren made me jump. I spun around and saw the flashing red lights. In a matter of seconds, several firefighters were on the move. Two quickly took hold of me as I was just one step away from the front porch. They turned me, huddled me up in my blanket, and made sure an ambulance was coming to check on me. I managed to say that my parents were inside the house.
The lights kept flashing.
The fire kept burning.
Firefighters went into the house but they didn’t come out with my parents.
I never saw my parents again after that night.
I never saw my house again.
And I never saw the man who saved me from the fire.
Diem
NOW
I felt Cass’s big hands grab my waist as he pressed his body to my back. I almost spilled coffee all over the counter.
“Good morning, darlin’,” his rough morning voice said, sending warm pulses through my body.
I smiled. I loved that he spent the night. He got up to help with Paisley. It was my chance to sleep but I was awake, listening to him sooth her. Listening to his words to her. Proof that he really did love her. Not that I could ever doubt it, it was still a shock to me that he took such ownership of the role.