by Carly White
“No, I had a bit too much to drink and that was about it. Bad decisions were made. I got my head back before it went too far. You have been with my cousin Claus. That is a bit too much for me and even though you pawned her off on one of your friends, I know you two were together for a while.”
He was quiet for a moment and groaning inwardly with her words. She made it so clear how she said it, but it didn’t take away the way he felt. “If I had known about you, I never would have talked to Denise. But without her, we never would have met.”
“We are too different Claus, surely you can see that. Two different times in our life and add that with Denise and it’s too much. I will help you finish your work, but it can’t be anything else beyond that. It’s just not meant to be.”
Claus was frowning into the phone, not liking to be told what was for him or not meant to be. He was the master of his own fate and he certainly didn’t need to hear how many ways it was wrong. He knew every one of them and still he didn’t care.
“I was hoping that you would want to come to my game tonight. I know it’s not really your thing, but since you just had a break-up, I figured you would want to stay busy. It always helped me.”
“As what?”
“Just friends if that is what you want. I am just trying to help out, I was there a couple of months ago and if you keep busy, it will stop you from missing them so much.” Claus hoped that his new angle would help her agree. He would have said and done anything to see her again. He had called to see why she left, but now he was just grasping for straws of understanding.
Anai relented with his explanation. She was feeling lonely and didn’t want to stay at home studying for another test. Anai needed to get out and have some fun. “I will think about it Claus. Thanks for trying to help me.”
“Well if you come, I will give your name to the ticket stand and you can sit down in the front. That is, if you want to.”
“I will see if I can.” It was all she was going to give and he took it for what it was.
“Okay Anai. If that is how you want it.”
“I’m sorry if I was rude with you Claus. It’s just my luck that the guy I like, has already been with my cousin.”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
It was the only thing keeping her from begging him to come over and take her. Her body was still on edge from their last encounter and seemed to know that he would be a good choice for pleasure. “Sorry, it’s just me and Denise are close.”
“It’s fine. I understand it has to be weird, it’s weird for me, but I never felt this way before and I want to see you again.”
It was a moment of vulnerability and she saw it as that. “I felt something too Claus. There is something about you that is hard to deny. I will try to make it, but no promises.”
No promises sounded like a promise and he knew that it was as good as it was going to get. “I hope to see you. The game starts at seven. Do you want me to get you more than one ticket for the game?”
“No, one is enough and I don’t know who I would take with me anyways. Not many people in my circle watch hockey.”
“Yeah I know, it’s not football.”
***
Anai spent the next hour agonizing over if she was going to go or not. She wanted to talk to Denise and somehow get her permission to do what she wanted with her ex or whatever he was to her. It was not something she had the heart to do though. When Denise called her as she got ready, she took it as a sign, though she wasn’t sure which way the sign was going to go.
“Hey cuz, what happened to you the other night?”
“Me? You were the one that went back to Jeff’s place.”
Denise paused and then giggled a little. “Yeah well you and Claus seemed to hit it off and I don’t know why, but Jeff was just looking too good to pass up.”
“So are you with Jeff now?”
“I don’t know. Why have only one?”
Anai sighed quietly to herself and closed her eyes. She was to imagine that the other one was Claus, but she didn’t mention it, not wanting her to know her true feelings. “Oh, I see you are staying busy then.”
“How did you know that me and Jeff were together?”
She paused, not sure what to say. IF she told her the truth, then Denise would know what she had almost done. “I just figured that is what happened when you took off together. I mean, it doesn’t take a rocket science to see that you were digging him on the dance floor.”
“Yes, he is not usually my type, but he was better than I would have thought. No one is as good as Claus, but he was almost as good. Jeff is nicer though, so it kind of works out.”
Anai wanted to ask more about Claus and what it was that he was so good at. Her body knew that he was the one to give her pleasure, but hearing it from Denise just made it more of a fact. There was something about that man, a raw intensity that was impossible to deny and she didn’t want to. All she had to do was get up the courage to tell her cousin that she wanted him. Since she had moved on, surely it wouldn’t be an issue. There was the girl code though and in that way he was off limits.
She finally just decided to say nothing. Anai could still go see him as a friend. That is what he had suggested. “Sounds like Jeff is the way to go.”
“I know, but Claus… You just don’t understand. He has a way with his hands.”
Anai wanted to hear more and nothing at the same time. She could imagine that he was all kinds of wild in bed. All she had to do was look at his eyes when they darkened to a black. He was just as needy as she was.
“I don’t know Denise. I can’t keep up with one guy, let alone any more than that. Most guys are not going to want to share, but you have to pick one of them.”
“But I don’t want to.”
She had to laugh a little by the way Denise’s voice sounded. It was like she was five and couldn’t agree on a sucker or gum. “I hope that all works out for you cuz. Too complicated for me. What are you doing tonight?”
“I don’t know. Jeff wants me to come see him at the game, but it could get weird.”
“I can go. You know, as a buffer for you, so it won’t be so weird.” Anai just wanted to see Claus and running into Denise in another way would be awkward.
“Yeah that sounds good, though I can’t believe you are going to take a day off from studying to go to a game. That’s not like you at all.”
“I have to do something. I run into Jeremy at least twice a day for class and I just can’t concentrate. I figured a night out might help that.”
“I won’t take off on you this time though Anai, I promise.”
Anai told her to swing by on her way, not saying anything about her last comment. Anai in a way wanted her to take off so that she could be with Claus alone. Whether it was right or wrong, being friends with him was better than not being around him at all. Deep down, Anai hoped that her cousin would pick Jeff and then Claus would be open to have for herself. It was wrong, she knew that, but there was something about the way he was that drew her in and she couldn’t help herself.
Chapter 7
Claus kept looking up into the stands, scanning the crowd for someone in particular. “Who are you looking for Claus?”
He stopped and glanced at Jeff beside him. “I just hoped that someone I invited would come. It looks like she had something better to do.”
“You aren’t talking about Denise are you?”
Claus gave him a look of puzzlement. “Denise? Why the hell would I want her to come here?”
There was a moment of tightness of Jeff’s face, before he relaxed, seeming to make up his mind about something. “I wanted to talk to you about her.”
“What about?”
“Are you two together?”
Claus shook his head that they weren’t. “We fooled around a couple of times, but nothing serious. She isn’t saying that we are, is she?”
“No, she played it off like it was nothing as well when I asked her about it. I don�
�t want to do something against you, but I like her a lot and if you are done with her, I am going to see if she will give me a chance.”
“You’re serious?”
Claus was dumbstruck for a moment. Of course he was serious and since Jeff didn’t usually like anyone, he was kind of glad that it happened. Denise did have a way about her and if Claus wasn’t looking for more, than he would have been happy with her in his bed. But Claus wanted more and it was more than Denise could give him. With Denise out of the way, it would leave him open to pursue his own interest.
“Yes I am Claus. I care about her a lot and I invited her here tonight.”
“So you were going to be with her, no matter what I said huh?”
“It’s not like that.”
Claus couldn’t be angry, but he was a bit surprised that he had no problem to go over his head with it. What if he had been in love with her?
“I mean Claus you pushed her on me so you could flirt with that other chick. I saw you two in the corner by the bathroom, so let’s not pretend like you care.”
“I don’t, you’re right. She is not for me, so you know that I wish you guys the best.”
“It’s that cousin that you are into isn’t it?”
He shook his head. It was hard to hide his feelings, some that he wasn’t used to feeling. It had been a long time since he wanted a woman so much and even longer since he had even thought to put himself out there.
“There they are.”
Claus looked back and saw the two blondes together and they seemed to be as deep in conversation as they were. He wondered what they were talking about. He didn’t have time to worry about it, because the game was getting ready to start and because there were people there to see him, he wanted to make sure that he did his best. He had to with Anai watching from the stands. Her being there gave him hope that it would somehow work out.
***
“So I see you looking at Claus Anai. You know that it isn’t worth your time.”
“I thought you said he was the best.”
Denise blushed for a moment and then nodded. “He is, but he is not there. Claus got his heart broken and I don’t think he is capable of loving anyone.”
“What could be so bad that would make him that way?”
Anai had seen the pain in his eyes when they were together before. It was always way back in his expression, but there in his dark depths for all to see if they just looked. She knew that something had happened to him. He had the vulnerability of someone that had been through too much in too short a period of time.
“His ex-girlfriend, the coach’s daughter, got pregnant and took care of it before he could actually say anything about it. She told him, dumped him and then left the school in the same day. He was devastated and started to get into trouble, drinking. I just don’t want you to get hurt trying to fix him.”
Denise’s words surprised her cousin. They were far more insightful than she would have given her credit for. It was clear that Denise had spent some time trying to fix him and it hadn’t worked out for her. Was Anai so much different than her? How would the outcome be any different than it had been for her? While Anai wanted to think that there was a connection, two broken souls that could find mending in each other, Anai started to wonder if it was just fanciful thinking on her part.
The two were quiet for a time and it gave Anai time to watch him in action. It was the first time she had been so swept up in the moment and the first time that Anai had seen Claus smile in such a way. He was enjoying himself and there was no two ways around it, he was gorgeous. When it came to half time and he took his helmet off and looked up at her, she wanted to be the one that could save him. Needed to be the one.
“I knew you had a thing for him cousin, just be careful.”
Anai couldn’t heed her warning. She did have a thing for him and even though he wasn’t her type, Claus was what she needed. She needed more touch and less talk, something that he seemed to be able to provide. She had not asked for her cousin’s permission, but she had gotten it anyways. She smiled back down at him and fought the urge to wave.
“Just be careful.”
Her words clanged around in Anai’s mind. She knew that she had to be careful, a man like Claus was dangerous and she didn’t want to get swept away in it.
Chapter 8
“You came.”
“I did. You played well.”
Claus wanted to kiss her, but she was keeping her distance. He looked back to see Denise kissing his friend. Jeff apparently had less problem with public displays of affection. “You want to get a drink?”
She nodded. “Yeah, they serve beer at the stands.”
“No I was hoping for a more intimate place. Do you have anything at your place?”
Anai paused for a moment. It was clear what he had in mind and even though her body wanted it, her mind was still not sure. The warning that she was given by Denise still rung in her ears and she wondered if she was on a fool’s errand thinking she could change his ways. She wanted to think that he was an enamored, but Anai couldn’t be sure. When he asked to go to her place, she didn’t know what to say.
“I mean, we can go somewhere else if you want to.”
“No, my place is fine. I drove here with Denise though.”
She wanted to see his reaction to her name, but there wasn’t any. “I’ve got my car out back.”
Anai agreed and could feel her body nervously trembling as she walked with him to his car. He had taken off most of his uniform, leaving only his shirt and tight pants underneath. Anai tried to ignore the way the fabric stretched on his thick, muscular thighs. After getting in, Anai worried herself with the scene outside of the window.
“You’re quiet this evening.”
“Yeah, just enjoying a little quiet after the game. It was good, but very loud.”
“It was the first time I had played a full game in a long time.”
“Why is that?”
“I didn’t have anything to be upset about.”
She was already tempering the beast in him, not evening knowing it, but Claus seen it for what it was. He finally wanted more than chaos again and it was because of her. He wanted to be worthy, good enough for her and he knew that him as he was, he was not. But to put that into words was beyond him. Looking over, he tried to fight back the feeling of need that he felt for her. They hadn’t kissed or touched and it was all he wanted to do. He wanted to feel her body against him and the more he tried to fight the desire, the harder it became to do so.
He moved his hand to her jean-clad knee and waited for a reaction. Her thigh felt small under his large palm and he gripped her as he moved slowly up her leg. Anai looked down at where he touched her and didn’t say anything in the way against it. Instead, she slid down further in her seat, moving his hand inches up her thigh. Her eyes closed as he moved higher, stopping just where she needed him. Claus was teasing her and himself, afraid that he would not be able to stop once he started. They were still minutes from her house and he was running out of control the closer they came. When she grabbed his hand and moved it to her core, the heat burned his hand. Claus pulled away like she was on fire and she kind of giggled.
“I didn’t take you for the shy type Claus.”
“Do you want to do this in a bed or right here on the side of the road?”
His intensity in his eyes silenced her and she turned away finally, moving her hand off of his as well. Anai would have done it right then and there, but she couldn’t get the words out. He took her silence as shyness, but it wasn’t so. She wanted what he had to offer, but she had never had a man look at her like that before.
“That’s what I thought.”
The ride back was quiet and there was a tension building with each block that they passed, getting closer to the time when they would be together. When the car finally stopped, Anai found her hands trembling slightly as she opened the door. Claus was out and waiting for her while she tried to get her hands on he
r keys. She tried to calm herself so that it wouldn’t be so obvious when she put the keys in the lock, but after a sound of frustration, he took the keys and did it himself. Claus waited only a second after she was inside to close and lock the door behind him. He didn’t want anyone to stop what needed to happen between them.
She looked back at him as she walked into the back bedroom and then into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and then started to undress. Claus followed her back and as she pulled her shirt off and then went to her jeans, he stopped her with his voice. “What are you doing?”
“Starting the shower for you. You are all hot and sweaty.”
Claus couldn’t be bothered as she peeled her jeans off her long legs and then unhooked her bra. She turned back around, showing off her creamy white skin to his eyes as she held her bra up to cover herself. His eyes darkened as she moved the material away and he was able to get a full view of her. He moved forward for a kiss, but she stopped him. “Not with your clothes on.”
Pulling her panties off and tossing them, Anai moved to the shower and shut the door to warm herself. She watched him struggle to pull off his clothes through the opaque shower door. He almost tripped and she had to stop a giggle that quickly died in her throat as he moved to open the door. In clear focus his body was much harder than she had anticipated. He looked nothing like Jeremy naked. Jeremy looked like a boy compared to Claus, who looked like a man.
Her hands went to his chest, bracing herself as he pulled her in for a kiss. There was no hiding anything and his hands were all over her, while his mouth ravaged her senses. Anai had lost whatever dominance or control that she had first thought to have once his lips touched her. She was lost with the feel of his hands on her hot flesh, his need pressing up against her stomach. He was ready for more and when his fingers pressed in between her nether lips and found her wetness more than the hot water washing over them, Claus picked her up as she grasped his neck to hold on. She was up and he was pressing against her before she realized what was happening.
“Open your eyes Anai.”
She did slowly as she felt his hardness prodding against her. His arms trembled slightly as he held her up and away from his body, his manhood ready to spear her at any second. When their eyes finally met, he let her go, gravity making her crash down on his full length. He was larger than she was used to and every inch seemed to be stretched to accommodate his wide girth. Anai clung to him, whispering his name in his ear as he stilled, throbbing deep.