21 (The List Series)

by Rhonda James

  “I could get used to that,” he hummed. “I want you to come sing with me this Saturday.”

  “Really? I would be honored to sing with you,” I whispered, sighing when reality crept back in, reminding what day that was. “Saturday’s my birthday.”

  “Yeah, I know,” he whispered back and tightened his grip on my thighs, neither of us addressing the elephant in the room.

  But it was clear we were both very much aware of its presence.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and zeroed in on his hands, afraid to look at him for fear I might start crying. He has nice hands, my inner voice babbled, trying her best to distract my rapidly beating heart. Focus on his hands, not his eyes. His eyes will suck you in, she kept going. Bless her heart. While she meant well, her advice made it nearly impossible for me not to look.

  “Look at me, V,” he encouraged.

  “I can’t,” I admitted, my voice strained from the lump still stuck in my throat. He tipped my chin with his finger until my gaze was level with his. Tears stained my lashes, spilling down on my cheeks when I finally stopped trying to hold them back. What was the use in pretending I wasn’t affected by what that date represented? It was my birthday. It was supposed to represent a new beginning, but I couldn’t help feeling that what it really represented was the end of the best relationship I’d ever been a part of—if you could even call it that.

  That’s what I was going to call it because that’s what it felt like to me. And really, that’s all that mattered in the end.

  “Tell me why you’re crying. Does it have to do with you leaving? If that’s the case, you don’t have to go anywhere. Stay. Be with me.”

  “What’s the point? We’ll be done with the list by then and—”

  “Don’t you get it? It’s no longer just about the list. We’ll take it one day at a time. Stay because you want to be with me. Stay because I want you to stay. Because I need you here with me.”

  His lips crashed into mine, claiming me as his own. His tongue brushed against mine as his fingers tangled in my hair, drawing me closer. He used his hand to sweep my hair aside to drop slow and torturous kisses all the way down my neck and across my shoulder. I writhed on the counter, fighting to get closer, as his lips found their way back to mine and we went another round.

  “I have to tell you something. Michael texted me this morning.”

  His blue eyes darkened and he stepped back, scowling. “What’d the text say?”

  Rather than answer, I opened the message and handed him my phone. He stared at the screen until his mouth flattened into a thin line and he slammed the phone down on the counter with enough force to crack the screen—thankfully, it survived.

  His nostrils flared when he spoke again. “What are you going to tell him?”

  “I don’t know,” I floundered. “I wasn’t planning on responding. I don’t care about Michael anymore. This whole experience has changed me. More than I ever thought possible. I have you to thank for that.” I tugged at the front of his shirt until he gave me a smile and stepped back into my arms.

  Nuzzling his lips against my cheek, he whispered, “You’re not the only one who’s changed.”

  CHAPTER 23

  SIN

  By the time Friday rolled around, it was as if someone had thrown a wet blanket over the house. Coffee didn’t taste the same. The mood around the kitchen table was less than enthusiastic. Even Styx was quiet and barely touched his food—and that never happened.

  “Man, this blows,” he exclaimed and threw his fork down on the table. “We need to get out of this house and do something instead of all this moping around.”

  “I agree with Styx,” V announced, winking at him from across the table. “It’s not as if I’m leaving forever. I’ll be back before the summer’s over,” she stated as her gaze met mine. “It’s a beautiful day out there.”

  “We could hang out at the beach and surf. I haven’t spent nearly enough time in the water this summer,” J.T. said.

  V cocked her head and smiled. “I didn’t know you were a surfer.”

  “Oh yeah. Our boy J.T. is like a wave whisperer.” Hawk jumped and mimicked riding a wave. “When he’s on his board, he’s completely in tune with the water and becomes one with the wave. It’s a beautiful thing. He could have gone pro.”

  “Then I definitely don’t want to miss that.” She laughed.

  “You’re a freak.” J.T. rolled his eyes, while V continued laughing. “Don’t believe a word this asshole says.”

  “To the beach!” I shouted.

  “To the beach,” they repeated in unison.

  On our way out the door V slipped her arm through J.T.’s. “I hope you know I’m expecting a lesson.”

  He kissed the top of her head and laughed. “You’re on.”

  “Now this I gotta see!” Hawk whooped.

  We spent the morning swimming and lying in the sun. J.T. showed off his board skills and even tried teaching V how to do a proper pop-up—by her tenth try, she’d successfully achieved it, only to be knocked off by a wave. Hawk and Styx played a game of Frisbee, while I soaked up every second I had left with V.

  I’d never felt this was about a girl. She consumed my every thought and something inside told me that wasn’t about to change anytime soon. Her leaving would only make it worse. I wanted to beg her to stay. Spend the rest of the summer exactly like this. Lying in the sun all day and making love all night.

  “There’s someplace I want to take you,” I told her as our kiss broke.

  “Where is it?”

  “Only a short walk from here.” I stood and pulled her up.

  “Should I change?” She glanced down at the bikini she was wearing.

  “You’re dressed perfectly.” I gave her hand a yank. “Come on, we’re going to go cross off # 7 and 11.”

  ***

  “I can’t believe you did that.” She smiled as she stared down at the latest addition to the ink that decorated my arm.

  After my mom died, I had some work done on my forearm, and part of that piece included a black heart with a gaping hole in the center. Today, I had Nick, the tattoo artist, fill that void with the letter V.

  “Every tattoo I’ve gotten represents something significant in my life.” I reached for her hand. “Something that changed me forever.”

  “Oh,” she whispered in understanding. “You made it my favorite color.”

  I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Uh huh.”

  She held her finger a few inches above the fresh ink and traced the letter, peering up at me after she finished. “Will it hurt?”

  I pointed to the piercing she’d just had done on her nose. “Did that hurt?”

  “Surprisingly, no.”

  “Well, the design you’ve chosen is small, but the area of placement may be more sensitive than other parts of your body,” Nick informed her.

  “You sure you want to go through with it? If you’re scared, we can leave now and try again another time.” I curled my hand around her nape and drew her in for a kiss. “I won’t even give you a hard time about it—Hawk definitely will, but I won’t.”

  “Shut up,” she laughed. “I’m not chickening out. I’m ready.”

  Nick took a seat on his stool and patted the chair before him. “Then hop in the chair and let’s get started.”

  Once he’d prepped the area and the transfer was positioned, he pressed his foot on the pedal, and the gun roared to life.

  I snagged another stool and sat at V’s head. I held her hand—she actually squeezed mine—and talked her through it. I kissed her when she quietly requested it and did my best to make her smile until the gun went silent and Nick started cleaning her up.

  “Take a look and see if you like it before I wrap it up. I just want to make sure you’re satisfied before I send you out that door.” He handed V a mirror, and she studied the finished piece.

  Just below her bikini line—right above my most favorite place on earth—Nick had tattoo
ed a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie.

  Fuck. Me. Dead.

  “I freaking love it!” she finally exclaimed before turning to see my reaction. “What about you? Is it okay? Do you like it?”

  Did she just ask me if I liked it? Like wasn’t a strong enough word. I fucking loved it. I wanted to tell Nick to leave, so I could go down on her and show her just how much I fucking loved it. I wanted… I wanted…

  Goddammit. Now I wanted a chocolate chip cookie.

  CHAPTER 24

  V

  I rolled over and opened my eyes slowly, allowing them to adjust to the early morning light that filtered through the curtains. I remained still and listened to the soothing sound of raindrops hitting the metal roof. Plink. Plink. Plink. Far off in the distance, thunder boomed, and Sin stirred in his sleep. Today was my birthday, and tomorrow morning, I’d be leaving. Heading back home to South Carolina. Home… A month ago, when my world had fallen apart, home was where I sought comfort. But that wasn’t the case any longer. I’d found my comfort here, with Sin, and the thought of leaving him—maybe losing him—scared me to death. I nestled against his warm body, playing over the events of yesterday in my head. The beach. The tattoo. The lovemaking.

  Despite the temptation to stay in bed, I needed to use the bathroom. It took a bit of effort, but I managed to disengage myself from his hold and pad naked to the adjoining bathroom, feeling grateful the guys had given me this room; otherwise, I would have had to throw on clothes.

  Once I finished, I washed my hands and checked my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess and I had dark circles under my eyes from the lack of a good night’s sleep. Other than that, I didn’t look any older. I didn’t feel any older either, though my muscles were a touch sore from all the sex. God, the sex! So. Much. Sex. I ran my fingers through my hair to comb out the knots then ran some lip balm over my lips. I smoothed my fingers over the bandage that covered my tattoo. From what I could tell, the skin around the tattoo was a little red and raised but not painful to the touch. I still couldn’t believe I’d done it, but the look on Sin’s face had been totally worth the pain. He’d been so excited to get me out of that tattoo parlor that he’d carried me all the way home and then proceeded to ‘eat my cookie’ until I nearly passed out from all the pleasure he’d given me. Who knew eating cookies could be so much fun?

  I switched off the light and stepped back into the room. Sin was still asleep, and I paused in the doorway to watch the quiet rise and fall of his chest. He was lying spread eagled on his back. The top sheet had been pushed down to his waist, leaving his ink on full display. Despite having intimate knowledge of each piece, I allowed myself a moment to quietly appreciate his beauty.

  “I love you,” I whispered, mostly to myself.

  Funny how four weeks could change everything. I hadn’t intended for any of this to happen, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. The man lying in that bed had introduced me to a side of myself I’d never known existed. He’d taught me so many things about myself. Who I was. Who I wanted to become. What I wanted out of life. I had the list to thank for that. The list and a man named Sin.

  I gazed around the room until I spotted his phone lying on the nightstand. We’d been listening to music before we fell asleep. He must have turned it off sometime during the night. I punched in the security code he’d given me and scrolled through his extensive collection of music. Once I found the song I was looking for, I set it to repeat and placed the phone back on the table, next to the unopened condom packet we’d never got around to using because I’d fallen asleep after he… Never mind.

  The music started to play, and soon Joshua Radin’s voice filled the quiet space of the room. I loved this song. Sin had introduced it to me last week, and I’d been surprised to find it on his favorites playlist. When I’d questioned him about it, he informed me that his mom used to listen to Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, so growing up, he’d developed a fondness for songs that were soulful and bluesy.

  I took care to turn down the volume so as to not wake the others, but it still had the desired effect I’d been hoping for because Sin cracked open an eye and a warm smile filled his sleepy face as he took in my nakedness. I moved my hips to the bluesy rhythm of the music. He watched while I danced, slow and sultry, just for him, quietly singing the words of the chorus. I swept my hair up in one hand, rolling my shoulders from side to side as my breasts swayed in time to the music. Sin’s smile turned downright devious when he crooked a finger at me, beckoning me to join him in our warm bed.

  I approached slowly, the ache between my legs increasing with the intensity of his heated gaze. By the time my knees finally grazed the edge of the bed, Sin had waited long enough. He stretched out his arm, grabbing me by the waist to pull me on top of him. The weight of his desire pressed painfully between my legs, turning the ache into full-blown desire. He fused his mouth to mine in a kiss filled with so much passion…so much need…our tongues mingled in time with the music. Twisting. Flicking. Sucking. He ripped his mouth away, resting his forehead against mine. Our chests heaved, working to replenish all the oxygen we’d lost in that kiss.

  He traced the corner of my mouth with his thumb as his breathing evened out. “I love this fucking mouth,” he growled before coming back for more.

  I rolled my hips, craving the friction against my aching clit, while he nibbled and teased my lips. He rolled, pinning me beneath his warm body, then rocked his arousal between my legs again and again as my orgasm started building.

  “More. I need more,” I begged shamelessly.

  Before meeting Sin, I’d never been bold or demanding in bed. I’d always taken what was given. Never asking for what I wanted. What I needed. In a short amount of time, he’d helped me discover what it took to pleasure me, and then he’d shown me what it was like to reach an orgasm during sex as opposed to achieving one on my own.

  I’d lost count of the number of orgasm he’d given me.

  He flipped onto his back and positioned me so my ass rested on his taut stomach, placing my pussy on full display for him to admire.

  He rolled my clit between his thumb and forefinger, while I moaned and rubbed the cleft of my ass over his cock. “I’m going to miss this tight little pussy.” He knew I loved the dirty talk.

  His hand worked diligently, pinching and flicking the sensitive nub with just the right amount of pressure, stopping only when my jaw went slack and a moan escaped my trembling lips.

  He knew exactly what I needed. It was always this way between us. He’d been with me all of three weeks but seemed to be more in tune with my body than I’d ever been.

  “Right there. Yes. Yes!” I fell forward, resting my cheek on his chest, panting as the orgasm ripped through me. My whole body twitched with each rippling wave that passed through my body.

  When my breathing slowed, he lifted my chin until I got lost in the blue sea of his eye. “You okay, baby?”

  “Mmm. Better than okay.” I smoothed a hand over his hip, stopping only when my fingers closed around his rigid cock. His skin was warm with arousal, and a smile filled his beautiful face when I stroked the length of him, taking care to tease the frenulum with the pads of my fingers. The muscles in his stomach were taut with desire. I traced a finger through the divots that separated each hardened plane.

  “You’ve got this on repeat?” he acknowledged after the song started playing for the fourth time.

  “It’s a great song,” I answered, still teasing the head of his penis.

  “That it is.” He reached behind him and pulled back the last remaining condom packet. We’d gone through an entire box in three weeks. A JUMBO box.

  “It’s also a great song for fucking.” He tore open the wrapper with his teeth, his eyes never leaving mine as he rolled the condom down his length. “All those sensual beats are perfect for delivering slow, deep strokes.”

  I felt the tip of his cock nudge against my opening, and the chorus started back up as I took in every last inch
of him. When he was fully seated, I leaned forward, allowing my body to adjust to him in this position. My muscles relaxed, and I began rocking, slowly at first, keeping in rhythm with the sensual sounds of the music, while Sin serenaded me.

  “That’s it,” he encouraged once I picked up the pace. His eyes closed on a long, drawn-out moan. “Fuck, baby. You feel so good.” I pulled up until only the tip of his penis was left inside me, and then I slammed down against him until he bottomed out. His eyes popped open and he growled, “Do that again.”

  “Like this?” I repeated the motion while reaching behind me to cup his balls in one hand.

  “Goddamn you, woman. What are you doing to me?” His voice was thick with desire, eyes full of lust.

  “What am I doing right now?” I teased and lowered my lips to his. “Right now, I’m kissing you.” I caressed my tongue over the seam of his lips until they parted, granting me access to tease and explore. His hands gripped at my ass, drawing me tighter against him as he drove deep inside me. “And now you’re fucking me, hard, and I love it. So. Very. Much.”

  Resting my palms against him for leverage, I quickened my pace, bouncing so fast our bodies slapped together in a heated frenzy. Desire pooled behind his eyes as he watched the rise and fall of my breasts. He brought his thumbs to his lips and licked each pad before brushing them over a hardened peak.

  His face tightened, and I could sense his impending orgasm. “Are you close?”

  His ringed fingers clasped around my throat as he drove deeper, marking me as his. He had no idea I’d been his since that night in backseat of my car, the night he’d given me my first real orgasm. He sat up, and we were face-to-face, our stomachs touching.

  He dipped his head until the tip of his tongue teased my nipple, sending direct signals to my swollen clit. My fingers tangled in his hair as I pleaded with him to keep going. “Oh, God. Yes, Sin. I’m so close. Don’t stop.”

  “No,” he whispered, raising his face to meet mine. I looked at him quizzically, not understanding. His large hand cupped my face as his thumb stroked a path across my cheek. “Everywhere else, I’m Sin, but right here, when I’m lost inside you, I’m just Dylan. Okay?” His eyes darted back and forth as I nodded my response, unable to speak as the orgasm rippled through both of us.