Southern Attraction

by Kaylee Ryan

  Her eyes light up. “How are you not already taken, Michael Wallace?”

  I hold her tight, my arms wrapped around her. My hand slides under her shirt and the feel of her skin calms me. “I was waiting for you,” I reply, pressing my lips to hers. I can feel her melt against me once my words register. It’s true. No one before her mattered, even registered on my radar. It’s always been and will always be her, no matter where we end up. I’ll never love anyone the way I love her.

  “Jamie,” I whisper. She looks up from where her head is resting on my chest. I stop dancing and cup her face in my hands. Her green eyes mist as if she already knows what’s coming. “I love you,” I say softly before pressing my lips to hers, not giving her the chance to say it back. I don’t want her to feel obligated, and I’m not sure how I’ll take it if she can’t say it.

  Pulling out of the kiss, she peers up at me. “Mike.” She smiles. “I love you too.”

  I pick her up and spin her around. “Say it again,” I demand. I need to hear her say it again.

  She laughs, her smile lighting up her face. “I love you.”

  When I place her on her feet, she falls back onto the couch. I take a seat beside her and she surprises me by crawling into my lap. My hands grip her thighs as she leans down and kisses me. Her tongue tentatively traces my lips and I open for her. She’s in control, and I’ll give her whatever she wants. She doesn’t seem to be in a hurry and neither am I. She’s here in my arms, in my home, and she loves me.

  Her hand slides under my shirt. “How often do you work out?”

  I chuckle. “Anytime I’m not at the bar. I also help Aaron and Evan on the farm when they need it. It’s good exercise. Actually, that’s what I’m doing tomorrow. They have some fence that needs fixed, and Aaron is freaking out about not having it all done before the wedding.”

  “Why doesn’t he hire someone?”

  I shrug. “He has farmhands, but I think he likes to do it on his own. He takes pride in the farm.”

  “I can see that. So tomorrow, you’ll be there and then the bar?”

  “No, Liv is taking tomorrow, and I’ve been given strict instructions to bring you with me. Whitney says she needs your help going over last-minute details for the rehearsal.”

  “What time do we have to be there?” she asks, running her soft hands over my chest.

  Leaning up, careful not to push her off my lap, I pull my shirt off. She grins. “I have to be there at seven in the morning. You can sleep in if you want and come by later.”

  “Hmm, that’s early. I guess we should skip the movie and get right to the final festivities of the night.”

  “Did you have something in mind?”

  “I did, actually.” She stands and begins to undress.

  “Jamie, we can go to my room,” I say. I have a pretty good idea of what this idea of hers consists of.

  “I think we’re good here.” She reaches behind her and unclasps her bra, letting it fall at her feet. “Don’t you?”

  She’s standing before me in nothing but a tiny pair of pale green panties. “Y-yeah, this works.” She renders me speechless.

  “You’re behind.” She points to my pants that are growing increasingly uncomfortable.

  I stand and quickly strip them off, boxer briefs and all. I raise my eyebrows in silent question, asking her what’s next.

  “Sit.” She points to the couch.

  I do as she says, grabbing my aching cock and stroking. I watch her as she slowly pulls her panties down and steps out one leg at a time, kicking them to the side. Her long blonde hair is hanging over her shoulders, her green eyes bright with happiness.

  She takes a step toward me. “Jeans pocket,” I remind her. She nods, picks up my jeans and pulls out my wallet, handing it to me. I shake my head. “You do it,” I tell her.

  She grins as she opens my wallet and pulls out the little silver packet, using her teeth to tear it open. Dropping to her knees, she settles between my legs and I release my cock. She takes over, using long slow strokes. I watch her as she rolls the condom down my length. Hot as fuck.

  Standing, she places a knee on either side of mine on the couch and straddles me. I grip her thighs again, needing my hands on her. Reaching between us, she grabs me and guides me home.

  “Shit,” I mutter.

  “Mmm.” She closes her eyes. I don’t move, not sure I’m even breathing while I wait for her next move. When she raises up just a little and then settles back against me, I close my eyes to keep them from rolling back in my head.

  She’s taking it slow, and this need to make slow, sweet love to her overtakes me. It’s something I’ve never done.

  “Baby, I need you to wrap your arms around my neck and when I stand, your legs go around my waist.”

  She nods and I stand, me still inside of her. “What are you doing?” she asks, burying her head in my neck.

  “I’m going to make love to you.” I take my time getting to my room. She’s moaning with each step and I like the sound, the feeling of her clenching around me. Finally in my room, I have to release her, which means I have to pull out as well. I sit her on the bed and slowly pull away from her. “Scoot back.” She does, and I follow right after her. Her legs fall open as an invitation and I take it. Dropping my elbows on either side of her head, I rest my weight there as I push back inside.

  She slides her hands under my arms and grips my back, a move I’ve come to expect from her, as if she needs to hold me close, hold on while we make love. I might not have been slow the times before, but that’s exactly what it was. It could be nothing but when it comes to her.

  “I love you,” she whispers.

  Leaning down, I kiss her, soft and slow, my tongue meeting the rhythm of my hips as I make love to my girl. I lose track of time getting lost in her. Nothing else matters.

  “I’m close,” she says, her green eyes locked on mine. “Can you… I mean, can you go with me?”

  “I’m with you, baby. Always.”

  Within seconds we’re both falling over the edge. I rest my forehead against hers and relish the feeling.

  “Let me take care of this and I’ll be right back.” Reluctantly and quickly, I climb out of bed and rush to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. I’m back to her in a flash, sliding under the covers. She comes willingly as she settles her head against my chest and I wrap my arms around her.

  “Love you,” she whispers.

  I hold her a little tighter. “I love you, Jamie. Sweet dreams, beautiful.”

  The alarm is going off way too early. I’m ready to complain until I remember why: Mike has to head over to help Aaron mend a fence today. I debate on sleeping in but decide against it. I’m excited to spend some one-on-one time with Whitney.

  Rolling over, I snuggle into Mike and soak up his warmth.

  “Mornin,’ beautiful,” he mumbles.

  “Morning. I guess I need to get moving.”

  “You can sleep in.”

  “Nah, I want to go see Whit.”

  “All right, babe. You shower first. I’ll start on breakfast.”

  “You should shower with me,” I suggest.

  He chuckles. “Baby, I’ll never leave this house if we start the day that way. I only have a few days left with you, and if Aaron weren’t one of my best friends, I wouldn’t be leaving at all.” He kisses my hair and climbs out of bed. “Bacon and eggs okay?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be quick.” Well, after I watch his naked ass pull on some gym shorts. No point in missing the show.

  Once he disappears out the bedroom door, I jump into action and head to the shower, rushing through so I’m not holding him up. I opt for a pair of gym shorts and a tank, blow-drying my hair and then pulling it up in a knot on top of my head. I forgo makeup and head toward the kitchen.

  “Just in time.” He sets two plates with bacon, eggs, and toast on the island. We each inhale our food; we must have worked up an appetite last night. I can’t hide my grin at the thought.
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  “What are you grinning about over there?” he inquires.

  “Last night.”

  He shakes his head and rises from the chair, placing his plate in the sink. Okay, so he inhaled a little faster than I did. He rounds the island and places his hands on my shoulders, his lips next to my ear. “Best night of my life. I’ll be quick.” He kisses just below my ear and then he’s gone.

  I place one hand over my racing heart and the other on my flaming cheeks. No one has ever been able to make me feel such a wide range emotions at one time. Just Mike, the man I’m in love with and who loves me back. The man who lives states away.

  What am I going to do?

  When we pull into Whit’s, she and Aaron are sitting on the front porch drinking coffee.

  “Hey! I didn’t think you’d be out of bed and moving this early,” Whitney calls out to me.

  “If you can’t beat them, join them,” I say, stepping onto the porch, Mike right behind me with his hand on the small of my back.

  “So you couldn’t convince him to stay home in bed, huh?” she laughs.

  “Nope.” No point in denying it.

  Aaron chuckles. “I’ll get him back to you soon, I promise. Thanks for the help, man.”

  “Don’t mention it,” Mike replies.

  “Hope to be done by lunch, Whit. I’ll text you when we’re on our way back,” Aaron tells her, giving her a quick kiss goodbye.

  “That works. I’ll have lunch ready when you get here.” One more kiss and he pulls away from her.

  “Have a good day, baby,” Mike whispers in my ear.

  I turn to face him. “You too.” I stand on my tiptoes and press a quick kiss to his lips. His beaming smile rewards me. With a squeeze of my hand, he and Aaron are off to mend fences.

  “He’s got it bad,” Whit says as we watch our men walk away.

  “He’s not the only one,” I tell her.

  “Come on, let’s go inside. Have you had breakfast?”

  “Yeah, Mike made bacon and eggs.”

  “That’s what Aaron made,” she laughs.

  “So what do we need to do for the wedding? Mike mentioned last-minute details of the rehearsal dinner.”

  “Nothing except for I have three outfits and I can’t choose which one to wear. I keep going back and forth. I need your opinion.”

  “Lead the way.” I follow her upstairs to their bedroom.

  “Okay, I love all three of them and I just can’t decide. I want everything to be perfect, you know?” She disappears into her closet and is back seconds later carrying three garment bags. I help her lay them out on the bed and take the outfits out. “Can I try them on for you?”

  “Duh, how else am I going to make an informed decision?”

  She laughs and wraps me in a hug. “I’ve missed you so much, Jamie. I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Me too, Whit. Now go change.”

  She models each outfit and I give my honest opinion about each. Truthfully they’re all gorgeous and she looks good in all of them, but the pale pink is my favorite.

  I’m helping Whit hang the outfits back up when my cell rings. “It’s a Chicago number,” I tell her. What if it’s my parents? “Hello?” I say hesitantly.

  “Jamie Turner?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is Tom Farris from Farris and Associates. Is this a bad time?”

  I relax. I told Mr. Warren they could call me if they had any questions. “Not at all, Mr. Farris, what can I do for you?”

  “I’ve been looking through the files from Warren and I’m impressed. I called to tell him just that and he gave me your number.”

  “Thank you,” I say, not sure where he’s going with this.

  “Listen, I’ve been thinking of restructuring my paralegal department. Each is assigned to an attorney, but everyone does things differently. I would like the documentation process more streamlined, and I want you to be the one to implement it.”

  “Are you… are you offering me a job?” I ask, shocked.

  He laughs. “I am. I’m impressed with your work, and when I talked to Warren, he had nothing but high praise for you. If you accept, I’d like you to start right away with the understanding that if your drug screen and background check come back with findings that we will sever the relationship. Although I’m positive that’s not going to be the case.”

  “No, sir,” I reply.

  “So what do you say, Jamie? I’m willing to match your salary with quarterly profit bonuses. Four weeks paid vacation and your own office, of course.”

  “I’m… I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say yes.”

  “Yes.” This is the job I’ve always dreamed of.

  “Excellent. When can you start?”

  “I’m out of town right now. My best friend is getting married.” I look at Whit wide-eyed.

  “Monday, then?”

  “Yes, Monday.”

  “See you then, Jamie,” he says, and the line goes dead.

  “Holy shit,” I whisper, pulling the phone from my ear.

  “What was that about?” Whit asks.

  “That was Mr. Farris from Farris and Associates. He took over the rest of Mr. Warren’s cases. He just offered me a job running his paralegal department.”

  “Jamie! That’s awesome.” She wraps me in a hug.

  “He said he was impressed with my work and wants me to implement my style to his team.”

  “So when do you start?” she asks.

  “Monday. He’s eager to get the changes in place.”

  “This is your dream job,” she cheers.

  “Yeah,” I say, unable to find the excitement. I think I’m still in shock. That and it means I’m really leaving him. I was hoping we could work this out between us, but I’ve just accepted this new position. I’m not going to be taking a lot of time off work in the beginning.

  “What’s wrong?” Whit asks.

  I have to fight back the tears. “I have to leave him.”

  “You were leaving anyway, right?”

  “Yeah, but it’s real now. And with the new job, I won’t have the opportunities for long weekends, at least not for a while. Whit, I love him. What am I going to do?”

  “Oh, sweetie, he loves you too. You guys will figure it out.”

  I shake my head. “No, we won’t. There is no easy solution to this. We’re both losing this one, and it fucking sucks.”

  Her phone alerts her to a text. “That’s Aaron. They’re on the way back.”

  “What am I going to do?” I cry harder.

  “You are going to get yourself together, and the four of us are going to have lunch. Then when you get home, you’re going to sit him down and tell him about the job. Don’t wait. Not telling him will only make it worse.”

  I nod. I’m not sure if it’s the best plan, but it’s the only one I have. My heart is actually breaking if the ache in my chest is any indication.

  Taking a few minutes, I get my emotions under control and go downstairs to help Whit with lunch. “Keep me busy, conversation, whatever you have to do. I don’t want to tell him here.”

  She gives me a hug, “I got you, Jamie. Everything will work out.”

  We carry the food out to the back deck and have it all set up.

  “Ladies,” Aaron greets us.

  Looking up, I find Mike standing shirtless in ripped jeans and a baseball hat sporting the bar’s logo. I fight back another round of tears just at the sight of him. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to leave him this time.

  “What’s wrong?” he asks.

  “Nothing,” Whit says, wiping under her eyes and sniffing. “We’re just having a moment. You know, getting married and all that.” She waves her hand in the air as if our overemotional behavior is just that.

  “You okay, Whit?” Aaron takes a seat next to her.

  “Fine,” she laughs. “Just missing my best friend. We had a good day.”

  Mike takes a seat next to me and places his
hand on my knee. “You okay, James?”

  I look over at him and fight back the tears. “Yeah, I just miss her, you know?”

  “I know, baby.” Leaning in, he kisses my cheek and I hold in my tears while we eat.

  As promised, Whit chatters at lunch, asking the guys about the fence and what’s next with the farm. Mike and I are mostly quiet unless spoken to.

  “Thanks for your help today, Mike,” Aaron says as we stand to leave. Whit and I cleaned up from lunch, and now it’s time to head to Mike’s. Time for me to break both of our hearts.

  “We’ll see you all if not later this week, Friday at the rehearsal,” Whit says, giving us both a hug. “Call me,” she whispers just for me.

  I nod and wave goodbye to Aaron, then follow Mike to the truck. The drive back to his place is quiet.

  Please don’t let him hate me.

  She’s quiet, and I give her time to get her thoughts together. Something’s bothering her, something more than Whitney getting married. I just don’t know what it is. When I left her with Whit this morning, she was happy, glowing, and now the glow is gone, replaced by sadness. In just a few short hours, she lost the light that’s been following us around since she got here. Deep down, I think I know what it means, but I’m trying to hold out hope that I’m wrong.

  As soon as we pull into the drive, it starts to rain. Looks like Aaron and I finished just in time based on the dark clouds off in the distance and the roar of thunder.

  It’s barely sprinkling, so I go ahead and park the truck in the garage, though by the time we’re out of the truck, it starts to pour. “Ready to make a run for it?” I ask, holding her hand.

  She looks over at me and nods. “One… two… three!” We start to run.

  Thankfully I remember to grab the remote out of the truck and hit the button with my other hand so I don’t have to stop to close the garage door. It’s pouring so hard that, despite our best efforts, by the time we reach the attached garage, just a few more steps from the porch, we’re both soaked. Jamie stops, halting me as well. Turning to look at her, she has her head tilted back and her eyes closed, letting the rain wash over her.

  “Jamie,” I say loudly over the rain.

  Lifting her head, she smiles. It’s the first smile I’ve seen since I got back today. “I’ve never stopped to do this,” she says. “To feel the rain. I’m always rushing. At home, everyone’s always rushing. If I stopped on the sidewalk or even outside my apartment, I’d get trampled.”