Finding Destiny

by Christa Simpson

  Destiny dropped her hand onto his, responding to his reaction, and mouthed: I’m sorry. It had caught him off guard and their eyes connected for a timeless moment. He had felt exposed, but also like he was being reckless with his heart. It felt like he had given her a glimpse into his soul. Then she abruptly pulled her hand away like she had been electrocuted.

  Why was she so afraid to touch him… to let him in? He knew he was a pretty big guy, but he didn’t think he had given off the impression that he was mean or scary.

  Skylar plowed on, as if he hadn’t just shared a slice of himself with the girl. “50/50,” he stated, to answer Natalie’s superficial question. “We come up here as often as we can, but it’s been tough for the both of us to find the time lately.” Skylar turned to Destiny, eager to hear her pristine voice enter the conversation. “What about you? How did you manage to get away from work?”

  “Hah!” Natalie laughed.

  “Nat, please.”

  “Alright,” she answered. But she continued to wear that smug expression on her face. There was something about that girl that irked him. But if it meant being in the same vicinity as Destiny, then he would put up with the aggravation for a thousand years.

  “I’m not sure I get what’s going on here.” Skylar smirked, but he was afraid that he had stepped into a mine field.

  “What Natalie is not so delicately suggesting is that I had no trouble getting away from work.”

  “Oh. I see,” Skylar answered, sure he had read the situation correctly. “You’re a daddy’s girl.” Her pale perfection made her look unspoiled, like she had been well-preserved. That had to be it. She must have been in the family business.

  “Absolutely not!” Destiny shouted. “The only thing my father ever gave me was a reason to avoid men. He’s an alcoholic and he spent all of my college savings on booze. I’m not a freeloader, and I am not a daddy’s girl.”

  Matty was right. She is a firecracker. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to upset you.” He felt like he had to redeem himself. The last thing he wanted to do was turn her against him. “I just figured that if you were able to get away from work so easily, you must work with family.”

  “Oh.” Destiny blushed, recognizing her overreaction.

  Even though Skylar felt like an ass for making her feel that way, he loved watching the warm color splash across her soft, white cheeks. And he couldn’t help but smile at her.

  “I lost my job,” she admitted, pressing her eyes shut.

  He hadn’t asked her to elaborate any further, but he was glad that she did.

  “I loved my job and I was damn good at it, but I was laid off last week. Apparently quality has nothing to do with it. Seniority ruled and I got cut. It’s not exactly fair, but what can you do?”

  When she looked up at him, Skylar nodded and smiled, knowing she didn’t actually expect an answer from him. He loved watching her, with her emotions exposed on her sleeves. He even liked the fact that she was unemployed and had a dysfunctional family. But it didn’t knock her down a single notch. He still wanted her.

  After an embarrassing exchange of too much information, Destiny was relieved to hear that the headboard had finally stopped banging off the wall. It wasn’t very long after that when Felicia and Matty rejoined them, both with mischievous smiles on their faces.

  Matty glanced at Felicia like she was a tasty treat that he had yet to sample. “Felicia and I have to go out for a few things. Can we get you guys anything?”

  Natalie shuffled awkwardly to her feet, knocking the peas onto the old, untreated floorboards. “Yeah. My truck.”

  Destiny watched how Natalie favored the wrong ankle. “Are you sure you should be standing on that?” It was supposed to be more of a tease, but Natalie didn’t get it.

  Skylar smiled and glanced at the floor, having read Destiny’s sarcasm like it were written in his own baby book.

  “I just want to get my truck and get this weekend back on track. This was supposed to be our weekend, remember? And now all this has happened.”

  The truth was that Natalie was only upset because there were two men there and not a single one of them were giving her the time of day.

  “Quit being such a party pooper. Matty says we can stay as long as we like.” Felicia gave Matty a naughty eye that said she would be happy to lock herself back in that bedroom with him for another round.

  “Well, I’m going,” Natalie insisted, turning her attention to Matty. “Skylar said you can fix my truck. Will you?”

  Matty shrugged his shoulders, as Natalie pulled on her puffy white jacket. “I can certainly have a look. Trouble is, I only have my truck here. It’ll only fit three of us.” Then he glanced at Felicia. “Unless you want to sit on my lap, doll.”

  Felicia smiled, but everyone else cringed. Those two were a perfect match for each other.

  Destiny stood from the sofa. “Do you really think we could all fit?”

  When Skylar mirrored her stance, she turned to face him. She could tell he had something important to say. She stared at his lips, just waiting for him to stop her. But she worried that he didn’t have it in him.

  Skylar didn’t know why his pulse was now throbbing in his throat, but there was no way he could let Destiny walk out on him already. They had only just met. When she had stood from her seat, a sudden stab of realization had washed over him. He had to think of something quick.

  “You should stay.”

  His offer had been charming, his voice soft, and the fact that he hadn’t heard the word no on her breath gave him hope.

  “I don’t know,” she answered, after a slight hesitation. The look on her face suggested she was unsure of what he was offering. “I don’t know,” she repeated, like she was overthinking it. “Nat, you probably need a doctor. I can come with you.”

  Skylar knew that was an outright lie. What was she so scared of?

  Matty stole Destiny’s attention. “Sorry to break it to you, Dee, but the nearest doctor is close to an hour away.” He turned toward Natalie to inform her of the situation, saving Skylar the trouble. “If it’s a doctor you need, Skylar’s the best alternative you’ve got. You’re better off lifting that foot up and taking it easy.”

  “That’s fine. I can do that at the spa we paid a small fortune to visit. It was non-refundable, by the way.” Natalie ignored Felicia’s disappointment, and glanced at Destiny as she zipped up her jacket. “If Felicia’s coming back out here, then you might as well hang out for a while.”

  “Are you sure, Nat?”

  “Yessss!” she stated, dramatically. “I’ll catch up with you guys later. You will be okay out here on your own, right?”

  Skylar saw Destiny gulp when her eyes reached his. She would be very okay out there, if Skylar had anything to do with it. He raised his eyebrows in question. But he really wanted her to stay.

  She turned back to Natalie. “I’ll be fine.”

  A dragon took flight in Skylar’s chest from what her agreement insinuated. She wanted him just like he wanted her. With that knowledge, he grew more brave and moved closer to her.

  He draped his arm over Destiny’s shoulder. “I’ll take good care of her.”

  When Destiny leaned back to peer up at him, he caught his first glimpse of her angelic smile up close. Oh, God. Those lips. His gaze snared hers and he could see her innocence melting away. He wet his lips with a lick of his tongue, overcome with a desire to take her mouth against his. Her soft smile never left those perfect pink lips, telling him exactly what he needed to know. She liked what she saw.

  “Let’s leave those two love birds alone,” Matty teased. “Come on, ladies. Your chariot awaits.”

  They all shuffled outside, leaving Destiny and Skylar very alone, his arm still carefully strung across her back.

  Cutting the silence, and escaping the closeness that left him aching to touch her, Skylar retrieved his arm and headed for the kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink? Sorry I didn’t think to ask you sooner. I
must have left my manners back at home. They don’t come in real handy around those guys.”

  He watched Destiny swallow again. “I can imagine.”

  Skylar pulled a couple of beers from the fridge and returned to the living room. “I don’t suppose you drink beer.” He twisted the top off the bottle and handed it to her.

  “Not really, but I could use one right about now.”

  He chuckled as he twisted the cap off his own bottle and snapped the lid across the room. “Sorry. Old habits die hard.” He drew a long, slow gulp from the bottle, and he caught her watching his mouth.

  “It’s fine. This is your place. You can do whatever you want in it.”

  That suggestion gave him unwholesome thoughts. He planned on finding out whether she would make good on that promise.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Destiny couldn’t believe the sudden change of events. Why had she agreed to stay with this man?

  Then Skylar smiled, and that simple gesture instantly reminded her why. “If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, you only have to ask me to stop.”

  It was like he had answered her unspoken question, but she was more worried about who would stop her. Destiny couldn’t believe that she had fallen head over heels for this man who she hardly even knew. Funny, though: she couldn’t imagine anything he could do that she wouldn’t want him to do to her. In fact, she couldn’t stop thinking about how nice it would be to have his warm, rough hands all over her idle body.

  She took a big gulp from her beer and made a funny face as she choked it back.

  “You don’t have to drink that if you don’t like it.” He came out with that smile again, and she was sure she was going to faint from its appeal.

  “It tastes fine. Refreshing actually. I’m surprised.”

  “You don’t drink beer often?”

  “No. I don’t drink any alcohol.”

  If her father’s alcoholism hadn’t been enough to turn her off of liquor, her sister’s rape certainly had. She had learned at a very young age that no good came from alcohol. So why, after guarding herself from this very situation her entire adult life, did she find herself sipping on a beer and hanging out with this strong, handsome man whose last name she couldn’t recall?

  “You’d better slow down then. This is the strong stuff. It’ll knock you right off your feet.”

  She liked the sounds of that, her libido reminding her that it still existed. She had begun to believe that her sex drive had gone on a permanent vacation, but it was now apparent that it had only gone into hibernation. Skylar seemed to have brought her sexuality back with a vengeance.

  “Should I be afraid that you might take advantage of me?” She couldn’t believe that the liquor was already giving her bold, flirtatious lips.

  “Oh, boy. Someone must have really done a number on you.”

  She scowled at him, but it wasn’t very believable. He was right, after all. “Not on me. My sister. She was sexually abused by her boyfriend and he eventually threatened to take her life. And my friend, Natalie. Her husband died of cancer last year. He hid it from her until he was on his last breath. She still talks about it every day.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She was sorry that she had even brought it up. But now that she had, she couldn’t stop from giving him her story.

  “I don’t think I'll ever trust another man after that.” Why was she spilling a lifetime of guts to this guy? The words were falling right off her lips. He was so easy to talk to and he seemed like a really good listener. He probably could’ve cared less about her lifetime of livid memories.

  Skylar leaned into her, close enough that she could smell his cologne. “They all want to fuck with destiny. Is that it?”

  Destiny took a healthy swallow of her beer. Why did she wish that statement had been laced with more intimation? After lowering her beer, she slowly nodded her head.

  “So, you don't trust me?” he asked, his voice a low, meaningful growl that dared her to answer him.

  Destiny backed up and smiled softly. She had to put a little space between them. The flirtations were starting to get out of control and there would be no stopping her if she got started.

  “How could I possibly trust you? We only just met.” Her voice was so soft, it shocked her. But not nearly as much as the moment when she realized he was shifting closer and tilting his head for a kiss.

  The pads of Skylar’s fingers brushed her cheek and made her shiver as his warm breath teased her mouth. When his lips met hers, she melted against him, and when his tongue swept into her mouth, it was warm and wet. She only wished she could get a better taste of him.

  Destiny hadn’t known that something so simple could feel so intimate, but everything about him surprised her. Skylar’s lips were soft and gentle, much like his touch. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she trusted him.

  His kiss was persuasive, but gentle. It was like he thought he might break her if his lips pressed too hard. It made for a sensual experience that lit her panties on fire. She wanted more from him, but she wasn’t like Felicia. She suddenly wished she were.

  Destiny didn’t even know this man, who had rescued her from the big bad snow storm, and yet she had no issue with how he was giving her neck a massage with his soft, full lips. When Skylar slowly eased his mouth away, her skin continued to tingle with anticipation.

  She turned her eyes to the floor, unsure that she could face him after that passionate demonstration. She hadn’t felt that kind of chemistry, well, ever. She craved more, but didn’t know the right way to ask for it without sounding like a promiscuous girl, which she was not.

  Skylar reached for her chin and lifted it up. When she looked into those warm, whisky eyes, and saw his soft smile, she couldn’t help but blush.

  He let her face go, but his eyes continued to snare hers. “I’m sorry. I was taking advantage of you. I won’t let it happen again.”

  Is that what he thought she wanted? She wanted so much more. When she took another swig from her bottle, she realized that it was already empty.

  “Oh, wow. Look at that,” she said. She couldn’t believe she had polished off the whole bottle. He was easy to talk to and even easier to kiss. Maybe a little too easy.

  Skylar flashed her slanted smile and teased her. “How did that happen?” He stood from the sturdy, old couch and went to the fridge for another pair of beers. After cracking them open he held one out for her.

  Destiny reached out for the drink. She thought she had a good hold on it, but she was so busy swooning over those sexy eyes that she didn’t realize her grip wasn’t nearly strong enough for a full bottle. The bottle tipped and, though Skylar tried to catch it, it poured all over his light grey hooded shirt, nearly emptying all of its contents on him.

  “Shit!” she yelped.

  Skylar laughed, obviously shocked by her choice of words, as he fumbled with the bottle.

  “I am so sorry,” she said, scooping up the wet bottle and holding it upright. She tried to wipe some of the wetness off of him, but it had already soaked through the fabric.

  Skylar rested his hand on top of hers. “It’s all good.”

  When her eyes met his, everything felt all good –warm and fuzzy and wet. And if she hadn’t known just how good he meant, then she most absolutely did when he lifted his shirt right over his head, exposing the most glorious male form. Goose bumps scattered over his flesh, but it was her who was suddenly shivering.

  He had words scrawled across his core and when he turned to grab a towel from the kitchen, she saw his upper back was covered in the sexiest of tattoos, adding another layer of raw sex appeal to an already overworked subject. When he returned to the room, he got onto his knees and began to dry up the floor, his abs flexing with every stretch.

  Destiny instantly dropped to her knees and took the towel from his hands. “It was my fault. I’ll clean it up.”

  He let her take the towel, backed away and stood to his feet. He started drying h
is body with his shirt, which was now inside out in his hands. Destiny scrubbed the floor vigorously with her booty sticking out. When she looked up at Skylar, his gaze felt like flames, licking across her body. The way he appreciated her curves terrified her. But it was not half as terrifying as the thoughts rolling through her mind.

  She was incredibly intrigued by how her body answered to his appreciation and her mouth dried at the thought of licking that beer right off of his every rigid muscle. Destiny had expected that Skylar would go get another shirt, but instead he strung the wet one out over the chair and then sat back down with that sexy inked flesh staring back at her. She continued to polish the floor, long after it was dry.

  Skylar’s eyes never left her hips. Even when she looked up at him.

  “I apologize. I shouldn’t stare. But you’re a beautiful woman.”

  Another shiver rocked her core, as she tossed the towel onto the coffee table. Destiny returned to her seat, before she laid herself out on the floor from the dizzy spell taking her. Skylar had her feeling all woozy. The liquor was only partly to blame.

  “You’re cold,” Skylar said, noticing the way her body trembled. He seemed very in tune with her needs. “I can warm you up.”

  “I’m okay,” she said, but he was already pulling her back against his big, warm chest.

  “Okay,” she said, unable to turn away such a marvellous offer.

  She settled back against him, and wiggled around until her body fit to his like a puzzle piece. She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath, swallowing his natural aroma, while she secretly wished he had decided to warm her up using another less tasteful method.

  Skylar nudged her head aside and settled his chin on her shoulder. She would have loved for his soft lips to work their magic on her skin again, but he made no attempt to seduce her. Already satisfied that she had found one of the good ones, she rested against him and gave into her other, more studious, desire - to learn more about him.