Here it comes. She’d been waiting for this talk. The school’s-just-not-for-me talk. The one where Simone argues that she really tried but she just can’t do it.
Stephanie was feeling better, in fact, waking up just now she actually felt human again. A human that needed to take a shower badly, but a human all the same. But, just the thought of having to go round and round with her sister about getting a degree made her want to bury herself under the covers and not come out for another three days.
She could claim to be feeling too sick to have the conversation, but that would only be delaying the inevitable. Plus, she knew better than most that if Simone didn’t want to talk about something, there was no prying it out of her, but if she did, there was no shutting her up.
“What’s up?” Stephanie took a drink of water, wetting her dry throat for the conversation she faced. She knew she was going to need to do a lot of talking.
Instead of her sister eagerly jumping into a power point presentation of the reasons she didn’t need a college degree, she sat quietly looking down at her hands and biting the side of her mouth. Her sister’s odd behavior made Stephanie’s stomach churn like it was making homemade ice cream.
Simone had always been a jump first ask questions later kind of girl. Her motto had been it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission. She attacked life fearlessly, it was something Stephanie had always admired about her little sister. Simone lived life to the fullest and unapologetically. So to see her looking so uncertain was unsettling to say the least.
“Simone, it’s okay. You can talk to me about anything,” Stephanie encouraged her.
“I know,” Simone snapped before wincing and shaking her head. “Sorry.”
Sorry?
Oh shit. Icy fear ran through Stephanie’s veins. Something was wrong. Really wrong if her sister was apologizing.
“Shimmy,” she used a nickname she hadn’t called her little sister since she was ten. It originated because Scott couldn’t pronounce Simmy, which was what their mom had called her. “What’s wrong? Are you sick? Pregnant?”
“What?” Simone’s face scrunched up like she’d just bit into a lemon. “No, I’m not sick and I’m definitely not pregnant.”
It was funny to hear that there was more horror in Simone’s voice when she said pregnant than sick.
Stephanie’s shoulders dropped and she leaned back against the pillows, “Oh okay, good.”
Her sister’s face lit up and a small smile crossed it. “Although I did go on my second date, or callback, with a guy that might just be my leading man. I met him at the coffee shop in the quad. He’s amazing. He’s tall and so hot. He plays basketball and is a civil engineering major. And Misty’s system works because if it wasn’t for that I would’ve for sure wasted a good six months with this loser that I met last month. But, because of Misty, I cut that guy off after the third date, or screen test. And because of that, I was studying at The Grind House instead of hanging out with Loser-man.”
“That’s great!” Stephanie was genuinely happy for her sister. And not just because the guy she was dating seemed to have his shit together. She was happy for her sister because her sister looked happy. Not surface happy, but really happy. “Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Oh no,” Simone waved her hand dismissively. “I digressed.”
When her sister didn’t continue Stephanie prompted, “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“Right, um, well…” Simone shifted in her chair and sat up taller as if she was trying to prepare herself. The uneasy feeling that had dissolved earlier returned.
Finally, she placed her hands on her thighs, looked straight in Stephanie’s eyes and said, “I’m sorry.”
Another apology?! Stephanie held the panic waters that wanted to flood at bay, as she hoped to finally get to the bottom of whatever her sister was tiptoeing around. “What are you apologizing for?”
She let out a harsh bark of laughter. “What am I not apologizing for?”
Stephanie waited for an explanation. Instead of giving her one, her sister sat in the chair crossing and uncrossing her legs. Shifting from side to side. Looking about as comfortable as someone sitting in a hive of red ants.
“Simone you’re really freaking me out.”
“Sorry. Sorry, I’m just really bad at this.” Simone left the chair and sat in front of Stephanie on the bed. “Okay, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for not taking out the trash when you asked. Or cleaning my room. Or doing my homework. I’m sorry for lying to you and telling you I was spending the night at Jules when I was really down at the River with Beau. I’m sorry about sneaking out of the house. I’m sorry that I used to take your keys while you slept because you were bartending all night and go joyriding with my friends before I had my license. I’m sorry that I stole money from your purse sophomore year to get a fake I.D. so I could buy alcohol. I’m sorry I stole money from your purse for alcohol. I’m sorry I—”
“Are you in AA?” Stephanie cut in.
“What? AA? I’m not… Why do you think that!?” Simone’s hands flew up in the air.
Stephanie could see that she’d upset her sister. That was the last thing she’d wanted to do. She was trying to make this easier for her. “I didn’t know what you were doing and then you said you had a fake I.D. and bought alcohol and I thought maybe this was part of your recovery. That you were in a twelve step program and you were making amends.”
Simone stared at her sister for a second and Stephanie waited for her to tell her this was why she couldn’t talk to her about anything and storm out of the room dramatically.
But to her surprise, Simone’s head fell back as she busted out laughing. When her laughter subsided she sighed loudly before explaining, “No, sissy. I’m not in a twelve step program. I just…I had a talk with Ace the other day and I figured some things out and I wanted to tell you.”
“Oh, okay.” Stephanie wasn’t sure what Ace had to do with this but she tried not to overthink it and just listen to her sister.
“I realized that I treated you horribly, and you didn’t deserve it. Before mom left, I was just so mad at you because I thought that if you would just stop, just stop taking care of me and Scott, then she would have to do it. Then when mom left, I blamed you. I was so mad at you because I thought that if you would’ve just left us alone then she would’ve had to come back and be with us. She’d have to be our mom. She wouldn’t have a choice. I hated you because to me it was all your fault. Her leaving us was your fault. I even thought it was your fault dad left us. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I was a kid.” Tears sprung to Simone’s eyes and she made no move to wipe them away before they fell down her cheeks. “I did all of those things I told you I was sorry for, and more, on purpose to try to make you leave. I made your life hell and all you’ve ever done is take care of us. All you’ve ever done is make sure we had everything we need. You loved us, made sure that we all stayed together and I was so mean. I was horrible and I’m so sorry. I love you and I don’t know what I would do without you. I’m so sorry.”
Simone broke down completely and Stephanie had tears falling down her face as she pulled her little sister into her arms and hugged her. Stephanie assured her sister that she loved her, and that she shouldn’t feel bad. She’d been an angry, confused kid. They held on to each other cried and cried until they were all cried and hugged out.
When they were done Stephanie grabbed some tissues from the box that was sitting beside her and handed some to her sister. They blew their noses and laughed at how loud it was.
Her sister offered to make her some tea and Stephanie almost started crying again as she accepted. This was a whole new side of Simone.
As she reclined back against her pillows she asked her as she headed out to the kitchen, “When did you talk to Ace?”
Her sister stopped in the doorway. “When you left me here and asked me to check on him.”
“Oh, he woke up?” She re
membered her sister had told her that he hadn’t needed anything so she’d just assumed that they hadn’t spoken.
A mischievous spark lit in Simone’s eyes as a sly smile pulled at her lips. “I woke him up the same way I woke you up.”
“The same way…” Stephanie tried to remember how her sister had woken her up. After the emotional journey they’d just traveled, that seemed like a lifetime ago, not just twenty minutes. Then she remembered. “You asked him if we played naughty nurse and bad patient?!”
Simone nodded, her smile growing wider, clearly proud of herself. “Yep, I sure did.”
Now Stephanie really wanted to crawl under her covers and stay there. She was so embarrassed. “What did he say?”
Simone’s eyes lifted to the ceiling, like she was trying to recall. Stephanie saw the moment she found the memory. Her sister cupped her hands together and brought them to the center of her chest. “He said the same thing you did.”
The same thing she did? Stephanie couldn’t remember what that was. “What did I say?”
“You asked where Ace was. You asked for each other.” Her sister left her post and started down the hall, calling back, “That’s so romantic. He’s definitely your leading man. You better cast him before someone else does.”
Stephanie closed her eyes and thought about what her sister had said. She shared her sister’s sentiment. It was kind of romantic. However, her sister didn’t know she had a whole list of things that scored much higher on the romantic scale. Like him taking her to see Scott when they were supposed to go to dinner. Him taking care of her as if she was the most precious thing in the world to him the past three days. And him going to see Scott when she was too sick to and calling her sister so she wouldn’t be alone. The list went on and on.
As far as being the leading man and casting him, she agreed but they weren’t even technically dating.
Whose fault is that?
Her inner voice was right. It was her fault that they were in relationship limbo. She hadn’t been ready for more before, but now she was. She was ready for her happily-ever-after life, not just her happily-ever-after night. And according to Ace that was going to be filled with dinners, dancing, and the DMV.
She smiled to herself. It sounded perfect.
Chapter 23
Ace leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb and looked across the kitchen to where Stephanie was standing at the stove. Last night, when he’d returned from visiting Scott, she’d been sound asleep. Simone had waited for him before heading back to school and she’d told him that Stephanie had been feeling a lot better. The two of them had watched new episodes of the Gilmore Girls, which apparently was a big deal.
She was wearing sweats and a loose shirt. Her hair was pulled up and piled on top of her head and she was swaying along to the melody she was humming. Even from her profile, she looked happy. As he watched her he thought that this might be the cutest he’d ever seen her. Of course, that same thought struck him probably fifty times a day, every day, so he wasn’t the most objective person to judge her most adorable moments.
“It looks like someone’s feeling better,” he announced as he made his way across the kitchen tile.
She spun to face him, her eyes twinkling. “Oh, you’re up. I didn’t hear you. I’m making tea, but I can make coffee, too.”
She turned back towards the cabinet and he slid behind her and reached out wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. She sucked in a startled gasp and her body melted into his. He nuzzled his face into her neck, inhaling her strawberry and mint scent. He pressed his lips to the soft skin just below her ear and he felt her tremble against him.
He’d missed this. He’d missed holding her in his arms. He’d missed kissing her. He wanted to take his time and reacquaint himself with her body.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” The huskiness in his voice had nothing to with the fact that he’d just woken up and everything to do with the things he wanted to do to the woman in his arms.
“I’m glad you’re up.” She emphasized the word by rubbing her backside against exactly where he was up.
That was it. That was all it took to push him over the edge. He needed her. Now.
With lightning speed, he spun her around so they faced each other and slid his hands down her body and gripped her ass. He lifted her off the ground, sweeping her up off her feet and caused her to draw in a sharp breath. She wrapped her arms and legs around him tightly and he stepped forward and sat her down on the counter. She kept her legs tightly encircled around his hips but loosened the grip she had on him with her arms enough so that she could tangle her fingers in his hair.
God, he loved that. The way that her touch felt stroking through his hair. He watched as her lips parted and she licked her lips. It drove him crazy, making him want to capture her mouth with his. Not seeing any reason to ignore that impulse, he did exactly that. He kissed her with all of the passion that had been pent up since the last time he’d tasted her. He brushed his lips against hers and drove his tongue into her mouth with a savage intensity. She met him lick for lick. He felt the moan in the back of her throat before he even heard it. A roaring urgency ripped through him pushing him to the brink. He had to get her naked, and it had to be fast.
He didn’t know how much longer he could survive without the feeling of her skin against his. She let out a groan of protest when he broke their kiss, but it was replaced by a sensual sigh of approval as he moved his hands beneath her shirt and pulled it up. It slid up and over her head easily, exposing her perfect, pink nipple-tipped breasts.
When the shirt dropped to the ground she lifted her hips to slide her sweats down as well, but he planted his hands firmly on the top of her thighs, holding them in place. Her next move was reaching for his sweats, but he grabbed her wrists and pinned them to her sides, giving her a wicked grin. It had driven him crazy when she’d taken the lead the last time they were together. He figured he’d return the favor.
“You had your turn when I was out of commission,” he rasped. “It’s my turn now”
She started to protest but he covered her mouth with his, still holding her wrists at her sides, until every muscle in her body was trembling with excitement and her breathing was nothing but alternating pants and gasps. Her hips bucked against the rock-hard erection that was throbbing heavily and straining to be free from his sweats. Even through the cotton barriers he could feel her damp heat as she ground her core into him.
Wanting to taste more of her, he tore his mouth away and began kissing her neck. He trailed down it, licking and nipping her soft, supple skin.
She arched her back as she pleaded, “Ace, please.”
He slid his hot tongue lower, over the swell of her luscious mounds. Releasing her wrists, he lifted his hands and cupped her full breasts. Pressing them together he used his the tip of his tongue to trace little circles around her areolas. With her hands no longer restrained, her fingers threaded through his hair and made fists. The sting of her grip shot straight to his groin.
His already pulsing member twitched with arousal as she pressed her flesh more firmly against his mouth in a silent plea. He engulfed first one hard nipple in his hot mouth, swirling his tongue around it, bringing it to an even stiffer peak of pleasure, and then moving to the other. He alternated between them, driving her to the cusp of an explosion before pulling his mouth back and letting her cool down for a moment before moving to the other hard nub.
“That feels…so good…your mouth…feels so good…your…tongue…feels so good…it feels…so…good,” her encouragement came between pants.
While he continued to suck on her sensitive nipples, he slid his hands down her sides, and tugged her sweats down her legs. Then he ran his hand between her silky thighs. When he reached the apex of her legs he pushed aside the thin fabric of her lacy panties. Slowly he rubbed his fingers up and down her wet slit, always amazed every time he touched her at how hot and slick and ready for him she was.
Her body jumped as if she’d received an electric jolt every time his fingers brushed her clit. He could tell that she was so close. It would’ve been the easiest thing in the world to get her off right then just by rubbing in rhythmic little circles on that pleasure button. But that would’ve been too easy. Too simple. He wanted to give her something more explosive, more layered, more full and rich. So he slipped two fingers inside of her and began to move them back and forth as he started making those same slow circles with his thumb.
All the while, he never broke his mouth away from her nipples. Not that he would’ve been able to with the way that she was pulling him forward onto her breasts—and he would never even dream of trying. He wanted her to know what it felt like to come while all of her pleasure centers were being stimulated at once. He wanted her to feel that kind of intensity. He wanted her to come apart with his mouth on her nipples, his thumb rubbing her clit and his fingers buried inside of her.
It may have been possessive, it may have been primal, it may have been a “caveman beating his chest” kind of thing; but he didn’t care. He wanted to brand her. He wanted to mark her and possess her. He wanted her to be his and no one else’s. And the best way that he could think to do that was to give her the kind of pleasure that would do just that.
He slowly built up the speed and intensity of all of his movements—mouth, fingers and thumb—coordinating his rhythm, carefully and thoughtfully building up the layers of pleasure in her body. When he felt her begin to clench onto his fingers he flicked his tongue faster, driving her over the edge before she had a chance to think about it. He took her from the first hint of the tremors of pleasure all the way to the fireworks going off in her brain.
He could see her lose control as she began shaking with release. Her thighs trembled violently as her head fell back and a cry of release fell from her lips. Her going up and over the edge there on that kitchen counter, her legs spread wide and panties pulled to the side with his fingers sliding in and out of her body as he sucked on her breasts was the one of the hottest things he’d ever seen in his life.
All He Needs – Ace & Stephanie (Crossroads Book 10) Page 19