I feel my anger spike. I’ve never considered myself a jealous man, but right now, all I want to do is punch this asshole in the face for even speaking her name.
“Guys, leave Cora alone. She’s had it rough the last couple of weeks,” I say. I turn around and pour a cup of coffee.
“That’s right. You’re friends with her,” Brody says.
I nod. “Yeah, I have been since we both started working here about four years ago.”
“What’s she like? Is she cool or is she crazy?” Brad asks.
I shake my head. “She’s cool. She’s great.”
“Why’d she get left at the altar?”
“Because the guy she was going to marry is a total asshole who actually thinks he can find someone better.”
Brad shakes his head but he’s wearing a smirk. “So you think if I asked her out, she’d say ‘yes’?”
I feel my blood pressure rising, and it’s like the blood beneath my skin is boiling. “No, she won’t go out with you,” I say between clenched teeth.
“Why not?” he asks.
“Because I said to leave her alone. She’s not in a place to start up a new relationship right now.” I take a sip of my coffee.
Brad’s smirk falls from his lips as he stands upright instead of leaning against the counter. “You have a crush on this girl or something?”
I shrug. “We’re good friends, and since her failed marriage attempt, we’ve been hanging out a lot. And I’m telling you,” I say, stepping forward, “To. Leave. Her. Alone.” I give him a long look before turning and walking away.
The morning passes quickly, and at lunch, I go down to Cora’s floor to have lunch with her. When I walk in, she’s sitting at the table in the center of the room like I figured she would be. What I didn’t expect to find was Brad sitting with her. I stop and shoot him a glare before sitting at the table.
Cora’s eyes find mine. “Hey,” she says with a smile.
“Hey, how’s your day been?” I ask, trying to ignore Brad completely.
“Good. Brad here was just telling me about a Black Keys concert he has tickets to.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask, turning to look at him now.
He nods. “Yeah, it’s for this weekend, but my date backed out on me, so I have an extra ticket.”
“Is that right?”
He nods. “Yeah, I was just asking Cora if she’d like to go with me.”
I turn and look at her, waiting for her response. “And what did you say?” I ask, hoping and praying she told him ‘no,’ but also knowing that we’re not a couple and I have no say in what she does or who she hangs out with. I just cross my fingers.
She shrugs. “I said ‘no’ about four times, but he keeps asking.” Her eyes are wide.
I look back at Brad. “Well, better luck next time, Brad.”
He rolls his eyes but then a smile stretches across his face. “Just think about it, Cora. Please, for me? You don’t want me having to go to a concert all alone, do you?”
Cora just stares nervously at him, eyes shifting to me from time to time.
“Think about it,” he says as he’s pushing himself away from the table. “Promise me.”
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” she finally agrees.
This seems to pacify him and he exits the break room, leaving us alone.
I unwrap my sandwich and take a sip of my water.
“So, how’s your day been?” Cora asks.
“Long,” I say, taking a bite of my sandwich.
There’s a long pause, but then she asks, “Is everything okay? You seem . . . upset.”
“I’m not upset. I’m just annoyed. This morning, I told that asshole to leave you alone.”
A small smile begins to take over. “Grayson, are you jealous?”
“What? No,” I lie.
Her eyebrows go up. “Not even a little bit?”
“No, I’m not jealous. You don’t belong to me. You can go out with him if you want. I’m just pissed that he even asked you after I told him not to.”
She giggles and it causes my eyes to jump up to her face. She stands up. “Come with me.”
“What?” I ask, turning to see her opening the door to the break room. “Where are we going?” I ask, standing up and following along behind her.
She doesn’t answer—she just leads me back to her office. When I step inside, she closes the door behind us and locks it. When I turn to face her, she places her hands against my chest and starts walking me backward.
“I have no interest in going to a concert with Brad,” she says just as I fall into her black leather chair at her desk. “I have no interest in going anywhere with Brad.” She falls down to her knees. Her eyes are on mine but her hands are freeing me from my pants. “I have no interest in anyone but you right now,” she says, moving her mouth toward my already-hard dick.
When her mouth closes in around it, my hips jump upward and I have to hold on to the armrests of the chair to keep myself down. My head falls back and my eyes close as my mouth drops open. Slowly, she takes me to the back of her throat, then slowly back out. Her tongue licks around my tip before she takes me to the back of her throat all over again. I let out a soft moan as she repeats this process over and over. With each pass of her tongue, my body grows harder and harder.
Every muscle is stiff—ready to let my release wash over me. A tingle forms in my stomach, and slowly, it starts spinning like a hurricane, getting wider and wider the longer it spins. Finally, it comes undone and consumes me, touching every nerve ending in my body as I empty every last drop into her mouth. She swallows it down and then continues to suck. My hands fly to her hair, tangling in it and messing it up, but I don’t care. Even though I just got off, I need her more than ever. Maneuvering her away, I pick her up and set her on her desk. My hands rush to push her skirt up to her hips and pull her panties down her thighs. I’m buried deep inside her seconds later.
Coming together like this, with nothing between us, feels like home. It’s a relief, like I can finally rest after a long journey. I feel heat and comfort and when she digs her nails into my shirt-covered back, and it only makes me drive in faster and harder. I can feel her muscles tightening around me, milking me for all I’m worth. As I move in and out of her, my hand drops down to rub her glistening clit. She moans into my mouth and I work harder and faster until she can’t do anything but ride out every last wave of pleasure I give her. When I explode inside her, we’re both completely spent. My body feels heavy and weak as I lean against her. Her skin is slightly sweaty as I rest my head against her shoulder to catch my breath.
Fuck. I’m in love with this woman.
But I have no idea what to do about it. I can’t tell her—not now. She just said that she isn’t ready to get into a relationship. I guess I have no choice but to bury my feelings inside until she’s ready to hear them. And hope that she doesn’t get tired of me while I wait for her to be ready. And pray that no other asshole gets in my way. Like Brad.
I remove myself from her and we both get our clothing back on. Then we just sit on the leather couch in her office. I lie back and she rolls to her side as I hold her against me.
“Don’t let me fall asleep, okay?”
I chuckle. “Same,” I agree.
“So, about Brad?” I ask.
I feel her face move but don’t look to see her smile. “I’m not going out with Brad, or anyone else for that matter. Right now, I’m completely content and happy with you, doing whatever it is we’re doing.”
I have a couple hours to kill after work before meeting Cora at the gym, so I meet my roommate, Chuck, at a bar and grill that’s just down the street from our apartment.
I walk in and he’s already sitting at a table with a half-empty pitcher. “So you finally decided to get out of the house, huh?”
He laughs and holds up his middle finger. “I figured that since it’s been a month since I’ve left the apartment, it might be good to see if anything’s changed.�
�
“And has it?” I ask as I sit down.
“Not a fucking thing,” he laughs out while shaking his head. He raises his hand and flags down the server. She brings over another glass and I pour a beer for myself.
“What’s been up with you lately? I haven’t seen you around the house much.”
I take a drink and grab a menu to find something for dinner. “I’ve been with Cora a lot lately.”
He nods “Oh, that petite blonde girl, right?”
I nod.
“So did you score yet?”
I laugh. “Fuck off. I’m not telling you that.”
This makes him laugh harder. “So you did!” He pats me on the back. “Way to go, man. How was it?”
I drop the menu and take a deep breath. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“That bad, huh?”
I roll my eyes. “No, not bad at all. Amazing, actually. I just know that you’ll make fun of me and call me a chick or something if I do.”
He gets serious now. “Damn, that kind of party, huh? You must really like this girl.”
“I do,” I admit. “But now word’s gotten out at work that she’s single again. I walked into the break room today and heard two guys talking about her. I told them to leave her the fuck alone, but one of them asked her out anyway.”
“What did she say?”
I smile. “She said ‘no’ and then she took me into her office.”
He laughs. “Sounds like she’s really into you too then. That’s good, right?”
“I hope. She’s not ready to jump into another relationship right now. So we’re basically just hooking up. But I don’t know how long I can wait.”
“Wait for what?”
“To make her mine,” I say, staring off into space. “I want to know that she’s mine and that I’m hers. And I want everyone else to know it too.”
Eleven
Cora
I can’t focus on the TV as I eat the bowl of soup I picked up from a local deli. I can’t even tell you what’s going on in this episode. The only thing on my mind is Grayson, and while that makes me happy on one end of the spectrum, it also freaks me out on the other. I was supposed to be taking this time to get to know myself, to gain experience as a woman and as a person, and to experience life before trying to tie myself to someone else’s.
And I thought that’s what I was doing. When Grayson and I slept together, it was amazing. And as much as I loved it, I also thought it was just another experience. I mean, most women my age have had random hookups and one-night stands. I thought it was just about me getting some experience points under my belt. But since we’ve slept together, it’s like neither of us wants to stop. Whenever I get that close to him, I only become that much more attached. And that wasn’t part of the plan.
While Grayson seems perfectly happy sleeping with me, I don’t know if it means anything deeper to him. And I’d hate to be falling for him only to find out that what we’re doing is just casual on his part. How do people do it? How do they hook up with a person again and again and not end up having feelings for them? Surely I can’t be the only one who’s confused.
I don’t know how I feel about Grayson, but I do know that when we’re together, I’m happy. And when he leaves, it feels like he takes a little piece of me with him. I know that when we come together, I experience something I never have before—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. Does that mean I’m falling in love with him? Or is it just some kind of chemical reaction that my brain is making because I’m having so much fun with him? Why does my heart pound when he walks into a room—sometimes before I’ve even seen him? It’s like my body is attuned to his and knows when he’s near even when my mind doesn’t.
Even sitting here and thinking about him has my heart racing. But I’m not ready for a relationship yet. I want to be single a little while and explore my options. It feels like my body has chosen him to be my partner forever, and my mind is still trying to catch up.
I was only dumped a few weeks ago. I can’t be in love with another man already. I mean, what would my friends think? What I do know is that I feel more for Grayson in the few weeks we’ve been together than I felt for Jimmy after years of dating. That has to mean something, right? But does it mean that I no longer have a choice? Is it too late? All I know is that whatever this thing is between Grayson and me, I’m not ready for it to end yet. That thought alone has me feeling anxious and ready to get to the gym to work out some of this aggression.
I’m two miles in on the treadmill and I’m still just as confused as earlier. After running my brain in circles trying to figure it all out, I decide to just take the emotions out of it. I’ll enjoy my time with him, I’ll have fun, and whatever happens, happens. Right now, I need to focus on my training so I can run in this marathon. I won’t distract myself again until after it.
After working out, Grayson suggests we stop for some drinks, and I’m all for it. He pulls up to a little bar not too far from my place, and we both go in and sit at a table. A waitress makes her way over to us and we both order a beer. It gets delivered quickly and I tip it back, needing the frostiness to cool my overheated skin and the alcohol to numb the nagging feeling inside me that keeps pushing me to figure this thing out with Grayson. I’m not ready to go there, so I numb the feeling away.
“So . . . I got us some tickets to the concert,” he says, causing my eyes to jerk in his direction.
“You did?” I ask.
He nods. “Yeah, I know you said you had no interest in Brad, but you did seem interested in the concert, so I thought that you could go with me instead.”
I can’t contain my excitement as I cheer and rush around the table to give him a kiss. “That’s amazing! Thank you!” I say against his lips.
“You’re welcome,” he replies, giving me one more kiss.
I go back to my seat and take another sip of my beer. We decide to order some appetizers, and we get the sampler platter that comes with loaded potato skins, onion blooms, cheese sticks, chicken tenders, and corn nuggets. We eat, drink our beers, and talk about training, the marathon, work, and the upcoming concert. We leave and head back to my place, but he stops at my door and pulls me in for a long, slow kiss.
“Don’t you want to come in?” I ask, my lips grazing his since we’re still so close.
“Not tonight. I have a big day at work tomorrow and need to get some sleep,” he says, moving back in.
I stick out my bottom lip in a pout, and he laughs but kisses it again. “I’ll see you in the morning?”
I nod. “Good night, Grayson.”
“Good night, Cora.” He pulls back and walks away, leaving me standing in the hall, watching him go.
When he’s no longer in sight, I let myself into my apartment and lock up behind me. Then I go for a shower. I’m just stepping out when my phone rings, and I pick it up to see that Harley’s calling.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I ask.
“Nothing. What have you been up to? I haven’t heard from you much lately.”
“Oh, you know. A little of this, a little of that,” I say, not wanting to give too much away.
“Uh-huh. Spill it. You dating someone?”
I laugh as I pour some hot water into a cup, over a tea bag. “Dating, no. Seeing someone, yes.”
She gasps. “Who is he?”
I roll my eyes. “It’s that guy from work I was telling you about before. His name is Grayson. We’ve been spending a lot of time together. We went camping and he’s training me for a marathon now.”
“Ew, Cora. I don’t need to hear that.”
“Hear what?” I ask, confused.
“That he’s training you for a marathon!”
I laugh. “No, not like that, you weirdo! He’s really training me in a gym so I can run a marathon. It’s just one of those things I’ve always wanted to do. So he’s helping me.”
“And banging you on the side, right?”
“Oh
my God, Harley! Everything is about sex to you,” I say, then giggle. “But yes . . . yes, he is.”
“Whoo, that’s my girl. Is he good?”
My eyes roll back into my head on their own as I think about how good he is. “He’s the best, Harley. And not just in bed, but, like, always. He’s a super-nice guy. He’s funny and friendly and sweet and kind. But in bed, uh, he’s a monster. I’ve never gotten off so many times before,” I whisper the last part, embarrassed to even say it in an empty room of my own apartment.
She laughs. “Good for you! It’s about time you found yourself a decent guy. So, is he the one?” she asks.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t know. I want him to be, but I have no idea how he feels, and at the same time, I have no idea how I really feel either. I mean, after Jimmy, it’s kind of hard to trust someone again. I’m just so scared that he’s going to break my heart and I’m going to have to run into him every day at work. How awkward would that be?”
“Oh, Cora, you worry too much. Just enjoy yourself and see where it leads. No sense in driving yourself crazy overthinking it.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re already married to the man you’re going to spend the rest of your life with.”
“Nothing’s a guarantee, Cora. Just because we’re married doesn’t mean that he couldn’t change his mind about me one day.”
I snort. “Foster is in love with you! He’s not changing his mind. I could tell how he felt about you the first time I saw him look at you. The sun rises and sets with you.”
“I know. He is really sweet, huh?”
I smile, happy that she’s happy. “He really is. Enjoy it. You deserve it after dealing with all the guys you went through.”
“Hey! You’re making me sound a little whorish,” she jokes.
“Well, if the shoe fits,” I tease, and that only makes her laugh.
“Well, my whoring days are behind me now that I’ve got this little one growing inside of me. Oh, and I’m married. I guess I’ll just have to be a whore for Foster then.”
The F It List (Love You Forever Book 6) Page 10