Heaven

by Rebecca Julia Lauren

  I took her hand in mind and started tugging her toward the large circular ride of hell. “We’re riding the Ferris wheel, Cori.”

  “Alright,” she sighed with resignation. “I don’t know why you have to keep doing this to yourself. You don’t have anything else to prove. You’ve conquered the fear. If you don’t want to ride the damn Ferris wheel, then don’t.”

  “I haven’t conquered it yet. It still scares the shit out of me, but I don’t want you to ride alone.”

  Her expression softened and I felt like a superhero when she looked at me like that. “You’re really sweet. Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”

  Since the line was short we were seated in the carriage minutes later, and Cori looked over at me, a line of concern between her delicately arched brows. She took my hand in hers, like she always did but tonight it felt different, more intimate because of what had happened earlier.

  “Truth. Things are weird between us?”

  “Yeah, but only because I can’t stop thinking about you naked. After trying not to do that for so long, it’s gonna take some getting used to.”

  She nodded, her eyes dropping to my mouth. “I guess so.”

  With just that look, I got hard. “Truth. This sudden interest in losing your virginity doesn’t have anything to do with what happened with that asshole, does it?”

  “When he was touching me all I could think about was how I regretted not acting on my feelings for you.” She suddenly looked startled, and her gaze darted to mine. “I meant my physical feelings for you. Don’t get scared. I’m not looking for more. Your friendship means too much to me.”

  “I wasn’t scared.” That was the truth. She made it sound so simple, and maybe it was.

  “My turn. Truth again. If you decide to get back together with Brianne, I want you to let me know and we’ll continue our friendship minus the sex. No hard feelings, I promise.

  “Why would you think that?”

  She glanced away. Shit. “What is it?”

  “Isabelle mentioned how much you loved her and how hard you took it when she left.”

  “Cori, you know she didn’t just leave. She cheated on me, and yeah, I took it hard.”

  She swallowed and nodded slowly.

  I sighed, feeling ashamed. “You know about the restraining order.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, and I saw the sympathy shining in her eyes. “It’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not okay, Cori. I should have told you. If you want to change your mind about sleeping with me, I’ll understand.”

  She appeared genuinely confused. “Why would I want to do that?”

  “Because you deserve better than some asshole that needed a restraining-order to stay away from his ex-girlfriend. I really fucked up back then. I was drinking too much and not thinking straight. You can’t say that doesn’t bother you.”

  Cori’s small hand squeezed mine and my skin tingled where she touched me. Her other hand brushed the side of my face, urging me to look at her and I did.

  “I could never be afraid of you, Jase. You couldn’t hurt anyone. Brianne didn’t realize how amazing you are, and that’s her loss.”

  I’d never wanted another woman more than I did Cori. Hauling her onto my lap and kissing her was what I wanted to do, but I restrained the urge. “Thanks, Cori. You’re not only innocent, you’re too trusting.”

  “Luckily I have you to protect me.” She was only joking, but she was right. Cori definitely had me. “I guess we still have a few secrets from each other. Maybe that’s what keeps things interesting.”

  “Like your crush on Reed?” I was surprised at how much I disliked the thought of Cori crushing on another guy.

  She laughed. “That was another lifetime ago.”

  I nudged her side gently. “How come you never told me?”

  “Because it’s embarrassing. I was hoping he’d have forgotten about it by now.” Her eyes sparkled. “What other secrets don’t I know about you Jase?”

  “What do you want to know?”

  Mischief lit her eyes from within. “Were you only teasing me about the spanking or are you into that?”

  Although I searched for signs of disgust or fear, I saw none, just curiosity in Cori’s eyes. “I was teasing. I wouldn’t hurt you, Cori.”

  “Of course you wouldn’t. That’s not what I meant. Does it turn you on?”

  “Sure.”

  “Interesting.” Her eyes glittered with interest.

  Turned on and curious as hell, I couldn’t resist taunting her. “Have you been a bad girl, Cori?”

  Her gaze heated. “Yeah, I think I have.”

  “Damn girl, you are full of surprises.”

  She looked hesitant. “You don’t think I’m strange, do you?”

  “Hell no. You’re turning me on. I’d rather us be honest about everything, especially what we want from each other in bed.”

  Her cheeks were flushed. Suddenly, she looked hesitant. “Just so you know, I draw the line at threesomes.”

  I thought that she was kidding around so I laughed, but her sober expression looked serious as hell. “I’d never ask you to do that, Cori.”

  Her clear blue-green eyes lifted to mine. “Have you ever done that?”

  I suddenly had the urge to erase every depraved thing I’d done from my past, because I did not want Cori looking at me like I was a pervert. Shit. I couldn’t lie to her. “Once.” Quickly, I changed the subject. “Why me, Cori?”

  “I trust you,” she replied easily. “You’re not freaked out are you?”

  “I’m thinking I must be the luckiest guy on earth.”

  “I was worried you’d think it was too much. If you need me to slow down, just say the word.”

  “Just tell me what you want, and I promise not to let you down.”

  She shivered, her small pink tongue licking her lips as if thinking of all the things she wanted me to do with her in bed. Her eyes were glazed when she whispered, “When?”

  I smiled at her eagerness and tapped the tip of her nose. “You’re not very patient, are you?”

  “You know I’m not.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Tomorrow night. I’ll pick you up at six.”

  Her eyes shined with excitement. “I can’t wait.”

  Neither could I.

  I just wished I trusted myself as much as she did.

  Chapter 8

  Cora

  “Does this look sexy?” I asked Isabelle and Ellie, twirling around in the flirty, red and white polka-dotted dress. I’d brought several outfits over to Ellie’s house and she and Isabelle were giving me fashion advice.

  Isabelle’s gaze raked over me and she looked impressed. “Wow. You’re stunning.”

  “I hope you spend as much time picking out your underwear as you did this dress,” Ellie said with a wicked smile.

  “I’m wearing a red lace bra and panty set.”

  Isabelle frowned. “So you’re planning on him taking that little dress off of you. Interesting. Weren’t you just saying how you were not hooking up with Jase?”

  “I recall both of you thinking it would be good if I did get naked with the harem-boy.”

  “That’s not what I said and you know it. We said you should date him, not be his friend with benefits.”

  “Isabelle, Jase doesn’t date. Even if he did, I wouldn’t want to risk losing his friendship with a messy relationship.”

  “News-flash virgin-girl. Sex is messy. Once you drop your panties all bets are off. You can’t take it back and it changes everything.”

  “Gee, thanks for the pep talk.”

  “What Isabelle is trying to say is that maybe you should reconsider this. You’ve always been adamant that you and Jase are just friends. Asking him to have sex with you is sudden.”

  “Maybe, but I know what I want and I’m tired of denying it.”

  “What happens afterwards?”

  “We go on being friends. Nothing is going to
change if Jase and I don’t let it.”

  Ellie and Isabelle both looked at me with matching expressions of disbelief. “I hope that works out for you,” Ellie said finally, but she didn’t sound too sure about it.

  “The two of you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

  “So is it happening tonight?”

  I shook my head at Isabelle’s grim tone. “You sound like I’m going to a funeral instead of getting laid. I think it would be better to do it before this weekend. That way we won’t have to pretend to be lovers for his parents and Brianne.”

  Ellie hugged me. “I love you, Cora. If you say you know what you’re doing, I’ll trust you.”

  Isabelle shook her head, casting a worried look at Ellie. “She doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing. Men and women can’t stay friends after they’ve seen each other naked. It’s impossible.” Pinning me with an imploring stare, she said, “You’re going to end up getting hurt.”

  Pushing a lock of hair behind my ears, I considered my words carefully, knowing that Isabelle meant well and was only looking out for me. “I appreciate the concern, Isabelle. If I get hurt, I’ll deal with it, but I’ve made up my mind. I want Jase.”

  “He’d give you more than sex if you’d just ask him for it.”

  Would he? I wasn’t sure and it was a mute point anyway. “I don’t want more. Not now,” I said, willing her to understand. “This is what I want.”

  “Okay,” Isabelle replied reluctantly. “I love Jase like a brother but if he hurts you, I’ll kick his ass.”

  I smiled. “If I get hurt, you’ll stay out of it. Jase is Reed’s best friend and I don’t want either of you to hold whatever happens between the two of us against him. Agreed?”

  “We’ll try,” Ellie conceded, looking uncertain but knowing me well enough to understand that I wouldn’t be dissuaded once my mind was made up.

  My best friends thought I was making a huge mistake, and maybe I was. Time would tell, but I was eager to make it. It wasn’t like Jase or I was looking for a commitment. We’d enjoy each other physically, and when it was over our friendship would survive because no one had made or broken any promises.

  Jase showed up at my apartment at six o’clock and a tingle of appreciation slipped along my spine when my gaze landed on him. Dressed in black jeans, cowboy boots and a royal blue shirt with a charcoal sports coat, Jase Ford was drool-worthy. He’d even fingered a little gel in his short tawny hair, making him look like a sexy underwear model.

  While I was practically salivating over him, Jase had been checking me out as well. Heat smoldered in those green eyes as they crawled down me thoroughly in a way that left me breathless. He’d never looked at me that way before. No man had ever looked at me that way before. My toes curled.

  Hot green eyes snapped to mine. Oh, shit. I’d actually moaned his name aloud. His deep chuckle caressed my skin and goose-bumps popped along my flesh.

  Jase’s gaze glittered with amusement and heat. “I like the sound of that.”

  “I’ll bet you hear it a lot.” I sounded like a jealous girlfriend. Maybe he hadn’t caught the envy in my tone.

  He smirked. “You’d be surprised.”

  “I don’t want to hear about your sex life.”

  “Too bad. You wanted me to teach you a few things and here’s the first lesson—never, ever agree to sleep with a guy without knowing his sexual history.”

  The uncharacteristic seriousness of his tone had me listening carefully. My pulse jumped when he stepped forward, so close that I could smell his clean scent, and moved passed me and into my apartment.

  “We’re already starting the lessons?” I asked breathlessly, as his hand moved inside his jacket. Surprise flitted through me because I knew Jase pretty well, and I was sure he’d take me out before getting me naked. He was charming with women, and I wanted to be charmed, but if he was ready for sex I wasn’t turning him down.

  Pulling a paper from his coat, he handed it to me. “What’s this?” I asked, glancing down at the paperwork, my eyes widening. It was a lab report with a bunch of test results, all negative. I swallowed hard.

  “Look at the date.”

  I did as he asked. The test had been done about a month ago. My gaze lifted to his.

  “Cori.” His deep, soft voice pulled my attention to him. “I haven’t been with anyone since those tests were taken.”

  I thought about Michele. “What about—“

  “You showed up and changed everything.”

  I thought of all the times over the last month that I’d seethed with jealousy watching Jase with some girl or another and he hadn’t slept with any of them. “Why?” I asked.

  “I tried to tell you I wasn’t the player you thought I was.” His perfect lips lifted at the corners. “I hope you’re not disappointed.”

  I smiled, feeling deliriously happy. “I don’t know,” I replied slowly, pretending to consider what he’d said. “I’m still processing.”

  He dragged his thumb lightly across my lips, a hungry look in his eyes. “I promise to make it good for you.”

  Heat pooled in my lower belly. “Are we staying in tonight?”

  “Not tonight.” His eyes met mine. “Lesson number two—if a man doesn’t take you out before he tries to get in your pants, tell him to get lost. You deserve better.”

  “I’ll keep it in mind. I just didn’t think those rules applied to us. We’ve been out hundreds of times.” I stepped closer and leaned in to him. He smelled good, like soap and sunshine. “I’m a sure thing, Jase.”

  Without warning his hand smacked my rear, and I laughed. “What was that for?”

  “Never say those words to another guy, Cori. Ever.”

  The possessive words warmed away any lingering doubts I had about our deal. Jase Ford was the man that I wanted, and tonight I’d have him.

  Jase

  Cori was the sexiest, most confident woman I’d ever known.

  I still had trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that she was untouched, but I couldn’t deny that her innocence turned me on. I’d never given two shits before if a woman was a virgin, but with Cori I was possessive as hell. She was different than other women and she was going to be all mine.

  Since I had more experience taking a woman’s clothes off, than taking her out on a date, it took me a while to plan my night with Cori. She loved prime rib, so I took her to a nice steakhouse. We talked and laughed over dinner with surprising ease, considering the change in our relationship.

  “Make a wish,” Cori told me pointing to the falling star.

  We’d finished dinner and had parked behind the airport to watch the planes take off. Lying on a blanket in the back of my truck with Cori at my side, I felt like I had everything in the world that I could ever want. I loved how she felt pressed against me.

  “I made it last time. It’s your turn.”

  “You told me your wish so it didn’t count.”

  I sighed, knowing it was useless arguing with her. Wishing to make Cori’s first time good for her, I closed my eyes and prayed like hell I wouldn’t screw it up.

  “What’d you wish for?” she asked playfully, poking my side.

  “I thought I wasn’t supposed to tell.”

  “Good answer. You’re learning.”

  I laughed. “You’re crazy, and I’m crazy about you.”

  “I know what you mean. Even though you have a harem of women all trying to get into your jeans, I still dig you.” Her brow crinkled and her gaze dropped to my crotch. “What kind of underwear do you wear?”

  “You’ve seen me in my underwear, Cori. Don’t you remember?” I teased, chucking her chin.

  Her eyes darkened and I wondered if she was remembering that night we’d all gone swimming in the lake and none of us had swimsuits. “Black briefs,” she replied, her voice raspy. “You looked totally hot in those. I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. Your reluctance to undress was adorable.”

  I glanced ov
er at her, a little surprised. I’d had to wait fifteen minutes to strip because of the boner I’d gotten after watching Cori peel off her clothes to reveal the sexy black bra and panty set that had me jacking off three times that night thinking of her. I couldn’t help but laugh at her misunderstanding, and I enlightened her.

  “You touched yourself while thinking about me?” she asked, clearly fascinated and aroused by the thought.

  Sliding a silky strand of her hair between my fingers, I met her expectant gaze. “It wasn’t the first time.”

  She swallowed, her eyes darkening. “Me too. I’ve touched myself while thinking about you.”

  Jesus. My breath hitched. Wanting to shove up that little dress, pull down her panties and bury myself inside of her. I reigned in the urge and I forced myself to take slow, deep breaths.

  “Tell me.”

  “I dreamed about you kissing me.”

  “Where?”

  “Everywhere—my neck, breasts, and between my legs.”

  She was blushing.

  I was hard.

  Tracing her collarbone with my finger, I felt her tremble just before I brushed a kiss at the base of her throat. A soft sigh of pleasure had me biting back a growl of hunger.

  “Jase,” she gasped.

  “I’m here.”

  Cori lifted up and her mouth caught mine as I slid my arm around her waist and held her on top of me. Seconds later the tender kiss turned hot and hungry. Somewhere in the far back of my mind I knew I should be trying to make this good for her, but I couldn’t focus on anything besides the feel of her mouth on mine.

  Our tongues clashed, we sucked, nipped and licked each other until I rolled on top of her needing to get inside of her more than I needed my next breath. Realizing that I was about to fuck Cori in the back of my truck, outside, in a public place, I tore myself away from her, shocked as hell at my lack of control.

  “Sorry,” I murmured, embarrassed that the girl that mattered most to me I’d kissed without an ounce of skill or consideration.

  “I’m not.” Her eyes were practically black. “I love it when you kiss me,” she whispered, edging closer. “I want you, Jase.”