When I was done, her face was flushed and her breathing was deep and controlled. Her eyes were hooded as she looked at me standing behind her. She was naked and I had my shirt off with my belt and pants unbuttoned, the only thing holding them up was my zipper.
I grabbed her by her shoulders, turning her around so I could dry her hair while she was facing me. I looked into her eyes the entire time and she was ‘fuck me’ ready. I wanted to, god knows I did but I wasn’t desperate enough to force myself on her, not today.
Her hair was nearly dry when I started so it didn’t take long. When I was done, I grabbed the pair of cut off shorts, knelt down and she placed each foot in them as I slid them up her legs.
When they were on, I continued to run my hands up her back feeling her flesh break out in goose bumps. Her head fell forward onto my shoulder from the anticipation.
“Almost finished baby.” I grabbed the shirt next. “Arms up.” I whispered into her ear and she whimpered into my shoulder.
I was probably going to go to hell for teasing her like this, but her body was calling for it and I was providing it. I bunched up the shirt gliding it down her arms and when the shirt reached her shoulders I let go, moving my hand over her breasts rolling my palms over her hard nipples then down to her stomach, resting them on her hips.
I picked her up, placing her on the sink counter. She had three tells that I knew of when she wanted me to make love to her.
One was the way she dug her nails into my biceps, which she was doing now, I think without even noticing. Two, she would run her tongue along the inside of her top and bottom lip repeatedly like she was also doing while staring at my lips, and three, was the way she would tighten and pull in her stomach muscles as she breathed heavily.
It was like she was warming up her pussy for me contracting and releasing her muscles waiting for me. Her body was asking me to make love to her but now wasn’t the right time. I wasn’t that big of a douche to take advantage of her like this.
I leaned in close to her ear, pressing my body onto hers so she could feel me. I was ready for her too but it couldn’t happen tonight.
“Liv, I’m sorry about today. I hurt you in a way that I can never take back and for that I’m truly sorry. I can’t promise you that I’ll do better or be better the next time I see you. What I can tell you is that I will be here every Tuesday and Sunday on time. I will be here for you and only you.
She gave me a half smile as she listened.
“I can also tell you that you will never see a hickey on my flesh if not made by you. You reminded me today what it feels like to love you and I can’t risk losing that. In the meantime, I’m leaving my truck here. The keys are under your pillow. If you or Dulce get into any trouble while we’re not here grab the keys and run. Don’t be brave. Don’t get anyone for help. Just get the keys and run. Got it?”
“I got it.” she whispered back.
“I’m going to carry you out, put you into bed and then I’m leaving, okay.”
She closed her eyes holding her breath.
“Baby, look at me please.”
When she opened her eyes they were tired and worried.
“I love you Livie Marie Hawthorne.”
She sat up straighter, sucking in air through her mouth.
“Yes, Livie that’s who you are to me. Don’t forget that. I might let you hyphenate your last name but don’t count on it.”
I kissed her for the last time tonight and did as I promised. I carried her out, snuggled her in bed, and left with Law.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lawrence
When Ocean went into the bathroom with Sunshine, I felt a hundred times better. I looked back at Blue who looked like she was going to pass out. I followed her gaze and she was looking at my chest. I reached next to me, grabbed my shirt and slipped it on.
“Do you want me to step outside while you get dressed?”
She looked toward the door and then back at me. “No stay,” she said so quick it sounded like one word.
I looked at her and wished I could take her home with me tonight. She needed to get out of here and I wanted to be the one to rescue her.
From where I was sitting, I could see the scar Sunshine mentioned under her chin. It was a perfectly straight scar running from ear to ear.
I stood up from the bed, walking my way slowly to her. I think all the self-restraint I had vanished because I needed to touch her, possibly kiss her tonight.
When I stood in front of her she didn’t shy away. Instead, she looked up into my eyes. I took in her beautiful face as her sandy brown-blonde long hair curled around her face as it air-dried.
Her lips were pink and I wanted to run my tongue and something else along those lips. Before I knew what I was doing, my thumb was running along the scar she had on her eyebrow. I heard her whistle out a breath as she braced a hand on my chest. I took her hand and slipped it under my shirt, resting it over my heart.
My heart was racing and punching my chest like the pistons of my truck.
“Blue, I’m sorry for whatever it was you went through. If you had to go through it alone, I’m even sorrier for not finding you first. You don’t have to tell me everything, but…I want to be the man that makes it better. I want to pick up the pieces of you and love you. Can you let me do that for you? I promise I won’t rush you or do anything you don’t want me to.”
Her face was strained as she processed what I’d just said. When she finally made her decision, she pulled her hand from underneath my shirt. Placing her hand on my shoulder, she stretched up on her toes planting a sweet kiss on my cheek.
I felt like a sixteen year old girl that just got her first cheek kiss from the boy of her dreams. I’m pretty sure it was written all over my face because she smiled as she let my shoulder go.
“Can you turn around Lawre--,” I cut her off.
“Blue, call me Law please.”
She smiled tiredly at me. “Law, can you please turn around?”
I sat down on the edge of her bed, turning my back to her as she got dressed. I really needed to get started on making plans for her and Sunshine’s release.
I also wanted to give them work to do for the studio while they were here to keep them busy. I had the idea of using their homecoming day as the open house party for the studio and I needed to get my shit together ASAP!
I felt the bed dip a little next to me and when I looked over, Dulce was sitting next to me in a pair of baby blue matching pajamas. It was a lace tank top with matching shorts that showed all of her legs and thighs.
She watched as my eyes roamed over her body. Then she took me by surprise resting her hand over mine. “Thank you for what you did today.” She was entering the danger zone and she didn’t even know it.
I turned to face her. “Blue, do me a favor and get under your covers because I don’t think I can keep my promise much longer.”
Her eyes bulged as they moved from my face to the zipper of my jeans. Her breath hitched and her nipples hardened through the thin fabric of her top.
I raised an eyebrow at her, moving in slowly.
When she finally processed me coming in close she flipped her body over, crawling on her hands and knees towards her pillow. I froze from the view she was giving me. What was killing me, my heart, and my hard on was that she was clawing her way towards her pillows as she watched me from over her shoulder.
I’m pretty sure she was testing me to see if I really was any different from the assholes that hurt her before. I sat still, grabbing my dick through the fabric of my pants.
I watched as she crawled up her bed towards her pillow with her ass in the air. I could see the outline of her pussy lips taunting me. I pushed down on my zipper harder.
When she slipped under her blankets pulling them up covering most of her body, I stood up with my hand still gripping my dick.
I made my way over to her, bent down, and kissed her on the forehead. “Good night Blue.”
She
smiled as she recognized the strain in my voice and breathing.
“Buena noche papi.”
I always thought it corny when I heard Hispanic woman calling their men papi. When I heard the words come out of her sexy ass mouth, all my blood drained into my dick and I swayed on my feet as I stood up.
She giggled and turned sideways, hugging onto her pillow.
Ocean opened the door with Sunshine is his arms, placed her in her bed covering her up, and kissed her goodnight. It looked like he was rocking a hard on too by his unbuckled belt and similar bulge.
I fell into step behind Ocean as he opened the door and I closed it behind me. As we were leaving, Trevor and Joseph were rounding the corner with two folding chairs ready for their night shift on guard duty.
We all shook hands, sealing our agreement. Ocean and I walked out of the facility in silence.
****
I woke up in the middle of the night to Ocean standing over me in my bedroom. I flicked on the lamp on my bedside table squinting my eyes from the light.
When the blur finally cleared, Ocean was staring down at me. His hands were trembling and his eyes were glazed over as beads of sweat ran down his forehead. He was either high as fuck or trying to fight the need to get high.
I cleared my throat sitting up slowly, not really sure how this conversation was going to start or end. When I opened my mouth to speak, he immediately interrupted me.
“Please just don’t ask. Law I—damn it man I need to get out of here. I can’t sleep without seeing her the way I found her. I—never mind.”
He turned to walk out, but I bolted off the bed running to block his way to the door. “Hey man. No problem, let me get dressed and we’ll keep busy until we pass out from exhaustion. Sound good?”
I asked him grabbing onto his shoulders, trying to bring his mind back down to this solar system.
He did a fast jerky nod. I pushed him back to sit at the edge of my bed while I got dressed. I didn’t trust him out of my sight because he looked like he was feigning for coke. I would lose a year’s sleep to keep him away from that shit. By the looks of it, he already got to it. That was probably how he ended up with those hickies.
I pulled up some basketball shorts over my briefs, slipped on some socks and my running shoes. No need for a shirt because after our million-mile run, I was going to take him to the studio and start mapping out the plans.
The next time we would go back to see Blue and Sunshine, I wanted to have some work ready for them to start.
I slapped him on his bare shoulder as he was dressed the same as I was.
“Come on bro, I got you.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Livie
Three weeks later… Homecoming!
As soon as the 6 a.m. announcement came on I jumped out of bed, running into the shower. I never thought I would say that hearing that fake tony the tiger announcer was the greatest thing ever. Today I was going home!
The last three weeks were really the best they could have been. As promised, Ocean showed up every Tuesday and Sunday earlier than on time. When he showed up during my PT, Santi let him take over showing him what we were doing and then leaving us to it.
My hand still hurt every now and then, especially if I abused it but I was now able to shower, dry myself, wash my hair, and get dressed all by myself. I was also up to doing fifty-eight push-ups by myself without the resistance band as my safety net. I had one last meeting with Marion for my overall assessment and progress report.
Trevor and Joseph turned into our personal robo cop one and two after the crazy night the guys beat the crap out of Oscar. He finally quit but by the way Dulce was behaving the last three days, I wasn’t convinced that she was in the clear yet.
It was great that Law had us busy when we weren’t in therapy and talking with our counselors. He was really making progress with the studio and from what Ocean was telling me, it was almost finished with the minor construction. I couldn’t wait to see it.
I also couldn’t believe that Law got Marion to allow Dulce to be released on the same day as me. From what I knew, Dulce had another two weeks or so before she would be going home. I nearly tongue-kissed Law for doing that for her. I mean, I knew he was planning on taking her with us but I can’t believe he pulled it off.
Too many questions Livie just get dressed and get to Marion’s!
****
Apparently, Marion wanted to see me along with Dulce at the same time so we nervously walked the hallway to her office for our last time.
I grabbed Dulce’s hand in mine as I knocked on Marion’s door.
“Come in ladies.” we heard her say in a singing tone.
I turned the door handle, gliding it open slowly, dragging Dulce in with me. Her behavior was getting weirder and weirder by the hour.
“Hello Marion.” I said as I closed the door behind us.
She looked up, peeking over her designer glasses. She extended her hand signaling for us to take seats.
I had to pull Dulce in front of me and push her into her seat. It was like her body was here but her mind was a million miles away.
“Ladies.” Marion addressed us as she removed her reading glasses with a smile. “I’m sure you have been informed the way your releases are going to occur is not something I’m typically found of. But seeing as to how you two have progressed since meeting each other, I see no reason to object.”
I looked over at Dulce who looked like she was slowly plummeting down to earth.
“And I cannot dismiss the change that both Hawthorne’s have made about the place. I’ve never had the need to tighten up security but after it was brought to my attention in the way they presented it…Dulce I apologize for my indiscretion to your concerns.”
Shock was written all over her face and I smiled for encouragement.
“Thank you.” Dulce managed to say as she nervously played with her hair.
“Ms. Acosta, I am extremely pleased with the progress that you’ve shown here as well as your growth. However, please consider that with your past things are going to be extremely difficult for you. Once the high of being released wears off you will be forced to deal with the real world, real emotions, and the real consequences of your actions. Everything might not seem so great anymore.”
“I understand Marion but I assure you that Lawrence Hawthorne will have our condo suicide proof and Ocean will most likely be in charge of my 24/7 security.” I said with a smile and she nodded in agreement.
She pulled out two forms from her folder, sliding them over to us. “Ladies, these are your release agreements please sign them and you will be escorted out. There is no need to delay your homecoming.”
I jumped up grabbed the pen and scribbled my name on the dotted line. Dulce moved at a slower pace not really sure of herself.
“Oh Dulce, do you know who’s coming to pick you up? I could not get in touch with your step-father.”
The pen in her hand slipped between her fingers as her face turned pale white. Both Marion and I looked at each other then back at her.
I cleared my throat. “Marion—I’ve made arrangements for Dulce to come and stay with myself and the Hawthorne family. If that’s okay with you we’ll be leaving together.”
“Yes, yes of course. I will make sure Santi, Trevor, and Joseph are with you while you are escorted out. Your rooms have been packed and your belongings are waiting for you. Please wait until Santi comes to get you both from my office.”
She grabbed her cell phone calling Santi. Within seconds, he was barging through her door ready to hospitalize anyone who looked cross eyed at us.
I grabbed Dulce by the shoulders, holding her close as Santi walked behind us with a hand on either of our shoulders.
“Calmate Dulce todo vas a tal bien, (calm down Dulce everything is going to be fine).” She nodded slowly.
Santi leaned close to my head. “Sunshine, stay close. Your boys are waiting outside but I have a bad feeling about Dulce’s peopl
e, okay.”
“Yes, of course.”
We met up with Trevor and Joseph by the main entrance. While Santi took the lead, Trevor and Joseph closed us in to the middle, blocking all hands and eyes from reaching us.
The walk was long and silenced. Everyone had a bad feeling about this and I couldn’t help but feel the same way.
“Baby!” Ocean shouted.
“Blue!” Lawrence squealed like a little girl.
We both heard Ocean and Law from across the yard. At the sound of Law’s voice, Dulce broke out into a speed walk pushing against Santi to hurry up and he did when she started to jog. I laughed to myself. Someone broke our formation.
Law reached for Dulce, picking her up and pulling her into a huge bear hug. I saw the tension rolling off of her and finally I was able to breath.
Arms came from behind me, snaking themselves tightly around my upper stomach. The smell of salt and spice burned my nose and I let my head fall back into Ocean.
“Hey beautiful.”
I turned around in his arms to look up at his face. He looked absolutely beautiful. Today he was rocking the Alex Pettyfer look. I slipped my arms underneath his and hugged his body close.
“You ready to go home, baby?”
I inhaled deeply before exhaling. “Ocean, with you I would go anywhere.”
His hands slid down to my ass as he palmed and squeezed me, pushing me into his hardness. There was an edge in his eyes ever since he showed up with his shame hickies. I couldn’t place it but it was something that he was hiding from me.
I couldn’t really figure out if it was something bad he was into or if it was just his way of dealing, but there was something playing under the warm brown pools of his eyes.
He walked me backwards keeping his eyes on me searching for something. When my back hit the hardness of what felt like a car, I looked over my shoulder. It was another stretched limo. This one was white and I shook my head rolling my eyes.
“Go big or go home baby. I like to do both.”
Oceans Submerged: Book Two, the Oceans Series Page 15