by M. Clarke
Staring at her parent’s house, I raked my fingers through my hair and headed to the front door. Feeling all sorts of butterflies in my stomach, I rang the doorbell. No answer. I pressed it again with a sigh. Still no answer. I was just about to head back to the taxi, when I heard my name.
“Matthew?”
It was the sweetest sound I had heard in a long time, though all the barking almost drowned it out.
I had seen Becca without makeup before, but for some reason she looked different today. She looked absolutely beautiful. She was all natural. Just the way I liked it. “Surprise.” I beamed a nervous, geeky grin.
“Hold on. Let me put the dogs in their room.”
Becca left but quickly came back.
“What are you doing here?” Becca swung the door wider. Her hair was wet and she had a long white robe on. It reminded me of the time she did her lap dance for me. That was enough to get me heated up. Mostly likely, she had taken a shower but in the middle of the afternoon?
I turned to the driver to let him know I didn’t need his service anymore, and then turned to face Becca, debating about how to approach this. “I had to see you.”
“Come in. Is everything okay?”
Stepping inside, I did a quick glance around and listened for sounds that would indicate if her parents were home. “Everything is fine.” I knew I could fire away with my questions, since there was no sign of them. “Why didn’t you answer any of my phone calls or texts?” My voice wasn’t loud, but it expressed my hurt and anger.
Becca’s eyes flashed to the wooden floors. “I don’t know what you mean.” She tried to sound innocent, but I knew that tone all too well.
Standing in front of her, she gazed at me, her eyes bewildered and there was something in them that saddened me. Had I done this to our friendship? “Did I do something wrong?”
Before I had the chance to ask her another question, her eyes grew fierce and she spoke loudly. “You shouldn’t have come. My parents will be here soon. Besides, I’m leaving in couple of days. We can talk somewhere else. Are you here on a business trip or something? How did you get this address, anyway?” Becca was finally coming to her senses after the initial shock of seeing me.
Two could play at that game. Pressing my body forward, I challenged her back. “I’m not answering any of your questions until you answer mine first.”
“Take a hint,” she growled. In an effort to shove me, Becca placed her hand on my chest, but before she could move, I grabbed it. When she tried to yank it away, I wrapped my hands around her waist, and pulled her to my chest. Feeling her wet hair against my face cooled me down, but the need to have her was driving me crazy. I wanted to strip the robe off her and take her right there in the living room.
I don’t know how long we stood there, but I was enjoying having her in my arms. I was enjoying her so much that my hands had a mind of their own and started idly rubbing her back. Feeling her mold into my body created an overwhelming sensation, and I had forgotten where we were. That was the way it was with Becca. I was utterly lost in her. When I heard a light moan, I broke out of my daze.
“Becca, I need an answer,” I whispered. When she didn’t respond, I was pretty sure she was lost in my embrace. Wondering what she was thinking, I pulled her back enough to see her face. Her expression told me she wanted to say something, but was afraid. “It’s okay. Tell me how you feel.”
“I feel nothing,” she stammered and escaped my hold. Chasing after her, I passed the kitchen, the hallway and out onto a nice balcony. Becca was near the pool. “Matthew, I told you to go away. I don’t want to talk to you now. I’m busy. And my parents are on their way home.” Becca took a few steps away from me.
“I got that part,” I said out loud, but I was staying put. Now, I was getting aggravated. There was no way in hell I was going back home feeling like this. If she didn’t want me, then fine, but I could see it in her eyes that she did. The way she responded when I held her, I knew she wanted me too. “Damn it, Becca. I’m not leaving. In fact, I’m going to start taking off my clothes and let your parents see me naked in their pool.”
That got her attention. “Are you crazy?” she yelled. “I’ll call the cops.”
Brushing the thought off, I took off my shoes, socks and sweater while Becca stared at me. She seemed to be enjoying the view but I’m sure she was thinking I would stop.
“Okay, okay! Stop! I stopped returning your calls because I don’t want to be your friend anymore. We can’t be that close. How will it look when I start dating someone else and you want to hang out?”
Having Becca talk about dating other guys did not sit well with me. My blood pressure shot up and in my head, I just punched some imaginary guy in the face. “Friends can hang out.” I took a step closer to her when she retreated. Shivering, I tried to maintain my composure. I was beginning to wish I hadn’t taken off my sweater.
“I don’t think so. Not since we….” she paused. “Do you sleep with all your friends?”
“What are you talking about?”
“At the restaurant. The day I ran off telling you I had something important to do. Well, I saw you. I saw how you cuddled with that girl. You probably slept with her too. Actually, I’m pretty damn sure you did.”
Now we were getting to the truth. My Becca was jealous and I loved it. “Really? You saw her?”
“Yes, I did,” she said with conviction.
This time instead of retreating, she held her ground as I took a step toward her. Her confidence level was building and she was sure I was going to disappoint her. “You mean the brunette with the long hair, hazel eyes, about twenty-one.” Becca’s eyes grew wide, looking pissed off or hurt, I couldn’t tell. I continued. “And who happens to be my favorite cousin and happened to have been eating in the same restaurant?”
Becca looked totally stunned. “Your cousin?” She took a moment to digest the information I just threw at her. “It doesn’t matter. We need to stop. One of us will get hurt and it will probably be me.”
I didn’t let her talk anymore. Without thinking of rejection, I crushed my lips onto hers and held her tightly. It happened so fast, she had no idea that it was coming.
My body temperature shot up. God! She felt so good. Since Becca didn’t try to push me away, I wrung my hands through her hair. Devouring her lips and tongue with mine, I realized more than ever how much I really missed her. There were no words to describe how much.
“What was that for?” she asked, dizzily fluttering her eyes open when I pulled away. I love how my kisses could do that to her. Not only that, she couldn’t take her eyes off my chest, her eyes flickering back and forth, trying hard not to stare.
Gazing into her eyes with sincerity, my hands fell on her back. “I don’t know where we’re going with this. All I know is that I’ve missed you like crazy, and I wouldn’t be able to handle it if I knew you dated or kissed someone else. I want to be more than your friend, Becca. I’m sorry I have some baggage, but I promise it will get better. In fact, I’m letting the past go so I can have a future, hopefully with you. You’ve brought me back from the dead and given me the life I’d lost. You made me whole again. All I needed was you.”
“I’m not her,” Becca said wearily. “I can’t replace her.”
“I don’t want you to.” I paused, gathering my thoughts. “You know what I did just before I came here? I went to Tessa’s grave and told her that I was moving on.” I nodded when I saw the uncertainty in her eyes. “I told her that I found someone and that it was time to let her go. You are not Tessa, and I wouldn’t want you to be. You’re my beautiful, sexy firecracker. You put every Victoria’s Secret model to shame. You’re the one who makes me smile, who can’t use chopsticks, who delivers wild, hot sex, who makes me want to be a ‘book-boyfriend,’ and who can give one hell of a lap dance. Becca, you are the one, and I’m so glad I’ve found you.”
“I don’t know,” she said softly.
“We need to take this one d
ay at a time. If you give me a chance, I’ll make sure that for the rest of your life, you’ll never regret your decision. I need you, Becca. I’ve been miserable without you. I don’t want to be without you another day. I want to be the one putting your book boyfriends to shame.”
I absolutely stunned Becca. I think I got her when I talked about her book boyfriends. She not only froze in place, but her eyes were dancing widely and her lips slightly parted. She was positively speechless. When she regained her composure, she threw me totally off guard.
“Take off your pants,” she demanded, her eyes gleaming with an obvious plan in mind. Knowing Becca, it was a devious plan for sure.
“What?” I said, chuckling as I started to step out of my jeans. I enjoyed sex anywhere, and in any position, but not usually on the hard ground. I gave into her order anyway.
“I owe you one.” Biting her bottom lip, she gave me a sexy hot smile. “Time for payback.”
At that moment, I knew she meant to throw me in the pool. I didn’t have time to avoid it, but my reflexes were fast, grabbing onto her robe as she pushed me in, she fell on top of me. I had prepared myself for the freezing water, but in fact, it was rather warm.
Becca screamed, her head emerging from the water, and she wiped the hair out of her face. Thank goodness, we were at the shallow end. The thickness of her robe would have been too heavy for her.
“You deserved that,” I laughed aloud, pulling her closer to me.
Becca’s eyes beamed happily, biting her lips playfully. “Did you mean everything you said?”
“No,” I said without thinking things through.
She tried to pull away, looking hurt, but I wouldn’t release her from my hold. My firecracker was struggling to break free, twisting and pulling. “Hold on. That came out wrong. Yes, I meant every single word I said. I said no because there is so much more I want to say, but I can’t seem to find the words, so I’ll have to show you instead.” Capturing her eyes, I dove in for a slow, lingering kiss. Her arms ran over my chest, around my shoulders, then to my back. Hearing her moan softly excited me, and I wanted more.
After I untied the robe, I slithered my hands inside and realized she was completely naked under it.
I wish I could’ve taken a picture of Matthew’s surprised expression. He had no idea I had been relaxing in the pool totally naked just before he came.
“Becca, you were waiting for me, weren’t you?” How he could say those words and make it sound so sexy, was beyond me.
“You wish,” I teased, surrendering into his hands as they were exploring my body, then peeling the robe off me.
“Yes, you were, and now, I’m going to make it up to you.”
Before I could say a word, his lips pressed to mine as he guided my legs around his waist. Holy shit! His pants were off and he was hard and ready for me.
“When do your parents come home?” he asked between sucking my tongue.
“Oh, my parents. I uh…I lied,” I mumbled, kissing him back.
“My kinky Becca. You’re lucky I can’t spank you under the water, instead I’ll make you suffer some other way.”
What did he mean by that? I didn’t have to wait long, as I soon found out what he meant. With a deep inhale, Matthew went down into the water and next thing I knew, his tongue and lips were between my legs, devouring me. Lord, have mercy! I went completely limp, as I threw my head back.
Rising out of the water, Matthew brought my bottom up, exposing me to the cold breeze, tantalizing my body even more. With my hands anchored to the edge of the pool, my body floated while taking in what Matthew had to offer.
After letting go of my legs, Matthew pressed me into the wall. His eyes filled with desire. “Have you ever done it in the pool, Becca?” he asked, spreading my legs with his knee.
“You would be the first…if I let you,” I flirted.
“Want me to beg? I will, but I’m very good at showing, not asking.”
Matthew dunked himself back under the water. His tongue and lips sucked and teased the hell out of my clit again. Unable to take it anymore, I pulled on his hair to bring him up for air. “You win.”
Breathless, Matthew’s eyes glistened greedily as he positioned his body for me. Mere moments after I parted my legs, he was inside me. It felt tight when he first entered, but after, it just got hotter in the pool. Matthew draped my legs around his waist again and started pumping deeper. I swear I thought we were going to rock out of the pool.
As the water splashed and waved across the pool, I opened my mouth to his lips, feeling myself climax. Oh God! He felt amazing. When he pressed me into the wall again, his arms protecting me from the cement, he gave me all he had.
To answer Matthew’s questions, I had never had sex in the pool before, but yes, oh God, I would do it all over again with him. When his energy had been spent, we continued to embrace each other.
Matthew pulled back and rested his head on mine as he ran his hand through my hair. “Come home with me tonight.” His tone was pleading.
“My flight back home is in three days.”
“You were going to stay away that long?”
Feeling guilty, I nodded. I couldn’t look at him. I was punishing the both of us, because of a misunderstanding. I was afraid to get too close to him, in fear of having my heart broken. It was definitely easier being on the other side and giving advice. It made me think of Jenna.
Matthew tilted my head to meet his eyes. “I can understand why, but don’t ever take off like that again. I was out of my mind, going crazy. I’m ready for us. I don’t want to lose you again.”
“Okay.” I nodded.
“After we get out of this pool, I want you to go inside and pack. Don’t worry about the flight home. I’ll take care of it.”
“Matthew…I couldn’t.”
“It’s on my parents. How do you think I got here?”
“What do you mean?”
“I used my parents’ private jet. Although they don’t know that I took it.” Matthew bit his lip with a frown, looking like a little boy who was about to get in trouble. How could I resist that expression?
“Okay,” I agreed, and Matthew beamed the happiest smile. “But before we go, I have to take the dogs to the pet hotel.”
“Sure. Not a problem.”
Wait ‘til I tell Jenna. Not only will she be stunned that Matthew and I were actually dating, she will flip out when she realizes that I had hid it for this long.
After all the drama, the heartaches, and especially the madness of the lawsuit out of the way, it felt good to get together and celebrate all the upcoming occasions. Becky and I were at the bar first, waiting for Nicole and Kate.
“I’m so glad Max didn’t have to go to court,” Becky said. “Who would’ve thought Ethan would save his ass? This is totally fate. It goes to show you, sometimes miracles do happen to good people.”
“I know. What a relief! I don’t even want to think about the what-ifs.”
“Well, I’m just glad you and Max made up. And you stopped being so stubborn.”
“How about you? Hiding your relationship from me. I can’t believe you didn’t mention one word about Matthew all this time. But I had my hunches.”
“Hunches? What are you talking about?” Becky snorted, taking a sip of her cocktail.
“For starters, you wouldn’t take his calls. And Matthew looked like he was going to lose it when he asked me where you were,” I rebutted. “Now who was the one being stubborn?”
“It was different.”
“I’m just happy for you.”
Becky curled her lips, giving me a dream-like smile. “Sorry. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure what was going on. I promise I’ll talk to you about it all later. I don’t want Kate and Nicole to know just yet. And by the way your package came.”
“Package?”
“You forgot already? Make sure to swing by our apartment before you go to Max’s place. You can try it on him.” Becky arched her brows
.
“Oh!” I said, blushing as I stared down into my drink. “THAT package,” I mumbled, smiling.
Becky turned her head. “Nicole is here.”
“Becky…Jenna.” Nicole squeezed, draping her arms around our shoulders. “Thanks for coming. Did you have your last fitting?”
“Yes, we went together after work.”
“Great. I’m glad you both love the lavender color. I think it’s perfect for a spring wedding. Don’t you?”
“Perfect,” we both agreed. “Let’s go get our table.”
“We can’t get one until we’re all here,” Becky reminded.
“No need to worry. Here comes Kate.” Nicole waved.
“Hey.” Kate smiled, giving us each a tight squeeze. “Sorry it took so long. The lady who was fitting me took forever. She said I lost weight. I was so happy. It’s been so difficult to lose the extra pregnancy weight.”
Nicole waved, letting the waitress know we were all here. After we were seated at our table, we ordered, and soon after, the waitress brought our drinks. “Let’s toast,” Kate said, raising her cup. “Here’s to friendship, Nicole’s wedding in April, Max’s lawsuit being dismissed, and Becky’s new lover, who just happens to be Max’s brother.”
Becky’s eyes grew wide and she lowered her jaw. “How did you—” Becky turned to me. “You told them?” Though she was completely surprised, she wasn’t mad. Thank God!
“I hinted. Although they’re not very good at taking hints,” I lightly scoffed.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Nicole asked. “And to think, we’re supposed to be friends.”
“Just hit my glass, will ya?” Kate demanded.
After the toast, Becky chatted about how her relationship with Matthew began. She didn’t hold anything back; she never did. Talking about relationships and sex came easy for her. It was fun hearing about their hot and steamy encounters and their make up sex in the pool. When she mentioned the private jet, I realized Max never told me about it. Hmmm? Not that it was important.