“Good thing you’re a patient man.” I shuffled my feet in the water.
“I heard Stay stopped being patient.”
“Does everyone know?” I felt that I was about to shake my head and stopped myself.
“I think that’s a safe assumption. How’s that going?”
I slanted my head in his direction and said, “It’s a complicated answer to an easy question. I’m not over my previous relationship and—”
“Jacqs told me what happened. Sorry, Lane.”
I stared down at my feet in the water. “Yeah, thanks. Does she tell you everything?”
“Another safe assumption. Does it bother you?”
I rocked my head back and forth, deciding. “Not really. I trust it stays with you.”
“Always. So Stay? You know Jacqs will grill me later.”
“He’s an incredible man but sometimes I feel like I’m moving forward in a relationship that I’m not fully in yet. That didn’t make any sense.” I made eye contact with Red to see if he got it.
“It makes perfect sense. I’ve known Stay a long time. When he wants something, he throws his whole self into it.”
I kicked my feet and said, “I know. I’m just not in the place where I can do the same.”
“You’re worried about hurting him.”
“Shouldn’t I be?” I asked.
“Just be exactly where you are. That’s all you can really do, and be honest about it. I believe these things have a way of sorting out. I’ve never been happier in my life since Jacqs. It wasn’t ideal timing but we’re managing. Plus you can always trust Stay to be upfront.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “To a fault sometimes.”
“Agreed. So it’s your coming out tonight.”
“Apparently it’s not necessary since everyone already knows. I’m certain he plans to make it abundantly obvious.”
Red touched my arm and said, “Grant him that. He’s liked you for a long time.”
“You’ve all turn pining into a fine art,” I said.
Red had loved Jacqs for years before he finally made his feelings known.
“Want to help me put the food out? I’d like to check in with Jacqs too.” Red stood and grabbed each of us a towel to dry off our legs.
“Sure.”
Red and I set up the house for the gathering in companionable silence. The love that he shared with Jacqs was highly enviable, and I wondered if I could love like that or even allow myself to be loved that way. I never had before.
After laying out the spinach dip and veggie platter I went to the bathroom to check my appearance. I wished Stay would show so I could stop feeling so anxious about being with him with all our friends.
Jacqs finally made it home and after making out with Red while I stared at the floors and ceiling, she waved me to follow her upstairs.
“I’m going to quickly change,” she said, stripping off her work clothes. She threw on a flowery, short, halter dress. “Sit”—she patted the bed beside her—“Have you changed your hair? I really like it.”
“I didn’t blow it dry this morning. I think I heard the door,” I said, sitting down next to her.
“Give me the scoop.”
“Ask Red,” I said, lying back on the bed and folding my arms underneath my head.
“I’m sure you didn’t tell him about the sex. How’s the sex?”
I raised an eyebrow and said, “Too good. It’s all too much.”
She patted me on the thigh and said, “I’m happy for you. Red is too much too, and I love every minute of it. Give it time.”
“Uh-huh.”
“That sounded like Stay’s laugh.” She stood up and checked her hair in the mirror.
“Can I hide up here?” I asked, sitting up.
“Buck up, girl, and face the music.”
Stay watched me walk down the steps, and before I reached the bottom he swept me up in his arms. “It’s good to see you. I missed you today.” He then kissed me and I let him. It was no mere peck but a sweltering kiss. He accomplished what he intended—to make me hot and bothered.
“You’re a naughty man,” I whispered into his ear.
“Just remember you said yes, and you’ll get a taste of how naughty I can be.”
“Stop that,” I said.
“Which part?” He bit my ear lobe and whispered back, “The part that made your nipples hard or the part that caused your neck to flush and your breathing to accelerate?”
“Break it up,” Cat said. “Are you going to be all over each other like Red and Jacqs? I’m certain he has an extra room. Use it.”
“Cat, I’m certain you don’t want to use up one of your lives,” Stay teased. “I plan to kiss and grope her often.”
Cat hung her arm around my waist and said, “Lainie, if you don’t put your man in his place early on, trust me, you’ll regret it.”
“Excuse me. I’m standing right here,” Kev said and he didn’t look happy. “Just remember whose night it is.”
I had a feeling she was to be topped and he planned to show her who was boss.
The evening breeze beckoned us all, so we settled outside with the food and drinks. Stay sat right by my side and was the perfect gentleman. He gave me plenty of space and I didn’t feel smothered like I thought I might.
I sat back watching our friends shift from one conversation to another. I really loved all of them, even Bond now too.
“Let’s go for a walk,” Stay said after we had finished laughing at Bond and his ridiculous impersonation of a dancer at his club.
“Sure.”
We walked away from the group, down the short yard, and onto the dark dock that extended out over the Intracoastal Waterway.
He led me to the end of the pier and we sat down, our legs hanging over the edge but not touching the water. He scooted me closer to him, draping my right leg over his left. In his arms, he swept me up in his kiss, seizing my mouth and making me dizzy with lust. He slid my hand into his jeans over his cock. His penetrative stare told me what he wanted.
“Anyone could walk out here. I can hear them laughing.”
“Unbutton my pants and take my cock out.”
I glanced at his bulge and back at his face. He meant it. So titillated, I did as he asked. I unbuttoned his pants, pushed down the elastic on his boxers, and freed his erection. Scanning around us, I didn’t think the people across the water or the house to the right of us could see us in the light reflected from Red’s house.
He gathered my hair in his fist and moved my mouth up and down over his shaft. His scent filled my nostrils turning me on and making me light headed. He used my mouth, and I gave myself over to it. In his seated position, he couldn’t penetrate my throat like before and I missed it.
He pulled my head off his cock and slammed his lips against mine. Once apart, he said, “I can’t get enough of you.”
“Your smell, it does something to me,” I moaned.
His deep-blue eyes told me he loved me and that he wanted me to know.
“Please don’t say it,” I silently begged. I needed it to be about sex and not love. “Do you think I will be able to take more of you down my throat next time?”
“Do you want to?”
“I want you to make me wet like you did before. Yes and I want it to feel better for you.”
“It couldn’t have felt any better. Next time we’ll try with some lube. We’ll practice now a bit before I fuck you from behind. On your knees.” He stood and with my hair still in his hand, he helped me to kneel in front of him. “Are you ready?”
I nodded and swallowed a few times. With my head tilted up, I opened my mouth like a bird.
“You look so sexy like that,” he said and then doused into my throat. He held the back of my head and bent his knees down, forcing his cock deeper.
When he pulled out, I said, “More please.” The heat in my pussy continued to burn, my lips swollen from the aggression. My saturated panties would have to be removed and stu
ffed in my bag once I was back inside.
“Just a few more strokes, because I want to explode in your pussy, knowing you’re going to carry my come around for the rest of the night. Then he thrusted into my throat repeatedly and I felt the gush in my panties. “Stand and bend over,” he said. “This won’t take long.”
I unbuttoned my jeans and exposed my ass to Stay.
He turned me around so we faced the house and bent me at the waist. “Spread your legs wider,” he said.
It wasn’t easy to accomplish with my jeans down around my calves, but I did my best.
He plunged into me from behind, grasping my hips.
I dropped down, my hands on the dock, exposing and spreading myself fully. The wind whirled around us as my excitement grew. It felt dangerous, and naughty, and highly stimulating to have sex twenty feet away from our friends. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I muttered.
He rode me hard, pushing me closer to the edge of release. He then tapered off. Groaning, he said, “OC, damn you feel too good. I want you to come first.”
“Don’t stop, please, I’m right there with you.”
Listening to me, he continued to pound into me. I reveled in his ability to skyrocket my arousal with his aggression and circumstance. He carried us both further into our excitation until we both erupted.
I strangled the sound in my throat, trying to catch my breath.
His body lay over mine until I gently pushed him off once I felt our come dripping down my legs.
“Shit,” I said, struggling out of my jeans and hopping on one foot to catch my balance.
He held my arm to help me remain standing.
“You don’t happen to have—” I sighed in relief when he retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket. “Have I told you how much I love these?” I wiped up all the wetness and leaving my panties off, I pulled my pants back on. “How do I look?” I asked after I buttoned my jeans and straightened my shirt.
“Well fucked,” he said, adjusting himself and smoothing out his jeans down his legs.
“Great,” I said sarcastically.
“They will all be jealous,” he said, taking my hand.
“Hang on,” I said, holding up my panties and the hanky.
“I’ll take them both,” he said with a wicked grin and shoved them into his pockets.
I laughed and thanked him.
When we re-entered the pool area, the entire surface of my skin blushed, so if they hadn’t figured it out already I was sure my stupid body would tip them off.
“Have fun?” Cat asked.
“It’s beautiful out by the water,” I said, trying to pull off nonchalance.
Jacqs gave me a knowing glanced, which I ignored. The men seemed to either not notice or more likely didn’t give a rat’s ass.
Me? I didn’t recognize myself anymore. It definitely started with Mason. Me doing all sort of things I’d never considered, enjoying aspects of sex that until recently were foreign to me. Stay, on the other hand, was an unfolding anomaly that surprised me all the time. Such a mix of gentleman and sexual deviant—it made my head spin. My heart? It was staying out of it. My body on the other hand was moving full speed ahead.
I really didn’t want to spend the night alone, but for Stay’s benefit, I thought I should. If I really wanted a casual relationship, it was up to me to keep it that way.
We sat on the glider couch together, Stay’s arm around me. Bond sat on the edge of the pool with Jacqs inclining against him. Sam, Red, Blue, Kev, and Cat sat in wrought iron chairs around two tables covered with food and beverages.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Stay asked me. “Anyone else?”
“Water would be great, thanks.”
Everyone else declined.
Cat continued telling her story about a client. “She wanted this huge tattoo on her ribs. The design idea was pretty cool, but she had never gotten a tattoo before and that’s the most painful area on the body. Granted, I could do it in small installments but it seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. I tried to talk her into a different location or a smaller piece but she wouldn’t listen. Tracy said she would take it and I let her. Boy, is she regretting it now. From what I heard, the woman only sat for thirty minutes and was moving the entire time.”
“Is she still giving you shit for not having any tattoos?” Bond asked. “I could rough her up for you.”
We all cracked up.
“Yes, but since the new manager is there, it doesn’t bother me anymore.”
“That’s good,” Jacqs said.
“You ready to tattoo Bond and Red on either butt cheek,” Cat asked Jacqs.
“Very funny, and absolutely not.”
“Blue’s almost settled on something, right?” Cat said.
“I’m still debating between three of your drawings. I love them all. Soon though.”
After I drank some of the water Stay brought over, I yawned. “I didn’t sleep well last night so I think I’m going to shove off.”
They all looked from me to Stay as if they knew why.
“Cut it out,” I said, standing to go.
They chuckled.
“I’ll walk you out,” Stay said, standing next to me and holding my hand.
“Thank you Red for hosting again, and Jacqs ... and Bond,” I said.
“Of course,” Red said.
Jacqs rose to hug me and whispered, “I hope it was good. I haven’t ever done it on the dock. Something to think about.”
“Red, Jacqs needs a good spanking,” I said, giving her a dirty look.
“I’m on it,” he said.
“Can I clear any of this away before I leave?” I asked.
“We’ll take care of it,” Jacqs said.
“Bye all,” I said and walked through the French doors into the house. I collected my purse from the kitchen. “They all knew.”
“And none of them cared. Seriously, they’re only speculating anyway.” He swung his arm over my shoulder and walked me toward the front door. “I’d love to house sit here for a few days. So many rooms, so little time.”
I playfully shoved him. “My first choice would be there,” I said, pointing to the fireplace alcove off the sitting area. “We haven’t yet explored your place thoroughly.”
“Or yours,” he said, opening the door for me.
“True.”
“Will you stay over tomorrow night?” he asked, my hand swinging in his.
“Maybe. Damn, it’s a gorgeous night. See all the stars?”
“I hadn’t noticed,” he said, staring straight at me.
With my hands I turned his face up to the moon and stars.
“Still doesn’t even come close.”
“Stop it,” I said, standing in front of my vehicle.
“Stop what?” he said, forcing me up against the side of my car.
“Stop being so nice to me,” I said. Chills rushed over my body as he nibbled his way up my neck.
“Come over tomorrow night and I’ll be as mean as you can take.”
My clit jumped over his remark.
He pinned me, holding my arms above my head, roughly rubbing his hard cock against my pelvis. “I could take you again right here.”
My body screamed for my submission but my mind said, ‘No fucking way!’ “We’re in the middle of a street with a bright streetlamp above us.”
He rested his full body against me and kissed me with zeal. By the time our lips parted, I was panting and wet.
“Say yes,” he said as he stepped back.
“Yes,” I groaned, already missing the heat of his body on mine.
“I know why you’re not taking me home tonight.”
So close to changing my mind, I didn’t say anything.
“Do you have plans for Saturday?” he asked, angling my head up.
“No, why?”
“I want us to go out on a proper date. We can discuss the details tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I stood there not moving,
not really wanting to leave.
“Be ready for me. I’ll be at the shop by seven-thirty. Make sure to eat something beforehand.” He gave me a light kiss and opened the car door for me. After he shut it, I watched him walk away.
Back at my place, it almost seemed foreign for me to be there alone. The past week reinserted itself into my thoughts and my gut clinched. So much had happened in such a short time, I had a hard time processing it all. After my nightly cigarette, I heated a bowl of Stay’s chicken soup and ate it while I watched the elimination round on The Voice from Tuesday. I enjoyed the distraction.
Genuinely tired, I dragged myself to bed wondering what Stay had in store for me tomorrow. I had an idea and it both thrilled and scared me. My thoughts drifted away as I feel asleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Comes and Goes (In Waves)
by Greg Laswell
Waking up alone hurt more than I could have imagined. Stayman had become such a wonderful relief from the grief, allowing me to hold it at bay. Alone with myself, the pain gripped me and tried it’s best to force me to the ground. Shaking, I went out on my balcony in my robe and lit a cigarette. I couldn’t sit down. I paced back and forth across the short distance. Mason’s face, his unique smell, the sex, the laughter, and the horrible, life changing rejection bounced around in my head.
The next stage of grief must have begun because all I wanted to do was climb back into bed and sleep, pulling the covers over me to hide.
I could see my mother shaking her head at me, and I had to acknowledge another way I was like her. That broke the damn. I tapped out my cigarette, climbed back into bed and hugged a pillow to me.
After a few minutes I tossed myself out of bed and took a shower. I hadn’t spoken to my father since his trip and I really needed him. Throwing on a dress we were selling at Bella at the time, I didn’t bother blow-drying my hair or applying makeup. I figured the tears would just wash away the eyeliner and mascara. I gathered breakfast and the clothes I needed for the next day.
On my way into work, I called my father.
“Hi, baby girl. I’ve been thinking about you,” he said when he picked up.
“Hi ,Daddy.”
“What is it, Lainie?” His tone immediately changed to one of concern.
“My life is a mess,” I said, when I stopped at a red light. I didn’t feeling like taking the highway and drove the back streets instead.
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