One Week Hating You: One Week Series Book 2 (standalone)

by Roya Carmen

Now I’m starting to get annoyed. Why is he being such an asshole again? We were having such a nice time. Why does he always have to ruin it? Why can’t we just get along?

  “My life isn’t perfect.”

  He’s still not looking at me. “I’m sure you can’t wait to hop in your little fancy white SUV, go play some golf, and get back to your fancy condo with your big walk-in closet full of clothes and shoes.”

  I wonder how he knows about the condo and the walk-in closet. Momma and her big gossipy mouth, of course.

  He’s trying to get to me, to rile me up. I breathe deeply again, determined to not give him what he wants, determined to keep my cool. “So I like shoes. Sue me. Why do you–”

  “I bet you have a pair of those red soled shoes,” he snickers. “The ones that cost a small fortune.”

  “Louboutins?” I ask, slightly amused. “What if I do? What’s it to you?”

  I actually do. Peter bought them for me for my twenty-fifth birthday. I only wear them for special occasions because they’re impossibly high.

  He finally turns to face me. “My point is… you’re right to go back. You don’t belong here anymore.”

  His words sting… more than I could have imagined. I do still belong here. I haven’t changed that much. So I like fashion and shoes. What’s the big deal?

  He’s such an asshole.

  I can’t. I just can’t…

  “Where do you get off, you freaking jerk,” I scoff. I reach for my purse, dig in and fetch a few twenties, and slap them on the table. “You cover the rest, you dickwad. I’m leaving.”

  I stomp away in a huff. Thankfully, the other couple has already left, and there’s no one to witness my little scene.

  Not my finest moment. So much for keeping my cool.

  I steal one last glance at him and spot a whisper of a smile on his lips.

  How I hate him.

  25

  MY PULSE RACES as I walk back to the Inn as fast as my hooker booties will allow. I could really punch something right now.

  I’ve got it all worked out already. I’m not going to dash off. I paid a lot of money for this room, and I’m damn well going to enjoy it. I’ll just ignore him for the rest of the night. I’ll have a nice long bubble bath with the door locked, then I’ll read my book while I give him the cold shoulder, and sleep on the big comfy bed. He’ll be sleeping on the sofa in front of the fireplace.

  He catches up to me and startles me. I turn to him and the jerk is smiling. He thinks this is funny. “Leave me alone,” I snap and attempt to walk faster, but his legs are a lot longer than mine and he’s wearing flat shoes. I don’t stand a chance.

  “Calm down, Freckles,” he says softly.

  I climb up the stairs to the Inn. “Stop calling me Freckles.”

  I open the red door swiftly and head toward the stairs, up to our room. Unfortunately, I can’t get away from him. He follows so closely, I can smell his aftershave. And damn, it smells good, like the ocean.

  My hands are shaking as I fiddle with the lock and the old-fashion key. He stands patiently next to me. When I finally unlock the door, I shoot him a scowl, just in case he doesn’t know where he stands.

  As soon as he closes the door behind us, he grabs my wrist and pulls me in to him.

  The sudden tug makes me jerk. “You’re hurting me.”

  His eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen them, as dark as coal. “No way in hell I’m letting you do this, Maeve. I’m not going to let you ruin our last night together. You’re mine tonight.”

  He presses a hand gently on my cheek. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said all that.”

  The anger that had overwhelmed me just a second ago, instantly fades. All that remains is longing and desire. He’s right – I can’t ruin our last night together.

  He draws my mouth to his. “I’m going to miss you,” he whispers.

  “Me too,” I tell him, and get lost in his kiss. It’s as sweet and sexy as the kisses we shared years ago, but as he presses me against the door, it grows in intensity, and the boy’s kiss I remember so well morphs into the man’s kiss, the kind of kiss that makes you melt, and wet with want.

  I get lost in his kiss, never wanting it to end. My fingers dig into his hair wildly as I wrap my leg tightly around his waist. I can’t get enough of him.

  He tears himself away, and my heart jerks. He’s teasing again, or playing games. “What?”

  He smiles, an impish grin. “No more kissing.”

  “What?!” I say, incredulous. There’s no way we’re not kissing all night. This is what tonight’s all about.

  He takes my hand and leads me to the chairs by the window. “Not another kiss until I get you completely naked.”

  I smile. “How about you?”

  He grins widely. “You be patient, Freckles.”

  He slides a long finger along the curve of my dress. “I love this, but it has to go.” He spins me around, and presses his hot mouth on the nape of my neck. My whole core responds to him, so easily. He slides the zipper down slowly. “You’re too good for me,” he says quietly.

  I want to protest and tell him that no, I’m not too good for him, but I get completely lost in the feel of his hand sliding down my back.

  “You should go back to him,” he goes on. “He can give you the life you want, the life you deserve.” He slides the sleeveless dress over my shoulders and lets it drop to the floor. He bites my shoulder gently and I close my eyes. “I’ll always want you, Maeve. I’ll always remember this… the way your skin tastes and feels under my touch.”

  I reach for him and fiddle with the buttons on his shirt but I can’t quite get at them – I’m a mess. He’s turned me into rubber. His hands slide over the curve of my waist, draw circles around my navel, and finally settle on the band of my lace panties. “I know you’ll always remember this too. When you’re fucking him, you’ll be thinking about me.”

  He’s right, and he knows it.

  He toys with my panties, and starts to peel them off slowly over my hips. I want to taste him. I jerk around and pull him to me. I press my mouth to his, and he pushes me away again. “Completely naked, remember,” he says playfully.

  I reach for one of his buttons. “You too,” I breathe. I work feverishly at his buttons, and finally reveal his gorgeous chest. I press my mouth against his skin, and slide my tongue down the ridges of his abs, all the way down to that delicious dark line under his navel. A loud growl escapes him. I’m on my knees now.

  He pulls me back up and spins me around again. He kisses my shoulder again as he unclasps my bra. As soon as it falls to the floor, he cups my breasts in his large hands. “I’ve missed these,” he mouths into the curve of my neck. “You’re still so fucking sexy.”

  I laugh. “You’re even sexier.” He is. He’s a little taller, larger, fuller, and rougher around the edges. I don’t see him the same way I used to ten years ago. Back then, I really liked him, enjoyed the way it felt when we kissed, when he touched me. But now, I can’t get enough, I crave him like a drug. It’s primal now, pure lust.

  He tugs at the hem of my panties, and drops on his knees behind me as he peels them off, over my booties. “We’ll keep the shoes on,” he says as he takes a big soft bite out of my ass. I jerk with surprise and laugh softly. I turn to him, wanting him naked too.

  He drops butterfly kisses on my stomach and hips, and travels slowly to my thighs. I throw back my head, enjoying his mouth on my skin. When he presses it on my sex, I open myself up to him. He flings a leg over his shoulder and slides his tongue down my wetness. I almost faint with pleasure.

  But… this is not what we’d planned. It takes all the willpower I have to push him away. “We’re making love, remember?”

  He smiles up at me, and leisurely stands and towers over me again. I reach for his leather belt and undo it slowly. He watches me intently, eager. As I pull down his pants, I can see the bulge of his hard-on. As soon as he’s out of his pants, I fall to my knees, peel of
f his boxers, and take him in my mouth – it’s my turn to tease. He groans softly and rubs his hands in my hair. My messy bun falls apart.

  I pull away and stand on the tip of my toes. “We can kiss now,” I tell him. “We’re both naked.”

  He presses a hand on my nape and pulls me to him. I can taste myself on his lips. My hands get lost in his thick hair again. His free hand reaches for my ass, and pulls me closer against his erection.

  “Let’s go to bed,” I breathe.

  “Let’s,” he says softly.

  I take his hand and he leads me to the bed. He pulls all the covers off with one swift flick of his arm. All the pillows and cushions go flying.

  “There goes kitty,” I joke.

  He sits on the edge of the high bed and pulls me on top of him, I wrap my legs around his waist and get lost in his kiss. He trails a hand through my hair, and down my back – shivers travel along my spine. “Why does your touch feel so good?”

  He smiles. “Because we have chemistry, you and me… always have.”

  I kiss him again, and trail my hands over his arms, studying every curve. His hands are lost on my body too. We’re exploring, getting to know each other again. It’s been so long since we’ve touched like this. He feels different; stronger, more powerful. “Have I changed?” I ask, knowing that I have. I’m fuller, softer. I used to run track in high school and I was super fit.

  He kisses the swell of my breast. “You have… for the better,” he mutters. “Curvier.” He trails a finger to the spot between my legs. “And this is different… I like it.”

  I know he’s referring to the neatly trimmed landing strip, which was once a bushy triangle. He glides a finger between my folds, and my eyes roll back. My clit is hard and swollen and as soon as he touches it, he sends me to heaven. A series of moans escape me, catching me by surprise – I’ve never been particularly loud in the bedroom.

  “Look at me,” he says. “I want to see your beautiful eyes.”

  I open my eyes and gaze at him, still lost in his touch.

  “I want to see your eyes when I make you come,” he says, “like when we were young.”

  I’m brought back to the first time I ever climaxed – it was in his hands, lost in his eyes.

  My gaze doesn’t leave his as his finger slides expertly against me, making me squirm, ache, and finally moan in pleasure.

  As I come to, he still watches me, a naughty grin on his lips. “Beautiful…”

  I smile. “You’re beautiful.”

  “I want to make love to you,” he says. “Soft and slow. I want to take all night.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  He pulls me over him, and we get lost in the cool white sheets. We roll and slide, exploring every inch of each other. I still have the sexy booties on. He slides down my body and unties the laces. “I love these,” he says as he pulls at the shoe, but it won’t budge. “So fucking sexy.”

  I laugh. “There’s a zipper at the back,” I tell him.

  After much effort, he finally gets my shoe off. He kisses my foot, and sticks his fingers between my toes, knowing that I’m crazy ticklish there. I squirm, giggle like a kid, and beg him to stop.

  He does, but then he does it all over again with my other foot, sending me into hysterics.

  Before long, the booties are on the floor, and we’re back in each other’s arms. We kiss, we touch, and we get completely lost in each other. There’s no one but the two of us in this world, nothing but this moment. We eventually get all tangled up in the sheets and I find myself buried under his weight. He’s much larger than me but I like the feel of him on top of me. I feel tucked in, protected, cozy in his arms.

  He slides a finger down my cheek and pulls at my curl again. He smiles sweetly with nothing but adoration in his eyes. “I know you probably don’t want to hear this…” he says softly, “but I love you, Maeve Gallagher… always have, always will.”

  I smile, completely caught off guard. I don’t know what to say. “And what about all those other women?” I tease.

  He runs a finger through my hair. “That was me trying to forget you.”

  “Is it working?”

  He laughs. “Not at all.”

  “You don’t need to forget me tonight,” I tell him. “I’m all yours.”

  “And I’m yours.”

  26

  “UH…” I VENTURE, SUDDENLY NERVOUS. “With these other women, are you always careful… you know…”

  He grins. “Always. I’m not stupid,” he says, a little touchy. “I’m clean.”

  “I’m sorry,” I’m quick to say as he starts to pull away. I tug at his arm, pulling him back to me. “I’m on the pill.”

  He studies me curiously, not quite sure what I’m saying.

  I pull him closer. “I want you inside me like this,” I tell him. “Nothing separating us.”

  His face lights up. “You sure? I don’t mind at all—”

  I press a finger to his lips. “We’re making love, remember?” I tease.

  “We are.”

  He presses his lips to mine softly, and as I get lost in his kiss, I guide him and he slowly sinks into me. I love the feel of him inside me. This feels quite different than the times before. That was driven by arousal, pure raw sex. This is sweeter, deeper, and more emotional. We look into each other’s eyes as he presses gently into me, words unspoken. I study him as his eyes soften, as his mouth parts wider as his breath grows ragged. He presses into me, harder and deeper, and it feels so damn good. I watch him intently as he reaches the edge – he’s beautiful to watch. I don’t get there this time, still too raw from the orgasm he’s just given me.

  His breathing evens out slowly as he settles down and lies against me. He trails a hand along the curve of my body. “Can I touch you again?” he asks. “Kiss you?”

  I smile. “No, I’m good.”

  He pulls gently out of me, and cuddles against me close. “I’m all for freezers and swings, but this was even better,” he says. “When we were together a long time ago, this was all I could think about… the two of us in bed like this.”

  “I’m sorry I was such a tease back then,” I tell him. “I just wasn’t ready.”

  He props himself up on his elbow. “Don’t you dare apologize for that,” he says. “You weren’t ready and I’m glad we never went there. I would have hated to hurt you like that.”

  I smile up at him. “I kind of wish my first time had been with you, though.”

  He lies down next to me again. “Who was it with? Parker?”

  I laugh. “Yes, it was with Peter.”

  “Was it good?”

  “It was fine.”

  “Fine.” He laughs. “You deserve better than fine, Freckles.”

  “Well, it did eventually get better.”

  “How good did it get?”

  I bite my lip. “You ask too many questions.” I want to throw a pillow at him but they’re all on the floor.

  “Uh huh…”

  “It never got as good as this, if that’s what you want to know.”

  He grins. “Well, I’m not gonna lie… that makes me happy.”

  I laugh. “So um… I thought you were going to make love to me all night long… your words.” I check my watch, the Bulova Peter bought me. “It’s only eight-thirty.”

  A wicked smile slowly traces his lips. “I’ll be ready to go again in no time. How about you?”

  I bite my lip. “Well, I was planning on enjoying a nice bath,” I tell him. “I suppose you could tag along. That huge soaker tub is perfect for couples. ”

  He grins. “The things we could get up to in there.”

  “Remember the first time we ever had a bath together?”

  He cocks a brow and an impish grin stretches across his face. “Yeah, that time your family was away camping… you had to stay behind because you had a shift at the store. I remember it well…”

  I shake my head. I remember it well too. Two teenagers in love, and a b
ottle of strawberry scented bubble bath. “No, silly… the first bath ever. Remember when we were eight?”

  His jaw drops. “Oh yeah… the tomato juice bath. How could I forget?”

  We’d been playing in the bushes again, but this time we’d gotten into a rather unfortunate situation with a not-so-friendly skunk. Momma dashed to the store and bought a dozen giant cans of tomato juice. She stripped us down and threw us both in the bath together.

  “God, I was mortified,” Blake says, laughing.

  “Me too,” I tell him. “I didn’t want you to see me naked.”

  He shoots me a wink. “How times have changed.”

  “Seriously, I was traumatized… for a long time.”

  He pulls me closer to him. “You’re adorable. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “All the time,” I joke, and he kisses me again.

  I get lost in the gorgeous chandelier hanging over us. It sparkles and shines. My legs are tangled in his, and the water is just perfect. “Did you know… my parents used to come here to get away? This very room.”

  “I don’t blame them,” he says. “You three were a bunch of misfits.”

  I laugh. “Not as bad as you three.”

  The Gallaghers and the Taylors. Thick as thieves, inseparable.

  We’re sitting at opposite ends of the soaker tub. The faucet is quite the intricate affair; shiny chrome and multiple levers which took us about ten minutes to figure out.

  “Hey, you should go grab your phone, and we should take another selfie,” he jokes. “I bet this would really get Parker going.”

  I laugh. “No, I’m over that. I’ve been acting completely childish. The whole thing was stupid.”

  “Well, I’m glad you finally realize that,” he teases. “But, I can’t lie… I was kind of enjoying the whole game.”

  I’m honestly not sure if I’ve just realized how immature I’ve been acting, or I just don’t care to make Peter jealous anymore. Or possibly, I’m just tired of snapping pics and pretending my life is fabulous… it’s exhausting.

  I stare at my feet, red tipped toes, pressed against Blake’s chest, covered in bubbles. “Do you think I’m boring?”