I beamed under his appraisal and when Xander wasn’t looking he winked at me.
~*~
On Friday Drew came to my apartment and ended up spending the entire weekend with me. He declared Saturday a naked day. It was more fun than I thought it would be. Not only did we cook naked, but we showered together, watched movies, and talked. All while we were naked. I felt like I was getting closer and closer to him, which was both scary and exciting.
We talked a little about work but I was careful not to bring up Xander or keeping our relationship from him. Drew was excited about the town hall project and talked at length about the ideas he and Xander had come up with in the few days since our meeting.
I wanted to get more involved in the project, but I wasn’t sure how to bring it up again. Working on something like town hall was meaningful. The opportunity to be involved excited me.
If only I had the chance.
On Tuesday I begged off a night with Drew so I could see my friends. I thought he was going to ask to come with me, but he didn’t. I was disappointed but reminded myself we weren’t in a relationship. We were sleeping together, not falling in love.
Definitely not falling in love.
When I got to Bite Me! I was shocked to see I’d actually made it there before Mandy and Lexi. With my cupcakes and drink in hand I sat next to Riley and winked at Connor. I wasn’t sure about him at first, but Connor loved Riley and after I smacked him, literally, on their wedding day, we got along really well.
“Someone looks happy,” Sam teased me.
“Who me? What’s not to be happy about?”
Riley gave me a confused look and everyone else agreed with my statement. “Are you seeing someone new?” Sam asked, always ready to pry for information.
I laughed. “Not a chance. I’m just in a good mood.”
“Ugh, I feel like shit. I’m PMSing something fierce,” Claire said from across the table. “Can I borrow some of your happy?”
I laughed. “I’d share if I could. I thought you were on some new birth control that would limit your periods.”
“Yeah, but this is my month to have one. It sucks. I can’t wait for menopause.”
“Don’t you want kids?” I asked before I could stop myself. Sometimes I forgot there were people who didn’t want kids as much as I did. Especially people who were married. I’d have a dozen kids if I was married. Well, maybe not a dozen but definitely a few.
Claire wrinkled her nose. “We haven’t decided yet. I’m almost 30 so we have time, but we’re having too much fun just us. Is it bad to say that?”
Riley shook her head. “I know what you mean. We’ve have talked about it but we’re just not there yet. Kids aren’t something we’re going to tackle for a few years.”
“Yeah, but they’ve been married two years,” I argued, not really thinking.
“Not everyone wants kids as badly as you do, Carrie,” Addi teased. “We’re still trying, but haven’t had any luck. Although trying is fun.”
“I don’t think we’ll ever have kids,” Sam said quietly. “Brady is so afraid of screwing them up. He thinks he’ll end up like his dad and is afraid to turn into someone he doesn’t want to be.”
“Brady’s awesome though,” Addi jumped in. She was a member of Brady’s gym before Sam and Brady got together but had never really talked to him. Addi was thrilled when they got together.
“I know,” Sam agreed, “but he’s worried. I keep telling him he’s not going to be like his dad was but he argues constantly. Plus, he believes his dad wasn’t as bad before his mom died. He worries if something happens to me he’ll fall into the same grief spiral and take it out on the kid just like his dad did.”
“The rest of us wouldn’t let that happen,” Connor said. “Brady’s big, but I’m pretty sure if the rest of us ganged up on him we could take him.”
We all promised Sam we’d sit on Brady if need be, until he got his head out of his ass.
“Gee, I’m glad no one is worried about me dying,” she said dramatically.
“Nope. We don’t care about you, just your non-existent kids,” Addi teased. Sam shoved her but Joey caught her and snuggled her against his chest. They shared a sweet kiss that I couldn’t help but watch. I wanted that. Someone who would be there for me and share stolen kisses with, but in front of everyone.
I couldn’t let it get to me. I’d wondered if my weight was part of the reason we hadn’t gone public, but I doubted that. Drew never seemed to have a problem with my size when we were alone. He’d run his hands over my curves and his eyes would heat up.
We were having fun. It didn’t matter if he only wanted a fling, or if he wanted to keep it between the two of us. That’s all I was after, too. It’s not like a guy who told me I was his rebound was going to turn into the man of my dreams.
Mandy finally arrived followed closely by Lexi. Mike was working late which explained his absence but Claire asked where Xander was. I’d thought he was meeting us, too.
“Apparently Drew begged him to go out for a beer,” Mandy said with a shake of her head. “He said he wasn’t ready to go home alone just yet and invited Xander out. He felt bad for him so he agreed. God, I just feel so bad for Drew. He can’t even go home. That bitch of an ex lived there with him. She made him buy the condo he lives in. Xander thinks it’s coming up on six months since she walked out. He said Drew’s been acting weird around the office, too. Have you noticed anything Carrie?”
I coughed and laughed at the same time, then choked. “What would I have noticed?”
“Well, you do work for him. Is he acting funny?”
“No, uh, I don’t think so. I mean I don’t spend much time with him so I don’t think I would have, uh, you know, noticed anything.”
“Why are you acting so weird?” Riley asked me.
“Me?!? I’m not acting weird.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Shit! Why did Mandy put me on the spot? What was I supposed to say? No, Drew wasn’t upset about his ex because I was screwing her memory out of him. Somehow I think that would have gotten back to Xander.
Addi changed the subject to Mandy’s baby progress and everyone got lost in that topic. While they talked about the upcoming tests Mandy was going to have to go through and preparations for the baby I silently vowed not to say anything else. Sam and Riley were still giving me funny looks and I knew if I kept it up they were going to figure something out.
I realized it was my lucky night when Connor and Riley said they needed to head out early. Mandy agreed, saying she was tired. Lexi was with them, wanting to go home and see Mike. The rest of us cleaned up for Charlie then were out the door without much more discussion.
Sam walked out to the parking lot with me. “Are you okay?” she asked when the others were far enough away.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Do you have a crush on your new boss?”
“No, of course not,” I lied like an expert.
“Hmm. You got pretty flustered when Mandy brought him up.”
I shook my head and laughed. “No. I just felt like I was missing something and felt bad that I couldn’t help Mandy figure it out. Like I said, I don’t see Drew much.”
“Okay. If you’re sure,” she said, sounding reluctant to let it go.
“I’m sure. Go home to your sexy guy. I’ll see you soon.”
Mentioning Brady perked Sam up and she grinned like a fool before nodding and rushing off to her car. Some people were just too easy.
I drove home wondering if Sam was going to figure me out. She’d had her share of hook-ups before Brady and the last one was pretty bad. If she knew Drew and I were seeing each other secretly she would lose it.
She’d also probably send Brady to kick Drew’s ass.
When I pulled into my complex I was envisioning the fight Drew and Brady would have. I wondered if Drew would even challenge Brady once he found out the reason for the fight. Drew seemed like the kind of guy who would fight, but I didn’t think he�
�d fight for me. He could easily find someone else to heal his wounds.
I stopped to check my mail then parked outside my building. I wasn’t looking forward to a long night home alone, but I wasn’t about to be the needy girl who called the guy to come over. I wasn’t that desperate and I didn’t want him to think I was.
Inside I changed into my sweats and grabbed a tub of ice cream from the fridge. I thought about getting the tequila too but figured that was a bad idea since I had to work in the morning. On my way to the couch there was a knock on the door.
Armed with my spoon and a nearly full carton on ice cream I answered the door warily, wondering who would be at my apartment so late. I dreaded thinking it would be Riley asking questions.
When I opened the door shocked didn’t even start to enter my brain. I was floored. Astonished. Flabbergasted. “What are you doing here?”
He gave me that half-grin he only used when he was really amused by something. His gaze drifted over my sweats and settled on the ice cream in my hand. “I was hungry for some ice cream,” Drew said in that deep, smooth voice. “That and I didn’t want to go home without you.”
My heart melted just a little bit. He didn’t smell like he was drunk, in fact he smelled a little spicy and totally sexy. That meant he was just there for me. Even better, he wasn’t turned off by my sweats.
I looked down at my ice cream and back up at him then nodded. “I guess I can share. But you’re getting your own spoon,” I teased, not commenting on the other part.
Drew stepped past me into the apartment and kicked the door closed behind him and flicked the lock. He grabbed the tub and spoon from my hand and set them on the table next to the door. I opened my mouth to argue but his covered it.
I loved his hard and demanding kisses, but soft ones made my heart melt. As his lips teased mine to open for him I let out a content sigh and let my arms slide around his neck. He tasted faintly of tequila and a bit of something hot. When his tongue glided over mine I couldn’t stop the moan that slipped from my throat.
He rocked into me, his erection already pulsing in his jeans. The man could get me hot in seconds. I’d already forgotten about my ice cream. Not willing to wait anymore, I grabbed his shirt and tugged him toward the bedroom. He eagerly followed me, stripping both of us as we went.
His shirt went first, followed by my tank top. He kicked off his shoes in opposite directions then tugged my sweats and panties down in one motion, lifting me to get my feet free. He nudged my legs to wrap around him and I wondered just how strong he was if he could carry my husky ass across the room.
Covered in kisses, Drew shuffled to my bedroom and went straight for the bed. He shoved a pillow out of the way and laid me back on the bed, keeping me at the edge. He stepped out of his jeans and boxer briefs and his erection sprung out between us, brushing against me just enough to make my body lurch.
Drew groaned. “Fuck you feel so good. I can’t get over how beautiful you are and how good you feel. I couldn’t go home without you. I had to feel you, to touch you, to taste you.”
He leaned down and took one of my nipples in his mouth, sending a lightning bolt straight through me. I clasped his head to me, watching his lips on my skin, the pink of his mouth against my pale skin. My fingers speared through his dark hair, the contrast almost shocking. I wanted him to kiss me everywhere at the same time. I wanted him to never stop.
“God, you taste so good. Like strawberries and softness. I could kiss you forever.”
As his lips trailed lower and lower I tried not to think about his words. Forever? He could kiss me forever? It was just something to say. He didn’t mean it. Drew didn’t want forever with me. He barely even wanted now.
His tongue slid over me and focused on the center of all my nerves. All thoughts disappeared when he slid his thick fingers into me and quickly brought me to climax. He was becoming an expert at manipulating my body, making me come hard and fast. As I slid back to reality he slid into me, thick and full and hard. Our bodies met and my eyes rolled back in my head.
“Fuck you taste good. I love it when you come on my tongue. Now I need you to come on my cock,” he groaned with a deep thrust. “I haven’t put on a condom yet. I needed to feel you on my bare skin.”
“I’m on the pill, Drew.”
He froze and stared at me. I should have known better than to think he would go for that.
“I was tested after Brandi left. I haven’t been with anyone since. Except you. I’m clean.”
A lump lodged in my throat, threatening to cut off my air. I don’t know why I expected him to have been with a bunch of women since Brandi left, but it made me feel like I was special that I was the only one.
“I’m good too. I was tested a while ago but haven’t been with anyone in over a year.”
Drew lifted my feet and wrapped them around his hips, silently accepting the change in our situation. My fingers traced the lines on his tattoo and I watched as his eyes softened. He watched me intently, the blend of my skin and his, stained dark by the ink of his tattoos.
“Tell me about them,” I said softly, wanting to know why he marked himself and just wanting to know about him.
His eyes flashed with uncertainty before he glanced away. Instead of answering me he thrust into me, focusing my attention on his body inside mine instead of the marks outside his.
Drew reached for my hands and pulled them away from his skin. He wrapped our fingers together and leaned over me, using my hands to support his weight. The shift inside me was enough to send my body spiraling toward the edge. “There we go, baby. Damn you feel good. Oh, Jesus.”
I loved it when Drew talked dirty, but even more when he couldn’t speak at all. Words failed him as our bodies came together over and over again. Incoherent blathering was all that came from him and within seconds my body was pulled tighter than a slingshot. Drew bellowed my name and slammed into me, snapping what was left holding me tight.
My body flailed uncontrollably beneath him. I could feel Drew inside me, throbbing, then shooting into me. It made me come even harder, knowing he felt different and loving the sensation.
My arms gave out and Drew collapsed on top of me. His head rested between my breasts and he kissed my skin, murmuring words I couldn’t hear. When he had enough strength to get up he slid out of me but he didn’t leave. He stared at me from above, his face hovering just inches from mine.
“I’ve never done that before, Carrie. You’re safe. I always wore a condom, even with Brandi. I wouldn’t risk getting you sick.”
I nodded, unable to speak around the lump in my throat. It was the first time I’d ever had sex without a condom too, but I wasn’t sure what that meant.
To either of us.
Twelve
Drew went into the kitchen and got a snack, in his naked gloriousness. I cleaned up and was going to join him before he left but found him in my bed. “What are you doing?” I asked as he slid under the covers.
“You don’t want me to stay?” he asked, sounding hurt.
“No, it’s fine. You’ve never stayed on a weeknight before.”
He shrugged. “I’m not ready to leave you just yet. If you don’t want me here I can go.”
“I love having you here. I’m just a little surprised, that’s all.”
I climbed under the covers with him after making sure the door was locked and all the lights were off. I threw away my melted tub of ice cream and made a mental note to get more. Drew pulled me close to him, kissing my forehead and tangling our legs together with our bodies pressed against each other.
In the darkness was where we talked. We could share without judgement when the lights were out. We could pretend there wasn’t anyone there to hear the confessions of our hearts when it was dark. And that’s what Drew did when the lights went out. He confessed.
“My first tattoo was something I did because I thought it would be cool. In college I was a complete nerd. Xander was always trying to get me to have more fun b
ut I was focused on doing well. My mom worked so hard to get me a chance at college and I wasn’t going to screw it up. Once I finished college, with honors, I was proud of what I’d done, but I wanted a chance to be crazy, so I got a tattoo.”
“Which one?”
He laughed. “The tribal band on my arm. I thought it looked badass and I was anything but. I was a beanpole. I looked like a pretty typical engineer. Getting that tattoo was my way of saying there was more to me than I looked.”
I could relate to that feeling. All my life people had judged me based on my appearance. Being husky was more of a problem than being a beanpole, but I could understand Drew wanting to show he wasn’t just a scrawny kid with nothing more than a brain to offer.
“Xander helped me after college. We started working out together and I filled out. The band looks a bit more badass now.” I laughed. “I added to it because I liked the sharp lines and the look. The design is something I actually drew myself, shapes I found myself repeating over and over again whenever I would draw on a sheet of paper. It’s a way for me to remind myself how hard I worked to get to where I am.”
“It’s beautiful,” I told him, remembering the black ink all over his arms. I didn’t want to say anything else or ask about the others in case he wasn’t ready to talk about them.
“The compass on my arm I got a few years ago. After Mandy and Xander met I knew the people we’d thought of as friends could easily turn out to be something other than that. The compass points to me to remind myself I am my own True North. Getting caught up in someone else isn’t going to get me to where I want to go, only I can do that.”
“That’s very profound. I didn’t realize you were so deep.”
Drew laughed and the sound vibrated through me. He held me closer and kissed my hair. “Yeah, I guess I don’t let a lot of people see past the front. I’ve always struggled with that. I feel like if I let someone in they’ll leave me, like my dad did. My mom’s been my only family forever, and Xander too, but anyone else I worry about when it’s over. Maybe you won’t like who I am underneath the tattoos and the brain.”
Husky & Hot Page 11