Take Heart

by Smith, Lauren

  Chuckling, he removes his wallet from his back pocket and sets it on the nightstand. He lifts his hips, allowing me to pull the jeans down. All that’s left before me is him looking effortlessly sexy in a pair of black boxer briefs.

  He startles me by latching onto my hips and abruptly rolling us, so he’s on top again. His eyes darken in an instant. His mischievous look tells me that this small, tender moment between us, is over. He restrains my hands above my head as he skillfully rocks his hips into me. My body bows and begins to wind back up. I watch as his torso moves and flexes fluidly, each time he rubs up against me. It’s a little teaser for what’s to come. From what I can tell, I won’t be disappointed.

  “Do you have any idea how bad I want you?”

  “I have an inkling.” I quiver with pleasure when he rolls against me.

  “You’ve been driving me crazy from day one. I knew you were different right off the bat, and when you so easily dismissed me, I knew I’d stop at nothing to get you.”

  “Stop at nothing to get me? Or to get me under you?” I tease. I know that Chase isn’t in this solely for sex. If I even thought for one second that he didn’t genuinely like me, we wouldn’t be in this position—literally.

  “Baby, your quick wit is just as sexy and enticing as that gorgeous snatch between your legs,” he says, flexing into me again. “But this conversation is over.” He releases his hold on my hands and moves off the bed. He slides his boxer briefs down and grabs his wallet off of my nightstand. He pulls out a condom, rips the foil, and slides it on his impressive length, pumping himself a few times.

  He walks up to the side of the bed, remains standing, and reaches out to grab my legs. “Get over here,” he coaxes. In one swift tug, my body glides effortlessly across the sheets, right to him. My backside reaches the edge of the mattress and my legs dangle off the side. His hard erection slaps against the inside my thighs.

  “Wrap your legs around me,” he commands. I eagerly kick them up and lock them around his waist. He fists his cock in his hand and aligns it with my entrance. He teases me by sliding in just a fraction, and pulling back out a few times. I’m slick, hot, and oh-so-ready for him. Without warning, he plunges deep inside of me—filling me to capacity.

  Oh, God, he feels so good.

  “Fuck, baby, you’re so tight,” he says, his voice strained. He carefully pulls back and slides inside me a couple more times, letting my body get used to him, or maybe calming himself down a little bit. I’m not sure which one.

  “You okay?” he asks.

  I nod. I’m more than okay; I’m flooded with euphoria. Overwhelming ecstasy. Chase is my addiction and I’m fiending. The way he makes me feel...I could never get enough of this, enough of him.

  “Hang on to the sheets, baby. You’re going to need them,” he warns.

  I spread my arms out and fist two handfuls of the sheets. He has a vice-like grip on my hips. He begins to move in and out of me, picking up his pace. I try to match him thrust for thrust, despite his almost painful hold on my hips. We find a perfect rhythm and both moan simultaneously as we continue our climb to the top.

  He’s pounding into me at a brutally delicious pace and I loudly praise him for it over and over again. He’s fucking all of the pain, angst, and anger out of me. I’m right there with him every step of the way, willing it to never stop. After a while, we both start to sweat and pant from the workout.

  Things take a different turn when he wraps his arm around my lower back and lifts me off the bed. He swings me around and roughly presses my back up against the nearest wall. He cages me with both of his forearms, my body being held up solely by the wall and my legs around him. I wrap my arms around his neck and tilt my head back, feeling his hot breath against my skin. His dark hair falls around his eyes and tickles my collarbone as he kisses my chest and neck furiously. My head is spinning and each coming breath is more difficult to catch than the next.

  “Look at me, Mia,” he rasps.

  I lower my head to look him in the eyes. He tightly grips my ass to support me and significantly slows his pace down to a deep, sensual thrust. My body calms down and switches gears to adapt, only to start winding back up. This is personal now, raw. The way he’s looking into my eyes and gently thrusting in and out of me, it shows that he isn’t just fucking me anymore.

  “Grab onto my shoulders and take control while I hold you,” he urges.

  My hands run up the sides of his neck and back down to his shoulders, planting in place. I use the weight of his body to start sliding up and down his shaft as he holds me tight. With every stroke, he gently lifts me up to keep us in sync.

  For the record, this position isn’t as easy as it looks, folks.

  I eventually find my own rhythm and stick with it. There’s nowhere for me to escape or hide because he has me stripped down and completely exposed. I don’t know which is more intimate: the fact that he’s inside of me, or the affectionate way he’s looking at me. My body begins to tighten and I know the end is near.

  “Baby, I’m close,” I whisper.

  “I know. I can feel you tightening around my cock.”

  I need a little more momentum, so I move faster. He immediately takes the hint and thrusts harder, giving me exactly what I crave. Four pumps later, my sex is pulsating and I’m coming again. I’m eternally grateful for the fact that he’s holding me up because there’s no way my legs would be able to support me right now. Watching me come undone, must’ve triggered him. He lifts me up, slams me down to the base once more, and finds his own release.

  “Shit, Mia,” he exalts.

  We stand there, looking into each other’s eyes and panting profusely. He slowly pulls out of me and I wince. Exhausted and emotionally spent, he walks us back to the bed and lies back down. We rest there together, his front to mine, and kiss each other reverently as our heart rates slow. The tingles are back in full force and I honestly don’t have the energy to do anything but lie here and stare at him. His rough hands caress my back, and for once, I feel complete and utter peace.

  He sits up, removes the condom, and leaves my room for a second to go clean himself up. I close my eyes and enjoy my temporary high. A minute or so later, he crawls back into bed. He pulls me into his arms and I rest my head on his chest. The last thing I remember before falling into a deep, sated sleep is him running his fingers through my damp hair.

  * * *

  I awake to the smell of bacon and the sound of pots and pans clattering against the stove. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sinful is trailing soft kisses all the way up my spine. I keep my eyes closed and pretend to be asleep for a while longer so I don’t distract him from this crucial task. He drops a final kiss between my shoulder blades, making me shiver. I open my eyes to find him looking down at me adoringly. He nuzzles my cheek, his facial hair lightly scratching my skin.

  “Wake up, gorgeous girl,” he murmurs, sultry. His voice is extra deep and raspy this morning. It’s delicious.

  I groan and bury my face under my pillow to block out the light coming in through my window. He reaches under the sheet and pinches my side, making me squirm.

  “Stop it, before I punch you in the throat,” I say, my mouth muffled from the pillow.

  “You’re such a delight when you first wake up, you know that?”

  I lift the pillow off my head and shoot him a stern look. He’s fully dressed in last night’s outfit and his hair is damp.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I showered this morning and used your body wash. I highly doubt you’ll be able to keep your hands off me now, not that you could before,” he jokes.

  I purse my lips to hide my smile and unabashedly pull the sheets off me, giving him an eyeful of my naked frame in broad daylight. If he’s going to be cocky, then so will I. His gaze instantly moves down my body, and he looks like he just forgot whatever smartass comment he was going to make. Excellent. I bring my head up to my palm and rest my elbow against the bed.

  “I’m sorry, you were saying
?”

  He’s speechless. I smile with triumph.

  “That’s what I thought,” I say, rolling off the bed. I grab my sweats off the floor and throw them on. I follow the delicious scent of bacon down the hall, leaving Chase still stunned in my room. I’m not sure what time Raven came home last night, but I’m about to find out.

  I turn the corner. To my surprise, I see a naked broad back, and a head of blonde hair. There’s Eric, standing in our kitchen, cooking breakfast, wearing only a pair of boxers. So much for taking Sasha home…

  I feel Chase come up behind me and rest his palms on my hips. He leads us to the bar stools. Hearing us approach, Eric looks over his shoulder and gives us a beaming smile. He definitely got some last night.

  Chase and I pull up a seat, and Eric sets two plates down in front of us.

  “Morning. Y’all want some breakfast?”

  “Yes, I’m starving,” Chase replies.

  “Me, too, please,” I second that.

  He grabs the skillet off the burner and serves us some scrambled eggs with cheese and peppers. He sets the pan back down on the burner, picks up a fork, and grabs us each a couple strips of bacon. I reach for my fork and dig in. It feels so good to eat something after last night’s drinking and sexcapade extravaganza. Eric grabs a mug and pours me a cup of coffee and sets the sugar next to it, knowing exactly how I like it. Just as I’m spooning some into my beverage, Raven emerges from her room.

  “Smells delicious out here,” she praises.

  Eric catches her by the waist and pulls her into him. He cups her face and gives her a long, deep smooch on the lips. He releases her and shoves a cup of coffee in her hand, making her giggle.

  “Thank you,” she beams, taking a sip.

  My life feels so surreal right now. I’m dying for some time with Raven to find out what went down last night after she left. Obviously it was something big, because the way she’s acting this morning is polar opposite of what we all experienced last night. If I wasn’t so enthralled with Chase, I’d kick him out to find out what’s going on. But, I think I’ll keep him around for a little while longer….

  “How’d you sleep, baby?” Eric asks her.

  “I slept really well, pumpkin, thank you,” Chase interjects.

  Raven and I burst out laughing as Eric breaks off a piece of bacon and throws it at Chase.

  “Hey, not in my kitchen,” Raven scolds.

  “Sorry, baby, I had to,” Eric defends.

  “So, what do you two have planned for today?” Raven asks, taking the focus off her and Eric.

  “I’m not sure yet. I have to work at Surge tonight and I was going to ask Mia if she’d like to spend the day with me.”

  “Only if you let me drive your car,” I reply.

  “Excuse me?” He cocks an eyebrow.

  “You heard me. I want to drive that car, and you promised me I could, remember?” I’m reminding him of the bet we made on our first date: the kiss in exchange for driving the Mustang. That first kiss had me so flustered that I forgot to cash in my end of the deal. Now, he’s going to pay up.

  He makes a low, guttural sound, but reluctantly agrees, and finishes off the last bite of his eggs. He knows I earned it fair and square, so he can’t argue on this one.

  After I finish my food, Chase stands up, takes our plates, and walks around to set them in the sink. He places both his hands down on the counter and leans over to kiss me.

  “Go get ready so we can get out of here and have some fun.”

  He doesn’t have to tell me twice.

  Driving Chase’s Mustang is such a thrill. I feel like a badass—like I’ve been reincarnated and I’m sixteen all over again. I’m cruising with the windows down, making this temporary rush feel even more monumental. The velvet, sultry vocals of Lana Del Rey are seeping through the speakers and keeping us company along the way. Chase is in the passenger's seat giving me heated eyes. No matter what he may tell himself, I know he totally gets off on watching me drive his car.

  We aren’t heading anywhere in particular. We’re just enjoying the moment and seeing where the road takes us. That’s one of the many things I admire about Chase, he has a carefree attitude and goes with the flow. Everything’s so incredibly easy with him.

  “Where’d you learn to drive a stick shift?” he asks, breaking through the comfortable silence.

  “My dad,” I smile fondly at the memory. “When I was visiting him one summer, he took me out to the Hill Country area and taught me on a hill. It was quite the experience, let me tell you. I must’ve stalled the car fifteen times. I’ve never gotten the finger so many times in one day from other drivers. Towards the end, all I could smell was burnt clutch.”

  Chase physically cringes at the thought.

  “Yeah, Dad was super thrilled. He was swearing up a storm the entire time. I told him he brought that one on himself. He’s the one who insisted that I learn...on a hill, no less. Seriously, who does that?”

  He laughs. “I’m impressed.”

  “Alright, your turn. How many tattoos do you have?” I noticed last night that he has some pieces on his back. They’re all gorgeous, but I have no clue what any of them mean, if anything.

  “Honestly, I lost count. Some of them merge into one, but were originally done as separate pieces, specifically the ones on my forearm.”

  “Do any of them have any special meaning?”

  “A few. I have an angel on my right shoulder blade that’s roping a heart. Megan has the same one in the same place. We got matching tattoos together for my twenty-first birthday. The angel means guardian or protector, the rope signifies the sibling bonds that tie us together, and the heart stands for love. In a roundabout way, it just means that we love each other, we’re tied to each other, and we protect one another.”

  “That’s so cool.” I respect how close Chase is with his family. I honestly envy it. I remember feeling that way when my dad was still alive. It’s one of the reasons why sometimes I wish I wasn’t an only child. A part of me wants that sibling bond with someone, but at the same time, I’m glad I was it for my parents. I wouldn’t want a sibling to have to live through the same childhood. Plus, it would have added an impossible task for me financially. There’s no way I could’ve worked two waitressing jobs and taken care of three people at nineteen. I was barely taking care of two as it was.

  Chase lifts my hand to his mouth, yanking me out of my reverie. He kisses the back, turns it over, and begins to brush his fingers along the inside of my palm. It’s a welcome distraction that sends shivers up my spine.

  “I really don’t want to go into work tonight. I just want to stay here and do naughty things with you, all day and all night,” he says wistfully.

  I feel the same way, but I also don’t want us to spend so much time together that we get sick of each other. But on the flipside, I also don’t want to be apart from him for too long, either. I’m going to have to work on a healthy balance.

  “I’m free Wednesday night,” I offer an alternative.

  “I’m free Wednesday night, too. After I get off work, do you want to come over and I’ll cook us a meal?” he asks, hopeful. “Then maybe we can cuddle up on the couch naked and ‘watch’ movies together?”

  “Is that all I’m good for now?” I feign insult.

  “Mostly, yes,” he laughs. “But in all seriousness, since I’m completely caught up in you and your amazing-ness, I guess you can call the shots,” he appeases.

  Feeling my heart race from that admission, I press down on the gas. The car lunges forward in an attempt to match the speed of my pounding heart. Off to the side, a bike rental stand catches my eye. It’s been years since I’ve ridden a bike. Suddenly, I have the urge to be spontaneous and hit the trails with Chase. Before I miss my chance and drive past it, I hit the brakes and squeal into the parking lot. The bottom of the car accidently scrapes along the concrete when we go over a dip.

  “Whoa, easy on my car, woman!” he barks.


  “Babe, relax. I got this.”

  He shoots me a harsh look and shakes his head like he can’t believe I talked him into driving his car.

  “What are we doing here?”

  I park the car and unbuckle my seatbelt. “We’re going on a bike ride together.”

  His gaze cuts to mine and he raises an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

  I nod enthusiastically. “Sure is. Raven, Eric, and I used to do this every summer when we were teenagers, before any of us had cars. Anywhere we went, we were on bikes. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

  Without responding, he hops out, shuts the door a little harder than necessary, and walks around to the front, leaving me inside. He bends down and looks underneath, assessing the damage. I wait anxiously and bite down on my fingernails, preparing for the worst.

  He stands up straight and glares at me through the windshield. Oh, crap. I slowly open the door and crawl outside like a puppy with its tail between its legs.

  “You are so lucky, you know that?”

  My face falls. “Lucky that you like me, or lucky because there’s no damage?”

  “Oh, it’s definitely scratched, just not as bad as I thought it would be.”

  “I’m so sorry. I promise, I’ll make it up to you.”

  He crosses his arms over his chest. “How can you possibly make it up to me?”

  I take a moment to think that one over.

  Shit.

  Wait a minute...I’ve got it!

  “I’ll let you drive me to the middle of nowhere and fuck me on the hood,” I suggest.

  “That’s what you’re bargaining with? Sex?”

  “Don’t rule it out yet. Just picture it: the two of us out in the country together under the scorching Texas sun, going at it on top of your car without a care in the world.” I walk around and place my hands down on the hood, and pop my backside out, trying to channel my inner sex kitten. “Oh, baby—ah, that’s hot!” I jump back and shake my hands. The hood is seriously scorching.