“Why the fuck are you up so early?” the male voice growled as a guy came into view.
“This is Brandon, my roommate,” Aaron deadpanned.
“Sorry,” the guy I now knew as Brandon, grumbled. He was dressed in just a pair of athletic shorts and his hair was sticking up in every direction. “It’s way too early to be up on a Saturday.”
“Rough night last night?” Aaron chuckled.
“Dude. You don’t know the half of it. I got stuck at work late, and then Jasmine showed up just as I was leaving,” he shuffled around to where the coffee had finished brewing and poured himself a cup.
“I thought you two broke up?” Aaron poured the contents of his bowl in the pan on the stove, and it began to sizzle.
“We did. She’s a stage five clinger,” Brandon shook his head. “I’m heading back to bed. Let me know when you leave,” he waved his hand in the air as he headed back in the direction he’d come. “Nice meeting you,” he mumbled before disappearing.
“He’s really not that much of an ass,” Aaron mused as he passed me a cup of coffee. “His girlfriend is just nuts.”
I nodded, not really wanting to get in someone else’s business. “Smells great,” I smiled as I sipped the coffee.
“Wait until you taste it,” Aaron smiled back before turning to plate his concoction. “Here,” he placed a heaping plate in front of me and then stood there like a little kid waiting for approval.
“What is it?” I looked at it trying to figure out what to call it. It wasn’t an omelet, and it wasn’t a frittata. It was like a pancake with pieces of egg and vegetable in it.
“Sutter Surprise,” he beamed. “Just try it.”
I slowly cut a piece off and took a bite. It was really good, and unlike anything I’d ever had. I grinned as I took a second bite. “I like it.”
“When my dad finally got full custody of me, he spent an entire month trying to make up for all the bad stuff that had happened. We ate all kinds of weird stuff, and he let me help cook a lot. This was one on of my favorite dishes. We have it on special occasions,” he took the seat beside me with his own plate.
“So why are we eating it today?” I tipped my head to watch him. This was the realist I’d seen Aaron be other than last night during our walk. I liked this version, but I wondered how long he would stick around.
“Today’s special. You’re here,” he clarified before stuffing a bite in his mouth.
We didn’t speak after that. We just sat there eating in the quiet of his apartment. It was nice, and something I didn’t realize I was missing in my life. It had been so long since I’d done this, that I had forgotten how soothing it could be, just spending time together.
“Wanna go out on the beach for the day?” Aaron finished placing the last of our dishes in the dishwasher. “I have no plans, and it’s supposed to be beautiful.”
“I need to change first,” I glanced down at my shorts from yesterday.
“Sure. We can walk back to Em’s and hang out on the beach there if you want,” he shrugged. “I just need to change first. Give me five minutes.” Aaron yanked the hoodie he’d been wearing over his head as he turned to walk down the hall. His back muscles flexed with the movement, and I had to bite back a groan.
Aaron
So far the morning was going better than I could have ever hoped for. It started with waking up next to her. I never thought it would happen, and even though the night hadn’t gone the way it did most of the time with a woman, I was happy. We’d had a real conversation last night, and she didn’t run when I explained why I was damaged. This morning I cooked her breakfast. She’d smiled and ate it. We both changed and now we were lying in the sand near where we’d been last night.
“It’s really warm out today,” Mel mused from where she was lying on her towel. She’d changed into this little blue bikini that I hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing last summer. Her hair was in a messy bun on top of her head, and a pair of white framed sunglasses covered her eyes. She was on her stomach, and by the way she was yawning I thought she was surely close to falling asleep.
“It’s been getting warmer every day. I’m just ready for it to be warm enough to swim,” I stared out at the water. I was propped up on my elbows enjoying the view. The beach was practically empty, and the sun was hitting the water just right to where it looked like it was covered in diamonds. Emma had gone off with Brock for the day, and having Mel here like this was perfect.
“You really like it here, don’t you?” she lifted her head and smiled at me.
“It’s heaven on Earth, why wouldn’t I?” I rolled to my side and let my eyes trail over her. “Want me to put some sunscreen on your back? The rays can be brutal out here,” I wagged my brows. I just wanted an excuse to touch her, and I figured she’d let me this way.
“Sure,” she shrugged as she pushed up and reached for the beach bag she’d brought. She soon produced a bottle of lotion, and then resumed her position. “Please don’t get it in my hair,” she mumbled as she settled back onto the towel.
I sat up as I squirted some of the lotion into my palm. My hand almost shook when I reached to rub it between her shoulders. “Thank you,” she murmured and moaned at the same time.
“No problem,” I continued to rub the lotion all down her back, making sure to not be too bold. I didn’t want her to think this was anything other than me helping her. I had to show her she could trust me, then she’d let me touch her how I really wanted to. “Maybe you could do my back when I’m finished?” I mused.
“I didn’t think you needed it. I mean, you’re out here all the time for work. You tan really well,” her head lifted and she looked at me over the tops of her glasses.
“Once I build a base, I do, but not starting out,” I smiled. “Please?”
She didn’t answer me, but instead slowly pushed herself up and held out her hand for the bottle. Her lips were pinched together as if she were trying to hold back a smile and I know if I could see her eyes, they would be rolling.
I handed it over before lying down on my own towel. It took her a minute, but I soon felt the lotion squirt onto my back. “Not going to use your hands?” I teased.
“I know what you’re trying to do, Aaron Sutter, and it’s not going to work,” she reprimanded me.
“I don’t know what you’re talking…” I trailed off just as I felt both hands slowly slide down my back. I couldn’t help but groan as she put enough pressure to practically give me a massage. I wasn’t complaining though. It felt good. The next thing she did caught me completely by surprise.
Before I could react, she lifted up and swung one leg over me, straddling my hips. She lowered herself to where she was sitting on my ass and continued to rub the lotion in. “What are you doing?” I attempted to turn my head but I couldn’t quite see her.
“I needed a better angle,” she shrugged. “You don’t mind, do you?” she’d leaned forward, and her bikini top was pressed against my back.
“Not at all. I just didn’t think you had it in you,” I chuckled.
“There’s a lot you don’t know,” the playfulness she’d just had floated away and was replaced by what seemed like sadness.
“Where’d you go?” I rolled slightly, causing her to shift. I was now on my side, and she climbed off and resumed her spot on her stomach.
“Nowhere,” she mumbled as she put her head down, facing away from me.
I don’t know why I felt the need to find out more, but with her I wanted to know everything. She didn’t seem like the girl who needed saving, but something told me she did. Melinda Brooks was a mystery, and I was determined to solve it by the end of the week no matter what it took. I’d be patient. I’d be the guy she needed. I’d earn her trust, and show her she had mine.
Chapter 10
Melinda
“So how was your day yesterday?” Emma flopped down on a pool lounger and sighed. The guys were surfing, and since it wasn’t her thing, we were hanging out by her poo
l.
“It was nice,” I smiled softly as I remembered my day with Aaron. We’d spent all day on the beach, and then parted ways when the sun began to set. Emma and Brock had come back, and my manners got the better of me. I knew I needed to spend time with her since she was the one who invited me.
“Just nice,” her head rolled in my direction and her lips curved into a smile. “Not great? Or awesome? Please tell me you at least got a kiss,” she grumbled.
“Nope,” I shook my head. There were moments when I thought he was going to, but he kept backing away. It was almost like he was afraid to.
“Wow!” she gasped under her breath. “What the hell happened to him?”
“What do you mean?” I shifted on my lounger.
“He must really like you,” Emma giggled. “I don’t think I’ve ever known my cousin to spend the day with a girl that he didn’t end up spending the night with. He never takes his time.”
“See,” I sat up. “This is what worries me. Why is he doing this?”
“Doing what?” Aaron’s voice sounded from behind me.
I jumped at being caught. I didn’t know they’d made their way up onto the deck, and now I was worried that he’d heard me.
“Nothing,” I stammered as I refused to look at him. I could see his shadow, and he moved closer, standing almost beside me, towering over both Emma and I.
“Didn’t look like nothing,” he muttered. I watched his shadow as his arm rose and his hand ran through his hair. I tried, I really did, but I couldn’t stop my head from lifting and my eyes from trailing up his body.
He was standing there in a bright blue wetsuit. It was unzipped, and the top half was pushed to his waist. Water droplets fell from his hair and ran down his chest. My eyes slowly scanned him, watching the droplets run down his abs and disappear. A towel was clutched in one hand and a surfboard was under the opposite arm.
“It was nothing,” I cleared my throat and fought to get control of myself.
Right then, Brock and Ryan came bounding up the steps. They were laughing, but came to a halt when they saw us. Em shook her head as she and Brock had a silent conversation, but Ryan apparently didn’t understand it. He was the typical sixteen-year-old boy.
“Is she why you kept biting it today?” Ryan pointed at me.
“Biting it?” my eyes swung to his as Aaron’s shoulders tensed.
“Yeah,” he laughed as he pointed at Aaron. “This dumbass kept standing up late and taking a nose dive on the waves he actually attempted.”
Aaron slowly turned toward Ryan, “If you’d like to keep surfing on that pretty board of yours, I suggest you shut the fuck up.” His hands balled into fists as he dropped the towel and let his board clatter to the deck.
“Oh yeah, this is definitely why you bit it,” he laughed harder. “Just do it already so you can get back to normal,” Ryan rolled his eyes.
I watched as Aaron slowly turned and stalked over to where he was standing. “I warned you,” he grabbed Ryan’s board and lifted his knee, laying the board across it. When he started to bend it, Ryan flipped out and shoved him. My eyes went wide as Ryan scrambled away, shouting something about Aaron being nuts and needing to get laid. “Fucking asshole,” he muttered as he turned and began stalking toward me. “Come here,” he grabbed my wrist and tugged me up.
“Where are we going?” I squeaked as he jogged down the deck steps to the soft sand below, practically dragging me behind him.
“Somewhere private,” he mumbled.
“Why?” I tugged at where he was holding my wrist, trying to slow him down.
“Because I don’t really want to do this in front of all those assholes,” he pointed up at where Emma, Brock, and Ryan were shouting above us. Emma was lecturing Ryan, and it sounded like Brock was trying to calm her down.
“Do what?” I pushed for an answer as he spun me around in front of him.
One arm wrapped around my waist as his opposite hand cupped my cheek. The ocean breeze was blowing my hair around, and Aaron brushed it back with his fingers. “This,” he whispered as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. His head tilted to the side as his tongue put pressure on my lips, begging for entrance. When I opened to him, he groaned and tugged me flush with him. The coldness of his wetsuit made me shiver, but he continued his assault. The tentative swipes of his tongue soon became insistent, and the hands that had been stationary began to move. He slipped them down my back and cupped my ass as he pressed his hips into mine.
He groaned when I answered his movements, and when my hands ran up his back and tugged at the short pieces of hair at his nape, he released a deep growl. I can’t remember the last time I was kissed like this. It was like he was drowning, and I was his only oxygen supply. Our tongues dueled for dominance, but I was no match for him. Aaron was a master when it came to pleasing women, and I was getting firsthand experience at how.
“Geez, get a room,” came Ryan’s voice, causing us to jump apart.
“I’m not warning you again,” Aaron stabbed his finger in the air in Ryan’s direction. “Go call Jess, or Brinley, or whomever you’re messing around with this week.”
“You need to mind your own business,” Ryan growled.
“Pot, meet kettle,” Aaron chuckled before pecking me on the nose. “Wanna swim?” he grinned at me.
It took me a minute to get my bearings after that kiss, but then I remembered what he said. “I don’t have a wetsuit. The water is freezing,” I mock shivered.
“Pool is heated,” he stepped closer, “and I’ll keep you warm,” he moved to stand behind me and pressed a kiss to the top of my shoulder.
“I bet you will,” I murmured on a sigh. I couldn’t let him get too close. I needed to remember that. If he got close, he could break my heart, and my heart couldn’t be broken again.
“Please?” he pouted.
“Fine,” I rolled my eyes. I hadn’t really planned on swimming. I didn’t want to get chlorine in my hair, but the look on Aaron’s face made him irresistible. I was slowly seeing why women never told him ‘no’.
Aaron
Finally. We were finally getting somewhere. She let me kiss her, I mean really kiss her. The way she pressed up against me and kissed me back, said she felt some of what I was feeling. She was trying to hide it, but I could tell… she was starting to give in.
I grabbed her hand and led her over to the stairs to get up to the deck where the pool was, but instead of holding her hand, I lifted her and threw her over my shoulder.
“Aaron!” she squealed as her hands hit my lower back.
I couldn’t help but chuckle, “Yes?” I began climbing up to the level the pool was on.
“Put me down!” she demanded just as we reached the pool. “Put me down now!”
“Ok,” I shrugged, causing her to jostle around. “If you’re sure that’s what you want.”
“Yes! Put me down!” she pounded her fists against my back. I have to admit she’s strong for a little thing, but she couldn’t hurt me if she tried.
“Hold your breath,” I shouted as I jumped into the pool on the deep end. We sank below the surface together, and I released her so she could swim to the top. She shoved at me before breaking the surface and coughing.
“I can’t believe you did that!” she snapped as she splashed water in my direction.
“Oh, believe it,” I grinned as I watched her. She swam to the side, and gripped the edge as she coughed and sputtered the remaining water out of her lungs. “Don’t ever doubt me,” I swam over to her, caging her in against the side of pool. “I always keep my word,” I lowered my voice as I leaned in right next to her ear. She shivered as she kicked her feet around, but just as I was about to kiss her again, a giant splash interrupted us.
“Brock Foster! What the hell was that for?” Emma screeched from somewhere behind me. “You are so dead,” she grumbled.
I turned around just in time to see her surface, and push her hair out of her eyes. Mel’s eye
s swung up, bringing my attention to a grinning Brock.
“You cooled off now?” he snickered.
“Uh huh, you better cool off, too. You might not be grinning like that later,” she taunted as she swam toward the steps.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he walked over to the edge and dove in.
When he surfaced, Emma laughed, “You’re on your own tonight.”
My head swung back and forth between them as I watched them volley threats. “Don’t threaten me,” Brock warned.
“Or what?” Emma taunted.
“I’ll just have to torture it out of you,” he snickered as he dipped below the surface and swam towards her.
“We’re not having any of that in the pool,” I waved my finger at them as Mel sidled up to me.
“It’s my pool. Go somewhere else then,” she giggled as she wrapped her arms around Brock’s neck.
“Seriously, guys,” I growled as Mel giggled.
“Ignore them,” she whispered as her hands settled on my shoulders. “I mean… if you can’t beat ‘em, then join them,” she leaned in and pressed her lips against mine, causing me to forget why I was disgusted in the first place.
“Who are you?” I pulled back after a few seconds, breaking the kiss.
“What do you mean?” her hands dropped and she put distance between us. I could feel the cool water widening whatever space she was creating.
“I don’t know how to say this without sounding like an ass,” I sighed as I shook my head.
“So try,” she nibbled her bottom lip.
I watched as the plump flesh slowly slipped from between her teeth and a small crease appeared right between her brows.
“Fine,” I sucked in a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “I like that we can talk to each other, so I want to be honest with you. I like you, a lot. I think we’ve established that. I’ve been trying to get you to loosen up since we met. Last summer I thought I was getting somewhere, but then you shut me out.” I watched as she scowled. “I know, I know that was my fault. We’ve already discussed that. Anyway, every time I try to push things further with you, you pull away so I’ve been going really slow. Painfully slow at times,” I grimaced. She didn’t know that every night after we got off the phone I had to go rub one out. I hadn’t gotten laid in months because of her, and it was slowly killing me. “I’m willing to wait for you, but I feel like I’m talking to a different person right now. I wanna know that this is you, the real you, not the you that you think I want.” There, I stopped; now it was her turn.
Trusting You (The Sutter Family Book 2) Page 7