One Last Chance (Complete Series Box Set)

by Lauren Wood

  She looked like she wasn’t sure, and I reassured her again. I didn’t want this to be about me and Cal. I wanted her to go have fun. I could see why Marsha wouldn’t want me there. If I was in her shoes I think I would have felt the same way. There was nothing that could be done about it now though. What’s done was done and I was going to miss her party because of it. That bothered me the most.

  I watched her finally go and I really did hope she forgot about this mess and had a good time. It wasn’t her fault that I had slept with her friend’s man. It certainly wasn’t Marsha’s fault. The woman was just so sweet. I felt even worse now. I’d smiled in her face a few days before and now this. I felt horrible.

  This visit was making me think that things were going to have to change. I was the other woman, something I never wanted to be, and I hadn’t felt bad enough, not really.

  My phone rang while I was contemplating how horrible of a person I was, and it was the devil himself calling. I didn’t want to talk to him, that’s what I told him, but I didn’t hang up. I wanted to hear what he had to say because as mad as I was with him, I knew that I was still dying to hear what he had to say. I wanted him. It was that simple. I shouldn’t want him, but I did.

  “Why are you calling me Cal?”

  “So, you did save my number to your phone. That’s a good sign.”

  “I guess you can take it that way, or it could be that I wanted to make sure I didn’t answer.”

  “Yet you did, so I will assume that’s not the reason.”

  He was on the phone for less than a minute and I was already frustrated. “What do you want Cal?”

  “I wanna talk.”

  “You never want to talk. I don’t think that it’s in you. We were supposed to talk that night and we didn’t end up talking much and I doubt you remembered it if we did.”

  “I don’t really remember any words being exchanged. I was more worried about the bodily fluid if I am honest with myself.”

  I pressed my lips together and tried not to comment on that last bit. It was still fresh in my mind. So fresh that I started to throb from the thought of it.

  I was getting off track and I had to get back. “So, tell me what you’re wanting to talk about Cal? I don’t think we need to, do you?”

  “Yes.”

  The answer was quick, and it made me smile. I sat down on the bed and laid back. I felt like I was a teenager back in high school again and it was then that I knew I was hooked. This guy was like my kryptonite and it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to resist him. The best thing would be to get away from it, but I knew I wasn’t going to do that. That was my curse and I was already thinking about being in his arms again, everyone else be damned.

  “So, what are we talking about?”

  “Where are you?”

  “At Anna’s.”

  “Are they gone yet?”

  “How do you know that they are?”

  “Jesse told me that they were having a little party.”

  “How did you know that I wouldn’t’ go?”

  “Just did.”

  He knew because of Marsha, but I wasn’t going to say it and it appeared like he didn’t want to either. It was the one thing that was not a topic of discussion that I wanted to have. I wanted to pretend that she wasn’t in the picture. I should have asked if she was or if she was going to be, but I already had my answer on that.

  So, then the question was, what was I doing? He was going to be married to another woman soon.

  “I don’t think that it’s going to be a good idea. I’m tired and I think I’m going to just go to bed.”

  That was my only, really failed attempt at trying to get him to not come. I wanted him to and if he pressed even just a little, I was going to see him soon.

  “What just happened?”

  “Nothing.”

  I didn’t want to say it out loud. I didn’t even want to think about it.

  “I’ll be over there in a few.”

  “What about Jesse?”

  “He’s busy for the night.”

  That was all that he said and at the time I was curious what that meant, but I didn’t ask. I just wanted to get to the part where he comes over and takes care of me like only he could do. It was all I could think about and the more I did, the more bothered I became.

  “I’ll be there in a minute Mariss.”

  I hung up and stared at the phone. He was on his way, but was I ready for him?

  Cal

  I got to the door and all the nerves that I’d felt before were gone. I’d done what I could to call off the wedding, but that hadn’t worked, so now I was almost clear of the guilt that I’d experienced before. Marsha knew how I really felt and she still wanted to go through with it. She wanted a fake marriage and there was nothing that I could really do about it. Now I needed the job and that was going to be affected. This is all I could do right now. After a time, it would be acceptable to do so.

  I stopped and realized what I was thinking. I had to end it. I couldn’t get married to Marsha because of a job.

  The door opened suddenly, and I was in the middle of thought when I jerked a little. I hadn’t been expecting the door to get pulled open like that. I hadn’t even knocked.

  “Are you going to knock and come in or are you going to stand out here all night? Anna isn’t going to be gone that long and if she catches you here, she’s going to be pissed. I promised her that I would stay away from you.”

  I frowned at the comment and I don’t know what I liked less, the fact that it was asked of her or the fact that she agreed to it. Either way it left me a little in my head and not where I should be. I walked in when she moved back and the smile on her face made it all worth it. That smile had a way of making everything else slip away.

  “So, what did you want to talk about?”

  Not really wanting to talk about anything, I took my coat off and set it on a peg by the door. “Why don’t you show me where the guest room is, and we can talk in there?”

  “On the bed I presume?”

  “That sounds like as good of a place as any.”

  Mariss rolled her eyes a little, but she had this grin on her face that told me that she didn’t mind at all. I didn’t either. I was ready for the next step, whatever she wanted it to be.

  We went up the stairs a little slower than normal. She was ahead of me and Mariss stopped. “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”

  “We shouldn’t, but we are going to.” I was sure of that much. I was picking up all the signals that I wanted to see, so I was convinced that it was going to be okay. There was no turning back now.

  Mariss was quiet until we got into the bedroom. She appeared shy which was strange because she was not usually a shy person. Most of the times that I’d been around her, she was the one that decided what was going to happen.

  “So, what do you want to talk about Cal?”

  “I want to talk about what happened the other night.”

  “The mistake?”

  “It wasn’t a mistake. I thought it was a dream because it was too good to be true. You being here, it’s just all too good to be true.”

  “It’s horrible timing.”

  “It’s perfect timing Mariss. Can’t you see that? If I would have seen you a couple of months from now, then that would have been bad timing. I can stop what was going to happen and do what was supposed to happen instead.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean I’m not getting married to Marsha. How can I?”

  “Why does she think you are?”

  “I’m waiting for after Anna and Jesse’s wedding. He would never forgive me if I did anything to mess it up for them. I tried to break it off with her at the restaurant, but she refused to listen. I work for her father, so she has my balls in a grip right now.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t be here then Cal. I don’t want to mess anything up for you.”

  She said that she didn’t, but I could see that Mariss wa
s happy about the calling off my upcoming nuptials. Even if it didn’t work out with her, it made me realize that there was no way that I should settle for a marriage that I didn’t want to be in. It didn’t make sense and I was determined to make sure that I didn’t make such a decision. I had been crazy to think that a marriage like that would have been fulfilling. Mariss made me see that there could be so much more.

  “You’re not. You made me see what I’d long forgotten. You’re a hard woman to forget about Mariss.”

  Mariss’ smile was big, and I could tell that she liked the idea of me not getting married. It was the first step to making something real with her. The rest was a mystery. Right now, I wanted my hands on her and her back in my arms so that I would know this was real. This wasn’t a dream and I felt cheated last time because I’d thought it was. I don’t know what I would have done different, but something.

  I moved the stray strand of hair out of her face. The long, silky hair was so black that it looked almost blue in the light. I’d always loved her hair and her eyes. They really did call to me, just like they were now.

  “You’re beautiful Mariss, you know that?”

  She was seated next to me and her knees were almost touching mine. Mariss didn’t answer, but when I moved to kiss her, she didn’t resist me. I was afraid she would with everything between us at the moment.

  “So what were you thinking that we should do?”

  “You know what it is that I want Mariss. I’m going to have fun making you come again. Maybe get a little bit of a taste before I start?”

  She shivered in response and it was the best response that she could have given me. I’d missed her so damn much and I needed her now.

  “I thought you wanted to talk?”

  “I’m talented and I can do both at the same time, no problem.”

  She snickered at me and told me that I was ridiculous. Maybe I was, but I made her laugh a little and that was a triumph to me.

  “You really are incorrigible Cal. Is that really all you ever think about?”

  I tried to tell her that it wasn’t true, but I couldn’t say it with a straight face. When I was around her and ever since I knew that she was back in town, I hadn’t been able to think of much else. Now that we’d been together again, there was no way that I could forget about her like I had before. There was just no way. And there was no way that I wasn’t going to want more. I needed more. I needed to feel the insides of her and just a taste was just not going to be enough.

  “Pretty much when it comes to you. What else is there to think about? You’re beautiful and I’ve had a thing for you as long as I can remember.”

  “What if it’s not as good as you remember?”

  “That’s impossible.”

  She wouldn’t look at me, like she’d gotten shy suddenly and I didn’t know what to say. I liked that she was here, and we were together, but there was more than just talking that I wanted to be doing.

  “Let me show you how good it can be between us Mariss. I remember how you like it. You like it slow at first and then harder and faster until you scream.”

  I saw her body tremble and I leaned in for a kiss. It was now or never as far as I was concerned.

  Mariss

  He was coming in for a kiss and I knew that this was moment to stop this madness. I knew where it was going to lead and even though I wanted to do this, I also wanted to run from him. He was going to mess my head up again. I just knew it.

  Before I could make up my mind, his lips were on mine and I was closing my eyes. His lips were soft and so damn insistent. They opened my own so that he could push his tongue through. It felt good to me and I swirled my tongue with his. I heard a whimper and realized it was coming from me. I couldn’t help myself and I didn’t want to.

  All the feelings from before came back and I was almost immediately wet. I didn’t have to check, I could feel the lips squishing together and I just knew as I leaned in. We were sitting on the edge of the bed and then he was pulling me back to lay next to him.

  Cal’s body was moving over mine, but his lips never left me. I don’t know how he did it, but the next thing I knew, he was everywhere, and I couldn’t get enough. My hands went to his neck and encircled it as I moaned his name breathlessly when our lips were finally pulled apart. I was breathing a little heavier and so was he.

  Our eyes met, and he told me again how much he missed me. I said something about showing me and he growled, pulling me up on the bed, so my legs and feet were no longer hanging off. His body was back on mine, crushing me into the mattress and pressing against the most sensitive parts of me. He liked to drive me crazy and he was doing a very damn good job of it at the moment.

  Cal’s lips went to my own for a moment, but not even his tongue was pushed through before he was kissing my cheeks, nose and forehead. I squinted them all up and he chuckled as he pulled my hand away that was blocking him.

  “I forgot how ticklish you can be.”

  I doubted that, and I started to squirm. He’d always liked to see me squirm, no matter how much I asked him not to. Cal liked to do it while I was naked because I would forget completely that he was eying me and I would be far more worried about stopping him then the fact that I was giving him an eyeful.

  “Stop Cal!”

  He didn’t listen and somehow, he was getting me naked as he did it. I could feel the clothes coming off, but I was unable to really stop anything if I wanted to because he was relentless with his touch.

  I was in my bra and panties before he finally gave me a break. I was horny, and my body was on edge from his touches and tickling. Every breath on my skin was intensified and every lick of his tongue on me felt amazing.

  My neck and shoulders were given proper attention, enough to make me shake a little. He knew exactly what he was doing because of the grin I saw on his face. It was clear that he was going in one direction and I wanted to help him on his way.

  I tried to push him down with my shoulders and he told me that he was going to take his time. I growled at him and I told him that I didn’t want to wait. All I could think about was getting his mouth on me or his cock in me. As good as his tongue and lips swirling around my nipples felt, it wasn’t enough, and it sent shockwaves through the rest of me. I needed him badly and he chuckled again when I tried to push him down.

  “You always were impatient Mariss, but after the amount of time that I had to wait last time in between fucking you, I’ve learned that I got to make it worth it the first time.”

  I shook my head and told him that it was fine. I wasn’t going anywhere, but I did beg him to hurry up. I wanted to feel him stretch me as only he could, touching parts of me that remained a mystery before and after him. It wasn’t just the feeling that I had when I was with Cal, but the physical perfection of how we fit together.

  He wasn’t bothered by my rushing. He couldn’t feel how I did inside. I felt like I was going to explode from his touch, but the longer I waited for it, the harder it was.

  Finally, he was at my hips, nibbling with his teeth and then settling me with his tongue. I loved the way it felt, and I whimpered as my hips rose. I wanted him to go just a little bit lower, but he was ignoring that part of me. I swear that he was doing it on purpose.

  “Come on Cal. I’m dying here!”

  He assured me that I would be fine, but I really didn’t believe him right now. I didn’t feel like I was fine. I felt like I was about to lose my shit. It was just that simple.

  My hands went to his head and my body moved up enough that his hot breath was now on me. My legs opened wider and I closed them around his shoulders. I was done waiting and I had no problem pushing the situation if I had to.

  It didn’t Cal long to see that I needed him, and he was giving me exactly what I wanted and what I had to have to go on. His tongue came out quickly and there was no more slow motion. His tongue flicked and licked me quickly, making me jump and squirm. He held me down with his hands on my hips as I tried to get
away from the lashing tongue. For something that I’d begged for minutes before, it was funny how quickly I was ready to catapult into space with it.

  My body tightened up as he licked fast and faster. It wasn’t long before I was coming and calling out his name, every muscle in my body contracting as relief flooded my body.

  This time there was no one to stop us or to stop what was going to happen next. All I could think about was how good his mouth had felt on me and I didn’t notice that he was off the bed and getting undressed. It wasn’t until he was on top of me and starting to push in that I knew it for what it was.

  “Fuck!”

  My eyes flew open and met his. My hands pushed against his chest and he drove deep. We were both waiting for that moment, but Cal’s eyes were on me, watching as I closed my own again. He was so deep, and my insides were trying to adapt to the hard length that was now in my midst. It was impossible to and before long, I was trying to get away from it.

  “Just relax. You know that it takes a minute. Do you remember last time?”

  I couldn’t think now. My mind was coming up with a blank and I knew that there was a reason that he wanted me to think of that time, but I just really wasn’t sure what it was. All I knew for sure was that this time I wasn’t going to be able to take it. He was just too damn big and wide. It had been too long since I’d been stretched this way.

  “Relax.”

  He had lost his mind if he thought I was going to relax. He laughed a little and then told me that we would get the first one out of the way and that would loosen me up. I’d just came in his mouth several times as he held me down, I don’t think I was going to get any wetter and I certainly wasn’t going to become relaxed suddenly because he said to.

  Cal’s hand went between our bodies and he started to rub on my clit as he moved his cock in and out very slowly. I could vaguely remember this now and my thighs tried to close, but there was no where for them to go. I tried more than once to stop what came next, afraid that I was going to lose my mind, but there I was, flying off into neverland anyways.