Let Me Go

by Michelle Lynn

  “Just his roommate . . . and friend.”

  “Hmm . . . usually friends don’t hold hands under the table.” She smiles. At least she isn’t upset. “It’s okay.” She glances back to the hallway and then inches across the table. “You seem nice and Rob needs nice in his life.”

  I stare at her in disbelief because how do I reveal I’ve been sleeping with her son for weeks now, but have no idea what we actually are.

  “You’re nervous.” She waves her hand. “Don’t be. Listen, did he tell you about Carly?” She whispers it and I wonder what she’d do if I said no.

  “Yes.”

  She leans back in the booth, her hand over her heart. “Good,” her voice relieved. “He’s letting you in. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”

  I smile again, unsure how exactly to react to her.

  “It’s torn Rob apart. So many problems, so must strife, so much heartbreak. It’s torn me apart all of these years, watching the boy I raised be so unhappy and blaming himself for Carly’s—” She abruptly stops and when she glances to the back again, I figure Rob’s on his way back. “Anyway dear, if he’s trusted you with Carly, then you’re in. Stick with him even if he tries to drive you away.” She pats my hand on the table and then unravels her silverware, placing her napkin on her lap as though we were talking about the weather.

  Rob slides in next to me, mimicking his mom in the napkin unrolling silverware. “She didn’t pester you too much, did she?” He eyes me and I shake my head.

  “No, not at all.” I give a tight smile and it seems to appease him.

  “Good, she can be ruthless sometimes.”

  She laughs across the table. “Not true, Rob.”

  “So true, Mother.”

  Their relationship brings a tinge of jealousy that my mom wouldn’t give a second thought about someone helping me with my problems. She would have jumped into Rob’s lap, licked his neck and grabbed his crotch.

  ROB ESCORTS HIS mom to her car and they quietly talk to one another. I can only assume it’s either about me, or him returning to school. I wish I knew what was holding him back. He’s an intelligent guy and with money not being a problem, I’m baffled. My heart becomes more invested in him watching the way he cares for his mom. He opens her door and holds her close into him. Not the short and patting type of back hugs you normally witness between a guy and his mom. Theirs is caring and heartfelt. It’s a side of Rob many don’t get blessed with seeing. After she releases her son, she finds me on the sidewalk and waves her hand before climbing into her car.

  Rob waits for his mom’s taillights to fade and then he steps up on the curb and quickly rushes over to me. He swoops his arms around my waist and lifts my feet off the ground. There’s always an element of surprise every minute with Rob and I don’t yearn for anything different. I may never know which Rob is about to emerge, but I draw safety in the fact he’s never the asshole everyone raves about. At least not with me. “I want you,” he whispers in my ear and a hot jolt runs through my veins.

  “Chrissy’s done with classes. She’ll be home in an hour after the gym.” My shoulders slump from the disappointment that there isn’t enough time for him to cherish me like I need him to.

  “All I have to do is sneak you into my room. As long as you can keep those beautiful lips shut, we’re golden.” He grabs my hand and practically drags me to the car as though we have an invisible clock above our heads clicking down.

  “I’m coming, jeez, you’re going to rip my arm off,” I joke and my footsteps quicken to meet his. Not that I don’t love how eager he is to have me.

  He skids to a stop at his car, opening the passenger door for me. “Let’s go.” His arm waves into the car, and I purposely stop, pretending to investigate my nails.

  “Did I tell you that I broke my nail today?” My stance falls lazy as I concentrate on my fingers.

  “Paige,” he warns and I purse my lips to keep from smiling. He’s way too easy to play with.

  “It really hurt.” I thrust my hand in front of his face. “See.”

  He releases a breath, grabs my hand and glances down fast. “I’ll get you a Band-aid when we get home.”

  “Oh, that would be so nice.” I continue to delay us because I’m finding great amusement in Rob’s tapping foot.

  “Now get in, baby.” He steps to the side of the door, enclosing me further into the small space between him and the car. He’s trying to be nonchalant in his act of urging me to climb into my seat.

  “Maybe I should get a manicure.” My eyes scan the street for a nail salon. “Is there a place around here? Chrissy’s nails are always so nice.”

  “You’re nails are gorgeous.”

  I examine him and the impatience he’s trying to hide makes me giggle inside. I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t picked me up and plopped me in the car by now.

  “Yeah, but I should get them professionally done. You know, manicure and maybe a pedicure? What do you think? We could do it together?” I widen my eyes at him and his face falls.

  “Paige, get in the damn car.” His voice is all deep, alpha, and demanding. I love it.

  “So, that’s a no?” I scrunch my eyebrows.

  “Yeah, baby, that’s a no. I’ll paint your nails if you get in the damn car.” He steps closer to me, and I practically stumble into the car.

  “Is that a promise?” I ask, swinging my legs in.

  He doesn’t answer, the door shuts, and he jogs around the car. He’s barely in the car before the key is cranked in the ignition and the car drives away from the curb.

  “Are you in a hurry?” I question and he shakes his head, beginning to chuckle.

  “Paige, you’ll be the one complaining when I only make you come two times instead of four. Just remember you decided to be funny when you’re begging me for more.”

  After his rant, my laughter bursts out and I bend forward. “Your face was so cute. All concerned about my nails.”

  “Yeah, it was hilarious.” He winds the car around the curves and I notice he’s winding through neighborhoods for a short cut home.

  “I’m holding you to it though; you’re painting my nails tonight.” I hold my hands up, inspecting how overdue I am for a manicure. I’ve never been one to have a standing appointment every month, but it’s been too long now.

  “As long as I can pick the color.” He winks as the Mustang slows down in front of a light.

  “You could match my panties.” His eyes flit over to me and a small smile creases his lips.

  His tongue sneaks out and swipes across his lips. “Give me a glimpse.”

  We’re stopped at the light and his eyes veer down to my crotch. Since I’m not wearing a skirt, I have no choice but to unzip my pants. Knowing we only have seconds before the light changes, my fingers slowly twist the button and even a more tortuous pace to unzip my jeans. “Paige.” His voice is pained. I spread the sides of jeans open, revealing my lacy white pair of panties and he inhales a deep breath. “Jesus,” he whispers and his hand roams over the center console.

  I slap his hand and he retracts it a millimeter. “Uh uh,” I shake my head and he narrows his eyes.

  “Don’t tease me.” His hand ventures again and it’s hard to forbid him to snake that hand down my pants, his fingers diving into the wetness he induced.

  I scrape my teeth along my bottom lip and his chest heaves again. This is fun, making him squirm with want. “The light is green,” I tell him with hooded eyes. Right after horns honk behind us, his extended hand fists into a ball and a low growl erupts from his throat.

  “You will regret what you just did.” He throws the car into first through the light and quickly shifts to second.

  “Will I?” I shrug one shoulder still giving him the come fuck me eyes.

  “You have no idea.”

  A couple of minutes later he speeds up the driveway, into the garage and shuts the engine. Twisting to face me, his hand molds to my cheek and his thumb caresses my skin. Th
is is not what I was expecting. I assumed he’d be carrying me inside as he stripped me naked on the way upstairs. “Baby,” he murmurs the term of endearment so lovingly. “Go upstairs to my room, strip down to nothing, and lay on my bed.” His voice is sultry and my panties soak from his directions.

  I swallow the lump in my throat and stare into his determined eyes. He wastes no time to follow through with his threat about teasing. He’ll never hold out long enough. As it is, he wants me to undress myself.

  “Okay.” My hand fingers for the door handle and when I blindly find it, the door clicks open, but Rob’s lips merge with mine. Gentle, loving, and nothing I want in this moment. Don’t get me wrong, I love when he’s tender and thoughtful, but I’ve craved him all day. There’s no waiting for him to go slow this time around. I want him to slam me against the wall and fuck me until I can’t walk.

  “No tongue?” I pout in the seat and a quiet chuckle escapes him when he breaks away with nothing but a long peck to the lips.

  “Go, baby.” He sits in the car, waiting for me exit.

  I do what he instructs, happy to see Dex’s truck gone and Chrissy’s keys missing from the dish by the back door. The house is quiet, no footsteps or television blaring. It’s only me and Rob until one of them returns and I’m crossing my fingers it’s not for at least a half hour. I wish that thought alone didn’t bring out a million butterflies to my stomach.

  When I step into Rob’s room, I’m surprised to see his bed made, the dresser neatly organized with cologne bottles lined up with not a speck of dust. Even his guitar pics are tossed into a dish. The receipts that covered the oak surface are now gone and I contemplate opening his top drawer to see if he swiped an arm along the surface right into the drawer. Even if he did, the rushed act doesn’t negate that fact he straightened his room for me, which brings a gentle tug on my heart.

  When I hear the backdoor slam shut, I remember my instructions and toe out of my black flats and shimmy my jeans down my legs. When I grab the hem of my shirt to fling it off my body, I hear his footsteps climbing the stairs. As fast as I can, I unhook my bra and shove my panties off. Jumping onto the bed. My body flits around, as I test out five different positions, deciding which one will make him jump me the fastest.

  There’s a soft knock on the door and it opens a sliver. “Ready?”

  I change my come and get me pose on the bed one last time.

  “Yes.”

  He opens the door, steps in, shuts it, and locks it. There’s a bottle of caramel sauce tucked under his arm, a bowl with strawberries, and another bowl I can’t see nestled in the crook of his arm. My body tingles thinking of his tongue licking it off my body.

  “You have plans.”

  He nods, admitting nothing as he travels over to the bed. After positioning the bowls and sauce on top of his nightstand, he swaggers over to me and climbs onto the bed.

  Not removing a stitch of clothing, he straddles my hips and raises my right hand. Reaching back, he whips strips of shredded cloth out of his back pocket and then ties my wrist to his headboard. His eyes concentrate on the task, never veering down to me, or my chest pushed out to entice him.

  My body wiggles underneath him, desperate for a release. “Hold on, baby.” He raises my other wrist gently in his hand and ties what I see is a rag from the garage around my wrist. I tug my hand and my back falls back into the mattress unable to move. He stands up and I groan from the loss of his heat. “Now, do I need to tie up those legs or do you think you can control yourself?” He leans over me, dangling two other rags across my already pebbled nipples. The breeze and the feathery light brush across my breast staggers my breathing.

  “Rob!” I plea and he chuckles sauntering over to his drawer.

  “You should have listened.” He digs through his dresser, revealing a tie. He owns a tie?

  My core heats up and I clench from the pure want building to max level inside of me.

  Sauntering over to me, he graces me with his naked chest as he strips his shirt off. “You like to tease . . . let me teach you how it’s done.”

  Oh shit.

  I stare up at him, trying to concentrate on my breathing before I pass out. He’s exactly the man I knew he was, and if I thought he was the one for me before, he just branded me exclusively for him.

  “Show me,” I whisper and he laughs.

  “Lift up your head.”

  I do as he requests and soon darkness consumes my sight.

  “Good girl.”

  God, I love it when he calls me that.

  Now having only my senses of touch and hearing to go by, the room quiets. I fear he left me strapped to his bed, that his version of teasing is leaving me alone, while I anticipate his return. Then my excitement picks up when I hear the zipper of his jeans. My back arches, and my knees fly up as I widen my legs.

  “Don’t make me tie your ankles.”

  His voice is even toned, no emotion. Kudos to him because if I could I’d slip my hand down myself to finish this off, from him leaving me teeter tottering on the edge.

  Quickly lying my legs flat on the bed, the mattress dips and a lukewarm drizzle sprinkles from the crevice of my breasts down my stomach.

  “A little bit of sweet.” The mattress dips on either side of my hips and his tongue swipes the gooey liquid off my stomach, surging a current of desire right to his target.

  “Rob.” My hands tug against the restraints and my back arches further as I try to control my pleasure.

  He doesn’t respond, instead, an icy cold cube hits my skin from his hot mouth. His tongue slides it up my stomach, up the curve of my breast and his mouth covers my nipple. Circling the outline of my breast with the ice cube in his mouth, I squirm.

  “Remember who started this game,” he reminds me, as the ice cube melts in the middle of my breasts.

  “You’re taking it too far.” I fight him, loving his arousing exploration of my body.

  “Am I?” he questions, his hands and lips disappearing again. “I think you’re wrong. I didn’t even grab the whipped cream.”

  A giggle leaks out of me before I can mask it. I have to show how serious I am because he needs to get a condom on and thrust into me hard right now before the most intense orgasm falters to the sidelines.

  Just as I’m trying to control my imprisoned pleasure, his hard body lays on top of mine. I savor his light cologne as my breasts crush against his chest. “Next time you should listen,” he whispers in my ear and the tip of him is right at my opening.

  Sliding side to side and lifting my hips, I attempt to end this game he’s enjoying playing with me. With a little finagling, I’m positive I can entice him to ditch this whole teasing business.

  “I need you,” I beg and my hands lift only to remember they’re trapped.

  “I know. I need you, too,” he admits. Thank the heavens. I’m making progress. “But, all in good time.”

  “What?” I screech. “Rob, grab a condom and get your dick inside of me now,” I demand and he leaves my body once again. “Rob!” I scream and then Best I Am by Flaw sounds from his iPhone.

  I hear a drawer open and shut. The mattress slopes again and my heart rate picks up with the hope he’s finally relenting. His hand removes the tie off of my eyes and he’s smiling down at me.

  Ogling his naked body, I notice his condom is already on and he’s moving on top of me again. “You make it too hard,” he softly murmurs, reaching up and untying the rags from my wrists.

  He lightly massages each wrist, bringing them back down. His fingers skim down my arms as I bring them around his neck. “Listen to these words as I fuck you, Paige.”

  I sink into the mattress, hearing the lyrics to the music. Rob flips our moment from lust-filled to love in a flick of his finger to his phone. He slowly moves inside of me and I lay drowning in him and the fact his heart is opening for me.

  The song is a promise of sorts. Sticking to his true colors, the song conveys he’ll do the best he can to make thi
s work between us. It’s his own sentiment to our situation, and I restrain the tears from the trust he’s giving me after such a short time.

  He rolls his hips and I melt into his hold, bringing my legs up and over his waist. Our lovemaking syncs into a harmonious tempo, and a peace flows between us.

  His fingers weave through the hair on the sides of my head as he rests the weight of his body on his elbows. The honest blue eyes dig into mine with promises he doesn’t know if he can fulfill, but he desperately wants. He isn’t giving me bullshit lines about how much he loves me, or that he’ll never mess up. Instead, he’s allowing me inside of the raw creature he believes is screwed up, but for me, he’ll try to change and that’s enough. I don’t want empty promises, just truth.

  My eyes flutter from the emotions and the physical satisfaction he’s handing me. The orgasm that I expected to rack my body five minutes ago hinders on the edge, ready to explode in a much more quiet way than I figured. My fingernails scratch his shoulder blades and my legs tighten around his waist as he sends me over that cliff, soaring into the air with him alongside of me.

  As we come down from our fall, he lowers on me, kissing me softly and slowly. His tongue whisks in my mouth, churning my tongue with his. A soft moan releases into his mouth and his hand removes my arms off him as he entwines our fingers above my head.

  He breaks our kiss and his lips travel down my jaw, but his hands stay linked with mine. “Paige,” he sighs and with only my name I know exactly what he’s conveying.

  “I know.” We had a moment that neither one of us is ready to admit. The ramifications if it doesn’t work are too fearful to acknowledge what just transpired. Instead we’re content with the knowledge that our relationship is evolving faster than we thought possible. We’ve zoomed from physical attraction, to dating, to something neither one of us is very good at communicating, or feeling. I give us credit; at least we aren’t ignoring the moment between us. That has to be a start.

  A half hour later, I’m still naked in his arms. His phone plays music, love songs that I never would guess he enjoyed listening to. I’m grateful there’s no sign of Chrissy or Dex yet.