About damned time! I’ve been wanting this all night. “What are you waiting for?” I challenge.
His hands settle on my waist, and his head lowers as his lips close over mine. I reach up, clutching his shoulders as I part my lips, giving him full access to my mouth. His tongue immediately sweeps inside, and he begins to tease me as it dances inside my mouth. I like the sweet intensity of his kiss, and I lean back against the house as I kiss him back.
Blake’s hands slide down to my ass, and he grips me tightly before picking me up so I can wrap my legs around his waist. I’m wearing shorts, and his warm hands shift to grip my bare thighs, his tongue stroking mine seductively.
Kissing Blake is better than anything I’ve ever experienced. I skim my hands down his shoulders and along his arms until I can grip him around his waist, tugging his hips further into the apex of my thighs. We both groan in unison as his hard erection beneath his jeans rubs against my center. His hips begin to lazily grind against me, and I dig my nails into his sides, playfully biting his lip as I grind back, urging him for more.
Blake’s lips leave mine to trail down my jaw, his hand reaching up to cup my right breast through my shirt and bra. I arch my back and moan into his ear as his thumb finds the pert tip.
“Blake, come inside with me,” I say breathlessly. I want him so badly, and I know he wants me too.
He groans at my offer, and much to my amazement, he pulls back and draws his hand away from my breast. His hands reach for my thighs, and he carefully eases me away from him so that I can stand on my own two feet.
I’m ready to have sex right here against the house if that’s what he wants, and I reach for the button on his jeans.
Blake sighs with regret as he puts his hand on mine, stopping me. “I can’t, Fallon.”
I peer up at him with confusion, wishing I could see his expression in the darkness. “Why?”
“Tonight’s just a bad night.”
“I see.” I pull away from him, mortified that he’s turning me down a second time. I thought that he’d changed his mind. Is he playing some kind of game with me?
“Hey,” he murmurs, reaching out to rest his hand on the side of my waist. “Don’t think that I don’t want you, because I do. The second I saw you the night I hit you with my car, I knew you were someone special. Then on Tuesday, the rain made your shirt cling to your breasts, and I could see the outline of your nipples,” he says huskily. “I dreamed of you that night and what you look like beneath your clothes. I want more time with you than just a quickie against the house or in the backseat of my car.”
He can’t leave me like this, not when he has me wanting him this badly. “My aunt won’t be home until later,” I offer, hoping to tempt him into staying.
He leans down and brushes his warm lips against mine in a parting kiss. “Not tonight. I have damage control to deal with, and I’ll just be distracted.” He reluctantly pulls away from me.
“Damage control?” I echo.
“Story of my life,” he says sardonically. “Good night, Fallon.”
I stare after him as he walks away, disappearing around the corner of the house.
Five
After a long and boring weekend, I’m more than happy to walk to school Monday morning. Blake flickers in the back of my mind, and my lips curve upward into a little smile. Blake broke up with Camilla. I know his decision had nothing to do with me, but I’m still pleased over the news.
Slowly, my smile fades. I’m not delusional. It won’t be long before I’m just a passing memory for Blake. Once he gets me into bed, his interest in me will be over, and he’ll move on. Still, knowing the truth won’t stop me from giving in and being with him. I want to know what it’s like to have his full attention on me, to be as intimately close as I can possibly be.
“Fallon!”
The sound of my name yanks me back to the present, and I look up to see Blake’s car pulling over to the curb. The passenger window slides down. “Get in!” he calls.
This time around, I am more than willing. I walk over to his car and open the door, getting in. When my door is safely closed, he glances at the rearview mirror and pulls back out into the street.
“Hey,” he greets, his eyes staying on the road as we come upon a stop sign at the end of the street.
“Hi.”
He glances at me briefly, flashing me his boyishly handsome smile. “What are you doing Saturday?”
I try to recall if I have to work. “I don’t know yet.”
“It’s a shit week for me,” he says as he presses down on the accelerator and we move forward again. “I have practice every day after school and family obligations to deal with in the evenings. There’s another game Friday, but it’s not here in town. I’m going to need to unwind over the weekend, and since my parents will be gone, I’m having a party at my place Saturday night. You interested?”
What he really means is do I want to finish what we’d started when we’d made out against the side of the house Friday night. “Sure,” I agree without hesitation.
“I’ll give you my address once we get to school.” Then he frowns. “Wait, I forgot that you don’t have a car.”
“I’ll just grab a cab,” I quickly interject.
He slows down at the four-way stop that’s a block from the school and waits his turn, glancing at me. “I don’t mind picking you up. I’ll drop by around nine.”
I look at him curiously. “If you have practice after school, why did you give me a ride last Tuesday?”
Blake cruises through the four-way stop, his attention fixed on the road again. “Practice doesn’t officially start until three-thirty. I skip warm-up sometimes to do my own thing. Camilla was really annoying the shit out of me, and I couldn’t seem to shake her, so I went for a drive.”
“She sounds very clingy,” I can’t resist stating, and then I wince. “Sorry, it’s not my place to judge.”
We’ve reached the school, and Blake pulls into the parking lot, searching for an empty space. “She is clingy. She was always more interested in our relationship than I was.” He pulls into an available spot and cuts the engine, his expression turning irritated. “I shouldn’t have to check in with my girlfriend every minute of the day. If I wasn’t with her, she always wanted to know where I was and who I was with.”
I reach down for my backpack at my feet. “I bet it’s a relief to have your freedom again.”
“It comes with a price,” he says dryly.
I study his tense features, and I want to ask what he means by that, but it’s not really any of my business. “I’m sorry. Thanks for the ride, Blake.” I turn and reach for the door handle.
“Fallon, wait.”
My eyes shift back to him with surprise.
His eyes hold mine. “I have a lot going on this week, but I didn’t want you thinking I was avoiding you or being a dick. I won’t forget to pick you up Saturday night.”
“Okay. Wait for me at the corner?”
“I’ll be there.”
“See you then.” I climb out of the car and hurry off towards the school, fully aware of the stares that I’m receiving.
I have a feeling that nothing Blake does goes unnoticed—not that I’m surprised or anything. He’s gorgeous, friendly, and a genuinely nice guy. I don’t blame the other students for always watching him with interest.
The rest of the day is a blur as my mind stays fixated on Blake’s invitation for Saturday night. It’s only when the final bell rings and I exit the school that I am yanked out of my pleasant mood. I stand under the overhang, staring out into the rain. I work today, and I am going to resemble a drowned rat by the time I get there. It’s not a good impression to make with being new and all, but it’s not like I have a choice.
My feet refuse to move as I have a flashback to another wet and dreary day when I was younger. I was eleven at the time, and I’d missed the bus after school. My mom had been called to come get me, and I’d stood in the rain for hours, wa
iting for her. In the end, a teacher had taken pity on me and had driven me home.
“Want a ride, Candy Girl?” a familiar voice drawls from behind me.
I turn to find the hottie who’d given me a ride home last week on his motorcycle. I still don’t know his name, but this time I don’t hesitate. “That would be great. Thank you.”
His gray eyes shift to the falling rain a few feet away from where we’re standing. “Ready for a run?”
“We’re going to get wet either way,” I tell him, thinking of his motorcycle.
“Nah, I brought the car today when I saw the forecast.”
“I didn’t know it was going to rain.” I’m thinking I’d better add an umbrella to the list of necessities that I’ll need for next week.
“That might be a bit of a problem for you seeing as you walk to and from that job of yours,” he comments.
I glance at him and shrug. “I didn’t really think that far ahead.”
He starts towards the steps that lead down to the sidewalk, glancing back at me. “Ready?”
We hurry down the steps and run through the rain, dodging other students darting for their own vehicles. I follow on his heels to an old car that’s seen better days. As he climbs in the driver’s side, I fling myself into the passenger seat, and the door squeaks loudly as I close it.
After I push my hair away from my face and wipe rain off my forehead, I look around curiously. His car smells faintly of cigarettes and peppermint. He has a small ashtray on the center console between our seats, and there’s a few cigarette butts in it. I crane my neck and peer into the back, noting a few abandoned cans of soda on the floor. A black backpack has been flung carelessly across the backseat.
“Nosy much?” I hear him ask as the car chugs to life.
I face forward again and glance at him, completely unapologetic.
His eyes lock on mine for a moment, and then he turns his attention on backing out of the parking space.
I peer out my window and spy Blake’s car a few spaces down from the one we’re currently backing out of. He’s sitting in the driver’s seat, and he seems to be watching me. I tentatively wave, but he doesn’t return it. Then we’re driving off as we head for the parking lot exit.
An odd feeling settles in my chest. Blake’s not bothered that I’m getting a ride from someone else, is he? That would be ridiculous. No one’s ever cared or been jealous of my time before. He likely wasn’t even looking at me, it just happened to appear that way.
“What are you going to do this winter?”
I glance at the hottie. I really need to find out what his name is. “Walk to work while wishing I had a car. I’m saving for one,” I reply.
He lifts his hand from the steering wheel and runs it through his damp hair. “How much more do you have to save?”
“A little more,” I lie.
He doesn’t say anything as he switches the windshield wipers to a faster speed.
“Do you have a name?”
“Nick.”
“Thanks for the ride, Nick,’ I say, testing out his name.
He glances at me briefly. “You done at nine again?”
“Yep.”
“If I can get out on time, I’ll give you a ride home,” he says somewhat gruffly, his eyes staring straight ahead as he turns on the car’s left blinker.
I study him. He seems nice enough but definitely not much of a talker. It’s really hard to get a read on him, and I’m worried he might start thinking that I have expectations of future rides. I can take care of myself.
“I’ll be fine. You don’t have to go out of your way for me,” I say lightly.
His expression doesn’t change. “This rain is going to keep on until late tonight.”
“A little rain isn’t going to hurt me.”
Now he looks at me, amusement lurking in his gaze. “You trying to talk your way out of a ride?”
I smile wryly. “No, but if you can’t, I’ll be fine.”
He pulls the car into a parking space behind the tattoo shop. “You can cut through the shop to the store,” he offers.
“Thanks.”
We hurry inside, and a few tattooists look surprised to see me as I pass by them in the hall. Nick escorts me through the shop and to the front door. I thank him again for the ride before hurrying next door to the candy shop.
I’m distracted as I work my shift, and it’s hard to concentrate. I hadn’t expected Nick to track me down or to offer me a ride today. I’ve seen him in the halls at school a few times, and most of the time, he’d barely even smiled at me. Between Blake and Nick, I’ve had more attention lately than what I am accustomed to.
I like it.
A lot.
My mind is upbeat as I work, and when nine rolls around, I find Nick waiting for me under the candy shop’s overhang. He once again walks me through the tattoo shop, nodding at a few of his co-workers before we go out the back exit. It’s still raining, and we hurriedly climb into his car.
Nick is quiet as he drives, and I don’t have much to say. The silence isn’t awkward or anything, and I find myself relaxing in the seat as I stare out my window. The only sound inside the car comes from the windshield wipers, and it’s repetitive and oddly soothing.
I break the silence only when he pulls onto Catherine’s street. “You can just park at the corner.”
He drives to the end of the street and pulls over to the curb. “This have anything to do with your aunt?” he asks.
“We don’t get along.”
His head turns towards me, and I can feel him studying me in the dark. I think he wants to say something more, but he remains silent.
“Thanks for the ride.”
I hurriedly climb out, firmly shutting the passenger door before running through the rain to the corner of the house. I jog to the window and slide it up, quickly pulling myself up and into the room. Once the window is shut and locked, I quickly strip down and wipe up the water on the wood floor beneath the window. After I’m changed for the night, and my nightly routine is finished, I flop down onto the bed.
~*~
On Thursday, I’m walking home after my shift at the store when I hear the familiar sound of Nick’s motorcycle. I turn and watch as he pulls his motorcycle up alongside me. I haven’t really seen much of him since he’d dropped me off Monday night.
He doesn’t cut the engine and simply waits.
I hurry over and climb on, feeling excited that I get another ride. My arms wrap around his waist, and I hold on tightly as he speeds away down the street. I press my cheek against his back and smile to myself as the wind wreaks havoc with my hair. It’s exhilarating being on the back of his bike, and I want to enjoy every second of it.
When he leans into the turns, I lean with him, our bodies in sync as we roar down the streets, passing cars with sharp precision. Motorcycles are dangerous, especially without helmets, but I feel safe with Nick. I know he’s dangerous to some extent, or he wouldn’t be carrying around a knife, but I don’t sense any real danger directed my way.
We pull onto Decauter Street, and as we approach Catherine’s, Nick slows the motorcycle. When I see that the lights are on inside the house, I can’t help but tense. I’m going to have to be super quiet sneaking in. The less Catherine and I see each other, the better.
I’m just about to reluctantly untangle myself from Nick when the motorcycle shoots forward, and we’re off again. I’m surprised, but definitely not disappointed. I hold him tightly, giving him a grateful squeeze around the waist for giving me a reprieve before I have to go back to my miserable reality.
Nick drives aimlessly, and I relax into him, a warm feeling spreading throughout my body from his kindness. He must have felt me stiffen when we’d approached Catherine’s. I’m thankful that he’d read the situation accurately and had decided to give me more time to relax before the evening ends.
Nick pulls back up to the corner sometime later and cuts the engine. The silence is thunderous in my ears
, and I carefully ease away from him as I glance at Catherine’s house. The lights are now off, and the earlier tension I’d felt begins to lessen. I look at Nick, and I can tell that he’s studying me in the darkness.
I’m beginning to feel a little self-conscious over my slip-up earlier. “Thank you,” I say awkwardly.
“You didn’t use the front door on Monday,” he comments.
I shrug. “Less chance of running into my aunt.”
“How bad is it between you two?”
“It’s not a big deal. Really.”
He’s silent a moment. “See you later.”
I back away as he starts the motorcycle. Then I turn and dart off into the shadows as I head for the house.
Six
It’s Saturday evening, and since Catherine is working, I’m nervously watching for Blake from the living room window. Will he show up like he’d promised? For the third time in five minutes, I reapply my lip gloss so that I have something to do as I wait. I’m not really looking forward to the actual party since Blake appears to be wealthy, so the party will likely be full of local rich kids. I’m not accustomed to socializing with their kind, but I’m willing to go so that I can spend some time with Blake.
I run a sweaty palm over my black, denim skirt that I’d paired with a tank. Am I going to be underdressed? I shrug off my momentary concern. Who cares? I’m not going there to fit in anyway.
I slip my lip gloss back in my pocket and spy what looks like Blake’s red Camaro driving down the street. When it passes by the house, and I see that it is indeed him, I quickly exit the house as he parks at the corner.
He’s just climbing out when I approach him, and he grins when he sees me. “Now aren’t you a sight to look at.”
I can’t resist snickering as we walk to the passenger side of the car. “It’s dark, you can’t see much of anything.”
He opens the car door for me. “I can see enough to know that you’re wearing a skirt. I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”
I slide into the passenger seat, and he shuts the door before walking around the car to settle behind the steering wheel. The dome light is on, and my eyes roam over him, taking in the shirt that hugs his muscular chest, and the expensive jeans that look like they were made for him. I draw in a deep breath and give myself a little lecture as Blake pulls away from the curb, and the light flickers out. It’s just one night of sex, and I’m going to enjoy every second of it until the night is over. Then on Monday, I’m going to go to school without any expectations. Blake’s interest in me will have faded, and it’ll be time for me to move on and forget about him, too.
Shameless (Loving Fallon Book 1) Page 5