by Sara Hess
“I think all of nature’s behaviors are astonishing to see; erupting volcanos, tornados, hurricanes…Sure, they’re destructive, but they are still beautiful in their own way.”
He had a point. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near one of those, but observing them from a safe distance, like my computer, was pretty awe-inspiring. “I could see you as one of those storm chaser guys. Driving…no racing into the thick of a perilous situation and risking your life just to get a few pictures.” I smirked at having plugged his racing fetish in there.
“I could see me doing that too, but my mom would kill me. And then she’d tie me to a chair.”
“Dead, or would she stuff you first.” I giggled, shocking myself…because I didn’t giggle. Must be because of my nervousness.
One of Evan’s hands had moved to the dip of my waist and he gave me a soft squeeze as his eyes twinkled with humor and burned with heat. “Definitely stuffed; can’t let this exceptional form of perfection rot away.”
My inner muscles clenched in renewed arousal from his touch and the glow in his eyes. I can’t believe after two orgasms that my body was still humming for more. What he was able to do to me wasn’t normal.
“She shouldn’t tie you to a chair then, she should mount you over the fireplace for all to admire and bow down to.” I mocked huskily.
Evan’s expression suddenly turned somber. “Speaking of my mother…I wanted to thank you for getting all that information on Kyle.”
I inhaled in shock. “Oh my, god. I completely forgot about that. How did you get it?” I remembered leaving them on the desk in my hotel room.
“The hotel mailed them to Dan who handed them off to me when he noticed the name on them.” His hand came up to trace my eyebrow and the tender expression on his face had something fluttering in my chest. No one had ever looked at me that way. “You’re pretty awesome, you know that; going out of your way to do that, and getting it done in one day. I don’t know anyone else who would have done that for someone they’ve known for such a short time, and another they don’t know at all.”
My face and body got even hotter at his praise and all I could do was give a small self-conscious shrug.
Evan smirked. “So, how were you able to get this person you know to obtain the information so quickly?”
That was said rather markedly. “They just owe me a few favors.” I hedged. When Evans’ brows rose disbelievingly I knew he knew. “Okay, okay, yes, it was me. And now you know too much so I’m going to have to kill you.”
Laughing, he cupped my chin and kissed me…while laughing. It was still a great kiss. “You are too adorable, Red.”
“There you go thinking I’m kidding again. Won’t you be surprised when you wake up stuffed and on my mantle.” I really hoped I wasn’t staring at him stupidly, because it sure felt like I was. This moment was kind of surreal.
He laughed harder and dove into my neck kissing me there and I burst out in uncontrollable joyful giggles while pushing at him half-heartedly. He always made me feel so alive, more alive than I’d ever felt, and good, and special…he pulled all sorts of emotions from me.
“Thanks for what you did for my mom, Shaw.”
His whisper on my neck was like a warm caress down my spine.
“No problem.” I gave him the same words he’d given me earlier.
“And thanks for giving me a second chance.”
I inhaled the scent of him. Nothing had ever smelt so good. “I’ve got nothing better to do.” Except make my own noose.
He snorted into my neck.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EVAN
Pulling into the nearest parking spot I turned off the engine and stepped out locking the doors behind me while striding toward the entrance of the building I had my next meeting at. As I was about to open the door my cell gave a buzz from my pocket. Pulling it out I gave it a quick glance, strangely hoping to see Shaw’s name, and was unexpectedly disappointed when I saw Nic’s instead.
The girl had been in my head all day, taking up all my thoughts. I’d hoped once I’d fixed things with her I might get a reprieve from obsessing about her all the time, but I hadn’t. She was still in there, and now there was more to reflect on, because last night had been…incredible. Hanging out with someone had never been as fun, or felt more right.
Stepping into the building I answered Nic’s call. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Spill everything, douche-tool.”
I muffled my laughter at his threatening growl. “Okay, it was me that saran-wrapped your toilet.”
There was a moment’s pause from his end. “I knew it.” He grumbled. “But that’s not what I meant. What happened with you and Shaw last night?”
I still had ten minutes until my meeting so I stepped off into a corner to finish this call in more privacy. “We talked and straightened things out, so you’re going to be seeing me around the apartment a lot.”
Another short pause ensued, and then disbelief. “Shaw is actually okay being one of your monthly amusements?”
I tensed at his terminology. Shaw definitely wasn’t going to be a monthly amusement, but I could see why he would phrase it like that. My past relationships did customarily last only four weeks, or less.
“No, Shaw’s different.”
“Yeah, I was the one that first told you that, dickwad.” He snorted.
“You did.” I agreed with a chuckle.
“That’s cool. I just hope you really mean that and aren’t setting her and yourself up for disappointment?”
I scowled and even though I knew where he was going I asked. “What do you mean?”
He sighed from his end. “Landon and I were notorious for our one-night-stands and hook-ups, but you are known for going out with a girl for a short while and getting bored quickly. I don’t want to see Shaw upset all over again at the end of four weeks because you and she thought you could do more. You were a bear these last few weeks; how you going to feel later down the road hurting her again?”
The last thing I wanted to do was heap more disappointment on Shaw; just the thought of it had my chest constricting and gut rolling. And while I did have some deep-seated concerns that I wasn’t made for a long-term relationship there was something about her that was making it impossible for me to walk away. She didn’t think she was made for one either, but I knew that was probably a result from all the disillusionments in her life. When she’d called herself ‘shit’ last night I could see that she really believed it and that had gutted me, and made me angry as hell at all the people that had chipped away at the soul of such an amazing person.
“You’re acting like it’s a forgone conclusion, Nic. I told you; Shaw’s different. She’s the only woman that’s stimulated me more than physically, and she even does that better than anyone else.”
He coughed out a laugh. “Yeah, Carrie and I heard a little of that last night. She wanted to interrupt to make sure Shaw was consenting but I convinced her not to since we didn’t hear a ‘no’ or a ‘stop’, and when it started again we decided to leave you to it.”
Good thing they left because Shaw had tossed out of few of those during the second round of me torturing her, and my cock hardened remembering it. I turned to face the window.
Clearing my throat I grumbled. “Yeah, Shaw mentioned how thin the walls are. Did you know she’s been wearing earplugs when you two go at it?”
Nic laughed. “Yeah…mortified Carrie enough that she tried making no noise at all for awhile, but I wasn’t having any of that. I love…never mind.”
I laughed this time. “Hey, our walls might me better quality, but they aren’t concrete. We know what you love.”
“Shut it.” He growled.
That only made me laugh harder. The guy did not like people thinking about Carrie naked or having sex. If he wasn’t screwing her silly I would think he was her father.
“We might have to come up with a schedule so we’re not listening to each other while in the middle of
doing the deed. That might get awkward. It would only be background porn noises to me, but the girls may have problem with it.”
“I agree with Shaw, you are a perv.” He grumbled.
I scoffed. “Don’t even tell me it would hamper you, because I wasn’t born yesterday.”
“Listen jackass, I just wanted to find out if you two had straightened things out. I’m glad to hear you did.” Nic exclaimed changing the subject. “I do see a difference in you around Shaw so I know she’s not like the others. I just had to say my peace because I don’t want to see either of you hurt; you’re like a brother, and Shaw’s become a good friend. Since hanging around you she’s even mellowed some so I think you two might actually be good for each other.”
I smiled, liking the idea that I might be softening her edges. I just hoped it wasn’t too much because I liked some of her sharpness. I definitely wanted to hear her laugh more; witnessing it had lifted a lot of the weight I’d been carrying around.
“Just to let you know, I’m coming over again tonight. I’m going to take her to dinner and then hopefully we’ll be making out on the couch later, so if you want to make yourself scarce I’d appreciate it.”
Nic scoffed this time. “Making out? Is that what I heard last night?”
“What you thought you heard wasn’t what you thought.” And that was all I was going to say on that. “We’re taking it slow. Shaw deserves slow.” She did; she deserved a whole hell of a lot, and I wanted to be the one to hand it to her on a silver platter.
I heard a sniff on the other end. “You had me at slow, cocktease, you had me at…slow.”
I rolled my eyes at his movie reference. “You are so lame, jackwad.” I hung up on his laughter.
∞ ∞ ∞
I stood outside Shaw’s apartment door surprisingly nervous. Before I’d left last night I’d asked Shaw if I could take her to dinner tonight for our first official date. I wasn’t going to wait for the weekend and give her time to develop any qualms about it. She’d said ‘okay’ with a pretty pink blush blooming over her cheeks, and that I was able to bring that bashful color to her face tripped my heart because most of the time she acted so hardcore.
Today I’d texted her informing her I was taking her out to a nice restaurant for our date so she should dress accordingly. She’d texted back that I didn’t have to go all out but I’d replied with a firm; ‘Yes I do’. I’d gotten a ‘tongue out’ emoticon in return which had given me a good chuckle.
Shaking my hands and blowing out a deep breath I knocked on the door. Five seconds later it opened and my dick did its customary happy dance at the sight of her.
Damn, she was beautiful. She had on the same yellow summer dress she’d worn to Landon’s and Maya’s pre-wedding dinner and it looked just as amazing on her; showing off her slim waist, long legs, and luscious breasts. The only thing I was lamenting was her hair…it was confined again. It looked great; swept up in some kind of loose twist with loose curls falling everywhere, but I loved it more when it was down and free.
My memories shifted to how she looked naked, lying underneath me; the taste of her skin, the feel of her breasts, the heat between her thighs…Oh shit, what a way to start the night. I was now hard as steel.
“You look beautiful.” I stopped eating her up with my gaze and met her eyes.
Her cheeks bloomed and her green eyes shifted down at her dress and back up to me as she plucked at the skirt of the dress. “The only dresses I have are the two I wore at the wedding. Is this fine or should I put the other one on?”
I grinned at her noticeable nervousness, and at finding out she wasn’t a dress girl. Not that it hadn’t been apparent before her revelation; most of the time Shaw patently scoffed at dressing appropriately.
“That dress is perfect.” I held out the orchids I’d picked up on the way. “Here, I got these for you.”
She blinked at the flowers like she’d never seen flowers before. Reaching out she took them gingerly and her gaze came back to mine in bemusement as more red flooded her face. “Really?”
An ache took up residence in my chest at the look in her eyes. Hadn’t anyone ever given her flowers before? Had anyone ever given her anything beside a bad rep and disappointment?
“I was going to go for the red roses but the red was a pale imitation to your hair I decided to go with something original rather than standard.” I reached out and gave a tug to one of her curls.
Shaw’s head angled down toward the flowers, and I didn’t think it was possible but her skin went even more crimson.
“You are so corny you could get a job at Hallmark.” She snorted and spun away to head for the kitchen. “Come on in and I’ll put these in water. Nic has gotten Carrie so many bouquets we’re overflowing with vases. We’ve had to branch out and start using them for other things like coin jars. Once we get them all filled with our loose change we’re planning a trip to Hawaii. This is not repeatable, but I think Carrie holds Nic’s ping-pongs in one for safe keeping.”
I followed Shaw into the apartment and my dick pulsed with the sway of her hips. She was nervous and rambling and it was cute as hell, but she lost me at the ‘ping-pongs’.
“Ping-pongs?” I adjusted my erection out of her view behind the counter.
Bending down she pulled a glass vase out from a bottom cupboard and stepped over to the sink to fill it with water. “You know…his walnuts, dingle-berries, marbles, the beans next to his frank.”
I burst out laughing. “Are you referring to Nic’s…testicles?”
“Yep.” She answered casually.
Setting the vase on the counter Shaw began cutting the ends off the orchids and arranging them in the vase, and I didn’t miss the way she smelled each one with a sweet smile. The ache in my chest lifted seeing it. I’d done that. Watching her I realized I could do this all night…stare at her that is…and that was an uncharacteristic thought.
Shaw flipped me a self-conscious quizzical glance and I shook myself out of my silent ogling. “So you’re saying that Carrie has Nic by the balls?”
“Symbolically speaking, of course.” She threw me an adorable smirk.
I busted out laughing again. “I have to agree with you there; he is whipped where Carrie is concerned.” And loving every minute of it.
Shaw’s lips twisted reflectively as she stared at her finished arrangement. “Watching him with her chiseled away at a little bit of my sourness toward males because it’s obvious he would do anything for her. She deserves someone like that.” Seeming to shake herself out of her thoughtful mood Shaw went back to smirking. “I told him if ever hurt her I’d make him dead; publicly dead, not physically, so he does have extra incentive.”
I didn’t doubt her ability to do that; hack into the government and fill out a death certificate making Nic officially dead. However…I moved around the counter and stood directly behind her. Our clothes were the only thing brushing against each other but the material was like a conductor; my cells hummed at the near contact.
Leaning down, setting my hands on the counter to each side of her, I mumbled in her ear while at the same time smelling her peach scented hair. “You deserve that too, Shaw.”
She sucked in a breath and began over-fidgeting with the flowers. “Well, sure…I guess…doesn’t everyone?”
I wasn’t hearing concurrence in her tone. I heard skepticism, and that had my chest compressing again. “I don’t care about anyone else, all I know is that you do.” My hand lightly caressed her hip, and I felt a shiver go through her. My dick throbbed at her response to my light touch.
She laughed shakily. “You’re getting Hallmarky again.”
Both my hands traveled toward her taut, quivering belly. “I’m just keeping it real.”
“If this is the real you then whoever told you to be yourself couldn’t have given you worse advice.”
I chuckled into the crook of her shoulder and watched goose bumps pop up all over her skin. The vein in her neck was also beating
wildly. The need to taste her was too great so I brushed my lips over it and heard her suck in another unsteady breath, and I felt it under my hands as I fanned them over her quaking abdomen.
Shit, I loved how much I got to her. No other woman had ever been this receptive to my touch. I didn’t even need to touch her. Sometimes when I looked at her I could see her physical reaction to me; hard nipples, erratic breathing, and a heated flush to her skin. Hell, she elicited the same response from me. It was good to know I wasn’t alone in my torture.
“You look good, you smell good, you taste good; I don’t think I can wait for dinner. Is a first date too soon for me to eat you?” I growled into her neck as my fingers skimmed over the top edge of her panties through her dress.
Shaw’s trembling escalated and she leaned back into me, her ass cradling my pulsing, stiff cock. “My buffet’s not open to the random public.” Her rejoinder was barely a whisper.
My muscles twitched involuntarily at the thought of anyone else going near my buffet. Putting pressure on her abdomen I pressed her ass into my aching erection. “You bet’s it’s not. It’s mine, and mine alone, Red.” I nipped her skin to reinforce my claim, rocking my groin into her ass, and then closed my eyes at the fucking agonizing pleasure of it.
Shhhiiittt, I wanted to drag up her skirt and plunge into her so badly.
But Shaw deserved more than a fuck against the counter before we’d even made it out the door.
So, gritting my teeth I eased away from her with one last nuzzle to her neck. “Come on, Shaw. We need to head to dinner before I forget my good intentions.”
Turning her in my arms I groaned at the desire blazing on her face. Fuck, she was killing me. The only thing halting me from saying the hell with my good intentions was the surprise in her eyes. It was the same look as last night; like she couldn’t believe I wasn’t going to take what I wanted from her body. She expected guys to want only sex with her.