Four Letter Word

by J. Daniels

  “Oh, God!” she cried, her head snapping back when I pulled.

  Then I started really moving, pleasure gripping me between my hips as I beat into her from behind.

  I wasn’t going to last. I was already close to coming when Syd went tight around me and now she was swollen and shaking and so fucking wet I could hear it.

  Wild heard it, too. Her cheeks pinked and she bit her lip in shame.

  I slid my hand around her waist and between her legs as I kept pounding hard. I pressed my lips to her cheek.

  “Don’t,” I said, watching her eyes lift in the mirror. “Nothing sexier than hearing you, Wild. Nothing, you got me? Give me this.” I rubbed her clit with the palm of my hand.

  She gasped, closed her eyes, and pressed back, taking it deeper.

  Our noises filled the bathroom, hers and mine. The squelching of our bodies and the slapping of skin, moans and incoherent words that broke apart before they left our tongues.

  I fucked her until my legs burned. I became sloppy and clumsy with my thrusts, rutting at a maddening pace.

  Syd loved it. She begged for more. For harder. For dirty, and I gave it.

  I squeezed her tits harshly and slapped them.

  I slid my cock between her lips and asked if she liked the taste of her pussy.

  I told her I’d take her ass and I did, sliding two fingers inside while I bucked into her from behind.

  Syd took it all. No hesitation. No shame.

  She held my eyes in the mirror and got off on everything I was giving.

  “Brian…oh, fuck, Brian,” she groaned, and trembled in my arms.

  My orgasm chased hers and seconds later I dropped my head to her back, cursed, and shot off deep.

  I kept my arms around her. I never wanted to let go.

  “One year,” I said hoarsely when I had breath in my lungs again. My lips moved over her skin. “One fucking year.”

  Syd reached back and held me. She knew I needed it.

  “It’ll be here before we know it,” she soothed.

  I closed my eyes.

  We didn’t move until Sir started clawing and whining at the door. After we cleaned up and dressed, Syd scooped him up and we both went looking for his leash.

  We found it in the kitchen. The little bastard had chewed it in half.

  I smiled and pulled my girl close as she quietly scolded the clueless puppy for his wrongdoing.

  He could’ve chewed a hole in the wall and I wouldn’t have cared. Not that day.

  Syd loved the house and was taking my name in a year.

  Let the countdown begin.

  Chapter Eighteen

  SYDNEY

  It was moving day and everyone was lending a hand.

  Jamie and Cole were helping Brian with the heavy stuff and unloading the moving truck. Tori and I emptied out the back of my car and transported boxes and décor I didn’t bother packing, including lamps and cute accent pillows I’d picked up at Target. When Shay arrived after her shift ended, she started unpacking and putting stuff away in the kitchen for me, and Kali, bless her heart, was doing what she could, which consisted of being amazing company and chatting us up while we worked since she was busy balancing a squirming Cameron on her hip.

  I called for a break after setting the box labeled Games and Shit in the living room, not knowing what all shit meant and leaving that for Brian to relocate if needed since he was the one writing vague descriptive terms on stuff he packed up.

  One of his boxes he’d labeled with a question mark. I stuck that one in the basement.

  It seemed appropriate. I didn’t know what we were putting down there.

  The girls, plus Cameron and Sir, were hanging out in the kitchen, talking and digging into the pizzas I ordered as a thank-you to everyone for helping out. We were all standing around the small island, except for Kali, since the table and chairs hadn’t been brought inside yet.

  Kali was crouched down by the slider and watching over Cameron, who was on the floor, squealing and waving his arms excitedly as Sir sniffed and licked his toes.

  “Ga-ga-ya,” Cameron yelled, bopping Sir on the head in a happy baby way and not at all trying to be cruel.

  Sir thought it was playful and kept on sniffing and licking.

  “I think it’s nice Jamie and that other guy offered to help out today,” Kali said, looking over at us.

  “What’s nice about it?” Tori shot back, studying her chipped polish. “We’re helping. It’s the right thing to do. You shouldn’t be rewarded for being a decent human being.”

  Kali slowly looked away, looking uncomfortable.

  Shay muffled a giggle and resumed eating her slice.

  I shook my head, shooting a disapproving glare at Tori.

  She’d never give Jamie an inch.

  While avoiding him wasn’t an option today, Tori still managed to ignore Jamie every chance she got, paying him no mind when he was speaking either to her or in general.

  She was still holding tight to that grudge developed on the night of the party but, if asked, would never admit to Jamie’s actions affecting her.

  Not ever.

  She’d die first. I was convinced.

  “I agree. I think it’s nice,” I added, standing a little taller.

  Tori slowly slid her eyes to mine and narrowed them.

  I ignored that, turning my head when Brian came around the corner. He was walking backward while carrying one side of the rectangular dining room table.

  Jamie had the other end and entered the kitchen next, followed by Cole, who was walking behind and somehow managing to carry four chairs at once, making it look effortless.

  “Coming that way,” Brian warned over his shoulder. “Might wanna get the little guy up.”

  “Oh, right.” Kali snatched Cameron up off the floor and carried him over to the island.

  Sir automatically moved out of the way, rope in his mouth, and dashed over to his water bowl by the pantry. He dropped the toy beside the dish and went in for a drink.

  “In front of the slider,” Brian directed.

  The guys lowered the table to the floor in the small dining room area we had. Once it was in the spot I okayed with a thumbs-up, Cole walked around the table and scooted a chair in on each side.

  Some of our furniture was coming from Brian’s old place with Jamie, including his bed, an extra couch they had stored in the basement, and the dining room table.

  Jamie never used it so he didn’t care if Brian took it with him when he moved out.

  Now it was ours and I planned on cooking a lot of new recipes and getting plenty of use out of it.

  I was extremely excited over a piece of furniture.

  “Go grab the screwdriver. One of the legs is loose,” Brian said to Jamie, then squatted down and examined underneath the table.

  Jamie left the room.

  “Da-ba-da!” Cameron craned his neck around, trying to see where Sir went. “Da!”

  Kali rubbed his back.

  “He’s thirsty, baby. Let him get a drink.”

  Cam grabbed a fistful of Kali’s hair and tried eating it.

  “No, no, no. Not Mommy’s hair.” Kali pulled his hand down. “Come on,” she said, bouncing him. “Let’s go get some Cheerios.”

  Kali carried Cam out of the kitchen in search of her diaper bag, I guessed.

  “Da!” Cam yelled out after they left the room.

  Cole came up to the island, flipped a pizza box open, grabbed a paper plate, and took out a slice. “Appreciate the food,” he said, giving me a smile.

  I gave him one back. “No problem.” Then I turned my head as Jamie entered the room again.

  “Flat head or Phillips?” he called out, moving toward the table.

  “Phillips,” Brian answered.

  I watched Jamie tuck one tool into his back pocket and hold on to another one.

  What happened next was choreographed and well planned. I’d die convinced of this.

  Just as Jamie was
moving behind her, Tori stretched out across the island with her arms in front of her like a cat bathing in the sunlight, popped her jean short covered butt out, dropped her cheek on her shoulder, closed her eyes, and moaned, low and long and deep in her throat, doing this while giving her hips a little sway.

  My mouth dropped open.

  Something hit the tile floor with a sharp clink, followed by Jamie’s voice groaning an ache-filled, “Motherfucker.”

  He was standing directly behind Tori and staring hungrily at her ass, looking ready to step up and take her in front of everyone right here.

  “What the…you expecting me to reach that, dickhead?” Brian hissed from underneath the table. “Pick it up. I’m not crawling over there.”

  Tori straightened up a little and opened her eyes, slowly looking over her shoulder and doing so while keeping her bent-over position. She breathed a short, unimpressed laugh, then turned back around, keeping her weight on her elbows now and resumed facing forward, all while smiling proudly at herself.

  “Hello?” Brian nearly shouted.

  Jamie pulled out of his trance with a shake of his head and pushed the screwdriver to Brian with his foot, mumbling something about a cock tease under his breath.

  “Jesus,” Cole mumbled, looking at Tori like he was feeling that moan deep in his own throat. He blinked like he was trying to clear his mind, then stepped away from the island and stood by the table with the guys.

  While they conversed among themselves, I took a step sideways and got closer to Tori.

  “What was that?” I whispered, leaning down.

  “What?” she asked, playing innocent and keeping her own voice lowered. She shrugged. “I had to stretch.”

  “You had to stretch,” I repeated, disbelieving every word she was uttering.

  That was no stretch.

  “My back felt tight,” she elaborated, picking at her cuticle. “We lifted a lot today.”

  We did no such thing.

  I put my lips next to her ear.

  “You totally did that to get a reaction out of Jamie. No other reason.”

  Tori turned her head and brought us nose to nose.

  “You have never been more wrong in your life,” she whispered with a straight face.

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “You weren’t trying to get his attention at all?”

  “He doesn’t even exist to me.”

  “Mm. Okay.” I stood tall and lifted my head. “So, Jamie, that big competition you’re going out to Cali for in a few weeks, do you think you’re gonna win?”

  Tori glared at me.

  I didn’t see it, considering my eyes were on Jamie’s head as it swiveled in my direction. No, I felt that glare. And it was filled with irritation and steel-like fortitude, I just knew it, because I was boldly calling my best friend’s bluff.

  This wasn’t random conversation. Not at all. Jamie could run this topic in his sleep, brag about himself and do it without rebuttals because he was the best, indisputably. Everyone knew that, including Tori, and there was something undeniably sexy about a man who couldn’t be topped.

  And no matter if they were loved or hated, those men existed to everyone.

  Stubborn women included.

  “Do I think I’m gonna win?” Jamie echoed condescendingly with his arms crossed over his chest. “Ain’t no thinking about it, Sunshine. Know I’m gonna win.” He smiled, jerked his head to get the curling hair out of his eyes, and lightly shrugged. “No competition.”

  “Only ’cause I’m not entering,” Brian announced from underneath the table.

  My eyes were now taking up the majority of my face. I probably looked ridiculous but I couldn’t help it.

  I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard.

  Hope bloomed in my chest as I stood on my toes to look at my boy, saw he was on his back, knees bent and arms raised, working on tightening the table leg that was loose.

  We’d talked about surfing only a couple of times since I knew Brian’s reason for giving it up.

  Guilt. It was still holding tight to pieces of him, causing Brian to deny himself something he loved doing, something he shared with his closest friends and the one thing he’d built his entire career around.

  I was working on healing that piece of him and didn’t think I was hitting deep enough yet, but maybe I was close. He never willingly talked about surfing. Never brought it up. Never joked about it.

  He was joking about it now. I heard it in his voice.

  “Still time to enter, brother,” Jamie encouraged him, keeping the smile he’d given me and directing it toward the table. “You can take second just like the old days. Knock Cole down a seat.”

  “I’m standing right here, you know,” Cole threw out.

  “Right,” Brian chuckled. “Wouldn’t want to embarrass either one of you. I’ll pass.”

  “Suit yourself,” Jamie replied, then looked at Cole and nodded. “You can relax. Second’s all yours.”

  Cole flipped him off.

  Jamie threw his head back with a laugh.

  I fought off tears, not wanting to draw attention to this maybe I was hearing and the feelings it was giving me for fear I’d ruin the moment and cause regression, kept myself composed, and decided to continue on with the mission to prove my point.

  “Is this a big deal? Are you gonna get a new title or something?” I asked Jamie, assuming he’d win.

  He looked to me, his chest puffing out in arrogance.

  “World Pro Am Champion. Never won it before.”

  Tori turned her head hearing this and questioned with a tone, “Someone actually beat you? I thought you said that doesn’t happen.”

  Jamie slid his deep blues to Tori, stared at her long enough without saying anything that she grew irritated, which only took three seconds, after which she pushed to a standing position, stuck her hand on her hip, and jutted it out impatiently while drumming her nails on the counter.

  I gave myself a mental pat on the back. My plan was working like a charm.

  “Did you hear what I said?” Tori asked when the silent staring continued.

  Jamie’s smile broadened.

  “I heard you, Legs. Just processing the fact that you actually pay attention when I’m speaking. Didn’t think that was the case, so if you don’t mind, I’m gonna let this soak in a little before I give you an answer.” He breathed deep and released it slowly. “Feels good.”

  “Don’t read into it,” she suggested. “Your ego is so loud, the people in the next state can hear you.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t give a fuck about them,” he replied bluntly, his face growing serious. “If I enter, I don’t lose. First time entering this one, and you knowing that fact about me is something I give a fuck about.”

  “Well, you shouldn’t.”

  “I do.”

  “I’m telling you not to.”

  “Doesn’t work like that.”

  “This,” Tori hissed with exasperation, tipped forward, and gestured with a quick hand between her and Jamie, “will never happen, so you giving a fuck is a waste of your time.”

  “This”—Jamie mimicked her gesture but kept his voice smooth and even—“has been happening for a while, Legs, and no part of it is a waste of my time. Not even this back and forth shit where you pretend you’re not hard up for me.”

  Tori rolled her eyes, then she slid her gaze to Cole, who was standing there watching the drama but not looking as invested in it as Shay and myself, gave him the charming the pants off smile she’d perfected and informed the room, not just Cole, “I hope you take first.”

  Cole’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Uh, thanks,” he replied, sounding unsure. “Appreciate it.”

  “What are you doing?” Jamie asked Tori, his eyes hot as they fell back on her.

  I knew what she was doing. I was pretty sure everyone in the room knew what she was doing.

  And I was shocked she was going there, mainly be
cause unless I’d dreamed my last conversation with Tori, I was certain she was holding firm to the notion of Jamie not existing to her, yet here she was, admitting he existed by trying to make the man jealous.

  This was good.

  And I was totally right.

  I shelved my excitement and decided on bringing that to her attention another time. She was getting ready to throw back some sass by the way her head was tilting, and I didn’t want to miss it.

  “What does it look like I’m doing?” Tori returned with the sass I’d predicted.

  “Don’t play with me, Legs.”

  “I’m not playing.”

  “And I don’t lose,” Jamie bit out, bringing back his words from earlier only this time saying them a little louder, a little firmer, and implying an entirely different meaning than before when he was speaking of surfing competitions.

  I was picking up on that. Loud and clear.

  So was Tori.

  She sucked in a sharp breath. Her sass evaporated.

  Jamie slowly grinned, flashing straight teeth and billboard-worthy dimples Tori was missing since she was refusing to look his way any longer.

  Then everyone’s attention turned to Brian when he stood and spun the screwdriver on his palm.

  “Think that’s it. Truck’s unloaded.” He met my eyes. “You get everything out of your car?”

  “Yep. Just need to unpack.”

  I scrunched up my nose in disgust.

  I hated unpacking. I would rather pack than unpack any day.

  I was terrible at assigning things places and organizing.

  “You want some help with that?” Tori asked. “I can hang around a little longer.”

  “Yeah, me, too,” Shay offered.

  I gave them both a smile.

  I did want help, absolutely, but I also wanted some alone time with Brian in our new home. We hadn’t had any yet and I was starting to get the shakes.

  “That’s okay,” I told them. “It’s not that much. I’ll get to it later.” I looked between Cole and Jamie and gestured at the pizza boxes. “You guys want any more? We have plenty.”

  They both declined, shaking their heads.

  “I’m gonna get going,” Cole announced, stepping forward and setting his plate on the counter. “Wanna beat the rain and get out on the water a bit.”