“I think if I had a gun right now, I’d force you,” I joked breathlessly in return. “I don’t want or need to cool down. Do you?”
As if he’d done this a thousand times, with the hand still on my hip, his other hand unfastened my bra from behind with a single pinch. This time, it was me who swallowed as he pulled my bra straps off my shoulders and discarded it to the floor.
“You are beautiful. And mildly funny.” He grinned. “I’ve wanted you since that first night too.”
With the gentlest of touches, his thumb traced below the curve of my breast. The cool air and response to his touch caused a shiver to shudder through me.
“Are you cold?”
I shook my head, knowing my breasts were at full attention. Dusk settled into the room, but everything about us was still fully lit. It was hard to stand there bare to his scrutiny, but I so wanted him to think I was beyond being a ‘lights off’ sort of girl. Adjusting himself to an upright position, he leaned forward, kissing the very center of my chest just above my heart. My fingers scratched through his hair, releasing a masculine freshness that I inhaled until I couldn’t breathe. Nothing came easier than falling for this man, and I was upside down.
His nose nuzzled down my sternum and out to my breast. The warmth of his mouth, the tenderest suck, his own slight moan stirred my own. The all-encompassing feeling overwhelmed me when he moved back and forth sharing his attention between both breasts. My hips had a mind of their own and ground into him. My God, even the way his hands gripped my back turned me on. Everything about him was inexplicably perfect. Without thinking, I grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked it over his head, which caused a problem with his attentiveness to my breasts. His hooded eyes glanced up at me. Like I was light as a feather, he stood, taking me with him. Our chests collided when I wound my arms around his neck. Skin on skin for the first time. The living room disappeared as we rounded the corner. I was surprised when he went into the spare bedroom and then giggled when he readjusted and propped up my ass with one hand and grabbed my suitcase with the other hand.
“Stop being stubborn. We’re sleeping in the same room.”
I giggled as his hand squeezed my bum. He knelt on the bed, gradually lowering my back to the mattress.
“Oh my God,” I said out loud as my eyes took in every single inch of naked torso. Perfectly rounded pecs, ab muscles that continued down to…I’d never actually seen a guy with ‘the v’…partially hidden by his khakis. He looked like the guy on those underwear ads. Holy crap!
“Oh my God is my sentiment exactly.” His eyes drank in every inch of me from my toes to my head and then lingered in between. Retrieving his wallet from his pocket, he got a condom out, tossing it onto the nightstand.
He unfastened my jean capris, inched them over my hips, down my legs and tossed them to the floor. My pale skin stood out in stark contrast to his brown Italian skin. Goose bumps came to life.
“That nose scrunch slays me,” he said. Not realizing it, I did it again. I edged up on the bed, so my legs didn’t hang off. All I could do was watch Austin take off his khakis. He wore black boxer briefs. The band had the Lululemon logo. I only knew the logo because Sloan had saved her money to buy a pair of yoga pants that were ridiculously expensive.
“My Target lace panties may suffer by comparison.”
I sensed he was biting his tongue as he stared pointedly at those aforementioned lace panties I still wore. In a matter of seconds, his lulus were on the ground, quickly followed by my lace. “None of that matters. Fuck, Phoebe. Nothing else matters but this.”
I kept my eyes on his as he crept up the bed. My eyes felt the magnetic pull down, but I was embarrassed to look at his nakedness. The bed creaked when his knee hit a certain spot, and he playfully bounced up and down. Creak. Creak.
“That could be a problem.” He winked, and my insides flipflopped. He stared down at me, ravishing me with his eyes. “Even your red hair splayed out over that pillow is inviting. There is no part of you that doesn’t turn me on.” He tossed the condom next to the pillow and then tucked me beneath him. My own personal cocoon. I kissed the subtle Adam’s apple on his neck and spread my legs a wee bit.
“Mmm,” he moaned, but it sounded more like a warning when his mouth found mine again. Oh, the warmth and velvety softness of his mouth and tongue as they mingled with mine. Granted, I hadn’t been with a man in a while. And never someone like him. I never knew a kiss alone could drive me mad.
Austin’s hand torturously worked its way down my body, exploring every curve and plane. I gasped when his fingers found my wetness, his audible groan nearly sending me over the edge. My back naturally arched into his touch as he became acquainted with my body in the most intimate of ways. Our communication was a process of complete trial and error. When something felt good, I groaned and if I didn’t, he changed his course of action. The nibbles of kisses kept me engaged and kept me from passing out from the intense pleasure. As he explored every inch of me, he found the one spot that I didn’t want him to abandon. My right hand clawed at his chest while the other hand knotted in the comforter on the bed.
“God, Austin. Please.”
Our foreheads rested together, our breaths fused when they met between us, and both our bodies shared a light sheen of sweat where they touched. The magic in his touch was frightening. The glorious feeling built, and as if he knew my body better than me, his attention fell back to my breast. The combination of his caresses and kisses shot me over the edge, and I fell apart beneath his hand and mouth. My body detonated like never before as I rode out the waves of pleasure.
“Phoebe,” he whispered.
I nodded or shook my head, I don’t know which, but he softly chuckled. With my eyes still closed, I heard the tear of the condom package.
“You ok?” he asked.
Once again, like a bobble head, my head went every which way. Feeling the weight of him as he positioned on top of me, my eyes finally opened, wanting to commit every moment of this to memory. The best ever memory. I silently vowed then and there that I’d never forget this very second. With the slightest arch of his hips, my body welcomed him with an arch of its own. The saying that you become one during the act of sex was true. As he pushed deeper into me, I winced as my body fought to accept all of him. A physical connection making us one. Two hearts so closely beating, two hearts that beat as one. Our bodies, with limbs intertwined as he established a rhythm that escalated, glided together in the most carnal way.
“Christ, Phoebe,” he sighed as his hips entertained slow deliberate thrusts that were almost too much to bear, yet I never wanted to deny him any part of me. If I could give it to him, I would, willingly.
“I’m gonna come,” he admitted through ragged breaths. I held tight to him as he climaxed, using my body for pleasure. My hips, my thrusts, my body… in return accepted him, devoured him with my eyes, and pledged to please him again as his body released. I loved him in those moments. I loved how he made me feel. I loved all that he’d done on this trip simply for me. He’d shown me the world. He’d shown me his heart. I wanted it. I just worried, as we got closer to his past, if it was up for grabs.
Chapter 7
AUSTIN
The Crew—The Replica
“IS THIS YOUR place?” she asked when she padded out barefoot to the kitchen in my shirt. Damn.
“What makes you ask?” I was worried about intimidating her with the things that were mine. Her tussled hair went every which way…so damn sexy.
“You’re standing in this kitchen like you own it. Literally.” Her lazy smile turned me on as she tucked herself beneath my arm. The second her green eyes flashed up to mine, my mouth covered hers with a series of slow kisses. A toothpaste-minty flavor lingered in her mouth. When she turned to putty under my arm, there was no part of her that I didn’t want to make mine. To erase any man who had ever come before me. Even though I hadn’t known her very long, a small part of me was envious that anyone else had experie
nced any part of her sweet, innocent perfection.
“What’s on the see-the-world agenda today?”
I snatched her up off the ground, resting her on the countertop and nestling myself right between her legs. The t-shirt wedged on her hips, exposing her panty-less lower half. My shocked eyes shot up to hers with a lustful moan.
“Don’t even think about it,” she said, bashfully burying her face in my shoulder.
Completely disregarding her words, my fingers massaged her warmth before dipping inside her, bringing back vivid pictures of how incredible she felt last night. Sitting more upright, her eyes glazed over in the hottest way, but I stopped when I noticed the slightest wince. “You ok?”
“A little sore. It’s,” she paused. “Been a while.” She shook her head as if she was embarrassed about that.
“Is there something I can get you?”
“Time. Isn’t that what heals all wounds?” Her lips turned upward in that contagious grin of hers.
“Regrets?”
A heavy swallow moved her throat as her head shook unconvincingly.
I touched my lips to hers, softly reassuring, needing her to not regret last night.
“We have some driving first and then you’ll be meeting people. I promise, I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
“As my boss, you should.” She smirked. I didn’t. Even the slightest insinuation that last night had been because she felt some sort of obligatory bullshit pissed me off. She slid down off the counter and with barely audible footsteps padded away from me. In that quick moment, I made the choice to let the comment slide.
_______________
The Washington state drive to the coast was as beautiful as the Oregon side. I wanted to introduce her to the coast, so the plan was to drive across the Astoria bridge, the Washington side was my choice. Our hands found each other during the car ride, but after her earlier comment, a part of me questioned her intent. I wouldn’t call her out on it, at least not yet. This obligation bullshit crawled inside my brain like a virus, consuming me. Drawing in a breath, I tried to let it go. Every move I had made last night held intent—to measure her response. Knowing she had been hurt…violated at some point by a fucked up foster care placement, I never wanted her to feel anything but desire or pleasure. I wanted to give the control to her.
Her gasp pulled me out of my thoughts. The minute the massive bridge came into view, her smile grew by the mile.
“It’s so big. So beautiful. Do we cross it?”
“Yep. Unless you wanna swim it?”
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t swim…so.”
“What do you mean? Like at all?” I didn’t like that thought. Everyone should know how to swim. Teaching her would take priority.
“Austin, my mother barely fed us,” she chuckled. “Swim lessons certainly didn’t make the cut.”
I squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her the best way I could.
Seaside, Oregon, was going to be the next town and Cannon Beach would be a few short miles after that. Being nervous hadn’t really ever been my thing, but I’d literally disappeared two years ago. Gone off the grid. Lost touch with just about everyone. I hadn’t been back to see my parents. I hadn’t been back to see friends. Everyone was going to be here. Everyone.
Our home was big, to say the least. The most photographed home on the beach. Perfect view of Haystack rock. Six doors down from the Hendricks’. Their driveway was packed with cars as we drove past.
“Holy buckets, Austin. How rich are you?” Her eyes peered out the windshield as she leaned up toward the dash to view the house.
“Does it matter?”
“This is the most beautiful home I’ve ever seen.” Her lips parted as she stared at the enormous house. My first thought was to kiss the perfectly plump and parted lips, but she had kept her distance today for some reason. I didn’t want to intimidate her any more than I already had. As cliché as it sounded, the ball was going to sit in her court until she was ready to volley. It would be hard, but I’d sit back and wait. And hope.
The smile that stretched across my mother’s face as she waddled out to the car brought instant regret. I should have come home before—two years was too long.
“Here we go,” I said to Phoebe and grinned. “Meeting the parents.”
“Oh God. My heart is pounding.”
My mom went straight to Phoebe’s side of the car.
“She loves hugs.” I barely got the words out before Phoebe was exuberantly engulfed in Mom’s arms. Phoebe’s wide eyes latched onto mine.
“Welcome. We are so excited to meet you. You’re only the second girl we’ve ever met. For him to bring you from Texas...” that pause hung in the air as my mother winked at me and came around to my side, pointing a finger into my chest. Phoebe’s gaze fell to the ground. I knew what was going through her mind.
“And you. I’ve missed you.” Her familiar scent reminded me of home. “Your father is out back. Let’s go introduce this beautiful girl to him.”
I left the suitcases and walked with them to see my dad. Mom stood between us, or I’d have taken Phoebe’s hand. If she was half as nervous to see my dad as I was, she would need it. His expectations of me were different than they’d be of her. From the second I was born, there was motive and intent behind every move he made in my life. A pawn in his game of life. My life.
Joe, my security detail in Dallas, basically went undetected, but I knew he was there. Always. I didn’t ever want Phoebe to see him. I didn’t want her to know. I knew he’d followed us the entire way here.
The moment I spotted my father, I noticed he was grayer in the little patches of hair on the side of his head. Thank God, humans get their hair from their mothers. He’d been bald for as long as I could remember. Mom opened the French doors and the breeze busted through the room. Sliding right in next to Phoebe, I slipped my fingers into hers. When her grip tightened, I squeezed her hand in return. Hand telepathy.
“Father,” I said, drawing his attention.
“Son!” The inevitable handshake and pull-in for a hug. A couple of forceful pats to the back. Then a kiss to each cheek. Every damn time. “You must be Phoebe.” He extended his hand to her, kissing each of her cheeks. “Welcome.”
Phoebe’s gaze drifted to my father and then focused behind him as she said, “thank you,” and stared at the ocean. I’d completely forgotten this was her first time to see the ocean. I held up my index finger to my father, who had raised his eyebrows, and then walked her to the edge of the deck. Tears pooled in her eyes.
“Phoebe?”
“Austin.”
“Talk to me.”
“Why in God’s name are you in Dallas? This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. The sound. The smell. All of it.” She drew in the deepest of breaths.
“Why are you crying?”
“She must have done a real number on you.” Her strawberry hair flailed about in the wind.
“Who?”
“Emma. It must have been too painful to stay. I’d never leave here.”
Our eyes latched together. “And Nick? Was that break-up painful?” She squinted as the sun broke through the clouds.
“Austin, why don’t you show Phoebe to her room so she can rest if she needs to.”
The awkward question hung between us. It had burned my tongue a half dozen times over the past few days. A shitty thing to do perhaps, but she had drawn first blood with the Emma comment. A true comment, but…
I went to grab the suitcases.
PHOEBE
Hair tamed a bit, make-up touched up, changed into clothes Austin had bought for me, I headed down an old spiral staircase. Austin stood below in the living area watching me make the circles carefully in my wedge heels. For whatever reason, I felt prettier when his eyes were on me. His question about Nick earlier had thrown me for a loop. I wasn’t prepared for questions about him. Austin’s intelligence, wit and humor challenged me, and I loved every single second I spent with him.
But, I wasn’t sure how to respond about Nick.
I had broken the promise to myself by fucking Austin. Jesus, it was the best sex I’d ever had. His kiss. His touch. His stare. His freaking delicious body. How could I not? I’d wanted him every second since, but he’d kept his distance. I should never have told him I was sore. As I approached him in his khaki shorts and lime colored, collared shirt, my lower half ached as I remembered the things he had done to my body. The things he would have redone that morning if I hadn’t stopped him.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered, brushing a kiss over my lips, surprising me. His mother smiled when we broke apart, and blood rushed into my cheeks. “We’re headed down to meet the crew, Mom.”
“Ok, honey. Tell Emma and Ryan hi.”
“I will.”
“You look handsome,” I stated, and God did he. The lime shirt accented his flawless olive complexion.
I wished I’d have asked a few more questions about her. Them. Once in the car, I decided to ask. “You grew up with all of them?”
“Sort of. They grew up in Ashland, Oregon. But they spent every summer in Cannon Beach. And we spent most every single day together. Fire on the beach. Lots of good memories.”
“How long did you date?”
“Not long. Less than a year.”
I hoped he wasn’t irritated at the questions. The town was little. Quaint. Perfect.
“How long did you date Nick?”
Quid pro quo. Question for a question. My story wasn’t as easy as his. “About a year.”
“You know why Emma and I broke up. Why don’t you tell me your story?”
He parked, shut off the car and turned toward me.
Shrugging, I said, “Mine is not quite that easy to just tell. Later?”
“Deal.”
With the sun behind clouds, it was chillier than it had been earlier. I shivered as we met by the hood of the Tesla where he pecked the tip of my nose. “We got this,” he said.
Finally...My Forever (Just One of the Guys Book 4) Page 8