I checked my reflection in the mirror as I walked out of the bathroom. In my black cargoes, combined with a shirt and my leather jacket, I looked pretty good. I slapped on some aftershave and tousled my hair. There: done. Knowing I was seeing her made me want to put effort into my appearance. Seeing her and not being able to touch and kiss her drove me insane. I wanted her to feel that; I wanted her to feel as crazy as I felt.
Wrenn was the last person I expected to open the door. My mouth dropped. That oh-so-short black dress she was wearing was almost criminal. She looked fucking amazing. Her creamy white legs seemingly went on forever, lengthened by a pair of impossibly high stilettos. She grinned at me, wrapping a strand of hair around her finger as she waited for me to react. React was right. She wasn’t playing fair.
How the hell was I going to get through tonight with her in the room? How could I not stare at her the entire time? What red-blooded man wouldn’t be eyeing her and thinking of all the dirty things he’d like to do to her?
“Hey,” I finally said, finding my voice.
“Hi. Come in.” She leaned against the wall as I eased past her, moving at a deliberately slow pace, making the most of our contact. She breathed heavily, which made me smile. I can play that game as well as you.
“Everyone is through there,” she said, pointing to the living room.
I nodded, my eyes leveling on hers. I didn’t give a fuck where everyone was. Only her.
“You look fucking amazing,” I whispered. I so badly wanted to kiss her. I wanted to push her back up against that wall and explore her body.
A knock on the door made me jump.
I shook my head, wondering to myself how I’d gotten into this situation. Wrenn went for the door and I went into the living room. It was raining out, so the usual patio gathering had been moved into the inside. Layna waved at me from over near the sofa. I smiled and nodded, saying hello to several colleagues who had also welcomed me.
Throughout dinner, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Wrenn.
God knows I tried, but she kept popping up. Her, in that dress—what hope did I have? I was sure everyone I spoke to thought I was an idiot. I’d be deep in conversation, only to drift off mid-thought as she passed me.
“Hey man.”
I looked up and saw Mark. “Hey. Didn’t even realize you were here,” I said with a shake of my head.
“Yeah. You looked like you had a few things on your mind,” he said pointedly, jerking his head toward Wrenn. I flushed. Fuck. If he’s noticed, who else has? He laughed. “It’s okay, dude. You’re allowed to look. I do it all the time,” he added, chuckling, as he turned to check out Wrenn’s ass.
I wanted to punch him. I wanted to grab hold of his face and wipe that little smirk off it. I wanted to drag him outside and pulverize him for even looking at her. Fists clenched by my sides, I swallowed my anger, willing myself not to react. This possessiveness I felt was so new to me. I excused myself to the bathroom, needing to get away; I needed to pull myself together.
Out of the living room and into the hallway, I leaned against the wall, trying to pull myself together. This is crazy. I was going to crack and ruin everything. I was better off faking a headache and leaving. But of course the fact that I’d had a headache would get back to mom…
Wrenn appeared from nowhere, grabbing my hand and leading me away. She took me upstairs, into a room—her room—shutting the door behind her.
“You look so angry, Mr. Reid,” she said, her voice sultry as she wrapped her arms around my waist. She gazed up into my eyes. She was still a few inches shorter than me, even in those heels.
“I can’t stand other men even looking at you, Wrenn,” I growled.
Her lips found mine as we kissed, and I literally felt my anger melt away. I cupped her face with one hand, my other exploring her bare thigh. She lifted her leg, wrapping it around my waist. Hoisting her onto my hips, I pushed her back against the wall, desperate for more of her, anything she would give me. I was hard as fuck, and she giggled as her hand brushed past my erection, her eyes smiling up at me.
“I take it you like my dress?” she breathed, her mouth on mine.
“I’d prefer it off you,” I growled, my hand at the base of her head, raking through her long, dark hair. We kissed again, my hands running all over her curves. She gasped as I carried her over to her bed and threw her down.
“I don’t have a lock on my door,” she whispered, her eyes wide.
“What are the chances someone is going to walk in on us?” I asked her, nuzzling her neck. She breathed in deeply as my fingers traced her inner thigh. My tongue began to circle her neck as I ran my index finger along her panties. I felt her legs clench against my hips as she let out a soft moan. “God, I want to taste you,” I muttered.
I reached under her dress and pulled her panties down, over her legs, tossing them aside. I pushed her knees apart, chuckling at her mortified expression.
“Has anybody ever gone down on you before?” I asked, kissing her thigh.
She shook her head violently, making me laugh again.
“Just relax.”
I slowly kissed my way down her inner thigh, amazed at how soft her skin was. With each kiss she jumped, knowing that each kiss brought me closer to her sex. I breathed in her scent, running my tongue along the length of her pubic hair. She gasped, her back arching against the sensation of my tongue. Her legs curled around my shoulders, her hand raking through my hair.
God, she tastes good.
My mouth on her, I began to lick, the sensation of my tongue dipping into the softness of her pussy so fucking hot. I could stay here and do this to her all fucking night.
She spread her knees further apart, her hand gripping the back of my hair as my tongue caressed her wetness. She lifted her legs until they rested on my shoulders. Whimpering softly, her fingers traveled up her stomach until they reached her breasts, rolling her nipples between her fingertips, arching her back.
“Oh!” she cried as her hips bucked into me, begging me to go deeper and further inside of her. Curling my arms around her hips, I thrust her toward me as my tongue slammed deep inside her, penetrating her.
“Oh hell yes,” she cried, throwing her arm over her mouth to muffle her screams as she began to climax. “God, don’t stop,” she gasped, again gripping the back of my head. My movements slowed right down. I licked her slowly, enjoying watching her try to squirm out of my grasp. She sat up, her cheeks flushed, pulling me up toward her.
“Holy shit, that was so good,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around me. Her mouth crushed against mine, her taste still so fresh.
“Wrenn?”
We both froze, staring at each other.
“Just a minute,” she called out. “The balcony!” she hissed, her eyes wide with fear.
I nodded and sprung into action. Opening the door just wide enough for me to squeeze out, I disappeared into the darkness. I waited there, catching my breath, my eyes closed as I listened.
“Hey, honey. Have you seen Dalton? He was looking a little off before, and now I can’t find him.” Layna. I knew she was checking up on me. Damn Mom.
“I think I saw him head out the front before? He was on the phone . . . ”
“Okay. I better get back downstairs. Are you okay? You’re looking a little flushed. Do you have a fever?”
I clamped my hand over my mouth to smother my snigger as Wrenn insisted she was fine. After the door closed I rapped on the balcony door and waited until Wrenn appeared.
“I couldn’t go without kissing you again,” I said, running my fingers through her hair.
She smiled, her lips meeting mine, the smell of her pussy all around me. “Go,” she ordered.
I nodded and walked over to the edge of the balcony where it met the brick exterior of the house. Hoisting myself over the ledge, I let myself drop onto the ground. I stood up and brushed myself off, then walked back inside as if nothing had happened.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Wrenn
A blush crept over my face as I thought about last night.
Dalton, going down on me . . . God, the way I felt when his tongue explored me. That was the most intimate I’d ever been with anyone. Much more intimate than sex, or giving head. As a woman, there was something so personal about having someone go down on you . . . ugh, I couldn’t even put it into words.
I stayed in bed for as long as I could, reliving last night. With every thought, my core tingled, aching to feel his touch again. My fingers brushed over my nipples, which stood hard and erect.
Closing my eyes, I thought about him and how good he made me feel. The way his tongue had massaged my clit had me almost coming on the spot. My fingers trailed down between my legs. I imagined him there, kissing, caressing. I slipped a finger inside myself. I was so wet. Thinking about him got me so aroused.
I began to rub harder as the urge to be satisfied began to build. I imagined his erection pressing at my entrance, teasing me.
I thought about the other night, after the hot tub. I’d wanted him so badly that my body ached for him. I circled my clit, reliving the thought of him driving himself inside me and pushing me to the brink. I gasped as my body spasmed, my own touch almost too much to handle.
I softly rubbed my wetness, the euphoria engulfing me until I could take no more. I sighed and rolled over, exhausted and yet so content.
***
I made my way downstairs, thinking about Dalton. God, even the thought of him had me smiling. We were so close to the end, I felt like nothing could ruin this for us.
Except maybe Paige.
Since she’d accosted me the other day, she had stayed out of my way. No more mention of what she thought she knew. She had even stopped her abuse of me.
Dalton was convinced she wouldn’t say anything. With no proof, it was our word against hers, and Paige was all about appearances. The last thing she would want to do is snitch. I wished I shared his confidence, but part of me was just waiting for her to do or say something. I knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t just back away quietly. That wasn’t her style.
As I rounded the corner, I heard Dalton’s name. I stopped short, pushing myself up against the wall so Layna wouldn’t see me. I strained to hear what she was saying. My heart began to pound. This was it: Paige had told her. It was over. I felt dizzy as I struggled to breathe. Oh, God, not like this.
“Honey, I promised you I’d look out for him, and I have been.” Layna’s voice was soft. Now I was confused. Honey? Who was she talking to? Layna chuckled. “You’re supposed to worry about him, you’re his mother.”
I froze. Dalton’s mother. This wasn’t about us. Relief rushed through me. Thank fucking God.
“I know, I understand. I would be, too. What age did Derek start showing symptoms?” Silence. “Uh-huh.” More silence.
Who the hell was Derek? And what did they mean ‘symptoms?’ Of what?
“You’re worrying about something that might never happen. If Dalton does turn out to have this disease, you’ll deal with it, and you won’t be alone. You’ll have Dan and me. I have no idea if it’s better for him to have the test or not. It’s his personal choice whether he wants to know or not.”
My heart raced as I tried to process what I was hearing. He might be sick. Dalton might be sick. My brain ached as I ran through all the possible worst-case scenarios in my head. Why hadn’t he told me? What was wrong with him?
Oh God, I couldn’t handle this.
My legs buckled under me. I lost my balance, crashing into an oversized, poorly positioned vase. My toe throbbed as I hopped around.
“Mary, I have to go.” I heard the phone click, and then Layna appeared around the corner. She grabbed my arm to steady me, and helped me over to the sofa.
“Wrenn, what are you doing?” she exclaimed, furrowing her brows.
I shook my head, not sure of what to say. “I was walking down and I heard you on the phone. It sounded like something I shouldn’t interrupt, so I waited . . . ”
“You eavesdropped?” she clarified, shaking her head in annoyance.
I blushed, not used to being chastised by Layna.
“Honestly Wrenn, that was a private conversation.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have been having it in the middle of the living room?” I shot back.
She narrowed her eyes and frowned at me.
“So, Dal—Mr. Reid is sick?” I asked, trying to keep the emotion from my voice. Inside, I was a wreck.
Layna sighed and sat down next to me. “He might be. He might be fine. We don’t know.”
“What ‘might be’ wrong with him? Is it serious?” I asked. At this point I couldn’t care less if my concern sounded misplaced. My heart was racing, a million thoughts flying through my head about what could be wrong with him.
Layna nodded, and then sighed loudly. “I can’t talk to you about this, Wrenn. I’m sorry. Try not to worry.”
Try not to worry? I was past worrying. In my head, I was already planning his freaking funeral. I jumped up. I have to get out of here. If I stayed any longer, everything would come tumbling out. Heading for the door, I grabbed my bag and my keys.
“I’m going to see Kass. I’ll speak to you later.” I forced myself to sound natural and even managed a smile.
“All right. And Wrenn? Keep this to yourself, okay?”
***
I pulled up outside the river, my hands shaking. It was raining, but I opened my door and stepped out anyway. I needed to feel something, anything, to distract me from the thoughts racing through my head at a million miles an hour. The rain fell down on me, huge, cold drops of water splashing against my face, but I barely noticed. I was soaking wet and I didn’t care. The cold air hit me, barely even registering.
He can’t be sick. I can’t lose him too.
I walked over to the river’s edge, kicking at the rocks that lined the path. I dropped down to my knees, sitting in the cold, wet mud as the rain continued to fall around me.
It wasn’t fucking fair. Hadn’t I been through enough already? Was my life some kind of joke? If there was a God, he was probably up there laughing at poor Wrenn and all her tragedies. It was one thing after another, and I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle. I tried so hard to keep myself together and to not dwell on the past, but you’ve got to be fucking kidding me. This was too much.
And then it hit me, what a horrible person I was.
I’d made all this about me. I couldn’t even imagine maybe having some disease that might take hold of me at any moment. Poor Dalton. And his mom. How awful it must be for her, losing her husband and then wondering if the same disease was going to rob her of her son.
For the next hour I sat alone on the bank of the river, sopping wet and freezing cold. My mood changed from feeling sorry for myself to feeling sorry for Dalton, and back again. In the distance, thunder rang through the sky and lightning flashed. I sat there, oblivious. I didn’t care about anything.
Except for him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Dalton
From the comfort of my sofa, I listened to the sound of the storm coming. With the heater on high and my laptop on my knee, I was glad to be inside. The only thing missing was Wrenn—beautiful, sweet Wrenn.
I closed my eyes and imagined her face. Those piercing eyes could stare right into my soul. Her lips, with one kiss, could make all my problems seem pointless and comical. She was perfect. And she was mine.
Next year we could truly be together. Our relationship could be real, and not hidden behind lies and secrets. When I thought about Wrenn, I saw my future as bright, and full of possibilities.
But there was one thing in my way. I needed to tell her. Since I’d kept it from her this entire time, there was no way to do this now without looking like a dick. The thing was, she had made me realize that even if the test came back positive, my life was far from over. This didn’t have to be the death sentence I saw it as. It could be
a blessing. Everyone has to die sometime. I’d have probably ten, maybe twenty years before my symptoms would begin to show, and then probably another ten more.
What scared me the most was living those years without her. She made everything worthwhile. But she had been through so much already. Was it fair of me to expect her to stand by my side and watch me slip away?
My phone buzzed. I dug it out of my pocket and checked the message. It was Wrenn.
I need to talk to you. Can you meet me at the river?
I glanced outside. The rain pounded down heavily against the windowpane. What the hell was she doing out in this weather?
Give me ten minutes.
I could see her in the distance, sitting on the edge of the riverbank, staring out into the storm. What the fuck was she doing? I jumped out of the car, the force of the wind hitting me in the face.
“Wrenn!” I yelled.
She tensed, but didn’t turn.
I ran over and touched her shoulder, not caring that now I, too, was soaked. “What are you doing out here? Come, get in the car.”
She turned to face me, her eyes puffy. She’d been crying. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, her voice overpowering the sound of the rain falling. Her fists were balled up at her sides as she waited for me to say something.
I froze. What did she know?
“What do you mean?” I sputtered, wiping the stream of raindrops off my forehead.
“I heard Layna on the phone with your mom. What the hell is wrong with you, Dalton?”
Oh God, no.
“Come on, Wrenn. Get in the car, and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
She yanked her hand away from me and stood up. “Just tell me!” she screamed. She was soaked, her white blouse now sheer and clinging to her like a second skin. She shivered as rainwater slowly drizzled down her cheeks. I knew the only way to get her out of this storm was to tell her. With the mood she was in, there was no reasoning with her, not right now.
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