by Anthology
“And Tanner, we’re brothers, we’re best friends, but you’re the last person I’d take advice from about women. Stand down now before you piss me off.
“This is a pool party, a family and friends get together, and there’s plenty of food and beer. Anyone who wants to start stupid shit can leave now. Otherwise, let’s get back to the good news and have some fun together,” Jagger demands.
The momentary excitement dissipates and everyone returns to what they were doing before all hell broke loose. As much as this scene bothers me, I’m glad it happened. One thing I can say about myself is that I learn quickly. Now I know exactly what I have to do.
“You ready for a swim?” Jagger asks as he puts his arm around my waist. When he’s close enough to whisper, he asks the question he really wants to know. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, a swim sounds great,” I smile like nothing bothers me.
When I step out of his embrace, I see the blonde watching us with obvious envy. She’s stretched out on a lounge chair, rubbing sunscreen on her skin. She obviously doesn’t want to get her hair wet. Or maybe she’s afraid she’ll melt like a wicked witch if the water hits her. I walk to the diving board and perfectly execute a forward one-and-a-half somersault straight dive.
When I surface, I have to quickly turn my face away from her shocked expression before I burst out in laughter. It’s a mixture of amazement, disgust, and envy with a lot of surprise. There’s one thing I’m better at than she is. Dwayne, Marlene, and Cass all stand and cheer for me as I exit the pool.
The water drips off of me in small rivers as I haul myself up the ladder in the deep end. Jagger quickly walks to me, his expression relaying his surprise that quickly morphs into fascination. He takes my hand and walks me out of earshot of the others. “That was amazing, Mali,” he commends. “I had no idea you could do that.”
“That’s why I’m only here for a little while,” I admit. “I’m in training and have Olympic try-outs at the end of the summer.”
“I’m obviously no expert, but I don’t see how you wouldn’t make it with that dive,” he says sincerely.
I smile and shake my head. “That’s not even close to the hardest dive, Jagger. But thank you for the compliment anyway. It means a lot to me.”
“Is this what you spend all your time doing? Diving, practicing dives, learning new dives?”
“Yes, I spend every spare second on the springboard or the platform. There’s not a lot of time left to date when you’re going for the gold,” I explain.
“You keep surprising me. Every time I think I have you figured out, you throw something else at me that trips me up,” he replies, with admiration thick in his tone.
I’m not sure how to respond to that, but I feel something deeper pass between us for the few seconds that we stare into each other’s eyes. I’m not so foolish as to think this is love. But it does feel like a deeper level of respect, and the intense desire is also definitely still there.
Wes turns the outdoor stereo on and the sounds of Jagger York, the band, flow through the speakers. When his voice fills the air with a sultry slow song about wanting someone he can’t have, the words suddenly seem too personal, too fitting for our situation. I quickly look away and break the spell that he has cast over me.
“I’d like to get a copy of that CD today. Do you have extras here?” I ask without looking at him.
The change in his tone is obvious and so is the punctuated pause he takes before he answers me. “Yeah, I have a couple of them here. Why do you need it today?”
“Just to have,” I reply as vaguely as possible.
Before he can protest, Marlene and Cass approach us. “We need to get the grill going if we plan to eat soon,” Marlene takes charge.
“Okay, Mom. I’ll light it,” Jagger answers her. But from the corner of my eye, I see that he’s still looking at me.
When he takes a step toward the grill and is preoccupied with his mom, I take the opportunity I need. “Jagger, where is that CD? I’ll grab it and put it in my purse so I don’t forget.”
He’s knelt down with his head underneath the grill as he turns on the propane tank. He stops, cuts his eyes to me, and I see the wheels turning in his mind. “They’re in the den, in the storage underneath the TV. No need to rush to get it, though.”
“What do you mean ‘no rush’?” Tanner asks. “Of course there’s a rush. The sooner the better.”
“I just meant she doesn’t have to rush inside to get it right now,” Jagger hedges.
“If there’s a possibility that she’ll forget it later, let her go get it now. Where’s the harm in that? She’s just looking out for us,” Tanner argues. “Why are you acting so strange today?”
“I’m not acting strange. Shut the fuck up. I’m just saying she can stay outside with us and enjoy the party,” Jagger explains. He keeps cutting his eyes over to me and I see the warning in them. He obviously thinks I’m up to something.
While Tanner questions Jagger further, I silently walk away from the pool party. Once inside, I quickly grab my clothes from Jagger’s bedroom and peek outside. Something’s not working on the grill and he has a yard full of hungry people holding his attention. The CDs are exactly where he said they were. I grab one, walk out the front door, and hop in my car to drive back to my condo alone.
I don’t belong in this world. In his world. The pangs of jealousy I felt when the blonde bimbo insinuated she’d been with Jagger are proof that this will end badly for me. Inwardly, I berate myself for my own foolishness. My wish to try something new, live a little while I’m young enough, and walk on the wild side is apparently too far out of my element. Nothing about me is his type, I’d never measure up to the hordes of women who throw themselves at him, and I’d fall head over heels in love with his family. All of this simply means too much is at stake to carry out this foolish plan.
I know without a doubt that I’m better off without Jagger York in my life.
That’s what I try to convince myself of, anyway. The squeezing that tightens in my chest with each mile that ticks off means nothing. At all.
CHAPTER EIGHT
JAGGER
“MALI,” I YELL BEFORE I pound on her door again. “Open this damn door right now. I will stand out here all night and keep your neighbors up if you don’t let me in.”
Silence. Complete silence greets me from the other side. Her car is here so I know she’s here, but she’s avoiding me. She left without a word and hasn’t answered her phone for hours. Now she’s not coming to her door. If she thinks I’m leaving without an explanation, she’s crazy as hell.
“Mali, open this door,” I demand.
“Jagger,” she calls disbelievingly from behind me.
I whirl around, ready to raise hell with her, but she looks so tired. And so beautiful at the same time. She’s wearing a one-piece bathing suit, her towel is draped around her shoulders, and her bag hangs on her shoulder. She’s obviously been in the pool while I’ve been banging on her door.
“What are you doing here?” she asks. “Your family is in town to visit you.”
“Yeah, about that. Funny thing happened to me today. I had a pool party and cookout at my house. My date, my girlfriend, just up and fucking disappeared on me,” I growl at her.
Her eyes drop to the ground before she replies. “I’m not your girlfriend, Jagger. You don’t have to pretend anymore.”
“It was a little difficult to explain to my family why my girlfriend just left without a word. Without an explanation. Without a goodbye,” I continue.
“I’m sorry about that. Maybe you should just tell them the truth, that I’m not your girlfriend. I shouldn’t have I put you in that predicament to begin with. If you want me to, I’ll explain it to them and take all the blame,” she replies sadly.
“Maybe you can explain it to me first,” I retort.
She inhales a ragged breath, looks around nervously, before her shoulders sag in resignation. “Come on in,” she m
otions toward her door. “At least we can talk privately in there.”
She retrieves her keys from her bag and steps toward the door. My hand reaches out, takes the keys from her, and I unlock the door but then palm her keys. If she had any plans of jumping inside and locking me out, I’m putting a stop to that right now.
Mali walks in first and I step inside behind her, then immediately lock the door. She takes her time to put her stuff down and keeps her back to me. I’m not backing down, I’m not leaving, and I’m not making this conversation easy on her.
“Jagger, you don’t have to worry about me sabotaging your career. I’d never do that. My dad will get your music and I’ll make sure he listens to it,” she promises.
“That doesn’t answer my question and you know it.”
Her shoulders rise as she takes a deep breath and her ribs contract as she releases it. “It’s not because of anything you did or didn’t do. This arrangement just won’t work, Jagger, and I just realized it today. It’s best to stop it now before anything really even happens between us. It’s only been one day so it shouldn’t be a big deal anyway.”
“Then why does it feel like you’re making it a big deal?” I ask pointedly.
“I’m not making it a big deal. I quietly walked away but I’m keeping my end of the deal. You’re the one who came over here to knock my door down,” she replies. “I’ve told you several times, I won’t go back on my end of the bargain.”
“What if I want to spend the summer with you?” I ask and surprise myself.
Her sarcastic laugh catches me off guard. She turns to look at me and I see her determination, her inner drive, kick in. “Why would you want me? I’m not your type at all. I don’t fit in with your friends and their girlfriends.
“I’m not a tall cover-model goddess. I’m not experienced. I can’t offer you everything those girls can. The possibility of a record deal is the only reason you agreed to a monogamous summer with me anyway,” she argues.
“That’s not fair. Did I compare you to those girls even once? Have I said I expected you to be experienced or give me anything you think they have?”
“No, you haven’t said it, but you don’t have to. It’s just who you are and what you’re used to. I’m not blaming you for it. Like I said, I just realized today that I can’t go through with this,” she replies quietly.
“Just who I am? What does that even mean?” I have a good idea of what she means, but for some reason that statement stung me to the core coming from her.
“You’re the hot lead singer of an up and coming band. You’re the man who has sworn off all relationships. Even the people closest to you didn’t believe I could be your girlfriend. And I know I’m not, but the point is they couldn’t see us together, even when you said we were, Jagger.
“And you told me that your own sister would never believe it. She never asked me about it, so my guess is she asked you and you’ve already explained it to her. That’s why she never pushed it,” she guesses. Correctly.
When I don’t answer, she can’t hide the disappointment from showing on her face.
“That’s what I thought,” she nods slowly. “Too many lines were crossed today. Lying to your parents. Telling a different story to your band. My focus has to be on my diving and your focus has to be on your music. Neither of us have time for these complications.
“I have no hard feelings against you, Jagger. You’re a good guy underneath that fake I don’t give a shit attitude. You should let your heart show more often. It’s the best part of you,” she says with a sad smile.
She’s right on every count. This has become way too complicated. I’ve lied to my family. I’ve withheld information from my band. If things had ended badly between us, it could’ve royally fucked up our chances of being signed by Milo Greyson, or anyone else for that matter. She’s not my normal type–I never go for any girl that has so much depth to her.
So fuck if I can explain why my feet carry me across the floor. There’s no viable explanation for why I wrap my arms around her, palm her ass with my hands, lift her until her legs wrap around my waist, and kiss her like a crazed man.
But there it is anyway.
I walk to the wall with her wrapped around my body. She doesn’t try to hide her desire for me. She doesn’t play coy and act like she doesn’t know what I want. She grinds against me as my cock pushes against the inside of my shorts until it’s almost painful. With her back against the wall and her body supported by my leg and my hand, I run my other hand across her peaked nipple.
Her responding moan shoots through me like a lightning bolt. Sliding my fingers up to the strap on her shoulder, I slide it down until her bare breast is fully exposed. My mouth follows the path my fingers made. My tongue glides down her neck, tasting her as I go. When I reach her nipple, I cover it with my mouth. My tongue circles the hardened tip and I suck it farther into my mouth. Her fingers grip my flesh harder with each lap of my tongue.
When I skim my teeth across her sensitive nipple, her legs tighten around my waist and her head drops back to the wall behind her. “Mmm, Jagger,” she moans.
“Where is your bedroom?” I ask in between lavishing attention on her breasts.
“It’s,” she begins to answer but stops speaking to moan again.
“Tell me now or I’m taking you right here against this wall,” I threaten.
“It’s through that door.” She points down the hall and I briskly walk toward it.
“Last chance to change your mind, Mali. You can’t say you don’t want me as much as I want you,” I hurriedly state. “But if you say stop, it stops here and now.”
“Don’t stop, Jagger,” she partially begs. “I don’t want you to stop.”
We reach her bed and I place her in the middle of it. With both hands free, I peel her bathing suit the rest of the way off of her. With no other clothes in the way, I can now feast on her entire body. She’s perfect, with her toned swimmer’s legs, taut stomach, and perky breasts.
“Fuck, Mali, your body drives me wild. I don’t know where to start first. Your breasts?” I ask rhetorically as I lave one with my tongue.
“Maybe your stomach?” I move down her torso to her abdomen, leaving kisses, licks, and bites along the way.
“Do you think I should go lower?” I murmur against her skin. “I love your muscular legs. Especially your thighs.”
My tongue follows directions and finds her inner thighs. I run it along the sinewy striation and her fingers rush through my hair, pulling it tightly into her fists.
“Mmm, you taste good. I bet you taste good here, too. Don’t you, baby?” She bucks seductively under me when I lightly lick her clit. Her moans fill the room and her hands grip me tighter to hold me in place.
“Is this what you want, Mali?” I ask, before I finish my plan of driving her wild. My lips cover her clit and my tongue circles it several times. Her hips buck as she tries to contain her pleasure. “Don’t hold back on me. This scream is mine,” I demand as I alternate sucking, licking, and grating my teeth across her sex.
When her cries become louder, I slide my finger into her warm, wet channel. Slowly sliding it in and out of her, I feel her body preparing for her first orgasm. Her inner walls constrict tighter around my finger and her incoherent words spur me on. Crooking my finger inside her, I stroke the spot that completely unhinges her. She screams my name loudly and it’s the most beautiful sound. Watching her come apart at the seams from my touch is the most beautiful sight. Knowing she’s completely sated and unable to move a muscle after having all of her energy drained is the most satisfying feeling.
“Don’t run from me again, Mali,” my tone warns her. “I don’t doubt that you’ll keep your word to me. Stop using excuses to push me away just because you’re afraid to get out of your comfort zone. I told you to make a decision and stick with it. You picked me and I’m going to hold you to it now, Wildcat.”
She nods and a tear runs out of her eye, down her temple,
and into her chestnut brown hair. “Why, Jagger?”
“Why what?”
“Why are you so insistent about this? I gave you an out. And you still have it, if you want it. But why do you want this part of the deal so much?” she whispers.
Her humble nature stuns me. “You really have no idea how beautiful you are, do you? You don’t realize how badly I want you. You don’t see that you have more grace and sex appeal in your pinky finger than all those other girls have combined. Maybe I also like spending time with you. Did you ever think about that?”
“No,” she answers truthfully. “I honestly never thought you’d want to just spend time with me.”
“Quit thinking so much. Don’t fight it. Just let it flow easily between us. We’ll both walk away with great memories, a fondness for each other, and no regrets,” I urge her.
“Okay, Jagger,” she half-heartedly agrees. “We’ll do it your way.”
I move up to hover over her beautiful body and lower my mouth to hers. Our chaste kisses feel different now. It’s much more personal than it was before. It’s less lustful and more affectionate. After I roll off of her and onto the bed, I pull her into my arms and listen as she fights to maintain control of her emotions.
I’m fully clothed, holding this completely naked, beautiful lady, and I’ve never been more fucked in my life.
CHAPTER NINE
JAGGER
LAST NIGHT, I FELL asleep in Mali’s bed with my arms wrapped securely around her and that’s exactly how I woke up. The sun is just starting to rise and I keep replaying the events of yesterday in my mind. After Mali left my place without a word, I was sure the heated argument would come to blows and an all out brawl in my backyard.
The memory of it still floods me with uncertainty…