by LK Shaw
“You’re right. Just two friends enjoying each other’s company this morning.”
A slight puff of air escaped his lips, and I realized he’d also been holding his breath as he waited to see how I’d reply. At first, our conversation was awkward and uncomfortable, neither of us wanted to cross an unwritten line, but as we each ate our food, I felt myself relaxing more in his presence. Pretty soon it was like we were old friends. We avoided talking about the future or even anything sexual. We just enjoyed each other’s company. Time passed quickly, and when I glanced at my watch, I was startled to see how late it had gotten. I needed to get going and check on the others.
“I’ve had a great time this morning.”
“Me too. I’d like to spend more time with you. I know you’re here with your girlfriends, and I’m here with my buddies, but maybe we can grab dinner or something while we’re here. And I think we’re having a bonfire tonight if you all want to swing by.”
I considered his invitation and hoped I didn’t regret agreeing to spend more time together. Without a doubt, Kyle had the capacity to break my heart.
“I’d really enjoy that. Thank you. Well, I better head out. I’d hate for anyone to send out a search party for me.”
After paying for our meal, I resisted the urge to flinch when Kyle guided me out to our vehicles with his hand at the small of my back. He barely touched me, but the heat radiated off his hand, and my body temperature rose several degrees. He opened my door for me, and after a little wave good-bye, I sped off down the street. I was just a few short blocks away when I spotted Liana and Gannon outside another diner. I beeped my horn and rolled to a stop next to them.
“Hey, you two. How’s it going?” I leaned on my elbow through the open window. “I was just on my way back to drag you out to the beach with me. Hi, Gannon.”
He gave me a casual wave. Liana turned to speak to him before getting in the passenger side. We waved goodbye to him and headed back to the house.
“How the hell did you two end up together?” I asked once Gannon was in the rearview mirror. Liana didn’t have an answer for me.
After we got back to the house, Liana said she wanted to do some shopping. Since I hated stepping foot in any retail store, I told her I’d pass. Besides, I was ready to get some sunshine. I needed to free my mind from everything. Either that or spend the whole day trying to figure out what I was going to do about Kyle. It would probably be the latter.
7
Kyle
The guys and I spent the day drinking beer and playing foosball, air hockey, and pool. The state-of-the-art game room was every big kid’s wet dream. The coolest thing about the room was that it was on the bottom floor of the house with French doors that opened up to the patio with direct beach access. We fired up the grill and kept one door open to hear the ocean sounds in the background. We turned on the two ceiling fans in the giant room to help circulate the air. The day passed quickly, and I was proud of the fact that I only thought of Callie once or a hundred times.
I made a quick run to the store to get some firewood for the bonfire. As Trevor got the fire going, I cranked up the music and grabbed some beers for the guys. A noise from next door had my attention. Callie, Journey, and Skye were upstairs on their deck laughing and having a good time. It was crazy to believe that somehow each of us had managed to form a connection with one of the girls. Granted, three of us previously knew each other in some way already, but there had to have been some reason why it was this trip where we all found each other again. I expected there was a bigger plan for each of us. It was time I embraced it, because Callie and I were together again for a reason. Who was I to question it?
“Hey, ladies! How many times do we have to ask you to come on over? Quit hiding out over there and join the party.”
They all leaned over their deck at my yell and apparently they’d been drinking more than I realized, because they all started giggling like I’d said something hilarious.
“We know, but we didn’t want to impose.” This came from Skye.
“It’s no imposition. Come on down.” I hollered back.
One by one, they disappeared out of view. Within moments, they joined us. The next few hours were spent laughing and having a great time. Except Gannon. He appeared to be having fun, but the smile never quite reached his eyes, and he was constantly glancing back at the ladies’ house. When he caught me watching him a couple times, he played it off even though we both knew what he'd been doing.
Out of nowhere, a yell sounded from across the fire.
“Hey, Liana! About time you got back. Get over here and join us.” Journey waved at the woman tentatively walking toward us, a huge number of shopping bags in her hands. She looked decidedly uncomfortable with everyone’s attention on her. Her eyes scanned the group as though looking for someone. She tried to mask the flinch when Gannon stepped out of the house.
“Last case, unless someone what to make a beer run.” Carrying a twenty-four case of beer, Gannon strolled across the distance between our houses.
Gannon passed out some beers before heading toward Liana with one. Wanting to give them some privacy, I made my way over to where Callie sat on a large log and plopped down next to her. We both stared into the fire, neither of us speaking. Thankfully, the silence between us was comfortable.
“Did you do anything exciting today?”
She shook her head and took a sip of beer. “Worked on my tan. Took a nap. That was pretty much about it. That’s the one thing I love about these yearly get-togethers. There’s no pressure to do anything. The days are ours to do with what we want and then the nights are to hang out and have fun. It works for us. We don’t talk about work or home. We reminisce. We talk about The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
I groaned, over exaggerating my agony. “Please don’t tell me you watch that reality show crap?”
Her infectious laughter had me chuckling with her. Between the firelight and the moonlight, her face shone brightly, and her eyes sparkled even this late at night. I could drown in her eyes and die a happy man.
“I don’t watch it, but a couple of the other girls do. It’s still fun to laugh about the ridiculousness of it. I mean, for real, the lives those women lead. And the drama? Don’t get me started on it. But I do love The Walking Dead. It’s my guilty pleasure.”
I studied her for a few minutes, her beauty breathtaking in the night sky. I opened my mouth to ask if she wanted to get out of here when Journey asked Gannon about his promotion. We all congratulated him and questions ensued about why they ever got divorced. From next to me, Callie dug her elbow into my side.
I knew it was none of my business, but I’d been friends with Gannon for almost as long as he’d been divorced. He never discussed it, but even after all this time, I knew how broken up he’d been. We were guys though, so we didn’t dig too deeply into our emotions. A minor argument occurred after I asked if she’d sent him a “Dear John” letter, especially when I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. Offended and upset, Liana stormed off with Gannon following her shortly after.
Callie made a sound of disgust from beside me, rose, and walked out toward the water. Knowing I needed to apologize, I went after her. When I stepped up beside her and matched our strides as we wandered down the beach, I formed my response.
“I wasn’t trying to be a dick to your friend, and I’m sorry I upset her. Her leaving him when she should have been his biggest support struck me wrong. But how they handled their relationship is none of my business, and I’m sorry.”
“Who hurt you?”
I sighed in resignation, because I should have expected the question. In all this time, we’d avoided talking about past relationships. If we had any chance of forming something long-term, I knew I needed to open up to her. It was a struggle though. It had taken me months before I even opened up fully to my therapist back home. Feelings were meant to be tucked away, hidden from view until you forgot about them. They were
too painful sometimes to bring out and analyze.
“My ex-fiancée. We’d been together five years when I was injured in Afghanistan. One day, after I’d come back to the States and was still recuperating and learning to adjust to having only one leg, she decided she was tired of all the doctor appointments, the physical therapy, the mental therapy, all of it. I came home to a letter on the kitchen counter saying she couldn’t deal with it anymore.”
My heart skipped a beat when her hand brushed mine, especially when the next time, she clasped mine in hers and intertwined our fingers. We continued walking hand in hand, the sound of the waves crashing against the sand, the night sky embracing us in our own private oasis.
“She didn’t deserve you, and you’re better off without her. Either way, I’m sorry that happened to you. They say a relationship is fifty-fifty. I disagree. A relationship is hard work and requires both people to put in one hundred percent. If you both aren’t giving it your everything, then it’s doomed to fail. No relationship is perfect, but then, nothing is.”
Something in her voice caught my attention. I stopped and with my free hand reached up to cup her cheek.
“I think you’re pretty perfect.”
She briefly leaned into my touch before turning her head and walking again, forcing me to either let go of her hand or continue along with her.
“I’m far from perfect. Do you know that you’re the first man I’ve slept with in five years? Five years of rebuilding my confidence and self-esteem. I used to be so secure in myself, until I’d had the security beaten out of me.”
She winced when I practically crushed her hand in rage at her words. I quickly loosened my grip and rubbed my thumb across hers, trying to soothe the pain I’d unintentionally caused.
“I’ll kill him. Whoever hurt you will die a slow and painful death.”
“He’s not worth it. Besides, it was a long time ago. I’ve become a better version of myself since I left him. I’m content with my life.”
“Content isn’t happy, you know. I can tell you that. After Leslie, I guarded my heart, never letting my emotions get the better of me. It hurt less that way. But, I have no one in my life. It’s a lonely existence.”
Callie spoke so softly, I barely heard her. “You have me.”
8
Callie
My heart broke for Kyle. Both of us had our dreams shattered by those we thought loved us. It had taken a long time for me to recover from Travis, but from the sound of it, Kyle still hadn’t gotten over his ex-fiancée. Or at least from how she’d left him. Bitterness was a difficult pill to swallow. And Kyle was choking on it. Even if he didn’t realize it. I fully believed that was why he’d pushed me away in Miami.
I had no expectations that this thing between us would miraculously heal him, but life was tough enough without going at it solo. He had his military friends back at the house, and I knew he cherished his friendships with those guys. I’m sure being around them was therapeutic for him. I wasn’t trying to play psychologist and analyze his relationships. Even ours. Although, I wouldn’t classify what we had as a relationship, per se. I needed to stop trying to fit us inside some box and just be his friend. Even if I was a friend who desperately wanted him. He’d pushed me away the last time. If he wanted anything to happen, he was going to have to make the first move. Until then, I’d be there for him.
He must have read my mind because the next thing I knew, he tugged on my arm and pulled me into his embrace. Slowly, as though gauging my response, he bent down and brushed his lips across mine. He kept his kisses light as butterfly wings, dropping them all over my face. He rested his forehead on mine, our mouths close, breathing in each other.
“I don’t know if I can be what you need, but I have to try. Try to be a stronger man. For you. For me. For what could be between us. I can’t make you any promises. Can you live with that?”
“Nothing is ever promised, Kyle. I’ve learned to take each day as it comes. Carpe diem and all that shit.”
His strangled laughter echoed in the air. Considering I didn’t fancy sand up my ass, I led the way back to our house. Unsurprisingly, it took us no time at all to reach the house. We were both in a hurry to find some privacy. We quickly, but quietly, entered the house and practically tiptoed up the stairs to my bedroom, with me praying each step of the way that we didn’t encounter any of the girls.
Thankfully, the coast was clear and once the bedroom door was closed, we frantically began tearing each other’s clothes off. Kyle didn’t even take the time to remove his prosthetic. A strangled gasp escaped when Kyle picked me up and flung me onto the bed. He quickly followed, covering my body with his as his mouth crashed down on mine.
His hands skimmed every inch of my body he could reach. My core throbbed, and I begged for his touch.
“Please.”
His mouth broke from mine, but his fingers continued their path up my thigh, stopping just short of where I was desperate for his touch.
“Please, what?”
I groaned in torturous agony as a ghost of a touch grazed my clit. I arched into the touch, needing more contact, but Kyle retracted his hand, teasing me.
“Touch me, damn you.”
His hand reached out to cup my breast, and this thumb thrummed across my nipple, shooting a spark of pleasure through me.
“Here?”
My head shook as I grabbed his hand, forcing it down my body until, finally, he was where I wanted him most.
“No, here.”
Luckily for him, he was smart and kept his hand where I’d put it. Then, he played me like a fine-tuned instrument. He traced the outside of my pussy before dipping a single finger inside. I couldn’t break eye contact even if I wanted to. A groan escaped when I felt the stretch of two fingers entering me. I clenched my muscles, trying to keep him inside me when he made to pull them out.
“You’re so beautiful. You know that, right?”
“You make me feel beautiful.” I gasped when he flicked my clit. “I need you inside me. Now.”
We could make love later. Right now, I needed Kyle to fuck me.
“Don’t let it be said that I didn’t give the lady what she wanted.” He removed his hand and lined his cock up against me. He rocked a few times, torturing me in the process. Having none of it, I wrapped my legs around his waist, and when he shallowly thrust the next time, I pulled him against me with all my might. I shoved my fist in my mouth to silence the cry of ecstasy when he entered me entirely. No need to make a grand announcement about what was going on in my room.
Once again, I clenched my muscles, this time causing him to moan low.
“Now, fuck me.”
Kyle raised a single eyebrow and gave me a cocky, satisfied smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
His mouth met mine again, his tongue darting inside to match the rhythm of his cock pounding into my pussy. He continued his assault on my mouth and cunt as he reached between us to circle my clit. Tension began building as he hit that right spot deep inside. I met his forward rocking, and as the pressure spread through me, colors danced behind the eyelids I had been forced to close with the pleasure, and my orgasm rushed through me like a volcanic eruption. Kyle thrust a few more times and then his climax hit. His seed washed my insides and small tremors continued to rock my body as his movements slowed and became less deep.
Kyle rolled to his back, pulling me into his side. I snuggled in, resting my head on his chest, my hand over his still fast-beating heart. I knew I needed to get up soon and wash up in the bathroom, but I wanted to bask in the post-coital bliss a little while longer.
“You’re not having any regrets are you?” Kyle’s voice came low from above me.
My head tilted, and I looked up at him. “No. Why, are you?”
He continued to stare up at the ceiling, and my stomach clenched. Maybe this had been a mistake. Maybe he was rethinking trying to give this, us, a chance. There was nothing I could do if he did except move on with my life. I wouldn’t sa
y I was in love with him, but I was falling hard and fast. My emotions could most definitely be further engaged with minimal effort. When I didn’t think he was going to answer me, he lowered his head and stared into my eyes.
“Not a one. You’re going to have to be patient with me. I care about you, and I don’t want to hurt you.”
“As long as you’re honest with me, that’s all I can ask.” I leaned up to drop a quick kiss on his lips before rolling off the bed and going into the bathroom to freshen up. After flushing the toilet, I stood at the sink to wash my hands and stared at my reflection in the mirror. Please don’t be making the biggest mistake of your life.
9
Kyle
Last night played over again in my mind all day. Every touch, kiss, sound, smell relived itself in my head. Never before in my life had I felt like this, not even with Leslie. I couldn’t call it love, but the connection I had with Callie was deeper than anything I’d ever experienced. My knees shook at the thought of her leaving me, even if deep down inside I knew that wasn’t the kind of person she was.
While Callie’d been in the bathroom, I removed my prosthetic. It hadn’t been entirely comfortable, but in the heat of the moment I couldn’t have given a shit. My first and only thought had been to get inside her. When she’d finished and come back into the bedroom, she crawled back in bed and cuddled up against my side. We talked long into the night, and eventually, she’d fallen asleep in my arms. I lay there a while longer thinking about the future. I briefly fell asleep, but after years in the Navy, I’d woken with the birds.
I dropped a brief kiss on Callie’s forehead before sliding out of the bed and dressing. I carefully crept down the hallway and fervently hoped I didn’t meet any of her girlfriends along the way. Apparently, God had bigger things to deal with because no sooner had I reached the front door than it opened. Skye startled slightly when she saw me standing there, but then a shit-eating grin crossed her face. I couldn’t help the flush that spread across my cheeks. I felt like a teenager getting caught by my girlfriend’s father.