I let out a long, exasperated sigh. “Alright, fine. We’ll move it down to the floor.”
“Chase!” Mia reproves.
Hadley bursts out laughing. “Don’t be so uptight, Mia. I like him already. I think he’s a keeper,” she says decidedly, and walks out of the room.
Mia is mortified. Her cheeks are crimson, either from embarrassment or anger. Probably both. Great, now I feel like an ass again.
“Get over here,” I say, tugging her towards me. Caught off guard, she stumbles forward a little bit and I catch her by the waist. She straightens herself and lets out a heavy breath. I move in to kiss her but she pulls away, resisting me. I release my hold on her hips and give her the space she’s looking for. She begins to pace back and forth restlessly. Her arms are crossed over her chest as if she’s protecting herself from something. I’m trying to read her expression so I can get some idea of what’s wrong, but her face is composed. Watching her pace is starting to make me anxious.
“Hey,” I say softly. “I’m sorry if I upset you.” The only thing that’s coming to my mind is the poorly timed joke I made a minute ago.
“No, it’s not that. I mean, yes, that was embarrassing, but that’s not what’s bothering me.”
I frown. “Then what’s bothering you?”
“Do you really want to know?”
“Lay it on me, babe,” I insist.
She wastes no time getting right to the point. “I’m worried about what you think of me after seeing the environment I grew up in. I don’t want you to think less of me and I don’t want to lose you, Chase. That would break my heart. I’m completely in love with you. That puts me in a very compromising position. I went from being solely independent, to depending on you a lot recently. You have the power to take that all away from me. I also feel like I need you. I’m not sure that’s a healthy thing. I’ve never really had anything to compare this to, so I don’t know if that’s normal or not.”
I don’t say anything. Instead, I respond by grabbing her face and kissing her deeply, hoping to dispel those silly thoughts from her head. When I pull back to study her reaction, she appears to be even more flustered than she was to begin with. It’s obviously going to take more than a simple kiss to make her feel better this time. She needs consoling.
“First of all, I love you. Now, let me address the rest of your concerns. If you truly believe I think less of you after today, you are out of your damn mind. If anything, I think more highly of you than I did before—if that’s even possible. I got a firsthand glimpse into what your life was like and what you’ve had to deal with. I don’t know how you did it, babe. I find you to be so incredibly brave. It’s really fucking sexy,” I add, aiming to make her smile. “As for your independence, you are still independent. I know it probably doesn’t feel that way all of the time, but you are, I promise. You couldn’t be overly dependent on me if you tried, Mia. You don’t have that capability in you. One of the perks of being in a relationship, is you get to lean on me when you need to, and vice versa, love. It’s all about give and take. I know how important it is for you to be your own person and establish your own life. I would never try to take that away from you. I just want to lessen the burden, that’s all.
And since I’m on a roll, your feelings for me are not unhealthy. I know it’s easy for me to say that since I’m the recipient, but it’s supposed to feel this way. Love is intense. But I know if I royally fucked up tomorrow, you wouldn’t think twice about kicking my ass to the curb. It would probably hurt like hell, but you’d be able to move on. You wouldn’t let the demise of our relationship be the demise of you. Don’t you see? It takes a strong, healthy person to maintain that. Not everyone can be that stable. Look at what happened to your mom when your dad left. She couldn’t deal. And when he died, I think a part of her died right along with him. She may never be able to come back from that.” I tilt her chin up. “But you aren’t her, baby. You are so much stronger.”
She’s looking up at me with wide eyes. Her breaths are coming in quick, short pants, like she just finished running a marathon.
I lean forward and press my forehead against hers, resting it there. “I’m here for you,” I say simply.
Her shoulders relax and she closes her eyes, exhaling a sigh of relief. That’s all she needed to hear. She just wanted a little reassurance that I’m not going anywhere.
Her breathing slows to a steady rhythm. We’re standing so close that I can feel the swell of her breasts brushing up against my shirt as she inhales. Our heated breaths are lingering on each other’s lips and my mouth is so close to touching hers that I can almost taste her. It’s excruciating and tantalizing all at once. Thanks to the low-cut black sweater she’s wearing, my eyes are met with a wonderful cleavage shot. She has a light dusting of freckles across her chest, and it only adds to her beauty.
Man, she has great tits.
The sexual tension grows thicker. Not a single word passes between our lips, but we can both sense each other’s arousal. She opens her eyes and lets them simmer into mine. I gradually trace her bottom lip with my thumb. Her lips are so soft and smooth—just like the rest of her body. She reaches up to wind her fingers around my wrist and slowly turns her head to lay a kiss on the inside of my forearm. My body jerks slightly at the small gesture. She swings her gaze back to mine.
“How am I supposed to avoid tainting the futon when you’re looking at me like that?” I ask, my tone serious.
“Who said anything about the futon? I had something else in mind,” she says with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
Well, damn. I can’t argue that. I rest my hands under her jaw and lean in to press my lips into hers, taking my time on the way down. The anticipation is palpable, sweet torture. When our lips finally touch, my heart fails. She feels so good against me. I’ll never get tired of it. It’s incredible, nothing short of divine.
I free her lips for a moment. “Have I told you how beautiful you look today?”
She shakes her head.
“Well, you look fucking gorgeous,” I assure her. “Ball-bustingly beautiful.”
She rolls her eyes. “Shut up and kiss me again.”
A genuine smile spreads across my face and we pick right back up where we left off. Her arms snake around my waist and she pulls me in even closer. Our bodies are crushed together with no more room left and it still doesn’t feel like we’re close enough. I need to be inside her.
Reading my mind, she starts walking me backwards without bothering to remove her lips from mine. I’m trying to stay quiet and not trip over anything. I open my eyes to take in my surroundings but hers are still closed. Hadley was right; Mia knows her way around this place like it’s her own.
She swings us to the right and moves down a narrow hallway. The first door we pass is closed. I assume that’s Hadley’s room. The next door is the bathroom. Mia backs me in there, breaks the kiss, and turns on the light. She spins around, gently closes the door, and locks it, barely making a sound. The bathroom is small. The counter is filled with makeup, hair products, and lots of other girl shit. We’ll have to work around that. There’s no way Hadley is asleep yet, so the goal is to be as quiet as possible. Who am I kidding? She probably already detected us. I don’t care.
“Take your pants off,” I whisper.
She removes her shoes and begins to undo her jeans. Using both hands, she carefully slides them over her perfect little ass, making an erotic show out of it. My pulse quickens as she shimmies out of them. They drop to the floor in a puddle at her feet. I grasp the hem of my shirt, bringing it up over my head. I throw it off to the side and it makes a faint noise as it hits the floor. I grab her sweater and repeat the process. She’s standing before me looking like a goddess in her bra and panties. My eyes roam over every inch her gorgeous figure. Her bra has a front clasp.
Thank you, God.
And while I’m at it—please bless the person who created that.
I take step back and start to unbutton my pants. She grabs a
hold of my hands and pushes them out of the way. “No, I want to do that,” she whispers firmly. Her fingers deftly undo my jeans and she yanks them down over my thighs, lowering herself down along with them. She adjusts her body so she’s perched up on her knees and grabs the waistband of my boxer briefs. Giving it a good tug, my cock springs free, fully ready. She licks her lips in anticipation and looks up at me through a set of long, dark lashes.
She places one hand on my hip and wraps the other one around the base of my cock, slowly easing me into her mouth. Her tongue swirls around the tip and she moans upon her descent, making me quiver. She moves up and down at a steady flow, letting me savor it. She’s taking it nice and slow, like I do with her. Unfortunately, tonight won’t be one of those slow nights, though. I’m already too wound up.
She eagerly picks up her pace and increases the suction. She takes me as far as she can while pumping me with her hand simultaneously. I have to bite my cheek to keep myself quiet because the combination feels so good. Sweet Jesus, this woman can give amazing head. I feel myself building and I know I’m not far from spilling over the edge. If I don’t stop this now, I’ll finish in her mouth and that’s not what I want.
That’s a lie.
I do want that—but I want to be inside her more.
I place one hand around her wrist to halt her movements and I bring the other one underneath to cup her chin. She pauses for a moment, then pulls back, releasing my cock from her mouth. She looks up at me with confusion in her eyes.
“You’ve got me so worked up that I’m about to come in your mouth,” I explain. “Get your sexy ass up on that counter. I’ll grab the condom out of my wallet.”
Relief washes over her. She stands up and moves Hadley’s stuff out of the way. I fish my wallet out of my jeans. She turns around to face me and boosts herself up onto the counter. I tear the foil and roll the condom on. I know Hadley is in the next room, and I don’t want to disrespect her space, but I can’t deny that the risk of getting caught is making this more thrilling. I’m pretty sure Mia feels the same way since she’s the one who initiated it. It’s wrong, but it feels so fucking right. It’s like when you steal porno magazines from your dad or older brother and hope they don’t find out.
“Get rid of those panties, lean back against the mirror, and spread your legs.”
She follows my instructions. I step forward to grab her hips and align us. She uses her forearms to prop herself up. Her head rests back against the mirror.
I check to make sure she’s ready before entering. When I feel how wet she is, I slowly start to sink into her. “Don’t. Make. A. Sound,” I whisper fiercely, as I slide the rest of the way in. Her eyes roll back in bliss. I lazily pull out and thrust into her again. This time a small sound escapes her throat and her head meets the mirror with a thud.
She sits up and repositions herself. She clutches onto the end of the counter while I lift her hips and start to move. She locks her elbows and pushes up off the heels of her hands, giving it back to me. Her legs are bent at the knees and pulled up along my sides. The majority of her weight is being held by me as I give to her again and again.
I reach out and flip both of her bra cups upside-down. The wiring underneath pushes her breasts up in a seductive invitation. I squeeze one in the palm of my hand and use the pad of my thumb to circle her hard nipple. Her head tilts back in pleasure and I move to the other breast and give it the same attention. She begins to pant and noises spill out of her mouth—I love those noises.
But right now, I need her to reel it in so we don’t get caught. I cover her mouth with mine in order to muffle the sounds. Tangling my tongue with hers, I continue my movements below the waist. Her breaths are coming faster and faster through her nose. I can tell this is her peak. I start to feel her contract around me and I explode. My kisses are no longer able to contain her sounds of ecstasy, so I clamp my hand over her mouth until she settles down. It drives me wild that she’s so hot for me. If I have my way, she’ll always be this uninhibited.
Both our bodies are trembling with aftershocks. I lean in and kiss a path from her breasts up to her neck, worshipping her with my mouth. The intense emotion I have for this woman can’t be measured in any way. Love is love. It doesn’t matter what form it’s in, or whether or not it makes sense to everyone else. It’s ours. It’s not meant to be analyzed and dissected; it’s meant to be experienced.
So what do I do?
I live in the moment, and make it last.
“Tell me about your dad,” I coax. We’re laying down on the futon, face to face, in our pajamas. We spent the last ounce of energy we had satisfying each other’s needs with the hot bathroom sex, and now we’re exhausted. I leisurely run my fingers through her hair, knowing how much she likes it. She sighs contentedly and scoots in closer so I can reach the back of her scalp.
“What do you want to know?” she asks.
“What was he like?”
“He was the best. Everyone always wanted to be near him because he was so much fun to be around. He had this energy about him, I can’t really explain it, but people gravitated toward that. He was just an all around good guy, and a wonderful dad. He was so protective of me, especially in my early teens. He wouldn’t let any boys get near me,” she says nostalgically. “He was extremely sarcastic, too.”
“Just like his daughter,” I observe. She smiles and kisses my lips softly before she continues.
“He was really into old cars and music. He loved music. He’d always say that no matter what you’re going through in life, there’s a song out there that suits your circumstances. Something you can relate to so you don’t feel as alone in the world.”
“What kind of music did he listen to?”
“Mainly older stuff—usually records from the sixties and seventies,” she explains. “He was kind of a hippy.”
“Is that why you listen to so much older music?” I ask. I’ve noticed her song selections on her phone and the various band tees she wears.
“Yeah. I’ve just grown accustomed to it, I guess. What are your parents like?”
“My mom is extremely patient, and very kind. She’s had to be in order to raise Meg and me. We pushed her limits growing up, especially me,” I cave.
“You? A boundary tester? I never would have guessed,” she feigns shock.
“Funny coming from you, Miss Independent. You and Hadley—a couple of rebels, living the dream.”
“Hey, that’s different,” she defends. “I didn’t have any boundaries to push. My mom didn’t care. She only gave a shit about two things: the whereabouts of her booze, and whether I paid the bills on time. So you can’t really argue that I was breaking any rules,” she says with good humor.
I’m glad the mentioning of her mom didn’t take this conversation to a darker place.
“Fair enough. So, my mom’s a teacher, and she loves children, and learning. She’ll read anything and everything she can get her hands on. If she isn’t reading, she’s watching HGTV for ideas to remodel the house. I’m sure you can imagine how happy that makes my dad, since he and I end up doing most of the work,” I say sarcastically. “He’s been trying to wean her off that channel for years, but Mom loves her projects, and he can’t say no.” I shake my head, smirking at the irony. For the first time in my life, I can relate to not being able to say no to a woman.
“What about your dad?”
“My dad and I are a lot alike. We both love to stay busy and are very hard workers. We’re pretty family oriented, too, but that’s more my mom’s influence. We do family dinner once a week now to keep up with each other. But back when Meg and I were in school, we had family dinners almost every night.”
“Weren’t you or Meg in any sports? How did that even work?”
“Meg was in volleyball and soccer, and I played football and baseball. On the nights we had practice, we would eat late. If we had a game, there wasn’t usually a family dinner that night, but my mom always tried. It was important to h
er, so we made a point to make it important to us.”
A slow smile creeps across her face.
“What?” I ask, unable to stop my own smile from forming.
“I’m just picturing you in a baseball uniform. Kinda sexy.”
“Is that so? Does that dirty little thought make you oh-so-happy?” My index finger taps the end of her nose.
“Immensely so. You know, I’m starting to wonder if you’re too good to be true. I don’t even think you have any major flaws that I’ve seen yet. It’s really not fair since you’ve seen all of mine,” she pouts.
With a wave of my hand, I proceed to break it down for her. “I assure you, I’m far more flawed than you. You’re absolutely perfect in my eyes. I’m just being on my best behavior because I don’t want to give you any reason to break up with me,” I admit.
Her face falls. “Chase, why would you say that? I’m not going to break up with you. Your flaws won’t scare me away. I’m not a hypocrite like that. No one is perfect and I don’t expect you to be. Everyone has baggage and I can handle yours.” She leans up on her elbow and gives me a serious look. “I’m here for you,” she stresses softly, repeating the same words of comfort that I gave her earlier.
I give her a tight smile and pull her into me. She curls up against my chest, and I wrap my arms around her frame protectively. I get back to running my fingers through her hair until she falls asleep.
My mind continues to wander for hours.
EIGHTEEN
a m e l i a
“Get in the car, slut! It’s freezing out!” Hadley yells through the window.
“Hold onto your panties, wench! I’m coming!”
We’re on our way to my mom’s house to meet the guy who's fixing the window. Since Hadley’s cupboards were bare this morning, we stopped at the gas station so Chase and I could get some breakfast burritos and cappuccinos. Hadley has never been much of a breakfast eater, so she stayed in the car to keep warm. Chase was already in the backseat digging into his food by the time I even made it out of the store.
Take Heart Page 17