I shake my head. “Not well.”
“I’ll teach you.” His kisses trail my throat. “Something tells me you’re a fast learner.”
I lean into him, losing myself in the feel of his lips on my pulse. “Or you’re a good teacher.”
“Mmm.” His teeth nip at my jaw and chin. “Lean back.”
I do so. His hands begin rubbing sunscreen over the tops of my breasts and stomach. His touch has my head fogged. He smooths the coconut scented lotion over my thighs as well, grazing my sex on his way up my inner thigh. I watch his hands in a trance.
“Let’s swim.”
I am so small in comparison to the ocean. It’s stretching and endless, blue on top of blue. When Julian leads me into the water, I’m apprehensive he’ll be able to teach me anything. But he’s patient. And his touch is worth the fumbling. When I get the hang of it, I swim by myself as he floats on his back. I am weightless amongst the waves.
As we’re deep in the ocean, we hear whistling. Julian looks over at the shore.
“It’s Jaz. He must be back early.” My disappointment must be apparent because he reaches over to run his wet hand down my face. “It’s all right, baby. We’ll make the best out of it.”
“My face,” I remind him, contemplating if I should swim all the way to South Carolina.
“I love this face.” He grasps it in the water and kisses my wet salty lips. “Jaz will understand. Let’s go say hi.”
I grumble under my breath as he swims away. “You go say hi.”
He and Jaz talk while I bob in the water. This means our weekend is over. I can only imagine what sort of things we’ll end up doing now. I groan in irritation and resume floating on my back. Something tells me Julian won’t be planning our night together now. He’ll be too busy keeping up with whatever Jaz wants to do. They’re both inside when I exit the water.
I sit on the towel and watch the ocean. The sun kisses my skin, lulling me to sleep … I don’t know how much later male voices penetrate my tired haze.
“What happened to her face?”
“She got jumped.”
“By who?”
“Some girls.”
“They got her good.” I feel hands on my face.
“Don’t touch her, Jaz.”
He chuckles. “Chill out you jealous dickhead. She’s got a body on her. That little waist with those tits. Damn lucky SOB.”
“Shut up,” Julian growls.
I struggle not to smile.
Jaz continues. “Those sexy full lips with those long ass red eyelashes. Damn sexy, man. Smooth pale skin in that blue bikini. You mind sharing?”
“I’m warning you.”
“You’re whipped by this chick.”
“I don’t mind a second of it.”
Jaz snorts. “Do you love her?”
Julian’s familiar sigh sounds. “Did you know there’s a feeling past love? Something stronger? It makes you want to give her everything you have, everything she deserves. Is it too soon? Maybe. But I can’t help myself around her. I don’t even want to.”
“Pussy.”
“When you feel what I’m feeling one day, you’ll see that none of that shit matters. If I’m a pussy, then so be it. I’ll be a pussy if it gets me her.”
Jaz coughs out the word pussy again. “So yeah, anyway, Under Zealous? It’s a nightclub downtown. Maybe you and your fine ass girlfriend can come kick it tonight?”
“I don’t know …”
“I’ll get her in. I paid for a VIP table. I need some ass tonight. Some country twang ass.”
“Twang,” Julian mocks. “I’ll see when she wakes.”
“I see who the boss is in this relationship. As fun as it is to watch her sleep,” he says dryly. “I’ll leave you to it.”
When he’s gone, I feel Julian lie beside me. His fingers trace my closed eyelids and lips. Did you know there’s a feeling past love? Something stronger? I ache to open my eyes and answer yes!
A sweep of warmness brushes my earlobe. “Wake up. I miss you.”
I shiver when his lips brush my shoulder next.
“I know you’re awake.”
“I could be dreaming.”
“About what?”
I open my eyes and meet his. “You.”
“It’d be a good dream, right?”
I touch his face and find his mouth, kissing him so intensely and hectically I end up straddling him in the sand. Pinning his arms over his head, I smile down at his naughty gaze. “It would be the best dream.” I let him go and sit back on his lap.
He grips my thighs and rubs his thumb over me back and forth. “Jaz’s dates got sunburned and wanted to come back. He’ll be here all weekend.”
“Dates?”
He laughs. “I guess he needs more than one.”
I rub his bare chest, unable to keep my hands off him. “I hear something else you’re not telling me.”
“He wants to go out tonight. A nightclub.” He looks adorably guilty.
“What about our time together?”
His guilt intensifies. “Jaz isn’t taking the hint. We can either go home now or stay until Sunday evening. The arraignment is at nine in the morning so I thought we’d just go home Sunday evening.”
My good mood, as fragile as it is, crumbles. I can’t help thinking about seeing Nessa again. I don’t want to leave here and have to face her. For the past twenty-four hours, it was only us two. Nothing else could penetrate the fog of his presence. Nothing, that is, except the truth waiting at home for us.
“I don’t want to leave yet.”
He sits up and wraps his arms around me, hugging me to his chest. He talks into the crevice of my neck. “We’ll go out then. Get drunk. Have fun. Dance. I haven’t been to a nightclub since before I met Layla. And I think you owe me a dance.”
“I owe you a lot more than a dance.” I hold him tight. “What about my face?”
“Forget about your face. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. If they stare, stare back. If they talk, allow them to talk. It doesn’t matter what people think about you. Only what you think about yourself.” He pulls back and looks at me, his eyes intent. “And you think what I think, don’t you?”
It’s clear at this point what Julian thinks about me. I don’t have the heart to tell him I don’t wholeheartedly agree. But I can admit I want to. I want to be the woman he thinks I am. “I do.”
He relaxes beneath me. “Thank you. Let’s go start getting ready.”
Together we bring the beach stuff inside. I can feel his eyes on my body as I take the stairs. The heat of his gaze tracing my thighs and ass. I put some sway in my hips for him when I walk, earning a low growl from behind me.
“Keep it up,” he warns.
I pause at the top of the stairs and move my ass more. “What?”
A sharp smack cracks off my backside. I yelp and gasp, laughing at the hungry look on his face.
“You’re going to torture me tonight, aren’t you?”
I widen my eyes innocently. “Me? Of course not. I’m not like you.”
He tries to spank me again but I narrowly miss his hand, putting my back to the house.
“I like spanking you. I have no problem doing it again.”
“Do it again. That was hot. She’s got an ass you just want to smack.”
We both look over at Jaz, shirtless and wearing nothing but a pair of white jeans. His tattoos are bright on his arms. His skinny torso is pale and his long blond hair floats a little on the breeze.
“You’re cheating on me with this square. You do know I’m way more fun, right?” Jaz walks closer to me.
“Jaz,” Julian groans.
Jaz grins at me. “You look badass with a black eye. What’d you get jumped for?”
I glare at him. “Are you saying it was my fault?”
“Your girlfriend doesn’t bite, does she?”
I put my hand on my hip. “I can do worse than bite.”
His grin is appreciative
as it slides over my cleavage and my legs. “Are you sure you want this lame-ass teacher when you can have me?”
“Positive.” But I wink, teasing him as I walk into the house.
“She wants me,” I hear Jaz say.
I don’t hear Julian’s response, but whatever it is it makes Jaz guffaw. I probably didn’t want to hear it. I deposit the cooler in the kitchen. I’m starving, opening the fridge, only to realize all Jaz has is beer to eat. I close the fridge and turn to Julian. But the moment our eyes meet I find his are off. He’s jealous. That’s what it means. I go through the past few minutes’ worth of conversation; anything could’ve upset him.
I bite my lip nervously and choose not to mention my empty stomach.
“I’m going to take a shower,” Julian grumbles, leaving me alone with Jaz.
He opens the fridge and laughs. “You want a beer?”
I wonder if I should even be talking to him. “No.”
“More for me,” he says, joyful and unbothered.
I slip into the bathroom and clear my throat. Julian pokes his head out of the shower, hair soaking wet as steam floats around him. When he sees it’s me, he opens the curtain all the way and holds his hand out to me.
I reach behind me and undo my bikini top. I step out of my bottoms and then take his hand, stepping naked under the hot spray of water with him. The heat immediately warms my skin. He moves so I have most of the water and grabs the bottle of soap. He steps behind me and squeezes a handful of soap into his hands.
“Turn around,” he orders.
I do. He starts washing my shoulders. “Your eyes are off.”
He leans around and meets my gaze. Then he winks. I feel his hands return to my back.
Oh. “I was only kidding. That’s what Jaz and I do.”
“Well stop it. And don’t patronize me. Not right now.”
His hands wash my lower back.
He’s turning me on and I’m supposed to be apologetic. I bite my lip and force the feeling of his hands out of my thoughts. “What’s bothering you the most?”
He sighs and moves down to washing my ass. His hands rub my cheeks roughly. I swallow down my moan and force myself to listen. “What if you’re not positive?”
I reach out and grab the wall when his hands delve between me, rubbing a part of me I barely acknowledge myself. “I’m positive,” I promise him, opening my legs a bit so he can touch me easier.
“How do I know?”
He’s doubtful of whether I want him or not? The idea is so ridiculous to me. I gasp when he presses down on a part of me I was fairly positive he wasn’t supposed to touch. My knees tremble. My fingers try to find purchase on the shower tiles but they slide down the slick wall.
“Julian,” I manage. “You’ll have to trust me.”
“Do you trust me?” His hands leave my backside alone and I feel them travel down the backs of my thighs.
I think of all he has left to wash and nearly faint. “Yes. It’s scary, but I do.”
“So when Jaz flirts with you and you flirt back, I’m just supposed to trust you?” His hand finds my middle and parts my slit with soapy slippery fingers. His lips kiss down my shoulder as he talks. “I’m supposed to be okay with him looking at you and wanting you?” His fingers find my clit and sets to destroy me.
I moan uncontrollably. “No. Yes. I don’t know.” I open my legs wider for him.
“You don’t know?” He stops massaging me.
I swallow hard and try to figure out what the hell he’s talking about. I want his fingers back. “No. I’ll stop.”
His fingers resume circling my clit. “Thank you.”
He keeps the tight circles in place before lowering them. He plunges one inside of me, and then one more. His fingers are soapy and wet. They enter my tightness deliciously. I lean against his chest. The hot water is in my eyes and he’s behind me, filling me as much as he can. My orgasm comes swiftly. I tremble against him, grabbing the soap dish for support. When I open my eyes, he’s washing my breasts, stomach, and then my hair. I’m completely lathered in soap when he grabs the shower head nozzle and starts rinsing me off.
I’m unstable when he hands me the bottle of soap. “My turn.”
I smile knowingly and switch spots with him. I squeeze soap into my hand and lather it good before I start washing his strong back. I glide my soapy palms over his tight ass and consider sinking my teeth into him. The backs of his thighs are taut, and his hips are firm. I kiss his soapy back as I reach around front for his cock. I expect it to be hard, so I’m not surprised to find it that way. I take him in my soapy palm and slide my hand up and down his thick length. I bite his back as he grows in my hand. I pump him fast, earning a deep bass-filled moan that travels all over me. When I sense him about to orgasm, I turn him around so I can watch. He grabs the walls for support as his semen shoots onto my breasts and stomach. I stroke him firmly and pull my fist down the length of him, making every muscle in his body tense as his orgasm slams into him.
“Oh shit, Kael,” he hisses, gritting his teeth as he jerks.
“Do you trust me now?”
He sags against the wall. Water clings to his dark lashes, his silver eyes on me. “I trust you now.”
I pat his chest. “Clean me again.”
I get another rub down before he forces us both to call it quits. I could stay in that shower all night with him. I can imagine going back and forth until we couldn’t stand. And I can’t help thinking about when we finally have sex. If it’s anything close, I’m in no way going to question my ability to keep him. I’ll have already gotten him.
He wraps me in a towel and we both exit into the bedroom. I try and lie on the bed but he chuckles, pulling me until I’m standing. “The night hasn’t even started yet.”
“I’m beat.”
“Get dressed. You owe me a dance.”
He really wants a damn dance. I groan and drop my towel, contemplating how to get back into the bed as I search through my clothes for an outfit. He dresses quickly in a pair of jeans and a gray T-shirt. Dragging a towel down his hair, he grabs a jar of something and swipes it through his damp hair. I’m still naked by the time he puts his shoes on and grabs his wallet.
I gawk at his quickness.
“What?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
I’m not as quickly put together. I put on a thick layer makeup to cover the bruises as best I can. I didn’t used to worry about what I was wearing, whether Julian would like the red thong and bra I wore underneath, or if I looked good enough to stand beside him. My black skinny jeans and short-sleeved apricot-hued blouse will have to do. I comb my hair until it’s thick and frames my face. Beauty is still hard to find, but the more I want it, the more I realize it starts before I pull out my makeup. That to be beautiful isn’t being what others see, but what I’m willing to find is already there.
When I finally emerge, both men are already tipsy. They’re talking about their college days. I pause in the hallway and watch Julian animatedly tell a story. He looks so easygoing. I decide to do everything I can to keep it that way tonight.
The nightclub, Under Zealous, is in a reconstructed warehouse by the pier. Taxis pull up and people get out. There’s a long line out front. Loud music pours out of the open door. When we get out Julian takes my hand as Jaz pays the taxi. He leads us past the long line of people waiting to get in. A couple glares at me. I don’t understand why until Jaz talks to the bouncer and we slip inside, completely avoiding the crowd. And the check for ID’s.
The moment we step inside, I feel a different energy. Blue strobe lights spin around the building. There’s balconies overhead and a pit on the floor full of dancing people. The bar surrounds the entire nightclub in a tight circle. People mill around it. In the corner of the club with a view of the dance floor, there’s VIP sections. Jaz leads us over to one and pulls back the purple rope.
He goes to talk to a server. She’s wearing a black miniskirt and
a tight black top. Her breasts spill out the front and she’s ogling Julian in a way that makes me grab his hand and give her a look. Back off!
He pulls me down on his lap and chuckles. “She’s not you. Don’t look so upset.”
“It’s loud in here.”
“It’s a nightclub. It’s supposed to be loud.”
“And crowded.”
He laughs. “Relax, Kael. You want a drink?”
Fun, I remind myself. “Yes.”
He moves out from under my lap and goes to talk to the waitress. She shimmies a bit, trying to get his attention on her breasts. For what it’s worth, he looks only at her eyes as he talks to her. She leaves and Julian returns. For a moment, I sit and watch the dance floor. There’s a feeling in the air I’m unfamiliar with. It’s easy and exciting.
How do they do it? How do you forget life is waiting for you? Maybe that’s the point. Having fun for a few hours might make the upcoming trial less agonizing. I, of course, don’t believe this. The moment I see Nessa, I’ll be transported to the floor and her foot will be flying for my face.
My drink arrives just in time. It’s sweet and bubbly.
“Be careful,” Julian advises. “There’s a lot of vodka in these.”
I give him a playful look. “Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Ean?”
His eyes gleam. “Maybe.”
“Tisk,” I mutter, taking another drink. “What a bad Mr. Ean.”
He smiles slightly and looks down. “What were you thinking about a second ago? You looked so sad.”
I don’t want to ruin his fun. “Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me. Never lie to me. You can talk to me about anything.”
I want to gulp my drink. Down it. “I was thinking about Monday.”
His face softens and he grabs my knee, giving me a squeeze. “You won’t have to do it alone.”
“Do I have to do it at all?” Even to my own ears, I sound dangerously hesitant.
“Yes,” he hisses. “You’re going to do this for me and for yourself, remember?”
I sit back. “Let’s not talk about it until we have to.”
“Damn it, Kaelyn. You have got to stop running.”
“You don’t know what it’s like,” I hiss. “You’ve never had to face someone like Nessa before.”
Under The Peaches (Teaching Love Series Book 1) Page 30