Just a Little Flirt

by Renita Pizzitola

  Cade stood at the sink filling a glass with water. He smiled at me. “Now that’s a sight I could get used to.”

  “My super sexy bed head?” I ran my fingers through my hair, twisted it up then wrapped the ponytail holder from my wrist around the loose bun.

  “Guys call it something different.” He grinned.

  I was very aware of the alternate name but considering we hadn’t done anything in bed remotely near sex, my hairstyle was just plain ole bed head.

  “But it’s not just your hair, it’s the whole package. My shirt. Your legs. Sleepy, but smiling.” He sipped his water.

  “Well fucked.” I scooted up onto a bar stool across from him.

  He sputtered. “And here I was trying to be a gentleman.”

  “Sorry.” I grinned. “I hate to break it to you now, but I’m kind of the queen of inappropriate. Don’t censor on account of me.”

  “Got it.” He smiled, turned and grabbed a plate loaded with bacon and another filled with eggs. “I cooked.”

  “Shirtless.” I leaned my chin into my palm and lifted my eyebrows. “Now that’s a sight I could get used to.” I grabbed a strip of bacon and took a bite. “So did you plan on inviting the whole building over?” I gestured to the spread, including the toast which sprung from the toaster.

  He chuckled. “My roommate and I always make big breakfasts on Sunday. I guess I’m used to making enough for two guys.”

  “I’ll try to carry my weight.” I grabbed another piece of bacon and slipped off my stool and into the kitchen. “Can I have some coffee?”

  “Sure.” He started to move but then leaned against the counter. “The cups are above your head.”

  “Here?” I opened the cabinet.

  “Yeah, just grab one from the top.”

  I stood on tiptoe and reached for a mug. “Are you staring at my ass?”

  “Mm hmm.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and found him unabashedly staring while sipping his water.

  “You told me to drop the gentleman act.” He shrugged then grinned. “The coffee should be ready. Sorry if it sucks. I don’t really drink it, but knew you did. Sean usually makes it.”

  It had been fun having all this time with Cade but he did have a roommate. It wouldn’t normally be like this for us. It had been like a weekend escape. But we both had to go back to reality. “Is Sean coming home today?”

  “Yeah. Not sure when though.” He smeared butter on his toast.

  I filled my mug and walked back around to sit on the bar stool. Cade remained standing in the kitchen across from me.

  He stabbed some eggs with his fork and popped them in his mouth. “What time are you scheduled this week?”

  “One to three.”

  “Want to have lunch? As friends, of course.” He lifted a piece of bacon.

  “Sure. Which day?”

  “Monday? I won’t be there Tuesday, but will be back on Thursday and maybe Wednesday. I need to talk with Victoria.”

  “Will you be at Spike’s Thursday?”

  “Plan on it. Will you?”

  “Yeah.” I sipped my coffee. “Want to hang out after? I have class Friday but not until noon.”

  “So we can make it a late night?” He raised his eyebrows and shot me a super suggestive grin.

  “Very late.”

  He leaned over the counter and I tiptoed to meet him halfway.

  We were wrapped up in the kiss when the front door opened.

  “Man, now that’s a view to come home to. I could live without the part where you’re sucking face with my roommate, but the rest…wow.”

  I slammed my ass back onto the bar stool, which wobbled under me.

  Cade shot a glare at Sean and walked around the bar. “We were just getting dressed.”

  “Why? Between the two of you, you have a complete outfit.” He chuckled.

  “You’re hilarious.” Cade walked up behind me and I slid off the seat. He led me to his room, shielding me from Sean. “Sorry about that.”

  I stepped into Cade’s room. “No, it’s cool. Your roommate got a great view of my ass. No biggie.”

  He cringed. “He’ll never let me forget it either. But, having seen it myself, he wasn’t kidding. I’ll give him that much.” He lifted my shirt and peeked around at my backside.

  I swatted his hand. “We’re getting dressed, remember?”

  “Did I say dressed? Because I meant undressed.” He slid my shirt higher and guided me toward his bathroom. “Shower with me.”

  Ah, fuck. How could I say no to an invitation like that? But this was a risky game we played. Way too tempting.

  His lips grazed over my neck; his tongue created a warm path toward my ear. “Just a shower.”

  “No sex” were the unspoken words and I trusted him to not try for more. “Okay.” But I knew there’d be more. Just agreeing to the shower had him turned on.

  He pulled the shower door open and adjusted the knobs then turned back to me. His palms ran up my body, pushing my shirt along the way. He yanked it over my head then stepped back and stared at me.

  Even though things had gone far yesterday he hadn’t seen me naked, and I couldn’t help but worry about what he thought. He unbuttoned his cargo shorts and let them fall. Then pulled me back to him. He hooked a finger in each side of my panties and tugged them down. I stepped out of them as he lowered his boxers. With a quick check of the temperature, he stepped into the shower, pulling me with him.

  He positioned me under the water. “Is it okay?”

  I nodded as the warmth streamed down my body and he ran his hands over my head, glided them along my shoulders, and rested them on the small of my back. With a step forward, our bodies pushed flush.

  There was nothing between us, nothing to stop us from having sex, yet every reason not to hung over me. And I hated it. There was no denying how much I wanted him. As his mouth lowered to mine and his hardness pressed into my stomach, warmth spread down my thighs and it took everything in my power not to guide him into me.

  Cade’s hand slid down my chest, over my hip and across my belly. I moaned in anticipation, and he pushed down, slipping his fingers between my thighs. He repositioned us so my back rested against the wall, and raised my leg with his other hand, resting my knee against his hip. He teased with gentle touches, skimming his fingers over my slick skin.

  Desperate to feel him inside me, I arched into him. “Please,” I begged, cupping his hand and urging him forward.

  He groaned as his fingers glided inside me. With his forehead pressed into my shoulder he took several deep breaths, then ran a trail of kisses to my ear. The steady rhythm of his hand slowly gained speed, accompanied by my breathing. And then, with a slight twist of the hand, he curled his finger.

  I gasped, one hand clung to his back, the other pressed into the shower wall.

  Regardless of everything I’d said the night before, I’d never wanted sex more than I did in that moment. But, I didn’t just want it, I needed Cade inside me. Now. I’d been stupid to think I could wait.

  “I need you,” I panted, curling my fingers around his arousal.

  “Shit, Fallon. I—” He groaned and slammed his mouth against mine.

  Was he holding back? Or did he not get it? “Inside me. I want you inside me now.”

  He pulled back and stared at me. He glanced down and then back up. He closed his eyes for a second then said, “We can’t. Not yet.”

  It was the right answer, and exactly what I’d told him I wanted, but the burning between my thighs argued with my sanity. I squirmed against his hand and lowered the head of his arousal down my stomach. When it made contact with the tiny bundle of nerves, I gasped. “Please, Cade.”

  He pushed forward. “I want to. So bad.” But instead he shifted away. “Just not yet.”

  Dammit. He was right. We’d never have a moment like this again if I ruined it with crappy sex. All this heat would evaporate and that’d be it. And when it came to Cade, I’d take
a thousand moments of almost sex over one bad one of actual sex.

  I slid my hand over his hardness, knowing this was as close as we could get at the moment.

  He seemed to sense I’d conceded and some tension in his shoulders relaxed. He ran his fingers between my thighs then slowly worked them back inside, matching my strokes. His mouth pressed to mine, drifted down my body to my chest. He sucked my nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it.

  My hips wriggled against him as I moaned his name.

  His mouth lifted back to mine and he thrust his tongue past my parted lips. Our kisses were hungry and desperate as we fought against every instinct to push this to the next step. Sex came easy with other guys. Who would have known the one guy I wanted more than all the others would be the one I’d have to resist?

  My grip tightened and he thrust his hips forward, pushing against me, mimicking the movement of his fingers and I imagined it was him inside me, taking me to the brink.

  Cade moved his mouth near my ear. “Fallon, one day we’re going to have sex, and I promise you it will be mind-blowing.”

  And the promise of what was to come took me over the edge. My breathing raced and I rocked against his hand; every motion of my hips was joined by the movement of my fingers slipping around him. Cade groaned and I knew he was close. The warmth from my thighs spread. Heating my stomach, my breasts, my face.

  A moan built in my throat and Cade captured it in his mouth as he flicked his tongue over mine.

  “Oh God.” I whimpered against his lips as my body tightened then burst with pleasure.

  Cade whispered all sorts of hot things in my ear as I shuddered under him, then warmth spread over my stomach as he found his release too.

  I leaned my head back on the shower wall. Now if we could just repeat that with him inside me…Best. Sex. Ever.

  Cade turned me so that my back pressed to his chest and the water ran down my stomach, washing away the evidence of what had just happened. He pressed his lips into my neck and my head tilted to the side. His arms wrapped around me, strong but affectionate and I knew I could get lost in him. I could curl up and sleep for an eternity, needing nothing but the knowledge that he was with me.

  “Your honesty,” he whispered.

  I finally opened my eyes and looked at him.

  “Another reason you’re beautiful.” He turned me to face him. “I know you probably wish you hadn’t told me everything last night, but I’m glad you did. If I’m only going to have one chance with you, I want to do it right.”

  My bottom lip quivered a bit and I clamped it with my teeth. I looked away to give myself a moment to pull it together, then said, “I just don’t want to disappoint you.”

  “Are you kidding me? How could you ever disappoint me?” He cupped my face and stared into my eyes.

  “Because it’s me. I shut down.”

  “I won’t let that happen.” He smiled and kissed my forehead.

  He’d said it with such confidence, so assuredly, like somehow, he knew the secret that could guarantee it. And in that moment, as water blasted around us, camouflaging the tears that had slipped out, I believed it too. One day, we’d have sex. And it would be perfect.

  Chapter 13

  After Cade dropped me off at home, the day dragged. The time we’d spent together seemed surreal and now back in my regular old life, I doubted everything. I questioned my confessions to him and wondered if things would work long term. Or at least until the end of this internship. I mean, how would we act together at work? We’d gotten comfortable together this weekend, not to mention incredibly intimate, and now we’d have to turn all that off.

  I ended up watching some videos for my online class and falling asleep halfway through. I woke up a few hours later, still fully clothed, with my laptop next to me. My phone lay next to my pillow and I picked it up to check the time.

  It was just after eleven and I had a missed text from Cade. There was a picture of Scout sprawled across his bed with a message. The text had just come through. It was probably what had woken me.

  Cade: I think Scout misses you.

  Me: He looks pretty comfy. Probably happy to have his spot back.

  Cade: Okay, by “Scout” maybe I meant me.

  Me: You can cuddle with Scout.

  Cade: He keeps kicking me away.

  I laughed and started to type when another message came through.

  Cade: He prefers you. We have that in common.

  It hit me then how much I genuinely liked Cade.

  Me: My bed’s pretty lonely too. At least you have Scout.

  I stood and pulled off my shorts then opened my dresser to get out my pajamas but paused. The first shirt I saw was Cade’s. I picked it up and sniffed it. And it was one-hundred-percent Cade. His cologne, detergent, everything that made him, him. It reminded me of his sheets and his neck. And his kisses. I yanked off my shirt and pulled on his.

  Cade: You’re always welcome to join us.

  Me: It’s late, but I have the next best thing.

  I snapped a picture of me in his shirt and sent it along with my message.

  My phone rang and I answered.

  “Nice shirt, where’d ya get it?” Judging by his tone, he was smiling.

  “Some guy gave it to me after he ripped mine open.”

  “Wow, what an asshole.”

  “It’s okay. I got to keep the shirt and, as I told my roommate, it smells like fuck me.”

  He made a sound somewhere between laughing and choking. “Excuse me?”

  “Like fuck me. Super hot.”

  “You seriously told your roommate that?”

  “Yep.”

  “That’s awesome.” He chuckled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying the shirt.”

  “Between you and me, the shirt’s nice, but it’s a poor substitute for the real thing.”

  “You’re killing me.” He groaned. “Sure I can’t convince you to come over tonight?”

  I laughed. “I really need to get to sleep.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Maybe.”

  “I’m taking that as a yes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “ ’Night, Cade.”

  “ ’Night.”

  I hung up, flipped off the light and snuggled into his shirt. It really was a poor substitute but I pretended it was the real deal, and fell asleep wrapped in Cade.

  —

  I got to the hospital a little after twelve to meet Cade for lunch. He was already seated with our food, and talking with, of course, a nurse. They flocked to him. Not that I blamed them. He was incredibly sexy, with those strong arms and golden hair; add in the volunteer work and he was in the running for most perfect human or something.

  I schooled my expression, hiding the jealousy and the urges to make it clear he was taken, then approached the table.

  He glanced in my direction as I passed then did a double take. “Hey.” His mouth hitched into a smile and his eyes set on me.

  Ha. Nurse? What nurse?

  She glanced at me then gave Cade a dazzling smile. “Well, I’ll see you around.”

  “See you,” he said, only briefly acknowledging her departure.

  I sat across from him.

  “Here’s yours.” He pushed a white box toward me.

  “Thanks.” I popped open the lid to my salad, unwrapped my fork then glanced up, sensing Cade watching me. “What?” I asked with a smile.

  “Your eyes.” He leaned forward. “Sometimes I think they’re a golden brown, but then other times they have so much green in them, I think I imagined the brown. But then there are days like today, when they are the perfect mixture of both.”

  I shook my head and pressed my lips together to avoid smiling. “You’re too much.”

  “My list isn’t done yet either.” He grinned.

  My smile? Honesty? And now eyes? How long could his list really be? “Eat your sandwich.”

  He popped open his box, still smiling. “So, how’d you
sleep?” He lifted half of his turkey club and took a bite.

  “Great.” I lowered my voice. “Your shirt was…inspiring.”

  “Oh, really?” He raised an eyebrow. “How’s that?”

  “An interesting dream.”

  He froze with his sandwich in the air. “A dream?”

  I nodded and speared another cucumber.

  “About?” He reached for his soda.

  “You.”

  He glanced around then leaned back. “And what exactly was I doing in this dream?”

  “Me.” His jaw dropped a tiny bit and I forced back a smile. “At least I think that was the plan, my stupid alarm went off.”

  “Wow.” He ran his hands down his face. “There is no way I will be able to focus on anything but that now.”

  “How do you think I feel?” I took a bite of salad. “Last time, it was all I could think about.”

  “Last time?”

  “Yeah. The first time we played volleyball at Spike’s, you were on the opposing team, with no shirt.” I shrugged. “Very inspiring as well.”

  He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. “You’re killing me,” he groaned.

  “Best part about that time?” I leaned forward and whispered, “There was no alarm.”

  He peeked up. “Let’s call in sick.”

  “We’re already here. Everyone’s already seen us.”

  “You’re seriously enjoying this, aren’t you?” He mock glared.

  “Hey, how do you think I feel? You left me all high and dry in my dream when the damn alarm went off.”

  “I didn’t do that. I’d never do that. In fact, tell me where it left off and—”

  “Hey.” Lindsey walked up holding a white take-out box. “Mind if I sit with you?”

  “Pull up a chair,” I said with a smile, though Cade looked pained.

  “Thanks. I just got off and was starving.” She opened her box. “Who are you scheduled with today?”

  “Tyler.”

  Lindsey grinned. “Oh. Of course. Amy told me.” She took a bite of her sandwich.

  “Told you what?”

  “How he keeps switching shifts to work with you.”

  Cade’s gaze shot to me.