Simmer

by Stephanie Rose

  He grabbed my wrists and pinned them over my head. “Hands don’t move until I say. Now, tell me you’re mine.” He slid inside me in one thrust and I cried out from the fullness. He stilled for a long moment before moving, slow at first then letting go of my hands as he picked up the pace. “Tell me, Sara.”

  “I love you.” My voice was reduced to a croak as Drew moved deeper. “I’m yours.” My head burrowed into his chest. I was so full and already sore, but I didn’t care. I wanted more and never wanted to stop.

  “Eyes on me when I’m inside you,” he grabbed the back of my neck and threaded his fingers into my hair. “I need to see you.” My eyes locked with his, his features rigid yet reverent. As we moved together in perfect sync, I realized I had another first. I’d never been in love, or actually made love before. Sure, I’d had sex, but this was the polar opposite—and I was certain I’d never recover. Throbbing started in my spine and exploded over me in waves. Drew stiffened in my arms as he slowed inside me. He dropped his head into the crook of my shoulder, panting, sweaty, and perfect—and mine.

  “We should go into jealous tailspins more often.” I giggled in his ear.

  “I’ll always be jealous when it comes to you.” He lifted his head and smiled, causing my knees, and the rest of me, to melt into a puddle. “And if this jerk tries—”

  I pressed my finger to his lip. “I know how to handle it, caveman. Now you relax.” I kissed the damp hair on his forehead. “No going back,” I whispered. “I own you, remember?”

  “How could I forget? You’ve owned me for months.” He kissed my shoulder and drew me into his chest. “Don’t forget that, okay?”

  I nodded into his neck, nuzzling into his side before I let my heavy eyelids shut. I may have owned him, but I wished I could figure out how to keep him.

  Drew

  I FUMBLED IN the early morning darkness for my phone. My alarm was blaring, but unlike most mornings, I shut the damn thing off and stuffed it under my pillow—the same pillow Sara’s chestnut hair spilled across. I tightened my hold around her tiny waist and buried my head into her neck. It was our day to run, but fuck it, we weren’t going anywhere. I finally got her exactly where I wanted her—naked and in my bed, and mine.

  For once in her life, she looked relaxed, even peaceful. She turned to cuddle into my chest with the sexiest groan.

  “Five more minutes,” she mumbled before pressing a light kiss to my throat.

  “I think we can skip the track this morning,” I whispered into her hair and kissed the top of her head. “We had plenty of exercise last night, don’t you think?” She giggled into my neck and my chest swelled with . . . I wasn’t sure. Maybe pride—that after all this time she was finally mine, and I doubted she giggled for anyone else like that. Or that here, with me, she was the woman I always knew she was: sweet, happy, and full of love. She also spent most of last night full of me. My chest puffed out a little at that, too.

  “I think you’re right. Just this once I’ll admit it.” She rolled over and snuggled into the pillow.

  “See how easy that was?” I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her back, right on my typical morning wood now twice as hard thanks to the hot as hell woman next to me.

  She whimpered into the mattress as she grazed her naked ass against my cock. “Don’t get a big head, Kostas.”

  “Too late for that, don’t you think?” My hand drifted over her stomach, my fingers splayed wide as I pressed her against my throbbing hard-on. My palm grazed over the silky skin of her thighs, goose bumps puckering her flesh along the trail of my touch. I smoothed her hair to the side and trailed a wet, open-mouthed kiss to the nape of her neck. Her body jerked in my arms as my hand inched lower.

  “So wet already . . . were you dreaming about me, Caldwell?”

  “Maybe. Ahh . . .” Her hips swayed to the rhythm of my fingers and the big and small circles I made around her already swollen clit.

  “Maybe? Oh, I think definitely.” Two fingers slid inside her with an ease that made my dick throb.

  “What was your dream about? If you tell me, I could make it come true.” My tongue traced the shell of her ear as my fingers pumped in and out.

  “I can hear how soaked you are . . . so sexy and you have no fucking clue,” I growled, my head dropping to her shoulder. I wanted to come inside her, not shoot across her hip like a goddamn teenager. My eyes clenched shut as I tried to calm myself. It was impossible to hold on to any control with Sara. She consumed me, even all those months ago.

  “I need to come, Drew,” she pleaded. “Please.” She reached back and tried to guide me inside her.

  I reached into my nightstand and felt for a condom. Since I met Sara, I hadn’t been with anyone else so I never had a reason to buy any. I sighed in relief as I palmed my last one.

  Quickly rolling it on, I slid inside her. “Your wish is my command.” I kept my hand between her legs, starting the slow circles again while I inched in and out. I cupped her chin and turned her face toward me, covering her mouth with a rough, desperate kiss. Sara brought out an animal in me I never knew existed. Sweat dripped off my brow and rolled down her shoulder.

  “Good?” I asked as our lips kept moving. “Better than the dream?” I swallowed her sweet whimper as I moved faster and deeper. Nothing was ever enough with this woman, and I doubted I’d ever have my fill.

  “You’re always better than the dream.” My hand tangled into her hair as I crashed my lips back into hers. She broke the kiss when she came, constricting around me and crying out so loud I had to cover her mouth with mine to muffle the screams. I followed her, sinking my teeth into her neck as I found my release.

  “I love you,” Sara whispered as she swiveled her head to give me a soft kiss.

  “That’s a good thing.” My finger traced the imprint of teeth marks on her skin. “Because that may leave a mark.”

  She burst out laughing and rolled over to face me. “Then it’ll match the one on the inside of my thigh. You, Andrew, are an insatiable animal.” She turned, running her hand through my damp hair, and shaking her head.

  “You bring it out in me.” I settled next to her and pulled her into my side.

  “This is nice.” Her index finger glided up and down my stomach.

  “Nice? That’s all I get?”

  She rested her chin on my chest, her swollen lips stretching into a sleepy smile. “Actually, it was pretty damn wonderful. I was trying to be careful about feeding your ego.”

  I laughed and gave her a light but long kiss. Her smile faded when I pulled away.

  “It was never like this,” she whispered as she cuddled into my side.

  “Nope, sure wasn’t.” I dropped my chin to the top of her head. “I love you, too, Gorgeous.”

  She met my eyes with a wistful smile. “I haven’t heard that too much in my life. Other than my daughter. And my grandparents when they were alive.” My hand made lazy strokes on her back to get her to continue. “I figured I was just unlovable.”

  “You aren’t. I hate that you think that. You’re . . . you have no idea. I watch you in the lab and at the restaurant, working your ass off and never asking anyone for help. You put yourself last all the time. It’s time you let someone put you first.”

  She shrugged and let out a long sigh.

  “No one’s ever taken care of you, have they?” I brushed the damp strands of hair from her forehead.

  “I learned to only count on myself early on. Even before my daughter. Makes it easier.” The sad resolve on her face made my blood boil. No one caring was her normal, but not anymore. Not if I could help it.

  I cinched my arms around her as she peered up at me with glossy eyes. “I loved you right away, even though I tried to hide it. I’ll make sure you never feel that way again.”

  She sniffled against my chest and wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Stop being so damn poetic.” A laugh bubbled out through her tears. “I’m still not used to having feelings.
”

  “My fire and ice.” My hand drifted down her cheek. “I’m only getting started.”

  Sara

  “I NEED MORE mushroom croquettes!” Loretta called to me without looking over. I raced to the oven to retrieve the last batch and shove the next one in. I’d thought Thanksgiving was tough, but Valentine’s Day was the worst. The prix fixe menu didn’t help, as we were running out of the cute little appetizers faster than the starry-eyed couples could order them. We still had two more hours to go, and while I usually loved a fast-paced night like this, not having two seconds to take a break made it miserable.

  “Guys, you have to see this!” Corinne, a new waitress who started last week, gushed to us as she beckoned us to the door.

  “We’re kinda busy, Corinne, and so are you,” I clipped as I helped Loretta plate the croquettes over the polenta.

  “There is the hottest gay couple having dinner. And I mean hot.” She fanned herself with her order pad. “I can’t describe them and do them justice.”

  I finished the last plate and glanced at the timer. I had five more minutes before I had to repeat the process and decided to appease Corinne. She was a sweet kid, if easily distracted.

  Peeking out of the glass circle on the door, I spotted one of two male couples in the dining room. The man facing me had smooth olive skin, and a black, button-down shirt stretching across his torso. He was hot, yet a little familiar. His date turned as if in search of their waitress, and I burst out laughing. I’d know those big dark eyes anywhere.

  “Sorry to disappoint you, but those two aren’t gay,” I whispered to Corinne as I nodded toward the two admittedly beautiful men. I couldn’t speak with the same certainty for Carlos, but I knew which side of the coin Drew preferred.

  “Are you sure?” she whined. “Picturing what they had planned for later was getting me through this long, shitty night.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh as I gazed at them. They did look like a couple if you didn’t know them. Drew felt so awful about not being with me on Valentine’s Day, but for me it was just a busy day at work as it always had been. Carlos told me he stayed purposely noncommittal on this day, as even a casual date could send a misconstrued message. Drew dragged him here to see me, even if he couldn’t be with me. Was he for real? I needed to sneak out to see him and somehow douse the burning desire to climb on his lap and thank him for being so thoughtful in front of the entire restaurant. No one would think he was gay after that.

  “Loretta, can I take a two-minute break?”

  “Sure, last thing I need you to do is collapse. Mushrooms will be here when you get back.” She winked.

  I smoothed my matted hair and snuck out to the dining room. Drew still had his back to me as I approached.

  “Good evening.” Drew’s head swiveled in my direction as a slow grin spread across his lips. He was mouth-watering in a charcoal button-down shirt and gray pants. This was the first time I’d seen him out of jeans and pullovers. “You guys are a popular couple tonight.”

  “I know,” Carlos huffed. “I had a feeling people would think that when he dragged me here. Not that I mind, but it kinda ruins any game with the single girls over at the bar for me. They’ll think I’m cheating.”

  “I think your game will be just fine, Carlos.” I dropped a hand on his shoulder. “Flash them the dimples and they’ll forget all about it.”

  “Hmm.” He nodded in agreement. “Your girl has a point.”

  “My girl shouldn’t be looking at your dimples,” Drew growled at the both of us.

  “I don’t know if my dimples could save me. They all think I can’t do any better than this loser.” He pointed his beer bottle at Drew before taking a long pull.

  “That’s because you can’t.” Drew narrowed his eyes at Carlos before turning his attention back to me. “I didn’t know the chef here was such a knockout. I should eat here more often.” His eyes glossed over my body, and although I was in a stained uniform, heat spread over my cheeks as if I were naked before him. I took a small step back trying to resist taking a big leap on top of him.

  “You should take your girlfriend here.” My lips tipped up into a smirk.

  “Ah, she’s working this Valentine’s Day. I miss the hell out of her, but I’ll be waiting outside her job when she gets out.”

  “What if it’s late?”

  “Oh, for her, I’d wait all night.” His husky timbre sent shivers up my spine as he grabbed my hand and pressed a soft kiss on the top of my wrist. I needed to get back into the kitchen before the heat between us turned up any higher.

  “Ugh, can you wait until I’m out of earshot before you start foreplay?” Carlos groaned. “You’re a shitty date, Kostas.”

  “Sara!” Aaron’s shrill whisper came behind me. “What are you doing out here?” He glowered at Drew and me. “You know the rules.”

  I exhaled and nodded. Aaron and I acclimated into a mostly professional relationship after I shot him down, but I was usually the first person he snapped at.

  “Loretta made me take a break and I—”

  “Aren’t supposed to be out here. Socialize on your own time.”

  Drew shot up from his chair and took a step toward Aaron. I pushed against his chest and gave him a silent shake of my head.

  “That asshole is giving you trouble, isn’t he?” He asked in an angry whisper.

  “Nothing I can’t handle. You guys enjoy your dinner, and I’ll see you later.” I planted a quick peck on his lips, now flattened into a hard line as he glared at Aaron over my shoulder before I rushed back into the kitchen. The internship was over in April; I could handle Aaron’s pissy mood for a couple of months.

  Instead of annoyed, I arrived back at my station deflated. Only two more months of Aaron, and school . . . and Drew. I wouldn’t ruin today with it, but eventually I’d have to face what that meant. Right now, I was happily in love and blissfully clueless. As great as things were between us, I couldn’t ask him to relocate to the city and there was no way I could move up here and take Victoria away from her father again.

  I plated more croquettes and tried to get lost in my work, but my lousy predicament weighed on my heart and mind. I was trapped between a rock and a hard place until I had the guts to figure something out.

  “I think I’m going to soak in a tub and stay there until Easter.” Corinne groaned as she plopped into a chair in the corner of the kitchen and massaged the ball of her foot. I nodded with a sigh, remembering how much Epsom salt I used to keep on hand at my old apartment. I’d dump it into a large old Tupperware container with some hot water and soak my feet for at least an hour after a grueling night of double shifts. I was on my feet cooking all night, but as a waitress, my toes suffered much more.

  “Have a good night.” I hoisted my bag on my shoulder and gave everyone a wave before strolling into the parking lot.

  “Hey, Sara,” Aaron called from behind me once I opened the door. “Where’s your car?” I turned to his sheepish smile and hands stuffed into his pockets.

  “I’m being picked up. Have a good night.” The frigid night air chilled me to the bone, and I shivered even in my heaviest down jacket as I searched the empty parking lot for Drew’s car.

  “That guy from before . . .” His face fell as he inched closer. With each step he took toward me, I took one back. The last thing I needed was Drew pulling up and witnessing Aaron try to touch me or whatever he was trying to do.

  “The one you reprimanded me in front of? His name is Drew. I wasn’t the only one taking their break on the dining room floor tonight, so I’m guessing he’s got something to do with it.”

  “He looks young.”

  My mouth fell open. “How old he is, is none of your business.”

  “Sara, I’m in my thirties, like you.” He let out a nervous laugh. “I’m stable, established. As a parent, I thought that would appeal to you.”

  I sucked in a breath of chilled air and stalked up to Aaron, not giving a shit about what th
e repercussions were.

  “There’s a lot more to him than his age, the same as there’s more to me than my age and the fact I have a daughter. I need this job and don’t want to leave so late in the semester, but if this continues, I’ll speak to my professor about finding something else until graduation.”

  “No, no, that won’t be necessary.” He backed away with a sour frown. “If this is what you want, there’s nothing I can say.”

  “Drew is who I want, and I’m stable and established on my own. No one needs to rescue me.”

  As if on cue, tires rustled on the gravel behind me. I glanced over my shoulder as Drew’s car pulled into a spot. The headlights dimmed, and Drew strolled out of the car toward us.

  “Hey, Gorgeous, everything all right?” he asked me while glaring at Aaron. I grabbed onto his shoulders and stepped in front of him.

  “All fine. Goodnight, Aaron.” I nodded as I guided Drew back to the car, almost shoving him against the driver’s side for him to get in.

  “I will wipe the parking lot with that motherfucker if he touched you,” he growled as he leveled his eyes at me. “Did he?”

  “No,” I groaned and slid my hand around the nape of his neck. “The alpha thing is cute, but I need you to calm down.”

  “Alpha?” His eyes widened as he looped his arm around my waist. “I’ll show you alpha. Get in the car.” He swatted my ass with a loud smack before heading to the passenger side and holding the door open.

  “Did you just spank me?” I rubbed the stinging cheek while my mouth twisted in a scowl. His possessive side was hot and now so was I, but I refused to admit it.

  He fisted my hair before crushing his lips to mine and backing me into the car door.

  “I have plans for you,” he growled against my lips. “So, get. In. The. Fucking. Car.”

  Heat pooled between my legs despite the subzero temperature. I needed to have a talk with my jealous boyfriend, but I had plans, too. I was going to enjoy every inch of him.